A faction, cabal, splinter group or schism was a subgroup of people who had a shared belief, either political or religious, that left a previously existing organization to form a new group.
In 1944, Vosk referred to the temporal agents that sent Jonathan Archer there as "a tyrannical sect imposing their will on countless cultures throughout history". (ENT: "Storm Front, Part II")
One Klingon sect believed the Klingon Empire had lost its way, and went out to search for the kuvah'magh. (VOY: "Prophecy")
According to Admiral Kennelly in 2368, a new militant splinter group of the Bajoran Resistance led by Orta had formed in the Bajoran refugee camps which was willing to even attack Federation targets in order to get its attention. However, this information was later revealed to be false and part of a Cardassian plot. (TNG: "Ensign Ro")
After the end of the Occupation of Bajor in 2369, splinter groups of the resistance like the Kohn-Ma continued to fight the Cardassians. Kira Nerys was in favor of repatriating those splinter groups to build a strong and independent Bajoran society. (DS9: "Past Prologue")
The Kazon were organized into a constantly changing number of sects. At one point in 2371, there were eighteen Kazon sects. (VOY: "Initiations")
Mobar claimed to be part of a religious sect that masked their life signs to protect their privacy. In reality, he was a con artist. (VOY: "Live Fast and Prosper")
List of factions
- The Circle
- Clanton gang
- Earp gang
- Eastern Coalition
- Eymorg
- Higa Metar
- Kohn-Ma
- Morg
- Navot
- Paqu
- Rekag
- Seronian
- Suliban Cabal
- Syrranite
- Turkana IV Alliance