THE RETURN OF ONE FRIEND WHILE LOSING ANOTHER

 

Film Title: The Search for Spock   

Air Date: 6/1/1984

Written by Harve Bennett

Directed by Leonard Nimoy

Cast: William Shatner as Rear Admiral James T. Kirk    DeForest Kelley as Dr. Leonard H. McCoy AKA “Bones”              James Doohan  as Commander Montgomery Scott AKA “Scotty”        George Takei  as Commander Hikaru Sulu              Nichelle Nichols as  Commander Nyota Uhura          Walter Koenig as Commander Pavel Chekov      Robin Curtis as Lieutenant Saavik     Leonard Nimoy as the Excelsior’ computer and as Captain Spock’s adult body   Carl Steven as Young zombie Spock         Vadia Potenza as early teenage zombie Spock             Stephen Manley as older teenage zombie Spock       Joe W. Davis as Young adult zombie Spock        Phil Morris as Lieutenant (junior grade) Foster         Grace Lee Whitney as Lieutenant Commander Janice Rand                 Mark Lenard as Ambassador Sarek              Phillip R. Allen as Captain J.T. Esteban       Robert Hooks as Fleet Admiral Harrison Morrow       James Sikking as Captain Lawrence H. Styles              Miguel Ferrer as Commander Miguel Darby       Scott McGinnis as Lieutenant (junior grade) Heisenberg          Christopher Lloyd as Commander Kruge          Stephen Liska  as Torg              John Larroquette as Maltz                David Cadiente as unnamed Klingon Sergeant            Bob K. Cummings as unnamed Klingon Gunner #1             Branscombe Richmond as unnamed Klingon Gunner #2             Cathie Shirriff as Valkris            Paul Sorensen as Captain Harry Price          Danny Rogers as Hans Markheim           Jeanne Mori as unnamed Helm officer      Mario Marcelino as unnamed Communications officer     Mario Marcelino as  unnamed Alien     Sharon Thomas Cain as unnamed Waitress       Katherine Blum as unnamed Vulcan Child     Judith Anderson as unnamed Vulcan High Priestess     Gary Faga as unnamed Prison Guard#1     Doug Shanklin as unnamed Prison Guard#2     Teresa E. Victor as Enterprise Computer       Judi M. Durand as space dock controller      Shirley Anthony as unnamed Vulcan Priest       David Armstrong as unnamed Vulcan Priest       Benjie Bancroft as unnamed Vulcan Priest             Jessica Biscardi as unnamed Vulcan Priest      

Ships and Space Stations: USS Enterprise NCC-1701, USS Grissom NCC-638, USS Excelsior NX-2000, Earth Spacedock, IKS B'rel

Planets: Earth, Genesis Planet, and Vulcan

My Spoiler filled summary and review: The adventure begins mere weeks after the previous one ended with the Enterprise limping home from its victorious battle with the “Superior Intellect.”  With Spock dead however, Admiral Kirk doesn’t feel very victorious.  With almost all the training crew reassigned, the Enterprise only has a skeleton crew.  Suddenly there is a security breach.  Someone has broken into the late Captain Spock’s quarters.  Kirk gets down there and finds McCoy during a rather impressive Spock imitation.  McCoy in Spock’s voice wants to know why he wasn’t returned to Vulcan then he passes out.  At this point Kirk is probably thinking, “gee I thought I took Spock’s death hard.”

Entering spacedock

They get to space dock which is far more impressive than the space dock in the last two movies.  As the Enterprise moves in, everyone at the station is horrified to see battle scars.  The bridge crew then sees Starfleet newest idea: the starship Excelsior.  She is big and beautiful, and Sulu is already in love.  (I wonder if that will lead to anything.)  Fleet Admiral Marrow comes down to tell them they have all down an amazing job.  However, Genesis is a very controversial topic now, so they are not going to be allowed to talk about it.  In better news, Scotty gets a new assignment aboard the Excelsior (doing the same thing that he has been doing for the Enterprise) and a promotion to the rank of Captain.  Here we have the Star Trek franchise’s very first on-screen promotion.  Scotty is honored but would rather stay aboard the Enterprise.  That’s when the Fleet Admiral gives some more bad news, the Enterprise is being retired as she is too damn old.  Kirk goes to protest, but the Fleet Admiral insists with some reason explaining that the Enterprise is now 20 years old.  At this point Kirk wants to yell, “those who can’t do simple math should be allowed to make any sort of decision, the Enterprise is 40 years old you moron.”  However, Kirk doesn’t for two reasons. The first is that it would be insulting insubordination and the second is if he hopes to change their mind, he is best not remind the brass that the ship is twice as old as they already think it is.

The future of Starfleet

  Around the Genesis planet, the USS Grissom is in orbit.  Aboard this science vessel is Dr. David Marcus and Lt. Saavik (who has matured quite a bit, it’s almost as if she was a completely different person) they are guiding this crew on this special journey.  Captain J.T. Esteban, who is commanding, is a very stickler for rules and slow to make decisions but Marcus and Saavik find a way to work around him.  As strange lifeforms readings appear the two of them talk the Captain into allowing two-person landing party to investigate. 

The two person landing party 

 Elsewhere a small merchant ship is waiting for something and onboard is a two-person crew and a female Klingon.  Suddenly a Klingon Bird-of-Prey decloaks above the merchant ship in all of its awesomeness.  The Klingon on board, named Valkris, sends the data her people have been waiting for.  Commander Kruge is happy to get it but disappointed that Valkris reveals that she has seen it.  For he is under orders to leave no one who has seen it alive.  He has ship destroy the merchant ship killing everyone board even that lady Klingon who we learn was his lover.   Later he goes over the Genesis data with those who are authorized.  We see the same tape played from The Wrath of Khan but instead it is Kirk not Carol Marcus giving the introduction.  (Which okay I get the studio doesn’t want to pay Bibi Besch any more residuals than are necessary and Dr. Carol Marcus isn’t supposed to be in this movie, but shouldn’t it be David whose explaining what Genesis is?  Granted considering David’s fate in this story that may have been why they had Shatner do it, but it still feels cheap.)  Kruge declares this to a doomsday weapon to which they have a natural right to defend themselves against.  For them the mission is now on.   

Admiral Kirk is having a get-together at his place when Ambassador Sarek arrives and demands a solo meeting the Admiral.  Kirk agrees and Sarek begins criticizing Kirk in ways that Kirk really doesn’t understand.  Sarek and Kirk mind meld so Sarek learns exactly what Kirk experienced at Spock’s death.  It turns out Vulcans have been able to transfer their essence—their soul as it were—to others upon death.  This is something that Vulcans gain by being touch telepaths.  They call this their katra, the transfer of all the know into another body who will host it long enough to return to Vulcan where it is to be interred in the Hall of Ancient Thought at Mount Seleya.  Sarek had thought Kirk had Spock’s katra and for reasons he didn’t understand was neglecting his duty.  He turns away disappointed that Spock’s katra, everything that he knew and was, would be lost forever.  At this point Kirk should have jumped and said “he is not fully gone for we still have Big Spock.  Big Spock!”  Rather than confuse the older Vulcan he just claimed that Spock “would have found away.”

Sarek looking for his son's soul

Going over security footage Kirk notices the physical contact between Spock and McCoy, and suddenly McCoy’s weird behavior makes a lot of sense.  They are instructed by Sarek to get both Spock’s body and McCoy to genesis to complete the procedure.  This is going to be hard because McCoy was already trying to get back to Genesis, he gets picked up by Federation security and in his confused state tries to give the man a Vulcan nerve pinch.

Kirk generally tries to explain everything to the Fleet Admiral and get permission to do what they need to do.  However, his commanding officer orders him not to go and expressly stay away from Genesis and not talk about it.  Of course, Kirk is going anyway he just wanted to give Starfleet the opportunity to do the right thing.    

On the Genesis planet, David and Saavik find Spock’s photon-torpedo coffin.  It’s surrounded by creatures that used to be microbes.  On the inside are Spock’s burial robes so his body has been separated from its coffin and is naked. They hear a cry, and they find a Vulcan child.  Spock’s body has regenerated and was reduced to infancy and is now a toddler.  They report this to Captain Slow Decision, who while slowly deciding what to do, has no idea what is coming next.  The Klingon Bird of Prey decloaks and the slow Captain can’t think to say “shields up” so the Klingon torpedo destroys the Grissom.  Understanding what has happened Saavik and David take the young Spock and go into hiding.

To Kirk the best ride to Genesis would be his favorite ride, and the crew pulls a Mission Impossible type of assignment where each actor has his own part to play in the breakout.  (Except McCoy who just needs to be rescued.  Kirk gets McCoy out of his cell; Sulu beat the guard who called him ‘tiny’ and blew up the security consul; Uhura running the transporter room sticks “Mr. Action” in the closet (in one of best Uhura scenes of all time) and gets them back onto their ship.  Now that they are on the Enterprise it is Scotty’s turn to contribute.  Not only does he have the ship running but he has hacked into the Starbase’s system to open the space doors, but it’s that last one that almost takes a little too long.   Captain Styles powers up his Excelsior to give chase.  However, that is where Scotty comes through once again.  As the Enterprise takes off the Excelsior stalls in its pursuit.  “Good morning, Captain” is Scotty’s message to his now former CO.

On the planet Spock is aging rapidly.  David confesses to Saavik that he had added proto mater to the Genesis matrix.  This substance is illegal and highly unstable, but David said it solved certain problems.  This is when Saavik explains the Pon’ Farr to David. Vulcans normally have their mating cycle once every seven years but due to his rapid again, Spock’s about to experience it every hour.  Fortunately, he has a nice lady Vulcan on the planet, and she is ready and willing to do the deed.  After all it is only logical.  And while Spock and Saavik are getting it on David is trying to protect them from Klingons.  He doesn’t do a good job as shortly after they are all captured. 

A very brave but not always smart bunch

The Enterprise arrives in orbit around Genesis planet, and as she does the Klingon ship goes into cloak mode.  They summon their commander back to the ship.  Kruge had been arguing with his prisoners about the merits of Genesis, while they see it as a failure Kruge still sees the potential of this Doomsday weapon.  The two commanders try to figure out what the other is all about.  Kirk guesses correctly about a cloaked ship, that it is both out there but needs to decloak in order to fire.  As Klingon ship goes into attack the Enterprise fires first with torpedoes sending their enemy flying.  If the Enterprise was in peak condition that would have been all she wrote for the Klingons.  But in her damaged state the Klingon ship was able to recover and return fire.  The legendary ship couldn’t even get her shields up as the Klingons landed a crippling blow.  Kirk tries to bluff his way out, but he is dealing with Kruge, the coolest Klingon to date, not Balok of the First Federation.  Kruge correctly guesses the Enterprise’s best days are behind her and demands Kirk’s surrender.  He points out he has hostages and will even let the Admiral talk to them. 

Saavik explains Spock’s condition as best she can.  David explains that he messed up and Genesis is a failure.  If this movie wasn’t called The Search for Spock, it could be called David Marcus, The Never-ending Screw Up.   David tells his father that Genesis is a failure, that he messed up, and then brilliantly adds “I don’t believe they are going to kill us for it.”  Kruge, of course, takes that as a challenge and orders one of their deaths.  It looks like the Klingon is going to kill resurrected Spock, but David won’t let him die again especially since it was his fault.  He goes to fight the Klingon, something his father has done several times.  However, he may be Admiral Kirk’s son, but his name isn’t Kirk, it’s Marcus and that is fitting because he is so much more a Marcus than a Kirk.  Unlike his father David is not one of the great fighters in the galaxy.  He has neither speed nor grace, his blows lack power.  The Klingon warrior quickly overpowers him and guts him like a fish.  Saavik has the horrid duty of announcing his death.  Kirk collapses raging against the Klingon for killing his son.  Kruge is unmoved and reminds him of the hostages that he still holds.  Kirk agrees to surrender but the Enterprise still has one last trick up her sleeve. 

Kirk asks for time to prepare the crew he doesn’t actually have and Kruge allows.  He sends nearly his entire crew as a boarding party; Klingon Bird of Preys are very small and only have a crew-complement of slightly over a dozen.  Kirk, with Scotty and Chekov, activate the ship’s self-destruct device.  They transport away just before the Klingons are transported onboard.  They search going all the way to the bridge.  The lead Klingon checks back with his Commander and tells Kruge that the ship appears abandoned.  With constitution-class starship normally having over 400 crew members Kruge can’t believe it.  The team leader states the computer is talking, Kruge hears it and realizes what it is but it is too late.  The Enterprise lights up in fire of its own creation destroying itself and anything aboard her which includes most of Kruge crew.  Kirk and crew watch as the Enterprise turns to dust in the atmosphere over planet Genesis.  Kirk shoots with a phaser the exact Klingon who killed his son.  He then manipulates Kruge to come down to the planet and to bring his crew up, save him and Spock.  At this point Kruge only has one crew member, however since he thought a small landing party could hold over 400 people, he clearly doesn’t doubt his warrior’s ability to guard five. 

The Death of the Enterprise

Kirk and Kruge face off.  We know Kruge is a warrior, but he is not facing David Marcus, Kirk’s late and soft son, he is facing one of greatest fighters this side of galaxy.  Kirk fights with speed and grace that will often leave his opponents spellbound.  And Kruge is more than spellbound, with some boot kicks to the face he falls to his death and ends up in a poll of lava just before the planet explodes.

Warrior to warrior

Kirk tricks the Klingon remaining to beam him and Spock’s reanimated body up to the ship.  They escape in the nick of time and head to Vulcan.   There they bring Spock’s body and McCoy to the Hall of Ancient Thought at Mount Seleya.  The Vulcan priests and priestesses manage to take Spock’s katra out of McCoy and back into the body it belongs.  Spock is out of it and clearly has a long way to go but he recognized his friends who came back to save him.  

A family reunited!

    

Additional thoughts: There are those who say the good Star Trek movies are the even numbered ones and the bad ones are the odd number films.  Those people are really stupid, and you shouldn’t listen to them about this subject or any other subject.  The Search for Spock gives the viewer everything you would want in a middle chapter story.  We start right where we had left off, followed by non-stop action, and finish ready for the next chapter.  The title is a bit of spoiler to paraphrase Leonard Nimoy, we called it “The Search for Spock” it would be rather odd if Kirk turned to the audience at the end and said, “sorry folks, we didn’t find him.”

Everyone seeing the damage

What ever happened to T’Pau? You remember her from the famous episode “Amok Time.”  The last time Kirk defied Starfleet to save Spock’s life.  She, by her own authority, was able to get the Enterprise’s orders retroactively changed so Kirk could keep his command.  Why don’t they go to her for help against Starfleet this time?  Heck, they could save themselves half a trip and she could just order the Grissom to bring Spock’s body back to Vulcan.  Is she dead or otherwise incapacitated.  I wonder more about her missing than I do about Big Spock.  Why didn’t Kirk bring him up again? 

Where was she this whole time?

In Lenord Nimoy’s follow up auto-biography I Am Spock, when discussing the Spock and Savvik scene dealing with Spock’s Pon’ Farr, Nimoy had a bet with one of writers.  Nimoy did not think anyone would laugh and then made a bet about it which Nimoy won.  Well, that may have been true in 1984, however ever since I first watched it, I always found it hilarious.  First, why is Spock going through this now where in his original life it didn’t hit him well into adulthood at which point he was a commander in Starfleet and first officer of the Enterprise?  Here since it started early it will now hit often with rapid aging which means Saavik and Spock really got down to it a lot.  What a lucky Spock!  Too bad remember any of it, or can he?  That was never really clear.  

Before I talk about the death of the Enterprise, I want to point out in Star Trek Which Way book I reviewed a little while ago, I, as a Starfleet ensign, lead a boarding party onto a Klingon ship.  When fighting on the bridge some Klingons were near the computer consul entered something in and retreated.  Going up to the consul I saw images flashing, now I don’t speak Klingonese but I can recognize symbols changing and could easily guess these were numbers counting down.  So, I took my phaser and blasted it preventing the self-destruct and allowing the capture of the Klingon ship.  For that I was promoted to lieutenant.  Now if you are wondering if I feel superior to the Klingon officer who didn’t understand what the talking computer was doing, I do feel superior.

 Now let’s talk about the Death of the Enterprise.  When this movie came out in 1984, Star Trek was eighteen years old.  It is hard to overstate the trauma of watching this beautiful ship die on the big screen to these Star Trek fans.  For those eighteen years the starship Enterprise was the ship of their dreams.  The amazing vehicle that traveled through space faster than light and took them to all their adventures both on the small screen, the big screen, live action, animated, and in literary form.  The ship was where their characters returned to at the end of all their adventures.  Once they were back on board, they were safe again.  Although there were times when the entire ship was in danger, she would always escape whatever peril they faced just in the nick of time with the chirping of the computer equipment on the bridge.  As Kirk, Scotty, and Chekov enter in the death codes what fan didn’t to hear Admiral Kirk’s voice say, “Code1-2-3-continuity, abort destruct order."  Just like he did the last time they considered scuttling the ship.  Thus, saving and the ship and finding another way to defeat their enemy that didn’t involve killing one of their friends.  However, it was not to be here in orbit on the Genesis planet.  The Enterprise would go out on her own terms at the hands of a lover rather than a stranger.  She was consumed by fire of her own creation destroying both herself and the Klingon crew that infiltrated her.  As what was left of her crew watched her remains burn up in the atmosphere, they were reminded that she was a beautiful lady, and they loved her.

Saying good-bye to their ship!

     Sadness aside, there was also something else about the destruction.  Although it may have been a stunning visual effect, it didn’t make a lot of sense.  You would think the ship blowing itself up would have its main explosion be its primary engine.  With the saucer burning up in the atmosphere after that.  What we see is the exact opposite, the place with personal quarters and research laboratories explodes and the engine star drive section is what falls into the atmosphere.

This has to be the damn coolest the landing party has ever looked! 

The Genesis planet is unstable that I can buy but they think they were a little too quick to come up with the reason and blame it on David?  David explained he used proto-mater in the Genesis formula to solve certain problems, and Saavik objects to this as it is widely considered unstable. Yet the earlier Genesis in the undergrown cave was fine.  Some may say it’s the scope, but I am bothered by something different.  When were explained Genesis, the plan was to test it out on some dead world or moon.  The mission of the Reliant in the previous film was to find such a planet for them to use.  It was never meant explode inside a damaged starship flouting around the middle of a nebula.  Such a major change of variables should be the first thing that is pointed out, yet no one ever does.  Instead of labeling Genesis a failure they should say it has never been properly tested.

In reading Nimoy’s I Am Spock we learn a great deal about what went to his decisions on the movies where he was director.   He stated that he was given a number of ship design models.  Of the bunch he chose the one that became the Excelsior because it looked the most like the Enterprise.  There was a clear evolution between the designs, Nimoy felt as if the two were designed by the same people.    

There was one small detail that I really liked.  Scotty was promoted to captain, yet on the Enterprise’s computer system he still identified as a commander.  This makes since considering the vastness of space there is no way for all the starships to be so interconnected.  (They probably weren’t thinking of that in 1984 as the world was not yet online.)  It was a nice little detail that they didn’t update the personal files on a decommissioning starship.

The Klingons attack

We must talk about Christohpher Lloyd and how he as Commander Kruge came to define the Klingons for the franchise going forward.  Yes, there have been impressive Klingons in the past such as Kor and Kang.  Here, however, is where the standard is set.  When the Klingons got the new/traditional/true look in The Motion Picture, the only thing we saw from them was they were getting their butts kicked to V’ger.  Here we get to see what these Klingons are all about.  A warrior species that thinks about honor, glory, and duty.  The first thing we see Kruge do is kill his wife along with the human smugglers because she saw something she wasn’t authorized; we also see that she has no problems with this and gladly goes to her death.  Kruge leads his own landing party and when he encounters a strange life form, he puts aside his advanced weapons and meets it head on.  It almost kills him before he kills it and tells his ship that they have encountered nothing important.  He dares to take on a starship that has ten times his fire power and actually win.  He chooses battle with his enemy and almost certain death because he won’t give quarter.  He was a great leader of Klingons; he does not tolerate repeated failure and will punish it with death.  The guy probably would have won if he didn’t have the misfortune of going against James T. Kirk.  

Kruge leading his men

According to Nimoy the original antagonists in this film were going to be the Romulans, but he changed it to the Klingons.  That is why they have a ship called “Bird of Prey” and can cloak; this is something Klingons couldn’t do up until that time.  Although the Klingons were mentioned as having the cloaking ability in the episode “The Time Trap.”

I still don’t understand why Kirk was tasked with retrieving Spock’s body. Also, would have continued to age and regrow the radiation burns that killed him if he stayed on the planet too long?  I wonder if his ever-growing changing body has some sort of consequence for Saavik who had sex with him a lot.  

Did Kirk actually sacrifice in the way Sarek says he did at the end?  Did he give up his son and ship for Spock?  Because I think he would have lost those things anyway.  The Enterprise was set to be decommissioned by Starfleet, and the Klingons were already chasing after Genesis.  He wasn’t getting his ship back, and the Klingons might have killed David anyway considering he could neither fight nor shut his mouth for too long.  

 

FINAL GRADE 5 of 5

READING A BOOK ABOUT READING A BOOK

 

Name: The Final Reflection

Author: John M. Ford

Publication Date: 5/1984

Publisher: Pocket Books (Star Trek #16)

Page Number: 253

Historian’s Note: Takes place sometime between The Counter-Clock Incident and The Motion Picture.

Cast of Characters:  Captain James T. Kirk       Commander Spock              Dr. Leonard H. McCoy AKA “Bones”              Lieutenant Commander Montgomery Scott AKA “Scotty”       Yeoman First Class Janice Rand                Captain Krenn vestai-Rustazh                      Carter Winston            Admiral Luther Whitetree                  Admiral  Douglas Tancred Shepherd            Admiral Marcus van Diemen                 Captain  Kodon vestai-Captain Kadi           Captain Kian             Captain Kessum        Commander Kev      Ensign Kotkhe               Merzhan           Aghi               Admiral Kethas epetai-Khemara             Maxwell Grandisson III                   Colonel  Jael Rabinowich            Dr. Thomas Jackson McCoy               Ambassador Sarek                Amanda Grayson       General Margon zantai-Demma                    Sovin                Sudok         Commander Akhil             Emanuel Tagore                Gelly

Starships and/or Starbases: USS Enterprise NCC-1701, USS Avebury, Starbase 12, USS Flying Fortress, USS Glasgow, USS Hokkaido, USS Sentry, USS Savannah II, Starbase 8, IKS Blue Fire, IKS Death Hand, IKV Devisor, IKV Fencer, IKV Fury, IKS Mirror, IKS Two Fingers

Planets: Earth, Aviskie, Cibola, Deneva, Qo'noS, Rigel, Triskelion

My Spoiler filled summary and review: The adventure begins as the Enterprise has been getting a starship tune up at Starbase 12.  The opening pages might have convinced the average reader that this is going to be a typical Star Trek adventure.  It is not in fact this small opening prologue is almost all we see of any classic character until the end of the book.  Unlike most other Star Trek stories from this time that focus on our favorite crew, this novel is primarily told from the Klingon perspective, offering a deep and intricate look at their society, values, and internal struggles. In this story Kirk gets a book as a present from Dr. McCoy.  Before he gets to read it, he talks about it with Mr. Spock, the first thing Spock tries to do is make sure the Captain understands that this is fiction despite being written by a Federation historian based on Klingon sources.

Klingons as first introduced

So we, the readers, don’t get a direct adventure but instead it is a book within a book.  This narrative technique allows the writer to present an alternative, more nuanced version of the Klingons than what had been seen in classic Star Trek, the animated follow-up, films, or any other books. The book describes their Klingon society as one that values strategy, honor, and pragmatism, rather than being a purely aggressive warrior culture. Klingon politics are depicted as highly complex, with various factions maneuvering for power, making alliances, and engaging in sophisticated diplomacy.

Vrenn, the protagonist, is raised as a foster child in a Klingon House, where he learns the ways of the Empire and the brutal expectations placed upon its people. His keen intelligence and strategic mind allow him to survive and thrive despite the dangers of Klingon society. Eventually, he is given the name Krenn and becomes a starship captain, where he proves himself as a master of the Klingon concept of The Final Reflection, a philosophy that involves understanding one's enemies and using that knowledge to one’s advantage.

Klingons mean business

As Krenn rises through the ranks, he becomes involved in a mission that places him at the heart of a potential war between the Klingon Empire and the United Federation of Planets. The novel portrays the Federation from the Klingon perspective, showing how their diplomatic actions can be interpreted as both a threat and an opportunity. Krenn is sent on a secret mission involving espionage and delicate political maneuvering, where he must navigate the competing interests of Klingon leaders, the Federation, and even Romulans.

The book explores the idea that Klingon honor is not simply about combat but also about intelligence, loyalty, and the ability to see beyond one’s own perspective. Krenn’s character embodies these ideals, and through his journey, which allows us to gain a more sympathetic understanding of Klingon motivations and values. His interactions with Federation characters, including a human diplomat, show that while their cultures are vastly different, mutual respect and understanding are possible.

Kirk vs. a Klingon

As the plot unfolds, Krenn discovers a conspiracy within the Klingon High Command that seeks to manipulate the fragile peace between the Klingon Empire and the Federation for their own gain. He must decide where his true loyalties lie and whether to follow orders blindly or act in the best interests of his people. His choices ultimately shape the future of Klingon-Federation relations, showing that individual agency can have a profound impact on galactic politics.

The novel's climax is a tense and thrilling confrontation where Krenn must use his knowledge of both Klingon and Federation strategies to outmaneuver his enemies. His understanding of The Final Reflection allows him to see through deception and find a path that avoids all-out war. By the end of the story, Krenn emerges as a legendary figure in Klingon history, one who reshaped the destiny of his people through intellect and strategy rather than brute force.

               The book finally goes back to the traditional setting with Captain Kirk reflecting on what he, and thus we, just read.  Although this book is fictional as stated so strongly by Mr. Spock, Kirk deeply wants it to be true.  Kirk, who has always had strong feelings against Klingons, has now come to view them in a new light.  I find this very ironic considering what is going to happen in the next Star Trek adventure.

Additional thoughts: What this reminds me of strongly is the famous two-part episode “The Menagerie.”  Like this book the episode takes us away from our traditional setting and places in an unfamiliar setting filled with characters, most of whom we didn’t know.  So as “The Menagerie” was an episode of Star Trek where the main characters watch an episode of Star Trek, The Final Reflection is a story of book where someone reads a book.  This is part of where it fails for me.  First, I don’t care about any of the new characters and the characters I do care about are nowhere to be seen.  At the episode mentioned was filmed almost as a “The Cage, the commentary tract.”  We keep checking back with Captain Kirk who gives us his thoughts on what’s going on.  It would have been interesting to hear his take as he proceeded through the story.  Instead, he disappears until the very end.

I will give the story one compliment.  It took the Klingons who were really, with some exception, one dimensional space villains.   The author’s depiction of Klingon society as highly stratified yet meritocratic, where intelligence and cunning can allow an individual to rise regardless of birth. The book also introduces the concept of Klingon “thought exercises” and simulations, which are used to train future leaders in strategic thinking and decision-making. This makes the Klingons much deeper than before.

               Nevertheless, I didn’t enjoy this book all that much.  When I pick up something that says “Star Trek” I expect it to contain certain characters.  This book is nearly empty of them, instead it gives me a bunch of characters that I don’t care about and have no emotional connection to.  The author takes a while to develop these characters only never to have them interact with the main characters who we as fans are the ones we are fond of.  The child Spock doesn’t count.

Should it be canon: I have no problem with a story about Captain Kirk reading a book being canon, Captain Kirk has read plenty of books.

Cover Art: A traditional looking Klingon plays a young Vulcan in what appears to be classical chess, in the background an older Vulcan is watching. 

Final Grade: Final Grade 3 of 5

 

The Oldest Living Thing in the Universe Wants Us Dead!

 

Name: Corona

Author: Greg Bear   

Publication Date: 4/1984

Publisher: Pocket Books (Star Trek #15)

Page Number: 192

Historian’s Note: This story takes place after the third season of classic Star Trek but before the first season of Star Trek: The Animated Series.

Cast of Characters:  Captain James T. Kirk       Commander Spock              Dr. Leonard H. McCoy AKA “Bones”              Lieutenant Commander Montgomery Scott AKA “Scotty”       Lieutenant  Hikaru Sulu              Lieutenant Nyota Uhura              Lieutenant Jan Veblen             Lieutenant Wellman             Lieutenant  Anauk         Lieutenant Devereaux          Lieutenant Grake           Lieutenant Harauk              Lieutenant Yimasa         Nurse Christine Chapel           Ensign Pavel Chekov          Ensign Edward Olaus   Ensign Pauli         Crewman Elias R. Rostovtzev              Crewman Jonathan Shallert              Crewman Wah Ching                      Admiral Hiram Kawakami             Rowena Mason                  T'Prylla             Grake                   T'Kosa              T'Raus              Radak         Corona       Prime Commodore Uligbar Dar Zotzchen

Starships and/or Starbases: USS Enterprise NCC-1701, Galileo NCC-1701/7, Black Box Nebula Station One, unnamed Kshatriyan vessel

Planets: Yalbo

My Spoiler filled summary and review: The book opens with the Vulcan scientist T’Prylla who is on a research mission with her own family as the research team.  That seems kind of nice until it appears they are going to be attacked by their own children.

The Enterprise arrives at the planet Yalbo, a human Federation colony, where they pick up a reporter named Rowena Mason.  Mason comes from a very isolated world and has not much contact with nonhumans.  As a result, she is not comfortable around them.  She talks of humanism, which is now a human supremacist ideology and Uhura shuts her down with as she explains how things go on the Enterprise.  

Kirk welcomes the reporter to the Enterprise

One of the things Mason is reporting on is new technology that the Federation is employing for this mission.  One is experimental transporter data that in theory could allow each of the crew to be cloned or perhaps fundamentally altered.  That is not the main thing, however.  The big news story is the monitors, AIs that are designed to monitor the actions of the entire crew up to and including the Captain, and if the AI disagrees with the action, it is to take over the ship and counterman the order.  Each of the monitors is programed with the minds of Starfleet officers who were considered to be the experts in their respective fields.  Kirk meets with Mason and sets up interviews for her with all the important people in her story.

The Monitors taking over

Suddenly the ship gets an emergency call from the Vulcan scientists in the opening chapter.  Spock points out that the mother of the family is a relative of his.  Kirk asks Mason if she would like to leave.  As much as she would like to, she is a reporter, and she was duty bound to stay.  On their way to the Black Box Nebula to answer the distress call the engines are given a test, and Kirk competes his interview where he gives the poor reporter a number of non-answer answers. 

While on their way a Kshatriyan vessel tries to intercept them.  Kirk has some words with his counterpart on the other ship, this gets his counterpart to allow them the safe passage the Kshatriyan government already promised them.  Kirk solves the problem with the monitors’ complete approval.

 It takes a couple of trips to find the Vulcan science team.  Once they do Spock notes how odd it is that the children seem to have authority over their parents.  This is very unusual for a Vulcan family; Spock feels that something is off.  In addition to the Vulcan science team, they have a number of people in suspended animation.  McCoy wants to use the new transporter technology to wake them up, but the monitors shut down that idea because the participants in suspended animation have legally died.  This pulls a lifesaving situation out of McCoy’s hands.  

Mason goes to talk with the officer in charge of the monitors, Lt. Jan Veblan.  Veblan is defensive about his work and thinks the monsters in the long-term will support future space exploration.  Because of nearby stars this area of space is full of Ybakra radiation, and after an attempt to bring Mr. Chekov up from the station causes a delay.  Kirk restricts transportation to just shuttlecraft back and forth.  What the crew didn’t realize at the time is that an intelligent entity called the Corona uses the Ybakra radiation to transport its essence to other life forms.  Although he got to the Vulcan science team easily, he had to wait for the humans to be in transporter mode for it to work on them.

Chekov and the Vulcan children sabotage both the ship and the station.  However, McCoy and Spock find a way to block the Ybakra radiation and doing so rescues Chekov from the entity’s control.  They do the same with T’Prylla, and she informs them that her children will be harder because they have been under control longer.  Kirk tries to take the landing party back to the ship via shuttlecraft, but it malfunctions due to the sabotage.  Kirk orders and emergency beam out but Spock and the reporter Mason did not make it out.  While the others went back to the ship those two were relocated somewhere in the space station. 

Vulcan Family as research team!

On the Enterprise the crew works to free the rest of the Vulcan family, while on the station Spock and Mason are assessing their situation.  Spock is fighting to remain in control of himself and not be taken over.  He mind-melds with Mason to absorb some of her strength and give her information for her to fight Corona. 

Mason is able to contact Corona, she learns that it is a sentient energy that was born at the beginning of the universe.  At the time there was lot of sentient energy floating around.  As the universe expanded the other sentient energies faded away.  Corona desires to restart the big bang so it can have friends again.  Mason tries to convince Corona of the value of life in the current universe.  Meanwhile, Kirk convinced the two of the Vulcans to allow Corona to control them again so he can talk directly to it.   Kirk also tries to get Corona to drop its attempts at using the Nebula to restart the big bang so it can have its people back.  There is no guarantee of their return, but it will destroy all the life in the current universe, some of whom Kirk points out are non-corporal like itself.  While these arguments are ongoing the monitors decide that Kirk is taking too long and take control of the ship and begin to attack that station to no avail. 

The Monitors have the Enterprise attack

Corona is convinced by both Mason and Kirk not to destroy the universe and gives in.  The universe is saved.  The crew of the Enterprise agrees the monitors were dumb.  The Vulcan Science Council invites the Vulcan research team back, admitting that they might have been right about a few things.   Reporter Rowena Mason is allowed to go home. 

Additional thoughts: The overall story here was creative.  When we think about advanced intelligence, we don’t think about lifeforms that might have developed at the early stages of the universe.  Given the condition of the universe, I can’t see any intelligent life forming.  However, since Star Trek already dealt with noncorporal beings it makes some sense that they would have been some of the first intelligences to evolve in the universe.

Despite that this story takes place in during the original five-year mission we do see later Star Trek contributions on to this story.  Most notably the gender-neutral use of the term ‘mister.’  With Captain Kirk calling Rowena Mason, “Mister Mason.”  The funny part is Mason, herself didn’t seem to be too keen on its use.   Maybe it’s just a Starfleet thing. 

The whole we can make copies from transporters is straight out of the Omne storyline in The Price of the Phoenix and The Fate of the Phoenix.  That wasn’t my favorite storyline, so I am glad the author chose to go down a different route.  Also, journalists in the Federation.  I don’t recall journalists being mentioned in the original Star Trek or the Animated Series.  Nor were they present in the first two films.  And I don’t recall reading about them before now.  I do remember Commodore Mendez referring to “subspace chatter” in the first part of “The Menagerie,” but no talk of journalists.  So, this might be a first.  

Yeah, the Enterprise cannot go Warp 11, at least not under its own power.  I don’t care what tricks Scotty is pulling. 

I was disappointed that M-5 was never mentioned in this story.  As soon as the monitors were mentioned my first thought was “The Ultimate Computer.”  Starfleet didn’t learn its lesson and still wants to put machines in charge of living beings.  Computer programs over human instinct.  Someone should have brought that up, but no one does.    

I like how “Humanism” which is typically considered to be a progressive philosophy gets perverted and ends up invoking human supremacy.  It just goes to show you that anything can turn rotten in the wrong hands.

I like how no one was surprised when the saboteurs turned to mind controlled.  They have seen better mind control, like Landru and Vaal.   I also liked the part when McCoy learned that one of his former instructor’s minds was used to build the medical monitors.  It was funny for him to argue and old score with the machine.  

Should it be canon: I see nothing in this story that contradicts anything in the main series, (outside of the warp 11 thing) so I have no objection to it being considered canonical. 

Cover Art: A Vulcan woman who is a scientist named T’Prylla is in the center of the cover.  Mr. Spock is to her left holding her arm and Kirk is off to her right.  Above Kirk is the Enterprise flying away from the viewer. The cover lies by having Kirk and Spock in their Motion Picture uniforms while the story takes place during the original series.

Final Grade: Final Grade 4 of 5