Star Trek: Deep Space Nine – Jake’s Challenge Part 1
Keiko O’Brien turned as she heard her name called. Jake Sisko had remained behind. “Yes?” she asked.
“I’m having trouble with the writing assignment,” Jake answered.
“What’s the problem?”
“The problem is, the target is too broad. I mean, write a story with a moral meaning. That could be anything.”
“So, you want me to narrow the topic?” Keiko asked.
“That may be helpful,” Jake considered.
“Let’s see,” Keiko said. “I know. You can include a competition of some kind.”
“A competition? Like baseball?”
Keiko knew he would bring up that particular game, given that Commander Sisko was a fan of that game. “It doesn’t have to be a ball game. It could also be a card game, or some kind of treasure hunt.”
Jake nodded. “I’ve got it! Thanks, Mrs. O’Brien.”
Jake returned to his quarters. He sat down and took out his PADD, but he was still stumped. Maybe hitting a few balls in a holosuite would clear his mind?
‘Probably,’ he thought. He decided he would do that.
“What’s the matter, son?” Quark asked as he lead Jake to one of the holosuites.
“Nothing you’d understand,” Jake shot back.
“Nog told me about the writing assignment. I understand plenty. You want to impress Mrs. O’Brien, is that it?”
“Yes. But I don’t think a Ferengi mindset would help me here.”
“What do you mean?” Quark asked, slightly offended. Hu-mon’s! Always thinking they’re better than everyone else!
“I mean. I’ve looked at your inventory of holo-programs. The ones that are suitable for all ages I mean.”
“And?”
“And they are all based on similar storylines. Only the characters and settings are different.”
“People buy what they like. So, the writers write what they like. Simple business sense.”
“Is that a Rule of Acquisition?”
“No,” Quark admitted with a shake of his head. “But it should be. But I don’t think Zek would want to add it.”
“Back to my point. I suppose almost all of Ferengi entertainment is full of the same storylines that are rehashed every so often to capture the market of a new generation with latinum to spend?”
“You’re right. You know, you’re surprisingly astute in this matter.”
“Look at Earth’s history. You’ll find that the film industry in California was like that from the late 20th century onwards,” Jake said as they arrived at the holosuite.
Quark smiled as some information connected in his mind. “California, you say. Isn’t that where Starfleet Academy is located?”
“Yes,” Jake answered.
Hitting some balls helped Jake clear his mind, and somehow his conversation with Quark had brought some inspiration. Maybe some controversial big hitter fighting back against the increasing influence of advertisers on the sport? That could work.
When he got back to his quarters, his Dad was home from work. “How was today, Jake-o?” he asked.
“It was alright,” he answered.
“I heard that you had some problem with an assignment.”
“I just had to figure something out,” Jake said nervously.
“Sure.”
“I’m confident that I’ll get it done.”
“What did you need to figure out?” his Dad asked.
“A storyline,” Jake answered. “I’m going to write about a big ball player deciding to fight against the influence on advertisers on the game.”
“Sounds difficult,” his Dad commented.
“I’ll have to do some research.”
“I can help with that.”
The rest of the night was spent on an outline and the beginning of the research. The latter part was challenging. It seemed that much of the primary sources from the 20th Century had been lost as a result of World War III. He would have to rely on the secondary sources, and take up his father’s offer of help.
Keiko O’Brien turned as she heard her name called. Jake Sisko had remained behind. “Yes?” she asked.
“I’m having trouble with the writing assignment,” Jake answered.
“What’s the problem?”
“The problem is, the target is too broad. I mean, write a story with a moral meaning. That could be anything.”
“So, you want me to narrow the topic?” Keiko asked.
“That may be helpful,” Jake considered.
“Let’s see,” Keiko said. “I know. You can include a competition of some kind.”
“A competition? Like baseball?”
Keiko knew he would bring up that particular game, given that Commander Sisko was a fan of that game. “It doesn’t have to be a ball game. It could also be a card game, or some kind of treasure hunt.”
Jake nodded. “I’ve got it! Thanks, Mrs. O’Brien.”
Jake returned to his quarters. He sat down and took out his PADD, but he was still stumped. Maybe hitting a few balls in a holosuite would clear his mind?
‘Probably,’ he thought. He decided he would do that.
“What’s the matter, son?” Quark asked as he lead Jake to one of the holosuites.
“Nothing you’d understand,” Jake shot back.
“Nog told me about the writing assignment. I understand plenty. You want to impress Mrs. O’Brien, is that it?”
“Yes. But I don’t think a Ferengi mindset would help me here.”
“What do you mean?” Quark asked, slightly offended. Hu-mon’s! Always thinking they’re better than everyone else!
“I mean. I’ve looked at your inventory of holo-programs. The ones that are suitable for all ages I mean.”
“And?”
“And they are all based on similar storylines. Only the characters and settings are different.”
“People buy what they like. So, the writers write what they like. Simple business sense.”
“Is that a Rule of Acquisition?”
“No,” Quark admitted with a shake of his head. “But it should be. But I don’t think Zek would want to add it.”
“Back to my point. I suppose almost all of Ferengi entertainment is full of the same storylines that are rehashed every so often to capture the market of a new generation with latinum to spend?”
“You’re right. You know, you’re surprisingly astute in this matter.”
“Look at Earth’s history. You’ll find that the film industry in California was like that from the late 20th century onwards,” Jake said as they arrived at the holosuite.
Quark smiled as some information connected in his mind. “California, you say. Isn’t that where Starfleet Academy is located?”
“Yes,” Jake answered.
Hitting some balls helped Jake clear his mind, and somehow his conversation with Quark had brought some inspiration. Maybe some controversial big hitter fighting back against the increasing influence of advertisers on the sport? That could work.
When he got back to his quarters, his Dad was home from work. “How was today, Jake-o?” he asked.
“It was alright,” he answered.
“I heard that you had some problem with an assignment.”
“I just had to figure something out,” Jake said nervously.
“Sure.”
“I’m confident that I’ll get it done.”
“What did you need to figure out?” his Dad asked.
“A storyline,” Jake answered. “I’m going to write about a big ball player deciding to fight against the influence on advertisers on the game.”
“Sounds difficult,” his Dad commented.
“I’ll have to do some research.”
“I can help with that.”
The rest of the night was spent on an outline and the beginning of the research. The latter part was challenging. It seemed that much of the primary sources from the 20th Century had been lost as a result of World War III. He would have to rely on the secondary sources, and take up his father’s offer of help.
