Komerex

Komerex was a Klingonaase word meaning 'the structure that grows'.

A central part of Klingon philosophy was that every system, from a living organism to a society to a major government, could exist only in one of two states: either growing and living, or shrinking and dying. They didn't recognize the concept of an equilibrium or zero population growth. By their definition, if something was not growing, it must therefore be dying. Komerex (or, more commonly, empire) was the first half of this dichotomy; its opposite was khesterex, 'the structure that dies'.

All cultures were described by either khesterex or komerex. One that did not expand, conquer or otherwise grow was a khesterex, and treated as stagnant, dying or dead. It was therefore only useful for producing kuve (or servitor races) and slaves. 

The two concepts were represented by several Klingon sayings. "Nal komerex, khesterex" meant "That which will not grow will die" while "komerex tel khesterex" put it more succinctly: "grow or die". 

Though the Andorians were a warrior culture, they were classified as a khesterex because they willingly joined the Federation and chose peace rather than fighting for independence from the other member races. For this, an Andorian was the target of the ultimate Klingon insult: "willing slave". 

The Orions were also considered a khesterex, a dying and decadent culture with no interest in conquest. Worst of all, they were not even worth conquering – "not worth the blood" when Klingons prized spilling blood. They made for poor slaves and only mediocre kuve, but somehow, wherever Orions went their rotten culture still followed and thrived. 


 * As Orion expansionist aims at the time are based on economic power, it is possible that the khesterex/komerex dichotomy does not recognize economics as a form of growth or decay.


 * In the Klingonaase language, khesterex is likely related to khest and khest'n.