[New Star Trek Idea] Star Trek Freighter

[evilchumlee]

Well, maybe the Freighter need to pass Bajor in order to go to the Federation Dilithium Refining Station? So O'Brien can meet Kira whenever he likes. So the setting can be in multiple places. I'm curious if DS9 still operational in Picard era. Or maybe DS9 is already mothballed, and replaced by a new DS9 that has Dilithium Refinery Facility?

I would like to think they retired DS9 by then. With Bajor now in the Federation and the area stabilized, it seems like it makes much more sense for them to build a new station to be the hub of Bajor Sector and monitor the wormhole over an aging Cardassian mining station...

I doubt a new station would have a mining facility though, they didn't use the one that was on DS9 and Bajor had basically been strip mined anyway. It would still be a big stop though and a general hub for traffic and trade.

 

[Brainsucker]

I would like to think they retired DS9 by then. With Bajor now in the Federation and the area stabilized, it seems like it makes much more sense for them to build a new station to be the hub of Bajor Sector and monitor the wormhole over an aging Cardassian mining station...

I doubt a new station would have a mining facility though, they didn't use the one that was on DS9 and Bajor had basically been strip mined anyway. It would still be a big stop though and a general hub for traffic and trade.

Ah, what I mean is Refinery Facility, not a mining station. It like a fuel refinery that refine the raw oil to fuel.

 

[evilchumlee]

Ah, what I mean is Refinery Facility, not a mining station. It like a fuel refinery that refine the raw oil to fuel.

Even still i'm not sure Bajor would be the place for it. It wouldn't make too much sense to be hauling the raw materials to Bajor to be refined, and then hauling them to wherever they need to go.

Rather, it makes much more sense that nuDS9 acts much in the way that oldDS9 did, as a trade hub and gateway to the Gamma Quadrant. It would still make sense for freighters to routinely stop there... especially if by this time, the Dominion is no longer hostile, there would be amazing trade opportunities in the GQ. No need for the refinery, it would be mostly finished goods passing through nuDS9.

Storywise it's functionally the same. Freighter Captain O'Brian would still be there often enough, especially if we make his route go into the Gamma Quadrant.

I don't think it's outlandish that oldDS9 might still exist though. There's no particular reason to actually disassemble the thing, so while a shiny new station may have been built to act as the primary hub for Bajor Sector, DS9 may still be there in the system. There's no particular reason a system can't have more than one starbase... Sol has several... Spacedock, Jupiter Station, the Mars orbital facilities, the orbital office complex may still be up there, and... *sigh* Starbase 1 that orbits some unknown planet in Sol for some reason.

 

[Shamrock Holmes]

Storywise it's functionally the same. Freighter Captain O'Brian would still be there often enough, especially if we make his route go into the Gamma Quadrant.

Maybe it's too late for this question, but why have O'Brien, who has made it that he detests the social expectations of command, be the Commanding Officer?

I mean, the rest of the concept I could kinda buy... but him being the Chief Engineer/Engineering Officer for a freighter crew is an easier sell for me.

 

[Brainsucker]

Maybe it's too late for this question, but why have O'Brien, who has made it that he detests the social expectations of command, be the Commanding Officer?

I mean, the rest of the concept I could kinda buy... but him being the Chief Engineer/Engineering Officer for a freighter crew is an easier sell for me.

Well, maybe he was forced to do the thing that he hates so much, just because his love to his daughter. Well, we know that Dominion War happened when Molly was still very small in Bajor. Maybe in the mid of the war, both Keiko and Molly faced something horrible / dangerous off screen that make O'Brien become very protective to his daughter. And that traumatized memory still haunt O'Brien until today. So when he found that Molly has joined Starfleet, he used every influence that he has to prevent Molly from taking dangerous mission, including from joining the prestigious five years mission. But without he knowing, she join a remote mining station instead just to get away from him.

Of course, in this story, O'Brien need to learn that he needs to trust his daughter more, and get away from his traumatized experience. For Molly, to forgive her overprotective dad who practically prevent her from spreading her wing as a Starfleet Officer.

Well, you know that I like contradictory characters like Yang Wen Li from Legend of Galactic Heroes. A Japanese Space Opera that I think, has the same weight as Star Trek. Yang Wen Li is a very rare military genius of his era. He's the only Fleet Commander who can beat Reinhard in battle; Reinhard is the space opera version of Napoleon. But he has a very contradictory mentality. Because Yan Wen Li, as a military genius hates fight and war. He doesn't has any ambition at all. And his knowledge come from his love to history of war. But he's the only one that can stop Reinhard from conquering the galaxy.

Well, in here O'Brien needs to face the thing that he hates so much from long ago. To command a Ship. This contradictory can also become a trigger to develop Miles O'Brien as a character. Just imagine, the fear that O'Brien must face when he heard that his daughter plan to join USS Enterprise G in their 5 years mission. The traumatize experience, plus the danger that his daughter must face as a Starfleet Officer will haunt Miles O'Brien every night. Make him unable to think straight, or even sleep at night. This way, the loving and over protective father has become the most hated person in his daughter dictionary. But even with that, he can't stay away from his daughter.

 

[The Wormhole]

Wouldn't it make more sense to post all this into the fan fiction forum? You're obviously putting a lot of thought and development into this idea, and that forum seem the more appropriate avenue for you to do this.

 

[evilchumlee]

Maybe it's too late for this question, but why have O'Brien, who has made it that he detests the social expectations of command, be the Commanding Officer?

I mean, the rest of the concept I could kinda buy... but him being the Chief Engineer/Engineering Officer for a freighter crew is an easier sell for me.

I was just running with Brainsucker's idea.

If I were to try to justify this, I would say maybe that in his old age O'Brian has somewhat chilled on the idea of command, but it's also why he's running a freighter... Starfleet kind of pushed him into a command role, but he was able to get what should be an easy post with only a small crew that can be much more informal than a line starship.

 

[Brainsucker]

Wouldn't it make more sense to post all this into the fan fiction forum? You're obviously putting a lot of thought and development into this idea, and that forum seem the more appropriate avenue for you to do this.

Well, do you remember Star Trek Renegades? Just compare it to Star Trek Picard season 1. Yes, they're different. But not different in every aspect. There are some similarity between them, although not obviously the same. For example the ship, the female heroine (that replaced by Seven of Nine) and some other tiny things around the two.

So making a detailed Star Trek idea is not a bad thing. Of course, if I write it in the Fan Fiction section, it will be mine, and mine alone. The others will stay as a reader. And that story will stay as a fan fiction for eternity. But in here, I can enjoy with Evilchumiee and others to discuss for fun. If the Film maker or some novel writers like it, and they use the idea, then I welcome them without any problem. I won't even need to ask for some compensation, because it is only a raw idea. Whoever use it, I welcome them.

I remember that one of my old idea, Captain Picard become the President of United Federation of Planets got an intention from someone, and he/she ask me for permission to use the idea for his/her novel. So I welcome him/her. And I even enjoy to read his/her book. As this is only a raw idea that I spill from my nerd brain. I don't hold the idea as my property, and I can be happy when someone use it for their work without any trouble.

Even if nobody interest with the idea, I have already satisfied for being able to spill my nerd brain idea in here. We write our idea here not because we want it to be used by the Film Maker. We write our Future Star Trek idea just because we love to spill our nerd brain for fun. If someone like it, then it's good. But if it stay here for eternity, who care.

Of course, others can also add or subtract the idea for fun, too. As the idea is just a raw thing that far from perfect. I write the idea in here not because I want to write a screenplay or a novel. So I just write it here when an idea spark in my brain. I don't even need to think it like when I write a novel or screen play. So if it far from perfect and has a lot of plot hole, then it should be developed more and more, until we satisfied, and move on to another nerd idea or ours.

 

[Brainsucker]

I was just running with Brainsucker's idea.

If I were to try to justify this, I would say maybe that in his old age O'Brian has somewhat chilled on the idea of command, but it's also why he's running a freighter... Starfleet kind of pushed him into a command role, but he was able to get what should be an easy post with only a small crew that can be much more informal than a line starship.

Don't hold yourself. Spill your nerd brain in here without any hesitation. Who care if nobody like the idea. Even if you make it as your novel, I don't even hold you with anything, and will congratulate you when it finish and enter the market.

 

[Brainsucker]

So, following the old tradition of this sub-forum from the time when Discovery still not here, I'll create a roster of characters for this idea. I have two versions. The Harry Mudd version and the Miles O'Brien version.

Harry Mudd version:

The hero : Harry Mudd:
- In an unrecorded event in 23rd Century, the old Harry Mudd got stranded in a remote space. He went there to bury his treasures. But he can't return to Earth, because his Dilithium has been depleted. Knowing that he has an ailment that make his life come to close, Harry create a clone of himself using the old 23rd Century Transporter. Well, you know, the 23rd century transporter often to create clones accidently, and that's canon. So Harry, as the only one who have study that trick, create a younger version of himself from the ship transporter data. Then he died.

- Fast forward to early 25th century, a Ferengi scavenger ship found the ship, and one of the crew, and their arrival trigger the activation of transporter activity to create a young Harry Mudd. Looking at him, the Ferengi crews remember an old legend from Ferengiar. From a time when they still haven't meet those Hypocrite from Earth. The arrival of the ultimate Cheater, who cheat old Ferengis in trade and make them cry.

The legend of this ultimate Cheater has become an inspiration in Ferengiar. So when the young Ferengi meet this cheater, he worship him like a god, and make himself Mudd's disciple.

Well, yes. For you remember Buck Rogers, here you are : Harry Mudd in 25th century.

Cast Roster :
- Young Harry Mudd, a clone of the old Harry Mudd who had died in his old ship in a remote space, far away from Earth. Harry Mudd is not only a cheater. He's a criminal, treasure hunter, and tomb Raider. But also a a natural borne businessman. He love to raid ancient ruins for treasure, and sell them in the Black market. So, basically, Harry is the natural enemy of all Archeologists in his era. Now, after he was reborn, he want to continue his activity to rob the ancient ruins dry, for his satisfaction, and of course latinum gold ingot. For his evil work, he disguise himself as a Freighter captain who work around Bajor and Delta Quadrant.

Harry is bad almost in everything, except for his love to his family. So naturally Harry is weak toward his surviving descendants. That weakness sometime overcome his greed, to an extend that Harry is willing to do good things in his life.

- A Young ferengi who work as scavenger for his species. He worship Mudd like a god, and decide to become Mudd first ever disciple. He is Quark descendant. After the two join hand, Mudd sell his scavenger ship and buy a small Freighter, and start his trading ( and ancient ruin raider) activity in Delta Quadrant.

- Mudd Female descendant: She's the only Mudd who live in 25th century. She has a daughter, but has a bad relation with her. Like Harry, this descendant is a greedy person. She dislike the lifestyle on Earth, and want to find Harry's mystical treasure that capable to buy a planet outside Federation. The problem is, she has space phobia. and only after she know that Harry return, this descandant fight her phobia to meet her ancestor.

- Mudd Female descendant Daughter, from a half Klingon Romulan father and Human mother. She no longer has much Klingon body feature. And her ear is sharp like Romulan. But her behavior is like a human being. Although she still has Klingon battle instinct in her mind.

Well, that instinct doesn't help so much, as this descandant is some kind of pacifist woman. She hates fight, she never learn Martial Art, and she dislike violence. But that instinct help her more than once when she excavated ancient ruins as an Archeologist.

Unlike Harry, this female descendant has Picard Morale standard. Specially when she study under Jeanluc Picard in her Archology university on Earth. That's why she despise her ancestor to the bone. Unlike her mother, she dislike treasure hunter and another Harry criminal activity. But after she meet her ancestor for real, she decided to join him, to prevent Mudd from desecrate more valuable ruins in Delta Quadrant for the sake of more Latinum Gold bar. Her ultimate aims is to bring the old treasure of Harry mudd and bring them to the museum on Earth.

Bajor security officer : The main antagonist of this story. He/she wants to capture Harry for the crime that he did in DS9. I don't know who this Bajor is, an old character like Kira or a new character, with Kira as his/her superior. But sometime, both police officer and criminal must work together when their live in danger. Despite he/she has a duty to capture Harry, the friendship between the two grow along with the story.

 

[evilchumlee]

Don't hold yourself. Spill your nerd brain in here without any hesitation. Who care if nobody like the idea. Even if you make it as your novel, I don't even hold you with anything, and will congratulate you when it finish and enter the market.

I'm having fun working from an initial idea.

I'll play around with an O'Brian version.

It's 2399. Miles O'Brian is bored. He has everything he ever wanted in life. A loving family, successful children, and a nice posting on Earth at the Academy. He never thought hitting every goal he ever had would result in a life that was just so humdrum. He spent alot of time out in space, getting into all kinds of adventures, the entire time thinking he absolutely hated it. But as he gets older and he's spent the past 25 years or so on Earth... he begins to realize just how much he missed it.

He talked to Keiko about pursuing a posting back on a starship. While she was ready to support Miles in whatever he wanted to do, she did have to remind him that given his rank and experience, they would want to place him in a command role. He did ponder just how much he didn't want to be in that situation. He was ready to drop the idea and just accept his boring, safe life.

His outlook changed a few days later when Molly got in touch with her parents. She was excited to tell her father that she had been promoted to full Commander, and would be assigned to the relatively new Dominion outreach program to help facilitate trade between the Federation and the Dominion. Miles had heard something about this, and something in the back of his mind lit up... he recalled an offhand conversation with an Admiral about how Starfleet was having trouble finding experienced... and reputable... crews for freighters. The cadets all wanted to be on the big exploration ships, nobody wanted to run cargo anymore.

It was perfect. He could get back out in space. He could be close to his kids (Yoshi is also out there, doing Starfleet things.), but a freight run would be nice and safe, and given the informality of Starfleet freight operations and the generally small crews of freighters, he wouldn't have to "play Captain" much. Begrudgingly, Keiko agreed to follow him on another one of his adventures.

Upon transferring and getting his ship, his first stop was familiar... he would be heading to Deep Space 9 before heading into the Gamma Quadrant. When he arrived at DS9, someone must have let the word get out. He was greeted by Kai Kira, Bashir and Ezri. Not only that, he arrived to an uncomfortable amount of fanfare as Grand Nagus Rom and Quark had also made their way to the station to greet their old freind.

As O'Brian was done greeting everyone and ready to move on, Bashir followed him. O'Brian said by again, assuring Julian they would catch up the next time he's around. Bashir laughed, and told Miles he should pay more attention to his cargo manifest. Among various trade goods, O'Brian would be ferrying medical and scientific personnel... led by Bashir.

(that's the origin anyway. No idea what the drama would be, but like, surely once they get the Gamma Quadrant, "O'Brian must be tortured".)

 

[Shamrock Holmes]

He talked to Keiko about pursuing a posting back on a starship. While she was ready to support Miles in whatever he wanted to do, she did have to remind him that given his rank and experience, they would want to place him in a command role.

O'Brien's rank is Senior Chief Specialist* (roughly equivalent to a USN Senior Chief Petty Officer), the highest position he's eligible on that basis is the same one he held on Deep Space Nine (Chief of Operations/Chief Engineer) or at a stretch something like Executive Petty Officer (the second-in-command on small patrol vessels and support vessels with a crew of around a dozen or so), but there's no basis for the idea that he'd be forced into a Commanding Officer billet.

* There is some ambiguity regarding his rank in early TNG but he was definitely retcon'd as an enlisted man by the time he arrived on the station).

 

[evilchumlee]

O'Brien's rank is Senior Chief Specialist* (roughly equivalent to a USN Senior Chief Petty Officer), the highest position he's eligible on that basis is the same one he held on Deep Space Nine (Chief of Operations/Chief Engineer) or at a stretch something like Executive Petty Officer (the second-in-command on small patrol vessels and support vessels with a crew of around a dozen or so), but there's no basis for the idea that he'd be forced into a Commanding Officer billet.

* There is some ambiguity regarding his rank in early TNG but he was definitely retcon'd as an enlisted man by the time he arrived on the station).

Starfleet isn't the USN, and I had noted I set this in 2399... I doubt O'Brian just stopped at Senior Chief Specialist for the last 30ish years.

We also know very little about how NCO's work in Starfleet, but i've always suspected that they aren't entirely analogous to modern day NCO's, and in general Starfleet is overall less concerned about rank than they are position.

We are ALSO talking about a small ship, a freighter. There's probably no more than a handful of people on board. While yes, a 2024 USN NCO wouldn't be in a command of a ship... a 2399 Starfleet NCO may well be qualified to command a small vessel.

There are always creative solutions around things. Let's say... fine. Starfleet NCO's work exactly the same way USN NCO's work.

*retcon* O'Brian is bored with his Academy posting. Hears that the completely-and-totally-unrelated-to-Starfleet Federation Cargo Authority is looking for experienced crews for freighters. O'Brian, now in his 70's, decides to retire from Starfleet... but rather than spend his days sitting on his porch in Ireland, he decides to join the Federation Cargo Authority, who bring him at the rank of Captain in order to command an absolutely-not-Starfleet freighter.

 

[The Wormhole]

If the Film maker or some novel writers like it, and they use the idea,

If a filmmaker or novel writer sees this thread, they won't be allowed to use this idea. Indeed, if they were already independently working on something like this, they would then be obligated to stop working on it and abandon the project due to legalities. It's the whole reason why the Trek Lit forum has the "No Story Ideas" rule. So if you want this to become a potential TV series, you've basically prevented that from happening by posting it in this very forum. That's literally the law.

 

[fireproof78]

 

[Shamrock Holmes]

Starfleet isn't the USN, and I had noted I set this in 2399... I doubt O'Brian just stopped at Senior Chief Specialist for the last 30ish years.

He could certainly promote to Master Chief, but that doesn't alter the postings he'd be eligible for any.

We also know very little about how NCO's work in Starfleet, but i've always suspected that they aren't entirely analogous to modern day NCO's, and in general Starfleet is overall less concerned about rank than they are position.

Yeah, but O'Brien has never held any position that would imply that he's eligible or capable of commanding anything larger than a runabout (which just requires pilot credentials).

We are ALSO talking about a small ship, a freighter. There's probably no more than a handful of people on board. While yes, a 2024 USN NCO wouldn't be in a command of a ship... a 2399 Starfleet NCO may well be qualified to command a small vessel.

But he's not commanding a "small vessel", he's commanding a Galaxy-class starship.

That's a very major vessel that would require specific training, certification and experience that as an engineer he doesn't have, and the fact that it's old or has reduced capabilities doesn't alter that.

 

[Brainsucker]

If a filmmaker or novel writer sees this thread, they won't be allowed to use this idea. Indeed, if they were already independently working on something like this, they would then be obligated to stop working on it and abandon the project due to legalities. It's the whole reason why the Trek Lit forum has the "No Story Ideas" rule. So if you want this to become a potential TV series, you've basically prevented that from happening by posting it in this very forum. That's literally the law.

Why so afraid? My idea is not even a professional writer quality. It just a Trek nerd Guy who want to spill their nerd brain for fun. So I doubt the Trek writers will take it as their idea. As it can't even impress you and some others member in this forum. So how could it impress a broader audience out there.

PLUS, writing some random Star Trek idea in this sub forum doesn't give you an IP Right. Someone doesn't even need to steal it. They can just ask you, or take it for granted. What is the point of writing your idea in here if not to show your ideas to those professionals? You will be proud if they use it, but you still okay even if the idea is buried inside the sub forum for eternity.

Look, the ideas here are just a raw idea. It doesn't require skills and knowledge to write such an idea in the forum. Everyone can do it. You need only to fantasying Star Trek, and such idea will born from your nerd brain immediately. You don't even need a professional writer to bring a new idea of Star Trek. As long as you have watch and read a ton of TV show, movies and read novels, you can do it.

But, once it become a literature work like a novel or a TV script it become different. Because it require detail, knowledge, passion, and hard working. It is the hard work of the writer that give them the IP right. Not the day dreamer like me.

For example, I had an old idea about Picard to become the President of UFP. And someone write a novel based on that idea. The IP right is not belong to me. Because it was a raw idea. I just need to day dreaming to create such an idea. It is the novel writer that has the right of IP. Simply because it is the result of his hard work. And it is him, who use all his skills, knowledge, and effort to bring the novel into the market. Not mine.

Trust me, day dreaming is easy. Writing a raw idea like this is easy. But translating the idea into a novel or TV script require a great deal of effort. It also require a great deal of Language, literature skills and Star Trek Knowledge. That's why the IP belong to them, not day dreamer who write in this Future Star Trek subforum.

 

[Brainsucker]

O'Brien's rank is Senior Chief Specialist* (roughly equivalent to a USN Senior Chief Petty Officer), the highest position he's eligible on that basis is the same one he held on Deep Space Nine (Chief of Operations/Chief Engineer) or at a stretch something like Executive Petty Officer (the second-in-command on small patrol vessels and support vessels with a crew of around a dozen or so), but there's no basis for the idea that he'd be forced into a Commanding Officer billet.

* There is some ambiguity regarding his rank in early TNG but he was definitely retcon'd as an enlisted man by the time he arrived on the station).

Well, maybe you right, because of his rank, Miles O'Brien can't command a cruiser type ship. But what about a Freighter? Let say, he ask Starfleet to give him a Freighter to command. I think if an NCO like him can become the second in command of a small patrol vessel, then he can become the captain of a fishing boat and a Freighter, isn't he?

So it won't be hard for Miles O'Brien to get his own Freighter from Star Fleet. maybe a small ship with cargo bay like in Picard season 1, or another old Freighter with no weapon bays and not fit to fly.

But because it is Miles O'Brien, an Engineering Nerd like Geordi, he is not satisfied with the ship. So he want into a ship graveyard, and found an old Galaxy Class Starship that no longer work, but the condition still better than the Ent-D. Then he canibalized another ships to repair the ship, and use the Galaxy-Freighter as his personal Freighter ship.

 

[The Wormhole]

writing some random Star Trek idea in this sub forum doesn't give you an IP Right. Someone doesn't even need to steal it. They can just ask you, or take it for granted.

It doesn't work that way. Even if you said "it's okay for a professional writer to go ahead and use this idea" they still legally can't use the idea, and if they were already working on that idea independently, the minute the saw your post is the minute they would be legally obligated to cease work on that idea.

Here's the post in Trek Lit detailing why they have a "No Story Ideas" rule there. Granted, that rule is only enforced in the Trek Lit forum due to the number of professional writers confirmed to post there, but the basic reasons for why they have that rule are applicable here, in highlighting why a professional writer can never use this idea.

I had an old idea about Picard to become the President of UFP. And someone write a novel based on that idea. The IP right is not belong to me. Because it was a raw idea. I just need to day dreaming to create such an idea. It is the novel writer that has the right of IP. Simply because it is the result of his hard work. And it is him, who use all his skills, knowledge, and effort to bring the novel into the market.

That novel was never published. I know this because a look over Memory Alpha and Memory Beta confirms there is no novel about Picard being Federation President. And indeed, as the author got the idea from something you posted online, there is no legal way that novel could have been published.

 

[The Old Mixer]

As this is a writing exercise rather than speculation about a prospective series, I've moved it to Fan Fiction.