Once More Unto the Breach (episode)

With the Dominion War raging, the old Klingon warrior Kor feels left out of the action, and looks for some way to get his share of the honor of battle. However, his efforts to play a part are stymied by Martok, who holds a grudge against Kor.



Summary



Martok's fleet leaves Deep Space 9.

Having just relived the Battle of the Alamo in a holosuite at Quark's, Dr. Bashir and Chief O'Brien heatedly discuss the fate of Davy Crockett, a legendary hero who died in the battle. O'Brien expresses his opinion that Crockett was executed by General Santa Anna as a point of pride, while Bashir believes Crockett was tired of living on his reputation and ultimately surrendered. Worf joins them and comments that if you believe in the myth of Davy Crockett, then there should be no doubt that he died a hero, but if instead you believe that Davy Crockett was just a man, it does not matter "how he died".

Worf returns to his quarters and is soon visited by Kor. The venerable Dahar master congratulates Worf on his distinguished service in the war, and commiserates on the death of Worf's wife, then admits he is there to beg a favor: Kor has lost whatever influence he once had, so the Klingon Empire has decided that there is no place for him in the war. He pleads Worf to intercede for him so that he may "end my life as I have lived it – as a warrior."

Worf approaches General Martok with Kor's request, and is stunned when Martok refuses, violently, warning Worf to cease pursuing this, "or I will forget that we are brothers!"

Act One

Martok unveils his new battleplan to Sisko: using only a squadron Birds-of-Prey, he will hit Dominion facilities and create chaos behind their lines, starting with an audacious raid on the heavily-fortified Dominion outpost on Trelka V. Sisko likens it to an ancient Earth tactic known as a "cavalry raid" and offers to join him with the USS Defiant. Martok politely declines, saying that the Defiant will be more useful in deterring Jem'Hadar ships that may be following once the Klingons head back to Federation-held territory.

Aboard Martok's ship, Worf tries to speak to him again about Kor. Martok explains his hatred of Kor: Martok's family came from the Ketha lowlands and had little, but had served the Empire for generations as soldiers. However Martok's father had hopes his son would be an officer in the Klingon Defense Force and eventually found someone to sponsor his application. After passing the exam on the first try, Martok's application rested on the oversight council which should have been nothing more than a formality. Kor, a member of the council, turned him down for no reason other than Martok's common background, much to the shame and embarrassment of Martok and his father. With a black mark on his record from a Dahar Master, Martok couldn't even enlist as a common soldier but was forced to spend five years as a civilian orderly aboard a ship. "Luckily" the ship was attacked by an inept Romulan vessel which allowed the young Klingon to display his courage and military skills, and then earned him a battlefield commission. To Martok though, this all happened too late, as his father had died and could not share in the honor. If Kor had had his way, he concludes, Martok would still be scrubbing decks, instead of playing the vital role in the war he now occupies. Worf said he had used his own authority to appoint Kor as Third Officer aboard a ship in the Ninth Fleet. He begins to apologize, but Martok waves him down, saying it has been done and warns Worf that he is responsible for Kor.

In the Replimat, Kor is enjoying a catch-up meal with Ezri Dax, when Worf appears. He tells Kor the reason for Martok's dislike of him, and Kor does not recall this but admits it is possible. Worf tells Kor that he should not have stopped a man from serving the Klingon Empire for such a trivial reason. Rebuffed, Kor asks if his commission was revoked. Worf confirms that it is not and instructs Kor to report for duty in the morning aboard the IKS Ch'Tang and advises him to stay out of Martok's way. Before leaving, Kor asks for a reminder of the ship's name.

Hours later, as the squadron is about to deploy, Kor reports for duty on the bridge of the Ch'Tang. With the memories of his humiliation still vivid, Martok is aggravated when every member of the bridge crew is awestruck to have a Dahar Master on board.

Act Two

In Quark's bar, Ezri talks to Kira about what it was like to see Kor again, an odd experience since it's the first time Kor has seen Ezri and not Curzon. She does in part wish she could be side-by-side with him once more. Quark overhears this and assumes she meant Worf.

A brief respite of Martok telling war stories in the ship's mess hall is interrupted, when Kor joins them, and the crew is once again in awe. Noticing the tension, Worf attempts to change the subject by asking Martok to announce his plan of attack for Trelka V. Martok lays out his plan, which impresses the crew ... only for Kor, in congratulating him, to note that Kor himself had once executed a similar plan against the Federation outpost on Caleb IV, along with his late comrade Kang. As the crew turns their attention back to Kor, Martok leaves the room in disgust.

Worf attempts to reassure Martok that the crew are simply not accustomed to serving alongside a Dahar master, when an alert klaxon sounds. As the crew reports to battle stations, Kor appears confused as to where he's supposed to go, before an encounter with Lieutenant Synon, the ship's helmswoman, inadvertently reminds him he's supposed to go to the bridge.

Act Three

At Trelka IV, Martok orders two of his ships, the IKS Malpara and IKS Ning'tao to decloak and fire on the planetary base, before withdrawing. This attracts the attention of a Cardassian Galor-class cruiser. The Malpara is quickly destroyed, but the Ning'tao manages to lead the larger ship out of the system.

Meanwhile, with the base's shields down and repair crews underway, Martok orders the other ships to decloak and open fire. In the heat of battle, Martok and Worf are incapacitated, leaving Kor to assume command. The confused Kor orders the ships to come around for another pass, even as an injured but conscious Martok, who had only intended one pass, attempts weakly to order his crew to withdraw. The ships are battered by returning fire from the base, with the IKS Slivin taking heavy damage and the IKS Orantho suffering a hull breach as well as the deaths of its captain and first officer.

Kor announced his intention to capture the base, despite Synon's protests that they have a garrison of ten thousand troops. When Kor orders the crew to open a channel to his long-dead comrade Kang, to tell him that Federation outpost on Caleb IV will fall within the hour, it becomes clear that the old Klingon has confused reality with his memories of a century-old battle.

The injured Martok attempts to dispose of Kor by throwing a d'k tahg at him. However, Worf, regaining consciousness, manages to catch the knife, knock Kor to the deck, and resume command, ordering an escape course. Martok then orders Kor off his bridge.

Act Four

While the raid is going on, back on Deep Space 9, Quark decides, while talking to Jake, to declare himself, telling Ezri that Jadzia was too good for Worf, and Ezri most definitely is, and it would be the worst mistake for her to resume a relationship with Worf just because she feels obligated by Jadzia's commitments. Ezri cuts him off and clears the air, telling him that she and Worf have agreed to just remain friends, and not pursue another relationship. Having said that, she is still charmed by the kind, dear and [for Quark] embarrassing declaration the Ferengi just made to her. Ezri then kisses Quark on the cheek, which the Ferengi apparently sees as encouragement and amuses Jake.

Kor eats in the mess hall, alone except for Martok's elderly aide, Darok. Martok comes in, along Synon and weapons officer Kolana, who start needling him mercilessly about his senility. Kor does not respond, but finishes his meal in silence and excuses himself. Martok challenges him to make some kind of response, and Kor simply tells his fellow Klingons to enjoy the fruit of life, but not to live too long, since "the taste turns bitter" as one grows old. In the wake of his absence, Martok clearly doesn't feel the enjoyment of his long-awaited victory over Kor.

In Martok's quarters, Worf brings him the new personnel assignments. He has removed Kor from active duty, and concedes that it was a mistake to give him a position in the first place. Worf says that when they return, he will ask Chancellor Gowron to find some sinecure for Kor that will allow him to feel useful, while keeping him safely out of combat. Martok confesses that he did not take the satisfaction from gloating over Kor that he thought he would; the elderly Klingon is no longer an enemy, just an old man to be pitied, and a sobering glimpse of what awaits every Klingon who lives too long, even one of Kor's accomplishments.

They are interrupted when the bridge alerts Martok that a fleet of ten Jem'Hadar attack ships have been detected, having managed to penetrate their ships' cloaking fields and are gaining on them.

Act Five

The bridge officers grimly report that the Jem'Hadar will overtake them in about two hours, less time than it will take the Klingons to rendezvous with the Defiant and other Federation reinforcements. Worf devises a plan: one Bird-of-Prey, the Ning'tao with a skeleton crew, drop out of warp and fire a graviton pulse to force the Jem'Hadar to drop out of warp, and then engage them long enough for the rest of the fleet to reach safety. Since the Ning'tao's own captain is considered too inexperienced, Worf volunteers to command the doomed ship.

Kor is lying in his quarters when Darok drops in and briefs Kor on the plan in secret. Darok says the plan is a good one, but its success hinges on the one ship being able to successfully engage and delay the Jem'Hadar, to prevent them from reentering warp to resume pursuit of the fleet. Kor, despite the recent drubbing his self-confidence has taken, immediately states that the solution would be to confuse the Jem'Hadar sensors in the opening moments, with a spread of torpedoes, and Darok (clearly still a "fan" of Kor) encourages him that the ship must be commanded by a warrior of Kor's great experience – but, even more importantly, such a warrior could not hope to succeed unless he was completely confident in his own abilities. Kor, with new resolve in his heart, replies he would not take on the mission unless he was this confident. Darok bows deeply and tells Kor it has been an honor to serve with him.

Soon after, Kor catches up to Worf in the transporter room, where the two say goodbye until they meet again in Sto-vo-kor. Worf, to his surprise, is then asked if he has any message for Jadzia, but before he can respond, Kor renders him unconscious with a hypospray. Kor promises the unconscious Worf that he will convey Worf's undying love to Jadzia, and tells his friend to "live well." Beaming away to the doomed ship, Kor gives one last salute to the world he loves and the Empire he has served.

"Long live the Empire!"

In space, the Ning'tao de-cloaks as it drops to impulse, then turns about and hurtles back into warp, towards the enemy. Kor's progress is monitored by ship sensors. At this point, it is assumed by Martok and others that Worf is leading the suicide mission.

Darok brings a bottle of bloodwine to the bridge, in brazen defiance of regulations. Martok objects, and Darok says that, whether the volunteers fail or succeed, they will deserve to have their courage saluted. The bridge crew keeps a tense vigil as the Ning'tao drops out of warp and succeeds in pulling the whole Jem'Hadar squadron out of warp. The battle goes beyond their sensor range, and they can only wait. Martok expresses a hope that Worf will die gloriously – but when Worf himself appears on the bridge and states that this will not happen today, it dawns on him that Kor has taken control of the ship.

Kolana reports that the Ning'tao is taking heavy fire, but has succeeded in collapsing the Jem'Hadar formation. Then the battle goes beyong the Ch'tang's sensor range, and they lose contact. Martok ponders that it doesn't seem possible that a single Bird-of-Prey could stall ten Jem'Hadar ships, but Worf is more optimistic about the outcome.

The scene dissolves to later, when, after the whole bridge crew has waited with bated breath, Kolana reports in an awed voice that, miraculously, Kor has succeeded: the Jem'Hadar can no longer overtake the Klingon ships before they rendezvous with the Defiant. For all his own tactical brilliance, Martok is unable to comprehend how Kor could have succeeded. In reference to the Crockett discussion at the beginning of the episode, Worf simply replies, "Does it matter?" Martok demands the bottle from Darok and lifts it high in salute to Kor, "a noble warrior to the end!" As the bottle is passed around the bridge, Darok begins to sing. The rest of the bridge crew (with the exception of Martok, who still cannot bring himself to forgive Kor) joins Darok in honoring the Dahar master who has just sacrificed himself to save all their lives.

Memorable quotes

"The only real question is whether you believe in the legend of Davey Crockett or not. If you do, then there should be no doubt in your mind that he died a hero's death. If you do not believe in the legend, then he was just a man, and it does not matter how he died."

- Worf

"I heard the news about Jadzia."
"She died a warrior."
"I expected nothing less."
"To absent comrades."

- Kor and Worf

"The way of the warrior is not a humble one. Show some pride in your accomplishments!"
"I will try."

- Kor and Worf

"There will come a day, Darok, when your services as my aide will no longer be required."
"I look forward to that day with great anticipation."
- Martok and Darok

"It's a pity Captain Sisko frowns on summary executions."

- Martok, to Worf, referring to his disdain for Darok as he leaves his office

"I wish to speak to you about Kor. Now I know you have strong feelings about this, but–"
(loudly) "Clear the bridge!"

- Worf and Martok

"You'd make a pretty good counselor. You wanna trade jobs?"
"Oh yeah, people would love to bring their problems to me... 'You dreamed about what? You're crazy! Get out of my office! Next patient!'"

- Ezri and Kira

"Savor the fruit of life, my young friends. It has a sweet taste when it's fresh from the vine. But don't live too long... The taste turns bitter... after a time."

- Kor

"I was playing a deep game. I'm not the kind of man who just rushes in and declares himself. I like the chase. But then Mister Today-is-a-good-day-to-die shows up and spoils everything. And now, it's going to happen all over again with Ezri. New body, new personality, but she'll make the same mistake."

- Quark, about Ezri Dax

"I've hated his name for almost 30 years. I've dreamt of the moment when I would finally see him stripped of his rank and title – when he would suddenly find himself without a friend in the world, without the power of his birthright...Well I've had that moment now – and I took no joy from it."

- Martok, after humiliating Kor

"We are being pursued by a Jem'Hadar fleet. Worf believes he can stop them – with a single ship."
"How?"
"(Shows Kor a datapad) It's a good plan, but it has one flaw: it depends entirely on Worf successfully engaging the whole enemy fleet, if only for a short time."
"It can be done... the key would be to confuse their sensors in the opening moments, with a spread of torpedoes."
"Perhaps, but it would take a warrior with three times the experience to accomplish such a feat. And such a man would have to be certain of his abilities."
"Such a man would not take the job...unless he were certain."
- Darok and Kor

"It has been an honor serving with you... Kor, son of Rynar."

- Darok, knowing what Kor is about to do

"I look forward to seeing you at the gates to Sto-vo-Kor."
"As do I."
"Do you have any message you want me to convey to Jadzia?" (Worf falls unconscious before he can respond)

- Kor and Worf, before the former takes the latter's place on the suicide mission

"When I reach the halls of the hallowed dead, I will find your beloved, and remind her that her husband is a noble warrior... and that he still loves no one but her. Goodbye, my friend – live well."

- Kor, to the incapacitated Worf

"Long live the Empire!"

- Kor, as he beams to the Ning'tao

"(re: a bottle of bloodwine) On the bridge?!"
"If they succeed, you can drink to their courage. And if they fail, you can still drink to their courage."
- Martok and Darok

"Die well, Worf."
"Today was not my day to die."
"Worf?! But then wh...? Kor!"

- Martok and Worf

"One ship against ten... It doesn't seem possible.."
"He will succeed. He is Kor, the Dahar Master."
- Martok and Worf

"How? How did that pompous old man hold off an entire Jem'Hadar fleet with only one ship?"
"Does it matter?"

- Martok and Worf

"To Kor, a Dahar Master and noble warrior to the end!"

- Martok