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{{BetlehChar
|        name = Ta'pez
|       image = [[File:Tapez.jpg|200px]]
|     caption = 
|       house = [[House of cheng|cheng]]
|     species = [[Klingon]]/[[Betazoid]]
|   homeworld = [[Khitomer]]
|   ethnicity = 
|      gender = Male
|        born = 
|        eyes = Green
|        hair = Brown
|      height = 6'5"
|      weight = 240 lbs.
| affiliation = [[KDF]]
|        rank = 'aj
|    position =
|  assignment =
|     tourney =
|    likeness = 
|      player = [[Damjan Gunjak]]
}}

= Original Ta'pez =

Former commanding officer of the [[IKS meH'Haj]].  Killed during [[betleH VI]].

== Education ==

Ta'pez grew up outside the Klingon society on a secluded Vulcan planet. His only effective bond with the klingon society was his father and his batleth. Training with the blade was the only respite from the study he had and often his teachers would join him, this indeed was a challance because most vulcans are in general very tough to beat. More imprtantly the physical excersize was the only thing that he excelled and gained aproval in. He was by far too angry and uncontrolled by the high standards his Vulcan mentors held. Once Ta'pez joined the KDF his skill increased greatly, his unsual fighting forms were enchased further by practising and fighting among and against Klingons. Ta'pez is a mild telepath, this is not known to many and as such he has the oportunity to often read his oponents intentions. His skill has been already confirmed, in battle and in practice.

Ta'pez is fluent in several Vulcan dialects along with the Federation Standard, Romulan, and of course Klingon.

Ta'pez is well known for his skills in battle, among other things he holds the Bravo Fleet Ba'tleth Tournament Award for being the most skilled betleH fighter within Bravo Fleet. He has won this award twice , securing a 3rd place at the most recent tournament where his Commander of the Guard defeated the dishonorable human who had cheated his way into the top of the tournament. Although hes appearance would not suggest anything but the a pure blooded klingon is present, Ta'pez posses strong emphatic skills that he has continued to hone as time goes on.

== Service Record ==

Ta'pez first entered the KDF service after the Dominion War. He was fortunate to serve on the ''[[IKS meH'Haj]]'' and rise up to the post of XO. He obtained his first command on the ''[[IKS Qoj]]'' and successfully comandeered the ''Qoj'' durring the Chackilian Invasion on [[Klach D'Kel Brakt]]. The ''Qoj'' was one of the few ships to survive the initial invasion and the successful "liberation" from the Chackilian siege.

He was rewarded for this shortly thereafter by recieving command of the ''IKS meH'Haj''. This new post bears great responsibility and enormous danger for a officer of his rather junior rank considering the importance of the ship he is commanding.

== Family ==

Ta'pez 'ech is the current lord of the House of Chang. Not much is known about his background. During the meH'Haj rememberance dinner at the [[betleH III|3rd Annual Batleth Tournament]], Ta'pez acknowledged his Betazed history and that of his biological Father, Tarath, a well known mercenary arms trader. Ta'pez was born somewhere in Federation space onboard of his father's ship.

Ta'pez does not remember much of his family, his mother died shortly after giving birth to him and is very much a mistery to him since his father left no records and the only heritage he has are her betazed emphatic skills. Due to his association with the House of Chang he is profoundly affected by the reactions of others in regards to this.

The House of Chang claims a lineage into the Dark time of Tyrants, however the most renowned of their House was [[Chang|General Chang]]. After the destruction of Praxis [[Gorkon|Chancellor Gorkon]] realized there was no choice, his people had to achieve peace with the Federation or Qo'noS was doomed, but the military High Command was not capable of peace, only war. Gorkon secured the support of the noble houses, but a large portion of the military opposed his plans. A faction of military renegades engineered Gorkon's assassination on the eve of his meeting with the Federation to ensure war, but their plot was exposed and the ringleader, General Chang, killed in battle by [[James Kirk|Kirk]] before he could be brought to Klingon Justice. Gorkon's daughter [[Azetbur]] assumed control of the High Command to carry out her father's wishes. The Klingon Empire and the United Federation of Planets signed the Khitomer Accords shortly thereafter. Since the Khitomer Accords the fate of the House that General Chang led was marked with notorioty, although the House avoided destruction at the hands of the High Council through skill full diplomacy (The House of Chang is a shadow of former self because it gave three fourths of its possesions as bribes to the Houses that were in the High Council to insure the survival of the House. Although it was never proven that the other members of the House were involved, many Klingons consider the House of Chang's Honor tainted. Since the Time of Khitomer Accords the House of Chang has politicly remained neutral. While unusual nobody really wanted to get involved with the Notorious House. the House of cheng while once influential and powerfull in the domain of the Empires Politics is a mere shadow of it self when it comes to the Politcs of today. Since the death of General Chang, and the disgrace that has befallen the House because of it, the House has shown always politicly correct neutrality and never engaged in any kind of politcal activity that would draw the attention to it. 


In the past decade however the house has come out its isolation and started to engage into the political world. This has been mark by the entry of many House of Chang members into the Klingon Defense Force. This is rather great change considering that the House usually had sent its members to the aid of the military only when in times of War. The House has taken a rather conservative position, while not openly against the alliance with Federation it looks upon the current situation with resentment and assoiciated herself with Houses that are for a more Klingon oriented policy of expansion. Many dissenting Houses had private agreements with this house of support however none of them ready to ally themselves at the present time, waiting for the House to bring more Honor to the empire before their could "overlook" past mistakes.

With the new leadership of Ta'pez as the cheng has brought great success to the house. At the [[betleH V|5th Annual Batleth Tournament]], Ta'pez struck an alliance with Council member [[K'rahl]]. The house is now officially a supporter of K'rahl and his faction on the high council, an alliance that few had predicted would ever occur, given the enmity between the warriors.

His uncontested reign over the cheng house and service to the empire was ended to great loss through his death at the [[betleH VI|6th Annual Batleth Tournament]] at the hands of an unknown assailant.

== Appearance ==

Ta'pez is unremarkble by Klingon standards, massive ridges, tall and stong although apearing to be more of an athletic then V-shaped figure. Although his profile has a mix of Klingon and Betazed, his outward features don't reveal that due to heavy plastic surgery that was perfomed to his face after a plasma burm. This surgery gave him a firmly klingon look.

== Personality ==

Ta'pez is a cold and calculating man. Due to his skills he is very good at reading other people and compensating for that,which often makes him a good manipulator. He is at time affected by the overall feeling of those around him which often can set or break his mood. Like all cheng, he is powerhungry and and resentful at those who oppose him now because of their background or their "Honor". Recent changes have made him a bit tempered. On a recent mission he succeded in bringing an estranged housemember, [[T'lai]] once again into the fold.

The frail health of his joH had made him nervous, he knew that when [[cheng|the cheng joH]] passed to sto'vo'kor he would have to step up and strike down those willing to partion the house. This task came sooner then later. Ta'pez is still investigating the murder of the cheng joH while he was attending the [[betleH III|3rd Annual Batleth Tournament]].

Ta'pez enjoys cooking for himself, the art of preparing Klingon dishes is something he finds peace in. The role also ensures that his food is not tampered with. Besides cooking, there is always the blade and the way of the warrior. Ta'pez trains ferwently with anybody deemed skilled enough to challange him. He can be found in practise often, the meH'Haj weHwI' serve as oponents, teachers and students.

= Alternate Ta'pez =

Traveled from an alternate future and murdered [[Qu'rel]], the man who had ordered his execution.  Possessed a [[Necesse Holomask]], until he was kidnapped during [[betleH VII]] by [[The Gatekeeper]].

= OOC Notes =

The alternate future the second Ta'pez is from is [[Futility's End]].

[[Category:Characters|Ta'pez]]