Starfleet General Order 7 was a directive that forbade contact with the planet Talos IV. It specifically stated, "No vessel under any condition, emergency or otherwise, is to visit Talos IV."

Contained in a file known as "Talos IV", General Order 7 was made part of Starfleet policy following the visit of the USS Enterprise to Talos IV in 2254. The rationale for the order was top secret, known only to Starfleet Command, and could only be revealed to subordinate officers upon a certified direct order issued by a flag officer. A file about the directive was also written and needed to be opened using a specific device.

In 2267, this was the only Starfleet regulation that carried the threat of capital punishment if broken, according to an illusion of José I. Mendez. (TOS: "The Menagerie, Part I"). It is never explicitly indicated why such punishment was reserved for breaking it other than the implication (proven by the existence of the illusionary Mendez) that the Talosians were capable of generating deception, even though they demonstrate their ability to broadcast illusions far beyond the Talos IV system.

Background information

• At some point after the first Enterprise visit, the USS Discovery made an unsanctioned return visit to the planet. Although disciplinary action was mentioned, no death penalty was implied suggesting that aspect, at least, had yet to be put into effect. (DIS: "If Memory Serves")
• In the final draft script of "The Menagerie", this directive was instead called General Order 4 and the line of text restricting viewership of the document applied to "Starfleet Staff" rather than "Starfleet Command". The directive is also mentioned under this name in TOS: "Turnabout Intruder".
• Though Kirk does not dispute "Mendez's" claims about it being the only capital crime left on the books, his being an illusion calls it into question.
• General Order 7 may have been rescinded by 2328, since in that year, Talos IV was the destination of several passengers traveling aboard commercial transport ships. (TNG: "Inheritance" display graphic)

External link

• General Order 7 at Memory Beta, the wiki for licensed Star Trek works