Broken Contact

Constitution-class heavy cruiser USS Enterprise

"I'm sorry captain, but the Prime Directive is quite clear. We are only to make contact or reveal our existence to post-warp civilizations."

"Spock, they're clearly capable of space travel. They-..."

"But not of warp travel. There is a key difference."

James T. Kirk supposed that Spock had a point...as usual. Logic, especially vulcan logic demanded that anything uttered had a point to it. So despite looking at the cylindrical starship in the distance, apparently unaware of the Enterprise's location, he knew he'd have to give in. There was no evidence of warp capability, and while it was possible that they'd already experienced what some would call cultural contamination, there was no way of knowing that without Starfleet potentially being the contaminators.

"Uhura..." the captain began, turning to his communications officer. "Are you picking up any transmissions from the ship?"

"Negative captain," the lieutenant began. "No transmissions are being detected on any frequency."

And if they're using a different frequency to us? What then?

Well, Kirk supposed, there was little they could do about it, bar violating the Prime Directive itself. It was nice to see a cylindrical starship that wasn't a planet killer originating from outside the galaxy, but what was even nicer was the notion of avoiding the type of thing that vulcans less...human than Spock would berate him for even before Starfleet stepped in to enact the protocols that such an event would dictate. Sigma Iotia II, Ekos, Neural...just three cases of contamination over the years of the Enterprise's journey of discovery and already too many. Here however, he finally had the luxury of choice-to not be pulled into a situation beyond his control.

Maybe Spock was right. Maybe it was logical to not take the risk of early first contact.

Certainly it prompted departing this region of space at warp factor 3 at any rate.

Heavy carrier Gantrithor

"I'm sorry executor, but the Dae'Uhl is quite clear. We are only to make contact or reveal our existence to lesser species if threatened by an outside source."

"Fenix, they're clearly capable of space travel. They-..."

"But not travel through warp space. There is a key difference."

Tassadar supposed that Fenix had a point...as usual. Over a century older than him, the executor's friend and comrade had experience and wisdom that the high templar knew matched, if not exceeded his own. So despite looking at the saucer-shaped starship in the distance, apparently unaware of the Gantrithor's location, he knew he'd have to give in. There was no evidence of warp capability, and while it was possible that they were a species that was developed enough to make contact with the protoss, there was no way of knowing that without taking the risk that they weren't.

But perhaps it is worth taking the risk...Tassadar thought to himself, remembering that one of the primary functions of the Koprulu Expeditionary Force was discovery. After all, warp capability or not, this species...

Your thoughts are open to mine, Fenix interjected, sending raw thought to his friend rather than the words of Khalani. And no, it isn't worth the risk. Not after Dannuth VII...not after Kalath...

The younger protoss conceded the point. Fenix had only been on Dannuth VII, but that was more than he'd been. He'd encountered hostile alien species before, but never in cases as regrettable as those on either of those planets. He supposed all he could do was trust the judgement of his friend, and of history. The Dae'Uhl existed for a reason and as a loyal member of the Protoss Empire, he was bound to uphold it.

"Very well," Tassadar declared eventually, turning to his helmsman. "We shall return to Aiur. Take us into warp."

"Yes, executor."

Heading for his quarters, Tassadar reassured himself that this was the right course of action. That this species was still too young to make contact with the Firstborn.

After all, they hadn't even detected their presence.

A/N

It doesn't take a genius to work out that the Prime Directive is the source of inspiration for quite a few other protocols based on similar principles in various science fiction settings, the Dae'Uhl being but one of them. However, the idea popped into my mind as to what would happen if such protocols prevented contact from being made at all? The Prime Directive is based on the ability to go into warp (not warp space apparently ;)) while the protoss refused to interfere in the affairs of "lesser species..." which, prior to the Great War, is pretty much every species in the known galaxy. As such, neither species meets the other's criteria for contact.

Guess Starfleet and the Templar Caste need more diplomats.