Make It So 26

102 Pages·1996·3.7 MB·English

by  ScotPress

Scotr press
J1tAKl Jf[ SO 26
a Star trrek fanzine
CONTENTS
A Little Ado Eve Robinson P 3
The men ill the crew arc irresistibly attracted tall /lew, temporary crcu.!lnember
Cousins Sandra P Edge r 15
A mercenary group mids Dr Svollg's laborlltonj & Ihe Daysfrom illstifufe
Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow Eve Robinson P 24
A lab {/::,sl~.;ftll1f help;; a disc()1Ilec/ed android which is beillgstudit'd
Body Language Jenny Howsam P :!6
A Boy Dreams Ann Lindsay Wright P27
To Press the Trigger Jenny Howsam P28
Where No Cat Has Gone Before Pen Cramphorn P29
Spot accidentally joills all Away Tl'am
A Man Ann Lindsay Wright P 38
Let Us Prey Christine Carr P 39
Answerillga distress mil frolll Exa III, the Ellterpn'se crew fillds a social problell!
but solving if ill the JnQ;i humalle fashioll means breaching fhe Prime Directive.
The Right Decision Arline Lewis PlOD
Artwork -Zaquia Tarhuntassa -cover (used with permission)
Matthew Christie -P2
A ScoTpress publication
Editor -Sheila Clark
Typing - Christine Carr, Sheila Clark, Sandra Edge, Eve Robinson
Proofreading -Janet Quartan, Sheila Clark & Valerie Piacentini
Printing of Masters -Janet Quarton
Printing -Urban Print, 57 Perth Road, Dundee.
Distracting -Shana and Cindy
MAKE IT SO 26 is put out by ScoTpress and is available from-
Sheila Clark
6 Cl'aigmill Cottages
SlTathmartine
by Dundee
Scotland
© ScoTpress April 1996. All rights are reserved to the writers and artists. Anyone wishing to
reprint any of the material herein is asked to obtain permission in writing first. It is
understood that this applies only to original material herein, and that no attempt is made to
supersede any rights held by Paramount, NBC, BBC or any other holders of copyright in STAR
TREK material.
ScoTpress -Sheila Clark, Valerie Piacentint Janet Quarton

3
A L,rfLE ADO
by
Eve Robinson
CAPTAIN'S LOG Stardate 46439.1 porcelain teacup. "1 hope the
Mah'hadrexilani piece isn't too ...
The Enterprise is en route to modern."
rendezvous with the USS Ajax, to
which the newly promoted Lt "Mmm. That wasn't what 1 meant. 1
Commander Danby has been was still thinking about Philippa Kodaly."
posted as Second Officer. She is an
excellent officer and takes with her Picard's cup halted mid~way to his
our good wishes. Mr Danby will lips. "What about her?"
acompany his wife, leaving the
Enterprise schoolroom under "It's just that..." Dr Crusher frowned
staffed until we reach Starbase 212. slightly. "While I was giving Professor
However, we will be taking on a Kodalv her medical, all the men who
passenger from the Ajax, a were ~n duty in Sick Bay seemed to find
Professor Philippa Kodaly, who is some excuse to come and talk to her.
apparently willing to join the
teaching roster until she leaves the Picard looked at her blankly. She
Enterprise for the University on shrugged. "I thought it might be
Bokan Six. interesting to see what happens in Ten
Forward. That's all!"
"I met her yesterday when she
reported to Sick Bay for the routine
medical. I liked her. Very friendly,"
Beverlv Crusher made her way to Ten
"I'm looking forward to meeting her. Forward ';'ith half an hour to spare before
She has quite a reputation as a literary the concert was due to begin. She was
scholar. I hope to have an opportunity to nursing a sW1fruit cocktail when the door
discuss her views on the Revivalist swished open to admit Deanna and Will.
school. Would you pass me the apricot She waved them over.
preserve?"
"You must be very eager to hear this
"Here. Perhaps she'll be at the concert concert, Will," Beverlv teased as the
this evening." Commander helped Deanna into her seat.
"Ah, yes, the concert." Picard sOW1ded "I think he's more interested in getting
dubious. "Mozart and Mah'hadrexilanL a good look at Ensign DuChesney,"
An unusual choice of programme." Deanna confided. "I understand she's very
attractive."
"It should be interesting," mused
Beverly. ''I'd say she was downright beautiful,"
Beverly admitted. As Chief Medical
"Hmm. I understand we have a new Officer. she was probably the one person
Ensign on board with a talent for the on board who got to meet every member
clarinet." The Captain paused to refill his of the crew, sooner or later. And Ensign
DuChesney was .. memorable. le<lning across the bar, talking to
Professor KodaIy. "I'll just go and speed
"But since she's been locked away in things along." He stood and strode over
Stellar Cartography for the bst six weeks, to the animated group, leaving Deanna to
I haven't had a chance to judge for stare at Beverly, who raised her eyebrows
myself." Will Riker sat down, grinning. and quirked her lips in silent comment.
"What brings you here so early?" The collection of uniforms gave way
Deanna asked her friend, as soon as the before Commander Riker's superior rank,
attentive young bartender had taken her and he returned in triumph bringing
order. Beverly gave an enigma lic Ii ttle Professor Kodaly -and their drinks -with
pussycat smile and nodded towards the him. Deanna sensed ever-increasing
woman who had just come [-hrough the amusement from Beverly, and waS a little
door, a shortish, slightly chubby figure in startled at the degree of interest she could
a loosely-draped cream tunic. feel emanating from Will. Covertly, she
studied the new arrival's face. It was a
"Isn't that Professor Kodaly?" the nice [ace, an appealing face, heart-shaped,
Counselor asked, curiously. "Alexander slightly freckled and surrounded by thick
was just talking about her." mouse-brovvn hair, but even the very
attractive smile that spread across the
"We dropped in to admire his new Professor's features from time to time did
pet," interpolated VVill. "U's a Dalvin not elevate her to the status of a beauty.
Hissing Beetle. Ask Worf about it when And Will had always had an eye for
you're in the mood to learn some feminine beauty. What exactly is the
interesting Klingon vocabuhlrY.·' He attraction? she wondered, noting the way
Rdded, confidentially, "He hates it!" Will found opportunities to touch
Philippa KodaIy's hand and arm as they
"Alexander seems to like her," Deanna chatted.
continued, with a reproving frown.
"Actuallv, he said she was more fun than "May I join you for a few moments?"
Dumpy'Danby and she smelled good." The rich, classic tones of the Captain
She and Beverly exchanged rueful sounded frum behind her. As soon as
glances. Boys! introductions had been perfolmed, Picard
turned to Professor Kodalv and embarked
"It's happening," murmured the upon a laudatory spee~h about some
Doctor to herself. paper of hers. Deanna and Beverly
exchanged glances once again.
A good-looking young Ensign in
command red was sliding onto the stool The Ten Forward entrance opened
next to Philippa Kodaly. again, and a reveren t hush blanketed Ten
Forward for an instant before the buzz of
"Isn't that Sam Lavalle?" asked Troi, noise resumed.
interestedly.
"How beautiful!" It was Professor
A moment later the red uniform had Kodaly's voice, and she was staring at the
been joined by two gold ones. doorway, where stood Data, bearing his
violin, and at his side a stunning young
"No wonder our drinks are taking so woman with a clarinet in each hand.
long to arrive," muttered Riker. The
attendant who had taken their order was "That.. must be EnSign DuChesney,"
5
said Will reverently. "I wonder if she Picard sat back in his chair. "Professor
plays jazz?" And then, to Deanna's Kodaly was most enthusiastic," he
amazement, he turned back to Philippa confided to Commander Riker. "1 believe
and asked whether she had ever heard our resident schoolroom staff are going to
any Miles Davis. But Philippa Kodaly find it a challenge to keep up with her."
was not listening.
"She's certainly an interesting woman,
"Golden ... " she murmured. sir," Riker replied with a grin.
Ensign DuChesney's hair flowed past
her waist like a river of gold. Her face SECOND OFFICER'S LOG,
was a classic oval, with thick-fringed eyes Stardate 46444.3
of cerulean blue, perfectly sculpted lips, The concert for the Enterprise
not a flaw on that milky skin; her tall, school children took place at 1400
slender fonn was so exquisitely hOl.\rs today in Holodeck Four.
proportioned and so graceful in
movement that Deanna could hardly The concert took an unusual form.
blame their guest for her entrancement. Between movements my fellow
players and I were asked to discuss
the instnunents and permit the
children to examine them. Several
The concert was a great success. Even students displayed considerable
Lieutenant Commander Data could find interest in the violin. After some
no fault with the ensemble's rendition of initial difficulties I adopted Ensign
Mozart's Clarinet Quintet in A (K581), DuChesney's practice of creating a
and as for the highly demanding holographic instrument for each
Mah'hadrexilani piece, Ensign child. I have since been able to
DuChesney's authoritative grasp of the replicate and fit new strings
eccentric solo melody drew the clashing without difficulty.
disharmonies and multirhythmic
counterpoint of the underlying strings Many of the children demonstrated
into a satisfyingly coherent whole. That, an unexpectedly sophisticated level
at any rate, was how Data put it. of musical awareness. I had
anticipated that the
Counselor Troi walked on to the Mah'hadrexilani piece "Rite of
bridge just as the name Kodaly left the Passage in BbfD#" might prove too
Captain's lips. She walked to her seat, challenging, but I was assured by
sighing inwardly. What was this ship Harry Bernard, one of the older
wide thing with Professor Kodaly? And students, that it ·bore a strong
what was Captain Picard talking about? resemblance to the works of
"Seven Bones and George", an
"Naturally, I said I would be happy ensemble he described as "abso",
for her to arrange a concert for the although I have been unable to
children. Mr Data, will you liaise with the discover the meaning of this term.
relevant department heads regarding
their staffing arrangements, and fix an Professor Philippa Kodaly has
appropriate time." expressed an interest in joining me
on the holodeck for an exploration
"Certainly, Captain." of Shakespeare's IIMuch Ado
About Nothing". The Professor's
6
reputation in the field of Old her to Data's quarters himself. Besides,
European Literature is she was a very interesting woman.
considerable, and I anticipate a
stimulating and educative "Good evening, Professor. Hello
experience. Georcli. Please come in." Data was all
dressed up and ready to go, Geordi
thought with amusement. He did love to
Geordi La Forge whistled through his throw himself heart and soul into the
teeth as he walked jaW1tily along the part. Heart and soul -probably the wrong
corridor. Time to give Lt Duffy another phrase. Geordi grinned to himself.
painful lesson in how to play chess. Tonight Data was wearing a short tan
tunic with a leather belt, over a wide
"Oh, I'm so sorry! Are you all right?" sleeved white shirt which was open at the
neck to reveal the gleam of his metallic
"No, no, it was my fault," Geordi skin. His legs were sheathed in brown
replied gallantly. "] shouldn't have been tights and short boots. Rather him than
going so fast." me, thought La Forge, grimacing
mentally as he recalled the motley outfit
"I shouldn't have changed direction he'd been forced to wear in. the fantastical
right in front of you! I'm afraid these Sherwood Forest created by Q for Picard's
corridors all look alike to me. I'll probably benefit, oh, must have been about a year
get to know my way around just in time ago.
to leave."
"Thank you for guiding me through
"You're Professor Kodaly!" Geordi the maze, Georcli," Philippa was saying.
exclaimed delightedly. "] saw you at the "It was nice meeting you."
concert in Ten FOlward the other night,
but] didn't have a chance to say hello. I'm "Oh, uh, right. I'll see you tomorrow,
Geordi La Forge, Chief Engineer." maybe," the Chief Engineer replied,
unwilling to leave but unable to think up
"Glad to meet you, Mr La Forge." any excuse to remain. "Have a good time
Professor Kodal y smiled at him, on the holodeck. 'Bye, Data."
"Please, call me Geordi. And let me
help you -where are you headed?"
"Do you approve of my costume,
The Professor took the proffered ann. Professor Kodaly? I have accessed one
''I'm looking for Commander Data's hundred tvventYMthree performance
quarters. We're supposed to be indulging records and I believe it is appropriate."
in a little Shakespeare on the holodeck.
And Geordi, my name is Philippa," She smiled at him. "Please, call me
Philippa. Turn around Mn o, slowly, all the
La Forge laughed and patted the arm way - oh, yes, I definitely approve. I'm
that was wound through his own. "Sure, I afraid ] didn't think to dress the part.
can take you to Data's quarters, but are Would you like me to replicate a
you sure you have the stamina for it? costume?"
Data can get pretty focussed, you know."
He'd tell her about the computer wall "Do you not find that wearing the
panels later, Geordi decided. After all, he correct clothing enables you to give a
was in no hurry, he might as well escort more realistic performance, Philippa?"
7
"Hmm." She stooped to pet Spot, who same time.
was weaving himself between her ankles
and purring uncharacteristically. "I think Duffy was pondering his ninth move
an internal understanding of the role is when the music started Riker and his pals
the essential thing. Once you have that, getting in the swing. The mellow tones of
you have a performance, with or without a clarinet soared above the rhythm, and
the trappings." Geordi looked up in surprise.
The android looked somehow "I guess that explains it," he said, half
dejected. "That is my greatest problem. to himself.
Since I have no Human feelings, it is
difficult for me to achieve an internal "Explains what?" Dr Crusher asked.
understanding of any character." She and Counselor Troi had obviously
just arrived and were looking in vain for
"Then we (lre going to have an somewhere to sit.
interesting time," Philippa Kodaly said
firmly, taking Data's ann and guiding "Why this place is so full
him to the door. tonight! She -" La Forge nodded towards
the radiant Ensign playing the clarinet -"
"Do you not require a copy of the text, must be the attraction."
Philippa?" he enquired earnestly. "r have
prepared a padd for you." ''I'm surprised Professor Kodaly isn't
here," remarked Deanna.
"I expect I can manage," she assured
him. "Where shall we start?" The door "Oh, she's gone to the holodeck with
hissed behind them. Data/ Geordi informed her with a
chuckle. "I tried to persuade her to come
"But Professor, Philippa, I have not along here for some fun instead but. .. "
yet applied my beard! Which is necessary
for the part of Benedick -" "I expect she need" the rest," Beverly
observed thoughtfully.
"Personally, I'm with Beatrice, I never
cared for beards," interrupted his "I'm sorry, Commander, I can't seem
companion. "Look on it as an exercise for to concentrate tonight," Lt Duffy said
your imagination, Data. Pretend you have with a sigh. "Mind if I quit now while I'm
a beard." not too far behind? Please, Doctor! be my
guest." He stood, gesturing to his chair.
"Ah," He considered. "I will attempt Beverly sat down! and Deanna purloined
to do so," a chair from the neighbouring table.
They progressed to the turbolift in "What do you mean, she needs the
thoughtful silence. rest?" Deanna asked, eyes sparkling.
Beverly smiled meaningfully. "I mean,
that spending an evening with Data will
Ten Forward was certainly crowded give our Philippa the chance to do
tonight, Geordi noticed as he made his something without a crowd of men vying
way to the table where Lieutenant Duffy for her attention. I don't know what she's
sat fro-wning at his tri-d chess set. All the got, but she's sure got something."
sociable types must be off-duty at the
8
"And it's unlikely to work on Data," Benedick dislike one another thoroughly,
concluded Deanna with a mischievous yet each resolves to be in love with the
smile. other. Furthermore, although both have
expressed an absolute determination to
"Hey, wait a minute, I don't get it," remain unwed, by the end of the play
Geordi complained. they agree to marry."
Deanna looked at him pityingly. "You "Are you sure they dislike one
mean, you haven't noticed? How a crowd another, Data? There are clues from the
forms around her wherever she is?" beginning that it may not be so. Notice,
for instance, how Beatrice brings
"No wonder she volunteered to work Benedick's name into the conversation,
with the children while she's aboard," first chance she gets."
Beverly said thoughtfully.
"But she mentions him only to insult
"Are you crazy?" exclaimed Geordi. him."
"Are you saying she's some kind of
femme fatale? Because it's ridiculous. "Yet if she truly doesn't like him, why
Philippa's a nice, genuine, really- mention him at all?"
"Interesting woman!" the ladies Data frovmed slightly. "I had not
chimed in together. considered that," he said slowly.
"Yeah," said La Forge, defensively. "It's a fairly common theme, actually,"
Philippa continued, "particularly in what
"Exactly what do you mean by I call 'throwaway literahlIe'. The hero and
'interesting', Geordi?" Deanna asked. heroine are in conflict and mask their
powerful sexual attraction by abusing
"Well, I -you know. Uh ... " His cheeks one another. This kind of denial can
felt warm, all of a sudden, as he tried to intensify the underlying feelings and
define aloud what he did mean. increase the satisfaction when the conflict
is resolved,"
"I think we can figure it out," said Dr
Crusher, the wicked glint in her eyes There was a pause. Philippa could
belying her prim expression. almost see her statement filtering through
the android's programming.
"Human behaviour is complex in the
The sun blazed from an azure sky ex treme" he observed, almost sadly.
onto a verdant hillside. In the distant
valley, a stream tumbled. Sheep grazed, "People like to make life complicated,
far off, and a goat bleated plaintively. In Data. But," she gave a mischievous smile,
the garden of a pale stone castle, two "there are times when it can be very
figures rested beside a playing fountain. simple." She got to her feet. "Data, will
One of them trailed an idle hand in the you do something for me?"
water as it splashed and rippled; the other
sat upright. "Certainly."
"It is certainly an unusual "Kiss me."
relationship," said Data. "Beatrice and
9
He looked at her blankly. "May I ask matters. Philippa sighed again. "Don't
why"?" you have any files on, er, Human
mating?"
Philippa smiled. "Because I want you
to. Please?" Data's eyebrows flicked. "I do have a
sexuality program containing
The android looked a little taken specifica nons for four hundred and
aback. Nonetheless, he took a step tvventy-nme separate sexual positions,
towards her, put his golden hands details of amatory techniques from all the
tentatively on her shoulders, and pressed major Human cultural streams -"
his lips to her mouth. Philippa's eyelids
fluttered down in anticipation .. "My goodness, do you really? See if
there's a subroutine on kissing
... and she blinked in astonishment. somewhere in that lot. And if there is,
That was it? why don't you access it."
"Is that the best you can do?" His head gave several tiny, controlled
twitches as his golden eyes blanked, then
That birdlike flick of the head. "It was the android made a smalL pleased noise.
unsatisfactory?" he inquired in that ever "1 have been programmed with forty~
gentle voice. seven different techniques for mouth-to~
mouth kissing. Which would you prefer?"
"It certainly wasn't what I had in
mind." Philippa beamed at him. "All of them,"
she said firmly.
"I do not understand."
"All of them? Philippa, if 1 devote ten
"Data, when I said, 'Kiss me', I meant seconds to each separate method, that
a real kiss." will necessitate a kiss duration of seven
minutes and fj.fty seconds."
"Webster's Interplanetary Dictionary,
twenty-third edition, defines 'kiss' as 'to "Ten seconds may be adequate for
touch or press with the lips, to touch you, Data, but it is insufficient. time for
gently as if fondly or caressingly, to touch me to assess which method I prefer.
or hit lightly, to come in contact, to Thirty seconds for each technique. I'll
collide -'" leave it to you to put them in a logical
order."
"Data, stop."
"Such a kiss would last for twenty
"Is that not what we did?" three minutes and thirty seconds."
"Yes, but Data, most people don't kiss She shrugged. "I have nothing urgent
by the dictionary definition." She paused. to do."
"1 guess you're not most people, are you."
Poor android. With hardly a change in his Data's eyebrows played a momentary
expression he managed to look so dance across his golden brow, and his
bemused. "1 was hoping for something mouth opened, but he seemed to
more - what shall I say -more thorough." recognise that compliance was the easiest
course, and dutifully folded Philippa into
This did not appear to have clarified a surprisingly firm embrace, and lowered