Ungrateful Actors

[Greg Cox]

Yeah, I remember that the Writer Bible I was given for Voyager bore little resemblance to the actual series. Tuvok was supposed to be an elderly Vulcan who served as B'Elanna's mentor . . . .

And, as I recall, the EMH's snarky personality was barely hinted at in the original bible. When I finally saw the show, long after I started work on my novel, I remember thinking "If I'd known the EMH was going to be so much fun, I would have given him a bigger part in the book!"

In fact, I ended up going back and adding some EMH scenes afterwards!

 

[Guy Gardener]

I liked Doctor Mozart better than Doctor Van Gogh from Before and After.

Nice catch there Therin.

 

[Lynx]

Yeah, I remember that the Writer Bible I was given for Voyager bore little resemblance to the actual series. Tuvok was supposed to be an elderly Vulcan who served as B'Elanna's mentor . . . .

And, as I recall, the EMH's snarky personality was barely hinted at in the original bible. When I finally saw the show, long after I started work on my novel, I remember thinking "If I'd known the EMH was going to be so much fun, I would have given him a bigger part in the book!"

In fact, I ended up going back and adding some EMH scenes afterwards!

I think you are too self-critical here. Since I guess that you're referring to the masterpiece "The Black Shore" I must point out that The Doctor has a rather big and very important role in the story. The chapter with his interaction and comments to the alien intruders is both exciting and a bit hilarious too. His comment: "Doctor Neffaler to you!" is great. I have actually thought about using that name as a username on some forum sometimes! Not to mention how he teases and make fun of the dangerous intruders.

One thing I also like with "The Black Shore" is that ALL characters plays important parts in the story. Not to mention that it's exciting from beginning to end. The first time I read it, I read it from beginning to end one saturday afternoon. I just couldn't stop, it was too exciting!

I can also see that the Writer Bible did create some confusion for the authors of the first books since they were written before the series started to air. I remember being a bit dissapointed with "Ragnarok" because some of the characters were a bit "out of character" there. Still, those early books are both good and exciting.

 

[Greg Cox]

Yeah, I remember that the Writer Bible I was given for Voyager bore little resemblance to the actual series. Tuvok was supposed to be an elderly Vulcan who served as B'Elanna's mentor . . . .

And, as I recall, the EMH's snarky personality was barely hinted at in the original bible. When I finally saw the show, long after I started work on my novel, I remember thinking "If I'd known the EMH was going to be so much fun, I would have given him a bigger part in the book!"

In fact, I ended up going back and adding some EMH scenes afterwards!

I think you are too self-critical here. Since I guess that you're referring to the masterpiece "The Black Shore" I must point out that The Doctor has a rather big and very important role in the story. The chapter with his interaction and comments to the alien intruders is both exciting and a bit hilarious too. His comment: "Doctor Neffaler to you!" is great. I have actually thought about using that name as a username on some forum sometimes! Not to mention how he teases and make fun of the dangerous intruders.

One thing I also like with "The Black Shore" is that ALL characters plays important parts in the story. Not to mention that it's exciting from beginning to end. The first time I read it, I read it from beginning to end one saturday afternoon. I just couldn't stop, it was too exciting!

I can also see that the Writer Bible did create some confusion for the authors of the first books since they were written before the series started to air. I remember being a bit dissapointed with "Ragnarok" because some of the characters were a bit "out of character" there. Still, those early books are both good and exciting.

Thanks for the kind words! Like I said, I believe the EMH had little to do in my original outline, but I beefed up his part when I was writing the actual book.

I had to write the outline on the basis of the bible alone, but, thankfully, the show was actually on the air while I was writing the book itself . . . .!

 

[Guy Gardener]

Was it annoying changing all the Nicoles into kathryns?

find and replace is a god send, but then there's spelling errors and apostrophes.

And then there's the temptation to shorten her Christian name?

"NIkki" Janeway.

She's got a fat blokes name from the Sopranos.

(I am so sorry.)

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

Yeah, I remember that the Writer Bible I was given for Voyager bore little resemblance to the actual series. Tuvok was supposed to be an elderly Vulcan who served as B'Elanna's mentor . . . .

That actually sounds kind of interesting, They did try that for a scene in an episode if I remember correctly, but never took it any further.

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

Had Beltran and Wang chosen to leave it wouldn't have been that difficult to reorganise the crew:

Tuvok - promoted to XO
Seven - Ops Manager/Science Officer/Whatever else we need for the plot
Neelix - Security (I'm sure they did plan on giving him a Starfleet commission at some point and make him a security officer)

 

[Guy Gardener]

The Maquis XO is a political position, most especially early on.

If there isn't a Maquis in the top two, those terrorists SOB's will decide that they don't want to be slavelabour to Starfleet when they could just as easily stay in bed all day claiming to have the sniffles.

If this were true, which it should be but probably isn't, then that means that during resolutions when Captain Tuvok was running things for at least two months, then B'Elanna would have jumped cue and been his First Officer rather than Tom who was next in the line of succession if Jed Bartlet and Leo McGarry were already dead.

 

[Lynx]

Yeah, I remember that the Writer Bible I was given for Voyager bore little resemblance to the actual series. Tuvok was supposed to be an elderly Vulcan who served as B'Elanna's mentor . . . .

And, as I recall, the EMH's snarky personality was barely hinted at in the original bible. When I finally saw the show, long after I started work on my novel, I remember thinking "If I'd known the EMH was going to be so much fun, I would have given him a bigger part in the book!"

In fact, I ended up going back and adding some EMH scenes afterwards!

I think you are too self-critical here. Since I guess that you're referring to the masterpiece "The Black Shore" I must point out that The Doctor has a rather big and very important role in the story. The chapter with his interaction and comments to the alien intruders is both exciting and a bit hilarious too. His comment: "Doctor Neffaler to you!" is great. I have actually thought about using that name as a username on some forum sometimes! Not to mention how he teases and make fun of the dangerous intruders.

One thing I also like with "The Black Shore" is that ALL characters plays important parts in the story. Not to mention that it's exciting from beginning to end. The first time I read it, I read it from beginning to end one saturday afternoon. I just couldn't stop, it was too exciting!

I can also see that the Writer Bible did create some confusion for the authors of the first books since they were written before the series started to air. I remember being a bit dissapointed with "Ragnarok" because some of the characters were a bit "out of character" there. Still, those early books are both good and exciting.

Thanks for the kind words! Like I said, I believe the EMH had little to do in my original outline, but I beefed up his part when I was writing the actual book.

I had to write the outline on the basis of the bible alone, but, thankfully, the show was actually on the air while I was writing the book itself . . . .!

When did you write the book and when was it finished? I get the impression that if "The Black Shore" had been an episode, it would have taken place in the beginning of season 3, shortly after Voyager had left Kazon space. Although the Stardate in the book seem to be wrong. I took the liberty to change it in my Timeline!

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

Neelix - Security

"Oh excuse me Mr. Intruder, do you think you should be in this hallway? I'm sure the Captain.."

<Neelix is killed by an alien weapon>

Yeah, that would have worked.

 

[Deckerd]

How come Neelix called Tuvok "Mr Vulcan" but none of the other crew members by their race? Neelix was racist, that's why!

 

[Guy Gardener]

TUVOK: Energise.
(Neelix checks that he is in one piece.)
NEELIX: Astonishing! You Federations are obviously an advanced culture.
TUVOK: The Federation is made up of many cultures. I am Vulcan.
NEELIX: Neelix. Good to meet you!
(Neelix gives Tuvok a bear hug.)
NEELIX: Interesting. What, what exactly, what exactly does all this, all this do?
TUVOK: I assure you that everything in this room has a specific function. However, it would take several hours to explain it all. I suggest we proceed to your quarters. Perhaps you would care for a bath.
NEELIX: A what?

It's more obvious from the stage directions for a big hug, that Neelix actually temporarily misunderstands that Tuvok's name is "Vulcan" for the first half hour on the ship at least, and after that he just runs with it for far, far, far too long.

 

[Deckerd]

Apologist

 

[Guy Gardener]

It is possible that Tuvok nor no one else ever corrected him and the dirty little fuzzball spent the whole time thinking that Tuvok's full name was Tuvok Vulcan, or Vulcan Tuvok, I mean golly, that girl who starred in Ugly Betty, her Christian name is America who by the way was living in America, so how then outlandish is Vulcan from Vulcan?

Considering the outright lying, diversions and misdirection in the 20 lines of text i supplied up there, to trick Janeway into defeating the Kazon and stealing their dinky slave for him, it's a wonder that you lynched onto just this one derision...

Speaking of the Kazon, isn't it weird how they called our heroes "Federations"?

And what about B'Elanna going on about "That Borg" or "This Borg" or "the Borg in our midst" or "I'm going to give that Borg a fat lip" and so on doesn't level the playing field?

Then there's Q? Half the time I'm not sure if they're talking about the entire Continuum or a distinct Q.

 

[Deckerd]

Q was the individual, Queue was the continuum.

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

Neelix - Security

"Oh excuse me Mr. Intruder, do you think you should be in this hallway? I'm sure the Captain.."

<Neelix is killed by an alien weapon>

Yeah, that would have worked.

And then there was much rejoicing

 

[Guy Gardener]

Q was the individual, Queue was the continuum.

10 million years in line to be the damn scarecrow!

Do you think Tom felt aroused when Q called him Helmboy?

 

[Deckerd]

Were you aroused more to the point? It's funny how Q's unpredictability in TNG always made me feel uneasy whereas in Voyager he was the comic relief.

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

I was very uneasy when he was in the tub with Janeway. Who knows where his feet were.

 

[Gov Kodos]

I'm sure he and his feet were the soul of discretion.