| Admiral's Thoughts | Editor's Dagger | Announcements | Its Life Jim But Not As We Know It | Post Reports | Klingon Humour |
| Skavenger Hunt | Role-Play Report | You Can't Tell your Klingon Without a Scorecard | Klub Changes | Acknowledgements |

E E E E E E E E E

- ADMIRAL'S THOUGHTS -
Thought Admiral K'Lay epetai K'Onor-Chang 

I've spent quite a bit of time recently thinking about one of the most beloved characters in the science-fiction universe: James Doohan, better known to us as chief engineer Montgomery "Scotty" Scott, who died at his Redmond home in July at the age of 85. I've always loved Scotty, even before the miracle working engineer declared he liked Klingon women and pulled this Thought-Admiral over for a hug that would have done a Klingon proud, and a photo op at FantastiCon some years ago. I still have that picture. 

The Canadian born actor was a war hero in WW II, a prolific actor in movies and in some of my favorite TV series, including The Man from U.N.C.L.E., The Fugitive, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Bonanza, Outer Limits, Twilight Zone, and of course Star Trek, as well as others. He was also an inspiration to many. As someone in one of the articles I read about him recently said, he was a role model for future engineers, proving that even engineers could be heroes. To me, he was a part of those magic years of childhood, when nearly everything seems possible, a wonderous part of my adulthood when so much that had been "fantasy" became real, when we DID go to space, and some of Scotty's science fiction techno-gadgets and theories became not only possible, but real. I'll miss his presence, and mourn his passing, not just as a person, but as a symbol of something good that is now over, relegated to the past. For everything there is a season, so they say, but I don't have to like it.

These thoughts brought me to thinking about other endings, especially the ending of people and things important to me, and contemplating the fact of life called change. I don't like change. (Ask anybody who knows me.) It's not that I dislike adding new things. It's that I dislike discarding the old ones, the familiar ones, the ones that I still LIKE. As most of my command staff will be happy to tell you, I have to be dragged kicking and screaming from the familiar, from the tried and the true. If I had my way, an aging James Kirk, Spock, Bones, Scotty, Sulu, Chekov, Uhura and the rest of the TOS gang would still be going where no man has gone before, and so would everyone in TNG, DS9, and yes, Voyager and Enterprise too. Along those same lines, anyone who had ever been a member of the KSF would still be on the roster, we would be sending out hard copies of BATTLE LINES to all members, my seven year Klingon K'Ristmas Kookbook project would be ongoing into the 23rd century, and our Klingon characters wou
l'd live forever, our exploits immortalized and glorified in ongoing Klingon RPG space operas.

That said, people change, technologies change, interests change and times change (in spite of the fact I've ordered them not to!) and at times, even of the most stubborn of us have to change with them. All this brings me to several announcements regarding future changes in the KSF.

Due to the general availability of online access and printers to the majority of our members, our requests for hard copies of BATTLE LINES have dropped to the point that, although all current subscriptions will be honored, as of January 2006, we will no longer be offering land mailed hard copies of BL to the general membership. (If anyone can't get online access to BATTLE LINES or can't print a copy for themselves, email me and I'll see what I can do to assist you.) 

The new KSF roster which is available online at the KSF listserve site at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/klingonstrikeforce is smaller than the one many of you are used to, eliminating those people who may at one time have been active, but are so no more. (No one will let me use the agonizer to activate them again! Soft, I say. We're all getting soft! grin)

And, after nearly 15 years of continuous role playing, the KSF is taking (what I pray to Durgath) will be a short break. (Can you see me kicking and screaming out there???) In the face of increasing real life demands on many of our DivComs and key players, and the resulting decrease in RPG participation, Campaign Coordination Command has reluctantly made the same decision the creators of Enterprise made earlier in the year; to end the ongoing saga for the time being, at least the organized version of it. The Klin Zha listserve will still be up and running, and will be available for those players, including myself, who are interested in role playing the end of this storyline out, but until the start of the new year, or until renewed interest is shown, no new orders will be sent out by CCC. Perhaps like Enterprise, if people miss it enough, they will knock on our door loudly enough to warrant CCC bringing the RPG back. (My door IS always open, as is the Abbot's and we have very good hearing.)

But as much as I dislike endings, I am also a huge fan of beginnings, and so I'd also like to announce some positive changes and some new beginnings in the works, created by some of our members. 

Be on the lookout for more information on a Klingon Skavenger Hunt being conducted by Morale Officer Kimpla D-Dokmarr-Zu-merz. I have been told that points will be awarded for finding various items, and prizes will be awarded to the winners each month. (I happen to know what some of the prizes are, and they're great stuff.) Details to follow in this newsletter.

With the official RPG game being temporarily (see how smoothly I got that part in again?) decomissioned, Staff Admiral Katalyia has put her thinking cap on and is in the process of creating a "round robin" story game for the gaming addicts among us who want variety and can't stand not to role play something! Look for details from Kat on that, likely to be announced via the KSF listserve.

There are new stories and new articles in BATTLE LINES too, one in particular which caught my eye from Lt. SamwI' quvHubwI', a.k.a. Mike Stanley called: You Can't Tell Your Klingons Without a Scorecard -or-

A History and Review of Star Trek RPG, a four-part article analyzing the various published Star Trek Role Playing Games (RPG) and particularly how they portray us Klingons. 

And finally, for those of you who have been waiting for a hard copy of the Kookbook to be produced, I have finally had that done, the first copy being sent to DaHar Master K'Zhen for her birthday. Due to the Ferengi international postal fees, alas, it will cost the rest of you $15 US for me to copy and mail the nearly 100 page kookbook to the US or internationally (slightly cheaper in Canada). But the good news is that for any of you who can download and copy the online version yourselves, Kinkos or Staples can bind it for you for under five dollars. 

For every ending there is a beginning, for every downside there is an upside. Here's wishing you a great summer and fall, and may we all continue to boldly go to those places we've never gone to before.

Thought-Admiral K'Lay epetai K'Onor-Chang

- EDITOR'S DAGGER -
by Admiral qe'San epetai be'rawn

Kai SuvwI' ... As you read this people are out there buying their presents for the holiday season, Xmas to many of us.. What would be nice is to wrap up that season with a lovely mug of Warnog and the latest copy of Battle Lines.  It is never too late to submit articles for the Xmas issue and even if I get too much (what a wonderful thought) I will always try to fit it in.. 

To be honest on the latter point, now we're approaching the time when it will be completely online and paper versions will by download only, the size isn't as much a problem so an extra couple of pages won't matter. So do delay submit today.

I hope everyone had a wonderful summer and those friends or family members out of the country are still safe or back home by now.

Admiral qe'San epetai be'rawn

COMMENDATIONS:


I've heard it said some people regard "commendations" as an award "not quite as good as a promotion". In some respects I can see how that feeling came about, as commendations are usually given to those who have already reached a pinnacle of rank and honorific, or close to it, or to those who have already been heaped with promotions so frequently due to their service that realistically one has to wait to give them any more! 

To me, on the other hand, rank promotions are given to officers who do their job in a required or even an exemplary way. Rank is a fitting reward for people who do what is required of them. Status promotions sometimes mean just a little more, but even status promotions are given to officers for doing what they are required to do, just in a more creative and / or helpful way than the average warrior. Commendations are in another category, in my mind though, and I have always given them to those warriors who go above and beyond what is expected in such a notable way that they've earned extra praise, a public pat on the back. 

This trimester the Imperial Review Board is giving no promotions, but I do have a number of commendations I would like to award. These are given to a number of KSF members who've done some really great work in one area or another in the club, and who continue to do so, often using their own money, without much notice, and never enough praise. This is my way of saying thank you. They are as follows: 

A Thought-Admiral's Commendation to: 

Admiral qe'San epetai-be'rawn - for his ongoing, long term and tireless dedication to creating both the online and hard copy version of BATTLE LINES, without which, members would have no idea what anyone is doing. And for all those nights you've stayed up to work on BL, or come to the chat at 2 am just to keep in touch. 

Vice-Admiral K'Obol epetai-Chang-K'Onor - for his dedication at the helm of Campaign Coordination Command, creating plot lines, sending out orders, reading role plays, editing inconsistencies, correcting spelling, coaching RPG players, mediating disputes, collecting and writing summaries, and then doing it all over again the next trimester, year after year. 

Admiral Volar epetai-K'Onor-K'Zota - For being my eyes and ears when I'm too busy to be everywhere I need to be at once, for keeping his fingers in every pie and aware of the "big picture", for being willing to help no matter what I ask at any time, and for keeping all theimportant online things running.

Staff Adm. Katalyia epetai-K'Tore-Jiraal - For her dedication to the people on the Sector side of things, for having taken time out of her life for so many years to do the mundane, often thankless work she's been assigned, and to do it with such good will and so few complaints! And for her most recent role playing side game ideas that may just spark new lines of communication. 

DaHar Master K'zhen epetai-Zu-Merz - For holding court in chat every Thursday night, week after week, providing the humor, the comeraderie and the command presece....the glue.....that keeps us all together and keeps us coming back. For every time I've come to her for help, and come away with ideas and inspiration.

Captain Kosh zantai Zu-Merz - For having the honor of a Klingon and the longevity of a Vulcan in his service to the KSF, for role playing enthusiastically even when no one else is, for sharing emailed snippets of humor and articles designed to improve communications, and for being the ever-present Krown Prince at chat that everyone looks forward to seeing each week. 

Captain Kimpla sutai D-Dokmarr Zu-Merz - For her seemingly boundless supply of creative ideas, and the positive presence she maintains in chat, via email and on both listserves to maintain the morale of our members. 

Captain Ke'reth zantai-Makura - For the phenomenal amount of artwork he has been producing for the enjoyment of all who read BATTLE LINES. 

And finally to : LCmdr. Luciouslips sutai-JurISS-Chang & Lt. Commander teH Hel vestai Mo'Klar K'Onor - For their prolific, entertaining and creatively written role plays, often written independently. 

E E E E E E E E E

-  IT'S LIFE JIM BUT NOT AS WE KNOW IT   -
This Issue and Article is dedicated to James Doohan - Scotty 
Who is now flying high but will be sorely missed on this plane of ours.. qe'San

Kosh's article from the Seattle Times

Seattle's Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame is holding a wake tonight for one of the most beloved characters in the science-fiction universe: James Doohan, aka "Star Trek" chief engineer Montgomery "Scotty" Scott, who died at his Redmond home yesterday at age 85.

"He was a role model," the museum's education and outreach manager, Leslie Howle, said of the countless real-life engineers Mr. Doohan's "Scotty" character had inspired. "He brought the whole field of engineering to the forefront of popular culture. All of a sudden engineers could be heroes."

Howle said the celebration of Mr. Doohan's life will feature clips from the TV series that illustrate his character and humor, as well as stories shared by those who knew or admired him. The event is free and open to the public at 7 tonight, on the museum's third level, housed in the Experience Music Project building.

Mr. Doohan died at 5:30 a.m. yesterday with his wife of 28 years, Wende, at his side, Los Angeles agent and longtime friend Steve Stevens said. The cause of death was pneumonia and Alzheimer's disease, he said.

Mr. Doohan had said farewell to public life last August, a few months after being diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. At a relatively somber five-day Los Angeles tribute, called "Beam Me Up Scotty ... One Last Time," Mr. Doohan waved to fans from a wheelchair as his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame was unveiled in front of the Hollywood Entertainment Museum.

At that event he was praised, roasted and serenaded by colleagues, including original series cast members Walter Koenig and Nichelle Nichols, as well as real-life astronaut Neil Armstrong.

The Canadian-born Mr. Doohan was enjoying a busy career as a character actor when he auditioned for a role as an engineer in a new space adventure on NBC in 1966. A master of dialects from his early years in radio, he tried seven different accents.

"The producers asked me which one I preferred," Mr. Doohan recalled 30 years later. "I believed the Scot voice was the most commanding. So I told them, 'If this character is going to be an engineer, you'd better make him a Scotsman.' "

The series, which starred William Shatner as Capt. James T. Kirk and Leonard Nimoy as the enigmatic Mr. Spock, attracted an enthusiastic following of science-fiction fans, but not enough ratings power. NBC canceled it after three seasons.

When the series ended in 1969, Mr. Doohan found himself typecast as Montgomery Scott, the canny engineer with a burr in his voice. In 1973, he complained to his dentist, who advised him: "Jimmy, you're going to be Scotty long after you're dead. If I were you, I'd go with the flow."

"I took his advice," Mr. Doohan said, "and since then everything's been just lovely."

"Star Trek" continued in syndication both in the United States and abroad, and its following grew larger and more dedicated. In his later years, Mr. Doohan attended 40 "Trekkie" gatherings around the country and lectured at colleges.

Mr. Doohan reprised his famous role numerous times. He lent his voice to the animated "Star Trek" series in 1973 and to several "Star Trek" video games. After the success of "Star Wars" in 1977 opened the door for "Star Trek" feature films, he appeared in seven of them. And while his last appearance as Scotty was in the 1994 film, "Star Trek: Generations," the character's fate was revealed in a 1992 episode of the spinoff series "Star Trek: The Next Generation" titled "Relics."

James Montgomery Doohan was born March 3, 1920, in Vancouver, B.C., the youngest of four children of William Doohan, a pharmacist, veterinarian and dentist, and his wife, Sarah. As he wrote in his autobiography, "Beam Me Up, Scotty," his father was a drunk who made life miserable for his wife and children.

At 19, James escaped the turmoil at home by joining the Canadian army, becoming a lieutenant in artillery. He was among the Canadian forces that landed on Juno Beach on D-Day. "The sea was rough," he recalled. "We were more afraid of drowning than the Germans."

At 11:30 that night, he was machine-gunned, taking six hits: one that took off his middle right finger (he managed to hide the missing finger on screen), four in his leg and a bullet in the chest that was stopped by his silver cigarette case.

After the war, on a whim, Mr. Doohan enrolled in a drama class in Toronto. He showed promise and won a two-year scholarship to New York's famed Neighborhood Playhouse, where fellow students included Leslie Nielsen and Tony Randall.

Mr. Doohan's first marriage to Judy Doohan produced four children, and he had two children with his second wife, Anita Yagel. Both marriages ended in divorce. In 1974 he married Wende Braunberger, and they had Eric, Thomas and Sarah, who was born in 2000, when Mr. Doohan was 80.

In a 1998 interview, Mr. Doohan was asked if he ever got tired of hearing the line "Beam me up, Scotty."

"I'm not tired of it at all," he replied. "Good gracious, it's been said to me for just about 31 years. It's been said to me at 70 miles an hour across four lanes on the freeway. I hear it from just about everybody. It's been fun."

Material from The Associated Press and Times staff reporter Mark Rahner is included in this report.

Trivia 

He and wife Wende became parents to 7 lb. 13 oz. Sarah. [11 April 2000]
He and his wife Wende have two adult sons, Eric & Thomas.

Toured as Spokesman for Philips Electronics HDTV 1999.

Landed on Juno Beach on D-Day as a member of the Royal Canadian Artillery. Soon after, while walking across a mine field, he and his unit were attacked by enemy fire, as the Germans shot at them with machine guns. He was hit by four bullets to the leg, his middle finger of his right hand was shot off, and a bullet struck his chest. His life was saved when it hit a silver cigarette case which had been given to him by his brother.

He was given an honorary Degree in Engineering by the Milwaukee School of Engineering where apparently half of the students polled said they were inspired to study engineering by his role in "Star Trek" (1966)

He used to live across the street from Ralph Thorson and his family, the main subjects of the movies The Hunter (1980) and The Huntress (2000) (TV), as well as the tv series "The Huntress" (2000).

Children with Young are: Larkin (1954), Deirdre (1957), and twin boys, Montgomery Doohan (1959) and Christopher Doohan' (1959). Larkin is a nurse, and Deirdre an aspiring singer/actor.

Was among many WWII veterans to publicly thank Steven Spielberg for not holding back on the intensity of the Normandy Invasion scene in Saving Private Ryan (1998).

Grew up in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada.

Attended S.C.I.T.S. high school in Sarnia.

The only two episodes of "Star Trek" (1966) in which one can see that his middle finger is missing are "The Trouble with Tribbles" and "Cats Paw". Also in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984), when Scotty is handing McCoy the parts from the Trans-Warp Drive, as well as in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989) when Scotty is holding a plastic bag dinner given to him by Uhura.

According to the Director's Edition DVD of Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979), the Klingon language first introduced in that movie and later featured in many later Trek movies and TV episodes was initially devised by Doohan. His original sounds were later expanded upon and refined by others, ultimately resulting in Shakespeare plays and The Bible being translated into Klingon years later. Ironically, his character, Scotty, complains of difficulty reading Klingon at the start of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986).

His "Star Trek" (1966) character's full name was Montgomery Scott. Doohan's middle name is Montgomery.

Although Marc Okrand is credited with creating the Klingon language of Star Trek, Doohan came up with an unrefined version for Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979).

Received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on 31 August 2004.

Suffered from Alzheimer's disease and was ravaged by Parkinson's disease, diabetes, lung fibrosis and pneumonia.

During his early stage work, he demonstrated a remarkable gift for foreign accents. He tried several During his audition for "Star Trek" (1966), and Gene Roddenberry was immediately taken by his Scottish brogue. Roddenberry cast him as the (previously-unnamed) ship's engineer character, and they improvised the name Montgomery Scott ('Scott' for the accent, and 'Montgomery' for Doohan's middle name).

Made his first ("Where No Man Has Gone Before") and last ("Star Trek: Generations") "Star Trek" appearances with William Shatner.

Did many of the voice-overs parts on the original "Star Trek" (1966), including the M-5 from "The Ultimate Computer" and Sargon from "Return to Tomorrow".

He was the only living "Star Trek" (1966) not to lend his voice to the "Futurama" (1999) episode "Where No Fan Has Gone Before", leading to his character Scotty being replaced by the farcical Welshie. According to the show's creators, his only response to their request that he appear on the show was a simple "no way."

Suffered a massive heart attack in 1989.

His grandson, Kyle, was born in 1987. He is the son of Doohan's second daughter, Deirdre.

He was the youngest of four children of William Doohan, a pharmacist, veterinarian, and dentist, and Sarah Doohan. His early life was miserable due to his father being a drunk and abusive to the entire family.

Some of his ashes will be sent up into space later in 2005, as were his wishes. Houston's Space Service's, Inc., which specializes in such memorials (and who sent "Star Trek's" Gene Rodenberry's ashes and LSD guru Timothy Leary's in 1997), will send them up with about 125 others'.

With his death on 20 July 2005, William Shatner is the oldest living "Star Trek" (1966) cast member.

- POST REPORTS -

GSA
Compiled by Admiral Katalyia K’Tore-Jiraal
GSA Commander

U  HoD Kosh zantai-Zu-Merz (Curtis D. Martin):  It's that time again...

I went down to Desert Hot Springs California on April 30th and flew back on May 3rd, it was sunny and warm and windy, the day I had to fly back up to Seattle there was no wind! It was supposed to hit in the 90's that day! My mother and her boyfriend Ken were doing good, but before I flew down she had told me they had their van broken into, in the trailer park they live! All their CD's were taken, a dashboard digital compass, but thankfully no checkbooks or cell phones, they were happy to see the Toby Keith CD I brought down with me. 

I got a good deal on an external CD-RW, it's 52X32X52! Purchased some cheap CD-R CD's as well, need to start putting it too work...

The mountain bike I ride to work daily is showin' the 3 years of use I've had it now, the chain's teeth are missing gears badly, needs new brakes and severely cleaned, the chain and gears as well; for a Huffy Stone Mountain bike, it's done great I think.

Got a new cat post, the kind that use a bar to sturdy itself against the ceiling for Sandra and Nikko, they wore the other one out! Literally tearing it to shreds, the carpet pieces coming off, even the newer ones a past roommate put on!

Speaking of that old roommate ... he e-mailed me! I did a search on a white pages website, and found my name, snail-mail address and e-mail, I hadn't heard from him since 2001! He is doing well, moved into a house with his fiance and her son, invited me to visit them.

On June 6th, the anniversary of the D-Day invasion ... Dylan was born! A new nephew for me ... makes me think I should be gettin' busy... I went down to Salem Oregon on Amtrak on the 17th of this month to see Dylan and my family down there, I had to come back on the 19th, I was kind of draggin' my behind from arrivin' home in Kent at 11:30pm having to go back to the RL job the next day!

I went to a cancer walk event in Salem, the Relay For Life, my Grandma is a survivor, it was a surprise to me, I just get down there ... and in a few hours I went with my family to it! I was there for 3 hours or so, walk several laps, even met a guy I was station with at Torrejon AB back in 1989-91 there! He is an editor for the Oregon Music Guide ... this planet really is small... {{:7)

My dad is in the Obsolete Chevy Club (car club), and they ran the 18th Annual Salem Cruise In at the Salem Fairgrounds, "50 Years of 55 Chevy's", the weather was decent, and it only sprinkled on us, but dark clouds were on the horizon threatening us! If it had rained, it would have been customary Salem weather. Picked up a POW-MIA magnetic ribbon, and took some pictures of some of the cars there, gotta pick up my pictures and CD-ROM from KMart still. I also got a free t-shirt from my dad of the cruise in, and a free magnet! Went to a cruise in afterwards at a community college, a weekly thing.

I have recently picked up a 3 megapixel digital camera, haven't really tried it out except on the cats, hopefully will this weekend. I plan to hit the Seattle International Beer Festival this Saturday, not sure what I am doing on the 4th as of yet, may watch the fireworks near Emeralddowns, a local horse racing track, we shall see...

I hope to get to some things this long weekend as well, maybe start another batch of beer brewing, and add an external hard drive with a case I have.
Qapla'!

U  Qur'Ras tai Dok'Marr   -  I don't know if I've told anyone in the KSF, but I suffer from depression. My medication does it's job pretty well, but I do have my bad days nonetheless. Mostly I've gotten into painting Lord Of The Ring miniatures for a wargame. I read a lot and watch too much television. I've also had some computer problems that have kept me offline for awhile.
(Steven Holdren)
{Also rceived from Steven via the list-serve....}: Due to problems I will not be on the net in any form. I don't know when that will change. I may log on if I'm at a friends or the public library. Things are going to be a little rough for me for awhile, so if anyone knows a prayer I'd thank you in advance.

U  Commander K'Eherang zantai-K'Shontan-Jiraal reporting: Have had a rather difficult time recently. Have been laid off from my job after seven years, and am now focusing on school so I can finish my Bachelor’s degree and then hopefully find a better job. So, no more complaints about the Little Darlings from me! (at least for a while)

In Victory,

Commander K'Eherang zantai-K'Shontan-Jiraal
Division of Imperial Intelligence
Commanding Officer - IKV Do'HoS
GSA 1
Sarah J. Tate ("Joey") 

U  Michael Robbins / Borg QI'mpeq  -  Let's see, back on March 12th celebrated the birthday known as the Big 5-0, half a century on this planet. 

On May 7th, I was involved in car accident, got rear-ended. It's been a real learning experience dealing with Auto Insurance Companies. On May 19th, I attended a midnight showing of Star Wars: Episode 3: Revenge Of The SITH. The following week, a flying insect got stuck in my ear, which required a trip to the emergency room to have the bug removed. 

In June, I had a ultra-sound. And also had an Open Air MRI exam. I went to see the new Star Wars movie for the second time, so I could better understand the movie, since I'm also a Yahoo! Group Owner/Moderator of a couple of Star Wars Sith-related Groups. 

U  Adrienne Paradis / Azel Tavana Zu-Merz
Had nothing new to report.

Azel  (¯`·.¸¸.-*If there were to be a universal sound depicting peace,it would be the purrr.*-.¸¸.·´¯)

U  Jil Conway / K'ven Jurek
This trimester has been one of too much work and too little time. I've had to drop out of the rpg, hopefully not for long. My search for a better apartment has been both fruitless and frustrating but I persevere! I am also planning a vacation in September -- a week with nature and marine life -- can't wait!   Jil / K'ven

U  John Barnes / Toraq: John Adam Barnes, 2163 S. Quincy Ave. Ogden, Utah - 84401-1815 - Limited to 20 hours monthly (5 hours a weekend) at home. Hope to gain a new ISP sometime in July as I got a new job. 
Nothing further than that to report. 

PS: May make a new Klingon name as Toraq was used in an RPG (as my main character's father) and was killed off. Was thinking something like Kloor (It would be a new original for me). What do you think? 

U  Admiral Katalyia Epetai K'Tore-Jiraal, Sector 3 Commander: Not much has happened in the last couple of months. I am looking forward to going to the Barry Manilow Convention in Vegas at the end of July. I’ve got the ticket bought and the plane fare paid for. I went to the zoo and saw the special exhibit. The white tiger is on loan to the KC zoo through September. Also, a new exhibit is a cage, a big cage, that has Lorikeets in it. They are beautiful birds and participants are allowed in the cage to feed them. I fed them and at one time had 3 of them sitting on me at the same time. One even got brave and licked some nectar off my thumb. A couple sat on my hand while they ate out of the cup. And, yes, Kimpla, when you come visiting next year, we’ll be sure and do that!

U  Avakhon and K'Lora: WE ARE alive! Just a quick note to let you know that we are alive and well, dealing with the problems associated with life here with all our needed things there. Seems we didn’t pack HALF the things we TOLD folks we needed and all the things we said were to be donated to others. (AND it wasn’t even a UNION job!) Anyways, we’re trying to get the phone, cable, internet connection going and should have that by next week. HOPEFULLY and should be BACK to our old chatty selves and such soon. Miss ALL my KSF friends and have only been able to get to the computer just now at the library. (LOST my card in the move and had to wait for a new one to be re-issued.) Tell the TA and the ABBOT that WE are indeed alive and well, and shall be up to our ears in the think of things as soon as possible. BTW, married life is WONDERFUL and I am the HAPPIEST I have ever been with MY Rose! TTYL friend!

U  Ensign K'Stor Chi'Kosa & Captain Kimpla Sutai D-Dok'marr Zu-Merz: Greetings KSF members. The last few months have been trying ones. As Spring approached, we got a lot more than we bargained for in the yard. The lack of rain/moisture keeps us both busy trying to keep the water on the yard and plants. We still try to work on the inside of the house and complete the interior changes that we wanted. Time…Money….& TIME….all take their turns in this event. Both of us are beginning to feel like this is a special OLYMPIC event. We see this year playing havoc with the yard and plants. Other than the ups and downs of every day living, we are well and continue to survive. The Boys are all healthy, we are healthy and we will be thankful for that (instead of asking for more).

U  K'Ken T'Relak: I salute you all. Once again I send greeting to the fine warriors of the KSF. I am still caught up in my own little world here. My wife and I went to Paris. I don’t like it. Didn’t like it the last time I went there either. My wife, however, loved it and plans to go back again next year. It will be without me. What can you say about Paris. If you’ve seen one brick building you’ve seen them all. If you’ve seen one painting or statue you’ve seen them all. Everything is expensive. The food leaves little to be desired. The subway system is okay. I was thankful to those wonderful young people in McDonalds who were extra kind—The CHICKEN place in the mall was good too. They don’t speak English—can’t really blame them for that it is a French speaking country. It’s a LONG flight and the seats are totally uncomfortable (unless I guess if you can afford first class). Still trying to trace the old family tree. Everything runs into a dead end with Robert Bishop Traft. Got an EMAIL from a really nice lady in California who thinks Robert Bishop Traft was her ancestor Robert Bishop Traugh. She has done a LOT of research and the information she’s put together is amazing, but nothing hard fact to put together. There is little reliable information in the mid 1800s. It’s particularly hard when all the research she needs to be done in Pittsburgh and I live in Minnesota. My Klingon Language has atrophied being away from it for so long. I’m keeping busy with my volunteer work. While I prefer doing individual therapy, I guess I need the family hours if I ever hope to get enough to take my oral exam for the LMFT. Still don’t see the value in the LAMFT, but hey, I’ve got it. My best to everyone!

U  Khaufen Juriss: The last few months have been a menagerie of ups and downs in my life. 80 to 85% of my time, I’ve spent inside. This summer, I hope to be able to actually get outside and do something without the sun turning me into crystals and disappearing. Ha!Ha! Ha! Ha! I will once again be moving this summer. In fact, in the next 30 days. My son and a male friend of his are once again with me for the summer. I wish all of you a glorious and enjoyable summer.
{Update 7-08-05, on Khaufen & Khorghan/Kreger They are in the process of moving and will be off line for a week or two.}

U  DaHar Master K’Zhen Zu-Merz – She continues to participate in the Thursday night chats and the club RPG game. She has currently installed Direct TV and has gotten a new VCR/DVD combined player.

-  KLINGON HUMOUR  -
Drawn by Ke'reth Makura and bubbles by qe'San
Based on Joke from "Conversational Klingon"

-  YOU CAN'T TELL YOUR KLINGONS WITHOUT A SCORECARD  -
-or-
A History and Review of Star Trek RPG
By Lt. SamwI' quvHubwI', Imperial Security
(a.k.a. Michael Stanley)
samwi@earthlink.net

Part 1 - INTRODUCTION

This is a five-part article analyzing the various published Star Trek Role Playing Games (RPG) and particularly how they portray us Klingons. As you can tell by the title there are so many different ways of portraying a Klingon in RPG. They can be grouped into, at present, six different interpretations of what a Klingon is in the published RPGS. Some of you may be saying "I thought there were only two?" or some of you might say three but yes there are now SIX! Before you start running out to your favorite store or rushing to log on to Amazon.com. Most of them are now out-of-print. I will list them for you and compare how each of them copes with the complex concept of what is and means to be a Klingon.

In this part, I will introduce you to the historical background and some of the basic terms of the RPG world. Also this series of articles will be discussing only the popular American systems, I have no access or knowledge to what our European or Asian members have to play. In parts two thru four I will cover the six different versions of Klingons. Showing you some of their good and bad points. And explaining the reasons behind some of those bad points. My personal library contains over 200 volumes of Star Trek and related real science books. And some of them are related to in one form or another to the world of RPG. I have studied, over the last several years, different RPG systems as a guide on how to write computer games. Especially as to how they handle movement, combat and damage. In part four, you will also learn how an innocent email, I sent to a publisher, turned into a minor collaboration.

Let us first travel back in tine to when the Original Series (OS) was the only thing around. In two episodes "The Journey to Babel" and "Balance of Terror" a few lines of dialog were spoken and ST gaming was born. Unfortunately for us fans, Paramount Pictures Group (PPG), their lawyers, and marketing people stepped in, to ruin the whole Trek universe. As I go forward in time you will see that they had a large part in creating this confusing mess (as K'lay and the Abbott drag me kicking and screaming off of my soap box) we call Star Trek gaming.

I will be centering our discussion on two forms of gaming; the ship-to-ship combat using forms, map sheets, volumes of tables, and small pieces of cardboard or miniatures; and the text oriented, sometimes referred to as adventure, role-playing games. Even the, more advanced, computer games are just variations on these two forms.

I begin this discussion by first examining Star Fleet Battles (SFB) first published in 1979. They started simply with the material shown in the original episodes I mentioned earlier along with supporting material from the OS based Starfleet Technical Manual. Over the years they added material to their game expanding it with many rules revisions and additions. The additions, known as supplements and modules, were listed as optional rules and ships. There is even a cadet’s training manual and an advanced tactics manual. But players soon learned that most of their opponents would be using the ‘optional’ rules, which meant that they weren’t really ‘optional’. Even if we never saw a fighter; missiles, and other more exotic weapons; or any of the thirty plus new alien races in any of the episodes or movies over the years. There was a supplement that covered the topic somewhere. This is all produced under an umbrella that they call the “Star Fleet Universe” and run by a company called the Amarillo Design Bureau (ADB) and a sister company Task Force Games (TFG). After several revisions to the basic rules other editions were later published.

The largest edition was the Captain’s Edition also known as Doomsday was published in 1990. The complexity and detail of the game makes it playable by only the most hardy of souls. Beside all the supplemental rulebooks there was a newsletter, and a group of articles would be bound and published semi-regularly as “Captains’ Logs”. And they supported all of this by creating a history time line of events that to most fans would be unrecognizable.

Year 0 (Y0) is the date that we on earth made contact with the other races. Y40 is 2158, the start of the Earth vs. Romulan war. Y150 is the date that is approximately equivalent to 2286 the start of the OS. But the SFB dating system is not a one to one correspondence with the ‘official’ history from the Star Trek Chronology. Most of these events do not have any reference in any of the movies or the episodes, including the material that SFB can’t use because of their restrictive contract.

The ‘major powers’ in the SFB/ADB universe are: Kzinti, Lyran, Hydran, Klingon, Orion, Tholian, Gorn, Romulan, Andromedans (yes those same Andromedans, called The Kelvan Empire, from the episode “By Any Other Name”) Two of the powers are made up of groups of other races, The Interstellar Concordium has six component races (listed in part III), and the occupants of the WYN star cluster are a mixture of “representatives (mostly escaped felons or mercenaries) from almost every known sentient race” (Prime Directive pg 129). One other power is the Lyran Democratic Republic, which is a group that left the original Lyran state. And that does not even cover the minor powers, the subdivisions such as the Orion cartels, and the subject races of the various major powers. One of my various objections with SFB is you notice with that list of ‘powers’. Two are recurring foes of the Federation; the Orions, (Which later PPG basically turned into the Ferengi) Tholian, Gorn, Kzinti, and Andromedans, had one episode each; and the others are total fictions (wait till you see the list in part III) of the people at the ADB.

Each player keeps track of his ship(s) on a chart called an SSD, which shows an approximate outline of a ship, and check boxes (you mark off as they are damaged) for everything from shield strength to whether or not the, ship you are controlling, transporters and life support are working. Covering all sizes from the smallest fighters and patrol cutters up to outposts and starbases. Each ship is a little different as it comes to weapons placement, types and strengths. So you must have various books full of these charts so that when you play someone you have the chart(s) you need at the ready and can research the chart of the ship(s) you will be facing. The players keep track of your relative two-dimensional positions (do not even get me started on that topic) by the use of small square colored pieces of cardboard (or you can use, if you can afford or locate, plastic or metal replicas of the ship could be used) with the ship listed on it. These are placed on a large printed map with hexagons printed on it to control distance and the direction you are facing.

When I acquired Doomsday and various supplements added, it took up nearly two feet of shelf space. I later decided that I needed to save space and funds, I would have to forgo playing the game. I took the doomsday rules discarding most of the material and reduced it down (who needs to know about scatter pack shuttles and if the Seltorans have hellbores or not?) to one 2” binder. I did keep the parts on fighters, the larger ships, and the special rules covering boom and saucer separations. Tossing the rest in the trash.

Unfortunately for the people at ADB/TFG they are stuck with a contract with PPG that specifically states (those dreaded lawyers I warned you about earlier) that they cannot venture in time into the movie or Next Generation time frame. So the time line I mentioned earlier takes a bizarre hard turn to starboard and into what they even sometimes call an alternate time line situation.

But you say this is not RPG, why are we taking this tedious detour? It is like this; some of this information will come up again in the later parts of the article. Also you can find people out there that can stand there and quote to you what rule R3.4 is and what it is used for. This way when they talk to you, you won’t look like a total idiot to them.

Next [issue/time] in part two, “The Glory Days” you will meet the troublemaking FASA with their familiar Klingons. The Illuminati venture covertly into space.

In the mean time if you want to discuss this with me. You can email me directly at: samwi@earthlink.net I will try to get back to you as soon as I can. If you can’t wait for the rest of the story or want the entire as a text file for other references, I can email you a copy of my original file. Until next time, be on the lookout for those stray anti-neutrino emissions, it could be the Warrior’s Revenge looking up your tailpipe.

Bibliography

Cole, Steven V., et al Prime Directive, Task Force Games, 1993

_____ Star Fleet Battles, Captain’s Edition, Amarillo Design Bureau, 1990

Okuda, Michael and Denise, Star Trek Chronology, The History of the Future, Pocket Books, 1993 

NEW OR RETURNING MEMBERS

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