Klingon Bird of Prey ( B'rel Class ) HMS Bounty.

The Bounty's Voyage Home in Star Trek IV, is a great story arc where the Enterprise crew find themselves in exile on Vulcan after destroying the USS Enterprise NCC 1701 in Star Trek III, The Search For Spock. Captain James Tiberius Kirk together with his gallant Enterprise crew mates, heroically decide to return to Earth in a Klingon B'rel-class, Bird of Prey to face charges of theft, damage to a starship, destruction of the USS Enterprise NCC 1701, saving Mr Spocks life, and the small matter of saving earth from the strange spaceship probe.

Klingon Empire Spaceships


The odds of returning in a rundown, clapped out Klingon ship did little to inspire Dr Mc Coys confidence. The HMS Bounty so aptly named by the good doctor, had all the toys of the 23rd century, courtesy of the Klingon Empire. A marvel of technology by today's 21st century standards, if we ever hope to power a ship without rocket technology, look no further. 23rd century inspiration has arrived over 200 years, ahead of our time! The year was 2285 and the earliest known bird of prey was the B'rel Class, D-12 Scout. Despite her chronic condition, it was a technologically advanced ship.


She was capable of carrying 12 to 36 crew.
Maximum speed of warp 9 for 6 hours.
Maximum cruising speed of warp 7.
Normal ships speed warp 5.
Landing Struts for set down; Yes.
One Tractor Beam Emitter.
One Cloaking Device.
No Hangar Bays.
No Separation Ability.
Armament defences: 2 disruptor cannons.
1 Photon Torpedo Launcher.
Deflector Shields and Sensor Array.
Maximum Core Output 32,350 Terawatts.
Tonnage 36,000.
Subspace Radio: Standard Klingon High Band.
Traditional Radio: RF Transceivers.
Escape Hatches and one Access Boom.
Ships Length: 109 metres long,
This early bird of prey was retired from service due to faulty plasma coils. Here she is with her wings lifted to enable her to set down.


Image Copyright belongs to
Paramount Pictures

Star Trek IV "The Voyage Home" is a light hearted popular Star Trek movie featuring time travel and a space probe as the random element in time. I enjoyed the wit and rhythm of the film. The movie is injected with considerable humor too which works. Kirks "double dumb ass on you" and Mr Spock's "the hell I can't" is the first time we get to hear the Vulcan use swear words which is quite funny coming from him. Even Chekov gets in on the action and in his heavy Russian accent asks a cop "We are looking for nuklear wessels?" Can you imagine what he was thinking? Together four groups set out to rescue "George and Gracie" whales living in 20th century San Francisco which will eventually determine the faith of all humanity. We get to see Spock render a particularly militant punk with his "screw you" attitude quickly silenced by the Vulcan Neck Pinch. Good one Spock!! Who's the best! Who's the best vulchie? Why Spocky is!!! Sorry readers.... Quickly moving on.

In Star Treks VI The Undiscovered Country, a prototype bird of prey launched in 2293 under General Chang's command, attacked the USS Enterprise NCC-1701 A with James Tiberius Kirk calling the shots. (I was shocked silly when Kirk surrendered the Enterprise to the Klingons!) General Chang was having too much fun practising his target shooting skills, blazing fireballs at the Enterprise from the safe comfort of his sophisticated, cloaked bird of prey. Aahh well Kirk, parting is such sweet sorrow but at least you got it together in the end.




Live Long and Prosper! Trekkers.

Star Treks 40th Year : Timetrek Video.

Celebrate captured moments in time with Star Trek's heros and villians. This nostalgic video illustrates over 40 years of Star Trek's hopeful, deepspace exploration adventures with five generations of crew.... Our Federation heroes overwhelm the firey flames of passion within all yearning hearts as they warp towards vast reservoirs of wisdom hidden beyond the Final Frontier.... Enjoy.

Live Long and Prosper. Trekkies and Trekkers!

Pulsar Star Movie

Following up on my last Pulsar post I felt compelled to share this discovery. Here is an image of an artists creation which shows the interstellar remains of space debris, orbiting around the pulsar called 4u 0142+61. Over 100,000 years ago a massive star blew up giving birth to a baby pulsar. The explosion spewed forth a fallback disk of rocks and space dust captured in the orbit of the reborn pulsar. NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope discovered this space marvel 13,000 light years away in the Northern Constellation Cassiopeia.


Image Credit: NASA/JPL-CALTECH.

In Pulsar Rubble you will find fascinating details about the physics of this enticing space phenomenon, star composition, death and re-birth of planets plus a thrilling little space movie! Why didn't the supernova blast disperse all the planets debris and space dust? find out.

Its an awesome inspirational short movie giving an uptake on the unfolding of a giant star in our universe, beyond imagination. It can take 5 minutes to download in Quicktime player, but it is well worth the wait believe me.

How it works. You can see the short movie animation by clicking on the four thumbprint images within the above link, marked the birth of the "Phoenix Planets." Watch for yourself an electrifying rotating radiant super giant star..... well you didn't expect me to tell you the rest of it, did you?

Enjoy the movie, Live Long and Prosper!

Pulsar Star System

Shining brightly, this pulsar PSR B1257+12 greets its neighbouring three planets every day. Alexksander Wolszczan discovered this extreme planetary system and pulsar in 1992 using a Arecibo Radio Telescope. The pulsar, once an impressive massive star is now a collapsed core of a rapidly rotating neutron star. This shadow of its former self is constantly rotating and pulsing radiation.

Pulsar Solar System

Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech


Supergiants have a mass 10 - 100 times that of our own sun. The larger the star the faster the fuel burns. The nuclear fusion of hydrogen into helium makes a star shine. When the fuel runs out and the star expands into a red supergiant, it has reached the latter stage of stellar evolution. The core cools and contracts suddenly causing an explosion, called a supernova which blasts away the star's outer layers.

This is one place you don't wan't to be when that happens.

"Mr Crusher, Warp 9 , Engage, Engage! Make it so! Comon Wesley, get us out of here!" Panics Picard.

"I Know, I know, captain, don't pressure me. It's that button is'nt it? " cries Wesley horrified.


If the core survives , which it did here just after the Enterprise made her lucky escape, the explosion cools and contracts further into a small, dense neutron star or pulsar. The pulsars three planets are most likely hatchling planets.

Pulsars

Its logical to assume the shockwave from the once mighty star, blew everything to smithereens in its path, leaving behind planet debris and space dust to form new worlds.

Live long and Prosper Trekkers! Star Trekking is fun.

Men In Black Mystery

Albert K. Bender was a flying saucer enthusiast and director of the International Flying saucer Bureau. The I.F.S.B. was his brainstorm and one man show. Albert trusted his gut instincts about earths visitors violating the boundaries of our little world. He published his discoveries through his "Space Review" news publication of the I.F.S.B. whose reports inspired aficionados to take a keen interest in the planetary invasion of the Flying Saucers.

The Saucer buzz was immediately accepted by locals in the community. It was the latest, thrilling, craze of the 1950's. In 1953, Albert Bender was ready to break with a new discovery which would have exposed the truth about the flying saucer phenomenon. Except something stopped him.

The men in black appeared. Three sinister humans dressed in black suits with hats communicated with Albert Bender. Albert learned from the men in black that a highly advanced civilization was responsible for the latest U.F.O. crisis... If word got out about an invasion, panic would spread fear right across the globe. The uninvited visitors told Bender the entire facts relating to the recent flying saucer sensations. But there was a price. Bender had to give his trust and solemn oath never to reveal the secrets about Flying Saucers to anyone.

Other sightings of the MIB have been recorded throughout history. Robert Richardson was paid a visit by the MIB. They drove a 1953 Cadillac. When the car licence number plate was checked out, it drew a complete blank.Who were the MIB? Were they secret government agents? extraterrestrials from outer space? Theres still a matrix of mystery concerning the MIB whose influence has silenced and altered the lives of many on planet earth. Still, we know where they got the title for the movies from.

Albert Bender and Men In Black Mystery


Live Long and Prosper! Trekkers.

California's Lassen Park Star Tree.

corkscrew
Originally uploaded by ehoyer.

Heres one of California's natural skyscrapers in Lassen Volcanic National Park. Its the same star tree i mentioned in my previous post (pictured at night) only here it is, standing proud in daylight. it has victoriously, endured the test of time and weathered many wicked storms throughout the ages. Three cheers for the star tree!

Featured by Ehoyer

Lassen Nat. Park California

Surrounding the old tree are the star trees sentries, all gathered around. In this pocket of forest they seem to be guarding the old one, which is exactly whats happening. Without the surrounding peaceful Lassen forest, trees like this would'nt survive as long. The natural environment protects and supports itself.

Live Long and Prosper!

Lassen Volcanic National Park's Star Tree

reaching for the stars
Originally uploaded by ehoyer.

Here is a tree hundreds of years old in California's Lassen Park. Its reaching up into the stars to the celestial heavens above where only humans can gaze and wonder, what if..

On the left is the light from someones campsite and on the right is the glow from a candle on another trekkers table.

Conifers such as these protect the watertable, mountainside and provide recreation spots for humans and shelter for wildlife. The glow from the nightsky can be seen eeking through the rooftops of the trees, which is kind of exciting, imagine being there at night.

Lassen National Park

Thats if you're not afraid of being in the woods in the dark. This photo really gives you a pretty good idea of what that might be like! Look closely at it. The Lassen National Park has over 106,000 acres of land in north California.

This is a great place to explore and become one with the trees. Many of the mammals make Lasson Park their home and why not? its a beautiful place. The glacial lakes help sustain these critters and the plants.

In my next post, i'll show you what this tree looks like in daylight.

Live Long and Prosper!

Worf's Bumpyhead Secret

During my research, I have discovered why Klingons of an earlier era, stardate 3198.4 had the exact same facial features as Humans and why they displayed Human tendancies. I hope Worf is'nt growling, if he ever gets to read this. I'll have to start at the beginning.

In "Trial and Tribble-ations" (DS9) the crew of the Defiant, Sisco, Worf, O'Brien, Odo, Dr Bashir, and Dax head back in time to apprehend Arim Darvin and prevent him from altering time. A device called an Orbe enabled them to timetravel.


Copyright Belongs to
Paramount Pictures
Trials and Tribble-ations
Memory-alpha

With a mix of Star Trek TOS and DS9 actors in this episode, the crew of the Enterprise and the cloaked Defiant crew, clearly enjoyed themselves in the filming with our cooing, furry, fuzzball, fluffy friends aboard the old deep space station K7 with neighbourly Klingons stopping by for Eractagino.

Copyright Belongs to
Paramount Pictures
Trials and Tribble-ations
Memory Alpha

Aboard the K7 spacestation in the lounge section of the bar a conversation starts off between Dr Bashir, Worf, Chief O' Brien and Odo. Everyone is seated and the bar waitress heads over.

"What'll it be boys and don't ask for Eractagino, if I..."
Suddenly Odo's interest is sparked.
Who ordered the Eractagino? the Security Chief waits in anticipation.
" The Klingons " answers the waitress.
Odo is confused. " Klingons?"
" Over there and over there" the smile vanishes from her face.
" Those are Klingons?" enquires Dr Bashir, equally dumbfounded.
The waitress figures that either shes being toyed with or these guys are drunk. She gathers up the glasses and says
" All right boys, you've had enough" and leaves.
" Mr Worf?" prompts Odo, hoping Worf will shed light on the Klingon situation.
" They are Klingons and it is a long story" explains Worf.
"What happened, some kind of genetic engineering?" suggests O' Brien.
" A viral mutation" hints Dr Bashir.
Worfs anxiety takes over and he has no intension of explaining.
" We do not discuss it with outsiders"

In 2154 Klingon scientists accidently created a Klingon Augment Virus. A test subject had the Levodian flu and was combined with enhanced augment DNA. Eventually the mutant virus escaped causing a global epidemic on the Klingon Homeworld that threatened to obliterate the klingons during the 22nd century. The ultimate goal was of course to engineer enhanced warriors using genetically altered DNA obtained from Earth's Eugenic Wars.

Copyright Belongs to
Paramount Pictures
Trials and Tribble-ations
Memory-Alpha

During this time Klingons were fearful, humans would create augments and overthrow their empire which is why Klingons decided to create some of their own. Scientists recovered DNA and began experimenting with test subject augments. The experiments were a disaster. Augmented Klingon demonstrated enhanced strength and intelligence but they were also afflicted with human characteristics.

Their suffering included the dissolving of their cranial forehead ridges and human personality traits. Numerous Klingons d--d agonizing d--ths from incompatible DNA resulting in neural breakdown. What started as a controlled experiment with promising results was actually a complete failure. A cure for the neural breakdown was desperately needed. Further tests were conducted on a new Klingon subject who unwittingly had the Levodian flu. This experiment created an awful epidemic (Augment Virus) that spread fast on the Klingon Homeworld.

Copyright Belongs to
Paramount Pictures
Trials and Tribble-ations
Memory-Alpha

Dr Phlox from the first "Enterprise" found a cure but it meant human looking de-evolved Klingons would'nt be fully restored to their proper appearance, while cured of the virus they still looked like humans! How humiliating for them. Klingons for generations bore this discrace for over a century before scientists discovered a method of full restoration.

In Trial and Tribble-ations stardate 4523.3 Worf is forced to admit that the human looking Klingons without cranial ridges are in fact Klingons. Their human characteristics are painfully evident. Even the Klingon villian insulting Scotty's Enterprise NCC 1701 and captain Kirk was behaving in a fashion very unbecoming to klingons, whom we know to be highly honourable and tradition bound.

Klingon Virus

Poor Worf. He must have been cringing from within his own skin. To have to explain all of this and the failed genetic engineering experiments, the global epidemic on the Klingon Homeworld, Generations of human looking klingons, the tragic d--ths and dissolving cranial ridges, this would have been too embarrassing to explain to outsiders.

It also portrayed the Klingons in a " human weakling" fashion which is a description reserved for true humans (read my post on Commander Kruge is a Dynamic, Powerthirsty, Merciless, Klingon Warrior)

Copyright belongs to
Paramount Pictures
Trials and Tribble-ations
Memory-Alpha

Soon after the conversation with Worf, a Klingon renegade fires insults at Scotty, laughing at him in his face and slagging off Kirk and the Enterprise. Chief Engineer Scott restrained himself quite well considering, which is why he asked him nicely to rephrase.

Meanwhile the crew of the Defiant are seated accross the Lounge watching all of this unravel. Odo is horrified. Bar fighting scenes run amok with flying chairs and people landing all over the place. Not hard to guess who threw the first punch? I have in essence discovered and revealed Worfs hidden Homeworld past. Your big bumpy head secret is out. Sorry, Worf but it had to happen someday!

Live Long and Prosper!

Spocks " Live Long and Prosper " Greeting.

Leonard Nimoy, our favourite alien in the Universe, Mr Spock, asked his director one fine day,

" What can I introduce into the show (Star Trek T.O.S.) about my my character? -What are we going to discover about vulcans?- What will we learn about them? We need to do something special when vulcans meet each other"
"Well, what do you suggest?" asked the director
"Well we have this greeting scene, T'Pau meets Spock on Vulcan. (Shes the Matriarch) Military people salute, people shake hands, what do vulcans do?" stated Leonard.

Have you ever wondered where the "live long and prosper" Vulcan Greeting, Earths equivalent of the handshake originated from? Leonard Nemoy described how when, he was a kid between 7-8 years old, he used to go to the synagogue with his parents during the high holidays and sit with his father, grandfather and brother downstairs in the in the orthodox hall.

(He was at an assembly of people where he was the honoured guest speaker.)

"There was a point in the ceremony when the Kohen (Priest) got up to bless the ceremony. Then 6 to 7 men, the Kohanim (Priests) got up on the Bimah (location from which worship is led) to bless the congregation. But they did'nt just bless the congregation, they blessed the congregation!"

"The chanting began and the Kohanim with their special cloaks over their heads blessed the congregation. This was a very special occasion."
Leonard demonstrated this for everyone at the gathering. It was very unexpected.



He had a special cloak on standby which he put over his head and held up his hands with the cloak resting over them. He made special sounds and gave the blessing. (I felt genuinely awed to have witnessed this. I watched something of such special, deep significance to Leonard Nemoy and he chose to share it with the fans, so openly. Wow. This was a rare occasion. The video had drawn me in and I actually felt part of something special.

"It was quite an event." Nimoy's dad said "don't look " and of course Leonard being a curious kid naturally did and survived.

"The belief is when the Kohanim do the incantation of prayer the Shekinah (Divine Presence) enters the hall. Everybody in the hall had their heads bowed over so they could'nt see. The image is so powerful, Shekinah, you don't look, dare look to save your life. This is a very important ceremony. I peeked and survived".

-What Leonard saw was these guys standing, cloaked, holding out their arms and hands with splayed fingers ( he demonstrated the Live Long and Prosper greeting with both hands) moving around incanting. -

-So from that day forward Leonard Nemoy our Mr Spock practised these hand gestures until he got it perfect- So how long did it take? The host used the words

"Diligent practise and self denial" and smiled with a pleased look on his face. They say seeing is believing well, I'm guessing that our Science Officer practised the Vulcan " Live Long and Prosper" splayed fingers until he had it down pat.

Even though i could'nt see the gathering of people on the computer screen from where i was smiling, i could tell they were doing it too and i could hear laughing. Leonard Nemoy was so genuine, only he could have enlightened people, entertaining and expanding their minds in such an enjoyable way.

By the time Star Trek came around the famous " Live Long and Prosper " Vulcan greeting was perfected for Mr Spock. So Leonards talking to his director and says

Image Copyright Belongs to
Paramount Pictures
Star Trek T.O.S.
Memory Alpha

" Suppose we do this" ( Leonard demonstrates the splayed finger gesture to his director, presumably) and his director said

"Okay" was the green light. The big go-ahead.

Leonard Nemoy recalled what happened next, rather emotively.


" So we had to get it into the show, this felt right, we just had to get it in there. So we went to Celia Lovsky ( actress playing T'Pau, the ruling matriarch of Vulcan. At the time she met Spock in " Amok Time " she was a high priestess carried in on a chair. This was the episode Leonard spoke of. The first ever greeting between vulcans was premiered here. ) and we told her what the plan was, Leonard will do this and you'll do this. She could'nt do it!"

"Not everyone could, she did'nt have the years of diligent practise and self denial like I had" jested Leonard.

"We showed Celia how to do it, (The Vulcan Live Long and Prosper Greeting with splayed fingers), with the help of her other hand, out of sight of the camera. When i raised my hand she raised hers. Thats how we got her onto the show."




Image copyright belongs to
Paramount Pictures
Star Trek T.O.S.
Memory Alpha.

Thanks for reading this far. Live Long and Prosper!

Orion Slave Woman

Here is a shapely, seductive green skinned Orion Woman wearing a skimpy seductive costume. She's also wearing a golden sapphire necklace and bracelets, worn for the purpose of enhancing her appeal to a prospective suitor.

Orion Women were said to have the power and seductive charms to delight any male under their influence.

Image owner/creator: Paramount Pictures or CBS Paramount Television.

In 23rd century humanoid females of this kind were a precious commodity and were marketed in disreputable parts of the galaxy. This trading suggests ownership and as a result of this some Orions were not treated with the respect they deserved.

In the episode "The Cage" (Star Trek) Vina appeared to Captain Christopher Pike as an illusionary youthful Orion Slave Woman in order to break his resolve.

Actress Majel Barret was painted green for the initial makeup trials of the Orion woman.

After the shoot took place and the film came back from the photolab there was no green skin. So, it was concluded, we'll just put on a darker green. The film came back and there still was no green skin. The make-up artists made her an even darker shade of green. When it came back, no green skin.

Image owner/creator: Paramount Pictures or CBS Paramount Television.

Finally someone had the bright idea to ring up the photolab and say "You do know we want her Green and yet the film keeps coming back with pink skin!" It turned out the lab technicians were completely unaware of this and had been changing the skin from green to pink the whole time!




Live Long and Prosper, Trekkies!