The Death of a Legend

Posted on Sat Feb 25th, 2023 @ 12:56am by Colonel Katana Rochelle-Mayta

Mission: The Blight Part 1
Location: DS9 Infirmary - Sanctuary
Timeline: Current

The Death
Of A
Legend

Mayta's Death was not to be taken lightly. The news of his death reverberated throughout the Klingons home world like a shot. There were murmurings of vengeance to the Klingon who took his life. They could not accept it was a disease that was to blame for his death. His wife was the one saving grace that calmed the great Klingon home world so they could grieve the traditional way. Here is her story and how she found out the truth…

The USS Sanctuary had just finished the last leg of her mission and Katana, being the acting CO of the ship, gave the order to head home to DS9. She was grateful the mission had worked out the way it had and was exhausted from the trip. Handing control of the bridge to her Executive Officer, she went to their quarters where she showered and fell into bed falling asleep almost immediately.

They were speeding home when she got a sudden feeling that something wasn't right and it made her call the bridge to see if everything was alright which it was. She went back to sleep but it was not a quiet sleep. She kept dreaming about Mayta and that something was wrong. Not being able to sleep anymore, she got up and fixed something to eat. This was one of those times she wished she was more Betazoid than just a hybrid. However, they were just still too far for her limited gifts to connect with Mayta's mind.

It wasn't till about four hours later she was picking up strong empathic emotions from the ships in passing that something on DS9 had happened. Now she was worried and gave the order to break the warp 5 rule and go to warp 7 and reduce speed just outside the station when in the approach zone and park the ship on the upper pylon. That is how urgently desperate to make it home. She did not receive any subspace communication from the station which added to her stress. In her current state, she would do no good being on the bridge, so she remained in their quarters and silently prayed.

Suddenly her computer beeped and a flash priority came from Ashley, Mayta's daughter, who said that her father was in the infirmary to please hurry home.

Katana's heart stopped! "Oh Kahless no!" she cried. "Bridge how long to DS9 space?" she asked calmly.

"Ten minutes till we drop to impulse captain" came the reply.

"Good I will be there shortly Katana out" and she closed the com. Getting her uniform on slowly, something in the back of her mind made her take her Klingon Ceremonial robe off the hanger and put it with her things she was taking to the station. Her heart began to pick up the pace of it's beats as she walked to the bridge. Something was definitely wrong if Ashley sent the message.

The Sanctuary dropped from warp and as Katana entered the bridge, she felt the impact of the empathic emotions coming from the station and in that impact she heard Ashley mentally calling to her father. Katana stopped dead in her tracks, looking at her ACO, "You have your orders, carry them out" she said. Next she said, "Transporter room set coordinated for just outside the stations infirmary, I am on my way," she said and turned around and got into the lift and sent it to the transporter deck. Entering the transporter room, she nodded to the operator and she stepped into the transporter and said, "Energize", and she disappeared.

Shimmering into the form of a person, Katana stepped down on to the station floor and that's when it hit her the hardest, making her go to her knees. Mayta was on his deathbed! "NOOOOO! she howled. You could hear her true Klingon warrior's agonized cry and it scared the hell out of the transporter chief. He was on his way to help her up, but when he heard her howl, he stepped away quickly. It was a good thing he did cause Katana was livid at not being told sooner. Tearing out of the transporter room, she flew to the lift and sent it to the infirmary. As it took her there, she put on the robe with the hood up as tradition dictated and waited. She smashed the sides of the lift in anger as it was taking too long to get there.

Flying out of the lift, she half tripped as she was stopped by a Klingon centurion who asked, "Why are you here?" Katana's anger grew as she looked at him. Lifting her hood from her face, giving him a good look at her face, "I am Katana Rochelle-Mayta! I am his WIFE! Get out of my way fool!" she said, shoving him hard against the wall. Calming down a little, she put the hood back up and joined the group of Klingon's gathered by his bedside. "I am Mayta's Wife, let me go to him," she said, and they let her through. What she saw was a man laying there suffering from the pain of the disease and he was very thin and his face was withered and worn. He looked like he was an old man. His color had faded as well and made it hard for her to look up on him.

"Husband I am here," she said, choking back the tears. Taking his hand, Mayta turned his head to look at her.

"Imzadi, I will always love you here and in Sto-vo-cor," coughing hard and spitting blood. Seeing him cough blood made the tears flow. Her heart skipped a few beats before she could answer him. "You have always been loved here and will be loved in Sto-vo-cor," she repeated. Coughing and spitting more blood, "Keep my Legacy alive," coughing up a large amount of blood this time. "You are to take command of the Sanctuary and continue its mission," coughing up more blood. Katana fought the tears and said, "I will do as you say my husband. I will raise our children and will teach them about their father and his legacy. They will be raised in the traditional Klingon ways,"she promised him. She then felt a heavy heart walk in. Her XO, who was on the station already, arrived. Katana put her hood back on her head and stepped back into the group of Klingon's allowing Razor time with Mayta.

You could feel the heaviness around the infirmary, not to mention DS9. Sadness, was the main one but there were others. Shock, emptiness, some hate, depression, and loneliness, were all there and it also took it's toll on Katana. Suddenly the mood of the room changed. Razor had said his goodbyes and retreated to the shadows. The life of Mayta was leaving his wracked body and her group including her walked up to the bed. As his life drained, the leader of the group lifted him up and said, "STO-VO-COR another great warrior is coming home. Prepare him the way to be received," and with that started the death howl. It was defending. "MMMMAAARRRROOOOORRRRRRRRRRR" and it was done. Katana broke down crying. Two of the Klingons helped her to her feet and she sat a long time with the body of Mayta. The body is but an empty shell, and the soul and spirit of the man she once knew as her husband was now just a memory but memory that would not die in his Legacy which she was going to carry on. Carry on is just what she was going to do and do it the right way. Walking to his body, she placed her hand on the now cold body of her husband and said, " I promise you will not me forgotten!" and left the infirmary. Now she had a lot to do and it would get done after she spoke with the Klingon high command and Starfleet.

And the truth was...a little known rare disease that that he contracted from a passing ship that had docked a few weeks ago.