On this weekend in 1988, the inaugural Starbase Indy introduced Indianapolis to the amazing world of Star Trek conventions. Though it later expanded its purview to include other sci-fi TV shows, and was in limbo for a few years during a dark era (long story), its current owners and staffers have spent the last ten years valiantly returning to its glory days and rebalancing the original confluence of actor appearances, hobbyist events, and fan participation/interaction. For local geeks such as my wife and myself, it’s a regular highlight of our average Thanksgiving weekend, more fun and with far fewer confirmed fatalities than Black Friday.

2013 marks SBI’s eighteenth iteration and its twenty-fifth anniversary (for the asynchronous discrepancy I again point you to “long story”), but shows no signs of deterioration. If anything, this was the most efficient SBI yet — speedy photo op lines, gregarious guests all happy to be here, multiple events requiring more room space than usual, wider snack selection in the Con Suite. Best of all: two of the headliners were main cast members from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, the greatest Trek series of all time in our household.

Naturally there were also costumes. Apropos of our ongoing TV marathon (as previously mentioned), we had to mark the occasion by meeting a Doctor.

For the past few years we’ve been attending four conventions each year: SBI, C2E2, GenCon, and Wizard World Chicago. Even though SBI is the smallest by a wide margin, it understandably features more Trek costumes than all the rest. Testifying here are Vulcan and Trill crew members alongside stately Admiral Sulu.

Always appearing in uniform are members of local geek-rock band Five Year Mission, holding court here with Q and other crew. Once they arrived, their crowd held steady and their most recent album disappeared from the table before I could buy a copy. Rats.

First time we’ve ever seen an Enterprise uniform at any convention. Points for originality!

Proof positive that there’s more than one fashion option on Orion. (And you can check out her site here.)

Also on the premises as expected: Star Wars! The 501st Legion represents with a Snowtrooper, Sandtrooper, and custom Mandalorian.

I’m even happier to see comic books receive their due. Special guest star: Zatanna!

Other special guest star: Black Canary! For new readers who’ve only been introduced to DC Comics within the last two years, please note both are in classic regalia, not their current New 52 suits, whatever those even look like, because who cares.

For fans wanting their own photos in otherworldly settings, you had the option of a green-screen photographer on the premises, or a pair of life-size props. Here, my wife emerges from a Stargate. To be honest, we thought this was a Deep Space Nine doorway until I noticed the hieroglyphs.

For a simple donation to an autism charity, attendees could also take over the Captain’s Chair and pretend to open fire on some passing enemy cruiser. Or surrender to it, whichever suits your captaining style. In my mind, I watched as my helpless opponents burned.

To be continued!