'A Piece of the Action' followup

[doctorwho 03]

(If this question has been asked before, I apologize.)

I was watching the remastered Piece of the Action last night, and it got me thinking; what if the Iotians did take apart McCoys communicator and found the transtator, and what if they integrated this new piece of technology into their 1920's gangster world?

I know none of the later series ever did a followup to this story, but what about the novels, or comics, or even fan fiction? Have any of these medias ever addressed what happened after the Enterprise left Sigma Iotia II?

 

[DonIago]

I believe there was one potential future, brought up in the comics, in which the Iotian civilization continued on generally as Kirk had hoped, though it turned out that one of the mob bosses had been keeping a cut for Kirk...I seem to recall an amusing sequence where a number of gangsters bring in suitcases full of cash.

There was an alternate theory in Worlds of the Federation that suggested the next time anyone visited Iotia it resembled a Federation outpost in every detail.

 

[ScatmanRescueMe]

Besides 'Tribbles' I never wanted to see sequels to comedic episodes. (Especially Mudd )

I mean there were plenty of really good serious episodes that never got a follow-up.

 

[Chrisisall]

Yeah, funny ones were one-shot deals IMO.

 

[Greylock Crescent]

A sequel here would work better as a drama, than as a comedy. Explore the consequences of repeated "contamination" from the Federation (the original Gangster book, the communicator), etc.

 

[ToddPence]

I read a comic once where Kirk was on trial and Bela Oxmyx was one of those called to testify for him.

 

[Too Much Fun]

One of the possible outcomes was that the technology would have been a catalyst for the whole planet turning into Starfleet worshippers (instead of 30s Chicago gangster worshippers). This was the original idea for the "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" '30th anniversary tribute to "Star Trek". It would have used a sequel to "A Piece of the Action" to gently mock Star Trek fandom. Instead, the tribute ended up being a crossover with "The Trouble with Tribbles".

 

[DonIago]

I read a comic once where Kirk was on trial and Bela Oxmyx was one of those called to testify for him.

That's the one I referred to originally, yeah.

 

[MANT!]

One of the possible outcomes was that the technology would have been a catalyst for the whole planet turning into Starfleet worshippers (instead of 30s Chicago gangster worshippers). This was the original idea for the "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" '30th anniversary tribute to "Star Trek". It would have used a sequel to "A Piece of the Action" to gently mock Star Trek fandom. Instead, the tribute ended up being a crossover with "The Trouble with Tribbles".

And because of Paramount having no balls..

We got Galaxy Quest to do a proper job of sending up fandom instead..

 

[Captain Robert April]

They took that tack with that "Worlds of the Federation" book that came out sometime before the 30th anniversary, so Ron Moore had some basis to start from.

Not so sure how well it would've played out had they done that. Might've been seen as biting the hand that feeds them.

 

[Captain Randy Hall]

(If this question has been asked before, I apologize.)

I was watching the remastered Piece of the Action last night, and it got me thinking; what if the Iotians did take apart McCoys communicator and found the transtator, and what if they integrated this new piece of technology into their 1920's gangster world?

I know none of the later series ever did a followup to this story, but what about the novels, or comics, or even fan fiction? Have any of these medias ever addressed what happened after the Enterprise left Sigma Iotia II?

When Marvel did a double-sized comic with both Classic Trek and TNG stories, there was a story that Sonny, whom Kirk promised "a piece of the action," ended up the head of the culture. In the TNG episode they did as a follow-up, they took the thug into the holodeck so he couls talk wit' KOIK.

I have my own thoughts on what happened after the Enterprise left Iotia, but I just smile when I think about them

 

[wicca coolmom]

A Piece of the Action follow-up has enormous potential as both a comedy & a drama, IMHO...

 

[HIj'Qa]

Three short stories revisit A Piece of the Action, and two comics

A Little More Action (Strange New Worlds IV short story)
Legal Action (Strange New Worlds V short story)
A Piece of the Pie (Strange New Worlds VI short story)

Star Trek Unlimited comic, "A Piece of Reaction"
DC Comic "... Let's Kill All the Lawyers!"

 

[Timewalker]

There are lots of fanfic stories dealing with this, as well. I recall one of the Valjiir stories where Spock was temporarily in command, and the Iotians turned up. Spock simply sighed and quickly instructed Sulu (his First Officer) on how to behave with them ("whatever I say, you respond with 'riiiight.'").

 

[shrinkers]

There are lots of fanfic stories dealing with this, as well. I recall one of the Valjiir stories where Spock was temporarily in command, and the Iotians turned up. Spock simply sighed and quickly instructed Sulu (his First Officer) on how to behave with them ("whatever I say, you respond with 'riiiight.'").

You can actually read that story online here http://valjiir.us/percentage.html

(being helpful)

 

[T'Bonz]

^
No problem!

 

[Mike Okuda]

I recall that there was a first-draft script (or maybe just an outline) floating around during an early season of Star Trek: The Next Generation that would have been a sequel to "A Piece of the Action." I remember that I enjoyed reading it, but the only thing I really remember about the story was that the gangsters on Sigma Iotia were using antibiotics as money.

 

[Timewalker]

There are lots of fanfic stories dealing with this, as well. I recall one of the Valjiir stories where Spock was temporarily in command, and the Iotians turned up. Spock simply sighed and quickly instructed Sulu (his First Officer) on how to behave with them ("whatever I say, you respond with 'riiiight.'").

You can actually read that story online here http://valjiir.us/percentage.html

(being helpful)

Thanks! I've got my Star Trek zines packed away, and this is much more convenient when I'm in the mood to re-read some of my favorite stories.

 

[Desert Kris]

While I am not too keen on the notion of a sequel that amounts to more "gangster planet" shenanigans, I do see potential for that race of humanoids in the UFP and especially Starfleet. The episode implies to me that although they don't seem particularly creative, they have a spectacular gift for mimicry, particularly cultural mimicry. It's so highly developed a talent, they only need small samples of cultural artifacts from which they can extrapolate and perfectly reenact. They might be very useful as agents inserted into pre-first contact cultures for dealing with cultural contamination prevention emergencies; they would fit in well with whatever society they were asked to blend in with.

 

[22 Stars]

Ron Moore has said that at the time of Trials and Tribbelations, they considered first a sequel where the planet was now like a Trek convention, everyone worshiping Kirk, Bones and Spock because of the contamination and visit. Sounded like a LOT of fun, and quite reminiscent of Futurama's Where No Fan Has Gone Before.