Yeth

The **Yeth** are a warp-capable race the 26th Fleet first encountered in The Outback. After 2414, most of what were known as Yeth settlements mostly disappeared. One settlement was located in 2415 on an asteroid within the Arborea System and Yeth were found fishing on the fourth planet of that system. No contact with the species has occurred since.

There are reports that the Yeth have made an appearance within the Zenas Expanse in the Alpha Quandrant and that the majority were transplanted there by a waystation known as The Looking Glass.

# Biology

The Yeth appear as a race of bipedal humanoids but are in fact parasitic worms. Their hosts are nominally sentient, roughly equal to cro-magnons, but all the technological advancements are due to the highly intelligent parasites. Children are bonded with a worm once they are beyond the toddler stage in their development.

The appearance of the Yeth themselves is wholly unthreatening, being small, worm-like creatures with translucent grey bodies approximately ten centimetres long, with thin tendrils at either end. Yeth ships are generally built tall with protruding hull sections bristling with weapons and sensors.

# Culture

Culturally, the Yeth are driven by social pressures to be dominant in any social setting, and every pursuit imaginable - from military to science to the arts - is a battleground of fierce proportions. As the host species breeds faster than the Yeth spawn, there are often large numbers of un-bonded hosts. Referred to as zanbaur, they are trained to perform simple menial tasks or used as shock troops, and are considered expendable.

The Imperial Hegemony of the Yeth Collective's reach includes five colonies in their home system and nine additional colonies in six nearby systems. Their current technological level allows a maximum FTL speed equivalent to warp 6.7 utilizing their linear light drive, which means transit between the home and extrasolar colonies is lengthy. As a result, three of the most distant colonies, including their largest, have developed strange ideas about self-sufficiency and independence, and a civil war is raging.

The Yeth Collective and its rebellious colonies are both in possession of numerous resources that could be used to aid Praetorian, including food, water, medical supplies, minerals and dilithium, with the home government possessing more food and medical supplies while the colonies with their mining infrastructure have greater access to raw materials.

## Disposition

The Yeth are aggressive and overbearing, striving to demonstrate dominance in every encounter. They set out to win, even in the context of a simple conversation. The Yeth respect the strong will of those who stand up to them, and despise any who knuckle under and submit. Willing to accept positions of equality with those who have gained their respect (albeit positions that must be, on occasion, re-tested), the Yeth become sullen and irritable if forced into a situation where they must act the submissive supplicant. Younger and less mature Yeth are quick to resort to violence to assert their dominance, while the more experienced know that violence is a tool to be wielded carefully for maximum effect, not swung wildly about.

## Internal Politics

Yeth society is nominally stable, having achieved a societal system that rewards and encourages their tendencies towards competing for dominance without allowing it to tear their civilization asunder. The strong exert dominance over the weak, who in turn submit, acting in service of the one who dominated them. However, it is not a one-sided trade; when a Yeth formally achieves dominance over another, they become responsible for their protection and well-being. The resources and activities given by the submissive to the dominant must be employed, in part, to ensure the safety and prosperity of the submitter. Through this, the weak are not subject to endless bullying, but are instead incorporated into a larger, stronger whole, a "collective", lead by the strongest among them. As a concept, this reaches from the lowest rungs of Yeth society into the heights of the Yeth government, the members of which are dominant over all Yeth: the Yeth Collective.

However, their current situation, with part of the extrasolar colonies fighting for independence, is putting significant strain upon their society, as the civil war drags on with no clear resolution in sight and the rebels continue to defy the dominance of the Yeth leadership. The Yeth leadership is composed of the Lesser and Grand Council, members of whom advance or decline based upon how much influence they can wield amongst their fellows. The Lesser Council is open to military veterans; the Grand Council, only to serving members of the Lesser.

## Military

The Yeth military is divided into five autonomous sections, termed 'Guards', each with their own sphere of responsibilities:

* **First Guard:** The personal arm of the Grand Council, responsible for matters of internal security. This includes piracy, riot suppression, and rebellions, as well as secret police functions when necessary, particularly in removing threats to the Council's dominance. The First Guard is the most prestigious Guard to be assigned to, and consists entirely of veterans. Many go on to join the Lesser Council.
* **Second Guard:** The Second Guard is the Hegemony's weapon of expansion, responsible for conquest and subjugation of new worlds, species, and outposts. It often contains the most aggressive and daring officers, eager to prove themselves through battle.
* **Third Guard:** The Third Guard is responsible for matters of external security, securing the borders of the Hegemony and aggressively challenging all who would approach. It is often filled with tough and practical officers.
* **Fourth Guard:** The Fourth Guard is the least prestigious of the regular Guards, and is used largely for training. Its responsibilities include logistics and administration support, and it often flies as escorts to colony vessels, freighters, and other civilian shipping, filling a role not unlike traffic police. Most officers in the Fourth Guard are inexperienced and hoping to prove themselves. A Fourth Guard officer being sent to act as a representative of the Hegemony is meant as an insult, meaning to convey that the recipients are not worth the time of real soldiers.
* **Fifth Guard:** The Fifth Guard is an irregular force, made up of officers and crew who have in some manner disgraced themselves or the Hegemony. They are issued the most dangerous missions, often covert actions or special operations, and fulfill them with a fervent zeal, as success means restoration and a transfer back into a proper Guard. Fifth Guard operations often contravene usual Yeth values and ethics, as those carrying them out have no standing left to lose, and victory wipes all disgraces clean.

Yeth ranks include:

* **Kelten:** equivalent to Captain; senior ship commanders and the head of each Guard hold this rank.
* **Kemmen:** equivalent to Commander; commanders of installations and smaller vessels hold this rank.
* **Kemm:** equivalent to Lieutenant.
* **Kul:** equivalent to Ensign.

# Technology

## Combat Ability

Yeth technology on the whole is not as advanced as that of the Federation. Their vessels are protected by polarized plasma screens which are angled to absorb or deflect incoming fire, which are highly effective but must burn away part of the plasma field each time, leading to a lack of staying power. Yeth weaponry consists of neutrino-pulsed laser cannons and kinetic shrapnel warheads, designed to defeat their own defensive technology. Individually they do not pose a serious threat to any but the smallest Starfleet vessels, but in numbers have the potential to deal significant damage.

## Resources

The Yeth, and their rebellious colonies, control a number of resources of value to the 26th, including a rich dilithium deposit, several asteroid fields containing duranium and other useful minerals, and a bountiful harvest of food, water and medical supplies in their home systems. They are willing to engage in trade for weapons, technology, or military aid, including intel. Items of pure scientific or research value are of less importance to them.

# Known Encounters

* **Stardate 91268.06** (30 August 2413): A task force consisting of the USS *Monsoon, MInerva, Perseus* and *Wollongong* is attacked by Yeth vessels while investigating 'The Wandering One', a Daka Va Ni ark ship. The task force sustains minimal damage and disables the weapons of the attackers, forcing them to withdraw. No communications are exchanged, despite the best efforts of the task force. [AAR]
* **Stardate 91271.02** (31 August 2413): Away teams from the USS *Monsoon* and USS *Translucent* encounter individual humanoids on the surface of the otherwise uninhabited third planet in the OB-401 system, who beam away when approached. The USS *Monsoon* then locates a small Yeth vessel in the system's asteroid belt, which utilizes an unknown FTL drive to flee when hailed. [AAR]
* **Stardate 91287.32** (6 September 2413): The USS *Harpe* is ambushed by a Yeth vessel intent on seizing her weapons systems while collecting metreon gas in the LN-346 Nebula. Despite the hazardous situation, Commander Corvus manages to disable the ship with minimal damage. Communications are established for the first time, and after some difficulties the translator begins partially processing the language. Commander Corvus renders the stricken vessel assistance after hostilities are ended, and the Yeth leave without further violence. [AAR]
* **Stardate 91303.85** (12 September 2413): The USS *Grey Wolf*, on a mission to scout for potential Yeth colony worlds, encounters the remains of a battle and recovers an escape pod with a single occupant. Kelten Te'lin is successfully revived and interviewed on Praetorian Station, and plans are laid to return her to her people.
* **Stardate 91319.93** (18 September 2413): The USS *Sisko* and *Interceptor* are ambushed by a Yeth patrol while attempting to render assistance to a stricken Mzai civilian vessel. Through weight of numbers, exploitation of local anomalies, and cyber-warfare, the Yeth succeed in destroying the *Sisko* and crippling the *Interceptor*. However, due to a temporal occurrence, the timeline is erased from existence and all conflict avoided.
* **Stardate 91324.99** (20 September 2413): The USS *Interceptor, Paradox, Avalon*, and *York* are ambushed by a large Yeth flotilla while attempting to render assistance to a stricken civilian vessel (species/affiliation unknown). Through careful coordination and tactics, the Yeth vessels were driven off with minimal damage or losses to Starfleet ships and personnel. The civilian craft was successfully escorted clear of the danger and sent on its way. [AAR]
* **Stardate 91325.74** (20 September 2413): While surveying the OB-452 system, the USS *Monsoon, Avalon, Perseus, Harpe* and *Discovery* are confronted by a Yeth scout. It transmits a cryptic message of warning before departing. [AAR]
* **Stardate 91333.61** (23 September 2413): The USS *Harpe, Avalon*, and *Surak* leave on a diplomatic mission to return Kelten Te'lin to her people. Although she is successfully repatriated, the local Yeth forces proceed to attack the Starfleet flotilla in a combination of their usual aggression as well as retribution for sheltering a Mzai vessel (under General Order 6, ships in distress) that had evidently been spying on the system. Under orders to clearly demonstrate to the Yeth that continued aggression would be foolhardy, the flotilla does not restrain their firepower, and swiftly devastates the local forces. The commander, Kelten J'ress, is impressed and vows that the Third Guard will no longer harass Federation vessels. He cannot, however, make promises for the other Guards. [AAR]
* **Stardate 91353.20** (30 September 2413): The USS *Robert April* is ambushed by a wing of Yeth vessels (tentatively identified as Fifth Guard) intent on seizing the older, isolated vessel while it is providing advanced pathfinding for the transit of Starbase *"Praetorian"*. Thanks to the intervention of several KDF vessels led by CAPT Korath, the *Robert April* survives until 26th reinforcements arrive, and the Yeth assault is beaten off. [AAR]
* **Stardate 91363.59** (4 October 2413): A small Yeth flotilla approaches *Praetorian*, identifying themselves as part of the Fourth Guard and escorting a civilian cargo vessel. Their stated purpose is to provide a gift or tribute to the 26th in light of the destruction of The Rogue at the fleet's hands. After leaving their offering, the Yeth depart, only to be confronted by Garuk, a Klingon captain, several hours away. However, the USS *Sisko* had been shadowing the Yeth, and intervenes, calling for support. Garuk's vessel is heavily damaged and withdraws, but not before destroying the Yeth freighter and threatening them with worse if they remain 'friends' of the Federation. [AAR]
* **Stardate 91385.93** (12 October 2413): A Yeth force is witnessed engaged in a skirmish with a Mzai flotilla by the USS *Monsoon, Harpe* and *Caspian*. The battle ends inconclusively when the Mzai withdraw, but the Yeth seem angered by their audacity. [AAR]
* **Stardate 91442.9** (2 November 2413): A Yeth battlecruiser commanded by Kelten J'ress is encountered by Commander Hawke and the *Monsoon* in pursuit of a damaged Lekaari vessel accused of piracy. J'ress is livid that the Lekaari have taken members of several Yeth "protectorate" species hostage and unrelenting in his demands until they are safely returned. [AAR]
* **Stardate 91448.97** (4 November 2413): After helping a small convoy fend off a Yeth Fifth Guard ambush, the USS *Harpe* accompanies them to their destination, Talmus Station, a large orbital mining facility on the fringes of Mzai space. The facility's guard frigates confront the *Harpe* and, despite being significantly outgunned, take up threatening postures while ordering the starship to withdraw. [AAR]
* **Stardate 91522.62** (1 December 2413): A Starfleet mission of diplomacy to the Yeth is nearly usurped by an attack from a mysterious cloaked vessel. Although the aggressor escapes, quick thinking and fast talking leave the 26th with stronger ties to the Yeth government than before. [AAR]
* **Stardate 91524.1** (2 December 2413): Task Force Avalon, alerted by a suspiciously diverted transmission, disrupts an attempt by the Yeth Fifth Guard to acquire stolen Federation weaponry from a band of Lekaari raiders. Strange sensor readings suggest that Starfleet is being watched. [AAR]
* **Stardate 91536.18** (6 December 2413): The USS *Gettysburg* discovers an ancient, possibly Iconian-servitor installation in a large nebula, along with evidence of a three-way joint research effort between the Mzai, Yeth, and Drongazi governments.
* **Stardate 91552.03** (12 December 2413): The USS *Monsoon* encounters a Yatabani trade vessel caught in a gravitic anomaly, along with a Yeth cruiser which blames Starfleet for artificially generating the phenomenon. Despite the hostility, Starfleet and Yeth co-operate to disable the trap and free the victims. [AAR]
* **Stardate 91653.6** (18 January 2414): Operation Looking Glass successfully contains the automated defenses released from the ancient nebula-installation, saving the lives of many Mzai, Yeth, and Dronagzi researchers in the process.
* **Stardate 91656.8** (19 January 2414): The USS *Forrest* returns the crew of a destroyed Yatabani convoy to their homeworld in Yeth space. [AAR]
* **Stardate 91667.06** (23 January 2414): The USS *Monsoon* encounters a Yatabani convoy destroyed by raiders using stolen weaponry. Although the ships are a lost cause, the crews are successfully rescued. [AAR]
* **Stardate 93174.15** (24 July 2415): A small fishing party of Yeth were found on *Mundus Aqua* and there was a small skirmish between the RR *D'Dean* and a Yeth vessel. A small mining colony was detected in the asteroid belt, but no further contact occurred. [AAR]