6.0 Overview

The galaxy continued to open to man's exploration as this era opened. A quantum leap in the number of known inhabited planets occurred when the Tellarites introduced Earth traders to the Rigel Trading Planet. The second of the twelve worlds that comprise the Rigel Star System, the Rigel Trading Planet has long been known as a galactic trading center, where space traders from all sectors could meet and exchange the unique goods of each region. Earth rapidly established a reputation for the high quality of its spaceworthy metal alloys and its advanced electronic technologies. Today there is a permanent Earth legation to coordinate the myriad transactions that take place on Rigel.

Increasing interaction among alien cultures was likewise reflected in the first Earth-alien crews. Even before the UFP, Earth pioneered the commission of alien crew members to complement the strengths of its human crew. For all their belligerence, Tellarites proved adept engineers, and Andorians showed an uncanny knack for interstellar communication and navigation. This spaceflight cooperation brought planets ever closer, until political alliance seemed the only logical next step.

For the momentum to formalize the growing interdependence among planets had been growing for decades, as friendly worlds leaned even more heavily on one another for vital goods and services. Inevitably, the most important political event in the Interstellar Age came to pass. In 2087, the United Federation of Planets was formally incorporated at the Interplanetary Conference at Babel. Founding members were the Earth, Vulcan, Alpha Centauri, Tellar, Andor and Rigel, and later many other members were admitted at periodic intervals by consent of member planets. And the UFP's continuing vitality and growth stands as an eloquent testament to the wisdom of forming this acclaimed alliance.

So much of what we take for granted was decided upon and inaugurated by those visionary founding fathers. Our monetary system of Federation Credits was established then, as were the Standard Interstellar Symbols every child learns with his ABC's. The space/time matrix of stardates was instituted as the Federation's official chronology, so that descrepancies caused by the special relativity theory (2087 on Earth would be 2092 on Alpha Centauri, etc.) could be reconciled among planets. In addition, a space census was ordered—Earth registered 10 billion planetary residents, 8 million solar citizens, and 354,000 interstellar pioneers—and has been repeated every decade since.

Responding to the obvious need for interstellar security, the UFP Star Fleet was mustered at this first Babel Conference, and the brilliant strategic placement of Starbases was outlined by Star Fleet Command. These Starbases serve as the Federation's outposts throughout its defined territories. They are responsible for sector security and stellar emergencies, and they also serve as complete maintenance and refitting depots for starships. Starbases also coordinate galactic communication, initiate new research activity, and provide welcome shore leave for spaceweary starship crews.

The exploration of unknown sectors of space was also recognized at this time as a primary goal of the new UFP and given a very high priority. Though one of the first starships launched for that purpose, the USS Archon, was unaccountably lost in the vicinity of the Beta III star system, other ships, like the USS Horizon, which explored toward the edge of the galaxy, vigorously pursued this goal.

Space medicine made great leaps forward during this harmonious mingling of alien cultures, and the field of comparative anatomy took on a whole new meaning. Valuable insights were gained into such problems as long-term sensory deprivation, radio immunization and space stress (the Vulcan “vacation”—a self-induced state of restful suspended animation—was studied for use in combating this problem of space stress, unsuccessfully, however: Vulcans are the only ones capable of taking this type of vacation). Equipment such as the medical Scanner and bone-setting laser was designed. In addition, a clearing-house of planetary medical societies was begun to guard against unknown epidemics like the “Pluto Plague,” which mysteriously decimated all life at the Pluto Research Base (it was later found to be a mutant strain of Omega Virus clinging to a souvenir sold to a researcher by an unscrupulous Orion trader).

There were, however, some unfortunate growing pains that accompanied the founding of the UFP. The new Star Fleet was quickly integrated with crews and captains from member planets, too quickly as it turned out. A space war game disaster in 2089 tragically highlighted the lack of standardized training for Star Fleet officers. To remedy this chaotic chain of command, Star Fleet Academy was chartered to provide centralized training for Fleet officers, and from then on, all starship captains have been graduates of the Academy.

In 2100, the Earth Centenary Conference was assembled to assess the previous century of spaceflight and to offer predictions for the coming hundred years. Authorities traced the evolution of propulsion, communications, electronics, and the development of political and economic alliances among the UFP members and other worlds. Other speakers looked to the future with forecasts ranging from the prophetic to the pathetic. Transporters were predicted, as was the impossibility of speeds faster than warp four. All in all, the character of mankind—its foolishness as well as its vision—was aptly illustrated at this Centenary Conference, the second of which was held in 2200.

As the Earth-dated twenty-first century drew to a close, the UFP had consolidated its position as a galactic presence. And none too soon. For there was another galactic presence beginning to make its existence felt, through acts of savagery at the borders of the Federation. The Romulan Empire, once thought to be little more than a Vulcan children's fable, was thirsting for conquest.