Romulan Neutral Zone

TheRomulan Neutral Zone was a demilitarized zone between theUnited Federation of Planets and theRomulan Star Empire that existed from2160 until2387. TheNeutral Zone was established bytreaty after the end of theEarth-Romulan War. Entry by either side into the Zone constituted anact of war. The Romulans incorporated a map of the Neutral Zone into theRomulan Senate chamber's floor. The Romulan Neutral Zone was abolished in the wake of theRomulan supernova. (TOS: "Balance of Terror";Star Trek Nemesis;PIC: "Stardust City Rag")

History[]

After the Earth-Romulan War, at least eightEarth Outpost Stations were built onasteroids throughout the Zone. In2266, four of theseoutposts were destroyed by aRomulan Bird-of-Prey.CommanderHansen was in command of EarthOutpost 4 until its destruction. (TOS: "Balance of Terror") Under the terms of the treaty, the Romulans had a legal right to seize andimpound any Federationstarship that entered the zone. (TAS: "The Survivor")

In2311, the Neutral Zone was reinforced and redefined in theTreaty of Algeron.Deanna Troi recalled this fact when she discussed theUSSPegasus incident with CommanderRiker. (ENT: "These Are The Voyages...";TNG: "The Pegasus")

In2364, theUSSEnterprise-D was ordered to investigate the Neutral Zone to solve a mystery concerning the disappearance of a string of Federation outposts. It was later established that the outposts were destroyed by theBorg due to a signature technique unique to their technology. A crew member aboard the ship,Worf, described it: "The outpost was just not destroyed, it's as thoughsome great force just scooped it off the face of the planet." The following year, theEnterprise-D encountered aBorg cube that had obliterated several otherpopulations in unchartedspace in the same fashion. (TNG: "The Neutral Zone", "Q Who")

In2365, theEnterprise-D rendezvoused with herGalaxy-classsister shipUSSYamato in the Neutral Zone before theYamato exploded. After that, theEnterprise headed toIconia to find out what happened to theYamato. (TNG: "Contagion")

In2366, after receiving intelligence from a Romulandefector about a possible Romulan base atNelvana III, outposts along the zone received warnings fromStarfleet Command. Several independent vessels in nearbysectors received the same warning. (TNG: "The Defector")

In2367, according to astarship mission status chart seen on thebridge of theEnterprise-D, theUSSBerlin andUSSMonitor were assigned to patrol this zone. (TNG: "Brothers"display graphic)

Later that year, in a falseholographic future created forCommanderWilliam T. Riker onAlpha Onias III, hisservice record indicated that onstardate 49472,Captain Riker was ordered to patrol the Neutral Zone on theUSSTitan and provide tactical support forStarbase 384. (TNG: "Future Imperfect"okudagram)

In2369, according to astarship mission status seen in theobservation lounge of theEnterprise-D, theUSSBerlin and theUSSMonitor were assigned to patrol this zone. (TNG: "Chain Of Command, Part II"production art) By this year, the Federation had installedsubspace listening posts andgravitic sensor nets along their side of the zone. (TNG: "Face Of The Enemy") For that year, one of themissions ofStarbase 12 was as a base for ships patrolling the zone. This mission was mentioned in theSector Ipai Relay Log. (TNG: "Aquiel")

In2370,FGMSGyt'aerat arrived atDeep Space 9 onstardate 47556.3 from the Neutral Zone. (DS9: "Whispers"production art)

In2373, theUSSEnterprise-E was ordered to patrol the Neutral Zone in prelude to a second Borgassault on Earth, asStarfleet Command felt thatJean-Luc Picard's experience with the Borg would make him a risk during the battle to defendEarth, but phrased it so as to indicate that their presence was necessary "in case the Romulans decide to take advantage of the situation." This despite that fact that there had been "no unusual activity along the Romulan border for ninemonths." As further stated byData, "It seems highly unlikely they would choose this moment to start a conflict." (Star Trek: First Contact)

After the Romulans stole theUSSPrometheus,The Doctor was able to access the ship'snavigational logs and determined that they were "atwarp 9.9, heading straight forRomulan space," according to the map of the Neutral Zone he was viewing. Once the Romulans who hadhijacked thePrometheus were within 40minutes of the Romulan border of the Zone, theirCommanderRekar altered the ship'sheading to 118'26, taking them off course toRomulus and on course to a rendezvous with theTal'Shiarfleet. Thirty-two minutes later, after the ship'sEMH's had taken over thebridge, theEMH Mark II noted that they were now "only about eight minutes from the Romulan border" to the Neutral Zone. (VOY: "Message in a Bottle")

In late2374, before the Romulans joined theDominion War, the bulk of their fleet was deployed along the Neutral Zone. (DS9: "In the Pale Moonlight") TheUSSCairo disappeared and was presumed destroyed by theDominion near the Neutral Zone. It was believed that theDominion ships had crossed theCardassian-Romulan border to strike theCairo from the Romulan side of the Zone, a pattern the Dominion employed frequently and which the Romulans ignored due to theirnonaggression pact with the Dominion. (DS9: "In the Pale Moonlight")

In2379,PraetorShinzon attempted to fool Picard into believing he wanted the Neutral Zone to be abolished. (Star Trek Nemesis)

In2380, arescue team from theUSSCerritos made an incursion through the Neutral Zone and intoRomulan space so as to rescueImperium MagistrateClar, who was captured by them. (LD: "Veritas")

In2381, theCerritos washijacked byBetazed Intelligence agentsCathiw,Dolorex, andKatrot after they were affected byLieutenant jgT'Lyn's emotional turmoil over her transfer from theVCFSh'vhal, which was being telepathically projected to everyone aboard and causing widespreademotional instability. The three set course for the Neutral Zone, but after T'Lyn's turmoil was resolved, the now emotionally stable crew retook their ship and averted an incursion at the last minute. (LD: "Empathological Fallacies")

In2384, CaptainThadiun Okona helped the fugitive crew of theUSSProtostar modulate their shields to enter the Neutral Zone without breaking the Federation's treaty with theRomulan Star Empire. TheUSSDauntless underVice AdmiralKathryn Janeway was prevented from continuing its pursuit of theProtostar into the zone by CommanderKaseth'sD'deridex-classwarbird. However, when theProtostar landed atNoble Isle, Kaseth led aTal Shiar into the Neutral Zone to try to take the ship, but they were defeated byMurf. TheDauntless nearly destroyed theProtostar as a result before detecting that the Romulan forces had been defeated. (PRO: "Crossroads", "Masquerade")

After the evacuation of Romulans threatened by theRomulan supernova ended, the Neutral Zone collapsed. Subsequently, people likeSeven of Nine, who worked with theFenris Rangers, felt called to maintain a semblance of order on the worlds the Federation left behind. (PIC: "Stardust City Rag")

Inan alternate future, the Neutral Zone had ceased to exist as a result of the Romulan Empire being taken over by theKlingons by2395. (TNG: "All Good Things...")

Legacy[]

The Federation-Romulan border, which was created after the collapse of the Romulan Neutral Zone, followed the line of the former demilitarized zone. Outposts which once monitored the zone were now performing the same function for the newly created border region. (PIC: "Disengage")

In the late32nd century, this border region was not depicted on Federation star charts. (DIS: "Scavengers")

Stellar cartography[]

The Neutral Zone was located in the Beta Quadrant. (PIC: "The Impossible Box")

In2259, the location of this region was labeled on astellar cartography chart that was seen on theUSSEnterprise'sready roomviewscreen. (SNW: "Strange New Worlds", "Spock Amok", "A Quality of Mercy")

During theNeutral Zone Incursion of2266, the location of the Romulan Neutral Zone was labeled on a map ofSector Z-6 that was displayed on thebridgeviewscreen of theUSSEnterprise. (TOS: "Balance of Terror",production art)

In2293, the location of the Romulan Neutral Zone in theMilky Way Galaxy was labeled in astar chart that was inCaptainJames T. Kirk'squarters aboard theUSSEnterprise-A. (Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Countryokudagram)

Onstardate 1292.4, the location of this zone was labeled in a chart used during aSection 31Alpha Teambriefing. (Star Trek: Section 31)

In2366, the location of the Romulan Neutral Zone was labeled on a tactical intelligence analysis that was displayed on one of the viewscreens of theUSSEnterprise-D. (TNG: "The Defector"okudagram)

In2369, the location of the Romulan Neutral Zone was depicted by a thin line on aDeep Space 9 traffic control database map that was displayed on one of the viewscreens of theEnterprise-D. (TNG: "Birthright, Part II"okudagram)

A partialstar chart of the Romulan Neutral Zone (2266)

The location of the Romulan Neutral Zone on "The Explored Galaxy" chart (2293)

Map showing a region of space between Outposts 3 and 6 (2366)

Map showing another region (2369)

Sectors[]

• Gamma Hydra sector
• Kaleb sector
• Sector 004/11 –010/35
• Sector 009
• Sector 023
• Sector 030
• Sector 031
• Sector 045/34 –052/32
• Sector 130
• Sector 134
• Sector 142
• Sector 1045
• Sector Z-6

Astronomical objects in the Romulan Neutral Zone[]

• Devron system
• Epsilon Legato
• Iconia
• Moore's Star
• Nelvana system
  • Sigma Nelvana
  • Nelvana III
• Noble Isle
• Theta Curry

Astronomical objects near the Romulan Neutral Zone[]

Federation side[]

• Algeron IV
• Alpha Onias system
  • Alpha Onias III (uninhabited)
• Angel I (independent)
• Arloff IX
• Barradas system
  • Barradas III (uninhabited)
• Calder system
  • Calder II (Federation planet)
• Dessica II (independent)
• Draken system
  • Draken IV (Federation planet)
• Galorndon Core (uninhabited)
• Gamma Hydra
  • Gamma Hydra II
  • Gamma Hydra IV (Federation planet)
• Kolarin system
  • Kolarus III (independent)
• Vendor (independent)
• Yadalla Prime

Romulan side[]

• Beta Hutzel
• Eden system
• Unnamed Romulan planet

See also[]

• Romulan-Cardassian border
• Romulan-Klingon border

Appendices[]

Background information[]

In theStar Trek: Star Charts (p. 66), the first outposts were the Earth Outposts. There were 23 of these outposts, which were established in 2160. The first seven outposts were built in what had been the Romulan War Theater of Operations. (Canon star charts fromStar Trek: Strange New Worlds,Star Trek: Section 31 andStar Trek: Picard depicted an alternate history in which eight outposts were operational from 2160 to the early-to-mid-24th century. They monitored space near the capitalsystem of the Romulan Star Empire. In the 24th century, 15 more outposts were built.) Additional outposts were built over the centuries. There were four Tango Outposts in theBolarus sector, six Sierra Outposts in theKaleb sector, three Romeo Outposts in theTaugan sector, and six Quebec Outposts in theHyralan sector.

Anokudagram map seen inStarlog Press publicationThe Official Star Trek: The Next Generation Magazine depicted a portion of the Romulan Neutral Zone. On the map, the locations of Outposts 1-7 were depicted in Federation space. Outposts 41 and 42 were depicted in space claimed by theKlingon Empire.[1]

External links[]

• Romulan Neutral Zone atMemory Beta, the wiki for licensedStar Trek works