SKImey

I originally posted this story 'ay'-by-'ay' to a Klingon mailing list, along with advisory mostly English comments for each part, including some continuity to remnd the reader what happened in the previous part, and a one-line, sometimes cryptic or misleading summary, known as the SKI (Summary for the Klingon-Impaired). Someone requested that I post these comments on the blog. They're not part of the story, so I didn't want them actually in the flow of the main story, so I'll put them here.

So far I don't have them saved for before 'ay''a' vagh.

'ay''a' vagh

Writing stories is really really fun. I think I may try doing one in English next. I'm learning as I go along and I translated some parts for a writer friend who has been giving me tips, so here's hoping this the best 'ay''a' yet. It has fewer meetings, less discussion of error logs, more violent killings and less technical exposition than any previous one. I made a rule for myself that if anyone started talking too much, BAM something had to happen. I warn you in advance that there is blood and/or guts in almost every 'ay'. You're okay with 'ay' wa': only disgusting food and not thoroughly described, but after this the verb ghay comes in really handy. Of course the food *Klingons* find disgusting isn't that bad by our standards.

As you may recall from 'ay''a' wej, the Klingon Scoutship *Dugh* is badly damaged from an onboard explosion, Captain vajar has a broken arm, the engineer ghIrel was killed, and yeoman ghutar's hands were severely damaged in an extravehicular mission. Gee, I'm making previous episodes sound more exciting than I think they actually were. They also talked a lot. Ensign Hota'ro' is uninjured by events. Thus far.

68 SKI: Hota'ro' relieves ghutar on watch and then reports an attack on the ship.

And here the violence begins, today's features: exsanguination and disruptor fire.

The sensors were accurate when Hota'ro' reported them to have detected the presence of raiders.

69 SKI: Blades, battle and blood.

Today's story content continues to include violence, blood, agonized screaming and the thump of falling bodies.

70 SKI: The captain faces two opponents while his pistol is just out of reach.

This chapter's violence includes impalement, implied head stomping, and disruptor fire.

From yesterday, vajar's injuries are making it hard to fight with a blade, and indications are that Hota'ro' and ghutar are already down.

71 SKI: ghutar's damaged hands can hold a weapon after all.

The gory killing is trailing to a close, and we now address the gory aftermath. After vajar's confession that he can barely hold a weapon at this point, ghutar offered to remove the knife from Hota'ro''s back.

72 SKI: 'ungya takes out the last qo'larngan then vajar and ghutar take the knife out of Hota'ro''s back.

Content warning: Gore, disembowelment, partial nudity (yes, I feel really stupid putting a nudity warning on text, especially as you can't actually see blood *or* boobs on your screen).

We ended last time with ghutar urgently summoning vajar, who arrived to find ghutar on his knees puking.

73 SKI: vajar, Hota'ro' and ghutar conduct battlefield surgery in a partially illuminated corridor.

Yesterday: After three hours of battlefield surgery we're back on the bridge. Content: [second paragraph only] gore.

74 SKI: Injury scoreboard recap.

We've wrapped up a battle and the injured participants. Everyone's hurting.

75 SKI: Bit of cleaning, bit of lunch, bit of liquor, bit of poisonous vapour.

They've cleaned up after the battle and taken the badly injured first officer back to his room.

76 SKI: vajar has worked with 'ungya or his uncle for over thirty years.

Content: Non-sexual partial nudity that you probably would read right past without noticing if it weren't for this content warning, which of course is why I'm putting it here.

Captain vajar has been watching over the seriously wounded first officer.

77 SKI: A crewmember who is too tired to remain vigilant on the bridge should call someone to relieve them.

vajar sent Hota'ro' to bed after an eleven hour shift on the bridge, then immediately fell asleep himself.

78 SKI: It's Hota'ro''s turn in a spacesuit.

Hota'ro' is suited up and headed for the evacuated sector four of the maybe-not-so-good ship *Vigilant*.

79 SKI: ghutar won't pick on Hota'ro' because he feels he owes her his life.

ghutar assumed that Captain vajar's encouragement to give Hota'ro' a hard time was a test of his honour.

80 SKI: Hota'ro' completes her mission.

Hota'ro' had just relieved ghutar on bridge duty.

81 SKI: A few days pass and Hota'ro' reports apparently drunk for duty, but the captain finds the real cause.

Incidentally, a rough representation of the way their yaH poHmey were supposed to work before everyone got hurt and started falling asleep at inopportune times is posted here. I'm not sure they've adhered strictly to it for a single day of the story, but that's the theory, and the cycle of watches still marks the passage of time.

Captain vajar has just found abnormally low oxygen in Ensign Hota'ro''s blood.

82 SKI: Hota'ro' and vajar inspect the atmosphere control and water systems.

I translated this 'ay''a' for my friend the industrial wastewater engineer. She almost injured herself laughing at the Klingon systems. I kept telling her, the smart Klingons do NOT go into engineering.

Hota'ro' has reported a flood of coolant fluid under the main deck.

83 SKI: The captain orders Hota'ro' to open and close access hatches, looking for more coolant.

Ensign Hota'ro' struggles to breathe and obey orders while suffering the effect of toxins.

84 SKI: vajar does not answer all of ghutar's questions about the threat posed by the poison.

The captain had just left Hota'ro' alone on the bridge.

85 SKI: Hota'ro' does not appear to be dying anymore.

Hota'ro' can perceive and see again. Gotta love that Klingon metabolism. Let's see how the FO is doing.

86 SKI: First Officer 'ungya screams while sleeping and awake.

The first officer stopped screaming shortly after Hota'ro' went to visit him.

87 SKI: The captain clears some things up, but is uncertain about others.

Hard to summarize the last episode. Maybe "vajar was being paranoid."

88 SKI: vajar eavesdrops on one side of a conversation involving the correct weapon with which to kill a captain.

This is slightly longer than usual installment, but if you've read this far you can handle an extra fifty words. It also includes violence, blood and possibly challenging ethics.

vajar flew into a rage and locked the doors either side of the crew after overhearing what sounded like plans to mutiny.

89 SKI: vajar does as his first officer suggested.

Silence has fallen after the first officer's Heghbat ceremony.

90 SKI: Even Klingon livers have their limits.

No footnotes today, but here's a link.
[http://vostokspacebeer.com/ ]

'ay''a' jav

At the end of 'ay''a' loS, merchant captain Mahoun and agricultural scientist 'eSSIm were expressing distrust and suspicion of one another, yet calling each other by bang pongmey all the same. Complicated relationship. This 'ay''a' rewinds a little to retell part of loS from another point of view before continuing the story.

91 SKI: Essim makes a list to work out what Mahoun is doing.

'eSSIm has just concluded that Mahoun is a spy, and that she will find out his goal.

92 SKI: Mahoun doesn't know what the words of the song mean either.

'eSSIm is certain the next words out of Mahoun's mouth will be blackmail.

93 SKI: 'eSSIm checks up on Mahoun's claims, and remembers her father.

'eSSIm was doing calisthenics outside.

94 SKI: Mahoun invites 'eSSIm to attend a Federation cultural presentation with him.

This was initially MUCH longer, then I cut the whole thing, then I realized that it helped the plot in a few tiny ways, so I rewrote a much reduced version. I'm starting to realize that this story is more a journey than a destination, so I may allow myself more diversions. Not every chapter needs to advance the plot, right?

95 SKI: Essim and Mahoun experience food, entertainment and customs from a major Federation world.

96 SKI: Mahoun spills everything but blood.

'eSSIm thwarted Mahoun's attempt to call for help, as he cringes before her in pants-wetting terror.

97 SKI: We still don't know where Mahoun learned Klingon, but we might have just learned where 'eSSIm did.

I'm doing something I haven't done since the first 'ay''a' - changing the point of view character in the middle. It should be pretty clear that we've moved from 'eSSIm's point of view to Mahoun's, but I'll tell you anyway.

Mahoun has just been beamed up to his ship, frustrating 'eSSIm's attempt to skewer him.

98 SKI: Mahoun changes his pants then confesses to his officers that he doesn't know why he speaks Klingon.

Mahoun asked his science officer and security chief if they were willing to listen to a story about the Klingon prison.

99 SKI: Mahoun recounts witnessing one of his officers choking in prison after a torture session.

100 SKI: Mahoun segues from a seemingly irrelevant story to speculation about language, while fidgeting with a palmtop computer stylus.

Mahoun was explaining his fears of somehow having been turned into a Klingon spy.

101 SKI: The security chief recognizes one of Mahoun's memories, and then they go back to work.

A session between Mahoun and his security and science officers was interrupted by a call from the bridge.

102 SKI: Some humans think that Mahoun can help what they have identified as a Yelwitian slave.

Mahoun has been introduced to a non-communicative Andorian who has been misidentified as Yelwitian.

103 SKI: Mahoun acquires a rescued Andorian slave from the Federation.

With the help of his lawyer, Mahoun has just obtained an Andorian slave from a Human-manned Federation vessel.

104 SKI: Mahoun finds buried feelings as he tells a story in halting Andorian to his new crewmember.

Mahoun made himself cry while telling his newest crewmember about his imprisonment by the Klingons.

105 SKI: The Andorian starts to talk to Mahoun.

Mahoun handed off his newest crewmember to his chief of security.

106 SKI: In the course of business, Mahoun makes a couple of detours to check on the still-disabled Klingon ship.

The Vigilant returned a second time to check on the stranded Klingons.

107 SKI: Klingons still there. Shiny objects collected. Klingons still too dangerous to touch.

'ay''a' Soch

This 'ay' begins a new 'ay''a', so I will recap the end of 'ay''a' vagh, which from Captain vajar's point of view this immediately follows. vajar and crew, pretty much stranded in space on a disabled ship, had participated in the Heghbat tay of First Officer 'ungya and then spent the following several hours drinking heavily. They detected an incoming scan, which they all but ignored thanks to numerous preceding false alarms, and then the marginally functional sensor array detected an incoming ship. Hota'ro' passed out drunk while trying to raise shields and as ghutar tried to man her console he warned of a transporter beam. vajar saw the air sparkle, and then there was someone next to him, swinging something at his head just as he fell unconscious.

108 SKI: vajar wakes up in a Klingon sickbay and is briefed by the doctor on his and his crew's condition.

vajar woke up in the sickbay of a Klingon battleship.

109 SKI: The Vigilant crew get their weapons back and see the commander of the battleship.

vajar's crew filled him in on the identity and political power of the rescue ship's captain, General qImyal.

110 SKI: General qImyal grills vajar on his crew and ship.

The General and Captain vajar were discussing the bureaucracy involved in getting a new ship.

111 SKI: General qImyal offers to help Captain vajar navigate the Klingon Imperial Dockyard policy swamp.

vajar was just finishing a meeting with General qImyal in which he learned that the *Vigilant* might be disassembled for parts.

112 SKI: vajar visits engineering.

No cliffhanger here, so I trust you can wait a few more days for the story to continue. And I'm curious whether you can picture the scene in engineering. I see it in my head and then do my best to explain it in Klingon, but I don't know what you see. It's not essential to the plot. At least I don't think it is--I'm still writing--so if it doesn't make complete sense you can just listen to what the engineering say and get the idea.

Back to daily posting, I think. Quchjaj DIS chu'.

Last time we had vajar find his way into the Warfare engineering deck where he's been listening to the chief engineer and a metallurgist standing on a table arguing about the best way to disassemble Vigilant.

113 SKI: vajar finds out what the engineers are really doing with Vigilant.

vajar has just replied to a couple of yeomen who were actually addressing an engineer, not vajar.

114 SKI: vajar's late engineer has made no entries in the ship's technical log, and the Warfare engineers are unimpressed with his apparent work.

vajar has just learned that his engineer's deceit and incompetence may have caused the problems on his ship.

115 SKI: vajar works out some of his frustration on a punching bag--a real one, not Hota'ro'-- then remembers that he has an important message to send.

Klingons enjoy battle, working out, foodfights and sex. Klingons do not engage in swimming or bathing. Either all Klingons are perpetually filthy, as admittedly many on the shows appear to be, or they have some other method of performing basic hygiene. Any suggestions?

vajar suddenly remembered that he had an important message to send.

116 SKI: vajar informs 'ungya's uncle of his nephew's death and then goes for some food.

I'm not really happy with {labbeHDI'} as cannonically I think it's the {labwI'} that is {labbeH} no the {jabbI'ID} but, I like {labbeHlu'DI'}. Maybe it should be DalabrupDI'.

Maybe I shouldn't culturally have used the word {'IQ} here. We don't have a lot of words to express emotions for Klingons. Maybe they don't identify many. It's hard to imagine there not being something akin to sadness to learn that your beloved nephew had died.

I often used to write something like {tInqu' 'ej chuSqu' pa'} then reread it carefully and realize that the subject should come sooner, making it {tInqu' pa' 'ej chuSqu'}. There are similar examples of the latter in canon--but I can't find any off the top of my head, I think they are in colour descriptions. I'm trying to write things the right way right away.

vajar had loaded up his plate in the cafeteria of the battleship Warfare and had spotted his helmsman arriving.

117 SKI: Hota'ro' discovers she's been promoted and someone issues a challenge to ghutar.

Anything not make sense here? Events tied to here have been edited a lot, so it's possible I made an error somewhere. I didn't tell you what precisely vajar was doing to Hota'ro''s record as she was "dying." Surprise promotions seems to be his thing. It kind of makes sense, really. But you don't know about that, yet. Damn, I'm having waaaay too much fun.

It's been a while since I attached a violence warning, but as you can judge from the chapter title there is some here. Two different body parts are severed, and the title is accurate, but the description is not particularly gory.

Last time, someone jumped on a table and made a formal duelling challenge to ghutar.

118 SKI: ghutar accepts the challenge. vajar wants to check his e-mail.

Captain vajar asked Hota'ro' to accompany him and the security escort to the computer room.

119 SKI: Hota'ro' beats the $&!# out of their security escort, then vajar gets a text transmission from a scientist.

I know we haven't seen much in the way of text-only transmissions in the ST universe. I think 'eSSIm sent a simple text message not so much as a bandwidth concern as to alleviate security delays. A civilian sending something into the military has an easier time getting heard if her message is easier to check for codes.

ghutar has arrived at the computer room, and was seen chatting with someone.

120 SKI: ghutar explains his philosophy of life, and shines Hota'ro's nose a bit.

ghutar was trying to convince Hota'ro' to be proud of herself.

121 SKI: The captain explain's the ship status to the crew.

Our trio is in a computer room and ghutar was just asking why the crew had to transfer away from Vigilant.

122 SKI: vajar attempts to explain the workings of Klingon bureaucracy to ghutar.

I don't know why, but I just imagine Klingons having a level of bureaucracy--and a parallel system of graft and corruption evading it--.that rivals the Soviets. I guess it just augments paranoid suspicion so well. On the surface it's all honour and combat but behind the scenes--paperwork. That's why Klingons are so grouchy.

Welcome to the 125th installment in what will probably be the first full-length Klingon novel.

Captain vajar told ghutar that his enemy was regulations, and not someone he could fight or persuade.

123 SKI: ghutar and Hota'ro' try to find a loophole in Imperial Fleet Regulations.

ghutar volunteered to show vajar the way to the washroom

124 SKI: vajar and ghutar chat about what the captain overheard.

I'll tell you the part of this 'ay' that makes me laugh the most, if no one else points it out first.

vajar used a bathroom trip as an excuse to take ghutar aside to find out what happened in the break room, yesderday-ish. (There's no dawn in space and it was within twenty-four hours).

125 SKI: ghutar smooth-talks his way out of a battleship rules violation and then vajar has a question for Hota'ro'.

Hota'ro' paused in her explanation to look at the ceiling.

126 SKI: Hota'ro' is as difficult as ever, but captain vajar doesn't think she is conspiring against him.

vajar concluded that Hota'ro' is ornery but not a saboteur.

127 SKI: The crew beam back to *Dugh* to collect personal possessions.

The Klingon soap opera continues. I have an idea for my next project that will let me explore all the themes and whims and moods I have put into this one without overcomplicating the plot. Except that I like connections, so I'm afraid some would sneak in. But they'd be optional for the reader. I'm hoping that a lot of the complexity of this one is optional. Can you pop in and read one 250 word conversation or battle and not need to know all the connections?

I hope even if the story isn't completely your cup of tea that you can get some fun out of using it for reviewing vocabulary, answering my questions about how better to express an idea, or arguing about the choices I'm making.

Review: The captain took Lt. Hota'ro' aside for a conversation away from Warfare's security monitors.

128 SKI: Hota'ro' verges on treason in the language she uses to warn Captain vajar about qImyal.

This episode includes jokes that very sensitive people might consider vulgar, but if your eleven year old can read Klingon, I think you can trust him with this. Also it may be offensive to people educated in the state of Kansas.

Hota'ro' was badmouthing General qImyal and imploring vajar not to trust her.

129 SKI: While waiting for a beam up, the crew jokes about family lineage.

I've been trying to resolve the smartquotes issue I've just started noticing. Apologies if it's been bothering others all along: you should have told me!
---
vajar and crew beamed back from Vigilant after collecting personal possessions. Hey it may be dull, but at least it's not 250 words a day about *my* life. Oh wait, it is: waiting, security procedures, meetings and flying around in outer space. Except for the outer space part. I fly around Alberta.

130 SKI: vajar announces crew reassignments.

vajar announced to qImyal that Lt. Hota'ro' had been promoted to first officer when 'ungya died.

131 SKI: To keep the captain from blowing his top, ghutar volunteers for a body search.

The crew was in a meeting with General qImyal. ghutar and Hota'ro' have just left for a voluntary search.

132 SKI: General qImyal grills vajar on his missions and personal background.

General qImyal was asking vajar personal questions.

133 SKI: General qImyal thinks vajar can help her find secret information.

General qImyal was asking vajar to reveal the location of data of great importance to the Empire.

134 SKI: vajar defends himself against accusations of transporting contraband.

vajar had just explained a Romulan map as important to his mission.

135 SKI: vajar's meticulously kept log explains contraband, including a controlled substance found under the floor of his cabin.

Every time I submit to an "enhanced search" by the Americans I think of all the ways I could be hiding something that they wouldn't find. Honestly, I could almost get a betleH through that screening. What is the point of half a search, or even ninety percent of a search, when it's always the same places they don't search? If you're going to search someone SEARCH them, and if you can't justify that level of violation--which they can't--don't waste my time with pathetic ineffectual groping.

vajar was reminded that he had volunteered for a full body search.

136 SKI: vajar & co. get strip searched.

vajar & co were undergoing a strip search at the hands of Warfare security guards.

137 SKI: vajar gets held back for a moment, then catches up to Hota'ro' and ghutar.

vajar had just found ghutar and Hota'ro' in the bar. ghutar asked him if he had defended their honour in his private meeting with qImyal.

138 SKI: vajar is introduced to Hota'ro''s significant other, who reports on the inspection progress of Vigilant.

Props to ghunchu'wI' for figuring out at first glance what it took vajar until now to do, even though vajar could see it was a woman's uniform shirt and ghunchu'wI' couldn't.

If anyone wants to write either of the stories that vajar didn't tell here, please do so with my blessing. Tomorrow is the last 'ay' in 'ay''a' Soch. It's been kind of a long 'ay''a'. There will be a short break before I start sending 'ay''a' chorgh.

This is the final 'ay' in 'ay''a' Soch. It contains a story that I hope you'll like. It about what was, up until this week, probably the most exciting episode in ghutar's life, and he doesn't even remember it. That doesn't stop him from telling the story, though.

vajar had just said that his ship was constructed eighteen years ago, but that wasn't so old.

139 SKI: ghutar relates a family story and Hota'ro''s promotion is toasted.

To recap the whole 'ay''a', vajar, Hota'ro' and ghutar have been rescued from what's left of Vigilant by Hota'ro''s former posting, the battleship Warfare, captained by General qImyal. Our crew has been given medical attention, not trusted to walk the corridors of Warfare alone, accused of smuggling, searched, monitored, interrogated and told various stories about the repairability of their ship. ghutar won a dual, Hota'ro' won an uncontested corridor encounter, and vajar may have outmanoeuvred qImyal with some personnel assignments. Hota'ro' is now first officer of Vigilant , and officially ghutar is no longer a member of the crew, just a passenger on his way to a posting at the dock where Vigilant will be repaired.
----
I'll give you a few days respite and then start sending 'ay''a' chorgh, which takes us back to 'eSSIm's point of view.

'ay''a' chorgh
You've had a few days to catch up on 'ay''a' Soch, so I'll start 'ay''a' chorgh today.

In story, this 'ay''a' begins about a week after 'ay''a' jav ended, on the same long day during which 'ay''a' Soch took place. By way of review, in 'ay''a' jav:

Klingon agricultural scientist 'eSSIm made a list of facts that 'proved' that Yelwitian merchant Mahoun was a spy, and she sent her conclusions off to some unspecified military contact, intent on proving her loyalty to the Empire and shaking off the stigma of being a traitor's daughter. She and Mahoun attended a UFP presentation that just made 'eSSIm angry, as did her headache and Mahoun's continued refusal to admit that he was a spy, or that he was lying about how he learned Klingon. She eventually got so angry that she tried to run him through with a rapier, but his crew beamed him out of harm's way. Mahoun acquired an Andorian slave that the Federation had rescued from pirates and thought to be Yelwitian like Mahoun, and then Mahoun's ship Farsajii broke orbit to sell the gharben II grain elsewhere.

Mahoun took a couple of opportunities to go by the site of vajar's disabled ship, Vigilant, scanning it, and then discovering and salvaging a treasure trove of valuable contraband floating in space at the site of the Vigilant's nacelle explosion. Mahoun recalled some unpleasant experiences at the hands of the Klingons and had some bad dreams, but he missed 'eSSIm. And besides, there was lots of money to be made going back to gharben II for more grain.

And that brings us up to ...

140 SKI: Essim receives a transmission from Captain vajar that confirms Mahoun's story, and on reflection Essim decides that she has treated him dishonourably.

And critics of my pacing must have hit the spot, as I laughed for a full minute at this.
http://www.gocomics.com/culdesac/2012/01/20

'eSSIm had just realized that Mahoun's adherance to his story despite almost lethal pressure to say something else, was probably a sign that he was telling the truth. And that Essim had treated him dishonourably.

141 SKI: Essim asks one of Mahoun's bridge officers to relay a replacement proverb to him.

Essim decided to see if a workout would make her headache go away.

142 SKI: Essim calls Mahoun's ship, but the officer who answers just stares and cuts off the call.

Mahoun's bridge officer had just hung up on Essim, but at least her week-long headache had subsided.

143 SKI: Mahoun accepts Essim's replacement proverb, but tells her they can't have a relationship because she's too dangerous.

Mahoun told Essim that it was impossible for them to be together, then said he had an emergency and terminated his transmission.

144 SKI: The battleship brings Essim medical care, supplies, and hot male construction workers.

Last ep, Essim seemed pleased with the construction workers that Warfare sent her for the afternoon.

145 SKI: Essim asks how to apologize to Mahoun's frightened navigator.

I love languages so much. You have no idea how many language-related scenes I write and delete. I'm hacking up one right now, between 'eSSIm and Mahoun's security chief. If you're very lucky I'll just get out a translator machine, but there will still be cross-cultural issues.

Essim was practicing how to apologize in Yelwitian.

146 SKI: Essim apologizes to Mahoun's navigator and tells Mahoun to beam down to see her.

Essim was threatening Mahoun's security team after the security chief asked her to remove her weapons.

147 SKI: Mahoun's security chief ensures that Essim has been disarmed before allowing Mahoun to beam down.

Mahoun beamed down after his security crew ascertained that Essim was unarmed.

148 SKI: Essim practices cross-cultural communication.

Essim apologized to Mahoun and his security chief helped Essim interpret his acceptance.

149 SKI: Essim and Mahoun try to reconcile.

Mahoun was describing his previous contact with the Federation, including the fact that he once served on a Yelwitian-owned ship under a hired Human captain.

150 SKI: Essim gets fed up with standing in the sun talking about relationships.

After an interminable 'relationship talk' Mahoun implied he would give Essim another chance.

151 SKI: Mahoun and Essim both have prior connections to the doctor

The battleship doctor checking on Essim recognized Mahoun as his former patient in the brig.

152 SKI: Mahoun learns that all the other Yelwitian prisoners from his ship died when the battleship exploded. Essim waits to hear something else.

The doctor just told Essim that her father gave him something before he died.

153 SKI: The doctor starts to tell Essim about the message, but Mahoun comes back.

While carrying the data device entrusted to him by tarven, Doctor Kruge was called to see a sick prisoner on the support ship.

154 SKI: The doctor was not explicit about what he did with the data storage device, but thinks Essim can guess.

And so do I think you can. Did anyone guess earlier? How long ago? When did you first wonder about that? Why is there no Klingon word for curious?

The doctor was waiting for Essim to realize where he had hidden the message from her father.

155 SKI: They know where the data is, and for now it will remain there.

The doctor left after 'eSSIm backed up Mahoun's refusal to have an implanted device removed.

156 SKI: Mahoun and Essim achieve some cross-cultural accommodation.

Essim told Mahoun to follow her outside.

157 SKI: Essim can easily defeat Mahoun but barely achieves victory over herself.

Essim had just told Mahoun that the data hidden in his arm pertained to her father.

158 SKI: Mahoun and Essim continue their physical training.

This is the end of 'ay''a' chorgh. I think 'ay''a' Hut is ready to send, but I'll take a few days to review it before I start sending it out. (And I'll still keep changing it until the day I send every 'ay').

Last 'ay' Essim taught Mahoun to target Klingon pain points, in order to enhance her physical workout.

159 SKI: Well really, what were you expecting after all that fresh air, pain and exercise?

'ay''a' Hut