TREK!

[m o l l y]

In the last episode of DS9 I watched, Cardassians nearly convinced Kira she was really a Cardassian spy who had been surgically altered and had her memories wiped. As if!
Man, it was so great.

[kmikeym]

isn't that the plot of the show Homeland?

[yourfriendclaire]

TREK TALK!

[yourfriendclaire]

What's your favorite Star Trek alien species and why? I love the Bajorans (Jona and I went as "Bajoran hipsters" to the Star Trek convention in Vegas a couple years ago) but I also really like those gentle flute-playing people that Picard spent an entire mental lifetime with...

[m o l l y]

isn't that the plot of the show Homeland?

Except Kira is a harmless terrorist who has been kidnapped by the cruel race that killed her family and then made to convince that she's one of them.

Hmm... Now that you mention it...

[m o l l y]

What's your favorite Star Trek alien species and why? I love the Bajorans (Jona and I went as "Bajoran hipsters" to the Star Trek convention in Vegas a couple years ago) but I also really like those gentle flute-playing people that Picard spent an entire mental lifetime with...

I know I'm not supposed to, but I like Q.

[tim]

What's your favorite Star Trek alien species and why? I love the Bajorans (Jona and I went as "Bajoran hipsters" to the Star Trek convention in Vegas a couple years ago) but I also really like those gentle flute-playing people that Picard spent an entire mental lifetime with...

I know I'm not supposed to, but I like Q.

I too like Q. there was a recent short-run comic series where Q (and a bunch of other Q-like people(?)) have to choose their star trek teams and face off in missions. it's very stupid and fun

my favorite is whatever the traveler is. he was all about experiencing the crews' "reality" which is very cool and makes me wonder what his is/was.

[m o l l y]

What's your favorite Star Trek alien species and why? I love the Bajorans (Jona and I went as "Bajoran hipsters" to the Star Trek convention in Vegas a couple years ago) but I also really like those gentle flute-playing people that Picard spent an entire mental lifetime with...

I know I'm not supposed to, but I like Q.

I too like Q. there was a recent short-run comic series where Q (and a bunch of other Q-like people(?)) have to choose their star trek teams and face off in missions. it's very stupid and fun

my favorite is whatever the traveler is. he was all about experiencing the crews' "reality" which is very cool and makes me wonder what his is/was.

Oh yeah! He had good body language. Gentle.

But also, Guinan, guys!

[m o l l y]

I know I'm not supposed to, but I like Q.

I too like Q. there was a recent short-run comic series where Q (and a bunch of other Q-like people(?)) have to choose their star trek teams and face off in missions. it's very stupid and fun

my favorite is whatever the traveler is. he was all about experiencing the crews' "reality" which is very cool and makes me wonder what his is/was.

Oh yeah! He had good body language. Gentle.

But also, Guinan, guys!

Though to be fair, @yourfriendclaire said species, not character...

[yourfriendclaire]

Yes SPECIES! So not Q but the Q Continuum as a species etc. How’s everyone on Klingons? I feel like the Trek fandom is divided between the people who are annoyed by Klingons and people who are REALLY into them. I can go either way on individual Klingon characters (love my Worf) but I usually tune out when it’s an all-Kling episode. BLOOD WINE

[m o l l y]

Yes SPECIES! So not Q but the Q Continuum as a species etc. How’s everyone on Klingons? I feel like the Trek fandom is divided between the people who are annoyed by Klingons and people who are REALLY into them. I can go either way on individual Klingon characters (love my Worf) but I usually tune out when it’s an all-Kling episode. BLOOD WINE

Oh man, there is nothing worse than a two-parter on Klingon politics. So convoluted and boring.

[yourfriendclaire]

You know who I love? The dang Trill! Love their wet cave full of symbiants (maybe you haven’t gotten to that yet, Molly?) and love their ability to handle multiple identities and histories coexisting in one body. Feels like a metaphor for intergenerational trauma / cellular memory / the fact we all contain multitudes.

[m o l l y]

Yes, got there recently! Back in Next Gen, they grossed me out. I think mainly because the guy Beverly Crusher fell in love with was pretty gross and then on top of creeping me out he also had a worm inside him. I feel better about them now that I know more of their deal. Though, as an aside, I'm still not entirely clear what Dax's job is? Technical engineering person?
I just read an article about Jadzia Dax being a positive metaphor for a transgender experience (some friends accept her new gender openly, other continue to call her "old man"...), which is great.
I kinda feel like the Dax character is the new Troi in that she is this beautiful woman who has a lot of feelings. Instead of feeling other people's emotions, like Troi, she just has them all inside her and as a result can relate to all kinds of people's experiences. Though this version might be a little more nuanced (no dig to Deanna).
Intergenerational trauma is interesting. Hadn't thought about that. That's great.

AND I have a pre-teen step-nephew who is a cool little blonde skate-boarding weirdo who lives in Bangkok and is named Dax. Turns out my step-brother is cooler than I thought he was!

[m o l l y]

How do you feel about Will Riker?

[yourfriendclaire]

Beautiful-woman-with-feelings is canonical to a Trek cast as troubled-man-trying-earnestly-to-learn-feelings. Everyone's lack is someone else's abundance! That's really the beauty of these ensembles.

I'm into Riker. I think he's corny but I respect his devotion to Picard. Mike has a really good theory about how Riker is an "alpha number two," in that he's a powerful alpha-male type who has decided to serve someone else AS an alpha move, if that makes sense. There's something deeply horny about all the power dynamics and the fact that everyone's buying into these hierarchies even when they're a billion light years away from anyone who could enforce them.

[m o l l y]

I feel like Riker is really really great at his job. And YES he is an alfa-type dude who is confronted over and over with his own desire to remain Picard's #1. It is a nice complex little archetype. And I always liked him.

He just appeared out of context in DS9. And although it was really his clone, 'Thomas,'it is still him. And man, out of the context of the disciplined role of Enterprise, he is such a dang creep. I mean he is in Next Gen too, we just like him enough to forgive him for it? Should we?

[kmikeym]

I think there is (and should be) a real vibe difference from being on the edge of galaxy in an outpost that has just recovered from years of military occupation and being the number two on the flagship of the federation. Riker is a by the book para-military officer... he has more ideologically in common with the cardassians than the bajorans, so it tracks that he would seem out of place.

[jjstratford]

STAR TREK VIRUSES



Quazulu VIII
The Quazulu VIII virus was a respiratory ailment that produced cold-like symptoms. The ailment was transmitted by an airborne particle whose sweet scent, which was similar to the Klingon plant Night-Blooming Throgni, inspired deep inhalation. Once inside the host's body, the particle became the virus. The virus mutated every twenty minutes.

In 2364, this virus became known to Starfleet when twelve students from the USS Enterprise-D went on a field trip to Quazulu VIII, where they were exposed to this virus. Later, it was spread among the crew of the Enterprise on their way to and in orbit of Angel I. Doctor Beverly Crusher developed an inoculant to the virus and cured the crew.

****************
Intron Virus AKA Barclay's Protomorphosis Syndrome

Intron Virus AKA Barclay's Protomorphosis Syndrome was an artificial disease accidentally created by Dr. Beverly Crusher aboard the USS Enterprise-D in 2370.

Attempting to cure Lieutenant Reginald Barclay of his Urodelan flu, Dr. Crusher used synthetic T-cells to activate the gene that would fight off the infection. However, an anomaly in Barclay's genetic structure caused the T-cell to mutate and activate all of Barclay's dormant genes, including his introns. The T-cells then became airborne, spreading throughout the ship like a virus and causing the crew to "de-evolve." The syndrome was cured by using amniotic fluid from Alyssa Ogawa to create a retrovirus, eliminating the effects.

Initial symptoms of the disease included abnormal behavior, irritability, hyperactivity or decreased activity, chills, fever, and paranoia. Later, the newly activated introns transformed the crewmembers into many different earlier lifeforms from their respective homeworlds. (TNG: "Genesis")

****************

The Legato infection
The Legato infection was a type of plasma plague.

In 2294, there was an outbreak of plasma plague in isolated regions of the northern continent of Oby VI. Doctor Susan Nuress and her research associates believed that this strain might be closely related to this infection; however, in all cases, the treatment protocol for this infection failed as the strain proved highly resistant. This infection was mentioned in an etiological report.
(TNG: "The Child")

****************

Harvesters

Harvesters were developed several centuries prior to 2370 and originally took ten years to perfect. The harvester itself was an invisibly-small synthetic virus, tiny enough to enter the body through the skin, and lethal alone. It was classified as a biomechanical gene disruptor. The T'Lani and Kellerun each produced mass quantities of the weapon during their centuries-long war. The entire population of T'Lani III was devastated by harvesters.

When the two factions finally found peace, they collected their entire supply of harvesters and a team of scientists, led by Nydrom, set to the task of destroying the weapons. The harvesters were kept in transparent cylinders and appeared as an orange gel. The scientists had little success, so in 2370, both sides applied for Federation assistance to destroy the harvester cylinders. Julian Bashir and Miles O'Brien of Deep Space 9 were assigned to help neutralize the weapons. The harvesters were remarkably resistant to broad-spectrum radiation. After one week and 375 test sequences, Bashir finally found the right combination of muon frequencies to eliminate the gene disruption phasing of the weapon. When a harvester cylinder was neutralized, the chemical turned from orange to dark green.

When the harvesters had been destroyed, the T'Lani and Kellerun governments ordered that anyone with technical knowledge about the harvesters was to be killed so that the weapons could not be recreated. A Kellerun military team was dispatched to the T'Lani cruiser, the site of the harvester destruction effort, to assassinate the scientists working on the project. Bashir and O'Brien survived the attack, but O'Brien was accidentally exposed to the harvester virus.

While hiding out in the rubble of a city on T'Lani III, O'Brien started to suffer the symptoms of harvester infection. He had a high fever, and reported intense chills and blurry vision. When the two were rescued a day later, O'Brien was near death, but Bashir was able to save him when they returned to Deep Space 9. (DS9: "Armageddon Game")

****************

The Teplan Blight

The Teplan blight was a disease introduced into the Teplan population by the Jem'Hadar in response to the population's resistance to the Dominion.

The main visible characteristic of the disease was a series of dark spider-like veins and lesions on the skin, which turned red during the "quickening" or terminal stage of the condition. The disease was caused by a virus. According to Dr. Julian Bashir, differences in physiology between Teplans and other species prevented the contraction of the disease by non-Teplans.

Sufferers of the blight were treated by Bashir on his visit to the Teplan homeworld in 2372. Unfortunately, he learned too late that the Dominion had anticipated modern medical treatment of the disease; the blight was engineered to accelerate through the quickening stage when exposed to electromagnetic fields, including those generated by Bashir's medical devices. As a result, his patients went into agonizing convulsions and begged their resident caretaker, Trevean, for euthanasia.

In 2375, Bashir gave a lecture on the disease at a joint Federation-Romulan conference held on Romulus. While there, the chairman of the Tal Shiar, Koval, asked Bashir if the virus could be replicated and introduced into a population, with a view to developing a biogenic weapon.
(DS9: "Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges")

[yourfriendclaire]

Don't forget THE PHAGE!!

[m o l l y]

Just watched an episode of DS9 where Lwaxana Troi infects everyone with a post-menopausal betazoid love sickness during the Bajoran gratitude festival. So many acrobats!

[m o l l y]

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[m o l l y]

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[tim]

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I love these episodes (it's a two-parter, right?). Also missed the riker talk, but love him. I say pre-mustache tho

[m o l l y]

One of the things I love most about the Star Trek world is that there is always 100% acceptance of anyone's claims, no matter how absurd. I feel like when I first started watching Next Gen, I assumed at times that a great source of conflict in a particular episode will be the isolation and/or injustice of not being believed. But that is NEVER a thing. I assume that is part of Starfleet training.

I like to imagine the conversations we don't see; where Deanna Troi goes to Picard and is like, "I woke up super horney, but it was because there was an ancient space spirit inside of me. I felt its feelings under my shiney bed blankets!" Or O'Brian going to Captain Sisco and being like, "I saw myself help myself stab a Klingon in 5 hours from now."

Has this struck you?

[yourfriendclaire]

YES!! Oh my god I’m always talking about this. The unbelievable luxury of being believed no matter what! If something unusual happens to one person everybody buys in and becomes immediately invested until they come to the truth. Maybe it’s part of Starfleet training, maybe it comes from experience in a universe full of unexplainable events, or maybe it’s a consequence of building your ideology around science—immediately looking for a rational explanation of strange experiences is a kind of refusal of ambiguity. Nothing is subjective in a scientific world, so nobody’s experience can be subjective.

[m o l l y]

If something unusual happens to one person everybody buys in and becomes immediately invested until they come to the truth... or maybe it’s a consequence of building your ideology around science—

Yeah, you're right. It is very much this. The assumption that everything can be explained through science. I also find it just so human and fair and kind.

[jjstratford]

What if your Starfleet Health Insurance says all the Star Trek Doctors are in your network.
Who do you chose?

[m o l l y]

I mean, I am not as well versed as many, but Crusher all the way. She is professional, gentle, maternal, devoted and I'd trust her with my life.

[yourfriendclaire]

Absolutely Crusher

Bashir is too much of a show-off, I’d worry he was trying to impress me with some unnecessary procedure. Second choice The Doctor from Voyager but he also has a strong show-off quotient

[m o l l y]

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Odo's face when he finds out Lwaxana Troi is pregnant.

[Evan.V.N.S.J.]

FAV trek Alien: The Tholians, because they are the weirdest and because I have a blank spot in my brain where I can remember exactly what they look like but not what they are called, so every time I need to refer to them (surprisingly often) I have to search for "star trek interdimensional crystal spider alien" or something to try to find them.

Doctor of choice: Either Bones or the hologram from Voyager. Rude, but effective

[m o l l y]

FERENGI QUESTIONS FOR THE BOARD:

How many slips in a strip of latinum? Strips in a bar? Bars in a brick?

Does anyone care about latinum other than Ferengis?

Main question: How many Ferengis are we talking? Quark and his family all seem to be tied to the Grand Nagus in unrelated ways. The Ferengi financial council or whatever seem to give a real shit about Quark and his bar on DS9. It all gets me thinking, is the intergalactic Ferengi community just like the size of Juneau, AK or what? Why would they otherwise be all up in each other's biz?

[yourfriendclaire]

Ahem, according to Memory Alpha:

Denominations of gold-pressed latinum, in order of increasing value, include the slip, the strip, the bar and the brick. One bar of gold-pressed latinum is equal to twenty strips or 2,000 slips of latinum.

I have never quite understood latinum either, in an ostensibly post-currency economy. Some quick reading this AM reveals that latinum is only valuable because it's one of the few materials that can't be replicated, which makes sense. But like...how do members of the Federation, who operate in a world where money doesn't exist, buy drinks at Quark's? Do they just keep some latinum on the side for kicks? Is it like "funny money"? Also have you seen the one where the workers at Quarks try to unionize??

[alex]

Also: is all latinum "gold-pressed", and what does that mean

[yourfriendclaire]

Ah happy you asked, as I also learned this today: bars of latinum are actually gold bars with specks of latinum suspended in them! Something to do with the physical property of the substance being too difficult to handle on its own. Hence “gold-pressed”

If Star Trek took place in Southern California tho there’d be cold-pressed latinum smoothies at Erewhon

[alex]

TIL

[yourfriendclaire]

The More You Know

[m o l l y]

Yeah, I recently watched an episode of DS9 titled, "who mourns for Morn?", in which Morn fakes his own death and hides 100 bricks worth of latinum in his second stomach as like an ounce of viscous liquid. The latinum itself is transformed into a ton of "worthless gold."

[yourfriendclaire]

Classic ep!!

[m o l l y]

Good ol' Morn.

[m o l l y]

Where do you stand on Star Trek: Lower Decks? Optimistic?

[yourfriendclaire]

All the new CBS Star Trek stuff is so bad & depressing to me.

To be fair I didn't give Discovery much of a chance. I've heard okay things (mainly about there being some kind of fungus computer, which I of course love & respect) and there was definitely a sizable Discovery fanbase when we went to the convention a few years ago, but it's not for me. [mention]joni[/mention] and [mention]kmikeym[/mention] and I tried Picard but we only made it four or five episodes in. It's like this stuff is made by people who read a very thorough description of Star Trek but have never actually seen it? Or who have seen it but completely misunderstand what was appealing about it? If you watch TNG and think "what's missing here is REALLY flashy CGI" then you don't get it. Trek is basically theater, and the highest form of Trek IMO coincides with a level of stagecraft and technical/practical effects work that peaked pre-computer graphics. The new stuff is so slick and network...I don't know who it's for. Maybe every generation gets the Star Trek they deserve?

Below Decks looks terrible. I guarantee a television executive saw the popularity of Rick & Morty and pitched some unholy mashup. It should be illegal

[m o l l y]

[yourfriendclaire]

Maybe I'm just grumpy and it's actually good! Who am I to say???

[m o l l y]

No, that sounds pretty right on.

[m o l l y]

NEW GAME
Guess which Star Trek Series:

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[yourfriendclaire]

Great dither on this

[mention]joni[/mention] and I vote TNG

[yourfriendclaire]

PS - if you ever screencap good replicator images send them to me! I’ve got a replicator Are.na channel that definitely needs some love:

https://www.are.na/claire-l-evans/replicator-porn

[m o l l y]

TNG is right. Your turn.
I've got a whole folder of this stuff.

[m o l l y]

Hmm, turns out most of my replicator pics are of people drinking out of travel mugs.