I've seen posts by jaded veterans, claiming that is what the majority of real life war games are about. To the point of the 'opposition' getting punished if they win anyway.
I'm not a jaded veteran, so I cannot estimate how true or not that is.
To Boldly Go... (a Starfleet quest)
- Thread starter OneirosTheWriter
- Start date
- Sci-Fi
-
- Tags
- star trek exploration fully automated luxury gay space communism top level canon (canon) #hashtagcontent all-encompassing space amoeba cardassian boy bands cardassian magical girls darkest bureaucracy debate makes the qm cackle like palpatine hoh is an empire quest it has to be foreign infiltrators more ships ship happens singers delenda est starfleet this is not an empire quest ur waifu is collective?
I've seen posts by jaded veterans, claiming that is what the majority of real life war games are about. To the point of the 'opposition' getting punished if they win anyway.
I'm not a jaded veteran, so I cannot estimate how true or not that is.
As far as I can tell, how predetermined war games are depends on how invested the people running the war game are in a specific outcome. If they care a lot they'll mess around as much as they can to make that desired result happen, but if they are less interested in a specific out come and more interested in actually figuring out what would happen the result may or may not be in doubt due to numbers, support and so on, but unexpected upsets can still happen.
It is and it isn't. I'm no jaded veteran either but I can understand the view put forward that the purpose of war games is to learn and practice the responses, doctrines, and technology that were set out when they were planned. Determining a winner is ultimately not nearly as valuable in comparison. That's why boats get refloated, scenarios get reset, and why we wait for the post-mortem to draw lessons. It may be that what was being tested or practiced is wrong and untenable, but it may also be that it wasn't executed right the first time, or that some components were good but were let down early by components that failed, and so on.
What has to be looked out for are people who buy in so heavily to the script that they are incapable of learning lessons that deviate from it. The script itself isn't a terrible thing.
"Let's see what happens" is often not what the war game is after whatsoever.
e: It is, however, highly problematic to make recommendations that the game is designed to produce. The recommendations shouldn't be part of the objective itself.
Last edited:
- Location
- alphen aan den rijn
because tv show look more or less must be the same or maybe we do not see it. then i understand
but you have transports build for purpose
then you have cruisers that look somewhere between a cruise ship and a floating sensor disk
even with the. trying too be none threatening thing at least make them like the hull can at least take a hit or isn`t hulled true by one solid hit?
torps hitting one side and blowing true .. 10 decks give or take?
WTF really
and if all of that extra power is going too shields, i am not sure it is working
but you have transports build for purpose
then you have cruisers that look somewhere between a cruise ship and a floating sensor disk
even with the. trying too be none threatening thing at least make them like the hull can at least take a hit or isn`t hulled true by one solid hit?
torps hitting one side and blowing true .. 10 decks give or take?
WTF really
and if all of that extra power is going too shields, i am not sure it is working
- Location
- Central Standard Time
The point is to give the new Admirals an opportunity to test.
And anyone can see that the Federation won't collapse from one attack. The question is in the expense.
This specific exercise is part technology test, part Admiral test, part doctrine test, and part operations test.
It's also an excuse for me to write "What if?"
And we still have Month 3 and the quarterly GBZ report to go.
AKuz
Been Better
- Location
- A Rising Tide of Horrors
- Pronouns
- She/Her
We still need to see the rest of the Intel report too.
Month 3:
Rigel sector events, no ships available, fail, fail, fail, fail
No events in other sector rolled.
(Joking, I hope)
The continued cooperation between Yan-Ros Rangers and Starfleet is quite cool to see. I can only imagine the Rangers think of us as adorable sidekicks, who jump into the fray to lend a hand but also who send unarmored spacers with hand pistols up against nine foot battle mechs. I still remember Rinidy's introduction where she pretty much goes "Starfleet, perfect! Finally someone as crazy as we are!".
While for us it's interesting to see someone else on the "only you are in range to save the quadrant" plan. Imagine if they were a little farther along in their development or if they had a little better luck developing their deathworld, and flew explorers instead of runabouts.
There's also been constant hints that their criminals are quite a bit more dangerous than your average. Probably some proper villains there somewhere instead of just thugs of the week.
While for us it's interesting to see someone else on the "only you are in range to save the quadrant" plan. Imagine if they were a little farther along in their development or if they had a little better luck developing their deathworld, and flew explorers instead of runabouts.
There's also been constant hints that their criminals are quite a bit more dangerous than your average. Probably some proper villains there somewhere instead of just thugs of the week.
lbmaian
a thirsty squirrel
- Location
- USA
That was an awesome return of the Captain's Logs!
Well, all their ships besides the Pride of Kadesh, which is their only ship with shields IIRC, unless they started outfitting their heavier cruisers and motherships with such.
The only difference, besides the different bonus, is that last year, this took place at Earth (Versailles Palace near Paris, to be specific), and this year, its taken place at Gaen.
Maybe next year, there will be a trade summit at Paddah that Pathfinder will conveniently attend?
Discussing the loss of one of the homeworlds is as uncomfortable as talking about an amputation of a diseased limb. A very understandable position.
Clearly, the consensus is to do last stands at homeworlds, regardless of cost, so we need to do all we can to prepare the critical worlds and make such last stands feasible. That means more doctrine teams, more static defenses, and larger fleets in being.
Cheers to the underappreciated Stargazer for her science reps in saving the Kadeshi fleet!
Well, all their ships besides the Pride of Kadesh, which is their only ship with shields IIRC, unless they started outfitting their heavier cruisers and motherships with such.
Now this is interesting. Pathfinder getting as a deal at another Gaeni & Ked Paddah summit. Exactly one year after the last one. Which Pathfinder was also at.
The only difference, besides the different bonus, is that last year, this took place at Earth (Versailles Palace near Paris, to be specific), and this year, its taken place at Gaen.
Maybe next year, there will be a trade summit at Paddah that Pathfinder will conveniently attend?
My take on Orions are "take modern 21st century Earth and extrapolate it to the future under a dystopic collapse of social order amidst advancement of personal tech" - aka cyberpunk. That and they're green and pheromoney but otherwise identical in appearance to humans.
I did call that out, but in order to exercise Forward Defense in practice rather than just in name, we need to double down on it.
Discussing the loss of one of the homeworlds is as uncomfortable as talking about an amputation of a diseased limb. A very understandable position.
Clearly, the consensus is to do last stands at homeworlds, regardless of cost, so we need to do all we can to prepare the critical worlds and make such last stands feasible. That means more doctrine teams, more static defenses, and larger fleets in being.
- Location
- somewhere
That's what we have Chen for now.
Last edited:
Forgothrax
Not Going Gently
- Pronouns
- He/Him
I'm not sure how to encourage fixed defenses other than Starbases, alas. It would be nice to build up a thicket of reinforced outposts and such, I just don't know where to get them. Hopefully the Indorians and others on the border are fortifying without our input...
That said, the way forward defense works, we shouldn't be doing last stands at home worlds. Because the fleet should have either repulsed the enemy or be destroyed by the time they could threaten the homeworlds, since we should be meeting them in the border zones to start with.
That said, the way forward defense works, we shouldn't be doing last stands at home worlds. Because the fleet should have either repulsed the enemy or be destroyed by the time they could threaten the homeworlds, since we should be meeting them in the border zones to start with.
Make Cardassia pay for it!
lbmaian
a thirsty squirrel
- Location
- USA
Problem: There's no border zone between Rethelia and Bajor, and at best, there are just non-yet-revealed minor colonies with outposts. Indoria is at least protected by Lapycorias, and Apinae is farther still. It's why some of the recent discussion has been about focused on how to defend Rethelia. With the exception of a surprise attack from the rimward borders toward
IMO we should base a significant fraction of our standing forces in Rethelia. Other fronts have some depth in them that we can trade for the time to fully mobilize the Federation, while all other rapid response task forces can do their best to harass - or threaten to attack - from their bases.
Last edited:
Theunderbolt
"Prepare for trouble..."
- Location
- USoA
Could we please develop some body armor for them? I mean I know it's contractually mandated for red/gold shirts to die on any missions. But I would at least like for our opponents to work for it at least.
Last edited:
Remember, the Seyek are not yet Federation members. We can only do so much until they are. Though of course, the other view is that it gives them a chance to simple not involve themselves in any war. And if you think that won't happen, remember how the Federation refused to step in on the Caitian-Dawiar war, and how the Caitains were looking at staying out of a threatened Cardassian-Federation war back during the Kadak-Tor crisis.
We actually can. It's in the Research Tree under Personal Equipment technologies, but unfortunately it's some ways out. Too many other priorities.
- Location
- USA
Actually, spaceships able to battle other spaceships wouldn't look like a sphere. They'd look like a slightly tapered cylinder. There are numerous problems with a sphere.
Why Does it Look Like That? (Part 2)
So the Yan-Ros are at 286/300 and we have three more Diplomatic pushes for them before the next Snakepit. It's highly likely they'll be a +300 affiliate before the end of the year.
- Location
- somewhere
Well, we are researching 2310s Personal Protection, which starts the path that ultimately needs to integrity fields integrated into uniforms at T5. There is also a path to portable shields, but that doesn't do anything before T6 (which we can't see, so it might actually take even longer than that).
Last edited:
- Location
- The Middle of the Howling Wilderness
Maybe we'll be able to get Ranger teams on our Explorer Corp ships, kinda like how the Betazoids gave us Counselors?
Lyran - AMT
Alastor Mobius Toth
***** ***
- Location
- Neon Ghetto
Hey, remember when I promised people omakes about the Starfleet Command races? IT'S DONE. Well, some of it at least; I was beginning to reach the limit count equivalent to a tenth of my thesis, which I think is "PUBLISH IT DAMN IT" point. I have no idea how canon this will be - @OneirosTheWriter is free to use this as he's to discard it. Either way, it is not strictly speaking connected to our current events, as I envision the polities in this omake to be actually quite far away from our space. That said, I hope people will have fun reading it.
***
From: Starfleet Intelligence First Directorate
To: Admr. Sulu
Cc: V-Admr. ch'Tharvasse, V-Admr. Uhura, V-Admr. Linderley
Subject: Lyran Briefing and Analysis
Although Starfleet's primary attention is focused on the threat possessed by the Cardassian Union, the outbreak of Klingon-Romulan War continues to remain on our radar. Outside of the obvious analysis and predictions regarding both sides of the conflict, this has also been an occassion to consider some of the other powers in the Beta Quadran, their potential alignment in this conflict, and their overall position towards the United Federation of Planets.
These reports represent basic briefings into our dossiers regarding each major species and power, and can be considered as a concise primer on our information and predictions. The first subject of these reports will be the Lyran Star Empire, a major power on the border with Klingon Empire.
The Lyrans (pronounced LEAR-UHNS rather than LAY-RUHNS) are a species of humanoid, bi-pedal felines, reminiscent of other, similar races such as Caitians and the Kizinti. Lyrans have created their own major empire in the Beta Quadrant, commonly known as the Lyran Empire. Much like their neighbors, the Klingons, Lyrans are an aggressive warrior-like species. Although very much skilled in waging war - as evidenced by their ability to remain independent despite bordering Klingons - their unfocused aggression and lack of centralized authority had historically hampered their ability to expand and dominate their own neighbors, and had so far prevented them from fully utilizing a number of impressive technical breakthroughs they had come across.
Biology:
Like most other highly developed species, Lyrans are bipedal, bi-gendered humanoids, with distinct feline features like furry ears, eyes, clawed four-digit hands and legs, as well as thick mane of fur around their heads. However, contrary to "conventional wisdom", Lyran fur does not extend over their entire body; neither do they have tails.
On average, Lyrans have same height as humans, with there being relatively little difference in size between males and females, although females tend to have shorter, stubbier claws along with longer and thicker head-furs. Lyrans have somewhat shorter torsos compared to Caitians or Humans, but have longer limbs, and typical standing positions make them appear somewhat hunched over. They are stronger than an average Human, though not as much as a Vulcan or Klingon. Neither are they more resilient; however they do have exemplary sense of hearing and very perceptive eyesight that lends itself to excellent vision in low-light conditions, which in turn lends itself towards their top-notch reflexes. That said, Lyrans do have a very muted perception of colors. Similarly to Kzinti, their diet is mostly meat-based, although unlike Kzinti, they do not necessarily look down upon vegetarians and are in fact, capable of eating vegetarian meals (provided underlying chemical compatibility); although their distinctly fang-like teeth make this process somewhat challenging.
In general, Lyrans bear great resemblance to other "Felanoid" species Federation had encountered, such as Caitians and Kzinti. This is perhaps unsurprisingly, as over centuries, medical scans and DNA testing had confirmed that Lyrans and Kzinti posses minimal differences, with relatively low deviation between Caitan DNA and Lyran one as well. This led to emergence of theories that all three species share the same ancestor; or that Lyra-Kzin genus is in fact this "Progenitor", with Caitians as off-shoot descendants.
It should be noted here that while this theory is considered as a fact among almost all reputable medical and historical establishments, it is flat-out denied by Lyrans and Kzinti; both in fact consider it extremely offensive. To illustrate, most Lyrans, regardless of social standing, consider any allegation of being related to a Kzinti to be a personal slight of highest order, and Federation personnel has long-standing advisory to not discuss Lyran origin theories within the (sensitive) earshot of any Lyran.
Government:
The Lyran Empire - or formally the Lyran Star Empire - is a somewhat unusually a decentralized, feudal state. While elements of feudalism surviving into Warp-era are not unknown among developed space-faring peoples (our own Amaraki members showing great deal of attachment to their Chivalric period), Lyrans are unique in having effectively stalled their society at feudal level of development. This is not a hyperbole; barring a major re-arrangement of traditional territory holding relating to beginning of space exploration almost 2 centuries ago, Lyrans had not seen any successful challenge to their millennial-old social system. This has naturally prompted much speculation and study from Federation's sociologists, and remains a topic for a separate report.
In principle, Lyran state is headed by a central monarchy holding the title that loosely translates to "Emperor-King" or "Royal Emperor". In theory, the Emperor-King holds sovereignty over entire Lyran domain; in practice, the monarchy can effectively govern only a limited amount of territory, dubbed Crownlands (or Crownspace, now in starfaring era). The reminder is parceled out to the ranking members of Lyran aristocracy who are responsible for governing their territories in Majesty's name. Practically, they are required to provide manpower and resources for the Royal Imperial Fleet and a tithe of their earnings as tax, in return for being able to govern their territories freely, develop their own land as they see fit, and levy personal forces to secure it. Effectively, each Lyran "domain" can be considered a small state, bound by formalized dynastic alliance with central crown.
In present times, these domains effectively mean patches of Lyran space. Currently, there are 20 domains, in addition to the Crownspace that is composed of original Lyran homeworld and its immediate surroundings. Each domain is ruled by a ranking noble that commands their own clan. Early translations of Lyran language, particularly into Terran English, have rendered these overlords as "Dukes" with reminder of Lyran titles having being formalized under a broadly Old English ranks of nobility. More recent studies however, show that the position of Duke is more akin to Old Japanese position of Shogun; a feudal warlord that acts as executive to an inviolable sovereign.
Internally, each domain is further divided into several regions, usually denoted as counties. They are ruled by nobles of lesser rank, referred to as Counts, typically direct or close relatives of the duke. In turn, these counts each rule over a set of lower-rank nobles titled Marquis, who preside over "regional" districts, or represent less important worlds. Under a Marquis is finally the lowest order of Lyran nobility, the Barons - who typically rule over small localized holdings, such as individual cities or even city districts or starbases. Whereas the relationship between King-Emperor and Dukes is ambiguous and in constant flux, the relationship within each Domain is highly top-down: each Duke represents ultimate authority, and all lesser ranks answer both to him, and their immediate superiors.
The dukes are effectively allowed great leeway in how they govern their estates, and consequently the internal Lyran situation is perhaps the most complicated in known space. It is not unknown for two Duchies to posses entirely different traditions or even legal precedents, and sometimes these differences even exist between individual counties, based on some long-lost personal agreement.
As each duchy is effectively not only expected, but required to posses its own armed force, including space fleet, it is not unknown for dynastic squabbles to turn into all-out warfare, and the duchies posses unparalleled flexibility in how they deal with their issues, making any broad attempt to asses or predict Lyran politics akin to human practice of divining future from used tea leafs. This internal chaos and lack of central direction have however, stunted Lyran expansion beyond their original borders. While initially highly successfully in rolling over their neighbors, lack of unity and limited resources of each duchy, coupled with traditional non-interference of Crownspace, meant that Lyrans were generally unsuccessful in their piecemeal attempts at conquering larger, more unified nations. The only exception to this fact is the relatively recent war with Hydran Kingdom, which is detailed further below in this report.
Despite this lack of cohesion however, the Lyran Empire had showed surprising, persistent resilience in face of outsider aggression. It is not unknown that duchies facing defeat at hands of alien invaders being saved by intervention from their neighbors, even those with known and deep rivalries or grudges. The experts of Federation Diplomatic Service believe it to be a result of deeply-held belief of "better the devil you know", as well as strong racial identity among Lyrans. While many dukes ultimately peruse their own interests, they are quick to band together if the overall safety of Lyran Empire is threatened. The more cynical diplomats have also observed that such rescues do often come with substantial amount of glory, honor and favors involved, as well as frequent opportunity to grab territory for their own. Nonetheless, while same factors have frequently stunted Lyran expansion, they have also resulted in unprecedented durability, not readily apparent in such a decentralized state.
Society and Culture
Much like their politics, Lyran society and culture remain extremely varied; an argument can be made that the internal divisiveness of Lyran Empire can be indeed traced to these internal divides. At the same time, certain common cultural and societal trends hold true for all the regions of the Empire, if to varying degrees.
The Lyrans are a warlike species, more so than Caitians, but in some ways less than Kzinti (to which Lyrans refer to as "Mirak" - loosely translating to 'Great Barbarous Enemy'). In that way, Lyrans show close parallels with Klingons, with which they share border, and long history of mostly violent interactions. However, if Klingons retain a fairly straightforward culture of personal honor, glorifying feats of strength and violence, the Lyrans show a number of subtle differences. Traditionally a species of hunters - an activity that still holds great amount of religious and cultural meaning - Lyrans glorify what they call Hunter Precepts: To be sharp-eyed to spot the prey; To be swift enough to catch the prey; To be wise enough to outwit the prey; To be vicious enough to kill the prey. To a Lyran, the manner in which prey had been caught, as well as the sort of prey caught are more important than raw strength. Honor itself is derived from victory; thus Lyran honor codes show considerable flexibility compared to traditional Klingon values. To strike from behind or use poison isn't cowardly; it is a display of clever wit and wisdom which are considered virtues in a hunt. After all, a stupid hunter tends to be dead hunter.
Lyrans are religious people, though the degree tends to vary by duchy. The core of the Empire however, as well as highest echelons of its society tend to be deeply religious, with great emphasis on highly ritualized, one might even dare to say ostentatious, worship. The Emperor-King traditionally derives his authority from Lyran religion, being held as representative of the first bloodline mixed by the gods, and thus their oracle.
Lyran religion is polytheistic in nature. Lyrans worship a broad selection of gods, though the most important ones are the God of Open Skies, the God of Shadows, the Sacred Huntmaster and the Fire Maiden.
As expected of a feudal culture, Lyran society is highly stratified. However, the relationship, privileges and even social mobility between those groups is, as with all things Lyran, highly nuanced and variable. In principle, Lyran society is divided into three broad groups: Nobles, Servants and Commoners. Practically, a fourth class also exists, termed "the Unseen", which typically represents what Lyrans see as dregs of society and "undesirables".
The Nobles form a fairly substantial portion of Lyran society, accounting for at least 30% of total population, which remains a fairly conservative estimate. It is, also somewhat surprisingly, the most varied.
Although certain rights and privileges seemingly apply to all nobility (trial of peers, nominal equality, extrajudicial rights etc.), there is an unspoken divide between what is perceived as "high" nobility and "low" nobility. High nobility in this context refers to the King-Emperor and his relatives, the Dukes and the Counts. By rights, the royal line functions on principle of male primogeniture. The ducal lines typically function on the principle of absolute primogeniture, although there have been few Duchesses in the history of Lyran Empire. However, in both cases it is expected that the scion will bear a direct blood connection to one of the 21 nobleborn families. Similarly, the ranks of Counts are typically handed out among the direct family relations of each noble family: brothers, sisters, cousins and other direct relatives. However, "low" noble ranks can be earned by those that distinguish themselves in service, weather in battle or some other, worthwhile endeavor. It is typical for Duchies to award titles of "Baron" as a reward, and in event of exceptional services, such rank becomes permanent and inheritable. The rank of Marquis - which can also be earned - is by default inheritable, along with every rank above it. Consequently, Marquis and Barons represent the vast majority of nobles, but despite nominal "equality of peers", the vast majority of actual economic, military and political authority rests with the handful of "high" nobles. There exist a long and complex code of conduct between those ranks, though it is not unknown for "newfound" noble families to eventually move their way up, albeit in long-term. This process typically involves moving up to the mark of Marquis title, and maintaining several generations of exceptional service, which would make their descendants attractive marriage prospects for Counts and Countesses, particularly in need of further social, political or direct capital. There is surprisingly little social stigma attached to the process; Lyrans believe that those families which demonstrate their noble rights through effort, deserve to be rewarded by joining the "exclusive" higher ranks.
The family of the King-Emperor operates on somewhat different principles, based chiefly in the rules and pageantry of Lyran religion. The King-Emperor enjoys absolute direct rule over his lands, executed by a caste of religious administrator-priests. Secondary "royal" titles tend to remain more of social symbol, and have little direct power. This is likely because as royal line is polygamous, several dozen suitable claimants exist for the position at any given time.
The Commoners represent the vast majority of Lyran population. They are, as term implies, simple folk, tending to homesteads, fields and toiling in mines or factories. Typically, commoners band in small, tight-knit family units, which in turn are loosely affiliated with a wider, common-blood "familia". Patterned on noble lines, familias however remain more of a loose band of blood-relatives, and usually serves as social response and mobilization unit in times of crisis.
Commoners posses few legal protections, but enjoy surprisingly high standing in traditional Lyran society. Traditional Lyran values maintain that, just as Nobles have an honorable right and duty to act as huntmasters and rulers, the commoners are equally honored by doing simple, menial-but-critical tasks on which the rest of society depends. Thus, Commoners enjoy certain degree of, if not appreciation, then respect, and most nobles will generally roll back some of their considerable incomes back into communities to ensure well-being of their commoners. It is generally considered dishonorable and unsightly to demean commoners, and failure to act "responsibly" often prompts harsh censure from ranking nobles.
The Servants are the proportionally smallest class, and one that is least defined. The term is something of a misnomer; in Lyran and Old Caitan it translates more to "skilled subordinate" or "virtuous follower". In simplest term they are trained professionals, occupying more advanced positions - teachers, managers, artists, scientists, professional armsmen and the like. They are typically commoners with the means or talent to receive practical education, which is usually the first step on bettering their social standing. However, the servants themselves occupy the lowest order among Lyran society, as unlike Commoners or Nobles, they are perceived as not doing "honest" work, and otherwise their function is largely dependent on whims of both large commoner population and nobles. This is not universal however, and there is some debate over which professions are considered "servile".
Teaching for example, has traditionally considered an outgrowth of religious activity, and thus enjoys exceptionally high standing. Professors are typically seen as a sort of commoner gentry subclass, and tend to make most of local community leaders. Soldiering is also well-seen, especially as soldiers are expected to see battle and earn glory of the hunt, seen as highest Lyran calling. Lyrans have also great respect for artisans that work directly with materials to create tools or other artifices. Meanwhile, entertainers and traders are typically widely derided for their "dishonest" or superfluous work.
The Unseen are criminals, exiles and enemies. Usually skipped over in any discussion of Lyran society, Unseen enjoy absolutely no legal or traditional protections, and are typically treated with absolute contempt by ordinary Lyran. The Empire is known to employ "penal legions" of Unseen as slave labor force, working dangerous environment in horrid conditions.
Technology:
Lyrans are an advanced, space-faring culture. As a whole, their technological level remains slightly below that of the Federation, and on rough parity with the Klingons. However, there are a number of fields where Lyrans are both less, and in some cases, substantially more advanced than either.
Lyran forcefields are noted to be some generation behind ours in terms of strength and efficiency, and their computers are generally more primitive. Primary weapons of most Lyran ships are phasers which are comparable to our own, but Lyran photon torpedo tech is notably clumsy. However, Lyrans are unmatched masters of plasma-based technology, and their vessels make extensive use of it to overcome some of their shortcomings. In particular, Lyran vessels are noted to make use of exceptionally high-efficiency, high-power plasma conduits to quickly supply and shift power levels across different areas. More advanced Lyran vessels are also known to make use of plasma cannons - weapons that can be best described as being halfway between traditionally slow-but-destructive plasma torpedoes and pulse phasers or disruptors. Though limited in range, the Hydran war has showed them to be extremely destructive.
The most impressive Lyran invention to date however, is the Expanding Field Generator, or Plasma Shield. The exact mechanics behind it remain still unknown to us, but its effects are well-documented. Essentially, the EFG vents the vessel's plasma, and uses superbly fine magnetic control fields to "shape" this field in spherical fashion, supplementing Lyran shields. The energy of the plasma is sufficient to disperse traditional energy weapons, but it can also interfere with other shields, and can damage exposed hulls at close vicinity. Against vessels already suffering from damage the effects can be devastating, with high-heat, high-energy plasma pouring through earlier hull breaches, causing massive internal damage and eliminating enemy crews. Starfleet Tactical consequently believes that the use of EFG are one of the primary factors in the high-speed, close-range engagement pattern of Lyran fleets.
Lyrans are also known to be fairly advanced in the field of material science - their armors are largely considered superior to Klingon hulls, tough preference for small, fast attack ships means this is rarely seen. Lyran warp drives are generally much inferior to ours, but their impulse speeds and maneuverability is considerable.
Military:
As a warrior species, Lyran military capability is significant, though much of it lies divided between various Duchies.
Lyran fleets are divided chiefly between "Ducal" fleets, and the Royal Imperial Fleet guarding the homeworld. In battle, Starfleet Tactical has observed marked preference for small fleets of light starships that operate in tight coordination, using their superior sublight speeds to close in, outmaneuver and finally overwhelm the enemy with massed firepower. In that manner, Lyran tactics show certain similarity to the dreaded "Bird of Prey Rush" tactics of the Klingons, though only superficially. Lyran vessels tend to concentrate in small groups, operating in a fashion not unlike hunters chasing a prey across a plain. Given the origins and social practices of the Lyrans, this is likely deliberate.
Heavier Lyran vessels exist, tough they are in minority, and mostly tied to defensive positions. So far, we have had no opportunity to witness one in action, and very few were employed in their initial action against Hydrans. It is likely that some had seen action against Klingons, but as we all know, the Klingons can be surprisingly tight-lipped and reluctant to share vital information. In any event, "heavy" Lyran elements are regarded as being lower in priority than their "light" forces. This is particularly true of the Imperial fleet, which has relatively few heavy vessels, but numerous light strike groups, centered around a few formations of what we call "super raiders". These are cruiser-sized vessels optimized for combination of speed, firepower and survivability. In this sense, they are effectively a scaled-up version of "light" Lyran destroyers, with increase in size and technology allowing them to cover some of the obvious gaps. Technological dichotomy of Lyran technology makes them difficult to manufacture, and thus limited in number. This also makes them valuable; Imperial fleet is the only one with significant concentration of these vessels, with most duchies operating a handful. This does not lessen their impact; our analysis of the Hydran War concludes that these vessels were responsible for approximately 60% of casualties suffered by Hydran Royal Space Force.
All Duchies levy their own ground forces, together with heavy support elements. Due to their limited territories, Crownlands is the only domain to not rely on typical levy armies, instead making use of elite warrior-priest orders.
As Lyran vessels have limited technical and scientific capability, they are forced to make use of dedicated science vessels. We believe that such secondary vessels are typically created on per-case basis by individual Duchies.
Foreign Relations:
It has been tempting to say at the FDS that with Imperial policy being a result of innumerable compromises between the thrones and the duchies, it effectively does not exist. Of course, this is not entirely true, and Lyran history is rife with demonstrations of exceptions being the rule rather than genuine exceptions.
As Lyran Dukes have considerable leeway, the foreign policies and relations of Lyran Empire effectively depend on which side of the border we fall on. The Duchies bordering Klingon Empire have a long history of vigilance and militarism, typically remaining highly conservative and cautious in their approach, as well as showing surprising amount of local solidarity, likely as result of previous Klingon incursions. The realms closer to Crownspace tend to be more isolationist, preferring to focus their efforts on internal development and political maneuvering, typically at the expanse of their more outward neighbourghs who frequently have to confront alien threats as well. The rimward territories are the most expansionist; due to being the traditional direction of Lyran expansion, but also due to the regions in this direction being relatively resource-rich and lacking larger, stronger polities. Many of the most outlying rimward duchies also invested heavily in the Hydran War, and many seek the chance to settle old scores, especially as the failure of the Hydran occupation has tarred many of their dynasties.
Although the Empire is divided into 21 provinces, in practice some duchies hold more influence than others. As expected of feudal power, these positions wax and wane; however our agents and FDS assets were able to identify a number of clans that had historically maintained strong and stable leadership positions:
- Red Claw Clan: One of the largest and oldest duchies, the Duke of Red Claw is generally held to be one of the pre-eminent authorities of the Empire. Although all clans maintain strong military traditions, Red Claws in particularly are noted for maintaining much larger military than other clans, as well as for establishing several prominent academies that train highly professional warriors; a system since adopted by a number of other clans. The Red Claw domain itself occupies a wedge of space on the very edge of Klingon-Lyran border, edging further rimwards towards space contested with Hydrans, though not directly bordering them. The clan is one of the main patrons of coalition of dukes traditionally opposed to Klingon expansion. Though their lands were rarely directly threatened, Red Claw forces are believed to have launched many reprisal raids against Klingon colonies. The clan was somewhat unexpectedly one of the main backers of Hydran invasion, and consequently lost much of its prestige in the aftermath of the occupation. Though they are holding their position for now, we agree with our FDS colleagues that renewed power of Crownspace, coterie of interior nobles and their rivals at Black Mountain Clan may finally depose Red Claw from their traditional perch in Lyran pecking order.
- Black Mountain Clan: A mid-sized clan on the "underside" of Lyran Empire, Black Mountain occupied somewhat murky position in the Empire, possessing few warriors of note, and little history of battle. However, due to consistent and careful policy, the clan has acquired by far the best industrial and scientific capacity of any, and it has earned many riches in recent decades through sales of advanced ships and technology to other clans. Black Mountains remained uninvolved, and consequently untarred by invasion of Hydran space, and quickly capitalized on it to transmute their wealth and industrial pull into political one. This has earned them much ire, especially from Red Claws. For their part, Black Mountains seem to hold certain distaste towards Red Claws, especially due to history of insults levied at Black Mountain military levies.
- Crownspace: The direct domain of the Emperor-King, Crownspace consists of Lyran homeworld and a small sphere of space containing the oldest Lyran colonies. Its formation had been in large part the single greatest shake-up of Lyran society, as it marked the foundations of the Lyran's gradual expansion and formation of remaining 20 duchies. It did however, also put the royal line finally in direct control of the homeworld, and the most industrialized heartland of the Empire; a fact that was most likely very deliberate on the part of the Emperor. The Crown tends to remain uninvolved in Lyran politics, regardless of particular Emperor-King, due to surprising confluence of strategies. A weak Emperor will likely lack the political goodwill and influence to bring Dukes in order, effectively restraining him to his domain. A cunning Emperor-King will meanwhile remain uninvolved to preserve the impartial image of royal line, instead relying on able political maneuvering to execute his decisions through other clans, potentially weakening other nobles and further entrenching his power. This is believed to play major role in the Lyran-Hydran war, with the predecessor of former Emperor-King authorizing the war in order to weaken and divide the traditional coterie of the clans, while hoarding the power of both his, and his supporters.
However, despite these differences and labyrinthine politics, as mentioned repeatedly, Lyrans have demonstrated surprising willingness to unite in time of crisis, though this rarely translates into lasting unity enough to affect a centralized, charted political discourse. With exception to Hydran War, the only such existing case has been the Lyran-Kzinti Blood Feud.
Despite decades since our first encounter, neither we nor the FDS has been any closer to uncovering the underlying cause of the feud, especially given close relation of the species. However, the fact that Lyran even refuse to refer to Kzinti by their proper name, and that at least one Duke was publically shamed and murdered by his own family for advocating a more reconciliatory tone towards relations with Kzinti say all about their attitude. Although we believe that conflict was initially defensive in nature, focused mostly on repelling intermittent Kzinti raids, during the early to mid-XXIII century the conflict turned into one of annihilation. We currently believe that the scattered Kzinti colonies Starfleet believed to lie past Klingon Neutral Zone had since been destroyed by Lyrans, likely through sustained orbital bombardments and plasma glassing. While than in and of itself should be of grave concern to the Federation, the unusual hatred Lyrans hold for the "Mirak" makes this conflict essentially self-sustaining. As Lyrans believe that one can do no wrong against a Kzinti, and that glory is universal when fighting them, noble houses will eagerly unite against an enemy that every part of Lyran society can agree to annihilate.
Somewhat thankfully, this level of animosity does not extend to our Caitan members. However, Caitans are treated as somewhat of backward "nuveau riche" (to borrow a human term) by Lyrans, and FDS stresses than use of Caitan assets in Lyran relations is strongly discouraged.
The Hydran War:
The Hydran War represents one of the most significant events in Lyran history in the recent decades; it also stands as a significant outlier in typical Lyran foreign relations and internal policy. While the conflict largely deserves its own separate report, we have complied a brief digest for the reader's benefit:
In broad terms, the conflict begun over disagreements between zones of influence of two nations. The Lyrans traditionally claimed a sector of space leading towards the Sigma Hydra star cluster (the home territory of Hydran Kingdom) as their own; however lack of resources and political capital among the most rimward duchies have essentially stalled Lyran expansion for almost a century. As result, Lyrans held claim over wide territory, but could not effectively enforce it. Meanwhile, Hydrans established a number of colonies in the region, as well as became a patron of several minor civilizations, some of which had their own grievances with the Lyrans. Tensions mounted towards mid-2260s, when an improbable set of events set the conflict in motion.
It is the belief of both us and the Diplomatic Service's opinion that the roots of the conflict lie in a failed diplomatic summit between Lyrans and one of Hydran client states. The debate, already frayed and difficult broke down when one of the Hydran emissaries reportedly lost his patience with head Lyran delegate. Over the course of argument, the Hydran derided Lyrans as "primitives", citing their inability to accept the Lyran-Kzinti genus theory as scientific fact as proof. This enraged Lyran delegate who assaulted the emissary, only to be mortally wounded by emissary's guards in the scuffle.
Though a serious diplomatic crisis in and of itself, the Lyran delegate was in fact a close relations to Duke Red Claw. The manner and circumstances of their member's death had enraged the traditionalist clan, which promptly petitioned the Emperor-King for the right of revenge. To strengthen his bargaining position, the Duke became a patron of the Lyran rimward expansion faction, pledging to offer his agreement to expanding rimward territories into Hydran space, in return for war plunder and political support. Even so, the agreement of the throne was somewhat sudden and surprising, galvanizing the expansionists, and largely silencing opposition. It is now believed that this had been a deliberate ploy, aimed at weakening both expansionist clans, and Red Claw in particular.
The war itself was short and brutal. Having spread its forces among various commitments on its borders, the Hydrans failed to mobilize their reserves in time to prevent Lyran penetration deep into their space. A series of battles ensued, including an incredibly lucky raid that saw the destruction of one of primary Hydran staging points, most of its capital vessels, and admiralty. Soon thereafter the Klingons - hemmed in by Organian Treaty and Romulan Star Empire - somewhat surprisingly invaded the northernmost Hydran territories to gain access to wealthy Sigma Hydra worlds. With their final defensive positions overrun, Hydrans capitulated.
However, the same political unity and mobilization that allowed Lyrans to prosecute the war with vigor quickly collapsed upon victory. The Royal Imperial fleet withdrew to Crownspace together with many other inner-empire war supporters, leaving the task of occupation largely to Red Claws and their newfound allies. This occupation quickly found itself mired against dogged Hydran resistance, helped by natural environmental barriers (Hydrans being a methane-breathing species, living at much higher gravity and atmospheric density). Remnants of Hydran fleet also staged highly sucessful campaign, owning to ingenious use of small shuttlecraft with refurbished "carrier" vessels that significantly expanded their service range. Clan leadership quickly became mired in powerplays between rival Dukes and border disputes with Klingons; quick to solidify their hold on new territory, many Dukes turned to extreme measures that turned Hydran apathy and resignation into anger and hatred. In late 2280s the Hydran space became embroiled in full-scale rebellion.
===========================================CLASSIFIED BY ORDER OF STARFLEET INTELLIGENCE========================================
It is at this point that Intelligence, with permission of Vice Admiral Linderley, can reveal that we were involved in these events. While the Federation had been in no position to effectively support Hydrans, it has been a concern of Starfleet Command that a failed Hydran revolt could push Klingons into seizing reminder of Lyran-occupied Hydran space; there has also been considerable concern over Lyran treatment of conquered populations.
Starfleet Intelligence had provided signal intercepts, weapons and spare parts to Hydran space fleets, and number of deniable operatives had provided early institutional training to Hydran ground fighters. Intelligence also helped to solidify the position of Royal Prince Letush as a popular, pro-reformist monarch among Hydran people. Intelligence had also helped with development of Hydran "bastion colonies" - remote colony worlds on far side of Hydran space that were unknown by Lyrans at the time of attack, and were consequently kept secret from rest of Hydran race in event of complete defeat and extermination. In return, Hydran resistance agreed to ferment popular uprisings in Klingon Occupation Zone; though not successful, the campaign did cripple Klingon exploitation of the region, which likely contributed to the resourcing shortfalls that prompted Praxis Incident. As part of Kithomer Accords, Klingons would later voluntarily abandon their last Hydran holdings by 2296; though they had effectively became unwilling to govern the region due to combination of distance, drawdowns and political chaos direct preceding and following the reign of Chancellor Gorkon.
Starfleet Intelligence believes that neither Klingons nor Lyrans are aware of Starfleet Intelligence involvement in the affair. Due to politically sensitive nature of this information, Vice Admiral Linderly had requested that this information be regarded as Class 1-AAA state secret.
===========================================CLASSIFIED BY ORDER OF STARFLEET INTELLIGENCE========================================
Suffice to say, the occupation turned into chaos, and several clans attempted to salvage the situation by sending in additional forces. This turned into a disaster when the fleet carrying Duke Red Claw strayed into dangerous nebula and was ambushed by Hydran forces. Though Lyrans fought their way out, the Duke was wounded and was unable to lead the campaign. With last hope for coordinated response dashed, the Lyran response became chaotic mass of often contradictory actions. Facing rising costs, humiliation at home and depleted forces, many clans pragmatically decided to withdraw from core Hydran territories. This gave the momentum over to Joint Hydran Liberation Front, which was able to gradually push out Lyrans past the original Kingdom borders. Although formal war did not materalize between Klingons and Hydrans, subsequent disturbances of Klingon-Hydran Occupation Zone prevent Klingon interference in the conflict.
The war has had significant consequences for the existing political factions in the Empire. Having withdrew its support early, the Crown emerged with all the glory and none of the fallout; many clans uninvolved with invasion profited from industrial sales and trade deals; the Black Mountain Clan was in particular able to flip some of traditional familial alliances in its favor by offering help with post-war rebuilding.
Analysis and Projections:
On the whole, the issues of time and distance means that at present there is no formal diplomacy between the Federation and Lyrans. For their part, Lyrans are aware of our existence, as well as scope of our territory and our overall fleet power. Combined with the latest failure in Lyran expansion, we are not likely to be troubled by coreward Lyran expansion. It is also unlikely that the Ashalla Pact could offer anything substantial to Lyrans; given the enormous distance that Lyran forces would have to cross to attack our territory, and the subsequent period in which many duchies would be open to Klingon or Hydran attack, mean that it is unlikely that Lyrans would agree to such an arrangement. Intelligence retains high confidence in this assessment.
Although our experiences with the Lycori had showed the practical limitations of such decentralized feudal governments, it has to be acknowledged that Lyrans remain more flexible on several levels. While Federation would still be required to divide its diplomatic efforts between various dukes, we remain confident that a hypothetically positive results can be achieved by approaching the ascendant faction in power, or otherwise helping another achieve such status.
Intelligence has also spent considerable time assessing potential Lyran entry in Klingon-Romulan war. Certainly, such war represents a tempting chance for Klingon border dukes to settle some of their old scores. However, with current momentum in favor of Klingons, and with Redclaw Clan significantly weakened, it is unlikely that a broad enough coalition of clans can be assembled to press forward an invasion of Klingon space. This is especially true if we recognize the threat restored Hydran Kingdom posses to the Empire. The Crown is certainly unwilling to comitt the Empire to a campaign that may open doors to a Hydran counter-invasion of their territory. It is also the belief of the Starfleet Intelligence that some of the Lyran dukes in fact maintain solid relations with Klingon Empire, and may oppose an invasion simply on the principle of making the border Dukes' life difficult. It is our belief that this political impasse is at the moment considerable, and that without significant investment of time and resources, it is unlikely for Tal Shiar to capitalize on inherent faultlines in Lyran society to create conditions favorable to Romulan War effort.
However, our analysts stress that this situation can change depending on process of the War effort. If war decisively turns against Klingons, we can expect Lyrans to launch limited offensives to seize Klingon territory, and keep it from Romulan hands, even at cost of exposing itself to Hydran retaliation.
It bears saying however, that Lyran Empire has better-developed relations with the Klingons, and decades of conflict seem to have cemented a certain kind of respect between two warrior species. Thus, the Federation Dyplomatic Service has positioned that it is not unlikely for elements within the Empire pressing for Lyrans to support Klingons instead, likely for concessions in the future occupation of Hydran systems. In any event, we do not expect Lyran entry into the war at this stage, and deem such probability as being Low. However, the borders with Klingons face Elevated risk of opportune raids, though likely limited in scope. For immediate future, we expect Lyrans to remain focused on the situation in Sigma Hydra cluster, for better or worse.
***
From: Starfleet Intelligence First Directorate
To: Admr. Sulu
Cc: V-Admr. ch'Tharvasse, V-Admr. Uhura, V-Admr. Linderley
Subject: Lyran Briefing and Analysis
Although Starfleet's primary attention is focused on the threat possessed by the Cardassian Union, the outbreak of Klingon-Romulan War continues to remain on our radar. Outside of the obvious analysis and predictions regarding both sides of the conflict, this has also been an occassion to consider some of the other powers in the Beta Quadran, their potential alignment in this conflict, and their overall position towards the United Federation of Planets.
These reports represent basic briefings into our dossiers regarding each major species and power, and can be considered as a concise primer on our information and predictions. The first subject of these reports will be the Lyran Star Empire, a major power on the border with Klingon Empire.
***
The Lyrans (pronounced LEAR-UHNS rather than LAY-RUHNS) are a species of humanoid, bi-pedal felines, reminiscent of other, similar races such as Caitians and the Kizinti. Lyrans have created their own major empire in the Beta Quadrant, commonly known as the Lyran Empire. Much like their neighbors, the Klingons, Lyrans are an aggressive warrior-like species. Although very much skilled in waging war - as evidenced by their ability to remain independent despite bordering Klingons - their unfocused aggression and lack of centralized authority had historically hampered their ability to expand and dominate their own neighbors, and had so far prevented them from fully utilizing a number of impressive technical breakthroughs they had come across.
Biology:
Like most other highly developed species, Lyrans are bipedal, bi-gendered humanoids, with distinct feline features like furry ears, eyes, clawed four-digit hands and legs, as well as thick mane of fur around their heads. However, contrary to "conventional wisdom", Lyran fur does not extend over their entire body; neither do they have tails.
On average, Lyrans have same height as humans, with there being relatively little difference in size between males and females, although females tend to have shorter, stubbier claws along with longer and thicker head-furs. Lyrans have somewhat shorter torsos compared to Caitians or Humans, but have longer limbs, and typical standing positions make them appear somewhat hunched over. They are stronger than an average Human, though not as much as a Vulcan or Klingon. Neither are they more resilient; however they do have exemplary sense of hearing and very perceptive eyesight that lends itself to excellent vision in low-light conditions, which in turn lends itself towards their top-notch reflexes. That said, Lyrans do have a very muted perception of colors. Similarly to Kzinti, their diet is mostly meat-based, although unlike Kzinti, they do not necessarily look down upon vegetarians and are in fact, capable of eating vegetarian meals (provided underlying chemical compatibility); although their distinctly fang-like teeth make this process somewhat challenging.
In general, Lyrans bear great resemblance to other "Felanoid" species Federation had encountered, such as Caitians and Kzinti. This is perhaps unsurprisingly, as over centuries, medical scans and DNA testing had confirmed that Lyrans and Kzinti posses minimal differences, with relatively low deviation between Caitan DNA and Lyran one as well. This led to emergence of theories that all three species share the same ancestor; or that Lyra-Kzin genus is in fact this "Progenitor", with Caitians as off-shoot descendants.
It should be noted here that while this theory is considered as a fact among almost all reputable medical and historical establishments, it is flat-out denied by Lyrans and Kzinti; both in fact consider it extremely offensive. To illustrate, most Lyrans, regardless of social standing, consider any allegation of being related to a Kzinti to be a personal slight of highest order, and Federation personnel has long-standing advisory to not discuss Lyran origin theories within the (sensitive) earshot of any Lyran.
Government:
The Lyran Empire - or formally the Lyran Star Empire - is a somewhat unusually a decentralized, feudal state. While elements of feudalism surviving into Warp-era are not unknown among developed space-faring peoples (our own Amaraki members showing great deal of attachment to their Chivalric period), Lyrans are unique in having effectively stalled their society at feudal level of development. This is not a hyperbole; barring a major re-arrangement of traditional territory holding relating to beginning of space exploration almost 2 centuries ago, Lyrans had not seen any successful challenge to their millennial-old social system. This has naturally prompted much speculation and study from Federation's sociologists, and remains a topic for a separate report.
In principle, Lyran state is headed by a central monarchy holding the title that loosely translates to "Emperor-King" or "Royal Emperor". In theory, the Emperor-King holds sovereignty over entire Lyran domain; in practice, the monarchy can effectively govern only a limited amount of territory, dubbed Crownlands (or Crownspace, now in starfaring era). The reminder is parceled out to the ranking members of Lyran aristocracy who are responsible for governing their territories in Majesty's name. Practically, they are required to provide manpower and resources for the Royal Imperial Fleet and a tithe of their earnings as tax, in return for being able to govern their territories freely, develop their own land as they see fit, and levy personal forces to secure it. Effectively, each Lyran "domain" can be considered a small state, bound by formalized dynastic alliance with central crown.
In present times, these domains effectively mean patches of Lyran space. Currently, there are 20 domains, in addition to the Crownspace that is composed of original Lyran homeworld and its immediate surroundings. Each domain is ruled by a ranking noble that commands their own clan. Early translations of Lyran language, particularly into Terran English, have rendered these overlords as "Dukes" with reminder of Lyran titles having being formalized under a broadly Old English ranks of nobility. More recent studies however, show that the position of Duke is more akin to Old Japanese position of Shogun; a feudal warlord that acts as executive to an inviolable sovereign.
Internally, each domain is further divided into several regions, usually denoted as counties. They are ruled by nobles of lesser rank, referred to as Counts, typically direct or close relatives of the duke. In turn, these counts each rule over a set of lower-rank nobles titled Marquis, who preside over "regional" districts, or represent less important worlds. Under a Marquis is finally the lowest order of Lyran nobility, the Barons - who typically rule over small localized holdings, such as individual cities or even city districts or starbases. Whereas the relationship between King-Emperor and Dukes is ambiguous and in constant flux, the relationship within each Domain is highly top-down: each Duke represents ultimate authority, and all lesser ranks answer both to him, and their immediate superiors.
The dukes are effectively allowed great leeway in how they govern their estates, and consequently the internal Lyran situation is perhaps the most complicated in known space. It is not unknown for two Duchies to posses entirely different traditions or even legal precedents, and sometimes these differences even exist between individual counties, based on some long-lost personal agreement.
As each duchy is effectively not only expected, but required to posses its own armed force, including space fleet, it is not unknown for dynastic squabbles to turn into all-out warfare, and the duchies posses unparalleled flexibility in how they deal with their issues, making any broad attempt to asses or predict Lyran politics akin to human practice of divining future from used tea leafs. This internal chaos and lack of central direction have however, stunted Lyran expansion beyond their original borders. While initially highly successfully in rolling over their neighbors, lack of unity and limited resources of each duchy, coupled with traditional non-interference of Crownspace, meant that Lyrans were generally unsuccessful in their piecemeal attempts at conquering larger, more unified nations. The only exception to this fact is the relatively recent war with Hydran Kingdom, which is detailed further below in this report.
Despite this lack of cohesion however, the Lyran Empire had showed surprising, persistent resilience in face of outsider aggression. It is not unknown that duchies facing defeat at hands of alien invaders being saved by intervention from their neighbors, even those with known and deep rivalries or grudges. The experts of Federation Diplomatic Service believe it to be a result of deeply-held belief of "better the devil you know", as well as strong racial identity among Lyrans. While many dukes ultimately peruse their own interests, they are quick to band together if the overall safety of Lyran Empire is threatened. The more cynical diplomats have also observed that such rescues do often come with substantial amount of glory, honor and favors involved, as well as frequent opportunity to grab territory for their own. Nonetheless, while same factors have frequently stunted Lyran expansion, they have also resulted in unprecedented durability, not readily apparent in such a decentralized state.
Society and Culture
Much like their politics, Lyran society and culture remain extremely varied; an argument can be made that the internal divisiveness of Lyran Empire can be indeed traced to these internal divides. At the same time, certain common cultural and societal trends hold true for all the regions of the Empire, if to varying degrees.
The Lyrans are a warlike species, more so than Caitians, but in some ways less than Kzinti (to which Lyrans refer to as "Mirak" - loosely translating to 'Great Barbarous Enemy'). In that way, Lyrans show close parallels with Klingons, with which they share border, and long history of mostly violent interactions. However, if Klingons retain a fairly straightforward culture of personal honor, glorifying feats of strength and violence, the Lyrans show a number of subtle differences. Traditionally a species of hunters - an activity that still holds great amount of religious and cultural meaning - Lyrans glorify what they call Hunter Precepts: To be sharp-eyed to spot the prey; To be swift enough to catch the prey; To be wise enough to outwit the prey; To be vicious enough to kill the prey. To a Lyran, the manner in which prey had been caught, as well as the sort of prey caught are more important than raw strength. Honor itself is derived from victory; thus Lyran honor codes show considerable flexibility compared to traditional Klingon values. To strike from behind or use poison isn't cowardly; it is a display of clever wit and wisdom which are considered virtues in a hunt. After all, a stupid hunter tends to be dead hunter.
Lyrans are religious people, though the degree tends to vary by duchy. The core of the Empire however, as well as highest echelons of its society tend to be deeply religious, with great emphasis on highly ritualized, one might even dare to say ostentatious, worship. The Emperor-King traditionally derives his authority from Lyran religion, being held as representative of the first bloodline mixed by the gods, and thus their oracle.
Lyran religion is polytheistic in nature. Lyrans worship a broad selection of gods, though the most important ones are the God of Open Skies, the God of Shadows, the Sacred Huntmaster and the Fire Maiden.
As expected of a feudal culture, Lyran society is highly stratified. However, the relationship, privileges and even social mobility between those groups is, as with all things Lyran, highly nuanced and variable. In principle, Lyran society is divided into three broad groups: Nobles, Servants and Commoners. Practically, a fourth class also exists, termed "the Unseen", which typically represents what Lyrans see as dregs of society and "undesirables".
The Nobles form a fairly substantial portion of Lyran society, accounting for at least 30% of total population, which remains a fairly conservative estimate. It is, also somewhat surprisingly, the most varied.
Although certain rights and privileges seemingly apply to all nobility (trial of peers, nominal equality, extrajudicial rights etc.), there is an unspoken divide between what is perceived as "high" nobility and "low" nobility. High nobility in this context refers to the King-Emperor and his relatives, the Dukes and the Counts. By rights, the royal line functions on principle of male primogeniture. The ducal lines typically function on the principle of absolute primogeniture, although there have been few Duchesses in the history of Lyran Empire. However, in both cases it is expected that the scion will bear a direct blood connection to one of the 21 nobleborn families. Similarly, the ranks of Counts are typically handed out among the direct family relations of each noble family: brothers, sisters, cousins and other direct relatives. However, "low" noble ranks can be earned by those that distinguish themselves in service, weather in battle or some other, worthwhile endeavor. It is typical for Duchies to award titles of "Baron" as a reward, and in event of exceptional services, such rank becomes permanent and inheritable. The rank of Marquis - which can also be earned - is by default inheritable, along with every rank above it. Consequently, Marquis and Barons represent the vast majority of nobles, but despite nominal "equality of peers", the vast majority of actual economic, military and political authority rests with the handful of "high" nobles. There exist a long and complex code of conduct between those ranks, though it is not unknown for "newfound" noble families to eventually move their way up, albeit in long-term. This process typically involves moving up to the mark of Marquis title, and maintaining several generations of exceptional service, which would make their descendants attractive marriage prospects for Counts and Countesses, particularly in need of further social, political or direct capital. There is surprisingly little social stigma attached to the process; Lyrans believe that those families which demonstrate their noble rights through effort, deserve to be rewarded by joining the "exclusive" higher ranks.
The family of the King-Emperor operates on somewhat different principles, based chiefly in the rules and pageantry of Lyran religion. The King-Emperor enjoys absolute direct rule over his lands, executed by a caste of religious administrator-priests. Secondary "royal" titles tend to remain more of social symbol, and have little direct power. This is likely because as royal line is polygamous, several dozen suitable claimants exist for the position at any given time.
The Commoners represent the vast majority of Lyran population. They are, as term implies, simple folk, tending to homesteads, fields and toiling in mines or factories. Typically, commoners band in small, tight-knit family units, which in turn are loosely affiliated with a wider, common-blood "familia". Patterned on noble lines, familias however remain more of a loose band of blood-relatives, and usually serves as social response and mobilization unit in times of crisis.
Commoners posses few legal protections, but enjoy surprisingly high standing in traditional Lyran society. Traditional Lyran values maintain that, just as Nobles have an honorable right and duty to act as huntmasters and rulers, the commoners are equally honored by doing simple, menial-but-critical tasks on which the rest of society depends. Thus, Commoners enjoy certain degree of, if not appreciation, then respect, and most nobles will generally roll back some of their considerable incomes back into communities to ensure well-being of their commoners. It is generally considered dishonorable and unsightly to demean commoners, and failure to act "responsibly" often prompts harsh censure from ranking nobles.
The Servants are the proportionally smallest class, and one that is least defined. The term is something of a misnomer; in Lyran and Old Caitan it translates more to "skilled subordinate" or "virtuous follower". In simplest term they are trained professionals, occupying more advanced positions - teachers, managers, artists, scientists, professional armsmen and the like. They are typically commoners with the means or talent to receive practical education, which is usually the first step on bettering their social standing. However, the servants themselves occupy the lowest order among Lyran society, as unlike Commoners or Nobles, they are perceived as not doing "honest" work, and otherwise their function is largely dependent on whims of both large commoner population and nobles. This is not universal however, and there is some debate over which professions are considered "servile".
Teaching for example, has traditionally considered an outgrowth of religious activity, and thus enjoys exceptionally high standing. Professors are typically seen as a sort of commoner gentry subclass, and tend to make most of local community leaders. Soldiering is also well-seen, especially as soldiers are expected to see battle and earn glory of the hunt, seen as highest Lyran calling. Lyrans have also great respect for artisans that work directly with materials to create tools or other artifices. Meanwhile, entertainers and traders are typically widely derided for their "dishonest" or superfluous work.
The Unseen are criminals, exiles and enemies. Usually skipped over in any discussion of Lyran society, Unseen enjoy absolutely no legal or traditional protections, and are typically treated with absolute contempt by ordinary Lyran. The Empire is known to employ "penal legions" of Unseen as slave labor force, working dangerous environment in horrid conditions.
Technology:
Lyrans are an advanced, space-faring culture. As a whole, their technological level remains slightly below that of the Federation, and on rough parity with the Klingons. However, there are a number of fields where Lyrans are both less, and in some cases, substantially more advanced than either.
Lyran forcefields are noted to be some generation behind ours in terms of strength and efficiency, and their computers are generally more primitive. Primary weapons of most Lyran ships are phasers which are comparable to our own, but Lyran photon torpedo tech is notably clumsy. However, Lyrans are unmatched masters of plasma-based technology, and their vessels make extensive use of it to overcome some of their shortcomings. In particular, Lyran vessels are noted to make use of exceptionally high-efficiency, high-power plasma conduits to quickly supply and shift power levels across different areas. More advanced Lyran vessels are also known to make use of plasma cannons - weapons that can be best described as being halfway between traditionally slow-but-destructive plasma torpedoes and pulse phasers or disruptors. Though limited in range, the Hydran war has showed them to be extremely destructive.
The most impressive Lyran invention to date however, is the Expanding Field Generator, or Plasma Shield. The exact mechanics behind it remain still unknown to us, but its effects are well-documented. Essentially, the EFG vents the vessel's plasma, and uses superbly fine magnetic control fields to "shape" this field in spherical fashion, supplementing Lyran shields. The energy of the plasma is sufficient to disperse traditional energy weapons, but it can also interfere with other shields, and can damage exposed hulls at close vicinity. Against vessels already suffering from damage the effects can be devastating, with high-heat, high-energy plasma pouring through earlier hull breaches, causing massive internal damage and eliminating enemy crews. Starfleet Tactical consequently believes that the use of EFG are one of the primary factors in the high-speed, close-range engagement pattern of Lyran fleets.
Lyrans are also known to be fairly advanced in the field of material science - their armors are largely considered superior to Klingon hulls, tough preference for small, fast attack ships means this is rarely seen. Lyran warp drives are generally much inferior to ours, but their impulse speeds and maneuverability is considerable.
Military:
As a warrior species, Lyran military capability is significant, though much of it lies divided between various Duchies.
Lyran fleets are divided chiefly between "Ducal" fleets, and the Royal Imperial Fleet guarding the homeworld. In battle, Starfleet Tactical has observed marked preference for small fleets of light starships that operate in tight coordination, using their superior sublight speeds to close in, outmaneuver and finally overwhelm the enemy with massed firepower. In that manner, Lyran tactics show certain similarity to the dreaded "Bird of Prey Rush" tactics of the Klingons, though only superficially. Lyran vessels tend to concentrate in small groups, operating in a fashion not unlike hunters chasing a prey across a plain. Given the origins and social practices of the Lyrans, this is likely deliberate.
Heavier Lyran vessels exist, tough they are in minority, and mostly tied to defensive positions. So far, we have had no opportunity to witness one in action, and very few were employed in their initial action against Hydrans. It is likely that some had seen action against Klingons, but as we all know, the Klingons can be surprisingly tight-lipped and reluctant to share vital information. In any event, "heavy" Lyran elements are regarded as being lower in priority than their "light" forces. This is particularly true of the Imperial fleet, which has relatively few heavy vessels, but numerous light strike groups, centered around a few formations of what we call "super raiders". These are cruiser-sized vessels optimized for combination of speed, firepower and survivability. In this sense, they are effectively a scaled-up version of "light" Lyran destroyers, with increase in size and technology allowing them to cover some of the obvious gaps. Technological dichotomy of Lyran technology makes them difficult to manufacture, and thus limited in number. This also makes them valuable; Imperial fleet is the only one with significant concentration of these vessels, with most duchies operating a handful. This does not lessen their impact; our analysis of the Hydran War concludes that these vessels were responsible for approximately 60% of casualties suffered by Hydran Royal Space Force.
All Duchies levy their own ground forces, together with heavy support elements. Due to their limited territories, Crownlands is the only domain to not rely on typical levy armies, instead making use of elite warrior-priest orders.
As Lyran vessels have limited technical and scientific capability, they are forced to make use of dedicated science vessels. We believe that such secondary vessels are typically created on per-case basis by individual Duchies.
Foreign Relations:
It has been tempting to say at the FDS that with Imperial policy being a result of innumerable compromises between the thrones and the duchies, it effectively does not exist. Of course, this is not entirely true, and Lyran history is rife with demonstrations of exceptions being the rule rather than genuine exceptions.
As Lyran Dukes have considerable leeway, the foreign policies and relations of Lyran Empire effectively depend on which side of the border we fall on. The Duchies bordering Klingon Empire have a long history of vigilance and militarism, typically remaining highly conservative and cautious in their approach, as well as showing surprising amount of local solidarity, likely as result of previous Klingon incursions. The realms closer to Crownspace tend to be more isolationist, preferring to focus their efforts on internal development and political maneuvering, typically at the expanse of their more outward neighbourghs who frequently have to confront alien threats as well. The rimward territories are the most expansionist; due to being the traditional direction of Lyran expansion, but also due to the regions in this direction being relatively resource-rich and lacking larger, stronger polities. Many of the most outlying rimward duchies also invested heavily in the Hydran War, and many seek the chance to settle old scores, especially as the failure of the Hydran occupation has tarred many of their dynasties.
Although the Empire is divided into 21 provinces, in practice some duchies hold more influence than others. As expected of feudal power, these positions wax and wane; however our agents and FDS assets were able to identify a number of clans that had historically maintained strong and stable leadership positions:
- Red Claw Clan: One of the largest and oldest duchies, the Duke of Red Claw is generally held to be one of the pre-eminent authorities of the Empire. Although all clans maintain strong military traditions, Red Claws in particularly are noted for maintaining much larger military than other clans, as well as for establishing several prominent academies that train highly professional warriors; a system since adopted by a number of other clans. The Red Claw domain itself occupies a wedge of space on the very edge of Klingon-Lyran border, edging further rimwards towards space contested with Hydrans, though not directly bordering them. The clan is one of the main patrons of coalition of dukes traditionally opposed to Klingon expansion. Though their lands were rarely directly threatened, Red Claw forces are believed to have launched many reprisal raids against Klingon colonies. The clan was somewhat unexpectedly one of the main backers of Hydran invasion, and consequently lost much of its prestige in the aftermath of the occupation. Though they are holding their position for now, we agree with our FDS colleagues that renewed power of Crownspace, coterie of interior nobles and their rivals at Black Mountain Clan may finally depose Red Claw from their traditional perch in Lyran pecking order.
- Black Mountain Clan: A mid-sized clan on the "underside" of Lyran Empire, Black Mountain occupied somewhat murky position in the Empire, possessing few warriors of note, and little history of battle. However, due to consistent and careful policy, the clan has acquired by far the best industrial and scientific capacity of any, and it has earned many riches in recent decades through sales of advanced ships and technology to other clans. Black Mountains remained uninvolved, and consequently untarred by invasion of Hydran space, and quickly capitalized on it to transmute their wealth and industrial pull into political one. This has earned them much ire, especially from Red Claws. For their part, Black Mountains seem to hold certain distaste towards Red Claws, especially due to history of insults levied at Black Mountain military levies.
- Crownspace: The direct domain of the Emperor-King, Crownspace consists of Lyran homeworld and a small sphere of space containing the oldest Lyran colonies. Its formation had been in large part the single greatest shake-up of Lyran society, as it marked the foundations of the Lyran's gradual expansion and formation of remaining 20 duchies. It did however, also put the royal line finally in direct control of the homeworld, and the most industrialized heartland of the Empire; a fact that was most likely very deliberate on the part of the Emperor. The Crown tends to remain uninvolved in Lyran politics, regardless of particular Emperor-King, due to surprising confluence of strategies. A weak Emperor will likely lack the political goodwill and influence to bring Dukes in order, effectively restraining him to his domain. A cunning Emperor-King will meanwhile remain uninvolved to preserve the impartial image of royal line, instead relying on able political maneuvering to execute his decisions through other clans, potentially weakening other nobles and further entrenching his power. This is believed to play major role in the Lyran-Hydran war, with the predecessor of former Emperor-King authorizing the war in order to weaken and divide the traditional coterie of the clans, while hoarding the power of both his, and his supporters.
However, despite these differences and labyrinthine politics, as mentioned repeatedly, Lyrans have demonstrated surprising willingness to unite in time of crisis, though this rarely translates into lasting unity enough to affect a centralized, charted political discourse. With exception to Hydran War, the only such existing case has been the Lyran-Kzinti Blood Feud.
Despite decades since our first encounter, neither we nor the FDS has been any closer to uncovering the underlying cause of the feud, especially given close relation of the species. However, the fact that Lyran even refuse to refer to Kzinti by their proper name, and that at least one Duke was publically shamed and murdered by his own family for advocating a more reconciliatory tone towards relations with Kzinti say all about their attitude. Although we believe that conflict was initially defensive in nature, focused mostly on repelling intermittent Kzinti raids, during the early to mid-XXIII century the conflict turned into one of annihilation. We currently believe that the scattered Kzinti colonies Starfleet believed to lie past Klingon Neutral Zone had since been destroyed by Lyrans, likely through sustained orbital bombardments and plasma glassing. While than in and of itself should be of grave concern to the Federation, the unusual hatred Lyrans hold for the "Mirak" makes this conflict essentially self-sustaining. As Lyrans believe that one can do no wrong against a Kzinti, and that glory is universal when fighting them, noble houses will eagerly unite against an enemy that every part of Lyran society can agree to annihilate.
Somewhat thankfully, this level of animosity does not extend to our Caitan members. However, Caitans are treated as somewhat of backward "nuveau riche" (to borrow a human term) by Lyrans, and FDS stresses than use of Caitan assets in Lyran relations is strongly discouraged.
The Hydran War:
The Hydran War represents one of the most significant events in Lyran history in the recent decades; it also stands as a significant outlier in typical Lyran foreign relations and internal policy. While the conflict largely deserves its own separate report, we have complied a brief digest for the reader's benefit:
In broad terms, the conflict begun over disagreements between zones of influence of two nations. The Lyrans traditionally claimed a sector of space leading towards the Sigma Hydra star cluster (the home territory of Hydran Kingdom) as their own; however lack of resources and political capital among the most rimward duchies have essentially stalled Lyran expansion for almost a century. As result, Lyrans held claim over wide territory, but could not effectively enforce it. Meanwhile, Hydrans established a number of colonies in the region, as well as became a patron of several minor civilizations, some of which had their own grievances with the Lyrans. Tensions mounted towards mid-2260s, when an improbable set of events set the conflict in motion.
It is the belief of both us and the Diplomatic Service's opinion that the roots of the conflict lie in a failed diplomatic summit between Lyrans and one of Hydran client states. The debate, already frayed and difficult broke down when one of the Hydran emissaries reportedly lost his patience with head Lyran delegate. Over the course of argument, the Hydran derided Lyrans as "primitives", citing their inability to accept the Lyran-Kzinti genus theory as scientific fact as proof. This enraged Lyran delegate who assaulted the emissary, only to be mortally wounded by emissary's guards in the scuffle.
Though a serious diplomatic crisis in and of itself, the Lyran delegate was in fact a close relations to Duke Red Claw. The manner and circumstances of their member's death had enraged the traditionalist clan, which promptly petitioned the Emperor-King for the right of revenge. To strengthen his bargaining position, the Duke became a patron of the Lyran rimward expansion faction, pledging to offer his agreement to expanding rimward territories into Hydran space, in return for war plunder and political support. Even so, the agreement of the throne was somewhat sudden and surprising, galvanizing the expansionists, and largely silencing opposition. It is now believed that this had been a deliberate ploy, aimed at weakening both expansionist clans, and Red Claw in particular.
The war itself was short and brutal. Having spread its forces among various commitments on its borders, the Hydrans failed to mobilize their reserves in time to prevent Lyran penetration deep into their space. A series of battles ensued, including an incredibly lucky raid that saw the destruction of one of primary Hydran staging points, most of its capital vessels, and admiralty. Soon thereafter the Klingons - hemmed in by Organian Treaty and Romulan Star Empire - somewhat surprisingly invaded the northernmost Hydran territories to gain access to wealthy Sigma Hydra worlds. With their final defensive positions overrun, Hydrans capitulated.
However, the same political unity and mobilization that allowed Lyrans to prosecute the war with vigor quickly collapsed upon victory. The Royal Imperial fleet withdrew to Crownspace together with many other inner-empire war supporters, leaving the task of occupation largely to Red Claws and their newfound allies. This occupation quickly found itself mired against dogged Hydran resistance, helped by natural environmental barriers (Hydrans being a methane-breathing species, living at much higher gravity and atmospheric density). Remnants of Hydran fleet also staged highly sucessful campaign, owning to ingenious use of small shuttlecraft with refurbished "carrier" vessels that significantly expanded their service range. Clan leadership quickly became mired in powerplays between rival Dukes and border disputes with Klingons; quick to solidify their hold on new territory, many Dukes turned to extreme measures that turned Hydran apathy and resignation into anger and hatred. In late 2280s the Hydran space became embroiled in full-scale rebellion.
===========================================CLASSIFIED BY ORDER OF STARFLEET INTELLIGENCE========================================
It is at this point that Intelligence, with permission of Vice Admiral Linderley, can reveal that we were involved in these events. While the Federation had been in no position to effectively support Hydrans, it has been a concern of Starfleet Command that a failed Hydran revolt could push Klingons into seizing reminder of Lyran-occupied Hydran space; there has also been considerable concern over Lyran treatment of conquered populations.
Starfleet Intelligence had provided signal intercepts, weapons and spare parts to Hydran space fleets, and number of deniable operatives had provided early institutional training to Hydran ground fighters. Intelligence also helped to solidify the position of Royal Prince Letush as a popular, pro-reformist monarch among Hydran people. Intelligence had also helped with development of Hydran "bastion colonies" - remote colony worlds on far side of Hydran space that were unknown by Lyrans at the time of attack, and were consequently kept secret from rest of Hydran race in event of complete defeat and extermination. In return, Hydran resistance agreed to ferment popular uprisings in Klingon Occupation Zone; though not successful, the campaign did cripple Klingon exploitation of the region, which likely contributed to the resourcing shortfalls that prompted Praxis Incident. As part of Kithomer Accords, Klingons would later voluntarily abandon their last Hydran holdings by 2296; though they had effectively became unwilling to govern the region due to combination of distance, drawdowns and political chaos direct preceding and following the reign of Chancellor Gorkon.
Starfleet Intelligence believes that neither Klingons nor Lyrans are aware of Starfleet Intelligence involvement in the affair. Due to politically sensitive nature of this information, Vice Admiral Linderly had requested that this information be regarded as Class 1-AAA state secret.
===========================================CLASSIFIED BY ORDER OF STARFLEET INTELLIGENCE========================================
Suffice to say, the occupation turned into chaos, and several clans attempted to salvage the situation by sending in additional forces. This turned into a disaster when the fleet carrying Duke Red Claw strayed into dangerous nebula and was ambushed by Hydran forces. Though Lyrans fought their way out, the Duke was wounded and was unable to lead the campaign. With last hope for coordinated response dashed, the Lyran response became chaotic mass of often contradictory actions. Facing rising costs, humiliation at home and depleted forces, many clans pragmatically decided to withdraw from core Hydran territories. This gave the momentum over to Joint Hydran Liberation Front, which was able to gradually push out Lyrans past the original Kingdom borders. Although formal war did not materalize between Klingons and Hydrans, subsequent disturbances of Klingon-Hydran Occupation Zone prevent Klingon interference in the conflict.
The war has had significant consequences for the existing political factions in the Empire. Having withdrew its support early, the Crown emerged with all the glory and none of the fallout; many clans uninvolved with invasion profited from industrial sales and trade deals; the Black Mountain Clan was in particular able to flip some of traditional familial alliances in its favor by offering help with post-war rebuilding.
Analysis and Projections:
On the whole, the issues of time and distance means that at present there is no formal diplomacy between the Federation and Lyrans. For their part, Lyrans are aware of our existence, as well as scope of our territory and our overall fleet power. Combined with the latest failure in Lyran expansion, we are not likely to be troubled by coreward Lyran expansion. It is also unlikely that the Ashalla Pact could offer anything substantial to Lyrans; given the enormous distance that Lyran forces would have to cross to attack our territory, and the subsequent period in which many duchies would be open to Klingon or Hydran attack, mean that it is unlikely that Lyrans would agree to such an arrangement. Intelligence retains high confidence in this assessment.
Although our experiences with the Lycori had showed the practical limitations of such decentralized feudal governments, it has to be acknowledged that Lyrans remain more flexible on several levels. While Federation would still be required to divide its diplomatic efforts between various dukes, we remain confident that a hypothetically positive results can be achieved by approaching the ascendant faction in power, or otherwise helping another achieve such status.
Intelligence has also spent considerable time assessing potential Lyran entry in Klingon-Romulan war. Certainly, such war represents a tempting chance for Klingon border dukes to settle some of their old scores. However, with current momentum in favor of Klingons, and with Redclaw Clan significantly weakened, it is unlikely that a broad enough coalition of clans can be assembled to press forward an invasion of Klingon space. This is especially true if we recognize the threat restored Hydran Kingdom posses to the Empire. The Crown is certainly unwilling to comitt the Empire to a campaign that may open doors to a Hydran counter-invasion of their territory. It is also the belief of the Starfleet Intelligence that some of the Lyran dukes in fact maintain solid relations with Klingon Empire, and may oppose an invasion simply on the principle of making the border Dukes' life difficult. It is our belief that this political impasse is at the moment considerable, and that without significant investment of time and resources, it is unlikely for Tal Shiar to capitalize on inherent faultlines in Lyran society to create conditions favorable to Romulan War effort.
However, our analysts stress that this situation can change depending on process of the War effort. If war decisively turns against Klingons, we can expect Lyrans to launch limited offensives to seize Klingon territory, and keep it from Romulan hands, even at cost of exposing itself to Hydran retaliation.
It bears saying however, that Lyran Empire has better-developed relations with the Klingons, and decades of conflict seem to have cemented a certain kind of respect between two warrior species. Thus, the Federation Dyplomatic Service has positioned that it is not unlikely for elements within the Empire pressing for Lyrans to support Klingons instead, likely for concessions in the future occupation of Hydran systems. In any event, we do not expect Lyran entry into the war at this stage, and deem such probability as being Low. However, the borders with Klingons face Elevated risk of opportune raids, though likely limited in scope. For immediate future, we expect Lyrans to remain focused on the situation in Sigma Hydra cluster, for better or worse.
Thebigpieman
I've got this, I think.
- Location
- United States
Pathfinder will somehow find itself host to the trade summit itself.Maybe next year, there will be a trade summit at Paddah that Pathfinder will conveniently attend?