"You cannot make things turn out well in the end"
 by Lieutenant T'Kang
 Chief Tactical Officer - USS Tempest
 http://come.to/tkang


T'Kang stood before Lieutenant Commander Scott Lee 
expecting a response which never came.

Lee was angry with the Lieutenant's attitude and behavior.  
Not one to back down from a fight until proven wrong, the 
substitute Captain wanted to cry out that half of Starfleet was 
taking part in the Insurrection.  But how could he do that 
when there had been no sub-space communications with 
this phantom half of the entire fleet?  One just had to look 
out of the nearest view portal of Arcadia to see but a handful 
of starships in orbit of the station, the only Starbase to "come 
out" and announce it's defiance of Starfleet Command 
openly and declare safe haven to the rest of the renegade 
fleet.  Indeed, if half of the fleet was on the rebel's side, why 
were there just a few ships like the Cortez, Avalon, and 
Tempest hovering about the station?

Lee glanced at the comm badge in his hand.  "I think you are 
making a mistake Mister T'Kang, but I'll not stand in your 
way if leaving is really something you believe you must do." 
the first officer finally responded after a long delay.

T'Kang gave a resolute nod.  "It is."  he said deeply.

"Where will you go?"  Lee asked more out of curiosity then 
anything else.

"Back to the Klingon Empire.  They have remained out of this 
civil uprising with Starfleet.  There I will be in the company of 
warriors that know what honor means.  That know that when 
one's word is given, and an oath is sworn, to break it is to 
bring dishonor on one's entire house."  T'Kang explained 
evenly, before adding, "Die well Commander.  When Rear 
Admiral Za'Kal sends in the fleet, it will be a glorious battle.  
One worthy of song at the thorough defeat of this tiny 
rebellion."

The Klingon turned and began walking away from Lee, who 
just stood there and watched.  It was something he'd 
become good at in the recent weeks with the Commodore's 
absence from the Tempest.  He couldn't help but wonder if 
his passive participation recently hadn't lead to the demise of 
the situation the Tempest was now facing along with the rest 
of the rebel fleet of UCIP.  It reminded him of a quote he'd 
read at the Academy; 

"When you do battle, even if you are winning, if you continue 
for a long time it will dull your forces and blunt your edge;  if 
you besiege a citadel, your strength will be exhausted.  If 
you keep your armies out in the field for a long time, your 
supplies will be insufficient.  When your forces are dulled, 
your edge is blunted, your strength is exhausted, and your 
supplies are gone, then others will take advantage of your 
debility and rise up.  Then even if you have wise advisers 
you cannot make things turn out well in the end."
   Sun Tzu - 'The art of war'

Lieutenant Commander Scott Lee watched as the bear-like 
Klingon walked away and wondered if it was T'Kang, or 
Za'Kal, or the rebellion that was rising up for this battle.  With 
all that had happened, and was about to happen, it all 
seemed to be one big blur as to who was right and who was 
wrong in this civil conflict.  Maybe the stubborn Klingon had 
the right idea in joining his kinsman and simply staying out of 
the whole damn mess.    Lee sighed before turning and 
going back to his business with the security detail that had 
been assigned for his personal safety.