Klingon-LDR Incident

In Y154, the Orion Daven Cartel contracted with the LDR to supply three ships to operate as part of the LDR fleet in defense of LDR territory. Hamilcar Cartel, which had also bid on this contract (and lost), was not at all pleased, as the long-term possibilities threatened their interests in the area. To counteract this, Hamilcar used agents planted within the Klingon ISF "Maximum Veracity Directorate" to misconstrue information so that Hamilcar "activities" within Klingon territory would be blamed on Daven.

Due to the complexities of the situation, LDR/Klingon relations were being handled at the highest levels of the Klingon Empire. As these were "external" affairs, and the ISF was by definition "internal”, the ISF and MVD were not kept up-to-date on developments and had to rely on their own sources of information. As a result, there was much disinformation about the LDR within the ISF, which the machinations of the Hamilcar agents only made worse.

The border region between the Klingon Empire and the Lyran Star Empire (which included the border with the LDR) was a quiet one. It was very much regarded as a dead end to the careers of the officers assigned there. Activities that might risk activating that border as a war zone were not sanctioned by the Klingon (or Lyran) High Command, and hence there was no opportunity to gain glory in battle, unless one managed to catch an elusive Orion.

In Y157, having learned that the Daven mercenaries would be at an LDR world near the Klingon border for R&R on a given day, Hamilcar decided to provoke an "event." For a month prior to E-Day, Hamilcar used most of its available ships to stage convoy raids in Klingon space along the LDR border, specifically to stir up a hornet's nest; the ISF obligingly responded by sending an F5 squadron to reinforce the area. At the same time, the agents planted within MVD began "leaking" the fact that the LDR/Daven agreement had been expanded to allow Daven raiders a base within LDR space; the agents were so successful that the increased activity led the MVD to believe that the LDR was, in fact, cooperating with the Orions and "sponsoring" their activities, and warned field commanders of this possibility!

On E-Day, Hamilcar staged a raid on a Klingon convoy transporting colonists and supplies to a "Warrior Colony" world. Hamilcar deliberately left one escort ship alive long enough to scream for help, while the Hamilcar ships systematically destroyed the transports and took many colonists as prisoners. As the ISF raced to the rescue, the Hamilcar ships broke off their attack and headed out - on a direct course to the LDR world where the Daven mercenaries were enjoying R&R. Once out of range, they cloaked (all three ships having cloaking devices ALSO not being a coincidence) and quietly departed the area.

Commodore Kroal was the ISF Sector Commander. At this point, all he knew was that the raiders had left on course for an LDR world (true), and that the LDR was allowing Orion ships to operate in their territory (false); he assumed that this was the initial raid from Orions operating from LDR space that he had been warned about (false). The Commodore decided to end the menace to the Empire by entering LDR space with every ship he could and destroying everything in his path, thus teaching the "cowardly furballs who did not even fight their own wars" a lesson.

From the north came a hastily organized strike group built around the D6J *Gehenna*. This force hoped to reach the LDR "capital" and cripple its repair capabilities. En route they encountered a scratch force of LDR ships determined to defend their homeland. Captain Koda, in command of the Klingon Strike Force, determined to win a cheap victory before moving on. It was not to be cheap, as the LDR strategic reserve was only moments away from engaging as well.

Captain Kruze's Frigate Squadron was the northernmost on the Hydran border, and having just left the base at the angle where Klingon, LDR, and Hydran space conjoined, he was in excellent position to sally into LDR space. Kruze intended to raid LDR shipping and avoid a decisive engagement. He found what he thought was a convoy and moved in to attack.

Unfortunately for Kruze, the convoy was not a convoy, but a detachment of the LDR fleet hastily gathered when Kruze's squadron had been detected on the sensors of an LDR base. So it was that Kruze attacked the only LDR unit in the sector, which he had sought to avoid.

## Aftermath

Leaders of the Klingon and LDR realized what happened and quickly came to peace terms. The captured Klingon ships were returned and the Klingon agreed to repair the damaged LDR base station. The

At the next meeting of the heads of the Orion Cartels, a compromise between Daven and Hamilcar was forced to prevent open warfare. Daven withdrew its mercenaries from LDR employment, while Hamilcar was forced (as punishment) to never operate within LDR territory again.

Commodore Kroal was broken and dismissed from the Empire's service; he was not even allowed the chance to redeem himself by service on a penal ship.

Captain Koda returned to the Empire, where his desire to be transferred off the penal ship was granted. He was court martialed and executed less than two standard weeks after rejoining the DSF.

## Battles

Kroal’s Illegitimate War (SH124)
Pressing An Advantage (SH125)
The Sally (SH126)