TREKKERS: FANS BOLDLY GO WHERE MANY HAVE GONE BEFORE

David Robertson, Carol Robertson and Robin Lynch work on a Star Trek trivia before the start of the movie.

"Star Trek: First Contact," the eighth Star Trek movie, is the second movie featuring the new crew. First Contact chronicles a trip back to the 21st Century to stop the Borg.

After 30 years of exploration, space is still the final frontier for Star Trek fans.

When the legendary futurist Gene Roddenberry created the science fiction-based television series in 1966, little could he have realized what a phenomenon it would become.

"I really admire what Gene Roddenberry expressed with Star Trek," said Jeff Arnzen, captain of the U.S.S. Sally Ride, the local Star Trek fan club. "He was trying to show that in the future, we could peacefully co-exist."

In 1987, the same year of the first Star Trek spinoff, "Star Trek: The Next Generation," Robin Lynch of Cape Girardeau started the Sally Ride fan club chapter, which was named after the first female American astronaut in space.

The club originated as a part of Starfleet, an international group of Star Trek fans.

"I had been doing some writing and I wanted a place to bounce ideas off other people," she said. "And I had an early love of Star Trek."

She remembers as a 13-year-old girl watching the original series. She was a bit embarrassed as she admitted she had a crush on one of the main crew -- and it wasn't Capt. James Kirk.

"I had a terrible crush on Dr. McCoy," Lynch said. "He just struck me as this handsome, sensitive man."

In the first Sally Ride meetings, about four or five people met to discuss Star Trek and other science fiction. Now, 35 fans meet monthly, Arnzen said.

The club discusses the various shows and their differences and, yes, they do talk about who is the better captain.

"For me, it's hard to break them down," Arnzen said. "They each seem to display a different emotion. Capt. Kirk was more action-oriented and was a ladies man. But Picard is a better leader, I think, more of a thinking man."

Hank Sessoms is a seven-year member of Sally Ride and he likes Capt. Benjamin Sisko, who heads Deep Space Nine, a space station.

"There's something I like about him more than the others," Sessoms said. "He's a bit darker and grittier; not so overly optimistic."

The group's most recent excitement was over the release of the newest movie, "Star Trek: First Contact." In fact, they attend the movies together, some donning Star Trek uniforms.

"We love going to the movies," Arnzen said. "We'll be talking about that one for months."

Arnzen admits to being a bit peeved about the image people have of Star Trek fans.

"We're not a bunch of geeky kids, walking around in Star Trek uniforms shooting phasers at people," he said. "A trekker is someone who enjoys science fiction and enjoys the movies.

"There are a lot worse things to be than someone who enjoys watching shows about an optimistic future."

He points out that Sally Ride has raised money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association and for the needy at Christmas.

Roddenberry's compelling vision of the future has proven to hold a timeless appeal, when now -- 30 years later --the original series has inspired eight motion pictures, three spin-offs and millions of dollars in ticket sales and merchandise.

Not bad for a show that was canceled in 1969 because television executives said it appealed to the wrong demographic.

But the show had a strong fan base even then. The only reason it lasted three years was due to a letter-writing campaign launched by fans across the country.

And the fans stuck around.

Star Trek moved to the big-screen in 1979 with "Star Trek: The Motion Picture," which grossed an astonishing $112 million. The film's success inspired seven sequels.

In 1987, a new captain, Jean Luc Picard, and crew launched a new starship Enterprise in "Star Trek: The Next Generation." This series takes place in the 24th century, about a hundred years following Kirk's five-year mission.

This new series provided the impetus for two subsequent 24th-century spinoffs with "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" and "Star Trek: Voyager," each which is successful in its own right.

While 30 years of Star Trek have come and gone, the fans can rest assured that it will live even longer and prosper.

Those interested in more information about the U.S.S. Sally Ride can write to P.O. Box 394, Cape Girardeau, Mo., 63701.