- For other uses, see Kobayashi.
The Kobayashi Alternative is a text-based TOS video game written by Diane Duane and released by Simon and Schuster Interactive in 1985. In the game, Starfleet unveiled a newly-revised version of the Kobayashi Maru scenario. Cadets would experience circumstances that were based on an assignment undertaken by the USS Enterprise during Captain James T. Kirk's second five-year mission in the 2270s decade, in which the crew sought to locate a missing starship commanded by Hikaru Sulu.
Description[]
Framing story[]
- From: Thometz, G., Admiral, Commandant, Star Fleet Academy, San Francisco, USNA, Earth
- To: Kirk, James T., Admiral, Star Fleet Command, commanding NCC-1701 Enterprise on active-mission status (via: Star Fleet Command/Deneb: scrambled/Captain's Seal: hold for arrival: routing code EFTO70137226012144030951852SF/FSIG)
- Subject: Advanced Cadet-Evaluation Materials
- Sir: You will be pleased to know that Star Fleet Command has chosen the Enterprise's recovery of the USS Robert A. Heinlein during the second five-year mission as the model for the new cadet-performance evaluation exercise at Star Fleet Academy, Earth and Star Fleet Academy, Deneb, supplementing the "Kobayashi Maru" scenario. (Star Fleet Academy, Vulcan is presently evaluating the supplement to see that it meets their logic standards, and Admiral T'Kaien's office assures me of a decision within several standard weeks.)
- You have not been the only commander to point out the Academy's urgent need for a subtler and more complex evaluation scenario than the one offered by the "Maru." ...
- Star Fleet Academy, Earth will be administering it aboard the new training ship USS Sans Souci. I am enclosing a copy of the computer version for you to evaluate. Please feel free to make any suggestions you think will improve the usefulness of this scenario as a test for future starship captains.
- Sincerely,
- Admiral G. Thometz, Commandant Star Fleet Academy, Earth
- (P.S.: Let's see them cheat on this one, huh, Jim? Also, 'Eliake sends her regards. Best, Greg)
Original mission[]
- From: SFC, Earth
- Top Secret/EFTO/SC937-0176CEC
- To: James T. Kirk, Capt. (Commanding)
- From: Nhauris Rihaul, Adm., SFC, Deneb
- Subject: Disappearance of USS Heinlein
- SFC has learned via classified sources that information regarding the whereabouts of USS Heinlein may be present on any of 10 known planets in the 145 Trianguli region. You are authorized to seek out and contact sentient species in this region to obtain information regarding Heinlein. Note that the Prime Directive remains in full force in this region. All known information on these systems has been dumped into Enterprise's computers. However, the Trianguli is only partially charted. Suggest you review data prior to proceeding.
- Use all resources to avoid confrontation where possible. Any breach of Starfleet regulations in this regard will have the most severe consequences. (That means no rough stuff unless absolutely necessary, Jim.)
- Good luck and godspeed.
Summary[]
| This article or section is incomplete |
|---|
| This article is marked as lacking essential detail, and needs attention. Information regarding expansion requirements may be found on the article's talk page. Feel free to edit this page to assist with this expansion. |
References[]
Characters[]
- Asuiar • Derval Avoca • Lia Burke • Pavel Chekov • Harapha • Hornsby • Janíce Kerasus • James T. Kirk • Lahre • Azrieh Lee • Olga Litowinski • Leonard McCoy • Dahai Iohor Naraht • Niauite • Sean Ohara • Theresa Renner • Montgomery Scott • Spock • Harb Tanzer • Nyota Uhura
- Referenced only
- Brynne • Eliake • Michael • Christopher Pike • Qgu 'ke namm • Qqkq • Rhia • Nhauris Rihaul • Hikaru Sulu • Greg Thometz • Thshhath • T'Kaien • V'Ger • George Wilhelmsem
Starships and vehicles[]
- USS Enterprise (Constitution II-class heavy cruiser) • USS Robert A. Heinlein • Ornacraft
- Referenced only
- Grissom-class science vessel • USS Hastings • USS Hood • USS Nihal • USS Potemkin • USS Sans Souci • USS Vincennes • Volga
Locations[]
- the galaxy • Great Rift • Sagittarius Arm • Trianguli sector
- Referenced only
- Galactic core • Glasgow Yonder (L5 Colony) • P&O Orbital Shipyards
Stars and systems[]
- 43 Pavonis (Khut) • 515 Arae (Klusos) • 789 Circini (Malakiyy) • 803 Muscae (Tshio) • 1139 Circini (Niau) • 1214 Normae (Hastorang) • 4403 Pavonis (Jauzah) • Ascella • Asuia system • Iota Trianguli (Orna) • Kappa-1 Apodis (Andorgha) • R Octantis (Achir)
- Referenced only
- 145 Trianguli • Gamma Trianguli
Planets and planetoids[]
- Achir • Andorgha • Ascella • Bhrf • Hastorang • Hwount • Jauzah • Khut • Klusos • Malakiyy • Naiau • Orna • Rird • Tshio
- Referenced only
- Berengaria V • Deneb V • Earth • Vulcan
Settlements and regions[]
- Referenced only
- Aberdeen, Scotland • Atlanta, Georgia • Flamsteed, Luna • Grand Canyon • Greater Mariner Base • Iowa • London • Moscow • Nairobi • San Francisco • ShiKahr
Races and cultures[]
- Altonian • Asuia • Galacian • Harapha • Horta • Human • Khuti • Klingon • Klusid • Melucht • Ornae • Qqkq • Vulcan
States and organizations[]
- Cadet Commandant's Training Studies Group • Cambridge University • Cornell Medical Center • Federation (Federation Council) • Free Trader • Interstellar College of Xenomedicine • Jane Interstellar Ltd. • Moscow University • Payne Whitney Clinic • Romulan Empire • Starfleet (Starfleet Academy • Starfleet Command • Starfleet Corps of Engineers) • United States of Africa • Who's Who Interstellar
Science and classification[]
- anabolic protoplaser • astrogation • biology • communications • communications satellite • communicator • computer • coordinates • Dyson sphere • engine • exopsychiatry • force field • fuel • generator • hand phaser • helm • impulse engine • intercom • inversion drive • laser • life support • linear accelerator • linguistics • magnetic bottle • main computer • matter-antimatter reactor • maximum warp • message buoy • phaser • phaser bank • photon torpedo • photon torpedo tube • power pack • radio • retinal scan • robot • scanner • screens • self-destruct • sensor • sensor array • shields • space buoy • space suit • star chart • subspace radio • subsprocket neutrino driver • tractor beam • transmitter • transporter • transwarp • tricorder • turbolift • video tape • viewscreen • voder • voiceprint • warp drive • warp field generator • xenolinguistics • xenomedicine
Starship locations[]
- bowling alley • bridge • briefing room • cafeteria • cargo hold • engineering • gymnasium • hangar deck • hydroponics • kitchen • laboratory • library • main computer • observation deck • observation lounge • quarters • reclamation system • recreation deck • security • shuttle bay • sickbay • swimming pool • transporter • transporter room
Occupations and titles[]
- admiral • cadet • captain • chairman • chief engineer • chief medical officer • chief of communications • chief of linguistics • Commandant of Starfleet Academy • commander • communications officer • diplomat • doctor • engineer • first officer • head nurse • helmsman • knight • librarian • lieutenant • lieutenant commander • mathematician • navigator • princess • science officer • scientist • soldier • transporter operator • weapons officer • wizard
Other references[]
- alert status (red alert) • alien • America's Cup • angstrom • antimatter • antiparticle • atmosphere • atom • AU • beam • Birth of a Nation • blood • boulder • brain • Casablanca • castle • cave • cavern • cell • cesium • chess • city • class M planet • class R planet • clay • cooking • corridor • Daiya • Denebian opera • dilithium crystal • dragon • dream • dungeon • element • Federation True Universal Translator Project • feudalism • fishing • five-year mission • Fleet Surgeons LifeStar • forest • gambling • Gone With the Wind • gravity wave • hamburger • heart • helium • history • hominid • hour • hull • hydrogen • infrared • ion trail • island • Jane's Fighting Starships • Jane's Interstellar Gazetteer and System Catalogue • Kobayashi Maru scenario • landing party • landslide • language • lead • Legion of Honor • library • life • lifeform • lifesign • light speed • light year • limerick • manganese • map • matter • medical • metal • mile • mind meld • mining • minute • month • moon • mountain • museum • mythology • nacelle • Nobel Prize • North by Northwest • orbit • parsec • pitchblende • planet • Prime Directive • radiation • Romulan StarSeed Project • sand • shuttlecraft • sky yachting • sleep • space • species • star chart • Star Fleet Award of Valor • star system • Starfleet regulations • Starfleet uniform (2278-2350s) • starship • stone • stun • tachyon • Tasmeen • teddy bear • telepathy • temple • ton • tunnel • warp factor • warp field • Who's Who in the Federation • X-ray • year
Appendices[]
Related media[]
- TOS movie, novelization & comic adaptation: The Wrath of Khan – Saavik took the original version of the Kobayashi Maru scenario.
- ST video game: Kobayashi Maru – A variant of the scenario involved Deep Space Station S-12.
- ST board game: The Kobayashi Maru – Rear Admiral James T. Kirk created an "easier" version of the scenario cadets could opt to take at the training facility in San Francisco.
Background[]
- Kirk's original mission took place after TOS novel: The Wounded Sky, with Hikaru Sulu's contributions to the inversion drive being noted in his biography.
- Greg Thometz succeeded Rear Admiral James T. Kirk as Academy Commandant. His message for Kirk aboard the USS Enterprise must have been transmitted in 2285 after Kirk vacated the commandant post but prior to the destruction of the Enterprise in TOS movie, novelization & comic adaptation: The Search for Spock.
- The game provided birthdays for the USS Enterprise bridge crew, such as Spock's in Vulcan years on 56 Tasmeen, 503 VSD. Referenced Earth years were about a century earlier than those in the later established Pocket Books Timeline and Memory Beta Chronology, and were not aligned with reference stardates used in the 1980s by Spaceflight Chronology or FASA. Some birthdays were later contradicted by canon. Birthdays as cited in the game: Kirk's on July 28, 2132; McCoy's on Oct 24, 2119; Scotty's on Aug 31, 2121; Uhura's on Oct 24, 2140; Sulu's on July 3, 2141; and Chekov's on March 6, 2145.
- Slightly different versions of the game were released for Apple II, Commodore 64, Macintosh, and PC DOS systems.
Images[]
Connections[]
| Star Trek: The Original Series video games |
|---|
| Strategic Operations Simulator • The Kobayashi Alternative • The Promethean Prophecy • The Rebel Universe • First Contact • 25th Anniversary • Judgment Rites • Starfleet Academy • Starfleet Command • Starfleet Command Volume II: Empires at War • New Worlds • Klingon Academy • The Cold Enemy • Shattered Universe • The Birds of Prey • Tactical Assault • Delta Vega: Meltdown on the Ice Planet • Academy Trainer • Cadet Training Facility • D-A-C • Race to Destiny • The Mobile Game • Star Trek • Rivals • Dark Remnant |
Timeline[]
| published order | ||
|---|---|---|
| Previous game: Strategic Operations Simulator |
TOS games | Next game: The Promethean Prophecy |
| Previous story: My Enemy, My Ally Rihannsu |
Stories by: Diane Duane |
Next story: Double Blind, Part One Double Blind |
| chronological order | ||
| Previous adventure: The Better Man |
Memory Beta Chronology | Next adventure: Past Imperfect Untold Voyages |
| The above chronology placements are based on the primary placement in 2275. The Memory Beta Chronology places events from this story in 1 other timeframe(s): | ||
| Previous adventure: Blood Fever Saavik's Story |
2285 Framing Story |
Next adventure: The Serpent Factor Stardate Magazine |
Publication history[]
- October 1985
- Released for PC.
- November 1985
- Released for Apple II and Commodore 64.
- December 1986
- Released for Macintosh.
- 1987
- Released for PC in the United Kingdom.
External links[]
- The Kobayashi Alternative article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.
- Star Trek: The Kobayashi Alternative article at Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.