The House of QeH'a' had always been very poor and less than influential, which served as a great detriment when the hotheaded Poktarl joined the Imperial navy. Poktarl began his career in 1641 IR, serving as the lowest ranking member of the engineering crew aboard the I.K.S. rapHoch, stationed near the Imperial Fringe. Less competent warriors who joined at the same time he did often entered the service at a higher rank or were promoted earlier merely because of their family's status and prestige. Indignant at the injustice, Poktarl set out to literally carve a place for himself in the higher ranks. Over the next four years, Poktarl ascended to the position of Chief Engineer through hard work, determination, and several challenges to his superiors. It was during this time he earned the dubious moniker of "'orayangan" (The Orion) since he drove those under his command like an Orion Slaver.

In 1645 the rapHoch was transferred to duty along the Romulan border due to heavy losses during the chuDegh Offensive. During the Battle of D'drazal V, a mistake on the part of the captain of the rapHoch, Brigadier tlhIb, placed the ship in grave peril. During the engagement, the Brigadier ordered the rapHoch to dive through a planetary ring at maximum impulse while cloaked. The high speed combined with lack of shielding caused considerable damage to the hull of the ship, nearly crippling the sensors. Plasma, leaking from one of the hull breaches, alerted nearby Romulans to the presence of the rapHoch and they attacked. Quick thinking on the part of First Officer Gorvatlh saved the ship from destruction but the main power reactors were knocked offline.

Brigadier tlhIb demanded a damage report from Chief Engineer Poktarl, who bluntly stated that the damage would take up to an hour to repair. Upon hearing this less-than-favorable estimate, Brigadier tlhIb made several rather disparaging remarks about Poktarl's skills as a Chief Engineer, and the fact that he came from an insignificant house headed not by a QeH'a', but by his bearded wife. From the first insult, Poktarl left the engine room and raced towards the bridge. Poktarl spun the captain's chair around, grabbed the Brigadier, and promptly hurled him into a nearby bulkhead. Accounts become muddled as the Romulans began pressing their attack, but the general consensus is that Poktarl yelled, "Let the fact that I hurled you like a beardless child, serve as my official notice of challenge, you miserable, pompous, honorless son of a Romulan."

Brigadier tlhIb attempted to circumvent the challenge citing that the Romulans were going to kill them all, but Poktarl's honor had been slighted and he demanded that the "spineless politician" face him immediately. First Officer Gorvatlh desperately attempted to keep the Romulans at bay while the duel between Poktarl and tlhIb raged all over the bridge. Finally, Poktarl struck the fatal blow, ending the duel, but now found himself immediately faced with a new problem. He was now the captain, as was his prize, but the ship was being torn apart around him. Captain Poktarl, demanded a tactical update, and in a display of tactical adeptness that shocked the remaining bridge crew, Poktarl proceeded not only to destroy the Romulans attacking his ship, but to turn the tide of the battle and win the day. Over the next few months Poktarl's tactical wizardry proved invaluable in bringing the Romulan advance to a halt, solidifying the lines, and ending the chuDegh Offensive and cutting the Empire's losses greatly.

In 1648 IR, General Chang personally recruited Captain Poktarl as one of the original 100 warriors in the inaugural class of the Elite Command Academy. Poktarl accepted and was one of the first six to graduate.