CHAPTER 2

Drex, son of Martok, had only seen his father twice since he returned from the Dominion prison camp years. The first time had been at the request of his mother Sirella. When all Martok did was talk about the greatness of the Starfleet Klingon Worf, Drex knew he need not bother returning anytime soon. The second time was when Martok was installed as Chancellor. Drex figured it could be of some personal benefit to make it known that he was the Chancellor's son, but once again the man of the hour was Worf.

So it came as no surprise when Drex got the message from his mother that Worf was to become the leader of the House of Martok upon his father's death, a position that was rightfully Drex's by birth. Since his older sister Anderel was marrying Worf, he could claim what should have been Drex's through her. What did surprise him when was Sirella showed up at his home shortly thereafter.

"My son," she said warmly, embracing him in a way that only a mother could, "How have you been?"

"The same as I was when we spoke," Drex replied cautiously, "What brings you here Mother?"

"This is quite a home you have," she commented aimlessly as she entered, "I should come to see you more often."

Drex lived in the largest city of the Mek'rovak region of Q'onoS and had done very well for himself over the years. Both the Cardassian and Dominion wars had been good to him and as a result he had a small personal fleet of Birds of Prey (drafted to the Defense Force whenever needed, of course), a sizable amount of land and a home whose opulence made Sirella proud. If Anderel got her sense of simplicity from their father, then Drex got his excessiveness from their mother.

"Mother…"

"Can a mother not miss the company of her only son?"

A servant quietly brought a carafe of wine and two goblets. Sirella invited herself to sit, but Drex remained standing, "A mother, sure. But you, no."

Sirella narrowed her eyes, "Drex, do not be flippant."

"Just get on with it. You want me to challenge Worf for yaS cha'DIch don't you?"

"And you do not?"

"No, I do not," Drex replied, "Father made his choice long ago and I have moved on with my life. I wish he and the Ambassador all the best."

"I did not birth Worf and present him to Martok as a son an heir," Sirella began, "That was you. Everything we have done, everything we have worked for has been for you and your sister. Your father is only doing this because he thinks you don't care. Let him see that you want to be a part of this family. You have hardly even seen him since he returned to us."

Drex turned his eyes from his mother and walked to the other side of the room. He stood at the window and looked out, not saying a word.

Sirella proceed carefully, "What happened to your father was not your fault, Drex."

There was silence for a moment, "Does he know that?" Drex asked.

Sirella sighed, "Of course he does."

"Father was taken by a changeling while I slept right next to him."

"Drex—"

He interrupted her, "Like always, we had been arguing the day before. The changeling was probably listening to us the whole time. When we woke up that next morning, Father apologized to me. Can you believe that? I should have known something was going on then but I was so eager for his approval that I was blind to the absurdity of it. He talked to me, listened to me, asked me for advice and even made me his first officer. I fed the enemy all the information he needed just because I was desperate for my father's attention. And the changeling used my desperation to nearly destroy the Empire."

"That is all in the past. There is no reason to ever speak of that horrible time again, ever," Sirella said. She too was guilty of falling for the changeling's deception.

"What I need you to understand, Mother," Drex said firmly, "Is that I am no longer desperate."

Sirella looked up at her son, trying to think of what she could say to change his very well made up mind. She was coming up with nothing.

"Lady Sirella?"

Sirella's head turned to see a young woman standing in the doorway. Sirella put on her best smile, her solution had just entered the room.

"Ktana, I asked you to wait," there was a hint of annoyance in Drex's voice, "I'm almost finished here."

Sirella stood slowly, "Where are my manners for not asking about your wife, my own daughter? I came in here bothering after nonsense without thinking of the lady of the house!"

Drex nearly rolled his eyes at his mother's falsely sweet tone.

Ktana, Daughter of Woren, was always eager to please her husband's mother. She and Drex had been married for almost two years and to her dismay Drex chose to keep their distance from his family. But Sirella fascinated Ktana. When she heard her voice coming from the other room, Ktana couldn't help but come to speak to her, even if Drex had asked her to stay out of it. Sirella was everything Ktana hoped to be one day.

Ktana lowered her eyes respectfully, "It is an honor to have you in our home, my lady."

Sirella walked over to Ktana and embraced her warmly. As she did, Sirella could feel the firm roundness of Ktana's waist. She pulled away, looked down at her belly and then up to Ktana's face, "You are with child? Why did you not tell us?"

Drex could see his mother's wheels turning. He knew what was about to happen and he knew he was powerless to stop it, "I can think of a dozen reasons, Mother," he replied.

Sirella ignored Drex and focused her intention on Ktana. The young woman was grinning like a Klingon rarely did, "I have wanted to, but Drex was adamant that we wait for the right time to tell you. Are you pleased?"

"I am beyond words. You two must come to the First City at once, your father has to know about this. I will make the arrangements immediately, you will stay with us until your child's birth and we will celebrate him as an heir to the Empire!"

Ktana looked wide eyed at Sirella, "I am overwhelmed. Your generosity is more than I could ever hope to deserve."

"There is no way that I am living with you and father," Dex said flatly.

"Drex!" Ktana exclaimed, "I apologize, Lady Sirella. He has been away for awhile and not quite himself," Ktana said through gritted teeth, furious that Drex would turn down such an offer for their child.

"Then it is settled. Darok will contact you with the details," Sirella's eyes finally left Ktana and met with her son's. Drex could see right through her saccharine manipulation. He loved his mother and usually liked it when she got like this because it always benefited him. It wasn't as fun on this side of the game, though.

"It is settled," he said through gritted teeth of his own.

Martok sat at the head of his ridiculous dining table with the hopes of getting roaring drunk before this evening even began.

"How did I get here?" He said aloud as he took a gulp. This was not the life that he saw for himself all those years ago. Or was it? He had wanted to 'make something of himself' when he joined the Defense Force. He'd continuously worked as hard as he could to be a dutiful Soldier of the Empire and the fruits of those efforts kept raising him higher. First, it was a battlefield commission earned after being a civilian laborer. Then, the eventual command of his own ship. Fleet commander followed and General was not far behind that. After his imprisonment, things picked up steam even faster. He lead the Dominion War effort despite Gowron's best attempts to ruin him. And it all culminated in him leading the entire empire as Chancellor. Perhaps this was the inevitable conclusion to a life of doing one's best. Martok closed his eyes and took another drink.

"Father, can I speak with you please?"

Martok could barely hear his daughter's voice on the opposite side of the cavernous room.

"Of course," he pulled out the chair closest to him and Anderel sat, "What are you doing here already?"

"I wanted to talk to you before dinner," she sighed, "I am sorry for quarreling with you."

Martok lovingly patted his daughter's hand, "It is forgotten already,"

"I love you, and I love this family," she began sincerely while quietly moving the cup of blood wine away from him, "But I am afraid that all of this will end up tearing us apart."

Martok sighed, "As am I."

"I don't want to have to choose between my brother and my par'machai."

"You won't," Martok took the wine back from her, "Because your brother is not a choice."

"Father…"

"If you do not wish to quarrel with me," Martok began, his light tone becoming more stern, "Then I suggest you proceed carefully."

Anderel nodded, "I understand."

"Do you know the hardest part of ruling?"

"No Father, I don't."

"Having to choose between two bad options."

"A wise ruler would make a third," she replied.

Martok sat back, closed his eyes and grunted, "I never claimed to be wise."

She chuckled, "I can't argue with that."

"Now, give me a few moments to finish getting drunk before this madness begins."

Sirella daughter of Linkasa was born into a noble house, descended from royalty on her mother's side (regardless of what Jadzia Dax said.) She fell in love with the young and dynamic upstart officer Martok and married into a commoner's family to be with him. Though it seemed like she'd resigned herself to the life of a soldier's wife, Sirella always knew that she was destined to be much more than that. Martok proved to be the man she always knew he could be and now she sat in the dining hall of one of the greatest homes in the First City, the wife of the Chancellor and Mistress to the most important House in the empire.

There was no way that she was going to let all that go because her husband and daughter had fallen for the charms of Ambassador Worf. Tonight, Sirella would begin positioning her son back where he belonged- whether Drex wanted it or not. She'd invited many of the other members of their House. The captains of the vessels in Martok's fleet were there as well as his land castellans and their families. She'd even invited a few of the most senior members of the High Council. The servants were milling about, placing platter after platter of fresh gagh, rokeg blood pies, wild tarq, bregit lung and a full roasted lingta on the table. The blood wine was flowing, though it seemed as if Martok had already had more than his share. On the far end, a trio of opera singers performed.

Sirella stood, holding her goblet high, "Welcome to our home, most honored guests. We are humbled by your presence. Let us drink to the continued success of the House of Martok and all those who are loyal to it. And let us celebrate the coming of the next generation of this family through our son Drex and his mate Ktana."

The gathered crowd gave a resounding chorus of "Qaplas" and pounded the table the same way a group of Humans would have clapped in applause.

Worf was nervous. He sat as still as a statue next to Anderel, eyes wide with marvel at everything around him. He thought this was going to be a simple affair with just Martok's immediate family, but Sirella obviously had other ideas. Anderel could sense Worf's trepidation. With all the most important people to their House present, there was a good chance that her father would announce him tonight. She reached under the table and gently stroked his leg. Worf broke his entranced gaze and looked down at her. Anderel looked up at him and gave a small smile that was not enough to call attention to them but just enough for Worf to feel reassured. He closed his eyes for a moment and nodded. She was telling him that it would be okay and he was accepting.

Across from them and down the table just a bit sat Drex, son of Martok. He'd been eyeing the son of Mogh and his sister and grunted when he saw them making eyes at each other like two teenagers. It was as if Worf had a spell on his family and he felt powerless to break it. Drex came here not really caring about this whole yaS cha'DIch thing, but just seeing Worf there, seeing the way his father and sister fawned all over him made Drex sick to his stomach. Worf was a nobody, a twice dishonored Starfleet officer who somehow had managed to take what was his. Drex took a big drink from his cup, he could not let this stand.

"So," Drex began loudly, "This is probably more Klingons than you're used to seeing in one roon, Commander Worf. I hope we're not too much for you."

Anderel frowned and opened her mouth to speak but when she felt Worf's heavy hand on her own leg, she closed it. This was not her fight. Yet.

"It is nothing that I have not experienced many times in my role as your father's Ambassador."

Good answer, Anderel thought.

"That's right, you're the Federation's Ambassador now. We will just have to wait and see what plans you have for your next betrayal of us, won't we?" Drex said, laughing entirely too loudly at his own joke. He tapped his wife's arm and she laughed on cue even though she hadn't been paying attention at all.

Worf stayed silent.

"I'm wondering how many of the council members here were at your discommendation? If it weren't for Gowron, your name would still be a curse. And to thank him, you killed him."

Drex's loud ramblings were starting to garner the attention of the other diners as a hush fell over the room. Anderel was fuming silently. Martok was as well, but he wanted to see how Worf handled this. He'd chosen Worf over Drex, but Worf would have to prove his worth.

Worf glanced towards the head of the table and could see that the Chancellor was watching, "I did kill him. Gowron became my enemy when he went against your father. Martok is the most honorable warrior I know and I would kill a thousand men for him."

The crowd roused enthusiastically and pounded the table in agreement. Worf smirked and Drex scowled.

"You could have become Chancellor yourself in that moment, yet you gave it to my father. One wonders what kind of man passes up a chance like that."

"I do not seek glory for myself, only for good the Empire. But I do not expect you to understand that."

Drex rolled his eyes, "Anderel, you'd better take care, Worf might leave you one day for our Father."

Martok finally spoke up having heard enough, "Be quiet, Drex, you are being a child as usual. Worf's loyalty to me and to this family is without question."

Drex could feel his face getting hot. This was supposed to be his night but somehow Worf had managed to get the upper hand. Ktana touched his arm hoping to calm him down, but he shrugged her off, turning his ire to his sister again, "I always thought you the smarter of the two of us, Anderel, but that you fell for this is quite disappointing. You could have done much better."

Worf jumped to his feet, "Say what you will to me but you will not speak ill to her!"

Drex stood slowly, he could see the rage in Worf's eyes. Drex remembered that the last time they'd crossed blades it didn't go so well for him. He didn't think the mild mannered Ambassador would get this upset but perhaps he'd pushed him too far, "Are you challenging me, Ambassador? At my father's dinner table?" he said, trying to maintain his composure.

Worf wasn't in Starfleet anymore, and hadn't been for a long time. He was a Klingon on the homeworld of his people. He could feel their eyes on him, wondering if he was more Federation that Klingon. He could silence both Drex's mouth and their doubts about him right now, "I am," he growled, his jaw muscles working furiously under his skin as he clenched his teeth.

As if on command, the men at the table quickly stood and cleared a space for Worf and Drex to have it out. Drex immediately pulled out a d'k tagh and began twirling it around as a way of intimidating Worf, who was without a weapon. He should have known better than to come here tonight unarmed. No matter, Worf had taken down Drex before and he could do it again.

Worf's best skill in battle was that he wasn't showy. He could size up an enemy quietly, find his weakness and finish him without the theatrics that a lot of people, Drex being one of them, liked to use. While Drex was posturing, Worf was analyzing. Drex was younger than him, but his discipline and experience were worth far more than Drex's youth and speed.

Drex lunged first, which Worf easily parried by dropping his shoulder and spinning. He caught Drex's knife hand by the wrist and wrestled the weapon away from him. Drex countered by delivering a hard blow to Worf's face. The hit rattled Worf, Drex was stronger than he had been years ago in Quark's. But now Worf had the weapon and as a way to keep things evenly matched, he tossed it aside so that neither man would have it, a move Martok noticed and nodded in silent agreement.

"That was a mistake, son of Mogh," Drex sneared.

It wasn't. Worf went into a series of volleys that left Drex's face bloodied and his legs barely able to maintain their upright balance. With a quick leg swipe, Worf had Drex on his back. The crowd around them yelled for Worf to finish the younger warrior. Drex could barely hold his eyes open enough to meet Worf's triumphant gaze.

Out of the corner of his eye, Worf could see Drex's wife Ktana pleading with them to stop. Tears were streaming down her face and she was holding her belly. The sight of her made Worf pull back. The Starfleet Officer in him could not bring himself to kill a man in front of his pregnant wife over some insults hurled at dinner.

"Enough!" Sirella's voice rose above the din of the revelry, "You have had your fun. Back to the table before the food is spoiled!"

Ktana rushed to Drex's side frantic that he was hurt but again, he shrugged her off. Sirella came to him as well as everyone headed back to their seats, "What were you thinking?" she snapped, "Get up!"

Drex stood, "He challenged me. And if you hadn't stopped the fight-"

"He would have killed you! With the way that you were baiting him what did you expect? Your father is right; you were acting like a child. And now how can you stand up before any of these people as their leader when they saw you laid out on the floor by Worf?"

"This isn't over, Mother."

Sirella shook her head, her eyes filled with disappointment, "You were supposed to come here and prove your loyalty to your father, which you could have done without saying a word to Worf. But instead, you goaded him and he bested you in front of the entire House," she sighed, "It is over. Take your wife and go home."

Drex watched as Sirella walked back to the table and took her seat next to Chancellor Martok. The older man's gaze met with Drex's for a brief moment. Drex expected to see disappointment, anger or even shame in his father's face. Instead he saw nothing. Martok turned away from Drex and went back to his food as if Drex were nobody in particular.

This was not over, not even close. The Federation Klingon may have won tonight, but that was not the end of it. Drex may not be the one to lead this House, but he'd watch it burn before the Ambassador did. There was no way Worf was as perfect and impervious as everyone seemed to think he was. Drex wouldn't rest until Martok looked at Worf the way he looked at him, as if he were nobody in particular.

Chapter 3 will be coming soon! What do you think Drex is going to do next?