The Sim

Nearly twenty years ago, the actions of the combined Federation, Romulan, and Klingon alliance resisted attempted invasion and successfully brought about an end to the Dominion War. In the aftermath, the Federation became committed to robust cooperation with its new allies, as well as reaching out to old enemies. This was perhaps most evident in their having taken a leading role in helping rebuild the devastated Cardassian Union and also assisting the Romulan Star Empire with evacuating its citizens ahead of the impending supernova of the Romulan sun.

Despite the challenges involved with such efforts, both logistical and political, the Federation appeared for a time as if they were making progress. However, that all changed on First Contact Day of 2385. The network of synthetic workers assigned to Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards on Mars suddenly turned on the workers and populace. Over 90,000 casualties were sustained, the evacuation fleet was destroyed, and the atmosphere of Mars set ablaze. These events shook the Federation to its core. Not only was the evacuation abandoned, but the Federation Council imposed a ban on creating or researching artificial life.

In the years immediately following, the Federation withdrew many of its aid programs, such as phasing out reconstruction efforts on Cardassia, and reduced its diplomatic involvement in other powers beyond maintaining peace and stability. Their focus turned inward, toward maintaining the interests and protection of member worlds.

More recently, however, there are signs that the pendulum has started to swing in the opposite direction. More and more, things are slowly beginning to change. Starfleet's launch of the Delta Quadrant Exploratory Group in 2392 and the election of Iden Morr as Federation President the following year appear to signal a new era, one in which Starfleet and the wider Federation may be seeking to return to their roots of exploration and diplomatic engagement. And yet, the process remains a slow one. For all desire to welcome a new dawn, the events of the mid-2380s still cast a long shadow, and many of the colonies and worlds closest to the border continue to experience hardship.

It is within these ever changing times that the Vesta-class USS Vesta currently operates under the command of Captain Aviram Drell.