The Orion Syndicate was criminal cabal created and maintained by the Orions. The Syndicate's activities included gambling, racketeering, smuggling, piracy, slave-trading, extortion, and assassination.
The Syndicate was ruthless in its tactics, and its members were extremely loyal. Entry required a substantial membership fee, and any member would take their own life before testifying against the Syndicate. In addition, it was customary for the Syndicate to financially support any family member of a deceased associate. (DS9: "The Ascent", "Prodigal Daughter")
22nd century
An Orion slave auction on Verex III
During the 22nd century, the Orion Syndicate controlled an area of space bordering the Klingon Empire. The area of space between the two powers was a volatile and lawless region known as "the Borderland." It was in this region that a group of Augments, relics from Earth's Eugenics Wars, attacked a Klingon Bird-of-Prey in 2154, murdering the crew and stealing the ship. In order to avert a war with the Empire, the Enterprise NX-01 was sent into the Borderland in an attempt to locate the Augments. While on this mission, however, Enterprise was attacked by an Orion interceptor, nine crewmembers were kidnapped. The crewmembers were taken to a processing station on Verex III, where they were intended to be auctioned off as slaves. Although Captain Archer was successfully able to rescue his crewmembers, his actions in stealing Orion "property" made him a wanted man in the Syndicate. (ENT: "Borderland")
Later that year, an Orion named Harrad-Sar attempted to kidnap Archer and deliver him to the Syndicate. It was during this incident that it was learned by the Enterprise crew that Orion females, previously thought to be little more than commodities to be bought and sold, were actually in charge of the Syndicate, controlling the males via highly potent pheromones. (ENT: "Bound")
23rd century
Thelev, an Orion spy disguised as an Andorian
In 2268, in response to the possible admission of Coridan into the Federation, the Orions entered into a covert mission to prevent such an occurrence, in order to preserve their piracy activities in the Coridan system. To this end, they placed a spy amongst the Andorian delegation to the conference to debate Coridan's admission, and sent a ship on a suicide mission to attack the USS Enterprise, which was transporting the various delegations to the conference, in an attempt to provoke mutual suspicion and interplanetary war amongst the Federation worlds. The Orions' plot was eventually uncovered, however, and Coridan was admitted into the Federation. (TOS: "Journey to Babel"; TNG: "Sarek")
24th century
Raimus, a high ranking member of the Syndicate in the 2370s.
By the 24th century, the Orion Syndicate had expanded its membership to include operatives from many different worlds, becoming an interstellar mafia operating within the borders of the United Federation of Planets. Syndicate members from species as diverse as Humans, Bolians, Ferengi and Farians maintain influence on several independent worlds like New Sydney and Farius Prime. The Syndicate even had operatives on Earth and, for a time, in Starfleet. (DS9: "Honor Among Thieves")
In 2374, the Syndicate was contacted by the Dominion during an attempt to destabilize the Klingon-Federation Alliance, during the Dominion War. (DS9: "Honor Among Thieves")
Syndicate members
- Arissa (Idanian undercover agent/Net-girl)
- Liam Bilby (Minor operative)
- Thadial Bokar (High ranking boss)
- Connelly (Starfleet undercover agent)
- D'Nesh (Orion slave girl)
- Draim (Low ranking boss)
- Flith (Minor operative)
- Graife (Associate)
- Harrad-Sar (Slave trader)
- Krole (Minor operative)
- Maras (Orion slave girl)
- Navaar (Orion slave girl)
- Raimus (High ranking boss)
- Sorm (Assassin)
- Janel Tigan (Exploited civilian)
- Norvo Tigan (Exploited civilian)
- Traidy (Assassin)
- Yint (Supplier)
References
The Orion Syndicate is also referred to in the fourth novel of Star Trek: The Lost Era, Well of Souls.