Since then, the Federation expanded into Orion space like a cancer, and Starfleet has curtailed the slave trade. Orion is now little more than a Federation protectorate, its neutrality regarded as a joke and a shield for undesirable activities, and Orions resent this deeply. Aggression is one thing, but the Federation arrogantly annexed more than one-third of all Orion worlds. To Orions, the Federation is not just an eagerly expanding association, it is an overbearing bunch of self-righteous, self-proclaimed do-gooders without history, or respect. Orions consider pious posturings of the Federation absurd. It does not make deals-it simply proclaims laws and sends its ships to enforce them. Although it refuses to play or even to acknowledge the Orion game, the UFP claims it respects the individual cultures it has swallowed whole.

However, ten years ago, with the possibility of hostilities between the Federation and Romulan Star Empire, and some 125 years after the Federation established the Orion Neutral Zone demarcating Orion space and annexing all but 13 Orion worlds, Orion leaders began considering the possibility that Romulan rule might well be less-desirable than Federation rule. Then first contact occurred with the Borg, and this served to stun Orion leaders into serious contemplation of their plight, for here was an enemy with whom no understand could be negotiated, and no deal struck. Shortly after the destruction of the Starfleet squadrons at the Battle of Wolf359, leaders from throughout Orion space, including Federation-ruled worlds, gathered on the world of Rhinate, inside Federation space, for the purpose of discussing how to respond to the possibility of a Borg threat. The decision was simple: Federation membership. No Orion force could stop a Borg Cube, but the Federation had just succeeded in destroying one-after sustaining considerable losses in starships and personnel. It was not a proposition any Orion leader at the Rhinate Conference relished trying to sell to the people back home, but all were practical enough to realize that occasionally necessity is the mother of invention.

The proposition to seek Federation membership was not without its own perils however; Grey Orions would have to be freed from abject slavery, the Green Slave Trade would have to cease altogether, as would the tacit approval given to pirate bands to operate freely. A great number of legal ‘industries’ would also have to cease operation due to the fact they were illegal in Federation space. However, the leaders of Orions made it quite clear to their constituencies that if they wanted safety, then this was its cost. Those who objected, cited how such demands flew in the face of nearly 15,000 years of recorded Orion history, but they also objected to naught. Public fear outweighed any consideration of maintaining the status quo in the face of a Borg threat. Orion dynastic lines, corporations, and smaller Orion-owned businesses moved quickly to divest themselves of Grey Orions, Green Slaves, and their multifarious business transactions, and to form something they had never had before: a central government.

While Orions were busily "…straightening out their own houses", as Ggrav Trev, Federation Councilor from Tellar said, the Federation observed the activity in Orion space with nothing short of astonishment. The Federation had encountered all manner of resistance to get the Orions to do just that for nearly two centuries, and a great many Federation officials began congratulating themselves for their hardline stance in dealing with the Orions, bringing the headstrong inhabitants of Rigel to bay. This was until Ambassador Sarek of Vulcan politely reminded his esteemed colleagues that it had probably, and most likely been the recent Borg invasion that effected such maniacal change within Orion space, and not "…Federation obsequience." Sarek recommended that the Orion situation be monitored, and an that if the Orions did in fact request Federation membership, serious consideration should be given the application.

Two years later, on Stardate 48190, The Orion Colonial Council, its chambers located on Rigel VIII, tendered an Application for Federation Membership to the Federation High Council, by Colonial President Vray Netess, a Ruddy Orion. Membership would be granted five years later on Stardate 53921, in the form of the Treaty of Rhinate, effectively stating that the Orion Neutral Zone and all worlds contained within, in addition to all previously annexed Orion colonies would be granted Federation membership. With one fell swoop of a light pen, the Federation gained thirty new member worlds, with the prospect of 10 new Orion member worlds joining every 5 years for the next fifteen years.

Both the Orions and the Federation seem somewhat bewildered by the speediness of Orion membership in the Federation. While there have been isolated minor incidents regarding Green Slavery, there have been no major violations of the Treaty of Rhinate, much to everyone’s supprise. With the advent of hostilities with the Cardassians and the Dominion, and yet another attempted Borg invasion of Terra, Orions tend to believe that Federation membership could not have happened at a better time. Now, they can contribute their part in defending themselves, and paradoxically enough, the same Federation they railed against not too many years before.

Upon encountering the Orions Stardate 1194, the Klingons assigned a military governor to rule their newest conquest. Although supplanting local Orion government worked on a few Orion worlds, the Klingons came out second best on Botchok, and most other Orion-inhabited locales. They may have won political control from the Orions, only to fall victim to Orion trade and economics. An Orion sentiment refers to this dilemma as Uktas bo urndo, or literally, "Blasters or bookeepers". One must fall before the other-but in usual Orion fashion, the saying does not specify which.

Starfleet Intelligence has only recently discovered the extent to which the Orions conducted trade both within the Klingon Empire, and between the Federation and the Empire, when the Federation and the Klingons were the deadliest of adversaries. Some suprising products of the Empire find their way into Orion space, and somehow get transported into the Federation. Though no longer illegal, it does leave Federation-and Klingon intelligence agencies mystified. Piracy never occurs along the Klingon border currently due primarily to the fact Orions are Federation citizens. However, before the Orions joined the Federation piracy was still a rather uncommon event because the Klingons often ruthlessly hunted and obliterated any Orion pirates who were unfortunate enough to be captured by the Klingon Defence Forces.

Regardless of past Orion-Klingon relations, the Orions have long-successfully tapped a Klingon fondness for luxury items, which the Klingons may officially deplore. Now that trade between the Federation and the Klingons is relatively unrestricted compared to past decades, Orions serve as popular conduits for transport of goods between the two governments, and Orions have gotten wealthy beyond the dreams of avarice because of this. Nevertheless, occasionally traditional Klingon customs do get in the way of business, and these tales of woe do reach Orion Space. Traditionally, Orions refer to them as Klong, a deliberate corruption of the Klingon name with a revealing meaning: "the wall".

Naturally, the first few ship-to-ship contacts did not go well, but the Tholians seemed to understand from the seized Orion vessels and crews, that the Orions did indeed appear to be ‘legitimate’ traders, but that their activities should bear monitoring. The Tholians also decided that the Orions were not to be trusted-all business transactions would be done on the Tholian-Federation border, and that no other ships from any other nationality would be allow to trade, nor would their goods be accepted. Along with these demands, a list of nearly three hundred other related demands were presented to the sole remaining surviving merchant crew, who were released along with a cargo of extremely rare Tholian Silk, as a way of demonstrating Tholian sincerity.

The Orion merchant crew proceeded directly to the nearest Federation port, primarily to gain medical assistance for its injuries sustained after six months of Tholian mistreatment. Once sufficiently recovered, Captain Muark Vri’t’tal and his crew unloaded its entire cargo of Tholian Silk, and all became instant millionaires. Since then and to date, the Orions have formally negotiated trade agreements with the Tholians, separate and prior to its Federation membership, and has expanded the scope of its merchandise to include Federation products, which the Tholians accept. Federation diplomats, and senior Starfleet officers scratch their heads in wonderment at the trading arrangements the Orions have with the Tholians, but are content that at least that amount of contact has been established between the reclusive Tholians and some member of the Federation. Orions for their part agree to keep the Federation informed on Tholian actions. In fact, it was the Orions who informed the Federation of the Tholian non-aggression pact they signed with the Dominion and Cardassian Union.

Orions are allowed to enter Gorn space, but are not allowed near ‘sensitive areas’, at penalty of attack should they ignore starcharts given them by the Gorn. Rumors say that judgments are final, and the Gorn attack intruders in sensitive areas without warning, and hunt the intruder until destroyed, even if Gorn cruisers have to cross the Federation border to do so. This is a rare occurrence however, and applies with equal force to all freetraders, Orion, Federation, Klingon, or other.

Starfleet Intelligence believes that the Orions have done the previously unthinkable-approach the ancient Rigellians for information concerning what lies on the other side of the Bajoran Wormhole. Starfleet Intelligence has been unable to determine what the response to any Orion request was.

If the Orions revere any culture other than their own, that reverence would be reserved solelyfor the Rigellians. For many thousands of years, Orion slaves believed that the Rigellians were the creators of the Orion race-a notion the Rigellians dispelled some 5,000 years ago. Such consideration given the Orions by the Rigellians, only magnifies the consideration the Orions return in kind, primarily because of many thousand of years of Orion slavery at the hands of races alien to Rigel. In all difficult times, the only race that cared to stand by the Orions were the Rigellians.

Suffice to say, contact between Orions and Rigellians have never been anything but warm. The Rigellians have turned Rigel IV into the single most important tradeworld in the Federation, and second only to Ferenghinar in wealth. Even so, the Rigellians motives leave more to the imagination, than actually providing hard information. It is difficult even for Orions to understand Rigellian motives, but understand that whatever the rat-like race does, it is undoubtedly for a good reason, and questioning of Rigellian motives is as absurd as trying to stop the galaxy from turning.

However, there are subtle differences between Orions and Ferengi which gives Orions pause when dealing with their large-lobed associates in interstellar trade. Orions believe in wealth to the extent it provides a comfortable existence for an individual, an individuals family, and his company. While wealth is good, it is also more than a measure of greed, but more properly a measure of one’s status among others, and a reference on how well one can take care of oneself and others around him. For Ferengi, the cause is greed, and by definition, it is entirely self-centered, the extent of which, even the greediest Orion would find somewhat repellent.

Nevertheless, Orions and Ferengi do have a grudging respect for each other’s negotiation skills, and often do business with each other, if only to ensure their mutual negotiation skills remain sharp. Needless to say, both sides of the table know enough to make sure they have their respective wallets before they depart the negotiating table.