The universe we enjoy today isn’t the only one, not by a long shot. Our nearest neighbor, the ever-belligerent so-called ‘Mirror Universe’, is just one of countless roads spanning a cosmic tree of probability vast beyond imagining. From time to time, a new branch sprouts and the timeline forks again. Rarer still are the times those branches remerge, as they did with the U.S.S. Kelvin. Official contact with this universe, colloquially known as the Kelvin timeline, has been extremely limited. Nevertheless, some artifacts from that temporal neighbor have found their way into our neck of the woods.

Alternate histories are an ever-present “what if” in science fiction. Appropriately enough, they tend not to be major cultural pillars, nor are they ever entirely escapable. As we look forward to what changes in society new technology might bring, we are wise to recall how our new normal was just one branch among many. As before we looked into a dark mirror, we now peer through the looking glass at a universe we might have called home. The grass may be greener on the other side, but it’s greenest where it’s watered.

Science fiction thrives when it contrasts itself against the real world, and Star Trek exemplifies this more than most. From technological predictions to moral precision, it challenges us to be more than we are, to imagine a world better than the one we find ourselves in. Exploring other visions of the future side by side brings this continuing mission into clearer resolve. There is no one right path into the future, not all mirrors are dark, and flexibility can be as key to peace as conviction. Where must the line be drawn? Which paths forward lead us into darkness, and how might we reach beyond? We live in interesting times; Star Trek merely makes that plural literal.

The Lobi Consortium, remarkably consistent between universes, has access to technology from this othertime. Ships from Starfleet and the Klingon Empire are rumored to be available, as well as a wealth of technology, all for a hypothetically affordable fee.

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The Kelvin Divergence Lock Box contains tech from the Kelvin Timeline, often Starfleet field gear and technology from the Altamid aliens encountered by the U.S.S. Franklin, but also more singular objects, slices of lives that might have been. The ship’s crew and her adversaries proved resourceful and flexible, a trait exhibited by the technology they leave for us.

This offering includes two Ships, Space and Ground weapons, several Captain’s Traits, a Starship Trait, Universal Consoles, Bridge Officer Training Manuals, Kit Modules, and Kit Frames. Each box also contains three Trans-Warp Beaming Devices capable of deploying an away team to a faraway planet; the destination is pre-set and cannot be changed, but thankfully is clearly labeled.

The Kelvin Divergence Lock Box contains two familiar yet exotic Grand Prizes: the Kelvin Heavy Destroyer [T6] and the Kelvin Timeline D7 Heavy Destroyer [T6]. In addition, players winning a Grand Prize can select from previous Lock Box entries from the Kelvin Timeline: the Kelvin Timeline Heavy Command Cruiser [T6], the Kelvin Timeline D4x Pilot Bird-of-Prey [T6], and the Kelvin Timeline T’laru Intel Carrier Warbird [T6]. More details about both new ships will be available in a future blog post.

The Kelvin Heavy Destroyer [T6] is an exploratory Starfleet design, boasting heavy armor and armaments. It features significant firepower and strong point defense capabilities to keep its crew and allies safe, an Advanced Engagement System to charge into the fray and protect others, and flexible bridge stations to adapt to the mission at hand. All of these features are backed up by a focus on crew safety and structural integrity.

The Kelvin Timeline D7 Heavy Destroyer [T6] is a fearsome starship, originating from the Klingons of the Kelvin Timeline. It makes good use of a Battle Cloaking device to stealthily enter a fight, sturdy defensive capabilities should the battle go long, a strong point defense system to allow the crew to focus on the real threats, and an Advanced Engagement System to prepare the ship for an honorable charge into the fray.

The returning ships can be selected by players of appropriate allegiances:

Kelvin Timeline Heavy Command Cruiser [T6] usable by: Federation, Fed-aligned Jem’Hadar

usable by: Kelvin Timeline D4x Pilot Bird-of-Prey [T6] usable by: Klingon, KDF-aligned Jem’Hadar

usable by: Kelvin Timeline T’laru Intel Carrier Warbird [T6] usable by: Romulan (any allegiance)

usable by:

(Additional information on the above starships will be contained in a separate Developer Blog.)

Two special consoles can be acquired from the Kelvin Divergence Lock Box as well: The Swarmer Matrix and the Hull Image Refractors.

The Swarmer Matrix console allows your ship to control deadly swarming drones which dive into enemy ships, piercing their hulls repeatedly. The console also passively improves your ship’s ability to control smaller combatants, providing a boost to the combat capabilities of Hangar Pets and Targetable Torpedoes.

The Hull Image Refractors conceals your ship using sophisticated holographic projectors, functioning similarly to a cloaking device except that the ship is incapable of moving during the illusion. This device is directly linked with ship maintenance, and a rigorous repair job commences immediately and proceeds as long as the ship remains hidden. Additionally, while the console is equipped, any healing effects which would bring the ship’s hull above its Hull Capacity grant temporary shields instead.

A new Starship Trait is also available in the Kelvin Divergence Lock Box: Concealed Repairs. Anytime your ship cloaks or placates an enemy, it recovers a significant portion of its Bridge Officer Ability cooldowns and Hull Capacity over a duration. This effect has a moderate cooldown period of its own.

Additionally, the Kelvin Divergence Lock Box has new Space and Ground weapons within the Altamid Plasma Weapon Pack. Destructive high-energy Plasma derived from the wrist weapons used by the alien adversaries of the U.S.S. Franklin, these weapons are available as cannons, beams, or ground wrist-weapons. They replace the traditional Plasma burn with a reduction in enemy Plasma and Kinetic Damage Resistance. Rarely, weapon packs contain the Kelvin Divergence Vanity Shield, providing the aesthetics of the Kelvin Heavy Destroyer to a ship that equips it in its vanity shield slot.

Captains may also find Kelvin Divergence Kit Module packs. These Kit Modules are universal, and can be used by any class.

Bio-Essence Transfer This macabre technology drains the life directly from the target, using it to extend the life of the wielder. The user runs at the target and seizes them, dealing damage and healing themselves; this attack may Exploit targets, which improves both the damage and healing components. Recommended for exigent circumstances, it is rumored that decades of use may create… side effects.

Smoke Gel Trap These ingenious devices release a vapor that rapidly hardens into gel. Anyone disturbing them is caught in a fragile hold—and a block of gel—for a significant duration.

Chain Conduit Capacitor This device creates bridges of ionized air between victims, then discharges an outsized capacitor down them, dealing bouncing Electrical damage to multiple enemies. Its power generation is surprisingly robust, allowing it a brief recharge period.



New Captain’s Traits are also available within the Kelvin Divergence Lock Box. They are universal and available to all species.

Ground: To Absent Friends Powers used on allies who are badly hurt heal them by a larger than usual amount.

Ground: Holo-Decoys Being attacked spawns holographic diversions that taunt nearby enemies.

Ground: Dulce Et Decorum Est Gain bonus damage until being knocked unconscious. After that time, gain Damage Resistance instead. Resets on map move.

Space: Principled Insubordination Using a Bridge Officer Ability has a chance to activate the appropriate Team (Science, Tactical, or Engineering) ability at the same time. Specialist Abilities have a chance to trigger a randomly selected Team ability from this list.

Space: Fresh From R&R The cooldown shared between Engineering, Science, Tactical, Pilot, and Intel Team Abilities recovers faster. Additionally, the first time a Control effect is applied to the ship it is cleansed instantly and the ship briefly gains Control immunity. The cleanse effect has a moderate cooldown.

Space: S.W.A.T. System (Small Warship Adversary Transporter) When your ship takes damage in the rear arc from a non-player frigate or cruiser class adversary, transport it into the forward arc. Transported enemies are slowed for several seconds. Moderate cooldown.

(Small Warship Adversary Transporter)

Bridge Officer Training Manuals from the other universe open new possibilities in space combat. They are available at Ensign, Lieutenant, and Lieutenant Commander rank.

Engineering – Construction Shuttle Wing Deploy four construction shuttles, each able to restore hull to friendly ships. They are vulnerable to enemy attack, but can effect repairs much more quickly than crews working exclusively inside the vessel.

Tactical – Augment Boarding Party Beam over an away team that actively sabotages the power conduits to the shield generator, damaging its capacity. If the enemy ship is defeated during this effect, the away team captures the vessel, securing it for use as a single-use Admiralty card based on the size of the prize. Only one of each size vessel’s card may be possessed at a time (Frigate, Cruiser, Battleship, Dreadnaught).

Science – Delayed Overload Cascade Target enemy vessel and enemies near it charge briefly, then emit a shockwave, dealing damage to each other and knocking each other away. Each vessel damages the others, and if many vessels are in the area the effect can be devastating.



Kit Frames from Starfleet’s expeditionary forces are also available. Designed for unpredictable frontiers, these frames have a kit module included in their design. Using ground kit modules has a chance to trigger this module automatically. Which module is included depends on what profession the kit frame is for.

Engineering: Turret Fabrication II

Science: Exothermic Induction Field II (targets closest enemy)

Tactical: Rally Cry II

There are many other prizes within the Kelvin Divergence Lock Box for players to acquire, such as R&D Packs, Boosts, and other assorted items. Each box also contains three Transwarp Beaming Devices, which allow the user to beam an away team to a distant planet. Each device has a fixed destination.

The Lobi Store also has many new items available for purchase:

Survival Suit This comfortable yet stylish uniform offers the canny Away Team everything it could need, appearing dignified enough for First Contact yet built with enough practicality to survive roughing it for even exceptionally long episodes of exploration. This is a purely cosmetic item. Non-federation characters will have a variant of this costume available for wear.



Jaylah’s Staff This curious weapon combines a melee weapon with a sniper rifle. Its primary fire resembles its sniper rifle heritage, dealing electrical damage at long distance. Its secondary fire hits the target for significant damage and enemies around it for minor damage, knocking them away from the central victim. Its tertiary fire is melee combination attack, dealing successively greater damage. All attacks have a chance to invigorate the weirder, providing a stacking bonus to run speed.



Altamid Adaptation space set

Altamid Modified Swarm Processor This was once a Starfleet computer console, but it now looks more alien than human. It provides a sizable bonus to Critical Chance and Accuracy, and equipping the console automatically deploys an Altamid Swarmer to assist the ship in combat.



Altamid Modified Kelvin Torpedo A heavily modified Kelvin Timeline Torpedo, it shares the fast firing rate and kinetic damage of the Kelvin Photon Torpedoes but is itself a Plasma weapon. It has a chance to boost the Critical Strike chance of all Plasma weapons for a period of time, and this effect is guaranteed whenever the torpedo scores a Critical Strike.



Altamid Modified Plasma Omni Beam This Plasma Omni Beam has sophisticated tracking hardware, improving shipwide Critical Strike chance when equipped. It shares the Altamid Plasma chance to reduce enemy Plasma and Kinetic resists on hit, and this effect is guaranteed whenever this weapon scores a Critical Strike.



2pc: Plasma Saturation Bombardment Anytime your ship scores a Critical Strike or Misses, a homing bolt of plasma energy is fired at the same target. This bolt cannot Critically Strike or Miss.



3pc: Starfleet-Altamid Hybrid Arms Active: Weapon cycle time is massively improved for a moderate duration.



Bringing the possible into the real always has consequences. Each new piece of technology changes society as well as the day-to-day lives that make it up. The cultural results are never understood ahead of time. It falls to us who live during change to decide the shape of it, and we define ourselves in the eyes of our descendants by how we respond. Build your legacy with the Kelvin Divergence Lock Box, as well as the additional Lobi Store entries, coming to PC on September 10th, 2019.

Jon “20thCenturyFaux” Herlache

Systems Designer

Star Trek Online