Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Nyota Uhura

In 1966 Nichelle Nichols played Lieutenant Nyota Uhura for three seasons going boldly where no woman has gone before. In 2266 Uhura took to the stars aboard the original USS Enterprise NCC 1701 in her most famous role as Communications Officer entertaining viewers with her "Hailing frequencies open, Captain." Her character is eventually promoted in Starfleet to the rank of Commander. Indeed Uhura reached deep into the hearts and minds of trek fans right accross the space time continuum and proved to be a valuable technician manning the USS Enterprise 1701. Under the command of Captain Kirk, Uhura is responsible for all incoming and outgoing starship communications. Her bridge responsibilities require establishing first contact with alien worlds, bypassing and repairing communication starship systems, detecting and isolating communication signals, responding to distress calls, warning the Captain and raising Starfleet Command.


Uhura can always be relied upon to cheer up the USS Enterprise by singing and seranading to her fellow crew mates in song. In fact her most shocking interstellar experience occured on stardate 3541.9 when the Enterprise was taken over by the space probe Nomad. The probe misunderstood Uhura's singing of 'Beyond Antares,'which she was fond of and assimulated all her memories in an effort to correct a malfunctioning biological unit. Captain Kirk was naturally displeased with Nomad but fortunately Dr Mc Coy's skilled medical techniques restored Uhura's memory to within fully operational starship parameters.

On stardate 5784.2, Uhura performed the first groundbreaking kiss between an Africian-American and a Caucasian, controlled by alien empaths, she was forced to kiss her commanding officer, Captain James T. Kirk in Platos Stepchildren. It was too bad for Trekkies in Europe because it was over 25 years before British television allowed it to be broadcast. Thats how delayed Europe is to the Americas. The history of Star Trek from the 1960s to 2007, depicts conflicts leading to the eventual rise and rapid emancipation of women on tv, films, the internet and societies accross theglobe. Nichelle Nichols, Whoopi Goldberg as Guinan in Star Treks TNG TenForward, JoanCollins as Edith Keeler in Star Trek's 'The City on the Edge of Forever', Mary Mc Alese as President of Ireland, Governor Sarah Palin and Sonia O'Sullivan have succeeded and become major forces to be reckoned with.

In 1968 Star Trek took the first step with Nichelle Nichols and it was a very neat one indeed despite NBC insisting that Kirk and Uhura's lips not be captured on camera. Even so, Nichols states in her book, 'Saturn's Child,' that the kiss was real. Because she is both female and black, Lieutenant Uhura represents two disparate communities united in the shape of one actress. Its interesting to note how far society as a whole has come all because of Star Trek and Nichelle's chance encounter with Martin Luther King. He urged her to remain on as Communications Officer because her character served as a role model not only for blacks but for everyone. Luther's words had such an effect on Nichol's that she later revealed in a "20/20" interview, "I knew that now black children must look at me on that ship even if I was pushing some buttons and know that 'this is a person that I can identify with, that I can emulate.'" One of those kids was Whoopi Goldberg, who told Starlog magazine, "I've been a Trekkie from way back. The only time you ever saw black people in the future was on Star Trek." In 1987 the Enterprise Starship Legacy lived on in the crew of the USS Enterprrise NCC 1701-D. Nichelle and Whoopi may not be in the captain's chair yet but Guinan is on the Flagship of the Federation and Lieutenant Uhura is on the Bridge of the USS Enterprise NCC 1701.

Kiss long and Prosper, Trekkies!

Friday, May 11, 2007

Worfs Warrior Code

There is no honour in boring an enemy to death says "Worf" from Star Trek's The Next Generation who lives by the Klingon code of honour.

Image Copyright Belongs to Paramount Pictures or CBS Paramount Television.


The Code of all Fierce Klingon Warriors.


1. There's nothing shameful in falling to a superior enemy.
2. Klingons appreciate strong women.
3. Only fools have no fear.
4. Do not mock Klingons. It makes us angry.
5. The true test of a warrior is not without it is within.
6. Klingons do not take prisoners.
7. Every Klingon hopes to die in the line of duty.
8. Klingons do not play with toys.
9. Survive and Succeed!
10. Prunejuice is a warriors drink!
11. Every Klingon hopes to die in battle, better to die on your feet than serve on your knees.
12. Take the simpler approach. If words do not come easily, say nothing at all.
13. A friend may become an enemy in less time than it takes to draw a dagger.
14. Four thousand throats my be cut in one night by a running man.
15. Drink not with your enemies.
16. Revenge is a dish best served cold.
17. Men do not roar. Women roar. Then they hurl heavy objects. And claw at you.
18. Resistance is futile. Oh Yeah? Assimilate This! Kaaboom.
19. Klingons never do anything small. Maybe today is a good day to die! Prepare for ramming speed!
20. You question the worthiness of my Code? I should kill you where you stand!
21. Behold the mighty warrior Kahless the Unforgettable! The greatest Klingon code-warrior who ever lived!
22. Human weaklings fear Bat'leth combat. They are of no concern to warriors.
23. All warriors are cold warriors in space.
24. Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war!
25. Parting is such sweet sorrow, do we not hear the chimes at midnight?

Worf's Klingon Bat'leth means sword of honour. Even though this is Science Fiction, its interesting to note how a weapon of death is looked upon with such admiration.

Behold the keyboard of Spacerguy: The sword in your enemy's heart is the sword in your own, for you are he.

Live Long and Prosper Trekkers! Enjoy the Galactic Archives of the Star Trek Space!

Wednesday, May 02, 2007

Space The Final Frontier

Space The Final Frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Its Five Year Mission, to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new civilisations. To boldly go where no man has gone before.

So wheres Captain Kirk and the U.S.S Enterprise NCC 1701? Why out there, somewhere in the swirling cosmic clouds of the Milkyway, second star to the right.

The fact is our "tin plated dictator with delusions of godhood", Kirk has warped out of sensor range. Theres just far too many epic battles to be waged. Maybe next time Trekkies. There have been many times when conflict with the Romulans has been unavoidable. The Federation's battles with the Romulan Star Empire resulted in the formation of the Neutral Zone in 2160.



Image Owner/Creator: Paramount Pictures and/or CBS Studios

It interesting to note that the Earth/Romulan war as it is known led to the formation of the Romulan/Federation Neutral Zone because both sides wanted Peace. It was called the Earth/Romulan War because the Federation was established as a planetary state known as United Earth which kicked off in 2063. Zefram Cochrane established an earth alliance with the Vulcans who noticed his first warp space flight during First Contact. The constitution of the United Federation of Planets was created in 2161. Captain Picard's U.S.S. Enterprise NCC 1701-D managed to prevent a Borg invasion proving that even "human weaklings" can stand up and be counted.

Live Long and Prosper Trekkers! Enjoy Your Star Trekking.

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