Keehani Ukinix - Frenzy Whip
Wil Ukinix
((University of Betazed, Medara Campus, Betazed))
Keehani: ::Awkward smile:: Actually, Rware, about that.
::Gesturing to nearby bench:: ~~ There’s something I should tell you. ~~
Keehani sat on the bench and patted the seat next to her.
Rware, sensing nervousness in her friend, slowly sat next to her while looking at her with a quizzical expression.
Keehani: ~~ You see- ~~
Two words was as far as she got before she was interrupted.
Zaedi: How dare you?
She blinked her eyes a few times in shock at the woman.
Keehani: ::To Tandra:: ~~ And you are? ~~
Zaedi: ::flatly:: Tandra Zaedi, daughter of the Tenth House. Do you really think you are going to get control back of the Ninth House?
Her jaw dropped as she took in a deep breath.
She could feel shock, even some anger from her friend. She reverted to speaking.
Keehani: ::To Rware:: I was going to tell you-
Troirox: You’re a.. a *noble*?!
Keehani: No! ::Cheekily:: Well, not yet.
Zaedi: Not ever, if we have any say in the matter.
Keehani: ::To Rware:: Could you give us a moment?
Her friend nodded slowly, before standing up, regarding the woman named “Zaedi” with a long, telling glance, and walking away, looking back over her shoulder several times.
Zaedi: Do you really believe you are going to get control?
Keehani: I believe that my grandmother, who is still the matriarch of the Ninth House, has every right to control that house.
Zaedi: You are wasting your time. More importantly, you are wasting the time of the Noble Houses.
Keehani: ::Crossed arms over PADD:: The Noble Houses have been quietly dismantling the Ninth House since the end of the Dominion War,
*Zaedi*. Your House, along with most other Houses, have been the ones wasting their time.
Several students slowed their walk, turning their necks to observe the heated discussion.
Zaedi: Are you planning to dig up a male heir to continue the scandal that created the situation that brought your house down in the first place?
Keehani’s eyes lit up, and a the corner of her mouth turned up in a small smirk.
She stood up from the bench.
Keehani: You mean, Astradem Ukinix? The former Ninth House noble, who had an
*affair* with the martriarch of your House?
And unless I’m mistaken,
it takes two to tie a knot, Zaedi. Your matriarch was just as ::air quotes:: “tied up” in that scandal as he is.
Or is that another part of Betazoid history that your house is trying to silence with the chime?
Zaedi: If you are smart… and I would hope that you are, since you are attending University, you would be better off focusing on your studies. Not dragging up scandals and embarrassments from the past.
More students now stopped and gathered around to watch the exchange.
Aware of this, Keehani kept her eyes on Tandra, but raised her voice.
Keehani: It’s funny. How the houses have managed to keep their disputes and their scandals with the Ninth House quiet for so many years.
::Looking around at the gathered students:: Who here knows much about the Ninth House, hmm?
Zaedi: Response
Deliberately ignoring Tandra, she looked at one of the nearby students, and pointed at her.
Keehani: ::Pointing to student:: You?
The student slowly and awkwardly shrugged, sheepishly acknowledging that she didn’t know much.
Keehani moved her eyes to another tall, male student.
Keehani: ::Pointing to second student:: Or you?
The second student shook his head, and raised his eyebrows, in a gesture of admission.
Student: ~~ I do not. ~~
Keehani: No, because ::pointing back at Tandra:: this person, this *noble*, is part of a conspiracy to keep it quiet.
The houses don’t *want* you to know that after the Dominion war, they’ve been stripping the Ninth of its land and its wealth.
Controlling its destiny. ::Turning back to eye Tandra:: Forced its rightful matriarch to stay in exile.
It was not Astradem Ukinix that brought down the Ninth House. It was the other Houses of Betazed, feasting on the scraps.
Zaedi: Response
In amongst the group of students, Keehani saw Rware watching on – this time, with some fellow Guardians members.
She gave Rware a quick smile, before she turned back to face Tandra again.
Keehani: Like the Federation, you try to exert your power through influence, and yet you keep matters hidden that should be public knowledge.
Whatever happened to the Betazoid culture of total honesty? It is our generation's duty to restore it.
Zaedi: Response
Tags/TBC