[Tom]

ScifiUnited Forum _ General Discussion _ XHOG

Posted by: Cptn_Krunch May 28 2009, 05:40 AM

Posted by: Cptn_Krunch May 28 2009, 06:04 AM

AHOY ME HEARTIES!!!

Yer favourite Cptn tis pleas'd as rumpunch t' 'ave ye all aboard...aye

Fancy pageant walkin' n pyratey talkin' r encouraged but naught mandatory...arrrr

If'n ye'd please welcome ur newest byte jockey t' XHOG...

NOTORIOUS BIGMORN!!!

Posted by: BIGMORN May 28 2009, 06:12 AM

Posted by: sevnson_71 May 28 2009, 11:44 AM
Is this anything like a Mexican Radio?



Posted by: Terilynn May 29 2009, 03:02 PM
SQUEE!!!!! My radio station! It has returned!!! i've been fiddling with my dials for weeks!!!



Posted by: BIGMORN May 29 2009, 05:40 PM

Thank you Captain...it's good to be aboard

Good Morning ladies and gentlmen and androgynous alternatives!
Welcome to MORN IN THE MORNING!

We're going to have some fun,
Play a few songs,
Open the "Call-in" lines,
Drink some "rakt'igino",
Chat about all things SciFi.

< Takes a BIGSIP of "rakt'igino" >

AHHHHHH!

But first, I want to talk about something familiar to many of our listeners.
Though some of you may not be aware that my last show, "BIGMORN's Fry or Roast or Toast" of Captain Krunch, was halted in mid production.

I would like, if I may, tell the tale of that dreadful day...

The Blue Parrot Public Playhouse is headquartered on Starbase 11, Rue Marigney 1011
Stardate 62443 was a soldout house, the crowd was roaring, our favorite captain was having a wonderful time and taking it all in stride.
HRH Elaann, the testy Troyiusaen temptress, had just finished her scathing monologue of Old Krunchberry...er...our favorite "Cptn"...I mean..how are you supposed to pronounce "Cptn" anyway?
HA HA!.

As I was about to introduce our next "fryer/roaster/toaster", Master Windu

...a terrible explosion occured in the theater behind the audience.
There was screaming and shouting, I could see many in the melee had been severely injured.
A yawning hole had been blown through the wall, strange looking creatures began to rush in.
They were phasering anyone who tried to stop their advance towards the stage where Captain Krunch, Vic Fontain and I were standing, dumbfounded.
Seeing as how none of us were armed for the occasion, Captain Krunch grabbed a microphone stand and rushed headlong at the attackers.
He lept and dove straight into the middle of them.
How he dodged every phaser blast I do not know, but he did.
He began to thrust and parry and stab and slash at them, but the mic stand was an ineffective weapon against them really.
The attackers were wearing some sort of thick white animal skins, I believe Terrans call them 'lamb skins', I'm not certain.
Surrounded by the ravening wolves in sheep's clothing, our favorite Captain was able to bloody a few of them before he succumbed to their assault.
As they beat our favorite Captain into the floor and jabbed him with pain sticks I could hear them chanting,

"HEY ZUES!!! HEY ZUES!!! HEY ZUES!!!"

At that moment Vic turned to me and said,

"Pally...this is bad...this isn't what I signed up for at all, I have to go now."

He then activated the cloaking device on his holo-emitter and disappeared before my eyes.
The last thing I remember about that day was being shot from behind with a phaser and fading to black.

< Takes another BIGSIP of "rakt'igino" >

AAAAHHHHH!!!!

OH MY!
Looks like we have a call on line one.

Welcome to Morn in the Morning!

QUOTE (sevnson_71 @ May 28 2009, 11:44 AM) Is this anything like a Mexican Radio?

What a fascinating question Sevnson71.
Let me think,

I believe our favorite Captain has made mention that the "X" is an homage to the early 20th century outlaw mega broadcasters along the Terran USA/EUM borderlands.

< Checks database >

At present we don't have any temporal repeater bouys any closer to Terra than Sol's Ort Cloud.
So, technically, XHOG is not a "Mexican" based "Enterprise"
Although, I have had a spit roasted Iguana in Cuidad Tijuana, delicious.


Maybe a killer kut from Zed Zed Zed will help make your day!
Congradulations on being my first caller Sevnson71.

We have another caller!
Welcome to Morn in the Morning!

QUOTE (Terilynn @ May 29 2009, 03:02 PM) SQUEE!!!!! My radio station! It has returned!!! i've been fiddling with my dials for weeks!!!

Ahhh, the multi-talented Madam T'Lynn.
Our favorite Captain has told me so much about you.
Thank you for not giving up on your frequency search for XHOG.
We're back stronger than ever broadcasting at 50 gajillion googlewatts of raw radiohoho power!

Posted by: Terilynn May 29 2009, 05:52 PM
*T'Lynn watches sponsors ad and giggles. Redshirt Riker wipes her brow with her super-squishy towel. She looks up to him fondly.*

Thanks Will. Ohh...maybe that's what we need to do...advertise Ten foward on XHOG....I wonder what the rates are like.

*Riker scowls*" I hear that Pyrate Radio fees can be quite high Ms. T'Lynn.

Maybe so, but I will look into it nonetheless...none of this viral stuff though.

*Riker grins* Good call.

*Terilynn smiles and kisses Riker on the cheek* Turn it up will you? I love BIGMORN.



Posted by: trekkin' May 30 2009, 02:47 AM
It may be morning, but I'm going to bed...so how about a song for the sleepy?



Posted by: BIGMORN May 30 2009, 07:04 AM

Welcome back to Morn in the Morning!

We have another caller!

QUOTE (trekkin' @ May 30 2009, 02:47 AM) It may be morning, but I'm going to bed...so how about a song for the sleepy?

Sunrise, sunset, Trekkin'.
Welcome to Morn in the Morning sleepyhead.
Normally, the last thing a morning byte jockey would want to do is put their audience to sleep.
So here's a little sleepytime melody just for you this morning, sweet dreams

Awe, isn't that precious?
Trekkin' is snoring into her comm.
Bubba Bluey, cut her comm signal as quietly as you can, she is so sleepy.

Anyway, that reminds me of the nap I took from the phaser blast

When I awoke, after how long I do not know,I was lying hooded and hogtied on a urine soaked floor in the freezing cold.
Then I heard a hatch open...

< Ssssshhhhhhssss >

A terrible smell of rotting sushi filled my nostrils.
Then I was kicked and cursed and beaten until I was unconscious again.
The next thing I remember seemed like a dream at first.
I was sitting upright and bound to a chair, still hooded, I felt something touch my shoulder.
Then I heard a familiar voice whisper in my ear.

Hey Morn, it's you're ol' pal Vic.
Don't say anything, you're under surveillance, just listen.
As long as I am cloaked they aren't able to detect my holosignature, for now.
I was able to slip aboard this ship as they beamed you and the others over.
They have abducted you, Cptn Krunch, Goathena, Violet Cloud and Elaan.
I don't know if Windu was killed or got away, but he's not here.
They have all of you in separate interrogation chambers.
Oh it's terrible pally, the things they are doing.
They are after Krunch's booty stash, you know, where you guys keep your latinum.
Cptn Krunch told me to tell you to be strong and don't give in.
I'm trying to get a message to Star Fleet...

Then I heard the hatch open and Vic said no more.
What happened next is so unbelievable I know no one will believe it.
But I'm going to tell you anyway.

< BIGMORN takes another BIGSIP of "rakt'igino >

Posted by: Red_Skirt May 30 2009, 11:08 AM
Yay!
Its great to find the Xhog again!

I could go for a rakt'igino!



Posted by: sevnson_71 May 30 2009, 11:32 AM
recipe is in the restaurant if you backread a few pages



Posted by: BIGMORN May 31 2009, 05:04 AM

As I was saying, I was sitting hooded and bound to a chair when I heard the hatch open

< Sssshhhhooosss >

Again, a distinct smell of rotten sushi filled the air.
I could hear shuffling and whispers around me.
Then one of them began to remove my hood, the light was blinding.
I could not focus, my hands were still bound and I could not rub my eyes.
They burned from the overhead lumins stabbing into them.
Then someone began to speak to me.

Greetings Mr Morn, are you comfortable?
Have you enjoyed our hospitality so far?
Muahahaha!

I spoke not a word.

Well my friend, things are about to get markedly better for you.
See?
We have brought you something to eat.
This is my precious bloodwine, drink it
This is my precious caviar, eat it
And for desert, well, you'll figure it out
Muahahaha!

Still, I could not see clearly and remained silent.

After we exit I will release the restraints on your arms but not your legs.
Your sight will return soon, we will leave you to your supper, enjoy your meal
MUAHAHAHA!!!

As the hatchway opened I could hear horrible screaming coming from without until it sealed itself shut again.

< Ssssshhhooosss >

I see we have another caller!

Welcome to Mornin the Morning!

QUOTE (Red_Skirt @ May 30 2009, 11:08 AM) Yay!
Its great to find the Xhog again!

I could go for a rakt'igino!

It's great to have you tuned in and turned on Red Skirt!
Get yourself a shot of "rakt'igino" and enjoy the show!

Posted by: trekkin' Jun 1 2009, 01:30 PM
Far out man!!

I never knew that the father was Zorro.

Cptn...I'm reaching you through quite a number of links...Perhaps you have some daisy type music?



Posted by: BIGMORN Jun 2 2009, 09:24 AM

QUOTE (trekkin' @ Jun 1 2009, 01:30 PM) Far out man!!

I never knew that the father was Zorro.

Cptn...I'm reaching you through quite a number of links...Perhaps you have some daisy type music?

HA HA HA!

Welcome back Trekkin!
Our favorite Captain is not in the studio presently.
But I will forward your message.
Stay tuned.

And now!
One of the most popular singers of the last few centuries

WILLIAM HUNG!

Posted by: BIGMORN Jun 4 2009, 03:50 AM

WILD WILLY HUNG EVERYBODY!!!

A man with more talent in his two front teeth than Ricky Martin had in his entire body!
LOL!

But back to my torrid tale of torment and torture,

When the restraints were released, I began to rub my wrists.
They were roiling with pins and needles from being immobile for so long, for how long I do not know, but the pain was intense.
As my sight began to return I spied my stark surroundings.
Seven walls, a hatchway, a table with a plate of food and a glass of bloodwine, and an uncomfortable chair that my legs were still bound to.
Yes, hospitality indeed...hmmmph.

The smell of rotten sushi was overpowering, it was emanating from that pile of matter on the plate the voice had called "supper"
Yeach!
But I was so hungry, so hungry, I do not know how long it had been since I had last eaten.
I know it was just before the show started at the studio, that's all I know.
There was no cutlery with which to eat, only two little sticks with crosses burned all over them, odd.
I examined the "food" as closely as I could but my sight had not completely cleared yet.
I took the glass of bloodwine and sniffled it, it was definitely NOT Bloodwine, and set it back down on the table.
I took one of the cross bearing sticks and stabbed at something that looked like large green caviar and sniffled it...
EEEUUUWWW!!!
There was that rotten sushi smell!
It made me nauseous, I dropped it back upon the plate.
But I was so hungry.
Then I stabbed at some sort of raw, flat, oblong cut of sweet meat and sniffled it...
EEYYYEEACHH!!!...
SPAM!!!
But I was soooo hungry.
As I was about to take a bite of the spam, it seemed as if an invisible hand slid it off the crossed stick and it fell back to the plate.

Sorry about that pally...you don't want to eat that stuff just yet...
Just keep looking at it like you're interested and listen to your ol pal Vic but don't say a word.

So I began to play with the "supper" and listened to what Vic had to say.

OK Pally...check this...so far I have discovered who is running this dog and pony show and believe me...you are not going to believe me.
That creature that just brought you your "supper" goes by the name of Kristo Secundus.
It has a following of Terrans, Andorians, Paklids and various delusional lunatics of one race or another, some even think they are holy incarnations of ancient seers.
They follow this "Secundus" as if he was some sort of messiah...but check this pally...
Secundus has a sophisticated holo-emitter disguising what it really is.
It appears to be a male Terran with extremely long head and facial hair and a brilliant aura surrounding it's head.
When I first saw it I thought my programming was malfunctioning pally, so I adjusted my visual sensory parameters and discovered that it was not what it appeared to be at all.
It's a Gorn pally, and a female Gorn at that.
She's leading this pack of wolves in sheep's clothing towards a wormhole that, she says, will take them someplace where they will all live happily ever after.
But right now she trying to get you guy's latinum.
Captain Krunch has been beaten to a bloody pulp but is still alive, barely.
Violet Cloud is being waterboarded and electroshocked just for fun I think, our favorite Captain says she has no knowledge of account numbers or the whereabouts of any hidden treasures.
Goathena has been assaulted in unspeakable ways...pally...it's so terrible to hear her screams, they are trying to get banc account numbers from her because she is Heart of Glory's exchequer.
Elaan is strapped to a whipping post and lashed ever so often to get her tears to flow into a bucket placed under her chin.
Evidently her tears have some sort of power over male creatures of various races.
I was able to slip into Secundus' private chamber last night, check this pally, she drained some her blood into a siphon and mixed it with H2O and miraculously appears to make Bloodwine.
Then shes consumes massive amounts of spam and begins to excrete Gorn ovums into a feathered nest...hundreds of them...hundreds pally.
It's what she gives her crew to eat and drink...it's what's before you now pally...on the that plate

I uncontrollably gasped out loud.
Everyone knows, if you drink the blood of a Gorn and eat their caviar you become a slave to their every wish and want.
But I had never been exposed to it before, Gorn eggs and spam...now it all made sense.

I know you are so hungry you could eat anything right now pally, even that "supper"
There is nothing else aboard to eat though.
Last night in their lab, after they all went to sleep, I was able to synthesize a weak antidote to the Gorn eggs and bloodwine from Elaan's tears.
It will only offset the effects, but now that you know, you can fight the urge to wholly submit to their demands.

From out of thin air appeared a hypo spray that went straight for my neck as Vic injected Elaan's tear serum into my jugular.
Oh it burned as it coursed through my veins.........hot tempests of whorling pain and anguish.......

There you go pally...enjoy your "supper"

< BIGMORN takes another BIGSIP of "rakt'igino >

Que the next video Bubba

Posted by: BIGMORN Jun 7 2009, 08:12 AM

Alrighty then!
Welcome back everybody!

Bubba Bluey informs me that we have had a caller
wanting to make an anonymous dedication to a .....Mr Greenleaf
Well Mr. Greenleaf, wherever you are, this is your song...from someone

Posted by: BIGMORN Jun 8 2009, 10:12 AM

WELCOME BACK EVERYBODY!

If you have ever been injected with female Troyiusaen tears you will know what a long, strange trip it can be.
For those of you who haven't, well, let me tell you....you become a very "needfull" thing.
You hunger for the smallest show of affection, you long to offer your adoration, your mind's eye is deluged with spangles and multi-colored whorls, your existence becomes one of complete co-dependence.
And as I sat there reeling from the effects of Elaan's tear serum my hunger for sustinance overwhelmed me and I grabbed a Gorn egg and swallowed it whole.....and it tasted much worse than smelt.
I grabbed a handful of spam, as I squished it between my fingers, globules of animal fat oozed onto the table.
But I was soooo hungry, I ate the spam with great relish.
Once I had eaten all the Gorn eggs and spam I washed my pallete with the "bloodwine".
AUURRWWW! It was awful and I regurgitated almost all that I eaten.
As I sat there, covered in my own putrid pabulum, all I could think about was......the lovely Empress Elaan.

Posted by: Terilynn Jun 8 2009, 07:59 PM
*T'Lynn's eyes widen with humor*

HEY!!! I know her! I stole her boots!! Well, really, I didn't steal them, so much as I realized she never wore the ones in her closet. Why in the galaxy would a woman let good boots go to waste?!

So...I freed them.



Posted by: BIGMORN Jun 10 2009, 09:29 AM

QUOTE (Terilynn @ Jun 8 2009, 07:59 PM) HEY!!! I know her! I stole her boots!! Well, really, I didn't steal them, so much as I realized she never wore the ones in her closet. Why in the galaxy would a woman let good boots go to waste?!

So...I freed them.

HA HA HA HA!

And our favorite Captain tells me that you wear them well madam.

< Checks database >

Ahh, here it is......I think our radiohoho fans will love this next video.

Posted by: BIGMORN Jun 12 2009, 07:48 AM

Now wasn't that special?

Up next we have a twofer from our favorite Captain's alternate 'verse doppleganger.

Give it up for

KRISPIN KRUNGOLDENMEYERHOFFERSTEINICH!

Posted by: BIGMORN Jun 13 2009, 02:48 AM

WELCOME BACK TO MORN IN THE MORNING!

Later in the show I will be interviewing the very talented Terilynn.
She has agreed to give her first interview for her book tour right here on "Morn in the Morning".
If you have ever wondered what goes in the mind of a Star Trek Ficcer you won't want to miss it!
I for one am curious yellow

< BIGMORN takes a BIGSIP of "rakt'gino" >

AHHHHH!

But let's return to my trials and tribulations aboard Kristo Secundus' starship, "Gaolgothe".

As I sat there in my detritus and delirium, with my stomachs and my emotions roiling and reeling, with visions of Elaan dancing in my head, it occurred to me that if I just pushed my restraining chair away from the table I could probably free my legs from bondage.
But it also occurred to me that if I was successful in that endeavor I would still be caged in Secundus'
torture chamber.
Though I had vomited most of my "supper" I wasn't sure if the residuals left in my stomachs would have any effects on my, "behavior".
Nor was I sure that if I was free to move about the cell I would be able to physically resist once my abductors returned to find me.....unbound.
Vic had said only that Elaan's tear serum would be able to "offset the effects" of my last supper.
But just sitting there like some sort of love sick submissive wasn't going to help my situation, or that of my comrades.
I eventually decided that I must at least try to do something rather than nothing.

After extraordinary effort I was eventually able to break free of my leg restraints.
I gathered up the two crossed sticks and began to sharpen their ends to fine points on the table's top.
Once I had accomplished my weapons engineering I stood up on the chair and began beating the overhead lumin with my bare fists with all my strength, though I fell to the deck several times before I was able to douse it.
Now in the pitch black, I laid the septaginal table on it's side for breastwork and crouched behind it like a Lurian leopard.
With a sharpened stick in each battered, bloodied hand I awaited my captors' return.

< BIGMORN is momentarily distracted >

WHAT?.........very well.

Posted by: BIGMORN Jun 15 2009, 05:20 AM

Up next we have a bare bones rocker from

Posted by: Cptn_Krunch Jun 15 2009, 03:36 PM

http://www.npr.org/t...oryId=105387231

Posted by: BIGMORN Jun 16 2009, 02:19 AM

His name is Arch Hammer
He's 36 years old
He's been a salesman, a dispatcher, a truck driver, a conman, a bookie and a part-time bartender

This is a cheap man, a nickle and dime man
With a cheapness that goes past the suit and the shirt, a cheapness of mind, a cheapness of taste
A tawdry little shine on the seat of his conscience
And a darkroom squint in a world who's sunlight has never gotten through to him

But Mr. Hammer has a talent discovered at a very early age, this much he does have
He can make his face change
He can twitch a muscle, move a jaw, concentrate on the cast of his eyes
And he can change his face
He can change it into anything he wants

Mr. Archie Hammer, jack of all trades, has checked in at 3.80 a night with two bags
Some newspaper clippings, a most odd talent, and a master plan to destroy some lives

There is a fifth dimension beyond that which is known to few
It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity
It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition
And it lies between the pit of one's fears and the summit of one's knowledge
This is the dimension of imagination, it is an area which we call

Posted by: BIGMORN Jun 17 2009, 09:42 AM

To take a thought and put it on a page, to breath life into an original idea,
To create worlds where none exist, to become another person in another place and time,
To boldly go where no one has gone before,
To be a writer of science fiction......

What goes on in the mind of a "Ficcer"?

Well, ladies and gentlemen and androgynous alternatives, we have a 21st century Terran in the studio today willing to share her thoughts, motivations and waking dreams with us.
Please welcome to XHOG the lovely and talented

"Terilynn, SciFi Ficcer Extraordinaire"

Posted by: Terilynn Jun 17 2009, 12:34 PM
Good Morning Morn! *terilynn leans to kiss the host on his soft cheek*

Of course you'd set up the set to look like one of my favorite bars in the Caribbean. St. Lucia I believe it is. They have really good conch fritters and are easy to wash down with one of their local ales. At least I'm wearing my Klingon earrings.

By the way - great intro video! I saw those hands flying across the keyboard and it made me want to start writing!



Posted by: BIGMORN Jun 18 2009, 03:54 AM

QUOTE (Terilynn @ Jun 17 2009, 12:34 PM) Good Morning Morn! *terilynn leans to kiss the host on his soft cheek*

Oh my!

< BIGMORN blushes and rubs his cheek >

WOOT!
Good morning to you to madam!

Ahem, that was most unexpected Terilynn.

< BIGMORN licks his fingers >

MMMMmmmMMMM....tastes just like Bolian blueberries

QUOTE (Terilynn @ Jun 17 2009, 12:34 PM) Of course you'd set up the set to look like one of my favorite bars in the Caribbean. St. Lucia I believe it is. They have really good conch fritters and aree easy to wash down with one of their local ales.

I ordered some Terran beach sand to put on the set as well, but.....

QUOTE (Terilynn @ Jun 17 2009, 12:34 PM) At least I'm wearing my Klingon earrings.

......and a lovely pair they are....

< BIGMORN raises his eyes from Terilynn's jimple >

.....your earrings, they are very...fierce

QUOTE (Terilynn @ Jun 17 2009, 12:34 PM) By the way - great intro video!

Why thank you, but all credit for the video clip to our producer Bubba Bluey.
I believe he is the most creative and hardest working Andorian I have ever met.......

< Cam cuts to Bubba >

.........and quite a poser too
HA HA HA!

QUOTE (Terilynn @ Jun 17 2009, 12:34 PM) I saw those hands flying across the keyboard and it made me want to start writing!

If you like we can hook up a 21st century Terran style keystroker to sate your figity digits while we talk.
How was the temporal jump out here to Theta VIII aboard the "Heart of Glory"?
Time travel in our favorite captain's old bucket of stembolts can be quite a jarring journey if one isn't accustomed to it.

Posted by: Terilynn Jun 18 2009, 01:53 PM
Bubba Bluey is a talented gent.

I have to admit it Morn, time travel made me a little queasy. I didn't have to use the little bags though, so I'm proud of myself. It was a lot like the ferry crossing from Cozumel to Cancun. Rough but character building.



Posted by: BIGMORN Jun 19 2009, 02:43 AM

We're just happy and proud you've agreed to come onto the show to promote your brilliantly crafted novel

http://adastra.shado...tory.php?sid=22

I've been going over the early 21st century reviews of "Retribution" and have been hard pressed to find one negative critique.

"Moving, haunting, and disturbing all at once"

"A compelling mystery"

"...vivid characters, nail-biting cliffhangers, drama, interpersonal revelations,
and our heroes trying desperately to hang on to their humanity amidst a tide of savagery"

You seemed to have burst on the "Ficcer" scene from out of nowhere.
What motivated you to begin "ficcing" initially Terilynn?
Was it a long, winding road?
Or perhaps a secular epiphany of some sort?

Posted by: Terilynn Jun 19 2009, 10:37 AM
Thanks Morn. I've been pretty happy with the reviews I've received for Retribution...I'm definitely proud of this work. I've just completed my final personal edit of the novel and I have sent it on for final editing and formatting for inclusion in Kirok of L'Stok's/Trek United's Twelve Trek Days of Christmas this year.

What triggered my passion for ficcing? I think I'm going to use the term secular epiphany for the rest of my life!

Oh there's a very specific tale that goes with that and oddly enough I just celebrated my 2nd anniversary of the day I wrote my first Star Trek related fic. June 17th, 2007. I had been traveling for work and I was involved in a very long and very emotionally draining mediation. It was a horrible case. During one of the many, many quiet periods during the event the attorneys and I began a conversation about Star Trek TNG. It was a definite "break-the-ice" conversation as I didn't know them all that well.

Well, the female attorney and I both started to rant about how much we loathed Deanna Troi's character and in some ways Crusher too. Here we were, both women in the professional world, still having to deal with the undercurrent of sexual bias and Troi's character only seemed to reinforce certain stereotypes about women. We both agreed that her character improved greatly after "Disaster" and for us at least, was redeemed wholly by "Face of the Enemy," when her character got to show that women could and do act with the same courage and levelheadedness that men can/do in the face of danger and stress.

On my way home, my connecting flight was (as often occurs at Denver Intl) delayed due to weather. I got stuck in the airline club eating pretzels, drinking a couple of beers and trying like hell not to watch the depressing news on CNN.

It was simple really. I decided that instead of letting the awful experience of the mediation combine with the constant push of negative reports from the TV get to me, that I'd open up my laptop and see if I could write one more good story for Deanna Troi, just as a way to keep my mind busy.

Here's the funny part - the story was awful.

No wonder either - I wasn't a Trekkie. I didn't own one DVD of the show - only three of the movies. But it led me to Memory Alpha and Trek forums and a whole new world of fans who helped me with "canon". I bought reference books and encyclopedias and suddenly found myself with a great new hobby and creative outlet. I didn't tell a soul about the hobby until later that year.

I think that's why I'm so proud of Retribution really - I tried to be very respectful of canon. It's meant to have occurred after the TNG movie Insurrection and before Nemesis. I tried very hard to make sure that canon characters stayed in character. That their actions, words and reactions would be true to those in the show. Sure I develop new characters and a new class of vessel, but those were completely necessary to maintain the integrity of the canon TNG characters.

And as you can see from the reviews - it's not a shiny-happy tale either.



Posted by: BIGMORN Jun 20 2009, 03:27 AM

A TOAST TO YOUR SECOND ANNIVERSARY!

< BIGMORN raises his cup and takes a BIGSIP of "rakt'igino" >

In most instances science fiction authors attempt to address contemporary controversial issues, some more thinly veiled than others.
Issues perhaps considered too difficult to broach without a temporal displacement component, from a utopian or dystopian perspective.
"Retribution's" main character, Captain Antoinette Steele, represents a highly intelligent, strong willed female in a leadership role.
Was her character development based in part, or in whole, on a desire to address the difficulties that professional females faced on 21st century Terra?

Posted by: Terilynn Jun 20 2009, 10:53 AM
Steele evolved from two other characters I had been using in more poorly developed stories I had been working on. While she wasn't specifically written to make a statement about gender bias in the workplace, she was definitely written as a female character to be easily believed in a command role. She's a decorated war hero; battle hardened and brilliant. Not too different from many other male Trek characters we know.

I momentarily tossed around the idea of making Steele a male character, a former chum of Riker's as opposed to a former girlfriend. Both are rather cliche really and I was desperate to assure that any female character I wrote would not come off like the dreaded "Mary Sue." That's a huge hurdle with fic writing - the moment a female author introduces a new female character there's almost a built-in assumption that the author is injecting themselves into the tale. Out of "Mary Sue fear" I actually outlined the story with her being a Tony as opposed to Toni; but there's a very - oh, how I can I say this without giving away the story? - intimate connection between Steele and Riker that just plays better if she's female. And by intimate I don't mean sexual. This story takes place after the movie Insurrection after all, I'm sure Troi wouldn't take kindly to competition.

But I'm comfortable enough with her character that I could have made her a man and still pulled off the tale, I'm just not so sure it would have had the same emotional impact at the end.

The main plot deals with some pretty intense subject matter that had only been touched upon in the series. The beauty of writing a Trek fan novel is the ability to dive into and fully explore sensitive or controversial subject matter that the show's writers only got to dip their toes into.

I guess I did okay, I got an email from one reader who stated one of my scenes gave him nightmares after reading it. One person told me they visited the Simon Wiesenthal Center in LA and the Museum of Tolerance after reading it. Talk about compliments.



Posted by: BIGMORN Jun 21 2009, 08:57 PM

Well Terilynn, "Retribution" has a very intricate, and extremely tight storyline.
I must say that I was quite moved by some of the plot twists myself.

I don't think I will give too much away if I read this small passage from your book;

Picard looked to Riker with confusion, the anger starting to build. "We're supposed to rendezvous with the Jaguar at Starbase 214 then head back to Earth?!" he jolted the question out. "What the hell for?! We just got here!"

Steele rolled her eyes and looked to Malek in frustration. "Well, I guess that answers our question. He doesn't know either."

Malek's antennae drooped slightly and Riker watched Steele's face sour.

"What have you heard Captain?" Riker asked her.

Steele shook her head. "Seriously Will, I have no clue why we're here except that we've been ordered to escort the Enterprise to Starbase 214, hook up with the Jaguar and escort you all the way back to the Sol System."

"That's all these say as well." Picard flung the PADD on his desk. It landed heavily, spinning on its face.

Steele nodded her understanding. "If it's any consolation Captain, I knew you wouldn't be happy about it."

Picard's stomach tightened. He tried to smile to let her know he appreciated her acknowledgment but he couldn't quite bring himself to do it.

Riker gazed to Picard with a frown. "The Enterprise is being escorted back to Earth under armed guard?"

You must have spent an enormous amount of time researching "canon".
Were there any plot twists more difficult than others to integrate your original characters with Star Trek "canon"?

Posted by: Terilynn Jun 23 2009, 02:39 AM
Without giving up too much from the tale - research on this book was extensive. I make several references/tie-ins with at least ten TNG episodes...from Season One's Arsenal of Freedom to Season Seven's Preemptive Strike but readers will notice immediately that the single-most influential episode was Chain of Command Part II.

Secondly - I had to research quite a bit on torture and violent crime and its effects on the victims. Two main characters go through some pretty drastic changes and I really needed to make the readers not just see those changes, but to really connect with those people who were going through horrific stuff.

I've been told by several readers that they were able to identify with those characters on a very emotional level and that they had no problem understanding their reactions to their plight, and that after thinking about the way they reacted gave them a better understanding as to why the circle of violence is extraordinarily hard to break. It's human nature to want the "eye for an eye" more so than to "forgive and forget."

So yeah - I take Trek into a pretty dark subject in this story.

As far as plot twists in order to integrate my original characters? I was lucky in that (at least my opinion) Trek canon is still full of holes that get to be filled. I just used those open holes as fodder.

I created Steele as the widow of a character (Paul Rice) mentioned and seen (albeit as a hologram) in Arsenal of Freedom. Riker and Rice are known to be "old friends" from the Academy - I just took the liberty of saying they were roommates and that although Steele and Riker dated - she ended up falling in love with and marrying Rice. (I know several people who ended up dating and/or marrying their boyfriend/girlfriend's roommate - it's an easy plot twist to believe.)

Also - I took a real chance in creating the a completely new class of defense ships. That was something I just had to do. As much as I'm a lover of the Akira and Steamrunner classes and the Defiant class is great - I still needed something more. I don't for the life of me believe that after an attack on the heart of Starfleet, that they wouldn't have done something to prevent things like that in the future. I just took the Defiant class ship and went with something a little bigger - a little beefier. Where the Defiant was more like a fighter jet and the Enterprise more akin to a carrier - I created a Panthera class. The "cats" are formidable and extremely maneuverable defense ships like the Defiant, but have the heft and heavy escort capabilities like a streamlined battleship. So they're a complete fabrication inspired by canon ships, but pulled straight out of my mind.

The other original characters were born of necessity. Captain Hunter as being Jellico's former XO was a way for me to get a perspective on Jellico's actions from a neutral party, because let's face it, we all knew that Riker hates him. I wanted a character who was likable himself but who also - appropriately - liked Jellico as well.

And Commander Malek - probably my favorite original character - was made solely to act as a mirror for Steele as well as to show that I believe that camaraderie between shipmates wouldn't always necessarily be as formal as shown on the bridge of Picard's Enterprise - to the contrary - command styles differ greatly. Not that one is better than the other - but Malek is there to reflect the glaring differences between Picard's command style and one that might actually run with that "fighter pilot" mentality like Steele has.

It took literally weeks of research to make sure references I was making really took canon into consideration. I hope that made the canon characters that much more believable to the reader.



Posted by: BIGMORN Jun 25 2009, 07:24 PM

Since my recent encounter with the reptilian theological fraud "Secundus", and her sycophantic followers aboard the "Gaolgothe", I have recovered physically but mentally I still suffer deep psychological wounds.
The character I most empathize with in "Retribution" is Will Riker's doppleganger "Tom".
Was there something in your "life experience", or perhaps someone you know, that motived your desire to enlighten and/or enthrall your readers on such a dark and terrible subject?

Posted by: Terilynn Jun 26 2009, 07:47 PM
Wow - that's a great question Morn!

Over the course of my life I have been lucky to meet people from literally all over the world and who have lived lives very different from my own. While no one's life is "easy," mine hasn't seen the terrors I write about in Retribution; but I have met many people (like you and your encounters with the crew of the Gaolgothe) who have and who were unbelievably open about their experiences.

Many years ago I had the honor of having spent some time with a man and his wife - both of whom were survivors of Nazi labor camps. They were such beautiful, loving people. They both spoke about their experiences with pain yes, but also with a need to be a voice for those that died around them. They were extraordinary people.

About three months after I started writing Trek as a hobby, I bought the TNG DVDs and a few nights later I watched "Chain of Command." In that episode (which most people who've seen won't help but remember Patrick Stewart's incredible performance) Picard is technically broken by his torturer; he actually sees five lights, when he knows there's only four. It's a shattering moment. In essence, the Cardassians were able to do to Picard what the Borg never could. Yet the story ended before anyone could really see what it did to Picard. Yes, we know he went into therapy and we all assume he started his healing process - but it was never really touched upon again in the show.

When researching canon for my Heritage series, I came across the Thomas Riker articles at Memory Alpha and other sites and realized his character was, as far as canon was concerned, left in a Cardassian labor camp and never heard from again.

The Dominion War was Trek's WWII allegorical tale - I just went with it. It not only allowed me to really explore physical/mental torture - but gave me a powerful way to reflect how war crimes (or violent crime in general) affect everyone...from those who actually experienced the abuse to those who live, work with and love them - they become victims too really.

As the holocaust survivors told me, of course you don't forget what happened, but as a victim of violent crime you're left with few choices. You either live and try to honor those that died, or die yourself. And by that they meant internally. You don't have to physically die to have torture kill the human spirit - but once the spirit dies, the hate takes over and so goes the circle of torture.

I just wanted to explore someone whose spirit was more on the edge of dissipation than Picard's ever was in the show; and I felt that Thomas Riker was the perfect vessel for that exploration.



Posted by: BIGMORN Jun 27 2009, 04:22 AM

< BIGMORN is noticeably trembling as he takes a BIGGULP of "rakt'igino" >

Forgive me Teri.....I need a few moments to compose myself.

Bubba.....let's go to a commercial break please........

Posted by: BIGMORN Jun 29 2009, 02:36 AM

Welcome back to Morn in the Morning everybody!!

Terilynn, I understand that you have a prolific writer and dedicated suffragist in your gene pool.
What influences would you credit to her, or her body of work, in your literary creations?

Posted by: Terilynn Jun 30 2009, 12:31 AM
Holy crap...Now I know you research your guests!

Yes. My great-great grandmother *counts on her fingers - yep - that's right* was Elizabeth Boynton Harbert. She was responsible for the founding of the Evanston Woman's Club in Illinois among others, as well as being extremely active in the Woman's Suffrage Movement. She was herself a writer of books and was also one of the founding members of the Illinois Woman's Press Association.

To say she has been an influence on my life is probably putting it mildly. No one specific work of hers is an influence to me as much as the profound effect she had in the lives of her children and grandchildren. They were the ones to have more direct influence on me. I was raised not just to believe that all people are created equal - but knowing that they are. It's why I have a tendency to get a little worked up about the subject matter.

As far as how she might have influenced my literary creations? Hey, anyone who had the courage to try to enter an all-male college in the 1860s (she was given permission to attend lectures, but not allowed formal admission) and then move on only to face the upper-class society in Chicago with the idea that women had the intelligence to vote AND deal with the heat that came from such unpopular ideas?

Oh yeah. That's right up most Trek heroes' alley right there...regardless if they're written as women or men. Don't you think?




Posted by: BIGMORN Jun 30 2009, 04:00 AM

Ahhh.....the interrogatee becomes the inquisitor....well played my dear.
What do I think?
I think I shall respond by paraphrasing Ma'shepherd, a disciple of the "Great Bird of the Galaxy"

When we will have erased all dividing boundaries of self, color, gender, origin, politic or ideology in all our environs, as well as the rest of the universe.
Only then will we be ready for a quantum leap into worlds of fantastic and unimaginable wonder.
Maybe then we will regain a sense of reverence and respect common amongst our ancestors at a time when everything was sacred.
We have only to look within ourselves to find, or rekindle, a sense of the sacred and mythic imagination that must be locked away in the hidden recesses of our hearts.
It's roots go deep, and if the intellect radiates from it to greater and greater distances, the results will touch not only the next generation but the next one and beyond.
Enjoy the things we have now, especially family, friends, and loved ones.
Treasure these things and find time to do the things we really love to do.
Time is precious, as all things are passing away.
For time is the coin of our lives.
It is the only coin we have.

Posted by: BIGMORN Jun 30 2009, 08:31 AM

Posted by: JaneEyre Jun 30 2009, 11:24 PM
Thanks for sharing your idea here. I appreciate your idea, very excellent .

http://simulationcredit1.com






Posted by: BIGMORN Jul 1 2009, 04:20 PM

Welcome back to Morn in the Morning!!

"Terilynn, SciFi Ficcer Extraordinaire"
is in our studios today promoting her novel

http://adastra.shado...tory.php?sid=22

She has been kind enough to come all the way to Theta VIII from the Land of Enchantment on 21st century Terra to talk about her book and herself.
We have opened up the "call in" lines so you all can ask her some questions yourself.

Would you like a "rakt'igino" or some Terran coffee Teri?

Looks like we have a caller already!

Welcome to Morn in the Morning Jane!!

QUOTE (JaneEyre @ Jun 30 2009, 11:24 PM) Thanks for sharing your idea here. I appreciate your idea, very excellent.

Well thank you so much for saying so my dear.
But all credit goes to our favorite Captain Krunch for "XHOG Pyrate Radiohoho" and for letting me come aboard as it's morning drive byte jockey.
Because it's always "morning" somewhere in the Galaxy.
HA HA HA!!

Posted by: JulesLuvsShinzon Jul 2 2009, 07:37 AM
TL, Hi!!

I don't normally post here but was tipped a wink by a mutual friend!!

I haven't read Retribution because I wasn't aware that it existed (as you know, I'm just getting immersed in the world of TL fanfics!), however, I'm interested in reading how you got into writing and realise that, for someone who got into Trek relatively late-on, you sure do know a lot!

I was wondering: which official publications do you use to aid you when writing about the technical aspects of a scene?

Additionally, I am intrigued by the angle of human rights abuses and torture in your novel. Do you, like me, often worry that Roddenberry's future mankind often come across as a little smug? BY this I mean, do you have the same sneaking suspicion that in Picard's era humans have conveniently 'forgotten' that such outrages as slavery and The Holocaust' ever happened when preaching to other worlds about how they should live their lives??



Posted by: Terilynn Jul 2 2009, 05:26 PM


QUOTE (JulesLuvsShinzon @ Jul 2 2009, 07:37 AM) TL, Hi!!

I don't normally post here but was tipped a wink by a mutual friend!!

I haven't read Retribution because I wasn't aware that it existed (as you know, I'm just getting immersed in the world of TL fanfics!), however, I'm interested in reading how you got into writing and realise that, for someone who got into Trek relatively late-on, you sure do know a lot!

I was wondering: which official publications do you use to aid you when writing about the technical aspects of a scene?

Additionally, I am intrigued by the angle of human rights abuses and torture in your novel. Do you, like me, often worry that Roddenberry's future mankind often come across as a little smug? BY this I mean, do you have the same sneaking suspicion that in Picard's era humans have conveniently 'forgotten' that such outrages as slavery and The Holocaust' ever happened when preaching to other worlds about how they should live their lives??


Hi Jules! Awesome questions!!

I needed a hobby I could immerse myself in without needing a "craft room!" LOL! So, I bought a few books and use the internet and my word-processing program instead. It keeps the office a LOT neater!

I use several "official" publications to help with all my Trek research. The Encyclopedia is priceless. Since I had to do a crash course in Klingon for the Heritage series, I got the two Klingon books (Dictionary and Klingon for the Galactic Traveler) which are essential to writing believable dialogue. I also have tech manuals and Science Logs and the series Companions for TNG, DS9 and VOY. For everything else I go to Memory Alpha, Ex Astris, or my fave forums TrekUnited, TrekCore (The Omega Sector) and Ad Astra - where I archive most of my fics. Trekkies and my own husband (who is an amateur astronomer) are simply the best sources. (I must say though, a recent online acquaintance of mine has developed a phenomenal Cardassian language and I've made a decision to use her translations for future works with Cardassians if needed.)

And your second question just hits home and I have to say - I'm not sure!

There are many episodes which seem to hold that mirror up to that "UFP Humanity" that keeps them on their toes. DS9 really seems to be exploring those things much more than I anticipated (we've just finished watching the fourth season.) It's why I felt so comfortable taking the TNG characters into such unusual territory in Retribution - as they are supposed to be DS9 contemporaries during the Dominion War. It's just unfortunate that the films after First Contact didn't take the Dominion into account (other than a few off-the-cuff comments) as the Enterprise seemed to be caught in Diplomatic Corps hell.

So I took the liberty of assuming the Enterprise was close to home and would have been an integral part of the defense of Earth during the Breen raid on San Francisco. It was always kind of weird to me to think that the Enterprise and gang wouldn't have been involved in the defense of the UFP during the war, and I'm still utterly intrigued by the potential stories that would have come from showing that side of the Enterprise and her crew's experiences.

Heck - even my Heritage series which is set 33 years post-Nemesis is set within the context of a war-time UFP.

Where I see the Dominion War as a WWII analogy, the conflict I created for my own series takes into consideration the technological advances in warfare the UFP would have made in 30+ years...I even draw from the Desert Storm and "war on terror" aspects of our current world. The generation in the Heritage series sees the generation before it like WWII vets while they're fighting a completely different type of war.

In Retribution they're dealing with the after-effects of the biggest conflict the UFP had ever seen until that point...

So yeah - maybe TNG was a tad Pollyanna, but I still see the humans portrayed in Trek as being just one of a number of species that survived their own internal struggles of violence, hate and intolerance but yet had the ability to use that knowledge to bind with others like them - Vulcans, Tellarites and Andorians - who share the same type of violent history. They all survived those horrors and the Trek series just shows how the UFP fights very hard from being drawn back into that type of life. They may have something akin to Utopia - but they're not pushovers in defending it. They also don't force-feed it on their less-than-peaceful neighbors.

I still like that message it sends...you know - "Walk softly and carry a shitload of quantum torpedoes!"



Posted by: JulesLuvsShinzon Jul 3 2009, 04:38 AM
^^^Great Answers TL!

Like you, I found that DS9 seemed willing to address some of those deficiencies that were all too apparent in earlier Treks. I think that had a lot to do with Ron D Moore who went on to Battlestar Galactica - so it's not a surprise. Certainly DS9 is the most gritty series and takes quite a few liberties with Roddenberry's original vision - to very great effect.

I too found myself wondering what the Enterprise was up to during the Dominion wars. I felt that opportunities for more great "crossover" episodes were missed, but I guess by the time the Domion War arc had begun in DS9, TNG was well and truly over bar the movies.



Posted by: BIGMORN Jul 5 2009, 12:03 AM

Thank s for calling in Jules!!
Great questions my dear!!

< Bubba Bluey hands BIGMORN a PADD from offset >

What's this Bubba?

Trekkin' sent in a question for Terilynn though the underground comm.
I guess she's having difficulty hooking up to the "call in" line.

Oh my.......very well
Terilynn, the question from Trekkin' reads;

QUOTE (trekkin' @ Jul 2 2009, 02:36 PM) What is the hardest part about killing off a character?

Posted by: Terilynn Jul 5 2009, 11:53 AM
What's the hardest part of killing off a character?

It depends really on how much I liked them. Seriously! If they were created to be jerks and they get killed off, there's a strange sense of vindication, but if they're a good guy/gal then it's really, really hard. It's not so much saying goodbye to a character as an author (although that can be hard); I just have a tendency to have to place myself in the surviving character's position in order to write the reaction to the death. That's the hard part. For me to be able to convey the believable emotions of the loss, I kinda have to go through them myself as I write them coming from the character.

Trekkin' - I bet you remember the hard time I had killing off that Denobulan in the Heritage series!!! That took something close to being 8 weeks for me to do and for a very, very different reason. I was just having a hard time coming up with the means of his death - I was working with Trekkies from all over the place posing my questions about the technology - I'm NOT great at writing technobabble and frankly didn't want to weigh the story down with something too contrived. Good thing there're a lot of awesome Trekkie people who helped me realize that sometimes simpler is better. I went back to the basics with his death and in turn, ended up making the bad guys in that series a lot scarier.



Posted by: BIGMORN Jul 11 2009, 07:00 PM

Thanks for those fascinating questions everyone!

And thank you for stopping by Terilynn and sharing your thoughts with all our listeners out there in RADIOHOHOLAND!

http://scifiunited.c...showtopic=10101

Posted by: Cptn_Krunch Jul 15 2009, 04:28 PM

Posted by: BIGMORN Jul 22 2009, 06:53 AM

Welcome back to Morn in the Morning everybody!

I can see by the chronometer on the wall that my shift is almost up.
Our favorite Cptn Krunch will be joining you in a moment to take over.
I hope all of you have had as much fun as I have this morning.
I'm going to play us out with a beautiful song by the band Panic Room..............

Posted by: Cptn_Krunch Jul 23 2009, 11:55 AM

AHOY ME HEARTIES!!!

Yer favourite Cptn tis feelin' finer than frog's 'air upon a French wench's fanny t'day....aye
'ow tis the 'verse treatin' all me loyal listeners out thar in RADIOHOHOLAND!!!?

Thar tis naught a day goes by yer favourite Cptn 'asn't been impressed wit' the variant skillz o' me hearty Morn...
Ye leave yer favourite Cptn slack jawed n awed matey...aye

N Mdm T'Lynn...ahhhrrrr...what wonderous tales she can spin right round her brainpan n shoot straight out o' her d'licate digits fer us all t' mentally masticate...arrrrppp...arrrr...kudos t' ye m'lady...
YOHOHO!!!

~ Yer favourite Cptn finger fiddles the frizzle'd fur n fondles the ear flaps o' his favourite pooch Feralcur ~

Thar, thar me four legg'd fouler...arrrr

~ Yer favourite Cptn presents him wit' a replicated 'ambone n settles him down upon the deck ~

Run along n enjoy yer Scooby Snack me fearless foundlin'...aye

Bubba Bluey...leave the call in comm lines open in case any o' ur hearties wish t' make a request er a dedication er just want t' chime in n curse theys favourite Cptn fer all me worth er worthlessness...
HAR HAR HAR HEARTY HAR HAR!!!

Arrrrighty then...me first chaunty yer favourite Cptn'd like t' present fer yer perusal tis a unplugg'd ditty from the intertubes legend n notorious nerd...Herbert Midgley...

Posted by: crystee Jul 23 2009, 08:37 PM
nice one dude wew....



http://rachat-depret.com</SPAN>



Posted by: Cptn_Krunch Jul 24 2009, 04:14 AM

QUOTE (crystee @ Jul 23 2009, 08:37 PM) nice one dude wew....

AHOY ME DOO DROPPIN' DUDETTE!!!

Posted by: Cptn_Krunch Aug 3 2009, 09:32 PM

Thar seems t' be a distinct sound o' one 'and clappin' round about 'ere...arrrr

N now pyratical parodical plagiarizin's abound whence space dawgs go a'courtin' a sexy siren...

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[trekkin']

Hmmm...I just figured out this is here....I wonder if Morg will ever be back??