> That *k was [q] in pre-PIE is shown by the fact that *k is
> often followed by *a, with the same vowel colouring as
> triggered by *h2 = [X].
1) How do you know h2 is uvular?
2) It doesn't take an uvular to preserve /a/ from being fronted (if we
assume the ablaut vowel is pre-PIE /e/). Velars do that to short /a/'s
in Danish.