Klingon Empire

The Klingon Empire is the official state of the Klingon people. Controlling a vast area of space (mainly) in the Beta Quadrant, the Empire is never the less quite resource-poor, with much of it's holdings being of little value. This is due to the fractured political system of the Empire, and her Houses, controlling the method of her expansion over the centuries.

## History

In approximately 625AD, Kahless the Unforgettable first united the Klingon homeworld of Qo'noS under one rule, founding the Empire. After repelling the Hur’q, a species of alien overlords that ruled over Qo'noS and many of the surrounding systems, and acquiring their advanced technology, the Empire grew quickly.

Much of the intervening years is lost to myth and legend, but it is known that at some time before 900AD, Kahless had died and had been succeeded by an unknown heir. The Empire was hindered by the Klingons unfamiliarity with advanced technology, being only able at this point to plunder what they could from other nearby star systems, and once these had been conquered, perhaps manufacture crude copies. Technology progressed slowly, and bids for power in the nascent Empire were common place, with Ormongs being far more frequent than wars of conquest.

Modern Klingon history truly begins in 2045. By this point, Klingon science had perfected fusion-powered warships, armed with nuclear-tipped Missiles and megawatt-range Lasers. The Empire had recently made contact with the Mirak Star League, and typically to distract from political issues at home, Emperor Krokh declared a great campaign to seize new, resource rich territories along this new border.

This campaign was the disastrous ToQ'VaLt War. Mirak weaponry far out-ranged that of the warships of the Imperial Klingon Fleet, and their furious counter attack was only halted by the intervention of a foreign power, the Lyran Star Kingdom, until then unknown to the Empire. Hated enemies of the Mirak, the Lyrans shared a martial, warrior code not dissimilar to the teachings of Kahless, and it was the savvy political dealings of Chancellor Kapok that brought them to the table as "fellow Warriors of the hunt" rather than competitors. Emperor Krokhs failing both in starting the war (and his reasons for doing so) and his inaction towards the Lyrans caused outrage in the Empire, and soon there were calls for his abdication and to undertake Hegh'bat, with his son to succeed him. (as was tradition for disgraced Emperors at that time).

However, Krokh refused, arguing he had been right to call for the conquest of the Mirak border worlds and his commanders had merely been too weak and cowardly to prosecute the war to it's proper conclusion. This caused further outrage amongst the Great Houses, and a new Ormong erupted, except not one to overthrow the Emperor, but to do away with the Monarchy forever.

Krokh had few supporters, but there were still those that could not see a Klingon Empire without an Emperor at her head. The Ormong of 2047 was short, and relatively bloodless, but in terms of political change, altered the Empire forever.

Rather than a mere advisory role as it had been, the High Council now took on the sole governing role in the Empire, with the office of Chancellor being the new seat of supreme power.

First contact with Lyran Star Kingdom was fortunate for the Empire. While potentially violent enemies, the Lyrans and the Klingons saw each other as equals with a robust warrior code, and a mutually hated enemy in the Mirak. Whilst politically the newly discovered Lyran Star Kingdom might now be curbing Klingon Imperial ambitions to the galactic South East, their presence and preoccupation with the Mirak did secure that border, for the time being, and prevent the Mirak from exploiting the rout they had caused in the Imperial Klingon Fleet.

As is often the case in Klingon affairs, the thought was that if they erased the name, they may erase the shame, and in late 2047 the Imperial Klingon Fleet was officially disbanded. In it's place was born the Klingon Defence Force, although in reality many of the existing officers and warships were merely transferred from one to the other.

Klingon expansion efforts now looked towards the galactic West, with the North still considered impassable due to extremely volatile stellar phenomena. Over the next century, little changed along the Empire's eastern border, with the Klingons keeping out of the myriad conflicts between the Mirak and the Lyrans. The new administration also decided that the Great Houses of the Empire would take a more direct role in expansion efforts, now that the Monarchy was gone and the High Council was in direct control of Imperial policy. Houses were given free reign to expand their own fleets and to expand their own assets, including colonisation efforts, so long as they did not encroach on Lyran or Mirak space.

This led to a period of unprecedented expansion in the Empire, and unusually for the Klingon people, a focus on science and industry. There were no great external threats to the Empire, and although those seeking battle could always range off into the great uncharted West or offer to fight alongside Lyran forces against the Mirak whenever hostilities broke out, it was thought that there was more to be gained by increasing the prestige and power of ones House in the High Council and the extent and development of ones holdings.

This period of introversion continued for over a century, with the occasional challenge for the Chancellorship but little in the way of great disturbances. Although the Klingon people are said to grow restless when at peace for too long, but the frictions with the Mirak and the opportunities for conquest and glory either in the West or alongside their Lyran allies seemed to slake the Klingon need for conflict. The Lyran campaign against the Hydran Kingdoms in 2155 in particular proved a useful venting point for Klingon frustrations, with Klingon "Crusade" fleets, operating from Lyran ports, gaining vital combat experience and bolstering their alliance with the Lyran Star Kingdom. In return for their support, the Lyrans granted many Klingon Houses Colonial possessions in former Hydran space.

Technological advances had, by the 2180s, made expansion into the volatile systems to the galactic North of Qo'noS viable. In 2192, the Klingon Empire made first contact with the Romulan Star Empire in (what would become known as) the Quwotlh System. Although considered an honourable and proud warrior race, the Romulans were rapidly seen as arch-rivals in competition for resource-rich worlds in this new area of space. Both Empires were resource deprived compared to their nearest rivals (the Federation, and in the case of the Romulan Star Empire, they had also made first contact with soon-to-be bitter rivals, the Gorn Confederacy) and neither could afford to back down.

The Klingon-Romulan frontier expanded over the next few decades, eventually spanning many sectors all the way from Narendra in the North to Corvus in the South and pe'ch'GenH on the Mirak border. Romulan relations with the Mirak were unknown, but, the Imperial Intelligence Service had no reason to believe they were allies, which at least curtailed Romulan expansion in that direction and undoubtedly occupied their fleet deployments (it was thought). The border however was extreme unstable, as events soon showed. In 2212, the Star Empire expanded a series of "major skirmishes" seized significant territory in Klingon space in what was known in the Klingon Empire as the chu'Degh Offensive. The lines were eventually stabilised, but the lost territory never regained (with chu'Degh becoming the new border between the two empires). A planned counter-offensive was interrupted by another pivotal event.

In 2218 the USS Triton (NCC-866), a Federation Hyperion Class Exploratory Cruiser made first contact with the Klingon Empire. After a terrible misunderstanding of protocol, seven members of the Starfleet Away Team were killed, and the Klingon Empire had a new enemy.

A new expansion effort to the North and North West, along with probing attacks (both official and unofficial) saw continued friction with the Federation for the next thirty years, with the failed attack at the Bernard System in 2248 being the Klingon impetus for the signing of the Treaty of Korvat. Although the signing of a peace treaty is not usually a popular move in the Klingon Empire, Chancellor Durak was seen as merely distracting and stalling the Federation for time, an honourable tactic when facing a powerful foe. The treaty was also seen as the Federation surrendering their rights to several vital systems along the (newly defined) border, although both sides in truth saw it as temporary at best.

In a politically savvy move, somewhat mirroring that of Chancellor Kapok two centuries before, Chancellor Durak, foreseeing conflict with the Federation, had in the preceding year already signed another treaty with the Romulan Star Empire. Far from derailing his plans, the Treaty of Korvat now gave the new Klingo-Romulan Alliance the breathing room to prepare joint offensive operations against their mutual enemy. This alliance included a technological exchange, which by 2254 had given the Klingon Defence Force Cloaking Technology, in return for (relatively) modern M/AM powerplants and warp drives. In truth, neither partner had shared their latest technology, although both were happy with what they received, and the Klingon Empire could more immediately benefit from the exchange as it proved far easier to fit the new Cloaking Device to existing Klingon designs than for the Romulans to adapt their ship designs to M/AM power. In the short term, the Romulan Star Navy was forced to rely on older, fusion powered designs and the few D6A Kl'ar (Leader) Class Heavy Cruisers that had been transferred to them as part of the exchange programme.

In 2258, Chancellor Durak died in suspicious circumstances. The Arbiter of Succession found that he had been poisoned, although no further information could be determined as to who was responsible. As a popular and powerful Chancellor, Durak had never the less had his detractors, especially after the signing of the Klingo-Romulan Alliance, and the situation quickly devolved from the questioning of individuals honour and involvement in the murder of the late Chancellor into accusations of treason. Before the High Council could act, the Great Houses had called their banners, and there was an all-out civil war, the Ormong of 2258. The House fleets had been bolstered by years of shipbuilding in preparation for an invasion of the Federation, and each with their honour slighted by accusations of complicity in the murder of Durak, took their great fleets to war believing they would be victorious.

The Ormong dragged on for two bitter years, although the destruction of critical resources was mercifully (for the Empire) little, as each side sought to capture rather than destroy such facilities as shipyards, starbases and mining facilities. One by one the House fleets either fell, or were forced to ally in order to remain competitive, until only three competitors remained. The first, the House of Duras, a relatively minor and little-known House that had remained in the fight largely due to the fortune of being located out of the lines of advance of the other two, and who had slowly consolidated their power whilst the others slugged it out. The second, the House of Mur'Eq, an ancient and revered House with many supporters although a little too focused on tradition and hierarchy, and the third, the House of LoS, another relatively young House but one with many political connections and considered to be modern and forward thinking. Toth, head of the House of Duras, probed and struck at the two much larger Houses largely ignored, until one of his raids was a little too successful, and Rynar, head of the House of Mur'Eq diverted his main attack fleet to strike at Duras holdings. This opened up a weak point, allowing Lorak, head of the House of LoS to press the advantage and take Qo'noS, further cementing the support he had with the High Council.

Lorak ascended as Chancellor of the High Council‏‎ in 2260, and he began his reign with two extraordinary acts. The first was reconciliation with the Houses of Mur'Eq and Duras. There was no dishonour in their defeat, he claimed, and it provided no proof of their involvement in Duraks murder. Two years of bitter civil war, although seeing many glorious battles, had cost the lives of Klingon Warriors who could have seen greater glory and better deaths facing their true enemy, the Federation. This led to his second act; an enormous rearmament programme and an aggressive system of reforms in the Klingon Defence Force to challenge the Federation along the Korvat Treaty border. (Some historians mark this as the moment the Klingon Empire withdrew from the treaty, however it was not officially revoked until 2266.)

Part of the power of the new Chancellor was his team of trusted advisers, who themselves would become famous (or infamous) figures in Klingon history. His Chief Advisor during his time as a council member, now Chief of Staff Gorkon, first came to be noticed in Imperial politics during this time, as did two of his military advisers who had served him as Fleet Captains during the Ormong of 2258, Koord and Chang.

As part of the new Lorak Doctrine, no single system, no single world on the Federation border was to be given up without quarrel or conflict. Whilst not always resorting to armed conflict, as full-scale war was not entirely desirable at that point, no respite could be given. Klingon forces could not be seen to back down from any conflict, no matter how minor. There would be no quarter given to the Federation and Starfleet, and none taken. The border grew wider, as Klingon and Federation colonist alike spread to new worlds in the area, each assured by their governments that they would be protected by any aggression from the other. This gunboat diplomacy led to a number of minor skirmishes over the next six years, until finally tensions rose to the point that war was unavoidable.

In 2266, a dispute over the world of Organia, the fourth planet in the Organia System led to a diplomatic crisis between the Federation and the Klingon Empire. Whilst outwardly the diplomats of both powers attempted to find a resolution, both governments deployed their forces for war, the Klingon Defence Force dispatching two fleets for an invasion of the sector. This would also see the first deployment of Romulan forces outside of minor probing forces in the Romulan-Federation Neutral Zone (although their ultimate contribution to the conflict was minor).

The resulting "4-Day War" came to an abrupt end due to the unforeseen powers of the Organians themselves, but it had brought the galaxy to the brink of war on a scale not seen since the Earth-Romulan War. The resulting Organian Peace Treaty was loathed by all signatories, but, with the power of the Organians forcing their hands, they had little choice.

Although this development seriously stunted the Lorak Doctrine, his popularity soared. He after all was not to blame for the meddlesome Organians interference, and even the Federation and their vaunted science were unable to overcome them. Had it not been for them, it was thought, the Klingon Defence Force would have prevailed easily. The 4-Day War was seen as a victory in all but name, although those in strategic and tactical planning knew otherwise. In truth, the Organians had given both sides a "Victory" and spared them a defeat, whilst also revealing the critical weaknesses of each others organisation, tactics and equipment. Further fleet reforms were enacted.

In 2268 there was an enormous blow to Klingon-Romulan strategic planning when in a stunningly brazen incident for the Federation, a working Cloaking Device was captured from a Romulan D6A Class Heavy Cruiser. Although the Romulans initially feared this would lead to Starfleet deploying Cloaking Devices of their own, the end result was perhaps even more damaging; Starfleet instead began deploying huge nets of highly sensitive sensor probes along the Klingon-Federation and Romulan-Federation Neutral Zones. These new sensor probe nets allowed the tracking of most ship movements for an entire sector, and most critically, to detect cloaked ships at short range. Fortunately for Klingon and Romulan strategic planning, it would take several years before these nets would be completed, leaving several gaps in the network until then, and time to formulate a response.

At the same time, the disorganised nature of starship command had reached a critical point in the Klingon Defence Force. Under the influence of powerful Houses such as the House of Kor and the House of Moltak, warship Commanders were often not the best suited for the task, but those with the best connections, those born to the right families and with the best opportunities presented to them by birth and blood. Those with brilliance but not birthright often floundered in the ranks, and if raised to command positions, suffered from discrimination and classism. This had long been the case throughout Klingon history, and as a rule had functioned without great problems, but the issues of commanding increasingly complex warships against now even more varied foes in even more complex tactical situations was beyond mere family tutelage. A professional Officer Corps was required if the Empire was to continue to succeed in military matters.

Chang, recently promoted to General for his role in the 4-Day War strongly opposed such favouritism, and sought to change this status quo. Lorak was initially sceptical, keen not to stir up tensions with the House of Kor and other traditionalists further. However, after Chief of Staff Gorkon also saw the advantages of a new, merit based Officer Corps, Lorak agreed, and in 2270, the Klingon Defence Force Elite Command Academy was founded on Qo'noS, with Chang serving as Dean and the sole Instructor for the inaugural term.

In 2271 the Klingon Defence Force faced a terrifying new threat. An entity known later as V'Ger entered Klingon space, and in response the KDF sent a task force of three newly refit D7C qItI'tinga' (Great Powerful Conqueror) Class Heavy Cruisers, led by the IKS Amar. All three are quickly lost, with no damage inflicted on V'Ger. The lost of three brand new Cruisers causes alarm in the Empire, although subsequent intelligence on the nature and power of the V'Ger Entity and how close the Federation came to disaster during the Incident soon allayed fears of weakness.

As the Klingo-Federation Cold War (as the stalemate after Organia had come to be known) dragged on, many Klingon Captains saw independent, officially unauthorised raids across the border as the only way to strike at their hated enemy. If successful, they would bring great honour to their House and to the Empire. If a failure, they would be denounced as renegades and traitors, but the Empire would not lose face. It was a high stakes game. The first of these raids commenced in 2283, with Commander Kruge attempting to seize the plans of a rumoured Federation super-weapon, the Genesis Device. Although ultimately unsuccessful in recovering plans of the device, Kruge did confirm it's existence and knowledge of how the device functioned, although he lost his life and his E12 B'Rel (Bird of Prey) Class, IKS Qel'Poh, in the process.

Following the "Genesis Incident", the Klingon Empire lodged official complaints with the Federation Council. Ambassador Kamarag called for Admiral James T. Kirk‏‎ to face punishment for the death of Commander Kruge and his crew, and the theft of the IKS Qel'Poh. Little was done however, even after Kirk‏‎ and his now renegade crew used the stolen craft to illegally time travel during the Whale Probe Crisis in 2284. Tensions rose further when, as a result of this temporal incursion, Kirk‏‎ was "punished" by being broken from Admiral to Captain, and given the command of the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-A).

In 2285, an unusual incident occurred on Nimbus III, the "Planet of Galactic Peace". Established as a joint effort between the Federation, the Klingon Empire and the Romulan Star Empire to show mutual cooperation was possible, by 2285 it was in reality a lawless and feral colony long forgotten by all three powers. The representatives of all three powers, Federation Ambassador St. John Talbot, Romulan Ambassador Caithlin Dar and Klingon Ambassador General Koord were ostensibly taken hostage by a renegade emotional Vulcan named Sybok, reputedly a half-brother to renowned Starfleet Officer Spock. The details of the Sybok Incident have never been made entirely clear by any of the three governments involved, but it did lead to a temporary easing of tensions between the Federation and the Klingo-Romulan Alliance.

However, this new spirit of communication and compromise was soon lost when during a border dispute over the Suah'Dron System. The system was rich in mineral resources, sought after by both sides, especially by the Klingon Empire. The Hydran Kingdoms had begun their resurgence after over a century in exile, and so the Klingon Empire and her Lyran allies required war materiel to repel the unusually powerful Hydran Royal Navy.

Seeking a peaceful resolution, the Federation requested that representatives from the two competing parties meet above Organia and ask the Organians to intercede as a neutral party. The Klingon Ambassador requested that their allies be represented also, leading to the Federation requesting a representative from the Gorn Confederacy also be present. It seemed as if this might herald the start of a new age of cooperation, with the races of the galaxy meeting in congress to discuss issues. Upon reaching Organia however, the small Consular fleet found the planet deserted.

Who shot first is still disputed, but with the linchpin of galactic peace now gone, within hours battleplans were in motion and fleets were moving towards borders. The Organian Conflict had begun. The Klingon Empire, along with the Lyran Star Kingdom and the Romulan Star Empire formed a superbloc known as the Coalition. For the sake of brevity, the execution of the war won't be summarised here, sufficed to say that after four years, all the powers of the galaxy were war-weary and battered. The Empire itself was on the brink of disaster, with Starfleet ready to launch a final, war-winning offensive into Klingon space. Even for the Klingons, there can be such a thing as too much war.

It was then, in 2289, that a strange signal came from Organia. All the warring powers were summoned, even the now resurgent Hydran Kingdoms. There were only two conditions; Only one ship from each power could attend, and Frigate-Class only. In a dark mirror of the Consular mission of 2285, a small fleet massed at Organia under a flag of truce. It was then the Organians returned, in a blaze of light from a Subspace Portal. Behind their vessel were the vessels of an unknown power. The Organians announced that they had departed the galaxy to try and deal with an unknown threat, and they had witnessed (from afar, it seemed) the destruction wrought in their absence, at a time when the galaxy needed unity to face the very threat they had left to face. In response, they had returned and brought with them the forces of the Interstellar Concordium. If the powers of the galaxy could not work together peacefully by choice, the Concordium would force them to comply. The Organian Conflict was over; The War of Pacification had begun.

With the Klingon Defence Force weakened from years of attrition, there was little the Empire could do to oppose the ISC. Indeed, none of the powers of the galaxy could hope to stand against them alone. The Concordium soon flexed their engineering as well as their military muscle, building chains of starbases to separate the formerly warring powers. A resistance movement soon starts in the Empire, with secret messages sent to the Lyran Star Kingdom and the Romulan Star Empire. Initial hit and fade attacks were successful, but a poorly coordinated strike by Lyran forces accidentally sparked a war with the Mirak Star League. ISC retribution against the Mirak (who were seen as "retaliating") was swift and terrible, with their homeworld of Miras and their main naval base of Annwyn irradiated with all life eradicated. The Imperial Lyran Navy was all but broken by ISC, with surviving Ducal Fleets fleeing to Klingon space. The Lyran Star Kingdom was saved from the same fate as the Mirak Star League due to their alliance with the Klingon Empire, the Mirak being made example of. However, the Lyran homeworld of Lyra was still subject to invasion by ISPF Pacification Teams, their aim being to effect political change within the Star Kingdom and break the centuries-old alliance. In the chaos that followed, the Lyran ruler, King-Emperor Charhthos VI was killed. The resulting political unrest destabilised the Lyran Star Kingdom, and they entered a period of brutal civil war.

Losing their oldest ally shook the Klingon people, but filled them with resolve. Romulan efforts against the Interstellar Concordium had also intensified, and the Imperial Intelligence Service learned that the Gorn Confederacy, the Hydran Kingdoms (no doubt not keen to lose their new found freedoms) and even the peace loving Federation had begun to actively resist ISC interference in their affairs. By 2290, the resistance had formed into a cohesive, galaxy wide movement, and the Concordium was, unthinkably to them only a year before, losing ground. Towards the end of the year, with the war going well, thoughts turned to finally resolving the outcome of the Organian Conflict. At a meeting at the neutral Korvat System on the Klingon-Romulan border, the Federation Trill diplomat Curzon Dax met with Ambassador Kamarag. Unfortunately, the meeting was sabotaged by the Klingon Terrorist known as "The Albino" and Federation Captain Lawrence Styles was killed after an explosive device was remotely detonated in the conference room.

In 2291, Chancellor Lorak was struck with an unknown illness. There were thoughts that he had been poisoned like his predecessor, especially if the Interstellar Concordium had a hand in it, but Imperial physicians confirmed it was a natural, if unknown to them, ailment. Although he recovered from his initial bout of the disease, soon his rivals in the High Council saw their moment, amid the turmoil of the War of Pacification. The House of G'Iogh, long a controversial and upstart House, started a new Ormong against the ailing Chancellor, led by Kalnor. This was soon put down above Qo'noS by the courageous actions of General Chang in a personal duel with Kalnor, although he lost an eye in the process. However, scant months later Kalnor's half-brother, Melkor, continued his family's bid for power, in what became known as the Ormong of 2291, arguably the most destructive and costly in Klingon history. This forced the Empire out of the War of Pacification, and the political ramifications of Romulan involvement in Melkor's plot abruptly ended the 43-year Klingo-Romulan Alliance. Worst of all, the war had cost the Empire the Tal'Ihnor Gates System, destroyed by Melkor in the Tal'Ihnor Disaster‏‎. This system was the Empire's chief source of energy production.

Chief of Staff Gorkon was named Chancellor of the High Council‏‎, although the Ormong had also cost him his friendship with Chang. He attempted to reconcile with his old friend by appointing him as his new Chief of Staff, a seemingly successful move, although little did Gorkon know the anger and feelings of betrayal that still burned in Chang for Gorkon's pro-Federation views. In the aftermath of the Ormong of 2291, there was an undeclared border war, as Klingon forces hunted down remaining Romulan ships inside their borders.

In 2292, Melkor (believed to have been killed over Qo'noS) returned from exile in Romulan space. Careful not to repeat past mistakes, he overthrew and imprisoned Chancellor Gorkon, and declared himself Warlord of the Klingon Empire, in the style of Kahless' hated enemy Molor. With the Federation Prime Fleet occupied in the Galactic Fringe, Melkor ordered the Klingon Defence Force across the Neutral Zone and launched a devastating surprise attack on the Federation Reserve Fleet in the Pearl System, beginning the General War. This war brought the Gorn Royal Navy to Qo'noS itself, and finally saw Melkor slain in the Tal'Ihnor Nebula‏‎, a tomb of his own creation. Despite the shame this defeat brought to the Empire, it was understood by all that these had been the actions of a renegade and a tyrant, and the conflict did in fact do much to finally heal the wounds between the Federation and the Empire. Chancellor Gorkon was restored to power.

In 2293, due to overmining caused from extreme energy shortages after the Tal'Ihnor Disaster‏‎, the Klingon moon, Praxis, exploded. This critically damaged the atmosphere of the homeworld. Now desperately requiring Federation aid (and science, to hopefully reverse the damage), Chancellor Gorkon sought peace with the Federation. Unfortunately, this set in motion plans laid by Chief of Staff Chang (see "Praxis Incident" ). Although Chancellor Gorkon was assassinated, his peace overtures were eventually completed by his daughter and successor, Chancellor Azetbur. Ultimately, these overtures became the Khitomer Accords, amongst other things, ending the 80-year Klingo-Federation Cold War.

## Politics

The Klingon Empire is operated as a loose Oligarchy, with the heads of powerful Great Houses forming a High Council, led by a Chancellor. This Chancellor of the High Council‏‎ may determine at will how to run the Empire, including which Houses are to be have seats on the High Council and which are to be discommended (i.e their lands and property seized by the state) although, all decisions run the risk of disapproval from the rest of the council. Absolute power is reigned in by the approval of this council, and by the principle that any leader of a Klingon Great House with a seat on the High Council (or other, extenuating circumstances) may challenge the Chancellor in combat for the right to the seat if they believe (and can prove to the High Council, or otherwise have their support) that the Chancellor has failed in their duty. This is a continuation of the principle that governs the interaction of all challenges in Klingon society.

Houses are directly responsible for their areas of space, although not to the degree of some Feudal powers. House fleet function as personal forces in the case of civil wars (Ormongs) and as local policing, anti-piracy and border patrol forces. Houses are also heavily involved in the shipbuilding and research sectors of Klingon society, which can often be somewhat of a double edged sword. Whilst this naturally breeds competition and rivalry, leading to better designs, faster production times and the like, it can also lead to needless duplication of designs and facilities, inefficiency due to different bureaus refusing to work cooperatively (unless under threats of discommendation, in some cases) and more often than not, frequent honour duels to settle disputes in contracts, delays and other "business squabbles".

Although considered a state for the Klingon people, there are a number of resident, affiliate and even slave species in the Klingon Empire. Orions are tolerated, if only for the trouble that the Orion Pirate Cartels cause the Federation but, few are ever welcomed as members of society. Lyrans, conversely, are welcomed as allies, and are treated almost as equals, as indeed most martial races are. The definition of a "citizen" in Klingon society is not so much who is Klingon by birth, but who is Klingon by spirit. Some Romulans, traditionalists disturbed by the societal changes in the Star Empire over the last century, have made their home in the border worlds. There are many slave species, known simply in Klingon tongue as "QeHpu'" meaning "unseen". These have no rights, and toil away in mines, factories and other industrial hardships in unspeakable conditions.

### Criticism

Naturally, objections from "civilised" powers that refuse to use slave castes are many, but the Klingon Empire argues that if these "QeHpu'" were strong, they could free themselves, therefore it is a fate they have chosen for themselves through their own weakness. The Federation has also, over the years since first contact with the Klingon Empire in 2218, put out much propaganda that the Klingon people are a barbaric and warlike race. Whilst there is some basis in reality for the claims of aggression and conquest, the Klingon people are as cultured and steeped in history and civilisation as any other race, and the Federation has hardly been immune from criticism on the Imperialistic front even in the last century.

## Important Star Systems

Qo'noS System

Tal'Ihnor Gates System (formerly)

Rura Penthe System

Qitlh VaS System

chu'Degh System

## See Also

United Federation of Planets

Romulan Star Empire

Lyran Star Kingdom