Dhar'hyyk

INTERSTELLAR STATE
Dhar'hyyk Republic
Founded:
Location:	[[Beta Quadrant]]
Affiliation:	Dhar'hyyk
Capital:	New Arcadia
Head of State:	Lord President of Dhar'hyyk
Head of Government:	Lord President of Dhar'hyyk
Legislature:	Parliament of Dhar’hyyk
Judiciary:	Dhar'hyyk Supreme Court
Major Species:	Human
Military:	Dhar'hyyk Defense Force
Intelligence Service:	Dhar'hyyk Special Intelligence Service
Language:	English
Currency:	Dhar'hyyk Credit

Dhar'hyyk
Class:	O
Satellites:	Dhar'hyyk Alpha, Dhar'hyyk Beta, Dhar'hyyk Gamma
Native Species:	Human Various Aquatic Mammals and Fish
Location:	Raikan System Beta Quadrant
Affiliation:	Unaffiliated

Astronomical data

Location

• Glintara Sector (Sector 031)
  • Raikan System

Names

• Raikan II
• Dhar'hyyk

Moons

• Dhar'hyyk Alpha (Orbital Colony)
• Dhar'hyyk Beta (Shipyard and Military Base)
• Dhar'hyyk Gamma (Cemetery Moon)

History

Early History

Colonised sometime in the 22nd Century by low-warp Sleeper Ships launched by the British Commonwealth Space Agency with representatives from Earth’s United Kingdom, Canada and Australia the planet became a prime site for archaeological study following the discovery of the ruins of an ancient undersea civilisation. Archaeologists came from all over the Empire to study what appeared to be highly advanced aquatic mammals only to find themselves stranded as particles in the air clogged their primitive Impulse Engines and rendered them useless. Unable to return home, the settlers disassembled the majority of their ships and used their parts to begin to rebuild and repair some of the ancient cities that still floated on the planet’s calm oceans.

Contact with the universe outside of the neighbouring systems was sparse in the first two centuries of Dhar’hyyk’s Human colonisation. Occasionally a Federation probe would enter the system and then exit, largely ignored by the planet’s growing population. As more was learned about the ancient civilisation that had occupied the planet centuries before the Human expedition had landed, the colonists began to build newer, better cities and develop a new type of propulsion unit that would allow craft to safely travel through Dhar’hyyk’s skies and enter low orbit. These advances in technology also saw the beginning of Dhar’hyyk’s colonial and military expansion, with a colony being established on the planet’s first moon and a large military shipyard and base being constructed on the second.

Contact with the Federation

On the 3rd of August 2340 (old Earth Calendar), the USS Bunker Hill NCC-1745 was patrolling the Neutral Zone when it intercepted a distress call from a small vessel in the neighbouring system. After retrieving a human pilot from an Escape Capsule, the Bunker Hill sent word to Star Fleet Command that there were previously unknown Human settlements on the very border of the Neutral Zone. The news quickly spread and soon a diplomatic delegation was sent from Earth to Dhar’hyyk.

What the delegation found was not the small group of backwards survivors on a harsh backwater world that had been expected. Instead they found a booming civilisation at the beginning of its own industrial and commercial revolution, using ancient but still-functioning Matter/Antimatter reactors to power their cities and possessing small courier vessels and system patrol craft able to reach low-warp speeds. The delegation returned to Earth with a select few members of the Dhar’hyyk Parliament, who met with then-President Hikaru Sulu and discussed a political relationship with the Federation since its inhabitants were all descended from Federation Citizens. Quoting the Prime Directive, President Sulu stated that Dhar’hyyk would not be granted Member status until it had developed Warp technology to a sufficient level. He did however grant the planet protectorate status - meaning that should the planet be attacked, Star Fleet would respond.

Satisfied, the delegation returned to Dhar’hyyk to spread the word. News travelled ahead that the planet’s Space Programme was to be further advanced, and soon all available resources were directed to the construction of Dhar’hyyk’s first long-range starship.

Trial and Error

With the prospect of Federation Membership ahead of them, the Dhar’hyyk Government directed additional funds into the Space Programme. By reverse engineering the Matter/Antimatter Reactors used to power the city-islands and installing one in a small scout vessel, the DWS Discovery was born. After teething problems stabilising the Warp Field, the first successful test flight broke the Warp Barrier and ran up to a recorded speed of Warp Four.

Over the next thirty years, experiments and development continued at an impressive rate. The Dhar’hyyk Navy was supplemented by a small Star Fleet made primarily of dedicated Border Cutters to defend the system from attack. It was these ships that received the first production Warp Engines, and would provide test-beds for any and all further enhancements and upgrades. Trade with surrounding systems led to rapid and successful development of Dhar’hyyk’s interstellar capabilities, not to mention providing fresh customers for its booming arms industry.

The Dominion War

Though the Dominion War did not directly affect Dhar'hyyk in any way, the Dhar'hyyk Fleet was pushed to its limits defending the borders against any possible incursion. Later on in the war, faster Dhar'hyyk vessels acted as armoured couriers, ferrying medical supplies and foodstuffs between Federation worlds and outposts.

Dhar'hyyk's contribution to the Alliance was not only benevolent. Several groups of “volunteers” left the planet to assist Federation troops on the front lines, though for political reasons they were generally assigned garrison duties or to supply ships where the fighting was least likely to happen. This did not sit well with many, soldiers from Dhar’hyyk had been fighting the wars of others for decades, why was the Federation not employing their skills and paying for it?

Embers of Discontent

With the Dominion War over, and the soldiers from Dhar’hyyk who had aided Star Fleet returning to their homeworld, some politicians on Dhar’hyyk decided that further political ties with the Federation would only cause problems in the long run and would be a detriment to Dhar’hyyk’s economic boom. Although an outspoken faction in the largely united Parliament, families that had lost relatives during the war began to attend rallies held by the anti-Federation party.

Soon, the anti-Federation politicians and their followers accounted for some ten percent of the planet’s population. As their membership grew, the party’s agenda changed from simply voicing their concerns about joining the Federation, to becoming an independent state on the planet and refusing to accept the Federation’s rules – thus preventing the planet from becoming a member world.

The self-proclaimed Anti-Unification Alliance had created the first cracks in a formerly stable government - cracks that would widen over the next few decades.

The Romulan Threat

Over the course of the First General War, the Romulans attempted to use the Raikan system as a short-cut deeper into Federation Space. These attempts were repulsed for the most part by the now fully-fledged Dhar'hyyk Star Fleet. Several Starships were however lost repulsing these attacks due to a significant lack of firepower and shield technology, but captured and salvaged materials and technology of Romulan design was integrated into the Dhar'hyyk ships and after emergency refits, every vessel in the Dhar'hyyk Fleet was a match for their Romulan counterparts. Though the Romulans themselves soon ceased attempting to cross the Raikan system, then Fleet was still constantly patrolling the borders – constantly on guard against any invasion forces.

Deadly Spark

No sooner had the First General War ended, with hundreds of millions of lives lost on either side; the Anti-Unification Alliance decided that Dhar’hyyk was not to be allowed to join the Federation. After almost half a century of dissent and political power struggles, the AUA gained control of one of the planetary defence satellites and fired it at a densely populated city on the planet where a vote to join the Federation had been called. Bradman city, with a population of 50,000, was vaporised in seconds as a high-yield torpedo impacted its ageing power core and detonated.

The Parliament was split in two, and despite the warnings and pleas from several neutral politicians, fighting erupted in the planet’s capital of Arcadia as members of the Dhar’hyyk Security Force clashed with vast mobs of AUA supporters. As the death toll quickly began to rise, a state of emergency was declared across the entire planet. The system was declared off limits to all vessels; and on Stardate 19302.07 (approx.), a state of civil war was declared between the Dhar’hyyk Republic and the Anti-Unification Alliance.

The Flames of War

The civil war raged across the entire Raikan system for three years, costing thousands of lives. Sources would later describe the conflict as claiming an entire generation of Dhar’hyyk’s children, an estimation that may not be far from the truth. After the initial atrocity of Bradman city it was decreed by both that civilian targets were off-limits to all combatants and that anyone ignoring the edict would be sentenced to death. These rules had been forgotten, however, by the Battle for Arcadia during which the AUA scored one of its bloodiest victories – leaving the loyalist forces leaderless and the capital in flames. During the war, military recruitment age was reduced from eighteen to sixteen and as such an influx of “child soldiers” found themselves fighting on the front lines. Barely qualified and too young to comprehend the gravity of the situation, many young men and women were killed within hours of posting to their operational units. Some, however, would rise to greatness; as is the case of Paul Braggins, who by the age of eighteen was commanding the loyalist Air Force and had planned and led several campaigns that had changed the course of the war.

Following the Battle of Lusankya Bay in the war’s third year, only the most fanatical of the AUA’s forces remained intact; the remainder had surrendered or fled the system. Ceasefire negotiations were offered, but were refused and a final crippling strike removed the last vestiges of the AUA threat. Following the peace treaty; several AUA officials were exiled from Dhar’hyyk space, while others (notably those involved in the Bradman City atrocity) were tried for war crimes and executed.

The Romulan Front and Borg Invasion

With the civil war over and the trials concluded, life returned to normal on Dhar’hyyk even as intergalactic politics seemed to be falling apart. For the first year of the Romulan War, the citizens of Dhar’hyyk remained isolated – guarding their borders and those of their customers closely. No member of the military volunteered to help Starfleet fight the Romulans; the memory of how their predecessors had been treated still too close to the surface to be ignored. It was not until the war’s second year that a low-level diplomat was dispatched to Dhar’hyyk to request their aid – a request that was granted, though at significant financial cost.

Soldiers from Dhar’hyyk fought in many major engagements across the front, some as independent forces and some as officers or enlisted crew aboard Starfleet vessels. The war’s conclusion and subsequent Borg invasion did little to affect the flow of well-paid volunteers, though larger screening forces were requested protecting convoys through space near projected targets.

Reconstruction

Never under threat of attack by the Borg, life on Dhar’hyyk had continued as normal and the rebuilding following the civil war had been completed. Upon the ruins of Arcadia a new capital; New Arcadia, was built while the ruins of Bradman City were left to become a permanent memorial and warning to those who would abuse their power. Income from fighting the wars of others had paid to repair done by Dhar’hyyk’s own civil war, and for two decades the planet lived in peace – though work to further fortify the system continued, and work on new warships and weapons systems never ceased. Even an AUA coup was ended before it had a chance to take root by the actions of several offworld officers aided by the crew of the USS Enterprise.

The Romulan War and Krynar crisis served only to strengthen Dhar’hyyk’s military economy, and Dhar’hyyk military forces took part in both conflicts; again in exchange for large quantities of credits or raw materials – further reinforcing public and political opinion that the inhabitants of Dhar’hyyk are nothing but mercenaries.

Politics

Dhar’hyyk is governed by the Lord President of Dhar’hyyk, who is advised by the Dhar’hyyk Parliament. The Dhar’hyyk Parliament, like the British Government on which it was based, is comprised of two distinct groups – the Lords and the Commons. Unlike the system from which it is based, peerage is not necessarily guaranteed by bloodline on Dhar’hyyk – a world where actions speak louder than words. It is possible for a title to be withdrawn from a family or individual once the holder has left office or is deceased, though this is rare and often the title is retained even if the privileges and responsibilities are not.

Political Affiliations

• Federation: Ambivalent. They are seen as good customers (and partners on some ventures) and useful friends to have; but not always trustworthy and no closer relationships are currently desired.
• Democratic Romulan Republic: Neutral. The government of Dhar’hyyk applaud the Democratic Romulan Republic for splitting from the Empire, and have engaged in trade agreements but no closer relationships are currently desired.
• Romulan Empire: Hostile. Though peace remains between the Romulan Empire and Dhar’hyyk, the border areas remain closed and heavily fortified on both sides.
• Klingon Empire: Neutral. Though the Klingon Empire sees Dhar’hyyk as a planet of honour-less mercenaries and the people of Dhar’hyyk see the Klingons as a species of violent killers, the two remain neutral to one-another.
• Cardassian Empire: Neutral. Encounters with the Cardassian Empire were once extremely rare, but have begun to occur with increasing frequency.
• Tholian Empire: No contact.
• Breen Confederacy: No contact.
• Ferengi Alliance: Neutral. The Ferengi Alliance has been known to request the use of Dhar’hyyk military personnel in situations where Orions or Nausicaans would be inappropriate. These deals are investigated thoroughly before agreements are made, as while the Ferengi pay well they are not trusted.
• Orion Syndicate: Hostile. The Syndicate has attempted numerous times to raid or smuggle illicit goods through allied systems. These ships are intercepted and impounded, despite the repeated threats and bribes offered by their crews.

Economy

Dhar'hyyk's major exports are the fish and water mammals found only on Dhar'hyyk. These are usually sold to Scientific Centres deep in Federation Space, though some are also sold to private collectors.

Most of Dhar'hyyk's building resources and raw materials have to be imported. The irregularity of such deliveries has meant that the inhabitants will try to repair and refit a damaged piece of equipment or ageing building, as opposed to constructing a new one.

Dhar'hyyk is also home to a thriving arms industry. Being so close to the Neutral Zone, in an area that Starfleet often steers clear of to avoid antagonising the Romulans, the rapid military development is both crucial and beneficial – several civilian outposts and facilities in nearby systems purchase weapons, equipment and protection from Dhar'hyyk, and often Dhar'hyyk Starfleet patrols will stop at these outposts for trade and shore leave.

Members of Dhar’hyyk’s military are allowed (and indeed encouraged) to hire themselves out for work in the neighbouring systems. Entire military units have often been sighted escorting convoys through contested sectors or acting as peacekeepers. This has given many outsiders the opinion that the planet is simply one of mercenaries, but serves to further the esteem with which Dhar’hyyk is held by its neighbours and attract new clientele for the shipbuilding and arms industries.

Culture

Dhar'hyyk retains much of the original culture from the countries that formed the expedition. Music and The Arts have changed only to adapt to the new realities and challenges that the inhabitants face. Sport, originally hampered by the lack of space aboard the floating cities, is making resurgence. Football, Rugby, Ice Hockey and Cricket are all played regularly both professionally and in schools.

Since colonisation, the colonists of different backgrounds have mixed and dispersed – giving many inhabitants a distinctive accent. Some cities, however, remain almost totally inhabited by descendants of the same nationality and have done for decades – such is the case in the aptly-named New Vancouver. Inhabitants in these areas retain a similar accent to those their ancestors would have had.

The inhabitants of Dhar'hyyk take great pride in their heritage. Commonwealth Day is still celebrated every year, and the planetary flag is a modification of the British Union Flag, replacing the blue backing with black.

The inhabitants of Dhar’hyyk are wary of outsiders and treat them with a certain amount of distrust or in extreme cases hostility; especially those from Federation worlds or Starfleet vessels. However once an individual or group has shown they can be trusted or have something of value to offer, they are usually embraced as if long-lost friends or family.

Military

Structure and Organisation

The Dhar’hyyk Defence Force is organised in much the same way as the United Earth Forces that operated during the Mid-21st Century to the Early-22nd Century (in which many of the original colonists served or were descendents of serving members). To this extent, the Rank Structure and Divisional Command are extremely similar.

The Dhar’hyyk Defence Force is split into the following individual commands:

• Dhar’hyyk Navy
• Dhar’hyyk Air Force
• Dhar’hyyk Defence Auxiliary

File:DDFUniform.jpg

Uniform of the Dhar'hyyk Defence Force. Air Force Rank/Naval Rank.

The Dhar’hyyk Navy oversees all Fleet operations on the planet’s surface and in space, and is responsible for maintaining the system’s security be it patrolling the border or performing stop-and-search checks on ships to prevent smuggling and/or piracy.

The Dhar’hyyk Air Force is responsible for the operation of all vessels or aircraft that do not classify as Starships. These vehicles, be they atmospheric Fighters like the Lightning or Starfighters like the Venator/Phantom are generally assigned to Naval Vessels or bases and cross-training is popular among most crews to the point where DAF Officers have risen to Command positions on Dhar’hyyk Naval Vessels, and Dhar’hyyk Naval Officers have become some of the most successful pilots in the Dhar’hyyk Air Force.

The Dhar’hyyk Defence Auxiliary is a Reserve service; members are obligated to serve for one Dhar’hyyk month per year (29 Days out of 350) and are assigned to Air Force or Navy units depending on training and expertise.

The uniform of all three services are identical with the exception of the undershirt, which has a different colour determined by the service to which the wearer is assigned. Naval Officers wear Navy Blue, Air Force Officers wear Crimson and Auxiliaries wear Emerald Green. Unit patches are displayed on the right bicep, while Service Logo is displayed on the left.

Training

Eligibility for enlistment in the Military begins as early as sixteen years old. Students are sent to the Dhar’hyyk Military Academy to conduct a rigorous year-long training scheme which identifies and nurtures the Cadet’s competencies and removes any deficiencies while also teaching leadership, survival skills and combat training.

Upon completion of the first year, the Cadets are processed into their individual streams. Air Force and Navy Cadets are split, and those are further split into those considered capable of becoming officers and those not. The second year of training concentrates on the duties and responsibilities of the Cadet’s assigned stream, and upon completion the Cadet will graduate as an officer or enlisted member of the military.

In times of emergency or total war, an emergency training curriculum is implemented. This system condenses the training down to ensure enough Cadets graduate too meet demand, and at its most condensed will see a Cadet go from enlistment to graduation in no more than six weeks. It should be noted that this is an emergency measure only, and that due to lack of adequate preparation and familiarisation, 60-80% of Cadets trained in this manner are unlikely to survive to the end of the conflict.

Military Distribution

Dhar’hyyk Surface Fleet

5 Groups consisting of the following:

• 1 Heavy Carrier
• 1 Escort Carrier
• 2 Cruisers
• 4 Destroyers
• 1 Fuel Tender
• 1 Supply Tender

Dhar’hyyk Star Fleet

• 10 Watchman-class System-Defence Stations

3 Groups consisting of the following:

• 1 Arcadia-class Battleship
• 1 Conveyor-class Carrier
• 6 Defender-class Frigates

Dhar’hyyk Air Force

• 5 Wings of 12 Venator Starfighter Squadrons.
• 10 Wings of 12 Valkyrie Starfighter Squadrons.
• 10 Wings of 12 Lightning Atmospheric Fighter Squadrons.
• 8 Wings of 12 Thunderhawk Atmospheric Bomber Squadrons.

Plus various cargo, transport and training aircraft.

Images

• 

  Flag of Dhar’hyyk

• DharhyykBattleship.jpg

  Arcadia-class Battleship

• DharhyykCarrier.jpg

  Conveyor-class Carrier

• DharhyykFrigate.jpg

  Defender-class Frigate