Date: 2346

The Klingon colony on Khitomer was caught completely off guard when a powerful Romulan strike force launched a surprise attack. The Romulans deployed energy-draining weapons that crippled planetary defenses and then executed a devastating orbital bombardment. Within hours, thousands of Klingon civilians had been killed, and the colony’s infrastructure was left in ruins. The truth behind the attack was obscured for decades. Official Klingon reports initially attributed the failure to respond to a breakdown in communications, but later evidence revealed more sinister implications. Ja’rod, a Klingon officer, had provided security access codes to the Romulans, unintentionally enabling the ambush. This revelation recontextualized the event, shifting it from a tragic wartime loss to a profound betrayal rooted in internal Klingon politics and secrecy. Despite its brutality, the Khitomer Massacre ultimately reshaped the political landscape of the quadrant. Records of survivors, especially the rescue logs of USS Intrepid, forged unexpected ties between the Federation and the Klingon Empire. One young survivor, Worf, rescued by Starfleet personnel, became the first Klingon to serve in Starfleet, symbolizing the evolving relationship between the two powers.