The Orion Syndicate was a criminal organization created and maintained by the Orions. The Syndicate's activities included gambling, racketeering, smuggling, piracy, slave-trading, extortion, and assassination.
Operation
Edit
The Syndicate was ruthless in its tactics, and its members were extremely loyal. Entry required a substantial membership fee, and any member would take their own life before testifying against the Syndicate. In addition, it was customary for the Syndicate to financially support any family member of a deceased associate.[1][2]
In an act called "witnessing," Syndicate members would often vouch for the loyalty of any new recruit whom they brought into the organization. This was a method of ensuring trustworthiness amongst its members, as any Syndicate member who was found to have brought in a disloyal recruit would be killed along with that recruit.[3]
History Edit
22nd CenturyEdit
During the 22nd century, the Orion Syndicate controlled an area of space bordering the Klingon Empire. The area of space between the two powers was a volatile and lawless region known as "the Borderland." It was in this region that a group of Augments, relics from Earth's Eugenics Wars, attacked a Klingon Bird-of-Prey in 2154, murdering the crew and stealing the ship. In order to avert a war with the Empire, the Enterprise NX-01 was sent into the Borderland in an attempt to locate the Augments. While on this mission, however, Enterprise was attacked by an Orion interceptor, and nine crewmembers were kidnapped. The crewmembers were taken to a processing station on Verex III, where they were intended to be auctioned off as slaves. Although Captain Archer was able to rescue his crewmembers, his actions in stealing Orion "property" made him a wanted man in the Syndicate.[4]
Later that year, an Orion named Harrad-Sar attempted to kidnap Archer and deliver him to the Syndicate. It was during this incident that it was learned by the Enterprise crew that Orion females, previously thought to be little more than commodities to be bought and sold, were actually in charge of the Syndicate, controlling the males via highly potent pheromones.[5]
23rd CenturyEdit
In 2268, in response to the possible admission of Coridan into the Federation, the Orions engaged in a covert mission to prevent such an occurrence, in order to preserve their piracy activities in the Coridan system. To this end, they placed a spy amongst the Andorian delegation to the conference to debate Coridan's admission, and sent a ship on a suicide mission to attack the USS Enterprise, which was transporting the various delegations to the conference, in an attempt to provoke mutual suspicion and interplanetary war amongst the Federation worlds. The Orions' plot was eventually uncovered, however, and Coridan was admitted into the Federation.[6][7]
25th century Edit
Appendices Edit
Appearances Edit
- Star Trek: Federation Legacy – "Stranded in Space" (First appearance)
- Star Trek: Federation Legacy – "Diplomatic Orders" (Mentioned only)
- Star Trek: Federation Legacy – "The Kuvah'Magh"
- Star Trek: Federation Legacy – "Treasure Trading Station"
- Star Trek: The Second Little Wolf – "The Battle of the First Blood, Part I" (Mentioned only)
Notes and references Edit
- ↑ DS9: "The Ascent"
- ↑ DS9: "Prodigal Daughter"
- ↑ DS9: "Honor Among Thieves"
- ↑ ENT: "Borderland"
- ↑ ENT: "Bound"
- ↑ TOS: "Journey to Babel"
- ↑ TNG: "Sarek"
External links Edit
- Orion Syndicate at Memory Alpha, the Star Trek wiki
- Orion Syndicate at Memory Beta, the non-canon Star Trek wiki
- Orion Syndicate at the Star Trek Online Wiki
