After a brief summer hiatus, and for the first time in its history, the women have taken over the UFOP: StarBase 118 podcast. Regular host Lieutenant Commander Velana was joined this month by guest host Lieutenant Commander T’Mar of the USS Gemini.

On the discussion agenda was not just the depiction of strong female characters in Trek, but how depictions of female strength shouldn’t be limited to physicality, i.e.- there is more than one way to be strong. The commanders also talked about their experiences as women in the wide world of fandom, the good, the bad and the hilarious, as well as their shared love of conventions. Velana got a little jealous upon learning that T’Mar has met Connor Trinneer – famous as Trip Tucker from Star Trek: Enterprise, and the rules of convention meet-and-greet etiquette were laid out. They also let off a little bit of steam about what was bugging them about Trek. Previous hot topics have included Geordie LaForge’s attitude to Scotty, Star Trek technology in Into Darkness, and not forgetting Deana Troi’s ever-changing-accent. However, even those things that bug us about Trek actually show much we love the franchise and want it to be as good as it can be.

Moving along, the Commanders gave the usual nod to promotions in the preceding month, and highlighted the exciting news of the launch of not one but TWO new ships – the USS Columbia under Commander Ben Livingston and the USS Victory under Commander Nugra. Epic times lie ahead!

To round off the episode, the team welcomed Lieutenant Alora DeVeau of the USS Garuda who, with the help of her Mother, reminded us all about the monthly fleet chat – a great place to get to know your fellow simmers in a relaxed environment.

Ready to listen? Head to the forums now to download the podcast, or listen via YouTube!

The podcast is always looking for new contributors. If you’re ready to get involved, check out the podcast forum.

Art by Dylan Meconis. Source.