Orion Archives: 2266-2270 The First Mission

Zine
Title:	Orion Archives: 2266-2270 The First Mission
Publisher:	Orion Press
Editor(s):	Randall Landers
Date(s):	2001, 2007
Series?:	yes, see below
Medium:	print zine
Size:
Genre:
Fandom:	Star Trek: TOS
Language:	English
External Links:	Orion Press flyer Orion Online Archives page for 2266-2270 The First Mission old website (archived)
Click here for related articles on Fanlore.

Orion Archives: 2266-2270 The First Mission is a gen and het Star Trek: TOS anthology that reprints content published in previous Orion Press zines in particular from Orion. Some of the later issues also reprint online fanfic. The early issues are numbered, later on the titles are organized by the fictional timeframe the zine takes place in (many Orion Press zines take place in a vaguely shared universe at least as far as the basic chronology of the Trek universe is concered. Their website offers timelines and such that the zines adhere to). Issues are still being released as of 2009, and there are also re-releases of older Orion Archives issues. A full list is available at the Orion Press website.

Summary from the flyer: "These stories feature the Star Trek characters featured in The Original Series and The Animated Series, and all stories are set aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise, NCC-1701, during the command of Captain James Tiberius Kirk. Featured characters include Captain Kirk, First Officer Spock; Doctor Leonard "Bones" McCoy; Chief Engineer Montgomery Scott, Lieutenants Sulu, Uhura, Chapel, Arex and M’ress, and Ensign Chekov."

The Orion Archives:

• Orion Archives: 2229-2265 The Beginnings
• Orion Archives: 2266-2270 The First Mission
• Orion Archives: 2270-2272 The First Hiatus
• Orion Archives: 2272-2275 The Second Mission
• Orion Archives: 2275-2283 The Second Hiatus
• Orion Archives: 2275-2283 U.S.S Reliant
• Orion Archives: 2283-2284 Interludes
• Orion Archives: 2284-2323 Captain Sulu
• Orion Archives: 2285-2293 The Third Mission
• Orion Archives: 2292-2323 U.S.S. Chosin
• Orion Archives: 2293-2294 The Final Hiatus
• Orion Archives: 2294-2323 Chekov's Enterprise
• Orion Archives: 2294-2400 The Adventures Continue
• Orion Archives: 2295 The Sixth Fleet
• Orion Archives: 2296-2323 Project Potemkin
• Note: Though it has a different title format, Hyperion 2296-2323 may also fit into this series

Orion Archives: 2266-2270 The First Mission 1

cover of issue #1, 2001 edition

cover of issue #1, 2007 edition

Orion Archives: 2266-2270 The First Mission 1 contains 276 pages and a artwork by Rick Endres, Don Harden, Bobbie Hawkins, David Lawrence, Jeanne L. Matthews, Julie Nosal, Catherine Schlein and Gennie Summers. It was first published 2001 (digest size), then re-released 2007 in full size.

• The Red Shirt written by Ann Zewen (The story of Kirk and a security officer on a planet where something has gone horribly wrong.)

• The Salos Sell-Out written by Thomas C. Harden (A young Captain James T. Kirk is betrayed by an old mentor.)

• To Coin a Phrase written by Randall Landers (Given he’s from the 23rd century, how does McCoy know so much archaic 20th century slang?)

• The Night Watch written by d. William Roberts (A new crewmember finds himself tested under battle conditions during his first time on "The Night Watch.")

• No Beach to Walk on written by Linda McInnis (Using the time-honored nightmare sequence, the story takes a look at the Enterprise captain’s feverish remarks made during the events of "The Naked Time.")

• Runner written by Steven K. Dixon (The Orions are up to no good, smuggling a controlled substance from Federation territory into Klingon space.)

• Blood Is Thicker written by Chris Dickenson (Captain Kirk beams down to the surface of a planet reportedly inhabited by vampires, and is clearly attacked by something...or someone...startlingly familiar. A post-holocaust horror story told by Scotty is nearly as chilling as what happens to our good captain.)

• Rites of Passage written by d. William Roberts (Lieutenant Kelsey finds himself in charge during a crisis situation. Kirk is injured, and the Romulans have established a base in Federation territory!)

• Music of the Night written by Ann Zewen (We learn why Uhura wasn’t on duty during "The Doomsday Machine," and how close she came to losing her life in a struggle with a powerful entity.)

• The Mindsweeper written by Donna S. Frelick (James T. Kirk resigns after allegations of sexual impropriety. Meanwhile, a merchant ship captain finds a plot against the Federation and turns to one disgraced starship captain for help.)

• Something to Remind You written by Deborah A. Bailey (A look at what Uhura must’ve gone through following her re-education.)

• Friendship’s Song written by Valerie A. Phillips (As Spock recovers from fal tor pan, Uhura seeks him out to return an old favor. The flashback of the story is set during this time period.)

• The Wait written by Chris Dickenson (Uhura and Sulu are trapped in a chamber, awaiting rescue. Sulu finally gets Uhura to discuss what happened to her in the Mirror universe and why she’s been so distant from him since.)

• Last Picked written by Cathy German (Doctor McCoy tries his best to keep up with Kirk and Spock during a landing party adventure. I think the late Mister Kelley would’ve really liked this one.)

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 1

• The Red Shirt / [rep; Antares 3] Kirk attends dying security guard
• The Salos Sellout / [also Orion Archives #1] Standard fare. Kirk's former professor betrays the Federation he feels has wronged him by selling off dilithium on the sly.
• To Coin a Phrase / [also Orion Archives #3] Why does McCoy know all those outdated idioms? Cute 2-pager.
• The Night Watch / [rep; Orion #33] Riley takes a new Irish lieutenant - Kelsey - under his wing for final exams - Kirk's own Kobayashi Maru scenario. A tad predictable but a nice enough read.
• No Beach to Walk On / [also Orion Archives #1] Kirk vignette - musing on the lack of a beach and finding that that's okay as long as he has his ship.
• Runner / [rep; Orion #22; also Orion Archives #3) Orion battle story full of flaws in plot, characterization & style.
• Blood is Thicker / [also Orion Archives #6] Spock is pissed off at Kirk for having risked himself on a mission and been attacked by a vampire; Kirk suffers from nightmares in which Spock is the vampire. They reconcile when he calls out to Spock, realizes that it was only when Spock left him that he was afraid, and apologizes.
• Rites of Passage / [rep: Orion 34] Nicely done. Kelsey finds himself with a dying Kirk and a bunch of smart-ass Nova Cadets, supposedly supervising the survival test of their training, on a planet full of Romulans. The overconfident cadets fall into a Romulan trap, and most get killed - heroically. Except, of course, the Andorian who is the biggest jerk of the bunch.
• Music of the Night / [rep; Antares 1] Uhura is trapped in a musical & mental fugue, and rescued by Spock with the help of tone-deaf Kirk.
• The Mindsweeper / Lovely, lovely, lovely. Great characterization; intriguing alien creature; beautifully handled relationship story; tight plotting of the adventure story; wicked villains...yum. Kate Logan's ship Diana blows up while hauling cargo, causing her to be hauled before Starfleet, causing her to meet up with Kirk, who is in disgrace and being kept off Enterprise pending being charged with sexual crimes. All, of course, a ploy with Kirk as bait to catch a mole to get at evil Klingon Xhosar. Meanwhile, Enterprise, with McCoy increasingly disturbed as Kirk refuses to answer his calls, is off on a mission to Bellatrix XI looking for protomatter smugglers. And so is Kate, with her new ship Roxanne. Meanwhile Xhosar (hiss, boo!) has developed a warm and fuzzy relationship with The Mindsweeper, last of its kind, dying for knowledge, and now living in her head, sucking up new experience but beginning to have doubts. Well, after mayhem, murder, intrigue, delicious arguments and consternation... they all end up on Orionis V, the Mindsweeper's original home. Kirk hires Roxanne to take him to meet Xhosar - she gets impatient and sends them down planet to let the Mindsweeper at them. (Slight plot flaw - it is unclear how the Mindsweeper got out of Xhosar and back home, but it did.)The Mindsweeper is trying to figure out how to make contact. Jim and Kate make love in their last hours, unaware of the Mindsweeper participating and sucking up information about love and courage - it was just dying to meet a starship captain but is shy, so got in touch with Kate instead. Enterprise is investigating a smuggler's base they broke up. The Mindsweeper takes over Roxanne, sucking up more information - now a living ship, she zaps bad guys, rescues Kirk and Kate, and attacks Xhosar's base. Xhosare seems to do about as much damage in a tantrum as the white hats are doing with Roxanne. They escape planet, barely, and are rescued by Enterprise. Xhosar says the wrong thing to a Klingon captain and has her throat slit to everyone's satisfaction. Jim and Kate go their ways as they have to, but stay in love. Roxie stays in the ship and asks to be Kate's sister. Sequels: Return to Tarsus; Children of Haole; Into the Nexus
• Something to Remind You / [rep; Antares 4] Thoughts of music send Uhura into odd panic attack after the Nomad incident; Spock assists in her recovery.
• Friendship's Song / [also Orion Archives 7] As Spock recovers from fal-tor-pan, Uhura seeks him out to return an old favor. The flashback to her recovery from Nomad places the story in this set.
• The Wait / [rep from Idylls #3; also Orion Archives 4] Uhura and Sulu are trapped in a chamber, awaiting rescue. Sulu confronts her over her coolness to him since her trip to the mirror universe.
• Last Picked / [rep; Antares 4] Great romp for McCoy, getting to be the hero when the trio try to rescue a protestor and K & S wind up wrapped in glass silk by a big icky predator, and put into storage as dinner for the kids. I especially liked Spock's response: "Thank you for saving my sorry skinny green Vulcan butt."

Orion Archives: 2266-2270 The First Mission 2

cover of issue #2, 2001 edition

cover of issue #2, 2007 edition

Orion Archives: 2266-2270 The First Mission 2 contains 236 pages and artwork by Don Harden, Bobbie Hawkins, Christine M. Myers and Julie C. Nosal. It was first published 2001 (digest size), then re-released 2007 in full size.

• The Wreck of the Aurora Borealis written by Cathy German (The Enterprise crew encounters a rather unique creature with a rather expensive taste.)

• Banshee! written by Mary Schuttler (This Halloween story is a chilling tale of a Scottish spirit aboard the Enterprise.)

• The McAulliffe Rescue written by Christina Schinella (The starship Enterprise receives a distress call from a civilian science ship, the S.S. McAulliffe. A landing party beams down to investigate the crash site and encounters a being who is torn between Humanity and the alien race who befriends her.)

• Paragraph 17 written by Anna Perotti (The title is a reference to an often disregarded Starfleet Regulation, and how not adhering to it can end up with those involved hoist by their own petards.)

• Comeuppance written by Cathy German (A Federation reporter finds herself following up on the events of "By Any Other Name." Folks, this is a must-read.)

• The Lesson written by Cathy German (A Starfleet observer finds herself in the midst of a battle with aliens, with her friends, herself, and learns a vital lesson.)

• Meeting At Xanadu written by Alex Rosen (A reclusive history professor has information which the Federation needs and which the Romulans don’t want disclosed.)

• In the Line of Duty written by Nicole Comtet (Kirk, Spock and the male Enterprise crewmembers find themselves held in disdain by the Cygnetian delegation, which consists entirely of women.)

• Out on a Limb written by Leigh Hall (A landing party discovers a rather unique world, and a creature which has the best of intentions. A fun story!)

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 2

• The Wreck of the Aurora Borealis / [rep; Antares 5] Enterprise is assigned to guard a wreck full of gold dust, and ends up facing an angry cat, Orion raiders, and a large, amorphous, hungry space entity with a taste for gold. Creative, fun, well-executed.
• Banshee! / [rep; Antares 6] Nicely written despite the type of magical/supernatural premise I don't personally care for. A banshee haunts sickbay, almost killing Kirk until his link to Spock calls him in to the rescue - leaving Kirk knowing that he will die when he is alone.
• The McAulliffe Rescue / [rep: Orion 32]
• Paragraph 17 / [rep; Antares 5] In a first contact encounter, things go nicely with Kirk wining and dining the Beta Reticulan head of state until he discovers that though the people are startlinglingly human-like, their secondary sexual characteristics are reversed on that planet. Cute.
• Comeuppance / [rep; see Antares 5] Humor columnist Rose Osborne, who has been having fun with the E-crew for some time, comes aboard. She loses her sense of humor after she accidentally encounters what's left of Yeoman Leslie Thompson after the Kelvans crystallized and crunched her, and becomes obsessed with understanding the girl and why she was on that mission. Charming. A bit trite having her finally understand by throwing herself in harm's way for Kirk, but all in all excellent.
• The Lesson / [rep; see Antares 5] Jude Osborne the desk-jockey is sent by Starfleet to figure out what makes Kirk's command crew tick so well - and finds out with a vengeance on the bridge in the middle of a battle. Superbly written. Starts in battle, backtracks around in time to show vignettes of an unfortunate incident with a Vulcan roommate, shows the crew in normal mode and then in crisis. Nice touch is everyone's immediate reaction "Intruder! Who? Ah.. .Jude"
• Meeting at Xanadu / [also Orion Archives #2]
• In the Line of Duty / [rep; novel - 2000] [Landers: TWR]: Ever have one of those missions? James T. Kirk is given one here as he's ordered to transport the diplomatic delegation from dilithium rich Cygnet XII to Starbase 11 for meetings with the Federation ambassador. Unfortunately, the delegation has some peculiar notions. And Kirk thought Elaan of Troyius was difficult! [KH]Somewhat predictable little romp, but entertaining enough. Enterprise is escorting a snooty delegation of Cygnetians - essentially Amazon warrior-women, in whose society males are assumed to be and kept inferior. So the crew has to work against an anti-male prejudice along with other oddities such as their fascination with Spock, invasive use of telepathy, and bratty telekinetic behavior. Lots of innuendo.
• Out on a Limb / [rep; Antares 2] My entry to a ST contest, re-worked a bit. Originally, Babes in the Wood. What can I say - I liked it! This is the first time I've written a romp. McCoy et al encounter an all-too-friendly critter.

Orion Archives: 2266-2270 The First Mission 3

cover of issue #3, 2001 edition

cover of issue #3, 2007 edition

Orion Archives: 2266-2270 The First Mission 3 contains 252 pages and artwork by Linda P. Baker, Rick Endres, Don Harden and Richard G. Pollet. It was first published 2001 (digest size), then re-released 2007 in full size.

• After Paradise written by Caroline Kummer (A story which nicely tidies up the events of "The Paradise Syndrome" and leads to a surprise revelation about a subsequent episode.)

• Not a Bad Day’s Work written by Chris Dickenson ("Not a Bad Day’s Work" is a Scotty story, written by the author so that the character could sing a Scottish lullaby often sung by James Doohan at conventions. It’s simply a beautiful story, and it’s nice to see Scotty in action.)

• The Unexplained written by Mary Schuttler (A Ouija board brings forth a terrifying memory in the Enterprise captain.)

• The Music Box written by Ann Zewen (McCoy contracts xenopolycythemia, and his condition causes him to commit a rash act that he truly comes to regret.)

• Tomb of Fear written by Jill Thomasson (Captain Kirk, Mister Spock and Doctor McCoy beam down to a desert planet filled with Egyptian-styled ruins to ascertain the status of an archaeological team stationed there some time earlier, only to find that they have been dispatched by a rather murderous creature...a creature which is now pursuing its new prey: the Enterprise officers.)

• Fairy Tale Ending written by Joanne K. Seward (A group of cadets find their posting on the Enterprise different than they imagined it to be. At first, confusing, then boring, and lastly potentially lethal.)

• The Kenederis Incident written by Jim Ausfahl (The Enterprise tries to render aid to a civilization beset with a strange and seemingly incurable plague. A science-fiction medical mystery.)

• Persephone’s Dance written by Mike S. Bagneski (The crew of the Enterprise races against time as they race to terraform a dead planet into a living world. But other dangers await them, as a pair of civilian scientists soon discover.)

• The Ride of the Valkyries written by Nicole Comtet (Uhura and Spock attend a Wagnerian opera only to find themselves—along with Sulu and Palmer—on what amounts to an excellent adventure.)

• The Emancipator of Trill written by D.G. Littleford (Starfleet Command dispatches Captain James "Tomcat" Kirk at the behest of the Trill ambassador. Imagine the reaction of Starfleet’s finest when they learn of the nature of the Trill symbionts.)

• The Ambassador’s Taxi written by Jim Ausfahl (A wonderfully wry and almost comic adventure of the Enterprise crew as they deal with one of those oh-so-alien ambassadors whose presence aboard the ship is dangerous for everyone concerned.)

• Completion written by Linda McInnis ("Completion" is a "post script" story, this time building on the events of "Wink of an Eye." It is the story of the aftermath of the Enterprise’s departure from Scalos, and of the relationship between two people.)

• I Grieve with Thee written by Chris Dickenson ("I Grieve with Thee" is another post-script story, set after "All Our Yesterdays," as McCoy helps Spock to confront his feelings about Zarabeth.)

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 3

See reactions and reviews for The Kenederis Incident.

See reactions and reviews for The Ambassador's Taxi.

[zine]:

• After Paradise / [rep; Antares #6] Kirk discovers that Spock has been working himself to death during the asteroid chase from "Paradise Syndrome" and teaches him a lesson about trusting his crew.
• Not a Bad Day's Work / [also Orion Archives 6] Scotty & McCoy encounter a child trapped in a cave-in; Scott effects rescue by means of a Welsh lullaby (the one James Doohan sings at cons).
• The Unexplained / [rep; Antares #6) A Halloween story; Kirk recounts a nasty episode from his childhood in which he, Sam, Gary Mitchell, and the unfortunate Petey play with a Ouija board in a haunted house and Petey ends up bludgeoned by an psychopath's spirit.
• The Music Box / [also Orion Archives 6] Chapel helps McCoy pick out the perfect graduation gift for Joanna, and tries to comfort him when he destroys it in a drunken frenzy when he learns of his xenopolycythemia.
• Tomb of Fear / [also Orion Archives 6] Post-"Empath" the boys are exploring an Egyptian-like archaeological dig, both Spock and Kirk mother-henning the Doctor who, indeed, has the heebie-jeebies with the similarities to the Minara incident - the scientists have disappeared here also. The explanation is a giant, beautiful and deadly snake. It gets McCoy as he draws it away from the injured Spock. Kirk kills it, modern medical miracles (the biggest plot hole - the lab on the planet just happens to have all they need to make the antidote) save McCoy, and they take the snake back to the ship. McCoy is about to autopsy it when it revives, gets him again, and disappears into the ductwork. McCoy finally confronts it, and his fears, in cargo bay, sedating it and convincing Kirk and Spock that he can take care of himself - before collapsing nicely into Spock's arms.
• Fairy Tale Ending / [rep: Orion 35] Excellent cadets' coming-of-age story. A group of cadets get their space legs interning on Enterprise. It comes with a dose of hard reality when they have to assist with rescue efforts on a foundered ship and Carson is killed in her attempt to rescue a child.
• The Kenederis Incident / [rep; Antares 2] The Keneds, their planet quarantined because of prior plague, are suddenly both afflicted with the plague themselves and suffering from violent attacks. Enterprise comes to the rescue. McCoy gets infected when a patient he's about to autopsy revives, and Spock works with him to find a treatment. Unfortunately, the treatment that works on McCoy leaves the Keneds brain-dead, whether their infections are mild or severe. It turns out that the Keneds are actually a bacterial creature themselves, inhabiting a variety of species on the planet, accounting for their planet's multiple sentient species who all consider themselves Kened. The plague is from a similar creature that has taken up residence.
• The Emancipator of Trill / [rep; Antares 3] Diplomatic and personal troubles ensue when a Trill ambassador, possibly inside a coerced host, views Kirk as her entertainment.
• Persephone's Dance / Lots of points for characters, aliens and an interesting sci-fi premise. Deena Collins (human) and Kili (Kiloni - a birdlike species with reversed knees, one of the few sentient races derived from prey species) are investigating for life on planet Persephone prior to stabilizing its dual orbit to suit it for terraforming by the Kerlovec Corporation. They find none, and board Enterprise, which will do the job. But when Kerlovec himself comes aboard behaving suspiciously, they determine that there is, in fact, a crystalline life form indigenous to the planet - it stores its DNA-analog in a "zipped" form. While the planet is in its circular orbit life is as usual; when it encounters the gas giant Hades it is knocked into a comet-like orbit, a virus attacks the hosts, taking their genes with it as they cover the planet with spores, some of which end up in the lava created in the gravitational disturbances - which is required for the zipped crystals to grow. When the planet gets back to its sun, the crystals, powered by intense radiation, open up, spit out "bugs" which seed the planet and life she goes on. Clever and lots of fun.
• The Ride of the Valkyries / [rep; Antares 3] Uhura and Spock, on leave after a night at the opera, take on a young gang of motorcycle riders, including the son of a local dignitary. A really lovely romp.
• The Ambassador's Taxi / [rep; Antares #6] Points for excellent new lifeforms. The dreaded ambassador turns out to be Hoorash, a tree-like silicate life form requiring high temperatures. Spock & McCoy visit him in his "pup tent" in the shuttle bay, inside little egg carts. Duties finished, Hoorash is anxious to get home to Suzr before his deathly-ill and dearest lifemate dies. So, the E cuts across Klingon space. Hoorash has to rescue them by stealing dilithium crystals from the Klingon ship, but is injured in the process. McCoy manages to save him by transfusing a solder alloy Scotty rigs up. When they reach Suzr, he does the same for Hrashass, buying her years of life.
• Completion / [also Orion Archives #2] Nice little vignette of the results of Kirk's liaison with Deela - her son Kirk's wife is pregnant! Rael cannot quite rejoice and will not return to her.
• I Grieve With Thee / [also Orion Archives #4] Nice little Spock/McCoy vignette post-"All Our Yesterdays" with McCoy trying to force Spock to forgive himself, his Vulcan ways of coping with a broken heart having clearly not worked.

Orion Archives: 2266-2270 The First Mission 4

cover of issue #4, 2001 edition

cover of issue #4, 2007 edition

Orion Archives: 2266-2270 The First Mission 4 contains 238 pages and artwork by Rick Endres, Randall Landers, Christine M. Myers, Cynthia D. Slatton, Gennie Summers and Marie Williams. It was first published 2001 (digest size), then re-released 2007 in full size.

• The Curtained Sleep written by Ann Zewen ("The Curtained Sleep" is a sequel to "Turnabout Intruder," one of two on our website. Given that the source episode is not among the most popular (often being named as one of the worse), it is surprising to me that two different people would be drawn to the episode enough to write lengthy well-written sequels to it.

• Winter Hunt written by Crystal Perry (James T. Kirk is kidnapped by thugs who want to hold him ransom. Fortunately, they forget the reputation of the man they’ve captured and of his friends who will go to great lengths to rescue him.)

• Love, Shaun written by d. William Roberts (Shaun Kelsey seeks advice from his mentor and friend, Kevin Riley, about Kelsey’s greatest challenge: romance.)

• Serendipity written by Amanda Cassity (The Federation has established contact with a star system. The Enterprise is dispatched to ferry ambassadors from a starbase while Kirk, Spock and McCoy are proceeding to the planet’s surface via shuttlecraft. The Galileo comes under attack, and it makes a forced landing on a neighboring planet. Meanwhile, their attackers are searching for them and waiting for the unsuspecting Enterprise to return.)

• Turnabout Vengeance written by Rick Endres (Janice Lester has returned to seek revenge on the man she blames for her present confinement: James T. Kirk. Her method? A drug which causes him to suffer what seems to be a debilitating stroke!)

• The Adventure of the Vulcan Detective written by Terry Endres (Scotty plays Doctor Watson to Spock’s Sherlock Holmes as they try to determine the culprits behind a jewel theft.)

• Plague! written by Randall Landers (Following shore leave on a beautiful planet, the crew begins to succumbs to a plague. Even Captain Kirk and Spock fall victim. Doctor McCoy is forced to solve a medical mystery before it’s too late.)

• A Matter of Trust written by Thomas Harden, Randall Landers and Kevin Morgan (The Enterprise apparently destroyed, Kirk and his landing party find themselves marooned on a planet with Romulan landing party. Can they learn to work together against a force which keeps bringing their dead back to life?)

• The Once and Future Kirk written by Rick Endres ("The Once and Future Kirk" may be a bit confusing at first, but bear with it. When the story was reviewed in Datazine and Universal Translator, both reviewers found it to be quite good, and you will too, if you give it a chance. I can’t say much more about it unless I give away the ending, so you’ll have to do without a synopsis of this story.)

• First Class written by Caroline R. Kummer (Captain Kirk and Mister Spock encounter a pair of cadets who are all too familiar to them both.)

• The Price of Peace written by Randall Landers (Federation colonists on a distant world find themselves with Romulan saboteurs, and it’s up to the crew of the Enterprise to solve the mystery.)

• Trapped written by Pamela J. Corsa (McCoy is comatose from an extreme reaction to a medication. Meanwhile, Kirk and Spock must solve the mystery behind a forcefield which has immobilized the Enterprise. A fine look at the Big Three.")

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 4

[The Curtained Sleep]: I was particularly struck by Ann Zewen's story, "The Curtained Sleep." Best Kirk story I've read in a long time, especially since it "got him" for all those years of womanizing without being mean or vindictive. It epitomized what I like best about Star Trek: You can laugh with people at their foibles and take to heart their troubles without making fun of that person.

[The Curtained Sleep]: I also enjoyed Ann Zewen's story, "The Curtained Sleep," very much. The "females rule better, and should be in charge" premise has almost been done to death--I think a lot of women use it for their "Mary Sue" stories--but the twist you put on it, and the way you used that twist to influence Captain Kirk, certainly livened it up.

[The Curtained Sleep]: Ann Zewen's story, "The Curtained Sleep," about Kirk's nightmare experiences as a (gasp) woman was really on target. What a different world it would be, hmmm? I thought that assurances that Janice Lester's lack of promotion were due to her shortcomings were true to that character, but I found myself wishing it had been a case in which a perfectly capable woman gets passed over again and again....It wasn't true in Janice's case, I know.

[The Curtained Sleep]: Ann Zewen's story, "The Curtained Sleep," about Kirk's nightmare experiences as a (gasp) woman was really on target. What a different world it would be, hmmm? I thought that assurances that Janice Lester's lack of promotion were due to her shortcomings were true to that character, but I found myself wishing it had been a case in which a perfectly capable woman gets passed over again and again....It wasn't true in Janice's case, I know.

[The Adventure of the Vulcan Detective]: Sadly, this story is negatively reviewed on the Godawful Fan Fiction website by someone who apparently didn't really read the story in the first place.

[The Adventure of the Vulcan Detective]: Spock, while on shore leave, is dragged out of a bar by the local Police. Apparently they figure he'd be a really good detective and so they draft him (????). Just shoot me now. This looks like a case of An Author Who Has Been Reading Too Many "Hardy Boys" Mysteries, Watson.

Orion Archives: 2266-2270 The First Mission 5

cover of issue #5

Orion Archives: 2266-2270 The First Mission 5 contains 200 pages and artwork by Linda P. Baker, Tim Farley, Don Harden, Bobbie Hawkins, David Lawrence, Christine M. Myers, Julie C. Nosal, Christina Schinella and Zaquia Tarhuntassa. It was published 2007.

• Good Luck Charm written by Paul Starkey (While treating an ailing ambassador, McCoy is forced to employ an Alcrani good luck charm in his sickbay.)

• Conversion written by Cathy German (A security guard undergoes a conversion during "The Naked Time.")

• Angel Face written by Rick Endres (Ensign Pavel A. Chekov, newly aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise, finds himself swept up into a sexual encounter during the insanity caused by the Psi 2000 virus. Note: Sexual situations.)

• Contact written by Jim Ausfahl (Jim Kirk has his hands full with natives on Dhamar II and the Starfleet official slated to meet with them.)

• Growing Up Together written by Rob Morris (Over the years, Denevan survivor Peter Kirk matures as does a member of the Enterprise crew.)

• Finnegan’s Challenge written by Diane Doyle (When Starbase 6 plays host to the Enterprise crew on shore leave, Seamus Finnegan has no choice but to lay down the baseball mitt before his former plebe, James T. Kirk...)

• Letter to an Absent Son written by Joanne K. Seward (Prior to the events of "Journey to Babel," Amanda writes her son.)

• Beating the Alternative written by Rob Morris (The command crew of the Enterprise comes to grips with the aftereffects from the events of "The Deadly Years.")

• Unexpected Sparks written by Chris Dickenson (During a Halloween masquerade party, Hikaru Sulu finds himself unexpectedly drawn to a fellow officer!)

• Dear Mom written by Cathy German (A young woman writes a letter home, not realizing it’ll be the last one she ever sends.)

• Only So Much written by Cathy German (McCoy is disturbed by the fact that Jim Kirk finds it difficult to accept that he’s incapable of controlling bad things that happen to the people in his charge.)

• Legacy for Tomorrow written by Ann Zewen (Dr. Anne Mulhall is pregnant, a "gift" from Sargon and Thalassa. Will Mulhall allow the father (a certain starship captain) to share in the birth of their child? Note: Sexual situations and themes.)

• Another Such Victory written by Rob Morris (A sequel to "The Ultimate Computer." Commodore Robert Wesley reflects on the events that lead to a major decision for his career.)

• One of Those Things written by Angela Solomon (McCoy comes to grip with a tragedy.)

• Whatever Your Heart Desires written by Ann Zewen (Following their successful mission to Troyius, Uhura and Chapel beam down for a little shopping before their next assignment. Uhura comes across a rather unique bottle and a rather unique being...)

• To Explore written by Rob Morris (A sequel to "And the Children Shall Lead"; Tommy Starnes faces up to the tragedy caused by the Gorgon.)

• Field of Illusion written by Sharon Pillsbury (While on shore leave on a rustic planet, James T. Kirk contracts Vegan choriomeningitis, taking him and Spock to death’s very door! Will the Enterprise return from its resupply mission to Starbase 10 in time? An excellent story steeped in the true hurt-comfort tradition!)

• Greater Love Hath No Man written by Rick Endres (Spock and McCoy discuss why the doctor chose to sacrifice himself to the Vians...despite the logic of letting Spock do it...and giving Spock something to think about...)

• There Would Be Others written by Cathy German (McCoy has to deal with a severe injury to Spock during a landing party to an arboreal planet.)

• The Float written by Cathy German (What went through James T. Kirk’s mind during his time trapped in interphase?)

• Crowded Theater written by Rob Morris (James T. Kirk deals with his security department following the events of "Turnabout Intruder.")

• Turn Back Time written by Christina Schinella (The Enterprise is dispatched to Alba III--located near the Klingon Neutral Zone--to investigate the loss of a Federation mining colony. Are the Klingons behind this attack?)

Orion Archives: 2270 The First Mission No Cold Wind

cover of 2001 edition

cover by Michael C. Goodwin, 2007 edition

Orion Archives: 2270 The First Mission No Cold Wind is a 221-page novel written by Ann Zewen. Color cover by Michael C. Goodwin. Interior artwork by Christine M. Myers. It was originally published as a standalone zine novel No Cold Wind in 1990, then reprinted as part of the Orion Archives in 2001 (in digest size) and then re-released in 2007 in regular size.

• Set at the end of the five year mission, this story projects additional insight into why Kirk would willingly accept a desk job at Starfleet Command. Kirk joins a privateer crew in order to gain information about a force invading the galaxy. Spock is seemingly killed, and Commander Scott soon decides he never wants command of a vessel. A terrific story, well written.