EAS Today

I was leery about them rehashing the rogue admiral plot device, but thankfully, this was largely executed well.

A good episode. But - not for the first time - too much going on. But I don’t think that should necessarily count against it.

For one thing, what if it was just over-written? Of course, you’d think the writers’ room, showrunners, producers would pick up on that. If they were competent, and there’s been little in these past two seasons to give us any assurance on THAT score.

However. Let’s look at what is going on. There are basically three plots: Reeger and his quest for revenge; the Kirks uncovering the truth about their father; and Uhura Versus The Blue Meanies. All three would make solid A plots, but Reeger’s Revenge takes centre stage, so the other two are lessened.

• I wonder if the George Kirk storyline began independently, but they couldn’t see a way to have TWO James Kirk Versus Badmiral stories, so it got shoehorned in here. Which takes us back to the incompetent showrunning.
• As for the Uhura storyline, it’d be easy to dismiss as, they could have come up with any number of credible reasons for Pike and Una to not be on the ship. But instead they gave Uhura an opportunity to kick ass. And why not? Just because she spent the whole of TOS doing little but being visible (which MLK himself told her was important in itself) shouldn’t mean she doesn’t need or deserve a chance to be shown to be a brave and competent Starfleet officer. So no it’s not much of a subplot but it’s some of that important character development people complain is missing from nuTrek’s shorter seasons.

[* One thing I did wonder: by introducing the Cordrazine early on and reminding us of its side-effects, were they thinking of setting up the possibility it was KIRK who could be the paranoid one? However nothing else in the ep as filmed backs that up, so probably not.]

But to get back to why I think having too many subplots shouldn’t be a point against the episode: because it happened all the time in TNG, DS9, VOY etc.!
• Consider “Family” (TNG). Originally it was just going to be about Picard going home. But then the producers said, nooo, can’t have that, got to have a subplot. First it was going to be a disappearing-crew story, which mercifully was eventually junked (and, I presume, turned into “Remember Me” or that Riker alien-abduction one) and replaced with Worf’s foster parents and Wesley’s message from his dad. Why, we don’t know. Maybe they felt that paying seven people to be in a show every week meant they should appear ever week (even though Data doesn’t in this one). Or that otherwise this ep came too close to that most heinous of US network TV sins, continuity - and it being about a bald Frenchman blubbing in a vineyard not helping.
• Or, “Message In A Bottle” (VOY). The action on the Prometheus could’ve been expanded, but instead we got a comedy plot line with Tom and Harry trying to create a new EMH. OK we also got some foreshadowing about the Hirogen, but still…

It does not originate from the Alien movies. It is a real binary star system 39 light years from earth.

There is one name of a star system that's been on my mind when it was first spoken on this episode: Zeta Reticulii. I was surprised to actually hear it being said...but I won't be surprised that there'll be meme for it made by Major Grim (or Grin) from YouTube. The only problem I have, currently, is finding it in the Trek canon...

You left out a very important name on this review: Zeta Reticulii. I was honestly surprised to hear that particular name being spoken, and I won't be surprised that there will be a meme for it made by Major Grim (or Grin) on Youtube. Now...how does one find that system in the Trek universe...?

Fair enough.

I would still urge you to revise your review, as you duck a couple of points for the cover up that you allege the former crew covered up Reeger's misconduct at the battle - which there was not any, he simply took a head injury and was incapacitated. Reeger receiving credit for the Battle of war hero - which was a choice for the sake of morale during the war consisted with what we have seen Starfleet officers do throughout all of the classic series as well, and one which was requested and endorsed by George Kirk himself. And the sabotaging of George Kurt's career, which the crew of The Constitution did not cover up because this was something that regrow only did once he had been promoted to admiral, and was doubtless done from afar and with reassignments, so that no one else - certainly not the crew of The Constitution - would have had the overview to be aware of it.

I understand being fed up with modern trucks pension for cover-ups, but this simply was not one of them. And the points raised in the article allege a conspiracy of the Constitution crew that simply didn't happen. It's just a misunderstanding of the events that the episode describes.

This is either a red herring, or it will give rise to more continuity issues that I will comment on once we have the confirmation.

As long as the Federation don't discover it's the Romulans, I don't see any continuity issues. Pretty sure this will be a one and done encounter, they're just foreshadowing Balance of Terror.

Very wrong.

Better, but still......another 'badmiral', another rehash of the 'mutiny' trope, and since when is Uhura an action hero? Also, apparently M'Benga's real last name must be Bond and his serial number is 007 because AGAIN he's a part of history. Better than the rest of the season, certainly, but 'good'? No.

On the Romulan issue, everything remained inconclusive and I didn't want to comment on something that may just be a red herring. But I'm adding a comment.

Model by

CaptainWhitmire

The tiny Starfleet Blackbird-class scout is a mere 104-meters long and dwarfed even by starships from 100-years ago. Far smaller than famous cruisers like the refit-Constitution-class USS Enterprise, these 22-man vessels scout ahead of Starfleet task groups, conduct months-long sector patrols from local Starfleet Starbases and Federation planets, and conduct anti-piracy patrols along Federation shipping lanes, responding to distress calls from any Federation craft, and performing search & rescue missions throughout the Federation to fill in the gaps left by larger and more capable Starfleet ships.

The Blackbird-class was created by Bernd Schneider in 1996 and is featured on Ex-Astris Scientia (https://www.ex-astris-scientia.org/my_ships/blackbird.htm)

Exterior views by Bernd Schneider, updated by myself. Cross-sectional views and Deck plans by me.

The comet had no name yet, only a string of catalog numbers arrayed on the Astrometric LCARS. But to Lt. Alexa Wolff it felt personal, almost whimsical too. A point of light threading the dark, illuminating their way.

She leaned forward towards the console, taking all the readings in. Data points left and right, immaculate scans of the surface and ejecta. This was exactly what she imagined as a child beneath the domes of Tycho City. Peering through her first telescope, reading stories of daring captains. Batel, Kirk, Saavik, the golden years. Now she was here, at the very same forefront.

“Helm, bring us two hundred kilometers closer.” came Captain Han Lo’s voice over the comm. The visual lenses adjusted, Alexa noticing the Rooivalk was moving in closer, thrusters gliding her on. The hull catching faint reflections of the comet’s glow. The captain had not questioned her request, not even hesitated. The confidence in her expertise had startled her more than any formal commendation. Somewhere in the back of her mind, a younger version of herself smiling gleefully.

Enhanced scans blossomed with new detail. Ice and dust resolved into layers. Ancient volatiles trapped since the dawn of time, now shedding themselves in delicate arcs. Alexa adjusted the filters, isolating elements, mapping a 3d simulation, simulcast to the bridge. “It’s beautiful.” she whispered to herself. Obscure beauty indeed. The kind that required patience, curiosity and faith that meaning existed in the far corners of space.

“Careful, Lieutenant...” Captain Lo said, with a trace of amusement. “At this distance, we might inspire it. Give it a few million years and it could start its own civilization, studying us in return.”

Alexa laughed softly, though her eyes never left the display. “Then we’d better make a good impression, sir.” She paused, recording another data stream. “If they ever ask how it all began, I hope it starts like this. With someone choosing to come a little closer.”

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3ds Max / Photoshop

Vesper Class from ST: Online

My Links: https://linktr.ee/jetfreak

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The Kumari Battlecruiser (2)

Enterprise is orbitting a red moon at the beginning of #StarTrekSNW's "Orders of Magnitude". It's called Sigma-287D and is a moon of Madena V in the Madena system, close to a trade route. This system is the home of the Coalition of Madena, Atlec and Straleb, well known from #StarTrekTNG's "The Outrageous Okona"↙️↘️. 😊

The tool Uhura uses to work on the transmitter in #StarTrekSNW's "Orders of Magnitude"⬆️ is a Klingon tricorder, also seen "Shuttle to Kenfori"↖️↗️. It's based on the prop from "Star Trek III"➡️ and "Star Trek IV"↘️, later used on #StarTrekTNG ("The Chase"↙️) and #StarTrekDS9 ("Sons of Mogh"⬅️).

I love the Andorian interfaces in #StarTrekSNW's "Orders of Magnitude"⬆️. They include a feature introduced in season 4 of #StarTrekENT ("Kir'shara"↙️, "United"↘️): a deconstructed Andorian emblem (first introduced in season 3 of ENT), visible as a line of circles and crescents. Great continuity! 😊

Alcor, the Badlands and Starbase 11 and 17 are also not present in the earlier version of the star chart. Why Bajor is gone and a wormhole was added to the region around Cardassia, I cannot say. Maybe it was a mistake, maybe there was a smaller temporary wormhole close to Cardassia - who knows! 2/2

Here are the star charts seen in #StarTrekSNW's "Orders of Magnitude". Comparing the new chart (2nd pic ⬆️) to the same region in season 1's "Strange New World"⬇️, it can be seen that Bajor is gone and a wormhole is depicted at a different location close to Cardassia. 1/2

Our school turns 50 next year, so we are in the middle of preparations for this momentous anniversary. During our project days, one group greated a new painting for the main entrance, featuring the word "fifty" in many different languages. I managed to sneak in a small "vaghmaH"↖️ and a Starfleet delta (under the green zero)! 🖖

We briefly see a graphic of a subspace buoy in #StarTrekSNW's "Order of Magnitude"⬆️. The buoys were seen in action in season 1's "The Serene Squall"↙️ and in this season's "Level-Five Transporter Accident"↘️.

...but there are several, readily visible ones with the Andorian emblem right behind Pike, in sight of Una ⬇️. Yet, she intentionally ignores them to keep the Andorian twist a secret from the audience (and Pike!) for just a little longer... 😋 More about the Andorian emblem here at EAS. https://www.ex-astris-scientia.org/inconsistencies/fed_member_emblems.htm#andorian 2/2

I love how Commander Una does not give away right away that there might be Andorians hidden away in the crystal cave in #StarTrekSNW's "Orders of Magnitude" but instead talks about Orion, Klingon and Tellarite crates ⬆️. Well, we only see crates with Federation and Klingon logos in the episode (I checked!)...1/2

#StarTrekSNW's "Orders of Magnitude" features several classic "Enterprise in planetary orbit" shots, like this one ⬇️ that reminded me of a similar shot in #StarTrek's first (broadcast) episode, "The Man Trap"⬆️.