Allegiances 4 – May'bel's Choice
by HoD Ro' Matlh & Soghla' Jared

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Title   May'bel's Choice
Mission   Allegiances 4
Author(s)   HoD Ro' Matlh & Soghla' Jared
Posted   Mon Aug 15, 2011 @ 6:21am
Location   Hos'a Bar'n'Grill
The bar was in full swing. This was a very popular place for Klingons to let their hair down. old enemies fought, old allies tussled, and a good time was had by all.

May'bel dropped his opponent onto the floor on the third try amidst the cheers of those around him. He wiped the blood from his brow and reached for an offered drink. The mug was held out to him by a face he instantly recognised but was surprised to see.

"Keeping well, I see, May'bel," CoQ Matlh smiled releasing the mug into May'bel's hand.

May'Bel gave a loud laugh as he recognised the head of his house.

"Well"? I've nearly been killed a dozen times in the last few months! It's glorious!"

"How is your family? I understand your father recently cut his arm of during a Borg raid because he feared it was infected. You must be very proud." Uncle CoQ smiled warmly.

"Shot it off with a disruptor! Only at the forearm though. Mother is demanding he talks to Haqtaj about getting some Federation witch-doctor to fashion some robotic replacement. He just says he's going to get a big sharp hook!"

"And you! Security chief on the FHew. You really landed on your feet haven't you?" CoQ slapped his back. "You are a very promising young warrior, May'bel."

"I'm still impressed Uncle Ro' took my application. All I could rustle up at the time was a handful of used disruptors taken from some human mercenary scum at the station we were at. Of course, I tried to stab him, which may have helped."

CoQ ushered the younger man over to a table. Amidst the general chaos of the room they would not be overheard, "I have something I need to talk to you about, concerning our House, and Uncle Ro' in specific. What I tell you now must not be told to anyone, even your own kin,"

May'Bel frowned, "This smells like politics, CoQ! You know I have no stomach for such things!"

"The man is a legend, unparalleled in my opinion. I have great respect for him. So I am faced with a problem. Very soon now, I will be disbanding the Matlh fleet. We have only a few ships, and we are investing our resources elsewhere. I do not want to take the FHew away from Ro' however. It has been his home and a part of his honour for longer than I have been alive. But the fleet will end."

"This leaves me with two choices. I can either take the FHew away, and leave Ro' a shadow without his honour, or I can give him the death he so rightly deserves; in battle. To do that last bit, I will need your help."

"My help?"

"Very soon a fight will happen that Ro' cannot hope to win. You will be able to do something to cripple the FHew, stop it from fighting as it should. Ro' and your deaths would be greatly honoured."

"A fight we can't win, but you still need me to cripple the ship? That makes little sense! If we can't win, we can't win!"

May'Bel had no issue with a glorious death in battle by Ro's side, but CoQ had a way of speaking in riddles and hints.

CoQ nodded, "I choose my words poorly, perhaps. A fight which any man but Ro' could not hope to win, and even he will be stretched."

May'Bel frowned again, "I don't like this. A glorious battle which we go into with our hands tied behind our backs? Why not give us real battle, CoQ? Send us against the Breen 9th fleet! THAT would be a death of glory. A tale to tell the children! The FHew's certainly earned such an end."

CoQ nodded again, sadly, "Indeed it does, and I have searched hard to find such a worthy opponent. Unfortunately, Ro' has something of a reputation and few are willing to even risk a confrontation. I have a Cardassian in a Galor refuse. I eventually had to hire some Nausican Pirate, but this is the only chance I have to give him the death he deserves. IF he manages to succeed against them, I will have nothing else to throw at him, and will have to simply force him to retire. You said yourself, the FHew deserves a death in battle. A critical failure, at a vital moment, and Ro' gets his seat next to Kahless at Sto Vo Kor."

"Help me, May'Bel. Help me make this right."

May'Bel grunted, stairing into his bloodwine with a dark expression.

"You have a plan to get our Science officer off the ship?" He asked unenthusiastically. "The ancients have a way of... tipping the balence, even against the most difficult odds."

CoQ frowned, "The TiQ is an asset I would be loath to loose. I will have to think on that further. I think I have a way though."

May'Bel said nothing for a long pause - watching the younger Klingons belting each-other across the far end of the bar.

"You're head of the house," he said finally. "Do you need me to like this plan of yours? Or just to do it?"

"I could order you to do this as a member of my house, but I would prefer you did it willingly, grabbing the honour that can be yours with both hands."

"Then you've said all you need to," May'Bel responded flatly.

CoQ nodded. A sombre mood had come over the pair. Neither liked what had to happen, but what choice was there. As CoQ stood he placed a slip of latinum on the table. "This is not a payment. It is to help you forget about it for tonight."

May'Bel sat their long after he was gone, watching the passers by with a steadily darkening expression. Brooding.

After a while he took a swig of the wine. He held it in his mouth for a moment, but then spat it out. He tossed the mug away with a grimace.

There was a bitter taste in his mouth. But it had little to do with the wine.