So, what was going on in the Laurentian system?

[steveman]

We're told much of the fleet was present in that system around the time Vulcan was attacked. Any guesses as to what they were up to?

As an aside, from a writing standpoint, the whole bit about some of the fleet being elsewhere was probably there to just drive a wedge between Kirk and Spock and to generate conflicting viewpoints - Spock wanted to meet up with the fleet, Kirk wanted to take on the Narada solo... they disagree, Kirk gets kicked off the ship, the story moves forward.

But it's still fun to speculate what was going on. Sounded pretty important.

 

[Herkimer Jitty]

It was the annual Starfleet picnic. Big, important event, y'know.

Spock was in such a big hurry because the casserole that Pike had promised to bring was getting cold.

 

[Psion]

At the end of the Transformers movie, the Decepticons were dropped into the Laurentian Abyss.

Now, from a movie-making point of view, this is obviously where Orci and Kurtzman got the reference ... they were making a nod to another of their movies. And that reference itself may have come from The Hunt for Red October, since that is the valley through which Captain Rameus ordered the Red October in an effort to elude the Soviet navy.

As far as a Trek explanation (Trexplanation?), I'll submit this is roughly the right time for the events surrounding Captain Garth's "Battle of Axanar". Kirk participated in the Axanar peace mission as a cadet in the Prime timeline, resulting in his first medal, so the timing would appear to be right. I bet the Klingons or Cardassians got involved, necessitating a big massing of Starfleet vessels and then along came Nero.

Does Kirk still participate in the Axanar peace mission? I doubt it, but if the writers do their homework for the next movie, it suggests an interesting plot for an exciting movie.

 

[urbandk]

It would be cool if Garth were in a sequel.

 

[Brent]

They were having a Star Trek viewing party of course

 

[urbandk]

They were having a Star Trek viewing party of course

"Wow, this is a great movie! Pass the popcorn."

At the end of the Transformers movie, the Decepticons were dropped into the Laurentian Abyss.

Now, from a movie-making point of view, this is obviously where Orci and Kurtzman got the reference ... they were making a nod to another of their movies. And that reference itself may have come from The Hunt for Red October, since that is the valley through which Captain Rameus ordered the Red October in an effort to elude the Soviet navy.

As far as a Trek explanation (Trexplanation?), I'll submit this is roughly the right time for the events surrounding Captain Garth's "Battle of Axanar". Kirk participated in the Axanar peace mission as a cadet in the Prime timeline, resulting in his first medal, so the timing would appear to be right. I bet the Klingons or Cardassians got involved, necessitating a big massing of Starfleet vessels and then along came Nero.

Does Kirk still participate in the Axanar peace mission? I doubt it, but if the writers do their homework for the next movie, it suggests an interesting plot for an exciting movie.

BTW, It's quite likely that Axanar already occurred. Cadet Kirk might have been there.

 

[Psion]

Urbandk, Kirk was a cadet in this movie. And the period in which the film was set was roughly the time of the Axanar incident. Finally, considering it's a different timeline anyway, there's no reason adjustments can't be made.

But hey, instead of being such a negative Nelly, let's hear your explanation about what's going on in the Laurentian System that's so important. I'm willing to entertain thoughtful suggestions.

PS: Accept the above in the tone of playful banter.

 

[TheMasterOfOrion]

They were fighting the Autobots or a bunch of rebel Canadians.

 

[AdmiralGarak]

Most likely it was simply a staging ground to prepare for the next wave of the Romulan attack.

 

[urbandk]

Well, I doubt it involves Klingons, because they seemed to have their hands full with the Narada.

Romulans wouldn't make sense. There was no contact with them at the time.

On second thought maybe it was Klingons. I can't think of another contemporary adversary of Starfleet.

 

[urbandk]

Most likely it was simply a staging ground to prepare for the next wave of the Romulan attack.

It couldn't be, though, because the fleet was there before the distress call from Vulcan.

 

[Shim]

On second thought maybe it was Klingons. I can't think of another contemporary adversary of Starfleet.

Tholians? Gorn?

 

[Silent_Bob]

I think it pretty much has to be Klingon related. There seems to be a state of near open war in this version between the two powers. Perhaps the 47 Klingon ships the Plot-ship of Doom destroyed were on their way to an ongoing skirmish in the Laurentian system. It has to be something bloody major anyway, to explain why Starfleet would resort to sending a fleet of Cadets to save the day rather than a competant crew.

 

[urbandk]

On second thought maybe it was Klingons. I can't think of another contemporary adversary of Starfleet.

Tholians? Gorn?

TOS E made first contact with those, I think.

 

[Shim]

On second thought maybe it was Klingons. I can't think of another contemporary adversary of Starfleet.

Tholians? Gorn?

TOS E made first contact with those, I think.

Yeah, just checked MA. Damn. I want them to pop up.

 

[ATimson]

Tholians? Gorn?

TOS E made first contact with those, I think.

Gorn, maybe, but not Tholians.

 

[urbandk]

Tholians? Gorn?

TOS E made first contact with those, I think.

Gorn, maybe, but not Tholians.

True, forgot about that Ent episode.

 

[Captain Hunter]

Perhaps once Starfleet received word that a large fleet of Klingon warships got pasted, they decided to assemble a task force that could be assigned to cover any potential incursion into Federation space from the direction of Klingon territory. Since we don't know where the Laurentian system is in relation to Federation core worlds, we can only speculate.

 

[ATimson]

True, forgot about that Ent episode.

Even without that, there's the "renowned Tholian punctuality" to account for.

 

[BenRoethig]

Rally point for the fleet to meet up and regroup.