.

the thing is.

raffi isn’t half as strange or off-putting as she could be. given how she processes things and her vices she really should be so much more of an audacious eccentric obsessive schemer (love) and also just the biggest liar to ever do it. meddlesome as hell but it comes back to bite.

she’s got all the connects but also she’s been banned from multiple planets. it’s fine. she didn’t want to go back to any of them anyway. her access was revoked so why does she know so much about seemingly unconnected classified events and titbits. why don’t you. she happened upon that information. as one does. what’s with all the questions. smooth talks her way in and out of stupid situations daily because she can’t leave well enough alone and just has to get answers. she does not get her answers. rabbit holes that spawn labyrinths. whatever the futuristic version of a red string board is. rios breaking into her quarters because it’s been days and she’s replicated an alarming amount of wine but very little food and he hates the EMH but the nosey holo is right this cannot stand. she tries to be present because it was her idea to visit that one spa like planet in the first place but it’s physically impossible for her not to bring up whatever theory it is that’s plaguing her this time around. there’s something just outside her periphery and once she connects the dots she’ll let it go. really. the great pretender. an actual reckoning with her addiction and what’s at the root of it. why constantly numbing herself with various substances didn’t actually work. she can fool everyone but not herself. at least not well. all the fallout with people she loves that now want nothing to do with her (gabe?? hello that thread alone is so much) because of all the times she recklessly dismissed or used them for her own means all the while convincing herself it was about the big picture. being real with herself about the reality of starfleet and why she wants in so badly anyway. greater good huh. her tricked out encrypted tech because why accept bland federation equipment or adhere to legal limits when she can make things that much more fun with a little tweaking. that unassuming little trailer is fortified as fuck. eyescan fingerprint alphasymbolic code physical lock to even get past the front door. and obviously her tech self destructs upon intrusion this isn’t amateur hour. she might be living in a semi utopia but you still not about to catch her slipping. any and all conversations between cybernetist agnes jurati and intelligence officer raffaela musiker. rios needs them to stop making unauthorized changes to la sirena and cut it out with the emergency holo roundtables. everything to do with her and seven but twice the stubborn gay ridiculousness and entwinement. everyone is alive and well and in their rightful timelines. salivating. she’s barely putting in her weird girl hours and already people can’t take it imagine if they just leaned into making her a possessive obsessive little freak (positive!) and wrote/depicted everything with care? the layers. a hyper-competent-women-with-massive-issues-lover’s dream and the nasty bros and bigots who can’t fathom anyone other than a bland white guy as deserving of complexity or relevance would die on the spot amen. id EAT.

can i get the talii summary 🎤 what’s the deal with talii 🎤 do you have any talii trivia 🎤

taliiii my dear girl. she grew up on the station with just her mother and older brother (i think her dad walked out idgaf) and she was this little starfleet fanatic. wanted to get into the academy and become an officer, had all these posters, etcl. she wanted sooo badly to get off the station and prove to everyone that she could do it, because as a kid she hated seeing all these people resigned to their shitty jobs. her brother was a solar skipper and farily happy with his job. he took a rotation on the renaissance, a brand new ship, the ship disappeared, you know the rest. talii was 16/17 at this time and had just gotten her offer to starfleet academy. and she was obviously devastated but represses this bad and ends up going off to school anyway. has a total breakdown, makes no friends, spends all her time in her room, and fails out after her first semester and comes back home. everyones like omg!!! our talii is living her dream!! we cant believe you made it !!! and shes like loll yeah its so awesome!!! i flunked out. haha. she switched out of command (HER LIFELONG DREAM) and decided to work in ops/navigation as a skipper instead, fully resigned to the fact that she failed and will never amount to anything. girl has had like low-grade depression for years but never acknowledges it.

the homely ghost is a pretty well known and respectable ship, and the only way talii got to work on it was by lightly manipulating faduhl. she's like heyyyy your son died on the renaissance no way my brother did too!!!! (side note faduhls son, aubrey, and taliis brother were very good friends). and everyone on the ghost hates her because she's lazy and apathetic and never puts any actual work in. and she uses this as a little pity party like ohhhh my life is so hard no one likes me :'( even though she's choosing to be a petty mean bitch and act hostile to everyone.

she also hatessss jonathan SHE HATES HIM!!! she was the young inexperienced junior officer and everyone hated HER and then he walks on (young inexperienced junior officer) and everyone likes him and thinks he's nice. girl has 0 self reflection skills. alsoooo sidenote sidenote the talii/jonathan paralells they both grew up on the station and lost a family member to the job but jonathan represses this and is energetic and eager and this bright young officer whereas talii has accepted it and become resigned and apathetic to how much her life sucks.

torwardss the end in season 3 she does get some self reflection skills after chyell leaves and she starts becoming besties with jonathan. THEYYYY DO BECOME BESTIES... their relationship (slightly older junior officer/ unoffical mentee slash bestie) parallels her brothers relationship with aubrey. since jonathan is alwaysss living in his shadow being compared to that bitch).

oh also her mom very fanatically thinks her older brother is alive out there and waiting to come home (his death really just broke her) and talii retaliates by believing he's stone cold dead and refusing to even say he's "missing". she has crazy mommy issues. in a draft (HAVENT DECIDED IF ILL KEEP IT BUT ITS FUNNY AS HELL) she has another older brother who's off in another system basically this like 30 year old stoner that she has like nooo contact with. and he shows up one day and she's like ugh this is my stupid brother. and everyone like. YOUR BROTHER??? and she's like ughhhh no the other one. the lame one. which makes it so funny that she was obsessed with getting off the station WHEN SHE HAD A DIRECT FAMILY MEMBER WHO DID. SHE JUST NEVER MENTIONS HIM.

she sucks. so much <3 she's always going around bringing up her dead brother and traumadumping and everyones like CAN YOU NOT!!! she's a chainsmoker she's would be a tiktok girlie if she lived in 2023. she's mean and rude to everyone then acts like the victim when everyone acts mean to her. she's probably nonbinary but too busy with her job to deal with that. her and chyell are roommates and have the worst most toxic yuri in the history of star trek. she did really love chyell and when they left with no warning it absolutely broke her. because of her brother and then chyell and then max leaving her with no goodbye she has the worst separation issues everrr. if she read warrior cats she'd kin needletail. she's actually very smart (she got into the academy early) but refuses to apply herself or take anything seriously. she tries to flirt with alekis sister. talii ^ i hate her she's my favorite everrr

rewatching The Deadly Years made me rethink my Kirk backstory a bit. Not by much, but I tweaked it.

things I won’t ever give up:

1. Kirk didn’t grow up on Earth

2. Kirk’s parents didn’t have a happy marriage

up until now I had vague concepts:

at the time of Kirk going to the Academy, his father wasn’t a Starfleet officer (I didn’t think much about if he ever was or if he quit the service, the point is that he wasn’t)

his mother wasn’t a Starfleet officer, she was, however, a scientist, she just never associated herself with Starfleet (this was what I assumed Sam Kirk did as well, and I really dislike they made him Starfleet, not everyone needs to be in Starfleet *rolls eyes*) – she might have occasionally do something for Starfleet though

recently, I also started to hc that Kirk’s parents eventually divorced. I tended to think that Kirk’s father was distant and not home often, hence why Kirk was looking for “father figures” elsewhere

I, however, decided to switch it up. 

Initially, because in AOS, Kirk and his mother’s relationship was distant, I wanted a reverse, but I think that even in TOS, Kirk not having a close relationship with his mother makes sense. 

I now have to accept that even in TOS they decided that George Kirk Sr. served on Kelvin, so okay, but he quit Starfleet after Jim was born. He gave up his career for his family, and that ultimately didn’t make him entirely happy. He chose it, didn’t have strong regrets, but it affected his marriage and family life anyway. He was a bit distant with his sons, but not a lot. Jim still respected him and looked up to him, especially as a little boy and young teenager.

Kirk’s mother, on the other hand, pursued her career, and the family often followed, but that made George Sr. feel unfulfilled, so he eventually decided to stay on Earth. 

Jim was supposed to stay on Tarsus IV with his mother, but she got caught up in some research and didn’t join him until after the famine... so by then she decided to take Jim back to Earth and for a while, they lived as a family. She actually really wanted to be there for Jim because of what he went through, but one night Jim overheard his parents arguing, and there was a lot of grief and regrets and blame thrown around, and as a child Jim internalized some of it - the most important part: it won’t make you happy if you give up your dreams/career for someone else.

KIRK: Things wouldn't change if it started all over again, would it? You have your job, I have my ship, and neither one of us will change. WALLACE: You said it. I didn't. 

WALLACE: I met a man I admired. A great man. KIRK: And in your field as you. You didn't give up a thing.

He yearns for love, he yearns for a relationship, but he believes that he can’t have it because 1. he can’t give up his ship/career 2. he can’t ask anyone else to give up theirs [and when he tried to form a romantic relationship with someone in Starfleet, it ended up disastrous]

Love. You're better off without it, and I'm better off without mine. This vessel, I give, she takes. She won't permit me my life. I've got to live hers.

he pours a lot of “love” into the ship and the crew as a whole (to the point of being obsessed), but the yearning for something else is still ever present, but he knows there are no happy endings.

His parents were a good example of that.

As a young man, he was relieved when Carol told him to stay away from her and David, but when he got older, he started to have regrets. Pursuing his career and holding himself back from ever creating a meaningful long-lasting romantic relationship, didn’t make him happy either. And it was only in his mid-50s when he realized that he did create and maintain meaningful relationships, even though they were not what he yearned for or expected.

McCOY: I thought you said men like us don't have families. KIRK: I was wrong.

Women in Star Trek Art

I found this amazing link from this post and couldn’t resist going through and pulling out a few(maybe more than a few) of my favorite pieces. I pulled out my favorites, but I encourage you to check out the rest and find your own!

Rico JR | Nyota Uhura “Star Trek”

“I love the character of Uhura, already since the TV series and this unforgettable kiss with Captain Kirk which is the first interracial kiss on television. That is something important. But I even more adored the interpretation of Zoe Saldana in recent movies. He strength of character and her relationship with Spock was, to me, one of the highlights of JJ Abrams films.”

— Rico JR

Tom Ralston | Guinan “Star Trek: The Next Generation”

“If the recurring character of Guinan appeared in an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation you knew you were in for several things. First-off you would be in store for a thought-provoking episode, often with a profoundly moving payoff. Many episodes of TNG accomplished this, but Guinan’s character guaranteed a certain level of emotional engagement, as she allowed us to learn about the deeper issues of the crew of the Enterprise; their fears, desires, hopes and dreams. You would glean insight into the inner narrative of one her fellow shipmates, as she offered them her guidance and wisdom. A Guinan appearance also meant rich costume designs and the possibility of one of her enormous hats. Who doesn’t want to see Whoopi Goldberg in a giant hat?! Guinan’s character is over 600 years old and a refugee of an endangered race scattered across the universe. She has a sixth sense and there is a tonne of mystery surrounding her back story. But despite her elaborate origins, her role on the enterprise is designed upon a simple and age-old trope of the of the bartender / therapist. Yet Guinan transcends any tired cliches through Whoopi Goldberg’s masterful performance in which she exudes kindness, compassion and a good balance of strength and vulnerability. Guinan was supposedly the final character Gene Roddenberry created, and as such, seems appropriately emblematic of the entire franchise — emphasizing kindness, compassion, strength and vulnerability and the willingness to listen and support those around her.”

— Tom Ralston

Alan Fore | Tasha Yar “Star Trek: The Next Generation”

“I’ve always been drawn to Tasha because she was an early example in my life of a strong female character. The glimpses we got of her backstory were so compelling and I’ve always felt there was so much more to the character than we got.”

— Alan Fore

Laz Marquez | Warship Yar “Star Trek: The Next Generation”

“I remember watching “Star Trek: TNG” for the first time & seeing the character of Tasha Yar represent strength and an important role as Chief of Security on the bridge. This was enough to make me immediately enamored with the character and her story. Then, the spectacular episode “Yesterday’s Enterprise” was released and we saw shades to Yar that weren’t truly explored. The character is strong but she’s also driven by doing what’s right, even if it means sacrifice and facing grim circumstances. Her backstory, explored in bits in Season 1, tells the story of a survivor who joined Starfleet to create a better world. While she was on the Enterprise-D, she did just that and helped each of her fellow team members & friends grow as a result.”

— Laz Marquez

Scott Saslow | Rachel Garrett “Star Trek: The Next Generation”

“I chose Rachel Garrett, captain of the Enterprise-C, portrayed by Tricia O'Neil in the classic TNG episode "Yesterday's Enterprise." While we don't get to know a lot about her in those 44 minutes, she proves to be a charismatic and capable leader. When faced with the horrible truth of her situation, she finally decides to take her ship back in time in order to restore the timeline and save billions of lives.”

— Scott Saslow

Jamie Fay | Kathryn Janeway “Star Trek: Voyager”

André Barnett | Seven of Nine “Star Trek: Voyager”

“I grew up with the original Star Trek series, and I was, at first, a little leery of the later series. But, my daughter Christa was a big fan of “The Next Generation” and “Voyager” and we watched them together, and doing so helped me to appreciate the actors, writing, and character development of these new shows. The Seven of Nine character of course was visually stunning and brought with her the drama of the Borg back story, but at the same time, the writing and character development explored the meaning of being human as the Seven of Nine character attempted to regain back her humanity. It was a storyline that was compelling to me and is why I chose to illustrate this female character.”

— André Barnett

Kristin Wilkinson | Seven of Nine “Star Trek: Picard”

“There are many characters in the Star Trek universe that I am fond of and have created fanart of. One character I’ve always loved was Seven of Nine. Watching her journey/story has been one of my favourites. Seeing her over the years accept and try to rediscover her humanity after her rescue from the Borg has been one of my favourite story lines. She’s strong, and, well, cool, but also has a vulnerability. She has always been an outsider, trying to fit in, which is something that is so very relatable.”

— Kristin Wilkinson

Andrea Davies | Raffi Musiker “Star Trek: Picard”

“I have chosen Raffi from the wonderful and almost overwhelming list of choices. My day job is Assistant Head in a special school for teenagers with social, emotional and mental health needs. Many of our kids have challenging and chaotic homelives. Pupils, and often their parents and siblings are fighting circumstance and often addiction. My message is always that our demons, mistakes and bad choices don't have to define us. Raffi is fighting that fight on screen. She shows us that it isn't easy, and most importantly flawed people can still do amazing things. Michelle Hurd gave us an imperfect, but inspiring character. 'The wreckage of a good person' is a line I have adopted. I see that wreckage every day, and know it can be fixed.”

— Andrea Davies

Phil Dunne | Michael Burnham “Star Trek: Discovery”

Jeanne Delage | Tilly “Star Trek: Discovery”

“Tilly is my favorite character from Star trek: Disco because she is highly intelligent but seems just like a normal and flawed person, like you and me. She cares about others, is funny, also silly and dorky. A good friend you can have a great and fun time with. In serious situations, she came up with smart solutions and takes charges when needed. Overall an awesome character wonderfully portrayed by Mary Wiseman.”

— Jeanne Delagenote

Just Imzadi Things™

Fandom: Star Trek The Next Generation

Ship: The Enterprise Will Riker/Deanna Troi (no I’m not going to stop making that joke)

Rating: T because adult themes are lightly suggested. There are also mentions of death.

Words: 2,100+

Summary: Five things that become perfectly normal when you share a telepathic bond with someone you’re pretending not to be in love with.

Author’s Note: Okay so I read this post from trekkingamongststars and loved the implications of them anticipating each other’s needs and just... the accidental intimacy of their bond? So I was thinking about all the lovely little ‘I’m in love with you but trying not to be because I value our friendship’ things that probably happened as Deanna and Will reconnected. Anyways I am just so soft for these two so I hope you enjoy this fluffy little collection of Just Imzadi Things™.

~ Saturn

O N E

Betazed was a warm planet. Its climate was almost tropical, and the air was often thick with hot humidity that nurtured the vibrant plants of the gardens and natural spaces of the planet. Deanna loved the sensation of sunshine on her skin, enveloping her in comforting warmth. She’d grown up with it, and a sunny day would always remind her of home.

In contrast, the Enterprise was a decidedly chilly starship. With so many people from all different cultures and climates, she understood that the temperature on board had to suit the average comfort level of the crew, but Deanna still sometimes wished that that average level was just a few degrees higher.

Fortunately, she was able to adjust the temperature in her own quarters. It was kept high, and she loved the flood of warmth that escaped when she opened the door and stepped into her private space, where she was free to suit herself and be properly comfortable.

The first few times she’d been in Will’s quarters, the rooms had been the same temperature as the rest of the ship. And why wouldn’t they be? He was familiar with Alaskan winters. He hardly needed the level of warmth she did in order to be comfortable.

But as she started to visit more often, and as their telepathic connection strengthened, the temperature in his quarters had started to increase over time. She knew why; he’d commented on how warm her rooms were the first time he stepped inside, and had begun to pick up on her mild discomfort at how cold the rest of the ship felt. Whether that was telepathy, or just him reading her body language, she couldn’t be certain.

What she could be certain of though, was that Will was gradually raising the temperature in his quarters, even if she wasn’t there to appreciate it. Over a series of weeks, so he himself could acclimatise to it, he’d successfully adapted his own living space to suit her needs and make her comfortable.

That thought made her feel warmer than any Betazoid sun ever could.

~

T W O

The first time Deanna brought Will some food without asking, he hadn’t even realised that he was hungry.

He’d been writing reports and reviews for an hour that had slipped into two, then four, until he didn’t even recognise that time was passing. The chime of his door pulled his mind away from his work abruptly, and his voice was hoarse from lack of use when he invited the guest inside.

Deanna entered tentatively, carrying a bowl of something that smelled fantastic. “I brought you some soup. You need to eat.”

“That’s very kind but I’m not hung-” The statement was interrupted by a ravenous growl from his stomach as she placed the bowl in front of him on the desk, pushing the PADD to one side as she did. She smiled knowingly at him as he quietly said, “Thank you.” He tucked in.

After that, it became a regular occurence between them.

It wasn’t a conscious thought; they never asked the other to bring them food like a waiter. Sometimes, like the first time, they didn’t anticipate that it was needed at all.

But they could sense the subtle need for sustinence within each other. Will knew exactly when to turn up at her office with a chocolate mousse when she’d had a difficult appointment. Deanna seemed to arrive on the Bridge with perfect timing to deliver a coffee when she could sense his focus wavering. And once, they’d met in the corridor on the way to each other’s quarters, carrying food that they hadn’t wanted to eat alone when they knew the other would benefit from some company.

More than the food, it sustained them both to know that the other was thinking about them. To know that their needs were recognised and that someone cared about relieving them, that was the kind of nourishment that would last a lifetime.

~

T H R E E

Starfleet officers are trained to accept that they and their colleagues are at risk while serving. Everyone aboard the Enterprise has a tale of losing someone in the line of duty, whether they be a friend, family member, or lover.

For more senior officers, they even accept that their decisions and orders could be the reason that someone dies. It is a great burden and responsibility, and it takes its toll more than anyone ever seemed to admit.

In front of others, she accepted his cool and collected demeanour with regards to a recent mission. No one could have anticipated that there was an explosive device from a long-ended war still buried at the entrance to a small cave. And Will never could have predicted that ordering a member of his away team to quickly investigate that cave would have caused an explosion that knocked them to the floor and killed the young ensign instantly.

A young Bajoran, the ensign had only been assigned to the Enterprise that week. She had just begun to form friendships, and had shown that was a friendly and compassionate member of the crew. Will had sensed that, with experience, she would have climbed through the ranks of Starfleet. She had a promising career ahead of her.

Had.

The whole time he was discussing the incident with the captain, he maintained his composure. He filed the necessary reports, wrote a sincere statement to the ensign’s family, and later returned to the surface to continue their investigation of the area. To the outer world, he seemed measured; not uncaring and detached, but not emotional and defeated either. He was the model of a First Officer coping with a hard situation.

Deanna recognised his inner turmoil, however. She could sense his guilt, the feeling that he should have been the one to die, not the one who gave the order that snuffed out the woman’s life when she’d barely had chance to live it. She could tell that he was reeling from the terror of being caught on the outskirts of the blast, and the horror of realising that a member of his team hadn’t survived. There was an aching sadness in him; the knowledge that a loving family was about to learn that their daughter wasn’t coming home weighed heavily in his mind.

Later, when his shift had ended and he finally had a chance to return to his quarters and retreat into his thoughts, he barely got through the door before the weight of the day slumped his shoulders and made his large frame seem to collapse in on itself.

But Deanna was waiting for him. Her inky eyes met his as he started to cry, and he knew that she was the only person in the galaxy who could understand how he felt in that moment.

Wordlessly, she wrapped her arms around his body, pressing as much of herself into him as she could. The pressure was good, reassuring, and he returned her embrace with shaking limbs.

His face burrowed into her shoulder as sobs racked through him. She didn’t say a word - there were none that would help anyway. Instead, she continued to hold him close, permitted him to be vulnerable and exposed without any judgement or expectation.

There was nothing she could do to relieve him of his grief, but standing in her embrace, crying like a small child for the first time in years, Will felt the closest thing to peace that he’d experienced that day.

~

F O U R

Deanna awoke with a start.

It wasn’t the first time she had suffered from a nightmare, and it wouldn’t be the last. Gasping for air, she sat up and ran her hands through her hair. The images that had haunted her were already slipping away.

In the dark, she fumbled towards the replicator and quietly got herself a glass of water. Her heart was still racing slightly, adrenaline coursing through her veins, but it had only been a dream and she knew she would be alright.

After finishing her water with slow sips, she went back to bed. She felt calmer, and knew she was tired, and it seemed liked the sensible thing to do. With a few deep breaths, she closed her eyes and tried to empty her mind of thoughts.

Almost an hour later, she was still awake.

She hadn’t been able to get herself comfortable - the material of her pillowcase seemed to scratch at her cheek, it seemed she had one too many limbs to arrange them in a way that suited her, and a sudden leg cramp in her calf had been the final straw.

Deanna didn’t really know why she chose to leave her own quarters, a robe wrapped over her nightgown for propriety’s sake. It was a short walk to Will’s quarters, and it seemed as though no time had passed at all before she arrived at his door.

Hesitating, she almost turned to return to her own rooms. Will was definitely sleeping, and she felt guilty about waking him. Not to mention it seemed so pathetic to go crawling to him because she couldn’t sleep after a bad dream.

However, in the instant that she decided to leave, the door opened for her. She hadn’t pressed to ring for permission, hadn’t overrided any security systems, and there was no way Will had known she was there and just opened the door to let her in and stop her dithering.

No, he had programmed it to open automatically for her, just as it would for him.

Touched at this unexpected display of trust and familiarity, Deanna stepped into his quarters. She made her way to his bedroom, and quietly climbed in to lay beside him.

He didn’t wake up as her arm wrapped over his chest and she snuggled into his back, seeking warmth. Deanna was lulled to sleep at last by his soft breaths, and the knowledge that she was safe and welcome here.

~

F I V E

As the pair of them strengthened their Imzadi bond, it seemed that their feelings throughout the day had become shared.

Will would be sat on the Bridge and feel a sudden rush of satisfaction. He smiled to himself every time he realised where it had come from. He knew that Deanna had had a long day full of appointments with members of the crew, and she had decided to treat herself to a chocolatey dessert. That satisfied burst he felt had been her tasting the first bite of a sundae or piece of cake, perfectly balanced with chocolate, cream, and fudge.

Deanna discovered that watching Will play poker was almost as entertaining as playing herself. When she had folded her hand, and it no longer mattered if she used her empathic abilities, she loved to zone in on Will’s feelings, and he opened his mind to hers when she was no longer playing. In many ways, she became his ‘tell’, as she had to work hard not to grin when she experienced a rush of mischevious energy when he bluffed, which was only amplified when the bluff worked.

Will came to recognise how the people Deanna interacted with could affect her mood. He knew when she was with Beverly, because he could physically feel her mind relaxing over their telepathic link. He also knew when the two were engaging in salacious gossip, as a feeling of giddy curiosity came over her as Beverly disclosed various secrets. The Imzadi bond between Will and Deanna made it so he knew exactly who she liked and disliked, and to what extent. And he once learned just how strong that bond could be when Lwaxana Troi made a comment that was so intensely irritating to Deanna that it made Will’s eyes roll without warning from four miles away.

Deanna learned that she could always get an honest opinion on her outfits, whether Will knew he was sharing it or not. She never minded the flood of attraction that leapt from his mind to hers when he saw her in some of her more flattering dresses. People can’t control their natural impulses of attraction like that, and she had learned not to read into it. However, she knew that Will would be embarrassed if she ever acknowledged his more lustful feelings, so she politely pretended not to pick up on those feelings when they arose.

Will spent years being convinced that he was learning to empathically block his more erotic feelings from reaching her mind. Since she never even flinched when his feelings became far more than friendly when she walked into a room in a certain blue dress, he was certain that he could appreciate her beauty and his own fantasies without it reaching her.

It was only when he arrived at her quarters in a particularly revealing v-neck wrap one evening and she wasn’t quick enough to mask the warmth of attraction that filled her mind (and by extension, his), that he realised just how much their telepathic bond had probably been betraying him all along.

A concept: Leonard H. McCoy is a good dad. Four hundred fifty people can confirm it and one, eventually two, kid is going to tell him.

For the first two years Jim doesn't really know how or why Leonard's marriage has ended, but he knows it was a sad and awful affair that messed up Bones pretty bad. And he knows, just because he can snoop like no one else in the entire galaxy, that there's a kid in Georgia, her name is Joanna Elizabeth and she loves green and she is almost four. He knows that Bones talks to her every time he can, goes home every weekend he isn't on rotation at the clinic, doesn't forget a birthday or any kind of recitals she does. He can't be there, not as much as he likes, but he always sent a flower or two to make sure his baby girl knows how proud he his of her. Still when the-ex, whom Jim refuses to learn the name, calls in the middle of the evening and says "you're a really shitty father Leonard" and Leonard agrees with her, Jim would like the break something or to shake Bones up because how could that woman think Bones is a bad father? What does she knows about bad and worst fathers? About being forget by their own mother to a person they'll never call dad and who makes them want to run, runrunrunrunrunrunrun, every time something is slightly off? Because they now, he knows, that when he's going to realize what's wrong is gonna be the end. And if not by his hands it will be by his words and they never really gonna forget what he said to them. Not after five minutes and not in ten years. What Bones is a bad father because he is not with his daughter every day? Is he a bad dad even when he calls her daughter after almost forty hours of shift, with tears in his eyes because he lost one to many patient, but seeing his little girl is more important than anything else? Is he a bad dad because the ex wants him to be so bad so she'll have an excuse to cut him off once and for all or she is just mean? Jim knows Bones isn't a perfect dad but he also knows that "perfect" dads are shiny dreams of stars, starship and broken promises that got lost in the death and broken debris. Perfect dads are the one who leave behind them empty graves and so much grief a life time won't be enough to process it all. So the ex should give Bones a little more credit and maybe, maybe, Bones himself is gonna start believing he can be a good dad for Joanna.

The fact is the never really talk about dads, not when they're sober at least. They don't talk about a lot of things but they're getting better on that side. The first fathers' day on the ship come and go, Leonard and Hikaru share a drink and spend the night talking about their girls. Later Bones will tell him that Sulu is a great dad™, trying to say the tm too but pronouncing something similar to t-n, but every one is a better father than he is. 'M just a shitty excuse for a dad, Jimmy. And oh, that makes Jim tear a little, but he doesn't answer because Bones is already asleep.

For the second one their in the middle of a diplomatic mission, too many light years away from Earth, and not even Sulu remembers of it. Still Jim kisses Bones before cuddling with him that night. They still don't talk about it but is a little better than the previous year.

The third year Jim is dead. Joanna is ten and she calls him uncle Jim. The ex, he knows her name is Jocelyn but still the ex, calls at least twice a week and she says she is sorry about some things she said when he was at the Academy. Jim is still dead when all of it happens but he is alive, weak as a new born but alive, when Bones confesses to him that maybe, just maybe, he is not a bad dad. At least not as bad as he used to think. Jim consider it a victory on his personal agenda.

The fourth father's day they share a drink in his private quarter before Hikaru can drag Bones away for their annual "cake and I-have-so-many-feelings-about-my-baby girl" but, when he comes back, he's sober and he's still laughing. Joanna calls the next day and she screams his name so loud even Scotty, five decks under theirs, can hear it. What she is saying is dad I love you, thank you for the present oh god but what they get is a dadiloveyouthankyou! And it's the first time Joanna says "happy fathers' day uncle Jim!" Bones spends the rest of the night kissing him as if he's the treasure.

Th fifth year, the last one before they're going to spend six to nine months on earth, Bones is quiet for a week. He's still kissing him every time he can, bitching with Spock and playing poker on Wednesday will all the senior crew but he's just sad. It's Bones himself that solves the mystery: "Last week one of the new technician, the one we picked from the end of the Alpha Quadrant almost a year ago?, came in for xe physic and xe leaves me a note? Like a paper one, with little doodles all over the page, colorful little, beautiful things and xe wrotes, in Standard, that xe is grateful to know me and xe things I did more to help xem to settle in and learn to live in the middle of so many new species than anyone else. Xe said working here is like starting a new life for xe and I took the role of xem dad? And it wasn't the last card I received! Other eight people left their physic giving me strange, colorful and hilarious pieces of paper wishing me a great dad's day. And then Spock comes in today and he hugs me, a legit hug Jim!, and he says that he will be honored if I could accept to be the godfather of a child who doesn't exist yet, because he can't thing about another human he could trust for the role. And they all are all the faith in the galaxy in me when I don't, not in the role of father at least, and it's unsettling and makes me want to hide away until they realize I'm not that great and I'll let them down."

"I have the best crew in the galaxy or didn't I? So Bonesy you have to trust them when they say and do things like that. And babe, you deserve it. I know you don't believe it but it's true" he concludes kissing him on his lips.

(Bones saves every single one of the card he receives inside a box he takes with him when they arrive on Earth and leave it with his mom because space and danger and all that stuff.)

The sixth, seventh, eighth father's day are spent in different places all over the Alpha and Beta quadrant, trying to meet new species and learn new things. Some of them are the best kind of day, where Bones talks to Jo, kisses Jim until he becomes a little more stupid and in love with this man, and once he even plays chess with Spock and Uhura. Others are not so good but Bones&Hikaru tradition helps more than anything else.

On the ninth Bones is cuddling a new born who lost his parents during a raid on their home planet. "We should adopt him" Jim proposes during dinner and "it's the most logical course of action to take doctor" adds Spock. "Oh hell" is the only thing Bones says before requesting the papers for adoption.

(It's not the only thing he says because they discuss it for hours, because they're afraid to fuck up everything and he is just a baby and he already their world. They've been married long enough to trust they're going to do this together but is all new and terrifying just as exciting.)

For the eleventh father's day they're on Jupiter, Joanna's eighteen and Samuel's two and they spend all day at the park near the Starfleet Center, with the Sulu's. Bones is laughing at something Ben said and Jim looks at him and he is just grateful to do this, having a family, rising a child and exploring space with this wonderful man.

Tales from the Holodeck: DS9 Fanfic: Chris’s Story

Not only has A Star to Steer Her By wrapped all of Deep Space Nine, but your podcast hosts are also celebrating our fifth anniversary of bringing you through all of Star Trek! As a treat, we’ve concocted DS9-themed fanfic stories and teleplays in our much-celebrated “Tales from the Holodeck” series that you can listen to us cold read here (this one starts at 39:05). Read on for the transcript of Chris’s Weyoun-Ee’char story below, that might pilot a whole new series we’re all asking for!

[images © Paramount/CBS]

“Dude, Where’s My Ee’char?”

By Chris

Random picks: Weyoun, Ee’char

“Tea, earl grey, hot?”

Miles O’Brien instinctively glanced up at those words. Surely not. Sure enough, a lanky Andorian walked up to the counter and accepted the drink that had been called out. Admiral Picard – well, not Admiral, anymore, but even thinking of him as “Jean-Luc” was bizarre to O’Brien – had less than no reason to be hanging around Starfleet Academy. Or Starfleet anything, for that matter.

“Not that I can entirely blame him,” he mused to himself, going back to the PADD containing last week’s warp field dynamics exam. “Nothing’s felt right since Romulus was destroyed. And then Mars…maybe Keiko’s right. Maybe it’s time to retire.”

He sighed and put down his stylus. Twenty years of teaching at Starfleet academy and even he could see how things were shifting. The students grew less and less enthused, dropout rates going up, those that did stay becoming so by-the-book when it came to everything that it was maddening.

“They’re just lacking in imagination,” he’d moaned to Keiko one day. “If I’d thought like them we’d’ve never got the Defiant working like she did. They think the deflector array is just for deflecting things.”

He had immediately realized how ridiculous and old-mannish it had sounded. But even his wife had been on Starfleet ships long enough to get it. Everything on a ship potentially had a purpose no one had ever dreamed of, and dreaming it up in that critical moment could be the difference between getting the ship home and a warp core breach.

“Professor O’Brien?” came a strangely-familiar voice from behind him. He turned and saw what he thought, at first, must have been a Romulan because they were smiling. And there was a sardonic edge to the tone that didn’t seem terribly Vulcan, either. But the fellow had that waxlike pallor that was unique to the latter, something their cousin species had evolved away over their centuries apart.

“Yes. Can I help you?”

“No, but my employer believes he can help you.”

Well, this was shady. Was Section 31 out for belated revenge? Maybe someone had finally slipped in Starfleet Intelligence and the Orion syndicate found out he’d worked undercover against them? Could it be that some T’Lani was still cross about what he and Julian had revealed about their corruption? The grudge could’ve gone further back; someone related to the incident at Setlik III had tracked him down. Christ, for someone who’d only ever been an engineer he’d sure managed to pile up a list of old enemies that could come calling. Ought to at least make him an honorary Commander for that.

“And he would be?”

“An old friend.” The mystery man reached into a pocket and pulled out a small, red figurine. The coonskin cap was unmistakable. “He said this would explain. He remembers the hours you and the good Doctor spent on this.”

So it wasn’t Julian, but someone who knew how they’d passed their time in their DS9 days. Didn’t rule out Section 31, or necessarily a few others, but it did make him feel a little better. He realized the man was still holding out the figure to him, so he reached out and took it, putting it in the bag he’d been carrying his PADD and some miscellany in.

“My employer understands that you’re too cautious a man to just meet somewhere.” The man’s voice – what was it that was so familiar? – had dropped even further. “Be at your desk in twenty minutes. A signal will come in. Use the code on the bottom of the figure.”

The man turned without another word and strode off. O’Brien raised his eyebrows and watched him go. He’d have to tell Julian about this next time they talked; he’d be jealous. Goodness knows how long it had been since his old friend had been involved in any cloak-and-dagger shenanigans.

*

Despite everything O’Brien was a little surprised when, back at his desk, his computer began to chirp. The text on the screen read “incoming external transmission”. External transmissions were always supposed to go through central comms; only an Admiral could bypass that procedure, normally. He turned the little figure over and punched in the numbers he saw there.

“Ah, my dear Professor O’Brien!”

“Ga-” O’Brien stopped himself. For some reason he felt if he said the full name of the Cardassian now grinning at him from the screen it would just summon the whole of Starfleet security. Just behind him and to his left stood the mystery Vulcan/Romulan from the cafe.

“You look well, Professor,” Garak continued, not acknowledging whether or not he had caught the Engineer’s odd outburst.

“Having you call me that is a bit weird,” O’Brien admitted. “How about Chief? I think that’s still technically my rank.”

“Very well, Chief. I believe you know my associate?”

“Not that I can remember.”

“Oh, how silly of me,” the man said, reaching up. “I still have the mask on.”

His hand slid down his face, and the telltale webbing of a holographic disguise flickered to life as the pallor, eyebrows, and eyes vanished. Instead there was a very different kind of pointed ear, skin like powder, and violently violet eyes.

“Weyoun…”

“Yes, it would seem there were, in fact, a few leftover despite what we had been told.” Garak smirked in that old, familiar, entirely unsettling way of his. “It seems they just meant their Alpha Quadrant supply.”

“Of course, I’m now the actual, final one,” Weyoun added. “Garak here found me right before I was…discarded. My predecessors had not been quite so lucky.”

“Is that where you’ve been the past two decades then?” O’Brien asked. “The Gamma Quadrant?”

“Mostly.” Garak raised his brow briefly. “Someone has to keep an eye on the Dominion. Starfleet Intelligence can hardly be trusted to do it on their own, the Romulans are too busy trying to keep their culture intact, and Klingons have never had a spy agency in their entire recorded history.”

“I see.”

“I came across a story that I thought might interest you.” He glanced down and pecked a few buttons just off-camera, and a ping sounded on the Chief’s computer. “Look particularly carefully at the upper left-hand corner of the screen. It was a pleasure to see you, Chief.”

“Wait…”

But Garak was already gone. O’Brien knew there’d be no point in asking for a trace. Should he report this? He was supposed to, certainly. But this was Garak. O’Brien…well, okay, to say he trusted Garak would be a staggering lie. But he certainly felt like both the Federation and he personally owed him enough that he could be allowed this little indulgence. At least once.

Decision made, O’Brien opened the message he’d been sent. He winced when he recognized rather quickly the world of Argratha. It had all the appearance of a news story of some kind. But the Universal Translator hadn’t caught up to the shift, so he started over and paused it.

Argratha. He’d been twice. The second time some fifteen years later, to testify at a public hearing about his experiences the first time. What his false-memory twenty year imprisonment had been like. There was talk at the time of abandoning the practice; it made the judicial process too casual, too many false guilty charges because, for those who’d never experienced it, what was really lost? The Chief and countless others had told them. How real the time felt, and how cruel the simulation was. He’d told the Special Envoy who’d arranged for him to go that he felt he deserved a medal for how calm he’d been during his testimony. The Envoy had chuckled until the Chief’s expression had told him he had very much meant it.

He started the story up again. When he’d not heard anything for months after his testimony he’d assumed the reforms had failed and the sick practice was still going on. But in fact it had simply taken a bit of extra time and work. The story was about the closing of the final facility that had run such incarcerations. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to weep or go celebrate. He was going to call Keiko straightaway, that much was…

The upper left hand corner.

“No.”

He had almost forgotten to look.

“No.”

Despite it being the entire reason Garak had dropped by.

“Fuck.”

Ee’char. His “imaginary” cellmate. Standing among the crowd of politicians and other self-congratulatory types formally shutting the program down. Almost identical to the twenty-year-older Ee’char from his memories, though one that had clearly lived a somewhat less wretched life. One who’d gotten proper meals and sleep and care, just like O’Brien had.

But did he have the false twenty years that still occasionally wafted into his nightmares and had him waking in a cold sweat? Did he still, on rare occasions, almost set aside a bit of his meal before realizing saving it wasn’t necessary?

“In short, friend,” the Chief said aloud. “Who the fuck are you?”

*

He was glad the stopover at DS9 to switch transports had been short. None of the old crew were there, anymore, but he was fairly certain he was at least vaguely acquainted with some of the Stafleet staff that still maintained a presence on the Bajoran station, and the last thing he wanted to be was some old man wandering around his old posting looking worn and nostalgic. Even Quark had shipped out for Freecloud. A part of him had been tempted to see if Morn was still at his usual seat in whatever the bar was called now, assuming it was even still a bar. But he had just stayed in the docking ring and then made his way to the next leg of his journey.

He spent the flight through the wormhole standing by a window with just about everyone else. He realized that he’d never gone through it after the War had ended, so it was his first time making the journey in ages that he wasn’t expecting to potentially die on the other end. It was so nice to just watch it, to get lost in its beauty, and vaguely wonder if Sisko was watching him just then.

*

O’Brien stood in the space between two homes, watching as a car slid noiselessly from the sky and halted in front of the house. Finding his old friend had been much easier than he’d expected; Garak had encoded everything he needed to find the man in the newsclip he’d sent. A door hissed open and the old Argrathan stepped out. He exchanged inaudible words with someone in the vehicle before the door shut and it lazily drifted back into the sky. O’Brien glanced around. No one else seemed to be coming. He watched as the other man walked towards the his home.

The Chief darted from the shadows and jogged across the street. If Ee’char heard him he showed no sign. O’Brien reached up, paused, and then gently tapped the other man on the shoulder. He gasped and spun.

“Yes?” he asked.

“I’m…ah…I’m Miles O’Brien.”

“Oh. Oh! Yes, yes, I remember watching your testimony.” He held out a hand “Ko’vax.”

“A pleasure,” the Chief replied, taking his hand and shaking it.

“But why did you come to see me?”

“We…well, we were cellmates, you see.”

“Were we?” He nodded slowly. “Well. Someone had quite the sense of humor.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ve been arguing against our mental prisons for a very long time.” His lips went slender and he glanced off. “Please. Come in, have a warm drink.”

“I…sure, thank you.”

*

“I never had the misfortune of experiencing what you or so many others did,” Ko’vax explained, putting down what seemed effectively to be a mug in front of O’Brien. “But my father did.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Thank you.” He picked up his own mug, almost took a drink, but didn’t and put it down. “His story was similar to so many others. To yours. Adjusting was so hard. Too hard. They don’t offer any kind of help to reintegrate to society. To help you deal with the fact that you’ve not actually lost any time but it still feels like a huge swathe of your life is gone. That might be worse than actually losing time. I don’t know.”

“Neither do I. I’ve never had the real version.”

“He lasted…half a year. My brother found him.” Ko’vax paused and took a sip of his drink, and the Chief finally did automatically. Not that he took any note of the flavor. “I’d already started writing letters, but I got more active after that. Showed up at politician’s doorsteps. Showed up and shouted at meetings that had nothing to do with it. Became a real pain.”

“Must’ve been afraid they’d…well, you know.”

“Oh, sure. But I didn’t care. Let them. Let them put me in a fifty year dream, a century, I knew I’d be fine. I’d have my rage to see me through.” He sighed. “I was so angry for so long. I mean, I never stopped being angry, but you can’t be as constantly angry as I was at first. That would be impossible.”

“So what happened?”

“I lived my life. But I never stopped my campaigning. Whatever free moment I could scrounge up was spent talking with others who shared my goal. I guess someone thought it would be a good laugh to have a cellmate based on the man who hated them and their program so damn much.” He smiled. “But then I got to be there today. When it all ended. Thanks to so many people. Like you.”

“I…” The Chief paused. “I’m glad I could help.”

“So what made you come to see me?”

“I wasn’t sure who you were, to be honest. Outside of looking like Ee’char. That was his name.” He paused. “I guess a part of me was almost hoping you’d been part of it somehow. So I could let you have it. And feel less bad about…how things went between me and the other you.”

“We didn’t get along, eh?”

“We did, eventually. And then for a long time. But then, towards the end…”

“It gets particularly bad, yes. Everyone says that.”

“Well. Glad to know it wasn’t just me getting special treatment, I suppose.” O’Brien took another drink. Now that he was paying attention he realized it was very pleasant. He’d have to find out what it was and bring some home. “We fought. You…he…I killed him.”

“I’m sorry.”

“You’ve nothing to apologize for. I killed you. Sort of.”

“I’m sorry on behalf of a government that will never properly apologize fo anyone affected by their sick little program because they think it’s just fine. They are giving it up with great reluctance you can be sure.” He paused. “And I’m sorry you were driven to that. I know we’ve barely met but you don’t seem the type. So it must have been truly awful to drive you that far.”

“I guess so. I hope so.” He paused. “I don’t know. I’d killed before. Served in one war already by then. But this was something else. Something that still comes up at me in the wee hours. Every time I’d killed before then I could justify it as having been for my survival. And that’s what I told myself it was that time, but I’d not actually proven that first. I told myself it must have been so I could.”

“I wish I could help. I’m almost sorry I’m not who you thought I was.” He shrugged. “If it helps, well…I didn’t go what you went through, but I saw firsthand what it does to people. I know how real it can seem, even to those who go in knowing it isn’t. You had no idea. I’m sorry they used my face as part of your torture. But, if it helps…well, I forgive you. On behalf of the false me. And I only wish you the best.”

“Thanks.” He smiled, nodded. “That actually is nice to hear, somehow.”

*

The wormhole again. Its eddies and currents and majesty unchanged even as the twenty years around it had entirely altered O’Brien’s world. Why had the gone all the way to the Gamma Quadrant? What would he have done if Ko’vax had been involved somehow? Certainly not killed him. Shouted for a bit? What good would that have done? But what good had this done? No. Time to move on. Figure out what’s next. He’d been in neutral for far too long, and…

“Oh, I know that look,” came a voice to his side that he scarcely believed he was hearing. “That is the look of the Chief when everything seems against him. When things have stopped making sense.”

O’Brien turned. There, not looking a day older when he’d last seen him, still in the now very out-of-date uniform, stood Captain Sisko.

“Well, Chief. It’s time for things to start making sense again. And I’m going to need your help.”

The End

—

For more DS9 fanfic, check out Caitlin, Jake, and Ames’s stories from this round of Tales from the Holodeck! And be sure to keep listening to new episodes every Thursday on SoundCloud, follow us on Facebook and Twitter, and stay out of brain jail if you can. Jay-sus.

ST: TNG S6 Watchthrough Episodes 14-17

Face of the Enemy: Troi has been kidnapped and forced to look/pose as a Romulan officer. Why? The one responsible isn’t saying, but to say that she’s unhappy would be an understatement. As it turns out, Troi was abducted by a part of the resistance from Unification and they need a Starfleet officer in case their current plan goes south. They even mention Spock… IDK if I can see him approving of an abduction but maybe they just forgot to mention that he disapproved that part… then again I guess it makes logical sense. Eh, whatever. So… this is by far the best Troi episode that they’ve done thus far. She was kidnapped yes, but she is NOT playing the damsel-in-distress. She’s not victimized. She’s not sexualized. She’s not forced into a poorly conceived romance or undergoes anything gross/f*cked up. She has to act the part of a cold-hearted authoritarian among a ship of Romulans and she is freakin’ badass. Especially when she decides that she’s had enough going and thoroughly tells off her kidnapper N’Vek and that he will listen to her. 100% perfection. They even managed to make her empathic abilities useful. Did putting her in the uniform cause this? Did they get it out of their systems in Man of the People? IDK but I am all for it! It was also an awesome look into the Romulans and the going-ons on their ship, something we haven’t really gotten since TOS’ Balance of Terror, and all the Romulans are done very well. N’Vek kidnapped Troi but he did it for his cause and is a great morally grey character, and the female Romulan Commander Toreth is an excellent antagonist. Plus it’s nice to see more of the resistance and to see them within the Romulan ranks. It was an excellent episode and I freakin’ loved it~! Thank you show for giving Troi the badass episode that she deserves (even if it was this late in the show's run), now keep it up! 5/5.

Tapestry: Two Q episodes this season? Hell yes~! So… Picard dies. Welp. Q decides to take this to give Picard an offer: go back in time and undo his greatest regret, the incident that caused his artificial heart that he told Wesley about in Samaritan Snare. Back when he was a hot-blooded rebel who got himself into a fight that got him stabbed in the heart. In doing so, he now has a chance to correct all the wrongs and settle all he regrets in his life since that day. So up to this point, Q’s episodes since Q Who, while still entertaining and interesting, had been more light-hearted. Q still came off as an all-powerful being (Deja Q aside which him not being was the plot point), but his antics had been more comedic or light-hearted in comparison. In this episode, he’s acting like a trickster as per usual, but again more with the purpose to teach Picard a lesson. Why isn’t made very clear aside from maybe he just likes Picard (take that however way you’d like), but it’s nice to see this version of Q again while still utterly stealing the show. Picard got to undo the event… but would it have really turned out any better had it not happened? Would not making mistakes, having regrets, and making all the supposed ‘right’ choices when he should have had truly made a better impact in his present? That’s the funny thing about life, it’s easy to look back and go ‘if I had done this one thing differently, it would have been better’ and te desire to correct it is very powerful. But with mistakes comes the ability to learn. To grow. To mature. You’ll always have guilt and regrets, but you have to accept that this is what you chose and go about your life. Picard is a man full of thrown-away opportunities, pain, and so much more… but it also caused him to become a strong leader, intelligent, a risk-taker, and even with all his faults become a better person in his present day. Now obviously he doesn’t actually die, but he sure as Hell learned the lesson. The life he would have lead would have been unsatisfying, his old regrets replaced with new ones, and been unfulfilling for a man like himself. Now he can truly value the one that he has and the people in it. This was a fantastic episode. It’s crazy how Picard went from one of my least favorites to now one of my absolute favorites. His development and growth from a strict, aloof authoritarian to a much more reasonable father-like figure and much more humbled man and the captain has been excellent, and this episode just helps further that. The only real complaint is there’s not much time devoted to showing how his crew ended up without him, but that’s minor and doesn’t take anything away at all. Very well done~! 5/5.

Birthright: Okay, guess we got a second two-parter… and apparently it crosses over with DS9. Didn’t see that coming. But alrighty, I’m game~!

Part One: So the crew is on Deep Space 9 to assist in repairs of some incident involving the Bajorans and the Cardassians that I guess I’ll find out about when I get to the show. While there Worf is approached by an alien who informs him that his dead father? He may not be dead after all, having been kept in a Romulan prison. Worf doesn’t take it well. He ain’t the only one having daddy issues. While working with DS9‘s CMO Dr. Bashir, Data gets knocked out has a vision of Dr. Soong (a much younger one than in Brothers). Normally Data can’t dream so he’s pretty taken aback by this. So as a first part, this was pretty good. It sets up Worf’s plot well with him deciding to break into the Romulan camp to find out the truth and rescue the Klingons there. Data’s plot is overall nice. He’s never dreamed before so him trying to track down why is very understandable, especiallya after Picard suggests that he quit going through facts and try a more creative outlet to get his answers. So what happened? As it turns out Dr. Soong made it so that when Data reached a certain cognitive point, he would obtaint he ability to dream and he made an AI version of himself to talk to him. I guess he would have explained this to him in Brothers had Lore not shown up/had he not died. It was a really touching moment. Soong’s still not exactly the most ideal parent, but his AI copy seemed legit proud of how far Data’s come. Is it out of ego, legit parental pride, or both? That’s up for you to decide. As this is my first look at Bashir… so far I don’t have too manys torng opinions. he seems to act more liek a Science Officer or Engineer han a CMO, but he is cute and so far liekabe. He’s curious about Data, but doesn’t dehumanize him like Maddox in The Measure of a Man did, if anything he notes Data’s more human-like elements like being able to grow hair than any of the nuts and bolts. He seems pretty well liked from what I’ve seen int he fandom, so I’ll see how that holds when I reach DS9 but I like him so far. I do have some issues, but that more impacts the Overall so I’ll save it for there. So we end with Worf discovering his father’s true fate… and he’s informed by the Klingons there that he’s never leaving the camp. Welp. How will Worf get out of this one in Part 2? We shall see. 4/5.

Part Two: So what the heck is going on? Well, Worf’s father is infact dead, but there were captured Klingons. As they weren’t able to die with honor nor could they return home as it would dishonor their families (Klingons prefer death to capture), they chose to remain in the camp and live out the rest of their lives there. So now Worf is among multiple Klingons, the vast majority of which know nothing about their heritage, culture, and customs and had it outright demonized. To them, the lives they have are the norm and they have no desire to change it. Worf may have been out of touch with Klingons due to being raised on Earth, but at least he can explore it and get in touch with it. The ones in the camp? They can’t do that. They’re essentially in a gilded cage. Yeah, there's the argument that they achieved peace between Klingons and Romulans… by imprisoning said Klingons and demonizing their culture to them with the older Klingons allowing it. Though it seems it’s also because of broken spirits and the dishonor they’d have faced otherwise which is worst than death to them. There’s even one girl, Ba’el, who is half Klingon, half-Romulan… and despite what gets said I don’t get the sense that her parents' union was a fully consensual one. This was pretty good. Worf has found a group that like him were out of touch with their heritage, and he is now able to educate them and guide them. With all that’s happened and his struggle to be a true Klingon and find his way, this was really nice to have. He’s still clinging onto his hatred of Romulans and this episode isn’t going to help it dissipate, but at least it was addressed and Ba’el being upset at being judged due to how she was born was very much justified. Heaven knows that the themes here are still very much relevant in today’s time. Worf’s guidance pays off in the end and at last, they can be free. The younger Klingons have a rough road likely ahead of them since we know that Klingon society isn’t exactly the easiest to get through, but at least they have a chance at freedom. It was a very strong Worf episode and it was great to see~. 4/5.

Overall: Okay, so overall… it’s pretty uneasy. The Worf parts are good.. As I said, it was nice to see him in a position to give guidance to a group even more out of touch than he is. It was very wel done. The issues are mainly with Part One. We have this plot where they go to DS9… and we are barely there. We have Dr. Bashir… and only him. None of the other characters. We don't even see O’Brien despite him having transferred to DS9 at this point. Maybe the actors were busy sot they could only pick one but it kinda makes doing a crossover cheap. Bashir doesn’t even get a lot to do, you could write him out and very little would change. On the upside this means that viewers who haven’t watched DS9 won’t be confused nor would DS9 be required viewing, but it also kind of defeats the purpose of bringing DS9 in. It’s essentially just window dressing. Data’s plot, while nice, is completely dropped in Part Two. It feels like they were required to do a two-parter, didn’t have enough of the Worf plot to fill it out, and came up with the Data dream plot and using DS9 to fill it out. The crew also don’t really do anything in either part. As such, aside from getting Worf into the place he needs to be, Part One feels irrelevant. As such, I can’t give it a perfect rating. It was still good, but as a two-parter Part One bogs it down, but still allows for Part Two to happen. Overall, pretty good. 4/5.

Two steps back: chapter two

**NEW SERIES (2/9 parts)** Part one is here.

Series summary: this series spans decades in Poe and readers’ lives, with snapshots of moments based around the following themes.

Four times Poe said he’d stay with you.

Four times he tried to leave you behind.

One time you made it work.

Chapter Summary: (LEAVE:ONE) Poe is finally realising his dream to leave Yavin-4 for the stars, which inevitably means he must leave you behind.

GIF by @freetobegrace​

Author’s note: I cried while writing a certain bit of this and I’ve never done that before. But I think I’m probably just hormonal, LOL.

Word count: 1.4k

You knew Poe before he ever flew, but his feet had always been off the ground. His eyes always on the sky. Still, as you grew, you began to wish -perhaps selfishly- that Poe looked a little less at the sky and a little more at you. But, as your Mama had always said, you can’t see what’s right in front of you when you’re always looking up.

You had seemed to grow alongside Poe like the vines on trees in the jungle. You grew tall together, becoming more deeply entwined as the years passed by. However, if you weren’t separated now -if you tried to hold him in place- you knew you would choke him. He needed to be free to touch the sky above the canopy, free of anything which might hold him down. You had always known that eventually he would leave you grounded. Poe Dameron was his mother’s son, after all. He needed to grow beyond the tallest canopy of Yavin-4. He needed to grow beyond you.

You shuffled over to him on the landing bay, the transporter loading up behind him to take the newest batch of recruits to the New Republic Starfleet. He had looked a little lost in the crowd until you had come along. Poe was old enough to be described as a man now, but his fresh, boyish face still told of much that he had to learn. Checking his hot-headedness would be top of that list when he reached the academy, you had no doubt. You hoped dearly that they didn’t drill it out of him entirely.

“Who talks first? Shall I talk first?” you punctured the awkward air between you with humour, having had plenty of practice deflecting from the heavy kinds of emotions throughout the turmoil of your teenage years.

“They’re almos’ ready. I gotta go.” he said in a boyish drawl. He said it casually, like he didn’t yet know the implications of it, didn’t know everything it might mean to uproot himself and leave his home soil behind. At the same time, the determination in his eyes was beyond his years and had always been there; you knew he did this not on a whim, but from a deep-seated sense of purpose. This was his path. To your regret, it was not yours.

“So go. Go away, Poe. I’m not asking you to stay.” You had acted non-chalant, despite the fact you’d woken up at dawn to see him off. You knew fine well that asking him to stay would be futile, in any case.

Still, he lingered in front of you a little longer, shuffling from foot to foot, his New Republic-issue uniform too fresh, too crisp still. Still looking as if it belonged to someone else, and not to the boy you’d always known and always loved. He was changing; becoming, in so many ways. Increasingly, when he looked at you, you felt pleasantly destabilised. He was still growing into his own handsomeness, but he was beginning to be very much aware of it and how to use it to his advantage. Whilst you tried to smooth over any hint that his endlessly familiar brown eyes might have been giving you these somewhat unfamiliar feelings, Poe had gotten a rare, misty look in his eyes. Maybe with the stars ahead of him he was finally looking at you. Finally seeing you for what you meant to him. Home. But home isn’t always something to remember fondly. There had been tough times here, for both of you. Especially after Poe’s mother, Shara, had died. For a long time after, things had been rough. So maybe that’s why he got that look. Because he couldn’t wait to leave all this behind. 

You had punched him playfully on the shoulder, masking your sadness. A trick your Mama learned for you when you were small and you had picked up from her in turn as you grew. “What am I going to do around here without you, huh?”

“Probably fall out of trees and get eaten by stintarils.” Poe grinned without pretense and that’s what made you tug him by his lapels into a crushing hug. You had pawed at his back, his curls, pressing him against you. Choking him with your need to keep him by your side. You knew, though, that you had to let him go.

You released him and fondly smoothed his flight suit, resting your hands on his shoulders. You desperately wanted to say something profound. Something meaningful. But he was always the one who found the language to tell you how much he cared about you. On the other hand, he was the one leaving, so you guessed that sometimes actions did speak louder than words. Personally, you’d always been much better at deflecting, at telling him to just get the kriff on with going away. You’d learned to expect it. Not that you could quite accept it, just yet. “Go on. Scram, Poe Dameron.” You had forced a soft smile.

At that, Poe had leaned in to press a soft, chaste kiss to your lips, his hand coming to tenderly grip the back of your neck. You looked at him in surprise as he pulled back from you, looking both a little bashful and a little pleased with himself. He bit his lip and then his mouth moved as if he was about to speak. Your palm had quickly clamped down over his mouth. “Don’t. Don’t ruin it by speaking.” You released your hand from him. “Let’s just leave it at that kiss.”

He pressed his lips together in acquiesence, his eyes soft as he took one long look at you. And then he turned, making his way up the ramp and into the transporter without looking back. His eyes were fixed ahead of him, on the stars, after all. On his future. And you were now consigned now to his past.

You didn’t stay to watch the sky finally take him from you, finally swallowing him. How could you? This is what you’d always been afraid of. Instead, you ran home and you cried and cried in your mother’s arms, your heart broken in the way only a best friend and a first love could break it. She had tried her best to reassure you that Poe would always find a way back to you, but this time, you just couldn’t allow yourself to believe it.

It was only when you felt entirely drained of tears that you could bring yourself to visit your tree again. You stood beneath it for a moment, looking up at the tree with something resembling blame, although you knew that was nonsense. You couldn’t even bring yourself to touch it, not at first. But then, you wrapped your hands around its thick limbs as you climbed skyward, somehow comforted by the physical reminder of all the times you visited this spot together. You perched, alone, on your and Poe’s usual branch, staring solemnly at the empty spot by your side. There was no familiar rush of A-Wings overhead either. Today, even the sky was empty, as if in tribute.

Throwing a koyo fruit to the woolamanders, you crept back from the overhanging branch to settle into the pit of the tree, a roomy, sheltered hollow formed where the branches converged. You curled yourself in this comfortable spot and dwelled on how quiet the jungle was without Poe’s incessant chattering. How much things had changed for you in only a few days.

In fact, mere days ago, before he shipped out, this was the spot where you and Poe had tangled limbs like vines and found a new way to love each other. He had kissed you and lay you back and found his own way to show you the stars. He had traced gentle kisses on your body like he was mapping a constellation he never wanted to forget. Of course, figuring out this new, physical language had been awkward, punctuated by laughter, yet somehow it had also been perfect. He was even better at touch than he was with words. You just wish it hadn’t turned out to be the perfect way to say goodbye.

It’s at that point that the sense of finality hit you. Suddenly, you’d felt like you’d never see Poe again. Not if you waited there on Yavin-4 for him to come back. It’s at that point you determined you needed to start building a future for yourself. Needed to let your vines track out over the jungle floor until you found a place to flourish again. You needed to find a new path. No, you realised then; Poe Dameron was not coming back to you. But maybe if you could find your own way forward, perhaps one day your respective paths would cross again. That was just enough to cling on to, in that moment. 

Besides, you couldn’t just stay there and get eaten by stintarils. Maker forbid you proved Poe Dameron right about anything. If you ever met again, you resolved, you would show him just how you made it without him. Although, not entirely without him. You had shared beginnings, after all. No matter how far your branches diverged from here on out, there would always be that inalienable part of you which was tied to Poe Dameron. You had grown together, intertwined, and he had rooted himself forever in your heart.

TO BE CONTINUED

Like this? Please consider reblogging, or sending feedback in a comment or ask. I LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU AND STORIES ARE NOTHING WITHOUT A READER. YOU ARE EVERYTHING AND ILY.

Want more? You can check out my Masterlist to read more of my works! FYI: It’s always kept updated in my bio.

Want even more? Just ask if you’re not already and you’d like to be added to my permanent tag-list or any series tag-lists <3

Episode Reviews - Star Trek The Next Generation Season 1 (3 of 6)

As we draw close to crossing the first month of 2021 off the calendar to make room for February, which in my view is only of use for Pancake Day and nothing more, I’m back with yet more reviews from the first season of Star Trek: TNG.  Will these episodes prove any better than those of the first two rounds, or are we looking at more lemons with warp engines?  Let’s find out…

Episode 10: Hide and Q

Plot (as adapted from Wikipedia):

The Enterprise is en route to Quadra Sigma to aid colonists caught in a methane explosion when Q re-appears and demands that they abandon their mission to compete in a game. He teleports Commander Riker and the bridge crew, with the exception of Captain Picard, to a barren landscape and appears in front of them wearing a uniform of a Napoleonic era French marshal. He explains the rule of the game is to stay alive, and after Lt. Yar refuses to compete, he transports her back to the bridge of the Enterprise in a "penalty box".

 Q returns to the bridge too, to talk Picard into setting a wager. He explains that the Q Continuum is testing Commander Riker to see if he is worthy of being granted their powers. Picard, having the utmost faith in his First Officer, takes the bet, as winning it would mean Q would get off their backs. Meanwhile, Riker and his team are attacked by what Lt. Worf reports as "vicious animal things" wearing French soldier uniforms from the Napoleonic era and armed with muskets that fire energy bolts instead of the classic projectiles. Q returns to Riker and tells him that he has granted him the powers of the Continuum, and Riker promptly returns his crew mates to the ship but remains behind with Q to ultimately reject the powers. Q brings the crew back to the landscape, this time without their phasers and with Picard. The crew are attacked once more by the aliens, and both Worf and Wesley Crusher are killed. Riker uses the powers of the Q to return the crew again and bring both Worf and Wesley back to life.

 Riker makes a promise to Picard never to use the powers again and the ship arrives at Quadra Sigma. A rescue team beams down and discovers a young girl who has died. Riker is tempted to save her, but in the end, he refuses to do so out of respect for his promise. However, he quickly shows signs of regret at this decision, which he expresses to the captain. Tension between Picard and his first officer grows as Riker now seems to be embracing his powers, and his behaviour toward the crew begins to change. At Q's suggestion, and with Picard's blessing, Riker uses his powers to give his friends what he believes they want, turning Wesley into an adult, giving La Forge normal sight in place of his visor, and creating a Klingon female companion for Worf. All the recipients reject their gifts, however, with Data even anticipating and declining Riker's attempt to make him human. Picard declares that Q has failed, and when Q attempts to go back on his word, he is forcibly recalled to the Continuum. Picard is pleased to see Q gone, and praises Riker for confirming his trust in his "Number One". 

Review:

There are two main reasons to enjoy this episode; Q and Picard.  This is the first time since the pilot that we’ve seen Q and Picard interact, and it’s much better this time because both the actors are a bit more at grips with their characters.  The scene in the Captain’s ready room between the pair where they both quote Shakespeare is one of the real highlights of the first season, a veritable miniature diamond in a season-long run of rough.  In some respects, it’s almost a pity Picard-Q meet-ups aren’t more frequent, but ultimately, I think that they have to be done as little as possible to retain some impact in the later seasons.

 Unfortunately, the episode lacks sufficient subtlety in trying to convey a story about power corrupting.  The key reason why the Dark Phoenix story in the X-Men comics is a classic that no adaptation has ever effectively captured is because it involves Jean Grey being corrupted by power slowly, inch by inch, until circumstances push her over the edge.  When the Primarch Horus is turned to Chaos in the Horus Heresy novels that form part of Warhammer 40,000 lore, it’s not an overnight transformation from the noble being he was to the power-mad tyrant laying waste to Terra years later.  It’s a slow, gradual seduction by power, and a single episode of any TV show doesn’t give that.

 As a result, the idea of Riker’s shift in character and attitude seems too rapid and falls flat.  The only thing that doesn’t fall flat is how the rest of the cast reacts when Riker tries to act with benevolence.  It’s a testament to each of them how they resist being granted their supposedly fondest wishes.  I especially applaud Geordi and the autistic-like Data for their choices.  I never like stories that try to push the idea that characters who are somehow differently abled, either blatantly or through the metaphor of a genre-specific concept, should always want to eliminate that difference.  Maybe Geordi can’t see like everyone else, but considering all the different things he can see with his visor, it’s not like the vision he has is any better or worse. It’s just a pity his reason for saying no was more about not liking a Q-style Riker than about accepting himself and all the goodness inherent in that. 

Add in Troi not being around at a time when her character could be very annoying without much effort, and you’ve got an episode that has many saving graces propping up a poor execution of a decent core concept.  End score for this one, probably 7 out of 10.

 Episode 11: Haven

Plot (as adapted from Wikipedia):

The Enterprise arrives at the planet Haven, where the ship's half-Betazoid Counsellor Deanna Troi has been summoned by her mother Lwaxana. Deanna had previously been set into an arranged marriage to the young human doctor, Wyatt Miller, and his parents have since tracked down Lwaxana to enforce the marriage. After Lwaxana and the Millers are welcomed aboard the Enterprise, the parents argue over whose cultural traditions will be honoured at the ceremony. Deanna and Wyatt attempt to get to know each other but find it difficult, as Deanna is still in love with Commander William Riker. Wyatt has had numerous dreams of another woman with whom he has fallen in love, and had initially believed her to be Deanna communicating telepathically with him.

 The Enterprise then learns of an unmarked vessel approaching Haven. Captain Picard recognizes it as Tarellian, a race they thought to have been wiped out by a highly lethal and contagious virus. When they contact the ship, they find a handful of Tarellian refugees who have been travelling at sub-light speeds to Haven in hopes of finding an isolated location to live out the rest of their lives in peace. Picard insists that they cannot go to the planet for fear of spreading the virus, and has the Tarellian vessel placed in a tractor beam. Wyatt discovers that one of the Tarellians, Ariana, is the woman from his dreams, and she too recognizes Wyatt. Wyatt tells Dr Crusher that he will transport some medical supplies to them, but transports himself along with the supplies. When the crew discovers this, Wyatt's parents demand that Picard bring Wyatt back to the Enterprise, but Denna insists that he cannot return, as Wyatt would now carry the Tarellian virus. Wyatt promises his parents, Deanna, and the rest of the crew that he knew that this would be his destiny, and is happy to try to help cure the Tarellian virus. Wyatt convinces the Tarellians to leave Haven and search for help elsewhere. Picard orders the tractor beam to be dropped and allows the vessel to depart the system. 

Review:

When it comes to Majel Barrett in the era of the TNG-DS9-Voyager shows, her best work as a guest star is her voice work as the voice of any given Starfleet computer.  Her worst work is when she’s guest-starring as Deanna Troi’s mother. Her whole character is the very definition of nails on a chalk board, and it’s very rare if ever that an episode featuring her can be anything good.  That said, her presence does help to improve Deanna’s character just because it means Deanna’s suddenly no longer the most likely to irk you with her characterisation.  Basically, anytime Deanna’s on the screen at this early stage in the show, all I can think is “please don’t have her go all over-sensitive like she did in the pilot.”

 Leaving the Troi family aside, the episode isn’t much to get excited about.  Just a run-of-the-mill b-plot about a plague ship that interconnects with the main plot nicely to save us from the Trek equivalent of a shotgun wedding. Frankly, I’d have preferred it if they’d done a plot exploring the arranged marriage idea and casting it down as the terrible idea it is, but then I suppose it wouldn’t be politic to do that with a culture that is part-and-parcel of the Federation instead of being the guest-race-of-the-week.  I’d give this one about 3 out of 10.

 Episode 12: The Big Goodbye

Plot (as adapted from Wikipedia):

The Enterprise heads to Torona IV to open negotiations with the Jarada, an insect-like race that are unusually strict in matters of protocol. After practicing the complex greeting the Jarada require to open negotiations, Captain Jean-Luc Picard decides to relax with a Dixon Hill story in the holodeck. Playing Detective Hill in the holo-program, Picard takes up the case of Jessica Bradley, who believes that Cyrus Redblock is trying to kill her. Picard decides to continue the program later and leaves the holodeck to affirm their estimated arrival at Torona IV. He invites Dr Beverly Crusher and historian crewmember Whalen to join him in the holodeck. While Crusher is still preparing, Picard and Whalen are ready to enter the holodeck when Lt. Commander Data arrives, having overheard Picard's invitation. Entering the holodeck, the three discover that Jessica has been murdered in Picard's absence. As Picard explains that he saw Jessica at his office the day before, Lt. Bell brings Picard into the police station for questioning as a suspect in her murder. Meanwhile, the Enterprise is scanned from a distance by the Jarada, causing a power surge in the holodeck external controls. Dr Crusher later enters the holodeck, first experiencing a momentary glitch with the holodeck doors, and joins her friends at the police station.

 The Jarada demand their greeting earlier than the agreed time and are insulted at having to talk to anyone other than the Captain. The crew tries to communicate with Picard in the holodeck but finds it impossible; the Jarada signal has affected the holodeck's functions, preventing the doors from opening or allowing communication with the crew inside. Lt. Geordi La Forge and Wesley Crusher attempt to repair the holodeck systems. While inside the holodeck, the group returns to Dixon's office. Mr. Leech appears, having waited for Picard, demanding he turn over an object he believes Jessica gave him. When Picard fails to understand, Leech shoots Dr. Whalen with a gun, and the crew discovers that the safety protocols have been disabled, as Whalen is severely wounded. As Dr Crusher cares for his wound, Picard and Data discover that the holodeck is malfunctioning, and they are unable to exit the program. Mr. Leech is joined by Redblock, who continues to demand the object. Lt. McNary arrives and becomes involved in the standoff. Picard tries to explain the nature of the holodeck, but Redblock refuses to believe him. 

Outside, Wesley finds the glitch; however, he cannot simply turn off the system for fear of losing everyone inside. Instead, Wesley resets the simulation, briefly placing Picard and the others in the middle of a snowstorm before finding themselves back in Dixon's office. With the reset successfully clearing the malfunction, the exit doors finally appear. Despite Picard's warnings, Redblock and Leech exit the holodeck, but dissipate as they move beyond the range of its holo-emitters. As they leave the holodeck, Picard thanks McNary, who now suspects that his world is artificial and asks whether Picard's departure is "the big goodbye", to which Picard replies that he simply doesn't know. Picard reaches the bridge in time to give the proper greeting to the Jarada. The Jarada accept the greeting, heralding the start of successful negotiations.

 Review:

The Big Goodbye has a special place in the era of holodeck era of Trek as the first example of a “holodeck-gone-wrong” episode.  Later episodes of this series and the spin-off shows Deep Space Nine and Voyager would return to the premise of holodeck malfunctions time and again as either minor or major plot points.  Unfortunately, the holodeck is already going wrong as a plot device in the show just from a technical realisation standpoint.

 The basic idea of the holodeck is that it creates 3D images that resemble whatever is programmed into the computer, with some kind of force-fields giving the images substance while other aspects of the technology fill in the proverbial blanks (e.g. special programming to create interactive characters, localised environmental controls, etc.)  However, everything that exists within the holodeck can only exist within the range of the room’s tech; if anything created by the holodeck moves beyond its walls, it should instantly cease to be.  However, in the Farpoint pilot, Wesley Crusher fell into water on the holodeck, and when he walked out into the corridor, he remained wet and dripping when all the holographic water should have disappeared the instance he walked through the exit. 

Likewise, in this episode Picard picks up a lipstick mark when he first tries the holodeck’s new upgrades, and that should have disappeared when he later briefs the crew in the observation lounge. Instead, Dr Crusher has to wipe the lipstick off for the captain, despite the fact it should have disappeared from Picard’s face long ago.  It’s an annoying issue, and one that could have been easily fixed even back in the 1980’s when this show was made; evidently, this was just another example of how bad the show was at this stage.  If TNG ever gets the kind of reboot the original series did, I sincerely hope any use of the holodecks pays attention to and rectifies this error in the application of the holodeck concept. 

Otherwise, this episode doesn’t do much more than give Brent Spiner a bit more to do with Data by having him impersonate a 40’s-style gangers and give Patrick Stewart someone else to be besides the captain of the latest version of the Enterprise.  It’s a fairly well-made episode for season 1 of this show, and it really sells the illusion of the holodeck program for the most part.  The people who made the show just needed to learn that anything that gets made in the holodeck stays in the holodeck.  I’d give it about 5 out of 10. 

Episode 13: Datalore

Plot (as adapted from Wikipedia):

While on the way to Starbase Armus IX for computer maintenance, the Enterprise arrives at the planet Omicron Theta, the site of a vanished colony where the starship Tripoli originally found the android Data. An away team travels to the surface and finds that what had been farmland is now barren with no trace of life in the soil. The team also finds a lab which they discover is where Dr. Noonien Soong, a formerly prominent but now discredited robotics designer, built Data. The team also find a disassembled android nearly identical to Data and return with it to the ship. As the course to the Starbase is resumed, the crew reassemble and reactivate Data's "brother" in sickbay. He refers to himself as Lore, and explains that Data was built first and he himself is the more perfect model. He feigns naiveté to the crew, but shows signs of being more intelligent than he is letting on. Later, in private, he tells Data that they were actually created in the opposite order, as the colonists became envious of his own perfection. He also explains that a crystalline space entity capable of stripping away all life force from a world was responsible for the colony's demise.

 Lore then incapacitates Data, revealing that he plans to offer the ship's crew to the entity. When a signal transmission is detected from Data's quarters, Wesley Crusher arrives to investigate. He finds Lore, now impersonating Data, who explains that he had to incapacitate his brother after being attacked. Wesley is doubtful, but pretends to accept the explanation. Soon after, the same crystalline entity that had attacked the colony approaches the ship. Lore, still pretending to be Data, enters the bridge as the object hovers before the Enterprise and explains that he incapacitated his brother by turning him off, causing Doctor Beverly Crusher to be suspicious, since Data had previously treated the existence of such a feature as a closely guarded secret. Lore then explains that he can communicate with the crystalline entity and suggests to Captain Jean-Luc Picard that he should show a demonstration of force by beaming an object toward the entity and then destroying it with the ship's phasers.

 Lore's attempts to imitate Data are imperfect, though initially only Wesley is suspicious, and his efforts to voice these concerns only draw rude rebukes from Picard and his mother. However, Picard does ultimately become suspicious, especially when Lore does not recognize Picard's usual command to "make it so". Although Picard sends a security detachment to tail him, Lore overpowers Lt. Worf and evades pursuit. Meanwhile, the suspicious Dr Crusher and Wesley reactivate the unconscious Data, and the three of them race to the cargo hold to find Lore plotting with the entity to defeat the Enterprise. When Lore discovers them, he threatens Wesley with a phaser and orders Dr Crusher to leave. Data quickly rushes Lore and a brawl ensues. Data manages to knock Lore onto the transporter platform, and Wesley activates it, beaming Lore into space. With its conspirator no longer aboard, the crystalline entity departs, and the Enterprise resumes its journey to the starbase.

 Review:

This episode very heavily relies on answering the mystery of Data’s origin and giving him a villainous brother in a manner similar to the Thor-Loki dynamic of Marvel superhero lore (pardon the inadvertent pun) to make it worth watching, because goodness knows it falls down everywhere else.  Spiner is remarkable playing the treacherous Lore alongside his regular character of Data, and it’s fun to see him make the best of what ultimately becomes a poor episode on other fronts. 

I know some reviewers have stated they don’t understand Lore’s motives for allying with the Crystalline Entity, but as a Marvel fan, it’s actually fairly easy to deduce.  Much like Loki in Marvel’s Thor franchise, Lore is a bit of a trickster, an android Q but without the pseudo-godhood or ultimately benign motives of Q.  Also like Loki, Lore is the unfavoured son, one who was basically cast aside in favour of something supposedly better, so he’s turned against the humanity his brother admires and emulates out of jealousy and the pain of rejection.  It’s not a hard motive to grasp, but with Lore not explicitly saying it, you need that knowledge of another fictional reference to make the deduction.  Given that Marvel lore was largely overlooked by the adult world until superheroes were made into a legitimate cinematic genre at the turn of the century, it’s unlikely many original reviewers would have made the link. 

However, as I’ve noted, the episode falls apart in other respects.  The crew’s haste to reassemble Data’s brother mid-flight is very risky behaviour more akin to the cowboy antics of Kirk’s crew from the original series than Picard’s more measured approach, and they are remarkably stupid in failing to catch onto Lore’s threat.  Only Wesley shows the requisite insight and intelligence, but expresses it poorly because at this time no one on the show could write Wesley with any kind of competence. As a result, Picard ends up looking like a total git for his outburst at Wesley, Wesley’s mother comes off almost as bad, and when it turns out that, as ever, Wesley was right, there’s no apology from Picard at all.  On balance, this episode rates about 5 out of 10, which can be taken as the anti-Wesley acting having a severely detrimental impact on a great Spiner performance, or a great Spiner performance saving the episode by some horrid Wesley-bashing. 

Episode 14: Angel One

Plot (as adapted from Wikipedia):

The Enterprise arrives at the planet Angel One, which is ruled by an oligarchy of women. The ship is looking for survivors from the shipwrecked freighter Odin, over seven years after having been evacuated. The freighter was missing three escape pods and the only planet in range was Angel One. An away team consisting of Commander William Riker, Lt. Commander Data, Lt. Tasha Yar, and Counsellor Deanna Troi beam down to the surface. They attempt to negotiate with Mistress Beata, the "Elected One" of the native inhabitants, to let them search for the survivors. Time is of the essence however, as the Enterprise must travel to a Federation outpost near the Romulan Neutral Zone (where a group of Romulan Battlecruisers has been detected) as soon as they resolve their investigation into the Odin survivors.

 Beata reveals that they are aware of four male survivors of the Odin who have caused disruption in their society, and are considered fugitives. Beata requests Riker stay with her (and later requests that he order Troi, Data, and Yar to track down the survivors' camp and their leader Ramsey, while staying and dining with her). After some back and forth, Data concludes Ramsey and the survivors of the Odin would have platinum with them, and Angel One is naturally devoid of platinum, allowing the Enterprise to easily detect them. Meanwhile, Riker dresses in the garb given to him for his dinner with Beata, Troi and Yar tease him for dressing in clothes that sexualize him and, in some ways, demean him. He responds by saying he is honouring the local customs, and acknowledges Beata's beauty, and that the garb is rather comfortable.

 The Enterprise searches while in orbit around Angel One. Doctor Beverly Crusher relieves Captain Jean-Luc Picard of duty after he and most of the crew have fallen ill to a random virus on board. The Captain leaves Lieutenant Geordi La Forge in command (Geordi's first time in acting command of a starship). Shortly after, they find Ramsey and transmit his location to the Away Team, who beam directly to there. 

When confronted by Data, Yar, and Troi, Ramsey and his men, having taken wives and started families during the seven years, refuse to leave. Data points out that as the Odin was not a star fleet vessel, its crew is not bound by the Prime Directive and the Enterprise cannot remove them against their will. Geordi informs Yar of the medical situation on board, and that more Romulan ships have been detected near the Neutral Zone. Riker gets close to Beata as they compare how gender roles differ between Angel One and the Federation. On the Enterprise, systems are becoming harder to maintain with more crew succumbing to the virus. Geordi (after a friendly reminder from a sniffling Worf) remembers that in command, he must delegate tasks so he can stay on the bridge. Dr Crusher finds that the virus is an airborne organism that produces a sweet smell, to encourage inhalation, after which it becomes viral inside the body. 

Riker gets up to date with the situation, and decides that while Ramsey and his group are at large and refusing to leave the planet, there is little they can do. Before leaving they find that one of Beata's fellow mitstresses, Ariel, has married Ramsey, and was followed by Beata's guards to their camp, where they arrested the survivors and their families. The Away Team attempt to explain to Beata the reason for Ramsey's refusal to leave. Beata and her council reject his reasoning, and threatens to execute them the following day. After failing to convince Ramsey and his group to leave with them, Riker contacts the Enterprise in hopes of transporting Ramsey and his group without their consent (despite it being a violation of the Prime Directive, and almost certainly an end to his career).  However, Dr Crusher (while treating an incapacitated Geordi in the Captain's chair) refuses to allow anyone to beam aboard for fear of them being infected, but allows Data, an android, to return. Riker orders Data to take command and get the Enterprise to the Neutral Zone before it's too late.

 The following morning the Away Team is invited to witness the execution of Ramsey and his followers. Moments after Riker rejects their invitation Data makes contact and informs them that there is a 48-minute window in which Dr Crusher has to find a cure, and Riker must defuse the situation on the planet before the ship must leave for the Neutral Zone. On the planet, Ramsey and his men are prepared to be executed by disintegration despite Ariel's pleas, while Dr Crusher discovers a cure for the virus. Riker is prepared to have the away team and the Odin survivors beamed to the Enterprise, but makes a plea that execution will do Angel One’s society little good. He contends that Ramsey and his men have simply become a symbol for pre-existing dissatisfaction with the current society on Angel One, an evolutionary change that execution may only accelerate by turning Ramsey’s group into martyrs.

After deliberating with her fellow mistresses, Beata announces that she will stay the execution and banish Ramsey, his men, their families, and any others that support them to the far side of the planet. She explains that their banishment will not stop the fall of the oligarchy, but will slow it down enough that Beata will not be around to see its end. The away team return to the ship and Picard, already recovering from the virus but hardly having a voice, orders the ship to the Neutral Zone at high warp. 

Review:

Apparently, the idea of this episode was look at South Africa’s apartheid system, but using a gender-based schism in a female-dominated society to explore the concept along gender lines rather than being more direct and using anything akin to a racial divide.  As a result, the intention is lost behind some very horrendously sexist rubbish that makes the show seem more like a bad parody of feminism.  The episode also has a lousy b-plot of a virus story that adds nothing to the episode, and again showcases how badly the holodeck concept was being handled at this time.  A snowball from a holodeck skiing program should not be able to go through the holodeck doors to hit Picard and Worf in the corridor.  2 out of 10 is all this episode deserves.

about to just start inventing picard episodes

star trek picard episode whatever “Electric Sheep”: Cris, Raffi, and the gang beam down to pick up supplies for malfunctioning holograms. Soji and Geordi conduct an experiment on lucid dreaming. (geordi’s here because i love him and the experiment they’re doing is ‘if soji puts enough parts of her brain in sleep mode can she or geordi talk to a remnant of her dad in there’ and the result is ‘yes and there are seventeen individual lines of dialogue that will have you bawling like a baby’. then they have to pilot la sirena out of a contested patch of space together because they accidentally let her drift while they were doing weird science and everybody else is planetside having wacky market haggling shenanigans and emmett & enoch are still not online. do they sit in The Correct Spots On The Bridge? brother, it’s the only reason the scene exists)

star trek picard episode whatever 2 electric boogaloo “Dinner and a Holonovel”: Raffi and Seven go on their first official date. Meanwhile, La Sirena receives a coded message from one of Raffi’s mysterious contacts. (in this one Raf and Sev get dressed up but they’re both sort of uncomfortable doing so and they try to have a date but neither of them are enjoying themselves trying to be normal, because Raf’s an old reprobate who’s definitely forgotten how to Have Fun With Others and Sev never learned because it wasn’t relevant to her interests. but then they wind up in some trouble(maybe they deliberately seek it out sort of unconsciously bc they’re bored) and it becomes a fun bar fight date that they really enjoy. everybody else is playing twenty questions trying to figure out this weirdly-encoded message for her bc she’s busy. they come back all bruised and grinning and the whole gang looks up at them with this half-decoded message and is like what kind of life do you lead).

star trek picard episode whatever 2 the sequel “Dr. and Mr. Smith”: Raffi’s contact has asked the crew for their help in a...discreet political matter. (it’s a reverse heist episode starring everyone’s two favorite sort-of-semi-retired-?-spies (if we are spies no we are not. yes we are. no <3). julian and raffi have a very good rapport and sev and garak don’t understand each other AT ALL. yes they are together in this one. no i dont think we need much backstory on when or how it happened i will leave that to the experts and their fucking youtube plays. keep up the good work. what are they reverse-stealing? idk yet it’s just a vehicle for character dynamics anyway).

star trek picard episode we cry a lot “The Daughters”: Soji confronts her legacy when an old friend of her fathers hails La Sirena, eager to repay a debt. (although to be honest, when is our sweet girl NOT confronting her legacy? that bitch is all legacy; she’s got legacy frankly oozing out of her positronic pores. this is partly a story about soji, but it takes a while to get there. first it’s the story of Sarge, who had an imaginary friend when she was six...

she can’t pinpoint exactly when she came up with him, and she doesn’t even remember what she named him - but she knows it happened sometime around the evacuations, and when they all moved back home and the world started growing again - lush and fast from the rich volcanic soil - she used to spend hours playing around with her birthday-gift radio set, ‘talking’ to her imaginary friend. of course, she never got actual replies, but as she aged out of the phase she retained an interest in radio and communications, and her parents indulged it and bought her more and better equipment, enrolled her in science programs, fed her curiosity. until one day as a young adult doing a school project on theoretical outer space transmissions, she arrived at a theory which (she later describes it as a CLICK, like something is settling into place in her brain) could account for the existence of extraterrestrial life, just out of reach. and perhaps, she posits in her presentation, the reason no aliens had yet contacted her world had little to do with them not being there and much to do with them choosing not to respond. the goal, she concluded, was to continue reaching out - to close the gap. she wrapped up the presentation with a nod to nostalgia. “And maybe someday, those friends will be imaginary no more.”

she wins an award for the project, and begins work in her chosen field that’s extremely rewarding, but it is still years before she reaches her second conclusion: the logical leap that if future alien contact was not only possible but likely, her imaginary friend might have been a real person after all. she brings this idea up with her mother one night over dinner, and her mother is somewhat alarmed - what do you mean you think you were talking to aliens, you couldn’t do that on a child’s transmitter kit, adults??? adult aliens? what are you saying they said to you? - but she can’t answer. she doesn’t have clear memories of that time, only an unshakeable conviction that the life she may have contacted is closer than anyone could possibly imagine. and so she starts a new project. she digs out the old childhood kit, fiddles with the dials, finds the frequency she used to tune it to. in her mind’s eye there’s the impression of a clear, frank voice, but no words. she tunes her own, more modern and complex instruments, to the same frequency, and keeps listening.

one day, she hears something. this time, she doesn’t talk first. the next few months are a whirlwind of information-gathering. there are people out there. whole societies. she pieces together the basics of what she’ll eventually learn is the prime directive; enough ships pass by the atmosphere of her world that she’s able to form a working conclusion as to why the come close but never hail. they know we’re down here, she thinks, they just think we’re not ready.

and maybe they don’t have the kind of boats that could get you that far into the sky. but she’s always been resourceful. she picks up a new frequency, and starts listening to starfleet. and after a few months of listening and planning, she starts packing. she takes the kiddie transmitter kit, she takes clothing designed for all-weather wilderness exposure, she takes the kind of emergency preserved food that people used to keep by the pallet in case of earthquake, and she takes a few other trinkets she can’t live without. and when the time is right, she hails. it might be a combination of luck or goodwill, but she manages to convince a passing freighter that she is the stranded comms officer of a downed private ship, the only survivor of the wreck hiding out on a pre-warp world. they beam her up and the first few weeks are very touch-and-go, but she manages to convince them she belongs up here, that the people who look like her are very far away and not just under their feet, darting around her green little world like a hill of bugs under the eyes of giant birds. she gets off at the nearest starbase, and she starts exploring.

she takes numerous vessels to numerous worlds, gathering information all the time. she starts calling herself Sarge, instead of Sarjenka, and it makes people think she’s a military type and nobody bothers her. she stops at a library planet for a month and researches everything she can about the major governing systems in the galaxy. without much to go on - no name, only a vague physical description (tall? pale? humanoid?) - it’s hard to determine exactly what kind of vessel the Friend would have been on, if indeed he existed. the yellow clothes, one of her few clear recollections, lead her to guess starfleet, but starfleet is a massive organization and so many of its vessels have come near her homeworld that it seems unlikely she’ll be able to narrow it down like that. so she tries a different tack, searching for the other two vague faces that she can bring to mind. one is a middle-aged woman, humanoid, but the search turns up nothing; the woman is a doctor who has retired from the organization and now works at a teaching hospital near vulcan. the other is a bald man with a deep voice, humanoid, and his record turns up an absolute deluge of information. she skips past most of it; she’s inpatient now, if anyone knows about the Friend he will, and so she checks his last known location. on board the private supply-class ship La Sirena, captained by ex-starfleet officer Cristobal Rios. Rios is tall, dark-haired, and humanoid, but absolutely nothing about him rings that little mental bell. she checks his last docking location. the ship visited a reclamation site briefly, and then disappears from the record.

but Sarge is nothing if not a searcher, so she adjusts her frequencies and tries again. it’s months before they’re in proximity to one another, months in which she’s taken the opportunity to secure her own vessel, a little rented, dented passenger bucket that’s probably worth more in repairs than the price she got it for. but she trades radio repairs for ship repairs at the port where she buys it, looks up its name (Avis) and finds it acceptable, and then she’s in the sky. she tools around exploring new bases and stations, and keeps the hail open. and one day, it’s answered. a human voice answers. “Avis, we read you. What can we do for you?” they go on-screen with each other, and she sees first the captain - the bearded guy - and then...him. the old man. he is an old man, the bald guy, and his eyebrows raise when he sees her come on the viewer.

“Permission to come on board?” she asks. “I have something which might belong to one of you.”

the old man looks wary for a moment, but then he turns to someone behind him, they exchange some quiet words, and he nods. “Permission granted.”

there’s a young woman waiting for her at the transport platform. shorter than her by a good half meter, humanoid. pale. “Dr. Soji Asha,” she says, “You look...”

and Sarge could swear she’s about to say ‘familiar.’

“Sarge,” she says, and the woman’s small hand grasps her long one in a firm shake, and then waits patiently while Sarge performs greeting, letting her fingers just-not-rest on the woman’s shoulders and arms. “I’m actually looking for an old friend of mine, and I thought you might have his whereabouts. Tall, pale, starfleet officer? Ops gold. I know that’s not much to go on, but if it helps, he would have once contacted and established a rapport with pre-warp Drema IV? Humanoid, but not human. He...” It’s weird. standing here, explaining herself to this quietly-held young woman, Sarge is able to articulate better than ever before her half-formed memories. “He told me once he was a machine.” and then, like another CLICK is settling, she has a name. At last. “Data.” I knew he’d had a name.

the woman’s face lights up and falls in such swift motion it is hard to tell which comes first - the recognition or the sorrow. but they’re both there, clear and present. “Dad died almost twenty years ago,” she says. “But if it helps, I have a positronic clone of his brain.”

Sarge starts laughing; she doesn’t mean to, but the way the woman - Soji - says it, so matter-of-fact, so frank...she stops herself before it’s rude, but Soji’s laughing too. “Sorry, I -”

“No, don’t - how do you - how did you know Dad? Come on, come with me -”

“What happened? I didn’t know him for long, I barely remembered him, but I knew he existed -”

“That’s a long story. Do you want to meet the crew?”

Soji reaches for her hand, and with a feeling of mechanisms interlocking as they properly should, she takes it. they start walking. “Oh.” She’s almost forgotten. “If...if he’s not around to take it back, then this might belong to you.” She reaches in her pocket and holds it out: a small, ceramic singing bird.)

STAR TREK ADVENTURER - 001 - INITIATIONS

IF YOU HAVE CHANCE, PLEASE WATCH STAR TREK TNG SEASON 4 - EPISODE 21 - THE DRUMHEAD. THIS INTRODUCES US TO SIMON TARSES AND PROVIDES US WITH A PARTIAL BACKGROUND. I FOUND HIS CHARACTER INTERESTING AND HAVE MADE HIM A MAIN CHARACTER IN ANOTHER STAR TREK SERIES - ADVENTURER ALL COMMENTS ARE APPRECIATED AND WELCOME

Adventurer - 001 - Initiations

  The large vacuum doors hissed open and crewman Simon Tarses, newly appointed medical technician of the Galaxy-class starship Adventurer, stepped into Main sickbay, his hand tightly gripping the strap of his medkit shoulder bag. He was both excited and nervous as he walked through the oval room which buzzed with the noise of the medical staff, who were dispersed into small groups throughout it. He looked about him at the impressively sophisticated instrumentation. Adventurer boasted, along with other superiorities, the largest and most advanced sickbay of any starship ever built. This was one of the reasons why Simon had applied for the position. Yet he hadn't dreamed of actually attaining it, not after the incident on board the Enterprise which he feared would end his starfleet career. He approached a small group of staff who were engaged in an animated discussion.   "Excuse me, please" he said politely. A young woman turned to face him. She had short light blonde hair and a very round pretty face. She said nothing but gave him a warm smile. Simon felt his cheeks burn as he blushed crimson red.   "Um...I..I'm looking for Doctor Richards," he stammered. The young woman continued to smile at him, studying his neat symmetrical features, his little pointed ears and his perfectly groomed dark hair.   "Yes, we're all waiting for his arrival" she said suddenly. "He wanted to address us altogether. Shouldn't be long now, " she reassured him.   "Thank you" Simon replied and gave an awkward smile.   "No problem" she said, returning his smile. She turned to face her friends and continued her conversation. Simon walked over to the sickbay's office where about half a dozen or so medical staff were patiently queued. At the desk sat a female medical officer who appeared to be part-human, part-ktarian. She was uploading duty rosters from the medical database into each of their PADDs. Simon decided to join the queue, and as he did so, the vacuum doors hissed open once more. All heads turned as Dr. Richards entered the room.   "Sorry I'm late folks!" he apologized quite cheerfully, and made his way to the top end of the bay, where a work station was positioned just outside his office. The noise in the room died down as he turned to face his audience. Simon noticed that the middled aged doctor had a very friendly, yet careworn face, as if he had been hiding some great secret.   "Thank you all for coming" he began, "and welcome to Adventurer's Main Medical bay. I'm Doctor Richards and this is Medical Officer Luvena Kryllus, " he said pointing to the woman who had been uploading the data, and now stood at the office entrance. She nodded in response but her expression remained guarded.   "Please don't hesitate to come and see either of us at any time if you need help or advice" he said reassuringly. "Now," he continued "as you know, Adventurer is one of the finest Galaxy-class starships of our time. I assure you that you are a small percentage of the starfleet applicants, so well done to all of you for attaining your positions here." He gave a noticeably nervous gulp. "Now, the doctors who will serve as heads of the auxiliary medical bays are Doctor Dakus Tolan of bay two, Doctor Oben Brax of bay three and Doctor Ursula Hunter of bay four." The Betazoid, Bolian and Terran born doctors all nodded as they were announced. "Now as you know" he continued, " Main Medical Bay is on deck two, whereas bays two, three and four are situated on decks eight, fourteen and twenty-one respectively. Only Main Medical bay will be operational twenty four hours. The auxiliary bays will normally be operational for around six hours a day, but they will all be manned in the event of a crisis. Now does anyone have any questions?" A young man from a boisterous group of crewmen put his hand up. "If we're just a small percentage of the applicants" he said, "how did Maxwell Prince get his position?" The room broke out into vivacious laughter.   "Thanks very much!" retorted crewman Prince as he folded his arms. Maxwell Prince had been a notorious joker back at Starfleet Academy, and not many took him seriously. No one guessed that he would pass the training, let alone obtain a position on a starship.   "I'm sure he must have done something right" Doctor Richards replied light-heartedly. "Now, does anyone have any sensible questions?" A murmur of laughter circled the room once more. The young woman who had spoken to Simon put up her hand. "Dr Richards" she asked, "is it true Adventurer is going to be exploring the Enigma Zone?" The room quietened to a complete hush.   "I'm afraid I'm not at liberty to dicuss that.." he said hesitantly "...but I believe you will be informed when the Captain briefs you this afternoon at 14.00hrs." An atmosphere of apprehension subdued the room. No one had any more questions.   "Ok, well thank you for coming" Dr Richards continued. "If you have not yet obtained your duty roster from Miss Kryllus then please do so...and if you can, please be at your posts at least fifteen minutes before your first shift. I look forward to getting to know all of you soon." With that he moved from the workstation, mopping his brow and sought to catch up with the three head doctors.   The queue for data uploading resumed and a moment later, Simon stood in front of Miss Kryllus. He handed her his PADD and she began to upload it. Monitoring the upload she caught sight of the name on the screen. Impulsively she glanced up at Simon, clearly disturbed. "Tarses" she said, almost under her breath but loud enough for Simon to hear. Aware of his attention she raced her eyes back to the screen, and quickly pulled herself together. A few seconds later the upload was complete and she handed over the portable device.   "Here you are Mr Tarses", she said as aloof as possible, but keeping her eyes cast down. "Your duties begin at 09.00 hours tomorrow morning." Simon moved from the queue and looked at his PADD.

       REPORT TO DOCTOR RICHARDS: MAIN MEDICAL BAY - 09.00 HRS it read.

  Simon was a medical technician. At least that was what his position on board the Enterprise had been. He was not sure exactly what his position was to be on Adventurer. His letter of acceptance had been non too specific. Still, he had been glad to have been accepted at all.   He turned to leave but a hand on his shoulder halted him and he sensed someone peering over at his PADD.   "Hey, what time does your duty start?" a voice asked. It was Maxwell Prince. Simon did not know him - Max was fresh from the academy.   "Um, 0900hrs" Simon replied.   "0900!" Max exclaimed. "How did you manage that? I start at 0500! I hate early mornings!" Simon went red and felt a little awkward. "I..." he began.   "Hey, it's not your fault" Max interupted. "Anyway, I suppose it doesn't matter. It's dark in space, whatever time you get up!"   Max smiled warmly, amused by his own joke and held out his hand. "I'm Max" he said, "but I guess you know that already" he added, suddenly looking a little embarrassed.   "Simon" Simon responded nervously, shaking Max's hand. "Simon Tarses."   "Nice to meet you Simon Tarses" Max said cheerily.  "Say, do you fancy meeting up later in the mess hall for a drink? Say..18.00hrs?" Simon gulped. "Um...well, I..." he began.   "Don't worry if you can't..." Max shrugged.  "I..I'll catch up with you again."  His broad smile diminished a little - he was used to being refused - and he walked off, backing into Miss Kryllus' work station as he did so.   Simon watched him leave through the vacuum doors and gave a sigh. He had always found it difficult meeting new people - he feared he would be rejected before the other person really got to know him. His fear stemmed from his Romulan heritage, given away by his little pointed ears. They had been the source of much ridicule throughout his young life back on Mars colony, and since the incident on board the Enterprise, fear of his reputation preceding him had only compounded his anxiety. Before he arrived on Adventurer he had decided that it would be best to keep to himself as much as possible. The less people he knew the less he would have to confess. He felt a little guilty now though because Max had been friendly and despite his smile he had sensed Max's disappointment. There was something about Max that was very open and sincere, and he now wished he had been brave enough to accept his offer.   As he thought, his eyes fell upon Doctor Hunter, the female Head Doctor of medical bay four. She appeared to have been crying and Doctor Richards was handing her a handkerchief. Doctor Richards put his hand on her shoulder to comfort her and said something, but Simon couldn't make out what it was. She wiped her eyes, smiled bravely and after a few more words from him, she headed to the doors and exited. Dr. Richards turned around in Simons direction, worry written all over his face. Their eyes met and Simon quickly looked down with embarrassment, feeling as if he had been spying on the two of them. He decided he had better go, and turned to exit. He was halted in his tracks though by Dr. Richards.   "Mr Tarses?" Dr Richards inquired.   "Yes, Sir" Simon replied.   "Good to finally meet you Simon." They shook hands.   "Me, Sir?" Simon asked quizzically.   "I should explain" Dr Richards continued, "I wanted to meet with you as soon as I could." He looked around him. "Perhaps we should go into my office." He pointed to Simon to lead the way. Simon was suddenly overcome by an overwhelming feeling of apprehension. He imagined he was going to get a dressing down.   They entered the office. It was quiet inside, the noise of the medical bay kept out by the plexi-glass walls. Dr. Richards noted the look on Simon's face.   "I don't mean to alarm you, Simon" Dr Richards said. "I just wanted to say that I have been informed of your past history on the Enterprise and as far as I'm concerned, that's where it belongs. I've spoken to Captain Picard and Dr Crusher and both of them couldn't recommend you highly enough. But I also wanted to add that I know how people can be and to let you know that if you have any problem in regard to this, any at all, that I will unswervingly support you. I will not tolerate injustice or prejudice. I view all of my staff with the highest regard, some of them I even consider as family. Anyway, I just wanted to let you know, so that you felt you could always approach me, at anytime for any reason."   It was a heartwarming speech and Simon felt a lump in his throat. Only his parents had ever given him support like this and it was a great relief to know that someone was on his side.   "Thank you" he replied. "I appreciate that, most sincerely. And I assure you, Sir, that I will never give less than my best. I won't let you down."   Dr. Richards smiled warmly. "I know you won't Simon" he said softly. "So, when is your first shift?"   "0900 hrs tomorrow morning, Sir"   "I look forward to working with you, Mr Tarses."   "Likewise Sir."   "Anyway, if you'll excuse me, I have so many people to see."   They exited the office, Dr Richards striding off towards more medical personel. Simon exited medical bay with a smile on his face. He hadn't felt so good in a long time, not since he had first heard of his acceptance.   Having picked up his belongings from the cargo bay holds, he headed for his quarters on deck twelve. As the door opened he had to pause with surprise. Were these his quarters? He checked his PADD. Yes, the PADD confirmed it. He entered the room, looking about him, still in disbelief. Surely these were the quarters of an officer or even the Captain? They were certainly much larger than his quarters on board the Enterprise had been.   He put his bags down and walked over to the large plexi-glass window which afforded a captivating view of the planet Jupiter below. The immense orange globe hung majestically in the pitch black of space; its huge red spot glowing with activity. Simon pulled a chair up to face the window and reclined.   "Computer." It beeped in readiness. "Dim lights...and play Albinoni's adagio." It was Simon's favourite piece of music. The lights dimmed and the noble melody began to play, adding to the ethereal beauty of Jupiter's backdrop.   I can hardly believe its fourteen and a half thousand miles away he mused to himself. It just doesn't seem real.   In his own little world he soon lost track of the time, and as Shostakovich's second movement of Piano concerto No.2 ended, he peacefully nodded his head and fell fast asleep.   He was awoken by a familiar voice and it took him a few seconds to realize that the voice wasn't coming from someone in his room. It was coming over the loudspeakers and it was Captain Isaacs voice!   "Oh no!" Simon said to himself, realizing he should have met in cargo bay three with all of the other staff. As he hurried out of his room and towards the turbo lift he managed to catch bits of Captain Isaac's speech over the tanoid - congratulations on selection, the names of the senior staff, something about turbo lift 4 being out of operation?   He now stood outside cargo bay three, and as the doors hissed open, over 400 crewmen turned their heads to see who had arrived late. Simon felt like he had been stabbed by hundreds of pairs of eyes and his cheeks began to burn with embarrassment. He instantly wanted to walk back out again but quickly decided to slip in at the back of the assembly. Slowly, all eyes began to face forward again - except one pair to his immediate right. He turned his head slightly- it was the girl whom he had spoken to in medical bay, and she was grinning at him again. As they both looked forward, Captain Isaac's rambling suddenly became more interesting.   "Now, I can confirm the rumours of a mission to Sector 28404, more commonly known as the Enigma Zone as being true. Some of you may have heard of the peculiar cases of the crew onboard the Strider, when it traversed the zone, almost forty years ago. No starfleet vessel has been near that sector ever since. Adventurer's first mission will be to explore this sector and to locate any sources of these effects. Of course, we are much better protected than the Strider, and to be forewarned is to be forearmed. Nevertheless extreme caution will need to be demonstrated at all times.   Adventurer will leave space dock shortly at 1500hrs and E.T.A. at Sector 28404 will be in four days and 6 hours time. In that time, our main priority will be for all sections to prepare as much as possible; all sections will be given further instruction by their heads before duty shifts. Adventurer is scheduled to stay in Sector 28404 continuously for three months, unless circumstances dictate otherwise. In two weeks, we are to be joined by Adventurer's sister ship, Explorer.   I have full confidence in this crew, and that Adventurer will return with every success. Thank you."   As crewmen began to file out of the cargo bay, Simon could feel eyes on him again.  "So, did you fall asleep?" the girl to his right asked, half joking, half concerned.   Simon blushed and felt foolish. "Yes" he grinned with embarrassment.   She smiled at Simon, a little curious and already fond of this shy crewman.   "I'm Lori" she said, holding out her hand.   "Simon" Simon replied, a little awkward with his handshake.   "So, which bay will you be working in?" she asked.   "Bay 1"   "Ah, with Doctor Richards. I'm jealous" she added with a smile, observing his reaction.    A friend of hers approached. "Are you coming Lori?" she asked.   "Well, bye Simon. See you around" Lori said, as they walked off together.

  After a delicious meal of roast chicken and vegetables, courtesy of the replicator, Simon sat in his chair by the window in his quarters and reflected on his day. Adventurer had overwhelmed him. He couldn't wait for the adventure to begin and to start travelling the stars. He wondered what it was going to be like to work for Dr Richards. He had seemed friendly, and caring too - almost a father figure, Simon decided. Look how he had helped Dr Hunter when she had been crying. Why though had Dr Hunter been crying? What could have possibly upset her? Perhaps he would never know. And then there was the enigmatic Miss Kryllus who never seemed to smile. Why had she seemed so flustered when she read his name? Did she know about him, about his past, his mistake? But how could she?   Then there was Lori. She seemed nice but he couldn't quite work out if she was being friendly or just enjoyed teasing him. She smiled a lot though. He was certainly glad she had been there in the cargo bay after his highly embarrassing entrance.   Lastly, there was Max. Simon remembered how everyone had laughed at him, and yet, he didn't seem to be that bad a person. Max had been quick to jump to the conclusion that Simon hadn't wanted to join him. Perhaps Max needed a friend? He looked at the time, it was 18.30 hrs.   "Computer" he prompted, "State the whereabouts of Ensign Max..um...Maxwell Prince."   "Ensign Maxwell Prince is in the mess hall" it replied, in its monotone voice.   Simon wasn't quite sure what to do. Maybe Max had gone with some other friends, and Simon was a little apprehensive of meeting lots of people. Perhaps he could go and sit somewhere quiet in the mess hall first, just to assess the situation? What if Max though called him over to meet everyone?..... He almost decided not to go, but somehow he felt it was right to make the effort. He didn't have to stay long...it had been a long day after all.   The mess hall doors hissed open and Simon entered the large crescent-shaped room. It was quiet and the main lights were subdued. The blue light of the bar bathed most of the room and cast its ambient glow onto the few who sat at the tables. They were mostly in twos and threes, but at the front of the room, near one of the large windows sat a lonely figure.....it was Max.   Simon walked up to the bar and ordered a drink. He sat on the edge of a bar stool and looked over to the slumped figure, wondering what he was going to say. Max's figure didn't move much. Maybe he shouldn't disturb him? But then again Max had asked him to come. The barman served Simon his drink. He took a sip of it, and then suddenly decided to take the bull by the horns. He walked over to the lonely figure a little nervous.   "May I join you?" he enquired, approaching Max from the side. Max looked up quickly and almost knocked his own drink over. He hadn't heard Simon approach. "Simon Tarses!" he declared, startled. Simon stood politely, waiting to be invited.   "Please, join me" Max said earnestly.   Simon sat down to Max's right, he felt a little awkward. Although Max smiled, sadness was evident in his eyes.   "Are...are you ok?" Simon asked him worriedly.   Max looked down, contemplative, then back up at Simon. "I'm ok" he said, not very concincingly. Then he added "I'm really glad you came."   Simon gave an awkward smile.  "I wanted to come, when you asked me" he explained. "It's just that...I'm not very good at..well, making friends and socializing."  Max pointed at the empty chairs around him. "Apparently, me neither" he said.  "I asked about twenty people, you know. So I really am grateful you came."  "I guess everyone was tired" Simon tried. "You know, they wanted to be ready for their first shift maybe?"   Max nodded. "Yeh, that must be it!" he said with a wry smile, knowing it wasn't. "So, Simon Tarses" he continued, "I don't remember you from the academy. Have you already served in the federation?"   Simon gulped and his stomach churned. He knew he would eventually have to explain his past, but he wasn't ready for it so soon. He gave a nod and winced, unable to hide his feelings. He took a deep breath. "It's a long story..." he said. "I..I made a bad mistake."   Max's eyebrows shot up."What did you do?" he asked, intrigued as to what this perfectly quiet crewman could have done to look so worried.   Simon didn't want to tell, and yet he felt he could trust Max somehow.   "I...lied on my application to Starfleet" he confessed. "I said I was a quarter Vulcan...when I'm a quarter Romulan." He paused, reliving the dreadful moment on board the Enterprise when he had been exposed.   "I can understand why you said that" Max replied thoughtfully. "People can be very quick to judge....I can vouch for that."   "You...you don't mind...that I carry Romulan blood I mean?" Simon asked, his face contorted with concern.   Max put his hand onto Simon's shoulder. "Why should I?...all I know, is that you were the only one who came tonight. That puts you pretty high up in my estimation."   Simon's apprehension melted. It impressed him how Max didn't seem to have any prejudice at all, which was quite rare, even in this enlightened generation.   "When I first joined you...you looked unhappy" Simon tried cautiously. He wouldn't normally ask something like this of anyone, but he felt Max had already proved himself a friend. If Max had a problem, then he wanted to help him.   Max looked down. "It's my father" Max answered presently. "Nothing I do seems to please him. I... received a message from him, not long ago. You'd think he'd be proud but..." he couldn't finish the sentence, disappointment written all over his face.   "I'm sorry" Simon offered. "He should be proud, that you were assigned here I mean."   Max looked down. It was just too painful at the moment to even think about. He wanted to change the subject.   "Look at us, Simon!" Max declared out of the blue . "Our first day on board the finest starship in the business, adventure just around the corner, and here we are feeling sorry for ourselves! We should be celebrating!"   Simon was surprised by Max's sudden change.  "I am excited about being on board" he smiled. "It's an amazing ship!"   "Yeh, we're really lucky to be here!...I was surprised though, to be chosen I mean."   "Me too" Simon agreed. "After what I did, I'm really grateful."   Max smirked. "Well, like Doctor Richards said, I suppose we must have done something right!"

Let It Be Me

Almost 3000 words of uncensored fluff

Requested by the Darling @schatzi-89

Based in Let It Be Me by David Guetta and Ava Max

A/N: Mild language and fluff overload

Leonard McCoy x Reader

Leonard was freshly divorced and joining Starfleet as a Cadet. You were an advisor working with all Science and Medical cadets in the academy; that’s how you met Leonard. He was always polite when he would come in. He had the same goal as his command track roommate; to graduate in three years.

For a year, you worked with Leonard going over schedules and clinical options. For a year you sat there and watched that kind soul walk around utterly crushed. You knew he went back to the dorms and buried himself in a bottle and more than anything you wished you could sit down and talk about it with him.

Maybe it was your training; after all, your main posting was to the Enterprise. Upon her maiden voyage, you were to become her Chief Counseling Officer. With that in the back of your mind, you went to your superior officer and requested a special allowance that granted you permission to be both advisor and counselor to Dr. McCoy, pending his acceptance of the offer.

Just as you had imagined, he declined the offer. He said something about getting over it himself and you argued back with a “but you don’t have to”. In the end, you were left as an advisor only and though you were disappointed, you respected his wishes to keep the arrangement as is. Though he had declined your offer, you had convinced him to take your personal comm information so that if there was an emergency, he could easily get ahold of you.

When you're faded and alone And need somebody on the phone Let it be me, let it be me

When he tucked your comm number into his uniform pocket, you hadn’t actually expected him to call. You expected it to get buried in a drawer, never to see the light of day again. Perhaps he was tired of dealing with everything alone or perhaps he decided that it was worth hearing what you had to say, because around 7pm on a Sunday night, Leonard McCoy broke down and called.

He didn’t sound like he really knew why he was calling, but he did manage to ask to meet the following day. You agreed on noon, a time you knew he was free and you wouldn’t have to rush. You knew from his file that he also had a doctorate in psychology, so whatever you had to say, he already knew and thought about it

You were going to have to adopt a new strategy with him. He was going to be resistant. Most guys were especially successful ones who knew what they needed to do but refused to believe it. You decided that what he needed most was a friend. Yeah, he had Kirk, who he pretended to tolerate, but you knew he would do anything for him. He was loyal like that. What he needed was a female friend who built him up in all the ways that his ex-wife had torn him down. You decided that tomorrows meeting was just to chat, even if it was about the weather; you wanted to gain his trust and let him talk to you naturally instead of clinically.

The next day, when you heard a knock at your door at precisely noon, you put all of your files away, your PADD, and anything else that might suggest a therapist meeting. You invited him in and offered him a seat. You didn’t have a couch or comfy chairs, the purpose of your office was academic advising, not counseling, so this would have to do.

“Good afternoon, Leonard. I must admit I was surprised to get your call. What can I help you with today?” You still didn’t know what he had called for, so you decided to go from professional to friendly if that was what was needed; it was easier than backtracking.

“Hello. Yeah, that makes two of us then. I don’t know why I called. I feel terrible like this is going to be a waste of your time, but I just wanted to talk. You had offered, so I figured I would take you up on it.”

“It’s never a waste of time. We can talk about whatever you would like. And you have as much time as you need.”

“Alright, well, I know you have access to my files, so you know about my ex-wife.” He paused, uncertain. He avoided eye contact like he had done something wrong.

“I do and I have read a bit about the situation. I know that she was having an affair and that she divorced you. She made it look like your fault and you have to pay. I also read that this was while you were finishing your fellowship. Those are horrid hours, Leonard. Whatever reason she gave to justify her actions was a load of crap.” You could see the surprise ripple through his body and for the first time he looked you in the eye.

“She told me that I was a waste of space and that I was out playing around with nurses instead of being there for her. I missed dinners, anniversaries, and holidays. I was never there for her.” A tear fell. You knew he believed every word she told him.

“What did she think it was going to be? Starting off as a doctor is rough. Actually, it’s downright brutal. Putting in shitty hours so you could provide for her later does not give her the right to accuse you of cheating or to call you a waste of space. Leonard, listen to me. I have seen more than my fair share of medical cadets come through this office. I was a medical cadet. I have never seen a cadet with as much drive and potential as you. I certainly have never seen one with your skills. As for all the things you missed, she knew that was a possibility going in, she just needed the excuse to justify her actions and she needed everyone else to believe it was all you.” He was looking down, you could see the tears falling freely. He looked at you and for the first time, it wasn’t pain I his eyes, but curiosity.

“Why do you believe in me so much?” His head was cocked to the side slightly. Even crying in your office, he was still a sight to behold.

“Because I was you. Not a day goes by that I don’t wish that I had someone there to tell me all the things I have told you. It took me a very long time to get over my stuff and I had to do it alone. My point is. I don’t want that for you. I am not here to be a counselor. I am here as a friend.” You would never admit it, but that is why you took such an interest in Leonard when his file first landed on your desk.

“As a friend?” His eyebrow went up.

“100%. My talents include drinking most people under the table, hustling pool, and starting outrageous barfights. I am also proficient in trash talking, listening, and kicking people’s asses when they come at my friends. I have been called fiercely loyal, somewhat scary, and adorable.”

“Was that your resume?” for the first time in a while, he laughed.

“I don’t know. Did I get the job?” You placed your hands on the desk, folded neatly like you would at a job interview.

“Yeah, I think you did,” He leaned back in his chair and finally got comfortable. “If we are friends now, I think it is only fair that you talk to me too.”

“How about we go get drinks tonight to celebrate a new friendship and to say goodbye to our exes once and for all.”

“I can defiantly drink to that.”

“9pm?”

“Sounds perfect, I’ll meet you there.”

 When she leaves you in the rain

You need a high to kill the pain Let it be me, let it be me

It had been several months since you became friends with Leonard. Most nights he would meet you at your office and walk you to your apartment that was on the other side of campus. You went out for drinks every weekend and you had gotten to be good friends with Jim Kirk as well.

If Leonard wasn’t in class or at the hospital, and if you weren’t in your office, it was more than likely you were somewhere together. It was comfortable and effortless. There were no expectations that were eating at the back of your minds; it was friendship, pure and simple.

When the distress call from Vulcan was received, you packed your bags and boarded the Enterprise for the first time. You were relieved to find that Leonard was a senior medical officer. It made this all the more exciting. He confided in you that he had smuggled Jim aboard, in spite of his suspension. You kept your mouth shut and went about your business.

You assisted Leonard in taking care of everyone that was on Deck 6 since they were short-handed. Just like that, he became the CMO. After Captain Pike was rescued, you assisted in the surgery as a nurse, aiding Leonard however he needed. For the first time, everyone saw in him what you had always known was there. He had made it.

Summer days, winter nights Ride or die, right by you side Killing time 'till you're ready to see I'm all you need You're a drunk, you're a fool I'm insane, so right for you When the ship goes down Look in your dreams, that's where I'll be

Neither of you could quiet tell when things changed. It had never come up in conversation and it was never verbally agreed on, it just sort of happened. You spent more time in his office than you did your own. You curled up on his couch together, you nestled securely in his side with his arm draped over you. If you were together, you were most definitely making physical contact somehow.

The first time you kissed, Scotty happened to be walking by. You thought for sure that he was going to have a heart attack. Jim knew about it fifteen minutes later and by lunch, everyone knew. Jim ceremonially declared it a thing and you just rolled with it. You loved Leonard McCoy. You had no doubt that he loved you too.

When Earthside, you decided that you should take things a bit further. Taking the more economically sound path, you got an apartment together. Two department chiefs could afford a nice place close to headquarters.

It was perfect for a minute, but it didn’t take Jocelyn long to hear that Leonard had moved on. As if the pain she had put him through wasn’t enough, she started again; this time with the goal of destroying both of you.

You knew her kind and there was very little that she could do that would cause you any grief. Leonard, on the other hand, was not handling her newest attacks well at all. He had gone back to drinking and all of the efforts you had put into helping him before seemingly went down the drain. He cut you off and it began to feel like you were living with a stranger.

You had just gotten back from your shift when you heard a knock at your door. You weren’t expecting anyone, and the odds of Leonard expecting anyone seemed slim. When you answered the door, you immediately wish you hadn’t. There stood Jocelyn in all of her stuck up glory. She sneered at you with vicious contempt and barged in without an invite. She’s lucky that this was her destination or that would have been very bad for her.

“Hey, Leonard, can you come in here please?” you could hear him shuffling about, and you also knew that he hadn’t worked that day. All you could do was pray that he hadn’t been drinking. You were relieved when he walked in with bedhead and a runny nose.

“What are you doing here?” a finely tuned ear would be able to tell that he was upset, but the prevailing sound of the common cold covered it up.

“I just thought I would swing by and see how the two most incompetent officers in Starfleet were doing on my way to headquarters. I have a meeting with your Captain and I am sure he will agree that you are both utterly useless on his crew.” She was so sure of herself that it seemed that it had slipped her attention that Jim was your best friend. You spoke before Leonard could:

“That is perfectly reasonable, Jocelyn. I am sure Jim would be fascinated by all that you have to say to him. You might want to leave before you miss him. He usually leaves his office at five sharp.” You could feel Leonard staring at you, but you didn’t want to break the standoff you were having with Jocelyn.

After she left, you turned to head to your shared room; wanting nothing more than to get out of that uniform and into some comfy clothes. You had a movie date with yourself and you would be damned if you were going to be late. Leonard followed you in and sat on the bed as you changed, still staring at you the same way as earlier.

You got changed without saying a word to him and you left just as silently and put on an old holo of “The Nightmare Before Christmas”. It was one of your go-to movies. About twenty minutes later, Leonard shuffled in. He came over and curled up beside you like a little kid and laid his head on your shoulder.

“Why did you let her go to Jim?” you could tell it took a lot of effort for him to ask you so you decided to answer.

“I thought that Jim could use the laugh. Whatever she had to say about either of us is bound to bring tears to Jim’s eyes.” He chuckled, but then you remembered that he was sick. “I’m not going to get sick am I?”

“I ain’t sick, Sweetheart. It’s withdrawals. I figured that I hadn’t been too fair to you and I finally realized that I am a dumbass for letting her get to me. Yours is the only opinion that bares any weight to be and I lost sight of that. So, now I am detoxing the bullshit out of my system and when I am over this nastiness, you and I are going on a very nice date.”

“Leonard, I love you. You know that right? And whatever horribly untrue things she has said to you lately, they will never be true of you.”

“I love you too, Sweetheart.”

You had settled into a comfortable silence for the first time since the whole unpleasantness with Jocelyn started. There was yet another knock on the door and this time Leonard was the one who got up.

“Fifty bucks says Jocelyn caught Jim.” Leonard laughed and agreed.

“Probably. That witch magically appears where ever she needs to be to ruin my life. It’s her God damned superpower.” Leonard opened the door and a very excited Jim hopped on in. He looked like he had been crying and he was still holding his sides.

“You will never believe who visited me today!”

“Jocelyn.” You answered in unison and monotoned to boot.

“You two are no fun. But, yes! If I didn’t know any better I would fire you two right now and let me tell you, that bitch can act. Don’t worry you still have jobs.”

“Great, now are you gonna tell us what was said or are you going to bore us with irrelevant nonsense?” Leonard was genuinely curious as to what she had to say this time.

“I want to know why you’ve been crying, Jim. Did Cupcake pick on you again? Or did Ny have enough of your nonsense too?” of course it was Jocelyn, but why pass up the opportunity to harass your Captain.

“Actually it was Jocelyn. When I laughed in her face about what she said about you, she started in on me. Naturally, that made me laugh harder. Now I know I have abs because they are absolutely killing me.” Jim was very proud of himself.

“That’s probably because you don’t have abs, Jim. That’s usually why that hurts.” Jim opened the door and Leonard slammed that shit shut.

“It’s true I don’t have abs and it kills.” Of course, you had to back Len up on this; even at the expense of your own image.

Jim huffed and then left, everyone was tired and there was no reason to stay or visit really. A phone call would have worked just as well.

“You have abs, why did you tell Jim you didn’t?”

“He doesn’t need to know I am in better shape than him. Which wouldn’t be an issue if he would lay off the cake.”

“That’s my girl.”

And I'll show you love the way it supposed to be

Short Treks: My Thoughts

Now that I’ve finally caught up on Short Treks, I thought I would share my thoughts on the series and the future of Star Trek. 

Short Version: It’s a bizarrely mixed bag.

Now for the long version. (SPOILERS)

Short Treks: Runaway

I love Sylvia Tilly (who doesn’t?), and this new era of Star Trek has certainly given us some interesting and lovely characterizations. This was a pretty solid short story, and I loved that we got to spend more time with Tilly. I also enjoyed how they tied this story into season 2 of Discovery, which added more depth to her character. Yes, Tilly just makes friends with random alien queens. It’s just what she does.

I also appreciated Po’s dilemma in her fears and struggles with her people about the coming changes of them becoming a warp-capable society. Thanks to Po’s ingenuity and talent, she has given her people a way to stabilize Dilithium crystals, but Po has done this out of a love of science and creativity. She fears the exploitation of her discovery and inventions for selfish gain. As a creative myself, I could relate to Po’s anguish as she desires the purity of her creation’s purpose, the soul, to be preserved above all else. #TheStruggleIsReal

In the end, though, both Tilly and Po mature and grow a little, which was satisfying to see. I look forward to seeing Tilly’s continued trajectory to her inevitable captaincy! 

Short Treks: Calypso

Another really solid story, but the only thing was that it didn’t feel like Star Trek to me. It just seemed like a beautiful and haunting science fiction story, maybe something that would be on Amazon’s Electric Dreams (love that series!). It certainly has some interesting implications for Discovery’s future, but overall it felt out of place in the lore. Despite that, this is probably the strongest of the Short Treks in writing, pacing, and emotional impact. Give me a love story with an AI/robot any day of the week.

Short Treks: Brightest Star

This was the one episode of the first batch of Treks that I was most excited about seeing. I think the strongest character and ideas of this new era of Star Trek is the character of Saru and his people, the Kelpiens and their predatory “overlords”, the Ba’ul. The planet dynamics of these species and how they’ve evolved together, and the mystery of how they are inexplicably linked is absolutely fascinating to me. Unfortunately, I feel like the writers really squandered the full potential of the ideas, which disappointed me greatly. 😞However, despite my disappointment, I did enjoy this story, albeit it was much to short. I think it needed to be 20 or 30 mins to really give the full impact of Saru’s struggle as an unusual Kelpien who looks up at the stars and speaks to them. But we don’t really get an explanation of how Saru is able to understand technology at all. We just have to accept that “he’s different”, so he just has the ingenuity to figure things out. I would have loved to have seen him when he was younger giving us examples of how his unorthodox thinking manifested in other ways in order for us to believe that he would be smart and capable enough to tinker and use technology beyond his people’s understanding. It would have also given us a chance to really immerse ourselves in the culture and mindset of the Kelpiens, to understand the psychology that shapes Saru’s very identity. In short, WE NEEDED MOAR KELPIENS AND SARU.

Overall, though, this episode was one of the very few that felt the most like Star Trek, as it exemplifies themes of questioning, seeking, searching, and asking and how that curiosity can lead us to worlds and realms beyond - that we are made for so much more than we could possibly imagine. 

This story also gave me Isaac Asimov vibes, which was cool.

Short Treks: The Escape Artist

This one was really disappointing and, frankly, very dull. Don’t get me wrong, Rainn Wilson does a fabulous Harry Mudd. He really adds nuance and cleverness to a character that originally was pretty one dimensional and campy. However, this was the one episode that NEEDED to be shorter, as it went on for far too long, and the pay off wasn’t worth it. It also left me feeling like, what was even the point? Why did they make this short story about Harry Mudd without telling us anything new about him? Yeah, we know he is conniving con man, we get it. It also doesn’t make sense continuity wise in Star Trek because I thought Doctor Noonien Soong was the leading roboticist/android expert, and Data wasn’t anywhere near to looking as life-like as Mudd’s replicas. Somehow Mudd is able to create perfect hosts-from-Westworld androids that sweat, bleed, bruise, and otherwise act like organic matter, able to express the full nuanced range of human emotion as to be clone-like duplicates of himself. Um. Okay??? I guess this lone con man fugitive has made these ingenious and world-shattering discoveries and inventions in robotics and technology. Yep.

Short Treks: Q&A

The absolute best of the Short Treks, IMLTHO. (Yeah, I may be biased...) You can read my thoughts on this episode here: X. 

Short Treks: The Trouble With Edward

Yeah. So this one is W-E-I-R-D, even by Star Trek’s standards. I also didn’t get it. I didn’t understand why it was made or why it took the tone that it did. It was funny, yeah, uncomfortably amusing, like we were watching The Office: Star Trek Edition, but WHY. Did someone ask for this? What is going on? WHY DID THEY HAVE THAT PARODY CHILDREN’S CEREAL COMMERCIAL AT THE END ABOUT EATING TRIBBLES WHAT IS EVEN HAPPENING RIGHT NOW

It also doesn’t fit continuity-wise in the timeline. If someone at Starfleet was responsible for making tribbles the way that they are, then how come Kirk and the Enterprise weren’t notified as such? McCoy was the one who examined and discovered why they were breeding so much, but he could have just looked up Starfleet’s records apparently and got all the answers he needed. 

I’m not one of those fans who gets upset about continuity errors in world building, but really, there are just some things you should obviously know better not to do. 

Personally, I think the writer’s room was on Stamet’s mushrooms when they wrote this one, tbh. 😉

Short Treks: Ask Not

This was one was just ridiculous. The scenario wasn’t plausible, it was predictable, and the implications were kind of disturbing. For one, we all knew Captain Pike hadn’t turned. Yes, this perfect, plush, teddy bear of a man who is THE NUMBER ONE Space Dad of All Timeᵀᴹ who has absolute, unwavering integrity and honor is someone we are supposed to buy as having committed mutiny, or at least convince us that Cadet Thira Sidhu buys this obvious load of malarky. 

Uh, I don’t think so.

Also...THIS IS SO MESSED UP WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS TO YOUR CADETS. Why would you put them through this manipulative farce just to test their devotion, commitment, and integrity?! If I were this cadet I would be seriously angry and upset that I was tricked and made to go through the emotional turmoil, trauma, and distress of standing up against your commanding officer in a life endangering scenario! What the heck?? What sick, perverted, twisted mind thought of this cruel -

Oh.

Haha, okay so I think it is kind of hilarious just how merciless Number One is that she would actually come up with this kind of test. This episode was TOTALLY worth the little Spock and Number One Mutual Appreciation Society moment, as Spock, with stars in his eyes, admires Number One’s cutthroat tactics. I mean in AOS, Spock did come up with the Kobayashi Maru so it is all making sense. However, at least in the Kobayashi Maru the cadets knew they were taking a test. Cadet Thira Sidhu did not. The lighthearted and warm fuzzy ending to this episode did not at all jive with what had just happened. It would have been much more interesting to have dealt with the implications of Number One’s test on the cadets, while expanding on her character as well as telling us why Pike would even partake of and allow this to happen, but oh well. 

Short Treks: Ephraim and Dot

The idea? Creative. The characters? Cute. The animation? Really nice with an old school flair. And yet I was once again left feeling like what was the point? I mean I’m sure 3-5 year olds would enjoy watching this little short, like something akin to Looney Tunes IN SPACE, but really there wasn’t much substance here. Frankly, it just seemed like it was a nostalgia trip and Easter egg dump. 

Short Treks: The Girl Who Made The Stars

This is another very creative idea with excellent animation and an interesting look into Michael’s childhood and the ideas that shaped her. I suppose it accomplishes what it sets out to do, and is pretty effective, but personally it didn’t do much for me. It was sweet and inspirational and that’s about it. 

Short Treks: Children of Mars

This was a prologue of sorts before Picard begins, and so it was interesting to have our first look into what we will come to expect from that series. It was, undoubtedly, emotionally effecting, as it actually brought tears to my eyes. However, I did have an issue with it and I was trying to figure out what that was. I then realized - it felt like a commercial. Like one of those long commercials that tells a poignant little story in order to sell an idea or product, whatever it may be. It was too glossy, stylized, and seemed like it could be used as a kind of propoganda-esque promotion of Starfleet and its ideals. I know that is a kind of cynical way of viewing it, but that is how it felt to me in the way it chose to tell its story. I think if the girls had been allowed to be real characters we could have immersed ourselves in their story and what the both of them ended up having to face together in the end. It would have felt much more real and earnest, instead of just tugging at our heartstrings in a syrupy kind of way. 

Also, it kind of gave me The Expanse vibes. Just an observation. 

Conclusion

These Short Treks, and subsequently the CBS era of the Star Trek franchise, are a really weird mix bag for me. On one hand, I do admire their creative risks as they decide to try new ways of telling Star Trek stories, which I know not all those in the fandom appreciate or desire. Yet on the other hand, most of the time the writing is just poorly done and generic, so it all seems to just cancel itself out. 😕

Creating memorable, enjoyable, and original characters: 100%

The level of Feelzᵀᴹ felt from the storytelling and acting: 1000%

Creativity through set, costumes, and stylistic approaches and ideas: 100%

Writing: Subpar, 20%

Science: Not Even Science

In the end it seems like those running this new era of Star Trek have a lot of heart, but not enough analytical thinking or patience to take the time to build the necessary character and plot logic that makes for much more satisfying storytelling. Just saying “Space, the final frontier” a thousand times doesn’t make this Star Trek, and making us feel things through excellently composed music and acting isn’t good writing. (Also, people saying that they love science all the time doesn’t mean they are actually doing science!) So, I don’t expect much from this CBS era, but I’ll be watching it and enjoying it anyway. I’m Star Trek trash. What can I say?  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Source for images: X

Character development questions: hard mode.

Special shout-out to @dxctxrii for reblogging this, I figured I’d just go ahead and answer all of them at once.

Does your character have siblings or family members in their age group? Which one are they closest with?

Lorelai has 4 siblings in the 24-36 age range, she is the second oldest child at age 34. She would most likely be closest with her older brother Kyle, who is the executive chef at Indigo.

What is/was your character’s relationship with their mother like?

Rather strained, and has been since she was 10, being born and raised on the resort planet Risa, her mom tried to push her into the “staff” field on this world. Given Risa’s reputation and culture, that meant a lot of sex work. Her mother disapproved of Lorelai’s dreams of joining Starfleet.

What is/was your character’s relationship with their father like?

Leto McLaren always tried to do right by his children, even after the divorce. He stayed working for his ex-wife at Indigo resort hotel as a charter deep sea fishing guide to keep an eye on things and make sure Vanessa (the mother) didn’t go too overboard. He was the one who booked Lorelai on the first liner to earth when she passed her academy entrance exams with flying colors.

Has your character ever witnessed something that fundamentally changed them? If so, does anyone else know?

Wolf 359... she was second officer on the USS Endeavor, the only ship to survive that disaster (badly damaged)... you don’t go through something like that unchanged... and yes, anyone who’s familiar with her service record knows

On an average day, what can be found in your character’s pockets?

Her ring of lucky charms. (A simple old fashioned key ring full of charms, several from her former captains and teachers at the academy... she has one from her siblings and father, and a special one from her second officer LtCdr. Laura Winters.

Does your character have recurring themes in their dreams?

Occasionally, most of her dreams are erotic in nature.

Does your character have recurring themes in their nightmares?

Watching 39 other starships coldly and efficiently destroyed by a single cube, her direct superior dying in her arms on the endeavor, and being assimilated

Has your character ever fired a gun? If so, what was their first target?

Yes. Target at the practice ranges at Starfleet Academy

Is your character’s current socioeconomic status different than it was when they were growing up?

Yes, she went from a life that would have made her a glorified prostitute (albeit a legal one) to a decorated and respected starship captain in Starfleet.

Does your character feel more comfortable with more clothing, or with less clothing?

Usually less.

In what situation was your character the most afraid they’ve ever been?

The battle of Maxia, where on her first assignment out of the Academy, she was assigned to the USS Stargazer under the command of Captain Jean-Luc Picard. She was a young jr grade Lieutenant, fresh from the Academy, and the ship came under attack from an unknown and unidentified ship, she was forced to take the helm after the helm officer was badly injured.

In what situation was your character the most calm they’ve ever been?

The immediate aftermath of the Barzan gambit, where the task force the USS Anvegad (her ship, and first command) exited the Barzan wormhole on the completely WRONG SIDE OF THE GALAXY! The goal had been a covert insertion into the Gamma Quadrant behind Dominion lines to gather intelligence... the result, six starships scattered across the Delta Quadrant.

Is your character bothered by the sight of blood? If so, in what way?

No

Does your character remember names or faces easier?

Faces

Is your character preoccupied with money or material possession? Why or why not?

No, she’s a Federation citizen and a Starfleet Captain in the 24th century... (watch some TNG if you don’t know what that means)

Which does your character idealize most: happiness or success?

For her the two are nearly the same

What was your character’s favorite toy as a child?

A small powerboard or floater

Is your character more likely to admire wisdom, or ambition in others?

Wisdom. Experience has tempered her, teaching her the value of both, however, wisdom has been shown to produce more long term solutions and results than ambition alone.

What is your character’s biggest relationship flaw? Has this flaw destroyed relationships for them before?

She’s openly sexual, has no problems flirting or seducing someone if it will help complete a mission, it has when she was dating a fellow lieutenant earlier in her career, she seduced her entire away team out of a very tight spot on a mission and allowed them all to get back to the ship safely... her boyfriend at the time did NOT like it.

In what ways does your character compare themselves to others? Do they do this for the sake of self-validation, or self-criticism?

At this point, she doesn’t care, people either accept her for who she is and what she can do, or they don’t.

If something tragic or negative happens to your character, do they believe they may have caused or deserved it, or are they quick to blame others?

She is more apt to analyze the situation, was something she did the cause or contributing factor? Was there a failure in the chain of command somewhere, did a mechanical fault lead to or contribute to the event. Was the action caused by another, if so did she underestimate them or were they simply better?

What does your character like in other people?

Passion, doesn’t matter what they’re passionate about, but that passion is something that she can identify with and reach common ground.

What does your character dislike in other people?

Deliberate ignorance (not ignorance, when they simply don’t know something,) but the abject refusal to learn from mistakes, refusal to better themselves because of misguided pride.

How quick is your character to trust someone else?

It depends on the person and the situation. Sometimes it’s an instant decision based on instinct, some times it takes time

How quick is your character to suspect someone else? Does this change if they are close with that person?

She relies on Natira Kosh, her Chief of security to investigate, to gather evidence, and to narrow down potential suspects before she makes her decision. “Everybody, including myself is a potential suspect until they have been properly cleared by my chief of security.”

How does your character behave around children?

She is polite and friendly, rather comfortable with them

How does your character normally deal with confrontation?

She will defend anyone on her crew vigorously, and with passion. She stands her ground, unless doing so would pose an immediate threat to her ship, her crew, Starfleet or the Federation.

How quick or slow is your character to resort to physical violence in a confrontation?

She prefers diplomacy to combat, something that she learned from her first Captain, but will not shy away from or hesitate to use force if it is necessary. In the case of a known hostile, and previous attempts at diplomacy have failed, the decision is instant and immediate.

What did your character dream of being or doing as a child? Did that dream come true?

Joining Starfleet and seeing the galaxy... obviously that did come true

What does your character find repulsive or disgusting?

A certain Kazon Maj... seriously FUCK that guy in particular!

Describe a scenario in which your character feels most comfortable.

Relaxing in a proper bath, with a glass of wine and an audio book playing.

Describe a scenario in which your character feels most uncomfortable.

Waiting, particularly when she cannot affect the outcome one way or another.

In the face of criticism, is your character defensive, self-deprecating, or willing to improve?

It depends on who is giving it, and why,

Is your character more likely to keep trying a solution/method that didn’t work the first time, or immediately move on to a different solution/method?

She prefers to analyze the results of the failed attempt first to determine why it failed, what effect it actually had, what if anything caused it to fail, and could these be corrected? Then she might try again... if time and the situation permits such a luxury of said analysis. In a battle situation, she’s likely to change tactics and strategy on the fly to adapt

How does your character behave around people they like?

She’s warm, friendly, approachable, courteous and polite.

How does your character behave around people they dislike?

In a professional setting, she remains courteous and polite, but with an undertone if cold businesslike professionalism.

Is your character more concerned with defending their honor, or protecting their status?

Honor most times

Is your character more likely to remove a problem/threat, or remove themselves from a problem/threat?

Remove the threat... neutralize it, contain it if possible... destroy it if not

Has your character ever been bitten by an animal? How were they affected (or unaffected)?

Fun fact: Risian Feather Monkeys do NOT react well to being tickled. And a young Lorelai had seven stitches to prove it

How does your character treat people in service jobs?

Growing up in such an environment herself, she treats them quite well, knowing the difficulties that such jobs entail.

Does your character feel that they deserve to have what they want, whether it be material or abstract, or do they feel they must earn it first?

She feels that she has earned everything she has gotten, through hard work, determination, and ability. If she hadn’t earned her captaincy, she wouldn’t be a Captain.

Has your character ever had a parental figure who was not related to them?

Boothby, the grounds keeper at Starfleet Academy, Captain Picard aboard The Stargazer

Has your character ever had a dependent figure who was not related to them?

Every person under her command, as far as she’s concerned

How easy or difficult is it for your character to say “I love you?” Can they say it without meaning it?

Rather easy in the right situation, and though she doesn’t like to say it without meaning it... she can and has.

What does your character believe will happen to them after they die? Does this belief scare them?

She’s not sure what will happen, but she sees it as a new adventure.