Star Trek Voyager Script: “Gate of Tears”
Voyager encounters the Gatekeeper, an alien intelligence that controls a vast and ancient network of artificial wormhole Gates which interconnect distant points of the galaxy. The Gatekeeper agrees to allow Voyager to pass through its network, on the promise that it not reveal the Gates to anyone else, or take anyone else through them. At a juncture between two Gates, Voyager encounters warships of the Restored Klingon Empire, which consists of human-looking Klingons. Captain Janeway presses B'ellana Torres to reveal that, during a horrible bout of ethnic cleansing long ago, one Klingon race nearly wiped out another, but a remaining few escaped via the Gate system to re-establish a new empire in the Delta Quadrant. The Klingons capture Voyager, but through clever deception, the crew regains their freedom and escapes. En route to the next Gate, they come across a fleet of refugee alien ships, the sole remnants of a once great race that the Klingons have slaughtered. To save them from certain extinction at the hands of the Klingons, Janeway allows them to follow Voyager through the second Gate. The refugee aliens arrive safely in the Alpha Quadrant, but as punishment for breaking her word to the Gatekeeper, Voyager finds itself back in the Delta Quadrant where they started.
Writer's Note 1: Although this script concocts a significant episode in Klingon history, I do not believe it contradicts any existing, established histories. At least, none that have been promulgated in any of the Star Trek television series or films. I have methodically explained a number of open questions with regard to Klingons that have thus far not been adequately addressed. I feel confident that I have sufficiently explained why (i) the appearance of the Klingons changed between the original TV series and later TV series and films, (ii) why modern Klingons don't like to talk about the change, and (iii) why some Klingon characters (Kor, Kang and Koloth) have appeared as both types of Klingon.
Writer's Note 2: I have invented a number of Klingon names and words in this script. My understanding is that there is an elaborate Klingon language system already established. I would not object if the invented Klingon words herein were changed to fit any already existing parameters.
Writer's Note 3: In most cases where I refer to Star-Dates, I have left them blank, because I am not familiar enough with the Star-Date system to fill them in. However, in Act II, Scene 17, I specifically refer to “the Troyius incident” on Star-Date 4372.5, because this date was referenced in the last aired episode (“Elaan Of Troyius”) of the original Star Trek series to appropriately feature Klingons.
Required Guest Cast (in order of appearance)
Alien Vendor (male, humanoid)
Gatekeeper (male, human, elderly)
Gurok (male, Klingon captain)
Lortik (male, Klingon commander)
Darket (male, Klingon officer)
Vasquez (male, Voyager crewman)
Q'tarus (male, alien humanoid)
Kesset (male, human Star-Fleet admiral)
Star-Fleet Captain (male, human)
Note: 5 Klingon extras also needed.
Required Non-Standard Sets (in order of appearance)
Alien Market Bazaar
Admiral Kesset's office