Chapter 23

Everyone looked very smart in their dress uniforms, assembled in Ops to watch the founding ceremony on the main viewscreen. North thought that Kostopoulos, Threv, T'Ling and Sylor looked especially good in Starfleet attire for the first time. It seemed everyone was adapting well to their new service already.

North also reflected that people all over the base would be watching the ceremony on various screens, as well as on dozens of planets and hundreds of starships. Ops alone was packed with more personnel than usual. This was truly history in the making. It was nice to be reminded that history was not always made by conflict.

The viewscreen showed the central stage in Candlestick Auditorium, filled with representatives from each founding state, surrounded by thousands of multi-species spectators.

A hush fell over the crowd, both here and in San Francisco, as the ceremony began with speeches from several of the representatives. This went on for over an hour, with most of them reiterating the same sentiments about unity and change, as well as their own culture's unique perspectives on the UFP, although Jonathan Archer's words were sure to be quoted for years to come.

He's come a long way since that gazelle speech, North thought with jovial cruelty, recalling how Archer had been mocked around Starfleet Command when footage of him sharing a rambling anecdote during an important conference had been leaked.

After the speeches, the leader of each founding government read out the initial page of the Articles of the Federation - the new government's establishing legislation - in their own language. Prime Minister Nathan Samuels read it for Earth.

"We, the intelligent lifeforms of the United Federation of Planets, determined to save succeeding generations from intergalactic conflict, and to reaffirm faith in the fundamental intelligent lifeform rights, in the dignity and worth of the intelligent lifeform person, to the equal rights for all, and to establish conditions under which justice and mutual respect for the obligations arising from treaties and other sources of interplanetary law can be maintained, and to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom...

"And to these ends, to practice benevolent tolerance and live together in peace with one another, and to unite our strength to maintain intergalactic peace and security, and to ensure by the acceptance of principles and the institution of methods that armed force shall not be used except in the common defence, and to promote the scientific and social advancement of all intelligent lifeforms...

"Have resolved to combine our efforts to accomplish these aims.

"Accordingly, the respective planets, through representatives assembled on the planet Earth, have agreed to the present Charter, and do hereby establish an interplanetary government to be known as the United Federation of Planets."

There was applause from the crowd, then the representatives approached the main table to sign the Articles. There was quite a mix of signatories, mostly high-ranking government officials, as well as the heads of the space forces, and a few special representatives. Captions on the bottom of the screen helped to identify everyone.

For United Earth: Prime Minister Nathan Samuels, Interior Minister Haroun al-Rashid, Defence Minister Thomas Vanderbilt, Ambassador Celina Grayson, Fleet Admiral Samuel W. Gardner, and Rear Admiral Jonathan Archer.

For the Confederacy of Vulcan: First Minister T'Pau, Foreign Minister Soval, Peace Minister T'Maran, Security Minister T'Jan, Ambassadors Solkar and L'Nel, and Fleet Commander T'Viri.

For the Andorian Empire: Presider Rinesh, Chancellor Bormenus, Foreign Minister Thoris, Defence Minister Vinith, Ambassador Gort Sarahd, and General Thy'lek Shran.

For the United Planets of Tellar: High Councillor Besh chim Kar, Foreign Secretary Gora bim Gral, Defence Secretary Min glasch Noar, Ambassador Natha Kell, and Chief Executive Mov chim Flar.

For the Alpha Centauri Concordium: The Governors of the four colonies; Titus Oleet, Wang Kim, Petra Menliss, and Lillian Hayes, as well as Foreign Secretary Cristofur Thorpe, Ambassador Jie Cong Li, and Senior Chairperson Alexis Osman.

Next to him at the command console, North saw Thorpe bristle as his father signed the Articles. North wondered how the elder Thorpe would try to influence his son's career now, but he was confident that his first officer would continue to prove himself capable without such interference.

With everyone having signed, Thomas Vanderbilt, who was to become President of the Federation Council (like many, North suspected a more permanent leadership position would soon be established, especially as the UFP grew), raised the paper document over his head and loudly declared, "We are now a United Federation of Planets!"

Cheers erupted in the Auditorium and in Ops, as well as throughout the quadrant no doubt. They were all now one nation, one people.

Vanderbilt then went on to list the councillors for each member state: Al-Rashid, T'Maran, Thoris, Gral, and Thorpe. Again, Captain Thorpe winced.

To conclude the ceremony, they played the new Federation Anthem; a gentle but rousing instrumental piece, deliberately chosen to be lyric-free. Everyone stood at attention, hands over their hearts, while they listened.

Afterwards, the footage went on to interview several subjects, and North ordered the screen off. The moment was over, although it would be felt for ages to come. There were smiles all around, but North wanted to catch the crowd before they dispersed.

"Before we go to the other big event today..." he looked to Vaughn, at his side as usual and smiling brighter than anyone, "there's something we have to take care of first." The others looked on in confusion. "Captain Eric Thorpe, Lieutenant Sylor, Crewman Threvlaan th'Noss, step forward please."

The three did as asked, no less confused.

Vaughn handed North a small box, and the Commodore approached the trio. "For your selfless actions and quick thinking in the retaking of this base, it is my honour to bestow you each with the Starfleet Medal of Valour. Especially those of you now officially under my command." He nodded to Sylor and Threv.

Thorpe and Threv lit up and Sylor's eyebrows shot up. North opened the box to reveal the three medals; flat discs patterned with stars, attached to blue-and-white ribbons. He pinned one each on his crewmembers, then stood back to smile at them.

"Congratulations. You've all earned this." He started a round of applause that everyone else in Ops joined in with. Thorpe, Threv and Sylor didn't know what to do with themselves.

"Now," he said once it had quietened down, "as if there hasn't been enough excitement today... we have a wedding to attend."