Star Trek Expanded Universe
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Lyran symbol

Symbol of the Lyran Star Empire

The Lyran Star Empire is the official government of the Lyran species. Not much is known about it except that it is somewhat feudal, with many Lyran counts serving as rulers on other worlds. This also has the side effect of resulting in many internal conflicts within the empire. (TOS video game: Starfleet Command (game))

Government[]

The Lyran government is a feudal monarchy. The king-emperor directly rules the area surrounding the capital system, while the rest of the empire is divided among four dukes in the late 23rd century, but there were as many as eight in 2385. (RIS Bouteina: "Battle at the Grave of Thoughts")

Each duchy is divided into five counties, four led by a count reporting to the duke, and one ruled directly by the duke. Officially, the majority of the Lyran fleet is built, maintained and operated by the dukes and counts, lending their support to the crown. As a matter of convenience, a significant number of navy personnel are conscripts from across the empire, and only senior officers/petty officers are from the 'home' territory. Even then, each ship normally has at least a few members of other counties and duchies, officially to encourage cooperation, but unofficially to provide 'hostages' to keep the various factions from attacking each other.

The power of the king is maintained by keeping the four (or more, depending on era) dukes in a state of constant rivalry, a state echoed at the duchy/county levels. Any gain in power by one faction will see other factions moving to balance the power, one way or another. An example of this was, when the Enemy's Blood Duchy was rising in power, one of its counties revolted. The crown tacitly (and with the less tacit support of two other dukes) allowed this county to become autonomous, weakening the powerful duke.

Tuition fees in Lyran public universities were set at the planetary level. (Star Trek: The Stoneship Files: "Rode the 300")

Each lord appointed one senator to the Lyran Senate, which ran the Lyran civil service. (Star Trek: The Stoneship Files: "Educational Armageddon")

The Fair Business Lyran Agency was the government body charged with regulating commerce in the Empire. (Star Trek: False Vacuum: "Asteroid Dusting")

History[]

Federation records do not state when the Lyrans first expanded from their own worlds, but know more from their contacts with their neighbors. The first starfaring race the Lyrans met was the Klingon Empire in the mid-21st century. Both took hostile action and soon all-out war existed between the two nations. A couple of years later, while attempting to flank Klingon lines, they attacked what they thought was a Klingon mining colony, only to find the previously uncontacted Hydrans, starting a new war with them. A while later, in the late 21st century, the Hydran-Lyran war was enough of a drain resulting in an armistice with the Klingons on unfavorable terms. With the war with the Klingons over, the Hydran invasion was defeated in less than a year.

In 2401, the Lyran Star Empire was at war against the Klingon Empire. (Star Trek: The Stoneship Files: "At the Soapbox Races")

Culture[]

Lyrans seemingly enjoyed partying around a bonfire while using the bonfire to roast meat, a holdover from prehistoric times. (Star Trek: The Stoneship Files: "Highly Illogical")

The Lyran legal job market was prototypical of a prestige-insensitive jurisdiction. (Star Trek: False Vacuum: "Pledge of the Protester")

Technology[]

The Lyrans are an advanced species, using warp-capable starships, disruptor weaponry and expanding sphere generator technology in their defense.

The Gorn Hegemony developed gravitaton density distortion spheres which are said to be a creation of their own, which works somewhat similar to the expanding sphere generator.

Lyrans later used plasma torpedo technology, especially phased plasma torpedoes, which could be used to fight the Borg. (Star Trek: The Stoneship Files: "Highly Illogical")

Splinter groups[]

A fractured rebel county of the Star Empire is the Lyran Democrative Republic, which managed to survive due to internal politics that prevented the King-Emperor of the Lyran Star Empire from re-absorbing this splinter group.

By 2385, though, the LDR was reunified with the Lyran Star Empire. This move almost doubled the size of the LSE, from 21 counties in 2294, its size went to 41 in 2385. (RIS Bouteina: "Sphere of Influence")

Territorial claims[]

External link[]

http://web.archive.org/20030203040341/members.fortunecity.com/sfcspacedock/lyran.htm

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