Star Trek: The Klingon Empire

by Insight Editions

  DID YOU KNOW?

  THE ENDURING APPEAL OF BATTLECRUISER VENGEANCE

  Though the idea of Klingons partaking in leisurely pursuits such as the arts, games, or even the viewing of recorded entertainment programs might seem odd to the uninformed traveler, the truth is that this race of proud warriors, like all intelligent species, has its hobbies and pastimes. This definitely extends into the world of entertainment, including books and recorded audio and visual media. Some of these mIywI’ chu’ ghun, or “entertainment and leisure programs,” attract followers and fanatics of such devotion that what often begins as an amusing distraction takes on a life of its own, eventually fusing itself within a society’s collective consciousness. One such example is Battlecruiser Vengeance.

  Created as a serial melodrama program in the early twenty-third century, Battlecruiser Vengeance is the tale of Captain Koth, the heroic commander of the Vengeance who is descended from Emperor Kaldon himself. Born in the Quin’lat region, Koth seeks his destiny among the stars to fight against all enemies of the Empire. The stories, though simple, are essentially parables espousing the values of Klingon honor and courage always triumphing over evil. Despite ceasing production in the mid-twenty-third century, the program continues to attract new generations of followers, and festivals honoring Quin’lat as the birthplace of the fictional ship’s commander are held in the city each year. Many Klingons point to its uplifting stories and positive outlook on imperial conquest as one of the main factors in its continuing appeal.

  Numerous sequel stories were later produced in novel and holonovel form, and there are now plans to create a new version of the program, set in the modern day with a new, larger Battlecruiser Vengeance continuing the fight against the Empire’s foes. The series has even extended its influence beyond the Empire’s borders and become popular on several Federation worlds. Starfleet officers in particular are always on the lookout for merchandise tied to the program, the best of which is available only within the Empire’s borders. So don’t be surprised if a friend asks you to pick up a copy of the original recordings or some other Battlecruiser Vengeance knickknack during your visit to Quin’lat.

  Great Domes of Qo’noS

  Situated in the plains due north of the city, this revered landmark has for centuries resisted the ravages of time. To many, the great sandstone domes, which have stood defiant in the face of invasion and oppression, symbolize all that it means to be Klingon. The magnificent structures were built to serve as a monastery, but were later captured by forces loyal to the tyrant Me’droq. Subsequently, the entire structure underwent significant renovations to outfit it as the leader’s personal manor. From the Great Domes, Me’droq planned to deploy his legions north and east toward the First City and Qam-Chee, attempting to split territory along the trade route connecting the continent’s northern and southern regions. His campaign was cut short when Emperor Kaldon, in a bid to rescue the isolated Quin’lat villagers, dispatched forces north from the BIQ’a’blng Ocean toward the BIng’av Mountains, flanking Me’droq’s army before it could reach Qam-Chee. After forcing Me’droq to abandon the Great Domes, Kaldon returned the area to the ousted clerics and placed it under eternal imperial protection. To this day, 1,500 years after that decisive victory, a garrison of Klingon soldiers is permanently assigned here. The Domes contain one of the largest libraries on the planet, including handwritten editions of famous texts by each of the early emperors.

  SHOPPING AND ENTERTAINMENT

  * * *

  Though options aren’t quite as diverse as you’d expect to find in one of the larger cities, shopping in Quin’lat can still be fun. There is a broad selection of retail and curio shops, the latter specializing in the sort of souvenirs and other oddities that so characterize shopping in tourist-friendly areas. There are also quite a few art galleries, and musicians and other performers occupy space on various street corners in the Po’liDa entertainment district on the city’s east side. Don’t miss the Klingon who juggles two bat’leths and a d’k tahg knife. Although he’s quite talented, look closely and you’ll see he’s missing two fingers from each hand.

  nagh bIS’ub

  If there’s a gem and jewelry retailer anywhere else on the planet that can beat this place’s rock-bottom prices, we’ve yet to find it. This quaint little store, located in the middle of the Po’liDa district, features jewelry and other items fashioned exclusively out of rock and mineral deposits taken from the Kri’stak Volcano. The store’s owners craft everything by hand, from setting gemstones to fashioning the rocks into a range of custom shapes. Forget the souvenirs everybody else buys. Pick up one or two of these inimitable creations for someone special back home.

  Khamlet

  You’ve heard the stories and the rumors; now put all remaining doubts to rest as you take in this award-winning adaptation of The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, the play by the famed Earth playwright William Shakespeare. The Min’aq Theater in the city’s southern Jin’tika district brings audiences the classic, influential tragedy in “the original Klingon.” Though the Empire has known about Shakespeare for at least a century, accounts differ regarding how the Bard’s writings found their way to Qo’noS. There are some who believe that this awareness did not come until after a lasting peace was struck with the Federation and cultural information was exchanged. However, some theories claim that Klingon appreciation for Hamlet came after an incident in the twenty-second century when a Klingon crashed on Earth and accidentally initiated first contact with humans. As the story goes, the lone pilot, Klaang, became exposed to human literature during his brief time on Earth and later brought the plays of Shakespeare back to Qo’noS. These wildly entertaining yet implausible tales have never been substantiated, and Klaang denied their veracity for the remainder of his days. As for this adaptation, this hearty Klingon production by the superlative actors of the ‘angghal Theater Company pulls out all the stops to provide an authentic performance of the noted play, and even though all of the dialogue is rendered in tlhIngan Hol and many of the cultural references have been changed to reflect Klingon society and history, you’ll soon forget as you’re drawn into the experience. With the success of Khamlet, the troupe is now working on its next offering, a production of paghmo’ tIn mIS—a translation of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing—which is scheduled to open next year.

  DID YOU KNOW?

  THE DAY OF HONOR

  Another key aspect of Klingon life and culture is the warrior’s periodic need for self-reflection, an activity surrounded by its own rituals and traditions. The demands placed on soldiers of the Empire, the rigid discipline by which they must abide, and the responsibilities they carry as representatives of a martial caste dating back centuries are enormous. These duties can often cloud a warrior’s mind from the perspective needed to maintain one’s honor and display courage in the face of battle.

  Therefore, there is a designated day each year when duty requires that all Klingons pause from the rigors of daily life, evaluate their accomplishments, successes, and failures, and determine for themselves whether the actions they’ve taken are honorable. This ritual observance is known as the Batlh jaj, or the “Day of Honor.” Though originally intended as an observance only for those officially recognized as warriors of the Empire, the tradition has evolved over time so that nearly all Klingons, military and civilian alike, partake of the ritual. In Quin’lat, festivities are normally observed outside the original citadel, as it is here that the tradition is believed to have been born during the final years of Emperor Kaldon’s reign.

  During this period of deep contemplation and introspection, each Klingon is required to respect the personal honor of friends and enemies alike. They are also required to treat everyone, regardless of their species or heritage, like a Klingon. As a consequence, anyone—including non-Klingons—can be invited to participate in the Day of Honor and its pivotal ceremonial combat performance known as suv’batleth. Following the ritual combat, participants often
partake of a feast of fresh rokeg-blood pie as a way of closing out the Day of Honor observances.

  DINING AND NIGHTLIFE

  * * *

  There are plenty of food options in the city, and several restaurants cater to non-Klingons. Quin’lat is actually one of the first cities on the planet to make significant strides in this area, and travel experts predict that this effort will one day make this a premier tourist destination.

  mIplIj yIjon

  The name of this lively combination tavern and Go’daHl’ parlor translates as “capture your wealth.” Standing alone five kilometers north of the city on the way to Three Turn Bridge, this ramshackle structure is decorated with enough neon lighting that it’s visible from twice that distance, and perhaps even from orbit. The game of Go’daHl’, played with an assortment of intricately decorated and colored cards, is at times reminiscent of Earth poker. Anyone is invited to have a seat at the table, though the regular players take the games and the stakes seriously, so don’t enter if you don’t have the credits to cover your bets.

  por SuS Tea House

  While it’s fair to say that Klingons love their bloodwine, warnog and other ales, as well as their coffee, it’s also true that they’re pretty serious about their tea. The proprietor of the por SuS Tea House, Ra’tijik, has capitalized on that passion with this unassuming little cafe she opened after immigrating to Quin’lat from Ketha Province. The leaves she uses to blend each of her fourteen varieties of herbal teas are all grown in the hydroponics dome she constructed behind her building, which is located south of the original Citadel. Do not leave without trying Ra’tijik’s signature blend of peppadugh spice—which is similar to chamomile—and something she won’t identify but that we think tastes like eucalyptus. Her cafe also offers a small section of Jlnjoq breads and toasts. Don’t be surprised to see two old Klingons playing Klin zha in the cafe’s far corner. By all accounts, they’ve been there, playing the same game, since before Praxis exploded.

  Quark’s Bar, Grill, Gaming House, and Holosuite Arcade, Quin’lat

  Despite the success this franchise has enjoyed on other worlds, Quark’s still seems at first to be wildly out of place here on Qo’noS, particularly as it sits tucked among more traditional establishments in the Jin’tika district on the city’s south side. Pa’vanoQ, the bar’s Klingon manager, was apparently quite taken with the original club during a visit to Federation station Deep Space 9, and lobbied for the opportunity to bring the brand to his home city. Though Pa’vanoQ did import some of the same food and drink selections that made Quark’s famous, the menu here favors Klingon cuisine, which, of course, includes beverages fit for a warrior’s palate. The holosuites are a popular draw, though most locals prefer the gaming parlor and friendly bouts of In’zanS darts or Wo’dagh, a card game similar to Pyramid or five-card stud. If you’re feeling particularly daring, take Pa’vanoQ’s “Fire Breath” challenge, where patrons attempt to eat thirty helpings of taknar gizzard in under two minutes. Each of the gizzards is doused in the manager’s signature loppak hot sauce, making the challenge particularly grueling. Winners earn bragging rights and two free goblets of warnog, which go a long way toward soothing your abused taste buds.

  LODGING

  * * *

  Accommodations are abundant in the city, and many of the hotels and inns cater to offworlders. Though the notion of corporate franchise resorts and other such large concept hotels has yet to cement its foothold on Qo’noS, a few larger chains are already developing expansion plans.

  Quin’lat Plaza

  The first large-scale hotel established on the planet by an offworld corporation, the Plaza welcomes Klingons and outsiders alike. Its location, near the original citadel at the center of the city, places it within easy walking distance of several dining and shopping options. Constructed as a massive, multistory wheel, the hotel is capped by a transparasteel dome, enclosing an artificial waterfall that drops into a huge swimming pool so enticing that even Klingons, who tend to shun water activities, have been known to take a dip. Water warmed by geothermal vents leading from a one-third scale replica of the Kri’stak Volcano keeps the temperature inside the enclosure mild year round. The re-creation is so uncanny that you half expect Kahless to wander into the enclosure and attempt to forge a bat’leth from its synthetic lava. Enjoy the hotel’s long list of amenities and allow the attentive staff to tend to your every need.

  bIQ’a’ retlh

  Simply put, the title of this modern hotel translates as “next to the ocean.” Situated away from the more populated areas and overlooking the cove that leads out to the PoSbIQ’a’ Ocean, bIQ’a’ retlh offers a respite from the faster pace of city life. In addition to the main tower that holds the bulk of the hotel’s guest rooms, there are also two-dozen cottages along the water’s edge. If you’re willing to brave the cold waters of the nearby ocean, you can sign up for special swimming lessons as well as the chance to swim with a school of okru, gentle whale-like creatures who have no interest in eating anything besides the enormous amounts of jus’laQ shellfish they consume each day. Unlike similar life forms from Earth, okru are not air breathers but instead true creatures of the deep. Klingon scientists and Federation xenoichthyologists have recently taken to studying these magnificent creatures, attempting to determine the feasibility of okru being adaptable—via natural or artificial means—to other planets where similar species are endangered, in the hopes of boosting the cetacean population on those worlds. Though they’re capable of descending to depths in excess of two thousand meters, okru tend to favor the coral reefs just offshore, which are as breathtaking as the whales themselves.

  SIDE TRIP: BORETH

  * * *

  Other than Qo’noS itself, there are few planets within the Klingon Empire that are the focal points of so many stories, myths, prophecies, traditions, and rituals as Boreth.

  During his legendary declaration that one day he would return from death in order to once more lead the Klingon people, Kahless raised his hand toward the night sky and pointed at a single star, which he claimed would be the location of his return. Centuries later, Klingon warships were dispatched to locate that star, where they found the planet Boreth and a small, pre-industrial humanoid civilization, the Jinvana. Numbering fewer than one million life-forms and possessing nothing in the way of modern technology or weaponry, the Jinvana could offer no resistance to the armada of Klingon warships that arrived and claimed Boreth for the Empire. Upon establishing an occupation army, the Klingon military forced the Jinvana into slave labor camps. Most of the indigenous population was put to work extracting dilithium and other precious ores from beneath the planet’s surface.

  After geological surveys unearthed a network of lava caves beneath what was later named the SIQ’jlung mountain range, this location was selected for building what became the Boreth Monastery. Jinvana slave labor was used to construct the massive shrine atop the range’s tallest mountain peak.

  With the monastery completed, clerics, monks, and other Klingons of deep faith from across Qo’noS traveled to the planet, where they took up the cause of awaiting Kahless’s return. The clerics who came to live in the monastery requested the removal of the military occupation force and granted the Jinvana their freedom, allowing them to return to their own communities elsewhere around the planet. Some of the Jinvana accepted offers to work at the monastery, and their descendants continue to work there to this day.

  Many Klingons make the pilgrimage to visit the monastery and the surrounding grounds, though the rest of this small planet—including those areas which have been returned to the nearly two million Jinvana who are still alive and apparently happy living under Klingon rule—has been declared off-limits on order of the High Council.

  While the clerics prefer to keep to themselves, in recent years they have become more accommodating to the presence of non-Klingons following the Empire’s efforts to strengthen its ties to the Federation and other unaligned worlds. The clerics and other mo
nastery staff do their best to support the ever-increasing wave of tourism, while maintaining their ceaseless vigil.

  GETTING AROUND

  * * *

  Offworlders aren’t allowed to visit the Jinvana communities, but tours of the Boreth monastery are available throughout the planet’s solar year, except during specific holidays such as the Muar’tek and Kot’baval festivals. Travelers are advised that winters on Boreth can be brutal, given the monastery’s location high in the SIQ’jlung Mountains, but the warmer months make life here quite pleasant. Chartered transports from Qo’noS and other approved departure points within imperial borders arrive and depart at twelve-hour intervals. The monastery is only able to accommodate a limited number of tourists each day, and except for limited guest billet space, there are no lodging options for visitors. Once here, travelers are encouraged to tour the grounds on foot. Be prepared to spend the majority of the day walking between points of interest.