Star Trek Online/Codex/The Path to 2409/2396

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."

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."

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.

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."

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.

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 dzen 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.