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here’s plenty to celebrate with this issue We’ve got the first of a two-part chat with Nana
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to new seasons of Discovery, Strange New Worlds DS9 also shapes a new addition to
and more to look forward to in coming months. Explorer’s line-up, the debut of “The Collectors For more information on
advertising, contact:
I hope you’re looking forward to them all as Guild”, a new column by Lisa Herrera, who [email protected]
much as I am. comes aboard to share some of her amazing For more information about
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showrunner Terry Matalas, talking about his now be bringing us regular items on Star Trek
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unique contribution to the show. Many thanks comics, past, present and future. VOL #1, ISSUE #6. Published by Titan Magazines,
a division of Titan Publishing Group Limited, 144
to him for taking time out of his schedule to I think you’ll be suitably impressed with Southwark Street, London SE1 0UP. TM & © 2023
talk with Ian Spelling. Lisa’s finds… but I do hope what she shares CBS Studios Inc. © 2023 Paramount Pictures. STAR
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older than this magazine, which still has plenty John Freeman For sale in the US, UK, Eire, Australia and New
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Contents
Issue #06 Spring 2023

80 EXCLUSIVE
NEW SHORT FICTION
Kira is in peril in “Things
Can Only Get Better” a
DS9 story!
SUBSCRIBE TO

MAGAZINE
P. 24 Newsstand/ Comic Shop
Subscriber Edition Exclusive Edition

12 18 26 32 64

06 NEWS & COMMENT 32 INTERVIEW secrets to creating aliens 92 FANDOM UNBOUND

ENGAGE! ARMIN SHIMERMAN for Star Trek Strange TREK THROUGH
News and notes from Hide your latinum, our New Worlds… LIFE
every quadrant of the Star favorite bartender is here Fans share their
Trek universe to talk about his writing 72 DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO cosplay, values, creativity,
career and Lower Decks! STAR TREK: and memorabilia
DEEP SPACE NINE
12 INTERVIEW collections
TERRY MATALAS 41 ARCHIVE IMAGE Tracking the history of
Star Trek: Picard’s show- LOST AND FOUND Star Trek’s space station- 95 ANALYSIS
runner gives us the inside Deep Space Nine behind based saga COLLECTORS GUILD
scoop on Season Three the scenes secrets revealed! Star Trek merchandise
86 INCOMING rarities celebrated
18 INTERVIEW 60 TOMORROW ’S TECH COMICS SPOTLIGHT
DOUG JONES TREKNOLOGY We catch up with writer 96 PUZZLES & MORE
What's next for Star Trek: How today’s space stations Jackson Lanzing to HOLLOW PURSUITS
Discovery’s Mr Saru? match up to Star Trek’s talk about the ongoing A DS9 wordsearch and
vision of cities in the sky new Star Trek comic other puzzles
26 INTERVIEW from IDW
NANA VISITOR 64 INTERVIEW 97 CARTOON
The first part of a wide- FINAL FRONTIER 90 INTERVIEW THE WARPED
ranging chat with the actress CREATURES TALENTED TREKKERS FACTOR
who brought us Star Trek: We go behind the scenes How a TV Guide article Revealed – how the
Deep Space Nine’s rebellious at Legacy Effects, to helped bring Star Trek back Gorn have been totally
Bajoran, Kira Nerys discover some of the to our screens in the 1970s misunderstood!

Inside Trek
44 TOP 10 48 PROFILE 54 EXCLUSIVE
DS9 MOMENTS CAPTAIN SISKO NEW SHORT
Exploring some of the Prophet, leader, father FICTION
show’s best scenes and – this Star Trek Captain In the “The Mission”, will
characters faced more challenges a traitor bring destruction
than many others to DS9?
 E x p l o r i n g t h e S t a r T r e k U n i v e r s e
WORDS: JAY STOBIE

01 02 03

04 05 06

Star Trek’s Newest Stars 01 Amanda

Plummer

T
here are some major additions to Plummer (Star Trek VI’s General Chang), Toufexis 02 Ashlei
the Star Trek family this year, on (previously seen as a convict in Discovery), Sharpe
Chestnut
the live action shows. Amanda and Burton, the host of several Star Trek events
Plummer, Ashlei Sharpe Chestnut, and real-life daughter of Star Trek: The Next 03 Mica
Burton
and Mica Burton suited up for Star Generation legend LeVar Burton, already have
Trek: Picard’s final season, launching their own prominent Trek connections. 04 Callum
Keith Rennie
globally this February, while Star Trek: Discovery
welcomed Callum Keith Rennie, Elias Toufexis, • For teasers about Star Trek: Picard, check 05 Elias
Toufexis
and Eve Harlow to its fifth season. out our interview with showrunner Terry
Plummer, the daughter of Christopher Matalas interview on Page 12 06 Eve Harlow

6 STAR TREK
 E X P L O R I N G T H E S TA R T R E K U N I V E R S E

Kirstie Alley, Louise Fletcher Remembered

S
tar Trek fans have mourned
the loss of two Star Trek
alumni in recent months:
Kirstie Alley (12 January
1951 – 5 December 2022; age
71), who played the Vulcan, Saavik, in
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, a role that
earned the actress, perhaps best known
for her work on the comedy show, Cheers,
a nomination for a Saturn Award by the
Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy &
Horror Films.
“I got to interview her several times Actress due to her brilliant work in 1975’s While every single one of Fletcher’s
over the years,” notes Star Trek Explorer One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Fletcher episodes is worth rewatching, those new
writer Ian Spelling, recalling the actress also received Emmy nominations for guest to DS9 will want to be sure not to miss
once told him she wouldn’t have a career spots on Picket Fences and Joan of Arcadia. the religious fundamentalism depicted
if it wasn’t for Star Trek II and director The Trek faithful will always remember in “In the Hands of the Prophets,” the
Nick Meyer. Fletcher for the way she crafted Kai Winn heartbreaking political machinations on
Also passed is actress Louise Fletcher into becoming one of the franchise’s display in “Life Support,” and the closing
(22 July 1934 – 23 September 2022; most complex villains. Although she only chapter to Winn’s story as shown in
age 88), known for her recurring role appeared in 14 DS9 episodes, Fletcher seized “What You Leave Behind.”
as Kai Winn Adami on Star Trek: Deep these opportunities to showcase Winn’s Explorer sends its condolences to
Space Nine. Prior to her Trek credentials, manipulations in a way that made the the family, friends, and loved ones of
Fletcher won an Academy Award for Best character one that fans simply loved to hate. both actresses.

Bird of ‘Play’

O
n the heels of their wings, a stand based on the infamous Admiral Kirk, renamed the H.M.S.
successful U.S.S. Genesis planet, and six figures from Bounty, and utilized to travel to
Enterprise playset, the film (Kruge, Admiral Kirk, Spock, 20th century Earth in a victorious
Playmobil recently Maltz, Kruge’s Targ, and the Klingon effort to recover two humpback
decloaked their latest Gunner) all included, the set is whales in Star Trek IV. Similar
venture: a playset based on the perfect for both play and display. Klingon designs were seen in use
Klingon Bird-of-Prey from Star Trek First introduced as an enemy throughout the three TNG-era
III: The Search for Spock and Star Trek vessel in Star Trek III, this Bird- series. You can order yours today at
IV: The Voyage Home. With movable of-Prey was commandeered by EntertainmentEarth.com.

STAR TREK 7
ENGAGE!

Cerritos Style
The official Star Trek Shop
is the place to go for your
Lower Decks swag. The site
boasts an array of t-shirts,
ranging from the Lower
Decks Crew (complete with
images of Mariner, Boimler,
Tendi, and Rutherford on the
back) and the Space: The

Step Into Strange New Worlds Funnest Frontier (depicting

the U.S.S. Cerritos) designs
to the Rarely Going Where

D
o you want to be like Spock? Of course! Everyone does. John Fluevog’s Strange No One Has Gone Before
New Worlds-style Starfleet boots give you the opportunity to walk a mile in (featuring the Lower Deckers
Spock’s shoes, as the old Earth saying goes. Crafted from smooth leathers and and the Command Crew)
elastic, the boots feature injected rubber soles and a leather ankle harness, and and Cool Scrappy Underdogs
an OrthoLite hybrid molded insole made from 20 percent recycled materials. (once again portraying our
favorite Lower Deckers) tees.
As an added bonus, the entire ensemble creating ‘unique soles for unique souls’ since Complete your ensemble
is topped off by the classic Star Trek delta 1970, footwear that has been seen everywhere with the colorful Blocks
insignia in a gunmetal finish. Not sure which from the feet of Madonna, Beyoncé, Lady Gaga Pattern Athletic Shorts, which
Starfleet division you’d like to serve in? and Jack White to the runways of high fashion. show off the Cerritos crew, or
Luckily, the boots are available in both black He was recently recognized as The Canadian the classic Delta Badge Adult
(worn by command, operations, and sciences Footwear Industry’s Shoe Person of the Year and Shorts. Head over to Shop.
officers) and white (seen on medical staff). Fluevog Shoes was named one of the world’s most StarTrek.com to add some
John Fluevog is an independent designer innovative companies in the fashion industry by Lower Decks hijinks to your
and retailer, who has has been steadfast in FastCompany magazine. Gear up at Fluevog.com. wardrobe.

Gaming Greats
A
s the Deep Space Nine Arc endures a full-scale Heading over to Star Trek Online, Strange New Worlds
war in Star Trek Fleet Command, players can fans will recognize the arrival of the Federation starship
now play as the new Bajoran Faction, acquire U.S.S. Farragut, which showed up in “A Quality of
Gul Dukat as an Epic Officer, experience Mercy,” the time-bending first-season finale that found
over 20 new Story Missions, and much more. Captain James T. Kirk in command of the vessel during
Additionally, the mobile strategy game has introduced an alternate version of the iconic events portrayed
a ship ability called Automated Defenses for the Bajoran in the TOS episode “Balance of Terror.” Listed as the
vessels. Set course for StarTrekFleetCommand.com to Farragut Temporal Cruiser (T6), players can now obtain
find the latest updates, connect with other players, and and captain the vessel. Learn more about the ship and
learn how to start playing the game. its features at PlayStarTrekOnline.com.

Risan Shores to a French Chateau

T
he Star Trek Wines team has been hard at work, miraculously replicating, without the help of a replicator, some of Trek’s
most sought-after vintages. Scanning original prop bottles to match screen-used items is only part of the process, as they
also manage to find the perfect flavors to pair with each fictional beverage.

Recent additions to their line is vintages of Chateau Picard are also available The 2221 and 2401 vintages are
a Risan Rosé, plucked from the first season to order at StarTrekWines.com. Seen in the available in a special Picard three-pack. Also
Enterprise adventure, “Two Days and Two background of Captain Pike’s quarters in the making its way to the market is the long-
Nights,” as well as a Risan white wine, Strange New World episode, “Children of the awaited Romulan ale bottle that contains a
based on a bottle from Picard. These two Comet,” the 2221 Chateau Picard elegantly deliciously blue Romulan Vodka.
items can be purchased together or as part complements the 2401 Chateau Picard, a Stay tuned to the Star Trek Wines
of a collectable ten-pack that boasts every highly regarded Cru Bourgeois Bordeaux. website for all future updates. Unfortunately,
wine currently available. The 2401 comes complete with a full metal the company is only shipping to destinations
Moving closer to home, two new label and a silicone rubber topper. in North America, at present.

8 STAR TREK
 E X P L O R I N G T H E S TA R T R E K U N I V E R S E

The Federation’s
Finest
I
t’s time to call in the fleet! BlueBrixx has added to its
armada of Star Trek vessels with some of Starfleet’s
most famous starships. BlueBrixx-Pro’s massive
2,856-piece U.S.S. Defiant build measures in at an
astounding 20-inches in length, while the 492-piece
Enterprise NX-01 and 489-piece U.S.S. Enterprise-E run
approximately 10-inches and 13-inches in length, respectively.
These stellar vessels can be purchased at BlueBrixx.com, where the
company ships internationally.
The Federation shipyards have been busy, as AMT Models
is also getting in on the fun and re-releasing its 1/650 Classic
U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701 50th Anniversary plastic model.
The 18-inch long Constitution-class kit, which requires paint
and glue to complete, comes equipped with a dome base and a
decal and sticker sheet, as well as special packaging that celebrates
Trek’s 50th anniversary which took place in 2016. Warp over to
WonderlandModels.com to grab your own model of the ship
captained by Robert April, Christopher Pike, and James T. Kirk.

The Warp 5
Wonder
EXO-6 celebrates Captain
Jonathan Archer with the
first item from its Star Trek:
Enterprise line of 1:6 scale
figures, portraying the NX-01’s
commanding officer in his blue
Starfleet duty uniform with his
phase-pistol, communicator,
and scanner alongside him.
Standing 12-inches tall, Archer
is equipped with more than
30 points of articulation and
soft plastic boots. Visit EXO-
6.com to learn more about
the Captain Archer figure
and EXO-6’s other Star Trek

There Are More Lights!

releases.

A
new collaboration between The light show continues with the
Star Trek and Pottery Barn Enterprise Table Lamp, a source of
Teen is absolutely glowing. illumination that stands 18-inches tall
Highlighting the collection and includes a stand surrounded by a
are the Backlit Starfleet Logo stellar model of the U.S.S. Enterprise-D.
LED with Sound Sync and Live Long Crafted from resin and iron with a linen
and Prosper LED Panel, each of which shade, the lamp also features a black,
contains LED bulbs that have six lighting hand-painted finish.
movement modes with four colors and These items, as well as a host
a music sync LED strip with remote of Trek-themed ornaments, sheets,
control. These LEDs supply a brilliant pajamas, pillows, and bags, can be
ambience sure to brighten any mood. ordered at PBTeen.com

STAR TREK 9
ENGAGE!

Prodigy Pals

T
he ragtag crew of the U.S.S. The first four releases include
Protostar started out plastic action figures based on
as strangers, but these Gwyndala, Dal R’El (who comes
captivating characters have with fan-favorite Murf!), Zero, and
gradually learned to know and Jankom Pog. While the Gwyndala
trust one another throughout Prodigy’s and Dal R’El figures stand 5-inches
first season. The new Playmates line of tall, the Zero and Jankom Pog figures
Prodigy figures provides you with an measure in with heights of 4-inches.
excellent opportunity to both add to Priced at $14.99 per toy, each action
your Star Trek collection and show your figure can be ordered now at
love for the hit Paramount+ series. EntertainmentEarth.com.

Author, Author
Prolific Trek author and Star
Trek: Prodigy consultant
David Mack has returned with
an exciting new TOS novel
called Harm’s Way which
follows Captain James T.
Kirk and the U.S.S. Enterprise
on a perilous mission
involving a Klingon starship
and Starfleet’s enigmatic
Operation: Vanguard. Priced
at $16.99, Harm’s Way can be
purchased by heading over to
SimonAndSchuster.com.

Lower Decks Legends

The Saints of Second Contact. The Each antique gold-style pin
Saviors of the Cerritos. The… well, let’s with sandblasted texture features a
just say that the Lower Decks crew detailed image of a Lower Decker
has managed to make quite the on a circular background. Measuring
impression on the rest of Starfleet. 1.65-inches in width, these enamel
Represent your affinity for Beckett pins will let everyone know that you
Mariner, Bradward Boimler, Samanthan don’t need to be a bridge officer
Rutherford, and D’Vana Tendi by to honorably serve in Starfleet.
procuring some epic Lower Deck pins The pins can be purchased at
from Zen Monkey Studios. ZenMonkeyStudios.com.

10 STAR TREK
 E X P L O R I N G T H E S TA R T R E K U N I V E R S E

Designing the Final Frontier

I
t starts with an image, whether it’s drawn on the back of a napkin or created
as a fully-rendered digital model. Veteran designer Neville Page has done it
all in his long and eclectic career, and that work is now chronicled in Star
Trek: The Art of Neville Page. Here, Joe Nazzaro reveals how the book, to
be published by Titan Books soon, focuses heavily on Page’s Star Trek work
through the decades, from the three J.J. Abrams films, to Star Trek Discovery and Picard...

The Art of Neville Page examines the be fun if it ever happened, until J.J. said,
artist’s career from his early days as an ‘we’re shooting your scene next!’
industrial designer to his work on such A-list “I was standing on my mark, and I
features as Avatar, Super 8, Cloverfield and could barely see out of my good eye where
Prometheus, as well as the evolution of film the camera was. There was smoke and steam
design. “Digital was just a camera choice and dripping water, and J.J. called ‘Action!’
back then,” he recalls, “and Photoshop wasn’t so I spun my head around and said the line.
something you could use as an artist. As we J.J. laughed and said, ‘That was amazing,
graduated, it was still old school pen and Neville, let’s do it again - and this time can
paper or clay, but by the time I was working you use consonants?’ I rehearsed that line a
with Jim Cameron on ‘Project 880,’ about thousand times, but now I was slurring the
creatures on an alien planet, I was building whole thing! So that was awful, but I finally
up an abundance of technical expertise as to got it, and it’s in the film.”
how these creatures should work.
“As I finished my three years at
Lightstorm, I got an email saying, ‘I’d like
you to consider being part of this monster
film…’ but I was so busy, I read the mail
and forgot about it. When I finally looked
this guy J.J. Abrams up, I thought, ‘Oh geez,
Neville, learn to respond to your emails!’
“I quickly called J.J. who said, ‘I’m
working on a secret project, it’s a super low
budget but it’s got a giant creature in it,
and we would love to talk to you about! it’
That experience on Cloverfield eventually
rolled into Star Trek (2009), which was an
incredible journey, so you never know who
your path is going to cross in life.
In addition to his role as artist, Page
has donned the alien prosthetics himself,
first as a Romulan in Star Trek, and years
later working on the redesigned Klingons
for Star Trek: Discovery. “We knew Eric Bana
[who played Nero] was going to be the main
Romulan,” he notes of the former, “so I
grabbed a photo of him to work on, but Eric
wasn’t there for the make-up test, and since
we were about the same height, they did the
test on me.”
It was Page’s Romulan make-up test that
actually led to a small appearance in the film.
“I thought it would be easy to put on make-
up and stand in the background, but I was
established as Nero’s right-hand man, which
meant I was there for an entire week, so
between takes, I was constantly designing on
my laptop and tablet while in make-up.
“When we were getting to my last day,
J.J. said, ‘Hey do you want a line? It would
be fun to have you say, “Captain, I just
picked up another ship!’” I thought it would

STAR TREK 11
 W SP
AR O
N ILE

12
IN R
G
!

STAR TREK
 T E R R Y M ATA L A S

TERRY MATALAS
INTERVIEW BY IAN SPELLING

STAR TREK 13
INTERVIEW

tar Trek, for Terry Matalas,

meant Sunday afternoons
perched on the couch with
his dad, excitedly watching
repeats of episodes
featuring Captain Kirk,
Spock, Dr. McCoy and the
rest of the classic cast. For his first
Trek movie in a theater, he ventured
out to see The Search for Spock.
As a result, “the U.S.S. Enterprise
returning to space dock, the
Excelsior, and Klingon Birds of Prey
are all burned into my DNA,” and the 01
“incredible” trilogy of The Wrath of
Khan, The Search for Spock, and The
Voyage Home informed “a lot of who
I would become as a storyteller.”
What did you learn from discovery, and knowing every
Then, it was back to the couch for
Brannon Braga on Voyager beat before you start shooting.
Star Trek: The Next Generation. and Enterprise?
It all paved the way for Matalas Terry Matalas: Probably How did your Star Trek
to put his own mark on Star Trek. that, to do this right, it takes homecoming happen?
time. Brannon was tremendously Matalas: When I finished
While attending Emerson College, he
dedicated and kept very long editing our 12 Monkeys finale,
landed an unpaid internship with the hours crafting in the writers’ they had just started shooting
Star Trek: Voyager post-production room, with scripts. He felt that Discovery. I’d heard through
department. He then worked his way writing is rewriting. When he the grapevine they wanted to
would finish a draft, there’d be a continue to develop more Star
up to production assistant on Voyager second draft the next day. Those Trek. I reached out to my agent
before serving as Brannon Braga’s were all eye-opening things for and said, “Please, I’d love to sit
assistant on Voyager and Enterprise, someone young coming out down and talk Star Trek with
to Hollywood and not knowing Secret Hideout.” I met over there
and stepping into the Enterprise
how it all works. and, at the time, they were
writer’s room. He later reunited developing a Khan series. Akiva
with Braga on Threshold and Terra You rose through the ranks as (Goldsman) and I talked, and, if it
Nova, before ascending the ladder to a writer and producer on 12 went, I was going to go run that.
Monkeys and MacGyver. How But, instead, Picard happened.
creator/showrunner on 12 Monkeys
did those experiences prepare They already had a showrunner,
and showrunner on MacGyver. for Picard? with James Duff, who then left,
Matalas then returned to the Trek Matalas: For 12 Monkeys, and Michael Chabon took over.
fold for Star Trek: Picard, serving as that was my baby. It was a four- It seemed like Star Trek was not
season, intricate, time-travel on the cards, but CBS liked their
co-showrunner in season two and as story. I always believe you have meeting with me and needed
executive producer and showrunner to have a plan. In the case of some help refreshing MacGyver.
in season three. Picard season three, what the I did a year of MacGyver to get
final season needed to be to my broadcast drama chops
Star Trek Explorer recently caught
tell all of those stories right, going, and then I got a call from
up with Matalas for an exclusive with each one of these legacy Akiva saying, “Hey, I’m going to
interview in which he looked back characters having an arc and need some help doing Picard
as his time working with Braga, having the main plot tie back season two,” because Michael
to their history, it required an was leaving. He said, “And then,
discussed how 12 Monkeys and
intricate plan. I actually recruited for season three, I want to hand
MacGyver prepped him for Picard, a few of my 12 Monkeys writers it over to you.” I was extremely
and delved deep into the upcoming to help out, including Sean Tretta lucky to be working with that
third and final season of Picard. and Chris Monfette. It meant incredible group of writers – Alex
having a plan, knowing where (Kurtzman), Akiva, Michael – on
WORDS: IAN SPELLING you’re ending, leaving room for season two, as a kickoff.
 T E R R Y M ATA L A S

03

02 04 05

“THE NEXT GENERATION CAST SHOULD HAVE THAT FEELING OF

FINALITY. ALSO, THERE WAS A TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY TO SEE
WHO THESE CHARACTERS WERE 20-SOMETHING YEARS LATER...”

Season three of Picard has been Next Generation movie, but you also 01 Picard and to craft with them, to make sure that
Q bid each
presented as the final season. What get to have individual stories with each other farewell
they felt they were getting to say
was the mission statement for what one of these characters; to see who in the season everything they wanted to say.
you wanted to accomplish with they are, how they’ve changed, and to two finale

these episodes? see where they’re going. 02 A future How appreciative were the actors of
Matalas: I felt “All Good Things” Picard in the getting meat to chew on and actual
TNG finale "All
was the perfect Next Generation How much did you involve the Next Good Things". story closures?
sendoff. Then, they went and made Generation cast in developing their Matalas: I’m still getting phone
03 A scene
four films. The way Nemesis ended respective character arcs? from Star calls. I’m on set for a pilot right
didn’t feel like a conclusion. I quite Matalas: Right from the get-go, Trek: The now, and LeVar called me. He’d just
liked The Undiscovered Country. I I said I didn’t want to do anything Undiscovered watched his first episode, and it was
Country
felt like that was a satisfying sendoff they wouldn’t feel comfortable with, the most beautiful phone call I’ve
for the original crew. I felt like The because they’ve lived with these 04 Worf ever had in my life. We got to gush to
(Michael Dorn)
Next Generation cast should have that characters for decades. They’ve been in Picard each other about the episode because
feeling of finality. Also, there was a to conventions and had discussions Season Three he’s so phenomenally good in it. He
tremendous opportunity to see who with fans who knew their characters 05 Geordi la absolutely loved what he was able to
these characters were 20-something inside and out beyond anything I Forge (Le Var do with Geordi, and meeting Geordi’s
Burton) in
years later; how they’ve changed and ever could. I would call them and say, Picard Season
family. It was a love fest for all of us,
what that might be like coming back “Here is what I am thinking.” I was Three that we got to do this. Jonathan and
together. Alex said it best: “If you were very fortunate that it mostly lined up I probably talk daily, at least sending
going to do one more Next Generation with what they were thinking as well. texts. It’s been an absolute blast.
movie, let’s say you had three hours. In particular, LeVar, Gates, Jonathan,
It still wouldn’t be enough to give Brent, and Michael. Michael had Even with so much Next Generation,
every character their due story.” That’s a very similar journey in mind for the show is still called Picard. How
what’s tremendous about the 10-hour Worf. So, we were quite lucky, but it much of a creative partner was
experience. You get to have a final was definitely something we wanted Sir Patrick?

STAR TREK 15
INTERVIEW

06

Matalas: The story starts 06 Friends Speaking of fun, there are great just things in that world. There’s
make their
with Patrick. We couldn’t, and farewells in throwbacks: the Ressikan flute, no reason that Picard wouldn’t
certainly wouldn’t, ever dream Season Two of LaForge’s daughter, a Farpoint mention Farpoint. Back to the
Picard
of telling this story without reference, in the first couple of question – which is a good one
his support. It began with me 07 / 08 … episodes. We get an explanation – it is a fine line. On one hand,
covers for
going over to his house and for why there’s enough power you want to continue to tread
the IDW Star
sitting down at his dining room Trek: The Next left on the ship for Picard new ground. That’s the North Star.
table, taking him through Generation to activate the holodeck, But, at the same time, you want
mini series,
what I thought the long arc of "Hive"
which will beat fans to asking to feel like this is the universe that
the season was. I’m infinitely that question, and you’ve you’ve been spending 35 years
09 The Borg
grateful that he signed off and Queen's return
cast Christopher Plummer’s in, with Next Gen. In the sixth
we were able to do it. in Picard daughter as a villain. How did episode, we go to a place where
Season Two you delineate between fan there are many references to past
provided for
Throughout your time with a number service and forwarding the plot, Star Trek stories. To not take a
Star Trek, we’ve heard or of tense or doing both simultaneously? moment, look around, and smell
moments for
seen mentions of the planet Matalas: That’s just what the roses in the Star Trek universe
Picard and his
Matalas, Matalas Prime, and team it’s supposed to be, right? We’d feels wrong. It’s testing it and
on Picard, we get M’Talas have a lot of talk about what’s talking about it, having people
Prime. How much fun do you fan service and what is just living that are fans read scripts, having
have with that, and is there a in the universe. If you’re living in people watch it that are fans, and
difference between M’Talas the Star Trek universe, and these seeing if they’re going to roll their
Prime and Matalas Prime? are stories that’ve been told for eyes or not, then talking about it.
Matalas: It’s the same so long, you’re going to want I feel good about this. We didn’t
place. My writers popped that to reference things that people do it unless we felt like it was
into an episode, into one of might see as fan service but are organic to what the story was.
the scripts. That started as a
gag on Enterprise. It was David
Goodman or Chris Black who
put it in a script, to emphasize
that the most vile place in the
galaxy was named after me.
They kept bringing it back as
a way to poke at me, and I
loved it. There was a moment
in season three of Picard where
we were talking a bit about
the Star Trek underworld, and
somebody said, “Well, it should
probably be named after that
planet that was named after
you.” I said, “Alright, we’ll do it.
If there’s a way to take the piss
outta me, that’s, that’s the way
to do it.” 07 08

16 STAR TREK
 T E R R Y M ATA L A S

09

IDW’s comic book Hive, which you

worked on with Brannon, Travis Fickett,
and Joe Corroney, featured the Next
“WE KNEW WE WANTED A FOIL ON THE
Generation crew, the Borg, Locutus, TITAN, A KIND OF STARSHIP CAPTAIN
Seven of Nine, and time travel. Are the
Hive echoes in Picard a coincidence, or is
YOU’D NEVER SEEN BEFORE"
there actual Hive DNA in this story?
Matalas: Other than the fact that
Seven and Picard are united on our
starship, it’s a very different story. The may just be a dick, but if you really listen to Your wife, Amy Michelle Earhart,
idea for that actually started with… I had everything Shaw says, he’s 100 percent right. appeared as a background performer in
a dream that I was watching an anime, He is rarely wrong. He is a man who stands two Enterprise episodes. Did you sneak
and it opened with a two-million-year- by rules, regulations, and the structure of her onto Picard?
old Locutus sitting on a Borg throne, an what Starfleet is. That felt important. So Matalas: She is the voice of the
ancient Locutus. You had found out that often in Star Trek, people break the rules computer for our Starfleet ships. I didn’t
the Borg had eventually assimilated the for breaking the rule’s sake without any need to twist her arm to do it. (Laughs)
entire galaxy, and there was nothing left consequences. We thought it’d be interesting
for them to do. This Locutus was having a to have this character who, in the beginning, Do you want to do more Trek? Move on
crisis of conscience and wanted to change you might think is abrasive because he is up to something else? Maybe both?
that. I pitched that to Brannon and he said, against our heroes, but if listen to him, he’s Matalas: I’d do anything to do more
“Well, we’re never going to make another got great points. And you might actually Trek. I tell Alex all the time how much I love
Next Generation movie, but we could make come to love him. this particular time in the Star Trek universe.
it a graphic novel.” Then, off we went, and It’s such an interesting period that has 30
did that. That was a fun experience. It’s a You directed the last two episodes years of history, with Next Gen, Deep Space
good question, but there’s no connection of season three. How would you say Nine, and Voyager. Most of these actors
to Picard. season three wraps Picard while leaving have never been better. If I had a choice, I’d
the door open for spinoffs or movies continue in this time period. I’d love to see
Todd Stashwick steals the show as involving whoever survives? what The Doctor from Voyager is up to. I’d
Captain Shaw. He was one of your leads Matalas: Season three ends in a very love to see Quark again. I want to see Nana
on 12 Monkeys. Did you write Shaw with specific conclusion to The Next Generation Visitor. I want to see all of these characters,
him in mind? story. It also, as a season, represents the Next Gen characters, Barclay. They’d maybe
Matalas: Yeah, and it was instantaneous. passing of the torch from one generation to interact with the new characters we’ve
In the writers’ room, we knew we wanted a another. Those who make it out alive could introduced. That’s my dream, but I suppose
foil on the Titan, a kind of starship captain continue in some way, and maybe those it’s up to the television and Star Trek gods
you’d never seen before. On the surface, he who don’t make it out alive can continue in – and the audience – if people want to see
may seem prickly, or beyond prickly. He some way also, because it’s Star Trek. more of that. I’d be there in a heartbeat.

STAR TREK 17
INTERVIEW

A STATE
OF FLUX
oug Jones is a people person. His lines
at conventions and autograph shows are
endless. And there’s a reason for that – or
reasons. He’s played so many characters
that people love. At his table, he engages
each and every fan, turning the moment
into an experience that almost always concludes
with a patented Doug Hug. His warmth, his
appreciation, the sense that he wants to be
there, and be with you; it’s something to behold.
It’s safe to say that Saru is his most popular and
most-beloved character creation. The Kelpien
is so exotic, so well-written, so relatable, so
evocatively portrayed by Jones, and – this may
be the secret sauce – so Doug Jones-like. And
with season five of Discovery on the horizon, fans
will be seeing much more of Saru and Jones.
Star Trek Explorer recently caught up with Jones,
who looked back at his time so far on Discovery,
teased things to come in season five, and filled
us in on his other recent projects, including
Hocus Pocus 2, What We Do in The Shadows, and
Don’t Open the Door.

WORDS: IAN SPELLING

18 STAR TREK
DOUG JONES

STAR TREK 19
INTERVIEW

01

02

Prior to Discovery, you’d played 01 Su'Kal beyond anything I’ve ever done. When Who was Saru when we first met
(Bill Irwin)
numerous aliens and makeup-heavy I’m done with a season, I fall on my him? Who is he as we approach
and Saru
roles. You said when the show started (Doug Jones) face for a few days. I can’t come out season five?
that you weren’t sure what it would be connect in the and play, and can’t talk to anybody, Jones: Saru has evolved so much
Season Three
like to play one role for possibly seven finale,"That
because I’m so wiped out. emotionally and physically, with his
years. Five years in, how different has Hope is You, By the same token, I’m so Vahar’ai, and also rank-wise, with his
your Discovery experience been versus Part Two" energized when the finished product confidence, and his status with Starfleet
what you expected? 02 Doug comes out and the fan response and the Federation. He’s gone through
Jones as Saru is there, or we get to go to the so many ranks. I was Lieutenant
in "Far from
Doug Jones: It is more physically, Home" conventions. Star Trek conventions Commander Saru, Commander Saru as
mentally, and emotionally taxing – where we get to meet those who first officer, Commander Saru as acting
than I ever thought possible. It takes consume this show, hear their captain, back to first officer, back to
an awful lot out of a person to do a responses, what they love about it, the acting captain, Captain Saru, Captain
Star Trek series. I’ve found that out, life events they’ve gone through, and Saru as first officer. We’ve been through
just through trial and error, but it’s how this show has been there for them a lot. And… Mr. Saru, because it was
also ultimately more satisfying than I throughout all of it – mean the world confusing to have two captains on the
ever thought possible, largely because to me, that we’ve been in people’s bridge. It has been quite a lovely ride.
of the fan base. The love and family living rooms when they’re going As people, change is a constant. Change
feeling, that has made it above and through their own life. is something we deal with in our lives

20 STAR TREK
 DOUG JONES

03

“ A S P E O P L E , C H A N G E I S A C O N S T A N T. C H A N G E I S S O M E T H I N G W E D E A L
W I T H I N O U R L I V E S E V E R Y D A Y, S O W H Y S H O U L D N ’ T T H E S E C H A R A C T E R S
ALSO EXPERIENCE CHANGE AS A CONSTANT?”

every day, so why shouldn’t these and poise, both of us handling it with 03 Admiral Before we talk about season five,
Vance (Oded
characters also experience change as a such innocence, it’s like watching an Fehr), Lt.
what worked best for you overall
constant? Saru started as a fear-based English frock drama. The two of us, at Audrey Willa about season four?
Kelpien who made all these decisions the end of season four, we finally held (Vanessa Jones: Navigating through a romance
Jackson) and
based on, “Oh my gosh, we’re all hands, and it was a big deal. Saru discuss was my favorite part, and also
going to die.” Now, after going tactics, in getting to the edge of the galaxy and
“Scavengers"
through Vahar’ai, losing his threat So chaste, yet so beautiful… meeting this bigger entity we’d never
ganglia, passing through that phase Jones: Absolutely. That’s been encountered anything like before,
of life and entering a new confidence, something that maybe Saru didn’t and finding a way to communicate
a new courage that he didn’t know think possible for himself. So, with them. I love those final scenes,
was possible for Kelpiens, he’s so change is a constant and that change where we’re making contact with
much more comfortable in his own continues into season five. 10-C – this big, whatever it was, to try
skin. He’s more comfortable having to tell them, “Listen, we are sentient
interactions with other characters, On some shows, the actors have beings that you are about to destroy.
with his own opinion, and – as his some level of say in their character’s Please don’t do that.” That going back
authority in rank has risen – he’s able evolution. How much, beyond your and forth without using Federation
to live in that space. performance, have you been able to standard language, was an interesting
With that has come the help shape Saru? and fun alien first contact to make. I
confidence to maybe even start a Jones: Well, I don’t know. Speaking loved that.
romance for the first time in his of that romance again… when It also broadens up, “Let’s go
life. And my scenes with Michael President T’Rina was introduced in back to our world where we’re at now,
Burnham. That brother-sister season three, it seemed like the writers where communication seems to be at
relationship that has gone through so might’ve been heading that toward a an all-time high, but it’s also at an all-
many changes and so much growth romance. I asked Michelle Paradise, time high misunderstanding of each
over the years, from pecking at each our showrunner, “Is that where you’re other.” Everyone’s arguing, battling,
other, to supporting each other, headed?” It hadn’t occurred to her, or vehement or venomous toward each
to pecking at each other, but also the writers. I said, “Oh, please.” I don’t other. It seems like, “Why don’t we
ultimately loving, supporting and want to take credit, but I might’ve find a way to get on each other’s level,
having each other’s back. And then, had a hint or a help in nudging that and actually communicate heart-to-
back to T’Rina, with this budding love love story forward. Other than that, heart where we can understand each
interest, it’s like, “Huh, I’m having in season five, change is afoot again. I other. Maybe understanding is a part
feelings I’ve never had before,” with might have made a suggestion for Saru of communication that we’re missing
this beautiful Vulcan lady. To see how that possibly was listened to, but that’s now.” Fleshing that out with 10-C
that’s progressed with such dignity it. That’s all I can say. was nice.

STAR TREK 21
INTERVIEW

04

“ T A R A R O S L I N G … W E J O K I N G LY C A L L H E R J U D I D E N C H , B E C A U S E S H E
LOOKS LIKE A YOUNG JUDI DENCH – AND HAS THE ACTING PROWESS
OF JUDI DENCH.”

There’s genuine chemistry between what it broadens out and opens home, home comforts me, and I
you and Tara Rosling. How have you up is the wide array of characters I long for home.
enjoyed collaborating with her? could never play with my own face. I keep mentioning home a
Jones: Tara Rosling… we jokingly call I couldn’t play a Kelpien with this lot throughout the season and
her Judi Dench, because she looks look; it would just look like a guy talking about Su’kal, my Kelpien
like a young Judi Dench – and has acting funny. With the buildup of protege that we found at the end
the acting prowess of Judi Dench. visuals that the prosthetic makeup of season three, and hoping he’s
She’s a Shakespearean-trained department puts on me, that makes doing well. There are callbacks to
actress who’s spent years on the it all so real and magical in a way I Kaminar, my home planet… a lot.
stage, so she brings that to Star Trek couldn’t do on my own. You can see that Saru is having
with such poise and she can wear a thoughts about maybe a change
gown like nobody’s business. Let’s try to talk about things to in his career with the Federation. Is
The way they dress her is come in season five, without there another place for him that he
gorgeous, too. When you’re spoiling anything… might be better suited for, and that
doing a scene with Tara, there is Jones: Well, in general, we are might actually work better for his
a connection and a reality to it. on another quest. We’re after relationship with President T’Rina?
After “Action” is called, the crew something, and bad guys are
goes away and we’re living and after it. Who gets to it first, that’s In a perfect world as you see it,
breathing a real scene, in real life. basically where we’re headed. whenever Discovery ends, what
That’s what it feels like with her. And for Saru? Let’s remember all does Saru’s last scene look like?
She’s magical to work with. of season four, when I was a first Jones: I’ve died so many times on
officer with captain’s status. Is that camera that I’d love for him to live
Though your Saru makeup has a long-term position, for a captain, happily ever after. I’d like for him to
been streamlined as much as who loves being at the right hand have retired from the Federation,
possible, it still takes two hours a of Captain Burnham? but still be a consultant where they
day to have the silicone rubber Again, she’s like a sister to me. come to him for the occasional
pieces glued on. Five seasons We support each other. I want to thing, where he can rest easy either
in, are you acting through the be there for her through thick and at home on Kaminar with President
prosthetics or with them? thin, but on my uniform, I’m also T’Rina or summering on Ni’Var
Jones: Both. It’s a combo platter of wearing a pin that has the Kelpien with her people. Living on one,
hell and heaven. The obvious thing is Council emblem on it. I do, often, vacationing on the other, but
the added weight, heat, discomfort, when I’m thinking, stop and fold being together happily ever after,
stickiness, limitations, etc. Those are my arms, and give a stroke to my that’s what I’d love to see as
all there, but the heaven part, and Kelpien pin to remind me about Saru’s end.

22 STAR TREK
 DOUG JONES

05 06

Changing gears, how satisfying was upcoming project. What can you tell 04 Sylvia goofy, funny, sarcastic, naughty humor
it to finally have Hocus Pocus 2 come us about that? Tilly (Mary lovers who love to cosplay as their
Wiseman)
to fruition? Jones: That must now be the title of a with Saru on favorite characters.
Jones: Hocus Pocus 2, the entire idea movie I shot called The Knocking. I’m the bridge And Star Trek… those are
of the U.S.S.
of it and the entire execution, has been the one on the other side of the door, Discovery
probably the smartest fans, given that
an absolute dream come true, 29 years by the way. I’m the one doing the they are those who love science fiction,
05 Discovery
later. It seems to be a trend, like with knocking. It might be intimated that under attack
love to dig into new languages, species,
Top Gun and Halloween, these “many I’m the Devil in human form, here in "There is a worlds, and possibilities. Those are
decades later” sequels. It brings us and there throughout the movie. Tide" my most inquisitive, intelligent, and
a sense of nostalgia. The fans of the 06 Doug studied fans, probably. So, they all
originals have been so supportive and You’ve been part of several franchises Jones as have different vibes and I love every
human Saru in
hopeful for a sequel that that’s why they with hardcore fan bases. How “Su’Kal” one of them.
happened. If it wasn’t for them clicking, different or similar is the Star Trek
watching, and buying home video fan base to those other fan bases? We’ve seen some amazing Saru
collections all these years and watching Jones: Right now, you’re catching me cosplayers. What’s it like to have
it on TV repeatedly, there’d be no need in a season where I’m still recurring on people come up to you, pose for
for sequels. We owed Hocus Pocus 2 to What We Do in The Shadows. Baron photos with you, looking so much
the fans, and visiting this character of Afanas will return in season five. I’ve got like your character?
Billy Butcherson was an absolute treat. Saru on Discovery and Billy Butcherson Jones: It’s the biggest compliment I
I get asked all the time, “Do you was back in Hocus Pocus 2. Those are think we can get, when you’ve done
have a favorite character that you’ve three different fan bases, and they’re all something on film, something artistic,
played?” It’s impossible to pick one, swarming around me at the moment. that inspires someone else to want to
but Billy is among them, for sure. I It’s a beautiful swarm, too. It’s a lovely get artistic, create, and do an homage
was a zombie before zombies were place to be in as an actor; to be a beloved to your character. It costs them a lot of
cool. I got to be goofy and not a zombie, a beloved alien, and a beloved time, money, stress, and heartache to
brain-eating kind, just a happy, family- vampire all at the same time. That’s an put those cosplays together, especially
friendly zombie. I even have to remind actor’s dream. The Hocus Pocus crowd anything that I’ve played. My
everybody, “I’m a good zombie!” feels very family-friendly and very, “Let’s characters usually involve prosthetic
get the kids together, pop the corn, and makeup, and those are not always
We know that Nosferatu is still celebrate Halloween together,” with easy to do for someone shopping at
in post-production, but IMDB Hocus Pocus as a centerpiece. The What Home Depot for their supplies. It is
lists Don’t Open the Door as an We Do in The Shadows crowd is full of absolutely remarkable!

STAR TREK 23
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INTERVIEW

26 STAR TREK
 NANA VISITOR

A WOMAN’S
TREK
N
ana Visitor is not one to sit around
idly. Check out just a smattering of
her recent activities. Visitor regularly
attends Star Trek conventions, but she
goes deeper than participating in a panel,
signing autographs, and posing for photos. She
interacts in the most personal ways with fans,
asking about them, listening to their stories, and
she’s been known to lead a cooking demo (as she
did on a cruise) or sing (dropping in occasionally
on performances by The Enterprise Blues Band)
or participate in a reading (we all loved when she’d
team up with Rene Auberjonois to perform Love
Letters). On other fronts, she continues to act,
recently completing an indie feature called Six Feet
Apart and joining Armin Shimerman to reprise
their respective Star Trek: Deep Space Nine roles
as Kira Nerys and Quark in an episode of Star
Trek: Lower Decks. Visitor also co-hosts a podcast
called Sunday Dinner with Nana Visitor and Django
El Siddig. Django is her son with former DS9 co-
star and ex-husband, Alexander Siddig. And she is
in the process of writing a book, A Woman’s Trek,
that will be accompanied by a documentary. And
we almost left out her involvement with a think
tank! Yes, a think tank. By the time you read this
article, she’ll probably have added another project
or two to her slate.
Star Trek Explorer recently caught up with
Visitor for a detailed, fascinating interview that ran
so long – just shy of an hour – that we’re breaking it
in two. Below, in part one, she discusses the Sunday
Dinner podcast, Six Feet Apart, and A Woman’s
Trek, and begins to touch on the fact that it’s the
30th anniversary of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine....
WORDS: IAN SPELLING

STAR TREK 27
INTERVIEW

You’ve been so busy lately. When you It’s been fascinating, and it’s been It’s shifted me in so many
wake up in the morning, does the day intimacy building with Django. Once ways. All the women and all
come to you or do you come to the day? you work with a family member, and the people that I have spoken
The day comes to me when I have I’ve worked with many family members to, interviewed, and who have
a day that I plan, that I think, “This is in my life, it changes the dynamic reached out to me, have shifted
what’s going to happen,” but I believe in forever. There’s a new respect, a new what I understand about bias,
being flexible, creative - and adapting. understanding, and a new way of working together, and how
That’s our superpower as humans. I communicating. storytelling – and Star Trek in
keep that in mind as the day takes me general – changes people’s
where it needs to. I have a plan, but I IMDB lists a movie called Six Feet lives in a big way. People need
don’t follow it. Apart. What can you tell us about that? mentors, but very few people
It was supposed to get them. When they don’t
Let’s talk about your come out, and then there have them, and they don’t
current projects. How
have you enjoyed hosting “DEEP SPACE NINE was a big delay. It was
something my friend,
know how to move forward in
the kind of life they want, they
the Sunday Dinner DOES NOT LIVE actor Chris Candy, was create mentors for themselves,
podcast with your son,
Django?
IN THE PAST. IT’S asked to do, and he said,
“I know who I want to
which I think is so creative and
unbelievable. It shows such an
It’s been so fascinating ALWAYS IN FRONT play my mother.” So, I got ability to adapt and go, “I have
to me, the intergenerational
talk. It’s the talk that, if you
OF MY VISION. IT’S brought in by Chris. It’s
about the pandemic, and
no one here in my life that can
show me how to be the person
could get a young person ALWAYS HERE.” it was made during the I want. There’s no roadmap.
to sit down and just go, pandemic when we were I’ll watch a TV show and find
“Okay, what is this? I don’t understand,” all on lockdown, so it was all made on someone.” That’s what a lot
you will go back and forth in the cell phones and cut together that way. of people did. It’s remarkable
sharing. Because we’re recording it, to me. I’ve been in tears more
there’s an awareness that, instead of calling You’re in the process of making than once, and in talking with
each other out, we need to call each a doubleheader project called A astrophysicists, I’ve learned so
other in, and get not only ourselves to Woman’s Trek, which will be a book much about human ability.
understand, but it’s an opportunity for and a documentary. What’s that Talking to the astronaut,
others of each age to understand too. experience been like? Samantha Cristoforetti, truly

01

28 STAR TREK
 02

changed my life immediately. sharing. I’m now aware of a 01 After six

years circling
She changed how I live my life, particular ambience, a cultural each other, the
how I work in my relationship moment in time, that I found relationship
with my husband. I said so myself caught in, living out the between Kira
Nerys and
when I was at European Space rules as they were prescribed. Odo reaches
Agency. I had the opportunity to When I interviewed the women fruition with
a kiss in "His
talk to Samantha while she was from the first Star Trek, the Way"
on the space station. When they guest stars, I talked to the most
02 Kira in
were patching us through, they remarkable, accomplished trouble in a
said, “‘Open a channel.” At that women, but I could see where mirror uiverse,
moment, my brain bounced. they were locked in some ideas the the Season
Two epsiode,
It was like a pinball machine of those times. It’s in questioning "Crossover"
because it was a line that I had each other and talking. Even
03 Frank
said so many times, and I was when you have diversity, it’s White's book,
pretending to be on a space not always going to be an The Overview
station. I was imagining what easy road. But going, “Wait a Effect, has
taken Visitor's
that would be like, and now I minute, you think what? Why? career in
was talking to a woman who Why do we have to do that as another
direction
was on a space station. women? Why do we have to do
“Open a channel.” That’s that as actors? Or, why did you
what this whole experience has have to do that as women and
done for me. It has opened a actors?” So, it really is “opening 03
channel of communication and a channel.”

STAR TREK 29
INTERVIEW

04

Some of the women you’re call a think tank. Frank White wrote ago. I don’t pay attention to time
speaking to did not have mentors the book The Overview Effect, and too much. It’s hard to imagine that
to guide and help them. Are you I saw that Bill Shatner mentioned 30 years have passed. It’s hard to
finding, now that they’re in a it in his recent book; rightly so, imagine. When I go, “Well, you were
position to mentor, that they are because when he went up in space, on MacGyver” or “You even did
serving as mentors to others? he experienced that. His was kind Chicago,” that seems like a long time
Yes, that is the impression of a dark take on it. He was like, “It’s ago, because I did the job, I didn’t
that I get. They are highly aware frightening up there. It’s death, and see the people again, and it lives in
of the need. There’s an evolution everything is on Earth. We’ve got to the past. Deep Space Nine does not
here. I haven’t spoken to all the be good to the Earth.” That is true, live in the past. It’s always in front
women on the new shows; COVID too, but Frank White and these very of my vision. It’s always here. There’s
stopped that. Once we start back interesting astronomers – people always someone talking about it,
up, hopefully I’ll be able to get in who worked in the space industry or I’m thinking about it. Someone’s
and talk to them. But the few that – are imagining our way of living telling me what Kira meant to them,
I did? I was like, “Are you kidding on the frontiers of space, both to or I’m pondering what she meant to
me? This is truly a different mindset. help people live in space, but also me; how she’s influencing me now,
This is a different awareness.” They to help the Earth. Both at once. Not how the whole experience influences
were able to examine themselves escaping the Earth, but helping it. me. “Open a channel” wouldn’t be
and their behavior, and question That’s relatively new for me. there without this character, that
where they were on the spectrum job, and that experience. It’s so
of everything, in a way that older You were on set 30 years ago interwoven in my life. It’s almost like
women… I certainly wasn’t able to. today, shooting an episode of looking at a blanket and saying,
I’m learning about that facility, but DS9. How hard is it to wrap your “Okay, where was the first thread?
these young women have it now. mind around that? It’s a blanket now.”
I’m bad with linear time. I can
What else are you working on? remember us sitting in a coffee How do you look back on your
I’m involved with something shop, you and I, in New York City, time on the show, as an actor and
very interesting, I guess what you’d and that feels like maybe three days as an experience?

30 STAR TREK
 NANA VISITOR

As an experience, it’s ongoing. manager. I said, “This is a mistake. 04 Odo and What was your sense of how she grew
Kira share a
As an actor, it was my best shot. I This is a man’s role.” He said, “No, and evolved over the seven seasons?
moment in
took her to be a human, even though it’s not.” I was hysterical to play this "What You She went from post-traumatic
she wasn’t, and not to have to be a role. I didn’t have money at all. I had Leave Behind" survivor, to healing, to cultivating and
performative female. It was one of the just given birth three months prior, 05 The understanding in herself the difference
most interesting experiences I could but I went out and I got a dress. I Season One between calling out and calling in.
story, "Duet",
possibly have as bought this khaki Visitor's
That’s a line from Loretta J. Ross,
an actor. green dress – it was favorite who is one of my favorite activists,

“ONCE YOU WORK so expensive! – and a episode, and she runs something to try to get
proved a
Let’s talk about pair of Doc Martens. people in this crazy time of ours to
WITH A FAMILY
turning point
Kira. She was a Oh my God… for for Kira Nerys talk instead of yelling at each other.
groundbreaking
character and a
MEMBER, AND I’VE an audition! I was so
determined. I was
06 Visitor Don’t just call someone out for what
they’re doing, but call them in and
WORKED WITH
voiced Kira to
reprise her
breakout role. like, “This is mine.” have a conversation. See what kind of
MANY FAMILY
role, for the
Did you know I didn’t know it was Lower Decks bridges can be built. That’s how Kira

MEMBERS IN MY
immediately on groundbreaking. I episode "Hear evolved. She understood. The fun in
All, Trust
paper that she had didn’t know. For most that, for me, was “Duet.” That’s why it’s
LIFE, IT CHANGES
Nothing"
the potential to of the time, I was my favorite, because of the switch from
07 European
be both?
It was a part that I THE DYNAMIC scared that they were
going to go, “Okay,
Space Agency
astronaut
seeing every Cardassian face as an enemy
to seeing that the soul is inside.
had been waiting for. FOREVER” now stop or you’re Samantha
Cristoforett
As I’ve said from the going to get fired.” Image: NASA Next issue, Nana discusses Kira’s
beginning, I thought I got the ball, and I evolution as a character and
it was written for a man. The audition just kept running with it. I thought, returning for Lower Decks,
scene was the first scene where Sisko “Someone’s going to tackle me and addresses the passage of time, and
and Kira meet. It was like, “Are you stop me from doing this, but I’m reveals whether or not she’d be up
kidding me? I’m allowed to speak to going to keep running as long as for playing Kira again in a live-
a man like this? What?!” I called my I can.” action format…

05

06 07

STAR TREK 31
32 STAR TREK
 ARMIN SHIMERMAN

QUARK,
RETURNED!
Armin Shimerman turned down repeated offers to slip back into Quark’s makeup and
costume for convention appearances. A few years ago, however, he made an exception
in order to support longtime friend and colleague, Karen Westerfield, who spent seven
years on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine getting Shimerman camera-ready. They reunited
at an official convention in Britain, with Westerfield prepping Shimerman as a select few
fans watched in awe. Shimerman then appeared on stage in costume, alongside Max
Grodenchik as Rom and the late Aron Eisenberg as Nog, and posed for photos with fans.
The experience triggered no déjà vu in Shimerman about his time on DS9, but he noted
during a recent conversation, something did catch him totally off-guard…
INTERVIEW BY IAN SPELLING

"T
he makeup wasn’t that difficult when be willing to play Quark again in a future live-action
I did it in England,” Shimerman Star Trek production. Here’s what he had to say.
says. “Karen was there, and I
knew I was in good hands. When What keeps you physically and mentally busy
you’re being made up, you really these days?
have no input. You are simply a piece I was working on the third installment in my
of canvas the artist draws on. What I was surprised trilogy of Illyria novels. That kept me busy until
by, when Karen was finished – and because we’d about July the Fourth, 2022. After that, I was
meticulously gone and found pieces used on the planning for my trip to hike through England, which
show – was how much like Quark I looked. we completed. Right now, there are assignments to
“That may seem overly simplistic, but it isn’t. teach some Shakespeare classes. So, I’m keeping busy.
I know I’ve aged. I look in the mirror and see how
much older I’ve gotten, so I assumed the Quark Did you have all three Illyria stories in your head
makeup would not be the same, because of the and then separate them, or did they grow as you
changes in me. But, because so much of my face was were writing them?
covered with prosthetics, because Karen remembered They grew as I was writing them. When I sold the
meticulously what she’d done before, it was like book, the publisher very wisely said to me, “You don’t
being in a time machine. I was literally able to go have one book. You have three books,” because it was a
back 20 years and look exactly how I looked when I lot of pages. I had to go back and re-look at the process
was doing the show. That was a huge surprise. Even in order to have two cliffhangers for books one and
Ira Behr, who was there, marveled at how much I two, and then I had to figure out how I got from the
looked like Quark, as though no time passed at all.” cliffhanger back to the story I was telling. That took up
Over the course of a half-hour conversation a lot of time. Also, as I wrote and re-looked at what I
with Star Trek Explorer, Shimerman filled us in on was writing, I did a lot of polishing. I polished and was
what he’s up to these days, recounted his time on constantly rewriting in order to make the books better.
DS9, discussed his memorable return to Star Trek,
voicing Quark in the Lower Decks episode “Hear All, Are you actively looking to act? If somebody came
Trust Nothing”, and addressed whether or not he’d along with a good role, would you hear them out?

STAR TREK 33
INTERVIEW

01

The fires that used to blaze in me always three-dimensional.

about getting acting work no longer
blaze. If someone offered me a How would you say Quark evolved
nice role, I’d take it. I do audition over the course of seven seasons?
infrequently. The truth is, I much I believe Quark was part of the ethos
02
prefer writing and teaching to acting. of the Star Trek: The Next Generation
Ferengi. He was a conniving, grubbing
Does that surprise you? entrepreneur who was looking out for
Yes. After years of only worrying himself, primarily. Over the course of
about getting acting work, I find that seven years, he began to have feelings
the joys of writing and teaching top and empathy for other characters, and 01 Armin Also, the rejection of our
Shimerman's
those of acting. I’m of a certain age. I’m he became – forgive me for saying show was that we didn’t, in
Illyria trilogy
a character actor, and the roles I’m being this – more human. Each episode was the beginning, have a ship. We
02 Ferengi in
offered can be interesting, but for the a surprise in its own little way. I hoped boldly stayed in one place, and
time travel
most part they’re laughable. I’m just not the other characters would see the grain trouble in people were disappointed that
interested in doing laughable roles. Now, of nobility that was a part of Quark, that "Little Green we weren’t solving other worlds’
Men"
if someone offered me some stage work he had some noble virtues that other problems the way other shows
that was interesting, I’d jump at that, as I people would recognize. I believe, over had done. As I’ve always said,
did last spring, when I was away for four the course of seven years, some of the our show was more about, “How
months doing The Play That Goes Wrong. characters did perceive that. do people who don’t like each
other live together?” That’s a
We’re celebrating the 30th Some Trek fans didn’t love DS9 universal theme, and not so
anniversary of DS9. When you look back in the day, but now, many much about technology or
back on it, what are the very first of those people revere the show. winning wars.
things that spring to mind? You predicted that would happen.
Trying to transform the Ferengi What’s it been like to see people In that same vein, a whole
from one-dimensional creatures to come around? new generation of Trek fans
three-dimensional creatures; that was The word for me would be has been born and discovered
the primary thing at the beginning. gratitude. I’m grateful people came DS9. Kids are telling you they
As I proceeded, it became a weekly around to that opinion. I knew, over love DS9 and are cosplaying as
occurrence for me to try to figure out a period of time, that we were telling Quark at conventions…
what the writers were saying with the very good stories, and I knew from Again, the word is gratitude.
scripts, and how I could make that the start the caliber of actors I was I’m very grateful, and delighted.
vision better. That’s what actors do; involved with. They were special, very It’s very flattering. I appreciate
we interpret writers, and I was forever talented people. I thought, “The good the fact people have discovered
trying to figure out how to make this will win out eventually.” Supposedly, us as I thought they would, and
better and how to make the character from your mouth to God’s ears, it has. that we are able to see it.

34 STAR TREK
 will be a litmus test to grade other

“WHEN YOU’RE BEING MADE UP,

shows by.

YOU REALLY HAVE NO INPUT. YOU You recently voiced Quark for

ARE SIMPLY A PIECE OF CANVAS THE

Lower Decks. How did it happen?
How did you record it?

ARTIST DRAWS ON.” It took a very long time.

Originally, Lower Decks called my
on-camera agent, Glen. He said,
“They want to offer you a role on
Lower Decks.” I said, “Great, terrific.”
On the flip side, we’ve lost Rene Although I didn’t work with Louise He said, “But this isn’t really my
Auberjonois, Aron Eisenberg, all that often, our friendship lasted purview. I don’t handle animation.”
Louise Fletcher, as well as other for a very long time. We had to switch to my animation/
guest stars and several crew Having been a theater actor voiceover agent Kathy, and she
members. How hard is it to most of my life, and I continue took over. Once we figured out the
reconcile that the show, work, and to be, shows live on in people’s deal, it took about nine months
characters live on, but we do not? memories. The play stops, and if for them to actually set a date for
That’s part of being an actor. you’ve done a good job, people when I could record. I recorded it
I mourn the loss of the people you say, “Oh, I remember seeing in a studio with Mike McMahan on
just mentioned. Louise, Aron, Rene, Rene as Tartuffe, and I’ll always the earphones, telling me what was
they were all very close friends remember that.” That’s the way good and what was bad.
of mine. Louise was a friend long life is in the theater, or for an actor. Getting back into the character
before Trek, and Rene I knew before The work lives on. People die off. I was simple. I had to bring the teeth
Trek as well. It was a delight to will die off. But, hopefully, the show with me; that was my requirement
get to know Rene better. It was will continue and people will say, for myself. I don’t think they
a delight to get to know Aron. “Oh, they did really good work.” It necessarily wanted the teeth, but

STAR TREK 35
03

for me Quark isn’t Quark without 03 Rom (Max anything. We could add grunts nostalgic, something we loved to
Grodenchik)
that Humphrey Bogart sound. and smiles, and other things that do. Butting heads is what we did
and Quark
So, I brought the teeth. Mike fed (Armin actors do, but we couldn’t add a on camera, and we’re the best
me the lines, Nana’s lines, and Shimerman) in word of dialogue. In fact, there of friends off camera.
"The Nagus"
other people’s. Luckily, I could was one piece of dialogue, I don’t
guess exactly what Nana was 04 Quark plays remember the line, but I asked What was it like to watch
an integral
going to say and how she’d say role in the Mike if I could change it, because the episode?
it. I had her voice in my head, Lower Decks I thought my interpretation would It was delightful. The opening
but not her presence at the story "Hear be better than what they had segment, where they went around
All, Trust
recording session. Then there Nothing" written. He was ecstatic to get Deep Space 9 and played the
was another long period of time. that changed, and I was grateful glorious theme song, I was nearly
Nothing on camera ever made he allowed me to do that. in tears. That created a flood of
me think I had to wait a year That would’ve been very emotion in me, of nostalgia and
and a half for an episode to air. difficult to do on DS9. If I wanted good times past. That made me
to change a line, they’d have well up a great deal. Listening
It was pure Quark, with the had to talk to the producers. to Nana do her character was,
scream, and pure Quark-Kira, That would have been a phone of course nostalgic, and I was
with them sparring… call for half an hour. But doing interested in seeing what they’d
The scream was my animation? They were happy to done with the episode because,
contribution. Mike was very good hear it. And the sparring with Kira, recording animation, we don’t
about allowing me to make it was indeed old-school. I had hear the other actors’ voices,
contributions, which was taboo a great time. I’m sure she had a only ourselves. So, listening to
on the DS9 set. We always had great time too, because it was what they did with the script
to be letter-perfect and not add doing something familiar and was fascinating.

36 STAR TREK
 ARMIN SHIMERMAN

04

05 06 07

There is a lot of new Trek out there,

“GETTING BACK INTO THE

along with revisits to previous
shows. If you were presented with
a live-action script that involved
Quark, and it didn’t require you
CHARACTER WAS SIMPLE. I HAD
working every day, how open would TO BRING THE TEETH WITH ME;
you be to playing him again?
As I’ve said several times, I’m not THAT WAS MY REQUIREMENT
sure I’d want to be a series regular
again, but guest starring or recurring?
FOR MYSELF.”
That would be terrific. There wouldn’t
be much change in Quark because, as
05 Nog (Aron
we were discussing, he’d look exactly make him even more human now. Eisenberg)
Illyria – Imbalance of Power,
the same once the makeup was on. The By human, I mean not just his the final book in Armin’s Illyria
06 Odo (René
change might be that I’ve grown older, good points, but I’m interested in Auberjonois)
trilogy, published by Jumpstar
so my choices might be a little bit more exploring his vices as well. We didn’t do Press, is available now from
05 Kai Winn
subtle, but I’d be very open to that. I’ve that much exploration into the vices. (Lousie
all good book shops. Book One,
seen it happen on Picard, where they A character has good points and bad Fletcher) Betrayal of Angels, has been
brought back characters from TNG. points. What are Quark’s bad points? released in JumpCard Audiobook,
I really enjoyed playing Quark. What are his good points? How can I read by actor Ramon de Ocampo.
He made a huge difference in my life make him more three-dimensional? The JumpCard edition is exclusive
and I’d love to revisit him, perhaps just That was always my agenda, when to Jumpmaster Press, while the
reshape him a little. If I made him a little I started DS9, and it would be my audiobook is widely available
bit human on the show, I’d be eager to agenda if I played him again now. on Audible

STAR TREK 37
 LARRY NEMECEK’S
A FISTFUL
OF DATA
MAKING SENSE OF
THE FUTURE

You know, for years during the Fallow Times, I FIRST CONTACT
campaigned among fans (and, hopefully, future
show writers!) not to fall into the trap of viewing I’m looking to find out when the Federation had first contact
with the Cardassians. Unless I am looking in all the wrong
the Star Trek universe as a “series of series,” with places I don’t see a real date.
each cast and format nearly boxed and framed with Ross McKinney, via Twitter: @ross_mckinney
logo title.
I’ve been on about this for years, Ross. And you’re right: there is
I mean, I get it: 26 episodes a year over seven years no specific canon date – or even era – for Federation-Cardassian
across multiple series, when that’s all you’ve had? It’s first contact, much less human-Cardassian.
an understandable perception. We have known Cardassian historical records and allusions,
But no, I used to yearn for the concept of the Star dating from the Union’s previous eras as a republic before it slid
Trek universe, when you realize the first three “Berman into fascist militarism. But almost all emerge from home sources,
era” series all happened at the same time in the not from context with Federation-based outsiders. Other than
timeline. It almost seems like creative negligence to their neighboring Bajorans, we do know the reclusive Organians
let beloved characters and actors of an ended series
stay… “ended.”
Add to it that some species – like Vulcans and
Klingons, even old Southern doctors – are known to
live well beyond a century, and there’s even more room
for “characters with memory” to populate new stories,
no matter what the time setting.
Thankfully, one of the revolutions of today’s
streaming and serialized model with Star Trek is the
distance that allows creators, and their audiences,
too, to see all these icons now as, well, simply “legacy
characters.” The boundaries of “series casts” have
faded – and thus, Seven can turn up on Picard (along
with Hugh) ... because they’re all living in the same
time, former series boxes be darned.
02
Sure, we had the occasional stunt casting
crossover appearance to launch a new show, or win
the old-school US broadcast ratings “sweeps month.”
But now? Not only do we have the Picard Season MOON MYSTERY
Three “reunion” of the admiral’s entire former
senior staff to enjoy, but, thanks to holograms and Tuvok was born on the Vulcan's Lunar Colony. But
flashbacks, we get not only Janeway and holo- famously, we know from "Man Trap" that Vulcan has
Janeway but Chakotay as well on Prodigy (along with no moon. Is this colony on Earth’s moon?
Admiral Jellico and Thadiun Okona!). Plus, Lower Decks @EmceeFrodis, via @JDHaven, via Twitter
can get even more creative, with delusions and game
systems where everyone from Sulu to Martok turns up. Oh, man, you guys – I’d forgotten to chase this down
All this to say – never before has “old” Star Trek back when it first invaded my headspace, back when
felt so fresh … and so needed! The older/newer mix “Unimatrix Zero, Part 2” first aired in 1998!
is invigorating – and all the more reason why our But you’re correct: Vulcan has no moon, as we famously
question-taking here is so relevant. know from Spock and “The Man Trap” (though it does
have a trojan sister planet, visible in the daytime sky).
WORDS: LARRY NEMECEK
I had halfway assumed this was a base on one of
Vulcan’s early explored moons, just outside its own 40
Eridani system – but as you say, “Lunar” ought to be
associated strictly with simply Earth’s moon, Luna.
So yes – send your questions and queries bridging old, new, So how about this: Tuvok, with a father in Starfleet,
and “breaking news” Star Trek’s production and background was actually born on Luna, Earth’s moon – in a Vulcan
to [email protected] or via larry@ embassy compound, stationed there (similar to the
larrynemecek.com, or @larrynemecek on Twitter. Vulcan conpound at Starfleet in San Francisco).
But look – the mailbag has already arrived with queries aplenty: He’s a Starfleet brat!

38 STAR TREK
 A F I S T F U L O F D ATA

01 Cardassian
were in contact by the 22nd century, to share word of the Cardassian ex-pat
Madred (David
Warner) in as learned in the Enterprise episode, with allies and fellow UFP members. )
TNG's "Chain “Observer Effect.” And an unlucky That’s 40 years before Kirk’s first
of Command"
Part Two
Cardassian is among the many alien five-year mission, and 30 years before
bodies entombed, but unremarked, Discovery, where we also see Cardassian
02 Grace Lee
Whitney as
over in the mysterious “Dead voles in Lorca’s menagerie in 2257.
Janice Rand Stop” automated station, about the But we also see a Gorn skeleton, too,
03 Tim Russ
same time. leaving certain awareness of the voles’
as Tuvok But our only hard direct homeworld potentially just as unclear.
04 A scene
dating runs to Picard’s memory of Either way, would even “vague
from the TOS encounters with Cardassians while awareness” count for first contact?
story, "The commanding the Stargazer – which But see – this is exactly why I want
Way to Eden"
puts us back to sometime prior or a mid-Kirk/Picard series set in the
during to his 2333-2355 command. Enterprise-B/C era. Let’s settle this
A murkier point is how Tobin once and for all!
Dax met Iloja of Prim, the great (Oh, and yes – Kelvin Uhura
Cardassian, during Iloja’s exile on orders a “Cardassian sunrise”
Vulcan – framing apparent awareness drink in Star Trek 2009. But did
to Tobin’s rough Joined dates beginning first contact occur before, or after,
in 2226. (Assuming, of course, that the Kelvin incident and timeline
01 the selectively secretive Vulcans chose splintering in 2233?)

03 04

WHO DID YOUR HAIR?

I never read anything about the Virginia Darcy, 40-year veteran KIller Bees and The Goonies, her
hairstylist from the original series, of everything from Hitchcock’s last documented credit on ¡Three
yet the hairstyles are unbelievable The Birds and Marnie to TV’s The Amigos!, released in 1986.
and amazing. Have any articles Munsters, McHale’s Navy, Kung Fu, Pat Westmore, who previoulsy
about this been written? the Virginian, Dukes of Hazzard – worked on numerous movies in the
@EdwardTmartin, via Twitter and snagging an Emmy nomination 1950s and early 60s, took on the
for the first North and South mini- job of hairstylist for TOS starting
You’re right, Edward – there’s sadly series in 1985. with “Amok Time”, and served the
very little original interviewing from Then, after Darcy’s departure remainder of the original series. And
the back-in-the-day on the TOS hair and Jean Austin kicked off the first yes, that’s Pat Westmore … of that
stylists. Here’s what we do know… four eps of Season Two. She went Westmore family – although a bit of
The second pilot and Season on to work on numerous movies, a lone wolf, Mike Westmore tells me
One hair styles were designed by including The Killing of Sister George, of his aunt.

STAR TREK 39
 CANON
FODDER
PUTTING CONTINUITY IN
THE FIRING LINE

01 02

For our even deeper dive into all things canon continuity for this issue, Martin R. Ojeda of Portsmouth,
UK, has a common question via Twitter that really points back to how Star Trek has changed:
I was re-re-re-watching “The Host” yesterday. Isn’t it contemporary with Star Trek: Deep Space Nine’s
first seasons? Has the difference between TNG and DS9 Trills ever been officially addressed? Kind of like
Worf’s “we don’t discuss it with outsiders”?

Actually, that’s three questions, for Kira in the DS9 pilot gave way prior to the start of filming, but with
Martin – which seems to fit Canon to the pixie-like shorter cut Nana a beautiful model/actress finally in
Fodder, because of the broader Visitor sported afterward, the the role he knew enough to start by
point they make us see. original Trill look created for that softening the forehead ridges seen
Talking about the difference one-off TNG use did not last. When on Odan into a more “feminine” look
between the first-time and one- DS9 was cast, Dax was such an – but it was the ridges.
off guest star Trill appearance of unformed enigma, in both form And yet, exec producer Rick
Ambassador Odan in TNG’s “The and function – largely the reason Berman and others saw the test
Host” and the Daxes of DS9 actually that Terry Farrell was the last of the footage and deemed the eye ridges
reveals an unplanned case of regular characters to be settled on. still too heavy and distracting from
“apples and oranges.” That held up makeup designer Mike the look they had “hired.” Today,
But to answer your first question, Westmore’s prep window for the Trill every Niner knows that Westmore’s
no: DS9 and its Trill Dax didn’t exist
when we first met Odan. “The Host”
story and script was developed
early in 1991, then filmed in March
and finally premiered late in TNG’s
DATACORE Tuesdays Live, and leads the
Portal 47 monthly “backstage”
L A R RY N E M EC E K
Season 4 on May 13, 1991. In contrast, fan experience and Trekland
the basic prep for DS9 and its regular As a longtime Star Trek Treks location site day tours
characters began late in 1991 and on author of bestseller from larrynemecek.com. He
into early 1992 – and only then was The TNG Companion, is also producer of The Con
the year-old Trill culture considered editor, consultant, of Wrath documentary, and
as a “new” species to bring to the interviewer, and archivist, his updated Star Trek: Stellar
DS9 format mix. Larry Nemecek hosts The Trek Cartography map/book set
So, what was the difference? Files weekly for Roddenberry continues to help fans and Star
Well, just as the copy of Ro Laren’s Podcasts, livestreams Trekland Trek TV creators alike.
“canon” Bajoran woman’s hairstyle

40 STAR TREK
 CANON FODDER

solution for an alien-yet- changes.” And halfway hand- 01 Terry time/budget limits can be
Farrell as
unobscuring look for Terry was waves – like “we do not speak Jadzia Dax scientifically redeemed with two
to go with a body-length strip of it with offworlders” for the simple words: species diversity!
02 Odan
of spots left and right – thus (then) unexplained Klingon (Franc Luz) It took 25 years to not only
creating the look of all observed forehead conundrum on “Trials in the TNG develop but justify the Klingon
season four
Trills from then on, including and Tribble-ations” — only story, "The
forehead solution … but Season
the return to Trill of the 32nd make it worse, acknowledging Host" One Picard needed no big
Century on Discovery. without explaining. 03 Ian
buildup to explain away the
But you may have heard Alexander smoothed/ridged Romulan
that Star Trek fans never But here’s the deal: that was as Gray Tal, forehead dichotomy: it’s simply
in Star Trek:
forget – and no, Martin: the then, this is now. Discovery regional across Romulus, you silly
question of Odan’s Trill visage Northerner! Species diversity!
has never gone away nor ever The culture geeks had won, by And back on Discovery, all
been explained, onscreen and the Aughts: pop culture rode those controversial new Klingon
in-canon. Of course, we know supreme, canon explanations looks were eventually retconned
the real-world explanation ruled and non-answers were as over twenty great houses
for the change: just as with nerd-gauche. For Trek, the across the entire Empire, seen
the disappeared “steerhorn” breakthrough came with by Season 2 in the same shot.
nosebridge of original Bajorans, the convoluted but fitting Even the varying Andorian
and the “smoothhead” TOS Augment virus explanation for antennae placements and
Klingons that gave away to the the Klingons’ forehead saga on Tellarite tusk appearances are
varying forehead (and body- Enterprise. No longer would “It’s being embraced and displayed
length) spinal ridges of the films just a bigger backstage budget equally as – you guessed it –
and later series, it was always now” or the like be enough. species diversity!
about time and/or money. Yes, the coming of the So there you go, Martin:
Now, there’s always a faction streaming cinematic-TV era What about the Trill? Stay
of fandom (and creators too, if of Trek means no factoid is tuned… and let Lower Decks or
truth be told) who believe part too small to be overlooked, no Picard weigh in on it, maybe
of Star Trek’s drawing power Easter Egg too obscure to be even Discovery. And maybe
is its adherence to continuity, left unanswered, no regretted dispatch it all with a single
and they refuse to take a non- creative choice need be ignored sentence, once again.
answer as “just production and disowned. Best of all, prior How can they not?

03

STAR TREK 41
 A R C H I V E I M AG E S
RETRIEVED

Let’s continue the close up on Star Trek: Deep It’s Day 6 out of seven for the episode, the first of two at this site,
Space Nine this issue with something different and stunt actor Ken Lesco can be seen in his blue sciences uniform as
here for Lost & Found archival backstage images: Crewman T‘Lor, standing alone atop the inverted “ship” as the crew
a visit off the lot to a location filming site, away huddles up beneath him, the camera crane hovering a few feet away.
And for good reasons: The set-ups and safety measures are being
from the usual soundstages. checked in place for a segment of Scene 29 where Lesco’s Starfleeter
WORDS: LARRY NEMECEK takes a disruptor blast – and stunt dives off the structure, onto
padding below (and out of frame, of course).

W
It’s a rare look at the scene of a crashed Jem’Hadar attack It’s a remarkable moment with one of the largest Star Trek sets
fighter on Torga IV in 2373 in the Gamma Quadrant built and used off the lot on a series budget. And a rare moment for
– cleverly disguised as a built set piece in Hollywood the always tightly budgeted DS9 which, like its sister series, never
for the early DS9 Season 5 episode “The Ship.” gave up finding ways to locate more “bang for the buck” to raise the
The date is Monday, July 29, 1996, and DS9’s production look and feel on Trek series as much as feasibly possible.
location crew is set up in a rock quarry in Canyon County, about 30 Even if, as usual, a location day on DS9 more often than not
minutes north of Paramount Studios and about 30 minutes shy of involved a long summer day’s shoot on the hottest piles of rock
infamous Gorn combat location Vasquez Rocks. around – with actors in makeup – on the hottest days of the year!

42 STAR TREK
 Inside
TOP Trek
TEN The life and
legacy of
Star Trek: Deep
Space Nine BENJAMIN
Moments SISKO

Celebrating the
ground-breaking
Star Trek series

THE
MISSION DEEP SPACE
NINE
Kira Nerys and
Elim Garak
star in an
all-new tale.

S U P P L E M E N T A L
 TOP 10 DS9
MOMENTS
BY JAY STOBIE

44 STAR TREK
 TOP 10 DS9 MOMENTS

10 Lockdown Laughter
( STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE
“CI V I L D E F E NS E”)

After accidentally
triggering a Cardassian
Odo and Quark, who
were confined together 09 The Dominion Invades
( STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE
“CAL L TO ARM S”)

security protocol that left in security, added humor Faced with the combined the eventual retreat,
the DS9 crew trapped to the situation. Most might of the Dominion and Captain Sisko left his
throughout the station, notably, Quark blamed Cardassian Union, Deep prized baseball behind to
Chief O’Brien worked his Odo’s reputation as Space 9 valiantly defended symbolize his intention to
way out of ore processing an honorable man for the wormhole until cloaked, return and led the U.S.S.
with Commander Sisko the additional layers self-replicating mines Defiant to rendezvous
and Jake while Garak and of security that the were in place to prevent with a massive
Gul Dukat paid a visit to Cardassians had Dominion reinforcements Federation-Klingon task
Ops. Despite the tension, installed around the from entering the Alpha force, thus initiating the
several moments between Changeling’s office. Quadrant. Despite Dominion War.

08 Friends of the Federation

( STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE “ T H E WAY O F
T H E WA R R I O R ”)

Worf joined the station,

hostilities broke out
Ferengi and Cardassian
debated the similarities
07 Operation Return
( STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE “SACRI FI CE
O F ANGEL S”)

Following a massive
space battle between
Dominion warships, but
the Prophets intervened
between the Klingons and between the Federation a combined Dominion- and miraculously sent the
Cardassians, Garak and and root beer, determining Cardassian fleet and Gamma Quadrant forces
Gul Dukat fought side- both to be bubbly, cloying, the heroic starships of to places unknown. With
by-side, and DS9 held and happy. Although the Federation-Klingon their defenses down, the
off Chancellor Gowron’s the pair seemed to hold Alliance, the U.S.S. Defiant Dominion occupation
fleet, yet “The Way of the disdain for the Federation, broke through enemy lines force abandoned the
Warrior” might be best the feeling was superficial, and headed straight for station, making way for
known for an exchange as both hoped Starfleet DS9. The vessel entered the triumphant return
between Quark and Garak could hold off the Klingon the wormhole to stand- of Captain Sisko and
at the station’s bar. The attack. Insidious. off against thousands of Starfleet.

STAR TREK 45
TOP 10 DS9 MOMENTS

06
I Can Live
With It
( STAR TREK:
DEEP SPACE NINE
“I N THE PAL E
M O O NL I GHT”)

As the Federation’s losses

continued to mount, Captain
Sisko enlisted Garak to fabricate
evidence that would provoke
the Romulans into joining the
effort to stop the Dominion. The
plot involved numerous moral
compromises, though the most
damning act was Garak’s decision
to murder a Romulan Senator
and frame the Dominion for the
crime. The deed succeeded in
its mission, but it nevertheless
haunted Sisko, who delivered a
harrowing monologue detailing
how he felt he would be able to
live with the results.

05 Father and Son

( STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE “ T H E
V I SI TO R”)

An accident knocked Captain Sisko’s temporal signature out of

phase, causing him to reappear at various intervals throughout 04 Unhealed Hatred
(STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE “DUET”)

his son Jake’s life. As Jake grew older, he became so focused on Having discovered that a Cardassian prisoner hoped to be executed
discovering a way to bring his father home that he lost his marriage by pretending to be a high-ranking official who had committed war
and career. In a desperate moment, the younger Sisko sacrificed crimes during the Bajoran Occupation, Kira Nerys refused to allow
his life so that his father could be freed and avoid the incident that the man to stand trial. In an outburst of pure malice, a Bajoran
sent him hurtling through time. As Captain Sisko watched his now murdered the Cardassian on the Promenade. When Major Kira
elderly son pass away, the raw emotion of the moment embedded pointed out that the prisoner was not who he claimed to be, the killer
itself in the audience’s memories. expressed no remorse and seemed proud to have killed any Cardassian.

46 STAR TREK
 TOP 10 DS9 MOMENTS

03 Welcoming Words
( STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE “ B LOOD
OAT H ” )

When Kor encountered Jadzia Dax, who had previously been

02 The Trials of Trauma
( STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE “I T’S O NLY A
PAPER M O O N”)

With Nog dealing with the mental and physical recovery related to the
loss of his leg, Ezri Dax suggested the young officer spend some time
his old comrade Curzon Dax, the Klingon warrior immediately in the holographic realm of Vic Fontaine. The prescription works,
accepted Jadzia for who she had become. This beautiful dialogue but Vic and Nog soon became dependent on each other’s company.
demonstrated how one should welcome and celebrate those who Fontaine eventually turned the program off, causing Nog to confess
have undergone a transition in their lives. Kor loved Jadzia as a that he feared death. However, the chat was just the motivation Nog
friend, regardless of her name or gender. needed to reenter the real world.

01
Confronting
Inequality
( STAR TREK: DEEP
SPACE NINE “FAR
BEYO ND THE
STARS”)

Captain Sisko found himself

living the life of Benny
Russell, an African-American
author in the 1950s who had
set his creative sights on
telling the tale of a Black
captain in an equitable
society. Russell encountered
racism on countless
occasions, most notably
when the magazine editor
refused to publish an issue
featuring his story. In an
unforgettable outpouring
of pain and sadness, Russell
declared that no one could
deny the future that he
created. The heartfelt plea
to be treated as an equal
remains one of Star Trek’s
most powerful moments.

STAR TREK 47
A N A LY S I S

LIFE AND LEGACY OF

BENJAMIN
SISKO
A survivor of the infamous Battle of Wolf 359, Benjamin Lafayette Sisko
originally felt displeased regarding his posting to Deep Space 9, but
the presence of the Bajoran wormhole and a connection to the local
population soon quelled those concerns. Within seven years, Sisko
faced down the Dominion and went from being Bajor’s reluctant hero.

WORDS: JAY STOBIE

Defined by Wolf 359 in an escape pod before the

The son of Joseph and Sarah Saratoga exploded. Jennifer’s
Sisko, Benjamin grew up in death devastated Sisko, who
New Orleans before eventually was forced to deal with his
deciding to attend Starfleet own trauma while also guiding
Academy. Sisko served aboard his son through the tragedy.
the U.S.S. Livingston before Benjamin spent time working
transferring to the U.S.S. on starship design projects,
Okinawa during the Tzenkethi including the experimental
War. As his career flourished, Defiant-class, at the Federation
Sisko also found success in his fleet yards at Utopia Planitia.
personal life. Benjamin and his Promoted to commander
wife, Jennifer, welcomed their by 2369, Sisko accepted an
son Jake into the galaxy, and assignment that involved
the trio lived together on the assisting Bajor in its recovery
U.S.S. Saratoga, where Benjamin efforts as it prepared to apply
earned a post as the ship’s for Federation membership.
first officer. Unfortunately, this The detail did not meet with
familial bliss would be Sisko’s approval, and salt was
short lived… added into the wound when
When the Borg assimilated Captain Picard, who Benjamin
Captain Jean-Luc Picard and perceived as being responsible
turned him into Locutus in 2367, for Jennifer’s death at Wolf 359,
the Saratoga was one of forty was tasked with welcoming
ships dispatched to intercept the commander to his new
the Collective’s cube at Wolf posting at starbase Deep
359. Jennifer was killed during Space 9. Sisko’s tune changed
the battle, while Benjamin when Jadzia Dax, the new
and Jake narrowly survived host for his old friend Curzon,

48 STAR TREK
 BENJAMIN SISKO

discovered the wormhole to

the Gamma Quadrant, an
event that suddenly made
Bajor a significantly strategic
locale. This pivotal moment
forever altered the trajectory of
Benjamin’s life and career.

“PART OF BEING
A CAPTAIN IS
KNOWING WHEN
TO SMILE, TO
MAKE THE
TROOPS HAPPY.
EVEN WHEN IT’S
THE LAST THING
IN THE WORLD
YOU WANT TO
DO. BECAUSE
THEY’RE YOUR
TROOPS, AND
YOU HAVE TO
TAKE CARE OF
THEM.”
B E N JA M I N S I S KO,
R U L E S O F E N GAG E M E N T

The Unsuspecting
Emissary
Commander Sisko’s arrival on
Deep Space 9 coincided with a
trip to see Kai Opaka, the top
Bajoran religious leader, who
declared that the Prophets had
sent Sisko to be their Emissary.
Combined with Opaka’s urging,
an orb experience in which
Sisko re-lived his first meeting
with Jennifer prompted the
commander to collaborate with
Dax and seek out the Celestial
Temple, the aforementioned
stable wormhole which led to
the Gamma Quadrant. The
Prophets temporarily abducted
Sisko and opened his eyes to
the notion that, by constantly
replaying Jennifer’s death in his
mind, he had been living in the
past. The revelation set Sisko on
the path to recovery.

STAR TREK 49
A N A LY S I S

01 02

03

Early Days on DS9 01 Space paramilitary group composed of the Bell Riots of early 21st century
battle action
While both Commander Sisko and Federation citizens that despised Earth, his crew’s rediscovery of the
in the DS9
Starfleet expressed discomfort over the season their government’s treaty with the Mirror Universe, a Dominion plot
Bajorans treating Sisko with religious six story, Cardassians and engaged in hostilities that decimated the Romulan Tal Shiar
“Sacrifice of
reverence, the commander conducted Angels.”
with their Cardassian counterparts. and Cardassia’s Obsidian Order, and
himself in a distinguished fashion while However, no foe would have his own blossoming romance with
02 There was
still showing respect for the Bajoran confrontation
as much impact on Sisko’s legacy as freighter captain Kasidy Yates.
belief system. Sisko made first contact and tension the Dominion, a Gamma Quadrant By the end of 2371, Sisko finally
with a Gamma Quadrant species in aplenty in th superpower created by the Founders, received a promotion to captain, but
DS9 season
his initial year on the station and two episode, managed by the Vorta, and patrolled there was little time to celebrate. Fears
spearheaded efforts to explore that “The Marquis” by fleets of warships and endless that the Founders had infiltrated
Part One
distant region of the galaxy. As he legions of Jem’Hadar soldiers. Cardassia’s highest levels set the stage
acclimated himself to the station, Sisko 03 A tender for the Klingon Empire to invade,
shared his passions for cooking and moment
during the
Captaining the Defiant an act that prompted a vicious war
watching baseball with his crew and story “What In a poetic turn, Starfleet assigned between the Federation and the
spent much of his time raising Jake. You Leave the prototype U.S.S. Defiant, the Klingons. The ensuing year proved to
Behind”
Sisko navigated several crises same vessel Sisko had worked on at be difficult, as clashes with the Empire
between 2369 and 2370. These range Utopia Planitia, to Deep Space 9 as a and Dominion increased, paranoia
from tensions with Winn Adami, means to guard against any Dominion surrounding Changeling infiltrators
and an anti-Federation Bajoran incursions. Nevertheless, ‘normal’ life disrupted life on Earth, and Captain
sect known as the Circle. Plus, the continued on the station, as Sisko Sisko learned that Kasidy Yates had
emergence of the Maquis, a rogue dealt with a brief temporal jump to been aiding the Maquis.

50 STAR TREK
 BENJAMIN SISKO

Under Sisko’s supervision, the of Dominion and Cardassian 04 Sisko takes bold, Sisko masterminded a
on the persona
DS9 crew acquired evidence that vessels. Forced to retreat, Sisko of Benny Starfleet offensive, codenamed
the Dominion had orchestrated was dismayed to learn that Jake Russell, a Operation Return, that pitted
the Federation-Klingon conflict, had stayed behind on the now- science-fiction over 600 Federation ships
writer in the
a disclosure that led to the occupied station. The Dominion 1950s, in “Far against twice as many Dominion
reestablishment of the Khitomer War had begun. Beyond the vessels. Starfleet prevailed in
Stars”
Accords in 2373. Peace was the battle, and Sisko heroically
short-lived, as the treacherous Defense Against the wrestled back control of Deep
Gul Dukat set Cardassia Dominion Space 9 from the Dominion.
on a course for Dominion Assigned to Admiral Ross, While victorious, the Federation-
membership. As the year Captain Sisko and the Defiant Klingon Alliance’s losses
drew to a close, Captain Sisko found themselves on the continued to mount.
commanded a valiant defense defensive in early 2374. Never The death and destruction
of DS9 against an armada one to shy away from being motivated Sisko to develop

04

STAR TREK 51
A N A LY S I S

06

05 07

another daring plan, this time 05 Sisko builds Dominion space, and Sisko during Earth’s 20th century
a replica of
a secretive one, designed to an ancient captained the Defiant to victory or convincing the Prophets
draw the Romulans into the spacecraft in in the First Battle of Chin’toka. to dispatch a Dominion fleet,
“Explorers”
fight against the Dominion. Tragically, Sisko returned to DS9 Sisko’s relationship with the
The controversial tactic 06 “In the Pale only to find that his dear friend wormhole aliens proved to be
Moonlight”
involved fabricating evidence, Jadzia had been murdered by quite complex by the dawn of
saw Sisko
compromising his morals, playing a his old nemesis, Dukat, who 2375. The bond only intensified
and the involvement of the dangerous had also sealed the wormhole. when Sisko uncovered that a
game...
equally enigmatic Elim Garak. In a frightening parallel to Prophet had actually inhabited
The simple tailor’s plot to 07 Sisko his post-Wolf 359 days, Sisko his mother, Sarah, so that she
leading a
frame the Dominion for a mission away
withdrew from the battlefield, would marry his father, Joseph,
Romulan Senator’s murder from the traveling to his family restaurant and give birth to Benjamin.
was unknown to the captain, station in New Orleans and spending This information, along with
yet despite Sisko’s anger over 08 Sisko's time secluded from DS9 and assistance from Joseph, Jake,
the development, the deed relationship the Dominion. and Dax’s new host Ezri, sent
with Jean-Luc
produced the intended result Picard was Captain Sisko to cross paths
and brought the Romulans into not the best An Ancestral Surprise with the Orb of the Emissary,
in the opening
the Federation Alliance in 2374. Whether it involved being a contact that resulted in the
DS9 story,
The reinforcements granted “Emissary” sent to live the life of African- wormhole reopening and Sisko
the Federation to invade American author Benny Russell opting to retake his post at DS9.

52 STAR TREK
 BENJAMIN SISKO

08

“RUNNING MAY HELP FOR A LITTLE Prime. Sisko gave Odo time to talk with the

WHILE, BUT SOONER OR LATER THE

Female Changeling and, after Odo cured the
Founder of Section 31’s morphogenic virus,
PAIN CATCHES UP WITH YOU. AND THE the Dominion surrendered.

ONLY WAY TO GET RID OF IT IS TO One with the Prophets

STAND YOUR GROUND AND FACE IT.” Captain Sisko found no respite, as he
dispatched himself to the Bajoran Fire
BEN JA M IN SISKO, Caves in a bid to prevent Dukat and
T HE WAY OF T HE WA R R I OR Winn Adami from unleashing the evil
Pah-wraiths on the Alpha Quadrant. The
A rejuvenated Captain Sisko continued Dominion, an event which directly led captain’s effort was successful, as Dukat and
leading the war effort, but not all was to the Defiant’s destruction at the Second the Pah-wraiths became forever imprisoned
doom and gloom. Benjamin and Kasidy Battle of Chin’toka. The U.S.S. Sao Paulo, in the Fire Caves. However, this triumph
married in 2375 and, within months, were later renamed the Defiant, was given to came with a steep price for the part-human,
expecting a child. Sisko’s love for Bajor also Sisko as a replacement. part-Prophet: he needed to remain in
burned brightly, as the captain planned A joint Federation, Klingon, and the Celestial Temple and learn from the
to make the planet his family’s permanent Romulan invasion, coupled with civil unrest Prophets. Fortunately, Benjamin visited
home. The tide shifted momentarily on Cardassia, set the stage for a final standoff Kasidy in a vision to let her know where he
when the Breen allied themselves with the with the Dominion and Breen above Cardassia was and that, one day, he would return…

STAR TREK 53
 FICTION

The Mission
STO RY: J I M SWA L LOW
I L L U S T R AT I O N : L O U I E D E M A R T I N I S

(Author’s note: this story takes place in 2374, during the Dominion War, prior to the
events of the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode “Inquisition”)

ection 31 Hyperchannel XCF-221-1 < Security Feed G-2345, DS9 Officer’s Quarters Level >
(Encrypted) < Time index: 37:47:32 >
Sender Identity: Sloan, Luther / Playback display: corridor interior.
Recipient Identity: [REDACTED] Subject #1 (humanoid, species: Akaali) enters visual.
Here’s everything I’ve managed to scrape together about Pauses in shadow behind support pillar. Removes device
the disappearance of the operative we dispatched to Deep (identified as covert microsensor bead) from satchel. Proceeds
Space 9. It’s sketchy at best, fragments of personal logs and to affix device to upper section of pillar.
security recordings – and that in itself is troubling. But I’ll SOUND: doorway opening.
let you review the data and draw your own conclusions Subject #1 reacts with alarm. Conceals device.
rather than burden you with mine. SUBJECT #2: [terse] Can I help you with
I will preface this with just one statement: the following something?
material proves this approach was flawed, as I warned you Subject #2 (humanoid, species: Changeling) enters
it would be. Let me handle things with Sisko and his people visual. Body language and vocal tones suggest suspicion
from here. and annoyance.
I have a potential asset in place… I just need time to SUBJECT #1: [submissive] No, I’m… I’m fine.
bring him into the circle. [pause] You’re… Constable Odo, is that right? The
shapeshifter?
Personal log, Mission Day 5: Operative Sierra SUBJECT #2: Very observant. What gave it away?
(Encrypted) SUBJECT #1: I, uh…
I’ve found accommodation in one of the outer rings SUBJECT #2: That was a rhetorical question. What
of this iron-clad monstrosity, in a zone used by transient are you doing here? I know your face, you’re one of the
workers and Bajoran nationals up from the homeworld. new workers from out-system.
My cover identity is as an Akaali migrant looking for SUBJECT #1: I’m Lonia. Lonia Kefal. From Akaali.
employment as a maintenance technician, and so far SUBJECT #2: Well, if you’re seeking employment,
there have been no challenges to its veracity. The genetic I suggest you start by looking for it at the labor office on
alteration of my human characteristics are solid, enough the Promenade, not down by the senior officer’s quarters.
to fool any cursory tricorder scans. I can pass for at least SUBJECT #1: Apologies! This is a very big station,
three months before additional doses of bio-masker are and the corridors all look alike! I must have gotten
required. The other residents show little interest in me, turned around.
which is ideal. Most of their discussions I overhear at SUBJECT #2: Then allow me to escort you back to
the replimat revolve around how uncomfortable the where you need to be. Consider it a courtesy of Station
station is; I concur. Cardassian architecture cares little for Security.
creature comforts. Subject #2’s intimidating presence compels Subject #1 to
My mission parameters remain as assigned. Objective depart with haste.
Alpha: conduct surveillance on Captain Benjamin Sisko
and his command staff. Objective Beta: Utilize my Personal log, Mission Day 7: Operative Sierra (Encrypted)
skills to penetrate Deep Space 9’s computer network What was the likelihood that the Changeling would
and embed digital implants for Section 31’s remote be there at the worst possible time? I cannot be certain,
monitoring. I’ll make my first attempt to place the but I believe he was exiting quarters belonging to Kira
sensors during tomorrow’s morning shift. Nerys, the station’s second-in-command. Perhaps they are

STAR TREK 55
THE MISSION

engaged in a non-work relationship? stimulate business. [pause] I like to Personal log, Mission Day 11:
File that observation for later offer one to selected new arrivals… Operative Sierra (Encrypted)
consideration. SUBJECT #1: [reading] The Cardassian spoke to me today.
Did my cover raise a concern “Clothiers and Tailoring”… “Garak’s I cannot be certain if the
when I boarded DS9? I must assume Clothiers”? interaction was random, or if he is
Odo will be suspicious of me for SUBJECT #2: [bowing] The very aware I am not what I appear to be.
the interim. I have already placed same! Has my reputation for service Nevertheless, I took the opportunity
microsensors near Sisko’s and Dax’s reached all the way to Akaali Prime? to cover the route back to my quarters
quarters, they will have to suffice. SUBJECT #1: I’m not sure I and once there, to run a full-spectrum
For now, I’ll concentrate on really need a tailor... surveillance scan. I found no evidence
Objective Beta – computer network Subject #2 studies Subject #1’s of tracking devices on my person or in
infiltration. This will be a painstaking tunic in great detail. my room, but my pre-mission briefing
process… I must work my way into SUBJECT #2: Are you quite on the Cardassian was very clear –
the station’s mainframe slowly and certain of that? When one is looking avoid Elim Garak at all costs! Even
carefully, or else I risk detection by for gainful employment, the first if this so-called tailor is no longer an
internal monitor software. impression at an interview can make agent of the Obsidian Order, I cannot
or break the application. And if you interact with him.
< Security Feed K-0372, DS9 don’t mind me saying, your outfit… I will lay low for a few days and
Promenade Level, Replimat > could use some refinement. [pause] take my meals at the refectory on the
< Time index: 78:33:11 > Unless, of course, you have some lower tiers. Hopefully, we will not
Playback display: dining area. other work to occupy you? cross paths again.
Subject #1 (humanoid, species: Subject #1 returns the isolinear
Akaali) is seated, reading a PADD, rod, and leaves the table. Personal log, Mission Day 20:
drinking a mug of liquid (soup: SUBJECT #1: Thank you, but Operative Sierra (Encrypted)
Plomeek). no. If you’ll excuse me, I have an In five days, Bajoran Standard,
Subject #2 (humanoid, species: appointment elsewhere. I am due to report in to Section 31
Cardassian) approaches. Offers Subject
#1 an isolinear rod.
SUBJECT #2: [brightly] Good “DID MY COVER RAISE A CONCERN
afternoon! May I give you this?
SUBJECT #1: [wary] What is it? WHEN I BOARDED DS9? I MUST
SUBJECT #2: A voucher! For ASSUME ODO WILL BE SUSPICIOUS
a discount. I find it an ideal way to
OF ME FOR THE INTERIM…”

via subspace burst-communique,

but I am seriously considering an
emergency transmission.
Last night, during the station’s
Delta Shift, I took the opportunity
to check the microsensors I planted
near Sisko and Dax’s quarters. They
have been neutralized. The work is
extremely subtle. On the surface, they
appear to be recording the targets’
comings and goings, but the data
is flawed. It is faked! Someone has
reprogrammed the sensors to give
false readings, to conceal Sisko and
Dax’s actual movements…
It’s a clever strategy. I almost
didn’t notice.
But who aboard the station has
the skill to do such a thing? The
Cardassian? The doctor with the
genetic enhancements, or perhaps the
Trill herself? Or is it possible I am not
the only covert operative embedded
on Deep Space 9?
I need to consider my next move.

56 STAR TREK
 FICTION

Personal log, Mission Day 20, In these dead digital spaces I Akaali) converses with Subject #2
supplemental: Operative Sierra found… I can only classify them as (humanoid, species: Ferengi).
(Encrypted) scraps of code, the remains of old SUBJECT #2: An Orion, you
I have been unable to sleep. programs that were purged from the say? To be honest, I don’t see many
I keep dreaming that I am being system. But I could identify them, of them in my establishment. The
followed. even so, as a body might be identified Syndicate and the Ferengi Alliance
The situation with the from a faint remnant trace of DNA. tend to stay out of each other’s way, if
microsensors preys on my mind, so I The first scrap is part of a you know what I mean.
decided to check on the progress of shaipouin; that’s a Romulan word SUBJECT #1: He was on the
my network intrusion program… meaning ‘false door’. This is a code- station for a few months. Surely
…I have found something very tool used by Tal Shiar intrusion someone remembers?
alarming. Far more serious than the specialists. The second was a remnant SUBJECT #2: [quietly] I’m not
co-opted sensors. of a brute-force data-wiper with a one to judge, if Orions are to your…
My program has now wormed its Klingon signature, likely a data bomb taste. But I can offer alternatives, if
way into the core of the station’s main left behind by Imperial Intelligence you’d like. My holosuites are the best
computer, and if all was proceeding on Qo’noS before it was deleted. And in the sector.
to plan, it should have automatically there was a third… SUBJECT #1: [firmly] That’s not
deployed a software payload there Timecodes indicate the last what I mean! One day, he vanished,
– in theory, giving Section 31 a program was erased recently, perhaps and I need to know what he knew-!
hidden back-door into Deep Space only days before I arrived. It has the Subject #3 (male humanoid,
9’s command and control systems, unique structure I’ve only seen in one species: Changeling) enters visual.
should it be required. other place. The hijacker programs SUBJECT #3: If someone went
But something was already there. utilized by the Orion Syndicate. missing on my station, I would be
Understand that this station’s Romulan. Klingon. Orion. aware of it.
mainframe is a retrofitted mess of They’ve all sent agents here before me. SUBJECT #2: [dour] Constable,
overlapping operating systems – the But what happened to them? always such a delight to see you.
original programs from when it SUBJECT #3: I’m hearing that
was constructed by the Cardassian < Security Feed Q-8255, DS9 our Akaali friend here has been asking
occupation forces, then a layer of Promenade Level, Quark’s Bar > about an Orion shuttle pilot who
Federation and Starfleet software atop < Time index: 44:18:82 > left the station some time ago. I can
that. It is ugly and complex, and full Playback display: bar area. assure you, his departure was logged
of places for rogue files to hide! Subject #1 (humanoid, species: with Ops.

STAR TREK 57
THE MISSION

Subject #2 engages the processor’s

energy pulse field. A yellow glow fills
the visual.

Section 31 Hyperchannel XCF-221-

1 (Encrypted)
Sender Identity: [REDACTED]
/ Recipient Identity: Sloan, Luther
Luther: I must reluctantly concur
with your evaluation. It appears
that Operative Sierra was not the
best choice for this assignment. They
allowed themselves to become focused
on minutiae to the detriment of the
mission, and it would seem they
paid for that with their life. Analysis
indicates this was likely a trap,
deliberately set to snare any covert
operative sent to Deep Space 9. From
the data recovered, we can surmise that
a similar fate was met by the Tal Shiar’s
agent, the Klingon spy from Imperial
Intelligence and the Orion.
We must tread carefully with DS9
in our future dealings with Sisko and
“I HAVE ALLOWED MYSELF TO his crew. The captain himself may be
BECOME CAUGHT UP IN THIS reluctant to cross certain ethical lines,

MYSTERY… BUT I CAN’T LET IT GO.” but it appears that at least one member
of his inner circle has no issue with
taking active – and quite ruthless -
measures.
SUBJECT #1: [aside] Logs can < Security Feed Z-9992, DS9 Lower Efforts to recruit your potential
be falsified. Core Level, Ore Processor #3 > asset are hereby officially approved.
SUBJECT #3: That’s a very < Time index: 25:84:00 >
serious accusation. Can you back it Playback display: ore chamber. < Security Feed K-0372, DS9
up with any evidence? Or perhaps Subject #1 (humanoid, species: Promenade Level, Replimat >
you’d like to explain exactly what Akaali) enters. Activates tricorder, scans < Time index: 66:15:06 >
your interest is in this Orion pilot? interior of processor through an open Playback display: dining area.
maintenance hatch. Subject #1 (humanoid, species:
Personal log, Mission Day 25: SUBJECT #1: [muttering] There’s Terran) is seated, drinking a mug of
Operative Sierra (Encrypted) a DNA trace in there… Can’t read it liquid (coffee: raktajino).
I have allowed myself to become clearly. [sighs] Need to get closer… Subject #2 (humanoid, species:
caught up in this mystery… But I Subject #1 climbs into ore chamber, Cardassian) approaches.
can’t let it go. approaches interior wall with tricorder. SUBJECT #2: My dear Julian,
I have to find out where these SOUND: tricorder chiming. please accept my most humble
other agents went. The Tal Shiar was SUBJECT #1: Positive reading! apologies for my lateness.
masquerading as a travelling scholar Traces of Orion bio-matter, but very SUBJECT #1: Hello Garak. I was
from Vulcan, the Klingon agent was faint… They’ve been disrupted by an starting to think I’d been stood up…
a crewman transferred off a freighter, energy pulse… SUBJECT #2: Never! I value our
and the Orion… Beyond Subject #1’s point of conversations too highly to miss one.
Despite what the Changeling view, Subject #2 (humanoid, species: SUBJECT #1: I hope I didn’t drag
claims, I’ve found evidence to the undetermined) enters the chamber in you away from something important.
contrary. The pilot was last seen shadow and moves to a control console. SUBJECT #2: [smiles] I’m
heading to the station’s lower core. SUBJECT #1: Is someone out ashamed to say I was working on a
The old ore processor is down there? [panicked] What’s going on? thorny problem and I simply…lost
there, left over from the days of the Stop what you are doing-! track of time.
Cardassian Occupation. Subject #2 reactivates the ore SUBJECT #1: Anything I could
I am supposed to report in today. processor, closing the hatch. Subject #1 help with?
I am going to delay that until I have is now sealed inside. SUBJECT #2: Nothing you need
investigated. SOUND: banging noises and concern yourself about, Doctor. I was
I must find answers! muffled shouting from inside the chamber. just…cleaning house.

58 STAR TREK
 TREKNOLOGY
TO M O R ROW ’S T EC H N O LO GY TO DAY

Bases Amongst
the Stars
WORDS: CHRIS DOWS

60 STAR TREK
 TREKNOLOGY

T
here’s no argument Deep Space Nine is one of the most important
structures ever to feature in Star Trek, but as a starbase, the
Cardassian-built processing facility is far from unique…

From the earliest days of the show, space stations Intriguingly, Oberth proposed an orbital
have been some of the most impressive examples construction facility from which missions to the Moon
of Treknology, with the great majority proving far and Mars could be launched, an idea that’s alive and
more reliable and better constructed than the cause well today. Six years later, Slovenian Austrian army
of Chief O’Brien’s perpetual headaches. First seen scientist Herman Noordung took Oberth’s concept
in the Star Trek episode “The Trouble with Tribbles”, and, along with several other theories connected
platforms such as Deep Space K-7, perched with living in space, conceptualized Noordung’s
precariously close to the Klingon border, have Wheel, a toroidal station that, crucially, generated
provided Federation crews with everything from artificial gravity by rotating on its axis.
repair facilities to much-needed rest and relaxation Over the following decades momentum grew, with
(if you can describe a brawl with Klingons in such space luminaries such as the American rocket scientist
terms). If we look to Star Trek continuity, K-7 gets a Robert Goddard and controversial German engineer
mention under Captain Pike’s command, suggesting Wernher von Braun proposing ways to construct
a network of bases had developed and expanded stations in space. By 1959, the newly-formed NASA
along with Starfleet’s ships of the line. was intending to build its first station – but when the
In our world, the idea of an orbiting Soviet Union successfully launched Yuri Gagarin into
construction in space – or on another planet – was space, the decision was made to aim for the Moon rather
first introduced by the American science fiction than build a station, so development was put on the
author Edward Everett Hale, in his 1869 story “The backburner. With NASA’s goal achieved in 1969,
Brick Moon”. He proposed a sphere, 200 feet in space stations were back on the drawing board – and
diameter, orbiting the Earth to aid the navigation while the 100-personnel strong Space Base was never
of ships, but it took the Romanian rocket scientist built, its potential construction led the organization
Hermann Oberth to coin the term ‘space station’ down the path of a reusable Space Transportation
in 1923. System – and the Space Shuttle program was born.

01

W
hile real-world space facilities – the Orbital Office Complex
stations are primarily from where Admiral Kirk shuttled over
engaged in research, the to the newly refitted U.S.S. Enterprise,
range of applications found in Star and the massive drydock in which
Trek is significantly more varied. In the work took place. Earth Station
Star Trek: The Motion Picture, we McKinley fulfilled a similar role in Star
were introduced to two very different Trek: The Next Generation, allowing for

STAR TREK 61
T O M O R R O W ’ S T E C H N O L O G Y T O D AY

refits, construction, and routine concentrated on the long-term regularly spending months at a
maintenance, with several physical effects of space on time in space. Thanks to the 1993
larger space stations such as humans, along with a wide range Shuttle-Mir agreement, NASA and
Starbase 74 providing resupply of scientific and engineering trials. Soviet Union cooperation led to
and systems upgrades. Over the following decades, a considerable increase in space
DS9 did all this and more; the original module’s 66-foot traffic. Over its 15-year life, more
at any one time, a bewildering long, 3500 cubic foot design was than one hundred astronauts
variety of ships underwent refined and increased, improving from 13 countries visited Mir,
emergency repair while docked at everything from docking collar conducting 23,000 medical
its pylons. technology to solar panel and scientific experiments. It
It’s undeniable the scale of efficiency. Responding to the also saw every record for long
construction seen across Star Trek perceived Soviet advantage, duration spaceflight achieved,
is significantly greater than real- Skylab was constructed from including the late cosmonaut
life stations, but Star Trek II: The NASA’s surplus Apollo mission Valeri Polyakov’s unbeaten 437
Wrath of Khan’s Regula I facility equipment and launched in 1973, continuous days of living in space.
shared the same scientific focus just before the second-generation While Mir’s decline and
seen over the last six decades Salyut stations. At 12,417 cubic destruction during re-entry in
above our planet. In 1971, the feet, it was much larger than 2001 was as controversial as it was
Soviet Union launched Salyut-1, Salyut and over its six-year life, unfortunate, the lessons learned
the world’s first space station, an unprecedented amount of in its operation and expandable
and while its crew tragically experimentation took place. In modular design paved the way
died returning from their 23-day 1982, the Mir program replaced for the biggest facility yet - the
mission, the ensuing Salyut series Salyut and by now, crews were International Space Station.

01 The orbital
office complex,
a Starfleet
space station
in orbit of
Earth during
the late 23rd
century. as
seen in Star
Trek: The
Motion Picture.

02 The
International
Space Station
Image: NASA

03 The dry
dock seen in
the Star Trek:
Discovery
02 eopisode,
"Stormy
Weather"

I
f you’re a fan of Star Trek: Zarya section, was launched in 1998. the maximum single-location space
Enterprise, you’ll likely recognize Representing a partnership between occupancy record.
the International Space Station NASA, Russia, Europe, Japan and It would be unfair to
(ISS) because a time-lapse sequence Canada, its current size is 32,333 compare the ISS’s current range of
of its construction appears in the cubic feet, with its final capacity functionality to Starfleet’s mighty
opening credits to every episode. expected to be around 43,000 cubic facilities, but there are notable
This montage represents a series feet. Due to its relatively large size, similarities of design - and difficulty
of enormous engineering and in 2009 it briefly supported a crew - between the ISS and its fictional
construction challenges since its first of thirteen – not quite the 7,000 counterparts. For instance, the ISS
component module, the Russian maximum capacity of DS9, but still has a self-sustaining main power

62 STAR TREK
 TREKNOLOGY

source. It may not be the multiple

fusion chambers Deep Space Nine
enjoys, but thanks to the station’s
extensive solar arrays and multiple
electrical convertor points, all the
vital systems for life support, such as
heating, lighting, air filtration and
waste recycling, are maintained.
And then there’s communications;
both DS9 and the ISS provide inter- 03
ship, station-to-ship and station
to Bajor/Earth capabilities. The
Federation outpost forms a vital part
of Starfleet’s Distant Communications
network, and the ISS is integral to
NASA’s Space Communications and
Navigation (SCaN) network.
Fictional or real, any long-
term space habitation is prone to a
frightening array of potential dangers,

W
but there’s one seemingly benign hen the U.S.S. Discovery three-strong taikonaut crew have
aspect – spacecraft docking – that best was propelled into been inhabiting the Tianhe core
exemplifies the comparison between the 32nd Century, the module since 2022.
Treknological and technological issues. crew encountered a dazzling The second is the continuing
array of new technologies from expansion of the ISS, particularly
personal transporters to warp its place in the Artemis program,
ANY LONG- nacelles that kind of float next to which aims to return astronauts to
TERM SPACE the hull. However, it’s significant the Moon around 2025. However,

HABITATION IS
the reshaping of Starfleet and all the ISS partners appreciate
relaunch of the United Federation its time is running out, so by 2030
PRONE TO A of Planets also depended on NASA is looking to commercial

FRIGHTENING some ‘old school’ facilities, such as

Deep Space Repair Beta Six, seen
companies such as Blue Origin
and SpaceX to replace the
ARRAY OF in the episode “Kobayashi Maru”, station, with a view to using it
POTENTIAL and the drydock used to repair as a jump-off platform for Mars

DANGERS the severely damaged Discovery

following its journey into the
included in the design.
Linked to the demise of the
Dark Matter Anomaly-created ISS is the third development, the
After the problematic power subspace rift in “Stormy Weather”. Russian Orbital Service Station,
supply, Chief O’Brien’s biggest If these platforms have an intriguing name that suggests
concern on DS9 were the six something of a routine function, the a wider range of uses than just
constantly failing or, on two occasions, same can’t be said of the exciting scientific endeavor when it is
deliberately blown-up docking pylons. developments in our timeframe. constructed in around five or six
Not quite as dramatic but with Side-stepping the political years’ time. A combination of
equal real-life consequences, due to a motivations behind sovereign Russia’s decision to withdraw from
malfunction of the Soyuz 10 docking nations attaining their own the ISS by 2024 and develop an
collar in 1971, the Soviet three-man foothold in space, there are three exclusive (and more productive)
crew had to return to Earth when they major programs in various stages scientific research base, the ROSS
couldn’t transfer to the station. When of realization. The first and, at the may also be used as a launching
the first SpaceX Dragon capsule was time of writing, most recent major point for Russian-only missions
sent up to the ISS on its inaugural event is the launch of the third and to the Moon and Mars, although
resupply mission in 2012, no-one final Chinese module, Mengtian, no timeline for this has been
knew if the fully autonomous docking to join the currently orbiting twin confirmed. And there’s even more
would succeed because they’d not structures which will form the 1,766 on the drawing board, such as
had the actual collar from the ISS to cubic feet Tiangong (‘Heavenly the privately funded Gateway
test with. Luckily, it worked, and the Palace’) space station. This will Foundation’s two orbital hotels.
subsequent run of successful missions leave a final component, the Scheduled for 2027, the larger
finally led to a manned capsule Xuntian space station telescope, to design’s name has changed from
connecting with the ISS in 2020. be launched in 2023, although the the Von Braun to… Voyager.

STAR TREK 63
INTERVIEW

F I N A L F R O N T I E R
C R E A T U R E S
We go behind the scenes at Legacy Effects, to find discover some of the secrets to
creating aliens for Star Trek Strange New Worlds…
WORDS: JOE NAZZARO

64 STAR TREK
 LEGACY EFFECTS

01 Gorn baby
rod puppet

hether it’s Romulans, Gorn

or Tellarites, aliens have
been an integral part of the
Star Trek franchise for the
better part of half a century.
Most of those characters
incorporated cutting-
edge creature construction
techniques, from liquid latex
in the 1960s, to today’s use of
computer-generated technology.
The latest evolutionary chapter is Star Trek:
Strange New Worlds, which although set in the
original series timeline, utilizes modern-day
makeup and digital work to help populate its
universe. The physical side of that job went to
Legacy Effects, known for such A-list features
as Iron Man, Alice in Wonderland and The
Shape of Water. Ironically, although the shop
had been involved with some of the biggest
films in Hollywood history, it was a relative
newcomer to episodic television.
According to company co-owner J.
Alan Scott, “For years, there was definitely
a perception at Stan [Winston Studio, the
shop’s previous incarnation]’s and that
followed us here, that we were sometimes
known as the ‘blockbuster shop.’ We didn’t
even get approached about certain projects,
which we never understood, because we do
commercials all the time, so we knew how
to work economically, but the perception
was that we were expensive, and I think The
Mandalorian was the first one we landed.”
“We were originally approached by Star
Trek: Discovery to do the Klingons when they
were going to be redesigned, but the timing
didn’t work out; and then we got a call from
[producer] Frank Siracusa, who was doing a
couple of new shows and wanted us to look at
them. At that point, The Mandalorian had come
out, and the Child was a huge phenomenon. It
wasn’t just the fact that it was a tiny puppet; it
was a character that had a place, and performed
01
the way it was supposed to perform.

STAR TREK 65
02 03 04

05 06 07

08 09 10
 LEGACY EFFECTS

“We started designing for that new David thought I would be a good fit. 02 Samantha and director here in Toronto, so doing
Smith (as a
show, but several months in, the studio “Alan and I had a conversation early Kiley) make-
them as soon as we could was important.
decided they weren’t going to do that on about his plans and he said, ‘We’re up test done at “In initial concept meetings, Legacy
show yet. They would continue with supplying the prosthetics, and I’ll give you Legacy” presented 20 or 30 different designs
Discovery and a new show, so we started any support I can, but this is your show; 03 Background for an alien, which got narrowed down
work on Strange New Worlds.” you hire whoever you want,’ so he was alien space to three or four. I would life-cast the
pirate
Like Discovery, the principal creature very supportive and accommodating. actor and send the cast to Legacy in LA,
effects would be built in LA and shot in “There were makeups that were 04 Sculpture so they could start sculpting. When I
of Deleb cowl
Toronto. “Our original plan was to go up just foreheads or paint jobs, while other piece got the final pieces, it was up to me to
there and work with the local crew, as well aliens, like Hemmer, were 14-piece sell the makeup and bring it to life in
05 Background
as supply them with all the pieces, while makeups that needed seasoned people alien space the test. I took pictures along the way
sharing life casts and scans back and forth working on them. We would look at pirate and sent them to Alan, as well as J.D.
for the actors who were up there, but that the schedule and crew accordingly. 06 Shepard Bowers his lead sculptor. I did my best
all changed with the pandemic. 40-50% “I had Shane Zander and Allan animatronic to incorporate those notes, and when
mask
of the flights were canceled, so designs Cooke with me, who were very seasoned, everybody was happy, we put it in
had to be approved sooner, because you and a fourth, Shannon Spence, helping 07 Rangovian front of the camera.”
sculpture
couldn’t count on overnight shipping. out with ordering and paperwork. On Unlike subsequent Star Trek series,
At one point, we had to send a courier most days, we had two or three makeups 08 Tellarite Strange New Worlds is set in the original
background
up there to deliver appliances from the to do, and on heavier days, we hired series timeline, in which the number of
mask
airport right to the makeup trailer!” whoever was available and doled out alien races was somewhat limited. “They
09 Background
With the crew limited to locals makeups based on experience. The first did the best they could with the budget
alien space
due to the pandemic, Canadian artist season was very busy; in episode one pirate they had in the 1960s,” notes Bridges,
Chris Bridges was enlisted to head the alone, we had something like 150 aliens, “but this was 2022, so we needed to give
10 Hemmer
department. “I had done three seasons of so we needed maybe 30 artists with us. sculpture done them an updated, current twist, while
Discovery,” and had a good connection “Test makeups were all done in by JD Bowers still giving a shout-out to the original
with production manager David Toronto, hopefully a week in advance 11 Gorn canon. Unlike subsequent Star Trek series,
Vaughan, so when Strange New Worlds just in case something needed to be hatchling 3D Strange New Worlds is set in the original
Print used
was green-lit and they were looking for tweaked. The LA producers would want for internal
series timeline, in which the number of
someone to head up the prosthetics, to see those tests, as well as the producers reference. alien races was somewhat limited.

“THIS WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO FLESH OUT

W H AT T H E G O R N W E R E L I K E , S O W E C R E AT E D
T H E H AT C H L I N G S A N D YO U N G L I N G S TO
S H O W H O W T H E Y D E V E L O P. ”

“They did the best they could with

the budget they had in the 1960s,”
notes Bridges, “but this was 2022, so
we needed to give them an updated,
current twist, while still giving a
shout-out to the original canon. We
had to go back and watch the original
episodes those aliens appeared in.
“There’s something cool about
going back to the original show and
elevating things slightly without
reinventing it,” Scott continues.
”You can make the Tellarites exactly
like they were, but the original series
was strapped in terms of budget and
technology, so how can we make
them a bit more interesting while
11
still in the same vein as the original?”

STAR TREK 67
INTERVIEW

12

“We had to go back and watch the 12 Greg keep up the tradition!’” Other species were given a
Pulatanovich
original episodes those aliens appeared The other makeup-intensive cast Strange New Worlds makeover,
sculpting a
in,” continues Scott, “so there’s something background member was Hemmer, the ship’s including the Romulans, who
cool about going back to the original alien space Aenar (an Andorian sub-species) head had a different look from both
pirate
show and elevating things slightly without engineer. “It was a challenge,” recalls Discovery and Picard. “We didn’t
reinventing it. You can make the Tellarites 13 Deleb Scott, “because Bruce Horak had a look that much at those other
paint master
exactly like they were, but the original for internal
glass eye and only nine percent vision versions,” offers Scott, “listening
series was strapped in terms of budget reference in the other, and was very sensitive instead to what [producer]
and technology, so how can we make 14 Nick
to anything close to his eyes. He had Henry [Alonso Myers] wanted,
them a bit more interesting while still Rinehard enough vision to maneuver around, but which was, ‘Go back to the
in the same vein as the original?” pre-painting Chris couldn’t get too close to his eyes.” original!’ The original Romulans
a background
An early challenge for the Legacy alien space “Hemmer was probably our most were just paint and bushy
team was tweaking Ethan Peck’s Spock pirate complicated makeup breakdown. We eyebrows, which wasn’t much
appliance
from previous appearances in Star took advantage of 3D printing for part to go on, so we looked at the
Trek: Discovery. As Bridges recalls, “He 15 Christopher of it, and J.D. re-tooled the face, giving shared lineage with the Vulcans
Swift painting
was only in a couple of episodes and it that handcrafted pore texture and and then just riffed on it.”
a puppet
didn’t want to shave his eyebrows, so look. Connie Criswell did the wig work Arguably the biggest change
16 JD Bowers
Hugo Villasenor and I tag-teamed that and J.D. pretty much did everything from canon was the Gorn.
sculpting the
makeup, using brow covers and applying Deleb makeup else. We also did the back of his hands, Introduced in the 1967 episode
his eyebrows, which was a lot of work. which was an additional discussion, “Arena”, as a creature suit, it was
At the end of one night, Ethan said, ‘If because we didn’t want to further changed to a digital version for
we ever get our own series, I’ll shave!’ so handicap Bruce by adding gloves, but the current series. “We were still
when Strange New Worlds was green- it meant putting more makeup on him, responsible for their design,”
lit, I said, ‘I’m shaving your brows!’ which extended his time in the chair.” says Scott, “and the Star Trek
which cut his makeup time in half.” “Our initial makeup test was three fan base is very vocal, so there’s
“We did a couple of tests with hours,” says Bridges, “because we were a real responsibility to do the
different versions of brow covers,” adds still getting feedback from Legacy and characters justice.
Bowers, “and they always looked bulky. playing with color. Hemmer was really “We spent lots of time
I think I pulled the card of saying, blue in that test, but the producers figuring out what the Gorn were
‘Hey, I’m lucky enough to be one of the felt it should be paler or colder, so in the story, and where they
few people that worked with both Zach we changed the paint job to the one would go later on. The original
Quinto and Leonard Nimoy, and they you see in the series. And we got the character was just a one-off,
both shaved their eyebrows. If you application time down to just over two and we wanted ours to be
want to be Spock, you might have to hours with two people working on it.” memorable too.

68 STAR TREK
13
INTERVIEW

15

14 16

“ T H E W R I T E R S A I D, ‘ O R I O N S D O N ’ T R E A L LY
H AV E TAT T O O S ! ’ S O T H AT I D E A WA S K A P U T.”

“Our Gorn were done as puppets and “Children of the Comet”. hatchlings in “All Those Who Wander”.
CG. I was looking forward to shooting “We were only going to see him on a “It’s a full animatronic head, and again it
with the director, Chris Byrne, but there view screen from the torso up,” Scott explains, looks like it’s been CG-enhanced, but that’s
were still no openings for Americans to “so it was a great opportunity to break up just a testament to our crew. The challenge
go to Canada because of the pandemic, so the human shape, which is historically a was, you’ve got this massive animatronic
there were long calls with Chris Bridges challenge for the Star Trek franchise.” head that hides the guy inside it, but he’s
saying, ‘Here’s how the puppet works, “Everybody thinks it’s a digital got to be able to walk around and perform.
and this is our methodology.’ It was a character or at least augmented,” claims “It was a great experience,” enthuses
challenge for production too, because they Bowers, “but everything is exactly how it Scott. “Our producers are fantastic,
weren’t used to puppetry.” was performed.” and you really wanted to please them,
“The Gorn are interesting, because “We walked Chris Bridges through especially when we finally got to see the
they’re established canon,” adds Bridges. the entire character,” says Scott, “and then finished episodes.”
“It was a guy in a rubber suit in the shipped it up to him, making sure he was “If Star Trek was a walking talking
original series, which was awesomely cool comfortable with our wacky way of doing person, it would be Henry or Akiva,”
at the time, but if you were to do that things.” Bridges agrees. “They take canon seriously,
nowadays, people would call ‘Foul!’ This “We also lost the original actor,” but allow for little tweaks and updates
was an opportunity to flesh out what they interjects Bowers, “so that was another to make things better. And when you’re
were like, so we created the hatchlings and thing we had to deal with.” charged with the responsibility of putting
younglings to show how they develop. “That was interesting,” Scott picks up on prosthetics made by Legacy, one of the
There’s a big event in season two that the story, “because we shot part of the episode biggest effects companies in the world, what
will probably get carried over into season during the final days of shooting. They other opportunity do you have but to rise to
three, so we’ll eventually see a full-grown cast Shepherd early, so we could build this the challenge? I hope my crew did it justice,
Gorn that’s not CG– not always, anyway.” complicated makeup that fit him perfectly, because failure was not an option!”
Aside from established alien races, but months later, he got another job, so we
Legacy was also able to demonstrate the got a call saying, ‘We’re re-casting him!’ At Joe Nazzaro’s new book, Star Trek: The
company’s talent for creating elaborate that point, the character was already built.” Art of Neville Page: Inside the Mind of
hybrid makeups and animatronic Another favorite of Scott’s is ‘Buckley,’ the Visionary Designer, is available now
characters, such as the Shepherd seen in the alien character infested by Gorn from Titan Books

70 STAR TREK
THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO…

THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO...

...AT 30

– THE 30 ELEMENTS
THAT MAKE DS9 GREAT
72 STAR TREK
S TA R T R E K : D E E P S P A C E N I N E

30 years ago, Star Trek:

Deep Space Nine hit our
TV screens, a series that,
looking back, has proven
hugely influential…
W O R D S : R I C H M AT T H E W S

January 3, 1993 – June 2,

1999
Syndicated (Viacom)
7 seasons; 173 episodes -
Season 1: 19 episodes
Season 2: 26 episodes
Season 3: 26 episodes
Season 4: 25 episodes
Season 5: 26 episodes
Season 6: 26 episodes
Season 7: 25 episodes
Stardate: 46379.1-52902.0
(2369-2375)

tar Trek’s middle

S child never got

the chance to
stand alone,
sandwiched
between the exiting Star Trek:
The Next Generation and heir
apparent, Star Trek: Voyager.
Perceived by some as “anti-
Trek” – not on a ship boldly
going; too much religion,
angst and conflict – Star Trek:
Deep Space Nine’s unwanted
progeny status turned out to
be its saving grace and source
of its profound humanism. By
this 30th anniversary, DS9’s
big swings, bold characters
and epic storytelling are
revered as the quintessence
of classic Trek, and the advent
of streaming finally sees
Sisko, Kira and co coming
into their own as the binging
generations gravitate to the
series overarching story – so
unusual back in 1993; so very
2020s. Here’s our guide to the
30 things that make DS9 look
so good at 30…

STAR TREK 73
THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO…

THE THE CREW

PRODUCTION
CREW

02
Benjamin Sisko fighter/terrorist the strongest female
(Avery Brooks) character to grace Star Trek (sorry,
Station commander. War Janeway fans). Gender was irrelevant
general. Emissary to the (her actions went beyond such petty
Prophets. Sisko was many things, concerns) while her romance with
but perhaps his greatest achievement Odo – brimming with long-held love
was being a caring single parent and respect - was simply beautiful.
to Jake. Brooks (Spenser: for Hire’s
Hawk), the first captain of color to

01
lead a Trek show, was also a positive
Created by Rick Berman representation of African American
& Michael Piller family values… on a space show,
Showrunners (Executive famously treating young Cirroc Lofton
Producers): Rick Berman & like a son offscreen. A man of passion
Michael Piller (1993-1995); Ira Steven yet quiet resolve, Brooks made Sisko
Behr (1995-1999) a new breed, and once the network
Directors of note: David Livingston let him shave his head and sport that
(17); Allan Kroeker (13); Rene Auberjonois; handsome goatee, he truly rocked. His
Avery Brooks; LeVar Burton (9) acting style was too big for some at
Writers of note: Ira Steven Behr the start but DS9 grew to match and
(53!); Robert Hewitt Wolfe (37); Ronald amplify his qualities.
D. Moore (30); Hans Beimler (26); René

04
Echevarria (23); Michael Piller (14)
Dax (Terry Farrell /
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine inherited Nicole DeBoer)
a team of writers at the top of their DS9 flew the flag for
game. The station setting was Trek’s strong women on Trek.
most singular yet, leading to some While not perfect – it was the 1990s;
of the franchise’s most creative early on every male character seemed
storytelling and varied character to lust after Jadzia – Dax raised the

03
work. Franchise gurus Berman and bar, not least through her cross-gender,
Piller set up the premise with Bajor, Kira Nerys cross-generational, cross-species
Cardassia, the Federation, religion, (Nana Visitor) “old man” Trill lineage. Like the
fundamentalism and the wormhole, Nana Visitor grabbed show itself, she started off slightly
but the show soared when Ira Steven the Bajoran bull by the uncomfortable in her skin but rose to
Behr took over the centre seat for a horns… then beat the living hell Worf-conquering heights of layered
run of unrivalled boldness, embracing out of it! Kira is a complex mesh characterization, species exploration
then-radioactive serialised storytelling. of motivations, her unpredictable, and, frankly, brains. When Terry
Comedy, pathos and romance; firecracker nature at turns deeply Farrell’s exit shocked the audience
loss, grief and horror; friendship, compassionate then blinding with rage (contract negotiations, damn your
camaraderie and community… it’s all then deeply funny. Without Visitor, eyes!), the talented writers found
here. Plus, all the expected Big Idea sci- she could have been a mess of deus ex fertile ground with Nicole DeBoer’s
fi and allegory (“Far Beyond The Stars” machina clumsiness, but her guiding Ezri, finally satisfying long-time Dax-
anyone?) you can shake a stick at. light made the former freedom Bashir shippers.

74 STAR TREK
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07
Quark (Armin
Shimerman)

05 09
Odo(Rene Snide, sneaky and snooping, Jake Sisko (Cirroc
Auberjonois) Shimerman – one of the Lofton)
Primarily a comedy actor, first Ferengi’s on TNG – singlehandedly If DS9 was The Rifleman in
Auberjonois clearly relished rehabilitated the snaggle-toothed profit space to TOS’ Wagon Train to
using prosthetics to release his inner shape- seekers. Another triumph of will beneath the stars, Jake was its frontier chronicler.
shifting tough guy. Watching the station’s rubber, Quark was always funny, often Continuing the trend of Starfleet progeny
“heavy” evolve from gruff security chief compelling, and occasionally moving, as rejecting their parent’s path (yes you,
to gooey (pun intended) romantic and he opened the floodgates to Ferengi culture Wesley Crusher), Jake grew from grieving
potential savior of the Alpha Quadrant and proved a playful antagonist to all the child to outsider adult, embodying
was a marvel. It’s remarkable how much serious goings on. “Little Green Men” is the show, perched between worlds,
emotion Auberjonois projected through a classic spin on Roswell, while Quark’s quadrants and species. His friendship
that makeup as Odo’s race was revealed to bar itself – and by proxy Vic’s nightclub, with Nog ironically helped the young
be the heart of the Dominion, setting up nested in its holosuites – provided a Ferengi find Starfleet, while Lofton’s
an incredibly conflicted internal dilemma unique, sleazy haven for characters to relax gentle performance and clear affection
for the constable. A fish out of the Great and reveal their lighter sides. Dabo! with Brooks gave Jake an everyman feel
Link, Odo became our guide to the uncommon on Star Trek.
Founders – without losing sight of being
the best foil to Quark you could ask for.

08 10
Dr Julian Bashir Worf (Michael
(Alexander Siddig nee Dorn)
Siddig El Fadil)

06
It’s amazing how engaging
Miles O’Brien In the middle of the high Dorn and the writers (shout
(Colm Meaney) drama, a young, callow adventure-seeker out to Klingon keeper Ron Moore) kept
Bringing Meaney’s avuncular evolved into a moral man of depth, this “not a merry man”. As cynical as
transporter chief over from compassion and profound altruism. his drafting to DS9 appeared, once that
The Next Generation may have been Although he turned out to be a genetically famous furrowed brow stepped onto the
calculated, but Miles got so much more modified super-genius, Sid displayed huge promenade, the show immediately rose
space to grow and deepen. Who knew range as Julian rose to every challenge the to unparalleled heights. With Worf came
the quiet U.S.S. Enterprise enlisted man writers threw at him (we’ll ignore season Martok and, of course, Gowron, and a
harbored so much trauma - which the 1’s “Passenger”). Besides best bud O’Brien, bracing, full-Klingon wooing of Dax.
writers frequently exploited in the infamous we got his ongoing flirtation with Garak Dorn’s chemistry with Farrell was palpable
“O’Brien’ suffers” episodes. They also crafted (Andy Robinson insists the tailor was and his comedic chops were given a
one of the greatest unexpected friendships unambiguously trying to bed the good thorough workout, as were his dramatic
- O’Brien and Bashir’s bromance felt real doctor) and his gender politics education skills when she died.
and warm, and when things got bleak, the from Jadzia - which in turn grew into a No one realized DS9 was missing
mismatched duo could be counted on to more enlightened romance with Ezri. One anything, until Worf arrived and the show
raise our spirits. doctor’s journey from irritant to awesome. suddenly felt whole.

STAR TREK 75
THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO…

LOCATIONS, VESSELS & SPECIES

14
Bajor
DS9 plunged us deep into
Bajoran life following
liberation from decades of
Cardassian rule, with the Federation
playing peacekeeper. Starfleet’s
presence on DS9 became a higher
priority once Sisko found the
wormhole… Bajor, a planet of great
beauty, spirituality and culture,
was radicalized by the occupation
creating a conflicted cultural
identity responsible for a great
deal of non-Dominion tension on

11
DS9. We get the good (Kai Opaka,
Deep Space Nine designed to kick Dominion booty. played by Camille Saviola in four
Station It freed up the crew from being episodes; Philip Anglim as Vedek
Star Trek’s biggest, most station-bound, gave it a genuinely Bareil in seven; and of course, Rom’s
detailed (and hard to intimidating defender and gifted paramour, the vivacious Leeta,
light) set, DS9 (aka Terok Nor) the franchise it’s most distinctive Chase Masterson, in 16 episodes)
was designed by franchise non-Enterprise design (thanks in and the bad (primarily Vedek-then-
legends Herman Zimmerman and part to animator Adam Howard Kai Winn, whose chilling 14-episode
Rick Sternbach, with numerous giving it three front-facing photon portrayal by the late, great Louise
producers, writers and designers cannons). Ron Moore - tasked Fletcher was scarier than any
contributing to the unique design with writing its introduction in Jem’Hadar) and many shades of
of the final miniature made by “The Search” - got to name it; grey in between.
Tony Meininger. Zimmerman given its warship remit and Moore
kept the design steeped in the being fresh off the “family ship”
Cardassian geometric motifs Enterprise, Defiant was apt.
laid down on TNG, but added a
significant art deco influence and
“rule of three”– three pylons; three
concentric rings for the main hull,
etc. After many initial iterations, it
was agreed it needed to be iconic
enough to recognize the silhouette
immediately so that a child could
draw it.

13 15
The Wormhole Cardassians
aka The Celestial Those shades of grey were
Temple also (literally) granted to
The only known stable Bajor’s primary antagonist,
wormhole, discovered by the thanks not only to Garak but also
emissary in 2369, is home to the the glorious theatrics of Marc
Prophets. It links the Alpha and Alaimo as long-running boo-hiss
Gamma Quadrants (bridging baddie Gul Dukat (35 episodes)

12
90,000 light years), making it and the spectacular growth of
U.S.S. Defiant massively important to the rest Casey Biggs’ Damar, cast as a
NX-74205 of the galaxy, albeit an eventual oner but transforming into a full-
One “tough little ship”, liability because of the Dominion. fledged martyr over 23 episodes.
the Defiant came with Interestingly, if you ignore the Making us root for any Cardassian
ablative plate shielding and a opening credits, the wormhole only was a triumph, with such
treaty “stretching” cloaking device appears in 45 out of 173 episodes. complexity making DS9 so special.

76 STAR TREK
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16
The Klingons sparingly to maintain mystery, they
Despite the eyerolling and became Sisko’s “atom bomb” in the
gnashing of teeth (mostly Dominion War and caused some
Robert O’Reilly’s Gowron upset with the religious aspects they
in eight episodes), the arrival of brought to the show. Michael Piller:
significant Klingon stories allowed “The Prophets take Star Trek into
Ron Moore to keep the warrior the metaphysical world for the
race just the right side of scenery- first time. This is something Gene
chewing parody while maintaining would’ve loved. We’re not changing
their operatic, grandiose nature. the rules; we’re simply exploring
Some of the best Klingon stories were another alien race.”
told on the station – with General
Martok (J.G. Hertzler; 22 episodes) an

19
unforgettable standout.
The Dominion
The Borg might be
more terrifying, but
The Dominion is Star
Trek’s most fully realized enemy. A
“Dark Federation” of hundreds of
subjugated worlds, the Gamma
Quadrant mega-power was
fronted on the show by slippery
“diplomat” Weyoun (Jeffrey Combs
– again - in 24 episodes) and the

18
hiss-worthy Female Changeling
The Ferengi (Salome Jens in 15 episodes).

17
“Anything worth doing Conceived by Behr as three races,
The Prophets is worth doing for the staff fleshed out the “warriors,
Non-linear, non-corporeal money” – the 13th Rule businessmen, and controlling
extra-dimensional aliens of Acquisition. The increasingly dark force” structure. “It was the
worshipped by the comical acquirers of latinum ‘Carrot-and-Stick Empire’,” says
Bajorans. At least 30,000 years earned their lobes on DS9, thanks to Robert Hewitt Wolfe. “The
old, they self-identify as “from to the first family of Ferenginar: Vorta were negotiators, friendly
Bajor” and communicate through Quark, Rom, Nog, their feminist guys who show up with the carrot.
nine orbs sent to the Bajorans “Moogie” (Andrea Martin once, Then, if you don’t toe the line, they
over millennia, bestowing visions then Cecily Adams, four times) kick your ass with Jem’Hadar. This
on those who open them. Outside and her romance with Grand very tough, very smart, very old
the wormhole, the blue-energy Nagus Zek (Wallace Shawn; seven civilization is run by the mysterious
beings can “possess” physical episodes). Lob in Trek chameleon Founders - Odo’s people -
bodies, while exiled “evil” Prophets Jeffrey Combs as grudge-holding experts in genetic engineering
were banished to the fire caves as liquidator Brunt (five episodes) and who engineer slave races that do
“Pa-Wraiths”. The race was used the Ferengi became “priceless”. their bidding.”

STAR TREK 77
THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO…

RETURNING CHARACTERS

22
Lwaxana Troi
(Majel Barret
Roddenberry; 3)
Wherever the
flamboyant Betazoid ambassador

18
(mom to TNG’s Deanna) goes, she’s
Garak (Andrew never forgotten. DS9 unexpectedly
Robinson in 33 connected her with Odo to reveal
episodes) deep compassion, showcasing
Testament to the the beauty of the character – and
brilliant Robinson and the superb Majel’s depth of talent.
writing of this former Cardassian
covert operative-turned exiled
station tailor that Garak felt like

20
a permanent fixture even though
he only appeared in just over 30 Vic Fontaine
episodes. Witty, biting, chilling, (James, Darren; 7)
and with a mega-Jonesing for Dr Like Garak, Vic’s
Bashir, Garak is often cited as influence resonated
a favorite character. far beyond the seven episodes he

23
pops up in thanks to crucial roles in
Kira and Odo’s romance and Nog’s Rom (Max
rehabilitation from injury. Darren Grodénchik;
makes Vic smooth as silk and a 36) & Nog (Aron
nicely anachronistic counter-tone Eisenberg; 45)
to the rest of show. Nice job, pally. This father and son Ferengi
team went from iffy bit parts
(stereotypical Ferengi brother to
Quark; unsavory rebel friend to Jake)
to beloved returning favorites - Rom
becoming a Bajoran engineer then
– amazingly - Nagus; Nog a diligent,
invaluable Starfleet officer.

21
Admiral Ross (Barry
Jenner; 12), Sloan
(William Sadler; 3)

19
Kasidy Yates-Sisko and Eddington
(Penny Johnson; 15) (Ken Marshall; 9)

24
Another trailblazing, The good, bad and ugly of
no-nonsense female Starfleet. If Ross represented the Morn (93)
character, freighter captain Kasidy stiff upper lip, Eddington and The non-speaking alien
was a robust foil for Sisko and a particularly Sloan are typical barfly encapsulates life
window into how trade and non- shades of DS9 grey – Eddington’s on the station through
Starfleet spacefaring worked. It traitorous Maquis spy; Sloan stoic loyalty to Quark’s bar, with
took quite a woman to catch the ushering in notoriously clandestine those “Morn”ful eyes telling a
Captain’s eye. Section 31. million stories…

78 STAR TREK
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EPISODES AND FINALLY…

theme tune and a new cast member
(WORF!) was a declaration of intent
that DS9 really meant business. Plus,
Klingons. LOTS of Klingons.

25
“Emissary”
Cerebral, serious,
metaphysical… no wonder
early 1990s audiences
struggled, especially after the opening
Wolf 359 battle promised more pew-pews
than the show initially delivered. The
brilliance of this moody, mysterious pilot

28
is best appreciated when you see its many
threads pulled together in the series finale. “The Visitor”
An exemplary sci-fi concept/
character examination combo
sees Tony Todd, aka Worf ’s
brother Kurn, swap Klingon makeup for
old age prosthetics as elderly Jake, who
dedicated his life to saving his father from
phasing in and out of space-time, with Sisko
only phasing in, unaged, for moments
every few decades. Heart-breaking.

26
“What You Leave
Behind”
And what a finale! Brimming
with relief, victory, profound
sadness – bye-bye Sisko; toodle-oo Odo;
how can you desert Julian, Miles?! – and

30
the gargantuan space battles the pilot
promised. Even Winn, Dukat and the Pa- Episodic Storytelling
Wraiths get a satisfying fiery climax. aka Waging the
Dominion War
DS9 crescendoed with
an almost uninterrupted Dominion
War arc. After hints and teases
during the first two years, episodes
that dealt with the cross-quadrant
conflict numbered 11 in season three,

29
15 in season four, 18 in season 5, 20
“Far Beyond in season six, and 21 in the seventh
The Stars” and final season, with a run of 11
A head-on allegory set in the episodes in a row. This meant layering
1950s pulp publishing world of character, relationships, politics,

27
that formed Gene Roddenberry’s future drama and narrative on a new level
“The Way of the vision, this tour-de-force showcases Avery with Behr, Moore, Wolfe and co pulling
Warrior” Brooks – directing and giving a bravura it off with jaw-dropping elan. You can
The phaser, photon and performance as the black author trying to truly see the genesis of modern 2020s
bat’leth wielding ultra-scrap get his work published. Not only the best storytelling on that space station on
kick-off to season four. A more up-tempo of DS9, arguably the best of Trek. the edges of Federation space.

STAR TREK 79
FICTION

E XC LU S I V E F I C T I O N

‘Things
Can Only Get
Better’
STORY: UNA MCCORMACK
I L L U S T R AT I O N : L O U I E D E M A R T I N I S

his mission to retrieve the Breen ship had Jem’Hadar patrols increases by the moment.”
pushed them all to their limits and, in Well, that was testier than usual. Kira said, “You’ve
some cases, Kira suspected, well beyond. got my full attention.”
They’d barely started when Damar learned “Thank you,” said Garak. “I can run this blockade
about the death of his wife and son, and he ended up alone, but I’d rather not.”
shooting his friend, Rusot. Odo was sick – no, Odo was Maybe he hadn’t much enjoyed the mission either.
dying, Kira must face up to that, must admit that – and Still, she didn’t need a lecture from him. “I said you’ve got
now he lay helplessly on a bed in the infirmary, hoping my full attention.”
that somehow Julian would perform some miracle. As “Good. In that case, could you run a check on the
for Kira herself – there was nowhere she wanted to be weaponry readout? I’m still not satisfied they’ll pass any
less than on board this flyer heading toward Cardassian serious sensor sweep.”
space. She wanted to be sitting with Odo, holding his They were using a civilian flyer to get back into
beloved hand, giving whatever consolation she could. Cardassian space, but one armed to the teeth with a
How desperately she wanted to see him. How bitterly she judicious selection of Starfleet photon torpedoes. Garak
regretted all the time they had wasted… had rigged the sensor readings so that they would show
“Commander,” said Garak, from the seat beside her, up as more or less defenceless, but if there were any
“I wonder if I might trouble you to check on the engine’s discrepancies, it wasn’t likely that the Jem’Hadar patrols
power emissions, please?” operating in this area would give them a chance to
Kira pulled herself into focus and ran the check. explain themselves. Kira had carried out this check half a
She glanced sideways at Garak, at the helm. Of all of dozen times already, but if it kept him happy…
them who had been on that mission, only Garak seemed “And the long-range scanners when you’re done,”
unperturbed by everything that had happened – but then said Garak.
how would you know, with Garak? “Anything else while I’m at it?” said Kira.
“All good,” said Kira. “I’ll let you know,” said Garak.
“Thank you,” said Garak. “I’d be grateful, Commander “Is Damar still in the back?”
Kira, if you could stop your mind from wandering. “Since he isn’t here, you can assume so.”
We’re very close to the border now, and the likelihood of “Maybe we could do with his help,” said Kira.

80 STAR TREK
FICTION

“I’d rather he rested before “Not that you’d mind adding “Data entry, that was my specialty. I
returning to the base,” said Garak. a couple more spoonheads to your have an abiding love for statistics –”
“It’s not every day you get news that overall count, I suppose,” said Garak. “Keeping count, huh? So how
your family’s been murdered.” “Excuse me?” many Cardassians have met their fate
Where had that come from? “A former Cardassian head of at your hands?”
“I didn’t mean –” state… An ex-Obsidian Order agent?” His face was a mask. “I never
“Oh, I’m absolutely sure Garak was nodding. “Damar and I relished it.”
you didn’t.” must both pose very tempting targets.” “Meaning that I did?”
This was getting ridiculous. Kira “Well, you hadn’t,” said Kira, “Commander,” he said, giving
leaned back from the console and “until you mentioned it.” her a very steady look, “only you can
turned to face him. “Garak, if there’s “Forgive my skepticism. Killing answer that for sure.”
something you want to say to me – Cardassians is practically second Kira took a deep breath. If he’d
say it.” nature, surely?” been trying to get a rise out of her,
“I’m simply trying to ensure “Oh, you’ve got some nerve!” he’d succeeded. A mistake on her part.
we don’t get killed before we enter “Have I.” She wasn’t sure what purpose these
Cardassian space. I’ve waited such a “Come off it, Garak! Your hands mind games served for Garak, but she
long time to get home. I’d prefer not are at least as bloody as mine. And I knew better than to participate.
to die at the border.” don’t even mean Bajorans. The Obsidian “Could you take the helm, please?”
“I’m not planning on getting any Order must have killed hundreds of said Garak. His tone was quieter.
of us killed.” thousands of Cardassian civilians—” Perhaps he too was regretting the savage
“Good.” Yellow lights flashed “Oh, that wasn’t my department.” turn this conversation had taken. “I’m
across the display in front of them. Garak gave a careless wave of the going to get something to drink.”
Ships, not too distant. “Jem’Hadar hand, as if to brush off the accusation. “Sure.”
patrol, most likely,” said Garak.

“IT’S NOT EVERY DAY YOU GET

“I’m on it,” said Kira, and began
to chart a course correction to get
them away if necessary. Easy enough NEWS THAT YOUR FAMILY’S BEEN
– if your mind was on the job.
MURDERED.”

Garak went off to the replicator.

Kira ran her hands through her hair
and shook herself. She needed to get
a grip. They all needed to get a grip.
They weren’t going to make it through
this alive if they kept tearing at each
other. The Dominion was the enemy.
Attacking each other only did the
Founders’ work for them. Still, Garak
was right about one thing. Fighting
Cardassians – killing Cardassians – was
the habit of a lifetime, and one you
didn’t easily break.
There was a sudden crackle of static
on the comm. A signal? Kira worked on
boosting it and was soon able to pick out
a repeated pattern, one that she knew
well. A Cardassian distress call. She’d
been the cause of more than a few of
those during her life.
“Civilian freighter… under
attack… urgent assistance…”
“That doesn’t sound good,” she
muttered. She charted the ship’s
position. Close to their current
course. Maybe if they got a little
closer, she could find out more…
“What’s going on? Why have we
picked up speed?”

82 STAR TREK
 ‘ T H I N G S C A N O N LY G E T B E T T E R ’

Kira glanced over her shoulder. “One moment…” said Garak, “Yes, commander?”
Garak was standing behind her, his checking sensor readings. “I’m “Take your hand off mine or I’ll
eyes narrow, holding a mug of rokassa getting… two Jem’Hadar ships.” break both your wrists.”
juice. Typical. That stuff stank. “…refugees from Kelvas IV. Please They stared at each other. In the
“Distress signal,” she said. “Call – if there’s anyone out there, hurry! We background, the message played on.
for aid.” She opened the comm don’t have much time…” Help us… Help us… Kira watched
channel again. “They’re outside Cardassian Garak’s lips curve into a smile. She
“Civilian freighter… under space,” said Kira, suddenly. thought, I’d relish that – and he knows
attack… urgent assistance…” “So?” how much I would…
Garak took his seat again. “Do “That means they’re our Garak released his grip. “I’d rather
we know who they are?” responsibility.” you didn’t,” he said. “My needlework
“There’s a lot of interference on “I’m not sure I agree… would be never the same again. But
that channel,” she said. Commander, what are you doing?” you do know, don’t you, that we need
“Let me try,” said Garak. He Kira was busy with the controls. to leave well alone.”
worked quickly, competently (he was “Plotting an intercept course. We “No,” said Kira, shaking her head.
always competent, you had to give should help.” “If we intervene,” said Garak, “we
him that). “Here we are,” he said. “I don’t think that’s wise—” will have to reveal ourselves, and that
Suddenly the message was “They need our help.” might put the resistance at risk. We
coming through, loud and clear. A Suddenly, a grey hand was on have to maintain cover and continue
young man’s voice, very scared. hers, stopping her from operating the our mission.”
“This is the civilian freighter Pelosa. controls. A Cardassian hand, on hers. “There might be something we
We are travelling with seventy-eight “If we intervene,” said Garak, softly, can do.”
refugees from Kelvas IV. We are under “our cover will be blown. This isn’t Garak sighed and sat back. “I
attack… We need urgent assistance… our responsibility. We already have can’t stop you,” he said. “Not without
Repeat, this is civilian freighter Pelosa…” our mission.” incurring an unacceptable degree of
“Do we know who’s attacking “Garak,” said Kira, looking damage to my person. But you know
them?” said Kira. straight into his bright blue eyes. I’m right.”

STAR TREK 83
FICTION

Through the comm, they heard at Garak, sitting back in his chair, saw his face, she gave up getting any
an explosion. People screaming. The sipping his appalling drink. “Are you help from him. She tried to take the
voice, when it spoke again, was barely going to help me fly this ship?” readings herself, all the while keeping
in control. “Please! Please, someone, “You’re on your own with an eye on their new course and speed
help us…” this. Unless you want to threaten and trying not to feel too much of
Those voices… So easy to picture me again. Break a wrist, an arm, a those cries for help…
what it must be like on board. How leg? I won’t be much help, though, “Why are you bothering? Why
many Bajorans, trying to get to safety, incapacitated.” are you putting yourself through
“Forget it,” she said. “I can do this?” said Garak. He sounded

“HOW MANY this myself.”

“Be my guest.”
genuinely curious. “There’s nothing to
be done without blowing our cover.
CARDASSIANS Kira started to plot a course to And we can’t blow our cover.”
HAVE MET intercept the Jem’Hadar ships. Did they “The real question,” said Kira, “is

THEIR FATE AT have enough fire power? Suddenly, she

was beset with doubts. What if they
why you aren’t bothering. Listen to
them! They’re helpless, desperate! There
YOUR HANDS?” didn’t? What if she crashed into the must be something we can do –”
middle of this fight only for them to “You know as well as I do that
be blown to pieces? What a waste, there’s always collateral damage in
had suffered a fate like this? Ordinary what a pointless waste… war—”
people, kids many of them, sent off by “Collateral damage?”
parents, trying to escape horrors, risking Get a grip, Nerys. They’re in Federation “Our mission,” said Garak, “is
themselves on rickety little freighters, space. This is the right thing to do… far more important that a handful of
only to be shot out of the sky by refugees. What do the Vulcans say?
warships, Cardassian warships… The flyer was turning. She ‘The needs of the many –’”
“We’ll move a little closer,” calculated four-and-a-half minutes “They’re civilians!” said Kira.
said Kira. “Take some readings of before she would be able to open “Cardassian civilians. They know
those two Jem’Hadar ships. See if fire. She opened her mouth to ask their duty. And besides – what’s a few
they’ve taken any damage. Maybe Garak to report on the status of the more dead spoonheads in the great
we can pick them off…” She looked nearest Jem’Hadar ship, but when she scheme of things?”

84 STAR TREK
 ‘ T H I N G S C A N O N LY G E T B E T T E R ’

“It’s not their fault!” liaison officer, the diplomat, the first was buzzing. Maybe she should get
Garak’s expression changed. Was officer. They’d sent the fighter. The some sleep too. After a couple of
that… was that compassion? “You killer. minutes, Garak sighed, and said, “I’m
know, commander, you and I…” “Kira,” said Garak, gently. “Let pleased to report we have crossed the
He swallowed. “We’ve been living a it go.” border into Cardassian space.”
long time now with the Federation. Kira’s hands hovered over the “Hey,” said Kira. “You made it
Learned to do things the Starfleet console. She breathed, in and out. home after all.”
way. But we both know some wars Moved her hands away. “Reverse “Yes,” said Garak. He didn’t
can’t be won like that.” course,” she said. “There’s nothing we sound particularly happy. Just tired.
can do here.” “Yes, I did.”
There has to be another way… There Garak, leaning forward, quickly Movement behind them. They
has to be a better way… obeyed her instruction. Through the both turned – quickly, guiltily,
comm, the voice cried out, “Please! partners in crime. Damar was there,
“The Federation changes people,” Please help us!” rubbing sleep from his eyes, looking
said Garak. “It’s time we changed There was another explosion. very disheveled for a hero.
back.” Some screaming. Then static. They “I thought I felt the ship move,”
Through the comm, they heard were gone. he said, and yawned. “Something the
Jem’Hadar pressing their attack. “We did the right thing,” said matter?”
Heard explosions. Systems going Garak “Don’t worry, legate,” said Garak.
critical. A minute, maybe less… She “No we didn’t,” said Kira. “That “Commander Kira has everything
could open fire, save lives, do the wasn’t right. But it was –” under control.”
right thing, be the hero… But that “Necessary,” said Garak. “Yes. There was still static coming
wasn’t why she had been sent on this I know.” through the comm. Kira reached out
mission, was it? They hadn’t sent the The flyer moved on. Kira’s head and cut it, dead.

STAR TREK 85
 COMIC
SPOTLIGHT

Beyond the
Wormhole:
A New Era of Star Trek
Comics Begins
IDW recently passed its 400th Star Trek issue since 2007. Its Star Trek efforts have
evolved from miniseries focused on the original series and The Next Generation to an
exploration of the Kelvin timeline, crossovers with other franchises, and a sprawling
mirror universe saga. The latest trend? Ongoing titles offering a larger tapestry.
WORDS: RICH HANDLEY

O
n the heels of Star
Trek: Year Five,
IDW has launched
another ongoing
comic, simply titled
Star Trek, featuring Deep Space
Nine’s Benjamin Sisko. Written
by Year Five’s Jackson Lanzing
and Collin Kelly, with interior
art by Ramon Rosanas and
covers by a range of new and
established artists, the series
returns to the space station
orbiting Bajor, following the
events of the finale, “What You
Leave Behind.”
Sisko has come home from
the wormhole, his omnipotence
fading, to carry out a mission
for the Prophets to stem an
unknown threat killing off gods
– a timely concept, given Star
Trek: Picard’s revelation of Q
dying. Starfleet lends Sisko a
starship, the U.S.S. Theseus,
and his motley crew comprises
not only Ben’s son Jake, but 01 02

86 STAR TREK
 COMIC SPOTLIGHT

Comics at
the Edge
of the Final
Frontier
Looking for more Deep
Space Nine comics? Here’s
a list of tales to tide you
over while you wait for the
next issue of IDW’s Star Trek
ongoing series.

MALIBU COMICS:
Deep Space Nine (monthly
comic, miniseries, one-shots)
Deep Space Nine/The Next
Generation (DC Comics
crossover)

MARVEL COMICS:
Deep Space Nine (monthly
comic)
Starfleet Academy
(spinoff series)
03 Telepathy War (miniseries)

WILDSTORM COMICS:
DS9: N-Vector (miniseries)
01 Star Trek TNG/DS9: Divided We Fall
characters from multiple Star what sold him on the series was #5 Cover B
Trek iterations: Montgomery “a moral darkness in the center (miniseries)
02 Star Trek #5
Scott, Beverly Crusher, Data, of its core cast.” As he explains, Cover C Star Trek Special (one-shot)
Tom Paris, a descendant of “These were damaged, abused
03 Star Trek#1
Hoshi Sato, and even Caitians people finding a new family Interior spread IDW:
from the 1970s animated series. aboard this strange outpost DS9: Fool’s Gold (miniseries)
Once viewed as an with a terrible history. It’s about
Alien Spotlight: Cardassians
underdog, Deep Space Nine has a rationalist father trying to
(one-shot)
since earned an avid following, learn how to continue after
with many fans hailing it as one tragedy and slowly discovering New Visions #4 (photocomic)
of the best classic-era shows. a belief in something larger than Flesh and Stone (one-shot)
Lanzing cites it as his favorite himself. To me, even without the
Star Trek #35–40 (Kelvin
Star Trek, bar none. “Not only did Dominion War or Section 31 or
timeline series)
it originally air during formative any of the larger plot threads,
years for me, teaching me that story just sings.” Waypoint (issues #3 and 5,
storytelling and involving me The duo have written for plus two specials)
with such a dynamic cast of James T. Kirk’s crew (Year
The Q Conflict (miniseries)
characters,” he says, “but it also Five) and Jean-Luc Picard’s
took Trek into realms previously (Waypoint), but this series DS9: Too Long a Sacrifice
too murky or morally relative marks their debut with Ben (miniseries)
to fit on a series with the Sisko’s lineup. “What made me The Mirror War (miniseries)
optimistic week-to-week tone excited about continuing Deep
Aliens (Ferengi and Trill
of The Next Generation.” Space Nine,” Lanzing recalls “is
one-shots)
Deep Space Nine was the fundamental thread left
Star Trek’s first foray into dangling.” That’s why the writers Star Trek 400th Issue
serialization, now a staple part chose to further Sisko’s arc (one-shot)
of the TV franchise. Lanzing says beyond his Prophet ascension.

STAR TREK 87
 05 06

04

“He’s a man who’s taken a huge

step toward embracing the
unknown and understanding
the distinction, or lack thereof,
between ‘gods’ and ‘aliens,’
but he’s not completed the
most important aspect of his
character: his reconciliation and
dedication to his son, Jake. He
even promises to return... but
canonically, never does.” 07
According to Lanzing, he
and his writing partner had long
discussed the questions that
ending raised for them. “Once title] Defiant came from [IDW to put him front and center as we
Collin and I began to speak, we editor] Heather Antos asking, headed into this new era of Trek
discovered [it] had some very ‘What does a whole new Star comics. He’ll be anchoring the
04 Star Trek:
interesting dramatic answers Defiant #1 Trek line look like?’” tactical station on the Theseus
that could thread across every Cover A Star Trek: Defiant is focused starting in issue #1, and then
generation of Star Trek’s story.” 05 Star Trek: on Worf and Lore, as well as taking on the captain’s chair
The two first approached IDW Defiant #1 Spock, Ro Laren, and B’Elanna himself in Defiant next year.” Stay
Cover C
with the idea more than five Torres, involving a mission tuned for coverage of that series
years ago. “It’s been a constant 06 Star Trek: parallel to Sisko’s, to stop “a as well.
Defiant #1
priority for us, not just DS9, but Cover D
dangerous messiah behind a
the entire Trek mythos. Star genocidal cult.” Lanzing calls IDW’s Star Trek comics are
07 Star Trek:
Trek: Year Five came from the Defiant #1
Worf his favorite character, available from all good comic
publisher. Star Trek and [sister interior spread adding, “So we had no choice but shops and as digital editions

88 STAR TREK
BECOME AN EXPLORER!

SAVE 25%
& FREE
DIGITAL
SUPPLEMENT

FREE
DIGITAL
SUPPLEMENT
NOT FINAL COVER

SAVE $9.99! 4 issues just $29.99 – Newsstand price: $39.96

Exclusive digital supplement with every issue includes
2 all-new Star Trek short stories, activities and more!
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TITAN-COMICS.COM/EXPLORER
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TM & © 2022 CBS Studios Inc. All Rights Reserved.
 T R E K K E R S
THE FANS
INSPIRED BY
STAR TREK

01

William Marsano
Star Trek has been inspiring fans to embark on their own continuing missions of creativity for decades,
be that as artists, engineers, writers, or rock stars. “Talented Trekkers” talks to prominent figures whose
lives have been energized by the final frontier…
WORDS: MARK PHILLIPS

C
olumbo was on the cover of Emmy-award winning animated series for spent his life experimenting on bees. Now
TV Guide dated March NBC (1973-75) and, eventually, as the live- the bees are going to experiment on him’)”.
25, 1972, but inside was action Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979). In 1972, TV Guide’s circulation was
an exclusive piece that “The article did let many fans know, around a staggering 20-25 million, but it
both surprised and thrilled to their joy and some relief, that they were was “the classic throw-away magazine,”
Star Trek fans - William not alone,” Marsano acknowledges. Marsano notes, “… good for a week, and
Marsano’s coverage of the world’s first Star William had previously worked for TV that was it”. Once out of date, it went in the
Trek convention, held in January 1972 at Guide’s National Programming division, trash. As a result, the three featuring original
the Statler-Hilton hotel, New York City. writing up those familiar-sounding TV series covers are sought-after collectibles,
His thoughtful, engaging article made listings an entire generation grew up and even copies of Marsano’s 1972 Trek
it clear that, despite Star Trek’s network reading. Marsano offers up the example convention issue fetch a tidy sum.
termination three years earlier, the series “sometimes witless” copy, “8.00pm, Marsano was promoted from TV
still lived on, for thousands of fans. Until Gomer Pyle USMC. Gomer changes a light Guide’s Manhattan office to the magazine’s
then, the chances for its revival were bleak, but bulb. Jim Nabors, Frank Sutton”. But his headquarters in Radnor, Pennsylvania
the TV Guide coverage of the convention dedication and professionalism paid off. in 1969, where he edited many celebrity
changed that. Re-energized, even more fans “I made an impression because I took profiles. But the Syracuse University
sent letters asking for Star Trek’s return in the job seriously, even when faced with graduate remained frustrated by his
far greater numbers. The numbers jumped creating a five-line summary for an episode inability to crack the upper-echelons, as a
from around 100 letters a month NBC and of My Mother, the Car,” he relates. “I got by-lined feature writer.
Paramount had jointly been getting in to write a lot of the Close-Ups – half- “I was at the time the newest,
1971 to upward of some 300 - 500 letters page mini-features on a special event or youngest, by far, and lowest, by farther,
per day by summer 1972 - and forced documentary: 20-25 lines, plus photo. editor on the staff,” he recalls. “I was
executives to discuss a revival with creator I sweated over them, trying to make desperate to write something, anything,
Gene Roddenberry. every word count. One of my five-liners but I was competing unsuccessfully with
Many have credited Marsano’s article as for an Outer Limits episode was actually our nearly a dozen staff writers, and a well-
a significant milestone that helped launch remembered, and quoted verbatim to me, filled stable of free-lancers.
Star Trek back into production, first as an by higher-ups. (‘Professor so-and-so has “Fortunately, my fellow editors were

90 STAR TREK
 TA L E N T E D T R E K K E R S

also desperate. Television then was “I was surprised,” he recalls. “I 01 William Asked about that electric rumor,
dominated by TV series that ran for thought the series was dead, but she Marsano Roddenberry told Marsano “I didn’t
years and years. How many Johnny insisted I call Joan Winston at CBS, 02 An early think it was possible six months ago,
Carson, James Arness, Lorne Greene, who was one of the Con’s prime scene from the but after seeing the enthusiasm here,
TOS episode,
Ernest Borgnine and Barbara Eden movers. Intelligent, and relentlessly "The City on I’m beginning to change my mind. It
profiles could we publish? Tons of enthusiastic, she sold me on the idea the Edge of is possible, from my standpoint.”
Forever"
them, in fact, but we cast about of a piece in about 12 seconds, and my Marsano also noted convention-
desperately for alternatives, to help fill fellow editors, desperate as ever, agreed 03 William goers reflected a broad spectrum of
Marsano
52 issues a year.” to let me do it. Within a week or so, race, economic diversity and age, from
The Star Trek article, it transpires, I was off to New York on my very two, to 90. “I expected a posse of giddy,
happened by chance. first assignment, and an out-of-town frivolous kids, and certainly there were
“I was not a sci-fi fan,” Marsano assignment, at that.” enough of those,” he recalls. “But most
admits. “I was only marginally familiar Titled “Grokking Mr. Spock (Or, of them were not only devoted, but
with the show. I think I watched a may you never find a tribble in your intelligently devoted. They cared deeply
couple of episodes out of professional chicken soup)”, Marsano’s original about the issues the show presented;
duty, but most of what I knew came article treats fans with some awe, and they recognized their relation to
from editing/re-writing episode a lot of respect. He noted, too, that present-day problems and issues. They
summaries, sent to me by our West convention organizers were expecting were interested in the actors, of course,
Coast office. My impression of the 1500 attendees for the three-day but they were much more interested in
genre had been formed by 1930s gathering. When attendance topped their characters: what they represented,
movie serials starring Flash Gordon, over 3000 by the last day, they stopped the challenges they faced and how they
accompanied by appalling special counting. Most startling to TV Guide faced and resolved difficulties.
effects, which became a staple of readers at the time, though, was buzz “They felt strongly that the show
1950s TV. that new episodes of Star Trek might was more than entertainment,” he
“Few of us at TV Guide watched be produced. adds, “that it was challenging, hopeful,
much TV,” he adds. “Our days were instructive and important. They wanted
already full of it –scripts, profiles, to save it because they felt that the brutal
articles, controversies (‘Does Violent metric of TV economics – low ratings
TV Cause Violence in Kids?’ was one “I WAS AT THE TIME equal no show – had cheated the public
of the biggest). Most of us knew more
about television than regular viewers, THE NEWEST, of something it needed – and deserved.
“As for Roddenberry, I was
and by quitting time each day, we’d YOUNGEST, BY FAR, impressed by how respectful he was

AND LOWEST, BY
had our fill, and then some. And, as of the fans and their understanding
a new father, the TV I watched most of the show. He felt rewarded by their
was Sesame Street, and Mister Rogers’ FARTHER, EDITOR ON response, that they saw in Star Trek what

THE STAFF. I WAS

Neighborhood.” he aimed for. I had just a few minutes
It was only through a chance with Roddenberry. He was after all,
conversation with Paramount’s Shirley
Gerstel that he learned about an
DESPERATE TO WRITE being mobbed – respectfully mobbed.”
Marsano also recalled that the
upcoming Star Trek convention in SOMETHING, convention represented some real science
New York.
ANYTHING…” – with SF author Isaac Asimov as guest
speaker, and a display provided by NASA.
Unusually, Marsano’s story drew a lot
of attention. “As a general rule, we didn’t
get a lot of reader mail,” he notes, but
many of the letters received expressed “that
the convention had validated them and
made them feel included in a large and,
they said, surely growing phenomenon.”
All of which, later, proved true.
Occasionally over the years, while
walking past the Javits Convention Center
in New York City, Marsano has chatted
with fans lined up for the various cons
held there over the years (Star Trek's 50th
anniversary celebration in 2016, Star Trek:
Mission New York, was held at Javits,)
and he's encountered a few people who
attended that first, back in 1972. They
well remember his TV Guide coverage.
“I’m flattered,” he says. “It’s nice
02 03
to think my article had some effect.”

STAR TREK 91
 W O R D S : J AY S T O B I E

02 03

“I studied International
Development and lived in Sierra
Leone for a year where I met a
local Sierra Leonean community
leader named Esther Kanu,”
explains Matthew Cimmone,
01 04 05 who credits their grandfather
and Star Trek as inspirations.
“Esther had founded a school
for vulnerable women and girls
in the midst of the Sierra Leone
Blood Diamond civil war.”
While Matthew’s dream had
been to become an astronaut,
the fan took on a different
type of mission. “To support
Classically Casual Star Trek Generations Esther and her school, I founded
A Star Trek fan since watching The Next For Grant, Bethany, Piper, and Daisy, the Esther’s Echo, an organization
Generation with their mom, Suzie believes combination of Star Trek, family time, and that echoes Esther’s work to
cosplay is for everyone. “I’ve always enjoyed cosplay is a recipe for success. “Star Trek other communities in order to
putting together costumes but take extra joy is special to each of us in so many ways! It raise support. Most recently, one
in showing that you don’t have to be a master continually teaches us about compassion, of those communities was ours,”
seamster to partake in cosplay,” observes courage, optimism, and acceptance. It says Matthew. Along with Trek
Suzie. “There are many different ways to dress encourages us to explore possibilities, to follow luminaries such as Kate Mulgrew,
up like your favorite characters! Sometimes I put our dreams, and to embrace the wonder of our Robert Picardo, and Nana Visitor,
looks together by imitating the streetwear I see own universe. We enjoy watching The Next Matthew has rallied fans to help
on screen; other times, I buy and wear actual Generation and Deep Space Nine together, but support Esther’s cause.
uniforms and screen replicas.” are fans of many Trek shows and movies.”
Inspired by the civilian looks worn “We’ve been cosplaying as a family for a
throughout Picard’s time-traveling second few years now at different conventions, which
season, Suzie put their creativity to the test has been a fun way to outwardly show the
with some very unique cosplays. “I had a lot passion we share. This has produced many
of fun scouring thrift stores and the Internet special moments for us including great photo
to put together looks like Picard at the opportunities with other fans and with Star
Vineyard or Raffi in the 21st century.” From Trek celebrities. We love connecting with
Picard and Raffi to Ortegas and Jadzia, people on something that is so meaningful to
Suzie’s cosplays always incorporate a bit of us. If you see us at a convention in the future,
their own personality. please say hello!”

92 STAR TREK
 TREK THROUGH LIFE

01 Suzie
as Picard
in vineyard
clothing...

02 ...and as
Raffi

03 Left
to Right:
Cosplayers
Piper, Bethany
and Daisy

04 Left to
Right: Piper,
Bethany, Daisy
Memorable Reunions and Grant
“My family always loved the original 05 Bethany
series, so I grew up aware of, and and Daisy
entertained by Star Trek,” says Jaime 06 The Borg
Lopez-Nakahama. “It wasn’t until Queen by
VendulaB
I was in my early teens that I fully
appreciated the amazing storytelling, 07 The U.S.S. 06
Defiant by
and how Star Trek boldly handled the VendulaB
social issues of the time.”
08 Ruon Tarka
Jaime soon forged a Trek by Levi
friendship with a high school
classmate. “We would somehow
balance our homework with our
numerous Star Trek mini-marathons
that we would have multiple times a
week after school… We attended our
first Star Trek convention together, and
remain the greatest of friends to this
very day.”
Even more special Trek bonds 07 08
emerged over the years. “My husband
Jere, who has loved Star Trek his entire
life as well – his favorite series is Star First Contact Foes screen, as parts of myself were
Trek: Voyager," explains Jaime. "I Fan artist VendulaB Art being represented within his
live in Florida, and every year meet has skillfully brought two character,” says fan artist Levi,
up with our best friend Linda, in combatants from the Battle of who also cosplays as Ruon
Las Vegas. My husband and I even Sector 001 to life in a watercolor Tarka. “My appreciation for
planned our wedding around the medium. “I liked this ship from Tarka only grew after finding out
convention in 2017… Conventions the first moment I saw it in DS9,” that his tragic backstory with
are such a great way to connect with remarks VendulaB of the U.S.S. the Emerald Chain and losing
other fans and to share our passion for Defiant, which was captained Oros had influenced everything
the Star Trek universe.” by Commander Worf during its – the good and bad – that he
encounter with the Borg. “The had been doing throughout
hull shape reminds me of a the series.”
pebble thrown into the depths.” “And because of this, he
As for the Collective, was such a more complex
VendulaB found the Queen’s character with great emotional
portrayal in Picard to be depth, than what was shown
particularly noteworthy. “She’s within the earlier episodes,”
always been the epitome of adds Levi. “All that was
the dangerous beauty of the elevated by Shawn Doyle’s
leader of a machine nation, but amazing portrayal throughout
it wasn’t until the second season the series. But the main thing
of the Picard series that she that still gets me thinking about
achieved an elegant inhumanity, Tarka and creating this content
mostly due to her black eyes.” surrounding him, is that his
fate is still uncertain. Did he
A Quest for Kayalise die in the hyperfield or did he
“I was immediately drawn to manage to make it to Kayalise;
Tarka when I first saw him on and back to Oros.”

STAR TREK 93
FANDOM UNBOUND

“I have always enjoyed the kinds of work StarfleetDesign is equally fascinated by relax. For me it’s better than any meditation.”
where I can use both my technical skills in-universe technical lore and the behind- Some of StarfleetDesign’s brilliant art
and my creativity and the starships in Star the-scenes stories shared by Matt Jefferies, includes “Classic Enterprise,” a detailed vector
Trek have been a perfect expression of this Rick Sternbach, Mike Okuda, John Eaves, illustration he created using Affinity Designer
for me,” explains the fan designer who goes and so many other talented designers. which shows the original U.S.S. Enterprise above
by the handle StarfleetDesign on Twitter. “I “Today, making this kind of artwork is my an icy moon, and “Stargazer viz Franz Joseph,”
enjoy recreating famous canon ships from happy place,” beams StarfleetDesign. “When where he drew the TOS-era Stargazer that Bill
the shows as well as designing my own I’m lost in the details, looking over old Krause designed for Season Two of Picard, in
as illustrations, technical drawings, and technical manuals or concept art books and the style of a ‘missing page’ from Franz Joseph’s
detailed 3D models.” experimenting with my own ideas, it helps me classic 1970s Star Fleet Technical Manual.

Left: Maeve as
Saavik

A Tale of Two Treks Star Trek, he knew that it

“My first contact with Star represented ideals he strove
Trek was in college, choosing to uphold. “Star Trek is a
between Season Two of Next promise of a better future
Generation or Star Trek (2009), in which mankind is much
which is all the college library kinder to each other,” explains
had to offer,” remembers Christos. “Where our petty
Maeve, who cosplays as Saavik. differences are embraced as
“I was [hooked] from there, a strength rather than reason
falling in love with the original to hate. Where all races are
series and original movies and equal, there is no poverty, and
mostly [cosplaying] from them.” we are much kinder to our
planet and the other species
IDIC Ideals that live here as well. Trek
From the moment Christos always gives me a sense
Giannaris encountered of belonging.”

94 STAR TREK
 THE
COLLECTORS
GUILD
LISA HERRERA EXPLORES RARE
STAR TREK MERCHANDISE
AND RELICS…

What You Don’t Want a description, and learned that this $20 Fine Silver Coin
to Leave Behind from DS9 poster had been limited to 2500 Star Trek: Deep
Deep Space Nine copies. Sad news for the fan, as I could Space Nine
DS9/Terek Nor Poster find nowhere to immediately purchase Manufacturer: Royal
Manufacturer: SciPub Tech this poster. Which meant waiting Canadian Mint
Year: 1996 until it showed up for Year: 2018
auction.
I know about a lot of Which it eventually From 2016 to 2018, the Royal
Star Trek collectibles. did… for me. I picked Canadian Mint offered some
But I found out about mine up in a bundle of beautiful Star Trek tribute coins
this amazing 36” by 24” other posters at a local for sale, including a CAN$200
Star Trek: Deep Space estate sale auction. And gold delta that retailed for
Nine cutaway poster of course, once I had CAN$1300 and a large silver
with technical call outs my hands on it and saw CAN$100 Enterprise-shaped coin
from a fellow fan who it close-up, with all the that cost CAN$1200. Those are
was looking for one and detail and descriptive lovely - which they should be, for
thought I’d know where labels, I wasn’t going to the price! But possibly the most
to find it. let it go. Truth be told, magnificent of the Canadian
I didn’t. But I I might not even have Mint coins is the CAN$20
started looking. The told the original fan DS9 station, which could be
fan’s picture of the who alerted me to it. taken home to treasure for only
poster was blurry, but But I knew I would want CAN$149. (Might even Quark
I could still recognize to show it off on social balk at this?)
the 30 Years Anniversary logo at the media. So I ‘fessed up on Discord, and Both sides of the coin
bottom, which gave me a place to let her know I would keep eye out for feature a starship’s eye view of
start. After some precision hunting another one. (Which I did. And she did the station, with the top also
on the internet, I eventually I found get a smaller version from eBay!) containing an image of the
Defiant emerging from the
wormhole. The colors on this
Space Station Deep One of the really nice things about coin make it very pleasing to show
Space Nine and Captain the DS9 station ornament is that it has off in its included display case.
Benjamin Sisko Ornaments a battery-operated stand, rather than Limited to 4500 made, these
Manufacturer: Hallmark needing to be plugged into Christmas coins don’t show up too often
Year: 2001 lights. That means it could sit on a for purchase from what I see. I
desk year-round instead of only being mean, I won’t be letting mine go
I currently own 80 Star Trek Hallmark enjoyed at Christmas. If you are anytime soon!
ornaments, dated from 1991 to 2022. looking for one, they are not hard to
Each year, almost all are carefully find on internet auction sites.
removed from storage in their original
boxes and lovingly placed on
the Christmas tree. Captain
Benjamin Sisko has a place of
honor near the Space Station
Deep Space 9. That way, when
the button for sound is pressed
on the ornament, one can
hear Sisko’s voice while looking
at his tiny, sculpted face: “To
the best crew a Captain ever
had. No matter what the
future holds, no matter how
far we travel… a part of us will
always remain here, on Deep
Space Nine.”

STAR TREK 95
 PUZZLES
by CALUM COLLINS

PR ODIGY WORDSEARCH
Our PRODIGY -themed wordsearch will have you at warp in no time!

01. ROKTAHK
J M U I R O K T A H K T G N L P K K R A Q C Q S S
02. DREDNOK
M Y V P H Z A B T D B J Y H P Q C O N T C N U U M
03. JANEWAY
V G J N I N W S H C J K R I X J V J A N E W A Y X
04. GWYNDALA
N D M E H X T K A H K B K P M P E W Y N A E D Z V
05. DAL
B R H F Q H A J S J D M V O D X U D X X F O O D K
06. DIVINER
E E T D M O K C R K W B J A R G C P K G G V U V H
07. ZERO
C D A B K R K N Y G F O M I G W X D K N A O I A I
08. PROTOSTAR
J N L T T Y Y F K A R W O N O Y I A B C G G L V U
09. JANKOM
O O O D H S C O W S R M B S D N K L Y Z N H D Q C
10. MURF
K K S W U W V O J O R I S J P D N J L W E R I L N
G N C Y M N Q S C N G V U E M A C L C P K G V H R
D U B L K W I A T B L B O F M L R N D K O Y I R R
A M H B A Y W C O C M X E O E A E P S H J K N E Y
L B Y Q C O Z W M A S T V K F E L R R Y L Q E A E
A E A N V G T B G V Q X N J J Q W N C H T R R B N
A R Q T C T F Y K E J A N K O M K J R Z N Z X F D
H O T Y T H S C T R V T I E A N P V G F E H B J X
P N R D G U D M E D A L O F V A L O R B A R T A F
M R I I V O V P X Q P K F E L X Z L U I Y T O P N
B I O N V N S H G H H U P D H I V R I D J M Z U V
N M H T W J W M G O L O F V U B G X P Z E X J Q A
V O Y G O C C E W Q T D V H B Y R P Y G M J H P P
G O G B T S B R Q N R J G V J Y O L H L G P G W M
J N O V Q S T L A M T O R F D R M B G V P C E C F
R S H Q M B Z A G S M E R E C S K F K Z N K X E A
T V M X G D Y E R W G M E X F O W Q W V D E H R N
E Q U C R G G R F K A H L M D M I K D L L C F O Y
J F R Q N H W R P Y S R W Z D Y E A A C L C D J C
Z M F A O G I N H Y X Z M G O V R W G N H Z W F X
N R K H G M R D H Q E X J A X T E C S F O F F R H

the laws of physics!" "The acquisition of

1 – 6: It’s the brig for you "I cannae change
them."
cadet! humanity." keeps men ahead of
and the rest of the one thing that
7 – 12: You’ve escaped Tars to better ourselves
our lives. We work
had. Maybe it’s
machine has ever
Lamora! the driving force of the one thing no
wealth is no longer "Compassion: that’s
13 – 20: Welcome aboard the To Boldly Quote Spock the Difference Wordsearch
U.S.S. Protostar!
 HOLLOW PURSUITS

SP O CK THE TO BOLDLY Q UOTE

D I F F E RE NCE The crew of the USS Protostar have a lot to
learn — perhaps some of these famous bits
of Starfleet wisdom can help?

“_________: THAT’S THE ONE

THING NO _________ HAS EVER
HAD. MAYBE IT’S THE ONE THING
THAT KEEPS MEN AHEAD
OF THEM”
D R . M CCOY

“THE ACQUISITION OF _________

IS NO LONGER THE DRIVING
FORCE OF OUR LIVES. WE WORK
TO _________ OURSELVES AND
THE REST OF HUMANITY.”
JEAN-LUC PICARD

“I _________ CHANGE THE LAWS

The U.S.S. Protostar is blasting off on its adventures, OF PHYSICS!”
but can you help the crew spot some last minute MONTGOMERY SCOTT
changes before they boldy go into the unknown?
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EXCLUSIVE FICTION • THE SHIPS OF DS9

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U . S . S . D E F I A N T ( D E F I A N T C L A S S ) | D O M I N I O N S H I P YA R D
U . S . S . C E N TA U R (C E N TA U R C L A S S )
U.S.S. BONCHUNE (NEBULA CLASS)
A K I R A C L A S S V E S S E L | F E D E R AT I O N F I G H T E R
 FICTION

E XC LU S I V E F I C T I O N

Frontier
Medicine
STORY: MICHAEL CARROLL
I L L U S T R AT I O N : L O U I E D E M A R T I N I S

G
entle laughter and the clinking Stosk nodded. “Indeed. When they
of cocktail glasses reached interviewed me I was clear that my loyalties
Julian Bashir even before the could not be bought, yet they still invited me
turbolift’s doors opened. on this trip.”
He stepped out into “They promised me a staff of eight, top-
the cruiser’s opulent reception room to be of-the-range equipment, and an unlimited
greeted by wide smiles and firm handshakes budget. You?”
from people who seemed far too eager to “Comparable. I would be permitted to
be his friend, which did little to quench his spend twenty per cent of my time on projects
imposter syndrome: his graduation from of my own choosing.”
Starfleet Medical Academy was still eight days Bashir smiled. “Hah! Well, now, I can
away and yet here he was, being treated to a see why that would be very tempting for you!
luxury cruise to the Ferenginar system by the Unless you’ve abandoned the search for a
Onotark Corporation. They did this every better treatment for Purggraf ’s?”
year hoping to recruit the Academy’s best and “I have not.” Stosk abruptly turned his
brightest as medical researchers. attention back to the buffet table, and nodded
After ten minutes of uncomfortable small- at one tureen in particular. “This one has more
talk with an Andorian woman who laughed a the appearance of a terrarium than a dish.
lot but never smiled, Bashir spotted a familiar There are live creatures within.”
face and politely excused himself. “Probably beetles,” Bashir said, backing
Standing with his hands casually clasped away a little. “The Ferengi do have a fondness
behind his back and peering down at the for crunchy arthropods.”
long buffet table, Stosk glanced up as Bashir “I would suggest that almost all arthropods,
approached. “Julian.” as they possess an exoskeleton, would be
Bashir surveyed the wealth of food on considered crunchy by most standards.”
offer. “I must say, I could get used to travelling “True.”
first-class.” He turned back towards the other Vulcans didn’t give away much, but Bashir
partygoers, all dressed in their finest and knew he’d hit a nerve. Early in their first year
looking immaculate. Keeping his voice low, in the academy, Stosk had come to Bashir
he said, “But they are laying it on a little thick, for advice: “Julian, I have chosen to study
wouldn’t you say?” Purggraf ’s Toxaemia. It is a—”

STAR TREK 9
FRONTIER MEDICINE

“Don’t tell me, I know this one,” spun around in time to see a circle of in place, Julian.”
Bashir had said, eyes closed as he armor-clad figures materialize in the He looked up to see Stosk calmly
dredged up the memory. “Parasitic center of the stateroom, each one facing walking towards the intruders.
infection, extremely rare. One outwards, large guns in their hands. “Mister Irons. So the time has come?”
hundred percent fatal in humanoids A tall, broad-shouldered human The man nodded, and tapped the
if the correct treatment is not male in full body-armor fired his comm-badge on his collar. “He’s here.
administered at the correct time. gun into the ceiling. “Everyone face- Beam her in.”
After the initial infection it becomes down on the floor! Hands where we Behind him, the armed intruders
dormant and undetectable. It’s so can see them!” each took a few steps forward,
similar to our own microbes that it The partygoers quickly got down widening the circle, as a teleportation
passes through even the most stringent on the floor, and Bashir did the same, glow appeared at its center.
teleporter filters. At some point but a crew member – a young Ferengi Bashir recognized the machine:
between eight and eleven years after – had remained standing, his arms an old med-pod. Seventy years out
infection, the parasite begins to release outstretched, hands open and empty. of date, at least, but they were still in
a venom that will kill the host within “Please,” he addressed the circle of common use on the fringe worlds.
four days if not treated. Correct?” intruders. “Let’s all remain calm. If At the heart of the pod, strapped to a
Stosk nodded. it’s money –” vertical table and hooked into it with
“And the treatment itself… The large man stepped away from dozens of tubes and cables, a middle-
Blood-platelet filtering to purge the the circle, glowering at the Ferengi. aged human woman scowled at Irons.
venom, then tightly-focused bursts “Ears like that, and you still got a “Get this done.”
of x-rays to destroy the parasite itself. problem hearing? Or maybe it’s a “Make progress,” Irons said to
And that’s the tricky part, isn’t it? problem listening?” Stosk, “and make it fast.” He scowled
Finding and killing a single lightning- “I… I don’t under–” around the room once more. “Any
fast microbe-sized beastie with a He swung the butt of his gun in a heroics, any noise, anything I don’t
beam a hundredth the diameter of a smooth, practiced arc that intersected like, you all die. Do not test me on
human hair.” with the Ferengi’s head, knocking this.”
“Again, correct. I wish to discover him to the floor. As Stosk began to examine
a faster, more effective treatment.” Bashir instinctively began to the med-pod’s readouts, Bashir
They had pondered on the move towards the Ferengi, but a firm couldn’t help doing the same. There
problem on-and-off over the voice beside him said, “No. Remain was something familiar about the
following eight months, and made
little progress, but that wasn’t the
point. It was the shared puzzle that
they’d enjoyed, the distraction from
countless lessons about much more
common ailments.
Now, the best part of a decade
later, it occurred to Bashir for the
first time that perhaps Stosk had not
chosen to study the rare condition on
a whim… but this wasn’t the time to
ask about it.
They quickly moved past the bowl
of squirming, sauce-drenched beetles
in search of more palatable dishes.
“Tree-mould salad,” Bashir said.
“That looks safe enough. Can I tempt
you?” He reached out his hand and
as his fingers touched the serving
spoon it juddered out of the way.
“What…?”
The floor trembled and the dishes
on the buffet table rattled.
“That’s… worrying,” Bashir said.
“We’re travelling at warp seven…”
Stosk finished the thought.
“There should not be turbulence.”
A familiar high-pitched note
behind him – a transporter. Bashir

10 STAR TREK
 FICTION

“EVERYONE FACE-DOWN ON THE FLOOR! HANDS

WHERE WE CAN SEE THEM!”

configuration of the tubes and cannot be rushed. The parasite tends Bashir pushed himself to his feet,
attachments. Filtering her blood… to lodge in the extremities but… pin- clenched his fists to stop his hands
And that’s a modified X-ray emitter pointing its location could still take from trembling as he approached
bolted to the side. Elevated heartrate, several hours, if not days.” the med-pod. He raised the woman’s
slightly low pressure, temperature two “Days?” the woman said. “Stosk, arm and pulled back her sleeve.
point six degrees above normal… I don’t have days. If word gets “Distended veins…” He gently
He watched as Stosk tweaked out that I’m sick my up-line will reached out towards her right eye,
the pod’s controls… and knew now dismantle my operations and hand pulled up the lid. “Look up. Now
what was happening. The patient was the pieces to my rivals. You do not down… Jaundicing, myokymia. and
suffering from Purggraf ’s Toxaemia. want to be on my bad side if that a touch of strabismus… The venom
Stosk is working with them. He’s happens.” is already taking hold.” He turned
part of their group. Must have enrolled Bashir took a deep breath. to Irons. “I need a general-purpose
in Starfleet Medical just to study the “I can help.” tricorder, not a medical one. And
disease… and all this time they’ve been Irons pulled a large, laser-edged remove your left glove: put it on the
waiting for that tiny window before knife from his belt. “You can die.” patient’s left arm.”
death when the condition is treatable. Stosk said, “No! I… Bashir is a The big man smirked. “You don’t
Now, the Vulcan was running a more accomplished physician than I. give me orders, boy. I’m the one—”
medical tricorder along the woman’s We… need him.” “You’ll do as I say if you want
outstretched left arm. The woman narrowed her eyes as your boss to live. Unless you’ve already
“Well?” Irons barked. “What’s she gave Bashir a slight smile. “Julian made contingency plans with another
taking so long?” Subatoi Bashir. Yes, I know your faction of the Orion Syndicate?”
“This is a delicate procedure, name. Word is you’re the cream of “No one questions my loyalty!
Mister Irons,” Stosk replied. “It this year’s crop. Let him up, Irons.” You—”

STAR TREK 11
FRONTIER MEDICINE

“Just do it!” the woman snapped.

“Get him the tricorder—and the
glove!” She turned back to Bashir.
“You’re as insightful as Stosk’s
reports suggest, Bashir. My name is
Seph Magdiel, and, yes, I do have
connections with the Syndicate. I’m
impressed that… you were able to
deduce that.”
“Your people boarded a
ship travelling at warp speed by
magnetically locking their armored
suits to the hull before beaming
themselves in. That’s one of the
Syndicate’s signature moves.”
Magdiel smiled. “I’d offer you
a job, Bashir, but I know you… you
wouldn’t…” Her voice faded as her
head dropped to one side.
“She’s out... Tricorder – now!” “ANY HEROICS, or I swear I’ll obliterate every last –”
Bashir had already stopped
Irons handed him a general ANY NOISE, listening. “Stosk, on my mark, hit

ANYTHING
tricorder, and he flipped it open her with a one-second X-ray burst,
and held it over Magdiel’s heart. lowest setting, full-body.” He flipped
“Temperature’s climbing, respiration I DON’T LIKE, open the tricorder and held it over

YOU ALL DIE.

becoming labored… Irons, the glove. Magdiel’s heart.
Quick as you can. Stosk, disable the As he maneuvered the X-ray
blood-filtering.”
The Vulcan was rapidly typing
DO NOT TEST emitter into position, Stosk said,
“Julian, the parasite cannot be detected
on a datapad linked to the med-pod. ME ON THIS.” by an ordinary tricorder. It –”
“Julian, that would permit the venom “The parasite is hard to kill
to build and greatly shorten the “You think you can get out of this by because it’s fast. It runs from the
patient’s life-expectancy.” killing her?” X-rays straight through the heart
“I am aware of that. Now do as I Bashir dry-swallowed, but to the first safe place it can find.”
say, Stosk!” refused to look away. “I took an oath Bashir peered at the general tricorder’s
A large hand grabbed Bashir’s to preserve all life, Mister Irons. Trust display. “We can’t detect the parasite
arm, spun him around. Irons’ laser- me, this is her best option.” itself, but we can detect its venom.
knife was inches away from his face. Irons stepped back. “You’ll save her The venom contains minute traces

12 STAR TREK
 FICTION

of necrodioxide. Because that’s so slipped out of Irons’ armored glove “No. We take nothing.” Magdiel
rare, a medical tricorder detecting it and thumped heavily to the floor, leaned on Bashir’s shoulder as she
will double-check and triple-check in the wound already cauterized by the stepped away from the med-pod. “I
case of an erroneous reading. That white-hot knife. owe you for saving my life, Doctor.
process takes a few seconds, but that’s Bashir stared at the medical And I’m repaying that favor right
long enough to be fatal. A general tricorder. “Come on… come on…” He now by allowing everyone to live.”
tricorder will report instantly when it stepped back, unable to hide his grin. Bashir nodded. “That’s… generous.”
detects the necrodioxide.” He turned “Venom levels have stabilized – we got She smiled. “You’ll be an
to Irons. “You understand what you it. Stosk, restart the blood-filtering to exceptional physician, Julian Bashir.
have to do?” purge the remaining venom.” But this…” With her remaining arm
“I… yes. She is not gonna like this.” He picked up the severed arm she gestured to take in their lavish
“Not my top concern at the and handed it to Irons. “A souvenir.” surroundings. “This is not for you.
moment.” Bashir looked from Irons Magdiel recovered consciousness You should go where people need you
to Stosk, and back. “No hesitation… as Stosk was disconnecting her from most. On those pampered Federation
Take hold of her wrist, and get ready. the Med-Pod. “You… you cut off my worlds there’s little you can do that
Stosk… Do it!” arm!” others can’t. But out there, on the
It took less than a second. The “It was the only option,” Bashir edges, where supplies are low, and
Vulcan activated the X-ray emitter, explained. “The glove shielded your needs are desperate… There you can
bathing the patient’s body in a brief arm from the X-rays, gave the parasite make a real difference.”
white glow— a safe place to hide.” As he beamed out with the
- Bashir saw the tricorder’s The woman looked down at the intruders, Stosk raised his hand in a
readout blink, and yelled, “Now!” – stump. “I guess I’ve had worse.” She Vulcan salute. “Thank you, my friend.”
- and Irons lashed out with his turned to Irons. “We’re done here.” Bashir didn’t notice. He was
laser-knife. “We should plunder,” Irons said. already tending to the young Ferengi
Seph Magdiel’s left forearm “Ship like this is worth millions –” crew-member.

STAR TREK 13
U . S . S . C E N TA U R (C E N TA U R C L A S S ) | A K I R A C L A S S V E S S E L
U.S.S. DEFIANT (DEFIANT CLASS) | CARDASSIAN CRUISER | CARDASSIAN FIGHTER
U.S.S. BONCHUNE (NEBULA CLASS)
AKIRA CLASS VESSEL
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The Genesis Trilogy 25th Anniversary

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Fifty Years of Star Trek Epic Episodes Guide To Season 1 & 2 All Good Things

AUTOBIOGRAPHIES & NOVELS

The Autobiography of The Autobiography of The Autobiography of The Autobiography of Star Trek Star Trek Star Trek
Mr. Spock James T. Kirk Kathryn Janeway Jean-Luc Picard Prometheus: Prometheus: Prometheus:
In the Heart of Chaos The Root of all Rage Fire With Fire

ART BOOKS

ALSO AVAILABLE

Star Trek: Lost Scenes

Star Trek: The Artistry
Of Dan Curry
Star Trek: The Next
Generation The Art
Of Juan Ortiz
Star Trek: The Motion Picture The Art Of Star Trek: Discovery Star Trek: The Kelvin Time Line
Inside The Art And Visual Effects

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 FICTION

E XC LU S I V E F I C T I O N

Control
STORY: JOHN PEEL
I L L U S T R AT I O N : L O U I E D E M A R T I N I S

C
hark was hunting. Normally, this was And then there was something, at the edge of
simply a matter of it sliding through the Chark’s senses; something the hunter had never felt
scrubby brush until it drew close enough before. It wasn’t a prey animal Chark had ever come
to a victim to be able to feel its thoughts. across before. It had a very strange feel to it. But it was
Chark could then send out its thought coming closer, and soon Chark would be able to read
controls that would compel its victim to see the hunter its thoughts. But this strange creature was obviously
as something harmless and comforting until Chark was the cause of the missing prey animals. It felt wrong
close enough to pounce and extrude its feeding tubules somehow, though not exactly dangerous. But it must
and absorb the life-energy of its victim – along with the have troubled the Four-Legs and Two-Legs and caused
memories and thoughts of its prey. Chark learned from them to flee. Well, it may have caused the problem for
these memories, making it a swifter and more deadly Chark, but it was able to think, and so it could be the
predator. Generally it could find a Swift Four-Leg or even solution to Chark’s troubles. As soon as it came close
a Slouching Two-Leg without difficulty, but for some enough, Chark would attack this stranger and so feast.
reason its hunting was resulting in nothing at all this day. End of problem.
Chark cast out its mental web as far as it would reach, but As it drew closer, Chark could read its thoughts
neither Four-Legs or Two-Legs were within range. and emotions more clearly. And became more and
This was not a real problem quite yet. Chark was more disturbed. This was not a prey beast of any kind.
only mildly hungry. But Chark was small, and rather And its thoughts were stranger and more complex
shapeless, and could only travel quite slowly. It might than any Chark had ever absorbed before. Unlike any
be hours before something came within its mental animal Chark has ever encountered, this creature had
range, and that could be troublesome. Why were there an odd awareness. It had purpose and determination,
no potential prey beasts within range? This had never and not to do with eating. It was… curious. It was
happened in all of Chark’s experience. There were looking for things, and it didn’t even know what things
always potential victims, and yet… now, there were it was seeking. Anything that caught its attention, that
none. It was disturbing. appeared interesting.

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CONTROL

It made no sense. Her… This creature had two sexes! Wait, what was a world? Chark
And… it was really intelligent. Frankly, Chark could not comprehend followed the thread, and was almost
Intelligent in a way Chark had never this. It was something to do with paralyzed by what it revealed. This
experienced before. Its thoughts darted making offspring, though what this place where Chark lived was a world,
in complex fashions, centering on Vanna beast had been doing wasn’t it seemed. It wasn’t flat and endless,
many things at once. Most animals with the aim of reproduction but as Chark had always assumed,
thought of food or a safe place to rest, entertainment. It made absolutely but a roundish thing that hovered
but those ideas were very low in this no sense – any reasonable creature in… well, nothing. Again, it was
one’s consciousness. It was focused would reproduce as Chark did – by meaningless at the moment to Chark.
mostly on looking for… rocks. Rocks? feasting and then splitting into two But it seemed that there were lots
That made no sense to Chark, and he equal halves. This was some vague and lots of these floating balls spread
pulled further at the threads of thought. information in her mind that any out in nothingness. And this Vanna
And it was loss for a few seconds in a offspring she produced would be small was of some kind of a construction
web of complicated thoughts. and helpless and in dire need of looking that could move through the nothing
The beast gave itself a name. after, lest it become prey. Absurd! from world to world. She called it
A designation to identify itself to Well, it wasn’t interesting or the U.S.S. Enterprise, and she was
others. How bizarre! Lieutenant relevant, even if it was close to the attached to it by fondness and duty.
Savannah Preston… Or Vanna to surface of Vanna’s mind and thus And she had what she called a job
her closest friends. And with that presumably important to her. Chark on this Enterprise as a geologist. She
thought came a very disturbing scurried about in this strange mind studied rocks, and they somehow told
image of this Vanna doing complex some more, and discovered even her things. Well, this explained her
and disgusting things with another weirder things. This Vanna thing odd interest in rocks, at least, even if
member of her species… wasn’t native to Chark’s world! it made no logical sense.

22 STAR TREK
 FICTION

WHY WERE THERE NO POTENTIAL PREY BEASTS

WITHIN RANGE? THIS HAD NEVER HAPPENED IN ALL
OF CHARK’S EXPERIENCE…

All of this time, the Vanna problems feeding again. There would more Charks could remain behind
creature was drawing closer, and her be prey everywhere, prey that didn’t and feast forever…
thoughts were growing clearer and know about Chark and had no The future was unlimited. To eat
more complex, and making more protection against Chark’s mind power. and breed and spread unrestricted,
sense. In just a few moments, Chark And a new thought, something and the Vanna creature and her kind
could leap out at her and start to that had never before occurred to would unwittingly aid Chark’s plans.
feast. While it waited, though, Chark Chark, seized the killer: there was no This was a destiny Chark had never
probed deeper into the mind of this need to kill this Vanna thing. Chark seen before, but it could not pass up
new thing that had arrived. The could make her see it as something this huge potential. And the first step
Enterprise, it seemed, was moving desirable, like one of the silly rocks was to control the Vanna.
from world to world on some sort of she sought, and she would take it She was close enough now for
quest that Chark couldn’t make any back to the Enterprise with her. Chark to perceive her directly, instead
sense of. But there was life on many And there would be lots and lots of just through her thoughts. She
of these worlds. And Vanna had never of food there. was a Two-Leg, but not like any
heard of any creature like Chark on The more Chark considered Chark had feasted on it the past.
any such world. this new concept, the more it liked She had a very strange appearance,
There were no predators like it. With its ability to control what all bumps and curves and other
Chark on these other worlds. these Enterprise creatures saw, Chark odd shapes that meant nothing to
And there were hundreds – if not could keep a reserve of future victims Chark but that obviously appealed
thousands or more – of potential prey. that would never, ever see Chark as a to others of her herd. Chark focused
And the Enterprise traveled freely predator. Chark could feast as much on appearing innocent and alluring
from one world to another… as it liked, and gain strength to split to her, and he could feel the wave of
If Chark went along with this into two beings. And each new world pleasure passing through her as she
Enterprise, then it would never have that the Enterprise flew to, one or “saw” how Chark imitated a small

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CONTROL

rock specimen. Happily, the Vanna “Welcome back, Lieutenant,” the That was who Chark needed. But
snatched up the predator and stored new Vanna said. where in this Enterprise of enclosed
it in a pouch. “Thanks,” the old one replied, metal rooms was the Archer to be
Chark’s plan was working. It holding up the sample bag with found? Chark nudged the thoughts
remained in its impersonation of Chark inside. “Lots of great samples of the Vanna, who promptly crossed
a pretty rock while she did various this time.” to what she thought of as a computer
other odd and uninteresting things, “Have fun playing with your interface, and there she typed in a
and then it felt her intent to return rocks,” the second Vanna said. The query. “Captain Archer’s sleeping
to this Enterprise. She talked to a first one laughed and walked to in his room,” the Vanna muttered
small thing, telling it: “Preston to one of the metal walls. Part of it to herself. And then: “So why do I
Enterprise. One to beam up.” opened up and allowed her through care?” She didn’t, of course, but it was
For a moment, Chark was into a longer, thinner metal room. vital information for Chark.
gripped by sheer terror. A strange, Chark could feel dozens of other Another gentle mental push, and
horrifying sensation crept across Vanna creatures all around. She had the Vanna went over to the Archer’s
its body. Chark wanted to lash returned to her herd. resting room. It couldn’t have been
out somehow, but couldn’t feel Now it was time to plan. Chark more perfect for Chark’s plans; if the
anything there to react against. And knew that no matter how large a herd Archer slept, it would be the simplest
then, confusingly, it found itself in was, it always had a single leader – possible procedure for the hunter to
a strange enclosure. It was made the one who made the decisions, and slip into this creature’s mind and take
mostly of metal, but it was somehow led the others. The strongest, wisest, it over.
pervaded by light. Chark could sense wiliest member of the herd – that Then Chark hit its first snag. He
another Vanna close by the first, one was one Chark needed. If it could tried to get the Vanna to open the
that had not been close a second control the mind of that one, then Archer’s door, but she couldn’t do it.
before, and then, as its emotions it could control the herd. Chark Chark didn’t understand it fully, but
slowed down and it could react burrowed into the thoughts of the it seemed that there was a way for
normally again, it felt many, many Vanna carrying it, and there was the someone to prevent those door-things
more of the Vanna creatures. answer. The leader was an Archer. from opening if the someone wanted

24 STAR TREK
 IT WAS REALLY INTELLIGENT. INTELLIGENT IN A WAY
CHARK HAD NEVER EXPERIENCED BEFORE…

to be alone. That he could understand what she was doing outside the something pleasant and comforting,
– it was much safer to sleep alone Captain’s room, then shrugged and but the predator was not expecting
and in somewhere protected. But the wandered back to her lab. any problems as it concentrated
Vanna couldn’t get inside the room to Chark oozed through the on its attack of the sleeping Archer
the Archer without waking him up. small vent and into the metal room creature.
But that didn’t mean that beyond. There, on a raised portion As a result, its dying thought
Chark couldn’t. Chark was smaller, of the floor, was the Archer, and was: Why didn’t this ravening monster
and more flexible, and needed Chark could feel the waves of see Chark as something pleasant and
only a small space in which to slip. sleep imprisoning the herd leader. appealing? How could such a simple
There was something called an air Spreading his aura of gentleness creature see through Chark’s illusions?
conditioner that would grant it access about itself, Chark slid across the Porthos gazed up at Archer,
to the Archer’s sleeping quarters. floor toward its unsuspecting victim. sleeping on his bed. Porthos was very
Chark concentrated its thoughts and There was a second being in the attached to his human, but there
diverted any of the local creatures room, but it was neither a Vanna were times when… well, frankly,
from coming close, and instructed beast nor an Archer creature. It had a he left something to be desired.
the Vanna to open the access vent. As more primitive mind, not as complex Archer was terribly affectionate and
soon as she did it, Chark erased her as the others. It was probably some considerate, and often gave Porthos
memories of this and of ever having prey beast that Archer would devour nice surprises.
seen it or the pretty stone Chark had upon waking. As precaution, Chark This was not one of them.
pretended to be and dismissed the was sending out its mental waves Regretfully, Porthos surveyed the mess.
Vanna. She wondered for a moment to make the beast see Chark as Worst chew toy ever.

STAR TREK 25
U . S . S . C E N TA U R (C E N TA U R C L A S S )
 TM

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