"An ant can't move a rubber-tree plant"
 by Lieutenant T'Kang
 Chief Tactical Officer - USS Tempest
 http://come.to/tkang


T'Kang first laid eyes on Lieutenant Commander Lee as he 
rounded the bend of the current corridor on Starbase 202.  
The acting Captain of the Tempest was accompanied by a 
security detail that appeared to be in the middle of a 
changing of the guards.  The Klingon thought it was an 
amusing thought; that if Lee thought this Insurrection plan 
was such a just cause and the right thing to do, (violating 
ones oath to the Confederation, turning on Starfleet 
command and all of her might with a dozen ships and one 
Starbase in the middle of nowhere), if that was the case, why 
did he feel the need to surround himself with security?  Was 
the voice of reason *that* threatening?

Lee's eyes caught a glimpse of T'Kang as the burly officer 
came marching towards him with a determined look on his 
face.  The bear-like presence of the gruff looking Klingon 
was enough to make the four relieved security guards stick 
around momentarily with their comrades,. . .  just in case.

"T'Kang.  You look like you have something on your mind."  
Lee greeted as the Klingon came walking to a stop just a 
foot or two away.

The Klingon jogged his chin slightly.  "I do."  Flashing his 
eyes at the eight security officers which seemed a bit 
apprehensive over T'Kang's rather large frame,  he added, "I 
will speak with you.  ALONE."  T'Kang's face looked quite 
menacing as he grunted the final word in the direction of the 
security detachment.

Lee looked up into T'Kang's eyes.  He could see that 
something was troubling the Tempest's Chief Tactical 
Officer.  Raising a hand at the security forces, Lee started 
taking a few steps away, beckoning T'Kang to follow.  When 
they were several meters away from the security team, the 
Lieutenant Commander stopped and faced the Klingon.

"What is it Lieutenant?"  Lee asked.

"Sir, I believe you have made a grave mistake in bringing the 
Tempest to this Starbase.  A short time ago, Commander 
Erdem broadcast a sub-space message throughout the 
quadrant announcing Arcadia's open defiance of Starfleet 
Command."  T'Kang explained.

Lee nodded.  "I heard it Lieutenant."

T'Kang's eyes widened in shock for a moment before 
narrowing back to their usual scowl.  "You know?  Are you 
as mad as he?  A dozen starships and one starbase is no 
match for all of Starfleet!  ZaKal will no doubt send hundreds 
of ships to put an end to this mini civil war and court marshal 
all that cooperate with the rebel insurrection.  This is Tactical 
suicide.  The CinC will likely not have to fire a shot.  Simply 
parking a few hundred ships, a mere fraction of Starfleet 
Command, in a blockade of Arcadia would be enough to 
insure this little uprising's failure.  What makes you believe 
that one space station and a dozen starships can possibly 
stand a chance against the entire might of Starfleet 
Command?!"

T'Kang's tone rose in passion and boisterous volume as he 
spoke.  Enough to allow the security detachment at the end 
of the corridor to overhear some of his words even with the 
intervening distance.

The acting Captain of the Tempest nodded.  "But you are 
forgetting the principle of the thing Lieutenant.  We each took 
an oath. . ."  Lee started before being cut off by the angry 
Klingon.

"Do not speak of oaths and try to justify your actions in 
turning against Starfleet in the same breath, you hypocrite!  
Your actions in agreeing to join forces with these honorless 
vipers that turn on their superiors in Starfleet Command in 
the name of their oath towards the Confederation is an 
insult.  It's like declaring 'do as I say! not as I do!' when 
expecting those officers under your command to follow your 
orders.  You are not following the orders of Starfleet 
Command *Captain*, when you order the Tempest to join 
forces with this pathetic civil insurrection plot and ask us to 
follow you as we attack our own families in Starfleet 
Command.  You are not following your oath to protect our 
brothers and sisters on board those hundreds and 
thousands of Starships, Starbases and colonies that will be 
forced to come after us to put an end to this selfish revolt 
that you've agreed to be a part of.  When we have to fire on 
our fellow Starfleet Officer's ships, and bases and colonies 
and murder hundreds of thousands of our family members in 
the name of following 'the oath', we will not *be* following 
that oath at all.   Have you no vision of the consequences of 
your actions?  Have you no understanding of the impact your 
decisions make on all of your crew's careers, and their lives?  
Don't you realize that by agreeing to violate your solemn 
oath you made to protect the Confederation by the use of 
force against that same Confederation you have become 
every bit as bad as ZaKal?!"

Lee's eyes narrowed.  He didn't like being lectured, 
especially by a towering Klingon who had past the threshold 
of insubordination.  "Watch your tone T'Kang!  You are 
pressing my patience."

The Klingon straightened to his full, proud height.  Slowly he 
reached across his uniform and removed his 
communications badge.  "A man that can not follow orders 
can not order me to do anything.   Take this bobble.  You 
have no honor or sense of loyalty to the very oath you claim 
to uphold with your recent actions.  Starfleet can not survive 
with men such as yourself and Admiral ZaKal in control.  
Men that twist their loyalties, their allegiances and their oaths 
to suit their own private agendas and quests for power.  An 
organization can not survive without loyalty and discipline.  
From the shores of Iwo Jima to the Canyons on Falcore 
Seven, were warriors unwilling to follow their orders, even 
knowing they would lead them to their deaths, those victories 
could never have happened.  You may not like Admiral 
ZaKal.  You may disagree with his orders or his recent 
actions, but that is NO EXCUSE for turning against the 
Confederation and making the Tempest or any of the 
starships in this Insurrection plot have to fire upon our 
brothers and sisters on board the starships who *know* what 
it means to follow orders.  Who understand what their oath of 
loyalty means.  Who serve their Confederation and their 
Starfleet with honor and undying courage no matter what is 
asked of them by their superiors at Head Quarters.   I can 
not follow a man who has no batlh.  Who doesn't understand 
matlh in the face of danger.   I therefore resign my 
commission to Starfleet this day, stardate 239908.31.  You 
can't follow orders, and now, you can't give them to me 
either.   You know where you can stick that *sir*!"  T'Kang 
emphasized with his usual accent on the word "sir" making 
the address sound more like a distasteful curse word than a 
proper address of respect as he handed him his comm 
badge.  So many times people forget that Starfleet is not the 
military, but a voluntary organization.

"I will be arranging for a civilian shuttle to leave this place 
before Starfleet blockades off the Starbase to quell this 
uprising.  As the former Chief Tactical Officer of the USS 
Tempest, I must say, strategically you certainly didn't give 
much thought into making your decision to oppose Starfleet 
Command.  A dozen ships and a single space station 
against the entire might of Starfleet.  Your hopes must be 
higher than the ant in that fable about the rubber tree plant." 
T'Kang grumbled over crossed arms.