Publication of the U.S.S. Chesapeake Star Trek and Science-Fiction Club September, 2005 Shatner to sing Trek theme; Ferengi creator passes William Shatner, who played Captain Trek theme song. “There was a moving ser- James T. Kirk in Classic Trek, will sing at the vice for her at the First Christian Church of Emmy Awards on Sunday, September 18. He North Hollywood on Saturday,” wrote the is nominated for an award for his role on the actor, noting that her husband and a number ABC series, Boston Legal. of luminaries had attended, including Cyd Herb Wright, who Variety reported that Shatner will com- Charisse, the actress and dancer who is the created the Ferengi pete in “Emmy Idol,” a spoof of reality shows aunt of Nana Visitor (Kira on DS9). “Loulie race for TNG, passed in which Shatner, Donald Trump and Megan had many, many friends, and she will be away recently. Mullally will compete in performing classic missed,” added Shatner at his web site. television theme songs during the telecast. Writer/producer Herbert J. Wright, Viewers will vote via text message or online who helped bring Star Trek: The Next Genera- for the victor, who will be announced at the tion to life in 1987 and was responsible for the end of the show. creation of the Ferengi, passed away on Wed- Shatner, paired with opera star Fredrica nesday, August 24, of natural causes, accord- von Stade, will perform the Star Trek theme, ing to startrek.com. He was 58. while Trump and Mullally will sing the theme Wright served as a writer and producer from Green Acres. In addition, CSI actor Gary during Next Gen’s first season and contri- Dourdan will sing the theme song from The buted his most significant contribution to the Jeffersons with Grammy winner Macy Gray, franchise with his creation of the Ferengi race, and Veronica Mars star Kristen Bell will first seen in the episode, “The Last Outpost.” perform the theme song from Fame. Wright also wrote the follow-up episode, On WilliamShatner.com, Shatner cele- “The Battle,” and helped contribute to the brated the birth of his grandchild, Natasha first Klingon-based episode of the series, Anne Clement, to Lisabeth and Andrew on “Heart of Glory.” August 13, which is also his daughter Leslie’s Wright departed Next Generation after the birthday. “Now I have three beautiful grand- series’ first season to work on Paramount’s daughters and two wonderful grandsons. I television version of War of the Worlds, but he am a lucky man,” the actor posted. later returned as a producer for TNG’s fifth IN THIS ISSUE: Shatner also posted a farewell to Loulie season, in which he co-wrote the episode, Art Credits 3 Captain’s Log 2 Jean Norman Price, the singer on the Star “Power Play.” Club Members Insert front Coming Events 6 Club will enjoy “Hard Times” at September meeting Directions to Meeting The next meeting of the U.S.S. Chesapeake meeting, including information on upcoming Insert front Holodictation 6 Star Trek and Science-Fiction Club will be conventions, what fellow club members are up Meeting Minutes held on Saturday, September 17, at the Hard to and the latest news regarding Star Trek and Insert back Times Cafe in College Park, Maryland. Please other science-fiction TV shows and movies. Rantings 5 Reflections 4 be sure to bring enough money to pay for Do you need to know how to get to this Science Trek 3 your dinner. month’s gathering? Then be sure to check out We’ll gather at 5 p.m. to order our dinner. the insert with this issue of COMSTAR for Then, at 7 p.m., we’ll hold our monthly club directions. Volume 14, Issue 9 CAPTAIN’S LOG: The anniversary syndrome Somewhere between watching coverage of 8-10 at one of two other Creation cons, which Hurricane Katrina and enjoying the Labor will take place in Chicago and Sacramento on Day holiday, a less important but nonetheless the same weekend. (Yeah, I know. I hate noteworthy anniversary almost temporal mechanics, too.) slipped by me: September 8, the However, next September won’t be the 39th anniversary of the debut of a only big date in 2006 for our club. The U.S.S. little thing called Star Trek. Chesapeake will turn 15 years old in February, For the first time in many and it would be fun to do something in honor moons, I was actually on vaca- of that occasion as well. tion, or else I probably would With those two dates in mind, I want to have overlooked the fact that recommend that everyone start thinking Trek had reached another about what we should do to celebrate. Since longevity milestone. I really many of us will be attending Farpoint in mid- didn’t do anything to celebrate February, we could combine our club anni- the occasion, but it did make me versary with attending and doing panels at the think about how I’d marked convention. previous anniversaries. That presents a number of interesting It doesn’t seem that long alternatives. We could put an ad in the con ago, but way back in the dim, program or hand out some kind of freebies dark days of 1996, Conn Officer with “15” emblazoned on them. We never did Lorenzo Heard, Chief Science Officer David complete last year’s “Farscraper” project, you Brewer and I rented a car and drove to know. Copyright 2005 U.S.S. Chesapeake Huntsville, Alabama, to commemorate 30 And there’s always the alternative of NCC-9102, a years of Star Trek. I didn’t know it then, but subsidizing the cost of club members going to not-for-profit th organization. that was the last time I’d see all the original Farpoint, Shore Leave, a 40 anniversary All rights reserved, series cast members together. Creation convention or some combination including Five years later, I drove my own vehicle thereof. reproducing parts of th this document. over to the Big Apple to spend Trek’s 35 In discussing these ideas, I realize that no anniversary with William Shatner and hun- matter what date we set for any activity, some Check out our club dreds of fellow fans in a hotel in New York folks in the group won’t be able to attend. website: www. usschesapeake.org City. As I cheerfully drove home after the With that in mind, we can certainly work hard Creation convention, I had no way of know- to include as many members of the club as we The opinions ing that terrorists would strike just blocks possibly can. expressed in this publication do not from there three days later. Of course, we could avoid that problem necessarily represent After contemplating the past, a good Star altogether by making a contribution to a local those of the Trek fan looks to the future. That brings me project such as New Voyages or Starship Far- entire club. to September 8, 2006, about a year from now, ragut and see if we could get the U.S.S. Chesa- “Star Trek,” when Trek will be all of 40 years old. What peake included in one of their fan-made epi- “Star Trek: The Next should I do to celebrate the occasion? Even sodes. Generation,” “Star Trek: Deep Space more important, how should our club mark On the other hand, the club might swing Nine,” “Star Trek: this special time? the other way monetarily and save ourselves Voyager,” and “Star Trek: Enterprise,” One option would be for us to attend the some quatloos by reducing or eliminating th as well as the terms first of Creation’s 40 anniversary cons, which dues for 2006. “starship” and will be held in Las Vegas August 17-20. I know all this seems a long way off, but “starship Enterprise,” th are registered Judging from the reports by Annie, John and we didn’t celebrate our 10 anniversary so we trademarks of Lorenzo during our last meeting, they had a could help the victims of September 11, 2001. Paramount Pictures good time at this year’s gathering, there were As a result, I think we can fit two big parties Corporation. All rights reserved. plenty of great guests, and the Star Trek into one fun year. Absolutely no Experience is in the very same hotel. As my So let’s put on our thinking caps and see if infringement on favorite captain would say, “Sounds like fun!” we can make 2006 the best year yet for the these rights is intended. Still, knowing how literally folks in our U.S.S. Chesapeake Star Trek and Science- gang tend to take things, we could opt to Fiction Club! COMSTAR, page 2 actually celebrate the anniversary September Captain Randy Hall SCIENCE TREK: The big ones Sitting here comfortably in my Mid- about abrupt climate change. Within what Atlantic home, nearly a fortnight removed appears to be weeks, the world is frozen by this from what may prove to be the largest envi- catastrophic change. I like the irony … global ronmental disaster to hit the United States, I warming causes a deep freeze. find myself contemplating the happenstance Now, don’t think such a failure of thermo- of Papa Sisko dying less than a week before haline circulation is completely hypothetical. his city was slammed with a Category 4 (What is it? Just imagine the conveyor belts hurricane. He always did seem to know that carry Wal-Mart products from truck to more than he let on.