Vulcan High Command

Vulcan IDIC Seal.

The Vulcan High Command was a powerful governmental body that existed on Vulcan. (ENT episode: "Broken Bow") The head of this organization held the title of Administrator with Commissioner being another high ranking position.

History

Ancient times

The High Command existed even before the events of the Sundering and the preaching of Surak's philosophy of logic and peace. During this early era on Vulcan, they were one of the many factions that battled over the surface of their harsh world and were centered around the city of ShiKahr. They were the patrons of the Vulcan Space Initiative and worked closely with them at their home at the Vulcan Space Institute at ShiKahr. In order to secure a neutrality in the conflicts that warred over the surface of Vulcan, the High Command formed a non-aggression pacts and treaties of neutrality with both the Northeastern Alliance and the Southern Hegemony as well as the Te-Vikram Brotherhood. They were also responsible for entering into an agreement with the Northeastern Alliance where the High Command authorized the creation of the Great Ships to be used as warships. However, as events began to grow more hostile, it became apparent that this state was not stable and that eventually they would have to decide to break with one faction and ally with another. The High Command was also involved in helping in the development of the Great Ships so that they could be used as warships.

In this early time, their power also began to waiver as political dominance in the Vulcan Assembly was shifting from the High Command to the Technocrats; a new faction that began to develop in Vulcan politics. Growing tensions forced the Vulcan High Command to sever diplomatic ties with the Northeastern Alliance. Ultimately, they were against the decision to use the Great Ships to send a number of Vulcans in Exile from the Mother World in order to preserve their culture just in case all life on Vulcan was destroyed by war. One of the factions that the High Command was blamed for temporary allying with were the aggressive priest kings of the Te-Vikram Brotherhood. At this time, demonstrators in ShiKahr's Old Town also petitioned for the High Command to join a world wide consortium that was aiming to protect one of the planet's shrunken oceans from chemical pollutants from factories.

Despite their disapproval of their ships be used as generation craft, representatives of the High Command were present at the time when the departure for the Exile was going to begin. At the time, the te-Vikram staged an assault which destroyed Vulcan Station and led to the departure of many; some of them accidentally swept up in the attack to the shuttles whilst somes destined for the journey were left behind. As the Great Ships prepared to depart, the Vulcan High Command informed the crew that they would not be recalled leading to the start of the Vulcan-in-Exile. (TOS - Vulcan's Soul novel: Exodus)

22nd century

The High Command building in 2154.

In its early history, the High Command was only concerned with the exploration of space but this was known to had changed by later years to the point that Vulcans were not considered explorers by nature in later generations. (ENT episode: "The Forge") By the 22nd century, the Vulcan High Command was the most powerful organization on Vulcan and was considered the de-facto government. In 2153 in May, the High Command was responsible for ordering Ambassador Soval to recall Subcommander T'Pol from her assignment on the United Earth starship Enterprise. They ordered her to return to Vulcan rather than join the Enterprise on its mission into the Delphic Expanse but she simply resigned her commission rather than obey the recall. (ENT episode: "The Expanse")

In 2154, the head of the High Command, V'Las, planned an attack on Andoria. Using doctored evidence, he managed to convince the rest of the Vulcan government that the Andorian Empire was developing a planet killer based on Xindi technology. This provoked hostilities between the Vulcan and Andorian militaries until Earth Starfleet Captain Jonathan Archer, working with the Syrrannite, T'Pau, revealed V'Las's duplicity in the affair and brought about political reform with the discovery of Surak's Kir'Shara. Following this incident, V'Las was deposed and the High Command disbanded, bringing about a new era of political relations with Earth, with the High Command pursuing a less aggressive policy towards Earth. (ENT episodes: "Awakening", "Kir'Shara")

Following the Syrrannite Reformation and the dissolution of the High Command, while T'Pau reconstituted the High Command and purged it of V'Las loyalists, Vulcan's military position was significantly weakened. Because of this, she was only able to spare twenty-three ships for joint operations against Romulan telepresence drone ships. (ENT novel: The Good That Men Do; ENT episode: "United")

Following a Romulan victory that saw the Empire capture Calder II in 2155, T'Pau called for the new High Command's senior enriov to convene to discuss the situation. (ENT novel: Kobayashi Maru) Administrator T'Pau later gave new deployment orders to the Vulcan High Command which left them pulling away from the frontlines against the Romulans. They were also unable to provide transportation for Subcommander T'Pol to Vulcan. (ENT novel: Beneath the Raptor's Wing)

23rd century

Following first visual contact with the Romulans by the USS Enterprise, the Vulcan High Command began in 2267 examining the reports of the vessel's science officer, Spock, that averred to the relationship shared between the Romulans and Vulcan species. (VAN novel: Open Secrets)

24th century

During the events of the Hobus Crisis in 2387, the High Command allowed Ambassador Spock and Romulan miner Nero onto the Vulcan home world after they were detained by M'Kan of the Ministry of Security. (TNG comic: "Countdown, Number Two")

Appendices

External links

• Vulcan High Command article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.