tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Sun Dec 22 07:23:02 1996
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story, part 10
- From: "Deborah Kay" <[email protected]>
- Subject: story, part 10
- Date: Sun, 22 Dec 96 14:49:01 UT
'ampaS ghoSmeH DareS, ghaHvaD pe'lora Hegh ta ngeH la''a'.
pawDI' vavDaj, nIteb puqbe'DajvaD jatlh 'e' poQ.
vavDaj leghpa', jot velqa.
DaH vav mInDu'Daj buSlaHbe' velqa. qamDu'DajDaq Dej.
DaHjajpa' not SaQ velqa. DaH SaQchoHqu'.
chaw'pa' DareS, nom jatlh velqa, "pe'lora vItoDlaHbe'mo', jItlhIjqu'.
matay'pu'chugh, qaSbe' ghu'vam. vIlon. wa'DIch jIH vIneH.
jIH Soy'Ha' law', pe'lora Soy'Ha puS.
jImut. jIngoy' jIH'e'. jI..."
"yItamchoH," ra' DareS, qu'taHvIS. "tu'HomI'raH Darur. Hu'! DaH, HIlegh."
velqa qevpob legh. "DIS chay'? QIj."
lob 'ej batlh jatlh velqa 'ej QeHqu'moH vavDaj.
"qapIchbe', velqa, la''a' vIpIch jay'."
nom la''a' ghoSqu' vavDaj. mu' jatlhbe'.
la''a' qevpob qIpmeH, pe'vIl chapDaj lo'. Daqtaghmeychaj lel.
nI'be' tonSaw' 'ej la''a' tIqDu' DuQ DareS 'etlh jej.
HeghtaHvIS la''a' jatlh vavDaj, " ToDSaH, batlhHa' bIvang. wa' puqbe'
DaHeghmoH 'ej cha' Dajoy'.
negh quvHa' Da mangHompu'. DaghojmoH.
ghe'orDaq veqlargh Daghom 'e' vItul."
la''a cha'DIchvaD jatlh, "DaH, puqbe'wI' bIjoy' 'e' vImev. velqa vISuchlaHbe'
'e' vIyaj. chutmeylIj vIvuv.
'ach DubejmeH 'oSwI' vIngeH.
batlh bIvang pagh jInoD."
velqa tlhob, "bIratlh DaneH'a'?"
jang velqa, "HIja', joHwI', DubelmoHchugh."
"Qo', velqa, DubelmoHchugh neH."
jatlh velqa, "vav, jIratllh 'ej Qu'vam taghbogh pe'lora jIH je jIrInmoH."
qaStaHvIs cha' DIS 'ampaSDaq ratlh velqa.
laHmeyDaj qelbogh mangHompu' vuDmey choHchoH velqa.
'ampaSDaq qeqmeH, DIb bajqu'.
po'qu'taHvIS Suv velqa 'ej pov QI' Dup SovDaj.
ta'Dajmo' luvuvchoH latlhpu'.
SuvwI' mojDI', ngoQDaj chav.
pe'lora qawmo', ngoQvam buS velqa.
rInDI' DuSaQ , juHvaD chegh velqa.
ram lob Hoch, velqa vavDaj juppu'chaj je.
nentay poH, QIt SuvwI'pu' jojDaq yIt velqa.
ben law' 'oy'naQmey ghajbe' Suv'wI'pu' 'ach naQmey DuQwI' poghmey je ghaj.
velqa qIpqu' 'ej qa'Daj je' 'oy'. jachbe' velqa.
tay'taHvIS Hevam yIt pe'lora ghaH je 'e' wa'logh naj.
'ach velqavaD yIn pe'lora qa'.
be' SuvwI' wa'DIch quvmoHmeH, nargh qeylIS voDleH'e'. legh velqa 'ej qIH
minDu'chaj.
rInmeH nentay, velqa mup qeylIS. velqa pummoH 'ach jachbe' velqa.
QamDI', ghaH van vavDaj 'ej jatlh, "batlh bIvang. DaHjaj SuvwI' SoH."
"DaHjaj SuvwI' jIH," jang velqa 'ej van.
"'Iw bIQtIqDaq bIlengjaj," jatlh ta' 'ej velqa van.
"batlh 'Iw bIQtiqDaq jIlengjaj," jang velqa 'ej qeylIS van.
ghaHvaD cha'nob much voDleH.
"jIHvo' Daqtaghvam yIlaj."
"reH vIqeng," jang velqa.
velqamo' pe'loramo' je, DaHjaj be' SuvwI'pu' tu'lu.
Hechaj lulengbogh Qatlh law', Hoch Qatlh puS.
pe'lora quvmoHmeH, batlh Qu'Daj ta' velqa.
velqa ta'mey Dun qelbogh bommey Dun lubomlu'.
reH taHjaj velqa qa' pe'lora qa' je.
The commandant sent for her father. When he arrived, he demanded to speak to
his daughter alone. Before Velka saw her father, she was calm. Now Velka
could not look him in the eyes. She collapsed at his feet. She cried for the
first time. Before Dares permitted it, she spoke rapidly. "I apologize
because I could not save Pelora. If we had been together, this wouldn't have
happened. I abandoned her. I wanted to be first. I am more agile than
Pelora. I was selfish. I and I alone am responsible. I...."
"Be quiet," her father commanded her, firecely. "You look ridiculous. Get up!
Now look at me!" He saw Velka's cheek. What happened this year. Explain!."
Velka spoke in an honorable manner and her father became very angry. "I do
not blame you, Velka. I blame the commandant." Quickly he strode up to the
commandant. He didn't say a word. He hit the commandant's cheek with the
back of his hand. The warrior's knives came out. The duel did not last long
and Dares's sharp blade stabbed the commandant's hearts. As he was dying, her
father said, "Todshach, you have acted dishonorably. One daughter's death
you've caused and both you have tortured. You have taught your cadets to
behave like dishonorable soldiers. I hope you meet the Fek'lhr in hell. To
the second in command he said, "Stop torturing my daughter. I understand that
I cannot see Velka. I respect your rules. However, I am sending a
representative to observe. Act with honor or I will retaliate.
He asked Velka, "Do you want to stay?" Velka replied, " Yes, my lord, if it
pleases you." "No, Velka, only if it pleases you." Velka said, "father, I
will stay and finish what Pelora and I started."
Velka stayed at the academy for two years. She began to cange the cadets'
ideas about her abilities. She earned the right to train at the academy. She
fought very expertly and her knowledge of military strategy was excellent.
Because of her accomplishments, others respected her. When she became a
warrior, her goal would be achieved. She concentrated on this goal because
she remembered Pelora.
When school was finished, Velka returned home. That night everyone
celebrated, Velka, her father and their friends. When the time for the rite
of ascension arrived, Velka walked slowly between the warriors. Many years
ago they did not have pain sticks, but the warriors had sticks and spike
gloves. They struck Velka very hard and the pain enriched her spirit. Velka
did not cry out. Once she had dreamed that she and Pelora would walk this
road together. However, Pelora's spirit lived in Velka's heart. In order to
honor the first woman warrior, Kahless the emperor himself appeared. Velka
saw him and their eyes met for the first time. To end the Rite of Ascension,
Kahless struck Velka. He knocked her down, but she did not cry out. When she
stood, her father saluted her and said, "You have acted honorably. Today you
are a warrior." "Today I am a warrior," she replied and she saluted him.
"May you travel the river of blood," said the emperor and he saluted her.
"May I travel the river of blood with honor," replied Velka and she saluted
Kahless. The emperor presented her with a ritual gift. "Accept this
warrior's knife from me." "I will carry it always," replied Velqa.
Because of Velka and Pelora, today there are women who are warriors. Their
path was the most difficult. Velka performed her duty honorably in order to
honor Pelora. Great songs were sung of Velka's great deeds. May the spirits
of Velka and Pelora endure forever!
rIn lut naQ.
Deborah