STO Update: Another ‘Path to 2409’ Entry Ties Into ‘Countdown’ + Screenshots + More

This week brings a lot of news about Star Trek Online. Cryptic has released another one of their ‘path to 2409′ updates, which links into the recent Countdown comic series. There are also four new screenshots (three space, one land) and we have links to a number of new interviews with Cryptic’s Executive Producer Craig Zinkievich, and more.

Path to 2409: 2386
In the latest entry for Star Trek’s post Nemesis history, we can now see how Crytpic are trying to tie into the Star Trek Countdown Comic series

[reposted from startrekonline.com]

The new openness on Romulus has made it much easier for the Federation to get news about what is happening on that world, but not all of it is favorable for the long-term stability of the region.

Ambassador Spock reports that the Romulan Mining Guild has finished a multi-year study of Remus and has presented its findings to the Romulan Senate. The guild reports that the planet has been seriously overmined, and recommends that to avoid a Praxis situation that the Reman operations should be shut down and mining operations should be moved to more distant areas of space. The guild spreads their operations across the Empire, settling hundreds of miners and their families on space stations and colonies light years away from Romulus.

The guild further recommends that it be put in charge of all off-world mining, but Colonel Xiomek uses his new position in the Senate to block that request. The conflict between the guild and the Remans sparks a number of skirmishes between guild ships and Remans in distant areas of the Empire.

Xiomek speaks to the Senate after the mining guild presents its report and argues that if the Remans are to be moved off of Remus, that they should be given a continent on Romulus for their new home, a request that is overwhelmingly rejected by the full Senate.

With the backing of Donatra, Rehaek and Praetor Chulan, an alternative plan is reached. The Remans are instead offered the planet of Crateris, in the distant Gamma Crateris system. The site of a failed Romulan colony, the planet has a harsh climate and is beset by almost constant electrical storms but is rich in dilithium, decalithium and heavy metals. Xiomek agrees, because even the harsh climate of Crateris is a significant improvement over Remus. Thousands of Remans board colony ships and make the move to their new home.

On Stardate 63322.55, Rehaek sends a statement to the praetor and the leaders of the Romulan Senate with the conclusions of his investigation into the assassination of Praetor Tal’aura. Rehaek rules that that Tal’aura was killed by agents loyal to a coalition of noble houses angered by her reformation of the Senate. Both Donatra and Sela request to see the evidence that backs up his claims, but Rehaek refuses to divulge his complete findings.

In retaliation for the death of Tal’aura, the Tal Shiar begins a campaign of assaults on the noble houses, arresting dozens of nobles and seizing their assets. Sela pushes back against the persecution of some of her major supporters, and sways the Senate to drastically cut funding to the Tal Shiar. In a speech before the Senate, Sela accuses elements inside the Tal Shiar of knowing about the plot to assassinate Tal’aura but doing nothing to stop it. “Does standing silent make them as culpable as the killers?” Sela asks. “In abandoning their sworn duty to protect the praetor, as a symbol of Romulus itself, they are no better than those who wielded the knives that killed her.”

Donatra refuses to take sides in the conflict between Sela and Rehaek, instead encouraging the praetor to handle the situation. Praetor Chulan appoints a Senate committee to formally investigate the matter, but the committee takes little action.

On Stardate 63446.41, an explosion destroys Rehaek’s home on the outskirts of Ki Baratan. Observers report several visitors to the estate in the hours before the blast, any of whom could have planted the explosives. The remains of Rehaek’s wife and young daughter and several servants are found in the wreckage, but Rehaek is missing. Investigators theorize that the blast was intense enough to have vaporized anyone close to the point of detonation.

Two hours after the explosion, Tal Shiar forces storm Sela’s townhouse in Ki Baratan and take her and her personal guard into custody for the murder of Rehaek. In a secret trial held days later, Sela is sentenced to death for the crime. At the last minute, Donatra intervenes. She argues that the evidence is not overwhelming, and pressures Chulan to allow Sela and her supporters to accept permanent exile instead of death.

Taris maintains a low profile during the troubles, putting many of her responsibilities in the hands of General Tebok. Late in 2386, she informs Donatra that she is going to take her ship to Levaeri V to investigate claims that a blade believed to be the Sword of the Raptor Star has been recovered. The ancient sword, reputed to be one of the swords created by Vulcan swordsmith S’harien and taken into exile by S’task, is a revered artifact of the Sundering.

The Gorn Hegemony is mourning the death of King Xrathis. His son, Crown Prince Slathis, ascends to the throne. One of his first acts is to re-enforce their border with the Klingons. Several skirmishes are reported between the two powers.

The Klingons respond to the buildup by the Gorn by sending more ships of their own to the border. The standoff escalates into open conflict on Stardate 63504.74, when a Klingon fleet bombards the Gorn colony on Gila VI. Klingon troops land on the planet two days later, and after a bloody battle with Gorn defenders they succeed in taking the planet.

Federation diplomats are speaking to both sides trying to work out a peaceful solution, but some analysts predict that a full war will erupt within four years. Worf makes a personal appeal to his friend Chancellor Martok to end hostilities, but he admits that it will be a long process.

All is not work for Worf, though. He weds Grilka in a traditional Klingon ceremony with his family and many of his friends from Starfleet in attendance.

A surprise guest at the wedding of Worf and Grilka is Data. With his upgrades at the Soong Foundation complete, Data requests that his commission in Starfleet be reactivated. While there are some initial questions because the Data persona is in the body once used by B-4, after Jean-Luc Picard, William T. Riker and several other current and former members of the Enterprise crew testify on Data’s behalf, Starfleet Command agrees to reinstate Data. He is promoted to captain and assigned to supervise the completion of the Enterprise-E’s refit.

On Stardate 63894.06, the refit of the Enterprise-E is completed and the ship, helmed by Captain Data, leaves the Utopia Planitia shipyards. "We are introducing a new era of exploration and peace," said Starfleet Command spokesperson Commander Marie Durant.

Another update by Starfleet is its uniforms. Starfleet completes a redesign of the uniform code, and by the end of the year all of its officers are wearing the new designs.

On Ferenginar, protests rock the capital for two days after Grand Nagus Rom uses tax proceeds to start free schools. Many Ferengi see the free education as an assault on traditional values, and the demonstrations continue until Rom charges each protester ten slips of latnium for mass assembly without a proper permit. To get a permit to protest, Rom charges a bar of latnium. Proceeds are used to fund the educational system.

In addition to working to curb the rising hostilities between the Klingons and the Gorn, Federation diplomats are hard at work crafting a new pact between the Federation and the Cardassians. On Stardate 63976.74, the Cardassians sign a new treaty, in which they agree not to field a military or wage war. In exchange, the Federation agrees to provide aid to rebuild Cardassian cities and protection in the event of an invasion of Cardassian space. In response to the landmark agreement, the Bajoran coalition drops its request to prosecute Cardassians for war crimes. Many among the Bajorans and Cardassians hope that someday relations between them will be normalized.

On behalf of the Founders, Odo meets with Lamat’Ukan, First of the Jem’Hadar in the Alpha Quadrant. Odo asks the Jem’Hadar to return to the Gamma Quadrant with him, but Lamat’Ukan rejects Odo as a false god. “You wear the shape of our gods, but you do not have their spirit,” Lamat’Ukan is reported to have said. “You are corrupted by your … taste for the life of a solid. To follow you would be to sacrifice our souls. There would be no victory under your banner. Without victory, there is no life.”

—————

New Screenshots
click on images to see the large versions

New Interviews

IGN
Last week Craig Zinkievich and Nicole Hamlett sat down and answered questions asked by fans concerning Star Trek Online. IGN has a full transcript of the chat and you can also download and listen to the audio file or check out some of the highlights with streaming audio.

Ten Ton Hammer
Craig Zinkievich recently set down with Ten Ton Hammer and discussed ship creativity and the importance of the bridge crew with regards to what has been dubbed ‘episodic content’ or questing. These episodes are missions that the player will have to perform for their faction to earn rewards.

Epic Battle Axe
Epic Battle Axe had an interview with Craig Zinkievich and both discussed some of the goals of Star Trek Online as well as some of the game mechanics. Craig also answered user-submitted questions from Epic Battle Axe. Four exclusive screenshots were also released on the website, three of the screenshots are space based while one is land based.

Misc STO Links:

• At MMORPG.com Christine Thompson, talks about writing for the Star Trek Online experience and describes some of the challanges in writing for the game.
• Cryptic announced a side project called Star Trek Babies Online. Don’t worry, it was only an April Fools Joke. Nonetheless here is the link.
• StarTrekOnline.com ‘meet the team’ profile of lead Programmer Stephan D’Angeleo
• STO official forums Kobayashi Maru Challenge #9