the trouble with...

I attended a huge state school where low level freshman classes were taught by graduate students. My graduate student English professor was a major Star Trek fan. He even showed us an episode of the original series in class and we had to write a short paper about it. Can’t remember the title of the episode but it was about the two guys who were constantly fighting each other, one was black on one side of this body and white on the other. The other fellow had opposite colors, white and black reversed. Anyway, we had a chance to get extra credit in English if we wrote an extra paper and one of the options was to write our own Star Trek episode. I can’t believe I’m actually telling you guys this story.

I wrote my own episode and I got an A but the professor read it in its entirety to the class as I sank lower and lower in my chair. I’ve still got that paper somewhere in a box. I ran across it a couple of years ago when I was on a cleaning binge and specifically nestled it back in the keep box with a nostalgic smile. Not before I read it however. What horrid writing. Was that really me writing this stuff? And what a plot!

I couldn’t write an episode without a social message and since this was the late eighties I decided to hit where it would hurt most. We all know that Captain Kirk was always rendezvousing with the ladies. My story had our trio of Kirk, Spock, and Bones beam down to a new planet considered for entry into the Federation. Turns out that the leader of this planet is quite a beautiful babe and Kirk naturally falls head over heals for her and the usual shenanigans ensue. Unfortunately, both Kirk and the leader babe immediate fall ill after the liaison. The leader’s two senator henchmen accuse the Enterprise crew of purposely poisoning their leader and kick Spock and Bones off the planet. They keep Kirk as a prisoner. Back on the ship, Bones is having a devil of a time figuring out an antidote. As always though, he eventually derives a cure and saves the day. We end with the trio standing on the bridge of the Enterprise with Bones saying that this disease killed two billion people on Earth in the late twentieth century. Spock gets in the final word as he explains that there was a very simple device, a prophylactic, that could easily have prevented these deaths. Can anyone guess the name of this disease?

These little creatures are an homage to one of my favorite TV shows as a kid. If you’d like to cuddle up on the couch and watch a sci fi marathon with one of your very own then tribble on over to my Etsy shop and get all the details. Sold

Comments

[lera]

Those are cute.

[Sue B]

Ok that was my favorite classic trek episode!

and I'm guessing that disease your referring to is aids.

[Jenn : )]

As a girl who loves sci-fi, I especially enjoyed your post today : )

[Robin]

I love the picture! The creatures are so wild-eyed. Yes, they look like they're up to mischief.

[Madame Vader]

Hee hee! I love Star Trek too. The show's title was "Let That Be Your Last Battlefield".

[KnitPastis]

You sure have alot of fun making these cute little things!

[kirsty]

Ha ha ha! That would have been an outstanding Trek episode...
The One Where Kirk Gets What Was Coming To Him.

[RS]

Believe it or not, you allowed me to read that paper way back when :)

[Pieces]

I love the tribbles! I need to get those classic episodes for my kids to watch.

[Erin]

That is so great! I never watched the show as a kid, but my husband has gotten me to watching it on dvd. And I love it.

[kirsten]

hilarious story! my dad got me into star trek - and my 6yo daughter just caught one episode the other day and for some reason really liked it!

have you ever watched that documentary 'trekkies'? hilarious.

[k]

Oh, love the little furry creatures, they are as cute as the puppy (who is NOT part of the drawing, but everyone wants her!)

Thanks for visiting, I have you in the drawing.

[Angela]

LOL...as one of those graduate students who teach freshman English -- um, I have to chuckle at this one. I've given students similar assignments (though I usually make them analyze an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer). I usually avoid the creative writing ones though. Sounds like you had fun with it!