NOW VOYAGER THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE KATE MULGREW APPRECIATION SOCIETY VOLUME III NUMBER 5 ALL ABOUT NOW VOYAGER Greetings from the Kate Mulgrew Appreciation Society. KMAS Inc., a Maryland non-profit corporation, is Kate Mulgrew's official fan club. You can reach us at P.O. Box 34745, Bethesda, MD 20827-4745, or online at tigger@cais.cais.com. Current yearly dues are $25 U.S., $32/Canada-Mexico, $40/Overseas (U.S. bank funds only). Send Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope for information, or $5 for a sample issue of Now Voyager, or e-mail for the electronic edition of this bimonthly newsletter. If you would like a copy of our submission guidelines or our bylaws, send a S.A.S.E. Now Voyager is on the World Wide Web at http://www.engr.umbc.edu/~mpanti1/mulgrew/. For print back issue requests, send a S.A.S.E. to Anne Davenport, 6211 E. Azalea Ave. B, Panama City Beach, FL 32408. This is a not-for-profit, amateur publication and is not intended to infringe upon the copyrights of any media corporation. All material is copyrighted by the authors except for the trademarks and patents of Viacom, Inc. No part of this newsletter may be reproduced or forwarded without permission, in print or electronically. The opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the editors, KMAS Inc., Kate Mulgrew, or Paramount Pictures. ____________________________________________________ KMAS INC. BOARD OF DIRECTORS Michelle Erica Green, president. Joan Testin, vice president. Lauren Baum, treasurer. Anne Davenport, membership secretary. Mary Taylor, business secretary. Paul Anderson, assistant secretary. Barbe Smith, charity coordinator. Peter Castillo, legal advisor. Jeanne Donnelly, corporate advisor. NOW VOYAGER STAFF Jennifer Pelland, internet mailing list coordinator. Michael Pantiuk & Cheryl Zenor, web page designers. Donna Christenberry, assistant editor. Anna Shuford, membership directory designer. Beth Schuman & Nancy Molik, convention coordinators. Member, National Association of Fan Clubs ____________________________________________________ EDITORIAL BUZZ This is a column about excuses. I wasn't sure whether I should bother to write one, seeing how most days I either don't bother to make excuses or I don't feel like I have to, but I might as well get all this into print where everyone can see it. I'll start with the questions I get asked all the time and then offer my paltry responses: 1) Why doesn't Now Voyager have a membership directory yet? Because it took me a very long time to get things organized for one, and then I diverted our membership director, Anna Shuford, to work on the convention newsletter while I attempted to get responses from people who failed to return our survey about whether or not they wanted to be listed. I know from my own experiences with fan clubs that there is nothing more annoying than finding your home address listed someplace where everyone can see it when you didn't want it made public. At the same time, it's very frustrating NOT to have your address listed if you wanted other people to be able to get ahold of it. So it has taken us a very long time to get complete information from people about whether they wanted to be listed and how, and we kept adding new members while working on the directory for the old one. The membership directory will be in the mail ASAP--I promise, 2) Why don't we get autographed pictures of Kate? Because we're not an autograph service. I haven't particularly pressured Kate about photos because this is a fanclub; people join, for the most part, because they want to read about and talk about Kate and meet other fans, not because they want to get a picture to stick on the wall. If we had autographed photos in the membership packet, that would change. Probably we'd experience an immediate surge in membership, which might be very lucrative in the short term (and a bargain for people joining; $25 is a lot less than you'd expect to pay for an autographed photo of Kate from a dealer, and a LOT less than the premiums Creation charges people to get her signature at conventions). It's likely we'd have to jack up dues to keep up with demand if we started offering autographed pictures to everyone. I'vre asked Kate whether she would be willing to sign photos for present members when the new season's cast shots become available; if this happens, then I think we're going to institute a policy whereby only renewing members get autographed photos. Because I want this fan club to remain a place for fans, not for collectors, dealers, and people who want to take a bite out of Kate. So anyone who's reading this can rest secure in the knowledge that as soon as we have autographed photos, you'll get one, and none of us will have to worry about brokers joining our midst for the express purpose of getting signatures. 3) Why can't we send messages to one another in the newsletter? This is the question I have the hardest time with, because in an ideal world, people would be able to send personal messages to one another in Now Voyager. I was a member of ENVY, Nana Visitor's first fan club, throughout its existence, and the Templegrams were one of my favorite parts of the newsletter. But they got out of hand--sometimes there were 15 pages per issue of nothing but personal messages--and club dues got out of hand to keep up with the printing costs associated with them. Moreover, ENVY's membership tended to run under 200 people; we have more than twice that, and growing. Now Voyager has an informal electronic mailing list, meaning that people with Internet access have the equivalent of a letterzine to participate in. It only costs $60 a year to keep it running, and nobody has to do any editing or printing, so the overhead for the club in terms of money and time is minimal. But that's no consolation for people who don't have computers or e-mail. I can only think of one solution, and that's to have someone else start a Now Voyager message newsletter, because I simply don't have time to publish one of those and get this newsletter out every other month. Since this is a sanctioned fan club and nobody would be editing personal messages, the relationship between the club and the message exchange would have to be informal; it would take a LOT of work. If anyone is interested in shouldering this burden and winning a lot of appreciation, you know where to reach me. ONCE IN LOVE WITH JANEWAY ASK KATE! *People have been asking for a long time if we could have a column where members could ask the questions they would pose if they could have a conversation with Kate. We collected some of those questions and, thanks to the miracle of telephone technology, we were able to have this conversation. This is an experiment. If you have a question for Kate, send it to Now Voyager c/o Jeanne Donnelly, 13021 S. 48th Street #1111, Phoenix, AZ 85044 or e-mail it to jeannier@ix.netcom.com. We cannot promise responses to all queries, but we will do our best to ask Kate when she has free time.* *How are you and your boys? * Fine--we just got back from Iowa. I took them home to see my parents, and I've never seen them quite so good. They're growing up. Manners are everything to me--I know that sounds archaic--and they are showing very good manners, which simply means a kind of kindness and attentiveness. They know how to listen and they know how to be gracious, and, in my opinion, that's a passport. I must thank all of Now Voyager for the wonderful donation to ICC. That was quite a surprise, and delighted my soul. I'll tell you, Sister Bridget has done nothing but write me letter after letter praising you. It means everything to me. *If you could have just five books in your library, what would they be? (Barbe)* Oh, God, that's an impossible question to ask someone who reads as much as I read. But I would have to put War and Peace at the top. I would put the autobiography of Thérèse of Lisieux up there--Histoire d'une âme, History of a Soul. I would probably have the Bible, for sheer reference. I have so many wonderful books that I adore. I would choose literature that has deeply moved me, not because it's so popular but because it's so personal. I think Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt was not only incredibly deserving of the Pulitzer, but just an exquisitely written book. To me, that exemplifies what good writing is all about. That man photographed his childhood in Ireland, and to me it is a priceless piece of literature. Oh, the lives of all the great people...but who's written the best biography or autobiography? I have stacks by my bed, I could just go down the list. What would the fifth be? It's too hard--I don't know, we could spend forever on this. The Russians are high up there, though--Tolstoy, Dostoyevsky, definitely. *I understand you enjoyed The Cloister Walk [by Kathleen Norris]. Read any other good books lately? (Alana)* I enjoyed it, but not head over heels. My inclination is to be a Catholic mystic. This woman was a Protestant, and although her insights and her spiritual movements were deep and fascinating, they were not as complex nor as grotesque as I think the true mystics really are. So I'll go the way of the Catholic mystics, I'll read John of the Cross, or St. Augustine, or my sweet Thérèse. It was nice reading--nothing over the moon. *Who's your favorite painter, besides your mom? (Jenny)* Unbelievably tough. I mean, three or four come to mind immediately. Rembrandt, Picasso, Goya, Diego Rivera...I love the Miniaturists as well. He wasn't a painter, but Giacometti, as a sculptor, was breathtaking, for my money. So off the top of my head...it's interesting that I didn't put a woman up there. I like strong and ardent, and I suppose I like that male ego in there. I don't know why, but for me it translates so beautifully to canvas. It's not like the other arts. I've studied it all my life, because my mother is a painter, and she agrees. There are a lot of women painters, but not as wonderful--I mean, you really can't say that Mary Cassatt could hold a candle to the other Impressionists, for my money, or taste. Or that Frida Kahlo in any way rose to the plate as Diego Rivera did. Although I adore Frida Kahlo, when I hang her next to Rivera, I'd rather look at Rivera. That's the bottom line, although I could spend days looking at her stuff, too. I'm telling you what I would buy--I would buy these guys, because it's my conviction that they are greater. There are some splendid women, I think I need to study them more. And Rembrandt loved women, so you see I didn't pick all egomaniacal men. *If you could give advice to your past self, the one who was just getting into the business and craft of acting, what would you tell her? (Rahadyan)* That's a very good question. I think it would be about the ego. I would urge her to put her ego aside, to learn the beauty of failure. It's been a great problem for me all my life--I don't like to fail, and of course you know you can't learn anything if you don't fail. So to embrace failure, and to understand that it is inherent to the evolution of a creative self--I was just so driven when I was young. I would say to be more driven towards the absolute crystallization of the art rather than what it promises. *Of your television and movie roles before Voyager, which role did you enjoy the most and why? (George)* I would say, no question, it would be one of my theater roles...and of them all, I would say Hedda Gabler. Simply because Ibsen is a great genius, and he understood that kind of tortured mind, and he understood the female mind at a time in Scandinavian society when she was not to be understood, and he understood the cost of adjusting to a culture that has no soul. That was Hedda. He also understood the monster in all of us, which to me is intriguing, and wonderful to play. My ex-husband did just a splendid job directing that, at the Doolittle--it was kind of a love letter, I think, because it was so exquisitely done, and he did it on the sort of epic canvas which I think suits Ibsen. But I'd like to have another shot at that now--you really have to know what you're doing to play Hedda, and I think that perhaps I was a bit too young to grasp her. Anyway, that's theone--Hedda, because she was the most challenging. *If you were given the oppor tunity to portray any character ever written for a female, stage or screen (excluding all characters you've already played), what part would you chose and why? (Christy)* It's a bit of a toss-up, here, but I think I would go with Masha in Chekhov's Three Sisters. And I better go fast, because I'm getting a little long in the tooth for her--any time after 55, it's not advisable. Masha, because she exemplifies everything I love about the Russians, everything that I love about the epic soul--it's drama at its best. It's absurd, and it is poignant, and it is tragic, and terribly funny, all the nuances of human nature that I most enjoy come together in Masha. Right after her, it would be Lady Macbeth, and I suspect I'll get a shot at her. *How has your approach to Janeway changed since "Caretaker?" (Amy) Since Captain Janeway has become more action-oriented, I've noticed that she's become less of a "toucher." Are the writers trying to make her appear less nurturing and more tough? (Deborah) Are you comfortable with the recent developments in Voyager's storyline? What would you like to see happen as a nice character challenge for Janeway and the other principal players? (Janet) What would you like to see Kathryn Janeway do more of? Less of? (Jacki)* Well, first of all, she's changed a great deal since "Caretaker." Enormously. And the biggest change is relaxation. I am infinitely more relaxed now than I was when I did "Caretaker." Now, what this has to do with the touching, or the action, I'm not sure. I have very little to do with the stories that they write--I can't choose the essence of the story. I can posit my opinion, and I make changes as I see fit, but if they're going to do "Macrocosm," that's what they're going to do--I've got to take the phaser rifle and do it, and I might as well do it 100%. But that's the only episode I was action-oriented in. I can live without jumping down the chute with the phaser rifle--I'll be perfectly frank about that. I think perhaps it may have been a mistake--I think that, as the captain, it's very captainly to delegate those jobs to other people. When other people are unavailable, I'll do it. I have helped with these recent developments in the storyline. I've distilled her, and I feel that authority is key--in my case, I would like to make it gracious, and human, and accessible. But I would under no circumstances like to be known as the 'touchy' captain, because on all the ships I've visited since I started this role, I've never noticed once a captain touch a crewman. I've never noticed it, actually, in any position of great authority. So I observe that, and I take it to heart--I don't think that it has to be severely curtailed with Janeway, but I have to be quite selective. I would prefer to do it on a one-on-one, I would prefer to do it when it is absolutely necessary to the well-being of the other person or myself within that scene. It shouldn't be arbitrary, it should be important. That's my way of saying to whoever it is, "I understand how you're feeling--I don't have time to express all of this, but I'm going to touch you." I think there's a seriousness now; we've been lost for a long time. And the flip side of that is humor--in equal measure, I would almost say. If I were lost for three years with that many people, I'd be getting pretty serious about getting home, and I would also be enjoying the absurdity of it. So I've encouraged them to show that. It sounds schizophrenic, but there are two very important levels playing here: she is responsible, and at the same time, who the hell can endure that kind of responsibility? So there has to be laughter, there has to be warmth. But I think when I'm on the bridge, when tough stuff comes down, the stakes are now so high that there has to be a very quiet and intense seriousness. To suffer any further losses would be almost too much for Janeway. I need to hold on to these people. I'd like to see her get into her relationships with her crew. Real people. It's why I objected so strenuously to the Doctor episode, "Real Life"--why would the Doctor, who was a hologram, be the only one to explore relationships? I have a little struggle with all that holodeck stuff, and I'm hoping against hope that the Da Vinci thing works. But even if it doesn't, it's a place for me to go alone, and have talks with Chakotay. The set works beautifully. I'm just going in there to write, and read--use it as Janeway's getaway. He comes in, and I let him in slowly--I'm a little mixed about him, since the Borg thing. *Which action figure do you want to see--Resistance Janeway? Southern Belle Janeway? Bedtime Janeway? Or the ever popular Bathtime Janeway? (Rachel)* Oh, let's just see them all together! Right, Rachel? *Do you worry at all that playing a strong, independent woman like Janeway could have a negative effect on your career after Voyager, since, as Glenn Close says, actresses are usually employable only for as long as they're perceived as appealing to male desires? (Sara)* Not at all. This can only stand me in good stead. And I'm very surprised that Glenn Close said such a thing. I've been a lot like her--I've never had nearly as stellar a career, but I have never been perceived as a sex symbol. She's very good, very intelligent, she's had a wonderful career--it's a bit like Streep. They're too smart. It's never been about sex [with them], and it's never been about sex with me, not even when I was quite young. So I'm sure that that's the way it will always be. And if anybody's got to have a legacy, I don't think Captain Janeway's half bad. So I'll get around that, in my own fashion. If you're good enough, you're good enough, aren't you? If you're only good enough as the role that made you something, then you're not really to be taken seriously. I've never been in that club because I've never been a young movie star. Those girls have the power, but then they seem to lose it. So I think it's a very good thing I've never thought that way, and neither has the industry regarding me, so I'm not worried about that at all--it takes me off the hook in a big way. *On the show, Janeway appears to be about 5'8" or so, due to high heeled boots, camera angles, etc. Do you think this is necessary for your character? (Theresa)* I'll tell you the truth, they've ruined my feet! I'm 5'5", so the boots are three and a half inches...but they do that because they have to. They let me put my flats on and shot a couple of scenes, so I could see it--I looked like a little dwarf. I would just be too diminutive, you would spend the whole time saying, "My God, can't Q pick her up in his hands or something?" So I have to wear the boots, because the guys are all tall. They made me a beautiful pair of boots--it's just hard on the old feet. I'm vain about my feet. Anyway, I do think it's necessary for the character. *Do you feel confused about the direction Captain Janeway is developing as Voyager is overhauled every year, with a new focus on the storyline? I would find it hard to develop a character if the parameters keep changing. (Peter)* This is something that I am going to have to grapple with--I am the first female captain, let's face it. Whoever said this was going to be easy, that they were going to get a great arc going, that we weren't going to have to stumble and fall? We're dealing with a woman, and I have as much to teach them as they do me, and we have to work together--which we do, I'm sure I'm on the phone a lot more than Patrick Stewart ever had to be. And I fight, and fight hard, and I do the best I can. I can't fight City Hall--I can't write the story myself, and I can't change the essence of the story. But I can change what I feel, if it's negative for Janeway, or inappropriate, and we do try to work together. My view now is that Janeway must be a good and strong, skillful, and I would even go so far as to say a dangerous contender if you thwarted her. This is a captain first. So that's what I'm working on, and I don't think we have to lose any of the marvelous byproducts of who she is as a person to develop her captaincy. *What do you think is wrong with Voyager and what would fix it? (Maria)* I would take the inherent strengths of Voyager, which are Captain Janeway, Commander Chakotay, the Doctor, and the rest of the core group--Torres, Tuvok, Paris--and I would make those people and the complexities and nuances of their relationships so interesting, so real, and so compelling that you could take the young male demographic and...well, I would stop worrying about the numbers and I would worry about the heart. But I'm not a businessperson--I don't have billions at stake in this franchise. I'm a salaried actress, and when this is over, I'll be a salaried actress. I want to go out of this thing when this is over saying that we did great storytelling, and the way to do that is to take your strongest core members, and you write for them and about them, and you'll have a hit. If I lost it for Janeway, I'd quit. Have done in the past and will do again, no question about it. I don't do what I don't like, my life is way too short. If I didn't buy the fact that I think that she's a great woman, and that this franchise is still one of the noblest, I'd quit and they could sue me for every penny I've got. I think they know I feel that way about it, and I feel that way about everybody else--I mean, I say this to my company--you don't want to be here, adios. Go on out and get on the bread line. *I'm afraid Voyager is going to repeat the dumbing-down of Deep Space Nine in the name of demographics, which put the female first officer in a catsuit, etc. I can handle the holodeck bikinis, but I hope they'll give the new Borg woman a strong personality in addition to the catsuit. Chakotay hasn't slept with her yet, has he?* It bothers me that she's in a catsuit. And he's not going to sleep with her. Not my Chakotay. He just can't. He's too good. Leave him alone. *I would like to know if it is true that you and Robert Beltran have been quietly lobbying for a Janeway/Chakotay relationship, as he claimed recently on MSN? If so, what changed your mind? (Siobhan, Nancy, and Elizabeth) * I never changed my mind about my relationship with him. I've never wanted to have sex with him, that's never going to change--write it in big, bold letters, I'm not going to go to bed with him! I want a relationship with him. I've always said that. You can make this very clear: nobody has lobbied longer, harder, or more strongly for a deep and important relationship between Janeway and Chakotay than Mulgrew and Beltran. It has been ever thus, and it will never change. And if anything threatens that relationship, I will really fight for it, like a cat. I've talked to Jeri about it at length, I've talked to them all. I said, you know, you can maximize here. Don't minimize, and don't reduce him, don't use him because he's big and strong and handsome. Use him because he really lo-- He digs Janeway, and Janeway digs him. And then you've got a damn good story. The minute you start saying, "Well, he can't do it with Janeway, so let's get Chakotay to...," you're going to lose them. You're going to lose them, and you're going to lose me. *I think it would help if you explain what you think a "Janeway/Chakotay relationship" means. It's clear that you believe they should never display physical affection onscreen, but lately you've seemed open to a high level of passion and committment in their interaction. Do you envision them being able to have an intimate bond, spoken if not dramatized, or do you think that intimacy is something Janeway will have to sacrifice (barring possession stories, etc.) for the run of the series?* A Janeway/Chakotay relationship is a real relationship. That's how much I value it. Six years isn't long enough to develop this, that's how real it is. It is slow and deep-moving, it is the kind of connection between two people that cannot be interrupted by anything on the outside because those two people would not allow it to be so. He values Janeway and Janeway values Chakotay to such an extent that it is not even up for discussion--that's why any question of Chakotay's infidelity is not only rather revolting to me, but completely off-center. I don't think that he would consider it. That could be an interesting thing to touch on, his needs as a man. And her needs as a woman are great, and very, very real--you think she doesn't long for some sort of touch, to let it down? She longs like hell! But she's the genuine article. That's what makes her able to touch. That's what allows her to go into the deepest center of these people. She knows people--she knows her own flaws and her own needs. But of the greatest importance is that she not let them down. And so there are ways to do it, I believe, that don't have to be sacrificial in the Catholic sense, but I think she can get what she needs from this relationship in the finest way. She's not going to sleep with him. I don't think [sex] is dirty, I think it's divine--I just don't think she has the time. It's a split focus. She's not swearing it off--she believes more than anything else that she's going to get them home, and then, maybe...that's what I have to believe. But there are so many levels to this--it's important to me that you in no way misconstrue what I'm saying. Do you think I don't recognize all of the obvious things between Janeway and Chakotay? Oh, but I do--but they have to be handled exquisitely. She's the captain of the ship, she's got to be that first. But I think, like everything else in life, we can see some slips here. Why should she not slip? I've encouraged them, also--let's see the façade drop every now and then. I think we need more one-on-one together, alone, so we can see that. At this point, I think it would be quite acceptable to see them more alone, and what happens then, when they're alone. What kind of tenderness, what kind of tension, what kind of stammering? What kind of touch that doesn't complete itself, but longs to? Those sorts of things. And then let's see them completely united on the bridge, and then let's see them not united in private, and what happens then. But let's make sure that their allegiance is to one another, absolutely. There should be a lot of that tension, and you're going to see more of it. It's terribly important to me, this relationship. And I adore [Robert Beltran] on a personal level. There is absolutely nothing about that man that I do not like. There's a loveliness to his nature that I respond to completely. He truly is my anchor, in many ways, and I think vice versa. So we must maintain that. The audience that I target, as much as I'd like to have that young male demographic...what does an intelligent woman of a certain age feel? That's what I am, I'm 42. I target my acting toward them every week, not a 14-year-old boy. They can come aboard for all the other great reasons that Trek is fascinating. That's what my younger son says to me all the time--'Whenever it's about you and Chakotay, it's interesting, Mom. Or you and whoever, getting into something. But I hate it when you walk into that holodeck and all those girls and boys are naked, it's so stupid'-- even a 13-year-old can see that. I'd like to walk away from this in a few years and have women say, "You know, she did something--she did something to me." That's the key here. And on that note, we will have to save the rest for next time! *Hedda Gabler (with Dakia Matthews, George Deloy, Michael Gross) and The Aristocrats (below, with Andrew Robinson, Jocelyn O'Brien) directed by Robert Egan, Mark Taper Forum, Los Angeles. Photos by Jay Thompson.* KATEWATCH UCLA BLEAK HOUSE READING MARATHON LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, 10 MAY 1997 Kate Mulgrew was a featured guest "reader" at a marathon reading of Charles Dickens' Bleak House to benefit the UCLA Department of English. Kate read for 25 minutes from Chapter 53 of the 67-chapter book on Friday afternoon of the two-day event. Other celebrity readers included Sean Astin, his father, John Astin, and actor Jeremy Lawrence. One of our own Now Voyager members, Lynda Foley, read from Chapter 52 just prior to Kate's introduction and reading. The marathon reading began the previous day at 10 a.m. and concluded 32 hours later. Readers were sponsored by various donors at $50 per five minutes of reading. The Kate Mulgrew Appreciation Society raised more than $500 to sponsor Kate's noon reading. A large crowd of over 200 people gathered in the Rolfe Sculpture Garden to hear Kate read. Most sat in folding chairs under a large white canopy while others lounged on the grass, eating lunch or studying while they listened to the various readers. A large notice on the reader's lectern advised all participants they should "Please feel free to ham it up!" and Kate gave a very enthusiastic reading. She was magnificent - she gestured, she grabbed her throat, she paused dramatically and she laughed with gusto. At one point she was required to read the following grammatically strange paragraph: "The debilitated cousin only hopes some fler'll be executed -- zample. Thinks more interest's wanted -- get man hanged presentime -- than get man place ten thousand a year. Hasn't a doubt--zample--far better hang wrong fler than no fler." When she finished that particularly convoluted passage, she turned to the audience and exclaimed, "Whew, WHAT a paragraph!" and everyone applauded in agreement. After finishing her portion of the reading, Kate greeted a few friends and fans in the audience including Sue Henley, her stand-in on Star Trek: Voyager. Some fans had gifts for Kate and others requested photographs or autographs. And a few fans stood back, discussing Kate's voice and admiring Kate's soft beige suit and tortoise shell sunglasses. Kate eventually sat down to hear Jeremy Lawrence give his portion of the marathon reading. Additional information regarding this annual fundraiser is available by calling Greg Jackson at the UCLA Department of English, (310) 825-4026. --Barbie N. Spots I arrived at the Sculpture Gardens at Rolfe Hall on 9 May about one hour before Kate was scheduled to read (after 2 hours of L.A. morning traffic, UCLA traffic, and standing on a corner with map in hand wanting to scream "Where, exactly, am I?"). I almost missed the whole thing. I met up with my four new friends and we took front row seats, waiting for Kate to arrive. She appeared out of nowhere with no fanfare and milled around with a few people, some approaching her to offer accolades or ask for an autograph. Kate happily obliged. Kate was dressed in a beige colored sleeveless top with matching slacks. Her hair was pulled back and she had on a pair of great tortoise-shell sunglasses. After about ten minutes and a brief introduction by the head of the UCLA English Department, Kate took the podium. She still had on her sunglasses and I was tempted to yell "Take them off!"but I thought that would be rude. She read for a full half hour--much longer than any of the other readers. Kate read the various characters using slightly different voices, including one very British accent, and read the non-speaking passages with just a hint of an English accent. She used her hands a lot and kept her head bent over the novel, causing her sunglasses to slide down her nose so then she would have to push them back up. It was quite funny. Of course, she used her hands a lot, and acted out the motions that a character might be making. For example, she waggled her finger or yawned when the character she was reading did. I wasn't aware of it at the time, but Kate's stand-in, Sue Henley, was sitting directly behind us. I had seen her arrive and thought she looked familiar, but didn't connect who she was until she gave Kate a big hug after Kate left the podium. After she read, Kate went to one side and the five of us that were grouped together wondered if we should approach her, knowing that she was aware that we were attending the reading. One of the event coordinators mentioned that she would speak to us after the next reader, actor Jeremy Lawrence. He began to read after everyone took their seats. We lost track of Kate until Lawrence read a statement where he yelled out "ejaculate!"We were laughing and then I could hear Kate cackling from the seats directly behind us. As soon as Lawrence left the podium, Kate herself came up to where we were sitting and asked to join us over in a corner. The six of us spent a few minutes introducing ourselves to each other. We mentioned that we were going to see Robert Beltran in Hamlet the following evening and Kate commented on what a wonderful production it was. Autographs were given and then we all posed for a few Kodak moments--each one of us had a camera! Kate and I were playing a game of exactly-where-do-I-put-my-hand on the back of Ari, who stood between myself and Kate during the photo session. I am amazed at how different from Kathryn Janeway is from Kate Mulgrew. It's a credit to Kate's acting ability that she is able to create a character entirely different from her own personality. And it's not a matter of wearing a Starfleet uniform. Kate carries herself differently from Janeway. Not that she slouches, but Janeway walks like she is in command--very erect and straight, each step methodically planned as to where she wants to go and what she wants to accomplish. Kate is more relaxed and comfortable--very approachable, not daunting in the least. And her incredible sense of humor certainly shows through in her arm and hand actions, her one-liners and her distinct cackle. I was also surprised at the number of freckles that she has on her arms and her face. I remember the bath scene in "Resolutions"and all the closeups of Kate and don't remember those freckles. She covers them well for filming And we all know how petite and thin she is. I am 5'10"tall and I had on flats, but felt like an Amazon next to her. She had to look up at me when we were talking. I didn't speak much, just introduced myself and told her it was an honor to meet her. Kate was more than happy to sign anything we offered her--even personalizing one birthday wish. She was very gracious, shook our hands and thanked us for our support for such a worthy cause. She and a few other people headed off towards the parking garage after a few minutes with our group. My guess is that she had only recently arrived from New York and was in a hurry to get home. But she was very nice and, as usual, was warm, bright and entertaining. --Annmarie Daneker What a professional! From her first appearance bounding up the stairs towards the UCLA courtyard, Kate Mulgrew had everyone's rapt attention. She was breathtaking and natural, resplendent in a straw-colored vest buttoned up to her neck, light jacket which she held, softly gathered slacks, sandals, long shoulder knitted pouch bag, dark tortoiseshell sunglasses, gold dangling earrings and hair loosely swept back with the short ends tied in a tan scrunchie. She was met by one of the organizers of the reading, and gave Sue Henley, her stand-in, a hug. A few people approached her for autographs which she graciously signed. She spent the next few minutes speaking with organizers, intently focusing her attention on the people she was with. It was all we could do to concentrate on the current reader, with Kate just a few meters away. As it drew nearer to her reading time, she seated herself in the 'next up' chair behind the "debtor's prison" table, and calmly looked about. The Vice Chair of the English department, Professor Valerie Smith, introduced Kate, quoting her famous 'Captain Janeway is the quintessential woman of the future; both commanding and discerning.' Professor Smith also introduced the other distinguished guest actor/playwright, Jeremy Lawrence, who was the reader immediately following Kate. As her other roles were mentioned like Mary Ryan and Kate Columbo, Kate chuckled in surprise. Before beginning, Kate acknowledged the applause, then asked "Can you hear me? Can I read this book is the question?" to laughter. Instead of picking off where the previous reader finished, she started back a few paragraphs to the beginning of Chapter 53. Cold. There's no way she could have prepared for the reading. She barely even glanced at the section as she waited her turn to read. And when she read, the whole courtyard was mesmeriz ed. There was such an obvious difference between professional and amateur that hardly anyone noticed the reread passage as it seemed completely new. She was practically acting out the book--with changes in inflection, the hand gestures, and the body movement. Although she wore her sunglasses against the glare of the noon sun, she often peeked over its top to meet the audience's gaze through various passages for effect. In fact, she did that quite frequently, dropping her voice to a husky whisper leaning into the microphone. There were also signs of the Janeway maneuver (you know, where she loosely points with her forefinger and middle finger together with the back sweep of her hand) as she read about the recurring theme of the "forefinger." She drew people in, holding us all hostage to her remarkable talent. As the reading progressed, so did her gestures. After the lengthy narrative, the ensuing dialogue brought out an English accent. She giggled at the mention of the Duke of Foodle, and after a rather complex and long-winded paragraph, she commented, "That was an interesting passage." When she finished, to rousing applause, she moved off to the side, where she was greeted by a few fans. We were told that she was aware of our presence, and that she'd meet with us when she could, after Jeremy Lawrence had finished. Professional courtesy. When he was done, she came around to where we were seated in the front row, and motioned for us to join her at the side. She took turns greeting each of us--Annmarie, Ari, myself, my cousin Anna, and Helen. Kate looked at Helen and thought she had met her before. Helen said no, she would definitely know if she had met Kate before. Kate did acknowledge that she had met Ari before. She was surprisingly freckled and tanned, without the porcelain skin we see on Voyager. She is naturally beautiful and has amazing iridescent dark blue eyes, like the "Sacred Ground" closeup scene in the Waiting Room, but darker. When I was on the Voyager set, I was surprised at the colors of the walls and corridors--they are a greenish blue-gray. When I mentioned this to the stage crew, they told me that the colors show up quite differently on film; hence the difference in eye color. When Kate heard we were planning to go to Robert Beltran's performance of Hamlet, she told us we were in for a real treat, and that he was quite marvellous. I thought that was wonderful of her and the entire Voyager cast for taking the time to see his performance. (When we were speaking with Robert after the play, we mentioned that we had seen Kate just the day before. He asked where, so I gushed a bit about how professional and talented she was, and just to illustrate her amazing delivery, I launched into a Kate Mulgrew impersonation where I growled into my "microphone." It was very funny when Robert rolled his eyes and admitted that yes, she was very good. He had a look about him that said it was far from the first time his fans had gushed about Kate's considerable talent.) She thanked us all for coming and supporting the event. She said how important this cause was to her and how happy she was that she had such smart fans. Despite the fact that she seemed in a hurry, she graciously stayed the extra half hour intently listening to the other distinguished guest, then spent the minutes meeting with us, signing, and taking five pictures before heading off. The more I discover about Kate Mulgrew, the more filled with admiration. She's very compelling, thoughtful, intelligent, articulate, poised, courteous, generous, and so full of life. She is always managing to find something flattering to say about those around her, seems to have excellent perspective on her priorities, and laughs easily--a trait I find in people who have suffered many disappointments, and can embrace the joys of life. I could go on and on but I'm hoping to meet with her again, so that I can continue the unabashed praise. --Cecilia Lee I never truly appreciated the depths of Kate Mulgrew's talents until I saw her at the Bleak House reading at UCLA. This was a 'cold' reading. Kate had no way of knowing what passage she would read and therefore no way to prepare. Hearing her read, you would have thought that she had memorized and rehearsed this passage time and again. I would assume that Kate, being one of Hollywood's more literate residents, is somewhat familiar with Bleak House but it was her extraordinary ability as an actress that made her reading so delightful. The reading was done in a courtyard, the readers at a podium with a microphone and the audience in folding chairs. There was no 'stage' as such. When we arrived about 40 minutes before Kate was scheduled to begin, there were about a dozen people in the audience. By the time Kate began her reading the crowd had increased to about 150, much of which dissipated immediately after her reading. Kate began at the beginning of Chapter 53, "The Track." This passage is a who-done-it which begins with the funeral of the recently murdered Mr. Tulkinghorn. Mr. Buckett, a private detective, has taken upon himself to solve the crime and identify the murderer. Kate instantly picked up on the continuing theme of Mr. Buckett's "fat forefinger" and emphasized the humor of it. She brought a huge laugh from the audience when she read about Buckett greeting his companions after dinner, "...and a bow of recognition to the debilitated cousin; to whom it airly says 'You are a swell about town, and you know me, and I know you." It's a passage that doesn't seem especially funny when I read it, but Kate brought out the humor of it for us to enjoy. She was also wonderful at creating suspense. During the following passage: "...when Mr. Bucket and that finger are in much conference," she immediately dropped her voice, leaned into the microphone and growled "a terrible avenger will be heard of before long." Kate seemed to be having fun with the reading. Dickens can be rather inventive with the names of his characters. Kate allowed herself a giggle at "The Duke of Foodle". Throughout the reading she presented a range of inflections which engaged and involved the audience. "Where are all those secrets now?" she read with raised eyebrows, looking across the audience as if we were the keepers of the secrets. When reading dialogue, she slipped into a soft British accent. After reading the following passage: "'The ceremony of to-day,' continues Sir Leicester, 'strikingly illustrative of the respect in which my deceased friend;' he lays a stress upon the word, for death levels all distinctions; 'was held by the flower of the land, has, I say, aggravated the shock I have received from this most horrible and audacious crime. If it were my brother who had committed it, I would not spare him.'," she cocked her head and inserted the brief commentary, "That was an interesting passage," before continuing. She ended her reading (still in the same chapter) around: Mr. Bucket (still grave) inquiring if to-morow morning, now, would suit, in case "he should e as for'ard as he expects to be?" Sir Leicester replies, "All times are like to me." Mr. Bucket makes his three bows, and is withdrawing, when a forgotten point occurs ot him. 'Might I ask, by-the-by,'" he ways, in a low voice, cutiously returning, 'who poasted to Reward-bill on the staircase.'" (I've never read Bleak House, but I wanted to give a moderately intelligent report so I read the Cliffs Notes on the plane out there. My notes from the reading were clear enough to follow when I got the book from the library, so I'm confident about the passages I quoted.) Kate wore her sunglasses during the reading, which was a little disappointing because she has such expressive eyes, but the reading was fantastic anyway. Before her reading I approached one of the UCLA organizers, explained that there were a few of us there who had sponsored Kate and said that if she had time after her reading we would very much like to meet her. The organizer said that Kate was aware of our presence and did want to meet us. After the reading, Katewas everything that I've ever heard that Kate is: gracious and considerate. The man reading immediately after her was also a celebrity, a playwright and director. He and Kate were obviously friends. Kate greeted a few people who were waiting for her, then sat to hear his reading, which was also wonderful. After he completed his passage, she came to where we were sitting and thanked us for coming. She said that she enjoys meeting her smart fans. I'm afraid that I can't remember too many details of our conversation because once those blue eyes focused on mine (the sunglasses were off at this point), I was lost. When Kate shook my hand, we had a brief conversation. "We've met before," she said. "No, I don't believe we have." "Are you sure? I'm certain that we've met before." "Trust me," I said emphatically. "I would remember if I'd met you." She agreed to a few pictures and signed a few autographs. We mentioned that we planned on seeing Hamlet the following night, and she told us we were "in for a treat" and that Robert Beltran was marvelous. Mulgrew and Beltran in one weekend! I'm a happy camper! --Helen Anthony VIACOM RETAIL STORE OPENING CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, 22 MAY 1997 Viacom Inc. opened its first retail store on Michigan Avenue with a benefit dinner for the Art Institute of Chicago, and some Now Voyager members camped out on the sidewalk to see Kate Mulgrew, Robert Picardo, and other celebrities arrive. Kate arrived on the arm of Sumner Redstone, the CEO of Viacom. Kate looked very classy, from her hairstyle (French twist) to her extremely short but beautiful midnight blue brocade dress. THE FUNNY PAGES TOP 10s by Jackie LeBoeuf >From the Home Office at the bottom of Brannon Braga's wastepaper basket: TOP 10 THINGS JANEWAY COULD DO TO OCCUPY HER TIME WHILE SHE'S ON THE BORG SHIP 10.Try to confuse the Borg Collective into believing she's the Borg Queen by shaving her head. 9. Paint her fingernails...oh, oops...she may not have any of those anymore... 8. Paint her toenails...darn it, she might not have any of those anymore, either. 7. Tinker with the Borg slogan and change it to: "Resistance is fruitful...Prepare to be as-stimulated as Data was when the Borg Queen came on to him! 6. Practice saying "I am Locutus of Borg" without sounding like Jean-Luc Picard. 5. Practice saying "I am Kathryn of Borg." with malevolence, so it doesn't come out sounding like she's one of King Henry VIII's six wives. 4. Break into the computer database to learn where the heck the Borg assimilated the information that the cube shape is an efficient way of traveling through space. 3. Break into the computer database to see if there is any current data on an ex-Borg who currently goes by the name of Riley. Could learn interesting things, such as: Are the collective thoughts of the former Borg colony perceived differently? And what was it like getting laid by Chakotay? 2. Try to figure out which of her two favorite crewmembers, Neelix or Tuvok, would put the Borg Collective to sleep faster. And the No.1 thing Janeway could do to occupy her time on the Borg ship: 1. Try to figure out whether "Best of Both Worlds," Star Trek: First Contact, or "Scorpion, Part I" is the best all-around kick-butt Borg episode of all time! >From the Home Office in the mixed-up files of the X-Files: TOP 10 THINGS THAT MIGHT HAPPEN IN A VOYAGER/X-FILES CROSSOVER: 10. Janeway asks Mulder if he'd like some coffee, but he tells her that he prefers Tea (preferably Leoni). 9. Chakotay hears Jodie Foster's voice coming from his tattoo. 8. Suspicious cigarette butts point to the real person responsible for Voyager's being lost in the Delta Quadrant. 7. Neelix's cuisine is replaced by Cancer Man's old butts (and no one notices). 6. Characters played by every actor whose contract is up get brain cancer. 5. Male/female leads cannot become romantically involved because it would be detrimental to their professional relationship. 4. Male/female leads cannot become romantically involved because...wait a minute--is there a pattern here? 3. Mulder's dead. Janeway is stuck on a Borg cube. Scully is pregnant. 2. Janeway is stuck on Mulder. Borg dead. Everyone else is pregnant. And the No. 1 Thing That Might Happen in a Voyager/X-Files Crossover: 1. Combined new slogan: The truth is futile; prepare to be out there. KATHRYN JANEWAY, FEMINIST HEROINE THE PRIME DIRECTIVE IN THE DELTA QUADRANT by Kathy Altom, with thanks to Sandra Necchi Has Captain Janeway violated the Prime Directive [PD] by negotiating with the Borg? Did she violate the PD when she destroyed the Caretaker's array? When she tried to negotiate with the Kazon in "Alliances?" Is it even reasonable for her to try to apply the PD in the Delta Quadrant? What exactly is the PD anyway, and why should we care about it? The Star Trek Encyclopedia says that the PD "mandates that Starfleet personnel and spacecraft are prohibited from interfering in the normal development of any society, and that any Starfleet vessel or crewmember is expendable to prevent violation of this rule." However, Starfleet captains, who clearly hold it dear, have made many questionable decisions about it. They have risked their lives to uphold the PD, then flagrantly violated it to save their ships and crewmen, apparently without incurring Starfleet's wrath. How does a Captain decide when an idea like the PD should take precedence over the lives of her crew? In theory, contact with other societies is never entirely neutral because it always entails an exchange of information. Thus, the strongest interpretation of the PD prohibits all contact. But Federation members long for contact. They seek new information. Perhaps other cultures can offer solutions to unsolved problems which Federation members might never find on their own, because their history has led them in a different direction. Thus, the Federation seeks out contact, assuming responsibility for changes in itself while trying not to interfere with the right of self-determination among those contacted. In practice, the more societies differ, the greater the potential for contact to affect them, especially if one of the societies is much less advanced. The Federation is so protective of less technically advanced societies that the PD is interpreted as prohibiting any contact with prewarp societies. However, contact sometimes occurs by accident, creating moral angst for captains who must decide how to handle damage control. Because the prewarp Ocampa know about space travel from the Caretaker, Janeway's direct interaction with them probably had little effect on their society. What would have affected Ocampan society was the failure of the Caretaker's array to self-destruct because the array was damaged in the battle between the Kazon and Voyager. Destroying the array was the only way that Janeway could minimize Voyager's impact on the region. Where Starfleet is strong, the Federation can make relatively careful, informed decisions about contact, assistance, and trade. Isolated from Federation support, Voyager has to seek contact to survive. Restless to move on quickly, the ship has little time to analyze the potential results of contact. Janeway has found herself doing damage control among warp societies that have abused Voyager's good will. In "Warlord" Voyager becomes actively involved in an "official" government's power struggle with rebels. But the rebel leader is living in Kes' body and is only alive to lead a revolt because of Voyager's medical assistance. In "False Profits," Tuvok argues that Voyager cannot interfere with the Ferengi without violating the PD. Janeway counters that the Ferengi are only in the quadrant because of a Federation oversight. Therefore, Voyager has an obligation to do damage control for the pre-industrial society that the Ferengi are exploiting. To minimize Voyager's impact, Janeway plays out the planet's epic myth that the Ferengi have already exploited to set themselves up as gods. This is a classic Trek treatment of the dangers of contact with pre-industrial people who may only be able to interpret much more advanced technology as magic, reminiscent of several TOS and TNG episodes. In "Time and Again," Voyager investigates an explosion that destroyed all life on a prewarp but industrial planet. Trapped in a time distortion, Janeway and Paris find themselves among the planet's people the day before the explosion. Paris wants to warn them. Janeway insists that they cannot, because that would be a PD violation; she is willing to die to uphold the PD. She will also let everyone on the planet die, rather than interfere. This traditional Trek interpretation of the PD is troublesome. Can saving lives ever be wrong? If Janeway saves the people this time, but does not teach them the error of using polaric energy, she may only postpone the inevitable. Yet teaching them the error of their ways is definitely a PD violation. It assumes that she is so superior she has a right to tell others how they should live. Saving them once might give them time to find their own better way. Only when Janeway realizes that Voyager's interference may have caused the explosion does she start violating the letter of the PD in an attempt to preserve its intent. In "Prototype," Torres must make a similar choice. When she discovers the automated units' true agenda, she follows the PD readily. But her initial instinct had been to involve herself in the problems of the automated units; because Voyager can help, she argues, then they should. [This would seem to contradict the decision Picard made in TNG's "Pen Pals," where a request for assistance gave him an excuse to interfere in the technology of an alien race.] In "The 37's" Voyager finds twentieth century humans in cryostasis and revives them. Then Voyager finds their cloaked descendants: a prewarp human society that views their frozen ancestors as gods. Janeway does not seem to apply the PD to these prewarp humans. Is it because they know about space travel? Is it because by waking the 37's, she had already created an irreparable PD disaster? Or is it simply because this society is human? Is that reasonable? In "Future's End" Janeway is more careful among actual 20th century humans on Earth. Voyager has been pulled into a time loop scenario where they have already interfered with the 29th century, so they are trying to undo that interference. Why does Janeway so readily accept Braxton's concluding decision that Voyager must be returned to the DQ because of the temporal PD? This Braxton has no record of Voyager at twentieth century Earth, but he knows that in his timeline, Voyager's place in their time is the DQ. If they try to change that, they are actively trying to interfere in this Braxton's future by changing its past. In "Unity," Riley uses Chakotay against his will to effect the internal development of her ex-Borg society. This is an unusual case because Janeway does not try to undo the damage Chakotay causes when he restores the neural link among all the former Borg. Why not? Is Janeway running scared from these ex-Borg? Or does she sympathize with Riley's struggle to build a new society? While Janeway's version of the PD does not prevent her from interacting with other warp societies, it still prevents her from interfering in their normal development. At what point does interaction with other societies become unacceptable interference? Among individuals, commerce usually seems like a simple exchange of commodities. Among societies, trade is a political issue because it exchanges information and supports the economies of the trading partners. But the potential political effects may be very difficult to predict. In "Prime Factors" the Sikarians have an apparently reasonable government with its own version of the PD. Janeway tries to trade Voyager's literary library for transportation halfway home, but the official government will not trade. Someone else will trade the device used for transport. While some of her crew take matters into their own hands, Janeway refuses the trade because it would violate the PD. The easy rule of thumb says that trading with an official government does not constitute interference in its internal affairs.Trading with rebels could give them an advantage that would upset the balance of power within the society. But trading with the official government does strengthen it--what if that government is morally unjust? In "Remember," the Enarans seem like wonderful people, until one of them telepathically transfers her memories of a holocaust to Torres, who argues that Voyager should make all the Enarans take responsibility. Janeway refuses, because it would represent a PD violation. Instead, she breaks off trade negotiations in order to show her disapproval to the official government. By doing this, she upholds the PD while still providing a model of high moral standards. But, Janeway also explicitly allows Torres to transfer her knowledge to one of the young Enarans. While Janeway officially stands by the PD, unofficially, she cheats a little to express her moral indignation at genocide. In "Resistance," Voyager must trade immediately with a nearby planet or lose warp capability forever. Neelix reports that the government is highly oppressive and untrustworthy, but he knows members of the resistance who will trade with them. Janeway never discusses why she chooses to trade with the rebel resistance, which is undoubtedly a PD violation. Should she have given up all hope of getting home instead? How evil do the "bad guys" have to get before moral indignation overrides devotion to the PD? As "The Chute" opens, Janeway assumes that if she finds the real terrorists, the Akritirian government will trade her crewmen for them. Since she does not approve of terrorism, she apparently does not see too much harm in that. But over the course of the episode, she realizes that the Akritirian government fails to meet her standards of reasonableness. Janeway uses the young terrorists, and she lets them go in the end while refusing to help them free other prisoners. Although she has placed the lives of her crewmen above strict noninterference, Janeway still sides with the PD by minimizing her effect on the internal affairs of the Akritirians. In contrast, Janeway frees all the prisoners in "Displaced." These prisoners are obviously POWs who represent separate societies imprisoned by another, aggressor society. Since she is not meddling in any society's internal affairs, her actions fall within a literal interpretation of the PD. In "Rise," Janeway initially thinks that she is providing assistance to the Nezu in a natural disaster which is actually an unprovoked attack by another society. When she defends the Nezu with force, Janeway is not interfering in either societies' internal affairs, but she is affecting the balance of power in the region. She has usually been more hesitant to take such actions. From the point of view of a warp culture, any intelligent life on a prewarp planet is easily viewed as a society to be avoided, but as warp cultures expand and interact, just defining "a society" becomes more difficult. The Federation is a society that represents a group of societies. Are the Kazon a single society because they share a common culture? Or, could each sect be defined as a separate society since they fight among themselves like separate nations? Before the Kazon escaped the Trabe, Neelix had seen the Trabe as a single society which included the Kazon. In "Alliances," Janeway considers her effect on the "stability of the area" since it is hard to define the individual societies involved. Why does this problem of delineating societies arise? Our very nature as social beings entails a basic conflict: the good of the one vs. the good of the many. But that is too simple because our allegiances are not just split between ourselves as individuals and one group. There is me, my family, my social group, my professional group, my city, my country, my planet, my Federation, my galaxy... The more complex the culture and the more cultures involved, the more levels of groups with which we each identify. Once we recognize this social schema explicitly, there are ultimately no enemies. Anyone seen as our competition at one level becomes a part of our own group at a broader level of society. If we talk instead of fight, we can mediate our conflicts and live together peaceably as a larger society. We may, however, have to fight a while to survive long enough to get the ear of someone else who has mistakenly chosen to view us as an enemy. This is Janeway's Federation viewpoint. In contrast, the Kazon are loyal only their sect. The Trabe define the Kazon as unworthy of being treated as a society of equals. Some of Janeway's adopted Maquis crew define only themselves or Voyager as the limit of society to which they are responsible. In the DQ Seska is loyal only to herself. In "Alliances," Hogan tells Janeway she should give the Kazon technology for safe passage. He does not care what they do with it as long as they let Voyager go. Janeway feels responsible for her galaxy as well as her ship. Janeway does not want to make any deals with the Kazon because she does not want to became party to their behavior which offends her morality. Tuvok changes her mind when he compares such an alliance with the Federation-Klingon treaty. Making peace with people who do not meet Voyager's standards need not necessarily drag Voyager's values down. Instead, the stability that peace brings may help the others appreciate Voyager's values more. When Neelix introduces her to the Trabe, Janeway seizes an opportunity to act to bring a broad peace to the area. She sees this as morally superior to making a mutual defense pact with any one of the local factions. If she defines the Kazon sects as individual societies, Janeway can make a mutual assistance alliance with any one of them without strictly violating the PD as long as she does not interfere in that sect's internal affairs. If she defines the Kazon as a single society, then she is interfering in Kazon internal affairs by agreeing to assist one sect against another. Semantics are important if she cares only about the letter of the PD. Janeway cares about its intent which is to protect all societies' rights to self determination. If she can make peace in the entire area, then maybe each society will have a greater potential for self-determination within, due to lessened pressure from without. The Kazon are nasty, but they are direct about it. The Trabe are more sophisticated, and Janeway falls for a line she wants to hear. Her peace initiative fails when the Trabe betray her. Her closing speech is poorly written, but the ideas are important. Although she failed this time to convert those who choose a narrower point of view, she still believes her principles are valid. In terms of the letter of the PD, "Scorpion" is much more clear cut. The Borg and Species 8427 are clearly separate societies. When Janeway suggests a trade with the Borg of technology for safe passage, she is not meddling in any society's internal affairs. She is suggesting a sort of alliance with the Borg against a common threat. She is affecting the balance of power in the region and possibly the galaxy. She is assuming that the Borg are a lesser evil than 8427. After all the Federation has defeated the Borg before in spite of the Borg's technical superiority while 8427 seems unstoppable by Federation technology. If she waits on the sidelines to see what happens, and the Borg are destroyed, how can she ever hope to protect the galaxy from 8427? What if the Japanese had not attacked the U.S. in 1941, and the U.S. had continued to stand by while the Axis powers gobbled up everyone else? How are counties today trying to manipulate each other's internal affairs through trade wars and agreements? The prime directive is a directive, not a law, precisely because it is difficult to apply. Janeway could be more consistent, but she is trying. Are today's governments doing as good a job as Captain Kathryn Janeway of the Federation Starship Voyager? THE BRITISH ROYAL NAVY by Sharone Watson In any age, the command of a great fighting ship is perhaps the most demanding and lonely job in the world, and the fearful, unshared weight of responsibility can be borne only by seaofficers in whom the 'quality of command' has been developed to the highest pitch. This quality manifests itself in many ways, but it is always based on loyalty, whether inspired by pride or affection, and sometimes fear. Certain that their commander will not throw their lives away, officers will give him their best--sometimes in greater measure than they knew they possessed. A Captain is not 'born'--she is made. I believe that the character of Kathryn Janeway is modeled on those of two British Naval heroes, Horatio Nelson and James Cook. These two notable men were passionate about the ideals, principles, and traditions of the Navy. Like Captain Cook, Janeway is a scienctist at heart, an explorer, with an insatiable curiosity to know the universe and its secrets. She also shares Lord Nelson's tactical skill and the aptitude to know the minds of enemies. It's easy to see why we British regard our Navy with pride and affection. When you consider that our country was always being invaded by the Vikings, Romans, French, Vulcans, etcetera, the need for 'policing our shores' becomes evident! King Alfred the Great formed the first Royal Navy in 817, and in 882, Alfred's Navy defeated four Danish ships at sea. Alfred's efforts were in vain, though, since the Navy was then used to its full potential for the next 200 years, and consequently William the Conqueror successfully invaded Britain in 1066. Gradually there emerged a realization of the advantages to an island nation of maximum use of the sea, and the dangers of neglecting sea defense. English power expanded due to the Navy, Merchant Navy, and voyages of exploration. Captain James Cook's generosity and compassionate, gentle nature are well documented. Cook came from a simple background: a native of Yorkshire, he joined the Navy at 17 after completing a four year apprenticeship at the Shipyard. This remarkable lad rose through the ranks very quickly, an extraordinary feat as Naval Officers tended to come from upper class backgrounds. His curiosity and quest for knowledge led to his three great voyages of discovery to the Pacific. Although he was a naval officer, his first passion was science and exploration. He set the standards for accuracy in hydrographics surveying which endures to this day. Cook's care for those who served beneath him is legendary. On his first voyage, not one man died of scurvy, because hygiene and a proper diet were of paramount importance to him. Cook was murdered while defending his crew against a claim of theft. Lord Horatio Nelson, victor of the Battle of Trafalgar and the Battle of Waterloo, might well serve as the best example of a British captain. In 1805 when Nelson died, he was pickled in rum to preserve his body to take back to England for burial. Thus it is customary at Trafalgar Day dinners to drink a toast of rum to the 'Immortal Memory' of Nelson, the country's outstanding hero, remembered as brilliant, capable, versatile, loyal and generous. Nelson joined the Royal Navy at the tender age of 12, becoming captain of his first ship at 20. Nelson's brilliant military tatics are what earned him his place in the history books, but like Cook, Nelson was concerned with the living conditions of his crew, so much that he demanded better treatment for his officers and ratings. The other immortal of the Napoleonic Wars was John Jervis, Lord Admiral of the Fleet. Their mutual understanding and respect resulted in a extraordinary partnership. 'God bless you, no man loves and esteems you more truly,' Jervis said, and was matched by Nelson: 'Without you, I am nothing.' This dialogue should be included on Voyager between Captain Janeway and Commander Chakotay. Janeway is very much like her two British counterparts: they all share the traits of brilliance, versatility, courage, compassion, and generosity. The safety and well-being of those who serve under them are their first priority, as well as finding fresh food and provisions to keep them going on the long, precarious voyages ahead. After defending my Navy, I find myself cringing at how little respect the women were given by it. The women's Royal Navy was first introduced in World War I as a support group for the Armed Forces. The First Lord of the Admiralty invited Dame Katharine Furse to develop a 'Naval organisation of women.' The name of this new service was very important to Dame Katharine, as other serving women's corps hadn't earned very nice nicknames. Women's Auxiliary Naval Corps was shortened to WANKS, whereas Women's Royal Naval Service was shortened to WRNS, or Wrens. The Wrens carried out domestic and clerical duties. Officers replaced paymasters, telephonists, telegraphists and were secretaries to Admirals. They were disbanded after World War I until 1939, when they were recalled to active duty. The roles of the Wrens have changed dramatically over the last decade. They are now allowed to serve aboard warships and participate in long sea training exercises. This, however, was not to the liking of the Navy wives who feared this was putting temptation in the paths of their husbands. The controversy carried on for a long time. The media played a peripheral role, highlighting the sex scandals rather than the hard work and dedication these women had previously shown. Progress is being made regarding the Wrens--the number of sexual harassment and discrimination charges are fewer, the Wrens have shown how versatile they are under pressure and are now respected colleagues. The forecast for promotion is encouraging, and many young ladies are benefiting from the new Navy. They serve aboard warships, submarines and aircraft carriers, knowing they beat the system that not so long ago held them back. They hold positions of authority. There are even women First Officers on board. Will they ever make Captain of these ships? Maybe someday! Most men would be quite happy serving under a female Captain, as long as she were the right person for the position. In fact, the Captains say, you should fill your ships with the best people for the job, be it male or female. The only hurdle women have to overcome now is that they should be allowed to serve as Captains. This isn't kept to the British Royal Navy; all Navies worldwide have this concern. The men and women who make up our Navy have years of tradition to live up to. To serve their country well because Britain expects no less. It is often said that our Captains are 'Stoic and Grand'. This is not the case; what people are actually seeing is British pride as a nation which has fought hard to remain free from invaders. We regard our Navy as the senior service, its history and traditions unequal to anything else. REVIEWZZZZZZZZ DISPLACED I'm going to concentrate more on what may seem like minutiae in this episode rather than the main event because it is the minor plot devices that seem to stick out in my mind when I think back on this story. Don't get me wrong, I thought it was a good story--a well-done spin on a standard scenario involving something or someone taking over the ship, and the captain and crew having to outwit the bad guys to get it back. I heard complaints about Janeway's apparent inability to hang onto her command, but I have to think that those folks who were bothered by this aspect must never have watched an episode of TOS or TNG or noted the number of times Kirk and Picard either lost the Enterprise or surrendered it. Stuff happens--if it didn't, we wouldn't have much of a drama. At least in this case, Janeway, like Kirk, was on alert from the moment the strangers started appearing and her crew started disappearing. She suspected that there was something else going on, but no one could figure out what it was fast enough. If she had welcomed the aliens with open arms and a song, then I'd start to doubt her ability to command (not to mention her sanity). But that's not what happened. On to the minutiae: is it coincidence or is there a conscious effort on Voyager to turn the tables on who gets to wear those skin-tight revealing outfits? For instance, while both Paris and Torres were dressed in unforgiving spandex in the teaser, it was really only obvious on Robbie (and I'm sure I speak for millions of women when I extend gratitude to the wardrobe department). Roxann sported a floppy vest so that her form-fitting outfit wasn't anywhere near as apparent. Even looking back on the scenes we've had in that wretched Club Dreck program, the holo-hunks always look to be far more scantily clad than the holo-babes. Is there a pattern here, or am I grasping at straws? On the surface, it does appear to be a glaring change in policy from the traditionally tighter and lower-cut outfits worn only by women on TNG and DS9. Aside from the eye candy, what I really liked about the teaser was the long forgotten tie-in with first season continuity when we were told that B'Elanna isn't exactly content with her Klingon side. She uses it to blame her father's abandonment of her and her mother, and often wishes that she were NOT Klingon. Her Klingon half is supposed to be a source of internal conflict for her, and at odds with her desire at times to be completely human. This is canon, and in my opinion is more directly related to who B'Elanna really is, or was supposed to be. She's not Worf--she's not exactly enamored of all this macho-Klingon hijinks. So I think it's perfectly believable that Tom would do something as annoying as forcing her to play Klingon games, thinking he's going out of his way to understand her and be want she wants him to be to get on her good side, without honestly considering that this isn't at all what B'Elanna wants or likes. As to the romantic quid pro quo between Paris and Torres in this episode, I admit that was a little too formulaic, fast, and furious even for my taste. I really think the Trek writers need to take a few lessons from a certain writer/producer on another SF series across town in how to build a relationship slowly, in two years or more. It doesn't have to happen overnight-after all, Star Trek has a history of yearly renewal on its side. In other words, we've got time, so let's utilize it wisely. On the other hand, I disagree somewhat with the complaints that Paris and Torres don't display any chemistry because I think it's there--at least, it's coming from Robbie--but I don't think that it's being portrayed in the best light yet. I don't like being hit over the head with a hammer here anymore than I did with the placating force-fed Janeway/Chakotay scenes in "Scorpion." Up to that point, I'd been quite enamored of their flirtation, but if that's what I have to watch from now on, then I don't want to see it at all--especially when the gender politics inherent in a captain/first officer romance make me uncomfortable anyway. However, done well I still think there's room for both relationships on this ship, as well as one or two others. We just need to incorporate a modicum of subtlety. For example, I liked the scene in Janeway's ready room when she, Chakotay, Paris and Torres are discussing how many people are disappearing and why. Tom and B'Elanna are obviously being "frosty" and normally I'd groan to witness bad fan fiction writing, uncalled for in such a situation. However, the way the director shot this little scene made me smile because Paris and Torres are standing together, yet distant, and Janeway and Chakotay are directly opposite them, shoulder to shoulder, listening to the superficial explanation while also managing to look both perplexed and annoyed at their behavior--very much the older pair playing the mom/dad roles. Nothing is said, but the subtext spoke louder than words. I thought Chakotay had some great stuff in this episode-good interaction with "non-regular" junior officers, and quick thinking on his feet under pressure. Someone is putting more thought into his part lately, and I like it a lot. Since "Before and After," Chakotay has really begun to look the part of a first officer, not to mention command material--though maybe that's not such good news for Janeway fans. This episode really gave me a feel for those good old TOS and TNG extravaganzas where almost everyone got to play their part in the drama--even the weekly extras. The heroes looked and acted like heroes, and the bad guys got their just desserts in the end. Now that's "Must See TV!" --Pamela Buickel Just to show you how much I go along with what I am told, my initial reaction to the seemingly confused old man suddenly appearing on Voyager was the same as the crew's: I believed him. Even when several more of them showed up, I still believed them. I even went so far as to say OUT LOUD to the people I was watching the episode with, "I don't know what's going on here, but that certainly would be a clever way to take over a ship." The idea was intriguing. Then, Captain Janeway taking control of the situation and setting off to find a way out of their captivity was exactly as I would have called it had the idea been mine. Everything about the episode was fine, until the very end. As it turned out, I was left thinking, "Now, what was that all about?" While I will give the writers credit for not having neatly tied the whole thing up in the last five minutes, I think that the missing piece is one that holds the key to this being an outstanding episode. What was missing? For me it was the WHY. Why did this race conquer others by switching places with them? What motivated them? Were they looking for new technology? New territory? What? Without that, the episode ended and left me feeling much like I did at the end of "Persistence of Vision." "Just because I can," is not a satisfying motivator for a potential villian. Besides that, it has been done before. In this case, it left an empty feeling in what otherwise was an interesting and enjoyable episode --Siobhan Wolf "Displaced" was an ordinary episode that could have been slotted anywhere in the season. Other than the continuing Paris/Torres thread and the hairstyle changes, there was nothing here that depended on any other episode. Once again, Voyager is outclassed by the alien of the week-they must be getting tired of these Delta Quadrant races getting the best of them. Even the Kazon, spurred on by Seska's brilliant machinations, were able to steal the ship last season. The story was marred by the usual improbabilities such as how the Nyrians were able to hijack the ship in the first place. They replaced the Voyager crew and were able to hack into the computer and fly the ship without ANY assistance from our Federation friends. Perhaps if they had kept someone behind and put a gun to their head and demanded cooperation, this might have had a little more credibility. On the flip side, I also wondered how Janeway and Tuvok were able to save the day so quickly. They didn't speak the alien language, but Tuvok could still manipulate the controls in the habitat like a champ. Despite these flaws, there were still some nice character moments to savor. The Paris/Torres romance is starting to grow on me, even if Paris still seems like a Howdy Doody kind of guy. And Tom's skintight jumpsuit didn't hurt either, especially since Torres was garbed in a loose-fitting tunic for a change. Their dialogue is a bit stilted and doesn't flow naturally, but some of it is still fun to watch. I especially liked the scene where the Doctor was analyzing their relationship and ended up getting his audio turned off for his efforts. Robert Picardo always seems to get the best lines, and I wonder how much of that is due to his own efforts. One other thing that tickled my funnybone was the Nyrian reaction to Neelix's holodeck--he had this utterly confused look on his face like he was wondering why these scantily clad babes were running around grinning at him. I also liked seeing both Janeway AND Chakotay attempt to salvage the situation. There were also some nice scenes between Chakotay and Tuvok and Tuvok and Janeway as they worked together. The idea of putting prisoners into a comfortable biosphere that doubled as a prison was rather interesting, but they could have improved it. Instead of imprisonment as an act of war, I would have liked to see this as a huge lab experiment where the prisoners were studiedto see the effects of their incarceration over time. Lisa Klink wrote a decent teleplay, but it's certainly nothing to write home about. --Elizabeth Klisiewicz May sweeps month is passing by so quickly! Only a couple episodes are left in an attempt to impress us fans. "Displaced" didn't have many faults and was all right overall. I enjoy the fact that we saw our beloved Trek characters working together and solving a problem that they didn't even have a explanation for in the beginning. Yes, we see this nearly every week, but I noticed the teamwork this time probably because of one thing: Janeway used the Captain Kirk strategy all throughout. One of the things that made TOS so compelling was how Kirk strategically won over his opponent each and every time. He's a good thinker on his feet as well as resourceful and so is Janeway. I like it when situations unfold in the way "Displaced" did; nothing was predictable enough to be sure what would happen unless one counts the fact that everything will be safe and sound in the end. The latest addition to the Paris/Torres romance saga had to happen at some point. Of course B'Elanna has a temper; what Klingon, or half-Klingon for that matter, doesn't? I look forward to seeing how Paris will continue handling it. Aside from the rougher side of the P/T continuation, seeing Tom warming up B'Elanna's hands was absolutely precious, not to mention everybody's reaction when they materialized in each other's arms on the holodeck. Some scenes flowed too smoothly, such as the scene between Janeway and Tuvok accessing the computer's database. I can understand how Janeway would be able to unlock Mr. Starling's 20th century computer, but it only makes sense that 24th century systems would be more tricky. To add to it all, Voyager's database has been broken into twice in the past two episodes. That's bad! "Displaced" had some really good scenes, some that didn't work as well, and others in between. Not bad. --Charlynn Kate Smith And for the second week in a row (out of three total, counting next week's simulation), we get to see Janeway LOSE HER SHIP to hostile forces! Boy, that makes her look competent and efficient, especially given that the intruder alert alarms apparently don't work--good job, Tuvok. Coupled with the numerous Dead Janeway scenes and the three times we get to see Chak in command this season, I feel reeeeeeaaaaaaaally great about her captaincy. (Chak looked real intelligent too, saying "Duh, shouldn't we trust them?" getting lectured by Janeway about his naivete, and then having to sabotage the ship because those nice aliens didn't behave.) I thought that girl--you know, what's her name, the half-Klingon, the one who used to be chief engineer before she got too busy talking to/about her boyfriend, was overreacting when she was supposed to be hostile, and I found the entire Tommy the Hero subplot grating. And they're coming up on Borg space. If I were on Voyager, I'd bail at the first friendly planet we encountered and say good riddance. --Sara Unger WORST CASE SCENARIO Tuvok and Seska write fanfic, with input from the rest of the crew! I suspect this episode says more about the Voyager writing staff than the characters, but it was still a blast. I disliked the versions of the characters we got in the holoprogram, but I have to admit that they were rather compelling too. Janeway came off remarkably well considering that this was a mutiny scenario. Tuvok the hologram was dorkily priceless, and I really enjoyed watching Tom switch off between hero and sellout...reminded me a lot of the original Tom Paris, whose integrity was occasionally questionable and who was thus a lot more interesting. I'm not one of those who wanted Maquis insurrection from the start, which would have made Janeway's authority highly questionable, so I'm not about to join the ranks of people who've been complaining that we should have had Angry Warrior Chakotay on the show all along. But my God-Robert Beltran oozes sex. He was a hundred times better here stomping around the ship than he wassniveling at Riley's feet in "Unity"--or, for that matter, sniveling at Kathryn's feet in "The Q and the Grey." We all know Chakotay has chemistry with Janeway, but he also has more chemistry with Torres than Paris does, and he's delicious with Seska even though the idea of the two of them together makes me shudder. And that scene in the turbolift with Tom, at the start of the holonovel--damn, I know how I wanted Chakotay to convince Paris to join him. Yow! That grin is lethal. Janeway should have had Chak smile at Seska, the whole crisis would have been over much faster. There was something almost perverse about the fact that Tuvok's uncompromising Chakotay was rewritten by two strong women--first Seska, then Janeway, though I suppose the latter was trying to restore the Chakotay she knows or at least thinks she does. Though she was wonderful in the early insurrection program, I didn't like B'Elanna pleading for more romance and then pretty much disappearing from the solution after the episode started out from her point of view. It would have been a LOT of fun if Tom and Tuvok had gotten really creative and had Janeway stop the mutiny by seducing Chakotay. But I guess Ken Biller doesn't think THAT much like a fan writer. Like Tom said, sometimes it's easier to get a good story out of bad characterization than out of the characters acting the way we know and love them--I'd be happier if possession and holonovels weren't used so often as an excuse to do just that, but this one was a lot of fun while it lasted. --Sara Unger I didn't realize how much I missed the crew joking around and having fun until they aired this episode. Penned by a writer who is usually not kind to female characters, "Worst Case Scenario" came off surprisingly well and was a smashing success. As usual, Martha Hackett did some major scenery chewing and managed to steal every scene she appeared in. She did leave me with one question though-why the throbbing, purplish red lipstick? Is there some reason why the writers wanted to call attention to her mouth? I mean, it's a very nice mouth and all, but it's nothing extraordinary. Now if Chakotay were to appear in makeup, we might have something! I don't think Seska has ever been this sinister or ruthless, but we have to remember that Tuvok is supposed to be the author of this program, and this is how he sees everyone. Even Neelix was painted as a traitor, and it just goes to show you that Tuvok is a bad judge of character as well as a paranoid security chief. Once again, the drama centered around Paris and Torres, and their reaction to the program. I like both of them a great deal, but their scenes together are uneven. For example, in the scene where Tom and B'Elanna discuss the holoprogram, it works very well for me. But I didn't particularly appreciate the reference to romance novels that they seem determined to force down our throats. Torres has always been a compelling character, and while I don't expect her to be tough all the time, I still wish the writers would let her rise above 20th century cliches like romance novels. OK, OK, I admit that I used to read them and watch bad miniseries on TV, but I grew out of that phase and graduated to watching Xena. I only wish that the writers could be a little more progressive. With that said, the rest of the episode was really cool. Robert Beltran was an absolute hoot, and I loved seeing him cast in the role of the villain. We are so used to the soft-voiced and mostly gentle Chakotay of the past three seasons that it was quite a switch to see him plotting a mutiny. In a very short span of time, he switches from the joking first officer to a cold and deadly mutineer. If looks could kill, then Harry Kim would be stone dead after that glacial look that Chak threw him. One of the funniest moments was the scene where Chakotay gives the imprisoned 'Fleet crew a chance to join him and proceeds to trash the idea of "stopping at every insignificant anomaly along the way" and says "the hell with Starfleet regulations." And I should also mention that he looks mighty fine in those Maquis clothes, doesn't he? And how about "You're quite a wom an, Seska." J/C fans are probably reaching for the nearest barf bag, but I enjoyed it. Tim Russ was also excellent as the reluctant author of this program, and his facial expressions are priceless. He manages to do so much with so little. Vulcans are not supposed to show any emotion, but somehow Tuvok conveys an amazing variety of emotion with the lift of an eyebrow or a slight flaring of his nostrils and a bunch of other subtle changes. During the briefing where they discussed the program, Tuvok was distinctly uncomfortable at the levity in the room. He expected Janeway to back up his premise that the program was bad for morale, and she told him to "lighten up." Later, he is forced to cooperate with Tom Paris and other would-be writers, and except for the comments on romance novels, the scene in the mess hall was one of my favorites. Paris is Tuvok's polar opposite, and the contrast between them was extremely effective. In the end, it was clear that this complement worked to their benefit and with Janeway's help, they managed to outwit Seska's rogue program. Robert Duncan McNeill presented us with yet another good performance, as did Roxann Dawson and Kate Mulgrew. I liked the scene where Tom faced his holographic double, and I also appreciated seeing Torres and Janeway work together to solve the holodeck riddle. To cap it all off, we get to see a bunch of our favorite characters having a good time at the very end, and that left me with a great feeling. "Worst Case Scenario" ranks as one of the best episodes this season, and is one which I will watch again. --Elizabeth Klisiewicz For those who haven't watched Voyager almost since the beginning, or for those who tune in only occasionally, this episode could be very confusing. For nearly the first half of this entire episode, one could assume that this is a repeat of a first or second season episode. That was my first impression. "Worst Case Scenario" was obviously a story idea from one of the past two seasons that was put on the shelves until now, with some required modifications. I'll use a quote from the Doctor in "Twisted" to express the second thing I thought about this episode: "The holodeck again?!" Things never seem to work right when the holodeck is in use. One of the things "Worst Case Scenario" possessed in abundance, however, was the charming interaction between characters, holographic or real. It's great to see everybody having fun, enjoying themselves, and working out a problem without too much violence. I smiled when Janeway said "We're a community." That's so true, and I'm glad that our captain is thinking in those terms. Now for what this episode is really about: we now know that even the characters we fan writers mutilate write fan fiction themselves. What is the message that TPTB are trying to tell us fan fiction writers, or any writer, for that matter? I personally felt that they were trying to teach us how to write "good." My response is "No, thank you." Isn't what makes a story unique from all others the magic a writer brings to it with his/her own style? No story outline is uniform or systematic. "Worst Case Scenario" is definitely worthy of a May sweeps episode. I've noticed that everybody is more at ease these past episodes, and I believe that this transition from being a crew to something more relaxed is a very welcome change, and I hope it keeps up. --Charlynn Kate Smith This latest episode, "Worst Case Scenario," takes an interesting premise and has fun with it. What would happen if Chakotay decided to lead a mutiny against Janeway? This was always a distinct possibility during the first year when tensions between the Starfleet and Maquis contingents would have been the greatest. But now we see Torres being recruited by Chakotay to join the mutiny. Everything seems to be real until Torres is addressed as ensign and we see Seska shooting. That is when I began to see that something was not quite right. Then we see that it is all aholodeck simulation. This is followed by Paris' attempt to play out the scenario. We find out that Tuvok was the author of this holonovel and that Janeway is willing to let crew members play with it. But when Tuvok and Paris attempt to extend the scenario, we see something go wrong with the holodeck and Seska take over the scenario. Eventually, Janeway and the rest are able to outmaneuver Seska. I thought this episode was very well-written. Janeway was strong and confident and correctly realized that she is not just the captain but the leader of the community. Chakotay was shown to be the smoldering rebel that I always knew he was. I was also pleased to see that the resulting crisis on the holodeck was not a case of the holodeck going bonkers again but a clever case of sabotage by Seska. This episode took an interesting scenario and provided a great deal of amusement with it. --Shalini Gupta It is rare that an episode of Star Trek leaves me with no clue as to what is going on from the beginning. It is rare of any television show or movies, for that matter. This episode was a refreshing exception. I knew that something was wrong, but I could not put my finger on what it was. My mind ran down numerous theoretical corridors trying to figure it out before it finally gave up and focused on the scenes as they progressed. There was no other way but to follow along step by step. The surprise around each corner was its own reward. I must say, it was great to see Martha Hackett again. Seska, the ultimate villianess in my mind, is one of the characters that I was sad to see Voyager be unable to keep. She is always well written, deep, and convoluted which makes her so real and alive. I thoroughly enjoyed her scenes with the holo-Chakotay. Robert Beltran must have had a good time with the dual part in this one. That Captain Janeway had to outmaneuver her old nemesis to rescue Paris and Tuvok from the program is only fitting. The captain never got her chance one-on-one with Seska before, and here we see that even the cleverest of minds is no match for Janeway. Kate Mulgrew played these scenes with just the right amount of glee so that we knew Janeway was finally besting one of her "demons." For me, this brought resolution to some personal issues for Janeway, as well as to the crisis at hand. With writing this tight and intricate, there is no way Voyager can go wrong. I hope this signals a level of excellence that will continue far into Voyager's future. --Siobhan Wolf Okay now it's time to watch my favorite show, Star Trek: Voyager! (Click!) What?! B'Elanna demoted?! The bun of steel has returned. Mutiny in progress! Call the SWAT team! ARGH, the Bajoran bad girl is baaaaaack! Hey, Kes cut her hair short.What?!?! It's nothing but a holonovel? Darn! Okay now, Paris's turn to play pirate. Idiot Paris! You should not had warned Mr. Pointy Ears! Yea, take the Klingon's advice next time, Tom. Okay, we're going to sickbay and seal Mr. Bigmouth Doc's mouth shut! About time you take your girlfriend's advice, Tom, of playing the pirate. Hey, the Cap's shuttle can take out Big V's shields?!? Must had been weak shield generators. Bye, bye, Janeway and holo-Paris. Whoa, they had survive! Nice shot, Janeway and Chak, you each took each other out! I give each a 7.8. Whoa, double Parises! Hey, who pulled the plug, it was getting interesting. Gee, I never heard of a novelist who doesn't want to put his/her name on a great work of fiction before. Whoa, Tuvok - Holonovelist at large! It's a training scenerio!? Paris - Holonovelist to finish other holonovelists' stories! Yea, make Janeway execute the traitors! Paris, perhaps you should put in that steamy scene. Gee, I thought the holo-Neelix's personality was right on the nose. "I'm recerting my rights as the original author." - Tuvok can hide his emotions. WA, HA, HA, HA, HA!!!! No kidding about changing the name. Okay, Tuvok, Paris, what did you do this time? The Ghost of Big Bad Seska! Run away holodeck! Run away holodeck! Hey, Sesk killed our holo-Capt! Phasered in the arm by Chak, acid in the arm by Mad Doc, what else could go wrong?! Okay, how 'bout being burn to a crisp by plasma. Whoa, magic distinguishers! Capt. and Bel to the rescue! Caught! Okay now, let's line up Tuv and Par for execution again the King holo-Chak's rule. Warp King holo-Chak's mind! Bummer, Sesk must have it baaaad for Tuv and Par. Grab those phasers, guys! Nuts, Sesk did it again! Any last words, guys? I'm Tuvok, you killed my holo-Captain, prepare to died. She died. Tuvok and Paris - Holonovelists for hire! What can I say? I loved "Worst Case Scenerio"! It was the best fun Voyager episode I had seen. Great character interactions - the funny interactions reminded me of the interactions between McCoy, Spock and Kirk in The Orginial Series of Star Trek. The action was tense and excited! This episode rated a 10 on my list! Favorite line: "With all due respect, Tuvok, loosen up."-- Capt. Janeway. --Geordi Padovan So I'm sitting here watching "Worst Case Scenario," and I'm musing on life, the universe and everything. Some random and disjointed observations-- We finally get to see what might have been. Mutiny on Voyager-or the holodeck equivalent. This is one use of the holodeck I don't mind. My major nit with this episode was it should have been placed in the first or second season, when mutiny was still a real possibility. With a few minor changes, it would have worked. Are we SURE The Powers That Be don't read fan fiction? I could have sworn I read a DS9 story very similar to this episode on the 'Net a couple of months ago. And that sly line from old Tom Paris, when B'Elanna told him the story needed passion: "How about a steamy love scene between the Starfleet conn officer and the Maquis engineer?" "Oh, that's realistic." Yeah, they definitely read fanfic. Okay, I liked it in spite of a couple of other nits. For one thing, I've not seen the crew so relaxed in quite some time. Funny how the few times we've seen natural, everyday human interaction is in a holodeck simulation -- for example, in the very beginning, when the holo-Chakotay and the real B'Elanna are walking down the corridor. However, "Worst Case Scenario" made up for this with strong character interaction, which is nice to see for once. I've missed that from the days of the original series and The Next Generation. A couple of my favorite scenes are Tuvok and Tom scrapping in the mess hall about who's going to finish the scenario, and Tuvok and Chakotay clashing on the bridge. More, please. And Tom and B'Elanna are getting better at pretending they have chemistry. Nice that Tuvok turned out to be the author of the holodeck scenario. I like the unexpected twists and turns in this one. Everything's cruising along, nice and light-hearted, and then all of a sudden, it turns nasty when Seska shows up. Oooh... she gives me chill bumps. Although I really had to look away when Chakotay kissed her. And I really must say that, as a professional nerd, this was a big-time geek episode. Think about it: We have B'Elanna and Tom hacking into Tuvok's holodeck program in an attempt to figure out who wrote it. Then we find out Seska has already hacked the program (and a nifty hack it is) and changed everything to screw over Tom and Tuvok. Then we have the captain and B'Elanna (nrrd grrls!) literally fighting Seska and -- again -- hacking the program to save the lives of their crew members. Makes me proud to be a geek. How ironic that Tuvok is pontificating (there's no other word for it), quoting Vulcan rules of poetics that state -- ahem -- "characters' actions must flow inexorably from their established traits." Well, I wish the Voyager writers would remember that. Don't get me started -- Good episode despite its few flaws. --Joy Locke SCORPION PART I "Scorpion" is the intersection of"Sacred Ground" and "The Swarm." In "The Swarm," Voyager finds its way home blocked by a vast territory claimed by a fiercely territorial species that will do serious damage to anyone venturing into their space. To go around would add years to their journey. To gothrough would put the ship and crew in grave danger. In "Sacred Ground," one of Janeway's crew is incapacitated by something alien, and she finds herself coming up with the most arduous, excruciating, personally taxing solution she can think of, much to the dismay of her concerned first officer. In "Scorpion," Voyager finds its way home blocked by a vast territory claimed by a fiercely territorial species that will do serious damage to anyone venturing into their space. To go around would add years to their journey. To go through would put the ship and crew in grave danger. Meanwhile, one of Janeway's crew is incapacitated by something alien, and she finds herself coming up with the most arduous, excruciating, personally taxing solution she can think of, much to the dismay of her concerned first officer. In "Sacred Ground," Janeway learns a hard lesson about faith from wizened elders. In "Scorpion," Janeway appears to still be a slow study on the concept, despite her respect for her wizened holographic elder. She has plenty of faith, but most of it is in herself--a common captain's Achilles heel. "Scorpion" is about the loneliness of command--physical, psychic, and social. Some of it goes with the job. Some, however, is self-imposed. You feel for the captain, but you can't help but think she brings much of it on herself. All you can do is shake your head and hope for the best. "Scorpion" is about bumper stickers. The Borg's, we know: "Resistance is futile." That's been putting shivers in Trekkie spines for nearly ten years. The new, computer-generated species many have nicknamed 47s (short for Species 8472) have one of their own: "The weak will perish." Voyager takes its motto from its captain: "You've messed with the wrong woman." I know which one I'd be more afraid of. I'm sure the Borg and 47s are about to find out as well. I gave Janeway (and the writers) a lot of flak in my initial review of this episode. But the fact is, they hit a grand slam with Scorpion. It got people where I work--regular folk, the people at the water cooler--talking. Not about whether the episode was any good, but about whether Janeway or Chakotay was right, and wondering what in the world will happen next. That's a crucial milestone, in my opinion. I think Janeway made the right choice, dramatically, and in grand Trek tradition. Chakotay was thinking about the ship and crew--a noble sentiment, certainly. His was the side of caution, of regrouping, of considering other options. Janeway was thinking, rather, of the big picture: saving the universe. She may not have phrased it that way, but consider that these 47s--according to Kes--trashed their own galaxy, and are now coming to trash ours. The Borg are simply the biggest obstacle in their way. Wipe them out, and this new species has open season on everything. For Janeway, it's no contest. The Borg, scary as they are, are a known quantity. They've been beaten before, and Janeway and her Doctor have a few tricks up their sleeve that both protect them from the Borg, and help them deal with the Borg. Janeway is never happier than when she's got someone over a barrel. She'll take on the whole dang Collective, and consider her team the dominant partner. This is chutzpah on a pan-galactic scale. And we expect nothing less from our starship captains. You may disagree with Janeway's decision; you may agree with the decision but loathe the way she shares it with her crew; you may think she can do no wrong but that she could do right a little more diplomatically. But no matter how you slice it, it's pure Janeway. We get to see Janeway exhausted, mentally and physically. By the time she comes up with her way out of the current crises (and there are several interlocking pieces, any one of which could doom them all), she looks like the poster child for Starbucks twelve-steppers. That last staff conference and her exchange with Chakotay wasn't one of her better moments. A captain's greatest asset is his/her command presence, the confidence they instill in the crew by their unflappability. A haggard Janeway is scarier than a dozen Borg cubes. Janeway and Chakotay fairly crackled in this episode, in good times and bad. It played up the danger of personal feelings intruding on their professional relationship. I think Chakotay did his job by arguing his concerns forcefully, and I was concerned when Janeway started making it personal: "Don't you trust me?" Talk about a loaded question! Let's see: you haven't slept in three days, you didn't consult anyone before you made and broadcast the decision, you essentially held the Doctor hostage if the Borg got uppity, your entire senior staff is in shock and the only one who seems to agree with you is Kes, and she's outta here any day now. 999 stardates out of a thousand, Chakotay's going to back you up 100%. He was a captain in his own right. When he feels strongly enough to speak up, you'd think she'd have the presence of mind to listen. But this is a woman who chuckles condescendingly when Leonardo da Vinci suggests consulting a power greater than her own (she apparently recognizes none). A mere commander hasn't got a chance of derailing the Janeway juggernaut. A few random comments: Nobody complained when da Vinci was not called by his "real" name, Flint. Kirk and Spock discovered in "Requiem for Methuselah" that Flint, a human immortal, was at one point in his life da Vinci. Not as earth-shattering a bit of Trek trivia as, say, the Eugenics Wars, but I'm surprised more folks didn't notice. Poor Harry. I think I'd have to nominate him for the Pavel Chekov Memorial award for most abused ensign. Eaten alive...someone on the writing staff does not like him. The 47s bear a striking resemblance to the Vorlons and Shadows of Babylon 5 (no surprise given their creators) but the look is not incongruous; it melds in fairly nicely with the Voyager look and feel. Doc had some good scenes, doing brilliant work in a surprisingly understated manner. The explanation (and visuals) of the Borg assimilation process, and its use as a counteragent to the 47s DNA, was quite effective, as was his uncharacteristic somber tone. It's nice to know even he can be overwhelmed under the right circumstances. Kes...I dunno. Jennifer Lien's a wonderful actor much of the time, but there are scenes when I wonder which locker she left her talent in. She filled a largely Troi-like role here, sensing emotions and hearing thoughts and warning that the new kid in town is a bad seed. Her foreshadowing, interesting the first time, got old real quick. Had she exerted some of her "Warlord"-era mental powers and exploded a 47's head, I'd have felt a lot happier about her contribution to the episode. Paris and Torres were simply Paris and Torres, doing their jobs, but not mooning over each other as they've been doing the previous few episodes. I'm sure they'll resume as soon as the immediate crisis passes. Torres' transporter trick was a good one. Nice to see new twists being added to that little deus ex machina. The sight of a Borg convoy had my jaw dropping. I only wish I could have seen that on the big screen. Hasten the day when HDTV comes. The poor Borg; we're used to seeing them in the role of the boogeyman. But after episodes of TNG like "I, Borg" and "Descent," they got taken down a few notches--give 'em a little personality and they're easy pickins. "Unity" restored them a little, by showing ex-Borg who wanted to return to the good ol' days of the Collective. We got inside their heads, and saw a good side--which made the dark side all that much scarier. Now we have "Scorpion." More Borg than we've ever seen before, and they're getting decimated by a species that, fortunately for them, Janeway dislikes even more. I almost felt sorry for them. Almost. Part of me wanted to high-five someone when the 47s toasted all those cubes and turned that planet into a fireball. Remember the Wolf 359! But The scene inside the semi-intact cube, with trashed equipment and malfunctioning Borg and piles of Borg pieces, was even scarier than what we've seen in functioning cubes past--what power could do this kind of damage? It gave some motivation to side with Janeway in siding with the Borg. Assimilating juggernaut or not, the Borg are basically humans with a serious Internet addiction. (Trust me; if I could wire a permanent high-bandwidth TCP/IP connection to my skull, I'd consider changing my name to Locutus in 3.14159 nanoseconds.) This is the sort of thing that Trek does--change the rulebook. Enemies can become allies or even friends overnight, and vice versa. The only group that assimilates as assertively as the Borg is the Federation itself. Borg: "Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated." Janeway: "We've got them over a barrel. They've got no choice but to work with us." You know, if Janeway gets assimilated, I'm giving good odds that they make her Queen. A final note on this. The season two cliffhanger showed some serious holes in Janeway's strategic mind. The Kazon knew she had a predilection for ordering self-destruct, thanks to Michael Jonas. They took that option away. "Basics" gave Janeway some very hard lessons about pyrrhic victories, the ultimate nyah-nyah--the Kazon wouldn't let her take the easy way out. She's been a good deal more proactive since then. She'll let her ship get taken from her, but she'll go out fighting, and she'll come back fighting. She's expanded her repertoire, and if we have to think kindly of the Kazon for something, it will be for that. All in all, this episode was the first Voyager cliffhanger worthy of the name, and arguably the best since TNG's "Best of Both Worlds." The Borg have a way of bumping up the stakes. The crisis is universal, but the conflict is also intensely personal. The final act, with a lone Janeway surrounded by Borg, standing firm and dictating terms as she said she would but all too aware of the magnitude of her choice, is haunting. All the wind is taken from her sails. All the bravado, every iota of captainly mystique, is stripped away. All that's left is her convictions in the correctness of her course, and she proves true to them. Agree or disagree with the decision that brought her here, she must be admired. Writing: phenomenal. Breakneck. Breathtaking. Acting: With the exception of Jennifer Lien, stellar, Mulgrew and Beltran in particular. Special effects: cheesy at times, amazing at others. Too epic for television. The new species gave me nightmares. Four stars. --Jim Wright So, where do I begin with this review? "Scorpion" gave us much to munch on characterwise, and was easily one of the most expensive and visually stunning episodes ever seen on Voyager. "We have 4, no 5...15 Borg cubes," says Harry Kim in a totally dead voice. For a green officer, you'd think the sight of all those expensive models would elicit a little more enthusiasm. And the new alien threat is really an old alien threat from Foundation Imaging with a new hat and a sillier name (Species 8472) whose organic technology looks far too much like that of a certain top rated SF show that shall remain nameless in order to avoid bloodshed. OK, OK, but what about the episode? Well, hell, I liked it --a LOT! I don't care if "Best of Both Worlds" was better, and I actually enjoyed the little J/C tiff at the end. I mean, let's face it, it'll have all us JetSkiers talking and writing for the rest of the summer. Kate Mulgrew was absolutely tremendous in this outing, and for once, her character was written well. You may not like the dangerous path that Janeway is treading, and she nearly took off Chakotay's tattoo in that final scene, but I got into the conflict (I mean, really got into it). Tension and conflict make for good drama--high heels, overly agreeable first officers and bad holodeck programs do not. We saw so many sides to Janeway--her creative side was explored in her interesting scenes with John Rhys-Davies who did a credible job playing da Vinci. While I'm not keen on her finding her soulmate on the holodeck, I do have to say that this program is a vast improvement over Lord Burleigh with his muttonchops and Kate in her corset and those bratty little charges of hers. We got to see her softer side as she frets over Harry Kim, and finally there was her blistering scene with Chakotay at the end where she strips the paint off the walls and pulls rank on him. This is a woman who is VERY sure of herself when she makes up her mind, and don't make the mistake of getting in her way. All is well when you agree with her, but if you diss her, just forget about getting back into her good graces anytime soon. Instead of looking at Chakotay's disagreement as a professional issue, she makes the mistake of taking it personally and dares to ask him if he trusts her. I mean, ye gods, after all this time, does she really need to ask him that question? Didn't his impassioned little speech on the Planet of the Apes convince her? Is she so stuck on that image of him crying over her dead body in "Coda" that she thinks she can walk all over him? I was so damned happy that he finally stood up to her and disagreed for a change. It was like, "Hurray, Chakotay DOES have a spine after all." Still, when Janeway said she was alone, she looked like she was ready to cry, even if she did try to sound nonchalant about it. It's kind of weird to start at the end of "Scorpion" and work my way backwards in this review, but so be it. As a member of a certain disillusioned group of J/Cers, I was certainly happy with the first substantial J/C scene in a year. Yeah, I know "Coda" had a lot, but it was all in her mind. This stuff was real, or at least as real as TV can get. Chakotay was the perfect first officer and a good friend to boot. He was worried about her not getting enough rest or food, and it almost sounded like he was asking her out on a date. That offhand "dinner" question didn't fool me--it sounded like a date! Then, when she tried to imitate Picard (and badly I might add) and that other captain (Asimov spelled backwards or something), Chakotay was laying on the sweet stuff so thick I expected a swarm of bees to appear. Finally, she's resumed her habit of touching Chak at every opportunity, and I wonder how long she'll be able to get away with those long looks and little touches on the chest before he calls her on it. She still thinks she's alone - even after Chak's Angry Warrior Speech and "The '37s"! Someone shake this character and tell her to get a life, and I'm not talking about the holodeck either. As far as the Borg go, it was kind of cool to see them get their collective butts kicked. From an atmospheric standpoint, the Borg cube was awesome--the dark, interior shots drew you right in, and all those mechanical failures and piled up carcasses were really creepy. The away team to the Borg ship didn't perform all that well and I think they were poorly chosen. First off, I would never have allowed Chakotay to lead that away team. The Voyager crew seems to have a short memory. Don't they remember that this guy was linked to a bunch of ex-Borg? He nearly betrayed his crew, and there is still a possibility that Holodoc missed something when he severed the link. So, Janeway goofed on that score. Then, Chakotay looks like an even bigger fool when he takes Harry Kim along and leaves him alone. When Harry hears a weird noise, he looks around nervously and goes back to work. I mean, I don't know about you, but I would have banged on that comm badge so hard that it would have probably grafted itself permanently to my chest when that alien started scrabbling around in the dark. As the music swells ominously, we all know that Harry is going to get his. What's worse, we are forced to watch some unnecessary foreshadowing as Kes warns the captain that Harry is in danger. Well, duh! This is one of those stupid plot devices they like to use to show us that Kes is becoming more powerful. Does it really matter now? Jen Lien is leaving, which they obviously didn't know when they filmed this. Anyway, there was a lot to like about "Scorpion." Besides Kate M, the two Roberts were also great (sorry RDM, they didn't give you much to do). The J/C scenes were long overdue, and the EMH managed to come up with his usual brilliant solution without weighing us down with needless technobabble. The special FX were phenomenal, and I can hardly wait for "Scorpion II." --Elizabeth Klisiewicz If Voyager were always this well-written, nobody would even remember TNG except when Janeway starts doing Picard impressions. I don't know where to start praising this episode--it reminded me of the best of both worlds. No, not the episode of that title, I mean it reminded me of TOS and TNG. Action, drama, tension, the kind of romance which means something (as opposed to Paris And Torres Do Bat'Leths), and an ending which left me genuinely clueless about how they're going to get out of this one. It even had a tolerable holodeck program, though I am still rather distressed to see Janeway having her most serious discussions with a projection of her own psyche rather than another human being. It's an interesting gimmick, but one I hope we won't see much of. The real character interaction was superlative. Last week we got to see Robert Beltran menacing and sexy, and this week he was the Chakotay I always wanted him to be, the one with convictions, who knows his role and his place, who's utterly devoted to Janeway yet not so blind that he's going to give her a feel-good speech when he's convinced she's not seeing the big picture. I'm not even sure he was wrong, though I suspect Janeway's decision will be vindicated in Part II. I thought Chak's arguments were sound, and it was interesting that Janeway addressed them as a personal dispute rather than a command struggle--she acknowledged that his approval is very important to her, but made clear that he can never be her equal in making command decisions--the ship can't have two captains. If Kathryn and Chakotay always got to use their chemistry like this, nobody would care whether they were obviously lovers or not. "Three years ago, I didn't know your name--now I can't imagine a day without you" sounded a lot like an answer to the Angry Warrior speech. Given a choice between this kind of interaction and the goofy Paris/Torres dating of the past few weeks, I'll take this every time. This episode offered concrete examples of why J/C is vital to this series. I like professional conflict between these two--there should have been more of that all along, because they're both people of strong opinions which don't always converge, and early on they were both great about admitting when they were wrong. That's changed--Chakotay's right that Janeway's gotten more rigid, and I don't much like her going to a holoprojection from her own imagination for inspiration rather than to a peer, which is what Chakotay is in spirit if not in command hierarchy. She acknowledged as much when she revealed how difficult it was for her to deal with his professional disapproval. As Chakotay said, he was just doing his job, trying to point out that just because Captain Ahab wants to keep following the whale, that course of action is not necessarily in the best interests of the crew. Forget the holographic patriarchs already, they make Janeway look weak and a little sniveling, though it was cute in a sad when she refused to consider his suggestion--prayer. I wish I knew what Janeway believed in, and I wish she believed more in Chakotay. It is precisely because they have strong feelings for each other that conflict between Janeway and Chakotay works, as it was with Kirk and Spock--he would sound insubordinate, she would sound whiny, if we didn't know that the subtext is entirely personal. This show has pathetically little human drama considering that these people have been stuck on a ship together for years, and it cannot afford to lose the warmth between Janeway and Chakotay because the warmth is what makes the tension work. I liked everything about the new aliens except the fact that, suddenly, the Borg don't seem scary at all. I don't like it when Trek eviscerates its villains. I've liked the long-term development of Klingon culture, though the fact that it became a patriarchy it didn't start out as has always irked me. But the Cardassians went from evil to merely duplicitous, the Dominion from terrifying to just plain icky. I don't want to see the Borg diminished, and I also don't want to see Janeway diminished. If the writers pull that off, I will be endlessly impressed. --Sara Unger Once again a promising premise was crippled by the lack of understanding of just what Star Trek is and who the audience for Trek is by The Powers That Be (TPTB). While there were some positive character moments in "Scorpion," even those were flawed, so that in the end the episode fails. Not what you want for a season-ending, two-part episode. The two J/C scenes were the strongest points in "Scorpion Part 1" and yet I still feel the need to round up the writing staff, strap them down and make them watch every episode of "Babylon 5," "The X-Files," Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek the original series, so that they can figure out the captain/first officer dynamic. The first scene in Janeway's ready room is quite good despite the fact that Kathryn didn't sound like either Picard or anyone but herself while reading the logs. There were several nice TNG echoes in the first in this scene when she looked out her windows at the stars, a maneuver we watched Jean-Luc perform dozens of times. (The second came at the end of the episode when Janeway was left on the Borg ship as Picard had been.) Chakotay made some good points and then gave his advice that the captain rest in a manner he knew she would accept (and that is consistent with Janeway's overall character), by teasing her. They both seemed here to be mature adults, officers, and close friends. The second scene in the briefing room showed a marked lack of understanding not only of the character of Kathryn Janeway but of the relationship between the two in command. The lines spoken by Chakotay are right on the money, especially "I know you, Kathryn--sometimes you don't know when to step back." Chakotay is trying to do his job and express his concerns about the captain's choice, and she drops an emotional bomb on his head in response. I can't imagine either Kirk or Picard doing that to Spock or Riker. Of course there were times when each man disagreed with his superior and friend but that doesn't mean they refused to follow orders or withdrew their support. The same thing happens on "The X-Files," as Scully may think Mulder is crazy but she is there, watching his back and giving him the benefit of her expertise regardless of her personal feelings at the time. A recent "Babylon 5" episode contained a scene where Captain Sheridan protests the fact that his fiancee Delenn (the Minbari leader/ambassador) wishes to return to her home world because it would be dangerous. She looks him in the eye and tells him that "while I am proud of what I have become to you, never forget who I was and what I can do." What I wouldn't give for a J/C scene like that one. The "Voyager" writers have forgotten the Maquis leader from "Caretaker," the relationship from "Resolutions," and the WOMAN behind the captain. The Borg episodes are watched by a far larger audience than the usual group tuning in week after week for Voyager. Much of the lexicon introduced in the near-perfect "Best of Both Worlds" has entered mainstream culture and their involvement boosted ticket sales for Star Trek: First Contact. And therein lies the problem. A certain level of action, mayhem, and menace is expected when the Borg appear and that was lacking in "Scorpion." Not to mention that all of the Borg appearances on Voyager contradict the fact that millions of viewers saw the race collapse with the death of their queen in Star Trek: First Contact. And yet the writers did a nice job of contrasting the way Voyager's crew approached the problem, compared to previous Starfleet crews, by using the experience of the Maquis crew members and the Holodoc's vast intelligence. Species 8472 ultimately doesn't measure up to the Borg for two reasons: 1) They were highly derivative of two popular alien menaces and 2) Kes' insipid visions. I can't be the only person who yelled "Aliens!"when the away team toured the 8472 ship and then "The Shadows!" when we finally saw the ships in action. Organic technology, the look of the ships' interior, the exterior design, the use of other species as hosts, the "Kill or use them all" mentality. Many people may not know that Paramount hired Foundation Imaging, the company that provided the CGI effects for the first three seasons of "Babylon 5," to provide effects for Voyager. And while Species 8472 looks like nothing in the Trek universe (a big plus), unfortunately, they look precisely like beings and ships from B5's universe. If you look at "Best of Both Worlds," the Borg are handled much like the Aliens and Shadows in the sense that there is a great deal of build-up, so when we finally do learn something of the creatures threatening our heroes, the danger is heightened. Here the telepathic contact that Kes has with the 8472 blunt their strangeness -- suddenly we know who, what, why. She sounded like a bad Troi imitation. Here the writers were partially on the right track by SHOWING us some of Kes' visions instead of having her verbalize them all, and yet everything we see appears as if Kes is seeing them and not watching events THROUGH an unknown species' eyes. These sequences could have been used to bolster the differences between not only Species 8472 and the Borg but between them and the Starfleet crew. And finally, Leonardo on the holodeck. Not another recurring holofigure! Why is it that Janeway must seek significant human interaction with holograms and not real people? I don't include the Holodoc in this category as he has evolved into a sentient being. Would Picard seek command guidance from a hologram? Would Kirk? While I could understand "Katerina's" fascination with the inventor, I wanted to slap her for having the audacity to want to paint with him. I AM a painter, and when visiting the National Gallery in D.C., I genuflect in front of the portrait of Ginevra de' Benci and back out mumbling "I'm not worthy"--and she calls him up for lessons? I have never understood the Trek arrogance toward using historical figures in this manner. In conclusion, am I being hard on Voyager? Absolutely. The talent, characters, setting, and backstory are all there waiting to be used. After four years the series had managed only a handful of well done episodes and a pilot of such glowing promise. I desperately want the series to succeed now that women are finally being allowed to move to center stage; and though Kate Mulgrew gives a heroic performance, TPTB continually fail both Kate and Kathryn Janeway. --Anna Shuford Almost immediately after destroying the Caretaker's array, Kathryn Janeway defined her goals; to get this crew home. Since that time her objective hasn't changed, but her methods have. The Janeway of "Scorpion" is willing to strike an alliance with the Borg, a race that poses the greatest threat to the Federation since its inception. This is quite a change from the Janeway of "Alliances" who voiced strong reservations about cutting a temporary deal with a mere nuisance race. But she's been through a lot since then. I'm not accusing Janeway of situational ethics, but I think she realizes that setting priorities means compromise. Her priority is to get the crew home. That may require some sacrifice of principles. Chakotay, on the other hand, has no such agenda. From the time he uttered the words, "She's the captain" his objective has been to support Janeway. He has done so, and will continue to do so, but we see in "Scorpion" that he will not sacrifice his principles in the process. The conversation in the briefing room was not about a first officer's willingness to support his captain. That's a given. The conversation in the briefing room was about absolution. Given a choice between seeking God or courting the devil, Kathryn Janeway chose to court the devil. That decision could not have come easily. Nor could it have been easy to hear Chakotay, the most spiritual man Janeway knows, declare emphatically that "it's wrong." Chakotay was right. But thenagain, so was she. That's what I love about "Scorpion." They were both right and they both stood their ground! Considering how Chakotay feels about his captain it took a tremendous amount of fortitude for him to hold fast to his principles and give her not the words she wanted to hear, but the words he needed to say. And as for Janeway, she made the decision she needed to make. She has stayed true to herself and true to the promise that she made her crew. With leadership comes sacrifice. And loneliness. But I don't think Kathryn is alone. Certainly she's no more alone than Chakotay. Janeway has a first officer who, in spite of his own moral opposition to her decision, is willing to give his life executing her orders. Not bad company, if you ask me. The question is, does Chakotay have a captain who appreciates not only his honesty, but his strength of character and his loyalty? I guess next season will tell. Oh, and Kathryn, a word of caution. Be careful when you fight a dragon. Now, on a more personal note: Is that CHAKOTAY acting like a first officer? Well, praises be! I wonder if perhaps the writers caught an early performance of "Hamlet" and decided, "Hey - this guy can act! Let's give him a few lines!" Whatever prompted this turn of events, I couldn't be happier. First of all I am a shameless Beltran fan and am delighted to see him get some well deserved screen time, and it's great that Chakotay, as an officer, finally gets the chance to say something other than, "It appears to be some sort of spacial anomaly." I want more! --Helen Anthony Wow. I'm absolutely thrilled! What a season finale! The "Inevitable Day of the Borg" had to happen, as the preview said, and I thought it was done incredibly well. Species 8472 could be the very reason why the Borg resort to assimilation and nothing else. The Borg have no choice but to take by force; few or no people would willingly join the Borg for the heck of it, would they? So, perhaps the only reason why they are "without mercy" is for the very cause of survival, just like any other species. Look at the Vidiians. They do the same thing, but not on such a technological scale. It might be wrong, but they have no other choice in their minds. They must sustain their population. I really enjoyed the J/C scenes in this episode. They're what makes this story so memorable. Like Picard and Riker, Janeway and Chakotay are a very strong team that work bests under pressure. The distinguishing edge that Janeway and Chakotay have aside from any captain/first officer we've seen yet is what really makes this team tick, however, and that is the fact that these two are very comfortable with each other. Their friendship is like none other. It's intimate yet has its down moments, but not for the worse. Chakotay arguing with Janeway about her decision was inevitable, not to mention needed. It definitely added to the story. One has to consider throughout the argument if Janeway would change her mind and accept Chakotay's view or vice-versa. I agreed with Janeway after she mentioned the possibility of the 8472 race eventually destroying everything they encountered in the Delta Quadrant and that they have this one chance to prevent it. We saw nearly every aspect of the J/C connection in "Scorpion," and I think that makes this episode very special. I really hope that more J/C moments will be included in the second half of this cliffhanger. "Scorpion" was a very enjoyable episode throughout. I'm very eager to see part two, even though that won't be for another three months. --Charlynn Kate Smith This is the way "Voyager" should always be! As I sat watching the episode, my stomach filled with knots and I could not tear my eyes from the screen. From the beginning, it had me in its grip. I hope that what we are seeing now is this writing team finally hitting its stride. If that is the case, next season should be fabulous. Kate Mulgrew was great in this one, as usual. It was apparent that she loved the material as much as she has said in interviews. Robert Beltran was right on, as well. Thecombination of the two was enough to send this J/Cer to near swooning. The coming together and pulling apart of the captain and her first officer has been a long time coming. This is a real relationship with both parties being as honest as they can. Way to go! I must admit that when I'd heard rumors of Voyager joining forces with the Borg and of an enemy far worse than the Borg, I was skeptical. The idea had disaster potential. The result so far exceeded my hopes that I am sure it served to add to my thrill and enjoyment of this episode. This episode had everything that has endeared me to Trek over the years: excitement, adventure, tension, great unknowns, and characters so full of life that they seemed to jump off the screen. Watching this, it was as though I were inside every scene facing the same threats, the same questions, pondering the same decisions. The introduction of Leonardo as Captain Janeway's holo-mentor is intriguing. I think it interesting that she would choose a historical figure so different from herself, yet in many ways the same. Whether this becomes an ongoing outlet for her or not, it is a far better one than Lord Burleigh. This is the type of outlet I would expect her. My hopes are high for the opener of season four. Sometimes this is a bad omen, but in this case there is nothing I can do to change it. As the credits rolled at the end of "Scorpion," all I could think was, "It's going to be a long summer." --Siobhan Wolf Good, my alarm went off on time. I don't want to miss out on the season finale of Star Trek: Voyager. (click!) "Resistance is fut...(BOOM!) (BOOM!) (BOOM!)" Whoa! Smorgas-Borgs! What?! Another time traveling episode? Oh. It's another holodeck program created by the Captain. Never mind. Okay, Torres rewind the tape. "This is it, Captain. Borg space." NO KIDDING! (singing) Warrrrrr! We're preparing forrrr...War with the Borgs! War with the Borgs! (stop singing) I sense...I sense... "Borg. A whole bunch of them dead." What are you complaining about? The fewer, the better! Borg rush-hour coming through! "We're being scanned." They're seeing whether Voyager is juicy enough. Maybe there's something more juicy. "They're in a hurry." Yea, we're going to crash a party! Okay, boys and girls, it's time to play 'Mimic the Captains'! Awwwww, Janeway and Chakotay, how sweet. What? No KISS?!? Nuts! Whoa! More Smorgas-Borgs! Okay, let's add the chocolate now. Look, Momma Janeway, a new friend! Okay, kiddies, it's time to beam on over and investigate. (sinister voice) You've just entered the Borg Cube of Doom. Wah, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha! (normal voice) Hey, Voyager's blonde counselor was right! Okay, Harry, it's time to access the Borg hard-drive. Nice bio-ship - dark, scary, and eerie. "Harry's in danger!" The chase is on! What? In two hundred years of transporter history, nobody yet invented a skeletal-lock?! Waaaa, Momma Janeway, our new friend is firing on us! Waaaa! LET'S GET OUTTA HERE!! "The weak shall perish." Uh, did we hear this somewhere before? Yep, Harry's the punching bag, again. "He looks like he's being transformed." Transformers--more than meets the eye! Borg tech can help Harry? Hmmmmm. "The Borg called them Species 8472." What do they call Species 4077, M*A*S*H? We're definitely not going through that passageway! Okay, Chak, it's time to help the Cap with the biiiig decision. "How about I make a deal with the devil." Uh, oh. It's gang-up on Janeway time. I'm the Captain, and I say we make a deal with those Wolf 359 bashers! Popcorn time, the Big Chak is about to tell another ancient story. "Then I really am alone." NO, NO, NO, NO, NO! Writers, don't press the reset button on those two! Gee, not much Borg traffic in this system. It's time to play 'Let's Make a Deal'! Those 8472's are baaaaack! No Way, Am I Fighting Someone With A Death Star Gun!! Ummmmm, perhaps we can make a deal. How 'bout we get away and talk it over a sundae at Milky Ways? Another smashing episode and a great way to end the third season. I thought "Scorpion" was far better than "Basics" and it ranks up as one of the best cliffhangers of Trek history. The action was tense and the characters, especially Janeway and Chakotay, were well developed. --Geordi Padovan STAR TREK: VOYAGER #13: THE BLACK SHORE by Greg Cox (Pocket Books, 1997) In the Voyager literary universe, you can almost always guarantee that the story will deal with: (a) Voyager's thirst for shore leave (b) Voyager's need to replenish food stores, or (c) Voyager's need to replenish fuel supplies and/or other materials. Nearly every book in the Voyager series has fallen into this rut, and The Black Shore is no exception. In this case, Voyager's crew needs some R&R and are lured by the siren song of Ryolanov's unearthly beauty. It reminds me of all those "Come to Jamaica" ads we used to see! In Cox's adventure, there aren't any new surprises, but that doesn't mean he can't spin a good yarn. In fact, Cox has penned one of the best books in the series. The text isn't marred by bad editing--I could only find one instance where he used a her instead of a him. It's also obvious that he spent some time watching Season One and Two episodes, something which I can't say for some of the other authors. While this is a very good thing, it also works against him in spots. Cox spends entirely too much time throwing in bits and pieces from past episodes, and it distracts from the main story thread. His characterization is decent, though I could have done without Tom falling into the clutches of the evil alien woman, or B'Elanna being so one dimensional that all she cares about are her engines. She's a perennial grouch in these pages, and while she may have reason to be pissed off, it gets old real fast. I also have a problem with Kes acting so helpless, because we've seen her potential in episodes like "Cold Fire." I much prefer this season's Kes, even if I can't stand her new, Troi-like appearance. Janeway is drawn really well, and presents a strong command face throughout the book. She, along with Paris, have the most heroic moments of anyone here. The Ryol are seemingly gorgeous aliens intent on showing the Voyager crew a real good time. Maybe too good a time? Appearances are deceiving, and after Kes senses some bad vibes and Chakotay's vision quest turns into a howling nightmare, you start to figure out that the Ryol are a pack of...er...liars. As predicted, after spending a few days of shore leave in this veritable paradise, things start to go wrong. Equipment malfunctions due to negligence and crew members turn into listless and irritable grouches. After some investigation, Voyager finds out that their newfound friends are actually life-force sucking shapeshifters who get off on draining their victims dry. Torres, Neelix, and Kes stumble onto their secret, which is hiding in some shielded, subterranean caves (ooh, we're getting Freudian here). It turns out that the Ryol crashed on this planet and subjugated its native population with their powers, turning the indigenous people into their slaves and treating them like animals. After being stuck there, they want to leave, and plan on using Voyager as their ticket out. The real highlight of this story is the Doctor. Cox has done a superb job with our favorite curmudgeon. The scenes where he matches wits with the Ryol ambassador's daughter and her thugs are priceless, and well worth the price of admission. In summary, this is an entertaining novel. If you can accept Pocket Books' literary constraints, then you'll like The Black Shore. I hope to see more from this author. --Elizabeth Klisiewicz COPYRIGHT VIOLATION CORNER Paramount owns Star Trek, and thus everything in these stories except the Moliere references...and the affection. HOPELESS ROMANTICS by Laura Williams "Let's see. Personnel reports reviewed, schedule changes approved, new replicator ration allotments distributed. Another weekly meeting wrapped up, wouldn't you say, Commander?" "Just about. But there is one more thing..." "What's that?" He grinned over the rim of his coffee mug. "You're going to have to bring out that formal uniform of yours again, Captain, because there's another wedding to perform." A delighted smile spread across Janeway's face as she leaned toward him. "Wonderful news! Who is it this time?" "Ensign Flagg and Crewman Young Bear." "Jorno Flagg and Gloria Young Bear." She mused, her head cocked head at him in surprise. "I had no idea." "They'd kept it a secret for a while. Some of us knew. Gloria and I go way back -- our fathers were close friends and I suppose she always thought of me as a big brother. So she told me when they first started seeing each other." "She's a good engineer." "So is Jorno." Janeway nodded, toying with her own coffee mug. "He's very young, but he's turning into a fine officer." Chakotay shook his head, smiling a little. "They're all very young, Kathryn." She rose and moved to the sofa, acknowledging that the formal part of their meeting was over. "You've talked to them? Are they well-matched?" "I think so. He's Starfleet to the core and she was raised by very traditional parents. But they seem to draw strength from those differences." "I assume they want a ceremony that reflects both cultures." He nodded. "They want us to perform it together -- your military formality, my civilian spirituality. We can work out all the details later." "I look forward to that." He smiled. "So do I. More coffee?" "Thanks, I'm fine." "Are you sure? I'm buying this week, remember?" "Well in that case..." He busied himself at the replicator while she gazed out at the stars, lost in thought. "How many weddings is that in the last few months, Chakotay? Two? Three?" "This makes four, actually." He handed her a mug of fresh coffee and seated himself beside her. "Four in the last ninety days." "That's quite a few." "Well, it is June back on Earth. Maybe our young crew has a bad case of spring fever." "But Jorno and Gloria make ten married couples on a ship with fewer than 150 crewmen. Doesn't that strike you as an unusually high number for a crew this small?" "These are unusually odd circumstances in which we find ourselves." She turned away from the stars to look directly at him. "What are you getting at?" "As you've pointed out many times, we're a long way from home. It's natural that people will...what was your phrase? 'Begin to pair off.'" "I had no idea it would be this many -- or this soon." "Didn't you?" "Are you saying that you did?" "I had a hunch." "Do tell." He leaned back and took a long sip of coffee, staring out at the stars just above her left shoulder. She watched him compose his features into a thoughtful pattern she knew very well, the one that usually preceded an observation or revelation that she hadn't even considered. Finally he looked back at her, eyes intent upon her even though his face was calm. "We live with the specter of death every day, Kathryn. Every encounter with an alien race could be our last. Every shuttle we send out to gather supplies runs the risk of never returning." "That's no different from any other deep-space mission, Chakotay." "Isn't it? If we were in the Alpha Quadrant and someone died, the surviving partner could go home and be comforted by his or her family. He or she could eventually come to terms with the loss and move on. But out here... We are all we have. We have to turn to each other for the support our families would normally give." "Which is why I'm surprised so many of our crew have chosen to take this step, to enter into relationships that could end violently tomorrow." He leaned forward, violating her space a little, but she did not shrink away from him. "It's the possibility of a violent end that makes us cling to each other so tightly, Kathryn. We...our crew....have chosen to love well now so that we will have no regrets later, if that violent end should come suddenly." "That's a dangerous choice." "It's the only choice we have." "Still..." She rose and paced away from him a few steps, withdrawing >from his steady gaze. "It's a risky prospect. Not only because death may be lurking around the next corner, but because we're so isolated out here. What if it doesn't work out? What if Jorno and Gloria's marriage falls apart? There is nowhere else for them to go, no other ship to accept their transfer. They both have to remain here if they have any hope whatsoever of getting home." "I'm confident that every member of this crew is mature enough to realize that we depend on each other for survival," he said with conviction. "There's no room for petty jealousies and hurt feelings when so many lives are at stake. They may be young, but they're not naive. Not anymore." She smiled, a little sadly. "They grew up fast." "They had to." "You're right, of course." She turned back to him abruptly, her head cocked to one side. "Chakotay, what do you think would have happened if we had instituted the fraternization policy you suggested three years ago?" He shrugged and smiled a little. "I think there would have been a lot more sneaking around the corridors than there is now." She laughed quietly, lowering herself to perch on the edge of the sofa beside him. "You're probably right. They would have resented us for intruding on their personal lives." She gave him a sidelong glance. "Resented you, mostly, since it was your idea." He shook his head ruefully. "I was hoping you'd forgotten that." "What were you thinking when you suggested it?" "I was thinking....that if someone's relationship started to go sour, we could have a difficult situation on our hands. I was thinking of the schedule change requests I'd get if two people stopped seeing each other and decided they couldn't work together anymore." "I hadn't thought of that," she said. "Has that ever happened?" "Oh, once or twice." He leaned back, balancing his coffee on his thigh. "Early in our journey I had a few schedule changes requested due to personality conflicts. In all but one case I sat down with the crewmen and helped them work it out without having to change the schedule at all." "What about the other case?" He grinned at her. "Well, Gloria and Jorno seem to be doing just fine..." She smiled and shook her head. "Funny the way that works out sometimes." He nodded. "I changed the schedule so that they didn't have to work together anymore, and within two weeks they'd each come to me separately and asked me to change it back." She sipped at her coffee, lost in the passing stars. "I'm glad Starfleet doesn't try to regulate the personal lives of its personnel." "I agree. Sometimes I think back to the old military codes of conduct 'Fleet's regulations are based on." He shook his head. "Some of the rules were amazing -- especially the fraternization rules." "I remember studying early military history at the Academy. I remember thinking that there seemed to be several codes of conduct working at once. Separate standards for men and women, officers and enlisted personnel, wartime and peacetime." He nodded. "It all reflected the larger society's fluctuating perception of sexual behavior. Different paradigms for boys and girls, different patterns of accepted sexual initiation depending on gender, class, education... How could the military have hoped to regulate behavior on those terms?" "Exactly. The military of a few hundred years ago was dedicated to recruiting aggressive young men and turning them into even more aggressive young men by giving them a channel for their aggression, and then patting them on the back for being so strong. Of course that perceived encouragement of aggressive behavior was going to spill into their personal lives." He nodded. "And at that time women were becoming a more and more visible segment of the military population. I can see why the commanders felt something had to be done. Especially since the perception that women were fair game to be preyed upon was still prevalent both in the military and in the larger society." "So they tried to stop it." She shook her head in disbelief. "Chakotay, did you know that a few hundred years ago, well after World War II, there was a movement in the commanding ranks of the U.S. Marines that wanted to recruit only single men and women, and to forbid them from marrying while they served?" "I don't doubt it. It was a difficult time. Standards of behavior were changing. More types of relationships were becoming accepted, perceptions of sexuality were constantly being reviewed and modified. Of course the old guard was going to feel pressured to react to it somehow." "Still, some of those regulations were ridiculous. They demanded almost superhuman behavior of their personnel." "Inhuman," he corrected. "They were unrealistic." "And then there was the war." "And then there was the war," he echoed. "All the rules suddenly changed." "It was a dark time. Everything was tinged with violence." She shuddered. "Even sex. Even love." "Yes." He looked up at her intently. "Eugenics caused a dramatic reevaluation of what it means to be human." "We grew up as a race -- we had to." "Exactly. What emerged was a revolution, the sudden realization that we've got to hang on to what we have, because every life is unique, every emotion is precious and should be cherished." "Every emotion..." she mused. "Chakotay, do you think we could have enforced a fraternization policy out here?" "No," he stated flatly. "It would have been unrealistic to try." "Do you ever think we should have?" "So far I haven't. But sometimes I worry..." "About what?" He shook his head and looked away suddenly, unwilling or unable to continue for the moment. "I worry... that maybe someday Jorno will have to make a decision in engineering that puts Gloria's life in danger. Will he be able to do it?" "He's a good officer. He knows the risks. They both do." "I know. And he'd do it, because he knows he has to. I hope he never has to make that decision, but..." He shook his head and sighed softly. "I suppose in a way I envy him." "Really? Why?" He smiled, a little sadly. "Because he's found someone who he's willing to risk everything for. And she's willing to take the same risk for him. That's a rare and wonderful thing." "They're very brave." "Yes, they are." She was silent for a long moment, turning his words over and over in her mind. Amazing to think that, so impossibly far from their familiar lives in the Alpha Quadrant, so many people seemed to have found such profound peace in each other. Rare and wonderful indeed. She leaned back on the sofa beside him, her shoulder brushing his arm. "Do you think all of those people would be married to each other if we had gotten back to the Alpha Quadrant three years ago?" she asked quietly. "Or do you think they've come together simply because there are so few other options out here?" He was silent for such a long time that she was afraid he hadn't heard. She looked up at him and began to repeat her question but caught him staring down into his coffee cup, his lips twisted into a half-grimace, the muscles at the back of his jaw twitching. "Chakotay?" He gazed at her for a long moment before responding. "Things happen for a reason, Kathryn. Maybe those ten couples were meant to be together all along. Maybe it took the unlikely events of the Maquis insurgence, the Voyager's mission and the Caretaker's array to bring them together." "You're suggesting that people are fated to be together?" "No..." "Because I find that unlikely in the extreme. I believe in free will." He let out a long breath, almost a sigh. "I believe circumstances bring people together for a reason. But I also believe coming together is a choice. And staying together -- that, Kathryn, is an act of sheer will." "That's an interesting idea." She smiled suddenly. "I've never heard a hopeless romantic justify himself in quite that way before." He laughed out loud, the tension melting from his face. "I am the furthest thing from a hopeless romantic." She smiled back at him. "No, Chakotay. I am the furthest thing from a hopeless romantic. You, on the other hand, are beyond help." He shook his head, still smiling. "I guess I'm going to have to take that as a compliment, then. Thank you." She set her coffee cup aside and folded her legs under her, leaning her chin in her hand. "Marriage. It seems a little redundant on this ship where there are no secrets. Why have so many chosen to go through with the ceremony, I wonder?" He shrugged. "It's a public affirmation of a very private vow. There's something ancient about it. Something sacred." She nodded. "I think I can understand that. It's one of the few truly permanent things we have out here -- the rituals we continue to perform, the milestones we continue to celebrate, even so far from the places most familiar to us. Those rituals make us a community. They make us family." He looked up at her sharply and smiled. "Kathryn, three years ago I would never have imagined you'd say anything like that. I'm glad to hear it now." She smiled back at him. "Maybe I've grown up too, Chakotay." THE BEST OF ALL POSSIBLE WORLDS by L.R. Bowen "What are you laughing about?" "Bad guys," Chakotay replied, and kept chuckling. Janeway reached for her umbrella-topped drink and took a sip. She couldn't read his expression, since he had his lounge chair pulled ahead of hers and his face turned up to the tropical sun--the holographic tropical sun. "Mmm. Care to share the joke?" "I was just thinking about how many different outcomes that "Insurrection Alpha" scenario could have had." "Yes, one could program it to do nearly anything. Tuvok said Tom had been working on a version in which I had all the Maquis shot." Chakotay let out a snort. "That would have been just as out of character for you as mutiny would be for me. No one else seemed to find that as implausible as I did." "Everyone knows first officers have it in for their captains. It's a tradition in every service." They both laughed. "But really, no one tried to explore some of the most realistic alternatives." His hands were laced over his wild print shirt, his eyes were closed. His voice was animated but quiet, as if he were on the comfortable cusp between imagination and sleep, just the edge of dreaming. "I can spin all kinds of plots from the basic beginning..." "Of a Maquis mutiny?" "No. The beginning. All of us flung out here together and having to get along...our loyalties realigning. Our priorities turning into different paths. The whole courses of our lives transforming in one instant." "I don't know about that. I've felt I was keeping the same course...even if it was among different stars." "I changed course. Or maybe not...I've always aimed at some goal my whole life, but my idea of how to get there changes. The goal's the same." He hitched himself up and turned to look at her, dark eyes crinkling. "It may look different at different times, but it's the same." Janeway smiled at him. "So how would you have written it? From the beginning?" Chakotay smiled back, but his eyes left hers. "Don't know if I should second-guess the past. Fictional scenarios are one thing, but life... Given the characters involved, perhaps some things would always go the same way." He glanced up briefly, as if to make it a question, and she shrugged. "If a person pushes too hard, tries to force change against character...he may get only resistance. Sometimes just waiting to see how things turn out is the best alternative." "That's fine if you have the time. I'm not as patient as you are, I think." "Not when you really want something, no." He twisted his mouth and looked for his own drink. "I'm getting a little too warm out here. Want to go back in the shade?" "Mmm...I'm too relaxed to move." She closed her eyes. "We could change the scene." "True. What would you like?" "Whatever. Not too breezy, though." She heard him tapping his glass in thought. "Computer, run program Chakotay Delta Four. Keep the furniture," he added as an afterthought, with a blinding grin when she opened one eye and shot a look at him. "I don't want to dump the captain on the ground, do I?" The scene trembled and wavered, then resolved into a tree-lined riverbank. Their lounge chairs were halfway up the slope, well under the shade of the trees. "Not bad." "Thought you might like it." He seemed to be waiting for some additional comment, poised on the edge of his lounge chair and gently swirling the ice in his glass. His wild print shirt looked out of place now. "Oh...it's New Earth." "Yes." "I didn't think you'd done any holo-recording there." "I didn't think I'd need to, when I was there. It's reconstructed from still photos, with some imagination thrown in." The river flowed quietly by, clear and deep over stones in this spot, carrying a few stray leaves from the trees. "It's lovely. That was a...nice place. I was always grateful we weren't marooned in a howling desert, or some such. Though the scenery was a distraction at first when I was trying to work." "I just let it distract me." He was smiling off into the distance. "That wouldn't have been such a bad way to live the rest of our lives." Janeway slowly shook her head. "I like it better here. More alternatives." A long slow silence, in which she watched the river's flow. Chakotay's voice broke in on the beginning of sleep, just as her lids grew heavy. "Kathryn..." "Hmm?" "What alternatives do you see in front of you? Which ones do you want to explore?" "Realistic ones?" "How do you know whether an alternative is realistic unless you explore it first?" Janeway pursed her lips. "My own judgment. I don't want to go off half-cocked in some wild direction." "Maybe it's not as wild as it looks at first glance." He pulled in his cheeks for a moment. "It could be the kind of course change that steers you where you wanted to go in the first place. Assuming you wanted to go there." "Too hazy for me. I need something concrete." "Like this?" He gestured to the illusion of landscape. "This is real enough for my purposes. I don't demand much of a holo-scene. Pretty to look at, and a pleasant temperature, and no unwelcome surprises." He tugged on an ear, looked a little acid. "No will of its own. And it will wait patiently for you, no matter how long it takes you to come back. Always the same. Reset the program and start over." Janeway sat up. He wasn't talking about holo-programs, or maybe he was. "Real life can't be put on hold, no. There are always too many things calling for attention at once...look too long in one direction, and something else slips out of sight. Before you really knew it was there. I know I can't deal equally with everything that comes along. I have to pick and choose, and some things are inevitably...excluded." She knew what his expression would be like, so she kept her eyes on the passing river. "I don't claim that I've made every choice without error. But the smallest decisions can snowball...sometimes what seemed inconsequential at the time, something I could revisit and correct, turns out to be written in stone by the passage of time." "Time writes everything in stone, doesn't it?" "A Starfleet officer should know better than that." They laughed together again. "There's always a loophole of some kind. Dimensional anomalies, parallel universes, slingshot effects, wormholes to the past...if we worked at it, we might eventually be able to undo our entire lives. Come at ourselves from every angle until we thought we had it right. The best of all possible worlds." "That was supposed to be the one we lived in, no matter how terrible it was." "Dr. Pangloss wasn't a Starfleet officer." "You really would like to do that? Redo your life until it was perfect?" Chakotay was frowning faintly. "There are things I wish had never happened, certainly. My father's death...my fiancé died in the same accident. I'd change that in an instant, if I could." He still looked grave, then raised a brow. "Be married?" "Well...to tell the truth, I don't know that I'd be a captain if I'd married. Those don't always go together." "But sometimes." "Sometimes. Not with him, I don't think. But I suppose I did want to be...with someone. Permanently. I don't know if I let that goal slip away. Maybe it looks different out here." "Would you have chosen not to come to the Delta Quadrant?" "Of course. For the sake of all the crew, I wish we were still at home. Don't you?" "For the crew, perhaps. For myself...well, I don't want to say that coming here was the best thing that could have happened to me, out of all the possibilities--but going back to do it over has never occurred to me. It did happen, and we're here, and I think it's better to deal with that as it exists. Not try endlessly to change conditions, but work with them. Accept some things as given in order to devote energy to others." He finished his drink and set it down. "At least, that's how I make my choices. I leave some things aside just as you have to do. But I confess that I don't worry all that much about the road not taken. Until that...scenario came along, that is." "It bothered you." Janeway sat up straight. "You didn't tell me that. I thought you were laughing with the rest of us." "I was. Then I saw myself as the bad guy...recruiting turncoats, slinking melodramatically around the bridge while practically twirling my mustache, denouncing all moral scruples just to get home faster...involved with a woman who was even worse. Just enough truth in it to sting. OK, there's something I'd like to do over differently. Not to fall--well, until I found out who she was, I wouldn't have said that. It didn't work out between us, and she hated me for it...but it's not a bad thing to try for, no matter how hard you fall on your face if you fail." He had a hand rubbing his chin, his face mostly concealed. "I wouldn't want to go into everything knowing I had an out. That if it didn't work, I could press the reset button. I want to live my life with a feeling of commitment." "So do I." She was almost whispering. "My commitments are very deep ones." Their eyes met. "I know they are," Chakotay said, as quietly as she had spoken. "I know...you want to be careful." "I...if I could see into the future, somehow...know if we will ever get home. I think about how we'll be received by Starfleet, people who know nothing about our community. How something happened between us that made mutiny so unthinkable that even Tuvok discarded the idea unfinished. Who could ever have predicted that, the day I set out from Deep Space Nine to find a Maquis captain and his ship?" "I never would have. I could have run probability analyses and simulations for years, and I wouldn't have come up with our present situation in a lifetime. Sitting on the holodeck with...my friend, drinking out of a glass with an umbrella in it. It's surprising as hell when I think about it. But I think I like surprises." Janeway grimaced. "Not I. I want hints, at least." "I think I've been giving hints." He dimpled alarmingly. "Yes, you have. What, you want thanks for it?" "I'll predict the future, if you like. But you are the one who has to make it come true." "Can't I run a simulation first?" "No. Go for broke. Punch your way through." "Even if someone else gets bruised?" "I'll take my lumps. I think it's worth the risk." "Sometimes more than one goes down with the ship. Innocent bystanders. Passengers and crew." "You're a better navigator than that, Captain. I know I've misplaced faith before, but I'm not doing that now." He smiled, and she bowed her head to acknowledge it, and to hide her eyes. A very long moment of silence, a pause that hung suspended, a motionlessness that she wanted to last forever. "Can I freeze the program at this point?" she asked. "And get back to it later when I've had time to think about it?" Chakotay took a deep breath. "Hasn't it been running long enough yet?" "Remember, if you push too hard..." "I'm patient. But I think you must be more patient than I am, after all." "All things come to he who waits." "In a perfect world." "That is the one we live in, right?" "The only one I have handy," he replied. "Except when I'm dreaming." They settled back into their lounge chairs. "It's rather warm here," said Janeway. "I might take a nap." And laughed. "I might too," said Chakotay. THE END VOYAGER FAN CLUBS NOW VOYAGER Official Kate Mulgrew Fan Club P.O. Box 34745 Bethesda, MD 20827-4745 tigger@cais.cais.com THE COMMANDER Official Robert Beltran Fan Club 330 Greenwich Street Reading, PA 19601-2821 B3 PRIME Official Roxann Dawson Fan Club 1630 Ft. Campbell Blvd., Suite 143 Clarksville, TN 37042 blilsism@aol.com RANDOM FLIGHT Official Robert Duncan McNeill Fan Club 850 Mellowood Avenue Orlando, FL 32825-8085 ricknpam@iag.net EPIC Official Ethan Phillips Fan Club P.O. Box 4818 Waterbury, CT 06704 randeg@aol.com CARPE Official Robert Picardo Fan Club Box 373, 1277 Linda Mar Shopping Center Pacifica, CA 94044 traceldel1@aol.com VULCAN INSIDERS Official Tim Russ Fan Club P.O. Box 8248 Long Beach, CA 90808 vinsiders@aol.com SESKA'S SCANDAL SHEET Official Martha Hackett Fan Club 3699 Barnard Drive #517 Oceanside, CA 92056 southpawdj@aol.com DEEP SPACE NINE FAN CLUBS EMISSARY Official Avery Brooks Fan Club P.O. Box 621719 Oviedo, FL 32762-1719 emisary1@aol.com ORACLE Official Rene Auberjonois Fan Club 2604B El Camino Real #377 Carlsbad, CA 92008 OASIS Official Armin Shimerman Fan Club 26 Dogwood Street Jersey City, NJ 07305 kathybayne@aol.com THE DOCTOR'S EXCHANGE Official Alexander Siddig Fan Club P. O. Box 1363 Minnetonka, MN 55345-0363 verba001@maroon.tc.umn.edu NANITES Official Nana Visitor Fan Club 8824 Cross Country Place Gaithersburg, MD 20879 nananut@aol.com D'ABO! Official Chase Masterson Fan Club 2029 Verdugo Blvd. Box 150 Montrose, CA 91020 richmich99@aol.com OTHER FAN CLUBS THE PATRICK STEWART NETWORK Official Patrick Stewart Fan Club P.O. Box 4990 Riverside, CA 92514 JONATHAN FRAKES APPRECIATION SOC. P.O. Box 632 Enfield, CT 06083-0632 GRMC Official Gene Roddenberry Memorial Club P.O. Box 3177 Greensburg, PA 15601 WALTER KOENIG FAN CLUB c/o Miss C.A. Heslop Fens Crescent Hartlepool, TS25 2QL UK JULIE CAITLIN BROWN FAN CLUB P O Box 191 Kerman, CA 93630 dkountz@aol.com STAR TREK WELCOMMITTEE P.O. Box 12 Saranac, MI 48881 TO CONTACT TREK TALENT PARAMOUNT PICTURES TNG/DS9/VOY Actor, Producer Star Trek: TNG/DS9/VOY 5555 Melrose Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90038 LINCOLN ENTERPRISES Classic Trek Actor, Producer 14710 Arminto Street Van Nuys, CA 91402 PHOTO AND ART CREDITS 1, 18, 19, 26--Illustrations © Deborah Rush 1997. 3, 6--Photo © Annmarie Daneker, 1997 4--Photo © Helen Anthony, 1997. 6--Photo © Beth Schuman, 1997. 7-11--Photos © Jay Thompson. 9, 29--Illustrations © Cathy Blair, 1997. 13, 16, 21, 24--Illustrations © Yul Tolbert, Timeliketoons, 1997. 15, 22--Illustrations © Anne Davenport, 1997. 25--Illustration © Jennifer Pelland, 1997. NOW VOYAGER P.O. BOX 34745 BETHESDA, MD 20827-4745 FIRST CLASS