Star Trek: The Original Series: The Weight of Worlds

Gravity defying weapons, Uhura in command and Kirk and Spock trapped in an alternative universe....all in a day's work for the crew of the USS Enterprise...surely?!

Greg Cox's latest novel for Simon and Schuster, The Weight of Worlds, is a bit of a curious piece. A typical action/adventure Star Trek story from first impressions, it actually feels that it was more a combination of the Animated Series crossed with the 2009 JJ Abrams reboot once you get into the meat of the work. Probably a curious statement to make so I'll set out my thoughts like so...and beware there are definitely SPOILERS ahead.

Set during the fabled five year mission the Enterprise warps to the aid of a scientific institute that finds itself under attack from an incredible enemy - one capable of using gravity as a weapon and apparently focused on converting all they meet to assist in their single-minded Crusade to share the Truth with the universe. Beaming down to the surface, Kirk, Spock, Sulu and Ensign Yaseen (redshirt) are soon drawn into the activities of the mysterious and powerful Ialat.

So, a pretty grandiose setup idea for the novel and I've got to admit that using gravity as a weapon is brilliant. It's not something that jumps to my mind immediately but it's definitely unique. Concern rose quickly that this was going to become quite a plot device as the story evolved and also the likely cause of the resolution. Luckily neither came to pass. The main trouble is that the story is very, very jumpy. Not a lot happens and then - and when something does happen - it all occurs within a flash of a couple of pages before settling down again. While I was hoping for something generally straight-forward to read with The Weight of Worlds I might have paid more attention to the title as it was anything but a light read. It's standard fayre for the most part with the landing party placed in mortal danger while the crew on the Enterprise in orbit are also having to deal with their own problems. Where this standard starts to feel a bit uneven is in the creation of the Ialat.

In appearance I had massive problems NOT imagining them as Davy Jones from The Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy because of the description of their facial hair. The Ialat themselves came across more as something I would expect to find within the media of the aforementioned 70's animated series or even a CGI creation lurking in the background of a seedy bar in (gasp) Star Wars. I just couldn't quite grasp them as a Star Trek protagonist even given their superior weaponry and dimension-hopping abilities. As things progress it becomes apparent that not all of the Ialat are happy with this Crusade and from being under threat at the Federation institute we're suddenly thrown into another galaxy where some of the action sequences would not be out of place in the recent (and upcoming) JJ reboot. I just don't feel comfortable with the written airborne action sequences here and the gravity weapon/uses seem a little bit overused and relied on by the mid-point in the novel. It seemed like a great idea to begin with but The Weight of Worlds becomes reliant on it and also quite bogged down by this handy plot device.

This is the first novel I've reviewed for Some Kind of Star Trek where I've not wanted to get it finished. It's dragged a bit. But why? Why have I not found myself gripped by this mission?

Well i thought that in the context of the original series the antagonists weren't that antagonistic which was a shame because their history actually looked to be really interesting. It was certainly well conceived and I felt could have been expanded much further. A lot of the time in the alternate dimension for instance is spent running around getting back to the portal and we don't really get much of a sense of the place. What I would hasten to add is that my comment earlier in regards to the animated series and the 2009 reboot might also be something of a compliment. After all, given a larger budget and without the constraints of 1960's TV production, we might have seen a lot more detailed and extensive action sequences as per the chases and final events. What I have to thank Greg Cox for is avoiding at least one of my expectations in that Kirk doesn't get the girl - although she's not really a girl if I'm honest.

High Priestess Vlisora is the most developed of the secondary characters within The Weight of Worlds because of the time she spends with Kirk and Spock evading the Crusade and acting as our guide to the Ialat homeworld. While she perhaps is flared with the overdramatic at times, her purpose is well played out through the book and her character is certainly more than meets the reader's eye. In the case of development she easily overshadows the ruler of the Ialat realm even though by a technicality he's everywhere. When we do meet him it's only towards the latter stages of the novel and then it seems a bit of a let down after such a long journey to reach him. It seems that once we do face him with Kirk it's all over too soon and perhaps too easily. Like JJ Abrams' take on Star Trek it's certainly fast paced but on occasion another 20 or 30 pages might have helped us take a breather because there seems little development and more movement from one set piece and moment of danger to the next but yet we don't appear to get anywhere until the last 70 or 80 pages. 

As you'll know by now, one of the things I always like to drill away at is how authors lovingly - and in some cases badly - reference other Star Trek episodes and materials. Admittedly I found myself bracing for the onslaught of sledgehammered event drops and 'it was just like that time on Cestus III' lines however Cox did a great thing in making several of Kirk's previous missions from the Original Series integral to the reason why the Ialat are so interested in him. I liked this in particular as it's almost a dig at the Enterprise captain who might have himself to blame for ending up assisting a rebellion. On an additional note there's even a one lone reference to The Next Generation that made me raise a smile. 

I found Cox's interpretation of the captain to be a different from either Shatner or Pine as he seemed fairly argumentative a lot of the time and given to the odd jibe at the expense of his first officer. Given the situation both he and Spock find themselves in here it's hardly a surprise that humour helps them to get through the ordeal and that the captain is a bit ratty (although he only has himself to blame...!). While I was chomping at the bit to say that Greg Cox might have missed the mark with James T, it made me think outside the box - surely the novels should be about personal interpretation of the characters (after all they're not classed as canon) just as Abrams is doing now on the silver screen. The Ialat homeworld appears to be a rich environment yet we are very limited in our exploration of this unusual dimension, visiting only the God-King's pyramid, the rebellion's travel system and... that's about it. I found that Greg Cox's eye for action meant that we lost atmosphere in the story and the experience of this place which could have been very different - a nice addition though is the gravitational safety net that exists. We could do with a few of those in this dimension I'm sure! While the alien homeworld is left mostly unexplored, the lack of immersion within the environments even extends to the Enterprise bridge which seemed strangely silent. That said, the Ephrata Institute is perhaps the most realised of all the environments as well as the most explored through Sulu's eyes.

Cox's description of locales (and some may prefer this) left a lot more to the imagination that I might have expected. It left me a bit distanced from the story if I'm honest and reinforced the action-orientated nature of the narrative over anything else - another factor that made me feel it would have been suited to the 70's animated Star Trek. Indeed, the lack of any serious scientific/Treknobabble does open it up to the larger Star Trek audience and certainly won't alienate new fans who are used to the latest cinematic happenings.

For Greg Cox it seems Kirk is there to match wits and outfox his opponents which perhaps suits the author's choice of background reference material from the Original Series and how it plays into the main narrative of the tale. For once the captain's past actions have had repercussions and his own "awesomeness" has come back to haunt him in the least expected way. While this provides a great cliff for the story to dive off, it's also a wonderful (maybe unintentional) bit of humour as we get listed all the god-beings and super computers that Kirk has defeated through some stirling negotiation, blood, sweat and no doubt tears. was surprised that the good doctor remained on the ship here as his counsel might have been beneficial. There are some telling asides that Cox is aware of his characters relationships, notably that between McCoy and the Vulcan first officer but we don't get to see his take on it as they end up separated. Spock himself comes across as more than a little emotionless and bordering on Data-like apart from the implementation of a nerve pinch here and there. His role here at times seems like baggage as the focus remains more on Kirk especially towards the latter stages of play but Cox plays it well, tying it all back and providing all the key players with their flash of limelight if occasionally at a faster pace. 

 That's all well and good - but what of our familiar crew though? 

Circumstances play well into Uhura's hands here as she becomes the dominant figure on the bridge of the Enterprise for the bulk of the story. I am surprised that she's the most senior individual capable of commanding the ship once Scotty is placed on the bench given that there must be more command experienced officers on board? Out of 400+ people there's no-one more qualified (no offence to Uhura intended)? It gives the comes officer a significant amount more to do than open hailing frequencies which gets a review thumbs up and watching her make crucial decisions based on what she has seen over the previous few years is a good twist to show how she has been developing her skills under Kirk's command. This is definitely an Uhura more in the mould of JJ's reboot than the more passive figure that we might have experienced in the 1960's original and I have to say I like it. 

Sulu gets to run around on the planet surface for some time playing havoc with the Ialat Crusaders while attempting something of a romance along the way which eventually yields a result but seems to take an age to get there. The character certainly feels right and there's some nice interplay between him and Yaseen which is carried through. Perhaps this is something Cox might pick up again in subsequent novels. The main opposition to the Enterprise helmsman comes from the first Crusader we ever meet, Sokis, who also contends with Uhura in orbit. These two threads criss-cross over the duration of The Weight of Worlds however Sokis is a very bland henchman-styled villain following his master's orders but could have been developed so much more. This is one thing that can be levelled at the secondary players here; there seems to be little to make us interested in them as people save Vlisora even though with Sokis is present for a great deal of the story. 

Initially I wasn't sure if he was going to be the main threat due to the manner of his early introduction - and talking of introductions, Kirk is early on noted as knowing one of the scientists at the Institute, Doctor Elena Collins, whom we meet on the very first page of the book.  Bizarrely he seems totally unconcerned about her for most of the story even when he spots her on the surface during their initial away mission to the Ephrata Institute. I'm a little disappointed here because I thought this was going to be part of why Kirk would be so driven to defeat this invader but after a few chapters (pages) it seemed to get shelved. A lot of the incidents here seem to be over and done with at breakneck speed; whether it's escaping a mob or meeting with the resistance and I would have enjoyed the book more if we'd got to know the Ialat a bit more, understanding them and their struggles as well as having some of the more action-packed elements of the novel elongated ever so slightly.

Final bugbear? Poor underused/misused Chekov. Our young Russian navigator is used for little more than asides and sarcasm which belittles the character and made me hope that he just stayed quiet after his first appearance. Perhaps this is very much in keeping with the original vision for the character but here it gets irritating and he's a loose end - even Palmer and Kyle seem to get better lines.

Coming off the back of reading David R George's phenomenal Allegiance in Exile I guess I was hoping that the next novel featuring Kirk and crew would be in a similar vain, focusing on character rather than action but we can't expect every book to be the same or it would get very boring indeed. For me this would not be my first choice of Original Series story. While it certainly expands on the possibilities with some neat twists and ideas, it was just too action-orientated and in my eyes missed the vision that not only are the characters key to successful Star Trek but also that there needs to be some underlying substance to hold it together and set the scene believably. A brilliantly devised opposing force is one thing but it needs to exist to explore the crew. Greg Cox has produced a good quality action-adventure piece here which may be more suited to the new audience JJ Abrams is hoping to pick up with Star Trek Into Darkness and if this is the case then I would recommend new fans to head for the book shelves and purchase this novel. It's fast, set-piece filled and probably perfect to help guide you into the larger realms of the Star Trek universe following your encounters with the latest big screen versions. For more knowledgeable fans I would say it's worth a read if you want to fill a few hours here and there if you're missing some new Star Trek adventures. Even though I felt it had it's errors and moments, perhaps that's just enough to pick it up and see what you think. Oh; it's got a really nice cover too...

Star Trek: The Original Series: The Weight of Worlds is available now from Simon and Schuster priced £6.99 ISBN 978476702834

Commanding Positions: Jellico and Madred

"Get it done."

I've now reached the heights of The Next Generation's sixth season and another classic two-parter in the form of Chain of Command.

Notably the piece is remembered by fans for Captain Jean-Luc Picard's insistence that there are four lights shining down on him during his torturous interrogation at the hands of Cardassian Gul Madred. However, what I find even more interesting and is not immediately obvious during the story, are the interpretations of command that we see throughout. Unusually there are several senior officers involved in this story. We have Commander Riker, his nose out of joint at being passed over for command of the Enterprise; Picard, displaced from his ship and in charge of a small group of officers on a remote planet and Lemec, the cold Cardassian in charge of a hidden fleet. We can even manage a cameo appearance from Admiral Necheyev to add further weight to the title. Then there are the two we're going to be concerned with in this blog - Gul Madred (David Warner) and Captain Edward Jellico (Ronny Cox).

Their styles of command are the elements which drive this story more than any other. Their decisions as well as their mental and physical presence make them fascinating to dissect and discuss. Jellico plays much more of a mentally aggressive game than Picard would ever attempt, effectively turning into a loud, demanding bully at times to make his demands heard and met. He certainly has no time for sitting back and providing a more relaxed atmosphere aboard ship. He makes the Cardassians wait and places himself into a physically dominant position very quickly using his senior staff to placate their visitor, Lemec. In fact Troi reveals to Riker that Jellico is far from confident in his abilities, relying on this mental play and a touch of arrogance to take the lead. Perhaps this shows him as superficial and I don't think we see the real Jellico until his candid conversation with Riker towards the second part's conclusion.

His abrasive no-compromise style sees Counselor Troi ordered to don her duty uniform for the first time in six years and even Data in command red as soon as Riker is relieved of duty. Jellico's insistence on protocol is, in this respect, second to none and he has no time for dawdling during his short tenure in command. We've never had uniform changes made this quickly and it doesn't stop there. Crew rotation goes from three to four shifts from the second he steps on board, there are a heightened number of drills and the new Enterprise captain pushes the ship and crew to its limit. He even rebuffs advice from the out-going Picard, further demonstrating a level of arrogance not seen before in a commanding officer. His relationship with Riker never develops beyond a recognition of rank because the views of the two are so diametrically conflicting. 

The negotiations with the Cardassians are straight-forward, argumentative and there's no backing down from Jellico when he confronts them, even after making apparent "concessions" that he had anticipated. Using mental plays, Jellico stands as the aggressor but comes across as slightly unstable and unsure of his abilities in such a high profile position. One which places his crew out of sync and themselves uncertain as to how to deal with the new captain.


In some ways Captain Edward Jellico is very similar to Gul Madred. In the case of the former his focus is the Cardassian fleet while Madred's is the isolated Picard. Both begin their approach as the dominant party through both mental and physical plays; making an aggressive stance to impose their dominance. Madred however goes just that bit further, stripping Picard of his identity as well as his clothes, leaving him to hang from his wrists for the night before beginning the interrogation proper. What we do see differently between the Cardassian interrogator and his Starfleet counterpart is that Madred truly believes in what he is doing at this stage while Jellico is, as Troi noted (and we have too), not that self-confident. Madred remains calm in his approach to the task at hand, knowing he is in command of the situation from the very beginning as Picard is in every way a fish out water.  He never overtly showing it through his mannerisms, keeping the initial interrogation placid if not due in part to the drugs which he has among the tools of his "trade". Perhaps this is our first sign of the differences between the two as Jellico is forced to push more to the mental extremes to deal with his challenges while Madred can rely on more technological and medical advances to do his work for him.

With the introduction of the pain-giving device there is no requirement for the Cardassian torturer to act as dominant party because of this factor. He no longer has to act as though he is in control because there are many methods to suppress and control Picard that aggression is not essential; he has a device with this pain-giver that acts as both threat and deterrent. Jellico too introduces such an instrument with the mines that he has Riker lay around the Cardassian ships. While it is one demonstration there which puts their foe on the back-foot  Madred's continued and perhaps overuse of his torture methods act to show Picard that he is not the one in control. He is hiding behind his technology because the Enterprise captain is himself a fish out of water with nowhere to go. Indeed, the threat of torturing Beverly (even though the viewer knows she has escaped) forces Picard to remain and sustain further barbarism.

Where the change comes in their command positions is in how the relationships with their opponents continues. Madred, as with Jellico, is a family man but the visit of his daughter to the torture chamber containing Picard creates an uncomfortable moment where these two worlds are in severe conflict. He even openly discusses Picard with her before she departs with her pet. Jellico on the other hand retains pictures by his son but family ties are clearly kept separate from duty and is another suggestion that he would fit into life aboard the Enterprise even less so than his predecessor. Why? Because while Picard was never the greatest fan of children he still accepted that they were on-board the ship and a part of life whereas Jellico has demonstrated that he is distinctly separate to his close family. Why this is we cannot be certain and it may be that they are still aboard his former ship, the Cairo waiting to transfer if the move was more permanent - or are they separated/divorced?

The point I'm making here is that we never really get to know Edward Jellico. He keeps a brash distance, remaining business-focused even though there are hints of a more personable character through his chosen decoration of the Ready Room. None of Picard's additions are retained and we find that Jellico's decoration retains a look of formality with oddly out of place children's drawings which seem to contradict everything we see about him. Madred's more placid, conversational style linked with his ability to inflict pain on a whim contrast against Jellico who must continue to tow the line but one thing that the Starfleet captain never does is introduce his enemy to his personal side. This is where the commanding position that Madred has throughout the interrogation is lost because he lets Picard into his life and the status quo is shattered in a few lines of dialogue. Picard from this point on sees him as a weak child unable to defend himself and ultimately pitiable. There we see Madred's weakness - he is a bully and perhaps not one fit to be in a position of command.  

All Madred has at the end is the ability to inflict pain and that, ultimately would have led Picard to say there were five lights. Now his counterpart, Jellico, retains the respect of his opponents but it may be that his conflict of command is closer to home than that of the Cardassian Gul torturing the Enterprise captain. Will Riker I think is his sparring partner and more abrasive challenge than the Cardassians. Interestingly the XO is direct enough to tell him that Jellico is a poor captain (probably in comparison to Jean-Luc) but they have to lay aside their differences for the success of the mission as Jellico needs their best shuttle pilot - Riker, of course. At the end essentially both the characters under the microscope ultimately fail in the bigger picture. Jellico gets relieved of command in a much quicker and less ceremonial manner than he received it. While he has achieved the withdrawal of the Cardassians and the return of Picard he ultimately crumbles at managing the crew of the Federation flagship. Madred meanwhile loses control of the interrogation of Picard because he fails to get results and not because of the person he is. He tried everything to break his prisoner but one minor slip and the slightest reveal of a personality beneath the torturer's armour and his grasp was lost.

Now I for one quite enjoyed seeing the Enterprise managed in a different manner. Perhaps the one thing that this does show us is how much of a "family" this crew have become as they clearly take an instant dislike to Jellico because he changes the dynamic. It's funny in a way that they can't adapt to a new style when this would surely be an absolutely essential quality when working in Starfleet and they have done many times before (pick an episode and this will probably ring true!). Riker's insubordination for one illustrates that maybe it isn't time for him to take a command and serving as first officer under another captain might be the perfect chance to learn some new skills.

A unique chance to see a shake-up of the usual The Next Generation playing field, Chain of Command is more about the strengths and weaknesses of its guest cast bouncing off the familiar series regulars. Madred is an excellent character who ultimately is defeated by time and the actions of, funnily enough, Jellico. Perhaps one appearance for this interrogator was just enough for us to stomach. On the other hand I would have loved to have seen the character of Edward Jellico return in this or DS9 to really flesh out his background. With this second watching I fully appreciated him more as a character than as a distraction to the overall story. As I've just said, the conclusion of Chain of Command is due to him more than any other character. He puts the plan involving Riker and the shuttle into play and forces the Cardassians to return Picard. 

Jellico's exit is uncomfortable and rushed to place Picard back in command of the flagship and it's a shame he isn't recognised as the saviour of the hour that he actually is. We are influenced in that decision as a viewer by our ongoing relationship with the principal cast, this is still a disappointment as is the lack of ongoing fallout from Picard's experience as previously with Family but then this could have easily turned into a carbon copy of that installment. Deep Space Nine would have managed to eek out the repercussions for weeks if not seasons! Perhaps this episode also raises the query about which other The Next Generation guest characters we would have wanted to see for a second time and in which series (or even season seven of this show)? Would we have welcomed the Conspiracy aliens one more time or wanted to find out what happened to Lal? 

Maybe one day we'll see Captain Edward Jellico again (most likely in print) and get to know what exactly made him tick. Here's a suggestion to anyone considering it; "Get it done".

The Starfleet Escape Podcast: Listen Up!

If it wasn't for the rather excellent Google+ Star Trek community I would have missed out on a gem of a podcast.

Now up to their 17th installment (with number 18 coming soon),  the SF Escape Podcast looks set to become one of my must listen to Star Trek audio shows of 2013. Hosted by Aaron, Marty and Eric it's informative,  funny and exceptionally accessible to fans both new and well-established.

You might ask how that's possible considering the amount of material that's out there (and what you're reading!) but Trek Trio manage it with ease. I like to think I have a fairly decent understanding of the subject however I even realised a couple of things during the Borg show that I hadn't noticed in the TV shows after several reruns. That, for one thing really impressed.

It's a straight forward format to the podcast; 90 minutes (approx) of chat and banter separated into distinctive sections. For a starter in this Star Trek audio restaurant there's news and opinion followed by a main course of good wholesome and filling debate into the topic of the podcast.  Once that's been cleared then you get to enjoy a dessert of subspace comments from a range of social media channels where a question of the podcast has been asked.  Bringing it all together as the coffee and mints at the end are a few moments to air some grumbles they may have over the subject which just helps to remind us all that it is a work of fiction and open to the wonders of human error and almost 50 years of attempted continuity.

Due to a bit of a hectic home, blogging, work life recently I'm combining my reviews of The Borg and The Romulans podcasts into one piece.

Now I really enjoyed Episode 16 and the Borg discussions,  possibly because I was fortunate enough to get my comment on the cyborg nemeses read out (sorry it was only slightly shorter than War and Peace gents,  I'll be concise next time!)   but it's great to get some clever,  witty and genuinely entertaining words on Star Trek even when you might think think that everything there is to say has been said. The news section was good although I would have liked to hear a bit more opinion than news fact which we can pick up at the newsagents or off the web. When there is, it lifts the show and makes you listen because it's absolutely worth taking in. I would say for newer Trekkers and those who are just getting into the franchise with the most general audience friendly reboots it's an excellent avenue and devoid of technobabble I can assure you. As you would expect there's talk If of the new JJ Abrams movie but also fan productions such as Star Trek Continues, the Green Girl documentary and Star Trek Renegades. Upcoming releases such as the timeline video game are also covered but there does seem to be an absence of printed Star Trek be it novels or comics. The good thing is with this piece of the show is that if you're not keen on trying to sieve your way through the internet the news section will help you out admirably. Also there's a great bit where our hosts consider whether or not they would purchase a chosen Star Trek product. Have to agree that the Bye Bye Robot posters are very good but I've got very little wall space opportunity to display them ! While it took a few pauses to listen to,  I was still surprised to find an hour and a half had warped by.

So what did I get out of listening to their take on the Borg? Running through their appearances in Star Trek universe chronology rather than episode transmission order does help realise how there was an attempt to tie everything together, and even the perhaps poorly conceived Enterprise story, Regeneration. What you become aware of is how Picard and co effectively are the reason the Borg become aware of humanity with an ending similar to TNG's Conspiracy. There's of course a good deal of discussion on the seminar two parter,  The Best of Both Worlds (is it now the most overrated episode of all time? As well as Q Who and I, Borg but yet there's a Descent shaped hole only touched on during a reflection on the Borg ship designs we've seen over the years. I was always of the thought that this was a captured ship however the distinctly non geometric design and does suggest their more fragmented and individualistic nature as portrayed in the double-hander. While not classed as one of The Next Generation's stronger installments I would have liked more opinion on where this might have led in the future.

The majority of of the discussion does end itself more towards Voyager and by default everything that comes after Seven of Nine's arrival on the ship at the beginning of its fourth season. What you do get from the chat is how inconsistent Borg history is. I tend to distinguish between Borg Version 1 (TNG) 1 and Borg Version 2.0 (First Contact and later)  but even then flashbacks in Voyager and the Next Generation movie aren't correct on wardrobe for starters. Then there's consoles, backgrounds...Picky but noticeable. While it was noticeable that Descent was sidelined, the podcasters did manage to spend some time looking at the variations that appeared in Star Trek: Voyager ranging from the future-Drone, the Borg children, Seven's former associates in Survival Instinct and the wonders of Unimatrix Zero from the final two seasons. There's a lot of information on the Borg meaning certain episodes such as Blood Fever and Unity were skated over in favour of some of the later, larger stories such as Dark Frontier and Endgame. This also meant curve-ball angles such as Hope and Fear didn't even get a look in when they deal with the effect of life after an attack on Borg survivors. Even some conjecture on their origins was played out citing non-canon novels and the story of the NX-02, the Columbia. I would have enjoyed some more non-canon moments within both of the podcasts but I get that time is limited and for the sake of the audience who will be more aware of the televised material this is probably a good choice although it might be a good suggestion to do something non-canonical in the not so distant future? Or maybe even something on the library of excellent Star Trek reference materials that exist? (I know a good guest host you could get for that...runs a blog....English....) 

The additional comments from Twitter and Google+ mean we're not restricted to the views of our hosts - although I they are pretty varied anyway - and I'm going to have to add a disclaimer because they had the patience to read out my Borg essay. Thanks guys! It showed there's a lot of love for TNG's first two parter as well as for I, Borg and Scorpion which is interesting as there's a lot more love for Janeway and crew than I thought.

What is good is that this podcast is just like getting a group of your mates round for a couple of beers and having a chat over an episode. It's informal, relaxed and very easy to listen to. I also didn't feel that I was getting an opinion forced down my throat, only provided with a few more angles to see the series which can only enhance future viewings - especially now I realise that Geordi is the one who starts up the deflector dish and not Worf as Riker requested at the end of The Best of Both Worlds, Part I! Never spotted, but another example of Worf getting neglected. There's also the good old subject of the Borg Queen and the drones from Star Trek: Enterprise that don't seem to fit too well with the space/time continuum but that kind of discussion is probably best left alone until a few more cans are drunk. What I had forgotten until this side of fandom came up was the potential Borg/V'Ger link that's been banded around for some time. Kudos for picking this one up as it's always been an interesting concept (although it goes out the window in David Mack's Cold Equations trilogy). However disappointed Peter David's classic Vendetta didn't get a mention - now that's how to deal with the Borg!

The Romulan podcast (Episode 17), which followed a couple of weeks later trod a similar concept in it's setup. Kicking off with the news section as before, the topic quickly turned to the Star Trek isolationists and conspirators extraordinaire, the Romulans. In comparison to the Borg I actually found this to be a better  structured discussion focusing on sections of the species rather than chronological appearance. Leading with subjects such as technology, clothing, footwear culture and ships it was great to reflect on how the Romulans have been portrayed since their first sighting in The Original Series episode, Balance of Terror. 

Now I just want to take a second here actually because I was perusing Terry J. Erdmann and Paula M. Block's Star Trek 101 this week but couldn't get this podcast far from my mind when flicking through it. While it's designed as mini reference and ideal for the Star Trek new starter I would say that the SF Escape Podcast is a better and more comprehensive way to understand the series and what is all about. As with the Borg for example, if the introduction to the Romulan discussion kicks off with some useful background which would help newbies. Take note Mr Erdmann, sans-serif this is a much better way to break in some new fans. Aaron, Marty and Eric ensure that the scene is clearly set for discussion and then we're into the "good stuff". Gets a big gold star from my box of reviewing badges, gents. 

I really enjoyed this different approach and while it made me reconsider how the structure of the Borg episode had been crafted I also realised that this meant these guys are more than aware of the need to keep their audience awake and listening not turning for the stop button. There are certain things that will be heard on each installment but it's how those sections are made which provides the interest. The Romulans as a podcast was much more about their subject as a people and its portrayal over the various films and series; reuse of wardrobes, the difficult and yet managed appearance of their technology in Star Trek Enterprise when it has been made clear that they were not seen until Balance of Terror. A lot of time is given over to Enterprise in particular because of how things might have progressed into the now mythical season five and how the Romulans had infiltrated the Vulcan High Council.

My particular area of interest here was the ship designs over the course of Star Trek history - how they altered, how models got lost along the way and all the variations in between including the Nemesis revamps and the Next Generation scout ship version. 

While The Borg virtually stepped over Star Trek: Deep Space Nine to talk about the Delta Quadrant residents in Star Trek: Voyager, the space station saga got its fair share of air time here, most notably in reference to the classic and much revered In the Pale Moonlight. This seemed to be a much more comprehensive and flowing discussion with very little, but if anything being overlooked. From their origins through female commanders, the shoulder pads of the 80's, cloaking technology, peace treaties, neutral zones and even up to the destruction of Romulus itself in the 2009 reboot, then there's an opinion to hear on it all backed up with more subspace thoughts from fans on social media. Interestingly no mention of the fact that Denise Crosby's Sela is the only ever blonde Romulan within Star Trek but with the onslaught of information contained within Episode 17 this is such a minor detail that I can let it go. For those of you who do find there's a lot to take in during the SF Podcast then there's also a handy show notes download available. It helped a lot when covering these reviews it's a nice touch to add to the overall experience and for fans of all ages. Great to see the listeners comments included too.

I've got to applaud these guys for their enthusiasm through out the 90 minutes of run time. There are no uneasy silences, nothing too much and a very focused agenda that keeps the conversation and topics flowing. I didn't know whether I would get anything out of it as a long term Trekker but I was pleasantly surprised, sans-serif maybe because my 'specialism' doesn't lie in Star Trek: Voyager where we get the most information around the Borg so I got a lot from the reviews of that time frame. I have to agree with one thought at the end - the Borg have had their day and a decent run now on the big and small screen. They ended up being the main nemesis in Star Trek: Voyager by default and held their own until the end. In conclusion though the Borg could have probably managed another 30 minutes to look at some of their lesser appearances and references but when you have a broad audience to satisfy it once again comes down to ensuring common and referable ground is covered and covered well. 

The balance of understanding across the franchise is well proportioned with no particularly overwhelming part of this Trek Trio holding all the cards. I indeed I having the varied experience with the franchise makes it all the more accessible, sans-serif importantly reassuring us that Star Trek fans are human and not just huge memory resources of fictional information. As I've mentioned above though it would be good to hear more on non-canon material out there and perhaps even a section that allows listeners to air their though ts on the previous installment and anything contained therein. While one can always point for things that could be done differently this is still a supremely enjoyable production and clearly a lot of work goes into producing the information to fill the show. I'd guessing that all three hosts aren't in the same location either (?) for the production which must take some level of co-ordination just to manage that. The audio is crisp and there's not a moment wasted throughout either podcast.  I have to say this is well worth listening to and has helped me refresh my mind on some pieces of Enterprise and Voyager I'd completely forgotten about in respects to the two races featured in episodes 16 and 17. Good work gents - you're managed to secure my time and I look forward to your next recording!

What Did First Contact Do For Us (in the future)?

NB: Updated April 5th 2014 - originally written on the 50th (pre) anniversary of First Contact in 2013

Happy Anniversary of First Contact Day to you all!

Wow, is it only 50 years to go? What a thought. Can't wait; April 5th 2063 here we come!

But what's to celebrate in our Star Trek vision of the 23rd and 24th Centuries? As we drain our last glass of bubbly synthehol and attempt to remember the code to get us back into our quarters, let's have a think about just what we have raised a song to in the last few hours - was it all worth the pomp and ceremony? What exactly did we get from this monumental event and was it all good? As we know, according to Riker in Star Trek First Contact, it's the time everything changes and things get better - so let's put that to the test right now.

1. Warp speed

Bit of a given really. But then it's only Warp One so we're going nowhere (relatively) fast for a  hile. Luckily it does attract a passing ship and thus we encounter the Vulcans for the first time. This leads to a whole heap of other problems but the good thing is that at least we can get there a lot quicker thanks to Cochrane and the Phoenix. 

No longer is Earth alienated in some spiral of the Milky Way and so begins the road to the creation of the United Federation of Planets as well as numerous first contacts with new and exciting lifeforms. Now some of these are good and a few are going to be filled with obstacles, wars and death...but not that many...hopefully. Oh...it's also responsible for ripping the universe to bits which isn't such a good thing. Excellent suggestion to impose that warp five speed limit. That solves everything. What warp drove does lead to is the creation of Starfleet and therefore the Federation. Ironically in the real world it's the creation of Starfleet that eventually brings about the creation of first contact as an event in Star Trek....!

2. Zephram Cochrane

The man behind the engine. Legend, pioneer, alcoholic, from Alpha Centauri (according to The Original Series) and able to age in reverse. Nothing like the Enterprise crew expect him to be like, Cromwell's Cochrane is a reluctant, dishevelled hero that you just can't help but like. While we get to see him briefly in the Enterprise pilot Broken Bow, it's his subsequent chronological appearance that really bends time and space. In The Original Series, Zephram is significantly younger and even managed to brush up well for the visit from Kirk and company. Luckily he was rejuvenated by the Companion which resides with him on Gamma Canaris N and saved his life.

While his body is regenerated, it appears that the Companion has erased any references to his previous encounter with at least two ships called Enterprise. Now, here's a thought for you - is the name of the Federation warp five NX Class ship in itself a time loop - was it called that because of Cochrane's own previous encounter with the crew of that starship?! However, when we meet Zephram in Metamorphosis he seems to have developed Scotty (Relics) syndrome and forgotten all about a previous encounter with the Enterprise-E. Let us not forget the statues and schools that get named in his honour afterwards, although whether he wanted to be a statue is all historical conjecture....

3. The Borg

Thanks for this one, Jean-Luc. Due to your inability to make sure that all the Borg were eliminated before you warped out of orbit back to the 24th Century there were some survivors who managed to get frozen in the Arctic, get thawed, evade the NX-01 and Captain Archer and then send a signal to the Delta Quadrant. A signal which will be received sometime in the 24th Century...and one suspect that's what sparks some interest in Sector 001. The speed in which the cube arrives in The Best of Both Worlds suggests that this is not the same ship the Enterprise-D encountered in system J-25 even though the dimensions are precisely the same.

Enterprise's Regeneration implies that it's all a self-fulfilling prophecy and we were always doomed to meet the Borg whether or not Q chucked the Enterprise-D halfway across the galaxy. Could this have all been avoided? Probably not in the big time/space continuum mess.

4. Music and Alcohol

Luckily First Contact Day reassured us that popular music won't kick the bucket until at least April 6th 2063. As we learn, Cochrane has a particular fondness of Steppenwolf and their Magic Carpet Ride (good choice). Roy Orbison will be available on jukeboxes around the same time although it's Oobey Doobey and not Pretty Woman. Tequila will be available for a few years more however its morning after effects appear to be significantly lessened - ask Troi for further details. Whether the beverage is still around in the 24th Century is debatable since the counselor is apparently unaware of its existence. It has been suggested that rock and roll may survive into the 24th Century (see 6) however the longevity of musical artists such as The Beastie Boys is still open for debate - especially in alternative universes.

5. The Vulcans

...and so years of suspicion, logic and a serious lack of humour begin. Now the intrigue here is what could have happened if first contact had been with another race? Humanity's suspicion of the Vulcans is all based on the conjecture that they have held back our development at least until the 2160's and possibly longer. Would we have become a conquered people if the Andorian or the Klingons had got to us first? How would Starfleet and the Federation evolved if Earth's first meeting with people from another world had been the Tellarites?!

It is well documented within Star Trek: Enterprise that the Vulcans assisted in pulling Earth from the shambles it was but what more could it have been as there's always that hint that First Contact was both a good and bad thing - did the Vulcans really hinder our progression to the stars? Were they in turn being influenced without realising it by the Romulans?! What we find out later is that the Vulcans inadvertently caused first contact back in the 1950's in Carbon Creek but we didn't know about it (of course).

From the perspective of our familiar crews though, the Vulcans have given us a great deal - Archer gained a first officer and Dr McCoy was provided with more than one opportunity to win an argument. While Enterprise sowed the seeds of discontent with the pointed - eared ones it would be wise to remember that meeting with them would bring about advances in conditions and technology that humanity would otherwise have been unable to achieve.

6. First Contact Day 

The occasion to remember the day everything changed. A time for rejoicing and revelry and if you're on the USS Voyager then beware because it's like to have been organised by Neelix and Naomi Wildman. From what we can children get a day off school and it's a prime opportunity for Tom Paris to get his 20th Century jukebox out (no sign of Steppenwolf to really authenticate the occasion though). Interestingly the notion that this is celebrated right in the closing closing episodes of Voyager screws the calendar around in line with stardates as First Contact occurred in April. Therefore we can surmise that we're not working on the Julian Calendar but something much more universal.

7. The Bozeman

Bit of a curve ball here, but without the landing site for the Vulcans the Enterprise-D might have avoided spending a few weeks trapped in the temporal causality loop. I'm not sure that first contact in Scunthorpe would have had quite the same dramatic effect.

We could probably go on for quite a while about how, what and why was affected in the long run by April 5th 2063 but I think these above are probably the main culprits. While Star Wars fans have another month to wait for their special day (May 4th), with Star Trek we can at least say that the day has some significance within all varieties of the franchise and it's something with a bit of substance not just a "comedy" date. In the fictional world everything that we know of the UFP, Starfleet, Kirk, Picard, Sisko, Janeway etc stems from this one event and we can assuredly say that it is truly the franchise's Genesis moment (all puns intended). First Contact is the point at which the future starts to become the universe begins is journey towards the vision of Gene Roddenberry. While not everything about the original day was a resounding success as we've seen here, there's a lot to be impressed with - and it gave us Star Trek First Contact which isn't a bad thing now, is it?!

In the real world the question for us all is when will this happen and who will it be with? If we're honest with ourselves we know it won't be with Vulcans and I very much doubt it'll be at a missile silo in Montana (which actually does exist) or that it'll even be linked to the first warp flight but that's missing the point of this occasion. One of the rare chances to have a bit of Star Trek indulgence with some purpose and show your Starfleet pride especially with just a half-century to go!

After all this though, I would ask this - what does First Contact Day actually mean to you today? Is it a chance to celebrate Star Trek or space exploration or even sci-fi as a whole? Is there anything else from that fictional event that we should also recognise it for? Is there anything else that we got from first contact within the fictional universe or in the real production world of Star Trek?

Anyway - let's request just one more glass from the replicator before bed or maybe join Captain Picard for a slice of cake (cellular peptide we suspect) - Happy First Contact Day to one and all!

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