The Klingon in me would have said "You know when you are being burned alive by a plasma fire its great when you die because then you get to go to sto'vo'kor and not have to really remember the pain of your flesh being burnt alive atom by atom. It was an honorable death we poured out liquor for our homie err I mean we celebrated with with bloodwine the finest vintage 2309(it was a great vintage and your son prevented the unlimited supply of it from being destroyed by the iconians... a klingon opera lasting no less than 132 hours will be written and sung in the great halls)
Enh... I think most people in the Federation would have had a good idea what to expect out of Klingons by now. Most would know something was horribly wrong if a Klingon was sending them a letter at all.
Kagran means well but he really shouldn't be writing the letters for those outside his command. That's not even a Klingon thing; I just don't know what possible military that wouldn't be the CO's job or that of someone in one's own chain of command.
However, Kagran could direct his correspondence to whoever in those other powers gives out service awards. A word to ensure the recognition of the deceased for their sacrifice could be useful. From there of course the Federation would draft the appropriate correspondence to accompany the posthumous award. As a note of interest it is now legal, when approved through US channels, for military members to receive awards from a foreign government. This is done in collaboration with the home government so again, if a similar arrangement were made with the Federation, he could get help with the cross-cultural issues.
He's probably right there wouldn't be as serious of a cross-cultural problem with the Romulans though I know the Republic is more guarded about bloodshed given the extreme loss the Romulan race suffered at Hobus. It would probably be smart when addressing a Romulan parent or spouse of a fallen soldier to emphasize the greatness of the sacrifice for that family and for all Romulans of the Republic.
Cardassians...he'd better delegate those letters like I'd recommend he do with the Feds. Cardassians believe in sacrifice for the state and I think they can stomach the necessity of it more than the Feds--but canon evidence also shows they mourn those deaths, big time (we have references in canon for state funerals being a big deal). They also strongly value surviving your battles and on top of that, outright revere old age in a way beyond a lot of Fed species. A Cardassian wants to die old, accomplished, and surrounded by his or her family, having told them all that needs telling to ensure that the family will continue to be strong and safe. So a Cardassian family will very much honor the sacrifice and that may also increase the public regard in which the family is held, but at the same time, they will mourn one cut down in their prime.
It is interesting to see Kagran admit openly to his poor decision-making in Broken Circle. Truthfully, if not for his role in Iconia, he should have been fired after the conclusion of hostilities for that one (or executed or sent on a suicide mission, depending on what level of honor or dishonor the Klinks wanted to give to the end of his service). That one act is the only thing IMO keeping him in his command.
Maybe he'll recognize that. There's a possibility, anyway, or so it seems in that blog.
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"To sdfjkhdsf. Oudvmnvs was strong. Not strong enough to actually survive the battle, but strong enough to kill a bunch of weak Heralds first. The weak perished, and that's what really matters, doesn't it."
To khl'Dlruhh. Your offspring, khl'Ihhkuul, was strong, and before them and their comrades the weak perished in scores. I regret to inform you, however, that he(?) had taken the form of one of those known as "redshirts," whose death, weak or strong, is inevitable. If there is a place for the honored dead among the qa'meH quv, if there is even such a thing as honor among the qa'meH quv, rest in assurance that he... she... it... is there.
Kagran means well but he really shouldn't be writing the letters for those outside his command. That's not even a Klingon thing; I just don't know what possible military that wouldn't be the CO's job or that of someone in one's own chain of command.
To be fair, only the 'or that of someone in...' part would apply here, since Kagran was specifically writing letters to the families of fallen warriors if their commanding officer cannot.
Kagran means well but he really shouldn't be writing the letters for those outside his command. That's not even a Klingon thing; I just don't know what possible military that wouldn't be the CO's job or that of someone in one's own chain of command.
To be fair, only the 'or that of someone in...' part would apply here, since Kagran was specifically writing letters to the families of fallen warriors if their commanding officer cannot.
Wouldn't the job normally just go another level up the chain of command and not out to another military entirely? I would've said the same if Jarok or Kererek were writing the letters. I mean, if the ship captain was dead, I would expect the job to go to the task force commander or fleet commander if necessary (realistically and in non-STO terms, the fleet admiral flies a desk, so should be available unless his base has been destroyed).
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Can you imagine the traffic jam at the entrance to St'Vo'Kor? Like putting 50 watermelons inside a pillow at the same time.
Next time the guardian spirits of St'Vo'Kor will demand more "dishonorable" deaths the next Season... I hear Gre'thor is a little empty and could use someone like you.
Wouldn't the job normally just go another level up the chain of command and not out to another military entirely? I would've said the same if Jarok or Kererek were writing the letters. I mean, if the ship captain was dead, I would expect the job to go to the task force commander or fleet commander if necessary (realistically and in non-STO terms, the fleet admiral flies a desk, so should be available unless his base has been destroyed).
It probably did not jump out of the chain of command entirely - having Kagran be just a captain once again shows it weirdness, but remember that Kagran was in command of allied operations (the specific letter he is dictating is to someone who died during an operation Kagran ordered). Still weird that it jumped up the chain of command like that, but at least for the purposes of the Iconian War Kagran appears to have been in the chain of command for Starfleet and Romulan Republic Fleet forces (think SHAEF, with Kagran as an oddly low-ranked Eisenhower).
Even in joint operations I'm pretty sure in all but extremely rare cases, your real CO, or his/her superiors in your own service, are the ones responsible.
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As a Federation Captain, I can find no greater way to honor the dead than by standing on their corpse to victory. Unless of course, it's letting that corpse float through space along with all the other corpses...
Quite funny, though seemed a bit odd coming from Kagran, the fellow who falling head over heels in love with the Iconians for all of their (essentially Federation) virtues.
Despite the awkwardness of Kagran's attempts, the scene showing him looking back and thinking about those who were lost and what it all meant does make for a good "Star Trek" type ending to an episode, and I could easily imagine it being say, Data trying to compose such messages and receiving advice from another TNG regular and then making a better-but-still-not-there second attempt. In cinematic terms, this scene would probably end with the camera zooming out from the Ready Room to show the ship in orbit before the fade-out.
That was a really nice Epilogue to the war and I think it actually compliments what we saw of Kagran in "midnight". He is able to respect and see the value of ways of life that differ from the Klingon way, but that does not necessarily mean he can fully understand and emulate them (or believes them to be better).
He tries though, as shown by the fact that he seeks help and does not simply send out Klingon style letters to people who would likely not appreciate them all that much.
It also looks like that empathy makes him feel quite guilty when it comes to the deaths from the assault on the herald sphere, which was a costly mistake, not only for those who died in battle. (Kinda thinking by the way that the attack was not pointless, the writers just did a very bad job explaining the battle plan and what was going during the mission to the player)
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Dang it Trendy, I should not be laughing at someone writing condolence letters. I know I'm going to hell for this and its your fault. Let that weigh on your conscious as I burn for eternity
If your eyes were not dry like mine you should not have as much guilt.
Humans are not cowards or "milk drinkers"
(well some humans have been guilty of drinking milk but chocolate milk tastes so much better)
I prefer buttermilk with added salt, or buttermilk poured over cheddar cheese dust covered popped rice crisps and eaten like cereal.
The more cheese the better for sure.
"He shall be my finest warrior, this generic man who was forced upon me.
Like a badass I shall make him look, and in the furnace of war I shall forge him.
he shall be of iron will and steely sinew.
In great armour I shall clad him and with the mightiest weapons he shall be armed.
He will be untouched by plague or disease; no sickness shall blight him.
He shall have such tactics, strategies and machines that no foe will best him in battle.
He is my answer to cryptic logic, he is the Defender of my Romulan Crew.
He is Tovan Khev... and he shall know no fear."
Even in joint operations I'm pretty sure in all but extremely rare cases, your real CO, or his/her superiors in your own service, are the ones responsible.
I'm not sure if Kagran has to do it by regulations, I think it's more he feels an obligation. It's a nice gesture.
Fate - protects fools, small children, and ships named Enterprise Will Riker
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“To Fred and Mary Johnson. I am in the regret to inform you that your son, William, and the entire crew of the U.S.S. Surat performed, during the Battle of Iconia, the ultimate sacrifice a human peacekeeper can perform to serve his convictions, protect his people and assure that the women and children of this galaxy can live in peace. Because of his honorable conduct, cunning and undeniable bravery even in the face of death, he played his part in putting an end to the Iconian war once and for all. Sadly, we could not recover his remains, but I am certain that his soul will rest in peace among the honored dead knowing that his past shell floats among the stars, where his iron will brought him and where he felt he belonged."
How's that sound? :P
Nice. "I regret..." rather than "I am in the regret", but this one shows understanding, and is a good blend of Klingon POV and Terran-friendly phraseology. Well done!
Regarding the Fed-generalizing of Paris's viewpoint, this letter WAS to human parents, so it makes sense.
I think the Andorians would appreciate the usual Klingonesque-honourable-glorious-warrior's-death bit.
Tellarites would just complain about ANYTHING, because you just can't satisfy those little jerks with anything.
Vulcans would understand (intellectually) this was coming from a Klingon and was meant well.
For the others, yeah, softening things up is probably the way to go. I'd love to see Kagran take a crack at a Borg or 8472 condolence letter.
"To Unimatrix 1. 6 of 12 was terminated by the species 13579 (or whatever the Heralds are called) while fulfilling his/her/its function. Message ends."
"To sdfjkhdsf. Oudvmnvs was strong. Not strong enough to actually survive the battle, but strong enough to kill a bunch of weak Heralds first. The weak perished, and that's what really matters, doesn't it."
The kobali one would be fun too " Dear (whatever) you adopted son died again, don't worry a lot of other people died too, we'll send you a replacement in about 3-5 business days"
Oh man that was funny. I think it's very fitting that to wrap-up the Iconian arc, you conclude with a story that spot lights the humour that is not always readily apparent in cultural differences.
To those who think this is somehow calling out Federation worlds as cowards, I think you missed the point. No side is right or wrong, brave or cowardly; they're just coming at a problem from completely different points of view. I find the Federation no more cowardly than I find the KDF blood thirsty for their respective views on death in battle. And regardless of understanding the Klingon mind set, any parent on Earth would be disturbed as hell reading such details of their kids death. Horrified, even. LOL!
Great job to whomever wrote that one up. And great job on the conclusion of the Iconian story as well. I found it not only surprising but very 'Trek' as well. Kudos!
“To Fred and Mary Johnson. I am in the regret to inform you that your son, William, and the entire crew of the U.S.S. Surat performed, during the Battle of Iconia, the ultimate sacrifice a human peacekeeper can perform to serve his convictions, protect his people and assure that the women and children of this galaxy can live in peace. Because of his honorable conduct, cunning and undeniable bravery even in the face of death, he played his part in putting an end to the Iconian war once and for all. Sadly, we could not recover his remains, but I am certain that his soul will rest in peace among the honored dead knowing that his past shell floats among the stars, where his iron will brought him and where he felt he belonged."
How's that sound? :P
Nice. "I regret..." rather than "I am in the regret", but this one shows understanding, and is a good blend of Klingon POV and Terran-friendly phraseology. Well done!
Regarding the Fed-generalizing of Paris's viewpoint, this letter WAS to human parents, so it makes sense.
I think the Andorians would appreciate the usual Klingonesque-honourable-glorious-warrior's-death bit.
Tellarites would just complain about ANYTHING, because you just can't satisfy those little jerks with anything.
Vulcans would understand (intellectually) this was coming from a Klingon and was meant well.
For the others, yeah, softening things up is probably the way to go. I'd love to see Kagran take a crack at a Borg or 8472 condolence letter.
"To Unimatrix 1. 6 of 12 was terminated by the species 13579 (or whatever the Heralds are called) while fulfilling his/her/its function. Message ends."
"To sdfjkhdsf. Oudvmnvs was strong. Not strong enough to actually survive the battle, but strong enough to kill a bunch of weak Heralds first. The weak perished, and that's what really matters, doesn't it."
The kobali one would be fun too " Dear (whatever) you adopted son died again, don't worry a lot of other people died too, we'll send you a replacement in about 3-5 business days"
Oh TRIBBLE! There are going to be more Kobali then ever.
2) Please Cryptic, put all these Tales of War somewhere in-game. In the not-to-distant future, they will be lost to the Interwebs, swallowed-up in time. New players are going to play through the Iconian Story Arc, and without the context of these awesome Tales of War, they'll just be basic story missions with no weight. There won't be anything to give them the importance of wrapping-up 5yrs of game play/history.
It's true.
While it nice to no longer have to dig for the on the forums for each numbered tale, i.e. Tales of the War ( go to the bottom of the page for the links ), it needs to be incorporated into the game some way or another.
Perhaps new entries can appear on our captain's Encoded Data Receiver at the conclusion of each of the Iconian Missions. One or two at the end of the the first five missions and then a large batch after Broken Circle concludes.
Edit - And a nifty way to use the Iconian War posters might be to use the Drozana Station to locate a Ferengi war bonds kiosk and all of the posters could be on the wall behind him/her. Our heroes could trade EC or Latinum for Iconian Marks. Something like tens of thousands for a single mark. Or something like that. Of course there's got to be an Iconian War Orphans Fund with an even bigger mark up. Maybe that could contribute one to ten points to Diplomacy? Just keyboarding out loud.
Granted, I like this Tales of War and what the off-screen events of Midnight and the Iconian War did to Kagran. I'd say we probably have our 25th-century Gorkon.
“To Fred and Mary Johnson. I am in the regret to inform you that your son, William, and the entire crew of the U.S.S. Surat performed, during the Battle of Iconia, the ultimate sacrifice a human peacekeeper can perform to serve his convictions, protect his people and assure that the women and children of this galaxy can live in peace. Because of his honorable conduct, cunning and undeniable bravery even in the face of death, he played his part in putting an end to the Iconian war once and for all. Sadly, we could not recover his remains, but I am certain that his soul will rest in peace among the honored dead knowing that his past shell floats among the stars, where his iron will brought him and where he felt he belonged."
How's that sound? :P
Nice. "I regret..." rather than "I am in the regret", but this one shows understanding, and is a good blend of Klingon POV and Terran-friendly phraseology. Well done!
Regarding the Fed-generalizing of Paris's viewpoint, this letter WAS to human parents, so it makes sense.
I think the Andorians would appreciate the usual Klingonesque-honourable-glorious-warrior's-death bit.
Tellarites would just complain about ANYTHING, because you just can't satisfy those little jerks with anything.
Vulcans would understand (intellectually) this was coming from a Klingon and was meant well.
For the others, yeah, softening things up is probably the way to go. I'd love to see Kagran take a crack at a Borg or 8472 condolence letter.
"To Unimatrix 1. 6 of 12 was terminated by the species 13579 (or whatever the Heralds are called) while fulfilling his/her/its function. Message ends."
"To sdfjkhdsf. Oudvmnvs was strong. Not strong enough to actually survive the battle, but strong enough to kill a bunch of weak Heralds first. The weak perished, and that's what really matters, doesn't it."
The kobali one would be fun too " Dear (whatever) you adopted son died again, don't worry a lot of other people died too, we'll send you a replacement in about 3-5 business days"
Oh man, the Kobali one is hilarious!!! Even more so in light of my headcanon that some Ferengi might be willing to sell their corpses to the Kobali for the right price (the Ferengi already monetize their dead bodies, so why not for the right price and payment structure?).
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Loved this Blog, very serious but also very funny. To be honest I've enjoyed every single one of these Tales of the War stories, looking forward to more like them in the future.
Comments
The Klingon in me would have said "You know when you are being burned alive by a plasma fire its great when you die because then you get to go to sto'vo'kor and not have to really remember the pain of your flesh being burnt alive atom by atom. It was an honorable death we poured out liquor for our homie err I mean we celebrated with with bloodwine the finest vintage 2309(it was a great vintage and your son prevented the unlimited supply of it from being destroyed by the iconians... a klingon opera lasting no less than 132 hours will be written and sung in the great halls)
My character Tsin'xing
However, Kagran could direct his correspondence to whoever in those other powers gives out service awards. A word to ensure the recognition of the deceased for their sacrifice could be useful. From there of course the Federation would draft the appropriate correspondence to accompany the posthumous award. As a note of interest it is now legal, when approved through US channels, for military members to receive awards from a foreign government. This is done in collaboration with the home government so again, if a similar arrangement were made with the Federation, he could get help with the cross-cultural issues.
He's probably right there wouldn't be as serious of a cross-cultural problem with the Romulans though I know the Republic is more guarded about bloodshed given the extreme loss the Romulan race suffered at Hobus. It would probably be smart when addressing a Romulan parent or spouse of a fallen soldier to emphasize the greatness of the sacrifice for that family and for all Romulans of the Republic.
Cardassians...he'd better delegate those letters like I'd recommend he do with the Feds. Cardassians believe in sacrifice for the state and I think they can stomach the necessity of it more than the Feds--but canon evidence also shows they mourn those deaths, big time (we have references in canon for state funerals being a big deal). They also strongly value surviving your battles and on top of that, outright revere old age in a way beyond a lot of Fed species. A Cardassian wants to die old, accomplished, and surrounded by his or her family, having told them all that needs telling to ensure that the family will continue to be strong and safe. So a Cardassian family will very much honor the sacrifice and that may also increase the public regard in which the family is held, but at the same time, they will mourn one cut down in their prime.
It is interesting to see Kagran admit openly to his poor decision-making in Broken Circle. Truthfully, if not for his role in Iconia, he should have been fired after the conclusion of hostilities for that one (or executed or sent on a suicide mission, depending on what level of honor or dishonor the Klinks wanted to give to the end of his service). That one act is the only thing IMO keeping him in his command.
Maybe he'll recognize that. There's a possibility, anyway, or so it seems in that blog.
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To khl'Dlruhh. Your offspring, khl'Ihhkuul, was strong, and before them and their comrades the weak perished in scores. I regret to inform you, however, that he(?) had taken the form of one of those known as "redshirts," whose death, weak or strong, is inevitable. If there is a place for the honored dead among the qa'meH quv, if there is even such a thing as honor among the qa'meH quv, rest in assurance that he... she... it... is there.
Wouldn't the job normally just go another level up the chain of command and not out to another military entirely? I would've said the same if Jarok or Kererek were writing the letters. I mean, if the ship captain was dead, I would expect the job to go to the task force commander or fleet commander if necessary (realistically and in non-STO terms, the fleet admiral flies a desk, so should be available unless his base has been destroyed).
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Next time the guardian spirits of St'Vo'Kor will demand more "dishonorable" deaths the next Season... I hear Gre'thor is a little empty and could use someone like you.
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'Milk-drinker' is almost as great a line as 'Pink-skin'
LOL! Best Tales of War yet!
arcgames.com/en/forums/startrekonline/#/discussion/1203368/pve-content-a-list-of-gamewide-polishing-pass-suggestions
Neg
He tries though, as shown by the fact that he seeks help and does not simply send out Klingon style letters to people who would likely not appreciate them all that much.
It also looks like that empathy makes him feel quite guilty when it comes to the deaths from the assault on the herald sphere, which was a costly mistake, not only for those who died in battle. (Kinda thinking by the way that the attack was not pointless, the writers just did a very bad job explaining the battle plan and what was going during the mission to the player)
Join Starfleet,
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If your eyes were not dry like mine you should not have as much guilt.
I prefer buttermilk with added salt, or buttermilk poured over cheddar cheese dust covered popped rice crisps and eaten like cereal.
The more cheese the better for sure.
"He shall be my finest warrior, this generic man who was forced upon me.
Like a badass I shall make him look, and in the furnace of war I shall forge him.
he shall be of iron will and steely sinew.
In great armour I shall clad him and with the mightiest weapons he shall be armed.
He will be untouched by plague or disease; no sickness shall blight him.
He shall have such tactics, strategies and machines that no foe will best him in battle.
He is my answer to cryptic logic, he is the Defender of my Romulan Crew.
He is Tovan Khev... and he shall know no fear."
I'm not sure if Kagran has to do it by regulations, I think it's more he feels an obligation. It's a nice gesture.
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The kobali one would be fun too " Dear (whatever) you adopted son died again, don't worry a lot of other people died too, we'll send you a replacement in about 3-5 business days"
To those who think this is somehow calling out Federation worlds as cowards, I think you missed the point. No side is right or wrong, brave or cowardly; they're just coming at a problem from completely different points of view. I find the Federation no more cowardly than I find the KDF blood thirsty for their respective views on death in battle. And regardless of understanding the Klingon mind set, any parent on Earth would be disturbed as hell reading such details of their kids death. Horrified, even. LOL!
Great job to whomever wrote that one up. And great job on the conclusion of the Iconian story as well. I found it not only surprising but very 'Trek' as well. Kudos!
It's true.
While it nice to no longer have to dig for the on the forums for each numbered tale, i.e. Tales of the War ( go to the bottom of the page for the links ), it needs to be incorporated into the game some way or another.
Perhaps new entries can appear on our captain's Encoded Data Receiver at the conclusion of each of the Iconian Missions. One or two at the end of the the first five missions and then a large batch after Broken Circle concludes.
Edit - And a nifty way to use the Iconian War posters might be to use the Drozana Station to locate a Ferengi war bonds kiosk and all of the posters could be on the wall behind him/her. Our heroes could trade EC or Latinum for Iconian Marks. Something like tens of thousands for a single mark. Or something like that. Of course there's got to be an Iconian War Orphans Fund with an even bigger mark up.
Please, Devs, won't you think of the orphans.
"Achievement: Become a Red-Shirt:"
Granted, I like this Tales of War and what the off-screen events of Midnight and the Iconian War did to Kagran. I'd say we probably have our 25th-century Gorkon.
Oh man, the Kobali one is hilarious!!! Even more so in light of my headcanon that some Ferengi might be willing to sell their corpses to the Kobali for the right price (the Ferengi already monetize their dead bodies, so why not for the right price and payment structure?).
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