Klingon Empire Update I

The Klingon Empire is rich in intrigue and political history and is centered around the planet Qo'noS (pronounced 'Kronos'), which is almost invarible referred to as the Klingon Homeworld.

The Klingon Empire was founded approximately 1,500 years ago by the revered warrior Kahless the Unforgettable. He finally unites the Klingon people after killing his evil tyrant brother Morath with the Klingon sword of honour, known as the bat'telh.

The homeworld of the Klingon Empire is Qo'noS (Qo'noS), and First City is its large and sprawling captial. It was once an enormous fortress, and its architecture reflects a military sensibility in its ease of defense and spartan decoration.

First City's skyline is dominated by the immense structure known as the Great Hall - the ceremonial building which functions as a parliament, a supreme court and a public square for the Klingon people, and from which the Klingon High Council rules its interplanetary empire.

Because of its unique function of providing a common meeting place within a warlike society, First City is designated neutral ground among the many political factions within the Empire.

The Klingon definition of neutral conduct, however, does not appear to preclude acts of assault, assassination, and kidnapping, providing they are carried out discreetly.

Political Facts
Although an Empire in name, the Klingon Empire is actually ruled by the Klingon High Council with the leader of the council assuming authority through a complex Rite of Succession

From the 21st Century to 2369, a period which includes the disastrous first contact between humans and Klingons in 2218, the High Council assumes complete rule in the Empire. However, in 2369, a clone of Kahless is produced by the monks of Boreth, using blood from a religious relic, and is hailed as the original Kahless. Although this claim is quickly disproved, the clone is recognized as rightful heir to the throne and installed as the ceremonial Emperor of the Klingon People.

Change of Course
By this time, the Klingon is at peace with the Federation - a startling departure for a naturally warrior race. However, the circumstances that causes the end of hostilities are as much about economic realities as they are about peaceful intentions

In 2293 one of Homeworld's moons Praxis, is almost completely destoryed. At the time Praxis is a key energy-production facility, but overmining and insufficient safety precautions, exacerbated by a economy stretched to its limits by mility expenditures, leads to a catastrophic explosion.

Under Threat
The ecological effects of this disaster threatens to deplete the oxygen in the Homeworlds atmosphere and because of the planets importance to the Klingon Empire contempory Starfleet estimates conclude that the Empire can last no longer than Qo'noS itself - about fifty years. These estimates match those make within the Klingon government.

With the Klingon economy now in taters, Gorkon, the leader of the High Council, takes the historic step to sue for peace. The resulting diplomatic initiatives undertaken in light of this threat lead to a descades-long peace between the United Federation of Planets and the Klingons, and change the balance of political power in the Galaxy.

Planet Qo'noS
Class M Reg. No 5
Also known as Kling, Klingon Homeworld
Native Name Qo'noS
Primary Star Orange binary
Surface 85% Silicate|15% Water
Atmosphere Oxygen/Carbon Dioxide
Description Hot; Dry
Moons Unknown Number
Life Forms Primarly Humanoid

Important Features Homeworld of the Klingon world:
The planet tilts severely on its axis, resulting in great seasonal changes. Cooler by a few degrees at the Poles. (Starship Log StarTrek VI: The Undiscovered Country, StarTrek:TNG 'Sins of the Father', 'Redemption Pt1', 'Unification Pt1')

The Rulers of the Empire:
Emperor Currently the Clone Kahless
Leader of the High Council Currently Martok

The High Council
Despite the presence of a so-called Emperor, the real seat of power in the Klingon Empire is the High Council. The Council is usually composed of 24 members, and they meet at the ancient Great Hall in the First City

NOTABLE KLINGONS
Worf: The first and only Klingon to have so far joined Starfleet, currently serves the Empire as the Federation Ambassador.

K'mpec: A High Council leader. He chose Captain Jean-Luc Picard as his Arbiter of Succession

The Duras Sisters: Ambitious for a position normally beyond Klingon women, the Duras Sisters make a play for power - but lose out to the guns of the USS Enterprise NCC-1701-D

Facts
~Klingons cannot cry, even if they wanted to - they have no tear ducts
~Klingons have a ritual bonding ceremony known as R'uustai in which participants can become brothers and sisters.
~Klingons have a duty to try to kill their superiors
~Klingons value their male offspring; the son of a Klingon is a warrior the day he is able to hold a blade.
~The actual name of the language is 'Klingonese'
~In 2267, Korax, a Klingon, stated that half the quadrant was learning the language in preparation for Klingon domination.
~A mediator, Riva, introduced Klingons to the term 'peacemaker'
~Rivals and enemies for nearly a century, Klingons are first encounted by the Federation in 2218. Only with the Khitomer Accords is an uneasy peace established with one of the Galaxy's most fearsome races.

The Race Itself
Klingons are a warrior people, originating on the planet Qo'noS. Proud, aggressive and with an almost religous regard for tradition and honor, Klingons have had a military orientation as far back as their historical records show, and their warlike attitude make them a power to be feared and respected on a Galactic scale.

Klingons have a genetic predisposition to combat. They are immensely strong, and are able to sustain serious injury yet remain functional, thanks to their unique biological structure, which incorporates duplication of all essential organs to allow for damage to vital bodily functions. This is known as brak'lul in the Klingon language, and is what makes Klingons superb warriors in close-quarters combat.

However, such hardiness is not matched by Klingon medical technology, advanced though they are in many other fields. This is primarily due to the fact that, in Klingon society, death in battles is the ultimate vindication of Klingon life, to be celebrated as the freeing of the warriors spirit. Indeed, a wounded Klingon unable to face his enemies is expected to perform the ritual of Hegh'bat - literally, The Time to Die - a ritualized suicide akin to the rite of Seppuku practiced in the Japanese islands of Earth, until the 20th Century.

In common with many races in this sector of the Galaxy, Klingon DNA is compatible with that of Earth humans, and crossbreeds, although are rare, are not unknown. This is due to their common origin four billion years ago when a humanoid progenitor race seeded Class-M planets with their own DNA.

The Old Quarter
A typical example of Klingon culture can be found in the Old Quarter of First City. One form of popular entertainment for its inhabitants is to frequent local nightclubs which, to non-Klingon sensibilities, appear to be sophisticated country clubs run by gangs of criminal thugs.

Indeed, the level of recreational violence in First CIty nightclubs is so high that it is not unusual for criminal acts to occur in full view of the clientele, who are not in the lest destracted or disturbed. But this side of the Klingon personality should not detract from the Klingon sense of honor - especially in battle.

A Code of Honor
Sacred to all Klingons is Kahless the Unforgettable - an inspiration to generations of Klingon warriors following his monumental fight against his own brother, Morath, with whom he battled for twelve days and twelve nights becauyse Morath had dishonored their family by the telling of a lie.

The Klingon commander Kang is one of the first Klingons to realize that victory can arise from peacful cooperation with humans. He joins forces with Captain James T. Kirk in 2268, when the crews of the two commanders are held captive by the Beta XII-A entity. By choosing a peacful strategy, Kirk and Kang successfully defeated the entity.

Another advocate for the cause of peace with the Federation is Chancellor Gorkon, leader of the High Council. But the hostile side of Klingon nature is revealed in 2293, when he is assassinated - though too late to destory the peace process. Even so, it is characteristic of the Klingons that for every peacemaker there is a warmonger waiting in the wings.