MM>> True, but indications have been given.  Federation membership is well
 MM>> over 100 worlds now.  Within the space explored by the Federation, 
here
 MM>> are certainly hundreds and more likely thousands of sentient species.
 MM>> That space is a relatively small part of the galaxy.
 JPH>         I've heard various estimates.  Some as high as five hundred
 JPH>   worlds, others set that number at about 150, chosen because it 
elects
 JPH>   the  current number of memeber nations in the UN.
Did not Picard use the figure of around 150 member worlds in First Contact?
 JPH>         In my RPG scenarios, the Federation is smaller because I stick
 JPH>   to the 1 or 3 light years per day speed of the starships.  That means
 JPH>   a useful distance at about 100 lightyears and a potential globe about
 JPH>   600 light years across.
Hum.  According to the TNG:TM, isn't the maximum flat our flank speed of
Starfleet ships around 2000 times th speed of light?  That would equate
to traveling three light years in around 13 hours.  Many ships couldn't
travel quite so fast, so your speed rule of thumb doesn't seem so far
off.
 MM>> As to speed, we know that some Starfleet people assimilated in the
 MM>> Battle of Wolf 359 have been in the Delta Quadrant for some time now.
 MM>> That means speeds far in excess of what Starfleet can manage.
 JPH>         AAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHHH.  Sometimes I hate what Voyager does to the
 JPH>   continuity.
They don't think they should have to conform to previous continuity.
Maybe the series finale will show Janeway exiting a shower, getting
ready to leave for the Badlands to look for that Maquis ship.  And her
dog waking up from a dream.  :-)
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