Idea for a cooperative Star Trek screenplay project

[smeos]

EDIT: I wonder where Vixen is, and why andrew_craven, Gibraltar, Mysterion and smeos haven't posted anything yet.

I've only been here for a month, and already I'm getting name-dropped.

I've been keeping an eye on this, but frankly, I'm too busy with Nomad Frontier and trying to hammer down my own original work. I may be up for penning a story or two, but I have to be honest and say it wouldn't be a high priority for me. If I can't give it my all, I'd rather not try and turn in a half-assed effort.

For those that are on board, though, Godspeed.

 

[Dancing Doctor]

@tenmei: Wasn't VOY after DS9 in the timeline? If not, then I like the idea. Yeah, in our first episode we could even be disturbed by the wormhole. Unless it's been destroyed at the end of the series, I didn't watch it

VOY began in 2371, canonically, or about 2-3 years after DS9 started.

And the wormhole survived DS9, and is still in existence.

 

[tenmei]

Random thought - we don't make the ship a future Enterprise, we give the ship a new name, the Venture, Discovery, Einstein, Pilgrim - it really doesn't matter, does it. But, this came to me when I was on the plane (now in Vancouver), what if the Captain of our ship is a 30 year old Naomi Wildman against an older _male_ XO with the same dynamic as described before?

So, Captain Wildman and Commander Dave Bennett of the USS Discovery, on a mission to explore the - (and, if we're gonna specify, I'd avoid the Gamma Quadrant and go for the Delta Quadrant) - area of space.

 

[Gibraltar]

EDIT: I wonder where Vixen is, and why andrew_craven, Gibraltar, Mysterion and smeos haven't posted anything yet.

I've only been here for a month, and already I'm getting name-dropped.

I've been keeping an eye on this, but frankly, I'm too busy with Nomad Frontier and trying to hammer down my own original work. I may be up for penning a story or two, but I have to be honest and say it wouldn't be a high priority for me. If I can't give it my all, I'd rather not try and turn in a half-assed effort.

For those that are on board, though, Godspeed.

Yeah, I'm essentially in the same boat. What little free time I have between work and family is spent writing my series and keeping up with the fanfic of my fellow United Trek writers... and even there I'm woefully behind. It sounds like a terrific project, though, and I wish you the best of luck. I'll be keeping an eye out for it when you 'publish' here on the board.

 

[tenmei]

Some further thoughts - an amalgamation of peoples ideas:

STAR TREK: GAMMA QUADRANT

It is 2390, about fourteen years after the end of DS9 and ten after Voyagers return, the USS Aventine, possibly Hannibal Class ( http://www.starshipdatalink.net/art/images/dv-5.gif ), is one of several ships sent into the Gamma Quadrant to explore, colonise and provide humanitarian aide to species previously under the rule of the Dominion, who have withdrawn to a new planet in a secure nebula. Starfleet place command of the Aventine in the hands of the brilliant Captain Icheb (Jonathan Togo) who, at 30, is one of the youngest Captains to grace Starfleet and Commander Marcus Wolfe (Jeffrey Combs) who at the age of 60 resents Starfleet for never having granted him a command of his own. These two men, their ship and their crew, will come across a planet ravaged by an environmental disaster of proportions previously unimagined and, amidst the chaos, find the promise of the secrets of the universe promised by the mysterious Shaleel.

 

[Dancing Doctor]

Okay:

Tilan Siana was born on Bajor in the year 2341, close to the middle of the Cardassian Occupation of the planet. Watching her people beaten everyday as well as seeing her family begin to splinter took its toll on her, causing her to grow a tough outer skin and remain impassive, letting no emotions show in public. With both her parents in the Resistance, it wasn't long until she was brought in as well, at age 17,. From 2358 until the end of the Occupation (2369) Siana was busy with helping coordinate and plan strikes against Cardassian targets, the most significant of which was her attack on the Central Communications Building in Ashalla. During this same time, she became the unofficial head medical officer as well, coordinating relief efforts (when possible) and traveling around Bajor surreptitiously and at great risk helping to treat the wounded, dying, and ill . Although skeptical of the Provisional Government, especially after the Circle Incident and Starfleet, especially with Starfleet's role in using the former Cardassian seat of power, Terok Nor, as their base of operations in the Bajor System, she accepted the rank of Field Colonel with the Militia, and acted as the "Surgeon General" until Bajor's admittance to the Federation in 2376, when the majority of the Militia got absorbed into Starfleet. After a brief time at Starfleet Academy, most of it spent in getting up-to-date medical knowledge, using Federation technology, and Federation surgical and medical procedures, not to mention adjusting to that way of life, Siana was offered many different assignments, including a position as Assistant Head of Starfleet Medical, Non-Human Department. Feeling adventurous for the first time in her life, she requested to be assigned to the U.S.S Armstrong, a Challenger-class starship, which spent most of its time dealing with the Tholians and Selelvians for the first four years of her service, after which it underwent an extensive survey of the Badlands, followed by trail blazing in the closest areas of the Perseus Arm. Between and after these exploration missions, the Armstrong dealt with typical Starfleet missions, most of which required Siana's medical expertise.


This is what I managed to flesh out so far for the CMO character.

 

[tenmei]

Sounds cool - a more battle hardened medic than the type we're used to. Could be quite an interesting addition to the crew of the ship, whatever it ends up being named!

 

[Dancing Doctor]

Sounds cool - a more battle hardened medic than the type we're used to. Could be quite an interesting addition to the crew of the ship, whatever it ends up being named!

Considering the significance that the names of starships play in the series, it might be nice to decide on one in advance, especially since it might help decide the direction and thrust of the stories.

 

[tenmei]

True enough.

Do we want to go with GQ exploration and colonisation after the vanishing of the Changelings (a la, but not the version from the Relaunch) - a sort of mix between exploration, colonisation and support to the now unsupported former subjects of the Dominion?

If we go with famous ships of explorations, Endurance could be a good one (Scott of the Antarctics ship) for our ship, or even Pilgrim (as, if we go with something from colonisation, Mayflower wouldn't sound quite right for a Starfleet vessel).

I wonder where Friedebarth has got to!

 

[Dancing Doctor]

True enough.

Do we want to go with GQ exploration and colonisation after the vanishing of the Changelings (a la, but not the version from the Relaunch) - a sort of mix between exploration, colonisation and support to the now unsupported former subjects of the Dominion?

So, something similar to the New Frontier Trek Lit series, then?

(For those who don't know, New Frontier takes place in Sector 221-G, where the U.S.S Excalibur is sent by Starfleet Command to offer aid and monitor events there after the reigning government, the Thallonian Empire, collapses).

If we go with famous ships of explorations, Endurance could be a good one (Scott of the Antarctics ship) for our ship, or even Pilgrim (as, if we go with something from colonisation, Mayflower wouldn't sound quite right for a Starfleet vessel).

There's also Endeavour, Galileo, Challenger, Venture...those are some of the names I had been looking at.

I wonder where Friedebarth has got to!

I have no idea, but I had also been wondering about that.

 

[tenmei]

I like Venture - but it's already being used on the boards, so it might not be a good idea to use it.

Challenger could be good, too!

 

[hellsgate]

Bring back Captain Morgan "Bulldog" Bateson (Kelsey Grammar) from "Cause & Effect" (TNG) aboard a new vessel with a diversified crew of Edosians, Trill, Tellarites & others not seen hanging out together, brought together from across the eras. TAS to post-"Nemesis" TNG.

Their simple purpose, in addition to general exploration, is to establish "First Contact" & render aide to formerly-subjugated planets once ruled by The Dominion, The Klingons, Romulans, Cardassians, Tholians, Tzinkethi, & others. Gain allies & technology they're able to use to eavesdrop on (or turn against,) the Borg in addition to new factions (that have learned they're no longer in imminent peril of extinction,) such as the Koln-Ma, Orion Syndicate / League Of Non-Aligned Worlds & other "Brotherhoods".

 

[tenmei]

Hmmm, not sure I like the idea of Bateson as CO, nor some of your suggestions for the plots - you seem to propose the collapse of several empires, we're presently proposing the collapse of one.

However, the one thing I like from your thoughts is the very diversified crew using some aliens we've not seen for ages or haven't been fleshed out much, such as the Edosians, Deltans, Tellarites.

 

[hellsgate]

No, not a collapse but a slight retraction of ships from every empire. They're licking their wounds, burying the dead & busy figuring out how much they've all got left after the Jem Hadar & Federation got together at DS9 to sign the Gamma Quadrant Peaceful Exploration Treaty.

Odo's returned to The Great Link.

Now, go forward from there. Each empire's central homeworld have left their outlying "subject-worlds" temporarily in the lurch until they figure out how to get their civilians, troops & ships back to pre-Dominion War numbers / standard operating procedures.

The Federation & The A.Q. Alliance have already got their own stuff figured out ahead of time, & are ready to offer aide to the other empires' central homeworlds to get their general peacetime obligations/responsibilities met.

Such as keeping each empire's central homeworlds from being destroyed by opportunistic wolf-packs of anarchists, political rivals (or the alien worlds each empire has conquered before or during the Dominion War decide to re-pay the favor,) before the governments can get back on their feet again, either short-term or long-term.

 

[tenmei]

Hmmm. I'm still not liking it - it just doesn't convince me.

 

[hellsgate]

Morgan's assigned to a modest-sized (Intrepid-Class generally-sized,) vessel & sent out to coordinate things. Help get amnesty projects started for those seeking asylum for war crimes they were forced to participate in, etc. Render medical & engineering assistance, diplomatic / legal containment & protection to temporarily-leaderless worlds that may be thinking about "getting even" with nearby rivals or their own empire's central homeworld. They run across these planets' "Gods" & "Temples" such as a cloaked Dyson Sphere or Iconian Outpost, possibly pan-dimensional beings such as The Preservers from the Shatnerverse, or another ancient race in-hiding from The Borg or The Hur'q or T'Kon Empire underground.

 

[tenmei]

Have you even read the generally agreed upon concepts we've proposed so far, Hellsgate?

 

[hellsgate]

Yes, the Gamma Quadrant some years after the G.Q. Peaceful Exploration Treaty is signed. Somewhere between 2388-2430. I'd build-up to an appearance in the G.Q. I like the timeline but add something that acts as the catalyst to the adventure, something that acts as a flicker seen just out of the corner of your eye. I like murder-mystery suspense type pacing. A rumor or something related to archeology in the Alpha/Beta Quadrants, that helps pull the reader to the next rung on the ladder toward the Gamma Quadrant.

I'd have the ship attracted to the Gamma Quadrant as a result of getting a whiff of something relatively right-next-door. An alien temple (like the image of the Away Team approaching a moss/ivy-covered building at the "Star Trek: Online" site) or some other phenomena that piques their interest as they emerge on the other side of the Wormhole at Idran.

Something that leads them on a quest to a specific area of the Gamma Quadrant adjacent to Idran, in a direction they originally never intended to chart in the first place but life had other ideas.

 

[tenmei]

We've also got a vague idea about a planetary disaster unveiling an alien race called the Shaleel who want to give our heroes knowledge of the universe beyond what they should have.

The ship is in the Gamma Quadrant to explore AND to provide support and humanitarian aide to species previously ruled by the Dominion, who have vanished.

I think people seem to want a more open exploration based show - as opposed to a major mythic quest as you seem to be proposing.

EDIT: Vixen, was there any proposed casting for your main character you had in mind? I'm going to try and collate what we seem to like so far into one post - and casting would help.

 

[Dancing Doctor]

I'm also not very much in favor of these ideas.

I've never really liked Bateson's character to begin with (he just didn't interest me), and it takes away from creating an new cast of characters.

Second, the overarching story you're proposing is very large in scope, and I think a bit more to bite off for a barely thought-out series like this, and one that presents a lot of challenges, especially since our thoughts hadn't gone in that direction yet.

Third, we already seem to have a kinda-sorta already agreed-upon story, which is, from what I can tell, a take on the New Frontier series, only with possibly a bit more ships and a lot more opportunities.

Some of the other things that bother me:

Your proposal is somewhat like Before Dishonor-an attempt to cram a lot of ideas and events into as much space as possible. I'm really not comfortable with a lot of the things proposed, simply because there's too much going on, and it seems like it was all just thrown out there. I'm also not sure where you got the "Gamma Quadrant Peaceful Exploration Treaty" from.

Also, a lot of your ideas really didn't have much to do with the Gamma Quadrant, from what I saw. And again, there's too much going on, more than the one main (and possibly only) starship we're proposing can handle.

As for the catalyst that causes the U.S.S Name To Be Determined Although I'm Really Liking The Challenger(which is, in universe, a Galaxy -class starship, but that doesn't really hinder us too much to go to the Gamma Quadrant, why not exploration for exploration's sake as well as a chance to do recon on the Dominion?

The way your posts came across, it appeared like you had barely glanced at the previous pages and ideas, and decided to barrel on through with your stuff, not tailoring it to what had been discussed already.

I do like the diverse crew suggestion, however.