Orion history

Emblem of the Orion Colonies (FASA).

This page details the history of the Orion people, which extends back tens of thousands of years, as well as that of the Orion Congeries/Colonies.

By sheer volume of data, Orion historical records are a staggering historical resource, comprising a wide sampling of media, from music to murals to computer disks. However, there is surprisingly little hard data. Orion historians, painters, poets, musicians, novelists and sculptors concentrated on presenting the viewpoints of their patrons, whether it is a family, a world or a business. The records themselves are difficult to obtain without sufficient bribery of the appropriate officials, and often need to be studied under trying circumstances.

There is little objectivity, and falsification is rampant. Military and business victories are magnified, as are those of their enemies, while defeats are minimized or ignored. The accounts of the defeated are often destroyed to avoid contradiction with those of the victors. Other histories are sanitized or designed to attack their enemies. Some events are more myth and legend than history. However, Orion history comes from so many sources that balanced chronicles can still be constructed, albeit with many holes in the chronology. (ST module: The Orions: Book of Common Knowledge)

Much of the Federation's knowledge of Orion history comes from research missions to the Time Planet, where the Guardian of Forever is located. A research team consisting of James T. Kirk, Spock, Ted Erikson of Starfleet and historians Grey and Loom Aleek-Om visited the Orions' past in 2269, causing a brief aberration in history. (TAS episode: "Yesteryear")

A primitive Orion cave-drawing on Rigel VII (Botchok) depicts a spaceship landing on the plains, with bulky suited aliens emerging to capture and carry away the stick-figure natives. (ST module: The Orions: Book of Common Knowledge)

Studies of ruins in the Rigel system are inconclusive on the issue of Orion history and origins. Some believe that the famous ruins on Rigel VII are actually Debrune sites (and tie into the Vulcanoid Rigelians), while others hold that they represent primordial Orion culture. (LUG module: Star Trek: The Next Generation Core Game Book)

Doctor Roger Korby's translations of Orion medical databases recovered from Orion ruins revolutionized immunization techniques, and became standard reading for xenobiologists and archaeologists, and at Starfleet Academy. (TOS episode: "What Are Little Girls Made Of?", TOS novelization: What Are Little Girls Made Of?, TNG novel: Immortal Coil)

There are several contradictory accounts of Orion history, with the most complete versions presented in the FASA and Decipher RPGs, and other components appearing in Novel sources. These are presented in separate sections below. They are not necessarily mutually exclusive however, by the unreliable nature of Orion history presented in the FASA source. For example, much of the 200,000 year Decipher history can be compressed into the 2000 years of Orion independence in the FASA history. Both FASA and Decipher also suggest that the Orions were transplanted to the Rigel system by the Preservers.

FASA History

The Rise Of The Orions

The first known record of the Orion species dates to around 18,000 BCE (reference stardate -200/00). The Rigellian Trade Authority had been active since at least 100,000 BCE, but no sentient life had ever been recorded on Rigel VIII (Botchok), a planet that had been settled by races such as the Yugai and the Sugg. The primitive Orions - wielding no more than clubs and stones and barely into their Neolithic Age - attacked a Yugai colony, first bringing them to the notice of the many races frequenting the Rigel system. The commander of the Yugai contingent repulsed the attack easily with his people's superior technology, destroyed the attackers' village, and forgot about them. It is not known whether the Orions had always been on the planet or whether some other race transplanted them there.

It is implied that the Preservers were responsible for placing Orions on Rigel VIII, stating that "It is an interesting coincidence that, just as the Preservers vanished, the Orions first appeared." However, there is no stated evidence that they were present in the Rigel system.

The alien races that had settled Botchok soon came to appreciate the value of the Orions as slaves. The Orions, though traditionally warriors, easily took to agricultural tasks. They were considered difficult to capture alive and to "tame", but once broken, the Orion slaves were quite useful. Over time, the primitive tribes of Orions came to accept slavery. Some tribes would capture other Orions to trade with the settlers, and on occasion, Orions would even offer themselves into slavery. The value of Orion slaves was such that the Sugg soon began to export them offworld.

Other races soon began to raid Botchok for slaves, preferring to take them from settlements, rather than "the wild", so that they would already be accustomed to slavery. The Sugg armed their slaves with slugthrowers and other low-tech weapons, considering them their own best defense against raiders - the Orion slaves would fight to prevent themselves from being torn away from their families and homes. Over time, the arming of the Orions escalated, and soon the aliens were using Orions as slavers to capture other Orions. By 16,000 BCE (reference stardate -180/00), the Orion slave trade was well-established. (ST module: The Orions: Book of Common Knowledge)

Beginning of the Orion Era

By around 15,900 BCE, Orions were growing so well-armed that the local races foresaw a time when Orion barbarians would overrun all of space. As a result, the Orion-using races convened on the planet Kammzdast and on 15,956 BCE (reference stardate -179/56), they signed the Treaty of Kammzdast. (Modern historians consider this date the beginning of the Orion Era.) This document placed a number of restrictions on the use of Orion slaves: technology given to them was regulated, they could not carry weapons outside of the Rigel system, and they were only permitted to engage in combat on the "unsettled" Rigel worlds (which included Botchok itself). Though this was of great benefit to the signatory races - local space was kept in a relatively peaceful state for over ten thousand years - Botchok was now a battlefield for the masters of the Orions. In actuality, however, proxy warfare on Botchok was not as common as had been intended, as disputants often did not have adjacent holdings on the planet.

The Orion people revolted against the stipulation of disarmament, on Botchok and elsewhere. Because few of the slave-holding races had the capacity for continuous policing of their slaves, they began educating their slaves so that they could be used in less militaristic capacities. The 1st Rigel Conference met in 15,839 BCE to implement these relaxed restrictions in the Treaty of Kammzdast. Successive Conferences over the millennia would gather to adjust the Treaty and deal with the Orions. They, and the Treaty of Kammzdast, would outlasted all of the original signing races, even as new races arose to be signatories to it. Alterations to the Treaty were always tiny and grudging, without ever relinquishing any actual power to the Orions.

The number of revolts decreased slowly over time, but the alien schools gave the Orions new perspectives on life, as they learned the cultural values and weaknesses of their conquerors, and a hope to be independent of their masters slowly began to arise. Some of these educated Orions revolted, but their lack of knowledge of government and diplomacy meant that most of these revolts were short-lived. Realizing that they would have to be more than barbarians before they could gain their freedom, the Orions ceased their attempts at revolution.

With the peace brought to the Rigel system by the Treaty of Kammzdast, the slave-owning races were now more likely to settle, even on Botchok itself. The Orions were divided up into territories/nations, and the settlers even built cities for their slaves, so as to facilitate the industries of educating the slaves; the Orions were also easier to keep under control in a civilized, urban setting. The Orions were now taught to respect and obey their masters from the moments they were born. However, as their level of education increased, so did their yearning for freedom. (ST module: The Orions: Book of Common Knowledge)

The Atom War, the Long Winter and the First Stage

Over time, the Orions came to be quite civilized, and as a result of their servitude, their masters granted them a good amount of whatever it was they required. The 21st Rigel Conference, held in 12,327 BCE (reference stardate -143/27), went so far as to grant the Orions nuclear technology. The Orions had learned from millennia of peace negotiations that the threat of nuclear war was an excellent deterrent, and by constructing nuclear weapons of their own, they claimed that they could reduce or even eliminate warfare on Botchok.

But in 12,237 BCE (reference stardate -142/37), when the Orions completed their nuclear weapons, it turned out that they had a different purpose in mind: they ordered their masters to depart the Rigel system or be destroyed. After a secret meeting, their masters responded by detonating their own nuclear weapons, reasoning that they could do without Botchok for a generation. The brief event became known as the Atom War; it was followed by the Long Winter, which lasted twenty years. During this time, 80% of the Orions on Botchok died.

It was another twenty-eight years before the 22nd Rigel Conference allowed the resettlement of Botchok. During the First Stage, offworld Orions, free from radiation damage and other defects, were taken back to their ancestral homeworld to repopulate the planet and to repair the damage. Their accounts were compiled in the Book of Tears, in which Orions vowed to never allow themselves to be held at the whim of an alien power ever again. To do so, they continued the plan that had been in effect before the Atom War: quiet, faithful service as they worked to diminish their reputation as barbarians. Denied technological education, they were determined to develop their own, steal it or do without.

Three thousand years later, the fifty-eight cultures that ruled Botchok were warring more than usual, causing increased damage to the planet, though they were unwilling to put aside their differences to make repairs. At a minor talk during a truce, Orion representatives from the twelve largest Botchok nations announced that the planet's ecology was critically damaged, having never fully recovered from the Long Winter, and that it would fail completely in another thousand years. The Orions volunteered to make repairs with their own labor, cost and technology. In 9143 BCE, the Accord of Namazz (later appended to the 59th Rigel Conference) granted them this right. This was the first public responsibility allowed the Orions, and their first taste of self-rule. The First Stage was concluded in 7730 BC (reference stardate -97/30), causing the offworld powers to re-institute proxy warfare on Botchok. (ST module: The Orions: Book of Common Knowledge)

The Orion Dawn

Around 8000 BCE, the Orions began to smuggle technology back to Botchok and the colonies. They also began to function as crews aboard alien starships around this time, though clandestinely. (The first official mention of Orion crews, however, would not come until 3587 BCE - on an insurance claim.) The prospect of Orions being allowed to have warp drives frightened some of the master races, and the issue was debated at the 42nd Rigel Conference, but the move to ban Orion use of warp drive was vetoed by races who believed that it would be too restraining on future trade.

A report from 5450 BCE (reference stardate -74/50) indicates that, at that time, Orions were in service to 32 different races, and their colonies were present on 79 separate planets. Orion influence in their own affairs continued to grow: an Orion delegation was permitted to attend the 113th Rigel Conference in 4712 BCE, where the Orions proposed rules for the proxy war system that would ensure lower casualties without compromising their masters' authority. In 2351 BCE, Orion forces were used for offworld combat at the Battle of Lomatin IV, and though the involved master races were censured under Kammzdast, the practice would nevertheless continue discreetly.

In 1508 BCE (reference stardate -35/0811), the event that became known as the Orion Dawn legend took place: two Orion spacers named Ombrey and Maark, who served as senior officers on a Buban freighter, organized an operation where they captured two trading vessels that they dubbed the Revenge and the Fate. Unable to return to Botchok, these Orions took the ships to the Rigel BC system, where they established bases on the planets Avali and Ugoan. They began to capture other vessels to add to their fleet, leading to the birth of Orion piracy.

Botchok and the Orion Colonies covertly supported the pirates in their efforts to make star travel available, but they were able to maintain appearances with their master races. The facade of proper behavior was convincing enough that in 1317 BCE, the Orions were permitted to launch vessels that they built and crewed entirely themselves, as long as they were unarmed merchant craft. Around this time, the Orions also became involved in the Trade Halls of Rigel IV. After only a few decades, they were present in almost every Hall on the planet, and by 1100 BCE, they made up the majority of the Rigellian Trade Authority's clerical workforce. The master races permitted this because of the increased riches it brought them - but not everyone was pleased with the growing Orion independence. In 891 BCE, the 144th Rigel Conference deadlocked on the issue of Orion piracy, so the Orions pledged to police the Rigel system and support interstellar law enforcement, which was accepted with little debate. Following this, an anti-Orion pogrom was bloodily put down.

Around 700 BCE, the Nine Worlds Confederation was formed, a conglomeration of the nine most powerful races operating near the Rigel system. The Nine Worlds believed that the Orions had been allowed to stretch the terms of the Treaty of Kammzdast too far, and they began enforcing them strictly. The Orions, as well as the Rigellians, complained that efficiency had been severely reduced by the number of required inspections, but the opposition was faint, as the Nine Worlds were entirely within their legal rights. The Nine Worlds were especially concerned about Botchok's complicity in the supposed renegade pirate movement, especially after the Taunpymi Incident of 111 BCE. Riots against Orions became increasingly common over time. (ST module: The Orions: Book of Common Knowledge)

The Orion War & Independence

Having had success in curtailing Orion freedoms so far, the Nine Worlds called the 187th Rigel Conference on 14th July 95 BCE (reference stardate -20/9507.14), where they issued what became known as 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 Orions, however, had known what was coming, and as soon as the resolution was announced, someone (history does not record who) cut off the Conference's link to the outside world. Minutes later, Orion troops seized all ships orbiting Rigel IV. All Orions knew that this was the time to act; their own legends indicate that it was the result of centuries of planning, but in actuality, their actions were spontaneous and unrehearsed (their propaganda also claimed that the Nine Worlds had acted in reckless haste, which was also untrue).

An Orion delegation arrived at the Conference (the first to which they had not been invited since the 113th), lead by the previously unknown Nallin Oplate, who presented a counter to the Ultimatum: all Orions would be granted their freedom or there would be war on all of the Nine Worlds. While the delegates at the Conference conferred, Nallin returned to Botchok with a contingent of rhadamanen from the Rigel Trade Halls and informed his people of the revolt.

Within a month, the Orions had seized control of the planet from their overseers, who were imprisoned. Nallin created the Botchok Planetary Congress (BPC) to govern the newly independent world. Proxy warfare on Botchok was finally ended, and the troops began to ready to defend the planet. The Recall of the Pirates was issued to provide the planet with a space fleet.

Half of the Orion pirates had arrived at Rigel by the time a Nine Worlds fleet arrived on 3rd January 94 BCE (reference stardate -20/9401.03), presumably to investigate the silence from the Rigel Conference. The Battle of Botchok, which was just barely a victory for the Orions, became the opening conflict of the Orion War. True to Nallin's words, rebellion erupted on the Nine Worlds, and Orions everywhere risked their lives to sabotage and occupy the enemy war effort. The war lasted thirty-seven years, as the signatories to the Treaty of Kammzdast refused to surrender the valuable resource of Orion labor. But it came to an end in December 57 BCE with the Battle of Rhinate, when the Nine Worlds and the other Kammzdast signatories sued for peace. Of 58 participants, the Orions had defeated only 13 in open warfare.

Immediately following the cease-fire, on February 13th, 56 BCE, Nallin issued the Declaration of Nallin, which declared Botchok a free world and denied the power of the Treaty of Kammzdast. It made all Orions free citizens, governed by the Botchok Planetary Congress. It also declared that the Orions would have no enemies and hold no grudges, for they wished to resume all of their pre-war trade relations. It would not be so easy as that, however, for the Orions had made enemies all across local space. (ST module: The Orions: Book of Common Knowledge)

The New Days

After the Declaration of Nallin came the New Days, a time of cultural and spiritual regeneration for the newly freed Orion people. At this time, there were 21.35 billion Orions on 135 planets. It would not be an easy start however, for nearly 40 years of warfare had exhausted the Orion Arm of everything bar animosity for Orions. Most cultures, including the Nine Worlds, found treating them as equals as loathsome, and took steps to embargo trade with them. The peace was filled with suspicion, and few dared admit how much their societies had relied on the Orions. Even where they were accepted, Orions were employed only in the worst jobs and unseen locations. The peace was filled with suspicion.

The BPC chose to avoid the embargo by conduct trade as inconspicuously as possible, hiring alien ships to quietly trade for them while Orion ships and crews visited only their own communities. Though equally impoverished by the war, they rebuilt with hard work, trade with what they had and underhanded dealings with their neighbours. Few wanted to appear worse-off than the Orions, so trade soon resumed as it had before the war. Modern Orion slavery began here, as Orion rhadamanen hired out Orion "contract-labourers", just as before the war. In 20 years, no visible trace of the war remained; in 50, there were only bitter memories and a much richer interstellar society.

The newly free and enriched Orion Colonies underwent an explosion of art and culture in every form, as their old folk traditions blossomed. A thousand-year-long golden age developed, which Orion culture of later centuries hearkened back to. They were determined to enjoy the fruits of their millennia of hard work, with luxury and wealth. Excess wealth and self-indulgence took its toll on the Nine Worlds and other worlds, until they became dependent on the Orion economy and finally absorbed into their culture. A few races withered away completely, and others were swallowed whole, living as if they were Orions and always had been. (A few of these races are the non-Green/Ruddy/Grey Orion races.) Orions proliferated and dominated on the worlds nearest Botchok.

Expansion

For more than a century after the Orion War, the Orion Colonies had been preoccupied with recovery and preparation for the future. Only pirates and traders operated in the Outer Dark, largely as uncivilized adventurers; most Orions stayed close to home to seek wealth. It was only when population pressure increased that they began to develop new colonies in unknown areas of space. The first new colony since the war was established at Zonvan in the Outer Dark, in October of 626 CE.

Not every colonization effort was successful, and not every world wanted a permanent Orion Colony in their midst. Pirates rode ahead of the wave, making things difficult for those following behind. It was only by the permission of their hosts that communities of Orions lived among alien populations many times their size, and existing Colonies had markedly better standards of living. The original Colonies carefully studied their intended sites for maximum survivability and sent out rhadamanen with the necessary funds to begin development. Colonial expansion was slow, and an existing Colony might mount an effort every two or three generations, longer if the last one had failed. But in time new ventures would be launched at the rate of one per year, and many worlds were colonized, abandoned, and re-colonized — some as many as 18 times.

This period, of a cultural golden age and colonial expansion, was not without incident however. In May of 879 CE, the Gaetano Region declared its independence from Botchok, triggering a war with the BPC. After hiring additional ships from the Anor, Guipin and Sark Regions, a lack of funds forced an end to combat. No formal peace was ever made, and taxes arriving at Botchok trickled to a halt.

By July of 1037 CE, Orion Space was at its greatest extent, a full 150 parsecs in radius, fully half the distance from Rigel to Earth. By this time, 57.3 billion Orions lived on at least 972 planets, with a greater density close to Rigel and decreasing towards the Outer Dark. A colony was established at Talna III, only 31 parsecs from Earth. At least one Orion explorer ventured as far as Earth and Tellar, though leaving no trace but his ship's log.

The Reverse

Eventually the wave of colonial expansion slowed, halted and even began to contract, in a period known as The Reverse. The wealth and luxury made sponsors in Rigel increasingly discontented and covetous, and reluctant to fund extravagant expeditions. Minor disputes over tariffs and trade agreements escalated to full-scale corporate warfare, even near Rigel. After paying taxes to Rigel and getting little back in exchange, some Colonies formally broke off relations with Botchok and declared their independence, beginning with Gaetano in 879 CE. These rebellions had little real effect however, as the links between the Orion worlds depended on trade, which continued despite the political disturbances. Only a few nostalgic idealists begrudged this loss, but they were in the most powerful positions of authority.

The Botchok Planetary Congress was unable to restore order or political power with harsh laws and military threat, and the ineffectiveness of these measures further weakened their authority. Finally, seeking more power and advocating extreme force to end the Colony disputes, several powerful families on Botchok successfully revolted and on March 21st, 1003 CE, BPC President Boyor Ignatin assumed dictatorial powers, jailed his opponents and reorganised Orion government. Within a year he was crowned Emperor Boyor I, and he issued his Demand for Unity to all the rebellious or seceded Colonies. Dispatching the Orion Space Navy to bring these worlds back under control, this triggered the Fringe Wars. A total failure, this only wasted lives and resources and disrupted trade at the heart of Orion Space.

Boyor was assassinated in October 1062 CE, and clan warfare and rioting spread to destroy the rest of his family line. The fearful BPC named Renat the Old as the next Emperor, but succession struggles continued for another 16 years. On March 7th, 1132 CE, he created the Orion Provincial Senate, but most Colonies refused to send delegates. It lasted for only five sparse sessions. Renat died on April 30th, 1154 CE, and his nephew Arnet the Thoughtful took the throne. He implemented reforms conceived by Renat.

However, a civil war at Votannis resulted in a massacre of over 40 million people, including 23.1 million Orions and the genocide of the native Trunes. These were the darkest days of the Reverse.

There appears to be an error in the chronology, in that Renat died and the massacred occurred in 1132 (reference stardate -9/3203.07) yet created the Senate in 1154 (reference stardate -9/5404.30). This article reverses these dates for clarity. The dates still imply reign times of over a century, and life spans even longer.

Arnet abdicated on March 17th, 1288 CE. This was part of his plan to restore the old Orion way of life, but he disappeared before nightfall and his family was rounded up and killed. The BPC restored order on Botchok and ignored the Colonies.

This was the time of the Three Emperors, and formed the peak of the three century long Reverse. These turbulent times destroyed Orion wealth and made expansion too costly and prone to failure. The furthest Colonies were beset by pirates and shunned by peaceable alien races, and could not maintain their former volume of trade. Colonies were abandoned more often than they were replaced or re-established, and others ceased to trade and left behind in the Outer Dark to manage on their own. The usually detailed Orion records all but disappeared, with only vague second-hand accounts survived.

After the pride and arrogance of the Three Emperors, a chastened BPC quietly shifted its focus from government to accounting. To restore economic order, the BPC created the Orion Registry, a census that listed all remaining Colonies together with their population, trade preferences and other useful business statistics and data. Compiling the first Registry was a major task that took several lives, but it proved useful and met with universal acceptance. The first issue, published in January 1301 CE (thereafter semi-regular at roughly ten-year intervals), showed a population of only 31.05 billion and falling on 507 worlds. With order restored, the decline slowed.

The year 1715 CE finally saw a halt to the decline as the Orion population stabilized at 20.315 billion on 213 worlds. This heralded nearly a century of cultural rebirth.

However, as Orion Space had contracted, the pirate numbers had increased, and the loss of order and loss of trade in the Reverse made them bold and desperate. The Registry was equally valuable to them, as it showed prime targets to strike and places to avoid. Larger bands formed, to the scale of pirate fleets, and instead of lone ships, they began to raid entire Orion Colonies. The puny Colony defence forces could not guard every world.

This culminated in the devastating sacking on the Tellun system, led by the notorious Orion pirate Half-a-Man Sooris. The pirates outnumbered the defenders, and many Colony crews mutinied to return and defend their homes. The Orion Colony on Troyius, once one of their most productive worlds, was temporarily abandoned, and over 2.5 million people died, including 1.5 million Orions. Even after the pirates withdrew, the fear remained and the decline of Orion Space resumed.

Finally, the 73rd Edition of the Orion Registry, published on September 8th 1916 CE, reported the stabilisation of the contraction of Orion Space. Now only 12.7 billion Orions survived on only 64 worlds, less than it was during the New Days, and most were only 20 parsecs from Rigel. Although many worlds had high Orion populations, only those closest to Rigel remained loosely federated and acknowledging the BPC, and trade and travel through Rigel was on the wane. Those worlds beyond 20 parsecs, in the Outer Dark and no longer in contact with Botchok, were not included in the Registry. They had been lost, forgotten and left to fend for themselves.

Decipher History

Though Orions claim Rigel VII (Kolar) as their homeworld, the planet cannot have existed in the Rigel system long enough for Orions to have evolved there. It is more likely that the Preservers or some other ancient culture "seeded" them there. (ST module: Aliens, ST module: Worlds)

Civilization began in the Enala river valley on the continent of Evanaroi around 220,000 BC, but industrial development took off later in the Kotay Archipelago, with a shortage of labor and and an excess of tidal and water power.

According to tradition, spacecraft launched from the island of Rohay around 203,000 BC, even while much of the rest of Rigel VII was still developing gunpowder rocketry. Settling the Rigel system was slow, given the immense distances, but Orion colonies wound up on most of the Rigel system's planets. Orion astronauts studying the Rigel XIII superstring developed the warp drive around a thousand years later, and Orions poured out into the Galaxy just as the Iconian civilization was falling.

Following a lengthy period of piracy, colonization and interstellar squabbling, Rigel VII and the Orion colonies were united in the Thakolarivaj, the "Great Orion Empire", under Nispavan I, the first Emperor Of All Space, in 200,993 BC.

The First Empire lasted almost sixty thousand years, during which Orions perfected technologies such as sentient androids, planet-remolding generators, stellar power taps, transwarp drives and subspace engineering of all kinds. It also conducted extremely dangerous experiments on Rigel XVI (Yagthar) that left knots of chaotic space all along its surface and orbital path. Palaces were constructed on Rigel II (Mokalar) 40,000 years ago when First Empire Orions settled, which still draw power from the star Rigel A via an advanced subspace energy tap.

The First Empire of Thakolarivaj was ultimately destroyed by an unknown species employing robotic planet-killing craft from another galaxy.

The Fourth Empire extended the Thakolarivaj further than the First, well into the Alpha Quadrant, but increasingly the Orions saw conquest as unprofitable and found more potential and success in mercantile pursuits and piracy. As the Emperors became more degenerate, the caju, or merchant clans, became the dominant powers in the Empire.

Around 30,000 years ago, the Fourth Empire hastily abandoned a terraforming project on Rigel VIII (Tavar). It also founded Kohlor Station on Rigel X (Kohlor), on the site of an earlier Orion research facility, and installed a defense grid.

The Eighth Empire saw Orion scientific progress become essentially static.

The Twelfth Empire fell in 5200 BC, the caju decided that galactic conquest could be left to lesser species. They gave up on overt rule and settle settled into amuse themselves and get rich however they could. With profit as the only social goal, Orion scientific progress finally dwindled away to nothing. As Orions with drive and prospects married into a caj and left for the interstellar marketplace, the homeworld slid backwards. The caju however developed a trading network even larger than their greatest empire (presumably the Fourth).

In 1529 AD, the Vegan Tyranny attacked and invaded Rigel VII, blasting away the last remnants of global technology and causing the world to fall into barbarism. The increasingly bankrupt and harassed Vegans retreated two centuries later, but Rigel VII had barely recovered by the 24th century. (ST module: Worlds)

Other Histories

The Dyson Spheres

Early in Orion history, Orion pirates sometimes destroyed whole inhabited planets simply because they weren't economically viable. They would then use the fragments to construct Dyson spheres and the populate the vast area with slave labor. (TOS novel: Doctor's Orders)

Against The Inshai Compact

The Orion Congeries are suspected are of placing an (alleged) sunkiller bomb in the star Sigma-1014 Orionis, causing it go nova and destroy the hearthworld of the Inshai Compact, which had been their rivals in trade and resisted their expansionist aims. The light from this nova would reach Vulcan and be seen as the da'Nikhirch, heralding the birth of Surak.

The Decipher module: Player's Guide places the birth of Surak in 279 CE, while the TOS novel: The Romulan Way places it circa 67 BCE.

This destruction quickly lead to the collapse of the Inshai Compact, along with its great power and restraining influence. The Orion Congeries swept in to begin their long-desired piracy, and war, famine, plague and economic and social collapse swept the Compact worlds. Meanwhile, decentralized interstellar corporations of the Compact seized power, armed with planetcracker weapons, fighting over trade routes and sources of raw materials, blackmailing worlds into submission and destroying those who didn't. Formerly peaceful Compact worlds, like Etosha, and depopulated ones, like Duthul, fell into this kind of piracy to survive. These worlds and corporations degenerated into the guilds and companies that were the direct ancestors of modern Orion pirates. (TOS novel: The Romulan Way, TOS novel: Spock's World)

In both sources, it is said that the Orion pirates evolved out of the Inshai Compact, but also that it was the Orion Congeries that attacked the Compact in the first place. Thus it is not clear what species were in the Orion Congeries, or if the Etoshans, the Duthulhiv and others were themselves Orions or some other race. They may be some of the non-Green Orion races seen in some sources.

Forty-five years after the da'Nikhirch, Duthulhiv pirates established communication with Vulcan, offering peaceful trade and cultural exchange, with a meeting to take place at Shikahr. This was a trap, and the pirates attacked and captured the gathered leaders of Vulcan to hold for ransom. The exorbitant ransoms were not paid, and the Vulcans drove out the alien invaders in a great war known as the Ahkh. The Vulcans would later shoot down or capture Etoshan pirate ships and learn from them their science, technology and star-maps. (TOS novel: The Romulan Way, TOS novel: Spock's World)

The TOS novel: The Romulan Way dates the Shikahr meeting to January 18-19, 22 BCE.

Against The Karsid Empire

In 1873 CE, the Karsid Empire initiated an infiltration and take-over attempt of Earth, by contacting the United States of America under President Grant. This was resisted by Congressman Aaron Stemple, and the plans delayed to 1877. In the interim, revolts began in the Orion systems and turned into a full-scale revolution. This affected Karsid outpost stations and shelved their plans for invading Earth, and contributed to the Karsid Empire's downfall. (TOS novel: Ishmael)

Modern History

21st Century

By the end of the 21st century, the Orions had long been a civilization of the decline, falling into decadence and social breakdown. At this time, the Orions lived on a number of planets in the Orion sector, making a living as criminals on the fringes of other societies. The alliance that would eventually become the Federation first made contact with them at this time. (LUG module: Star Trek: The Next Generation Core Game Book)

This appears to contradict the 2154 first contact seen in the ENT episode: "Borderland". Assuming this should be the 'end of the 22nd century' would make it fit well. However, Arik Soong had contact with the Orion Syndicate as early as 2134, and other members of the Coalition of Planets may have made this first contact.

22nd Century

At the founding of the Federation in 2161, members offered to help the Orions reform themselves and join their new currency-free economy. This offer was rejected, and the Orions remained a thorn in the Federation's side ever since. (LUG module: Star Trek: The Next Generation Core Game Book)

Some of Starfleet's earliest missions broke the back of the Orion slaver and pirate fleets, beginning with the battle of Delta Doradus in 2166. (ST module: Aliens)

23rd Century

The Orions see in the Federation a lucrative interplanetary market, and engage in everything from slave-trading to outright seduction of Starfleet captains, though they fail against Federation ideals and Starfleet strength. (ST module: Aliens)

In 2254 Orions were amongst a brigand, including; Arcturans, Khodini and renegade Humans, in the Marrat Nebula region to attack Starbase 13 in response to Starfleet's Project Pharos; a scheme to bring order to the region and control illegal activity by building a huge galactic lighthouse. (EV comic: "The Fires of Pharos")

The United Federation of Planets abolished the trafficking of Orion slave girls inside Federation space in 2259. Federation economic sanctions force the Orion government to officially abolish slavery - essentially a meaningless gesture. (ST module: Star Trek IV Sourcebook Update)

By as late as the 23rd century, the Orions were allegedly maintaining a policy of neutrality in interstellar affairs. Often an Orion Pirate ship would be found raiding Federation colonies, but when faced with capture the ships would activate a self-destruct device and the Orion government would disavow them as rogues. (TOS comic: "All of Me")

The USS Enterprise was once successful in capturing an Orion ship, however it is unclear as to the extent this helped shed light on Orion duplicity (TOS comic: "All of Me")

The Orion pirate fleets were crushed by the Federation after the Khitomer Accords of 2293 freed up Starfleet for operations against them. The Orions became less prominent, and surviving elements of these pirates re-estimated the burgeoning Federation. They began to reform the Orion Syndicate into organised crime. (ST module: Aliens)

As the Federation increased its presence in the Orion sector and some of the worlds of Rigel became member worlds in the late 23rd century, Orion traders and pirates lost their freedom of action, and increasingly transferred their operations into the Alpha Quadrant.

Undated: At some point, the Klingons, and then the Romulans, attempted to use the Orions against the Federation. (ST module: Worlds)

24th Century

There was an Orion present for the trade conference on Deep Space 9 in 2370. (DS9 novel: Betrayal)

In the late 24th century, Orion operations had suffered heavily due to Federation expansion, and they became directly antagonistic to it. They engaged in smuggling beneath the noses of Starfleet officials and engineered important assassinations in an attempt to influence Federation policy. (ST module: Aliens)

As the Borg incursions and the Dominion War forced Starfleet to strip assets from the Rigel system, the Orion Syndicate took advantage of the resulting opportunities. They remained low-key during Dominion War itself however, planning to take advantage of whoever won. (ST module: Aliens)

In 2394, Melani D'ian, who had been unifying the Orion factions, signed a pact with the Klingons. In exchange for the Orions' allegiance and intelligence, the Klingons would provide them with ships, weapons, and one planet to rule within Klingon space. (STO website : The Path to 2409)

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25th Century

Throughout the 2400s, the Orions continued to be a thorn in the Federation's side, especially due to the Federation-Klingon war of that era. Many Starfleet ships engaged Orions conducting illegal operations within Federation space during this period. (STO video game: Star Trek Online)