Tuesday, December 25, 2007

Star Trek vs Star Wars

The trekkie and darkside ravers on Youtube are funny. It seems the endless Star Trek vs Star Wars debate will never end. Two spaceships are facing each other in a battle for their very lives.

Image Owner/Creator: Paramount Pictures or CBS Paramount Television.

Which one will reign supreme over the galaxy? Could it be Picard's Enterprise of the Federation or Darth Vader's Imperial Star Destroyer? One way to settle this is perhaps by analysing the spaceships firepower, like the fanboys are doing on Youtube except how can a Trek or Empire sci fi addict be objective about this? So Never underestimate the Power of the Dark side! right?
wrong! We always question darkside reasoning. Captain Picard's Galaxy Class Enterprise NCC 1701-D photon torpedoes can be fired in concert with its phasers. This is the Federation's Flagship, our pride and joy for most Star Trek TNG fans. It carries a full payload of 275 torpedoes. One of these Federation sweeties has an explosive yield of up to 64 megatons. Multiply that by a maximum of up to ten photon torpedoes. That equals 644 megatons of power fired in successive pattern, after the phasers have melted the enemy's target's defense shields. That should make one helluva kaaa-booom! Yeah!! Blow that sucker. Woo Hoo!!!

Except theres one problem. I've uncovered spaceship specifications which makes for interesting reading and I'm sure Galactic Empire enthusiasts will, enjoy the news. So here it comes.

Jango Fett's small patrol craft is a Star Wars ship of the Galactic Empire of even technological magnitude, to compare against the United Federation of Planets Galaxy Class Enterprise NCC 1701-D. I know this is like admitting defeat trekkies but what if Picards flagship is outmatched by Fetts ship? Starfleet code of honour won't protect us thats for sure.
I watch Star Trek and try to imagine a happy, untroubled 24th century timeline for humanoids. Millions of fans love Star Trek and Star Wars. Its true. So trekkies, lets put down our phasers and not take these spaceship specs to heart even if the Jango Fetts starship specs are based on mere speculation.

Star Wars: Slave-1 specs: Published in Star Wars Episode II Incredible Cross-Sections.

Main guns: 64000 Gigawatts (2 kilotons per shot, 480 rpm firing rate onscreen in AOTC for time-averaged power output rather than peak output).
Missiles: 190 megatons (tail-launched missiles; seismic charge mines are approx 12000 megatons).
Sublight acceleration: 2500G.
Operational range: not stated (however, Obi-Wan's starfighter has an operational range of 150,000 light-years, or similar).
Shield heat dissipation: not stated (however, Amidala's personal yacht has shield dissipation of 2 billion Gigawatts peak, or similar).
Reactor power: not stated (however, Amidala's personal yacht has power output of 7 billion Gigawatts max, or similar).
Max hyperspace speed: not stated (however, same-day flight from core to galactic outer-rim systems requires speeds in excess of 10 million c). c = speed of light.


Star Trek: Enterprise-D Specs: Published in Star Trek Next Generation Technical Manual.

Main phasers: 3.6 Gigawatts
Photon torpedoes: 64 megatons max explosive yield. (The actual explosive output figure is shy of 64 megatons due to the matter, anti-matter intermix delay time.)
Sublight acceleration: 1000G.
Operational range: 2750 light-years.
Shield heat dissipation: 3311 Gigawatts peak.
Reactor power: ~4 billion Gigawatts at max warp 9.6
Max Warp speed ~2000c or speed of light in a vacuum (warp 9.6)

On the face of it Picard manages to bag one of the bad guys! Does'nt that mean the Enterprise-D busted the Empire up? Darth Vader will need to regroup his troops for the next battle, I wonder why Jango Fett's spaceship did'nt come to the rescue?





Merry Christmas Trekkies and may the Force go with the Galactic Empire.


Saturday, December 15, 2007

Space and Sci Fi Quiz

1. Which sci fi series did De forrest Kelley star in? 2. In what sort of home does Ben Kenobi live?
3. What is the name of Blake 7's apologetic computer?
4. What planet were the rebels on before Darth Vader destroyed their base in The Empire Strikes Back?
5. Who had a father called Jor-El?
6. In which state does Invasion of The Body Snatchers take place?

Image Owner/Creator: Paramount Pictures or CBS Paramount Television.

7. Who is Luke Skywalkers's squadron commander in the final battle in Star Wars?
8. In what episode is Data's cat first seen in Star Trek The Next Generation and what is her real name?
9. What is the name of the robot in forbidden planet?
10. What retired admiral launched a witch-hunt aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC 1701 that questioned the loyalty of the crew?
11. Which film has the line - "Houston, we have a problem!"?
12. Who beat Worf's best score in the phaser range?
13. Why did Wesley lose his cool with his mom in Star Trek's TNG Evolution episode?

Image Owner/Creator: Paramount Pictures or CBS Paramount Television.


1. Star Trek.
2. A cave.
3. Slave.
4. Hoth.
5. Superman.
6. California.
7. Red Leader.
8. Data's day and the cats real name is Spot!
9. Robby.
10. Admiral Norah Satie.
11. Apollo 13.
12. Guinan.
13. Beverly walked in on Wesley's messed up nanite experiment, which has infected the Enterprise and now moms going to find out everything!!! Wesley has to come clean. Its fess up time. Oh No!


Happy Christmas Trekkers, enjoy the festive season.

Monday, December 03, 2007

Gowron's Reign

In Star Trek's Sins of the Father Robert O' Reilly a.k.a. Gowron plays one of the most influential sci fi warriors of all time. I'd like to say science fiction heroes, but Klingon history has recorded Gowron's miscreant deeds, nevertheless this rascal is still one of my trek favourites. Captain Picard's choice for the Chancellor of Qo'noS (pronounced Kronos) stood in Gowron's favour who was a great believer in politics and honour. The other contender for the leadership, Duras the traitor, got snuffed out by d'akturak (iceman) Worf for killing K'Ehleyr, which was hardly surprising. But it was a shocking surprise when the Klingon High Commander K'mpec took ill from poisoned Veridem Six. bloodwine.

Victory was within Gowron's reach and the Empire was his there for the taking! No-body was going to stand in way except for the human Picard, observing Klingon tradition. A "no contest" fight on his hands was a sure win for Gowron but Picard had to stall for time in order to discover which one of the contenders murdered K'mpec! That left one little P'atk problem to be resolved but until the winner was declared by Captain Picard, Duras and Gowron would never rest easy with a treacherous murderer on the loose.

Image Owner/Creator: Paramount Pictures or CBS Paramount Television.

K'mpec's successor maintained his grip on power by undermining potential political opponents like Martok (he was Gowron's Military Defence Advisor) and challengers to his leadership like Toral but.. General Martok's rise to fame with the adoration of the Klingon people came as a rude awakening to Gowron. Gowron expressed his reasoning in a fiery, confrontational manner but it was his ruthless military tactics that finally became his undoing..

Despite Martok's glorious war campaigns, Gowron sought to assert his leadership with severe battle strategies against the Dominion with Martok as the fall guy. The loss of Klingon lives was dear but Gowron was beyond caring. The taste of power was sweet and the stakes were high. The Klingon Empire was expanding everywhere and Klingons were expendable.... But so what? Klingons consider it an honour to die in battle. "Better to die on your feet than live on your knees"


The Klingon chancellor's dishonourable actions called for an explosive challenge from General Martok which passed to Worf also of the House of Martok. General Martok refused to engage in combat with his Ruler, Gowron, Leader of the High Council and Chancellor of the Klingon Empire. Worf saw differently and in 2375, the flash of the bat'leth blades ensued. Worf silenced Gowron for good which ended his territorial reign in the quadrant and saw Martok installed as Chancellor Of the Klingon Empire.

"Hail Martok, leader of the Empire! Leader of destiny." -- Worf

Live Long and Prosper, trekkies, niners and trekkers.

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Go On Take The Trekker Test - Questions and Answers.

Go On Take The Trekker Test - Questions and Answers.

1.How many worlds has admiral Jarok visited before he turned defector and fled to the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC 1701-D?

2. In what year was the term Science Fiction invented?

3. Who flung Emperor Palpatine down the star destroyers reactor shaft and why?

4.What is the composition of Commander Data's upper spinal column?

5. In what year was Science Fiction born?

6. What is Worf's last name? (human) Spelling Errors Allowed.

7. What are the 3 laws of Robotics?

8. Who is the meanest Sci-Fi Pirate in the Galactic Universe?

9. In 1912, three science fiction writers went down with the Titanic. What are their names?

10. What is the difference in the measurement between Picard's left and right eyes?

11. How many times does holodeck matter leave the holodeck intact aboard captain Picard's Enterprise?

12. Which sci fi character in Star Trek TNG said "Sir, I protest. I am not a merry man."

13. Lieutenant Reginald Barclay 's IQ grew to what fantastic levels during the Nth Degree?

14. What is the registry of the U.S.S. Victory on stardates 44664.5 to 44668.1?

15. The Rite of Passage in the Klingon Empire is known by what name? What special right does the ceremony allow Klingons exercise?


Here are the answers for the "Trekker Test" I posted earlier in August. Hooray!

1. Admiral Jarok has visited more than a hundred worlds.
2. In 1929 the term Science Fiction is invented. Before 1929 allot of proto SF was written by authors under such genres as Utopias, Scientific Romances, (Hmmm.... I wonder, now that does sound curious.) Fantastic Voyages, Lost World Tales, etc.
3. Dark Lord of the Galaxy, Darth Vader flung Emperor Palpatine down the Star Destroyer's reactor shaft 'cause Vader couldn't bear losing Luke Skywalker at the hands of the evil hoodie with the force lightening fingers.
4. Commander Data's upper spinal column is made of a poly alloy.
5. In 1818 Mary Shelly's "Frankenstein" is published. Science Fiction is born.
6. Worf – son of Mogh, of the Klingon House of Martok, of the Human family Rozhenko; On a technicality you could say Worf's last name is Rozhenko although he does'nt use the surname to identify himself.


7. Isaac Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics are:
I. A robot may not injure a human being, or through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
II. A robot must obey orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the first law.
III. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the first or second laws.
Fourth Law of Robotics

8. Darth Vader is the meanest, determined Sci-Fi Pirate in the cosmos.
9. Three SF writers - John Jacob Astor, Jacques Futrelle and W.T. Stead went down on the Titanic.
10. Picard's right eye is 00.4 higher than his left. (The unit of measurement refers to either millimeters or centimeters.)
11. Holodeck matter leaves Picard's Enterprise-D holodeck four times. A wealthy socialite kisses Picard in "The Big Goodbye" Her lipstick is still on his face when he's on the Enterprise and Beverly wipes it off. Wesley plays snowball with one of his buddies and land one on Picard when the Captain is standing outside the holodeck doors. HaHa! Wesley gets soaked after falling in the holodeck stream, poor kid, runs into Captain Picard and drips water all over the Enterprise's carpet outside the holodeck doors! Picard's unimpressed! The water should'nt be there. Data brings a holodeck piece of paper of the U.S.S. Enterprise drawn on it to Captain Picard who's in the Conference Room. It should have dematerialized.
12. Worf Protested to playing the fool for Q's amusement. Sir, I protest. I am not a merry man.
13. Lieutenant Reginald Barclay 's IQ grew to 1250 to 1450 during the Nth Degree.
14. U.S.S. Victory Registration on stardates 44664.5 to 44668.1 is Ncc 9754
15. The rite of passage in the Klingon Empire is when a klingon attains the spiritual rank of warrior.. Age of Ascension.

Live Long and Prosper, Trekkers.

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

K'mpec's Dead Long Live Gowron.

Robert O' Reilly is one of Star Trek's exciting Klingon Characters. He plays Gowron, son of M'rel in Star Trek-TNG episode Reunion who as one of the two bloodthirsty contenders for the leadership of the High Council makes his challenge aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise-D laying claim to the Klingon Empire with Captain Picard as mediator. The other challenger is the shifty Klingon Duras. Stalling for time is'nt exactly Picard's style but the chancellor of the Klingon Empire and Leader of the High Council, K'mpec has been fighting off the grim reaper's evil grip for days now. Time is short and Sto-vo-kor's warriors are smiling down on K'mpec.

Image Owner/Creator: Paramount Pictures or CBS Paramount Television.

Abassador K'Ehleyr, K'mpec's aide beams over from the flagship Vorn and tells Picard that the Klingon Empire is on the brink of civil war.. Klingon against klingon. Unless the Enterprise-D handles the "Klingon situation" Kronos will erupt ito whats sure to be a terrifying struggle for power dragging in neighbouring planets and eventually the precious Federation. K'mpec's still alive but has been poisoned with veridium six. He tells Picard aboard the Vorn that theres no cure. The dying Klingon leader wants Jean Luc Picard to Arbitrate the power struggle after hes snuffed it. Picard's trys to worm his way out but no-one else can be trusted! Now its Picard's duty to investigate which candidate murdered K'mpec using this sneaky slow acting poison and desinate a ruler for the glorious Empire!

Image Owner/Creator: Paramount Pictures or CBS Paramount Television.

Sto-vo-cor forbid should a sneaky, dishonourable Klingon ever be allowed to rule the Empire! Veridium six smacks of Romulans!! Picard was in the deep deep sh--. Up to his neck in it and he could'nt talk his way out of this one. HaHa! This is great science fiction with a mystery and characters gradually unfolding in a wonderful humanistic plot with worf tying them together. This material sets the ground work for Deepspace Nine, the darkest of all the Star Treks giving the spinoff series substance to work from with and an exhilerating, fighting Klingon character, Worf aka Michael Dorn.

Picard initiates the Ja'chuq much to Duras and Gowron's maddening outrage which delays matters long enough to snare K'mpec's murderous pahtk!! Worf springs into action and settles old scores in Reunion. The year is 2367 During this sci-fi year, Gowron's appointed chancellor. In 2368 Gowron's Leadership of the High Council is confirmed when he crushed the rebellion led by the cunning Duras sisters Lursa and B'Etor. The Duras family are powerful but women cannot serve on the council, so the Klingon lovelies present Duras's illegitimate son!!! Toral, who the sisters claim is Duras's rightful heir. Gowron is sickened.

Image Owner/Creator: Paramount Pictures or CBS Paramount Television.

In a flash the madmans crazed eyes are alight with hatred and a depraved grin appears on his face. Gowron leaps from his council throne with his warriors d'k tahg in his hand.... A boy leader up for the High Council! "Don't make me laugh" sneers Gowron as he breaks up chortling. Toral is defiant but unnerved.

Gowron continues "What harlets lair did you find him in Lursa?" Humiliation is written all over Toral's face. Gowron rejects the insolent klingon boy and the council is split. This Klingon scoundrel Gowron became chancellor of the Empire and managed Kronos during civil war in the face of Dominion and Romulan interference. Gowron is a true Klingon warrior until about 2375 when he begins reckless battle strategies against the Dominion fighting a losing battle at the expense of his own warriors. Deepspace Nine's "Tacking Into The wind" sees an epic battle waged between two adversaries which snuffed out one of my favourite trekkie characters. sob, sniff. I'm still in shock.

Live Long and Prosper, Trekkers!

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