Pre-Federation Coalition of Planets
In the Enterprise episode "Terra Prime," Earth, Vulcan, Andoria, Tellar, Rigel, Denobula, and Coridan met in San Francisco to form the Coalition of Planets. Though human terrorists attempted to thwart the foundation of this alliance, the efforts of Captain Archer and the crew of NX-01 Enterprise managed to successfully deal with Terra Prime and help facilitate the formation of the aforementioned interspecies planetary union.
Okay, so this pre-Federation - much like the League of Nations - served as a testing ground for a multiracial government. Certainly there were a variety of issues, particularly since the Vulcans were likely expected to relinquish their stranglehold on advanced technologies. Further, the extreme variation in cultures, politics, and patterns of thought would definitely require cooperation and compromise on all sides. The fact that the UFP was eventually founded by Earth, Vulcan, Andoria and Tellar (and without Denobula, Rigel or Coridan) is pretty telling as well. Much like the UN, several members of the League of Nations didn't jump right onboard when the latter dissolved, but many joined after the fact.
What was the role of this Coalition in the Earth-Romulan War? I was under the impression that Earth and Romulus were the primary combatants and that humanity's allies provided materiel and tactical support. Given the events portented in "Terra Prime," I've been rethinking my previous scenario.
Since the organization was a coalition, or a loose alliance, primarily focused on trade, combined scientific research, and cultural exchanges, the war was likely only between Earth and Romulus. However, it seems unlikely that the Vulcans - having patronized humanity for nearly 100 years - would suddenly quit mankind and leave it to its own devices. The Vulcan High Command would certainly provide all kinds of support, most certainly including weapon and shield upgrades, strategic information, and so on. The Andorian Imperial Guard, always eager for a fight, probably provided more direct support: ships, advisors, technology. They probably even sent small arms and other stuff just in case there was a close quarters combat situation (though all evidence suggests the war consisted only of ship-to-ship combat and surface bombardment from orbit).
Tellarites, if anything, probably gave engineering assistance. Coridanites (?)... faster warp drives, perhaps. Denobulans probably provided scientific and medical aid as well as moral support. Rigellians? Uh... no clue.
Was their any ground combat? Perhaps. But again, I'd say that any face-to-face combat involved Romulan-sponsored mercenaries rather than actual Romulan soldiers. Who would have fought for the Romulans? I'd say Klingons from the House of Duras (which could certainly be the impetus for the collaboration between that House and the Romulans in the 23rd and 24th centuries) and other, lower houses. I'd also guess that there would be Nausicaans, maybe some Orions, and various other individuals of various other races, warp-capable and otherwise.
After reviewing this episode, I'm really thinking of moving my upcoming Series to 2155 so as to allow for Starfleet exploration of the region, support from the various coalition members, and the build-up to the Earth-Romulan War. Besides, a Starfleet prototype starship built with input and assistance from most or all of the Coalition of Planet member races - and crewed primarily by humans, but with advisors and the first Starfleet crewmen and officers from the other alien species - could be a really nice vessel to focus such a Series on. Of course, I am still partial to a space station Series, but I can certainly compromise.
What are your thoughts? I know the purists may flout the Enterprise reboot regarding the pre-Federation alliance, but I think it provides a goodly amount of stuff to use between the end of Enterprise and the founding of the United Federation of Planets. A lot can happen in a year (before the Earth-Romulan War began) or six years (after the war and just prior to the founding of the UFP).
Post your Episode ideas. While I have several, I'm always looking for the suggestions of my fellow ICONites. :)
mactavish out.
Romulan espionage in the 22nd century
The Romulans withdrew from the galactic scene in 2160. They certainly patrolled their borders to keep their enemies out, built outposts on both planetary surfaces and in space, and consolidated their empire during their decades-long isolation. What else did they do? Well, LUG says they fought the Taurhai Unity. They surely made efforts to establish new colonies and bring the Way of D'era to the various less advanced species in their area of influence.
I consider the likelihood remote in the extreme that the Romulan Star Empire, knowing what they do of humanity and its allies, would simply abandon the region and let the impending United Federation of Planets grow unchecked. They would almost certainly maintain or increase their espionage efforts in human and Vulcan space. Their listening posts and surveillance systems along their borders would surely collect a lot of helpful information, but having undercover agents posing as Vulcans (as well as surgically-altered agents placed on many other worlds) would provide plenty of on-the-ground intel that the Romulans yearned for.
The Romulans have no direct contact with Earth, Vulcan, or any other allied planet for many years. However, thinking that they would abandon their destiny of spreading D'era throughout the galaxy (as well as reclaim their homeworld, Vulcan) is ludicrous. They are far too interested in the business of their neighbors (and their own internal security) to simply give up their operations, even in the aftermath of a particuarly nasty defeat. The cold war between Earth and Romulus would have cooled very quickly, giving the Tal Shiar (or whatever that group's precursor was) ample time and opportunity to plant scores, even hundred of agents throughout the quadrant.
On top of that, Romulan operatives were certainly in touch with elements of the Klingon Empire as well. The House of Duras, for example, provided the Romulan espionage agency with an open door to the region, and likely provided a clear path for the integration of new techologies into the Romulan Star Empire's arsenal. In exchange, Duras would have received monetary compensation, Romulan weapons and technologies (including rudimentary cloaking devices), and (probably) assurances that when the human threat was eliminated and Romulus controlled Earth and its colonies, the Klingon Empire in general and the House of Duras in particular would have favored status as Romulan allies. Surely a conspiracy of this sort paved the way for the eventual ill-fated Romulan-Klingon alliance of the 23rd century.
Using Orion and Malurian middle men, Romulan agents would have been able to infiltrate Federation space easily. Romulan warships with improved cloaking devices could also travel undetected nearly anywhere, even the Sol or Epsilon Eridani systems (though they probably wouldn't). Captured and reverse-engineered Taurhai technologies could have given the Romulans an edge into the 24th century, improving their infrastructure from energy production to metallurgy. Thus, when the UFP re-encounters them in the 2360s, their vessels are as advanced (if not more so) than Starfleet's flagship, the U.S.S. Enterprise-D.
Intrigue between both Starfleet Intelligence and the Federation Intelligence Service (and its precursor) could be great fun, particularly as the pursuit of Romulan deep cover agents across the sector leads them to Qo'nos, Rigel X, and various other locations. Discovering Romulan technologies integrated into rogue Xindi-Reptilian ships could prove very interesting, as could a miraculously cured (and warp-capable) Valakia, especially if they were using warp drives of Romulan design (undoubtedly provided by undercover Romulan agents posing as Valakians, or perhaps Malurian mercenaries performing a similar function on Romulus' behalf).
Just some thought for a Series during and/or shortly after the Earth-Romulan War.
mactavish out.
