Rules of Engagement

Originally Appeared Here

Ch'Pok's hung up on procedure, wants more matter, less art(1)
What was in Worf's heart? Let's go back to the start
Claims the part he plays betrays the Conscience of the Emperor(2)
But the role don't tell the whole, conflating Colonel Klink with Klemperer(3)
Dax says he has control of his mood like for cattle and love play(4)
But can a warrior check himself in battle like Dove's Day?(5)
Asks if Worf can keep his temper- he can, unless provoked
Says a rush of blood lust meant he couldn't wait 'til the ship uncloaked
He's charged as a member of savage, dangerous child race(6)
What if O'Brien were captain and he was in Miles' place?
The chief would decide different as a monday morning commander(7)
But the prosecution strikes a nerve when he asks about Alexander
'Cause the Sins of the Father will dumped on him, the son(8)
And he'll have to bear the blame for the things Worf has done
But who knew the crew wasn't there for the first time?
Seems they flew together once before, on Galorda Prime
Unlikely like twenty-one by twenty-one, hitting blackjack twice(9)
Or a run of luck in the Royale, with Data stacking the dice(10)
It's justification for escalation, Klingons can claim breathing room(11)
The plot's been exposed, I expect Ch'Pok will be leaving soon
Dad explains it;s not eye for an eye like is written in cunieform(12)
And they expect a higher standard if you wanna wear that uniform

1. In Hamlet, (Act II Scene II) Gertrude requests of Polonius,"More matter with less art", i.e. to cut to the chase.
2. Refers to Hamlet's line in the same scene, "The play's the thing wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king." This quote was used for the title of a first season TOS episode.
3. The Nazi prison camp commander Colonel Klink on Hogan's Heroes was portrayed by the Jewish actor Werner Klemperer, who had little in common with his onscreen counterpart.
4. Quote from Gurney Halleck in the film Dune.
5. In the original series episode "The Day of the Dove", Kirk and the Klingon captain Kang are forced to cease their battle and drive out a non-corporeal enemy with "good spirits."
6. From "Encounter at Farpoint", the entity Q charges Captain Picard (and all of humanity) as a "Dangerous, savage child-race".
7. Refers to "Monday Morning Quarterbacks", a person who claims to know what football players should have done on Sunday with the benefit of hindsight.
8. A reference to both the TNG episode "Sins of the Father", and the lyrics to Edge of Etiquette's "I Hate You" from Star Trek IV.
9. Refers to both twenty-one, the number required to get blackjack, and the 441 people (21 x 21) supposedly on board the destroyed freighter.
10. Episode from TNG's second season, where Data must win at craps for the away team to escape from a simulated Earth casino.
11. Refers to the idea of "lebensraum" in Nazi Germany, by way of General Chang in Star Trek VI.
12. Refers to the Code of Hammurabi, a Babylonia law code inscribed in cuneiform script.