Encroachment: A Star Trek AU Short Story

Prologue

In the mid 2200's, the United Federation of Planets expanded to 190 member-worlds across the alpha quadrant, and their rapid expansion placed their borders dangerously close to the Romulan Star Empire, which brought skirmishes, territorial conflicts and threats of war. After one particular incident caused the destruction of a Federation science vessel and the loss of 78 hands, the Federation's exploration and military wing, Starfleet, began massing a fleet of ships along the Romulan border to protect against what they assumed was an act of war. Romulus responded in kind, and some of the most powerful vessels from each side faced off in what promised to be the shortest yet deadliest war ever fought.

In 2272, as the Federation's Flagship, the legendary USS Enterprise under the command of Admiral James T. Kirk stood nose-to-nose against the Empire's most celebrated Bird-of-Prey, cooler heads were able to prevail, and an armistice was struck. The Romulans knew, as did their Federation adversaries, that this battle would cripple both fleets, leaving them open to outside aggressors such as the Klingon Empire, the Gorn, and other rumored powerful factions such as the Cardassian Union and the Ferengi Alliance. Since both sides knew this was to be an unwinnable war, the border, known as the Neutral Zone was reestablished, splitting the borders between the Romulan Star empire, the Klingon empire, and the United Federation of Planets. First established in 2160, after the disastrous first contact between Earth and Romulus four years previous, the Neutral Zone was to be an undisputed line, and the crossing of which was to be considered an act of war.

The border was one full light-year wide, and split three ways so each faction could continue to expand outwardly as each saw fit. Unbeknownst to the Romulans and the Klingons, the Federation received the best part of the deal, and by 2283 they had stopped focusing all of their resources on military ideals, and had expanded their influence to cover half of the Alpha quadrant. While the Klingons and Romulans sat in relative stagnation, the Federation expanded to over three-hundred member-planets, and while most existed for mutual trade and cultural exchange, the Romulans assumed that the Federation was simply bolstering their ranks and preparing for war. Open threats were replaced by espionage, and covert tactical operations became the norm. The Federation council assumed that war was no longer on the horizon, but Starfleet knew better.

Although nothing could be publicly developed, two of the three vice-admirals at Starfleet Command decided to prepare themselves for what they assumed the Romulans, and possibly the Klingons, were already doing. Funds were funneled from standard military designs to create a new ship, with new ideas to guide her, and use said vessel to patrol the Neutral Zone in an attempt to prevent any deliberate encroachments from either Empire. This time they knew that war was inevitable, and this time, they planned to be prepared.

Timeline

2156: First contact between the United Earth Alliance and the Romulan Star Empire. Two years of war followed.

2160: The Romulan Neutral Zone was created, resulting in a cease-fire between Earth and Romulus.

2161: The United Federation of Planets was established, with Earth and Vulcan being the charter members.

2245: The Constitution Class USS Enterprise NCC-1701 was launched under the command of Captain Robert April.

2266: The Enterprise, under the command of Captain James T. Kirk encounters a Romulan Bird of Prey that had crossed the Neutral Zone, and the existence of cloaking technology is confirmed.

2268: (unofficial) The Enterprise is allegedly ordered to cross the Neutral Zone and steal a cloaking device from the Romulans, who are now using warships of Klingon design.

2271: The twenty-six-year-old Enterprise is given a complete refit, and her history and technology is incorporated into many new starship designs, and also into a few off-the-record experiments...

(Author's note: the above timeline is canon, and my story takes place between the events of Star Trek: The Motion Picture, and Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan)