Season 9 promises to be very cool. But with so many front's opening, something has got to give. The Federation is at war with the Klingons, Voth, Undine, and a cold war with the Iconians. Did I mention that relations with the Dominion are chilly? The Feds had better start making peace or there won't be a Federation left. If ever there were a need for Section 31, it is now.
On the other hand, nothing spurs technological advances like war. Multiple adversaries trying to line each other up for the kill and attempting to gain an edge over their opponent spurs a lot of thinking. The Dyson Destroyer is a good example of some of that thinking, but where are the battleships and dreadnaughts for the Feds? Will the Romulans sport any new hardware? The Klingons? What about new weapons and techniques to counter them?
The trouble with telling a story in a persistent world is that the world has to match the story. That was the trouble with Mass Effect, the original ending did not match the story told. Thus far, the STO story has been one hell of a ride. But the atmosphere of the game needs to reflect it. Let us hope that when Season 9 is released, the writers will have paid some consideration to the wear and tear and new development on the Alpha quadrant races.
