Over thousands of years, human civilizations
rose and fell on the planet of Earth, advancing
in technological capability slowly, as war,
disease and natural disasters often hindered
development.
Yet after recovering from fighting two world
wars, they at last achieved spaceflight and
in 1969, and began expanding beyond their
planet.
Exploring their moon with manned missions
they also sent unmanned missions beyond, gathering
information about the planets and Solar system
around them.
Yet violence and division still ravaged the
nations of the world, leading to a Eugenics
war near the end of the 20th century, resulting
in 30 million deaths.
In the 21st century their spaceflight development
continued, but was hindered once again due
to their third world war, spanning from 2026-2053.
Mission continued for a time, even during
the years of war, but this war eventually
led to the use of nuclear weapons, which in
the end claimed the lives of roughly 600 million
people.
Yet while many died, their knowledge survived,
and after a decade of recovery the scientist
Doctor Zefram Cochrane invented warp technology,
launching the Pheonix into space.
The first warp capable ship in earth’s history
was then detected by an alien vessel passing
through their system, who recognized the achievement
as the last technological milestone needed
to initiate first contact.
Although quite different from Humans in many
ways, physically the Vulcan species appeared
very similar to humans, likely having evolved
from a common ancestor who spread their dna
across the planets of the galaxy.
A once violent species, Vulcans began to practice
ritual meditation and over time were able
supress their emotions, using logic and reason
to guide their lives.
As a result they were a largely peaceful civilizations,
resulting in a new era of technological development
for the planet of earth, as they learned from
the Vulcans and over the next century eliminated
poverty and hunger throughout the world.
By 2103, humans colonized Mars, and in 2150,
the nations of the world were ready to unify
into a single government.
The following year, they launched the Enterprise
Nx-01 to explore deep space and make first
contact with new alien life, with a Vulcan
even serving aboard the ship as a sign of
the friendship and alliance between their
species.
And while humans were grateful for their assistance,
some had also grown impatient with the Vulcans,
who were hesitant to share too much, and risk
sending humans out into a dangerous galaxy
unprepared.
In many ways this concern was justified, as
humanities ignorance about other species and
cultures, as well as their desire to explore
and claim new territory that bordered existing
powers, sometimes led to conflict and war.
Yet humanity also made new alliances and friendships
through their exploration, which eventually
led to the formation of a coalition of planets
in 2155.
Feeling threatened by the rise of this new
alliance, a war with the Romulan Star Empire
erupted between 2156 and 2160, ending in victory
for the coalition forces.
Defeated, the Romulans retreated into their
borders and went into isolation for nearly
a century.
With the war won, the victorious planets formed
a new partnership, creating the United Federation
of Planets in 2161.
Though the Federation and the Officers of
Starflight who administered their space program,
were dedicated to the peaceful exploration
of the galaxy, their mere presence near the
borders of other species sometimes bred conflict.
This was the case in the early 23rd century,
when relations with the Klingon Species of
the Beta Quadrant soured, leading to years
of cold war in which they engaged in small
scale border skirmishes, and fought an inconclusive
Battle at Donatu V in 2245.
On one occasion, during what was later described
as a Klingon raid of terror against a Vulcan
research facility, a pair of humans were killed,
leaving their young daughter Michael Burnham
to be raised by the Vulcan Sarek and his wife
Amanda Grayson.
She then went on to join the Federation and
became first officer aboard the USS Shenhzou,
but never forgot the horrors committed by
the Klingons, making her one of the few humans
who truly understood the aggressive nature
of these mysterious aliens.
The Klingons were a warrior race who revelled
in battle, and dedicated themselves to preserving
ancient traditions and rituals while adhering
to a strict code of honor.
For centuries they were led by an Emperor
and through their prowess in war were able
to conquer a large empire.
But eventually the Emperor’s power diminished,
leaving them to be ruled by a High Council
of 24 great houses that often bickered and
fought amongst themselves.
Yet not all were blind to the way division
weakened them, with a Klingon named T’Kuvma
from a minor house, coming to believe he was
destined to reunite the Empire and make it
strong once more.
As a child, he rediscovered the lost ship
of his father, the Sarcophagus, and dedicated
himself to repairing it, vowing to restore
the honor of his house.
The ship then became his main base as he grew
his following, and because he believed past
divisions needed to be set aside, T’kuvma
even took in outcasts who were not accepted
anywhere else, like the Albino Voq.
With the Sarcophagus fully operational and
an ever growing following, T’kuvma was able
to develop cloaking technology and was at
last ready to fulfill ancient prophecy and
unite the Empire to face a new enemy, which
he believed was the Federation.
And so he took his ship to the edge of Federation
space, and arranged for both the enemy fleet
and the Klingon great houses to face off against
each other, uniting the Empire for the first
time in many years to fight the Battle of
the Binary Stars.
