loS cha’maH strode down one of the main hallways of the Great House of Nagh reD, his boots landing heavily on the floor’s hard surface. As reinforced leather hit cold stone, metal jingled on medal as his various commendations struck each other and the sash upon which they were hung. Other members of the House took note as he quickly moved toward the main hall, knowing full well what was about to transpire. One could always tell when a fight was on the horizon, be it physical, political, or both. On Qo'nos, the line between them tended to be quite blurry.
“Pandering to your superiors again, Nedec!?” growled loS as he marched into the main hall.
Others in the room turned to look at the Klingon to which loS was speaking, who in turn shot a look at his accuser. Nedec bared his teeth ever so slightly as loS approached. The elder Klingon to which Nedec had been speaking, on the other hand, calmly greeted loS with a nod.
“loS, my son. I trust our House’s warriors are benefiting once again from your instruction?”
loS looked at his father, k’Elee, with a wry grin. “Indeed. I have paired them off for combat and told them that anyone who escapes without a mark to show for it will have the honor of engaging me in combat.”
k’Elee belted out a loud laugh. “A reward for skill as well as a punishment for cowardice! Excellent idea.”
“Thank you, father,” responded loS with a nod. “I plan to have this House’s warriors be truly ready to stand against the enemies of the Empire. It’s true enemies. Not the false sparring strawmen set up by the fools in the High Council that terrify still even greater fools.”
Nedec’s eyes widened at the obvious insult. “You are a fine one to talk of cowardice, cousin! You bark at ghosts in the night, like a scared targ! Sometimes I think that those borgh took your honor when they took half your face.”
“Enough!” barked k’Elee. “Another day, another child’s quarrel. If you must fight, fight like true Klingon warriors and not bickering rodents.”
“Gladly,” growled loS. Nedec stared at loS and, with a dismissive wave, stalked off.
“You are not worth cleaning my bat’leth over,” he said as he stalked away, angered at having his time with the House’s elder interrupted once again.
loS took a step toward Nedec’s retreating figure, but his father’s firm hand on his chest stopped him.
“Let him go, Rok’tar. He has fled the field. It is as well. I was growing tired of him and his incessant need to be our House’s personal mouthpiece for the Chancellor. Come. I have something I wish to discuss with you.”
loS glared in the direction Nedec had exited before turning to follow k’Elee. The pair walked from the room down one of the House’s more solitary hallways. After they were some distance from the main hall, and its many ears, k’Elee spoke.
“The Federation confuses many in the Empire. Even when the Federation and the Empire fought alongside each other, many viewed them as cowards, despite the many honorable people that fill the ranks of Starfleet. I have helped to make this House see the honor and value in the Federation, but these views have had little traction elsewhere. You know this.”
loS nodded. “Yes. Even before the breaking of the Khitomer Accords, I found myself at odds with most when it came to Starfleet. Many of them are simply foolish children, seeings only rivals to be crushed for what they falsely believe to be honor. Even now, when we have a true threat... a true enemy that would bring honor in fighting, many are blind to it.”
k’Elee looked at his son, his eyes looking at the large slab of metal that obscured the right side of his face and the conspicuous lack of hair on his head.
“Honor takes many forms to many people. For some, it is in combat. For others, it is in victory. And for us...”
“... it is in securing the security and glory of the Empire,” finished loS. “Many would agree with you.”
“But few understand. And even less understand the way you do, Rok’tar, for they have not suffered the lesson you have.”
loS gave a low growl as his father’s comment drew his attention once more to the metal on his face.
“Our Empire wastes its time fighting reptiles and diplomats. There are far greater threats to our Empire. However, the cowards and fools in the Council refuse to see it. Even now, with their return on the edges of Federation space, the High Council either fails to see... or wishes not to.”
At this, k’Elee ceased his walk. loS stopped as well and looked back at his father.
“Rok’tar, the borgh are indeed a worthy foe and a threat to not be taken lightly. However, do not let them blind you to all others. The borgh already took one of your eyes. Do not let them take the other.”
From anyone else, this would have enraged loS. However, when it came from his father, loS found the advice already burrowing itself in his mind. k’Elee grinned at the pensive look on his son’s face and began walking again.
“Return to your students, Rok’tar. I have matters I must attend to.”
“Yes, father!” barked loS before marching back toward the field where he had left his students. However, even as he looked out at the martial chaos and grinned at the fierceness his charges were still showing after exhaustive combat, he found himself still pondering what his father had meant.
Meanwhile, Nedec had found his way back to his chambers and was now pacing back and forth as he spoke to a woman who had been waiting for him there.
“That targ of the Federation refuses to listen. It will mean the downfall of this House. That fool and his son do not see the way the winds are shifting. This ridiculous position of theirs is growing more unpopular with each passing day. Soon our House will be the laughing stock of Qo’nos!”
The woman, for her part, smiled and crossed her arms. Her lips parted to show her teeth as the leather of her clothes groaned.
“I have told you what you must do, Nedec.”
“Easier said than done. I am no coward, but I also am no fool. Taking this House would be an errand in meaningless death. I need men and weapons to accomplish this task, neither of which I think you have access to.”
“Men, no. Weapons... that is another story. I can provide you with a weapon far sharper than any bat’leth could ever hope to be. k’Elee has already made himself an easy target. With what I can give you... you need only cut once... and he will fall down at your feet.”
Nedec gave the woman a skeptical look. “Even if that were true, the right to rule this House would go to that corrupted cousin of mine before it would ever come to me. And were I to strike him down in combat for that right, the rest of this House would make that victory very short-lived for me. He is far too popular within these walls and with those students of his.”
The woman chuckled as she drew a datapad from her vest. “Oh, somehow I think that after you use this... loS will no longer be a problem. That man will hang himself by his father’s limp, lifeless limbs.”
Nedec grabbed the datapad and quickly looked over it. As he read, his smile grew larger and larger, until finally his laughter could be heard echoing past the door and into the halls of the Great House of Nagh reD.
