Star Trek Online/Codex/The Path to 2409/2407

Fighting continued in the Archanis Sector, with both the Federation and the Klingons reporting significant losses.

"The Klingons might be happy that their crews are dying with honor, but we sent our sons and daughters to Starfleet to explore, not fight," said activist Crom Neret. "Isn't it time to find a peaceful solution?"

In fact, the Federation tried to do just that, sending repeated messages from the Federation Council and even a personal plea from Federation President Aennik Okeg to Chancellor J'mpok. The Federation was seeking peace talks or a cease-fire so that groundwork could be made toward a full peace summit.

J'mpok refused. "No longer will we die the death of a thousand cuts," J'mpok told the High Council. "Peace was the death of the Klingon Empire. Thankfully, it was a mistake that we caught in time."

"Conflict makes us Klingon. Combat makes us strong. I write my story with the my blade, and the ink is the blood of my enemies."

The Vulcan Science Academy was working on improvements to transwarp technology. "It's obvious that we need to improve our security and speed," said S'larin, one of the lead researchers. "Transwarp is the future of interstellar travel - and the Federation."

Reports from the Phylos system indicated that the Phylosians were struck by a similar virus to that which continued to rage through the Carnegie system. Starfleet Medical dispatched exobiology and medical teams, but they did not expect to find a counteragent quickly.

"The unusual nature of Phylosian anatomy makes any treatment difficult," said Admiral Beverly Crusher, chief of Starfleet Medical. "However, we are confident that, in cooperation with Phylosian scientists, we will be able to help them."

In Romulan space, Starfleet Intelligence observers reported that Sela revived one of Praetor Taris' ideas - a Romulan monarch.

"Sela hasn't said a word about it herself, of course, but allies of hers in the Senate are floating the idea," one agent said. "And it's not a coincident that people have started making comparisons between Sela and beloved Romulan rulers like Ael i- Mhiessan t'Rllaillieu.

"There's even a quiet search going on for the Sword of S'task, even though everyone believes it was destroyed when the homeworld was lost."

On Qo'noS, representatives of the Letheans approached Chancellor J'mpok, seeking either entry into the Empire or a non- aggression pact like the one the Empire had with the Nausicaans. J'mpok seemed amenable to having Letheans owe allegiance to the Empire, but overall the Klingons did not see the negotiations as a high priority and progress was slow.

In the Ghomba system, forces from the Houses of Martok and Duras clashed over possession of a small planetoid rich in resources. "This is the start of the war, mark my words," said Tiran, a historian and loresinger on Qo'noS. "I've seen it before. There will be glory and honor ... and blood. Much blood will be shed."