From: paul.parkhurst@uttsbbs.uucp (Paul Parkhurst) 
Newsgroups: rec.arts.startrek.misc
Subject: MORE ST/DS9 INFO
Date: 14 Dec 92 01:01:00 GMT
Distribution: world
Organization: The Transfer Station BBS, Danville, CA - 510-837-4610/837-5591
Reply-To: paul.parkhurst@uttsbbs.uucp (Paul Parkhurst) 

   Lots of other interesting stuff, though!

   Among the most surprising: the logo of the show is NOT going to be
the one that has been seen all over the place since early this year.
Instead, it will be a comparitively plain-looking logo, printed in the
style of the movies' logo, reading simply "Star Trek" above a line, and
below the line, "Deep Space Nine" in smaller letters.  Piller says that
the logo that has been seen throughout '92 was something that sales
execs at the studio threw together for video prsentations at the NATPE
and other TV programming conventions.  Piller also said that Mike Okuda
put together hundreds of possible designs for the official DSN logo, and
finally the crew settled on the color of Piller's car for the official
color!

   Among the stuff I hadn't heard before: in an crossover two-parter to
air in February, Worf goes to Deep Space Nine following up on a rumor
that his father is still alive (I'd guess that this will also be the
story that features the return of Lursa and B'etor).  Piller didn't say
this explicitly, but implied that the first part with be TNG and the
second half of the story will occur on DSN.

   In assorted other news: there will be a TNG episode later this season
in which Q appears, taking Picard back to the Academy (during which,
Picard will be seen wearing one of the fancy and horribly expensive
Jostens Starfleet Academy rings (no kidding - the ladies' model cost
upward of $200, and the men's was around $580).

   Piller let loose the fact that I think Joe's already mentioned here,
that the first scene of the DSN pilot will be the flashback of Locutus
of Borg.

   In another early episode, a very strange entity begins growing in the
station infirmary (equivalent to the sick bay on DSN), and no one quite
knows what it is...

   The station itself is an enormous ring structure, seeming quite thin
(though, of course, it's huge compared to a starship).  The central hub
rises up in a vaguely truncated-cone-like structure, the middle of which
is the Promenade.  Near the top is the Ops Control Center, and at the
very top of the hub is the communications cluster.  Four pairs of
gigantic "pylons" stretch out from the compass points of the ring, one
above and one below the plane of the ring.  The pylons are for large
starships to dock at, and they are shaped similarly to support
structures seen in the interior sets (essentially a large, tapering
triangle).  At the widest point of the hub, just above the support beams
that connect the ring to the hub, there are "landing pads" for the
Runabout class vehicles.

   Piller said that one of the most impressive FX shots of the entire
series will feature the Runabout vessel rising to the surface of the hub
and then taking off from the station.  Michael said they made a few
actual models while deciding on the final form of the station and just
threw them out.  On the set of the Ops Control Center, there'll be a
transporter pad right there instead of a separate transporter room.

   Incidentally, the Runabout is a very interesting-looking vehicle
which looks like a cross between an Enterprise shuttlecraft and an
airplane.  It has two warp engines similar to the shuttle seen in
"Darmok" and "Rascals," but other than that, the Runabout is a somewhat
boxy-looking but basically more aerodynamic design with landing skids.
Their maximum speed is warp 4.  They do have weapons and shields and are
more maneuverable, tactically speaking, than shuttles.

   Piller says that Rob Legato and the DSN effects team are working on a
new twist for Odo's morphing process which will surprise all of us
who've gotten used to the "T2"-type morphing.

   When asked if he would rather follow Kirk or Picard into battle,
Piller quickly replied, "Both of them!  Don't get me into that one!"
(This man would fit right in on the Fido echoes where series comparison
is taboo - someone get him a modem!)
   Speaking of Picard, Piller touched on "Chain of Command," saying that
Patrick Stewart better get an Emmy for the second part.  Picard's
Cardassian torturer is played by none other than David Warner, who
played Gorkon in ST6 and a nutty no-name negotiator in ST5!  Warner and
Stewart were also contemporaries at the Royal Shakespeare Company, for
you trivia buffs out there.

   In response to a caller's query about Babylon 5, Piller seemed a bit
uncomfortable.  He said (verbatim): "You know, I've heard the same
things you've heard," [referring to D.C. Fontana and David Gerrold
joining the B5 writing staff] "that they're our competition.  The truth
is, I don't know very much about Babylon 5.  I think it's all about
quality television."  (That last bit really seems very vague to me.)

   One caller who got to talk to Piller first mispronounced his name and
then nervously said "It's not every day I get to talk to someone of your
stature." (I just found this tremendously amusing!  I'm not sure I would
have fared much better!)
   Speaking of Piller, for those who've gotta know everything, he
admitted to being a trading card fanatic and he himself picked up two
uncut sheets of the Skybox TNG cards; he also said he and the rest of
the behind-the-scenes crew will be featured on an upcoming set of cards.

   Hopefully, you've all found this interesting.  Whoever wishes to do
so may port this message over to other networks so long as credit is
given to this starving writer who, disappointed, sat through a three
hour absence of film clips.
                           
Newsgroups: rec.arts.startrek.misc