K`Hare totlh
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Another keg of Bloodwine is waiting.
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K'Grath was getting angrier with every passing moment. He had tried to be patient but his former XOs were testing him. It was times like this that he was sorry Whitestar had ever moved on. Together their victories had propelled him, his ship, the meHHaj to great glory. When Whitestar left first Ta'pez and then K'Hare had taken over as XO.
K'Grath had given Ta'pez his chance at XO right after Whitestar left. He knew Ta'pez's secrets and while he didn't agree with his choices, Ta'pez was able to inspire a following. That it was based on hatred of the Federation was unfortunate, but he couldn't deny his right to try. That he was a Chang, a member of such a powerful House would have made any other choice difficult. But it turned out to be short lived, anyway. K'Grath foresaw the conflict between the two Klingons and since Chang was already attempting to get a command for Ta'pez, it was easy enough for K'Grath to make a few suggestions and have it happen sooner. Direct conflict between the two was avoided and he gained time to turn both into better leaders.
Then trouble for his House started. And old enemy and an old oath returned to force his hand. He left the service with little preparation. But before he went on his personal mission he arranged for K'Hare to take over the meHHaj. Somehow, without his attention, that had fallen apart. He suspected it was Chang, a small move by Ta'pez but he couldn't prove it and he wasn't sure that Ta'pez had known at the time what K'Hare thought of him.
At different times, both had been the warrior he would have chosen to follow him as commander of the meH'Haj. He'd tested Ta'pez and found him to be too willing to use subterfuge and manipulation. He even excelled at it. When given the chance to admit his secrets, Ta'pez kept them, and given a small choice between honor undeserved or failure, he accepted the honor. Given time, K'Grath was sure he could have changed him, but events had prevented that. The most untimely event was the arrival of K'Hare.
K'Hare, a Klingon with no past, no family, and as far as most were concerned, no future. But K'Hare arrived with the recommendation of someone K'Grath both trusted and owed a great deal. That required giving him an opportunity and it was one the Houseless
Klingon did not waste. He excelled as Chief Engineer, more than any before him. What most considered an insult, K'Hare accepted as the gift it was. But while he was almost human in his humility, his hatred of anything non-Klingon was a blind spot. Worse, he was vocal about it, and his lack of discretion was going to lead to the inevitable clash with Ta'pez.
K'Grath had tested K'Hare by putting one of his other projects into K'Hare's old position. A seemingly random act, but he'd seen the ownership and pride K'Hare had taken in Engineering, so he put a competent, but unqualified officer in his place when K'Hare moved to XO. The masterstroke was she was half-human, exactly the thing K'Hare most hated. But as XO, K'Hare had surprised him. Not only did he treat the officer fairly, but under his direction, she too excelled. His dislike of her nature did not seem to affect his treatment of her. It gave K'Grath hope that the conflict between K'Hare and Ta'pez could be avoided.
Events grew stranger. He had seen K'Hare make the honorable choice despite his bigotry so when he had to leave the meH'Haj, K'Grath arranged for K'Hare to take command of of his ship. Yet later, he heard that instead, his student had resigned his commission only to be reinstated by K'rahl, an Imperial Klingon known to dislike Colonial Klingons of K'Hare, or even K'Grath's sort. (Few knew that K'Grath and K'Hare were from the same colony world.) The greatest irony was that K'Hare's reentry was to command of a ship with the same half-human officer as XO. Further, his crew was composed entirely of other half-Klingons. He resigned to avoid what K'Grath thought he most wanted, only to accept what K'Grath would have thought he least desired.
With K'Hare gone, it fell to Ta'pez to command the meH'Haj Each had their command. Random chance seemed to support K'Grath's hope for the two. One would expect them to gain perspective, to learn through command, the lessons that K'Grath would have taught them. But it could never be so simple. K'Grath's private mission made him look away and focus elsewhere.
When he looked back, all K’Grath heard were the stories. Ta'pez was known for his aggression when he had the advantage, and his knack to avoid the worst conflicts through methods most did not know. K'Hare was known for his directness and practical approach. Of the two, K'Grath knew Ta'pez had the advantage in a simple fight yet it was not Ta'pez aggression that picked the time and place, nor did K'Hare practical nature restrain him. The stories say that K'Hare tricked Ta'pez into a duel, one that would have ended their conflict badly for both. Instead, a respected Klingon interfered and gave her own life, and her rank and position to K'Hare. That she had a history with Ta'pez was hardly known and surely would do little to end the differences between them.
Yet there the story ended. K'Hare did not reassert his challenge and Ta'pez did not seek revenge, at least directly. When the conflict was private, K'Grath had sensed it was inevitable. When it was made public, it disappeared. He had wondered why, and now he knew.
Both Klingons were K'Grath's projects, and like the many before them, K'Grath privately took some credit for their success. He didn't deny that each had earned what they had gained, but he had consciously, and secretly created some of the situations that gave them challenge and chance for victory. He had watched them, through surrogates, and had great expectations for this celebration. The facts belied the reality though. Each had made great gains but to see them here, with their attitudes to each other so clear, to see their crew and even neutral Klingons watching the pair, just waiting for the conflict, told K'Grath that neither had become what he had foreseen in them.
The room was thick with anticipation and it ruined the celebration. K'Grath had stood and made a toast to ship and her crew, both past and present. The cheers and outbursts told some of the pride and history of the ship. The odd Bloodwine that K'Hare had made a great show of presenting to the crew had been accepted with great approval because of its superior intoxicating nature. But then Ta'pez had stood and made a toast and K'Hare had spilt his tankard, wasting the Bloodwine that remained in the cup. Worse, when all others had stood to cheer Ta'pez's toast, K'Hare simply stood, turned his back on Ta'pez, and left the raised stage to go sit at a table that could only be his crew, a collection of half-breeds and misfits that seemed just a little wrong. The insult was obvious and the cheers died far too quickly.
Many would think K'Hare had insulted the ship and a great number of those present were looking to him to respond. But he had had to endure the cutting remarks between the pair that went mostly unnoticed and only a handful in the room understood that last reference that Ta'pez had made, and the insult it meant to K'Hare. The brew K'Hare had brought was too strong because K'Grath felt himself get angry, a luxury he rarely allowed himself, and he was tired of this old conflict. It was too wasteful and he now doubted it could be resolved. He saw only one path to resolution and he no longer saw any gain in delaying it. Since he was here, he could personally insure it was kept honest.
K'Grath: K'Hare, I suppose you missed your crew. I don't know if I should be insulted that my company was so ill received.
It was a calculated comment designed to get the greatest reaction from K'Hare specifically. K'Hare stood quickly, took a drink and then a breath to calm down.
K'Hare: I meant no insult to you, K'Grath. Your presence is the only reason I have stayed so long.
K'Grath: K'Hare, your new rank seems to have changed you. I have never known you to avoid conflict, or to refrain from speaking directly. In fact, if you have a fault, I'd say it was being too quick to share your opinions. Has promotion and association with the Federation changed you so much?
Again a slight aimed at K'Hare. K'Grath knew he could not keep silent.
K'Hare: Out of respect for you, I choose not to take issue with another of your students, despite my own doubts to whether he deserved the honor.
Few of the Klingons in the room had any doubt as to who K'Hare was referring to. In fact, the one he'd just insulted was getting angry from the looks the room was giving him. The alliances of the Klingons were clear to anyone who knew the signs. If the insults escalated, it could easily become something that would get out of hand, even by Klingon standards. Ta'pez stood in anger.
Ta'pez: Respect? Again you insult me while talking about honor. You, a Houseless Klingon, with no one that would support you!
Several of the students at K'Hare's table started to stand but were stopped by a gesture from be'eQaraH. She herself had stood and sat back down after a motion from K'Hare. But the gesture from his crew did not go unnoticed.
Ta'pez: Of course, I meant none of Klingon Houses that would support you.
The barb got a laugh from a noticeable part of the crowd. The potential for conflict was elevating but now it was likely the whole of the room would be involved. K'Grath had seen the bloody route as the only course to take, but not on that scale. This was personal and it should remain such. He stood, grabbed the table, and pulled it back on the stage.
K'Grath: We are Klingons and we have ways of dealing with such situations. This is a personal matter and it should be settled that way.
The comment seemed to both calm and excite the crowded. When Ta'pez walked around the table, stood in the now clear area and spoke directly to K’Hare, the room grew silent.
Ta'pez: Dare you? I grow tired of your superior attitude. You have no House and repeatedly insult mine while flaunting your own position. This must end now.
Slowly, ever so slowly, K'Hare walked back up to the stage and up one of the small sets of stairs and stood inches from Ta'pez. He paused before speaking and that just increased the tension in the room.
K'Hare: I have no interest in killing you. I have long since overcome that urge. It would solve little. The stain on your House for accepting such as you would remain. There is little I can do to change that.
The crowd was stunned and stood unsure of what to do. It was clear K'Hare had insulted House Chang but his words made no sense. Did this Houseless Klingon insult all Houses or just Chang? The room became restless again and no one was sure what was about to happen. K'Grath, who did understand suddenly understood K'Hare's attitude, even if he didn't agree with it. But it was clear now and he thought he could force them both to back down. One with a veiled threat, the other with acceptance.
K'Grath: Ta'pez, what he has gained he has earned. There can be little doubt because as you say, he is Houseless, there have been few to help him. K'Hare, if you have made a choice, than stand by it. Challenge him or accept him. This feud ends now, or I end it.
Without taking his eyes off of Ta'pez, K’Hare spoke for the room to hear. K’Grath was stunned by the cleaverness of it.
K'Hare: I will challenge him, but not in the way you mean. Killing him, or having him kill me will change nothing. Ta'pez, I challenge you to be who you are, I challenge you to be honest to everyone one here, and most of all, to yourself.
Ta'pez stared back at him. He understood the game K'Hare was playing now and knew it would never end. He looked at the table of K'Hare's students. More, just like him. Ta'pez wondered how many of them K'Hare had shared his secret with. Ta'pez's secret was a great advantage but it was also a burden he had carried for too long. He could kill K'Hare right now and he was sure that K'Hare would die without telling the room what he knew, but K'Grath knew, and probably some of K'Hare's crew. That he had the secret and that others knew it gave them power over him. He didn't like that. He could kill K'Hare but another would follow. K'Hare had seen to that. He would be prepared for that. But more than anything else, Ta'pez was tired of the secret and of the power it gave others. He would accept the challenge. He laughed. Then what K'Hare do? He turned to the crowd and stepped to the edge of the stage and spoke loudly and clearly.
Ta'pez: I am Ta'pez, son of Chang. I am Second Lord of House Chang and I command the IKS meH'Haj. Before the honor of commanding this glorious ship, I commanded the Qoj and battled the onslaught of the Chackilian fleet from the beginning to the end of the Second battle of Klach D'kel brakt. Yet K'Hare denies my well-earned honor! But like K'Hare, I once was without a house, without support. I have battled many, for the glory of the empire and that of my House. Many have recognized me for what I am others have not. Chang was not my first father even though he has loved me and raised me in the Klingon way like any Klingon father would his son. Before him, I was son of Ta'rath.
He paused, the gamble of his statement weighing on him. He saw a few gasps in the crowd as some knew what was coming next… some knew of his biological father. Ta'rath had commanded one of the most notorious klingon pirate ship the veqlargh, an outlaw more myth then reality.
Ta'pez: Before Chang, I was son of Ta'rath and his mate, Arwe of Betazed. I died saving one of the House of Chang and in turn was reborn into House Chang. I am a son of QonoS but I am also a son of Betazed, I have chosen my Klingon Heritage and live now amongst those same honorable warriors.
He looked at them all, paying special attention to K'Hare and his students.
Ta'pez: But that is not all, I have neither denied nor abdicated my possession of the rights and abilities all half children of Betazed expect. I am both Klingon and Betazed, judge me as you will my actions speak as loud as my heritage does.
Ta'pez, Klingon and Betazed stood before the collection of Klingons and for the first time refused to apologize for what he was. He then turned and looked just as defiantly at K'Hare.
Ta'pez: K'Hare was given knowledge of my heritage long ago, he has surrounded himself with those like me, yet chooses to pass judgment that is ill conceived upon me. So what now K'Hare, your knowledge is their as well. How will you judge me now K'Hare totlh?
Only those that knew him could tell he was surprised but all that knew him knew he was as good as his word. K'Hare stepped up to Ta'pez and the buzz that had started from Ta'pez's revelation abruptly halted. K'Hare spoke for all to hear.
K'Hare: I do not like it and I do not support the existence of such as you, but I accept you, Ta'pez Chang, for what you are. Our past differences are now forgotten and I will judge you only by your future actions. I will drink with you and will kill you if honor requires it.
The crowd looked on, not believing the turn of events. From one of the open tables a short human female in medical colors stepped up and scanned the pair with her tricorder.
Culshaw: It is true. He *indicating Ta’pez* is half-Human… *she hit a button to refine the scan* no, half-Betazed.
Turning to K’Hare she rescanned to confirm the reading.
Culshaw: And you are 20-25% Romulan… one of your grandfather’s I would think.
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The meH'Haj dinner (Read 2638 times)
