11. Let Me Kiss Your Sceptre

In “Let Me Kiss Your Sceptre,” Katie comes up against her greatest Star Trek challenge yet: a Deep Space Nine episode focused on the Ferengi. Also, appreciation for Data’s origins being revealed, and shock at Tuvok’s behaviour. All this, and more.

What to expect from Episode 11: “Let Me Kiss Your Sceptre”?

The episodes covered in this edition of Her First Trek are (TNG) Datalore, (DS9) The Nagus, and (VOY) Prime Factors.

Let Me Kiss Your Sceptre

Katie Harben welcomes listeners to the show. Although, there is one slight difference, as she says “we are Katie”.

Kyle West had not realised he was now a part of the Katie collective. He finds this amusing, given she will technically become part of his collective, when they marry each other in one month.

In “Let Me Kiss Your Sceptre”, they will be discussing three episodes: “Prime Factors”, “The Nagus” and “Datalore”.

Kyle points out that it must have been Patrick Stewart’s english pronunciation of “data” that led to how the rest of the cast referred to Data. American people typically pronounce the word differently.

We’re Doing Pretty Well

On the subject of data, Kyle brings up download figures for Her First Trek. “We’re doing pretty well,” he tells Katie.

She can’t fathom why anyone would want to listen to her thoughts on Star Trek, but she’s going with it!

COVID-19 Vaccine

Both hosts have had their first COVID-19 vaccination. Kyle suffered from bad symptoms following it, as did Katie, but they have both bounced back.

Social Smoking

Kyle reminds Katie of a time, prior to their relationship, when he met her outside a nightclub, and saw her smoking a cigarette. He was horrified.

She reminds him that she was social smoking. She did not smoke regularly, and never does now.

Vaping

Completely off the topic of Star Trek now, Kyle discusses his hate for vaping. He dislikes vapers feeling they can stand with you, and blow lots of smoke in your proximity, just because it is not tobacco.

Also, it’s unhealthy to vape, he insists.

Off-Topic

Usually, Katie and Kyle record Her First Trek without any notes. In this instance, Kyle did prepare notes, so it amuses him that they have gone off-topic so quickly.

Patreon

Kyle reminds listeners that Her First Trek is available on Patreon, with lots of perks, including an exclusive After Show for each episode.

As of now, early access to Her First Trek has been expanded to 14 days for new episodes, instead of seven.

Seagulls Having Sex

Whilst they are speaking, Katie spots some seagulls having sex outside their house.

Kyle says he needs to watch, to learn some techniques.

Datalore

First up, they will discuss “Datalore”, an episode from the first season of Star Trek: The Next Generation.

A Big Fat Spoiler

Once Katie completes her description of the plot, Kyle refers to it being the first time that viewers meet Lore.

His use of “first time” does not go unnoticed. Katie realises that she is going to see Lore again, and is shocked that Kyle has thrown out “a big fat spoiler”.

Data’s Origins

She is a big fan of Star Trek: Picard, so Katie appreciates that this episode gives her some of Data’s origins, and history.

Meeting another version of Data, makes Katie appreciate Data even more. She loves him.

Shut Up, Wesley

Neither host is impressed with Captain Picard shutting down Wesley Crusher, in this episode. The “Shut up, Wesley!” line did not go down well.

Kyle describes it as Picard being a twat.

Really Enjoyed

Katie really enjoyed the episode, particularly as it revealed some secrets about Data’s roots.

She is excited to find out more about his origins, in future episodes.

Prime Factors

Next up, it’s Star Trek: Voyager’s “Prime Factors”.

Katie delivers a breakdown of the big events in the episode.

He Kept Touching Her

Kyle found Janeway’s love interest to be slimy. “He kept touching her,” they say.

Katie thinks that Janeway was trying to be polite, by not shutting it down.

The Shoe is on the Other Foot

Now that the prime directive shoe is on the other foot, for Voyager’s crew, Kyle wonders how Katie found the dilemma of the episode.

In her opinion, Katie feels that the crew needed to just respect the rules of the alien culture, and ignore the fact that they ever encountered the technology.

Kyle finds this problem to be one that only Star Trek: Voyager could explore. That half the crew are not Starfleet, and therefore don’t feel bound to the prime directive, creates interesting tension between the characters that he doesn’t think you would find on other Star Trek TV shows.

Proud of Her

“I was really proud of her,” says Katie, during a discussion about B’Elanna Torres’ initial reluctance to help Maquis crewmembers slyly get hold of the technology.

Kyle feels that it was Starfleet’s Lt. Carey joining the chorus, which led her to join them.

It was Almost Mutiny

Kyle isn’t happy that Torres took the fall for her team, just because she was the senior officer. If he were Janeway, he would have wanted to punish Seska and Carey, too, as “it was almost mutiny!”.

Whilst “not very Starfleet”, Katie admits that she would have done what Seska suggested, and deleted all records of their attempt to use the alien technology, once it failed.

Captain Janeway’s Ready Room

On the last scene, in Captain Janeway’s ready room, Katie tells us that “This made the whole episode, for me.”.

She says that Janeway looks as though she has been slapped in the face, when Tuvok confesses to having been the most senior crewmember to take part in the unauthorised operation.

Kyle wonders if Torres had a lighter punishment, because Janeway didn’t want to punish Tuvok heavily. “She was compromised,” he says, once Tuvok admitted his guilt.

Katie thinks they both got off easy, but that if it were her in their place, she would have felt that it was enough. Janeway being disappointed in her would’ve been enough punishment.

Tuvok and Janeway

After having been so nice to her crew, in the prior episodes, Katie thinks that it was this final scene where Janeway showed exactly why she is captain of Voyager.

Kyle loved the way Janeway chews out Tuvok. That she called him out for using logic to justify his bad actions was brilliant, he thinks, and can be applied to Vulcan behaviour across all of the shows.

He thought that Kate Mulgrew was superb in this scene.

Whispering

Kyle calls out haters of Star Trek: Discovery, who bash Michael Burnham for her alleged constant whispering. He points out that Janeway also speaks quietly regularly, particularly in this final scene, but no one mentions it.

Katie loves how Burnham speaks in Discovery.

Get Your Crew Home

Katie thinks that you have to get your crew home, whatever it takes. As such, unlike Janeway, she would’ve gone along with the shady deal to obtain the alien technology.

Kyle stands with Janeway’s decision.

The Nagus

Kyle hands over to Katie, so that she can describe the plot for “The Nagus,” a Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode.

After initially being unsure, Katie has it explained to her that there is only one Grand Nagus on the Ferengi homeworld.

Nog and Jake

Katie found the Nog and Jake B-plot to be very sweet. “It melted my cynical heart into a bubble of warp core,” she says.

Move Along Home

They discuss how Deep Space Nine has recently let Katie down, particularly with “Move Along Home.”

When Katie found out that she would be following that episode up with a Ferengi-focused one, she was not filled with confidence. She dislikes Ferengi.

As it turns out, she actually enjoyed “The Nagus,” much to her surprise.

Ferengi Values and Human Values

Sisko being vehemently against a Nog and Jake friendship didn’t feel “very Starfleet,” to Katie. However, she agrees with Sisko’s statement that ferengi values and human values do not mix.

Quark Would’ve Made a Good Nagus

Kyle is amused that Quark found his life threatened due to the fact that he was showing signs of making popular decisions. “Quark would’ve made a good Nagus,” he adds.

Katie admits that she is starting to warm to Quark. She thinks this is because he is more bearable, compared to other Ferengi.

Deep Space Nine Has Redeemed Itself

In the words of Katie, following the poor “Move Along Home,” Deep Space Nine has redeemed itself, with “The Nagus.”

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