Section 31
| Universe | Star Trek universe |
|---|---|
| Type | Intelligence agency |
| Founded | Established in Starfleet charter |
| Location | unknown |
| Key people | Agent Harris (2150s) Agent Luther Sloan (2370s) |
| Purpose | Defend the United Federation of Planets by any means necessary |
| Technologies | Classified, United Federation of Planets' technologies |
| Affiliations | United Earth (superseded) United Federation of Planets |
In the science fiction franchise Star Trek, Section 31 is an autonomous intelligence and defense organization. It is presented as a special security operation, manned by Federation citizens, that is not subject to the normal constraints of Starfleet ethical protocols. The organization is introduced to canon in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, with appearances or mentions across nine episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Enterprise as well as the 2013 movie Star Trek Into Darkness.
In the Star Trek storylines, Section 31 exists outside Starfleet Intelligence's influence and deals with threats to Earth's and, later, the Federation's security. Its operating authority stems from a provision of the original Federation charter—Article 14, Section 31, from which its name is derived—that makes allowances for "bending the rules" during times of extraordinary threats.
Unlike other secret police organizations in the Star Trek universe, such as the Romulan Tal Shiar and the Cardassian Obsidian Order, Section 31 is not an actual branch of government. Accountable to no one, Section 31 focuses on external threats, and pursues those it identifies by whatever means it sees fit.
Little of Section 31's history has been revealed on-screen. Most references to the organization appear in episodes of Deep Space Nine, although Section 31 also appears in Star Trek: Enterprise. Several works of Star Trek spin-off fiction expand 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 Admiral Lance Cartwright's actions in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country and Admiral Matthew Dougherty's actions in Star Trek: Insurrection. 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". The framing story of the novel, set in the 25th century, establishes that Section 31 may have ceased to exist, although it does not provide details. It has also been linked to the events in the Star Trek:The Next Generation episode The Pegasus
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