Talvath Cluster
The Talvath Cluster is a region of space in the Beta Quadrant, located at the spinward edge Federation space and the area of space dominated by the remnants of the Romulan Star Empire in the form of the Romulan Free State. As of 2401 it remains largely unexplored by both polities as neither have a suitable base from which to deploy exploratory missions. Given its proximity to the unexplored frontiers of the Beta and Delta Quadrants and recent renewed activity from The Artifact and Soong Type androids at Coppelius, Starfleet has begun deploying more assets into the region.
In 2401, Starfleet's nearest dry-dock capable base is located at Deep Space 17. The nearby research base, Overwatch Station, whilst lacking significant resupply facilities, acts as the final friendly face prior to exiting Federation space into the terra nullius of the Talvath Cluster.
Formation
The cluster is formed of several stellar nurseries and supernova remnants locked in gravimetric equilibrium. As a result the cluster features a large number of young stellar bodies and solar formations, including several breakaway systems beginning to form at the edge of the cluster. These smaller star systems, with young volatile stars, are beginning to upset the delicate gravity balance of the region and are drifting further from the core nebulae. The region also features an abnormally substantial number of binary and trinary star systems, possibly due to the significant variety of supernova remnants within the area. Starfleet Science has shown increased interest in the region as an acutely active area of stellar formation and has warned that the effects of such a high number of stellar bodies are unknown and may lead to a variety of unpredictable subspace phenomena.
History
Located on the distant edge of both Federation and Romulan space, neither party have been particularly invested in exploring the region prior to 2401. The region provides little in the way of easily accessible resources or strategic advantages and as such was largely ignored by the Romulan Star Empire prior to its collapse. The region's distance from the core of Federation space has made its exploration a secondary concern to the science council and resources were directed to what were considered more fruitful avenues.
In the early 2380s, following the return of USS Voyager to Federation space and a renewed exploratory directive following the Dominion War, a few deep space research missions were dispatched to the area with the primary goal of establishing the nature of the cluster. Whilst also exploring the possibility of incursions from the myriad of Delta Quadrant powers now known to exist; in particular the Borg, Starfleet Security also maintained an interest in the region as a possible flanking route against any resurgent Romulan threat.
Initial progress into the cluster was put on hold following the Romulan Supernova as the Federation initially retasked large portions of its assets in the region to provide humanitarian and diplomatic support to the struggling region. This investment into the Romulan states continued throughout the 2390s with a focus on establishing greater inroads with the Romulan successor states.
Following the events of Coppelius and the Federation's increased presence in this previously remote territory, the Talvath cluster has once again caught the interest of the Starfleet Science Council as a frontier for expansion and scientific exploration.
Key Locations
Overwatch Station
Located in orbit of the unpopulated New Java (Zeta Asteropes IIIA), the Jupiter-class station was commissioned in 2400 to provide deep space telescopic facilities for the Talvath Cluster. Despite ongoing tensions with the nearby Romulan territories, who believe the base to be a listening post, Overwatch Station has become a final port of call for vessels heading out into the cluster. A final reminder of the Federation's aims for peaceful exploration into this new frontier.
Ballith 6776
Following the events of Frontier Day, Starfleet's Fourth Fleet were deployed across Federation space to investigate the increasing number of Borg signals being detected. USS Daedalus was dispatched to this binary system on the edge of the cluster to investigate a signal, where they discovered a severely damaged Borg Sphere. Following their investigation they discovered the sphere, Exodus held survivors of Unimatrix Zero and Daedalus attempted to negotiate their passage to Federation space as refugees and as a strategic interest.