How is progress going on this?
I've had a few thoughts, not sure if this stuff is possible or if it's already been covered, just thinking out loud..
What if...The federation and Vulcan high command really were plotting against Romulus? We could have old spock assigned or volunteer for a dangerous one way mission to destroy to Hobus star.
- this may make Nero seem less like a raving madman.
Maybe he slingshots back in time and a secret romulan warship [the Narada] gets sucked back as well.
Spock completes his mission which wipes out Romulus. Later we find Nero in a klingon prison [deleted scenes] where we learn he was a designer of the Narada [which wont be built for quite a while]. - re-dub the Klingons in Klingon
Nero decides to escape upon learning of the destruction of his homeworld. Being familiar with the Narada, he captures it with some other renegade Romulans [fellow prisoners?] and sets course for Vulcan.
- it makes little sense that Nero would stay in a prison for 25 years if he could break out so easily.
At some point Section 31 learns of this powerful ship that easily destroys fleets of ships and even a planet [partly using technology they stole form Spock]
Marcus decides to capture and re-purpose the Narada - maybe recristen it as the USS Vengeance.
- it's a bit unlikely that they'd have the resources to build the Vengeance after the losses suffered at the battle of Vulcan.
- with Romulus and Vulcan both out of the way, Marcus makes a play for total domination by wiping out the only other super power - the Klingon Empire.
- makes a little more sense than having 2 superpowerful warships.
- get rid of the promotion / demotion nonsense. Kirk remains Pikes first officer until his death, Kirk inherits the Enterprise [maybe only as acting captain] to capture John Harrison and Spock joins as his first officer.
- John Harrison is just John Harrison. No super strengh, no magic blood. and most importantly - no scenes directly lifted form the Wrath of Khan.
Maybe Harrison learns that Marcus has the Botany Bay crew and intends to use them as an army. He tries to hide them and cripple Marcus' resources.
maybe he's been genetically engineered? a covert agent?
young Spock - did you ever in your travels encounter a man named John Harrison?
Old Spock - He is a particularly troubled Romulan.
i'd also be interested in stronger ties to the Next Generation era of movies as well as more on the origins of the Narada. if at all possible.