An unofficial 'challenge' if anyone is interested

[Lazarus]

I've been wondering about this for a few days and I just thought I'd throw it out there: how about putting together a few short stories that try to recapture that 'feeling' that episodes of the Original Series had?

Possibly using the 'newer' crews or fanfic creations, or just the original one, create a story that involves a scenario that could only have come from the minds of the 60s Star Trek writer's room - a giant space amoeba swallowing the ship for example, or all those parallel Earths?

What even constitutes a story that 'feels' like an original episode?

I'd say that a certain amount of 'kitch' is required but I can't quite put my finger on what attributes would be required. Superbeings based upon figures from Earth's history? Worlds that are exact replicas of the Roman Empire, Nazi Germany or the Wild West?

If nothing else, it might get a few people's creative juices flowing!

I'll try and put something together myself!

[Trelane]

"Star Trek: Columbia"

The NX-Era, just prior to the Earth-Romulan War.

[Bry_Sinclair]

Though I know it would never have been thought of in the 60s, I have long since considered a story or two based on Number One as Captain of a Miranda-Class ship. It would have the same look about it as TOS and set at the same time (though maybe on just a three- or four-year mission), but with a different ship and crew to focus on.

I would also have included Lieutenant J.M. Colt was the ship's Security Chief. Maybe have Lieutenant Commander Thelin (from the TAS episode "Yesteryear") as Science Officer and Ensign Ilia onboard as Navigator.

[Lazarus]

I'm thinking along the lines of the Enterprise of 2269 arriving at a remote world after receiving an invitation from one of the 'founding fathers' of the Federation, an eccentric old man living on his own planet tended by androids. He has invited the strongest ship from the Federation, Klingon Empire and Romulan Empire to set them a challenge to go off into the unknown and find something fantastic, a legendary place the equivalent of Atlantis that has been lost for thousands of years.

[Elias Vaughn]

Trelane wrote:

---

"Star Trek: Columbia"

The NX-Era, just prior to the Earth-Romulan War.

I like that, but I'd change the time to just after the founding of the Federation, and focus on what's changed in Starfleet's day-to-day operations as a result of the formation of the Federation, in addition to the typical Trek adventure/drama plots.

[Bry_Sinclair]

Kirk, Spock and McCoy beam down to a planet filled with tall, beautiful, buxom women warriors. You can pretty much guess what happens from there

[Bry_Sinclair]

Elias Vaughn wrote:

---

I like that, but I'd change the time to just after the founding of the Federation, and focus on what's changed in Starfleet's day-to-day operations as a result of the formation of the Federation, in addition to the typical Trek adventure/drama plots.

I always think that's what Enterprise should have done. It also follows on from DS9 quite well, in that we had the war with all the battles and loss, etc, but then the series ended before it could look at the aftermath of such a huge conflict. If Enterprise had started after the end of the Romulan War, they could show all the hard work and suffer that is the result of war.

But that's my thoughts.

[Admiral2]

Lazarus wrote:

---

I've been wondering about this for a few days and I just thought I'd throw it out there: how about putting together a few short stories that try to recapture that 'feeling' that episodes of the Original Series had?

Possibly using the 'newer' crews or fanfic creations, or just the original one, create a story that involves a scenario that could only have come from the minds of the 60s Star Trek writer's room - a giant space amoeba swallowing the ship for example, or all those parallel Earths?

What even constitutes a story that 'feels' like an original episode?

I'd say that a certain amount of 'kitch' is required but I can't quite put my finger on what attributes would be required. Superbeings based upon figures from Earth's history? Worlds that are exact replicas of the Roman Empire, Nazi Germany or the Wild West?

If nothing else, it might get a few people's creative juices flowing!

I'll try and put something together myself!

Brave soul, proposing this in a forum as ridiculously top-heavy with TNG-era fans as this one. The trend here is fanon patrol ships, refit Constitutions, TNG era classes of all types, TNG Klingons, Cardassians, Borg, Jem'Hadar, Q and all manner of stuff in one big TNG-era Fan Fiction soup. There are, of course, exceptions, but they are obvious exceptions.

I think you'll have to lead by example. Put your story up first and get the ball rolling.

[Trelane]

Lazarus:

I like that idea. Though, I'd begin the adventure on Archer's deathbed in his late 90's. He's hovering on the precipice of death and visited by 'Q' in the great white cloudy zone but it's not John DeLancie or his son. It's the one that wanted to die on Voyager. He's come to present Humanity with it's 'next great challenge'. Archer has to convince his peers that he's not delusional or suffering side effects of T'Pol mind-melding with him, as 'Q' drops veiled hints and warnings.

But, not all is as it seems. There are those already aware of Atlantis, whom have been following stories about similar encounters, interviewing descendants of those who've encountered them, and cataloging Atlantean artifacts for centuries. They want to bury the truth and want to keep its possible potential constructive/destructive power out of everyone's hands.

It turns out the Voth built a handful of last-stand generational ships / battle-stations against a (then-fledgling) Caeliar Gestalt as the (Ancient) Borg were just beginning to build momentum. It was the Voth's singular means of punching a hole through the front line to escape to the Delta Quadrant from Earth during their war. All but one went radio silent.

[Timewalker]

Bry_Sinclair wrote:

---

Though I know it would never have been thought of in the 60s, I have long since considered a story or two based on Number One as Captain of a Miranda-Class ship. It would have the same look about it as TOS and set at the same time (though maybe on just a three- or four-year mission), but with a different ship and crew to focus on.

I would also have included Lieutenant J.M. Colt was the ship's Security Chief. Maybe have Lieutenant Commander Thelin (from the TAS episode "Yesteryear") as Science Officer and Ensign Ilia onboard as Navigator.

The first challenge: What would the Captain's name be?

[Bry_Sinclair]

I loved the Marvel Early Voyages comics, in which she was named Lt. Commander E. Robbins (the comic also gave Colt the name Mia).

Had it not been for Peter David's New Frontier, I would have loved to have called her Morgan, as it is a name that fits in well as either a first or last name and she could have just been called Captain Morgan (with no one knowing which name she was actually using).

Otherwise she could just always be spoken about as Captain / Cap'n / Skipper (for example, when addressing ships on the viewscreen, "I am the Captain of the starship Tempest, please identify yourself and your business in this region."), depending on the mood and who was speaking to / about her.

Of course there is also the fanon that has her being from a planet which uses genetic engineering, and the title of Number One is hers because she was the best of the best of her 'batch'. Though given that genetic engineering is a big taboo during DS9 (thanks to the Eugenics Wars) I'm not sure that would really work.

But that's just my thoughts on the matter. Any suggestions for names?

[Sandoval]

If you want to give a short-story the same 'feel' as an episode of the Original Series, I'd suggest that you keep it fairly self-contained since most TOS episodes tend to be that way, not having far-reaching consequences.

Perhaps a 'planet of the week' style romp where the Enterprise discovers a world, rectifies a situation and flies off.

I've always quite enjoyed the concept of a rogue starship captain essentially taking over a primitive world in the manner of The Omega Glory, something along the lines of Heart of Darkness where Kirk is sent to eliminate/capture one of his fellow starship captains.

[Trelane]

A station designed to house Earth's remaining Vampire / Lycan populace. "Forever Knight" meets "Star Trek: DS9", set in 2379.

[Sandoval]

Trelane wrote:

---

A station designed to house Earth's remaining Vampire / Lycan populace. "Forever Knight" meets "Star Trek: DS9", set in 2379.

How exactly do you end up suggesting such a ridiculous fanboy idea in a thread proposing creating a story that recaptures the feel of Star Trek the original series?

What bit of that leads you to "Forever Knight meets Deep Space Nine with vampires" set a century after the Original Series?

Or were you meaning to post that idea ironically in the 'Worst Fanfic ideas ever' thread elsewhere on the board, because I'd suggest that such a fanboyish concept would fit in there perfectly.

Forever Knight meets Deep Space Nine with vampires. Phew...

[Trelane]

Sandoval: I'm thinking TOS / "Shatnerverse", Kirk is deployed on a mission in 2379 that crosses centuries and reunites him with old adversaries. In the process, finally resolves unanswered questions about the final fates of certain implausibly-matched immature races with advanced technology that He, Bones, Scotty and other away teams encountered prior to the "Star Trek: The Motion Picture". A story that smacks of shadowy allegiances with those in authority during The Eugenics Wars.

The Federation is badly bloodied after The Dominion War and seeking assistance to rebuild/recover its footing. Starfleet Command has sent out diplomatic envoys to fringe areas -- Federation prospects that have seen/heard little from Starfleet and The Federation in the meantime -- to cement relations. In addition to possible mutual-assistance in the event of catastrophic Starfleet contact / lack of willing cooperation with an up-and-coming Typhon Pact.

As they leave Federation space into unexplored areas of the Alpha Quadrant to seek new members or renew old commitments, Kirk's ship encounters a space station whose construction defies explanation.

Its materials are definately terran in origin but according to records, no ships (civilian or otherwise,) were ever launched with colonization of this area specified as its objective / destination.