((Captain Quarters, IKS Slivin))

Kerak was about to head back to the bridge when a comm came in from Caligar for him. It was his brother-in-law and the leader of their House, Ju’targ.

“How are things back home Ju’targ?”

“Glorious, in fact, that is why I am calling. The new slate of decrees proclaimed by the Chancellor have been released.” He had a wide grin on his face, and was struggling to contain his elation.

“By the look on your face I assume you have been given a seat on the High Council and our family has officially reclaimed our status as a Great House?” Kerak slammed his fist on the desk in excitement.

“The answer is no to the first part, but an emphatic yes to the second.”

“I dont…wait, how is that possible?” Kerak was shocked at how Ju’targ could be so overjoyed if they hadn’t been granted one of the vacant seats in the Council.

“Well, I shall explain brother. It is all quite fortuitous. Though we weren’t granted one of the open High Council seats, the Chancellor has granted us 2 honours. We have been asked to supply 2 squadrons to serve guard force around Ty’go’kor, it is a 2 year posting, and during the second year we will command the defenses of the High Command HQ, a great honour that has only ever been bestowed upon a Great House.”

“A great honour. But will that not severely deplete our home fleet?” Kerak replied.

“I plan to send squadrons that are returning from active deployments to fill the role, it will allow us to maintain our current level of deployments and allow our combat units the chance to, how do the humans say, decompress.” Ju’targ was an adept strategist and leader, and with the 9 squadrons that the House operated, it would allow them to perform four 6 month rotations with the guard force without relying on any additional support from their allies or the few small vassal Houses that were loyal to them.

‘The second honour we have had bestowed upon us fulfills a personal goal of mine, and will confer a great amount of influence to our House. I have been appointed as the Deputy Chair of the KDF Armaments and Construction Council, which carries with it a secondary sinecure which gives us a seat on KDF Academy Admissions Board. And again, every previous Deputy Chair of that Council has invariably been a member of a Great House of the Empire.” The patriarch concluded.

“This is glorious news indeed brother. I congratulate you on your appointment, and I will inform the crew of these high honours we have received. Your daughter will undoubtedly be pleased and impressed.”

“And rightly so, she and her generation of our ancient and noble family may end up reaping the benefits of our good fortune moreso than you or I, my old friend. Now while we’re on the topic of my daughter, how do you rate her performance in the past few months as your second in command? Has some of the impetuousness and impatience of youth worn off?” Ju’targ knew better than most how headstrong his daughter could be.

“Some of it has been tempered to be sure, but she is still the same girl who leapt out of your wife’s arms and into a grishnak deathmatch pit as a toddler. But she is proving to be a capable and competent officer in her own right… you might also want to know that she and the new second officer Lt. Ka’hor are becoming, well acquainted, and are frequently enjoying each other’s company.” Kerak made the latter statement with a hint of disapproval in his tone. Being a proud descendant of a long and unbroken line of minor nobility himself, Kerak presumed that Ju’targ would share his views on using a marriage for Bamet to maximize the political and military clout of the House, and not simply be left as a matter of the heart.

“Bahahaa, this does not surprise me at all. I gave up any hope of trying to arrange a political, or any other form of marriage alliance for Bamet when she was 11 and refused to be lectured about the types of playmates she should associate with at school. That was the first of many occasions where I was concerned that her and your sister would come to blows. She will mate with whoever she please, and I will accept and respect her choices, unless she weds a Duras or a kin of D’Gor.” Ju’targ laughed again.

“You are a wise father and husband Ju’targ.”

“Well, if you feel that she would be capable of commanding the Slivin, I want you to serve as the Commander of the Guard a year from now when it comes time for us to assume the post at Ty’Go’Kor. I can think of no one better to represent our House in the role.”

“I’m honoured brother, and unless her progress stalls or reverses entirely I’m confident that Bamet will be ready to assume command by then. A B’rel after all, is a customary and fitting type of vessel for a young officer’s first command.” Kerak then received a notification of priority 1 signal coming in from SB 72. He quickly concluded his call with Ju’targ and read his new set of instructions that were ordering him to report to SB 80 for emergency deployment in company with the Appalachia and a Romulan vessel.