Federation Historical Database: The Path to Peace

From the Federation historical database

The following speech "The Path to Peace" was delivered by Admiral Nyota Uhura, director, Starfleet Intelligence at the second Khitomer Conference in 2344.

 

Stardate 21789.4

Earth date 22 July 2344

 

Madam president, Chancellor, Ambassadors, honored guests.

90 years ago the United Federation of Planets and the Klingon Empire fought a bitter, bloody war that resulted in unimaginable death and destruction, a loss of life on both sides totaling perhaps as much as 100 million souls.  From that conflict the Federation emerged battered, bloody, embittered, but resolute.  From that conflict the Empire emerged battered, bloody, but unified.  From two dozen great houses splintered, infought and in conflict came a single strong unified force under one leader. 

80 years ago the Federation and the Empire found themselves on the brink of a second war, fueled by mutual distrust as weapons fire lit the sky over Organia.  Were it not for the intervention of the Organians history would have repeated itself.  The Organians imposed truce forced both sides to look at themselves and each other and realize that perhaps war was not the final answer.   Over the subsequent decades of cold war many on both sides would harbor feelings of hatred, distrust and resentment toward the other.

50 years ago Praxis exploded and critically damaged the ozone layer of Qo’nos.  The Federation opened its arms and offered assistance to its longtime rival in their time of need, providing aid and technology and thus ensuring the survival of the Klingon homeworld.  In so doing, in extending this first olive branch, the first stones were laid on the long, difficult road to peace.  Decades of hatred and distrust would not be easily overcome.  Following the Assassination of Chancellor Gorkon Captain James T. Kirk and his gallant crew exposed a conspiracy by hardline elements on both sides to derail the fledgling peace efforts.  Clearly decades of distrust, hatred, bigotry and fear would not be undone by a single peace conference.  But there were some, Kirk, Spock, Gorkon, Azetbur, and Ra-Ghoratreii who were willing and able put aside their hate and prejudice and work toward the possibility of peace.

6 months ago the USS Enterprise-C responded to a distress call from the Klingon outpost on Narendra III.  Outnumbered and outgunned the Enterprise-C engaged the Romulan vessels attacking the colony.  Recovered sensor records from the outpost show that the Enterprise destroyed one Romulan warbird and crippled another before being destroyed.  Captain Rachel Garrett and her crew laid down their lives in defense of the Klingon colony on Narendra III.  A Starfleet ship and crew fighting and dying to defend a Klingon outpost, home to over 6000 men, women and children from an unprovoked Romulan attack.  What could be more honorable?

Today we stand on the brink of a new peace, a peace beneficial to both the Federation and the Empire.  Because of the idealism of people like Chancellors Gorkon, son of Toq and Azetbur, daughter of Gorkon, and Federation president Ra-Ghoratreii of Efros, and the sacrifice of people like Rachel Garrett and her crew, and because of the tireless efforts of Ambassadors Spock and Sarek of Vulcan, Curzon Dax of Trill and Riva of Ramatis the possibility of this peace exists today.  An alliance between the two powers will not make the Empire weaker or in any way lesser, it will make it and the Federation both stronger together.  An alliance between the Federation and the Empire will be the fulfillment of the Organian prophecy that one day the Federation and Klingons will work together as fast friends, instead of fighting each other as bitter enemies.  Let us complete the process which Kirk and Spock, Gorkon and Azetbur, and Ra-Ghoratreii began.  Let us, Federation and Klingon lay the final stones on the path to peace and walk the final steps to alliance together.