Issue 10 - Region 20 SFI

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Issue 10: June 2014
@ttention ^ll h^nds...
Hello Region 20!
By now, many of you will have heard about Alan O’Shea stepping down as
our Regional Coordinator. It takes a great deal of courage to step forward
and volunteer for a role; it takes perhaps more courage to admit that you need
help, and perhaps it takes further courage still to admit that you have to walk
away to prioritise what’s truly important in life. I’d like to take this
opportunity to thank Alan for his time as RC and we look forward to
continuing to hear news of the Cuchulain and her adventures.
As I write this, we are three days away from Alan’s official 'handover'. I
have not had a chance to discuss things with the CS concerning the process
for succession, but I have been through the departure of two Regional
Coordinators now (three if you count my own stint as Interim RC last year)
and I have come to a realisatio. Region 20 is not about one role. It is about
our members. The newsletter you hold in your hands or read on your screen is
proof of that.
Moving forward then, this is the VRC’s challenge ... Every post concerning
the election for RC on our regional Facebook pages or mailing lists should be
offset by at least two things that are fun. It could be a humorous picture, an
achievement in and out of SFI—anything. Appropriate information about the
RC appointment process should be open to all, but I have no desire to see it
dominate our pages. In that spirit then, a few event reminders.
S^turd^y, 13th September
We have our Regional Summit. Richard will have more to say, but I am really
eager for this one. Region 20 has had some great showings at events over the
past four years in one way or another, but to finally have our own event and
get our collective toe in the water will be truly exciting.
Frid^y, 24th - S^turd^y, 25th October
In October, it’s the Starbase 24 Banquet. Speaking as a member of this group
as well as Region 20, it’s a pleasure to see so many of our members at this
event. This year, we will have daytime activities, so I look forward to seeing
plenty of people support them. Check out the advert in this issue for more info.
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Issue 10: June 2014
S^turd^y, 4th - Sund^y, 5th @pril 2015
Going way forward to April 2015, it’s First Contact Day. True, the date falls
on Easter weekend (or should that be Easter falls on First Contact Day?) and
this year, the event will be for two days, It will also feature two star guests:
the lovely Claudia Christian and the brilliant Garret Wang. As you can see
from the cover, I’ve met Garret, and he’s a funny, sharp guy.
That about wraps it up from me. See you, out there!
Dan
FLEET CAPTAIN Dan Adams
Vice Regional Coordinator
In this Issue ...
Attention all hands... ........................................................................................... 2
In this Issue ... ...................................................................................................... 3
Acknowledgements ............................................................................................. 4
Issue Dates........................................................................................................... 4
STARFLEET Medical in the World of STAR TREK .................................................. 5
Making Submissions ............................................................................................ 6
Lex’s Story ............................................................................................................ 7
Astronomy & Astrophotography ....................................................................... 10
GAMEZONE: Star Trek Attack Wing ................................................................... 11
Destination Star Trek Frankfurt ......................................................................... 14
The Ensign's Mission.......................................................................................... 19
MISSION REPORT: Pre-FCD Dinner .................................................................... 23
Living with Fibromyalgia .................................................................................... 24
TEN FORWARD: Quiz Night................................................................................ 26
Finance Officer's Abbreviated Report................................................................ 27
MISSION REPORT: Collectormania 21................................................................ 28
What is the Best Job in Starfleet?...................................................................... 33
TEN FORWARD: Word Search............................................................................ 34
Quiz Night: Answers........................................................................................... 35
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Issue 10: June 2014
@cknowledgements
Issue D^tes
Our thanks go to this issue's
contributors (listed alphabetically):
FCAPT Dan Adams
MCAPT Amanda Barrow
MCAPT Colin Barrow
CMDR Lorna Bergin
CAPT Matthew Bergin
LTJG John Brogan
LTC Bob Mabbitt
LT Betty O'Brien
Simon Parton
The Commonwealth Magazine is our
quarterly magazine available to
download as an A5 PDF. This means
that you can copy it to your eReader or
read it on your PC, whichever you
prefer. Publication dates are as
follows:
USS Stargazer
USS York
USS Stargazer
USS Iceni
USS Iceni
USS Alba
USS Stargazer
USS Cuchulain
USS Stargazer
Issue Date
Jokes courtesy of CAPT Matthew Bergin,
USS Iceni.
The Commonwealth is the newsletter
of STARFLEET International –
Region 20. Unless otherwise stated, all
articles are the property of the author.
Any opinions expressed are solely
those of the author and may not
reflect the opinions of the editors,
STARFLEET Region 20 or STARFLEET
International.
Star Trek and all related trademarks
are the exclusive property of CBS. They
are used here without permission for
entertainment purposes only.
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SPRING
SUMMER
AUTUMN
WINTER
March
June
September
December
Deadline for
Submissions
18 February
22 May
22 August
22 November
Please remember that the Editor only
edits the magazine so unless you make
submissions, the Commonwealth will
be very small indeed. All submissions
are welcome, but the Editor reserves
the right to edit, postpone or not to
publish a particular item.
Submissions should be sent to
[email protected].
Many thanks.
LT Anni Potts
Chief of Communications
20th Fleet
Issue 10: June 2014
ST@RFLEET Medic^l in the World of ST@R TREK
MC@PT @m^nd^ 'P^nd^' B^rrow, USS York
@ssist^nt Surgeon Gener^l
Starfleet Medical is the department of Starfleet that deals with all medical and
clinical matters. The main facility is located in San Francisco on Earth and it has
existed at least as early as 2151 as a part of the United Earth Starfleet. It is
aligned with the Starfleet Medical Academy where it trains doctors and medical
personnel for all bases and starships in Starfleet.
The Starfleet Medical Division is headed up by the Surgeon General of
Starfleet. Directly subordinate to the Surgeon General is the Director of Starfleet
Medical who oversees day-to-day activities of the division on behalf of the
Surgeon General.
B^ckground
Dr. Leonard McCoy was assigned to Starfleet
Medical in the early 2260s after he requested a
transfer to Earth so that he could be near his ill
father. Following his death, McCoy participated in
a medical relief mission to Capella IV but found the
Capellan’s rather resistant to the Federation's
medical sciences.
In late 2364, Dr. Beverly Crusher accepted the
post of Head of Starfleet Medical remaining there
for just over a year before returning to the
USS Enterprise-D in early 2366. Crusher later
returned to the post in late 2379, but transferred
back to the Enterprise-E a short time later.
ST@RFLEET Medic^l in 2014
STARFLEET Medical is a separate branch of
STARFLEET International. Our focus is to oversee
medical operations and provide assistance to
Chapter and Regional Medical Officers in giving
medical information and resources to the members
of STARFLEET.
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Issue 10: June 2014
Our services to the Fleet include:
• Providing each chapter, and by extension each member, support to
further medical knowledge and/or programs for the chapter/individual.
• Encouraging chapters/members to become certified in CPR/First-Aid and
to promote such training in their communities.
• A short-term goal of at least one member of each chapter to be certified
in CPR/First-Aid.
• Holding a 'Medical Panel' and provide medical Information at IC and/or
local Regional Summits.
• Running Blood Drives "If permitted by the Event Committee".
• A long-term goal of having every member in SFI holding some sort of
CPR/First-Aid training and to encourage every chapter to hold annual
CPR/First-Aid Awareness Events and provide free
or low-cost training to their communities.
If you are currently serving your chapter as a Chief
Medical Officer, nursing staff or technicians then
the STARFLEET Medical Corps is interested in
hearing from you.
Currently the Assistant Surgeon General for
Region 20 has corner desk space in the broom
cupboard of the OIC’s 386th MSG Mjølner Office.
Please drop by and say hello.
Panda
M^king Submissions
To m^ke ^ submission, you only need ^n ide^!
If you can write a full article, that's great, but don't be put off if you feel your
writing skills aren't up to it. Simply contact me with your idea and between us,
we'll pull it together. Some of the articles in the Commonwealth have been
compiled from as little as a single photograph and one sentence!
Zig
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Issue 10: June 2014
Lex’s Story
by MCPT Colin B^rrow, USS St^rg^zer
(Models by Lex)
First Contact Day was full of big surprises.
I was taking my turn to man the
Stargazer table but still had plenty of
time to look over the other tables and
see some of the great things on offer.
The day was very well organised and
in the afternoon each table was invited
to come to the front and give a brief
presentation about their chapter or
project. Afterwards, Fleet Captain Dan
Adams gave out awards on behalf of the
Regional Coordinator.
MCPT Amanda Barrow was one of the
recipients and was called to the front to
receive a Distinguished Service Award.
After photographs, she returned to the
Stargazer table and sat down. Just then a young boy (we later found out that Lex
was only six-years old) dressed in a gold command 'Into the Darkness' shirt came
over to the Stargazer table and said to me, "I want to join your ship," so I handed
him a leaflet about the
USS Stargazer which he took
to his father.
His dad came over and I
gave him a Region 20 leaflet
and explained about all the
different chapters in the
region, but his dad said that
Lex had already made up his
mind!
Amanda then joined us
and we got Lex to come and
meet Captain Dan who said
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Issue 10: June 2014
hello and gave him a Stargazer badge.
While Mandy was talking to Lex’s dad, Lex was running around with a small
model of the Enterprise in his hand. Drew asked Lex to explain to me what he
was doing. Lex (still running) said, "I'm going at Warp 6."
"Ah," said Mandy, "but young sir, what speed do we travel at in Space Dock?
Half impulse, please sir."
Lex immediately braked hard and reduced his speed to a creep (very passable
half impulse). According to his father, Lex is Star Trek crazy.
After the event, back at our hotel, we contacted his father through Facebook
and told him that meeting them both had to be the total highlight of our year.
"You have such a delightful son. Will it be okay for us to write about meeting
Lex and him asking to join the
USS Stargazer?"
The reply we got back was, "Oh
my goodness! He would absolutely
love to be featured in a newsletter.
That would make his year! I've
heard nothing else from him
during the two-hour drive home
other than about 'my new
Trekkie friends'. He actually
thinks he's secured himself a commission into Starfleet now, but yes, you can
copy a picture for the newsletter if it helps and I will set him up a membership as
soon as I’m am able. But the day was great—his excitement has him still buzzing
and he's currently watching 'Generations'.
"Both of us had a fantastic time there and hope to attend many more. On the
journey home, he was excited he had met some Trekkie friends as no one at
school understands it. I’ve just mentioned to him your message and he will
probably be up another hour now."
Such great joy brought a lump to my throat because I think this is what fan
clubs are all about; reaching out to new people and making them happy, and I
shall never forget that day we met Lex and his father Drew at FCD.
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@stronomy & @strophotogr^phy
LTC Rob "Furb^ll" M^bbitt, USS St^rg^zer
As some of you may know, I started an astronomy degree with the Open
University and so I have taken my first steps into a world that has fascinated me
for thirty years. On the back of this fun hobby though, came another one:
astrophotography.
When I looked into this at the start and saw what other people were using, I
thought that this is going to be way out of my price range, but with a little bit of
trial and error and
also some help from
others, you can get
some good pics with
an
inexpensive
camera.
The picture of the
sun on the right was
taken using a simple
point-and-click
compact camera and
some
solar
eclipse
glasses.
REMEMBER:
Don't
look directly at the sun
with the naked eye or
through a telescope etc).
The moon picture was
taken with a slightly
more expensive camera
with functions to change
the shutter speed and
exposure times. It was mounted on a tripod, which really helped to keep things
steady.
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Issue 10: June 2014
G@MEZONE: St^r Trek @tt^ck Wing
FC@PT D^niel @d^ms, USS St^rg^zer
We are quickly coming to the first anniversary of Star Trek Attack Wing being
released. It's certainly a game that has brought many people into the Star Trek
fold and many Trekkers into the gaming fold and the game shows no signs of
slowing down. Here are a few things you might find interesting ...
W^ve 4
Hopefully, by the time you
read this, Wave 4 of Attack
Wing will be on the shelf in a
gaming store near you. This
time around, we are treated to
the Kazon (a bit rubbish to be
honest ... so just like their TV
counterpart), the Borg (with a
new movement system, a new
class of upgrade and all the
danger that one would expect
from the scourge of free
thinking life-forms), Species
8472 (again, like the TV series—be afraid, be very afraid) and the plucky
Federation ship that unites all three: USS Voyager.
Voyager comes with all of the main crew with the exceptions of Kes and
Neelix (no doubt if ever Neelix's ship
is released, he and Kes will be on
that) plus the Transphasic torpedoes
and ablative armour that was seen in
the Voyager finale 'End Game'.
Org^nised Pl^y:
The Tholi^n Web
As the Dominion War closes in most
stores, the next organised play (OP
Event) based on the Tholian Web
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Issue 10: June 2014
should be along soon. Just like in the episode of the same name, you must
contend with the titular web which turn-by-turn shrinks the area available to
play, until the map goes from 3ft x 3ft to 1ft x 1ft. As with the other OP events,
there are two ships up for grabs (this time a Tholian ship) as well as participation
prizes for all.
Org^nised Pl^y: The Borg
With the Borg sphere's arrival
as part of Wave 4, the next
serial OP features the cuberiding bullies from the Delta
Quadrant. As with the
Dominion War, a slew of
prizes are up for grabs
including ships, a 'counter
attack dice' and an assimilated
Enterprise-D as the grand
prize for the entire series.
Interestingly, this OP will
also have an option for you to
purchase a "blind buy" ship to
use in your fleet. The exact
nature of these ships are
unknown, but this should
provide an interesting opportunity for collectors and players alike.
I really do enjoy these OP events. While my skills aren't anything to write home
about, I will say that I haven't walked away from the Dominion War OP Series
empty handed. I've won two ships and have received every participation prize. If
you can get to an OP event, I would really recommend it. As well as the Attack
Wing awesomeness, I've met new friends and have been introduced to exciting
new games.
Now it's your turn...
As part of the festivities of the first Regional event, I am looking at running
various Attack Wing matches. I stress these will not be as complex as the OP
events. I'm looking at putting together some one ship builds for people to have a
try with. If you're interested, please drop me a line.
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Destin^tion St^r Trek Fr^nkfurt
LT Betty O Brien, USS Cuchul^in
This is the log of the ship’s Counsellor as she explores new frontiers and travels
to Frankfurt, Germany to experience "Destination Star Trek, Frankfurt".
E^rth d^te 20-02-2014
The much awaited day arrived; it was
time to set out on my mission to
Frankfurt in Germany. After a long
day travelling, I finally arrive at my
Hotel, the Maritim Hotel, Frankfurt.
which is about five minutes away
from the event hall. I am given my
room on the fourth floor and as I
make my way through the corridors to find it, I am suddenly reminded of the
scenes from The Next Generation when crew walk through the decks of the ship.
The reason for this is that the hotel is a round
building and the corridors are circular.
E^rth d^te 21-02-2014
I was up early, ready to enjoy three days of fun
and meeting new people, but what would I
wear...?
Decision made, off I went past this guy,
"Hammering Man"; he moves his hammer hand up and
down all the time.
Destination Star Trek, Germany opened its doors at
2pm and I was there to take in all the excitement of the
opening. On entering the building, the excited ticket
holders were ushered up three escalators to the third
floor of the Messe Frankfurt, Hall 3. We entered the hall
to the sound of Michael Giacchino’s closing credits score
from the 2009 Star Trek movie.
Once inside, the first thing that caught my eye was
the reproduction bridge set from The Next Generation.
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This set would be the cause of much excitement on Saturday evening when the
TNG crew posed with the fans who were willing to pay €200 for the privilege of
sitting in the Captain’s chair in their company. (I will talk more about that later.) I
would have liked it if this set had included the Ops and Comms consoles.
The area behind this set was where the exhibitors had their stands. Most of the
exhibitors were the same companies that were at DSTL with the exception of a
stand by the Mars One Project and a stand where you pose for 3D photos and
have 3D action figures made in your own likeness.
In fact, the design and layout was almost the same as it had been in London,
but it had even less seating areas and props then London.
To the left of the entrance were the ticket booths and further left of this area
was the autograph signing area. Next to this was Stage A. This was where most
of the talks took place. On the other side of the Hall, another Stage (Stage B) was
used for other talks by Trekkie Girls, Trek Radio and the less well known stars
from the Trek universe.
Dotted around the hall were a number of vendors selling small snacks and
beverages. Next to stage B was a band stand which hosted the party for Friday
and Saturday night.
I kept myself busy throughout the day meeting new people, looking at the
exhibits and visiting the Star Trek Museum, which contained some interesting
items.
I had my picture taken on the TNG set while waiting to join the queue to
meet and have my picture taken with William Shatner.
The photo shoot with William Shatner was over before I knew it because it
was just before the opening ceremony so the crowds were not too large, and I
did not have to wait long for my turn to stand next to the man himself. He did
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not say anything to the
people
waiting
but
occasionally greeted each
person. I'm afraid I cannot
remember his words to
me. I was too busy being
ushered into position and
then lead away again by
the staff at the photo
shoot.
After this, it was on to
the Opening Ceremony. All
the visiting stars were introduced, either on their own or in groups of two or
more. The audience were invited to ask each guest questions as they appeared
on stage. It was a very enjoyable hour and fifteen minutes. Sometimes the stars
were introduced but now and again a small video clip was used to introduce
people. This was the case for Karl Urban who appeared by himself. Connor
Trinneer and Dominic Keating also were introduced by a video. They arrived on
stage together and were very entertaining accusing each other of drinking too
much and refusing to tell a certain joke because there were children present.
Another duo was Armin Shimerman and Rene Auberjonois who pushed and
pulled each other in the style of their onscreen counter parts shown in their
video clip.
Soon this part of the evening came to an end and we were invited to go to
the band area to listen to the Tim Russ Band. There is cool and then there is
Tuvok tuning his guitar ... but not a Vulcan Lute in sight.
Gene Roddenberry's electric typewriter
from his home
“Odo” evolution masks.
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E^rth d^te 22-02-2014
I am up early to get to the convention in order to see Marina Sirtis and
LeVar Burton in the first talk of the day. I enjoyed this forty-five minute talk.
Marina was very entertaining and LeVar added great comedy by interrupting
Marina on many occasions with the words, "I did not know that". Both actors
answered questions from the audience in a most entertaining way.
After this talk finished we were asked to leave the stage area to queue up
again to re-enter for the next talk. This time it was the turn of Gates McFadden
and Michael Dorn. Again, I enjoyed a most entertaining talk. Michael told a good
story about how fans used to think it would be a great idea to give him gifts of
prune juice. He would bring it home and one day his mother came to visit him
and saw five cartoons of prune juice in the fridge. She asked him, "are you alright
boy".
This was the last of the talks for the morning that were included in the
convention entrance price, so as I did not pay for the extra talks I did not attend
any more star talks, but there was still plenty to see on stage B.
The day moved on very quickly and at 5.30 pm I joined the queue for the
"Borg Regeneration Chamber photo shoot with Alice Kridge". This lady was
amazing. I was very impressed with the way she talked with the cameraman and
made sure that
both
Borg
chambers
were
visible
in
the
picture.
When I finished
my photo shoot
with Alice Kridge, I
went over to the
Bridge set to watch
the TNG crew pose
for pictures with
fans. I saw at least forty people get their photo taken at this time but I only
joined the onlookers. It was interesting to watch and the crew seemed to enjoy
pretending to be knocked around the bridge. A very strict no photos rule was
enforced during this photo shoot to stop onlookers taking photos of the actors.
After taking a break for an evening meal at the nearby shopping centre, I
returned at 9.00pm for the Saturday night party. This time hosted by the
Enterprise Blues Band.
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Issue 10: June 2014
E^rth d^te 23-02-2014
By now I was feeling very tired and as I had seen all the things I wanted to see
and I had no more photo shoots, I decided to rest at the hotel and then do a bit
of site seeing in Frankfurt. I returned to the convention in time to see the
Enterprise Blues Band play another set on Stage B after which they answered
questions from the audience. I was also able to see an auction of Star Trek items.
Trekkie Girls and Trek Radio continued on Stage B while on Stage A, Armin
Shimerman, Rene Auberjonois, Jeffrey Alan Combs and Casey Biggs held a talk.
This was one of the talks included in the entrance ticket, but the queue was too
long for me to join.
Destination Germany did not hold an attempt to break the Guinness World
Record for people dressed as a character from Star Trek at any time during the
weekend.
At 5.00pm I took my leave of Destination Germany and headed off to the
airport for my flight home.
My impressions of the event.
The Star Trek guests were very entertaining and the fans made it a very
enjoyable weekend, but the event planners did not learn any lessons from the
mistakes they made in London. Still not enough seating at the parties, only one
small bar open
during the parties
which meant I had
to decide whether I
wanted a drink or if
I wanted to sit down
as queuing time for
a drink looked like it
would take at least
half an hour. I chose
to sit down as I had
been on my feet all
day.
The
staff
seemed to be well
trained and friendly, and the overall feeling of goodwill did go some way to make
up for the shortfalls of the management. Over all, I enjoyed the three days and I
met many interesting people from all over Europe.
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The Ensign's Mission
@ short story by LTJG John Brog^n, USS @lb^
The young ensign inched slowly forward then squatted, lowering himself into the
waist-high ferns and long grass. His ears strained to hear any noise other than
the breeze blown movement of grass and trees. He tried to make out anything
unnatural; any manmade noise. Nothing.
That did not mean that they were not there. The people he was looking for
were fugitives; would be lying very low and still. It was even more than likely that
they had posted a watch and that one of them might be watching him right now.
Although only about ten in number, they were extremely violent and dangerous
men: a product of their time.
Of course, if he had brought a tricorder along, he would have been able to
pick up the life signs; would have known how many, how close and in what
direction. But then this was a strictly-off-the-books mission, and highly personal.
He was not supposed to be off the ship, never mind signing out equipment and
attempting what he was about to. If caught, they’d lock him up and double the
force fields.
Suddenly he caught a whiff of something in the air. Something he didn’t
recognise. He crept slowly forward. Before he’d gone four cautious paces, three
figures rose out of the grass in front of him. Incredibly dirty and dressed in
ragged clothing, he realised they were the source of the smell. His immediate
problem was that they were armed and their weapons were trained on him. One
was wielding a two-handed sword with a double-edged blade, whilst the other
two had tightly drawn bows, with barbed arrows aimed directly at the centre of
his chest. Incredibly ancient and barbaric weapons, but entirely to be expected in
this place, and at this distance of about fifteen feet away, as lethal as a phaser
set on maximum.
Raising his arms very slowly to show he had no weapons (not that they would
have recognised a phaser as a weapon) he said as calmly as he could muster, "I
am unarmed and mean you no harm. I have a message for your leader. Is he
here?"
There then followed a heated discussion between the three in a dialect so
broad and accent so strong that he barely understood a word, even though he
knew and even spoke the modern version of the language. He thought he
understood that the bowmen wanted to shoot him down there and then, but
the swordsman was arguing that he, the Ensign, could not be one of those
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hunting the fugitives as he was alone and not a member of a hunting party, and
besides—look how strangely he was dressed!
Thankfully the swordsman’s view prevailed and the archers reluctantly
lowered their bows, easing the drawstrings as they did so. The swordsman
walked slowly forward, staring at the younger man’s clothing, and as the ensign
too glanced down at his perfectly normal Starfleet day uniform, the swordsman
suddenly and without warning brought the flat of his blade crashing down on the
ensign's head.
He came to, who knows how much later, to find himself lying in the grass
beneath a rocky outcrop surrounded by about a dozen men, all lying about,
chatting quietly among themselves or simply dozing. No one was paying him any
attention, but as they lay all around him, he obviously wasn’t going anywhere. As
he tried to ease his position, a splitting pain in his head caused him to groan
involuntarily. All talking stopped and all eyes turned to him.
Recognising the man who had felled him with the sword, the ensign said
again, "I have a message for your leader. Is he here with you?"
The swordsman got up and walked slowly over. He stood above the ensign
and studied him silently for long moments, during which no one else spoke. He
then uttered one word, "Wait," before walking over to the rocky outcrop and
ducking into a fissure which the ensign had not noticed.
Emerging a few minutes later, the man walked back to his place, but as he did
so he looked over at the ensign and nodded his head in the direction of the rock
face. The ensign got slowly up and walked towards the rocks. Ducking into the
crack in the rocks, he immediately could see nothing so deep was the gloom.
"Who are you and what do you want?" said a weary voice from the darkness.
"Who I am does not matter," said the ensign, "but what I have to say to you
does."
As he groped his way further in, his eyes were adjusting to what little light got
in, and he could make out a figure sitting on the floor at the back of what was in
effect a small cave formed as huge boulders lay atop one another. The man sat
with his legs drawn up, forearms on knees and head resting on his arms: a
picture of abject misery.
As his eyes grew more accustomed to the little light there was, he could see
that the man was dirty and unshaven, dressed in clothes that may have once
been fine, but were now torn in places and as dirty as their wearer. He sat down
opposite the man.
"What I have to say to you will change your life forever," said the ensign. The
man, who was obviously already in despair, just snorted and waved a weary
hand round the confined space. "In telling you this, I am breaking the laws of my
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Issue 10: June 2014
people, the most important of which we call the Prime Directive, and the
punishment for this is severe."
The man had said nothing more since his initial question, but now he gazed
silently at the ensign, who knew he had at least caught his attention. The man
was listening. Now for the hard part.
"The only way for me to be caught and punished is if you talk about our
meeting. No one knows I am here and no one must ever hear a word of what I
am about to tell you. Do you solemnly swear never to repeat what I say? In
return, I promise you the rewards will be great, and you will achieve everything
you set out to do."
"Now you mock me," said the man. "You can see I am defeated, hiding in this
small cave like a fox in its hole, and only a matter of time before my enemies find
us. Get out of here!"
And now, thought the ensign to himself, comes the hardest part of all.
"Yes, you are sitting here in a hole in the ground like some animal, but I
promise you that if you get up and get out, you will reap your rewards. You have
a small core of men out there who are putting up with severe hardship because
they believe in you and your cause. You must carry on, if only for them."
He could see he was not getting through, was not convincing enough, and the
man's next words convinced him of this.
"What makes you so sure?" said the man in such a tone of weary despair that
the ensign realised that he was going to have to tell the truth and face the
consequences. He just had to keep it simple, in words this man, a product of his
time, would understand.
"Before I tell you, I must have you promise on oath that you will never repeat
what I tell you. Do you so promise? You have nothing left to lose at this moment,
and I tell you, everything to gain."
"Very well," said the man wearily. "I will never talk of our meeting to
anyone."
"As you travel around the land on foot and horseback, so my people travel
around by means you could never hope to understand. My people also have the
means, by use of certain devices and tools, to travel through time itself."
The man stared at him in blank incomprehension. The ensign pressed on,
hoping that the urgency of his speech revealed the truth of what he was saying.
"I come from what to you would be many centuries in the future. As you look
back in history and see many famous names and figures, so I look back in history
and see you."
The ensign stopped as the man started to rise to his feet.
"You are mad!" he said. "Get away from me this instant or I will run you
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Issue 10: June 2014
through," he said, producing a dagger from beneath his cloak.
The ensign had only one chance. Looking the man straight in the eye and
speaking calmly but forcibly he said, "I am unarmed and unable to prevent you
from doing so, but I say again, if you hear me out, you will achieve everything,
kill me and gain nothing."
He drew a long silent breath as the man slowly sank back to the floor.
"As I have said, I come from many years in the future, and by coming here to
speak with you I am breaking several of what we call Temporal Laws, and if you
follow my advice, then the changes made by my interference break the Prime
Directive, our greatest law.
"At the moment, in this small cave, and at your lowest, I know you see no
future ahead of you but death or imprisonment. But what is in the future to you
is in the past for me. It has happened. It is real. It is from the perspective of
knowing what happens over the next weeks and months that I come to you
today. You must understand that I know that greatness and glory awaits you if
you step out of
this cave, gather
your men and
take your fight to
the
enemy.
Others
will
gradually gather
around you till
you prevail."
Here
the
ensign
had
veered from the truth. In his history, this man will be killed by his enemies here
in this cave in three days time, unless he can be persuaded to get out. Only then
can the ensign return to his own time and see how much history has changed.
As the man stared at the ensign, a light seemed to come on in his eyes. Was
the ensign getting through to him?
"Go raise your men and fight! There is a kingdom to be won! People will join
you!"
"I will," said the man, "for there is nothing to be gained in here." As he spoke,
the antics of a small insect caught the eye of the ensign.
"But if I am not to speak of our meeting, what shall I say to those who
thought me beaten?"
Ensign Stuart looked at his ancestor standing before him and said, "Go forth
Robert Bruce and tell them a spider inspired you."
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Issue 10: June 2014
MISSION REPORT: Pre-FCD Dinner
CMDR Lorn^ Bergin, USS Iceni
The Night Before FCD...
Sometime before First Contact Day, I knew we would be coming down the night
before. I also knew that a few others
from the region would be doing the
same, so I put two and two together
and decided to see if others were
interested in joining us for
something to eat on the Friday
evening before the main event. It
would be the first time since last
year's FCD event that many of us
would come together, and the very
first time for others.
At first, I wasn't sure though. One
or two people had to pull out due to
work commitments etc, but we
ended up with eleven of us which was great, especially as it was my first time
organising this.
We arrived between 2:00 and 3:00pm and didn’t leave the restaurant area
until late—well after we had finished eating. Loads of things were talked about
and a few laughs were to be had. It was great having three chapters come
together like that; really set us up for the next day.
A A A
Where does a tenten- What do you call a
foot Mugato sleep? tenten-foot Mugato?
@nywhere he w^nts.
Sir.
The Commonwealth
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Issue 10: June 2014
Living with Fibromy^lgi^
MC@PT @m^nd^ B^rrow
STARFLEET Medical is a branch of SFI looking at
solutions for real life problems in the world around us.
If you are interested in getting involved with the
STARFLEET Medical Office for Region 20 and want
to help out in any way, please don’t be shy—talk it
over with your Chapter CO first then, once you have
his support, please do contact me.
There are lots and lots of opportunities to get
involved. Oh, and did I mention I am looking out for
an able and willing Assistant. Remuneration may (or
may not) be in the form of a hot chocolate beverage.
•
•
A STARFLEET Medical Blog for Region 20 has now
been set up and is live.
20th Fleet website now has a dedicated
STARFLEET Medical page.
Musings from the desk of the @ssist^nt Surgeon Gener^l
I guess that many of you will have come to know me in one guise or another,
either as the rather incorrigible BDE DOIC for the XX, as the CMO of the
Stargazer or indeed in my newest ‘hat’, the OIC of the only medical Marine Unit,
the proud 386th Mjølnir attached to the USS York. I’m the short one (diet in
progress) that usually follows Big Col around, but then I have to really because:
(a) he’s my driver and
(b) he’s my HUSBAND.
However, what many of you won’t be aware of is that in July this year, it will be
the ninth anniversary of the date when I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia.
Fibromyalgia, also called fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS), is a long-term
condition that causes pain all over the body.
In addition to the widespread pain, I also suffer with:
• increased sensitivity to pain
• fatigue (extreme tiredness)
• muscle stiffness
• difficulty sleeping
• problems with mental processes (known as "fibro-fog") – such as
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Issue 10: June 2014
•
•
problems with memory and concentration
headaches
irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) – a digestive condition that causes
stomach pain and bloating
Fibro is not heredit^ry>
Actually, there seems to be little that doctors do know about this condition—and
no two people will suffer with exactly the same symptoms, but one thing they do
seem certain about is that it is not hereditary. Odd that, because my aunts have
it, as do my cousins, sisters and my brother. My mum also thinks that she has it
(we think it's arthritis but mum is a story for another time). So you can imagine
what it's like when we all get together. You would think it would be a pretty
miserable time, but actually, no. Each of us in is determined to enjoy life to the
full. Diet (what to eat and what to avoid) is always a favourite topic as are forms
of exercise—obviously marathons are out of the question, but a gentle stroll to
the top of the driveway is a hotly debated topic.
For me though, like many of us I know who are reading this, even before
getting out of bed each morning, the battle to live has begun. We often rely on
loved ones to get us through the worst of days and make the most of those brief
interludes when the pain is under control.
Sensible Diet ^nd Gentle Stretches
I really, really HAVE to pay attention for my diet. No white bread (my sister calls
it 'licensed cyanide'), tomatoes, cakes, pineapples ... actually the list is quite
endless and comprehensive, but over the years and by trial and error I have just
about sorted out what makes the pain worse and what really works.
The other part of my life that I have had to change quite significantly is the
form of exercise I can undertake. Long gone are the days when I could spend a
couple of hours in the gym or swim forty-odd lengths in the pool (without
stopping), so I've had to find other forms of exercise. One thing that I have found
absolutely wonderful is Tai Chi. Not only does it allow for the muscles, taut with
lactic acid, to stretch and flex, but I have found it is a wonderful way to meditate
and allow the much overwork tired brain cells to become calmer and clearer.
If you want to learn more about Fibromyalgia then please visit:
UK Fibromyalgia - all you ever need to know or
Fibromyalgia – NHS Choices
The Commonwealth
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Issue 10: June 2014
TEN FORW@RD: Quiz Night
by Simon P^rton, USS St^rg^zer
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
When the Enterprise-D crew discover some 19th Century relics in California in the
episode "Time's Arrow", which to items belonging to Mark Twain are among them?
What is Michael Westmore's contribution to TNG, DS9 and Voyager?
Who says to Data in the TNG episode 'Tin Man'; "I can't read you at all, it's like you're
not there"?
In which episode doe the Borg attempt to capture a Super Borg that has been
accidentally created on Voyager?
Who gave Nog additional reading lessons outside of school?
What is Khan's full name?
What planet is the TOS episode 'The Return of the Archons', set on?
What kind of being was Lieutenant M'Ress in the animated series?
Which episode of DS9 was directed by Rene Auberjonois and featured Gul Dukat on
the verge of a mental breakdown?
Who is older, Data or Lore?
Which crew member is kidnapped and replaced with a double in the TNG episode
'Allebiance'?
In the TOS episode, 'Balance of Terror', Mark Lenard plays the battle-weary
commander of a ship belonging to which race?
Who managed to propel Voyager 9500 light years instantly, thus avoiding the part of
space occupied by the Borg?
Which star of TNG played a gay interior decorator in the 1995 film 'Jeffrey'?
In Star Trek V, the Okrona is a ship in the service of which race?
What causes Kirk to be charged with the killing of a fellow officer in the TOS episode
'Court Martial'?
Which crew member is captured by the Borg in film 'First Contact' but is unable to be
assimilated?
In the 'Measure of a Man', what does Riker do immediately before saying "Pinocchio is
broken - its strings have been cut"?
Which character made her debut in the DS9 episode, 'The Hands of the Prophets'?
Which experimental ship, equipped with a new cloaking device, gives its name to a
final season episode of TNG?
What is the name of the shuttlecraft NCC-1701D-2 that is used by Scotty in the TNG
episode 'Relics'?
The Commonwealth
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Issue 10: June 2014
Fin^nce Officer's @bbrevi^ted Report
MC@PT @m^nd^ B^rrow, Region^l Fin^nce Officer
Reporting D^te: 20th M^y 2014
With the Region really starting to expand, we have recently appointed our first
Chief of Regional Finance whose responsibility is to keep an eye on the monies
etc and report to the Executive Committee and Admiralty Board. MCAPT
Amanda Barrow has also asked to include a report each issue so that you too can
see exactly what's going on in that department, and that's a really good idea, so
here's her first report.
Region^l Fin^nces
March 2014
Opening Balance
Deposits Received
Expenses
Carried Forward
0.00
115.00
0.00
115.00
April 2014
Brought Forward
Deposits Received
Expenses
Carried Forward
Region^l Summit
Chapter
USS Alba
USS Britannia
USS Cuchulain
USS Hyperion
USS Iceni
USS Stargazer
USS York
Other
TOTAL
115.00
89.14
0.00
204.14
May 2014
Brought Forward
Deposits Received
Deposit Paid to Space
Centre
Carried forward
204.14
Attendees
4
1
5
7
1
18
75.00
204.14
As you can see, EIGHTEEN people have paid deposits for the Summit so it's
shaping up nicely.
Not booked your pl^ce yet>
Contact FCAPT Richard Sams at [email protected]
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Issue 10: June 2014
MISSION REPORT: Collectorm^ni^ 21
CMDR Lorn^ Bergin, USS Iceni
Earth date: 16th-18th November 2014
Location: Milton Keynes
I have to say that even though we
attended this event last year with a
costuming/charity table, we were not
sure we were going to be doing the
same again in 2014. It all came down to
cost at the end of the day, but with a bit
of luck and the money back on a broken
product we had bought, things all
seemed to fall into place. I sent off the
usual email to get the ball rolling and
within a couple weeks, we were emailed
back confirmation that we had been
given a table.
As usual, we decided to have a
tombola and daily raffle at our table, but
also added in some kiddies’ lucky dip
goody bags to see how they would go
down. Months before the event,
preparations were underway. We did
the usual—trawled car boot sales and
the pound-shops (plus a few other
specific shops out there) for items for
the table, plus we were fortunate to
have people donate a few items,
which really helped.
Weeks before the event, I was
ticketing up all the items we had
acquired and making a handy list of
what they all were, then boxing them
all up ready for the journey down.
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Issue 10: June 2014
Another great find at one of our local 99p
shops were the books filled with raffle tickets.
We grabbed quite a few in varying colours.
We had been given some items by Val
Hughes which, with some sweets, little
knickknacks and Star Wars trading cards
(acquired for less than 10p each at a local car
boot sale), we started work on the goody
bags. One thing led to another and before we
knew it we had made 150 of the things. We
put the items in Ziploc food bags to make
them easier for the kids, and then wrapped
them all in Christmas paper picked up for 4p a
roll back in January to make them look a little
more presentable.
The event was to start on the Friday, but
we had to be there by 2pm the day before to
set up which wasn’t too much of an issue. I
mean, unlike last time when we had to be
there by 8am, it actually gave us time to sort
out the car and not have to get up so early.
(That said I always get up early when doing
these conventions. Not sure if it's nerves or
excitement but never able to get a good
night's sleep.)
Setting up didn’t take as long as I thought.
With the addition of a portable fold-up 6' x 2'
table we had brought along ourselves, we had
plenty of room to play with. The guys (that is
Matthew Bergin and Adam Dolphin) got most
the items out the car while I was left to get
everything arranged the way I wanted. Some
people might think I’m a little fussy but
presentation is the key. You want people to
be able to see as many of your items as
possible: no items being hidden by something
bigger in front of it plus, if I was going to be
one of the two main people helping run the
tombola side of things, it was best at least
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Issue 10: June 2014
one of us knew where most items
would be for easy access when that
item's winning ticket was pulled out
the bag.
Friday came and even though we
knew it was going to be a much
quieter day than the others, we still
did reasonably well. After last years
November CMK and only making
about £50 on the first day, we
definitely smashed that total.
Saturday, still with the funny layout
of the venue (guests all over the
place, dealers downstairs in a big
hall type area and all the costuming
groups upstairs along with a few
guests and the organisers booth) I
still wasn’t sure how well we were
going to do overall. Well, I needn’t
have worried. The goody bags were
a great success and we had so many
people come over and take part in
our tombola and raffle that we
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Issue 10: June 2014
made back all the money on the stock we had purchased leaving us with about
£300 from Friday and Saturday for the charity. Anything we made on Sunday was
all for the charity.
Have to say, even though I knew Daniel Adams was going to be there, I was
not expecting him to help us out. It was definitely much appreciated as at one
point, we had so many people taking part in our tombola and asking for one of
our goody bags for the kids that I
didn’t know if I was coming or
going. Thanks again for that one.
Three to four people were
definitely needed over the
weekend—no way could anyone
have run that stall on their own.
As for the raffle Matthew was
in charge of, I have to mention
the clocks that Adam made using
his great design skills went down
a treat, especially the one with
three Trek minions on (even
some of the non-Trek fans out
there loved it). Those clocks
alone probably helped us raise
another £45 or more for the
charity as not all of them went in
the raffle. Some were available to
purchase outright, again, with all
profits going to the charity.
You know the raffle doesn’t
always bring in the most money,
but it’s the best way to get
people over to the table and be
able to have a small chat with
them. You tell them which items
are in the raffle and then you get time to talk about the Chapter, Region 20 and
the charity we support. It's definitely not as easy to do that on the tombola side.
It might not have been the biggest amount ever raised but still about £140 of the
overall total raised came from the raffle (after all stock money was accounted
for) which is still a fantastic amount.
Thanks to everyone involved, we were able to raise an impressive £500 for
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Issue 10: June 2014
our chosen charity which is the Starlight Children’s Foundation UK. For those that
don't know, they grant wishes to sick and terminally ill children, plus they
provide distraction boxes in hospitals, DVD players, toys and even aid towards
things like clowns going into the hospitals to cheer the children up. None of us
like being ill but as adults we usually
understand what is going on. A lot of
kids (especially the younger ones, don’t)
and as they say, laughter is the best
form of medicine (if only that was really
true, hey!)
The USS Iceni motto is ‘Make Every
Moment Count’. For sick kids that motto
is even more important than ever. They
might be one of the lucky ones who live
until they are sixty years old, or may
only have a few weeks left. Either way,
we have to make sure that every
moment in their small lives counts, and
raising this money for such a great cause
is one way we can do that.
We are always looking for more
stock, new items, new ideas, so if you
have any, please feel free to drop us a
line via email or on FB as a DM.
Everything we receive is greatly
appreciated and goes towards helping
such a great cause. Our next event will
be the FilmFair in Watford on the 8th June, then Sci-Fi by the Sea at Herne Bay,
Kent on the 15th June, followed by the big one in London: London Film & Comic
Con (LFCC). It might seem like a lot of work, but I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t enjoy it
and with the support of others and knowing what good we are doing, I don’t
think I will stop any time soon.
McCOY: "Do
"Do you
What does a
serve crabs here?" Romulan frog use
for camouflage?
MESS OFFICER: "We serve
@ cro^king device.
^nybody, sir."
The Commonwealth
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Issue 10: June 2014
Wh^t is the Best Job in St^rfleet>
C^pt^in M^tthew Bergin, USS Iceni
Since I was little, I have loved Star Trek, but it wasn’t Kirk or Spock that stole my
heart; it was the great storylines and that everyone was accepted, and this
theme was carried through all the incarnations of Star Trek. Sure, there were
characters and races that didn’t get on but none of that mattered. So what is the
best job in Starfleet?
I was not an engineer; my skills were more suited to demolition.
Communications were not for
me either, which will make my
wife laugh as she says I talk a lot.
So how about navigation or
weapons? Both cool jobs but
still not what I wanted.
Blue shirt then? Well,
medical and counselling are
okay, but still not the top job
that I desired. Neither was it
admiral or President of the
Federation.
No, it was captain.
Captain was the post I
wanted, and it was because
the captain always looked out
for his crew and was there
when needed (although Kirk
was a bit careless with the red shirts) and once you get a crew, it’s like they're
your extended family.
As to my favourites? Captain Hikaru Sulu who defied orders to rescue his
friends, and Captain Rachel Garrett who went into a battle knowing there was a
virtually zero chance of coming out alive, risking all to save the future.
So, that’s a little about me. Who’s your inspiration?
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Issue 10: June 2014
TEN FORW@RD: Word Se^rch
M
U
O
T
U
L
P
U
U
L
D
S
Y
O
L
F
G
E
U
M
A
Z
C
D
F
B
G
E
P
G
R
U
U
C
V
X
I
J
V
A
V
Q
N
Y
M
P
A
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N
A
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I
M
N
K
I
S
A
A
V
X
I
Z
U
O
A
A
W
A
T
Y
F
Y
C
E
A
N
E
R
T
W
L
T
O
E
E
I
W
asteroid
astrophysics
Big Bang
black hole
comet
constellation
corona
Earth
V
L
G
Z
D
S
Q
V
Q
R
A
J
Q
V
I
B
A
V
C
F
T
Y
O
O
L
Y
M
P
U
S
M
O
N
S
X
X
X
M
W
G
R
E
A
K
N
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A
R
E
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E
H
P
S
O
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O
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A
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L
L
L
Y
M
B
B
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A
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H
O
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E
F
S
P
L
W
R
U
S
L
I
E
K
I
G
T
B
E
E
C
B
G
Z
A
G
U
D
N
A
S
A
E
M
X
E
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G
N
A
B
G
I
B
O
X
R
R
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T
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Q
I
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C
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S
M
X
A
N
Z
Z
R
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A
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O
D
B
M
C
S
M
X
E
C
F
Q
N
R
B
B
H
E
N
I
T
P
J
E
I
O
T
N
J
galaxy
Jupiter
lunar
magnetosphere
Mars
Mercury
Messier
meteor
Milky Way
R
N
I
I
X
O
U
I
V
T
U
H
H
S
U
E
A
A
O
Y
O
U
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H
P
S
O
T
E
N
G
A
M
H
R
Q
T
D
E
Miranda
Moon
NASA
Neptune
nova
Olympus Mons
orbit
photosphere
Pluto
X
N
O
R
Y
H
X
U
C
O
M
E
T
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P
P
N
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D
A
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R
S
A
T
E
L
L
I
T
E
V
D
H
M
satellite
Saturn
Sun
sun spot
supernova
Uranus
Venus
white dwarf
J
The Commonwealth
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Issue 10: June 2014
Quiz Night: @nswers
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12. The Romulans
13. Kes
14. Patrick Stewart
15. The Klingons
16. A computer malfunction
17. Data
18. He flicks a switch on Data's back
and turns him off
19. Kai Winn
20. The Pegasus
21. The Goddard
His watch and his revolver
He's the make up designer
Elbrum
Drone
Jake Sisko
Khan Noonian Singh
Beta III
She was a cat-type being
The Waltz
Lore
Jean-Luc Picard
McCOY
McCOY "I've borrowed Mr.
Scott's bagpipes."
KIRK: "But you c^n't pl^y them."
McCOY
McCOY:
OY: "While I've got them,
neither can he!"
Well, th^t's ^bout it for this issue. See you
^g^in in September, but don't forget to send
in your ^rticles, photos, jokes etc in the
me^ntime!
[email protected]
The Commonwealth
-35-
Issue 10: June 2014