Memory Alpha:AOL chats/Ronald D. Moore/ron065.txt

Subj: Answers Date: 10/21/97 10:38:18 PM From:  RonDMoore

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I am so out of touch with that part of Paramount that I don't even know where their offices are.

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There hasn't been a comfortable place to mention O'Brien's "Hard Time" experience without having to throw in a lot of awkward exposition. It may come up again at some point.

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Brannon and I have begun work (finally) on the screenplay. It's a fun change of pace for us. My weekends are now full.

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It all belongs to Viacom, but the actors, director and writer would all have to be compensated if they chose to reuse the footage in some way.

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Although Keevan may at some point be slated for cloning by the Dominion, the individual seen in "Rocks and Shoals" would be dead and that certainly did not appeal to Keevan.

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As of this moment, the answer is still yes. But that could change at any time, so I suggest you submit your script quickly.

Subj: Answers Date: 10/21/97 10:46:55 PM From:  RonDMoore

<<A friend says a vital scene (vital to Dukatophiles, that is) was cut from "Sons & Daughters" ... They removed an ENTIRE scene. From what I've been told, Dukat was supposed to say [after Kira's "interstellar despot" line]:

Dukat: "I prefer the term tyrant." Then he was supposed to tell Kira how he intends to have Damar escort Ziyal to the party. Kira gets upset and says "You're not serious!" Then she says something to the effect of Damar not liking Bajorans and how he sneers everytime he says the word! Dukat denies it. He tells her how Damar is a good officer from a good family. Shortly, Damar enters the office to inform Dukat that some Bajorans want to use their own transports to transfer materials to Bajor. Damar sneers everytime he mentions Bajor or Bajorans and Kira steals a glance at Dukat and starts laughi ng. Damar glowers at her, but continues with his report. Dukat can't take it anymore and joins Kira in laughter at Damar's expense.

Dukat dismisses Damar and Kira and Dukat laugh again. Then Dukat agrees with Kira, telling her she's right and how Damar may not be the right one to escort his half-Bajoran (Dukat sneers) daughter to the party. This cracks up Dukat and Kira again. So, the next time you see Damar, he's delivering a dress to Kira, much to his distate.

WOW! Ron, if the rumors about what's going to happen are correct, and if you did cut this scene, you've dumped a whole lot of backstory that would help us understand some of the motivation for upcoming actions, particularly on Damar's part. I've picked up on the hatred between Kira and Damar--it seems she despises him even more than she does Dukat, and now I know why. But why was this good stuff cut (if it was)?>>

This scene was shot and it was cut for time. You may argue that we should've cut more from the Worf/Alexander story, but if you look at the show objectively you'll see that there's not a lot of extra material in that story to chop. (Yes, we did need the final blood-letting scene, because the show couldn't have ended with the scene of Worf and Alexander in the Corridor -- the scene wasn't shot that way and it wouldn't have worked. Trust me.) On the other hand, the Dukat/Kira tale would work just fine without the rest of the Dukat/Kira scene that was excised.

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Alexander is definitely in the wedding show. Beyond that, we're not sure, but he could recur again this year.

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I haven't read the ST books in so long that I don't think I could contribute anything useful to John's Board. Brannon does his own thing on the net from time to time. I'm not sure what SNW stands for.

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Well, it all goes into my brain so there's probably some influence on my subconscious along with everything else. The only direct impact I'm aware of is my determination to do something with the portrayal of Klingon women -- which had a big impact on the way I wrote "You are Cordially Invited..."

Subj: Answers Date: 10/21/97 11:40:26 PM From:  RonDMoore

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You have a choice here. You can either keep this kind of thing off my board or be prepared to deal with my response to it. And my response is to tell you that you've got have a big pair of brass ones to puff yourself up as someone to tell Brannon what to do. Brannon co-wrote "All Good Things..." has a Hugo to prove it and an Emmy nomination hanging on his wall. Brannon wrote "Frame of Mind", "Cause and Effect", "Parallels", "Ship in a Bottle" and a lot of other exceptional TNG episodes. Brannon has been working his tail off day in and day out for the last three seasons trying to give YOU yet one more Trek series. Brannon has earned his spurs on this franchise and if you don't like his attitude toward TOS or Trek continuity that's just too @#$%ing bad.

I'm a fan of the orginal series and he's not. Big deal. I've worked with him for seven years and I never once told him that he absolutely had to go and watch Kirk & Co. in order to write TNG or VOY. Why? Because it was the truth and he's proven that. Yeah, he has a chip on his shoulder toward fandom. Why shouldn't he? He has to put up with a lot of name-calling and bitching from people who seem to only care about how many angels can dance on the head of a transtator and whether or not Chakotay falling in the forest would make a sound. He has not exactly been welcomed into the loving embrace of IDIC (and don't give me any of that "Well, he started it!" stuff either).

People don't like the fact that Brannon doesn't bow and scrape before the original series like they want him to, but I respect him for it. He's listening to his own muse and charting his own direction for Voyager and we'll see where it leads. You don't like it? Don't watch it. I'll tell you this -- Voyager is the highest rated show on either UPN or WB and it looks to be around for a long time still, so I think he's doing just fine so far.

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The studio has said nothing about DS9 movies, but from a story-telling standpoint, it really depends on how we end the series. We could end the show on a note of finality, wrapping everything up with the characters, or leaving it like TNG with the stories presumably continuing beyond the final episode. So far, we haven't made a decision one way or the other.

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This is indeed the Dukat story I've mentioned before. There's a certain thematic link with "Duet" and that in part inspired the title.

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We have a big Sisko/Jake episode on the boards for later in the year, but it's still in the early conceptual stage.

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The Defiant was never going to be destroyed in FC. I showed Ira an early draft and he objected to the fact that we didn't make it clear enough that the ship was still salvagable, so we changed the dialog to reflect that note. Certainly anything that would affect DS9 would probably be run by Ira again on this next movie.

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We'll keep throwing in stuff on this from time to time.

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No plans for Lwaxanna this year so far.

Subj: Answers Date: 10/21/97 11:58:45 PM From:  RonDMoore

<<First of all, are there any plans for Jadzia and Worf to have children? >>

Not yet, but you never know...

<<Secondly, a LONG time ago Kira promised Tom Riker that she would find a way to save him...from the cardassian prison. So when is she?>>

Still no plans to rescue Tom yet.

<<Thirdly, why does Ducat have an attraction for Bajoran women?>>

I think it's because the Bajorans were once under his control and he has certain, ah.... control issues. Kira being the one Bajoran who he could never control only increases his desire for her.

<<I think that the fans have a right to a sense of ownership over Trek. I think we're entitled to that.>>

I don't and I'm a fan. There is no "fandom" that speaks with one voice and you've got to stop believing that there is. Fans and fan opinions come in many different forms and guises and there is just no way that Paramount or the writer/producers can concievably be responsive to the "fan owners." The only person who could've once claimed this kind of proprietary interest was Gene, and he's dead. Trek belongs to everyone, not just the hardcore fans and not just the writers.

<<I saw your comment about Kira being an ex-terrorist who essentially had a rank slaped on her when the Occupation ended. My question is, have you made any assumptions about Kira's educational background? >>

We treat her like a reasonably educated person in the 24th century, but I've never really sat down and tried to figure out exactly where and when Kira could've obtained this education.

<<In the recent Worf episode, the Klingon ship had little trouble with at least two Jem H. ships, when the "last 3" convoys were wiped out. Has the military balance shifted? Finally, is the Federation "mobilized?" That is, shipyards working round the clock, conscription (since ground combat, or at least garrisoning territory, seems important), etc.? >>

I think that while the strategic situation is running against the Federation, that the tactical balance of power probably varies wildly depending on the situation. We don't know any of the circumstances regarding the last three convoys that were destroyed so it's hard to compare them to the battle seen in "Sons and Daughters." I do think the Federation is fully mobilized, but I don't know about conscription.

Subj: Answers Date: 10/22/97 1:26:18 AM From:  RonDMoore

<<Since Brannon doesn't care about the original show, he wouldn't know IDIC from IHOP.>>

Now there's the true spirit of IDIC for you.

<< <Voyager is the highest rated show on either UPN or WB and it looks to be around for a long time still, so I think he's doing just fine so far.>

UPN or WB? That's like saying Voyager is the fourth most popular Trek show.>>

No, it's like saying that Voyager is doing very well, thank you, is obviously being watched and appreciated on a regular basis, and will continue to be produced. In fact, that's exactly what I said.

<<Actually, he should remember TOS gave him his job. If he doesn't like the show, he should not be associated with him...Since he doesn't like Star Trek, he doesn't care about giving US another Trek series. >>

Actually, he hasn't watched much TOS and therefore neither likes nor dislikes it. And the second statement is an outright falsehood.

Subj: Answers Date: 10/22/97 6:12:59 PM From:  RonDMoore

<<Ron, do you have any idea on how you want to see the Dominion Arc end?>>

I do have some ideas, but I'd rather not give them away just yet.

<< I know that the probability of the Borg being on DS9 is slight to none, but nonetheless, any idea on what happened to the renegade Borg that Lore lead? How's Hugh doing?>>

Unfortunately, I haven't given any thought to either of these Borg groups, so I'm not sure what they're up to.

<<have you ever seen "The Wonder Years?>>

I watched it for a while during its first year, but then I dropped out.

<<When is Area 51 scheduled to be completed? >>

There's no start date for filming yet and no release date.

<< Cinefantastique, November 1997, pg. 110:

"... How much fun would it have been to go back to Earth and have to explain to 98 percent of the viewing audience what the hell the Eugenic Wars are?

"Did we think about it? Yeah.  We just made a conscious choice not to address this.  It was going to bog down the episode.  When you make a decision like this, it's not out of ignorance, or the fact that we don't care about continuity.  It comes out of the fact that you need to make some tough choices..." >>

Thanks for posting this quote. To me, this says that Brannon & Co. did not make their choice in "Future's End" out of malice or disregard for the fans. They considered all the options and made an informed choice for the best interests of their show. I think it's fair for people to question that choice or argue over the impact it had on Voyager and Trek continuity. What's not fair, in my book, is to say that the decision was made out of some kind of casual disregard for Trek and its continuity. They obviously discussed the issue at length and then made their choice.

I think you should remember that Brannon's influence on the Trek you know and love has not been limited to the episodes on which his writing credit appears. He was a part of the writing staff(s) since the fourth season of TNG and had a hand in virtually every show that went before the cameras.

As far as Brannon's comments in various publications go, I think he enjoys pushing people's buttons sometimes and let's face it, some fans can have pretty thin skins. Sometimes I wish he'd use a little more tact, but I think some of the fans could also cut him a little more slack, so there seems to be an even playing field in that particular relationship.

<<How many ships does Starfleet have? I know you dont like giving any specific numbers but it seems like they would have many. The earliest NCC we have seen on a ship that is still in use is aroung NCC 42000 something, the Lakota, or the Hood, im not sure. So if Voyager is 76656 then does that mean every ship from 42000 to (probably 80000 since Voyager is 4 years old) is still around? That would be about 38,000 ships, but if you minus 8000 or so for whatever reasons, shouldnt Starfleet still have 30,000 or so ships around?>>

I think your reasoning is pretty sound and I wouldn't be surprised if Starfleet had 30,000 ships or so, but again -- we're not going to nail down this figure on the series.

<<First off I loved ["Sons and Daughters"] and it is deadlocked with "Rocks and Shoals" as my favorite DS9 episode so far this season. My two quick questions are 1) what is the apperent age of Alexander, and 2) Will Alexander be a regular, semi-regular, or hardly seen?>>

We're pegging Alexander as being roughly the equivalent of a 13-16 year old human male, although his actual age is much younger. Hey, Klingons mature faster, okay? Alexander will be seen in the wedding show, and possibly more this season.

Subj: Answers Date: 10/22/97 6:43:11 PM From:  RonDMoore

"... one of the challenges in compiling this chronology was to deal with the inevitable gaps and inconsistencies that have cropped up over STAR TREK's three decade of existence... In our eyes, the fact that the show's writers and producers were quite capable of mistakes in no way diminishes their extraordinary achievements under the often-brutal pressures of weekly television production."

-- Michael Okuda and Denise Okuda, Introduction, "Star Trek Chronology -- The History of the Future."

<<Ron, recently, someone online voiced the opinion that William Shatner shared responsibility with you, Braga, and Berman for "Kirk" being in, and dying in, Generations. I find that an odd assertion, as Shatner just accepted a job, and frankly, as an actor who is not involved in the behind the scenes creative process, has no obligation to the audience, as I feel the writer does.>>

In this particular situation, Rick, Brannon and I all sat down with Bill and talked with him in detail about the subject of Kirk's death. If he had not been committed to both the idea and the way in which we intended to portray the demise of the character, I can assure you that it would've never happened. That's not an effort to shift responsibility, by the way. I believed strongly in what we were doing and would've tried to talk Bill into it even if he had objected.

<<With this next ST feature, Patrick Stewart has even MORE control over his character.... do you find circumstances like that hindering? >>

I really can't speak to the next film and Patrick's involvement in the creative process. I can say that an actor can often bring an important perspective to the process and it's usually a question of the specific actor in question and how s/he handles her/himself in dealing with the writers as to whether or not it's a help or a hindrance.

<<We have seen how easy it is for a Klingon woman to divorce her mate. She decks him, snarls a few ritual words at him, spits on him -- and she's divorced. So why did Grilka put up with her useless petaQ of a mate for so long? Was she bound by the terms of a mating-contract, perhaps until an heir had been produced? And if it is so easy to rid oneself of a mate, why would she be stuck with her new owner? And most bizarre: why would any Klingon warrior woman even agree to become property of some male's House in the first place?>>

I thought that Grilka wielded considerable power as the Mistress of a Great House and that this more than made up for the problems in her marriage to Kozak. Since she clearly divorced Quark once her goal was accomplished, there's no reason to think she'd have been "stuck" with any other mate. I also don't think there's any implication of a woman being considered the "property" of a House. Grilka says, "If the leader of a House is slain in honorable combat, the victor may be *invited* to take his place... and his wife." (Emphasis added.) If Grilka had not wished to marry Quark, she would not have been forced to marry D'Ghor, she would've simply had to forfeit the lands and other property of the former House of Kozak.

<< how do you tread the line between letting casual comments and conversation subconsciously feed your imagination, and the concern that you might be "stealing" someone else's idea?>>

First, I make it a policy not to accept any story ideas or pitches on these boards. Second, I rely on my own conscience to stay on this side of the line.

<<Is there anything in particular you do when you need a shot of inspiration in the middle of a story? Reading? Exercise? A visit to Brannon's office? Do you have little quotes or pictures around your office?>>

I usually procrastinate until I have the scene or dialog worked out in my mind to my satisfaction. When that doesn't work, I'll just put down keep books and music here in the office for distraction, but there's nothing specific I look to for inspiration.
 * something* and then hope to fix it in my next pass through the script. I do

Subj: Answers Date: 10/22/97 6:54:22 PM From:  RonDMoore

<<there is also an interview with David Gerrold in the latest CFQ magazine. He makes some comments about his treatment during the development of T&T (he was kept out of the loop), and his reasons for appealing the WGA's credit arbitration (essentially, he says, to set a precedent for such "Gumping" of old scripts). This may be something you rather not touch with a proverbial ten-foot pole, but as a fellow writer and WGA member, what are your feelings about the way Mr. Gerrold was handled?>>

I don't want to get into the details of this, but I have a very clear conscience about the way we handled this matter and I think David was treated more than fairly at every point in the process.

<<You've said before there are no plans to do another T&T-type episode. BUT... if Paramount came and said, "That was such a great episode, do another one," do you have any ideas as to where you'd personally like to see Sisko & Co. to visit next?>>

We did consider several other episodes as possible candidates for the anniversary show and we never found another one that appealed to us. I doubt we'd want to do it again given the limitations of the other TOS episodes.

<<Columbia House is now releasing the DS9 episodes. Ron, could they put the footage back in? Do you know if they release the episodes exactly as they were shown, or if they re-edit them? If so, do you make ALL the footage available? >>

As far as I know, there are no plans to release additional footage on any of the television episodes. I've never spoken with Paramount Home Video (and I'm sure they're grateful for that) so I don't know the hows and whys of what they choose to release.

GrangerDon wrote:

<<Which brings us back to Shatner. The facts are (and I can say that because I was in the room(s)): Shatner embraced and committed to the idea of dying at the end of the film. He thought it was a "great idea" (direct quote). He had an opportunity to change his mind for an alternate ending, and turned it down.>>

I just wanted to add that I forgot to mention that Don was in fact there during these meetings and that his memory is better than mine (as usual), since both the Shatner quote and the alternate ending suggestion did indeed happen.