the actual debate was always amongst the students. Vance was determined to convince the Klingons to accept asylum, but “compelling” them did not seem to be seriously on the table.

That was my read of it, too. The cadets were debating the course of action with various shades of compulsion in their arguments. I thought that the debate device was great for fleshing out the overriding question of forcing help on people.

I suppose it would be that the Klingons’ readiness to do this ritualistic faux combat shows some growth

This is a great point, and I hadn’t thought of that. I could definitely see 24th century Klingons demand real bloodshed. Though, perhaps the growth is born of a certain pragmatism that must develop when a species is near extinction; they simply do not have the luxury of losing any individuals.