Section 31

Section 31 is the code name of an officially nonexistent and uncondoned rogue agency within Starfleet Intelligence that claimed to operate toward the security of the United Federation of Planets.

Little information is available about the activities of the organization; one of its operatives has claimed that Section 31 deals with threats to the Federation that others do not even realize exist. The group's historical precedent derives from the 22nd century, when an ancestral organization within the Earth Starfleet acted covertly in the interests of United Earth. 

Section 31's actions are autonomous and neither controlled nor acknowledged by Starfleet Command or the Federation government. 

In the early 23rd century, Section 31 discovered and manipulated to conceal Daniel's true nature of being a Changeling, in favour of gaining Daniel as an ally. They ensured Daniel was recognized, and registered as a human/Vulcan hybrid. ("The Links' Traitor, "Spider Agencies, Part II")

In 2286, when Earth was threatened by the Whale probe, Section 31 took a cloaked ship near it and aquired several components from the probe. They then anonymously sent information on what they knew of the components to Starfleet Intelligence, in hopes that Starfleet Intelligence could adapt it to engine technology. When Starfleet Intelligence was successful, Section 31 intercepted them and stole all their work. ("Forbidden Crossing, Part I")



Not long after, a new research group within Starfleet Science and Technology began what was known as the X-Project. This was also a transwarp project, but was led by ex-Starfleet Corps of Engineers and their revolutionary ideas. Behind the scenes, Section 31 was responsible for starting the project and for giving them Starfleet Intelligence's stolen research. ("The Links' Traitor", "Forbidden Crossing, Parts I & II")

80 years later, the project would come into fruition and failure through the USS Phoenix-X (NCC-75948). With the failure of the drive, the Phoenix-X was launched as a normal vessel. Although, through Section 31, and with the new crew of the ship, the drive was found to really not be a failure - and the assigned crew, including Daniel (through the vulnerability presented from the public revelation that he was a Changeling), were coerced into working for the agency. The crew would be called upon when needed. ("The Tiloniam System", "The Tilonian System")

During the Phoenix-X`s run, Section 31 warranted the inclusion of several illegal and advanced technologies aboard the ship - including Berlinghoff Rasmussen's Temporal drive, Voyager`s Transphasic torpedoes, and the Pegasus` Interphase cloaking device. ("Temporal Doom! Part I", "Transphasic Meltdown", "These Aren't the Voyages...")

In 2384, additional technical components became available to the Phoenix-X`s transwarp drive. These components, from the Whale probe itself, allowed a faster kind of transwarp for the Phoenix-X. Thus, Section 31 put plans into motion where the Phoenix-X would visit the Andromeda Galaxy and make first contact with native species there. Admiral Theseus, a Section 31 operative, took part in the mission due to the true nature of Section 31's intentions - which were to gain the Kelvans as personal allies. Unfortunately, this was not successful, and instead of returning home with allies, Theseus aquired Omega molecules, safely suspended within a chamber, inside of an Andromedan android body. ("Forbidden Crossing, Parts I, II, III")

In an alternate timeline, in 2400, Section 31 had taken over Starfleet and the Federation as the major power behind the scenes, causing several factions and rebellions to rise against them. ("Secret Shuttles, Part IV")

Adventures of STAG
As of 2502 Section 31 was absorbed into a sub-agency of STAG called Galactic Special Ops which included the Tal Shiar, Obsidian Order and Klingon Military Intelligence.

Dimensional Prophecy of Zohar
A precursor organization of Section 31 was responsible for the public release of the MJ-12 Papers. They did it to weaken Majestic 12. Section 31 had many secret facilities in Kyoto.

🇸🇹
In 2383, Agent Tolleson told Rodney Brickenhouser that President Korvin Mot should be replaced by vice president Kaenar Korban to ensure a Federation victory in the Coalition War. After Brickenhouser questioned whether or not Section 31 had that reach, Tolleson asserted that the agency had manipulated Jonathan Archer into ensuring the agency's placement within the Federation Charter. Tolleson then went on to suggest that the 2380 election of Korvin Mot had also been ensured by the agency, and the long range sensor readings from Minark that prompted Starfleet into sending an expedition force were also part of the agency's recent activities. ("The Forgotten Planet")

Known agents

 * Julian Bashir
 * Rodney Brickenhouser (🇸🇹)
 * Admiral Cartwright
 * Vice Admiral Matthew Dougherty
 * Elena
 * Harris
 * Korg (Star Trek: The Section 31 Files, Star Trek: Hidden Frontier)
 * Nelkast
 * Rave
 * Malcolm Reed
 * Morgan
 * Vice Admiral William Ross
 * Luther Sloan
 * Swine (Star Trek: Reloaded)
 * Thine (Star Trek: Reloaded)
 * Tolleson (🇸🇹)
 * Wallace

Background information

 * Section 31 was never originally part of 's beginning concept. The organization wasn't incoporated into the story and backstory until the second season. They were first mentioned by Theseus in "Jumpers, Part I". Mission-givers Elena and Nelkast started out as Theseus' assistants in the season three episode "Possible Regret" and didn't start giving missions until the episode "Departments".