"There is no camera so I can do this, can't I? With which Kate Mulgrew swings her legs up onto the sofa and issues a huge sigh. Her back is hurting, and it's little wonder. It's Saturday night of the convention and she's been hosting talks and signing autographs almost solidly since she stood up at the opening ceremony and announced that everybody at Blackpool would go home with an autograph. 

             Is she perhaps regretting that statement now? 

             "Ha! Of course not!", she laughs, only slightly ruefully. "Although what inspired me I don't know. You just see this sea of allegiance. There's just no alternative. They come all this way. And many of then have spent a significant amount of time and money and effort. The least they deserve is an autographed picture. And we will get there. You get into a rhythm. It's like riding a horse. But I will keep that pledge." 

             The horse analogy, however may not be a good one, since she admits that "I fell off a horse when I was 21. Creating unending damage to my spine. I didn't walk for six weeks, then I had a cane. And I had no feeling in my leg for about six months. That's when I decided to swim. That's what I do now every day. I am a swimmer. It's what turns me on." 

             Although a mere twenty four hours later Patrick Stewart will be on stage announcing to the world that Voyager has a future on the big screen (and we find out later, Mulgrew did know that Stewart was on his way, not that she gave us a tip-off) as we chat she denies any knowledge of being asked to appear in Star Trek 10 "I know nothing about it" she protests, perhaps with just a hint of theatricality, before adding archly, "Rumours abound, don't they? The internet is always right! It's ahead of everybody else! Lots of times that's happened to me. Somebody says "Did you hear this on the internet?" Absolutely not. Bingo a week or two later it comes to fruition." 

             Or a day later in this case..... 

             "Do I kill Picard or is it a cameo?" she asks. A cameo, we think "Well, it would only take a minute!" 

            Ironically, when our camera guy Gavin is ready to shoot he asks her to lay on the sofa. Mulgrew seems happy to comply, and as she reclines reveals some of her thoughts about the next Trek series. "I know a little bit about it of course. I have not visited the set. I understand it is not a very pleasurable place to be at the moment. But I think it's fascinating don't you to go back and see the formation of Starfleet. I wish them the best of luck." 

             We feel we have to bring up Robert Beltran here.

             "Is he being naughty?" 

             Well.... 

             "Is he trashing it?" 

             Oh, she must have heard... 

             "Well of course I've known about this. Terrible waste of energy." 

             So will we ever see Kate Mulgrew and Robert Beltran on stage together in the future? 

             "I dunno. I have great respect for Robert Beltran. But I think it's sour grapes. It begs the question of his personal well being don't you think? It seems to reveal a kind of insecurity. But I personally don't understand it. He's better than that.  And I saw his Hamlet." 

             Lucky woman.