This isn't going to be typed out very well, since it's still in me wee widdle hayud...thanks for your patience.
The time: Not long after the Dominion War
The situation: Cardassia’s weakened state has caused them to lose control of many worlds. In some cases, freedom fighters are seeking to collect “interest” along with what they lost. Some smaller, bordering powers are seeing this as an opportunity to jab at Cardassia. Many worlds are seeking new allies or are simply looking to get rid of all outside influences.
This provides political tension as the Federation responds to calls from other worlds and then has to deal with situations in which they are seen as a savior, a failed savior (what do you mean you can’t give us what we need?) or have to deal with xenophobia. They also have to deal with relief efforts for Cardassians who may or may not appreciate them.
Similarly, this provides some exploration along newly opened frontiers as Cardassia’s borders shrink and routes into newer space open up (including gaps between Breen and Ferengi territory).
The campaign: The crew is aboard an Intrepid class ship (it’s got a cozy size where I have enough people to kill for drama, if needed, but not enough to where you can ignore body counts) which runs very TOS like missions in the area. Exploration, supplies, escort, etc. Its scientific stations and excellent speed really work well for it out here. There may be a Cardassian aboard as an observer/diplomat (which may or may not be a PC and may or may not be a nasty git). The Federation is working hard in this section of space (just as they do with the other big races). Pretty general stuff to start.
Growing sub-plot:
The subplot will not be the main focus, at first. Instead it will drop hints and grow little by little as the campaign goes on its merry TOS style way (I plan to make full use of the adventure seeds collected here )....
One of the races on the far side of Cardassian space chose flight over fight when their terriroty was attacked. The Cardassians never did figure out what those outposts were defending as they expanded, because no world using that technology was found. In truth, that world developed the technology to take itself “out of phase” with the rest of our universe. Unfortunately, its prolonged presense has begun to disrupt space and begun causing “weird things” to happen (think of it like a Bermuda triangle that reaches out and affects things rather than only things that enter it).
Sub-plot points:
How do we communicate with this hidden world once we find out about it?
How do we convince these people that the harm they are causing is important when they are safe? Are they safe?
How do we convince these people to come back into phase? That they won’t be overrun by a brutal cardassian government?
What do we do about this dangerous technology?
What do we do about all these other races trying to get their hands on that technology?
How does it look? Any gaping holes in the idea?
Thanks, guys.