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PRO: S [D06|0430] Ain't that a kick in the head?

Prologue: Supplemental [Day 06 | 0430 hrs.] Ain't that a kick in the head?

[ Khorin, son of Margon, of House Mo'Kai | Day 6 | 0430 hrs. | Maintenance Bays | The Versant ]
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Sleepless, awake since at least half an hour, Khorin tossed and turned, unable to embrace dream again. Zeph grunted uncomfortably at his fiftieth turn around, annoyed by the pilot's uneasiness, she got rid of his hug and rolled away from him, leaning her back against the wall. He couldn't blame her. Finally, unable to sleep again or stay still and afraid of waking the betazoid, the Klingon got on his feet and left the small storage room. Closing the door behind him, hoping that his stomper nature didn't take her out of the world of dreams.

Stretching his muscles ,still stiff from the cold and stillness of the last few hours, he stared around, looking for Cross. As far as he knew, Vulcans needed little to no rest so he was likely to be awake somewhere around the Bay. With a bit of luck he could irk him enough to be entertained until their faceless benefactor got in touch with the woman with the blue streaks of blue in the hair and they could begin the battle. Khorin had never been good at waiting, his struggle against his impatience was one of the most difficult he faced as a daily basis, and usually ended in a problem or a tomfoolery.

He strode his long strides to the last spot where he had seen his brother-in-arms, but when his footsteps reached the center of Cargo Bay, a movement perceived out of the corner of his eye made him stop and turn around to a shaded corner. It had been something instinctive, the recognition of features that he didn't expect to find in that ill-fated place. A closer look confirmed that first glimpse of a ridged forehead. There was another Klingon among them. Perhaps it was a Cross' crewfellow, someone who had gone unnoticed by him in the heat of the battle of the fake Enterprise's engineering bay. Whatever the case might be, Khorin always appreciated the presence of another son or daughter of Qo'noS.

When he was closer he could see that the other klingon was a woman, stuffed just like him and the rest of the abductees in an infiltration suit, her long curly mane covering most of her face, but leaving the ridged forehead perfectly visible. He slap his right hand after the left side of his brawny chest, the sound of his fist against the broad shoulder resonated in the nearby bulkplates. A Klingon who prided himself on being one couldn't be unnoticed. “nuqneH qaleghneS!” He rumbled, looking curiously at the woman. “pongwIj 'oH Khorin, puqloD Margon. ghaH tuq Mo'Kai “




nuqneH qaleghneS! ->"What do you want? I am honored to meet you" (traditional salute)

pongwIj 'oH Khorin, puqloD Margon. ghaH tuq Mo'Kai →  My name is Khorin, son of Margon, of House Mo'Kai

Re: Prologue: Supplemental [Day 06 | 0430 hrs.] Ain't that a kick in the head?

Reply #1 –
[ PO1 Mickayla MacGregor | Maintenance Bays | The Versant ] Attn: @Numen
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Mickayla was restless. All she had been able to do since Lieutenant Cross had left was doze, which wasn’t very restful. Any kind of deeper sleep and she had nightmares of her time at the hands of that Savi. She couldn’t, or didn’t want to, think of his name lest it conjure up even more memories of what it did to her.

The end result was a tired and ill-tempered woman several hours later, not that Mickayla knew how many had passed as everyone bedded down. In that time, she had donned the form fitting garment from the supply box that Cross had brought to her and eaten some of the food provided. She had considered eating it all but given their situation, she considered it a better option to save some in case more food didn’t arrive.

Someone stomping around the bay they were in distracted her from trying to doze off again and she opened her eyes to see a tall Klingon male standing nearby, looking at her.

“Don’t come over here,” Mickayla said to herself mentally, trying to will the Klingon to go away. But it was not to be and soon enough the male in question was standing opposite her, slapping his hand on his chest in what Mickayla guessed was some form of greeting.

"NuqneH qaleghneS!" he rumbled, looking down at Mickayla with what appeared to be curiousity on his face. "PongwIj 'oH Khorin, puqloD Margon. ghaH tuq Mo'Kai."

“What?” Mickayla grumbled as she looked up at the tall Klingon. She had no idea what he had said to her, though she guessed it was in Klingonese. Despite growing up half-Klingon, Mickayla had never studied or even wanted to study that side of her blood. She had spent too much time learning of her mother’s blood. And now that was stolen from her.

Re: Prologue: Supplemental [Day 06 | 0430 hrs.] Ain't that a kick in the head?

Reply #2 –
[ Khorin, son of Margon, of House Mo'Kai | Day 6 | 0430 hrs. | Maintenance Bays | The Versant ]
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Khorin blinked several times facing at the Klingon woman's harsh response, raising one of the bushy eyebrows in disbelief. The woman had sounded surly, but the red rims at the corners of her eyes told the pilot a different telltale. A tale of distress and loss camouflaged by a false anger, something he didn't expect to see in the eyes of a daughter of Qo'noS. Worse yet, like all klingons raised as such, he had learned to see the murderous intent in the eyes of an enemy, that thin edge between the desire to kill and the actual action of killing. There was nothing of that in the woman's eyes, where he should have met the look of a predator, the bright flame of aggression and conflict, only the embers of what had been an impetuous temper remained. Khorin looked into the eyes of a frightened lamb, not a wolf's. He only saw one victim where there should have been a combatant claiming revenge. And his patriotic pride shuddered in embarrassment as he looked at a warrior reduced to such a sorry state. An implacable resolution began to grow in his chest, while he strightened himself in his full height, arms crossed over the brawny chest.

 "ghuy'! From what targ-breeding-pit you come out without knowing a single word of tlhIngan Hol?" He growled more to himself than to the woman in front of him, even though the stentorian tone of voice made the phrase perfectly audible. Possibly to anyone ten meters around. "My name is Khorin Douglas, Khorin son of Margon, of House Mo'Kai." He repeated in Federation Standard, his voice full of arrogance but free of any accent, neither terran nor from another planet. He cocked his head slightly, a wide sideway grin growing in his rough features. By the way he pulled back his upper lip, bristling his shaggy mustache, his smile seemed almost a snarl, exposing the saw-like teeth.

"Answer me, woman” He demanded “from what House did come a scrawny ankle-biter like you? With which pathetic name did they name you?" The Klingon's tone had descended two octaves, until it became almost a low growl. Until she didn't prove to have a bit of spirit, the pilot wouldn't deign to address her as something more than a humiliated lowborn. The insulting intention leaked from each of his words, his expression showing a scornful and rude contempt. Khorin wasn't going to abandon another Klingon to let her sink into despair and self-pity. Even if he had to provoke her disrespecting not only her but all her ancestors to fan the flame of her heart, he was more than willing to do so.



ghuy' →  General invective, somewhat like "Damn!"
tlhIngan Hol → Klingon language/ Klingonese

Re: Prologue: Supplemental [Day 06 | 0430 hrs.] Ain't that a kick in the head?

Reply #3 –
[ PO1 Mickayla MacGregor | Maintenance Bays | The Versant ] Attn: @Numen
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As she sat there listening to this loudmouth Klingon speak, her anger grew. Where before it had been a simmering pot of rage and hate, now it was a boiling molten mass. And now it had a target.

“How dare he speak of things he doesn’t know!” Mickalyla yelled internally as she considered what to do. “He doesn’t know me or who I am and he has no clue where I am from. He is just another irresponsible Klingon!”

As Khorin stood above and slightly over her, Mickayla was sorely tempted to reach up and wrench his head sideways. She even wondered if it would be a strain on her new muscles to apply the amount of torque necessary to snap his neck. But even as she considered this, the Starfleet security officer in her banished it. This man was Starfleet, same as her. He had obviously been changed, same as her. And she did not know his story, just as he did not know hers. But still, what he had said could not go unpunished. 

“Insult me, all you want,”Mickayla spoke softly, her voice tightly controlled lest she scream her anger and rage at him. Without another word, she sprang forward, pushing herself off the wall with all her now considerable might and drove her ridged forehead into his groin. As the male fell to his knees, Mickayla took to her feet to stand over him. “But insult my family, YOU DO NOT. I am Mickayla, of the Clan MacGregor. Now give me a reason why I don’t rip out yer tongue and beat ya ta death with it,” the Scottish Klingon railed at the man, her voice brimming with her almost uncontrollable emotions. And what would surprise Mickayla most when she thought back on this moment later; her voice had dropped into a brogue accent at the end. Something Mickayla had not done since her early teens.

Re: Prologue: Supplemental [Day 06 | 0430 hrs.] Ain't that a kick in the head?

Reply #4 –
[ Khorin, son of Margon, of House Mo'Kai | Day 6 | 0430 hrs. | Maintenance Bays | The Versant ]
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The blow caught him unprepared, taking the air from his lungs in its path. While the self-proclaimed Miclayla stood up, threatening him, Khorin remained on his knees, wild mane covering his face. His shoulders shudered slightly, before a burst of laugher took control over his body. He stood on his feet again, shaking his head.You know, another time I'd love that you tried to woo me, but I'm mostly taken at this moment" he rumbled, a cheeky smile on his face, not showing any hint of pain. He looked into the eyes of the woman, bushy eyebrow raised sceptically, almost meeting his first ridges."You know, another time I'd love that you tried to woo me, but I'm mostly taken at this moment" he rumbled, a cheeky smile on his face. Miró a los ojos a la mujer, a bushy eyebrow raised sceptically. "You say you're going to rip my tongue out? I would like to see that. Our captors have made the mistake of giving you the body of one of the best warriors in the galaxy. We, Klingons, are warriors, predators. And instead of being proud, preparing your revenge ... what are you doing? Crying and whimpering like a scared lamb. Bury yourself in self-pity. You're nothing more than the runt of your flock, a sheepish among a family of sheep. Are you going to fight ** ME **? I don't think so. I will not embarrass myself fighting with someone that has already given in" His voice never raised above a growl level, but as long as he spoke, he shoved the other klingon untill he had her cornered against the bulkplates.

Khorin knew he was playing a dangerous game, but it was necessary. He, better than anyone else, knew the whirlwind of emotions that Mickayla suffered at that moment, the extreme swings of someone who was unable to see the gray shades anymore. He wanted her stuck in one feeling and that that was anger, because klingon knew anger better than anyone else, even the hybrids. They could manage anger. They thrived with it. And she really needed to realize the good behind their Correction. Or use the violations of their captors against them.

A paw-like hand grabed the woman by the chin, forcing her to look him in the eyes. Mickayla was strong, true, but Khorin was even stronger. He was taller, more muscular, and almost doubled her weight. He dug deeply his fingers in her skin, bruising it. But he took good care of resting his elbow on her sternum, to avoid another attack agaist his junk. He had a limited number of hits in the testicles that he could endure for a day, and he wouldn't make her easy to repeat that feat. "Now tell me little sheep, what are you going to do? Keep whimpering or you'll embrace what you are and use it?"

Re: Prologue: Supplemental [Day 06 | 0430 hrs.] Ain't that a kick in the head?

Reply #5 –
[ PO1 Mickayla MacGregor | Maintenance Bays | The Versant ] Attn: @Numen
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Mickayla had no idea where this Klingon, Khorin she remembered he said his name was; she had no idea where he was getting his information from. She had not buried herself in self-pity. She had stopped crying hours ago after Cross had spoken with her. And Mickayla MacGregor was most definitely NOT a sheep.

Pinned as she was against the wall, with Khorin holding her jaw and pinning her chest with his elbow, her options were limited but not exhausted. And the Klingon had made a single mistake; the arm pinning her chest, blocked his vision downwards.

Bringing her hands up to grasp the wrist of the hand holding her jaw, Mickayla braced herself against the wall before kneeing the Klingon in the balls. Watching as his eyes reacted to the assault on his groin, Mickayla raised her arms before bringing both forearms down on Khorin’s, breaking his grip on her face and separating the two of them. As he stumbled around, Mickayla, rather abysmally but it was all she could think of without further injuring the man, pushed him away from her.

“For all your talk of sheep, you don’t seem to know much about them,” Mickayla stated calmly as Khorin groaned. “Now, would you like to have a polite conversation or would you rather a third shot down there?”

Re: Prologue: Supplemental [Day 06 | 0430 hrs.] Ain't that a kick in the head?

Reply #6 –
[ Khorin, son of Margon, of House Mo'Kai | Day 6 | 0430 hrs. | Maintenance Bays | The Versant ]
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He knew she would try that blow. It was too tempting and he knew it, he'll try the same in her situation. He took the blow as best he could, turning an inch his hip in the last moment, so that much of the impact was absorbed by the pubic bone. Even with that, he couldn't prevent that a slight pained snort from escaping his lips. Mickayla struggled against the pilot's arms, seeking to free herself and Khorin decided not to persevere in maintaining her pinned against the blukplates, he had little to gain doing that. He let the other Klingon free herself from his grab, and staggered back slightly. Unconsciously, Khorin balled his fists on his sides, a deep growl growing in the back of his throat.

He stayed where he was, listening to the woman's bravado. When she finnish, chin up and flaring eyes, he couldn't keep his growl from turning into a chuckle, an amused smile flashing in his dark eyes. Not so much because of the woman's words but because of the attempt to curb the anger that was surely bubbling inside her. Khorin had made an effort that this rage was there. And she was Klingon. The anger was always about to overflow inside them, even in the most restrained ones. "Ok, let's talk" consented the pilot with a quick nod. He approached the wall against which she leaned, circling the woman without losing sight of her, keeping her as far as an arm-length. His arm length. When he reached her side, he suddenly threw a punch against the woman's temple. Quick. Hard. He don't suppress his strength, all the muscular power of a klingon male in his prime. The only precaution he took was to avoid getting close to her tricipital lobe, he wanted to pay for the pain he'd suffered, not kill her. The blow projected the woman's head back and made her stagger a few steps. When she managed to stabilize again, directing a furious gaze at Khorin, she found that the pilot was looking at her with her hands up and a smug grin in his face . "We are almost even now, aren't we? And you are in the correct mind state for a klingon now. Angry." His grin widened even more, accompanied for a rumbling laugh. Without further delay, he dropped himself to the floor, until he was seated with a soft groan. "Just be thankful I haven't headbutted you, i'm pretty  hardheaded"

Re: Prologue: Supplemental [Day 06 | 0430 hrs.] Ain't that a kick in the head?

Reply #7 –
[ PO1 Mickayla MacGregor | Maintenance Bays | The Versant ] Attn: @Numen
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“Oh, I’m not angry yet, Mr Hard-headed,” Mickayla retorted after shaking her head to clear it from the punch she had received. Perhaps she had deserved it after hitting him twice. But he had deserved those hits for his actions as well. “When I’m angry, you’ll know it.”

“I’ll be cutting your balls off with your own knife,” Mickayla said to herself as she considered hitting Khorin again. Why was this guy constantly assuming stuff about her? He didn’t know her or anything about her. She may look fully Klingon now, but she was anything but that.

“But I am annoyed with you assuming stuff that you don’t know shit about,” Mickayla stated as she moved up next to Khorin and slumped to the ground. “You don’t know what they did to me. What they have taken from me.”

Frustrated, Mickayla drove her elbow into the very wall that she was leaning against, feeling the pain erupt in her elbow that the blow caused her. It reminded her that she was still alive, for good or ill. Now all she had to do was decide what she was going to do about that.

“Maybe the idiot Klingon has an opinion,” Mickayla considered as she bowed her head, allowing her hair to fall and hide her face. “What am I saying? Of course he does.”

“You came to me,” Mickayla pointed out to Khorin. “So talk.”

Re: Prologue: Supplemental [Day 06 | 0430 hrs.] Ain't that a kick in the head?

Reply #8 –
[ Khorin, son of Margon, of House Mo'Kai | Day 6 | 0430 hrs. | Maintenance Bays | The Versant ]
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Khorin couldn't help but chuckled rumbly, shaking his head. The woman insisted on saying that she wasn't angry that she was only 'annoyed'. But the pilot didn't miss the blow that she elbowed the bulkplates. She could call that annoyance or something like that. He could call that bad reprimed anger. For better or worse he'd discovered that, since his Correction, his feelings only stuck in the extremes of the scale. Not annoyed but maddened, not attracted to Zeph but captivated by her. And despite the obvious differences between him and the woman at his side, he doubted that they were too different in that aspect. Klingon feelings were passionate and extreme, both in men and women. Or that was the impression he had always had in the Homeworld, and that now he could understand plently. However, he said nothing regard that, and let the silence thicken between them after her question.

When he finally spoke he did it with a half smile etched in his face. "Hard Top is my callsign, so no so far from Mister Hard-headed" he confirmed, rising the corner of his lip even more, until his chipped tooth was visible in his mouth. "You know, not so long ago Cross confirmed me that I'm an expert in giving the worst first impressions ever" he deeply rumbled in the stillness of the maintenance bay. "Probably this has been another trademarked Khorin's introductions" He couldn't keep himself from laughing, with a sincere and contagious laugh. The guffaws extended for a long time, while the long mane of Margon's son spilled over his face.

When the laughter finally stopped, Khorin turned his face to Mickayla with a serious expression, but the humour still shining in his dark eyes. "I came to see how you were doing. I may not be able to fully know what they have taken from you, but I can get a pretty good idea of what our captors had made to your body. You and I are the only ones who have gone from being half-human to full-klingon. And to fully comply with the brak'lul demands. I know well that endure it has been quite an experience, to put it mildly.” The man snorted through his nose, his mind filling with the blurry images of operations he had undergone “I don't know what your heart has suffered with all this, but I know quite well what your body must have lived through." Unconsciously, the pilot put his hand to his forehead, outlining with his calloused fingers his well-defined ridges, so different to those with which he was born. So similar to those his father had possessed, so similar to the ones his grandfather and his uncle wore with pride. The mark of Mo'Kai blood, that ran in the males of the family. For Douglas they represented a dream come true, but the price to got them had been terrible. And while he had gladly paid for it and planned to use his new body against those who had captured him, he knew that the fare had been too high for many of the abductees.

Khorin pushed his hair back from his angular features before dropping his hand on his knees in a relaxed stance. Then he readjusted his posture, leaning his broad shoulders against the wall, while looking back at the ceiling in the darkness of the bay. "Besides that, we Klingons cover each other's backs, we aren't the savage drunk warriors as we're usually portrayed in some stories. Or not all of us, not always. Believe it or not, we ridged-heads take care for other ridged-heads. So, i came to check on you. In a very klingon way, i must admit, even if you're unaware of it." The Klingon male gazed McGregor out of the corner of his eye. "Maybe i'm wrong in this too, but you don't seem too in tune with your Klingon-blood. It has a few advantages, I can assure you. Besides being more attractive that the un-ridged ones, of course," he joked.


Brak'lul -> redundancy in Klingon physiology

Re: Prologue: Supplemental [Day 06 | 0430 hrs.] Ain't that a kick in the head?

Reply #9 –
[ PO1 Mickayla MacGregor | Maintenance Bays | The Versant ] Attn: @Numen
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“Great, the Klingon is a bloody pilot to boot,” Mickayla thought to herself after Khorin told him her callsign. “Makes him all the more obnoxious.” Mickayla had never had a good opinion of pilots; practically every single one of them that she had met had an ego bigger than a star sector. “And Cross was definitely right about his introductory abilities. They suck worse than a black hole.”

Mickayla listened as Khorin explained his reasoning for his coming over to her. It seemed that he had been cut open just like her and organs added to fulfil the standard Klingon anatomy. But judging by his reaction to being Klingon, Mickayla could tell that he had chosen Klingon. She hadn’t.

“Klingon’s covering each other's backs,” Mickayla considered silently, barely managing to suppress hrmmph of disbelief at his words. “Drunken Klingons are the reason I even exist. And if they took care of other Klingons seriously, why had she grown up without a father?” Mickayla raged. A part of her knew the circumstances surrounding her birth and that her mother didn’t even know which Klingon was her father but with her current mindset and emotional flux, she didn’t care.

“You’re right, I’m not ‘in tune’ as you put it, with my Klingon blood. And the reason for that is simple. Until I was brought aboard this ship, my Klingon blood had been nothing but a detriment to my life. Something that separated me from being what I wanted to be,” Mickayla revealed. “Except for half the strands of my DNA, I was Human.”

“I was born in a place on Earth called the Scottish Highlands, into a family group called the MacGregor Clan. And they treated me well enough, never outright ostracising me from anything due to my mother’s blood in my veins being their blood. I was family,”  Mickayla explained as her minded travelled through events in her youth. “And yet, there was always a look, or a tone when some of them dealt with me. A feeling that despite everything, I didn’t truly belong. Because I had these,”  Mickayla said as she pointed at her, now much more prominent, cranial ridges.

“I wanted nothing more than to truly belong to my clan and bringing brought onboard and told that I would be corrected seemed like a dream come true. I mean, it seemed easier to me to make me Human rather than Klingon,”  Mickayla reasoned, her voice having softened down to almost a whisper.

“And then I woke up on that table and realised that any hope of ever belonging to the only family I have ever known was going to be taken away from me.”

Re: Prologue: Supplemental [Day 06 | 0430 hrs.] Ain't that a kick in the head?

Reply #10 –
[ Khorin, son of Margon, of House Mo'Kai | Day 6 | 0430 hrs. | Maintenance Bays | The Versant ]
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Khorin listened Mickayla's story, surprisingly serious. Once she finished speaking, he allowed himself to remain silent for a few more minutes. He scratched his bristly beard absently, his eyes lost in the shadows of the bay. He seemed like the best portrait of someone not so accustomed to thinking deeply reflecting. "You know, I cannot say that I fully relate to your story. I was born in the embassy of the Federation in Qo'noS, human mother as well as yours. My father acknowledged me, so I was raised with both backgrounds, even when I couldn't inherit my father's position on the House due my hybrid nature. Baktag! I was so immersed in both cultures back then that i used to mixed Standard with tlhIngan Hol when i spoke in those early years.” A crooked grin appeared on the pilot's face as he remembered his childhood. Nevertheless, that gesture quickly twisted into a displeased grimace. "However my older half-brother and the more conservative members of my House kind of... never accepted me then. And in the Homeworld they are not subtle to show that you do not belong.  Anyway, at the end they learned they needed to accept me the hard way" Unconsciously, Khorin put a thick index to his left eyebrow where, despite the Correction, still he still had a whitish scar. "Later, during the Civil War, they transferred all the diplomatic personnel and their families to tera', to Earth. That if it was a ... culture shock. You know better than anyone that Earth isn't too ready to deal with a young Klingon and i'm more... 'klingon' than you, no offense" Khorin continue with a humourless chuckle, shaking his wild mane.

The klingon male turned slightly to face MacGregor with an expression that pretended to be loaded with meaning but that had that overconfident foolishness that was inherent in the pilot. "What I want to say is that ... I think I know how you felt, somehow, trying to belong to your Clan but somehow not being able to belong at all. Not for yourself but... for what you are, were, whatever. But side by side with you, I've been fortunate, so to speak. I always wanted to be full-Klingon, not being one was the only thing that kept me from being as I always dreamed to be. Now I am, the best version of myself. I still want my revenge over that bulbheads but i owe them this, somehow. But if I put myself in your shoes ... well, I  REALLY understand the anger." His solemn gesture became pensive for a moment again, and shortly thereafter his face suddenly illuminated with a stubborn resolution. Dangerously stubborn. "You may feel that you have lost your  Clan but i think you've won another. When we get out of this shithole, we'll perform the R'uustai ritual and I'll adopt you into the House Mo'Kai." A wide grin, full of himself, lit up the face of Lone Wolf as he thought about the wonderful idea he had had. "I could help you to be in tune with your new blood, and give yourself a place in the Empire. Besides, I've never had a little sister, I think I'll be a damn cool older brother, I'm sure." Without giving Mickala any option to refuse his offer, he passed one of his thick arms over the woman's shoulders, giving her a kind of weird one-armed squeeze. Something that could have been a bear hug if he'd used both arms. "You'll see, it's going to be great" He continued with a dreamy tone in his hoarse voice.



Qo'noS -> Klingon homeworld
Baktag -> shit/rubbish
tera' -> Earth
R'uustai ritual

Re: Prologue: Supplemental [Day 06 | 0430 hrs.] Ain't that a kick in the head?

Reply #11 –
[ PO1 Mickayla MacGregor | Maintenance Bays | The Versant ] Attn: @Numen
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“Adopt me? Who the hell does this hard-headed space jockey think he is?” Mickayla asked herself as she listened and tried to understand what Khorin had been saying. She had never heard of this rusty ritual he was on about and she for sure did not want to be adopted into some Klingon House. “Could he even do that as the half-blood son; well I suppose he is a full-blooded one now. But still, no,” Mickayla decided. “Besides, he barely looks like he is more than a few years out of puberty.”

“Khorin,” Mickayla began, pausing to gather her thoughts completely and form them into words. “I, ah, appreciate your intent. But I am not interested in joining your House. Perhaps in the future things might be different but right now, no,” Mickayla declared. “As you yourself have said, you got everything you ever wanted by being made completely Klingon while I had everything I ever wanted stripped away from me,” Mickayla compared. “Besides, I’m pretty sure I am older than you by at least a few years.”

“Now, despite your enthusiasm, I want to ask something of you,” Mickayla said before reaching up and pulling the Klingon males’ arm over her head and depositing it back in his own lap. “I'm not in a good mindset right now so don’t ever touch me again unless I say so. Or I’ll break every bone in the arm that does. Every. Single. One.”

Re: Prologue: Supplemental [Day 06 | 0430 hrs.] Ain't that a kick in the head?

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[ Khorin, son of Margon, of House Mo'Kai | Day 6 | 0430 hrs. | Maintenance Bays | The Versant ]
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The pilot looked at the Klingon woman for a long moment, incredulous that she was rejecting his offer. It was a great option for her, in which she only had benefits, at least in Khorin's eyes. There would be Klingon who would give their lives just for having that option. Dismissing it as easily was kind of crazyness. But as soon as Mickayla left open the remote possibility of accepting it later, he clung to that option with all his will. "Well, yeah, in the future, sure. I'm confident that you'll accept my offer in the end, it's a great honor, after all." Khorin rumbled for himself in a soft whisper. Or what it was for HIM a low whisper, more in the line of no-almost-shouting for the rest of the quadrant. It was clear for him that her refusal to be part of the Mo'Kai was a temporary event. It couldn't be other way. MacGregor would be reconciled with his Klingon part, no matter that she had been raised as a human and only knew that part of her legacy, she would discover the pleasures of being a full-Klingon sooner or later. Maybe after a few hours of sleep she would change her mind. For the moment, Margon's son decided not to dwell on the subject anymore and continued to listen to the woman, nodding with his best parody of understanding. However, when she pointed out that she was possibly way older than he, he looked at her blinking in disbelief. She was so tiny that it simply couldn't be true."Well, even if you were older than me in age,” he pointed out, his voice full of scepticism " If we celebrated the R'uustai under my auspice, on a legal level you would be my younger sister, for time of belonging in the House and because I'm a direct descendant of Drax, the head of the household. So either way you would be my little sister in every klingon's eyes" He dismissed the objection without giving too much importance to the matter. But he had no time to elaborate a eloquent disquisition about laws of inheritance and adoption in Klingon culture, because at that moment she took his arm while made a request. A petition wrapped in a threat could be a better definition of her speech.

Khorin stares at Mickayla few seconds after that, measuring her determination, before breaking into a loud laugh. He raised his hand again to pat the woman back, but when he was mere centimeters away from touching her, he withdrew his hand with another, even louder guffaw.."reHSuvruptlhInganSuvwI'!" He sentenced, winking her with a teasing smile on his face. The impassive face that received his comment reminded him of McGregor's null knowledge of the Klingon language, so he hurried to translate his words. " 'A Klingon warrior is always prepared to fight', I'll not deny another brawl if you are keen to, but maybe it's wiser to save some energy for our revenge tomorrow. Or as far as we are allowed to avenge the affronts we'd endured. " He asserted, eluding to allude to the blows he had received in the lunchbox not so long ago. He chuckled again, shaking his head still amused. "You know, in spite of considering yourself mostly human you can get to talk like a Klingon would," he praised her.



reHSuvruptlhInganSuvwI'.-> A Klingon warrior is always prepared to fight.

Re: Prologue: Supplemental [Day 06 | 0430 hrs.] Ain't that a kick in the head?

Reply #13 –
[ PO1 Mickayla MacGregor | Maintenance Bays | The Versant ]
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“Yeah, no way in hell am I being his younger sister. Legally or otherwise,” Mickayla promised herself mentally. His habit of automatically assuming she knew the Klingon language was annoying but understandable given what she had learnt of who Khorin was and where he came from. “But it is obvious from the way he talks that he has never met a pissed off Scot. He’d certainly remember that.”

Mickayla rested her head back against the wall and considered what else the tall Klingon had said. His talk of revenge particularly resonated within her mind; the thought of getting even with the one who had done this to her.

“If I ever get the chance, Agrand is going to feel what it is like to be shot by that fucking cannon and when he wakes up, it will be to me slowly peeling that chitinous hide off of his body and then beating him to death,” Mickayla promised herself. She wasn’t sure about the details but those could come later. “One thing is for sure. If it means his death, then giving my own will be well worth it. And if I live, I’ll figure out how to do that then.”

An uncomfortable silence threatened to develop and while it would have been easy enough to dismiss Khorin, a part of her was also grateful for the company he provided; such as it was.

“Tell me of the Theurgy,” she suddenly asked, blurting out her question. “Why did you throw everything away and turn renegade?”

Re: Prologue: Supplemental [Day 06 | 0430 hrs.] Ain't that a kick in the head?

Reply #14 –
[ Khorin, son of Margon, of House Mo'Kai | Day 6 | 0430 hrs. | Maintenance Bays | The Versant ]
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The silence began to thicken uncomfortably between them both when Mickayla asked him about the Theurgy. He bowed his head until his chin seemed to rest on his chest and kept looking in silence at the darkness of the maintenance bay, without answering. Too many things had happened and his experience was too fragmentary to explain easily how his starship was being persecuted so hard, why they had been flagged as traitors. Finally, as with most aspects of his life, he chose the most direct approach. "If you ask why I threw everything away ... It was out of loyalty. I gave my word to serve on that ship, to that captain, to give my life to carry out his orders if necessary. So even though my knowledge about Captain Ives motives is only partial, I trust his criteria and the nobility of his purpose. What I've learned about the motives behind our fall from grace only confirm that my loyalty is in the correct place. I would give my life for the captain if he ... she ... they commanded me to do so. I'm a Starfleet officer working under their command, but my code of honor is Klingon. I gave my word, and I'll not betray it. " He sentenced ferociously, turning his gaze to the woman, waiting for her to dare to doubt what he was saying.

Finally, he decided that what he saw in MacGregor's face was at least tolerable,  so he continued explaining the situation. "As to why the top brass decided to defect from the Starfleet ... It's because the Starfleet Command has been corrupted, it's being controlled by creatures almost impossible to detect, parasites that use the humanoids as mere casing to fulfill their purposes. They're undetectable by tricorders and most sensors, and they're able to use their hosts perfectly, so it's almost impossible that some one know they're not who they say they are until it's too late." Khorin remained silent for a moment, until finally he chuckled and shaked his head, hidden his face behind his messy mane. "Yes, I know how it sounds ... 'some critters impossible to detect are using Starfleet Command for their sinister purposes and only the Theurgy crew kows the truth'.  It seems an excuse, the make up of some madmen. But it is true. I saw the recording of one of those ... things. It was shaped like a human or it was contained in a human body but that was not human at all.   It is a threat to the Starfleet, to the wellbeing of the Federation and to all its allies. And whatever they are, we must stop them." Khorin's voice had taken on a fierce and passionate tone. He lifted his head and turned it to face the woman. "I don't expect that you believe me in this. It's hard for me to believe too when I hear myself out loud, but it's the truth. "

Re: Prologue: Supplemental [Day 06 | 0430 hrs.] Ain't that a kick in the head?

Reply #15 –
[ PO1 Mickayla MacGregor | Maintenance Bays | The Versant ]
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Mickayla just sat there and listened as the Klingon male explained himself and gave his reasons for betraying Starfleet and the Federation as she knew it. And all because he had seen a recording of something and trusted that his captain was doing the right thing. And while she wouldn’t vouch for or besmirch the authenticity of the recording that Khorin had seen, as it had obviously had an impact on the man, she could understand his loyalty to his captain, ship and crewmates.


Loyalty. Such an easy word to describe and understand and yet one that could describe actions with incredible scope, complexity and far-reaching consequences. And at the basis of loyalty was trust. You had to trust, sometimes blindly, that to which you devoted your loyalty too. But even that was simple until something came along and tested that loyalty and trust. When it made you question yourself and your actions. It was only at that point, where you discovered what someone was truly made of.

“I can’t say I believe you Khorin. I haven’t seen this recording you speak of and I don’t know Captain Ives at all to speak to his character,” Mickayla said calmly, hoping not to upset the Klingon. “I have trusted and pledged my loyalty to Starfleet and right now Starfleet Command has declared the Theurgy and its crew as traitors. I don’t even know the reasons why?”

“Maybe what you say is true and they have been infiltrated. Maybe they haven’t and Captain Ives has lied to you,” Mickayla proposed, continuing before Khorin could object to her words. “Either way, the truth needs to be found out and shown to everyone. Openly.”

Re: Prologue: Supplemental [Day 06 | 0430 hrs.] Ain't that a kick in the head?

Reply #16 –
[ Khorin, son of Margon, of House Mo'Kai | Day 6 | 0430 hrs. | Maintenance Bays | The Versant ]
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According to the woman was talking, Khorin's frown became more and more pronounced. Not because Mickayla didn't believe his words.If he himself hadn't been involved from the beginning in that situation, he might also find it hard to believe. He also respected that MacGregor remained loyal to her principles unless there was a good justification to broke with them, that showed strength and character. And a good dose of courage to declare it openly. All these were among the best virtues for someone with Klingon blood. But that the woman suggested that Captain Ives had lied, that was what made his blood boil. The pilot opened his mouth to protest, but Mickayla didn't allow him to say a word and kept talking herself. Somehow her punctualization soothed Khorin's upcoming outburst. "They do not lie," he growled, not wanting  left any slightest doubt about it. "I wouldn't trust my loyalty and my honor to someone who didn't deserve it. Captain Ives has taken one of the most difficult decisions that a Starfleet officer can face and has made the right decision: to make the truth come out regarless the price, as you said. The problem is that every time our crew tried to let known the truth, things haven't gone... as they should. Most times they has gone pretty south, like the Starbase 84. Parasites manipulated that recording so that the message said what they wanted, not what Ives recorded. These creatures are insidious, and intelligent " grumbled the klingon, frustration clear in his voice, as he banged his huge fist against his knee to emphasize his words.

For a few minutes Khorin remained silent, his teeth firmly clenched so that the muscles of his jaw and neck were marked like steel cables. Finally, he looked at Mickayla grimly. "As you say, the truth will come to light, sooner or later, but to achieve it we must get out of this shithole. Once we're free ... I'll show you that Captain Ives is right." He kept his gaze on the woman's for a moment, until his gesture relaxed and a crooked smile appeared on his bearded jaw. "That's if we don't die tomorrow. Put a fight in that case, maybe you could get a place on Suto'vo'qor, you seem like you could enjoy it " The Lone Wolf suspected that MacGregor would be unfamiliar with the pronunciation of the name of the klingon's afterlife, so he decided to play with that ignorance and tease her a bit. The conversation between them had taken a turn too dark in the last minutes and Margon's son wanted to relax the mood.

Re: Prologue: Supplemental [Day 06 | 0430 hrs.] Ain't that a kick in the head?

Reply #17 –
[ PO1 Mickayla MacGregor | Maintenance Bays | The Versant ] Attn: @Numen
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Mickayla said nothing when Khorin began to growl back at her about how he would trust his honour to someone undeserving of it before extoling the virtues of Captain Ives. She couldn’t fault the man for wishing to do so. She had even half expected it given his previous words on believing his captain without even seeing an actual proof. She didn’t consider the recording to be proof as Khorin mentioned nothing that could verify it besides what others have said. If she had been in his position, she wasn’t sure if she would have been so trusting. She’d like to think that she would have his faith and trust but right now, she wasn’t sure. Everything was different now. She was different.

“Suto’vo’qor. Oh Khorin,” Mickayla thought to herself. She knew of Sto’vo’kor, the Klingon version of the Norse Valhalla, but she also knew that it had slightly different pronunciations to it. And that Suto’vo’qor was one of them. Was he trying to trick her? “I may not know the language but I’m not completely ignorant of the culture.”

“I think I would prefer Valhalla, Khorin,” Mickayla deadpanned, looking at the Klingon male. “Valkyrie’s are more my style than drunk Klingons. Afterall, a drunk Klingon is responsible for me and doesn’t even know it.”

Re: Prologue: Supplemental [Day 06 | 0430 hrs.] Ain't that a kick in the head?

Reply #18 –
[ Khorin, son of Margon, of House Mo'Kai | Day 6 | 0430 hrs. | Maintenance Bays | The Versant ]
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Khorin smiled at Mickayla's reply. He had thought himself too smart for his own good and he just had a taste of his own medicine as an answer. It served him right. So the pilot just smiled and followed her game. "Well, if we are being sincere here, a high percentage of Klingons are the result of a night of drunkenness, so you don't need to lambast yourself for it. A pity that you've no idea about your lineage, but nothing more to be ashamed of." He rumbled with a shrug. "Although I prefer to be able to earn a place in Suto'vo'qor, Valhalla doesn't sound like a bad option for afterlife either. Of course, if I remember correctly my lessons of 'Federation beliefs systems comparative', the Valhalla also implies drunken warriors and a continuous battle. So there you would get rid of ridged foreheads, but you would have more or less the same amount of drunkards," he added with a loud laugh and a friendly elbow nudge in Mickayla's side. "In any case, as i said, it doesn't seem like a bad place to spend the afterlife. Good food, honorable warriors, a battle from dusk to dawn ... it well deserve a good death." The Klingon put aside the mead that was said to wash down the feast. He had been abstemious since his  Academy days, and he highly doubted that this circumstance would change soon, even being full klingon. Recalling the circumstances that had forced him to adopt such not-so-Klingon philosophy, Khorin could not suppress a grimace. That was something he preferred not to repeat if he had the option. He preferred to endure the jokes about his low tolerance to alcohol.

Re: Prologue: Supplemental [Day 06 | 0430 hrs.] Ain't that a kick in the head?

Reply #19 –
[ PO1 Mickayla MacGregor | Maintenance Bays | The Versant ] 
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“That you say that a high percentage of Klingons are the result of drunkenness does not paint a good people of the Klingon people,” Mickayla observed casually as she cast her eyes about the bay to look at everyone else. Most were trying to rest in as best a fashion as possible given the circumstances and something inside her told her that she should be doing the same given what the next morning could hold for all of them.

“You forget who I am Khorin,” Mickayla pointed out to the pilot. “If I could have been rid of my Klingon blood, I would be celebrating just as much as you are now that you have been rid of your Human blood. But now, all I want to do is die. I feel like there is nothing left for me in this life.”

“I have no family anymore. My ship has been destroyed. A crew I barely even knew has been ravaged, raped and killed either by the Borg or by the inhabitants of this very ship. I have nothing left,” Mickayla declared, her voice empty. “If a place in Valhalla or Suto’vo’qor is the best I can hope for with what is left of my existence, then I welcome it with open hands.”

“And I cannot see any point in wasting time obtaining it.”

OOC: Happy 250th Post To Me.

Re: Prologue: Supplemental [Day 06 | 0430 hrs.] Ain't that a kick in the head?

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[ Khorin, son of Margon, of House Mo'Kai | Day 6 | 0430 hrs. | Maintenance Bays | The Versant ]
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“I'm glad of being full klingon now, but i'm not celebrating lost a part of what i am.”  Khorin pointed out. "You know, not so long ago I... complained about how  being half-human was a handicap for me as a warrior and how much it had conditioned my life choices, what I could and couldn't be." The pilot chuckled without humour just before kept talking. "I'm not... proud of how I talked then. My body had betrayed me and I felt bitter and humiliated. And I blamed my human blood of all that shit." The words came with difficulty from Khorin's lips. Confessing a weakness wasn't easy for any Klingon and he was well aware that his ego and pride were too big for his own good on some occasions. Well, most times. But he had the feeling that MacGregor could take advantage of Hylota's words as much or more than he did. "Well, it doesn't matter now, the point is that there was someone with me then, someone who told me that although humans were physically weaker than the Klingons, they had characteristics that made them stand out from the rest of the galaxy's species. Humans are resilient, adaptable. They are sociable and empathetic, they are able to make friends with almost any creature, however strange and different they may be. Humans bond with almost ... anything, even with not sentient objects. They have infinite passion and love to share and they do it all time, without asking for nothing in exchange. Maybe my blood isn't human anymore, but I've grown up as a half human and some of those characteristics, some of that strengths are still on me... and in you." he explained awkwardly, unaccustomed to reflect on such things and even less to express them aloud. "You say that you've nothing left, and in doing so you're not only surrendering, but you are turning your back on those characteristics that made you human, you're denying and forgeting what your human family has taught you. You said that your ship has been destroyed, that you've no family anymore. I tell you that there're still some of your colleagues among us here, and that some of us are willing to welcome you as part of our family. You tell me that you've nothing left, but I've seen Cross looking for you shortly after we arrived, caring for you in his weird way. Things may not be as you would like them to be, but until death hits you, you've many different options before you. There're still hope because you're still alive. And I tell you this as a human, not as a Klingon." He grinned at her and dared to hug her shoulders with one arm, even when he knew the risk that it implied. He didn't prolong the contact for a second longer than necessary. Then, he stood up, stretching his back and arms, numb after so long in the same position. "And even if you don't think you have any reason to live, your life means a lot to others: you're one more hand to protect others, a strong body to help us escape from here, a weapon for those who can't take revenge by themselves. Your duty as a member of Starfleet is still linked to the rest of your starship's crew even if there're only few of them, your duty is to escape and warn the Federation of this unknown threat so that no one else has to go through what we have gone through." He kept saying, before turning to her, staring down with a serious face. "Choose the option you prefer: for honoring the teachings of your family. For duty. For honoring who you were. For revenge. For others. But whatever you choose, you have many reasons to live." The Lone Wolf's expression relaxed for a moment and his trademark sideways grin appeared again on his face. "You know, that you are so determined to die here is possibly the most Klingon behavior I have ever seen in my life."

Re: Prologue: Supplemental [Day 06 | 0430 hrs.] Ain't that a kick in the head?

Reply #21 –
[ PO1 Mickayla MacGregor | Maintenance Bays | The Versant ] 
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Khorin’s final words from his monologue to her cut into her psyche deeply, such was her distaste for her Klingon heritage. And the cut they opened only allowed everything else he had said to implant itself deeper into her thoughts until the words he said took on an almost maelstrom like effect within her mind; ripping tearing and rending what she knew, or thought she knew, apart until nothing was truly firm anymore.

Maybe he was right. Maybe she could find a new family. Maybe not one of blood but of choice. Cross had indeed come looking for her. Maybe she could live for her duty to Starfleet. She had chosen to enlist of her own free will. And she supposed that has a full-blooded Klingon, she would to a much older age now. A century of service was nothing to sniff at and should allow her to reach Master Chief Petty Officer with at least a few decades to spare. Humans, among other species, reached the rank 40 or so years so she should be fine.

And then there was the teachings of the family that she had grown up with. They had never given up. Not to anyone. And of everything that she had learnt from them, even as she was ostracised by some of them, it was that she could not give up. Not to anything.

“Thank you Khorin,” Mickayla said as she stood up and looked up into the Klingon male’s eyes. “You have given me much to think about,” she acknowledged as she extended her hand.

Re: Prologue: Supplemental [Day 06 | 0430 hrs.] Ain't that a kick in the head?

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[ Khorin, son of Margon, of House Mo'Kai | Day 6 | 0430 hrs. | Maintenance Bays | The Versant ]
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When Mickayla got on her feet and stared into his eyes, something had changed in her. There was a small flame in her eyes, a tiny reflect of fighting spirit. It was hardly a spark, beaten by the wind of doubt and self-pity.But at least now she seemed more alive than she was whe had been when he arrived. Less enraged, which was partly a pity, but it seemed that his words had finally percolated in her brain. His face etched a grin when she extended her hand, and he took it by the wrist, a crushing-bones handshake. "You're welcome" rumbled Khorin, chest puffed again, not for his own pride, but for her. "It's good that one of us use the head for something more than head-butting" he joked as he let go of her hand. He stared at her for a moment, while the smile slowly disappeared from his face. "Tomorrow would be a good day to die, MacGregor. But don't make it too easy for those Ha'DIbaH, " he said in a gloomy tone, as a farewell. Without adding anything else, Khorin turned on his heel and headed back toward the storage rooms. His steps were heavy and slow, the fatigue of the day seemed to have finally reached him. There was also that pull in the back of his mind, that longing of something he could not define but that he was beginning to associate with Zephyr. The mere thought of her made his heart skipped a beat. The Klingon stopped for a moment in the middle of the maintenance bay and put his hand to his chest, where his new heart seemed to work abnormally. Maybe their captors had made a mistake with him. He frowned for a second but, little used to worry when there was nothing he could do to remedy it, Khorin kept moving forward and entered the small room where the betazoid rested. His face lit up at the mere sight of her. With all the delicacy he was able to muster, he lay down beside her. The woman shifted in her sleep and pulled herself up against his broad chest. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and curled around her, his chin resting on her crown. Her aroma, subtle and unique invaded his nostrils and the Klingon felt his tired muscles relax, as at thedeep of his throat grew a hoarse purr, a pleased sound. He nuzzled her hair, hidding his face between her brown curls. And, at last, he rested.



Ha'DIbaH → animals

Re: Prologue: Supplemental [Day 06 | 0430 hrs.] Ain't that a kick in the head?

Reply #23 –
[ PO1 Mickayla MacGregor | Maintenance Bays | The Versant ] 
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Mickayla watched as Khorin walked away, his final words to her clear despite the language barrier that existed between them. No matter what the future may hold, she should not surrender her life but rather make those that wished to end it pay as dear a price as Humanly, well Klingonly, possible.

She noticed that Khorin seemed to pause for a moment in the centre of their hideout. She wasn’t sure why he stopped, perhaps it was to think about something to say to her, or just to reassure himself about what he had said. Either way, he only stopped for a moment before continuing on to disappear into one of the bays.

“Sleep well Khorin Douglas,” Mickayla whispered from where she stood. From that position she could see almost 2 dozen other people. And near as she could tell, each and every one of them had gone through something similar to what she had experienced. Perhaps their correction had made things better for them as it had for Khorin, or worse, as was her own case. In the end, it didn’t matter.

They were all here now together. And here they would remain until they were caught, captured or managed to escape. And she had a feeling that it was going to take an effort from each and every one of them for an escape to be successful.

~ FIN
 
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