Star Trek: The Klingon Empire
Page 13
Peace Park and Waters of Reflection
Situated in the foothills of the BIng’av Mountains to the north, the park affords visitors an unfettered view of the city remnants and the wall surrounding them. Though Emperor Sompek at first resisted the idea of any sort of commemoration of the battle or indeed any evidence that the city had even existed, he eventually relented to requests by scholars and citizens concerned that valuable lessons might be lost if Tong Vey and its story were allowed to fade from public memory. The peace park is a solemn place, offering silent tribute to those who died either during the battle or as a result of Sompek’s merciless decree. Markers positioned around the grounds offer insight into the rule of Lord Kajahl and the events which precipitated Emperor Sompek’s invasion. The gentle streams that run through the gardens here are conducive to meditation, flowing over rocks taken from the bed of the River Yazuq, which formed the city’s eastern boundary and where many defeated Tong Vey soldiers were forcibly drowned in the aftermath of the battle. There are those who believe that the cascading waters in the park carry voices of the dead from the afterlife.
SHOPPING AND ENTERTAINMENT
* * *
Due to the somber nature of the site, there are no retail establishments beyond the small shop located inside the museum and the kiosks situated outside the peace park. The shop offers the usual assortment of books, recordings, and other materials, along with candles, which can be placed at designated markers within the peace park as part of an individual’s meditation process.
Likewise, entertainment options are restricted to the museum’s theater, which offers holorecordings of historical programs as well as fictionalized retellings of the battle. The recordings play on a rotating schedule, but visitors can also watch them individually at kiosks throughout the museum.
DINING AND NIGHTLIFE
* * *
Dining options around the historical site are limited to a pair of cafeterias on the museum’s lower level. One of the facilities caters exclusively to Klingon warriors and other military personnel, while the other serves civilian Klingons as well as offworlders. Replicators are generally used for meal preparation, though a selection of handmade dishes from the cafeteria staff are always available. Note that, while bloodwine and other alcoholic beverages are available in the cafeteria serving the Klingon military visitors, such spirits are conspicuously absent from the other facility.
DID YOU KNOW?
THE HAND OF FLAME
Dismissed by many over the generations as being yet another exaggerated myth inspired by Kahless the Unforgettable, the elite fighting force known as the Hand of Flame has in recent years finally come to receive due respect and honor.
Led by three vaunted commanders, O’gat, Kollus, and To’Kar, the Hand of Flame began as a band of rebels opposed to the tyrant Molor’s despotic regime during the time of Kahless. Each a master of a particular style of combat, this trio of veteran warriors combined their expertise and imparted it to their legions of soldiers, elevating the already formidable fighting skills of their troops to a whole new level. After teaching Kahless and his armies to defeat Molor, the Hand of Flame would go on to become one of the most celebrated fighting forces in the Empire’s history, notching victories against the armies of rival factions who resisted attempts to unite the Klingon people.
Upon ascending to the throne, Emperor Sompek called upon the Hand to help him devise strategies for defeating Lord Kajahl. With the Hand’s able assistance, Sompek and General Wri’suS were able to develop tactics that allowed their army to be more maneuverable and aggressive than Kajahl’s forces, routing the defenders of Tong Vey within the first day of fighting.
The tactics of the Hand of Flame continue to be studied by academy students and seasoned warriors alike, and variations on their strategies have been employed by countless military commanders—with many of those battles ending in the same decisive manner as the Empire’s victory at Tong Vey.
SEEK YOUR OWN VENGEANCE!
For the first time ever, you can be a part of the most exciting adventure in the Klingon Empire when you step into the world of Battlecruiser Vengeance! Only here, at this one-of-a-kind immersive attraction that employs state-of-the-art interactive holographic technology and a full cast of talented performers, can you lose yourself within the universe of the enduring and wildly popular entertainment series.
Step aboard the Vengeance as a member of its crew, answering the call to defend the Klingon Empire against all challengers and enemies. Interact with Captain Koth and his brave crew of warriors as the ship charges into battle, seeking honor and victory against the Empire’s most renowned foes. Match wits with Captain James T. Kirk and the starship Enterprise. Triumph over Starfleet forces at the Battle of Donatu V, or the Romulan armada that attacked Narendra III. Forget the history texts: Ultimate Klingon victory is now in your hands!
Once you’ve defeated the Empire’s enemies, relax with fellow Klingons and aliens from dozens of worlds at one of our premier taverns and restaurants, or purchase unique merchandise available nowhere else in the galaxy.
It’s the ultimate Battlecruiser Vengeance experience, and you’re right in the heart of it!
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Thanks once again to John Van Citters at CBS Consumer Products and Chris Prince at Insight Editions for inviting me back to write this second Hidden Universe: Star Trek travel guide. As with the Vulcan edition, working on this was another opportunity to further my experience and appreciation for how these “art heavy” books come together. Yes, it was a lot of work, but it was also a lot of fun, and therefore the work was worth it.
Many, many thanks to art director Chrissy Kwasnik, designer Ashley Quackenbush, and artists Livio Ramondelli and Peter Markowski. The artwork you’ll find among these pages does a magnificent job of propping up my pithy text, making this an eye-catching tome for hardcore fans and casual readers alike. This book is all the better for their creations and exceptional efforts, and they have my undying gratitude.
As with the Vulcan travel guide, I consulted a number of sources while pulling this book together, including several novels and other Star Trek “reference works” published over the years. Even if I only made brief mention of some factoid or interesting tidbit I discovered within one of these books, websites, or other sources, I raise my glass in appreciation of the authors and other dedicated people involved in their publication.
Finally, I offer my sincere thanks and appreciation to Felix Malmenbek, Andrew Miller, Chris Lipscombe, and Marc Okrand for their assistance in verifying and correcting several Klingon terms and phrases throughout the book. Their expertise was as invaluable as their enthusiasm was infectious. Qapla’!
SOURCES
Carter, Carmen. Star Trek: The Next Generation: The Devil’s Heart. New York: Pocket Books, 1993.
DeCandido, Keith R. A. Star Trek: I.K.S. Gorkon: A Good Day to Die. New York: Pocket Books, 2003.
———. Star Trek: I.K.S. Gorkon: Honor Blade. New York: Pocket Books, 2003.
———. Star Trek: The Klingon Art of War. New York: Gallery Books, 2014.
Ford, John M. Star Trek: The Final Reflection. New York: Pocket Books, 1984.
Ford, John M., Guy W. McLimore Jr., Greg K. Poehlein, David F. Tepool. The Klingons. FASA Corporation, 1983.
Friedman, Michael Jan. Star Trek: The Next Generation: Kahless. New York: PocketBooks, 1997.
———. Star Trek: New Worlds, New Civilizations. New York: Pocket Books, 1999.
Okrand, Marc. Star Trek: The Klingon Way. New York: Pocket Books, 1996.
———. Star Trek: Klingon for the Galactic Traveler. New York: Pocket Books, 1997.
Ward, Dayton. Star Trek: In the Name of Honor. New York: Pocket Books, 2002.
Memory Alpha wiki. http://memory-alpha.org
Memory Beta wiki. http://memory-beta.wikia.com
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Published by Insight Editions, San Rafael, California, in 2017. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data available.
ISBN: 978-1-60887-519-1
ISBN: 978-1-68383-046-7 (ebook)
Publisher: Raoul Goff
Acquisitions Manager: Robbie Schmidt
Art Director: Chrissy Kwasnik
Designer: Ashley Quackenbush
Executive Editor: Vanessa Lopez
Senior Editor: Chris Prince
Managing Editor: Alan Kaplan
Production Editor: Elaine Ou
Production Manager: Alix Nicholaeff