MEET THE DEATH STING, THE OH-SO-AVERAGE KLINGON WEAPON THAT REALLY GOT AROUND.

FYI: I'm right in the midst of selling my home and buying another so it's tough to find time to Blog. But once everything settles down, I'll be back on a more regular schedule. Thanks for sticking around!

I recently got a call at 2 in the morning. Usually those calls do NOT go well, but this time, thankfully, it wasn't a tragedy. Far from it. A friend was on the line and simply asked one question: "Hey Don, do you want a Death Sting? There's one on Ebay right now." I was glad I answered!

Now, when most Trek fans think of cool Klingon weapons, several things might come to mind: Worf's famous Bat'leth, The painful-looking D'k Tahg knife used to kill Kirk's son, or even Kruge's pistol from Star Trek III.

THAT'S a knife! The deadly-looking D'k Tahg knife

The Death Sting's debut along with an auction photo of a version from 2006.

But what you probably DON'T think of is a rather tame-looking pistol called the "Death Sting", whose name sounds far deadlier than the actual weapon appears to be. But it's rather tame appearance notwithstanding, The Death Sting really got around. It made it's first appearance in Star Trek: The Motion Picture as a holster-filler for the barely-seen Klingons. And if the Klingons were barely seen, their pistols were almost non-existent. You can just barely see a handle sticking out of the only Klingon that we see with a holster. A rather dubious – and boring – beginning.

Klingon Captain Kruge went Death Sting-less

The next time we saw the Klingons was four years later in Star Trek III: The Search For Spock, in which the Death Stings were strictly holster-fillers. In their place was the far cooler-looking Klingon Disruptor as wielded by Captain Kruge and his crew. They were far more interesting than the Death Sting and came in both pistol and rifle varieties. Was the Daeth Sting gone for good? Not even close.

Three years later a little something called Star Trek: The Next Generation came along. Though it was a new production, Next Gen inherited all the costumes and models from the earlier Trek films. And the props. So when an episode came along that required a bunch of Klingons, what better to use that the already-existing Death Stings? Unlike the Star Trek III Disruptors, the Death Stings had one big advantage – they fit nicely into a holster. The clunky boxy end of the Disruptor was constantly snagging on things and never cleanly fit into a holster, But the long, thin taper of the Death Sting offered no such problems.

In the Next Gen Season Two episode, "The Icarus Factor", a group of (holographic) Klingons make an appearance in full Klingon regalia, including – ta-da! – holsters filled with Death Stings, now repainted in the familiar Klingon rust-color that would become the standard for all props Klingon. Whether these were re-painted Motion Picture versions or newly made versions is unknown. But the evidence is clear that they are of the same design. Unfortunately, they are once again hidden in holsters.

The Klingons would return to film in 1989's Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (a film so bad you might have wiped it from your memory – I completely understand). This time, they would actually get pulled out and shown off a little bit. Finally we got a view of the weapon.

And boy was it boring.

Klingon General Kord brandishes a Death Sting in Star Trek V. His version matches mine except for a missing cylinder on the side (his, not mine).

According to prop makers of the day, the Death Sting's simple form was a product of being made from existing toy guns. It was comprised of four basic hollow parts which were simply glued together, painted and stuck into a holster. It was an incredibly generic (ie: non-Klingon) weapon. But it existed which saved money on new props and money was ALWAYS an issue in Star Trek production. So the colors were changed from The Motion Picture version and, voila, new Klingon pistols.

To get back to that 2 a.m. phone call, I did get online and after checking out a few things, bought it right away. It was offered by a former Star Trek prop maker, which greatly simplified things for me. Here's a few shots of my version:

Mine is hollow and shows a silver/gray paint beneath the rust brown, leading me to believe that this may well be an original Motion Picture version that was repainted for Star Trek V (and later) use.

The Death Sting would appear throughout Next Gen and would also show up later in Deep Space Nine and Voyager, albeit in modified versions. The original Motion Picture version had a different handle detail than later versions. They were also hollow and lightweight as opposed to the later ones being heavy solid resin.

Here's a modified Death Sting style that appeared in various DS9 episodes, including "Crossover":

This version has lost the extended metallic muzzle and has Klingon letters on the side. It also has a slightly different paint job. Because they began with such a generic design, they were easily used as the "gun of the week" and could easily be put in anyone's hands in any given episode. They just didn't stick out and so could hide in plain sight.

I don't want you to think that I'm not glad to have my Death Sting because I'm absolutely happy to have one. I've actually been looking for one for years. While it's generic nature doesn't set the world on fire, it's still a great signature piece and as a collector of Klingon weapons, I'm thrilled to have it. My collection wouldn't be complete without it.

So there you go. The average-looking Klingon weapon that had an above average number of appearances in various Star Trek incarnations for more than 20 years.

Instead of my usual closing of LLAP, I'll sign off with a more suitable comment:

Quapla'!

Don

SHATNER PUTS HIS NEXT GEN SUCCESSORS UNDER A MICROSCOPE IN HIS NEW DOCUMENTARY "CHAOS ON THE BRIDGE"

All of us die-hard fans know the story about how in 1987 – almost 20 years after the Original Series ended –  Paramount brought Star Trek back to television with Star Trek: The Next Generation. It was a huge hit and everyone instantly loved it and Next Gen became the biggest standard-bearer of the Star Trek franchise and made it's stars household names.

Well, the last part is certainly true. But as for the "huge hit " and "everybody loved it" part, well, that's open for debate. As Trek and BSG writer Ronald D. Moore says, “The first and second seasons of The Next Generation are almost unwatchable." Personally, I'd dump the "almost". It's my opinion that they were TOTALLY unwatchable! Is there a worse hour of Star Trek than "Code of Honor"? At least I can laugh during "Spock's Brain".

William Shatner and TNG writer Melinda Snodgrass

And that is the very subject that director William Shatner takes on with his new documentary about Next Gen's first two seasons, "Panic on the Bridge", which debuted tonight on HBO Canada. This is, as they say, a "warts and all" look at Next Gen's beginnings. I don't know if there's any real surprises to the initiated, but the casual Next Gen watcher would definitely find some nuggets.

The hour-long documentary features Shatner talking with just about everyone who was involved with getting TNG off the ground. The official news release says:

"In WILLIAM SHATNER PRESENTS: CHAOS ON THE BRIDGE, William Shatner, the original Captain Kirk, takes an intimate look at the recreation of an iconic television series, through the eyes of the writers, producers, actors, and executives who were involved, many of whom have never before told their story on film. Directed by William Shatner, (who also conducts the interviews), what emerges is a tale of power struggles, ego clashes, and most importantly, the legacy of the man behind the legend: Gene Roddenberry."

Shatner himself describes the concept of the film, then known as ‘Wacky Doodle’ (say what??), to Larry King in the video below.



So at the center of the story will no doubt be Gene Roddenberry, The Great Bird himself and, of course, creator of Next Gen.

Greg David of TV, eh? got a sneak preview and had this to say;

It’s a kick to see Shatner strutting around Paramount Studios’ cavernous Stage 8 where the Enterprise bridge once sat, painting the picture of Roddenberry as a man in failing health who was clinging to hold onto his beloved creation. Roddenberry is depicted as an enigma, a man who was–depending on who you talked to–a visionary, stubborn, supportive, deceitful and decent. After years of failed television pilots and relegated to being a consultant on the various Trek feature films, he ended up in the captain’s chair of a new series. It wasn’t smooth sailing, as former Paramount executives recount Roddenberry’s lawyer and the Trek creator’s own health as major hurdles to jump on the way to getting cameras rolling on The Next Generation.

Those revelations, along with interviews with such cast members as Denise Crosby, Jonathan Frakes, Stewart and John de Lancie, paint an incredible picture. The cast weren’t sure they should even be doing an updated Trek series, much less whether or not it would be a hit with die-hard fans who were upset it didn’t focus on Kirk, McCoy and Spock. The briskly-paced one-hour doc covers every facet of the process that followed–from failed network pitches to a ludicrous suggestion that TNG be a miniseries–until the final product hit the air.

Read his full review here.

No word yet as to when US audiences will get to see the documentary. Sounds like something worth checking out.

LLAP

Don

WHO AM I TO AUTHENTICATE PROPS? I'M THE MORG, BABY, THAT'S WHO!

A Star Trek collector I know made these comments on a forum regarding the BATCH OF PROPS I recently authenticated for a sale:

"Don Hillenbrand has been authenticating this one. I like Don but I am wondering what puts him in the position to authenticate props for auction houses. Especially when his focus is TOS."

Or, to paraphrase my favorite  eymorg from Spock's Brain, "Prop and Prop, what is prop?!?" Or something like that.

Frankly, though, I think it's a very reasonable question. It's a question that I think everyone should ask every time props and costumes come up for sale. If everyone did, there would be a lot less misinformation, exaggeration or outright fraud when it comes to Star Trek props and costumes in the marketplace.

So, what are my credentials?

I collect the kinds of things the seller wanted to authenticate. I assume that's why they came to me, pure and simple. If they had Voyager or Enterprise props, they might not have contacted me. But if they had, I would have told them the truth – I know very little about those properties but I know those that do. I would then put them in contact with someone I trusted and maybe work with them or not. But I would do NO authentications.

I know a lot about what I know about. Most collectors are satisfied to buy a given piece and put it into their collection. That's all well and good, but I'm far more curious about my collection. I want to know everything I can learn about every piece I ever own. I try to find out how they were made, who made them, how many were made and when. I want to know how my piece got off the lot and into my hands decades after its use. I've talked to many of the original prop makers and production people to better understand how things worked. I do the best I can to understand the materials, the details and the tells that make a particular piece unique. In short, I educate myself as thoroughly as I can so that I know the true history and nature of a given piece.

Peer review: I talk to other collectors and prop experts to get their take on things. If I own a particular prop and a version comes to market, I can speak very knowledgeably about that piece. But if it's a piece that is similar to something I have but not exactly the same, I start talking to people. Again, it's all about educating one's self and my peers have been a great help in that respect. Getting feedback and asking the opinions of others is a key aspect to authenticating, in my opinion. I've bought numerous pieces directly from Prop Masters and production people who worked on Trek over the last three decades and they all have interesting things to say.

I use the scientific method 100% of the time. I ask the basic question: is it real? I then look for things that support the idea that it is real as well as things that may disprove that assumption. You have to be intellectually honest. To use only the things that confirm the hypothesis while disregarding anything that doesn't is the height of dishonesty to the goal of truth.

My overall process regarding researching a given piece can best be shown in my story about my TOS Klingon Disruptor. It demonstrates how I go about examining a piece's physical attributes as well as its history. You'll notice that it involves all the key aspects I've mentioned in this story. But I'll warn you now – it's looong!

One last thing. I want to address the very legitimate concern that the original commenter made about the one single  TNG piece that was part of the sale in question. He quite rightly points out that, whatever I might know, TNG props are not part of my knowledge base. But my process doesn't need me to be an expert in anything to get to the bottom of it, because I know who to talk to about different kinds of props. Also, a simple yet distinctive PADD is as easy as it gets – especially if you get lucky. What are the odds that a piece (or an identical version of a piece) ends up being used on a publication as big as life? That's what happened with the blue PADD (though it was misidentified). One was used on those Newfield Data sheets that were out in the 90's and someone I knew remembered it. It obviously used materials that were totally consistent with other Trek props of the era. And I also knew that all the pieces in question (including the TNG PADD) originally came from the same source – a former prop master who was the original source of my photo-matched ST3-style Klingon Disruptor, which always gives credence to authenticity.

I have a few cardinal rules.

1. I assume nothing! Lot's of truisms aren't true all.

2. I don't make claims regarding things about which I know little or nothing. Some people in our little community like to pretend they know more than they do. But simply labeling one's self an "authority" does not make it so. Anyone who claims that they are an authority on all things Star Trek is full of crap. There's too much for ANYONE to be great at everything.

3. I seek out people who are smarter than me and who will tell me the truth, no matter what. I'm not looking for a rubber stamp. I want an honest opinion.

So when all is said and done, it's not just about what I know but also what am I willing to do to know more. You either have faith in my process or you don't. That's a call everyone has to make for themselves.

Who's the morg? I'M the morg!

LLAP

Don

THE ROAD TO HELL: A PERSONAL, MORTIFYING JOURNEY

A friend of mine contacted me about my recent Blog story on one Alec Peters. "I understand your anger and disgust with him," they said. "but I think you're getting carried away with your emotions and it shows in your writing so that you are coming across as a ranting juvenile. I'm not the only one who sees it this way."

Now, it may come as a bit of a surprise, but I greatly appreciated that insight into my behavior. Self-awareness is a fickle thing. You think you've got it and then, "wham!", you find out you were absolutely mistaken. While I have no problem being perceived as passionate, I was hoping to avoid the whole "foaming at the mouth" imagery. Alas, apparently I've crossed that line without even being aware of it. That sucks for me, because, while I really don't care what stupid people think of me, there are definitely those out there who are intelligent, decent people, and whose opinions I greatly respect. So when one of them has the temerity to say "Hey, Don, you're being a dick", well, I assume I am, in fact, being a dick.

And so, here I am at a crossroads, uncertain as to how to go forward, or whether I should go forward at all. If I'm just an idiot screaming into the wind, why bother? Go on to what end? How did I get to this point? It's that same old story: guy gets burned, guy rages against the darkness, guy turns into an asshole. Or, as I call it, Wednesday.

Which can all be distilled down to maybe, just maybe, I've put too much "Wrath" in "Wrath of Dhan". What started as a joke has come to be far too literal. The joke's on me.

So, what to do? No one is particularly worried about my ranting in a review of a phaser, naturally. But eventually, The Buffoon King will make yet another entrance, bringing new stupidity and lies (I think I hear some now, BTW!). Should I stand aside and let the inmates run the asylum? Perhaps so.

But my friend also added this: "I'm not telling you to stop writing about Alec when he pulls crap like this,  but I would advise trying to maintain a little more distance and objectivity in your writing."

So can it be just that simple? Maybe so. Maybe my new mantra needs to be: "Whoa, there, buttercup. Calm down." But calming down doesn't mean don't fight the fight. It just means turn down the volume. Make your point with more flair and less phlegm.

I think I can do that. Please don't misunderstand me. I stand behind every view I've ever written about in this Blog. But going forward, I will stay on message and do so in a less...wrathful way.

Let me give it a shot:

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While I don't support anyone ripping off collectors – and only complete idiots would think or say that I do – I will admit that I don't give one flying crap about whether or not Alec Peters was ripped off. Frankly, if he was, well... karma's a bitch, man.

That's right: I have no problem with anyone taking advantage of Alec Peters. I'm a huuuuge fan of the idea. I am NOT saying he WAS ripped off. But IF he was, I say "what goes around, comes around".

If you hear about a bully getting his ass kicked, do you care? I sure don't.

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So how was that? Concise and to the point and no "mouth foaming" or histrionics in sight.

So, to my readers I promise this: I will do my best to keep the tone in a more reasonable range. I will in no way give anyone a pass, of course – I can't take ALL the "wrath" out of Wrath of Dhan, after all. But frothing will be an option that I will try my absolute best to avoid.

LLAP

Don

DEEP SPACE NINE RESIN PHASER RIFLE WITH LIGHTED SCOPE AND HINGED SITE.

Here's a VERY cool piece: a screen-used Phaser Rifle from Deep Space Nine. This is the style seen in later episodes like "The Ship" and "Change of Heart".

Not a single specimen of this type of rifle was sold at the Christie's or It's A Wrap Paramount auctions aking this a really rare piece.

Special features:

Solid resin construction

Removable light-up scope

Spring-loaded site

This is NOT one of those rubber versions that deteriorate quickly over time. this is a rugged, solid resin version that creates some real heft in your hands.

You won't see many of these ANYWHERE!

LLAP

Don

AXANAR "STAR" ALEC PETERS THREATENS TO FALSELY ACCUSE A DETRACTOR OF A CRIME TO SHUT THEM UP. AND HIS BLIND FOLLOWERS PROBABLY WON'T CARE.

I like to talk and write about Star Trek props and costumes. It's a significant part of my life and I enjoy sharing it here on Wrath Of Dhan. But sometimes something comes along that requires me in good conscience to address issues beyond my own happy existence. This is one of those.

Star Trek collector and "Star Trek: Axanar" actor/producer/egotist extraordinaire Alec Peters once again wants to control the narrative and apparently he's willing to do it at any cost. in an attempt to quash opposing viewpoints, he has unsuccessfully sued someone who had the gall to disagree with him. He has ranted and raved against those he thought wronged him. On a personal level, he has sent me a DEATH THREAT, threats of LEGAL ACTION, and threats to do assorted and sundry things against me. In general, my reaction to these childish declarations is to consider the pathetic source. Oh, and  he has also offered to sign a non-disclosure agreement with me, as if I had something to hide, as he apparently does. Honest men don't hide behind such bullshit.

But now he's sunk to what can only be described as a new low, even by the already-subterranean standards he's thus far established. In short, Mr. Peters has threatened, not to sue or do bodily harm. That would be too normal, apparently. No, Mr. Peters has actually threatened to falsely accuse someone of a crime in order to shut them up. And not just any crime.

He's threatened to falsely accuse them of pedophilia. Yes, you read that correctly: Alec Peters has threatened to falsely accuse someone of PEDOPHILIA to shut them up.

To say this is pathetic doesn't do "pathetic" justice. This is obscene. Bizarre. Grotesque. What kind of human being would do such a thing? A twisted prick like Alec Peters, that's who. And many of you out there are responsible. On his Star Trek prop board, Peters has groomed a set of moronic sycophants that turn a blind eye to his every dishonest action.

When he secretly set up a SHIPPING COMPANY for his now-bankrupt business of selling movie props in order to make money from collectors through super-high shipping rates while claiming it was NOT his company, he was caught in the lie. Did his forum members call him on it? Some did, but most turned a blind eye to the lie.

When a former employee of Peters named Dan Benton – a guy who knew NOTHING about props and costumes – started thepropblog.com, Peters immediately insisted that he had nothing to do with it, despite the fact that Benton used his blog to hype Peters and denigrate everyone else. It was considered to be so toxic that THIS STORY was written by a respected member of the prop community when the blog rightfully died. It was evident to the entire hobby that Benton was Peters' mouthpiece. Did his forum members speak out? Of course not. They sucked up harder.

When he lied about me being "kicked off of the Galileo Restoration Team" (I was never on it nor sought to be) his forum members yawned, just as they did when Peters' falsely stated of me that "some of you have told me of deals that were less than satisfactory". Same thing when they found out he threatened me by stating "you are lucky you aren't dead." Apparently his forum found that charming. The police did not. Suffice to say that there is a report in the files of my local police department with a copy of Mr. Peters' fetching missive.

And now, because someone spoke out against Peters' involvement in the fan film production Star Trek Phase II, Peters has again lashed out. For those not in the know, Peters' ran the recent Phase II Kickstarter and became responsible for paying certain Phase II bills with that money. Not surprisingly, the checks bounced, a fact that Peters himself confirmed on a now-deleted Facebook post. And when someone commented about that issue, Peters sent them the following:

"I am a winner who makes my life and those around me better. You sit at home masturbating to pics of little boys.

Be very careful."

His voice mail (yes, he ACTUALLY left this message on a VM!) is even better:

"It's Alec Peters.  I see you're trying to cause trouble... so, you better be careful where you step - you don't want people finding out about your pedophilia."

How winsome. "Be very careful". "you don't want people finding out about your pedophilia."Direct quotes from the man himself. And, yes, he's single, ladies! BTW, the very nature of that call makes it a crime itself in some states as defined by this edict:

"No person shall, while communicating with any other person over a telephone, threaten to do bodily harm or use or address to such other person any words or language of a lewd, lascivious, or indecent character, nature, or connotation for the sole purpose of annoying such other person;"

Now, before Peters makes the inevitable claim that he was just joking, ask yourself if that's funny. On any level, IS THAT FUNNY? While the receiver ponders legal action, let me ask again: in your opinion, what type of human being behaves in such a manner? In Peters' words, a "winner"? (Anyone else getting a Charlie Sheen vibe off that, BTW?). In my opinion only a sad, loathsome creature commits such acts. They are a thing to be shunned and disavowed.

How did it come to this? The answer is simple, really. The fault lies not just within Peters' own twisted soul, but with every single person who has enabled his bad behavior in the past and continues to do so. The list includes:

The Star Trek Prop, Costume & Auction Forum members

Star Trek Axanar production participants

Star Trek New Voyages Phase II production participants

So let's be clear: everyone associated with these entities are de facto supporters of a person that stoops to THREATS OF FALSE ACCUSATIONS OF PEDOPHILIA to silence critics. If these people are silent on this subject – it they do not specifically and vehemently speak out against such deplorable behavior – they will themselves will be guilty through association. Their silence will mean "for me, this is acceptable behavior".

So, to all Peters' supporters: you have a choice. You can maintain your support for this vile action by continuing your support of Peters. Or you can disassociate yourselves from him and be counted as a decent person who does not tolerate such abhorrent and stupid attempts at blackmail. I'll be monitoring and reporting on what happens. Those that stick with this sinking, stinking ship will be called out. I will name names and let the public decide who is right and who is not.

By the way, Mr. Peters will be appearing at SDCC this evening on an Axanar Q&A. I think it would be great if someone asked one question in particular: "how do you live with yourself?" And maybe ask Mr. Hatch about what he thinks of his protege's behavior? That would be priceless.

My lawyers are standing by.

LLAP

Don

PHASE II FAN PRODUCTION OPENS ITS SETS TO THE PUBLIC BUT YOU'LL NEED TO ACT QUICKLY – TWO DAYS ONLY!

I have a love/hate thing with Star Trek fan productions. I won't get into the "hate" part, but what I love is clearly shown in the photo, right – the incredible work that goes into these productions by people who willingly give their time, expertise and – most of all – passion. Because the photo is not the original set from 1968 – it's the set from the fan film production Phase II. My hat's off to all those that have made such an amazing thing possible.

And now you can have the opportunity to check out these sets for yourself. From the Phase II Facebook page:

This Saturday July 26, 2014 you can visit the Phase II sets and sit in the Captain's Chair! We are still under construction but are opening up our studio to the public for the first time ever between 10 - 5 ! Please beam aboard The Enterprise at 112 Montcalm Street, Ticonderoga N.Y. 12883 as we make our future plans to host "Trekonderoga" and invite fans to attend from all over the world!

It looks absolutely perfect and I wish I was closer to Ticonderoga, NY, because – replica or not – it's as close as any of us could ever get to actually walking the original bridge of the Enterprise. I'm sure it must be quite an experience.

LLAP

Don