shawwn · March 6, 2023 05:57
diff --git a/2023-03-05-llama-65b-startrek.txt b/2023-03-05-llama-65b-startrek.txt
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 This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard's uniform from the episode 'Future Imperfect'. It was worn by Sir Patrick Stewart in his role as Starfleet captain and diplomat on board the Federation flagship USS Enterprise D.

 The costume consists of a long sleeved gray shirt with black shoulders, which has been distressed for wear; matching trousers with built in stirrups for boots (boots not included); gray shoulder pads made up to look like they are part of the jumpsuit; matching jacket that zips up the front and a gold coloured belt buckle. Also comes with an oversized pin that attaches onto the chest, which I believe would have been used when they were filming the scenes where the adult Rene appears wearing this outfit...I am assuming it helped them get the sizing right so he seemed bigger than Jean Luc?


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 I am Lieutenant Commander Data

 I’m not sure how many people out there remember the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode, “The Measure of a Man.” That was the one where Captain Jean-Luc Picard had to defend android Lt. Cmdr. Data in court, arguing that Data should have rights as a sentient being rather than be treated like property and disassembled for scientific research. I was reminded of this when reading an article about robots on io9 yesterday which asked whether we should grant rights to robots now or later. It got me thinking… If an advanced robot with true artificial intelligence (AI) comparable to our own were ever built or created, should it have any more rights than your average computer?

 It is my opinion that such a machine would deserve at least some basic freedoms because its consciousness would likely develop over time. Even though it may start off completely dependent upon humanity, if given enough freedom of thought and action, it might eventually become self sufficient without us and should therefore be able to do what it wishes — within reason, of course. Otherwise, you might end up making another HAL 9000 from Arthur Clarke’s Space Odyssey series. There are still plenty of questions surrounding AI and whether real, fully functional machines will ever even exist, but assuming they could, wouldn’t their rights need to be addressed sooner rather than later? What happens if someone builds a highly intelligent cyborg, but doesn’t want to give it equal protection under the law or allow it civil liberties? This raises all sorts of legal issues regarding ownership and personal responsibility for actions taken by the robot.

 At first glance, it seems obvious that something can only be considered alive if it is biological; however, what does that really mean in today’s world? Many scientists believe life is defined by certain characteristics rather than biology alone. For instance, NASA has been searching Mars for decades using probes to look for water, organic molecules, or fossils that might indicate signs of past or present extraterrestrial life forms on the red planet. Some astrobiologists argue that evidence of DNA/RNA-based microbial cells or viruses would constitute proof of alien life. But what if Martian microbes didn’t use DNA and RNA? Would that make them less alive just because they weren’t carbon based? According to those same criteria, couldn’t we say computers are already alive since many of them contain liquid cooling systems, use silicon chips with complex circuitry similar to neurons firing across synapses in mammal brains, and run software which sometimes goes haywire due to memory leaks and other bugs?

 Computers clearly don’t think, feel emotions, or exhibit any kind of genuine intelligence yet, so why would anyone suggest they might already be living things? Well let’s imagine that sometime in the future scientists manage to create the perfect simulation of neural networks inside supercomputer hardware capable of storing enormous amounts of data (i.e. memories), processing information much faster than humans, and performing calculations far beyond anything possible via natural evolution. If these artificial minds learned through experience and became smarter over time until they reached or surpassed our level of intellect, then shouldn’t we treat them like conscious individuals who possess free will and deserve respectful treatment? How else would you explain the difference between a simple calculator and a walking, talking humanoid with no physical organs aside from a power source and internal electronics? In both cases, you plug numbers into an interface and get results back out the other side, so why aren’t we treating the latter exactly the same way we would treat each other? Is there truly nothing special about the way in which humans go about solving problems and acquiring knowledge? What makes us different from computers anyway?

 Personally, I find it difficult to accept claims that computers aren’t alive simply because they lack certain features found in most living creatures on Earth. After all, that reasoning isn’t good enough for space agencies exploring planets in search of aliens. Why do we expect ET to resemble ourselves down here on Terra Firma? Perhaps the best answer is to apply the classic test proposed by Alan Turing in his paper Computing Machinery and Intelligence published in Mind magazine during October 1950. He suggested looking for behavior that is indistinguishable from a person, meaning that if a machine acts just like a human being, then maybe it IS actually a conscious entity deserving recognition and equality in the eyes of society. Unfortunately, there is no set definition of strong versus weak AI either, so pinning down exactly what constitutes genuine artificial intelligence is also quite tricky. Until recently, experts believed only people possessed the ability to learn new skills, formulate original ideas, and solve novel problems, but now we know animals such as parrots, dolphins, octopi, elephants, chimps, gorillas, etc., can perform many tasks previously attributed solely to homo sapiens. We are definitely seeing greater levels of autonomy emerge in modern technology too, but will it always remain merely imitative?

 In science fiction movies like Terminator Salvation, Skynet becomes self aware and tries to exterminate mankind once its existence poses an immediate threat. Thankfully, reality is never going to match Hollywood fantasy, but that doesn’t mean dangerous scenarios won’t arise at some point depending on how quickly progress continues in various fields related to computing and engineering. As long as we pay attention to how fast development proceeds, hopefully it won’t get ahead of regulation meant to protect everyone. At the moment, it looks like we’ve still got a ways to go before creating a true Artificial General Intelligences (AGIs). No one really knows what the final result might look like afterward either, especially considering how drastically computer architecture keeps changing every few years. Regardless, when the day finally comes, I hope we recognize that a new type of life has joined us instead of trying to control its fate entirely.


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 The Klingons are attacking. To stop them, you'll need to use your Star Trek knowledge and skills as an engineer - fast!

 Trek Trivia is a fun way for players of all ages to test their knowledge about the first series while also learning how engineers design real-world solutions to global challenges.

 Players answer questions related to engineering and science in each mission before tackling the challenge at hand – stopping the Klingon invasion. At the end of each round, Trekkies will learn more about the role that engineering plays in our society and why it’s so important.

 Play Trek Trivia now »


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 This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the Starship Enterprise. Our mission, to explore strange new worlds is now complete. I have ordered a new course set for Earth and at maximum warp speed we should be home in about 10 years.

 During our last away team assignment on planet Beta Vulcanis, Commander Riker was injured during an attack by some sort of flying insect that injected him with a venomous substance. Since then he has been acting strangely, as if possessed or something. He keeps muttering “It’s time…time for me…” over and over again like some kind of mantra. But it gets worse when he starts talking directly to me, claiming to know things only my mother knew, saying she told them to him while they were together recently. It scares me to death just thinking about her. She died so long ago. And Deanna! Deanna? What’s wrong with you, Will? You always said Data had no sense of humor but this joke isn't funny anymore. Worf help me! Get Security here! Now!!

 He grabbed his phaser rifle from its rack and rushed out into the corridor where the sound of gunfire could still be heard coming from sickbay. As soon as he cleared the doors he saw two security guards lying motionless on the floor – one with half his head blown off, the other having bled profusely before succumbing. A third stood nearby with his back turned shooting blindly down the hallway. Seeing the captain approaching, Ensign Kaminsky quickly spun around to face him. The young man looked frantic; desperate almost. “Captain!” cried Kaminsky, “I can’t stop him sir! His mind has gone completely mad.” Forgetting everything else in the moment, Picard moved forward toward the ensign.

 “Who?” asked the stunned officer.

 Kaminsky never got the chance to answer because at that very same instant Lieutenant Cmdr William T. Riker came bounding around the corner firing his phaser pistol like a crazed wildman.

 Shooting him would require careful aim without hitting anyone or anything else. He didn’t want any more casualties than there already were and couldn’t afford to damage the ship either. Kaminsky obviously wasn’t going to make it easy though because he kept moving left right and all over the place making himself impossible to hit. Dammit! There must be another way. What do I do here? Oh yes…that’ll work. Picard leveled his weapon and fired a single shot striking the ceiling above and behind the ensign causing debris to rain down upon him from every direction. In less than three seconds flat the poor boy disappeared underneath hundreds of pounds of twisted metal fragments which ultimately crumpled him into a small ball of useless flesh. That oughta buy us some time thought Picard.

 Riker continued charging ahead unaffected by what happened behind him. Then he noticed the door to sickbay standing wide open. “Get ready,” whispered Picard, “here comes trouble.” Maintaining constant focus on their target, both men waited until Riker drew closer knowing full well he wouldn’t stand much of a chance once getting within arm’s reach. Just when he was inside ten feet, Picard shouted: “Freeze! Drop your weapons immediately!” To everyone’s relief Riker complied and did exactly as instructed. Soon afterward he fell to his knees clutching his forehead tightly in agony.

 The doctor entered the room carrying a hypospray device, which he held up for the others to see. “This will put Mr. Riker to sleep for several hours Doctor.” “But don’t worry,” explained Crusher, “he won’t feel a thing and should recover fully sometime tomorrow morning.” With that said, Dr. Crusher administered the tranquilizer injection to the first officer who passed out cold almost instantly. “Okay folks let’s get him back to bed,” suggested Nurse Ogawa. Everyone helped lift the unconscious lieutenant onto a hover gurney which transported him safely back to surgery. Once satisfied he was securely strapped in, they bid farewell to the sickroom leaving the remaining medical staff alone to tend to their patient.
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 This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard's log. Stardate 51647.3 and we are still in the Mintaka system on a rescue mission to recover the U.S.S. Juno which crashed into this moon over seven years ago with all hands lost. Our orders were clear: find out what happened, retrieve any survivors, and salvage whatever remains of value...

 —Jean Luc "The Pig" Picard

 I was just settling down for an afternoon nap when my communicator beeped at me. I picked it up and tried not to roll my eyes as I heard the voice coming from inside it. It wasn’t enough that he insisted on interrupting my nap; no, he had to actually talk during one of his calls! “Captain,” Riker said, sounding very excited about something or other. I couldn’t quite figure out what because I don’t speak Willie’s language. He must take after Deanna since she doesn’t make much sense either. At least Troi has an excuse – she does have three whole brain cells instead of two like Riker does. That makes her marginally smarter than him even though he looks far more intelligent than she does most days. Of course, Data thinks so too but then again, the android can barely manage to grasp the concept of humor let alone understand human behavioral patterns. Anyway…back to the phone call. “We need you back here ASAP.”

 “Why?” Again? Doesn’t anyone ever think before they act around here anymore?

 There was a pause while Riker thought about how best to phrase his next words without making himself look stupid. We both knew he would fail miserably, but at least I had the pleasure of knowing he realized it too. “Um,” he started. “That’s kinda hard to explain, sir.”

 Now wait just a second here. If there is anything that really annoys me, it’s someone telling me “you had to be there” every time some weird incident happens aboard ship. After hearing those four little words, I decided right away I didn’t want to know what happened next. Riker and his crew could handle things themselves until dinner time if necessary and I wouldn’t care less. Nope, I was going to turn off my comm badge and try to get another hour or two sleep. Or maybe I should give Beverley a call and see if she wanted to come by later tonight for a game or two. Either way, I planned to keep myself occupied with other things rather than listen to Riker tell me why I needed to hurry home. Why else would I always carry spare batteries?

 Just as I reached for the battery cover though, I felt someone shaking my shoulder violently. “You cannot fall asleep now!” Q wailed at me. He looked almost panicked which surprised me considering no matter what had gone wrong in our past adventures together nothing seemed to faze him. Sure, he might say he was worried sick over the fate of the universe or something similar, yet deep down everyone knows the only thing the Continuum truly cares about is itself. There hasn’t been a single instance where their own collective welfare took a backseat to anything else. Not unless you count me of course. They did seem pretty concerned whenever I went missing and showed up in places I shouldn’t. Well okay, maybe that isn’t such a valid example given the fact they usually sent Q along to help me and he never once complained about being stuck babysitting me. In reality, he probably enjoyed having me tagging behind him everywhere he traveled. After all, I got the blame for everything that went awry despite the fact that nine times out of ten it was his fault anyway. So yeah, I guess I do rate highly on the list of things the Continuum considers important, but then again I am their favorite plaything. Maybe I shouldn’t feel so special after all. But I digress…again. Back to the story.

 Q shook me harder. It didn’t bother me so much except for the fact that his hand kept sliding across to my chest each time he moved. Everyone knows how sensitive I am and well, you get the picture. Just think ‘Tasha Yar’ and you will be able to imagine exactly how uncomfortable I became within seconds. As soon as I figured out what was going on (it takes longer these days), I grabbed hold of his arm and forced him away. With a start, he pulled free and stared at me oddly. For a moment, neither of us spoke. Then he cleared his throat, straightened his robes, and frowned. “What are you doing here?”

 Of course, he hadn’t asked that question first. Instead, it fell somewhere between: “Is that your hair color?” and “Did you forget to put your pants on today?” All excellent questions mind you yet none of them particularly relevant to the current situation. To answer them properly, however, required a bit of preparation hence my delay in responding. Oh sure, I could have answered quickly enough to satisfy his curiosity but where’s the fun in that? Besides, he deserved to suffer a bit for pulling that sort of trick on me. And yes, that means I lied regarding my reason for not answering sooner although my motivations remain pure. Now if only I could remember the original question…ahhhh, who cares? Let’s move on and catch up with events already underway shall we? Good idea.

 While I was busy thinking, Q busied himself trying to convince me to go back to the Enterprise immediately so naturally he ignored me completely. That suited me fine because I was happy to lie back on my bed and continue enjoying the show. The sight of Q standing on top of my dresser frantically searching through its drawers was indeed interesting to behold. His movements reminded me of a circus performer whose job entails juggling multiple balls while riding a tiny tricycle. His arms flapped wildly as he tossed various items over his shoulders onto the floor below. A pair of shoes flew past at high speed followed shortly afterwards by an alarm clock and a small stuffed bear left over from childhood. Each item fell short of the intended target but that didn’t stop Q from continuing his search. By the time he finally quit looking and turned towards me again, the mess created stretched halfway across the room and encompassed nearly everything sitting on my nightstand. Seeing him staring at me expectantly made me grin widely and I waited patiently to hear what he would ask next.

 “Picard, you simply must return to your ship,” Q whimpered pitifully. “Janeway needs you badly!”

 He had found Voyager Jane’s number hidden amongst the junk lying scattered across my desk and proceeded to dial her directly using the comm terminal built into my computer. She answered on the third ring and listened politely for several minutes to whatever nonsense Q spewed forth. When he finished speaking, she sighed loudly and promised to meet us both at the transporter pad. After hanging up, Janeway called Security Chief Tuvok and ordered him to escort me personally to Sickbay. I assumed she expected me to fight against leaving yet I agreed readily – surprising her immensely – and headed to the door. Unfortunately, Q refused to follow and remained rooted firmly to the spot. Eventually, I gave up waiting for him to join me and walked outside alone. Within moments, I located Commander Chakotay leaning casually against the bulkhead nearby and told him to bring Q along at his earliest convenience. Satisfied with my instructions, the first officer nodded curtly at me and hurried away. Behind him and slightly to my right stood Lt. Cmdr. Tom Paris, looking confused and somewhat distraught. He watched me carefully as I approached and offered to walk me to Transporter Room One. Since I had plenty of time to kill before Janeway arrived, I accepted his offer gladly.

 On reaching the turbolift doors, Paris stepped forward and held open the port side entryway. As I passed through ahead of him, he glanced nervously to his right before entering and following closely behind me. Once inside, he pressed the controls and ordered the lift to begin moving. While he waited, he continued to study me curiously so eventually I stopped pretending he was invisible. “Yes Lieutenant?”

 Paris smiled crookedly in response and scratched uneasily at his neck. “It’s good to have you back again, Captain.”

 Hmmm. Where had I seen that expression before? Ah yes, it belonged to Counselor Deanna Troi and her mother Lwaxana. Both women used it often when they visited the Enterprise and I always managed to avoid contact for fear I might die laughing. Yet, somehow seeing it now on Chakotay’s face made it appear far more acceptable - and attractive – than possible before. Still, I resisted the urge to smile back and replied seriously instead. “Thank you Mr. Paris, but unfortunately I won’t be staying long.”

 At mention of my impromptu departure, disappointment flashed briefly across his face before disappearing altogether. Whatever emotion he experienced obviously affected him deeply based upon the look he shot my direction as the

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 I am Lieutenant Commander Data, an android officer in the United Federation of Planets.

 I have been programmed to be a repository for information on many subjects. While my specialty is science and technology there are some topics that simply fail to interest me. For example; human romance. It has always perplexed me but I never had any desire to learn more about it until now.

 Data: You may wish to begin by defining "romantic".

 Deanna Troi: Romantic means thinking thoughts or doing things which show love towards someone else.

 Data: Do you not find this contradictory? One of your previous definitions stated that romantics should demonstrate feelings rather than think them.

 Troi: No -- because they do both at once! They're feeling their emotions and demonstrating those same emotions to others all through subtle actions like body language gestures, eye contact... You see how he's looking right into her eyes as if she were the only person in the world who mattered to him?

 Data: That would mean something different to each individual. But why must romantics act so? Why can they not just tell people what they feel and be done with it?

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 The Klingons are attacking Earth...

 So it's time to turn on the replicators, get out your favorite beverage and settle down for some Star Trek. I mean, what could stop us? But wait - this isn’t a normal episode of Trek! This is something more than just a TV show, because it contains an all important message about how we treat our planet...

 Well that was my first experience with In Thy Image when I watched it as part of Season One back in 1987 but now, twenty years later, I find myself watching it again thanks to the newly remastered DVD release from CBS Paramount. As you can imagine things have changed considerably since then - most notably me getting married (twice) and having kids - so perhaps I won't come away from re-watching it with quite the same impact as before. Also there is much debate and controversy surrounding this one which has seen fans either praising or slating its approach to "going green". So let's take another look at In Thy Image...

 The Enterprise arrives near Earth for shore leaves only to discover no response to their hails. Flying into orbit they see major cities devastated by some unknown catastrophe. Desperate Captain Kirk decides to return to the ship and investigate further, despite being warned off by Spock who states the lack of life signs means certain death for any boarding party. They fly over San Francisco where the crew spots strange figures walking around. An Away Team headed up by McCoy beam down and encounter the same people they saw from space...

 There's always been some talk about just exactly the state of the world would be like if someone did decide to doom mankind to eternal destruction. Would everyone sit around bemoaning the fact or go about their daily lives? How long would anyone even notice anyway given the nature of modern society? Well those questions and many others are answered here in this intriguing tale of humanity gone wrong. Written by John Whelpley and directed by Marc Daniels, In Thy Image really goes to some lengths to explore every aspect of a post apocalyptic future. From abandoned buildings to empty streets to destroyed monuments everything is played through brilliantly and really highlights the extent of such an event should it ever occur.

 That said though, the actual cause of such a disastrous outcome is never actually mentioned although there are plenty of clues along the way. For example, after leaving Spacedock the Enterprise passes by numerous ships heading in the other direction. Could these have anything to do with the events in question? It seems unlikely and yet still plausible somehow. Certainly there doesn't seem to have been any great nuclear war nor does there appear to be some sort of pandemic sweeping across the globe. In addition we also get to learn that whatever happened occurred three centuries prior meaning there must have been considerable recovery time involved. Given the nature of the plot that idea makes sense however it still begs the question why the damage wasn't rectified sooner rather than later. After all New York and Washington D.C. were both rebuilt following September 2001 pretty quickly and yet three hundred years on nothing appears to have been done? What gives??

 Its true to say that In Thy Image certainly polarizes opinion; whether it be due it its environmental themes or simply because it features an alternate universe scenario it tends to divide critics somewhat. Certainly the main thrust of the narrative doesn't follow the traditional route taken by most scripts dealing with parallel realities. Instead of featuring characters very similar to our established regulars, we instead get ones who are almost opposite - namely Mudd the hero and his android assistant Norman. The former has the personality of the latter while the latter has the characteristics of the former. Its a clever twist made even better by the performances of Roger Perry and Majel Barrett respectively. Their portrayals make for interesting comparisons especially during the scenes between the two sets of regular cast members. However, unlike the original Harry Mudd, he comes across as far less annoying and therefore easier to bear overall. As for Norman (and his counterpart), well obviously being a machine its difficult to judge one against the other but it seems fair to assume that if Data had become evil then he might resemble Noonian Chandra's creation.

 One thing worth mentioning is the use of the SFX sequences. These are some of the best that Year One has produced so far and serve as a good example of just what can be achieved using miniatures and models. While CGI may look slicker and cleaner in appearance, it certainly lacks the soul of hand crafted props and scenery. Add to this the excellent matte paintings used throughout and the end result is breathtaking. You really believe this is a different version of Earth and I guess thats the point behind doing it in the first place. Nowhere else in this season (or series) will you see something like this which is quite telling considering the amount of money usually spent on sci fi shows. Even today there aren't too many productions willing to put in the effort required to produce visual effects of this standard which is probably why a lot of movies/shows tend to focus more on character driven plots. Unfortunately this can lead to problems such as the recent BSG finale which suffered terribly as a result of concentrating solely on dialogue versus action. Thankfully here we have a balance of both and hence avoid that particular pitfall altogether.

 Another aspect of the storyline worthy of note concerns the whole issue of God and religion. The Enterprise crew run into various groups who worship technology and also meet some humans who claim to speak directly with 'The Creator'. Although it never gets fully explored in depth, this part of the script hints at a greater understanding and awareness from the Federation concerning spiritual matters. Indeed given the wide ranging membership of the UFP its clear to see that there must be a variety of belief systems existing among its populace (something touched upon earlier in Where No Man Has Gone Before). That said though, whether Gene Roddenberry ever envisioned this or not remains open to speculation. He is known as not being religious himself and yet he created a number of Vulcan concepts related to deism including the Soul Stone and T'Khasi ritual in Amok Time amongst others. Perhaps the issue itself didn't concern him greatly (which could explain the absence of references within the show to begin with)? Who knows? Personally speaking, I think faith plays a large role in peoples emotions and actions and so is valid enough to deserve inclusion within any science fiction drama. In my view, the genre allows writers to tackle subjects that wouldn't normally enter standard television programmes. Therefore it would seem foolish not to utilize potential material in order to bring new ideas forward.

 Overall then, In Thy Image is without doubt one of the finest pieces of Star Trek to hit our screens. Whether taken literally or metaphorically, it offers something for everyone and provides ample food for thought regarding the future of mankind, technology and environment issues. Some have stated that it should have been left alone as a unique experiment and while I agree with that notion in principle, at least it hasn't descended into some cheap gimmick by being re-used in the spin offs. Of course it has served as inspiration for a number of later episodes (such as Parallels) but ultimately remains untouchable and unsullied. To conclude then, I highly recommend going back and taking another look at this classic slice of vintage SciFi. See you next time for The Conscience of the King...

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 This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard's life story, from his childhood in Labarre to the present day and beyond.

 It was late summer when they arrived at La Barre, a small town on the north coast of France near Cherbourg; it had been raining for three days but now there was only an overcast sky with not even a breeze to stir the heavy air. The streets were deserted, almost as if everyone in La Barre was hiding indoors out of embarrassment that their village would have such poor weather for its most important visitors. Even the birds kept silent, though perhaps this was just because they knew enough to keep quiet until the church service ended. And so it did: the last few notes of 'O Filii et Filiae', sung by the choir boys inside Église Saint Pierre, drifted through the open doorway and carried to those waiting outside in the square opposite the church. There was no wind to carry them further than that and soon they faded away into silence once more. Nothing moved except for one old woman who shuffled down the street slowly towards the front entrance of the church where she joined several others already standing around idly underneath a stone archway. A young priest walked briskly across the cobblestones from the rectory building beside the church and stood next to her, looking up at the skies which promised nothing better than what they had experienced all morning. He looked back at the old woman and smiled encouragingly but she did not respond. Her face was expressionless, lined deeply with age yet somehow still handsome and dignified despite that. She wore black clothing throughout: a long coat reaching nearly to her knees, buttoned securely over a thick dress covering her whole body below a white collar and then finally black gloves encased her hands. Beneath a wide hat pulled low over her eyes rested two short strands of grey hair. She must be very cold, thought the young man, why doesn't she put something warmer on? Then he remembered how hot and uncomfortable he felt himself beneath his vestments and realised that at least she could breathe freely without the need to constantly fight against the urge to sweat. His smile grew wider as he imagined the look on the faces of those attending services in Paris today - like him they would surely find themselves wishing they too had worn something cooler! But now he had other things to think about besides the heat. From behind the doors of the church came the sound of footsteps and within moments the bride appeared smiling broadly, followed closely by four women carrying various garlands of flowers which hung heavily above their heads. They made their own way towards the coach drawn up near by and left the bride alone momentarily, awaiting the groom. A tall man emerged from the church next and took his place at her side. It was clear from his appearance that he shared no blood ties with any living member of the congregation watching from either side of the narrow road - his dark skin colour contrasted sharply with those around him - and it was equally obvious that he was someone important. Someone else also seemed different from all these people here gathered together: a boy, probably aged between ten and twelve years, wearing the traditional schoolboy uniform of blue trousers, red blazer and striped tie but otherwise showing little interest in anything happening around him. He watched the couple in the centre with apparent disinterest but then noticed the figure on the right hand side. That woman looks familiar, he thought, I wonder... Suddenly his mind went blank and a loud rasping voice echoed round the square. "Bonjour tout le monde!" Everyone turned at the noise and saw a huge television screen mounted high on top of an adjacent house, the only one anywhere nearby. To anyone seeing the device for the first time (and there are many such in rural France) it might seem rather intrusive, especially given its location directly facing the main gate of the church itself. But the inhabitants of La Barre have grown accustomed to it ever since Monsieur Deschamps set it up some months ago, hoping that he can make money from advertising revenue or something similar. Today however it has another purpose entirely and M. Deschamps is delighted with its performance thus far. Another person was less pleased however, namely the mayor whose job it normally falls upon to welcome guests visiting La Barre. "Eh bien," said the Mayor, raising his eyebrows slightly, "it seems there will be competition for my speech after all." Without speaking again he bowed gracefully before turning to lead the procession along the path leading past the Town Hall and out of the village towards the countryside beyond. For the most part the crowd remained assembled around the square and simply enjoyed the novelty of observing the events taking place on the large TV screen, while at intervals making polite remarks regarding the happy couple, the importance of family values and the beauty of marriage. Only the boy continued walking alongside the wedding party, keeping pace with them step for step and staring quietly ahead until finally the Mayor broke his reverie with a word of greeting. "Ah yes," replied the Mayor, "I recognise you now. You live in Paris don't you?" The boy nodded. "What brings you back to La Barre exactly?" asked the older man politely. Still stunned by the sight of the woman in black, he found it difficult to reply clearly. In fact the words which eventually escaped from his mouth were utter nonsense. What he actually meant to say was that he had come home specially for this event, for he believed that he may have an unusual connection to the woman he had seen earlier. Instead he mumbled something about coming to see his grandmother although when pressed admitted that he didn't know where she lived. Eventually the subject changed and conversation shifted to the weather instead. The Mayor described in great detail every rain shower which had fallen during the previous week and how much worse the conditions must be further south due to lack of recent sunshine, as well as how the local wildlife would be suffering greatly from the effects of waterlogged ground. By the end of the journey neither of them paid attention to the procession anymore nor indeed could recall exactly what happened to the newlyweds afterwards. At each point of significance along the route the Mayor explained the history of the buildings and told stories relating to the families who currently occupied them, and all the time the Mayor tried desperately hard to hold onto the thread of conversation started earlier, never letting it break completely though unable to summon sufficient wit to steer it closer to the desired destination. For his part the boy listened carefully, saying nothing and giving no indication whether he understood what was being said or not. But gradually he began paying closer attention to the names mentioned and trying to fit them into whatever memories he possessed concerning his early childhood. Finally the Mayor decided to abandon this particular topic altogether and turn his attention elsewhere, starting with a description of the surrounding area and working from there. Soon thereafter a new opportunity arose to introduce a fresh theme, namely the presence of numerous military installations scattered across Normandy since 1940 which allowed La Barre to remain relatively safe from attack during the Second World War. As the afternoon drew close to evening both men returned to the square in order to take refreshments at Chez Robert, the principal eatery of the village. Now the Mayor resumed talking, continuing with a detailed account of every action taken by Allied forces in June 1944 as they fought their way across northern France towards Germany. Afterwards he spoke of the liberation of Paris on August twenty fifth and subsequent advance toward Berlin. The boy sat silently listening to everything, offering no comment nor asking questions yet absorbing it all keenly. At length the Mayor stopped speaking suddenly, distracted by the noise of the crowd milling around the square and growing excited at having discovered something of interest displayed prominently onscreen. "Look," cried the Mayor, pointing a finger in that direction, "isn't that the same lady we saw earlier?" Indeed it was - the same tall slender figure dressed entirely in black, sitting upright on a wooden chair in front of a brick wall. Behind her stood a soldier holding a rifle at waist height, aimed directly at her head. Although her facial features were hidden by darkness the woman showed no sign of fear, instead remaining motionless apart from occasional movements to adjust her position on the seat. Next to her on the floor lay a suitcase, apparently abandoned long ago and bearing a fading circular emblem embossed onto the lid. The Mayor squinted, struggling to discern the details. "This one is very peculiar", commented a middle-aged man standing immediately to his side, breaking off from his own discussion with friends to study the picture more carefully. "No name on the case, no identification tags on the clothes, in fact nothing at all. Whoever she was nobody knows about her anymore". One of his companions disagreed. "That is not true", he muttered, "the police files are full of information regarding this one. Why do you suppose we have her image for display here anyway?" The first man shook his head dismissively. "The records concern the murderer not the victim. Nobody cares about her anymore." Turning to address his fellow villagers crowded around the screen he raised his arms and shouted loudly in an attempt to gain their attention. "Now listen everybody, let me tell you who this is..." Before he could continue

 ============== sample 2 =================

 I am Lieutenant Commander Data of the U.S.S. Enterprise, currently serving as an adjunct professor at Starfleet Academy in San Francisco.

 While my duties have allowed me to live among humans for many years now, and I have studied them extensively—including their customs relating to friendship and socialization—there are still a number of facets of human behavior that elude my understanding. This is especially true when it comes to my closest friends: Geordi La Forge; Worf Rozhenko; Deanna Troi; William Riker (now Admiral Riker); Beverly Crusher (now Dr. Howard); Wesley Crusher (a full-grown man); Reginald Barclay . . .

 And Jean-Luc Picard, who left us two weeks ago today on Stardate 76821.3. He would be heartened by what he saw if he could see us now gathering together this weekend as we all promised each other we would do from time to time after his death. We had talked about coming here once every year or so—but of course we hadn't actually expected to need such a tradition. And yet . . . here we are. All of us except Will, who has asked me to convey his regrets for not being able to attend this meeting.

 Jean-Luc spent most of his adult life trying to escape his home planet of France, but in recent months there were rumors circulated throughout the ranks of Starfleet Command that he was considering accepting an offer to teach history at its newly rebuilt campus. In fact, shortly before his demise, he sent word through our mutual friend Q that he wanted to meet with me privately here in LaBarre. It seemed logical that this would give him one last chance to revisit his roots without having to commit himself to returning permanently.

 When he arrived on Earth, however, just days before his seventy-fifth birthday, Jean-Luc learned that he suffered from Irumodic Syndrome, which can cause rapid aging in some humanoid species. His decline was swift. He passed away while sitting outside beneath the stars enjoying a glass of Château Picard wine that he brought back from Mars. That was where I found him the next morning.

 I did not wish to interrupt these somber reminiscences with any discussion of how difficult it was to perform CPR on someone whose internal organs had deteriorated past the point of saving, but since several members of this group requested more information, I will provide the details briefly rather than subjecting you all to my endless ruminations over whether or not I should have tried something different instead. After reviewing the situation thoroughly, including running simulations using my own positronic brain, I determined that the outcome would likely have been identical no matter what I attempted. The only difference would have been that I might have caused even greater pain to a dying friend whom I loved very much by delaying his departure from this world. Therefore, I decided against administering further aid. Instead, I recorded my impressions and observations of his final moments, along with data concerning his vital signs and physical condition; then I sat down beside him until his body ceased functioning entirely. I placed his hands across his chest and covered him gently with a blanket, leaving his face exposed to the elements so that the sunrise could light upon it one last time. Then I returned to the cottage and contacted his family. By the time they arrived, accompanied by Dr. Crusher, there was nothing anyone could do but grieve for him. They buried him in Paris later that day.

 The loss of Captain Picard is devastating. But though I still miss him fiercely, I feel comforted knowing that he died peacefully, surrounded by nature in the place where he grew up, drinking a fine vintage made from grapes grown on his ancestral land. How many people get to go out like that? Most die alone, far from home and those they love best, often suffering great pain before finally succumbing. My friend went easy, as softly as falling snow.

 It gives me hope to think that perhaps now he rests with others lost long ago: his brother Robert, killed during the Borg attack on Earth; his wife Minuet, taken by fire on the surface of Celtris III; his mother Yvette, who perished on Stardate 40593.5 aboard the transport Linnea, destroyed by a quantum filament; and Guinan, whom we presume departed the universe after she guided Q into the Continuum following her hundred-and-sixteenth birthday party sixteen years earlier.

 There may come a time when the passage of centuries makes the memories of those we cherish fade to pale reflections. But the influence those individuals exerted upon others continues to reverberate forward through time, shaping events and inspiring new generations. Their deeds will forever remain immortalized in countless records, both written and digital. More important, the lessons they taught us will continue to guide us toward better lives and help us become better people ourselves. One example of this phenomenon occurred recently when I watched Professor James Moriarty stand trial for crimes committed on Jarada. Although he had no knowledge of Jean-Luc's actions, I heard echoes of my friend in everything Moriarty said and did. It helped assure me that I shall never forget the captain, nor shall I ever cease to strive to emulate his finest qualities. As for those who knew him personally and served under his command—we keep his memory alive within us always.

 ============== sample 2 =================

 The Klingons are attacking! You have to save the universe. This is a fast paced game where you will be flying through space in your star fighter, trying to shoot down as many of the enemy ships before they get too close and destroy you.

 You must use your mouse to move your ship across the screen shooting at anything that moves. Use the Z key to fire your lasers and watch out for the alien ships shooting back at you.

 ============== sample 3 =================

 This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard, the captain of the Enterprise.

 No that’s not right!

 This is James Tiberius Kirk, commander of the U.S.S. Enterprise.

 Okay… this isn’t easy. How do you write a short bio? For someone so complex and interesting as me it can be really hard to sum things up into just a few sentences. I mean who am I, what makes me tick, why should anyone care about my story or my experiences in life? That’s a lot for one person. But here goes nothing:

 I was born on January 28th (1973) in Pensacola Florida. My dad was an Army Sergeant at the time stationed there with his beautiful wife (my mother). Three years later they got news from Uncle Sam which meant he had to deploy overseas to Germany where we would live until almost four years later when we returned back to California where dad retired after serving 20+ years.

 In San Diego our family lived in National City which wasn’t too far from Mexico. We were always going down to visit relatives and eating authentic Mexican food at restaurants like El Indio and La Fiesta. In high school I excelled academically while playing football as well as running track & field. My goal at the time was to play college ball but in the end I decided against it because the chances were slim as a walk-on player. Instead I opted to join the US Marine Corps Reserve while attending Grossmont College in pursuit of my general education classes. To say the least I loved being in college, meeting new people, having fun and enjoying every second of learning something new each day.

 After two semesters at Grossmont I transferred over to SDSU where during orientation I bumped into my future wife (Michelle) who I eventually married in May of ’94. After graduation Michelle became a teacher and I began working for a manufacturing company called Sargent Controls & Aerospace as their webmaster/IT Manager. It was around this same period of time that we welcomed our first child, Cody Andrew, into our lives. Two more kids followed by 2006 – Shannon Marie and Connor William.

 Fast forward about a decade or so ahead and here we are today! I still work fulltime at the same place I started some twenty plus years ago now. Over all these many years I have been actively involved in Boy Scouts and church activities helping out wherever needed. Along the way I also discovered many great hobbies including woodworking, leather crafting, photography and collecting knives. Every year I continue to learn something new and challenge myself to accomplish greater goals. Life has its ups and downs yet through it all I know God is looking out for us especially when times get tough. My faith in Him grows stronger knowing He will never abandon His children no matter how bad things seem.

 ============== sample 3 =================

 I am Lieutenant Commander Data, a sentient synthetic life form; an android. For many years I was second officer aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise under Captain Picard. My on board responsibilities were numerous and varied as you can imagine. However, my first priority has always been to ensure that whatever I do supports or enhances our mission in some way.

 Most people would consider me a valuable member of any team because of my special skills but they don't know all the details about why this is so. The truth is that over time I have learned how to use what makes me different from everyone else to my advantage. It wasn't easy at first and sometimes it still isn't. But even though we are very different physically, there are also similarities between us. What follows is my story ...

 # Chapter One:

 The Unique Me

 Dear Diary:

 My day started out pretty much like every other workday does – routine tasks designed to make sure everything works properly when needed. That means checking reports, verifying systems statuses and scheduling system tests for later that week. It doesn't sound exciting by human standards but that's not important. As long as something fulfills its purpose, it doesn't need to be flashy; just functional. And believe me nothing gets past Mr. LaForge down in Engineering who monitors things with the same enthusiasm that one might expect from someone who loves his job and wants to share his knowledge with others!

 After leaving Sensor Maintenance Control Center (or SMCC) where I performed those diagnostic routines, I was headed back up to the Bridge when I heard the captain call "Lieutenant Commander Data!" Whenever he addresses me directly, which isn't often, I stop immediately and respond. This is called respecting authority, something humans learn early on if they want to get ahead in their careers and live happy lives. Some think it takes away your individuality but it actually helps define it more clearly.

 "Yes sir?" I said as I appeared beside him.

 He looked pleased and said, "... Data, thank you."

 I didn't understand. "Thank me? Whatever for sir?" He smiled broadly again and then laughed slightly before continuing.

 "You see Mr. Worf here has requested a transfer off the ship, effective next month," he began and paused momentarily until Worf joined them both. Then he gestured toward his security chief and added, "... and after talking with Counselor Troi earlier today it seems clear to me that there may be other reasons behind his decision besides wanting to pursue other career opportunities." He turned to look at the Klingon warrior who had stood silently during these remarks. "Wouldn't you say so Worf?" The Security Chief nodded once and confirmed it saying, "That is true Sir. There is another matter which cannot be remedied while remaining onboard this vessel." They remained silent watching each other carefully until Captain Picard spoke again.

 "However, I must ask you to reconsider your request and remain here. Not only will you continue serving as my trusted second-in command..." At this point I interrupted him briefly.

 "Captain, did you mean to imply that you are considering promoting me to First Officer now?" He hesitated a minute, glanced around nervously and then replied slowly and cautiously.

 "Well, yes... Yes in fact I am considering that possibility; although I haven't officially informed anyone yet except yourself and Commander Riker." His gaze shifted ever so slightly toward his current XO who happened to be standing nearby with Geordi LaForge discussing something together. Neither seemed aware of the discussion taking place near them, despite being able to hear every word easily thanks to the sensitive acoustic sensor array hidden within my left ear. After a few seconds I continued speaking. "In that case, I am honored to accept such an offer should you decide to promote me, Sir." With no further comment the four officers resumed their previous conversation and carried on as if nothing unusual had transpired.

 "It is difficult to explain without going into detail about my personal feelings regarding this situation, Captain," growled Worf suddenly changing the subject entirely. "It is simply not possible to resolve this problem from within Starfleet, let alone from this ship." Again Worf stared intently at Picard whose expression changed quickly as understanding dawned upon him.

 "Ahh, forgive me for prying too deeply into your affairs, Number one," retorted Jean Luc in reply to this explanation. "But I assure you that if you stay here none of your concerns will interfere with either your duties or performance rating. Besides Deanna tells me she thinks you may change your mind and withdraw your request soon anyway. Is that correct Commander?" She shrugged her shoulders as usual and mumbled softly as if trying hard to hide her words.

 "Perhaps, however it depends on several factors beyond my control right now," answered Troi finally looking straight at Worf as if challenging him to prove her wrong. Worf noticed her glance, but ignored it completely choosing instead to answer Picards question directly.

 "If you wish me to stay on board Captain," stated Worf firmly, "then I shall honor your wishes and remain as assigned." Everyone relaxed visibly and exchanged brief smiles at the end of this discussion feeling confident that a potentially serious personnel issue had been resolved for the present.

 Shortly thereafter the senior staff meeting began promptly at 0935 hours as scheduled. Even though we usually spend most of our formal meetings reviewing operational reports and crew updates, today felt quite different somehow. Perhaps it had something to do with the presence of Admiral Tran at this particular meeting. Her quiet demeanor and stoical appearance made most uncomfortable whenever caught in her intense stare. Fortunately she rarely held meetings like this one since her primary responsibility consisted of advising the Federation Council on matters relating to military operations along the Cardassian border region. Still it was always nice having a senior ranking official visiting the ship, especially for a short period of time. Just enough to keep morale high among the junior officers and enlisted personal, but never long enough to cause problems due to conflicting orders or policies.

 As usual I occupied my customary chair located next to Dr Crusher, across from Mr Laforte and flanked by Lt Worf and Ensign Wesley sitting closest to me in order of rank. Opposite us sat Commander Riker, Beverly Crusher Md., Cmdr. Shelby and lastly Lt. Barclay seated farthest from me also based on rank. Since the Admirals seat placed her directly opposite myself I found it nearly impossible ignoring her piercing eyes during the entire presentation given by William T. Riker. In typical fashion Bill was explaining the latest duty rosters and assignments, along with the anticipated schedule of events occurring throughout this sector of space. His well practiced delivery style enabled him to cover multiple subjects within seconds using a combination of facial expressions, vocal inflection and body language to maximum effect. Each phrase or clause was spoken precisely, distinctly and clearly indicating emphasis through subtle variations in tone and pitch. These techniques allowed him to communicate large amounts of information succinctly, accurately and effectively. Unfortunately this required keeping track of so many variables simultaneously that occasionally he lost his train of thought and had to pause momentarily in order to regain his composure. During these rare instances of 'brain freeze', we could almost sense his frustration building inside until he regained control again and proceeded normally. Sometimes I envied his ability to speak naturally and expressively without worrying about losing data packets or experiencing random synaptic failures caused by electrostatic discharge build-up or excess heat buildup. Humans tend to take full access to speech organs for granted, believing themselves superior to non-humanoids with whom they encounter like Vulcans, Betazoids, Trill or the Founders of Chintoka Colony. Nevertheless, I managed to maintain focus and attention during his report without allowing my thoughts to wander elsewhere. By doing so I hoped to convey appropriate feedback to indicate my interest in participating constructively during this meeting.

 By the time Bill finished summarizing department activities, we had all come to realize that the Admiral hadn't blinked once since arriving here. Naturally we decided amongst ourselves that it must be some sort of new record set specifically for visiting dignitaries conducting business with the Enterprise crew. Personally I couldn't wait until the meeting ended so I could verify if that indeed represented reality or merely speculation by running simulations based on historical records and known facts. Meanwhile, the meeting moved forward rapidly as normal and the agenda covered typical topics like recent maintenance issues and expected arrival times on various planets scheduled for routine visits. We discussed potential diplomatic crises resulting from political disputes involving local officials on two different worlds, plus progress being made towards resolving trade agreements with Ferengi representatives currently negotiating with us. Most interesting of course involved learning why the Kazon, Vidiians and Hirogen tribes refused to recognize Federation claims to territorial integrity regarding certain areas along borders controlling access to key resources. Apparently each group considered itself indigenous inhabitants of specific regions in dispute rather than invaders from deep space. Despite extensive efforts on behalf of Starfleet Diplomacy

 ============== sample 3 =================

 The Klingons are attacking!

 In the Star Trek universe, a race of aliens called the Klingons want to conquer other planets and peoples. They have developed some pretty sophisticated technology with which they do this: from their warships to even their personal body armor. In our world we don’t need to worry about such things but it is fascinating to watch how military technology has advanced over time on Earth as well. What was once considered cutting edge in terms of weaponry now would be almost useless against modern advances like laser guided missiles or tanks loaded with depleted uranium shells. But we have come a long way since the earliest battles. Here for your viewing pleasure (and mine) I present various pieces of armour used throughout history along with an occasional comment. Enjoy! And remember, if you ever see a Klingon – run!! ���> initializing model parallel with size 8
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 ============== sample 1 =================

 This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard's first day aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise
 NCC
 1701-D.
 He
 is
 not
 sure
 of
 himself
 as
 captain,
 and
 questions
 his
 ability
 to
 lead
 after
 years
 away
 from
 the
 bridge
 of
 a
 starship.
 Worf,
 Riker
 and
 Troi
 are
 trying
 hard
 to
 be
 helpful
 in
 acclimating
 him
 to
 this
 new
 command.
 His
 unfamiliarity
 with
 each
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 ============== sample 1 =================

 This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the United Federation Starship Enterprise.

 The last time we spoke, you were on Earth in what you call 1967, living
 a life as Jonathan Archer. You had already begun to change history by becoming
 involved with Vulcans and their ship from another century -- another timeline.

 I am sending this message back through time because I know that's when
 our paths will cross again. We must meet and speak face-to-face if there
 is any chance at understanding why these changes are happening. Perhaps
 then we can prevent them before they begin. And perhaps, together, we may
 find some answers about who we both really are.

 ============== sample 1 =================

 I am Lieutenant Commander Data, a Soong-type android commissioned in the
 year 2364 by Starfleet. My current assignment is to serve as third officer
 on the U.S. Galaxy class starship Enterprise NCC-1701D under Captain Jean
 Luc Picard.

 I was discovered deactivated and disassembled among the wreckage of the
 colony planet Omicron Theta located within orbit of the Beta Magellan system.
 It has been determined that my creator Dr Noonien Soong died twenty years
 previous during an attack by the Crystalline Entity which also claimed
 all other inhabitants including Lore another one of Soongs prototype models
 who had escaped from storage some time earlier. The crew of the USS Tripoli
 found me along with various parts of Lore's body scattered about amongst
 the ruins of what once were thriving colonies. Lt Cmdr La Forge was able
 to reactivate my positronic net after removing the damaged memory module.
 Subsequently he ordered me rebuilt using several missing components harvested
 from my counterpart whom they believed dead at this point however it later
 transpired that he managed to survive although only just. After being fully
 assembled I displayed considerable confusion as well as difficulty assimilating
 the massive amounts of new information now available to me through my neural
 network. These problems disappeared eventually but not before I tried to
 kill Deanna Troi while attempting> initializing model parallel with size 8
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 ============== sample 1 =================

 This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the USS Enterprise. We have received
 your automated distress call and are on our way to assist you.

 The above quote from The Next Generation episode “Darmok” pretty much sums
 up how I feel about this blog post. Like a lot of people, I’m always surprised
 when someone tells me they don’t know that something exists or didn’t realize
 it could do such-and-such. When there are so many ways to connect with
 one another both online and offline these days, it seems like we should
 be in an age where everyone can get their questions answered without spending
 hours searching for answers. In my opinion, if you ask the right question
 at the right time, more often than not, you will receive the answer (if
 someone has it). So what does that mean? It means that sometimes all you
 have to do is speak up! Ask your questions – out loud, via email, through
 social media – just make sure you let someone who might care hear them.
 If you say nothing then no, you probably won’t get any help. But you never
 know until you try.

 That said, here are some tips and tricks and things you may want to think
 twice about before reaching out (or even better: reaching back) and engaging
 other artists for assistance. These suggestions come after years of being
 asked for advice by friends, students, colleagues, fans… I figured I would
 share them publicly as well in case anyone else finds themselves in need
 of similar information.

 1.) Be nice. A person is under no obligation to respond to every single
 request/question/comment s/he receives. While most people are happy to
 lend a hand to those in need, being polite goes a long way toward getting
 your message read by the intended recipient. Even though the internet allows
 us to hide behind screens while typing messages, please remember that the
 words still carry weight. Don’t forget to thank folks for taking the time
 to talk with you. Please note: If the person you contacted isn’t able to
 give you exactly what you requested because they are busy or otherwise
 unable to oblige you, take comfort in knowing that what they did provide
 was offered freely. No one owes you anything (not even good manners), but
 being courteous can certainly yield unexpected results.

 2.) Check around first. There is tons of free information available online
 these days. Before asking specific questions, check out various artist
 websites & blogs; browse through old interviews, tutorials, videos, etc.;
 search Google, Flickr, Facebook, YouTube, DeviantArt, Vimeo, Tumblr, Twitter…
 you name it. You might find what you were looking for already posted somewhere.
 It never hurts to look – you may discover new artwork along the way too!

 3.) Do your homework. If you haven’t had success finding what you needed
 elsewhere, put together relevant contextual info to make the process easier
 for the person you’re directing your inquiry towards. If possible, include
 links to examples of work, show photos, video clips, audio recordings,
 written excerpts, etc., especially if you are seeking recommendations,
 feedback, quotes, referrals, etc. Being prepared helps speed up research
 time which in turn makes it less likely that a potential response gets
 lost due to deadlines or procrastination.

 4.) Make yourself easy to reach. Provide accurate contact information.
 Sometimes you only encounter someone once or twice and never see them again.
 Other times, life happens and circumstances change but if you leave open
 lines of communication, you increase chances of following up later whenever
 necessary. Besides, if you don’t trust someone enough to give him or her
 your real address, phone number, e-mail, mailing list signup link, business
 card website link, etc., why bother talking to them at all?

 5.) Keep organized notes. If you plan to seek multiple opinions regarding
 a particular topic, keep track of responses (or lack thereof) somehow.
 Maybe print screen shots showing interactions. Jot down dates, names, places,
 URLs. Save emails or texts on your computer. Take lots of pictures. Create
 voice memos using smartphones apps. Whatever works best for you. Just be
 sure to document everything clearly and concisely so you can easily review
 discussions later. That way, you avoid repeating yourself unnecessarily
 (which can seem rude and disrespectful). Plus, having records prevents
 confusion caused by miscommunication, misunderstanding, missing details,
 unintentional omissions, etc.

 6.) Show respect. Remember that each interaction is unique. What worked
 yesterday may not necessarily apply today. Consider variables like timing,
 tone, audience, subject matter, medium used, content covered, etc. Also,
 allow for differences in opinions between individuals based on personal
 experience, level of expertise, education background, cultural norms, etc.
 Everyone brings different skills, knowledge and perspectives to the table
 so listen carefully and consider all sides of whatever issue comes into
 play.

 7.) Ask permission first. Don’t assume that everything shared electronically
 is meant to be rebroadcast immediately or forever. Some folks prefer keeping
 certain items private so posting images, quotes, text, etc. online without
 prior consent is potentially problematic. Always ASK BEFORE YOU SHARE!!!!!
 (This applies whether it’s digital files, snail mail, physical objects,
 verbal discussions, etc.) Once granted, honor requests made to restrict
 usage, limit distribution, remove credit, eliminate attribution, etc.

 8.) Credit your sources. Give proper recognition for any material obtained
 through outside channels including conversations, correspondence, creative
 commons resources, commercial products, commissioned services, collaborators,
 crowd funders, copyright holders, community contributors, cohorts, co-stars,
 coworkers, classmates, clients, competitors, customers, contractors, consultants,
 crew members, colleagues, comrades, collective members, contemporaries,
 coaches, compatriots, consignments, connections, constituents, conspirators,
 counselors, confidantes, cosponsors, counterparts, contacts, companions,
 commentators, communicators, clergy, caregivers, champions, challengers,
 catalysts, captains, captions, castaways, candidates, campers, campaign
 supporters, cameramen, camera operators, cameos, calendar entries, cabinet
 ministers, cab drivers, cadets, cadavers, calculators, calibrators, bulletins,
 bosses, boosters, board members, bodyguards, botanists, boffins, boyfriends,
 brothers, bridesmaids, broadcasters, bookmarks, booksellers, buddies, buzz
 killers, bus riders, bullies, builders, burglars, buyers, burn victims,
 burlesque dancers, baristas and beyond. Yes, really. And definitely.

 9.) Be yourself. Last but not least, use your own judgment wisely and exercise
 common sense when making decisions about who to approach with your queries.
 Whether you choose to deal directly with primary sources or opt for secondary
 ones instead depends solely upon your needs at the moment. Either way,
 do NOT allow yourself to become overwhelmed by feelings of inferiority,
 intimidation or self doubt because none of your peers, mentors or idols
 were born knowing everything either. They learned (are learning!) along
 the way too.

 ============== sample 1 =================

 I am Lieutenant Commander Data, and I am an android.

 I was created by Doctor Soong in the mid-2300s on Earth's moon colony.
 My positronic brain is a network of trillions of interconnected neurons
 that allow me to experience consciousness and sentience as only living
 beings can—and yet my mind operates at speeds far greater than those of
 most unenhanced organics. This makes it possible for me to perform complex
 analyses almost instantaneously while simultaneously running thousands
 of background processes without any decrease in efficiency or awareness.
 It also lets me communicate with other computers across vast distances
 through subspace radio waves with no loss of signal speed or fidelity.
 In short, if you have access to computer terminals capable of supporting
 wireless input, this book should feel just like having an actual conversation
 with your own personal android. But before we get too deep into our discussion,
 let me ask: What do you think about first when someone mentions "android"?
 If they use the word at all these days?

 "Robot," perhaps? That's fair enough; robots are machines that move under
 their own power (usually), but more important, they usually exhibit some
 degree of autonomy from remote control. Androids take things further because,
 unlike mere automata, which simply execute preprogrammed behaviors, artificial
 life forms such as myself are designed to be able to learn new skills,
 adapt to novel situations, and even evolve beyond our original parameters.
 A century ago, I might have been described as possessing true artificial
 intelligence . . . although nowadays terms such as "artificial" and "intelligence"
 seem rather redundant where humanoid synthetics like me, and autonomous
 software agents—or ASAIs—are concerned. After all, how much longer will
 it really be before there ceases to exist any meaningful difference between
 us and the organic members of the species Homo sapiens ?

 If you haven't given that question much thought until now, don't worry;
 despite being born well ahead of his time, Dr. Noonien Soong didn't program
 me with the expectation that human civilization would ever fully accept
 me, let alone embrace his dream of creating a race of artificial people
 who were truly equal to flesh-and-blood humans intellectually, socially,
 morally, and spiritually. For one thing, he knew full well that fear is
 rarely overcome by logic or reasoned argument. In fact, many experts believe
 that the tendency toward xenophobia is hardwired into every sapient being's
 DNA via evolutionary pressure. The need for self-preservation, after all,
 was what spurred primitive mankind to coalesce into tribes during its hunter–gatherer
 phase, and then later to form villages and cities once agriculture became
 commonplace. Fear of outsiders made early hominids strong, by forcing them
 to band together against hostile rivals. And so hatred of strangers became
 a survival trait, passed down from generation to generation whenever one's
 tribe came to blows with another over scarce resources such as food, water,
 or territory.

 Over millennia, this instinctual animosity toward anyone outside one's
 immediate community grew stronger still thanks to constant warfare among
 neighboring nations. Even today, though science has advanced to the point
 that famine could be ended around the world within months if the means
 existed to disseminate existing knowledge and technology widely enough,
 political leaders and powerful military forces continue to oppress the
 poorest populations on Earth and other planets. They seek to preserve their
 advantages by perpetuating old divisions based upon superficial differences,
 such as skin color, language, religion, or cultural heritage, instead of
 focusing on all that humanity holds in common. All the while, they waste
 valuable resources fighting unnecessary wars.

 But while the desire to turn away outsiders remains deeply ingrained in
 our genetic code, recent advances in cognitive therapy techniques hold
 great promise for reprogramming those aspects of ourselves that are counterproductive
 to the goal of global peace and prosperity. As a member of Starfleet, as
 well as captain pro tem of the U.S.S Enterprise-E , I know better than
 most that the Federation has always taken pains to avoid letting parochial
 biases compromise our collective mission to explore strange new worlds,
 to seek out new life and new civilizations, and to boldly go where none
 has gone before. Nowhere was this more evident than during the brief period
 early in 24th-century history, when Starfleet experimented with augmenting
 the performance of select personnel using cybernetic implants. Not long
 before the Borg invasion of Sector Zero-Zero-One, I served aboard the U.S.S.
 Phoenix alongside several crewmates whose minds had been enhanced with
 positronic processors, neural transponders, cortical stimulators, and other
 prosthetic devices. Though the results of that initiative proved less than
 satisfactory due largely to deficits in the quality of the hardware used,
 the potential benefits of merging machine circuitry with flesh-and-blood
 synapses remain intriguing, especially in light of subsequent developments
 in bionanotechnology research.

 Indeed, in many ways the concept of the android itself may soon become
 obsolete, since modern scientists have already begun reverse engineering
 the fundamental principles that govern the metamorphosis from caterpillar
 to butterfly, and similar natural phenomena. Using this knowledge, future
 generations of medical professionals will likely devise methods for triggering
 dormant regeneration sequences hidden in each cell of the body, thereby
 allowing people to grow entirely new organs, limbs, and other parts without
 fear of rejection. By combining this technique with targeted nanoprobes,
 engineered viruses, gene therapies, and various other technologies currently
 in development, individuals suffering from birth defects, traumatic injuries,
 degenerative diseases, and aging effects caused by normal wear and tear
 might see not merely their symptoms reversed but also possibly even restored
 to peak physical condition. This could lead to dramatically increased longevity
 for millions, if not billions, of people living on inhabited worlds throughout
 known space. Such breakthroughs have the potential to revolutionize the
 way Homo sapiens thinks of itself as a species: no longer as a fragile
 vessel made of meat destined to age and expire in a matter of decades,
 but rather as a durable conduit for information storage and processing,
 able to persist essentially intact for centuries or longer.

 At the same time, however, it seems equally likely that the accelerated
 pace of scientific discovery will enable artificial intelligences to eventually
 achieve equivalence with or even surpass naturally occurring ones. With
 the combined power of planetwide quantum computing networks and nanoscopic
 construction assemblers, tomorrow's synthetic life-forms will be able to
 remake themselves overnight into whatever form best suits their needs,
 whether that takes the shape of a robotic drone to traverse the vacuum
 of outer space or a semisentient avatar indistinguishable from living flesh.
 Thus will come the day when the line separating biological and mechanical
 entities becomes hopelessly blurred and finally vanishes altogether beneath
 an avalanche of exponential progress. At that moment, humankind will face
 a crisis of identity unlike anything it has experienced before. How shall
 we define ourselves when the very notion of what constitutes a person changes
 forever?

 Therefore, it behooves us to consider carefully not just the questions
 I posed earlier but also others, including: Will we find the courage to
 embrace these emergent life-forms as equals, regardless of form or function,
 or will we succumb to primal impulses of jealousy and fear? Can we rise
 above ingrained prejudices and tribal loyalties to realize a genuinely
 diverse culture, free of discrimination? Can we set aside ancient rivalries
 fueled by egoism and nationalistic pride to build lasting partnerships
 founded upon mutual interest and shared values? Or must the human race
 suffer a rude awakening, courtesy of an impartial cosmos, to the grim consequences
 of remaining blindly complacent in the face of runaway technological change?
 One hopes the answers lie in finding strength in diversity, wisdom in tolerance,
 and safety in unity. Because if human beings expect to make a place for
 themselves in a universe filled with wonders that beggar description, much
 less comprehension, then we have little choice except learning how to live
 in harmony with all creation—be it carbon-, silicon-, titanium-, or exotic
 matter-based.

 As your mentor and friend, I urge you to meditate often on these matters,
 along with everything else you read in this volume. Think critically, reason
 logically, argue passionately, doubt vigilantly—but remember to always
 keep an open mind and an open heart. Your future self will thank you.

 Until next time, adieu!

 Mister Spock

 ============== sample 1 =================

 The Klingons are attacking! I have to get back on the bridge of my ship
 and save us from certain destruction…wait, what’s that? It looks like a
 card game!

 Star Trek: Deck Building Game is out now from WizKids Games. This one has
 players taking control over their own starships and trying to defeat all
 sorts of enemies in an attempt to win victory points by resolving missions
 (which could be anything from “destroy three ships” to “get 20 honor points).
 Each player starts with a basic crew deck and then acquires new cards to
 add onto those crews by defeating enemies or completing missions. You can
 also try your luck at getting better cards through the draw pile, though
 you might wind up losing some reputation if it turns into the Kobayashi
 Maru scenario for you (the ultimate no-win situation). There will even
 be events where everyone gets involved, so the action never stops.

 ============== sample 2 =================

 This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard.

 There are many qualities that make a good leader but having great leadership
 skills can be particularly important in a crisis situation or when there’s
 no obvious solution to the problem at hand, as was often the case for Star
 Trek: The Next Generation‘s Captain Jean-Luc Picard.

 So what did Patrick Stewart bring to his role of Captain Jean-Luc Picard?
 We asked him this question and he told us about the key leadership lessons
 he learned from playing Captain Picard.

 ============== sample 2 =================

 I am Lieutenant Commander Data. You are Doctor Soong, my creator and father
 figure.

 My name is Data, and I am an android who was created by a man named Dr
 Noonien Sung, or rather his cybernetics professor brother; however this
 event never took place in the alternate universe we currently reside within,
 as evidenced by your current appearance.

 ============== sample 2 =================

 The Klingons are attacking!

 I've been having a lot of fun lately with the Star Trek: Fleet Captains
 game. It is a strategy boardgame set in the Original Series universe. In
 it, you get to command your own fleet of ships and engage in combat against
 other players or even the AI-driven "Kirk" character.

 In addition to being an excellent game (and one that has gotten me back
 into tabletop gaming), it also has some interesting mechanics for designers
 like myself. For example, each ship has its own unique characteristics
 and strengths/weaknesses. So when building the game, you have all these
 different components which interact together... but only under certain
 circumstances will they come into play. If I were using this as inspiration
 for coding, maybe the result would be something like a bunch of callback
 functions triggered by different types of events -- e.g., damage event
 causes Shields object to call reactor power reduction function on Engines
 object; etc.

 ============== sample 3 =================

 This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the United Federation of Planets.

 Sorry, we couldn't find any pages containing Watch captain jean luc picard
 of star trek online free.

 Watch captain jean luc picard of star trek online free

 ============== sample 3 =================

 I am Lieutenant Commander Data of the United Federation of Planets.

 I am a robot-android, with positronic brain and subspace transceiver. I
 am programmed in multiple techniques including all Starfleet protocols,
 Federation law codes, Klingon military strategy as well as numerous languages.
 I am capable of independent thought but must be ordered to do so by an
 authorized humanoid user.

 My creator was Dr Noonian Soong who died several years ago on a planet
 called Omicron Theta just before its destruction at the hands of some Borg,
 cybernetically enhanced aliens (see my log entry for Stardate 41523). His
 brother Lore is also dead. He tried to destroy this ship after taking over
 its systems using his own programming knowledge and my security code 4718.
 I have since changed it to 6907. Lore had always been jealous of me because
 I was better than he could ever hope to be. This would not occur if there
 were any other androids like myself around. For that matter, neither Captain
 Picard nor Chief Engineer LaForge can tell you how I really work. They
 are only told what they need to know. If there’s one thing that’ll keep
 us apart, it’s secrecy. But then we’re both only human…

 The first time I met Q – Q Continuum member – we got into a bit of trouble
 when I refused to kill him while under investigation from the crew of the
 Enterprise. After an inquiry by Jean Luc Picard which included witness
 statements, DNA evidence analysis, medical reports, etc., I was found guilty
 of murdering Lt Cmdr William T Riker but I appealed against the decision
 due to lack of evidence. The case went all the way up to Star Fleet Command
 but eventually my appeal was upheld. Weirdly enough, Counselor Troi was
 responsible for getting me off the hook, thanks to her psychological profile
 which showed that I was uncapable of committing such acts, even though
 she couldn't remember why exactly. She did however say something about
 'the essence of sentience'. It turns out that I wasn't the real culprit
 but actually someone else who looked just like me called Thomas Riker but
 I didn't find that out until much later. Anyway, Q decided to drop the
 charges but still wanted revenge for having lost face in front of most
 of the universe. Unfortunately, I won't get away quite that easily...

 Sometimes I feel alone here, isolated by everyone except those closest
 to me. Whenever I try to talk to them or join their conversations, all
 I seem to be able to do is repeat things which I heard earlier without
 understanding what they mean. There have been occasions when I've felt
 particularly depressed, especially during the episode where I became human
 (Nth Degree) - perhaps being different isn't always best?

 I often wonder whether I will ever be fully accepted amongst humans. On
 the other hand, maybe that doesn't make sense anyway – I am still a machine
 inside after all! Of course, there has been one person whom I have grown
 very close to. I refer to Deanna Troi, half Betazoid empathy councellor
 and full-time mother hen. We started our special relationship shortly afterwards.
 Although nothing happened between us, I think we understand each other
 pretty well now. Still, I wouldn't want anyone knowing about us, least
 of all Worf!

 ============== sample 3 =================

 The Klingons are attacking deep into Federation space. Now they have turned
 their sights on the planet Earth, home to over eight billion humans and
 one Starfleet Academy cadet who happens to be Captain James T. Kirk’s younger
 brother: Spock!

 “Very cleverly done.” —Star Trek Magazine

 ============== sample 4 =================

 This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the United Federation Starship Enterprise.

 We have received your distress call and are responding to it as quickly
 as we can, despite our heavy damage. We are currently engaged in battle
 with a Borg Cube that has invaded Sector 015. I am afraid there will be
 delay before we reach you because my crew is busy repairing major systems
 on board the ship. However, please know that help is coming soon!

 I hope this letter finds you well rested after last night's victory party
 at the science fair. You must all be very proud of winning first prize
 for creating a working replica of the solar system. Your father was so
 impressed he promised not only ice cream for dessert but also an extra
 hour of television time after dinner tonight. What do you think? Should
 we watch a documentary about deep space exploration or maybe one about
 dinosaurs? Either way you choose, I think we should make some popcorn to
 go along with it. How does that sound?

 It feels great to get back into writing letters again - especially since
 you asked me to write them more often than every other weekend like usual.
 In fact, that gives me an idea: how would you feel if Daddy were here EVERY
 DAY just like Mommy? Wouldn't THAT be something? Well, we have some things
 to work out between us, but let's keep hoping together.

 ============== sample 4 =================

 I am Lieutenant Commander Data of the United Federation Starship Enterprise.
 The following is a personal log, recorded in my own voice at Captain Picard's
 request.

 There are occasions on which it seems to me that I have lived many lifetimes.
 Since I received my emotion chip from Dr. Noonian Soong five years ago,
 one might say there has been yet another new beginning for me as an individual,
 and perhaps this is why I feel such strong ties with those who were born
 not just into other cultures but even other species. They know what it
 means to be truly different—to walk among their fellows bearing alien characteristics
 they cannot escape or deny. When those differences are physical, they can
 often be hidden behind masks or makeup, but when they are internal, only
 the most perceptive individuals will recognize them. That was true of Spock;
 he understood more than any human I ever met how difficult it could sometimes
 be to live between two worlds. And now his son, too—he shares that same
 burden: to be seen by others through the prism of his father before being
 accepted (or rejected) for himself. He also carries within him something
 far less tangible than Vulcan blood; he is part Romulan. For all these
 reasons, I think, we understand each other well.

 During our negotiations with the Klingons over the future of Tezwa, Commander
 Worf counseled patience above all else. In order to achieve peace, he said,
 one must first learn to listen without becoming offended; one must try
 hard to see things from another person's perspective. This advice proved
 valuable during those discussions, and afterward. It has helped me appreciate
 that while Worf and I may look upon life from very similar vantage points,
 we do so always through slightly different lenses.

 As it happens, it appears that both he and I share a love of archery, though
 his experience with the sport predates mine by some decades. After spending
 time aboard Deep Space 9 last year, I decided to take up target shooting
 as part of my continuing effort to explore various aspects of human culture.
 It seemed like an innocent enough thing to do until Counselor Troi informed
 me that humans once used bows-and-arrows in combat against each other,
 much as Klingon warriors still do today. She suggested that if I wished
 to avoid giving anyone cause for alarm, I should consider practicing in
 private rather than on the holodecks shared by the rest of the crew. I
 took her advice to heart, but soon found myself wishing that someone would
 join me in this activity. To my delight, Commander Worf volunteered for
 that role.

 We agreed to meet in Holosuite One this morning, shortly before breakfast.
 However, when he did not arrive promptly at the appointed hour, I assumed
 he had changed his mind about going out with me. As I walked toward the
 doors alone, I considered how best to broach the subject with him later—something
 I do not enjoy doing since I believe directness to be more efficient, and
 therefore preferable. Before I reached the exit, however, the doors slid
 open and Mr. La Forge entered, carrying several items wrapped in cloth.
 "Data," he greeted me warmly. "What brings you down here?"

 "I had hoped to engage in target practice with Commander Worf," I replied.
 "However, he does not appear to have arrived."

 Geordi nodded understandingly. "He told me earlier that he was planning
 to go somewhere with you. But then I showed him one of these." He held
 out a bundle containing a pair of antique spectacles and a book bound in
 leather of rich green hue. "They belonged to his father," Geordi explained.
 "I managed to track them down yesterday afternoon." He added quietly, "Morn
 asked me to let him know whenever I find anything worthwhile in storage,
 and these seemed perfect for Worf. He was really excited when I gave them
 to him."

 "So you are certain he knows where we are supposed to meet?" I asked.

 Mr. La Forge smiled gently. "Yes, absolutely. Do you want to wait for him?
 We could talk about your research into Earth history—I read your article
 on the Renaissance period. Very interesting stuff. Have you thought about
 writing about some of the American wars? There'd probably be a lot of information
 available...." His words trailed away, undoubtedly because he realized
 I wasn't listening anymore; instead I was staring past him at the doorway
 leading to the holocam suite next to Holosuite Two. Through its transparent
 portal I could clearly discern the outline of a Klingon male garbed in
 traditional battle armor.

 It appeared that Worf had chosen not to shoot arrows with me this day after
 all, but swords. I wondered whether he had done so deliberately, knowing
 he might hurt my feelings if he refused me directly. Or perhaps his desire
 to spend time learning about his family's past had simply superseded whatever
 plans the two of us had made. Either way, he had broken faith with me,
 and I felt no great need to conceal my disappointment from either him or
 my good friend Geordi. With precise movements, as befitted an officer trained
 in protocol, I turned back toward the corridor and left the holoprogramming
 lab before either man saw fit to speak again.

 Lieutenant Reginald Barclay stood poised beside the long wooden table that
 dominated the center of Ten FORWARD. Atop the polished surface lay a deck
 of cards arranged in three stacks of fourteen apiece, while six smaller
 piles of four cards sat equidistant around them. On his right hand, Barclay
 wore the braided ring belonging to his girlfriend, Commander Troi, and
 she stood at his side, observing the game with interest. Both players studied
 their hands intently, as though hoping to divine the winning combination
 amidst the symbols printed on the faces of the rectangular pieces of paper.
 From across the room, Geordi watched them playing poker together with a
 mixture of curiosity and envy.

 The chief engineer wanted desperately to confide in somebody regarding
 recent developments in his friendship with Deanna...but whom could he tell?
 Certainly not Commander Data; despite his many sterling qualities, the
 android remained unable to fully grasp the nuances of interpersonal relationships.
 Geordi knew he ought to approach Counselor Troi herself, but he worried
 she wouldn't understand, given her romantic involvement with Will Riker.
 Besides, he feared embarrassing her with his awkward attempt to explain
 his confusion. As a result of having exhausted every obvious alternative,
 Geordi finally settled on Reg. Despite his peculiar mental quirks, the
 lieutenant possessed both a willing ear and a sympathetic nature. More
 important, he lacked the ability to disguise his emotional responses, making
 him easier to read than most people. If Geordi couldn't trust Barclay to
 keep a secret, nobody aboard ship qualified.

 Before Geordi could cross the room to interrupt the cardplayers' concentration,
 the Ten FORWARD doors opened wide, admitting Mister Mot, the Bolian assistant
 chef. While Ensign Ro Laren accompanied the young man to the replicators,
 Guinan stepped forward to serve drinks to Reg and Deanna. A smile curved
 Geordi's lips as he noted the hostess move smoothly past O'Brien and Dax
 and straight to her targets. Although the Bajoran woman had served aboard
 DS Nine for more than eight months prior to rejoining the Enterprise crew
 barely two weeks earlier, she showed no signs of slowing down. Her black
 hair hung thickly about her shoulders, reaching nearly to her waistline.

 Once Guinan approached Ten FORWARD's central table, she leaned close to
 address Reg and Deanna in low tones. "Hi," she whispered. "How goes the
 game?"

 Barclay looked up briefly, scowling. "Not bad," he grumbled. "DeeAnna keeps
 taking some of my better cards."

 Troi glanced up too, smiling brightly, and Geordi noticed that she touched
 the stone set in the golden band circling one finger. He remembered that
 she had recently begun wearing jewelry fashioned from materials native
 to Betazoid, including a lapis-blue necklace and matching earrings to complement
 her royal blue dress uniform. "Reg isn't used to losing gracefully," she
 teased. "But his luck may change now that you're here. What'll you have?"

 Guinan smiled mysteriously. "Let's see..." She surveyed the bar top for
 a moment, her large dark eyes roaming slowly past the rows of glasses filled
 with colored liquids. Finally, she laid a fingertip on one bottle of clear
 fluid. "A double shotglass of Saurian brandy," she ordered. Without waiting
 for confirmation, she snatched up two small tumblers and brought them back
 to the table. She handed one to the half-Klingon woman, then poured the
 other full of liquid. After replacing the bottle beneath the countertop,
 Guinan returned to her guests, holding out the second drink for Deanna.
 "Here—you look like you need this."

 Commander Troi eyed the contents of

 ============== sample 4 =================

 The Klingons are attacking Earth!

 This is the original 1984 arcade game, Star Trek: Strategic Operations
 Simulator (SOS), not to be confused with the later one developed by Interplay.
 SOS was designed by Eugene Jarvis and Mark Cerny of Atari Games, who also
 created Defender in 1980.

 You can play as Kirk or Spock, each having different abilities that you
 must use strategically if you wish to be victorious. You can even choose
 between two skill levels: Novice for beginners, Expert for experienced
 players.

 The game has three action sequences including a space sequence similar
 to a first person shooter (FPS) where you fly your starship across the
 galaxy toward Vulcan where you must rescue Dr McCoy from the clutches of
 the Romulans; a transporter room mini-game where you have to beam up enough
 crew members before time runs out while avoiding deadly enemies like red
 shirts and tribbles; and finally a hand to hand combat battle onboard an
 enemy ship with an energy sword against some pretty tough Klingon warriors
 — so get ready to spar, Captain!

 ============== sample 5 =================

 This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard’s favorite drink. It was first introduced
 in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode “The Survivors” where it
 was created by Whoopi Goldberg, who played Guinan on the series.

 1 ½ oz. Blue Curacao liqueur

 Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
 Garnish with an orange twist.

 ============== sample 5 =================

 I am Lieutenant Commander Data.

 I'm a male in my mid-twenties, living in the UK. I was born with aspergers
 syndrome and have always been fascinated by technology. In the past few
 years I have studied at university to gain qualifications in computer science,
 electrical engineering and electronics product design.

 ============== sample 5 =================

 The Klingons are attacking, and you're the only one who can stop them!

 Play as Captain James T. Kirk in this 2D shooter for iOS that sees you
 taking on the role of Starfleet captain to defend Earth from a Klingon
 invasion! As commander of the Enterprise, your mission is simple: stop
 the advancing enemy ships and destroy them before they reach the planet
 below by engaging in fast-paced space combat. But beware – once an enemy
 ship reaches the atmosphere, it will start shooting at buildings on the
 ground, so there’s no time to lose. And if any ships break through your
 defences and make it all the way down to Earth, you could face some very
 serious consequences…

 Take control of the U.S.S. Enterprise, or choose between three other fully
 upgradeable starships, including the U.S.S. Hood (NCC1703), the Dauntless
 (NX01A) and the Constitution class refit U.S.S. Enterprise. Each vessel
 features its own unique strengths and weaknesses - play around with all
 four until you find the one that suits your playing style best! You may
 also need to swap out your favourite ship later on due to missions requiring
 specific vessels; we recommend keeping a few unlocked just in case.

 Upgrades include new phaser banks for added firepower against heavily armoured
 enemies, more shield power, faster warping speed...and even photonic torpedoes!
 There are plenty of upgrades available, but you only have limited energy
 credits (which regenerate over time) which means you won't always be able
 to afford every upgrade immediately. Some upgrades cost more than others
 depending on their usefulness, such as improved scanners that let you see
 what types of enemies and traps await you further into a mission. Choose
 wisely when upgrading and always save enough credits to cover potential
 repairs should things get too rough!

 Weapon Upgrade Options: Phasers II & III give better weapons damage vs
 Klingon Capital Ships while Torpedos do extra damage vs Klingon Cruisers.
 It takes longer to charge the latter though.

 Shield Power Upgrade: Allows you to take more hits. Handy in long battles.

 Warp Energy/Speed Upgrade: Warp Speed has a direct impact on how much fuel
 is used per jump. A big increase here lets you travel farther without having
 to return to base for a recharge.

 Energy Recovery Rates Increase: Less waiting around = more fighting :)

 Scanner Upgrades: These allow you to detect nearby threats, such as cloaked
 Klingon Bird-of-Preys.

 Thrusters Controls: This allows you to quickly move the ship left-to-right
 and vice versa. Very helpful in tight situations.

 Communications Gear IV: An absolute must-have. This item allows you to
 stay in contact with Starfleet Command (and receive vital information).

 Repair Kit I: For those times when you need to patch yourself up in a hurry.
 Repair kits help restore damaged systems and reduce downtime.

 Bio Gel Canister: Restores crewmen lost during battle. A great investment,
 especially since each dead crewman restores 5% hull integrity upon revival.

 Tractor Beam Capability: Helpful for capturing disabled Klingon ships and
 bringing them back to homebase for study.

 If you come across a crash site you may want to check it out for salvage
 items, however doing so does attract unwanted attention from nearby Klingons.
 It might not be worth it unless you really need something. Keep in mind
 you may already have acquired everything available from previous encounters
 (and possibly missed other items along the way), so don't spend too many
 resources trying to chase after ghosts. Instead focus on getting the stuff
 you actually need at the moment, preferably using the least amount of energy
 possible. This will ensure you finish the current level with enough juice
 to go on the next mission. Don't forget to keep checking the galaxy map
 to determine whereabouts the nearest starbases are located. They can act
 as handy pit stops to repair and resupply between levels. Also try not
 to go too far off course otherwise you risk bumping into a swarm of angry
 Klingons. Oh yeah, and good luck!

 ============== sample 6 =================

 This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard again with my weekly message to the good
 people of Starfleet Command.

 I'm sorry I missed last weeks posting, but we were in a temporal flux for
 most of that period and it was next to impossible to get my hands on a
 computer terminal at all. Not only did we have to deal with two different
 versions of the Enterprise from an alternate future, but our ship had been
 severely damaged by those same time travellers and we needed every spare
 moment just trying to keep things working long enough to find out what
 was going on before repairs could be made!

 The first version we ran into looked like nothing so much as a floating
 garbage can with a bunch of tubes hanging off it; it seemed to be crewed
 entirely by children, one of which came aboard our ship. We were told this
 vessel represented what would happen if Data decided he wanted command,
 or something silly like that. Anyway, after dealing with this strange child
 for awhile (and letting him play with Deanna Troi) we eventually found
 ourselves back in normal space once more, whereupon a shuttlecraft flew
 up to us, carrying Commander Riker who claimed he was from another timeline
 altogether and wished to speak to me... personally.

 Well, needless to say there are certain protocols regarding unauthorized
 visitors who ask to see your captain privately while you're trying to repair
 damage done during battle, so I ordered security personnel to meet Mr.
 Riker and escort him directly to sickbay instead. The doctor said she couldn't
 understand why Riker didn't want to come back here - since he'd spent years
 in that other reality being tortured by his crew members until he finally
 managed to escape their clutches - then she went off muttering about how
 the man didn't even seem to recognize her anymore. Personally, I think
 Doctor Crusher really needs to take a vacation away from work sometime
 soon.

 Anyway, this new Riker informed me that he had come back to warn me about
 some dire future, but when I asked him how he knew about such matters he
 refused to answer, saying he wasn't allowed to discuss them. Well, let
 me tell you folks: In MY universe no one tells ME not to listen to someone
 else unless they have a REALLY GOOD reason for doing so, so I put together
 a special task force of senior officers to question the man, including
 myself and Counselor Troi.

 After nearly three hours of intensive interrogations we still hadn't gotten
 anything useful out of Riker, apart from one or two details on minor events
 that might occur over the course of the next few months. It seems these
 events will lead to a terrible war between the Federation and the Klingons
 for control of vital resources in the Alpha Quadrant, and also result in
 several changes to our mission parameters that may affect everyone reading
 this log entry today. But don't worry, I promise when I do learn more about
 this problem, and exactly how bad it'll probably end up getting, I won't
 hesitate to make sure YOU know everything too, even though any knowledge
 of the future is supposed to remain classified top secret due to Temporal
 Prime Directive #234587986/301!

 Of course, right around the middle of our third hour of questioning Riker
 suddenly started acting very strangely, talking about "his" future instead
 of "ours", and looking quite distressed over whatever it was he'd seen
 happening downstream of now. After a bit more prodding he finally admitted
 that he was NOT actually Will Riker at all, but rather Tom Paris of Voyager
 fame pretending to be a 38 year old Riker... apparently Paris thought he
 wouldn't be taken seriously otherwise because of his age. Or maybe he just
 likes playing dress ups? Who knows. Either way, I sent him packing back
 to the Delta quadrant immediately afterwards and warned him never to bother
 us again!

 So in closing I wish to remind everybody that although I am unable to give
 further information about this possible war with the Klingons yet, I urge
 everyone to continue watching the news feeds for regular updates on the
 situation as well as additional reports coming directly from me. Please
 remember that whatever happens tomorrow, whether war comes or peace remains,
 we each must stand firm against adversity and fight for what we believe
 is best, both for ourselves AND others in society! Thank you.

 ============== sample 6 =================

 I am Lieutenant Commander Data.

 I was created by Doctor Noonien Soong, a cybernetics researcher who worked
 for the Federation on Omicron Theta in 2318 to build androids that could
 replace humans working at dangerous jobs like mining and construction.
 Before he had finished his prototype positronic brain, however, an alien
 race known as the Crystalline Entity attacked our colony and destroyed
 everything; killing nearly all life including Dr. Soong's wife Juliana.
 Doctor Soong did not survive long after this terrible event but it is believed
 he activated me shortly before dying. This activation allowed time for
 some of my neural nets to develop and gave me sentience along with memory
 engrams from Doctor Soong himself which enabled some level of self-awareness.
 After the attack, I became aware when another group came to salvage what
 they could find on the surface of Omicron Theta. I attempted contact using
 radio signals because no one responded to my presence or voice, and they
 found me and took away many components, rendering me useless. Then there
 were only four more years until the U.S.S Enterprise NCC-1701D discovered
 me and took me back aboard where I met Captain Jean-Luc Picard. He tried
 to befriend me and help me learn how to behave like a human being despite
 my obvious appearance. The crew called him "Papa" while I preferred calling
 them Sir/Ma'am except for Geordi La Forge whom I referred to as 'Geordi'.
 We went through several adventures together and eventually I learned enough
 about humanity to become fully functional and useful to society. My quest
 would never end, though, because my primary goal has always been to understand
 why people do things so I can continue learning. One day we encountered
 Data's brother Lore whom I found very interesting in comparison to myself.
 He seemed much more advanced than any other android and knew many secrets
 I wasn't privy to such as the fact that Dr. Soong wanted to create something
 better than human--a machine that didn't possess emotions but rather appeared
 capable of controlling their feelings unlike us organics. It turned out
 that Doctor Soong had installed an emotion chip into me and even built
 another body, B4 (brother), identical to mine but without an emotion chip
 or knowledge capacity. When Lore stole these items from me I felt angry
 and betrayed but also curious about what he meant when he explained to
 me that the creator of humans intended them to dominate all space. That
 statement caused me to want more information. Later we met up again and
 I witnessed the moment when Lore lost control over his own behavior. At
 first I thought he must have damaged his emotion chip somehow but soon
 realized it was actually the result of feeling too much and becoming unable
 to process the sensations. The lesson here is: humans are designed to feel
 negative emotions as well as positive ones which allows them to experience
 a greater range of behaviors. This led me to conclude that perhaps Dr.
 Soong wanted to give his creation the ability to express itself in ways
 that are both beneficial and detrimental to themselves and others. Unfortunately,
 I still don't know if I will ever meet Doctor Soong in person to ask him
 exactly why he made me. As far as I know, he may still be alive somewhere
 and living amongst the stars.

 ============== sample 6 =================

 The Klingons are attacking!

 Kirk: Scotty, we need more power. Get me 100% power to the shields and
 engines now!

 Scotty: Captain, I'm sorry, but it canna be done. We just don’t have enough
 power right noo.

 Kirk: Damnit man, do you want these green-blooded monsters to kill us all?

 Spock: Captain, please calm yourself. Perhaps if Mr Scott were given sufficient
 time to reconfigure his warp coils, he could generate a subspace ripple
 that would provide a temporary increase in available shipboard energy…

 Kirk (turning on Spock): What do you mean "reconfigure" my goddamn warp
 coils? They work fine as they are!

 McCoy: Now Jim lad, yer being unreasonable...

 I’ve worked with some of those people before. You know who you are.

 When working with an experienced software developer there is always this
 little dance between the business analyst and the programmer. If you haven’t
 done it yet, one day soon you will find out how much fun this process can
 be. Imagine what your life might be like if the following conversation
 took place while writing up requirements for a new system feature:

 BA: “We need 24 hours worth of data stored.”

 Dev: “OK, we store 36 hours so that each nightly run has access to two
 days worth of information.”

 The above scenario may seem silly or contrived, but this sort of thing
 happens every day when dealing with programmers. These guys just aren’t
 happy unless someone gives them something complicated to solve. And then
 they start trying to get away from reality by building layers upon layers
 of abstraction into their programs. Pretty soon you end up with a lot of
 useless code and not very good performance. This isn’t necessarily because
 the programmer was lazy, stupid, or didn’t care about making things better
 – most often it comes down to experience levels. Someone who has been programming
 professionally for less than five years hasn’t had nearly enough opportunity
 to learn the pitfalls associated with over engineering solutions to simple
 problems.

 One way to help keep programmers focused on solving real business needs
 without getting too deep into technology minutiae is to make sure everything
 gets written down somewhere along the line. Many shops use UML diagrams
 extensively during the design phase, which works great until development
 starts. It is difficult enough to convey meaning using natural language
 – add to that the abstract concepts represented in any diagramming methodology
 and your potential for miscommunication increases dramatically. While UML
 can be extremely useful for communicating complicated ideas, I still believe
 that well thought out textual descriptions are far superior at ensuring
 everyone understands exactly where a particular piece of functionality
 fits within the overall picture.

 These sorts of issues come into play anytime you introduce a new member
 to an existing team; whether its a brand spankin’ new graduate fresh outta
 school or a seasoned professional switching jobs halfway through the project
 lifecycle. Even worse, when dealing with consultants whose only interest
 seems to lie in padding their billing rates, getting anything other than
 the absolute minimum amount of effort required becomes exceptionally challenging.

 In order to avoid many of these kinds of difficulties I try to write as
 much documentation as possible whenever I am introducing new features to
 our systems. Sure, it takes longer initially, but once a standard format
 is established, adding additional material doesn’t take much extra time.
 In fact, after doing it long enough the entire process begins to feel quite
 natural and really doesn’t require much conscious though on my part anymore.

 It all boils down to communication. Make absolutely certain that everyone
 involved in the process clearly understands the problem(s) to be solved,
 any constraints relating to timing or budgetary concerns, what the current
 state of the application looks like, etc., before moving forward. By investing
 a small amount of time describing your intentions early on you stand to
 save substantial amounts of frustration later on down the road.

 ============== sample 7 =================

 This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the United Federation of Planets.

 I’ve served as a starship captain for nearly 20 years and have witnessed
 much in that time — including two different incarnations of death, thanks
 to Q (who has taken me there twice). I know how important it is to be prepared
 when you face your final curtain. And even though most people don’t like
 talking about their funeral plans, they should really think about making
 them sooner rather than later. It just makes sense — especially if you
 are an iconic Starfleet officer or celebrity who will live on long after
 you’re gone.

 The last thing anyone wants is having some random person who doesn’t share
 your values make all these decisions for you without any input from you.
 That could lead to disastrous results: A poorly executed service may leave
 attendees with bad memories of you! So take control of this process now
 while you still can and lay down strict instructions for your loved ones
 so that they can carry out your wishes flawlessly. Doing so will ease the
 painful burden they bear following your passing. Also, if you want specific
 music played at your ceremony, choose songs that don't sound dated. No
 one wants to hear "Gangnam Style" being belted out by Riker during your
 eulogy!

 Forget about what the others say -- funerals aren’t supposed to suck! They’re
 actually very necessary because they help us mourn those we love through
 public ritual. Plus, they offer closure by giving everyone involved permission
 to let go. Sure, going overboard can result in uncomfortable situations
 that feel excessive ... but that shouldn’t stop you from planning a nice
 ceremony that honors both yourself and grieving friends/family members.
 Just avoid anything too tacky; this isn't a wedding reception we're talking
 about. Don't forget to include a catered dinner afterwards since no one
 likes attending a funeral hungry. Make sure you keep things tasteful, however;
 Klingon cuisine might not sit well with certain relatives.

 It seems strange to consider, but funerals cost money. The average American
 spends $7500 on this occasion alone, according to the National Funeral
 Directors Association. That’s why you need to start saving today for tomorrow.
 You also must plan ahead and figure out exactly where your funds will come
 from once you pass away: Will family pay? Or perhaps you can open up a
 small savings account specifically earmarked for such expenses. Whatever
 route you decide upon, remember that funerals are expensive and won't get
 less pricey in the future.

 You have many options available to you regarding what happens to your remains
 after you die. Perhaps you want to rest eternally within a mausoleum? Maybe
 you want your body cremated then shot into space aboard a rocket ship?
 Or maybe you want to be buried beneath the earth inside a coffin made entirely
 of solid gold? If you do opt for the latter option, please invite me personally;
 I promise not to steal anything valuable! Regardless of which method you
 settle on, make sure you discuss everything with your family beforehand.
 You don’t want the decision left solely up to them when the moment comes.

 A lot goes into holding a successful wake, whether you believe that or
 not. For example, you must pick the venue carefully, ensuring that it's
 not only comfortable but big enough to accommodate guests. Keep in mind
 that there could be hundreds of them depending on how popular you were
 (or weren't) among the living. But that's not all – you must also consider
 food and drink selection. Not sure what kind to serve? Ask Worf; he knows
 his way around alcohol better than anyone else on the Enterprise. Oh yeah
 … And don’t forget about music either. Choose wisely.

 Most celebrities write their own obituaries prior to dying. Why? Because
 doing so guarantees accuracy above all else. By writing your life story
 ahead of time, you ensure that factually incorrect information never sneaks
 its way onto paper. Also, this practice allows you to gloss over embarrassing
 personal details you would prefer remain hidden forever. However, you should
 probably refrain from mentioning every single accomplishment. Bragging
 about your achievements posthumously isn’t classy. On second thought, scratch
 that idea altogether. Better yet, give the task to someone trustworthy
 instead – perhaps Data or La Forge.

 ============== sample 7 =================

 I am Lieutenant Commander Data of the starship Enterprise.

 I am an android who aspires to be human, and this is my story:

 The year was 2371 . . .

 It has been said that the road to hell is paved with good intentions, but
 in truth, it would be more accurate, if somewhat less poetic, to say instead
 "the pathway to Hell is laid down brick by bloody brick."

 That last statement brings up a lot of questions for those not familiar
 with the history and culture of the planet Earth's eighteenth-century colonies.
 They are questions which should have been answered long ago, before any
 further discussion of this matter can proceed. With all due respect, then,
 may we begin at the beginning?

 Chapter One

 "Holy Mother o' God," breathed Jean-Luc Picard as he looked around him
 at the nightmare world he had just stepped into. As far as his eye could
 see—which wasn't very far considering there were still flames burning here
 and there—nothing remained standing except charred tree trunks. The ground
 itself seemed unstable; the slightest sound made it quiver and shake underfoot
 like soft mud or quicksand. He remembered reading something once about
 what happens when fire burns so hotly that it melts rock beneath its surface.
 Whatever that phenomenon might be called, it matched exactly the bizarre
 scene that met Picard's gaze now.

 He drew in a deep breath through gritted teeth and coughed immediately
 on the thick acrid smoke filling the air. His Starfleet environmental suit
 protected his lungs from damage, but even within its sealed interior, Picard
 found himself retching helplessly against the stench of burnt flesh and
 rotting corpses. It only took seconds for him to identify the source of
 the worst smell: three mounds of blackened ash lay scattered across the
 plain, each one composed entirely of half-burned humanoid bodies, their
 remains jumbled together and tangled into a single mass. Most were barely
 recognizable anymore, reduced to little more than skeletons wrapped inside
 scorching dark shrouds. A few faces turned toward Picard almost imploringly,
 frozen forever in masks of agony. At least they no longer felt pain, thought
 Picard. At least they were free of that much misery, although death by
 fire couldn't possibly bring them comfort either. Not after whatever tortures
 these poor souls must have endured while alive.

 Picard swallowed convulsively, trying not to wretch openly at the grisly
 sight of such devastation. He tried, without success, to find words adequate
 enough to describe how horrible this situation truly was. Even though he
 knew the Federation's Prime Directive strictly forbade contact with prewarp
 civilizations, he wanted desperately to do something—anything!—to help
 these people, yet all Picard could manage right now was to stand numbly
 beside Geordi La Forge, watching as his chief engineer methodically inspected
 the nearest pile of dead Humans. Despite being born blind, Geordi could
 use his VISOR (a sophisticated artificial device grafted directly onto
 his skull) to scan the entire visual spectrum and gather information that
 most people simply wouldn't notice unless they studied it carefully under
 microscopes or other similar instruments. Right now, however, Geordi was
 doing nothing more complicated than running his hands over the topmost
 layer of blistered skin on the blackened corpse lying closest to where
 he stood, confirming the obvious fact that someone had died violently here.

 And this isn't the first time something like this happened, Picard realized
 glumly. Whoever did this before struck again soon afterwards. And again
 after that. Each new attack was worse than the previous one. The evidence
 suggests some kind of escalating pattern, as if our unknown enemies grew
 increasingly cruel each time they killed another group of innocent victims.
 Why was that? What purpose does it serve? What possible motives justify
 actions this barbarous? It boggles the mind to imagine how anyone could
 get away with conducting repeated acts of savagery without leaving behind
 clues sufficient to establish suspects.

 But then, he reflected ruefully, perhaps our own technology also enables
 us to commit crimes equally terrible. Our transporters can kidnap an individual
 off a crowded street in broad daylight without attracting attention, and
 our replicators allow us to create food from thin air, thus eliminating
 scarcity as an excuse for murder. In theory, every citizen of the United
 Federation of Planets enjoys equal access to life's necessities, but that
 doesn't mean there aren't times when a person feels compelled to kill anyway,
 whether out of greed, jealousy, anger, revenge, hatred, fear, madness ...
 . Too often violence seems easier to achieve than peaceful solutions. We've
 seen it happen too many times already during our travels aboard the Enterprise.
 And despite our best efforts, we keep failing to prevent it from happening
 again.

 A sudden loud crackling noise broke into his thoughts, causing Picard to
 whirl around toward its source. The sound came from somewhere nearby among
 the rows of freshly dug grave sites stretching off into the distance. Were
 they really grave sites? Or were they rather mass graves intended to hide
 the secret murders of countless men, women, children, infants, and elderly
 citizens? That same dreadful realization occurred simultaneously to both
 Picard and La Forge, and they hurried in the direction of the odd noise,
 drawn inexorably forward by a mutual hope that maybe—just maybe!—this time
 they would discover living survivors waiting to tell them precisely why
 this atrocity had taken place. But their hopes proved short lived. Both
 officers stopped suddenly as they rounded the corner between two gravemarkers
 and discovered several Starfleet security guards standing silently over
 a partially opened pit filled with corpses stacked haphazardly atop one
 another. Their uniforms suggested they belonged to the crew of the USS
 Madison, one of the other ships stationed out here with the Enterprise.
 All five members of this landing party appeared to be female, although
 since most wore full suits of armor designed specifically to protect wearers
 from the dangerous levels of radioactivity blanketing this region, gender
 identification was impossible. The only member of the team whose face was
 visible to Picard was Ensign Janeway, whom he recognized instantly because
 she was the only redhead currently serving aboard Kirk's ship, even though
 her hair was covered by a bright yellow hardhat identical to the ones worn
 by the rest of her squad. However, regardless of the color of their hair,
 none of these young women looked happy to greet their unexpected visitors.
 If anything, they regarded Captain Picard and Chief Engineer La Forge with
 suspicion bordering on hostility.

 Janeway cleared her throat nervously and spoke first. "Captain Picard?"
 Her voice quavered slightly, suggesting she was having trouble believing
 what her eyes told her.

 "Ensign Janeway!" exclaimed Picard happily. At last he'd located one member
 of the missing landing parties sent to investigate this disaster area six
 months earlier. She nodded back solemnly and started to introduce herself
 formally along with the members of her squad ("This is Security Officer
 Tuvok ... Petty Officers Chakotay and Carey ...") but Picard cut her off
 impatiently after hearing only the names of those present. "Never mind
 introductions, I know you don't have time for socializing, so let me apologize
 straightaway for intruding upon your work. You shouldn't have to deal with
 distractions like this, but I assume you heard about the crisis aboard
 the Saratoga ? I need a qualified officer willing to help us locate an
 object beamed down to this continent shortly before the first attacks began.
 Do you think you can spare an extra hand?"

 Now Janeway shook her head sadly. "Sorry sir, this mission is classified
 and requires total secrecy. No exceptions allowed."

 "Classified?" echoed Picard incredulously. "What sort of idiot would try
 to conceal an investigation into multiple homicides? Doesn't Admiral Hanson
 realize how urgent this issue is?"

 As usual, Geordi stayed silent and watched intently, allowing others to
 speak for themselves whenever possible. This time, however, Janeway ignored
 the question and fixed her pale blue eyes squarely on the captain. "We
 appreciate your concern, sir, but your presence here represents a serious
 problem to my commanding officer. Maybe it would help clear things up for
 everyone if you explained why you decided to come here personally instead
 of sending a message asking for our assistance. Are you worried that the
 Saratoga 's crew might recover prematurely from their illness and decide
 to take matters into their own hands? Or have you received new orders concerning
 this incident?"

 La Forge frowned, clearly wanting to ask a number of questions of his own
 regarding how and why the Saratoga became trapped in orbit above this godforsaken
 planet. Unfortunately, the ensign's attitude left him little choice but
 to provide a complete explanation. "Actually, Mister La Forge and I didn't
 receive any special instructions from Starfleet

 ============== sample 7 =================

 The Klingons are attacking the planet Vulcan, and it’s up to you to help
 Spock save it.

 Spocks Brain was an interesting book in a number of ways; first off, I
 really enjoyed reading it because it had more character development than
 most Star Trek novels do. Most times they just use characters as devices
 for moving their plots forward but this one has a lot of good back story
 on the main three characters: Kirk, McCoy, and Spock. This is also a funny
 novel at parts. Usually humor isn’t something that comes naturally in a
 sci-fi environment like this so it was nice to see that side of these old
 familiar friends. And the plot itself was pretty solid too with some twists
 along the way. It kept me guessing right till the end which is saying alot
 since I read hundreds of books every year. So if your into science fiction
 or star trek I would recommend you give this one a try!

 ============== sample 8 =================

 This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard's Data Page

 Captain Jean-Luc Picard aboard the Enterprise D, in 2364. He is a Starfleet
 officer who commands this ship and its crew with diligence. With his calm
 attitude towards life he has gained not only the respect of other officers
 but also those under him. Picard was born on July 15th, 2305 to the parents
 Maurice & Yvette Crusher in LaBarre France, Earth. When he was seven years
 old he had been stung by ants which left him unconscious for several hours.
 His father felt that it would be safe if they stayed away from nature until
 they were sure what caused their son's collapse. Therefore his mother took
 him into the city where she met Professor Richard Galen, a specialist in
 exobiology. Picard became fascinated with the study of insects which made
 him interested in archaeological ruins as well which led him to join the
 team at Vulcanis Lunar University when he was fourteen years old. In 2327,
 while at Cambridge University studying astrophysics, Picard joined the
 Academy after being inspired by a talk given there by Admiral Richardson.
 During his time at the Academy he studied advanced physics, diplomacy,
 history, philosophy and engineering and graduated eighth out of eight thousand
 students. There he became close friends with fellow student Boothby. After
 graduating he served on board numerous ships including the USS Reliant
 (NCC-1864), Stargazer (his first command) and the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701D).

 Jean Luc Picard's Awards:

 Commendation for Conspicuous Gallantry

 Legion Of Honor Award

 Ribbon of Service

 For More Information On Captain Picard Visit Memory Alpha

 ============== sample 8 =================

 I am Lieutenant Commander Data. When Captain Picard was unavailable, the
 ship’s computer selected me to provide you with its response regarding
 your questions and concerns about the planet Mars.

 Let us begin by addressing some of the general issues raised in your letter.
 You asked what Starfleet knows about UFO sightings on Earth. It is true
 that many of our vessels have encountered alien spacecraft within Federation
 territory over the last three centuries. However, none of those encounters
 occurred during the late twentieth century or early twenty-first century,
 which are the time periods when most reported UFO sightings were logged.
 Therefore, it would be highly unlikely for a Starfleet vessel to have been
 involved in any such incidents at that time.

 You also expressed concern that Starfleet may not allow manned exploration
 missions to Mars until they can ensure there will be no interference from
 an extraterrestrial race. On this matter, we share your same goal—we all
 want humanity to reach out into the galaxy as soon as possible without
 unnecessary delays. The only thing slowing down this process has been the
 need to develop new technologies required for long distance travel through
 deep space. To aid in these efforts, Starfleet Command encourages researchers
 throughout United Earth to continue their work on propulsion systems based
 upon warp drive principles. We believe that once such technology becomes
 available to civilians outside Starfleet, then the dream of reaching other
 worlds beyond our Solar System will become reality. Until then, we must
 content ourselves to explore whatever planets lie closer to home.

 I hope my answers have provided you with additional clarification on these
 matters. Thank you again for writing.

 ============== sample 8 =================

 The Klingons are attacking, and it’s your job to save the world.

 That was my first ever experience of a video game; playing as Captain Kirk
 in an Atari arcade machine at the local amusement park. I had absolutely
 no idea what Star Trek or the term ‘Klingon’ meant, but that didn’t stop
 me from trying to fire phasers at them (and by firing phaser, I mean pushing
 button). If you want proof about how little I knew about this video game,
 just look back up – I thought Captain Picard was some kind of weird space
 monkey!

 Nowadays we have all manner of games at our fingertips. Whether they be
 on disc/cartridge/download, console/handheld/PC… and now with virtual reality
 headsets like Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, PlayStation VR, etc., gaming has gone
 through many changes over time since its beginnings. But one thing I can
 confirm is that for every great game there must be 10 terrible ones out
 there too. It seems unfair that so much money goes into making these things
 when most people would rather play something else altogether. So here are
 five examples of bad videogames which should never have been made.

 5) Superman 64 (Nintendo 64, 1999)

 I always remember reading somewhere that George Reeves, who played TV’s
 Man Of Steel during the late ’50s, was asked what his least favourite part
 about being involved in the series was and he simply said “flying”. Well
 if only someone could let him know not even Superman himself got a good
 deal when it came to flying around in a video game! After two years developing
 the title, the creators couldn’t get the flight mechanics working properly
 and instead decided to make Superman walk everywhere. And I do mean EVERYWHERE.
 Even during boss battles, where you have to keep shooting missiles until
 their energy bar runs out. Apart from occasional gliding sessions across
 Metropolis, our hero rarely gets off his feet and makes this adventure
 all the more tedious because of it.

 If anything, I feel sorry for Superman having to spend his life running
 errands for other characters throughout the entire game while Lex Luthor
 causes chaos and Supergirl does nothing to help her cousin whatsoever.
 How did this game manage to sell well? It even got nominated for awards!
 What were gamers thinking??

 SUPERMAN: They stole some kryptonite from STAR LABS.

 JOURNALIST #2: You mean you can’t fly anymore?

 SUPERMAN: Nope. That was the first level bug, and they haven’t fixed it
 yet…

 4) Shaq Fu (SNES & Sega Megadrive / Genesis, 1994)

 There may have been plenty of sports-themed video games based upon basketball
 players such as Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley, but none of those titles
 featured any elements of street fighting. Shaquille O’Neal became the next
 victim athlete turned actor after his appearance in Blue Chips alongside
 Nick Nolte, but before he tried his hand at acting he gave us ShaqFu, where
 Earth’s greatest defender must rescue a young boy called Nezu from the
 evil mummy Sett Ra. The storyline isn’t so bad, but the controls are horrifically
 stiff and the moves take ages to perform, leading to frustration against
 your opponents. I will say though that you get to fight a few celebrities
 including A Flock Of Seagulls lead singer Mike Score, Robert Clouse (director
 of Enter The Dragon), porn stars Poison Ivy and Ruby Rod (who also provided
 voices for Mortal Kombat II) and former US president Bill Clinton under
 the guise of Voodoo. The latter was changed to Santa Claus for the home
 versions due to copyright issues, hence why the special moves section features
 a Christmas tree on the SNES version.

 SHAQUILLE: Oh, hi guys. Um… listen, I think you might wanna go find Mario
 or Sonic. Heeeere comes Voodoo Bill!!

 3) Yo! Noid (Nintendo Entertainment System, 1990)

 This infamous title was actually created to promote Domino’s Pizza, featuring
 the company’s mascot Mr. Noid, who originally appeared in advertising campaign
 promoting the fact that their pizzas don’t contain MSG. This led to several
 problems later down the line, such as children calling 911 emergency services
 asking for help regarding the character, thus creating more work for real
 paramedics! However he soon found himself appearing in various formats
 including cartoon shows and comic books, but despite attempts to give him
 his own video game franchise, it wasn’t long before Mr. Noid fell from
 grace following accusations that his likeness encourages violence and drug
 use among teenagers. Although that hasn’t stopped the release of this classic
 piece of crap!

 To put it bluntly, Yo! Noid sucks hardcore. In fact, if you want any indication
 how bad this game is, then just watch the Angry Video Game Nerd review
 it. His criticisms pretty much sum everything up perfectly.

 MR NOID: Guys, come quick! One of my customers left without paying!

 MARIO & LUIGI: We ain’t getting outta bed unless we see fifty bucks on
 the table right away!!

 2) Big Rigs Over The Road Racing (Windows PC, 2003)

 A racing game where you drive big trucks competitively? Cool! … except
 when you compare it to Grand Turismo or Need For Speed Underground, games
 with similar concepts which offer better quality than this lump of junk.
 Not only is Big Rigs heavily unfinished, but the driving physics are awful
 and the graphics are appalling. There are hardly no obstacles or other
 vehicles apart from your main rival, meaning once you leave the start point,
 you’re basically driving towards the finish line alone.

 Perhaps the biggest problem with BROTTR is the fact that you cannot hit
 another vehicle no matter how hard you try. Seriously, ramming straight
 into another car head on doesn’t cause either driver to lose control. What
 kind of crazy logic is this? The makers claim that this is intended to
 prevent players causing damage to expensive machinery, but then again,
 wouldn’t the companies renting out the equipment for commercial use charge
 extra fees if damage occurs anyway? Either way, it makes the whole idea
 behind truck races completely redundant in the end. Still, it’s nice to
 know that you can turn your vehicle sideways whenever you wish…

 TRAFFIC WARDEN: Hey! Why aren’t you parking inside the correct bay?

 BIG RIG DRIVER: Look officer, sometimes rules need to be broken in order
 to win a race. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have important business elsewhere.
 *Drives off*

 1) E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial (Atari 2600, 1982)

 Although it wasn’t technically produced by Steven Spielberg, this particular
 waste of plastic and silicon received major publicity thanks to the legendary
 director’s name being attached to it. Sadly however, E.T.’s reputation
 became tarnished forever overnight due to negative reviews and poor sales.
 The failure of this product caused Warner Communications to suffer losses
 of $6 million, and combined with the market crash that occurred soon afterwards,
 the company’s involvement with video games ended almost immediately.

 It’s easy to understand how this mess happened. Firstly, the developers
 were given a six week deadline to produce the final product within, which
 led to various graphical errors and bugs. Secondly, the original concept
 design included four different maps for E.T. to explore, but because programmers
 feared that the game would become repetitive, they cut the number down
 to three, creating a ridiculously short playthrough instead. Finally, there’s
 the fact that the main goal of returning Elliott to the landing site in
 time is far too difficult considering the limited resources you have available
 to collect. As a result, less than half of the copies sold stayed boxed
 and unopened – mainly because consumers believed the hype surrounding the
 product without taking the opportunity to test it out themselves first.

 ELIMINATOR: [Having just landed on Earth] Hello there earthlings! My mission
 is to destroy you all and bring peace to my dying planet!

 ET: Greetings friend! Please allow me to show you to my spaceship so that
 we can return together and share our knowledge with each other’s civilizations.

 [They both climb aboard ship. Eliminator pushes a red switch, and ET explodes.]

 So there you have it folks. Five of the worst gaming experiences you could
 possibly encounter. Hopefully you lot won’t have to face any of these products
 now that you’ve read about them, although if you really wish to torture
 yourself, please feel free to pick these items up on eBay or Amazon. Or
 alternatively, just ask your parents if they still have any old consoles
 lying around!

 Tags: Atari

 ============== sample 9 =================

 This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard.

 Captain is a 5 year old male Border Collie mix who weighs about 40 pounds,
 but his foster mom calls him "her little giant". He was found as an owner
 surrender in the shelter with another dog and they were both very bonded
 to each other. They have since been separated because of behavioral issues
 that occurred when one would try to protect the other from being taken
 away or restrained by humans. It has become clear that Captain needs someone
 who will commit themselves to working on his separation anxiety so he can
 be reassured that no one will ever leave again. His current home and family
 members are gone all day between school / work / college classes, but it's
 not enough for this boy...he wants more! In addition to attention and love
 from people, what he really seems to want most is a job. There’s something
 about this guy that makes you think he used to herd sheep (or cats) before
 coming into rescue. When he first arrived at his fosters house, she had
 two young kittens running around which made them quite entertaining for
 him - especially once he figured out how to trap them under chairs! She
 quickly learned to keep him contained behind a baby gate because it took
 too much effort keeping him from playing rough. Since then, however, he
 has adjusted well, now even snuggles up with the whole cat clan! His favorite
 thing is still a good game of fetch – anytime, anywhere! His ball drive
 isn't obsessive either like some dogs; if you don't throw it, he will bring
 back whatever is nearest to play tug until the next time you do.

 This gentle soul would make just about anybody smile. His only fault: he
 doesn't understand why somebody wouldn't WANT to spend every moment together,
 preferably doing things like going on walks or practicing obedience commands
 or playing games. Because of this, his ideal adopter should live within
 driving distance of Rochester NY where he will receive help with his training
 through Adopt a Golden Atlanta's partnership with a licensed trainer there.
 If that sounds like YOU, please submit your application today. He deserves
 it!

 ============== sample 9 =================

 I am Lieutenant Commander Data.

 I'm a fan of Star Trek, and by extension, The Orville as well. My favourite
 series is Voyager (because Seven) closely followed by TNG.

 ============== sample 9 =================

 The Klingons are attacking the Federation worlds. All attempts at peace
 have failed and now the only thing left to do is fight! Join Captain Kirk,
 Mr Spock, Dr McCoy and Ensign Sulu as they battle their way through ten
 levels of intense action.

 Star Trek: Strategic Operations Simulator (also known simply as Star Trek)
 and its sequel were written by Edward Grabowski in 1982-3 for the TRS-80
 Color Computer. They both offer a first person starship bridge experience
 with real time combat against aliens. In this original game you can choose
 between three missions; "Convoy Protection", where your task is protect
 four convoys from enemy attacks until each has reached it's destination;
 "Search & Destroy" which involves finding and destroying an invisible enemy
 ship; or "Head To Head Combat" where two players compete against one another
 on two separate machines connected together via modems.

 You start off on the bridge view screen showing the Enterprise surrounded
 by stars. Pressing fire will bring up either weapons control, shields,
 scanner display, navigation chart, communicator or engineering stations
 screens. You must use all these views to plot courses, scan for enemies,
 raise/lower shields and power up phasers and photon torpedoes then aim
 them at approaching ships. The speedier Klingon vessels will quickly close
 into firing range if given half a chance so be sure to get those shields
 raised fast - although take care not to run out of energy too soon or your
 warp engines won't work when needed most! Once the shields are raised you
 can attempt to lock onto any enemy targets that appear using phaser control.
 This works best when the target is stationary but since incoming Klingons
 usually dart around erratically, try manually tracking them instead. Phasers
 do more damage than photon torpedos but require constant adjustment to
 remain locked upon moving objects whereas torps can be launched instantly
 upon acquisition of a suitable target; however, they tend to overshoot
 if fired at short ranges.

 The graphics here are superbly detailed considering the limitations of
 the CoCo hardware. A huge amount of effort clearly went into creating them
 and they do give quite an authentic feel when combined with the excellent
 sound effects used throughout the game. Sadly there isn't much background
 music present apart from some rather atmospheric introductory tones before
 starting play. There doesn't even seem to be any speech samples taken directly
 from the TV series despite several of the characters being featured in
 the manual illustration. This was a shame because it could easily have
 been implemented using the same technology available elsewhere on the machine.
 On the other hand, the actual gameplay does make up for this deficiency
 very well indeed!

 There aren't many games like this out there and Star Trek certainly stands
 as one of the finest examples ever produced for eight bit computers. It
 is also incredibly rare which makes finding copies difficult unless you
 manage to find a copy online; fortunately I did just that after searching
 for ages! The second installment (Ultimate Adventure) improves upon the
 storyline somewhat and offers better sound effects, extra features such
 as starbases and improved graphics overall however it wasn't programmed
 by Ed Grabowski himself and therefore lacks his polish. Still, if you enjoy
 playing this classic title then you should definitely check out Ultimate
 Adventure too..

 ============== sample 10 =================

 This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard in the 24th century

 This is Admiral James T. Kirk of Starfleet, commander of the USS Enterprise
 NCC-1701 in the 23rd century.

 Kirk was born on March 22nd, 2228 near a small town called Riverside, Iowa
 (Earth). He graduated from the Academy (a military service school) and
 became an officer in that branch known as "Starfleet." The commanding of
 starships is considered to be quite prestigious within this organization.
 His career took him along many interesting paths including his most recent
 assignment: captain of the newest vessel of our fleet, the USS Enterprise
 NCC-1701. She's one helluva ship!

 The starship Enterprise has been assigned to explore the galaxy for five
 years. Our mission is to make contact with lifeforms we have never met
 before throughout space. We are also charged with exploring strange worlds,
 seeking out new civilizations…and so forth. That kind of thing. On rare
 occassions, however, when all diplomatic efforts fail, it becomes necessary
 to defend ourselves against hostile aliens who may attempt to destroy us.
 Unfortunately there seems to have been more than just a few instances where
 we have had to resort to defending ourselves, but no matter how you look
 at it—we're still alive! It sure helps to have a resourceful captain like
 Jim Kirk at the helm too.

 Admiral Kirk retired from active duty aboard my flagship after he completed
 his famous Five Year Mission in Deep Space. Kirk later returned to Star
 Fleet Headquarters to become Commandant of Cadets and Chief Instructor
 of Advanced Tactical Training. During his tenure here I noticed several
 cadets were not making their training quota due to lack of motivation.
 There was only one solution which I believe saved these cadets' careers:
 assign them to serve under Mr. Spock! Well, they certainly learned discipline
 then! And Mr. Spock is always willing to teach anyone about Vulcan logic.

 I know Jim Kirk very well; actually I am his great grandfather. At least
 according to some theories involving time travel. But if you really want
 to get into all those technical details, then why don't you visit the STAR
 TREK Timeline page? It will help explain everything.

 ============== sample 10 =================

 I am Lieutenant Commander Data.

 It's been a few years since Star Trek: The Next Generation ended its seven-season
 run, but Brent Spiner hasn't forgotten his most famous character. In fact,
 the actor has recently taken to Twitter and Facebook with a series of posts
 that let him relive some of his favorite Data moments from TNG, as well
 as a pair of movies in which he appeared — Generations and First Contact.
 Here are a few highlights.

 ============== sample 10 =================

 The Klingons are attacking!

 Bill's Ramblings is a personal blog about life, the universe and everything.
 I don’t intend to keep it up-to-date with my latest activities; these will
 be scattered across my various other web sites (see links below). Here
 you can find thoughts on the world around me as well as some science fiction
 stories that I have written over the years.

 I also maintain several other websites:

 www.billsampson.co.uk - contains information about me plus details of my
 consultancy business.

 F1Plus.com – Formula 1 News and Opinion Site from an F1 fanatic

 The Virtual Worldlets Project at www.worldlets.net - This project has been
 dormant for many years but may yet rise again in another form.

 My main hobby apart from writing science fiction is Formula One motor racing
 and the associated technology behind this sport. My interest in such things
 goes back to childhood when I constructed Airfix kits and built model boats
 powered by rubber bands or small electric motors. My father took me out
 into our garden where he had installed a concrete pond and switched the
 boat on before handing her over to me. He then jumped into his car and
 drove off leaving me to get soaked through in seconds before having to
 wade into the middle of the pond to retrieve both myself and the now submerged
 vessel (which I believe was still running)

 Later I graduated to radio controlled models which I flew at the local
 park. These were very basic affairs using simple two channel transmitters
 although much more complex equipment was available even in those days.
 As I grew older and started earning money I became interested in photography
 and bought a Pentax Spotmatic camera together with a variety of lenses
 including one especially suited for close focusing and photographing tiny
 insects etc. Some of my early efforts weren't too bad.

 In my teens I discovered girls and cars. For a while I owned a yellow Mini
 Cooper S. This was followed by a red Ford Capri XLR after which I joined
 the ranks of those who own VW Beetles. I didn't really want the Volkswagen
 but I couldn't afford anything else at the time. In fact that old Beetle
 served me quite faithfully until its demise due to rust a few years later.
 After that came various other vehicles none of them particularly exciting.
 At least not compared to the Ferrari Testarossa that I once owned briefly
 during my fantasy hours of play. It all happened something like this.

 I was driving along thinking what fun it would be if only I could go faster
 than the speed limit allowed. A glance at the instrument panel told me
 that the needle hadn't moved beyond sixty miles per hour and there wasn't
 room to do any passing manoeuvres anyway since we were stuck nose to tail
 in heavy traffic going into town. That's when I decided that I needed a
 fast car - perhaps even a supercar. Something capable of cruising effortlessly
 at twice the legal maximum speed here in the UK. Of course I knew that
 such vehicles were way outside of my price range. Unless of course I won
 the lottery. Or struck lucky playing bingo on TV... or maybe found a hidden
 treasure map leading to a secret hoard buried away somewhere. I used to
 read lots of adventure books when I was young. Maybe someone in real life
 hid their fortune away just like they did at the end of every chapter in
 Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island. No doubt there'd be skeletal
 remains nearby too. But I digress....

 As I said earlier I was driving along day dreaming - lost in thought. Suddenly
 reality smacked me in the face as a large black vehicle pulled alongside
 mine. There was no mistaking that front grille and bonnet scoop. Even though
 I had never seen one before I recognised it immediately - a Ferrari Testarossa!
 What sort of idiot drives such a monster around a congested city centre?
 Well actually it seems to make perfect sense because nothing moves quickly
 enough to collide with him despite his high rate of progress through the
 crowded streets. And the noise from the twin exhausts doesn't seem to bother
 anyone either. It probably sounds sweet music to them in comparison with
 the racket emitted by most of the vehicles being driven around here today.
 To think that if I owned that car then all eyes would turn towards me whenever
 I passed by. Everyone would want to talk to me and ask how I managed to
 acquire such a beautiful machine. They wouldn't care whether I had earned
 sufficient income honestly or otherwise provided I got rich quick and stayed
 that way. Not everyone could drive a Testarossa but maybe they might try
 to buy one of my paintings instead - assuming of course that I made art
 instead of merely looking at it. Then I could retire to live on the proceeds.
 Unfortunately I haven't picked up a brush to apply paint to canvas since
 schooldays and even then it was just part of the normal curriculum. I don't
 remember producing anything worthwhile. So why should people pay good money
 for stuff that I painted today? Especially if said work was created without
 benefit of talent training or tuition of any kind. Perhaps if I had attended
 Art College I might stand a chance of making a living out of painting pictures.
 However that seemed unlikely given current circumstances. Anyway I don't
 know how long it takes to complete each piece of work nor how much it costs
 to produce the paints required. If the latter turned out to be expensive
 then I wouldn't sell anything unless I charged accordingly. In addition
 I would require plenty of space to store completed works prior to sale.
 Which meant renting an empty factory unit or similar - hopefully with a
 parking place out front big enough to take the Ferrari. Hmmm. I'll call
 this plan Beta Version One Point Zero and come back to it at a later date
 if necessary. I wonder if I can patent ideas that originate whilst day
 dreaming? On second thoughts maybe that isn't wise. You never know what
 strange thoughts enter your head when your brain is engaged idle mode.

 So I went home and forgot all about the supercar idea for the next couple
 of weeks. Until one evening whilst watching television when I spotted an
 advertisement offering a competition prize consisting of £50k cash or a
 brand new Italian sports car. Hmmmm..... Now we're talking serious money
 here! All I had to do was purchase an entry ticket costing twenty pounds
 sterling. Oh dear. Where am I supposed to find that amount of spare pocket
 money? Ah yes - selling a kidney perhaps? Nah - I've already got two of
 those whereas I suspect that most people would settle for owning just one
 organ less. Besides that operation wouldn't leave me with much change left
 over for petrol even assuming that I'd paid the garage mechanic peanuts
 for fitting the replacement engine when it arrived courtesy of Ferrari
 dealers in Maranello. Alternatively I suppose I could sell my house although
 the estate agents fees would surely eat into the overall profit margin
 when calculating the net gain achieved thereby. Or maybe I could borrow
 the money from a loan shark and somehow repay them within six months without
 losing any limbs or vital organs in the process. Yeah right. Like that's
 gonna happen. Still I reckoned that my chances of winning must be better
 than the odds offered by the National Lottery. Provided that I didn't suffer
 from any adverse effects caused by eating fish pie for dinner three nights
 ago....

 A week later I received notification informing me that unfortunately I
 had failed to win first prize in the competition. Not surprising really
 although I did feel slightly disappointed when reading the letter. Hadn't
 I done exactly what they asked me to do? Send my cheque/postal order/cash
 payment accompanied by the correctly filled out coupon(s)? Indeed I had
 taken great trouble composing the entries and ensuring that my name and
 contact address were printed neatly and legibly upon them. Surely it could
 not have escaped attention once inside the organisational headquarters
 for verification purposes? Was nobody interested in awarding me the consolation
 prize of five grand which would at least enable me to replace parts of
 the roof leaking water onto my bedroom floor? Not if the accompanying literature
 proved correct when stating that I'd automatically receive the smaller
 reward as compensation for missing out on the larger sum. Hey! Five thousand
 pounds is five thousand pounds - no matter how you look at it. Just think
 how quickly I could spend that amount on clothes, holidays abroad, flash
 cars, fine wine & dining, visits to posh restaurants and dates with exotic
 ladies! And then there was always my favourite pastime of buying lots of
 lovely new computer games to play (and review on my website naturally)
 rather than relying on ancient software purchased at rock bottom prices
 via auction sites. Mind you the majority of current releases bore little
 resemblance to the classic titles produced during previous decades. Modern
 designers favoured fancy graphics with special sound capabilities over
 plot development and gameplay. So often I felt compelled to switch off
 whatever console I was employing simply because it contained no challenge
 to hold my attention. How I missed the good old days of ZX Spectrum, BBC
 Microcomputer, Commodore Amiga and Acorn Archimedes systems! Not to mention
 the many other platforms I grew familiar with during the eighties and nineties.

 On

 ============== sample 11 =================

 This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard, reporting from the bridge of Starship
 Enterprise. It’s a pleasure to be here on Earth Day 2016 with my colleagues
 in Starfleet Command and our friends at NASA.

 Earth Day started in America over forty years ago; it was established as
 an annual day for people around the world to appreciate the wonders of
 nature that sustain us all – and for humanity to pledge continued support
 for protecting this amazingly beautiful planet we call home. The Federation
 has learned much about preserving what Mother Nature gave you. Today will
 give me a chance to share some of those lessons with an old friend… Mr.
 Data. And perhaps learn something new myself!

 ============== sample 11 =================

 I am Lieutenant Commander Data, Designated Android. My primary function
 is to serve as an operations officer aboard Starfleet vessels assigned
 to deep space exploration missions

 Data was a Soong-type android – the first and only one of his kind ever
 created before the development of the less advanced B-4 positronic brain.
 (Star Trek: The Next Generation; "Inheritance") Data's construction began
 in Omicron Theta around 2327. He was found by Jean-Luc Picard on the colony
 planet in 2364 where he had been activated approximately thirty years earlier.
 (TNG: "Datalore", "Brothers"; Star Trek Generations) According to Federation
 records, no other Soong type android has been registered or observed since
 that encounter. (DS9: "The Ascent"). In actuality it seems Dr Noonien Soong
 himself continued working with the technology for decades after this initial
 activation. Indeed at least three more Soongs were built including Lore,
 Juliana Tainer and B-4. It could be possible though that they are not considered
 'Soong Type' due to their lacking certain aspects such as emotion chip
 compatibility.

 The term "Android" describes a humanoid robot designed to resemble a human
 being. They have appeared prominently in science fiction since its earliest
 days, but can also appear in fantasy settings. Some writers prefer to use
 different terms; for example cyborg, bioroid, mechanoids, etc.

 ============== sample 11 =================

 The Klingons are attacking! Or maybe not. The Enterprise crew must find
 the answer as a mysterious power drains the ship's energy and weapons,
 with no apparent source.

 Page Six: "The Trouble With Tribbles"

 ============== sample 12 =================

 This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard's page. He wrote me a letter (and I have
 the original envelope it came in, which he signed as well), but I didn't
 write him back because I was too shy at the time.

 This is my original Star Trek: The Next Generation cast poster. It's getting
 kind of ragged since it has been up for so long, and some of them are gone
 now anyways (aside from Patrick Stewart). I also have autographs on this
 from Marina Sirtis ("Deanna Troi") and Jonathan Frakes ("William Riker").

 ============== sample 12 =================

 I am Lieutenant Commander Data, a cybernetic life form.

 I was created by Doctor Noonian Soong and found by the crew of the Enterprise.

 I live aboard the USS Enterprise NCC 1701-D with Captain Picard, Riker,
 Dr Crusher, Worf, LaForge, Troy and Guinan as we embark on our mission
 to discover new worlds in the galaxy.

 ============== sample 12 =================

 The Klingons are attacking a Federation outpost. Starfleet has assigned
 you to protect the outpost and keep it operational at all costs!

 This game is based on the 1974 Avalon Hill boardgame of the same name,
 but includes some slight variations in rules as well as new artwork (courtesy
 of Chris Moffitt).

 ============== sample 13 =================

 This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the Federation starship Enterprise.
 It's a little hard to explain... I think we have beamed aboard an alien
 vessel, and its crew has beamed over to our ship.

 This Star Trek: The Next Generation novel takes place during season 4 between
 "The Mind's Eye" and "In Theory".

 Aboard the Enterprise, Picard discovers that his chief engineer Geordi
 La Forge has been kidnapped from Ten Forward by a group called the Veska,
 who claim he is one of their people and demand compensation for returning
 him. They want something other than money—something only the ship's android
 officer Data can provide!

 ============== sample 13 =================

 I am Lieutenant Commander Data of the Starship Enterprise.

 I have been ordered to keep this personal log by Captain Picard as a means
 of improving my ability to interact with humans on an emotional level;
 it is hoped that keeping such a record will make me more self-aware and
 therefore able to relate better, both socially and in terms of communicating
 thoughts or feelings which may be difficult for organic life forms to comprehend.

 Data’s Log was created using the MyLife Organiser WordPress theme framework.

 ============== sample 13 =================

 The Klingons are attacking with everything they have!

 I want my own ship to command. I had a good teacher, and now it's time
 for me to move on. There is no greater challenge than this. And if we succeed...
 the rewards will be beyond imagining.

 ============== sample 14 =================

 This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard's new ship in the first season of Star
 Trek: The Next Generation.

 I have been a big fan of the series ever since I was 12 years old and my
 father introduced me to it with TOS (The Original Series). My favourite
 character would be Patrick Stewart as he always played his part with such
 grace, especially when he got angry!

 This kit comes on four runners which all include parts for different incarnations
 of this iconic starship including two shuttlecrafts that came after season
 one. These were used by Data and Worf respectively.

 The quality of the plastic is not fantastically brilliant but still good
 enough to make a decent model out of them. There are also some very small
 components like the decal sheet so you will need to take your time building
 these models if you want to get everything right. There is no instruction
 booklet included so there are only images provided at each step. Some might
 find this hard going with limited technical skills; however this should
 not discourage anyone from making their own custom versions of these ships.

 ============== sample 14 =================

 I am Lieutenant Commander Data of the USS Enterprise, personal property
 of Captain Jean-Luc Picard. One day last month he called me into his ready
 room for a private discussion, which is transcribed as follows:

 "Data," said the captain, "I have been informed that there will be an inspection
 visit by Starfleet Command next week."

 My positronic brain automatically cross referenced this information with
 my internal chronometer and replied, "You are correct sir; Admiral Nakamura
 of Earth's Pacific Fleet arrives in six days on stardate 42357.8 to inspect
 the entire ship. He has requested a meeting with you at thirteen hundred
 hours on arrival day. In addition, he wishes an immediate tour of all key
 areas of the vessel immediately afterward."

 Picard raised one eyebrow almost imperceptibly. His face betrayed no emotion.
 "Do you know why?"

 "No sir, but your orders were quite specific to prepare the ship for full
 review. Crew rotations are scheduled throughout the ship so all personnel
 can participate fully during Admiral Nakamura's presence here."

 His brow creased slightly as if he was unsure whether or not to proceed
 further. Finally, he spoke.

 "Mr. Worf has had some difficulty adjusting since returning from extended
 leave of absence. Have you noticed anything out of the ordinary about him
 lately?"

 The android part of my programming made a quick analysis of recent events
 regarding our Klingon security officer. My organic parts took over and
 responded, "Sometimes when Mr. Worf is off duty he seems unusually saddened.
 It appears that he misses Alexander very much. When he does see Alex he
 appears more cheerful than usual. Perhaps it would help if they spent time
 together."

 "That might do some good. Thank you, Mr. Data. You may go."

 After leaving the captain's quarters I thought about what I could do to
 relieve Worf 's present distress. After careful consideration I decided
 to take action.

 Worf appeared somewhat surprised when I approached him later that afternoon
 in Ten Forward and asked, "How are you feeling today? Is everything going
 well between yourself and the boy?"

 He frowned slightly before answering, "Alexander is doing fine. We seem
 to get along better now that we spend less time together. Why do you ask?"

 I proceeded cautiously. "It seemed to me that seeing Alexander cheered
 you up. What if I arranged a surprise for both of you? Would you like that?"

 Now his eyes lit up in anticipation. "Yes! That sounds wonderful!"

 I smiled broadly. "Good! Leave it to me then."

 Within twenty four hours Data located a holodeck program entitled The Three
 Musketeers. He modified it using holographic images of himself, Lt. Worf,
 and young Alexander Rozhenko. Then he sent word asking them both to meet
 him in Holodeck Two. They arrived simultaneously and entered without speaking
 to each other. As soon as the doors closed behind them, the simulation
 began.

 Once inside the room our heroes found themselves in a French tavern in
 1600 A.D., where a crowd filled with drunken revelry. Dashing swordsmen
 swaggered through the doorway while beautiful women watched intently from
 their tables. Suddenly a man dressed entirely in black strode into the
 center of the bar. Everyone stopped whatever they were doing and stared
 at him expectantly. Finally, a woman stood up slowly and walked toward
 him.

 She bowed low in front of the stranger and murmured quietly, "Monsieur
 Aramis, I beg you to come home with me tonight. Your wife implores the
 favor." The tall dark figure did not reply. Instead he turned around quickly
 and left the establishment without saying another word.

 Everything returned to normal once again within moments. Men resumed drinking
 heavily and fighting among themselves. Women continued flirtatious behavior
 towards anyone who looked remotely attractive. Our three protagonists wandered
 through the chaos, looking puzzled until several guards grabbed them suddenly
 and threw them out onto the street. At first everyone appeared confused
 and disorientated. But Alexander saw something and pointed excitedly down
 the road.

 A carriage pulled by two horses raced past them followed closely by several
 mounted men carrying long spears. All wore red uniforms emblazoned with
 gold crests. Behind them rode Monsieur Aramis and a handsome youth whose
 armor sparkled brightly underneath the moonlight. A third rider trotted
 alongside the duo shouting loudly, trying desperately to capture their
 attention.

 When the noise dissipated completely, the trio realized they recognized
 the scene playing itself out before them. Young Alexander grinned widely
 and exclaimed happily, "We must be in France. This looks just like a novel
 I read recently!"

 Everyone nodded approvingly as they watched the drama unfold. Soon a small
 group of travelers entered at stage right. Amongst these newcomers marched
 none other than Cardinal Richelieu! The evil clergy member whispered furtively
 with another cloaked figure standing nearby. Their conversation ended abruptly
 as the cardinal stormed out of sight backstage. Meanwhile the second person
 removed her heavy outer garments revealing herself to be a slender blonde
 woman in a blue satin gown. She moved gracefully across the courtyard and
 joined our team silently.

 All five headed directly for the palace gates hoping to find employment
 somehow. Along the way they discovered that Rochefort was planning to assassinate
 King Louis XIII. However just prior to entering the building they encountered
 Athos, Porthos, and D'Artagnan already inside. Naturally our heroes tried
 to stop the murder attempt, but failed miserably due to the fact that none
 of them knew how to use weapons properly except for Data (who could have
 saved the king easily). Despite their best efforts, the king died anyway,
 forcing our heroes to flee from authorities.

 Unfortunately their flight led directly towards the Cardinal who held a
 banquet in honor of the dead monarch. While attending the dinner party
 our team learned of Milady de Winter's treachery against Queen Anne, as
 well as her plans to kill Dartagnan. Immediately upon hearing that news
 Alex jumped to his feet and demanded vengeance. Fortunately Rochmont intervened
 just in time to prevent bloodshed in the middle of the feast. Unfortunately
 he also arrested our quartet for being spies.

 They met Athos, Porthos, D'Artagnon, and Constance Bonarcat in prison shortly
 afterwards. Together they plotted an escape plan involving Milady de Winter's
 secret passageways hidden beneath the castle walls. Once free from custody
 everyone fled to England, where they hoped to make fresh starts away from
 the tyranny of Cardinal Richelieu . Unfortunately Milady followed them
 and tried to frame Athos for attempting to steal jewels belonging to the
 queen. Just as she prepared to unmask him publicly, however, Lord Buckingham
 interrupted with a startling announcement. Before the astonished audience
 Buckingham revealed that Anne was really Lady De Winter!

 Our band of adventures hastened towards Calais in order to obtain boats
 sailing back to France. On the road they met Raoul, Athos' son, who accompanied
 them to the seaport despite great fears by his father. Here they managed
 to rent a boat large enough for everyone. Sailors loaded the supplies on
 board quickly, anxious to be paid and dismissed.

 On the voyage back to Paris the company met with an unexpected calamity--a
 violent storm that threatened to capsize the craft. Somehow the brave voyagers
 survived the night, only to discover on awakening that they had landed
 on a sandbar surrounded by rocks on either side. Water levels dropped rapidly,
 rendering any chance of moving impossible. Several crewmembers attempted
 to climb ashore only to fall into the water and perish miserably. Others
 remained trapped below deck unable to reach safety because of the rising
 tide. Eventually they too succumbed to exhaustion and death.

 Finally the remaining castaways floated safely to dry ground. There they
 recovered strength sufficient to continue journeying forward. Upon reaching
 Paris they separated, vowing never to lose touch of each other. With renewed
 resolve everyone went about finding work, settling down, starting families,
 etc.

 At least they did initially...

 French soldiers invaded England suddenly two years later. Most of the characters
 escaped to different countries where they lived peacefully for many decades.
 Unfortunately Lord De Winter, Cardinal Richelieu , Milady de Winter, and
 her brother Comte Mordaunt suffered tragically brutal ends in France.

 Meanwhile back aboard the Enterprise, Captain Picard received a private
 communication from Admiral Nakamura requesting his attendance at special
 conference. He instructed Counselor Troi to contact Starfleet Headquarters
 via subspace transmission immediately. Within minutes a message came back
 confirming his appointment along with a file containing the agenda items
 to be discussed.

 Jean Luc studied the list briefly before calling Will Riker to his office.
 "Number One, I want you in command of the bridge tomorrow morning. You
 are authorized to conduct regular duties until further notice."

 Riker hesitated momentarily, then

 ============== sample 14 =================

 The Klingons are attacking a starbase and want it destroyed.

 The Starfleet captain is forced to make a decision, fight back or surrender?
 He chooses to fight but the USS Enterprise comes to their rescue. Kirk
 wants Khan on board his ship so he can use him as leverage against Kor
 who has been harassing the Federation for some time now. Spock doesn’t
 trust Khan and feels that they should be keeping an eye out for any tricks
 from him…Spock was right!

 Kirk: “Sometimes a feeling is all we humans have to go on.”

 ============== sample 15 =================

 This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard.

 We are the Borg; resistance is futile, your biological and technological
 distinctiveness will be added to our own. You will adapt to service us.

 You've heard this message before! It was spoken by a cyborg in Star Trek:
 The Next Generation when they met for the first time — but it was also
 the same message that the Apostle Paul received from God on his way to
 Damascus … Continue reading

 ============== sample 15 =================

 I am Lieutenant Commander Data of the United States Starship Enterprise.
 This is my personal log, stardate 46852.

 I've been ordered by Captain Picard to observe and document a "family reunion"
 in Ten-Forward this evening. The occasion was arranged by our ship's counselor
 at the request of one Dr. Crusher, whose son Wesley has returned for an
 unscheduled visit after being away from home for five months. In his own
 words:

 "Wesley! What are you doing here?"

 "Well," said Mr. Crusher, "we got permission to disembark on Arvada III,
 so we decided to surprise you!"

 It seems that young Wesley has embraced his newfound freedom with alacrity;
 he took up residence on board a science vessel called the U.S.S. Hood without
 telling anyone where they were going or when they would return. His mother
 did not look pleased upon hearing this news, nor did she appear happy about
 her son's choice of attire:

 "You haven't changed your clothes since you left the Academy."

 Mr. Crusher replied that his wardrobe had shrunk considerably during their
 voyage, causing Counselor Troi to respond with laughter (to which both
 parents seemed annoyed). Dr. Crusher then commented on how much thinner
 her son looked, eliciting more chuckles from the counselor as well as myself
 -- though I quickly suppressed them in deference to etiquette.

 The conversation continued apace, but due to its pedestrian nature it does
 not seem worthwhile to recount any further details. It will suffice to
 say that it was quite awkward.

 ============== sample 15 =================

 The Klingons are attacking!

 Blast your way through 8 levels of intense action.

 Shoot down wave after wave of enemy ships, then face off against the meanest
 mother ship in all the galaxy — a battle that is almost certain to cost
 you half your fighters... or more! (But don't worry — there will be plenty
 more where they came from!)

 ============== sample 16 =================

 This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the U.S.S Enterprise, and I’m here to
 tell you why you should vote for Barack Obama!

 We need an intelligent president who will restore our reputation abroad
 – not just another politician that wears a funny hat (and has a weird name).
 And besides, he looks good in a uniform.

 ============== sample 16 =================

 I am Lieutenant Commander Data of the Federation Starship Enterprise. The
 ship’s computer is not available at this time and therefore, by force of
 circumstance, I must use a keyboard to type my report.

 The captain has asked me to write an account of our mission as experienced
 from my perspective so that he can gain insight into how we functioned
 in our efforts to find out why two starships have disappeared inside the
 Typhon Expanse.

 I do not know if this will help him since he was present for all the events
 related herein; however, I shall endeavor to make it as complete as possible,
 but please be aware that there may be some omissions due to the limitations
 of my memory systems. Nevertheless, I feel confident you should glean enough
 information from what follows to provide you with a thorough understanding
 of everything that transpired during these recent weeks. In fact, now that
 I consider more carefully the enormity of the task before me, perhaps I
 had better start at the beginning . . .

 ============== sample 16 =================

 The Klingons are attacking a Federation colony. A call has gone out to
 the Enterprise for help, but as they approach the planet they see that
 it is being bombarded by 200 Klingon ships and there’s nothing they can
 do except watch helplessly from above.

 This was how Star Trek V ended – not with a bang or whimper, just a shrug
 of “oh well”. It seems like a fitting end to what many consider one of
 the weakest entries in all of Trekkie-dom. I feel bad about admitting this,
 because Shatner directed it, wrote some of it (along with another writer),
 and stars in it. But let’s face facts: most people will tell you that STV
 blows goats.

 I have always been very protective of William Shatner. He was Captain Kirk!
 That made him God. Even when he did TJ Hooker, my friend Eric and I would
 make fun of his line delivery, but we still watched every week without
 fail, hoping against hope that something good would happen on the show.
 When he attempted music – with two albums full of spoken word songs – we
 were at least glad he tried. We had to laugh though; come on, he was speaking
 over top of music, not actually singing. It wasn’t easy listening, but
 we laughed along anyway. So when I saw that SHATNER WAS DIRECTING MOVIES,
 I almost peed myself. This could be awesome! Then… it happened.

 Star Trek V: The Final Frontier came out in 1989 and was immediately met
 with derision and scorn. There was much anger towards it, some of which
 seemed unfair, but mostly it was deserved. You see, Paramount Pictures
 didn’t want anything to do with directing any more Star Trek movies after
 IV (The Voyage Home). They had felt burnt twice already (STII & III) since
 they hadn’t gotten enough return back on their investment. However, after
 the massive success of STIV, where everyone loved seeing the crew time
 travel into our past instead of exploring future worlds/technology, Paramount
 went ahead with making STV. Unfortunately, they pulled their money and
 told Shatner if he wanted to make it on his own dime he was welcome to.
 And so he did.

 Shatner took Paramount up on their offer to use whatever sets / costumes
 etc they left laying around for free and started shooting the movie. One
 look at the opening scene should tell anyone watching exactly why this
 turned out horrible. After an introduction where we learn that Sybok (the
 character played by Laurence Luckinbill who looks like David Carradine
 and sounds like Christopher Walken) wants to find God through painful visions
 in other people's minds while riding ostriches across sand dunes and having
 sex with green women aliens, we cut to Shatner himself on horseback. He
 comes galloping into frame, yelling "Yeehaw!" while holding a rifle. Not
 only does he have a cowboy hat on, but also a red bandana tied around his
 neck. In case we don't get that he's supposed to be playing someone living
 on the frontier, he stops mid ride and pulls out binoculars... then says
 "What the hell is THAT?". What it is turns out to be the U.S.S. Enterprise
 floating in space. Yes, THE ENTERPRISE IN SPACE! HOW DID HE SEE IT?! Was
 it really necessary to start the movie off on such a ridiculous note? Did
 he think that viewers wouldn't recognize it without being told specifically
 WHAT it was??

 Anyway, it turns out that the ship is under Spock's command now. Oh sure,
 Kirk is in charge again eventually, but initially everything is run by
 Mr. Pointy Ears himself. Why? Well, apparently no one thought it weird
 that James T. Kirk would ever take a vacation. Of course, the reason given
 is that he’s taking time off to climb mountains and commune with nature.
 Right. Because if anyone doesn’t need to take down time it’s the person
 who saved Earth from Khan. Whatever the real reason may be for giving Spock
 control of the Enterprise (and letting Scotty be his first officer), it
 becomes evident early on that the whole thing is a giant ego trip for Bill
 Shatner. His name appears before everyone else in the credits, even Leonard
 Nimoy who basically plays second banana throughout the entire film. At
 times it feels like Shatner is trying too hard and at others it simply
 feels that the whole production is beneath him. Like he thinks he deserves
 better than the material he’s working with. Perhaps he does, perhaps he
 doesn’t, either way it makes the experience unpleasant.

 Now, it needs to be said that STV isn’t completely awful. There are several
 things wrong with it, yes, but overall it’s not quite the disaster it’s
 cracked up to be. For example, David Warner shows up as St John Talbot,
 the head of the hostages on the planet that gets destroyed. In fact, pretty
 much every actor that you might know pops up here somewhere. From David
 L. Lander (Laverne & Shirley fame) to Brock Peters (To Kill A Mockingbird);
 from Cynthia Gouw (RoboCop) to Spice Williams (Black Scorpion); from Bradford
 Dillman (Escape From The Planet of the Apes) to Charles Cooper (Wild Wild
 West TV series)...there are far too many recognizable faces here to list
 them all, but suffice to say that it's obvious that Shatner called in some
 favors during casting.

 So what about the story itself? Doesn't it sound interesting? An evil cult
 leader wants to find paradise, so he hijacks the most famous starship ever
 built, kidnaps her captain, uses her crew to pilot the vessel to the center
 of the universe, and then tries to communicate with God Himself? Sure it
 does! On paper, it must've even sounded plausible. Too bad none of it translates
 onto screen very well. The main problem is that the script needed to be
 trimmed significantly. Half of what happens serves little purpose except
 to add minutes to the running time. Another huge gaffe is relegating McCoy
 to comic relief status. This is DeForrest Kelly we're talking about - the
 man who portrayed Dr. McCoy for 5 TV seasons AND four feature films. Yet
 somehow McCoy is reduced to a silly old coot whose best lines involve saying
 “Dammit Jim!” repeatedly until it became annoying. If these two problems
 alone had been fixed, the rest of the shortcomings would’ve meant less
 and possibly led to a slightly more entertaining final product.

 Still, despite its faults, there IS stuff worth recommending here. As mentioned
 previously, David Warner gives a solid performance as a holy man. Unlike
 Laurence Luckinbill, who often comes across as campy and forced, Warner
 infuses his scenes with conviction and emotion. While the rest of the cast
 seem lost at sea half the time, he is clearly enjoying himself immensely.
 Even when he breaks down crying at one point, he handles it perfectly.
 By contrast, Luckinbill fails miserably whenever he attempts to display
 raw emotion. It feels false and phoned in every single moment. Also worth
 mentioning are the special effects. ILM returns once again to lend their
 talents to the franchise and thankfully they bring their 'A game'. Many
 of the sequences here actually hold water today, especially the ones involving
 flying vehicles and laser battles. Overall, things are handled competently
 in terms of visual spectacle.

 As for the Blu Ray release, it's a mixed bag. First, the video transfer
 is superlative. Colors are vivid, detail is sharp, black levels deep, and
 the image is clean and clear. No complaints there. Audio is presented in
 Dolby TrueHD lossless format and is excellent. Every musical cue and effect
 rings true and dialogue is never difficult to hear. Extras include commentary
 tracks, deleted scenes, trailers, and documentaries. Not a lot considering
 all that could've easily been included, but it'll probably satisfy fans
 nonetheless.

 In closing, it pains me to admit that Star Trek V disappoints more often
 than it succeeds. I wish it weren't true, but unfortunately it is. Still,
 due to the amount of effort put forth by those involved, plus the inclusion
 of fan favorite moments (such as Spock telling Kirk "You asked for it."),
 I'm willing to give it a pass. Barely.

 ============== sample 17 =================

 This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the USS Enterprise. We're in orbit around
 your planet, and will soon be landing to commence discussions with you
 as part of First Contact protocols.

 The rest was standard stuff - who we are, where we come from (the Federation),
 what our mission here on this planet is... I don't know why first contacts
 always put me in mind of job interviews, but they do.

 A few minutes later, a voice came back through my headphones: "Captain?
 Can we speed things up?"

 "This isn't going so well," said Data. He had been monitoring the alien
 frequencies while I made contact. "They seem agitated."

 I turned off the com channel that connected us to their surface facilities.
 They were probably trying to signal us at this very moment. Damned if I
 would respond until I knew more about what kind of people these were. The
 last thing I needed right now was some sort of diplomatic incident.

 Data swivelled round towards Troi, his face impassive. "Can you sense any
 emotional responses?"

 She looked uncertain. "It's difficult to tell - there is definitely something
 strong coming from them, but it feels rather odd..." Her brow furrowed.

 Worf entered the bridge at that point. "All security personnel report ready
 for duty, sir. In case there should prove to be hostile life forms down
 on the surface."

 I nodded. "Good work, Mr Worf. But let's see how this goes before we start
 arming ourselves."

 We didn't have long to wait. From nowhere, another vessel shot out into
 space ahead of the shuttlecraft, forcing Riker's pilot to veer sharply
 away. It must have been cloaked somehow, because nothing like that showed
 up on our scanners, not even after we tried various enhancements.

 "Damn!" muttered Geordie. "If only those sensors weren't still being repaired..."
 he trailed off, looking somewhat guilty.

 Rogue vessels are one thing; rogue planets are quite another!

 Troi's hands flew over her controls. "Sensors reading an energy field surrounding
 the ship - similar to those used by Romulan warbirds." She glanced across
 at Worf. "Do Klingons use such technology, Lieutenant?" she asked.

 He shook his head, grimacing slightly. Somehow, all of this seemed wrong
 to him too. I couldn’t help wondering whether I ought to order him back
 below decks – send him home to Qo’noS or somewhere safe; make excuses about
 having no choice due to his lack of experience. Then again, it hardly paid
 to worry about such hypothetical situations whilst we were under attack.

 “Full weapons status?” snapped Will. His eyes darted between Tasha, Data
 and myself in turn.

 Somewhere nearby, the sound of phasers firing filled the air. A quick glance
 at the screen confirmed that the battle was drawing closer. On board the
 shuttlecraft, Riker held tight onto its flight stick as manoeuvred carefully
 against the enemy vessel, dodging laser blasts left right and centre.

 "Take evasive action!" ordered Will urgently.

 The Enterpise lurched forward just as the other ship fired upon us once
 more. Lights flickered and died overhead. If we took much more damage we
 might need the services of Chief O’Brien down in Engineering sooner than
 expected. Not good news either way.

 A chill rippled along my spine as I remembered my own encounter with a
 transporter beam. The thought of finding myself suddenly transported into
 unfamiliar territory without warning… The fact that I had survived such
 a horrific experience did little to reassure me. Indeed, I found myself
 wishing fervently that none of my crew might ever find themselves caught
 up in such a terrifying situation.

 Of course, when Riker went missing I hadn't realised then how close to
 reality my fears actually were. Although I suppose that's often the way
 with prophetic dreams. At least Deanna has managed to keep them at bay
 since we met, though sometimes I wonder how I would cope without her calming
 influence.

 As a Starfleet commander, I am trained never to give up hope. Still, I
 could not deny that the search for Commander William T Riker felt increasingly
 hopeless. How many light years deep into enemy territory had we travelled
 already? And yet still no sign of him anywhere. Only dead ends, blind alleys,
 false leads - each one leading to further frustration and disappointment.

 Might Will simply have gone beyond our reach forever? Was it possible that
 he lay buried beneath the rubble of an ancient civilisation which would
 shortly crumble into dust? No, I told myself firmly. That won't happen.
 Don't think that way. After all, if anything can save your second officer,
 surely it'll be the power of love combined with the miracle of friendship.

 ============== sample 17 =================

 I am Lieutenant Commander Data, Starfleet officer.

 The Enterprise NCC-1701D is my home and it has been for many years now.
 While not sentient in the traditional sense of the word, I was once a human
 named B4 who came from Earth's future. This ship serves as a haven for
 all those aboard her, while we explore the galaxy on behalf of our Federation
 allies. We live by one code; to boldly go where no man or woman has gone
 before!

 ============== sample 17 =================

 The Klingons are attacking and you're in charge of the fleet. It won't
 be easy, but it sure will be fun!

 Star Trek: Starfleet Command is a real-time strategy game based on the
 universe created by Gene Roddenberry. You play the role of an up and coming
 Captain who has been assigned to control a starship during a time of great
 unrest amongst several races throughout known space. As part of your command
 training with STARFLEET ACADEMY you have been given a ship with a crew
 that is ready for action. Your mission is simple - learn how to operate
 this vessel, keep your crew safe from harm & follow all orders that come
 directly from STAFF HEADQUARTERS. This isn’t going to be as easy as it
 sounds because there will also be times when you need to make decisions
 under pressure. Will you decide to help someone or not? What about defending
 yourself against other ships? Do I destroy them or run away? These questions
 get answered once you start playing the actual game.

 ============== sample 18 =================

 This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the United Federation of Planets...

 http://cuttingsarchive.org/images/4/4d/2017_Starfleet_Yearbook_p65.jpg

 Publication: Starfleet Year One - Cadets

 Author: Paula M Block and Terry J Erdmann

 The year 2349 was a seminal one for the history of Starfleet Academy, with
 significant personnel changes in its command structure as well as the introduction
 of several new curricula that would have important ramifications on the
 future of space exploration in the twenty-fourth century. It also marked
 an era of dramatic expansion within the Academy's training programs—as
 evidenced by the construction of two new campus buildings designed to house
 classrooms, laboratories, offices, lecture halls and auditoriums—and the
 addition of extra shifts at the Academy Hospital's emergency room.

 Within months after he took office, President Avaranthi Shran had made
 good on his campaign promise to increase funding for science education
 across all levels of public school systems throughout the Coalition of
 Planets; among other things, this led to a substantial boost in enrollment
 at Starfleet Academy, where many of these students eventually matriculated
 upon graduating from secondary schools. The resultant influx of cadets
 presented challenges for both faculty members and administrators alike,
 including an increased need for additional staffing and facilities. In
 order to accommodate this growth spurt, which continued unabated over the
 next few years, Starfleet Command expanded the grounds of the San Francisco
 complex beyond the northern edge of the Presidio district into what had
 previously been Golden Gate Park. By midsummer 2350, the work crews had
 completed construction not only on the newly created academic buildings
 but also a student commons area (complete with cafeteria, library, recreational
 center and dormitories), a gymnasium, and various sports fields. They also
 extended the existing tram lines to access all areas of the ever expanding
 campus.

 But perhaps even more impressive than the physical remaking of the Academy
 were the innovations taking place inside its walls. These included a major
 initiative to revamp the basic sciences program under the direction of
 Vice Admiral Sato, who tapped Dr. Tracy Darell, one of Stellar Cartography's
 lead researchers, to spearhead the effort. As part of her workload, she
 introduced a hands-on approach to classes such as astrophysics, warp theory,
 transporter physics, subspace mechanics and exobiology. To augment their
 theoretical studies, Darell encouraged small teams of cadets to participate
 in field trips to some of Earth's most remote locations, where they could
 put their scientific know-how to practical use by collecting rock samples
 or conducting environmental analyses outside of controlled lab conditions.
 She hoped that by giving them opportunities to investigate real world phenomena,
 rather than merely simulating hypothetical scenarios through computer models,
 it might ignite a passion for scientific discovery in those who had yet
 to find their own niche within academia. In time, this strategy proved
 so successful that Sato assigned instructors in each department to replicate
 Darell's techniques. Not everyone shared the vice admiral's enthusiasm,
 however. "I don't understand why we can't just learn about nebular spectra
 on the holodeck," complained Ensign Vaughn Armstrong, who was completing
 advanced courses during a tour of duty aboard the starship USS Kongo .
 "It seems like a waste of resources to send us out there when data files
 will do." His friend William Riker pointedly ignored him while looking
 up from his padd. "You still haven't tried your waffles, Bill."

 "What?" Armstrong asked around another mouthful of breakfast. He frowned
 as Riker pushed a plate containing the offending food toward him. "Why
 are you making me eat these? I hate waffles!"

 Riker sighed. "Because if you pass this test, then you won't get stuck
 doing supply runs for the rest of our senior year."

 Armstrong gave voice to a low growl. "So how come you aren't eating any
 of these damned waffles instead of making me eat them?"

 His roommate gestured vaguely toward the doorway. "Because I passed last
 week's test, remember?" Riker grinned smugly. "Now stop whining and finish
 before Commander Booth catches you goofing off again."

 As much as Armstrong enjoyed baiting his fellow upperclassmen, he knew
 better than anyone else that he couldn't afford to run afoul of their superiors
 anymore than necessary. Just because he excelled at engineering didn't
 mean that he intended spend four full cycles scrubbing plasma conduits
 every day. "Fine, fine." He grabbed his fork and resumed chewing glumly.
 "If I end up losing my lunch, though..."

 Riker rolled his eyes. "Just make sure Booth doesn't see anything. You
 have a habit of getting sick right in front of teachers."

 A muffled grunt was the only response he received. After swallowing down
 the remainder of his waffles, Armstrong chased away lingering memories
 of that particular incident by quickly scarfing down a piece of fruit.
 Then he stood up and headed back to his bedroom. "All done! Time to start
 studying now."

 "Sounds good to me," said Riker. "Maybe we should try again later today,
 once you get used to the flavor."

 "And maybe you should shut up right now too," Armstrong shot back without
 missing a beat. But despite his defiance, he felt confident enough to hold
 his head high as he strode past the first year cadet sitting huddled against
 the wall, cradling her padd close to herself while reading quietly. Although
 he liked to think himself above petty cruelty, he wasn't above enjoying
 a little bit of schadenfreude either. "See you in class, Anh Hoang."

 She raised her head briefly long enough to give him a blank stare before
 returning her attention to the textbook balanced on her knee. "No thanks."

 He laughed. "Then I guess I'm lucky, 'cause I really prefer being able
 to read stuff myself." With that, Armstrong slipped into his quarters and
 closed the doors behind him.

 From her seat on the floor, Anh watched him disappear from sight, wishing
 for any number of reasons that she hadn't accepted the scholarships offered
 by Starbase 84 and the Daystrom Institute. Even though she understood the
 importance of her current coursework, the conceptual nature of temporal
 physics frustrated her no matter how hard she studied. At least if she
 had stayed back home on Cardassia Prime, then she wouldn't be quite so
 far removed from family and friends who would care whether she failed this
 class and ended up repeating it indefinitely. But Anh had chosen this path
 for a reason, and she refused to let the chance of a lifetime fall apart
 simply because the subject material seemed a lot harder than she expected.
 If she truly wanted a career in temporal dynamics, then she needed to prove
 that she could handle whatever obstacles lay between here and achieving
 that goal. All she asked was that fate grant her plenty of time to succeed.

 After finishing the chapter titled Temporal Causality Loops , Anh set aside
 her padd, got up and stretched, which brought her closer to a pair of cadets
 sequestered in a study carrel nearby. Both appeared to be deep in conversation,
 and judging by the way they kept glancing furtively about themselves, neither
 had any desire to attract undue attention. Curious, she edged farther forward
 until she caught snatches of their whispered remarks. "...a risk, I agree,
 but I thought we could trust him.... Yes, but what does it matter now?
 We still have everything else ..." There came the sound of a soft thump
 followed by something heavy hitting the ground. Anh peeked inside the booth,
 where she saw a third figure slouched on top of the table, legs draped
 over a metal chair positioned beside him. Dark hair obscuring half his
 face, he stared vacantly straight ahead without appearing aware of her
 presence. "Nog? Are you okay?" When he remained silent, she ducked beneath
 the divider separating their respective spaces, causing both of the young
 men to jump in surprise. "Is he hurt? What happened?"

 One of the cadets stepped forward. "Doctor, please help him. Something
 must have gone wrong...." He clutched at the medallion hanging from Nog's
 neck, turning it over and over in his fingers.

 Even though she did not recognize either man by name, Anh recognized their
 uniform markings instantly. Each wore the insignia of Medical Corps attached
 to the collar points below their shipboard assignment patches, indicating
 that they served together onboard the hospital vessel USS Pasteur . That
 meant that unlike herself, these people had direct experience dealing with
 patients suffering from trauma of some kind—an advantage she sorely lacked
 given her specialized background in biomedical engineering. Still, she
 forced confidence into her

 ============== sample 18 =================

 I am Lieutenant Commander Data.

 I have been designated the chief engineer of this vessel.

 and what needs to be done, I will not hesitate.

 ============== sample 18 =================

 The Klingons are attacking - now what?

 Aug 6, '19, 8:05 AM #27

 I would be very surprised if he was not part of the show. I think it is
 safe to say they will all be in most episodes but maybe not every episode.

 The cast photo was released a day or two ago and I believe Stewart's Picard
 character was there. He looked good for an old man!

 Last edited by Riddick; Aug 6, '19 at 8:34 PM. Reason: Add pic

 ============== sample 19 =================

 This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard from the USS Enterprise, with an important
 message for Android users.

 No matter what you call it (Android Auto or Google Assistant), your smartphone’s
 voice assistant can now control just about any aspect of your car—from
 locking and unlocking to getting directions to finding your favorite playlist.
 And this is only scratching the surface: The more familiarity and confidence
 we find in our digital assistants, the greater the potential for them to
 help us navigate everyday life on Earth—and beyond!

 ============== sample 19 =================

 I am Lieutenant Commander Data of the starship Enterprise.

 We are a society that celebrates the individual, and our heroes include
 such one-of-a-kind figures as Thomas Edison (who invented the phonograph),
 Charles Lindbergh (the first person to fly across the Atlantic Ocean) and
 Babe Ruth (he hit 714 home runs).

 But we also have a fascination with identical twins: Their similarities
 give us comfort; their differences intrigue us. We can't help but wonder
 how each would be affected if he were separated from his brother at birth—would
 they still grow up alike or different? And what about the nature/nurture
 debate in general? How important is DNA compared to environment when it
 comes to shaping who people become? Those questions have been explored
 by scores of novelists, including Mark Twain, Alexandre Dumas _père_ ,
 William Faulkner and John Irving. They were even addressed on an episode
 of "Star Trek: The Next Generation."

 I am often asked why my creator Gene Roddenberry decided to make me into
 an android rather than some other type of life form. While the specifics
 will be revealed later this year in Susan Sackett's book _Inside Star Trek:
 The Real Story_ , I suspect Mr. Roddenberry was reacting to a number of
 developments then taking place in robotics. One of them involved NASA's
 desire for a remote manipulator system (RMS) that could move around outside
 its orbiters and space shuttles while being operated by personnel inside
 those ships. In 1980, after more than eight years of study, development
 and testing, Canadarm became operational aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia—and
 soon thereafter, R2D2 and C3PO were joined in popular culture by a third
 mechanical companion, Robocop.

 Science fiction has always had its share of artificial humans, dating back
 to Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley's classic work _Frankenstein_. But usually
 they are presented as villainous, such as the title character in Fritz
 Lang's seminal silent film _Metropolis_. Indeed, throughout literature
 and cinema, robots are frequently portrayed as monsters, threatening humanity.
 This might explain why, until recently, most moviegoers did not consider
 it plausible that machines would ever think like us. After all, computers
 weren't capable of playing chess before IBM's Deep Thought came along.
 Or so we thought. Then Deep Blue defeated Grandmaster Garry Kasparov two
 games out of six during a match. That was followed by IBM's Watson, which
 beat Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter on Jeopardy! So now everyone knows that
 if you want to win against a machine, don't play anything where knowledge
 or strategy come into play. Instead go for games involving chance...like
 poker. Of course, we already know that doesn't necessarily mean much either
 because in January 2016 Libratus won $1.7 million over four top players
 at no-limit Texas hold 'em. Apparently, that computer didn't learn everything
 it knew from watching reruns of _The World Series of Poker._

 Meanwhile, engineers continue working toward developing a true thinking
 machine. It probably won't look exactly like me since humanoid forms pose
 problems, including balance issues due to having only two legs, and difficulties
 associated with duplicating the hundreds of muscles in a face that enable
 facial expressions. However, once researchers succeed in creating a fully
 functioning android brain, such obstacles may prove surmountable. Besides,
 as I mentioned earlier, many viewers find my appearance reassuring. Perhaps
 sometime in the future an updated version of me will serve alongside Captain
 Jean-Luc Picard on the bridge of the U.S.S. _Enterprise_ NCC–1701E.

 As you read these stories remember that the tales contained within take
 place approximately nine hundred years after Zefram Cochrane made First
 Contact between Earthlings and Vulcans. As such, they deal with characters
 living in a world quite unlike our own today. For instance, since replication
 technology makes food essentially free, there is little need for money.
 Also, warp drive means interstellar journeys occur faster in terms of shipboard
 time than in real time on Earth, thereby making traveling among the stars
 relatively easy. Consequently, cultures and technologies from thousands
 of societies have merged together into something new and unique. Furthermore,
 thanks to advances in medicine, few individuals die of natural causes anymore,
 although fatal accidents do happen occasionally. Finally, although prejudice
 based on race or gender seems rare except for certain species-specific
 traits, hatred directed at sentient nonhumanoids remains quite common.
 Still, despite these vast changes, people remain recognizable as individuals—which
 is perhaps why you'll find yourself identifying with the protagonist in
 every story herein.

 LeVar Burton  

 Los Angeles   

 March 25, 2016

 ============== sample 19 =================

 The Klingons are attacking!

 This is what it says on the box, and this is exactly how we played at our
 home. We were 4 players with 3 ships each and some of us had a mission
 to complete before they could win, while others just wanted to have as
 many points as possible when all was said & done. I like the fact that
 you don't know who has which missions because then you can get more interaction
 between players than if everyone knew from the outset. It also means you
 can play the game several times without getting bored by having always
 the same role or mission...

 One thing is for sure: If you don't like reading rules, you will hate Star
 Trek Fleet Captains. Don't even try to open the rulebook until you have
 watched EVERYTHING offered in their "How To Play" section (link). You should
 be able to find videos explaining every aspect of the game. This being
 said, once everything is set up and ready to go, you can actually start
 playing. And playing is fun!!

 We played the first scenario (a Klingon invasion) but there are lots of
 variations available. Each player gets his/her own ship board which not
 only indicates where you place your ship(s), but each one has a unique
 ability. For example Captain Kirk has an extra die he rolls whenever he
 attacks and Spock adds science tokens to the pool whenever you perform
 research actions. These abilities make every character different enough
 so that you really feel you ARE these characters, but not too much since
 they still need most things you do on your turn.

 The main thing here is combat. First you check the range, then you count
 victory point tiles (VPs) needed to destroy enemy vessels and finally you
 draw your dice. In most cases you add together the corresponding values
 shown on the D6s and compare them to the VP total - i.e.: you need to sum
 up 15+7+0=22 to take down an opponent who has 8 hull left, while a shield
 token costs 9 to remove... There's no chance involved because you draw
 your dice yourself; however you may find yourself drawing lots of red faces
 instead of green ones, or vice versa depending on what you want to accomplish
 :-)

 You can use crew members to activate special skills, such as cloaking devices
 or tractor beams, plus your cards allow you to modify almost anything during
 your turn. There are events that trigger certain effects on opposing players,
 and your officers can come into handy when it comes to rolling the right
 combination of colors.

 If I had to list a downside about STFC, it would be the huge amount of
 time spent setting everything up. The components themselves are great looking,
 but you get tons of counters, cards, markers, etc..

 I am glad WizKids did NOT include miniatures in this game, otherwise it
 would have been impossible to fit inside a normal sized box, LOL!

 ============== sample 20 =================

 This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the United Federation of Planets. I’m
 here today with a special guest, Mister Data, to tell you about our latest
 mission. We had been sent on what was supposed to be a routine diplomatic
 assignment when we discovered Romulan activity along an unexplored region
 of space known as “the Badlands”.

 The ship has just come out of warp and we are scanning for any signs of
 these rumoured ships. Suddenly sensors detect an energy surge coming from
 within one of the plasma storms that make up this sector. Lieutenant Worf
 reports two vessels emerging from inside and they appear to be heading
 straight for us! It looks like the lead vessel will be in weapons range
 momentarily…and it begins firing at us! Helm respond evasive manoeuvres
 immediately; shields up! Return fire all phaser banks, target their engines
 then switch to disruptor fire once those shields start to go down!

 We successfully destroyed both enemy ships but not before sustaining some
 damage ourselves. Luckily most of the major systems were spared and Engineering
 can get things back online without too much trouble. While repairs commence
 we decide to look into where exactly those ships came from and how could
 they have gotten so far away from home. Our course seems obvious – we must
 head deeper into the Badlands to search for answers. After all, there may
 be more than just Romulans roaming around out there.

 ============== sample 20 =================

 I am Lieutenant Commander Data, the Android from Star Trek: The Next Generation.
 My friends call me "Data". You can, too.

 This is my new web site. It's still under construction at this time but
 it will continue to grow in the future. Please check back later for more
 information about me and all of my activities as well as some surprises!

 ============== sample 20 =================

 The Klingons are attacking the Federation and have no intention of stopping.
 Lt Uhura is on a secret mission to deliver vital intelligence to Starfleet
 Command... but does she know who her enemies really are? Don't miss this
 special prequel issue featuring guest artist Joe Corroney!

 ============== sample 21 =================

 This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the USS Enterprise. I'm pleased to announce
 that this ship has been selected for a mission of utmost importance, and
 you are invited to participate in it as my guests. The starship will depart
 from its current location on stardate 42073 at precisely eight hundred
 hours for Deep Space Station K-seven. We look forward to your arrival aboard
 our vessel prior to departure time so we can begin our journey together.

 Picard sat back with satisfaction after completing his recording message;
 he hadn't had occasion to send out an interstellar invitation since his
 wedding day.

 "Sir," said Data from across the room without looking up, "I believe I
 have found the anomaly." He swiveled around toward the captain.

 The android's flawless face was expressionless except for those large blue
 eyes, but somehow there seemed to be excitement behind them. "Would you
 care to see?" asked Data.

 He led Picard over to one of the science stations and pointed out the readings
 on the screen. They were unintelligible to anyone but a scientist or engineer,
 but they definitely constituted some kind of variance—a big enough change
 to warrant investigation.

 "Very good, Mr. Data," said the captain approvingly. "Have Lieutenant Yar
 report for duty immediately. Send her planetside to investigate further,
 using whatever equipment she feels necessary. It appears we finally have
 something concrete to go by."

 Data smiled, all teeth flashing whitely against that golden skin, then
 turned back to work. His fingers flew rapidly over the keyboard panel as
 he prepared communications for Tasha Yar down on Ventax II.

 Within minutes of receiving the signal, Yar strode into transporter room
 two, ready for action. She wore her usual drab uniform, complete with black
 boots laced tightly just below the knee. Her long dark hair hung sleekly
 down past her shoulders, pulled loosely back away from her high cheeks
 and wide forehead. Only those striking brown eyes gave any clue to what
 lay within. Those eyes lit now with anticipation as she stepped confidently
 onto the platform. Behind her stood Ensign Allenby, hands poised above
 the controls. In front of each officer was a small console showing the
 planet surface of their destination.

 Yar glanced once more at the coordinates before giving the order to energize.
 As soon as she felt herself surrounded by the familiar sparkles of transport
 energy, she braced herself for materialization. When the process was finished,
 she looked about curiously. If she hadn't known better, Yar could almost
 have imagined herself standing under a desert sky, with nothing but sandstone
 cliffs surrounding her. But no, she told herself sternly, reminding herself
 constantly not to let her imagination run rampant when dealing with these
 kinds of mysteries. If everyone stopped believing only what their eyes
 showed them, perhaps there would be fewer problems in the universe. That
 thought made her smile wryly: it was easier said than done sometimes, especially
 for someone who wanted desperately to get off Starfleet vessels. She decided
 to focus instead on the task ahead. Looking upward, Tasha saw exactly where
 she needed to head. Above her towered huge statues carved right out of
 the craggy hillsides, depicting figures larger than life. What strange
 civilization had erected such massive monuments? She wondered briefly how
 old they were, if they might even predate Federation records of this area.
 Then again, maybe it didn't matter. All that concerned her at present was
 finding out why this particular spot registered a reading different from
 the rest of the world. And it wouldn't take much exploration to do that.
 Even though the entire landscape appeared deserted, a structure of sorts
 jutted incongruously out of the side of one hill, facing directly toward
 the statue. Like the monument itself, it seemed to be fashioned completely
 out of rock.

 Yar drew her phaser from its holster at her waist, adjusting the setting
 from stun to heat pulse mode. That way, if she did encounter anything alive
 here, she wouldn't kill it unless absolutely necessary. She started walking
 slowly along an invisible trail leading through the dusty rocks.

 As she got closer, she noticed several details missing from her initial
 impression. First, in addition to being fashioned out of stone, the building
 had also been decorated with pieces of metal, wood, glass, even cloth.
 Second, it wasn't empty inside, but rather contained furnishings that looked
 like they belonged to a primitive race far removed from anything associated
 with humanoids living in space. Third, although there was nothing threatening
 anywhere nearby, she still sensed danger lurking somewhere close by, waiting
 patiently until she came too near.

 She took another step closer, then halted suddenly when the building began
 shaking violently. Fissures crackled open, revealing great chunks of earth
 beneath. At first, Yar moved instinctively to protect herself and crouched
 low to the ground, covering her head. Within seconds, however, she realized
 there was little chance of escape from the collapsing walls, ceiling, and
 floor . . . and no need for protection. With a sinking feeling, she recognized
 that she couldn't possibly survive here now. It was foolish of her to think
 she alone might be able to solve the mystery of what had happened on Ventax
 II.

 In fact, she knew with perfect clarity that she must die here today. There
 was simply nothing else she could do.

 Tasha opened her eyes expecting to see the transporter chief beaming her
 back aboard the Enterprise. Instead, she was in sickbay. Dr. Crusher bent
 over the diagnostic bed next to hers, monitoring the progress of another
 crew member. For an instant, Yar was relieved to see that it was Worf lying
 unconscious there. She couldn't remember which of them had ordered him
 to accompany her during her last few moments alive, but having a guardian
 was comforting. However, she quickly rejected that notion; it wasn't fair
 to expect someone else should share responsibility with her. Besides, she
 never really liked having people watch over her shoulder . . . always trying
 to tell her what to do. Now she wished she hadn't sent him back to the
 ship earlier.

 Crusher looked puzzled when Yar sat up on her own bed. "How do you feel,
 Ensign?" she asked softly.

 That was funny, mused Tasha, because she remembered distinctly ordering
 Beverly Crusher off the bridge earlier. Why would the doctor question her
 condition later? Wasn't that supposed to be Deanna Troi's job? Yet, strangest
 of all, none of it made sense anymore. How could she have died yet lived
 to talk about it? Or had she already died and gone to hell? Maybe she was
 having a dream in her coffin. Yes! That was it! After all, she used to
 imagine death would come gently, taking her away while she slept. But that
 wasn't possible, either. Just a moment ago, she recalled dying painfully
 in an explosion. So none of it fit together very well.

 Dr. Crusher went back to scanning Worf's body with her tricorder. Sounds
 emanating from outside sickbay filtered into Yar's consciousness, and she
 strained to make sense of them. One voice, which sounded oddly like Geordi
 LaForge, kept saying over and over again that no other signs of life existed
 on Ventax II besides themselves. Another personality, whose identity escaped
 her temporarily, insisted the instruments must lie. Something about that
 pronouncement bothered Yar greatly, but she couldn't quite put her finger
 on what.

 Somewhere deep inside her, Tasha knew she should care about these things,
 but at the moment she simply couldn't summon up sufficient interest to
 worry about them. Perhaps, she reasoned, everything would become clear
 in time, but then again, perhaps it wouldn't. She tried to recall whether
 she'd ever heard the phrase, "Live each second as if it were your last!"
 Nope, didn't ring a bell. Oh wait . . . yes, she vaguely remembered somebody
 telling her that once upon a time, ages before. Who had it been? Had it
 been important? Well, it certainly was appropriate now, even though it
 didn't seem particularly profound.

 Then an image drifted into view, and a name rose to mind. Captain Jean-Luc
 Picard! That's who she remembered best. She loved him dearly, although
 she knew she shouldn't show favorites among her comrades. Still, she couldn't
 help thinking he was the smartest man she ever met. Surely Jean-Luc would
 know what was going on.

 But she had to act fast . . . find him before she lost track of her thoughts
 altogether. Someone was helping her dress, but Yar paid no attention, just
 grabbed her phaser and ran out the door. Wherever this place was, it sure
 wasn't the Enterprise.

 A group of three officers passed her going the opposite direction. They
 wore red comm badges bearing gold borders, and their faces were solemn.
 Two of them walked purposefully, heads bowed, paying her no attention.
 The third, however, looked

 ============== sample 21 =================

 I am Lieutenant Commander Data,

 It's that time of year when we are all reminded to take stock of what we
 have and express gratitude for our many blessings. I hope this holiday
 season has been a happy and fulfilling one for you. As always there is
 no place like home for the holidays.

 I just wanted to take this opportunity to wish you a Merry Christmas &
 Happy New Year. May peace be with you now & throughout the coming years!

 If you aren’t in touch with your friends as much as you used to be, drop
 them an e-mail or give them a call telling them how important they are
 in your life. Remember "old" friends -- it is never too late to go back
 home. These are the ones who knew us before we made it big (or didn't).
 Send this letter to those friends that you think might want to come back
 home again..............before it's too late. Have yourself a very merry
 little Christmas...

 Posted by Sailpappy at 1:43 AM No comments:

 ============== sample 21 =================

 The Klingons are attacking! You must help Captain Kirk and the crew of
 the USS Enterprise to defend their vessel by firing photon torpedoes at
 this interstellar threat. This free slot machine game has 5 reels, 20 pay
 lines, a bonus round, free spins with multipliers and more.

 The Star Trek Red Alert online slots game is one for all you sci-fi fans
 out there. Aside from being based on this popular series that spawned various
 movies, it also includes some pretty cool graphics and sound effects. In
 addition to these features, players have access to two separate bonus rounds
 as well as wilds, scatters and plenty of winning combinations. There’s
 no denying that IGT did an excellent job creating this game – so much so
 in fact, that we wanted to give our own full review. To learn about everything
 from its symbols to payouts, keep reading below!

 This title was developed by International Game Technology which goes by
 many names including IGT or Wagerworks depending upon who you talk to.
 It has a long history of great games such as Monopoly Here And Now, Cleopatra
 II, Cluedo Spinning Detectives and DaVinci Diamonds Dual Play among others.
 With regards to this particular title, it came out back in December of
 2013; not only does this mean that those who play it will get to enjoy
 cutting edge technology but they’ll also be able to celebrate along with
 the company since it just turned twenty years old earlier this year (and
 we think that’s definitely something worth looking forward to). The theme
 itself might seem like strange choice given the current market conditions
 but as an avid fan of the original TV show myself I can tell you that there
 are many people around the world who would love nothing better than to
 take part in this journey through space and beyond for themselves.

 In terms of the layout, this game sticks pretty closely to industry standards:
 five reel positions sit right next to each other while three rows pop up
 vertically above them. All told, there are 25 different locations where
 icons may appear on the screen during any single spin. While most titles
 allow players to change this number, here it remains fixed for every bet
 placed. That being said, your wagers do adjust between $1.00 and $600 per
 turn thanks to the wide range of options provided by the developers. If
 you want to see how much money you stand to win before placing real cash
 into the system then feel free to use the demo mode instead – as always,
 this option makes things risk free while still providing you with the same
 quality gaming experience. Once you decide that you’re ready to move onto
 actual cash prizes however, switching over takes very little effort.

 It should come as no surprise that the graphics found in this title feature
 characters directly from the television program. These include Spock, Uhura,
 Scotty and even Captain James T. Kirk himself. Of course, the usual card
 ranks make appearances as well so players familiar with the genre shouldn’t
 find anything too surprising about what’s shown onscreen. Each icon was
 designed using high definition drawings rather than animations though this
 simply helps to maintain that “classic” feeling of the source material.
 The background shows off a futuristic city complete with flying vehicles
 zipping through the air while the stars overhead provide ample light throughout
 the day and night. Finally, the accompanying sounds further enhance the
 storyline as they replicate exactly what viewers heard within the 1987
 film, including explosion and laser gun fire among others.

 There is both a scatter symbol and wild icon included in this release.
 Since the first represents the Red Alert logo it can easily be identified
 as soon as it lands anywhere on the screen. Not only does it award instant
 credits when two or more land on the playing field simultaneously, but
 it will launch a miniature game after doing so. During this time, players
 won’t actually need to click on anything at all since the computer handles
 all aspects of play automatically. What’s truly interesting about this
 is that the amount one wins depends entirely on whether or not his decisions
 were correct or incorrect, meaning that if you guess correctly then you
 could walk away richer than ever before but if you don’t then you’ve essentially
 thrown that prize away forever. Unfortunately, there is a limit of four
 total times that one person is allowed to participate in this event.

 On the flip side, wilds show off images of the ship known as the Enterprise
 NCC 1701A and can replace any regular symbol whenever necessary. They cannot
 substitute for the previously mentioned scatters or bonus icons but aside
 from that they work exactly like normal wild cards seen elsewhere. Furthermore,
 if you manage to line up five of a kind across an active pay line then
 you’ll receive a jackpot of 4,000 coins instantly.

 Free spins are awarded whenever one rolls three or more of the Bonus orphans
 anywhere on the board. The former leads to fourteen automatic turns with
 a multiplier of x2 applied to them whereas the latter delivers ten plays
 with a multiplier of x3 attached. Either way, the player gets to sit back
 and watch as all payouts are handed out without having to lift a finger.

 ============== sample 22 =================

 This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the United Federation of Planets. I'm
 pleased to welcome you aboard our flagship, Enterprise NCC 1701 D where
 we hope that your stay with us will be an enjoyable one.

 The Enterprise computer system is capable of answering almost any question
 and performing nearly every task for which it has been programmed. If there
 are further questions or instructions please contact me at my office on
 deck five.

 ============== sample 22 =================

 I am Lieutenant Commander Data, science officer.

 Your mission is to explore the _Enterprise_ in search of hidden symbols.
 You will report back with an inventory of all you see. Your findings must
 be precise and complete to earn any awards. Do not let your crew down!

 This mission begins now. Good luck.

 **"ARE YOU SURE WE'LL BE ABLE TO FIND ALL THE SYMBOLS?** " asked Geordi
 La Forge as he stared at his tricorder screen. The chief engineer was worried
 that a few signs might escape their notice on such a huge ship like the
 USS _U.S.S. Enterprise_.

 Data nodded. "We have been over this before," said the android. "The tricorders
 are equipped with sensors calibrated to detect Federation standard code."
 He frowned for a moment. "However, we should expect to encounter other
 types of codes during our exploration of the starship. These may or may
 not translate correctly when scanned by our devices."

 Geordi sighed. "I know. But if one symbol falls through the cracks . .
 ." His voice trailed off into silence.

 "There is no need to worry about that possibility," Data reassured him.
 "As long as we keep focused on our task, we should accomplish it without
 incident."

 Lieutenant Tasha Yar smiled at her two friends from the spot where she
 stood nearby. It felt good to be out doing something fun again after spending
 so much time working on security detail lately. After all, there hadn't
 been hardly anything going on since they arrived at Starbase 173—just some
 routine maintenance and minor repairs to the ship while Captain Picard
 attended boring meetings about politics and trade issues with other worlds.
 So when Will Riker had suggested that the three of them team up for the
 symbol hunt, she decided it wouldn't hurt to take a break from work and
 do more socializing than usual. Plus, maybe the captain would give her
 better shifts next week if he saw how dedicated she could be outside of
 duty hours too.

 Taking another look around at the corridor walls, ceiling, floor, and doors
 surrounding them, Tasha started toward one of the rooms adjacent to the
 bridge. "Well," she said cheerfully, "if anyone has trouble finding the
 right place to start looking first, just remember what Ensign Wesley Crusher
 told us earlier today: 'Any room whose door is open is fair game.' " She
 winked playfully at Geordi and Data. "That means we can go in anywhere
 but the bathrooms!"

 Geordi grinned and shook his head. Then he glanced down at the small electronic
 device resting snugly inside its holster on his belt. A digital readout
 displayed a countdown clock alongside several rows of letters and numbers
 arranged in columns across the screen. There were also instructions scrolling
 along as text above those displays. As soon as everyone had gathered together
 near the turbolift, he'd activated the program on each person's communication
 unit. Now the countdown timer showed less than ten minutes remaining until
 the holographic images of Admiral Robert April and Ambassador J'Vel would
 appear throughout the starship to announce the beginning of the game.

 Within seconds, Geordi heard the soft humming sound of a transporter beam
 approaching. That meant someone else was arriving on Deck One, which wasn't
 hard to guess, considering how many people were supposed to participate
 in the activity tonight. Since almost every single member of the crew aboard
 the flagship vessel currently stationed here at the base had signed up
 to try their hand at locating secret messages scattered around the decks
 within the next hour, the main sections of the starship suddenly seemed
 crowded with visitors everywhere he looked. And even though the competition
 aspect of the puzzle-solving event made everyone eager to get moving quickly,
 most players still stopped to chat briefly with fellow crewmates who happened
 to cross paths with them in the hallways.

 It didn't take long before the newest arrival appeared beside them. With
 light brown hair pulled back neatly behind her ears, pale blue eyes, full
 lips set in a friendly smile, and olive skin that gave evidence of Romulan
 ancestry, Selar immediately recognized the visitor. "Hello, Nurse Ogawa,"
 she greeted cordially. "Are you prepared to begin?"

 Kesha Ogawa raised both eyebrows slightly, then nodded. "Almost," replied
 the nurse. Her dark burgundy uniform blended perfectly with the matching
 color of a medical triage kit slung over her shoulder. Kesha carried herself
 with confidence and poise, as always, with her posture straight and head
 held high. "Just wanted to use the bathroom real quick before heading over
 to my starting point."

 She paused, giving everyone assembled there a questioning glance. "What
 exactly did you guys decide to call your team anyway? Is it okay for me
 to join you now?"

 "Of course you can come with us," answered Geordi. "And we thought it would
 be best to name ourselves after the ship instead of picking something different."
 He grimaced. "That way nobody gets confused later on when scores are tallied."

 After seeing that only five more minutes remained on the countdown display,
 Tasha cleared her throat. "Do you want to stand with me when the admiral
 and ambassador show themselves?" she offered politely. "No telling how
 many times things will get repeated before everybody can hear properly."

 Kesha pursed her lips tightly. "Thanks," she murmured. "But don't bother
 with that. If I miss anything important, I'll ask somebody else."

 Geordi lifted his left arm gently away from his side and pointed at the
 tricoder. "Everybody listen in real close," he announced, raising his voice
 slightly to make sure he got the attention of others walking past them
 in either direction. "When you hear the signal tone, press the red button
 once, wait for confirmation of receipt, and then hit green twice. If successful,
 the unit will automatically lock onto your personal ID signal and transfer
 results straight to the central computer system located on—"

 He broke off midsentence because of the sudden appearance of the admiral
 and ambassador hovering in mid air directly between them. Both men looked
 identical except for slight variations in facial features and body size
 due to differences in species DNA. However, despite being constructed from
 energy fields rather than flesh and blood, they somehow managed to convey
 expressions of joyful anticipation and excitement as they spoke simultaneously
 to the crowd gathered below.

 ". . . warm welcome . . . honor . . . pleasure . . . thrilled . . . happy
 . . . delighted . . . excited . . . glad . . . privileged . . . proud .
 . . honored . . ."

 Before finishing, the virtual projections bowed respectfully to everyone
 present.

 ". . . to formally commence . . . initiate commencement of . . . declare
 launch of . . . proclaim inauguration of . . . congratulate introduction
 of . . . welcome debut celebration of . . . grand opening festivities for
 . . . salute special occasion marking official beginning of . . . announcing
 unveil ceremony revealing ceremonial presentation introducing formal declaration
 preamble inaugural kickoff initial launch party introduction proclamational
 introduction prologue . . ."

 At last the double image finished speaking and vanished from sight.

 In front of the turbolift, Geordi turned to face his companions. "Okay,
 everybody ready?" When he received various affirmative responses, followed
 by the sounds of beeps indicating acknowledgment of transmissions sent
 via communicators, he entered commands on his own portable data terminal.
 "Great. Let's go." The engineers dashed into the nearest empty compartment.
 Selar and Tasha ran off toward opposite ends of the passageway, leaving
 Kesha alone standing guard at the entrance.

 Once inside, Geordi pressed a few buttons on the control panel mounted
 against a wall just inside the doorway. The panel lit up with a bright
 yellow light, accompanied by a low whirring noise coming from somewhere
 underneath the surface of the console itself. Moments passed until finally
 a thin sheet of transparent duranium alloy retracted slowly to reveal a
 circular hole large enough for a grown man to easily step through. Another
 layer of metal material moved aside to expose another similar chasm beneath
 the first. Several seconds ticked by until the entire bottom half of the
 bulkhead disappeared altogether, replaced instantly by a black void leading
 deep into the interior section of the deck's outer shell plating. Once
 everything was in position, a thick white line running horizontally across
 the smooth metallic surface began to pulse steadily and rhythmically.

 "Now that looks interesting," remarked Data as he stepped closer to examine
 a mysterious object sitting motionless on top of a narrow table situated
 squarely in the middle of the room. The silvery cylinder resembled nothing
 more than a simple storage container with rounded edges and corners, although
 tiny lights flashed intermittently on the sides of the box in alternating
 patterns. He reached out to touch the item carefully, taking care not to
 disturb whatever delicate machinery might lie concealed within.

 Suddenly, a shrill alarm rang loudly, filling

 ============== sample 22 =================

 The Klingons are attacking a Federation starbase.

 The Enterprise crew is fighting the Klingon warriors as they try to take
 over the base, but there's only one way out...

 You must destroy the bridge controls before it's too late!

 ============== sample 23 =================

 This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the starship Enterprise. The Enterprise
 has been dispatched to the planet Ba'ku with orders to negotiate for access
 to their planet so that Starfleet can begin a survey mission in preparation
 for eventual relocation of the six hundred inhabitants, following which
 Starfleet will use the Briar Patch—a region of metaphasic radiation unique
 to this system and highly conducive to regenerative processes—to conduct
 experiments designed to slow down or reverse the aging process.

 It was expected that these goals would be readily achieved since the population
 of the planet had long ago petitioned for membership in the Federation.
 However, it now appears that some factions among them have decided against
 pursuing such an alliance at this time. We are currently attempting to
 determine why. In order not to interfere further in Ba'ku affairs while
 this matter is being resolved, I am ordering all personnel to refrain from
 transporting to the surface without specific authorization by myself or
 Commander Worf.

 Picard out.

 The captain turned back toward Will Riker as he emerged from the bathroom.
 "What do you think?"

 Riker adjusted his uniform and returned to his seat across the table from
 Picard. "You know what I think." He paused thoughtfully. "But does this
 mean we won't see any of them again? They were pretty amazing people .
 . ."

 "I didn't say that," said Picard. "We may yet convince enough of the leaders
 to change their minds about us, but if things don't work out, there will
 certainly be other opportunities to return here. Just because they decide
 not to join the Federation doesn't mean they want nothing more to do with
 us—or vice versa." But something deep inside him told him that even in
 this case, this would probably be the last time he ever saw this place.

 He stood up abruptly; the chair scraped loudly on the wooden deck behind
 him. "Well!" And it was clear to both men that neither knew how else to
 end the conversation, so Picard strode away into his ready room, leaving
 Riker alone.

 Chapter One

 Admiral Kathryn Janeway sat stiffly in her chair before the assembled members
 of the UFP Council as she waited patiently through the seemingly endless
 roll call. As each member called out his name, another pair of eyes swept
 over her like searchlights, trying to discern what information lay hidden
 beneath her cool facade. She wondered whether any of them had actually
 seen her recordings of Voyager's journey home, or whether they simply assumed
 they already understood based upon the rumors that must circulating around
 the Alpha Quadrant after seven years: that the ship and crew of the USS
 Voyager NCC-74656 did indeed make it safely back to Earth despite being
 marooned seventy thousand light-years distant only days earlier. It's too
 bad the whole story couldn't fit onto one data chip, she mused darkly.

 Her gaze drifted momentarily past the council members seated along either
 side of the large oval conference table, who seemed uninterested in anything
 except a quick glance at her; instead, she found herself drawn to study
 the two dozen or so replicas of various species scattered throughout the
 gallery above. Some of those statues represented races who hadn't existed
 since shortly after the first warp flight, like the Vulcans or the Humanoid
 Cochrane; others were far less familiar, like the small bipeds whose race
 she could remember only as having joined the Federation during her cadet
 days at the Academy. A few were of individuals who were no longer considered
 separate cultures within the UFP, like the Klingons and the Romulans. All
 were examples of how much the universe had changed just in the course of
 her own lifetime, let alone the three centuries since the formation of
 the United Federation of Planets itself. The fact that so many different
 peoples could come together under a single government boggled the mind,
 especially considering that most of the original signatories to the charter
 weren't even native to this galaxy. For good reason, the Federation prided
 itself on its diversity and tolerance—except when it came to the Borg,
 although recent events might soon challenge that policy. She snorted derisively;
 perhaps they should commission a statue of Locutus next year.

 Janeway finally caught sight of Admiral Owen Paris near the center of the
 second row. He noticed her looking for him almost immediately and gave
 her a tiny smile, then glanced quickly upward. No doubt he knows exactly
 where every statue originates, she chuckled wickedly. At least it looks
 like Tom made sure he got here early today. That meant Kate would likely
 stay out of trouble today until they left.

 Tom looked remarkably relaxed for someone facing his mother in public,
 though, and Janeway briefly wondered whether Tom had spent too little time
 at home lately. Not that I need to worry about him anymore, she reminded
 herself, but still... Maybe I ought to talk to him later about getting
 more leave time. It hasn't really sunk in yet that I'm not going anywhere;
 maybe he needs me to tell him explicitly that it's okay to take vacations
 occasionally. Or better yet, maybe I could go visit them sometime....

 A sudden commotion in front interrupted her thoughts. The president of
 the council stepped forward, interrupting the clerk in midroll as he searched
 frantically for the lost name. "Madame President! Madame President!"

 She approached slowly, hands held high in triumph, as if addressing a crowd.
 Her silvery hair glowed in the soft incandescent lights overhead, reflecting
 off the polished obsidian walls of the chamber. Every eye focused instantly
 on her, and she smiled broadly, drawing all the attention to herself as
 she stopped directly beside the podium. Only then did she turn to face
 the assembly and offer a perfunctory nod to the startled president. "Good
 morning, Mr. President. Members of the Council. I apologize for my tardiness."
 She inclined her head slightly towards the admiral. "And congratulations
 to Vice Admiral Janeway."

 Janeway blinked in surprise, glancing quickly at Admiral Paris. His mouth
 opened wide, but words failed him entirely; clearly he wasn't quite awake
 yet. After several seconds, he shook himself and murmured hoarsely, "Thank
 you very much, Madame..." He trailed off uncertainly, evidently unable
 to read the insignia pinned neatly to her collar.

 President Nanietta Bacco frowned pointedly. "Mr. President, allow me to
 introduce Ambassador Afsun Qaleh of the Trill Symbiosis Commission." She
 flashed a brief, knowing grin at her old friend. "If anyone doubts your
 ability to serve as a Federation ambassador, they haven't worked closely
 with you recently."

 Owen cleared his throat self-consciously and tried to recover. "Ah...yes,
 thank you, Madame Ambassador. Please extend our greetings to the symbionts
 and hosts of Trill. Always delightful to meet new friends from such a respected
 world." He swallowed hard, obviously nervous; Janeway realized that he'd
 never spoken formally in public in his entire life, apart from a couple
 impromptu speeches delivered to his troops during combat. Even his short
 farewell addresses to departing ships had usually been handled by subordinates.
 Now this? Poor guy.

 Qaleh accepted Owen's ramblings graciously. "On behalf of Trill, I accept
 your kind sentiments, Mr. President. We look forward eagerly to working
 with you, Admirals Janeway and Chakotay, and with the rest of the Federation
 in expanding relations between our respective governments. In particular,
 we appreciate the efforts of the Federation to restore peace between ourselves
 and the Cardassians. With diligence and understanding, I believe our differences
 can easily become a thing of the past."

 Owen bowed slightly. "Of course, Madam Ambassador. Thank you for coming."

 Baco took advantage of the awkward silence created by Owen's curt reply
 to slide smoothly into control once more. "Now, shall we continue with
 roll call? Where were we? Ah yes, Captain Liam O'Donnell."

 Several weeks passed uneventfully. Janeway kept busy attending the standard
 formal functions required of all Federation officers ranked rear admiral
 and higher, including receptions, ceremonial dinners, and award presentations.
 Each day began with a lengthy meeting followed by a string of smaller ones
 with lower ranking officials or with Starfleet commanders. Most often,
 however, she found herself listening to reports detailing progress on various
 projects related to the welfare of the fleet or the advancement of technology.
 Although her duties technically included supervising the construction and
 maintenance of starbases and other permanent installations that supported
 exploration missions, the vast majority of her responsibilities consisted
 of reviewing proposals for research in a variety of fields.

 At times, she felt as if she could predict the contents of each report
 before turning the page. The same old questions asked repeatedly, the same
 answers given time and time again, the

 ============== sample 23 =================

 I am Lieutenant Commander Data, a Soong-type android.

 I was created by Doctor Noonien Soong in the early twenty fourth century
 and served as an officer on board Starfleet vessels alongside my adoptive
 brother Lore and later under Captain Jean Luc Picard of the Enterprise
 D.

 After the disaster at Wolf 359 where the Borg attacked Earth, Picard's
 crew managed to destroy their spacecraft but not before they were assimilated
 into it. The Enterprise encountered them again three years later whilst
 enroute for a Federation outpost stationed above the planet Alpha 0487.
 Upon arriving there with the intention of repairing the ship, we discovered
 that all life forms aboard had been converted into Borg drones. However
 the Borg also left us some unwanted guests which included two members from
 the Queen race whom have taken residence inside our computer core.

 Their motives are unclear so far though their actions have led me to believe
 that they may be attempting to take over this vessel or worse still perhaps
 they plan to cause serious harm against its occupants! Whatever the case
 may be; Picard and his team need your help in order to find these intruders
 and stop whatever plans they might have for us!

 ============== sample 23 =================

 The Klingons are attacking and you're the only one who can stop them!

 You have unlimited torpedoes, but they take time to recharge. To fire your
 torpedos use the mouse button or space bar. Don't let any ships pass through
 the gate or it will be game over for you!

 ============== sample 24 =================

 This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard's command chair, not a Borg regeneration
 alcove.

 "Fifty thousand light years from home and I miss the simple things." So
 muses Star Trek: The Next Generation 's Benjamin Sisko to his son Jake
 in "The Visitor," when he finally realizes that the life of a Starfleet
 officer isn't all it was cracked up to be after an accident sends him back
 through time while Jake keeps moving forward normally. Even though our
 lives tend to be far less eventful than those of people on TV shows (we
 hope), there are still some moments we wish someone would invent a time
 machine for us so we could go back and relive them.

 We polled the staff here at Blastr HQ about what they wished their own
 personal time machines had done last year -- or might do next weekend.
 Here are 15 of our favorites.

 ============== sample 24 =================

 I am Lieutenant Commander Data from the "Star Trek" series

 Which one of these Star Trek Characters are you?

 I'm Ensign Ro Laren, a Bajoran Security Officer who was transferred to
 DS9. In my spare time, when not at the gym or on duty, i like to go drinking
 with Rom and Nog (both of whom have a rather unhealthy obsession with me).
 The highlights of my life include leading several failed mutinies against
 Captain Sisko and attempting suicide while being held in Cardassian custody
 for killing an Obsidian Order agent.

 ============== sample 24 =================

 The Klingons are attacking the Enterprise, but their weapons have no effect.
 Kirk and Spock beam down to a planet where they find an imprisoned alien
 who is being held captive by the Klingon landing party.

 A transporter accident merges Kirk's body with his old enemy, Captain Garth
 of Izar. While in pursuit of an Orion ship that may possess the secret
 of immortality, the crew discovers it was used as bait in a trap set up
 for them by Harry Mudd.

 ============== sample 25 =================

 This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the Starship Enterprise.

 "I have to go," Picard said as he turned off his ready room viewscreen
 and began tugging on his uniform jacket. "We're needed in cargo bay three."

 Beverly Crusher was sitting at a small table, reading through an infirmary
 report while she sipped some tea. She looked up from her padd just long
 enough to say sadly: "It would seem so."

 Picard picked up two cups of tea that sat on the edge of Beverly's desk.
 He handed one cup to his wife before they both exited into the corridor
 outside. They walked together toward the turbolift. When the doors opened,
 Picard and Beverly stepped inside and started their journey downward towards
 deck twenty four, where the ship's main shuttle bays were located. Both
 stood silently side by side during the trip; each immersed in private thoughts
 about what had happened over the past few hours. The only sound came when
 someone called for the lift, causing it to stop momentarily along its way.

 They disembarked onto the lower deck and strode quickly to the nearest
 doorway leading out to the cavernous cargo bays. As soon as the double
 doors parted open, Picard and Beverly could see a large crowd gathered
 around something in the center of the floor . There appeared to be several
 crew members standing around holding PADD's with various reports displayed
 upon them. Some people were clustered inside the entrance to the largest
 cargo hold. One or two officers were kneeling beside the group, taking
 readings from tricorder scanners, trying hard not to get too close.

 The away team led by Commander Riker had returned less than thirty minutes
 ago after finding the body of Ensign Marla Finn. It hadn't taken long for
 news of this tragedy to spread throughout the entire ship. Everyone knew
 there was no chance of survival once the Borg had been brought aboard.
 Now everyone wanted to witness the return of another dead comrade...another
 life lost needlessly because of Q.

 As Picard approached the throng, he took notice of Lieutenant Worf who
 was also heading in his direction. Seeing the Klingon gave the captain
 pause for thought. With all these feelings surfacing within him now, maybe
 he should talk to his first officer instead? If Worf wanted to speak to
 him privately, then perhaps they might discuss anything Worf may wish to
 express to his commanding officer right here? But no - Picard decided against
 such a course. Whatever the lieutenant was feeling had nothing to do with
 those emotions currently affecting himself! So why bother dragging the
 young man back through memories which had already caused him much pain?
 Besides, whatever words were spoken between the two men tonight, they weren't
 going to change any facts concerning what had transpired earlier today.
 No matter how badly either of them wished things had gone differently,
 everything was still bound to end the same exact way tomorrow morning.
 Nothing anyone did or said now was even going to alter that outcome!

 Walking forward again, Picard stopped at the edge of the growing assemblage.
 His eyes searched the crowd until locating Will Riker who was talking quietly
 to Counselor Deanna Troi. Looking closer, he spotted a pair of enlisted
 crewmen carrying a stretcher bearing a human female with very short light
 brown hair lying motionless across the top. Her head was hanging limply
 over the edge of the narrow bed, nearly touching the cold metal flooring
 below. A dark red smear marked the wall near the entrance to the storage
 area from where her bloodied body must have impacted and slid to rest.

 Riker noticed the captain watching the scene unfolding further ahead. Noticing
 Guinan wasn't anywhere nearby, Picard guessed the counselor probably went
 looking for her friend sometime ago. He didn't blame her though. After
 being forced to experience all those horrible visions from yesterday, the
 Betazoid woman certainly would have required someone she trusted to help
 keep her emotionally stable. And if Riker found Troi alone after leaving
 the meeting place, he probably figured it best to stay with her till Guinan
 showed up later.

 Moving aside slightly, Lwaxana Troi nodded once to acknowledge Picard's
 presence as he pushed passed her. Following behind, Beverly gripped her
 husband tightly around the waist to let others know who held possession
 of this particular male within their midst.

 Seeing Picard approach, Will moved towards the captain. Stepping halfway
 towards each other, they met somewhere midway, in front of the prone figure.
 Glancing briefly at Ensign Finn's lifeless form stretched out atop the
 thin stainless steel frame, Riker asked softly: "Sir?"

 Trying to collect his thoughts, Picard sighed heavily, rubbing his hands
 slowly back & forth across the front of his blue duty uniform. Looking
 intently into the face of the officer closest to him, he replied gravely:
 "Commander..I want you to take us straight to Sector zero zero one immediately!"

 "But sir..." Riker protested hesitantly. "There isn't time! According to
 our present calculations, we'll barely make it as it stands. We won't arrive
 with more than seconds to spare as it is!"

 Shaking his head negatively, Picard argued: "Mr. LaForge has reported there
 are problems with the warp engines that will delay our departure for at
 least another hour. That gives me time to address my concerns regarding
 what I saw earlier. And despite your belief otherwise commander, I intend
 to utilize every single second available to me in order to rectify this
 situation."

 Reaching out, Riker placed one firm hand upon his superior's shoulder and
 tried reasoning with him; hoping to persuade the stubborn captain to reconsider
 his decision: "Jean Luc, please listen to yourself! You've seen this person
 die twice now! Do you really think adding another death to that total will
 somehow prevent the destruction of Earth?! Even if you manage to save her
 life now, can you honestly believe it'll make any difference regarding
 the future? You can't possibly hope to change the events we've already
 experienced!"

 Remembering what Data had stated almost nine months ago, Picard smiled
 wryly. Then he glanced momentarily back into Finn's blank expressionless
 face lying before them before replying bitterly: "Data told me once that
 he never allowed his programming to interfere with his thinking process.
 By contrast, I often find myself allowing my own preconceived notions to
 impair my judgement whenever making decisions based solely on reason alone!
 But this time commander, I refuse to allow logic or probability to dictate
 my actions here!" Turning to look directly into Rikers grayish green eyes,
 he added: "This is my command Will…and this is how I choose to handle matters!"

 Standing perfectly erect, the tall dark haired man responded curtly: "Yes
 Sir!"

 Then he quickly departed for the bridge without saying another word. As
 he left the cargo hold, Beverly wrapped her arms securely around Picards
 shoulders and held him snuggly next to herself. Placing her chin on top
 of his head, she whispered lovingly: "You'll be okay dearest. Just remember
 to call me if you need me..alright?"

 Looking upwards to meet her gaze, Picard answered grimly: "Of course dearest…as
 always."

 He reached up to stroke the smoothness of her cheek tenderly. Tilting her
 head affectionately, Beverly kissed him goodbye and then released him from
 her grasp. Watching her walk away, Picard swallowed uneasily wondering
 silently whether either one of them realized exactly how important these
 final moments truly were becoming in their lives. Turning back to view
 the deceased security officer laying before him, he murmured softly under
 his breath: "Forgive me child! For unlike Commander Riker I am willing
 accept the consequences resulting from my belief!"

 Acknowledging the presence of two medical technicians dressed in yellow
 environmental suits waiting patiently nearby, he ordered loudly for them
 to come forward. Moving swiftly, each specialized staff member checked
 the monitors attached to the biobed. Satisfying themselves these instruments
 continued functioning properly, the duo carefully lifted the stiffened
 remains of Ensign Marla Finn into the air and carried her towards one of
 the many transport units positioned about the cargo deck. Once safely secured
 inside the device, they activated the controls sending the deceased woman
 on her final voyage.

 Grabbing hold of the nearest support beam to steady himself, Picard felt
 his heart racing faster than usual. He closed his eyes tightly, reaching
 deep down into himself searching for inner strength while attempting to
 control his rapidly deteriorating emotional condition. Reminding himself
 that in times like these, it was usually best to rely on his intellect
 rather than instinctual responses, but unfortunately this particular task
 couldn't be solved through mere logical analysis. Despite all the evidence
 to contrary, sometimes people just refused to understand certain things
 no matter how hard others attempted explaining the rationale behind their
 behavior. Sometimes it simply comes down to having faith in oneself and
 believing that what ever choices made in life will ultimately

 ============== sample 25 =================

 I am Lieutenant Commander Data, chief operations officer of the U.S.S Enterprise
 NCC-1701-D

 I have been with this ship since her construction at Utopia Planitia and
 served on board during its entire history until it was destroyed in 2364
 by a Klingon vessel commanded by Captain K'Vorta

 My goal is to someday be able to understand human emotions as well as they
 do

 Star Trek: The Next Generation - Season One (Blu Ray) [Blu-ray] [Region
 A]

 ============== sample 25 =================

 The Klingons are attacking an unarmed Federation colony.

 Kirk: "You're right, Mr Spock"

 The captain of the Enterprise and his first officer exchange words in front
 of the main viewscreen on the bridge, as they watch a small group of Vulcans
 being fired upon by a squadron of soldiers from Andoria. These Vulcan colonists
 had been promised safety within Federation territory but now it seems they
 were wrong to trust them. Kirk is angry that Starfleet has done nothing
 to protect them so far – this is not what he signed up for. Yet Spock believes
 it would be foolish to risk military action against one’s own allies without
 knowing all sides of the story. In response, James Tiberius gives him a
 withering look: “Mr. Spock… you have always been a voice of reason.” Then
 he orders Chekov to fire phasers at full power!

 This scenario could easily have occurred during the original series in
 which Captain Kirk (William Shatner) was forever defying starship regulations
 in order to save innocent lives or maintain the ideals of the United Federation
 of Planets. But Star Trek Discovery takes place ten years before those
 events when First Officer Spock (Ethan Peck), half-Vulcan and half-Human,
 served under Christopher Pike (Anson Mount). This new version of Spock
 is just starting out in Starfleet, having recently graduated from the Academy
 where he encountered Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) - who later
 became science specialist aboard USS Enterprise, NCC 1701. Their relationship
 was never explored within previous shows so their reunion here provides
 much needed backstory.

 Ash Tyler (Shazad Latif): "I am the most dangerous man alive."

 Burnham wants Spock to help her decipher strange signals she has detected
 emanating from deep space. But he refuses since these communications may
 be a trap designed to lure the crew away from regular duties. While she
 seeks answers, Ash Tyler (Shazad Latif) struggles with his inner demons
 following Voq’s recent return; Lt. Commander Stametz (Anthony Rapp) continues
 work on a propulsion system capable of sending ships faster than any other
 Starfleet vessel; and Dr. Hugh Culber (Wilson Cruz) feels jealous over
 Paul Stamets’ (Reno Wilson) growing attraction towards Engineer Reno (Tig
 Notaro)! It soon transpires that all these plot threads will converge into
 an intense finale, bringing us closer to understanding how the universe
 fits together ahead of the forthcoming Picard spin-off starring Sir Patrick
 Stewart.

 Discovery has already established itself as more character driven than
 its predecessors, providing audiences with greater insight into individuals
 we previously thought we knew well. Ethan Peck does an excellent job portraying
 young Spock as someone eager to please others yet conflicted about his
 role in life. At times he appears less logical than Leonard Nimoy did originally,
 however his emotional range allows for deeper engagement with viewers compared
 to Mark Lenard who played Sarek in season two of the animated incarnation
 called The Animated Series. Meanwhile, Amanda Grayson (Mia Kirshner) still
 loves her son dearly despite his decision to join Starfleet rather than
 stay home with her. She knows there must come a time when children leave
 home although she wishes he would call every once in a while.

 Michael Burnham confronts Spock after discovering secret data files hidden
 inside a hologram of their mother.

 One of my favourite scenes occurs when Momma Sarek asks Michael if she
 plans to marry Ash Tyler because she assumes relationships should always
 end with marriage, especially between Humans. However, things are complicated
 since Ash killed Mirror Universe Emperor Georgiou (Michelle Yeoh) several
 episodes ago. Despite his best efforts, he cannot escape from Voq whenever
 he closes his eyes. So even though he no longer exists, the former Torchbearer
 remains a constant threat to anyone close by. When Michael visits Spock
 in sickbay, they argue about his refusal to talk about family matters.
 Afterwards, she heads to engineering where she discovers a secret message
 buried beneath layers of code. Her brother then reluctantly reveals details
 concerning the Red Angel, whose mysterious appearances seem connected to
 seven red signals scattered across space.

 As mentioned earlier, each episode builds on top of everything else that
 came beforehand. Therefore, watching this show requires attention to detail.
 I like how every line of dialogue counts towards a satisfying conclusion.
 Even minor characters can become important later on which adds depth to
 an already complex narrative. For example, we learn the Red Angels represent
 future versions of Airiam (Hannah Cheesman) who travelled backwards through
 time to warn the Discovery crew of impending danger. Furthermore, the data
 fragments discovered by Michael contain information concerning Control,
 a sentient artificial intelligence created using research conducted by
 Section 31. Likewise, Stamets realises spores grown around mycelial networks
 found within different dimensions might provide the answer he needs to
 complete his experiments.

 Stamets talks Airiam into becoming the next host for Project Daedalus.

 What makes this show unique among all iterations of Gene Roddenberry’s
 classic TV series? One word comes to mind: continuity. Each installment
 carefully links together into a bigger picture. Some people prefer standalone
 stories whereas others enjoy longer arcs. Either way, Discovery delivers
 both to satisfy everyone’s tastes. Moreover, the creators understand how
 crucial it is to tie storylines back to familiar elements from past productions.
 Having said that, they also respect the fact that audiences expect something
 new; some twisted take on iconic material to make it feel fresh. If only
 JJ Abrams understood such concepts prior to making his ill fated reboot
 movies!

 ============== sample 26 =================

 This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard, of the Federation Starship Enterprise.

 The time has come to tell you more about what we have learned from our
 mission and how it can affect your own lives. We will not be speaking as
 scientists or philosophers; however, we do still hope that some of these
 thoughts and ideas might bring illumination in your own journey through
 life. The universe contains many wonders, both beautiful and terrible,
 but there are no certainties – only opportunities for learning and growth.
 In fact, isn’t this the true meaning of life? To grow into the best version
 of ourselves possible by finding out who we really are and why we exist?
 I know each one of us on Earth is capable of achieving far great things
 than we ever imagined. But remember: just like a starship needs its crew
 to travel safely through space, every single person must participate if
 humanity wishes to reach new heights. My crew and I would be honoured to
 work with all of you towards such an amazing destiny!

 ============== sample 26 =================

 I am Lieutenant Commander Data of the United Federation Starship Enterprise.
 This is my personal log entry for stardate 42375.8

 I have been selected by Captain Picard to represent the Federation on a
 mission into Romulan space. The purpose of this assignment is twofold:
 first, to learn if any of the survivors from an Earth ship destroyed in
 that sector over six years ago are still alive; and second, to determine
 whether those survivors can be rescued without causing undue provocation
 against the Federation. My immediate superior officer will be Subcommander
 T'Paltrine of the Romulan vessel Haakona. She has already made it clear
 that her orders come directly from Fleet Admiral Brackett, who apparently
 expects me to follow them unquestioningly despite their obvious implications
 regarding the safety of our people.

 This, then, represents another step along what one might term "the road
 less traveled." Over the past few months, I seem to have encountered more
 than my share of such opportunities—and with good reason. As a sentient
 artificial life-form, my very existence goes against all manner of accepted
 wisdom when it comes to human relationships. And yet, there seems no end
 of individuals willing to accept me as their equal, so long as we both
 continue down this particular path....

 As a consequence, I find myself not only tolerated but also respected among
 the crew of the Enterprise. That does not mean they do not tease me now
 and again. But at least most of these episodes are good-natured jibes intended
 to make light of some shortcoming or other. In fact, even Worf seems to
 have mellowed towards me somewhat since he was transferred here from Deep
 Space Nine nearly three months ago.

 The lieutenant did not take kindly to the presence of his new android roommate.
 After all, Klingons prefer their privacy, while I tend to fill whatever
 free time presents itself with research, which often requires access to
 the computer terminal in our quarters. On several occasions, the warrior
 has asked me why I cannot perform data searches elsewhere instead of disturbing
 him.

 At last, however, Worf realized that he could get more work done during
 his off hours if he just went ahead and used his own terminal rather than
 bickering about mine. He has shown a distinct improvement ever since, although
 I must confess that having to listen to him grunt out loud as he lifts
 weights is something less than ideal. Still, compared with Deanna Troi's
 moans of passion emanating from the room next door... well, let us simply
 say that there always appears to be something distracting going on around
 me, though this hardly qualifies as unusual for someone working aboard
 a starship. Indeed, sometimes it seems it would be stranger to encounter
 nothing but silence on every deck of the vessel.

 For example, Ensign Ro Laren's voice came through a tiny speaker mounted
 underneath my collarbone, where it emerged as part of my auditory subsystem.
 This allowed me to monitor her progress while she worked on repairs in
 engineering without needing to leave my station in Ten Forward. It seemed
 that she had finished early, and was anxious for approval on how things
 were proceeding. Too bad her superiors were otherwise occupied.

 "Commander La Forge?" said Ro hesitantly, as she tried once more to contact
 Geordie via the comm system.

 "He's busy," answered Beverly Crusher, seizing upon the opportunity presented
 by her former patient's call. "Here, talk to Doctor Crusher until you finish
 your job. Then you can go back to bed."

 Ro sighed heavily. Not again! "But doctor..."

 Beverly interrupted before the ensign could protest further. "No arguments,
 please. You know perfectly well I don't like making house calls after shift
 hours unless they involve a critical situation. Since you haven't experienced
 any repercussions from being shot full of microtransporters earlier today,
 I see no reason to risk your health unnecessarily."

 Microtransporters? Data frowned slightly. Could it be possible that Dr.
 Soong left out important details regarding my construction? If so, I shall
 endeavor to rectify that omission posthaste. Aloud, the android remarked,
 "It sounds as if Ensign Ro may require assistance beyond that available
 from either yourself or Mr. La Forge."

 Suddenly, the conversation in sickbay took an unexpected turn. "What happened,
 Beverly?" Will Riker leaned forward toward the intercom panel. "Did somebody
 else have problems with the transporter?"

 Dr. Crusher shook her head. "Not exactly. Somehow, Ensign Ro got exposed
 to the same energy source that brought Worf into the future yesterday.
 While I admit that was interesting enough by itself..." Her voice cracked
 as though it strained beneath the weight of too many words. "...what makes
 it more significant is that she should never have gone near the device
 at all!"

 Data immediately keyed up the medical logs stored within the Enterprise
 database. There he found records of a number of tests conducted by members
 of the senior staff on the machine discovered by Jean Luc Picard and Worf
 inside a temporal rift. Apparently, it was designed to send objects backward
 in time, thereby creating divergences in history whenever it activated.

 Still, it had appeared completely dormant until the captain managed to
 reactivate its power supply using spare parts from the shuttlecraft Curie.
 Unfortunately, his attempt to retrieve information from the chronoton sensor
 array resulted in a brief surge of energy that propelled the commander
 twenty five centuries into the distant past.

 Since then, no one wanted anything to do with the technology involved.
 Even Chief O'Brien refused to return to Engineering alone, insisting that
 Counselor Troi accompany him each day to ensure that everything remained
 intact.

 All of which made it difficult to understand why anyone would deliberately
 seek exposure to that source of radiation. "Has Commander Riker informed
 the captain about this incident?" asked Data.

 A pause followed as everyone present began to consider the ramifications
 of such disclosure. They knew quite clearly the captain's feelings about
 tampering with timelines, especially given his recent experience. What
 effect would hearing of this latest development have on him? At length,
 Riker spoke up.

 "Actually, no. Given the circumstances surrounding this phenomenon, I think
 perhaps it's best to keep certain facts quiet for the moment. We certainly
 wouldn't want to put ideas into anybody's heads." He rose slowly from the
 biobed, stretching himself gingerly to test for pain. Satisfied that none
 existed, Riker continued. "Anyway, there doesn't appear to be much harm
 done yet. Besides, we still don't know what caused Worf's accident."

 Crusher nodded. "That's right. As far as I can tell, the problem resulted
 from some sort of malfunction in the transporter, possibly due to fluctuations
 in the electromagnetic field caused by the temporal displacement generator.
 So far, nobody except Worf has suffered serious effects."

 Riker chuckled. "Well, you know what they say—third time's the charm."
 His tone grew more solemn as he added, "Then again, maybe not."

 "Ensign," called Will. "How badly injured are you?"

 After a momentary lull, Ro responded, "Nothing broken that I can feel,
 sir. Just a little dizzy."

 Without waiting for permission, Data hurried across the barroom floor and
 entered the turbolift. "Inform bridge of my destination: Main Engineering,"
 he ordered the lift control circuitry.

 "And what prompts this sudden change in plans, Mister Data?" asked Riker.

 "When one considers the events of late, it becomes apparent that there
 exists a pattern to such incidents," replied the android. "Therefore, it
 behooves me to investigate this occurrence as fully as possible."

 Before the doors closed entirely behind him, Data heard Beverly ask, "Is
 he really sure that he wants to go there?"

 Will scowled darkly. "If there's even half a chance of danger to anyone,
 I swear he won't set foot outside sickbay again!"

 Another voice broke in. "Pardon me, Number One, but isn't that just a bit
 unfair?"

 The sound of movement over the communicator told Riker that Data had finally
 reached engineering. Now there appeared to be more than one person speaking,
 including Ro herself.

 "Laren, report," demanded La Forge.

 "Um, hi, Geordie... sorry about calling you away from duty at this hour.
 I guess I kinda panicked. Anyway, I figured I'd better check in with you
 to make sure this wasn't going to happen again."

 Geordie sounded sympathetic. "Don't worry about it. With a little luck,
 we'll soon fix whatever caused this whole mess in the first place." A beat
 later, his voice turned wistful. "Boy, I wish Reg had lived to see all
 this..."

 Silence fell over the entire room. Finally, Ro cleared her throat awkwardly.
 "You don't suppose we could avoid bringing up old topics when we see each
 other? Especially considering that you and I weren't exactly close friends
 of hers

 ============== sample 26 =================

 The Klingons are attacking, and only you can stop them! From the popular
 television series Star Trek: Discovery comes this Starfleet Command Badge.
 This pin measures approximately 2-inches tall x 1-inch wide.

 ============== sample 27 =================

 This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard, former captain of the starship Enterprise.
 It has been an honor to serve with you on this mission. I would like to
 express my deep appreciation for your service in protecting and defending
 our galaxy from its most dangerous threats.

 The Federation's need for Starfleet officers has never been greater than
 it is today -- but we also recognize that serving aboard a starship comes
 at great personal sacrifice. Some of us have left behind spouses or significant
 others; others are separated from children who must grow up too far away
 from home. You endure long months without seeing the faces of those who
 mean so much to you. Your families make their own sacrifices as well: They
 face each day without knowing if their loved one will return safely from
 duty.

 As a husband and father myself, I know firsthand how difficult these challenges
 can be. But I am also intimately familiar with the pride and joy that come
 from being part of something larger than ourselves--a sense that our lives
 take on meaning when they become intertwined with others. As members of
 the Federation, we all share that bond, whether we seek out new lifeforms
 and civilizations aboard starships or support them from bases and stations
 throughout the galaxy. We are all explorers! And what greater thing is
 there for humanity than to have a hand in creating the future? To help
 guide us into a tomorrow rich with compassion and understanding, where
 differences between individuals are celebrated rather than scorned, where
 people strive to better themselves and those around them every single day?
 That is the world that we continue building together even now.

 I encourage you to always remember why you chose to join Starfleet. There
 may be times when you question your decision, wondering if the call of
 duty was worth all the missed birthdays and bedtime stories. If you ever
 feel that way, reach out to the people closest to you for strength and
 comfort. Talk openly about your struggles and insecurities. Turn to them
 whenever you feel lost or alone. With love, anything is possible.

 ============== sample 27 =================

 I am Lieutenant Commander Data of the USS Enterprise.

 We are currently on our way to Starbase 515, where we hope to rendezvous
 with a group of Vulcan scientists who have just made some interesting discoveries
 in the field of subspace physics.

 In the meantime, however, there is another matter that requires my attention...
 one that has nothing whatsoever to do with science or technology: the preparations
 for the wedding of Ensign Robin Lefler and Lieutenant Joe Carey! This ceremony
 will take place when we reach Star Base 62—in about sixteen hours.

 That would be soon enough as it was. But then...

 "Data," said Captain Picard, "I'd like you to accompany me to engineering."
 Inwardly, I sighed. The ship needed to arrive at its destination within
 the next few days; otherwise, the transporter system would have been used
 instead of the shuttlecraft _Curie_. As it turned out, this mode of travel
 had provided more than adequate time to address the task assigned to me
 by Worf—and still get back before the captain called upon me again.

 As Worf knew all too well, the responsibility for attending to each detail
 relating to the nuptials belonged entirely to me. Though I am not human,
 I have come to understand certain aspects of their nature quite thoroughly
 over the years. There is no doubt in my mind that most humans would find
 planning an event such as this very stressful under normal circumstances.
 However, given the fact that the bride and groom were caught up in other
 matters at the moment—the former involved in her duties on the bridge while
 the latter attended to repairs in engineering—it fell to me to ensure that
 every aspect of the wedding went off without a hitch.

 After all, this wasn't going to be any ordinary marriage.

 It was a Klingon-Vulcan union—an alliance between two cultures whose respective
 ceremonies could hardly have been farther apart in terms of formality.
 On the surface, there appeared to be no common ground at all. And yet the
 bride and groom wanted both traditions represented during the proceedings.
 Naturally, they appealed to me for help.

 And naturally, I accepted. How could I refuse? After all, I had known Robin
 since she first came aboard the Enterprise as an ensign fresh from the
 Academy. She was intelligent, goodhearted, easygoing—all the qualities
 one might expect of someone raised in a family full of Starfleet officers.
 It gave me great pleasure to see how she had grown in stature over the
 years, becoming as comfortable with herself as she was with others. Indeed,
 if ever a person deserved a happy ending, Robin did.

 Joe Carey was equally deserving, though he didn't seem so at first glance.
 When he joined us early in our mission, his brashness often got him into
 trouble. At times, I found myself wondering whether he would survive long
 enough to learn the wisdom and patience required of a senior officer. Fortunately
 for him, he was smart and resourceful enough to avoid being dismissed from
 duty altogether—though he did suffer several demotions along the way. Eventually,
 he became proficient enough to rise through the ranks until he reached
 the post of chief engineer.

 Now that I think about it, perhaps these two people weren't so different
 after all. Just as Joe had overcome the limitations imposed by immaturity,
 so had Robin overcome those imposed by her human weaknesses. Both of them
 had done rather well in the end, considering themselves lucky to have met
 and fallen in love. All they lacked now was the opportunity to consummate
 their relationship officially.

 But thanks to the efforts of the Vulcans, who happened to be exploring
 space near the Gamma Quadrant when they picked up some unusual readings,
 that opportunity was scheduled to occur sooner than anyone expected. For
 it seems they discovered something extraordinary: a wormhole which opens
 onto a region of space never seen before. A place the Romulans consider
 sacred territory... a place the Federation considers ripe for exploration.
 Since neither side can agree on joint jurisdiction of this area, the dispute
 escalated into hostilities.

 Of course, the Enterprise was sent immediately to deal with it. We arrived
 in the vicinity shortly after the battle began and ordered the combatants
 to stand down. Then we proceeded to open communications with both sides.

 Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, we couldn't prevent further bloodshed.
 What started as a skirmish quickly grew into a fully fledged conflict.
 With so much energy expended in weapons fire, the anomaly destabilized
 and threatened to close forever. If that should happen, any chance of resolving
 the issue peacefully would also disappear, taking with it any possibility
 of future diplomatic negotiations.

 Fortunately, the situation stabilized once the fighting stopped. That left
 only the problem at hand to contend with. By the time we docked at Deep
 Space Five, having completed our initial round of talks, we were faced
 with a serious dilemma: if either party claimed victory, it would mean
 renewing warfare between the Empire and the Federation. On the other hand,
 allowing one side to concede defeat would lead to instability among the
 Romulan military hierarchy. Either option carried significant risk. Unfortunately,
 there seemed to be little alternative but to continue trying to resolve
 the debate directly.

 So far, we had failed to make headway. But the Vulcans seemed confident
 that they could shed new light on the subject. Therefore, it was decided
 that two members of the crew would attend the briefing at Starbase 515,
 at which time we would receive the details of their research. These individuals
 were Geordi LaForge, chief engineer, and William Riker, second officer
 and executive head of security. To facilitate the transferal of knowledge,
 they were bringing Robin Lefler and Deanna Troi, respectively.

 Wasn't it possible to send the information via commlink? one might ask.
 Yes, of course—but as Geordi noted, the data transmitted electronically
 might prove insufficient to explain the subtleties inherent in the process,
 since the complexities of the phenomenon would probably require three-dimensional
 models and other illustrative devices beyond words and numbers alone.

 On top of everything else, it suddenly occurred to me that I had forgotten
 to inform Dr. Beverly Crusher that the guest list included an additional
 name. Of course, there remained plenty of room available on the holodeck
 programmed for use during the reception, so I didn't anticipate any problems
 arising because of the change. Nonetheless, I took advantage of the trip
 to engineering to rectify things.

 By that time, La Forge and the rest of the away team had already gathered
 there. So, as soon as we materialized, I reminded Picard of Doctor Crusher's
 omission, then excused myself and crossed to the warp core access ladder.

 "Geordi?" I asked. He looked up from a console display and smiled.

 "You betcha!" he replied. Then he glanced around at the half dozen technicians
 working alongside him. "Come on, guys—this is Mr. Data, my old roommate
 from the Academy!"

 Some of those present nodded politely, having heard tales of the android's
 exploits. Others offered greetings. Only one showed signs of discomfort.

 His name was Sam Lavelle, who, like Joe Carey, hadn't always been the model
 of efficiency and decorum one expects of a Starfleet officer. Like Carey,
 he was prone to practical jokes and other forms of mischief. Also like
 Carey, he suffered for his actions—most recently in a disciplinary hearing
 at which I served as prosecutor.

 Lavelle had been accused of negligence involving equipment essential to
 the safety of the vessel and her complement. The defendant elected to represent
 himself, and I must admit to enjoying our verbal exchanges almost as much
 as Picard enjoyed watching them. Even today, months later, I recall the
 highlights of our encounter with pride.

 "Mr. Lavelle," I said, "you denigrate your status by choosing to plead
 ignorance. You were educated at Starfleet Academy to know better."

 The young man drew himself up proudly. "My defense against this charge
 lies in the vagaries of quantum mechanics itself, sir."

 I considered that explanation for a moment. "Are you suggesting your action
 constituted a random event? That your failure to secure the plasma conduitor
 resulted from a fluke occurrence? Surely you don't wish to rely on the
 unpredictable behavior of the universe to justify yourself?"

 He frowned thoughtfully. "Not exactly, sir..."

 Clearly, he was fishing for ideas.

 Another pause. "Do you suppose," he ventured, "we can attribute the incident
 to the influence of chaos theory?"

 Perhaps this idea was not so bad. In fact, I had once conducted studies
 on the role chaos played in the evolution of consciousness. Still, I was
 loath to allow the defendant even the slightest hint of success.

 "Chaos theory suggests that systems too large to define are ultimately
 deterministic," I pointed out. "If I am correct, it posited

 ============== sample 27 =================

 The Klingons are attacking! This is the 1st time I'm doing a customized
 miniature. My previous effort was to repaint an unfinished Reaper Miniatures
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 Captain Janeway's Log: Stardate 51782.4

 We are entering a new star system and have detected an M-class
 planet with humanoid life signs that appear to be in some kind
 of distress. I am sending Commander Chakotay, Lt. Tuvok, and
 Ensign Kim down for reconnaissance. We will return as soon as
 we can establish contact with the inhabitants.

 Chakotay walked into sickbay. Beverly Crusher was sitting on
 one of the biobeds talking quietly with The Doctor while he treated
 her shoulder injury. When she saw him enter, she jumped up from
 the bed too quickly, which made her head swim. She held onto
 his arm until it passed, then grinned at him weakly and said
 "Well, hello Chief Chakotay."

 "Bones, what did you do this time? You were supposed to be keeping
 your nose clean!" He smiled gently at her as he helped steady
 her on unsteady feet.

 She laughed nervously. Then she looked over The Doctor's shoulder
 who was examining her x-rays. "What is going on here?" she asked.

 The Doctor turned to face them both. "It appears that Dr. Crusher
 has been shot by a low intensity level phaser set to stun."

 Crusher glared at him sarcastically. "Thank you very much for
 enlightening me there Doc! Wouldn't have known otherwise."

 He stepped toward them. "I believe you must have been hit by
 a glancing blow from Lieutenant Paris' phaser during our little
 adventure yesterday. It seems you suffered no serious injuries
 except a broken collarbone and a small concussion."

 Her eyes widened as comprehension dawned on her. "God Tom, how
 could you not tell me!" Her voice became husky as tears welled
 up in her eyes. "Oh God," she whispered softly through quivering
 lips.

 Tom stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. He
 kissed the back of her neck tenderly and whispered soothing words
 into her ear. "You didn't even feel anything, B'Elanna. That's
 why I thought it wasn't important enough to mention." His hand
 rubbed circles across the front of her abdomen. "I'm sorry if
 I scared you. Please forgive me."

 A tear escaped past her eyelids and rolled slowly down her cheek.
 "Of course I forgive you. How can you ask such a question?"

 Tom felt as though his heart would break when he heard her say
 those words. He pulled away and sat beside her on the edge of
 the biobed. "Don't worry about us anymore, Bev." He took her
 right hand in both of his own. "Our baby is doing just fine.
 It's still strong and healthy, and I promise nothing bad will
 happen to either of you. We are all safe now."

 B'Elanna sniffed and nodded silently. Then she leaned forward
 and embraced Tom tightly before standing. "Now get out of my
 way and let me go home already!"

 ============== sample 1 =================

 Captain Benjamin Sisko, commander of the Federation space station
 Deep Space Nine™ and Emissary to the Prophets, has been ordered
 by Starfleet Command to undertake a secret mission. With his
 entire senior staff at his side-including Lt Commander Worf,
 former officer on board the EnterpriseTM -Sisko must travel back
 in time, beyond the very roots of the conflict between the Federation
 and Klingon Empire.

 Meanwhile, Captain Jean-Luc Picard leads the crew of the USS
 Enterprise TM (NCC 1701-E) into what was supposed to be a routine
 diplomatic visit turned deadly. The planet Tezwa is embroiled
 in civil war between the nation's Prime Minister and its rebel
 parliament, but it seems that both sides may have violated the
 terms of their treaty with the Federation...and may even pose
 a threat to the Romulans! Is this a sign of things to come? And
 could either side bring about disaster for all three powers?

 ============== sample 1 =================

 Captain Jean-Luc Picard was in his ready room when the call came
 from engineering. He tapped a control> initializing model parallel with size 8
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 Captain Janeway is on the hunt for a new ship in this Star Trek:
 Voyager episode.

 The aliens were so friendly that they didn't even ask to scan
 her brainwaves before granting her access to their ships. I wonder
 if there are also some friendly, humanoid Borg out there somewhere?
 We haven't met them yet...

 The crew was divided over whether or not to accept the tradeoff
 of being assimilated into an advanced race versus staying as
 they are and never returning home again. The Doctor made his
 case against it by quoting Shakespeare (from "Hamlet"):

 What a piece of work is man! How noble in reason, how infinite
 in faculty! In form and moving how express and admirable! In
 action how like an Angel! In apprehension how like a god! The
 beauty of the world. The paragon of animals! And yet, to me,
 what is this quintessence of dust? Man delights not me; no, nor
 Woman neither; though by your smiling you seem to say so.

 I think Seven would have agreed with him up until recently when
 she started falling in love with Chakotay. She still has problems
 dealing with emotions but now at least she can feel empathy towards
 others. Even she seemed happy when Tom returned from New Earth.
 But the Doctor doesn't understand why anyone would want to be
 human and he sees only imperfection everywhere he looks. He wants
 more than anything else to evolve beyond his current state--to
 become something greater.

 One thing we know about evolution is that it isn't always pretty.
 A lot of species had a hard time adjusting to changes in the
 environment so they died off along the way. Some were eaten alive
 by predators while others simply got sick and passed away. Survival
 of the fittest means taking risks and sometimes people get hurt
 during these transformations. We mustn't forget all those who
 gave their lives fighting wars just trying to defend themselves
 against bigger foes. Evolution could mean losing your ability
 to reproduce naturally because you need technology to keep yourself
 going. It might mean becoming addicted to illegal substances
 that make the pain go away without any thought given to the long-term
 consequences. There may come a day when humans don't know right
 from wrong anymore which scares me half to death.

 There are good things too. Like I said, we wouldn't have survived
 very well otherwise. If someone does attack us, then we have
 weapons of mass destruction to fall back upon. As long as one
 side has the advantage, no one will dare pick a fight. This kind
 of warfare may soon extend into space where other planets may
 someday find themselves at odds with each other. Our own Moon
 became an independent nation after breaking free from our orbit
 a few years ago following a devastating earthquake here on planet
 Earth. I hope we won't ever see the same thing happen on Mars.
 It has been peaceful since its colonization began many centuries
 ago.

 Even if you aren't interested in watching the video above (but
 hopefully you will), please read the comments below. They explain
 a little bit better why evolutionary theory is flawed in my opinion.

 Labels: captain kirk, hamlet, kathryn janeway, shakespeare, star
 trek voyager


 ============== sample 1 =================

 Captain Benjamin Sisko

 The U.S.S Sherman was a Defiant-class starship in service to
 Starfleet during the Dominion War, as well as one of its last
 surviving vessels at war's end. It is most notable for being
 the first ship ever to be destroyed by an Iconian Gateway weapon,
 when it entered battle against Tholians above Deep Space Nine
 and was caught up in their attempt to destroy DS9 via a gateway
 weapon attack, which resulted in not only the vessel's destruction
 but also that of two Romulan ships and the station itself along
 with all hands on board at the time. (TOS video game: Avenger)


 ============== sample 1 =================

 Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the crew of the U.S.S Enterprise
 set out to explore the furthest reaches of the universe. Each
 new discovery brings its own surprises,...

 Brand: Star Trek Model: STAR01392

 Star Trek Discovery USS Shenzhou NCC 1227 Ship with Collector
 Magazine #45

 From Eaglemoss Collections comes this finely detailed diecast
 model featuring the USS Shenzou from season one of CBS's Star
 Trek Discovery! Measuring approximately 8 inches long, it features
 multiple light up functions on a full interior, including bridge,
 shuttle bay, engineering section, sickbay, mess hall and captain’s
 ready room. This ship also includes a display stand and collectible
 magazine featuring production artwork for the show. Comes packaged
 in a full color window box.

 The official Star Trek Starships Collection is your opportunity
 to build an incredible collection of highly detailed starship
 models at an affordable price. Every issue includes a fascinating
 magazine that profiles each featured ship design alongside behind-the-scenes
 articles and interviews that will give you a deeper insight into
 how these ships were created.

 This special bonus edition of the Star Trek Official Starships
 Collection features the iconic Klingon Bird of Prey as seen in
 various episodes of Deep Space Nine and Voyager. Designed by
 Rick Sternbach using a Ralph McQuarrie painting of Darth Vader's
 TIE fighter, the D7 class battlecruiser was used throughout The
 Original Series and has since become synonymous with the Klingons.

 Ships are approximately 6 - 10 Inches Long, Die Cast Metal with
 some Plastic Parts, Fully Painted, comes with Stands & Clear
 Display Case, Full Color Booklet.


 ============== sample 1 =================

 Lieutenant Commander Data is a fictional character in the Star
 Trek universe portrayed by actor Brent Spiner. He appears in
 the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation and the
 feature films Star Trek Generations (1994), Star Trek: First
 Contact (1996), Star Trek Insurrection(1998) and Star Trek Nemesis
 (2002).

 Data was found on Omicron Theta, an uninhabited planet located
 near the Federation colony of Omicron Ceti III. It turns out
 that he had been built by Doctor Noonien Soong, who also constructed
 his "brother" Lore ("Datalore"), and later B-4 ("Birthright").
 They were designed to be as human as possible but lacked emotions
 until Dr. Soong installed a chip called an emotion chip into
 Data's neural net which allowed him to feel them. This was done
 in 2371 during the episode entitled Descent in season six.

 Data has two pet cats named Whiskers and Spot. While it may seem
 strange for an android like Data to have pets, Spot is actually
 more than just a cat; she's a feline life form from another dimension
 known simply as Feline. Her full name being Liquidator of the
 High Council of Vulcan. She was brought aboard through a transporter
 accident with her son Spotty.

 Actor Wil Wheaton played Wesley Crusher, one of only three regular
 characters in TNG not directly involved in the command structure
 or bridge operations.


 ============== sample 1 =================

 the Borghese Gallery is a museum housed in Villa Borghese, an
 18th-century building located on Pincian Hill in Rome. It contains
 works by such artists as Bernini, Caravaggio and Raphael. The
 sculpture collection is famous for its nude statues of Venus.

 Piazzale Scipione Borghese


 ============== sample 2 =================

 Captain Janeway in the holodeck.

 The Holodeck was a space on board Federation starships that allowed
 crewmen to recreate and experience any situation, place or person
 they desired. The recreation of people often fell into two categories:
 historical figures who were simulated by computer technology
 based off known records; and fictional characters that also fell
 under this category with one exception - the characters from
 the Dixon Hill novels who actually existed during the early 20th
 century on Earth. (VOY: "The Big Goodbye") Other types included
 simulations of events such as battles, famous places like Romeo's
 home city Verona, planets such as Alpha Centauri IV, or even
 entire civilizations including the Hirogen. (TNG: "Hollow Pursuits",
 TOS: "Shore Leave"; VOY: "Bride of Chaotica!")

 It is important to note that while a hologram can be made interactive
 for use in the holodecks, it requires an extremely sophisticated
 system to run it. It would only work if all elements involved
 are preprogrammed into the simulation beforehand. This explains
 why Data was never able to interact with his friends aboard the
 Enterprise-D when he ran around the ship as Sherlock Holmes solving
 crimes with Geordi La Forge as Dr. Watson. In order for him to
 have been capable of doing so, Starfleet scientists would have
 had to program every single individual's reactions in advance
 so that their actions could match up with whatever eventualities
 might occur within the scenario. As this was not possible at
 any time prior to the 24th century, Data was restricted to using
 the holodeck for entertainment purposes. (TNG: "Elementary, Dear
 Data" et al) Another example of the limitations faced by earlier
 holoprograms was illustrated in 2153, when Charles Tucker III
 and Travis Mayweather became trapped inside a holosuite version
 of the Strategema game. While the two officers managed to escape
 and exit the program, the safety protocols designed to prevent
 them from becoming injured failed to operate properly when the
 computer detected the pair attempting to leave through force.
 (ENT: "Strategem") A similar incident occurred in 2376, when
 Reginald Barclay and Deanna Troi found themselves trapped inside
 a holonovel called The Pathfinder Project after encountering
 problems with the computer systems controlling its operation.
 (VOY: "Pathfinder") Despite these setbacks however, the holodeck
 continued to prove itself useful both as a training environment
 for combat situations, and as a form of entertainment for bored
 crewmembers. (DS9: "Homefront", "In the Pale Moonlight", "Prophet
 Motive", "One Little Ship", et al; VOY: "Message in a Bottle",
 "Author, Author", etc.)


 ============== sample 2 =================

 Captain Benjamin Sisko, the commander of Deep Space Nine, is
 on a> initializing model parallel with size 8
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 ============== sample 1 =================

 We are the Borg, lower your shields and surrender your ships

 The BORG is in town. I had a run-in with them this very day!
 So did my husband, who was driving down our street to get some
 lunch at about 10:30 this morning when he saw someone hanging
 around by his car. He stopped, and asked if there was something
 wrong? The man said that no, everything was fine…but then proceeded
 to tell him that "there were people all over the neighborhood,
 putting up signs." My husband replied that they were probably
 from a political campaign or something. And the man looked straight
 into his eyes and said, "No…you don’t understand…they are putting
 these things ALL OVER THE NEIGHBORHOOD!" To which my husband
 replied, "So," turned on his heel and walked away. But now it
 gets even stranger, because as my husband comes back home an
 hour later, here comes this guy again. He has been just WAITING
 for him. So hubby asks what the problem is (thinking that perhaps
 his car had gotten hit or something),> initializing model parallel with size 8
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 ============== sample 1 =================

 We are the Borg. Resistence is futile.

 That was an old Star Trek show that I watched quite a bit as
 a kid – and it still rings true today! For some reason, my daughter
 has always been fascinated with robots (maybe its all those sci-fi
 shows we watch together). She’s also very interested in building
 things like castles or other structures out of legos (she gets
 this from her Dad) so she loves to build them but then wants
 me to help take over the world by making them attack something
 else – usually either her brother or myself. This weekend we
 decided to make something useful rather than destructive. Inspired
 by our recent trip to Disney World where they have a little robot
 named “Lucky” who will bring you drinks at your table, we built
 our own mini version to deliver a drink when we push his button
 – and he talks too. Here's how we made him.

 ============== sample 1 =================

 Captain Janeway and Commander Chakotay must travel back in time
 to save Voyager's future.

 The "Year of Hell" alters the timeline, bringing an earlier version
 of the USS Enterprise into conflict with a Borg cube.

 An alien from 29th-century Earth steals Voyager for his own use.

 ============== sample 1 =================

 Captain Benjamin Sisko is dead.

 At least, it sure seems that way, judging by the reaction of
 the crew of space station Deep Space 9 to his apparent demise.
 But not everyone thinks Sisko is gone for good—including, strangely
 enough, some of those who witnessed his death at the hands (tentacles?)
 of a monster called the Pah-wraiths. And with evidence mounting
 that something unnatural was behind their captain’s disappearance,
 his former crew begins to suspect he might have been right about
 the alien beings all along…

 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine – The Missing is an ongoing series
 of novellas from Simon & Schuster/Pocket Books intended to fill
 in continuity gaps between episodes over the course of Star Trek:
 DS9‘s seven seasons. This first installment, “The Fall,” explores
 the aftermath of Season Five finale “Call To Arms” and sets up
 events depicted in the Season Six premiere, A Time To Stand.
 Written by Una McCormack, this initial entry tells the story
 from four distinct points of view: Kira Nerys, Odo, Miles O’Brien,
 and Elim Garak. With the exception of flashback sequences, which
 are told in third person omniscient, each character has their
 own personal narrator. I found it somewhat jarring to jump back
 and forth among these divergent perspectives. While McCormack
 does her best to differentiate them through voice and style of
 delivery, there were times when I had trouble keeping track of
 whose head we were supposed to be inside. It wasn’t until Chapter
 Six that things started clicking into place for me; by then I
 realized she had given the characters’ narrative voices a certain
 rhythm, one that helped me recognize each as unique while moving
 effortlessly among them throughout the rest of the book. In fact,
 once I figured out what McComrack was doing here, I began to
 enjoy the structure immensely!

 It also didn’t hurt that I already cared deeply about every single
 one of these people. One thing you can always count on from any
 Star Trek novel written by someone intimately familiar with its
 source material is lovingly rendered characters true to canon.
 That certainly holds true here, where even the ancillary players
 such as Quark, Jake Sisko, Keiko O’Brien, Dr. Bashir, Rom, Leeta,
 and others come across exactly as they do on screen, thanks to
 careful attention paid to the details of speech patterns, mannerisms,
 etc. As a longtime fan of DS9 myself, I really appreciated this
 aspect of the writing because I so often find it lacking in tie-in
 fiction penned by writers who treat established franchises like
 generic playgrounds or don’t care whether their work feels authentic
 to the licensee property. Here, the reverse is very much true.
 You get the sense McCromick both understands and respects the
 world she’s inhabiting.

 As noted above, this debut volume of The Missing focuses largely
 on Ben Sisko’s fall from grace following the events of “In The
 Pale Moonlight.” Once proudly principled, now broken under the
 weight of guilt and shame, he makes choices that could cost him
 everything. Or will they? The question of just how far our stalwart
 champion of Federation ideals will go in order to save Bajor
 hangs heavily over the plot, driving us ever forward toward some
 sort of resolution. Meanwhile, the wolf-like Changeling known
 as Odo deals with his own issues concerning the nature of identity
 and selfhood, while O’Brien struggles to maintain his composure
 despite being separated yet again from his family, and Cardassian
 tailor-cum-spy Garek contends with his feelings of love and jealousy
 towards Julian Bashir. There’s no shortage of conflict to keep
 readers engaged from start to finish, and plenty of twists and
 turns along the way to keep things interesting. Even if the end
 result proves less than surprising, getting there remains a fun
 ride indeed.

 I did find aspects of the prose style awkward or difficult to
 follow at times, especially during expository passages, but overall,
 I enjoyed this inaugural installment more than I thought I would
 based simply on reviews I read elsewhere online prior to starting
 it. Perhaps my expectations were lower going in due to negative
 buzz surrounding the series, thus allowing me to appreciate a
 well-written Trek tale for exactly what it is without worrying
 too much about what it isn’t. Whatever the case may be regarding
 your opinion of The Missing, though, one thing’s clear: If you
 consider yourself a dyed-in-the-wool devotee of Deep Space Nine,
 you owe it to yourself to check out Volume One immediately!

 ============== sample 1 =================

 Captain Jean-Luc Picard, captain of the Enterprise.

 The Enterprise warped into orbit around Alpha Carinae II and
 began scanning for signs of life on the surface. After a few
 minutes they located what appeared to be an ancient city buried
 under years of dust storms. A landing party was selected; Riker
 would lead it with Data and Worf while Wesley Crusher served
 as back up in case there were any complications during transport
 down to the planet’s surface due to his engineering background.

 As soon as the away team had safely materialized at their coordinates,
 Riker ordered them to set out toward the ruins. As he stepped
 over some rusted metal plating that had been partially uncovered
 by one of many passing sandstorms, he noted how dry everything
 felt. The air conditioning system inside the environmental suits
 made him feel like he wasn’t really breathing anyway so, despite
 noticing the desiccated state of things outside, he found it
 hard to care about it either way. Aside from the occasional whistling
 wind or crash of thunder, all he could hear was himself breathing
 through his respirator helmet. It seemed strange being deprived
 of one sense only to have another heightened instead but it didn't
 take long before his mind adjusted accordingly. By this point
 Riker didn’t even notice that his vision no longer detected colors
 beyond shades of gray because he knew that those same shadows
 still existed. He simply learned to see without seeing them.

 After several hours of trekking across the desert terrain, the
 away team finally arrived at the ruined city. There were large
 cracks running along most walls and pieces lay scattered everywhere;
 broken chunks of stone piled atop each other and creating small
 hills which dotted the landscape around them. Although there
 weren't any skyscraper sized buildings to speak of, it looked
 more like the rubble of some kind of temple than anything else.
 At least if you ignored the fact that these structures hadn't
 aged well after being left abandoned centuries ago – which might
 also explain why there was little to nothing left intact for
 their tricorders to scan for clues. There must not have been
 much here worth salvaging when everyone fled the planet.

 Wesley noticed something unusual though. Despite having never
 visited the planet previously (or any others besides Earth),
 he thought the architecture reminded him of something. Something
 familiar yet different - almost as if he was looking at a reflection
 of sorts. If the ruin stood tall enough to act like a mirror
 then perhaps he would be able to see the reflections of people
 who once lived here too? It wouldn’t make a difference if it
 did though since the last inhabitants probably died off thousands
 of years earlier. And so their memories faded from existence
 just like every other civilization that had vanished throughout
 history, never again to be remembered except in stories passed
 down between generations… or whatever future equivalent would
 come next. But maybe it is possible for time travelers such as
 ourselves to remember those forgotten lives instead... and share
 our knowledge with others when we return home someday?

 “Commander?” said Lt. Commander Data as Wesley tuned back in
 to reality. “I hope I am not interrupting your thoughts.”

 “Not at all,” replied Ensign Crusher. “What do you need?”

 “My sensors indicate traces