Monday, June 28, 2010

Starfleet Demotion.

Starfleet recognizes and rewards the positive efforts of its personnel by allowing individuals to gain promotion through a regular review and evaluation of performance, aptitude for the role and overall character appraisal. However Starfleet will also use demotion as a punitive action against militant members who disobey orders or endanger the lives of Federation citizens and fellow crew members through willful recklessness, carelessness or incompetence.

Owner/Creator
Paramount Pictures and/or CBS Studios.

In 2250, Benjamin Finney was booted to the end of the promotion list when Ensign Kirk logged a discovery about an open atomic matter circuit aboard the U.S.S. Republic NCC-1371. Finney is punished for exposing his ship to reckless endangerment which could have blown the Republic to bits had Ensign Kirk not closed the open circuit. A rift developed between Finney and Kirk with Benjamin's Starfleet career now tarnished and starship prospects blown out the airlock.

In 2285, Admiral James T. Kirk was charged with nine violations of Starfleet regulations after hijacking the USS Enterprise to rescue Mr Spock from the forbidden Genesis Planet. Still, Kirk's heroic rescue bid in saving Earth from the Cetacean Probe meant the Federation Council were extremely grateful. Admiral Kirk was found guilty of only one charge. That of disobeying a superior officer. He was subsequently demoted from the flag rank of Admiral back to the captaincy of his second beloved starship U.S.S. Enterprise 1701-A.


Lieutenant Tom Paris's violation of Captain Janeway's orders during the incident with the Moneans in 2375 leads to his demotion as Ensign, along with 30 days confinement in the brig of the U.S.S. Voyager NCC-74656. Janeway is no stranger to demotion and its with a heavy heart that she must now demote Tom Paris from the rank of Lieutenant to Ensign. In 2376, Captain Janeway carries out a disciplinary exercise with the disgraced surviving Starfleet crew members of the U.S.S. Equinox NCC-72381, stripping away many of their rank and privileges, and expecting them to work under close supervision.

Captain Janeway is strong willed, and unyielding with her opponents but does she manage to blow you out of your seat with her charming personality?

Live Long and Prosper, Trekkers and Trekkies.

Sunday, June 13, 2010

IClones Filmmaking Competition

Have you got the Sci-Fi Film makers bug? Is your tricorder switched onto maximum scanning intensity? Pesky space bugs... Because if your bursting with epic space adventure, you're in for a Sci-Fi treat. Warp ahead to Iclone's 2nd annual Filmmaking Competition and participate in Reallusion's Sci-Fi movie competition. With $10,000 hanging in the balance, I figure I've got you hooked but don't wait too long. Its obvious to me trek fan, that your universe will spiral out of control if you let this cosmic opportunity slip by. The deadline is July 7th 2010. All you've got to do is create a short Science Fiction film using IClone's movie software in tribute to a famous movie (Star Trek, Star Wars, Serenity, Battlestar Galactica etc) alternatively you could splice together media content from your favorite video games or gaming software incorporated with Iclone's state of the art graphics.

Sci-Fi enthusiasts with a appetite for directing Sci-Fi films should find Iclone's 101 film terms fascinating. These rules will enlighten fledgling filmmakers in the awesome art of directing and producing the winning Sci-Fi movie. The competition runs from April 14th - July 7th 2010 so get film making and grab the winning prize of $10,000. Entrants may submit up to three movies for award consideration. Participants qualifications and requirements can be obtained and submitted here
IClone4 has a crisp 3D user friendly interface with fascinating graphics and useful tutorials but most of all its fun!

Play long and Prosper, Trekkers and Starwarsians.



Monday, June 07, 2010

Another Top SciFi List

Heres a topscifi list from austarnet.com. Do you agree with the structure of this Sci Fi List? Somehow Star Wars always seems to pip Star Trek at the post. Great Space, now why is that..... I wonder?

Rank. Title. Director. Year.
1. Blade Runner Ridley Scott. 1982
2. Star Wars Trilogy IV-VI (1977-83)George Lucas, et al. 1977
3. The Matrix L & A Wachowski. 1999
4. Alien Ridley Scott. 1979
5. 2001: A Space OdysseyStanley Kubrick.1968
6. Aliens James Cameron. 1986
7. The Terminator James Cameron. 1984
8. Terminator 2 - Judgement DayJames Cameron. 1991
9. The Fifth Element Luc Besson. 1997
10. The Day the Earth Stood Still. Robert Wise. 1951
11. Twelve Monkeys. Terry Gilliam. 1995
12. Planet of the Apes. Franklin J Schaffner. 1968
13. Forbidden Planet. Fred M Wilcox. 1956
14. A Clockwork Orange. Stanley Kubrick. 1971
15. Back to the Future. Robert Zemeckis. 1985
16. Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Steven Spielberg. 1977
17. Star Trek II - The Wrath of Khan. Nicholas Meyer. 1982
18. Jurassic Park. Steven Spielberg. 1993
19. Brazil. Terry Gilliam. 1985
20. Gattaca. Andrew Niccol. 1997
21. Star Wars I-III (1999-2005)George Lucas. 1999
22. E.T. - The Extra-Terrestrial. Steven Spielberg. 1982
23. Dark City. Alex Proyas. 1998
24. Dune. David Lynch. 1984
25. Dr Strangelove. Stanley Kubrick. 1964
26. Predator. John McTiernan. 1987
27. Independence Day. Roland Emmerich. 1996
28. The Thing. John Carpenter. 1982
29. Stargate. Roland Emmerich. 1994
30. The Abyss. James Cameron. 1989
31. Contact. Robert Zemeckis. 1996
32. Total Recall. Paul Verhoeven. 1990
33. Metropolis. Fritz Lang. 1926
34. Minority Report. Steven Spielberg. 2002
35. The War of the Worlds. Byron Haskin. 1953
36. Donnie Darko. Richard Kelly. 2001
37. Mad Max. George Miller. 1979
38. The Time Machine. George Pal. 1960
39. Starship Troopers. Paul Verhoeven. 1997
40. V for Vendetta. James McTeigue. 2005
41. Star Trek: First Contact. Jonathan Frakes. 1996
42. Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Don Siegel. 1956
43. Logan's Run. Michael Anderson. 1976
44. Serenity. Joss Whedon. 2005
45. Men in Black. Barry Sonnenfeld. 1997
46. The Andromeda Strain. Robert Wise. 1970
47. X-Men. Bryan Singer. 2000
48. Galaxy Quest. Dean Parisot. 1999
49. The Road Warrior (vt Mad Max 2)George Miller. 1981
50. Star Trek IV - The Voyage Home. Leonard Nimoy. 1986
51. Soylent Green. Richard Fleischer.1973
52. Tron.Steven Lisberger. 1982
53. Akira.Katsuhiro Otomo. 1987
54. Solaris. Andrei Tarkovsky. 1972
55. Pitch Black. David Twohy. 2000
56. RoboCop. Paul Verhoeven. 1987
57. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Michel Gondry. 2004
58. A.I. - Artificial Intelligence. Steven Spielberg. 2001
59. Silent Running. Douglas Turnbull. 1971
60. The Thing (From Another World)Christian Nyby.1951
61. THX-1138. George Lucas. 1970
62. Spider-Man. Sam Raimi. 2002
63. Star Trek VI - Undiscovered Country. Nicholas Meyer. 1991
64. SupermanRichard Donner. 1978
65. Fahrenheit 451. Francois Truffaut. 1966
66. I, RobotAlex Proyas. 2004
67. Them! Gordon Douglas. 1954
68. Escape From New York. John Carpenter. 1981
69. The Incredibles. Brad Bird. 2004
70. The Omega Man. Boris Sagal. 1971
71. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Richard Fleischer. 1954
72. Westworld. Michael Crichton. 1973
73. Equilibrium. Kurt Wimmer. 2002
74. War of the Worlds. Steven Spielberg. 2005
75. The Fly. David Cronenberg. 1986
76. Night Of the Living Dead. George A Romero. 1968
77. Armageddon. Michael Bay. 1998
78. Starman. John Carpenter. 1984
79. The Truman Show. Peter Weir. 1998
80. Frankenstein. James Whale. 1931
81. The Incredible Shrinking Man. Jack Arnold. 1957
82. The X-Files. Rob Bowman1998
83. When Worlds Collide. Rudolph Mate. 1951
84. Children of Men. Alfonso Cuaron. 2006
85. Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Philip Kaufman. 1978
86. The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Jim Sharman. 1975
87. This Island Earth. Joseph Newman. 1955
88. Godzilla - King of the Monsters. Terry Morse. 1954
89. Young Frankenstein. Mel Brooks. 1974
90. Rollerball. Norman Jewison. 1975
91. Stalker. Andrei Tarkovsky. 1979
92. Quatermass & the PitRoy. Ward Baker. 1967
93. Dark Star. John Carpenter. 1974
94. Pi. Darren Aronofsky. 1998
95. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Garth Jennings. 2005
96. Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai. W D Richter. 1984
97. The Man Who Fell to Earth. Nicolas Roeg. 1976
98. Spaceballs. Mel Brooks. 1987
99. Batman. Tim Burton. 1989
100. Zardoz. John Boorman. 1974

Update: Isn't it nice some things just don't change?

Rank. Title. Director. Year.
1 1 Blade Runner Ridley Scott 1982
2 2 Star Wars Trilogy IV-VI (1977-83) George Lucas, et al 1977
3 3 The Matrix L & A Wachowski 1999
4 4 Alien Ridley Scott 1979
5 5 2001: A Space Odyssey Stanley Kubrick 1968
6 6 Aliens James Cameron 1986
7 7 The Terminator James Cameron 1984
8 8 The Fifth Element Luc Besson 1997
9 9 Terminator 2 - Judgement Day James Cameron 1991
10 10 Twelve Monkeys Terry Gilliam 1995
11 11 The Day the Earth Stood Still Robert Wise 1951
13 12 A Clockwork Orange Stanley Kubrick 1971
12 13 Forbidden Planet Fred M Wilcox 1956
14 14 Back to the Future Robert Zemeckis 1985
15 15 Planet of the Apes Franklin J Schaffner 1968
17 16 Close Encounters of the Third Kind Steven Spielberg 1977
16 17 Star Trek II - The Wrath of Khan Nicholas Meyer 1982
19 18 Gattaca Andrew Niccol 1997
18 19 Jurassic Park Steven Spielberg 1993
20 20 Brazil Terry Gilliam 1985
21 21 Star Wars I-III (1999-2005) George Lucas 1999
22 22 Dark City Alex Proyas 1998
23 23 Dune David Lynch 1984
24 24 E.T. - The Extra-Terrestrial Steven Spielberg 1982
26 25 Dr Strangelove Stanley Kubrick 1964
25 26 Predator John McTiernan 1987
27 27 The Thing John Carpenter 1982
28 28 Independence Day Roland Emmerich 1996
29 29 Stargate Roland Emmerich 1994
30 30 Total Recall Paul Verhoeven 1990
33 31 Serenity Joss Whedon 2005
31 32 Contact Robert Zemeckis 1996
32 33 The Abyss James Cameron 1989
35 34 Donnie Darko Richard Kelly 2001
36 35 V for Vendetta James McTeigue 2005
34 36 Minority Report Steven Spielberg 2002
38 37 Starship Troopers Paul Verhoeven 1997
37 38 Metropolis Fritz Lang 1926
39 39 The War of the Worlds Byron Haskin 1953
40 40 Mad Max George Miller 1979
41 41 The Time Machine George Pal 1960
43 42 Logan's Run Michael Anderson 1976
42 43 Star Trek: First Contact Jonathan Frakes 1996
44 44 Men in Black Barry Sonnenfeld 1997
45 45 The Andromeda Strain Robert Wise 1970
47 46 Galaxy Quest Dean Parisot 1999
46 47 X-Men Bryan Singer 2000
51 48 Pitch Black David Twohy 2000
49 49 Akira Katsuhiro Otomo 1987
48 50 Invasion of the Body Snatchers Don Siegel 1956
50 51 The Road Warrior (vt Mad Max 2) George Miller 1981
54 52 Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind Michel Gondry 2004
52 53 Star Trek IV - The Voyage Home Leonard Nimoy 1986
56 54 Tron Steven Lisberger 1982
58 55 A.I. - Artificial Intelligence Steven Spielberg 2001
53 56 Soylent Green Richard Fleischer 1973
55 57 Solaris Andrei Tarkovsky 1972
59 58 I, Robot Alex Proyas 2004
57 59 RoboCop Paul Verhoeven 1987
61 60 Children of Men Alfonso Cuaron 2006
60 61 Silent Running Douglas Turnbull 1971
63 62 THX-1138 George Lucas 1970
62 63 The Thing (From Another World) Christian Nyby 1951
64 64 Equilibrium Kurt Wimmer 2002
65 65 The Incredibles Brad Bird 2004
66 66 Spider-Man Sam Raimi 2002
67 67 Star Trek VI - Undiscovered Country Nicholas Meyer 1991
69 68 Escape From New York John Carpenter 1981
68 69 Fahrenheit 451 Francois Truffaut 1966
70 70 Superman Richard Donner 1978
73 71 The Truman Show Peter Weir 1998
71 72 War of the Worlds Steven Spielberg 2005
75 73 The Fly David Cronenberg 1986
80 74 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Garth Jennings 2005
76 75 Armageddon Michael Bay 1998
74 76 The Omega Man Boris Sagal 1971
72 77 Them! Gordon Douglas 1954
77 78 Westworld Michael Crichton 1973
79 79 Night Of the Living Dead George A Romero 1968
81 80 Young Frankenstein Mel Brooks 1974
78 81 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea Richard Fleischer 1954
— 82 Avatar James Cameron 2009
97 83 Iron Man Jon Favreau 2008
85 84 The Rocky Horror Picture Show Jim Sharman 1975
83 85 Invasion of the Body Snatchers Philip Kaufman 1978
82 86 Frankenstein James Whale 1931
84 87 Starman John Carpenter 1984
86 88 The X-Files Rob Bowman 1998
95 89 Spaceballs Mel Brooks 1987
90 90 Godzilla - King of the Monsters Terry Morse 1954
91 91 This Island Earth Joseph Newman 1955
87 92 When Worlds Collide Rudolph Mate 1951
88 93 The Incredible Shrinking Man Jack Arnold 1957
94 94 Pi Darren Aronofsky 1998 85
89 95 Rollerball Norman Jewison 1975
— 96 District 9 Neill Blomkamp 2009
92 97 Stalker Andrei Tarkovsky 1979
93 98 Dark Star John Carpenter 1974
96 99 Quatermass & the Pit Roy Ward Baker 1967
99 100 Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai W D Richter
Live Long and Prosper, Trekkies and Trekkers!

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

What caused Sarek's and Spock's major disagreement?
















What decision caused a rift between Spock and his father, Sarek, that lasted for 18 years?

1. In 2267 Spock's marriage ceremony was ruined owing to human weakness which severed his telepathic bond with T'Pring and granted a vulcan called Stonn the opportunity to steal his girlfriend away from him.

2. Spock joined his USS Enterprise NCC-1701 friends to communicate with V'Ger instead of accomplishing the Vulcan ritual of Kolinahr intended to purge all remaining emotions in the pursuit of pure logical reasoning.

3. In 2249 Spock chose to apply to Starfleet Academy instead of staying on his Vulcan home world to study at the Science Academy of higher learning. The Institute cast a slur on Mr Spock's half breed human heritage which insulted the green blooded Vulcan's feelings.

4. In 2363 Spock secretly traveled to Romulus on a personal mission to educate Romulans about the Romulan/Vulcan Unification. Spock's disappearance caused great consternation among Federation authorities about a defection.

5. Spock's father Sarek married at least three times. His first wife was a Vulcan princess with whom he had a son named Sybok. Next up was Spock's mother Amanda Grayson, a sweet Earthling woman whom Spock desperately tried to save from the dying planet Vulcan. He took Amanda's death badly and publicly opposed Sarek's position during the Cardassian Wars giving his father's third wife, Perrin reason to harbour resentment towards Spock. Spock left for Romulus during Sarek's Bendii Syndrome illness without even saying goodbye.

6. None of the above.


3. In 2249 Spock chose to apply to Starfleet Academy rather than remain on his Vulcan home world and study at the Science Academy of higher learning. The Institute cast a slur on Mr Spock's half breed human heritage which insulted the green blooded Vulcan's feelings.

Live Long and Prosper, Trekkies and Trekkers.

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

Image Owner/Creater: Paramount Pictures and/or CBS Studios.

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan was released in 1982, directed by Nicholas Meyer with Kirk's original crew of the USS Enterprise NCC 1701 defending the friendly flag of the U.F.O.P. once again. Khan is considered one of the best loved movies spawned from Star Trek's original series "Space Seed" episode. This killer sequel engages Admiral James T. Kirk (played by William Shatner) in a head on collision with his bitter adversary Khan Noonien Singh (played by Ricardo Montalban) who escapes from Ceti Alpha V's captivity, hellbent on seeking revenge upon Kirk. Khan's master plan hinges on using the *Genesis device as a diversionary tactic, so he can lure the U.S.S. Enterprise out into the open and blow her to bits to avenge the deaths for 20 of his people and his beloved wife.

Meanwhile on Earth's Presido of San Francisco at Starfleet Academy, Captain Spock is testing his cadets with the Enterprise-class Mark IV simulator. (Yes, the USS Enterprise NCC 1701 is a Constitution Class.) The Kobayashi Maru Challenge frequently wreaks havoc with students however it prepares them for the burdens of starship command.

Its nice to see the senior USS Enterprise crew back at their stations standing by Mr Spock, whose vulcan logic weeds out the wannabes from the Starfleet elite who will eventually be entrusted to captain a starship without supervision. A new generation of cadets including Spock's protege Lieutenant Saavik have to learn to conquer their fears. To sit in the captain's chair following in the Admiral's footsteps is no easy feat. Starfleet has demanding standards with only one commander having ever beaten the dreaded "no win scenario" Kobayashi Maru Test. .

Image Owner/Creater: Paramount Pictures and/or CBS Studios.

While Kirk is inspecting his new ship of eager cadets, an emergency distress call comes in to the USS Enterprise 1701 to investigate strange orders received by the science team on Space station, Regula One. The Head Scientist, Carol Marcus (played by Bibi Besch) rejects instructions from Commander Chekov to beam all equipment and materials relating to Project Genesis onboard the U.S.S. Reliant. She sends a priority message to Admiral Kirk which Khan gleefully intercepts and jams. Mr Spock relinquishes command of the Enterprise to Kirk, so the crew can investigate whos scheming to steal the Genesis Torpedo from Regula One's science team. Khan successfully cuts off the USS Enterprise's transmission forcing a violent showdown between Federation battle cruisers in a bloody battle of wits within the mysterious Mutara Nebula.

*Launched from orbit, the Genesis torpedo is designed to restructure entire planets and create new life in favour of its new matrix. In the wrong hands the torpedo has the technology to obliterate M-class worlds and all surrounding life within minutes.

Image Owner/Creater: Paramount Pictures and/or CBS Studios.

While orbiting Ceti Alpha V on the science starship USS Reliant, Commander Chekov's long range scans discover a planet apparently devoid of life. However his dynoscanner readings detect a minor energy flux from the planet surface. Further investigation is necessary in order for the Genesis experiment to proceed. The Reliant's survey missions provide fresh data for the Regula geeks so they can run scientific simulation tests. Ceti Alpha V was a major breakthrough for Carol Marcus and her Science team because it meant they finally had a planet from which to launch the Genesis device thus theoretically creating new life. But Regulas technological marvel isn't exactly all its cracked up to be! Saavik is unimpressed when she finds out why the torpedoes designer, David Marcus cheated by adding protomatter deep within its beating heart!



Chekov and Captain Terrel beam down to the planet surface of Ceti Alpha V to investigate and discover very faint traces of life. The planet looks deserted and completely barren from the aftershock of an awful disaster. A sand blizzard is stirring up but Commander Chekov ploughs on and discovers Botany Bay's cargo carriers in the dunes. Once inside closer inspection reveals carefully arranged living quarters. Chekov recognises the derelict as the SS Botany Bay and the gravity of the situation suddenly becomes clear.

Image Owner/Creater: Paramount Pictures and/or CBS Studios.

A masked man mysteriously appears with his warriors preventing Chekov and Captain Terrel from escaping. He blocks their path with good reason. The man and his followers were marooned on Ceti's sand heap by Captain James Tiberius Kirk 15 years ago. The mask is slowly peeled back to reveal a weather beaten face with cruel eyes striking terror into Chekov and Terrel's hearts. Chekov's eyes freeze upon the master criminal standing before him as they are held captive by the strongmen in Khan's gang.

"Khan!"
Khan is startled by the recognition and examines Chekov and Terrel.

"I don't know you, but you!! I never forget a face. Mister Chekov, isn't it?"

"I never thought to see your face again."
Chekov has a go at Khan and calls him a murderer.

"This is Ceti Alpha V!" yells Khan to Chekov in a frenzied fit of rage however after calming down, the exhiled prince of millions decides to explain.

"Ceti Alpha VI exploded six months after we were left here. The shock wave shifted the orbit of this planet and everything was laid in waste. Admiral Kirk never bothered to check on our progress. It was only the fact of my genetically engineered intellect that allowed us to survive..."

Image Owner/Creater: Paramount Pictures and/or CBS Studios.

The planets indigenous ceti eels have become Khan's "Pets" which were responsible for killing his wife. The ex-prince of millions swears revenge on Kirk and captures the USS Reliant with the help of his mind controlling little friends using Chekov and Captain Terrel who are now under his control. The Reliant's crew has been replaced by Khan's warriors who have sworn an oath to serve and die at his command. At the helm is Joachim, Khan's lieutenant. He is the brightest of Khan's group. Terrell sits in the First Officer's chair, Chekov at the Comm Console. Their behaviour seems normal except for the subtle hesitation, symptoms from the Ceti eels controlling their minds slowly driving them towards inevitable madness.

Captain Spock yields command of the USS Enterprise to the Admiral, after all the vulchie has no ego to bruise and Kirk knows it. The Enterprise heads to Regula One at warp speed. En route, Kirk briefs McCoy and Spock about the Genesis Torpedoes powerful technology capable of transforming entire planets from lifeless rocks to habitable planets within minutes. Spock logically points out,

Image Owner/Creater: Paramount Pictures and/or CBS Studios.

"It has always been easier to destroy than to create." The vulchies calmness about life and death sends Dr McCoy spinning off the deep end.

"Not anymore! Now we can do both at the same time. According to myth, the Earth was created in six days. Now watch out! Here comes Genesis, we'll do it for you in six minutes."

"Really, Dr McCoy. You must learn to govern your passions, they will become your undoing." replies Spock sweetly.

As the Enterprise approaches the silent USS Reliant, the admiral's crew become living shooting targets for Khan's merry men. Khan is preparing to deliver the final killing blow to his old friend Admiral James T. Kirk. His tortured mind exhibits an insane camaraderie that makes me smile every time he expresses his warm sentiments towards Admiral Kirk. Khan enjoys harking on about the good old days. He's been savouring his moment of victory for 15 years and hails the USS Enterprise 1701 with the good news that he's going to swing round and blow them to bits. For a space terrorist, Khan demonstrates an awesome sense of fair play but his procastination is his achilles heel which gives the USS Enterprise a fighting chance to strike back.

Image Owner/Creater: Paramount Pictures and/or CBS Studios.

Kirk and Spock input the Reliant's prefix code 16309 into the USS Enterprise's tactical station to order Reliant to lower her shields. I love this bit. Yessss! Woo Hoo! blow that sucker to bits!!! It actually works because Khan did'nt change the code combination. Significant damage is inflicted upon Reliant's photon controls and warp drive causing a temporary stalemate in the middle of Khan's little war.
Warlord Khan is furious and struggles back to his feet yelling, Fire! Fire! But its too late. The Reliant was badly hammered with debris and wiring strewn all over Terrell's bridge after Spock's and Kirk's nifty trick. Lieutenant Joachim points out that the USS Enterprise isn't going anywhere forcing the Reliant to retreat. The Admiral's ship has taken a heavy beating. Kirk withdraws the Enterprise from battle so the crew can make best speed to Regula One's Research labs.

Kirk's landing party discovers murdered bodies swinging from Regula Ones beams, however in stark contrast to Starfleet operating procedure the transporters have beamed something into the heart of a nearby apparently lifeless, asteroid. Khan's men have left a visible trail of destruction strewn all over the Genesis station. The Regula Scientists are no-where to be seen except for a handful of dead technicians who suffered unspeakable deaths at the cruel hands of Khan. Kirk's landing party follow the trail of death and discover Captain Terrel and Chekov.

Image Owner/Creater: Paramount Pictures and/or CBS Studios.

Kirk hesitates but finally decides. "Lets go"
Dr Leonard McCoy takes serious issue with transporters scrambling his molecules and scattering them half way throughout the universe, so he can be forgiven for asking:

"Go? Where are we going?"
Kirk points to the console, "Where they went." Kirk walks onto the transporter pad as Saavik works the console with the beam down co-ordinates still intact in the main energizers. The others join Kirk.

Bones is not a happy man. "But what if they went -- noo-where?"

Kirk "Then this will be your big chance to get away from it all."

David Marcus runs into his father Admiral James T. Kirk in the Genesis cave where the "doomsday" device is stored. A fight ensues with David brandishing a knife at Kirk with Carol Marcus consequently spilling the beans. Father and son stare at each other with shocked disbelief turning them to stone. Bones, Jedda and Chekov turn to look at Carol, wondering. Terrel very casually takes the phaser from Jedda.

Image Owner/Creater: Paramount Pictures and/or CBS Studios.

Theres another surprise in store when Chekov and Terrell shock Kirk with news about Khan. The ex-prince of millions been listening in all along and now knows the exact co-ordinates of the Genesis device. Like a good soldier Captain Terrell obeys the princes orders but Khan wants more.

"Captain... We're waiting. What's the delay?" queries Khan.

Terrell is severely conflicted by his loyalty to Starfleet, while his mind battles for control opposing the juvenile ceti creature and suggestions from Khan to kill Admiral Kirk.

"All is well, sir. You have the coordinates to beam up Genesis..."
Khan is persistent. "First things first, Captain, KILL Admiral Kirk."

Only Kirk and Bones have sneaking suspicions on their faces. David is stunned with shocked disbelief and makes a wild lunge at Terrel who accidently phasers Jedda into stardust. Chekov is close to a seizure. Its obvious to everyone, Captain Terrel is fighting conflicting mental signals.

"Excellency... it is difficult. I try to obey, but...."

Khan's voice echoes around the Genesis cave. "KILL HIM."

Image Owner/Creater: Paramount Pictures and/or CBS Studios.

As though tearing off a leach, Terrell grabs at the wrist recorder and flings it to the ground. A shock wave of screeching ceti eels rings through Terrell's head. He recovers, trembling, realising that he can no longer take orders from a denebian slime devil. Chekov is shaking badly. Terrell turns his phaser away from Admiral Kirk while Chekov's hands are frozen in time pointing his phaser at the good guys. Khan hasn't given up on Terrell.


"Kill him, Terrel. Now!"

Then, shockingly: Terrell turns his phaser on himself resisting Khan. Terrell goes out in agonising style, vaporising himself into oblivion. The Ceti eel crawls out of Chekov's ear. It has grown quite large. Chekov breaks free from the creatures hypnotic control, and once again Khan has failed to kill Kirk. Kirk grabs Terrels wrist communicator from the floor.

"Khan, you bloodsucker, they're finished! You'll have to do your own dirty work now. Do you hear me? Do you?"

" Kirk! Kirk, you are still alive..... my old friend..."

In the Rocky Cavern the transporter beam locks on to the Genesis torpedo and its arming control box. As Kirk and the others watch, horrified, Khan beams up the materials. David tries to reach the torpedo, but Saavik holds him fast with Khan leaving the Enterprise party stranded forever, buried alive!



"KKKKHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNN!!!!!!!!!"


Carol Marcus shows Kirk the Genesis Cave, an Edenic environment created in the heart of a previously dead world and proof Genesis works. Kirk reveals to Saavik the conclusion of the Genesis no-win scenario. He picks up his communicator.
"Spock, this is Kirk. It's two hours. Are you ready?"

"Spock here. Right on schedule, Admiral. Just give us your coordinates and we'll beam you aboard."
Kirk cheats death again by tricking Khan whose two dimensional intellect serves only to play into the USS Enterprise NCC-1701 hands. Shes not as heavily damaged as Khan was led to believe. Mr Spock lied! They return to the ship and lure Khan into the nearby Mutara Nebula. Kirk has to outsmart Khan because the Enterprise has lost its warp power. The Reliant is eventually crippled after a game of cat and mouse and everyone but Khan is killed.

Image Owner/Creater: Paramount Pictures and/or CBS Studios.

Rather than surrender, Khan activates the Genesis Device to take out his opponents who are close by and without warp drive. The wounded Enterprise can't escape in time from the Genesis countdown which delights Khan in his dying moments. Spock hurries to the USS Enterprise's engine room, and enters a high radiation area after depositing his "Katra" in Dr McCoys mind. It's fascinating to observe how the vulcan's "emotional outburst" succeeded in restoring warp power to the Enterprise engines, whereas Spock's logic was powerless to convince Dr McCoy. So the sly vulcan slips the good doctor with a vulcan neck pinch giving him a major headache. Tragedy strikes when our beloved Spock receives a lethal dose of radiation and dies. Mr Spock gave his life to save his ship and crewmates from the Genesis death wave with the movie ending with a funeral service for the heroic Vulcan. This was a real tear jerking moment for trek fans, watching Admiral Kirk and Spock saying goodbye hit hard at the very core of Trekkie defences!.... "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one."

Image Owner/Creater: Paramount Pictures and/or CBS Studios.

Many fans consider this movie to be "real" Trek, accurate in areas of characterization, and involving a people-oriented plot which was one of the things that made Trek work, demands for Spock's return in a third movie "The Search for Spock."(1984) were made worldwide. More Star Trek movies followed with Leonard Nimoy right up to Star Trek XI.You can wipe away the tears now. XD.

Guest stars include some famous names: Bibi Besch, Merritt Butrick, Paul Winfield, Kirstie Alley, Ricardo Montalban, and Ike Eisenmann. John Winston reprises his role from the Original series as Lieutenant Kyle (Transporter Chief), and Teresa Victor, Harve Bennett was the fi!m's executive producer as well as the writer (with Jack B. Sowards}. James Horner scored the film and Lucasfilm`s Industrial Light and Magic team directed the special effects.


Live Long and Prosper, Trekkers and Trekkies!

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

What is the Kobayashi Maru?

















A multiple choice question: What is the Kobayashi Maru?

1. A third-class neutronic fuel carrier, carrying a crew of 81 and 300 passengers, last heard from in the proximity of Sector Ten.

2. The toughest simulator test that cadets face in their years at Starfleet Academy.

3. The brilliant solution to a very difficult Klingon/Federation public-relations interstellar conflict.

4. None of the above.

Kobayashi-Maru

Live long and Prosper, Trekkies and Trekkers.

Saturday, April 03, 2010

Kirk vs Vader

Darth Vader: Captain James T. Kirk, we meet at last. I'm glad you saw sense and decided to surrender.

Captain Kirk: When Scotty swings the Enterprise around Lord Vader, I'm going to blast you out of the stars. There'll be No surrender, just space dust.

Darth Vader: I find your lack of faith most disturbing.

Captain Kirk: Spare me the double talk Vader, when the Enterprise weapons take out your rebels, you won't have a prayer.

Darth Vader: I warn you Kirk, Don't play with the powers from the darkside. Any offensive strike made against my starship by your Starfleet militants would yield fruitless results against the most powerful force in the universe. Come join me Kirk! Together we will govern the stars and overthrow the swaggering despot Federation of Planets.

Captain Kirk: Ready with phasers Mr Spock?

Spock: Ready. He is quite mad is'nt he? Captain, I feel it necessary to point out the odds of the USS Enterprise surviving the firey deathrays of Lord Vader's star destroyer.

Captain Kirk: Damn it Spock!! Not now!! (Kirk thumps his fist on the communications console.)

Darth Vader: Listen to your man Kirk. Don't become too proud of the USS Enterprise's technological superiority, it will become your undoing Captain.

Captain Kirk: Don't try to frighten me with your warlock ways, Lord Vader. Your sad dedication to that darkside magic won't save you now. We've got phasers, photon torpedoes and a doomsday weapon.

Darth Vader: (Gasp) thats cheating!

Captain Kirk: Assimulate this Anakin!

Darth Vader: Aghh!!!! You dare to call me that!!!!!

Captain Kirk: (Thumps fist on communications console) Scotty I need warp power in two seconds or we're all dead. Spock launch the Genesis........Gasp..... I can't.... breathe.....raise ...shields......

How does it end?



Live Long and Prosper.

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Star Trek Online: Ship Battles

Incoming Priority One Subspace. Communication. In Star Trek Online you'll get to experience all the aspects of the Star Trek Universe. Exploration, diplomacy but the year 2409 is a time of war, so with this video we wanted to give you an idea of what it would be like to engage the enemy in Starship combat.

The most basic strategy in starship combat is to maneuver your ship and use your energy weapons to bear on one section of your enemies shields. Knock those shields down and then use your photon torpedoes on the exposed hull.

Here are the three basic types of starship that you can get on Star Trek Online. The first one is a Cruiser. Cruisers are really tough. It takes alot of damage to take one of these ships down. Cruisers have alot of crew so they're hard to disable. This is really good for tanking.



The second kind is an Escort, Escorts are really fast, pretty manoeverable, they can inflict alot of damage at one time but they're pretty weak so Escorts are alot better for dealing DamagePerSecond.

The third kind is a Science ship which is really good at increasing the abilities of you and your teammates and for decreasing the abilities of the enemy. They can do crazy stuff like bouncing stuff off the deflector dish or scrambling enemy sensors. Science ships are really good at doing support.

One of the additional ways you can customise your starship, instead of just customising your crew, is to customise the components that are on your ship. So for example, you and I may have the same class of ship but the items that I've put on my ship may be different than yours. Take for instance, some of the station modules that I've put on my starship may impact on my phasers or photon torpedoes. There might even be a difference in your deflector dish, so some of your bridge officer powers (which you've also customised.) may act differently depending on the gear you've put in your ship even though I have the same class of starship.

The proper configuration of your ship's equipment and crew will prevent you from becoming a sitting duck in space. Its really the weapons, deflector dish, impulse engines, the consoles that you install in your ship as well as the bridge officers who are activated at that time who really determine how well you play in combat.



Bridge officers in Star Trek Online change how you play the game. You actually select them, train them up, give them new abilities, they can learn abilities from new Bridge Officers and they actually affect your powers that you have access to in space. For instance you can have Engineering Bridge Officers that are really good at fixing your ship or making it go faster. Those are the ones I tend to pick, so that I can be a bit more durable and have some escapability. You can also get Engineering Bridge Officers that will give you extra power to your engines or your weapons. Tactical Officers will allow you to fire multiple torpedoes at once or really overload one phaser and shoot one giant beam of energy.

Science guys let you mess up your enemies sensors so they can't target you confusing who they know whos a friend or a foe or boost your friendly ships, making their shields better and enhancing their sensors. We are the Borg. Resistance IS Futile.

Play Long and Prosper, Trekkies.

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Too Much Trek.

Your family give you the slip because you love watching Star Trek so much that its really peeving them off. You tell them Resistance IS Futile!



Your girlfriend beat you because she discovered your private stash of love letters written to Jeri Ryan in Star Trek's Voyager.

You turn your attention to the Duras sisters and develop a crush on B'Etor, who is'nt half bad for a Klingon. Your girlfriend is suspicious now.

You start believing aliens will invade earth and will spread universal peace to every corner of our little world.

You have no life.

Klingons are fearless while Earthies react to fear which is the most foreboding of emotions and makes us look like softies. If only your teeth were spikey and you carried a great knowledge of Klingon swear words.....Then you could scare the blazes out of your opponents....



Its urgent you defend Earth from kamikaze madmen except you require a starship to beam them up for Neural Neutralizer treatment. Now, where is the nearest starship?

Folks smile at you and give you that special glazed look in their eyes when you explain the existence of Star Treks Prime Directive to them.

NASA are a long way off to building a proper warpdrive galaxy class starship which is'nt funny anymore. Maybe its time you built it for them.







You feel terrified for the crew of the USS Enterprise, Defiant, Voyager or deep space nine when our defenders of the galaxy are in danger. You share their pain and rejoice in meeting new lifeforms.

Live Long and Prosper, Trekkies.

Friday, January 15, 2010

Asteroid Space Trek

The year is 2364. In the murky darkness of space and time, several shadows flicker directly ahead of Uss Enterprise-D's flightpath. The bridge viewscreen crackles with static. Riker stops short and looks at Worf for answers. The Klingon growls and thumps his Tactical Station in sheer frustration. Captain Picard gets up from his command chair sighing heavily.

The burdens of command and over 1000 enterprise crew are on his mind. Engineering is getting unusual readings from the long range and short range sensors. In fact the eyes of the Enterprise have been completely disabled owing to heavy radiation escaping from a nearby nebula.



"Captain, we're on a direct collision course with several space objects!"  states the android Data rather calmly. Beads of sweat roll down the captains face.
"All hands battle stations, brace for impact." bawls Picard.
"But Captain why don't we just phaser our way through?." suggests Worf.
"No Mr Worf, thats a bad idea." retorts Picard drumming his fingers nervously.
"No-one ever listens to me" mutters worf through gritted teeth.
Red Alert, Shields up. Computer alter course, bearing 270 mark 15."
"Unable to comply."
Deanna shifts uneasily leaning over to face Picard. Her soft olive skin is white with worry. "Hey lover, we need to get out of here now."
Picard throws his hands up in the air. "My quarters?"
Deanna flashes her sexy smile as all hell breaks loose. "Lets go"


Image Owner/Creater: Paramount Pictures and/or CBS Studios.

Stray asteroids from Jupiters space belt smash into the starboard side of the ship ripping through Transporter Room 2, obliterating everything and everyone on deck 6. The emergency bulkheads and forcefields immediately seal off the affected area.

The plasma injection phase-synchronization software systems crash during the collision causing a massive over load in the warp engines. Chief Engineer La Forge orders an emergency warp core shutdown in an attempt to keep the plasma injectors from seizing up..

The ship shudders and yawns unnaturally, throwing everyone off their feet. Wonderful crunching noises of titanium and pieces of asteroids rip into Shuttle Deck 3 killing all the shuttlebay crewhands. The Enterprise is severely wounded and takes another direct hit on her Engineering hull. .

"Merde....MY SHIP... what in great space is happening down there La Forge. We can't see a damn thing up here."
"I'm on it Captain, just give me two minutes." replies Geordi tapping his com badge.
"We don't have two minutes, I need warp power now." yells the captain staring into his chairs intercom.
"Captain, I've just shut down the warpcore to prevent the plasma injectors reaching meltdown and causing a warpcore breach." reports La Forge above the mayhem in Engineering. Picard glances at a frozen Commander Riker for suggestions. Suddenly the deckplates crumple like tissue paper under Rikers feet..... A terrifying jagged crack splinters across the viewscreen. Its only a matter of time.

Riker is sucked off his feet first, "Data, somethings got me! agghhhhh!'

Panic stricken crew members terrorized out of their minds scream out agonized deaths as flailing bodies shoot across the bridge like cannon balls. Data watches his colleagues zipping through the air, unsettled by their sudden departure.
"Geordi, we've lost structural integrity, divert impulse power to the deflector array now or the entire bridgecrew will die." states the andoid rather calmly.



At the push of a button Geordi re-routes impulse power to the deflector dish but its too little too late. The optical data network crashes momentarily freezing the Enterprises navigation and processing speed times. Engineers grab their tool kits and scramble like mice up the jeffries tubes with orders to redirect every available scrap of energy to the anti photon generators.

STARFLEET NEEDS YOU!

That means you mister, now get going and don't forget your tricorder in case you run into trouble along the way. Reports are coming in with casualties from all over the ship. The Enterprise can't take it anymore and is drifting in space. Shields are down and your tricorder readings clearly identify enemy pirate ships in the vicinity swooping in to loot the Enterprise which is suffering from primary and secondary system failures with malfunctioning phasers. Torpedoes are offline and the use of forcefields have been deployed to suppress fires in the secondary hull.

THE NEEDS OF THE MANY OUTWEIGH THE NEEDS OF THE FEW.

"Attention, this is the Captain. I need hardly remind you that the lives and safety of the Enterprise are at stake. We've been hit by a series asteroids and have temporarily lost power but I know you are the finest crew in Starfleet. Defend the ship and set your phasers on stun. Fight hand to hand combat if necessary. Picard out." A bewildered crew state helplessly at their guns.
It could be just a matter of minutes or seconds before space pirates send their henchmen beaming aboard.

WHAT WOULD YOU DO AND WHY DID PICARD GIVE SUCH AN UNUSUAL ORDER?

Its your Starfleet duty to protect, serve and defend the Enterprise, right!! You've got to take action and not give in to fear. Just don't panic is all I'm saying..... You can do this. The Enterprise needs you.



First, Identify and isolate whatever problem tour faced with. Getting the phaser emitters online would be a good idea. Over 41% of them are fried circuits. To complicate matters, tricorders are giving off strange readings owing to sporadic nebula radiation leaking through the hull. You take out your Enterprise-D Schematic and locate the problem systems illustrated on your backup ipad. Suddenly the klingon Worf appears geared for war. He's carrying his bat'leth with him and its soaked in blood.


"I caught two intruders on deck 15. Remember Ensign, when you need fiber optic cabling to make repairs you can get it from here." roars the klingon as he rips cabling from the ceiling with one hand firing it on the deckplates. But thats Worf for you. 


First things first, you must navigate your way to the required system failure using the correct co-ordinates provided. Flipping open your tricorder and taking readings is the easy part. Fixing the damaged Phaser Emitter Element is quite another matter because the entire section C deck is flooded with nebula radiation. You will have to think outside the box. The ship's in grave danger and time is of the essence. Geordi's hasn't given you a moments peace and orders you to go enter section c. No time to suit up, its now or never.. Hey, I know why don't we send Wesley up the crawlway!!!  Sounds like a great idea, doesn't it. Theres 14 system failures to check out!! He'll never make it back alive. 




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