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{{Ship Infobox
| image                = IKS_Vel'Kor.jpg
| caption              = IKS Vel'Kor "The War Drum"
| name                 = Vel'Kor
| class                = [[Bird of prey|''K'Vort'']]
| registry             = 
| faction              = [[:Category:Klingon Empire|Klingon Empire]]
| fleet                = Spears of Sto'vo'kor
| baseofoperations     = Qo'noS
| co                   = Q'naz
| status               = Re-Activated
| commissioned         = 2309
| footnotes            = Flagship of Spears of Sto-vo-kor
|}}

==Specifications==
'''Honor Inscription:''' "To Sto'vo'kor... no stops" -2309

===Dimensions===
*'''Length:''' 678.36 meters
*'''Beam:''' 780.62 meters (Cruise mode)
*'''Height:''' 423.72 meters (Attack mode)

*'''Mass:''' 1,890,000 metric tonnes

===Armament===
*4 Class V side mount Disruptors with Multi-directional targeting. 
*2 Bow torpedo launchers, 1 Stern launcher; 350 Hellion plasma-irradiated Torpedoes

===Armor/Defenses===
*Tri-phasic shielding
*Hypersonic deflector shields
*Experimental Torpedo Guidance Jammers
*Klass Soch Cloaking Device

'''Hull:''' Dillantium

'''Power Plant:''' Dual chamber Trilithium Coils
'''Max Speed:''' Warp 9.5,  Transwarp Capable
'''Crew Capacity:''' 1,500 (Including boarding/ground troops)

===Features===
*Landing Claw modified with hull cutting boarding plank
*Refitted Tractor beam with double tow capacity.
*10 Anti-dampening Transporter Rooms with Range Enhancers

==Assembly==
[[Image:Vel'Kor2.jpg|right|thumb|200px|IKS ''Reclaw'']]Originally commissioned as the IKS ''Reclaw'' in the year 2309, it was designed to be the primary escort ship for the Chancellor's flag ship. It was assembled in the orbital shipyards above Qo'nos with the latest technology and armory.  The ship was originally installed with a ''Chang''-type cloaking device which allowed the ship to fire when activated but that feature was later disabled, mainly due to the [[:Category:United Federation Of Planets|Federation's]] development of a means to target the ship through this cloak.

The newest features were kept under secret clearance most notably were the multi-directional disruptors and the torpedo guidance jammers, which made it difficult for torpedoes to lock at close ranges. Also classified was the material the hull was constructed from.

==Service Record==
===Blessed by Kahless===
During the House Wars of the early 24th century Chancellor Azetbur had difficulty controlling the family Houses that were disagreeing on the truce talks with the Federation.  She narrowly escaped an assassination attack on her ship and was beamed aboard the ''Reclaw''. Azetbur noticed the ship had superior maneuverability and weaponry compared to her old capitol ship and immediately made the IKS ''Reclaw'' her new flag ship.

During the Great House Wars, the ship managed several notable battle accomplishments winning against outnumbering odds on numerous occasions.  The ship was considered blessed with soul of Kahless by many of the soldiers and being assigned to the ship was considered good luck.  

===In Honourless Hands===
After Azetbur's death the ship was re-assigned to escort duties under General Varg since the new chancellor had chosen one of the new [[Vor'cha class|''Vor'cha''-class]] capitol ships as his flagship, favouring the strength of the larger vessel to the speed and maneuverability of the Bird of Prey.

In the battle of Fer'nor the IKS ''Reclaw'' was used as a last ditch attack against the rebellion House of Dur'tok.  The attack destroyed Dur'tok's ship killing him and his crew, but his brothers arrived with reinforcements and swarmed the ship. Dead in space, the crew fought boarding parties to the last warrior.

The Dur'tok brothers initially decided to destroy such a symbolic ship to the KDF by filling the hull with hellion plasma and setting it ablaze, but once the charges were ignited the ship held together. Only after investigating the ship did they find that it was constructed with corona treated Dillantium, one of the hardest materials in the galaxy.  Unable to destroy the ship the Dur'tok brothers decided to refit the it and make it their lead cruiser in raids against the Empire and the Federation.  

===RDS ''Reclaw''===
The RDS ''Reclaw'' destroyed several Klingon warships while helping the Dur'tok family claim outland territories.  It also was the apart of the legendary Dog Fight at Tora Pass, where it was outnumbered 2-3.  The ship and another [[Bird of prey|''B'rel''-class]] ship fought off two [[Excelsior class|''Excelsior''-class]] ships plus a [[Constitution class|''Constitution''-class]] ship and came away victorious.  The Federation ships had a difficult time locating the ships while in cloak and even when the ''Reclaw'' was decloaked none of their torpedoes were getting a direct hit.
[[Image:ReclawvsENTnEXL.jpg|right|thumb|''Reclaw'' vs Federation]]

Confident their new acquisition would help them against the Empire, the Dur'tok brothers planned an attack on Qo'nos. During the battle above the planet the Chancellor K'mpec lead the KDF forces against the House of Dur'tok in a long and arduous battle. Little did the brothers know that K'mpec had his ship equipped with similar technology.

The battle quickly became a stalemate since neither could hit the opponent with traditional torpedoes and disruptors did marginal damage.  After battling for several hours K'mpec's realized his cruiser had less maneuverability and he knew that it was a significant disadvantage. He quickly came to the conclusion that he needed to get them off the ship.

He managed to trick the brothers into thinking his ship was crippled then challenged them both to a fight to the death knowing that they would jump at the opportunity to kill the Chancellor and step in as his replacement.  K'mpec, being much more highly skilled with a bat'leth, killed both the brothers then had his warriors re-take the now leaderless ship.  

===IKS ''Vel'Kor''===
K'mpec decided to rename the ship to rid it of the history of being used against the Empire and put it back into service for the KDF.  The IKS ''Vel'kor'' did not see much battle in the following years but instead was tasked to handle several high priority missions for the Empire.

[[Image:Vel'kor_Reconn.png|right|thumb|200px|Recon Evac]]
===Evacuation of Recon Team===
An Elite Klingon Recon team was dispatched to remote system of Uhl'oth to investigate an alleged Doomsday Machine.  By the time the team had reached the planet it was already in a deteriorating state and their ship was severely damaged.  The IKS ''Vel'kor'', under the command of Captain Othar, was sent in at maximum warp and retrieved the recon team before the planet was destroyed.

===Narendra III and Khitomer===
[[Image:Vel'Korescort.jpg|left|thumb|200px|Escort]]
In 2344 the IKS ''Vel'Kor'' was the first Klingon ship on the scene after the attack on Narenda III.  It was one of the first ships to scan the colony for survivors and the debris field left by the battle. It then relayed the news to the Federation that the ''Enterprise-C'' had been lost, as well as informing the High Council of the Federation's honour in falling while defending the Klingon outpost.

In 2346 following the aftermath of Khitomer Massacre it helped transport evacuees and supplies to the devastated colony. It was also assigned patrol duty of the now hostile Romulan border.

[[Image:vel'korVSDysonSphere.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Trapped inside the Dyson Sphere]]
In 2355 the ''Vel'Kor'' along with three scout ships encountered a Dyson sphere.  One of their ships was lured in and the rest followed in an attempt to retrieve it.  It took three days for the squadron to escape the massive super structure.

===New Age===
After Chancellor Gowran came to power, the House of Duras challenged his authority and the IKS ''Vel'kor'' was brought out of mothball and sent into action again.  Commanded by General Nie’tag the ship was dispatched along with famous ships as the IKS ''Bortas'' and the IKS ''Hegh'ta'' in defence of the loyalist planets and outposts, managing to record 19 confirmed kills, second only to the IKS ''Hegh'ta''.

After the Civil War, the ship was assigned to the Cardassian Border in reaction to the Cardassians taking control of several planets including Bajor. While they saw little action for many years the rising tensions between the Klingon Empire and the Cardassian Union eventually led to an escalating series of limited engagements, building up to the Klingon-Cardassian War.

===Dominion War===
[[Image:Vel'KorVSJemhadar.jp‎g|thumb|left|200px|Hunting the Jem'Hadar]]
The IKS ''Vel'Kor'' under the command of Captain Joh’Kar was part of Gowran's initial invasion armada to Cardassia Prime.  It also partook in the battle of DS9 before Cardassia joined the Dominion.  After the outbreak of war it saw heavy action on the frontlines with the majority of its fighting seen alongside the IKS ''Rotarran'', commanded by General Martok.

[[Image:Jem'hadar_scout.jpg|thumb|right200px||''Vel'Kor's'' Kill]]
At the first battle of Chin'toka in 2374 it recorded 12 ship kills and took out dozens of orbital platform cannons.  In the second battle it recorded only 5 kills and was forced to retreat along with the allied forces. However since its hardwired systems proved to be resistant to the Breen energy dampening weapons, along with most other Klingon ships, the ''Vel'Kor'' was soon back on the frontlines, defending against this new threat.

During the Battle of Cardassia in 2375 the IKS ''Vel'Kor'' fought alongside the entire allied fleet. It was part of IKS ''Negh'Var'''s squadron and helped cut through the Dominion defenses, causing devastating losses against the Breen during the attack. In the final battle, despite significant damage and loss of crew, it still registered 20 kills. With the war at an end, this was destined to be the last mission for the well decorated ''Vel'Kor''.

===Still Fight in Her===
2381
As part of the new initiative to replenish the Klingon Defense Forces, Chancellor Martok issued an order to construct a fleet of 300 new combat ships, but due to the lack of resources available after the war only a two thirds of that order could be met. Instead 100 ships that were retired were recommissioned and sent to the Qo'nos shipyards for refitting. The IKS ''Vel'kor'' marked the 300th ship of the order.

[[Image:Vel'korVSGalxy.jpg‎|right|thumb|200px|Vel'Kor Vs a [[Galaxy class|''Galaxy''-class vessel]]]]
Several prominent members of the Klingon High Council felt that the Klingons had contributed significantly, perhaps even more than the other allied forces, to the victory during the Dominion War and felt they deserved to make claim to a large area of the former Cardassian Space as reparation to their losses.

With the Romulan Empire crumbling in civil war and the [[:Category:United Federation Of Planets|Federation]] struggling to recover as well, many Klingon Houses felt it was time for the Empire to re-establish itself as the dominant force in the galaxy, and with subversion organizations such as the [[Sons Of Chang]] on the rise tensions between the Klingon Empire and their former allies rose.

The Klingons were beginning to muscle in on undistributed territories, often in violation of the Federation's [[General Orders#General Order One|Prime Directive]].  Although never authorized by the Chancellor, repeated skirmishes between Klingon and Federation ships were starting to break out along the frontier. Given the recovery from the recent war, each side was reluctant to go into a full engagement.

===Territorial Scraps===
[[Image:Vel'kor_scap.jpg|left|thumb|200px|The Kelvas V Incident]]
The newly refitted IKS ''Vel'Kor'' and two other warships were assigned to help quell the situation under the assumption that a sign of aggressiveness would pacify any tensions and perhaps make the Federation fall back. With the KDF forces approaching Kelvas V, three Federation captains took it as a show of force and fired a volley of warning shots.

The Captain of the ''Vel'kor'' gave the green light for attack and the 6 ships opened fire on each other. Each side lost a ship before their High Commands called them back. Too many of the officers thought the damage had already been done. 

[[Image:Vel'kor1.jpg|center|Vel'Kor patrolling the sector]]

[[Category:Ships|Vel'Kor, IKS]]
[[Category:Klingon Empire|Vel'Kor, IKS]]
[[Category:Klingon (Ships)|Vel'Kor, IKS]]