Creation Entertainment's 9th Annual Grand Slam convention in Pasadena continued on Saturday, March 31, with Kirk facing Khan again, Ferengi going to Disneyland, and an appearance by Q: The Next Generation.

NICHELLE NICHOLS & WALTER KOENIG

Nichelle Nichols ("Uhura") and Walter Koenig ("Chekov") appeared on stage together, and started by talking about what they're currently doing. Nichols announced to the crowd that "Yours truly has a marvelous, marvelous, marvelous role" in an upcoming Disney movie tentatively titled "Winterdance," in which she co-stars with Academy Award®-winners Cuba Gooding Jr. and James Coburn. Koenig admitted he was hard-pressed to top that. "I get Son of the Beach. That's all I need to say about that." He was referring to a new comedy on the FX Network produced by Howard Stern which Koenig recently guest-starred in.

In response to an audience member's question, Nichols related the time when she nearly left the show that made her a household name. "I always jokingly say, Star Trek interrupted my career," Nichols said. She had been involved in musical theater, "and I really thought my star was Broadway-bound." She thought the TV role looked nice on her resume, but after the first season she "wanted to get back to singing and dancing and acting live on the stage before people." She admitted that, "When Star Trek happened, I didn't realize the enormous import of the philosophy of Star Trek, what was happening and how it was affecting people." This became apparent in a chance meeting with civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, from whom she learned she was a vital role model for young black women in America. "Having met Dr. King, and being made more aware of the social import, I looked at my role on Star Trek with a different attitude, and I went back and told Gene Roddenberry that if he still wanted me I would stay." Being up on stage before hundreds of adoring fans, Nichols said she was "very pleased at the roundabout way that things happened."

WIL WHEATON

Wil Wheaton ("Wesley Crusher") told the group that while he was on Star Trek: The Next Generation, he just considered it a job, but since then he's realized how loyal he is to the show. He related a story about the time STARTREK.COM held a poll to find out viewers' favorite all-time episode from the four series. "Now, I have friends with the DS9 and Voyager people — but I couldn't let them win," Wheaton said. "So I got on the Star Trek website and voted again and again for 'Best of Both Worlds.'" He even went so far as to create false e-mail accounts so he could vote even more times. That night he was spending so much time in his home office that his wife Anne finally asked what he was doing. Loath to admit the truth, he shouted back, "Uh...I'm downloading porn!"

FERENGI FAMILY HOUR

Whatever happened to Rom, his wife Leeta, his son Nog and his mother Ishka after Quark's brother was appointed Grand Nagus of the Ferengi Empire? The actors behind the lobes answered that question Saturday afternoon with "The Ferengi Family Hour," a hilarious spoof with Max Grodenchik, Chase Masterson, Aron Eisenberg and Cecily Adams reprising their roles from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (sans makeup or costumes). Also performing was Lolita Fatjo, former pre-production coordinator for DS9 and Star Trek: Voyager, who co-wrote the sketch with Grodenchik.

The piece follows the journey of the famous Ferengi family as they go back in time to vacation at Disneyland, "the happiest place in the Alpha Quadrant." They get mistaken for performers in costume, and are forced to put on a show, finding themselves in a parody of "The Wizard of Oz." Masterson takes on a Judy Garland voice, realizing "I have a feeling I'm not on Bajor anymore," and she's told by squeaky-voiced strangers (who got that way because they watched too much of Kate Mulgrew on UPN's Star Trek: Voyager) to "Follow the Latinum Road." The puns and inside jokes ran rampant, but by the end the characters realized "We've Gotta Have Quark."

AUTOGRAPHS & AUCTIONS

As with any Star Trek convention, celebrities were doing more than just appearing on stage to talk about their latest projects and make jokes. They were also signing autographs for the fans and raising money for charity. Among the many stars inking their names on pictures Saturday were DS9's Nicole deBoer ("Ezri Dax") and the former and present Chancellor of the Klingon Empire, Robert O'Reilly ("Gowron") and J.G. Hertzler ("Martok").

Items of interest to Star Trek fans were being auctioned throughout the convention weekend, but the ones that drew the most interest and the highest bidding were those being pushed by the celebrities themselves. Star Trek: Voyager's Robert Picardo ("The Doctor") and Roxann Dawson ("B'Elanna Torres") took the stage on Saturday to auction off Dawson's prosthetic Klingon forehead that she wore in the final Voyager episode. The piece was sold for $2,500, which will go to the Half the Sky Foundation to benefit orphaned Chinese children.

WILLIAM SHATNER & RICARDO MONTALBAN

The main hall was filled to capacity Saturday afternoon for the weekend's most highly anticipated event. Taking the stage with a bounce in his step and never slowing down for a moment, William Shatner actively worked the huge audience without missing a beat. A long-time convention veteran, the man behind Captain James T. Kirk talked about his various projects, including his Star Trek novels, which were applauded by the crowd.

In preparation for his introduction of the next guest, Ricardo Montalban ("Khan"), Shatner demonstrated his own delight at pronouncing the former Mister Roark's name. Drawing affectionate laughter as he rolled his R's, Shatner repeated the name like a mantra — "Ricardo Montalban? Ricardo Montalban?" Shatner also recalled how, during the making of "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan," neither superstar actually had scenes together, since the on-screen adversaries were in separate ships. Shatner recalled having to stare at a blank wall that represented the viewscreen and trade lines with a meek-voiced girl reading Khan's lines.

Finally Shatner gave up the stage to Montalban, who made his first convention appearance ever to a roaring crowd that leapt to its feet at his appearance. Shatner embraced the ailing actor and left the stage to Montalban, who was seated due to his impaired health.

Montalban had surgery on his spine seven years ago and is in "constant pain," but he repeated for the fans his appreciation of their warm welcome: "Your reception made me forget about the pain entirely."

Montalban noted that his experience on "Star Trek II" reflected Shatner's; Montalban also had to act looking at a blank wall and acting off of the script girl's recitation of Kirk's dialogue. He complimented director Nicholas Meyer for making the experience pay off, taking Montalban out of his "Mr. Roark" persona (of Fantasy Island) and into the tragically obsessed mindset of Khan.

Born in Mexico, he also spoke at length about Hollywood's negative portrayal of Latinos over the years, recounting a story of when he called the CEO of Frito Lay to complain about their "Frito Bandito" character. Noting how the stereotype of the lazy, dishonest Mexican was reinforced by such seemingly innocent characterizations, he took the CEO to task. "I said, 'Why not the Frito Amigo? Why does it have to be the Bandito?" Less than a month later, the ad campaign was pulled.

Montalban drew fond and energetic applause when he quoted his famous commercial tagline "Rich Corinthian Leather," and answered another fan's compliments by saying "Your words are medicine to me, thank you."

JOHN & KEEGAN DE LANCIE

John de Lancie, who has played Q in three Star Trek series, is about to appear again on the U.S.S. Voyager next Wednesday, April 11, in an episode called "Q2." And this time it's a family affair — co-starring with him is de Lancie's own son, Keegan, as the son of Q. So during his appearance Saturday at the convention, the proud father brought his son on the stage to introduce him to the fans. And he was quick to point out that his boy was not an automatic shoe-in to land the part of his on-screen offspring. "Keegan auditioned twice for the role, and — he was the best!" de Lancie said.

Keegan proceeded to describe his character: "Like any 16 year old, he's completely out of control. Only he's out of control and can do anything he wants" because of his Q powers. And like an out-of-control 16-year-old, Keegan started describing the episode in detail until his father stopped him: "That's it, don't tell them any more!"

De Lancie talked a bit about his audiobook series, "Spock vs. Q," which he and Leonard Nimoy performed a segment from the previous night. He pointed out that Friday's performance was dedicated to Mary Jensen, a fan who tragically passed away just a couple of weeks ago.

Aside from that, de Lancie spent his time on stage joking with the audience. One fan asked, "Is that really you?" De Lancie replied, "Is this really me? No it isn't. I'm actually home sleeping right now."

MARINA SIRTIS

Marina Sirtis ("Deanna Troi") got a lot of "Happy Birthdays" over the weekend, because the previous Thursday, March 29, was her special day. Of course, she wouldn't reveal her age, quick to point out that she stopped counting at 29. The other big topic for her was the upcoming Star Trek film. "Don't ask me about the new movie, because I know nothing. Really, I don't know anything except for the fact that I'm in it," she said to the audience's applause. And to that effect, she had to say something regarding fan gifts: "You've gotta stop giving me chocolates! I've got to get back in my space suit!"

In other fashion-related comments, Sirtis revealed that while shooting "Star Trek: Insurrection," she wore high heels while climbing the mountains on location. The costumers had given her climbing boots, but she told them, "Excuse me? Troi doesn't wear ugly shoes!" But after trekking over a couple of those mountains, her legs came to regret that call.

Besides the tenth Star Trek film, Sirtis announced that she was also scheduled to start shooting a movie on Tuesday called "Peace Virus" about a computer virus that goes out of control.

JAMES DARREN

The man behind Vic Fontaine, James Darren, told how he came to land the job playing the crooning hologram. He was at an event in Beverly Hills signing autographs when Ira Steven Behr, executive producer of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, spotted him and realized, "My God, James Darren would be great to play Vic Fontaine!" But ironically, Darren hadn't planned on going to that autograph signing. "But my wife talked me into it," he said. "Is that amazing? To be at the right place at the right time? If I was not there, I would not be here — I wouldn't have gotten to play Vic Fontaine." He added tongue-in-cheek, "And to this day, my wife asks me for a portion of every check I get. And she gets it!"

After the series ended, Darren found himself with a very special souvenir. A group of four guys carted a huge crate to his home, saying "We have something for you from Ira Behr and from Paramount Studios." It was the large "Vic Fontaine" sign from the nightclub set. But then he and his wife were left trying to figure out what to do with it. They decided right away it shouldn't go in the bedroom. "But you know what I thought would be cool? Really cool? To put it on my garage door. And when people drive up, I push the button, the door opens and I sing a song! I'd be there in a tuxedo! 'I've Got You Under My Skin...'" He added, though, that he would ultimately auction it off for charity.