Few duties have more importance in the Star Trek universe than First Contact missions. When a planet was on the verge of developing a warp drive, Starfleet would covertly observe and privately approach the scientists and leaders of an alien world to make their introduction to the vast, interconnected galaxy of worlds. Although this procedure was considered gravely important to the integrity of Starfleet, Star Trek would often flout its rigid maxims for the purposes of drama, in contradiction with the sanctity of the Prime Directive — the rule that prevents any Starfleet officer from interfering with the development of a less advanced planet. (Although don’t tell these guys.)
The ethics of first contact have not solely been explored by Star Trek (authors like Olaf Stapledon and Arthur C. Clarke had touched on the “zoo hypothesis” years before the show’s premiere), but thanks to almost 70 years of popularity and over 900 episodes, it’s easy to understand why the franchise is most closely associated with the sci-fi topic. There may be no better or bitterer tonic to the composed logic of Starfleet than Hard to be a God, an epic sci-fi drama that’s equal parts hypnotic and disorientating, that celebrates 10 years since its U.S. release this week.
