Correspondence with House Cargh in exile


To: LCDR H’ajah
From: Bithreya
Subj: Civil War



TRANSLATION PROGRAM:  ACTIVE

Have you beheld the news, my beloved daughter? Do you hear the call of battle, invigorating and terrible? Harken, for they say there will soon be a glorious war. Klingon will clash against Klingon once again, and new legends will be forged in flame and blood.

The House of Cargh makes preparations to join the fray. Martok will lead the loyalist forces, and we know he would not forget his old comrades in arms. When he sends for us, we must be ready. At his side, our house shall finally redeem itself and end our exile at long last.

You must return home to Qochbe’ghach at once. Your service in Starfleet has brought honor to your parents and your house, but your duty to your liege must come first. If you can settle your obligations quickly enough, you may yet claim a place on Cargh’s command staff. While other warriors of our house may boast of more kills under their belts, none have your experience in logistics and operations.

Think back upon the tales of valor and bloodshed I sang to you as a little girl. You would ask of me when your day of glory would come, and I charged you: have patience, be watchful, and prepare your body and soul so that when your day came, you would be ready to meet it head on. I believe that day is now imminent, my daughter. Tarry not in your return.

Your father sends his love.

//SIGNED//
Bithreya, daughter of K’npok
Archivist, House Cargh in exile

14 Likes

To: Bithreya
From: LCDR H’ajah
Subj: Re: Civil War



TRANSLATION PROGRAM:  ACTIVE

Dear Mother,

I have indeed heard that civil war in the old country is imminent. I greet these events not with joy in my heart, but with disappointment. Was the empire truly so bereft of foes that it had to look inward? Has its thirst for battle not been sated by the strife of recent years? This war will only weaken the empire and embolden the enemies still licking their wounds in the dark corners of the galaxy.

Nevertheless, I take heed of your wise counsel and agree that this conflict may create opportunities for an ambitious house, foolish though the conflict may be. I will consider the matter most seriously.

//SIGNED//
tuq cargh qaStaHvIS ghIm h’ajah, shal puqbe’
Lt. Cmdr. H’ajah, daughter of Shal, of House Cargh in exile
Chief Engineer, Engineering Dept., Deep Space 13



To: LCDR H’ajah
From: Bithreya
Subj: Re: Civil War



TRANSLATION PROGRAM:  ACTIVE

I do not understand, my daughter. What is there to consider? There is no time to waste.

//SIGNED//
Bithreya, daughter of K’npok
Archivist, House Cargh in exile

13 Likes

To: Bithreya
From: LCDR H’ajah
Subj: Re: Civil War



TRANSLATION PROGRAM:  ACTIVE

Revered Mother,

My duty to Starfleet is not a trivial obligation that I can cast aside when it becomes inconvenient. I have sworn an oath to uphold the laws and principles of the Federation, our home. You ask me to forsake this oath to take part in a petty power struggle, fighting to prop up the corrupt regime which banished our house from the empire in the first place.

I have not refused your summons. I have not renounced my loyalty to the House of Cargh. I have only said that I must ponder this decision, for it is not to be made lightly. Have patience, I plead to you.

//SIGNED//
tuq cargh qaStaHvIS ghIm h’ajah, shal puqbe’
Lt. Cmdr. H’ajah, daughter of Shal, of House Cargh in exile
Chief Engineer, Engineering Dept., Deep Space 13



To: LCDR H’ajah
From: Bithreya
Subj: Re: Civil War



TRANSLATION PROGRAM:  ACTIVE

Faithful daughter, I know well that you are bound by contradictory codes of honor. Starfleet has its own ways and I have long respected your struggle to reconcile this paradox. By your service to our adopted nation, you have done much to redeem the ignoble circumstances of our arrival here. We were weak then, broken wretches begging for shelter. But your generation has proved thrice over the wisdom of our flight, for now we are strong again, revitalized by youth and vigor. It is good that you are a fierce and loyal warrior of the Federation. But fidelity to kith and kin must still supersede all other oaths.

Be not troubled with the fate of J’mpok’s chancellorship or the high council. It is often said that those who seize power by dishonorable means will meet dishonorable ends, and civil war is a chaotic business. Who knows who may lead when the blood ceases to flow? Cargh has sworn loyalty to Martok, and Martok serves the empire, which means we will fight for J’mpok if called to battle. What matters is not which side we serve, but the honor with which we conduct ourselves and the valor we embody to our foes.

The opportunity this war represents for the House of Cargh to rejoin the empire is incomparable, my daughter, but so too is the opportunity for loyal warriors to rise within the house. A formidable warrior and tactician such as yourself serving on Cargh’s flagship would surely prove her mettle countless times over in the battles to come. Think of the glory yet to be seized; picture yourself as the master strategist or senior counsellor to Cargh, or whichever son succeeds him. (Need I remind you that several of them, including mighty Ogun, remain unmarried? You remember Ogun, don’t you? The two of you used to spar as children. A good man respects a mate who can pin him to the floor.) This is your chance, H’ajah, but it will not wait for you long.

I know that it will not be easy to set aside the career in Starfleet you have been working toward. If circumstances were different, I would champion your service to any who might challenge the notion of a Klingon in Starfleet. But circumstances have changed, and now it is the duty of a true Klingon to come home. Starfleet will release you from your oath if you only ask. You know this.

You must settle your conscience, of course. I have all the patience in the galaxy for you, my daughter. But remember that opportunity does not.

//SIGNED//
Bithreya, daughter of K’npok
Archivist, House Cargh in exile

13 Likes

To: LCDR H’ajah
From: Bithreya
Subj: Re: Civil War



TRANSLATION PROGRAM:  ACTIVE

Dutiful daughter, the House of Cargh is in chaos. We cannot ascertain the current whereabouts of Martok; word has reached us that he yet lives, but we know not how or where. Of course the treachery of J’mpok inspires no surprise in my heart, nor any other of our house. It seems likely that Martok will return in glory soon, ready to bring swift vengeance to his betrayer, and we make ready to join him.

Though Martok may yet need time to regroup, I do not believe the warriors of our house likely to restrain themselves until he is ready. The sons of Cargh in particular howl for blood, and I think it will only be a matter of time before the patriarch grants them leave to ride to battle. Envoys are being dispatched to potential allies, ambitious houses who might welcome the reserve forces Cargh commands. A clever logistician in the right place might guide the outcome of these deliberations, shaping the future of the house.

Delay no longer, my daughter. The time of decision has come.

//SIGNED//
Bithreya, daughter of K’npok
Archivist, House Cargh in exile

8 Likes

To: Bithreya
From: LCDR H’ajah
Subj: Re: Civil War



TRANSLATION PROGRAM:  ACTIVE

Honored Mother,

Your summons has weighed heavily on my brow these past weeks. Not a single waking hour has gone by without your entreaty present in my thoughts, and few hours since have been spent in the embrace of sleep. I have been trapped in a prison of contradictory oaths, forced to choose between my loyalty to kith or to kin, unable to break free until I sought the advice of a trusted friend. She did not push me toward one course or another, but rather gave me a new vantage point from which to survey the terrain before me. Here is what I have come to realize:

If I remain in Starfleet, it will break the ties of family and house that bind me to my Klingon heritage. To refuse the call of my liege would be a grave act of dishonor, and to ignore the call of battle would be a contemptible act of cowardice. I could no longer rightly call myself a Klingon after such a betrayal. But I would still be a Starfleet officer, respected and feared by my subordinates, beloved by my friends, and true to the spirit of the laws and principles of this Federation which is my home.

If I resign from Starfleet and return home, I would need to renounce these principles, these friends, this life I have built for myself. I would be forced to become someone else – a zealot, eager for meaningless battle, heedless of consequence, willing to pursue her own ambitions at the expense of a nation consumed by internecine warfare – whom I have no desire to become. But I would still be Klingon. I would keep my honor. And I would still be your dutiful daughter.

My friend told me something that has continued to echo in my mind: that my friends and colleagues would understand and support me no matter what I chose. Whereas my house and family will only accept me if I choose as you say I should. The judgment and condemnation which cast this decision in shadow loom from one side only. That is how I know where I belong.

I do not make this decision lightly. I know that you and Father will be shamed, and I mourn that most of all. I love you both and I will continue to hold you in my heart even if you are forced to cut me from yours. Farewell, dear mother.

//SIGNED//
tuq cargh qaStaHvIS ghIm h’ajah, shal puqbe’
Lt. Cmdr. H’ajah, daughter of Shal, of House Cargh in exile
Chief Engineer, Engineering Dept., Deep Space 13



To: LCDR H’ajah
From: Bithreya
Subj: Re: Civil War



TRANSLATION PROGRAM:  ACTIVE

Foolish daughter, I could not carve you from my heart and leave a single piece behind. If I had known this would burden you so, I would not have asked it of you. You have not dishonored yourself, silly girl, because you have not refused the call of your liege. Cargh has not even summoned you, only I have. I now rescind my request. Instead, I charge you to remain at your post in Starfleet, to continue to do as your conscience requires, and to get more sleep. What proud warrior will want a mate with bags under her eyes?

Your father and I look forward to seeing you at Kot’baval. No excuses this time!

//SIGNED//
Bithreya, daughter of K’npok
Archivist, House Cargh in exile

11 Likes

To: LCDR H’ajah
From: Bithreya
Subj: Re: Civil War



TRANSLATION PROGRAM:  ACTIVE

Willful daughter, the glorious day has finally come. The forces of House Cargh, shining and terrible, have set out from Qochbe’ghach to fight under the banner of House D’ewos. After months of negotiations, we have secured Radaq’s promise to restore Cargh’s status if we are victorious. Our long exile is nearly over.

Your brother looked so handsome and fierce in his uniform! My heart soared to think of the glory he will win in battle, fighting as a member of Ogun’s honor guard. A mother cannot help but fret as her youngest babe, now a man, rides to war. Yet my deepest heart, my Klingon heart, rejoices in the knowledge that whatever may happen, I know Eshan will comport himself bravely and well, and if he must die, he will do so with honor.

But of course, he will do no such thing. He is a sensible boy and fears his mother’s wrath too much to die before her. No doubt the war will be over by Kot’baval and he will be home to celebrate with us (as will you).

//SIGNED//
Bithreya, daughter of K’npok
Archivist, House Cargh in exile

7 Likes

To: Bithreya
From: LCDR H’ajah
Subj: Re: Civil War



TRANSLATION PROGRAM:  ACTIVE

You let Eshan fight in this foolish war? He is but a child!

//SIGNED//
tuq cargh qaStaHvIS ghIm h’ajah, shal puqbe’
Lt. Cmdr. H’ajah, daughter of Shal, of House Cargh in exile
Chief Engineer, Engineering Dept., Deep Space 13



To: LCDR H’ajah
From: Bithreya
Subj: Re: Civil War



TRANSLATION PROGRAM:  ACTIVE

Your brother is a man and a warrior now, fretful daughter, difficult as it is for me to accept. I could not have stopped him if I wished, though of course I would not. It would shame him to know that his mother – or sister – thought so little of him as to hold him back from battle and glory.

You should write to him. He used to so enjoy receiving your letters recounting your bold exploits, and will no doubt enjoy sharing some of his own. I’m certain it will lift his spirits to hear from you.

//SIGNED//
Bithreya, daughter of K’npok
Archivist, House Cargh in exile



To: ENS Eshan
From: LCDR H’ajah
Subj: You Fool



TRANSLATION PROGRAM:  ACTIVE

How could you be so stupid?!

//SIGNED//
tuq cargh qaStaHvIS ghIm h’ajah, shal puqbe’
Lt. Cmdr. H’ajah, daughter of Shal, of House Cargh in exile
Chief Engineer, Engineering Dept., Deep Space 13



To: LCDR H’ajah
From: ENS Eshan
Subj: Re: You Fool



TRANSLATION PROGRAM:  ACTIVE

Envy is not your color, beloved sister. You had your chance to prove yourself and you cast it aside. I will not.

//SIGNED//
Eshan, son of Shal
Guardsman, House Cargh

4 Likes

To: LCDR H’ajah
From: Bithreya
Subj: Re: Civil War



TRANSLATION PROGRAM:  ACTIVE

Have you heard from your brother recently, beloved daughter? Remind him that even a mighty warrior must honor his mother by responding to her letters.

//SIGNED//
Bithreya, daughter of K’npok
Archivist, House Cargh in exile



To: Bithreya
From: LCDR H’ajah
Subj: Re: Civil War



TRANSLATION PROGRAM:  ACTIVE

I have not corresponded with for several weeks. No doubt he is too busy with pointless internecine bloodshed to write, but we will surely hear of it once he has a kill to boast of.

//SIGNED//
tuq cargh qaStaHvIS ghIm h’ajah, shal puqbe’
Lt. Cmdr. H’ajah, daughter of Shal, of House Cargh in exile
Chief Engineer, Engineering Dept., Deep Space 13

3 Likes

To: LCDR H’ajah
From: Bithreya
Subj: Re: Civil War



TRANSLATION PROGRAM:  ACTIVE

Precious daughter, I fear for your brother’s life. I have received no contact from him since 98111, and it is not like Eshan to trouble his mother’s heart thus. Indeed, I can find no one in the House of Cargh who has received any word from Eshan’s vessel. The Consuming Flame was under Ogun’s command, but was not fighting alongside the rest of the house squadron for some reason. Some have said that Ogun was given a special mission by House D’ewos, but none know what it was. I have heard rumor that Cargh himself fears his heir is lost.

I have written to Cargh and to the D’ewos fleet command. None of my letters were answered. I am going mad with worry. If my child is dead, I would know it, so that I might howl my warning to the heavens. If my child is dead, I must know it, so that I can begin to compose the song of his life. If my child is dead, dutiful daughter, I need to know it.

You have written to me often of your Starfleet friends. Surely they spy on the affairs of the old country. Perhaps you can find out what has become of the Consuming Flame and end your mother’s misery.

//SIGNED//
Bithreya, daughter of K’npok
Archivist, House Cargh in exile



To: Bithreya
From: LCDR H’ajah
Subj: Re: Civil War



TRANSLATION PROGRAM:  ACTIVE

Cherished Mother,

I do not make friends with spies, but I will ask nonetheless.

//SIGNED//
tuq cargh qaStaHvIS ghIm h’ajah, shal puqbe’
Lt. Cmdr. H’ajah, daughter of Shal, of House Cargh in exile
Chief Engineer, Engineering Dept., Deep Space 13

5 Likes

To: Bithreya
From: H’ajah
Subj: Re: Civil War



TRANSLATION PROGRAM:  ACTIVE

Beleaguered Mother,

At long last, I have news to set your heart at ease. I have spent these past weeks tracing Eshan’s steps, and though I have not yet discovered his current status, there is reason to hold out hope for his safe return. Here is the tale of my search.

Having been charged with the geas to find my brother, I consulted with the spymaster of Deep Space 13, who reluctantly shared with me the last known location of the Consuming Flame. The old bird transmitted a distress signal back to House D’ewos command near the t’Ong Nebula while en route to Qo’noS. Rallying my faithful compatriots, I made haste to the transmission’s point of origin and confirmed that the Flame, pursued by villains, did indeed flee into the nebula. We proceeded after it with due caution, for the nebula is known to be infested with brigands and thieves.

Our vigilance was well justified, for within we found a hidden minefield that more careless adventurers would have foundered upon. Indeed, we soon discovered that that is exactly what happened to the Consuming Flame. Heedless of the danger, Captain Ogun led his warriors straight into a trap. The Flame was left crippled, easy pickings for the predators on its trail, so by the time I arrived there was nothing left alive onboard.

If Eshan died in that battle, he died a warrior. But there is reason left to suspect he might yet live. Recall now the summers I spent working in Cargh’s hangar, and believe me when I tell you that the Consuming Flame had one working shuttle onboard – the Wakawa – which I personally made spaceworthy by the sweat of my own mighty brow. When my search party found the Flame, the cargo bay doors were open and there was no craft within.

If there had been time, I would have searched the wreck of the Consuming Flame stem to stern and identified the frozen husks within. Alas, the investigation was cut short by the arrival of House Sorzal warships offended by the intrusion of Starfleet into Klingon space. Knowing that the cost of a battle would be high no matter who prevailed, I urged my comrades to comply and return to Federation space.

But this tale is not over. The Wakawa remains unaccounted for, and even if Eshan did not escape onboard, those who did will know his fate. I have resigned from my post on Deep Space 13 and even now make plans to embark on the next phase of my search. I am joined in this quest by two of the most loyal companions any warrior has ever had. We will bring home my brother, or else recount to you the tale of how he died. On this, you have my word.

//SIGNED//
tuq cargh qaStaHvIS ghIm h’ajah, shal puqbe’
H’ajah, daughter of Shal, of House Cargh in exile
Engineer Errant



To: H’ajah
From: Bithreya
Subj: Re: Civil War



TRANSLATION PROGRAM:  ACTIVE

Good girl.

//SIGNED//
Bithreya, daughter of K’npok
Archivist, House Cargh in exile

5 Likes

To: Bithreya
From: H’ajah
Subj: Coming Home



TRANSLATION PROGRAM:  ACTIVE

Tormented Mother,

Let your anguished heart be at peace. I have found Eshan, and I am bringing him home to you.

The tale of my brother’s rescue is long and twisting, and a comprehensive account will have to wait until I arrive. What follows is an abbreviated and undramatized account, so that you will know why your child was so long severed from you, and why he must be returned in the state he is in.

My brave companions, Olivia and James, set out from Deep Space 13 aboard a refurbished vessel, trundling slowly across the border into Klingon space. We returned to the t’Ong Nebula, thinking to count the dead lingering in the wreck of the Consuming Flame. When we arrived, however, we found the vessel missing and the minefield rebuilt. Someone had cleaned the site, making it appear as though the battle had never happened.

As the warp trails we detected on our first excursion were long dissipated, we resolved to proceed on to Qo’noS and see if the Wakawa had ever reached its destination. Of the shuttle, we could find no sign or trace, but we did find that some survivors of the Flame did eventually reach the homeworld. The diplomats Tsezak and Avung, whose safe delivery to Qo’noS was the Ogun’s solemn charge, had indeed arrived some weeks earlier and conducted preliminary meetings with representatives from several other houses. They were already gone by this time, returned to the D’ewos fleet by alternative means, so we made that our next destination.

The security on D’ewos’ flagship was suspicious of us, but by cunning and guile we managed to gain admission to the vessel’s administration wing and confronted the villains directly. Though many thought my aggression unprovoked at first, my comrades and I challenged the diplomats’ story of piracy and narrow escape to show it for the thin fabrication it was. His eyes opened at last, D’ewos arrested the traitors and had them subjected to vigorous interrogation to reveal their motives. The one called Tsezak–I know not his true name–eventually confessed to being a Sorzal agent, surgically altered to pass as a member of the D’ewos diplomatic corps so that he could manipulate and derail efforts to negotiate favorable alliances. More pertinent to my search, however, was this: he claimed that his surgery took place at secret Romulan facility in the t’Ong Nebula, and that other captives from the Flame including Ogun had been detained there.

I wanted to make haste to this Romulan fortress, but my wise counselors warned me against a foolhardy charge. It is fortunate that we waited, for I shortly thereafter learned that Cargh himself was lobbying D’ewos to mount an attack. Ultimately, D’ewos was unmoved by Cargh’s righteous pleas and refused to commit forces to the rescue effort. Cargh declared D’ewos a coward, unworthy of the loyalty a vassal owes his liege, and recalled his ships from their deployments throughout the empire.

The strike force Cargh was able to muster on short notice was meager, built mostly of ships that had been undergoing repairs and crewed by warriors in no better condition. Nevertheless, my champions and I pledged our lives to the fight and rode forth alongside Cargh’s squadron.

The battle was quick and decisive. I will not belabor this tale with a detailed recounting. Though our side sustained heavy damage and significant losses, the Romulan defenders were routed. Two warbirds limped away from the fight under cloak while Cargh’s invaders, my friends and I among them, beamed over to the station. There we found many Romulans already dead, and several in the process of dying, for the cowards had opted to commit suicide by poison rather than answer for their crimes. A self destruct sequence was in progress already, so we hastened to the detention center and freed the captives there. Among the many, many prisoners were both Ogun and Eshan; the latter, my brave little brother, had attempted to rescue Ogun and the others by infiltrating the facility. We gathered them all and escaped.

I suffer to write these words, as I know you will suffer to read them. Dear, sweet Eshan is grievously wounded, mother. The doctors say his body may be healed, but I fear his mind will not be so resilient. Those butchers subjected him to the most terrible and vicious of tortures, played games with his mind and preyed on his fears and insecurities. He was barely lucid when I found him, and in the days since he has scarcely improved. I know not what evil designs the Romulans pursued in treating him this way, and fear they may have taken that secret with them to Gre’thor.

Thus did our victory turn to ashes in our mouths. If you have any feeling to spare after you have read of your son’s fate, pity your liege Cargh, whose heir is in an even more wretched state. Poor Ogun is a shell of his former self, mutilated and mad with fear and pain. Perhaps if he had merely lost his son in battle, Cargh could have carried on as a warrior must. But this is too much for any man, no matter how strong, to bear. He has resolved to quit this war and return home to New Quin’lat, and I will return with him. By the time you receive this letter, we should be well underway.

Make ready to receive us, and if you can, forge your bravest face for when you are reunited with Eshan. He needs us all to be strong for him. We will be with you soon.

//SIGNED//
tuq cargh qaStaHvIS ghIm h’ajah, shal puqbe’
H’ajah, daughter of Shal, of House Cargh in exile
Engineer Errant

8 Likes

To: LCDR Mercer, Olivia (@Calyx); CMDR Kermit, James (@kermit); CMDR Kermit, Elizabeth (@Davin); CMDR Sedai, Katriel (@Katriel)
From: CIV H’ajah
Subj: A GOOD TALE FORKS BUT BRIEFLY



MY DEAREST AND TRUEST FRIENDS,

IT SEEMS AS THOUGH AN ETERNITY HAS PASSED SINCE WE LAST BEHELD ONE ANOTHER, AND THOUGH I KNOW THE BONDS OF BROTHER- AND SISTERHOOD THAT BIND US ARE UNDIMINISHED BY THE PASSAGE OF TIME, I HAVE BEEN SEIZED OF LATE WITH A NEED TO REACH OUT ACROSS THE CHASM BETWEEN STARS THAT SEPARATES US AND REASSURE MYSELF THAT MY FAITHFUL COMRADES STILL FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT, STILL STRIVE FOR THE TRIUMPH OF RIGHT, AND STILL REMEMBER THAT I, H’AJAH, DAUGHTER OF SHAL, WILL ALWAYS COME TO YOUR AID WHEN CALLED.

FOR SOME OF YOU, A SCARCE TWO MONTHS HAVE PASSED SINCE OUR LAST PARTING; FOR OTHERS, IT HAS BEEN LONGER. KNOW THAT I MISS YOU ALL FIERCELY, NO MATTER THE DISTANCE IN TIME OR SPACE. I HOPE THAT YOU ARE EACH HALE AND HEARTY, FULL TO THE BRIM WITH THE JOY OF BEING ALIVE AND STRONG. OUR RECENT ADVENTURE HAS FIXED IN ME A KEEN CERTAINTY THAT THE FORCES OF ENTROPY NEVER TAKE A DAY OF REST, AND SO I NEITHER SHALL I REST IN PUSHING BACK WITH ALL MY MIGHT, AND I REMIND YOU ALL TO DO LIKEWISE. ONE DAY WE WILL ALL BE DEAD, SO LET US ENSURE THAT WHEN WE MEET IN STO-VO-KOR AND SHARE TALES OF OUR EXPLOITS, THEY ARE AS NUMEROUS AS THE DAYS OF OUR LIVES.

MY OWN DAYS ARE PRESENTLY DIVIDED BETWEEN TENDING TO MY BROTHER ESHAN AND TO THE TATTERED REMAINS OF CARGH’S FLEET. MY HOUSE REMAINS IN EXILE, ITS HOPES TO ELEVATE OUR STATION THROUGH GLORIOUS COMBAT DASHED. MY PRECIOUS ESHAN IS A SHADOW OF HIS FORMER SELF, BUT I SEE SOME IMPROVEMENT IN HIS CONDITION SINCE OUR RETURN HOME, THANKS IN NO SMALL PART TO MY TIRELESS EFFORTS TO RAISE HIS SPIRITS. HE SPEAKS ONLY RARELY, BUT YESTERDAY HE CONFIDED IN ME THAT HE WAS GRATEFUL I AM HERE. I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT NOTHING HEARTENS ESHAN LIKE SEEING HIS LIEGE OGUN, SOND OF CARGH, ENJOYING THE PLEASURES OF BEING ALIVE. I AM SCHEMING ACTIVITIES TO REVIVE THEIR WARRIOR SOULS, NOW THAT THEIR BODIES ARE MOSTLY HEALED.

THERE HAVE BEEN SOME OVERTURES MADE BY CARGH AND A FEW OF HIS MINISTERS, WHICH IMPLY THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO MAKE ME A PERMANENT FIXTURE HERE. FEAR NOT, BELOVED FRIENDS, I HAVE AVOIDED ALL OATHS AND SPOKEN PLAINLY ABOUT MY INTENTION TO RETURN TO MY STARFLEET CAREER WHEN I CAN. THEY SPEAK OF APPOINTING ME THE HOUSE ARMORER, A POSITION OF AUTHORITY OVER ALL TECHNICIANS, OR EVEN OF GRANTING ME CAPTAINCY OF ONE OF THE BATTERED OLD BIRDS OF PREY I AM PAINSTAKINGLY PIECING BACK TOGETHER.

BUT TO YOU, MY FRIENDS, I MUST CONFIDE THAT THERE IS NO TEMPTATION FOR ME IN THESE NOTIONS. I AM MORE CONVINCED THAN EVER THAT THE HOUSE OF CARGH CHARGED BLINDLY INTO A WAR THAT HELD NO GLORY FOR THEM, AND WAS DIMINISHED AND WEAKENED THEREBY. THE WORK OF DECADES OF TRAINING AND PREPARATION WAS INCINERATED IN HALF A YEAR, BUT THAT WASTE IS TRIVIAL WHEN WEIGHED AGAINST THE LIVES DESTROYED BY THE OLD MAN’S VAIN ADVENTURE. YES, PERHAPS THE HOUSE WILL REBUILD, AND YES, PERHAPS I MIGHT SECURE A KEY ROLE IN THAT EFFORT. BUT MY WORK WOULD ONLY SERVE TO ADVANCE THE DAY WHEN THE HOUSE OF CARGH MAY REPEAT THIS GRAVE MISTAKE. THAT IS NOT THE LEGEND I CHOOSE TO WRITE.

MY STORY MUST AND WILL RETURN ME TO YOU, MY FRIENDS; BUT NOT YET, REGRETFULLY. IF THE WORK OF BUILDING YOUR OWN MIGHTY CHRONICLES PERMITS, IT WOULD BRING ME JOY TO HEAR TALES OF YOUR EXPLOITS, SO THAT I MAY INSCRIBE THEM IN MY HEART. WHETHER YOU MAY FIND THAT TIME OR NOT, KNOW THAT I REMAIN YOUR STALWART COMPANION, EVER READY TO DEFEND YOUR HONOR, AND I HOPE THAT OUR TRIUMPHANT REUNION IS NOT MUCH LONGER DELAYED.

//SIGNED//
tuq cargh qaStaHvIS ghIm h’ajah, shal puqbe’
H’ajah, daughter of Shal, of House Cargh in exile
Engineer Errant

9 Likes

To: LCDR Mercer, Olivia (@Calyx); CMDR Kermit, James (@kermit); CMDR Kermit, Elizabeth (@Davin); CMDR Sedai, Katriel (@Katriel)
From: CIV H’ajah
Subj: I HAVE MADE A HUGE MISTAGE



MY MOST TRUSTED FRIENDS,

I HAVE MADE A GRAVE MISCALCULATION AND I MUST CONFESS IT TO YOU, FOR THERE ARE NONE HERE TO WHOM I CAN UNBURDEN MYSELF FREELY. YOUR LOVE AND SUPPORT HAS NEVER WAVERED, EVEN IN TIMES WHEN I HAVE BEEN FOOLISH OR THOUGHTLESS, SO I KNOW I CAN TRUST YOU WITH THIS TALE OF FOLLY WITHOUT FEAR OF JUDGMENT OR CONDEMNATION.

IN THE TIME SINCE MY LAST LETTER, I HAVE DONE EVERYTHING IN MY POWER TO RAISE THE SPIRITS OF MY CHARGES: MY DEAR LITTLE BROTHER ESHAN AND OGUN, SON OF CARGH. THEIR SUFFERING AT THE HANDS OF THE ROMULANS DEVASTATED THEIR WARRIOR SPIRITS, AND I HAVE MADE IT MY MISSION TO REFORGE THEIR SOULS FOR THE NEXT BATTLE, BE IT LITERAL OR METAPHORICAL. TO THAT END, I PLANNED AND ENACTED A SERIES OF ADVENTURES FOR THEM, BEGINNING WITH SIMPLE DAY-LONG EXCURSIONS INTO THE WILDERNESS AND GRADUALLY INCREASING IN DIFFICULTY AND EXCITEMENT. WE HAVE RACED KHRUNS, SCALED CLIFFS, HUNTED BRUSH DEVILS; WHERE OGUN’S INJURIES HAVE LIMITED HIM, ESHAN HAS ALWAYS BEEN READY TO VOLUNTEER HIS BODY IN SERVICE TO HIS LIEGE, WHETHER AS ASSISTANT OR CHAMPION. I JUDGED THESE ACTIVITIES A SUCCESS, BASED IN LARGE PART ON THE GROWING JOY AND LEVITY I OBSERVED IN THESE YOUNG MEN.

IT SEEMED OBVIOUS TO ME THAT THE NEXT VENTURE OUGHT TO CONCERN GETTING THESE RECOVERING WARRIORS LAID; WHAT ELSE COULD REBUILD THEIR CONFIDENCE AND SELF-IMAGES AS COMPREHENSIVELY? AFTER CONSULTING WITH THE HOUSE PHYSICIAN, WHO ASSURED ME THAT THEY WERE FIT FOR MATING, I TOOK ESHAN AND OGUN OUT FOR A NIGHT ON THE TOWN. QOCHBE’GHACH IS NOT A LARGE CITY, BUT AS REFUGEE COLONY IT IS A MELTING POT OF MULTICULTURAL INFLUENCES WITH A VIBRANT NIGHT LIFE. AT FIRST WE WERE ENJOYING OURSELVES VERY MUCH, DRINKING AND DANCING AND GETTING INTO FIGHTS. OUR REVELRIES CARRIED US TO MANY INTERESTING VENUES AND I LET MYSELF BELIEVE THAT THE NIGHT WAS A SUCCESS, DESPITE A STRING OF FAILURES IN INTRODUCING MY COMPANIONS TO WILLING MATES.

BUT STARTING AROUND MIDNIGHT, THE DRUNKEN FOOL OGUN GOT THE NOTION TO BEGIN FLIRTING WITH ME, RATHER THAN THE NUMEROUS SUITABLE SHORT-TERM PROSPECTS AROUND US ALL. I TRIED TO DEFLECT HIS ADVANCES GRACEFULLY TO AVOID A CONFRONTATION THAT MIGHT SOUR THE EXPERIENCE, BUT HE TOOK EVERY DENIAL AS EVIDENCE THAT I, A COMMONER, THOUGHT MYSELF UNWORTHY OF HIM. MEANWHILE I COULD SEE MY BROTHER BECOMING MORE AND MORE GLUM AS THE EVENING WORE ON–THANKS, I ASSUMED, TO HIS CONFLICTING IMPULSES TO SUPPORT HIS LIEGE AND PROTECT HIS SISTER.

I WAS WRONG. JUST AS I WAS REACHING MY BREAKING POINT WITH OGUN (THE POINT OF BREAKING HIS NOSE, THAT IS TO SAY), ESHAN STORMED OUT OF THE CLUB IN A FURY. GIVING UP ON ANY HOPE OF SALVAGING THE NIGHT, I SPARED BUT A MOMENT TO TELL OGUN THAT I WOULD SOONER MATE WITH A FERENGI AND FOLLOWED AFTER MY BROTHER.

MY FRIENDS, I WAS SUCH A FOOL. I HAD MISJUDGED THE NATURE OF THE LOVE IN MY BROTHER’S EYES WHEN HE LOOKED UPON OGUN–NOT THE LOVE OF A LOYAL SERVANT, BUT THAT OF A VULNERABLE MAN FILLED WITH LONGING FOR THE PRINCE WHO HAD BEEN THE CENTER OF HIS UNIVERSE SINCE THEY WERE BOTH CHILDREN. HE HAD NEVER TOLD ME OF THESE FEELINGS, AND IN TRUTH I FEEL A SLIVER OF BETRAYAL IN MY CHEST TO KNOW THAT HE HAS KEPT THIS SECRET FROM ME ALL THIS TIME. I TRIED TO SYMPATHIZE WITH ESHAN NOW THAT I UNDERSTOOD, BUT HE WAS TOO EMBITTERED TO HEAR ME, WHO HAD SO CASUALLY REJECTED THE ONLY ONE HE DESIRED.

IT HAS BEEN TWO DAYS SINCE THIS CATASTROPHIC BAR CRAWL AND MY EVERY INTERACTION WITH BOTH THESE MEN HAS BEEN AWKWARD AND STILTED SINCE. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO ABOUT EITHER ONE OF THEM. I HAVE DEVOTED MYSELF TO THEIR REHABILITATION AND I REFUSE TO ACCEPT DEFEAT, BUT HOW AM I TO HELP EITHER OF THEM WHEN THERE ARE SO MANY UNSPOKEN WORDS FILLING UP THE SPACES BETWEEN US?

WISE FRIENDS, I NEED YOUR HELP. THE WARRIOR’S CODE DOES NOT TELL ME WHAT TO DO IN A SITUATION SUCH AS THIS. HOW CAN I MEND THESE WOUNDED HEARTS AND MAKE EVERYONE GLAD TO BE TOGETHER AGAIN, AS WE WERE BEFORE? HOW CAN I FINISH THE WORK I SET FOR MYSELF WITH SUCH OBSTACLES IN MY PATH? AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, HOW CAN I SHOW DEAR, SWEET ESHAN THAT HE CAN TRUST ME WITH HIS TRUEST SELF?

//SIGNED//
tuq cargh qaStaHvIS ghIm h’ajah, shal puqbe’
H’ajah, daughter of Shal, of House Cargh in exile
Engineer Errant

9 Likes

To: CIV H’ajah
From: CMDR Sedai
Subj: Re: I HAVE MADE A HUGE MISTAKE



Dear H’ajah,

Hearing from you is always a pleasure, even when the news within is not always cheerful. I find myself generally unable to provide counsel on most of your more tactically-inclined adventures, but your latest missive appears to offer me a unique opportunity to contribute. I hope it is positive!

First, the matter of Eshan. The confession of one’s personal tastes in romantic partners is, indeed, a delicate matter and even in your rush and utmost desire to support your sibling, it is best to allow him to tell you of his truth in his own time. Though I am sure the temptation to confront him is strong and might even be considered culturally acceptable, if he is unprepared, it may also backfire colossally and sour your relationship irrevocably. Only initiate a conversation on this topic if you notice deliberate signs left by Eshan that indicate he may be testing the waters or trying to determine your thoughts in a roundabout fashion.

In the meantime, the best way to support him is to demonstrate your support in his other choices. That brings us to Ogun.

Here, a confrontation seems most appropriate. You must be both solicitous in your apology for your insult, while remaining firm that you have no interest in his suit. This could be exceedingly difficult if his interest in you is sincere and not only the result of his previous inebriated state, but even in this case, it would be best to nip any misconceptions in the bud with a frank conversation. To soften the blow, you may consider bringing Ogun an appropriate apology gift: something that adequately demonstrates your respect for him, while likewise conveying zero romantic intentions. Perhaps a well-bred war targlet?

Please do modify any of my counsel accordingly for your situation and your level of comfort!

Chahk is doing very well. I have included an attachment of when he was flowering, just a few weeks ago.

Wishing you success in all your endeavors,

//SIGNED//
Katriel

//ATTACHMENT// chahk-blooming.img

6 Likes

To: CMDR Sedai, Katriel (@Katriel)
From: CIV H’ajah
Subj: Re: I HAVE MADE A HUGE MISTAGE



THANK YOU FOR YOUR WISE COUNSEL ON THIS MATTER! I HAVE PONDERED YOUR ADVICE DEEPLY AND TRIED TO INTERNALIZE YOUR INSIGHTS, THOUGH IT HAS NOT BEEN EASY. I HAD BEEN ATTEMPTING TO PROVOKE A CONFESSION THROUGH SUBTLETY AND GUILE, BUT WITH EACH REFERENCE TO THE LIBERAL ATTITUDES IN STARFLEET OR HOW STODGY AND TRADITIONAL THE HOUSE OF CARGH SEEMS TO ME NOW, ESHAN ONLY DREW FURTHER INWARD. THOUGH EVERY BONE IN MY BODY HOWLS FOR RECONCILIATION, I RECOGNIZE THAT MY BROTHER HAS SUFFERED GREATLY AND NEEDS TIME TO REBUILD HIS SOUL’S FORTIFICATIONS. TO CHARGE FORWARD AND CLASH NOW WOULD ONLY SERVE MY NEEDS, NOT HIS. THEREFORE, I WILL STRIVE TO BE PATIENT AND SHOW HIM THROUGH WORD AND DEED THAT I AM EVER HIS CHAMPION. MY HEART’S DEAREST HOPE IS THAT HE WILL COME TO UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN HE IS READY, I WILL BE THERE, SHOULDER TO SHOULDER, READY TO FACE ANY WHO WOULD DARE DISAPPROVE. (UNLESS HE COMES OUT TO SOMEONE ELSE IN THE FAMILY FIRST; THEN I WILL KILL HIM MYSELF.)

I BELIEVE OGUN AND I HAVE DRIVEN A BLADE THROUGH THE HEART OF OUR DIFFERENCES, AT LEAST. BEFORE I COULD CHALLENGE HIM DIRECTLY, HE SOUGHT ME OUT TO APOLOGIZE FOR HIS BEHAVIOR. THE SON OF CARGH IS A BETTER MAN THAN HIS FATHER, I THINK; AT LEAST HE FOUND THE COURAGE TO ADMIT HIS MISTAKES BEFORE THEY COMPOUNDED INTO DISASTER. DRAWING ON YOUR ADVICE, I MADE PLAIN THAT I WOULD NOT HAVE HIM AS A MATE, YET STILL REGRETTED THE CRUEL WORDS I USED TO TELL HIM SO BEFORE. BUT I DID NOT HAVE A GIFT READY AT HAND, AND IN MY PANIC AND HASTE, I GAVE HIM AN OPTRONIC COUPLER. HE SEEMED CONFUSED AS HE WENT AWAY; I HOPE I HAVE NOT INADVERTENTLY TRANSMITTED A MIXED MESSAGE! SHOULD I HAVE GIVEN HIM THE GRAVITIC CALIPER INSTEAD???

//SIGNED//
tuq cargh qaStaHvIS ghIm h’ajah, shal puqbe’
H’ajah, daughter of Shal, of House Cargh in exile
Engineer Errant

P.S. THANK YOU FOR SENDING THE IMAGE OF CHAHK THE BLOODLETTER. HE LOOKS HEALTHY AND DANGEROUS! PLEASE TELL HIM FOR ME THAT I LONG TO RETURN HOME TO DEEP SPACE 13 AND TAKE UP THE CHARGE OF HIS CARE AND FEEDING ONCE MORE. I HOPE IT WILL NOT BE MUCH LONGER NOW.

9 Likes

To: CIV H’ajah
CC:
From: LT Zital, Serris
Subj:QI’yaH, nuqneH!



QI’yaH!

muSHa’ghachlIjvaD chegh tu’lu’. yInlIj vISaHmeH jIjeghmeH jIjatlh. chaq Mu’mey vIHaDqangchugh, vaj ngoDlIj QaQ. ghu’vam lutu’!

reH jIHvaD DajatlhtaHvIS, ‘ej ngIvwI’ jIH! jIHvaD ‘oy’ tIqDaq jIH tach Qorwagh luchenmoHlu’ta’, ‘ach Qorwaghdaq Qochbe’ ghaH. ghaH tlhInganpu’. DuHoSmoHjaj!

pe’vIl Segh,

//SIGNED//
Serris Zital
Chief Engineer,
U.S.S. Mariner NCC-74671

//ATTACHMENT// Monster_Hunter.hdexe

TRANSLATION PROGRAM:  ACTIVE

Subject: Hello, friend!

Greetings!

It's been a long time since we've had the pleasure of meeting in person. I was going to surprise you with a new simulation to try, but your minions informed me that you'd taken a leave of absence. Incidentally, I can confirm that your glorious empire of efficiency has not collapsed in your absence. You've trained them well!

I trust that this message finds you well and in good spirits! I have attached the simulation to this message. It's a human program designed around culling vicious creatures from a delicate ecosystem in glorious battle and skinning them to forge equipment. It seems very Klingon. I hope you'll enjoy it!

Sincerely,
5 Likes

To: LT Vital, Serris
From: CIV H’ajah
Subj: Re: QI’yaH, nuqneH!



IT IS GOOD TO HEAR FROM YOU, SON OF ENTRADES! INDEED, I HAVE PARTED WAYS FROM STARFLEET FOR A TIME, AS MY DUTY TO MY HOUSE AND KIN REQUIRED. THOUGH THE WAR IS OVER NOW, THE WORK OF A HEALER–OF SHIPS AND OF SOULS–GOES ON. I LOOK FORWARD TO THE DAY OF MY RETURN, AND HOPE YOU WILL HAVE LEAVE TO JOIN ME FOR A DRINK WHEN THAT DAY COMES!

HOW FARES YOUR VESSEL, SERRIS? WHAT BRAVE AND DARING TALES DO YOU BRING ME? YOUR RESURRECTION OF THAT BROKEN OLD NAG WAS A STIRRING START TO A GREAT LEGEND; NOW TELL ME WHAT HAS UNFOLDED SINCE LAST WE SPOKE? HAVE THERE BEEN FIERCE BATTLES? DEADLY COSMIC HAZARDS? STEAMY ROMANCES? BITTER RIVALRIES? I WOULD HEAR OF THEM ALL, FOR YOUR ADVENTURES WILL SUSTAIN ME WHILE I AM AWAY.

THANK YOU FOR THE PROGRAM. I STARTED IT THIS MORNING AND IT MADE FOR A VIGOROUS WORK-OUT! ARE YOU SURE THIS WAS MADE BY HUMANS? I MAY SHARE THIS WITH SOME OTHERS HERE WHOSE SPIRITS NEED TEMPERING.

//SIGNED//
tuq cargh qaStaHvIS ghIm h’ajah, shal puqbe’
H’ajah, daughter of Shal, of House Cargh in exile
Engineer Errant

6 Likes

To: LCDR Mercer, Olivia (@Calyx); CMDR Kermit, James (@kermit); CMDR Kermit, Elizabeth (@Davin); CMDR Sedai, Katriel (@Katriel)
From: CIV H’ajah
Subj: I CAN DO NO MORE



DISTANT FRIENDS,

OUR LONG SEPARATION IS NEARING ITS END. BY THE TIME YOU RECEIVE THIS MISSIVE, I WILL BE ONBOARD A TRANSPORT BOUND FOR THE ALDEBARAN SECTOR. I WISH THAT I CARRIED WITH ME A TALE OF VALOR AND TRIUMPH–OF SCARS HEALED, OF SPIRITS UPLIFTED, OF SOULFIRES REKINDLED–BUT ALAS, I LEAVE THIS FIELD OF BATTLE LOCKED IN A STALEMATE, NEITHER VICTORIOUS NOR DEAD.

THE SHAME OF THIS INCONCLUSIVE OUTCOME WEIGHS HEAVILY ON ME. I WANTED SO MUCH TO HELP MY BROTHER, AND NOW I QUESTION WHETHER I WAS EVER ANY HELP TO HIM AT ALL, SAVE IN THE MATTER OF HIS RESCUE. ESHAN HAS GONE FROM THE HOUSE OF CARGH, RELEASED FROM HIS OATH OF SERVICE BY OGUN. HE SAID NOT A WORD TO ME BEFORE LEAVING. OGUN SAYS THAT HIS PATH OF HEALING MUST TAKE HIM AWAY FROM US, BUT I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY IT MUST BE SO. WITH HIM GO ALL MY HOPES OF REVIVING THE LITTLE BROTHER I REMEMBER.

WITHOUT ESHAN, I COULD SEE NO POINT IN STAYING. OGUN HAS MANY OTHER RETAINERS TO CARE FOR HIM, AND THOUGH WE ARE RECONCILED, OUR DEALINGS ARE STILL AWKWARD. THE ONLY ONES HERE THAT NEED ME ARE CARGH’S RAGGED FLEET; MAY IT REQUIRE 100 MORE YEARS OF REPAIR BEFORE IT IS BATTLEWORTHY AGAIN. SO I HAVE GIVEN MY FAREWELLS AND PACKED MY THINGS, TO RETURN ONCE AGAIN TO THE FOLD.

I FEEL UNEASY ABOUT EVERYTHING. I WORRY FOR MY BROTHER. I WORRY FOR MY HOUSE. I WORRY THAT I AM TOO DIFFERENT FROM WHEN I LEFT, AND WILL FIND MYSELF AN IMPROPER FIT FOR BOTH WORLDS NOW. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT I WILL DO NEXT. I DO NOT THINK I WILL BE ABLE TO DO WHAT I DID BEFORE. AFTER SO MUCH TIME DEVOTED TO THE REPAIR OF BROKEN MEN, THE CARE AND MAINTENANCE OF MACHINES SEEMS A TRIVIAL CONCERN. I WILL PONDER THIS MATTER AS I MAKE MY WAY HOME TO YOU ALL.

//SIGNED//
tuq cargh qaStaHvIS ghIm h’ajah, shal puqbe’
H’ajah, daughter of Shal, of House Cargh in exile
Engineer Errant

5 Likes