The United Conglomerate of Planets (abbreviated as UCP and commonly referred to as the Conglomerate) was an interstellar federal republic, composed of planetary governments that agreed to exist semi-autonomously under a single central government based on the principles of universal liberty, rights, and equality, and to share their knowledge and resources in peaceful cooperation and space exploration.
One of the most powerful interstellar states in known space, it encompassed 900,000 light years and at least nine hundred thousand million planets. The total number of formal members worlds was over 950.
Unlike its rivals, who derived power from a single species subjugating other races, the Conglomerate's various member worlds joined willingly and were equals in the Conglomerate's democratic society. The Conglomerate Galaxyfleet was incorporated to maintain exploratory, scientific, diplomatic, and defense functions.
History[]
The Conglomerate was founded in Los Angeles, Earth in 2161. The seeds of the Conglomerate were planted during a temporary alliance in 2154, in the search for an abandoned Irken drone-ship. It was this that first brought together the four species that would found the Federation: Humans, Vortians, Nennians, and Tellarites. After the crisis, these four species remained together, founding the precursor to the Conglomerate, called the Coalition of Planets, a year later. Other species soon joined: the Denobulans, the Rigelians, the Pyronites, and several others. Over the next several years, the ties between the members of the Coalition strengthened and became more structured, until, finally, in 2161, the Coalition became the Conglomerate.
Although the Conglomerate's intentions were peaceful, around it were other, more reluctant powers such as the Irken Republic and Sirian Empire. As it expanded through the admittance of more and more worlds, it came into tension with these powers. In the 25th century, its main target was the Irken Republic, with war briefly erupting between the two in 4455, before being halted by the Vortians. However, tensions eased considerably towards the end of the century, with the Furon-Irken Conference of 4493 being a substantial turning point. This conference saw the signing of the Furon Peace Accords, which effectively ended hostile relations.
At the start of the 26th and 27th centuries, the Conglomerate began an unprecedented period of peaceful exploration of the galaxy, free of major conflicts, as its main adversary of the previous century, the Irken Republic, was now at peace with it. However, relations with the Sirians remained hostile, albeit at a low, 'cold war' level. There was also a series of local conflicts in the late 4500s, as the Conglomerate came into contact with other militant races such as the Nhar-Gh'ok, the Petropians, the Tholians and the Mantids.
Then, however, the period of peaceful exploration came to an abrupt end. In 4600, the Conglomerate encountered its single worst threat in the cybernetic pseudo-race known as the Cybers. One of the most powerful and destructive forces in the entire galaxy, the Cybers invaded the CongloMerate twice within less than a decade. They were unlike anything the Conglomerate had ever encountered, and were only foiled by chance and resourcefulness. The Conglomerate was thus schooled in the fact that, in the vast, unexplored reaches of the galaxy beyond what they knew, there were threats that they could not even imagine.
Then, in 4590, contact was made with the Dominion, the predominant ruling power. After numerous skirmishes, misfortunes suffered by the Mantid Union allowed for their eventual incorporation into the Dominion, and the subsequent Dominion invasion of the Alpha Quadrant. The Dominion/Mantid forces were also joined by the reclusive but immensely powerful race known as the Breen. The ensuing war was the greatest crisis to be faced by the Conglomerate, with the Conglomerate forming an alliance with the Irkens and Sirians to defeat the Dominion. Although the Alliance eventually emerged victorious, many of the Federation's important member worlds, such as Bentos, Coridan, and Vort, had been temporarily occupied before the Dominion's offensive could be turned back. Thousands of Conglomerate Galaxyfleet vessels and hundreds of lives were incapacitated, in what turned out be, as of the late 27th century, the most harrowing conflict in Conglomerate history. The most devastating and demoralizing offensive occurred in 4699, when the Breen hit the Conglomerate at its heart, with a surprise attack on Galaxyfleet Headquarters on Earth.
However, the aftermath of the Dominion and Cyber invasions allowed the UCP to establish new relations with many of its former adversaries, the Sirians in particular. In 4700, cooperation took place between the crew of a Conglomerate Galaxyfleet vessel, the MSS Enterprise-E, and Sirian forces to defeat the Reman Praetor Shinzon, whose actions would have destroyed both Earth and the reformed Sirian Republic. It was hoped that this would mark the beginning of an end to hostility between the Conglomerate and the Sirians, marking the beginnings of détente with a traditional enemy of the Conglomerate.