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Pain In The Bud

Feline humor, news and stories about the ongoing adventures of Buddy the Cat.

The Cats of Star Trek

From Data’s cat Spot to the Caitians of the Federation and the Kzin warrior cats, Star Trek’s universe is populated by our furry friends.

Fair warning: It’s about to get real nerdy up in here.

Cats have been a mainstay in science fiction, more so than any other animal.

Whether it’s Cordwainer Smith’s spacefaring cats obliterating aliens in “The Game of Rat and Dragon,” Sigourney Weaver’s Jonesy the Nostromo ship cat surviving the eponymous Alien , or Fritz Lieber’s beloved Gummitch the Super Kitten , felines have long played major roles in speculative fiction.

They’ve been mousers on interstellar starships, companions on long-haul freighters and — like Speaker to Animals, the Kzin from Larry Niven’s classic science fiction novel Ringworld — warriors of galactic repute leading dangerous expeditions to alien worlds.

Star Trek is no different.

Mention the topic of cats to any Trekkie and the first thing that probably comes to mind is Spot, the orange tabby cat who belonged to Commander Data on Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Spot was a mainstay on the Enterprise-D, earning the respect of the Klingon Commander Worf and serving as Data’s muse for a hilarious poem in the cat’s honor, “ Ode to Spot .”

One of the highlights of Star Trek: The Next Generation is watching the gruff Klingon learn that, unlike dogs, cats don’t give a damn about commands.

But cats play a much bigger role in the wider Star Trek universe than even many Trekkies realize.

The Caitians

As fans of Star Trek know, the Federation is an alliance of peaceful worlds and races committed to exploration of the galaxy, friendship with new species and non-interference with developing civilizations.

What many may not realize, however, is just how many species are involved in the Federation. Some, like the Bajorans, Andorians and Betazoids, are seen pretty frequently in Trek shows and movies, but others have made only a few on-screen appearances.

Among the latter are the Caitians , described in Memory Alpha (the wiki of canon for Star trek) as “a warp-capable species resembling felines.”

Their home planet is known as Cait to other races, and Ferasa to the Caitians themselves, and is located within the Lynx constellation. They made their first live-action appearance in 1986’s Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home:

Because of its origins as a network television show, budget has always been a major factor in the way aliens are depicted in Star Trek.

The show’s writers have come up with an elaborate back story for why so many alien species are humanoid, closely representing humankind, but the minor differences of most species — the ridged foreheads of Klingons and elfin ears of Vulcans — are for the most part remnants from the days when production crews had little money or time to create elaborate props and effects.

It’s also the reason why the Klingons, for example, were radically redesigned in the 2009 Star Trek reboot, with its lavish budget and SFX.

With a species like the Caitians, however, you either go all-in or not-at-all. That’s why the species has made only three appearances in Trek films to date, and why most of their exploits have been reserved for Trek novels and comics.

But the internet loves cats, and Star Trek Online, the massively multiplayer online game set in the Trek universe, saw enormous positive feedback when it added Caitians as a playable species back in 2011.

Here’s my very own Caitian starfleet captain from the game:

According to Star Trek lore, the Caitians share distant ancestry with the Kzin, the aforementioned war-like race of feline aliens from Niven’s Ringworld books.

That’s because Niven himself had a run as a writer for Trek comic books in the 1980s, and wrote his own creation into the wider Star Trek universe.

Just like cats have a range of personalities, and breeds have their own unique characteristics — the gentle giant Maine Coons, the talkative Siamese — the felines of Star Trek have different lineages and dispositions.

While the Caitians are peaceful and staunch allies of humans and the Federation, the Kzinti are a bunch of war-loving lunatics who find great joy in blowing things up.

Thanks — or no thanks — to JJ Abrams, there are even “sexy Caitians,” like the pair we see in 2013’s Star Trek: Into Darkness . In the film we see Captain James T. Kirk, played by Chris Pine, waking up in a bed with two women. Both women have long, feline tails, and Abrams would later confirm they’re the alternate universe version of Caitians .

Maybe, just maybe, a handful of you non-Trekkies have made it this far. Maybe your love of cats kept you interested in this story, and you’re thinking to yourself, “I wonder what Star Trek is all about…”

In the spirit of the Federation, I leave you this parting gift. During these dark days of quarantine, should you browse Netflix and find yourself tempted by Star Trek: The Next Generation, here’s a guide to the entire cast that imagines each of them as cats. And not just any cats: Each kitty resembles its Enterprise crew counterpart.

Live long, my friends, and prosper!

(Star Trek Cats by artist Jenny Parks. Check out more at her site !)

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7 thoughts on “the cats of star trek”.

I love this! Plus I’ve been a trekkie since young! Ode to Spot was…..interesting LOL

Like Liked by 1 person

I love that scene with Worf and Data, when Worf agrees to take care of Spot for a few nights. Even better, he loves the cat by the time he gives him back to Data.

I love that scene too! I think Word had major separation anxiety when returning Spot. I half-thought that he too would get a cat 🙂

Oh man, could you imagine the news in the Klingon homeworld if that happened? “Starfleet Klingon adopted by cat!”

Worf has already been dishonored, adopting a cat would add another 1,000 years to his family’s disgrace.

Check out the Chanur Saga by C. J. Cherryh

Wiki says it’s realistic space opera. Cool. That’s right up my alley.

Thought it would be

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A Caitian Male.

The Caitian symbol as a comm badge

Caitians are a felinoid race with distinct cat-like features. As their homeworld, Cait , has been a Federation member as early as 2286, Caitians are known to serve both in Starfleet and on the Federation Council . They're known throughout their quadrant for their intelligence, curiosity, loyalty and love of beauty. Caitians' interlocking personal and clan relationships can create large family groups that sometimes number in the hundreds.

Caitians originally come from Ferasa . 800 years ago , a eugenics program aimed at creating Augments and involving Ferasan Nepeta Leaves as psychotropic triggers leads to a split of the civilization of Ferasa. While the augmented Ferasans prevail, the non-augmented Caitians retreat to a new homeworld outside Ferasan space. ( Assignment chain: Caitian Diaspora )

• 1 Physical features
• 2 Other information
• 4.2 Duty officers
• 7 External links

Physical features [ | ]

Caitians are bipedal, with height comparable to humans, have tails that assist their balance and large eyes with excellent night vision. Their skin is covered with soft fur coat, and their felinoid ears can pick up frequencies that most humanoids are unable to detect. Caitians are also remarkable jumpers; able to leap roughly twice as high as an average human .

The provided colors of fur players can select from for their Caitian character vary from reddish through golden and brown to black, and different shades of gray from almost white to black. Palette for eyes allows shades of golden, brown, green and blue eyes.

Other information [ | ]

Caitians are related to the Ferasans , the other race of feline humanoids with more aggressive personalities due to genetic modification.

Players who purchase playable Ferasans also unlock new cosmetic options for any Federation Caitian character on their account. This includes the "Feline Hawk" hairstyle, which is shared with Ferasans, and 8 Overall Patterns, all 8 of which are unique to Caitians despite their unlock condition. Players with access to Caitians can preview these additional cosmetic options at a tailor before purchasing Ferasan.

Traits [ | ]

• 10% chance to Dodge half damage of ranged attacks
• +75% Jump Height
• +10% Exploit Damage

People [ | ]

Duty officers [ | ], trivia [ | ].

The Caitians are currently the Federation race with the most playable ships of their unique design. The Atrox Carrier , Aspero Support Carrier , Shikaris Escort , and Stalker Stealth Fighter are all playable Caitian ships.

See also [ | ]

• Playable Caitian Starships

External links [ | ]

• Caitian at Memory Alpha , the Star Trek Wiki.
• Caitian at Memory Beta , the non-canon Star Trek Wiki.
• Release Notes: May 3, 2012 on the STO Forums
• 2 Typhoon Class Battleship
• 3 Playable starship

Star Trek Catan

Space... The final frontier... Star Trek CATAN combines the adventures of the legendary Starship Enterprise with those of CATAN. The challenge is to settle a world that has never been settled before.

This is a stand-alone game and requires no base game to play!

About the Game

• Federation Space Map Set

On behalf of the Federation, you explore space with your starships and build outposts and starbases near valuable planets. There you extract important resources such as the coveted dilithium. But the Federation has also sent out other expeditions.

Therefore, you have to be wary of competitors - and of the Klingons, who want to give the players a hard time. With the aid of Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock, however, keeping the adversaries in check and outperforming your competitors should be an easy task. With this in mind: Live long and prosper!

Game Components (Partial List)

• 19 sector tiles, 60 starships, 28 outposts,
• 1 Klingon battle cruiser, 95 resource cards, 25 development cards,
• 10 support cards, 18 number tokens, 2 dice, 1 game rules booklet, and 1 almanac.

Star Trek CATAN is basically a direct adaptation of the CATAN base game. But what would Star Trek be without its protagonists Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock? That's why Star Trek CATAN also contains the card set  “Helpers of CATAN”  – the set was adapted to the Star Trek universe, of course. The players thus receive direct support from Kirk, Spock, McCoy, and another 7 famous Star Trek characters.

Illustrator and Star Trek fan Franz Vohwinkel provided completely new illustrations of all printed game components, including the characters, based on motifs from the popular TV series and the movies with William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy. Hence, Star Trek Catan is set in the second half of the 23rd century, the classic Star Trek era.

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Similar to our  CATAN Geographies  maps, which take the CATAN   experience towards real regions, the  Federation Space  map set expansion takes  Star Trek CATAN  into a “real” region of space: “The Explored Galaxy” map known from Captain James T. Kirk’s quarters.

In other words:  “These  are  the voyages of the Starship Enterprise.”

During the original mission, the Enterprise, Captain Kirk, and his intrepid crew visited many strange new worlds, and discovered many new life-forms and civilizations. Now you and your friends can Boldly Go and explore this galaxy too! Follow in Kirk’s “footsteps” with this 2 map expansion set.

Based entirely on the “Explored Galaxy” map seen in Kirk’s quarters itself, these maps allow you to settle the famous worlds of Federation Space using pieces from your  Star Trek CATAN  base game.

• 2 full color maps depicting the “Explored Galaxy” known as Federation Space.
• 4 individual scoring tracks - 1 for each player
• 4 sets of scoring markers - 2 for each player
• 18 Victory Point tokens - New ways to score
• 1 Almanac with 1 page of rules and 20 pages of planet and episode descriptions.

Downloads to the Game

Star Trek Catan – Game Rules & Almanac

Star Trek CATAN - Federation Space - Almanac

More Questions?

We have collected important questions and answers about Star Trek CATAN. Just follow the link.

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Star Trek: The Next Generation Cats: (Star Trek Book, Book About Cats) (Star Trek x Chronicle Books) Hardcover – Illustrated, March 27, 2018

Purchase options and add-ons.

• Part of series Star Trek Cats
• Print length 64 pages
• Language English
• Publisher Chronicle Books
• Publication date March 27, 2018
• Dimensions 6.75 x 0.5 x 6.88 inches
• ISBN-10 1452167621
• ISBN-13 978-1452167626
• See all details

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PRODUCT CERTIFICATION (1)

OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100 requires textiles-based products to be tested against a list of 1,000+ chemicals, to limit those which may be harmful to human health. Certification focus: #ProductSafety and #ChemicalsUsed.

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Episodes Illustrated in the Book

Episode 1, 'Encounter at Farpoint,' pages 12-14.

Episode 5, 'The Last Outpost,' pages 16-17.

Episode 11, ‘Haven,’ page 53.

Episode 22, 'Skin of Evil,' pages 18-19.

Episode 2, 'Where Silence Has Lease,' page 36.

Episode 3, 'Elementary, Dear Data,' page 22.

Episode 16, ‘Q Who?” page 20.

Episode 8, ‘The Price,’ page 55.

Episode 17, ‘Sins of the Father,’ pages 44-45.

Episode 19, ‘Captain’s Holiday,’ page 52.

Episode 21, ‘ Hollow Pursuits,’ pages 50-51.

Episode 23, ‘Sarek,’ page 49.

Episode 26, 'The Best of Both Worlds, Part I,' pages 26-27.

Episode 7, ‘Reunion,’ page 37.

Episode 20, ‘Qpid,’ pages 34-35.

Episode 1, 'Redemption, Part II,' page 48.

Episode 2, ‘Darmok,’ pages 40-41.

Episode 3, 'Ensign Ro,' pages 30-31.

Episode 6, 'The Game,' pages 32-33.

Episode 18, ‘Cause and Effect,’ pages 46-47.

Episode 4, ‘Relics,’ page 54.

Episode 7, ‘Rascals,’ pages 56-57.

Episode 8, 'A Fistful of Datas,' page 15.

Episode 12, 'Chain of Command, Part II,' pages 38-39.

Episode 25, 'Timescape,' pages 28-29.

Episode 26, ‘All Good Things, Part II,” pages 60-61.

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About the author, product details.

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Chronicle Books; Illustrated edition (March 27, 2018)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 64 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1452167621
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1452167626
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.75 x 0.5 x 6.88 inches
• #506 in Science Fiction & Fantasy Movies
• #643 in Parody
• #5,762 in Fiction Satire

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Star Trek Cats

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About the author

Jenny parks.

Jenny Parks is a scientific illustrator that also happens to be a shameless nerd and cat lover. Out of what might be pure insanity, she has found herself in this peculiar niche of drawing pop-culture characters as cats. With a BFA in illustration from the California College of the Arts, and a graduate degree in Science Illustration from UC Santa Cruz, she now resides near Denver, CO as a freelance illustrator, fulfilling her destiny to make a living drawing cute, fuzzy things.

Customer reviews

• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 5 star 87% 11% 2% 1% 0% 87%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 4 star 87% 11% 2% 1% 0% 11%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 3 star 87% 11% 2% 1% 0% 2%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 2 star 87% 11% 2% 1% 0% 1%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 1 star 87% 11% 2% 1% 0% 0%

Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.

To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.

Customers say

Customers find the art style cute, nice, and an absolute work of art. They say the book is a great gift for Star Trek and cat lovers. Readers also mention the humor is funny and the artwork is spot-on for the characters. They appreciate the cat content, saying it uses every kind of cat to represent all their favorite characters.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Customers find the drawings, pictures, and paintings in the book cute, nice, and well-done with great detail. They also say the book is short, humorous, and sweet.

"...The drawings/paintings are amazing and well done with great detail and I got a kick out of how the cat breeds used for each crew member were so..." Read more

" looks good on my office wall ." Read more

"...I was a bit bothered at first tho. Cats are adorable so im all good." Read more

"...This seemed like a fun gift and the artist is very skilled . I expected famous Star Trek characters and scenes with cats and that's what I got...." Read more

Customers find the book a great gift and perfect for Star Trek and cat lovers.

"... Makes a great gift , too!" Read more

"...So basically, this was the perfect gift for him ...." Read more

"...Its the perfect gift for Star Trek/Cat lovers (in case you need a good crossover gift!)." Read more

"...The characters were captured unequivocally. Highly recommended for a cool gift for the Trekkies around you." Read more

Customers find the book funny with amazing drawings.

"All I can say is OMG, OMG, OMG!!!! This is hilarious, ingenious, funny , and the artwork is spot on for the characters...." Read more

"...It's so flippin' funny !!! I love it love it love it. Buy It! It was a birthday gift to myself." Read more

" Absolutely hilarious . Perfect representation of iconic scenes. The characters were captured unequivocally...." Read more

"...a gift, she finds all the scenes depicted with cats to be cute and hilarious ." Read more

Customers find the artwork spot-on for the characters and fantastic. They say it really captures the feeling of the characters.

"...This is hilarious, ingenious, funny, and the artwork is spot on for the characters . This encompasses Star Trek TNG with cats. Brilliant!!!..." Read more

"...The artwork is fantastic and really captures the feeling of the characters and the show...." Read more

"...Perfect representation of iconic scenes. The characters were captured unequivocally . Highly recommended for a cool gift for the Trekkies around you." Read more

Customers find the cat content great for Star Trek and cat lovers. They say the book uses every kind of cat to represent their favorite characters.

"I loved this. It uses every kind of cat to represent all my favorite characters. I immediately sent copies to some friends." Read more

"This book is perfect for our Star Trek cat lover . What a hit at Christmas! You won't be disappointed...." Read more

" Great for cat and star trek lovers!..." Read more

Customers find the idea of the book creative.

"...thanks, Jenny. this series is such a creative endeavor and a really phenomenal way for kids and parents to bond over trek...." Read more

"All I can say is OMG, OMG, OMG!!!! This is hilarious, ingenious , funny, and the artwork is spot on for the characters...." Read more

"...It's a unique and creative idea with well drawn illustrations by a cat owner...." Read more

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7 Favorite Cats From “Star Trek” & Beyond

Image Credit: miss.lemon, Shutterstock

Last Updated on July 26, 2024 by Catster Editorial Team

There have been more than 900 episodes of the 12 different iterations of Star Trek, including the animated series. There have also been 13 movies, over 800 books, and a novelization of the series. It has been one of the most popular franchises on small and big screens since it first aired in 1966.

Whether you’re a Trekkie or an ailurophile, enjoy this list of 7 cats that have featured and been named in various on-screen Star Trek iterations.

• The 7 Cats From Star Trek

Spot is probably the most famous of the Star Trek cats. He was once Lieutenant Commander Data’s pet and Data even wrote a sonnet dedicated to him called “Ode to Spot”. The cat earned the respect of Commander Worf, and when Data passed in 2379, Worf became Spot’s new owner.

Spot was played by a total of six different cats, of both genders, but was meant to be a female cat in the show.

More recently, Grudge has become the poster cat of Star Trek, featuring in Star Trek Discovery as Booker’s companion. The cat is played by two Maine Coon brothers, Leeu and Durban, but the character of the cat is actually based on writer Jenny Lumet’s grandmother’s Pekingese dog, Nelly.

Grudge now has his own X/Twitter account and, in 2022, the Book of Grudge was published.

Cat owners in Star Trek tended to name their cats after prominent people. Neelix, Reginald Barclay’s pet cat in Voyager, was named after Neelix, a Talaxian crewmember of the USS Voyager. Barclay obtained Neelix sometime after he transferred from the USS Enterprise-E to the Pathfinder Project on Earth.

Neelix was a Persian cat, and often slept on Barclay’s stomach.

Sylvia was actually an ornithoid who could shapeshift at will, and could telepathically examine the minds of individuals near her, but one of the forms she took was that of a black cat. Sylvia took crewmembers of the USS Enterprise hostage in a bid to research and learn more about humans before discovering she enjoyed torturing and manipulating them.

Isis was another shapeshifter who liked to take the form of a black cat . Isis was a companion to Supervisor Gary Seven and had some kind of telepathic link to her companion. Though she was Seven’s pet cat, she was more than just this and communicated with him telepathically, plus understood his spoken words. Human Isis and the feline form of Isis both wore the same collar.

Isis was also involved in the 1968 sabotage and detonation of a nuclear missile in the atmosphere 104 miles above the surface of central Eurasia.

Chester originally belonged to Liam Bilby and lived on Farius Prime with his owner. Chester had a favorite chair and didn’t like it when someone else sat in it! But, when Bilby died, Chester passed to Senior Chief Petty Officer Miles O’Brien, who had entered Bilby’s home under the guise of Connelly.

O’Brien brought Chester to Deep Space 9 and the cat seemed to like him right away, leaping onto O’Brien’s lap.

• 7. The Caitians

The Star Trek universe features many races that don’t get too much screen time, but occasionally pop up. The Caitians are a feline humanoid race that displayed a lot of feline characteristics, and are a spacefaring species and long-standing members of the United Federation of Planets.

They featured more prominently in the animated TV series, and the Caitians are a playable race in Star Trek Online, the MMORPG (multiplayer online role-playing game).

Cats have long been domesticated by humans , and it stands to reason they would feature in Star Trek. In the Star Trek Universe, they are treated as human pets and they feature quite regularly, although they only rarely appear in the movies and TV series. The Caitians did feature in the animated series and, more recently, take more of a starring role in the massive multiplayer game Star Trek Online.

Grudge’s role in Discovery has also put the cats of Star Trek on the map.

• https://memory-beta.fandom.com/wiki/Cat
• https://downthetubes.net/grudge-the-cat-takes-starring-role-in-new-star-trek-discovery-mini-series-launching-this-week
• https://www.reddit.com/r/startrek/comments/d3r13n/til_that_datas_cat_spot_from_star_trek_tng_was/
• https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Sylvia_(Pyris_VII)
• https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Isis
• https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Connelly
• https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Miles_O%27Brien
• https://trekmovie.com/2020/09/08/the-newest-star-of-star-trek-discovery-is-a-cat-named-grudge/
• https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Neelix_(cat)

Featured Image Credit: miss.lemon, Shutterstock

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About the Author

Nicole Cosgrove

Nicole is a lover of all animals, especially of the feline variety. She's mom to four, three fur babies and a human baby. She and her husband, John, live on a large forest property down in New Zealand. Their beautiful Burmese cat Baby (who is now 17 years old) was their first child, though he is now called Baby Cat since their human baby joined the party in 2022. The dogs Rosa and Mac also love cats, but the whole family agrees that King Baby Cat is enough cat for this household. Nicole is the Director of Content Management at Catster and Pangolia. With a Bachelor's degree in Education and years of online experience, she shares her pet knowledge and the knowledge of other professionals with the world, aiming to improve pets and pet parents' lives.

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Published Mar 22, 2017

Who Wore It Better? -- Trek Cats Edition

Captain’s Log: We have entered a galaxy where beloved illustrator Jenny Parks has conjured an astonishingly vivid homage to Star Trek: The Original Serie s with an unexpected twist: a cast of cats. Star Trek Cats is a new take on the iconic characters and scenes, from Kirk in the Captain’s chair to Spock offering his Vulcan wisdom.

The cat-filled scenes leave us with just one question: who wore it better? Set phasers to stun-ning.

Captain James T. Kirk OR this Orange Tabby?

“Captain’s Log. Our position, orbiting Psi 2000.”

Chief Engineer Montgomery “Scotty” Scott OR this Scottish Fold?

Science Officer and First Officer Spock OR this Oriental Shorthair?

“Live long and prosper.”

Lt. Commander Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy OR this Gray-and-White Longhair?

“I’m not a magician, Spock, just an old country doctor.”

Lieutenant Nyota Uhura OR this Burmese?

“Incoming communication, Captain.”

Lieutenant Hikaru Sulu OR this Japanese Bobtail?

“Fear not, fair lady!”

Feline or not, we can all agree that Star Trek has never looked so good. You can find Star Trek Cats at www.Chroniclebooks.com , and get 25% off, plus free shipping, with the code ENERGIZE.

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Star Trek: How Did Data's Cat Save the Enterprise Crew?

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Star Trek: Data's Best Quotes

Star trek: why did data try to kill fajo, lotr: it makes more sense for the rings of power's stranger to be saruman.

Star Trek: The Next Generation 's Data is the franchise's most prominent foray into a classic science fiction concept. He's an android studying his organic friends and coworkers to learn the secrets of mortal life. His storylines and presence in other narratives were often the most thoughtful pieces of the series. Through several appearances, Data introduced his cat, Spot. That cat would come to save the Enterprise crew unexpectedly when a bizarre new danger struck.

Star Trek 's episodic format often results in strange problem-solving scenarios . The writers might devise a nightmarish threat, but it typically needs to be resolved by the end of the 48-minute episode. This leads to some lesser entries pulling a solution out of the ether with little explanation. Not that most of those examples would be improved by five extra minutes of exposition, but it does lead to some funny discussions before the credits roll.

Data is one of the best characters from Star Trek: The Next Generation and his quotes showcase that despite being an android, he's extremely human.

Who is Spot?

Spot is one of several cats who live aboard the starship Enterprise-D . Initially played by two male long-haired Somali cats, Spot later appeared as an orange tabby. Neither version of Spot had spots despite her name. Data takes care of Spot, viewing the small animal as more of a friend than a pet. She wanders the ship but spends most of her days in Data's quarters. Data feeds and plays with Spot regularly. He creates various formulations of food for her, carefully cataloging her favorites. Like most cats, she's skittish and independent. Spot cared little for most of the Enterprise crew. Data was her primary caregiver, but she also enjoyed her time with Dr. Crusher, Reginald Barclay, and Deanna Troi. Worf was allergic to Spot and found her unwillingness to follow orders frustrating, but he respected Data enough to feed her whenever he was away. Despite Data's regular attempts to train Spot, she often hopped up on his desk and distracted him from work. She once sent Riker to the sick bay after scratching his face. In short, she was an ordinary cat in a unique situation.

How Spot was used to save the Enterprise Crew

Spot saved the Enterprise crew in Star Trek: The Next Generation season 7, episode 19, "Genesis." It's the first and only episode of the series directed by Dr. Beverly Crusher actor Gates McFadden. The episode opens as Picard and Data briefly leave the ship, and Barclay visits Dr. Crusher. Barclay, a hypochondriac, panics over a mild flu, prompting Dr. Crusher to give him a synthetic T-cell treatment that should confer immunity. Instead, the genetic cocktail causes Barclay and most of the crew to devolve into strange creatures. Picard and Data return a few days later to find Barclay morphing into a giant spider, Riker degenerating into a caveman, and Deanna Troi becoming amphibious. Worse yet, Worf became a predatory monster hunting the other crewmembers. Picard quickly experiences feral emotions, suggesting to Data that he'll soon become a primate.

As Data is the only one seemingly safe from the T-cell infection, he races to determine a cure before everyone becomes a monster or Worf kills his friends. He's pursuing Troi, intending to mate with her, prompting Picard to fight back. Data synthesizes a spray from Troi's pheromones to lure him away. Picard saves himself and Data by electrocuting Worf into unconsciousness with a power wire. Data finds Spot, who gave birth while Data and Picard were away. Spot has morphed into an iguana, but her kittens remain feline. Data concludes that the antibodies found in amniotic fluid will defeat the synthetic T-cell. He synthesizes a cure with help from pregnant Nurse Ogawa and sprays it through the ship's air ducts to cure the crew. Data may not have saved the Enterprise crew without Spot and her litter.

What happened to Spot?

Spot lived on with Data for many years. She survived the Enterprise exploding in Star Trek: Generations , prompting Data to cry with the help of his new emotion chip. Eight years later, B-4 showed Spot some affection during his brief stay on the vessel. Spot presumably passed away sometime in the following twenty years. Altan Soong, the son of Data's creator, named an artificial cat Spot II in her honor. When Soong combined Data, B-4, and their siblings Lai and Lore into one body, Data shared Spot's memory to communicate his experience learning how to love. Data composed a poem called "Ode to Spot." These are its final words:

And though you are not sentient, Spot, and do not comprehend,

I nonetheless consider you a true and valued friend.

Spot isn't an important character in the broad narrative of Star Trek , but she is critical in Data's personal journey. Spot saved the Enterprise crew through no intentional action. Everything she accomplished was coincidental. She was just a house cat doing what cats do naturally. In a way, her simplicity made her Data's perfect companion. As complex and competent as the android was, he needed a humble cat to teach him a few lessons.

Exploring a dark moment in Star Trek: The Next Generation when Data almost murdered an unarmed man, all for the greater good.

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Star Trek Cats

Captain's log: We have entered a galaxy where beloved illustrator Jenny Parks has conjured an astonishingly vivid homage to the original Star Trek series with an unexpected twist: a cast of cats. Featuring a hilarious new take on iconic characters and scenes—from Kirk in the Captain's chair to Spock offering his Vulcan wisdom—this eye-opening adventure stays true to the tone of the classic TV show. Playful, loving, and from a strange new world, Star Trek Cats is the perfect gift for fans of, well, Star Trek and cats.

TM & © 2017 CBS Studios Inc. STAR TREK and related marks and logos are trademarks of CBS Studios Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Availability

• Cast & crew
• User reviews
• Episode aired Oct 26, 1991

Wesley Crusher returns to the Enterprise on vacation from the Academy only to discover a mysterious alien game infiltrating and controlling the crew. Wesley Crusher returns to the Enterprise on vacation from the Academy only to discover a mysterious alien game infiltrating and controlling the crew. Wesley Crusher returns to the Enterprise on vacation from the Academy only to discover a mysterious alien game infiltrating and controlling the crew.

• Corey Allen
• Gene Roddenberry
• Brannon Braga
• Susan Sackett
• Patrick Stewart
• Jonathan Frakes
• LeVar Burton
• 30 User reviews
• 11 Critic reviews

Top cast 34

• Captain Jean-Luc Picard

• Commander William Thomas 'Will' Riker

• Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge

• Lieutenant Worf

• Dr. Beverly Crusher

• Counselor Deanna Troi

• Lieutenant Commander Data

• Ensign Robin Lefler

• Chief Miles O'Brien

• Nurse Alyssa Ogawa

• Wesley Crusher
• (as Diane M. Hurley)

• Enterprise Computer
• Crewman Nelosn
• (uncredited)
• Crewman Garvey
• Crewman Martinez
• Ten Forward Waitress
• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

Did you know

• Trivia This was the first episode to air after Gene Roddenberry 's death on October 24, 1991.
• Goofs Since the game uses a visual interface, and works through the eye, and optic nerve, Geordi should have been immune to its affects, since his eyes and optic nerves don't work, and the game could not have been altered to work through his VISOR. However, the game is sending information to the brain, via the optic nerve. The VISOR 'sees' the same visible portion of the spectrum as others' eyes and sends the information to his brain. There is therefore no reason why the device shouldn't affect him too.

[Wesley has asked Picard about the initials 'AF' carved into an elm tree]

Captain Jean-Luc Picard : Wesley, if you meet someone, whose initials you might want to carve into that elm tree, don't let it interfere with your studies. I failed organic chemistry because of AF.

• Connections Featured in WatchMojo: Top 10 Fictional Video Games in TV (2015)
• Soundtracks Star Trek: The Next Generation Main Title Composed by Jerry Goldsmith and Alexander Courage

User reviews 30

• Mar 5, 2012
• October 26, 1991 (United States)
• United States
• Official site
• Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA (Studio)
• Paramount Television
• See more company credits at IMDbPro

Technical specs

• Runtime 45 minutes
• Dolby Digital

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What Only True Star Trek Fans Noticed About Data's Cat

Data is one of the most beloved characters within the "Star Trek" universe. Per Nerdist , Data first appeared on the pilot episode of "Star Trek: The Next Generation"  in 1987 as the only known sentient android in history. Throughout the series and its movie offshoots, Data learning and encountering a full range of human experiences and emotions was an ongoing highlight for "Star Trek" fans. Data even became a pet owner, obtaining a cat named Spot. Spot's first appearance came during the fourth season of TNG on the episode "Data's Day," which first aired on January 7, 1991, as reported by  Ex Astris Scientia . Spot was referred to as "he" and was portrayed as a long-haired Somali cat. This version of Spot appeared once more, in the episode titled "In Theory," before disappearing from the show for a time. 

During the sixth season of TNG, Spot reappeared on the episode "A Fistful of Datas" and became a series regular. However, sharp-eyed fans (or those with a particularly good memory) noticed something about Data's cat: it was a different Spot. Not only was Spot eventually referred to as "she," the cat was now an American shorthair with a brighter coat, new pattern, and of course shorter hair.

So why the new Spot? According to Issue 105 of the magazine Star Trek: Communicator, published in February of 1991 and quoted by Memory Alpha , not only did the first cat who portrayed Spot die between the fourth and sixth season, but producer Jeri Taylor decided Spot should give birth.

The portrayal of Spot was a multi-cat production

Per the 1991 article in Star Trek: Communicator, quoted by Memory Alpha , the new Spot was first portrayed by two cats, twin tabbies Monster and Brandy, followed by cats named Bud, Tyler, Spencer, and Zoe. The episode on which Spot gave birth, "Genesis," also featured her temporarily turning into an iguana, at which point she was played by an actual iguana named Willie. This episode also featured Spot as a hero who indirectly saves the crew of the Enterprise. The entire crew is infected by a synthetic T-cell that causes de-evolution; hence Spot's transformation to a lizard. It's only when Spot's kittens are born unaffected that Data and Captain Picard , who return from an away mission, realize that Spot's placenta protected them, giving them the idea to create an antidote using amniotic fluid from Nurse Ogawa, who was also pregnant. 

While the character of Data loved Spot, famously composing an ode to his pet and even crying tears of joy thanks to a newly-implanted emotion chip when he learns Spot survived the destruction of the Enterprise in the movie "Star Trek: Generations," actor Brent Spiner was seemingly not as much of a fan. During a question and answer session (available in part on YouTube ), Spiner joked that the cats who played Spot "were three of the worst actors I ever worked with" and "would not do anything you asked them to. I hated working with them, I'll be honest." 

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• Star Trek Adventures: The Roleplaying Game Second Edition Core Rulebook Review

I have received review copies in the past from Modiphius for other 2d20 products, but I have not received any review material for the Star Trek Adventures: The Roleplaying Game Second Edition Core Rulebook, and I purchased this for review on my own. I have not had an opportunity to play through or run the material in this book, but I have run the first edition of the game for multiple campaigns, as well as other 2d20 RPGs.

  Star Trek Adventures: The Roleplaying Game Second Edition Core Rulebook 2d20 System Designer Nathan Dowdell Project Manager Jim Johnson Writers Mike “O’dah ziibing” Ashkewe, Tilly Bridges & Susan Bridges, Rachael Cruz, Alison Cybe, Michael Dismuke, Nathan Dowdell, Keith Garrett, Patrick Goodman, Jim Johnson, Fred Love, Erin Macdonald, PhD, Aaron M Pollyea, J.D. Kennedy, Chris McCarver, Troy Mepyans, Al Spader Editors Jim Johnson, Marieke Cross, Scott Pearson Proofreaders Jim Johnson, Marieke Cross Art Director Ariel Orea Graphic Designers Michal E. Cross, Mark Whittington, Stephanie Toro Cover Artist Paolo Puggioni Interior Artwork Artists Eren Arik, Cristi Balenescu, Marc Bell, Carlos Cabrera, Joshua Calloway, Alexey Chernik, Aurea Freniere, Michele Frigo, Chaim Garcia, Nick Greenwood, Aaron Harvey, Eva Lara, Jens Lindfors, Toma Feizo Gas, Matheus Graef, Vincent Laik, Thomas Marrone, Wayne Miller, Ariel Orea, Dat Phan, Paolo Puggioni, Tobias Richter, Vadim Sadovski, Martin Sobr, Steve Stark, Vitali Timkin, Rodrigo Gonzalez Toledo, Salvador Trakal, Justin Usher, Rhys Yorke, Eaglemoss Ltd., CBS Studios, Inc. For Paramount Global Marian Cordry, Stephen Zelin, Brian Bromberg, Aaron Hubberman, Brian Lady, Danwei Lando, James Salerno, Russell Spina With Thanks To Gene Roddenberry, Marian Cordry, BC Holmes, and the many fans who support this game

Computer, Display Schematics

For this review, I have had the opportunity to look at both the PDF and the hardcover version of the game. The hardcover is a solid chunk of a book that is very similar to both the original Star Trek Adventures book and the Klingon variation of the core rules. It uses similar font, but the colors deviate from the darker colors of the spines for the original books. The original version of the game had pages that emulated the L-CARS appearance of Next Generation consoles, including the black background for the pages. The second edition ditches those black backgrounds for a white one, which I can understand. It’s always a little disheartening when you end up with a permanent fingerprint on your solid black pages.

The official page count of the book is 384 pages, and includes the following:

• Front Endpapers with a map of the Alpha and Beta Quadrant (2 pages, PDF, endpapers in hardcover)
• Back Endpapers with a timeline of Star Trek properties, the Prime Timeline, and the
• Terran Universe Timeline (2 pages, PDF, endpapers in hardcover)
• Credits Page (1 page)
• Table of Contents (1 page)
• Character Sheet (2 pages, front and back)
• Personal Log (1 page)
• Index and Acknowledgements (4 pages)
• Front and Back Cover (2 pages, PDF, front and back cover, hardcover)

Most of the book is in a two-column layout. Some pages have a smaller column with sidebar commentary, as well as offset text boxes exploring topics brought up on the page. There are full color pieces of art introducing each chapter, and there are many half page pieces of art portraying various scenes that would be common for a Star Trek narrative, which includes staring at majestic ships in drydock, Starfleet medical personnel treating inhabitants of a planet, enjoying a meal in the lounge, and the more action oriented combat scenes. There are images from across the timelines detailed, and most are in the same style, except for a few “ Lower Decks ” styled images inserted in various locations.

While there are images from across the timelines, the book also uses a set of iconic characters, first introduced in the quick start. These characters are all from the Strange New Worlds era of Star Trek , with the same uniform and gear from that show. This includes a Betazoid security officer, a human science officer, a Vulcan chief medical officer, a Tellarite chief engineer, an Andorian first officer, and a Trill captain. These are the characters that make some opening comments about the topics introduced in the various chapters.

In addition to those iconic characters and their chapter introductions, there are quotes from a wide range of characters. Some of the characters that contribute quotes or commentary include Picard, Archer, Worf, Tendi, Boimler, Pike, Janeway, Gwyndala, Zero, McCoy, Booker, Data, Georgiou, Kirk, Mariner, Nog, Decker, Sisko, Freeman, Kira, Quark, Ransom, La Forge, and M’Benga.

The book itself is broken up into the following sections:

• A Star Trek Primer
• The Final Frontier
• Reporting for Duty
• Your Home Among the Stars
• Technology and Weapons
• Gamemastering
• Introductory Adventure
• Allies and Adversaries

The new format makes one nice improvement. There aren’t the random strings of numbers on various pages that were meant to represent cluttered data on a viewscreen. I often run the PDF text to speech function while reading, and it could get very tedious when those numbers were read as text instead of a background image.

For The Seasoned Officers

Before I dive into the details of the book, I wanted to hit a quick summary of the differences between the 1e and 2e edition of Star Trek Adventures . This is just a fast rundown, so feel free to check out the details further in the review.

• Say goodbye to the challenge dice–damage and progress are tracked without them now
• Stress is now determined only with your Fitness attribute, unless you have a trait that uses a different attribute
• Some challenges may use stress as one of the consequences of accomplishing goals
• In combat, you take an injury unless you spend stress equal to the weapons rating to resist the injury
• You can recover different amounts of stress by taking a breather (10 minutes or so), taking a break (a half hour to a couple of hours), or sleeping (several hours)
• NPCs don’t have a stress track, but Notable and Major NPCs can spend threat to resist injury
• In ship combat, shields work more like a progress track you are working to complete, rather than the stress for the ship
• There are guidelines for when to use a challenge versus when to use an extended task
• Your progress on extended tasks is based on your rating in a relevant department, rather than the results of the challenge dice
• Many species talents of been rewritten
• You get an additional focus at the end of character creation to reflect a personal interest (for example, Riker might use this extra focus for Jazz)
• There are more guidelines to what species traits are meant to summarize
• Character progression now defaults to the “personal log” method first introduced in the Klingon core rulebook
• Much like in certain political discussions of climate change, the scientific method has been abandoned
• The book is a “greatest hits” of some of the previous releases, incorporating some player character rules for species, traits, technobabble, reprimand and acclaim, and commendations, to name a few

Life in the Federation

I wanted to talk about the Star Trek primer section of the book first, because I think the summary of how the Federation operates may be one of the most concise and inclusive attempts that I’ve seen in any Star Trek product. The primary purpose of this section is to set the tone for what a Star Trek Adventures campaign should look and feel like, but it does more than that. The baseline assumption is that Star Trek Adventures is meant to portray a hopeful future, where humanity can live up to it’s potential, and learn and grow by interacting with other advanced species, while also pointing out where conflict happens.

There is a section that touches on the major cultures of the setting, including:

• The Klingon Empire
• The Romulan Empire
• The Cardassian Union
• The Ferengi Alliance
• The Orion Syndicate
• The Borg Collective
• The Dominion

These aren’t exhaustive treatments, but they often touch on those societies in multiple eras. The Klingons and Romulans both get multiple pages, the Cardassians and the Dominion both get a page, and the others each have a half-page of information. The information is current up through the third season of Picard , but that also means we get some season four information from Discovery .

There is a page on “other civilizations,” which includes a few paragraphs on the Tholian Assembly, the Q Continuum, and the Pakleds (including Lower Decks updates), as well as a paragraph that talks about Delta Quadrant societies like the Hirogen, Kazon, Vidians, and Talaxians. A notable omission is the Gorn Hegemony, which I imagine may have been avoided since Strange New Worlds is still in the midst of an ongoing narrative with that culture.

The information about life in the Federation is where this section shines. Have you ever wondered exactly what Star Trek means when various characters say they don’t have money in the Federation, especially in light of situations where Federation members seem to be working for profit or trading with cultures that definitely do still use money? What about human religion in the Federation? Have you ever wondered why sometimes something from the holodeck can leave the holodeck? Why can’t you use cargo transporters to transport large numbers of people from one place to another? These all receive answers that should make you feel better equipped to answer those questions when they come up.

Life in an Alternate Federation?

The previous version of Star Trek Adventures included a section on planet classification, space-phenomenon, and the basics of warp travel and subspace. This time around, there are a few more sections that touch on additional topics like alternate universes and time travel.

There is a brief section on the Terran Universe (or the Mirror Universe), and Quantum Multiverses (lots of different realities where things may be changed in smaller, significant ways). This also touches on time travel, and the different ways it can be accomplished in Star Trek (there are at least five different ways that this can happen outlined in the book).

Life in Starfleet

While this iteration of Star Trek Adventures isn’t quite as tied to portraying only Starfleet Personnel, it is still considered the default mode of playing the game. As such, we get a section on how Starfleet works, and how it has changed over the eras.

There are some sidebars on organizations adjacent to Starfleet, like Division 14, the section of Starfleet introduced in Lower Decks , which deals with Starfleet personnel that have been affected by strange phenomena. There is also a sidebar with a few paragraphs on Section 31, which frames the organization the way I prefer it to exist, as an organization that isn’t known outside of a few members of Starfleet that are allied with it, which does not have any official standing with the Federation or Starfleet.

The book touches on the Temporal Prime Directive and assumptions about what Starfleet personnel should do in a time travel situation. The original Prime Directive is also addressed. I enjoy that the examples they give make the Prime Directive feel more like something you can discuss and use in game, rather than an absolute hammer to drop on players that make the wrong decision. True to many of the episodes, you may need to justify your interpretation, but unless you completely throw it out the window, it should provide you with more roleplaying opportunities rather than an excuse to punish players for making hard decisions.

The section on Starfleet then discusses Starfleet Academy, duty assignments, and mission types. I appreciate that among the mission types, we get Second Contact missions integrated into standard Starfleet procedures, giving us a solid tie into the contribution made by Lower Decks.

There is a half-page dedicated to Non-Starfleet campaigns, which are better supported than in the original Star Trek Adventures book, but not as supported as, for example, in the Klingon core rulebook, which make sense. The biggest support from this section would be Federation civilians working in concert with Starfleet personnel, representing characters like ambassadors and civilian academics working with Starfleet science personnel.

(Quantum) Game Mechanics

The heart of the 2d20 system is pretty simple. Whenever you make a check, you roll two twenty-sided dice. You compare this to a number derived from an attribute and a department (in the case of Star Trek Adventures ). Your attribute will top out at 12, and your department will top out at 5. If you roll under those two numbers added together, you get a success. If you have a Focus that applies to the task you are attempting (like Martial Arts if you are making a hand-to-hand combat attack), you gain an additional success if you roll below your Department score. That means if you have a focus that is relevant, on 2d20, you could get from 0 to 4 successes.

You can spend some game currencies to buy extra dice, and some talents may add an additional die. You can never roll more than five on a check., meaning you would max out, in a spectacular series of rolls, at 10 successes. In some situations, someone else can aid you, but they will only be rolling 1d20, and you can only add their successes to your own if you have at least one success. That means, if you are facing a Difficulty 3 check to calm down an enraged government official, and someone is aiding you, and they roll two successes on their attempt to help you, if you roll 0 successes, it doesn’t help you at all. But if you roll one success, you can add their successes to your own and meet the Difficulty of three.

There are several currencies in the game. Momentum tops out at six. If you get more successes than you need on a check, you can generate momentum to add to your pool. You can use Momentum for several things, like buying extra dice, asking additional questions, or adding damage to a weapon’s rating. Threat is a similar currency that the GM can use. Whenever a PC rolls a complication (usually a 20), the GM can create a trait in the scene or add two additional Threat to their pool. Among other things, the GM can use this to create scene traits, or to modify NPC rolls in a manner similar to what PCs can use Momentum for. Players can choose to add threat whenever they don’t have Momentum to spend.

The final currency is Determination. You can only have three Determination at any one time. You can only spend Determination if you have a Value relevant to the task you are attempting, or if your task is related to the mission directives you have been given. Determination buys you an extra die, but the die is considered to have rolled a 1. That die does count against your five dice maximum. Your Values determine what your character believes, and if you challenge one of your values, you can add a Determination, cross it out, and rewrite it after the mission is over.

Talents work the way you may expect, being much like feats, talents, perks, or other game rules across RPGs. They are exceptions to how the regular rules work, granting you things like rerolling dice under certain circumstances. There are talents that add additional species abilities, general abilities, or abilities related to what career path you are on.

Character advancement is tracked by filling out character logs. The log doesn’t need to be a deep explanation of what happened in a game session. Instead, it’s a quick note about “X happened, this relates to my Value of Y.” After a number of log entries, a character gains an advancement, and characters can “spend” those log entries to remember a relevant situation to generate Determination in a current mission.

A good portion of play deals with traits. A scene trait may narratively deny a course of action or may make something more difficult to accomplish. Traits can have higher magnitudes, so you can have Ion Storm (3), which would make the difficulty of checks to transport through the storm, or send communications through the storm, increase by three. Traits are more open-ended, where the GM and the players can discuss what those traits mean and when they apply.

Character Creation

Character creation can be done in one of two ways. The first is a Lifepath system, where you walk through your character’s life up to the current day, adding attributes, department ratings, talents, and values at various steps of the process. The lifepath follows the following steps:

• Environment (where you were raised)
• Upbringing (how you were raised)
• Career Path (what you learned)
• Experience (how long have you been doing this)
• Career Events (significant events)
• Finishing Touches

If you don’t want to go through this process, there is the Creation in Play method. In this case, the character has a number of values, focuses, and unassigned division ratings. When your character attempts to do something, they can decide they want to assign points to one of their departments, and maybe a focus, to help with the roll. Once this happens, those elements are locked in, and the character has one less of each of those to assign.

There is much more direction about what a character’s species trait means. For example, they give examples that something that requires raw strength may be slightly less difficult for Klingons or Vulcans, because they have above average strength for humanoids their size. The species abilities have been reworked, and I like the directions many of them have moved. For example, Vulcans can spend stress to avoid gaining a trait associated with an emotional state, but if they are Fatigued, any emotional state trait they have is increased in potency by 1, to represent that Vulcans aren’t emotionless, they are just tightly in control of their strong emotions.

There are additional career paths that are civilian based, instead of the standard Starfleet career paths, including Diplomatic Corps, Civilian (Physician), Civilian (Scientist), Civilian (Official), and Civilian (Trader). Service roles integrate some of the slightly different roles that appear in the Star Trek Adventure’s Player’s Guide, including civilian postings like Bodyguard, Expert, Merchant, or Political Liaison. You can also choose to have a character that has cybernetic components or that has been genetically modified.

Starship combat is a little different from the first edition of Star Trek Adventures , but not dramatically. One of the big differences is that it has been framed to look a lot more like personal combat, but with a few more formal procedures that take place with each action. I don’t mind some extra procedure in rules like these, mainly because starship combat in Star Trek is more deliberate and tactical when it occurs. But that added procedure still needs to be approachable.

Like ground combat, movement is defined by zones. Unlike 1e edition, the similarity in combat rules means that you can fly your ship behind cover if cover exists in the zone, making you harder to hit. If your helm operator takes the Evasive Action option on their turn, the difficulty of hitting your ship changes from a static number to an opposed test. Damage takes down your shields, but you may also be reducing incoming damage as well based on your size and hull. If you can’t mitigate oncoming damage, you suffer a breach. When a system is breached, you need to make temporary repairs to get it back online, but if it takes a number of breaches equal to your ship’s scale, that system has been effectively destroyed.

Certain options are available to characters in different positions on the ship. For example, the Operations console allows you to reroute power to regenerate your shields.

Should I drop supporting characters here? Your number of supporting characters is tied to the scale of your ship, so why not?

Just like in STA 1e, you can bring supporting characters into scenes. This can be done when a player’s role on the ship doesn’t make sense for the away team, for example. You can create a number of supporting characters up to your Crew Compliment, and these characters belong to the ship, not any particular player. Supporting characters have a slightly lower standard array of Attributes, a range of Department ratings, and three foci.

Lower Decks has inspired a new twist on this, which is a Supervisory character, a senior character not played by one of the players that can be adopted by players when they need an officer to help direct them. They get a slightly higher array for their attributes and departments, and an additional focus. They also start with a value and stress track. Since I had a crew of players where no one wanted to play the captain, this would have been a nice rule to have available for that campaign.

While you can still contribute your own advances to supporting characters, reintroducing a supporting character now triggers an advancement once per adventure. These include gaining a Value and a stress track, increasing Attributes or Departments, adding a focus, or adding a talent to the character. A character that has gone through all of these improvements can’t be further improved unless a player adopts them as their new player character.

Mission Status

In addition to the rules, character creation, NPC stat blocks, and ships, the core rulebook also contains a starting adventure. If you’ve been following my reviews for a while, you know I’m a fan of including adventures. Even if you aren’t going to use them, they help you to see how the designers intend the rules to be used for game sessions.

The adventure included in this book is based in the Strange New Worlds /just pre-The Original Series era. I like the structure of this adventure, because it presents a Prime Directive quandary, and enough wiggle room to argue for limited intervention, in addition to the science/medical emergency that is the primary conflict of the adventure.

The adventure includes a synopsis, a section on Spotlight Roles (the crew positions that will be doing the heavy lifting in the adventure), and the mission directives. The action is divided into three acts. The adventure has one encounter that might turn into combat, but most of the conflict comes from the moral quandaries and the science that needs to be done.

Glory to Your House  The broader options for non-Starfleet characters open up some character types that we’ve seen in multiple series. 

The way much of this book has been put together really does simplify the processes in the game. Combat makes more sense. Stress is more versatile. The species abilities are more nuanced and work together well with some of the new talents. The broader options for non-Starfleet characters open up some character types that we’ve seen in multiple series. There are better examples for when to utilize challenges and when to use extended tasks, and extended tasks are a little easier to follow. While the challenge dice were never a major impediment to me, I have to admit that when I’ve played 2d20 games that don’t utilize them, everything feels like its rolling along just a little bit smoother.

I Protest, I Am Not a Merry Man

The discussion of species traits did a wonderful job of explaining how those traits can be used in a contextual manner to cover a wide range of abilities native to the species. I wish they had extended that logic to Attribute bonuses, which are still tied to species. The organization of the book is much better than 1e edition, but I still feel like I need to hunt a bit to pull together all of the Starship rules. Some of the game rules are great and make sense for Star Trek, like the character log advancement, but may seem a little intimidating to a player that has first encounters it.

Recommended–If the product fits in your broad area of gaming interests, you are likely to be happy with this purchase.

When the original Star Trek Adventures rulebook came out, I thought it was one of the best examples of an RPG based on a property that understands its topic and is designed to support the emblematic narratives native to it. This version is no exception, doing what a solid new edition does–keeping a lot of the familiar structure that works, and streamlining the elements that weren’t as flexible or as intuitive in long-term play.

• STA 2e Cover - Images for Journalistic / Review Purposes     
• Personal Photo - Other     
• Reporting for Duty Chapter Art - Images for Journalistic / Review Purposes     
• Operations Chapter Art - Images for Journalistic / Review Purposes     
• Allies and Adversaries Chapter Art - Images for Journalistic / Review Purposes     

About The Author

Jared Rascher has been gaming since 1985, when he stole his sister’s D&D Basic Set to rescue it from disuse. In the past, he has written several articles for the Forgotten Realms fan site Candlekeep, was present for ground zero as a GM for Pathfinder Society Season Zero at Gen Con 2008, and helped provide feedback on the original documents for that organized play program. He has been a moderator for several online gaming communities, and these days, he likes to write RPG reviews to justify all of those games he can’t keep himself from buying.

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The Game (episode)

• 1.2 Act One
• 1.3 Act Two
• 1.4 Act Three
• 1.5 Act Four
• 1.6 Act Five
• 1.7 Log entries
• 2 Memorable quotes
• 3.1 Story and script
• 3.2 Production
• 3.3 Cast and characters
• 3.4 Sets, props, special effects, and costumes
• 3.5 Continuity
• 3.6 Reception
• 3.7 Video and DVD releases
• 4.1 Starring
• 4.2 Also starring
• 4.3 Guest stars
• 4.4 Co-stars
• 4.5 Uncredited co-stars
• 4.6 Stand-ins and photo doubles
• 4.7.1 Library computer references
• 4.7.2 Deleted references
• 4.8 External links

Summary [ ]

" What is this? " " It's a game. "

Commander Riker is on shore leave on Risa , where he's been spending time with a Ktarian woman named Etana . In his room at the resort he is staying at, she teases him by taking his combadge , and then, to his disbelief, throws it out a window. While they lie down together, Etana introduces to him a game involving a device that fits over the ears and projects signals into the eyes. This creates in the wearer's field of vision an image of discs going into funnels. When a disk goes into one of said funnels, the player is "rewarded" by receiving pleasure signals from the device. Etana says that the game can go as far as the player will take it, and Riker decides to continue playing.

Act One [ ]

Riker enters the bridge and notices that things are starting to get busy around the Enterprise . He says that five new science teams have just beamed in from the USS Zhukov with quarters filling fast. Captain Picard adds that on top of everything else, they only have two weeks to complete the exploration – something that Riker doesn't like, as he thought they had five weeks. This is due to the recent addition of a diplomatic mission to Oceanus IV to the agenda. Picard tasks Riker to ensure that all the science teams have an equal chance to complete their research, which would be a tough juggling act, says Riker. Picard also tells the first officer that they also have a scheduled rendezvous with a shuttle carrying Wesley Crusher , who is on vacation from Starfleet Academy and could provide some much-needed extra help.

In Engineering , Chief Engineer Geordi La Forge is up to his neck in observation schedules and explains to Riker the biggest hurdle would be sensor availability, a task made more difficult since two new exobiologists and three stellar cartographers transferred from the Zhukov . Getting down to the business of availability, La Forge tells Riker that the lateral sensors are booked solid for planetary observation, and the gamma ray scanners are being reprogrammed by Ensign Robin Lefler . La Forge compliments her work in engineering, remarking that she's the specialist for this mission. Lefler explains to Riker that they're increasing the available bandwidth of the sensors so more science teams can use the sensors at once. This is done by multiplexing the array, and Lefler assures the first officer that it will be done before they arrive at the Cluster. Riker tells La Forge that he's brought something back from Risa that he has to try. La Forge reluctantly takes a pass as he is running a full sensor recalibration in ten minutes but promises to see Riker about it later.

In Ten Forward , Riker enters and immediately eyes Deanna Troi , who is sitting at a table enjoying a large chocolate sundae . Jokingly, he asks if she's depressed, to which Troi replies, " I'm fine, Commander. " She offers him a spoonful, but he politely declines, saying he doesn't like fudge . Troi smiles and tells Riker she never met a chocolate she didn't like. Getting technical, she describes the experience by explaining the best way to eat it and enjoy it, a detailed ritual which amuses Riker. " Chocolate is a serious thing ", she informs him. He then tells her about the game he brought back from Risa, which he promises would be " better than chocolate ".

Act Two [ ]

The Enterprise makes a rendezvous with the USS Cochrane , and Wesley is transported aboard and greeted by Chief O'Brien . He congratulates him on the recent birth of his daughter . O'Brien says that she's the spitting image of her father. He informs Wesley that the senior officers are currently in a meeting, and that Wesley can go to his mother 's quarters . At Wesley's request, O'Brien hails the bridge and confirms that it's all right for Wesley to drop into the observation lounge to say hello. Worf tells O'Brien that he supposes that that would be acceptable. Wesley thanks O'Brien and leaves the transporter room with a confused look on his face.

A darkened room awaits Wesley, who looks around in confusion. The lights go on and Doctor Beverly Crusher greets her son with a big hug, followed by Picard. He speaks to him in Latin and Wesley responds back; Picard credits that his Latin has improved. Troi compliments the uniform as he is looking handsome, and La Forge says the uniform probably "drives the girls wild". Worf offers him a Tarvokian pound cake which he made himself. Data then asks if their attempts to make him uncomfortable were effective. Wesley admits they were, having wondered if he was on the wrong ship. Riker asks Wesley to assist the crew with the Phoenix Cluster survey, a request that Wesley accepts without hesitation. La Forge wants him to settle in first and then to see him in engineering to get started. Beverly then asks Troi about the game, and she invites the doctor to come by her quarters to check it out.

Wesley and Data talk about his time at the Academy, which Wesley found surprisingly challenging, as there's much more to know there than starship operations . Data recounts his awkward early days at the Academy, during which his lack of Human understanding put him at a social disadvantage. One example was practical jokes , of which the android was a victim of several. Wesley completely understands and shares a practical joke that was played on him by fellow cadet Adam Martoni . Another social obstacle was the Academy's annual Sadie Hawkins Dance . It was an awkward experience for both. Wesley admits he's not a dancer, and Data shares that he personally learned to dance thanks to Beverly, a talented former dancer. He offers to share what he learned with Wesley.

Getting right to work, Wesley begins to modify the planetary scans while keeping the datalines open for the stellar physicists . Seeing that he's having difficulties with the sensors, Lefler walks over and gives him a hand. They introduce themselves, but before they can chat, Lefler points out that Wesley's neutrinos are drifting, leaving Wesley scrambling to get back to work. Wesley looks at her as she leaves, then turns back to his work. Lefler takes a look back at him as well.

Conflicts arise between the stellar physicists and the planetary evolution team, with both of them wanting to be the first to use the thermal imaging array , Data reports. La Forge suggests they flip a coin , as they won't be able to finish the mission without working together. Data is then called away to sickbay by Beverly, who needs assistance. As he enters, she is working on an experiment using bioactive silicon and needs her tricorder modified to a certain specification. Data agrees to help, but as he works on the tricorder, Beverly shuts him off. Troi and Riker enter sickbay and Riker carries him to a bio-bed , and has the computer secure the doors. Beverly then takes a cutting tool , opens a panel on the back of Data's head, and begins to work on the android.

Act Three [ ]

Enjoying some tea with Picard, Wesley details his instructors at the Academy: Novakovich for anthropology , Walter Horne for creative writing . Picard is pleased to hear that Wesley met Boothby his first week, as he had suggested the year before . When asked how he was doing and mused that Boothby may have told Wesley some stories about Picard in his Academy days, Wesley admits Boothby didn't remember Picard until he saw an old yearbook picture. Boothby was very proud that Picard had become captain of the Enterprise and showed Wesley a grand tour of the gardens – the very same tour Picard got when he was at the Academy. Wesley then asked about the initials "A.F." that Boothby caught Picard carving in his prized elm tree , which Picard admits was an old acquaintance of his. His preoccupation with her cost him a passing grade in organic chemistry . Picard advises Wesley that whenever he meets someone whose initials he would carve in that elm tree, it should not interfere with his studies. Picard is then summoned to sickbay by Beverly.

Beverly explains to the captain that Data was complaining about a servo malfunction , and although her scans came up negative, he collapsed. La Forge determines that his higher signals are intact, but none of them are entering the rest of his body through his positronic brain , leaving him in an almost comatose state. Picard wants to be kept up-to-date on the situation.

In Data's quarters, Riker and La Forge end up with a dead end with no evidence to support a shutdown. The personal , diagnostic , and duty logs all show normal and a standard security sweep shows nothing out of the ordinary. Riker assures the troubled La Forge that Dr. Crusher has everything taken care of, and suggests that La Forge takes a break to unwind. La Forge agrees, which opens the opportunity for Riker to introduce him to the game.

Still working on the sensors, Lefler shares with Wesley her view of conduit configuration quoting her personal Law #36: " You have to go with what works ". The laws are her personal rules: whenever she learns something new, she makes a law so as not to forget it. To date, she has 102 laws . She credits Wesley's reputation for being good. Wesley realizes that Lefler knows more about him than he realizes. She admits she's heard about him from a few friends at the Academy. She also wants to know about the revenge prank he played on Adam Martoni. Wesley mentions there is another side to the story, and then Lefler inquires about his birthmark . Wesley complains he is at a disadvantage, as he hardly knows Lefler. While he needs to work on the sensor relays, he offers a chance to even the score. He invites her to meet him for coffee , but she counters with a dinner proposal, which he accepts.

Beverly clears a challenging level of the game in her quarters , but is interrupted by Wesley, who inquires about it. Embarrassed, she concedes that the game was meant for him, but she couldn't resist trying it out. When offered a chance to try it, Wesley passes and instead asks about Data's condition. She says La Forge has everything under control, and stops Wesley from going to help out, reminding him he's on vacation. Running late for his date with Lefler, Wesley promises his mother he will have time to spend with her while he's on board. She then becomes adamant for her son to try one round of the game, but he insists he needs to get ready for his date. She tells Wesley to have a good time and sets the game down on a table.

Lefler begins to talk about her life in Starfleet ; her childhood involved frequent moving, as her parents were highly in demand as plasma specialists . As a child, she enjoyed playing with a tricorder , as Wesley did with a warp coil . She concedes her parents didn't have much time to spend with her, even when she needed them, which prompted her to make her first law: You can only count on yourself . They begin to discuss the game. Lefler says everyone in engineering are going crazy over it. They glance over at a crewman at another table playing the game in a trance-like state. Lefler dismisses it as a fad, but Wesley wants to find out more before playing it. They team up to look into it, and as they leave Ten Forward, another crewman in a command red uniform begins playing while seated at the bar .

The two begin to study the game, and what it does to the brain . The highest concentration of activity is in the pleasure center of the brain, a key component in the game: it's addictive. Another unusual reading comes from the prefrontal cortex , which handles reasoning. Wesley concludes he needs to inform the captain about this discovery.

In the captain's ready room , Wesley explains to Picard what he and Lefler discovered, having concluded that the game is psychotropically addictive. Picard is even further concerned when he learns the game affects the brain's reasoning center. Picard says that he'll start an investigation immediately, and thanks Wesley for bringing it to his attention, mentioning how good it is to have him back. As soon as Wesley leaves, he turns around, picks up the game he had hidden when Wesley arrived, and resumes playing.

Act Four [ ]

By now, the game has spread through most of the ship. Wesley meets Lefler in Ten Forward and the two discuss how they're constantly being approached by people who are almost desperate to get them to try the game, as Chief O'Brien had a moment ago. Wesley tells Lefler that he's told the captain, however a crewmember interrupts asking them why they're not trying the game and is about to force hers onto Lefler's head before the two leave, but not before deducing that only Data would be immune to the game and how convenient it was that he suffered a mysterious "malfunction" just after it arrived. Wesley and Lefler look over Data's systems and determine that someone has severed a connection between his positronic brain and the rest of his body. Wesley is disturbed and tells Lefler that only two people on board the Enterprise have the training and experience to disable Data in this way: La Forge and his mother. They deduce that he has been deactivated to be kept out of the way so that the game could be spread throughout the rest of the susceptible crew.

The Enterprise arrives at some designated coordinates, and Picard sends the senior staff to see to it that the few unaffected crewmembers left are introduced to the game, reminding them not to forget about Wesley. Worf and Beverly go to see to it that Wesley plays the game, only to find that he and Lefler have already seemingly succumbed to it. Satisfied, they leave, only for Wesley and Lefler to return to normal, having replicated dummy devices to fool the rest of the crew. They agree that no one can be trusted now, however Robin has to leave to report for duty, knowing that her absence could arouse suspicion. Wesley asks her to access the codes for the security tracking system as he has a plan, and she tells him to watch his back.

Now believing the entire crew has played the game, Captain Picard summons all the senior offices to the bridge. Worf tells Picard that an alien ship is approaching and is hailing the Enterprise . Picard asks Worf to put the message on the video screen. It is Etana Jol, the woman from Risa who originally gave the game to Riker during his shore leave . She is in fact a Ktarian commander, and she now asks Captain Picard for a report. Picard answers " The Enterprise has been secured. We await further instructions ".

Act Five [ ]

Etana is delighted with Picard's response, and it is now apparent that her encounter with Riker back on Risa was designed to be more than just a romantic interlude but was part of her plan to addict Riker to the game to the point that he would bring it back to the ship. Over time, the game's addictive and mind control properties would allow Etana to gain control of the Enterprise and its crew. The true intention of the game is also clear now: it is part of a Ktarian "expansion project" and a plot to help the Ktarians take over the Federation . She now orders various members of the crew to visit nearby Federation outposts and installations to distribute the devices there, and also to make sure that all other ships in the sector get the game. In a reference to Wesley, Picard also informs Etana that they may be able to get the devices to Starfleet Academy. Etana closes the transmission by saying the crew will all be rewarded when the "expansion" is completed.

Nurse Ogawa playing the game

Wesley meets up with Lefler in engineering, where he tells her he's prepared a site-to-site transporter program in case of an emergency and asks how she's been doing with the security system. However, he then notices that she's staring at him blankly. He realizes something is wrong as Lefler reveals she's been exposed to the game and tells Wesley it's his turn. Riker and Worf have been hiding in order to perform an ambush. Wesley manages to escape from engineering and makes a run for it with Riker and Worf in pursuit. When further progress is blocked by a force field , he activates the transport program. He is beamed to transporter room 3, on Deck 6. In order to prevent the crew from tracking his whereabouts, Wesley ditches his combadge and deactivates it as he flees the room.

After working through some of Wesley's sabotage , the crew tracks him to deck six and traps him with force fields. Wesley takes out a type 1 phaser and sets it to randomly fire on the force field. This activity is detected, tricking the crew into thinking he was trying to cut through it and buying him time to get away. He escapes into the Jefferies tubes , but they scan for his body heat in that quarter of the saucer section . Knowing where he's going, Worf and Riker corner Wesley in a Jefferies tubes junction and capture him. Even though he grabs onto a grate to anchor himself, they eventually manage to drag him to the bridge, struggling the entire way.

Held down into the captain's chair , he is forced to use the game device, his head held still and at Picard's encouraging, his eyes forced open by Riker and Worf. Wesley still fights them while his mother encourages him to just relax and let the game play itself. In fact, the game does play itself: Wesley refuses to throw the disks into the funnels, but the funnels stretch toward the disks and pull the disks into themselves, triggering the same effects that would have been triggered if Wesley had voluntarily thrown the disks into the funnels. It would seem that he is now addicted – and Ktarian control of the Enterprise is now complete.

Data foils the Ktarian plot

At that moment, the lights on the bridge go out, plunging the room into darkness. Data appears from the turbolift and, using a palm beacon , flashes an optical burst pattern into everyone's eyes which disrupts the games effects and returns everyone to normal. He has the lights turned back on before telling Worf to lock onto the Ktarian ship with the tractor beam . As Worf goes to do so, Data asks Picard if he is alright, and the shaken captain says " I think so, Mr. Data. "

As soon as Etana's ship is captured, she angrily hails the Enterprise , demanding an explanation. When Picard says that her plot has failed, she threatens to open fire on the Enterprise , but Worf scans her ship and pointedly reports that with her ship's limited defenses, she is not a threat at all. After making it clear to Etana that she cannot escape, Riker closes the channel on a speechless Etana.

Riker is curious of how Data is working again despite being disabled. Wesley explains that he had managed to reconnect Data's positronic matrix before he went to Engineering. After learning of the situation, Data had set to work in finding a way of counteracting the game's mind control (eventually modifying the palm beacon), while Wesley distracted the crew for as long as possible with his wild goose chase. As for the rest of the crew, Data had programmed the computer to send the same coded burst patterns to all of the display screens, work stations, and terminals throughout the ship, which should cure everyone. With the conspiracy over, Picard decides to take the Ktarian ship to the nearest starbase .

Lefler is helping Wesley prepare to leave the Enterprise . His vacation is over – back to the Academy and his studies. Riker informs Wesley that his ship is waiting, and he should report to the transporter room. Wesley acknowledges that he'll be there shortly. But first he and Lefler say their goodbyes to each other, they kiss , and she gives Wesley a going-away gift – a copy of her 102 laws written down. Wesley decides to add "Law 103… A couple of light years can't keep good friends apart". She nods her approval and Wesley is transported to the USS Merrimac that will return him to Starfleet Academy. Lefler watches Wesley longingly as he leaves.

Log entries [ ]

• Captain's log, USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D), 2368

Memorable quotes [ ]

" You see the disk and the cone? " " Yeah. " " Concentrate. Make the disk go into the cone. " " How do I do that? " " Just let go. "

" Would you like me to leave the two of you alone? "

" I never met a chocolate I didn't like. "

" Chief O'Brien to bridge. " " Bridge here. " " Wesley Crusher has arrived and wants to know if he can stop by the observation lounge to say "Hi." " " I suppose that is acceptable. "

" Wesley… Tarvokian pound cake . I made it myself. "

" Chocolate is a serious thing. "

" No, thanks. I don't like fudge. "

" Quomodo tua Latinitas est? " (Translation: " How's your Latin? ") " Praestat quam prius. " (Translation: " It's better than before. ") " Oppido bonum. (Translation: " Very good. ") Your Latin has improved. "

" Report. " " Welcome, Etana. The Enterprise has been secured. We await your further instructions. "

" Your neutrinos are drifting. "

" It's your turn. Play the game, Wesley. "

" Geordi, a conflict has started between the planetary evolution team and the stellar physicists. Each wishes to be the first to use the thermal imaging array. " " Well, tell 'em to flip a coin . We've got to work together on this mission otherwise we're never gonna get it done. " " A coin. Very good. I will replicate one immediately. "

Background information [ ]

• Final draft script: 23 August 1991 [1]
• Filmed: 28 August 1991 – 6 September 1991
• Additional day of second unit filming: 3 October 1991
• Premiere airdate: 28 October 1991
• First UK airdate: 25 January 1995

Story and script [ ]

• Like " Darmok ", the story for this episode had a somewhat tumultuous path to the screen. It had originally been pitched by Susan Sackett and Fred Bronson during the fourth season . However, as Ronald D. Moore recalled, " 'The Game' kicked around for quite a while and went through lots of permutations. " Many writers had taken many approaches to the story, including two drafts that were abandoned. ( Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages , p. 230-1)
• Bronson recalled, " It was based on the fact that I had a Tetris game on my computer at home. Whenever I wanted to […] distract myself I would play Tetris and it was very addictive. " ( Starburst Special #29, p. 58)
• Michael Piller was convinced the premise couldn't be saved. However, Rick Berman reminded Piller that he had been concerned about the lack of science fiction premises on the show. Berman thus suggested giving the story to Brannon Braga , as his first assignment after joining the writing staff. Braga took the pitch in a darker direction, summarizing his treatment as " Wesley's come home and his family's out to get him. " ( Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages , p. 230-1; Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion , 2nd ed., p. 181)
• Braga compared the plot of this episode to Invasion of the Body Snatchers . ( Intergalactic Guest Stars , TNG Season 5 DVD special features) Jeri Taylor commented, " Through an evolutionary process – without really intending to ape that movie – this insidious spread of a game had its origins in kids being addicted to video games now, and what happens to them. That was the original intent and that's what drove the final story and script. That insight followed the development. " Braga added, " It's ironic to have the adolescent come back to find all the adults are addicted to a game which is something you'd expect the other way around. " ( Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages , p. 230)
• Braga observed, " We were going for fun and high concept. It's an atypical show in some ways and a lot of people had trouble believing Picard would become addicted and all these people would get hooked, but that's the story. Either you tell it or you don't. Not that we didn't give a lot of thought to how the characters became addicted. The characters only become addicted because they were getting the game from people they trusted, which is exemplified in the notorious chocolate scene, which had a very mixed reaction, but I had a lot of fun writing it. " ( Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages , p. 230)
• Braga saw this episode as a chance to make the character of Wesley Crusher "a little hipper", by giving him a girlfriend and by showing him to be a cadet capable of pulling practical jokes. ( Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion , 2nd ed., p. 181) Braga remarked, " When I was writing the teleplay, I tried to relax him a little bit and took the opportunity to make him a more relaxed character with some personality and some spunk. He's more savvy because he was at the Academy and has gone through some changes and he'll pick up on Robin Lefler. " ( Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages , p. 230)

Production [ ]

Director Corey Allen instructing Brent Spiner and Wil Wheaton

• "The Game" was filmed between Wednesday 28 August 1991 and Friday 6 September 1991 on Paramount Stage 8 , 9 , and 16 . On Monday 2 September 1991 , the production was off for Labor Day Holiday. An additional day of second unit filming was on Thursday 3 October 1991 on Paramount Stage 9 and 16.
• While at Dragon Con 2011, Brent Spiner recalled that during production of this episode, the scene wherein Data is deactivated by Dr. Crusher and falls down onto a bio-bed, Spiner actually hit the bed so hard he cut his chin and had to go to the hospital. After returning to the set, director Corey Allen immediately asked Spiner to do the scene again. [2]
• On Thursday 29 August 1991 , a camera crew from CBS This Morning visited the set and interviewed the cast members.
• "The Game" was the first episode to air following Gene Roddenberry 's death on 24 October 1991 .

Cast and characters [ ]

• This was the second and last appearance of Ensign Robin Lefler ( Ashley Judd ). After her first appearance, in " Darmok ", the writers had been looking for a vehicle for her return, and this story was seen as a perfect fit. ( Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion , 2nd ed., p. 181)
• Wil Wheaton fondly remembered working with Judd, noting that he was Judd's first on-screen kiss. ( Intergalactic Guest Stars , TNG Season 5 DVD special features)
• Brannon Braga admitted that he hit on Judd during filming, and was "dutifully ignored". ( Star Trek: The Next Generation 365 , p. 227)

Sets, props, special effects, and costumes [ ]

The optical extension of the Jefferies tube behind Worf

• The headpieces for the Ktarian game were created by property master Alan Sims , using telephone headsets . ( Star Trek: The Next Generation 365 , p. 226)
• A suite on Risa , as it appeared in " Captain's Holiday ", was recreated for this episode. It has the same architecture and similar decorations (including a horga'hn ) as Captain Picard's room and even features the Risian ocean, seen through the window.
• The engineering laboratory is a re-use of the sickbay lab, also seen as the tactical laboratory . It includes the star chart seen behind Dexter Remmick in " Conspiracy ".
• The Ktarian vessel is a re-use of the Zalkonian warship , which itself was a redress of the Tarellian plague ship .
• Several parts of the bridge of the Ktarian ship, including the chair and the viewscreen, also appeared on Romulan ships.
• This is the first appearance of Wesley Crusher 's cadet -style Starfleet uniform . The Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion , 2nd ed., p. 181 notes that Wesley's cadet uniform lacks pips, as was later established in " The First Duty ".
• The blue-grey shirt that Wil Wheaton wore as Wesley in this episode was sold off on the It's A Wrap! sale and auction on eBay. [3] (X) [4] (X)
• This is the first appearance of a matte painting as optical extension of the Jefferies tube . The call sheet features the note "Art/Graphic – translight backing of tube".

Continuity [ ]

• Data references the events of TNG : " Data's Day " when he tells Wesley that his mother recently taught him how to dance. This also means that Data broke his promise to Doctor Crusher that he keeps this fact between the two of them.
• Deanna Troi 's love of chocolate was established in " The Price ".
• Wesley and Picard also discuss Boothby , who was first mentioned by Picard in TNG : " Final Mission ".
• While in a turbolift , Nurse Alyssa Ogawa comments to Wesley that she is on level 47 of the Game, repeating the theme of including that number in the series.
• This episode was the second time the sonic shower was referenced and the first to mention it by name, though it was several years before one was seen again, on Star Trek: Voyager .

Reception [ ]

• Michael Piller commented, " I thought it was a great episode. That was an episode that dealt with my fascination in watching my two sons with their obsession for video games and doing a show that dealt with a non-world shattering issue but people's obsession, almost addiction, to certain types of games. " ( Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages , p. 230) Piller praised Braga's efforts, and thought it showed that he had promise as a writer. " He delivered that script and did some wonderful things. He wrote scenes that didn't depend on action but went straight to character; and a two minute scene with Troi and a chocolate sundae which was wonderfully written. He has an extraordinary talent to find the moments in [a] script where you can throw in character development and spend the time doing that for the sheer delight of getting to know the character better – and not interrupting the flow. " ( Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion , 2nd ed., p. 181)
• Brannon Braga remarked, " It was corny, even at the time. But I enjoyed writing it. It was fun to realize that Picard had been seduced by the game, and it was fun to watch Beverly Crusher attempt to entice her son. The script was produced exactly as I wrote it, so it was an extremely positive experience for me. " ( Star Trek: The Next Generation 365 , p. 227)
• Jonathan Frakes also enjoyed "The Game", commenting, " That's a fun episode… It was like O.D.'ing on Nintendo . " However, he was disappointed with the computer graphics used to depict the Ktarian game , stating " They told me it was going to be this incredible graphic, and all it was… was a tuba on a checkerboard ". ( Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages , p. 231)
• Writer Marc Scott Zicree was not impressed by how this episode developed the character of Wesley Crusher. Commented Zicree, " He falls in love with a girl and they share chocolate mousse – give me a break. " ( The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years , p. 106)
• A mission report for this episode by John Sayers was published in The Official Star Trek: The Next Generation Magazine  issue 18 , pp. 38-41.

Video and DVD releases [ ]

• Original UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, CIC Video ): Volume 53, 5 October 1992
• UK re-release (three-episode tapes, Paramount Home Entertainment ): Volume 5.2, catalog number VHR 4761, 22 July 2002
• As part of the TNG Season 5 DVD collection

Links and references [ ]

Starring [ ].

• Patrick Stewart as Capt. Jean-Luc Picard
• Jonathan Frakes as Cmdr. William Riker

Also starring [ ]

• LeVar Burton as Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge
• Michael Dorn as Lt. Worf
• Gates McFadden as Dr. Beverly Crusher
• Marina Sirtis as Counselor Deanna Troi
• Brent Spiner as Lt. Commander Data

Guest stars [ ]

• Ashley Judd as Robin Lefler
• Katherine Moffat as Etana
• Colm Meaney as Miles O'Brien
• Patti Yasutake as Alyssa Ogawa
• Wil Wheaton as Wesley Crusher

Co-stars [ ]

• Diane M. Hurley as Woman
• Majel Barrett as Computer Voice

Uncredited co-stars [ ]

• Arratia as Alfonse Pacelli
• Rachen Assapiomonwait as Nelson
• Joe Baumann as Garvey
• Cece Bell as command division officer
• Bowman as civilian
• Michael Braveheart as Martinez
• Camara as operations division officer
• Victoria Cameron as Ten Forward waitress
• Max Cervantes as operations division officer
• Cullen Chambers as command division officer
• Tony Cruz as Lopez
• Denise Deuschle as science division officer
• A. Flores as science division officer
• Goldie Ann Gareza as civilian
• Keith Gearhart as science division officer
• Melba Gonzalez as command officer
• Eben Ham as operations division ensign
• Linda Harcharic as command division ensign
• Grace Harrell as operations division officer
• Melanie Hathorn as sciences officer
• Gary Hunter as science division officer
• Joly as command division ensign
• Kast as command division officer
• Alex Landi as operations division officer
• Mark Lentry as science division lieutenant
• Debbie Marsh as command division ensign
• Michael Moorehead as science division ensign
• Randy Pflug as Jones
• Greg Poole as civilian
• Bill E. Rogers as operations division officer
• Noriko Suzuki as operations division ensign
• Curt Truman as command division officer
• Guy Vardaman as Darien Wallace
• Dru Wagner as Daniels
• Christina Wegler Miles as civilian
• Garvey (voice)
• Male civilian
• Ten Forward waiter #1
• Ten Forward waiter #2

Stand-ins and photo doubles [ ]

• David Keith Anderson – stand-in for LeVar Burton
• Cameron – stand-in for Gates McFadden
• Foster – stand-in for Wil Wheaton
• Debbie Marsh – stand-in for Marina Sirtis
• Tim McCormack – stand-in for Brent Spiner , Wil Wheaton , and Colm Meaney
• Lorine Mendell – stand-in for Gates McFadden , Katherine Moffat , and Ashley Judd
• Diane Reilly – stand-in for Ashley Judd
• Richard Sarstedt – stand-in and photo double for Jonathan Frakes and stand-in for Colm Meaney
• Dennis Tracy – stand-in for Patrick Stewart
• Guy Vardaman – stand-in for Wil Wheaton
• Dana Vitatoe – photo double for Brent Spiner
• Steve Voboril – photo double for Wil Wheaton
• James Washington – stand-in for Michael Dorn
• Anne Woodberry – photo double for Gates McFadden
• Diane York – photo double for Katherine Moffat

References [ ]

" a juggling act "; A.F. ; access code ; addiction ; advice ; alien ; announcement ; anthropology ; antimatter regulator ; astronomical survey ; bandwidth ; bearing ; bioactive silicon ; biosystem ; birthmark ; blade ; body ; Boothby ; bow ; brain ; brain activity ; bypass ; cadet ; calibration ; cat ; chance ; cherry ; chili sauce ; chocolate ; chocolate chips ; chocolate fudge ; chocolate ice cream ; chocolate sundae ; Cleon system ; Cochrane , USS ; coffee ; coin ; coma ; communicator ; computer ( main computer ); conduit ; cone ; coordinates ; corridor ; cortex processor ; course ; course (education); Creative Writing ; Crusher One ; dad ; damage ; dance ( dancing ); " Dancing Doctor, The "; data line ; date ; deception ; deck ; depression ; detector ; device ; diagnostics ; dinner ; diplomatic mission ; disc ; display screen ; duty logs ; ear ; effect ; elm ; Endeavour , USS ; engineering laboratory ; " even the score "; event ; exobiologist ; experience ; experiment ; expert ; explanation ; exploration ; exposure ; eye ; fad ; Federation ; feeling ; first year cadet ; " flip a coin "; friend ; forcefield override ; frontal lobe ; fun ; gadget ; Galaxy class decks ; gamma ray scanner ; gift ; " give me the creeps "; grass ; hail ; higher functions ; higher reasoning ; holodeck ; horga'hn ; Horne, Walter ; Human ; hundred ; ice cream ; illumination ; information ; initials ; instruction ; intercept course ; internal security sensors ; investigation ; Jefferies tube ; junction ; kiss ; Ktarians ; Ktarian game ; Ktarian vessel ; lateral sensor ; Latin ; Lefler's Academy friends ; Lefler's parents ; Lefler's parents' sector ; lesson ; light ; light year ; location ; long-range array ; luggage ; malfunction ; Martoni, Adam ; medical program ; medical team ; meeting ; Merrimac , USS ; Midsummer Night's Dream, A ; minute ; mission ; mission specialist ; mom ( mother ); mud ; multiplexing ; name ; nervous system ; neural output ; neurochemical analysis ; neurological behavior program ; neuroreceptor ; neutrino ; Novakovich ; nurse ; O'Brien, Molly ; Oberth -class ; observation schedule ; Oceanus IV ; online ; opportunity ; optical burst pattern ; optical sensor ; Organic Chemistry ; palm beacon ; panel ; partner ; personal logs ; phenomenon ; Phoenix Cluster ; photo ; physics lab ; place ; planetary evolution team ; planetary observation ; planetary scanner ; plasma specialist ; playing field ; positronic brain ; positronic link ; positronic matrix ; power cell ; practical joke ; prefrontal cortex ; processor ; problem ; psychotropic drug ; quarters ; region ; rendezvous ; research ; reticular formation ; Risa ; ritual ; Robin's Laws ; rumor ; Sadie Hawkins Dance ; scan field ; Science department ; science team ; sculpting ; section 23 ; section 25 ; section 29 ; section 52 ; security alert ; security containment field ; security sweep ; security tracking code ; security tracking system ; senior officer ; senior staff ; sensor array ; sensor pad ; sensor recalibration ; sensor relay ; septal area ; serotonin ; serotonin cascade ; servo ; shutdown ; shuttlebay ; shuttlecraft ; side effect ; signal breach ; signal flow ; site-to-site transport ; site-to-site transporter program ; size ; sleep ; social gathering ; sonic shower ; spoon ; specification ; Spot ; starbase ; Starbase 67 ; Starbase 82 ; starboard ; Starfleet ; Starfleet Academy ; starship operations ; status ; stellar cartographer ; stellar physics ; stellar physicist ; story ; subcommand ; subprocessor ; subroutine ; survey ; synapse ; synaptic activity ; tactical analysis ; Tarvokian pound cake ; taste ; tea ; teaching ; terminal ; testing ; " the spitting image "; thermal imaging array ; thermal sensor ; threat ; three-dimensional chess ; tour ; tractor beam ; tradition ; transporter room 2 ; transporter room 3 ; transporter system ; tricorder ; " try it on for size "; turbolift ; unconsciousness ; understanding ; " up to my neck in "; vacation ; victim ; viewer ; warp coil ; " watch your back "; weapons system ; week ; work station ; year ; yearbook ; Zhukov , USS

Library computer references [ ]

• Federation Star Chart ("The Explored Galaxy") : Aldebaran ; Alfa 177 ; Alpha Carinae ; Alpha Centauri ; Alpha Majoris ; Altair VI ; Andor ; Ariannus ; Arret ; Babel ; Benecia ; Berengaria VII ; Beta Aurigae ; Beta Geminorum ; Beta Lyrae ; Beta Niobe ; Beta Portolan ; Camus II ; Canopus III ; Capella ; Daran V ; Delta Vega ; Deneb ; Eminiar ; Fabrini ; First Federation ; Gamma Canaris N ; Gamma Trianguli ; Holberg 917G ; Ingraham B ; Janus VI ; Kling ; Kzin ; Lactra VII ; Makus III ; Marcos XII ; Manark IV ; Memory Alpha ; Mudd ; Omega IV ; Omega Cygni ; Organia ; Orion ; Pallas 14 ; Phylos ; Pollux IV ; Psi 2000 ; Pyris VII ; Regulus ; Remus ; Rigel ; Romulus ; Sarpeid ; Sirius ; Talos ; Tau Ceti ; Theta III ; Tholian Assembly ; Vulcan

Deleted references [ ]

External links [ ].

• " The Game " at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• " The Game " at Wikipedia
• " The Game " at MissionLogPodcast.com
• "The Game" script at Star Trek Minutiae
• " The Game " at the Internet Movie Database
• 2 Daniels (Crewman)
• 3 USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-G)

70 Star Trek Inspired Cat Names That Will Make Your Cat’s Name Unique

What could be more fun than giving your cat a ridiculously cool name inspired by one of the greatest sci-fi franchises of all time?

If you’re a fan of both cats and Star Trek, you’ll love these Star Trek inspired cat names.

They’re perfect for fans who want to give their kitty a unique name that stands out from the rest.

So if you’re looking for something different for your new feline friend, why not consider one of these names from the final frontier?

Male Star Trek Cat Names

Female Star Trek Cat Names

We hope you’ve learned a few new cat names for your furry friends. If not,  We’ve put together some of our favorite picks on pop culture cat names !

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