A Question About "A Matter Of Honor"

[Toadnuke]

In the TNG Episode "A Matter Of Honor", Riker was sent aboard a Klingon ship Pagh.

First off, the Klingon Captain seemed very confident in his ship's ability to destroy the Enterprise. The Pagh was a K'Vort Class ship (from what I can tell), it would seem that a K'Vort Class would be seriously inferrior to a Galaxy Class, because in Yesterday's Enterprise, the Enterprise took on 3 K'Vorts and destroyed one.

I also noticed that the Klingon Captain told his crew member to "Speak in their language". That seemed odd, since they have universal translators.

Just some things that I found wierd

[Captain Seafort]

First off, the Klingon Captain seemed very confident in his ship's ability to destroy the Enterprise. The Pagh was a K'Vort Class ship (from what I can tell), it would seem that a K'Vort Class would be seriously inferrior to a Galaxy Class, because in Yesterday's Enterprise, the Enterprise took on 3 K'Vorts and destroyed one.

The circumstances were slightly different. Head-to-head, the GCS certainly seems stronger than the K'vort/B'rel, although the primary timeline version did rather worse against a couple of them in Rascals than the battleship version did against three in YE. However, IIRC the Klingon commander's aim was to get close to the E-D, drop the cloak, and fire everything he had. Unshielded the E-D would have been at a distinct disadvantage to say the least.

[Toadnuke]

First off, the Klingon Captain seemed very confident in his ship's ability to destroy the Enterprise. The Pagh was a K'Vort Class ship (from what I can tell), it would seem that a K'Vort Class would be seriously inferrior to a Galaxy Class, because in Yesterday's Enterprise, the Enterprise took on 3 K'Vorts and destroyed one.

The circumstances were slightly different. Head-to-head, the GCS certainly seems stronger than the K'vort/B'rel, although the primary timeline version did rather worse against a couple of them in Rascals than the battleship version did against three in YE. However, IIRC the Klingon commander's aim was to get close to the E-D, drop the cloak, and fire everything he had. Unshielded the E-D would have been at a distinct disadvantage to say the least.

Yes, but, they already went to Red Alert, which raises shields.

[Mikey]

Perhaps, but a point-blank "broadside" is still a force to be reckoned with. There is also the fact of typical Klingon swagger, which could clearly extend to macho pride in one's equipment.

As to the language comment - UT's may not be in full-time use aboard Klingon ships. There are many, many occasions in 'Trek-dom in which we've seen Klingons speaking in untranslated Klingon.

[Mark]

Coupled with typical Klingon overconfidence.

[Graham Kennedy]

Well he may have been hoping to catch the E-D by surprise. With no shields in play, if he just decloaked and opened fire with everything he had then he may get enough hits in to destroy the ship.

However, in his mind his ship was already doomed. So I don't doubt that he figured that if the E-D did raise shields he could attack anyway and be destroyed; better an honourable death in battle for him and his crew that to die as the ship fell apart around them.

And of course he's going to claim they will win, whether he truly believed it or not. He's a Klingon!

[Toadnuke]

I suppose he was probably over-confident of his ships abilities, but I still find it a bit hard to imagine a single K'Vort Class destroying a Galaxy Class. :\

[katefan]

Considering how many Galaxy classes were destroyed during TNG and DS9's run, and considering how easily Enterprise went down in Generations I find it quite likely that a K'Vort could waste the E-D.

[Mikey]

Not so much in a head-up one-on-one, but in that situation, I could see it.

[Sionnach Glic]

Well, we've seen a GCS lose all weapons to a single hit before, so perhaps he thought he could hit that weak spot and leave the ship defenceless, allowing him to pummel it into submission.

[Mark]

Or fire before she could get her shields up. Doubtful the E-D would have been expecting an attack.