JC's Trek Talk

Episode Spotlight TOS's Space Seed Stardate 3141.8.  On a routine patrol the Enterprise detects an unidentified vessel sending a distress signal.  Coming into visual range they discover it's an old Earth vessel from the late 20th century, a DY-100 sublight vessel labeled as the S.S. Botany Bay.  Unsure if it's derelict they scan the ship, detecting heartbeats, too faint to be human.  Spock finds no S.S. Botany Bay in the registry.  The vessel dates from the time of Earth's Eugenics Wars.  Taking the ship in tow Kirk and company beam over to get a closer look.  Along with them is the ship's historian, Lieutenant Marla McGivers.  One the Botany Bay they discover the occupants in suspended animation.  Scotty actives the lights, this causes one of the pods to activate and attempt to revive it's occupant.  The pod malfunction, Kirk is forced to break it to get the occupant out.  The occupant, a human male from northern India is beamed to...

Episode Spotlight TNG's "The Wounded" Stardate 44429.6.  The Enterprise is on a routine patrol near Cardassian Space.  Picard tells the crew about the last time he was in this area, fleeing a Cardassian ship on the Stargazer.  Meanwhile newlyweds Miles and Keiko O'Brien enjoy breakfast in their quarters.  The Enterprise is attacked by a Cardassian warship.  After several exchanges of phaser fire the Cardassians stand down and open communications with the Enterprise.  In response to Picard asking the reason for the attack, the Cardassian captain, Gul Macet (Marc Alaimo), says that another Starfleet ship attacked and destroyed an unarmed Cardassian outpost near the border 2 days ago. In the interest of maintaining the peace treaty Picard asks for one hour to investigate Macet's claims.  After speaking with Admiral Haden Picard learns that Macet's claims are true, the USS Phoenix under Captain Benjamin Maxwell has gone rogue, stopped answering hails and a...

Episode Spotlight TNG's The Best of Both Worlds Parts 1 and 2 Stardate 43989.1.  Responding to a distress call the USS Enterprise orbits Jouret IV, one of the Federations most distant colonies.  An away team consisting of Riker, Data, Geordi and Worf beam down to find the colony completely gone, only a giant crater remaining.  The Enterprise is joined by a ship carrying Admiral J.P. Hansen and Lt. Commander Shelby from Starfleet tactical.  Starfleet believes that the Borg are responsible for the disappearance of the colony.  Shelby points out the crater is almost identical to what the Enterprise detected on the planets in system J-25 (see Q Who?)  Shelbys job is to find any kind of defenses against the Borg.  Riker shows Shelby to her guest quarters.  Admiral Hansen tells Picard that the captaincy of the USS Melbourne is available and is being offered to Riker.  In Shelby's quarters Shelby tells Riker what she's looking for to confirm the Bor...

Episode Spotlight ENT's First Flight Enterprise has detected a nebula which they think contains dark matter.  Excited, Archer wants to examine it closer, using a shuttlepod to duplicate a Vulcan experiment to excite the dark matter with metreon particles.  Archer then receives a message from Admiral Forrest: his old friend and fellow NX test pilot A. G. Robinson has died in an accident.  In the shuttlebay Archer prepares to go on the shuttle alone, but T'Pol arrives and insists on going with him, citing ship regulations.  After launching the shuttle and moving to the first set of coordinates T'Pol asks Archer about Robinson, having heard some details from Trip.  At first reluctant Archer finally tells her that he and Robinson were in the NX project together as test pilot, and that they both wanted to be the first to break warp 2.  In a flashback to 2143 Commander Archer meets with Commodore Forrest to discuss warp reactor simulations.  Forrest tells hi...

Episode Spotlight TOS The Menagerie, Parts I and II Part I Stardate 3012.4.  The USS Enterprise arrives as Starbase 11 in response to a message apparently received from the base from the Enterprises former captain, Christopher Pike.  Kirk, Spock and McCoy beam down but are told that the base sent no message to the Enterprise.  Inquiring further Kirk and co. are informed by the base commander, Commodore Jose Mendez about the condition of Captain Pike, critically injured and now paralyzed after a recent disaster aboard a training ship.  In the medical section they meet Captain Pike (played here by Sean Kenney), now horribly radiation scarred and confined to a wheelchair.  Unable to even speak Captain Pike can use his brain waves to signal yes or no responses to questions via a light and beep built into the chair (one been for yes, two beeps for no).  Spock speaks to Captain Pike alone, telling him "I have it well planned", "It's only two days away from here a...

Deep Space Nine: The Final Chapter Finale: What You Leave Behind The computer announces the time as 05:00 hours, waking Bashir and Ezri, who are sleeping together.  After discussing their night they along with the rest of of the senior staff prepare to leave on the Defiant.  O'Brien admits to Keiko that he hasn't yet told Bashir about the offer for him to teach at Starfleet Academy.  Sisko comforts Kasidy who is experiencing pregnancy-related morning sickness.  Jake walks him to the Defiant.  Odo walks with Worf to the Defiant, they discuss their hopes that Kira is well.  The Defiant departs with the fleet for Cardassia Prime.  On Cardassia Weyoun and the Founder monitor the incoming fleet.  The Founder says that the outcome of the battle will determine the outcome of the war.  Broca reports rumors that Damar is alive and in the capital on Cardassia Prime.  While sneaking through the streets Garak and Damar are stopped by Jem'Hadar patro...

Deep Space Nine: The Final Chapter 8: The Dogs of War On DS9 the crew wait expectantly in ops for the arrival of their new Defiant-class ship.  When the ship, the USS Sao Paulo, arrives they notice how it looks almost identical to the Defiant.  On the Sao Paulo's bridge Admiral Ross transfers command to Captain Sisko.  Ross also gives Sisko special dispensation from Starfleet Operations to rename the ship to USS Defiant!  On the stolen Jem'Hadar ship Kira, Garak And Damar beam down to Cardassia Prime to meet with some of Damar's loyalists.  However they discover that one of the officers, Gul Revok, has betrayed them.  The resistance is massacred.  In orbit the Jem'Hadar ship is attacked and destroyed.  The three are stranded on Cardassia.  They make their way to the capital and hide in the basement of Garak's childhood home, the former home of Enabran Tain with Mila, Tain's housekeeper.  In the infirmary Bashir clears Odo for duty and te...

Deep Space Nine: The Final Chapter 7: Extreme Measures After returning to the station Odo is in the infirmary, being treated by Dr. Bashir.  Bashir tells him that he is still working to find a cure for the disease and that he estimates that Odo has a week, maybe two to live.  Kira and Garak leave to rejoin Damar's resistance.  O'Brien tells Sisko that Starfleet engineering has the schematics of the captured Breen energy dampening weapon and are working on a defense.  Bashir transmits a report to Starfleet Medical, falsely claiming that he has found a cure.  He tells Sisko that he didn't inform him before because he didn't want Section 31 to cover their tracks.  He also says he plans to use Romulan mind probes on a Section 31 member.  Sisko allows them to proceed, overlooking the ethical and legal issues.  After a late night round of darts with O'Brien at Quarks Bashir goes to bed, only to be woken by Luther Sloan from Section 31.  Bashir acti...