"STAR TREK VOYAGER" RETROSPECT: (4.08-4.09) "The Year of Hell"

"STAR TREK VOYAGER" RETROSPECT: (4.08-4.09) "The Year of Hell"

While reading some of the TREK forums and message boards over the years, I have noticed that many fans seemed to harbor mixed views of the "STAR TREK VOYAGER" Season Four two-part episode called (4.08-4.09) "The Year of Hell".

"The Year of Hell" began with the U.S.S. Voyager entering Krenim space, the same region of space that the former Ocampan crewman, Kes, had warned about in the Season Three episode called (3.21) "Before and After". Only Kes' description of Krenim space was set in an alternate timeline in which a very powerful race came dangerously close to destroying Voyager within a year. The Krenim space encountered by the Federation starship at the beginning of this episode seemed a lot more benign . . . until something or someone alters the timeline.

Unbeknownst to Voyager's crew, a Krenim military scientist named Annorax had developed a weapon ship designed to create temporal incursions. He used the to supervise the complete genocide of the Zahl, an enemy race that had ended the Krenim's status as a dominant power in their region of the Delta Quadrant. But the erasure of the Zahl nearly caused the destruction of the Krenim. Annorax's attempt to undo his actions led to the erasure of other worlds . . . and his wife from existence. And for two centuries, he has been creating one causality paradox after another in an attempt to get his wife back. However, one of Annorax's actions allowed a formerly harmless Krenim ship that Voyager had encountered at the beginning of the episode to develop into a powerful starship and inflict heavy damage upon the Federation ship. In this new timeline, Janeway and the rest of Voyager's crew are forced to endure a "year of hell", as they struggle to survive.

Screenwriters Brannon Braga and Joe Menosky created a fascinating and complex tale of what could have befallen Voyager if some of Kes' experiences in "Before and After" had occurred in their regular timeline. There have been occasions in which Voyager's crew had encountered more powerful alien vessels and societies. The starship was also captured by alien forces on two or more occasions. "The Year of Hell" featured the second time that Kathryn Janeway and her crew were forced to survive for a period of time in a damaged starship. But "The Year of Hell" took place during a period of nearly an entire year. Watching Voyager' become an increasingly uninhabitable vessel struck me as both fascinating and depressing. By the time Voyager was left with its senior staff (sans the kidnapped First Officer and Chief Pilot) after Janeway sent the rest of crew away in life pods, it had become a desolate place to be.

Braga and Menosky provided the episode with plenty of complex drama and characterizations. Kate Mulgrew gave an outstanding performance as a besieged Kathryn Janeway, determined to keep her crew alive and ship together by any means possible. Even if it meant sacrificing her health and sanity. The other outstanding performance came from guest star Kurtwood Smith, who portrayed the Krenim scientist, Annorax. Like Mulgrew, Smith portrayed his character as a leader determined to save or protect those he held dear - his species, his homeworld and especially his family. Unlike Janeway, Annorax's determination led to a more tragic conclusion. Both Janeway and Annorax - on a larger scale - reminded me a great deal of the Captain Nemo character from Jules Verne's 1870 novel, "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea".

The supporting cast were given plenty of opportunities to shine. The best performances came from Tim Russ (Lieutenant-Commander Tuvok), Robert Beltran (Commander Chakotay), Robert Duncan McNeill (Lieutenant Paris) and Robert Picardo (the Doctor). Both Chakotay and Paris found themselves as prisoners aboard Annorax's time ship in Part II of the episode. This situation gave Beltran an opportunity to convey Chakotay's dismay at Annorax's abuse of temporal mechanics and his desire to help the Krenim scientist restore the damaged timeline. McNeill was excellent in portraying Paris' dismay at Chakotay's cooperation and impatient desire to stop Annorax and find Voyager. Russ gave a poignant performance as the uber-efficient Tuovk, who is forced to depend upon Seven-of-Nine as his guide after he lost his sight in an explosion. Picardo had two juicy scenes in which he gave it his all, involving the Doctor's moral dilemma in sacrificing several crewman in order to save a few and himself from the destruction of one of the ship's decks; and the Doctor's confrontation with Janeway over her careless attitude toward her health. Roxann Dawson, Garrett Wang and Jeri Ryan provided a bit of fun in a comedic scene in which Ensign Harry Kim, an injured Lieutenant B'Elanna Torres and Seven-of-Nine recalled a bit of Federation history from the 1996 movie, "STAR TREK: FIRST CONTACT". And second guest star John Loprieno was excellent in his portrayal of Obrist, Annorax's first officer who becomes increasingly dismayed by the scientist's abuse of the time ship.

Unfortunately for "The Year of Hell", it has accumulated a good deal of negative comments about its ending. The mixed opinions of the entire episode stemmed from an ending that many fans viewed as a cop out. When Seven-of-Nine discovered a chroniton torpedo in one of the ship's Jeffries tubes, the crew realized they had been the victims of temporal manipulations. Seven used a devise on the torpedo to successfully shield Voyager against Annorax's time ship and any future temporal changes. However in Part II, Captain Janeway made an alliance with two species to attack the Krenim timeship. The remaining crew members move to the allied ships, while Janeway remained behind alone on Voyager to pilot the heavily damaged ship herself. After learning that the Krenim ship's temporal core had been placed offline and theorizing that the true timeline will be restored if the Krenim ship is destroyed, Janeway ordered the fleet to drop their temporal shields before ramming Voyager into the time ship. Her actions destroyed Voyager, caused the time ship to destabilize and erase from history . . . and reset the timeline to the day Voyager first encountered the temporal waves.

Many TREK fans accused the episode's writers of using the "reset button" to restore Voyager to its original timeline and erase the one featuring the year of hell. They also criticized Braga and Menosky for this act. Braga also did not want to use the "reset button" device. He wanted Voyager to remain wrecked for the rest of Season Four. But he failed to get his way, thanks to Paramount and producer Rick Berman. I do recall a fan fiction - a coda to the Season Seven episode (7.11) "Shattered" - that left Chakotay lost in time and both Janeway and Tuvok dead. As the new captain, Tom Paris was forced to land Voyager on an "M" class and order repairs on the ship that lasted for a year or more.

Recalling the state of Voyager in the alternate timeline, I saw no other fate for the ship if Janeway had not reset time. "Before and After" saw Voyager still traveling through Krenim space, despite its condition after nearly a year. But it did not look as damaged as it did right before the time reset in "The Year of Hell". The idea of a wrecked Voyager still traveling through space after nearly a year . . . strikes me as illogical. And how did Braga plan to deal with Annorax and the time ship? Did he have plans for the Krenim scientist to remain the series' main adversary for the rest of Season Four? Did he have plans for a series of plotlines featuring the adventures of the Voyager crew on an "M" class planet, while they repair the ship?

I am not saying that I am against the idea of time NOT being reset. But I still have bad memories of the early Season Three episodes of "BATTLESTAR GALACTICA", in which some of the colonists ended up as prisoners of the Cylons on some planet. And combining that with the knowledge of the "reset button" being used on many occasions, I find it difficult to get upset over the ending for "The Year of Hell". More importantly, I find it difficult to understand the fans and critics' reactions to the use of the "reset button". I guess I still find it so ridiculously strident, especially since such use of the plot device had been used so many times.

As far as I am concerned, "The Year of Hell" was a pretty damn good episode that featured an interesting twist on the Captain Nemo character and the alternate timeline subplot. It also featured superb performances from Kate Mulgrew and Kurtwood Smith, and some excellent acting from the rest of the cast. I am not surprised that it has remained one of my favorite episodes from the series' Season Four.

"Strange Bedfellows" [R] - Part 7

"STRANGE BEDFELLOWS"

Part 7

PRESENT DAY . . . A heavy sigh left Olivia's mouth. "Wow! It's a miracle that Idril had survived. Come to think of it, it's a miracle that you and Christine had arrived shortly before she made her attack. How long did it take for her to recover?" 

"Oh . . . about three weeks," Cole said with a shrug. "Perhaps a month. Sometime around early September of '69, she tried to have us killed, again." He paused. "Separately. Just before I had reported back to the Brotherhood's headquarters, a zoltar tried to kill me at my Manhattan apartment. He failed, of course."

Olivia shook her head. "Poor Idril. She must have really loved you. I wonder if she still does?"

"What?" Cole found his fiancée's musing slightly disturbing.

"I said I wonder if Idril still loves you."

Cole immediately shot down that unpleasant theory. "Of course not! I had wounded Idril's pride, that's all."

A knowing light gleamed in Olivia's green eyes. "If you insist." She paused, while Cole regarded her suspiciously. "What about Christine?" she added, catching him off-guard.

Wariness crept within Cole's mind. "What about her?" He had deliberately deleted the sexual activity that had occurred between Christine and himself before Idril's attack. Now, he wondered if Olivia had guessed the truth.

"Did Idril hire someone to attack her for the second time?" Olivia's question relieved Cole's mind.

The half-daemon nodded. "Apparently, Idril had also placed on bounty on Christine, as well. Another zoltar attacked her at a hotel in Edinburgh." A chuckle rose from Cole's throat, as the memories rushed back to him. "And like me, she survived. She called me later that night to tell me about the attack. She, uh . . . well, after killing the zoltar, she sent his body back to Idril - in several pieces."

"Ouch!" Olivia exclaimed. "That must have been some message."

Cole sighed. "Yeah, it was. But it was a message from Raynor that finally stopped the attacks."

The revelation took Olivia by surprise. She blinked. "Raynor? How did he get involved? I mean . . . I know that he had started the whole thing, but how did he . . .?"

Cole allowed his lips to curve into an arch smile. "Let's just say that Raynor and I managed to come to an understanding."

------------

SEPTEMBER 15, 1969; NEW YORK, NEW YORK . . . Cole entered the Thorn Brotherhood's familiar reception room and strode toward Raynor's assistant, who sat behind a large desk. "Belthazor," he greeted politely, "what can I do for you?"

The half-daemon answered, "I would like to see Raynor. It's urgent."

"Then you should make an appointment through Vornac," the assistant crisply replied. "You know the rules. In order to see the order's leader, you need to make arrangement through your sect's leader . . . unless Raynor requests your presence."

Suppressing an urge to incinerate the pompous daemon, Cole sighed. "I cannot find Vornac. According to Klea, he's in another dimension. On business. I need to see Raynor."

"Raynor is busy right now with . . ."

Cole leaned over the desk and seared Raynor's assistant with a deadly glare. "I need to speak with Raynor." He paused dramatically. "Or else I'll give him a good reason to find another secretary." The assistant's face turned pale.

"I see that you're back into full swing, Belthazor." Cole whirled around and discovered Tarkin standing behind him. The other daemon continued, "Welcome back."

Cole's temper cooled slightly. "Tarkin. Haven't seen you in nearly two months. Where have you been?"

"On business." Tarkin turned to the assistant. "Why aren't you summoning Raynor?"

His Adam's apple bobbing uncontrollably, the assistant reached for the intercom. Meanwhile, the two daemons moved away from his desk. "There's a rumor going around that you were recently attacked," Tarkin continued.

"Yes, from Idril of all people," Cole replied. "In fact, she attacked us, twice." He paused dramatically. "The first time in Southampton."

It seemed as if Tarkin was struggling to refrain from smirking. "I guess she didn't care to be passed over for someone like Christine."

Cole gave his colleague a hard stare. "How did you know I had been seeing Christine?" he asked in a soft voice.

Tarkin's mouth hung open. "Uh . . . I . . . I heard . . . I mean . . ." He took a deep breath. "I saw Brethil in Paris. He had seen the both of you in Edinburgh, last month." He paused. "By the way, how did you two . . .?"

"End up together?" Cole's gaze remained fixed upon the younger demon. "Christine had told me about seeing Idril with Raynor in Nice, last winter. And considering Raynor's little speech about matrimony for me, I managed to put two and two together. Just to let you know, nothing happened between us, while you and Christine were dating."

With a wave of his hand, Tarkin dismissed the matter. "It's okay. Christine wasn't the type I could remain interested in for very long."

Cole nodded. "That's good. You know," he paused succinctly, "for a moment I thought you were the one who had told Idril that we would be in Southampton . . . considering you were planning to go there, yourself. But I didn't think you were the type to make a fuss over some mortal - even if she was a witch."

"Yeah," Tarkin added with an uneasy smile.

Cole continued, "But someone had told us of our whereabouts. I'm going to find out who, and then . . ." He left the sentence unfinished. To his delight, anxiety flashed in Tarkin's eyes.

Raynor's assistant interrupted the pair. "Raynor will see you now, Belthazor."

"Thank you." Cole nodded at Tarkin and shot a caustic smile at the assistant. Then he strode past the latter's desk and entered Raynor's private office. The half-daemon found his mentor sitting on an ornate 18th sofa, sipping drinks with a slender, dark-haired woman. She possessed long, elegant features and sherry-brown eyes.

"Belthazor!" The woman stood up and held out her arms.

Smiling, the half-daemon embraced Raynor's new wife. "Avara. It's good to see you, again. Marriage seems to agree with you."

The demoness smiled brightly. "Thank you, Belthazor. It does, doesn't it? I would recommend it for everyone."

Cole shot a glance at his mentor. "Interesting. Raynor had said the same to me, a few months ago. Remember Raynor?"

The leader of the Thorn Brotherhood grunted, as he fixed his eyes upon a jade statuette of a horse.

"I understand from Raynor that you've become involved with another daemon," Avara continued. "Someone named Idril?

Again, Cole glanced at Raynor. Whose attention remained fixed upon the jade statuette. "Uh . . . it was just a minor little romance. Didn't go anywhere. Apparently, Idril and I were not really suited for one another."

Avara responded with a sympathetic nod. "I perfectly understand, Belthazor. From what Nimue has told me, this Idril did not seem to be your type."

"Nimue?" Raynor glanced sharply at his wife. "You know her?"

"Oh, I never told you, did I?" Avara's eyes grew wide with innocence. "Nimue and I are old friends."

Raynor stared at Cole. "Strange that you never mentioned this at my wedding, Belthazor."

Cole assumed an innocent expression. "I'm afraid that I didn't really think about it, Raynor. I had other matters on my mind, at the time."

Avara smiled at Cole. "Yes, Raynor had told me about your . . . vacation. Did you enjoy yourself?"

"Immensely."

The demoness sighed. "Well, I best leave you two gentlemen alone. You must have some business to discuss. And I have some business to attend. Good-bye, Belthazor."

"Avara." Cole watched the demoness leave the office. Once alone with his mentor, he began, "Raynor, I have a matter . . ."

The older daemon interrupted. "You never told me that you and Nimue knew Avara. Why?"

Cole's eyes grew wide. "Hmmm? Oh, uh . . . it must have slipped my mind. I haven't seen her in years, before your wedding. And to be honest, I barely had a chance to say hello, during the reception." He paused. "Too busy trying to avoid Mother's company."

"I see." Raynor sauntered over to his desk and sat in the leather chair, behind it. "So . . . Belthazor, what is this urgent matter you need to discuss?"

After a brief pause, Cole continued, "I don't particularly enjoy bothering you with my private matters, Raynor, but . . . this matter concerns Idril."

"Idril?" The older daemon stiffened slightly.

Cole nodded. "Yes. As you know, we became briefly involved this past summer. Unfortunately, my interest waned and I broke it off with her. She became difficult and . . . in fact, made two attempts on my life. And on the life of a friend. And I had hoped that you would make her stop these attacks."

"Why ask me, Belthazor? I have no say in the private lives of the Source's subjects, as you very well know."

So, Raynor has decided to play games. With a sigh, Cole continued, "I understand, Raynor. But could you at least talk to Idril? Make her understand that these attacks are . . . a waste of her time. I have no desire to be killed due to Idril's inability to deal with rejection."

Raynor maintained a cool façade. "And why should I talk to Idril?"

"Because of your relationship with her," Cole replied in a matter-of-fact tone. "After all, she was . . . your mistress. Am I right? Surely you could . . ."

A tense, almost false laughter poured from Raynor's mouth. "Really, Belthazor! Are you stating that I had an affair with Idril?" His laughter ceased, as he stared at Cole with hard eyes. "Who told you?"

"Someone," Cole replied calmly. "And Idril finally admitted it, under duress. Anyway, I figured that since you two are so close, you would be able to talk her out of this vendetta. If not," again, Cole paused dramatically, "I might have to kill her." A cold smile touched the half-daemon's lips. "And I'm a much better assassin."

Raynor's dark eyes grew wide with shock. "You would . . ." Then his expression hardened. "There are some who might not take Idril's death very well."

"Such as yourself?" Cole shot back. He noted how Raynor's face paled. "Let's be honest, Raynor. I know about your affair with Idril. You're probably still involved with her. And I also know that you two had plotted to use me as some kind of shield to hide your relationship from Avara - who can be very jealous. I understand all of this. All I ask is that you talk to Idril and convince her to stop the attacks. If not . . . I will kill her. Period."

In a hard voice, Raynor said, "If you do, don't expect to live very long, Belthazor." He regarded Cole through dangerously narrowed eyes.

"Is that your way of admitting the affair?" When Raynor remained silent, Cole nodded. "I see. Well, let me put it this way - I'm sure that my mother, Avara and the Source will wonder why you had me killed, so soon after Idril's death."

Raynor's shoulders sagged in defeat - much to Cole's pleasure. "I see," he finally said. "And what about the witch?"

Although this audience with Raynor had been for Christine's sake, as much as for his, Cole decided it would be wise to keep her out of the conversation, as much as possible. "She can take care of herself," he added casually.

Looking slightly dazed, Raynor commented, "You know, I cannot believe that you are threatening me. This is unexpected of you."

"I'm not threatening you, Raynor," Cole replied. "Just Idril. The only reason I haven't killed her yet, is out of consideration for you." He continued to regard his mentor with a steady gaze.

To Cole's surprise, the older daemon threw back his head and laughed. "Well done, Belthazor! Well done." His laughter finally subsided. "You've certainly come a long way from since the day I first began to train you."

Cole stared at his mentor. "Excuse me?"

"You really would have killed Idril, wouldn't you?" Raynor regarded the half-daemon with admiration and pride. "And you were quite willing to blackmail me about my relationship with her, as well. Well done. I have trained you well."

Cole merely responded with a polite smile. "Uh, Raynor. About Idril?"

The older daemon nodded. "Oh yes. Of course, I will have a talk with her."

"Thank you." Cole let out a gust of breath. "I, uh . . . I think I better check with Vornac."

Raynor smiled. "You do that." Cole started toward the door. "And Belthazor?"

His hand barely on the doorknob, Cole paused. "Yes Raynor?"

"I want to thank you for considering my feelings toward Idril. And I do apologize for the attempt to manipulate you into a relationship with her."

Stunned by his mentor's apologize, Cole responded with a barely mute, "You're welcome."

But Raynor had not finished. "And one more thing - I would have killed Idril immediately. Regardless of anyone's feelings. Good day."

His mentor's last words ringing in his mind, Cole left the office and closed the door behind him.

--------------

SEPTEMBER 15, 1969 (EARTH TIME); THE SOURCE'S REALM . . . Idril stared at her dark-haired lover in disbelief. "Say that again?" she demanded.

Raynor sighed. "I would like for you to cease all attacks upon Belthazor and his witch," he coolly repeated. "Especially Belthazor."

Resentment bubbled within the demoness' breast. "Why should I? He had insulted me!"

"In Caspiel's name, Idril! He had merely dealt a blow to your ego! I really don't see the need for you to continue these attacks! They're simply pointless."

Idril regarded her lover with suspicion. Both stood inside the main living room of her home, located in the Source's Realm. "Did he mention that he had nearly killed me, when he tossed me out of that hotel window? And on top of that, he humiliated me by . . ."

"Let it go, woman!" Raynor's roar filled the room. His dark eyes shone bright with frustrated anger. "Let it go! It's over! We lost the game. Be thankful that Belthazor has decided to spare you."

Idril grunted with disgust. "Spare me? What make him think that he . . .?"

Raynor sighed. "Idril, let me be frank. The only reason you are not dead is because Belthazor has considered my feelings for your well being. But if you persist in this vendetta of yours, he will kill you. With extreme prejudice. And he will be more successful than you. Do you understand?"

Stunned by her lover's words, Idril could only stare at him. "Wha . . . ?" Then an unpleasant thought came to her. "Are you saying that you would have stood by and allow him to kill me? You wouldn't have even avenged my death?"

"How can I kill one of my top assassins out of revenge, without arousing Avara's suspicion?" Raynor retorted. "She happens to be an old friend of Nimue's. As for that bitch - she already has a very good reason to despise me. The only reason I'm still alive is due to the Source's protection. If I kill Belthazor because of you, the Source will not stand in her way."

Sick at heart, Idril turned away. She could not believe this. Belthazor was forever out of her reach. Along with that English tramp, Christine. Worse, she might have to face a future with Raynor. "So, what am I supposed to do? What are we supposed to do? End our relationship for good?"

Raynor paused before he continued, "Find someone else. Someone not as difficult to control, as Belthazor." He sighed. "Find someone who is a lot less . . . intelligent. Choosing Belthazor for this matter was a mistake. I had underestimated the extent of his pride. And his independence."

"You certainly did," Idril grumbled. She winced under Raynor's dark stare. "Well, why did you choose him?"

The other demon continued, "Because I thought he would be ambitious enough to help us, once he found out. I had provided similar services to my former mentor. I didn't count on Belthazor's 'pride' getting in the way. I was wrong."

No kidding, Idril thought bitterly. And kept her dark thoughts to herself.


End of Part 7

"MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS" (2010) Screencaps Gallery

Below are images from "MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS", the latest adaptation of Agatha Christie's famous 1934 novel. The television movie starred David Suchet as Hercule Poirot. 


"MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS" (2010) Image Gallery

"STARDUST" (2007) Review

"STARDUST" (2007) Review"

When I had first saw the poster, I could not drum any interest in seeing "STARDUST", directed by Matthew Vaughn. In fact, my interest remained dormant after viewing the trailer. Not long after its release five years ago, someone had suggested that we see it, considering there was no other movie in the theaters we were interested in seeing. I said "no thanks". It did not end there. This "someone" literally had to coerce me into seeing the film. And you know what? I am glad that he did.

Based upon Neil Gaiman's novella, "STARDUST" tells the story of a young 19th century Englishman named Tristan Thorne (Charlie Cox), who becomes in involved in a series of adventures in magical kingdom located beyond the wall of his hometown of . . . Wall. His adventures resulted from his love of a young neighbor named Victoria (Sienna Miller) and his desire to find and retrieve a fallen star named Yvaine (Claire Danes) in order to prove his worthiness as a future husband. Tristan has no idea that his mother (Kate Magowan) is not only a citizen of this magical kingdom, but is also a royal princess who is enslaved by a witch named Ditchwater Sal (Melanie Hill). He does not realize that his two surviving uncles - Prince Septimus (Mark Strong) and Prince Primus (Jason Flemyng) - are in search of a ruby that will give either of them the throne to the kingdom. A ruby that had caused Yvaine to fall from the sky and is now worn by her. And Tristan is also unaware of a witch named Lamia who seek Yvaine. With the latter's heart carved out, Lamia and her two sisters will be able to regain their youth and power.

I do not think I will go any further into the story, because it is simply too damn complicated. It is not confusing. Trust me, it is not. But I do feel that in order to know the entire story, one would simply have to see the film. I have never read Gaiman's novella, so I have no idea how faithful Jane Goldman and director Matthew Vaughn's script was to the story. But I do feel that Goldman and Vaughn's adaptation resulted in an exciting, yet humorous tale filled with surprisingly complex characters and situations.

The acting, on the other hand, was first-class. It could have been easy for Charlie Cox and Claire Danes to fall into the usual trap of portraying the leads, Tristan and Yvaine, as a pair of simpering and and over emotional young lovers - a cliche usually found in many romantic fantasies over the years. Instead, Cox and Danes seemed to be having a good time in portraying not only the ideal personality traits of the two lovers, but their not-so-pleasant sides through their constant bickering and mistakes. Vaughn filled the cast with some of his regulars like the always competent and dependable Dexter Fletcher and Jason Flemyng, along with Sienna Miller, who did a surprisingly good job of portraying Tristan's bitchy object of desire, Victoria. Mark Strong was excellent as the ruthless and sardonic Prince Septimus. Robert DeNiro did a surprising turn as Captain Shakespeare, a flaming drag queen who pretends to be a ruthless and very macho captain of a pirate ship in order to maintain his reputation. DeNiro was very funny. But by the movie's last half hour, the joke surrounding his deception threatened to become slightly tiresome. But the movie's true scene stealer turned out to be Michelle Pfieffer as the evil and treacherous Lamia, the oldest and most clever of the three sister witches. At times seductive, funny, malevolent and creepy, Pfieffer managed to combine all of these traits in her performance, allowing her to literally dominate the movie and provide one of the most creepiest screen villains to hit the movie screens in the past decade. Margaret Hamilton, look out!

As much as I had enjoyed "STARDUST", I had a few problems with the movie. I have already pointed out how the joke surrounding Captain Shakespeare's sexual orientation threatened to become overbearing. I also found the movie's running time to be a bit too long. This problem could be traced to an ending so prolonged that it almost rivaled the notoriously long finale of "LORD OF THE RING: RETURN OF THE KING". And the fact that the movie's style seemed to be similar to the 1987 movie, "THE PRINCESS BRIDE", did not help. Another problem I found with the movie was its "happily ever after" ending that left me feeling slightly disgusted with its sickeningly sweet tone. But what really irritated me about "STARDUST" was Jon Harris's editing. It seemed so choppy that it almost gave the movie an uneven pacing.

But despite the movie's disappointing finale and Harris' editing, "STARDUST" proved to be a very entertaining movie. Using a first-class cast and an excellent script, director Matthew Vaughn managed to pay a proper homage to Neil Gaiman's novella. He also proved that his debut as a director ("LAYER CAKE") was more than just a fluke.

CHRISTMAS Wallpaper

Here are some Christmas wallpaper for your enjoyment. "Merry Christmas!"



CHRISTMAS WALLLPAPER

"Strange Bedfellows" [R] - Part 6

"STRANGE BEDFELLOWS"

Part 6

PRESENT DAY . . . Over the years, alcohol had sustained Idril against many disappointments in her life. Yet, she could only remember only three or four occasions in which she had engaged in a drunken binge. One of those binges had occurred after learning about Raynor's death over two-and-a-half years ago. But the very first time she had truly went on a bender happened after Belthazor had spurned her for that witch, Christine Bloome.

Although the demoness had began her pursuit of Belthazor for merely convenience, she discovered within a month that she had fallen for the handsome and elegant half-daemon. His rejection of her had been a serious blow to her psyche and her pride. By the time she finished drinking nearly every bottle of liquor in that hotel suite, Idril came to the decision to get rid of both Belthazor and his English tramp. The bitch had ruined her plans regarding the half-daemon; and Idril wanted to get even with him for drugging her, in order to spend the night with Christine.

Taking a swig of absinthe, Idril recalled her decision . . . and thirty-four years later, regretted it. Love, she concluded, made beings do stupid things. No wonder both the Source and Raynor had frowned upon it. Going after Belthazor and Christine not proved to be stupid, but led to one of the most humiliating moments of her life. And it all began with her tracking down Tarkin in Paris.

-----------

JULY 22, 1969; PARIS, FRANCE . . . A steady downpour of rain fell upon the Parisian streets, when Idril teleported in the middle of an alley off the Rue du Cloître-Notre-Dame. Fortunately for her, she had an umbrella to prevent her from getting wet. The demoness then took a deep breath and merged into the crowds that flowed along the sidewalk.

Right across the street stood the famous Notre-Dame Cathedral. But Idril was not interested in French culture or tourism at the moment. A fellow Thorn Brotherhood daemon had informed her that Vornac assigned Tarkin to close an important business deal, here in Paris. The same daemon also added that the 75 year-old daemon usually patronized a place on this very street called Le Vieux Bistro for his meals. The demoness finally came upon the bistro. She glanced through one of the window's light curtains and spotted Tarkin inside, enjoying a meal. After closing her umbrella, she entered the bistro and stood before the other daemon's table.

Slowly, Tarkin glanced up at the new visitor. His dark eyes widened in surprise at the sight of Idril standing before him. "Idril?" he exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to see you," Idril replied. She was in no mood for idle chitchat. "Mind if I sit down?"

Tarkin nodded. "Sure." He cut a piece from what looked like a pork cutlet and popped it into his mouth.

Idril sat down in the chair opposite the other daemon. A waiter approached the table, carrying a menu. She asked for a glass of red wine, instead. Then she returned her attention to Tarkin. "So . . . where's Christine? Isn't she usually by your side?" Idril struggled to suppress any smugness from her voice.

"Tina was pleasure," Tarkin barked. "I'm here in Paris on business."

"If you say so," Idril replied with seemingly innocence. The waiter returned with her wine. She took a sip and added, "And I thought you were alone because of Christine's new 'friendship' with Belthazor." She took a second sip of wine.

The other daemon's fork froze in mid-air. Then he slowly placed it on his plate and stared at Idril. "Tina is with . . . Belthazor?" Idril nodded. "You've seen them together?"

Idril paused before she answered, "Not exactly. Belthazor . . . he told me that he had seen Christine . . . the night she broke up with you. And he had been gone . . ."

A sneer marred Takin's countenance. "Oh, I see. He dumped you, didn't he? And now you tell me that he's with Tina." A sigh left his mouth and he shrugged. "Oh well. Easy come, easy go." He returned his attention to his meal.

In an effort to regain control of the conversation, Idril protested, "I never said that Belthazor had dumped me!"

Tarkin chuckled. "But he must have. Why else would you seek me out to tell me about him and Tina? He must have dumped you for her . . . and now you want revenge. And you want me to do what? Kill them for you?" He snorted with derision. "Sorry, I can't help you."

Idril decided to give up any pretense. "And why not?" she demanded. "Aren't you pissed?"

After swallowing another piece of pork, Tarkin replied, "No, not really. Tina had dumped me in the first place, because she caught me screwing some young thing at the Triple Six. Besides, I'm not going to kill a fellow daemon over some mortal woman. What do you take me for?"

"Someone with pride!" Idril shot back.

Tarkin rolled his eyes. "Come off it, Idril! I would catch hell from Vornac or Raynor for getting jealous over some mortal. Even if she is a witch. Tina and I were growing apart, anyway. And I'm not surprised about her and Belthazor. I suspect they've been eying each other for quite some time." He gave Idril an appraising stare. "You know, I'm rather surprised that you got involved with Belthazor in the first place. Then again, maybe I shouldn't be - especially now that Raynor is married again."

"How did you . . .?" Idril bit back her words and took a sip of wine.

Tarkin smiled rather nastily. "Tina told me about seeing you with some man in Nice, last winter. A man that perfectly fits Raynor's description. I didn't realize that you were that desperate for a rebound." He paused, as his eyes narrowed. "Or was there another reason you went after Belthazor? He told me about Raynor advising him to consider marriage. Did you and Raynor planned to use Belthazor as some kind of patsy to hide your affair?'"

"Forget it," Idril retorted bitterly. "And Christine has a big mouth, by the way."

A sly smile curved Tarkin's lips. "Don't I know it."

In one last attempt to change the other daemon's mind, Idril added, "You really don't want to get even, do you?"

"No, I don't. It's like I said - I have no intention of killing a fellow daemon over some witch." Tarkin snorted derisively. "I'd be laughed out of the Brotherhood. And so would you." He paused and regarded the demoness with thoughtful eyes. "However, if you're that set on getting even . . . may I recommend someone else to do the job?"

Idril frowned. "Like who?"

"There's this group of demonic assassins that are from the Haldane Order." Tarkin paused. "And I know where Tina will be this weekend. At the Chilworth Manor Hotel. In Southampton. She'll probably be there for the Cowes Week Regatta."

"The what?"

Tarkin sighed. "Cowes Week on the Isle of Wight? That's where they have sailing races for high society or anyone who can afford a sailboat. Anything else?"

"No thanks," Idril curtly replied. She drank the last of her wine and stood up. "Thanks for the drink," she said in a cool voice. "And for the information. I guess you're not that pleased about Belthazor and Christine, after all."

Before she could turn away, Tarkin added, "Mind if I give you a piece of advice? You should really give up this idea of going after Belthazor and Tina. Witch or not, Tina's a very powerful magic practitioner. Her grandfather is none other than Tauron of the Valar Dimension. He's just as powerful as the Source and Tina happens to be a favorite grandchild. As for Belthazor - not only is he one of the best assassins in our order, he's also considered one of the best by the Source. I wouldn't go ahead with this, if I were you."

But Idril refused to listen. She had been badly humiliated. Someone - whether it be Belthazor or that bitch, Christine - had to pay. She bid Tarkin a cool good-bye and marched out of the bistro and back into the rain.

--------------

JULY 26, 1969; SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND . . . Rain fell upon the gabled roofs of the Chilworth Manor Hotel. It happened to be a former Edwardian manor that had been converted into one of Southampton's most elegant hotels sometime during the early or mid 20th century. Rain also drummed against the window panes of one of the hotel's suites. Inside this particular suite, Cole felt oblivious of his surroundings or the rain outside. His mind and senses were focused upon one thing - the soft, pliant body that moved underneath his.

Cole and Christine had arrived in Southampton to attend the annual Cowes Week Regatta - a series of sailboat races held on nearby Isle of Wight, in the small town of Cowes. Since Christine was unable to book a room at one of the hotels and private cottages in Cowes, she ended up booking a suite in nearby Southampton, at the Chilworth Manor Hotel. The following Saturday unfolded in a series of events. Cole and Christine met with one of the witch's friends aboard the latter's yacht to watch the sailboat races. Later that evening, the couple attended a party at one of the private villas on the island. It was nearly one in the morning and raining, when they finally returned to the hotel.

Cole plopped down on the sofa and sighed. "I don't know if I can take another two or three days of this. I've forgotten how exhausting it can be, attending one of these regattas."

Christine arched a blonde eyebrow. "You've forgotten?"

"Well, this isn't exactly my first time I've been here for the Cowes Week races," Cole remarked. "It's just been a while."

The witch sat down on an empty spot, next to Cole. "It must have been a lot longer than six years, because that's how long I've been coming down here." Her eyes coolly swept over Cole's reclining figure. "Hmmm, you do look a bit knackered. Bloody shame that is. I reckon I would have to call it a night, after all." She stood up.

With energy he did not know that he possessed, Cole quickly sprang to his feet. He then lifted Christine into his arms, causing her to squeal with delight. The pair shimmered out of the suite's living room and into the bedroom. Cole placed the witch on the bed and grinned. "Looks like I'm not that tired after all."

"We'll see," the witch replied with a smirk. She crawled off the bed and deliberately began to remove her clothes. Wearing only panties and stockings, Christine walked over to Cole and gently pushed him onto the bed. She then leaned over him and unfastened his belt and trousers. Next, she removed his shoes before finally tugging off his trousers and briefs.

Breathing heavily, Cole stared at the blond witch. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"Finishing what I had started that night we first me," Christine replied huskily. "Before Whatshername had interrupted me." She slipped one hand between his legs, causing the half-daemon to gasp. At first, she played with him. Slender fingers alternated between gentle caresses and squeezes that nearly left Cole breathless. But when she took him into her mouth, he cried out loud and sprang into a sitting position. He tried so hard not to come. He wanted to save himself for more horizontal activities. But Christine's soft lips and tongue made it difficult. And in the end, he could not hold back.

The witch lifted her head from between his legs. A wasted Cole removed his handkerchief from his jacket and handed it to her. "Well, that's it," he commented, while Christine wiped her mouth. "Now, I'm too tired to do anything."

Christine slid forward to join him. "Are you sure?" She began to unfastened his shirt's buttons.

Cole took a deep breath. "Perhaps not. Perhaps I just need a few minutes of rest."

"In that case," Christine removed his jacket, "you might as well get a bit more comfy." She tossed the jacket on the floor. "And let's get rid of the shirt, shall we?" Cole sat up and removed his shirt. It joined the jacket on the floor. "There now. It's a shame you're a bit tuckered. I wouldn't have . . . oh!" A squeal escaped from her mouth, as Cole rolled her flat on her back. "I thought you were tired?"

The half-daemon smiled down at the witch. "I can think of something that won't require much energy on my part," he murmured. Once more, he took Christine by surprise. A gasp left her mouth, as he ripped away her stockings and panties. He then spooned her body from behind, eliciting a giggle from the witch.

"Is this all you can do?" Christine demanded in a challenging voice.

Cole murmured, "Of course not." Then he inserted two fingers into the warm folds of flesh between the witch's legs. She arched her body and gasped for the second time. His fingers slid deep inside her. It was not long before Cole could feel her muscles involuntarily clutch his fingers, as she experienced an orgasm.

"Oh God," Christine murmured between pants. "I need you inside me. Now. Please?"

A groan left Cole's mouth. He felt so hard that he realized his need to enter her completely was just as strong as her. "Yeah. Yeah, of course. I . . ." The half-daemon rolled Christine on her back, spread her legs and with a grunt, entered her. The couple's bodies began to move - slowly, at first. Christine tightened her legs around Cole's waist, allowing him to sink his entire length deep into her. Locked together, the half-daemon and the witch moved in unison. Harder. Faster. The moment came when Christine's wet flesh tightened around Cole's. She cried out his name, as he stabbed into her a few more times. A massive orgasm finally overwhelmed him, allowing his seed to spill into her body.

Christine unwrapped her legs from around Cole's waist. Feeling boneless, he sagged against her body for several seconds and rolled off her. A satiated sigh escaped from his mouth. "I don't think I'll be able to recover after that," he murmured.

"I reckon I don't want to," Christine added. Her slender fingers began to stroke Cole's chest. "Then again, if recovering means another tumble like that, maybe . . ."

The witch's voice faded into the background, as the back of Cole's neck tingled. Daemons. Which meant . . . danger. He quickly shot into a sitting position. Two dark-clad figures materialized into the bedroom. "Christine!" the half-daemon cried. "Move!" He shoved her off the bed, as a fireball from one of the demons struck the very spot she had just abandoned.

Cole, who had scrambled off the bed, flung an energy ball at Christine's attacker. The latter exploded immediately. The other daemon lifted Cole off the floor, using telekinesis, and flung him against the far side of the wall. Before the half-daemon could do anything, Christine grabbed a dagger from one of the night stand, next to the bed. She hurled the weapon at the second assailant's center forehead. The daemon screamed in pain and disintegrated into a ball of light.

"Bloody hell!" the witch exclaimed. "Haldane assassins? Why would they attack us?"

Five more dark-clad figures, along with a very familiar one, appeared in the bedroom. "Take a wild guess," Idril greeted with a smirk.

Cole stared at the demoness. "Idril? What the hell . . .?"

"You should know, Belthazor. I don't like being humiliated. Or rejected." Idril turned to her companions. "It's five of you against the two of them. Kill them!"

It was Christine who made the first move. She stared down at one assassin. His body turned red, as he screamed in pain. Then it began to smoke before disintegrating into a pile of ash. At that moment, Cole realized that she was a thermokinetic, as well as a telekinetic. He killed another daemon with an energy ball. Then he shimmered out of the room, reappeared behind two assassins and snapped their necks in quick succession. One daemon sent a bolt of lightning toward the witch - much to Cole's horror. He did not have to worry. Christine quickly held up on hand and deflected the demon's attack. The lightning bolt zinged back toward the demonic assassin and struck him in the center of his chest . . . killing him instantly.

Fear gleamed in the eyes of the last Haldane assassin. He glanced around and quickly teleported out of the room. Cole smiled coldly at the dark-haired demoness. "Looks like its now two to one."

"You son-of-a-bitch!" Idril spat angrily. Her brown eyes suddenly glowed red. As a red beam shot from her eyes, Cole used his telekinesis to deflect her attack and send her out of the room. Idril's screams of pain filled his ears, as her body flew out of the open window.

Cole walked over to the open window and glanced out at the hotel grounds, below. Despite the surrounding darkness, he spotted Idril's writhing body on the lawn. Seconds later, she disappeared.

Christine joined the half-daemon by the window and pressed her body against his. "Is she dead?"

"Unfortunately no," Cole murmured. "But I think she's badly hurt." He sighed. "It'll be a long time before she tries to hurt us, again. If ever." Christine began to rub his arm. "Hopefully."

Then the couple turned away from the window and returned to the bed.


End of Part 6