The Burn

A cataclysmic galaxy-wide event referred to as "The Burn" occurs. Nearly all dilithium in the galaxy suddenly went inert, causing a massive loss of life and the destruction of every ship and facility with an active warp core. In the aftermath, the remaining dilithium became an ever more scarce resource. With few ships and warp travel severely impeded, no explanation for what happened and the uncertainty if it will happen again, the United Federation of Planets, Starfleet Command, The United Earth, effectively collapses.