Guinan Appreciation Post

Guinan is from a long lived humanoid species from El-Auria. She traveled around the galaxy after her people were conquered by the Borg. She has a close relationship with the Enterprise captain Jean Luc-Picard. We learn in "Time's Arrow" that this is actually where she and Picard first met, although the Picard from the future remembers it differently until the future Picard meets up with the past Guinan. Got it?

Guinan has many gifts, first and foremost being a great listener. In fact, in one episode she claims to come from a species of listeners. Working in Ten-Forward as the main barkeep, she senses when someone is suffering an internal conflict, sometimes even imposing on the surprised brooding soul. The Captain, Counselor Troi, Dr. Crusher, and Ensign Ro have all gleened something from their conversations with her. She has helped them find that inner epiphany that they otherwise would have failed to recognize.

She also seems to possess a sixth sense, being able to discern when things aren't quite right. In "Yesterday's Enterprise," after the ship had gone through a time distortion, she was the only one who sensed that things arent' the way they were supposed to be. This is supposed to be a ship of exploration and peace, not war, she informs Picard. Good thing in this time line Jean Luc's relationship with Guinan is still of a close personal nature, for he trusts her intuition and orders a change of plans that sets them back on course toward the time distortion.

She also has a past relationship with the Q Continuum, primarily the one who's been a constant source of aggravation for the crew. Guinan reveals "I knew it was you" to him when he and Picard suddenly show up in Ten-Forward after the captain had been missing from the ship for several hours. When Q, out of spite for his offer of being their guide through the universe is rejected, sends the ship hurling into uncharted space, Guinan warns the captain to turn around immediately. It is this area of space where the Borg originate and unfortunately for several crew members, Picard fails to heed her warning. She becomes a valuable source of information during their encounter with the menacing species.

So here's to the best barkeep in all the Federation!

Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge Appreciation Post

Lt. Commander Geordi LeForge serves as chief engineer and sometimes helmsman of the U.S.S. Enterprise. Like his predecessor Commander Montgomery Scott (Scotty) from the first Enterprise, he knows the ship's inner workings like the back of his hand. Perhaps literally too for Geordi wears a special visor to help him see having been blind since birth. The visor has special properties which allow him to see the structural integrity of warp cores and other metallic-like fixings and even auras around the human body.

Geordi often finds himself at the wrong end of a phaser, plasma burst, or electro magnetic charge. His visor makes him especially vulnerable not only to technical mishaps, but adversaries who covet his visor's usability for their own purposes, such as a Klingon spy working for the Romulans in "The Mind's Eye."

When he's not saving the Enterprise from imminent danger in such episodes as "Contagion," and "Booby Trap" (in which he ends up falling in love with the holographic image of the ship's warp core designer Leah Brahms), he's always going that extra mile for a friend, and even new found friends such as the Romulan soldier in "The Enemy." He took the socially shy and awkward Reggie Barclay under his wing and helped mold him into an outstanding officer. And let's not forget how he formed a friendship with a member of the Borg, the Federation's greatest enemy. Christened "Hugh" by Geordi, he helped the lone member of the collective become an individual.

His greatest friendship is reserved for the ship's third highest ranking officer and android Data. When Data was believed dead after a shuttle craft explosion in "The Most Toys," Geordi refused to accept the investigative findings. Not because he refused to accept the passing of a friend, but because he knew the android better than his other shipmates and realized Data's last recorded entry upon departure was missing a key element that would normally be overlooked by any other officer thinking such protocol redundant. But Data, being a strictly by the book, would not leave anything out. Geordi's persistence lead to a new investigation, which lead to the rescue of Data from a space pirate intent on keeping Data as a prized possession.

So, hears to the ship's chief engineer; a man of integrity, dedication, loyalty, and all around great guy!

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Best in the Eating of Humble Pie---The Loss

Counselor Troi loses her empathic abilities in "The Loss" and gives a tongue lashing to Dr. Crusher and Captain Picard when they try to offer her hope or inspiration. Commander Riker gives her something to think about in this epic scene---the high and mighty queen of empathy gets served!