sobleski@psuvax1.cs.psu.edu (Mark Sobolewski) (07/26/90)
{ed One of those long pieces -- this one relates to USENET, and gets
better towards the end.}
Due to the long wait after the cliffhanger episode of Star Trek: TNG,
some of us have decided to come up with a new script everyone here can
appreciate:
"Central Pennsylvania, the boring frontier. Our mission, to seek good times,
to find a quiet restful atmosphere, and a real groovy arts festival.
To go, (without getting a citation), where no student has gone before."
Star Trek: The Netnews Generation
Scene 1: Riker, Data, and Lt. Yarn are standing at the top of huge
depression scooped out the earth.
Riker: Data, what is the purpose these seats, and the white lines on the
floor of the depression?
Data: Unknown, Commander. Note, however, that there are 101 such lines spaced
exactly 0.9144 meters apart. Clearly, Commander, this artifact is
artificial.
Riker: Could it be the Borg?
Lt. Yarn: There are charred remains of Skateboard and Milk Crates all over.
That's a classic Borg signature.
Suddenly Worf runs up.
Worf: Commander, I am detecting emissions from the cooling system of
a 3090! It's them.
Riker: Let's get back to ship! Energize.
Put neat promo sounds here. Cut to Toftree commercial.
Scene 2: The Bridge.
Wesly : A large blue cube is rising from the planet to meet us.
Picard: On screen!
On the screen, we see the magnification of a large blue cube:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
VM/XA SP ONLINE
SSSSS
S S
BBBB OOOO RRR GGGG SS TTTTT A TTTTT EEEE
B B O O R R G SS T A A T E
BBBB O O RRR G GG SS T A A T EEE BORGVM
B B O O R R G G S S T AAAAA T E
BBBB OOOO R R GGGG SSSSS T A A T EEEE
=======================================================
***********************
System Configuration: * * Computer & Information Systems
* Borg State *
IBM ES/3090-600S * University * Center for
6 Vector Facilities * * BORG Computing
512 Million Minds * *
512 Collective Minds * 2 0 4 8 9 * CBC
96 Mind Links * *
0.5 Picasecond Clock ** ** This system is only for
*** *** use authorized by
VM/XA SP 2 + PR/SM **** **** Intergalactic Borg Machines
***
LOGON TLM108 RUNNING BORGVM
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The sound of organ music, combined with the weezing noises of an oversized
coolant system emanates from the speakers.
Worf: Captain, we have encountered the Borg.
Picard: Open a channel.
Worf: They are opening a telnet session with us.
Picard: Data, are we running the patched version of sendmail?
Data: Yes Captain, version 5.64 from Berkeley.
Borg: YOU HAVE NO PARKING PERMIT! PUT YOUR TRANSMISSION IN NEUTRAL AND PREPARE
TO BE TOWED!
Picard: But the sign said parking 7am to 7pm.
Borg: SIGNS ARE IRRELAVENT! PARKING IS FUTILE! YOU WILL BE TOWED!
Data: They are attempting to intimidate your department head sir.
Jorda: Sendmail daemon is being probed. Modulating Character set. I think
ASCII has them confused!
Lt. Yarn: Data, be prepared to used mixed case with all caps, they have problems
reading that.
Picard: Be warned, some of our people have tenure.
Data: Captain, Borg are going through personnel files. Borg are firing
our key personnel.
Picard: They can't do that. Load usenet feed. Fire a batch of news.
Worf: No effect. They have disk space to spare.
Data: Captain, apparently they have sufficent computing power even though
their equipment is obsolete.
Picard: Break SMTP connection. Prepare to make a run for the Toftree nebula
in sector Boalsburg.
Data: Borg pursuing. We seem to have temporarily lost them.
Scene 3: Captain Picard is touring the ship.
Geynon: You look depressed.
Picard: It looks rather bleak, yes.
Geynon: When my university became a branch campus for the Borg, we thought
all Academic freedom and daytime parking had died. But we survived.
As long as a single good teacher exists, you'll survive.
Picard: (Smiles grimly.) I hope so.
(Sound of thudding hitting the hull. Picard's communicator beeps.)
Picard: Picard here.
Worf: Captain, the Borg are mailing us pre-registration bills. Can our VISA
shields afford this?
Picard: No. Prepare to exit Boalsburg Nebula. Picard out.
Scene 4: The bridge.
Worf: Captain, the Borg have sent a message. The say that, before they
destroy us, if we like, we can send them a check for their Alumni
Association. They claim to be a non-profit destructive hoard.
Picard: That'll be the Day! Fire up gnews!
Data: The Borg are now terminating accounts at random. They will eventually
nullify ours.
Worf: Home directory dissolving. Our quota is zero. All system daemons
dumping core.
A Borg materializes and ftp's Captain Picard to their ship.
Scene: Borg ship. With several leather jacketed Borg Cops escorting Picard
to head Borg.
Borg: WE WISH TO COMBINE YOUR STUDENT BODY WITH OUR OWN! YOU WILL PAY TUITION.
YOU WILL HAVE NO PARKING SPACE! RESISTANCE IS FUTILE!
Picard: I will transfer first.
Borg: TRANSFER IS IRRELEVANT. DEATH IS IRRELEVANT. TUITION INCREASES HOWEVER,
ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
Scene 6: Enterprises bridge.
Riker: I am going to lead the away team to rescue the Captain.
Lt. Yarn: Excuse me commander, but shouldn't I lead the away team? I have more
experience with VM/CMS than you do.
Troi: Well, Riker, Lt. Yarn does know how read all caps, besides with the
captain gone, who's going to plug security holes?
Borg computer center: 4 Figures materialize.
Data: The Borg are based on a fascist, non-creative society devoted to
suppresion. They do, however, have powerful machines with several
Giga-bytes of data storage.
Worf: Can we knock out their power source? Or maybe a flicker?
Lt. Yarn: No good. They have an immortal power supply.
Jorda: Can we jam their virtual card readers?
Data: That would only work for a while, but they'd only start up another virtual
machine.
Lt. Yarn: Use your Dataswitch connections sparingly. They will cut them off
as soon you make a posting.
Worf: There's one! Phasors on kill! Shoot!
Data (puzzled): That one didn't even see us.
Worf: That was BIFF! I want him dead anyway!
Data: This doesn't seem to do any good. The sysops are ignoring us because
we only have I-accounts.
Wesly: Look! There's the Captain! He has a parking sticker on his forehead!
He's waiting in line to register for classes!
Picard: KAWABUNGA DUDES! WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO TO GET FOOTBALL TICKETS?
Lt. Yarn: Forge news! Prepare to beam out when all dataswitch connections
are dropped!
Final scene: On the enterprises bridge.
Riker to Lt. Yarn: Did you find him?
Lt. Yarn: No sir, he appears to have to gone over to the Borg.
Worf: He _is_ a Borg!
Beverly Crusher: Wait! Maybe I get him back him to fullscreen. I might
be able to disable caps lock.
Worf: Riker, the borg are opening a smtp connection.
Riker: On screen!
Picard appears wearing a JoePa Tee-Shirt, carrying a copy of Buy-The-Book.
Picard: YOU WILL BUY BOOKS AT FULL RETAIL! WE WILL DOUBLE YOUR TUITION!
ACADEMIC STANDARDS ARE IRRELAVENT! YOU WILL NOT USE SKATEBOARDS!
YOU WILL NOT STEAL MILK CRATES! OBEY OR WE WILL TERMINATE YOUR ACCOUNTS!
Riker (turning to Worf): Fire alt.flame postings.
Just like in the series, we are going to screw you over with a cliffhanger.
Will Borg fascism destroy academic standards? Will anybody care?
--
Edited by Brad Templeton. MAIL your jokes (jokes ONLY) to funny@looking.ON.CA
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