As Worf is subdued, L'Kor and Gi'ral tell him of their capture. Knocked unconscious and then found, they were never given the opportunity to die, even by starvation. The Klingon High Council would not acknowledge their existence when it was made known to them, so in the end they chose to stay rather than dishonor their families. L'Kor rebukes Worf for his search for Mogh, saying that he wishes his son "would be Klingon enough to kill me".

Worf sees a youth, Toq, gardening with an old Klingon weapon, and is further surprised by several references from the children to "the war" that their parents came to the prison to escape. After a brief conversation with Ba'el, the young girl he saw at the pond, Worf notices his homing signal beeping and returns to his quarters to plot an escape. While there, he meets Tokath, the Romulan "jailer" of the camp, who points out that he, too, sacrificed himself by remaining to keep watch over his "captives". He talks to Worf of the unprecedented peace between Klingons and Romulans in the camp, and warns that he will not allow Worf to destroy that community - including Tokath's family, for Tokath even married a Klingon.

Worf, unmoved, rigs an explosion in the compound and attempts to escape. He nearly succeeds, but is captured after refusing to harm Toq. As, far away, the Enterprise begins to search for the now-overdue Worf by asking for the trader's flight plan, Worf returns to the compound, now with an implant allowing him to be tracked and with Toq as his guard. He chooses an alternate approach, and begins altering the camp by educating the children, teaching Ba'el and others meditation exercises, explaining old artifacts, and telling them old Klingon legends. He finds himself drawn to Ba'el, but is taken aback when he sees her ears, which are pointed. "You are a Romulan!"

Actually, Ba'el is a crossbreed, the thought of which causes Worf to recoil in disgust. She insists that her father, Tokath, is a good man that would never have caused harm to anyone. When Worf challenges her to ask him about the truth of how they all came to the camp, she leaves angrily. The next morning, Worf attempts to apologize, but muffs the job. Ba'el tells him to "leave the old hates behind" and keep the attraction to her, but he confesses that he doesn't know if he can. Worf continues "training" the children, now involving Toq in a game that hones hunting skills. When Toq proves a fast learner, Worf suggests an actual hunt, with Toq as his guard. Tokath refuses, but L'Kor intercedes, pointing that Worf has given his word as a warrior.

The hunt goes well; too well, in fact. Toq finds his Klingon side and rejoices in it, even challenging Tokath upon their return. He rouses all the youth of the camp, and even some of the older Klingons, in a proper rendition of a battle song they'd heard only as a lullaby. Tokath, noting correctly that all of this is due to Worf's influence, appeals to Worf to live with them as one of them, and not to wreck the "harmony" Tokath has created. Eventually he offers Worf a simple choice: submit, or be executed. Worf chooses the latter, even refusing Ba'el's offer of helping him escape - which all but breaks Ba'el's heart.

When morning comes and Worf remains defiant to the last, Tokath prepares the execution. At the last moment, however, it is challenged - by Toq, now dressed in his forebears' warrior garb. He insists that he and many others want to leave, and that to keep them here will require killing them as well. Slowly, more Klingons choose to stand with him, even including L'Kor - and Ba'el. Gi'ral accepts this new reality, persuading Tokath that there is no reason for this to be the children's prison as well as their own. Worf, in recognition of the elders' sacrifice, swears the children to secrecy regarding the camp's very existence. They leave a few days later aboard a Romulan supply ship and rendezvous with the Enterprise, where Worf tells Picard that his quest was a failure: "No one survived Khitomer."

Highlight Listing:

"Birthright, Part II" - Imprisioned in a society of peaceful Klingons and Romulans, Worf risks his life to show the younger Klingons their lost heritage and inspire them to claim their honor.

Advertising Headline:

THE PRICE OF PEACE Imprisoned by Klingons who live with Romulans, will Worf accept their ways - or die?

TV log listing:

Worf clashes with Klingons who live with Romulans on STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION.

Operation SNAFU

Worf states that Kayhless caused the oceans to overflow with his tears. Slight problem: In Star Trek VI, Spock states that Klingons have no tear ducts.

Technical design, graphic design, interactive features, HTML & CGI programming by Andrew Tong. || All materials Copyright © 1987-1995 by their respective authors. || Document created: January 28, 1995 || Last Modified: November 09, 2010