Star Trek Online/Codex/The Path to 2409/2403

On Stardate 80344.81, the web of transport inhibitors protecting the Gorn homeworld collapsed after the Klingon fleet blockading the planet used surgical strikes to take out the planet's power relay network. Less than 50 minutes after the network was destroyed, the first Klingon landing parties transported onto the planet's surface.

The remaining Gorn forces planetside made a last stand to defend key areas, and large segments of the population took up arms to defend their homes and families. However, the Klingons showed little interest in engaging civilian militias and instead massed their forces for an assault on the capital.

Twenty-eight hours after the first Klingon landed on the Gorn homeworld, forces from the Fifth Fleet entered the royal palace and the Gorn Hegemony fell to the Klingon Empire. Once King Slathis of the Gorn surrendered and guaranteed that any Gorn troops left on the homeworld would not attack the Klingon forces, General Klag agreed not to take civilians into custody without cause and to lift martial law orders for most of the Gorn population.

"The Klingons seemed almost solicitous to the Gorn," said Admiral Jorel Quinn on an episode of the Federation News Service program Illuminating the City of Light. "They were careful not to give the people a reason to revolt. It wasn't standard operating procedure for the Klingons after they conquer a world... of course, as soon as J'mpok arrived, we all found out why."

General Klag was given a week to stabilize the situation on the Gorn homeworld before Chancellor J'mpok arrived with the I.K.S. Vo'quv. After transporting down and meeting with King Slathis, J'mpok ordered a global broadcast and used the Klingon fleet to extend the range of the transmission to hit most Gorn colony worlds and ships.

During the broadcast, the Klingons revealed the Gorn prime minister, head of military intelligence and multiple other high- ranking members of the Gorn government and military to be Undine infiltrators. The infiltrators were then immediately executed.

"We have shown the true face of the qa'meH quv," J'mpok said. "We are defending the Alpha Quadrant, not destroying it."

Hardliners on the Klingon High Council wanted King Slathis and his family executed to prevent the Gorn royal family from becoming a focus for revolutionaries. "We've conquered them. Now we need to rule them," Councilor Marab said. "There cannot be a king in our Empire."

After much deliberation, Chancellor J'mpok decided to offer the Gorn self-rule, as long as they swore fealty to the Klingon Empire. Slathis agreed, and as part of the settlement he was given a non-voting seat on the Klingon High Council. The KDF Fifth Fleet then withdraw from Gorn space.

"The Klingons have wooed the Orions. They've conquered the Gorn. Races like the Nausicaans are seeing the writing on the wall," said Tag Morkek of the Tellar News Service. "The Federation has real competition in the coalition-building business."

One blow for the Klingons this year was the departure of Emperor Kahless. Late in the year, Kahless handpicked a crew from the Order of the Bat'leth and departed on the I.K.S. Batlh. Kahless left a message behind saying that the Klingons no longer need his guidance, so he was departing to look for new battles to fight. Kahless promised to return when he was most needed.

For his part in revealing the Undine threat in the Gorn Hegemony, Captain Ja'rod was offered a seat on the High Council. Ja'rod declines and returned to the command of the I.K.S. Kang.

"Until I have fully proven my worth to the Empire," Ja'rod told the Council, "I do not deserve to be in your number. I will return to Qo'noS as a hero, or not at all." In Romulan space, the conflict between Praetor Taris and General Velal continued to divide the already fractured empire. Kevatras and Abraxas Prime threw their support behind the rebellion, giving Velal and Sela's forces much needed safe havens and supply bases.

The war came to an abrupt end on Stardate 80957.96, when forces of the Romulan Second Fleet approached Rator III.

"The praetor had been locked in her rooms for a few days at this point, and she wouldn't allow anyone to enter," a Starfleet Intelligence observer reported. "Her staff finally broke down the door when Velal's fleet entered orbit. I think they were trying to get Taris to safety - but she was already gone."

An extensive search of the palace turned up no clues. The Tal Shiar extended the search to all of Nova Roma, but Praetor Taris has disappeared.

Velal and Sela landed in Nova Roma while the search for Praetor Taris was still ongoing, and proceeded directly to the Romulan Senate.

"Sela made a very pretty speech about how she was a loyal Romulan and a friend to the Senate, and not once did she mention the dozens of Warbirds she had in orbit over their heads," said Mira Mandel of the Federation News Service. "No one was surprised when the Senators tripped over themselves to offer her their fealty."

The Senate named Sela as praetor and General Velal as the leader of the Romulan fleet by acclamation. The reign of Praetor Taris was over.