<VPA Alpha Stream> The House of Topian

From: Elizabeth Platt <wizbit13uk@xxxxxxxxx>
To: alphastream@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Thu, 28 May 2009 22:22:07 +0100
The House of Topian

*Empet*

Death follows life follows death. That was what her mother had always taught
her. Empet touched where she knew yet another life grew, one that would be
the connection between House Topian and House Martok until she was ready to
give up her place as mistress of the house she'd forged.

Forged was the right word for it. She had taken the scattered remnants of
the House of Gorkon and seered them together with her fury, a blinding light
brighter than the largest supernova. She could remember the day when it
began, the day she stood as her own woman, a warrior in her own right, the
day she had been witness to and avenger of her mother's murder.
------------------------------

The twenty year old young woman set the finishing touches to the gown she
would wear that evening. It was another boring function but she still loved
to attend. She adored watching her SoS play the political games, running
rings around the old men in their staid and old traditions. But what she
loved most was afterwards when Chancellor Azetbur would call Empet to her
rooms and they would stay up half the night discussing the evening,
dissecting it and analysing the interplay of the Empire. It was nights such
as this that the young woman lived for.

Happy with her appearance, Empet grinned to herself and flowed out of her
dressing room. She attached her knife to her waistband then flung her cloak
around her shoulders and swept out. Her thoughts were turned inward as she
made her way to her mother's chamber so they could leave together and so it
wasn't until she was practically on top of it that she heard the clashing of
weapons and grunting of a fight. One of the voices she heard swearing was
definitely Azetbur so she unsheathed her knife and tossed her cloak to the
floor.

Her dress was not exactly made for fighting but she could manage it. That
was a part of the cha'par, the Female Way, to know how to fight no matter
what a woman was wearing. As she burst into the room, she was in time to see
a flash of silver as a bat'leth slashed down at a kneeling Azetbur. In
horror, Empet watched as her mother's head was cleaved from her shoulders.

Not even time to register what had happened, Empet rolled to the floor and
grabbed her mother's bat'leth that had been thrown to the floor during the
fighting. She raised it and in one smooth movement brought it across the
throat of her mother's attacker. He was dead even before he hit the floor
but the second he did, Empet let out a deafening roar.
------------------------------

Still covered in blood, the girl was led into a chamber belonging to General
ShiVang, a long family friend of both her mother and grandfather. His dark,
rough eyes took in her appearance and he grunted. "Sit," he barked then
waved a hand at the courtier who'd led her in. So shaken was she that she
simply did as she was told. "Girl, your SoS died a warrior's death. Be
proud, she is in Sto'Vo'Kor with your father and grandfather."

Slowly, Empet nodded. She held his eyes, remembering that he was the man who
had taught her to fight like a true warrior after her father had died in
battle against the Romulans. She and her mother had gone targ hunting with
him often and she called him tennuS as he was as close to an uncle as she
ever had.

"You honoured her today, girl," he said roughly. "That toDSaH is condemned
to Gre'Thor, may Fek'lhr eat his heart."

His words eased her grief but she knew it was not as simple as he made out.
"I must leave the Palace," she said softly.

He grunted with a nod. "That is the decision of the High Council." He bit
back the growl he felt rumbling in his chest. This girl, no matter how
young, was warrior enough to rule the Empire. What was wrong with those
bickering old men that they couldn't see it? They would fight and snipe over
who would be Chancellor and the Empire would slowly dissintigrate beneath
the political bile. "You have a home."

She nodded numbly. "One in the country and one in the capital. The House of
Gorkon is still rich in that."

Again he grunted but this time he leaned forward and took her hands. They
were shaking slightly, he noted. "There is no House of Gorkon any more,
child. That is the ruling of the Council." Another thing that made him sick.
His father's long time friend, Chancellor Gorkon, had always been like a
brother and father to him. His daughter, Azetbur, had been his friend also.
There had even been a time when he'd considered marrying her but she'd
turned him down and chosen a common warrior instead. He could understand
why. She had wished to keep the political vipers from manipulating her
choice of mate. Her husband was a good friend also, they had served long
together.

"Then I have no home," she whispered.

ShiVang pursed his lips, his eyes narrowed. "There is a ruling... You are
the last of that House, are you not?"

"Yes, tennuS," she said, her hands gripping his tightly.

"When a child is the last, he or she has the right to create a new House,
one with the prestige of the old one but with none of the restrictions or
dishonours."

"There was no dishonour to my House!" she hissed.

ShiVang let out a sigh and gave her a fondly chiding look. "I said
restrictions also. You, child, have the right to your own House. You are a
Noble from a Noble House. I will support you in this. They cannot deny you
are a strong woman with a strong lineage."

She nodded slowly then gave him a lop-sided, toothless smile. "Topian," she
said with a sniff. "My mother's great-grandmother. She was a General and a
member of the High Council. She married the Chancellor at the time. Her
House goes back even further than Gorkon."

His own grin was full of fangs and he bellowed out a laugh. "Yes! Of course.
I can remember my own grandfather speaking of her. She was a harpy, a
screeching horror but she was strong and powerful. You are right, little
tey'be', she would be a perfect choice for your House name. I will
definitely support you on this."

Her own laughter sparked with his, the first since her mother had died.
"Uncle, I must ask you one more thing."

"Anything!"

"I don't want to be a politician like my mother. I want to be a warrior like
you and my father. I wish for a commission. Could you arrange for the
entrance exams and for me to go before the oversight council?"

He clapped his hand down on her arm firmly and bared his teeth. "Not simply
that, my niece. I will give you a position upon my flagship. You will be an
honour to me, to your mother and father and to your House, Empet of the
House of Topian."
<VPA Alpha Stream> The House of Topian

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