– by Josh Plock
Orion FCU

Science fiction and fantasy fans seem to love classifying themselves into distinct groups to show their franchise allegiance. On the floor of any sci-fi convention you’ll see a host of Whovians, Potterheads, Brown Coats, Marvel Zombies, and many more. But one group that continues to stand most prominent is the Trekkies – and these dedicated fans of Star Trek showed up in force to the Orion 2015 Summer Movie Series last Friday night for a special screening of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.

The most beloved film in the Star Trek saga, Khan easily ranks alongside the likes of the Bride of Frankenstein, The Dark Knight, and Terminator 2: Judgement Day as one of the greatest sci-fi sequels. An aging James T. Kirk realizes that he is no longer the bravado-filled officer in a gold shirt who could take on a Gorn in hand-to-hand combat.  Instead of exploring strange new worlds, he’s now an Admiral quietly performing his duties at the Starfleet Headquarters.  At the behest of his old friends, Spock, Dr. McCoy, and the others, he takes the legendary USS Enterprise out for one final voyage. This nostalgic trip down memory lane ends when one of his most dangerous foes, the super-soldier Khan, returns on a quest for vengeance with a weapon that could wipe out millions.

Just like a group of Tribbles without supervision, the fans of Gene Rodenberry’s space epic came out in large numbers for this special event.  Before the show, viewers enjoyed the specialty cocktail of the night, the Vulcan Nerve Pinch, a tequila-based drink which like Spock’s signature move, was more powerful than it appeared.

Fans were also invited to participate in a game of trivia, with  three lucky attendees chosen to test their knowledge of the Wrath of Khan to win the grand prize – tickets to the upcoming Star Trek: The Ultimate Voyage in January.

The special place the Star Trek cast holds in the hearts of their fans was evident once the opening credits began to roll.  The audience cheered at the appearance of each beloved name: William Shatner, DeForest Kelly, Nichelle Nichols, George Takei, and of course the late Leonard Nimoy.  Given the relatively recent passing of this science fiction icon, his famous death in the film held a certain poignancy for attendees.  In fact it is almost certain that many in the audience got chills at the end, as Nimoy’s raspy voice recited the famous monologue reaffirming the goal to boldly go where no one has gone before.