June 24, 1996
Greetings Fellow Nitpickers and Proud Members of the Nitpickers Guild!
Another Guide is on the way: The Nitpicker's Guide for Deep Space Nine Trekkers (DS9 Guide). As I said last time, it will contain reviews for every episode in the first four seasons of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine as well as a slate of twelve sidebars including the old favorites, The Romance Tote Board ("Number of times Odo puddles with another Changeling") and the Damage Tote Board ("Number of times characters bang their heads"). I finished up my last review for the DS9 Guide last week and shipped it off to Kathleen Jayes, my editor. Last week, I also read through the second pass galleys for the rest of the book and emailed my changes to Steve Ettlinger and crew. (Tim Smith has been Steve's coordinator for this Guide.) In a few weeks, the disk will go to Dell and then head off for the printer. Some time around October, boxes of DS9 Guides will begin winding their way to bookstores all across the United States and Canada. You should be able to find it on bookstore shelves around the second or third week of November. Steve went to the ABA Convention this year. (Not sure exactly what that stands for. I thinks it's American Booksellers Association.) He said that Dell reported the new guide was being well received! For that, again, I do thank you. Hope you enjoy it!
The other guides are still selling well although we are in that phase of their life where bookstores do not reorder as fast. I've had reports of people wanting to buy the guides but the bookstores have let their supplies dwindle and just haven't reordered in the rush of new book releases. Any bookstore can order the guides from Dell. So, if you can't find a guide and you want one, just talk to the people at the counter and I'm sure they will be happy to help you. And--who knows--maybe your order will encourage them to get a few guides back on the shelves!
The Nitpicker Central Internet Extension Office (NCIEO) has found a new home. It now resides at: "http://www.nitcentral.com". I was already considering the move as I wrote this column last time which was the reason for my cryptic comments about things changing quickly in the wild west of the Internet. Unfortunately, it will take a while for the search engines to catch up. So . . . if you try to search for "Nitpicker Central" on the web you will probably get directed to the old site which is inactive now! Ah well. As part of the move, I redesigned the front end, making it more graphically based. Thanks to everyone for your kind compliments about the upgrade. As you may have guessed my email address has changed as well. It is now: "chief@nitcentral.com". I am hoping to keep these addresses for a long time to come. By the way, if you have the capability and you haven't stopped by NCIEO in a while you might consider a visit. It gets bigger every week. Also, I've added a new section for nitpicking movies. It currently has nits for The Rock, The Arrival, Mission: Impossible, Apollo 13 and The Terminator. Of course, I will be going to see Independence Day in a few weeks and will upload my comments on that movie as well as the comments of other nitpickers. (I might even include a page of comments on ID4 in the next newsletter!)
And speaking of ID4, Michael Breen of Littleton, CO, was at a Star Trek convention that featured a special presentation for the most heavily promoted film of the summer season. Jeff Goldblum and Brent Spiner were both on hand to talk about it. Michael tells me that he saw some trailers for Independence Day and wanted to submit the first nit. He said there is going to be a classic DIETS ("Dead In Exactly Two Seconds") scene that features a dog and (he thought) the Holland Tunnel. He said it's a real thrill but completely impossible. Watch for it!
The Nitpickers Guild continues to grow. As of today, it has 4865 known members from 24 countries (Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Republic of China, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom and USA). Also, a milestone of sorts, letter number 7000 arrived at Nitpicker Central last week! (And yes, I have read them all!). You might also be interested to know that over 3000 email message have arrived at NCIEO in just nine months! Thanks again for your interest.
I'm still working on outlets for the nitpicking merchandise. I've had a lot going these last few months and, frankly, it hasn't been a high priority for me but when Zelbob Geeb gets that stuff all figured out, I'll let you know!
I am scheduled at Starbase 21's convention in Tulsa, OK, on the weekend of July 19-21 so if you're in the area, stop by and say hello! (This has been a busy year for me with the homepage and other projects so I haven't had Dell send me to any conventions. I'll be doing this one and possibly one other but that's all I have scheduled.)
By the way, I appreciate all the alternate viewpoints I've receive on the information in the last newsletter. Unfortunately, if I printed it all in this newsletter, there wouldn't be any room for new stuff! Rest assured, I did read it! And yes, the masthead was wrong last time. The DS9 Guide will be released in 1996, not 1995! (Drat those keyboard gremlins!)
A final nit from "The Terminator," Alan Franzman of Valinda, CA sent along several for this movie as well as "T2: Judgement Day." Alan wrote, "When Sarah calls her mom's cabin, she gives the number of the Tiki Motel as (408) 555-1439. Our favorite cyborg dials 555-1639 yet still reaches the Tiki Motel." Just more of that amazing twentieth century technology!
Happy Nitpicking! Phil.
Here's still more material that was cut from The Nitpicker's Guide for Next Generation Trekkers, Volume II. As I did with the April 1996 issue of the newsletter, I've stripped out all the normal subsection headings to save space and I've included a single sentence plot description in case you can't identify the episode by its title.
Angel One Star Date: 41636.9
The Enterprise crew tries to rescue survivors of a freighter crash from Amazon, I mean, Angel One.
I received several letters from nitpickers claiming that the young people did not catch the virus that infects the ship from a field trip to a planet but instead caught it from the holodeck. My first reaction was "How can a holodeck create a virus that infects the ship?" I went back and studied the dialogue in the episode and found, to my great delight, that I was correct in my original statements. Crusher says the young people caught the virus on a field trip to Quazulu VII while Wesley identifies the snowy holodeck program as the Denubian Alps.
P. T. H. Carder of Lancashire, England expressed his opinion on my wonderment over Data's statement that Angel One had midtwentieth century technology yet they have a disintegrator beam. (Something we have yet to see on Earth.) He reminded me that the 24th century seems to have much more complete knowledge about the 20th century than we do. After all, the Classic episode, "Space Seed," claims that in 1993 a group of genetically engineered super-humans took over 40 nations--something we have yet to discover today. So how do we know that we don't have disintegrator beams already? Maybe that's what happened to Amelia Earhart, Jimmy Hoffa and all the planes that flew into the Bermuda Triangle!
It appears that a stage light illuminating the ready room set wandered into the picture as Crusher orders Picard to bed. If you watch the ready room window, you'll see the reflection of a round bulb. To my knowledge, we have never seen a round light in the ready room. (Of course, we never really have seen the ceiling of the ready room, either.)
Thanks to: Brandon Rochelle of Knoxville, TN
11001001 Star Date: 41365.9
The Bynars distract Riker with a 24th century inflatable woman.
Surprisingly enough, as Data and La Forge make their exit from the ship, the android expresses some doubt in the empirical statements made by the computer. It has said that all decks are clear but when La Forge asks if they are the last one off, Data replies, "I hope we are." Does the second officer already suspect the computer or is he practicing his impersonation of a human?
Not only does Data refuse the computer's empirical evidence that everyone has left the ship, he seems to feel terribly guilty over his decision to signal the ship's evacuation. (It's the first season, the creators are still figuring these things out.)
And speaking of Data's ship-wide announcement to abandon ship and the reaction shots that follow, I really feel bad for one of the crewmen on the Enterprise. Here it is, halfway through the first season and someone is still making him wear that silly scant uniform. (His superior is probably a female who had to wear one of the same type of miniskirts the entire time she served as an ensign and it's her way of equalizing the galaxy.) Actually, the creators grabbed some old footage from "Where No One Has Gone Before" and "Encounter at Farpoint" for the reaction shots.
This Minuet is amazing. As Riker plays, we see her stretched out on a bar stool. Then--at one point--we look away to make sure it's still Riker playing the trombone before coming back to a slightly more close-up view of her. In that short amount of time she manages to get up from her seat, run around the bar, grab a bottle of wine, hurry back to her seat, plop down, make sure she is once again arranged for maximum viewing pleasure in almost exactly the same position and regain her captivated composure. (I know this because a bottle of wine magically appears behind her right arm. You're right. She is a holodeck character and they can do amazing physical feats. Either that or she ordered the holodeck to create one. But, a holodeck character ordering the holodeck to perform a given task? Sounds like shades of "Elementary, Dear Data.")
Contributors: Dave Bamber of Lancashire, United Kingdom; Joshua Ethridge of Fayetteville, AR and Sara Green of Wildomar, CA
Too Short A Season Star Date: 41309.5
Admiral Mark Jameson takes a de-aging drug.
Michael R. Gates found what he considered a better explanation for the face Picard makes as he boards a turbolift with Riker at the beginning of this episode. (I mentioned the incident on page 48 of the NextGen Guide.) Michael believes the creators intentionally wrote in the scrunching of Picard's face to add realism to the episode. Certain undesirable facts of life will continue into the 24th century and the creators took this opportunity to tactfully demonstrate one of them. No doubt, given the crew's constant diet of replicated food, flatulence is somewhat of a problem. Michael believes that Riker broke wind on the way to the turbolift. Picard, caught off guard, momentarily reacted to the horrid odor before his sensibilities kick in and he regained his composure.
When The Bough Breaks Star Date: 41509.1-41512.4
The inhabitants of Aldea kidnap children from the Enterprise.
The beginning of this episode features a young boy named Harry running into Riker. The boy's father soon appears and apologizes for his son's behavior while dragging him back to his calculus class. Obviously, children will develop much faster in the future because calculus requires a level of abstract thought not usually associated with young children.
When Radue's wife introduces Wesley to the controlling computer--called the Companion--the shot zooms in until it fills the entire screen. Then, it cuts to a side shot and Radue's wife suddenly has both hands on the display area.
Thanks to: Brian Lombard of Gaithersburg, MD and Michael S. Sharp of Tulsa, OK
Home Soil Star Date: 41463.9-41464.8
Living crystals attack "ugly bags of mostly water."
Gilles Duschesne of Jonquiere, Quebec noted that the first plot oversight on page 51 of the NextGen Guide might help explain the second plot oversight on page 52. (I noted that the crystals need water to survive but there is no water in the lab on page 51 and, on page 52, that the crystals need light to survive but their planet has a balanced day and night.) Gilles suggested that, during the normal day and night cycles on the planet, the crystals on the dark side of the planet could use the salt water as a conductor to derive energy from the crystals on the lighted side.
Coming Of Age Star Date: 41416.2
Commander Dexter Remmick looks for a conspiracy.
Ashok Katwala of Essex England read my comments on page 54 of the NextGen Guide concerning the door to Quinn's quarters (Remmick almost runs into it and it remains closed because he hasn't finished the scene yet) and wrote to suggest that the door might be fitted with a defocused linear time perception device--a'la Douglas Adams and the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series.
Heart Of Glory Star Date: 41503.7
Renegade Klingons threaten the Enterprise.
Tasha Yar displays a fair amount of calm as Riker, Data and La Forge prepare to battle their way through debris, smoke and radiation to get to the Klingons on the freighter. During the discussion between Picard and La Forge about Riker's physical appearance, Yar's hand flies up to her mouth. Either she is stifling a laugh or a yawn.
At one point, La Forge notices a weak spot developing in the hull of the ship. He calls Riker over to have a look. Riker extends his hand to feel the metal--placing it to the right of two large circles of bolts. The scene switches to the bridge of the Enterprise and the viewscreen shows La Forge's VISOR trained on the same location. Both circles of bolts appear but not Riker's hand.
Thanks to: Todd Felton of Victoria, British Columbia and Analyse Ivey of Swansea, SC
The Arsenal Of Freedom Star Date: 41798.2
Picard buys a weapon to keep it from destroying his crew.
Just before La Forge takes the battle section back to Minos, Troi reminds him that the officers at Ops and Conn have no battle experience. She encourages him to be gentle. This is a ship of over 1000 individuals and La Forge can't find anyone to man the Ops and Conn positions that have battle experience?
After the away team beams back to the star drive, the ensign at Ops says that Sickbay reports Crusher will be fine. Exactly which Sickbay is this? The one in the saucer section? The saucer section is off someplace else. Granted, it only makes sense for the battle section to have its own dedicated Sickbay, but if the bridge in the battle section is called the "battle bridge," shouldn't the Sickbay in the battle section be called something like "battle sickbay?" (I realize it doesn't sound very good, but still. . . .)
After she's injured, Crusher realized she must find a way to stop the bleeding in her leg. She has Picard walk over to some roots, break off a piece and rub it on his hand. She then promptly pronounces it a coagulant and instructs him to put as much of it as possible on her wound. Now, I freely admit that I don't know much about medical science or root therapy, but several nitpickers found it a bit incredulous that Crusher could glance at a wall, have Picard perform two very simple tests and pronounce that a given root contained the desired medicinal properties. It's a big universe with an enormous variety of plant life.
Not really an oversight, just an observation. After fleeing the planet, La Forge separates the saucer section and sends it to Starbase 103. It's a good thing that La Forge was successful in defeating the cloaked starship killer because the saucer doesn't have warp and Minos is so far away that long-range probes reported the cessation of all intelligent life. If it's 10 light years to Starbase 103, the saucer would be in route for at least . . . ten years.
A few questions about the weapons system Picard buys at the end of the episode to halt its murder of the away team. What happens to it? Does it get delivered? Will the cost be deducted from Picard's paycheck? I have a hard time believing that a race who affectionately nicknamed their planet, "The Arsenal of Freedom," would allow a customer to slip through their fingers and not close the sale.
At one point in the final sequence between the battle section and the cloaked starship killer, Worf hunches over his console. Then, he speaks a line of dialogue indicating that he understands La Forge's plan to take the vessel into the atmosphere, hoping the starship killer will follow. During this line, Worf looks like he's standing straight. Yet, in the very next shot, he hunches over his console once again.
Thanks to: Simon Blake of Wigan, England; Elizabeth Campion of Wixom, WI; Michael Hollick of Brampton, ON; Leslie Perrico of Largo, FL; Jol Silversmith of Cambridge, MA and Barry Tabrah of West Glamorgan, England
Symbiosis Star Date: Unknown
Two planets and a shared addiction.
After the Ornarans and the Brekkians shock each other for a while in a cargo bay, Yar breaks them up and sends them to their quarters. Then, she and Riker have a conversation in which both say they haven't seen a race with natural electricity before. While this is technically correct, surely Riker has at least read about people with the ability to generate electricity. Didn't he say in "The Naked Now," that he had spent some time reading of the adventures of Kirk's Enterprise? Didn't Kirk encounter individuals who could generate electricity in "Let That Be Your Last Battlefield"?
At the very end of the episode, La Forge punches in the new destination for the ship and a warp factor of 3 and Picard says, "Engage." Then the outside shot shows the ship crawling away at impulse. Shouldn't it be jumping to warp?
Interestingly enough, T'Jon in this episode bears a striking resemblance to Dr. David Marcus of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Some sort of odd genetic fluke, maybe? (In fact, Merritt Butrick played them both.)
The technology of the Enterprise demonstrates an amazing level of development in this episode. Shortly after encountering the damaged Ornaran freighter, Data interfaces the main computer with the alien freighter's computer so perfectly that the android can make a remote diagnostic of the freighter's difficulties. Then, La Forge comments that ship stores probably have a replacement part that will work. (In other words, an off-the-shelf component will plug right into this freighter's machinery without modification.) And, finally, Yar heads to the transporter room and links a transporter on the Enterprise with the freighter's transporter. There can be only one explanation for the incredible ease with which the technology of the Enterprise cooperates with the freighter's. The Enterprise is so sophisticated, it can hook up to any system, any time, any where.
Thanks to: Jeri Flick of International Falls, MN; Alex Nathan Shumate of Cedar City, UT; David K. Smith of West Trenton, NJ and Meredith Vacek of Lenexa, KS
Skin Of Evil Star Date: 41601.3-41602.1
Yar dies at the hands of an oil slick named Armus.
At the end of the episode, in a very touching scene, Tasha Yar bids good-bye to her fellow officers. Many nitpickers wrote me asking how Yar knew where to look when she recorded her farewell. "Did she put little stickers on the ground where they were supposed to stand?" they asked. I don't really see this one as a nit. In both "Booby Trap" and "Hollow Pursuits," the holodeck demonstrates its ability to create entities with full blown personalities. I assume that Yar wrote up what she wanted to say, the holodeck computer dissected it and then reconstructed her for interactive presentation. The holodeck computer must have the ability to precisely locate its users. It couldn't function if it didn't. On the other hand, Balthasar V. Weymarn of Muchen, Germany did raise a valid point when he wrote that he felt the recording should be similar to Jack Crusher's in "Family"--steady gaze straight ahead. (But, perhaps that could be attributed to an older recording technique?)
Chief Engineer Leland T. Lynch somehow made it into Starfleet without getting the last question on the Hyperspace Physics Test correct. That question, featured in "Coming of Age," reads, "If the matter and antimatter tanks on a Galaxy Class starship are nine-tenths depleted, calculate the intermix ratio necessary to reach a starbase 100 light years away at warp factor 8." Wesley and Mordak both recognize that this is simply a trick question and answer with the only ratio with matter and antimatter: 1 to 1. However, when Lynch kick starts the warp drive at the beginning of this episode, he sets the ratio to 25 to 1.
A nit turned in by Jeremy Dabbs of Hueytown, AL actually sparked this correction by me of myself. On page 241 of the NextGen Guide, I wrote about the "don't give Picard a straight answer" syndrome so prevalent in the first season. I cited the worst example of this from "Skin of Evil" when Armus begins rising out of his oil slick. Picard asks what Riker sees to which the first officer replies, "Trouble." Not exactly a tremendously informative response. It turns out that Riker did indeed give Picard a fairly thorough briefing while we were subjected to a series of commercials. (Do you ever wonder why some of the good stuff happens when we have to watch commercials?) Jeremy's nit proves this (and therefore the nit turns out to be not a nit at all). Just after Riker says "Trouble," the show goes to a commercial. When it returns, Picard makes a log entry stating that Armus can assume different shapes including one that resembles humanoid form. It is a very interesting bit of commentary given that Picard hasn't received any additional information from the away team--following Riker's completely unilluminating "Trouble" comment. Therefore Picard shouldn't know that Armus can assume a humanoid shape. The only explanation is that Riker told Picard all about Armus when we weren't looking. (Note to the creators: Did I do a good job explaining this away?)
When the first away team prepares to beam down, Picard asks Crusher if she's been monitoring the bridge. She responds yes and that she will meet the away team in Transporter Room 4. Up to this point, no one has mentioned anything about any particular transporter room and the away team has already left the bridge. How does Crusher know where everyone's going?
At one point, attempting to revive Yar, Crusher calls for "direct reticular stimulation." According to Natalie F. Houck, "reticular" is a general term used to describe the cells in the body that collect foreign matter from the blood stream. These cells make up the spleen, bone marrow, liver and lung alveoli. The odd thing here is that the rest of the dialogue during Yar's death seems to center on trying to regenerate Yar's nervous system and "reticular stimulation" would not help in that aspect.
After Crusher increases the reticular stimulation to 90 microvolts, she asks her assistant to shock Yar three times. Then the camera angle changes to a reaction shot of Picard and Riker and the sound effect of the stimulation occurs twice more--without Crusher's order. (Perhaps by this time the doctor was merely nodding at the assistant. I would hate to think that the assistant had taken it upon himself to jolt the poor dead woman a few more times without Crusher's permission.)
The tricorders continue their silent running in this episode.
Why didn't Picard have the away team beamed straight to Sickbay? Didn't the creators know the transporter could do that at this point in the series?
When Troi beams out of the shuttle, it looks like there's a computer monitor behind her. Not a 24th century flat panel display, mind you, a 20th century computer monitor! (I'm not absolutely sure on this but it sure looks like it. Then again, this is an older type shuttle.)
Shortly after everyone arrives on the holodeck, the director used a panning shot to show us all the participants. As it sweeps across Crusher and Wesley, you can see a black, oval-shaped "thing" in the background. It looks very out of place, like a piece of equipment.
Thanks to: Barbara Atkins of Merriam, KS; Jeremy Dabbs of Hueytown, AL; Robert DeVoe of St. Ann, MO; Myles S. Hildebrand of Niverville, Manitoba; Natalie F. Houck of Indianapolis, IN; Joel Janovec of San Antonio, TX; Johnson Lai of Ajaz, Ontario; Angela M. Russo of Roswell, GA; David K. Smith of West Trenton, NJ; Alex Nathan Shumate of Cedar City, UT and Christopher Steeves of Saint John, New Brunswick
We'll Always Have Paris Star Date: 41697.9
Dr. Paul Manheim opens a door to another dimension.
Reacting to my criticism--on pages 64 and 65 of the NextGen Guide-- that the holodeck can't seem to figure out where to place the Eiffel Tower, Sharla Smith of Minneapolis, MN responded that it must be very difficult to program a holodeck and a minor thing like a moving Eiffel Tower should not be cause for concern, especially given the more dangerous holodeck malfunctions that the crew has experienced.
With the sophistication of this holodeck programming, one wonders why the ship needs Counselor Troi. Picard walks into the holodeck, gives the maitre d'hotel a few hints on what occurred in the cafe several years ago and the holodeck suddenly manufactures a conversation between two young lovelies so that Picard can eavesdrop. Then it has one of the women leave in disgust so our captain can have the opportunity to explain his actions from an impassionate third-party viewpoint.
Thanks to: David K. Smith of West Trenton, NJ
Conspiracy Star Date: 41775.5-41780.2
Just in time, the crew stop bugs from taking over Starfleet.
While Data reviews the Starfleet command decisions, the Enterprise investigates some odd readings. At one point a wide shot of the main viewscreen shows Data's station empty. Does this seem like a good time to have Ops unmanned? (Thankfully, only moments later someone appears in the chair. There are several closeups preceeding the appearance so there is time that someone to sneak into position.)
This isn't really a nit, just a seldom-seen accessory on the Enteprise. As Data tells Riker about Dytallix B, a woman wearing a bracelet strolls by.
I'm told that the flat rectangular box in which Quinn transports one of the beetles to the Enterprise looks just like a 1988 Mead notebook.
The chair Remmick sits in at the end of the episode looks suspiciously like the one Jameson used in "Too Short A Season." It's probably just standard Starfleet issue.
I believe this episode gets the award for the "Longest Length of Time in Showing the Opening Credits." A few appear, followed by some story development, then a few more dribble by, followed by some story development and so on. Just when you think they're finished . . .
Thanks to: Brad Brown of Pryor, OK; J. Marty Dormany of Brandon, FL; Angela G. Jones of Pineville, LA and Louise Scales of Castlegar, British, Columbia
The Neutral Zone Star Date: 41986.0
Crusher thaws three humans.
John Morrison of Garibaldi Highlands, British Columbia wrote to alert me to the fact that Picard's communicator chirp is missing just after he sees the 20th century humans the first time. Yet, on my tape, the chirp sounds. I know of cases where the creators have gone back and added in missing sound effects after the initial showing. Maybe this is one of them.
Sharla Smith of Minneapolis, MN offered the following explanation on why the security guards fail to remove Offenhouse from the bridge after Picard has given them a direct order to do so, "So, maybe it was Amateur Night in the security office. Probably those security officers got reprimanded later. Anyway, I don't really blame them. If a Romulan ship suddenly appeared under those circumstances, I'd be staring too!"
After returning via shuttle to the Enterprise at the beginning of the episode, Picard calls a staff meeting. Crusher is conveniently missing (although at this point in the series I'm not sure the creators knew who was supposed to attend these meetings). Obviously, she is working on the frozen humans. If she was at the meeting, she would report on their existence and we wouldn't get the cute moment later when Picard says, "People? What people?"
During the previous staff meeting, Picard asks the computer their estimated time of arrival at the Neutral Zone. The computer replies "Nineteen hours, twenty-one minutes." Picard then tells the group that they will meet back together in six hours. For some reason, we don't get to see that meeting because Worf starts the next meeting by saying that the Enteprise is six hours from the Neutral Zone. In other words, thirteen hours have passed since the first meeting.
Troi seems a tad forward with her entrances in this episode. She rings Clare Raymond's door bell and then barges right in.
You have to hand it to Picard. He's fast when he wants to be. He gets irritated with Offenhouse using the companels and traverses the distance between his ready room and the financier's accommodations in thirteen seconds flat! Site to site transport, maybe?
After Worf asks the Romulans what gives them the right to enter the Neutral Zone, the commander tells Picard to silence his dog. The captain responds that Worf has asked a legitimate question. The sub-commander says that even to ask the question implies they need permission. At this point, the camera sits behind Picard and Riker facing the main viewscreen. Riker stands off to Picard's side. When the shot changes to show the pair's faces, Riker suddenly stands behind Picard.
For a ship with over 1000 people on-board, no one seems very interested in these anachronistic humans. The Picard and crew toss them into their rooms and then return to duty, only to become irritated later when the humans start complaining that they have nothing to do. (Does this remind you of the "this child is recently orphaned so let's stick him in a room by himself" syndrome I referenced in the NextGen Guide?)
Thanks to: J.B. Anderton of Marissa, IL; Janett Folster of Hopkinsville, KY; L Scott Grant of Pembroke Lakes, FL; Myles S. Hildebrand of Niverville, Manitoba and Alex Nathan Shumate of Cedar City, UT
In the process of compiling a Guide there is always good information that doesn't make it into the book for one reason or another. Many times, it's because of length. Other times, it's because the information arrived at Nitpicker Central too late to make the deadline for the episode. While I don't plan to make a habit of printing extended sections of letter like these in the newsletters, I thought you might enjoy seeing some of the information that I didn't find a place for in the DS9 Guide.
Starfleet Bulls in the Temporal China Shop
In the episodes "Past Tense, Part I" and "Past Tense, Part II," The Defiant returns to Earth for a conference on Changelings. Beaming down to San Francisco, Sisko, Dax and Bashir are accidentally transported back in time to the year 2024--a time when authorities confine the homeless in areas called sanctuaries. Sisko and Bashir end up in one such sanctuary and Sisko remembers from history that a riot is about to occur that will make citizens of the United States aware of the terribleness of the areas. This riot will inspire a series of reforms that will lead to the high standard of living humans enjoy in the 24th century. Unfortunately, the most important person in these riots, Gabriel Bell, dies before the riots while helping Sisko and Bashir. This causes a change in the timeline that Sisko, Bashir and Dax then struggle to correct. In the DS9 Guide, I did note the similarities between this episode and the Classic episode, "The City on the Edge of Forever." I also noted that, in the Classic episode, as soon as McCoy goes through the Guardian, everything changes whereas in "Past Tense" the changes do not occur until Bell dies for some odd reason. (Since Bell dies hundreds of years before the Defiant comes to Earth, one would think that as soon as Sisko, Dax and Bashir beamed down, everything would change!) Jeremy Wood of Sheffield, England made a similar point in his letter to me but added another interesting twist. Since I'm only reproducing part of his letter, I will at times add clarification comments.
"[The fact that the timeline doesn't change immediately,] unfortunately, is only a minor problem compared to what unfolds in Part II [of the plot arc]. Remember in "City on the Edge of Forever," Kirk and Spock realize they have to discover what McCoy did to alter history and make sure they leave the 20th century with events having been re-set to those that led to their familiar 23rd century. Bearing this in mind while considering the situation at the beginning of Part II of "Past Tense," isn't it obviously that, because the timeline has changed [with respect to Kira, O'Brien and Odo on the Defiant in the 24th century], Sisko and Bashir did not succeed in saving the hostages and that Kira and O'Brien's intervention is required if the hostages are to be saved and the familiar history restored?"
"What actually happens, however, is the entire situation (including Dax's approach to Brenner to get the plight of the sanctuary dwellers publicized) is saved by Sisko, Bashir and Dax without the need of Kira and O'Brien's help. This begs the question: Why on Earth does the timeline change at all? (Phil: Do you see the point? If Sisko, Dax and Bashir fix everything hundreds of years before they beam down--without anyone else's help--the timeline would be fine when it reached the Defiant again in the 24th century! True, Sisko, Dax and Bashir would still be stuck in the 21st century but the timeline would be okay.)"
"There is a possible explanation: There are actually three timelines under consideration here. [There's the original timeline. There's the one where Sisko, Dax and Bashir fixed the problem and then are rescued by Kira and O'Brien. But there's also a timeline] where Dax, Bashir and Sisko have saved the hostages but then haven't been picked up from the 21st century. [Note that while searching for Sisko and company,] O'Brien reports an altered 2048. As I've already argued, the earlier death of Bell can't have anything to do with this altered 2048 if the hostages were saved anyway. So just what is it that's different about this 2048? Dax, Sisko and Bashir, of course! Haven't they been living out their lives in the 21st century for 24 years, causing God-only-knows how much inadvertent damage to the flow of history? It is only when Kira and O'Brien rescue them, shortly after the saving of the hostages, that all can return to the restored 24th century!"
All this from officers who have supposedly taken classes in temporal logic and avoidance of timeline changes at the Academy!
"Rules" and Legalities
The episode "Rules of Engagement" has Worf on trial for firing on a decloaking ship during a mission to escort a humanitarian Cardassian convoy. Two Klingon ships had attacked the convoy and in the heat of battle Worf spun the Defiant and fired on what he thought was one of the Klingon vessels. It was a Klingon vessel but a civilian vessel supposedly carrying 441 Klingon "civilians." The Klingons send an advocate named Ch'Pok to argue during an extradition hearing that Worf should be returned to the Empire to stand trial for his crimes on the charge of murder. I briefly touched on the legalities of this episode in the Guide but Mark Luta and Reid E. Joiner sent additional information that I could not include because of space.
Mark Luta of Eugene, OR: "The first plot issue which must be addressed is the whole question of the extradition request by the Klingon Empire. Captain Sisko clearly establishes during the hearing that there are currently no diplomatic relations between the Empire and the Federation. In this case, there can be no extradition treaty in effect, so Worf can't be extradited! It would be akin to the U.S. extraditing someone to Cuba. Now, it is possible to account for this, by assuming that the Federation government does want to restore relations, so perhaps they have agreed to this unusual request on the theory that throwing a mid-grade Starfleet officer to the Klingons might make them more willing to talk."
"However, what is an extradition? It is a procedure to send someone to another nation to stand trial for a crime which is also a crime in the nation from which one is being extradited. As an example, Kirk and McCoy might have been extradited in Star Trek VI for murder and conspiracy (though probably not, given the state of relations at the time), since there was evidence that the Enterprise did assassinate Chancellor Gorkon, and a Starfleet inquiry probably would have found them guilty, at least until Spock found the Bird-of-Prey that could shoot while cloaked. Note also that there is a request for extradition in Star Trek IV, based again on murder and property destruction that the Federation chooses to ignore."
"[The question that must be answered then is:] Is Worf guilty of a crime in the Federation? Not just a violation of Starfleet regulations, but a crime (presumably the Klingon lawyer will say murder and property damage). Since Worf was acting as a Starfleet officer under Starfleet (Sisko's) orders to protect the convoy, a board of inquiry would recommend some punishment, which Starfleet would take under advisement. Only if Starfleet were prepared to disavow Worf's actions would the Federation be likely to even consider extradition, since this would be necessary to establish that a crime had been committed. But if such an inquiry had been held, it seems to have exonerated Worf. I say this because Sisko finds it necessary to verbally censure his actions at the end. Sisko feels it necessary to train Worf in his own image. But I can think of several Starfleet officers (Riker, Jellicoe, Shelby, Maxwell) who might use the same maneuver in battle. Since Worf served under some of these officers, it seem reasonable that he would perform the same way. And even Chief O'Brien saw nothing strange about the order to fire, though he personally disagreed with it."
Taking a different approach, Reid E. Joiner of Arkadelphia, AR wrote, "The whole point of the Klingons' little game is to stop the convoys. Discrediting the Federation and extraditing Worf are just added bonuses. If they really wanted to extradite Worf the Klingons could have sent someone who knew how to charge someone with a crime! They shouldn't have charged murder, but manslaughter!"
"What's the difference? To prove Worf committed murder, you must prove that he was anticipating killing them and it was done with malicious intent. This involves a lot more character witnesses and examinations which extend the length of the hearing--which, in this case, led to the loss of the hearing. Wouldn't it be nicer if this could be quicker? Ahh, it can be!"
"Now, to prove my point you need to understand the legal meaning of manslaughter. Manslaughter is defined as the unplanned killing of a person or persons (sounds like Worf's dilemma). There are two different kinds of manslaughter: voluntary and involuntary, both of which may apply here. Voluntary manslaughter is an unplanned killing done in the heat of the moment. Classic example: two strangers get in a barfight and one kills the other in a fistfight. How do you prove Worf did this?"
"1) The 441 dead people were killed (an undeniable fact and very easy to prove)."
"2) They were civilian, not a military target (also accepted fact until the end of the hearing)."
"3) It was done in the heat of the moment (also a pretty well accepted fact)."
"There you go! All the evidence needed to extradite Worf was facts known at the beginning. The defense has no case and automatically loses by default! Now, involuntary manslaughter:"
"Involuntary manslaughter is the unplanned killing caused by negligence. Classic example: A drunk driver kills a pedestrian. Killed by negligence. How do you prove Worf did this?"
"1) The dead people are, well, dead."
"2) They weren't officers, just men (or women or children)."
"3) There was some negligence. What was it? Not waiting for the ship to fully decloak. This is the negligence needed, and it is a fact!"
"And because this is an extradition, not a trial, Worf is in the hands of the Klingons that easily! While manslaughter isn't as severe as murder (depending on the state here in America, 1 to 15 years, but we'll say 7), we're talking about 441 counts! That should put Worf away for 3,087 years! All immediately if the lawyer just said 'manslaughter!'"
Unproven Proving Grounds
In "Little Green Men," Quark, Rom, Nog and Odo travel back to Earth in the year 1947. Steve Schwartz of Arlington, Virginia wrote with a historical nit.
"Near the end of the episode, Rom speculates that if he can expose the ship and its load of illegal kemacite to a powerful enough energy source, he might be able to throw the ship forward in time. The trusty professor and his fiancee say that an atomic bomb is due to be detonated at the Nevada Proving Ground that very night! Voila! Talk about your deus ex machinas!"
"However, the Nevada Proving Ground was not officially designated the U.S. continental nuclear testing site until December 1950, and the first test didn't take place until January 27, 1951. In fact, there were no nuclear tests at all in 1947! Moreover, the testing program was extremely secret. Even if the NPG had been established during 1947, it's very unlikely that a minor military officer (let alone a civilian) would know the exact date and time for such a test."
"If the text for your DS9 book isn't set yet, perhaps this might deserve a passing mention."
Unfortunately the text was already set. That's why I included it here!
A Suicide Attempt Doomed From the Start
In "Hard Time," O'Brien is given memories of a twenty year confinement for simply asking too many questions about the technology of a world that he is visiting. (Note to file: Don't ask about alien technology when visiting other planets.) By the end of the episode the intensity of the experience drives him to attempt suicide. Adam Farlinger of Cornwall, Ontario made an interesting point about this scene.
"O'Brien goes on a rampage in one of the station's cargo bays, opens a weapons locker, takes out a phaser, sets it on full, and holds it to his chin. What does he expect to accomplish here? The TNG Technical Manual says that 'At the higher settings, as an override precaution for the user, the [phaser] discharge will take a distance of one approximately meter to decay and recombine to form full-lethality emissions' (p. 135). I think it may also help inexperienced little cadets from accidentally shooting off a leg while holstering the phaser. But O'Brien is an engineer (not to mention a seasoned officer and soldier), so he should be well-aware of this . . . unless it's been changed since the printing of the Tech Manual, which I strongly doubt. Why would they want to get rid of the phaser's safety features? That would be like suddenly starting to make cars without airbags."
I always enjoy hearing from you. Here are some excerpts from recent letters. First, as usual though, we need to take care of some old business.
Wesley and the Academy, Part II
In the April 1996 newsletter, under "Reflections on NextGen II," I accepted blame for misstating my incredulity that Wesley could earn credits at Starfleet Academy while still onboard the Enterprise. Several nitpickers, including Jackie Joe of Greenville, TX, had written to point out that earning credits for college while in high school is fairly routine. I agreed. Well . . . as it turns out . . . maybe I wasn't wrong after all!
2LT Christopher S. Hicks wrote, "I agree with you that this would not be possible. I am a graduate from the United States Military Academy, and believe that Starfleet will be the natural evolution of my own alma mater. The similarities are profound: the honor code of both, the honor boards conducted at both schools, and the cadet rank insignias (three bars for a senior cadet, as seen in "Journey's End") are the same. The debate on whether Starfleet is military is moot--but I do recall a quote from David Marcus in STII:TWOK on scientists being pawns of the military (he was referring to Starfleet). Anyway, Academies in present day do not accept any type of pre-entry credits (whether from CLEP tests, or previous college experience). This is because the strict curriculum forces each cadet to be exposed to a certain level of every course offered. Every cadet takes the same basic course load, no matter what. If this practice holds into the future (it has currently lasted for nearly two decades), Wes wouldn't be able to use any of his 'credits' since cadets take the same classes anyway."
By the way, as of April 21, 1996--the day Christopher sent this letter--he was deployed in Germany with his unit waiting to cycle through a tour of duty in Bosnia. Keep him in your thought and--if you are so inclined--your prayers.
From Whence Cometh the Taxman?
Reid E. Joiner of Arkadelphia, AR, pondered, "While watching DS9 last night, I had an interesting thought. The Klingon starships have designations of I.K.S. This probably means Imperial Klingon Starship, or something similar. In this case, wouldn't that make Romulan designations . . . I.R.S.!"
Context-Sensitive Walls
Ryan McAvoy of Bath, NC noted, "During 'Clues,' Worf escorts Troi back to her quarters. Just as he walks away from her door he hears her scream and rushes back in. Yet, in 'A Matter Of Time,' while Data is running a test in his quarters, he is playing four different musical pieces all at the same time and very loud. In the scene directly before, you can see Rasmussen approaching Data's quarters and all is quiet. Sometimes you can hear through the walls, and then sometimes you can't. So which is it?"
He Said, She Said
Stephanie Kenny of Lancashire, England corrected, "Not long after I started the [NextGen II Guide], I came across the section on Star Trek Generations. I was really enjoying the book until I read the following: ' . . . Robert and Rene's death . . . isn't Picard's reaction just a little over the top?' I think it would have been wise to take into account that Captain Picard had only just reconciled his differences with his brother and it was obvious that Captain Picard loved his nephew like he was his own son. After all, they were his only remaining family. Captain Picard is only human and he heeds to grieve and so NO I don't think his reaction is over the top! (Aside of this minor indiscretion, my sister and I have immensely enjoyed your books.)"
I've been called to task several times for this comment and there is one aspect to this alternate viewpoint that I find fascinating. Every single person who has written to agree with this nit has been a man and every single person who has written to disagree with this nit has been a woman! Now, before you write, yes I realize that there are women in the Guild who would agree with my position and men in the Guild who would disagree. I'm not saying that all men are the same--or all women are the same--just because of their gender. I just find this fascinating. As to Picard's reaction? I prefer Kirk's characterization in ST III: The Search for Spock. Personally, I think it's more realistic for a starship captain. Kirk's son is murdered. Bam! Kirk hits the floor. But within two minutes, he's back on his feet promising that they are not finished yet!
To Boldly Exclaim What No German Has Exclaimed Before
Shira T. "Seldan" Karp of Wilmette, IL advised, "During 'The Nth Degree,' Barclay is conversing with Einstein about the theory of quantum something-or-other. When Barclay makes his startling revelation, Einstein responds, 'Grüss Gott!' (theoretically, 'Great God' in German) First of all, whether or not the writer wrote 'Gross' or 'Grüss' the actor says 'Grüss.' In the German dialect used by Albert Einstein (southern Germany), 'Grüss Gott' means 'Good morning.' The writer evidently went to a German dictionary and looked up the words for 'Great' and 'god.' Sounds logical. But 'Great God!' is an idiomatic expression in English that is unheard of in German. The German equivalent would be 'Mein Gott!'--which Einstein definitely did not say."
You Are Now Entering . . . The Twilight Zone (Do-do-do-do)
Mark Brinkman of Wichita, KS wrote: "In 'The Omega Glory,' Captain Tracey asked Wu how old he was. Wu replied that he had seen 42 years of the red bird, which Tracy said comes only once every 11 years, making Wu at least 462 years old. His father was supposed to be over a thousand. Now this was because of the bacteriological war, and it effects on their development. Wu's father would have been at least a couple generations beyond the war itself which probably occurred in that planet's 20th Century. With this in mind, Omega IV must be in it's 30th or possibly 31st century! Since Starfleet's Earth is only in its 23rd century, it means that the tattered American flag flew over Omega IV, four centuries (or so) prior to its first incarnation being designed on Earth. Therefore, it could be said that there have never been any parallel-Earth planets, only parallel-Omega IV planets since Omega IV came first!"
Am I Blue? Am I Blue?
Robert J. Woolley of Saint Paul, MN, commented, "This nit is so obvious, in retrospect, that I can't believe it took me 20 years of watching classic Trek episodes to notice it. In 'Obsession,' everyone who is killed by the gaseous cloud is shown with cyanotic (blue) skin. This is dead wrong. (Sorry!) The reason requires a bit of explanation. Hemoglobin is the molecule that carries oxygen in red blood cells. ('Corpuscles' is the episode's antiquated term; perhaps that's a nit in itself.) Oxygenated hemoglobin is red, of course. Deoxygenated hemoglobin, when viewed through skin, is blue. (Deoxygenated hemoglobin in a test tube is dark red, as you can see when the lab draws a blood sample. But scattering of light by proteins in skin makes it appear blue when seen through skin.) This is why superficial veins look blue, bruises are blue, people with many types of heart or lung disease have blue lips and nails, etc.
"But if you take all the blood cells out of a body, as happens in 'Obsession,' the skin won't look blue; it will look ghostly pale. If you've ever seen somebody with severe anemia, you get the idea. The only way for the victims of the gaseous cloud to get blue skin is if it removed the oxygen, but not the red blood cells or the hemoglobin in them. (I'm a physician, in case that matters to anyone.)"
Early Evidence of California's Strict Emissions Standards
Robert Albrecht of Calgary, Alberta noted, "[At the end of 'Times Arrow, Part I,] Data appears in the San Franciscan street in front of the firehall in 1893. Horses are in evidence everywhere--the 'horseless carriage' is still largely experimental at this point in history--yet, (to put it delicately), what about 'smog'? There are no signs of meadow muffins anywhere. Either the public services of a century ago were amazingly efficient, or 'exhaust-free' horses had been developed and forgotten."
Don't Try This At Home
From an anonymous member of the Nitpicker's Guild comes this advice, "This one isn't funny, as it is much more serious than a 'nit': In the background during one scene of 'Qpid,' Data is apparently explaining to Troi how to shoot her longbow, and nods encouragingly as she 'dry fires' the weapon. That is, she draws and releases the string with no arrow in place. As far as I am concerned, Paramount's safety director should have prevented this incident! Any archer could have told them that this is no way to learn to shoot; without an arrow to absorb the energy, even a fairly light (that is, weak) bow can break its string and/or shaft, sending pieces flying in all directions. Marina Sirtis and Brent Spiner, standing with their faces close to the dry-fired weapon, were in significant danger. They probably repeated the scene over and over during filming, and were lucky not to have suffered any career-ending injuries. In addition to the unwarranted danger to the actors, it's a bad example to set for young viewers."
The Odd Couple (Clemens and London)
Toni Mattis of Sunland, CA related, "I always feel mixed emotions when fictional characters are mixed with actual historical figures. I call this the 'Bonanza syndrome' because of that Western's tendency to have Charles Dickens, Emperor Norton or Mark Twain drop in on the Cartwrights without considering which decade they were supposed to be in. Since Disney is putting Pocahantas in a green strapless buckskin dress, the Bonanza syndrome is alive and well.
"This brings me to 'Time's Arrow,' a pair of episodes in which two famous American novelists, [Jack London and Samuel Clemens,] meet in San Francisco in August 1893. My research indicates that his meeting could not have taken place. From January through August of 1893 Jack London was in the North Pacific and Japan on a seal-hunting expedition. He returned to Oakland, California where he worked in a jute twining plant and shoveled coal in a power play for $10.00 a day. Yes, he could have moonlighted in San Francisco, but he wouldn't have met Clemens there in 1893.
"By 1983, Clemen's home was in Hartford, Connecticut. However, he had begun a series of lecture tours around the world. On August 13, 1893, Clemens was in Europe. On August 28, 1893, he sailed from Hamburg to New York with his daughter Clara, leaving the rest of his family in the resort town of Franzenbad because he feared cholera which had broken out in several European cities."
"Clemens did go to the West Coast of America in the 1890's, but he still would have missed London. In July of 1895, Clemens began a global lecture tour described in Following the Equator. He left Elmira, New York in July of 1985 and arrived on the West coast where he was well-received in Spokane, Washington. He sailed on the R.M.S. Warramoo for Australia. Twain did not detour to San Francisco on this trip so Samuel Clemens and Jack London could not have met.
Space-Faring Primates
Ronn Hubbard of Dexter, KY wondered, "Was it just me or did the Friends monkey (Ross's pet) somehow get lost and wind up in the Delta Quadrant? (See 'Resolutions,' Voyager Season 2, Episode Number 25.)"
Third Time's A Charm?
Mark A. Luta of Eugene, OR, wrote, "With respect to the upcoming [Star Trek] movie, what does it take to get a Starfleet Captain cashiered? Picard has now lost two ships to grossly inferior enemy forces due to his own incompetence, and Starfleet gives him a third command? The only conclusion is that Starfleet commands are given out based on politics, not merit."
Score One For the Creators!
Shane Tourtellotte of Westfield, NJ admitted, "The hinge of the entire Voyager series is that Voyager is marooned in the Delta Quadrant, 70,000 light-years from Federation space, and it will take them decades, or a miracle, to get back. Seventy-thousand light-years s a long, long way and a short-cut would be a blessing to the unfortunate crew. So, I asked myself, how far is it from where they are to the wormhole?
"The Milky Way galaxy is believed to be about 100,000 light-years across. Earth is located about 30,000 light-years from the galactic core. (This datum is accurately related in 'The Nth Degree.') Draw a diagram, and you'll see that the farthest point from Earth in the galaxy is 80,000 light-years distant.
"The wormhole debouches 70,000 light-years distant from Bajor, which we'll consider here to be roughly equivalent to Earth. (If it isn't, how can people on DS9 travel from the station to Earth in a mater of weeks or less?) Voyager was thrown an equal distance from the Badlands, right next door to Bajor and thus near Earth.
"I worked this out on a compass and some lined paper. I thought it was impossible for Voyager's arrival position and the far mouth of the wormhole to be more than 70,000 light-years distant and both still be within the galaxy. I thought Voyager necessarily had a quicker way home.
"I was mistaken! It's possible for the two point to be more than 80,000 light-years from each other, if they're both on the galactic edge. This gives a couple thousand parsecs room to get into some thicker star densities and still not offer Voyager a faster way home. I'd say, 'Well done,' to the creators, but I suspect 'Lucky break' is more in order."
Could be, but Rick Sternback and Michael Okuda do try to figure this stuff out. From what I understand, the problem is that others of the creators don't listen to them. And while we're on the subject of a quicker way home for the Voyager crew, can you say, "Cytherians"?
The John Wayne Express
Ian Stuart-Hamilton commented, "The train which nearly runs over Picard and Data [in "Emergence"] is later identified as The Orient Express. Something is definitely amiss with the holodeck programmes, because the train is like something out a Western film, and is definitely not European. The train whistle is American; European trains do not have a cow catcher on the front, and the carriages are an American, not European, design."
Missed Opportunities
Joseph E. Buss of Cicero, IL, asked, "How should Michael Dorn have opened his narration for A&E's Where Have All the UFO Gone?' 'I'm not an alien, but I play one on TV.'"
A Final Groaner ("Take the Pain . . . Take the Pain")
Scott McClenny of Newport, WA, asked, "What do Dax and Woverine have in common? They're both eX-Men."