Orion Colonies

The Orion Colonies is the name given to the collection of all Orion settled worlds, including the homeworld in the Rigel system and the many Orion colonies around it. However, it is not a unified nation, but a collection of clans and colony worlds, only loosely influenced and spoken for by the Botchok Planetary Congress.

Other known terms are the Orion Congeries and the Orion Union, though it is unclear whether these represent the full extent of Orion Space or are simply Orion alliances or even businesses.

Unlike many other spacefaring states, the Orions are not a unified population, but are instead spread out into several large factions and a great many smaller ones, separated by space, allegiances and cultural differences, and they are decentralized with a network of bases. 

The Orions are not an imperial power, and are not the sole humanoid inhabitants of the planets they occupy. Their society is anarchic, and though various bodies may claim authority, none have enough power to exert it. 

Though they have a homeworld in the Rigel system, they have no overarching government or controlling influence, and no Orion has the authority to speak for the entire species

Authority
Authority in Orion society is divided up amongst three power structures: the family, which handles most social aspects; the corporation, which takes care of the financial, and lastly, the government, which is little more than bureaucracy and public services. There is no one group that speaks for all, or even most Orions. 

Family
Orion society is loosely organized by caju, or great families, that can also be called clans, lead by clan lords, chiefs and chieftains. Each caj acts as a merchant house that organizes trade networks and inter-clan marriages, funds explorers and mercenaries, and conducts trade and crime as each chooses. Each caj takes care of its own, and local Orion governments more closely resemble loose patchworks of individual subcontractors paid by the local caju to negotiate with foreigners, construct public works, run court systems and so on. The functions of these range from business organizations to criminal gangs to ruling governments. 

Business
The most durable form of organisation in Orion society was the business, which satisfied their desire for wealth, and the structure mimicked that of the ‘’caju’’, with one man at the top and a handful of proven, trusted agents beneath him. Though they could range from a small shop or a couple of men and one ship to a corporation that spanned several worlds, Orion businesses never had more than five levels of command. Orion businesses were fast and efficient, with one decision-maker who could instantly move to seize an opportunity.

The key person in an Orion business was the ‘’rhadaman’’, translated as ‘arch-executive’. Rare, but actively sought out, they tended to be talented leaders who gained the loyalty of their employees and inspired their confidence, earning their power with work and respect while keeping the company together. Like in the family, promotion was according to age and seniority. Starship captains, whether pirates or traders, were specialised ‘’rhadamanen’’, with ship hierarchy and actions being largely the same.

A company was like a second family to its Orion employees, and it took good care of them, with good pay and holiday time, and valuing their involvement. These measures to maintain loyalty made many large companies not unlike feudal fiefdoms, dependent on that loyalty. More than most Orion Colonies and their governments, Orion companies had more support and more patriotism, complete with flags, songs, bands and festivals. Acting as sovereign rulers, they answered to no-one but their ‘’rhadamanen’’ and their stock-holders. 

The most significant and dominant organization within Orion space is the Orion Syndicate, an interplanetary criminal organization.


 * The definition of a 'syndicate' as 'a group of individuals or companies formed to transact some specific business, or to promote a common interest; a self-coordinating group' (Wiktionary:Syndicate) indicates that the Orion Syndicate may have begun as an alliance of caju and may still be one.

Another group operating in Orion space are the Orion Free Traders. 

Government
The weakest and most unstable power structure in Orion society, governments handled the unwanted tasks of maintaining public services and keeping records. Their power was minor – even the homeworld had to rent ships to patrol its space and defend itself – but they were the first choices for alien powers unfamiliar with Orion ways and wishing to negotiate, which gave the governments some influence and leverage.

The core part of Orion government was its bureaucracy, which administered each Colony and did what it could to stay in power. Its duties were to issue permits and licenses, carry out inspections and accept bribes.

Another role of Orion government was diplomacy, exchanging envoys and ambassadors as nothing more than a way to keep in touch and provide busy-work for needy civil servants and poor nobles. These diplomats grew in influence as the Federation and other alien powers sought Orion authority with which to negotiate, but they had little more than their words and reputations to back them up. Though their power was only persuasive, diplomats could negotiate settlements between miscreants and complainants to stop some activity, usually with currency or other valuables. Though considered undignified and mercenary, it was effective in providing a useful role for Orion governments and policing their society.

Orion governments were democratic, with elections held for public posts on most Orion Colonies and in the vestigial nations of the homeworld. 

Only the Orion homeworld is developed enough to possess significant government and legal entities, though its influence on the rest of the species is no greater than that of any other group of Orions. This homeworld is either Botchok (Rigel VIII), and governed by the Botchok Planetary Congress (, or it is Kolar (Rigel VII, also known as Orion) and dominated by the Vaj, simply, the 'Empire', and other kingdoms. In Orion society, there is a clear cultural distinction and rivalry between the homeworld and the Orion Colonies.

Apparently important posts within Orion space are the Potentate of Orion, and the Orion chancellor.

Relations
The Orions maintained a policy of neutrality towards the great starfaring civilizations. 

Originally the Orions saw the new-born Federation as a good opportunity for trade, and appreciated Starfleet's control of the pirates. However, they resented its later expansion into Orion space, its annexing of over a third of their territory and the bans placed on slavery, while their space became almost a Federation protectorate and their neutrality a joke. The Federation was seen as arrogant, overbearing, self-righteous, self-proclaimed do-gooders, with no history or respect, that simply proclaimed laws enforced by Starfleet and didn’t make deals the Orion way. Orions called the Federation F'deraxt'la, referring to a person born of three parents, all of whom were related. 

Conversely, they loved Humans and distinguished between them and the Federation. This stemmed from an Orion fascination with Earth’s culture and history up to the 20th century that occurred in the late 23rd century. Humans were seen as potential Orion soulmates, forced by circumstance into forming the Federation; a sect on Gabok almost worshipped them. Though Humans of the time were far different from what they were centuries before, there were many outside the Federation in Orion space that adapted to their ways with ease and proved the Orion’s point.

After being dominated twice by the Klingon Empire, relations between it at the Orions are awkward and they do not appear to get along well. The Klingons distrusted and loathed the Orions and used the Colonies they’d conquered for slaves, and difficult ones at that. However, there was trade of goods and intelligence, as the Colonies balanced their equal-opportunity neutrality with the Empire, though piracy was low due to Klingon reprisals. They also tapped a hidden Klingon desire for luxury in the austere people. Orions referred to Klingons as Klong, meaning 'the Wall'.

Relations with the Romulans were few and frosty, beginning with the massacre of several Orion Colonies and the disappearances of trade expeditions. There were starship battles and piracy in the Triangle and rumours of trade, but little could be confirmed. By the late 23rd century, some information had been traded. Orions were said to find Romulans to be 'stuffy'. 

History

 * See main article: Orion history.

Territory
There is no official self-given name for the area of space that is predominantly occupied by the Orion race, which is centered on the Rigel system in the Orion sector of the Beta Quadrant. Officially, it is a 20-parsec-wide sphere centred on Rigel known as the Orion Neutrality Area, but it is commonly referred to as Orion space. 

Some Orions refer to the area excluding Rigel as Thana Kolari, or Extended Orion. 


 * Presumably Thana Kolari refers to the area once claimed by the Thakolarivaj, above.

The Rigel system

 * Rigel system
 * Rigel I
 * Rigel II
 * Rigel III
 * Rigel VI
 * Rigel VIII

Orion Neutrality Area

 * B'Morgia
 * Dav'ir
 * Kammzdast
 * Nolth
 * Qualf III
 * Syrenya
 * Thirat
 * Tini
 * Troyius
 * Vab
 * Vem'ir
 * Volgas
 * Zchol

Federation worlds
These were Orion colony worlds that lay on the Federation side of the Klingon Neutral Zone. Some were Federation members or were sold to Federation businesses, and some were captured the Federation. Others have Orion colonies with close ties to the Federation, and some are former Orion colonies that were abandoned and re-settled by Federation colonists.
 * Ayirn (member)
 * Bensonia (owned)
 * Corola III (a former Orion colony, now abandoned)
 * Gabok
 * Holcomb's Planet (owned)
 * Ing (member)
 * Laxala (owned)
 * Morales (controlled)
 * Rhinate (shared)
 * Rontelm & Starbase 12 (member)
 * Tabulon (owned)
 * T'Vam (member)
 * Ukrainia Novya (a former Orion colony, now abandoned)
 * Vola V (a former Orion colony, now abandoned)

Non-Federation worlds

 * Daros IV
 * Providence

Unknown

 * Precipice (Orion presence unknown)
 * Tempe
 * Turbulence (Orion presence unknown)

Klingon Empire
These were Orion colony worlds that lay on the Klingon side of the Klingon Neutral Zone. Most were conquered or annexed by the Empire, or they were former Orion colonies that were abandoned and re-settled by Klingon colonists.
 * Alaris
 * Faant
 * Khalas
 * Kolm-an (a former Orion colony, now abandoned)
 * Nood (Orion presence unknown)
 * Veska (Orion presence unknown)
 * Kannaga (Orion presence unknown)

Neutral Zone

 * Namezk
 * Spike
 * Takers
 * Workday