Cryptic Studios released another one of their ‘path to 2409’ updates, telling the story between Star Trek Nemesis and the setting for the MMO. They are now up to 2385 and we are now starting to more hints towards the coming conflict with the Klingons, and what appear to be tie-ins to the events of "Star Trek Countdown"
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The Path to 2409: 2385
[reposted from startrekonline.com]
Starfleet Command announces it has completed its re-evaluation of all of its post-Dominion War assets and resources and that it will be refocusing some ships that have been assigned to defense and diplomacy to exploration and scientific discovery.
Among the ships that will be assigned to new duties is the U.S.S. Enterprise-E. “The flagship of Starfleet is not a warship,” says Commander Marie Durant, a spokesperson for Starfleet Command. “The Enterprise and her crew are the pinnacle of Federation achievement. We need them out on the edge of explored space, making new contacts and reaching out in friendship to races across the Galaxy.”
The Enterprise’s final mission before returning to Earth for reassignment is to assist the population of Khitomer. On Stardate 62230.13, the Klingon Empire announces it is expelling all non-Klingon residents of the planet as a “safety measure.” It gives the residents 14 standard days to leave the planet, but Chancellor Martok agrees to extend the deadline after speaking to Captain Jean-Luc Picard. The Enterprise-E leads a contingent of ships to Khitomer, assists in the evacuation, and the former residents are safely settled on Federation colonies.
That mission becomes the legendary captain’s final one for Starfleet as well. After a personal request from the president of the Federation and a great deal of personal reflection, Captain Picard resigns his commission with Starfleet. After a three-month sabbatical in France, Picard takes his place as the Federation ambassador to Vulcan.
He is not the only senior staff member of the Enterprise to be moving on to other projects. Chief Medical Officer Beverly Crusher accepts the position of captain of the U.S.S. Pasteur, an Olympic-class ship. Her first task will be to assist efforts to rebuild hospitals and medical facilities on Cardassia Prime.
Chief Engineer Geordi La Forge requests a long-term leave of absence from Starfleet to work on personal projects, including a plan to build and test his own starship designs. But his first project is to assist the team at the Soong Foundation studying the Soong-type android B-4. With his help, on Stardate 62762.91 the team unlocks what it calls the “Data matrix,” successfully accessing the personality, knowledge and memories of Data, who had downloaded this information into B-4 before his destruction in the Battle of Bassen Rift.
The Data persona asserts itself over B-4’s more primitive programming, and the android is able to assist the Soong Foundation team to upgrade the positronic brain and recreate the emotion chip invented by Dr. Noonien Soong. The team is confident that their work will be completed in months.
And Worf, son of Mogh, also resigns his commission to Starfleet. Worf believes that with the recent strains in relations between the Federation and the Klingons, he will best be of service in a diplomatic role. He returns to Qo’noS to take up the post of lead ambassador, and a few months later begins a tentative relationship with Grilka, the leader of a Klingon noble house whom he had met while serving on Deep Space 9.
With much of the senior staff off ship and its role in flux, the Enterprise-E is assigned to the shipyards of Utopia Planitia for an extensive refit. The Starfleet Corps of Engineers reports that the refit will take at least a year to complete because they are going to use the ship as a testing ground for new technology. Among the new equipment will be the advanced sensor array first tested on Luna-class starships, which has been approved for retrofitting onto other classes of ships.
Elsewhere in Starfleet, after more than two years with no reports of Borg activity in Federation space, Starfleet Command has decided to dismantle its Borg task force and use those resources elsewhere. “We can’t keep waiting for something that may never happen,” says Durant. “And most of our analysts now agree that Voyager dealt them a bigger blow in the Delta Quadrant than we initially believed.”
One Federation expert on the Borg who does not agree with Starfleet Command’s decision is former task force leader Annika Hansen, formerly known as Seven of Nine. She leaves her role with Starfleet in protest of the decision and accepts an offer to continue her research at the Daystrom Institute. When pressed by the Federation News Service for comment, the former Borg said “The Borg will return. If the Federation is not prepared, it will be their end.”
In diplomatic news, Bajoran hardliners still calling for the prosecution of Cardassians for war crimes have expanded their demands to include the surrender of colony worlds granted to the Cardassians in the Federation-Cardassian Treaty of 2370. Both the Cardassians and the Federation Council support leaving the boundaries as drawn, however, and the movement is expected to have little effect.
In Romulan space, what began as a tumultuous year after the assassination of Praetor Tal’aura has settled down into what could be a long-term solution, and both Starfleet and the Klingon Empire have pulled back some ships from the borders of Romulan space.
In the weeks following Tal’aura’s death, her proconsul, Sela, stepped in to take the reins of control in the government. Granted temporary executive powers by the Senate as an emergency measure, Sela uses them to replace more than two dozen of Tal’aura’s “populist” senators with representatives of noble houses who had opposed Tal’aura’s rule. Among Sela’s appointees is the influential noble Chulan of the Line of Tellus.
The backing of the nobles gives Sela the clout she needs to run the government, but she does not have the support of the military or the Tal Shiar and her regime is generally expected to be short-lived.
Rehaek, the leader of the Tal Shiar, makes a rare public appearance to announce that he will personally lead the investigation into the assassination of Praetor Tal’aura. “There are certain things which may seem expedient but which honor abhors. We cannot allow this crime to go unanswered.”
And Empress Donatra of the Imperial Romulan Empire wins hearts among the people of Romulus by offering food shipments to non-military settlements.
Federation experts fear a three-way struggle for control of Romulus, but instead Donatra meets with Sela and Rehaek on Romulus to find a peaceful solution. The three begrudgingly agree to put their personal disputes aside for the good of the Empire, and the worlds of the Imperial Romulan State are folded back into the Romulan Star Empire. Donatra holds onto the reins of power of the military, and keeps much of her forces safely off-world in case the peace does not hold.
With the threat of civil war averted, the Senate opens debate on who to elect the new praetor. Sela, as Tal’aura’s proconsul, is one of the leading candidates, and she makes a play for the position. But rumors of her possible involvement in the plot to assassinate Tal’aura dog her campaign, and when Donatra declines Sela’s request for an endorsement Sela’s defeat is almost assured.
After an extensive debate, Senator Chulan is chosen to be the new praetor. He is a compromise candidate who is acceptable to, but not strongly supported by, any of the major powers. Federation analysts predict that without the backing of a coalition of factions, Chulan will be a weak leader.
Donatra, who most agree was the broker of this newfound peace, travels to Remus to meet General Xiomek of the Remans. She offers the Remans full citizenship in the empire and representation in the Romulan Senate in exchange for their support. While Sela opposes the plan, which she sees as rewarding the Remans for a violent uprising, Praetor Chulan will not go against Donatra’s military might.
The physical strength of the Remans, as well as their supplies of dilithium and heavy metals, adds to Donatra’s formidable military strength, and she re-opens shipyards and munitions plants closed since Shinzon’s revolt. And as resources flow back to Romulus from Remus and the worlds Donatra controlled, energy rationing and food lines become a thing of the past.
The Romulan Senate is reluctant to deal with the Remans but is swayed by popular support for Donatra, and it reluctantly allows Xiomek to take a seat in the Senate and extends citizenship to the Remans. In common practice, however, most Romulans continue to treat Remans as second-class citizens, and the Remans have been reluctant to openly move to Romulan settlements.
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Cryptic Meet and Greet at Wondercon – TrekMovie will be there
This evening Cryptic is holding a ‘meet and greet’ event at Wondercon. The event goes from 3:00 to 5:00 at Jillian’s in the Metreon. The first 50 get a free 8×10 print from STO. More info at the official site.
TrekMovie will be at the event and will be interviewing Star Trek Online executive producer Craig Zinkievich (that will be posted in the next week).
More STO
For more on STO, see our special Star Trek Online category for our most recent articles and also visit the official startrekonline.com site.
I’m looking forward to this game! Make it so! First?
Very interesting.
This sounds like Cryptic has done some intriguing world-building. I may have to check this out, and I don’t even like MMORPGs…
Wow, what a complex plot; much like real life might hold for such a future. “All Good Things…” was only a hint. Certainly, Picard & Co. wouldn’t stay in the same position forever, and this shows a path that is at least easy to follow, toward the events leading up to the pre-ST XI comic book storyline. Hmm…. It’s actually beginning to make sense, including – if feasible – how B4’s “personality” becomes like the new version of Mr. Data.
You see? All it takes is imagination to make the dots follow a logical pattern. And that term, “logical,” is used on purpose: leading to what Spock’s part in all of this may turn out to be, as we well see in the events of what we will come to know as Star Trek 11.
Very cool narrative for the game. I like how the politics of the galaxy has unfolded since TNG, DS9, and Voyager, especially seeing Sela active again (would have been cool if Nemesis was about her rather than the new character they introduced who didn’t have any history from the show).
I like the way the novelverse went much better. A new fresh enemy, good riddance to the Borg and a much more issues within the Federation. This looks so much like the “alternate” version we’ve seen in “All good things…” .
At least it’s more structured and makes more sense than the Countdown story, for which they’ll need a miracle to salvage it in the last two issues.
Scratch the “a” up there. Still wishing for an edit button.
It could be better honestly, I dont like how theyre setting up the Klingons to be the enemy again, but I guess for a game they have to have two factions for PVP and such, and I think most would rather play as Klingons than Romulans. I just hope they dont make this official cannon in case they decide to make another Star Trek for TV, and hopefully if they do they’d actually move past where Nemesis left off. I’ll end up checking the game out, mostly because I dont play WoW any more and Im enough of a Trekkie that I have to give it a shot. I just hope the game play’s solid, though. But yeah, this is still more solid of a story than it seems they’ve set for the new movie, I’ll give it that.
I like! That would make an very interesting movie… would have loved to have seen this as a send off of TNG crew.
Sounding good, I like how they’re starting to incorporate elements from the TNG finale ‘all good things’ and the ‘Countdown’ comics. I think the ‘Canonites’ might have their say soon enough though. Especially when at the end of ‘All good things’ it mentions that Picard explains to the crew what he saw in his vision of the future. It’ll be interesting to see how the story continues.
As for the game itself, i still can’t wait! :D
Can’t wait for this, hope it’s good. :)
Wow!! It’s really nice to see someone officially continuing the future in the Star Trek universe. Sure it’s going to be a game but it sounds like they are really putting their hearts and minds into it. I hope it really takes off for them.
It sounds like I might be playing my first MMORPG.
I never understood why, by the third TNG movie, everyone was still happily aboard the Enterprise. Especially after the shake up of the Ent-D being destroyed in the first movie.
For instance: The first TOS movie had everyone promoted. Bones was nowhere to be seen, Rand had changed duties entirely, and a new captain was aboard the Enterprise with Spock out of Starfleet temporarily.
The second movie had them on a routine training mission. It was assumed they were all working for the Academy with the Ent-A as a temp training ship. No “explore new worlds” there, at least for a time.
The third movie had them almost completely scattered. Uhura at transporter control, Spock was dead, Kirk was still an admiral, etc.
Argue semantics, but the point is they had all moved on with their lives and the Enterprise was the thing that kept bringing them back together. We had a wonderful opportunity to see the crew grow, in TNG we could have seen Riker with the Titan by First Contact of Insurrection, (first contact being their last voyage together) but they all stayed exactly the same, with Worf always showing up SOMEHOW and manning tactical!
Nemesis even had Worf stripped of his ambassadorship and back in starfleet ship service at tactical with no explanation.
So point being, it’s great that the crew finally moved on to their respective lives (as happens in the modern military) to other duties, other posts, other opportunities. All Good Things gave a hint of that, and it was a good idea to play some of it out for the game to give players a feeling of closure and ‘real life’, as in they wouldnt be serving on that ship forever (Even the Enterprise-A was decommissioned at the end of Star Trek VI)
Very interesting!
I’ve really liked reading this new future history from Cryptic. It is really well done. I especially like the “All Good Things…” references.
“The Borg will return. If the Federation is not prepared, it will be their end.”
Hmmn… how does this gel with Anika and the borg in the third book of Destiny?
Hardline Bajorans have been known to do reckless things, so while it doesn’t say it, you can pretty much assume Commander Kira, Bashir, Dax, and the rest of the crew on DS9 aren’t having it “too easy” on themselves. God knows the radical things the Bajorans do to make statements. And you’d wonder about the soul-searching Native American tribes in the DMZ, Chakotay’s people, who even the Traveler believed had strong spiritual abilities – would they start worshipping the prophets the same way the Bajorans do, and eventually run into Sisko somehow?
Crusher on the Olympus for the re-building of Cardassia is awesome, and actually seeing her, Garak, and possibly Bashir too, in an episode, interacting would be awesome. Garak would be the guy to point out the differences between the two Trek doctors – all while trying to be the leader of the “new” but very shabby Cardassia.
I like the logical progression ST:O has been using. Although I think setting up the Romulans as sympathetic villains works, I think the Klingons will always be wild enough that you can use them for a faction, but continuity-wise, Martok’s not the guy who’s going to lead them away from Federation alliance.
Especially since it’s not like in all of TOS, TNG, and DS9 there haven’t been other factions of mysterious aliens, who we have zero clue about the strength of.
The Breen are still out there … the Gorn’s power has never been accurately explained. The Tholians don’t have the largest empire, but have impenetrable defenses and ridiculous technology. Plus you can always shoe-horn something in like Andoria seceding from the Federation because of traditions being lost and their warrior honor unsatisfied.
Sounds like it would be a good movie unto itself! Looking forward to see how the game plays!
Sounds like a convoluted and overly complicated load of fanwank.
This kind of fake “realism” through impenetrable backstory is what killed comics. It (and comics) are now totally inaccessible to a mainstrem audience that simply wants to be entertained.
If people put as much effort into learning economics or history as they put into this stuff, the world would be much better off.
I thought it was the obligation of storytellers to actually tell stories clearly, not the audiences obligation to study homework before the story made sense.
#18
its entertainment, only entertainment, not to be taken seriously?
calm down dear
My point is that it’s NOT entertainment at all. It’s pseudo-history disguised as entertainment.
There is no drama, no storytelling. It’s just an outline of a series of fake events.
Again, this means a lot because I love comics, and this kind of fan-oriented stuff, instead of constructing actual classic dramatic structure, is what killed them.
The same will happen to Trek if it descends into this minutiae about the politics of every race in the universe. Trek should be simple and accessible. Everyone keep thinking “Wagon Train to the Stars”… simple concept, a small band of core stars travelling and meeting new people, surrounded by a large group of bit players who take the stage from time to time.
“My point is that it’s NOT entertainment at all. It’s pseudo-history disguised as entertainment.
There is no drama, no storytelling. It’s just an outline of a series of fake events. ”
Isn’t all fictional stories a series of ‘fake events’. thats what makes fiction, fiction?
the star trek universe is a fictional universe, as is the comic book universe and all the like.
The creators of this game dont have the time to write novels upon novels of star trek history or lore. They are merely creating a fictional timeline filled with events which have occured.
Odkin. STO is set in a certain time with different circumstances. I would much rather them have these “Path to 2409” guides than be landed with a story that had absolutely no link back to what we have seen before.
These path to 2409 guides are not supposed to be for entertainment, but to ease the confusion when STO launches.
Boy, this is SOOO MEH
Odkin:
The reality is that none of the information about the characters will have any bearing on the MMORPG at all. Even if you have a mission or quest to ferry Ambassador Picard to Vulcan, it really doesn’t matter why. What matters is that he gets there, and you get points for completing the mission.
#15
It doesn’t. This timeline has nothing to do with the novels.
NO SHIP INTERIORS IN STO!!!!!!!
MEANS NO BUY FROM ME!!
MEH!
#15
This update, along with the last two Star Trek Online story updates, directly contradict the timeline established in The Destiny Trilogy, A Singular Destiny, as well as well as several other relaunch novels. At this point, I suppose it is a matter of personal opinion, but I consider the relaunch books as “canon”.
Maybe this is nitpicky, but why does the Federation need an Ambassador to Vulcan? If I understand correctly wouldn’t that be like the United States sending an ambassador to Texas?
#28
Not quite. The United States are also part of larger organisations including NATO. Their allies in these organisations would presumably entail a certain amount of diplomatic ties, including an embassy.
The novels do a much much better job with all of this. This reads like fan fiction. Sorry, I want to really like it and am anticipating playing the game regardless, but the plot is really thin and contrived compared to what the Pocket authors have done with things.
I’ll be chalking this up to another of the myriad universes I think. *sigh*
@29
Yes, but NATO is a treaty organization, not a system of governance for all those involved. I can see the federation needing ambassadors to Cardassia and the like, but Vulcan is a member “state” of the Federation. Vulcan has already agreed to be bound by all the laws and regulations set forth by the Federation, just like a state.
Sorry for being argumentative, but it just doesn’t make sense to me.
@28
I don’t think you can really consider the relationship between the UFP and Vulcan to be the same as between the USA and Texas. Texas is a “member state” of the USA, true, but the USA’s system of government makes it quite clear that the state government of Texas (or any other state) is subservient to the central government in Washington.
Vulcan, on the other hand, is a sovreign planet within the UFP. The various Star Trek series never really get too detailed as to the inner workings of the Federation Government, just a few glimpses, but I doubt the Federation has the authority to dictate to Vulcan in the same way that the US Government can dictate to a state. It’s probably somewhat closer to consider the UFP as like the UN, which is composed of sovereign nations.
Another thing – I would imagine that, if Vulcan decided to leave the UFP for whatever reason, they would more than likely be regretfully allowed to leave peaceably. The issue of whether a state can leave the USA has already been resolved some years back.
Why didnt they just follow the novel continuity? thats much more interesting, with Janeway as a Borg Queen etc. This new version is pretty boring.
#18 & 20, Odkin–I couldn’t have said it better. I miss the days when stories about the Klingons were really about the Russians, and stories about the Cherons were really about race relations in the U.S. I haven’t even bothered reading a Trek novel in years because they all read like fan fiction.
Seriously, this “Destiny” trilogy that just happens to unite Picard’s Enterprise, Riker’s Titan and another ship commanded by “Captain” Ezri Dax? Seriously, Ezri? The counselor? Or, prior to that, the “Double Helix” mess, or any number of crossover-based stories. What I *haven’t* heard of in ages is a “Star Trek” story that actually tells a meaningful story. And, no, making Janeway a Borg Queen doesn’t count as meaningful.
Not only do I want to know why none of the writers can pull their attention away from franchise-based minutiae, but why the fans have settled for such “storytelling.” We’re supposed to be Trekkies/Trekkers, the group of fans that wrote the first fan letters to TV show writers! We’re not supposed to be contented by 300 page fan fiction crossing over characters and name-checking minutiae; we’re supposed to demand thought-provoking allegories to our own murky world. And I defy anyone to argue that the world of 2009 isn’t at *least* as messed up as was the world of 1966-1969 when the original series was produced.