“I am Human.” Boimler “Oh! Wow. Then you need to drink more water, your skin is a mess. But still, I think I should add your biological distinctiveness to our own. It’s kind of our thing.” Borg Queen (hologram)- I, Excretus, Stardate: Unknown #StarTrek #StarTrekLowerDecks #IDIC #WeAreStarfleet
June 29 “I’ve got some stuff that would tranquilize an active volcano.” Dr. McCoy- Wolf in the Fold, Stardate: 3614.9 #StarTrek #StarTrekTOS #IDIC #WeAreStarfleet
June 30 “It’ll take time but the important thing is that we not give up.” Macias- Preemptive Strike, Stardate: 47941.7 #StarTrek #StarTrekTNG #IDIC #WeAreStarfleet
“Sometimes I think you North Americans read nothing but comics. And these ridiculous science fiction novels.” Reed- Shuttlepod One, Date: November 9, 2151 #StarTrek #StarTrekENT #IDIC #WeAreStarfleet
“You are the dreamer, . . . and the dream.” Preacher- Far Beyond the Stars, Stardate: Unknown #StarTrek #StarTrekDS9 #IDIC #WeAreStarfleet
July 3 “It’s never a good sign when the patient feels the need to comfort the doctor.” The Doctor- Survival Instinct, Stardate: 53049.2 #StarTrek #StarTrekVOY #IDIC #WeAreStarfleet
Here are the Daily Star Trek Quotes that will appear on the @STrekQuotes twitter account for the week of June 20th through June 26th.
June 20 “How are actions that are wrong lead to a greater good?” Picard- Descent, Part II, Stardate: 47025.4 #StarTrek #StarTrekTNG #IDIC #WeAreStarfleet
June 21 “He gave his life in an attempt to save others. Not the worst way to go.” Kirk- The Doomsday Machine, Stardate: 4202.9 #StarTrek #StarTrekTOS #IDIC #WeAreStarfleet
“It matters because if you do not learn from your mistakes, you will be doomed to repeat them.” Tuvok- Learning Curve, Stardate: 48846.5 #StarTrek #StarTrekVOY #IDIC #WeAreStarfleet
June 23 “These spiritual types love those dabo girls.” Quark- In the Hands of the Prophets, Stardate: Unknown #StarTrek #StarTrekDS9 #IDIC #WeAreStarfleet
June 24 “For 500 years, every ship that has borne the name of the Enterprise has become a legend. This one is no different.” Admiral Nakamura- The Measure of a Man, Stardate: 42523.7 #StarTrek #StarTrekTNG #IDIC #WeAreStarfleet
June 25 “Humans do have an amazing capacity for believing what they choose and excluding that which is painful.” Spock- And The Children Shall Lead, Stardate: 5029.5 #StarTrek #StarTrekTOS #IDIC #WeAreStarfleet
June 26 “Two Vulcans stroll into a bar, hustle a few games of pool and walk out with an armload of TV dinners. Sounds like an old episode of The Twilight Zone!” Tucker- Carbon Creek, Date: April 12, 2152 #StarTrek #StarTrekENT #IDIC #WeAreStarfleet
“Now, you’ll have to excuse me, Captain, I have an appointment with eternity and I don’t want to be late.” Dr. Soran- Star Trek Generations, Stardate: 48650.1 #StarTrek #StarTrekTNG #IDIC #WeAreStarfleet
“Security isn’t like the other departments. No, its a higher calling. We stand shoulder to shoulder, holding the line against dangers known and unknown.” Shaxs- Envoys, Stardate: Unknown #StarTrek #StarTrekLowerDecks #IDIC #WeAreStarfleet
June 14 “Why?! He wasn’t Darhe’el! Why?!” Kira “He’s a Cardassian! That’s reason enough.” Kainon “No! It’s not.” Kira- Duet, Stardate: Unknown #StarTrek #StarTrekDS9 #IDIC #WeAreStarfleet
“Federation has taught you that conflict should not exist. Ha. But without struggle, you would never know who you truly are.” Krall “You have no idea who we are. But you’ll soon find out.” Sulu- Star Trek Beyond, Stardate: 2263.2 #StarTrek #IDIC #WeAreStarfleet
June 17 “It took some time and it wasn’t easy but eventually we were forced to reevaluate our beliefs.” Dr. Phlox- Future Tense, Date: Unknown #StarTrek #StarTrekENT #IDIC #WeAreStarfleet
June 18 “What did you have to do to earn your uniform?” Kar “Study. Years of study. Learning about science and ships and navigation.” Chakotay- Initiations, Stardate: 49005.3 #StarTrek #StarTrekVOY #IDIC #WeAreStarfleet
“Gaila, who is he?” Uhura “Who’s who?” Gaila “The mouth-breather hiding under your bed.” Uhura- Star Trek (2009), Stardate: 2233.04 #StarTrek #IDIC #WeAreStarfleet
“I’m not a chauffeur. There’s no free rides on my ship. You were once a Starfleet officer. I will use you, or anything else I can, to achieve my mission.” Lorca- Context is for Kings, Stardate: Unknown #StarTrek #StarTrekDiscovery #IDIC #WeAreStarfleet
“Sweetheart, I once performed an emergency C-section on a pregnant Gorn; octuplets and let me tell you those little bastards bite.” Dr. McCoy- Star Trek Into Darkness, Stardate: 2259.55 #StarTrek #IDIC #WeAreStarfleet
“If I stay here, at least I know what the future is going to be like.” Nog “You stay here, you’re going to die. Not all at once, but little by little. Eventually, you’ll become as hollow as I am.” Fontaine- It’s Only a Paper Moon #StarTrek #StarTrekDS9 #IDIC #WeAreStarfleet
“Cosmic thoughts, gentlemen?” Kirk “We were, speculating… is God really out there?” Dr. McCoy “Maybe He’s not out there, Bones. Maybe He’s right here… the Human heart.” Kirk- Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, Stardate: 8454.1 #StarTrek #StarTrekTOS #IDIC #WeAreStarfleet
June 10 “How about a phaser? A low stun setting at just the right moment might do the trick…” La Forge “Geordi, I cannot stun my cat.” Data- Force of Nature, Stardate: 47310.2 #StarTrek #StarTrekTNG #IDIC #WeAreStarfleet
June 11 “If the bugs glow in the dark, at least you can tell when they’ve crawled into your sleeping bag.” Tucker- Rogue Planet, Date: Unknown #StarTrek #StarTrekENT #IDIC #WeAreStarfleet
June 12 “I’ve got an Ocampan who wants to be something more and a Borg who’s afraid of becoming something less. Here’s to Vulcan stability.” Janeway- The Gift, Stardate: 51008 #StarTrek #StarTrekVOY #IDIC #WeAreStarfleet
The cover to the dead tree version of Star Trek: Discovery Dead Endless
As I mentioned last month, I love finding bargains when it comes to my collection. Simon and Schuster has announced another round of 99 cent Star Trek ebook deals. Yes, I own a physical copy of Dead Endless, but now I can carry it with me on my tablet. This way I can start the next book when I’ve finished the previous one.
Which book do you think would make for an interesting Star Trek Adventures scenario?
Feel free to tell me which book you picked up so we can compare notes about them later. I’m interested in seeing if others thought of the books in the same way that I have.
(on his ancestor) “He was more than a hero. He was a union man.” O’Brien- Bar Association, Stardate: Unknown #StarTrek #StarTrekDS9 #IDIC #WeAreStarfleet
May 31 “I always believed that I didn’t need children to complete my life. Now, I couldn’t imagine life without them.” Picard- The Inner Light, Stardate: 45944.1 #StarTrek #StarTrekTNG #IDIC #WeAreStarfleet
“My people are who they are. I am who I am. I’ve learned to accept that.” Odo- Fascination, Stardate: Unknown #StarTrek #StarTrekDS9 #IDIC #WeAreStarfleet
“What’ll it be?” Waitress “Altair water.” Dr. McCoy “That’s not your usual poison.” Waitress “To expect one to order poison in a bar is not logical.” Dr. McCoy- Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, Stardate: 8210.3 #StarTrek #StarTrekTOS #IDIC #WeAreStarfleet
“I memorized something Chuck Yeager said. I never let myself be afraid. Just focus on the dials and concentrate on flying.” Mayweather- Demons, Date: January 19, 2155 #StarTrek #StarTrekENT #IDIC #WeAreStarfleet
“I feel, anger for the one who took mother’s life, an anger I cannot control.” Spock- Star Trek (2009) #StarTrek #IDIC #WeAreStarfleet
June 3 “I think maybe you’re beginning to realize I’m not your enemy, and only a fool would kill a friend.” Chakotay- Initiations, Stardate: 49005.3 #StarTrek #StarTrekVOY #IDIC #WeAreStarfleet
“I’ve tried to tell you before. Scientists have always been pawns of the military.” David Marcus- Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Stardate: 8130.3 #StarTrek #StarTrekTOS #IDIC #WeAreStarfleet
June 5 “Sometimes people blindly make the same mistake again and again.” Jenna D’Sora- In Theory, Stardate: 44932.3 #StarTrek #StarTrekTNG #IDIC #WeAreStarfleet
The same group that I played the Star Wars RPG with also loved playing the Star Trek Roleplaying Game by FASA. I created a Helmsman for the USS Emprador. I don’t recall what inspired the starship name or what class it was. What I do recall is that our characters got stuck in the mirror universe (this was the early 90’s before there was the Deep Space 9 episodes that re-introduced the mirror universe). It was interesting because all of our characters retained their ranks in the MU except for one individual who had a very high rank in the regular universe. It was interesting seeing how he reacted to the change. Unfortunately this was also the game where the GM had painted himself into the corner and had to end it with the “It was all a simulation” ending. Let’s just say that the GM quickly found out how much we did not like that idea (being chased down the street probably gave him his first hint).
The name of the character came from a friend I had while growing up. We had been out of contact for several years when I rolled up his stats so I never had a chance to tell him about it.
On a side note, I did find another character while emptying out another cardboard box. It was from a game in the early 2000’s. I’ve added the sheets to the book and will probably include it in a future blog post.
“Discovery is no longer Lorca’s. She is ours. And today will be her maiden voyage. We have a duty to perform, and we will not accept a no-win scenario.” Saru- What’s Past Is Prolog, Stardate: 1834.2 #StarTrek #StarTrekDiscovery #IDIC #WeAreStarfleet
May 25 “Did it work?” Picard “Well you’re here, aren’t you? You’re talking to me, aren’t you?” Q “What about my crew?” Picard “The anomaly, my ship, my crew! I suppose you’re worried about your fish too?” Q- All Good Things…, Stardate: 47988.1 #StarTrek #StarTrekTNG #IDIC #WeAreStarfleet
May 26 “Has it occurred to you that there’s a certain… inefficiency in constantly questioning me on things you’ve already made up your mind about?” Spock “It gives me emotional security.” Kirk- The Corbomite Maneuver, Stardate: 1512.2 #StarTrek #StarTrekTOS #IDIC #WeAreStarfleet
May 27 “When I think about everything we’ve been through together, maybe it’s not the destination that matters. Maybe it’s the journey.” Kim- Endgame, Stardate: 54973.4 #StarTrek #StarTrekVOY #IDIC #WeAreStarfleet
May 28 “You swear well, Picard. You must have Klingon blood in your veins.” Vagh- The Mind’s Eye, Stardate: 44885.5 #StarTrek #StarTrekTNG #IDIC #WeAreStarfleet
May 29 “You’re a little on edge. It’s not uncommon to see the enemy out of the corner of your eye.” Reed- Exile, Date: Unknown #StarTrek #StarTrekENT #IDIC #WeAreStarfleet
The program guide and badges from the 2022 Starfest
UPDATE: I’ve uploaded a large number of photos to the Photo Gallery. Also thank you for all of the responses about this blog post. It is good to hear from the readers.
I had a mix of emotions this past weekend from May 13-15. I attended the very last Starfest Convention in Denver, Colorado. It ended a 45 year run of a family/fan run science fiction conventions put on by Starland. For those of you who had never heard of Starfest, I’m not surprised. In the past I would describe this event as “A DragonCon in the west that you’ve never heard of.” At it’s height, the convention was held twice a year (StarCon was in the fall) in multiple hotels. I know that some fans were trying for a costume parade (I don’t know if this ever got off the ground as I was always traveling when this was planned). The convention covered a wide variety of fandom interests such as cosplay, media, anime, comics, horror, gaming, robots, art, models and more. I had the opportunity to meet a ton of new friends and attend various room parties put on by different groups. While the bulk of attendees were from Colorado, I always met people from around the country at this con. Movie studios had even sent actors on their own dime to promote upcoming movies. This is how they got Toby Maguire just before the 2002 Spiderman movie was released. In my photo albums, several of the photos of myself with guests or kewl stuff came from this convention. I’ve got a few more that will be added soon.
Back in the early 90’s I was a member of a Star Trek fan club called the USS Kelly. Several members had driven from Salt Lake to Denver to attend one of the conventions. They came back with stories and pictures and excitement. This excitement was infectious and I wanted to go. Normally I could not afford a trip by myself, so members of the club would coordinate travel and lodging to make the cost more affordable. Some of us worked for hotel chains which allowed us to get discounts. Sharing the cost of gas helped with the drive. Plus being with a bunch of Star Trek fans in the car for several hours allowed you to get to know your fellow shipmates very well. I even started a relationship with a fellow club member on one trip. That was a convention to remember.
One of the best things about Starfest was the guests they brought into the convention. Since it was a family/fan run convention, they kept prices low where they could. While Starfest was the first convention that started charging for autographs (something that started happening because people use to get the free autographs and then sell them on ebay) I found that I was treated well. I remember meeting Leonard Nimoy before he retired from traveling to conventions. Oingo Boingo front man and soundtrack composer Danny Elfman was a guest one year. Mark Sheppard wanted to betrothed one of his sons to my daughter to start a geek dynasty. Science fiction authors Dayton Ward and Kevin Dilmore are considered good friends now (thank you for putting up with me). There are so many memories of meeting guests that I love revisiting when I look at the autographs or photos. This past weekend I finally had a chance to meet Star Trek production artist Rick Sternbach. He is best known for writing and illustrating several Star Trek technical books such as the Star Trek Spaceflight Chronology (I had him sign both the US and UK printings), the Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual, the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Technical Manual and the Klingon Bird-of-Prey Owners’ Workshop Manual. Rick even added some original art to the Spaceflight Chronology.
Meeting Rick Sternbach
While I was there, I picked up several of Rick’s new publications detailing some of his artwork on various Star Trek shows. This made me happy because at past conventions is where I would find various technical and resource books on Star Trek and other shows. It disappoints me now that I’ll attend one of the larger comic-con events only to find no books for sale. It use to be that a convention gave me the opportunity to pick up tech books from various merchants. Hey look, there’s a cloud in the sky and I’m yelling at it.
At Starfest I had the opportunity to meet fans from various fan clubs that had shown up from all over the inter-mountain region. I still have friends that I met from the USS Pioneer, USS (and Battlestar) Stormbringer, USS Tiburon, USS Anasazi, 501st Stormtroopers, House VamPyr, House Veska, USS Silverthorne and many more. I’m sure there are a few groups and fans that I may have missed. There have been so many of you that have come and gone. I’ll miss having a large room full of club leaders all wanting to help each other no matter who our parent organization is.
At the end of the convention my good friend, Dennis Hollinger (the first captain of the USS Kelly), and I didn’t want it to end. After the very last panel we searched around for a location where we could get a photo together and found the last Starfest banner that was still standing. All of the other banners advertising previous conventions had already been taken down.
I want to personally thank KathE Walker, her family and all of the volunteers that helped make Starfest one of the bests conventions out there. You inspired me so much that I even volunteered for several conventions over the years. I know that real world issues shut down the con in a perfect storm of suck, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t look back on the many memories and moments that have been created. I hope to cross paths with you again some day. Live Long and Prosper and Thanks for All the Fish.
“Reverting to name-calling suggests that you are defensive and therefore find my opinion valid.” Spock- Star Trek: Into Darkness #StarTrek #IDIC #WeAreStarfleet
May 17 “Consciousness is an emergent property.” Data “In other words, something that’s more than the sum of its parts.” LaForge- Emergence, Stardate: 47869.2 #StarTrek #StarTrekTNG #IDIC #WeAreStarfleet
May 18 “You are either very brave, or very stupid, Ferengi!” Martok “Probably a little of both.” Nog- Blaze of Glory, Stardate: Unknown #StarTrek #StarTrekDS9 #IDIC #WeAreStarfleet
May 19 “What you need is some editorial skill in your self-expression. Between impulse and action there´s a realm of good taste begging for your acquaintance.” The Doctor- One, Stardate: 51929.3 #StarTrek #StarTrekVOY #IDIC #WeAreStarfleet
“I believe your culture embraces the concept of doctor-patient confidentiality.” Dr. Phlox- Stigma, Date: Unknown #StarTrek #StarTrekENT #IDIC #WeAreStarfleet
May 21 “Random chance seems to have operated in our favor.” Spock “In plain, non-Vulcan English, we’ve been lucky.” Dr. McCoy- The Doomsday Machine, Stardate: 4202.9 #StarTrek #StarTrekTOS #IDIC #WeAreStarfleet
May 22 “You’re the loneliest person in the world right now. No one can say anything, no one can do anything that will help and you think that it will never go away.” Picard- Suspicions, Stardate: 46830.1 #StarTrek #StarTrekTNG #IDIC #WeAreStarfleet
