"Force of Law" is the first of six licensed short stories published by FASA in Stardate Magazine. Written by the magazine's editor Dale L. Kemper in vol.1 #2, this story featured a rare look at Klingon cadets and the commandant of the Imperial Klingon Star Academy.
Summary[]
During his first year at the academy, cadet Kyn tai-Tvor breaks tradition by fighting back against upperclassmen who haze him. He also argues with his law instructor against Klingon philosophy and is punished with multiple hourly sessions in his barracks' agonizer booth. Kyn retaliates by having his instructor electrocuted.
The instructor's brother is also stationed at the academy and vows revenge. He arranges for an accomplice to swap weapons with Kyn during a weapons training exercise, giving the cadet a sabotaged disruptor, but the accomplice's weapon blows up instead. Enraged, the brother fires wildly into the training area, hitting several cadets but missing Kyn. Later, the academy commandant warns Kyn that underclassmen will not be tolerated disrupting the campus.
Because of his high grades, Kyn oversees a cadre of incoming freshmen during his second year. He avoids traditional hazing practices and instead actually helps his students. Other cadets turn against him – they begin ganging up and assaulting his students. He responds by training his freshmen in the art of assassination. His cadre conspires to incapacitate or kill a dozen of Kyn's loudest opponents. Before they take action, one of them leaks information to the commandant.
Kyn is detained and tried in front of four judges. The senior judge proclaims Kyn guilty of insubordination and delinquency, then sentences him for public execution. But Kyn has arranged one last act of rebellion. When the judge strikes a gong with his gavel to end the proceedings, the gavel explodes, blowing off the judge's hand.
References[]
Characters[]
- Kyn tai-Tvor • unnamed Klingons (commandant, judges, cadets, instructors)
- Referenced only
- Kuth the Merciless
Races and cultures[]
States and organizations[]
- Imperial Klingon Star Academy • Klingon Court of Discipline • Klingon Empire
Science and classification[]
- agonizer booth • astrophysics • computer • Klingon disruptor pistol • mind scanner • power clip • viewscreen • weapon
Occupations and titles[]
- cadet • commandant • guard • judge • senior officer • weapons officer
Other references[]
- assassination • blood • day • execution • gong • history • honor • hour • Komerex • law • minute • quarters • rank • trial • zero gravity
Appendices[]
Background[]
- Published in 1984, this was the first story to feature the Imperial Klingon Star Academy and a Klingon court of law. FASA introduced the academy in 1983 in the first edition of FASA RPG module: The Klingons and followed up in 1985 with a roleplay module devoted to the subject, FASA RPG module: Graduation Exercise.
- A chronological placement is highly arbitrary. This story has not been regarded in the Pocket Books Timeline. Hence, in the Memory Beta Chronology, as far as no further input can be provided regarding that topic, it has been placed in the vicinity of other FASA short stories like "Planetfall".
Related media[]
- Klingon trials were also seen in:
- The Klingon academy also appeared in:
Images[]
Connections[]
Timeline[]
| published order | ||
|---|---|---|
| Previous story: First story |
FASA short stories | Next story: The Killax Vendetta |
| Previous story: As Old as Forever Star Trek III Short Stories |
TOS short stories | Next story: The Killax Vendetta Stardate Magazine |
| Previous story: Deneva Deception |
Stories by: Dale L. Kemper |
Next story: Continuing the Line |
| chronological order | ||
| Previous adventure: In Tempest's Wake Chapters 7, 9, and 10 Vanguard |
Memory Beta Chronology | Next adventure: The Killax Vendetta Stardate Magazine |