Hovar of the House of Kor: Excommunicado

Posted on 01 Sep 2024 @ 12:58am by Lieutenant JG Hovar Kov

1,910 words; about a 10 minute read

[ON]

Feast of Saints Peter and Paul, 2391

It was a very long, very solemn, and very special day in Hovar's life. Newly ordained Father Hovar was adorned not in the vestments of a Klingon warrior. Rather he wore a black cassock with a white amice that covered his neck, a white alb covered everything else, all the way down to his ankles. Securing the alb in its place was a white cincture, and a white maniple adorned his left arm. Crossed over his front of his body was his stole, and the chasuble covered everything else. In front of him was the Bishop, who was adorned in even more vestments, who looked at Father Hovar to conclude the Ride of Ordination.

"Now that you have been ordained to the priesthood, may I ask you, after you have offered your first Mass, to celebrate three other Masses, namely, one in honor of the Holy Spirit, a second in honor of blessed Mary, ever a Virgin, and a third for the faithful departed. I ask you also to pray to almighty God for me."

With those words, the Mass continued until its natural conclusion. At first, Hovar was commended by everyone, knowing that his commission into Star Fleet, as well as his graduation from the Chaplain Corps, including his title of Father. However, there were a few in attendance who were in audience who acted not as proud members of the audience, but as witnesses to an act against the wishes of the Empire. Hovar had publicly declared that he owed his allegiance not to the Klingon Empire, but to the Federation and Star Fleet. Hovar had also publicly declared that he owed his allegiance not to his House, but to the Catholic Church and the Bishop thereof. Hovar's family witnessed everything, and it was not to play in Hovar's favor.

Father Hovar knew it, and he did not fear what was to happen.

There was not to be a celebration for him as after he put away his vestments in the sacristy. He put on the black cincture, and the Star Fleet communicator rested over his heart. Within his heart, there wasn't a question as to what he needed to done. When he left the sacristy with his belongings, he went not to the Church where his family was, but to the grounds outside of it. Hovar's instincts were screaming at him that there was danger, but now, he had to put those instincts in check. From then on, ever since the Bishop laid his hands on Hovar's head, Hovar's life completely changed. As he got close enough to his family, he stopped.

In front of him was his father Greb'uss, who stood alongside his mother Krall, who looked at Hovar with the illigament love child of contempt and sorrow. His older brother, Oleg, stood next to his mother. His sister Akva, who was Hovar's little sister, stood next to her father. It was a four on one battle, and everyone knew the conclusion. Everyone had their part to play, and everyone needed to do their part. There could not be any exception to it. Hovar forced their hand, and he was forced to play his. The interesting thing was that no one was angry at the situation. There was no hatred at all. Were his parents accepting? Absolutely not! In fact, they resisted Hovar every step of the way. However, Hovar kept the faith. He experienced the Sacrament of Baptism, Confession, Conformation, and now Holy Orders! They were very reluctant to do what they should have done years ago.

Now, they had no choice.

"Hello, Hovar."

His brother Oleg spoke, his voice characteristically rough as any Klingon would sound like.

"Oleg. It is good to see you."

Sighing, Oleg looked around, taking in the air of San Francisco. It was not like their home world. They all secretly damned the weather. It should have been more tragic than what was appearing before them. Instead of gloomy, it was bright and sunny, with only a tickle of wind. The wind carried the scent of the Pacific Ocean, which filled their lungs in a refreshingly cool scent.

"I hope you know what has to happen."

Nodding slowly, Hovar couldn't help but to confirm what was needed to happen.

"I understand. I hope you understand that I had no choice. I have to follow the path that was set before me."

Oleg nodded, sighing in a sea of disappointment.

"We know you have no choice. I hope that you know that we must, as the human call it, excommunicate you."

Nodding slowly, Hovar couldn't help but to think that it was actually just about time that this was a long time coming.

"That is my cross to bare. I accept what needs to be done."

Approaching Hovar, Oleg did something that no one else in his family did. The eldest son approached Hovar, opening his arms, and embraced his younger brother, the youngest of the Greb'uss children. Surprisingly to the newly ordained priest, Oleg told Hovar what would become Hovar's motto.

"We are brothers, before any other rank or title."

The embrace ended, and Oleg walked back. Akva, his elder sister, stepped forward to also embrace him. She also whispered to him something that would stick to him.

"You are still a Klingon above all else. I expect you to still fight like one."

After a moment, Akva let Hovar go, walking back to her spot next to their father. Next up was Krall, their mother. She was not happy, at all. She was still not happy, and she looked into his eyes one final time as her son.

"You disappoint me Hovar, and you never have before."

That hurt more than the pain sticks during his second Rite of Ascension, Hovar had to admit to yourself.

"You turned your back to your family, your House, and your Empire. By becoming this...priest..."

The venom in her voice was evident, and her words still hurt him severely. He did not show it though. He faced it like a Warrior, not feeling regret or shock that he did not see this coming.

"...you committed an unforgivable offense against your family, your House, and your Empire. Your name shall be disgraced, your honor shall be stripped. You shall no longer be my son."

With that Krall stepped back, and Greb'uss stood forward, Hovar's father. Again, Hovar stood tall in the face of his father, knowing full well what was going to happen. There was no ambiguity as to what was to happen. It was one of the few certainties in their lives. There was no battle where the victor was determined by fate. There was no question as to the outcome which plagued the mind of every Klingon. All they sought was either victory was an honorable death. At that point, Greb'uss moved his hand back and ran forward directly at Hovar's cheek.

No one winced as Hovar was knocked to the ground.

When Hovar stood up, Greb'uss waited for Hovar to renounce this priestly hogwash and reveal the Warrior within him. When Hovar stood up with blood running down his lips, father and son made eye contact. For a suspenseful pause, Hovar's eyes showed that he was ready to bring his father to the grave. His fists were clinched, his breathing shortened with rage. However, Father Hovar was no longer abiding by what Hovar called the "old ways." Instead, Hovar did something that no Klingon would ever do. Hovar offered his other cheek, which signaled to everyone that Hovar the Warrior, Hovar their son, was truly gone. Father Hovar was what remained. Through gritted teeth, Hovar spoke in his traditional tongue...

"tlhIH ghIj jIHyoj!"

For that moment in time, everything ceased. Time, space, matter, everything stopped. The Earth no longer rotated on its axis or around the Sun. The Moon stood still, and the ships high above no longer moved in orbit. The only thing that moved was Greb'uss, who couldn't believe what he just heard. His eyes grew wide in surprise, or was it something else? No, surprise was not the right word. Wrath? No. Disbelief? No, not that either. Relief? Yes. Relief. Relief was the right word. Everyone was relieved, including the one who said those words. Standing up, Greb'uss stood back with his family. A division was forged, separated by the Ways of the Church and the Ways of the Empire. It was regretful, it was shameful, it was neccessary.

"biHnuch!"

In a swift move, Greb'uss raised his hands and crossed them in front of his chest. For a split second, there was no response. And then there was the final turn, and Hovar no longer had a father. Krall followed suit, and Hovar's mother no longer existed. Oleg and Akva, his brother and sister respectfully, finally turned their backs to him. At that point, Hovar of the House of Kor suffered the punishment of discommendation. If his Bishop were to ask, as his Bishop would later know, Father Hovar Kor was declared excommunicado. He has been damned to never have any honor among his Klingon kin. In all technicality, Hovar Kor no longer existed. Only in the Federation would Hovar be addressed with his House name of Kor.

All Hovar could do was to turn around and walk away. The newly ordained priest know that it needed to happen, and a wave of relief watched over his shoulders. Hovar's existence was stood down in name, if his House wiped the name, his family could wipe the shame. Returning to his quarters, he saw that there was a short leave that was granted to him, only for a week. Once he got back, he was to receive more training with the Starfleet Emergency Medical Course, as well as providing chaplaincy services for the Academy. Once all of that was over, he was to report to the USS Yuron to both learn and provide supplementary training on his way to his new posting.

The day before his departure, he celebrated Mass alone as that would probably be the last time he would have quarters of his own for a long time. It was a Requiem Mass for the Dead, which was a service he performed in the name of many who died during the Dominion War and currently. On that particular day, he offered himself as the dead Mass. Knowing that he was dead to every family member he knew and loved, he spoke in Latin the Collect, which was spoken just before the reading from Apocalypse...

"O God, Who didst will that Thy servant Hovar, should flourish with the sacerdotal dignity in the apostolic priesthood, grant we beseech Thee, that he may be joined forevermore to the fellowship of Thine apostles."

When he said those words, he could not help but to place his hands on the makeshift alter, as he felt nothing but sorrow as the memories of what had just happened months before. The Warrior felt that he qualified for the Hegh'bat ritual, but the Priest used that sorrow to offer himself at the alter. Sadly, with every Mass since his first one by himself, Hovar couldn't help but pause to acknowledge his sorrow. And, for reasons only known to God, the spot where his father hit him throbbed when he spoke the words of consecration:

"Hoc est enim corpus meum."

(For this is my body.)

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