Star Trek: Frontiers
“Faithfulness The Best Relation”
Teleplay by Matthew Whipple
Story by Joshua Maley & Matthew Whipple
Airdate: May 7, 2004
How appropriate that at a time when all appears dark in Star
Trek fandom that a phoenix should rise and bring Star Trek back to us.
Enterprise, if you believe all the stories, just survived cancellation and we
wait for what could possibly be one final year. Today, we have this gem to keep
us going until that inevitable final year unfolds.
“You may see nothing but cynicism and decadence in this
project, but I see hope. I see us standing at the threshold of a new place in
history. And I am going to see it through, Aidan.”
“At any cost?”
Commander Morgan and Captain Rahl discussing the Frontiers
Project.
At any cost? Indeed yes. Romulus and the Federation working
together for a worthy purpose? Indeed they are. The stardate is 48 to 50 years
after the events in Star Trek Nemesis. There is unrest in our familiar universe
and things are not well. Elements in the Federation have conceived an ambitious
plan to revitalize and maybe even save the Federation from crumbling: the
construction of a stable transwarp conduit to galaxy M-106.
THE BIRTH OF A NEW LEGEND
The Enterprise, N.C.C. 1701-G, Odyssey Class, almost
twice the size of a galaxy class, is a monster to be had. She’s armed with an
Omega Disruptor, has four warp nacelles – necessary for extended transwarp
travel and can readily separate in times of changing mission profiles. While the
ship is not striking, she is a brute construct and a behemoth: she needs to be
for she holds the survival of the Federation within her very holds.
THE CREW
Captain Kyle Sito is a seven-foot tall, spiritual leader who
is not a Starfleet officer. He is a traditional Spiran, as are all Spirans in
that they respect the foundations of their culture: “Preparedness, order,
trust, and harmony – forever and for all”.
Commander Jennifer Morgan – Often referred to as “Second”
by the resident Jem Ha’dar, she is a capable and efficient officer, well liked
by most who meet her. She is the highest-ranking Starfleet officer and one can
believe, the best officer in the fleet on the Federation’s most important
mission in the last half-century.
First Ambassador Koth – A Klingon who represents the
Federation in negotiations with the Romulan Star Empire and later will be the
Federation’s diplomatic officer to the galaxy M-106 inhabitants.
Peridonis’ Alya – Eighth generation Jem Ha’dar female,
only one of her kind to serve in Starfleet and the only one capable of making
the Omega Disruptor function. She also represents the first genetically created
soul to be chosen to serve in Starfleet.
Lt. Salea – exotic looking alien, female, with eight
tentacle-like appendages extending from just below her elbow, skin is reptilian
and her purple and yellow sheen makes her strangely attractive. She is the only
one capable of flying the ship by way of its holographic matrix in transwarp
(She is, possibly, the break-out character on this series).
The cast is indeed exotic and you will need to pay
attention. You may find that by the end of the premiere, you know a great deal
of these people, surprising after just one episode.
THE ENDEAVOR
Relieve the misery and despair of the Alpha Quadrant, the
“winners” of the war against the Dominion by establishing a stable transwarp
conduit, opening new trade opportunities for economic stimulation, enhancement,
repair and recovery.
THE PROBLEM
“Too much has been spent on this project, too many
resources and too many concessions with adversaries/ non-allies made for this
endeavor.”
“The ‘Federation’ is nothing without its members . . .
we do declare and ordain, under Section 8, paragraph 2C, our membership
repealed.”
The Federation is coming apart . . .
THE MISSION
“To boldly go forward to establish a stable transwarp
conduit to save the Federation”
Many old friends become new enemies as they smell the stench
of death from the Federation and old rivalries and hatreds are let loose again
and civil war is now upon the Federation. The future of the Federation is in
doubt.
STAR TREK: FRONTIERS
All hope now rests with the Frontiers project: namely the N.C.C. 1701-G, U.S.S. Enterprise. Once again the most famous name in naval tradition sails, the first one sailed and through its mission formed the Federation and now, another Enterprise sails again and this time she sets out to re-unite the Federation.
The Romulans and Jem Ha’dar are allies. The Andorians,
Deltans, and Vulcans are adversaries?
Much waits for our journey to commence.
http://frontiers.virtualstartrek.com/
This grand adventure begins as a two-part episode worthy of
the Star Trek name. We witness grievances against the project and the reasons
for the separation. We learn that many compromises are made both within and
without and friends who were - are no more. People stand up for what they
believe in and old rivalries heat up again.
Part One lays the groundwork. We quickly deduce the
unhappiness of the Federation Council members and the Federation Council is
clearly unhappy with Ambassador Koth’s deal with the Romulans. His mission was
to get the Romulans to sign a non-aggression pact and instead, the Romulans sign
on as partners. With this, several member worlds have had it: Romulans get a
doctor aboard the Enterprise, prime resource mining and territorial rights upon
establishment of the jump gate and a full engineering team on the Frontiers
station. Not to mention the slighting of senior member worlds by ignoring Vulcan
personnel, the choice of a Spiran Captain, who is not a Starfleet officer, the
addition of a genetically engineered person – a tacit endorsement of such in
direct contravention to Federation law.
Captain Sito is unhappy over the additions to his crew,
unhappy over the “far too many” deviations to the launch schedule and his
belief of the disrespect to him and his planet by Starfleet. He learns that
close friends are resigning their commissions and that entire worlds are falling
away – he decides to go himself.
On the way home, he is contacted by Grant, a Section 31 operative and is beamed to a covert ship for a conversation. Through this conversation, Sito learns that he is needed to complete this mission and while aboard the covert ship, his transport ship home is destroyed by Tellarites. No reason for the attack, but the attack leaves his loving wife dead and Sito a powerless witness to this tragedy.
Part Two brings Sito back in and he needs to see this
mission through. He must and he will. Once the ship is ready to set out on its
historic mission, the ceremonies are interrupted by separatists claiming and
commandeering Starfleet vessels. Sito brings the Enterprise to pursue but
is damaged before it can launch. In a desperate and bold maneuver, The G
separates from the stardrive section in pursuit of the Faust and for an
inevitable confrontation with an old friend. The final confrontation is unique
in detail and clearly never having happened before and new friends suffer losses
in a shocking turn of events. We are clearly served notice that in this
incarnation, nothing is at seems and anything can happen – and does.
Roger’s rating: 4 of 5
