SECTION 31

In the Star Trek fictional universe 'Section 31' is the unofficial designation of a rogue and officially nonexistent intelligence and defense organization resembling secret police or a black-ops organization. The organization appears, or is mentioned, across eight episodes of '' and ''.
The introduction of Section 31 has been controversial among Star Trek fans, some of whom feel it goes against the ideals of creator Gene Roddenberry.

Contents

Overview

Known Section 31 Agents

Appearances

External links

Overview

Section 31 exists outside Starfleet Intelligence's influence and deals with threats to Earth's and, later, the Federation's security (''DS9'': "Inquisition"). Its operating authority stems from a provision of the Starfleet charter — Article 14, Section 31, from which its name is derived — that makes allowances for "bending the rules" during times of extraordinary threats (ENT: "Affliction").
Section 31 is often compared to alien organizations such as the Romulan Tal Shiar and the Cardassian Obsidian Order. However, unlike those organizations, Section 31 does not exist to enforce government policy or punish traitors, but rather to defend against external threats. Also, unlike the Tal Shiar and Obsidian Order, both of whom are greatly feared within their populaces, most Federation citizens have never heard of Section 31 and will never encounter it.
Little of Section 31's history has been revealed in on-screen canon. However, Star Trek spin-off fiction expands on Section 31's operations. Pocket Books published a four-part series profiling connections between Section 31's operations and the missions of James T. Kirk, Jean-Luc Picard, and the crews of Deep Space Nine and the USS ''Voyager''. These novels explicitly link Section 31 to Fleet Admiral Cartwright's actions in '' and Vice Admiral Matthew Dougherty's actions in ''. Section 31 is also heavily featured in the ''Star Trek: Enterprise'' novel ''The Good That Men Do'', in which Trip Tucker joins the organization after his supposed "death".

Known Section 31 Agents

★ Luther Sloan (played by William Sadler) - ''

★ Harris (Eric Pierpoint) - ''

★ Malcolm Reed (Dominic Keating) - ''

★ Novels only:

★
★ Charles Tucker III (''Star Trek: Enterprise''; novel ''The Good That Men Do'')

★
★ Admiral Cartwright (''Star Trek VI''; novel ''Section 31: Cloak'')

★
★ Admiral Dougherty (''Star Trek: Insurrection''; novel ''Section 31: Abyss'')

Appearances

;''Star Trek: Deep Space Nine''

★ "Inquisition"

★ "Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges"

★ "When It Rains..."

★ "Tacking Into the Wind"

★ "Extreme Measures"
;''Star Trek: Enterprise''
:Although produced later, these episodes come chronologically before the above Deep Space Nine episodes

★ "Affliction"

★ "Divergence"

★ "Terra Prime"

External links

★ Section 31 at The Star Trek Non-canon wiki