Out of Touch

Zine
Title:	Out of Touch
Publisher:	TJ2 Continuum
Editor:
Author(s):	Jackie Paciello and Toni Lichtenstein Bogolub
Cover Artist(s):	Jim Wappel
Illustrator(s):	Jim Wappel
Date(s):	April 1992
Medium:	print zine, fanfic
Size:
Genre:	gen
Fandom:	Star Trek: TNG
Language:	English
External Links:
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Out of Touch is a gen 109-page Star Trek: TNG novel (81 pages of text, 26 pages of unnumbered art) by Jackie Paciello and Toni Lichtenstein Bogolub.

It was illustrated by Jim Wappel.

Summary

This is a novel featuring a hurt/comfort story involving Picard, Ro, Riker and the other crew members.

From an ad in Zine Scene: "Picard and Riker lead an Away Team on an archaeological survey, leaving Data in command of the ship. But the mission turns into a struggle against death for the Captain, Ensign Ro, and Riker."

Reactions and Reviews

1992

Even on first glance you can't help but covet a copy of "Out of Touch." Color cover, comb bound and offered at the ridiculous in-person price of $8-how can you miss? Added to that, Jackie Paciello is one of my favorite fannish writers. I've followed her work from Star Wars to Magnum p.i. to Beauty and the Beast and what seems like several fandoms in between, and I've been privileged to publish several of her stories, too.

The story: Captain Picard pulls rank and heads an away team on Pithia to study a crystalline dome, insisting on taking along Ensign Ro. Riker joins the team, ostensibly to protect the Captain, leaving Data in charge on the Enterprise on a mission to the planet Carnum to replace their computer's core memory. Things go wrong on the away mission, and the away team is, of course, "Out of Touch" with the Enterprise.

For me, the story does have its problems, primarily with pacing. In places, the characters (particularly Troi) wring their hands, going over and over and over their internal angst-only to verbalize it within paragraphs to other characters. More than once I wanted to shout "you just conveyed that information!!!" The point of view has a tendency to hop from one character to another, too, which can be distracting. One major plot line was not tied up, which left me disappointed (the consequences of Data's diverting back to Pithia), but since I've been told there will be a sequel- ready for MediaWest in 1993 - perhaps it'll be addressed in the next story.

Despite this, "Out of Touch" did keep my interest, and as a hurt/comfort story, it hit the spot! (Poor Riker suffered so well! I did wonder if it was medically possible for him to survive, given the injuries the authors delivered, but since Jackie is a nurse, I figured she knew her stuff.) I'm not a fan of Ensign Ro, but the authors' characterization of her was on target, making me want to know more about her.

Jim Wappel's illustrations are just that - illustrations as opposed to portraits. The story is lavishly illuminated with 25 separate pieces of artwork (in addition to the cover). Okay, a couple of the characters are just the tiniest bit off in a few of the illustrations---but who cares! Several pieces are just terrifi! -- Troi on Page 14, Riker on Page 17, Troi and Guinan on Page 34, Troi and Data on page 38.... (Need I go on?) The overall appearance of the zine is attractive, and one wonders how they did it so cheaply.

Would I recommend this story? Yes, by all means. And I look forward to seeing the sequel in May!

1993

Not Data-centered, but has poignant Data scenes. An away team consisting of Ro, Riker, and Picard gets into a perilous situation while exploring crystalline formations, while back on the Enterprise, Acting Captain Data and Counselor Troi learn to relate to one another. Troi knows Data feels inadequate and worries about hurting his feelings (she also doesn't buy into that "emotionless android" routine). Similar in tone to [the episode] "Tin Man," which it openly references. The Data-Troi scenes are very touching! Oh, and the adventure stuff down on the planet wasn't bad either. [rated] G.