Sonchi ceremony

The Sonchi Ceremony is a Klingon ceremony that is part of the Rite of Succession. The word Sonchi is translated as He is dead in Federation Standard. This ceremony is held to verify the death of the Chancellor of the High Council of the Klingon Empire.

In this ceremony, the two main challengers for the office of Chancellor, and the Arbiter of Succession each shock the deceased chancellor with painsticks, while telling the corpse, Qab jIH nagil, or Face me if you dare. The pain caused by a device is intense enough to provoke a reaction from even stronger Klingons. A lack of reaction to the painsticks is enough to verify that the chancellor is indeed dead, and the pronouncement Sonchi is then given. (TNG episode Reunion).