Chapter 9: Founding the Federation
Written by Dan Carlson
Would be negligent to talk about the war without examining the events with took place in the year following the war... Federation. A Big Step Forwards. Benefits of cooperation, peace, love, and understanding, and all that...
The UE GA gets the ball rolling, something akin to the Atlantic Charter from WWII. A resolution that supports peace, love, understanding, and all that bit.
Motives are suspect? I mean, the Humans ARE the biggest power in the region, could this be the beginning of an imperialist era?
Eventually, they decide to hold the conference on a neutral planetoid in interstellar space, a planet called Babel.
The First Babel Conference
Conflict, recriminations from the war, but in
the end, compromises that establish common ground.
UE: We carried the burden of this war, and you all benefited. (Overblown, but true to an extent.) But also, there’s the visionaries. This should be Christopher Thorpe’s influence here. Make HIM the big shot of Earth’s delegation.
Vulcan: Peace and cooperation is logical. However, can this truly work? Up to a dozen diverse alien cultures uniting?
Andorians: They consider the Humans their allies/rivals – any friend can become an enemy. Plus they’re still kinda pissed for some of Earth’s heavy-handed diplomacy and economic practices, not to mention the fact that they’re withholding antimatter technology. They also demand a strong military presence to keep the Romulans at bay. (Something the Vulcans strongly oppose.)
Tellarites: This is an opportunity to move up in intergalactic politics, as they’ve been in space for only 50 years or so.
Altairians: They’re highly divided, there are three planets in their system, two send delegates. The third is hostile, aggressive, and could cause serious trouble. How’s it resolved? (Letting some of the Altairians in, but not others, that is.)
Zakdorn: Who knows?
Ironically, it’s the Vulcans who become the peacemakers of this endeavour, and the Humans become the glue.
The Birth of the Federation
Official Flag of the United Federation of Planets.
© Kris TrigwellOCTOBER
11,
2161! This is CANON INFORMATION!!! (Article clipping from Picard’s album...)
SAN FRANCISCO, Earth (SNN) – Declaring it a landmark day in the history of each of their worlds, five (envoys) today breathed life into the fledgling United Federation of Planets with the signing of the new organization’s Constitution amid much pomp and circumstance.
"We are truly entering a brage new world of peace, exploration and security with the establishment of this Federation, declared Earth ambassador Thomas Vanderbilt, whose remarks were echoed by representatives from Vulcan, Andor, Tellar, and Alpha Centauri.
"Following the end of your world’s war with the unseen Romulan enemy, such a union as we create here today is the most logical course of action any of our peoples can take," added Ambassador T’Jen of Vulcan.
UESPA Maj. Gen. Georges E. Picard, an aide to Vanderbilt, noted afterward the (???) of the conference – which met in exactly the same fashion as the founders of Earth’s old United Nations, who came together (only) 215 years earlier in this same city in the aftermath of the (horrors) of another costly war.
"What is occurring here today is one sign that some good can come of such a (???)," Picard noted.
"We defy anyone, even the Romulans, to test our resolve now for collective security," declared Ambassador (Natha Kell) of Tellar, while (Saraht) of Andor spoke of future greatness for the infant union and predicted rapid expansion. Ambasador (Titus Cleet) signed for the newly independent Centauri system.
Today’s events were but the ceremonial endgame for the often-(elusive) negotiations, which began in earnest after the defeat of histile forces at Cheron effectively ended the Romulan War only a little more than a year ago. Even today, some (???) reported a later (???) involving the Tellarite (Kell) and (???).
Although those taking part today waived off revealing many specific details, the five after signing immediately convened the first-ever meeting of the UFP Council long enough to elect Vanderbilt as president, with (Saraht) as vice president.
Also, the Council unanimously voted to continue meeting in San Francisco, with an all-new building in the design stages near the historic old Presidio fort and Golden Gate Bridge. Council sources predicted at least three months would be needed before the fledgling UFP bureaucracy would be ready for business.
Source: United Earth Associated Press. Published in the San Francisco Herald, October 12, 2161.
Starfleet
Talk about the compromise that was made, as in
the dual exploration/defense roles and a limit on the big ships and weapons.
A joint chiefs of staff of sorts, with high commanders from each of the members
having a part.
Based mainly on the superior UESN. The Daedalus Class, the other UESN ships. Andorian contributions – some ships held back. Vulcans supply survey ships only, nothing else. An act of spite, or arrogance, or what? The UE pitches in again.
Image
9.1: The newly-recommissioned USS Daedalus.
© Sean RobertsonDiscuss
the massive disarmament, and how they cut back and got rid of the biggest and
most expensive ships (something the
Vulcans insisted upon?) The only large warships retained were for the Interim
Planetary Defense Force, which was deployed primarily in the Qualor Sector as
a safeguard against future Romulan incursions.
Tellarites join mainly other ships, their technology isn’t up to snuff.
Mention the Interim Planetary Defense Force, or something like that – an official division of Starfleet that’s charged with the defense of the outer worlds until sufficient numbers of ships are constructed.
A Bright Future
Expansion and prosperity. Starfleet becoming the bold herald and impetus for the Federation.
Map 9.1 The Federation in 2161For years, there was the fear that the
Romulans were planning for another attack, to recover their losses. But no one
could possibly have guessed how
completely decimated the Romulan Star Empire had been. As the likelihood of
a renewed attack gradually waned, the Interim Planetary Defense Force was cut
back. The expensive Yorktown-class fighter carriers were decommissioned
in 2165, once the need for a long-range offensive strike force was past. The
massive, resource-intensive Conqueror-class heavy cruisers stayed
in service until 2175, providing heavy fire support for patrolling task forces
but never firing a single shot in anger between 2161 and 2175. The nimble and
flexible Powhatan-class
escorts were still on active duty as late as 2185 due to their small, economical
displacement and easily-customized mission outfit.
The