LoSmaH wa' - Klingons Like Blades... Don't They?

[general_chang]

[Chang grumbled slightly when the turbulence hit, particularly when the Admiral voice came through, but didn't feel particularly bothered by it. Nietzscheans were more like Klingons than the regular human, at least as far as senses were concerned.

It was the sharp pinch against his ribs that woke him up completely. He shifted to find out what it was and found that it was grown out of his arms.

He looked at it in curiosity, glancing over to where K'Nera had lain. The panther, woken by the turbulence, looked up at him in a similar questioning manner.

He got up, got mostly dressed (he didn't bother with trying to get the bone blades into sleeves) before he appears on the communicator, showing off the new blades.]

I would like to spar.

[Yes, he has the best priorities, ladies and gentlemen.]

Comments

[Private]

[truth_is_cold]

[And Rhade is... hungry. And has his fingers in his mouth, touching his teeth because he keeps biting his tongue. He's got some faint forehead ridges and his brow is thicker, as he's more a Klingon of the Augment variety.

He pulls his fingers out of his mouth to speak.]

My stomach is empty in two places.

[What does this meeeeeaaan? He works his jaw and grumbles low in his throat. Not quite the growl he could make before. That sounds different.]

Re: [Private]

[general_chang]

[Hm... Issue.] The CES. We will hunt. [Because the breakfast here isn't going to fill him up to satisfaction, even if it wasn't suffering a workforce shortage.]

[Private]

[truth_is_cold]

Good. I have to talk to you when we're finished anyway. [Excuse the sudden change of force behind his words, and the slight curl of lip he gives while talking. His usual emotional management has been altered slightly.

He turns off the journal to go and find him, trying to memorize his teeth so he doesn't bite a hole through his lip. He's almost sure these things could saw through a tree.]

[general_chang]

[When he arrives, K'Nera is definitely puzzled. She's relatively certain that Chang is Chang. He acts mostly the same and is similarly affectionate, but by goodness that smell is wrong. And then Rhade comes along, smelling more like Chang than he ought. This is very irksome.

She greets Rhade with a 'tell me what's up here' look. Weird things happen, but the smells are the same (or she's affected too). She'll have none of this smelling mixture going on.]

[truth_is_cold]

[When Rhade shows up, he's holding himself just a little differently. Still upright and assertive, but there's less of a spring in his step and more of a plowing plodding gait.]

Blame the ship. [He says as if he understands the cat, inclined to keep his hands at his sides rather than behind his back for some reason. He has his warden item- a now non-functional holographic emitter, in one, and he inclines his head to Chang as if to wordlessly indicate for them to be on their way.]

Don't get hung on anything.

[Sadly, he wishes that were mocking. It's a very valid warning, considering how many Nietzscheans choose to go without sleeves though he still insists on them.]

[general_chang]

[K'Nera isn't impressed with the answer, but follows the pair anyway.

His hand goes to one of his blades at the reminder of them. Then a pertinent question.] How carnivorous is your species? [Don't tell him he has to have cooked food?]

[truth_is_cold]

We're omnivorous, but made for roughage. You're going to want tough vegetables too. [He figures he's pretty carnivorous with these teeth, but at least Chang doesn't have to cook if he doesn't want to.]

[He stops though, and takes Chang's arm. Going bare armed is one thing, but...] You'll need theses. [He takes the wraps from the lining of his own clothes to bind his forearms.] They're bracers. They keep the muscles from pulling if they're under considerable strain.

[general_chang]

[Chang lets him take his arm, after repressing the desire to punch him. It tended to be easier to do when he wasn't Klingon. Or pregnant. He tests the fit and nods.] Let us proceed.

[truth_is_cold]

Tell me about Romulans. [He actually does want Chang to do more of the talking here, so he doesn't end up lisping after biting his tongue again. He sneers slightly as he touches the inside of his lip.

The taste of his own raw skin makes him strangely hungry too.]

[general_chang]

Vulcanoids. Known as Rhiannsu to themselves, the 'Sundered'. They have honour... sometimes.

[truth_is_cold]

What has your history with them been so far? [That's when he notices. He reaches to touch the back of his neck- there's a ridge hidden by the high collar of his shirt. It goes up under his scalp. His hair was already strangely thick, but he notices his own scent is earthier as they reach the CES. No wonder the cat was confused.]

[general_chang]

Mixed. Occasional alliance in which share things until they inevitably betray their word. [K'Nera is still a bit grumpy by it.]

[truth_is_cold]

They will continue to betray their word. [He assures him.] I've looked into the future of your universe. The Romulans will make several attempts to weaken and exploit the Klingon Empire. [He makes an effort to slick his hair back.]

Also, after Chancellor Azetbur's reign in office no other females were permitted that position of authority, no matter how honorable or notable their houses were.

[general_chang]

And we, no doubt, the same to them. They do not think they do us a favour. At least, with that, they are honest.

[What are you doing with your hair?

He is not surprised to hear of that.]

It was an exception that allowed her the Chancellorship at all.

[truth_is_cold]

You do not, actually. From what I've gathered, other than attempts from the House of Duras and infiltrations by enemy spies from another Quadrant, the Klingon Empire remains stable with no need to retaliate against the Romulans.

Do you think women should have been stripped of that right? [Klingon or not at the moment, he still loves his matriarchs.]

[general_chang]

[Chang doesn't know of a house of Duras, his father, Ja'rod was still a child.] Said to you by the Federation, hmm? [He's not impressed by their outsiders' view.

He raises his hands in a shrug.] If they wish for the right, then they fight for it.

[truth_is_cold]

Said to me by one of B'Elanna's crewmates who still mourns her death.

[Which, to him, is much more than any fleet.]

[general_chang]

[He lets out a heavy breath before he responds.

Really? You tell me that like that?] That doesn't mean she was well-informed.

[truth_is_cold]

[With Chang trying to blame things on rhetoric and his own temperament altered more than usual, it's hard to be gentle.] She grew up in a different quadrant. Therefore her only bias was that she was aboard a Federation ship with her.

As it turned out, B'Elanna made peace with her mother and made efforts to save her place in Stovokor, and her husband and the father of her child supported her efforts to explore her heritage. She lived her life honorably and without shame for her Klingon half.

[general_chang]

And no experience of the Empire.

[He gives a frustrated sigh.] That she could repair the damage is very good for her, but it does not excuse how it happened in the first place. She shouldn't have had to make peace with it! She should have never had found shame there at all!

[truth_is_cold]

You missed that it was over a disagreement with her mother that was reconciled. This person knew B'Elanna for years.

Though I admit if I knew that I was forever branded inadequate as a leader simply because my gender, that I would have even more trials to face and then be at risk of death from the very people I was representing even after fairly facing them, I would not necessarily be proud either.

[general_chang]

I didn't miss anything. If she was ashamed of the part given to her by her mother, how could they be at peace with each other?

[He snorts.] 'Not necessarily.' Even in your righteous anger, you hedge. Get off this ground if you are uncertain about it.

[truth_is_cold]

They made peace. People that dislike each other can make peace. They can change their opinions of each other and themselves. Petty thoughts of resentment can be dropped when you care about someone enough to try to look at the reality of how things are.

And "not necessarily" because I want to know why. Why would a rule like that be in place? Are they inferior? Are they incapable of ruling because of a true physical compromise? If Azetbur was honorable, why would this honor have been wrenched from her hands, and why would her whole gender be punished when her father was only assassinated?

[general_chang]

So you dismiss her thoughts as 'petty' when you have but the word of someone who knows her rather than the woman herself? You speak of things you do not understand and it makes you seem a fool.

What does it matter? I did not make the law, I did not reinforce it.

[truth_is_cold]

I believe her account. She spoke with efficiency on most matters, but seemed to be repressing mourning. [And she still had a picture of the crew on the desk.]

It matters because you were ready to shape other laws and policies. Why not one that could have greater implications on your daughters than even the Federation?

[general_chang]

And she thought them petty?

Weak reasoning. I did not depose Azetbur, nor was I alive long enough to shape any such laws to protect her or destroy her. She would have never gained the position she did had Gorkon died, so your argument is that I both killed him and survived long enough to effect change. You are my warden, not political advisor. You cannot fix the Empire through me.

I misread your post there out of context.

[truth_is_cold]

She didn't think they were petty, but resentment itself is. It's corruptive. "Nothing consumes you so quickly as the passion of resentment." If you don't work to get rid of it, you'll always be a slave to it. And yes, I know I've been guilty of it. That's why I was here.

It's as strong as any of your reasoning, but this matter is important to me as a person and not as a warden or an advisor. I was raised to admire women and value their leadership. Why should she and every other Klingon woman of the future be denied that right?

[general_chang]

A human saying. No doubt they do nothing with it. If you resent something such as a failure of a woman to hold onto power then the resentment should spur you to action. She should take control and not leave it up to those in power to give it to you. What sane person gives up their power?

To answer your question, Klingon women are not weaker. They simply haven't seized power and allow men to keep theirs. Why? That is a question best asked of them. I am a man, I do not understand them as well as they do.

[truth_is_cold]

It's a good human saying from a great philosopher. It's not a power, it's a way people can manipulate you. It's a way you can fool yourself into thinking your allies are your enemies. "You dislike this? Dislike it more so I can use you." "You don't agree with me on something I dislike? Obviously you're not truly an ally and must be an enemy." [That. That he knew all too well.] Right now you're likely resenting me but the fact is I do want you to leave here, and it's my duty as a friend to Braxiatel to try.

[It seemed to him that women had seized power, and it was still forcibly stripped from them. But he supposed that was a conversation he should have with women-

And very well might.]

[general_chang]

All emotions are a way to manipulate. All aims. Resentment is not unique. I could be a machine, yet still be manipulated. Your saying means nothing. As your mention of Braxiatel means nothing. [This might be a lie. He's clearly annoyed by the name-drop.]

[truth_is_cold]

[He meant it as a truthful namedrop. His entire reason for being on the Barge secretly to watch over Narvin on Brax's behalf, though he's made no secret that he hates this place. His deal just decorative, while some part of him is still seeking absolution by doing something even Braxiatel found unpalatable because it needed to be done.] I didn't say it meant anything to you, but it is important to me.

[He stops though.] Miral Paris, B'Elanna's daughter- the daughter of her and a Federation human. She was to be the kuvah'magh. I don't know exactly what that means. But I'm losing my appetite.

[general_chang]

[He looks at Rhade suspiciously, not believing him at all. Fortunately, he's given an out.] You need to eat. The cafeteria food is inadequate. Start to hunt, your appetite will return.

[truth_is_cold]

I'll hunt later. [Rhade can be extremely stubborn himself, even if this ends up with an aching set of stomachs later.] Right now, I'm not fit for it. [He touches his mouth again, before sticking his fingers in. And pulls them out to reveal a smear of magenta over his knuckle. It takes a moment to realize that it's blood from nipping the inside of his cheek.]

[general_chang]

So you intend to eat yourself instead?

[truth_is_cold]

I've never had sharp teeth before. [He... kind of just wants to spit the flavor out. Something stops him. Maybe some modicum of control over his urges.] Go use the boneblades as you like. Don't kill anyone unless they lay down the terms beforehand and have permission from their warden for that sort of fight. And they do break if you catch them wrong. [And breaks hurt]

[general_chang]

[Chang just rolls his eyes and looks for K'Nera. When she's not immediately visible, he whistles and she appears, carrying a small animal in her jaws. At least someone had a good hunt.]

[truth_is_cold]

[He gives K'Nera a dry look, and in much the same tone that he'd speak to one of the cats on the Collection.] You've had sharp teeth for your whole life. [As if she would understand.]

[general_chang]

[K'Nera does not feel this is an adequate excuse, but doesn't much care, because she has her food.]

[divine_right]

Fighting style?

[general_chang]

Mok'bara.

[divine_right]

Never heard of it. Would you care to provide a demonstration?

[general_chang]

No, but I will fight you, if you wish it. [He's not in the mood for going easy on someone.]

[divine_right]

You sound confident, at least.

[general_chang]

[He wants to test himself, not engage in banter.] And you sound like someone who chatters.

[divine_right]

That's not all I do. [She cocks her head to the side. She can't be older than fifteen.] Where and when?

[general_chang]

[Hence Chang not being impressed.] Midday. Gym.