TWQ: First Christmas Presents

As it is now October, Christmas is looming up. TWQ (the Weekend Question) asks what are the first presents that you buy.

What are the first Christmas presents that you tend to buy and why? List as many as you wish.

 My answers are:

* The first ones are the calendars for myself. They have to be imported from the US, and can take a lot of time to arrive, plus there is a discount for early ordering.

* I have to but British calendars here for my friends abroad, so I like to get them early to allow for the heavy flow of post nearer Christmas.

* I review how many Chrisrtmas cards and seem how many new packets I need after looking at my list and adding and culling a few names!

Note: I know many did their shopping for this year long ago, and are probably looking towards Christmas 2011!
 

Now it's over to you...

A Cure For T'Pol (Part Two)

Guest Poster: Ensign Britney

With my lover and friend T'Pol not having long to live due to her having Tavellian Fever, Captain Picard has allowed a group of five to go on a secret mission to the planet Tavella, situated in the Romulan Empire to obtain the only antidote that will cure her. I am on board a small ship with Jennifer Baxter, Ro Laren, Jadzia Dax and Deanna Troi.

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We've only bean going a short time when the squabbles start, with arguments about who is leading the mission..

"Well I say Britney should lead it." says Jadzia, "After all, it is her girlfriend that we are trying to save!"



"She doesn't have any leadership skills." Jenny says, as she carries her traditional fighting leather outfit in one hand and her multiphase disruptor in another, "I need to lead this mission. We'll go in with all guns blazing and get the cure for T'Pol."

"And start a galaxy-wide war with the Romulans at the same time." Ro Laren tells her, "Look, the only person here with Commander rank is Deanna. She needs to be our leader."

All our eyes look towards Deanna, who up to now had been sitting in one of the back seats in the ship reading Galactic Fashion Monthly.



"What?" she exclaims, "You want me to be in charge? Oh all right."

Deanna puts down her magazine somewhat reluctantly, and looks at us all.

"Jenny." she starts, "I agree with Ro. We can't go in violently. We can only start if we face any form of aggression. Even then, diplomacy will always come first."

Jenny puts her gun down, looking somewhat disappointed.



"Then what are we gonna do, boss?" I ask Deanne is a tired, but slightly sarcastic tone, "Are we going to go to the Tavellian Pharmacy and ask them for the antidote?"

"Don't worry, Britney." Deanna says, "I think I have an idea..."

To be continued after the TWQ....

A Cure For T'Pol (Part One)

Guest Poster: Ensign Britney

My soulsistah T'Pol and I are about to get into bed together when I notice she is very dizzy. I feel her brow. She is all sweaty. In fact all her body is! She's usually only this temperature after we have vspent half an hour in each other's company!

"T'Pol, sweetie!" I exclaim, "What's wrong? Your body feels as if it's on fire!"



"D-don't know, Brit." she stutters haltingly, and then slumps unconsiously in the bed.

I scream at the top of my voice, as if I a watching a horror film in the cinema, then gather my thoughts and call Beverly Crusher in the SickBay. In a few moments, a medical team burst into our quarters like a 21st century SWAT Squad. and collect, then wheel T'Pol away.

Hiurriedly I put on some clothes, as I realise the medical team has had an eyeful of me as nature intended. Then I run down to SickBay to hear what Beverly has to say.

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"Itr's not good news, Britney." Bev tells me with a slight tear in the eye, "T'Pol has Tavellian Fever. It is fatal, unless we can get the antidote. She only has a couple of weeks to live."

"Well, get the antidote, snap, snap!" I exclaim, my Dr Martens boots kicking away a gurney in disgust.

"It's not that easy, Britney." Bev explains, "The only cure is found on Tavella, a non-Federation planet, located in the heart of the Romulan Empire. We can't go there..."

Captain Picard comes in behind us.I burst into tears when I turn round.

"I don't want to lose her, Captain!!" I wail, "T'Pol is all I have in the world. I love her."

"Yes, I know." the Captain replies, "The Enterprise can't go as it would be seen as an act of war. Perhaps we could send an unmarked vessel with some volunteers?....."

I smile at this idea..."Thank you, Captain."

-------------

A few hours laster, an unmarked vessel is ready to leave the deck. I turn round and coming forward is Jennifer Baxter, armed with her multiphase disruptor, Ro Laren, Jadzia Dax and lastly, Deanna Troi.



"So." Jenny say, looking around, "It looks like an all-girl trip. Let's get the ship powered up. We've got T'Pol to save!"

With that, the Magnificent Five step on board, and we jet off into space, towards Romulan Space.

To be continued...

TWQ: Emigrate

Our neighbours are emigrating to Canada this coming week. As a reslt, TWQ (the Weekend Question) is asking just where would you go nto.

If you wanted to move to another country, what would be your firstr, second and third choices?

My answers are:

As I'm in Britain, my destinations would be:

1:  USA   (East coast)
2: Canada (Ontario area)
3: Norway (or possibly New Zealand)

Now it's over to you....







 

The Borg Queen's Visit (Part Four)

I'm waking up in the alcove after a trip to Unimatrix Zero, the computer geberated world that Borg drones can visit as their former selves if they have the recessive gene. I was able to get there as the Enterprise computer tuned itself to the frequency required.

I met Annika Hansen, the human side of Seven of Nine. The Borg Queen suspected she might be here due to evidence that she found. The Queen will destroy Seven if she findfs out...

---------------

I groggily step out of the alcove, as if I have had one too many ales last night.



"Well?" says Bev eagerly, as she gives me a sedative to get over the dizziness, "Is she there?"

"Yes." I say graverly, "I met Annika Hansen and she burged me to help her. Can you believe she's the joint mayor of Unimatrix Zero? Did you do what I asked?"

"I gave both Seven and Queenie a deep sedative while they were regenerating." Beverly answers, "I also took that extract from the Queen.2

"Good." I say, "Hopefully we can lie ourselves convincingly enough to save Saven."

A few moments later, the Borg Queen steps out of her alcove. She notices the time.,

"I have been regenerating a long time!" she exclaims, "I must have needed it. The responsibility of running a Borg Cube can take it's toll."

She then looks squarly at me.



"Ah, Jean-Luc." the Queen chimes softly, "Have you visited Unimatrix Zero and found Seven's human counterpart there?"

"I did visit it." I tell her with a poker face, "But the residents said there was not, nor has there ever been anyone named Annika Hansen."

"Indeed?" Queenie answers, with a slightly menacing voice, "Now you wouldn't be trying to give me false information would you? I know we were lovers when you were assimilated, Jean-Luc, but I wouldn't be happy if I found out you were lying..."

I start to get very nervous inside, but Bev steps forward just before I am asbout to crumble.

"I have the evidence here, Queenie." Beverly tells her, "I took this sample from Seven's bloodstream as she was regenerating. As you see under the microcomputer, it shows the nanoprobes that make her a Borg, but a complete absence of the recessive gene."

"Very good." the Queen smiles, "It looks like the evidence was falsified. Agents of the Troi Borg Queen trying to cause trouble, no doubt. Well, I'm sorry for the intrusion, Bev and Jean-Luc. I have a Borg cube to look after."

We escort the Borg Queen to the departure point.

"Hope to see you soon, Jean-Luc." she whispers to me, and blows a kiss, as soon as she notices Beverly isn't looking or listening.

After she has gone, Bev and I heave a sigh of relief.

"I don't know how we got away with that!" I exclaim, "I thought at one moment that the Queen would spot something was going on."

"Relax, Jean-Luc" Beverly tells me, "Little does she realise that the blood sample actually came from the Queen's arm, and not from Seven."

The Borg Queen's Visit (Part Three)

Right now, I'm hooked in one of our Borg alcoves on the Enterprise. On one side is Seven of Nine, on the other is the Borg Queen. They are both currently regenerating. I am about to visit Unimatrix Zero, where Borg clones who have the recessive gene can visit. The Borg Queen has informed me that evidence has arisen thar Seven may have the gene, and her human alter-ego Annika Hansen may be there. If she is, the Queen will destroy her.

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"Are you ready, Jean-Luc?" Bev asks me as I am about to go under.

"Yes." I reply, somewhat nervously, "I don't know what I'm going to find there, but don't forget what to do what I asked. Queenie is in an extra-long regeneration, and will be unaware."

As I'm connected up, I feel like I'm the Frankenstein monster, who's just had a big jolt of electricity.

Suddenly I wake up on a grassy meadow and look around me. There is a a forest nearby, and in the distance, the coast opens to a wide ocean.



This is a good place to come for a vacation, except that iot's all in the mind. I notice that the forest area has some barely concealed caves, and there is life about. As I approach, all sorts of races are living together. They look at me oddly, as they can tell I'm a newbie in town.

A young blonde-haired woman stares at me in shock from the distance, horrified to see me here. She rushes forward. Though I can bazrely recognise her from the metal-plated drone we have on the Enterprise, I'm pretty sure who this is..



"Hello, Captain Picard." she says, "I'm Annika Hansen, the human part of Seven of Nine. Welcome to Unimatrix Zero."

"How do you know who I am, Annika?" I ask.

"Oh, I know what Seven knows." she laughs, "Fortunately she doesn't know about me, otherwise there would be trouble from the Borg Queen. What brings you here?"

"There IS trouble from the Borg Queen!" I exclaim, and tell her that she has evidernce that Seven is in Unimatrix Zero, and I have been sent to see."

Annika goes whiter that a shirt ironed by washing up liquid in a galactic tv advert.

"You're not going to tell on me are you?" she asks, "The Queen would destroy both Seven and I. Here, I'm the joint mayor of this realm along with my hated ex-lover."

I look amazed at this fact, but continue.



"No, Annika." I tell her, "But I needed to know if you were here before knowing how to proceed. Don't worry; you'll be safe. It's time for me to leave."

"Good luck, Captain." Annika says, "I hope you'll visit again soon. Unimatrix Zero has many holiday caves for the discerning visitor."

I feel myself coming back to the Enterprise alcove.

Now to deceive a Queen...

To be continued.....

TWQ: How To Deal With King Kong

A while back, TWQ (the Weekend Question) asked you what to do if a plague of zombies struck. This time, it's monkey business!

What five things would you need to help you get away from King Kong, who has just invaded the city? Be as silly as you like!

My answers are:

* A bunch of bananas

* A man's suit (he only picks up women!)

* The song 'I Wanna Be Like You' from 'The Jungle Book'. This will make him dance away!

* A full size cardboard cut out of Fay Wray, the actress from the 1933 movie

* A hard hat (in case he falls on to your head)

Now it's over to you...

The Borg Queen's Visit (Part Two)

The Borg Queen is visiting the Enterprise. However, rather than chasing after me, as she usually does, she has told Bev and I that there is evidence that Seven of Nine may be linked with Unimatrix Zero, the area that drones go to when they have thev recessive gene and are regenerating.

-------------

Bev and I are both stunned at this news.

"Surely there must be some mistake, Queenie?" Bev tells her, "Seven is a dedicated Borg. There is no way she would be part of Unimatrix Zero. She reads every copy of Borg News thouroughly"

"Not deliberately, Beverly." the Queen answers, "But her unconcious human self would be free to enter the realm when regenerating if she has the gene. The Borg cannot allow it to spread. If she has it, Seven will have to be destroyed."

"You can't do that!" I exclaim, "She is a member of my crew. I can't have you killing them off."



"May I remind you, Jean-Luc" says the Queen, "That I placed Seven on this ship to observe you all as part of our truce agreement? I can just as easily remove her and have her terminated."

I sigh, as reluctantly, I concede that she is right.

"Well, what is the evidence?" Bev asks, "Perhaps we can see if there is some way it is incorrect?"

"Cerrtainly, Bev." Queenie tells her, I have here a document from the Borg medical library. We are gradually going through all the billions of Borg drones in the galaxy. When it came to Seven, we looked through, and saw that her internal body make-up contains the recessive gene."

"I that case, we need to do another medical on Seven." I say, "The evidence could have been planted by someone out to cause trouble, like the Troi Borg Queen."

"I had considered that." the Queen replies, "Beverly, will you do the medical for me?"



"Err...very well, though I won't be happy if Seven has to..." Bev trails off.

"It's either that or I get the Borg drones to carry it out." Queenie answers, "Believe me, that will be A LOT more unpleasant. Now excuse me, I shall regenerate in Seven's guest alcove."

The Queen strides out. Bev and I look at each other.

"What are we gonna do, Jean-Luc?" Bev asks desperately, "We can't let Seven be killed. I know she's a humourless drone, but she is one of the crew."

"We've got to find out the truth about the gene, Bev." I tell her, "We know the computer pitch that matches the gene. If I get in the other alcove while the Queen and Seven are both regenerating, and get connected up to the computer, it should take me to Unimatrix Zero. I need to talk to Annika Hansen, who is Seven before she got assimilated, if she is there."

"What good will that do, Jean-Luc?" Bev asks.

"We'll know the truth." I answer, "In the meantime, I want you to do something that will satisfy the Queen."

I tell her what it is, then get hooked up to the alcove.

"Here we go." I tell her, "Next stop, Unimatrix Zero!"

To be continued after the TWQ....