Velorum Sector
The Velorum Sector is a region that once fell within the territory of the Romulan Star Empire. It is a heavily industrialised area, particularly rich in minerals, and its mining operations were long a key part of the backbone of the Romulan Star Navy. In mid-2400, upon the collapse of the Romulan Star Empire, a workers’ uprising in Velorum ejected the imperial overseers and seized control in a bid for independence and self-determination.
History
The only mining industry of the Old Romulan Star Empire older than Velorum was the mines of Remus. Early into Romulan expansion, the wealth of Velorum was found and would go on to fuel the empire. Vast numbers of Reman labourers were sent to the new mines, overseen by Romulan supervisors. Most of life in the sector revolved around this industry, from Reman labourers in the mines to Romulan skilled metallurgists, supervisors, governors, and their families.
Defensive infrastructure and a smattering of Star Navy garrisons were established over the centuries, particularly as hostilities arose with first the United Earth Commonwealth and later the Klingon Empire. Many of these military holdings endured through the Dominion War, giving the navy both a logistical and a cultural foothold, with many military families settling and living in the sector.
The Romulan supernova did not particularly disrupt the way of life on Velorum. Of the few Reman workers evacuated, the majority were sent to labour in Velorum’s industries, and the sector otherwise fell under the authority of the Romulan Senate of Rator. As with much of the successor empire, a large degree of resources and support were withdrawn as Rator’s authority was stretched thinly across its holding. Pockets of imperial loyalism or military garrisons remained, but more systems were left with relatively-autonomous Romulan overseers.
Independence
In mid-2400, the Star Navy launched a coup against the Senate of Rator. The ensuing chaos led to a civil war heralding the collapse of the Star Empire, with many worlds declaring independence or throwing their lot in with the Romulan Free State or Romulan Republic. Velorum saw workers’ rebellion on many worlds, including Psi Velorum III, where a miners’ uprising led by the Reman Resak assumed control of the sector’s capital world.
With other worlds inspired to follow suit, the labourers of Velorum, assuming control across the sector and led by Resak, declared independence from the Star Empire. With the Star Navy keen to bring them back under control, and the sector vulnerable from interference by the Free State, the Klingon Empire, or raiding pirates and warlords, Resak turned to the Federation for help. Starfleet dispatched the Fourth Fleet to aid the sector in establishing its independence.
Geography
The Velorum Sector is rich in systems, worlds, asteroid belts, moons, and other stellar bodies rich in minerals. Many of these have been tapped for mining industry, with varying extents of settlements and livelihoods springing up around that. Some systems boast extensive refineries, some simply mine raw minerals, and several have large civilian populations of the families and support systems for these industries. The sector is particularly densely-packed with stars, a tight-knit and resource-rich cluster.
The Psi Velorum system is considered the heart of the sector. Its capital buildings and infrastructure have stood on Psi Velorum III for centuries, and it was here that the uprising led by Resak seized control, overthrowing the Romulan leadership and pronouncing the establishment of a provisional government to lead the rest of the sector to freedom.