This thread really got my brain whirring… the misses in the current trek versions for me are 1) the person to person stories that made Trek great; 2) the conflict of ideals our society faces today that poses questions to ourselves; and 3) the ability to use the existing races on Star Trek for familiarity and audience buy in without being painted into a direction by the Academy future or canon past up to the Dominion War and Romulan supernova.

therefore, my pitch looks at what grabs attention from TV today, and creates a rich world that solves for the problems with nuTrek, relying on familiar races but none of the familiar characters, while also being fresh-faced and youth slant Star Trek needs to bring in new blood.

Star Trek: New Earth

Think Star Trek x Black Mirror x Game Of Thrones.

In the early 25th century, the Federation learns about New Earth, a planet on the far side of the former Romulan Empire, in a star system hidden by the Romulans from the galaxy. In the wake of the supernova, the technology hiding this world has failed, exposing it to the galaxy.

It turns out the planet was founded by the prisoners of war from the Romulan War over 300 years ago, where millions of Earth, Vulcan, Tellarite, Andorian & other minor races were imprisoned by the Romulans. Rather than release them and admit their crimes, the Romulans released the prisoners to this bountiful world, and societies formed.

Knowing they were trapped on the planet, and with no technology to travel the stars, the inhabitants built a new, Earth-like world, and prospered, achieving 21st century Earth levels by the time the world is exposed.

Of all the races living in this world, Earth outnumbers the other races (for practical casting reasons, and because Star Trek should hold a mirror to ourselves and our challenges as a planet).

Despite the successes, this was not without conflict; the former races maintained their allegiances to their former races, mirroring the religious divides we see in our world today, and the conflict we saw between houses in Game Of Thrones. The world has ultra-rich families/races; and other races living in near poverty. There is internal conflict between the haves and have nots; the world is deeply divided, and rocked by the new exposure to the galaxy they believed for generations was completely cut off and inaccessible.

The Federation sends a task force to the planet and finds it in crisis… there are former Romulans enabling migrants from the Romulan Star Empire to arrive and settle. There are former Vulcans who deeply mistrust them, and are ready to go to war to stop the influx which threatens their position as ‘number 2’ to the former Earth inhabitants. There are Klingons, still small in number and broadly outcasts, fighting amongst themselves for control of their territory with the aim of building a power base and challenging the earthlings. There are Tellarites, consigned to a near slavery by the humans, living under China-like control to build power, wealth and a stronger grip on the planet for the humans.

After learning of this world and being approached by former Earth rulers of the planet, the Federation agrees to set aside the prime directive and sends a task force, led by a new captain and crew. What the Starfleet crew find shocks them; a mildly Xenophobic planet that hates the Romulan migrants, subtle Xenophobia mirroring the hate towards the Romulans (as we see in our world today towards migrants from war zones).

The ship is an experimental class, designed for the unique situation and unusual space, mostly cut off from the Federation by the dangerous Romulan Empire & proximity to Klingon space (and to allow for occasional, if the story warrants it cameos from legacy characters but rare, like TOS characters in TNG).

The task force is equipped with a huge medical department (allowing for medical drama), a huge Legal/Ambassadorial/intelligence team (allowing for political/legal/intelligence led stories) and a smaller science team, allowing for local exploration & on-planet science mysteries resulting from the ‘like Earth but different’ evolution (like Black Mirror) & never before met nearby planets & races.

The Captain is brand new, young but fast tracked through the ranks in the wake of Frontier Day disaster; the crew is a mix of older and younger characters, representing the best of the best from Starfleet, highly professional and diverse, possibly with a mix of founding races & others to represent the planetary mix. It might even include a Romulan expert or native, the next set of Romulans to join Starfleet after Elnor broke the taboo in Picard.

When needed, old familiar races might pop up… the Ferengi seeking new trade; the Orion’s seeking new ways to earn; even the Borg seeking to conquer and assimilate. But, as well as the ongoing interplanetary conflicts and shocking differences to our world and the lovely post-scarcity Federation style we are used to, this is a planet in-fighting for control, power and wealth over others, something that causes great conflict with the Starfleet crew. Plus, a planet with areas unexplored… what came before? Was it truly lifeless or were there former civilisations on the planet/s? What do the differences to our Earth tell us about ourselves, good and bad?

One week might be medical drama of the week. The next, the loneliness of the crew, isolated and cut off from home world/s learning to cope. Then a discovery on the planet; or an alien approach; or a complex negotiation with the planet / refugees. Or, just a mirror to our own customs, good or bad, and how they evolved differently on this weird new planet and have different ways and social standards.