THE UNITED
FEDERATION
OF PLANETS

Spurred by the Borg conflicts and the Dominion War, the Federation embarked on an era of intense expansion beginning in 2373, doubling in size by 2382, to currently number over 300 members.  The Federation owes much of its status to Starfleet.  Due to advances in science & technology gained through space exploration, the Federation has become more powerful than ever before in its history.  Superior offensive & defensive systems give Starfleet unparalleled mastery of the spacelanes and make war a seldom occurrence.  Improved sensor systems have opened the galaxy to safe long-range exploration.  The Kahn wormhole network along with quantum slipstream drive permits greater access, commerce and colonization, paving the way for admission of planets in all four quadrants into the UFP's ranks, while binding it together.  It has been speculated that the Federation may one day span the galaxy.  Currently emerging is the subspace transporter system, which bypasses starship travel and may eventually replace it.  Forays have also been made into other galaxies and even other universes, leading to relations in some cases.  In short, the Federation has entered a golden age of peace and prosperity.

BAJOR

Bajor joined the Federation in 2376, following the end of the Dominion War.  Starbase Deep Space Nine, at the Alpha Quadrant terminus of the Bajoran wormhole, is now an entirely Starfleet-operated facility.  There continues to be a Bajoran Militia on Bajor itself.  Despite the advent of Kahn artificial wormholes, the Bajoran wormhole is still a major avenue for shipping and commerce between the Alpha and Gamma Quadrants.

THE BREEN

Marginally upset by Dominion War losses, the Breen recovered the quickest, and continue to pose a threat to security and welfare in the Alpha Quadrant.  However, as the Quadrant's three major powers--the Federation, the Klingons and the Romulans--began cooperating, the Breen withdrew into semi-isolation.  Breen privateers occasionally prey on weaker ships and species.  There is a Breen embassy on Earth.

CARDASSIA

The Cardassian Union (formerly known as the Cardassian Empire) toppled in the final days of the Dominion War.  Perhaps the hardest-hit of all planets by the conflict, Cardassia lay in a state of ruins and anarchy, the population half of what it was before 2375 and forced to rely on Federation assistance.  In 2381, Cardassia voted to join the Federation, though it did not officially take place until 2383.

THE FERENGI ALLIANCE

Reforms spearheaded by Grand Nagus Rom transformed the Ferengi Alliance into a shining beacon of prosperity in the Alpha Quadrant.  The Ferengi maintain commercial and political ties to all major powers, generating revenue on a scale never before seen in Ferengi history.  Gold-pressed latinum, the Alliance's preferred mode of currency, has risen in value to equal the Federation credit, thus enabling massive transactions.  The Ferengi are a staple in the stability of the Alpha Quadrant.

THE KLINGON EMPIRE

The Klingon Empire spent ten years (2375-85) recovering from the Dominion War.  Federation efforts to integrate Klingon planets as members or dependencies in that time failed, as the proudly independent Klingons resisted membership in favor of alliance.  (According to "Azati Prime" [Enterprise], however, the Klingons will join the Federation by 2553.)  Starfleet and Klingon ships openly share each other's territorial space.

THE ROMULAN REPUBLIC

The Reman coup of 2379, led by Shinzon (Star Trek: Nemesis), was the final blow to a crumbling political attitude on Romulus.  Following Shinzon's demise, the Romulan people, tired of power-struggles and enmity with foreign races, rose up, installing an elected regime backed by the military. This new Senate, born from a younger generation hungry for change and raised on dreams of reunification with their Vulcan cousins (the Reunification Movement founded by Ambassador Spock in 2368) ("Unification" [TNG]), signed peace treaties with the Federation and the Klingon Empire.  In 2382 the Romulan Star Empire was officially dissolved, giving rise to the Romulan Republic.  It is believed that should formal reunification with Vulcan come about, the Romulans may one day become part of the Federation.

THE DOMINION

A truce between the Dominion and the alliance of Alpha Quadrant powers concluded the Dominion War in 2375.  In ensuing years, tensions still ran high, but diplomatic work by Odo, former Constable of Deep Space 9, proved invaluable to gaining the trust of the 'Founders' (the shapeshifting changelings ruling the Dominion from behind the scenes) and ushered internal reforms.  The Vorta continue to administrate the Dominion and the Jem'Hadar serve as its military, but the Dominion's policies of imperialism and rule by force are steadily eroding.  As relations improve, the Dominion moves towards peaceful co-existence, and may one day become a member of the galactic community. Several Gamma Quadrant races maintain commercial ties to the Dominion, including the Karemma, the Dosi, and the Drai 'hunters'.

THE BORG

The Borg underwent an evolutionary transformation in 2378, becoming a race of "techno-organic" shapeshifters (sometimes referred to as "technomorphs").  An artificial intelligence infesting the "machine half" of the Borg enforced the hive mind, accounting for the Borg's malevolent, conquering nature.  Freed of this entity, the Borg withdrew from interstellar affairs, started working to rebuild much of what they had destroyed and negotiated peace with former enemies such as the Federation.  The Borg power structure altered significantly, ridding itself of the Borg Queen and 'drones', and appointed special representatives in external matters as needed.  However, by late 2385 the AI resurfaced, causing the Borg to begin reverting to their former status, threatening the galaxy with "assimilation" once again, leading to a Borg civil war.  The outcome of this conflict has yet to be resolved.

THE HIROGEN

The majority of the Hirogen continue to live for 'the hunt', as they have for centuries, making this nomadic, aggressive race a thorn in the Delta Quadrant's collective side.  Some Hirogen have attempted to settle and form a society much like that of their distant ancestors, but such attempts have largely met with failure.  Hirogen hunting parties have managed to infiltrate other quadrants of the galaxy via the wormhole network.

THE KAZON

Like the Hirogen, the opportunistic Kazon continue to be one of the more recalcitrant Delta Quadrant races, raiding shipping lanes and attacking other powers including the Federation, despite attempts to negotiate with them.  This is due largely to a lack of order among the various Kazon sects, who fight with each other as much as anyone else.

THE OCAMPA

The Nacene Caretaker's death (2371) left the Ocampa with energy reserves enabling them to hold off the Kazon, who had sought to conquer the Ocampa homeworld, until 2376.  Afterwards they had to fend for themselves.  Kes returned at that time and used her mysterious psi-powers to convert the Ocampa planet's barren surface into a paradise then disappeared, though it is believed she continues to protect it from invaders to this day, as the new Caretaker.

THE TALAXIANS

In 2379, the Talaxians established the New Talax colony in the Delta Quadrant with Federation assistance.  New Talax is fast becoming the new home of the Talaxian people.  Neelix, a former member of the USS Voyager crew, proved invaluable to the process and continues serving as an ambassador in the Delta Quadrant.  Of the many Delta Quadrant races, Talaxians have the most contact with Starfleet, due in part to Neelix's efforts.

THE VIDIIANS

The so-called "Think Tank" ("Think Tank" [Voyager]) cured the Vidiians of the deadly "phage" disease, changing the face of Vidiian society. The Vidiians resumed ancient pursuits into art, education and exploration, and continue to be one of the most medically advanced of known races. In time they began seeking to make restitutions to societies whose individuals they had "harvested" for body parts. The Vidiian Sodality maintains affable relations with the Federation's Delta Quadrant branch.