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Another hotspot in the cold war between Vulcan and Andoria was [[Coridan]], a [[class M]] [[planet]] rich in [[dilithium]] ore. In the [[2150s]], Coridan suffered from a civil war, in which rebels, backed by the [[Andorian Imperial Guard]], tried to overthrow the [[chancellor]] and her corrupt government, who was in turn supported by the Vulcan High Command, since Vulcan tried to maintain its trade partnership with Coridan, which was a lucrative source for dilithium. ({{ENT|Shadows of P'Jem}})
 
Another hotspot in the cold war between Vulcan and Andoria was [[Coridan]], a [[class M]] [[planet]] rich in [[dilithium]] ore. In the [[2150s]], Coridan suffered from a civil war, in which rebels, backed by the [[Andorian Imperial Guard]], tried to overthrow the [[chancellor]] and her corrupt government, who was in turn supported by the Vulcan High Command, since Vulcan tried to maintain its trade partnership with Coridan, which was a lucrative source for dilithium. ({{ENT|Shadows of P'Jem}})
   
[[File:Vulcan and Andorian ship over Weytahn.jpg|thumb|left|In [[2152]], [[Enterprise (NX-01)]] was able to mediate between the Andorians and Vulcans in their dispute over [[Weytahn]].]]
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[[File:Vulcan and Andorian ship over Weytahn.jpg|thumb|left|In [[2152]], {{EnterpriseNX}} was able to mediate between the Andorians and Vulcans in their dispute over [[Weytahn]].]]
 
In [[2152]], a new open conflict arose on [[Weytahn]], which was reclaimed by the Andorian Empire after being deserted for nearly 60 years. With the conflict about to escalate, Shran, who was leading the Andorian invasion forces on the planetoid, requested [[Captain]] [[Jonathan Archer]] of the ''Enterprise'' as a trustworthy mediator in order to negotiate a cease fire, which was finally accomplished and both sides resumed their negotiations. ({{ENT|Cease Fire}})
 
In [[2152]], a new open conflict arose on [[Weytahn]], which was reclaimed by the Andorian Empire after being deserted for nearly 60 years. With the conflict about to escalate, Shran, who was leading the Andorian invasion forces on the planetoid, requested [[Captain]] [[Jonathan Archer]] of the ''Enterprise'' as a trustworthy mediator in order to negotiate a cease fire, which was finally accomplished and both sides resumed their negotiations. ({{ENT|Cease Fire}})
   

Revision as of 13:47, 5 August 2010

Andorian surface

The Northern Wastes of the icy homeworld of the Andorians.

Andorian history is characterized by initial conflicts with most neighboring species and the final alliance with its old adversaries, culminating in the founding of the United Federation of Planets.

Early history and contact with Vulcan

Originating from an icy moon, the first ice cutter to circumnavigate the Andorian homeworld was called Kumari, a name that would be carried on to future Andorian vessels. (ENT: "United")

File:Vulcan Andorian Empire border.jpg

A map showing the border between Vulcan space and the Andorian Empire.

Contact with Vulcan came during the early 20th century. According to the Vulcans, their first contact with Andorians "seemed promising," "despite their heightened emotions." However, it was soon discovered that "they were duplicitous," wishing to only honor "agreements that didn't conflict with their interests." (ENT: "Proving Ground")

A border dispute, dating back to the 1950s and lasting 200 years, began between the two powers, due to their neighboring home systems and the Vulcans' suspiciousness towards the territorial and militaristic nature of the Andorians. The Andorians felt that the only thing that kept Vulcan from invading Andoria was "the threat of massive retaliation." (ENT: "Proving Ground")

In the mid-21st century, the Andorians terraformed a class D planetoid which they named Weytahn, lying at a strategic position on the frontier between the Andorian and the Vulcan system. When Andoria refused to allow the Vulcan High Command to inspect the colony in order to search for possible threats in the form of military installations, the Vulcans forcibly evacuated the planetoid. In 2097, a treaty was signed, in which the Vulcans officially claimed Weytahn, which they named Paan Mokar, and a surveillance satellite was placed in orbit of the planetoid in order to enforce the accord. (ENT: "Cease Fire")

In 2104, the Andorians discovered the Aenar, a subspecies long considered a myth in Andorian society, living in underground habitats in the Northern Wastes of Andoria. Since then, they have maintained diplomatic contact with the Andorian government. (ENT: "The Aenar")

Contact with Earth and Andorian-Vulcan cold war

File:P'Jem surveillance.jpg

The Vulcan surveillance facility beneath P'Jem, used to spy on Andoria until late 2151.

In order to guarantee the safe "observation" of their "aggressive" Andorian neighbor, the Vulcan High Command maintained a highly sophisticated surveillance station beneath the monastery of P'Jem, close to Andoria. Using the disguise of an ancient Vulcan monastery, the facility was able to spy on the Andorian population while staying unnoticed. In 2151, Shran, a Commander in the Andorian Imperial Guard, unveiled the secret of P'Jem with the help of the crew of the Earth starship Enterprise, thereby starting Human-Andorian relations and dealing a crippling blow to Vulcan prestige. After the Andorians destroyed the monastery later that year, however, the High Command began blaming Starfleet and Subcommander T'Pol, who was serving aboard Enterprise, for the loss of P'Jem, which would not only result in T'Pol's mother being expelled from the Vulcan Science Academy but also in an impairment of the Human-Vulcan relations. (ENT: "The Andorian Incident", "Shadows of P'Jem", "Home")

Another hotspot in the cold war between Vulcan and Andoria was Coridan, a class M planet rich in dilithium ore. In the 2150s, Coridan suffered from a civil war, in which rebels, backed by the Andorian Imperial Guard, tried to overthrow the chancellor and her corrupt government, who was in turn supported by the Vulcan High Command, since Vulcan tried to maintain its trade partnership with Coridan, which was a lucrative source for dilithium. (ENT: "Shadows of P'Jem")

Vulcan and Andorian ship over Weytahn

In 2152, Enterprise NX-01 was able to mediate between the Andorians and Vulcans in their dispute over Weytahn.

In 2152, a new open conflict arose on Weytahn, which was reclaimed by the Andorian Empire after being deserted for nearly 60 years. With the conflict about to escalate, Shran, who was leading the Andorian invasion forces on the planetoid, requested Captain Jonathan Archer of the Enterprise as a trustworthy mediator in order to negotiate a cease fire, which was finally accomplished and both sides resumed their negotiations. (ENT: "Cease Fire")

Upon hearing of the Xindi attack on Earth in 2153, the Imperial Guard sent the Kumari into the Delphic Expanse to locate the Enterprise. When it was discovered that Enterprise was tracking a Xindi prototype weapon, the Guard wished to procure the technology to aid in their conflict with the Vulcans. In justifying their actions, they declared that, "with a weapon of this magnitude at our disposal, they wouldn't dare attack us." However, the prototype was destroyed, forcing the Andorians to go home empty-handed. (ENT: "Proving Ground")

File:Vulcan cruisers open fire, Kir'Shara.jpg

Starting the Battle of Andoria in 2154, the Vulcan fleet opens fire on Cmdr. Shran's task force and Enterprise.

Unknown to the Andorians at the time, the Vulcans had intercepted the data and telemetry that had been sent to Andoria on the prototype. Footage of the Xindi's test of the prototype was later manipulated and used by Administrator V'Las in convincing the Vulcan High Command that the Andorians were planning to use the prototype to augment their fleet and to create a weapon of mass destruction to use against Vulcan. In 2154, V'Las, who actually stood under the influence of a Romulan operative, ordered a preemptive strike invasion of Andoria and lured the bulk of the Andorian fleet near Paan Mokar/Weytahn by creating false warp signatures in its vicinity, while the Vulcans secretly amassed a fleet of twelve Vulcan cruisers near Regulus, a star outside the range of Andorian listening posts. Despite Enterprise and Vulcan Ambassador Soval warning Commander Shran of the incursion, the Andorians were only able to gather six warships at the outskirts of the Andorian system to face the Vulcan fleet, with Enterprise joining them in hopes of preventing war. After the two fleets clashed and the Battle of Andoria commenced, Vulcan Minister Kuvak urged V'Las to halt the attack, as even though they were currently winning the battle, they had completely lost the element of surprise and were now facing heavy casualties for both sides in a protracted conflict. Soon after he went on to protest that none of the Andorian vessels were outfitted with the Xindi weaponry that V'Las had used as justification for the preemptive strike, Kuvak managed to stun V'Las and immediately ordered the fleet to withdraw, ending the battle. (ENT: "Kir'Shara")

Detente, the Coalition of Planets and the Federation

See also: Federation history

After the Vulcan Reformation, the Vulcan High Command was dissolved and the new government would enter into a less hostile stance with Andoria, ending years of cold war and military tension. Never again would the Vulcans stoop to such a level as using the P'Jem monastery to hide a sensor array for spying on Andoria. (ENT: "Kir'Shara")

Gral and Shran call a truce

Captain Jonathan Archer unites the Andorians and Tellarites in order to form a joint fleet with the Vulcans and Humans.

In November 2154, Andorian diplomats planned to meet a Tellarite delegation led by Ambassador Gral on the planetoid Babel. The purpose of the conference was to resolve a long standing trade dispute between both factions. Although the original agenda covered only trade regulations for the sector, the diplomatic situation of the Andorians should change decisively. By late 2154, the Romulan Star Empire had become aware of the threat posed by a closer partnership between Andoria, Earth and its neighbors. The Star Empire's attempts to destabilize the region led to the Babel Crisis, during which a secret mission by the Romulans involved the use of two Romulan drone-ships. With these ships (able to camouflage themselves as various other vessels), the Star Empire tried to spread distrust and hostility among local powers around Andoria, Earth, Tellar and Vulcan. By destroying the Andorian vessel Kumari under the guise of a Tellarite cruiser, thereby causing the cancellation of the Babel conference and nearly escalating an old conflict between the two races, the Romulans nearly succeeded with their plans. However, Captain Archer of the Enterprise was able to settle the dispute and allied the Andorians, Humans, Vulcans and Tellarites to find and destroy the drone-ships, thereby altering the result of this Romulan mission to the exact opposite of what it was intended to achieve. (ENT: "Babel One", "United", "The Aenar")

File:CoalitionofPlanets2155.jpg

The founding ceremony of the Coalition of Planets at United Earth Starfleet Headquarters in 2155

With the averted escalation of the Babel crisis, Andoria, Earth and many other worlds realized the value of their joint work and were growing close to founding a Coalition of Planets in 2155. Although this was initially opposed by a xenophobic isolationist group called Terra Prime, Archer was able to make a passionate speech to all members, saying that, as explorers, they should explore the galaxy together. (ENT: "Demons", "Terra Prime")

The new Coalition of Planets would become welded together in 2156, when the conflict with the Romulan Star Empire escalated into the Earth-Romulan War. A humiliating defeat of the Romulans by an alliance of Andorian, Vulcan, Earth and Tellarite forces at the Battle of Cheron in 2160 effectively ended the war and led to the establishment of the Romulan Neutral Zone between the two power blocs. (ENT: "In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II", TOS: "Balance of Terror")

Federation founding ceremony, 2161

The founding ceremony of the Federation in San Francisco in 2161.

In 2161, one year after the Earth-Romulan War was decided, the old war allies - Andoria, Vulcan, Earth and Tellar - founded the United Federation of Planets in San Francisco on Earth. (ENT: "Zero Hour", TNG: "The Outcast").

By 2164, Commander Shran was promoted to the rank of General and appointed Jonathan Archer as an honorary member of the Andorian Imperial Guard. Five years later, in 2169, Archer then became Federation Ambassador to Andoria. (ENT: "In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II")

As a key member of the Federation, Andorian Ambassador Shras represented Andoria at the Babel Conference in 2268, at which the planet supported the admission of Coridan as a new member of the Federation. (TOS: "Journey to Babel")

File:Andorian admiral 2286.jpg

An Andorian Starfleet Admiral in the Federation Council in 2286.

In 2286, Andoria held two seats in the Federation Council. (Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home)

An Andorian served on the ruling council of the pocket dimension Elysia, during the late 23rd century. It was unknown how long his species had been trapped in that universe. (TAS: "The Time Trap")

During the 24th century, a few rogue Andorian factions chose not to join the Federation, and continued to be a threat to Federation starships. (TNG: "The Survivors")

The status of the Andorian Empire post-2161 is unknown, but it seems likely that it still exists as a political subdivision of the Federation, like United Earth.

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