Strangers

It's like..... Frozen!  

(....it's A Movie ( grins ))

You CAN'T get engaged to

somebody you JUST Met 

THAT Day --

Didn't your parents ever warn 

you about Strangers....?

Doctor Who: The Shepherd's Boy (Regency/Rogue Edition) - DRAFT

"I know I've attracted the ire of the anti-mob yet again who are likely to downvote this release (and the other two) because they don't like my 'woke' opinions or that I like all of Doctor Who, but YOLO.

Anyway, after watching Rogue, my heart broke for the Doctor as he encountered another kindred spirit, another person who he resonated with, 'gelled' with, someone who he got on with, 'clicked' with even. Only for them to be taken away from him - like the first time he met River Song. I think many of us who are neurodivergent can relate to this - meeting someone who seems to be on our wavelength, a rarity in itself, who disappears from our life just as suddenly as they entered it.

And, as I've been going through a bit of an ordeal myself over the past year, I found myself feeling really upset about this scene and decided to express it with another version of The Shepherd's Boy in a regency style - one that wouldn't sound out of place in 1813 - the year this episode took place.

It’s also almost a year since my first retro remix - The Shepherd’s Boy 1986, so it’s a timely release. 

It's not a final release, but it's one I spent about four hours working on after watching the episode. I wanted to include the sounds of the regency era (lots of strings, a few woodwind instruments, and a piano) while evoking that feeling of absolute heartbreak and devastation, that I imagine the Doctor felt in that episode.

So it's a draft, but it's one I wanted to share regardless.

Many of my releases lately have been about goodbye's - not sure what that says about me and where I'm at in my life but c'est la vie!

MIDI by dKmps"

PICARD: 

Open hailing frequencies.

WORF: 

Hailing frequencies open.

PICARD: 

On viewer. This is the USS Enterprise. 

Captain Jean Luc Picard.

OKONA [on viewscreen]: 

(bending over, bottom towards us) 

And this is the cargo carrier Erstwhile. 

Captain Okona at your service, sir. 

There's no need for your phasers, Captain. 

I'm harmless and not quite 

yet ready for mercy killing.

PICARD: 

You were never considered 

a danger to us, Captain.

OKONA [on viewscreen]: 

Oh, that's a shame. 

I can remember when I was 

at least considered a risk.

(Okona is a handsome, long-haired 

pirate of a man, and he sits down to face us)

OKONA [on viewscreen]: 

I'm the owner and operator of this craft and 

since we both know that you've already scanned it, 

you know I'm alone and empty, which is 

truly a rare occasion for a man 

of my charm and talent.

PICARD: 

Mute main viewer. 

Counsellor?

TROI: 

His emotions suggest that 

he's mischievous, irreverent 

and somewhat brazen. 

The word that seems to best 

describe him is "rogue".

DATA: 

"Rogue"? Ah. Cad, knave, rake, 

rascal, villain, wild element.

TROI: 

Yes, Data, but there is 

no malevolence or ill will.

PICARD: 

Audio on. You have a burn-out 

in your guidance system, Captain.

OKONA: 

Whoa. Since you're able to diagnose 

my problems, how about 

helping me fix them?

WESLEY: 

Captain, we could easily repair 

the type of system he uses.

PICARD: 

We can accommodate you, Captain.

RIKER: 

This is the First Officer, sir. 

If you prepare to shut down your engines, 

we can lock on the tractor and beam you over here.

WORF: 

Sir, recommend limited 

access to our ship.

PICARD: 

Agreed.

RIKER: Data, lock on the tractor beam. Transporter Chief, prepare to him beam aboard.

ROBINSON [OC]: Ready on your command, sir.

OKONA [on viewscreen]: Excuse me, Commander. Is that a woman's voice I hear?

PICARD: Yes. Now please follow Commander Riker's instructions so our ship can get back to its normal routine.

OKONA [on viewscreen]: Whatever you say, Captain.

PICARD: Something funny?

RIKER: Well, the unexpected is our normal routine. 

Hold it steady, Wesley. Ready to link up on my command

WESLEY: Aye, sir.

RIKER: Easy. Easy. Engage. Captain Okona, shut down your engines.

OKONA [OC]: Understood.

RIKER: Transporter room, prepare for the beaming operation. 

We're on our way. Wesley, Data, let's go.

[Transporter room]

(The lady transporter chief has very long hair, and will eventually achieve fame as Lois Lane in the TV show. She beams Okona aboard with his broken guidance module)

WORF: Your weapons, please.

OKONA: A Klingon Security officer.

WORF: Yes.

OKONA: No wars available, eh?

(He hands over his gun belt, and Worf holds his hand out for the rest. The knife is down the back of Okona's thigh boots)

OKONA: It's more of a piece of jewellry than a weapon. A remembrance.

RIKER: Welcome aboard, Captain Okona. I'm Commander Riker. If you'll turn over the inoperative part to Commander Data, we can begin repairs.

OKONA: I'd be most happy to do the work myself, Commander. I'm sort of the hands-on type.

RIKER: I think you'd find the tools we use rather unusual, sir.

OKONA: I can believe that. May I at least watch?

RIKER: That can be arranged.

OKONA: Good then. Commander, I leave this in your capable hands.

(And gives the module to Wesley)

WESLEY: Sir, this is Commander Data. I'm just an acting ensign.

OKONA: Well, acting ensigns have names, don't they?

WESLEY: Wesley. Wesley Crusher.

OKONA: Nice to meet you Acting Ensign Wesley Wesley Crusher. (to Robinson) And thank you for beaming me here and enabling me to see a truly beautiful woman. You have the majestic carriage and loveliness that could surely be traced back to the noblest of families.

ROBINSON: Well, I'm sure that you've said that to many ladies before, and it was no more true then than it is now.

OKONA: But it's how I say it that's really important. The warmth, the attraction that I have for you. The attraction that we share.

RIKER: Mister Okona seems to have excellent vision as well as a healthy libido.

ROBINSON: (quietly) It's eight oh six.

RIKER: Captain Okona, if you follow Commander Data, you can get started right away.

[Corridor]

OKONA: Now, that's sex appeal.

DATA: Sexual attraction in this context is not a part of my programming. I am an android.

OKONA: Well, then. Have you seen any good looking computers lately? That's a joke. It's funny.

DATA: Ah. Of course it is.

[Engineering]

(Geordi is working on the module in his private alcove)

OKONA: Will that do what the original did?

LAFORGE: Sure will, and better. Let me show you. On your old one, the zelebium contacts that wore down and then fused. What I've done is replace them with tricellite.

OKONA: Tricellite isn't available in this system. If I ever had to replace it.

LAFORGE: Don't worry, you won't. Your ship will never outlast this part.

OKONA: Because of the part or the way I fly my ship?

LAFORGE: Well, this part, but the stress test did show that you tend to push your ship a little beyond its design capabilities.

OKONA: Blame the pattern of my life, Lieutenant La Forge. 

Because it relegates me to cargo carrying rather than the grand explorations you enjoy, I'm forced to add a measure of flamboyancy and a zest to the doldrum of my existence.

[Corridor]

OKONA: Have you ever been cold?

DATA: No.

OKONA: Warm, then?

DATA: No.

OKONA: What about drunk? Ever do that?

DATA: From alcohol? That is not possible for me, sir.

OKONA: Pity. What about love?

DATA: The act or the emotion?

OKONA: They're both the same.

DATA: I believe that statement to be inaccurate, sir.

OKONA: Maybe. Life is like loading twice your cargo weight onto your spacecraft. If it's canaries and you can keep half of them flying all the time, you're all right.

DATA: I doubt that statement is entirely accurate either, sir.

OKONA: Accurate? That was a joke I just told you.

DATA: I do not understand.

OKONA: 

You don't know what a joke is?

DATA: 

Of course I do. It is a witticism, a gag, a bon mot, a fluctuation of words concluding with a trick ending.

OKONA: 

That's the dictionary meaning. 

I'm talking about humour, fun. 

Do you know what funny is? 

(blank) Where is eight oh six?

DATA: 

Right over there, sir. Why?

OKONA: 

You probably wouldn't understand that either.

(The door opens to reveal Robinson in 

a slinky dress, waiting for Okona)

ROBINSON: 

Hello, there.

[Engineering]

RIKER: 

Status on the repair?

LAFORGE: 

Working on it.

WESLEY: 

Commander, what do you 

think of Captain Okona?

RIKER: 

Well, Okona is an interesting man, certainly. 

We've seen how he handles his ship. 

Apparently he knows how to 

handle people as well.

WESLEY: 

Then why does he work alone?

RIKER: 

He's a man who lives his life by his own rules. 

He does what he does by choice. By his choice.

 Someday you'll make yours.

WESLEY: 

I already have.

[Ten Forward]

DATA: 

So you agree with Okona that I am missing 

a very important human factor.

GUINAN: 

I never said that. I simply said that 

I've never seen you laugh.

DATA: 

I am capable of that function 

when it is expected of me.

GUINAN: 

Data, do you even know what a joke is?

DATA: 

Of course I do. It is a witticism, a gag, 

a bon mot, a fluctuation of --

GUINAN: 

Stop -- Look, it's just you and I here. 

We're talking, we're having an intimate conversation. 

Why? Because you're a 'droid and I'm a 'noid.

DATA: 

But why?

GUINAN: 

Because that's 

what I am.

DATA: 

Have I said something 

to offend you?

GUINAN: 

No.

DATA: 

Then why are you annoyed?

GUINAN: 

Because you're a 'droid 

and I'm a 'noid.

DATA: Humanoid.

GUINAN: 

Yes.

DATA: 

You told a joke.

GUINAN: 

Yes.

DATA: 

I am not laughing.

GUINAN: 

Yes.

DATA: 

Perhaps the joke 

was not funny.

GUINAN: 

No, the joke was funny. 

It's you, Data.

DATA: 

Are you sure?

GUINAN: 

Yes.

DATA: 

I agree. What do I do?

GUINAN: 

Well, under normal circumstances, 

I'd say seek a higher power. 

But in your case, probably 

a smarter computer is in order.