Stardate 1875.4: The Enterprise arrives in the Prospero system to transport a special Federation ambassador to Starbase 12, after he has successfully negotiated a cease-fire. This person is the former Klingon General Dak'Rah. He defected during the war and now acts on behalf of the Federation but has a bad reputation among Starfleet and Klingon veterans alike, who accuse him of war crimes. Dr. M'Benga and Nurse Chapel recall their time in a field hospital on D'Gal, when Dak'Rah was in command on the enemy side. They grudgingly agree to attend a dinner with the Klingon in Pike's quarters. After a while, Ortegas, also a veteran of the war, doesn't hold back her opinion on Dak'Rah any longer and leaves. Chapel and M'Benga follow her. But the ambassador approaches M'Benga and invites him to a Klingon judo match. Dak'Rah says he seeks an alliance with him because that would be a powerful message. But M'Benga is not ready to forgive his former enemy. Back on D'Gal, the attempt to strike back failed, and the Klingons began to slaughter civilians, for which Dak'Rah is responsible. M'Benga used a substance known as Protocol 12 to gain the strength to attack the Klingon commanders. He killed three of them, an action for which Dak'Rah takes credit, although he himself just escaped and defected. M'Benga confronts his nemesis in sickbay. A brief struggle ensues, in the course of which the Klingon is fatally wounded with a d'k tahg that the doctor kept in his old medkit. Chapel witnesses the incident and testifies that Dak'Rah attacked first. There is no further investigation. M'Benga confesses to Pike that he is glad Dak'Rah is dead.

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