A Cha'ta'rok was a "machine that tears" torture and execution device in Klingon history. This machine used bits of wood to rip a person's head, arms and legs from the body. In legend, Borma won his freedom by overcoming such a device. In 2375, Morjod meant to kill Martok and Sirella with this machine. (DS9 - The Left Hand of Destiny novel: Book One)