New series idea I had, Star Trek : Half-Life

[Iceburgeruk]

I`ve posted this idea in one of the other threads as well but I wanted to see what others thought of the concept on its own as well. Hopefully didn`t overstep the bounds of formality.

My idea for a new series (novels probably), which god willing I`ll one day actually write..

STAR TREK : HALF-LIFE

Setting Romulan space in about 2390-something. A group of rejects are being worked to death in a political force labor camp, a mysterious young stranger leads them in rebellion and they steal a ship. The stranger is Carfak, an angry but intelligent half-romulan, half klingon individual who seeks to free his people (other half romulan /half klingons who are secretly being brutally oppressed by the klingon establishment).

Travelling the galaxy as freelance guns for hire their unrestricted antics helps them solve crises that the starfleet crews are unable to deal with due to restrictive regulations (although there would be an equal number of stories where their reckless actions leads them into trouble which a by-the-book federation crew would have avoided).

As the series progresses Carfac`s true vision comes to fruitition as he and his crew forges an alliance with the backwater worlds and races their adventures has benefitted. Turning this coalition of worlds into safe haven for those people and individuals hounded by the powers of the galaxy Carfac increases his power base. With total conscription enforced in his aliance and a blanket militaristic agenda Carfac skirts worryingly close to line between strong leadership and opressive tyranny as he and his friends prepare for his most long sought ambition... To start a conflict with the klingon empire to seize the worlds where Carfac`s people toil as slaves.
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Thats roughly how i would see it panning out, a very unique, action-packed series with a lot of moral ambiguity and an increasing epic scope as Carfac gathers worlds within his alliance in preparation for his war with the klingons.

Hopefully someone will like the idea.

As I said hopefully one day I`ll get a chance to write that as a proper book series. But that is a real longshot.

What u think though?​

 

[Wolfslice]

As a plot it doesn't really strike me as all that interesting.

Frankly I don't see how a oppressed Maquis-like freedom fighter would turn into a "problem solving adventurer" without it being just about the cheesiest thing ever. Add that you want the crew to be half-klingon, and the freelance problem solver device becomes even more incredulous.

I guess the isolated "adventures" could be ok, depending on your quality as a writer... but if I saw this synopsis (or a similar version of it) on the back of a book jacket or something I'd probably put it back on the shelf.

Also the name Carfak (or Carfac, I see you have both versions) really doesn't sound good for a lead.

Just my two cents.

 

[Iceburgeruk]

As a plot it doesn't really strike me as all that interesting.

Frankly I don't see how a oppressed Maquis-like freedom fighter would turn into a "problem solving adventurer" without it being just about the cheesiest thing ever. Add that you want the crew to be half-klingon, and the freelance problem solver device becomes even more incredulous.

I guess the isolated "adventures" could be ok, depending on your quality as a writer... but if I saw this synopsis (or a similar version of it) on the back of a book jacket or something I'd probably put it back on the shelf.

Also the name Carfak (or Carfac, I see you have both versions) really doesn't sound good for a lead.

Just my two cents.

Fair points there.

The Carfak name bit isn`t an issue, I just put in a random name i came up with on the fly as it seemed saying "half-romulan,half-klingon guy" everytime i referenced the charcter would have become annoying rather quickly. The name is unimportant.

The crew would be made up of a variety of race, some who would be hired as they proceeded and others who were aliens from that penal colony i mentioned. Only about a dozen would be half romulan half klingons. The races shown serving on the ship would be insightful in answering one of the questions about the star trek universe, in that the federation is made up of a lot of races while the klingon and romulan empires seem to be equally large but with no other races visible. Many of the crew would be members of races whose people were conquered by the klingons and romulans.

The "troubleshooting, problem solving" bit is problematic in some ways but not immensely cumbersome. The captain of the ship is a man with his own strong code of
morality and with a long term goal in mind. His goal is to free his people from the klingons, to do this he requires an immense amount of military support. Comfortable civilizations are unlikley to aid him as they would gain little and risk a war with the klingons. Sly and malicious regimes would readily help to seek power and glory but they would be equally likely to turn on him in the face of a better offer or perhaps just stab him in the back when he has achieved his ambition. His best bet then is to head to races and worlds in turmoil where injustice is rife, by aiding the masses in defeating their oppressors he gains a large amount of loyal followers who would undertake any conflict he wanted as they would see him as their hero. This also adds a tricky but interesting dimension in that although the character might on some level be freeing people and helping underdog rebels because he feels it is the right thing to do, his main reason for aiding them is a cold and calculating one. It is like he is doing an intergalactic protection racket on the worlds his crew visits.

By enlarge the main aim of the series idea is to create a crew who properly skirt the line between good and evil (not like empty way star wars tries to portray moral ambiguity, boba fett isn`t an anti-hero he`s just a villain. He`s just a ruthless bounty hunter there is no substantial good side to him). The captain is man who has seen horrible acts committed against his people simply because they didn`t measure up and he is justified in trying to seek their freedom but equally he is a coldly fanatical schemer, in that he would send the peoples of a hundred other worlds to die in battle just to achieve his master plan. The crew are a ragtag band of rebels abandoned by all and seeking to forge a better life for themselves and their families beyond the grip of the great powers of the galaxy but equally they are mercenaries bending to the leadership of a terrorist and acting as the instruments of his reckless vengeance against one of the mightiest empires of the galaxy. That`s point see it would be a series about true moral ambiguity, what do you do if you are not responsible to anyone. If you have to answer to noone, how do you keep order on the ship? If a member of the crew is kidnapped and you suspect the crew of a freighter know where they are then to what ends would you go to get that information? Those sorts of issues.