Ma'ah

Ma'ah was a Klingon warrior who lived during the late 24th century. Over an extremely short period of time in 2381, he went from a lower decker helm officer, to second-in-command, and then to captain of the Klingon Bird of Prey . However, Nick Locarno manipulated Che'Ta lower decker G'reck into overthrowing him in a mutiny and marooning him on Sherbal V. Ma'ah ultimately retook the ship, but was stripped of command for allowing the mutiny to happen and because his rise was the result of him killing the brother of a corrupt member of the Klingon Oversight Council. After regaining his rank with the help of Beckett Mariner, Brad Boimler and his brother Malor a year later, Ma'ah was given command of the fleet previously belonging to Relga following her demise.
== History ==
Ma'ah grew up on a farm that produced bloodwine from serpent worms they raised themselves, of which his family had done for generations 'perfecting the bloodiness', along with a small herd of targs. Ma'ah, however, had higher aspirations than his brother Malor and joined the Klingon Defense Force. ()
Initially, as a lower decker, Ma'ah was focused on advancement in rank. Having noticed that First Officer Togg had been frequently undermining the captain, Dorg, Ma'ah assumed that Togg would soon be killed and wanted to be in the position to be named the new second-in-command. Soon after Togg was killed by Dorg in a challenge, Ma'ah showed his support of the captain by disposing of Togg's body, refilling the bloodwine in officers' mess, and then praised Dorg's pet targ by comparing it to Kor's hound at the Battle of Klach D'kel Brakt. Pleased, Dorg allowed Ma'ah to tend to his targ, and named Ma'ah his new second-in-command after Ma'ah agreed with him that the Klingon Empire had become weak and soft.
Their interaction was cut short when the Che'Ta arrived at the rendezvous point with the Pakled Clumpship , when it was then revealed that Dorg had been collaborating with the Pakleds. Ma'ah's began to question his support of the captain after he learnt that Dorg was supplying the Pakleds with weapons and information in a bid to destabilize the entire quadrant. Furthermore, Ma'ah saw Dorg's use of the Pakleds to do his bidding as a dishonorable act, as Klingons should not allow others to fight their battles for them.
When the warped in to the meeting place between the Pakleds and Dorg to investigate the surge in metreon particles, Dorg ordered his crew to fire on the Cerritos. Additionally, he wanted to allow the Pakleds to take the would-be final shot at the Federation starship so as to alleviate suspicions from himself and the Klingons, which Ma'ah saw as another dishonorable act. However, the odds were quickly evened when the Vulcan cruiser joined the battle, assisting the Cerritos. However, they were still unable to withstand the combined firepower of the Pakled ship and the Che'Ta.
Appalled at Dorg's dishonorable actions towards their Federation allies, Ma'ah rose to challenge Dorg in a personal combat, but the taller and stronger Dorg easily gained the upper hand. As Dorg was about to kill Ma'ah with his sword, his own pet targ bit his hand and forced him to drop the sword. Undeterred, Dorg knocked away the targ and then threw Ma'ah across the room. As he approached the downed Ma'ah, Ma'ah suddenly rose up and stabbed Dorg using Dorg's sword, killing the captain.
As Ma'ah stood above Dorg's body to catch his breath, a bridge officer addressed Ma'ah as the new captain of the Che'Ta, and asked for his command. Ma'ah sat in the captain's chair, with the targ affectionately accepting him as its new master, and ordered the crew to set a course for Qo'noS, in order to report Dorg's actions to the Klingon High Council. ()
Sometime later, Ma'ah's relationships with his former crewmates, G'reck and Key'lor, had deteriorated, as they believe he "lucked his way" into the captain seat and had completely forgotten about them. At the same time, the Che'Ta came across an apparently inactive mysterious ship in Klingon space. Ma'ah initially hailed the vessel, but received no response and decided to leave it alone figuring there was no honor in destroying an incapacitated ship. After ordering his crew to mark the ship's location before resuming their journey to Qo'noS, the ship began moving and charging weapons. Ma'ah then ordered the destruction of these qoHpu but the Che'Tas weapons were rendered inoperative for reasons unknown. The Che'Ta was subsequently fired upon by the unknown vessel, with the fate of the crew uncertain. ()
As it turned out, the ship was not actually destroyed. Ma'ah was betrayed and marooned by G'reck and Key'lor on Sherbal V, in apparent cooperation with the unknown vessel that also attacked other non-Federation ships and deposited their commanding officers on the planet. During his time there, he encountered Lieutenant jg Beckett Mariner and attempted to fight her to the death, but the intervention of glass rain forced them to seek shelter.
During the duel, Ma'ah noticed that Mariner seemed troubled and, while waiting out the rain, decided to mention this to her. He then listened as Mariner, realizing she could trust him and convinced one of them would die regardless, vented her frustrations that were causing her reckless behavior. The death of Mariner's friend Sito Jaxa and subsequent outbreak of the Dominion War caused her to develop survivor guilt and disillusioned her to Starfleet, causing her to refuse promotions for fear of sending her friends to their deaths. Ma'ah pointed out Klingons used to believe Humans were weak, but eventually the Human race proved their toDuj. He advised her that Sito died to uphold Starfleet's ideals and Mariner's behavior wasn't honoring that. Mariner saw his point and hugged him, causing him mild disgust, and while Ma'ah initially insisted on resuming their fight he followed her out of the shelter as he began to see her point in cooperation so they could escape the planet.
Outside a monitoring station linked to an orbiting weather satellite, Ma'ah helped Mariner in attempting to convince the other stranded alien crews to work together. However, she was unexpectedly transported off-planet. In her absence, Ma'ah formulated a plan to get themselves a ship so they can fly out of there. The Che'Ta was lured onto the planet by a distress beacon coming from the monitoring station, and Ma'ah rallied the others to jump onto the Bird-of-Prey when it descended close enough to the ground. They succeeded in taking the ship and Ma'ah wrested the captaincy from his treasonous former crewmates by Klingon means. ()
However, despite Ma'ah regaining control of his ship, he was stripped of his command for allowing his crewmates to overthrow him and was forced to return to the family farm. During his time back, he was constantly mocked by his brother Malor over the dismissal. Ma'ah's dismissal was in large part due to the head of the Klingon Oversight Council, Bargh, and his grudge against Ma'ah for killing his brother, Dorg. ()
A year later, Mariner and Lieutenant jg Brad Boimler attempted to help Ma'ah regain his captaincy through the Ritual of J'ethurgh. Ma'ah reluctantly participated with less enthusiasm. However, for the final trial, the rite of sacrifice, Ma'ah chose himself for sacrifice. As General K'orin convinced Bargh to let Ma'ah consider his sacrifice, Ma'ah confessed to his friends and brother that he no longer wanted to be a captain in Bargh's fleet anymore, due to the lack of honor displayed by the higher-ranking Klingon. Ma'ah revealed that he had actually hated serving as the captain of the Che'Ta and the dishonorable attitude of the Klingons under Bargh's overall command. Using his experience on the , Boimler inspired Ma'ah to be a captain on his own terms. With the support of the other members of the Klingon Oversight Council, Ma'ah used the Rite of Forced Conscription to make Bargh a member of his crew before engaging in a duel to the death with him. Ma'ah easily overpowered Bargh who yielded before Boimler revealed that he could meet the requirement of killing a member of his crew by killing Bargh who was now a crewmember due to the forced conscription. Bargh dishonorably stabbed Ma'ah in the back, but Ma'ah survived and killed him in return with the very same weapon.
Ma'ah subsequently helped Mariner to complete her mission of studying a quantum fissure located in Klingon space and decided to act as the captain of his family's bloodwine delivery ship, inviting his brother to serve as his first officer. He was inspired by Chancellor Martok having started his own career the same way. ()
While returning from a bloodwine delivery, Ma'ah and Malor were attacked by Relga, the vengeful sister of Dorg and Bargh, who considered the brothers to be murderers and responsible for her downfall. Although Ma'ah wanted to fight her to the death, Malor overruled him and took Ma'ah to the Cerritos in the hopes of getting political asylum with Mariner's help. Relga followed the brothers, destroyed their delivery truck, and chased after the Cerritos despite its mission to close a potentially universe destroying rift. The confrontation led to the destruction of Relga's Bird-of-Prey and the death of Relga herself. To Ma'ah's astonishment, his seemingly unintelligent brother provided the solution to the catastrophe.
Subsequently, as a result of Relga's dishonorable actions, the Klingon High Council promoted Ma'ah to command her fleet. ()
== Appendices ==
=== Appearances ===
* 
** (Season 2)
** (Season 4)
** 
** (Season 5)
** 
=== Background information ===
Ma'ah was voiced by Jon Curry.
Episode writer Kathryn Lyn noted in the episode's audio commentary on the LD Season 2 DVD that she named this character after "the Klingon word for 'small'".
Though his name was spelled as "M'ach" in the subtitles, which was also the way it was pronounced in the episode's English AD, the subtitles were incorrect, according to Brad Winters. Lower Decks series creator Mike McMahan later explained in the episode's DVD audio commentary the difference between the spelling ("Ma'ah") and the pronunciation ("Mach"), and how "it confuses a lot of people". Coincidentally or not, StarTrek.com lists his name as is it pronounced, "Mach".
McMahan described Ma'ah as the Klingon analog of Brad Boimler. (LD Season 2 DVD, Lower Decktionary: Season 2) McMahan had also stated with regards to this character, "I love Ma'ah! My whole thing with Klingons is that I just love a Klingon that doesn't backstab. A Klingon that's like, the most honest in their motivations." 
=== External link ===
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Category:Klingons
Category:IKS Che'Ta' personnel