The Nine Worlds Confederation was an alliance of nine civilizations in the Alpha or Beta Quadrant active thousands of years ago.
History
Foundation
It was formed by the nine strongest civilizations active near Rigel circa 700 BCE (that is, 800 years after 1508 BCE, reference stardate −35/0811), and collectively made a significantly powerful alliance, called the Nine Worlds Confederation. The Hathine were a founding member. The Nine Worlds Confederation, or its member states, were signatories to the Treaty of Kammzdast, which governed the use of Orion slaves. They had little liking of others having any power within their domains, and also desired control over the valuable Rigel system.
Following the Taunpymi Incident of 111 BCE (stardate −21/1105), in which Orion links with pirate attacks were revealed, the Nine Worlds member races came to believe that the Orions had gained too many rights and too much independence for a slave-race. They even grew jealous of their strangely fortunate and influential slaves. In response, they demanded absolute adherence to the terms of the Treaty of Kammzdast and other laws and regulations, no matter how old and out-of-date, and created new ones. All merchant vessels were forced to stop at least twice at Nine Worlds ports for inspections. The Rigellians and the Orions protested the inefficiency, but Treaty signatories had little opposition. The Orion slaves resisted by subterfuge, but steady lost all their gained freedoms.
The Orion War
With the success of these measures, the Nine Worlds Confederation moved to make them permanent, and held the 187th Rigel Conference on Rigel IV on 14th July 95 BCE (stardate −20/9507.14). There they intended to issue the Ultimatum of the Nine Worlds, a list of prohibitions that restricted Orions from participating in any commercial activities in or out of the Rigel system. The Conference delegates made no secret of their plans, and informed their Rigellian hosts as per protocol, and they had sufficient security and ships in orbit. However, the Orions panicked and made a surprise rebellion; their later propaganda made out that the Nine Worlds had acted in reckless haste, without careful planning and thereby ruining their chances for success. In any case, as soon as the Ultimatum was announced, all links with the outside world were broken. Minutes later, Orion troops seized all ships orbiting Rigel IV, and prevented them from leaking any warning.
An Orion "delegation" arrived at the Conference (this was the first to which they had not been invited since the 113th), led by the previously unknown Nallin Oplate. He presented his counter-ultimatum: the restoration of Orion rights and their peaceful freedom and independence — or there would be destruction and carnage on all of the Nine Worlds until they did. The delegates at the Conference begged time to form a reply (it was still technically in session), and Nallin granted it.
When a Nine Worlds battlefleet arrived in the Rigel system, either to investigate the silence from the Conference or due to a communications leak, they found the Orion homeworld of Botchok liberated and a gathering pirate fleet. The Rigellians ordered the Nine Worlds to withdraw or suffer the permanent revocation of trading rights, but they were ignored and the fleet approached Botchok. The Battle of Botchok ensued on January 3rd 94 BCE (stardate −20/9401.03). Though the Nine Worlds fleet outnumbered and outgunned the ragtag pirates, a stroke of luck for the Orions saw most of the fleet destroyed, including its flagship. Barely a handful of Nine Worlds ships got out alive to tell their tale.
This began the Orion War. True to Nallin's words, rebellion erupted across the Nine Worlds, and Orions everywhere sabotaged the enemy war effort, kept their ground forces occupied and hindered their space efforts, no matter the risk to themselves. Though the Nine Worlds could field seven times the number of ships as the Orions, countless raids and attrition reduced their fleets, and they were unable to force a battle on their own terms. However, unwilling to give up the valuable resource of Orion labor and surrender their claims and privileges, the Nine Worlds and other Kammzdast signatories refused to give in. It was thought that a little war would cow the slaves, and it would still cost less than doing without them. Thus, the war went on for thirty-seven long years. Finally the remnants of their warfleet were defeated in the Battle of Rhinate in December 57 BCE (stardate −20/5712). Superadmiral Goluscz capitulated, and on behalf of the Nine Worlds he sued for peace, with a ceasefire called on February 13th, 56 BCE (stardate −20/5602.13). Of the 58 opposing sides, including the Nine Worlds, the Orions had defeated only 13 in open warfare. The remaining factions eventually retired and sued for terms, and the Orions were liberated.
Downfall
Though the Declaration of Nallin promised that the free Orions would have no enemies, for they wished to resume all of their pre-war trade relations on a fair and equal basis, their former masters had nothing but animosity for them after four decades of war. The Nine Worlds and others despised the idea of treating the Orions as equals. They embargoed trade with the Orions and treated them with suspicion, but Orion hard work and enterprise and the ex-slavers' continued reliance on them turned the tables.
During the New Days of the Orions, the Nine Worlds and other races grew excessively wealthy, self-indulgent, and utterly dependent on the Orion economy. Eventually, most were absorbed into Orion culture and society, and lost their own culture and heritage, with some even considering themselves to be Orions and having always been Orions, becoming the muni. Others died out altogether, and a few withdrew into seclusion (FASA RPG module: The Orions: Book of Common Knowledge).
- With so few of the Nine Worlds members known, only the Hathine are confirmed as dying out. Like the other former Treaty races, the rest are assumed to follow the fates described above; it is stated that most are absorbed.