The Petrolian Emperor

"The Petrolian Emperor" is the tenth episode of the current Don Trek series and is an original episode not based on any other previous Don Trek writing.

Previous episode: Land of the Lovely Ladies

Next episode: Her Prince Never Came

Synopsis
USS Bonneville, under the command of Capt. Don, must transport the Petrolian Ambassador back to his home planet to deal with unsavory family business.

The Story
“Captain’s log stardate 9504.28: We’ve been sent to the Alpha-Hydration-Sigma-Gringo system to transport the Petrol Ambassador back to his home world where there is much unrest occurring. Pick them up and drop them off. This should be a nice vacation for us.”

Act One
“The Petrol Ambassador is ready to come aboard Capt. Don,” announced the new communications officer Ensign Becca.                 “Let them know I’m on my way,” answered Capt. Don as he got up to leave the bridge. “Lt. Solok you have the con.”

                Capt. Don left the bridge of the USS Bonneville to head for the transporter room to greet the dignitary. While every indication pointed to this mission being a “vacation” there was still an element of unease about it involving Petrol and the strained relations they’ve had with the Federation. It wasn’t a military thing, there was very little if any threat to the Bonneville or her crew, but it was more of a social and economic thing. In fact the Petrolian Empire spanned just three systems and most of the members were believed to be stuck in a resource trap with Petrol. None of them would listen to any reasoning as to how they could survive outside of the “empire” The Federation wasn’t spending time or energy to convince them, instead respecting their desire to stay with their current government.

                “Are we ready for him?” Capt. Don asked as he entered the transporter room.

                “Aye sir,” answered Mr. Bourbon.

                “Here it goes then,” Capt. Don ordered, “beam him up.”

                The Ambassador of the Petrolian Empire materialized on the USS Bonneville looking about as excited as someone attending a funeral.

                “Welcome aboard the USS Bonneville ,” offered Capt. Don.

                “Yes,” he answered, “I guess this will do. I am Amb. Fon of the Petrolian Empire, I’ve been force to book passage on your Federation transport due to an issue almost as tasteless as this ship itself. Please show me to my room.”

                “Yes,” smiled Capt. Don, “of course.”

                As Capt. Don led Amb. Fon out of the transporter room Mr. Bourbon mumbled “transport” under his breath and Capt. Don calmed him with a hand motion.

                “I must give you people credit,” stated Amb. Fon, “your ship designs have improved since the last Federation ship I took transport on.”

                “Oh, really Amb. Fon, what ship was that?” asked Capt. Don.

                “I don’t remember the name,” he answered, “I suppose it’s not worthy of remembering. I think it was a Con stipation -class.”

                Capt. Don held back a laugh not knowing if he was insulting the Constitution -class starship or if he were just messing the name up. It didn’t matter to Capt. Don if the rude ambassador was being insulting or not. They arrived at the guest quarters and the captain unlocked the door and led the dignitary in.

                “If there’s anything you need just let me know,” offered Capt. Don.

<p class="MsoNormal">                “I doubt you could help me.”

<p class="MsoNormal">                When Capt. Don got back to the bridge the only questions he got were about Amb. Fon.

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Look guys I don’t know anything about the man,” answered Capt. Don. “What I do know is that he’s not happy to be on a Federation ship, and he might not have been in the most diplomatic mood to start with. He is going back home to apparently deal with unsettling issues.”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Well the chatter on the subspace gossip networks says that his brother is to lose the Imperial crown in disgrace and the ambassador is to take over,” reported Ensign Becca.

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Well then,” laughed Capt. Don, “we can either assume that’s the case or not.” <span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">                       The whole bridge crew laughed at the notion that the gossip channels would get anything so important right. The rest of the shift was as standard as it could be transporting a passenger through friendly space.

Act Two
“Welcome to the Pub Pontiac!” exclaimed the bartender of the USS Bonneville’s bar, a small room that maybe held 50 people comfortably when they’ve been drinking. Today there were only a few crew members at various places playing games and eating snacks and Amb. Fon walked up to the bar and ordered a drink.

<p class="MsoNormal">                “No problem sir, we’ve got that,” answered the bartender.

<p class="MsoNormal">                “At least you’ve got something good on this ship,” commented Amb. Fon, “Petrolhol is the finest strong drink in the galaxy!”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “I know quite a few that would agree,” answered the bartender. “Look who it is, Capt. Don on the bar!”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Not yet David,” responded Capt. Don, “but to get me started, and probably finished, I’ll have a scotch and diet cola.”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “So you’re a drinking man captain?” asked Amb. Fon.

<p class="MsoNormal">                “I’ve been known to have one after a shift,” admitted Capt. Don, “I can really get out of hand at weddings though,” he laughed.

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Well I’m not,” offered the ambassador, “but today I felt like one.”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Oh,” started Capt. Don, “the ride not smooth enough?”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Nonsense,” offered Amb. Fon, “there’s nothing wrong with this ship, other than its origin, it’s just that I do not look forward to going home under these terms.”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Amb. Fon, I need to inform you that as a starship captain I hold the position of ambassador when one is not present to represent my government. In other words I’d have to report everything you tell me.”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Capt. Don,” returned Amb. Fon, “anything that I tell you is either in the news now or will be in a day. That’s the thing about scandal you know, there’s nothing about it that’s classified!”

<p class="MsoNormal">                Capt. Don laughed nervously and said, “then I’m all ears.”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Can I ask you something captain?”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Sure ambassador, what cha wanna know?”

<p class="MsoNormal">                Amb. Fon looked around and then asked, “do you have homosexuals in the Federation?”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “What?” asked Capt. Don.

<p class="MsoNormal">                “You know, people who have sex with other people of the same sex,” the ambassador further elaborated.

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Oh, I get what you’re saying,” realized Capt. Don as his eyes opened wide. He continued saying, “we don’t really keep track of who has sex with whom in the Federation. In fact we don’t keep track of much when it comes to a person’s personal life.”

<p class="MsoNormal">                Amb. Fon was shocked and replied, “don’t you have laws?”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Of course we do!” answered Capt. Don, “you can’t do things to people that don’t want you to do things to them. You can’t prey on children of certain species, but then some species only have a short lifespan so you have to know who you’re dealing with. Either way if someone were to force themselves on another there would be hell to pay.”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “But people can be homosexual freely?” asked the Amb. Fon, “do you know these people?”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “I’m having a hard time understanding what you’re getting at. I might, I don’t know,” answered Capt. Don.

<p class="MsoNormal">                “How can you NOT KNOW?” the ambassador asked boldly.

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Maybe because I don’t ask,” offered Capt. Don, “or it could be because we don’t walk around advertising our sex lives here. I imagine a crew member could be anything. They don’t know the extent of my sex life why do I need to know theirs?”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Exactly how do you function as a society when people could be doing disgusting things on your very own ship?”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “It’s a mystery,” quipped Capt. Don. “I know one person on this ship on a personal level, and when it comes to me there are two people that know me either personally or medically; my first officer and my doctor.”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “So if you don’t see it then it must not be there,” surmised Amb. Fon.

<p class="MsoNormal">                Then something hit Capt. Don, a series of memories and knowledge from a long passed biology class.

<p class="MsoNormal">                “I know it! I know what you’re talking about. You’re talking about homosexuality as a variance,” claimed Capt. Don. “It’s not a normal occurrence throughout most of the Federation. You see we’ve mapped out abnormalities so what you’re referring to would not occur in the same way with most of us.”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “What is this technology?” asked the Amb. Fon, “this could be of great help to my people, to my empire! You see Capt. Don it is illegal to be a homosexual in the Petroliam Empire, when people declare their homosexuality they are sentenced to death. My brother, the Emperor is being stripped of his title and he will be executed!”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “That’s awful,” sighed Capt. Don.

<p class="MsoNormal">                “It’s the law,” retorted Amb. Fon, “we will adhere to it. There is another option, you could grant my brother asylum? Would you do that Capt. Don?”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “We would not turn him down, but he would have to ask,” Capt. Don thought for a moment and then continued, “if your brother where to ask for it, he might be changed?”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “The cure?”

<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">                        “I don’t see it that way myself,” countered Capt. Don, “I see it as a change more than a cure. Sometimes people want to change something about themselves, and that’s what this is. I’ll contact the Federation ambassador in this region and we’ll see what we can do.”

Act Three
“So let me get this clear,” started Amb. Tim, “the ambassador of the Pletrolian Empire wants to use Federation genetic technology to ‘cure’ his brother of homosexuality?”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Yes sir,” answered Capt. Don, “it’s that or abdication and death.”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Let me make myself clear Capt. Don,” started Amb. Tim, “the Federation is not in the business of turning people down that have a need, or even a desire, for medical treatment; so far as it does not violate the Prime Directive we don’t. That said, these terms, they very well may be unacceptable.”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “What do you mean?”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Capt. Don this is very difficult, we’ve been courting the Petrol people to join the Federation for some time now and this is one of the issues that keep getting in the way. The Emperor of the Petrolian Empire can get whatever medical care he desires from the Federation. There is a catch though.”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “What’s that?” asked Capt. Don.

<p class="MsoNormal">                “He has to want it, he has to be presented with the option himself,” answered Amb. Tim, “it cannot be an ultimatum. If he is told by his brother, Amb. Fon, that he must do this or die then we cannot do it. We can offer him asylum but not genetic medical treatment, not if it justifies their current policies.”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “How am I supposed to ensure that’s the case?” inquired Capt. Don.

<p class="MsoNormal">                “I don’t really know Don,” admitted Amb. Tim, “let me know how it works out and why. Good luck, Amb. Tim out.”

<p class="MsoNormal">                When the USS Bonneville arrived at Petrol, Amb. Fon transported down to the surface to speak to his brother the Emperor of the Petrolian Empire.

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Emperor Kon, it is I your brother and servant,” offered Abm. Fon, “I’m troubled by the nature of this meeting but bring the possibility of good news.”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “How can this be brother,” asked Emp. Kon, “what good news can there be for me now? I am the disgraced leader of this once glorious empire, an empire that   can’t be glorious again until I’m PUT TO DEATH!”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Emperor, brother, there is hope,” offered Fon, “but you must speak to the captain of the Federation Starship Bonneville.”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “What can a Federation captain do for me or our empire?” asked Emp. Kon.

<p class="MsoNormal">                “I cannot say, if I’m to help you it is forbidden,” answered Amb. Fon.

<p class="MsoNormal">                “I don’t seek help from outside the empire,” answered Emp. Kon, “tell them to go away, I must face death. Beside that it is forbidden for me to leave Petrol when I’m sentenced to death.”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “The one called Capt. Don will come to you my Emperor, my brother.”

<p class="MsoNormal">                Emp. Kon agreed to meet with Capt. Don in a secret meeting in the Imperial Palace of Petrol, but Capt. Don would have to transport in undetected.

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Now are you sure this is going to work?”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Capt. Don,” replied Mr. Bourbon in his Scottish-Tennessean accent, “have you no faith in me, the one who made this ship run on bourbon, to beam you down into an imperial palace in secret? Come now sir.”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “If I can’t go with you then why not a security officer,” asked Cmdr. Mike.

<p class="MsoNormal">                “That’s the deal, just me.”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “What about a phaser?” asked Cmdr. Mike.

<p class="MsoNormal">                “No weapons are allowed in the palace,” answered Capt. Don, “it’s bad enough I’ll be there, I’m not allowed either. Capt. Don stepped on the transporter and gave the order, “beam me down.”

<p class="MsoNormal">                When Capt. Don materialized in the Emperor’s private audience chamber of the Petrolian Imperial Palace he was taken aback by the beauty of the place and briefly made comments on its wonders and artistic awesomeness.

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Of course you know that’s not why I’m here your majesty,” added Capt. Don.

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Yes then why are you here,” asked Emp. Kon, “my brother refused to tell me?”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “It’s about your abdication and its aftermath,” answered Capt. Don, “we wish to prevent it.”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Oh,” sighed Emp. Kon, “if you or my brother thinks I will seek Federation asylum then you’re both very wrong.”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “No it’s not that,” answered Capt. Don, “but if you were to seek such a thing I’m prepared to grant it. It’s about your sexual orientation. If you want, we can alter your genetic makeup to change it. When the treatment is done you will no longer have a genetic preference to be attracted to the same sex.”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “So I have a choice,” said Emp. Kon, “and that choice is to die who I am or be changed into something I am not in order to live.”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “I know that was a statement and not a question,” said Capt. Don, “but you’ll still be you, you’ll just be a slightly different you. The people who do this later in life are no different than those who have other medical procedures to change other features. They remember their self, they remember others, and they are who they always were but they’re different.”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “How can that be?”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Hell if I know,” answered Capt. Don, “I’m just telling you what others have said. Either way Emperor Kon, the choice is yours. You can take either one of our offers, direct or implied, but I’ll tell you what I won’t allow…”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “What is that captain?”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “I won’t allow this procedure to be used as a weapon or an ultimatum,” declared Capt. Don.

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Isn’t that what you’d be doing if I should choose it?”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “From a certain point of view,” answered Capt. Don, “maybe. I suppose the difference is that we’re offering you an extra option.”

<p class="MsoNormal">                Emp. Kon shook his head in disbelief and said, “I can take the treatment and rule my empire, I can go with you and run away in disgrace, or I can die in disgrace according to my empire’s laws. What about the rest of the people like me in my empire, will they be able to get this too?”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Not if it’s a choice between life and death,” answered Capt. Don, “they will have to have the freedom to choose the procedure or live as they are without persecution.”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “That cannot be done,” answered Emp. Kon. “I’m not an absolute ruler; the congress will not allow it. They will use it as a weapon to convert those like me and the penalty for not doing it will be death. I would be the first and the last to have a 'choice.'”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Emp. Kon that’s all I can offer,” sighed Capt. Don, “You have as much time as your law allows you to live to make a choice. I have to get back to my ship.”

<p class="MsoNormal">                Capt. Don took a few steps away from Emp. Kon and pulled out his communicator and flipped it open, “Capt. Don to Bonneville, one to bea…”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Capt. Don! Stop!” called out Emp. Kon, “please, I’ve an answer for you.”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “ Bonneville stand by,” ordered Capt. Don, “what is it Emp. Kon?”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “The answer is no. I will not be accepting any procedure or asylum from the Federation,” declared the Emp. Kon, “this solution is just a Band-Aid. I can’t live while others like me are forced to die or hide. SOMETHING MUST EFFECT CHANGE!”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Very well,” answered Capt. Don, “Bonneville, energize!”

<p class="MsoNormal">                The Emperor watched the Captain vanish before his very eyes.

<h3 class="MsoNormal">Epilogue <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">“Captains Log stardate 9505.01: We are departing the Alpha-Hydration-Sigma-Gringo system and will soon be out of the Petrolian Empire’s space. All-in-all our mission was successful in that we transported Amb. Fon back to his home world as requested. As for what happened after that? I don’t know if we helped or hurt. Emp. Kon was a homosexual, homosexuality is forbidden in the Petrolian Empire, when offered asylum he turned it down, when offered genetic alteration he turned it down and he faced death as prescribed under his empire’s law. We could have saved his life. Though perhaps what he did was the right thing? In his final speech to the empire he declared the injustice of his people as despicable, he compared their actions to the same genocide that they had saved others from on planets that became part of their empire after they were liberated, and claimed to die in the name of life for all and the people’s ability to choose life without fear of death. The sad part is that very few know what he was really talking about. They knew nothing of the choice he made to die as he was instead of changing to be someone he felt he was not. So while the speech sounded great to us, to many it lacked substance. So what good did it really do? Log out.”

<p class="MsoNormal">                        “Capt. Don, we are receiving a secure message from Emperor Fon,” reported Ensign Becca, “he’s asking us to broadcast something over the unregulated pirate radio networks.”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Really,” Capt. Don said as his eyes opened wide, “what is it?”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “It’s the story of his brother,” Ensign Becca answered, “the whole story. What should I do?”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Send it out,” ordered Capt. Don, “who am I to deny an emperor?”

Lt. Solok looked up from his station and made a single word observation, “fascinating.”

Background Information

 * This story was written to address homosexuality in the Federation, as it has never been fully addressed in canon it must be address outside of it based on what we can extrapolate from what we've seen in canon.


 * When writing this story Don did not want to answer the question of homosexuality with characters that were on the ship, that would have been too easy, but with a situation that would force Capt. Don to partake in a diplomatic challenge.


 * The basis for the "science" of this episode is a scene from Star Trek: The Next Generation were Dr. Crusher comments that we've mapped the human brain or body and that's why we've eliminated some issues with it. The notion is that we've also been able to master genetherapy and other such things leading to being able to selectivly eleminate things that might be considered abnormalities.


 * Capt. Don claims he knows little about the personal lives of his crew and that if there were homosexuals on his ship he would not know about it.


 * Capt. Don only has a friendship with one crew member and that is Cmdr. Mike.


 * Doctor Good Doctor knows a bit about Capt. Don because she is his doctor but he knows nothing of her personal life.


 * The Federation of Planets does not care about peoples personal lives.


 * The notion of what a minor is is directly related to that species and depends upon that species life-span.


 * Capt. Don refers to undergoing genetic therapy to "remove" ones homosexuality the same as undergoing plastic surgery. This is of course based on it being a personal choice the patient makes on his own and not something they are forced to do.


 * In keeping with the Prime Directive Capt. Don will not just give the knowlege of the genetic therapy to the Petrolians if it is to be used to make the Petrolian people forcfully undergo such a treatment.


 * It is supposed due to this story that the Petrolians would not be allowed into the Federation is they were to force their people to undergo such a treatment.


 * When Capt. Don allows the rebroadcast of the story of the executed Petrolian Emporer it can be seen in two ways; the violation of the Prime Directive due to it being connected to a political act or just complying with the request of the head of state of a more or less ally of the Federation.


 * The Pontiac Bar makes its narrative debut in this story but makes it's visual debut in "The Land of the Lovely Ladies" comic panel.


 * While a person reading this story can make their own judgement on homosexuality being wrong or right it is written in such a manor as to be very clear in saying that it is wrong to hurt or kill someone for being one. It equates such acts as being genocide.

Inspired by
The Star Trek trademarks, logos, and related names are owned by CBS Studios Inc., and are used under "fair use" guidelines.
 * Star Trek, created by Gene Roddenberry.
 * Don Trek is not endorsed, sponsored, or affiliated with Paramount Pictures, CBS Studios Inc. or the "Star Trek" franchise.