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Deep Space 9 novella concept art

Concept art for the novella "Deep Space Nine"

Science fiction, sometimes shortened to sci-fi, was a story-telling genre in which a quasi-scientific background was often intricate to the fiction itself.

Tom Paris based his The Adventures of Captain Proton holonovel on old 1930s science fiction television serials. (VOY: "Shattered")

In a vision sent to him by the Prophets and the Pah-wraiths, Benjamin Sisko was Benny Russell, a struggling, 1950s African-American science fiction writer for Incredible Tales magazine. In the vision, Russell was responsible for creating the story of "Deep Space Nine." Darlene Kursky read a lot of science fiction and considered this story the best she had read since The Puppet Masters. Another writer, Kay Eaton, often stated that science fiction stories needed more strong female characters such as Major Kira Nerys. (DS9: "Far Beyond the Stars")

Lieutenant Malcolm Reed disliked the genre, and in 2151 mused that Americans read nothing but comic books and "ridiculous" science fiction novels. (ENT: "Shuttlepod One") Trip Tucker, on the other hand, thought it the perfect first genre for someone who had never seen a movie before. (ENT: "Cogenitor")

When Reed appeared heavily armed, including plasma rifles, in order to board an Axanar cargo ship in 2151, Jonathan Archer informed him he had seen too many science fiction movies and that three phase-pistols would be sufficient. (ENT: "Fight or Flight")

In 2381, Beckett Mariner accidentally triggered an Apergosian device which led the buildings to glow, lightning to strike, and strange energy, which Mariner initially described as "sci-fi stuff happening." (LD: "Strange Energies")

In 2399, when Picard saw Doctor Agnes Jurati looking at an Isaac Asimov book, he admitted to her that he never cared for science fiction, probably because he "didn't get it." (PIC: "Maps and Legends")

Science fiction media[]

Films[]

Holonovels[]

Novels[]

Short stories[]

Television[]

Appendices[]

See also[]

Background information[]

Star Trek itself is considered science fiction. The milieu of Star Trek has often been a predictor of technological trends, and has been studied by modern engineers looking for new applications for designs. The biobed from TOS became a reality a few decades after being shown when medical sensors were added to hospital beds and computer readouts, and the layout of the bridge has been studied by the military for use as an actual command center.

When asked about what would pass for science fiction in the 24th century, Ronald D. Moore replied:

"It's a notion that's come up from time to time in our discussions. The problem is that we're already pushing the envelope of what's scientifically believable in the 24th century. Trying to come up with what these characters would dream of in their own science fiction constructs is extremely difficult if not impossible." (AOL chat, 1997)

The term "science fiction" is often reduced to the nickname "sci-fi" or abbreviation "SF".

External link[]

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