Spoilers Star Trek Academy [spoiler thread]

[Micah Sweet]

A force sphere surrounding the entire Federation? Wowzers. That escalated quickly.

This would require crazy resources (even for a reduced Federation) and no oversight from Federation forces. Did they have no one on their own borders?

 

[Ryujin]

Why was the Federation making Omega Molecule in the first place? And if they were, why was something so monumentally dangerous guarded by a single starship that could easily be lured away? This seems incredibly foolish to me on the part of the Fed, so much so that I'm having a hard time accepting as a plot point.

The only reason I could picture them using a single starship as guard, would be security by anonymity.

 

[Micah Sweet]

The only reason I could picture them using a single starship as guard, would be security by anonymity.

A paper-defense that disappears the instant any of a million factors change. Still pretty ridiculous IMO.

 

[Stalker0]

A force sphere surrounding the entire Federation? Wowzers. That escalated quickly.

yeah I was a bit confused by that. So they didn't actually trigger the omega?

my first thought was they triggered the molecules to create dead warp zones all around the federation. But then it looked more like a force shield, so I may have missed something.

 

[Omand]

yeah I was a bit confused by that. So they didn't actually trigger the omega?

my first thought was they triggered the molecules to create dead warp zones all around the federation. But then it looked more like a force shield, so I may have missed something.

Based upon dialogue earlier in the episode I took it that the red zones shown on the star map, and later on screen, were the overlapping sensor nets extending from the mines that would make them explode. So yes, no triggering the Omega. Nus is daring the Federation to cross the line and make things explode, knowing that they will not since they value life and the fabric of space, unlike him.

Agreed that they should have given a bit more explanation on how Omega (artificial or otherwise) was in Federation possession. Since we know from Voyager that there used to be a standing order to destroy it.

Cheers

 

[Clint_L]

Watched the first episode. It's okay. Weird casting for the Captain. Plot was pretty loose, and Giamatti chews all the scenery. I dunno. We'll watch one more, see if it gets better.

 

[Stalker0]

Based upon dialogue earlier in the episode I took it that the red zones shown on the star map, and later on screen, were the overlapping sensor nets extending from the mines that would make them explode. So yes, no triggering the Omega. Nus is daring the Federation to cross the line and make things explode, knowing that they will not since they value life and the fabric of space, unlike him.

Agreed that they should have given a bit more explanation on how Omega (artificial or otherwise) was in Federation possession. Since we know from Voyager that there used to be a standing order to destroy it.

Cheers

Ah ok. So interesting that he hasn't pulled the trigger. What is he hoping to get out of it? Ultimately if he pulls the button, he's straight up beaten the federation. They will not bother him again, and he can go and take over the rest of that sector. So why not pull the trigger?....is there something more he is after?

 

[Dire Bare]

A force sphere surrounding the entire Federation? Wowzers. That escalated quickly.

Yeah. I was okay with the bad guys mining the borders of Federation space . . . but then that final image of a huge force field. Groan.

And to nit pick . . . the curvature of that field has to be so vast as to appear flat next to a starship of any size . . .

EDIT: Okay, not a force field, but overlapping sensor fields . . . but it sure looked like a big old force field surrounding the entire Fed.

 

[Echohawk]

EDIT: Okay, not a force field, but overlapping sensor fields . . . but it sure looked like a big old force field surrounding the entire Fed.

Don't forget that the burn reduced the Federation from more than 350 worlds down to just 38. By the time of Starfleet Academy it is back up to 60+, but that's still a much smaller volume of space to enclose than it would have been in previous eras.

 

[Omand]

Ah ok. So interesting that he hasn't pulled the trigger. What is he hoping to get out of it? Ultimately if he pulls the button, he's straight up beaten the federation. They will not bother him again, and he can go and take over the rest of that sector. So why not pull the trigger?....is there something more he is after?

I imagine that there is something in the last episode about what Braka wants. My own speculation at this time is two-part:

1) Braka wants the Federation, specifically Starfleet, contained so that he can expand his own empire further without any competition or interference.

2) Braka wants to "imprison" the Federation as punishment or revenge for them sending him away to a penal colony for so long (as we saw in the premiere).

You might say this is a distinction without a difference between the two points, but I think #1 is an immediate power-play that meets his current need to dominate and rule (be the biggest man in the quadrant essentially), while #2 is a psychological tic of his nature. He was already violent and revenge-seeking (based upon dialogue) in the 14 year previous prelude in the first episode. That was his underlying psychological state. It appears that the intervening years (15 now as of 300th night) have not really changed that state.

Of course, all will be open for change based upon what the writers have cooked up in the next episode (season finale).

Yeah. I was okay with the bad guys mining the borders of Federation space . . . but then that final image of a huge force field. Groan.

And to nit pick . . . the curvature of that field has to be so vast as to appear flat next to a starship of any size . . .

EDIT: Okay, not a force field, but overlapping sensor fields . . . but it sure looked like a big old force field surrounding the entire Fed.

I have to agree that was a bit heavy-handed. It may have been meant to convey to the viewer how bad the problem was for the Federation.

Having said that, thinking about Brakka's personality (blunt, brutal and overbearing to name but a few of his "endearing" qualities), having a visible sensor net might just be his style. Radiating red lines of sensor webs coming from the mines to show he is smarter than the Federation and the one in charge? Maybe?

Cheers