Dhar'hyyk

INTERSTELLAR STATE
Dhar'hyyk Republic
Founded:	21st Century
Location:	Beta Quadrant
Affiliation:	Dhar'hyyk
Capital:	New Arcadia
Head of State:	Regent of Dhar'hyyk
Head of Government:	Regent of Dhar'hyyk
Legislature:	Parliament of Dhar’hyyk
Judiciary:	Dhar’hyyk Judiciary
Major Species:	Human
Military:	Dhar’hyyk Militia (Protectors)
Intelligence Service:	Dhar’hyyk Militia (Protectors)
Language:	English
Currency:	Dhar'hyyk Credit

Dhar'hyyk
Class:	O Class
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 late 21st Century by British and Commonwealth exiles following the Third World War, Dhar’hyyk was not the target world for the small fleet of Sleeper Ships that left Earth. The vessels landed to conduct repairs to failing cryogenic systems, only to find themselves stranded as systems failed fleetwide. 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. 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 expansion, with a colony being established on the planet’s first moon and a mining station and shipyard constructed on the second.

Trial and Error

Having discovered that their closest neighbours were the warlike Romulans, the planet of Dhar'hyyk was nearly decimated in an attack before it even had a chance to fully establish itself. In response, the Dhar’hyyk Government directed what was left of the planet's economy into military development and its fledgling 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 eventually 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 Militia 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, but drew the attention of the Romulan Star Empire once again; knowing that no force in the area was able to directly challenge them, the Empire quietly annexed the world and left it in the hands of a small detachment of Romulan officers and Reman enforcers, backed up by a large number of local collaborators.

The Dominion War

Though the early years of Dominion War did not directly affect Dhar'hyyk in any way, the system was a small backwater so irrelevant to galactic affairs that even the Romulans often forgot it existed; only when Jem'Hadar attack vessels used the system as a shortcut to the more distant parts of the Federation, or stop in for repair or Deuterium resupply, did the war really come to the small system. That changed when the Romulans entered the war; a Jem'Hadar strike was repelled by brave volunteers in small border cutters and training vessels, a heroic feat that cost many lives. Only when the collaborator government sent word of the victory to the Senate did the Romulans remember that they had territory to defend. Reman forces were stationed in the system to prevent another Jem'Hadar incursion, but the unspoken message from the Senate was clear - they had taken notice of the planet's ability and willingness to defend itself, and would react accordingly if anyone tried to rise up.

Embers of Discontent

The Dominion War ended, and peace returned to the Beta Quadrant. The Romulans continued to mostly ignore Dhar'hyyk except to collect the supplies of ore they shipped out at the end of every quarter and remind the Humans who was in charge. The garrison was reduced in size, mostly disgraced officers and Reman shock troops who nobody would miss but were still slightly too important to execute. Life grew harder as the tolls exacted by the Romulans increased due to the cost of rebuilding after the war, and talk of a resistance movement grew; the people had learned of the Bajoran Resistance, and the Resistance movement formed Legate Damar on Cardassia, and many were keen to overthrow their green-blooded overlords. Even some members of the Militia, themselves mostly trusted collaborators, began to question the logic of the situation - Dhar'hyyk had defended the ore the Romulans needed by itself, and the Romulans were now tightening the noose.

In secret hangars built in mountain caverns or submerged in shallow bays and coves, the Resistance began to build their fleet. Small and agile strike craft for use either in the air or in space, along with fast attack boats and tenders that would allow them to strike targets from the sea, as well. Peaceful rallies were held to protest continued Romulan occupation, and while these were ignored by the Romulans themselves as nothing but an insignificance, the collaborators in government saw their own comfortable way of life threatened; during a city-wide protest in Bradman city, collaborator officials unleashed the Remans on the protestors. The massacre was complete, and the destruction total; by the time the last Reman had been recalled, the entire city was in flames.

The very next day, the fledgeling resistance movement struck at the Reman barracks and simultaneously broadcast a system-wide message. The time of the Romulan Overlords was done, Dhar'hyyk would stand on its own two feet, or burn in the attempt. So began the Dhar'hyyk Revolution.

The Flames of War / The Purge

The 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 collaborators scored one of its bloodiest victories – leaving the rebel forces leaderless and the capital in flames.

During the war, casualties rose to such a breaking point that conscription became mandatory for those as young as 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 units. Some, however, would rise to greatness; as is the case of Paul Braggins, who by the age of eighteen was commanding the rebel 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 collaborating 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 collaborator threat. Following the peace treaty; several low-level collaborators were exiled from Dhar’hyyk space, while most were tried for war crimes and executed.

Reconstruction

After the Shinzon Incident a more tempered Romulan Government came to power and officially recognised Dhar'hyyk's sovereignty. With that assurance, and knowledge that Starfleet also pledged to defend the small colony, life on Dhar’hyyk had continued and the rebuilding following the civil war was completed, though the population remained a fraction of its former size. 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. 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 a resurrected collaborationist 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 economy as now people were buying the raw materials mined in the system. For the first time, Dhar’hyyk military forces entered the galactic stage and contributed in some way to both conflicts in exchange for large quantities of credits or raw materials – creating a public and political opinion that the inhabitants of Dhar’hyyk are nothing but mercenaries from a backwater wasteland.

Culture

Prideful and skilled warriors thanks to centuries of living under the shadow of their more imperialistic neighbours, combat is often referred to as a fundamental part of their culture, their individual identity and spirit. Citizens follow a strong code of honour that could be invoked to settle disputes with one-on-one combat that would conclude with the death of one opponent.

Government structure on Dhar’hyyk takes shape in the form of a pyramid, with the ruler, or Regent at the top and the Protectors of the Militia enforcing their rule. Below them were the political factions made up of Houses or Clans, but also of independent groups of individuals who share a common goal. The Parliament of Dhar’hyyk is made up of the heads of each House or Clan and the nominated leader of any independent groups.

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. Despite this mistrust, non-native individuals of many species can and have been adopted into the Dhar’hyyk way of life if they demonstrated sufficient skill and earned the respect of their fellows.

"The Code"

Rules by which the inhabitants of Dhar'hyyk have lived by for centuries, while serving under the jackboot of the Romulan. Each citizen is expected to draw their own moral conclusions from the words, which has resulted in civic unrest several times and civil war on one occasion, but this is seen as an acceptable price to pay for the self-determination of its citizens.

"Strength is life, for the strong have the right to rule.
Honour is life, for with no honour one may as well be dead.
Loyalty is life, for without one’s clan one has no purpose.
Death is life, one should die as they have lived."

There is also a strict code of manners that all citizens are expected to abide by. Breaking with these manners is almost guaranteed to bring dishonour to an individual's clan.

• "Speak your mind."
  
• "Look the person you’re talking to in the eye."
  
• "If you’re a guest in someone's home, take off your boots."
  
• "Pay your debts."
  
• "Fuss over your children."
  
• "Respect the elderly."
  

Politics

Dhar’hyyk is ruled by the Regent of Dhar’hyyk, who is advised by the Dhar’hyyk Parliament. The Dhar’hyyk Parliament is comprised of the heads of particularly notable families (usually with links to mercantile or military industry) and other Lords and Ladies. Unlike the system that predated it on Earth, peerage on Dhar’hyyk 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.

The Deathwatch

The remnants of the former collaborationist movement, The Deathwatch is a splinter group that opposes the elected government of Dhar'hyyk. After several failed attempts at taking over the planet, their numbers are dwindling but they remain a force to be reckoned with. Still proud of their heritage, they are often found working as highly paid mercenaries, waiting for the opportunity to return from exile and take what they believe is their rightful place as the rulers of a powerful isolationist Dhar'hyyk. It is believed, but not proven, that they continue to operate with Tal'Shiar support.

Economy

Dhar'hyyk's major exports are the fish and water mammals found only on Dhar'hyyk. These are usually sold to scientific research centres, though some are also sold to private collectors.

Dhar'hyyk is also home to a thriving arms industry. Being so close to the Neutral Zone, in an area that Star Fleet 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 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 neighbouring systems or the galaxy at large. 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.

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.

Military

Structure and Organisation

Though the Dhar’hyyk Militia has an organised structure, this is often interpreted in a loose and informal manner; rank having to be earned through experience and deed on the battlefield rather than by time in service or political patronage. It is therefore fairly common for senior officers to be considerably younger than their subordinates if they have particularly distinguished themselves.

The “volunteer arm” of the Dhar’hyyk Militia is even more loosely organised; active or reserve members of the Militia may travel offworld at any time to engage in “voluntary military service” with another star nation, business, or individual. The only rules enforced are that half the acquired pay is paid in a “volunteer tax”, and that the individual may not engage in activities that are considered detrimental to the interests of the Dhar’hyyk people.

Eligibility for enlistment in the Militia begins as early as sixteen years old, and all adults must complete at least three years of active service prior to their fiftieth birthday. All citizens are expected to contribute to the defence of the homeworld if necessary.

Protectors

The Dhar'hyyk Protectors, also known as the Dhar'hyyk Royal Guard or simply "The Protectors", are a group of elite warriors charged with the protection of the Regent. Recruited the best warriors from the Clans, they are some of the best warriors in the sector.

Training

All Dhar’hyyk children study basic military strategy as children, though this is done through play activities until they become of age to attend one of the planet’s many military academies.

Most students 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 in-depth combat training that prepares Cadets for battle both on- and off-world.

Upon completion of the first year, the Cadets are processed into their individual streams; those are further split into those considered capable of becoming officers and leaders, 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.

Some citizens, notably the family members of particularly skilled fighters, may be trained privately; these members of the Militia are often better-equipped and better-prepared for leadership roles or for fighting offworld, but have a narrower view of the universe in general due to the restricted curriculum.