Allegiances 4 – HIchop's choice
by HoD Ro' Matlh & Soghla' HIchop Matlh

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Title   HIchop's choice
Mission   Allegiances 4
Author(s)   HoD Ro' Matlh & Soghla' HIchop Matlh
Posted   Mon Aug 15, 2011 @ 2:22am
Location   Matlh Hospice
The hospital had been home to HIchop since he was a boy. He had grown up here, lugging the injured, cleaning the debris, generally being useful. Now he had returned with some of the data he had recorded on his Federation instruments to try and run a few tests. He was not expecting someone to be waiting for him.

CoQ Matlh, head of the House Matlh, was standing in the laboratory, idly fiddling with a pipette when he arrived. He turned and smiled at HIchop, something he had not done for as long as HIchop had known him.

"Well, if it isn't our least decorated family member. Keeping well, are you?"

"Well enough" HIchop replied with confidence

CoQ held up a hand, "I am not here to taunt you, quite the opposite. I have been keeping a watch on your performance under Uncle Ro'. You have been doing some impressive stuff. Learning all of that Federation equipment. Finding the Cardassian spy. In fact, I have come to offer you a great opportunity, but I must have you swear you will not discuss what I am about to tell you with anyone."

"Go on" HIchop could tell where this was going. Politics. He did not have the stomach for it. Better to be in battle and be useful to ones comrades than to fight over control of the Empire.

"This hospital, has been in the family since my father's time, servicing the High Council members as well as the general population. Now it needs a new director, someone who understands it, and how it works, from the bottom up. I am thinking of offering the position to you, along with full inclusion in House Matlh. You will be introduced to all of the High counsel as the physician of choice. You will make a name for yourself and bring honour to us both."

Honour to us both HIchop thought. More like a cunning plan to pull support out from under Ro.

"There is a small price tag; your position on the FHew. In a short while I will be decommissioning all of House Matlh's fleet, including the FHew. Uncle Ro' will not like it, of course, but we no longer have the resources or will to repairs ships which are older than you or I. But I do not wish Ro' harm, so I am hoping that together we can find a way to retire him."

And there it was. What honour would there be for HIchop if he took such a position. After a time his loyalty would be brought into question. And besides HIchop had never wanted to be a medic and not to be the head of a hospital. CoQ clearly never saw past the flat headed Klingon to the warrior.

"Here is what I propose. I will give you a bottle of premium blood wine, laced with a certain chemical that produces intense but harmless stomach cramps. You can give the wine to Ro' and when he comes to you complaining of the cramps you can do something medical to him that will require him to be brought to the hospital. While he is recovering, I will be free to decommission the ship and then YOU will be free to take command of the Hospital. I will then offer Ro' a position as military adviser to House Matlh so we do not loose any of his wealth of experience, and I get to see my uncle more. What do you think?"

HIchop could not contain himself "HAAA. Do you think that Ro' would come in to the hospital with stomach cramps. Even if I told him that he needed better medical care he would be more likely to take pieces out of me until I fixed him there on ship, and if I couldn't fix him, throw us at the nearest battle. He might just do that because he is jacked with the stomach cramps. Besides I am loyal to Ro'. He has given me the opportunity to prove myself as a warrior. The only way I see him leaving the ship is if someone decides he is not fit to be captain. After our last run in with him I think its clear he is still a better captain than anyone else. No I have to decline your offer. No one will hear of this conversation through me. If I am asked anything I will simply answer I am loyal to the FHew."

HIchop knew this was not the answer CoQ would have been hoping for. How ready was CoQ to even letting HIchop leave the room. We would find out soon enough. CoQ did something, however, that surprised HIchop; he smiled.

"Good answer, HIchop. There have been factions in our family who felt you were not the sort of person who should be allowed to represent us on the FHew. I have been defending you, as you were chosen by my father, but now I have met and judged you for myself. You are not one easily swayed by power. That is good. We will not speak of this again, as I do not want to give anyone else a reason to doubt you."