Judgment
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Narendra III, Archer stands before a Klingon court magistrate and
a crowd of blood-thirsty Klingons. The captain is charged with conspiring
against the Klingon Empire, and will stand trial. He is banished
to his cell, where Dr. Phlox pays him a visit. The doctor, who is
tending to Archer under the ruse that the captain is suffering from
a mysterious illness, quietly lets Archer know that T'Pol and the
rest of the crew are working on a way to free their captain. As
Phlox leaves, Archer meets his Klingon advocate Kolos, who warns
him not to speak during the tribunal. The trial gets underway, and
Prosecutor Orak calls his first witness Duras, the former captain
of the battle cruiser Bortas. After a skirmish with Enterprise,
Duras was demoted to second weapons officer. Duras explains that
Enterprise was harboring Klingon fugitives, and he asked Archer
to surrender them to the Bortas. Duras insists that the captain
was very aggressive, and ordered an attack on the Bortas. Archer
is appalled by Duras' account and wants a chance to explain himself,
but Kolos tells him to keep silent. Orak notes that Archer was clearly
the aggressor in the matter, and that the captain was obviously
conspiring to disgrace Duras and incite a rebellion. In short, says
Orak, Archer is an enemy of the Klingon Empire. Archer insists that
Duras' account of events isn't correct, but once again, Kolos refuses
to respond to the accusations. Later, Kolos visits Archer in his
cell he's spoken to the magistrate, who is willing to offer Archer
a deal. If the captain will give up the location of the fugitives,
his life will be spared. Archer, however, doesn't believe the fugitives
are guilty of anything, and refuses. Archer insists that he be allowed
to defend himself, and expresses outrage the Kolos isn't willing
to do more in order to attain justice. Kolos explains that he became
an advocate many years ago, when things were different. Times have
changed, and he feels that he's too old to change the rules. Archer
accuses him of being afraid, shaming the honorable Klingon. A short
time later, Kolos seems to have a change of heart, and presents
Archer's case with flair. He even convinces the magistrate to allow
Archer to give his own version of the events. Archer describes finding
a vessel with a small group of aliens aboard, many of them barely
clinging to life. The crew brought the refugees onboard Enterprise,
offering them food and medical assistance. The refugees explained
that they were "annexed" by the Klingon Empire, only to
be stripped of their resources and abandoned when they requested
aid. When Duras showed up with the Bortas, Archer was reluctant
to turn the refugees in. He tried to reason with Duras and negotiate
a diplomatic outcome, but the Klingon captain wouldn't listen and
the Bortas fired on Enterprise. As Archer recounts his story, Kolos
feels the trial turning in his favor. He offers further evidence
that Archer is not an enemy of the Klingon Empire after all, the
captain has helped the Empire in the past. He exposed a Suliban
plot to divide the Empire and later rescued a Klingon Raptor. Kolos'
defense is convincing enough that the magistrate agrees to spare
Archer's life. However, he sentences the captain to life in the
dilithium mines on the penal colony of Rura Penthe. When Kolos objects
to the sentence, the magistrate sentences him to a year on the colony.
On Rura Penthe, Archer and Kolos work side by side in the frigid
mines. The duo is surprised when Archer's crewmates show up to rescue
the captain T'Pol managed to find a few Klingon officials to bribe.
Archer asks Kolos to come with them, but he refuses. Kolos reveals
that Archer has made an impression on him he wants to restore honor
to the Klingon people, but he cannot do that as a fugitive. As Archer
and his crewmates escape, Kolos returns to work in the mines. Perhaps
one day, he can help his people to a better future. |
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