The Honorable Kobry (also known as "moron" and "Bernie") was a half-Klingon/half-Human dwarf who served as an ambassador in the service of the Klingon Empire in the 24th century.
Early Life
The diplomat that would come to be known as Kobry was born without a name in the late 23rd century at a Klingon research facility on the planet Miraud.
As both a half-breed and a pasty-skinned dwarf, Kobry wasn't given any status in Klingon society. Bereft of a name, an education, friends, or even dignity, Kobry grew to adulthood performing menial and demeaning tasks for the Klingons of the outpost (who simply referred to him as "moron") in order to survive.
Kobry was the sole survivor of a pirate attack on the colony led by Garth of Izar in the pirated Federation starship USS Zephyr in late 2286.
Kobry was rescued by a Federation landing party from the USS Enterprise led by Captain James T. Kirk. Among the landing party was the Klingon defector, Konom (who held an honorary rank of Ensign with Kirk's crew) and Ensign Nancy Bryce, a Human/Klingon couple who had plans to get married.
Konom and Bryce took in Kobry, who was very child-like despite his age. Bryce, refusing to call him "moron", gave him the name "Bernie" after the nickname of her father, Andre Bryce.
In early 2287, Bernie befriended Ensign William Bearclaw, who had been falsely accused of attempting to murder Captain Kirk, and had been described by Konom as not having any friends on the ship. Not wishing anybody else to live the kind of friendless life that he had led on Miraud, he visited the ordinarily bigoted Bearclaw, who much to the surprise of the guards and Captain Kirk, accepted the little Klingon's friendship.
Rise to Power
In the Federation, Kobry now had full access to the Federation's formidable education system where his considerable intellect was finally allowed to emerge.
Taking the name Kobry (from his guardians' names, Konom and Bryce), he returned to the Empire years later, when he deemed the Empire to be in a state of chaos, to advocate peace between the Klingon Empire and the Federation.
- In the letter column (Hailing Frequencies Open) for TOS comic: "The Sentence" Robert Greenberger mentioned that Kobry's name was Kobrai and mentioned his diplomatic efforts to bring peace between the Federation and the Klingon Empire.
Kobry once described his rise to power following his return the Empire to Kreel ambassador Aneel as such--
- "I began to gather followers, people who were influenced by my words rather than my appearance. Those above me-- they paid me no mind. They never took any of my activities seriously. They merely continued as they had been, plotting against each other and planning, always planning. They were so good at plotting and planning that they managed to kill each other off. No one noticed that those above me were dropping, one after the other, and that I was still there. And when the Emperor looked around, he suddenly discovered that his advisors were gone. Undone by each other."
- "And here was Kobry, whose followers had now grown vastly in numbers. Kobry who preached moderation, who preached alliances with the Federation rather than the Romulans. We had to grow you see. We had to grow up and move forward as a people. We could not remain savages forever. Aggessive, hard, yes. That is bred into us. It makes us strong. But strength has to be tempered with intelligence, with knowing when to fight and when to talk."
From what is known of Klingon history, it can be speculated that Kobry returned to the Empire and began to gather followers in the latter days of the reign of Chancellor Kravohk. As Kobry is credited with being one of the chief architects of the lasting peace with the Federation (Although Kobry would downplay his involvement if asked), this would have to have occurred in the early days of the reign of Chancellor K'mpec.
Later Life
Kobry rose to a position of power and influence within the Empire, and became its most respected Ambassador. Kobry was soon given the title of The Honorable Kobry in recognition of his service to the Empire.
At some point (circa 2340), Kobry became romantically involved with a Klingon woman who gave birth to Kobry's daughter, Gava. Gava would grow up to be become Kobry's personal assistant in his diplomatic duties.
Kobry attributed his long survival in the Empire to constantly being aware of what is going on around him, never turning his back on his enemies, and being the smallest target in the room. He would also protect himself against poison with a preemptive dose of the antidotes to the six most prolific poisons in the Empire before each meal.
Kobry was quite calm for a Klingon male, rarely losing his temper. However, the custom that many Klingons maintained of spitting upon hearing the name Kreel drove Kobry to lose his temper at one point, and he then angrily ordered that there would be no spitting for mentioning of certain names.
In 2365, Kobry approached the head of Federation Internal Affairs, Taka Nagai, for Federation mediation in a conflict between the Klingon Empire and the Kreel concerning the planet DQN 1196 and a cache of advanced Cognoscenti weapons found there.
Nagai ordered the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) under Captain Jean-Luc Picard to host the mediations between the Klingons and Kreel. While on the Enterprise, Kobry befriended the ship's chief of security, Lieutenant Worf, with whom with he felt he had much in common.
Kobry privately asked the Enterprise's Chief medical officer, Katherine Pulaski, to automatically pronounce him dead if there was an attack upon him, in order to forestall any further attacks upon him while helpless.
Pulaski did as requested when Kobry was poisoned by a member of his own contingent named Tron, who used one of the 137 poisons that Kobry's antidote didn't affect. However the antidote kept him alive for the few crucial moments until Pulaski could have him transported to sickbay and clean the poison from Kobry's system. However, believing their celebrated Ambassador dead, the Klingon delegation attacked the Kreel delegation, leading to open combat on board the Enterprise. The Kreel took advantage of the confusion to briefly take control of the Enterprise. After regaining control of the Enterprise, Captain Picard requested from Doctor Pulaski that in the future that he be informed of such precautions in advance.
Visiting Tron in his cell, Kobry told the other Klingon that he had no name. Hearing Tron's screams, Kobry felt that perhaps there was something to the idea of revenge after all.
After the disappearance of DQN 1196, the main point of contention between the Klingons and Kreel was gone. Kobry decided to maintain his talks with the Kreel, who had legitimate grievances with the Klingon Empire. Kobry decided that he would make things better for the Kreel, whatever the cost.
Sources
"Early Life"
- TOS DC Comics first series 1984-1988:
- Issue 48 The Stars in Secret Influence
- Issue 49 Aspiring to be Angels
- Issue 54 Old Loyalties
- Issue 55 Finnegan's Wake!
- Who Killed Captain Kirk? (Compilation of issues 48-55)
"Rise To Power" and "Later Life"
- TNG novel Strike Zone
- The information about Klingon Chancellors in "Rise To Power" comes from The Art of the Impossible.