Finding out that in the star trek universe Vulcans invented velcro and sold the patent on Earth in 1957 so that a human teenager could afford to go to college like:
What? I need details on this. When did Vulcans even have contact with humans in the 1950s? Why did they care about some random human teenager?? How did this come up as a relevant storyline?
In “Enterprise” T’Pol tells Archer and Trip about how her great-grandmother and two other Vulcans crash-landed on earth in 1957 and tried to blend in with the humans in Carbon Creek Pennsylvania. They’re stuck there for a while and get pretty close to some of the humans. One of them is a teen boy who wants to be an Engineer, but his single mom can’t afford to send him to college. T’pol’s great-grandmother grabs a patch of velcro from the inside of their crashed ship and takes it to a manufacturing company and then anonymously leaves all the money with the family. Two of the Vulcans are rescued, but a third one decides to stay on earth to keep observing the humans in secret. Archer and Trip both think T’Pol made the whole thing up and she says “You just asked me to tell you a story” and then goes back to her room and takes out one of the ancient 1950s artifacts that had been passed down to her from her great-grandmother, revealing that the story is true.
#It gets better#the novels have this 3rd Vulcan occasionally working with Gary Seven as an outside contractor#and is STILL ARound after First Contact#taking over from Roberta Lincoln as the AEGIS agent
There’s I think three separate novels that have flashbacks to the past (or in one case travel to) where’s he’s in it (Pretty sure it’s all Greg Cox’s novels too). His final fate beyond taking over the New York AEGIS field office post First Contact is unknown (he also didn’t let the Vulcans know he was there, just like…gonna work for this power I’ve known has a keen interest in Earth’s development - that I’ve never met - even after humanity’s meeting my former colleagues).
I mean, Greg Cox also had Gary Seven mentor Khan hoping to curb his instincts (guess how that went) in a two-part novel that included guest appearances from robot-daughter maker Flint and Guinan as a well known celebrity.
What I’m saying is if you want to the see the 20th (and 21st) century thru the eyes of Star Trek retcon, go to Greg Cox.
If you haven’t read these two books you really should. from the early 2000s, Greg Cox explores how Khan Noonien Singh came to be and weaves him into our history expertly. Think of it almost as a secret history. Volume One depicts the birth of him and his kind, genetic supermen who will eventually be spread around the globe, and his mother’s grandiose plans. But he eventually falls under the tutelage of Gary Seven, who sees him as a protégé and hopes to curb his nature, at least at first. Volume One is set in the 70s and 80s, with a movie-era framing story. Volume Two is set between 1992 and 1996 and is Khan in full swing. They’re good reads. There is a Volume Three (to reign in hell) that primarily deals with Khan’s exile on Ceti Alpha III but isn’t quite the same as these two books (still enjoyable). Y'all should definitely read them.
In No Time Like the Past, 3 redshirts die, one per landing party. They also revisit the planet from “The Apple” (Gamma Trianguli VI or VII i forget) whose signals from Vaal are very similar to the Borg apparently, from “Let That Be Your Last Battlefield” where we both see that Lokai and Bele are holed up in bunkers at opposite poles of the planet, and Sarpeidon…
Kirk was almost as startled as the unlucky warrior. He spun around to see who had saved him.
A statuesque female figure emerged from the fiery oasis striding confidently toward them. The idol was cradled securely in the crook of her arm,while her other hand gripped a phaser pistol of unfamiliar design. Smoke and shadows partially concealed her identity.
Kirk blinked in confusion. “Bergstrom?”
For a moment Kirk thought that the murdered crew member had somehow come back to life, but then the woman stepped into a patch of moonlight and Kirk saw that she was a stranger. A skintight blue uniform flattered her attractive figure, which would have warranted closer attention under different circumstances. She appeared human, or humanoid, with alert blue eyes and upswept blond hair combed neatly atop her head. A badge in the shape of a stylized Starfleet emblem was affixed to her chest. Her striking features were adorned with metallic implants or ornaments that seemed to be embedded surgically in her flesh. One such implant partially framed her left eye, while another resembled a cybernetic spider lodged under her right ear. She regarded Kirk with a cool, quizzical expression.
“James Tiberius Kirk,” she greeted him. “Captain of the U.S.S. Enterprise. Designation: NCC-One-Seven-Zero-One?”
“That’s right,” he said, puzzled. “Who…?”
“You’re welcome.”
Kirk meets Seven of Nine in Greg Cox’s “No Time Like the Past”
At least the Enterprise didn’t seem to be afflicted by Muzak. That was something although he had to wonder what constituted easy listening in the twenty-third century. Lady Gaga was probably considered classical music these days.
Not for the first time he wished he had access to the Enterprise’s computer banks. Back on his own ship, he could have called up all the particulars on Shaun in a moment. By contrast, the Lewis & Clark was too far away from Earth to have access to - what did they call it these days? the Interweb?
While it was mildly embarrassing to need help dressing himself, he appreciated her assistance and her obvious concern for his well-being. He couldn’t help noticing that both she and the mystery woman were quite attractive, something Shaun’s body noticed as well. he thought back to that time he had switched bodies with Janice Lester.
James I haven’t-had-sex-in-zero-g-yet Kirk The Rings of Time
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