1

CROSS THE
THRESHOLD

YOU JUDGE YOURSELVES AGAINST THE PITIFUL ADVERSARIES

YOU VE ENCOUNTERED SO FAR: THE ROMULANS, THE KLINGONS...
THEY RE NOTHING COMPARED TO WHAT S WAITING.

The Beta Quadrant sourcebook provides Gamemasters and Players with a wealth
of source material about the Galaxy of Star Trek. Focused on the Beta Quadrant,
The Beta Quadrant sourcebook contains:

Information on the Federation s A host of new Federation species

presence in the Beta Quadrant, to choose from during character
including the homeworlds of creation, including Benzite, Bolians,
Andoria, Earth, and Vulcan. Efrosians, and Klingons.

Material about the Klingon A selection of alien starships,

Empire and its history, including from the Klingon Empire, Romulan BET

information on its core worlds of Star Empire, Gorn Hegemony,

Qo noS, Boreth, Khitomer, Orion Syndicate, and civilian craft. A

SOURCEBOOK
and Rura Penthe.
Guidance for the Gamemaster on
Information from the Romulan Star running missions and continuing QU

Empire on their history and politics, voyages in the Beta Quadrant,

and information about their worlds with a selection of new Non-Player
Romulus and Remus. Characters to enhance encounters.

This book requires the Star Trek Adventures core rulebook to use. ADRANT
 MUH051067

ISBN 978-1-910132-91-3

TM & © 2017 CBS Studios Inc.

© 2017 Paramount Pictures Corp.
STAR TREK and related marks and
logos are trademarks of CBS Studios Inc. 9 781910 132913
All Rights
Reserved.
BETA QUADRANT
MUH051067
SOURCEBOOK
Printed in Germany

3
KLINGON EMPIRE

LCARS TERMINAL 978-1-910132-91-3

CREDITS
 SYSTEM DESIGN
COVER ARTWORK PRODUCED BY
NATHAN DOWDELL
TOBIAS RICHTER CHRIS BIRCH

1732011
LINE DEVELOPMENT
INTERNAL ARTWORK

SAM WEBB CHRIS

ADAMEK, MICHAL E. CROSS, OPERATIONS MANAGER

DAREN
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TOMA FEIZO
GAS, RODRIGO GONZALEZ,
WRITING NICK
GREENWOOD, DAVID METLESITS, PRODUCTION MANAGER
JENNIFER BAUGHMAN, JIM JOHNSON, ÁNGEL ALONSO
MIGUEL, WAYNE MILLER, STEVE DALDRY
GARETH MICHAEL-SKARKA, AARON POLLYEA, DAVID R.
MORTON, GRZEGORZ PEDRYCZ,
AND SAM WEBB TOBIAS
RICHTER, ALAIN RIVARD,
RICK
STERNBACH, MAURICIO TEJERINA, COMMUNITY SUPPORT

EDITING VITALI TIMKIN,

AND ADAM WILLIAMS LLOYD GYAN

SCOTT PEARSON, MIKE BRUNTON,

191984 SAM WEBB, AND JIM JOHNSON ART

DIRECTION FOR CBS STUDIOS
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M WEBB

JOHN VAN CITTERS, MARIAN CORDRY,

PROOFREADING
GRAPHIC DESIGN VERONICA HART, AND KEITH LOWENADLER

221084 ARIC WIEDER

MATTHEW COMBEN

WITH THANKS TO
 INDEX BY
LAYOUT PERFECT WORLD AND
BILL HERON MICHAL E.
CROSS AND RICHARD L. GALE THE STAR TREK ONLINE TEAM

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Published by Modiphius Entertainment Ltd.
those people and events described in an historical context. TM & © 2018
2nd Floor, 39 Harwood Road, London, SW6 4QP, England.
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Modiphius Entertainment Product Number: MUH051067
and events described in an historical context.
ISBN: 978-1-910132-91-3
 CREDITS

5
TECH
NICAL SPECIFICATIONS MUH051067

CONTENTS

CHAPTER 01 003 CHAPTER

03 075
INTRODUCTION SPECIES OF THE BETA
QUADRANT
01.10 Welcome to the Beta Quadrant ............................................ 004 03.10 New Lifepath Options
........................................................... 076

CHAPTER 02 007 CHAPTER

04 087
THE BETA QUADRANT STARSHIPS OF THE BETA
QUADRANT
02.00 Briefing from Narendra Station.............................................. 008 04.10 Klingon Starships
.................................................................. 088
02.10 The United Federation of Planets .......................................... 009 04.20 Romulan Starships
................................................................ 091
02.20 Federation Worlds ................................................................. 022 04.30 Orion Starships
..................................................................... 094
02.30 The Klingon Empire ............................................................... 034 04.40 Gorn Starships
...................................................................... 096
02.40 Klingon Worlds ...................................................................... 045 04.50 Civilian Starships
................................................................... 098
02.50 The Romulan Empire ............................................................. 049
02.60 Romulan Worlds .................................................................... 064
02.70 The Orion Syndicate .............................................................. 066 CHAPTER
05 101
02.80 The Gorn Hegemony ............................................................. 070
ENCOUNTERS AND
ADVERSARIES
05.10 The Romulan Neutral
Zone ................................................... 102
05.20 The Briar Patch
..................................................................... 108
 05.30 The Klingon Border
............................................................... 116
05.40 The Shackleton
Expanse ....................................................... 121

3386B

CONT
ENTS

NARENDRA STATION STARBASE 364

 DORSAL COMMUNICATIONS ARRAY •
•
STATION OPERATIONS LEVEL

STATI
ON COMMANDER’S OFFICE
PHASER TURRETS •
4271

STARFLEET ADMIRAL’S OFFICE

ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL •

4272 DOCKING PORT OPS •

• GALLERIA & DIPLOMATIC LEVEL

FEDERATION DIPLOMATIC OFFICE

02-1030 01-753

KLINGON DIPLOMATIC OFFICE

4273

• PHASER TURRETS

• SCIENCE DEPARTMENTS

STELLAR CARTOGRAPHY
4274

QUANTUM MECHANICS LAB

• DOCKING PORTS
4275 01-054 02-079
SICKBAY 1-6 •
• SHUTTLE HANGER &
CARGO OPS • QUARTERS LEVEL
 03-025 05-142
TURBOLIFT NETWORK
• •
COMPUTER CORES 1-8 CREW QUARTERS

4276

DIPLOMATIC ACCOMMODATIONS

• DEFENSIVE SHIELD
GENERATOR RECREATION ROOMS & HOLOSUITES
• 2311140 586484 3356
• 33 45467 3430654 45

ARBORETUM
4277 • 76879 5564 33234 56
• AUXILIARY CONTROL
• 45 678 5 564 33 455 4

• KLINGON TRAINING FACILITY

• 72 3435 3489 776567
• EPS POWER
DISTRIBUTION KLINGON BLOODWINE HALL
PHASER TURRETS •
• ENGINEERING
SUPPORT 1-2 KLINGON MEDICAL ISOLATION
4278
DEUTERIUM TANKAGE •
• ENGINEERING
SUPPORT 3-4 ST TUR 5820 DO PIU BO LIT JE COL

5651 06 BE ROB

12 10
02-086 01-040
0532 03-219 MODE RESET
• DEFENSIVE SHIELD
EMITTERS 23 26

13 000

03-091 01-312 0721 03-219 EPS MONITOR

 25 3069

36

4279
• FUSION
GENERATORS 1-3 3052

40 4077

0365 12-506 COM RELAY

42

03-008 06-531

51 270 000 57
0187 81-223 NAV SYSTEMS

500
4280 07-223 08-213 0943 02-0988 LIFE SUPPORT SYS

807

81
0211 11-3422 THREAT ASSESS
• VENTRAL
COMMUNICATIONS ARRAY MODE SELECT 180

03-219 RMS 67
0482 98-1416 SHIELD STATUS

723

FACILITY LEVEL LOCATOR

 •
QUARTERS LEVEL
SCIENCE DEPARTMENTS •

15 0532

• 5226 12 34 926 74

• 61 33850 878 7 0721

15-12 54-01
DOCKING PORT OPS •

• 39 53 66 54321 95 0365
15
14

20
32 0187
DOCKING PORTS •

05
61-02
23

03-6577 08-342 CAL 1

PHASER TURRETS •
107-08

CAL 2
STATION OPS • 44-02

55
 07-1143 08-202 03-219
52
14 03
• 3944 554 23 83

05-1124 01-950 03-219

3465
• 34 232 4456

12-506
• 883 45 45 33

5964

81-223
17
91 15

03-219
65 32

23-54
16-58 • 283 4555 4316
77
03-219

• 889 54 67 78 2
SYSTEM
INPUT LEVEL SELECT
• 60 4856 554 3

18
• 07686 431 334
03-219 14-28

04-65 • 3376 45 6 646

42-03
30

• 566 12 344 956

7865 • 00004 32 2003

 7893 • 5584 34 33 121
• 64 33453 878 7
76 16
• 4475 675 11 23
11
• 37 55 66
54532 36
• 098 123 222 32
01-43 12-09
5964
• 564 344 656 41
17
CALIBRATE 2749

• 3944 554 12 12
• 8344 5556565 1 84

JF CRL 3962

• 9088898 54 67 7

08-4731 02-445 PT BRY 3212

02-02
65
RI STE 0035
GALLERIA &

01-4432 01-564

5918
DIPLOMATIC LEVEL •

32
07-399 06-121

76-47
ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL •

35-621 EMERGENCY SHUTDOWN

27 03-46
JO FRA

39
-402 DOCKING SYSTEMS
 LEVELS 1-5 DORSAL
VIEW

0532 03-219 LEVEL HIGHLIGHT 02-09882 COMMUNICA ARRAY

TIONSDORSALCHAPTER98-1416 ST01ATION OPERATIONS 02-0988 SHUTTLE FLIGHT OPS 98-1416
AUUXILIARY CONTROL DG HRG 77 DN HOL ML FLN 12 RK JSQ HU FRN 62 ZP
BRN

0721 03-219 XY PLANE SELECT 11-3422 LONG RANGE SENSOR SYSTEMS 12-506
PROMENADE LEVEL 11-3422 ISOLINEAR SYSTEMS 12-506 EPS ENERGY
SYSTEMS SI KRG 98 RI STE MK PST 09 RY NAG AY WNG 81 JN
ZDB

0365 12-506 XZ PLANE SELECT 98-1416 EARLY WARNING SENSORS 03-219

FEDERATION ADMIN OFFICE 98-1416 SCIENCE DIRECTORATE 03-219 GRAVITON
GENERATOR AL SPD 21 MT CMR MK CRL 46 SN KNL TU LEL 37
BN RDR

0187 81-223 YZ PLANE SELECT 12-506 DEFENSIVE SHIELD SYSTEMS 03-219 KLINGON
COM CHANNELS 12-506 DOCKING SYSTEMS 03-219 ENGINEERING SUPPORT LC
WST 33 AL SIR DG FRS 74 PJ FRY HR CNR 15 PM LEE

7
CHAPTER INTRODUCTION
01.00
30982000527890
28853020133

01.10 WELCOME TO THE BETA QUADRANT 004

INTRODUCTION 3

8
CHAPTER
01.10 INTRODUCTION
WELCOME TO THE BETA QUADRANT
“THERE ARE 400 BILLION STARS IN OUR GALAXY. WE’VE ONLY EXPLORED A TINY FRACTION OF
THEM. WE HAVE A LOT TO DO.”

– CAPTAIN JONATHAN ARCHER

Welcome to Narendra Station, Captain. For the majority of the

Federation’s existence, political
necessities have directed our
explorations into the Alpha
Perhaps you would have preferred a station somewhere in Quadrant. There seemed no
need to unnecessarily antagonize
the Alpha Quadrant, or as part of the planned exploration the Klingons and Romulans
when there was so much
through the Bajoran wormhole. The Beta Quadrant, after unclaimed space to the
galactic west of Earth. So, while
all, has not been a primary focus of exploration for the Sol sits on the dividing line
between the two quadrants,
Federation. Although the Quadrant is home to three of the the Federation has
traditionally considered itself an Alpha
four founders of the Federation, it’s more usually considered Quadrant power.
a source of trouble: large swaths of the Quadrant are claimed
by the Klingon and Romulan Empires, respectively. The Recent events have made
Federation exploration in the Beta
Beta Quadrant was the Federation’s military frontier, and Quadrant a much more
attractive proposition. The alliance
exploration of the region was secondary to ensuring the with the Klingon Empire means
that Federation starships can
security of our borders. make the passage to the
unexplored region of the Quadrant
without the risk of straying into
the Romulan Neutral Zone or
encountering hostile Klingon
warships. While the Romulans
THE MILKY WAY GALAXY are not pleased with the
alliance, their attempts to subvert one
or more Klingon families has
thus far yielded minimal results.

DELTA QUADRANT
In addition, the Borg’s
projected invasion route crosses the
Beta Quadrant toward Sector
001: Earth. Recent discoveries
by the U.S.S. Enterprise
NCC-1701-D indicate that the
Borg use a
previously-unknown type of spatial anomaly to
cross distances that would
take even the most advanced
Federation starship centuries,
and advanced scouts have
detected energy readings that
suggest similar anomalies may
exist in the Shackleton
Expanse.

ROMULAN STAR EMPIRE The Beta Quadrant has need

of your skills, Captain. We trust
that you’re up to the challenge.
UNITED FEDERATION OF PLANETS

KLINGON EMPIRE SUPPLEMENT

STRUCTURE
GORN HEGEMONY

This campaign sourcebook

contains everything you’ll need to
UNITED FEDERATION OF PLANETS
play a game of Star Trek
Adventures in the Beta Quadrant.
BETA QUADRANT
Chapter 2: The Beta Quadrant
is the heart of this book,
and describes the major
powers in the Beta Quadrant. It
STELLAR CARTOGRAPHY begins with the United
Federation of Planets, paying special

4 CHAPTER 01

9
attention to several Federation planets located in the Beta Finally, Chapter 5: Encounters and
Adversaries introduces
Quadrant. It then shifts focus to the Klingon Empire — capsule descriptions of those regions of
the Quadrant
Federation allies, for the moment — examining the tangled likely to see action: the Romulan Neutral
Zone, the Klingon
internal politics of the Klingon Houses and providing an Border, and the so-called Briar Patch
(or, as the Klingons
overview of several of the Empire’s major planets, including call it, Klach D’kel Brakt). Included in
these descriptions
Qo’noS, the Klingon homeworld. Next, the secrets of the are new adversaries to be found in
those contested areas:
mysterious Romulan Empire are revealed, wrested from cunning Romulan commanders
sneaking in and out of the
the grasp of the Tal Shiar; including the common origin Neutral Zone, Orion slavers haunting the
fringes of civilized
of the Romulans and the Vulcans, and the long history of society, fierce Klingons — allies with
their own agendas
deceit in their galactic affairs. The Orion Syndicate is next, — patrolling their own border. Each of
these descriptions
with a look at the criminal underworld, pirate operations on concludes with several encounter hooks
to help launch your
the frontiers of known space, and its continued pursuit of own missions.
the slave trade. A brief discussion of the Gorn Hegemony
rounds out this chapter.
CAMPAIGN USAGE
Chapter 3: Beta Quadrant Characters introduces new
playable species that are representative of Starfleet officers in
Beta Quadrant. In addition to the playable species available The information presented in the Beta
Quadrant
in the core rulebook, Players may now choose from a sourcebook brings a new depth to the
Star Trek
selection of species inlcuding Benzites, the Bolians, Klingons, universe. Instead of repeating material
most Star Trek
Risians, and Xindi. These additional species add diversity to fans are already familiar with, Beta
Quadrant offers
both Player Characters and Non-Player Characters. new perspectives on old history.
Cultures that were
only briefly mentioned in the occasional
episode are
Chapter 4: Starships of the Beta Quadrant contains almost here fleshed out and brought to life, and
old favorites
twenty new starships for the adventurous Gamemaster. have new mysteries revealed. Every
chapter provides a
In this chapter can be found warships, scout ships, and wealth of ideas which Players and
Gamemasters alike
shuttlecraft in use by the Klingons, Romulans, and others. can use to create their own Star Trek
adventures.

INTRODUCTI
ON 5
10
YESTERDAY’S ENTERPRISE

The default setting of Star Trek Adventures is the year 2371 contact with Starfleet for months
(Stardates 48000-48999). The Klingons are allies, though at a time. Starship commanders
undergoing some political upheaval. The Romulans are operating are expected to make independent
behind the scenes, working to undermine the stability of the decisions based on their best
Klingon Empire and the Federation. Meanwhile, the Klingons and judgment. The greater element of
the Federation have joined forces to explore the newly-named freedom is counterbalanced by a
Shackleton Expanse, a large area of unexplored space beyond the greater element of risk. Starships
farthest reach of the Klingon Empire. in these eras are all alone in the
depths of space; far from help,
Games set in the Enterprise era will, of necessity, be restricted they can only rely on themselves.
to a smaller volume of space due to slower warp drives. By
2151, the farthest an Earth starship had ventured was Risa, Players could play crewmembers on the
Excelsior during
90 light-years away. The Gamemaster might decide to play out Captain Sulu’s three-year mission
cataloging gaseous spatial
the Earth-Romulan War; alternatively, the Player Characters anomalies in the Beta Quadrant in 2290;
this may have been
could engage in first-contact missions with some of the species the first time the Federation encountered
the Shackleton
seen in the classic era and later. The Orions are extremely active Expanse. Relations with the Klingons will
be chilly until the
in the Quadrant, as are Nausicaan pirates, and the Klingons are Khitomer Accords are signed in 2293.
expanding toward the Federation.
The post-Khitomer era is marked by a
continued low-level
Games set in the Original Series era might focus on the tension between the Federation and
Klingons; meanwhile,
Federation’s clashes with the Klingon Empire and the Romulans. relations between the Klingons and the
Romulans deteriorate.
The nature of the Romulans is a mystery to the Federation until While there is occasional contact between
Federation and
2266, when the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701 prevents a Romulan Klingon vessels and personnel, it is not
until the Enterprise
ship from destroying the Neutral Zone outposts. A large portion of NCC-1701-C’s valiant defense of
Narendra III in 2344 and the
the Klingon population still possesses the Human characteristics Federation’s rescue of the Khitomer
Massacre’s few survivors
passed on to them by the Augment virus. Outright battle between that a true alliance is forged.
Klingons and the Federation is possible until the Treaty of Organia,
in 2267 — though the Organians might overlook minor incidents of Gamemasters wishing to run missions
during different time
violence, such as the occasional bar fight. periods will have no trouble using the
rules as presented. If
an item of equipment or technological
advance is unavailable
Both the Enterprise era and the classic era are characterized by in a certain era (such as transporters,
replicators, etc.) there
a greater element of freedom; the subspace buoy network is still will be a note in a sidebar like this one.
being emplaced, and it’s not unusual for a starship to be out of

CONSTITUTION-CLASS
STARSHIP

POST-STAGE FLUX TUNER

IMPULSE
ENGINE

WARP PROPULSION COIL

PRE-STAGE FLUX TUNER

MAIN-STAGE FLUX TUNER

PR
OPULSION

6 CHAPTER 01

11
CHAPTER THE BETA QUADRANT
02.00
11204408238204
28845930255

02.00 BRIEFING FROM 02.40 KLINGON WOLDS 045

NARENDRA STATION 008
02.50 THE ROMULAN EMPIRE 049
02.10 THE UNITED FEDERATION
OF PLANETS 009 02.60 ROMULAN WORLDS 064

02.20 FEDERATION WORLDS 022 02.70 THE ORION SYNDICATE 066

02.30 THE KLINGON EMPIRE 034 02.80 THE GORN HEGEMONY 070

THE BETA QUADRANT 7

12
BRIEFING FROM
NARENDRA STATION
386502
820477 Not what you were expecting? We hear the new
Akira-class ships, the U.S.S.
220442 that a lot. Narendra Station is a joint Thunderchild,
stationed here.
project between the Federation and
252929 the Klingon Empire, and there were The Romulans
have been intriguing since
331103
110038 compromises made in its construction. before the
Federation was founded. Their
203411 As a consequence, no one’s entirely instigation of the
recent Klingon civil war
428258 comfortable here. That’s not a bad almost destroyed
the alliance. Before the
thing. It keeps people on their toes. discovery of the
Dominion, we expected
100400
201044 This starbase is the last stop before the to see another
attempt to destabilize
488922 Shackleton Expanse, right on the edge the alliance, most
likely by exploiting
240220 of the unknown. There’s a lot of space internal divisions
among the Klingons. The
between here and home. appearance of
the Dominion on the other
857473
281552 side of the
Bajoran wormhole may change
While you received a general overview that assessment,
but it’s too soon to
245586 of the galactic situation when you took determine how
they’re going to act.
348775 command of your ship, that information
855796
was compiled before you were ordered Meanwhile, our
alliance with the Klingons
145784 to come here. We’ll provide you with isn’t as stable as
we’d like. Chancellor
the latest intelligence and an in-depth Gowron is
currently keeping their war
781145 briefing on the movers and shakers in the party in check,
but several key members
456831
165899 Quadrant rather than a general overview. and supporters of
the House of Duras are
648815 Don’t worry, you’ll be back out in space still at large. The
Romulans have been
485657 before you know it. providing them
covert support for at least
twenty-five years,
so we can anticipate
455847
186951 The major powers in the Beta Quadrant that their ability to
cause trouble is not
457782 are the Klingon Empire, the Romulan hurt by their
exile. Fortunately, relations
Empire, and the Federation. The Orion between the
Federation and the Klingons
Syndicate operates more-or-less openly here are on solid
footing, and we anticipate
12-4929 in disputed and unclaimed regions of a solid
partnership in our exploration of the
space. We suspect that they are covertly Shackleton
Expanse.
12-4793 operating in and around Federation and
Klingon space. The Gorn Hegemony and The Orion
Syndicate is a problem.
the Metron Consortium are to the galactic Federation
expansion over the past 150
south of the Quadrant. To galactic east, years has forced
them underground. They
beyond the areas claimed by the Klingons have quietly
absorbed a vast number
and Romulans, lies the largely-unexplored of existing
criminal networks and, if our
Shackleton Expanse. intelligence is
correct, they are now
effectively the
criminal underworld in both
Starfleet underwent a major re-evaluation the Alpha and
Beta Quadrants. They keep
of its priorities after Wolf 359. We have their heads down
in Federation territory, but
always been a deep-space exploration they operate
openly beyond our borders.
and defense force, but the defense role
has always taken second place to the As always,
Starfleet has more missions
18-4792 exploratory one. The Borg demonstrated than ships. We
expect that you’ll be
that that had to change. The Federation is filling a number of
roles during your
20-1221 surrounded by hostile powers, and we’re mission here.
There will be science and
responsible for protecting 150 planets exploration
missions, but you may also be

21-2799 over 8000 light years. Never forget that called away to
patrol the Romulan Neutral
one of those hostile powers is here in Zone or deal with
Orion pirates and
the Beta Quadrant, only forty light years slavers. We’ll
make sure you go out there
24-2749 away. We’re fortunate to have one of with as much
preparation as possible.

8 CHAPTER 02

13
CHAPTER
02.10 THE BETA QUADRANT
THE UNITED FEDERATION OF
PLANETS

“THE FINAL FRONTIER BEGINS IN THIS HALL. LET’S EXPLORE IT TOGETHER.”

– CAPTAIN JONATHAN ARCHER

THE FOUNDING OF THE FEDERATION

TRANSCRIPT

The United Federation of Planets was founded 210 years GENERAL THY’LEK SHRAN,
ANDORIAN IMPERIAL GUARD, FROM HIS
ago from an unlikely alliance of four planets, three of whom STARFLEET ACADEMY
COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS, 2181
had been mortal enemies a decade before. By the 2360
census, that number had grown to over 150 planets, spread We didn’t think much of humans in
our first encounter. They were
over 8,000 light years. By any standard you care to use, the clearly ingratiating themselves with
the Vulcans — why else make
Federation is one of the region’s leading powers. a voluntary visit to a Vulcan
monastery? Pink-skinned, soft, with
unnaturally-smooth heads, and
hiding behind the Vulcans, or so we
thought. I could not have been more
surprised when Captain Archer
ASTROGRAPHY — and his science officer — gave us
the evidence that revealed the
duplicity of the former Vulcan High
Command.

The Federation stretches across 8,000 light years of space I repaid that debt. Soon after, I found
myself in a position in which
in an amoeba-like shape. Eastward of the Sol system the I needed his assistance. We kept
doing each other favors and, as I
border is an almost perfect curve, bending around the observed at the time, that is how
alliances are born.
Romulan Neutral Zone (as set out in the Treaty of Algeron) to
the north and south. Federation territory stretches northeast It takes either courage or madness to
explore the Galaxy in a fragile,
of Sol in a thin tendril, between the uncharted Typhon primitive ship that was outclassed by
everyone from the Tellarites
Expanse and the Neutral Zone, all the way to Zakdorn. To to the Klingons. If it was madness, it
was a strange one that makes
the galactic south, the border meanders as Federation space friends of enemies and brings peace
instead of war.
gives way to Klingon territory. Farther east, north of the
Klingon Empire, is an enclave of Federation space on the We four species that originally
founded this Federation all brought
edge of the Shackleton Expanse. To the west, in the Alpha our own strengths to it. Andorians:
the strength of the sword;
Quadrant, the border is more nebulous. Federation territory is Vulcans: their science and intellect;
Tellarites: an unparalleled ability
somewhat constricted along the east-west axis running from to see all sides of a situation, if only
so they can argue about it. And
Sol to Theta Draconis. The Cardassian Union, the Tzenkethi you humans, you bring a refusal to
accept the impossible — and
Coalition, and the Ferengi Alliance are found west of an in that refusal, you often achieve the
impossible. And now more
imaginary line curving southwest from Delta Aquilae to Theta worlds have joined, bringing their
own strengths.
Draconis, then southeast to the Tendaras Cluster. Beyond
them lurk the Breen, a species even more reclusive and This Federation is not perfect, nor
will it ever be. But twenty
dangerous, perhaps, than the Romulans. years ago, no one thought it
possible. In twenty more years, what
impossibility will we have achieved?
Sol is the capital of the Federation, a choice with both
political and astrographic reasons. Years of interstellar
conflict ensured that Andor, Tellar, and Vulcan would not
agree on any other site; by a happy coincidence, Sol also the border between Alpha and Beta Quadrants,
it’s usually
lies roughly between the other three systems. In a similar considered part of the Alpha Quadrant. For the
purposes of
manner, it was decided that the galactic prime meridian today’s briefing, however, Sol will be treated as
part of the
would run through Sol and, although the Sol system sits on Beta Quadrant.

THE BETA QUADRANT 9

14
ST_BETA_2.1_001

POLITICAL STRUCTURE responsible for the day-to-day

operations of the government,
defining and pursuing foreign policy,
and allocation of
resources. The president is also the
official commander-in-
The United Federation of Planets is a constitutional chief of Starfleet.
representative republic. Member planets have sovereignty
over their local affairs but contribute to, and are answerable The Federation Council is the legislature
of the Federation,
to, a central government. Federation members have a lot of and is a single-chamber body of elected
representatives from
latitude in planetary governance, provided they adhere to each Federation planet. While foreign
affairs are handled by
the basic principles of the Federation: all sentient beings are the executive branch, the Council holds
the power to declare
possessed of certain fundamental rights; that chief among war (when necessary) and ratify treaties,
and makes the final
these rights is the right to self-determination; that these decision regarding the admittance of
new planets to the
rights apply without distinction as to caste, culture, gender, Federation. The Council also operates in
an oversight role:
species, or religious belief; that these rights are to be upheld at its own discretion, the Council may
investigate Federation
by a system of interplanetary law; that armed force shall executive agencies and planetary
governments. In extreme
not be used except in the defense of those rights. Member cases, the Council may restrict or
revoke the membership of
planets contribute knowledge, expertise, and resources a planet that fails to uphold the
Federation Charter. Finally,
to promote social progress, scientific development, space on rare occasions, the Council may act
as the jury in special
exploration, and defense. They can conduct their own cases of court-martial.
diplomacy with fellow Federation members, although external
diplomacy is reserved to the central government. The rights The judiciary is headed by the
Federation Supreme Court,
and responsibilities of Federation members are enshrined which adjudicates and interprets the
laws of 150 planets.
in the Charter, originally ratified in 2161 by Andor, Earth, Each member planet has its own
Supreme Court, the
Tellar and Vulcan, and by every planet that has joined the final arbiter of planetary laws (provided
those laws do not
Federation since. conflict with Federation law). The
Federation Supreme Court
primarily accepts cases dealing with
conflicts between
The president of the Federation is both the head of state multiple planetary legal systems, or
cases dealing with
and the head of the government. The president is ultimately Federation law.
 10 CHAPTER 02

15
EXECUTIVE AGENCIES members. To facilitate our alliance with
the Klingons, there
The president delegates the routine administration to a are Diplomatic Corps representatives
specially trained in
number of departments, each responsible for a different Klingon relations on board Narendra
Station.
specialization. The heads of each department make up the
cabinet, the president’s special advisory council. While a The internal branch of the FDC
manages relations between
full accounting of the executive departmental organization Federation member planets. While
many planets in the
is outside the scope of this brief, it’s worth touching on a Federation maintain their own
diplomatic corps, the FDC
few agencies who may have oversight on operations in the can always assist in negotiating
everything from trade
Shackleton Expanse. agreements to extradition treaties. The
FDC prefers to
provide neutral arbiters when dealing
with Federation
FEDERATION ARCHAEOLOGY COUNCIL members with difficult histories.
Where there are planets, there are often ruins. And where
there are ruins, there are archaeologists. The Federation FEDERATION SCIENCE BUREAU
Archaeology Council oversees archaeological digs in The Federation Science Bureau is the
Federation’s key
Federation space. Most exploratory starships have at least scientific organization. The bureau
allocates resources to
one archaeologist assigned to the science department. These research projects and disseminates
scientific discoveries
scientists are assigned through the Daystrom Institute’s to research and academic institutions.
The FSB publishes
Archaeological Council, which provides an interface between journals on every branch of science, and
research papers
the Federation Archaeology Council and Starfleet. Tomb chosen for publication are extensively
vetted and rigorously
robbers and treasure hunters remain the archaeologist’s bane peer-reviewed. The FSB does, however,
have something
and, depending on the importance of the ruins, it’s possible
that an Archaeology Council will call upon Starfleet to assist
in investigations, or to offer some
protection. PERSONAL
LOG
FEDERATION DIPLOMATIC CORPS
The Federation Diplomatic Corps facilitates relations
DR. CAROL MARCUS, STARDATE 8142.1
between Federation members and represents the interests
and policies of the Federation to external powers. The What was once a nebula has
now coalesced into a star system,
foreign affairs branch of the FDC includes embassies and complete with life-bearing
planets. The Genesis device was never
consulates. They provide assistance to Federation citizens expected to operate on
such a scale. I designed it to terraform
outside of Federation territory. planets, not create entirely
new star systems. That it had such an
effect is — astonishing.
There is nothing in my designs that
Ambassadors are usually involved in the negotiation of the accounts for this — what
have I made here? It’s going to take years
entry of new planets into the Federation (subject to Council of study to unravel this.
approval). They may also be called upon as a neutral
outside party to mediate disputes between non-Federation

INTERCEPTED
TRANSMISSION

SYNDICATE VESSEL PROFIT’S GRASP

This is why I never witnessed for you. Now we’re going to have to abandon
most of the Coridan mining operations,
and we’re not going to be able to
replace those easily — Coridan’s the most
Twenty years of work ruined, because your dilithium-rich planet this side of Direidi!
What’s worse is that our silent partners
agent got caught. Twenty years, framing the — you know, the ones who contributed
half the funding for this little expedition?
Tellarites for our mining operations on Coridan, They aren’t going to be happy. They’re
going to want the one responsible, and
infiltrating the Andorian diplomatic corps, gently they’re probably going to cut him into
tiny little pieces.
reigniting the flames of hatred between the
three old enemies. It was a blade poised to strike I’ve given them the last known
coordinates to your ship and the signature of
at the heart of the Federation! It was a work of your ion trail. Enjoy the last few days of
your life.
art, and your agent botched it. ‘Thelev’ couldn’t
even kill the Vulcan, and he was half-dead of a
heart attack!
 THE BETA
QUADRANT 11

16
of a history in failing to consider
negative consequences of
TEMPORAL research they support (the M-5
incident and the Genesis
TRANSMISSION Program come to mind).

DEPARTMENT OF TEMPORAL
INVESTIGATIONS
TEMPORAL AGENT JRH-1901, DATE UNKNOWN The Shackleton Expanse, as
we’ve noted, is full of spatial
anomalies and these sometimes
end up having odd effects
Sam, on the nature of space-time.
Should you and your ship be
involved in a temporal incident,
you’ll receive a visit from the
Here’s my informal analysis of Krinnik’s proposed plan Department of Temporal
Investigations. They’re the worst-kept
to purge the timeline of all temporal anomalies: I haven’t secret in the Fleet: it doesn’t
matter how highly classified their
heard anything so asinine since Sollivan decided to try to operations are, everyone knows
about them. They monitor
kill Kirk in 1930 to “clean the timeline of his influence.” Do and investigate events involving
time-travel and prevent
you have any idea how much of our timeline developed contamination of the timeline.
The DTI have developed a set
due to temporal incursions? Let’s start with Samuel of guidelines that should be
followed when you find yourself in
Clemens, whose books are still read today. Then there’s such situations. DTI agents aren’t
known for a sense of humor,
the 23rd-century tricorder left in 1930; even half-destroyed, and they take their jobs very
seriously, but… we’re still here,
it provided a boost to Allied scanning technology during so they must be doing something
right.
the Second World War. There was the Ferengi incident
at Roswell that probably helped the United States
develop orbital nuclear technology. And the Enterprise’s
OFFICIAL
involvement in the failed launch in 1968. And the whale
incident of 1986. Are you beginning to see a pattern
here? Do you remember the phrase, “stable causal loop”?
MEMORANDUM
The fact is, we aren’t ever going to completely clean the
timeline. It’s not practical, and, if we want to maintain
our JANUARY 21, 2155
temporal continuum, it’s not possible.
TO: ADMIRAL GARDNER,
STARFLEET COMMAND,
The formal report will be along shortly. I’ll be nice. SECTOR 1

JRH FROM: COMMODORE

SUNITHA BHARANI, UTOPIA
PLANITIA FLEET YARDS

RE: SAUCER STRUCTURAL

INTEGRITY TESTS

In response to your memo of

January 3: I am entirely
serious. The next batch of
NX-class ships are going to
incorporate the new
generation of trisilicate polymers
INTERCEPTED and duranium polyalloys.
These materials need to be
TRANSMISSION field-tested prior to
deployment. I am familiar with the lab
reports, but I’ve seen too
many incidents where something
worked well in the lab and
failed under field conditions
PARTIALLY-DECRYPTED SUBSPACE TRANSMISSION to be comfortable relying just
on the laboratory data. We
STARDATE 48327,01 need to know the true
capabilities of these new materials,
without structural integrity
fields, without hull plating
TO: [unintelligible] polarization, without anything
but the metal.
FROM: [unintelligible]
The best way to do that is still
“test to destruction”. So
We have reason to believe that the Vulcan scientist yes, Gard, I want to crash a
saucer hull into a planetoid.
[unintelligible], recently arrived on Narendra Station, is a Do I expect one of these
starships to crash-land on a
mid-level agent of the Tal Shiar. Investigate quietly. If our planet? Damned if I know…
suspicions are confirmed, notify Section immediately.
Yours,
You are not authorized to terminate the agent at this time. Sunny

12 CHAPTER 02

17
STARFLEET MEDICAL what happens, the mission remains to
explore the cosmos,
Although Starfleet Medical is an arm of Starfleet, it acts as to make first contact with unknown
civilizations, and to
an executive oversight agency for all Federation medical defend the Federation and its ideals. We
expect a great deal
research. Starfleet includes members of almost every of our captains. They are explorers,
scientists, diplomats and
species in the Galaxy, and Starfleet physicians must be tacticians, all wrapped up in a single
package.
able to recognize and diagnose injuries and illnesses in any
crew member. They must also be ready to offer medical
support and analysis to species never before encountered
by the Federation. The demands of interstellar medicine
has CAPTAIN’S LOG
made Starfleet Medical the premier medical organization
in the Federation, and the Starfleet Medical Academy the
CAPTAIN ERIKA HERNANDEZ, COLUMBIA, NX-02
finest medical school. Starfleet Medical personnel
pride MAY 18, 2156
themselves on their creativity, their capability, and their
utter rejection of institutional politics. In addition, they work Five Romulan ships have
just dropped out of warp within attack
closely with Starfleet and Federation legal personnel to range of Algeron IV, and all
communications are jammed.
defend medically-ethical treatments, and to prosecute those Accordingly, I have ordered
Excalibur to return to the nearest
who are ethically suspect. Federation outpost at full
warp, carrying as many of the civilian
personnel from the base as
possible. Sensor scans from Columbia,
Excalibur, and the base are
attached, and Excalibur is carrying a
STARFLEET copy of Columbia’s logs.
We don’t expect to come back from this
one, but we’re not giving
Algeron up without a fight.

There’s very little we could tell you about Starfleet that you Godspeed.
don’t already know. You’ve been taught Starfleet doctrine
and history from the first day at the Academy. No matter

STARFLEET
POST-INCIDENT ANALYSIS

THE BATTLE OF CHERON

By mid-2159, Starfleet Intelligence became Terran courier ship, whose dead pilot
was carrying an intelligence packet too
aware that Omicron Gruis II, also known as sensitive to be entrusted to subspace
communications. The packet contained
‘Cheron,’ was the staging area for a massive just enough genuine data to convince
the Romulans of its authenticity, but was
Romulan fleet operation. At the same time primarily comprised of false fleet
dispositions.
Romulan ships were actively attacking shipping
in and around Vulcan and Andorian space. Indications that the ruse was successful
came in late 2159, when the Romulans
Strategic analysis suggested that these probes diverted a significant portion of the
forces amassing at Cheron to counter the
were a feint to draw Coalition ships out of false Coalition fleet movements. At that
point, the fleet assembled at Cheron
position allowing a direct attack at Sol itself. out-numbered Earth’s fleet two to one,
although itself outmatched by the united
Coalition fleet.
The Coalition engaged in a dangerous stratagem
of their own. A number of communiques were Coalition fleets departed Andoria,
Vulcan, Sol, and Tellar in a staggered sequence
sent, using codes that the Romulans were designed to ensure their simultaneous
arrival at Cheron. The attack came as
suspected of having broken, exaggerating the a complete surprise; the Cheron fleet
was caught completely off-guard and
tensions between members of the Coalition and destroyed with minimal Coalition
casualties. The Coalition, not interested in
indicating that allied fleets were being disbanded. pursuing a war for territory, sued for
peace one week later.
The “accidental” Romulan discovery of a firefight
 between Tellarite and Andorian forces near Beta Recently-acquired historical documents
from the Empire indicate that the
Hydri provided additional proof, as did carefully- few surviving commanders of the
Romulan fleet presented a severely altered
leaked snippets of a “duel of honor” between version of the battle to the Senate. Even
so, they were “encouraged” to commit
General Shran and Admiral Archer. Finally, the honorable suicide over the debacle, and
the entire Romulan intelligence
ruse was cemented by allowing a Romulan apparatus underwent a period of
upheaval, finally reconfiguring into the Tal Shiar
probe to discover the air-bleeding wreck of a we know today.

THE BETA
QUADRANT 13

18
COMMANDER’S LOG
INTERCEPTED

G. CASEY, MILITARY ASSAULT COMMAND OPERATIONS REPORT

NOVEMBER 18, 2161
THE
KLINGON HIGH COUNCIL
This is my final log as MACO’s commanding officer; as of 0800
tomorrow, MACO no longer exists as a separate organization, but Rynar, commanding, I.K.S.
Hegh’ta. All glory to
the Empire!
has been folded into the Federation Starfleet. It is my understanding
that MACO will not be maintained as a separate arm of Starfleet. Why do we even consider an
alliance with the
Many of its officers are being offered Starfleet commissions, and the Romulans? Are we so weak
that we need their
bulk of the non-commissioned personnel are being routed into the help against this new
“Federation”? No! The
tactical track. Romulans are the weaklings
here — the Humans
handed them a defeat that
they will be decades
I will be taking a position at the new Starfleet Academy as a senior recovering from. An alliance
benefits them much
instructor in strategy and tactics. This was a difficult decision — I more than it benefits us. In the
end, we shall
cannot, in good faith, condone the dissolution of the organization support the rebuilding of
I have worked so hard to build. Nevertheless, I have come to feel their fleet, and they will stab
that resigning my commission is the wrong decision. It would be a us in the back.
profound disservice to the future members of Starfleet to deny them
the benefit of my training and expertise which they will no doubt Rest assured, I will
come to need, regardless of Starfleet’s preference to minimize their abide by our
military background. agreements, but I
shall never turn
At its heart, Starfleet is a space navy, and I intend for that navy to my back on those
have teeth. taHqeqpu’.

OFFICIAL MEMORANDUM

OFFICE OF THE
PRESIDENT, STARDATE 8393.2
Admiral Cartwright,
been promoted off of a command deck.
He is simply the
In its century of service to the Federation, Starfleet has most notorious.
demonstrated steadfastness, courage, and loyalty in ways that,
in its beginnings, could never have been imagined. The actions of I strongly encourage Starfleet to abolish
the up-or-out policy.
Captain (formerly Admiral) Kirk and his command crew are in the The Federation will continue to expand,
and Starfleet will
finest Starfleet tradition. I do not believe I am overstating the case continue to build ships. There will be no
lack of positions for
when I say that Kirk never should have been promoted to Admiral. skilled starship captains. Meanwhile,
promotion to flag rank
should occur when there is a position and
need, and Starfleet
To my mind, Admiral, one of Starfleet’s biggest faults is their can then promote the best possible
individual to fill the role.
adherence to military traditions and norms long past the time when Starfleet will also reap the benefits of
reliable, experienced
they cease to be appropriate. One of those traditions is the idea that command crews in their starships,
where they are most
Starfleet personnel should constantly be seeking promotion: the needed.
so-called “up-or-out” policy. A review of Starfleet records suggest
that this policy has cost Starfleet several fine officers. Many chose Signed,
private service or transfer to the Merchant Marine in order to remain
on a command deck, rather than be promoted into a role they President of the Federation
neither wanted nor suited. Furthermore, on more than one occasion
it has caused Starfleet’s upper ranks to become far too top-heavy.
Starfleet should not have so many flag officers that they have no real
roles for them. Kirk is not the only admiral who should never have
 14 CHAPTER 02

19
CAPTAIN’S LOG SUBSPACE TRANSMISSION

KIRK, JAMES T., CAPTAIN. SC 937-0176 CEC K’MPEC, CHANCELLOR OF THE

KLINGON HIGH COUNCIL
U.S.S. ENTERPRISE NCC-1701
STARDATE 3198.2 At my personal request, your Starfleet has
agreed to forward this
message to the families of the personnel of the
U.S.S. Enterprise.
As the Enterprise departs Janus VI, I continue Your families died fighting a doomed battle
against terrible odds,
to be astonished and delighted at the myriad defending the homes of a people who were, if
not quite your
of ways that life shows itself. According to both enemies, certainly not your friends.
Mr. Spock and Dr. McCoy, scientists considered I tell you, their deaths were not in vain.
the possibility of silicon-based life to be a Their sacrifice has made possible a
fantasy, at best. Needless to say, I have asked true alliance between my Empire and
them to provide a full report on the Horta to the your Federation. Your loved ones
Federation Science Council. It is not only silicate died in glory and honor, and their
life, but sentient silicate life. In the meantime, names will never be forgotten so
I am recommending to Starfleet that all long as there is an Empire.
exploratory personnel be reminded to consider
the possibility of life as we had never imagined it. For Narendra!
In the meantime, I look forward to the day we see
a Horta in Starfleet. Qapla’!

TRANSMISSION

COMMANDER SHELBY,
STARDATE 44011.4

Admiral Gustavson,

I understand that Starfleet Command wants someone to blame for He was an unwilling victim.
the disaster at Wolf 359. But attempting to place that blame on the
shoulders of Captain Picard is short-sighted, and does not address From a legal and historical standpoint,
Admiral, there are sixty-
the underlying problems that allowed Wolf 359 to happen. eight recorded instances of Starfleet officers
succumbing to
external mental control. The only instances
in which charges
Admiral, Fleet Command has become complacent in Starfleet’s were brought were instances in which the
officer’s actions
ability to cope with the unknown, even if that unknown is both both contributed to their loss of control and
those actions were
powerful and hostile. We’ve been fighting the Cardassians for contrary to Fleet regulations. As Captain
Picard was kidnapped
twenty years, with no end in sight. Within the past three years from the bridge of his own vessel, while
attempting to slow the
Starfleet Command was almost completely overtaken by neural Borg cube’s advance on Earth, his actions
clearly do not match
parasites and the only reason we remain here and human was those circumstances.
due to a coalition of starship commanders who saw what was
happening and attempted to intervene, at the cost of several Admiral, I realize the position you’re in.
There are people baying
thousand lives. And now, the Borg. for Picard’s blood, both inside and outside
Starfleet. We cannot,
on a legal or an ethical level, allow him to
become a scapegoat
Medical analysis of the Borg implants removed from Captain for Wolf 359. And on a pragmatic level,
Starfleet needs him right
Picard indicates that the first implant a Borg victim receives is a where he is.
neural transceiver. This transceiver allows the Borg hive mind to
override the victim’s physical and mental control over their own Respectfully,
body, while adding the victim’s knowledge, skills and memories
to its own. From that point on, the assimilated victim is a part of Commander Shelby, Tactical Command
the hive mind. Which means, Admiral, that Captain Picard did not
betray the Federation.

THE BETA QUADRANT 15

20
CULTURE alongside more martial cultures
such as the Andorians. While
such a wide spectrum of beliefs
could cause conflict, the
Federation makes it a virtue, and
creates something that
The Federation’s basic principle that all sentients have a right transcends the sum of its parts.
to determine their own beliefs and destiny ensures that there
 is no single “Federation” culture. The only common elements The Federation prefers to use
similarities between disparate
are cooperation and tolerance for other cultures and beliefs. cultures to facilitate
understanding and cultural exchange.
Starfleet personnel in particular are expected to be familiar This approach has been
demonstrated to ease interspecies
with the cultural practices of as many species as practical; interactions. Food and arts are
frequent mediums of cultural
they are also expected to tolerate mistakes made by others. exchange. Apart from specific
allergies, most Federation
citizens enjoy other species’
cuisines and find familiar
Federation cultures range from the highly traditional and techniques or flavors, even in
dishes that originated light
reserved, such as the Vulcans, to the hedonism of the years away. Similarly, artists of
various cultures and species
Risians. Pacifist planets, such as Risa and Betazed, co-exist share a passion for craft and
technique, a trained eye, and a
keen hand for technique.
TAL SHIAR INTERNAL This cultural interchange is
apparent in the homes of
Federation citizens and in the
small intricacies of life. A family
dinner may come from the
replicator, but the meal itself may
COMMUNIQUE unite disparate ingredients such
as earthy Andorian tubers
sliced and deep-fried in the
manner of Earth french fries,
Chairman, topped with Klingon grapok
sauce, or a pulled Klingon krada
leg rubbed with Vulcan redspice,
all served with Betazoid
The Imperial Fleet has already provided the Senate with a summary uttaberry juice.
of the actions at Narendra III. The battle was a tactical success
and a political failure. I believe the Imperial Fleet’s assessment is The artwork upon the walls may
consist of Vulcan
too pessimistic. From a military standpoint, certainly, the alliance calligraphy and expressionist
Betazoid mood-paintings,
between the Federation and the Klingons is a nightmare, and while Risian stone sculpture and
Andorian bone charms
promises to humble the Imperial Fleet for a generation. However, adorn a low table (itself of
exquisite Tellarite make). The
from an intelligence perspective, this is not truly the disaster the background music could range
as widely: a classical Vulcan
Fleet believes it to be. string quintet, a Klingon operatic
rendition of early 21st
century Earth metal music, or a
harpsichord cover of Risian
This new alliance may prove to be more of a weakness than a Lohlunat night-song.
strength. We currently possess a significant amount of experience
in exploiting the rivalries between the Klingon Houses. The House Another area where this cultural
exchange and fusion is
of Duras, in particular, is willing to accept our aid if it provides them apparent is fashion. Fashionistas
pair 20th-century revival
a greater portion of power within their Empire. The soft hearts in the jackets with Andorian silk scarves
and neckcloths. Feather-
Federation may also prevent the Klingons from raiding on our side light Vulcan robes sewn from
translucent Earth Jamdani
of the Neutral Zone, which is all to our advantage. silk are popular wedding gifts,
especially in Risa. Klingon
jewelers attract apprentices of all
species who wish to master
In addition, as noted in the Fleet’s report, the recovery of Federation the challenging and beautiful
granulation and lost-wax
survivors has proven to be an intelligence windfall. I have already techniques perfected in distant
ages on Qo’noS. Estonian-
arranged for the prisoners to be transferred into Tal Shiar custody. style knit mittens have become
ubiquitous around Andorian
In the meantime, it appears that the Senate has ordered the Fleet to spaceports, and Risian
cosmetics have made a splash on
pull back within the Neutral Zone for the time being. I recommend various catwalks for their
waterproof and staying properties.
we take full advantage of the situation. In time, the memory of the
Federation’s “glorious defense” of Narendra III will fade, and the Other, more intangible forms of
cultural exchange also occur.
inevitable differences between the Klingons and the Federation Several tea ceremony masters
from Kyoto travelled to Vulcan
will reassert to experience and understand
Vulcan tea ceremony and
themselves. When aesthetics. A small Vulcan
delegation returned that interest
that happens, we will by journeying to Earth and
studying tea ceremony in a Kyoto
be ready to strike. retreat. Tea sets and calligraphic
scrolls were exchanged at
each meeting. It has now
become fashionable for progressive
Jolan tru, Vulcan households to hang a
calligraphy scroll up near the
General Sevek entranceway of a home in similar
manner to the Japanese
tokonoma. The masters hope to
repeat the experiment with
the Klingons.
 16 CHAPTER 02

21
Citizens of the Federation are exposed to other ideas
via exchanges of fiction and nonfiction publications; the
SUBSPACE TRANSMISSION
Kir’Shara, the foundational Vulcan philosophic text, has
become recommended reading in high-level collegiate THROUGH OTHER
EARS: AN APPRECIATION OF EARTH MUSIC
philosophy classes, along with verse translations of
the
Klingon Songs of Kahless. Translations of the Andorian
PRESENTED BY THE FEDERATION ARTS COUNCIL
Parables of Ice and the Betazoid Book of the Chalice are
forthcoming. The Kama Sutra and the biblical Song of § Prelude and Fugue in F
minor, Johann Sebastian Bach, adapted
Songs have inspired poetry and music on Betazed and for the Vulcan lute —
T’Vala, ShiKahr Conservatory
Risa. Earth author Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick has a
strong Klingon following; the novel has become a § “The Ascension”,
Nightmares Made Flesh, Bloodbath — K’Tarla,
Klingon stage play, with Captain Ahab as the doomed Korila, R’Tani, Modrok,
Klingon Imperial Opera Company
hero-protagonist.
§ “When the Levee
Breaks”, Kansas Joe McCoy and Memphis
Andorians and Klingons alike adore the sport of ice Minnie — Thilir Shralara,
Andorian Academy
hockey (for dissimilar reasons), and several Andorian
players have already signed up as free agents in the § Song of the Butterfly
Lovers, traditional Chinese opera, Liang
Federation Hockey League. After a recent controversy, Zhu — Karthag and
Solia, Klingon Imperial Opera Company
the Federation Hockey League has ruled that deliberately
injuring an Andorian player’s antennae will result in a § Zoku, traditional
Japanese taiko — The Tellarite Naval Band
season-long suspension. Risian event planners are
au courant for diverse and special occasions such as § Selections from the
Mathwani, Jalal Al-Din Al-Rumi — The
Andorian weddings, Klingon betrothals, and in one case, Suraya Bay Quintet, Risa
a Betazoid funeral. Similarly, Betazoid therapists and
counselors are much in demand in Federation space due
to their telepathic and empathic abilities.
 THE BETA
QUADRANT 17

22
A human citizen of the
Federation has recently relocated
TRANSMISSION from Earth to Qo’noS and
opened an establishment
serving delicacies such as
barbequed targ, gladst slaw,
STARDATE 38325.3 bregit lungs braised in a
bloodwine reduction and gagh
with apple-mustard relish. The
restaurant has been
TO: T’Para, Marcia, Evan, J’Hara, Syrak, Eralle, Kimiko, Telass booked solid since opening, and
informal bat’leth duels
have occurred outside the
premises to resolve conflicting
FROM: Melissa reservations.

SUBJECT: Friday Evening Knitting Circle Yarn and Fiber Swap

Hey, everyone. It’s a brand-new Monday in New Berlin, which means THE NEW WORLD
ECONOMY

that we’re going to have our fortnightly knitting meeting in four days,
yay! It’s going to be at my place as usual. I just want to confirm The Federation economy is best
described as a centralized,
snacks and beverages and stuff. post-scarcity, resource-based
economy based on mutual
interlocking responsibilities. The
Federation Charter specifies
Evan, you’ve promised to bring your amazing chocolate brownies, that member planets are to
promote social progress and
and I know most of us are going to love them. T’Para, if you’re still better standards of living, an
aim that is undermined by
interested in bringing a flask of plomeek tea I’d love to try it. I’ll be economic systems that
encourage income inequality.
making deviled eggs myself, and J’hara will be bringing bloodwine
coolers in case anyone wants to knit tipsy. Widespread replicator
technology ensures that no citizen
of the Federation needs to fear a
lack of food or shelter.
Syrak, I’d love it if you gave us a brief lecture on Vulcan spinning Federation resources are held in
common for the benefit
techniques, and if you could, please bring a spare spindle so we of Federation citizens, and
administered by the executive
can try it out for ourselves. Eralle, you must show me the Risian lace branch of the Federation
government. A Federation citizen
stole your grandmother gave you, I’d love to puzzle the stitches out. is guaranteed a share of their
planet’s total resources
sufficient to live a comfortable
and healthy life. While much
Also, welcome Telass to our little group! She’s just come here from is provided in the form of food,
housing, and other basic
Andoria, and she has brought with her some of the most fluffy, needs, this share includes a
certain amount of resources on
luscious fiber ever. It’s the soft hairs combed from the belly of an account to be used at the
citizen’s discretion. The citizen
Andorian bull, and that stuff is finer than Earth qiviut. Strands of is free to invest these resources
as they see fit: they may
it have tested out at 6 to 8 microns, and it has a ridiculous staple trade in commodities traded
between Federation members
length. The small clump she gave me to play with feels like a puff of or in interstellar trade, build a
business, or pursue whatever
warm air in the hand. This stuff isn’t from the replicator, by the way. career appeals to their interests
and abilities. Citizens,
It’s from her family’s flock back on the homeworld. in return, are expected to devote
some of their time and
capabilities to supporting their
community and society, such
She’s willing to swap her Andorian bull fiber for stuff she can’t get as serving in a governmental
office or Starfleet. Citizens
easily from a replicator, so everyone, search your stashes and bring who make public service their
career are granted a greater
out your finest! share of resources, as a
recognition of their contributions
to society. While it remains
technically possible for a
Federation citizen to pursue the
acquisition of wealth, it is
no longer the societal norm.
Social and economic progress
is no longer measured by
consumption, but in the welfare of
FEDERATION ARTS COUNCIL all the citizenry.

By the 24th century, the

Federation does not use money,
TUVAL MEMORIAL AWARD FOR LITERATURE SHORTLIST nor does it print currency. The
“Federation Credit” officially
exists only as a unit of
accounting. Its value is fixed to a
Of Plomeek and Cardamom: A Biography of My Mother, Fatima tiny percentage of the total
production of the four founding
Mootassem members of the Federation as
of December 31, 2161,
and it is primarily used for
budgetary purposes and as a
Behind the Sun, Th’lera Shria medium of trade with cultures
that still use money-based
economies. Credit chips can
still be found occasionally
The Sehlat of Mt. Seleya, Sulan along the Federation’s frontiers
as relics of the past or as
trade artifacts.

18 CHAPTER 02

23
STARFLEET
ACADEMY LECTURE

SUBJECT: EARLY 21ST

CENTURY EARTH HISTORY LESSON 16

By the early decades of the 21st century, the failings of in the form of industrial pollution.
Government fell more and
unregulated capitalism had become clear. Less than 3% of more into the hands of the
wealthy, and wealth was distributed
the world’s money was printed and backed by governmental toward the powerful via low capital
gains taxes, tax loopholes,
entities; the remainder was generated by the banks. By corporate subsidies, or outright
transfers of state-owned
making loans, the banks “created” money in the form of debt. industries.
They did not, however, create the money necessary to pay
the interest on that debt. As the cycle continued the amount As power and wealth concentrated
in a small percentage of
of debt increased, but the amount of money available to pay people, middle-class incomes fell
and the percentage of the
the debt did not. As loans were paid off, the money created population in poverty increased.
Conspicuous consumption
by the loans and the interest paid disappeared, reducing the was encouraged by artificially low
prices on consumer goods,
amount of money in circulation. A shrinking money supply while the price of basic necessities
such as food, housing, and
 invariably led to economic downturns. Economic activity had medical care rose sharply.
Employment law in many parts of
to continually increase to offset the reductions caused by the globe favored employers, and
insufficient social safety nets
debt repayment. combined with low wages ensured
that families could be ruined
by a severe illness or a job loss.
After the Eugenics Wars, the United States loosened
restrictions on corporations and banks in an attempt to By the 2020s, industrial
automation and the export of
foster an economic recovery. While these measures seemed manufacturing meant that a
massive percentage of the
to be successful, the unfortunate side effects soon made population lacked jobs and
homes. “Sanctuary Districts,”
themselves felt. So-called “free” markets were open to originally created to help and
protect this population, quickly
exploitation by those who could most afford it. Businesses became nothing more than
prisons for the disenfranchised
engaged in monopolistic behavior, capturing markets by virtue and the destitute. That particular
social experiment was
of their size and, in classic rent-seeking behavior, used their terminated after a series of riots in
2024. The United States
wealth and power to exclude competitors from the market. economy began to crumble, and
many of the Western nations
Corporations whose only responsibility was to make money that depended on a stable dollar
followed suit. It was this
were encouraged to offload the deleterious effects of their worldwide economic collapse that
helped set the stage for
industrial processes onto the government or the people, often World War III.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Transporter technology of the 22nd and 23rd

centuries
could cause an incurable illness known as
transporter
psychosis; technology improvements in the
early 24th
Federation science is the result of the brightest minds from century eliminated this illness. Transporters are
not a
over a hundred planets. perfected technology and there are extremely
rare side
effects. These include passenger duplication,
foreign
TRANSPORTERS object damage, de-aging, re-aging, dimensional
transport
Transporter technology has advanced significantly since and time travel.
humans first developed it in the 22nd century. From its
humble beginnings as a means of cargo transportation, WEATHER CONTROL
transporter use is now routine on Federation planets, The Federation sees control of planetary
weather
bases, and starships. Most Federation planets possess and climate as routine. A system of satellites,
linked
a planetary transport network. Hubs in major cities and through a central station, provide real-time
monitoring
orbital facilities provide mass-transport capabilities from capabilities. The satellites release highly
specialized,
hub to hub, and each hub serves as the center of a aerosolized, self-levitating nanoparticles into the
regional transport network. Currently, many Federation high atmosphere. The motion and rotation of
these
planets are in the midst of upgrading their transport nanoparticles is controlled by lasers. Depending
on need,
networks: regional areas may still be using Mark VI the nanoparticles are capable of adjusting the
heating or
transporters, while the major hubs have been updated to cooling of the atmosphere by manipulating the
amount
use the Mark VII technology. of solar energy that reaches the atmosphere. A
second
type of nanoparticle manipulates humidity via
attraction

THE BETA QUADRANT 19

24
TRANSMISSION were handed over to the
Cardassians as part of the treaty,
and populations were given the
choice to relocate or remain
under the new Cardassian
government. The population of
RAMESH RAGHAVAN, LEAD TECHNICIAN, WEATHER CONTROL many of affected colonies
have rejected both alternatives.
SUBNET TWO, STARDATE 42121.2 Calling themselves the Maquis,
they have declared
themselves independent of the
Federation and Cardassia,
Shivaji, and have taken up arms in a
guerilla war against both
sides. This movement is
supported by a number of former
This is the last time I am going to tell you this: no, I am not going to Starfleet officers, including the
crews of several starships.
adjust the weather so that it will not rain on your birthday. You live in We do not expect to have to
deal with the Maquis directly,
Mumbai, and your birthday is in June! Which, as you are well aware, as their theater of operations is
in the Alpha Quadrant, but
is during monsoon season. Even if I wanted to — which I don’t — it the political repercussions may
extend into our region of
would be a major climactic re-organization, requiring the approval of space. Many colony worlds now
question whether they can
the Parliament. Parliament hasn’t authorized climate action of that be fairly governed when far from
their founding planet, and
scale in a century, and certainly not for such a frivolous reason. If you some are re-considering
Federation membership.
want sun on your birthday, spend the day in Texas; they’ve got all the
sun you can stand. While the Federation ensures
that colonies are provided with
an appropriate amount of
resources and technology, others
Do not ask me again. are not so lucky. The diasporas
of the 21st and 22nd century
resulted in a high number of
ships simply disappearing. In
R. Raghavan some cases, the ships found
suitable colony worlds in areas
the Federation has not yet
explored. In others, spontaneous
colonies formed around a ship
crash site or other disaster.
Starfleet continues to discover
such colonies even now, and
there is no doubt that other
such colonies exist. As always,
or repulsion of water molecules. These nanoparticles Captain, we rely on your
discretion when making contact with
degrade over time, although this loss is included in the these lost colonies. Many
colonists left their homeworlds for
weather control algorithms. good reason, and their
descendants may not be interested in
rejoining the fold.
Most planets, Earth among them, reserve weather control for
the prevention of disasters, such as hurricanes, tornadoes, FREE TRADERS AND CARGO
SHIPS
and flooding. Weather control systems are frequently During the 22nd century, Earth
and its colonies were served
seen on colony worlds, where they serve as an adjunct to by the Earth Cargo Service. This
agency was responsible for
terraforming technology. Risa is a notable exception to the oversight and licensing of
Earth’s interstellar cargo vessels.
typical Federation restraint: the Risians have modified their ECS ships were slow and stolid,
unable to reach warp 2.
 climate for centuries, and turned a gray, wet, dismal climate Thus, the crews of ECS ships
tended to be multigenerational
into a tropical paradise. and crew members lived their
entire lives on a single ship.
These space-faring citizens,
known as ‘boomers’, tended to
COLONY WORLDS be tough, stubborn, and fiercely
independent. The boomer
Part of Starfleet’s mandate is to seek out new worlds for lifestyle lasted almost a century
before dying out, as engines
potential colonization. Preference is given to Class-M capable of warp 3 and above
reduced travel time from years
worlds, although even on these worlds some terraforming to weeks or months.
is usually necessary. The Federation Council reviews and
grants colony charters. In rare cases, they also revoke colony After the foundation of the
Federation, the ECS and
charters usually because of unforeseen planetary dangers, similar services operated by the
other member planets
but occasionally because of mismanagement. Colonies start were subsumed into the
Federation Merchant Marine. The
small, usually as a single town, and are expected to expand Merchant Marine operated
civilian cargo ships and survey
carefully and responsibly. Colonists tend to be hardier than vessels, and personnel often
transferred from the Merchant
core-world citizens, and most are prepared for the effort Marine to Starfleet (and vice
versa).
required to create a self-sufficient colony.
Free traders tend to gravitate to
the fringes of the explored
Once a Federation colony reaches self-sufficiency, it may galaxy. Many of them prefer a life
with as few strings as
continue to be governed by the mother planet or seek possible. Others want to avoid
entanglements with the law.
independent Federation membership. To date, most Most free trader ships are old,
sometimes unreliable, and
colonies are content to be governed by their mother usually lacking significant arms
and armor. Free traders are
planets. That situation is likely to change thanks to the accustomed to living by their
wits, without support from
Federation-Cardassian Treaty of 2370. Federation colonies Starfleet or the Federation.

20 CHAPTER 02

25
MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY Hologram. In the event that a ship’s
physician is unavailable,
Federation medical technology is capable of producing the EMH is programmed to administer
over five million forms
almost miraculous cures. Over the centuries, Federation of medical treatment. As this technology
is still in its infancy,
scientists and doctors have almost entirely eradicated the Starfleet is requesting that chief medical
officers submit their
vast majority of illnesses caused by poverty, poor sanitation, evaluations of the EMH on a regular
basis.
malnutrition. Many causative biological agents exist now only
as stored gene-scans. Advanced surgical techniques allow
surgeons to repair injuries that would have been impossible
to treat even fifty years ago. Organs that cannot be repaired
SUBSPACE TRANSMISSION
can be replaced with sophisticated artificial versions, and
development continues on a genetic replicator designed to DR.
NAOMI TRINH, CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER,
replace organs in
situ. U.S.S.
ARIES, STARDATE 47574.5

Not all disease has been eliminated. Some micro-organisms Dan,

are extremely difficult to destroy, and others are highly
mutagenic, adapting quickly to treatment regimes. Cross- We made it to Deep Space
9 without falling apart, retrofits and all!
species illnesses also present challenges: Levodian flu, for I’ve learned more Andorian
curses in the past week than I did in the
example, has managed to crop up on every planet in the Academy — Commander
Trilas isn’t happy with the performance
Federation, and has been reported in Klingon space as of the new phaser
augmentation circuit. He says it’s just like the
well. More troublesome are an entire host of degenerative Klingons: crude,
overpowered, and likely to blow up at the slightest
disorders, many of which are under active research, but provocation.
have no cure. Disorders of the neurological systems are
particularly difficult to treat, as full organ replacement As for me, I experienced
the joy of working with the new Emergency
is impossible. Genetic diseases can also be difficult to Medical Hologram. Mettias
was down with the Levodian flu, and
treat, due to the legal restrictions on genetic engineering. Safa had just finished a
double shift, so I was down a nurse. The
Current Federation law allows the use of DNA resequencing EMH is supposed to be
able to provide support, so I tried it out.
only for the purpose of correcting life-threatening birth
defects (usually, a treatment performed in utero). Genetic Never again, Dan! I’ve
worked with Tellarites that are less
enhancement remains illegal. obnoxious. I don’t know if
the personality is supposed to be
what some idiot thinks a
doctor’s supposed to act like, or if it’s a
The Federation has developed a number of treatments deliberate act of sabotage,
because I’m not turning it on again. The
and therapies that do not require the use of genetic crew can use it if I’m dead.
recombination. Important advances have been made recently
in bioactive interfaces and cybernetic regeneration. Research Anyway, duty calls, as
usual. Give Lexie a kiss for me and tell her
continues into nanotechnological approaches as well, leading Neemee loves her!
to a thriving black market trade in Borg nanoprobes.
Naomi
Starfleet vessels constructed in the past year have been
outfitted with a new technology, called an Emergency Medical

MEDICAL ANALYSIS
LCARS 01-3200
6380-0027
10898 284900 10-349920 1270 26665
2280-0167
22279 274022 12-292800 11870 20290
3601-2770
28900 318290 9-236312 18930 123770

1200-2920
193442 839900 15-550280 2940 21892

3077-2901
23344 200229
1220-4992
8889 69499 31-2890
02-0012 2077-1830
20300 190733

2203-2000
2010 292001 33-2993

SICKBAY

THE BETA
QUADRANT 21
26
CHAPTER
02.20 THE BETA QUADRANT
FEDERATION WORLDS

ANDORIA Andoria’s life has evolved to be

highly resistant to cold.
Adaptations range from thick
insulating fur and blubber to
blood that functions as antifreeze.
The moon’s barren surface
PLANETARY BACKGROUND may lead visitors to believe that
Andoria is a lifeless place,
Andoria is not a planet, but an inhabited moon. It orbits the but nothing could be further from the
truth.
gas giant Andor, which itself orbits a binary star made up of
a white type F5 star and a white dwarf companion. Andor’s Andorian cities are built beneath the
first layers of ice,
orbit is at the far edge of the system’s habitable zone and, shielded from punishing winds.
Andorian children are taught
as a result, Andoria is a chilly ice world. While technically to use the ushaan-tor, an ice miner’s
tool, from an early age.
class-M, Andoria is an extreme outlier. Cities are connected to each other
via tunnels bored through
the ice. Andorian architecture makes
unique use of ice/
filler mixtures to create sturdy
structures around layers of
scaffolding driven into the
surrounding caverns.

These cities are not cold, miserable

places, for the moon
remains volcanically active
underneath the layers of ice and
snow. These natural sources of heat
create warm, mineral-
rich lakes in melted ice caverns
where life flourishes.
Chemosynthetic life forms thrive
around the hot vents
 in those waters, and thermosynthetic
plants such as the
famous Andorian cabbage, grow in a
rich soil created from
the freeze-and-thaw cycle breaking
down volcanic rock
and ash.

No Andorian city is very far away

from a vent-lake, for they
give a wealth of food, minerals,
building materials, energy,
and liquid water. These vent-lakes
are also popular vacation
spots where various citizens of the
Federation may enjoy
Andorian-style steam baths and
volcanic mud massages.

TWO PEOPLES, ONE PLANET

Many planetary and system
populations contain many
ethnic and national cultures within
their home systems.
Andoria, interestingly, is home to two
separate but interfertile
humanoid species: the Andorians and
the Aenar. During the
Andorian pre-history, the two species
lost contact with each
other. Contact resumed barely two
centuries ago.

The blue-skinned Andorians live just

under the surface of
the icy moon. As endotherms, they
evolved a high metabolic
rate in order to maintain a
comfortable body heat. They
are physically robust and are capable
of functioning in
temperatures as high as 100 °C. An
Andorian’s flexible
antennae are important vestibular
organs: an Andorian
whose antennae are injured will have
impaired balance and

22 CHAPTER 02

27
spatial awareness until the tissue regenerates. Andorian
blood is extremely non-viscous; this is partially an adaptation
HISTORICAL DOCUMENT
to cold, as their blood perfusion rate increases as the
temperature decreases. Major blood vessels are
entirely THE TEN VIRTUES
sub-muscular; this peculiarity means that Andorians cannot
receive intravenous treatments. Combined with their high 1. Hospitality: Turn no
visitor from your door, lest you be turned
metabolism, it also makes then vulnerable to injuries that away in turn. Even an
enemy deserves shelter from the ice.
impair perfusion, such as burns and disruption or phase
weapon wounds. 2. Family: From your clan
do you come, and to your clan will you
return. A single Andorian
dies in a windstorm. Many Andorians
The Aenar have a comparatively small population. They live can share their warmth
and endure.
in ice caves and crevasses far beneath the packed snow
of the moon’s surface. Millennia spent deep underground 3. Courage: Leave no
clanmate behind. It is a worthy death to fall
have caused the loss of skin pigmentation, and their slow defending the many, so
the clan may survive.
metabolisms are well-suited to the cold. Many Aenar are
completely blind but they do not consider this a problem as 4. Fairness: Everyone eats,
or no one eats. Do not hoard your
they are highly developed telepaths. This adaptation allows wealth. Share with your
clanmates and they will share with you
Aenar to navigate the darkness of the ice tunnels with ease. in turn.
Otherwise, they are physiologically similar to (and genetically
compatible with) Andorians. 5. Honor: An Andorian is as
good as their word.

Andorians and Aenar are culturally distinct. The Aenar 6. Graciousness:

Blood-feuds end with the ushaan. Shed blood
are pacifists, preferring to live in peaceful anarchy. When clears all debts.
necessary, they appoint a temporary representative (known
as a Speaker) to serve as their voice. Andorians, on the other 7. Protection: No warrior
fights alone, no hunter hunts alone.
hand, are characterized as culturally fierce, aggressive and Protect those weaker
than you, for you will need protection
militaristic. They are typically straightforward and honorable, in turn.
although they will not hesitate to use deception as a means
to victory. The Andorians aren’t xenophobic, having co- 8. Respect: Respect your
clanmates and those around you.
evolved while sharing their homeworld with the Aenar. Respect the Ice for what
it gives and what it can take.

Andorians are a passionate and deeply emotional people. 9. Justice: A wicked

clanmate harms the entire clan. Do not let
Life in the ice is short and they choose to live to the family bonds influence
punishment. Do not use family ties to
fullest. Conflicts between individuals and clans were not protect the wicked.
uncommon, and duels to the death were a preferred means
to resolve serious disagreement. Over time, these duels 10. Duty: As you owe duty
to your clanmates, so they owe duty to
evolved into the formal Ushaan. The Code of the Ushaan you. Do not shirk your
rightful labor, for in doing so you steal
is a vast, complex honor code meant to address both the from your own mouth.
demands of honor and to minimize the potential societal
damage from duels. Many of the amendments were
explicitly written to ensure the clan’s survival, regardless
of the outcome of the Ushaan: the right to postpone in
the absence of children, for example. Other amendments tor was to be dead. In a similar way, the
tethering of duelists
ensure that duels of honor are not merely legalized murder: has two purposes. Tethered
combatants have a limited
the right of substitution allows a challenged party to appoint reach; a combatant cannot use a duel
to attack a third-
a substitute champion, so that a challenger cannot simply party observer, nor can they retreat
without ending the duel.
kill a much weaker opponent. Finally, the dueling parties Symbolically, the tether represents the
cause of the duel,
are tethered together, and released only when one party is and it binds the two parties together in
bloodshed. Severing
unable to continue the fight. the tether releases the two, and the
affair is ended.

Ushaan duels are fought solely with the ushaan-tor. EMPIRE OF ICE
Andorians learn the use of the ushaan-tor from early Both Andorians and Aenar maintain
strong family bonds
childhood, which ensures that both duelists are familiar with which contributed to their survival in
pre-industrial times.
the weapon. This does leave non-Andorians at somewhat of Before Andoria was a united world, its
citizens were divided
a disadvantage, of course. More important than familiarity is into nations, which were themselves
divided into clans, all
the symbolism. The ushaan-tor is tool and weapon, offense organized in a similar hierarchy. The
Andorians replicated
and defense, and in older days, to be without the ushaan- their family bonds in their political
structures, characterizing

THE BETA
QUADRANT 23

28
the chancellor as head of the family, with various arms of considered the best artists in the
Federation. Similarly,
government filling the roles of parents, aunts, and uncles to Andorians have served in Starfleet and
in Federation
the citizenry. government from the Federation’s very
beginning.

Ask an Andorian what the Andorian Empire is based on, and Andorians are often the first to counsel
aggressive action
they will answer: “Passion and honor.” Nothing exemplifies against a perceived threat. This does
not always sit well with
this philosophy better than the Wall of Heroes. The Wall of more peaceful peoples such as the
Vulcans or Betazoid.
Heroes stands in a great cavern adjacent to the capital city. It Some Andorians are known for being
easily insulted and the
is a massive frozen wall of deep blue ice, streaked very faintly Andorian government usually ensures
that such individuals
with other colors. According to custom, a fallen Imperial are restricted to Andoria or their
colonies. Federation law
Guard’s blood is collected and returned to the homeworld. forbids dueling among its members, but
it is an open secret
There, it is poured upon the top of the Wall, where, that the ushaan is still practiced in some
parts of Andorian
freezing, it forms yet another layer upon the monument. society. So long as the practice does
not leave Andorian soil,
Some courageous aliens have earned the honor of being the principle of self-determination
protects participants from
memorialized upon the Wall of Heroes. These individuals have legal retribution.
demonstrated an understanding of the Andorian spirit. Often,
they either died in service to the Andorian people, or served Early relations between Andoria and two
of the other
alongside the Andorian Imperial Guard for a significant time. Federation founders, Tellar and Vulcan
were hostile. All
The first Human to receive this honor was Jonathan Archer, three powers were engaged in territorial
expansion, causing
whose blood was added to the Wall after his death. frequent conflicts where borders
clashed. Hostilities came
to a head in 2154, when the Romulans
attempted to foment
ANDORIANS RUN FROM NO ONE all-out war between the three powers.
While the three
Andorians live by a complex code of honor and law. Non- civilizations were able to set aside their
differences and join
Andorians often believe (mistakenly) that the there exists together against the common threat, the
legacy of distrust
a single, homogenous body of law observed by every has been hard to abandon. The
nearly-successful Orion plot
Andorian. Nothing could be further from the truth. There are to derail the Babel Conference of 2268
by setting the three
multiple legal codes, each applicable in different contexts. species against each other revealed that
the wounds of the
The honor code that most outsiders encounter is the imperial 22nd century were still not healed.
code, which dates back to the unification of Andoria, and is
an amalgamation of several of the clan codes.
BENZAR (DELTA PAVONIS)
Historically, each code was a diverse set of laws transmitted
orally from clan leader to each new generation. These laws
varied from clan to clan, and from city-state to city-state. PLANETARY BACKGROUND
Each clan committed a dizzying array of subjects to honor Benzar is a marginal Class-M with a
humid, ammonia-
and law: the sharing and portioning of game; the specific heavy atmosphere. Its primary is Delta
Pavonis, a yellow
thickness of pillars required in each dwelling; the proper dwarf similar to Sol but one on the
verge of becoming a
conduct of duels; the proper formats for marriage contracts red giant. Benzar is the second planet of
the system and
and separations. Purity or dietary taboos existed in ancient its orbit is currently in the middle of its
system’s habitable
ushaan texts. Clan Thy’lek, for example, famously forbade zone. Benzar has an axial tilt of
approximately 30%, with
the consumption of certain staple ice mosses due to a an average oscillation of 3.2% over a
roughly 50,000
hereditary enzyme deficiency. When the deficiency was year period. Some 85% of Benzar’s
surface is covered
addressed with modern medicine, the clan dropped the food in oceans, the water tinted deep brown
from dissolved
restriction from their clan code. alkaline metals. The combination of
pronounced axial tilt
and large oceans makes Benzar prone
to violent weather,
Clan-specific clauses were excluded from the honor codes especially hurricanes.
observed by the nation-states. After unification these state
codes were organized and codified into a single, overarching The landmass consists of island chains
and archipelagos
code meant to ensure proper conduct for all law-abiding covered in rich, black vegetation. The
plant life gets its color
citizens. Despite the wide variance in honor codes among from alkaline and metal salts in the soil
which the plants
clan, city and state, each code contains ten core virtues, break down for energy. Most of the
fauna of Benzar is
which guided the conduct of every Andorian. amphibious or entirely aquatic.

UFP FOUNDING MEMBER UNDER THE DOME

Andoria has been a critical part of the Federation since its Benzites primarily live in geodomes.
These large domed
founding. Sentients from scores of planets vie for a place cities are built over ocean platforms,
granting them easy
in the Andorian Academy, whose graduates are frequently access to water. The domes were
originally designed to

24 CHAPTER 02

29
withstand the violent and regular hurricanes that Benzar
experiences. As an additional benefit, they trap humid
air in cold, dry latitudes for the comfort and wellbeing of
their residents.

Benzites’ smooth, hairless skin allows them to glide

easily through water. Their facial barbels are sensory
organs that allow them to sense electric fields while
immersed, an adaptation that helps navigation in
Benzar’s dark, mineral-tinted water. Benzite ears
are ringed with muscle, allowing them to close
underwater. Ear closure does not affect a Benzite’s
underwater hearing. The vibrations caused by
sound in a liquid medium transmit directly to
the Benzite’s auditory nerves. Benzite skin gains
coloration and texture from the specific mineral
content of the water where the Benzite is spawned.
This causes citizens from the same geodome to bear
a remarkable resemblance to each other, often to the
point where offworlders cannot tell them apart. This
may have evolved as a way of communicating water
quality and content in the Benzites’ pre-sapient ancestors.
The difficulty non-Benzites have in differentiating between
Benzites is something they generally accept with equanimity.
Benzite society is precise, but not authoritarian. Benzites
are quite gregarious, especially among others of their dome.
They communicate through pheromones and body language
and speech is used merely for emphasis. The effect is more
pronounced underwater, as a group of Benzites can act as a
unit with an almost telepathic precision. related to that position. The primacy of
each ministry changes
depending on the situation. One might
be in the midst of
The Benzite government is a fluid meritocracy. Benzites negotiations with the Planetary Ministry
one day, only to
achieve governmental positions by excelling in an avocation find that an anticipated coronal mass
ejection has placed

RESPIRATION

TH
E BENZITES AND GENETIC ENGINEERING

Genetic engineering is strictly regulated within the Federation, Dr. Morshni, the project’s
head geneticist, had developed a
and permitted only to treat existing genetic illnesses. How, transgenic treatment to
augment the cybernetic implants. The
then, did the Benzites overcome their species-wide requirement treatment adjusted the
Benzite lungs’ capability to absorb
for respirators in oxygen/nitrogen atmospheres, without being oxygen to compensate
for the higher oxygen levels in the typical
censured for genetic engineering? Federation atmosphere.
The Federation’s inevitable discovery
of the truth almost cost
Benzar their Federation membership.
The Benzite government concealed the true nature of the Morshni justified the
treatment on the grounds that a reversible,
enhancements performed upon its spacefaring citizens. Their non-heritable transgenic
adjustment to the respiratory system
previous reliance on respirators was explained as a consequence was not an
enhancement, but a valid medical treatment to allow
of the Benzites’ requirement for high levels of humidity. The Benzites to function in
standard oxygen-nitrogen environments.
enhancements were described as purely cybernetic implants The Federation
reluctantly agreed. However, medical corps
designed to retain moisture in a Benzite’s gill chambers, which and legal officials plan
to keep a much closer eye on Benzar’s
were indeed necessary for a Benzite’s comfort and wellbeing in a medical science for the
foreseeable future.
 drier atmosphere.

THE BETA
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30
the Space Ministry in charge during the next day. More than EARTH
one Federation diplomat has observed that dealing with one
Benzite minister means dealing with them all.
PLANETARY BACKGROUND
Despite the apparently chaotic nature of Benzar’s Earth is a Class-M planet in the third
orbit of the Sol system.
government, corruption is all but absent. Benzar’s legal code, The capital of the Federation and site of
Starfleet Command
which has roots in their nomadic past, is one of the most and Starfleet Academy, Earth is the
home to millions of
intricate in the Federation. Benzite litigators have few equals species of life, and at least two sentient
genera, humans and
in spotting legal loopholes and contradictions, and to call a cetaceans. For over two hundred years,
the peoples of Earth
contract water-tight is high praise among them. While this have been united in peace and
progress, and today Earth is
propensity drives some Federation members to distraction, as close to a paradise as sentients can
make it.
Benzite contract lawyers are invaluable when negotiating
with the Ferengi. Top-ranked Benzite litigators have a A TUMULTUOUS PAST
jurisprudential responsibility that extends far beyond the Earth’s pre-warp history is filled with
conflict. It wasn’t until
usual duties of lawyers on other planets. They are granted the 20th Century, however, that
industrial progress made
broad authority to annotate and interpret the law, provided it possible for a single civilization to put
the entire world at
that their interpretation is justified by previous commentary risk. In 1945, the United States ended
the Second World
and precedent. Law is a particularly prestigious career on War through the use of atomic weapons
and ushered in the
Benzar, and a cause for celebration by progenitors whose modern age.
child qualifies.
The First and Second World Wars left
the world largely
Benzites are guided toward a career from their first years divided into two political blocs, each
centered on one of the
in school. Careful tests measure the children’s intellectual two dominant powers of the time (often
referred to as the
capacity, emotional capacity, interests and talents. Each Eastern Bloc, dominated by the Union
of Soviet Socialist
student is set a personalized curriculum which adapts Republics, and the Western Bloc,
dominated by the United
to the student’s continuing development. Students States). The United States had used
atomic weapons to
are taught in small groups, each focusing on a specific end the Second World War; due to fears
that an open
part of their curriculum, and move between groups as confrontation between the two blocs
would lead to a third,
the course of study changes. Study groups are not atomically-fueled World War, they
instead engaged in a half-
segregated by age, and any group may have students of century-long “Cold War.”
wildly differing ages.

NEWCOMERS TO THE FEDERATION

Benzar has been a Federation member for less than
a decade, and there are still some adjustments to be
made on both sides. Benzites are precise, meticulous,
and, accustomed to operating with a high level of
independence. While they respect authority, many
Benzites see nothing wrong with jumping up the
chain of command when necessary. This is
exemplified by the Benzite regulation that states
that Benzite officers, when encountering an
unknown situation, are to take full responsibility
for its analysis and provide a resolution before
reporting it to superiors. This has caused at
least one diplomatic incident, and Benzar and
Starfleet have found it necessary to re-address
these cultural differences.

Benzites also interpret Federation law extremely

strictly. A Terran might interpret a law differently
depending on circumstances, citing “the spirit of the
law”, a Benzite would never do so. To a Benzite, the
spirit of the law is expressed in the words of the law, no
more and no less. There are several areas of law in which
both Benzar and Starfleet are finding it necessary to re-
interpret and clarify laws and their intent.

26 CHAPTER 02

31
The Cold War was characterized by a policy of nuclear THE
WARM EQUATIONS
one-upmanship, a series of proxy wars involving less-
developed and less-powerful nations, a high level of
espionage, and scientific projects (often of dubious
EXCERPT, BACK FROM THE BRINK: WORLD WAR III
merit) designed to provide some sort of advantage.
The AND THE NEW HUMAN RENAISSANCE
Augments were the result of one of these programs,
although the details of the program were lost in the chaos Contemporary historians
ask, “What prevented the Earth’s total
of the following century. destruction during the wars
of the 21st century?” The answer
to that question continues
to be hotly debated, even today. We
The Eastern Bloc had nuclear platforms in orbit in 1968; examine one hypothesis in
the first chapters of this work.
a failed launch of a similar platform by the United States
caused both sides to agree to a new, stricter international Some cite first contact with
the Vulcans as the true turning point, but
agreement to prevent the use of such weapons. Disarmament in truth the Vulcans did little
to help Earth until it became evident that
talks in the 1970s reduced the nuclear stockpiles of both humans would not fall back
into war. Instead, recently-recovered
blocs; however, there still remained sufficient nuclear historical records point to
an unlikely source of intervention.
weapons to destroy civilization. Development of orbital
platforms continued by both sides, replacing nuclear In the wake of the late
1960s treaty regulating orbital platforms,
weaponry with kinetic energy weapons and early pulse both superpowers explored
other options. Among these was
weapons designed for point defense. Systema “Perimetr”, an
automated weapons system intended to
remove human
decision-making from the deployment of the then-
The fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 provided a power USSR’s nuclear arsenal.
Initially a relatively-simple computerized
vacuum which the Augments were happy to fill; indeed, switching and launch
network, Perimeter underwent continuous
there is some speculation that its fall was engineered by upgrades during the years
leading up to the nuclear holocaust.
one or more Augments in order to create the circumstances
necessary for them to assume power. The Eugenics Wars The Eastern Bloc claimed
that Perimeter could simulate, calculate,
lasted only four years, but their impact on Earth was horrific. and virtually fight any
conceivable wartime scenario in a matter of
Entire populations were bombed out of existence, primarily seconds, so advanced were
its circuits. At the time, many believed
in Central Asia, South America, and Africa. Records of the this statement to be mere
propaganda. However, records suggest
era are sparse, but there are indications that orbital kinetic that Perimeter benefited
greatly from early developments in the
weapons were used to suppress Augment air power in the USSR’s artificial intelligence
program. In a race to defeat the West,
latter half of the wars. the Eastern Bloc
inadvertently equipped Perimeter with what may
have been a functional
predecessor to the ground-breaking, yet
A period of economic and international uncertainty followed. ultimately unsuccessful,
multitronic computer developed by Dr.
The United Nations was reorganized, to little effect. The Richard Daystrom.
United States’ economy was in a state of collapse, while
Europe was succumbing to xenophobia and Balkanization. The historical record
estimates that a mere 2-3% of the
Many of the countries of East Asia banded together under superpowers’ nuclear
arsenals achieved their intended targets. An
China’s lead to form the Eastern Coalition. By 2026, tensions unusually high percentage
of missiles were destroyed by Eastern
between the Eastern Coalition and the Western powers had Bloc missile defenses, and
there are indications that those missile
reached the point of conflagration, but it was the genocidal defenses targeted their
own missiles as well as the enemy’s. In
would-be despot Colonel Phillip Green whose acts of eco- addition, during the final
stages of the nuclear assault, Perimeter
terrorism set the world aflame. was destroyed by a
ground-penetrating thermonuclear device
launched by the Eastern
Bloc themselves.
World War III lasted twenty-seven years, and was fought
with both nuclear and conventional weapons. At least some But why would they destroy
their primary line of defense?
of the military forces of the time were controlled via the
use of combat drugs. Six hundred million were killed, and We must ask ourselves
difficult questions — when the war began,
most governments collapsed. Remarkably, despite the war, did Perimeter come to the
conclusion, logically based on a billion
humanity was still attempting to explore the cosmos. Manned virtual simulations of a war
that ended in annihilation, that it must
missions were launched throughout the war, including Ares IV prevent that outcome? Is it
possible that a machine, designed to
and the Charybdis. defend one small part of
the world, chose to extend that defense
even unto its enemies?
The period after World War III is known as the “post-
atomic horror,” although records of the period suggest Is it possible that a system
designed to exterminate life chose
that some regions suffered much more than others. Green, warm, rather than cold,
equations?
responsible for millions of deaths during the war, ordered
the “purification” of the human race by killing hundreds of

THE BETA
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32
thousands of people who were suffering radiation sickness. combination of the old and the
new. As ruined suburbs and
He was ultimately brought to justice, but his words and acts urban centers were reclaimed,
many of them were converted
were not forgotten. In other parts of the world, law and order to parkland and common areas.
Historic city centers
collapsed completely. And in Bozeman, Montana, Zefram are maintained, their roads
converted to pedestrian use.
Cochrane built and launched the Phoenix, the first warp- Population centers are no
longer designed around the need
capable spacecraft, resulting in Earth’s meeting with the to support millions of personal
vehicles. Most people don’t
Vulcans, known thereafter as First Contact. own such conveyances,
preferring the convenience of the
planetary transport network.
The cruelties of the post-atomic horror were the final straw
— an extinction burst of violence — for the people of Earth. Urban populations primarily live
in arcologies. These huge,
One by one, the nations of Earth sent their ambassadors to mixed-use buildings include
residential and industrial areas,
San Francisco to stand united. One by one, the last of the hydroponic gardens and
dedicated open spaces, and can
despots died, and humans reclaimed their battered world. be several hundred stories tall,
and provide urbanites with
Eighty-seven years and one human lifetime later, the last comfortable homes in an
ecologically-sound footprint. There
independent nations joined the world government, making it is no uniformity to the design of
these arcologies. While each
a United Earth in truth. city may have a similarity of
style, each arcology is unique,
and many of them are works of
art.
HEART OF THE FEDERATION
Today, Earth has recovered from the scars of the 21st Many Terrans choose not to live
in cities, a choice made
Century. Its population enjoys a comfortable, peaceful, possible by the wide reach of
the planetary communications
 productive existence. Vast tracts of land area have been and transport network. Some
are able to pursue their careers
designated as wilderness areas and left to grow wild. other from their home, conducting
their business on a remote
areas are agricultural. A network of weather satellites, basis. If a job requires a
physical presence, however, it’s
launched in the early 22nd Century, has corrected the climate as easy to transport halfway
across a world as it is to walk
aberrations from the nuclear winter. Today, Terrans prefer a across a boulevard. Modern
technology allows homes to be
light hand with the weather, and only generally intervene to entirely self-contained, and
citizens can live as easily on the
prevent a full-fledged disaster. edge of the wilderness as they
can in the city. Sentients of
all species can be found in
Earth’s cities. Some are there on
The wars of the 21st Century inadvertently encouraged business, some for pleasure,
and some choose to make their
the redesign of most major cities. Most cities today are a home among humanity.

STARFLEET ACADEMY LECTURE

(TRANSCRIPT)

GUEST LECTURER T’CAEL OF THE SHIKAHR

ACADEMY, THE PARADOX OF LOGIC

When outworlders refer to Surak and his philosophy, the word most often used in translation is logic. We
do not speak here of the
logic of mathematics or philosophy, but the pursuit of reason. This pursuit of a logical, rational mindset
gives rise to a number of
misunderstandings about Vulcans. The most fundamental of these is the idea that we have no emotions.

We have emotions. Some of us even possess a sense of humor.

Vulcans have emotions, and those emotions are powerful, irrational, and frequently violent. That is the
problem Surak faced. As he
mastered his feelings, he discovered the capability to see the world as it truly was, without the distortion of
emotional excess. In the
casting out of fear, he discovered the wonders of diversity.

From these beginnings came the three pillars of logic: the acceptance of reality, for good or ill; the embrace
of diversity, and the change
and growth that diversity offers; and the emotional control that makes the first two possible. It is no
accident that the IDIC symbol is a
triangle atop a circle -- the rational shaping the irrational, the threefold path of logic allowing the Vulcan
soul to become whole.

Surak hoped that one day we could live with our emotions in peace, and he had faith we would discover
the way to attain that state from
the diversity of the universe. And yet, in that hope, we find a paradox for these are not logical beliefs. A
purely rational analysis suggests
that it should be impossible for one man to change the way of thought of an entire planet. Yet he persisted
-- not out of logic, but
because he loved his people too much to allow them to destroy themselves.

28 CHAPTER 02

33
Earth’s oceans support a thriving aquaculture industry. versions of the United Nations were
inaugurated in the
With support and assistance from the cetacean citizens city. United Earth was born here out of
the peace treaty
of Earth, billions of tons of biomass are produced each that ended World War III. The United
Earth Starfleet sited
year to provide raw material for industrial replicators. The its headquarters along the bay coast
north of the city, and
replicator has made industrial agriculture a thing of the multiple alien embassies and
compounds were built in the
past. Modern agriculture is primarily artisanal, combining surrounding area. San Francisco hosted
the signing of the
modern capabilities with traditional techniques. Earth’s Federation Charter in 2161, and every
new member of the
farms are small and highly-specialized, producing items Federation adds their signature to the
charter in the very
that either cannot be replicated or that have particular same hall.
cultural significance. French wine, traditionally grown
wasabi, and artisanal dishes of banku and okro stew are Starfleet Headquarters and the Starfleet
Academy are
only a few examples. located on the site of the former
Presidio, at the north tip
of the peninsula, just south of the
Golden Gate Bridge. The
PARIS Federation Council chambers can also
be found in this area.
The Federation president’s office is situated in Paris, Starfleet also maintains and operates
towers in the former
France. At the top of a tall, graceful tower overlooking the Financial District, where each division
conducts day-to-day
Seine, the president has an unparalleled view of a millennia operations. The San Francisco Fleet
Yards, in geostationary
of history. At one end of the city, the Arc de Triomphe orbit over San Francisco, also have their
headquarters in
stands, the eternal flame beneath it re-lit in 2070 and the city.
nurtured ever since. Across the Seine rises the Eiffel Tower,
restored and re-dedicated on the date that France joined
United Earth. The great Avenue des Champs-Élysées VULCAN
stretches from the Arc to the Grand Palais and, finally,
the Louvre. The Louvre remains one of Earth’s premier
museums; much of the collection was stolen during and PLANETARY BACKGROUND
after the war, but the majority was recovered relatively Vulcan is a Class-M planet in the
triple-star system 40
intact. It became apparent after the war that a significant Eridani. Vulcan is in the second orbit
around the K1 dwarf
portion of the thefts were motivated by a simple desire to 40 Eridani A, near the inner edge of the
habitable zone. 40
protect the priceless treasures. Eridani B and C are incapable of
supporting life-bearing
planets. Any planets orbiting Eridani B
would have been
The citizens of Paris are proud of their history, and have destroyed when it collapsed into a white
dwarf, and Eridani
worked hard to ensure that the city retains the ambience of C is a red dwarf whose flares are lethal
to M-class planets.
times past. The original medieval layout of Paris can still be 40 Eridani A, although of slightly lower
magnitude than Sol,
seen in its street map, which has not changed in hundreds appears brighter from Vulcan due to the
closer orbit.
of years. Paris has always rigorously controlled their urban
development, and new construction within the central Vulcan is half of a double planet. It orbits
a barycenter
quarters of the city is restricted to a height of 37 meters. This approximately two-thirds of the way
between it and its
may, on the discretion of the city government, may be raised planetary companion, T’Khut. T’Khut is
smaller and less
to 50 meters if necessary. Exceptions are rare. Architectural massive than Vulcan, has very little
metal content and its
styles are expected to combine harmoniously with the core is no longer tectonically active.
Unusually, the Vulcan
existing historic buildings. This makes Paris visually and system contains a second Class-M
planet, this one near
culturally unique among Terran cities. the outer edge of the habitable zone.
Vulcan has never
colonized this small, forbidding ice
world, due to its tectonic
SAN FRANCISCO instability and predatory fauna,
considered vicious even by
San Francisco is nestled in the rolling hills at the tip of Vulcan standards. Due to the small
extent of 40 Eridani A’s
the peninsula that separates San Francisco Bay from the habitable zone, there are times when a
person on the ice
Pacific Ocean. First gaining prominence as a port during planet could potentially see the surface
of Vulcan.
the gold rush of the 19th Century, San Francisco became
a diplomatic and financial center in the 20th. A massive Vulcan is an arid world with a thin
atmosphere and high
earthquake in 1906, and another in 2043, both resulted in gravity. Most water on Vulcan is
contained in underground
massive rebuilding. San Francisco is therefore a very modern aquifers. A mere 10% of the surface is
water, primarily
city. Areas such as the Mission District and the Embarcadero a pair of seas about the size of Earth’s
Mediterranean.
retain their historic character, and are the sites of a number of Despite its current desert climate, there
are geological
restaurants, night-spots, and cafés. indications that Vulcan possessed
significantly more
water in its early history. Many
planetologists believe that
San Francisco has been the site of several major attempts Vulcan’s lack of water is a result of
exposure to Eridani C’s
at unification, both of Earth and of the Federation. Both periodic and violent solar flares. Vulcan
and Eridani C are

THE BETA
QUADRANT 29

34
against its fierce primary star,
while their respiratory systems
are particularly efficient in
extracting oxygen from the
atmosphere. Plants and animals
alike can go for significant
amounts of time without water,
and most Vulcan life
possesses some resistance to
hard radiation.

RED SAND, GREEN BLOOD

Vulcan history before the Time of
Awakening is a tale of
savage, brutal war. Access to
water, scarce and precious,
was an early cause of
contention. As Vulcan technology was
driven forward by the needs of
weapons development, other
resources soon became equally
valuable. Vulcan religious
rituals were fierce and
passionate, and Vulcans were as quick
to lose themselves in religious
ecstasy as they were to wage
war. It was not uncommon to
see two Vulcan clans fight a
war of mutual annihilation, only
for others to repeat
the tragedy.

By the 4th Century C.E., Vulcan

had reached a tipping point.
They were capable of space
flight and had developed atomic
weapons. Not only could they
destroy themselves, but they
could carry their wars to the
stars. Some attempts to rein in
the Vulcan propensity toward
violence had occurred in the
past, but none had been
successful. It was into this world
that Surak was born.

No one knows what caused

Surak to turn from the chaos that
was Vulcan society of his time,
but turn away he did. Alone,
he undertook a pilgrimage
across Vulcan’s fiercest desert,
where his path led him to Mount
Seleya. Alone, he re-made
currently at their maximum separation but there have been himself in the fires of Vulcan’s
Forge and, in so doing, found
times when the planet has been at the outer edge of C’s the way to re-make his world.
flare zone. That it never comes closer is evident because
the planet still has an atmosphere (however thin) and Surak advocated a philosophy of
pacifism and reason. He
surface water (however scarce). developed and taught
techniques of meditation and mental
discipline that allowed Vulcans
to control or eliminate their
Life on Vulcan evolved to be strong, tough, and cruel. Most emotions. His teachings were
based in a deep appreciation
diurnal animals possess an inner eyelid, adapted to protect for the diversity of the universe
and a profound respect
for life. He preached reason and
logic, made of himself an
emissary of peace to warring
factions and, over a century,
his teachings began to take root.
The legend that, by logic,
KOLINAHR he cooled the Plain of Blood
from the heat of battle is
likely a poetic reference to one
or more of these missions
Surak hoped that the Vulcans would someday be able to master of peace. As he gained
followers, they, too, tried to bring
their emotions, rather than be mastered by them. He also recognized peace to the warring world.
Many died, but gradually, peace
that some Vulcans would never be able to live with their emotions. began to spread.
Either those emotions were too strong, or their psionic sensitivity
was too high. The discipline of Kolinahr was intended for those Not all Vulcans were interested
in following the way of logic
who could not master their emotions in any other way. Kolinahr and peace. Some saw an
opportunity to strike against
masters are highly respected for their discipline, their sacrifice, and opponents who would not fight
back. Foremost were “those
their complete devotion to Surak’s ideals. However, there are some who marched beneath the
Raptor’s wings.” Neither clan nor
Vulcans who have demonstrated that Surak’s hope was not without nation, these Vulcans were an
organization of mercenaries.
foundation. The half-human Ambassador Spock is known for both Ostensibly, they fought for pay,
in the cause of whoever
his control and his occasional masterful expression of emotion. would hire them. In reality, they
relished the blood lust and
Surak’s celebration of diversity has borne fruit at last. violence. Vulcans, they believed,
were meant for war. A death
in war was the only honorable
death, and to fight and survive
was the greatest of joys. Logic
threatened all they believed in.
 30 CHAPTER 02

35
Surak’s writings contain no reference to his final days,
and PERSONAL LOG
records are sparse, but the general sequence of events
is known. The children of the Raptor struck, swiftly and
savagely. When the atomic weapons launched,
Mount JONATHAN ARCHER, JULY 12, 2154
Seleya — and Surak — was the first target. Though he did
not die in the initial onslaught, he was exposed to massive The Enterprise is currently
undergoing repairs, courtesy of the new
amounts of radiation. He lived long enough to retreat to the Vulcan government.
Meanwhile, I’m getting used to being alone in
T’Karath Sanctuary, where many of his people had taken my own head again. After
some discussion with T’Pol and T’Pau, I’ve
refuge in the underground vaults. There, he died, and his decided that Starfleet doesn’t
need to know that I spent several days
katra was preserved and carefully hidden, along with his sharing my brain with the
father of Vulcan philosophy. Dr. Phlox has
original writings. assured me that I haven’t
suffered any neurological damage from the
experience, and I can rely on
his discretion.
Logic suggests that those who knew of the location of
Surak’s writings and katra died in the final battle. Through the I’m not sure how to describe
it. Syrran could have survived long
centuries required to rebuild Vulcan civilization, those who enough to pass the katra on
to T’Pol, but he, or Surak, chose me for
followed translated and disseminated his teachings to their a reason. And I don’t think it
was just because humans still remember
students. Over time, Surak’s teachings became corrupted. the fear of nuclear
annihilation. He never said it outright, but I think
he wanted to remind Vulcans
that diversity also comes in packages
By the early 22nd Century, knowledge of his philosophy that make them
uncomfortable. To show both of our peoples that
had degraded to a point where the High Command could we’re not that different under
the surface. A reminder that not even he
effectively seize control of the planetary government, guiding could change a planet alone.
It takes all of us.
Vulcan into a period of militarism and Vulcan superiority.
Modern analysis suggests that one or more members of the
High Command were influenced by Romulan agents, as a
step towards reunification. In a historical irony, the corrupt
administrator of the High Command set his own downfall in No two Vulcans are exactly alike,
though there are some
motion. He arranged the bombing of the Terran Embassy, societal tendencies. Vulcans are usually
less impulsive than
planning to use it as an excuse to attack the Andorians. other species. When possible, they
prefer not to act until they
Humans and Vulcans working together to find the truth have all the facts. Conversely, they are
often more willing to
exposed his duplicity and restored Surak’s original writings to enter dangerous situations, given a
rational assessment of
the Vulcan people. the risks. They are an extremely
reserved people, and non-
Vulcans must learn to interpret their
body language in the
THE PURSUIT OF LOGIC context of that reserve. For a Vulcan,
the touch of fingers can
Over the past two centuries, Vulcan society has returned to be the equivalent of a full-body embrace.
the true teachings of Surak. In many ways, however, Vulcans
remain who they have been for centuries. They are a people Vulcans have a reputation for being
reluctant to spend time
bound by tradition, of their own choice. Their tight adherence among other species, especially those
lacking emotional
to the strictures of logic often appears to be mental or control. This reputation has a basis in
fact because a
societal rigidity. They are an intensely private people, and Vulcan untrained in the philosophical
techniques of
do not readily invite outsiders into their confidence. This emotional and psychic control is
vulnerable to the influence
reserve is often mistaken for standoffishness or arrogance. of others’ emotions. For Vulcans, strong
emotions are
They are considered cold and forbidding, often compared literally contagious. Many of the ancient
Vulcan religious
to machines. practices evolved to exploit this
tendency, inducing highly
ecstatic emotional states. This
sometimes allows Vulcans
None of this is true. Vulcans do have a high regard for to sense highly emotional events at a
large distance, such
tradition, but for good reason. Their traditions saved their as Commander Spock becoming aware
of the death of
civilization from total destruction. Not all Vulcans follow the the U.S.S. Intrepid’s all-Vulcan crew in
2268 from light-
path of logic in the same way, however. Surak anticipated as years away. Vulcans who are unsure of
their emotional
much in his writings: “All people are different; no one walks control prefer to remain among Vulcans
rather than risk an
twice in their own footsteps.” In addition, two centuries emotional onslaught.
after the revelation of Surak’s original writings, modern
philosophers have offered different interpretations. Some Pre-Awakening architecture is usually
imposing, with
Vulcans emphasize emotional control, and these are more mighty stone fortresses towering above
the desert and
likely to pursue the ritual of Kolinahr. Others are more carved out of the living rock. Even
today, many of these
interested in exploring the diversity of the universe. The only edifices remain habitable and in use.
One notable example
consensus is that each Vulcan must experience Surak’s is the Hall of Ancient Thought on Mount
Seleya. Post-
philosophy for themselves. Awakening architecture can be divided
into two general

THE BETA
QUADRANT 31

36
eras: before and after regaining the capability for space on the surface of the planet,
one only sees the occasional
travel. Pre-space buildings lack the sheer grandiosity of roof. Modern Vulcan
architecture takes full advantage of the
their predecessors and instead reflect a new humility and technologies available to it, and
tall, graceful buildings rise
practicality. Instead of building up, they built down, using far above the surface, towers
sweeping to a peak. Sharp
the insulating properties of stone to their advantage. Older corners are eschewed in favor
of sinuous curves. Buildings
Vulcan cities look odd to human eyes. When one stands are ornamented simply, using
straight lines to break up or
emphasize the curves.

Vulcans tend toward the

minimalist in their personal spaces.
REMEMBRANCE STONES Surak’s philosophy states that a
Vulcan should not burden
themselves with excessive
possessions. One should own only
In the days before Surak, travelers would carry small gems which had things that are useful or that are
beautiful. Thus, Vulcan rooms
been intricately carved with their family sigil and lineage. The value are rarely cluttered and those
pieces of furniture that are
and craftsmanship of these stones was an indication of the family’s necessary are placed
harmoniously with objects of beauty.
wealth and status. These stones were presented like calling cards,
and they could also be returned to the holder’s family in an unspoken Even today, little is known about
Vulcan religious beliefs.
demand for ransom. They are considered the most
private practices of an
 intensely private species. In
ancient times, Vulcans were
They continued to be created after the final war, although for very a polytheistic people with a
host of decadent religious
different reasons. Most such stones date from the first postwar practices. Surak himself was
not a priest, and rejected
century. They are made of the substance that humans call “Trinitite,” attempts to cast him as such.
Yet many of the rituals and
glass formed in the furnace of an atomic bomb. Vulcans know them disciplines of modern Vulcan
are viewed as sacred, in
as “Surak’s Tears,” and they can still be found in the Forge. These particular those involving the
katra. These rites are always
stones were carved as silent testimony that one had survived the final overseen by priests, as is the
final passage of Kolinahr.
war, and as a warning to never forget the madness that Vulcans had
one embraced. PLACES
ShiKahr is the capital city of
Vulcan, and one of its oldest
continuously-occupied cities.
Although the generally

32 CHAPTER 02

37
accepted spelling is ShiKahr, variant transliterations and that property can easily be
replaced. Because the
include Shi’Kahr, ShirKahr, Shirkar, and several others. It Risians welcome all comers, and do
little to monitor the
grew up around one of the rare natural artesian springs. activities of their visitors, Risa has also
become a haven
The pre-Awakening fortress built to defend the precious for spies, similar to Old Earth’s Vienna.
Agents of all
spring is still in existence, and is now used by the Vulcan species can make discreet contact
under the guise of a
High Council and Vulcan Science Academy as a lecture libidinous vacation.
and meeting hall for very large audiences. ShiKahr was
also one of the first cities to accept logic: Surak founded CORIDAN
the T’Karath Monastery nearby on the outskirts of the Coridan is extremely rich in dilithium and
other metals, and
Forge. Formerly the site of the High Command, ShiKahr so has been the target of interstellar
predation from before
is also home to the Vulcan Science Academy and the the Federation’s founding. In the 22nd
Century, Coridan was
Shirkahr Academy. wracked by dissent. Poverty was
widespread, and there
were numerous rebellions against the
elected government.
Vulcan’s Forge is the harshest desert on the planet. While their political differences were
genuine, the conflict
Surface water is inaccessible, save to the native wildlife, between the government and the rebel
forces was made
and the only shelter is a network of caves. Geomagnetic worse by the Vulcans (who backed the
government) and the
anomalies and sandfire (highly ionized sandstorms) disrupt Andorians (who supported the rebels).
Both were willing to
modern technology, such as communicators, transporters, interfere for the sake of Coridan’s
dilithium exports.
and weapons. Those lost in the Forge are rarely rescued,
as even sensors cannot penetrate the area. Despite the Coridan was part of the negotiations to
create a Coalition
forbidding terrain and the danger of wild sehlats, the of Planets in 2155, largely to defend
against the Romulan
Forge has become a place of pilgrimage in the past two threat. They refused to join the Coalition
due to their trade
centuries. Since the discovery of the Kir’Shara, Vulcans ties with the Orion Syndicate, and were
not invited to join the
have come to Gateway to follow in Surak’s footsteps. Federation six years later. Meanwhile,
their political situation
continued to disintegrate. Over the next
century, civil wars
Mount Seleya rises from Vulcan’s Forge. It was a sacred and piracy caused a significant
population decline, while
place of retreat even before the time of Surak, and it was Orion traders worked illegal mines using
slave labor.
there that Surak developed his philosophy. The ancient
monastery on Seleya’s slopes was largely destroyed in the Coridan’s request to join the Federation
in 2268 almost
final war. It was rebuilt a century later as the Hall of Ancient opened old wounds among the
Federation founders
Thought. It, and the Hall of Katras within, was intended to be instead. An Orion spy, disguised as an
Andorian, murdered
the resting place of Surak’s katra and his final writings. Both the Tellarite ambassador and tried to
pin the blame on the
were lost in the aftermath of the war, and only since their re- Vulcan ambassador. The crew of the
Federation starship
discovery have they taken their appointed place. transporting the diplomatic entourage
solved the murder and
uncovered the spy, and the negotiations
continued. Today,
OTHER PLANETS Coridan is a full member of the
Federation, and remains one
RISA of the most valuable sources of
dilithium in the Quadrant.
Risa is one of the Federation’s most famous pleasure
planets, and was known as such even before it became a NAUSICAA
Federation member. Risa’s natural state is cold, gray, rainy, Little is known about the Nausicaan
homeworld, as the
and seismically unstable. Through the use of sophisticated Nausicaans do not allow outworlders
planet-side. Some
weather and seismic control systems, the Risians have suspect it to be just short of a “death
world”, with high
transformed their planet into a sunny tropical paradise. gravity, extreme temperatures, and
ferocious wildlife. The
Risa is a popular location for seminars, tournaments, and Nausicaans themselves are ill-tempered
and violent, and take
weddings. The planet offers a variety of activities designed to pleasure in inflicting and enduring pain.
appeal to the widest possible spectrum of sentients. Balmy
beaches, trendy urban nightclubs and wilderness adventures: Nausicaan pirates were a scourge of
civilized worlds in
Risa has it all. The Risian people are generous, openly sexual the 22nd Century. Operating in
organized groups, their
and hedonistic, and they freely invite their visitors to partake piracy was a business. In the intervening
two centuries,
“All that is ours is yours.” such groups disintegrated, possibly due
to a governmental
or societal collapse. Nausicaans
continued to be a blight
The Risians are a peaceful people and their planet is on the civilized galaxy, hiring
themselves out as thieves,
likewise peaceful as weapons are entirely banned. That bodyguards, and mercenaries. They are
often hired by the
said, Risa is not a perfect planet. Crime is not unknown in Orion Syndicate as muscle.
the urban areas, and travelers are advised not to drop their
guard completely. The Risians take the relaxed attitude
that the occasional minor crime adds spice to an outing,

THE BETA
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38
CHAPTER
02.30 THE BETA QUADRANT
THE KLINGON EMPIRE

“ WE ARE SIMILAR AS A SPECIES. HERE WE ARE ON A PLANET OF SHEEP, TWO TIGERS,

PREDATORS, HUNTERS… KILLERS. AND IT IS
PRECISELY THAT WHICH MAKES US GREAT. AND THERE IS A UNIVERSE TO BE TAKEN.”

— KOR, DAHAR MASTER

INTRODUCTION This uncertainty is made worse

by official Imperial policy:
the Empire lays claim to broad
swathes of territory, but
there is simply no way for
another power to tell whether a
Our relationship with the Klingons goes back longer than claimed star system has
merely been explored by Klingons,
nearly all others with different species. First contact with the or whether it now hosts a
settlement. For that matter, it is
Klingons, via the Broken Bow Incident in 2151, predates the difficult to say if a settlement
is a simple colony, or a major
Federation’s foundation itself. For most of the two centuries manufacturing center with
fortifications. The only possible
that followed, the relationship between our two governments confirmation would come
from first-hand
was one of tension and occasionally open warfare. observation, and the Klingons
certainly
have not invited anyone to
explore within
An unprecedented era of cooperation began with the their distant borders.
signing of the Khitomer Accords in 2293, one which
continues to the present day. The Empire remains one of What can be directly observed
is
the Quadrant’s major powers, and the key to engaging that the Klingon Empire lies to
the
successfully with the Klingons lies in a Captain’s galactic southeast of
Federation
understanding of them. This briefing, hopefully, is a space, along a border 700 light
beginning to that long process of learning. years long (as simplified on a
two-dimensional star chart),
and demarcated by a region
ASTROGRAPHY of space roughly 1.5 light
years across. By the terms
of the Treaty of Organia in
2267 this was designated as a
Starfleet is not entirely sure of the total expanse of the Neutral Zone between the
powers. The border has not been
Klingon Empire, because it has never definitively ascertained a Neutral Zone since the
signing of the Khitomer Accords,
how far Klingon space extends into the Beta Quadrant. but the region remains
unclaimed by both sides thanks to
tradition and as a sign of amity
and respect.

Directly to the north of the

Klingons is the Romulan Empire
THE OLD WAYS with the border marked — at
Romulan insistence — by a
continuation of the
treaty-defined Neutral Zone between
the Romulans and the
Federation. This border has been
“The old Klingon ways are passing. There was a time, when I was a the site of multiple clashes
between the Klingon and
young man, the mere mention of the Klingon Empire made worlds Romulan Empires over the
years; Klingon expansion in
tremble. Now, our warriors are opening restaurants and serving an attempt to flank the
Romulans to their galactic east
racht to the grandchildren of men I slaughtered in battle. Things are (towards the Shackleton
Expanse) has been somewhat
not what they used to be, not even a blood oath.” curtailed by Federation claims
in this area. The joint
Klingon/Federation project of
Narendra Station, now the
— Kang, Dahar Master. launching point for the
exploration of the Expanse, has
been started with the intent, on
the Klingons’ part, of
continuing a push eastward.

34 CHAPTER 02

39
On the Klingons’ southwestern border lies the Gorn
Hegemony. There are records of Klingon battles against the KLINGON
DRINKING SONG
Gorn, but the Gorn seem content to stay on their side of the
border. After a few encounters, the Klingons seem content ‘ej HumtaH ‘ej DechtaH ‘Iw
with the status quo. ‘ej Doq SoDtaH ghoSpa’
Sqral bIQtIq
‘e’ pa’ jaj law’ mo’ jaj puS
jaj qeylIS molar mIgh
HoHchu’qu’
THE RISE OF AN EMPIRE Translation:
“And the blood was ankle
deep.
The Klingon Empire has existed for nearly one and half And the River Skral ran
crimson red.
millennia. It was founded in Earth’s 9th Century by Kahless On the day above all days.
the Unforgettable, who overthrew the tyrant Molor and united When Kahless slew evil
Molor dead.”
the homeworld for the first time. Kahless was a mighty
warrior and an effective leader as well as a philosopher, and
his words and actions established the code of honor that
became the template for Klingon society.

Late in life, Kahless told his subjects that he had to leave In the 14th century, Qo’noS, the Klingon
homeworld was
them, to journey to Sto-vo-kor, the Klingon afterlife. He invaded by an alien species, called the
Hur’q (the “outsiders”)
promised that he would return. Pointing to a star on the by the Klingons. The Hur’q were raiders,
who sacked
horizon, he said “Look for me there, on that point of light.” Qo’noS, and stole much of the planet’s
wealth and many
The star pointed out by Kahless was Boreth to the Klingons cultural artifacts, before they were
driven into space by
named, and the system became a sacred place. Kahless the outraged Klingons. The Klingons
were able to reverse-
wandered out into the wilderness and was never seen again, engineer captured alien weapons, ships
and devices, which
but the House of Kahless ruled the Empire for generations. lead to a leap forward in technology. At
the same time, first
 THE BETA
QUADRANT 35

40
contact with an alien species and the initial sting of defeat moon of Praxis. Their
technological advances continued,
came as a great cultural shock to the Klingon people, leading to their development
and increased understanding
bringing great changes to Klingon society. The old religion of of warp travel into the 21st
Century, and the period of
the Klingons was largely abandoned as meaningless in the Klingon expansion and
conquest began. The memory of their
face of this new reality. To this day, Klingons often poetically humiliation at the hands of the
Hur’q had become part of
describe this period as the time when the Klingons killed their the Klingon psyche, and they
swore, as a people, to never
gods, having decided that they were more trouble than they experience such abasement
again. As they discovered new
were worth. worlds, they took what they
could, becoming the raiders
who brought fear to others. If a
world was uninhabited, they
The First Dynasty of Kahless had been broken during established a colony, thereby
insuring that no invasion of
the Hur’q invasion, with the death of Emperor Mur’Eq. A their homeworld would ever
again threaten the survival of
Second Dynasty was founded, with the oldest male cousin the Klingon race. If the world
was inhabited, they conquered
of Mur’Eq taking the throne as Emperor Korva. The Second it, making its population subjects
of the Empire, ruled by
Dynasty period was marked by slowly rebuilding from the Klingon masters.
depredations inflicted by the Hur’q.
Over the decades, the true
power in the Empire was more
After 200 years, the Second Dynasty came to a violent end, and more concentrated in the
hands of the High Council,
when General K’Trelan assassinated Emperor Reclaw and rather than the Emperor. In the
mid-21st Century, the last
executed the entire Imperial Family. The coup d’etat resulted emperor of the Imperial line,
Koth, died without an heir.
in the first and only Klingon experiment in democracy, as The Chancellor of the High
Council, Mow’ga, simply didn’t
K’Trelan turned over authority to a council elected by the bother to look for a distant
relative to replace him. There
people. This period is referred to by Klingon historians as was no longer an Emperor. The
High Council, headed by the
“The Dark Time,” and only lasted briefly — about a decade Chancellor, now governed the
Empire.
— before being overthrown by the Third Dynasty, a group of
Klingons who, after victory, gave themselves the names and
titles of the original Imperial Family, in order to create the A CLASH OF POWERS
illusion of an unbroken line.

During the Third Dynasty, the Klingons began to venture Following the Hur’q invasion,
the Klingons did not
into space using the H’urq technology, exploring outside encounter another alien species
that could best them until
their solar system and creating a mining colony on the the 22nd Century. They came up
against the Romulans.
The Klingons had no technology
that matched the
Romulan cloaking device.
Klingon ships were faster, more
THE WARRIOR’S ANTHEM powerful and better armed, but
it made no difference
against an enemy they could not
detect. The Romulans
did not seem interested in
conquest, only in preventing
Qoy qeylIs puqloD. a Klingon incursion into their
space. After many clashes,
Qoy puqbe’pu’. the High Council decided to halt
Imperial expansion, but
yoHbogh matlhbogh je SuvwI’ a treaty with the Romulans was
not formalized until after
Say’moHchu’ may’ ‘Iw. the end of the Earth-Romulan
War in 2160. The Romulans
maSuv manong ‘ej maHoHchu’. offered a mutual non-aggression
pact via subspace radio,
nI’be’ yInmaj ‘ach wovqu’. going so far as to offer the
Klingons a clearly-defined
batlh maHeghbej ‘ej yo’ qIjDaq vavpu’ma’ DImuv. border that extended from the
Neutral Zone established
pa’ reH maSuvtaHqu’. with the Humans. The
declaration was beneficial to the
mamevQo’. maSuvtaH. ma’ov. Klingons, giving them control of
additional systems which
had been considered contested
previously, and the High
Translation: Council agreed to the pact.
“Hear! Sons of Kahless.
Hear! Daughters too. FIRST CONTACT
The blood of battle washes clean First Contact with Earth
occurred in 2151, following a
The Warrior brave and true. Klingon crash-landing in Broken
Bow, Oklahoma. A Klingon
We fight, we love, and then we kill. courier, Klaang, was shot by a
human farmer, and severely
Our lives burn short and bright, wounded. Going against Vulcan
advice, the Humans chose
Then we die with honor and join our fathers in the Black Fleet where to return the wounded Klaang to
Qo’noS, unaware that
we battle forever, battling on through the Eternal fight.” doing so would be considered
an insult. This violation of
Klingon values set the tone for
the relationship between the
two species for the next century
and a half.

36 CHAPTER 02

41
With continued exploration by United Earth
Starfleet, INTERCEPTED
it became inevitable that they would find themselves
encroaching upon territory claimed by the Empire. There
were regular clashes between Klingon and Human
vessels TRANSMISSION
and, with each encounter, enmity grew up between the
two species. For the Klingons, however, these incidents FROM
BRIGADIER KERLA, KLINGON DEFENSE FORCE
remained largely a matter for individual houses, rather
than the Empire itself. The High Council had ruled that “This is Brigadier Kerla,
speaking for the High Command. There has
encroachment into the territory of a particular house been an incident on Praxis.
However, everything is under control; we
was considered an internal matter, thanks to the Klingon have no need for assistance.
view of the time that Earth was a backwater, a nuisance
really, rather than a true strategic threat. At the time, the Obey treaty stipulations and
remain outside the Neutral Zone. This
Empire was also mired in power struggles and closer to transmission ends now.”
civil war than it had been since the Dark Time. As a result,
Chancellor M’Rek often influenced events via decisions
which kept the houses busy, in the belief that this
channeled their aggression to useful purpose, avoiding a
full-blown civil war. With the Empire in a period of uneasy
peace, it briefly turned
to the Romulans, and proposed a
strategic alliance against
The Klingon view of Earth changed significantly, however, the Federation. The alliance was
short-lived, but lasted
with the formation of the Coalition of Planets, the action long enough for the sharing of
technology between the two
then taken by that Coalition against the Romulans in the governments. The Romulans gained
access to the powerful
Earth-Romulan War, and the Coalition’s transformation into Klingon ship designs, while the Klingons
gained cloaking
the United Federation of Planets in 2161. In the space of 10 technology. Before long, however, the
alliance dissolved in
years, the Klingons had gone from first contact with a brash, mutual distrust and recriminations.
young species from a minor world, to seeing them become
the linchpin in a major strategic threat. PRAXIS
Everything changed with the destruction
of Praxis, the
For the remainder of the 22nd Century, and into the 23rd, moon of Qo’noS, in 2293. The moon,
which had been the
a state of “Cold War” existed between the Empire and the primary producer of energy for Qo’noS,
was obliterated in
Federation. From time to time, the tense situation boiled over a massive explosion caused by
over-mining and a lack of
into open combat between the two powers. Skirmishes were safety procedures. The explosion
resulted in a subspace
fought over disputed systems: Archanis, Donatu, Capella, shock wave that reached light-years
from Qo’noS, with the
Tellun and more, and the overall situation deteriorated. The planet taking the brunt of the damage,
as well as deadly
cold war grew hot in 2255 with the Battle at the Binary Stars, pollution from lunar debris. Scientists
quickly determined
touching off open hostilities and a months-long state of war that the environmental damage to
Qo’noS could lead to
between the two powers during an attempt to unite the 24 complete de-oxygenation of the planet’s
atmosphere within
Klingon great houses into a more unified empire. Eventually 50 years.
equilibrium was restored, but conflict and resentment on both
sides remained. Gorkon, Chancellor of the High Council,
realized that
the Empire could not afford the costs of
the necessary
ORGANIA environmental clean-up while
maintaining the vast military
By 2267, relations with the Federation had broken down budget which had escalated during the
conflicts with the
completely and the Empire invaded, moving quickly to secure Federation. He proposed a new treaty,
which would allow the
key planets all along the border. Klingon troops under the Empire to dismantle its border
fortifications, cut its military
command of Kor occupied Organia, coming into conflict with spending, and, hopefully, allow the
acquisition of some of
the Federation Starship Enterprise, under the command of the Federation’s vaunted environmental
technologies, which
James T. Kirk. The combatants were stunned to discover that would aid in the effort to save Qo’noS.
the Organians were non-corporeal beings, who forced an
immediate end to the war. The Organian emissary, Ayelborne, However, a conspiracy of career soldiers
from both the Empire
appeared simultaneously to the Federation Council and the and the Federation saw this as a threat,
and assassinated
Klingon High Council and announced the imposition of the Gorkon on his way to the talks. Captain
James Kirk and
Treaty of Organia. No conflict would be permitted by the Doctor Leonard McCoy of the U.S.S.
Enterprise were framed
Organians, and the terms of the treaty spelled out a process for the crime and imprisoned on Rura
Penthe. The crew of the
for the resolution of border disputes by means of each side Enterprise uncovered the conspiracy,
rescued their comrades
demonstrating they were more able to develop any disputed and, with the crew of the U.S.S.
Excelsior, managed to
world than their opponent. prevent the Federation President being
assassinated as well.
 THE BETA
QUADRANT 37

42
INTERCEPTED
REPORT

FROM COUNCILOR
KRATH, TO CHANCELLOR K’MPEC

All Glory to the Empire! save people not of their kind.

This was a warrior’s death,
and must be honored as such.
Perhaps we have been
The loss of our colony on Narendra III is impossible to bear, mistaken in holding the
Federation at arm’s length. If its
especially given the cowardly methods used by the Romulan people are capable of such great
honor, it is possible we
Ha’DIbaH. Vengeance must be taken. Honor demands it. have misjudged them.

But it is not vengeance that I speak of today. I am sure that we I recommend that we arrange for
a warrior’s tribute to be
will see to that in good time. I am sending this message because made in the names of the crew
of the Enterprise. Their families
I wish to make special note of the honorable sacrifice of the should know that we saw their
glory, and it is remembered.
Federation ship. The Enterprise threw herself into a battle that
her crew must have known they could not win, in an attempt to Qapla’, my Chancellor.

Gorkon’s daughter, Azetbur, claimed the Chancellorship via weaken both of their opponents.
One such effort successfully
the Rite of Succession, and she is the only woman to date drove the Klingon Empire into a
civil war.
who has held the position. She and Federation President
Ra-ghoratreii signed the first Khitomer Accords, beginning The Klingon Civil War was a
conflict fought from 2367–
an age of cooperation between the two great powers at the 2368, between factions vying for
the Chancellorship of
dawn of the 24th Century. The lessened tension with the the High Council following the
poisoning of K’mpec.
Federation was replaced in the 24th Century by an increase Duras, leader of one of the
factions, was revealed to have
in conflict with the Cardassians (after first contact in 2308) collaborated with the Romulans
in attempting to secure
and renewed hostilities with the Romulans. the chancellorship, and was
killed. Gowron became
chancellor, yet the matter was
not settled. Lursa and
NARENDRA III B’Etor, the sisters of Duras,
claimed that Gowron had used
In 2344, four Romulan warbirds decloaked and began orbital Federation influence (namely the
actions of Captain Jean-
bombardment of the Klingon settlement on Narendra III. The Luc Picard as the Arbiter of
Succession) to illegitimately
outpost was poorly-defended; its only guardian had been an become chancellor. The factions
supporting the house
aging D7-class cruiser on picket duty, and it did not survive of Duras and the factions
supporting Chancellor Gowron
the first volley of fire from the warbirds. Narendra III sent out broke into open war.
a distress call, as the Romulans continued to hammer the
colony from orbit. The war ended in a victory for
Gowron, but it was only
achieved through assistance
from the Federation in exposing
The U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-C, under command of the covert Romulan support for
the Duras family. With the
Captain Rachel Garrett, received the distress call, and most powerful of his enemies
now disgraced and defeated,
without hesitation, proceeded to Narendra III at maximum Gowron’s rule over the Empire is
strong. It was certainly
warp. By the time the Enterprise had arrived at the planet, strong enough to withstand the
apparent return of Kahless,
the Klingon settlement was almost entirely destroyed, and when the clerics of Boreth
produced a clone from Kahless’
although they were seriously outgunned and outnumbered, original DNA. For the first time
since the 21st Century, there
they made a valiant effort to protect what few Klingons is an Emperor of the Klingon
people. The clone, now known
remained. The Enterprise was able to successfully eliminate as Kahless, Son of Kahless, sits
on the throne as a cultural
two of the Romulan warbirds but, in the end, defeat was and religious leader. He is an
example for Klingons to follow,
inevitable. The Enterprise was destroyed, defending the while the High Council continues
to rule under the firm
Klingons on Narendra III. direction of Chancellor Gowron.

The Khitomer Accords had begun as a détente, but the Battle

of Narendra III and the sacrifice of the Enterprise in defense POLITICAL STRUCTURE
 of Klingons brought the two powers much closer together,
forming more of a true alliance. This alliance between the
Federation and the Empire put the Romulans at a definite The Klingon Empire is a feudal
monarchy, ruled by an
strategic disadvantage. They redoubled clandestine efforts to Emperor and their descendants.
Eventually, the role of

38 CHAPTER 02

43
the Emperor was subsumed into the High Council, initially Despite the shared name, not all great
Houses are alike in
created as an advisory body of two dozen representatives power. Some are merely minor clans,
with little authority
from the most powerful Houses in the Empire. The High and territory, although such small
Houses are usually either
Council became the de facto ruling body of the Empire, conquered or absorbed by larger ones.
Each great House
under the leadership of its chancellor. By the mid-21st directly governs their holdings, in a
feudal structure. They
Century, the position of Emperor was abandoned, and the are run almost as separate nations,
bowing only to the High
Empire was openly governed by the Chancellor and the High Council in matters that directly affect
the entire Empire. As
Council. Recently an Emperor has been re-introduced, albeit such, great Houses have their own
militaries and their own
purely in a cultural and religious capacity. Power still rests starships, with which they exert control
over their territory.
with the Chancellor.
Conflict between great Houses is
commonplace, and
The Empire relies on a system of overlapping rituals, generally, it is the official position of the
High Council to
traditions and strict codes of conduct. Despite this, various stay out of such inter-house matters,
until called upon
factions, led by individual great Houses and their vassals, to act as an impartial arbiter, or if the
struggle threatens
have often challenged for leadership of the Empire, and the Empire as a whole. Open warfare
between great
conflicts between Houses are commonplace. Officially, Houses no longer occurs; most rivalries
are limited to
the High Council stays out of inter-house rivalries but, political maneuvering, but if blood is
required, there will be
realistically, the complex network of factions usually means individual duels of honor.
that bad blood between Houses is reflected by political
maneuvering within the Council. THE HIGH COUNCIL
 The ruling body of the Klingon Empire is
comprised of
The practical, day-to-day administration of the Empire is left roughly two dozen representatives of
the most powerful and
to the Houses themselves, with each governing their own influential great Houses. Membership in
the High Council
territory, possessing their own military, and handling their changes over time, as Houses wax and
wane in stature
own internal affairs. They defer to the Chancellor and the but the majority of the tuqmey have
maintained their status
High Council when required. The Chancellor expects the for centuries. By tradition, only Klingon
males serve on the
Houses to provide warriors and ships to the Klingon Defense High Council although Gowron offered
a woman, Federation
Force. Loyal Klingons are expected to serve the Empire when ambassador K’Ehleyr, a seat on the
High Council. She
called, and serve their House at all other times. turned it down. It remains to be seen if
this tradition will be
maintained in future.
THE GREAT HOUSES
Klingon society is organized along extended family lines,
or houses, forming networks of mutual obligation and
support. Each great House (tuqmey) is usually led by
the JEGHPU’WI’
eldest male of the core ruling noble family of the House,
with female-led households something of a rarity.
When SUBJECT OF THE EMPIRE
the head of a house dies with no male heir, the High
Council can arrange special dispensation for a female The Klingon Empire covers a
vast territory, similar in scope to the
to head the house, who holds the position of mistress. Federation. Whereas the
Federation is comprised of many different
The mistress of a house typically runs the household and species, the Klingon Empire is
solely comprised of Klingons. Klingons
approves all marriages into the family. run the government, and only
Klingons are citizens.

Not all members of a House are members of the same family This is not to say that other
races do not exist within Klingon territory.
by blood kinship. By consent of the house’s head, members These species are known in
the Empire as Jeghpu’wI’, which is a
may join a house purely via the fealty they owe to the House, Klingon word meaning
“conquered people.” Their worlds are subject
or through a familial tradition of support. to Klingon rule, but they
generally do not socialize or intermingle with
Klingons.
When a great House is diminished by losses through either
warfare or disaster, the holdings, property and surviving In the past, the Klingons kept
slaves (kuve) from conquered races
members (if any) of the weakened House are often claimed or captured enemies, but the
practice has all but died out now. The
by other Houses. The same fate may occur to Houses that term Jeghpu’wI’ conveys a
social status which is higher than a slave,
have been disbanded by order of the High Council, for but less than a citizen.
Federation linguists have determined that the
disgracing themselves or committing grave acts of dishonor. best match for the social
status of the Jeghpu’wI’ would be “subject.”
Disbandment of a great House is not undertaken lightly, and Their worlds are subject to
Klingon rule, but they are not citizens. Only
is a punishment ordered by the chancellor in only the direst Klingons may be citizens.
of circumstances.

THE BETA
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44
KLINGON PROVERB THE EMPEROR
Traditionally, the Emperor was
a male descendent of Kahless
The Unforgettable. Various
Houses claiming that bloodline
noH QapmeH wo’ Qaw’lu’chugh yay chavbe’lu’, put Emperors on the throne
over the years until the 21st
‘ej wo’ choqmeH may’ DoHlu’chugh lujbe’lu’. Century, when the Emperor
died with no heir, and the
throne remained empty.
However, this changed two years
Translation: ago when the clerics of Boreth
used DNA traces from an
Destroying an Empire to win a war is no victory. ancient dagger said to be
stained with the blood of Kahless
And ending a battle to save an Empire is no defeat. to create a clone. The clerics
imprinted the contents of the
Klingon sacred texts into the
clone’s mind: all the stories and
teachings of Kahless. They
wished to give the impression
that this was Kahless returned
from Sto-Vo-Kor to lead his
people as he had promised.
The choice of Chancellor is governed by a complex
collection of rules, guidelines and rituals collectively known The revelation of Kahless’
apparent return threatened to
as the Rite of Succession. The Rite is administered by the shatter the Empire. Factions
began to take sides: those
Arbiter of Succession, an individual named by the preceding who wished to follow Kahless,
and those who remained
Chancellor. Various tests and competitions are required loyal to Chancellor Gowron. In
order to save the Empire
to be performed by prospective candidates in order to be from chaos, it was decided to
openly announce the origins
considered for the role of governing the Empire, in a process of the new Kahless. He would
assume the role of Emperor
which could often take months to complete. The victor as a moral leader, cultural
exemplar and ceremonial head
appears before the High Council in the Great Hall of the First of state. The clone himself
argued that what truly mattered
City on Qo’noS where the Arbiter would name the candidate was Kahless’ words and
teachings, not the man himself,
as the new Chancellor of the Klingon Empire. as long as the Klingon people
remembered and strove
to live by those words. He
ascended to the throne as
The High Council acts as a legislature, making the laws and Kahless, Son of Kahless,
serving as an essential reminder
policies that govern the Empire and its citizens. The Council of what had made the Empire
great: the honor of the
has a number of commissions that oversee particular Klingon people.
aspects of Imperial policy: science, defense, intelligence,
and more. Individual Council members serve on one or
more of these commissions, and these commissions MILITARY
present their recommendations to the entire High Council
for debate and vote.
The Great Houses all maintain
their own military forces,
The Chancellor is the head of the government of the Klingon which can be called for Imperial
service by order of the High
Empire, and has been since the 21st Century. But the Council. Administration of
Imperial forces occurs under
Chancellor is no longer the head of state. That role, as it was the banner of the Klingon
Defense Force. The KDF is a
before the 21st Century, is filled by the Emperor. command structure that exists
independently of any House
military, standing ready to
assume full command when
the call is sent forth. The
Military Commission of the High
Council responsible for the
administration of the Klingon
RANK COMPARISONS Defense Force is known as the
High Command, and is
the most prestigious and
influential of all the government
KLINGON RANK FEDERATION EQUIVALENT RANKS departments within the
Council. By tradition, the High
General Admiral Command is headed by the
Chancellor, who does not serve
Brigadier Vice Admiral on any other commissions.
Colonel Commodore/Rear Admiral
Captain Senior Captain/Fleet Captain The Defense Force has two
elements, the first being the Deep
Commander Captain/Commander Space Fleet which consists the
regular forces comparable to
Lieutenant Lieutenant Commander/Lieutenant Starfleet or the Romulan
military. This is the element created
Sergeant Ensign/Chief Petty Officer by combining the forces of the
various great Houses. The
Bekk (“Warrior”) Crewman/Petty Officer second element is the Internal
Security Force; unlike the
Deep Space Fleet this is
staffed at all times. Vessels are
The Klingon Defense Force is a combined service, operating both seconded to the Internal
Security Force from House fleets
in space and groundside. As such, the direct translations of the via standing orders from the
High Council. The duties of
Klingon ranks tend to feature ranks mixed from both naval and army the Internal Security Force
include border patrol, customs
terminology, which may lead to confusion for Starfleet personnel. regulatory enforcement,
policing, anti-piracy operations and

40 CHAPTER 02

45
search/rescue. The ISF tends to use smaller vessels: the
B’rel-class bird-of-prey, for example, is an ISF
workhorse. TRANSCRIPT

The Klingon military, both at the House level and in the EMPEROR KAHLESS
II, FROM HIS CORONATION SPEECH, 2369.
Defense Force, is governed by a strict system of hierarchy
not solely limited to rank. The highly-structured nature of “As it was promised, Kahless
has returned. I am not he, and yet I am.
Klingon beliefs surrounding honor and duty ensures that all I am of his blood and bone
and sinew. My thoughts and soul are both
personnel view the successful execution of their mission his and mine. My heart is his,
and mine — and yours. Our hearts are
as a matter of personal as well as collective honor. For Klingon! Let us all remember
what that means! Let us all remember
example, the first officer of a Klingon vessel is expected what has made us great! It is
our heart, the unconquerable heart of the
to kill his captain if that individual is unable to perform his Klingon people, clothed in
honor, armed in strength, and forged in fire,
duties through injury, infirmity, weakness or dishonor. Below that has made us what we
are.
the ranks of senior officers assassination is not the preferred
method. Any crew member feeling that their direct superior And so begins a new golden
age for the Empire! Fortified by the
was not living up to their duty could make a challenge, lessons of the past, eager to
face the battles to come, there is no limit
which is logged, and these challenges adjudicated by the to the glories that await!”
commanding officer (either at a departmental level, or of the
ship or unit — traditions vary) at a time of their choosing,
and in whatever manner the commanding officer decides.

CULTURE CASTES
At one time, Klingon society was rigidly
caste-based.
Castes were based primarily upon one’s
profession, and
Klingon culture has been shaped by centuries of tradition. that profession was determined by a
combination of family
The foundations of their society were laid out by Kahless tradition and personal aptitude. A son
from a family of
the Unforgettable after the establishment of the Empire scientists, for example, could become a
member of the
and it is defined by a complex system of familial and warrior class, should he display enough
of an aptitude (and
personal honor, interwoven with traditions and ritual. appetite) for combat.
The observances of all these are sacrosanct. Violations
of these strictures bring shame to the offender, and By the dawn of the 21st Century,
however, the warrior
by extension, their family. This shame could last for caste had come to dominate all levels
of Klingon society,
generations depending upon the severity of the offense. and the distinctions blurred. If everyone
is a warrior, then
The highest shame was that of discommendation, a verdict who are the teachers? As a result,
non-warrior professions,
of the High Council which essentially strips a Klingon of especially those of science, medicine
and education were
their family name, so making them, in effect, a non-person. undervalued in society. By 2154, for
example, medical
Other Klingons treat the discommended as pariahs, sciences were not considered a priority
by the High Council,
cutting off all contact and even referring to the offender and so the Empire lacked the sufficient
medical expertise
as an object, rather than a person. The descendants of to deal with the Augment virus without
the assistance of
an offender share in the dishonor of the offense; a child is outside parties.
considered guilty of his father’s crimes.
HONOR
With most families being patrilineal, males traditionally The most critical component of Klingon
culture is honor. This
dominate Klingon public life, and take the leading roles in is an abstract concept: a quality of
respectability, worthiness
politics and the military. Traditionally women are seen as and value of an individual, family or
institution, effecting
the forces behind the administration of the great Houses, everything from social standing to
career prospects to the
as well as serving in the military. Klingon women are Klingons’ view of the afterlife.
considered equals in most things, with the exception of
politics, where they are barred by law from serving on the Paradoxically, the notion itself varies
widely from individual
High Council, and lines of inheritance. In all other aspects to individual, and the lessons of Klingon
philosophy often
of life — aggression, honor, duty — they are expected to provide contradictory answers regarding
the essential
exhibit the same virtues as Klingon men. nature of honor. For example,
Romulans, as a rule,
are widely considered by the Klingons
to be the most
Death is not feared nor is it a cause for sorrow in Klingon dishonorable species, due to their
reliance upon subterfuge.
culture. The honored dead are not mourned, they are Klingon use of cloaked vessels is not
considered
celebrated, and the average Klingon hopes to die in a way dishonorable, nor is springing an
ambush, so long as the
that brings honor to themselves, their family, and the Empire. tactic resulted in victory. A passage
from the writings of

THE BETA
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46
HISTORICAL DOCUMENT This is not to say that all Klingons live by
the code. There
are those who follow the path of honor
more in word than by
deed, using society’s expectations of
honor as cover for their
EXCERPT FROM THE CODE OF KAHLESS, own selfish desires and goals. In
this way, Klingon honor is
FROM THE SECTION PERTAINING TO HONOR: much like Human morals.

§ A warrior does not cheat. RITUAL

§ A warrior does not take prisoners. The importance of ritual in the daily life of
Klingons cannot
§ A warrior does not allow himself to be taken prisoner. be overstated. There are rituals for
everything in life, from
§ A warrior proclaims himself loudly. birth, achieving adulthood, marriage and
mating, settling of
§ A warrior does not use poison, or kill from behind. disputes, warfare, and death. What
follows are some of the
§ A warrior does not surrender. more notable Klingon rituals.
§ A warrior dies standing up.
There is a saying that a Klingon youth
was considered an
adult on the day they could first hold a
blade. The main ritual
of adulthood, however, is the Age of
Ascension, and this is
meant to represent the passage from one
level of life to the
Kahless reads “Nothing is more honorable than victory,” next. It is often observed before a
Klingon’s 13th year. The
which could be read as a wry admission that history is rite begins with the kor’tova candles.
They represent the fire
written by the victors, and so honor is whatever leads to the that burns within the heart of a warrior.
When the ascendant
most desirable outcome. lights theirs, they declare an intention to
become a warrior.
The second rite must be practiced within
ten years, on the
The code of honor acts as a control on the Klingons’ natural anniversary of their original Age of
Ascension, to dedicate
aggression, preventing society from devolving into utter themselves spiritually.
chaos. The expected behavioral norms are considered both
proper and aspirational. A Klingon daughter is given a jinaq when
she is old enough to
take a mate. It is a traditional amulet
signifying womanhood,
In many ways, a concept of dishonor drives Klingon and is often an heirloom passed down
through a family.
actions even more than honor. Having seen examples of Klingons traditionally mate for life and,
when a prospective
behavior condemned by society as dishonorable, a Klingon mate is found, the rituals governing
courtship begin with
will go to great lengths to avoid undertaking the same sniffing one another’s right hand or arm,
and continue with
actions. Often, the fear of the mere appearance of dishonor the drawing of blood. This would be
followed by a complex
will prompt a Klingon to take an immediate and opposite courtship, and eventually marriage.
Whereas a full Klingon
action to avoid it. marriage involves many guests and a
ritual reenactment

KLINGON MARRIAGE
CEREMONY

TRANSLATED EXCERPT FROM THE RITUAL RE-ENACTMENT OF THE

KLINGON CREATION MYTH

“With fire and steel did the gods forge the Klingon heart. So fiercely But the second heart beat stronger than
the first, and the first
did it beat, so loud was the sound, that the gods cried out, ‘On this was jealous of its power. Fortunately, the
second heart was
day we have brought forth the strongest heart in all the heavens. tempered by wisdom.
None can stand before it without trembling at its strength.’ But then
the Klingon heart weakened, its steady rhythm faltered and the gods ‘If we join together, no force can stop
us.’
said, ‘Why have you weakened so? We have made you the strongest
in all of creation.’ And when the two hearts began to beat
together, they filled
the heavens with a terrible sound. For the
first time, the gods
And the heart said ‘I am alone.’ knew fear. They tried to flee, but it was
too late. The Klingon
hearts destroyed the gods who created
them and turned the
And the gods knew that they had erred. So, they went back to their heavens to ashes. To this very day, no
one can oppose the
forge and brought forth another heart. beating of two Klingon hearts.”

42 CHAPTER 02

47
of the Klingon creation myth, a briefer oath, requiring
nothing but the consent of the two Klingons involved, is
HISTORICAL DOCUMENT
still considered binding both legally and socially. The words
“jIH dok” (“my blood”) are spoken to one’s mate, and the VERSE
18, STANZAS 7-9, “THE SONG OF KRENN.”
mate replies “maj dok” (“our blood”). This exchange seals a
common marriage vow. “…And though I had slain a
thousand foes less one,
The thousandth knife found
my liver; The thousandth enemy said
The Hegh’bat, translated as “the time to die” is ritualized to me,
suicide, undertaken when a warrior can no longer stand and ‘Now you shall die, now
none shall know,’
face his enemies. The warrior ensures himself an honorable And the fool, looking down,
believed this,
death via killing themselves with a dagger provided by their Not seeing, above his
shoulder, the naked stars,
eldest son or a close friend. A dishonored Klingon may also Each one remembering.”
have their honor restored at death if they are killed via the
Mauk-to‘Vor ritual, although this is reserved for the disgraced,
not for the merely infirm.

Upon the death of a Klingon, the fallen warrior’s eyes are SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
pried open and his comrades gather around him. They
then collectively raise their heads to the skies and let out
a ferocious howl, not of pain or sorrow, but of victory for Despite the dominance of the warrior
caste in Klingon
the fallen. It is a literal warning to the afterlife that a Klingon society, the Klingons are fairly advanced
from a scientific
warrior is about to arrive. and technological standpoint. They
received something
of a “head start” by using technology
left behind after
RELIGION the Hur’q invasion. This has led to
uneven advancement
In the ancient Klingon religion, the original gods who between scientific fields and disciplines:
for example,
created the first Klingons were killed by their own where Klingon engineering had an
earlier start than many
creations. Little of Klingon religion remains, as it was largely other races, their medical sciences lag
behind. Klingon
abandoned in the aftershock of the Hur’q invasion in the transporters are not as advanced as
Federation models,
14th Century. The only part of the original religion which having a shorter range, less precise
targeting, and are
survives is a belief in the afterlife. lacking in many safety features.
The Klingon afterlife is believed to be comprised of STARSHIPS
two separate fates. Klingons who have died honorably Starships have always been a point of
pride with Klingons,
supposedly go to Sto-Vo-Kor, where they joined the and are quite advanced when compared
to those of most
honored dead in the service of the Black Fleet, battling other species. By the mid-22nd
Century, Klingon ships were
forever in a glorious and joyous existence. Sto-Vo-Kor is capable of reaching warp factor 6 (the
fastest Earth ships of
where Kahless was said to wait for them, as he promised, the time could barely manage warp 5).
In addition, Klingon
ahead of his return. This has led to Kahless, Son of Kahless vessels were equipped with photon
torpedoes, tractor beam
taking on the role of a messianic figure and being an object emitters and deflector shields well
before those systems
of worship despite the Klingons having no gods. Klingons appeared on Human vessels.
seem prone to belief in messiahs: a sect of Klingons left
the Empire in the mid-23rd Century, searching for the By the 23rd Century, the Klingon D7
class battle cruiser was
Kuvah’magh “the savior of our people”, a messiah figure perhaps the most advanced vessel in
the known Galaxy,
written of in several obscure religious texts. boasting more power, armament and
speed than any ship in
the Federation or the Romulan Empire.
A brief alliance with
Klingons who die in a state of dishonor find themselves the Romulans around that time gave the
D7 design to the
aboard the Barge of the Dead, a ship captained by Romulans, in return for cloaking
technology which became
Kortar, the first Klingon. It was he who killed the gods, standard issue on most Klingon vessels.
alongside his mate. Kortar is now condemned to ferry the
dishonored to Gre’thor as a punishment, to be greeted Today, if you encounter a Klingon ship,
you can assume
at Gre’thor by Fek’lhr, a demonic, bestial figure. Often, that it will be better armed, faster and
tougher than almost
friends and family of a Klingon who died without honor anything else out there. Even with their
shields down, the
will undergo some quest or dedicate a battle in the Klingons can hang in a fight for a long
time, due to hulls
memory of the deceased, in the hopes of earning their reinforced with coherent molecular
alloy. The modern
dead comrade enough honor to be released from the Vor’cha class is now the main Klingon
cruiser and is very
Barge before it reaches Gre’thor. heavily armed. They were initially only in
use as flagships,
but now we’re seeing more of them. The
Klingons have

THE BETA
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48
ramped up production, and we’re hearing reports of Experiments during the late 23rd
Century, while successful
something even bigger on the fleet drawing boards. in producing vessels that could
fire while cloaked, were
discontinued when it was
discovered that an inability to
CLOAKING DEVICES regulate power flow resulted in
the crew being exposed
The Klingons’ brief treaty with the Romulan Empire brought to deadly ionizing radiation
whenever they used the ships
them an early model of the cloaking device; their cloaking weapons while cloaked.
technology has been at least a generation behind those of
the Romulans ever since. Rendering a ship invisible to both You should be aware that
Klingon cloaks will be generally
sensors and visual searches takes an inordinate amount of easier to detect than their
Romulan counterparts.
power. A cloaked vessel cannot run their deflector shields The Klingons never managed to
get a handle on the
and the cloak simultaneously. This remains a major weakness metaphasic sweep issues, for
example, leading to
in cloaked vessels: there are moments of vulnerability after visual distortions that can be
spotted by eagle-eyed
dropping the cloak before the shields go up. The power officers. Klingon scientists have
not discovered a way of
requirement of a cloak is too much for the operations of counteracting momentum
through a non-vacuum medium.
weapons at the same time. If you can manage to get a
cloaked vessel to pass through
a gas cloud or other particulate
field, you should be able
to track their location by the
motion of the particles as the
INTERCEPTED cloaked vessels passes through.

TRANSMISSION DISRUPTORS
The disruptor is the primary
directed energy weapon of
Klingons, both as a personal
sidearm and as ship-to-ship
SEGMENTS OF A PARTIALLY DE-ENCRYPTED TRANSMISSION armament. Whereas phasers
work via creating a beam of
FROM B’MOTH TO QO’NOS focused rapid nadions at the
subatomic level, a disruptor is
a simpler technology. It causes
damage by disrupting and
…construction remains on schedule. The new warp core design destabilizing the molecular
bonds of the target.
should result in an increased power output sufficient to...
While they are simple weapons,
that comes at the cost
…Chancellor Gowron’s demands notwithstanding, we feel confident of having less versatility than
phasers. Phasers can be
that the first of the Negh’Var should exceed most expectations… will adjusted in both beam width and
output, allowing for many
make a most impressive flagship. My sole concern at this juncture is applications, including stun
settings. Disruptors have a
that we… single use: they destroy. This is
a job for which disruptors
are very well designed. Do not
make the mistake of
…for the time being. Another report will follow in three days. underestimating the potential of
a “less advanced”
weapon. After all, Klingons still
use blades, and very
effectively, as well.

DETECTING A
CLOAKED VESSEL

Detecting a cloaked ship can be a tricky prospect at the best of Attempting to detect a Klingon
vessel with a cloaking device
times. There’s an arms race between cloak technology and sensor reduces the Difficulty by 1 as
well, as Klingon understanding
technology, so each new method for detecting a cloaked ship is of cloak technology is less
nuanced and sophisticated
usually countered by the next generation of cloaking devices. than that of the Romulans.
Romulan advances in cloaking
technology often mean that they
will adjust the configuration
Under normal circumstances, attempting to detect the presence of a of a cloaking device in use. This
can be represented by
cloaked vessel is a Difficulty 5 Task. The details of this Task — what spending Threat or creating
Advantages to increase the
it represents, and thus what Attribute and Discipline it uses — will Difficulty of Tasks to detect a
cloaked ship.
vary, and are left to the Gamemaster’s discretion. Environmental
factors, such as gas or dust clouds displaced by a cloaked ship, will Once a cloaked vessel has been
detected, it may be
reduce this Difficulty by 1, as will cloak-related Complications, such attacked. However, the cloak still
impedes targeting,
as those suffered when the ship cloaked. increasing the Difficulty of
attacks by 1, and preventing the
attacker from targeting specific
systems aboard the
cloaked vessel.

44 CHAPTER 02

49
CHAPTER
02.40 THE BETA QUADRANT
KLINGON WORLDS

QO’NOS

PLANETARY BACKGROUND
Qo’noS (pronounced “Kronos”) is the Klingon homeworld
and the capital of the Klingon Empire. It is a Class-M world
in orbit around an orange bright sub-giant (Type K1 IV) star,
which is larger and dimmer than Sol. Qo’noS orbits fairly
closely to the star, and so is slightly warmer than Earth
on average. The planet has a single massive landmass
dominating the majority of the habitable surface, dotted by
small seas and with a single large ocean.

The terrain of Qo’noS consists primarily of high, rocky,

mountains, jagged cliffs, active volcanoes and rivers
of lava, all the result of extremely active and unstable
tectonics. A greenhouse effect caused by volcanic ash
keeps the oxygen-nitrogen atmosphere fairly thick, and the
interaction of warm air colliding with cold air over the poles
and larger bodies of water gives rise to intense storms,
which last a long time in the thick atmosphere. Non-Klingon
visitors to the homeworld report being easily fatigued from
the combination of the oppressive atmosphere and the
gravity which, at 1.2g, is higher than the Earth-normal 1g
maintained on Federation starships.

Qo’noS previously had one moon, Praxis, but this was

destroyed in 2293 in an explosion caused by over-mining.
This caused a massive subspace shockwave, and damaged planet’s seat of power, with the fortress
becoming the Great
Qo’noS’ ozone layer. Over the past 78 years, the Klingons Hall and a city growing out around it.
have managed to avoid the utter de-oxygenation of their
atmosphere thanks to Federation-provided atmospheric The city is divided into quarters: the Old Quarter
is the earliest
technology. Pollution has not completely abated and there settlement, now somewhat run down and
disreputable;
are still pollutant-level warnings in most cities on the planet the New Quarter is only new by comparison to
the Old; the
from time to time. A debris field, the Praxis Belt, comprised of Bazaar is the original site of the trader’s
market as the city
the remnants of Praxis still orbits Qo’noS, and this is mined began to grow; and the Burned Quarter is a part
of the city
by the Klingons. Occasionally, debris from the belt falls into which burned to the ground centuries ago, and
was rebuilt.
the atmosphere to threaten the planet’s inhabitants below.
QAM-CHEE
THE FIRST CITY Another city which pre-dates the foundation of
the Empire,
The First City (Klingon: veng wa’DIch) is the capital city of Qam-Chee was where Kahless and Lady
Lukara alone
the Klingon Empire and predates Kahless and the Empire. fought five hundred soldiers of the tyrant Molor
when the city
This ancient city surrounds a fortress in the cliffside of the garrison fled. The two legendary Klingons
defeated Molor’s
mountain range that raises the First City from the valleys forces, and began a great romance which is still
celebrated in
below. After Kahless united the Klingons it became the story and song.

THE BETA QUADRANT 45

50
star on the horizon, and
promised he would return. “Look
THE STORY OF THE for me on that point of light”, he
is reported to have said.
That point of the light was the
bright Class-M star of the
 WIND OF QUIN’LAT Boreth system.

FROM THE SACRED TEXTS Once the Klingons achieved

warp travel, Boreth was one
of the earliest colony worlds
settled due to the spiritual
Long ago, a storm was heading for the city of Quin’lat. Everyone importance it held. A monastery
was established which
took protection within the walls except one man who remained grew in importance as the
spiritual center of the Empire. For
outside. Kahless went to him and asked what he was doing. “I am centuries, warriors have come to
Boreth to seek visions and
not afraid,” the man said. “I will not hide my face behind stone and guidance at the monastery
where the clerics, referred to as
mortar. I will stand before the wind and make it respect me.” guardians, dedicated themselves
to the preservation of the
Klingon sacred texts.
Kahless honored his choice and went back inside. The next day
the storm came and the man was killed. The wind does not respect It was at Boreth monastery that
Koroth and his fellow
a fool. guardians created the clone of
Kahless in 2369, in an attempt
to bring about a spiritual change
in the “declining” Empire.
After their ruse was discovered,
the Kahless clone was
permitted to assume the mantle
of Emperor as a cultural
head of state and religious
figure. Koroth and the other
QUIN’LAT guardians are now the
attendants to the new Emperor.
This city is on the coast of the Sea of Gatan, and is known
for the violent storms which regularly blow in from its Despite the “return” of Kahless,
the Boreth monastery
waters, and for being the location of a fable of Kahless The remains a popular destination for
Klingons on a spiritual
Unforgettable. quest: a place to find peace and
look inward.

KETHA
A lowland area on Qo’noS, primarily given over to KHITOMER
agriculture. The province has a reputation as something of
an unsophisticated rural hinterland, with simple, plain-
speaking people. PLANETARY BACKGROUND
Khitomer is a small Class-M
planet in Klingon space, very
 KRI’STAK VOLCANO AND THE LAKE OF LUSOR near to the borders with both the
United Federation of
This is a site famous in Klingon legend. According to the Planets and the Romulan
Empire. The planet has played a
story, Kahless forged the first bat’leth by thrusting a lock vital role in the history of the
Klingon-Federation alliance,
of his hair into a river of lava from the volcano’s summit. having been both the site of the
Khitomer Conference of
He then plunged the burning mass of hair and lava into the 2293, as well as the location of a
Romulan sneak attack in
nearby Lake of Lusor. As the object cooled, Kahless twisted 2346, where Lieutenant
Commander Worf and Kahlest were
and worked it into a sword, the Sword of Kahless. rescued by the U.S.S. Intrepid,
further strengthening the
bonds between the Federation
and the Klingon Empire.
Today, the Kri’stak Volcano is no longer active but the site, on
the shores of the Lake of Lusor. is still a popular destination The colony at Khitomer has
been rebuilt over the past
for spiritual pilgrimages. Klingons go there for the Rite of decade. A memorial marker, in
the form of a large black
MajQa, during which they mediate in the heat of lava caves obelisk, marks the site of the
original settlement, honoring
beneath the mountain in the hopes of receiving visions. the 4,000 inhabitants of the
colony who died in the
Special significance is attached to any vision of one’s father, Romulan attack.
or a vision of Kahless himself.

NARENDRA III
BORETH
PLANETARY BACKGROUND
PLANETARY BACKGROUND This is a long-standing Klingon
settlement, dating back
Boreth is a marginal Class-M world, rocky and inhospitable. to the late 21st Century.
Narendra is a binary star system
The surface of the world is quite cold. The planet holds a comprised of a primary class K
star and a secondary class A
special place in the history of the Klingon Empire. When star. Narendra III is third planet,
Class-M, orbiting within the
Kahless the Unforgettable left for Sto-Vo-Kor, he pointed to a habitable zone of the primary
star.

46 CHAPTER 02

51
The first visit by Humans to Narendra III was in 2152, when
Captain Jonathan Archer was put on trial for allegedly
conspiring against the Klingon Empire. He was sentenced
to Rura Penthe, but was rescued by his crew. Twenty-seven
years ago, Romulans launched a surprise attack on
Narendra III, completely destroying the colony, as well
as the U.S.S. Enterprise-C, which had responded to
the distress signal. This honorable sacrifice served to
reinforce a then-tenuous Federation-Klingon alliance.

The colony has been rebuilt, and currently has a

population of nearly 50,000 Klingons. The main
settlement features a Great Hall, and above the
doors of the hall are inscribed the words from the
unprecedented message sent to the families of the
Enterprise-C crew from Chancellor K’mpec:

“Your loved ones died in glory and honor, and their names
will never be forgotten so long as there is an Empire.”

RURA PENTHE

PLANETARY BACKGROUND
The Beta Penthe system contains no habitable planets beings that have ever done so. In 2152,
Captain Jonathan
— just three Class-J gas giants, one Class-H planet with Archer was condemned to a life
sentence on the asteroid
an unbreathable atmosphere, one high-pressure high- for his role in assisting a group of
refugees who had fled
radiation Class-Y planet, and an extensive asteroid belt. from a Klingon-controlled world, and
Captain Archer’s
The system itself is binary, with a pair of F2 stars of similar crew came to his aid. In 2293, Captain
James T. Kirk and
mass at the center. Doctor Leonard McCoy were sentenced
to Rura Penthe
after being found guilty of the
assassination of Chancellor
The Rura Penthe colony is a Class-D, dilithium-rich asteroid. It Gorkon. While there, an attempt was
made on their lives:
has a breathable atmosphere, and large deposits of water ice a Chameloid prisoner named Martia
arranged for them
on the surface, but the extremely low surface temperature to escape to the surface, where they
could be shot while
makes it uninhabitable by most life forms, so mining escaping, or fall victim to the cold. The
shapeshifter’s
operations are located underground. plot was eventually discovered, and Kirk
and McCoy
were rescued by Captain Spock and the
crew of the
THE ALIENS’ GRAVEYARD U.S.S. Enterprise-A.
The dilithium mines on Rura Penthe are a penal colony for
the Klingon Empire. The installation is widely known as “the
alien’s graveyard” due to the one-year average life expectancy TY’GOKOR
of prisoners sent there. Being sent to the mines is one of the
most feared punishments throughout the Galaxy.
PLANETARY BACKGROUND
The penal colony has no guard towers or fence. It has only Ty’Gokor is a fortified Class-K planetoid
located in an
a magnetic shield that extends over a significant part of asteroid belt deep in Klingon space. It
was one of the first
the asteroid surface, preventing transporter use. No other out-system worlds established by the
Klingon Empire after
security is necessary, beyond the presence of armed guards. they achieved warp travel. During times
of war, Ty’Gokor
The mines are located below ground, drawing heat from the has served as headquarters for the
Chancellor and the High
radiation of the dilithium deposits. The asteroid itself is not Command of the Klingon Defense
Force. It is therefore the
geologically active. The most common form of punishment most heavily fortified installation in the
Empire. The planetoid
given to prisoners is banishment from the mines to the is defended by shielding, multiple orbital
weapons platforms,
asteroid’s freezing surface, where they do not survive for long. and the presence of dozens of warships
at any given time.
After the Klingon Civil War a tachyon
detection grid was also
To date, three Starfleet officers have escaped from Rura installed in the system, using the same
technology which
Penthe, and they are among a very small number of allowed the Federation fleet to detect
cloaked Romulan

THE BETA
QUADRANT 47

52
TACHYON EMISSION ANALYSIS warbirds attempting to cross
into Klingon space to aid the
House of Duras.
05-728920
900 905 910 915 920 925 The Order of the Bat’leth
(Klingon: betleH ‘obe’), an
ancient order founded by
Lady Lukara, Widow of Kahless,
to uphold and maintain her
husband’s vision of honor, is
headquartered on Ty’Gokor.
The Order serve as exemplars
of honor within the Empire, a
fellowship of the greatest
warriors at any given time.
They meet, when called, in the
Hall of Warriors.
07-289309
LCARS THE HALL OF WARRIORS
The Hall of Warriors is an
ancient meeting hall in the
08-2730021
headquarters of the Klingon
Defense Force on Ty’Gokor.

09-735553 The Hall is lined with giant

statues of famous warriors from
Klingon history, from the
founding of the Empire to the
present day. The two most
recent statues, installed just last
year, are those of the Dahar
Masters Kang and Koloth. The
Hall serves as a combination
shrine, assembly space, and
banquet chamber. The
center of the large, vaulted room is
dominated by a large
platform containing a brazier burning
an eternal flame. Legend has
it that if the flame is ever
extinguished, the Klingon
Empire will fall.

48 CHAPTER 02
53
CHAPTER
02.50 THE BETA QUADRANT
THE ROMULAN EMPIRE

“ THEY SEEM TO BE CREATURES OF EXTREMES. ONE MOMENT VIOLENT BEYOND DESCRIPTION,

THE NEXT TENDER. THEY ARE RELATED
TO THE VULCANS, BUT AS EACH RACE DEVELOPED, THEIR DIFFERENCES GREW WIDER. THEY
ARE INTENSELY CURIOUS. THEIR BELIEF
IN THEIR OWN SUPERIORITY IS BEYOND ARROGANCE. FOR SOME REASON THEY HAVE
EXHIBITED A FASCINATION WITH HUMANS AND
IT IS THAT FASCINATION, MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE, THAT HAS KEPT THE PEACE.”

— COUNSELOR DEANNA TROI

BENEATH THE RAPTOR’S WINGS Apnex and his people agreed

with this conclusion. The raptor’s
children, the final remnant of old
Romulans. A people so xenophobic and insular that, even Vulcan’s warrior people, would
after a five-year-war, their opponents had never once take their heritage into the night.
seen them. In the Federation the name is a byword for They carried with them ancient
treachery and deceit. Throughout the Federation’s history, weapons, including the Stone of
the Romulans have emerged from their self-imposed exile Gol. Vulcan would become a planet
to trouble those around them. Usually that trouble takes the of peace but and when the time was right the
form of destroyed border outposts or colonies. children of the raptor would return as
conquerors.
Or so they planned.
FIRE ON THE FORGE
The story of the Romulan civilization begins in the early 4th No one is certain if Apnex ordered an atomic
attack on
Century CE with Surak and his philosophy of peace and Mount Seleya. Perhaps it was a distraction from
their launch,
logic. It also begins with a coalition of mercenary groups perhaps it was a fit of pique, perhaps it was the
only possible
known collectively as “those who marched beneath the way to strike directly at Surak. Though the
records of almost
raptor’s wings.” War was not only their business, it was the entire journey remain in the Romulan Hall of
Ancestors,
their joy. As more and more Vulcans embraced Surak’s meticulously cared for and restored, no records
exist of
message and learned to control their emotions, these that critical first day. Later log entries shed no
light on the
groups saw the end of their way of life. incident. Did they intend to trigger the atomic
war that would
drive Vulcan almost back to the Stone Age?
Records are
Like any threatened creatures, those who marched clear that they didn’t anticipate that their exile
would last two
beneath the raptor’s wings had two options: retreat millennia. And Apnex’s people did not know that
they had
or attack. Led by a Vulcan soldier named Apnex, they been successful in killing Surak, their great
enemy, but not
chose to do both. They stole a handful of generation his logic.
ships that had been built for a colonization effort that
had, predictably, been halted by yet another war. By They were secure in the knowledge that they
represented
the time the ships were ready for launch, the success all that was left of the true Vulcan. As the
crimson orb of
of Surak’s pallid philosophy seemed inevitable. At least their birth world receded, they settled on a new
name for
half of the nations and families of Vulcan had accepted themselves. They would call themselves the
Steadfast: those
the way of logic. It did not seem to matter how many who had never faltered in the ancient ways.
of Surak’s disciples died in the attempt to bring peace
to still-warring nations. They persisted. It was only a THE SLOW EXODUS
matter of time before logic would take hold across the The stolen ships were equipped with ion drives
and
planet. And then it would be possible to advocate nuclear antimatter reactors, and the Steadfast had
trouble with
disarmament. them from the beginning. While the basic
craftsmanship

THE BETA QUADRANT 49

54
was good the exiles had completed them in haste, and their Apnex formed the Committee just in
time. Men and women
engineers did not fully understand the technology. Exotic whose only commonality was the love of
battle found
radiation leaked from poor reactor shielding, and the best reasons enough to fight. Even small
disagreements were
velocity their primitive particle shields allowed was .7c. inflated to massive proportions by
people who could not
Over the course of their journey, they averaged half that. get away from each other. Such
disputes killed 10% of the
Their ultimate destination was a planet some sixty light- travelers in the first year of the journey.
Radiation, either as
years away that Vulcan astronomers suggested would be radiation sickness, or through mutated
illnesses such as
suitable for colonization. The Steadfast knew their ships had lunglock fever, tripled that loss.
not been designed to travel that far, and that they would
have to planet-hop. They aimed in the general direction of The Committee took quick, decisive
action. In order to
the Calder system, but a navigational error instead led them maintain the population, draconian birth
policies were
to Barradas. enacted. Fertility treatments (such as in
vitro fertilization)
ensured that multiple births were
common, and early forced-
Within the first year, Apnex gathered the mercenary growth technology cut the latency
period in half. In the short
captains and the ship captains (who were not necessarily term, the policies kept them alive. The
long-term damage
the same individuals) into a governing committee. He never was more insidious.
claimed any special position for himself on the committee,
although records make it clear that he was considered To quell the violence, a corps of
peacekeepers was created
“first among equals.” Some committee members claimed and given wide discretionary powers.
There were only two
it was temporary, and that free elections would follow in punishments for crimes. Murder was
generally punished
good time. They didn’t. The longevity of the “temporary” by death. For other crimes, the
perpetrator was indentured
committee did not go unnoticed and over time it became to the victim for a time proportional to
the crime’s severity.
known as the “Continuing” Committee, and the name stuck. The crime rate dropped precipitously,
and a new underclass
By the time Apnex died, the Committee’s origins were developed.
forgotten, but it carried on.

50 CHAPTER 02

55
Forty-five years after departing Vulcan, the struggling fleet
reached Barradas III. It is a temperate Class-M planet with
LONG LOST LOVERS
ample water, but is extremely resource-poor. It was also too
close to Vulcan for the exiles’ comfort. Nonetheless, they
had CULTURAL ARCHIVE
no choice but to make planetfall and assess their options.
Though old and ill, Apnex remained as ferocious as ever: “We fell into the world as
long-lost lovers meeting for the first time.”
they would continue on, come what may. The hard truth was
that their ships were in no shape to do so. The ships still — Trevela, Romulan poet
contained the equipment intended for the original colony
group, and a growing number of the travelers advocated
founding a colony there.

The Committee instead decided to cannibalize the two The Romulans that finally landed on the
planet’s surface fell
worst ships to repair the others and move on. They left in love with the world the first time they
breathed the warm,
behind a small colony group and the colonization equipment humid air.
from one of the defunct ships (all of it in less-than-pristine
condition). The colonists were comprised of the disaffected, The world’s biochemistry was
compatible with Vulcan life,
troublemakers, and the critically ill. This was the origin of requiring only minimal modifications.
The biggest problem
the Debrune. the Romulans had in the first decades
was a sharp rise
in respiratory ailments caused by
Romulus’ much higher
By the time they reached Calder II, the Steadfast were in humidity. The Romulans considered this
a small price to pay
a precarious state. Their ships were falling apart and they for a paradise, and went about the
business of adjusting the
lacked the means to make even temporary repairs. A more Romulan genome to cope.
desperate issue was the decline of their population below
minimum viability for survival. Their genetic diversity had been With the brute necessities of survival
overcome, the
limited in the beginning, and further reduced by the travails Romulans turned their attention to the
exploitation of the
of the past several decades. If not for the chance discovery mineral-rich planet. Mining operations
would have to be
of the Sakethans, the Steadfast would likely have died out on conducted along the terminator and on
the night side, but the
Calder II, and the political landscape of the galaxy would be Romulans were confident that would
pose no real problems.
significantly different. Instead, the Sakethans’ technological
base was sufficient to allow the Steadfast to complete They did not expect the planet to be
inhabited, nor that the
critical repairs. Even more fortunately, the Sakethans were planet’s inhabitants would put up a
fight. Though the Remans
themselves Vulcanoid, a “lost colony” from Vulcan’s first were primitive barbarians without
advanced weaponry, the
wave of colonization. Interbreeding with the healthy Sakethan Romulans found it an unexpectedly
difficult task to bring
population stabilized the Steadfast gene pool. them to heel. Physically, the Remans
are even stronger than
the Romulans, and the majority of them
possessed at least
By the time the ships moved on, Steadfast aggression had rudimentary telepathic ability (which
helped enormously in
merged with Sakethan subtlety to become the seed of setting ambushes). In addition, they
were extremely well-
modern Romulan culture. In addition, they had diverged from adapted to operating in the darkness of
the habitable zones.
the Vulcan physical norm. The brow ridges borne by most Remus’ surface ran green with Romulan
blood before the
Romulans today are most likely a mutation passed down Romulans took their opponents
seriously.
from the Sakethans.
It was the late 19th Century before the
planet was pacified.
The exiles followed the same routine through the next by that time, the Romulans had
developed warp drive.
millennium. They advanced from one inhabitable planet to Reman dilithium was now a priceless
commodity, and
another and by the mid-18th Century, the Steadfast reached the Remans were both useful slaves to
work the mines,
Romulus. Over the centuries, it had taken on an almost and shock troops for the Romulans’
endless wars. The
mythical quality in their minds. No one was as surprised as Romulans spent the next two centuries
exploring and
they to find the reality exceeded their expectations. Romulus colonizing the planets in their new
home’s stellar vicinity. At
was a sparkling gem of a world with verdant forests and some point during that period, they
came into contact with
sun-dappled seas. It could not have been less like Vulcan the Klingons. Although they had better
ships, the Klingons
and still be habitable. A second (barely) inhabitable planet had better weapons, and the initial
clashes between the two
existed in the same system, and sensor readings suggested empires were inconclusive. The
Romulans decided to seek
that planet possessed an unusual amount of metallic and easier prey, and their eyes turned back
to their old home.
exotic substances, including a crystalline mineral of particular
interest to several engineering teams working on a faster-
than-light drive.

THE BETA
QUADRANT 51

56
ASTROGRAPHY The Romulus system is near the
northwest edge of the
Empire, about ten light-years
from the Neutral Zone.
 Though far from the Klingon
Empire, it lies uncomfortably
The Romulan Empire is completely contained in the close to the Federation.
Currently, Romulan territory
Beta Quadrant. It is surrounded by the Federation and does not extend into the
Shackleton Expanse. Since the
the Klingon Empire to the galactic west and south. On a Expanse lies in the only
direction the Romulan Empire can
standard galactic map, the Empire looks much like a giant expand, it is likely that the
Federation-Klingon joint force
jellyfish; the rounded “body” of the Empire is surrounded by will encounter Romulan
territorial expansionism at some
the Federation and Klingon Empire, while multiple tendrils point during their exploration.
extend toward the Delta Quadrant. The main body of the
Empire spans 115 light-years at its widest point, from
Cheron in the galactic northwest to D’Deridex, twenty light- A HISTORY OF DECEIT
years north of the Narendra system. Along the borders of
the Federation and the Klingon Empire, it is bounded by the
Neutral Zone. The Romulans became aware
of humanity long before
humanity became aware of
them. The Romulan intelligence
service had infiltrated Vulcan
sometime in the late 21st
Century. Agents embedded in
the High Command monitored
INTERCEPTED Vulcan interactions with the
other spacefaring peoples of the
TRANSMISSION region. They were probably
responsible for the militarization
of Vulcan society in the
mid-22nd Century. It seems likely, in
retrospect, that their original
plan was to maneuver Vulcan
Praetor D’deridex, and Andoria into a short,
destructive war, then arrive as
Vulcan’s saviors. In so doing,
they would prove once and for
My work on Vulcan has been undone by the incompetence of V’Las. all their superiority to their
cousins.
I warned you that it was dangerous to rely completely on a single
individual, no matter how powerful. In the end, his own ambassador The plan failed. An
unanticipated alliance of Vulcans
conspired with the Terrans to save the Syrannite leader and restore and Humans removed the
Romulan puppet from power,
the writings of Surak to their people. Praetor, I urge you to rethink and restored the original
writings of Surak to the planet.
the means of reunification. If our cousins have become so soft as to Humanity, at first just a
curiosity, had become a threat thanks
be influenced by a species that has barely achieved space flight, we to their meddling.
should reconsider the possibility of outright conquest.
THE EARTH-ROMULAN WAR
Jolan tru, Early encounters with the
Klingons caused the Romulans
to rethink their overall military
strategy. The political caste,
Subcommander Talok in particular, lost the taste for a
stand-up fight. Instead of
meeting force with force, they
would weaken their enemy via
subterfuge, only attacking
when they had a clear advantage.

REPORT TO THE ROMULAN

HIGH COMMAND

It is my duty to inform you that Sub-Commander Neved is no military power. If they do not
return the Sub-Commander to
longer in command of the Shrike. At some point during our mission us, I will turn their planet into a
cinder.
to Vendor, he was replaced by a Vendorian shapechanger. The
Vendorian plot was uncovered when the “Sub-Commander” refused The necropsy report and
internal security files are included in
to report to sickbay for his routine physical. Security attempted to this transmission.
stun the false commander, but the stun setting on our disruptors
had no effect on the creature. The creature was killed by several Jolan tru.
full-power disruptor shots. Its body remained intact enough for my
surgeon to conduct a necropsy. – Warbird Cuirass, Centurion
S’ral commanding.

Any reports or logs sent from the Shrike after we departed the planet (Addendum: Cuirass
subsequently disappeared in deep
must be considered disinformation. I am returning to Vendor at full space, presumed lost with all
hands.)

52 CHAPTER 02

57
This did not please many Romulan starship commanders was profoundly disappointed, as her
reign was marked by
of the time, but a few assassinations brought them into almost endless civil war. She was
overthrown sometime
compliance. in the early 23rd Century, her name
completely eradicated
from Romulan history.
The Romulans had failed to start a war between Vulcan and
Andoria, but they were not done with meddling. Militaristic, 23RD CENTURY
prickly Andoria, a major power in the region, had made By the 2250s, war-weariness had
permeated the Imperial
enough enemies that it remained a prime target for Romulan Fleet. Even the commander of the Talon,
the Romulan
manipulation. The contentious Tellarites were the perfect flagship, was suspected of this malaise.
The Praetor,
goad. And once again, humanity overcame two species’ undeterred, sent the Talon into
Federation space to
hatreds to expose the Romulan plot. send a message: no longer were the
Romulans content
to hide behind the Neutral Zone. The
mission was
The Romulans struck back. Not only had humanity ultimately unsuccessful, the Talon
destroyed by the
interfered in their affairs but they were still weak, U.S.S. Enterprise. As the last
transmission sent from the
having only recently become an interstellar power. They Talon had been a coded message that
claimed success,
manufactured a diplomatic incident over the new Earth the Romulans came to the obvious
conclusion that the
base at Algeron, and destroyed the base and the two ships transmission had been falsified by the
Earth starship
stationed there. to lure the waiting Romulan fleet into an
ambush. The
invasion expected to follow the
successful test of the
Again, the four powers united against the Romulan Federation’s defenses never happened.
threat. The four-year war was bitter, savage, and quarter
was neither asked nor granted. The weapons of the Instead, the Romulans swarmed their
side of the Neutral
time did not allow for “soft kills“. The Romulans also Zone with warbirds. Federation
starships might be able
preferred to destroy their own ships rather than be to destroy a single warbird, but not a
group of them.
captured or boarded. For the duration of the war, and This was demonstrated in 2268, when
the Enterprise
well after, members of the Coalition never saw a living violated the Neutral Zone at what
appeared to be the
Romulan. Even the peace treaty was conducted entirely orders of a madman. Instead, it was a
ruse to make
via subspace audio. Romulan space was defined and possible the theft of the latest cloaking
device, one that
circumscribed by a Neutral Zone, four hundred light years made a ship invisible to all tracking
sensors. Only that
long and one and a half light-years wide. Entry into the theft and the successful integration of
the device into
Zone by either side would be an act of war. the Enterprise’s systems allowed the
ship to escape.
The captains of two ships involved in
the incident were
PLOT AND COUNTER-PLOT executed. The task force commander
was captured by
Within a decade the Romulans determined that the the Enterprise and repatriated; she, too,
was expected
Federation would not violate the treaty. This gave them a to face the same fate. Much to the
surprise of her
free hand to do whatever they wanted behind the shield of enemies, she returned with small but
valuable pieces of
the Neutral Zone. They consolidated and pacified Romulan Federation technology, which were
enough to spare her
space, during a century of bloody warfare. Their ruthless life. She was suspected to have the
Praetor’s ear, and
campaign drove no fewer than three Orion fleets to the brink whether this was gained through
bedding or blackmail,
of ruin, and may also have been responsible for breaking the his favor saved her career.
back of the Nausicaan pirate cartels. Habitable planets were
colonized or conquered, their inhabitants enslaved. They
encountered particularly fierce opposition along their border DILITHIUM REGULATOR
CONTROLS
with the Klingon Empire. After a string of engagements with
no conclusive victory, the Romulans withdrew from that
border as well, and seeded the disputed area with sensor
buoys and mines.

For some Romulans, the endless wars began to pall.

Sometime around the turn of the century, one particularly
successful commander suborned a significant portion of the
Fleet and staged a coup. She managed to kill most of the
Committee and cowed the Senate by threatening to
fire on the Senate building from orbit. For thirty years,
she ruled as Empress. The Empress claimed that her
rationale was to prevent Romulan lives from being thrown
away in pointless wars. If that was her true intent, she

THE BETA
QUADRANT 53

58
In the same year, a Romulan research colony located at unconventional battle tactics, such as
re-tuning the cloak
Chaltok IV was destroyed by an experimental polaric ion on one of his ships to produce sufficient
emissions to
device. Chaltok IV was left uninhabitable, and the result was impersonate an entire strike force. Over
several years, he
a treaty banning all future research into polaric ion energy. and his forces exploited the advantage
given them by the
This treaty may have been the only success of the diplomatic cloaking device. Multiple small, fast
fleets of warbirds
initiative at Nimbus III, the so-called “planet of peace.” darted in and out of the Neutral Zone,
attacking poorly-
defended targets.
The Empire and the Federation continued to clash throughout
the remainder of the 23rd Century. Isolated incidents along The Norkan Campaign was ended by
the Tomed Incident.
the Neutral Zone never became quite important enough Tomed had no inhabitable planets, but
was the site of both a
to declare war. In what was meant to appear as a show of Federation research station and a
dilithium mining operation
good faith, the Empire even opened an embassy on Earth. in the asteroid belt. The Miranda-class
U.S.S. Saratoga NCC-
That embassy did not last more than a decade before the 1887 was also in-system. It provided
both patrol capability
Romulans were made persona non grata in Federation space, and science support for the research
station. No sensor
and their ambassador expelled for conspiring with Federation logs remain to explain exactly what
happened, but analysis
and Klingon officers to assassinate the Klingon Chancellor. of what was left has provided a working
hypothesis. One
According to the Romulan government, Ambassador Nanclus of Jarok’s ships was tasked to make a
high-speed attack
returned to the Empire in disgrace and was executed with run on the dilithium mining operation.
The ship suffered a
all due ceremony. We discovered some years later that the navigational failure. Instead of emerging
from warp at a safe
“ambassador” was a Tal Shiar agent. He was promoted, and distance above the ecliptic, it emerged
in the asteroid belt.
then given a new identity and mission. The result was catastrophic as the ship
impacted a dilithium-
rich asteroid at least 200 meters in
diameter. When the warp
Tensions between the powers continued to grow, as Admiral core containment failed, the antimatter
explosion caused
Alidar Jarok conducted what would be called the “Norkan a chain reaction to propagate through
the asteroid belt.
Campaign” by Romulans, and the “Norkan Massacres” The resultant blast destroyed every ship
and station in the
by the Federation. Jarok was known for inventive, system, as well as the vast majority of
the dilithium in the belt.

54 CHAPTER 02

59
It became clear during the ensuing diplomatic
negotiations INTERCEPTED
that the attacks had been targeted to cripple Federation
efforts to replicate the cloaking device. As part of the
Treaty TRANSMISSION
of Algeron, the Federation agreed to halt all present and
future research into the cloaking device. Once the treaty
was ratified, the Romulans withdrew into the Neutral Zone Soral,
once more.
Letoth needs to be dealt
with. He still insists that the Chaltok IV
The timing was fortuitous. Relations with the Klingons, colony was transported
through time and space to end up on
always difficult, were disintegrating. The Romulans may Calder II centuries before
we reached it. At first, it was a fairly
also have been dealing with internal unrest. Contemporary harmless lunacy, even if
there is absolutely no proof. Now, he’s
documentation suggests that, at some levels of the Klingon talking about re-creating
the experiment that caused the explosion
government, the Romulans were considered allies. It is in the first place. You know
that can’t be allowed to happen, but
possible that the Klingons were collateral damage in an no one here has the
standing to tell him “no.” If you can’t get him
internecine war, possibly between the Tal Shiar and the to stop, he’s going to have
a “lab accident” one day soon. No one
Romulan military. And it is certain that they did not expect wants that. Aside from this
obsession, he’s made valuable advances
the peace treaty with the Klingons as the consequence of in high-energy physics.
Narendra III.
Always your student,
In the past decade, the Romulans have conducted numerous
intelligence operations, many of which succeeded in their Telok
intent. The discrediting and death of Alidar Jarok and the
successful retrieval of Major Selok are among the most
noteworthy. The Romulans have also meddled in Klingon
politics, the details of which are covered in your briefing on
the Klingon Empire. But there’s more to Romulan paranoia
than biology. Dissent
is a capital crime, and anyone could be
an informer. It takes
very little to attract the attention of the
Tal Shiar, and the
POLITICAL BACKGROUND best one can hope for is to be dragged
away in the night.
Often dissent is punished by the
degradation of the offender
into a lower caste, or even slavery.
While Romulan citizens
EMPIRE OF INTRIGUE theoretically enjoy the Right of
Statement, those that avail
From the Federation perspective, Romulan politics are highly themselves of that right condemn their
family along with
reminiscent of the human Byzantine period. Government them. Most, faced with such a choice,
instead choose to die
officials watch the currents of power to determine their own honorably, to spare their family
disgrace. In theory, blood
courses, and the power bloc behind any given Committee washes away all crimes; in practice,
tainted families are
member changes on a daily basis. A surprising percentage marked for further attention. Not even
an official as mighty as
of government officials do actually believe in their service the Vice-Proconsul is safe.
to the Empire, despite the temptations of power and the
pervasive atmosphere of distrust. They are a quiet majority, CONTINUING COMMITTEE
for the moment, walking a narrow path between the Praetor The Continuing Committee was the very
first governmental
on one side and the Tal Shiar on the other. Former Vice- institution created by the
proto-Romulans, and has existed in
Proconsul M’ret was one such individual, and it is likely that one form or another ever since. Its size
has varied between
the underground is in contact with others. five and twelve, but is currently set at
eight including the
Praetor. Most of the Committee
members are civilian officials,
Romulan politics are characterized by duplicity and paranoia. although the head of the Tal Shiar may
or may not hold a
In part this is a side effect of their violent emotions. Over seat. Very few Committee members
hold military positions.
the centuries, Romulan traditions channeled those emotions This is a policy of the Committee
designed to counterbalance
away from unrestrained violence. Their passions were the Praetor’s control of the Imperial
Fleet.
channeled into service to the Empire, and their innate
paranoia changed into the cool duplicity practiced by the When a seat becomes available there is
intense competition
Romulans even today. Among the political caste, intrigue between candidates including
assassinations. Committee
comes as naturally as breathing. Advancement within and members are intelligent, ruthless,
powerful, and have
between social castes always comes at someone else’s demonstrated that they are the masters
of Romulan intrigue.
expense. This ensures that members of the lower castes Collectively, they are the most powerful
people in the
remain disunited and powerless. Trust is not a useful Romulan Empire, accustomed to meting
out life and death
currency in Romulan politics. with a word.

THE BETA
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60
ROMULAN has no vote in Senate
deliberations but, in the Praetor’s
absence, she exercises his
proxy vote. The Vice-Proconsul’s
MILITARY VICTORIES role is that of a neutral arbiter.
He chairs subcommittee
meetings, mediates disputes
between political opponents,
and casts a tie-breaking vote
when necessary. Long
STARFLEET ACADEMY INTERNAL COMMUNICATION tradition has it that such votes
should be cast in favor of
further debate (if possible), or
for the status quo (if not). The
G’vrel, I heard that if you ask the library computer to search for Senate is fundamentally
conservative, and their belief is that
“Romulan military victories” it asks you if you meant “Romulan if a change is not supported by
a true majority, it should not
military defeats.” I don’t know if some engineering senior has been be passed.
messing with it or whether the librarians don’t know just how funny
that is! Try it for yourself next time you’ve got a free period. The Senate is responsible for
debating and passing
legislation. Potential laws do not
have to originate in the
Senate. They may also be
proposed by members of the
Continuing Committee or the
Praetor. The division of Senate
responsibilities seems odd to
those accustomed to the
Federation model. Functionally,
the Senate contains two
The Continuing Committee functions in an executive legislative houses in a single
body. Half of the Senate, known
capacity. They have the power to accept or veto Senatorial as the Establishing House,
makes or presents legislative
decrees and legislation, and they set policies for the Empire. proposals. The other half, the
Expunging House, holds only
Additionally, when Senators or other high officials are veto power. The Expunging
House is also responsible for
accused of crimes, the Committee acts as both judge and examining old legislation. They
may abolish existing laws that
jury. Committee members are more than simply advisors to they feel no longer meet the
needs of the Empire. To become
the Praetor. Each of them heads one or more governmental (or remain) law, legislation under
consideration must receive
departments, and the support of the Committee can make at least half the votes of the
Establishing House, and must
or break a Praetor. In fact, a Praetor may be overridden by a also have more votes than
vetoes in the Expunging House.
unanimous vote of the Committee. This happens very rarely, These laws may be overridden
by Praetorian fiat or a majority
as it is difficult to get all the Committee members to agree vote of the Continuing
Committee. This rarely happens, as
on anything. Senators who hold Committee
memberships go to great
lengths to ensure that
legislation distasteful to the Committee
The Praetor is theoretically the most powerful person in is never presented.
the Empire. He is the head of the government and the
commander-in-chief of the Imperial Fleet. However, the The Senate presents the
appearance of democracy, but
balance of power on the Continuing Committee is always closer examination reveals that
this is an illusion. Although
shifting, and past Praetors have been chosen for their each district elects a Senator by
popular vote, candidates
weakness or their susceptibility to manipulation by one or are carefully chosen by the
current Senate (and, at times,
more power blocs. The current Praetor has held onto the the Continuing Committee). One
of the most reliable ways
office for over a decade, but is showing the signs of age. to become a new Senator is to
serve as the aide to an
His position has also been damaged by the failure of several existing Senator. Competition
for such roles often become
recent large-scale operations, such as the invasion of Vulcan quite fierce, particularly as aides
to Senators on the
and the Klingon Civil War. He has managed to spread much Committee.
of the blame for both failures to the Tal Shiar, but this does
not seem to distress Chairman Koval. CONQUEST AND
OVERTHROW
Romulan foreign policy springs
from a fundamental facet of
The current Praetor has been sufficiently distracted by minor the Romulan character. They
are absolutely certain that no
crises that other members of the Committee have been able other species is their equal.
They are equally certain that all
to pursue their own agendas with impunity. Many of them other species are simply biding
their time, patiently waiting
involve the Federation in one way or another: be aware that for an opening to attack. These
beliefs have shaped their
Romulan activity along the border and the Neutral Zone may strategies and tactics on a
fundamental level. Strategically,
not be officially sanctioned. the Romulans prefer to set
opposing factions of their
adversaries against each other.
This was seen as far back
IMPERIAL SENATE as the Babel Crisis. Romulans
instigate and encourage civil
The Senate is also led by the Praetor, though most of wars and rebellions,
undermining rivals and allies through
the day-to-day matters are in the hands of the Proconsul acts of deception. And they
strive to deny their enemies any
and Vice-Proconsul. The Proconsul presides over Senate scrap of information that might
illuminate Romulan motives,
sessions in the absence of the Praetor and is responsible even to the point of concealing
their physical appearance
for the day-to-day operations of the Imperial Fleet. She and racial heritage.

56 CHAPTER 02

61
Tactically, Romulans prefer covert action and ambush. On it. These efforts accelerated over the
past decade, although
more than one occasion, they have sent a single cloaked, the fallout from the Klingon Civil War
seems to have slowed
heavily-armed Bird-of-Prey into enemy territory to test them down. Currently, Starfleet
Intelligence considers
defenses. They consider that, in the worst case, the sacrifice Romulan interference in the Maquis
rebellion to be a
of a single ship is an acceptable loss. They also exploit significant risk. It is likely to take the
form of military supplies
the cloaking device to its fullest advantage to strike from and intelligence, possibly through Orion
intermediaries.
ambush: the assault on Algeron IV in 2156 is a classic
example of this tactic. The Romulans have had diplomatic
relations with the
Cardassians for some years. The nature
of the relationship
When Romulans are forced into a stand-up fight, they prefer remains murky. Cardassian ambitions
are likely to become a
to overwhelm the enemy with numbers. Current Romulan threat to the Romulans at some point in
the next decade, and
doctrine mandates at least a two-to-one advantage in how the Romulans will respond to that
remains a mystery.
numbers and/or firepower; three-to-one is ideal. This is This is, ultimately, exactly as they wish
it.
not due to inferior hardware; Romulan warships have been
formidable opponents since the 22nd Century, easily capable REUNIFICATION
of destroying Federation starships. The Romulans simply The Romulans continue to be obsessed
with the idea
prefer conflicts ended as quickly and decisively as possible, of re-unifying with the Vulcans, but on
their terms. The
with minimal risk to themselves. entire Vulcan government was shaken
by the revelation
that one of their most reputable
ambassadors was a
Romulan policy toward the Klingons and the Federation, for Romulan deep-cover agent and the
subsequent invasion
over a century, has been to impede any attempts to forge attempt. Now that they know how
deeply they have been
a lasting peace between the two polities. Once the alliance penetrated, the Vulcans, with Starfleet
Intelligence, are
could not be stopped, they shifted their efforts to undermine trying to clean house. That may be
difficult, however,

OFFICIAL
COMMUNICATION

AMBASSADO
R V’LIN OF VULCAN, STARDATE 47165.3

Minister Satok, in one minor war, two

trade embargos, and a failed Federation
membership application.
I have completed my analysis of T’Pel’s activities as
ambassador. She participated in sixty-four missions over thirty- I have attached a list of
individuals who were known to have
seven standard years. Of those sixty-four missions, she was the extensive contact with
T’Pel. You will note that my name is on
primary diplomat in twenty-three, and provided significant input that list. I was the junior
diplomat on five of T’Pel’s missions,
 into another nine. Her participation in the remaining missions including Antica’s first
attempt to join the Federation in 2345.
was that of a junior diplomat. The list includes most
of the diplomatic staff, as is logical given
T’Pel’s position.
Curiously, one of the names in the list is T’Paal,
Nineteen of T’Pel’s primary missions concluded in a satisfactory who I believe is a
prominent member of the Vulcan Isolationist
manner. The remainder were resolved in a way that appeared Movement. I can think
of no logical reason for T’Pel to have
logical at the time, but ultimately resulted in further conflict. This been in contact with
T’Paal, as the isolationist movement is an
is not an unusual outcome when dealing with other species. internal security matter.
Our logic, no matter how perfect, is not always capable of
overcoming the illogic of others. The revelation of T’Pel’s true It is logical to conclude
that I may be one of T’Pel’s
identity demanded a closer inspection of those missions, which I collaborators. if I were
so minded, I could manipulate the report
have now completed. I have compared records of each mission to shield myself and
others from scrutiny. Therefore, I offer to
from the other participants against T’Pel’s official reports. There mind-meld with you or a
security officer of your choosing. I can
are differences between each set of records that cannot be think of no other way to
fully remove myself from suspicion.
adequately explained by fallible memory or alien perspective.
In all cases, T’Pel manipulated the disputants via implied At your service,
promises and ambiguous passages inserted into the treaties.
Ultimately, the agreements in question were revoked, and the T’Vala
Federation took the blame for the failed mediation. This resulted Ambassador-at-Large

THE BETA
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62
as initial analyses suggest that the Romulans infiltrated TAL SHIAR
Vulcan centuries ago. It is entirely possible that Romulan POWER BEHIND THE THRONE
agents were seeded into several of the Vulcan Houses, The Tal Shiar is considered to be one of
the most formidable
thus providing their descendants with the perfect cover: intelligence agencies currently active,
respected and
genuine legitimacy. This strategy is similar to one practiced feared across two quadrants. They are
extremely skilled at
by the old Soviet Union during Earth’s Cold War. extracting information from enemies,
and their draconian
control over the Romulan Empire
ensures that very little
While the Romulans have taken no further overt actions information escapes. The Tal Shiar’s
mandate is to protect
toward a forced reunification, we have learned that they the security of the Romulan Empire.
They are alert to threats
are at their most dangerous when they appear passive. both external and internal. Among
themselves, they refer to
Fortunately, the Federation has developed new sources of themselves as the “Shield and Sword of
the Empire” and they
information from within the Empire, thanks to Ambassador are absolutely ruthless.
Spock. His visit to Romulus has been retroactively approved
by the Federation Diplomatic Corps. They were tired of the They operate with a broad authority that
places them both
rumors that he defected. By current reports he is still on outside and above traditional chains of
command. Tal
Romulus, providing support to the Romulan underground. At Shiar agents can and do assume
authority over military
his direction, the underground has reached out to Starfleet commanders, although they possess
their own fleet for
for assistance on a few occasions. Usually this involves covert operations. The sheer scope of
their operations,
extracting a defector, but the possibility exists that we may combined with the incredible amount of
information they
be asked to do more. amass, makes them a potent force in
the Empire.

Officially, our standing orders are to take no action that would The Tal Shiar are responsible for all
intelligence and counter-
cause a war. Unofficially… Ambassador Spock is a hero of intelligence operations in the Romulan
Empire. Internally,
the Federation, and of Starfleet in particular. If he needs help, they monitor the people for any sign of
dissent, and they
and if, in your judgment, you can provide that assistance have recruited many informants. Most of
them are not actual
without triggering outright war… do what needs to be done. operatives: some believe they are
acting for the benefit of

58 CHAPTER 02

63
the Empire, some enjoy the power they have over their fellow TAL SHIAR COMMAND STRUCTURE
citizens, and some are unwilling collaborators. The former Not much is known about the Tal Shiar’s
command
Vice-Proconsul M’ret has said that at least one informant structure. The Romulans’ tendency to
suppress any and
is placed in every housing complex, industrial plant, and all information makes it extremely
difficult to learn about
government office in the Empire. Potential sources of dissent non-critical areas of their civilization, let
alone anything
such as schools and military bases usually have more. secretive. Moreover, the Tal Shiar keeps
secrets from their
own people. Intercepted transmissions
suggest that most
The Tal Shiar are more than willing to use assassination Tal Shiar agents report directly to the
Chairman. If so, the
when it suits their purposes. They generally aren’t interested lack of formal hierarchy would be
extremely unusual for
in taking credit for a killing, though. They like to exploit the the Romulans, but would be particularly
suited to an elite
air of ambiguity that surrounds an unexplained sudden organization of agents given a great
deal of authority and
death or mysterious suicide. While they certainly have the latitude in their operations.
capability and the authority to make dissidents disappear,
they prefer more subtle actions. They are masters of Majors in the Tal Shiar may be relatively
inexperienced,
psychological warfare, often using a method known as while colonels seem to have the same
authority as Imperial
“corrosion” to undermine their targets. “Corrosion” is Fleet commanders. Confusingly, some
Tal Shiar agents
nothing less than the slow disintegration of a target’s life, appear to possess naval ranks. This
may show that the
bit by bit. His work suffers mysterious failures. His friends agent started out in the Fleet, or that the
agent is assigned
or family come into possession of information that damages to full-time fleet operations. This may
explain Commander
their trust in him. His reputation begins to suffer. At the Sela, who is certainly authorized to carry
out full-scale
same time, he begins to experience incidents that make intelligence operations. In an odd way,
this also supports
him question his hold on reality. Eventually, he is driven the idea that the Tal Shiar rank structure
is relatively flat,
into a complete breakdown. Often this results in a violent due to the need to “borrow” rank
designations for their
outburst during which he is killed by security personnel for own fleet.
everyone’s safety. By that time, his death is a relief to the
people in his life: the target is not a martyr, just someone It is uncertain to whom the Chairman
reports. The Praetor
whose instabilities got the better of him. does not exercise direct control over the
Tal Shiar as he does
with the Imperial Fleet, and neither does
the Senate. While
They conduct external intelligence and counter-intelligence the Tal Shiar sometimes report
operations to the Senate,
operations with a similar craft. The Tal Shiar is particularly they often work without the Senate’s
direct knowledge, and
fond of sending agents into the Federation disguised as sometimes in direct opposition to the
Senate’s wishes. It is
Vulcans. This has historically been an extremely effective believed that the Chairman answers
only to the Continuing
disguise, as Vulcans are considered one of the most Committee, and often has a seat on the
Committee.
trustworthy species in the Federation. Despite their distaste
for “lesser species,” the Tal Shiar have also been known to KNOWN OPERATIONS
breed slaves and prisoners of war to create operatives who Through the efforts of Starfleet
Intelligence, our contacts
are only part-Romulan. Such individuals tend to be fanatics, in the Klingon intelligence service, and
our sporadic
as they strive to demonstrate that they are no less Romulan contacts with the Romulan
underground, we have
for being half-blooded. some insight into recent Tal Shiar
activities. Internally,
they have increased efforts to suppress
the Romulan
There is a great deal of mutual distrust between the Tal Shiar dissidents, and would consider it a
major coup if they
and the regular military. Agents have the authority to issue were able to bring Ambassador Spock
into custody.
orders to starship commanders without explanation, and Imperial Fleet patrols have increased
along the Romulan
this has gotten more than one Romulan military officer killed, side of the Neutral Zone, and we believe
that many of
which exacerbates tensions. More generally, Tal Shiar agents those ships are Tal Shiar. They are,
naturally, monitoring
outrank military officers of a similar position. The military, our exploration efforts in the Shackleton
Expanse, and
however, is the more prestigious service and offers a higher we can be certain that they still want to
drive a wedge
social caste for the officer and family. This seems to be yet between us and the Klingons.
another of the dynamic tensions that characterize the Empire.
We are certain that they continue to
have significantly
In the last several years, the Tal Shiar has been building penetrated the Vulcan government,
operating via spy
a fleet of starships. This may be in order to minimize networks that have been in place for
over two centuries.
interdisciplinary conflicts or, more likely, to deal with sedition The Vulcans are still investigating a
possible connection to
in the Imperial Fleet. The Tal Shiar has not yet placed political the recent activities of the Vulcan
Isolationist Movement.
officers on Fleet ships but, as they to crack down on dissent, They were responsible for the
attempted invasion-by-stealth
that may change. Such an action will certainly not improve of Vulcan in 2368, and for numerous
attempts to destabilize
relations between the two services. the Klingon government over the past
several years.

THE BETA
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64
MILITARY Guard Prefect is usually
someone too politically important
STRUCTURE to dismiss from the regular
armed forces, but who is unfit to
Members of the Romulan military are second in prestige only serve further on the line.
to high Imperial officials, and equal to most regional officials.
This makes military service extremely attractive to the lower The Romulan military is much
more highly regimented
castes, as they see the military as a way to improve their than Starfleet. Each position
has a strictly-defined set
own and family status. The minimum term of enlistment is of responsibilities, and a
crewman stepping outside the
50 years. Most Fleet members work their way up the ranks, bounds of their position has
violated regulations. Most
though the family members of high-ranking commanders and experienced commanders
ignore such regulations unless
political officials may be admitted directly to the Academy. the violation is particularly
egregious: a runaway warp
Even these favoured individuals, as part of their military core doesn’t care if the person
managing containment is a
education and training, spend a minimum of two years in centurion or an uhlan.
low-ranking positions so that they understand the realities
under which every member of the Imperial military operates. The Romulan chain of
command is not divided into
The Fleet emphasizes the need for each soldier to know their commissioned and
non-commissioned officers. Most
place, to correctly perform the requirements of their position, Romulan military officers are
what human armies used to
and to trust their fellow crewmembers to do the same. call “mustangs”: officers who
worked their way up through
the ranks. The newly enlisted
begin their career as rankless
The Romulan Guard used to refer to the entirety of the soldiers, known as militi. One
step up from militi are uhlans.
Imperial ground forces. Now, the name refers only to the The vast majority of the
Imperial military is made up of these
old Praetorian Guard. Actual ground combat operations are low-ranking personnel. Above
uhlans are sublieutenants
performed by specialized units of the Imperial Fleet, roughly and, under most
circumstances, a Romulan soldier can
what the Federation would call marines. Ground combat is advance no further without
attending the Academy. An
not a preferred specialty among Fleet members and, as a exception is made for skilled
specialists such as doctors
result, most Romulan ground forces are mixed-race units and engineers who may
become Centurions without
consisting of Romulan security platoons directing Reman attending the Imperial War
College. These are the Romulan
shock troops. equivalent to Starfleet staff
officers, and are not in a unit’s
chain of command.
The Praetorian Guard began as an elite group of soldiers
trained as bodyguards for high officials such as the Praetor, In order to be admitted to the
War College, a sublieutenant
members of the Continuing Committee, and Senators. must have at least five and
preferably ten years’ experience
During the last two centuries, Romulan officials came to and be sponsored by their
current commander. The
prefer Remans as bodyguards, and the Guard became the sublieutenant’s performance in
the War College affects the
dumping ground for incompetents and scions of the political commander’s reputation, so
prospects are chosen carefully.
caste who wish to gain “military experience“ without risk. Commanders cannot simply
refuse to sponsor junior
The Guard’s line units were folded into the Imperial Fleet, officers. They are expected to
sponsor potential officers to
and now the Guard consists only of a ceremonial unit. The the War College during their
service, as they themselves
were sponsored.

RANK COMPARISONS The War College term for

entering sublieutenants is three
years. This is extended to five
years for those few who are
ROMULAN RANK FEDERATION EQUIVALENT RANK admitted without previous
military experience. Each year in
Admiral Admiral the classroom is separated by
a year in the field. The actual
Commander Senior Captain/Flag Captain/Commodore* curriculum is broadly similar to
the Starfleet curriculum, but
Subcommander Captain* with a larger emphasis on
tactical and strategic training. The
Centurion Lieutenant Commander majority of officers graduate
with the rank of Lieutenant,
Subcenturion Lieutenant though the most exceptional
officers in each cohort may
Lieutenant Ensign jump to Subcenturion.
Sublieutenant Chief Petty Officer
Uhlan Petty Officer Beyond Centurion, promotion
is as much a matter of political
Militus Crewman savvy as military skill. All
promotions to subcommander
or higher ranks require Senate
approval, although most
*Subcommanders and commanders are both known to command subcommanders are promoted
without scrutiny. The aspiring
starships. Subcommanders are usually found in command of smaller Commander, however, needs
friends in high places. Most
or older ships. The newest, most powerful ships are captained by high-ranking Fleet officers
have at least one patron at the
full commanders. A Commander may also be in charge of small task Senatorial level, and even
better are connections to the
groups, a role the Federation has reserved for commodores and above. Continuing Committee.

60 CHAPTER 02

65
Romulan uniforms are some of the most distinct in the known texture contrasts to be equally
appealing. Unlike their Vulcan
galaxy. The elaborate patterning and varied colors identify cousins, they have no trouble eating
meat. A staple on every
not just a soldier’s rank, but their specialty, their caste and, table is a herd beast native to Romulus,
found in both wild
where appropriate, their family connections. The uniforms and domesticated varieties, known as a
hlai.
of two commanders standing side-by-side might appear
identical to the untrained eye, but a Romulan could tell that A discussion of Romulan food would
not be complete
one of them is from a Praetorian family now fallen on hard without Romulan ale! Some variants are
blue, some are
times, while the other comes from a mining family on a green, but all are extremely potent.
Romulans, like Vulcans,
colony world. are resistant to the effects of
unadulterated alcohol, but
Romulan ale is known to intoxicate any
hominid who drinks
CULTURE it, including Vulcans. The secret of its
exceptional potency
When anyone thinks of the Romulans, they think of a people is a measurable amount of plant
alkaloids, which act on the
who are violently militaristic, deceptive and arrogant, with Vulcanoid nervous system much like
alcohol. The alkaloids
a pronounced belief that they are superior to all other are generally harmless to most other
hominids, mostly
peoples in the galaxy. For better or worse, that is the face causing headaches and intensified
hangovers, but a rare few
the Romulans present to outsiders. It does not, however, find them poisonous. Romulan wine has
the same effects,
represent the whole of the Romulan people. but to a greater degree, and is not
exported.

The best word to describe the Romulan people is Even their language is a work of art.
Several years into
“passionate.” That extends into all areas of their life and the journey, once the initial scramble to
create some sort
culture. In fashion, Romulans prefer vivid, saturated colors of order was past, someone suggested
that if they were
and sharp geometric patterns. What humans perceive as dull, going to leave Vulcan behind, perhaps
they should leave
monochrome fabrics become something quite different when the language behind as well. The
Committee was not
seen with Romulan eyes (Romulan eyesight extends slightly entirely enthusiastic about the idea (they
did, after all,
into the ultraviolet). Their love of geometrics extends into plan to return) but, by the time it gained
their attention,
art: they prefer abstract art to concrete. Some high-ranking it had garnered the support of a
surprising proportion of
officials have smuggled in prints of Mondrian, T’Veth, Govral, the travelers. Over the next several
decades, they created
R’lk’t’k and Shela for their personal enjoyment, though they a new language for themselves, by
taking the Old High
would never admit their provenance. Vulcan roots and developing them in a
different way. The
Vulcan language was not entirely
forgotten: as pressure
Their flair for the artistic can also be seen in their mounted for all the Steadfast to adopt
the new tongue, the
shipbuilding. Whatever else they are, warbirds are works of old was hidden away.
art. Every warbird built is painted with a bird-of-prey pattern
that is unique to that ship. Old commanders can identify a The glaring exception in Romulan art is
architecture. The
warbird from its markings before ever seeing its name. oldest architecture on Romulus clearly
shows its Vulcan
antecedents. The Senate chamber, in
particular, when
They are equally passionate about their cuisine. While they stripped of Romulan iconography, could
be placed at the foot
tend to be fond of bold, robust flavors, they find flavor and of Mount Seleya and not be out of
place. Other government

INTERCEPTED
TRANSMISSION

Elim,
made from s’lipath, which I think only
grows on Romulus. Other breads just turn
I regret that we never had the opportunity to dry and hard; there’s something about
the s’lipath that makes the bread’s crust
exchange farewells, but people like us go where melt and crystallize around that
delicious creamy interior.
our masters bid, when they bid. Still, I have
made bold to send this message through your On the other hand, you’re a gardener. If
I send you some seeds, perhaps you
embassy, in hopes that it will find you wherever could grow some of your own! If you
have the opportunity, send me a message
you may have gone. I remembered how fond and I’ll see what I can arrange.
you were of my burnt toast recipe (which I have
attached), but I don’t know if you’ll be able to Jolan tru,
replicate it away from here. It requires bread Vashana

THE BETA
QUADRANT 61

66
buildings are reminiscent of the towers at ShiKahr. More Zone over its secrets. The Klingons
managed to trade ships
recent construction is built along starkly practical lines, as for an early variant of the device, but
their cloaking devices
fortresses for the modern age. have historically been at least a
generation behind those
of the Romulans. The Romulans believe
so strongly that
The Romulans have developed a peculiar family structure. the cloaking device is key to their
defensive strategies that
Monogamy is the norm. Married couples cohabitate away they have been willing to conduct
all-out war to prevent
from the extended family. Most households consist of parents the Federation from developing their
own version. While
and their children, no more than four or five individuals. the Federation signed the Treaty of
Algeron to allay that
Occasionally, a revered elder will be invited to live with a particular fear, that decision was not
well-received in some
small family but, in general, families keep their households parts of Starfleet. Just last year, the
U.S.S. Enterprise-D
well separate. Allowing all members of a household sufficient was involved in an incident that
revealed that a number of
personal space is one of the accommodations the Romulans Starfleet officers, including the Chief of
Starfleet Security,
have made to live with their emotional extremes. By and had been developing a cloaking device
of our own in
large, it works, and even in large housing complexes people defiance of the treaty.
usually manage to get along.
Practical invisibility takes a great deal of
processing
Although they prefer small households, Romulan families capability and equally large amounts of
power. Additionally,
in general are large and wide-spread. A couple usually has the cloaking device uses the same
subsystems as the
several children in their lifetimes, spacing them out over half deflector grid. A ship cannot have both
the cloak and
a century. Like their Vulcan cousins, Romulans believe that deflectors active at the same time.
Experienced commanders
children should be brought into the world to be cherished, can have their shields back up within a
few seconds, but
not to fulfill some need of the adult. Family members on some older ships there may be a
second or two of
have specific responsibilities to each other, and these vulnerability as the ship goes into cloak.
responsibilities extend out in an intricate kinship network.
Fortunately, there are ways to detect
ships under cloak. Older
Despite the stereotypes, Romulans possess a sense of devices are vulnerable to a metaphasic
sweep, an active
honor. It tends toward the flexible and pragmatic, but it scan that changes phase erratically in
order to overload the
exists. One’s honor is in one’s actions, in service to family visual processors. These were
commonly seen on Klingon
and the state. Courtesy to social inferiors is expected, but ships around the turn of the century,
and most likely are no
is often observed more in the breach than the observance. longer in service. Other means of
detecting a ship under
Likewise, courtesy to honorable enemies is considered a cloak include laying down a pattern of
photon torpedoes to
virtue. Of course, that largely depends on the definition of ignite a ship’s plasma exhaust. This flaw
has been corrected
“honorable enemies.” A Romulan keeps their honor not only in modern cloaking systems.
for themselves, but in trust for their families. Ultimately, one’s
honor is their willingness to preserve the Empire, and to The primary means in use today are a
combination of gravitic
die for it, if necessary. Almost any action is acceptable if it sensors and tachyon sensors. We
discovered three years ago
preserves or strengthens the Empire. The Tal Shiar considers that the Romulans had discovered a
way to partially shield
many of the older forms of honor to be hopelessly antiquated themselves from the existing gravitic
sensor net. Since then,
at best, and a sign of dissent at worst, but the underground it has been upgraded to a tachyon
detection grid. The arms
continues to teach them as a quiet act of defiance. race continues, Captain: they find a new
way to hide, we find
a new way to find them.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
The Romulans are proficient technologists and scientists. Alongside cloaking technology, the
Romulans have
Their work in high-energy physics and optics are, in some developed extremely sophisticated
holographic technology,
ways, well ahead of the Federation. They are less advanced which has been used in the past to
disguise a drone ship
in the biosciences. Their knowledge of genetic engineering as any one of a number of enemy ships.
We believe this
was sufficient to keep their genome from collapsing during technology is no longer in active use,
but the Romulans will
the journey, but they abandoned it once they had settled revive it if they think it useful.
Romulus. There is a mostly-unspoken belief that excessive
reliance on medical intervention is a display of weakness. The WARBIRDS
military are an exception as they see reliance on medicine not Hear the phrase “Romulan starship,”
and one immediately
as weakness, but necessary to ensure battle readiness. thinks of a compact, predatory-looking
warship shaped like
a stylized bird-of-prey. Known as
“warbirds”, these ships
THE CLOAKING DEVICE have always packed a punch
disproportionate to their size
The Romulan cloaking device may be the single most and their latest incarnation is a
formidable foe. Rather than
notorious piece of technology in two quadrants. Both the build the nacelles above the hull, as in a
typical Starfleet
Federation and the Star Empire have violated the Neutral design, the nacelles in a warbird are
slightly below the

62 CHAPTER 02

67
ship’s centerline. This gives the ship its typical “winged” functions by disrupting the molecular
bonds of its target.
appearance. Engineering specifications for the D’deridex- At low power, this results in burns and
widespread cellular
class Warbird will be provided in a later briefing. damage, though recovery is possible
with modern medical
treatment. At high power settings,
hand-held disruptor
Romulans have been known for their stylized bird-of-prey weapons cause their target to
disintegrate. Starship
ships since they first appeared on the galactic stage. Despite disruptor banks function in a similar
manner, but such
a number of upgrades and enhancements to the basic weapons rarely cause complete
disintegration. Disruptors
design, warbirds are known for their clean lines and resilient are usually attenuated by shields and
hull alloys to the
engineering. The standard Romulan warbird was superior to point where most of the damage is
purely mechanical, the
the Klingon warships of the 23rd Century, though somewhat effect of large amounts of energy
applied to very small
less heavily-armed. Why, then, did the Romulans use Klingon areas. The disruptors currently in use
by the Star Empire
ships to expand their fleet? Theories abound, though the are powerful and flexible weapons.
The disruptor array of
current belief in Starfleet Intelligence is that, after centuries a D’deridex-class warbird is capable of
firing in both beam
of war, the Star Empire was overstretched and did not have and pulse modes.
the manpower to build ships. It is unlikely to be coincidence
that the Klingons acquired cloaking technology around the For a short time in the 22nd Century, the
Romulans deployed
same time that the Klingon vessels began to appear in the a weapon system designed to mimic
the weapon signatures
Romulan fleet. Regardless of the reason, by the beginning of other species’ ships. The triphasic
emitter technology was
of the 24th Century, Klingon vessels were phased out of the known to be able to mimic the particle
cannon signatures of
Romulan fleet. The Romulan actions of the 24th Century were both the Andorians and the Tellarites, as
well as the phase
all carried out by warbird flotillas. cannons of the NX-class ships. This
weapon was used in
conjunction with sophisticated
holographic emitters to frame
The D’deridex-class warbirds are powered by an artificial various species for attacks on their
traditional rivals. Starfleet
black hole. The ever-increasing power demands of the has not encountered any ships
possessing improved variants
cloaking device spurred the Romulans into pouring resources of this technology. The idea may have
been abandoned, or it
into power generation technologies. The resultant forced may still be in use on ships involved in
covert actions.
quantum singularity is extremely efficient, providing more
useful energy per gram of matter than even matter/antimatter A discussion of Romulan shipboard
weaponry would not
reactions. The magnetic and gravitic distortion effects of even be complete without mentioning plasma
torpedoes. First
a small singularity are easily detected, so these distortions observed on Romulan ships in 2266, the
plasma torpedo is
are offset by nullifier cores that generate precisely-tuned an extremely powerful weapon with
homing capabilities and
counter-distortions. The technology is still delicate, however, capable of following a ship into warp for
short periods of
and even a slight misalignment causes magnetic distortions time. Plasma torpedoes require massive
amounts of energy
to become visible through the cloak. to create the magnetic fields that
contain the plasma; even
modern Romulan power plants do not
produce enough
Romulans prefer disruptor-type energy weapons to phased power to fire them from a cloaked ship.
Currently, Romulan
energy weapons. Unlike phasers, which can reliably be set tactics emphasize disruptors over
plasma torpedoes, but
to stun, Romulan disruptors cause significant damage even there are rumors that new a planetary
defense installation
on a low-power setting. The weapon is aptly named, as it incorporates the torpedo technology.

ROMULAN DISRUPTOR

11-30029
2011-32 0120

3567 1920-22 2167

12 1920-23 1066

987-12 0020
3844
128-21 3844

14-39990 67720
380002
17-2880
16-25005 4799-2722 2320 224002 29-274-00 2482 204114 20913
2922-2042 2901 120330 65-274-55 29400 429901
12 21-5540

SECURITY

THE BETA
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68
CHAPTER
02.60 THE BETA QUADRANT
ROMULAN WORLDS

ROMULUS star. Long-range sensors still give

conflicting readings and
astrophysicists are arguing over the
reasons. The current
hypothesis seems to be a dust cloud
in or around the
PLANETARY BACKGROUND system that causes sensor
distortions. If true, the
Romulus is an M-class planet in the second orbit of its composition of the dust cloud would
be a substance entirely
primary. The nature of Romulus’ primary has been a unknown to the Federation.
mystery for some time, as astronomical observations were
inconsistent. Early observations suggested that the star was It might also be the reason for the
splendid sunsets. By all
in fact a D-class white dwarf, in a binary relationship with accounts, Romulus could be a resort
world similar to Risa,
another, similar star. Other readings indicated that it was an if the Romulans were so minded, and
without the aid of
M-type accompanied by a K-class star. The mystery has weather modification systems. The
few Romulan
been resolved: video evidence taken from Romulan orbit in defectors we’ve spoken with all agree
that the planet is
2368 confirms spectral readings consistent with an F-type unusually beautiful.

Romulus is a temperate world, with

enough of an orbital tilt
 to provide discrete seasons, but not
so much as to cause
temperature extremes. Large-scale
storm systems such as
hurricanes are rare. Romulus does
possess many seas, but
most of them are relatively small and
do not support the
conditions required for a hurricane to
develop.

The Apnex Sea, named after the first

leader of the Vulcan
exiles, is the largest on Romulus. It
has a Mediterranean-
type climate consisting of warm, wet
winters and hot,
dry summers. The Romulans endure
the first and enjoy
the second. Ki Baratan is situated on
the sea’s western
shore, perfectly positioned to enjoy
the prevailing winds.
The Apnex is ecologically diverse,
and supports a thriving
aquaculture industry along its
northern shore. The southern
shore of the Apnex, well south of Ki
Baratan, the capital, is
where most of the Senate and
Committee have their winter
vacation homes. They enjoy the
warmer temperatures and
the beautiful views.

Ki Baratan, the capital city of

Romulus, is on the edge of
the Apnex Sea. Built in concentric
rings on an artificial
island, it is completely surrounded by
a wide stretch
of water. Bridges link the central
metropolitan area to
the mainland on three sides.
Demolition charges are
embedded in all three in case of
invasion or siege. The
spare, brutal walls that now contain
the heart of the
Imperial government initially marked
Ki Baratan’s outer
edge. Over the years, it spread
outward, first covering the
rest of the island, then spilling over
onto the mainland.
The walls remained, and over the
years, the government

64 CHAPTER 02

69
complex gradually swallowed the entire area. Today, it is
officially called the Imperial Court, although colloquially
referred to as “The Hidden City.” No one is admitted
inside the walls unless on official government business: to
trespass is death.

Even for a planet of breathtaking beauty, the Firefalls of Gal

Gath’thong are exceptionally glorious. A sheer cliff rises
above an arid plain, uplifted and sheared by some massive
tectonic event. From its heights, a stream of fire pours
down in an ever-shifting kaleidoscope of flame. Beneath the
plain lies an enormous reservoir of light hydrocarbons and
natural gasses, which has found its outlet at the top of the
cliffs. Some long-ago lightning strike set it ablaze, and it has
burned ever since. It was burning when the Romulans settled
the world and, if they have their way, it will burn until the
reservoir is no more.

REMUS

PLANETARY BACKGROUND
Remus is the cooled metallic core of a gas giant whose
atmosphere was stripped away by a close approach of a IMPERIAL RESEARCH AND
DEVELOPMENT FACILITY
so-called “rogue star.” The incident that stripped away the Buried among the other industrial
complexes that have
atmosphere also destabilized its orbit. What was left, after a grown around the dilithium mines is the
Imperial Research
hundred thousand years or so, settled into a new orbit in the and Development Facility: an arms
complex, in other
habitable zone, a tidally locked Class-L planet rich in exotic words. We believe that this facility is the
primary site for
materials. It is generally believed that the Remans are not development of the cloaking device. It
is unlikely that high-
native to the planet, as the next-most advanced life form on energy experimentation takes place on
Remus, due to
the planet is a lichen analogue. How they arrived, however, dilithium’s extreme sensitivity. The Star
Empire performed
remains a mystery. No ships or debris have been located high-energy experimentation on Chaltok
IV up until a
on the planet’s surface, and the Remans themselves were century ago; an experiment using
polaric ions destroyed
technologically primitive, organized in barbarian tribes on the majority of the colony.
Remus’ nightside. Given the usefulness of the Remans as
slave labor, the Romulans haven’t investigated the matter REMANS
too intensely. Remans are extremely physically robust.
Their strength
and endurance may even exceed that of
the Romulans.
THE DILITHIUM MINES They possess some telepathic ability,
but its extent remains
Remus is the Star Empire’s primary industrial base. Its unknown. What is known is that the
Remans fought the
wealth in dilithium and other exotic materials makes it an Romulans to a stand-still for the better
part of a century after
ideal location for the associated factories and refineries. the Romulans arrived on Remus. It was
only the Romulans’
The mines are worked by Reman slaves, and the extremely ability to exploit the Remans’
vulnerability to light that
hazardous work means their average life expectancy is enabled them to bring the war to an
end.
thirty years. Many mining slaves never leave a single mine:
they are born in the mine, work their life in the mine, and die This history means the Romulans look
on the Remans
in the mine. with a mixture of respect and contempt:
respect for their
ability as warriors, and contempt at
their eventual defeat.
The Romulans do provide a certain amount of safety and This contradiction extends to the
Romulan treatment of
protective gear, but this is not to protect the miners, only the Remans. Some Remans are
groomed to become elite
the dilithium. Fortunately, Remus is tectonically inert, bodyguards for members of the Senate
and Continuing
so it is relatively safe from the stresses caused by the Committee, but the vast majority are
doomed to work
piezoelectric generator effect. However, an explosion that in the dilithium mines. The Romulans
believe that the
is minuscule on a planetary scale is still devastating on a warrior Remans are not in any contact
with the Reman
sentient scale. Static-damping gear is a must in the depths mining slaves but, when dealing with a
race of telepaths,
of the mines. who can be sure?

THE BETA
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70
CHAPTER
02.70 THE BETA QUADRANT
THE ORION SYNDICATE

“THE SYNDICATE WANTS YOUR HEAD, CAPTAIN, AND THEY DON’T REALLY CARE WHETHER OR
NOT IT’S ATTACHED TO YOUR BODY.”

— HARRAD-SAR

INTRODUCTION ASTROGRAPHY

The Orion Syndicate is the most dangerous criminal The Orion worlds are an
independent collection of non-
organization that you’ll encounter during your command, member worlds that lie entirely
within Federation space,
Captain. For as long as there have been ships, there approximately 25 light years
from Earth, near Starbase
have been pirates and smugglers and it does not matter 12. Originally, these worlds
were the territory controlled
if those ships travel the oceans or between the stars. by what archaeologists now
call the Orionic Empire, a
The Syndicate is the largest network of these criminals, highly-advanced civilization
centered on the planet Orion.
 created and maintained by the Orions. The Syndicate is After the collapse of the
Empire, many of these worlds
responsible for piracy, slave-trading, racketeering, smuggling, were controlled by various
Merchant Houses: private
illegal gambling operations, arms dealing, extortion and Orion-run mercantile
companies, similar to powerful
assassination across the Alpha and Beta Quadrants, and groups like the English, Dutch
and French East India
perhaps even beyond. We don’t know how far their influence Companies of Earth’s
16th-19th Centuries. At times those
extends, and there are some experts who claim that it is not organizations had more
influence than their governments.
outside the realm of possibility that they have a presence in Over time, many of these
worlds have petitioned for entry
the Delta and Gamma Quadrants as well. into the United Federation of
Planets, which has angered
the Orions and resulted in
several confrontations, notably
The situation is made even more complicated by the officially- the Babel Conference
incident over the question of
recognized neutrality of the Orion worlds, and the legitimate membership of Coridan (Chi 1
Orionis, 5 light years from
operations of the Orion Trade Union. A law-abiding merchant the Orion homeworld).
that you encounter at one port could be the pirate who was
raiding freighters the previous week. The only way to be There was a time when the
Orion worlds stretched from
certain is to catch them in the act. With no official central Orion all the way to Klingon
space, a region of territory
government with whom we can partner, addressing the issue then known as the
Borderland. By the 24th Century most
of the Orion Syndicate is a difficult process and one that is, of these worlds have become
Federation members,
more often than not, left to individual starship Captains. although by treaty the Orions
maintain trade outposts on
these worlds.
OLD STARFLEET
ORION HISTORY
ACADEMY JOKE
The Orion people are the
descendants of a highly-advanced
How can you tell an Orion merchant ship from an Orion civilization, referred to by
Federation archaeologists as the
pirate ship? “Orionic Empire” (to distinguish
them from the present-day
If you have phasers, it’s a merchant ship. Orions). Much of the
achievements of that society have been
lost over the centuries due to
official histories being altered
 by various Orion rulers in the
thousands of years since the

66 CHAPTER 02

71
collapse of that Empire, and the reluctance of present-day
ORION COLONIES
Orions to allow non-Orions to carry out research on their
homeworld. Those few scientists who have been granted
access, or have made discoveries on now-independent
Orion OPEN PORTS AND PIRATE HAVENS
colony worlds, have uncovered science and technology far
in advance of perhaps any other species in the Alpha and As more and more of the
worlds in Orion space and the
Beta Quadrants during the same period. For example, in the Borderland petitioned to join
the Federation, the Syndicate
mid-23rd Century, noted archaeologist Doctor Roger Korby resisted. This resulted in
several major confrontations between
translated ancient Orionic medical records which completely Starfleet and the Orions.
Eventually, the merchant princes
revolutionized modern immunology, and his findings are now realized that direct
opposition to the Federation was becoming an
required reading at Starfleet Medical. unacceptable risk to the
Syndicate, and so the order went out that
the Syndicate would no
longer oppose the independence of any
Thousands of years ago, the Orionic Empire collapsed, world, provided that the
Orions could maintain a colony on that
and there has been no central Orion government since. world as a trading port.
The Empire splintered into competing clans, waxing and
waning in power over the centuries, each altering or These colonies, on worlds
like Coridan III, Dessica II, Farius
falsifying historical records to fortify their claims of power, Prime, the Rigel system and
others, each have an Orion
or to implicate rivals in scandal or wrongdoing. These spaceport, either on the
planet’s surface or in orbit. By treaty
clans eventually developed into the various Orion merchant they are all designated as
open ports: neutral territory, open to
houses, great trading conglomerates that were initially clan- trade. Starfleet is aware that
these facilities are locations rife with
based but, over time, they have become analogous to multi- illicit trade in both smuggled
and pirated goods but, since the
national corporations, doing business throughout the Alpha colonies are officially
independent Orion territory, Starfleet has no
and Beta Quadrants. authority over the colonies
themselves. Starfleet often maintains
a picket vessel, tasked with
patrolling at the treaty-demarcated
ORION FREE TRADERS distance from the port
(which varies from planet to planet
THE TRADE UNION according to individual
treaties) and generally keeping watch,
The merchant houses would regularly war against each other, ready to intercept vessels
suspected of illegal activity once they
over resources, trading contracts, or just over matters of bad enter Federation space.
blood. In the 21st Century, the Orion Merchant Prince Abbran-
Tadji sent a communiqué to all the other merchant houses, no
matter how small, with a proposal. He suggested that conflict
between the houses was an unnecessary drain on resources
and an interruption of vital commerce which prevented all
houses, even those fighting, from earning to their full potential.
HISTORICAL RECORD
He proposed a trade organization, with representatives from
every merchant house, to work out disputes before they
spilled over into open warfare and to encourage cooperation FRAGMENT OF
CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN ABBRAN-TADJI AND
which would benefit all. He called it the Orion Trade Union, KATTAN-MUR,
NOVEMBER 14TH 2057 (EARTH DATING)
and within a decade it had become the de facto governing
body of Orion space. Each world was independent, under ...should result in a definite
increase in trade along the Chessauni
its own planetary government, and each merchant house (or Reach. The fewer escorts
we need to send with the caravans, the
“free traders”, as they started to call themselves) was its own more freight we can move,
as I’m sure you’ve already ascertained.
entity. Negotiations between them all took place under the
auspices of the Trade Union, at least officially. It will be an honor to serve
alongside the great Merchant Prince
Kattan-Mur in the Trade
Union, a tale which I will proudly recount to
The true reason why the Trade Union, a proposal from only my children in my years of
retirement.
one of many merchant princes, was unanimously adopted
so rapidly was that Abbran-Tadji was already well-known Speaking of children, please
allow me to express my condolences
and feared, throughout the Orion holdings. He was the boss on the loss of your eldest
son. A horrible accident, to be sure. Fate
of a criminal syndicate which had members on every Orion is fickle.
world, in every merchant house. Princes who interfered with
Syndicate operations often found their houses suffering I look forward to seeing you
at the first conclave of the Union on
crippling losses of capital and personnel, and those princes Orion,
that didn’t get the message swiftly were simply killed. The
proposal of the Trade Union was not viewed by the other — Abbran-Tadji
princes as a suggestion: it was an order from the head of
the Syndicate.

THE BETA
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72
THE SYNDICATE Orion Syndicate has members from a
variety of worlds, which
makes profiling potential operations
even more difficult for
Starfleet.
The Orion Syndicate operates in a secure cell structure. The
rank and file members of a Syndicate crew only know the THE TRUE RULERS OF ORION
other members of their crew, and so are not in a position Information about the highest ranks of
the Orion Syndicate
to betray the entire Syndicate if compromised. The ranking is nearly impossible to obtain. Starfleet
believes that the
member of a crew is a member of a higher crew, comprised Syndicate is governed by a ruling
committee referred to as
of the leaders of other cells, who answer to the leader of that “The Commission”, comprised of the
leaders of the most
higher crew, who is a member of an even higher-placed crew, powerful Syndicate groups. The
Commission appears
and so on, up the chain. to have a leader, although who that
leader is remains
unknown. No names have ever
appeared in any intercepted
To be brought into a crew, a prospective member must communications; not even a title has
been mentioned.
be vouched for by an existing member, a process known
as “witnessing.” Any member who witnesses for a recruit Starfleet Intelligence thinks that the
members of The
is held responsible if that recruit proves disloyal, and will Commission are all merchant princes of
powerful houses,
be killed along with the errant recruit. Through the cellular and use the Trade Union as a legitimate
cover for their
organization of the various operational groups, and the operations. At this point, the legal
business of the various
ruthless punishment of any disloyalty, the Syndicate free traders and the illegal operations of
the Syndicate are
maintains a tight control over its membership. so intertwined as to be
indistinguishable. For example, items
being smuggled by the Syndicate are
often secreted within
Initially, the Orion Syndicate was solely comprised of Orions entirely legitimate cargoes.
but by the 24th Century the Syndicate had expanded
throughout the Alpha and Beta Quadrants, and either SLAVERS
eliminated or absorbed other criminal networks, including From the 21st through the 23rd
Centuries, the Orion
the “Terra Nostra” of Earth, the Makur-Shen of Andoria, and Syndicate was notorious for one crime
in particular:
a myriad of smaller groups. The result is that the present-day slavery. Orion slavers traded in sentient
beings, including
 68 CHAPTER 02

73
members of their own species, especially the females of
their species. The slave trade thrived in the Borderland
but, LOG EXTRACT
as the Federation and other governments settled further
and further into space, and the frontier spaces began to “Incredible, aren’t they? They
can make you forget most of your
diminish, the slave trade waned. Slavery was abhorred by troubles. Of course, creatures
such as these come with troubles of
all major governments (including the Klingons, after a time). their own. But women are the
same throughout the Galaxy, aren’t
By the 24th Century, the slave trade had been pushed into they?”
the distant reaches of unclaimed space, and it is now a faint
shadow of the widespread scourge that it once was. — Harrad-Sar

POWER BEHIND THE THRONE

The greatest secret of the Orion people was uncovered in the
mid-22nd Century. It is known that Orions possess powerful
pheromones which can have a strong affect upon the LOCATIONS OF NOTE
sensory neurons in humanoid brains, prompting feelings of
attraction. Among Orion women, however, these pheromones
are so potent as to potentially override conscious thought, As stated earlier, the majority of Orion
holdings are now
bringing about an extreme suggestibility similar to the effects merely colonies placed on other worlds.
In fact, any planet or
of intoxication. These pheromones have a marked effect on station along a well-travelled trade route
will have an Orion
the males of various humanoid species, but their effect on presence of some kind. The locations
below, however, are
Orion males is particularly pronounced. Orion males subject purely Orion worlds.
to female pheromones are essentially without any willpower
to resist given commands. The “Orion Slave Girls” sold in ORION
Syndicate bazaars in the 22nd and 23rd Centuries were, Orion is a Class-M planet in the Pi 3
Orionis system, and is
in fact, being placed with their “owners” as intelligence the homeworld of the Orion species.
The system lies along
operators. They not only gathered information for the the juncture of several well-travelled
trade routes that stretch
Syndicate, but also influenced events on a galactic scale by across both the Alpha and Beta
Quadrants, making Orion a
subtle manipulation of their “masters.” vital center of interstellar trade for
centuries.

This revelation uncovered the reality at the heart of Orion The planet was once home to the
ancient Orionic Empire,
society: it is, in fact, a matriarchy, with the women as the final as described above. Orion is the central
world of the various
authority, and the males operating publicly as the instruments Orion holdings. Although Orion space
has no central
of their rulers’ desires. This is not regarded as a secret in government, it is considered the most
important planet, due
Orion society. The public role of males in implementation to its status as the homeworld, a trading
hub, and being the
of the orders given by the females in private is merely part headquarters of the Orion Trade Union.
of the traditional gender roles of Orion culture. It is seen as
no more unusual than a Klingon would regard the ability of VEREX III (14 ERIDANI)
women to serve in the Klingon Defense Force. Verex III is barely a Class-M planet:
barren, arid, and almost
devoid of vegetation. It is located in the
14 Eridani system,
part of what was once the Borderland
region between Orion
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY and Klingon space, approximately 10
light years from Deep
Space Station K-7. The planet was the
site of a major slave
market in the mid-22nd Century, and as
such was a vital hub
The technological heights achieved by the ancient Orionics of commerce for the Orion Syndicate.
are long past. Today, Orions use similar technology as other
galactic powers. They, like the Klingons and Romulans, The Orions voluntarily shut down the
slave market in the late
tend towards the use of disruptors as weapons, but have 23rd Century to maintain their neutrality,
as the Federations
transporter technology comparable to Federation standards. and Klingons expanded their territory.
Today, Verex III is the
The main area of technology, where the Orions truly excel, is primary port of trade between the
Federation and the Klingon
starship engineering. Empire, owing to its proximity to the
border.

Orion ships are, hands-down, the fastest vessels produced in

the Alpha or Beta Quadrants. In the 23rd Century, Orion ships
were capable of reaching speeds of Warp 10 and higher (by
the old Warp Factor scale), which made them far faster than
any other vessel of that period. Their reputation for speed
and maneuverability has persisted until the present day.

THE BETA
QUADRANT 69

74
CHAPTER
02.80 THE BETA QUADRANT
THE GORN HEGEMONY

“ …A GORN… LARGE, REPTILIAN. LIKE MOST HUMANS, I SEEM TO HAVE AN INSTINCTIVE

REVULSION TO REPTILES. I MUST
FIGHT TO REMEMBER THAT THIS IS AN INTELLIGENT, HIGHLY ADVANCED INDIVIDUAL, THE
CAPTAIN OF A STARSHIP, LIKE MYSELF,
UNDOUBTEDLY A DANGEROUSLY CLEVER OPPONENT.”

– CAPTAIN JAMES T. KIRK

INTRODUCTION First contact between the

Federation and the Gorn Hegemony
occurred in 2267 with a
pre-emptive Gorn attack on the
Federation outpost at Cestus
III. The Gorn considered the
The Gorn Hegemony is the most remote and isolationist system part of their territory.
Through the interference of a
power in the Beta Quadrant. The Gorn seldom interact with highly-advanced species
known as the Metrons, Captain
the other species and prefer to stay within their borders, as S’slee of the cruiser Gress’sril
and Captain James T. Kirk of the
relations with warm-blooded species are often influenced starship USS Enterprise were
made to fight in single combat.
by most mammals’ unconscious fear of reptiles. The few Although Kirk defeated S’slee,
he refused to kill him when he
interactions between the Hegemony and the Quadrant’s had the opportunity. The
Hegemony considered this an act of
 other powers have been marked by distrust and conflict. contempt rather than mercy:
the human saying that the Gorn
wasn’t worth killing. The
Hegemony formally dropped their
The Gorn are large, heavily muscled reptiles, who are claim to Cestus III, and
withdrew their borders five light-years
significantly stronger than most humanoids, although slower as a sign of their defeat.
S’slee was executed for his failure.
and less agile. Unknown to many outside the borders of the
Hegemony, the Gorn are actually not one but several distinct
reptilian species who all evolved on the same homeworld. ASTROGRAPHY

Heading directly southward

from Deep Space Station K-7
INTERCEPTED for nearly 80 light years will
bring you to the Gorn border.
TRANSMISSION This course would take a ship
through Klingon space which
extends westward in this area,
nearly to the Alpha Quadrant.
The Hegemony’s territory is
“taller” (core-edge extension)
GORN CRUISER KKETHESS TO U.S.S. DERRINGER, than it is “wide”
(circumference extension), lying just short of
STARDATE 46852.2 the border with the Alpha
Quadrant and is approximately 50
light years wide at its widest
point.
Sensors have indicated your vessel’s presence within one light-
second of our border. Do not cross into Gorn space. You have been The Gorn Hegemony has a
closed border; they tolerate no
warned. Any attempt to cross the border will be regarded as a hostile incursions of any kind into
their space. Their fleet regularly
incursion. Alter your course accordingly. patrols the borders, and any
attempt to penetrate the territory
will be intercepted quickly.
Vessels are warned away and
Make no attempt at long-range scans across the border. Any attempt any that ignore warnings are
fired upon. The isolationism
to do so will be neutralized. of the Gorn is so complete, in
fact, that if a border patrol
vessel detects an attempt to
scan across the border, they
Response is not required. will project extremely powerful
electromagnetic interference
to jam the scan. Even with this
secrecy, persistent study and
 monitoring over the decades
has uncovered some details
about Gorn society and
government.

70 CHAPTER 02

75
CULTURE differences. In the case of the Gorn,
however, this is
attributable not merely to differences in
location or ethnicity,
but because the Gorn are actually a
collection of several
Gorn society is a meritocracy, with leadership positions different reptilian species which all
evolved on the same
going to the Gorn who has demonstrated themselves as world. Xenobiologists have positively
identified the two
the most capable within a particular field, regardless of their major Gorn species, and anecdotal
evidence points to
gender, family, or political association. All Gorn species as many as four others. The two
species who have most
are extremely long-lived with a lifespan of approximately extensively been documented and
encountered are the
300 years, and that has contributed to a culture that values Russth and the Ssessekh.
considered, deliberate decision-making. The meritocratic
culture is a result of this tendency to think things through. THE RUSSTH
The Russth are the smaller of the two
most commonly
A Gorn wishing to be considered for a particular role in encountered Gorn species, standing 2
meters tall. They
society will formally present themselves, and recite a litany are less heavily muscled than their
cousins, although still
of their qualifications. This has been likened by Federation possessed of prodigious strength.
Russth can be identified
xenoanthropologists to the ancient Norse practice of ritualized by their legs, which are of digitigrade
design (meaning that
boasting. Other candidates present their qualifications, and a they walk on their toes, like birds,
dinosaurs, canines and
decision is debated and arrived at within the group affected, felines, giving a “crooked-legged”
appearance.). The Russth
or by the potential superiors of the candidate. also possess a longer neck than the
Ssessekh, and a more
tapered head, more like the Velociraptor
of prehistoric Earth.
A side effect of this meritocracy, however, is a near-zero Their eyes are golden, with a reptilian
slitted pupil, and their
tolerance for failure. If a Gorn fails in their assigned task, they hands are three-fingered, and clawed.
are, at minimum, removed from their position. In the Gorn
military the penalty for failure, depending upon the severity of THE SSESSEKH
the situation, can range from demotion to execution. The Ssessekh are the species who have
been encountered
the most, starting with the first contact
with the Federation in
Beyond this general cultural tendency, Gorn societies are 2267. Whether this is a factor of their
prevalence in the Gorn
as varied as those found on Earth, with distinct cultural military, or due to them simply being
more numerous as a

THE BETA
QUADRANT 71

76
percentage of the overall Gorn population, nobody beyond seldom happened in the history of the
Hegemony. Instead,
the Gorn knows. The Ssessekh are nearly 3 meters tall, and Imperators rely upon their influence
within the Assembly itself
massively muscled. They are easily identified by three distinct to sway votes toward their preferred
outcome.
features: The hands of the Ssessekh are three-fingered, with
large claws, and their eyes are silver-hued and segmented
like those of an insect. Additionally, Ssessekh legs and feet MILITARY
are of plantigrade design (meaning they walk on the soles of
their feet, giving a “straight-legged” appearance, like those of
a humanoid). The Gorn Hegemony’s member worlds
maintain local
militias of differing strength, depending
upon the policies
of that particular world. By Gorn law a
certain percentage
POLITICAL STRUCTURE of planetary militia personnel are sent to
serve in the main
military force of the Hegemony, the
Gorn Space Command.

The Gorn Hegemony is an alliance among several distinct The Gorn Space Command is smaller in
size than either
species. The various Gorn species evolved on Gornar, and the Federation Starfleet or the Klingon
Defense Force. They
all those species eventually moved out from their homeworld do not appear to emphasize any
scientific duties, as is the
to set up independent colonies on other planets. Each of case with Starfleet, or raiding or
expansion outside of their
these Gorn worlds is essentially self-governing, but all are territory, as is the case with the
Klingons. The sole duty of the
considered member worlds of the Hegemony, and they all Gorn Space Command is defense of
Gorn space and worlds,
provide a delegation of representatives to the center of the and maintain the patrol on the Gorn
border.
Hegemony government on Gornar.
Gorn who demonstrate particular
competence while serving
THE ASSEMBLY in the Space Command are chosen to
remain in service,
The deliberative and legislative body of the Gorn rather than returning to planetary militia
duty at the end of
Hegemony is known as the Assembly. The Assembly is their allotted term. As such, the caliber
of personnel serving
comprised of delegations from each Gorn world, and each aboard Gorn vessels is very high, and
they are comparable
delegation has several diplomats with individual areas of to Starfleet personnel. Even within the
high standard of
expertise. They are available for debate and deliberation the Gorn Space Command, however,
there is an elite unit,
when the Assembly is called to address a particular topic. comprised of the very best the Space
Command has to offer.
Each delegation votes among their own members to The Black Crest is a squadron of
vessels tasked with the
designate a leader, known as a Speaker, who addresses defense of Gornar, the Imperator and
the Assembly, and with
the Assembly on their behalf. occasional special operations, as
ordered.

By the 24th Century, the Assembly includes over 60

delegations, one from each of the major Gorn planets. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Smaller settlements, like space stations, moons or newly-
established colonies, are considered to be represented by
the delegation of their parent planet. It is a mistake to assume that the Gorn
are simply large,
strong reptiles, but that is often an
instinctual reaction when
THE IMPERATOR they are encountered. They are, in fact,
highly advanced, and
Once every 25 years, the Assembly votes on the position of in some areas even more advanced
than any other Alpha or
Imperator: the executive of the Assembly, and the ruler of the Beta Quadrant power.
Gorn Hegemony. Any member of a delegation may put forth
their qualifications and be considered for the role, including GORN STARSHIPS
the current Imperator. After deliberation, the Assembly votes, The starships of the Gorn Space
Command have a higher
and the Imperator takes office. power output than those of their closest
neighbors. Gorn
vessels feature a quad-nacelle design,
yet despite the
The duty of the Imperator is to serve as Chairman of the additional power generated, the ships
feature roughly the
Assembly, to administer the meetings, propose topics same speed performance as those of
other species. The
for deliberation, and call for votes. They are the ultimate surplus power is used primarily for
charging extremely potent
authority of the Gorn Hegemony. The Imperator may, shields. The Gorn dropped the use of
polarized hull plating
according to the law, override a decision of the Assembly, in favor of duranium composites, which
in combination with
overturning the result of a vote, but to do so would represent modern shields, makes Gorn vessels
extremely tough and
an extreme risk to their position. If the Imperator’s decision hard to damage. Even with the
high-power demands of their
leads to a failure, they would be removed from office. defensive systems, Gorn vessels still
supply enough energy
As a result, a reversal of the Assembly’s decision has to power disruptors and their powerful
sensor-jamming gear.

72 CHAPTER 02

77
GORN DISRUPTORS incursions into their space. Over the
years, however, Starfleet
Gorn weapons were described by a survivor of the Cestus III has pieced together bits of information
about the capital of
attack as “like phasers, only worse.” It was soon discovered the Hegemony, the Gorn homeworld,
Gornar.
that the Gorn use disruptors as well as phasers, both more
powerful than those used by the Klingons or Romulans, GORNAR
although their targeting systems are far less precise. PLANETARY BACKGROUND
Gornar is the homeworld of the various
Gorn species. Each
GORN JAMMERS of those species has their own
language, and so it took
Gorn sensor technology is slightly less effective than some time for Federation scientists to
realize that references
that of the Federation, but their ability to disrupt sensors to Gornar, Agornu, S’sgaron, Garag,
Koreb, and Shekkis all
is the most advanced technology they possess. Every referred to a single planet, the capital of
the Gorn Hegemony.
Gorn vessel is outfitted with a jamming device which can Gornar is the ninth planet of what Earth
astronomers named
disrupt active scanning at extreme range. This device does the Tau Lacertae system. It is a tropical
jungle world, with
draw a great deal of power, which makes it unsuitable for forty-five percent of the planet being
usable land, and the
combat operations, as it could render a Gorn vessel nearly rest covered by swamps and oceans.
It’s a larger world than
defenseless. There have been rare engagements, however, Earth, with a gravity measured at 1.4g.
where a pair of Gorn vessels operating together use the
jammer on one vessel to blind an opponent, while the second Gornar’s atmosphere traps heat and its
low degree of axial
goes in for the kill. This maneuver has a high risk of failure tilt results in a fairly uniform high
temperature planet-wide.
as it leaves the jammer defenseless. The Gorn are unlikely Reptiles are the prominent life-forms
(both the various
to use such a chancy tactic except in the most extreme species of Gorn, and a variety of
dinosauroid animals). Small
circumstances. mammals exist largely as prey species.

The Gorn build their cities near large

swamps, with the cities
LOCATIONS OF NOTE often sharing the name of the landmark.
These cities are built
as much below ground as above, and
transportation between
the cities is almost always via
underground transit systems,
As stated previously, little is known about the Gorn worlds, to maintain as much as possible of the
surface of Gornar as
as the Hegemony has a closed border and permits no pristine jungle.

PLANETARY SCAN

66028 284 217010

103280
ATMOSPHERIC 28100 283 167555
 90 12000
20-359-22
11-30029 20422
COMPOSITION 6480 283 880550

193300 1933
461005 7-14007
83-2999 2720 12830 543 284040
370 8-15999
36-0059 2922 1207 270 46590
3009-22710 1-01008
00-2830 5980 13001 190 164689
234
2840-2 35-499
277 2953 18 99780
M-CLASS
310
14-39990
13999 103 66050

229 28 120300

285 284893

183 6600
16-25005
4002-4789 38802 103280 20-359-22 20422 461005 284022 370 3009-22710
234 2840-2 5021-3478-2880 373902 28-20665
12-17032 4799-2722 2320 224002 29-274-00 2482 204114 4219930 2110
10389-17339 149 1190-5 700-2883-1693 299193 10-36290
2922-2042 2901 120330 65-274-55 29400 429901 2940100 3001 3939-27275
294 3922-2 188-3895-1212 467330 24-38850
1030-4484 20422 94445 33-274-65 50028 26770 5022124 2884 2493-26499
300 2402-5 1067-2440-5536 304022 59-28845

STELLAR CARTOGRAPHY

THE BETA
QUADRANT 73

78
MEDICAL DATABASE FILE •
42179-77
976243 92435629 9 314798 • 17546 48749 4169122 971233 419848 4896 498 325 78
314124
395879 27865293 7 949357 • 38591 26874 3692397 297599 994825 287499 614 193 2229
434392 8996-725 5758-078
•
02-887622 •
MODE ACCESS
•
•
•
LCARS SYSTEMS

497865298 98623598 5986 981 18287

03-239586 329828981 8681 801 48
195859017 1852 452
4028 390
956105740
165928421 8361 195
452854685 HUMAN
ANATOMY SCAN 477
7492 532
284658910 28398778 9141 948
126598344 92789462 3768 382 0
04-756420 921185759 61106591 1104 26 3 2937 • 2
204791004
471846719 62458019 709 181 504 5812 • 3
948375668 91685438 486 224 9962 20005
05-957821 636777211 348 776 56782
442397892 527 213 834761
626395194 376 645 47489 7031 • 4
238767491 828 106 7462
377937556 786 224 259
179084767 658 417 36 VIEW 5430 • 5
894748251 87582991 409 213
092701921

06-285910
09-9371 5783 • 6

07-581940 09-9432
8795 • 7

10-6799
 11-4874 383

ANALYSIS COMPLETE

12-9471
85 45 09 28
13-4719 15 56 45 09 43

87 78 28 87 09 78 56 85

14-1170

74 CHAPTER 02

79
CHAPTER SPECIES OF THE BETA QUADRANT
03.00
1930473920383 03.10 NEW LIFEPATH OPTIONS 076
2204774003

SPECIES OF THE BETA QUADRANT 75

80
CHAPTER
03.10 SPECIES OF THE BETA QUADRANT
NEW LIFEPATH OPTIONS

“ YOUR WILL TO SURVIVE, YOUR LOVE OF LIFE, YOUR PASSION TO KNOW ... EVERYTHING THAT
IS TRUEST AND BEST IN ALL SPECIES
OF BEINGS HAS BEEN REVEALED TO YOU. THOSE ARE THE QUALITIES THAT MAKE A
CIVILIZATION WORTHY TO SURVIVE.”

– LAI THE VIAN

 ARDANAN EXAMPLE VALUE: Nothing Is
More Beautiful Than a
City in the Sky
THE ORIGINAL SERIES AND THE NEXT GENERATION
ERAS ONLY § ATTRIBUTES: +1 Fitness,
+1 Presence, +1 Reason

Ardanan citizens have a long history of societal division. The § TRAIT: Ardanan. Ardana
natives from either caste are
two castes that still hold sway over an Ardanian’s potential hardy individuals, whose
duality of art and culture,
are the city-dwellers of the floating city, Stratos, and the and resource mining and
management, make them
surface dwelling Troglytes. While anatomically no different, excellent all-rounders.
Without the exposure to zenite
for years the Troglytes suffered from conditions and mental gas many Troglytes reach a
level of academic and
difficulties that reduced their higher brain functions. This artistic ability on par with
the city-dwellers, making
was due to exposure to the zenite mines where they labored the Ardanans both a people
of stout endurance and
and, once the Federation Bureau of Industrialization got cultural excellence.
involved, breathing apparatus was quickly made mandatory.
In contrast the beautiful City of Stratos, floating in the lower § TALENTS: The character
receives access to the
atmosphere of Ardana, is home to a people entirely devoted following talents:
to art, government and culture.
ABOVE THE CLOUDS
REQUIREMENT: Ardanan, or
Gamemaster’s permission.
While engaged in Social
conflict in a lavish environment (or
one of excess), you reduce the
Difficulty of any Persuade
MIXED-HERITAGE Tasks by 1 to a minimum of 1.
CHARACTERS ZENITE IN THE SOUL
REQUIREMENT: Ardanan, or
Gamemaster’s permission.
Many Starfleet Officers have parents from Your ancestry is steeped in toil
in the mines on Ardana’s
different species. To create characters of surface and, you roll one
additional d20 whenever using
mixed-heritage, choose two species, one Engineering or Science in
relation to geology, mining or
of which will be the primary species. The mine equipment.
character is treated as a member of the
primary species for attribute bonuses; most SAMPLE NAMES:
 mixed-heritage characters take more after one Male names: Anka, Midro,
Plasus
parent than another. The character gains the Female names: Droxine,
Vanna
species Traits of both parent species, and may
select Talents from both parent species.

76 CHAPTER 03

81
BENZITE

THE NEXT GENERATION ERA ONLY

Benzite physiology gives this species’ skin a hairless

blue-to-green complexion. The Benzite skull has a thick
protrusion that extends over the brow and nose, with
two facial tendrils above the lip. Until 2370 Benzites in
Starfleet had trouble breathing a standard nitrogen/oxygen
atmosphere and relied on breathing apparatus. Their
apparent change in condition, which allows the species
to go without breathing aids, is rumored to be thanks to
genetic engineering, though reports are unconfirmed. Highly
meticulous, a Benzite Starfleet officer is a valuable resource
when it comes to exploration and investigation.

EXAMPLE VALUE: Report Only What You Know

§ ATTRIBUTES: +1 Control, +1 Insight, +1 Reason

§ TRAIT: Benzite. A Benzite’s average body temperature

is several degrees lower than an average, warm
blooded humanoid, though the Benzite themselves
are not cold blooded. Their blood being mercury and
platinum based. Benzites also have 2 apposable
thumbs on each hand, aiding their dexterity. Before
2370, Benzites also require a breathing apparatus in
 Class-M atmospheres. If playing before this time, add
the Trait ‘Breathing Apparatus’.

§ TALENTS: The character receives access to the

following talents:

METICULOUS ANALYSIS
REQUIREMENT: Benzite, or Gamemaster permission.
When you encounter unidentified phenomena through
sensors, you may immediately make a Swift Task, without the
need to spend Momentum or an increase in Difficulty. This
Task may only be used to attempt to analyze the preliminary
data you have received using Reason + Science and a
relevant Focus.

ALL FINGERS AND THUMBS

REQUIREMENT: Benzite.
When you succeed at a Task using a computer console
(including a bridge station), you gain one bonus
Momentum. This bonus Momentum cannot be saved into
the group pool.

SAMPLE NAMES:
Male names: Mendon, Mordock
Female names: Hoya

SPECIES OF THE BETA

QUADRANT 77

82
BOLIAN

THE NEXT GENERATION ERA ONLY

From the planet Bolarus IX, Bolians are well known for
their hospitality and outgoing personalities. Identified by a
cartilaginous ridge that extends down their head, vertically, down
the center of the face to the chest, with skin color ranging from
light blues, to dark greens and muted purples with darker banding
across the head. They are predominantly bald, though some
females are known to have hair on their heads. Bolian marriages
have more than two partners, of both sexes, but procreation
with other species isn’t all that common, given the Bolians’
incompatibility with others. Humans, in particular, have noted
several side effects of inter-species relations, including nausea,
fatigue, and inflammation.

EXAMPLE VALUE: A Broad Smile and Warm Heart

§ ATTRIBUTES: +1 Control, +1 Insight, +1 Presence

§ TRAIT: Bolian. Bolians are able, thanks to their cartilaginous

tongues, to consume substances unsafe to other species,
such as acids or decaying meat. Bolian hearts are on the
right side of their body, moving blue blood around their
circulatory system. Bolians are an understanding, hospitable
species, often forward-facing in their duties in customer
relations or diplomatic service.

§ TALENTS: The character receives access to the

following talents:

WARM WELCOME
REQUIREMENT: Bolian, or Gamemaster’s permission.
A cheerful, outgoing personality is the perfect thing to put
diplomatic guests at ease. Whenever assisting another character
the Bolian may use their Presence Attribute instead of their own.
Further, both the Bolian and the character being assisted may
ignore any increases in Complication Range for the Task.

BORN NEAR A WARP CORE

REQUIREMENT: Bolian, or Gamemaster’s permission.
Bolian traditions say that a child born near an active Warp Core
has an improved, more positive, disposition. Optimism and
an upbeat attitude certainly lends credence to this tradition,
allowing the Bolian to weather misfortune. When they suffer a
Complication from a Task, roll 1 A; if the result is an Effect, the
Complication is ignored. Once a Complication has been ignored
in this way, the Bolian may not ignore another Complication for
the remainder of the scene.
SAMPLE NAMES:
Male names: Ardon, Hars, Boq’ta, Brathaw, Chell, Rixx, Zim
Female names: Golwat, Lysia, Mitena
Family names: Adislo, Arlin, Brott

78 CHAPTER 03

83
DELTAN are extremely familiar. Not sensing the
nearby emotions
is impossible, except for those who are
resistant to
telepathy. It may require serious effort
and a Task to pick
THE ORIGINAL SERIES AND THE NEXT GENERATION out the emotions of a specific individual
in a crowd, or
ERAS ONLY to block out the emotions of those
nearby. Increase the
Difficulty of this Task if the situation is
stressful, if there
These humanoids from the Delta system differ in are a lot of beings present, if the target
has resistance to
appearance only slightly from Humans, with very little hair telepathy, or if the Gamemaster decides
there are other
across their bodies, aside from eye brows and lashes. relevant factors.
As a telepathic and empathic species, the Deltans rank
themselves alongside the Vulcans and Betazoids as able to SAMPLE NAMES:
read and communicate via thoughts and feelings. Indeed, Male names: Jedda, Clarze
some Deltan genealogists have theorized Betazoids are a Female names: Ilia, Zinaida
distant cousin species. Family names: Adzhin-Dall

With some of the most potent pheromones the

Federation has ever encountered, many other species
find the Deltans very sexually appealing. The vast
majority of Deltans in Starfleet, therefore, take an oath of
UNUSUAL OR
celibacy, ensuring their sexuality is not a distraction to
their colleagues. By all accounts this is a good thing, as
UNIQUE CHARACTERS
the Deltan act of intimacy involves not only their bodies
but also their telepathic minds, possibly endangering the This chapter adds a dozen
new species available as character
mental health of other species. lifepaths. They represent
only a few of the Beta Quadrant species
eager to adapt their
particular talents to the United Federation of
EXAMPLE VALUE: Bodies and Minds as One Planets’ vision of alliance
and exploration. Compared to tense
coexistence with the
Klingon Empire, or the paranoid shadow
§ ATTRIBUTES: +1 Control, +1 Insight, +1 Presence of Romulan duplicity,
Starfleet offers a welcoming, structured
opportunity for access to
advanced scientific resources.
§ TRAIT: Deltan. Deltans are considered to be beautiful Academy graduates come
not only from species which are
individuals, with powerful empathic abilities and formal members of the
Federation, but from a wide variety of
heightened sensuality. The pheromones they excrete other worlds, and in
addition to the new Beta Quadrant species
are a natural aphrodisiac in most species throughout detailed here, players and
Gamemasters may like to introduce
the Federation, and while serving aboard Starfleet they species of their own
creation never before seen on-screen. More
must be very careful with their natural physiology, using details on unusual and
unique characters can be found in the
chemical suppressants to cancel the effect. Core Rulebook, page 111.

§ TALENTS: The character receives access to the

following talents:

DELTAN PHEROMONES
STARFLEET RANDOM SPECIES TABLE
REQUIREMENT: Deltan.
The character excretes a natural aphrodisiac pheromone.
D20 D20 D20
Whenever they attempt a Task using Presence to influence SPECIES ENTERPRISE
THE ORIGINAL SERIES THE NEXT GENERATION
an attracted creature, they gain one bonus d20. However, Andorian
1-2 1-2 1

they also increase their Complication Range Bajoran

– – 2-3

by 2, as the effect can be distracting or lead to unwanted Benzite

– – 4

consequences. This talent can be switched off, losing Betazoid

– – 5-6

both the bonus and the drawback, by applying chemical Bolian

– – 7
suppressants. Denobulan
3-4 3-4 8
Efrosian
– 5-6 9
EMPATH Human
5-16 7-14 10-15

REQUIREMENT: Betazoid, Deltan, or Gamemaster’s Tellarite

17-18 15-16 16

permission. Character creation only. Trill

– 17 17

The Deltan can sense the emotions of most nearby living Vulcan
19-20 18-19 18-19

beings, and can communicate telepathically with other Zakdorn

– 20 20

empaths and telepaths, as well as those with whom they This table reflects most
common rather than all Starfleet races.

SPECIES OF THE BETA

QUADRANT 79

84
EFROSIAN

THE ORIGINAL SERIES AND THE NEXT GENERATION

ERAS ONLY

Hailing from the planet Efros Delta, Efrosians are renowned

musicians and historians. Their society is dedicated to oral
teaching, most notably in the form of a musical language
that all Efrosian children are taught in some form or another.
They are also excellent navigators and are often sought out
as helm and navigation officers, as well as translators thanks
to being natural linguists and communications experts. While
their cranial ridges bear some similarity to Klingon physiology
(though less pronounced), a male’s hair is almost always
white from birth while females exhibit darker colors. Males
grow long moustaches and both male and female Efrosians
grow their hair out down their backs.
EXAMPLE VALUE: Specialization Furthers Knowledge

§ ATTRIBUTES: +1 Fitness, +1 Presence, +1 Reason

§ TRAIT: Efrosian. As the natives to a planet of harsh

freezing storms, Efrosians have natural resilience and
survival instincts. They have two stomachs to break
down any tough foodstuffs and protect from infection,
while their naturally poor eyesight is made up for by
their enhanced senses of smell and taste. Interestingly,
even though they have poor vision compared to other
humanoids, they can perceive a greater portion of the
light spectrum than most.

§ TALENTS: The character receives access to the

following talents:

VISUAL SPECTRUM
REQUIREMENT: Efrosian.
An Efrosian can see beyond what others think of as the visual
spectrum, from some infra-red to ultra-violet light. Any Tasks
in which detecting those parts of the spectrum is useful
reduce in Difficulty by 1. Circumstances, such as low light
levels, do not affect the Difficulty of Tasks, as long as those
Tasks do not relate to perceiving minutiae of a subject.

ORAL SCHOLAR
REQUIREMENT: Efrosian, or Gamemaster’s permission.
Efrosians are taught and learn through oral practices or ‘by
rote’. Any Obtain Information Momentum spends that relate
to their own knowledge using Reason or Insight may ask one
additional question, for free, in addition to those bought with
Momentum.

SAMPLE NAMES:
Male names: Ra-ghoratreii, Xin Ra-Havreii, Ra-Yalix
Female names: Hu’Ghrovlatrei, Fellen Ni-Yaleii

80 CHAPTER 03
85
KLINGON

THE NEXT GENERATION ERA ONLY

With its capital at Qo’noS, the Klingon Empire is almost as large as the Federation,
and larger than the Romulan Empire. Distinguishable by the sagittal crest over their
foreheads and crowns, Klingons are taller and stronger than most humanoid
species, something that helps enhance their reputation as warriors. The hardy
Klingons have been both allies and enemies throughout their years of contact
with the Federation. Now, as staunch allies, this proud people have begun to
exchange officers with Starfleet. Not only that but Worf, son of Mogh, created
a precedent as the first Klingon to graduate of Starfleet Academy. This has
brought more applications from Klingons, especially those of mixed heritage
who don’t feel at ease in the Klingon Empire. Klingons embody pride and
honor above all. Many dedicate their lives to the warrior ethos for the honor of
house and family.

EXAMPLE VALUE: Honor is More Important Than Life

§ ATTRIBUTES: +1 Daring, +1 Fitness, +1 Presence

§ TRAIT: Klingon. There is a great redundancy in Klingon organs, with two livers,
multiple stomachs, three lungs, and an eight-chambered heart. Their skeletal
structure also has several redundancies that mitigate injuries that would prove
fatal to other humanoids.

§ TALENTS: The character receives access to the following talents:

TO BATTLE!
REQUIREMENT: Klingon, or Gamemaster’s permission.
Whenever a Klingon buys additional dice for a melee attack using Threat, for each
Threat added to the pool, you gain 1 bonus Momentum that can only be spent on
Bonus Damage, increasing the damage of the attack by 1 per Momentum spent.

BRAK’LUL
REQUIREMENT: Klingon.
Various physiological redundancies mean that wounds that would kill other
humanoid species don’t affect Klingons as badly. The character gains +2
Resistance against all Non-lethal attacks. In addition, whenever the Klingon
is target of a First Aid Task, reduce the Difficulty of that Task by 1, to a
minimum of 1.
R’UUSTAI
REQUIREMENT: Klingon, or Gamemaster’s permission.
This Klingon has lit candles, spoken words to honor their parents, and
given their house’s sash to another, joining in a fellowship with another
person, and becoming members of the same house (the original house
of either party). The R’uustai Talent grants a Klingon an additional Value,
which must reflect their relationship with the ritual sibling. In addition,
whenever the Klingon assists, or is assisted by another, the character
offering assistance may re-roll their die.

SAMPLE NAMES:
Male names: be’etor, cheng, mogh, qeng, torgh
Female names: ‘a’Setbur, HuS, lurSa’, mara

SPECIES OF THE BETA

QUADRANT 81

86
RIGELLIAN CHELON RIGELLIAN JELNA

THE ORIGINAL SERIES AND THE NEXT GENERATION THE ORIGINAL SERIES AND THE
NEXT GENERATION
ERAS ONLY ERAS ONLY

Chelons are a hardy race, sharing their home solar system of The Jelna, like the Chelon, are natives
of the Rigel system
Rigel with Rigellian Jelna. They are descendants of saber- and come from Rigel V. A diligent and
hard-working
toothed turtles and, though bipedal, they have retained species, the Jelna were the first
Rigellians to engage in
their ancestral beaks, claws and hard shells. Chelons are space flight. Although they took to
commerce and system-
androgynous and take on masculine or feminine societal wide government quicker than the
Chelon, the Jelna
roles at varying points in their lives, reproducing like most weren’t aggressive, and they made sure
that of democratic
reptilians by laying eggs and fertilizing those eggs. Some representation for all Rigellian species
on the Governing Board
traditionalists within Chelon society maintain a neutral and the Rigellian Trade Commission.
The humanoid Jelnas
gender, and refuse to take on male or female roles. have four genders: two male and two
female genders. Male
 and female exosexes contain an
additional Z chromosome,
EXAMPLE VALUE: Real Power is in the Service of Others and they outnumber the endosexes 2 to
1. Exosexes are the
more resilient and physically adept
members of the species,
§ ATTRIBUTES: +1 Daring, +1 Fitness, +1 Insight while endosexes are more comparable
to the male and female
sexes typically found in other humanoid
species.
§ TRAIT: Rigellian Chelon. The Chelon species retains a
lot of characteristics from its ancestral species, a type EXAMPLE VALUE: Governance and
Trade for the
of saber-toothed turtle. They have beaks, and a strong Prosperity of All
(if clumsy) bite; some have trained to use this in close-
quarters combat. During times of stress or physical § ATTRIBUTES: +1 Fitness, +1
Presence, +1 Reason
combat they also emit a deadly toxin through their
skin. This can be used with their claws so that the toxin § TRAIT: Rigellian Jelna. The Jelna on
Rigel V evolved along
reaches an opponent’s blood. They are skilled swimmers similar lines to most humanoids,
aside from their four
and prefer a warm, humid climate. They are also resistant sexes. Endosexes are comparable
to other humanoids,
to ultraviolet radiation and, to a lesser extent, other while exosexes possess a more
robust physique and
radioactivity. This is probably due to the shells that aggressive tendancies. Endosexes
have exclusively gray
extend over much their bodies. skin and red eyes and are more
suited to nurture and
care; exosexes have a pale brown
complexion.
§ TALENTS: The character receives access to the
following talents: § TALENTS: The character receives
access to the
following talents:
CHELON SHELL
REQUIREMENT: Rigellian Chelon. EXOSEX
The hard shell extending over a Chelon’s body provides REQUIREMENT: Rigellian Jelna.
added protection from physical and radioactive threats. This The character possess a Z
chromosome that strengthens
natural armor gives the character a Resistance of 1. They their physical and survival instincts and
abilities. Whenever
may also ignore any Complications from radiation sources. attempting a Task using Fitness or
Daring, roll 1 additional
d20 and gain one bonus Momentum on
such Tasks.
TOXIC CLAWS
REQUIREMENT: Rigellian Chelon. INDUSTRIOUS MIND
In times of danger Chelons excrete a contact toxin onto their REQUIREMENT: Rigellian Jelna, or
GM’s permission.
claws that can be used to debilitate foes. Their Unarmed The Jelna are naturally enterprising and
industrious, and
Strike is replaced with a melee attack Claw Strike (Melee, have an affinity for technological
developments and industrial
1 A Piercing 1, Debilitating, Non-lethal). engineering. When succeeding an
Engineering or Science
Task relating to fixing or adapting
technology, and spending
SAMPLE NAMES: 2 or more Momentum, a Jelna may add
an Advantage related
Male names: T’k-agha, Genn, Stek’ghen to that technology for free.
Female names: Salka, Ash’lak, Dakla’
SAMPLE NAMES:
Male names: Jemer, Shalma
Female names: Lahvon, Velkal
Family names: Pahtel, Zehron

82 CHAPTER 03

87
RISIAN XINDI-ARBOREAL

ALL ERAS OF PLAY THE NEXT GENERATION ERA ONLY

Risa was a planet of fierce storms and tectonic instability The intelligent Arboreal species of the
Xindi are a contrast
before the Risians took it upon themselves to essentially some of their cousins on Xindus in that
they are known to
terraform their planet. It is now colloquially known throughout have an incredibly calm demeanor,
some would call them
the Federation as a “pleasure planet.” It’s a wonder the lethargic. But with a relaxed pace
comes an appreciation for
Risians evolved into the ceremonial society they have today, logical thought and considered
discussion. Since becoming
with tradition and ceremony being central to Risa society. members of the Federation,
Xindi–Arboreals have worked
in Starfleet and the Federation as
mediators, counsellors,
Risians have an honest and open attitude to sexuality, diplomats and administrators.
renowned throughout the Galaxy. Potential mates with a
sexual appetite display ceremonial icons, called a horga’hn, EXAMPLE VALUE: Calm Focuses the
Mind
that invite partners to participate in the sexual rite jamaharon.
§ ATTRIBUTES: +1 Control, +1
Insight, +1 Reason
EXAMPLE VALUE: All That is Ours is Yours
§ TRAIT: Xindi-Arboreal. Covered in
hair, and with
§ ATTRIBUTES: +1 Control, +1 Insight, +1 Presence distinctive ridges on their nose and
cheekbones, the
Arboreals are evolved from
creatures similar to that of the
§ TRAIT: Risian. Risians appear much like Humans, save Earth sloth. They possess sharp
claws and have slightly
a decorative gold emblem in the center of the forehead. longer arms than the average
humanoid. With a naturally
They have open and adventurous personalities but also calm, rational mind, they do not
panic or stress easily
have a great patience with others. though they do fear large bodies of
water. Their dark eyes
allow them to see easier in low light
conditions compared
§ TALENTS: The character receives access to the to other humanoids.
following talents:
§ TALENTS: The character receives
access to the
PEACEFUL EXISTENCE following talent:
REQUIREMENT: Risian, or Gamemaster’s permission.
Your upbringing in a peaceful society, one that promotes CALM UNDER PRESSURE
harmony and has an outright ban on weapons, has REQUIREMENT: Xindi-Arboreal, or
Gamemaster’s
developed the Risian ability for peaceful resolutions. permission.
Whenever a Risian attempts a Task to dissuade another Arboreals possess an unwaveringly
calm nature, allowing
individual or group from resorting to conflict, they reduce the them to ignore the stress of a crisis.
When attempting Tasks
Difficulty of that Task by 1. with Control to resist stress or mental
affliction they may re-
roll one die in your pool.
OPEN AND INSIGHTFUL
REQUIREMENT: Risian, or Gamemaster’s permission. SAMPLE NAMES:
Risian open, and often frank, discussion of problems and Male names: Janner, Gralik
personal opinion enables conversation and understanding Female names: Adela, Rolindis
when working in a team. Whenever a Risian assists another Family names: Durr
character using Insight or Reason they may re-roll a single
d20 in their dice pool. In addition, if the lead character
succeeds in the Task using Insight or Reason, they gain
1 FOOTPRINT IMAGE
bonus Momentum.
 8478-082
SAMPLE NAMES:
Male names: Doranis, Melek, Oran
Female names: Aradnis, Elianjah, Joval
05-253369 9843-390

06-253369

SPECIES OF THE BETA

QUADRANT 83

88
XINDI-PRIMATE XINDI-REPTILIAN

THE NEXT GENERATION ERA ONLY THE NEXT GENERATION ERA ONLY

Xindi-Primates were the second Xindus species to evolve The Reptilian species from Xindus rival
the insectoids in
intelligence, after the Xindi–Aquatics. Primates are talented aggression, and are likely to resort to
force to achieve
engineers and are often fair, honest and trusted. The Xindi their goals. They’re also notably
dishonest and impatient
inclusion into the United Federation of Planets in 2311 when it comes to dealing with other
species, including
enabled Xindi-Primates to enhance their learning, and find other Xindi. It is rare for Reptilians to
apply to Starfleet
positions in design, architecture, engineering, along with Academy, and rarer still for them to be
accepted, as their
research and development. They, more than most species temperament can lead to
confrontations. Those Xindi-
to attend the Academy, find themselves in the command Reptilians who do join Starfleet rival the
Klingons in martial
division upon graduation, given their adaptability and prowess, Tellarites in aptitude for
debate, and Zakdorn in
audaciousness. tactical expertise.

EXAMPLE VALUE: Honesty Never Makes a Problem Worse EXAMPLE VALUE: Patience is for the
Dead

§ ATTRIBUTES: +1 Daring, +1 Presence, +1 Reason § ATTRIBUTES: +1 Daring, +1

Fitness, +1 Presence

§ TRAIT: Xindi-Primate. With a similar physiology to § TRAIT: Xindi-Reptilian. These are

cold blooded
humans, Primates share their characteristic internal individuals who prefer hotter
climates. Scales, ridges
organ structure and metabolism, as well as their and spikes cover their body and
they have vertical slit
sensory perceptions. Their facial structure is markedly eyes, for adapting to low light
conditions and judging
different, however, with pronounced foreheads and depth. A carnivorous, protein-heavy
diet gives them
ridged cheekbones like other Xindus species. Amongst muscular tone and definition that
enhances their strength
other Xindi, Primates have a reputation for fairness and and endurance. They have a
reputation amongst other
honesty. Many people beyond Xindus have come to Xindi for being aggressive,
impatient, stubborn, and
regard Xindi-Primates as trustworthy and decent. untrustworthy.

§ TALENTS: The character receives access to the § TALENTS: The character receives
access to the
following talent: following talent:

A MIND FOR DESIGN STUN RESISTANCE

REQUIREMENT: Xindi–Primate, or Gamemaster’s REQUIREMENT: Xindi–Reptilian.
permission. Reptillians are naturally resistant to
energy weapons stun
Xindi-Primates are natural engineers and scientists, pushing settings. They gain +1 Resistance
against Non-lethal attacks
at the frontiers of design and construction. When following from energy weapons. They may always
Avoid an Injury from
the Scientific Method, they may suggest an additional Focus, a Non-lethal attack with a cost of 1
Momentum (Immediate),
which they do not have to possess, as ‘The Good Way’. even if they have already Avoided an
Injury during the scene.
Every Task they attempt in an Extended Task related to the
Scientific Method automatically gains the Piercing 1 effect. SAMPLE NAMES:
Male names: Dankra, Guruk
SAMPLE NAMES: Female names: Igak, Krell
Male names: Degra, Ragnar, Toki Family names: Dolim
Female names: Bryn, Guyda, Hreidur
 84 CHAPTER 03

89
XINDI-INSECTOID ZAKDORN

THE NEXT GENERATION ERA ONLY THE NEXT GENERATION ERA ONLY

Among Xindus species, Xindi-Insectoids are considered Seen as easily the best tactical minds in
the Galaxy, the
one of the most aggressive and decisive. They, and the Zakdorn excel at complex strategic
thinking. This asset has
Reptilians are responsible for the destruction of their original enabled the Federation to streamline its
defensive policy over
homeworld, after detonating vast explosions beneath the years, with Zakdorn officials
overseeing training exercises
several seismically active points. Their language is the most and “war games” for Starfleet. Their
personal confidence
complex among the Xindi species with 67 different dialects and conviction is often considered
boasting and hubris,
of clicks and chirps that other species find hard to replicate. particularly given that no rival species
has ever tested the
Insectoid names grow longer as the individual ages, Zakdorn military. Zakdorn strategists
have, however, helped
carrying more meaning and life history than many other Starfleet and the Federation
immeasurably since they joined
species’ given names. in the early 24th Century.
EXAMPLE VALUE: Protect your Off-spring at the Expense EXAMPLE VALUE: A Coherent Strategy
is the First Line
of Self of Defense

§ ATTRIBUTES: +1 Daring, +1 Fitness, +1 Reason § ATTRIBUTES: +1 Insight, +1

Presence, +1 Reason

§ TRAIT: Xindi-Insectoid. Reproduction is asexual with a § TRAIT: Zakdorn. Zakdorn tend to

be of shorter stature
single adult laying a clutch of eggs. Life expectancy is than most humanoids and have
distinctive wrinkles
very short compared to other species with 12 years as of fatty tissue over their faces and
bodies. This fatty
the average. Their insectoid bodies grant them enhanced layer enables Zakdorn to survive
without food for much
abilities, such as crawling and climbing, while their cheek longer periods than normal
humanoids. Their analytical
ridges distinguish them as Xindus natives. brains give them an edge in logic
and reasoning that
rivals even Vulcans.
§ TALENTS: The character receives access to the
following talent: § TALENTS: The character receives
access to the
following talents:
PROTECTIVE INSTINCT
REQUIREMENT: Xindi-Insectoid. TACTICAL VOICE
Insectoids have a profound instinct to defend your eggs and REQUIREMENT: Zakdorn, or
Gamemaster’s permission.
their off-spring, and this transfers onto teams or groups with In command positions, the speed of
Zakdorn tactical
which they develop a close bond. Whenever an Insectoid calculations enables them to give
concise orders to their
attempts a Guard Task in combat, and confers the benefits to crew. During combat, a Zakdorn leader
may use the Direct
another Main Character, ignore the increase in Difficulty when Task one additional time per scene (so,
twice per scene
attempting the Task. overall). Further, when they use the
Swift Task Momentum
Spend for an extra Task, the cost is
reduced to 1 Momentum,
SAMPLE NAMES: so long as the second Task is the
Assist or Direct Task.
Xindi-Insectoid names are an incredibly intricate series
of clicks and chirps, and while amongst other species MASTER STRATEGIST
often choose a name to be known as by their crewmates, REQUIREMENTS: Zakdorn, or
Gamemaster’s permission.
favoring short names that work well with their consonant Zakdorn strategic sense is unparalleled
in contemporary
heavy language. military theory. Whenever a Zakdorn
attempts a Task to
Create an Advantage related to strategy
or tactics (as
opposed to spending Momentum),
reduce the Difficulty by 1.

SAMPLE NAMES:
Male names: Gruhn, Jir, Koll, Sirna
Female names: Bel, Myk, Orym
Family names: Azernal, Bunkrep,
Kolrami, Roplik

SPECIES OF THE BETA

QUADRANT 85

90
39366298 29842I 553058 229451 455295
27383937 VESSEL STATUS
30265519 34792 620198 326899 260493 27044612
22-9021 2O343360 320901 236103 15032 273029 24730282
24369201 843920 175073 234921 138430
11239403 12-3788 17-2880
21-8390 24994020 3892 23392 107052 193402 17394550
17504262 580792 259502 12377 529500
59322203 19-3300 21-5540

32-2088 7480 8720 1003 08-9667

27-9966 2099 11890 1287 07-2070
LEVEL 4 DIAGNOSTIC
LCARS 02-0970

12099
23045 4029 3226 12300
 9088
11289 29900 25903 80
41440
9830 3442 440 22058
773
12002 16380 2378 4408
9980
107 10900 29911
FF-01-8022 9708

9709
 OH-01-0210

9710

6239-4760
5836 251872 23-305756 4673 84632
4936-2056
33839 220284 65-273396 21012 104585
LA-02-2190 5637-8200
28340 645640 29-265205 6203 650566

86 CHAPTER 03

91
CHAPTER
04.00 STARSHIPS OF THE BETA
QUADRANT

4437946200456
2023046499
 04.10 KLINGON STARSHIPS 088

04.20 ROMULAN STARSHIPS 091

04.30 ORION STARSHIPS 094

04.40 GORN STARSHIPS 096

04.50 CIVILIAN STARSHIPS 098

STARSHIPS OF THE BETA QUADRANT 87

92
CHAPTER
04.10 STARSHIPS OF THE BETA QUADRANT
KLINGON STARSHIPS

“ HAVE YOU EVER BEEN ON A KLINGON SHIP? IF YOU THINK THE DEFIANT IS CRAMPED AND
UNCOMFORTABLE, TRY SPENDING A WEEK
ON A
BIRD-OF-PREY.” –
LT. COMMANDER JADZIA DAX

D5 BATTLE CRUISER SYSTEMS

COMMS 06
ENGINES 07 STRUCTURE 07
 OVERVIEW: Designed in the time before the Klingon
COMPUTERS 07
SENSORS 06 WEAPONS 08
Empire had encountered United Earth and Humans, the
D5 battle cruiser was useful as a raiding vessel and border
patrol craft. After first contact with Earth it quickly became DEPARTMENTS
apparent that the D5 was far more advanced then the
COMMAND 01 SECURITY
02 SCIENCE 01
top-of-the-line NX class of Starfleet, but as the chancellor
assumed Vulcan assistance being given to United Earth,
CONN 02
ENGINEERING 02 MEDICINE 01
precautions began to ensure tactical superiority would
continue. The Klingon Defense Force began deploying D5
battle cruisers in two to three ship squadrons to patrol the POWER: 7 SCALE: 3
space between Earth and Qo’noS all the while performing a SHIELDS: 9
RESISTANCE: 4
fast-tracked refit program.
CREW: Proficient (Attribute 9,
Discipline 2)
CAPABILITIES: The D5 shares many similarities to later
Klingon starship designs including the semi-isolated ATTACKS:
command and control pod at the forward end of a long, § Disruptor Cannons
(Energy, Range Close, 7A Vicious 1)
detachable boom that attached to the designs’ engineering § Photon Torpedoes
(Torpedo, Range Long, 5A, High-Yield)
and support section. The D5 had advanced propulsion
systems capable of warp 6 and had warp nacelles on the SPECIAL:
end of its wing-like pylons that could have their pitch and § Improved Warp Drive
yaw slightly adjusted making it a very stable vessel at warp § Improved Hull Integrity
speeds. The D5’s weapon systems were extremely versatile
with a port on the front of the command section that had a
torpedo launch system ringed by disruptor emitters, giving RAPTOR SCOUT
it a dual-use primary weapons system. The vessel also
included a turret with two smaller pulsed disruptor cannons
capable of a full rotation. The D5 also had advanced OVERVIEW: The early 22nd
century saw a Klingon Defense
defensive systems compared to Starfleet vessels of the Force without a significant
number of fast and easily
time, with both ablative armor plating and energy shielding produced vessels with a focus
on exploration and intelligence
capable of shrugging off the spatial and photonic torpedoes gathering. This wasn’t seen as
a large problem until word
of the era. The D5 would continue to be used by the Klingon began filtering back through
Vulcan sources of multiple
Defense Force through the late 23rd century as a patrol species spinward of the
Empire. The KDF needed more
craft and heavy-interceptor, rarely seen outside the borders scouts, and the Raptor class
was designed.
of the Empire.
CAPABILITIES: The Raptor
shared some traits with its
TRAITS: Klingon battle cruiser contemporary design, the D5.
Approximately the same size,
it required a smaller crew,
close to a dozen members. This

88 CHAPTER 04

93
wasn’t due to improved technology or even less equipment on
ABLATIVE ARMOR
board, but instead because of the Klingon idea that a scout
ship was dishonorable duty, expected to be destroyed by the
Empire’s new enemies. To improve the crew’s living conditions, In this case, Ablative Armor
is used as a Talent to represent the
the Empire included a targ-pit to allow hunting and sport. The thickness of the Raptor
class’ hull. While ablative armor wasn’t in
vessel itself was well-suited for exploration with multi-spectral use by the Federation until
2371, we’ve used it here to increase the
sensor arrays equivalent to those on Starfleet’s NX class Raptor’s Resistance by 2.
and a relatively high sustained speed of warp 6. The Raptor
class was also well equipped for combat roles, with energy
shielding, three disruptor turrets, and a forward mounted
torpedo launcher on the command section. To keep the
vessel mass down and to allow it both high warp and impulse CAPABILITIES: The K’t’inga-class refit
was smaller than the
speeds, ablative armor was kept to a minimum and no small D7. This was possible through the
removal of many bulkheads
craft docking or recovery systems were included. The Raptor made unnecessary by the advances in
structural integrity
class was still in use in the mid 23rd-century as a courier or as fields and the removal of external armor
plating to allow the
a small attack vessel for the minor houses of Qo’noS. improved shield emitters to be installed
along the surfaces of
the engineering hull. The reduced size
and weight made the
TRAITS: Klingon scout K’t’inga class not only more
maneuverable at sub-light speeds,

SYSTEMS but also gave it a higher warp capability

without needing to
 upgrade anything more than the safety
systems of the matter/

COMMS 06 ENGINES 07 STRUCTURE 07 antimatter core. The mass savings

allowed for the inclusion
of a rear facing photon torpedo
launcher, and in some later

COMPUTERS 06 SENSORS 07 WEAPONS 06 models produced in the 24th century,

the inclusion of disruptor
arrays along the leading edge of the
secondary hull were seen

DEPARTMENTS as necessary to keep up with the rapid

pace of technological
development. As of 2371, they can be
seen on the outer edges

COMMAND 01 SECURITY 02 SCIENCE 01 of Klingon formations, leading attacks on

heavily defended
positions, as they hope to die honorably.

CONN 04 ENGINEERING 01 MEDICINE 01 TRAITS: Klingon battle cruiser

POWER: 7 SCALE: 3 SYSTEMS

SHIELDS: 9 RESISTANCE: 3
COMMS 08 ENGINES 09
STRUCTURE 09

CREW: Proficient (Attribute 9, Discipline 2)

COMPUTERS 07 SENSORS
07 WEAPONS 09

ATTACKS:
§ Disruptor Cannons (Energy, Range Close, 7 A Vicious 1) DEPARTMENTS
§ Photon Torpedoes (Torpedo, Range Long, 5 A High-Yield)
COMMAND 04 SECURITY
03 SCIENCE 01

SPECIAL:
CONN 02 ENGINEERING 01
MEDICINE 01
§ Improved Reaction Control System
§ Advanced Sensor Suits
POWER: 8 SCALE: 4
SHIELDS: 12 RESISTANCE: 4
K’T’INGA BATTLE CRUISER CREW: Talented (Attribute 10,
Discipline 3)

OVERVIEW: The rapid advance of technology in the 2270s ATTACKS:

and ’80s wasn’t only seen in the Federation. Improved § Disruptor Arrays (Energy, Range
Medium, 7A Vicious 1,
structural integrity fields, refined shield systems, and a Area or Spread)
more robust warp core design allowed the venerable D7 to § Photon Torpedoes (Torpedo, Range
Long, 6 A High-Yield)
have a refit as extensive as its Federation counterpart, the § Tractor Beam (Strength 3)
Constitution class. The K’t’inga class would act as the flagship
of the Klingon Empire from the 2290s through to the 2340s SPECIAL:
and would see continued use as second-line assault vessels § Command Ship
and primary use starships for the minor houses of Qo’noS. § Cloaking Devices

STARSHIPS OF THE BETA

QUADRANT 89

94
NEGH’VAR WARSHIP 2360s with the upcoming launch
of the first of the Vor’cha-
class attack cruisers, the honor
of the great generals of the
Empire was felt to be under threat
leading fleets from the
OVERVIEW: Reliance on the K’t’inga class for a flagship aging K’t’inga class. A new
battleship capable of taking on
and a ‘ship of honor’ in the Klingon Defense Force caused the best vessels of the enemies
of the Empire was designed,
arguments in the High Council during the 2360s as the specifically with giving the
opportunity for the officers and
design was approaching a century in service. By the late greatest warriors of the Empire
the ability to maintain, and
even achieve greater feats than
before. The Negh’Var class
was the result.
COMMON KLINGON CAPABILITIES: Negh’Var-class
warships are designed
SPECIAL RULES to intimidate and impress. They
are larger than the
Federations Galaxy class and
carry over double its crew.
Much of the extra crew
compared to Starfleet vessels is
CLOAKING DEVICE: This vessel is equipped with a cloaking due to less automation in Klingon
systems, but this still
device, allowing the ship to effectively ‘disappear’ from visual and allows accommodations for
nearly five hundred warriors
sensor detection methods. To cloak, a crewmember at the tactical that are used as honor guards or
for ground assaults and
station is required to attempt a Control + Engineering Task with a boarding parties. The
overwhelming firepower that
Difficulty of 2, assisted by the ship’s Engines + Security. This Task is standard on all Negh’Var-class
vessels includes
has a Power requirement of 3. multiple disruptor, phaser, and
torpedo systems, as well
as point defense phaser and
disruptor emplacements.
If successful, the ship gains the Cloaked Trait. While cloaked, the In order to effectively use these
systems, the design
ship cannot be the target of any attack nor can it use any of its includes the largest computer
system currently in use by
attacks. While cloaked the ship has Shields 0. It requires a Minor the Klingon Defense Force with
two separate isolinear
Action to decloak. cores for the ships own systems
and a dedicated battle
computer for use to network
incoming sensor feeds
from other Klingon vessels. Few
of these vessels are
 90 CHAPTER 04

95
currently active, the most notable being the flagship of the POWER: 15 SCALE: 6
Klingon Empire, I.K.S. Negh’Var under the command of SHIELDS: 14 RESISTANCE: 7
General Martok.
CREW: Exceptional (Attribute 11,
Discipline 4)
TRAITS: Klingon warship

SYSTEMS ATTACKS:
§ Disruptor Array (Energy, Range
Medium, 10 A Vicious 1,

COMMS 09 ENGINES 10 STRUCTURE 10 Area or Spread)

§ Disruptor Cannon (Energy, Range
Close, 12 A Vicious 1)

COMPUTERS 10 SENSORS 09 WEAPONS 12 § Photon Torpedoes (Torpedo, Long

Range, 7 A High-Yield)
§ Tractor Beam (Strength 5)

DEPARTMENTS SPECIAL:
 COMMAND 03 SECURITY 04 SCIENCE 01 § Cloaking Device
§ Fast Targeting Systems
§ Secondary Reactors (included
above)
CONN 02 ENGINEERING 02 MEDICINE 02 § Extensive Shuttlebays
§ Improved Hull Integrity
§ Command Ship

CHAPTER
04.20 STARSHIPS OF THE BETA QUADRANT
ROMULAN STARSHIPS

BIRD-OF-PREY (22ND CENTURY) sustained warp speed. The design did

have defensive
shielding, but power generation in
combat was prioritized to
propulsion systems, making the
shielding weak and able to
OVERVIEW: Known to all historians interested in the beginnings be brought down after a short amount of
time. Its offensive
of the Federation and the last major war fought by United Earth, systems were extensive with a powerful
pulse disruptor
the Romulan bird-of-prey has a special place in many Humans’ enhanced with warp plasma (not quite
the plasma torpedoes
minds. Most will recall the stories and images of these vessels of the 23rd century, but a small
technological step from
appearing and destroying helpless civilian vessels or massing them), and disruptor cannons. Most
importantly, the bird-of-
attacks, vaporizing the best of brightest of Starfleet throughout prey was the testbed for the first fully
operational cloaking
the Earth-Romulan War. The bird-of-prey concept was so device. This piece of equipment would
allow the vessel to
successful to the Romulans that they continued its use through hide itself from active and passive
sensors more thoroughly
the 23rd century. The concept held that a starship should strike than even the best Starfleet electronic
warfare systems at
fast and run before any counter-attack could be planned, and the time. The system was power hungry
and the bird-of-
the 22nd century bird-of-prey accomplished this with ease. prey was unable to go to warp, raise its
shields, or even
charge weapons while the device was in
use. By the end of
CAPABILITIES: The bird-of-prey is a single-hulled vessel the Earth-Romulan War these vessels
were out of date and
with two wide wings that taper into the first non-toroidal outgunned by Daedalus-class Starfleet
vessels. The design
warp system developed by the Romulans. This allowed would continue to see use through the
early 23rd century
the design to maneuver at warp speeds much more easily before being replaced by the upgraded
bird-of-prey.
than equivalent Vulcan designs of the time, putting them on
par with the Starfleet NX class, but with a higher maximum TRAITS: Romulan bird-of-prey

STARSHIPS OF THE BETA

QUADRANT 91

96
SYSTEMS SCOUT SHIP

COMMS 06 ENGINES 09 STRUCTURE 06

OVERVIEW: Much of the ship building
capacity of the
COMPUTERS 06 SENSORS 08 WEAPONS 08 Romulan Empire was consumed with
building the large
D’deridex-class warbirds in the 2340s
and 50s. Before
DEPARTMENTS even more resources were taken away
from other projects,
officers of both the navy and Tal Shiar
convinced the Senate
COMMAND 03 SECURITY 01 SCIENCE 01 to allocate drydock facilities to smaller
and more agile
vessels suited to stealthy exploration
and covert operations.
CONN 02 ENGINEERING 02 MEDICINE 01 The smallest of these vessels was
designated Project G82
and was given the name ‘scout ship’ by
Starfleet on first
encountering it.
POWER: 9 SCALE: 3
SHIELDS: 7 RESISTANCE: 3 CAPABILITIES: The scout ship is
slightly larger than a
 standard Starfleet Danube-class
runabout with a typical crew
CREW: Proficient (Attribute 9, Discipline 2) compliment of two to four and the
ability for its life support
systems to handle up to twelve standard
humanoids for less
ATTACKS: than a day. When it was designed, the
vessel was too small
§ Disruptor Banks (Energy, Range Medium, 5 A Vicious 1) to utilize the artificial singularity
powering the larger vessels
§ Disruptor Pulse (Torpedo, Range Long, 4 A, High-Yield) of the Imperial Navy, and instead used a
matter/antimatter
warp core and fusion reactors for
impulse power. The
SPECIAL: vessel also included three small
radioisotope thermoelectric
§ Cloaking Device (see sidebar on p. 90) generators capable of powering only the
life support systems
§ Backup EPS Conduits if the crew needed to operate on
low-power mode and the

92 CHAPTER 04

97
neutrino emissions from the fusion reactors may give their 22ND
CENTURY SHIELDING
position away. The design included a cloaking device that
was as effective as other models installed on larger vessels,
but when powered up, the scout could only achieve a warp The bird-of-prey (see p.91)
does not have deflector shielding, but
speed of close to three rather than its maximum of five. rather is equipped with
layers of hull plating. This functions in the same
way as Shields do, with
one difference: the ship suffers a Breach if four
TRAITS: Romulan scout or more damage is suffered
after deductions for Resistance.

SYSTEMS
COMMS 07 ENGINES 09 STRUCTURE 07

COMPUTERS 07 SENSORS 08 WEAPONS 07 SHIELDS: 4 RESISTANCE: 2

DEPARTMENTS CREW: Proficient (Attribute 9, Discipline

2)
 COMMAND 01 SECURITY 01 SCIENCE 02 ATTACKS:
§ Disruptor Cannons (Energy, Range
Close, 5 A, Vicious 1)

CONN 03 ENGINEERING 01 MEDICINE 01 SPECIAL:

§ Cloaking Device
POWER: 5 SCALE: 2 § High Resolution Sensors

ROMULAN SCOUT

WARP
NACELLES 3890
450 11899

37800 29400 1350

1840 37990 21060

990 1600 38000

21-8825

BRIDGE
22-5280

DISRUPTOR

BEAM WEAPON

25-5590
 12-0348

10-3893

09-3870

28-0056

08-2229

STARFLEET INTELLIGENCE

STARSHIPS OF THE BETA

QUADRANT 93

98
CHAPTER
04.30 STARSHIPS OF THE BETA QUADRANT
ORION STARSHIPS

ORION SCOUT SHIP POWER: 10 SCALE: 3

SHIELDS: 7 RESISTANCE: 3

OVERVIEW: When Vulcans made first contact with the CREW: Proficient (Attribute 9,
Discipline 2)
Orions they found an already advanced civilization that had
developed warp drive decades previous, but had yet to leave Attacks:
their home system with its many planets and moons. After § Phaser Array (Energy, Range
Medium, 4 A, Versatile 2,
this contact, the Orions began a rapid push outward, not as Area or Spread)
colonists, but as merchants. Conflicts with other species with § Photon Torpedoes (Torpedo,
Range Long, 4 A, High-Yield)
extensive trade networks made the Orion Syndicate order the
 design of a powerful attack vessel that could also double as SPECIAL:
a deep-space explorer, allowing new markets to be opened § Improved Warp Drive
before other species could find them. Research on the warp
systems took far longer than initially expected and it would be
the mid-23rd century before the first scout ship was launched. ORION INTERCEPTOR

CAPABILITIES: The scout ship used ideas and technology

stolen or developed from many species including the OVERVIEW: The Orion interceptor
was based on the first
Vulcan-like toroidal warp drive, but improved using two Orion vessel to achieve warp speed,
Flight. Both share an
counter-rotating subspace impellers that generated a avian-like appearance, but that is
where the similarities
standing subspace wave in the warp coils present in the outer end as the interceptor was
specifically designed to be an
propulsion ring. This gave the vessel an incredible top warp attack ship by the ruling cartel in the
early 22nd century. The
speed in excess of warp 10 (at the scale used at the time, design spread to other shipbuilding
concerns and the vessel
approximately warp 8 in the modern scale). While this speed became ubiquitous with Orion
criminal elements operating in
made travel between systems fast, any course corrections space frequented by United Earth and
its allies.
using such a system were impossible beyond minor shifts
unless the vessel dropped from warp and readjusted its CAPABILITIES: As an attack vessel,
priority was given to
course. The hull of the scout ship had a thin layer of rare providing the interceptor with both
speed and firepower.
trititanium, making sensor locks difficult to acquire. The design The interceptor could achieve
speeds of warp 6.2, not as
contained a moderate amount of weaponry for a ship of its fast as most Vulcan vessels of the pre
Earth-Romulan War
size, primarily avoiding combat by using its speed to flee. era, but fast enough to run down
starships of other species.
Its primary weapon system was a
large particle accelerator
TRAITS: Orion scout and emitter mounted on the dorsal
hull and forward facing.

SYSTEMS This weapon had a limited firing arc

due to extensive power
couplings leading to the necessity of
a multi-vectored impulse

COMMS 06 ENGINES 10 STRUCTURE 06 drive that made the vessel highly

agile and able to bring the
weapon to bear on its target. These
systems made the interior
 COMPUTERS 06 SENSORS 07 WEAPONS 06 of the small vessel very cramped and
the interceptor was
typically crewed by 20-30 personnel
with few comforts. In an

DEPARTMENTS attempt to alleviate boredom and

provide some entertainment
many crews of interceptors would
convert one of the vessels

COMMAND 01 SECURITY 01 SCIENCE 02 two small cargo bays into a ‘pleasure

den’ containing many of
the vices, including slaves, that they
missed from home.

CONN 03 ENGINEERING 01 MEDICINE 01 TRAITS: Orion interceptor

94 CHAPTER 04

99
SYSTEMS CAPABILITIES: The Blackguard isn’t
used in a similar

COMMS 07 ENGINES 09 STRUCTURE 07 manner to most fleets’ cruisers and

more like battleships and
escorts, rarely straying far from the
Orion home-system and

COMPUTERS 07 SENSORS 07 WEAPONS 08 only then to escort valuable convoys of

goods important to
the Syndicate with the indication of
illegality and rarity given

DEPARTMENTS by the number of vessels present. As

escorts, the design has
little emphasis on speed and
maneuverability, with even 24th

COMMAND 01 SECURITY 03 SCIENCE 01 century refits of this class only having a

maximum sustained
warp factor of 7. These ships contain a
variety of weaponry
from Federation style phaser emitters,
to disruptor pulse
CONN 04 ENGINEERING 01 MEDICINE 01 cannons, and photon torpedoes.
 TRAITS: Orion cruiser
POWER: 9 SCALE: 3
SHIELDS: 10 RESISTANCE: 3 SYSTEMS

CREW: Proficient (Attribute 9, Discipline 2) COMMS 08 ENGINES 07

STRUCTURE 11

ATTACKS: COMPUTERS 09 SENSORS

09 WEAPONS 09
§ Particle Beam (Energy, Range Medium, 6 A, Versatile 2)
DEPARTMENTS
SPECIAL:
§ Improved Reaction Control System COMMAND 02 SECURITY
03 SCIENCE 01
§ Improved Impulse Drive
CONN 01 ENGINEERING 02
MEDICINE 02

ORION BLACKGUARD POWER: 7 SCALE: 4

SHIELDS: 14 RESISTANCE: 5

OVERVIEW: Filling the role of both cruisers and battleships CREW: Proficient (Attribute 9, Discipline
2)
in the navies of the Orion cartels is the Blackguard. These
vessels have been in use since the mid-22nd century and ATTACKS:
have continually seen refits and upgrades over the centuries § Phaser Array (Energy, Range
Medium, 7 A, Versatile 2,
allowing them to continue to be relevant on the changing Area or Spread)
galactic scene. The low amount of actual hard service these § Disruptor Cannons (Energy, Range
Close, 9 A Vicious 1)
vessels see allows them long service lives and many of § Photon Torpedoes (Torpedo, Range
Long, 6 A, High-Yield)
the Blackguard-class vessels in service in the 24th century § Tractor Beam (Strength 3)
were in use during the Earth-Romulan War guarding illegal
battlefield salvage operations and guarding SPECIAL:
weapons shipments between § Improved Hull Integrity
neutral star systems. § Command Ship

PLEASURE BARGE

OVERVIEW: Ostensibly not for military

use, the typical Orion
 pleasure barge is used not only as a
roaming trade station
for the cartels, but also as a base of
operations for Orion
criminals and intelligence assets. Each
pleasure barge is
unique in appearance, often with garish
colors on its hull
and fantastical interior decorations and
rooms, reflecting the
personality of the vessel’s current owner.

CAPABILITIES: This design is slow

compared to even
a Blackguard-class Orion starship, but
speed is almost
unneeded by these vessels as their
intent is to draw in
visitors even from barely warp capable
societies.

STARSHIPS OF THE BETA

QUADRANT 95

100
Weapon ports are hidden behind false hull plating so visitors POWER: 6 SCALE:
5
don’t think that there is any threat from the ship’s hidden SHIELDS: 13
RESISTANCE: 6
rapid-fire disruptors. Inside the vessel, sections are dedicated
to typical ships functions; command and control, sickbay, CREW: Proficient (Attribute
9, Discipline 2)
engineering, etc. These sections of the ship are small
compared to the public areas that are accessed through ATTACKS:
transporter systems or the expansive shuttlebay; casinos, § Disruptor Cannons
(Energy, Range Close, 10 A Vicious 1)
brothels, drug dens, slave auction houses, fighting arenas, § Tractor Beam (Strength
4)
holosuites, and drug production labs. The crime these vessels
bring to Federation space makes them unwelcome, but they SPECIAL:
are often seen operating inside the Orion home system and in § Pleasure Suites
(function as Diplomatic Suites)
border regions of the Federation, plying their trade. § Improved Hull Integrity
§ Extensive Shuttlebays
TRAITS: Orion barge § Hidden Emplacements:
Hull plating disguises the

SYSTEMS weapons aboard this

ship. These weapons are not
immediately detectable,
and when hidden require an

COMMS 08 ENGINES 06 STRUCTURE 10 Insight + Security Task

assisted by a ship’s Sensors +
Security with a Difficulty
of 3, to detect. Before

COMPUTERS 08 SENSORS 09 WEAPONS 07 attacking, the crew must

spend a Minor Action to
ready the
emplacements. To hide them also requires a

DEPARTMENTS Minor Action.

COMMAND 03 SECURITY 03 SCIENCE 01

CONN 01 ENGINEERING 02 MEDICINE 04

CHAPTER
04.40 STARSHIPS OF THE BETA QUADRANT
GORN STARSHIPS

GORN RAIDER CAPABILITIES: The raider

was about half the size of the
Constitution-class starship,
but this wasn’t due to needing
high sub-light accelerations
or low power needs, it was
OVERVIEW: Designed to be either a rapid response due to the Hegemony’s
primitive warp coils of the time.
vessel or a light attack vessel, the Gorn raider was the The sub-space field
generated by the coils was unstable,
primary starship in the Hegemony during the mid to late so a smaller field was
necessary to achieve warp speeds.
23rd century. Some aspects of the raider are similar The coils were also prone to
melting down, so Gorn
to Starfleet designs, suggesting either technological designers included four
separate warp nacelles. Much like
espionage undertaken by the Hegemony or its allies, or the later Constellation class,
two of the nacelles would
a remarkable case of parallel development between the be in use at any given time,
while the others were kept
two groups of engineers. active at minimum power to
act as warp field stabilizers.

96 CHAPTER 04

101
While this system gave the raider only a maximum speed
of warp 7, it was able to hold that velocity for far longer
than Starfleet vessels. When at sub-light, the warp core
could directly power the vessels disruptor systems, giving
the Raider devastating amounts of firepower for its mass,
rivaling Starfleet’s heavy cruisers. The raider would be
taken out of service by the late 23rd century in favor of GORN VARANUS BATTLESHIP

larger and more heavily armed vessels.

OVERVIEW: Rarely seen outside of the
Hegemony and never
TRAITS: Gorn raider without smaller escorts, the Gorn
Varanus battleship is the
largest vessel used in an active role by
the Gorn. The defender
SYSTEMS is used typically as a patrol vessel, so
when it is deployed
to an uninhabited and unclaimed star
system, it’s likely the
COMMS 07 ENGINES 08 STRUCTURE 07
Hegemony will be claiming that system
for themselves. These
vessels are also used as escorts for the
Hegemony’s mobile
COMPUTERS 07 SENSORS 08 WEAPONS 09
shipyards and nest ships, and many can
be found in the home
system of the Hegemony undergoing
maintenance, upgrade
DEPARTMENTS and providing an honor guard for the
queen and her court.

COMMAND 01 SECURITY 02 SCIENCE 01

CAPABILITIES: First seen in 2351, the
Varanus battleship
was over twice the size of the
Ambassador-class U.S.S.
CONN 02 ENGINEERING 03 MEDICINE 01
Clearwater that encountered it. The
vessel is crewed by
between two and four thousand Gorn
with some crew
POWER: 8 SCALE: 3 stationed in the designs’ two warp
nacelles. The vessel is
SHIELDS: 9 RESISTANCE: 3 slow in both sub-light and warp speeds,
with maximum
velocities observed of warp 7.2. Its
armaments are
CREW: Proficient (Attribute 9, Discipline 2) equivalent to Starfleet’s later Galaxy
class, but where the
Varanus stands out is its defenses.
Much of the vessel’s
ATTACKS: power is dedicated to shielding,
structural integrity fields,
§ Disruptor Array (Energy, Range Medium, 5 A Vicious 1, and deflector arrays. In addition, the
exterior of the hull is
Area or Spread) lined with thick plates of layered
duranium composite that
§ Photon Torpedo (Torpedo, Range Long, 5 A, High-Yield) can shrug off weapons fire even after
the vessels shields
§ Tractor Beam (Strength 2) have collapsed. Speed and agility are
clearly not a priority
for the Varanus as the mass of the
armor plate alone makes
SPECIAL: the vessels’ impulse decks labor to
move it.
§ Improved Warp Drive
§ Backup EPS Conduits TRAITS: Gorn battleship
 STARSHIPS OF THE BETA
QUADRANT 97

102
SYSTEMS CREW: Talented (Attribute
10, Discipline 3)

COMMS 08 ENGINES 07 STRUCTURE 12 ATTACKS:

COMPUTERS 09 SENSORS 08 WEAPONS 09 § Disruptor Array (Energy,

Range Medium, 9 A Vicious 1,
Area or Spread)

DEPARTMENTS § Photon Torpedo

(Torpedo, Range Long, 6 A, High-Yield)
§ Tractor Beam (Strength
5)

COMMAND 02 SECURITY 03 SCIENCE 02 TALENTS:

§ Redundant Systems
CONN 02 ENGINEERING 03 MEDICINE 02 § Rugged Design
§ Duranium Armor
Plating: The ship’s Resistance is
POWER: 7 SCALE: 6 increased by 2.
SHIELDS: 15 RESISTANCE: 8

CHAPTER
04.50 STARSHIPS OF THE BETA QUADRANT
CIVILIAN STARSHIPS

FREIGHTERS POWER: 7 SCALE:

3
SHIELDS: 10
RESISTANCE: 3
 OVERVIEW: Civilian freighters are a widely varying group CREW: Basic (Attribute 8,
Discipline 1)
of designs ranging from the tiny warp capable Gnat-class
agricultural freighter to the massive and slow T’lika-class bulk ATTACKS:
ice hauler. Federation Merchant Marines have standardized § Phaser banks (Energy,
Range Medium, 5 A, Versatile 2)
classes of freighters that allow ease of maintenance and give
manufacturers as well as Starfleet a clear picture of how much SPECIAL:
they can move between systems. These vessels are distinct § Rugged Design
from transports as freighters focus solely on shipping cargo.

TRAITS: Freighter TRANSPORTS

SYSTEMS
COMMS 07 ENGINES 07 STRUCTURE 09 OVERVIEW: Transports built
in and beyond the Federation
all tend to serve the same
purpose, the transportation of

COMPUTERS 07 SENSORS 08 WEAPONS 06 people from one star

system to the other. As such these
vessels typically have no
weaponry, minimal defensive

DEPARTMENTS shielding, and highly

redundant life support systems and
comfortable quarters, and
warp drives able to maintain high

COMMAND 01 SECURITY 01 SCIENCE 01 cruising speeds.

TRAITS: Transport
CONN 01 ENGINEERING 02 MEDICINE 02

98 CHAPTER 04

103
SYSTEMS SURVEY SHIPS
COMMS 06 ENGINES 08 STRUCTURE 07

COMPUTERS 06 SENSORS 07 WEAPONS – OVERVIEW: Civilian Survey ships come

in two varieties:
retired Starfleet science vessels such as
the Oberth class,
 DEPARTMENTS or as specially constructed vessels used
by research
organizations and universities across
the Federation.

COMMAND 01 SECURITY 01 SCIENCE 01 Survey ships can be used in many of

the same ways as
Starfleet science or exploration vessels,
but without the
need for weaponry, heavy shielding, or
the most robust
CONN 02 ENGINEERING 02 MEDICINE 02 systems available, more of the vessel
can be dedicated to
pure research.
POWER: 7 SCALE: 3
SHIELDS: 8 RESISTANCE: 3 TRAITS: Survey ship

CREW: Basic (Attribute 8, Discipline 1) SYSTEMS

COMMS 07 ENGINES 07
STRUCTURE 07
SPECIAL:
§ Improved Warp Drive
COMPUTERS 10 SENSORS
11 WEAPONS –

COLONY SHIPS DEPARTMENTS

COMMAND 01 SECURITY
01 SCIENCE 04

OVERVIEW: Colony ships exist in a middle ground between

CONN 01 ENGINEERING 01
MEDICINE 02
transports and freighters as they are designed to
carry
both personnel and equipment, large quantities of both, of
interstellar distances. Most colony vessels are smaller than POWER: 7 SCALE: 3
imagined, with groups of these vessels working in tandem to SHIELDS: 8 RESISTANCE: 3
colonize a world.
CREW: Proficient (Attribute 9, Discipline
2)
TRAITS: Colony ship

SYSTEMS SPECIAL:
§ Advanced Sensor Suites
 COMMS 07 ENGINES 08 STRUCTURE 09 § Modular Labratories

COMPUTERS 07 SENSORS 07 WEAPONS

– XHOSA FREIGHTER SCAN
DEPARTMENTS
BRIDGE

COMMAND 01 SECURITY 01 SCIENCE 02

CONN 01 ENGINEERING 02 MEDICINE 02

POWER: 8 SCALE: 3
SHIELDS: 10 RESISTANCE: 3

CREW: Basic (Attribute 8, Discipline 1)

PROPULSI
ON

SPECIAL: FREIGHT
§ Extensive Shuttlebays
2165-3590 1865
196743 19-300-50 1480 10220 320600 320
1818-3066 1988
205350 20-327-45 21550 357850 212996 3450
1929-4040 18563
50368 27-435-56 45520 24890 459780 4560

STARSHIPS OF THE BETA

QUADRANT 99

104
VULCAN SCIENCE ACADEMY SURVEY VESSEL monitored environment on the ship to
any learning on the
surface of alien worlds. Any movement
to and from the vessel
is accomplished via transporter.
OVERVIEW: Respected across the Federation and beyond,
the Vulcan Science Academy has one of the largest fleets TRAITS: Vulcan starship
of actively used survey vessels of any institution of higher
learning known. This large fleet is typically used to train SYSTEMS
students in practical astrophysics, geophysics, subspace
COMMS 07 ENGINES 08
STRUCTURE 07
theory, quantum mechanics, and biology. With this wide
range of possible assignments, the VSA requested a new
COMPUTERS 11 SENSORS
12 WEAPONS –
design for a survey vessel in 2340 from the ShiKar Orbital
Shipyards, the first of the new class entering service in 2346.
DEPARTMENTS
CAPABILITIES: Like many Vulcan designs, the VSA survey
COMMAND 01 SECURITY
01 SCIENCE 04
vessel uses a toroidal subspace-field generation system in
lieu of the more standard dual warp nacelle designs seen
CONN 01 ENGINEERING 02
MEDICINE 01
elsewhere in the Federation. This gives the vessels a
highly
stable warp field at the expense of being able to change
course at superluminal velocities. While at warp, the warp POWER: 8 SCALE: 3
torus is perpendicular to the main hull of the vessel, but SHIELDS: 0 RESISTANCE: 3
rotates so it is parallel to hull at sub-light speeds. Sensor
networks designed to monitor the sub-space fields in the CREW: Talented (Attribute 10,
Discipline 3)
torus, while not being used to maintain warp speeds, aid
the vessel’s already impressive sensor suite by adding a fine SPECIAL:
resolution sub-space scan to all surveys. The survey vessel § Modular Laboratories
typically maintains an active crew of fifteen that always serve § Advanced Sensor Suites
as teachers and act as officers for the vessel in addition § High Resolution Sensors
to the thirty students on board. The vessel lacks many § No Shuttlebay: The starship cannot
support any
features including weapons, defensive shielding, and even small craft.
a shuttlebay, with the Science Academy preferring a strictly

100 CHAPTER 04

105
CHAPTER
05.00 ENCOUNTERS AND
ADVERSARIES
34362070473892
12849304474

05.10 THE ROMULAN NEUTRAL ZONE 102

05.20 THE BRIAR PATCH 108

05.30 THE KLINGON BORDER 116

05.40 THE SHACKLETON EXPANSE 121

USING ENCOUNTERS AND THE COMMAND ADVERSARIES

DIVISION 101
106
CHAPTER
05.10 ENCOUNTERS AND ADVERSARIES
THE ROMULAN NEUTRAL ZONE

“I REGRET THAT WE MEET IN THIS WAY. YOU AND I ARE OF A KIND. IN A DIFFERENT REALITY, I
COULD HAVE CALLED YOU FRIEND.”

– ROMULAN COMMANDER

DESCRIPTION And even a legitimate distress

call could be used by a
cloaked Romulan patrol ship
to lure a Federation vessel into
the Zone to be captured.
In astrographic terms, the Romulan Neutral zone is a volume
of space one light-year wide and 600 light-years long with a CLOAK AND DISRUPTOR
roughly egg-shaped cross section. Its very name conjures up Starfleet has been contacted
by the Romulan underground.
thoughts of adventure and peril in the dark: perhaps a plucky They have somehow
acquired the plans to a new version of
Federation starship playing hide-and-seek with a cloaked the cloaking device, one that is
believed to be able to evade
Romulan cruiser; or a stalwart border garrison holding the the tachyon sensor net. As
always, Starfleet wants to acquire
line against an imminent invasion. To the Romulans, the the plans or a working example
as soon as possible to
Neutral Zone is a mixed blessing. Several times in their develop countermeasures.
history, they have found it convenient to withdraw into
their empire, with the Zone as their shield. At other times The Player Characters are
sent into Romulan territory on a
it has been a hindrance to their business, whether that be stolen ship to make contact
with the informant and acquire
espionage or expansion. To Starfleet the Neutral Zone is the the plans. If they are
captured, the Federation will disavow
end of Federation space: entering it, except under specific them and their activities.
Perhaps it is a Tal Shiar trap,
circumstances, is an act of war. There have been times in the designed to reveal members
of the underground. Or the
past that captains on both sides have found a possible war contact may be legitimate but
the plans are false, meant
to be an acceptable risk. to send Federation scientists
down plausible, but fruitless,
lines of research. Of course,
the situation could be entirely
legitimate but the Tal Shiar
have become aware that the plans
ENCOUNTER SEEDS have been stolen. Getting out
of Romulan space will be more
difficult than getting in…

KOBAYASHI, REVISITED DIPLOMATIC INSANITY

The Player Characters’ ship is on routine patrol near The Romulans have requested
a rendezvous in the Neutral
the Neutral Zone when they receive a distress call from Zone to open up the possibility
of diplomatic talks. The
just inside the Zone. The call apparently comes from purpose of the talks, they
claim, is to regularize Ambassador
a Romulan colony ship full of noncombatants. They Spock’s status on Romulus.
Naturally, he has been invited to
have a problem with their warp core: the dilithium is participate. The Romulans
have promised safe passage and
decrystallizing and, in a matter of hours, the core will go diplomatic immunity to all
involved.
critical. Sensor scans bear out the story. The ship’s captain
claims that there are no Romulan patrol vessels in the area, After a diplomatic event held
on the Player Characters’
and that she would even accept Klingon help if it would ship, one of the Romulan
diplomats is found dead. In an
save her people. uncanny echo of the Coridan
negotiations a century earlier,
it appears that Spock is the
killer. His whereabouts cannot
There are several possibilities for this seed. Perhaps the be confirmed, and any
computer records that might shed
Player Characters are cadets taking a new variant of the light on the situation have been
destroyed. The Player
Kobayashi Maru test. The distress call may be legitimate, but Characters must bring the
true murderer to light before
the ship itself cannot be saved: do the Player Characters risk the Federation is forced to
either hand over Spock or an
taking several hundred enemy citizens aboard their starship? interstellar war breaks out.

102 CHAPTER 05

107
SCOUTSHIP PILOT [MINOR NPC] UHLAN TECHNICIAN [MINOR
NPC]

Scoutship pilots are skilled pilots and engineers: they often An uhlan technician is a low-ranking
crewmember assigned
operate in remote areas without support, and have to be able to basic maintenance and operation of a
ship system. While
to make their own repairs. They are also tough enough to they are willing to fight if necessary,
they are not skilled
perform flight maneuvers under cloak. The power demands combatants.
of the cloaking device leave very little spare energy for the
inertial dampeners. TRAITS: Romulan

TRAITS: Romulan ATTRIBUTES

ATTRIBUTES CONTROL 09 FITNESS 08

PRESENCE 09

CONTROL 08 FITNESS 10 PRESENCE 09 DARING 08 INSIGHT

09 REASON 08

DARING 08 INSIGHT 08 REASON 08 DISCIPLINES

DISCIPLINES COMMAND – SECURITY

– SCIENCE 02

COMMAND 01 SECURITY 01 SCIENCE – CONN 01 ENGINEERING 02

MEDICINE 01

CONN 02 ENGINEERING 02 MEDICINE – STRESS: 8 RESISTANCE: 0

STRESS: 11 RESISTANCE: 0 ATTACKS:

§ Unarmed Strike (Melee, 1 A
Knockdown, Size 1H,
ATTACKS: Non-lethal)
§ Unarmed Strike (Melee, 2 A Knockdown, Size 1H, § Dagger (Melee, 1 A Vicious 1, Size
1H, Deadly, Hidden 1)
Non-lethal) § Disruptor Pistol (Ranged, 3 A
Vicious 1, Size 1H)
§ Dagger (Melee, 2 A Vicious 1, Size 1H, Deadly, Hidden 1) § Escalation Disruptor Rifle (Ranged,
4 A Vicious 1,
§ Disruptor Pistol (Ranged, 4 A Vicious 1, Size 1H) Size 2H, Accurate)
§ Escalation Disruptor Rifle (Ranged, 5 A Vicious 1,
Size 2H, Accurate) SPECIAL RULES:
§ Technical Acumen: Whenever an
Uhlan Technician
SPECIAL RULES: attempts a Task to notice or repair a
problem with a
§ One With the Ship: Whenever the Scoutship Pilot shipboard system, they may re-roll
one d20.
attempts a Task to pilot their ship, they may reduce the
Difficulty by one, to a minimum of zero.
§ Wary: Whenever the Scoutship Pilot attempts a Task to
notice or detect an enemy or hazard, they may re-roll
one d20.

ALPHA 2 OVERRIDE
PROTOCOL ENABLED

CONTROL LEVELS

FAILURE PORT

56-589236 FAILURE STBD

100 200 300 400
500 600 700 800

ENCOUNTERS AND
ADVERSARIES 103

108
TAL SHIAR SABOTEUR [MINOR NPC] MEDICAL
SUB-CENTURION [MINOR NPC]

The Tal Shiar are known for dirty tricks. Some have become Romulan medical
officers undergo a great deal of on-the-job
quite skilled at infiltrating enemy installations, causing training, and slow
learners are often escorted to the next
technical damage or planting explosives, and then escaping life by angry patients.
Romulan doctors who have reached
as silently as they came. Sub-Centurion rank
are usually capable of keeping people
 alive, come what
may. They also know a little bit about taking
TRAITS: Romulan enemies apart.

ATTRIBUTES TRAITS: Romulan

CONTROL 10 FITNESS 09 PRESENCE 07 ATTRIBUTES

DARING 09 INSIGHT 08 REASON 08 CONTROL
08 FITNESS 09 PRESENCE 09

DISCIPLINES DARING
07 INSIGHT 09 REASON 09

COMMAND – SECURITY 02 SCIENCE 01 DISCIPLINES

CONN – ENGINEERING 02 MEDICINE 01 COMMAND 02
SECURITY 01 SCIENCE 01

CONN
STRESS: 11 RESISTANCE: 0 –
ENGINEERING – MEDICINE 02

ATTACKS: STRESS: 10
RESISTANCE: 0
§ Unarmed Strike (Melee, 3 A Knockdown, Size 1H,
Non-lethal) ATTACKS:
§ Dagger (Melee, 3 A Vicious 1, Size 1H, Deadly, Hidden 1) § Unarmed Strike
(Melee, 2 A Knockdown, Size 1H,
§ Disruptor Pistol (Ranged, 5 A Vicious 1, Size 1H) Non-lethal)
§ Escalation Disruptor Rifle (Ranged, 6 A Vicious 1, § Dagger (Melee, 2
A Vicious 1, Size 1H, Deadly, Hidden 1)
Size 2H, Accurate) § Disruptor Pistol
(Ranged, 4 A Vicious 1, Size 1H)
§ Escalation
Disruptor Rifle (Ranged, 5 A Vicious 1,
SPECIAL RULES: Size 2H,
Accurate)
§ Guile and Cunning: When attempting to remain hidden or
unnoticed, the Saboteur may spend one Threat to increase SPECIAL RULES:
the Difficulty of enemy Tasks to detect them by one. § Quick and Dirty:
Medical Sub-Centurions are
§ Hidden Weakness: When sabotaging the systems of an accustomed to
working in sub-standard conditions.
enemy, the Tal Shiar Saboteur may spend 2 Threat to When attempting
a Medicine Task, they ignore any
re-roll any number of d20s on their Security rolls. increase in
Difficulty for working without the proper tools
or equipment.
 104-4894 104-4895

6239-4760 5836 251872

FIELD DISTORTION
23-305756 4673 84632

3485759 2353 3249222

57526 7794836 39362

489
6 264938 2826281 869513

4896 127180 789456 16089

936-2056 33839 220284

65-273396 21012 104585

489
7 1147593 2505 7499

2600370 32-990 173002

4897 5637-8200 28340 645640

29-265205 6203 650566

43424 2860 26299091

1765 x 3686
MILLICOCHRANES 4898

104 CHAPTER 05

109
UNKNO
WN GAS SCAN IN PROGRESS
 105
498

15962-533

TAL SHIAR INTERROGATOR [MINOR NPC] LEAD SCIENTIST [MINOR NPC]

The Tal Shiar often find it necessary to “encourage” captives While scientists are usually found in
highly-classified, well-
to provide information. This encouragement includes hidden laboratories, there are always
situations in which
carefully-chosen words, the precise application of physical a scientist needs to experiment out “in
the wild.” Such
distress, and the usage of carefully-calibrated chemical individuals are skilled scientists with the
fortitude needed to
compounds. spend long hours performing
experiments under less-than-
optimal conditions.
TRAITS: Romulan

ATTRIBUTES TRAITS: Romulan

ATTRIBUTES
CONTROL 08 FITNESS 10 PRESENCE 08
CONTROL 09 FITNESS 10
PRESENCE 07
DARING 09 INSIGHT 07 REASON 09
DARING 07 INSIGHT
08 REASON 10
DISCIPLINES
DISCIPLINES
COMMAND – SECURITY 02 SCIENCE –
COMMAND 02 SECURITY
01 SCIENCE 02
CONN 01 ENGINEERING 01 MEDICINE 02
CONN 01 ENGINEERING
– MEDICINE –
STRESS: 12 RESISTANCE: 0
STRESS: 11 RESISTANCE: 0
ATTACKS:
§ Unarmed Strike (Melee, 3 A Knockdown, Size 1H, ATTACKS:
Non-lethal) § Unarmed Strike (Melee, 2 A
Knockdown, Size 1H,
§ Dagger (Melee, 3 A Vicious 1, Size 1H, Deadly, Hidden 1) Non-lethal)
§ Disruptor Pistol (Ranged, 5 A Vicious 1, Size 1H) § Dagger (Melee, 2 A Vicious 1, Size
1H, Deadly, Hidden 1)
§ Escalation Disruptor Rifle (Ranged, 6 A Vicious 1, § Disruptor Pistol (Ranged, 4 A
Vicious 1, Size 1H)
Size 2H, Accurate) § Escalation Disruptor Rifle (Ranged,
5 A Vicious 1,
Size 2H, Accurate)
SPECIAL RULES:
§ Sense Vulnerability: Whenever a Tal Shiar Interrogator SPECIAL RULES:
attempts a Task to coerce information from an enemy, § Learning Through Adversity: The
Lead Scientist is
they may re-roll one d20. skilled at extracting success from
failure. They may roll
an additional d20 on a Science
Task, as long as they
failed at a Science task in the same
scientific field earlier
in the current mission.

ENCOUNTERS AND
ADVERSARIES 105

110
REMAN BODYGUARD [NOTABLE NPC] § Disruptor Pistol (Ranged, 6 A
Vicious 1, Size 1H)
§ Escalation Disruptor Rifle
(Ranged, 7 A Vicious 1,
Size 2H, Accurate)
It is a matter of prestige for a Romulan high official to
possess a Reman bodyguard. Reman bodyguards are SPECIAL RULES:
ferocious fighters and are often trained in basic piloting and § Bodyguard: When taking
action to protect the person
medicine, the better to ensure the safety of their principal. they are guarding, and buying
additional d20s with
Threat, a Reman Bodyguard
may re-roll a single d20.
TRAITS: Reman § Wary: Whenever a Reman
Bodyguard attempts a Task
to notice or detect an enemy
or hazard, they may re-roll
VALUE: My Life for my Charge one d20.

ATTRIBUTES
CONTROL 09 FITNESS 10 PRESENCE 07 WARBIRD COMMANDER
[NOTABLE NPC]

DARING 10 INSIGHT 09 REASON 09 By the time Romulan officers

rise to command a ship, they

DISCIPLINES are not strangers to fierce

combat or political maneuvering.
Even the most fervent young
officers can find their

COMMAND 01 SECURITY 03 SCIENCE – enthusiasm tempered by

decades of conflict in one arena
or another. Whatever any private
reservations, however,

CONN 02 ENGINEERING 01 MEDICINE 02 Warbird Commanders still serve.

TRAITS: Romulan
FOCUSES: Hand-to-Hand Combat, Threat Assessment
VALUE: My Portion is Obedience
STRESS: 13 RESISTANCE: 0
ATTRIBUTES
ATTACKS:
CONTROL 10
FITNESS 09 PRESENCE 07
§ Unarmed Strike (Melee, 4 A Knockdown, Size 1H,
Non-lethal)
DARING 08
INSIGHT 10 REASON 10
§ Dagger (Melee, 4 A Vicious 1, Size 1H, Deadly, Hidden 1)

DISCIPLINES
REMAN CHARACTERS COMMAND 03 SECURITY
02 SCIENCE –

ALL ERAS OF PLAY CONN 01

ENGINEERING 02 MEDICINE 01

Remans are a nocturnal species subjugated by the Romulan FOCUSES: Starship Tactics,
Leadership
Star Empire. They are enslaved by the Empire, employed both as
indentured miners within the Reman mines, and as expendable STRESS: 11
RESISTANCE: 0
shock troops and bodyguards serving the Romulan military. Little
is known about the Remans outside of the Romulan Empire, due ATTACKS:
mainly to the Romulans’ secrecy. § Unarmed Strike (Melee, 3 A
Knockdown, Size 1H,
Non-lethal)
§ ATTRIBUTES: +1 Daring, +1 Fitness, +1 Insight § Dagger (Melee, 3 A Vicious
1,Size 1H, Deadly, Hidden 1)
§ Disruptor Pistol (Ranged, 5 A
Vicious 1, Size 1H)
§ TRAIT: Reman. Remans are tall, powerfully built beings, § Escalation Disruptor Rifle
(Ranged, 6 A Vicious 1,
stronger and more durable even than Romulans. Their Size 2H, Accurate)
nocturnal nature means that they cannot easily tolerate
bright light. A proportion of Remans have telepathic abilities, SPECIAL RULES:
allowing them to read the minds of others and to project their § Ambush: When attacking an
opponent who is unaware,
thoughts to others, though using these powers effectively the Warbird Commander may
spend two Threat. This
takes skill and training. allows the Warbird
Commander and any Romulans
under their command to
re-roll any number of d20s on
their attack rolls for one
round.

106 CHAPTER 05

111
§ Use My Experience: Once per scene, when the
Warbird STYROLITE ISOLATION
Commander succeeds at a Task during combat or
ISOLATION
INTACT
another perilous situation, they may spend two Threat to
give a subordinate assistance on their next Task attempt,
using the Warbird Commander’s Presence + Command.
§ Wary: Whenever a Warbird Commander attempts a Task
to notice or detect an enemy or hazard, they may re-roll
one d20.

52132

59756514-52132
 SENATOR MALAR [MAJOR NPC]

One of the Senators to have been a successful military

commander, Malar is known for her ambition, her SPECIAL RULES:
ruthlessness, and her ability to command significant loyalty § Wary: Whenever Malar attempts a
Task to notice or
from subordinates. She reached the rank of Commander detect an enemy or hazard, she may
re-roll one d20.
before a combat injury left her unable to continue her § Ruthless and Determined: Senator
Malar may spend
military career. It is an open secret that she aspires to the two Threat (rather than the normal
three) to gain the
Continuing Committee. It is a deeply-hidden secret that effects of a point of Determination.
she is a conduit between the Romulan underground and § Senatorial Presence: Whenever
one of Malar’s
disaffected members of the Imperial Fleet. This is a secret subordinates attempts a Task to
resist persuasion,
she will die to protect. intimidation, or interrogation, Malar
may spend two
Threat to allow that Romulan to roll
as if they had the
TRAITS: Romulan, Permanent Limp benefit of her assistance using
Control + Command,
even if she is not present in the
scene herself.
VALUES: § Reman Bodyguard: Senator Malar
has a Reman
§ My People Should Be Free bodyguard who is completely
devoted to her well-being.
§ War is Bought with Blood If attacked while in the presence of
her bodyguard,
§ Sacrifice Makes Us Strong she may use the bodyguard’s
Fitness + Security for
§ Outlanders are People, Too purposes of Stress, providing they
are within Reach.

ATTRIBUTES
CONTROL 10 FITNESS 08 PRESENCE 12

DARING 09 INSIGHT 10 REASON 10

DISCIPLINES
COMMAND 05 SECURITY 02 SCIENCE 02

CONN 03 ENGINEERING 02 MEDICINE 02

FOCUSES: Composure, Deception, Persuasion, Paranoia,
Shipboard Tactics

STRESS: 10 RESISTANCE: 0

ATTACKS:
§ Unarmed Strike (Melee, 3 A Knockdown, Size 1H,
Non-lethal)
§ Dagger (Melee, 3 A Vicious 1, Size 1H, Deadly, Hidden 1)
§ Disruptor Pistol (Ranged, 5 A Vicious 1, Size 1H)
§ Escalation Disruptor Rifle (Ranged, 6 A Vicious 1,
Size 2H, Accurate)

INTRODUCTI
ON 107

112
CHAPTER
05.20 ENCOUNTERS AND ADVERSARIES
THE BRIAR PATCH

DESCRIPTION This could be straightforward:

everything is exactly as
it appears. Orion pirates want any
artifacts found in the
vast alien city on SLV-5571, and
they’re trying to harass
The Briar Patch is one of the most dangerous areas in the the expedition off-world to loot it. If
not stopped, the
Beta Quadrant. The remnant of a long-ago supernova, it is situation will explode into a deadly
ground battle between
now a region of stellar debris, gas pockets, unstable spatial the scientists, their Starfleet Security
detachment, and
anomalies and metaphasic radiation. Ships traveling through the pirates. Perhaps the expedition
has fallen under the
the region make no better than one-third impulse power influence of the city itself, imprinted
with the personalities
 to avoid overloading the impulse manifolds. It is possible, of the long-dead Iconian builders, and
they have seeded
however, to modify impulse drive assemblies to protect the the reports with inconsistencies
specifically to draw a
impulse manifolds and operate at full impulse power. starship within range to provide more
hosts. The “pirates”
are the remnants of an obscure alien
race who died out over
Known to the Klingons as Klach D’kel Brakt, it is the site the past 200,000 years, a time spent
hunting down and
of the famous battle. (see Chapter 2: The Klingon Empire, destroying all traces of the Iconian
civilization. Or maybe
page 34) There are currently at least two habitable planets the problem isn’t the pirates
themselves, but a saboteur on
within the region: first contact has not yet been made with the station that seeks to frighten the
expedition away by
any indigenous populations. The inhabitants of Son’a, just wrecking equipment, provoking
random sensor readings,
outside the Briar Patch, are an aggressive species known to and causing other weird
phenomena. Is it the city itself,
have conquered nearby primitive planets. They are suspected some surviving inhabitant, or an
enemy of the Federation
of using isolytic subspace weapons, outlawed by the second taking advantage of the situation?
Khitomer Accords due to their tendency to damage the fabric
of subspace. TEMPORAL TEMPTATIONS
The Player Characters’ ship is
summoned to settle a dispute
Today, the Briar Patch is an area often used by less-than- between a group of Federation
salvagers and some old
legitimate parties to evade detection and pursuit. It is also an “friends” who have not been seen
for quite some time: the
area of intense scientific investigation as the concentration Suliban! A very old, apparently
non-functional, piece of
of spatial anomalies and exotic radiations rivals that of the technology is floating around in the
Briar Patch, and it is
Shackleton Expanse in complexity, if not extent. advanced enough to interest both
parties.

Investigation reveals that the device

is emitting highly-
ENCOUNTER SEEDS unstable chronitons. If these
emissions continue, they will
undoubtedly destabilize local time in
the Briar Patch! The
Suliban may be simply modern-day
salvagers, looking for a
ARTIFACTS AND CROSSBONES way to reverse the long, slow decline
of their people. They
The Player Characters are called upon by Starfleet to assist could be Cabal terrorists from the
22nd Century, stranded in
in investigating and suppressing pirate activity around a the current time by the collapse of the
Temporal Cold War.
newly-established Federation archaeological station on If they succeed in reactivating the
conduit, will it start a new
SLV-5171, deep within the Briar Patch. war? Or perhaps it has nothing to do
with time travel at all,
and the “Federation” salvage team is,
in truth, a team of
The station is located on a rogue dwarf planet whose star has highly-trained operatives from the
Mirror Universe. They want
long-since been destroyed. Planetary conditions mean that the conduit to start a full-bore invasion!
the majority of the expedition’s work is done underground.
Starfleet suspects the pirates want any artifacts found in a THE DARK INSIDE
vast city located beneath the planet’s surface, but irregularities The Player Characters are sent to
investigate a civilian
in the expedition’s reports warrant further investigation. vessel that, after an unscheduled
passage through the

108 CHAPTER 05

113
Briar Patch, arrives at its destination on computer control. ATTRIBUTES
The ship’s crew and passengers are dead or insane, and
CONTROL 07 FITNESS 08
PRESENCE 10
the only coherent phrase they seem capable of saying is
“The dark inside…” The Player Characters must discover
DARING 09 INSIGHT
09 REASON 08
why the ship entered the Briar Patch in the first place, what
happened to the ship once inside, and if there is a way
to bring the survivors back to sanity. Potential causes are DISCIPLINES
numerous: spatial distortions, dimensional rifts, energy
COMMAND 01 SECURITY
02 SCIENCE 01
beings, weird radiation, rogue telepaths…

CONN 02 ENGINEERING
– MEDICINE –
ORION SLAVER OVERSEER [MINOR NPC] STRESS: 9 RESISTANCE: 0

The Overseers are charged with enforcing discipline among ATTACKS:

the slavers themselves and obedience from the enslaved. § Unarmed Strike (Melee, 3 A
Knockdown, Size 1H,
While they have a brutish appearance, Overseers are Non-lethal)
intelligent, capable, and manipulative. § Dagger (Melee, 3 A Vicious 1, Size
1H, Deadly, Hidden 1)
§ Disruptor Pistol (Ranged, 5 A
Vicious 1, Size 1H)
TRAITS: Orion
SPECIAL RULES:
§ Vicious: The Overseer knows how
to use cruelty to
motivate others. When enforcing
discipline using threats
or violence and buying additional
d20s with Threat, the
Overseer may re-roll a single d20.

ENCOUNTERS AND
ADVERSARIES 109

114
ORION SLAVER MEDIC [MINOR NPC] ORION BUCCANEER
[MINOR NPC]

The Orions, despite their frequently brutal treatment of Buccaneers — the title was
adopted from Terran history and
slaves, prefer not to bring damaged goods to the markets. literature — consider themselves
the swashbucklers of the
Damaged slaves mean lower profits. Slaver medics look after spaceways. “To dare is to truly
live,” is their motto. While
the health of the “merchandise,” ensuring that slaves are many are pirates, some
Buccaneers have broken away from
protected from disease and disfiguring injuries and that they the Syndicate, and now actively
oppose Orion piracy and
are in prime condition for a sale. slavery... all with panache and
derring-do.

TRAITS: Orion TRAITS: Orion

ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES
CONTROL 09 FITNESS 08 PRESENCE 09 CONTROL 08
FITNESS 09 PRESENCE 10

DARING 08 INSIGHT 09 REASON 08 DARING 10

INSIGHT 07 REASON 07

DISCIPLINES DISCIPLINES
COMMAND – SECURITY 01 SCIENCE 02 COMMAND 01 SECURITY
02 SCIENCE –

CONN 01 ENGINEERING – MEDICINE 02 CONN 01

ENGINEERING – MEDICINE 02

STRESS: 9 RESISTANCE: 0 STRESS: 11

RESISTANCE: 0

ATTACKS: ATTACKS:
§ Unarmed Strike (Melee, 2 A Knockdown, Size 1H, § Unarmed Strike (Melee, 3 A
Knockdown, Size 1H,
Non-lethal) Non-lethal)
§ Dagger (Melee, 2 A Vicious 1, Size 1H, Deadly, Hidden 1) § Dagger (Melee, 3 A Vicious 1,
Size 1H, Deadly, Hidden 1)
§ Disruptor Pistol (Ranged, 4 A Vicious 1, Size 1H) § Disruptor Pistol (Ranged, 5 A
Vicious 1, Size 1H)

SPECIAL RULES: SPECIAL RULES:

§ Hands-on Training: The Orion Medic has had experience § Bold: The Buccaneer is
nothing if not daring. When
treating a wide variety of ailments on a wide variety of performing a Task using the
Daring Attribute and buying
species. When attempting a Task to tend wounds or additional d20s with Threat,
they may re-roll a single d20.
illness using Reason + Medicine, the Medic reduces the
Difficulty by 1 (to a minimum of zero).

ORION
CHARACTERS

ALL ERAS OF PLAY

Orions are an independent species, the remnants of an advanced § ATTRIBUTES: +1 Daring, +1

Fitness, +1 Presence
civilization from the system of the same name. They are known
for their distinctive green skin, and for the effect that their body § TRAIT: Orion. Orions produce
pheromones which
chemistry can have on other species. Orion males are typically bald, can affect humanoid brains to
a certain degree. The
and tend to be both taller and more muscular than the average pheromone produced by
Orion males can generally make
Human male. Orion females are considered to be extremely alluring, them seem attractive to other
humanoids, but not to the
although a great deal of this reputation comes from the effect of same degree as that
produced by Orion females.
their pheromones on other humanoids. In Orion society, the males
are slaves to the females, but they maintain a patriarchal façade in
relations with other species.

110 CHAPTER 05

115
ORION BREACHER [MINOR NPC] STRESS: 10 RESISTANCE: 0

ATTACKS:
Breachers lead boarding parties of pirates that take ships for § Unarmed Strike (Melee, 3 A
Knockdown, Size 1H,
the Syndicate. A combination of marine and sapper (combat Non-lethal)
engineer), they command teams of ordinary pirates while § Dagger (Melee, 1 A Vicious 1, Size
1H, Deadly, Hidden 1)
using their skills to cripple vessels. § Disruptor Pistol (Ranged, 5 A
Vicious 1, Size 1H)

TRAITS: Orion SPECIAL RULES:

ATTRIBUTES § Advisor: The Executive Officer

knows the way the world
works. When assisting another
character using the

CONTROL 09 FITNESS 10 PRESENCE 09 Command Discipline, the character

being assisted may
re-roll a single d20.

DARING 09 INSIGHT 07 REASON 07

DISCIPLINES ORION SCIENCE OFFICER

[MINOR NPC]

COMMAND 02 SECURITY 02 SCIENCE 01 Orion science officers fulfill a strange

variety of roles: they
 CONN – ENGINEERING 01 MEDICINE – verify the quality of illicit substances;
analyze artifacts for
profit or utility; and provide information
on potential targets.
They often serve as executive officers
on salvage vessels.
STRESS: 12 RESISTANCE: 0
TRAITS: Orion
ATTACKS:
§ Unarmed Strike (Melee, 3 A Knockdown, Size 1H, ATTRIBUTES
Non-lethal)
CONTROL 09 FITNESS 09
PRESENCE 09
§ Dagger (Melee, 3 A Vicious 1, Size 1H, Deadly, Hidden 1)
§ Disruptor Pistol (Ranged, 5 A Vicious 1, Size 1H)
DARING 08 INSIGHT
07 REASON 09

SPECIAL RULES:
§ No Quarter: When commanding a boarding action and DISCIPLINES
assisting the soldiers under his command by giving them
COMMAND 01 SECURITY
– SCIENCE 02
orders, the Breacher may re-roll a single d20.

CONN – ENGINEERING 01
MEDICINE 02
ORION EXECUTIVE OFFICER [MINOR NPC] STRESS: 9 RESISTANCE: 0

Executive Officers act as lieutenants for high-ranking members ATTACKS:

of the Orion Syndicates. They are skilled with a broad range of § Unarmed Strike (Melee, 1 A
Knockdown, Size 1H,
ship operations, and capable of fending off boarding attacks, Non-lethal)
piloting a vessel, and commanding underlings in battle. § Dagger (Melee, 1 A Vicious 1, Size
1H, Deadly, Hidden 1)
§ Disruptor Pistol (Ranged, 3 A
Vicious 1, Size 1H)
TRAITS: Orion

ATTRIBUTES SPECIAL RULES:

§ A Little Bit Extra: An Orion Science
Officer is always

CONTROL 07 FITNESS 08 PRESENCE 07 on the lookout for something

interesting, profitable, or
valuable. Whenever performing a
Task with Science, the
 DARING 09 INSIGHT 09 REASON 08 Orion Science Officer gains 1 bonus
Momentum, that
they can only spend on Obtain
Information.

DISCIPLINES
COMMAND 02 SECURITY 02 SCIENCE 01

CONN 01 ENGINEERING – MEDICINE –

ENCOUNTERS AND
ADVERSARIES 111

116
STARBAS
E OPS STATUS

STARBASE 4034
369

STARBASE 4057 683

ORION SECTOR TACTICAL COMMAND 168

4473 207

4629

STARBASE 4077 4889

826
373 683
STARBASE 74
SOL III – EARTH
STARFLEET
COMMAND
511

ORION ENGINEER [MINOR NPC] ORION PIRATE CREWMAN

[MINOR NPC]
Engineers maintain Orion vessels and equipment. They’re Orion pirates tend to operate in frontier
zones with little
brutal taskmasters and perfectionists, and shirking of or no support from the Syndicate or the
Trade Union.
duty among underlings is unacceptable when it comes to They are particularly independent
examples of an already
maintaining any space-going equipment. independent species. They ambush
merchant vessels, steal
cargo, and travel as quickly as possible
to an open port to
TRAITS: Orion sell their stolen goods. Then, it’s back
“on the account” as

ATTRIBUTES these corsairs call it. Back in deep

space, and looking for
new prey…

CONTROL 08 FITNESS 08 PRESENCE 08 TRAITS: Orion

DARING 10 INSIGHT 08 REASON 09 ATTRIBUTES

DISCIPLINES CONTROL 09 FITNESS 09

PRESENCE 08

COMMAND 02 SECURITY 01 SCIENCE 01 DARING 09 INSIGHT

08 REASON 08

CONN – ENGINEERING 02 MEDICINE – DISCIPLINES

COMMAND 02 SECURITY
02 SCIENCE –
STRESS: 9 RESISTANCE: 0

CONN 01 ENGINEERING 01
MEDICINE –
ATTACKS:
§ Unarmed Strike (Melee, 2 A Knockdown, Size 1H,
Non-lethal) STRESS: 11 RESISTANCE: 1
§ Dagger (Melee, 2 A Vicious 1, Size 1H, Deadly, Hidden 1)
§ Disruptor Pistol (Ranged, 4 A Vicious 1, Size 1H) ATTACKS:
§ Unarmed Strike (Melee, 3 A
Knockdown, Size 1H,
SPECIAL RULES: Non-lethal)
§ Percussive Maintenance: An Orion Engineer keeps § Dagger (Melee, 3 A Vicious 1, Size
1H, Deadly, Hidden 1)
the ship running, no matter what it takes. When making § Disruptor Pistol (Ranged, 5 A
Vicious 1, Size 1H)
repairs to a ship system and buying additional d20s with
 Threat, the Overseer may re-roll a single d20. SPECIAL RULES:
§ Cutthroat Crew: Whenever the
Orion Pirates attempt a
Task related to boarding a captured
vessel, and they buy
additional d20s with Threat, they
may re-roll a single d20.

112 CHAPTER 05

117
PRASAD [NOTABLE NPC] § Cutting Wit: Prasad fights as much
with words as with
weapons. When in personal combat
against an enemy
who can understand him, he may
use Presence instead
Prasad is a handsome buccaneer, with a friendly smile of Daring to attack.
always showing through his scruffy beard. He wears
well-used but functional gear in defiance of the pomp and
panache one might expect of an Orion. He is mortal enemies SHRETSH [NOTABLE NPC]
with several Syndicate members. Time spent living in other
cultures, and the “infection” they caused, has made Prasad
something of an abolitionist. Shretsh’s face and body bear
horrendous scars: these are
the consequence of defying his slaver
captain. He’s vowed
TRAITS: Orion revenge against that individual, and, by
extension, the
Syndicates as a whole.
Uncompromising in his vengeance,
VALUE: No One Should Live a Slave Shretsh often takes risks that far
outweigh any benefit, and

ATTRIBUTES brooks no argument once he’s settled

on a course of action.

CONTROL 09 FITNESS 09 PRESENCE 10 TRAITS: Orion

DARING 08 INSIGHT 08 REASON 10 VALUE: I Will Destroy My Enemies

ATTRIBUTES
DISCIPLINES CONTROL 09 FITNESS 09
PRESENCE 09
 COMMAND 02 SECURITY 03 SCIENCE –
DARING 11 INSIGHT
09 REASON 07
CONN 01 ENGINEERING 02 MEDICINE 01
DISCIPLINES
STRESS: 12 RESISTANCE: 0
COMMAND 03 SECURITY
01 SCIENCE –

ATTACKS:
CONN 01 ENGINEERING 02
MEDICINE 02
§ Unarmed Strike (Melee, 4 A Knockdown, Size 1H,
Non-lethal)
§ Dagger (Melee, 4 A Vicious 1, Size 1H, Deadly, Hidden 1) STRESS: 10 RESISTANCE: 0
§ Disruptor Pistol (Ranged, 6 A Vicious 1, Size 1H)
ATTACKS:
SPECIAL RULES: § Unarmed Strike (Melee, 2 A
Knockdown, Size 1H,
§ Bold: Prasad is nothing if not daring. When performing Non-lethal)
a Task using the Daring Attribute and buying additional § Dagger (Melee, 2 A Vicious 1, Size
1H, Deadly, Hidden 1)
d20s with Threat, he may re-roll a single d20. § Disruptor Pistol (Ranged, 4 A
Vicious 1, Size 1H)

GORN
CHARACTERS

ALL ERAS OF PLAY

A bipedal, reptilian species from the Beta § ATTRIBUTES: +1 Daring, +1

Fitness, +1 Reason
quadrant, who have a civilization — the Gorn
Hegemony — far from Federation Space. First § TRAIT: Gorn. Gorn are large and
powerfully-built, even more so than other
encountered by Starfleet in 2267, the Gorn are famously-mighty species such as
the Klingons or Nausicaans. They are
technologically advanced to a level comparable many times stronger than a human
being, and resilient enough to ignore
to the Federation and other Beta Quadrant massive blunt force trauma or even
short periods in hard vacuum. However,
powers in most regards. Even a century after first Gorn are not especially agile or fast.
Gorn are ectothermic — cold-blooded
contact, there is relatively little contact between — with their body temperature
varying by external factors, and thus favour
the Gorn Hegemony and the Federation. warm environments where they can
be most active and effective.

ENCOUNTERS AND
ADVERSARIES 113

118
SPECIAL RULES: PARTHA [NOTABLE NPC]
§ Fuel the Flames: Shretsh has a significant propensity,
even preference, for violence. When he attempts a Task
to persuade or compel others to act in a violent manner, Partha is in her mid-twenties and
already a force to be
he may add a bonus d20 to his dice pool. reckoned with inside the Syndicates.
She is exceptional even
§ Obsessed: Whenever Shretsh attempts a Task to resist among Orion women, and capable of
wrapping the males
being intimidated or persuaded against a course of of any species around her little finger.
While she plays the
action and he buys additional d20s with Threat, he may role of slave to the hilt, she’s also one of
the Syndicate’s
re-roll a single d20. best infiltrators and many a ship has
fallen to her charms,
scientific or seductive.

JAGADISH [NOTABLE NPC] TRAITS: Orion

VALUE: No One Can Resist My Charms

Jagadish is a tall, rangy Orion man, who is old enough to have
streaks of gray in his hair. He’s one of the Syndicates’ top men ATTRIBUTES
when it comes to manufacturing knock-off medications, drugs,
CONTROL 09 FITNESS 08
PRESENCE 10
and other chemical concoctions. Unbeknownst to the Syndicate
he works for, Jagadish is working on a side project: A vaccine
DARING 07 INSIGHT
08 REASON 09
against the pheromonal control of the women of his species.
So far he’s risked it on a few test subjects from other species,
and is currently working up the nerve to test it on himself. DISCIPLINES
COMMAND 02 SECURITY
01 SCIENCE 03
TRAITS: Orion
 CONN 01 ENGINEERING 02
MEDICINE –
VALUE: The Women Have Controlled Us Too Long

ATTRIBUTES STRESS: 9 RESISTANCE: 0

CONTROL 07 FITNESS 08 PRESENCE 09 ATTACKS:

DARING 08 INSIGHT 09 REASON 10 § Unarmed Strike (Melee, 2 A

Knockdown, Size 1H,
Non-lethal)

DISCIPLINES § Dagger (Melee, 2 A Vicious 1, Size

1H, Deadly, Hidden 1)
§ Disruptor Pistol (Ranged, 4 A
Vicious 1, Size 1H)

COMMAND – SECURITY 01 SCIENCE 03 SPECIAL RULES:

CONN 01 ENGINEERING 01 MEDICINE 02 § Technical Persuasion: Partha

gathers information from
a computer system as easily as she
does from men.
Whenever she attempts a Task that
involves infiltrating a
STRESS: 9 RESISTANCE: 0 computer system, she may add a
bonus d20 to her pool.
§ Provocative: When performing a
Task using Presence
ATTACKS: + Command, Partha may spend a
Threat to gain some
§ Unarmed Strike (Melee, 2 A Knockdown, Size 1H, small but useful secret from her
target, regardless of the
Non-lethal) Task’s success or failure.
§ Dagger (Melee, 2 A Vicious 1, Size 1H, Deadly, Hidden 1)
§ Disruptor Pistol (Ranged, 4 A Vicious 1, Size 1H)

SPECIAL RULES:
§ Rational: Jagadish has spent time developing his
capacity for clear thought. Whenever he attempts a Task
using Reason and buys additional d20s with Threat, he
may re-roll a d20.
§ Chemical Genius: Jagadish is one of the best
biochemical engineers in the Quadrant. Whenever he
attempts to perform a Task related to biochemistry using
Reason + Science, he may reduce the difficulty by 1 (to
 a minimum of zero).

114 CHAPTER 05

119
SEEMA [MAJOR NPC] AMAAR [MAJOR NPC]

She sways in a seductive, knowing fashion, perpetually Amaar works with Seema as an
interrogator and brainwasher
amused by something... But for those paying attention, for the Syndicates. He was once a
notable captain in his own
Seema’s smile is teasing, wicked, and cruel. Her public right, and continues to fill that role so
long as Seema allows
persona is that of a well-kept Orion woman, older, but no less it. Their working relationship has left him
utterly under her
formidable. As an interrogator for the Syndicate, Seema loves control, willing to do anything to anyone
to achieve whatever
to provoke people and make them jump to her wishes. She goal she’s selected. He’s a burned-out
husk of a man, prone
slaps her weighted gloves into her hand, sensuously teasing to fits of violent rage when the pair’s
victims resist.
before applying the neuro-lash, drugs, or worse.
TRAITS: Orion
TRAITS: Orion
VALUE: I would do anything for Seema.
VALUE: Orion puppet-mistress, interrogator, the power
behind the power. ATTRIBUTES

ATTRIBUTES CONTROL 08 FITNESS 08

PRESENCE 09

CONTROL 08 FITNESS 08 PRESENCE 10 DARING 09 INSIGHT

10 REASON 07

DARING 07 INSIGHT 09 REASON 09 DISCIPLINES

DISCIPLINES COMMAND 03 SECURITY

– SCIENCE 01

COMMAND 03 SECURITY – SCIENCE 02 CONN 02 ENGINEERING 02

MEDICINE 01

CONN 01 ENGINEERING 01 MEDICINE 02 STRESS: 8 RESISTANCE: 0

STRESS: 8 RESISTANCE: 0 ATTACKS:
§ Unarmed Strike (Melee, 1 A
Knockdown, Size 1H,
ATTACKS: Non-lethal)
§ Unarmed Strike (Melee, 1 A Knockdown, Size 1H, § Dagger (Melee, 1 A Vicious 1, Size
1H, Deadly, Hidden 1)
Non-lethal) § Disruptor Pistol (Ranged, 3 A
Vicious 1, Size 1H)
§ Dagger (Melee, 1 A Vicious 1, Size 1H, Deadly, Hidden 1)
§ Disruptor Pistol (Ranged, 3 A Vicious 1, Size 1H) SPECIAL RULES:
§ Pheromonal Thrall: Thanks to
years of conditioning,
SPECIAL RULES: exposure to Seema’s pheromones,
and careful
§ A Dagger Hidden in Silk: Seema may re-roll a single manipulation by the
puppet-mistress, Amaar gains an
d20 when using Presence + Command and buying additional d20 when assisting her in
Tasks where she
additional d20s with Threat to persuade someone she is spends Threat.
interrogating. § Is It Safe?: Amaar is nearly as
vicious at torture and
§ False-Faced: When deceiving others, Seema reduces interrogation as his mistress, and
well-versed in the
the difficulty by 1, to a minimum of zero. ways of pain. When using these
unwholesome methods,
§ Provocative: When performing a Task using Presence Amaar may spend Threat to reroll a
single d20.
+ Command, Seema may spend a Threat to gain some § Confidant: There are moments
when Amaar’s
small but useful secret from her target, whatever the conscience, the little that remains,
peeks through the
Task’s result. hardened layers of conditioning.
When this happens,
§ She Has Ways...: Skilled in both interrogation and he’s easier to talk to, and its easier
to let slip secrets.
seduction, Seema may roll an additional d20 using Amaar reduces all Difficulties to
gain another’s trust
Presence or Daring on those Tasks. or extract a secret from them using
Insight by 1 (to a
§ Better Than You Know Yourself: Seema has honed minimum of zero).
her skill at reading others to an almost-psychic level. § Terrifying Invective: Something in
Amaar’s mind is
When using Insight + Command to do so, she rolls an simply broken. When a prisoner
resists Seema’s charms,
additional d20. he flies into a rage that is terrifying
to behold. In such
circumstances, Amaar uses
Command rather than
 Security to determine damage in
melee.

ENCOUNTERS AND
ADVERSARIES 115

120
CHAPTER
05.30 ENCOUNTERS AND ADVERSARIES
THE KLINGON BORDER

DESCRIPTION dab in the middle of the border zone,

equally far from
Klingon and Federation space. And
no laws apply there. It
serves as a repair station, a place to
hire crew, or sell cargo,
The Klingon border is an volume of space roughly 5 light or just relax and blow off steam
between jobs. It is not the
years wide, stretching for some 300 light years, between the sort of place where a Starfleet crew
should find themselves.
territory of the United Federation of Planets and the Klingon But when your main chambers coil
overloads, and your ship
Empire. During the hostilities of the 23rd Century, this area desperately needs repairs,
sometimes you have no choice.
was sometimes referred to as the Klingon Neutral Zone, an But can a Starfleet crew really stay
out of trouble in such a
analog to the Romulan zone. By treaty, the Federation and lawless place, at least until the
repairs are done? No matter
the Empire agreed to maintain the neutrality of this area, with who else turns up at the port…
neither advancing their border any closer to the other. The
Klingon Border has a reputation of being a lawless frontier, WHAT ROUGH BEAST…
since no government directly lays claim to it. Starfleet vessels The Player Characters’ ship is
observing an unstable
are as likely to encounter Orion pirates in this region as wormhole which has opened in the
Klingon border zone. As
they are Klingons. Everyone tends to walk on metaphorical the wormhole collapses a massive,
alien construct is ejected
eggshells, knowing that any provocation that results in a into normal space. It could be an
utterly immense starship, or
 breakdown of the delicate power balance in the region could perhaps a space station of some
kind. The design is entirely
lead to a diplomatic incident, or worse. unfamiliar, and there appear to be no
obvious sources of
propulsion.

ENCOUNTER SEEDS Scans indicate that it possesses a

breathable
atmosphere within the hull, and
comfortable gravity,
but the sensors are having a hard
time interpreting the
UNDER A BLACK FLAG results. Energy output is not a
recognizable variety, and
The Player Characters’ ship is ordered to the Klingon border; lifesigns are entirely inconclusive.
The object appears to
an Orion pirate has been reported to be waylaying merchant be dead in space, and drifting
towards the Klingon side
vessels. Given the official neutrality of the border territory the of the border. Does the crew
explore? Do they attempt to
situation is a bit complicated, as the pirates skip back and recover the object? What happens
when a Klingon vessel
forth over the border, depending on which fleet is after them. shows up, with a salvage claim
because the object is
The PCs will also have to deal with a Klingon vessel that has drifting towards their space? What
lies within the object?
been given similar orders, and may not be entirely amenable And why does it “feel” haunted?
to the idea of cooperation. And what happens when it turns
out that the most recent “innocent victim” of the Orion pirates
is anything but innocent? How do you deal with a smuggler,
KLINGON BAT’LETH
who has been moving contraband between Federation and
Klingon space, but who has also suffered pirate attack?

A LAWLESS PORT
Asobi Station is a lawless port, an old, 23rd Century
Federation K-style station, salvaged refitted and jury-
rigged together by an enterprising Human merchant named
Jones. At least, that’s the name he claims, but there are
no matching records in Federation systems. Jones has
positioned Asobi Station in deep space, well off the usual
trade routes, and not within any star system, but it’s
smack- SCHEMATICS

116 CHAPTER 05
121
KLINGON SCIENTIST [MINOR NPC] STRESS: 9 RESISTANCE: 0

ATTACKS:
Not all Klingons are warriors, and some Klingons follow § Unarmed Strike (Melee, 1 A
Knockdown, Size 1H,
what are sometimes considered less-respected paths. Non-lethal)
These types show up on the border, where they can § D’k tahg Dagger (Melee, 1 A Vicious
1, Size 1H, Deadly,
pursue their careers without being drawn into the intrigues Hidden 1)
of the Empire. § Escalation Bat’leth (Melee, 3 A
Vicious 1, Size 2H)
§ Disruptor Pistol (Ranged, 3 A
Vicious 1, Size 1H)
TRAITS: Klingon

ATTRIBUTES SPECIAL RULES:

§ Brak’lul: A Klingon’s Resistance is
increased by +2

CONTROL 08 FITNESS 09 PRESENCE 08 against Non-lethal attacks.

§ Brilliant Theoretician: When the
Klingon Scientist

DARING 08 INSIGHT 09 REASON 09 completes a successful Task using

his Science
Discipline, he may spend 3 Threat
or Threat to

DISCIPLINES assist another scientist’s next

scientific Task with his
Insight + Command.

COMMAND 01 SECURITY – SCIENCE 02

CONN – ENGINEERING 02 MEDICINE 01

ENCOUNTERS AND
ADVERSARIES 117

122
KLINGON DIPLOMAT [NOTABLE NPC] HUMAN SMUGGLER
[NOTABLE NPC]
 Klingons occasionally send diplomats out to the border Human merchants do business all
over the Galaxy, trading
regions to negotiate with other powers. This was notably with the Ferengi in the Alpha
Quadrant, selling Andorian
the case on the border world Nimbus Three, the so-called icewine on Earth and much else
besides. Sometimes,
“Planet of Galactic Peace,” where representatives of the though, the law gets in the way. A
valued customer wants
Federation, Klingon and Romulan Empires gathered to keep some Romulan Ale, for instance, or
maybe a group of
communication open between their governments. Diplomats Maquis want a shipment of weapons
delivered from
they may be, but they are also Klingons! Klingon space. These things can
always be arranged, for
the right fee.
TRAITS: Klingon
TRAITS: Human
VALUE: For the Good of the Empire
ATTRIBUTES
ATTRIBUTES CONTROL 08 FITNESS
10 PRESENCE 10
CONTROL 07 FITNESS 09 PRESENCE 11
DARING 07 INSIGHT
09 REASON 09
DARING 10 INSIGHT 09 REASON 08
DISCIPLINES
DISCIPLINES COMMAND 02 SECURITY
03 SCIENCE 01
COMMAND 03 SECURITY 02 SCIENCE –
CONN 02 ENGINEERING
02 MEDICINE –
CONN 02 ENGINEERING 01 MEDICINE 01

STRESS: 13 RESISTANCE: 0
FOCUSES: Negotiation, Hand-to-Hand Combat
ATTACKS:
STRESS: 11 RESISTANCE: 0 § Unarmed Strike (Melee, 4 A
Knockdown, Size 1H,
Non-lethal)
ATTACKS: § Disruptor Pistol (Ranged, 6 A
Vicious 1, Size 1H)
§ Unarmed Strike (Melee, 3 A Knockdown, Size 1H,
Non-lethal) SPECIAL RULES:
§ D’k tahg Dagger (Melee, 3 A Vicious 1, Size 1H, Deadly, § Slippery: The Human Smuggler
is used to playing upon
Hidden 1) his essentially harmless nature to
wriggle out of trouble.
 The Smuggler reduces all
Difficulties when trying to
SPECIAL RULES: convince authorities to let them
go using Presence by 1
§ Brak’lul: A Klingon’s Resistance is increased by +2 (to a minimum of 0).
against Non-lethal attacks.
§ Cunning Negotiator: Whenever a Klingon Diplomat
attempts a Presence Task to influence an opponent
during a negotiation, the Diplomat may re-roll one d20.

65891

91210

29430

OPTIMAL INTERCEPT LOCATION 76125

62901

118 CHAPTER 05

123
M’KETH, SON OF NONE [NOTABLE NPC] DELPHINE SÉVERIN (REAL
NAME: LOOR,
DAUGHTER OF HEREG)
[NOTABLE NPC]
The ultimate punishment for a Klingon is discommendation.
For their crimes, the Klingon is stripped of all honor, of The Klingons have a history of using
cosmetic surgery to
citizenship, even of personhood. M’Keth is a notorious alter spies so that they look like
members of another species.
outlaw along the border. He calls himself the “Son of Such spies often cross the Klingon
border on missions for
None” because of his discommendation. He is a total wild the Empire. A medical scan will reveal
their true nature, but
card, raiding as he pleases, throwing wrenches into the as long as they can avoid arousing
suspicion, nobody would
plans of the Klingon great houses, and generally causing think to ask.
chaos. He commands an old K’T’inga-class cruiser, and
leads a fanatically loyal crew who keep the aging vessel in TRAITS: Klingon, Disguised (Human)
astonishingly good working order.
VALUE: I Must Earn Back My True Face
TRAITS: Klingon
ATTRIBUTES
VALUE: Burn It All
CONTROL 09 FITNESS 11
PRESENCE 09
ATTRIBUTES DARING 10 INSIGHT
08 REASON 07
CONTROL 08 FITNESS 10 PRESENCE 08
DISCIPLINES
DARING 11 INSIGHT 09 REASON 07
COMMAND 02 SECURITY
03 SCIENCE 01
DISCIPLINES CONN 02 ENGINEERING 01
MEDICINE –
COMMAND 03 SECURITY 02 SCIENCE –

CONN 02 ENGINEERING 01 MEDICINE 01 FOCUSES: Infiltration, Espionage

STRESS: 14 RESISTANCE: 0
FOCUSES: Starship Tactics, Hand-to-Hand Combat
ATTACKS:
STRESS: 12 RESISTANCE: 1 § Unarmed Strike (Melee, 4 A
Knockdown, Size 1H,
Non-lethal)
ATTACKS: § Disruptor Pistol (Ranged, 6 A
Vicious 1, Size 1H)
§ Unarmed Strike (Melee, 3 A Knockdown, Size 1H,
Non-lethal) SPECIAL RULES:
§ D’k tahg Dagger (Melee, 3 A Vicious 1, Size 1H, Deadly, § Covert: Loor has been surgically
altered to resemble
Hidden 1) a human female, and learned the
appropriate dialect
§ Escalation Bat’leth (Melee, 5 A Vicious 1, Size 2H) and a backstory (her “legend” in
espionage terms) for
§ Disruptor Pistol (Ranged, 5 A Vicious 1, Size 1H) her cover identity. She poses as
Delphine Séverin, a
§ Escalation Disruptor Rifle (Ranged, 6 A Vicious 1, French journalist. Whenever Loor is
required to attempt
Size 2H, Accurate) a Task to maintain her cover identity
she may roll an
additional d20.
SPECIAL RULES: § Adaptable: Loor may spend 2
Threat to immediately
§ Tactical Genius: Once per scene, if M’Keth succeeds at gain a single Focus for the
remainder of the scene.
an Insight + Command Task to assess his opponent, he § Brak’lul: Even when surgically
altered, a Klingon’s
may spend two Threat to allow all under his command to Resistance is increased by +2
against Non-lethal
re-roll one d20 on their next Task. attacks.
§ Brak’lul: A Klingon’s Resistance is increased by +2
against Non-Lethal attacks.
§ Warrior’s Spirit: When M’Keth attempts a Melee attack,
and purchases one or more additional dice with Threat,
he may re-roll any number of d20s.

ENCOUNTERS AND
ADVERSARIES 119

124
COMMANDER KARUK [MAJOR NPC] FOCUSES: Starship Tactics, Inspiration,
Resilience,
Suspicion, Hand Disruptors, Strategy

Karuk, Son of Krell, is the commanding officer of the I.K.S. STRESS: 13 RESISTANCE: 1
Chal’qul, a Vor’cha-class attack cruiser. His orders are to
patrol the Klingon border and shadow Starfleet vessels ATTACKS:
operating in his area, keeping tabs on their operations. Karuk § Unarmed Strike (Melee, 4 A
Knockdown, Size 1H,
does not like the Federation. His father never favored the Non-lethal)
armistice and eventual treaty, and Karuk feels that the alliance § D’k tahg Dagger (Melee, 4 A Vicious
1, Size 1H, Deadly,
will not, and need not, last much longer. If presented with a Hidden 1)
suitable opportunity, he will provoke a confrontation to drive a § Escalation Bat’leth (Melee, 6 A
Vicious 1, Size 2H)
wedge between the Empire and the Federation. § Disruptor Pistol (Ranged, 6 A
Vicious 1, Size 1H)
§ Escalation Disruptor Rifle (Ranged,
7 A Vicious 1,
TRAITS: Klingon Size 2H, Accurate)
VALUES: SPECIAL RULES:
§ The Alliance Weakens Us § Suspicious: In situations where
Karuk is distrustful of
§ Death Before Dishonor his opponent, he can substitute his
Insight for any other
§ Great Men Make History Attribute in Opposed Tasks against
that opponent.
§ Never Trust Starfleet § Brak’lul: A Klingon’s Resistance is
increased by +2

ATTRIBUTES against Non-lethal attacks.

§ Warrior’s Spirit: Karuk may re-roll
any number of d20s

CONTROL 11 FITNESS 10 PRESENCE 09 when he attempts a Melee attack

and purchases one or
more additional dice with Threat.

DARING 09 INSIGHT 11 REASON 09

DISCIPLINES
COMMAND 05 SECURITY 03 SCIENCE 01

CONN 03 ENGINEERING 02 MEDICINE 02

 120 CHAPTER 05

125
CHAPTER
05.40 ENCOUNTERS AND ADVERSARIES
THE SHACKLETON EXPANSE

THE
EXPANSE
OVERVIEW

Largely unexplored for centuries, the Expanse hasn’t been Despite continuing tensions with the
Romulans and now with
mapped to any degree beyond what was gathered from the recently encountered Dominion,
Starfleet remains focused
unmanned deep space probes only in the last century. Most on its mission of exploration. A key
area in achieving that end
probes stopped transmitting data shortly after entering is a massive swath of unexplored
territory at the edges of
the Expanse, so it wasn’t until recently that we achieved a known space within the Beta
Quadrant. Informally known as the
better understanding of what is out there. And even then, it’s Shackleton Expanse — after the
renowned ancient Earth explorer
estimated that less than eight percent of the Expanse has Ernest Shackleton — this remote
region spans dozens of sectors
been mapped: there’s a lot of territory waiting to be surveyed. containing hundreds of uncharted
systems.

What that eight percent shows us, though, is that the Until recently, little was known about
the Expanse save for what
Expanse is well supplied with resource-rich planets, moons, little data long-range sensor probes
had collected and the stories
and asteroid belts, along with countless interstellar features and legends that were culled from
independent traders who
that would excite any scientist. Starfleet believes that a claimed to travel in and near the
Expanse. This section provides
“gold rush” mentality might overtake potential explorers, and more detail on the Shackleton
Expanse and some of what may be
dozens or more species will send ships to explore, conquer, found within it.
or engage in other activities within the Expanse. Starfleet
needs to be there, and lead the race.

Among the challenges most vessels and probes face when

entering the Expanse are the various stellar phenomena that starbase serves as an example of
Federation-Klingon
emit indeterminate forms of electromagnetic and gravimetric cooperation and friendship.
distortions. These emissions wreak havoc with sensitive
shipboard systems, including defensive shields, sensors, Both Starfleet and Klingon personnel live and
work
navigational deflectors, and, in some cases, inadequately here, pursuing missions relevant to their
governments,
shielded warp cores. We even have intelligence suggesting as well as joint tasks that support the increased
that the distortions interact in unfortunate ways with the collaboration between the Federation and the
Empire.
artificial quantum singularities Romulans use in their warp Given the station’s location and relative isolation
from
cores. Federation scientists are hard at work developing a more populated areas of Federation space, the
station’s
series of upgrades for any Federation vessel assigned to the command staff was granted broad authority to
manage
Expanse to help counteract the disturbances. missions and operations around the station and
into
the Expanse. The starbase also serves as a first
line
of defense against threats to the Federation and
the
STARBASE 364 Klingon Empire, whether from a known
adversary or by
something previously unidentified that could
emerge from
the unexplored depths of the Shackleton
Expanse.
Starbase 364, more popularly and informally known as
Narendra Station, came fully online in 2369. It was named
in tribute to the Klingon colonists massacred during a KEY STATION PERSONNEL
Romulan sneak attack against the outpost on Narendra III in ADMIRAL APRIL HEBERT
2344. It also reminds everyone of the Klingons’ appreciation Even though Admiral Hebert earned her flag
just six months
for the actions of the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-C, ago, following a remarkable thirty-year run as a
fearless
sacrificed while answering the colony’s distress call. The captain, she has wasted little time in establishing
Narendra

ENCOUNTERS AND ADVERSARIES 121

126
Station as a bastion of
Federation-Klingon relations. She has
also honed the 20th Fleet into an
effective first-line defense
between the Federation and any
threat from the Shackleton
Expanse. She is an effective
leader, a compassionate
advocate, and a moderate voice
in these challenging times.
While most of her fleet’s starships
are scattered across
many sectors of space along
both the Klingon and Romulan
borders, she is eager to direct
her fleet’s newest vessels into
the Expanse.

GENERAL KARGAN
While General Kargan is a
capable leader and a fearsome
warrior, it is his extensive
experience of Starfleet — thanks
to his participation in the Officer
Exchange Program during
the 2360s — that brought him
the chance to serve aboard
Narendra Station as the Klingon
Empire’s highest-ranking
 representative. Kargan manages
the day-to-day station
operations with Admiral Hebert,
and while their partnership is
still very young and tentative,
there is progress on both sides.
He is a vocal defender of the
Klingon population aboard the
station, though he is enough of a
diplomat to not blindly
defend his people in every
circumstance.

DR. HELENA TALIAFERRO

Doctor Taliaferro is a renowned
and politically oriented
Federation scientist, assigned to
lead all research efforts
based out of Starbase 364.
Despite the Admiralty’s desire to
have a Starfleet scientist in the
lead role, civilian authorities
prevailed and secured her
position aboard the station.
Several Federation worlds,
concerned about the Federation’s
THE WHISPERS expansion into the Expanse, had
wanted at least one non-
Starfleet official aboard the
station. Taliaferro’s brusque
EXCERPT FROM A FIRST MATE’S PERSONAL LOG demeanor and lack of social
graces — out of character for a
Betazoid — are balanced by her
exemplary organization skills
Cap’n Tagral spun another of her wild tales tonight. Seems that and relentless curiosity.
one of the crews what travelled with her through the Expanse
some years back all demanded to buy out at the same time, after LIEUTENANT OLOK
their ship returned to Narrie Station after transporting supplies to a The station’s chief engineer,
Lieutenant Olok, is one of
Federation colony. Seems they’d all heard “the whispers” out there several younger sons of a Klingon
High Councilor now forced
among the swirlies. And not a one of them could figure out who was to be creative in finding his own
honor and glory. He has,
saying what or where the voices were coming from. as yet, had little opportunity to
distinguish himself in battle,
but he does leave most of his
peers behind when it comes
Cap’n emphasized that the whole crew accepted three-fifths to understanding power transfer
conduits and creative
payment rather than full shares in order to get out of their contracts applications of self-sealing stem
bolts.
early and off the ship, which seemed to suit the captain just fine.
She said she hadn’t heard no whispers, and figured it had to be a COMMANDER N’RIA
soft mutiny for the crew to want to all buy out at the same time. As Chief Medical Officer aboard
Narendra Station,
Commander N’Ria and her
medical staff receive and
Her story didn’t seem like just a story. I think it was one of them treat patients of hundreds of
diverse species. N’Ria treats
allegories, like she was trying to send us a message. I should get them all with the same level of
indifferent competence.
to the engine room tomorrow morning to warn the techs that their She has little time for coddling,
even less time for filing
talk of strange voices and ghostly forms has gotta stop before it reports, and is rumored to be
deeply connected to the
spreads to the rest of the crew. No way am I gonna be pushed into increased theragen addiction
spreading among station
a three-fifth. My two wives and six kids gotta have a nesting they personnel. So far, N’Ria has
managed to avoid any direct
can be proud of. accusations, perhaps due to her
effective procedures and
treatments.

122 CHAPTER 05

127
CAPTAIN AKUL The range of missions the Expanse
flotilla will undertake
Akul is a veteran Klingon warrior, loyal to Chancellor is extensive and should serve to
challenge even the most
Gowron. He is generally positive toward his Federation veteran of crews. Near- and deep-space
exploration,
allies, but bristles at their apparent lack of speed when it convoy escorts, planetary survey
missions, first contacts,
comes to what are, to him, routine tasks. He knows what stellar cartography mapping, and many
more will test their
he wants when he wants it, and he does not hesitate to resolve and ingenuity.
demand what he wants in as loud a manner as needed.
Despite his harsh attitude and hatred of inefficiencies,
Akul is something of an oddity among Klingons:
exploration and the unknown fascinates him, which is
partly why he agreed to take his ship into the Expanse to
INTERCEPTED
patrol alongside the Federation.
INTELLIGENCE REPORT
ADDITIONAL FEDERATION PRESENCE
Due to its proximity to both Romulan and
Klingon NEW STARFLEET
ASSIGNMENTS
space, the Expanse is of key strategic importance to the
Federation and Starfleet. The Security Council recently We have received reliable
pushed for a stronger Federation presence within reports that Starfleet
Admiralty
the Expanse, which is why three of our top ships and has transferred three
vessels
crews were reassigned to the 20th Fleet. As those three to the command of Admiral
pathfinder ships discover new worlds and new resources, Hebert at Starbase 364.
While
you can expect Starfleet to commit additional vessels and some operatives consider
this to
resources to the Expanse. be a preamble to a more
aggressive
stance toward Romulan
space,
FLEET OPERATIONS I believe this move suggests
the Federation is focusing exploratory
In answering the Security Council’s request, Fleet efforts on the so-called
Shackleton Expanse.
Operations assigned three starships to Starbase 364 — the
Akira-class U.S.S. Thunderchild (NCC-63549), the Galaxy- We have, as yet, not found
any reliable intelligence to suggest
class U.S.S. Venture (NCC-71854), and the Intrepid-class why the Federation might
have suddenly taken an interest into
U.S.S. Bellerophon (NCC-74705). what has been, until now, a
relatively quiet sector of space, but
we have made it a priority.
We are casting the net wide for more
These three vessels are the first Federation starships to details on what the
Federation must have discovered.
enter the Expanse in a formal role. After undergoing minor
refits intended to harden certain shipboard systems against Appended to this report is a
request that the Senate approve
the electromagnetic hazards prevalent within the Expanse, several scouting sorties into
the Expanse.
the vessels were almost immediately sent out on a variety
of missions.

THE SHACKLETON EXPANSE:

NAVIGATIONAL HAZARDS

The electromagnetic and gravimetric eddies prevalent within a Difficulty 2 Task

using whichever Player Character and
the Expanse are Traits: “Electromagnetic Disturbances 2” ship statistics seem
appropriate (Reason + Engineering
and “Gravimetric Eddies 2”, so the Difficulty of certain Tasks with support from the
ship’s Structure + Engineering
attempted within the Expanse is increased by 2. Scanning the probably).
eddies is a Difficulty 3 Task, which may be attempted using
Reason + Security, Sciences, or Engineering, assisted by the Failing the Task
results in the swirls of electromagnetic
ship’s Sensors + Science (or some other combination as best energies interacting
negatively with the fluctuating shield
suits the characters attempting the Task). harmonics. The
Complication will burn out some of the
ship’s shield
emitters, reducing the ship’s Shields value by
Success at the scan reveals that the proximity to the eddies is 3. The emitters
cannot be repaired in the field and must be
having a direct effect on the starship. Further, an adjustment replaced. This means
the Player Characters’ vessel must
to the ship’s shield modulation should be sufficient to insulate make do until they
can complete their mission and return
the ship from the worst of the effects. Such an effort would be to Narendra Station.

ENCOUNTERS AND
ADVERSARIES 123

128
ADDITIONAL KLINGON PRESENCE in years prior to the battle of Wolf
359, there are some
Approximately 60 percent of the crew aboard Starbase in Starfleet Intelligence who
suggest the Borg may have
364 are Klingon, including the station’s chief medical originated from somewhere deep
within the Shackleton
officer and chief engineer. The Klingons pushed to secure Expanse. Starfleet vessels are
expected to monitor the
a majority presence on the station, citing proximity to their deeper regions of the Expanse
for any possible Borg activity
territory as a key factor. Federation diplomats chose not and to report it as soon as
possible. We’re ill-prepared for
to challenge the issue but did secure other key roles for another Borg incursion, so any
advance warning is better
Starfleet personnel. than none at all.

Several Klingon merchants and entrepreneurs have set up THE CARDASSIAN UNION
shops and restaurants on the station’s Galleria, alongside Intercepted intelligence reports
suggest that the
dozens more merchants representing over a hundred Cardassians are none too
pleased about the expanded
different species and homeworlds. While the Klingon relationship between the
Federation and Klingons. Despite
Defense Force has, as yet, assigned only one vessel to the their lack of territories within the
Beta Quadrant, the
station, we anticipate the High Council will send additional Cardassians may attempt to
scout sections of the Expanse
scout ships to support their Federation allies but also to in order to find new planets to
mine. With the uncertainty
further their own ends. around what the Dominion might
represent, the Cardassians
may well look to expand their
operations well beyond the
Alpha Quadrant.
POTENTIAL ADVERSARIES THE FERENGI ALLIANCE
Ever the opportunist, the Ferengi
Grand Nagus, Zek, has
Given that the Expanse is a short warp from Klingon space, already started to push
representatives into the Expanse
the Romulan Neutral Zone, and several shipping lanes, it to develop trade relations with
unaligned worlds and to
shouldn’t be surprising that you’ll probably encounter any establish stable trade routes
through the electromagnetic
number of alien vessels during your time within the Expanse. eddies. Of course, he intends to
charge a toll for every
Further, as rumors and stories about what may be found safe passage. Ferengi
ambassadors are working to
within the Expanse continue to spread throughout populated establish a formal embassy on
Narendra Station, and
space, we expect both Narendra Station and the Expanse may well succeed in due course
despite protestations
to draw interest from all corners of the known Galaxy. We’ll from the Klingons.
briefly discuss some of the most likely candidates now,
based on recent Starfleet Intelligence reports. THE ORION SYNDICATE
It’s well known that the Syndicate
has spies everywhere,
THE BORG and a hand in many of the
underworld dealings throughout
As yet, we still have limited knowledge of the Borg or the Alpha and Beta Quadrants.
While no merchant or
 whether they have a homeworld. Given that both the independent trader traveling
through the Expanse has
Klingons and Romulans suffered casualties to the Borg confirmed the presence of
Syndicate operations, it’s likely
that the Syndicate has eyes on
the Expanse, and maybe an
OTHER SHIPS, operation already in place.
Starfleet Intelligence, with the
cooperation of Fleet Operations,
is rumored to be developing

OTHER STORIES a series of missions designed to

locate and address any such
activities within the Expanse.

THE ROMULAN STAR EMPIRE

Even though just three Federation vessels have been assigned to Despite slow progress toward
better relations, the
Starbase 364 and the Shackleton Expanse to date, Gamemasters Romulans remain our primary
adversary. They remain
are encouraged to use one of the ships as the basis for their secretive and largely hidden
behind the Neutral Zone, no
campaign, replace one of the three established vessels with their doubt plotting their next move
against the Federation, the
own campaign’s starship, or simply add their campaign’s starship Klingons, or both. Romulan
ambassadors have issued
to those ships already assigned to the Expanse. Player Characters informal protests to both the
Federation and Klingon
could encounter any of the three ships’ crews at the station or on a leaders regarding Starbase 364,
though they have declined
mission, or could simply replace them and take on a key role in the to make any formal statement.
The Security Council is
exploration of the Expanse. well aware that Narendra Station
was not designed to be
a front-line defense post, and are
actively debating
whether to upgrade the station to
withstand any focused
Romulan offensive.

124 CHAPTER 05

129
UNALIGNED MERCHANTS AND ROGUES SCIENCES PLOT COMPONENTS
In addition to the established political entities discussed Plot Components that might present
opportunities for
earlier, countless independent merchants, traders, Sciences, Medical, and Engineering
Player Characters:
smugglers, and mercenaries have traveled into or through
the Expanse. Some even call the wild, untamed region § Scanning and researching the cause
of the
their home. Some are rumored to have detailed star charts electromagnetic and gravimetric
disturbances prevalent
detailing safe routes through the Expanse’s unpredictable throughout the Expanse
and uncertain electromagnetic eddies, and some even § Surveying dead worlds and ancient
ruins of alien species
claim to have salvaged relics and pieces of ancient long dead
technologies from dozens of planets and moons contained § Providing medical care to injured
beings of hither-to
within the Expanse. unknown species

Miradorn rogues, Pakled traders, rogue Klingon warriors, and

disenfranchised beings of all species may be found lurking in
the corridors of Starbase 364 or within the Expanse. Starfleet
TO BOLDLY GO...
vessels and crews assigned to the Expanse must remain as
vigilant as ever. FURTHER
ADVENTURES IN THE SHACKLETON EXPANSE

Gamemasters and Players

are encouraged to visit our website to
PLOT COMPONENTS sign up for the Star Trek
Adventures Living Campaign — set in the
Shackleton Expanse — to
enjoy regular releases of new missions
from either The Original
Series era or The Next Generation era. In
Gamemasters are encouraged to modify these plot addition, future Star Trek
Adventures supplements will add more
components for use in their own campaigns and detail to what is already
known about the Expanse and the secrets
adventures. They relate specifically to the Shackleton it contains.
Expanse and provide suggestions on how to use the
Expanse as a focal point of a campaign, or simply an
interesting place to visit during an adventure. The plot
components are separated into Starfleet’s three division
colors, suggesting likely plot focuses for Player Characters
GRAVIMETRIC DISTRIBUTION
from each division.

COMMAND PLOT COMPONENTS

Plot components ideal for Command or Conn Player
Characters:

§ Conducting first contact procedures with an Expanse

world’s populace
§ Maintaining or improving Federation-Klingon relations
§ Trailblazing and charting safe routes through the
Expanse’s dense navigational hazards
§ Mapping particularly dangerous hazards and establishing
safety margins for approach

OPERATIONS PLOT COMPONENTS

Plot components suitable for use with Security Player
Characters:

§ Escorting a supply convoy from Narendra Station to a

colony or deep-space research station
§ Protecting a delegate from an Expanse world during 1003-5505 28903 289010
18-101-88 18535 105578 200453 450
negotiations 2165-3590 1865
196743 19-300-50 1480 10220 320600 320
§ Gathering intelligence on alien species or on adversary 1818-3066 1988 205350
20-327-45 21550 357850 212996 3450
ship movements within the Expanse 1929-4040 18563
50368 27-435-56 45520 24890 459780 4560

§ Investigating ancient shielding or weapon technologies

found on ruined worlds

ENCOUNTERS AND
ADVERSARIES 125

130
TECH
NICAL SPECIFICATIONS MUH051067

INDEX
22nd Century Shielding .................................93 Delta .............................. 4, 9, 24, 52, 66, 79-80 Gorn
Political Structure .................................72
Abbran-Tadji ..................................................67 Deltan ............................................................79 Gorn
Raider ............................................. 96-97
Ablative Armor ...............................................89 Department of Temporal Investigations ........12 Gorn
Science and Technology ................ 72-73
Aenar ....................................................... 22-23 Detecting a Cloaked Vessel ...........................44 Gorn
Varanus Battleship................................97
Akul, Captain ...............................................123 Disruptors 44, 52, 63, 69, 72-73, 88-93, 95-98, Gorn,
The ...... 1, 4-5, 7-8, 35, 70-73, 87, 96-97
Algeron, Treaty of ..............9, 13, 53, 55, 57, 62 102-107, 109-115, 117-120
Gornar ..................................................... 72-73
Aliens’ Graveyard, the .......... See Rura Penthe Dominion, The .........................................8, 121
Gowron, Chancellor ....................... 8, 38-40, 44
Amaar (Orion) ..............................................115 DTI ..................................................................... Great
Houses, Klingon ..................................39
Andor ................................................... 9-10, 22 See Department of Temporal Investigations Hall
of Warriors ..............................................48
Andoria ....................... 13, 18, 22-24, 52-53, 68 Duras, House of .............................8, 16, 38, 48
Hebert, Admiral April ........................... 121-122
Andorian ... 9, 11, 13, 16-18, 21-24, 33, 79, 118 Earth Cargo Service (ECS) ............................20
Hernandez, Captain Erika..............................13
Apnex ................................................ 49-51, 64 Earth .................. 4, 6, 10, 13, 15-20, 26-29, 33, High
Council, Klingon ....................................39
Archer, Captain Jonathan ....4, 9, 13, 24, 31, 47 35-37, 43, 45, 52-54, 58, 66-68, Horta
..............................................................15
Ardana ...........................................................76 71, 73, 83, 88, 91, 94-95, 118, 121
Human Smuggler ........................................118
Ardanan .........................................................76 Earth-Romulan War ................................. 52-53 Hur’q
(Klingon, ‘Outsiders’) ............... 35-36, 43
Azetbur ..........................................................38 Efros ..............................................................80
Imperator (Gorn) ............................................72
B’Etor ......................................................38, 81 Efrosians ........................................................80
Imperial Senate (Romulan) ............................56
Bajoran ......................................................... 79 Emergency Medical Hologram (EMH) ...........21
Jagadish (Orion) ..........................................114
Bellerophon, U.S.S. .....................................123 Emperor, Klingon ......................... 36, 38-41, 46
Jammers ................................................. 72-73
Benzar ..................................................... 24-26 Enterprise .................................4, 6, 12, 15, 31,
K’mpec ..............................................15, 38, 47
Benzite ..................................... 5, 25-26, 77, 79 37-38, 47, 53, 62, 70, 79, 12
K’t’inga Battle Cruiser ..................... 89-90, 119
Betazed ................................................... 16-17 Eridani B ..................... 29, 69. See also Vulcan
Kahless ............17, 35-36, 38, 40-43, 45-46, 48
Betazoid ...................................... 16-17, 24, 79 Excalibur ........................................................13
Kargan, General ...........................................122
Bird-of-prey, Romulan (22nd Century) .... 91-92 Excelsior, USS ...........................................6, 37 Karuk,
Commander .....................................120
Bolarus ..........................................................78 Executive Agencies (Federation) ............. 11-13
Khitomer ................................6, 34, 38, 46, 108
Bolian .................................................. 5, 78-79 Federation Archaeology Council ...................11 Kirk,
James T ................... 12, 14-15, 37, 47, 70
Boreth ..........................................35, 38, 40, 46 Federation Arts Council ........................... 16-18
Klaang ...........................................................36
Borg, The .................................4, 8, 15, 21, 124 Federation Charter ............................10, 18, 29 Klach
D’kel Brakt ............ See Briar Patch, The
Briar Patch, The ................... 1, 5, 101, 108-109 Federation Culture ................................... 16-18
Klingon Astrography ................................ 34-35
Calder II ............................................. 50-51, 55 Federation Diplomatic Corps ........................11
Klingon Castes ..............................................41
Cardassia ......................................................20 Federation Political Structure .................. 10-13
Klingon Culture ........................................ 41-43
Cardassians .....................9, 15, 20, 38, 57, 124 Federation Science and Technology .............19
Klingon Defence Force (KDF) ........................41
Cartwright, Admiral........................................14 Federation Science Bureau ...........................11
Klingon Diplomat .........................................118
Casey, G (MACO) ..........................................14 Federation, The .......... 1-2, 4-22, 24-26, 28-29,
Klingon Honour ....................................... 41-42
Chaltok .............................................. 54-55, 65 33-34, 37-40, 43, 45-47, 49, 52-60, 62, 64,
Klingon Marriage Ceremony ..........................42
Cheron .....................................................13, 52 66-67, 69-73, 76, 79, 81, 83-85, 89, 90-91,
Klingon Military ........................................ 40-41
Cloaking Devices ............. 36-37, 43-44, 53-55, 95-96, 98-100, 102, 108, 116, 118, 120-121
Klingon Rank Comparisons ...........................40
57, 62-63, 65, 89-93, 102-103. Ferengi .................................9, 12, 26, 118, 125
Klingon Religion ............................................43
See also Klingon Special Rules First City, The (Qo’noS) .................................45
Klingon Ritual .......................................... 42-43
Colony ship, Civilian ......................................99 Free Traders and Cargo Ships (Federation) ...20
Klingon Science and Technology ............ 43-44
Colony Worlds (Federation) ...........................20 Freighter, Civilian ...........................................98
Klingon Scientist ..........................................117
Columbia NX-02 ............................................13 Gorkon ............................................... 37-38, 47
Klingon Special Rules ....................................90
Constitution-Class Starship (cross-section) ...6 Gorn Astrography ..........................................70
Klingon Political Structure ....................... 38-40
Continuing Committee, The .................... 55-56 Gorn Culture ..................................................71
Klingons .....1-2, 4-6, 8-9, 11, 16-17, 21, 34-48,
Coridan ................................ 11, 33, 66-67, 102 Gorn Hegemony, The .......... 1, 4-5, 7-8, 35, 70,
51-59, 62-63, 69, 72-73, 81, 84, 108, 116-121
D5 Battle Cruiser ...........................................88 72-73, 96-97
Kolinahr ................................................... 30-32
Delta Pavonis ................................. See Benzar Gorn Military ..................................................72 Kor
.............................. 34-35, 37, 40, 42-43, 46
 126 INDEX

131
Kri’stak Volcano .............................................46 Plot Components (Shackleton Expanse) .124-125
Starfleet Random Species Table ...................79
Lead Scientist, Romulan .............................105 Political Background (Romulan) .............. 55-56
Starfleet ....................... 2, 5-6, 8-16, 18-21, 24,
Lursa ........................................................38, 81 Potential Adversaries (Shackleton Expanse) 124 26,
28-29, 31, 34, 37, 40, 47, 56-60, 62-63,
Lusor, Lake of ................................................46 Praetor ...............................52-53, 55-56, 59-60
66-68, 72-73, 76-77, 79, 81, 83-85, 88-93,
M’Keth, Son of none ...................................119 Prasad (Orion)
..............................................113 96-99, 102, 108, 116, 120-121
Malar, Senator .............................................107 Praxis ................................................. 36-37, 45
Starships, Klingon ........................................ 44
Maquis, The .....................................20, 57, 118 Proconsul (Romulan) ......................... 55-56, 59
Steadfast ........................................... 49-51, 61
McCoy, Dr Leonard ‘Bones’ ........15, 17, 37, 47 Qam-Chee ............................................... 45-46
Subject of the Empire (Klingon, Jeghpu’wI’) .39
Medical Sub-Centurion, Romulan ...............104 Qo’noS . 5, 16, 18, 35-37, 40, 44-46, 81, 88-89
Suliban .........................................................108
Medical Technology (Federation)...................21 Quin’lat ..........................................................46 Sulu,
Captain Hikaru .......................................6
Metron Consortium ...................................8, 70 Raptor Scout ........................................... 88-89 Surak
..................................... 28, 30-33, 49, 52
Milky Way Galaxy ............................................4 Reman Bodyguard ......................................106
Survey Ship, Civilian ......................................99
N’Ria, Commander ......................................122 Reman ......................... 51, 60, 65, 85, 106-107 Tal
Shiar Interrogator, Romulan ...................105
Narendra ....... 1-2, 4, 6-8, 11-12, 15-16, 34, 38, Remembrance Stones ...................................32 Tal
Shiar Saboteur, Romulan .......................104
46-47, 52, 55, 121 Remus .....................................................51, 65 Tal
Shiar ................. 5, 12-13, 16, 54-56, 58-59,
Nausicaa ........................................................33 Rigellian Chelon
.............................................82 62, 92, 102, 104-105
Nausicaan ............................................6, 33, 53 Rigellian Jelna ...............................................82
Taliaferro, Dr. Helena ...................................122
Navigational Hazards (Shackleton Expanse) 123 Risa .............................. 6, 16-17, 20, 33, 64, 83 Tellar
.............................................. 9-10, 13, 24
Negh’Var Warship .................................... 90-91 Risian ................................. 5, 16-18, 20, 33, 83
Tellarite .. 9, 11, 13, 16-17, 21, 33, 53, 63, 79, 84
Neutral Zone, Romulan . 1, 4-6, 8-9, 16, 22, 24, Rite of Succession.........................................40
Thunderchild, U.S.S. ...............................8, 123
29-30, 34, 36-37, 46, 52-56, Romulan Astrography ....................................52
Transporters ........6, 19, 33, 43, 47, 69, 96, 100
59, 62, 65, 101-102, 116 Romulan bird-of-prey .41, 57, 61-63, 88, 91-93
Transports, Civilian .................................. 98-99
New World Economy (Federation) .................18 Romulan Culture ...................................... 61-62 Treaty
of Organia .................................6, 34, 37
Olok, Lieutenant ..........................................122 Romulan Military ...................................... 60-61
Ty’Gokor .................................................. 47-48
Organia ..........................................................37 Romulan Rank Comparisons.........................60
Typhon Expanse ..............................................9
Orion Astrography .........................................66 Romulan Science and Technology .......... 62-63 Uhlan
Technician, Romulan .........................103
Orion Blackguard ..........................................95 Romulans ......... 4-6, 8-9, 13-14, 24, 31, 33-34,
Venture, U.S.S. ......................................36, 123
Orion Breacher ............................................111 36-38, 40-47, 49- 69, 73, 79, 81, 87, Verex
III ..........................................................69
Orion Buccaneer .........................................110 91-95, 101-107, 116, 118, 121, 124
Vulcan Science Academy Survey Vessel.....100
Orion Characters .........................................110 Romulus ............. 51-52, 58, 61-62, 64-65, 102 Vulcan
......... 9-13, 16-18, 24, 28-33, 36, 49-53,
Orion Colonies ...............................................67 Rura Penthe .............................................37,
47 56-59, 61-62, 64, 79, 88, 91, 94, 100
Orion Engineer .............................................112 Russth (Gorn) ................................................71
Vulcan’s Forge ...............................................33
Orion Executive Officer ...............................111 Rynar .............................................................14
Vulcans, The ............ 5, 9, 16, 24, 27-28, 30-33,
Orion Free Traders .........................................67 Sakethan
.......................................................51 49, 52, 57, 59, 61, 79, 85, 94
Orion History ........................................... 66-67 San Francisco .......................................... 28-29
Warbird Commander, Romulan ...................106
Orion Interceptor ..................................... 94-95 Scout Ship, Romulan .............................. 92-93
Warbird, Romulan 38, 48, 52-54, 61-63, 92, 106
Orion Pirate Crewman .................................112 Scoutship Pilot, Romulan ............................103
Warrior’s Anthem (Klingon) ............................38
Orion Science and Technology......................69 Seema (Orion) ..............................................115
Weather Control (Federation) .................. 19-20
Orion Science Officer ..................................111 Séverin, Delphine (Loor, Daughter of Hereg) 119 Wolf
359 ....................................................8, 15
Orion Scout Ship ...........................................94 Shackleton Expanse, The .... 1, 4, 6, 8-9, 11-12,
Wormhole, Bajoran ..............................4, 8, 116
Orion Slaver Medic ......................................110 34, 52, 59, 101, 108, 121-125 Xindi
..................................................... 5, 83-85
Orion Slaver Overseer .................................109 Shirkahr .................................................. 28, 33
Xindi–Arboreal ...............................................83
Orion Syndicate .......... 1, 5, 7-8, 24, 33, 53, 57, Shran, General Thy’lek ..............................9, 13
Xindi-Insectoid ..............................................85
66-69, 87, 94-96, 108-116, 124 Shretsh (Orion) .............................................113
Xindi-Primates ...............................................84
Orion ..............................................................69 Sol .................................4, 9, 13, 24, 26, 29, 45
Xindi-Reptilians .............................................84
Paris ..............................................................29 Spock ....................... 15, 30-31, 47, 58-59, 102
Xindito ...........................................................84
Partha (Orion) ..............................................114 Ssessekh (Gorn) ...................................... 71-72 Xindu
....................................................... 83-85
Picard, Captain Jean Luc ........................15, 38 Starbase 364 .............. 121, See also Narendra
Zakdorn ......................................... 9, 79, 84-85
Pleasure Barge, Orion ............................. 95-96 Starfleet Medical ...........................................13

INDEX 127

132
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NCC-1701-D Limited Edition Corebook Limited Edition Borg Cube Box Set
Away Team Edition Corebook Borg Cube Gamesmaster Screen
Tricorder Starter Set Command, Operations & Sciences Dice Sets
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Alpha Quadrant Book Klingon Warband Miniatures
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133
ASSE
MBLE THE AWAY TEAM, NUMBER ONE!

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ENHANCE YOUR ADVENTURES WITH SETS OF EIGHT 32MM HIGH QUALITY
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RESIN MINIATURES PLUS GEOMORPHIC FLOOR TILES TO RECREATE
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Delta Quadrant Book Star Trek Villains Miniatures
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The Next Generation Bridge Crew Star Trek Villains
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135
ROMULAN STAR EMPIRE

136
CROSS THE
THRESHOLD

YOU JUDGE YOURSELVES AGAINST THE PITIFUL ADVERSARIES

YOU VE ENCOUNTERED SO FAR: THE ROMULANS, THE KLINGONS...
THEY RE NOTHING COMPARED TO WHAT S WAITING.

The Beta Quadrant sourcebook provides Gamemasters and Players with a wealth
of source material about the Galaxy of Star Trek. Focused on the Beta Quadrant,
The Beta Quadrant sourcebook contains:

Information on the Federation s A host of new Federation species

presence in the Beta Quadrant, to choose from during character
including the homeworlds of creation, including Benzite, Bolians,
Andoria, Earth, and Vulcan. Efrosians, and Klingons.

Material about the Klingon A selection of alien starships,

Empire and its history, including from the Klingon Empire, Romulan BET

information on its core worlds of Star Empire, Gorn Hegemony,

Qo noS, Boreth, Khitomer, Orion Syndicate, and civilian craft. A
 SOURCEBOOK
and Rura Penthe.
Guidance for the Gamemaster on
Information from the Romulan Star running missions and continuing QU

Empire on their history and politics, voyages in the Beta Quadrant,

and information about their worlds with a selection of new Non-Player
Romulus and Remus. Characters to enhance encounters.

This book requires the Star Trek Adventures core rulebook to use. ADRANT

MUH051067

ISBN 978-1-910132-91-3

TM & © 2017 CBS Studios Inc.

© 2017 Paramount Pictures Corp.
STAR TREK and related marks and
logos are trademarks of CBS Studios Inc. 9 781910 132913
All Rights
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BETA QUADRANT
MUH051067
SOURCEBOOK
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d CHAPTER 04