Star Trek: New Frontier - The "pilot episodes" Quiz

Answer: The name of his home city

M'k'n'zy was born in the city of Calhoun on the planet Xenex and, as with all members of his species, took the name of his place of birth as part of his own name. By the time he was nineteen, M'k'n'zy had led his people to liberation from the rule of the Danteri, but, not being interested in the idea of governing, elected to try and find another path. Following the advice of Jean-Luc Picard, the Starfleet officer who helped mediate between the Xenexians and the Danteri, M'k'n'zy decided to join Starfleet, and enrolled in Starfleet Academy. At the time, he altered his name from M'k'n'zy of Calhoun, which he found that many humans were unable to properly pronounce, to Mackenzie Calhoun.

Of the nine main characters in "Star Trek: New Frontier", Mackenzie Calhoun was one of three, alongside Si Cwan and Burgoyne 172, who were created specifically for the series. Of the others, three had appeared in "Star Trek: The Next Generation", while the remainder were characters created by Peter David in his "Starfleet Academy" young adult book series.

Answer: Heart attack

In the year 2371, Dr Selar, while assigned to the starship 'Enterprise', takes a leave of absence on her home planet of Vulcan in order to complete the "pon farr" ritual with her mate, Voltak. While engaged in the act of mating, during which they are also joined telepathically, Voltak suffers a massive heart attack and dies before Selar can do anything, which not only causes the death of his body, but also the loss of his "katra" (his living spirit). Selar returns to her duties and, two years after this event, is transferred to the starship 'Excalibur' as Chief Medical Officer. However, the failure to complete "pon farr" leads to her increasingly losing emotional control as time goes on.

Dr Selar is one of the three minor characters from "Star Trek: The Next Generation" to become a main character in "Star Trek: New Frontier", alongside Commander Elizabeth Shelby and Lieutenant Robin Lefler. Originally appearing in the second season episode "The Schizoid Man", Selar was played by Suzie Plakson, who went on to appear twice as Worf's half-human mate K'Ehleyr, as "Miss Q" in "Star Trek: Voyager", and the Andorian Tarah in "Star Trek: Enterprise". Although the character of Selar only appeared in a single episode, she was referred to in several other episodes during the run of "Star Trek: The Next Generation".

Answer: Ambassador

The starship 'Excalibur' is first seen in "Redemption, Part II", the opening episode of the fifth season of "Star Trek: The Next Generation", when it is one of a fleet of starships assembled by Captain Picard to blockade the border between the Klingon and Romulan Empires, to prevent the Romulans taking advantage of the ongoing Klingon Civil War. The 'Excalibur' has just completed repairs, and, as a result of missing a significant part of its crew, has personnel from the 'Enterprise' assigned to run the ship, with Commander Riker placed in command. By 2373, when the 'Excalibur' is selected for the mission to Sector 221-G, the ship has again had to undergo repairs, this time following the Battle of Sector 001, in which the ship was part of the fleet battling the Borg, as depicted in "Star Trek: First Contact".

The appearance of the 'Excalibur' in "Redemption, Part II" was achieved largely by reusing footage that had been shot for the third season episode "Yesterday's Enterprise", which featured the 'Ambassador' class USS 'Enterprise'. In addition, some new footage of the 'Excalibur' was also filmed using the 'Ambassador' class model that had been built for "Yesterday's Enterprise".

Answer: Vice-Admiral Alynna Nechayev

By 2370, Mackenzie Calhoun had resigned from Starfleet following a serious incident while serving as the executive officer of the starship 'Grissom'. After this, he was recruited by Vice-Admiral Nechayev of Starfleet Intelligence to undertake a series of undercover missions on her behalf that could not be completed through normal channels. Calhoun operated for Nechayev for three years, during which time the admiral became concerned that Calhoun risked becoming lost in the dark underbelly of the Alpha Quadrant. So, alongside Jean-Luc Picard, she recommended that Calhoun be brought back in for reinstatement in Starfleet, and appointed to command the 'Excalibur' on its mission to Sector 221-G.

Admiral Nechayev was in a total of six episodes of "Star Trek", appearing four times in "Star Trek: The Next Generation" and twice in "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine". Played by Natalia Nogulich, the character had an antagonistic relationship with Captain Picard, and also sparred with Commander Sisko in her appearances.

Answer: Soleta

In 2363, while taking a leave of absence from Starfleet, Soleta illegally landed on the planet Thallon to undertake research into the planet and its strange seismic disturbances. Arrested for trespassing, Soleta was scheduled for execution before being rescued by the legendary Federation diplomat, Spock, who was also undercover on Thallon at the time. Both were then permitted to escape the planet by Si Cwan, a senior member of the Thallonian royal family. Ten years later, Soleta found herself assigned to the 'Excalibur' as science officer, while the now exiled Si Cwan sought a way back into the former Thallonian Empire. As a result, Si Cwan approached Soleta and called in the debt he felt she owed him for letting her escape, which saw Soleta smuggle Si Cwan aboard in a shipping container, before informing her new captain, Calhoun, of what she had done.

Soleta was one of the three characters from Peter David's "Starfleet Academy" series of books to make the transition to "Star Trek: New Frontier", alongside Lieutenant Zak Kebron and Lieutenant Mark McHenry. All three characters were classmates at the Academy of Worf, the Klingon officer who appeared in "Star Trek: The Next Generation" and "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine".

Answer: His sister

Si Cwan is one of the few members of the erstwhile Thallonian royal family to have the respect of the people, and is seen by Calhoun as useful in opening dialogues during the mission that the 'Excalibur' is attempting. The only member of his own family for whom Si Cwan has any affection is his younger sister, Kallinda, and he is desperate to find her, which is the major reason for his presence aboard the 'Excalibur'. So, he jumps at the opportunity to investigate when a distress signal is received from a ship called the 'Kayven Ryin' seemingly carrying refugees, including someone named Kallinda. This proves to be a trap, with the runabout carrying Kebron and Si Cwan destroyed by a group of former Thallonian nobles aboard the refugee ship seeking the death of Si Cwan.

Si Cwan was one of the three characters created specifically for the "Star Trek: New Frontier" series, serving as the unofficial "Ambassador" aboard the 'Excalibur' during its mission to Sector 221-G.

Answer: Worf

Zak Kebron, the Chief of Security aboard the 'Excalibur', is regarded as a stickler for rules and discipline, and is therefore unimpressed at Si Cwan's attempt to stow away aboard the 'Excalibur' prior to its departure for Sector 221-G. As a result, Kebron and Si Cwan develop a mutual animosity that Calhoun attempts to reduce when he sends them to investigate the 'Kayven Ryin'. Explaining his decision to Shelby, he remarks that Kebron had a similarly difficult relationship at Starfleet Academy with Worf, the first Klingon to serve in Starfleet, with whom he picked a fight on his first day; Kebron and Worf were forced to settle their differences when the Academy made them roommates, with Calhoun taking a similar approach in an effort to force Kebron and Si Cwan to resolve their issues.

Zak Kebron was one of he three characters from Peter David's "Starfleet Academy" young adult series that he introduced into "Star Trek: New Frontier". The story regarding his animosity and eventual resolution with Worf comes from the book "Worf's First Adventure", which was published in 1993.

Answer: Montgomery Scott

Burgoyne 172 is the 'Excalibur''s chief engineer. Burgoyne is a Hermat, a species possessing both male and female characteristics but, unlike other members of hir species, is open and sociable. Burgoyne does not attempt to hide hir interest in Dr Selar, and is also convinced that, despite the Vulcan's protestations to the contrary, she is interested in hir as well. Burgoyne recounts the story of how the legendary engineer, Montgomery Scott, introduced her to scotch whisky while in a bar on the planet Argelius II and, during a rambling and drunken evening, s/he convinced the old man not to simply sit in a tavern, but get out and carry on doing amazing things. S/he uses this tale as an allegory for the potential that s/he and Selar could be good together, going so far as to tell the Vulcan that s/he knows she is interested as s/he can detect her elevated pheromone levels.

Burgoyne 172 is the third of three characters developed specifically for "Star Trek: New Frontier". Intended as a dual-gendered character, the author made sure to utilise a unique set of pronouns when referring to Burgoyne, displaying the character's nature - therefore, Burgoyne is referred to as 'hir' (as opposed to 'him' or 'her') and 's/he' (instead of 'he' or 'she').

Answer: USS Aldrin

Selar asks for Soleta's assistance in attempting to determine why she is losing her emotional control. Soleta is uncomfortable with this, as it requires a mind-meld, which will reveal to Selar that Soleta is in fact half-Romulan. To avoid this, Soleta explains that her Vulcan mother was raped by an escaped Romulan criminal, but decided against a termination. Soleta only discovered the truth about her parentage while serving as a science officer aboard the starship 'Aldrin', who had taken the same Romulan into custody. The Romulan recognised the IDIC pin that Soleta used to tie back her hair, and regaled her with the story of her conception, a story that was confirmed by her parents on her return to Vulcan. It was as a result of this that Soleta first left Starfleet, only re-enlisting to fulfil the dying wish of her mother.

Soleta's presence on the 'Excalibur' comes primarily from her familiarity with the former Thallonian Empire, following her illegal journey there during her extended leave of absence from Starfleet. Soleta is one of the few members of Starfleet with any experience inside Sector 221-G.

Answer: Great Bird of the Galaxy

The Great Bird of the Galaxy is a creature that is named in a blessing used the Alpha Quadrant, usually given as "May the Great Bird of the Galaxy settle on your planet". This is said as a way of hoping for prosperity to come a person's way. Believed to be a myth, the 'Excalibur' discovers that the planet Thallon, which was blessed with almost limitless supplies of energy, was revealed to be the incubator of an energy creature that is identified as the Great Bird, becoming apparent when the creature "hatched", destroying the planet entirely.

The name "Great Bird of the Galaxy" was originally applied to "Star Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry by the Associate Producer of the original series, Robert Justman. In the episide "The Naked Now", from the first season of "Star Trek: The Next Generation", an "okudagram" computer display of the so-called "Great Bird" appears, showing Roddenberry's face on the body of a parrot in Starfleet uniform. This was based on a painting produced by artist and designer Andrew Probert for Roddenberry's sixty-sixth birthday.