What Kinds of Characters?

[T'Girl]

I would love to see a Trek "antagonist" species that isn't an avatar of dictatorship or totalitarianism

It would be interesting to see the federation's opponent be also it's twin.

Not one main species running the place but, like the federation, a large collection of species joined together. They compete with the federation for new members, resources, colony worlds, etc.

A interstellar league, not a empire in any way.

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

I would love to see a Trek "antagonist" species that isn't an avatar of dictatorship or totalitarianism

It would be interesting to see the federation's opponent be also it's twin.

Not one main species running the place but, like the federation, a large collection of species joined together. They compete with the federation for new members, resources, colony worlds, etc.

A interstellar league, not a empire in any way.

Especially with a scenario/script/story where the UFP comes off as the aggressors for a change--looking at just how paranoid and anxious they are following the losses of the Dominion War, and just how it has altered their dogma.

 

[David.Blue]

I would love to see a Trek "antagonist" species that isn't an avatar of dictatorship or totalitarianism

It would be interesting to see the federation's opponent be also it's twin.

Not one main species running the place but, like the federation, a large collection of species joined together. They compete with the federation for new members, resources, colony worlds, etc.

A interstellar league, not a empire in any way.

Especially with a scenario/script/story where the UFP comes off as the aggressors for a change--looking at just how paranoid and anxious they are following the losses of the Dominion War, and just how it has altered their dogma.

That would be interesting, yes! It might work best if this Interstellar League was objectionable in some totally subjective way. Like the Pak'ma'ra on Babylon 5, who were carrion-eaters. And some other race who are so revered--and strange--that the Federation interprets them as being worshiped. Plus another race, maybe insectile, who are natural warriors, extremely fierce, but held in check by a rigid code of ethics.

 

[BigJake]

It would be interesting to see the federation's opponent be also it's twin.

I do think the Dominion was an attempt at this, but it didn't quite evolve in this way, did it...

A interstellar league, not a empire in any way.

An interstellar pseudo-anarchism would answer to that function quite handily. And would push the Federation's (or more specifically, Starfleet's) buttons like nobody's business.

 

[BigJake]

Especially with a scenario/script/story where the UFP comes off as the aggressors for a change--looking at just how paranoid and anxious they are following the losses of the Dominion War, and just how it has altered their dogma.

Something that could be followed through in more depth for sure -- the Federation was technically in the wrong in "Arena" but never really stops to meditate on that fact.

I do rather like David's idea of there being a god-like race behind it, too: parallels but exaggerates the veneration of the Vulcans and gives god-races something more to do than be the encounter-of-the-week, improbably sequestered from events. (Although I also like a meta-narrative, and think I have one that works, that explains why Organians and beings like Trelane are as reclusive and restricted as they are... a conundrum.)

Not so sure about insectoid warrior races: the concept could have legs *OH LOOK I'M MAKING A TERRIBLE PUN* but I would also like accentuating the individualism of the not-Federation to an extreme that the Feds are actually uncomfortable with, and have to wrestle with.

 

[David.Blue]

Maybe the League has all of these? A race almost on the level of the Metrons, Patrons who in essence founded the League then started to withdraw from "normal" life (perhaps watching over a "cousin" species who haven't advanced as far?)--a anarchistic civilization with little resembling a government--a collective Hive without individuals at all--a race of carrion-eaters--another race who are very religious--a warrior race who make the Jem'Hadar look like girl scouts, etc. Perhaps a genuine respect for the Patrons unites them, but the Patrons themselves hardly ever interfere.

One can see lots of Federation citizens and Starfleet officers kinda freaking over meeting anyone from this League. They'd see another polity along the lines of the Dominion or the Xindi.

 

[BigJake]

Maybe the League has all of these? A race almost on the level of the Metrons, Patrons who in essence founded the League then started to withdraw from "normal" life (perhaps watching over a "cousin" species who haven't advanced as far?)--a anarchistic civilization with little resembling a government--a collective Hive without individuals at all--a race of carrion-eaters--another race who are very religious--a warrior race who make the Jem'Hadar look like girl scouts, etc. Perhaps a genuine respect for the Patrons unites them, but the Patrons themselves hardly ever interfere.

It might be interesting to do some mixing-and-matching here: perhaps it's the Patrons who are the religious ones, for example. (An idea partly indebted to Robert Sawyer.) Perhaps the impulse toward anarchism comes from that -- which is to say from a particularly non-hierarchical take on science/faith/philosophy imbibed from the Patrons -- and the Hive is conceived as being a singular "individual," and the carrion-eaters are countenanced because it's their way. And the "warrior race" is the most analogous one to modern humanity...