A decade after making peace, war once again loomed when the Klingons demanded the Federation
withdraw from a number of planets near their border.
Yet war was averted by the Organians, powerful non-corporeal beings who negotiated the Treaty
of Organia, establishing a border and neutral zone.
Tension then further relaxed when the Empire gave up their claim to the Archanis sector,
ceding it to the Federation in 2272.
Even so, relations remained poor over the ensuing years making war inevitable, if not
for a terrible tragedy in 2293, when over-mining destroyed the Klingon moon of Praxis.
This catastrophe forced the Empire to divert significant resources to deal with the environmental
aftermath, leaving them little choice but to participate in formal negotiations with
the Federation, resulting in the Khitomer Accords, establishing long term peace between
them.
However, while no longer on the verge of war, relations did not truly improve until an incident
involving another neighbouring superpower.
Though dealings with the Romulan Star Empire were always tumultuous, for a time they were
on good terms until 2344, when the Romulans invaded the Klingon outpost of Narendra III.
Rushing to the defence of the Klingons, the USS Enterprise C was destroyed when they refused
to retreat against 4 Romulan Warbirds.
Witnessing the bravery and honor of this Federation ship, the Empire saw them in a new light,
providing a great step forward towards a closer relationship.
By the mid 24th century, the Klingon Empire and United Federation of planets signed the
Treaty of Alliance, establishing an official state of friendship and cooperation between
them.
This alliance created a fundamental shift in the balance of power for the Alpha and
Beta quadrants.
Meaning other great powers like the Romulan Star Empire and Cardassian Union, would now
have to face both the Federation and Klingons, should they step out of line.
This treaty established many years of peace in the region, however without an outside
enemy to fight, The Klingon houses fell into their old pattern, turning against one another.
Although the treaty with the Federation made the Klingon Empire one of the two greatest
powers in the alpha and beta quadrants, peace did not provide a warrior species with much
opportunity for glory.
And so some were against the Treaty of Alliance, wishing a return to their conquering ways.
Believing that the Romulan Star Empire would make better allies because they both were
an imperialist, expansionary power, the ancient and influential House of Duras made a secret
agreement to undermine their treaty with the Federation.
This relationship between the House of Duras and Romulans began with the traitor Ja’rod
who helped them bomb a Klingon outpost on Khitomer, killing 4000 colonists in 2346.
Years later, when the high council learned the truth about what happened, the House of
Duras were far too politically powerful to punish, and so they agreed to blame the warrior
Mogh, who died in the attack, as his house was no more and was unlikely to have defenders.
Incorrect in this assumption, the Federation Officer Worf, son of Mogh presented evidence
of his father’s innocence, but when he learned to unity of the Empire was at stake, agreed
to accept the discommendation as the last of their House.
The longest serving Chancellor in their history, K’mpec kept the Great Houses at peace and
empire prosperous, but as he grew older new political factions emerged, positioning themselves
to challenge for leadership when he passed.
Representing the Old Houses, and establishment powers was Duras son of Ja’rod, while his
opponent Gowron was an outsider challenging the old corrupt establishment, drawing support
from lesser Houses and portions of the military.
In 2367 K’mpec learned he was dying from poisoning and sent for the famous Federation
diplomat Jean-Luc Picard, asking him to serve as arbiter of succession, overseeing the ceremony
where rival factions sent their champions to fight a duel to the death for leadership
of the empire.
However the real reason picard was called was to investigate the Chancellor’s death,
as the use of poison was considered considerable and thus the man responsible could not become
chancellor.
Throughout the investigation, they learned Duras was secretely working with the Romulans
like his father, but before he could be held responsible, he was killed by Worf in an act
of vengeance for the murder of his romantic partner.
With Duras dead, his sisters Lursa and B’Etor now led their House, possessing more support
than Gowron from within the Empire, in addition to continuing their family’s relationship
with the Romulan Star Empire who supplied them from the outside.
With their power growing, Lursa and B’Etor presented Toral, the illegitimate son of Duras
as a candidate to become chancellor.
However Picard denied the request, as Toral was young and had no victories in battle or
qualifications.
Withdrawing from the council in protest, the House of Duras began a devastating Civil war
they were poised to win.
Though Gowron won the support of Worf’s secret brother Kurn, who brought 4 squadrons
of loyal warriors, they remained badly outnumbered and lost 3 engagements in a row.
Unwilling to get directly involved in the conflict, Picard nevertheless wanted to help
Gowron’s faction in some way and so convinced the federation to blockade the romulan border,
preventing them from sending reinforcements to support the House of Duras.
A trap then expose this secret alliance and the House of Duras quickly lost support, allowing
Gowron’s forces to claim victory.
Emerging as the uncontested Chancellor of the Empire, Gowron reaffirmed their alliance
with the Federation, restoring the balance of power in the region.
In 2369, clerics at the temple on Boreth created a clone of Kahless, given memories from their
histories and legends.
This man, who stood as a living tribute to the original Kahless, was given the ceremonial
position of Emperor, though true power remain with the Chancellor.
In this same year, the Federation discovered the Bajoran Wormhole, providing instant travel
to a location in the gamma quadrant 70 000 light years away.
Though this provided many unique opportunities, they soon encountered the Dominion, a gamma
quadrant superpower ruled by Changeling Founders obsessed with dominating what they called
“Solid species” to avoid the persecution they experienced in the past.
Beginning covert operations in the Alpha Quadrant, the Dominion manipulated the Klingons into
launching an unprovoked attack against the Cardassian Union.
Despite their alliance, the Federation condemned these actions, leading to Gowron to break
off relations, pulling out of the Khitomer Accords.
Hostilities then worsened when the Klingons demanded territorial concessions, leading
to the brief but destructive Federation-Klingon War from 2372-2373.
Eventually the two powers realized the Dominion turned them against each other through a changeling
infiltrator posing as General Martok.
so Chancellor Gowron and Captain Benjamin Sisko of the Federation agreed to reinstate
the Khitmore Accords, and re-establish a defensive alliance between them.
This alliance, later joined by the Romulans, allowed them to mount a proper defense against
what became the Dominion-Cardassian-Breen invasion force.
Playing a key role in the war, for a time the Klingons fought alone, with the entire
defense of the Alpha Quadrant resting on their ships, which were the only ones capable of
resisting Breen energy dampening weapons.
Eventually the rest of their fleet was upgraded as well, but the prominence of the Klingons
was now plain for all to see, giving much attention to the real General Martok, who
escaped from a Dominion prison camp to take command of their forces.
Unfortunately this was a problem for Chancellor Gowron, who felt threatened by his General’s
rising popularity.
Having grown corrupt and paranoid over the years, Gowron put his own selfish interests
above the Empire and war effort, sending Martok on ill fated suicide missions to discredit
his name while also taking direct control of their forces on the front line during a
time of great crisis.
Unwilling to allow this disgrace to continue, Worf son of Mogh challenged and killed Gowron,
before making Martok the new Chancellor.
With a competent leader once again commanding their warriors, Martok worked with Federation
and Romulans to push back the Dominion eventually achieving a final victory at the Battle of
Cardassia in 2375.
Though the Klingons played a large role in saving the Alpha and beta quadrants, their
casualties and losses were enormous, estimating they would need a decade to recover.
Continuing to work and cooperate with their allies, the Klingons eventually join the Federation
by the 26th century.