Features
RECENT FEATURES....
A Fistful of Picard
While Star Trek first launched in 1966, for a huge number fans of science fiction, it wasn't Kirk's adventures that defined Star Trek. It was Picard's. Leading the show into huge success, revitalising and rebuilding what Star Trek was, Patrick Stewart brought a refined performance to bring a measured, intellectual leader to the bridge of the Enterprise. With an incredible calm and restraint, Picard's aura was one that commanded respect through his ability to listen, understand and lead with his conscience. Following the sad loss of the legendary actor, we figured it's time to put our feet up, have some Earl Grey (hot, of course) and look back at some of the Captains finest hours. Measure of a Man TNG Season 2 Episode 9 Hoping to learn from and build on Data's systems, Dr Bruce Maddox comes aboard the Enterprise […]
[Q2&A] The Quadrants of Command
Quadrant 2 is free for anyone in the UK, EU (and more!) to join. With a solid base in the UK, we have members from around a dozen other countries including units in France and Japan. One query we often get in our inbox is why don't we include the countries that have produced Star Trek – the United States and Canada? The answer is simple. We don't host those members. Quadrant 1 does. Starfleet Command Quadrant 2. It's quite the mouthful. If you're a curious fan wandering by wondering why we opted for a club name that had that many syllable, it comes down to our history and how SFC formed and evolved over the years. Originating in 1974, Starfleet Command began in the United States, an idea by fans that quickly gained the support of creator Gene Roddenberry […]
[Treknology] Shields Up! Red Alert!
Different writers, directors and plot points paint Starfleet as multiple and occasionally conflicting things. Both a military and exploratory force, there's many layers to the fleet and how it operates. Handling everything from border defence to mapping unknown territories, even the most mundane mission in peace time can be a risky one. Especially as not every new person you meet will want a cup of tea and a chat, and accidentally dropping into someone's back garden doesn't always go down well.So when the shooting starts, you have to be ready to defend yourself, and in a world of weaponry that could burn an entire planet into ashes, sticking some armour on your hull just isn't going to cut it. One of the most vital systems always ready on stand by, deflector shields help to keep a ship and it's crew […]
Behind the Viewscreen: Gene L Coon
As it's creator, the name Gene Roddenberry is part of the Star Trek legend. But when it came to shaping what the show was, and forming it's foundations, there was another Gene behind the scenes who help build on and refine the shows concepts into the world we know today. Originally brought into the fold in August 1966, Coon was hired to handle day to day production and script revisions during the shows first season, with his first credit appearing on the first seasons eighth episode, Miri. Beyond that day to day production, as well as his creative relationship with Roddenberry, Coon's efforts would help shape the shows identity, helping to form it's unique blend of science fiction, drama and political commentary and in shaping the shows moral compass that would be a keystone of the Star Trek experience. Giving […]
A Fistful of Spooky Encounters
Since it's inception Star Trek hasn't just been a sci fi show, but a show that used it's science fiction setting to tell a variety of stories from a large pool of themes and styles. And since we're officially in 'Spooky Season' on the countdown to Halloween, why not take a look at some of Star Trek's best dives into darkness? EMPOK NOR DEEP SPACE NINE, SEASON 5 Deep Space Nine is falling apart and thanks to the war, O'Brien can't exactly ask the Cardassians for spare parts. But he has a plan. Along with Nog and Garak, O'Brien leads an engineering crew to another abandoned Cardassian station to salvage what they can. Only problem is... there's a reason it was abandoned... Possibly the most straight forward horror story in the series, Empok Nor was host to an experiment gone […]
What If…. the Whales Were Never Extinct?
Fondly remembered as the lightest, more comedic entries in Star Trek's film offerings, The Voyage Home is the story of an alien probe coming to Earth to talk to it's whale pen pal, a little bit miffed that they've not had a letter in a while. In the 21st century, those pen pals – Humpback Whales – had been hunted to extinction. Meanwhile, Kirk and his disgraced crew were on the way home to stand trial and through some time warp shenanigans, take a stolen Bird of Prey back to the 20th century, kidnap some whales, and take them to the 23rd century to save the day. The charges against Kirk were a fairly big deal. Previously Kirk had stolen a soon to be retired Enterprise, went against orders and along with support from his long standing command crew barged […]
[Q2&A] Orientation: The Academy
Joining SFC can be a bit of a whirlwind. With decades of history and developing our own structure and community, it can seem a little overwhelming knowing who's who and where to begin. Everyone starts their time in SFC their own way. Some just dive right in. Some like to know more about us and some prefer a more immersive over casual approach. No matter how you want to make your membership, the Academy will guide you through those first steps... When people think of Academy, they think of it as a testing ground filled with exams, questions and a sort of proving ground to flex your Trek knowledge. Traditionally, thats exactly what Academy was. For a long time members would join, go through Academy and get their first rank reward and assignment once they'd finished the course. A few years […]
[Treknology] Yes Captain, I can Hear You! The Universal Translator.
Communication has always been a vital part of Star Trek. It's foundational to finding peaceful coexistence and basic common ground between hundreds of worlds and civilisations across the galaxy with different cultural norms, traditions and an uncountable variation of foreheads. But with an infinite number of ways to evolve, learn and construct a way to communicate, every language is different. Even here on Earth we have places like Nigeria and Papa New Guinea with hundreds of language variations and even discounting the multiple local dialects and slang within the United Kingdom, we're always a short flight away from a wildly different national language. Within a wider galaxy of influences and evolutionary origins, the difference between Gaelic and Hangul will seem inconsequential to a Vulcan stuck in a lift with a Cardassian. For all the might of phasers, the wonders of […]
A Fistful of Undercover Operations
Occasionally when exploring the wonders of deep space, our heroes of Trek have been summoned to - or by sheer accident - become another person to fulfil their mission. Whether it's O'Brien mixing with gangsters or Picard becoming a mercenary, Star Trek's filled with episodes where our favourite explorers have to become someone else to save the day.... FACE OF THE ENEMY The Next Generation Season 6 Waking up on the Warbird Khazara, Deanna Troi finds herself in a bit of a pickle. Kidnapped and surgically altered to take the place of a Tal Shiar Commander she finds herself led by her handler, N'Vek, to lead a secret mission after the Commander had been killed. Out of her comfort zone, Troi has to convince the crew she's the real deal despite the ships skipper knowing something's not quite right.... In […]
[Meet The Fleet] Director of Fleet Administration, Piers Drinkall
Joining SFC can sometimes be a whirlwind. As part of our Q2&A Updates, we've decided it's time to Meet The Fleet! After introducing our Director of Administration, we're heading to the Academy to meet the person in charge of the new restructure and developments in progress for the fleets training program! Piers Drinkall Director of Fleet Administration, SFCHQ Service ID: SC-534-85063-SOV Current Rank: Rear Admiral Enlisted: 78612.63 (August 2024) A relatively new addition to Q2's Fleet Support, Jo joined as part of the Devonport Reserve for inactive members due to having a personal dislike for social media groups but a big fan of the Universe. Working in training in development in the real world they joined the team in a background role to specifically work on new ideas for Academy on a short-term basis to give it a stronger presence […]
Q2&A: Learn about Q2
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