The Christmas Special

[ghosty]

There are only ten shopping days left till Christmas and less than seven for me to prepare my Christmas Special game.

The problem is, I don't have a story yet and well I was hoping someone has a Christmasy idea. I was thinking of using a variant of A Christmas Carol mixed in with A Wonderful Life only problem is I just can't get the creative juices flowing on this one. I'll need all the help I can get...

[Perrryyy]

2 ideas to mind right off hand is a Ferengi version of "A Christmas Carol". Show what life would be like without the Ferengi, or Quark.

Another idea: It's a Wonderful Life. Show the characters what would happen if say, the DW never happened, or Sisko had never been born.

[Michael Barratt]

I'd go with the Prophets instead of Q in a kind of "It's a wonderful Life" episode. You'd need to get a character in the way of saying "I wish "X" had never happened," and have a prophet over hear...

Or, maybe, it's X'mas time on your ship, and visiting dignitaries en route to a spiritual summit (ie: Bajorans, Betazoids, Vulcans, etc - all members of various sects or beliefs heading to a pantheistic cross-cultural celebration and exchange of religious information/cultural knowledge) decide to experience a human tradition by watching some of the crew with their X'mas. The Bajorans brought an Orb with them, and when crewman so-n-so makes the comment about how some things never should have happened, the Prophets react - placing the others at various times and spaces to show them how things would be different... And, ultimately, having the crew decide, of course, that things should be as they were... Aw, hugs, exchange prezzies, move on. Would be best served, for bittersweetness, if the phrase was "I wish <insert dead NPC who died in war> was here to see this." then warp history and time so that said NPC lived, but other important figure died in his/her place, and woah, what a wonderful life it was...

The Doc

[Perrryyy]

Originally posted by Michael Barratt
I'd go with the Prophets instead of Q in a kind of "It's a wonderful Life" episode. You'd need to get a character in the way of saying "I wish "X" had never happened," and have a prophet over hear...

Or, maybe, it's X'mas time on your ship, and visiting dignitaries en route to a spiritual summit (ie: Bajorans, Betazoids, Vulcans, etc - all members of various sects or beliefs heading to a pantheistic cross-cultural celebration and exchange of religious information/cultural knowledge) decide to experience a human tradition by watching some of the crew with their X'mas. The Bajorans brought an Orb with them, and when crewman so-n-so makes the comment about how some things never should have happened, the Prophets react - placing the others at various times and spaces to show them how things would be different... And, ultimately, having the crew decide, of course, that things should be as they were... Aw, hugs, exchange prezzies, move on. Would be best served, for bittersweetness, if the phrase was "I wish <insert dead NPC who died in war> was here to see this." then warp history and time so that said NPC lived, but other important figure died in his/her place, and woah, what a wonderful life it was...

The Doc

There ya go! Very "It's a Wonderuful Life-ish". If you've got a Ferengi PC, you could twist that into "A Christmas Carol". Have the Quark-like Ferengi have an orb Experience (or 3!) to show him what happens to his "friends" because of his quest for latinum. He's so wrought with grief over female NPC with some sort of disease. She can get a cure, but it would take all the latinum her family has saved up, AND bribing the best doctors on Ferenginar. Said Ferengi PC changes his ways, and becomes a Ferengi with a heart of gold and helps out the "Tiny Tim" character.

[Modem]

You could consider an amalgamation of the two:

an overbarring PC officer overhears what the crew really thinks of his/her conduct ("Man, what a jerk...he made me scrub the thorsburg comminator four times...and he still doesn't like it.")(Have others say simular).
PC then goes to reflect, until they say something like "I wish I'd never joined Starfleet..."(or the 'death'-thing).

Next thing he knows *poof*. He's/She's somewhere else...a mining colony, terraformming station, etc. [it should also be the local of where the ship was heading]

In some ways it could be better (no reports to write, less responsibility...). Maybe they even have a lot more friends there, not to mention respect by their uppers and lowers.

Have the ship show up (with the rest of the PCs), and have things different (characters who got promotions because the PC's 'good words', wouldn't necessarily be 'where they are' rank-wise, or even in the same department).

Give the ship an NPC in the PC's spot who more of a tyrant then they were. Then, (and this is best part) have an accident directly involving the other PCs (by orders of the NPC), have them on brink of dying.

That's the prophets, or Q, or both (why not) really make their move. Have a PC from the ship die, and the NPC who replaced the Player (who's been an outsider from practically the get-go) somewhat indifferent ("They're Starfleet, they knew the risks...and the risks finally got them."), or even insulting ("besides, [dead cart. name here] wasn't good at their job anyhow."[btw: if this, or simular insult got said about said PC earlier...this has impact])

Ultimately, it come down to a 'bridge-scene'(hey...that could work; get the 'outsider' to the Bridge for this). At this point they should be deciding not only "I want to go back..." but also "I can change." And "I must change this..."

Just some thoughts...

[Captain Zymmer]

For my money or latinum as the case may be, I would gow ith Q in the "Wonderful Life" angle more so that the Prophets. They just don't seem to be the type who would randomly interefere like that, but Q, come on

Otherwise I can't really think of an X-Mas dealy for Trek either.

[Michael Barratt]

Actually, maybe Q-the-teen might be better for this thread. With a hearty: "See, I told my father that I could do good things for bipeds!" while others stare at him incredulous from all the damage he did (and, granted, undid)...

The Doc

[Perrryyy]

Originally posted by Captain Zymmer
For my money or latinum as the case may be, I would gow ith Q in the "Wonderful Life" angle more so that the Prophets. They just don't seem to be the type who would randomly interefere like that, but Q, come on

Otherwise I can't really think of an X-Mas dealy for Trek either.

I'd also use Q in the "Christmas Carol" scenario, since the Prophets don't have such a great handle on linear time.

[Captain Zymmer]

Oh good point Perryyy!

Score two for Q

[Dan Stack]

If you feel comfortable with some quasi-religious aspects, perhaps there are some wisemen on a pilgrimage to someplace they really shouldn't be... Perhaps there is a subjugated world in the Romulan Star Empire which has been waiting for a savior who will free them from the Romulans... and some Bajoran Vedek's have determined it is about to take place and have taken a journey into Romulan space to greet the newborn baby. The Romulans have gotten wind of this and are seeking to stop them. And the Federation wants to avoid an incident and get them out of Romulan Space ASAP.

[Lancer]

Waidaminute, newborn baby?

Isn't the CO in ghosty's game pregnant?

Ahh, the possibilities, the glorious possibilities...

[ghosty]

Originally posted by Lancer
Waidaminute, newborn baby?

Isn't the CO in ghosty's game pregnant?

Ahh, the possibilities, the glorious possibilities...

Oh Gawd...you can't be serious...

But then again...I'll really have to think about it but I'm inclined against it. The CO and XO are going through enough crap as it is. I don't want any more complications for the moment.

[ghosty]

Originally posted by Dan Stack
If you feel comfortable with some quasi-religious aspects, perhaps there are some wisemen on a pilgrimage to someplace they really shouldn't be... Perhaps there is a subjugated world in the Romulan Star Empire which has been waiting for a savior who will free them from the Romulans... and some Bajoran Vedek's have determined it is about to take place and have taken a journey into Romulan space to greet the newborn baby. The Romulans have gotten wind of this and are seeking to stop them. And the Federation wants to avoid an incident and get them out of Romulan Space ASAP.

This one has possibliities. I think this would be a good idea to expand on. But aside from the Bajoran Vedek, I was thinking of two other Holy Men, a Vulcan for one - can't figure out the reason but perhaps he had a vision of some sort. The third, well how about a Christian priest...it could be significant.

[ghosty]

Hmm...okay lets see what we've got.

I think A Christmas Carol is out it'll require a somewhat un-Trek like character to be the focus of the story which I don't have. No Ferengi on my ship, although it may have made a good DS-9 episode featuring Quark.

So it may have to be "A Wonderful Life". Done with the crew instead of one person. I'm inclined to use Q as he'd be more interested in such things (remember Tapestry?).

All taking place in the background of the "Christmas Story" idea Dan suggested.

Lets say the Romulans had detained the three Holy Men on the border and well instead of throwing three senior clerics into jail they decide to declare them persona non grata in the Empire and expels them. The PCs are ordered to go to cross the Neutral Zone and pick them up and return them to Federation space.

On the trip back, the CO has to deal with the indignation of the three clerics and after dismissing them, Q arrives and explains to the CO that whatever they wanted to see was important. The CO is not convinced so Q decides to show the CO would happen if the three clerics don't make the trip and you guessed it, its a bad dark future...which convinces the CO to take the risk and take the Holy Men to the disputed world.

Two questions is why would Q do something so altruistic. What's in it for him? and how the hell do they talk their way out of this one?

[Dan Stack]

The Vulcan Holy Man actually can tie in with Q...

Let me go into a tangent... It's related, so bear with me. Several years ago I read a short story about a minor league baseball player who got called to the big leagues. It wound up he went on a hitting streak, so much so that he was on the verge of breaking DiMaggio's hitting streak. At the same time, these aliens arrived on Earth, first contact. And the two plots combined at the end - the whole reason the aliens arrived was to see DiMaggio's hitting streak get broken. The reason? Because the odds against it were so significant that to them it was a miraculous event.

By the same token, perhaps this child has been born with a one in a trillion psionic ability. The Vulcans can sense that power. The Bajoran Vedek can foresee the good the child will do with the power. I would suggest the power be a very subtle one - like if the child (as he or she grows) speaks truthfully, his or her words will be believed by all who hear him or her. Perhaps this child will lead a peaceful revolution, one which will bring the Romulan Star Empire to its knees (eventually, perhaps a century or two later, much like Christianity eventually changed the Roman Empire or Ghandi brought the British Empire to its knees without a word or action of anger). Without this child, a revolution will still take place, but one which will result in the destruction of the world as the Romulans crush it.

Why does Q care? Does he care about empires? Probably not. But probabilities, those strike me as something that would be of interest to an alien being like the Q. "Do you know my dear captain how many people in the lifetime of an entire planet are born with the gift this child has? And of those people, how many of them have the strength of character to actually use it the right way? You could visit a million worlds over a million years - and believe me I have - and find such an event on less worlds than you can count with your crude primate fingers. And the audacity of the Romulans to interfere with such an unlikely event. This is one of those lives which alters the structure of the universe. Let me show it to you in a way your limited mind can comprehend."