Star Trek: Unity (fan film series)

Star Trek: Unity is a long-running, non-profit, live-action fan film series initially created by students at Applemore Technology College, Hampshire of the United Kingdom in 2005. Along with an ever-growing number of cast members, for almost five years they produced twenty 15-40 minute episodes in three seasons, two seasonal specials in 2008 and are now working on a full-machinima fourth series and several 2009 specials and a webcomic spin-off to conclude the show.

The series is based around the adventures of the young crew first assigned to Unity One Starbase, a space station at the edge of the Romulan Neutral Zone, and later also aboard the starship USS, all about five to ten years after the events of. Unity One and the Odyssey are commanded by Captain Puto and Captain Lewis, along with their Starfleet crew of companions who are honourable officers, but a little unorthodox and rogue in their methods as they keep the peace in the middle of three powerful empires, all whilst learning about themselves and their destiny.

Despite a very shaky, zero budget, amateur start in 2005, since a change of pace and new story-arc in Season Three (beginning from episode 18), Unity has become a popular fan series set in the Star Trek universe, but also incorporating elements from other sci-fi shows into the mythology.

Characters
Throughout the series, Unity has had a large change in its cast with different characters and personalities. Puto and Lewis are the only characters to last the entire series.

Original characters:
 * Captain Puto - Commanding officer (Played by Ian Pidgley)
 * Captain Lewis - Commanding officer (Played by Luke Sutton)


 * Lt. Cmdr Prax - (Played by Max Stafford)
 * Commander Tina Nuttol - Medical officer (Played by Becki Florence)
 * Jimb'a - Rakelli turncoat (Played by Adam Best)

New characters during Season One:
 * Commander Robert Whitfield - Colony leader (Played by Daniel White)
 * Commander Samuel Hawkins - Chief of station operations, later commanding officer (Played by Freddie Milner)

New characters during Season Two:
 * Jono - (Played by Thomas Stevens)
 * Lt. Cmdr Amanda Wood - Covert ops specialist (Played by Lizzie Golding)
 * Captain Claire Hayward - Fleet Commander from Starfleet Command (Played by Grace Hayward)
 * Captain Rachel Goodwin - Claire Hayward's assistant (Played by Sophie Goodwin)
 * Captain Lisa Coventry - Commanding officer, USS Pentok (NCC-64877) (Played by Hollie Coventry)
 * Lt. Cmdr Chelsie Fox - New recruit (Played by Jen Pidgley)

New characters during Season Three:
 * Ensign Richard Ford - Archaeologist and historian (Played by Oliver Stevens)
 * Jade - Teenager from the 21st century (Played by Jade Perry)
 * Becky - Teenager from the 21st century (Played by Becky Carter)

New characters during the 2008/9 specials &amp; machinima:
 * Laura Lee - Member of the Home Guard (Played by Flic French)
 * Jonathan Kent - Time agent from the 31st century

Re-occuring guest characters:
 * Andras - Iccobar commander and later, ascended Guardian ally (Played by Andy Sutton).
 * Commander Tabok - Romulan starship commander (Played by Sean Bailey) in "Duel of the Fates".
 * Chloe Fisher - Enigmatic 'lost girl' of the Home Guard (Played by Bryony Plumb). #20, #22
 * Chov woman - A native of planet Kressgon (Played by Beth Hobley).

Episode listing
There are seven episodes per season, usually consisting of two 2-parters and three stand-alone stories, all connected in a story-arc.

Season One
After defeating the Borg, Captains Puto and Lewis take command of a new base and must deal with the destruction of a Rakelli freighter by a Klingon Bird-of-Prey. But the day is only just beginning…
 * 1. "New Order" (2005)

The Rakelli stage an attack on Unity. Puto and Lewis must discover the origin of these people, and visit a suspected Rakelli base.
 * 2. "New Order, Part Two" (2005)

While on a routine visit to a Federation planet, Captain Puto is captured by a rogue Rakelli hooked on ecstasy. Lewis must find Puto and Nuttol is forced to treat Prax for drug overdose.
 * 3. "Addiction" (2005)

It is Christmas at Unity. But a number of unfortunate events and the unleashing of the flu virus leave only a handful of officers to defend against a Rakelli surveillance operation in the asteroid field.
 * 4. "Unity Unbound" (2005)

After discovering that the Rakelli are attempting to alter the timeline, Puto and the crew travel to Earth in the year 2005 to stop them. Who is the evil Green Warrior?
 * 5. "2005" (2005)

The Rakelli attack a Romulan shipyard and this proves the last straw for Starfleet who launch an attack on a Rakelli base. Puto and Lewis alone must track the fleeing Rakelli Emperor and realise that the Rakelli are merely pawns in a larger game.
 * 6. "Out of the Shadows..." (2005)

They are BACK!!! The Borg attempt to assimilate Unity and Lewis has a very emotional encounter with the Rakelli emperor as the hood of this enemy is finally pulled back.
 * 7. "Into the Fire" (2005)



Season Two
After defeating a huge Borg armada, Puto and Lewis track the fleeing ships to the Azure nebula. They bring with them an old friend of Lewis’. However, in discovering a planet with ancient ruins, the team trigger an automated defence and invasion program!
 * 8. "Ancient Order" (2006)

While checking the progress of the Rakelli Republic, the crew finds a highly dangerous and intelligent life form that could exterminate millions, which yet could save itself from the edge of pure evil, while a grave situation forces Prax to use his initiate piloting skills.
 * 9. "The Unit" (2006)

While on a routine survey on the planet Kressgon, Puto and Lewis find a massive Borg Harvester assimilating the population. Captain Lisa Coventry assists the team, and soon finds herself captured by the Borg with Lewis. Meanwhile, Prax begins to have feelings for Amanda, but is there any possibility of a relationship? Escaping from the “Big Brother House”, Lewis and Lisa discover the Borg Emperor’s plans to completely assimilate Kressgon. Puto must come up with a successful plan to save the primitive world, while Lewis and Lisa, Prax and Amanda struggle with their relationships…
 * 10. "Threads" (2006)
 * 11. "Threads, Part Two" (2006)

As Christmas fast approaches, Lewis and Jono head to planet Tamperoti to search and destroy reported Green Warriors who have crash-landed. On their way, Lewis recounts his most important experiences at Unity.
 * 12. "Memoirs of Unity" (2007)

As the new year of 2387 starts, several things change. Puto and Lewis receive notice that they will be relieved of their positions at Unity Starbase and re-assigned, but more dangerously, the minefield around the Azure Nebula explodes and while the two Captains investigate, Iccobar troopers, led by the possessed Captain Hayward board Unity and take it over…
 * 13. "Duel of the Fates" (2007)

Puto and Lewis must face the Borg and Iccobar onslaught, whilst dealing with Green Warriors, and a Romulan siege of Beta Thoridor II. Lewis will face his father, whilst Puto must work against time to save the future. It’s the Emperor’s Final Order, and sacrifices will be made…
 * 14. "Final Order" (2007)

Season Three
This season kicks off a new story and some new characters - First time viewers can begin at this stage in the series if they wish, but it does help some plot understanding if they watch the earlier episodes. When it seems that peace has finally come to the Federation, the Klingons just have to ruin it! But where has an alien space ship with advanced engines come from? Who are the Fen Domar? Puto and Lewis are about to spark a holy crusade…
 * 15. "Crusade" (2007) (Part One)

The Fen Domar are revealed by their religious leader Skoll and having discovered the existence of the Federation, set out to convert it to their faith. Puto and the team are trapped on planet Kressgon – where a mysterious Iconian artifact might be the last hope for stopping the crusade…
 * 16. "The Quest" (2008) (Part Two)

After finding the next piece of the Elementux, Puto needs a break... but the beaches of Earth arn't a safe haven for the Klingon Empire, who find themselves reaching the climax of their civil war...
 * 17. "Puto's Holiday" (2008)

The quest for the Elementux comes to an unexpected conclusion... Lewis must take on the role of a man from a long dead species, whilst two girls from the twenty-first century are taken to the future as an old enemy comes, literally, from the past.
 * 18. "Fifth Element" (2008)

Over a month since the Borg war began, Captain Lewis is shocked as Captain Puto is killed on a mission and the survival of the Federation rests on the crew of Unity One Starbase. Meanwhile, Puto finds himself in a different reality and is given a task by the ancient Iconians themselves... A newly revived Puto is assimilated by the Borg, forcing Lewis, Becky and Jade to mount a rescue at the collective's homeworld. With planet Kressgon under threat, and the last hope for victory slowly fading, can the crew and commanders of Unity Starbase, aided by a legion of allies, bring the galaxy together as one?
 * 19. "Doomsday, Part One" (2008)
 * 20. "Doomsday, Part Two" (2008)

2008 Specials
A Halloween special and Christmas special were released in 2008.

Ten months after Doomsday and the crew of Unity Starbase have moved on, but Captain Lewis still commands the USS Odyssey, and when he gets a message from planet Kressgon about a dangerous Green Warrior, he beams down to encounter a world of zombies... But who is the Green Warrior? And can the Kressgonians be cured?
 * 21. "Zombies on Kressgon" (2008)

Captain Lewis and Rakelli PM Jimb'a go back in time to investigate the mysterious Home Guard and their operations against World War Three eco-terrorist Colonel Green...
 * 22. "The Scorched World" (2008)

Season Four
Season Four begins in March 2009. The Valentines special "A Lonely Alien" sets up the story. Starfleet's youngest crew are about to return to duty! Captain Puto & Captain Lewis are joined by companion of the past Laura Lee and Starfleet Time Agent Jonathan Kent as they fight for peace and understanding in the middle of three powerful empires. But the mysterious 'Forge' lays in the shadows, and the march of the Reavers is about to begin...

When an alien creature that feeds on passionate emotions travels back in time to Earth in 2009, Puto and Lewis' first new mission takes them to England's city of Exeter of all places, where Lewis meets an old friend...
 * 23. "A Lonely Alien" (2009)

The USS Odyssey-A is on it's way to Unity One Starbase after a refit at Earth, but odd distortions from a nearby planet promp Puto, Lewis and new companion Laura Lee to investigate and discover a time-travelling ally.
 * 24. "The Return" (2009)

There is no time to rest, as Captain Puto & Captain Lewis' presence as peacekeepers is required on the distant Neutral Zone world of Unroth. Have the Klingons really been murdering Federation colonists? Or is there more to the situation?
 * 25. "Day Two" (2009)

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 * 26. "The 11th Hour" (2009)

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 * 27. "The Blind Tower" (2009)

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 * 28. "The Colonies" (2009)

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 * 29. "The Forge" (2009)



2009 Specials
These episodes take place shortly after the machinima series.

Puto and Lewis must go on the run as they are arrested by sinister agents. Meanwhile, Laura Lee is kidnapped and her mind connected to a virtual reality... But who is behind the crew's arrest? Who wants them out of the way? And why? The answer may be more familiar than anyone anticipated...
 * 30. "Double Jeopardy" (2009)

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 * 31. "Moebius" (2009)

Issues and themes in Unity
The show is based upon the premise of Unity between all species and races and cultures as well as the the mutal protection of these races against those who wish to undo that unity. "Accepting the enemy" is a big part of the series and as seen in Season 1, the aggressive Rakelli make peace with the Federation and their arch-enemies the Klingons. Loyalty is explored through Lewis and Jono's past teamwork and friendship with Puto and Robert Whitfield. Just war is often another issue shown. In "Threads, Part Two", for example, the crew fight the Borg to protect Kressgon and 21st century Earth in "Final Order". In a less general sense a specific theme throughout the series is Responsibility. In the first episode, Lewis tells his best friend Puto that he thinks he might regret taking command of Unity because there is too much responsibility for his young age, but Puto is reassuring and knows Lewis will grow and learn. Puto later helps Chelsie Fox overcome her nerves when she is assigned to take over the station. Drug addiction was briefly covered in the aptly named episode "Addiction" in Season 1, when a Rakelli who had taken Puto as a prisoner overdosed on Ecstacy whilst interrogating the captain.

Behind the Scenes

 * The series has elements taken from all Star Trek series as well as other science fiction. Instead of merely being crossovers with other franchises, the presence of these non-Trek parts are explained in-universe. Most notably, the TARDIS from Doctor Who and Iconian Gateways in the form of those from Stargate SG-1 are products of the ancient Iconian/Guardian race, as are the "lightsabers" from Star Wars that Lewis, Jono, Andras and the Green Warriors use.
 * The series is based on Unity One Starbase and the Rakelli, both parts of the PC game '. Also, the Unity theme tune is from '.
 * The system in which Unity One Starbase is located is conjecture, based on the fact that it is located very near the Romulan Neutral Zone and Klingon space. The use of Gateway as the star system's name is based on a planet in Starfleet Command III which is located near the sector in which Unity resides, and by utter coincidence, is a popular fan name for the planet of the Guardian of Forever.