Call them bad guys, call them the antagonist, or call them the villain – they are what keeps a story from being as about as “exciting as Bucharest on a Monday night” (one no prize to the first person who can tell us where that quote comes from and where the term “no prize” comes from as well).

The Star Trek Universe has had every sort of antagonist from the bumbling Cyrano Jones ranging all the way up to the three depicted above: Khann, Shinzon, and the Borg Queen – and Star Trek Online (STO) has them as well.  In considering Jonathan Morris’  comments to our earlier article Re-Crossing the Troll Bridge I too am beginning to wonder if some of Cryptic’s detractors are playing the same Star Trek Online as we all are.

To wit (I sort of like that expression, kind of like the detractors are on trial) we are amazed by the crap we hear about there not being any story line in STO, the mistaken impression that all missions are alike, that they are all randomly generated, that there is nothing to do beyond the level of Lieutenant Commander and that ilk (there’s an expression that Mr. Scott might have used).  Have you ever even heard of Ambassador B’Vat? Have you traveled in time? Have you saved Spock’s life (as voiced by Leonard Nimoy himself)  and in turn had him save yours? If the answer to any of these questions is no then you haven’t run out of missions  And you also haven’t completed the mission arch “City on the Edge of Never” – and if you haven’t, my only guess is that Admiral Quinn doesn’t trust you with the mission because you have been bitching about STO so much.

[Webmasters Note: Warning, Warning Will Robinson, spoilers from the City on the Edge of Never story arch ahead]

I’m Captain Moogie. On my home world I was downtrodden by a race of misanthropic, misogynistic, small lobed backward gits that tried to keep me out of business, and out of clothes. The 48^thRule of Acquisition says “The bigger the smile, the sharper the knife” – and my smile is always very big. There is an old earth adage that says “speak softly and carry heavy dual phaser cannons” or something like that.

Bvat, the Kuvah’Magh, saving the Enterprise, saving Spock, finding out where Klingons got ridges and how they lost them… what a long strange ride it’s been. And I have the feeling it’s only getting started.

It all started with a mission to a place called The Treasure Trading Station, to rescue a Klingon informant.  Every time I think about it I still laugh…a Klingon who needed rescuing by five Ferengi. That’s where I first heard about B’Vat or “ambassador” B’Vat.  This guy’s a pip alright.  I still have the recording of what the informant had to say about this guy:

“He’s smart and he’s a planner. Wheels within wheels. He has half a dozen things going on, and I barely know the half of it. Ancient weapons, time travel, outlawed science…if there’s a way to get what he wants, B’vat will do it.  Things normal people wouldn’t even consider, B’vat already thought of it and figured out how to make it work.”

Me? I figured that rescuing Miss Prissy Pants would be the last time I ever heard of this B’Vat guy. Hah! Not even close. I ended up chasing him across time itself.  On the other hand I will take any chance I get to let loose of a little fire power.

Now if you’ll pardon me I have some gagh I would like to try while it is still alive. We can continue this story later.

(posted by The Webmaster for Julie Whitefeather)

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