Tarn Empire
The Tarn Empire is the Tarn state.
History
Sometime prior to 2162, the Tarn fought a brief brush war with the Klingons, and then (following first contact in the early 2160s) with the Federation. The latter brief, undeclared war ended in a 2164 armistice that left most of the original issues and conflicts unresolved.
Between 2165 and 2367, the Tarn were almost completely isolated on the galactic stage by the Tarn Neutral Zone, which forbade entry by ships from either side, limited interstellar commerce, and severely curtailed Tarn expansion.
In 2367, long-standing negotiations secured the opening of the neutral zone, but also reopened the issues left unanswered by the original cease-fire.
Despite two centuries of (enforced) isolation, many Tarn still believe that ruling the galaxy is their manifest destiny. While the Tarn Empire is not currently expansionist, their internal politics are unstable at best. For the moment, the Tarn seem content to establish new diplomatic and economic ties—though the official policy may change as quickly as the Ruling Circle's perceived self-interest.
Government
The Tarn government is led by the First Circle (part of the larger Royal Family) and governed by the Council of Circles, which functions as an hereditary parliament or legislature.
Competition within and between these groups is never-ending, and intrigue (economic, political, and personal) are endemic, vicious, and Machiavellian. Government policy is less-often determined by what is wisest or most-productive than by the machinations of the various politicians and circles based upon their own immediate self-interest.
Inhabited Planets
The Tarn Empire is located approximately 30-50 lightyears from Earth, located above the galactic plane by about 45-60 degrees, in a direction that is roughly "northeast" of Vulcan and "southeast" of Andoria. The capital system of Keth'tar and the three closest core worlds are heavily fortified. There are eight fully-colonized worlds and six mining/industrial colonies spread across an area just over 20 lightyears at the maximum extent:
- Keth'tar[1] (capital world)
- Drakmoor[1]: Ghessarite homeworld, conquered in 2080; an amphibious species from a Class O world, they now work primarily in aquaculture and underwater mining operations
- Extractis Beta[1] (2125): Strip-mining operation on a mineral-rich but otherwise barren world
- Forge Alpha[1] (2055): a largely asteroidal system with a heavy manufacturing complex specializing in starship construction
- Foundry Terminus[1] (2160): Weapons manufacturing and military equipment production center
- Kythara[1] (2089): a largely resource-rich asteroidal system
- Nexus Tarn[1] (2350): newest colony world
- Repthan[1]: Sslindi homeworld, conquered in 2052; a peaceful reptilian species, they now serve as skilled technicians and engineers in Tarn society
- Ssk'tarra[1] (2035): a core world and site of the primary military academy
- Synthesis[1] (2145): Chemical processing and materials science research world; highly polluted
- Thermal Prime[1] (2102): Geothermal energy extraction world with extreme volcanic activity
- Thex Major[1] (2068): a core world and an administrative and bureaucratic center, as well as home to the Council of Circles' secondary chambers
- Varnis III[1] (2095): a core world and agricultural breadbasket adapted from original semi-arid conditions
- Zephys VII[1] (2140): largest frontier colony
Note: the Torgu-Va system is located in what would become the neutral zone, so neither combatant properly explored it, leaving the survivors from both crashed ships to their own means.