A lot has happened in the Trek universe, at least according to the non-canon articles between the time of Star Trek: Nemesis and Star Trek: A Singular Destiny. For one, Captain Jean-Luc Picard with the aid of Captain Ezri Dax, Captain Erika Hernandez, and a race called the Caeliar have all but ended the Borg Invasion of 2381, but not before the Borg were able to accomplish a somewhat crippling blow to the whole of the Alpha Quadrant. In the novel series Star Trek: Destiny, events play out like this. The U.S.S. Aventine under the command of Ezri Dax finds the Starfleet vessel NX-02 Columbia somewhere in the Gamma Quadrant. History claims the vessel lost sometime after a Romulan attack on a convey the Columbia was escorting. In fact, the ship was not lost but began a series of events that, among other things, established a race known as The Borg on a planet in the Delta Quadrant, caused a star to go nova thus forming the Azure Nebula, and created a set of subspace tunnels, one of which led the Columbia to the Gamma Quadrant. In short, Destiny brings together many different canon Trek personalities and timelines into a great story that ends with a highly advanced race, which due to time travel actually gave rise to The Borg, assisting the races of the Alpha Quadrant in ending the Borg Threat. Unfortunately, according to another novel in this timeline, Before Dishonor, casualties include many Alpha- and Beta-Quadrant planets, including Pluto (yes, it was deemed a planet again) in Sector 001.
None of these events seemed to have happened in the Star Trek Online timeline, either by omission of non-canon material, or time constraints in getting the game published. However, what does happen in the STO timeline are the beginnings of the story after Nemesis. The Romulan Empire is divided, The Federation along with certain allies are still reeling from the devastating Dominion Wars. STO does include the now canon events of 2387. Ambassador Spock is sent to the Romulan Empire in the Jellyfish, in attempts to save the Romulan Empire from a catastrophic supernova. Unfortunately, he is unsuccessful in doing so, and thus the events of the new Star Trek movie unfold in an alternate timeline.
Its at this time, in 2387, where the Trek canon storyline ends, regardless of the non-canon novels. Now, STO takes some elements of the non-canon Trek universe into consideration in forming its future 2409 events. The writers of the storyline have tried their best to use only canon events to form the basis of their video game. Considering the seven years between Star Trek: Nemesis and Star Trek, they had to cheat a little bit. They’ve included events that, while not in the same timeline as the novel universe, include the formation of the Imperial Romulan State under Empress Donatra and the rise of President Nanietta Bacco as described in the novel Articles of the Federation. They then shift from non-canon events to roll their own timeline, such as Jean-Luc Picard becoming an Ambassador to somewhere. Captain Data, who’s “consciousness” had been stored in the primative positronic matrix of the Soong-type android B-4 (also seen in the comic books leading up to the recent movie), is back and now in command of an overhauled Sovereign-class Enterprise-E outfitted with enhanced sensors from the Luna-class vessels and probably an updated version of the Aventine‘s Hernandez-fixed Quantum Slipstream Drive. Again, they dabble in the non-canon happenings of the novels. STO writers have even gone back to 1994 and played out a few events of the Star Trek: TNG finale All Good Things… and now Worf is an Ambassador of the Klingon Empire, and Dr. Beverly Crusher is captain of the U.S.S Pasteur. Personally, I liked the novel events where Picard and Beverly get married and have a kid.
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For awhile,I was afraid Star Trek was a dying franchise. Then JJ Abrams came along. Great touch. The scene with kid Kirk was a tad too quirky in the movie, though it was amazing in the trailer. Star Trek XI breathed new life into this beloved Roddenberry universe. I’d like to see all of this Enterprise cast recurrence for extra outings. I was raised with the first series. Heck, my father got us a color Television just so we could see Star Trek every single Friday afternoon. Right now, I’m stuck on these new famous actors. In MHO, they have absolutely breathed life into their characters and made them their own. I, personally, am awaiting more.