(VRN) - - After a six-month delay, a surprise appearance by Organia's head of government shattered the Conference's deadlock over the remaining old Klingon heavy cruisers. Voice of Rigel News has secured an exclusive interview with Orion chief negotiator Praedo Morus on this latest event and it's aftermath.Praedo Morus (PM): He must have been desperate. Wrenfield, I mean. There's been no progress with both the Kephans and the Federation over these cruisers. So an appeal to higher authority has been made, so to speak.
Voice of Rigel News (VRN): Which authority are we talking about, sir?
PM: The Organians, of course. Let's be frank. To this hour, they keep a watchful eye over both Major Powers to stop any warfare between them. If it weren't for them, either side could swallow up the Homeworld and the Colonies in a heartbeat. So we owe them a huge debt of gratitude for our overall survival.
VRN: Indeed. So he felt the need to ask them to break what Earthers would call a
“logjam” in the negotiations?
PM: Of course. Furthermore, their involvement will end a similar quandary Star Fleet has with the Klingons over those ships they captured during the Four Years War. Two for the price of one, if you get my drift. All thanks to confirmed attacks against all of them by some new aggressor on their
“northern” frontiers.
VRN: New aggressor?
PM: Yes. They're too far away for us in the Free States to worry about, but not for long, I fear. At least according to what we all learned and confirmed since the last session.
VRN: Would you give us a brief summary of what happened?
PM: During the last conference session, everyone - - including myself - - were blinded by a bright blob of light within the empty square the conference tables surround. Moments later, there was a long-haired and robed old man where the light was. Introduced himself as
Migara, the new head of
Organia's Council of Elders. I saw a unmistakable look of relief on Wrenfield's face from where I sat.
This Migara then informed us all of some new enemy threatening Galactic Peace and all three governments in the conference. They called themselves the
Tordell Empire and were committed to expanding at all other's expense. I noted the smirks on the Federation team's faces. That's what they've long accused their Klingon and Romulan rivals of. If memory serves, there's a Terran word that describes taking pleasure at a painful situation...
VRN: I believe that word is
“schadenfreude” from the German language.
PM: Ah, thank you for the reference. Well the Organian told us of their raids in each territory and encouraged all three teams to double-check what he said. He started with Wrenfield's side.
This new empire struck their northern borders, capturing a small mining colony in the system they named UC-07. They built it on the third planet from their sun. (shook his head, smiling)
VRN: Sir?
PM: I wonder if it is true now that the average Kephan sets things up in threes, no matter what his or her ancestry was.
(chuckles) Even their potential colonies, now? Talk about living up to a stereotype.
VRN: Ah, sir, may we get back to the topic?
PM: My apologies, young man. My imagination's all a-flutter recently. Anyway to the Klingons.
They suffered an Tordellian attack on their colony world
qIH, which means
“One Thousand Daggers” in any other tongue. Their highest mountain range looked like their style of daggers. Hence the title of their new outpost. The colonists' fate afterwards was worse, much worse than their Kephan neighbors. When Mekta and his team got confirmation within the hour of that massacre, they rushed out of the room and smashed everything not bolted down within range. All accompanied by screams and oaths of vengeance against this new foe.
Finally, he told the Federation team of raids against both
Izar and
Bonanza. Coulson was shocked at the mention of
Izar, home of their hero Garth from the Four Years War.
Bonanza itself is famous for their massive underground gold and diamond deposits. Hence one expects a heavy Star Fleet presence there. Well the poor fellows barely survived the attack. From my sources, news is only one monitor and four corvettes remained from the melee and their base is still heavily damaged.
All was confirmed to be true. So Migara laid out his proposal to end this nonsense.
VRN: And it was in summary?
PM: The Kephans will be allowed their old Klingon vessels on condition they are earmarked for retaking
UC-07. That should be no problem for the Unity folks since they don't do shenanigans for it's own sake.
For the Klingons themselves, Star Fleet will release their captured ships to them provided they're used to only retake
qIH and fortify that sector. The Empire knows better than to tackle them as does the Federation. Remember they shut both sides down in the blink of an eye before imposing the Neutral Zone between them. Mekta asked only that the ships gather at Organia before crossing the Zone and receive skeleton crews to fly them.
No trickery from them as time is of the essence restoring their ownership of
qIH. Star Fleet will approve, I'm sure, as they now concentrate on reinforcing both
Izar and
Bonanza. And it's assured that all three Powers will demand their respective spy services to discover the Tordellians' future plots against them.
VRN: Nothing about us Orions?
PM: Only two parting words before he vanished as he arrived. To myself and to the Homeworld, he warned us
“behave ourselves” and that we'd be watched as well as our larger neighbors. To Wrenfield and Yenell, he asked them to
“take care of each other” and
“be a blessing to each other always”.
(chuckles) If those two don't get the message from even him, then they are utterly clueless.
VRN: So the conference is ended?
PM: Mercifully, yes. And if you'll pardon my making a prediction, this Tordell Empire will regret their wanton ways having the three of them cutting them down to size. If the rest of the known Galaxy joins them, they'll have much to shed tears over.
As for me, I pray the Homeworld will let me be and stop asking me to play the diplomat. Vacation awaits and I am thankful for it. Anything further?
VRN: Only our thanks for this interview, sir. Safe travels to you.
PM: Trust me, I look forward to them.
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NOTE: The Federation world Bonanza is from the Federation Booklet of the game, the left side of page 48.
The Klingon world of qIH is an original Imperial colony world.