Squid Perks: Raktajino

Raktajino is Klingon coffee, particularly popular on Star Trek's Deep Space Nine, both the station and the series.  The canon doesn't provide much guidance as to flavor beyond that it's Klingon-strong but, of course, there are numerous recipes online.  I adapted the one at AF's Amazing Food Blog, which incorporates cinnamon, cardamom and allspice.  For the "extra strong coffee," I used espresso and I mixed in the ground spices pre-brewing.  I did not use AF's recommended sugar as we don't really put sugar in coffee at home.

The result was quite pleasant.  The spices add dimension.  It doesn't have the wow flavor kick I was hoping for and I'm not sure what would bring that.  The optional black pepper in the recipe would certainly supply heat but honestly, I'm not a black pepper fan.  Some recipes add alcohol - AF suggests rum, cognac or coffee liqueur.  I doubt that would add much flavor.  I'd just want to go back to bed.

The most important question is whether we prefer raktajino to Captain Picard's beloved Earl Gray tea.  We're planning a Star Trek-themed brunch for Father's Day.  The Purple Penguin and I both prefer the rak.  My wife doesn't care.  So raktajino, it is.  Maybe we'll have a clever idea for making it stronger by Sunday...

Star Trek: By Inferno's Light

Episode: "By Inferno's Light"

Series: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Season 5, Episode 15

Original Air Date: February 17, 1997

via Memory Alpha

Garak episode!

The basics: picking up where the last episode left off, Worf, Garak, Bashir and Martok all manage to escape from the Dominion Internment Camp while the gang back at the station fend off a Dominion invasion with some help from both the Klingons and the Romulans.  There's so much more going on in this extraordinary episode.  Where do you even start?

• The Cardassians, under Gul Dukat's leadership, have cut a deal to become part of the Dominion.
• The prison escape is probably the best narrative in the episode and it is two-pronged.  Garak must contend with his own claustrophobia in rigging the camp's shields to allow the prisoners to transfer back to the runabout, which the Jem'Hadar rather carelessly left in orbit nearby.  Evidently, Andrew Robinson is genuinely a bit phobic and was also sick with the flu so much of his on-screen anxiety was real.  Even so, his is a Patrick Stewart-level man-on-the-edge-of-madness performance.
• Worf is "forced" into fighting each of the guards in turn, satisfying his own lust for battle as well as creating a distraction so Garak can do his thing.  He defeats them all, of course - well, nearly all of them.
• Finally, Worf takes on Ikat'Ika, the First at the camp.  By this point, Worf has earned deep respect from the guards and we also get a glimpse of the guards' disdain for their Vorta superiors.  This ultimate match ends with a memorable line from Ikat'Ika.  He is clearly in the superior position, though Worf refuses to concede: "I yield!  I cannot defeat this Klingon.  All I can do is kill him and that no longer holds my interest."  Wow.
• Garak's story is based on the 1963 film, The Great Escape.
• Meanwhile, back at the station, the impostor Bashir is discovered but almost too late.  He gets away in a runabout and nearly detonates a bomb in the Bajoran sun.  But he is destroyed first.
• Evidently, the rest of the Dominion invasion wasn't real.
• Upon returning to the station, Garak gets a girlfriend!

Seriously, there's a lot going on here.  I'm always amazed by Seinfeld's ability to cram so much material into a 22-minute episode.  Granted, DS9 had twice the time to work with here but even so, it's impressive.

Acting Notes

via Memory Alpha

Ray Buktenica played the role of Deyos, the Vorta Commander of the Internment Camp.  Buktenica was born in New York City, August 6, 1943.  Most of his work has been on television, including a recurring role on Rhoda, one of three spin-offs of The Mary Tyler Moore Show, the most neglected contender in the GOAT sitcom debates.  He also had a principal role on House Calls and a recurring role on Life Goes On.  The big screen resume is relatively modest in length but he's been in some high-profile films, including My Girl, Heat and Shopgirl.

Squid Mixes: Cosmonaut

A Cosmonaut, invented by Sasha Petraske, combines gin, lemon juice and raspberry preserves.  I got my recipe from 3-Ingredient Cocktails by Robert Simonson.  It was intended as a spoof on the Cosmopolitan.  As you can see, it's deeply pink so maybe also a nod to the Soviet communists?  Or is it a pun?  Cosmo-not?  Both?

The first flavor hit for me was jelly doughnut, undoubtedly from the raspberry jam.  Once my taste buds adjusted, though, the sweetness was less potent.  The lemon brings out the natural tartness of the berries.  

Star Trek: Unity

Episode: "Unity"

Series: Star Trek: Voyager

Season 3, Episode 17

Original Air Date: February 12, 1997

via Memory Alpha

During a shuttle mission, Chakotay and his pilot, Ensign Kaplan, respond to a distress call - and doesn't that always lead to trouble?  When they land on the planet of the signal's origin, they are almost immediately attacked.  Chakotay is knocked unconscious.  When he comes to, the woman attending him is human, and a former Starfleet officer at that.  Soon, it becomes apparent that she and the rest of her community are dis-assimilated Borg drones.  They help Chakotay - indeed, they save his life.  But they also need help from him, and the particular assistance required is a tough sell for Captain Janeway.

"Unity" provides an early glimpse of Voyager's most important story - I mean, apart from the obviously overarching long journey home.  With the Hugh arc, NextGen raised important questions regarding the Borg: is it possible to separate a drone from the collective and what would be the consequences of doing so?  Apart from the series premier, DS9 has mostly ignored the Borg in favor of other fruitful narrative paths.  But soon, Voyager will explore these questions in depth via the character Seven of Nine.

It's difficult for me to look past my own eager anticipation of stories to come and judge "Unity" on its own merits.  That said, I think the episode is genuinely important for revealing to Chakotay the power and the seductiveness of the collective.  As part of his healing, he is joined with them and the experience of total connection is overwhelming.  And beautiful.  Yes, they manipulate him for selfish gain.  But then they leave him alone and it's obvious he regrets that a little.

I also think it relates thematically with Captain Sisko's experience in "Rapture."  The stories are separate, of course, and quite different from each other.  But the power of connection is common to both.  I think of where we are as a society nearly 30 years later.  Many have theorized that Trumpism is a result of too many young men, in particular, feeling disconnected from... everything.  Feeling a part of something larger than oneself: is it a universal human need?  Generations of psychologists and sociologists have asserted that it is.  Both "Unity" and "Rapture" support the thinking.

Acting Notes

via Wikipedia

Lori Hallier played the role of Dr. Riley Frazier, the former Starfleet officer turned Borg drone turned separated drone.  Hallier was born in Victoria, British Columbia, July 8, 1959.  She studied theatre at the University of Victoria, ultimately graduating from the National Theatre School in Montreal.

Hallier's films include My Bloody Valentine, Warning Sign and My Name Is Tanino.  On television, she had recurring roles on Days of Our Lives and Santa Barbara and guest roles on The Dukes of Hazzard, Jake and the Fatman and Matlock.  

Squid Flicks: History Is Made at Night

Title: History Is Made at Night

Director: Frank Borzage

Original Release Date: March 27, 1937

My Overall Rating: 3 stars out of 5

via Wikipedia

Irene Vail (Jean Arthur) is desperate to leave her jealous and manipulative husband, the millionaire Bruce Vail (Colin Clive).  Bruce concocts a sordid scheme to frame his, to this point, faithful wife as an adulterer in order to prevent her from divorcing him.  All goes wrong when Paul Dumond (Charles Boyer), head waiter at the Chateau Bleu, rescues Irene and, naturally, the two of them fall in love.  It's quite a convoluted setup for a story that leads across the Atlantic and back again, reaching its climax when the ocean liner Irene and Paul are on hits an iceberg.  The ship is the Princess Irene, owned by Bruce Vail and named for his wife.

You take a step back and it's an absolutely ridiculous story.  Best not to think about it too hard.  Just enjoy the romp.

And it is fun.  Arthur and Boyer are both charming and Clive is great as the slimy villain.  Leo Carillo is delightful as Paul's sidekick, the chef Cesare.

From a filmmaking perspective, the most interesting part is the ship crashing into the iceberg.  I imagine the collision itself was accomplished with miniatures.  The most realistic element was the huge blocks of ice falling onto the deck - impressive by 1937 standards.

The basic romance - a terrible man usurped by a handsome charmer - is not entirely unlike the one in 1997's Titanic.  I have found no reference to a direct link between the two ship-meets-iceberg films but the similarity is intriguing, nonetheless.

Star Trek: In Purgatory's Shadow

Episode: "In Purgatory's Shadow"

Series: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Season 5, Episode 14

Original Air Date: February 10, 1997

via Memory Alpha

Garak episode!

Garak receives an encoded message from Enabran Tain, his old spymaster - surprising since Tain was presumed dead.  Garak and Worf head off in a runabout to the Gamma Quadrant to investigate.  They are captured and placed in a seemingly inescapable interment camp, conveniently the same one as Tain.  And the real General Martok.  And - what's this? - Julian Bashir.

There are many important reveals in this episode, the first of a two-part story.  Most importantly, we learn that the being on Deep Space 9 we had all believed to be Dr. Julian Bashir is, in fact, a Changeling imposter.  Nearly as shocking, if not quite as impactful on the broader narrative, we learn that Tain is not just Garak's mentor.  He's his father.

This week's story ends with a massive Dominion fleet passing through the wormhole.  It would seem the long-anticipated war is about to become a reality.

No one told Alexander Siddig that his character had been taken over by a shapeshifter until the beginning of filming for "In Purgatory's Shadow."  It was a sensible creative decision in order to preserve the deception.  Those who put more thought into these things than I do theorize that the Changeling must have replaced Bashir sometime before "Rapture," four episodes ago.

Ziyal is back.  Before Garak leaves on his crazy adventure, Ziyal confesses deep affection for him, much to her father's horror.  Dukat tries to get her to leave the station, partly to avoid the war and partly to get her away from Garak.  She refuses, standing up to his overbearing attempt at control.  Go, Ziyal!

Acting Notes

via WikiSein

Melanie Smith was the third and final actor to play the part of Ziyal.  "In Purgatory's Shadow" is her first of six appearances.  Smith was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania, December 16, 1962.  Before DS9, she'd had a principal role as Emily Stewart on five seasons of As the World Turns and had played Jerry's girlfriend Rachel Goldstein for three episodes of Seinfeld.  Films include Trancers III, Molly & Gina and Night Hunters.  

On the Coffee Table: The Hernandez Brothers

Title: Love and Rockets

- Human Diastrophism

- Perla la Loca

- Beyond Palomar

- Amor y Cohetes

- Penny Century

- Esperanza

- Luba and Her Family

Writers and artists: Gil, Jaime and Mario Hernandez

Since my last post about the series in August, I've gone on a deep dive with Love and Rockets, powering through seven more trades.  For the most part, each volume is devoted entirely either to Jaime Hernandez's Locas world or Gil Hernandez's Palomar, though few of those are actually set in Palomar anymore, much of the family having moved to Los Angeles.  The exception is Amor y Cohotes which includes unrelated material from each of the two main creators, plus a few stories from brother Mario.  

I won't pretend that over several hundred pages, all of the material is great.  But when Love and Rockets is good, it is astonishingly good.  The greatest strength throughout is the seemingly effortless intimacy.  A few thoughts on specific volumes:

Human Diastrophism

via Amazon

Palomar stories.  The residents suffer through a serial killer and an earthquake.  For the reader, it's rough when terrible things happen to a community you care about.  Kids grow up too fast as decades often pass in just a few pages.  The most interesting story follows Pipo - interesting because the tale told in the images is independent of the one told in the text.

Perla la Loca

via Amazon

Maggie and Hopey start out in Hoppers (LA) but ultimately wind up on separate cross-country adventures.  Loads of wrestling in this one.

Beyond Palomar

This one moves way too fast for me.  Quite a lot of time passes from one panel to the next and it's hard to keep track of it all.  This is also the book where, as the title suggest, the characters start to move away from Palomar to the US.  When they finally do make it back, it feels like coming home for me, too.

Amor y Cohetes

via Amazon

This one is a collection of shorter pieces.  My love for the series relies on absorption and I couldn't get into most of the material here.  However, AyC does include a truly excellent biography of artist Frida Kahlo with images based on her work.

Penny Century

Back to Locas.  One of the most important through stories of L&R is the on-and-off-again love affair between Maggie and Hopey.  They're rarely actually dating.  In fact, they're both usually with other people.  But they still hook up with each other seemingly every chance they get and clearly, it's not just about sex.  There is a potent love between them.

However, it's not exactly equal.  Hopey is the more attached (though also the less dependable) of the two.  At one point in this volume, she muses about the nature of the relationship, basically acknowledging that it's all pretty messed up but in the end, she'll take what she can get from Maggie.  

I've heard people say this in the real world, too.  In effect, they'll take all of the dysfunction over being alone.  Honestly, I've never understood that attitude.  But here, I kind of understand it.  Hopey knows they can never have anything normal.  But she's in love with Maggie.  She doesn't really have a choice.  If it's the mess or nothing, she'll take the mess.

It's still unhealthy.  But I kind of get it.

More wrestling.  

Esperanza

via Amazon

Still with Locas.  Esperanza is Hopey's given name.  Esperanza, of course, is the Spanish word for hope.

The truth is, it's nearly impossible not to fall in love with Maggie.  Most of the other characters do at one point or another.  I kinda did, too.  She's not perfect - far from it.  But she's believable, accessible, vulnerable, unassuming.  Her reflections on her divorce - from a marriage that never even seemed to be especially important to her - comprise my favorite story in the entire series.  

We're also reminded that she's still a kickass mechanic.

And still more wrestling.

Luba and Her Family

via Amazon

Much of this collection is told from the viewpoint of the precocious Venus, Luba's niece, as she writes letters to her cousin back in Palomar.  Venus, probably about 10 years old, is hilarious and her insights into her family are keen.  However, her perspective is far from omniscient.  There's quite a lot of sex going on among the adults, including her own mother's extra-marital affairs.

In my previous post, I proclaimed Palomar to be the superior of the two main worlds.  I've since changed my mind.  Those stories are still good but for me, they lose something after the family moves to the States.  Meanwhile, Maggie and Hopey always draw me back.

I've still got two more trades on my shelves and there are two more beyond that in this series.  At this point, I see no reason not to read all of them.

Squid Mixes: Empress Aviation

I last posted about the Aviation cocktail about five years ago (see here).  I first posted about Empress Gin, dyed indigo with butterfly pea flower, about three years ago (see here).  When my wife recently requested an Aviation (a drink she's been ordering a lot at restaurants lately), I thought to put them together in order to enhance the purple color.  While Empress Gin has a recipe of their own on the company website, I chose to stick with the recipe in David Lebovitz's Drinking French in order to maintain flavor balance (and not cut out the creme de violette altogether).  

As I hope you can see in the photos, my latest attempt is definitely more purple than my 2021 effort.

2026

2021

However, they're still not as dark as the ones The Playwright made for us back in 2016.

2016

Sadly, he's not around anymore to ask but my guess is that he swapped the 2:1 proportion between the maraschino liqueur and the creme de violette in favor of the latter.  I may try that next time.  My wife has also suggested that his were more bitter which could bring greater flavor balance.

Star Trek: Blood Fever

Episode: "Blood Fever"

Series: Star Trek: Voyager

Season 3, Episode 16

Original Air Date: February 5, 1997

via Memory Alpha

Ensign Vorik attacks B'Elanna Torres.  He is suffering through the pon farr, an intense Vulcan hormonal episode which crops up every seven years.  Torres, in turn, starts exhibiting the same symptoms, a la rabies.  She turns her own attention to Tom Paris.  The episode is, in many ways, an homage to the original series's "Amok Time."

There's a lot of ickiness here.  Consent is evidently not a major concern for a Vulcan experiencing pon farr and Vorik is too easily forgiven for his attack.  There is also a problematic perspective on non-human species (too easily interpreted as "non-white") as animalistic when not properly controlled.  

On the bright side, I appreciate the Doctor's broad and inclusive attitude toward sexual understanding across humanoid species.  We could do with a bit more of that here at home in the 21st century.

The story is another step on the road to B'Elanna and Tom having a more romantic and sexual involvement.  Fortunately, the relationship to come is a lot healthier than what we see here.

Acting Notes

via Memory Alpha

Alexander Enberg played the role of Vorik, "Blood Fever" being one of eight appearances for the character.  Enberg also played Taurik in the NextGen episode "Lower Decks."  I think it would have been nice if Taurik's story could have been continued via Voyager but the producers preferred having an all-new character.  Jeri Taylor - executive producer and also Enberg's mother - once suggested that Vorik and Taurik are twin brothers.  In total, Enberg has played four different Trek characters.

Enberg was born in Los Angeles, April 5, 1972.  He is the son of the aforementioned Jeri Taylor and legendary sportscaster Dick Enberg.  Beyond Trek, Enberg appeared in Quincy, M.E., Simon & Simon and Jake and the Fatman.  Films include Pump Up the Volume, Junior and Senseless.  

On the Road: So Long... for Now

For the student, it's four years of transformation, self-discovery, inspiration, exploration and affirmation.  

For the parents, the adventure is partially vicarious.  Watching the child become a self-actualized adult is one of the most gratifying parts of the whole journey.  And the community - both on campus and off - becomes an important part of your own lives.  If you're lucky, and we have been, occasional visits are relatively easy and frequent.

And now, at least for a while, the family geography contracts a bit with future plans still forming.  All three of us are grateful for the experience just completed and excited for the next steps.

Star Trek: For the Uniform

Episode: "For the Uniform"

Series: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Season 5, Episode 13

Original Air Date: February 3, 1997

via Memory Alpha

Sisko hunts Eddington, the DS9 security officer who betrayed Starfleet and Sisko specifically by joining the Maquis.  Whenever Sisko gets close, Eddington always manages to sidestep.  Eddington says he wants to be left alone but he also can't help bating our dear captain.  It's quite a game they play.

The Eddington story overall is a good one.  Betrayal is always a meaningful way to kick off a narrative and a manhunt is inherently engaging.  That said, this particular installment is a mixed bag for me.  The quality of storytelling is solid.  But there are elements I find troubling.

First the good.  "For the Uniform" introduces Captain Sanders, commanding officer of the USS Malinche, for his only canon appearance.  Starfleet sends Sanders to take over the Eddington mission from Sisko, seeing the latter as both ineffective and emotionally compromised.  It's a tricky role.  Sanders first approaches Sisko with regret but also with a tinge of a scolding tone.  In the end, he must admit his own failure to catch Eddington and concede the mission is rightfully Sisko's.  His "save me a seat at his court martial line" is a nice face-saving moment, restoring trust between himself and Sisko.  An understated yet effective performance by guest star, Eric Pierpoint.

Now the trouble.  To get his man, Sisko deploys a biological weapon on a Maquis-settlement planet.  That's a war crime, folks, and it sure as hell isn't good Star Trek.  Even his own Defiant crew reacts with disbelief, though they do follow his order.  And this, my friends, is part of the problem with the Sisko as Emissary arc.  If you tell a man he's essentially a god, eventually he'll start to believe you.  Then he'll believe everything he wants is justified as a matter of divine right.

Sound familiar?

"For the Uniform" includes homages to several classic films, including Run Silent, Run Deep, The Adventures of Robin Hood and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.  

Acting Notes

via Wikipedia

For Eric Pierpoint, "For the Uniform" is the second of seven Trek appearances as five different characters on four different series.  Pierpoint was born in Redlands, California, November 18, 1950, though he spent his adolescence in Bethesda, Maryland, not far from where I grew up myself.  He even graduated from Walt Whitman High School, our arch-rival.  For undergrad, he attended the University of the Redlands where he was also captain of the soccer team.  Then he got an MFA from Catholic University.

Pierpoint's best-known role is George Francisco in the Alien Nation series.  Other television work includes Hot Pursuit, Fame and Parks and Recreation.  Films include Windy City, Liar, Liar and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.

Squid Mixes: Bacardi Cocktail

Several years ago, I posted about a cocktail called the Bacardi Special which combined rum, gin, lime juice and grenadine.  At the time, I wondered what the drink would be like without the gin.  Well, of course, there is already a name for such a concoction, the slightly different Bacardi Cocktail.  I got my recipe from The Joy of Mixology by Gary Regan.

Regan's version is intensely sweet, maybe too much so.  Rum generally pairs well with sweet flavors as it is itself sugar-derived.  Gin might help to cut into the sweetness but then so would adjusting the proportions.  Less grenadine next time, I think.  I would still be interested to try the two side-by-side.  My post on the Special praised its balance.  I liked the Cocktail but I would say it's out of balance.

And now, since he obligingly posed for the photo, I should properly introduce the newest cat in our family.  He's been with us for six months now.  Everyone needs an alias here at The Squid.  His shall be Pretty Boy.  It's what I call him half the time anyway.

Star Trek: Coda

Episode: "Coda"

Series: Star Trek: Voyager

Season 3, Episode 15

Original Air Date: January 29, 1997

via Memory Alpha

On the way back to the ship from an away mission, Janeway and Chakotay get caught in a time loop.  Or is Janeway dying?  Or both?  Eventually, an ethereal entity disguised as her own deceased father strives to lure our captain into the afterlife and away from her Voyager crew.

Honestly, the story for "Coda" is kind of all over the place.  The time loop idea is ultimately meaningless, part of a near-death hallucination.  In fact, did any of what Janeway experienced "really happen"?

And yet there is something meaningful weaved in through it all.  Star Trek has never been shy about exploring death, and not simply the obvious loss aspect either.  Is there an afterlife?  The franchise has, in fact, offered several different answers to that question.  "Coda" suggests the involvement of a higher intelligence.  What is "god" if not a higher intelligence?  Again, this is all well-tread territory for Trek and it won't be the last time for such questions.

"Coda" manages to offer an interesting angle: how does the person dying cope with the fact that she will no longer be a part of other people's lives?  In effect, how does she mourn herself?  For nearly three seasons worth of television, Janeway's primary drive has been getting her crew back to the Alpha Quadrant.  If she dies, she can't help them any more.  She can watch in a ghost state but she can't impact.  She will play no role in their successes or their failures.  Ever-growing loneliness is inevitable.  The only alternative is acceptance and she's not ready for that.

As is so often the case with Voyager, the basic premise is good while elements of the execution fall flat.  First, an obvious narrative oversight: Janeway never catches on to the fact that the one time Kes was able to sense her presence was when Kes physically passed through the Janeway ghost.  Why didn't the captain think to try that again?  The movie Ghost had come out in 1990.  In Ghost, that trick worked - with Whoopi Goldberg's character, no less!  A narrative question has a narrative answer: that wasn't the point of this story.  Whatever.  The inconsistency distracted me.  

Then the funeral speeches from the crew - so moving and so... staged.  It's sweet.  None of it feels organic.  It feels like a school play.  "Okay, it's your turn to emote now..."  DS9 is always effortless.  Voyager rarely is.  I know I just need to move past the differences but it's hard when the gap is evident.  Better actors + better writing = superior narrative flow.  Every time.

But the death stuff is interesting.

Acting Notes

The guest star cannot be blamed for "weak acting."  They brought in a heavyweight for "Coda."

via Blue Bloods Wiki

Len Cariou ("ghost" of Vice Admiral Janeway) was born in Saint Boniface, Manitoba, September 30, 1939.  He started both acting and directing while he was still in high school.  He graduated from St. Paul's College in Winnipeg.  

After several years at the Guthrie in Minneapolis, Cariou made his Broadway debut in 1968.  He received Tony nominations for his lead performances in Applause opposite Lauren Bacall and A Little Night Music opposite Elizabeth Taylor.  The Tony win finally came in 1979 when he debuted the title role in Sweeney Todd, opposite Angela Lansbury.  Films include The Four Seasons, Prisoners and the Best Picture Oscar winner Spotlight.  He's done well on television, too.  He was in the principal cast of Blue Bloods for 14 seasons.  He has had recurring roles in Murder, She Wrote, Brotherhood and Damages.  

On the Road: The Botanic Garden of Smith College

Star Trek: The Begotten

Episode: "The Begotten"

Series: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Season 5, Episode 12

Original Air Date: January 27, 1997

via Wikipedia

Quark sells a young changeling - little more than a jar of goo at this stage - to Odo, effectively making our dear constable a parent.  Odo sets about trying to teach his young charge to shapeshift, a bit tricky given that he can't do it himself anymore.  At Captain Sisko's urging, Odo enlists the help of his own Bajoran mentor/father, Dr. Mora.  Meanwhile, Kira gives birth to the O'Briens' baby.

"Begotten" can be challenging to watch at times as it treads on tricky territory. As previously explored in "The Alternate," Odo is highly resentful of Mora.  Before realizing Odo was a sentient life form, the scientist poked and prodded, generally making Odo miserable.  From Odo's perspective, it was an abusive relationship and his anger is understandable.  Mora, on the other hand, is fully convinced that he was doing what he thought was best.  There was no handbook for raising a Changeling so he had to make it up as he went along.  From the Odo-Mora viewpoint, "Begotten" is a story of forgiveness.

But the more interesting and gratifying tale is the relationship between Odo and his child.  Odo takes a gentler approach than Mora had and with gratifying results.  The young Changeling rising up to form Odo's face in a clear sign of affection is one of DS9's most moving moments.  

The episode ends bittersweetly on multiple fronts.  Saddest, the young Changeling dies.  However, in so doing, it dissolves into Odo, restoring the latter's shapeshifting abilities.  Odo's parting with Mora is surprisingly emotional.  They even hug.  Finally, Kira expresses regret over no longer being with the new baby - probably a very real emotional rollercoaster for many surrogate mothers.

Acting Notes

via Memory Alpha

Peggy Roeder played the role of Y'Pora, Kira's Bajoran midwife.  "Begotten" is Roeder's only Trek appearance.  Other television guest roles include Wings, ER and Law & Order.  Her most memorable movie role may be the piano teacher in Groundhog Day.  Other films include Eagle Eye, Road to Perdition and The Lake House.

On the Road: Noho in Two Photos

A moose head over the bar - standard New England choice

An alligator head just a few feet away - decidedly less so

Both can be found at Packard's in Northampton, Massachusetts.

Star Trek: Alter Ego

Episode: "Alter Ego"

Series: Star Trek: Voyager

Season 3, Episode 14

Original Air Date: January 15, 1997

via Memory Alpha

Ensign Harry Kim is in love with Marayna, a holodeck character in Neelix's luau program.  He's got it bad.  It's interfering with his work.  He goes to Tuvok for guidance on emotional control.  The Lieutenant goes to the holodeck to check out Marayna.  She ends up falling for Tuvok instead.  Perhaps there is more to Marayna than originally suspected.

"Alter Ego" is a great Tuvok episode.  I'm finding there are a lot of those.  Tuvok provides more in-depth exploration of Vulcan culture and philosophy than Spock ever did.  Kim's questions and especially Marayna's challenges reveal much of Tuvok's own thinking, even bringing new and unexpected self-awareness.   "Alter Ego" also introduces kal-toh, a complicated and beautiful Vulcan strategy game.  

via Memory Alpha

Solution via Memory Alpha

The story is a meaningful continuation of a couple TNG holodeck threads.  Falling in love with a holodeck character hearkens back to "11001001," NextGen's best Season 1 offering.  Such a character taking over the ship is an expansion of Moriarty's efforts in "Ship in a Bottle."

Acting Notes

via Memory Alpha

Sandra Nelson (Maryana) was born in Madison, Wisconsin, December 29, 1964.  "Alter Ego" is her first of two Trek appearances.  She played Phyllis Summers for two years on The Young and the Restless.  Films include Life as a House, De-Lovely and The Wolf of Wall Street.  Other television guest roles include ER, Monk and NCIS.  

Squid Eats: Burlington Beer Company

As discussed previously, Vermont is beer heaven with the most breweries per capita of any US state.  Quality is high and the local competition fierce.  We, the consumers, only benefit.  Burlington Beer Company was established in 2014.  They run their taproom in a reclaimed industrial warehouse, not an unusual business model in itself in our area.  In addition to their restaurant, they also own a performance venue in back.  My wife and I went to a VSO Jukebox concert there this past weekend and combining with dinner seemed a natural choice.

The beer is good.  Around here, it had better be.  I favor ales and the Little Wizard IPA has long been my go-to at BBCO.  Now, however, that particular product is more widely available in retail stores so I'm more inclined to try something else when I'm on site.  I went with the Elaborate Metaphor, a pale ale, this time.  It was good but I still prefer the Wizard.  The EM is more melon-y while the LW is more citrus-y.  I will say, though, I still prefer the Wizard on tap to a can.  Some products make that transition better.

Right, food.  I chose the Crispy Chicken Sandwich.  Full disclosure, I'm often hesitant with chicken sandwiches.  Not infrequently, I find them disappointing.  They look better on the menu than they taste.  Even knowing this, I still take the risk from time to time.  And this one was a little bland.  I asked for hot sauce and that helped a lot.  There is a "Make it Hot!" option on the menu and I might try that next time.  Because there will definitely be a next time.  One disappointing chicken sandwich isn't enough to scare me away.  I know the risks going in.

The concert space was lovely - quite resonant.  And the VSO String Quartet is always good value.  I'd vote for better folding chairs but overall, it was a satisfying evening.

Star Trek: Fair Trade

Episode: "Fair Trade"

Series: Star Trek: Voyager

Season 3, Episode 13

Original Air Date: January 8, 1997

via Memory Alpha

Voyager arrives at the edge of the mysterious Nekrit Expanse.  Our friends head to a nearby space station to trade for supplies and hopefully gather helpful information for navigating this difficult region of space.  Meanwhile, Neelix is facing an existential crisis.  Do Janeway and company even need him any more now that they've reached a part of the Delta Quadrant he doesn't know?  His anxiety leads to trouble when he runs into Wixiban, an old friend and a connection to Neelix's shady past.

At this stage of the series, the search for Neelix's raison d'être extended to both sides of the camera.  By mid-Season 3, both NextGen and DS9 were well-oiled machines.  Voyager is still an awkward fledgling and unsettled characters are a major issue.  Adding Worf to the DS9's cast was a matter of building on strengths.  Similar bold changes await Voyager in its fourth season.  With historical hindsight, we know what's coming.  But I think even a viewer in January 1997 might have sensed that addition by subtraction was looming.  Neelix has been mostly annoying to this point and I can't imagine that cutting him loose wasn't considered.  If they were going to keep him, they'd better help him find a foothold fast.

Fortunately, "Fair Trade" is a pretty good episode - certainly the strongest Neelix story so far.  Connecting back to his previous life is meaningful.  Voyager is a well-established reform project for several characters: Tom, B'Elanna, Lon Suder, etc.  Why not Neelix, too?  And the way he manages to wiggle out of trouble is genuinely clever.  The crisis point with the Captain in the final scene cuts to the chase: no, Neelsix, casting you off would be too easy.  You need to live with the guilt and rebuild trust.  And I, the viewer, will acknowledge, that's not just an episodic television convenience.  It is genuinely the more interesting narrative choice.

Neelix is a nervous but loyal dog.  He's eager to please, to impress, to love and be loved.  He sees love as something he must earn, then guard jealously.  He whines when threatened or neglected.  He understands the shame he deserves.  He is grateful for forgiveness.

21st Century Notes

We need to talk about the cancellation of Starfleet Academy.  I'll put my cards on the table.  It is the best Star Trek series of the streaming era - indeed, the finest Trek since Deep Space Nine ended.  The stories are rich.  The characters are amazing and refreshingly unpredictable.  The concept is long overdue and the narrative possibilities enticing.  Two separate Season 1 episodes brought me to tears.  A four-season run was already mapped out.

And now, the trolls have killed it.  Paramount will say it was the ratings and to be fair, plenty of amazing shows have met similar fates for crass commercial reasons.  Firefly and Freaks and Geeks come to mind.  Television producers want an adequate return on their considerable investments.  Artistic quality doesn't always sell.  

But good luck convincing me it doesn't run deeper with Starfleet Academy.  The Internet trolls set their sights on the series from Day 1.  And yes, it's well-documented that right-wing interest groups actually pay people to go on social media and be assholes.  The objections are mainly two: a gay Klingon and unconventional women in positions of authority.  

I'm not going to linger too long on the basics of representation because anyone who's actually paid attention knows it's been the whole point of Star Trek since 1966  If you have a problem with extending tolerance to LGBTQIA+ characters, you are not a Trekkie.  You're also on the wrong blog.  If anyone is going to spew any of that shit here, understand that I will not treat your "opinion" as valid.  Your squeamishness harms people.  Period.  Grow up.

via Memory Alpha

And heaven forbid the franchise should finally bring some dimension to Klingon society.  Jay-Den is a pacifist in what has long been projected as a monolithic warrior civilization.  He would rather heal others and watch birds than kill anyone.  That alone would probably have been tough to swallow for the idiots but likely not enough to kill the show.  The much greater sins: he's gay and he occasionally wears gender-nonconforming clothing.  Even worse, no one in-story, his own Klingon family included, gives a shit.  Where is the public shaming?  We all know queer characters must be made to suffer, right?  Hell, if the writers aren't going to do it, the MAGA fuckers sure better do it for them.

The women?  Two of the faculty members, Jett Reno and Lura Thok, are open gay lovers.  Lura Thok is also bi-racial (Spock, anyone?): Klingon and Jem'Hadar.  "Is that even biologically possible for the Jem'Hadar?" the trolls whine.  It's all fiction, dipshit, of course it's possible.  But this sort of deviance is only to be expected in the horrible halls of academia, right?  The trolls' most vehement objections are directed at the Academy Captain and Chancellor, Nahla Ake.  Her crimes?

She walks around barefoot and won't sit properly in the Captain's chair.

No, seriously, that's it.

via Wikipedia

You see, the idiots don't mind a female leader as long as she still adheres to masculine expectations.  Act like a man as much as possible while still looking pretty.  Even a lesbian is borderline acceptable because, well, she wants to sleep with women and that's dude stuff, right?  Now, to be fair, these standards extend deeply into the real world and across all fictional platforms.  Ake is a challenge to the norms and that is exactly what Star Trek is supposed to be, folks.  The entire mission from the beginning has been to push us all just that little bit further out of our comfort zones until it starts to feel normal.  Then push us a little bit further again.  Repeat.  For 60 years.  

Have there been missteps along the way?  Of course.  Have there been obvious opportunities for them to push harder that they didn't take?  You're damn right there have.  But the mission has always been there and it's exactly why so many of us care so deeply.

The fact that a woman who won't sit up straight is enough to kill an otherwise wonderful show says quite a lot about where we are as a society.  It's not exactly an encouraging revelation.

I won't put all of this on the political/religious right just as I can't in the real world.  Morally ambitious though it has been, Star Trek has always reflected the current anxieties of white liberalism.  The color blindness we were taught in the '80s and '90s is mirrored by the attitudes toward "alien races" in the NextGen-era series.  Indeed, the fact that they're still referred to as aliens is revealing.

21st century wokeness has its limits and gender - even more than sexuality at the moment - is a major test of those limits.  Plenty of white "liberals" feel we have gone too far in advocating for transgender people, not because they don't think it's right to do so but because they worry it has made the Democratic Party vulnerable in elections.  This is not my imagination.  I've heard people say it.  This anxiety is cowardly and it is 100% real.  

The trolls know they can push on certain buttons and sow the seeds of doubt in white liberals.  They know they can scare them away from a show like Starfleet Academy with suggestions that it might be going too far on gender.  The ratings are what they are.  But the trolls put a heavy thumb on the scale and it worked.  And the current leadership at Paramount have made clear they're not inclined to stick their necks out in the present political climate.

Season 2 is already in the can so we will get a little more.  There have been fan petitions to save Starfleet Academy but the set pieces have already been sold off.  In the eyes of those with control of the funding, it's all over.  Unfortunately, that's all that matters in the end.

I hope Star Trek survives this setback.  Yes, I know there will eventually be more material.  I mean that I hope the mission itself survives.  

Acting Notes

via Grey's Anatomy Universe Wiki

James Nardini (Wixiban) was born in Jersey City, New Jersey.  His films include Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man and voice dubbing in the English-language version of The Tale of the Princess Kaguya.  Television work includes Night Court, Cheers and Criminal Minds.