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This page details Battle of the Binary Stars in the primary universe; for the Battle of the Binary Stars in the mirror universe see Battle of the Binary Stars (mirror).
"We have suffered losses... but the Federation has suffered far more. Leaders, return to Qo'noS. Declare far and wide that the Klingon race fights as a united Empire once again!"
T'Kuvma, 2256[src]

The Battle of the Binary Stars, also known as the Battle of the Binaries, was the first opening battle of Federation-Klingon War of 2256.

Prelude[]

Eleven years after the Battle of Donatu V in 2245, T'Kuvma ordered his House's flagship to disable a interstellar relay near Gamma Hydra in order to lure in a Starfleet vessel, so that he could provoke a war between the Federation and Klingon Empire. The USS Shenzhou under Captain Philippa Georgiou investigated the relay. The Shenzhou's XO, Commander Michael Burnham investigated the relay and discovered that the Klingons were there. She then came under attack by the Klingon Rejac and killed him in self-defense.

Following Burnham's return to the Shenzhou, Georgiou then sent a distress call to other Starfleet vessels in the area and informed them off the Klingons' incursion. Following Rejac's funeral, T'Kuvma then lit the Beacon of Kahless to call upon the 24 Great Houses of the Empire and it's High Council. During this time, Commander Burnham, following advice given to her by Ambassador Sarek, tried to talk Captain Georgiou into firing at the Klingons. However, when Georgiou refused, Burnham subdued her and attempted to order the crew to open fire. However, Captain Georgiou retook command before Burnham's order could be carried out and the Commander was then sent to the brig for mutiny. (DSC episodes: "The Vulcan Hello", "Battle at the Binary Stars")

The Battle[]

When 10 Starfleet vessels under the command of Admiral Brett Anderson arrived, T'Kuvma claimed to want to discuss a truce, but used this opportunity to destroy the USS Europa by having his cloaked cleave ship ram into the Starfleet vessel. The Europa then initiated a self-destruct sequence which destroyed itself, it's crew and the cleave ship. (DSC episode: "Battle at the Binary Stars")

Klingon reinforcements arrived destroying several more Starfleet ships. After most of the Starfleet ships were destroyed, T'Kuvma told the heads of the other houses to return to Qo'NoS to declare that Klingons would fight as a united Empire. The Sarcophagus then stayed behind to collect the Klingon dead for a funeral. (DSC episode: "Battle at the Binary Stars")

During this time, the Shenzhou's crew then placed a explosive inside one of the klingon corpses and detonated. This crippled the Sarcophagus and allowed Captain Georgiou and Commander Burnham to beam aboard the ship and capture T'Kuvma. However, they came under attack by several Klingons and Georgiou was killed. Burnham then killed T'Kuvma. She was then beamed back, but was unable to retrieve Georgiou's body. (DSC episode: "Battle at the Binary Stars")

Aftermath[]

The Federation and Starfleet considered the battle a massacre. During this time, the Klingons took one of the USS Yeager's officers, Lt. Ash Tyler, prisoner and held him aboard a prison ship. Despite taking casualties, T'Kuvma was able to achieve his goal: unifying the Empire's Great houses to fight the Federation. However, with T'Kuvma's death, the Empire was without a leader and his flagship, along with its cloaking device, were left adrift for six months. However, Kol of the House of Kor was able to take command of the Sarcophagus after he bribed its surviving crew to follow him and abandon Voq by stranding him on the USS Shenzhou. (DSC episodes: "Into the Forest I Go", "Battle at the Binary Stars", "The Vulcan Hello", "The Butcher's Knife Cares Not for the Lamb's Cry", "Choose Your Pain")

However, L'Rell then had Voq taken to the Matriarchs of the House of Mo'Kai, where he underwent surgery to pose as Tyler in order to infiltrate Starfleet. Kol later became a general and consolidated his power over the High Council. (DSC episodes: "The Butcher's Knife Cares Not for the Lamb's Cry", "Choose Your Pain", "Lethe", "The Wolf Inside")

The Battle at the Binary Stars would be regarded as one of the most important historic battles between the Federation and the Klingon Empire, with every cadet studying it at Starfleet Academy. In 2410, in light of the emergence of a fleet of rogue Klingon ships led by J'Ula, having been temporally displaced from 2256, Federation Alliance captains undertook a training simulation based on the Battle of the Binary Stars in order to understand 23rd century Klingon tactics. (STO mission: "Battle at the Binary Stars")

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Ships at the Battle of the Binary Stars[]

Federation vessels[]

ship name registry number ship class earliest possible launch date disposition legacy sources
USS Clarke NCC-1661 Malachowski-class 2210[1] destroyed (stardate 1207.3, 11 May 2256)[2] Clarke-class DSC episode: "Battle at the Binary Stars"
USS Dana NCC-1690 Hoover-class 2209[1] destroyed (stardate 1207.3, 11 May 2256)[3] USS Dana (hologram) DSC episode: "Battle at the Binary Stars"
USS Earhart NCC-1052 Engle-class 2224[1] destroyed (stardate 1207.3, 11 May 2256)[3] Earhart-class DSC episode: "Battle at the Binary Stars"
USS Edison NCC-1683 Hoover-class 2209[1] destroyed (stardate 1207.3, 11 May 2256)[2] USS Edison II; Edison-class DSC episode: "Battle at the Binary Stars"
USS Europa NCC-1648 Nimitz-class 2235[1] destroyed (stardate 1207.3, 11 May 2256)[2] USS Europa II; Europa-class DSC episode: "Battle at the Binary Stars"
USS Kerala NCC-1255 Shepard-class 2195[1] active (2256)[2][3] DSC episode: "Battle at the Binary Stars"
USS Ride NCC-1265 Shepard-class 2195[1] active (2256)[2][3] DSC episode: "Battle at the Binary Stars"
USS Shenzhou NCC-1227 Walker-class 2195[1] wrecked (stardate 1207.3, 11 May 2256)[2] Shenzhou-class DSC episode: "Battle at the Binary Stars"
USS Shran NCC-1413 Magee-class 2196[1] destroyed (stardate 1207.3, 11 May 2256)[2] USS Shran II; Shran-class DSC episode: "Battle at the Binary Stars"
USS Sioux NCC-1621 Malachowski-class 2210 active (2256)[2] DSC episode: "Battle at the Binary Stars"
USS T'Plana-Hath NCC-1004 Engle-class 2224[1] destroyed (stardate 1207.3, 11 May 2256)[3] DSC episode: "Battle at the Binary Stars"
USS Yeager NCC-1437 Cardenas-class 2202[1] destroyed (stardate 1207.3, 11 May 2256)[3] USS Yeager II DSC episode: "Battle at the Binary Stars"

Klingon vessels[]

ship name ship class disposition sources
Sarcophagus Sacrophagus-class active (2410)[4] DSC episode: "Battle at the Binary Stars"

Appendices[]

Connections[]

Battles of the Federation-Klingon War (2256-57)
2256: Battle of the Binary StarsAttack on Corvan IIBattle at Pahvo
2257: Scorching of Kelfour VIAttack on Starbase 22Attack on Starbase 12Attack on Starbase 19Attack on NivallaAttack on SeptraAttack on IridinCapture of Starbase 1

References[]

External link[]

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