Major Governments Operating in the Maelstrom

Interstellar Coalition

The Interstellar Coalition is a technologically advanced civilization that made first contact with the United Federation of Planets in 2480. Little is known about the Coalition aside from they operate by the fundamental tenet that peace must be obtained at any cost and they will not hesitate to violate the rights of any civilization to enforce their values upon them. The Coalition is perceived to control a territory only slightly smaller than that of the Federation itself and current estimates indicate it may consist of as many as 200 worlds.

Klingon Empire

The Klingons are a humanoid warrior civilization from the planet Qo'nos that bound by pride, tradition, and honor. The Klingons were unified under the leadership of renowned warrior Kahless the Unforgettable over 1,500 years ago, leading to the formation of the Klingon Empire. The violent and aggressive nature forming the backbone of the Klingon has made them an interstellar power to be respected, with each chapter of the Empire's history being filled with war and violence and recorded with the blood of the dishonored and fallen. The Klingon Empire's ruling body has fluctuated throughout history between an Emperor or the Klingon High Council, with the Klingon Chancellor being designated as the Head of State. The early 25th Century has seen much strife between the Klingon Empire and its neighbors, including the United Federation of Planets.

Republic of Cardassia

While poor in natural resources, the Republic of Cardassia has risen from the ashes of the Cardassian Union - a once powerful alliance of worlds headquartered on Cardassia Prime. History has forced the Cardassians to gather and expand, with the once peaceful government being usurped by the miltary due to the resource challenges experienced by the empire. After years of hostilities with its neighbors, the Cardassians allied with the Dominion and quickly became a dominant power in the galaxy. This would be short lasting as the Cardassians became second class citizens on their own world, leading to revolution and the near extermination of the race. This rebirth restored democracy to the Cardassian government, allowing the Republic to gain considerable strength since the Dominion War. Despite their successes, hardliners still exist who have desires to recreate the military ruling class and restore the Cardassian Union to prominence.

United Federation of Planets

Established in 2161 as an outgrowth of the Coalition of Planets, the United Federation of Planets is an interstellar alliance of planetary governments and colonies with over 150 members and territory exceeding 8,000 light years. Leadership of the Federation is vested in the Federation Council, which is comprised of elected representatives from each member state and located in the Earth city of San Francisco. The day to day administration of the Federation is vested in the Office of the Federation President. Among the Federation's primary goals are spreading peace, justice, and freedom throughout the galaxy. The primary organization tasked with this is Starfleet, a humanitarian armada that conducts deep space exploration, scientific research, and military actions on behalf of the Federation. The Federation has seen multiple challenges from neighboring races that has shaken it to its very core; however, a devastating blow came during the First Contact Day Massacre when a group of rogue synthetics destroyed the Utopia Planitia Shipyards. These events, coupled with growing animosity between the Federation's longtime ally the Klingon Empire, led the Federation to become more insular in the late 24th/early 25th Century. In recent years the Federation has been returning to its original mandates of peace and exploration.

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Minor Galactic Powers

Ferengi Alliance

Led by the Ferengi the Ferengi Alliance is an interstellar government that uses complex economic laws known as the Rules of Acquisition to manage their actions. The Ferengi dominate galactic commerce, with Alpha Quadrant civilizations becoming intimately aware of the Ferengi, the way they operate, and their tenacity. The Ferengi are highly invested in galactic politics, but only to the extent that it impacts their own pocketbooks. A series of reforms instituted by their leader, the Grand Nagus, have moved the Ferengi into a less capitalist structure, but this has led to strife.

Kessok

The Kessok are a civilization of genderless, silcon-based lifeforms that are the dominant, native species of the Maelstrom Sector. A technologically advanced species with enhanced scientific and terraforming abilities, the Kessok are borderline xenophobic. First contact with the Kessok was made by the True Way, a renegade sect of the Cardassian Union, in 2378 who manipulated the Kessok into believing that all other species in the Maelstrom were threats to their safety. This led to a widespread sharing of technology between the Kessok and the True Way, leading to a brief conflict between the Alpha Quadrant Alliance. After the True Way was defeated, proper diplomatic relations were established by the crews of the Starships Enterprise and Sovereign; however, relations were strained when the Federation vacated the Maelstrom in 2385 and remain so to this day.

Order of the Empty Crown

The Order of the Empty Crown is an alliance of the Romulan Colony Worlds of the Maelstrom and has emerged in response to the establishment of the Romulan Republic. A passionate and aggressive people known for their stealth and cunning in combat, the Empty Crown believes that they are the natural successors of the Romulan Star Empire and have taken on many survivalist qualities following the destruction of their homeworld. While a small and weaker power, the Empty Crown and its forces are never to be underestimated.

Orion Syndicate

An outgrowth of the storied Pirates of Orion, the Orion Syndicate is a criminal cartel that operates within all galactic governments. The Orion government vehemently disavows the Syndicate, going so far as to publicly denounced them as a collection of thugs and space pirates; however, some question the veracity of these claims. The Syndicate is an incredibly powerful organization and has resources on par with some multiplanet alliances. While they are considered criminals throughout the galaxy, members of the Syndicate are typically very honorable and obedient to their masters with those most loyal typically leading very successful lives, but breaking these traditions is punishable by death.

Patriarchy

The Patriarchy is an isolationist empire led by the felinoid Kzinti species. Despite an aggressive start, the Patriarchy has been mostly isolationist since losing a series of conflicts with United Earth and has remained relatively isolated ever since. While their empire is limited to mostly peacekeeping vessels by treaty, the Patriarchy has plans to expand beyond their present borders and have made frequent attempts to invade worlds within the Maelstrom in the recent past.

Romulan Free State

Headquartered from the Romulan world Vvalti, the Romulan Free State is one of several governments that emerged from the destruction of Romulus in 2387. Viewed by many as the natural successor to the Romulan Star Empire due to its abundant resources and backing by the Tal Shiar, the Free State has lost ground to the Romulan Republic during the 25th Century. While the Free State has no territory within the Maelstrom Sector, their vessels have been seen occasionally on patrol within the nonaligned systems of the region.

Romulan Republic

Born from the Romulan/Vulcan reunification movement and the Reman Resistance, the Romulan Republic was formed in 2409 as an alliance of the Romulans and Reman worlds oppressed by the larger Romulan cabals vying for control of former Romulan territory. Originally centered on New Romulus, the Romulan Republic has become a dominant force in galactic politics, leaving behind the secrecy and deception forced upon them by the former Romulan Star Empire. Initially, the Republic's main goal was to reunify with the Confederacy of Vulcan due to their common ancestry, a goal that they achieved when the Confederacy of Vulcan left the Federation in 2477. The Republic is now managed from Vulcan, which has been renamed Ni'Var.

True Way Alliance

The True Way Alliance (also referred to as the True Way) is a Cardassian terrorist organization operating independently from the Republic of Cardassia. Originally a secret society that represented the power of old familial elites, the True Way focused on maintaining the aggressive military regime of the Cardassian Union. Led by Legate Matan following the Dominion War, the True Way was a key cause of the Kessok Incident of 2378 and later was revitalized by Gul Madred in 2389. While the True Way maintains control of no planets within the Maelstrom Sector, they are known to be in operation in secret on several worlds throughout the Cardassian Republic.