I warn you, this is the single most geeky thing I've ever decided to put on the internet. This is a Geek Factor of 5: Ultima Nerd. Be warned. There is no turning back after you've clicked past the jump. Well ok, there is. But still.
I've always had this idea that a new Star Trek series should be something largely unexplored. It's hard to write a series because (especially with Star Trek) you have to make extreme considerations to fit in with the already established canon. And since there hasn't been another series since Enterprise, I think a new one is in order. My idea, is for a show based on Starfleet Academy.
Now hear me out before you write me off, consider the idea.
Starfleet Academy (for you non-trekkies, who really shouldn't even be reading this because you'll be thinking "What the hell?!") is where hopeful cadets go to test their mental and intellectual fortitude to join the the world's finest explorers and scientists up in outer space. Starfleet Academy has never really been explored at all on the shows or movies, so I think it is a good idea to look at it.
The setting takes place in 2385, six years after the events of Nemesis. I think this year is great because it is some time after Nemesis, but right in place for another critical event in the Trek universe, which would be the supernova of the Hobus Star which Romulus orbits, this is critical to the character development of one of my characters which will be explored later. The setting is perfect because according to canon this is a transitional phase for Starfleet, which is moving into a time of peace with the Romulan Empire following the events of Nemesis. This is also after the Borg threat have virtually been eliminated from the galaxy (thus killing an overused enemy, although I keep my mind open to the possibilities.)
The story is based around two people. Like every era of Trek, there have been two officers that were always an unbeatable pair. Enterprise you have Archer and Tucker; TOS you have Kirk and Spock; and TNG you have Picard and Riker. The pair for this one is a little unorthodox but I think it will be good.
The first of my ideal pair is of course a human, I mean, this is Starfleet after all. I want him to be descended from a former captain, I'm thinking Johnathan Archer. He will have been the first Archer after John to join Starfleet. But, I want the conflict of this character to be something greater. I want it to focus around him wanting to make a name for himself. In the pilot episode, he joins Starfleet, earns perfect scores on the entrance exam but does it all under a fake name, under the guise of joining Starfleet not of birthright, but on his own. He will of course go to Command School and become a captain. He will be ambitious, courageous, headstrong and maybe even a bit stubborn in his quest to make his own name. I'm thinking, his name will be Alexander.
The second of the pair is one that will be quite new to Trek. He is a Romulan. Yes, a Romulan. He will be the first Romulan to join Starfleet. He too will earn perfect marks on his entrance exam. But, his internal conflict is much more complex. On his homeworld of Romulus, he is the top recruit for the Tal Shiar. They want him in, but he refuses. Unlike most Romulans, he is very altruistic, and humanistic, even more so than some of the humans in the series. He will be appalled by the horrible acts of cruelty and terror that the Romulan people will have and will continue to inflict on the galaxy, and instead will be drawn to Starfleet because they are the opposite of the Romulans. He runs away from Romulus, sneaks onto Earth, and applies for Starfleet, all whilst being disguised by advanced stealth technology to make him look human. He is a gifted and brilliant scientist who wishes to use his talents to help people, and the Federation is the best vessel to accomplish this. I think his name will be Tal'vin.
At the center of this will be a guidance counselor who will guide our future heroes to greatness. He is the one who convinces Alexander to use his real name, and it is he who allows Tal'vin to join Starfleet. I can't decide on a guidance counselor, although I'm thinking it will be someone like Chakotay, but I'm open to anything.
Of course, every great show must have conflict. Tal'vin, being a Romulan, is constantly bullied and a lot of people hate him because of his species. Alex will be bullied because he is an Archer, everyone will thing he walked in on birthright so he will go to great lengths to prove himself. The main antagonist for the show will be a cocky, ambitious, driven and morally-conflicted young adult who also goes to Command School. He will compete with Alex at every turn as they both vie to make the top of the class. Later in the story arc, I want them to become friends, and at the end of the series when Alex receives his ship, the enemy will become the best friend, and he will become Alex's first officer. Now, we have a trio: Alex, Tal'vin and the former antagonist.
There will also be a love interest, I'm thinking she will be in Medical or possibly Tactical. Engineering is always a possibility, but I think that brings comparisons to B'Elanna Torres.
The purpose of this show I think is for us to see how captains and officers become who they are, and to see how education in the 24th-century has progressed. And I think the Romulan cadet will add a bit of intrigue as well. All in all, this is what I would like to see in a series. It will be nice to get them away from a ship, kinda like college for Starfleet. The cadets could go out and party, like normal kids. They can have relationships. They can be themselves whilst learning to be great.
Anyway, I hope the current producers of Star Trek read this, and if not, I'm glad I finally talked about it. Thanks to all of who you read this, although I can't imagine there will be too many of you.
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