Neutral zone (Star Trek)
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In the fictional Star Trek universe, a neutral zone is a sort of "buffer zone" between the territories of two different powers. If either party enters a neutral zone it is an aggressive move and is usually considered an act of war. The Federation has had two neutral zones: one with the Klingon Empire and one with the Romulan Star Empire. Used on its own, "the Neutral Zone" generally refers to the Romulan Neutral Zone.
Klingon Neutral Zone
The Klingon Neutral Zone, sometimes known as the Organian Neutral Zone, appears to have been set up during the time of the Star Trek: The Original Series. Unlike the Romulan Neutral Zone, the Klingon Neutral Zone appears to have some commercial traffic crossing it.
The Organians are non-corporeal beings from the planet Organia IV, which is strategically situated between the Empire and the Federation. When both parties, thinking them a pre-industrial people, attempted to occupy their world, they revealed their posthuman nature and imposed the Neutral Zone.
The zone was the site of the Kobayashi Maru scenario.
The Klingon Neutral Zone was abolished by the Khitomer Accords in 2293.
There is also a Federation-Cardassian Neutral Zone, caused by the Maquis.
Romulan Neutral Zone
The Romulan Neutral Zone is still in effect. It was established in 2160. Like the Klingon Neutral Zone, any entry by either party was considered an act of war. It was unviolated until 2266, when the Romulans crossed it; a war, however, was avoided. The Enterprise (NCC-1701) crossed the Neutral Zone twice, once to get to a starbase quickly when the crew was suffering accelerated aging, and again to steal a Romulan cloaking device.
The Neutral Zone remained uncrossed during a period of extended Romulan isolationism. In 2364, several Romulan outposts along the Neutral Zone were destroyed by then-unknown forces, prompting the Romulans to cross the Neutral Zone to investigate the matter. It was determined several months later that the destruction had been caused by the Borg. The following year, the USS Yamato crossed into the Neutral Zone to prevent the Romulans from finding the Iconian home world, an abandoned planet that contained highly advanced technology. In 2366 a Romulan defected to the Federation, breeching the Neutral Zone, warning of a secret plan to attack the Federation; the Enterprise-D, along with three Klingon warships, in turn, crossed the Neutral Zone to investigate the claim. Finally, in the same year, the Romulan scout ship Pi crashed just inside of Federation space, and a Romulan ship crossed over to recover survivors.
The last episode of the first season of Star Trek: The Next Generation was called "The Neutral Zone".
It's unclear how much longer the Romulan Neutral Zone will remain in effect. With the steadily improving relations between the two powers following the events of the Dominion War and Star Trek: Nemesis, the Zone may someday soon finally be abolished.
External link
- Romulan Neutral Zone (http://www.memory-alpha.org/en/index.php/Romulan_Neutral_Zone) at Memory Alpha, a Star Trek WikiWiki