5 concepts that should be used for Second Contact protocols in Star Trek

Starfleet would be wise to adopt these five principals for Second Contact going forward.

1996 Patrick Stewart stars in the new movie "Star Trek: First Contact".
1996 Patrick Stewart stars in the new movie "Star Trek: First Contact". | Getty Images/GettyImages
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Agreements & Treaties

As politically and culturally delicate as FC missions can be, the needs of the home world can be just as nuanced and intricate as in SC missions. For the assurance of a continued allegiance of the home world and the UFP, an SC summit on Agreements & Treaties would be a priority to finalize a new planetary coalition. Agreements and treaties with other federation member planets would be reviewed, as well as nonmember planets and species. For example, member planets (before the late 24th Century) would have agreed and understood as a federation planet traveling into the demilitarized zone (Romulan Neutral Zone), established by the UFP and Romulan Star Empire would have been considered an act of war by either entering party of the demilitarized zone.

Additionally, agreements to allow home-world cadets to enter Starfleet Academy could be discussed as part of an interplanetary exchange of goodwill and knowledge. Also, an SC summit on agreements and treaties could be leveraged to confirm and solidify a commitment from the home planet to serve and defend the federation.

Given the Star Trek canon on FC spans federation lore across a vast medium in film, television, and novels, - it's clear the franchise should explore SC as part of a larger foundation of the Starfleet canon. Moving forward, the aforementioned SC framework is just that - a possible collection of SC protocols that could be formalized and/or fully expanded in a future movie, series, or novel. However, whether any future Starfleet storylines fully embrace formal SC protocols, in any manner - it's certainly a worthwhile topic of discussion, speculation, and anticipation.