Jacqui wrote:
A technology as advanced as the System's would probably be able to create spaceships smaller than 'Deep Space Vessels' which were capable of reaching Federation territory: they would want to know about potential threats, new technology etc.
They *should* want to know, but I believe the System is essentially sterile; it was set up for a specific purpose (to control the three planets) and the machines running it may be unable to form a new purpose. It would react to new threats, but not take the initiative in seeking them out. cf Sparta, whose ruling class were too obsessed by controlling their own subject population to have much interest in expansion; their military machine swung into action outside their territory only when convinced of an external threat, eg the Persian invasion (when they were very reluctant to get involved) or Athenian imperialism.