The Path to 2409

[daBelgrave]

Volume 10, Chapter 1
Infighting continued among the leaders of the Romulan colony worlds. While basic needs were being met and Starfleet was delivering supplies and replicators to every world that would accept their help, the Romulans lacked a stable government and the chain of command of the military was chaotic.

Throughout the course of 2389, five Romulans tried to size the emperor's throne, more than two dozen people declared themselves praetor, and at least a dozen more claimed the role of supreme commander of the Romulan fleet. Most of these erstwhile leaders fell prey to quick assassinations. A fortunate few were simply ignored.

Federation analysts agreed that the Romulan Star Empire would remain in turmoil until there was a leader who was able to command the allegiance of the majority of the colony worlds. Federation diplomatic teams attempted to organize a conference where representatives from each of the colony worlds could take the first steps to establishing a new government and choosing leaders, but the Romulans could not even agree on where the meeting should be held and the plan collapsed.

Volume 10, Chapter 2
The Klingon Empire took advantage of the confusion with lightning strikes into Romulan space. The empire took control of the Tranome Sar and Nequencia systems in a matter of days, and was poised to strike deeper into Romulan territory.

The Klingons temporarily halted their advance when Starfleet sent a fleet to protect the Romulan/Klingon border, but tensions remained high and there were reports of minor skirmishes between Federation and Klingon starships.

The campaign to conquer Romulan space was not the only military conflict the Klingon Empire was engaged in during 2389. Their conflict with the Gorn, which had quieted after the battle for Gila IV, erupted again when the two powers struggled for control of the Gamma Orionis system.

The Gorn took the advantage when King Slathis negotiated with the Nausicaans, who agreed to contribute ships and weapons to the Gorn war efforts in exchange for rights to several asteroid belts and a substantial payment. The Klingons refused to give up the fight for Gamma Orionis, winning several battles even when outnumbered, and Starfleet Intelligence reported that there were no signs that the conflict would end anytime soon.

Volume 10, Chapter 3
In addition, internal strife divided the Klingon noble houses. On Stardate 66091.53, Aakan of the House of Mo'kai slew K'das, son of B'vat. The death reignited a century-long blood feud between the two houses, and B'vat threw all his efforts into hunting down every member of the House of Mo'kai.

Allies of both of the noble families entered into the fight, but in the end, Aakan was the last of his house. After Aakan flees Qo'noS, he was run to ground by agents of the House of B'vat, who cornered him on H'atoria on Stardate 66306.71. Two days later, B'vat defeated Aakan in ritual combat, and Chancellor Martok formally dissolved the House of Mo'kai.

Volume 10, Chapter 4
The Cardassians took a major step towards self-sufficiency when they voted to replace the Reconstruction Committee with democratically-elected leaders. In the weeks leading up to the election, two groups dominated the debate: a civilian coalition with Elim Garak as a prominent member, and a hardliner group calling for the Cardassians to withdraw from the Federation-Cardassian Treaty of 2386 and re-establish the military.

Garak's coalition won a narrow victory, and in its first act reformed the Detapa Council. The council faced its first controversy when it voted to send six ships to assist the Federation's recovery efforts in Romulan space; even though polls showed that most Cardassians felt that they should reserve their resources. The Federation Council's decision to cut funding for Cardassian reconstruction by 30 percent made aid to the Romulans even less popular, and support for the council plummeted.

Speaking to reporters from the shattered remains of the University of Culat, Elim Garak defended the council's actions. "We've seen what suspicion and backroom deals have brought us," Garak said. "We know what happens when we turn our backs on the rest of the galaxy and just worry about what happens on our own street, in our own city, on our own planet. Maybe it's time to try something different."

One of the first industries to be restarted in Cardassian space was mining. A former member of the military, Gul Madred, aquired the rights to several mineral-rich planetoids and began building a large mining operation in the Septimus system.

Volume 10, Chapter 5
Federation President Nanietta Bacco focused on smoothing relations between Vulcan and other worlds of the Federation. She and Ambassador Jean-Luc Picard did much to soothe the wounds caused by the revelation that the Vulcans may have known about the threat of the Hobus supernova.

On Stardate 66839.72, the Federation Council announced the results into an investigation of the Hobus supernova and the Vulcan Science Academy's rsearch into red matter manipulation. The council decided that the Vulcans may not have realized the full extent of the threat of the Hobus supernova, as the explosion was greater and more violent than any supernova previously recorded. In addition, the chain reaction of the detonation could not have been predicted, and the council recommended that the event be studied further.

However, the council criticized the Vulcan Science Academy for creating red matter without consulting or informing Federation authorities. In a speech before the Federation Council, Councilor T'Los of Vulcan expressed regret if any of the actions or inactions of her people caused harm to the Federation.

She announced that all of the academy's red matter was on board the Jellyfish when it disappeared, and that the Vulcan Science Academy pledged to do no further red matter manipulation research without the full knowledge and cooperation of the Federation Science Council.

To the Romulans, she directed a single statement: "We grieve with thee."

At the end of her address, T'Los said that was only logical to change who speaks for Vulcan, as the past year made it clear that she was inadequate to the task. She resigned from the Federation Council and returned home.

Volume 10, Chapter 6
In the courts, the case of the photonic lifeform known as The Doctor made a small advancement after years of being stalled in hearings and appeals.

On Stardate 66954.79, a Federation judge ruled that the lawsuit could be expanded into a class-action suit encompassing all sentient artificial lifeforms in the Federation. "This is about more than one being and a mobile emitter," said Alyssa Cogley-Shaw, a lawyer for the Soong Foundation. "This is about basic rights."

Cogley-Shaw said that while the expansion of the lawsuit may mean that it would remain tangled in the courts for years to come, its ultimate resolution may mean an end to the forced servitute of more than six hundred EMH Mark I holograms. And, as Starfleet re-equips more of its starships with holoprojectors to expand the usefulness of photonic "tools" such as the Emergency Command and Emergency Medical Holograms, someday those lifeforms could be considered Starfleet officers with all of the rights and privileges of their rank.

[daBelgrave]

Volume 11, Chapter 1
Raids on civilian ships and settlements along the borders of the Klingon Empire and Gorn Hegemony rose dramatically in 2390. Starfleet identified at least eight places near the border where the Nausicaans were constructing bases hidden in asteroid belts or nebulae.

Starfleet Command did not consider these bases to be a major threat, but the Federation Transport Union, which represented a large number of civilian freighter captains, demanded that Starfleet increase its patrols in the border regions and offer additional protections for civilian shipping traffic.

The debate on what to do raged for much of the year, and the few Starfleet vessels assigned to the region struggled to deal with the swift raider attacks. By the time a starship could respond to a distress signal, it was often too late to catch the Nausicaan ships.

Volume 11, Chapter 2
The tensions between the Gorn and the Klingon Empire, as well as increasing Nausicaan activity in the region, put Starfleet in a position of having to balance the need for defense with the Federation's deteriorating relationship with the Klingons.

Assigning more starships to the border of Klingon space would be seen as a hostile act by the hardliners on the Klingon High Council, and tensions were already high because of the ships that Starfleet was using to reinforce the Romulan border with the Klingon Empire.

The best-case scenario for the Federation, analysts agreed, is if the Klingon and Gorn could find a peaceful solution before the conflict has a chance to engulf nearby worlds. To this end, the Federation offered to mediate talks between the Gorn and the Klingons at a neutral location.

Neither party was overeager to accept "human" meddling in a personal dispute and preliminary talks to hash out the details of the peace conference dragged on for weeks. The process came to an abrupt halt when Chancellor Martok announced that the Klingons would not participate in any negotiations until Starfleet withdrew all of its ships from the Romulan-Klingon border.

Volume 11, Chapter 3
While the campaigns against the Romulans and the Gorn were both extremely popular on Qo'noS, projections by the Klingon Defense Force showed that the Empire's resources were being stretched thin by a two-front war.

The KDF had three recommendations: a rapid increase in ship production, eliminating some of the blocks to non-commissioned soldiers rising to the rank of officer and possibly scaling back the Romulan war in the short term. While there had been victories in Romulan space, the disorganized, displaced Romulans were not deemed to be an immediate threat to the Empire. The Gorn-Nausicaan alliance was.

Ultimately, the Klingons decided to slow their advance into Romulan space. However, they continued to garrison and defend the territory gained in the 2389 campaign.

Volume 11, Chapter 4
The Romulan colony worlds were starting to develop a loose network of alliances and rivalries, but by 2390, none of the potential Romulan leaders was able to unify the worlds under one banner.

Left to their own devices, some of the worlds looked for allies outside the Romulan Star Empire. On Stardate 67620.54, the Romulan colony of Talvath formally requested Federation protection and offered to open talks that could lead to Talvath applying for Federation membership. Some saw this as the first step to the dissolution of the Romulan Star Empire.

A bright spot for the Romulans was Admiral Taris, who was organizing the remaining Romulan ships into a new fleet. In areas with holes in the chains of command, Taris approached each ship captain personally, and outside observers expected her to have the Romulan military fully operational within seven months.

Federation analysts warned that a strong fleet could quickly overwhelm the weak leaders of the colony worlds, and that the Romulans may soon be under military control. For her part, Taris did not publically express an interest in governing the civilian population, and ordered the focus under her control to concentrate on relief efforts and defense of the border regions.

Volume 11, Chapter 5
On Cardassia Prime, the Detapa Council spent most of the year mustering support for a slate of reform measures designed to expand personal freedoms and promote business development. While the population enjoyed its newfound liberty and the Oralian spiritual movement flourishes, many Cardassians were uncertain about this new direction for their world.

The council's task was complicated by Gul Madred and his followers, who used the expansions in freedom of speech and assembly to organize rallies promoting a return to the "true" ways of the Cardassian Union.

A task force made up of scientists assigned to the U.S.S. Pasteur, commanded by Captain Beverly Crusher, and the Cardassian Ministry of Science announced that it had found a possible cure for Yarmin Fel Syndrome. The compound, synthesized from a rare flower that grew in the most remote areas of Cardassia Prime, could not be replicated. Because of the limited supply of the drug, it was expected to be several years before the treatment was fully tested and ready for public use.

Volume 11, Chapter 6
On Earth, the Federation Supreme Court agreed to hear oral arguments from a group of holonovel publishers and programmers seeking to block the class-action lawsuit asking for civil rights for holograms.

The group hired a retired Starfleet rear admiral, Phillipa Louvois of the Judge Advocate General's office, to lead their case and she argued that appearing sentient does not automatically mean a hologram is sentient. Unless the holograms could be determined to be intelligent and self aware, the Acts of Cumberland and the Federation Constitution did not offer them full protection.

The Soong Foundation argued that without full holoemitter technology, it could not bring withnesses to court to speak in their own defense and that court rules precluded remote testimony in matters such as this. The justices granted the Soong Foundation a delay.

Volume 11, Chapter 7
In late 2390, the U.S.S. Enterprise-E returned from a survey of the McAllister C-5 Nebula. Captain Data reported that the Enterprise found residual signs of multiple quantum singularities in the area of the nebula that corresponded to those used by a Delta Quadrant race kwown as Species 8472 to cross from their home dimension.

Unfortunately, the properties of the protostellar nebula in which the singularities were found made definitive identification impossible. If these singularities were used by Species 8472, it was the first sign of them near Federation space.

[daBelgrave]

Volume 12, Chapter 1
Raids by Nausicaan pirates continued to disrupt shipping lines on the edges of Federation space. Angry at what they perceived as a lack of response by Starfleet and the Federation government, the Federation Transport Union recommended that its members refuse official cargos.

This caused a crisis for the Federation government. With so many Starfleet vessels assigned to Romulan and Cardassian relief efforts, the government relied heavily on civilian ships for routine deliveries to Federation worlds. But the union's action threatened everything from shipments of replicators to Alpha Centauri to emergency medical supplies destined for Rutia IV.

Federation President Nan Bacco met with the leaders of the transport union, but the union refused to budge on what it said was an essential safety issue - too many ships and too many crews being lost to Nausicaan raids. Presidential aides suggested that Starfleet vessels assigned to exploration could be rerouted to border defense, but many of those ships were in deep space and it would take them months to return.

Starfleet Command reluctantly agreed to pull back from the Klingon-Romulan border and reassign those ships to patrol the shipping routes. Leaders of some of the Romulan colony worlds howled with indignation that the Federation had broken promises of protection, but those voices were silenced by a sharp rebuke from Admiral Taris.

"We are Romulan. We fight our own battles. I would rather see Romulans die with pride in their hearts and swords in their hands instead of mewing for protection like scared younglings."

Volume 12, Chapter 2
After Starfleet withdrew from the Romulan border, Chancellor Martok agreed to honor his promise to participate in Federation-mediated peace talks with the Gorn. Representatives from the Klingons, Gorn and Nausicaans converged on Deep Space K-7 for the conference, and the Federation sent some of its most celebrated diplomats to oversee the talks.

Initial progress appeared promising, but two days into the conference Ambassador Zogozin of the Gorn was seriously injured by an explosive device hidden in a serving cart. The Klingon, Gorn and Nausicaan delegations made plans for immediate departure, but all are blocked from leaving the station by Starfleet security, which locked down the station during the hunt for Zogozin's attacker.

Two days after the attack, J'dah, a Klingon officer with ties to the extremist groups opposed to Martok's rule, was found dead. Security officers determined that J'dah was killed by a disruptor blast at close range and shoved out an airlock hours after the explosion that injured Zogozin.

If J'dah's body had not snagged on a piece of the station's hull, it may have been lost. Forensic evidence proved that J'dah was the person who planted the explosive that injured the Gorn ambassador, but his killer was never found. Journals left behind in J'dah's quarters indicate that his intended target may have been the Federation negotiation team, all of whom escaped unscathed.

Volume 12, Chapter 3
After the attack on the peace conference at Deep Space K-7, talks between the Klingons and Gorn broke down completely. The Klingons pushed their advance into Gorn territory, and the Gorn, mindful of the need to protect their homeworld, moved ships away from their outlying territories.

King Slathis approached the Letheans for additional assistance, but most outside analysts believed that the Gorn did not have the spare resources to hire Lethean mercenaries and still pay the prices demanded by the Nausicaans for their support.

Victory for the Klingon Empire seemed to be only a matter of time.

Volume 12, Chapter 4
After Starfleet pulls back from the Klingon-Romulan border, hardliners on the Klingon High Council pushed for a resumption of the stalled Romulan campaign. Martok and his followers urged caution, preferring to concentrate on the Gorn war and building up the Klingon Defense Force to pre-Dominion War levels.

Rebuffed by Martok, Councilor J'mpok gathered ship commanders loyal to his house and the houses of his allies and invaded the Zeta Pictoris system. There they clashed with a Romulan fleet commanded by Admiral Taris, and the Romulans forced the Klingons to retreat.

Survivors of the battle reported the appearance of highly advanced starships on the Romulan side, but their existence could not be confirmed. Martok ordered Klingon INtelligence to look into the reports in more detail, and the choS battle group was dispatched to investigate.

Federation political analysts said that while the Klingon hardliners' campaign in the Zeta Pictoris system was a failure, J'mpok's point was made. If Martok was unwilling to lead the Klingons into battle there are others who would do so. The High Council began to divide between those who are loyal to Martok and those who wanted new leadership.

Volume 12, Chapter 5
Taris' victory in the Zeta Pictoris system rallied the Romulans, who were desperately seeking a sign of their former glory. Rator III was the first to proclaim Taris as the leader of the Romulan Star Empire, quickly followed by Achenar Prime and more than a dozen other worlds.

In an address broadcast throughout the empire, Taris said "I am a military commander, and I would prefer to remain so. The seas of politics are rife with submerged hazards and hidden perils, and a wise person does well to avoid them. But my Empire calls and I cannot resist her plea."

Taris called on the leaders of the colony worlds to meet at Rator III to select representatives for a new Romulan Senate and to make plans for a new capital.

A Federation operative inserted into the fleet that departed Romulan space with Sela in 2386 reported that Sela and her followers landed on Makar, an M-class planet in the Beta Quadrant with abundant supplies of decalithium and heavy metals. A humanoid race with technology equivalent to Earth's Iron Age inhabited two of Makar's temperature southern continents, but Sela saw the population as an additional natural resource, and within weeks her forces had hundreds of Makarans working in the mines.

The operative also reported that Sela's ship picked up a signal that was similar to the artificial quantum singularities that the Romulans use to power their warp drives, as well as signs of a massive gravitational field. Sela dispatched two ships to investigate these anomalies.

Volume 12, Chapter 6
The Cardassian Datapa Council scored a major victory when it concluded negotiations with Ferengi Grand Nagus Rom for assistance in rebuilding their industrial complexes.

Rom agreed to provide the funding to rebuild factories, design houses and replication facilities, as well as to return to the Cardassian Ministry of Culture several valuable jevonite artifacts sacred to followers of the Oralians.

In return, Rom received exclusive trade agreements to distribute Cardassian trade goods once the factories reopen. While Rom was mocked by many Ferengi for his lack of lobes when it comes to business, if the deal succeeded it could be one of the mose lucrative arrangements in recent memory.

Volume 12, Chapter 7
On Earth, the Federation Supreme Court ruled in favor of Phiillipa Louvois and the holonovel publishers and programmers she represented, sasying that the Acts of Cumberland would not apply to non-sentient holographic or artificial lifeforms.

The justice returned the Soong Foundation's class action suit to a lower court to determine what defined sentience in a legal sense. Not content with pursuing its agenda only in the courts, the Soong Foundation launched a campaign to lobby Federation worlds to support an amendment that would add rights for artificial lifeforms to the Federation Constitution.

Volume 12, Chapter 8
Responding to the possibility of Species 8472 appearing in Federation space, Starfleet Command assigned a task force to investigate any possible appearances of the race. A skilled team of scientists, diplomats and security experts began to look into any signs that the species was in the Alpha Quadrant and formulate possible plans of action.

As a start to their research, the team conducted extensive interviews with the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise-E, which found the anomalies in the McAllister C-5 Nebula, and former crew members of the U.S.S. Voyager, which was the only Starfleet ship known to have definitive contact with the mysterious aliens.

And, citing the success of the extremely diverse crews of the U.S.S. Titan and her sister ships, Starfleet assigned a committee to consider expanding the admission standards at Starfleet Academy to provide more opportunities for races that are formally allied with the Federation but are not full member worlds. "Not everyone knows a Starfleet captain and can get a personal recommendation," said spokesperson Marie Durant. "That doesn't mean they wouldn't be fine officers."

[daBelgrave]

Volume 13, Chapter 1
News of the race for Federation President dominated news nets for much of the year. President Nan Bacco declined to run again, stating that while she didn't feel right leaving office during the Romulan crisis, "I've been here too long. We need new blood and new ideas."

The popular Bacco didn't endorse a successor, throwing the field open to dozens of potential candidates. Jaed Maz of Trill was frequently mentioned by political commentators, as were Federation Councilors Soron of Vulcan and Kevin Steiner of Terra Nova. Candidates from Bajor, Andoria and Sauria are seen as outside choices.

However, Soron and Charivretha zh'Thane of Andoria never became formal candidates and Steiner abandoned his campaign two months before the election after his ties to the Orion Syndicate were exposed by the Federation News Service. The remaining hopefuls engaged in a fierce campaign in which top issues were aid to the Cardassians and Romulans, the increasing conflicts with the Klingon Empire and whether Starfleet should be expanded to respond to the increasing threats to Federation citizens.

Ultimately, Aennik Okeg of Sauria was elected in a close vote over Jaed Maz, with Bajoran Shad Ona in third place. Okeg, the first Saurian ever to hold the Federation presidency, began his term by offering Maz and Shad places in his cabinet.

Volume 13, Chapter 2
Federation President Aennik Okeg's first state trip took him to Cestus III, where the Klingon Empire agreed to a new round of Federation-moderated talks aimed at ending their war with the Gorn.

While the Federation diplomatic team, led by Alexander Roshenko, hoped for a successful cease fire agreement that would open the door to expand the summit to deal with Klingon-Federation trade and defense agreements that are set to expire in 2394, it quickly became obvious that neither the Klingons nor the Gorn were willing budge.

Three weeks into the talks, representatives for the Klingons and Gorn were still haggling over the official agenda for negotiations, and even a personal appeal to Chancellor Martok by Federation Ambassador Worf failed to speed up the process.

The Federation Council met in emergency session to debate possible incentives the Federation could offer the Gorn and Klingons, but all peace efforts collapsed on Stardate 69259.56 when a Gorn and Nausicaan fleet attacked the Klingon world of Ogat.

Fighting raged around Ogat for more than two weeks before Klingon Defense Forces pushed the Gorn and Nausicaans out of the system. The Klingons denounced the attack as dishonorable and Martok formally pulled the Empire out of all peace negotiations.

Klingon and Gorn ships attacked one another on sight, and when the U.S.S. Montana tried to intervene in one skirmish it was heavily damaged by Klingon disruptor fire.

Volume 13, Chapter 3
Hardliners on the Klingon High Council, led by J'mpok, demanded even more aggressive action against the Gorn after the attack at Ogat, calling for an invasion into the Gorn Hegemony.

When Martok advised caution, suggesting that the fight should be to keep the Gorn out of Klingon space until a new fleet of warships could be launched, J'mpok denounced him as a "weak old man, hiding in his bed instead of meeting all challengers on the field of battle."

Federation political analysts expected the schism on the High Council to come to a head sometime in the next three years, and looked with concern at the growing support for J'mpok and his hawk-like agenda. One of the major houses openly supporting J'mpok was the House of Torg, a former ally of the House of Duras. In fact, Torg's adopted heir, Ja'rod, was the son of Lursa, Duras's sister and an open foe of the Federation who was killed attacking the U.S.S. Enterprise-D in 2371.

Ja'rod, who was on Ogat when it was attacked by the Gorn, survived the battle and entered training with the Klingon Defense Force on Stardate 69637.18.

Volume 13, Chapter 4
On Cardassia Prime, the Detapa Council enacted a series of reform measures designed to promote population growth and economic stability.

Benefits were offered to families with more than one child, and thousands of soldiers displaced when the Cardassian military was disabled were provided with retraining and placement into Cardassia's burgeoning civilian industries. Many former military officers ended up employed by Gul Madred in his mining facilities in the Septimus system.

Madred's mines were operating at such a high capacity that he began exporting kelindide and uridium through Ferengi brokers. His first major buyers were Romulans, who were desperate to rebuild ships and expand their colonies.

Volume 13, Chapter 5
One of the Romulans' construction projects was Rihan, a new capital city on Rator III. The first building completed was used to house meetings of the Romulan Colonial Organizational Committee, which was formed under the direction of Admiral Taris.

The committee completed some initial groundwork for a new government, but was beset by the in-fighting and factionalization that had plagued the Romulans since the destruction of their homeworld.

A group of moderates suggested that the Romulans needed a single figure to focus their energies and cited historical records of Romulan monarchs.

Reminders of Donatra declaring herself empress of a breakaway state troubled some members of the committee, but Admiral Taris indicated that she would support the revival of the monarchy. However, Taris said that any move to crown a ruler must be made by the Romulan people.

[daBelgrave]

Volume 14, Chapter 1
The rapid rise of a new chancellor for the Klingon High Council threw the Empire's relations with the Federation and other major powers into doubt.

"Whether you loved or hated Martok, he was a known quantity," said Starfleet spokesperson Commander Marie Durant. "We simply don't know enough about J'mpok."

Strained relations between the Federation and the Klingon Empire made gathering detailed information about the political situation on Qo'noS difficult.

The task was complicated by the fact that one of J'mpok's first acts was to bar the Federation's ambassador from the Great Hall. Ambassador Worf was a member of the House of Martok and one of Martok's staunchest supporters.

What was known is that tensions rose between Martok and J'mpok for some time. J'mpok and his followers on the council accused Martok of being a weak leader and a puppet for Federation interests. They questioned his close ties to Worf, as well as Martok's willingness to negotiate with the Gorn.

In return, Martok's supporters accused J'mpok of acting dishonorably and undermining the actions of Martok and the Klingon Defense Force during a time of war.

Volume 14, Chapter 2
On Stardate 70437.47, during a debate over whether to send more ships to fight the Gorn, tensions rose to a boiling point. Infuriated by J'mpok's jibes and threats, Martok expelled J'mpok from the High Council and ordered his lands seized and his titles revoked. The House of J'mpok would be dissolved.

Martok's decree only served to further divide the council between followers of Martok and J'mpok, and both sides began preparing for war. Fighting broke out between the groups in the streets of the First City, and reports of ship crews splitting into factions begin filtering back to Klingon Command.

Remembering the damage caused by the civil war after Chancellor K'mpec's death, Martok told advisers that he planned to find a resolution with J'mpok that would end the conflict. On Stardate 70669.86, he ordered J'mpok to meet with him at the Great Hall. Martok then told his bodyguards, the Yan-Isleth, to guard the doors and allow no one to disturb them.

Two hours later, J'mpok opened the doors of the Council Chamber and announced that Martok was dead. J'mpok was now Chancellor of the Empire.

Volume 14, Chapter 3
Drex, son of Martok, challenged J'mpok after his father's death, accusing him of murdering Martok in dishonorable combat. However, Drex was seen by most as callow and unworthy of taking up his father's mantel. B'vat, the Arbiter of Succession, quickly rejected his claim to his father's position.

Undaunted, Drex claimed the Right of Vengeance and challenged J'mpok to combat. Drex was severely injured in the ensuing battle, but J'mpok declined to kill him. Other challengers to J'mpok's claim quickly faded away, and his claim to the position of Chancellor was ratified by the High Council.

The regime change in the Klingon Empire was a major cause for concern for the Federation, and President Okeg recalled Ambassador Worf to Earth for consultations. Ultimately, the Federation decided to take a wait-and-see approach, welcoming J'mpok and inviting him to meet the Federation at his earliest convenience.

In response, J'mpok sent word through an intermediary that while he appreciated Okeg's offer, affairs on the homeworld would keep him occupied for some time.

Volume 14, Chapter 4
Happier news for the Federation was the formal admission of Bajor and Tama Prime as full members. The long process of acclimating the planets' economies and populations to life in the Federation began with a few bumps, although this process was eased somewhat in Bajor's case because of the close ties between Bajor and the Federation since the end of the Cardassian occupation in 2369.

One notable exception to the financial conversion was Quark's Bar, Grill, Gaming House, Holosuite Arcade, Gift Shop and Embassy on Deep Space 9. As a formal embassy for the Ferengi Alliance, it was business as usual at Quark's. Being the best place for free trade in the Bajor Sector brought a significant increase in traffic to Quark's, and the owner was said to be in the market for a moon.

In one of their first ventures as Federation citizens, the Children of Tama worked with Starfleet to open a new linguistic research facility on El-Adrel IV. "Dathon and Picard, at El-Adrel. Picard, his heart open," said Co-director Meltha at the facility's dedication.

Volume 14, Chapter 5
While doing a stellar survey near 2466 PM, the U.S.S. Stargazer-A was contacted by an entity claiming to be from the Metron Consortium.

If this being's claim was correct, it would be the first contact the Federation had with the Metrons since 2267. The being agreed to tour the ship, met with Captain Roma Giordano, and said that while the younger races were still unready for contact, they have made progress.

And the legal fight for civil rights for artificial lifeform hit a snag over the hologram known as "Moriarty." Alerted to its existence in a Starfleet computer, the Soong Foundation sued to have the program released into its custody.

Attorneys for Starfleet argued that Moriarty and his companion were a security risk, and that the program's attempt to take over the U.S.S Enterprise-D in 2369 allowed Starfleet to keep it in indefinite custody to protect the public. "That's just imprisonment without a trial," argued Alyssa Cogley-Shaw, lead attorney for the Soong Foundation. "Since when did Starfleet turn into the Obsidian Order?"

Volume 14, Chapter 6
The Cardassians took a major step toward self sufficiency when Detapa Council member Natima Lang struck an agreement with Reman leader General Lorix. Lorix agreed to sell dilithium and heavy metal ores to the Cardassians, which allowed them to drastically expand their production of ships and warp drives.

By the end of the year, the Cardassians were using Ferengi brokers to sell ships including the Type V Commercial Laboratory throughout the Alpha Quadrant.

The increase in ship production led to more commercial traffic in and out of the Septimus system, where Gul Madred owned several large mining operations. Claiming that his mines were attacked by raiders and that the Cardassian Defense Force could not adequately protect Cardassian citizens, Madred contacted Lamat' Ukan, leader of the Jem'Hadar in the Alpha Quadrant.

Lamat'Ukan sent troops to protect Madred's mines over the protests of the Cardassian government, which saw the presence of the Jem'Hadar as a threat.

Madred argued that hiring private security to protect his property and employees was his right as a business owner, and that if the Jem'Hadar did not break laws or threaten Cardassian citizens it was not the Detapa Council's concern.

Volume 14, Chapter 7
In Romulan space, the Romulan Colonial Organization Committee continued the work of forming a new Romulan government. Several legislative sessions were interrupted by arguments between Admiral Taris and General Tebok about what the role of the Romulan military should be in the new regime.

Tebok swayed a portion of the RCOC with his argument that far-flung areas of the Empire, particularly the areas near Klingon space, could and should be sacrificed in the short-term to strengthen the position of what are now the Romulan core worlds, but Taris countered that it was the duty of the Romulan fleet to keep fighting for every world.

The debate took up much of the later part of the year for the RCOC, but no decision was reached.

[daBelgrave]

Volume 15, Chapter 1
Chancellor J'mpok of the Klingon High Council moved to cement his position by launching the negotiations with Melani D'ian of the Orion Syndicate into high gear.

"Martok was interested in the secrets she claimed to offer, but he knew that any agreement with the Syndicate would be difficult," said Tag Morkek, a political analyst for the Tellar News Service who specializes in Klingon affairs. "The Emerald Empress is slippery. Melani's idea of 'truth' can change from minute to minute."

"Still, J'mpok's House is weak. He's going to need support if he wants to stay in power."

Federation informants inside the Klingon Empire said that the House of J'mpok, which was one of the smallest of the Great Houses, was being pressured by the House of Martok and its allies. J'mpok's rapid rise to the Chancellorship improved the House's prospects, but it lacked resources and ships and its lands in the Pheben system were poor.

"The only thing keeping the House of Martok from declaring open war is Drax," said one anonymous source. "Once he recovers from his wounds, it's only a matter of time."

Volume 15, Chapter 2
On Stardate 71283.12, Melani D'ian met Chancellor J'mpok in person on Ter'jas Mor. After four days of negotiations, the two agreed to sign a non-aggression and mutual defense pact.

In exchange for the Orion Syndicate's allegiance, the Klingon Empire agreed to provvide them with ships and weapons. In addition, Melani D'ian further agreed to share technology and information with the Klingons in exchange for a planet in Klingon space that the Orions could rule as a vassal state.

"Having access to the Syndicate information network could be a huge advantage for the Empire," said Tag Morkek of the Tellar News Service. "Klingon Intelligence is good, but they're not everywhere like the Syndicate is."

As a gift to celebrate their new alliance, Melani sent 1,500 Orion women to be servants in the Great Houses on Qo'noS. melani herself settled into an estate on Tar'jas Mor, and the remaining Orions still on the Orion homeworld made plans to emigrate by the end of 2394.

Volume 15, Chapter 3
The Federation Council condemned the Klingon's alliance with the Orion syndicate as support for criminals, and Starfleet Command vowed to continue pursuing and shutting down Syndicate operations in Federation space.

"There's nothing in the Khitomer Accords that say we need to stand by and let allies of the Klingons sell illegal substances, raid our commercial transports and traffic in restricted technology," said a spokesperson.

In fact, reviews of Starfleet reports showed that Syndicate traffic increased significantly after Melani D'ian seized control, Melanie ruthlessly purged anyone she deems "untrustworthy," and fused the remaining Orions into a unified organization that answered to her alone.

"She's dangerous," admitted Admiral Jorel Quinn on an episode of the Federation News Service program Illuminating the City of Light. "Before, the Syndicate was controllable because there were multiple leaders competing for influence and power. Now Starfleet Command has to dedicate more resources to keeping them in check."

Volume 15, Chapter 4
In Romulan space, the Romulan Colonial Organization Committee completed its initial work to form a permanent government for the Romulan Star Empire. The RCOC narrowly rejected the plan to reform the Romulan monarchy, deciding instead to organize a new Romulan Senate at Nova Roma, the new name for the capital being constructed on Rator III.

The committee offered Admiral Taris, the hero of Zeta Pictoris, the position of Praetor, but the majority of legislative and executive power was held by the reformed Romulan Senate.

Volume 15, Chapter 5
The case at the heart of the fight over the legal status of artificial lifeforms came to a close when the Supreme Court of the Federation ruled that The Doctor is indeed a sentient being, and, as such, he had the right to self-determination and the right to retain the mobile emitter brought back from the Delta Quadrant.

The court went on to set standards which artificial lifefroms must pass to be considered sentient, and ruled that any that cannot do so are technological constructs that are the property of their creators or owners.

"This is a major victory," said Alyssa Cogly-Shaw of the Soong Foundation after the ruling. "These are people, not replicators. We won't stop until every photonic lifeform has the right to choose how they want to live."

Volume 15, Chapter 6
When Ambassador Worf returned to Qo'noS, he found he was in need of a new executive aide. The ambassador's son, Alexander Rozhenko, had resigned his position as a diplomat for the Federation and left Qo'noS, sending his son D'Vak to stay with Worf and his family.

"Alex tried to live like a good Klingon, but his heart was never in it," a source told the Federation News Service. "When his wife left, that was the breaking point."

"I think what B'Enn really loved was belonging to the House of Martok. After the Chancellor died, she was ready to move on."

Friends said D'Vak's mother B'Enn had returned to her home on H'atoria and Rozhenko was on what he called a "personal exploration."

His first stop was Boreth. While there, he planned to undergo the Challenge of Spirit.

[daBelgrave]

Volume 16, Chapter 1
Tragedy struck for Starfleet on Stardate 72487.91, when the U.S.S. Kelso was lost with all hands.

The Kelso was supposed to be on a routine mission to study the long-term effects of the Hobus supernova on star systems in the Devron Sector when it was destroyed. Initial reports indicated that the Kelso could have come under attack. However, when the remains of the vessel were recovered by the U.S.S. April, it was found that a coolant leak caused by an experimental cloaking device onboard the Kelso caused plasma to vent from the ship. The plasma reacted with ionizing radiation present in the area, causing the explosion which destroyed the Kelso.

After careful consideration, Captain Barax Wenn of the April revealed the cause of the Kelso's destruction to the captains of the Romulan ships assisting in the search for the vessel. In response, Praetor Taris lodged an immediate complaint with the Federation Council, and, as a "gesture of good faith," informed the Klingon Empire of the details of the Kelso's destruction as well.

Starfleet Security admitted that the U.S.S. Kelso was testing a Federation cloaking device. The Romulans then ejected all Federation diplomats and ships from their space in protest, and Chancellor J'mpok recalled the Klingon ambassador to the Federation back to Qo'noS for "strategic discussions."

Volume 16, Chapter 2
After the revelation that Starfleet was testing a cloaking device, tensions between the Federation, Romulans and Klingons were at their highest point since the destruction of the Romulan homeworld in 2387. After a full inquiry, six members of Starfleet Security were court-martialed.

It took three months for Federation President Aennik Okeg to convince the Romulans and the Klingons to send representatives to a summit to discuss the situation. When the meeting finally began, Okeg made the Federation's position clear. He apologized for the experiments into cloaking technology, and said that he had signed an executive order banning all research into or creation of Federation cloaking technology.

"The narrow legal view may be that the Treaty of Algeron ended when Romulus was destroyed," Okeg said. "The Romulan Star Empire we knew is gone, and you are a new people. What has not changed is the Federation's commitment to peace."

Volume 16, Chapter 3
Happier news for Starfleet was the successful conclusion of the dispute over the mobile emitter now in the possession of the photonic lifeform known as The Doctor.

He agreed to accept a commission as a lieutenant commander in Starfleet and took the post of chief medical officer at the research facility on Galor IV. Because the mobile emitter would be with him at Galor IV, the Starfleet Corps of Engineers would have the opportunity to study the device.

"It was never that I didn't want to let Starfleet learn more about the mobile emitter," said The Doctor in an interview with the Federation News Service. "I respect Starfleet a great deal, and I have the utmost amount of admiration for Admiral Janeway and the fine men and women in the service. I needed Starfleet to respect me."

Volume 16, Chapter 4
On Stardate 72858.96, the Vulcans honored the 225th anniversary of the completion of work on the monastery at P'Jem. The original monastery was constructed more than 3,000 years ago, but it was destroyed by Andorian orbital bombardment in 2151.

After the founding of the United Federation of Planets in 2161, a coalition of Andorian, Vulcan and Human craftsmen rebuilt the monastery using hand tools and ancient Vulcan techniques.

Volume 16, Chapter 5
A strange incident was reported on the Klingon world of Rha'darus. While on shore leave from his duties on the I.K.S. Kang, Ja'rod, son of Torg, was ambushed by three Klingon warriors. He managed to kill two of them and brought the third back to his ship.

Expecting the attack to be from an enemy of the House of Duras, Ja'rod was shocked to discover that his attackers weren't Klingon at all! Application of a painstik forced the captive to change and its shape morphed from a Klingon to that of a strange tripedal alien.

Under questioning by Ja'rod and members of the Kang's crew, the alien revealed that it was a member of a species known by its Borg designation of Species 8472. The alien called itself an Undine, and revealed that not only was its party specifically sent to Rha'darus to capture Ja'rod and replace him, this was not the first time the Undine have done so.

There were Undine infiltrators in every major political entity of the Alpha and Beta quadrants.

[daBelgrave]

Volume 17, Chapter 1
A medical crisis put a strain on the rebuilding of the Romulan Star Empire. An outbreak of Bloodfire ravaged the Kevratas system, ultimately spreading to multiple colony worlds.

The disease is lethal to several species, including Romulans, but is curable if treated promptly with a drug developed by Beverly Crusher. Praetor Taris seemed uninterested in treating the disease, however, preferring to stop its spread with a quarantine of the Kevratas system.

The quarantine was enforced by a blockade of Romulan ships, and stopped all food and medical shipments to the planet during its coldest season. Thousands died from disease and starvation.

"It seems like Taris is letting these people die like it's some sort of experiment to her," said Admiral Zelle, an expert on Romulan politics. "If she ever saw someone die from Bloodfire, she'd have more compassion."

Volume 17, Chapter 2
On Cardassia Prime, Detapa Council staffers completed a three-year audit of post-Dominion War assets. The audit found that the rebuilding of cities devastated by the Dominion bombardment was proceeding ahead of schedule, and that work crews could move to Lakarian City by the end of the year.

An ominous counterpoint to the successful rebuilding of the homeworld, however, was the fact that at least 75 warships and an undetermined amount of weapons known to have survived the war were missing.

"These aren't shuttlecraft, they're Galor-class warships!" said Bajoran activist Crom Neret. "Do you know what someone could do with firepower like this? That's enough to launch another invasion!"

Starfleet hastened to assure the Bajorans and Cardassians that they are safe. "We're here. We will protect you," said Starfleet Command spokesperson Marie Durant. "We will honor our treaties with the Detapa Council, and we will assist the Cardassian Defense Force in any way we can. These ships will be accounted for."

Volume 17, Chapter 3
Nausicaan forces working for the Gorn Hegemony destroyed three Klingon outposts with a coordinated surprise attack. J'mpok waved off accusations of being unprepared by remarking that "there are always casualties in war," and then retaliated by sending General D'ald and the Klingon Defense Force's Seventh Fleet to the Orelious [sic] system.

The fleet obliterated a hidden Nausicaan base in the Orelious IX asteroid belt, and then proceeded to hunt down and destroy every Nausicaan ship that escaped before the base was destroyed.

One ship is missing from the Seventh Fleet's attack. When Captain Klor of the I.K.S. Kang refused to fully investigate the claims of the Undine captured in the Rha'darus system, Ja'rod, the second officer, led an uprising of the crew. Klor and his first officer were executed, and the crew proclaimed Ja'rod to be the new captain.

After transmitting a coded message to Qo'noS, the Kang cloaked. Its whereabouts were unknown.

Volume 17, Chapter 4
After the I.K.S. Kang disappeared from sensors, General D'ald ordered the ship to return to its patrol, but there was no response. At that point, J'mpok stepped in and ordered D'ald to stop attempting to locate Captain Ja'rod.

Observers of Klingon Empire politics speculated that J'mpok could be attempting to curry favor with the Houses of Torg and Duras by giving Ja'rod a free rein. Both of those Houses were among the oldest in the Empire, with ties that stretched back to the Imperial bloodline.

While their losses in the Klingon civil war of 2368 and subsequent defeats had dimmed the house of Duras' luster, there are many houses that still owed favors or outright allegiance to Duras. Also, these observers say, Captain Klor was a member of a house loyal to the House of Martok, so his death was no great loss for the Chancellor.

"Trying to understand the intricacies of the Great Houses is like trying to play anbo-jyutsu with bat'leths," said Tag Morkek of the Tellar News Service. "Everyoone is going to be bloody when it's over. There are oaths of honor and feuds that stretch back for hundreds of years, and you never know when someone's going to call in a debt taken on by your great-great-great grandfather."

Volume 17, Chapter 5
Starfleet observation posts saw an increase in ship traffic going to the far reaches of the Beta Quadrant. Reports indicated that the Dopterians were funneling ships and supplies to Romulan exile Sela and her followers in exchange for decalithium. Ships similar to those found in reports from the U.S.S. Voyager also were sighted in the region.

Since Sela was well out of Federation space, Starfleet had no grounds on which to stop the trade. However, Starfleet Intelligence kept a close eye on the situation, and they were formulating a plan in case Sela became a threat to the Federation. Also, since decalithium is a highly restricted substance, any ore that the Dopterians brought into Federation space was subject to seizure.

Volume 17, Chapter 6
Alexander Rozhenko returned to Earth with his son D'Vak. Rozhenko took a post teaching political science at the the Saint Petersburg State University and told friends that he was considering writing a book about his experiences on Boreth. He had no plans to return to the Klingon Empire.

And on Stardate 73963.51, Captain T'Vix of the U.S.S. Cochrane was removed from duty along with her first officer and chief of security. The Cochrane was assigned to monitor the Neutral Zone, but was recalled to Earth Spacedock days later for personnel reassignment, and the remaining crew was dispersed among more than a dozen other posts.

Starfleet gave no reason for the change in orders, and all records of what happened on the final days of the Cochrane's missions were sealed by Starfleet Intelligence.

It is believed that the Cochrane will return to duty after a refit with a new crew, but one anonymous report stated that the ship was sent to a Starfleet Intelligence starbase for analysis.

[daBelgrave]

Volume 18, Chapter 1
An era ended when Geordi La Forge left Engineering for Command. La Forge was dividing his time between ship design and his duties with Starfleet for several years, but when the opportunity arrived to take his own command he could not turn it down. La Forge was promoted to captain of the U.S.S. Challenger, and recommended Commander Nog to be chief engineer of the U.S.S. Enterprise-E.

The promotion gave the first Ferengi in Starfleet another record. He was the first Ferengi to serve on Starfleet's flagship. Nog's example inspired other Ferengi, and the 2396 class at Starfleet Academy included four Ferengi cadets.

"We're seeing a dramatic change in the Ferengi culture," said Talsa Gray of the University of Alpha Centauri. "Commerce and profit still play a huge role in who the Ferengi are, but the social reforms of Grand Nagus Rom and the example of his son are showing younger Ferengi that they can make their own choices. If you don't have the lobes for business, do something else."

Volume 18, Chapter 2
Chancellor J'mpok reluctantly agreed to a third round of peace talks between the Klingon Empire and the Gorn Hegemony. His decision put him in opposition to a large bloc on the High Council. These opponents favored war against the Gorn, and there were rumblings in the halls of Qo'noS that J'mpok was catering to the Federation just as Martok did.

For his part, J'mpok said that it is only wise to explore all options. And on Stardate 74461.35, he silenced many of his critics in a most dramatic fashion.

The I.K.S. Kang, missing since the previous year, reappeared long enough for Ja'rod to announce that the House of Duras was allying with the House of J'mpok.

The alliance with Duras gave J'mpok's house the support of many of the oldest and most influential of the Great Houses, and J'mpok quickly reminded many on the High Council that debts owned to Duras were now owed to him as well. The move also fully returned the House of Duras to legitimacy, as J'mpok used his powers as chancellor to wipe away past rulings against the house.

The shakeup in the Klingon political scene now meant that most of the Great Houses were beholden to either the House of Duras or the House of Martok, and observers said that the polarization of the Empire would only continue.

Following the announcements, the I.K.S. Kang cloaked and disappeared again. However, data from Klingon sensor stations placed the Kang near the M'Char system, which is near the border between the Klingon Empire and the Gorn Hegemony.

Volume 18, Chapter 3
Starfleet Intelligence reported that Hassan the Undying moved his base of operations to the former Orion homeworld. Observers did not believe that this was a sign of a break between Melani D'ian and her greatest ally, but suggested that Hassan was still acting on her orders.

"There's no reason for Melani to toss Hassan aside," said Blix Brol, an investigative reporter for the Federation News Service. "If anything, the Emerald Empress wants someone that she trusts implicitly running Syndicate operations outside of Klingon space while she stays safe behind a wall of warriors."

Volume 18, Chapter 4
In Romulan space, the government of Kevratas,, which was decimiated by a plague of Bloodfire and the subsequent Romulan quarantine, declared its independence from Romulan rule.

"They've given us nothing but death and offered nothing but more pain," said Kevatran leader Kito. "We owe Taris no allegiance."

Praetor Taris ordered General Tebok to put down the insurrection with force, but the general refused to order his troops to fire on civilians. He instead negotiated a settlement with Kito, agreeing to give the Kevatran leaders safe passage to Nova Roma to present their grievances to the Romulan Senate and ordering that relief supplies and medical personnel be sent to Kevatras immediately.

In response for his insubordination, Taris ordered Tebok to resign his position as head of the Romulan military. Tebok refused and instead appealed to the Senate, which overruled Taris.

"In the old days of the Romulans, Tebok would have ended up on the wrong end of an honor blade," said Emal Kotay of the Trill News Service. "Now, not only is he alive, he's still in charge of the fleet. The cracks are appearing in Praetor Taris' rule, and if she doesn't do something soon she won't last."

[daBelgrave]

Volume 19, Chapter 1
After six years of reports, panels and legislative wrangling, the Federation council approved rules for dual citizenship. This option was created to allow beings to apply for permanent residency and other rights without sundering all of their ties to their homeworlds.

Dual citizens could live and work anywhere in the Federation, apply for Federation grants, and even vote in Federation elections. However, dual citizens owed allegiance to and were subject to the laws of both political entities of which they are citizens. Also, the homeworld of an applicant must allow dual citizenship as well.

The Soong Foundation and other artificial life groups argued that the bill should be extended to artificial lifeforms, but the Federation Council refused. Artificial lifeforms must either pass the tests established by the Supreme Court of the Federation to be granted full citizenship, or they were property. There was no middle ground.

Volume 19, Chapter 2
Cardassia Prime's Detapa Council quickly passed a law allowing Cardassians to become dual citizens of the Federation, and Grand Nagus Rom bullied a measure through the Ferengi Economic Congress of Advisors that allowed Ferengi to take part in the program after purchasing a citizenship license.

Dozens of unaffiliated worlds moved to allow this option to their citizens as well, but on Qo'noS, the High Council refused to follow suit. Their refusal blocked Klingons who hadn't severed ties to the Empire from applying for Federation citizenship.

Rhea, a Ferengi geologist working on Earth, was the first being to be granted dual citizenship under the new program. "I'm proud to be part of the Federation, but Ferenginar is my home," Rhea said. "This cost me a few bars of latinum, but it's worth every strip."

Volume 19, Chapter 3
Federation President Aennik Okeg was a tireless champion for dual citizenship, and many attributed the success of the program to his influence. A boost from new voters easily pushed Okeg past challengers from Alpha Centauri and Trill into a second term of office.

In his re-inauguration speech, Okeg reached out to the Klingon Empire. "We have had our differences, but we are stronger together than apart," Okeg said. "Unity is the honorable path."

Volume 19, Chapter 4
In Starfleet, Lieutenant Naomi Wildman was assigned to be the new helm officer of the U.S.S. Hathaway. And Miral Paris, another child who was born on the U.S.S. Voyager, entered Starfleet Academy.

Paris' presence in the incoming academy class was notable to those who follow Klingon affairs. Several news stories about Paris and the new recruits reported the legend of the kuvah'magh, a Klingon religious figure believed to be a prophetic figure by some.

After reporters made an attempt to enter the dormitories at the Academy, Starfleet issued as statement from Paris asking for privacy. "I'm a student, not a savior," the statement read in part, "Allow me and my classmates peace and privacy."

Volume 19, Chapter 5
On Stardate 75705.90, the Federation-mediated peace talks between the Gorn Hegemony and the Klingon Empire are disrupted by an explosion that rocked the resort on Casperia Prime where the talks were being held.

Seven people were critically injured by the blast, including Ambassador K'mtok of Qo'noS and Mira Genstra, a deputy mediator for the Federation. Genstra was stabilized and then evacuated to her home on Betazed, but K'mtok died during surgery onboard the I.K.S. Gorkon.

The crew of the Gorkon cooperated with Captain Data of the U.S.S. Enterprise-E to investigate the explosion. They found that an ultritium resin explosive device was hidden in the room where the delegates were meeting.

Although it was initially thought that the device was planted by a member of the resort staff, ties to Klingon extremist groups were quickly uncovered. The device was tracked back to Toral, son of Duras, who was a fugitive from both the Federation and the Klingon Empire. The Gorkon pursued Toral's ship into the Archanis Sector, but it escaped.

The Federation attempted to restart the peace talks, but both the Klingon and the Gorn recalled their delegations. There will be no cease-fire.

"If I were into conspiracies, I'd mention that K'mtok was appointed by Chancellor Martok, and now the door's open for J'mpok to appoint one of his allies as ambassador to the Federation. But I'm not going to do that, because I'm not a conspiracy theorist," said Tag Morkek, a political analyst for the Tellar News Service.

Volume 19, Chapter 6
In what was seen as a deliberate insult to Praetor Taris, General Tebok promoted General Velal to command of the Romulan Second Fleet. Velal was openly critical of the praetor and her policies, and was one of the officers responsible for negotiating the agreement that kept Kevatras under Romulan control.

Operatives for Starfleet Intelligence reported that the changeling known as Laas arrived in the Devos system with two other changelings. When Laas was last seen, he was searching for other changelings who had been sent to the Alpha Quadrant as observers. Whether or not these changelings were part of that group was unknown.