Green-skinned humanoids, the most notable of whom are the so-called "green Orion animal women," females who seem to be mere slaves but actually wield a preternatural influence over humanoid males of many species, and are therefore far more independent and powerful than appearances would indicate. Orions comprise the plurality of species that make up the criminally-bent Orion Syndicate, an organized crime cartel-cum-nation that stretches across the underbellies of many worlds on the fringes of Federation space and beyond. Because the Orion Syndicate prizes its political neutrality, particular vis-a-vis the Federation, Orions working on covert criminal missions — such as the spy who posed as an Andorian diplomatic aide named Thelev in 2267 to disrupt the Babel Conference — are expected to commit suicide rather than face capture and interrogation.

Orions were reported to have transported half the population of a village on Brinda V to work as slave labor in mining camps, another example of a spacefaring race — like Cardassians — who have relied on manual labor rather than technology for tasks considered menial.