Fans of the 40-year-old franchise are finding new ways to bring more Star Trek to hungry fans of the series.

As reported at CNN, fans are creating new episodes of Star Trek to fill the void left when Star Trek ceased television production, choosing the Web as the vehicle of delivery.

Two Web producers are creating audio podcasts with new Star Trek stories. "People are hungry for new material," said Sebastian Prooth, co-executive producer of Star Trek: The Continuing Mission. "But they're not hungry for McDonald's. They're hungry for gourmet." Prooth and co-executive producer Andy Tyrer, who produced WhoUniverse, a podcast about Doctor Who, plan to serve up their first episode, Ghost Ship on Christmas Day. They hope to follow up with ten more half-hour episodes in 2008.

The Continuing Mission concerns the adventures of the USS Montana, a ship similar to the USS Enterprise. The Montana is commanded by Captain Paul Edwards. The ship is accidentally sent forward in time from the 23rd century to the 24th century, arriving shortly before the time of Star Trek: The Next Generation.

The cast members perform their lines from various sites in the United States. Tyrer records their performances at his studio in London and Prooth directs from California. Tyrer explained the process. "Every time an actor records his lines, Sebastian is on the Skype (audio Web link) with them, giving them directions about how he wants the scene to be played out."

Star Trek fans have come a long way from their mimeographed fanzines of the 1970s. The Internet has made it easier to distribute stories to a wider audience. "In order for 'Star Trek' to survive, it has to change," says Prooth. "It has to become something else so it is relevant and people can connect with it."

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