Kinshaya created by John M. Ford, developed further by Keith R. A. DeCandido.



The war between the Klingon Empire and the Kinshaya was a brutal, drawn-out conflict, reminiscent of the Soviet-Afghan War. The Klingons, with their formidable military might, sought to subdue the Kinshaya, a bat-like species known for their religious fanaticism and guerrilla tactics. The Klingon Empire, then under Chancellor Kesh, had sent an armada of dreadnoughts, assault ships, cruisers and escorts to the Demon's Rift sector, following months of survellance with Birds of Prey and other scouts. The strategies were based on the past successful blitzkreig assaults, a show of shock and awe, followed by rapid ground officensives and territorial gains. This had worked countless times before. Worlds would surrender before the capital ships pounded their cities into radioactive rubble. This never happened in the Demon's Rift sector. Something was very different. Something had gone horribly wrong in the equation. The fighting was not as one-sided as the intelligence led them to believe. Ground assaults were torn apart by fierce defenders and cunning use of territorial familiarity to entrap, confuse and destroy the Klingon forces. Where the Klingons wanted an honourable face-to-face fight, the Kinshaya were smart enough to cut the extended supply lines of the Klingon forces, both on the ground and in space. They could then be weakened and destroyed by the less well-armed Kinshaya. A campaign designed to last days or weeks, became mired in blood and mud. Weeks became months, months became years, until over a decade had passed in the meatgrinder campaign of the Demon's Rift sector.

The Kinshaya, deeply rooted in their spiritual beliefs, viewed the Klingons as heretics and invaders. Their home territory, the treacherous Demon's Rift Nebula, provided a natural fortress, much like the rugged terrain of Afghanistan. The Kinshaya used their intimate knowledge of the nebula to launch surprise attacks and ambushes, making it difficult for the Klingons to gain a foothold. Early victories by the Klingons lulled them into a false sense of victory. Colonies were set up and supply lines slowly stretched as the battleplans were put into action. Months down the lines, the Kinshaya launched a series of surprise guerilla attacks, cutting supply lines, overrunning unfinished colonies and massacring warriors and their families. The Kinshaya, it turned out, were a paient people. They waited for their enemies to become complacent, to let their guard down just a little, and then they would strike back with ferocity seldom seen.

Despite their technological superiority, the Klingons found themselves mired in a protracted stalemate. The Kinshaya's hit-and-run tactics, combined with their unwavering zeal, made them a formidable adversary. The Klingons' attempts to crush the Kinshaya were met with fierce resistance, leading to heavy casualties on both sides. With the destruction of Klingon heavy factory facilities from the explosion of Praxis, this set a potential time limit for Klingon operations in the region. The Kinshayans had all the time they wanted to bleed the Klingon forces to death. The Klingons had to make do with the overworked, tired equipent they had to try to find a victory of sorts from this hellish mess.

The war dragged on for years, with neither side able to claim a decisive victory. The Klingons' frustration grew as they realized that brute force alone would not be enough to subdue the Kinshaya. The conflict became a war of attrition, draining resources and morale. The military superiority of the Klingon warships and ground troops was matched by the swift raids and cunning traps of the Kinshaya. The region had been mapped by scouts as being like a developing country, basic resources and no significant cacity for defence. What was overlooked was the tight grip of religion that kept the Kinshayan subject races loyal and the Kinshaya themselves fiercely defensive. Every scrap of their territory mattered; the Klingons had stepped on their holy ground, invaded their sacred space. It was the holy duty of every Kinshayan to repel every invader from their lands: and kill every last one that remained. For the Klingons, a war that started as a blitzkreig for territorial expansion became a fight for survival. Retreat was not an option and defending their colonial outposts was a full time campaign. There were no safe zones, no respite from the glob fly torment of the Kinshayan fighters.

In the end, the war between the Klingon Empire and the Kinshaya served as a stark reminder of the limits of military power and the resilience of those fighting for their beliefs. It also showed the effect of a lengthy war on beliefs; where the Kinshayan religion held up, the rigid Kahlessian beliefs of the Klingons were challenged to the extent that many rejected these idealistic words. Simple, dependable violence and living day-to-day became the norm for the Klingons. This became about them-versus-us. There was no fighting for honour and glory, no fighting for the politicians in the Great Hall of the High Council. This became about depending on your brothers and sisters in your unit, fighting side-by-side with them. It was about the purest distillation of war: standing with your troops and fighting until you are back safely in the base. It was about killing them and keeping your troops alive. Victory became measured in bodycount and how long you;d stayed alive. Idealistic thoughts about Kahless and Sto-Vo-Kor became superfluous luxuries, ditched in favour of pragmatism and survival. It was a conflict that left deep scars on both sides, shaping their future interactions and leaving a legacy of bitterness and mistrust.

The senior officer assembled in the dimly lit war room of the I.K.S. Vornak, an Accuser class dreadnought of the main forward battlegroup. This ship dwarfed the D-7 K't'inga class battlecruisers that the Federation were so used to seeing; this was a capital ship of the line, with heavy weapons only matched by the landing craft, shuttles and assault vehicles that could dominate a planetary forces. This was a true juggernaut of death. Where battleships like this fought, it was likely the Klingons would win, and win well. This was the bread-and-butter of the main military might of the Imperial Klingon Navy. Brigadier Koovis stood before his officers, the weight of the war heavy on his shoulders. Koovis commanded the Citadel - the secure foothold of the Klingon Empire in the Demon's Rift sector. Maps of the Demon's Rift Nebula flickered on the walls, showing red zones where their forces had suffered the most significant losses.

Koovis' voice was a low growl, filled with frustration. "This war has dragged on far longer than any of us anticipated. The Kinshaya, with their rudimentary weapons and fanatical fervor, have turned our advanced warships into graveyards." The medals on the uniform of Koovis rattled as his finger jabbed on the map. This war had been continuing for decades, despite being originally sold as a rapid victory.

Commander KelzaH, a seasoned warrior, stepped forward. "How can it be, Brigadier? Our ships are equipped with the latest disruptors, our soldiers are the finest in the Empire, yet we are continually outmaneuvered and outmatched by these... zealots."KelzaH had watched his fellow warship commanders depleted in number as the Kinshaya resorted to kamikaze suicide tactics with freighters to destroy the much larger Klingon capital ships. The Kinshaya had also used mines. The particular geography of the region favoured the defenders.

Koovis slammed his fist on the table, rattling the data pads. "The Kinshaya fight with a desperation we cannot match. They see every battle as a holy crusade. Their basic weapons, crude as they are, become instruments of devastating efficiency in their hands. They strike from the shadows, exploiting every weakness, every moment of hesitation."

Colonel KrabH, his face scarred from countless battles, spoke up. "Our special forces, our elite warriors, have fallen to their traps and ambushes. They blend into the local worlds, becoming one with the terrain. We have underestimated their resolve, their willingness to die for their cause. Their lack of equipment and sophistication is made up for in their heart and determination for victory." KrabH was well-known fo rising through the ranks of the Klingon spacial forces. He'd earned his rank by blood and hand-to-hand combat. He was renown as a heartless killer, yet the almost pity in his eyes betrayed the pain he felt at the constant loss of his best troops to this basic fighters of the Kinshaya.

Koovis nodded grimly. "We must adapt. We must understand their mindset, their tactics. Victory will not come from brute force alone. We must outthink them, anticipate their moves. Only then can we hope to break this stalemate." The words felt necessary, but empty in the face of the attrition from the relentless Kinshaya; the Klingon forces were being bled to death by the Kinshaya. The words of Kahless the Unforgettable felt somewhat meaningless in the face of the meatgrinder of the Demon's Rift. The Klingons here were being stripped back to their predator, animalistic roots. Hunter or hunted. The House of H'vakia was becoming more cruel and deliberate in their response to the attacks of the Kinshaya.

The room fell silent, the weight of the war pressing down on each officer. The Kinshaya had proven to be an enemy unlike any the Klingon Empire had faced before—relentless, fanatical, and unforgiving. With the massive logistical losses anticipated from the explosion of Praxis, and the inability to refurbish many of their largest capital ships, the damage from the relentless attacks from the Kinshaya would soon be felt more acutely. And in the heart of the Demon's Rift, the battle for supremacy continued, each side driven by a determination that neither could afford to lose.

The death of General H'vakia and his eldest son weighed heavily on Koovis and the officers around the room. S'yrekka, daughter of H'vakia was now elevated from acting commander of the forces against the Kinshaya to now being the permenant flag officer in charge. Her behaviour of late had become more cruel and unrelenting as time went on. As she stared into the abyss, so the darkness now consumed her. Mercy was as alien a concept to her as the religion of the Kinshaya. Her determination to hurt the enemy outweighed anything else. Qo'noS was reluctant to send reinforcements; many of the capital ships in the sector had been there for over a decade and were in desperate need of heavy refits to repair their systems, weapons and armour. Even basic aspects of the warships, like working doors and waste disposal, were beginning to be compromised. This was the depth of Fek'lhr's armpit; the nearest thing for a Klingon to Hell.

Data File on the Holy Order of the Kinshaya by the Houses of Mo'Kai and H'vakia intelligence.

The Kinshaya are a fascinating and formidable species within the universe, particularly known for their bat-like appearance and religious fervour. They are deeply spiritual and their society is heavily influenced by their religious beliefs. This zealotry often manifests in their militant actions, especially against the Klingons, whom they view as a significant threat to their way of life. Kinshaya have abosolutes. Rights and wrongs; a way of life. This gives them guidance and purpose, even in the face of insurmountable, irrational odds. It is this that has made the Kinshaya the worthy adversaries of the Klingons.

Physically, the Kinshaya are imposing, with large, leathery wings and a fearsome visage that can be quite intimidating. Their combat tactics are influenced by their religious doctrines, making them relentless and fanatical fighters. Where Klingons have energy weapons and explosives, the Kinshaya prefer close quarters, replying oon their own teeth and claws, with fanatical savagery. Their tough, leathery skin offering them armoured safety from all but the sharest or reinforced blades. They are known to engage in guerrilla warfare, using their knowledge of their home terrain to their advantage.

Their conflict with the Klingons is deeply rooted in both territorial disputes and ideological differences. The Klingons are looking for territorial expansion as the imperialistic roots of the Klingon Empire force them into a drive for expansion or face decay. The early victories of claiming former Hur'Q territory having long been replaced with more intense combat for virgin,unclaimed territory, new threats and dangers of which the Klingons know ittle or nothing. The Kinshaya's unwavering belief in their divine mission drives them to extreme measures, often leading to brutal and prolonged conflicts. The Kinshaya are undefeated; fighting to keep their holy lands theirs. Unwavering, unflinching and determined to fight for their place in the afterlife.

The Kinshaya's combination of religious zeal, improvised technology and tactics, local knowledge and strategic cunning makes them a formidable adversary in this protracted campaign, particularly for the Klingon Empire. Their story is a testament to the complex interplay of faith, power, and survival in the known universe.

The Demon's Rift Nebula is a haunting and enigmatic region of space, shrouded in mystery and danger. It’s known for its swirling, dense clouds of gas and dust, which give it a foreboding appearance reminiscent of an otherworldly abyss. To the Klingons, it was a distant symbol spoken of in the stories of Kahless the Unforgettable. It was described as the portal to the realm of Fek'lhr and the hellish resting place for the dishonoured dead. The poetry of the nightmarish clouds of the dead distant star soon turned into reality when the Klingon assault fleet arrived.

Navigating through the Demon's Rift is a perilous endeavour due to its highly unstable subspace anomalies and unpredictable gravimetric distortions. These phenomena can wreak havoc on starships' navigational systems and pose a constant threat to any who dare to enter. For the Klingons and their technological attleships, this proved to be a critical difficulty. It levelled the playing field for the technologically challenged Kinshaya. The Kinshaya were familiar with these difficulties and more than willing to use them to defeat the Klingon warships.

This nebulous region is believed to be the birthplace of the Kinshaya, a species known for their bat-like appearance and fervent religious beliefs. The unique conditions within the Demon's Rift have not only shaped the Kinshaya’s biology but have also influenced their spiritual and cultural development. They view the nebula as a sacred and hallowed space, deeply connected to their origins and divine mission.

The Demon's Rift, with its eerie beauty and hidden dangers, serves as a fitting and formidable backdrop for the Kinshaya, highlighting the complexity and resilience of this enigmatic species. It’s a place where few dare to venture, and even fewer return from, adding to its mythic and foreboding reputation in this region of the Klingon Empire.

Quzu Qonn, the Citadel and the Kinshaya Campaign:

Quzu Qonn is the driftward sector command for the Klingon Empire that controls the Kinshaya Campaign. A jungle world with Quch Ha' and older D-7 Koro class warships and a sprinkle of D-7 K'Tinga class. D-9 Warrior's Anger class command cruisers are deployed from this planet to control Klingon colonial and military operations in Kinshaya space. A Klingon Governor controls each occupied Kinshaya world and colony. Quzu Qonn is a closed military planet and is kept a military secret by the Imperial Klingon Navy. The main body of the driftward armada is based and controlled from here. Due to its excessive distance from the United Federation of Planets, Starfleet Intelligence is only dimly aware of this planet and its forces.

Quzu Qonn also controls Klingon operations in the driftward region. To prevent a backdoor invasion by the Kinshayas, Quzu Qonn has a permenant dreadnought assignment to the base. General Waurg, son of Kesh, is the commander-in-chief of the Quzu Qonn forces He is assisted by newly-minted General S'yrekka, formerly a brigadier. S'yrekka was born as daughter to General H'vakia. Long jet black hair and cruel eyes. A few scars on her face and muscular arms. Wears same 'kleavage' armour as the Duras sisters. She defies the convention of men being generals on the High Command. Rumours abound of her keeping 'trophies' from her male victims as a reminder of her strength. S'yrekka tragically lost her father and brother from the explosion of Praxis on stardate 9521, whilst they were away for a ceremony on Qo'noS. She is a mistress of the mekleth and d'ktahg. She has the D-7 battlecruiser K'hemdar as her flagship. As S'yrekka lives on the frontier of the Klingon Empire she has no time for the male-dominated rules of Kronos. General S'yrekka fights along the Kinshaya border as well as against the Kinshaya. A Klin Zha master, she has kept the Kinshaya admiralty off-balance. A D-7 Koro class has acted as her flagship for all of this time, being constantly upgraded and repaired. The patchwork armour and older appearance belies a 1st rate warship with an elite crew.

The Klingons have a forward-operating base in the Kinshaya Kingdom referred to as the Citadel. This location is a well-protected one, with a concentration of warships and logistical vessels. The Kinshaya Navy has tried to locate the Citadel on many occasions but the number of Klingon capital ships has kept them away. Brigadier Koovis is the commanding officer for the Citadel and answers to General S'yrekka regarding Kinshaya operations. Koovis, a short-haired ridged Klingon in the 2273 style, has spent his entire career fighting in Kinshaya space. It is said he has spent more time in Kinshaya territory than Klingon space. Koovis comands a D-9 Warrior's Anger class command cruiser and uses it for meetings with senior commanders away from the Citadel. It was thought that the Klingons would withdraw from Kinshaya space following Praxis and Khitomer. The need for independence and the Terajuni Incident both highlighted the need to increase the presence in Kinshaya territory.

The stalemate in Kinshaya territory has persisted for decades. The frontlines have moved over time, but the Klingons have kept the Kinshaya Navy at bay with their combined forces and numerical superiority. Governor Vaxriz is the current ruler of the occupied Kinshaya worlds and operates as the authority controlling Kinshayan space. The Governor also represents the Chancellor in abstantia. With Praxis, Azetbur reassigned the bulk of the Imperial Klingon Navy to replace the Gates of Tal'lhnor and Praxis as primary energy production facilities. Kinshaya space became the proving ground for all new Klingon warships and technology. Ber'taa and Komo Val classes were tested with differing results.

Sources of Kinshaya information:

ST:TAS - Jihad.

Star Trek: The Final Reflection by John M. Ford (1984).

Star Trek: The Next Generation: A Singular Destiny by Keith R A DeCandido (2009).

Black Flags: The Rise of ISIS by Joby Warrick (2016).

ISIS: Inside the Army of Terror by Michael Weiss and Hassan Hassan (2016).

ISIS: The State of Terror by Jessica Stern and J. M. Berger (2015).

ISIS: A History by Fawaz A. Gerges (2021).

The Looming Tower: Al Qaeda's Road to 9/11 by Lawrence Wright (2014).

Nine Lives: My Time As MI6's Top Spy Inside al-Qaeda by Aimen Dean, Paul Cruickshank , et al. (2018)

Al-Qaeda: The True Story of Radical Islam by Jason Burke (2004).

The Terror Years: From al-Qaeda to the Islamic State by Lawrence Wright (2016).

The Crusades: The War for the Holy Land by Thomas Asbridge (2012).

Crusaders by Dan Jones (2019).

God's Battalions: The Case for the Crusades by Rodney Stark (2024).

Sword and Scimitar: Fourteen Centuries of War between Islam and the West by Raymond Ibrahim & Victor Davis Hanson (2018).

The Knights Templar: An Enthralling History of the Rise and Fall of the Most Influential Catholic Military Order by Billy Wellman (2022).

The Knights Hospitaller: A Captivating Guide to a Medieval and Early Modern Catholic Military Order and Their Impact on the Crusades, the Great Siege of ... the Middle Ages by Captivating History (2023).

The Crusades Through Arab Eyes by Amin Maalouf (2012).

Sweating the Metal: Flying under Fire. A Chinook Pilot's Blistering Account of Life, Death and Dust in Afghanistan by Alex Duncan (2011).

Unwinnable: Britain’s War in Afghanistan by Theo Farrell (2018).

The American War in Afghanistan: A History by Carter Malkasian (2021).

Blood, Metal and Dust: How Victory Turned into Defeat in Afghanistan and Iraq by Ben Barry (2020).

Science and Islam (Icon Science): A History by Ehsan Masood (2017).

Islamic Empires: Fifteen Cities that Define a Civilization by Justin Marozzi (2019).

The New Threat From Islamic Militancy by Jason Burke (2015).

In the Closet of the Vatican by Frederic Martel

Vatican War by Philip Willan.

The Vatican Diaries by John Thavin.

The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins.

The Four Horsemen by Dawkins, Dennett, Harris and Hitchens.

The Blind Watchmaker by Richard Dawkins.

Enlightenment Now by Steven Pinker.

The Bottom Billion by Paul Collins.

Stigmata (1999)

End of Days (1999)

The Way (2010)

The Two Popes (2019)

Salafi-Jihadism: The History of an Idea by Shiraz Maher (2017).

Escape from Kabul: The Inside Story by Levison Wood and Geraint Jones (2023).

The Return of the Taliban: Afghanistan after the Americans Left by Hassan Abbas (2023).

Taliban: the history of the world’s most feared fighting force by James Fergusson (2010).

Losing Afghanistan: The Fall of Kabul and the End of Western Intervention by Brian Brivati (2022).

Going Dark: The Secret Social Lives of Extremists by Julia Ebner (2020).

Undercover Jihadi Bride: Inside Islamic State’s Recruitment Networks by Anna Erelle (2015).

Operation Jihadi Bride: My Covert Mission to Rescue Young Women from ISIS - The Incredible True Story by John Carney and Clifford Thurlow (2019).

Author's Notes:

The Federation are blissfully unaware of the Kinshaya, for the most part, in this era. John M. Ford mentioned that Starfleet sees the Klingon fleet being redeployed against an unknown enemy on the far side of the Empire. The events of the Demon's Rift sector are for Klingons only, hence the change in page style here.

The Klingons expanded their empire into Kinshaya territory. They are the imperialistic, expansionist aggressors. The bat-like Kinshaya are religious zealots, fanatical in defending the territory that is theirs by divine governance. Like the kamikaze and suicide bombers of Islamic fundamentalist terrorists, they're prepared to willingly die to repel the invaders. The Klingons have been subjected to fanatical assaults, with the Kinshaya prepared to lose thousands to achieve a tactical victory. The Klingon blundered into this mess in the 2270s and have spent twenty years trying to win the war. House H'vakia was at the forefront of the war,along with the House of Kesh, that was the ruling House at the time of the first encounter.