The very long queue at the Delta Quadrant Apple store

It was around 1998 when I started visiting the Decipher website, back in the days when the internet used slow dial-up connections. In your head, you’re probably remembering the annoying noise of a 90’s modem right now…

I rarely posted on the message boards in those days. They were an alien environment to me, however they were useful for answering rules queries. So eventually such an occasion did arise and I needed a handle… but what to use? A lot of people seemed to have chosen existing cards (Mot the Barber, Major Rakal, etc), and given my name is Paddy, I was sure I could find an appropriate equipment card to use. However, I couldn’t be sure if all those existing Equipment cards had or hadn’t been taken by others. I decided the safest route was to pick a “yet to be made” equipment PADD. I mean – what could possibly go wrong? Decipher had already released Previews of Voyager logo cards, and all the major affiliations (except Borg) had all gotten certain cards – a gun, a PADD, an outpost, etc. If another affiliation was coming in a future Voyager expansion, it had to be Kazon surely… so that was that – I became "KazonPADD".

Then Voyager releases. No PADD.

Decipher had abandoned their previous approach of giving standard equipment to all affiliations. Kazon got guns which played for free. Vidiians had guns that were also Tricorders. The simple PADD to boost CUNNING was overlooked in a universe with such a high skill density. But nearly 20 years after I originally picked that card title as a handle, it has finally arrived!

As Manager of the Creative Team, I didn’t ask Design to make this card (I was certainly happy that they did though). However, once they did make it, I had the challenge of finding an appropriate image. In the show, the Kazon weren’t big users of technology – they didn’t even have Replicators or Transporters, let alone the latest tablet from the Apple store. When they were seen carrying equipment it was usually a gun. After scouring many hours of Kazon footage, I eventually found the one available shot – a brief scene from “Alliances” in season 2, when Culluh receives word of the Voyager crew forming an alliance with the Trabe.

Now, I’ll be honest – a PADD isn’t usually a particularly useful or powerful card. However this one does have its uses. Firstly, it can be used by all the non-Federation Delta Quadrant affiliations. As with any PADD, it will help you pass Executive Authorisation, which is always handy. Maybe you want to boost The Artificial Intelligence so you can protect a bonus point strategy from Altonian Brain Teaser, or avoid point losses at a particular location? Maybe you want more options to pass Subspace Shock Wave – the Hirogen currently only have one personnel who can do so! Maybe there are other problem dilemmas you need help with, like Spatial Rift, Twisted, Clan People or Chula: The Dice?

Ultimately (like any equipment) being able to download it will make this more useful. Federation and Ferengi PADDs saw much more use after The Next Generation released Lopez and Quark who could download their respective PADDs. Maybe a future Delta Quadrant character will be able to download it? Let’s hope that doesn’t take another 20 years though!

But for me, this card really is The Gift. Thanks to everyone who made this card possible!

by Paddy Tye, aka KazonPADD, First Edition Creative Manager