The Admiral’s Log: My Journey Through ‘Star Trek Online’ – Part XLVI

Written by John Edward Betancourt 

Kobali Prime – A World at War 

While I’ve always appreciated the fact that Star Trek as a whole provides us with a vision of a world and future where mankind has figured all of their problems out, I’m equally as enamored with how the franchise has taken the time to show us that not everyone in the universe is as evolved as the United Federation of Planets. For there are worlds and cultures out there struggling to survive, and some worlds know nothing of peace and it’s good to see a franchise that offers hope, offer up such a realistic twist, one that parallels our world to a tee and its oddly something that Star Trek Online has made a point to weave into the beautiful fabric of the game.
 
For you definitely travel to ‘unsavory’ places in the galaxy in this game, where Federation rule means nothing and only the strong survive and while it is jarring to see places like that when compared to the clean and sanitary ships of Starfleet, this flip side of the universe is paramount to some of the stories that play out over your career as a Starfleet officer. And one such place that fits the particular mold of a world where chaos reigns and sorrow seems to surround everyone and everything, is nestled deep within the confines of the Delta Quadrant, and it’s a world that quite frankly I did not do a good job exploring my first time around there, since I was more or less trying to push through the Delta Rising segment of the story as quickly as I could.
 
Which meant the time had come to properly explore the world known as Kobali Prime and as it turns out, appreciating anything this world had to offer was no easy task. For this is a world that is under constant conflict as the Vaadwaur siege the cities on this world and that, made exploration uncomfortable to say the least. Because while I admired the views surrounding me, there was always the unsettling thud of a photon mortar in the distance, or the gentle hiss of phaser and distruptor fire and that honestly made my visit to this particular world heartbreaking to say to the least because there actually is quite a bit of beauty to be found in this place when all is said and done.
 
For the cities here are magnificent. They’re bright and massive and filled to the brim with beautiful architecture and people going about their daily lives, and the countryside is no slouch either for that matter. Because the hills and mountains on this planet feature beautiful views and its fascinating as to how the light reflects off of everything here. But alas, the beauty present here is marred and sullied by conflict and as I explored the area surrounding the capital city, weapons discharge and barricades and war reminded me of that, making this world bittersweet to visit and it hammered home every point about the nature of the galaxy I’ve made mention of so far.
 
If anything, revisiting this world was a humbling experience to say the least. Because the last time I was here, I was immediately following orders and diving into combat as a Starfleet officer is wont to do. But now, seeing it from afar, really gives one a moment of digital pause because I really have it made aboard the Galactica. Because I have the fleet behind me at all times, and Earth and Spacedock and my ready room are all peaceful and gentle and quiet in their own right, and that kind of privilege is something one forgets about when playing this game and it evokes a sense of duty at the same time and well, that’s why I love this game. Because it does more than offer up action and adventure, it makes you think and it makes you feel something, which is truly a spectacular feat for certain and in a weird way, this particular stop has motivated me to continue this second journey through the galaxy post haste, to see what other moments of wonder await me. Until next time.

---