Abstract
Why do people fight in modern warfare? More precisely, why do people agree to serve in militaries (formal and informal) actively engaged in warfare? Why do people risk life and limb in such circumstances—particularly in the modern era, when the technologies of death (fully deployed in war) do inflict high numbers of casualties? The broadcast iterations of the Star Trek franchise provide significant insight into the motives of frontline soldiers who engage in war. According to Star Trek, there are two prime reasons people engage in large-scale warfare: (1) defense/empire and (2) justice.