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Animated Earth Chronicles: The Legend of Darla Dimple

By Darla (Dimple) Todman,
As told to Admiral William H. Todman,
Starfleet Command, United Federation of Planets
With a foreword by William C. Raymer, Author of the Animated Earth series

(Historian’s Note: For maximum enjoyment of the sections featuring Sito Jaxa, please refer to the Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes “The First Duty” [Episode #119] and “Lower Decks” [Episode # 167].)

Foreword

 Recently, I received a package from… Well, I don’t know for sure where it came from. All the package had as decoration were the Starfleet crest, the pennant of the United Federation of Planets and “Mr. William C. Raymer, Yuma, Arizona, United States of America, Earth Prime.”
At first, somehow I thought that someone was using my creation, the Animated Earth series, as the basis of an elaborate practical joke on me.

 But, I decided, “What the heck?” and decided to open it. And so, I took the package into my inner sanctum (my bedroom) and opened it, revealing a DVD disc. I popped it into my XBOX 360 (Yes, I was one of the lucky ones[1]) and was amazed by what I saw: the events of Animated Earth: The Wedding of Danny and Sawyer and Animated Earth II: Faith of the Heart, with some events I intended to include but didn’t for one reason or another.

 The disc ended with Darla Dimple and her new husband, Admiral William Todman, at the helm of the Runabout Tomarken. Rainbow streaks were visible through the view ports, indicating that the ship was at warp speed.

 “Hello, William,” Darla said. “A PADD is in the package this disc came in. Please look at it. It is my biography, and I want you to write the foreword.”

 So, I read the PADD and learned about the life of Darla Dimple… a life of promise, a life forever altered by a tragic twist of fate, a life with a chance to begin again.
And I have been tasked with making sure her story is told.

WILLIAM C. RAYMER a/k/a “Blissey”
YUMA, ARIZONA USA
APRIL 26, 2006

 Prologue

ABOARD FEDERATION RUNABOUT U.S.S. TOMARKEN NX-74751
EN ROUTE TO PLANET RISA
STARDATE 60145.3

I cannot believe my luck. Recently, I regained the thing that I cherished the most and thought I could never possess again: my conscience.
At the moment, I am in the passenger compartment aboard the Runabout Tomarken, changing out of the wedding gown that made me Mrs. William H. Todman.

The Tomarken is en route to Risa, the most famous pleasure planet in the Federation, to go on our honeymoon.

As I change into a blue dress with mustard yellow belt, I watch the rainbow streaks out of the view ports, indicating that we were speeding along—Warp 3.7, according to the display screens here in the passenger compartment—to Risa, which we would reach in 3 days at present speed.

So, now that I am out of that dreadful gown, I decided to jot down the story of my life—or rather my lives, as for most of my existence I was two separate beings—in this biography, which, I hope, will clear up a few misconceptions about me.

I would like to thank the people who believed in me-Captain Jean-Luc Picard, for giving “me” a second chance after “my” part in the Nova Squadron Incident; Lieutenant—I guess it’s “Ambassador” now—Worf for helping “me” gain the courage to risk “my” life for someone “I” disliked, Daniel and Sawyer Goldsmith, for forgiving me after I gave them so much trouble; Ashton and Misty Ketchum and their Pikachu for helping me become one again; and finally, to my husband, Admiral William H. Todman, for setting it all in motion.

This is a true story… my story… our story.

DARLA TODMAN
ON BOARD RUNABOUT TOMARKEN
STARDATE 60145.3

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[1] Only in the story. –W.R.
Note from William Raymer: “I have been asked by Darla to relay a message of thanks to dennis smith (real name: Johnny Winters) for providing valuable support to the publication of Darla Dimple’s biography.”