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Andorian history

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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

The Andorians originated from the icy moon of Andoria. Early in their history the Aenar diverged from them as a subspecies, having retreated to the Northern Wastes, thenceforth considered a myth. (ENT: "The Aenar") The Andorians employed ice cutters to navigate their homeworld; the first to circumnavigate the planet was called Kumari, a name that would be carried on to future Andorian vessels. (ENT: "United")

Vulcan-Andorian border, display

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

Being located in a neighbouring star system, 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, the Vulcans soon came to see them as duplicitous, wishing to only honor "agreements that didn't conflict with their interests." A border dispute, dating back to the 1950s and lasting two hundred years, began between the two powers, due to their neighboring home systems and the Vulcans' suspicion 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")


Around 2104, the Andorians discovered the Aenar. Since then, they have maintained diplomatic contact with the Andorian government. (ENT: "The Aenar")

Some time before 2154, the Andorians were also in conflict with the Tellarites. According to Ambassador Gral, Tellarite cruisers had driven "those blue demons" back into their own territory by force. (ENT: "Babel One")

Contact with Earth and Andorian-Vulcan cold war

P'Jem surveillance

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 United Earth starship Enterprise NX-01, 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")


Vulcan and Andorian ship over Weytahn



Upon hearing of the Xindi attack on Earth in 2153, the Imperial Guard sent the Kumari under Cmdr. Shran 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. Before, however, Shran secretly relayed all technical and tactical sensor readings his ship had taken from the weapon to Enterprise; this information would prove to be of enormous use in preventing a second Xindi attack on Earth. (ENT: "Proving Ground") Three months later, Shran and the Kumari openly sided with Earth, following the trail of the Xindi superweapon. The Kumari engaged a Xindi warship, providing a critical diversion to allow Enterprise and her crew to destroy the weapon. (ENT: "Zero Hour")

Vulcan cruisers open fire, Kir'Shara

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 entered into a less hostile stance with Andoria, ending years of cold war and military tension. Never again did 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


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")


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 became 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")

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.

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")

Andorian admiral 2286

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")

At some point before the 24th century, a few rogue Andorians continued to be a threat to Starfleet starships. (TNG: "The Survivors")

During the Dominion War, Andor was the next potential target for an invasion after the fall of Betazed in 2374. (DS9: "In the Pale Moonlight")

"Andor" likely is a synonym for Andoria.

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