What would have happened if the Vulcan High Command weren't stopped?

[Phenotype]

Hey, fellow Trekkies

So I've been re-watching ENT after a long time and have just finished the Syrranite arc - The Forge, Awakening and Kir'Shara - where we see the Vulcan High Command get dissolved (at least as we knew it in ENT, we see it in future iterations of Trek, though as a different institution) and replaced with the High Council.

What we learned about the VHC is that it has been around for a long time, possibly close to the Vulcan Time of Awakening 1,800 years prior. It was originally responsible for Vulcans exploration of space but eventually ended up as it's main governmental body, encompassing all or most of Vulcan society on and off world.

The Vulcan High Command became increasingly militaristic and made efforts to exert soft aswell as hard power towards civilizations within space local to Vulcan. According to the Syyranites, this is due to the High Commands' (mis)interpretation of Suraks teachings - particularly his stance on pacifism (and telepathy) - which they zealously enforced as 'official'.

Before I go on forever, because I will, it's my biggest weakness on the board. I'm kind of a blowhard

What would have happened if Administrator V'Las had succeeded in wiping out the Syyranites, the Kir'shara and Suraks Katra (which happened to be in Earths beloved Captain Archer) and went forward with his plan to invade Andoria? We get the impression that the war between Vulcan and Andoria alone would have been mutually devastating and will likely have drawn in other belligerents, such as the Tellarites, Earth, the Romulans and who knows who else and on what side.

At the end of "Kir'shara" we see that Administrator V'Las had a hidden agenda of Vulcan/Romulan reunification. Maybe the Romulans would come to Vulcans aid in its darkest hour or just outright conquer a weakened Vulcan? How would this play out with the Andorians etc? Would they accept it or fight the Romulans? Would this attract the attention of the Klingons leading to the Alpha Quadrant being carved up by two big, malevolent empires instead of the Coalition/Federation? Would the two empires clash? Or would the Coalition/Federation still find a way, possibly in a different form?

 

[FederationHistorian]

Although it is intended to be a conflict between Vulcans and Andorians, it would likely pull in several worlds, resulting in a much bigger conflict spanning dozens of sectors. In the immediate conflict, I can already imagine who would be the major belligerents in a larger interstellar war, and who would take side with whom based on the astropolitical situation in 2154.

Vulcan High Command

Vulcans: holds influence over Coridan and Agaron, and non-antagonistic relations with the Klingon Empire.

Tellarites: weren’t big fans of the Andorians, much like the Vulcans.

Coridan: a Vulcan backed government, and therefore, would be opposed to the Andorians by default.

Antarans: we aren’t sure how much progress has been made in Antaran-Denobulan relations ever since “The Breach”, since the bad blood between the two had lingered for 300 years, and I imagine it would take time for Phlox’s Antaran patient to change hearts and minds of millions on his homeworld. But if the Denoboulans side with the Andorians, then it would make sense for the Antarans – those that still harbour ill sentiment towards Denobulans – to side with the Vulcans in response.

Andorian Empire

Andorian Imperial Guard: always ready for conflict.

United Earth: due to the friendship of Shran and Archer, and longstanding issues with Vulcan oversight, would side against the Vulcans. Although United Earth would lose the protection of Vulcan and would either become reliant on Andorians protecting them, or start militarizing heavily (that latter of which Romulans could spin as propaganda). But it would also allow Earth to start innovating unrestrained in the absence of Vulcan influence.

Coridan: Coridanite rebels would be opposed to the Vulcan backed Coridan government, and therefore support the Andorians by default.

Denobulans: we never see Denobulans interact with Vulcans at large, only with United Earth. But, with Phlox’s loyalty to Archer, and Enterprise rescuing that Denobulan pilot during the Augments arc, and the friendly demeaner Denobulans pose towards humans in general, there is no reason to think Denobula would not support United Earth once they sided with the Andorians. But this alliance could bring the Antarans into the conflict.


Auxiliary belligerents

Tandarans: while they likely would not be active participant, they would possibly be a silent partner if the Suliban Cabal took either side, and see it as an excuse to persecute more Suliban.

Klingons: relations with Earth range from not-so-great to dismal, while Klingon-Vulcan relations is non-antagonistic at worst and quiet respect at best.

The Xindi: while the Reptilians are a wildcard, the rest of the Xindi would likely ally with the Andorians and United Earth if the conflict ever spilled into their territory, since Archer – with an assist from Shran – saved the Delphic Expanse from the Sphere Builders.

Romulans: depends on how active they get in the conflict behind the scenes; either through espionage/sabotage, or activities similar to the drone attacks to further destabilise the quadrant. There is no reason for any Romulan to reveal themselves during the conflict; they would likely play the long game, infiltrating and eventually co-opting Vulcan and its influence, with no one knowing the difference.


The Syrrannites and Enterprise are literally heroes for preventing a larger conflict, and for preventing Vulcan and the planets they held sway over from falling under Romulan influence.

 

[Nerys Myk]

I for one welcome our new Romulan overlords.