Ktarn Fleet

**Ktarn Fleet** was formed as a tactical response, mobile fleet of Starfleet by Fleet Admiral Gustan Flaze in late 2373.

#### Formation of the Fleet

Ktarn Fleet was formally founded 25 December 2373 (Stardate 50982.077) by Fleet Admiral Gustan Flaze as a response to a Dominion attack on Deep Space 9 that had occurred three days earlier.

Admiral Flaze had earlier recognized the need for a dedicated combat force capable of large scale deployment in late 2372 after the withdrawal of the Klingon Empire from the Khitomer Accords. After a year of intensive organization and training, he presented Federation President Jaresh-Inyo with a comprehensive plan, given the randomly generated codename "KTARN", to defend Federation territory, interests, and ultimately lives with a highly coordinated and dedicated military force. Although the president voiced concerns over the reallocation of Starfleet vessels and personnel from their mission of peaceful exploration, the fleet admiral made the case that tomorrow’s peaceful future could only be secured by today’s active vigilance.

The original composition of the fleet was quite small, more akin to a task force. Flaze chose the *Intrepid*-class USS *Risik* as his flagship, with the USS *Galar*, USS *Appalachia*, USS *Endeavour*, USS *Wildfire*, and USS *Saratoga* comprising the rest of the unit.

#### Early Engagements

Ktarn Fleet’s first successful operation took place at the outbreak of the Dominion War when it spearheaded the joint Federation-Klingon assault on Torros III. The attack was considered a major success since all of the shipyards in orbit were destroyed.

Immediately following the battle, Admiral Flaze reassigned Ktarn Fleet to the interior of the Federation, predicting that while the so-called "numbered" fleets were assigned to the front lines, there would be attempts at a deep incursion into Federation territory. Though the forecasted event did not take place for several months, Ktarn Fleet was ready to hold the line at Bolarus IX when the Dominion finally arrived. The Bolian Operation, centered around the Ktarn Fleet’s defense of the Bolian homeworld, was a ray of hope in the darkness that enveloped the Federation during mid-2374. Towards the end of that year, after the Romulans had agreed to join the Federation Alliance, Ktarn Fleet was deployed to the Chin’toka System to screen for the Federation-Klingon-Romulan invasion force. Fleet starships were instrumental in breaking through the orbital defenses and landing the first waves of troops on the planets, suffering relatively few casualties compared with other units in the battle; a fact that Admiral Flaze attributed to the high level of combat training and the streamlined command structure of the fleet.

Ktarn Fleet spent most of 2375 defending the Chin’toka system against Dominion counter attacks. Using lessons and tactics perfected over Bolarus IX, the fleet prevented the enemy from regaining a foothold in the system through aggressive targeting of command ships and troop transports. Intelligence estimates reported that the senior Vorta commanders in the theater had no less than eight clone replacements each in a six month period. On stardate 52668.5, Admiral Flaze pulled Ktarn Fleet off the front line for extended repairs at the Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards. During this time, Flaze took his flagship, the USS *Risik*, to investigate a distress beacon in the direction of the Romulan Neutral Zone. In his absence, command of the fleet was transferred to Captain James G. Rectorvos, commanding officer of the USS *Galar*. Two months into the overhaul efforts, Ktarn Fleet was suddenly scrambled to intercept a large Breen force assaulting Starbase 45.

#### Battle of Starbase 45

*Main article: Battle of Starbase 45*
As the Breen moved to attack Earth, their attack force was intercepted near Starbase 45 by Fleet Admiral Flaze and a few starships in the area. Ktarn Fleet was mobilized and moved to defend the starbase and repel the Breen attack. The battle turned against the Starfleet forces, so the starbase was evacuated and Rear Admiral Blake Forhetz, the station commander, remained behind to activate the self-destruct. Ktarn Fleet limped away and was soon caught by Confederacy vessels. The battle continued, very much in the Breen's favor, until Lieutenant Commander Tval discovered a weakness in the Breen jamming protocols. The ensuing confusion frustrated Thot Gor, who led the Breen fleet, and he the battle after disabling the remaining vessels in order to move towards his true target. Though the Breen attack on Earth succeeded, the efforts of Ktarn Fleet greatly contributed to reducing the scale of destruction.

#### Aftermath and Recovery

The Battle of Starbase 45 would mark the last of Ktarn Fleet’s active involvement in the Dominion War. The surviving ships were towed back to the Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards to complete their repairs. Captain Rectorvos was promoted to rear admiral and was given probationary command of Ktarn Fleet. One of his first acts was to promote his chief engineer, Tval, to commander and make him the executive officer aboard the *Galar*, replacing the previous executive officer killed in the battle. Fleet Admiral Gustan Flaze was awarded the Starfleet Medal of Honor, and begrudgingly took a desk job at Starfleet Command till the end of the war in December 2375.

## Organization

The commanding officer of Ktarn Fleet Command, known as the fleet commander or FLECOMM, reported directly to Starfleet Command. The officer held responsibility over numerous Starfleet facilities, including Starbase 247-Vershina and the Delta Foundry, vessels, and personnel. FLECOMM was assisted by an executive officer and a chief of staff.

Vessels assigned to the fleet were distributed to various task forces and task groups, depending on the needs of the fleet and the Federation at the time.

Due to the unique nature of Ktarn Fleet, it did not oversee any sector commands, but fleet command would coordinate with sector commanders and their staff as needed. Instead of sector commands, Ktarn Fleet used theater of operations commands. Theater of operations commanders (TOCOMM) managed fleet assets in a theater of special focus. They were responsible for communicating FLECOMM orders to those assets and reporting directly to the Ktarn Fleet CO.

### Theater of Operations Commands

#### Klingon Theater Command

Klingon Theater Command was the division of Ktarn Fleet tasked with operating and maintaining fleet assets located near Klingon Empire territory. The command was headquartered at Starbase 247-Vershina.

#### Romulan Theater Command

Headquartered at Starbase 234-Beskerm, Romulan Theater Command oversaw Ktarn Fleet operations and assets located along the Federation border with territory controlled by remnants of the Romulan Star Empire and other Romulan factions.

### Task Forces

Task forces within the Ktarn Fleet organizational structure were formed around specific roles such as exploration, defense, or diplomacy. While the number of ships in each task force varied widely, they were all commanded by flag officers; usually of rear admiral rank. Due to the need for flexibility, the further breakdown of task force organization was left to the discretion of the task force commander, but, generally speaking, subdivisions of task forces into wings and squadrons was standard.

#### Task Force 200

Task Force 200 was assigned to command operations and defense. The group operated out of Vershina Station.

#### Task Force 201

Task Force 201 dealt with exploration operations and technological development. The task force operated from the Noonian Soong Spire and Delta Foundry.

#### Task Force 202

Combat and tactical operations were handled by Task Force 202. The group was formed when the fleet was organized at the beginning of the Dominion War and dissolved after the destructive Battle of Starbase 45. When hostilities erupted that needed a more militaristic response, the task force was reconstituted. It was again reformed with the outbreak of the Last Federation-Klingon War in 2405 and remained active through the tumultuous years of the early 25th century.

The task force operated out of Starbase 234 until the destruction of the station by Herald forces. That battle, combined with the high-casualty defense of New Romulus, left the group in shambles. After the Iconian War, the task force was temporarily suspended until starships and personnel could be replaced.

#### Task Force 203

Task Force 203 was assigned to intelligence gathering under the command of Rear Admiral Hayden C. Thorpe. Vershina Station served as the main operations center for the group, but they were stationed throughout Federation territory.

### Task Force 204

Task Force 204 served the logistics and supply needs of the fleet. As such, it was mostly comprised of freighters and transport vessels.

### Personnel of Ktarn Fleet

*For a list of personnel assigned to Ktarn Fleet, see Category:Ktarn Fleet personnel.*
### Vessels of Ktarn Fleet

*For a list of vessels assigned to Ktarn Fleet, see Category:Ktarn Fleet vessels.*
## Appendices

### Connections

**Assets:** Starbase 247-Vershina • Jatha Dilithium Mine • Noonian Soong Spire • Delta Foundry • Starbase 234-Beskerm • Starbase 39-Sierra

**Components:** Romulan Theater Command • Task Force 200 • Task Force 201 • Task Force 202 • Task Force 203 • Task Force 204

**Leadership:** Commander-in-chief • Joint Chiefs • Chief of Starfleet External Affairs • Chief of Starfleet Operations • Chief of Starfleet Research and Exploration • Chief of Starfleet Tactical

**Agencies:** Operations (Engineering • Judicial • Materiel Supply • Mission Operations • Personnel Management • Records Service • Shipyards Operations • Starbase Operations) • Research & Exploration (Science • Medical) • External Affairs • Tactical (Intelligence • Security • MACO)

**Notable units:** **Ktarn Fleet** • Task Force 77

**Facilities:** Deep Space K-7 • Deep Space K-13 • Deep Space 9 • Masamichi Array • Starbase 45-Keepsake • Starbase 82-Maat • Starbase 234-Beskerm • Starbase 247-Vershina

**Agencies:** Starfleet • Diplomatic Corps • Department of Temporal Investigations • Federation Security Agency

**Facilities:** 40 Eridani A Starfleet Construction Yards • Antares Ship Yards • Beta Antares Ship Yards • Copernicus Ship Yards • Laikan Starfleet Shipyards • McKinley Station • Memory Project • New Aberdeen Shipyards • Proxima Maintenance Yards • Salazaar Shipyards • San Francisco Fleet Yards • TL-9139 Starfleet Maintenance Yards • Tranquility Base • Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards