This is a brief history of the WC Universe, updated and adapted to the Twilight Falling Campaign.
20th Century
Humanity gains the technology of space travel, flying beyond its own biosphere.
21st - 22nd Century
SYSTEM COLONIZATION
Mining operations conducted on asteroid belt within Sol System. Permanent space stations that could accommodate hundreds of thousands of colonists were built in the Lagrange points between Earth and the moon, Mars and its moons, and in orbit around Venus. Terraforming efforts began on Mars and Venus. By the mid-22nd century, the first sublight generation ships were launched to the nearest star systems for exploration and colonization. By the 23rd century, terraforming of Mars and Venus was nearing completion.
23rd - 24th Century
INTERSTELLAR COLONIZATION UNDERWAY
Generation ships launched decades earlier from the Sol system reach the nearest stars, and exploration and colonization of planets in those systems begins. By the mid-23rd century, superluminal communication is discovered. Still in its infancy, SL communication allows distant human worlds to communicate with the Sol system in weeks or days rather than years or decades. By the mid-24th century, SL-communications have advanced a dozen times over, allowing communication over dozens of parsecs. No other signs of intelligent life have been encountered at this time.
THE RISE OF SIVAR
Far from Earth, a race of bipedal feline-appearing humanoids ruled their world with a single, fractious and militaristic empire. The race of Kilrathi was dedicated to warfare and the pursuit of becoming the perfect warrior-predator under the guidance of the religion of Sivar, the War God. Their false unity had lasted for nearly 1500 years. Sometime near the beginning of the 23rd Terran Century, the Kilrathi were visited by the Hari, a peaceful race of interstellar explorers. The Kilrathi truly united for the first time. The Kilrathi used guile to weaken the precautions of their visitors, and then through force obtained the technology that enabled space travel and interstellar transit. The Kilrathi used this new-found technology to track down the colonies and homeworld of the Hari, and annihilate them over the next hundred years. The Kilrathi began to expand agressively into space under the direction of their Emperor and the Priestesses of Sivar, enslaving or eradicating nearly a dozen primitive races that they came across.
2416
JUMP DRIVE
Superluminal Flight / Akwende Drive (the Jump Drive) technology discovered by Dr. Shari Akwende. Once refined, the Akwende Drive is further developed, and placed into general use as the primary means of interstellar travel. Jump Drives use graviton emmision to open temporary holes in the fabric of space at naturally occuring phenomenon known as Jump Points (formally defined as Antigraviton Tropic Anomalies). Jumping allows a properly equipped ship to traverse the distance between two linked jump points without crossing the intervening distance. Jump points tend to cluster in large gravity wells such as those created by stars and planetary systems. Exploration into areas previously believed unreachable begins. First alien races met. Peaceful contact ensues in most cases.
2427
UNIFICATION
The Terran Confederation, a loose alliance of colonies, planets, and systems, each with their own autonomous government, is formed. Significantly military in nature, Confed is designed to provide economic support and a common defense between interstellar outposts of humankind. It becomes the mediator -- and sometimes enforcer -- in disagreements and conflicts.
2428
THE KILRATHI-MANTU CONFLICT
In 2428, first contact was made between the Kilrathi and an as yet unknown starfaring race, the Mantu. The Mantu were an insular, paranoid race of explorers and prospectors. The Kilrathi, seeking to prove their warrior-strength, began by assaulting Mantu craft that they encountered. The Mantu responded with extreme prejudice against the Kilrathi, and for the next 26 years a stalemate born of enormous mass destruction kept both sides in check. In 2454, the Mantu made a last deep strike into Kilrathi territory, crippling their production lines more than their current fleet, and retreated far from Kilrathi territory into their own space. Mined Jump Points and automated battleships stalled attempts by the Kilrathi to follow. In 2459, the Kilrathi ended attempts to follow the Mantu, guarding Jump Points that led towad Mantu-space, but otherwise redirecting their conquest spinward.
25th Century
THE GREAT EXPANSION
Humanity spreads out rapidly into interstellar space. During the rest of the 25th century, numerous star systems and hundreds of planets are explored. Many habitable, and terraformable, worlds are taken by humans as they expand. Explorers encounter alien life in surprising abundance, though little of it is intelligent. Intelligent races are contacted during this period, but none are starfarers. Contact with still primitive races remains limited to scientific study. A few more advanced races maintain a moderate level of contact with humanity, but Confed maintains a strict limitation on technological and cultural exchange. Some races are eventually fully adopted into the TC.
26th Century
EXPANSION AND SETTLEMENT
While Terran Confederation member worlds maintain their own governments and cultures, integration of Confed into everyday life increases and becomes as much governmental and systemic as it is military. The Terran Confederation government, a democractic body with representatives from all worlds, takes over multi-system communication, fringe exploration, scientific support and increases its role as military defender against piratical threats and enforcer of Terran Confederation common laws among its members. Space stations, deep space SL- Comm relay stations, jump point buoy marking and other infrastructural work is expanded by Confed, linking even the most distant outposts of humanity more completely and efficiently than before. Earth in the Sol System remains the seat of the Terran Confederation Assembly and government. The Confed Navy and Space Force moves its center of operations to the newly constructed High Command located in high orbit around Jupiter.
2629.105
THE IASON INCIDENT
The Terran Confederation exploration ship TCS Iason, while on survey patrol in the Vega Sector, encounters a spacecraft of unknown origin. According to procedures set by the CIAI (Committee for Interaction with Alien Intelligences), Commander Jedora Andropolis transmitted a standard wide-band nonverbal greeting to the alien ship. He held the Iason motionless, awaiting a reply. Less than twenty minutes later, the still-unidentified ship opens fire with full lasers, completely destroying the TCS Iason and its crew. Although the identity of the attacking ship is never definitively established, Confederation deep space tracking computers point to a possible point of origin from a previous unexplored planet, soon to be known by its native name, Kilrah.
2630 - 2634
MOUNTING TENSIONS
The Confederation receives numerous reports of unwarranted assault, space piracy, kidnapping and interplanetary plundering, all taking place at an increasingly expanding distance from the planet Kilrah into the Vega, Enigma, and Epsilon sectors. Frequent attempts to meet with Kilrathi High Command are rejected without explanation. After attempts at broadcasting welcome messages fail, a team of Confederation diplomats disappears on a contact mission to the alien-occupied world of Brimstone. In retaliation for all of the above, the Terran Confederation Senate votes unanimously to enforce a strict non-aggression policy by the Kilrathi. The leaders of Kilrah are warned that their next transgression could lead to military reprisals.
2631
Christopher Blair, later to be a highly regarded starfighter pilot during the Kilrathi War, was born on Earth. Lieutenant Winston Chang, better known as Vagabond, was born in the Enigma Sector.
2634.186
THE ANNA MAGDELENA INCIDENT
The Anna Magdelena, a refitted transport ship ferrying orphans to their new homes on Dieno, is openly attacked by a pair of Kilrathi fighters. No one survives. In retaliation for this and the five-year string of equally heinous abuses of all known laws of civility, the Terran Confederation officially declares war on the Empire of Kilrah. The Terran-Kilrathi War begins.
2634.228 - 2634.235
THE FIRST BATTLE OF McAULIFFE
TCN cryptographer Ches M. Penney intercepts and decodes a stray Kilrathi cipher implying that a strike will soon be launched against the planet McAuliffe and its orbiting space station, Alexandria. Confederation High Command orders a counteroffensive twice the size of the anticipated fleet, hoping to reach McAuliffe first and ambush the attackers. After a tense rush to McAuliffe, the Confederation fleet establishes a formidable defensive position around the planet. When the Kilrathi fleet arrives, however, it is quadruple the expected size. Several days of bloody fighting all but obliterate the Confederation's defensive forces. The Kilrathi spearhead was momentarily broken, however, and the enemy ships turned back to regroup and rearm. The McAuliffe Ambush as the battle is known, ended with heavy casualties on both sides. McAuliffe was left relatively unharmed, but the Terran fleet had taken severe losses.
2634 - 2639
The McAuliffe and Enyo systems remain centers of fighting between Kilrathi and Terran forces.
2637
Major Todd Marshall, better known as Maniac, was born on Leto. Lieutenant Laurel Buckley, better known as Cobra, was born on Enyo. Lieutenant Robin Peters, better known as Flint, was born on Earth. Lieutenant Mitchell Lopez, better known as Vaquero, was born on Dakota.
2639.033
THE OCCUPATION OF McAULIFFE
Kilrathi occupation forces land on the Terran planet of McAuliffe and move orbital gun stations into position. A quarter of a million human hostages were held as the Kilrathi awaited Terran reprisals. The Confederation regroups under the leadership of then-Captain Geoffrey Tolwyn and brings in an attack force of Raptor-class heavy fighters and a task force was assembled and hatched a daring plan: Lieutenant Colonel Raymond Blakely's fighter squadrons, fitted with jump drives and extra porcupine mines, would jump through ahead of the main force to carry out Phase One. The fighter squadron was intentionally left small enough that Kilrathi forces would be certain of victory. The human starfighters jumped into the system and dropped porcupine mines in a region of space near McAuliffe where a principal jump point is located. Kilrathi ships stay clear of the mined region, while TCN fighters then turned their attention to attacking the Kilrathi starfighter cover. Kilrathi navigators quickly maneuvered their ships out of the mined area and launched their counterattack against the humans. Phase Two involved a fleet of Confederation warships under the command of Captain Geoffrey Tolwyn. A single scrambled radio signal was sent to detonate the mines, and the Terran fleet jumped in, right in the middle of the Kilrathi battle force. The human starfighters and fast capital ships struck first against the orbital gun stations threatening the population centers on McAuliffe, destroying them before most could commence firing. Loss of life on the planet was minimal. The Terran and Kilrathi fleets then commenced in a large-scale fleet action, resulting in heavy and nearly equal casualties on both sides. The Kilrathi, however, were overextended at this point with reinforcements too far away to help. The remnants of the Kilrathi fleet jumped away, abandoning their hold on the system.
2641
The birth of Colonel Ralgha nar Hhallas better known by his call sigh Hobbes. He was born on his home world of Kilrah and part of the Hhallas clan.
2642
THE TIGER'S CLAW CONSTRUCTION BEGINS
The Terran Confederation Navy commissioned the Trojan IV Spaceyards to construct a new class of heavily armed fleet carriers, dubbed strike carriers. The Bengal-class carriers that were the result of this program incorporated the heaviest capital ship weapons and the largest starfighter complement of any ship of their day. The first of the new carriers was the TCS Tiger's Claw, completed in 2644.
2644
THE TIGER'S CLAW LAUNCHED
On its maiden voyage, the TCS Tiger's Claw found itself in the path of an unexpected Kilrathi invasion force. Due partially to the element of suprise when attacking the intruding Kilrathi and partially to the expertise of the crew, the Kilrathi strike force was routed. Shortly thereafter, the TCS Tiger's Claw was given a permanent assignment in the Vega Sector.
CUSTER'S CARNIVAL
Terran ground forces launch an attack on a fortrified Kilrathi colony, only to be routed by unexpected Kilrathi fighter support. The new Bengal-class carrier TCS Tiger's Claw is detached from its previous station and assigned to intercept the pursuing fighters in a delaying action eventually known as Custer's Carnival. Swarmed and badly damaged by Kilrathi fighters, the carrier distracts Kilrathi forces long enough for the Terran fleet to reach safety. Despite the fact that three-fourths of its engines are destroyed and half its pilots are listed as casualties, the heroic efforts of the TCS Tiger's Claw's crew allows the carrier to make it back into Terran space. Two Gold Stars (one to a young pilot by the name of James "Paladin" Taggert) and numerous other medals - many of them posthumous - are awarded to the ship's personnel. The carrier itself spends six months in spacedock for repairs and refitting. This running battle accounts for some of the highest kill scores among Terran aces. Unfortunately, many of those aces do not survive the conflict.
2645
The second Bengal-class carrier, the TCS Kipling, was completed. Owing to design modifications, this and all subsequent carriers of its class were 10 meters shorter and several tons less massive, making the Tiger's Claw the biggest warship of its class.
2649
Meanwhile, in the Sol system, hero-to-be Christopher Blair entered the Terran Confederation Space Naval Academy with hopes of becoming a fighter pilot. Four years later, he graduated first in his class. Runner-up was Todd "Maniac" Marshall.
2653
FIREKKANS DISCOVERED
The Confederation Marines, in search of a secluded site to conduct massive splashdown landing drills, discovers the Firekka system, which is inhabited by a race of sentient starfaring bird-like creatures. The Firekkans have only explored and colonized a single nearby system. Diplomatic envoys are quickly sent, and the Confederation begins cultural exchange in hopes of negotiating an alliance with the Firekkan race.
2654.287 - 2654.301
BATTLE FOR VENICE
After a fast and furious campaign against a new Kilrathi offensive, Confederation forces in the Vega Sector finally turned the tide against the Kilrathi. Terran Intelligence reports that the Kilrathi High Command is directing war efforts from the Venice System. Reconnaissance patrols identify Kilrathi ships and boldly give chase, uncovering an Imperial starbase. The Terran patrols are lost, but not before relaying their coordinates back to HQ. A small Terran fleet of elite fighters is dispatched to the Imperial starbase, led by Christopher Blair, who had risen quickly to the rank of Major during the furious fighting of the campaign. The Kilrathi strongly resist the attack, but are eventually overpowered. Badly beaten, the Kilrathi move their central military command back to their homeworld of Kilrah. For the first time, the Confederation was able to claim a major victory over the Empire. The Kilrathi had been routed from an entire sector. (Wing Commander)
2654
THE BATTLE OF REPLEETAH UNFOLDS
Following failed attempts by Terran scientists to garner peaceful co-existance with the Kilrathi scientific detachment on the small research planet of Repleetah, the Kilrathi devastate the planet in a surprise attack with biological weapons. The Terran Confederation reinforces the planet with Marines. Fought mostly planet-side, though a single bombardment from space could end the battle, the Battle of Repleetah becomes the most sustained land-based fighting of the entire war. In trench warfare reminiscent of Earth's ancient World War I, each side fights with dogged determination and in full bio-resistant suits. The bloodshed continues unabated for years.
2654.326
DESTRUCTION OF GODDARD COLONY
Shortly after intelligence reports indicate that the Kilrathi have developed a new weapon against inhabited planets, all contact is lost with the Goddard colony. The Confederation fleet arrives at Goddard only to find that the quarter-million colonists were all killed when the Kilrathi bombarded the colony with their new weapon. Using an atomic proton-superaccelerator weapon, the entire colony was destroyed in a single blast. (Secret Missions: Operation Thor's Hammer)
EARLY 2655
GODDARD AVENGED
Deeply angered by the Goddard tragedy, the Confederation carrier TCS Tiger's Claw pursues the Kilrathi strike force into enemy territory, where it is ambushed by a captured Confederation Exeter-class ship. Reconnaissance ships eventually locate the dreadnought ship, The Sivar, suspected of carrying the prototype weapon. The Tiger's Claw follows, and by destroying a critical Kilrathi refueling depot, the humans were able to leave the Sivar stranded and helpless against a concentrated starfighter attack. Now-Lieutenant Colonel Christopher Blair destroyed the dreadnought in a large engagement which pitted a small Terran fighter wing against the dreadnought and its remaining escorts. (Secret Missions: Operation Thor's Hammer)
2655
BATTLE OF FIREKKA
After months of continuous combat, Terran Confederation High Command decided that the crew of the Tiger's Claw could use some R&R, and so the carrier was assigned as honor guard for the treaty signing event between the Confederation and the Firekkan Planetary Alliance. Shortly after the treaty signing, the Kilrathi began pulling back their forces in many other sectors, leaving only minimal rear-guard elements to defend against encroaching Terran forces. In the interim, a huge Kilrathi battle fleet commanded by Prince Thrakhath and his Drakhrai Imperial Guard moves into the Firekkan System. The fleet's intent is unknown until the Kilrathi defector Ralgha nar Hhallas, commander of the Kilrathi warship Ras Nik'hra, exposes a plan to use Firekka for a religious ritual, the Sivar-Eshrad, in which warriors rededicate themselves to Sivar, the Kilrathi god of war. The Confederation decides to disrupt the religious ceremony in hopes of breaking enemy morale. Marine troopships jump into the system and stage an assault on the Kilrathi priestesses. The mission is successful, and the Tiger's Claw retreats to Terran-controlled space under heavy Kilrathi pursuit. In short order, Firekkan natives revolt. Demoralized and losing territory fast in other sectors the remaining Kilrathi forces withdraw. (Secret Missions: Crusade)
HOSTAGES
Before they retreat, however, the Kilrathi take a number of hostages, including a young Firekkan leader Rikik. The hostages were taken to Gorah Khar Station, in orbit above the Kilrathi planet Gorah Khar. A small Terran, Firekkan, and rebel Kilrathi strike force was sent to attack the station and extracts the hostages.
2656
REBELLION FROM THE EMPIRE
A few months later, a rebel uprising on Gorah Khar defeated the Imperial government and, with the help of Confederation forces drove Imperial forces out of the system. The rebels joined the Confederation - the first time any of their species had exchanged anything with ours except weapons' fire.
2657
THE FIRST ENIGMA CAMPAIGN
Confederation forces attempt to remove the Kilrathi from Enigma sector, where strategic jump nodes lead directly to human core colonies. The TCS Tiger's Claw was then sent on a mission to locate and destroy the Kilrathi headquarters in the Enigma Sector. While on approach to the Kilrathi Sector HQ in the K'tithrak Mang system, the Tiger's Claw was attacked by Kilrathi fighters equipped with cloaking devices. Most of the carrier's pilots were out on patrol, and the only one to spot the Kilrathi ghost ships was (can you believe it?) Lt. Colonel Christopher Blair. As he searched for the phantom ships which disappeared from sight, the Kilrathi strike force drew closer to the Tiger's Claw. Before the Confederation starfighters could respond, the Claw was destroyed by the Kilrathi stealth fighters equipped with antimatter warheads. The remnants of the Tiger's Claw's fighter wing were recovered aboard the TCS Austin. Lt. Colonel Blair reported his encounter with the Kilrathi stealth fighters, but his flight recorder disk was missing. In an elaborate conspiracy, Blair was framed for the destruction of the Tiger's Claw. There wasn't enough evidence for a court-martial, but Blair was busted back down to Captain and reassigned to Caernarvon Station - a backwater customs outpost far from the front lines. The war falls back into another decade of bloody stalemate.
2664
THE BATTLE OF REPLEETAH
During the years, the focus of the Terrn-Kilrathi War drifts away from the decade-long Battle of Repleetah. Supply ships and reinforcements have long since ceased to visit the planet. Finally, by late 2664, only a handful of troops remain on either side. The sole surviving Terran officer, Lieutenant Miles D'Arby, leads his men in a last-ditch effort to overrun the Kilrathi position. No one lives through this last action. The Battle of Repleetah has finally come to an end.
2664
SECOND ENIGMA CAMPAIGN
Following the disaster of the first Enigma Campaign, the Confederation is forced onto the defensive in the Enigma Sector. In 2664, Kilrathi forces penetrate deep into the Terran-held areas of the Enigma Sector during a renewed offensive, and Caernarvon station was temporarily on the front lines. Captain Blair ended up aboard the Confederation-class dreadnought Concordia, which was under the personal command of Admiral Geoffrey Tolwyn, the man responsible for Blair's assignment to Caernarvon ten years prior. Through a remarkable series of events, the conspiracy that had condemned Blair ten years earlier was revealed, and the real traitor was brought to justice. In what has been heralded as the beginning of his second career, Blair went against orders and single-handedly attacked and destroyed the Kilrathi sector HQ at K'tithrak Mang. In the meantime, the Confederation forces in the Deneb Quadrant are annihilated by Kilrathi forces under the direction of Crown Prince Thrakhath, in less than six hours. The Confederation Sixth Fleet was all but destroyed, and Confederation forces were driven out a few weeks later after the Kilrathi paused to consolidate their gains and deal with a few pockets of isolated resistance. (Wing Commander II: Vengeance of the Kilrathi)
2665
THE GETTYSBURG INCIDENT
Confederation forces dispel a Kilrathi attack on Pembroke Station, the gateway system between Enigma and Vega Sectors. Mutineers from the TCS Gettysburg take over the Rigel supply depot. The mutiny was sparked by the commander of the Gettysburg ordering his crew to fire upon an unarmed Kilrathi civilian transport. The mutineers were divided into two factions: those who wish to continue their new careers of piracy and those who would rather return to the Confederation, if possible. Eventually, the pirate faction is destroyed and the remaining mutineers return to the Confederation under pardon. Meanwhile, several Kilrathi worlds on the front lines of the war join Ghorah Khar in rebellion. Three other Kilrathi systems - N'Tanya, K'arakh, and Shariha - also rebel and join the Confederation after the Kilrathi unsuccessfully attempt to quell rebelling planets in Ghorah Khar System, and an Imperial leader tries to assassinate Prince Thrakhath. Thrakhath is captured and brought aboard the Bonnie Heather, but eludes his captors through a daringly engineered escape. Finally, a desperate attack against Olympus Station in Ghorah Khar is thwarted, saving the rebel Kilrathi planet. (Special Operations I)
2667
SOCIETY OF THE MANDARIN
The Society of Mandarin seeks for the Confederation to submit to the Kilrathi, in hopes of assimilating the Kilrathi from the bottom up. To achieve their goals, the Society of Mandarin has no compunction about sabotaging the Confederation war efforts. Major Zack "Jazz" Colson, a talented and efficient pilot, is linked to the Society of Mandarin and sentenced to death for treason. Jazz Colson had been responsible for Blair's disgrace eleven years earlier. Before Colson's sentence is carried out, however, Mandarin agents manage to hijack the transport on which Colson is held. He vows to get even with Blair. Eventually the Mandarins are traced to their primary base at Ayer's Rock, where they have stolen a prototype of the new Morningstar fighter. Confederation forces launch an attack on Ayer's Rock, destroying the Mandarin base, and breaking the power of the Society of Mandarin. Jazz got his rematch with Blair - the one-on-one dogfight ending in the traitor's death. (Special Operations II)
2667 - 2668
HIT-AND-RUN FADE ATTACKS
Terran fleets strike hard against Kilrathi forces behind the front lines, eliminating nine carriers under construction and crippling dozens of transports and four shipyards. As front-line assets dwindle, the Kilrathi were forced to retreat. (Novel End Run)
2668
FALSE PEACE
As the pendulum of war swings toward the Terrans, a peace accord is unexpectedly offered by Kilrah. Like any true democratic society would - the Confederation accepts. All Terran fleets are withdrawn, even those in the midst of combat. In the following months, several frontier colonies refuse to abide by the armistice rulings, investing both ships and men in an attempt to search out suspected active shipyards on the far side of the Kilrathi Empire. Using captured stealth equipment, private forces intercept a HoloVid of the rumored facility, along with a message that the Kilrathi forces are embarking to attack Earth. The armistice is renounced, and a hastily assembled force of still-intact Confederation ships, bolstered with private vessels, prepare to defend against the imminent attack. (Novel Fleet Action)
2668
BATTLE OF TERRA
With their fleets back up to full strength, bolstered by the first fleet of Hakaga-class supercarriers, the Kilrathi strike deep into Confederation space. Warsaw, Gilead, and Sirius Prime are bombed with radiation warheads, even as the Kilrathi brush aside the Confederation's hastily assembled defenses and reach Earth. Despite the suicidal bravery of Earth's defenders, the Kilrathi are able to bombard crucial defense centers on the planet - Chicago, Pittsburgh, Boston, Miami, Quebec, Berlin, Paris, Kiev, and others - before they are finally forced to withdraw to friendly space as a result of daring Marines, who land aboard several Kilrathi vessels, including the Kilrathi flagship, and destroy them with thermonuclear mines. (Novel Fleet Action)
ON THE DEFENSIVE
Confederation forces battle the Kilrathi in a series of defensive campaigns. Tired of the decades- long war, the Kilrathi Emperor orders the use of biological weapons.
2669
STILL ON THE DEFENSIVE
In a last-ditch effort to win the war outright, Admiral Geoffrey Tolwyn activates the Behemoth, a huge energy gun capable of destroying a planet. However, the Kilrathi agent Ralgha nar Hhallas alerts the Kilrathi High Command, and the Behemoth is ambushed and destroyed. (Wing Commander III: Heart of the Tiger)
2670
THE FINAL OPTION
A small band of Covert Operatives, including Colonel Jeanette Devereaux (lover of Colonel Blair) and at the command of General James Taggert, slip into the Kilrah System and set up a series of hidden supply bases carved in asteroids. The group is captured and ritually executed, but not before sending information back to the Confederation, vital data showing that Kilrah itself suffers from tectonic instability. A tectonic weapon, the Temblor bomb, is developed. The bomb, if delivered with absolute accuracy, could cause a series of oscillations under the surface of Kilrah which would literally shake the planet apart. A small group of elite Confederation pilots under the command of Colonel Christopher Blair, and flying prototype Excalibur fighters with experimental cloaking technology, manages to penetrate the Kilrathi defenses via the secret asteroid depots, and attack Kilrah directly. Crown Prince Thrakhath is shot down and killed by Blair, who then proceeds to deliver the Temblor bomb and destroy Kilrah, bringing the long conflict to an end. Shocked by this loss and bound by their honor, the Kilrathi surrendered to the Confederation, signing the Treaty of Torgo on the deck of the carrier which launched the final strike, the dilapidated TCS Victory. (Wing Commander III: Heart of the Tiger)
2671 - 2673
UNREST
A general period of unrest erupts along the perimeter of core Confederation space. Border World planets, long underrepresented in the Confederation Assembly, begin to break away, establishing independent governments.
2673
THE BLACK LANCE INCIDENT
Admiral Geoffrey Tolwyn, in an effort to maintain Confederation military strength, unleashes a secret plan to cause all-out war between the Confederation and the Border Worlds. Utilizing biogenetically-enhanced soldiers, an array of secret warcraft and materials, and biological weapons, the Black Lance instigate attacks on Confederation civilian targets under the guise of Border Worlds militia. Confederation officers, led by Kilrathi War heroes Colonel Christopher Blair and Captain William Eisen, in conjunction with Border Worlds freedom fighters, discover the deep-rooted plans. Operating from the Border Worlds carrier BWS Intrepid, they manage to disrupt the operation long enough for Blair to force Tolwyn into revealing the truth in front of the Confederation Assembly. Tolwyn is found guilty of crimes against humanity, and hangs himself while awaiting execution. (Wing Commander IV: The Price of Freedom)
2674 - 2680
PEACE
For 6 years, the Terran Confederation knows relative peace. Monitoring and diplomatic liason stations are erected inside the space of the Kilrathi Assembly of Clans to maintain order. After the Black Lance Affair, certain radical clans of the Kilrathi attempt to buildup armaments and ships and turn to piracy, though this is minor at best in the intervening years. Meanwhile, Confed Space & Naval Forces are becoming rundown and obsolete. In 2678, the MegaCarrier project is begun, centered around the concept of a few massive carriers with the firepower of entire war era battle fleets. Construction of the first MegaCarrier, the TCS Midway, is begun in 2679.
2681.002
TCS WARLOCK LEAVES GODDARD STATION
Right at the beginning of the new stellar year, the TCS Warlock, and aging strike carrier, and it patrol group, leave Goddard station for their last patrol of Kilrathi space before being decomissioned. Expecting minimal pirate activity in the rimward areas at best, a large portion of the Warlock's crew is replaced with personnel fresh from their Academy training cruise.
2681.009
KILRATHI PIRATE MENACE
Remnants of the Kilrathi military carry out quick strikes against Confederation and mainstream Kilrathi forces in and around the Kilrah Sector. The new megacarrier TCS Midway is dispatched to eliminate the larger threats, which she succeeds in doing.
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