The Enterprise detects signs of a battle in the Neutral Zone and goes to investigate. They find a drifting ship, the Talarian ship Batris. There are possible life signs, but radiation from the ship's engineering section makes it uncertain. Riker beams over with Geordi and Data.

After some exploration, they find three Klingons: Korris, Konmel, and Kunivas, who is badly injured. They all beam off just in the nick of time, as the Batris explodes. The three Klingons go to sickbay, where they are met by Picard and Worf. They claim to have been passengers on the vessel, when they were attacked by Ferengi and took control (with the captain's permission) to win at the last minute. When pressed, they claim fatigue and ask to have time to rest. In their quarters, Korris and Konmel goad Worf to anger "only to see if it is still possible."

After Kunivas dies of his injuries and the two remaining Klingons (plus Worf) join in a death- ritual, Worf tells them of his origins: his parents were killed by Romulans on the Khitomer outpost, where he was rescued by a human Starfleet officer and raised as his son. The two appeal to Worf's heritage and tell him what really happened: they are dissidents, opposed to the Federation-Klingon peace, and the ship they destroyed was a Klingon cruiser sent to bring them back. They ask Worf for a tour, just as the bridge detects another ship coming into the area.

The other ship contains a Klingon captain, K'nera, demanding the return of Korris and the others as criminals. Yar takes them into custody, despite their appeal to Worf to join them. Locked in their cell, however, they jury-rig a disruptor and break out, killing one of the guards (though Konmel is also killed in the attempt). Korris goes to Main Engineering and aims a phaser at close range at the dilithium crystal chamber. One shot at that distance, and he would destroy the Enterprise easily. He insists he will speak only to Worf, who immediately leaves for Engineering himself.

Upon arrival, Worf attempts to convince Korris that "the true test of a warrior is not without-it is within!", and fails. Korris cannot believe Worf retains his loyalty to Starfleet and goads Worf into killing him. K'nera hears this news, and invites Worf to join his crew once his tour on the Enterprise is over. Worf is flattered, but declines, as the Enterprise departs.

Highlight Listing:

"Heart of Glory" - Lt. Worf is torn between his loyalty to the Enterprise and his fierce Klingon heritage when two Klingon fugitives take over the ship.

Advertising Headline:

CLASH OF THE KLINGONS! Worf's loyalties are tested by fugitive Klingon terrorists.

TV log listing:

Klingon fugitives test Worf's loyalty on STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION.

Technical design, graphic design, interactive features, HTML & CGI programming by Andrew Tong. || All materials Copyright © 1987-1995 by their respective authors. || Document created: January 28, 1995 || Last Modified: July 12, 1999