This is really vague. I can't remember if it was in live-action or fiction, but there was a line along the lines of if our heroes were going to be kicked out of Starfleet as a result of the actions they were about to undertake, they could always sign up with the ________ fleet/alliance/etc. Spark any memories?
Well, in The Search For Spock, after they'd stolen the Enterprise, Kirk did say he intended to recommend his crew for promotion/commendation no matter which fleet they ended up serving in (or something along those lines)? He just didn't specify any fleet.
^ I may be conflating the two, unless there's another reference in one of the books. I kept getting distracted remembering the Mathenite government, who offered sanctuary to Tekeny Ghemor in "Second Skin," as well. I guess I'm thinking about other players out there we haven't seen. Ghemor didn't defect to the Federation; he would be protected from Cardassia by the Mathenites? Worf would leave Starfleet, not for the Klingon Defense Forces or to become an Orion Pirate, but for the what Alliance? I've aways found these other aliens interesting -- the ones without the huge military fleets. Yridian information traders, Ferengi businessmen, Nausicaan and Corvallen mercenaries, Chalnoth anarchists, Xepolite traders, the Orion Syndicate, Kressari 'botanical DNA' traders, etc
Nybarite I've aways found these other aliens interesting -- the ones without the huge military fleets. Yridian information traders, Ferengi businessmen, Nausicaan and Corvallen mercenaries, Chalnoth anarchists, Xepolite traders, the Orion Syndicate, Kressari 'botanical DNA' traders, etc[/QUOTE] I think the Ferengi actually have pretty good sized fleet.
I think they were kind of like the 24th century of the "French Foreign Legion". https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Foreign_Legion
^ Yeah, Worf said that the Nyberrites were always looking to hire experienced officers and probably didn't care much about where those officers came from.