Memory Alpha
Register
Memory Alpha
(→‎Background Information: Extra Ciana info in Australian edition)
(41 intermediate revisions by 16 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{realworld}}{| class="wiki-sidebar"
+
{{realworld}}
  +
{{Sidebar novel|
|-
 
  +
| image = TheMotionPictureNovelization.jpg
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center" | [[Image:TheMotionPictureNovelization.jpg|200px|Star Trek: The Motion Picture novelization cover image.]]
 
 
| Author = [[Gene Roddenberry]]
|-
 
 
| Publisher = [[Pocket Books]]
| class="odd" | Author:
 
  +
| Series = [[Pocket TOS]] #1<br />[[Titan Books]] #14
| class="even" | [[Gene Roddenberry]]
 
 
| Published = {{m|December|1979}}
|-
 
  +
| Pages = 252
| class="odd" | Story by:
 
  +
| Year = [[2272]]
| class="even" | [[Harold Livingston]] and [[Alan Dean Foster]]
 
  +
| Stardate = 7412.3
|-
 
  +
| ISBN = 0671830880 (paperback)<br />{{ASIN|B000FC0VGG}} (Kindle)
| class="odd" | Publisher:
 
 
}}
| class="even" | [[Pocket Books]]
 
 
''The Great Bird of the Galaxy writes a ''Star Trek'' novel!'' &ndash; Novelization of ''Star Trek: The Motion Picture'', authored by creator Gene Roddenberry.
|-
 
| class="odd" | Series:
 
| class="even" | [[Pocket TOS]] #1
 
|-
 
| class="odd" | Published:
 
| class="even" | {{m|December|1979}}
 
|-
 
| class="odd" | Pages:
 
| class="even" | 252
 
|-
 
| class="odd" | Year:
 
| class="even" | [[2272]]
 
|-
 
| class="odd" | Stardate:
 
| class="even" | [[stardate|7412.3]]
 
|-
 
| class="odd" | Reference #:
 
| class="even" | ISBN 0671830880
 
|}
 
''The Great Bird of the Galaxy writes a ''Star Trek'' novel!'' -- Novelization of ''Star Trek: The Motion Picture'', authored by creator Gene Roddenberry.
 
   
 
==Summary==
 
==Summary==
 
;From the book jacket
 
;From the book jacket
:''The writer-producer who created Mr. [[Spock]] and all the other ''[[Star Trek]]'' characters--who invented the [[starship]] [[USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)|''Enterprise'']], who gave the show its look, its ideals--puts it all together again here in his first ''Star Trek'' novel!
+
:''The writer-producer who created Mr. [[Spock]] and all the other ''[[Star Trek]]'' characters &ndash; who invented the [[starship]] [[USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)|''Enterprise'']], who gave the show its look, its ideals &ndash; puts it all together again here in his first ''Star Trek'' novel!
   
:''Their first [[five-year mission]] is over. [[James Kirk|Kirk]], Spock, [[Leonard McCoy|McCoy]], [[Montgomery Scott|Scotty]], all the crew have scattered to other jobs or other lives. Now they are together again on a fabulously refitted USS ''Enterprise'' as an incredibly destructive ''[[V'Ger|power]]'' threatens [[Earth]] and the [[human]] race.''
+
:''Their first [[five-year mission]] is over. [[James T. Kirk|Kirk]], Spock, [[Leonard McCoy|McCoy]], [[Montgomery Scott|Scotty]], all the crew have scattered to other jobs or other lives. Now they are together again on a fabulously refitted USS ''Enterprise'' as an incredibly destructive ''[[V'Ger|power]]'' threatens [[Earth]] and the [[Human]] race.''
  +
  +
;From the Australian edition's book jacket
  +
:''It came from an unexpected quarter of the galaxy.
  +
  +
:''It ignored all attempts to communicate with it.
  +
  +
:''And it annihilated all opposition with energy bolts of unimaginable ferocity.
  +
  +
:''Computer projections showed that it would enter the solar system in precisely three days.
  +
  +
:''The USS Enterprise, refitting in dry dock, was the only craft that [[Starfleet Command]] could send to intercept the Cloud in time...''
   
 
{{review}}
 
{{review}}
Line 43: Line 35:
 
*Preface by [[Gene Roddenberry]], author
 
*Preface by [[Gene Roddenberry]], author
   
[[Admiral]] James Kirk, on a break from the [[Admiral]]ty, relaxes in [[Africa]] at the world famous museum city, Alexandria. He slowly begins to receive a signal from [[Starfleet Command]] through a senceiver implant in his brain. The information plays out in his mind, of [[Klingon]] cruisers destroyed by a powerful cloud in space heading towards Earth. Meanwhile on Vulcan, Spock kneels before the Vulcan Masters on Gol. He is about to achieve Kolinahr, when a powerful consciousness touches his mind. Spock telepathically senses Kirk's thoughts of the attack on the Klingons. After a mind meld, the Vulcan Master T'Sai sends Spock away without achieving Kolinahr.
+
[[Admiral]] James Kirk, on a break from the Admiralty, relaxes in [[Africa]] at the world famous museum city, Alexandria. He slowly begins to receive a signal from [[Starfleet Command]] through a senceiver implant in his brain. The information plays out in his mind, of [[Klingon]] {{class|K't'inga}} cruisers destroyed by a powerful cloud in space heading towards [[Earth]]. Meanwhile on Vulcan, Spock kneels before the [[Vulcan master]]s on [[Gol]]. He is about to achieve ''[[kolinahr]]'', when a powerful consciousness touches his mind. Spock telepathically senses Kirk's thoughts of the attack on the Klingons. After a mind meld, the Vulcan Master T'Sai sends Spock away without achieving ''kolinahr''.
   
Kirk contacts his associate, [[Vice Admiral]] Lori Ciana, whom he has been involved with for the two-and-a-half years since the end of the ''Enterprise'' mission. She informs him that Admiral Nogura plans to launch the ''Enterprise'' to intercept the cloud. Kirk goes to Starfleet headquarters and convinces Nogura to hand command of the ''Enterprise'' over to him.
+
Kirk contacts his associate, [[Vice Admiral]] Lori Ciana, whom he has been involved with for the two-and-a-half years since the end of the ''Enterprise'' mission. She informs him that Admiral Heihachiro [[Nogura]] plans to launch the ''Enterprise'' to intercept the cloud. Kirk goes to Starfleet headquarters and convinces Nogura to hand command of the ''Enterprise'' over to him.
   
Once aboard the ''Enterprise'', Kirk informs Captain Decker that he is assuming command. Decker is unhappy with the decision, but remains aboard as first officer. Suddenly, disaster strikes when the transporter malfunctions. Admiral Ciana and the Vulcan science officer Sonak are both killed. Later on the Rec Deck, Kirk briefs the crew on the cloud. Unexpectedly, the crew witnesses the destruction of Epsilon IX at the hands of that same cloud as the event occurs.
+
Once aboard the ''Enterprise'', Kirk informs [[Captain]] [[Decker]] that he is assuming command. Decker is unhappy with the decision, but remains aboard as first officer. Suddenly, disaster strikes when the transporter malfunctions. Admiral Ciana and the Vulcan science officer [[Sonak]] are both killed. Later on the rec deck, Kirk briefs the crew on the cloud. Unexpectedly, the crew witnesses the destruction of [[Epsilon IX station|Epsilon IX]] at the hands of that same cloud as the event occurs.
   
After the transporter is repaired, new crew members beam aboard. Lt. Ilia, a Deltan and former lover of Decker, takes the navigator position. Then Leonard McCoy beams aboard, after being drafted back into service by Kirk. He resumes his position as CMO.
+
After the transporter is repaired, new crew members beam aboard. [[Lieutenant]] [[Ilia]], a [[Deltan]] and former lover of Decker, takes the navigator position. Then Leonard McCoy beams aboard, after being drafted back into service by Kirk. He resumes his position as CMO.
   
With the crew finally together, the ''Enterprise'' leaves orbital dock. Once the ship engages warp drive, a wormhole appears. The Enterprise is trapped inside, on a collision course with an asteroid. Torpedoes are fired and the asteroid is destroyed, freeing the ship. However, the warp engines are down.
+
With the crew finally together, the ''Enterprise'' leaves orbital dock. Once the ship's engages warp drive, a wormhole appears. The ''Enterprise'' is trapped inside, on a collision course with an [[asteroid]]. [[Torpedo]]es are fired and the asteroid is destroyed, freeing the ship. However, the warp engines are down.
   
A shuttle docks with the ''Enterprise''. The crew is shocked to find Spock has come aboard. Spock immediately gets to work on fixing the engines, and the Enterprise warps towards interception with the cloud. Spock reveals he has been in mental contact with the cloud and senses perfect logic.
+
A shuttle docks with the ''Enterprise''. The crew is shocked to find Spock has come aboard. Spock immediately gets to work on fixing the engines, and the ''Enterprise'' warps towards interception with the cloud. Spock reveals he has been in mental contact with the cloud and senses perfect logic.
   
The ''Enterprise'' intercepts the cloud, and they are immediately scanned. The cloud returns no response to friendship messages and fires on the Enterprise. The forcefield holds and the ''Enterprise'' survives, however power is severely drained. The cloud fires again, but at the last second the energy bolt fades from sight. The cloud has received and understood friendship messages.
+
The ''Enterprise'' intercepts the cloud, and they are immediately scanned. The cloud returns no response to friendship messages and fires on the ''Enterprise''. The force field holds and the ''Enterprise'' survives, however power is severely drained. The cloud fires again, but at the last second the energy bolt fades from sight. The cloud has received and understood friendship messages.
   
 
The ''Enterprise'' enters the cloud. Sensors detect an object at the cloud's center. Kirk risks a scan, and the cloud responds by sending a green energy probe to the bridge. It begins scanning the computer. A security officer attempts to stop it, but the probe lashes out at him and he vanishes. Spock intervenes when it attempts to scan his console, to prevent it from learning Earth's defenses. The probe attacks Spock, but Ilia interferes. She too vanishes, and the probe with her.
 
The ''Enterprise'' enters the cloud. Sensors detect an object at the cloud's center. Kirk risks a scan, and the cloud responds by sending a green energy probe to the bridge. It begins scanning the computer. A security officer attempts to stop it, but the probe lashes out at him and he vanishes. Spock intervenes when it attempts to scan his console, to prevent it from learning Earth's defenses. The probe attacks Spock, but Ilia interferes. She too vanishes, and the probe with her.
   
A tractor beam pulls the ''Enterprise'' inside the object at the center of the cloud. Once inside, the "intruder alert" alarm sounds. Inside Ilia's quarters, a probe identical to her in appearance is found claiming to be sent by Vejur to observe the carbon based units infecting ''Enterprise''. She explains Vejur is heading towards Earth to find the "Creator" and join with him. Kirk assigns Decker the task of learning as much information from the Ilia-probe as possible.
+
A tractor beam pulls the ''Enterprise'' inside the object at the center of the cloud. Once inside, the "intruder alert" alarm sounds. Inside Ilia's quarters, a probe identical to her in appearance is found claiming to be sent by ''Vejur'' to observe the carbon based units infecting ''Enterprise''. She explains that ''Vejur'' is heading towards Earth to find the "Creator" and join with him. Kirk assigns Decker the task of learning as much information from the Ilia-probe as possible.
   
Spock secretly leaves the ship in a Spacesuit, intent on mind melding with Vejur. He passes through an elaborate gallery of Vejur's journey, seeing stars and entire planets. After finding a sensor and melding with it, Spock discovers Vejur's journey began at a planet of living machines, and concludes the the entire vessel is a lifeform. Vejur is the ship itself. Vejur senses Spock's presence, and Spock is injured during the meld. Kirk, now in a spacesuit, leaves the ship to find Spock, when the Ilia-probe reveals Vejur is sending Spock back to the ''Enterprise''. There, Spock reveals Vejur has accumulated vast knowledge, but without the ability to feel that knowledge was useless, leaving Vejur without the answers it needs.
+
Spock secretly leaves the ship in a spacesuit, intent on mind melding with ''Vejur''. He passes through an elaborate gallery of ''Vejur''{{'}}s journey, seeing stars and entire planets. After finding a sensor and melding with it, Spock discovers ''Vejur''{{'}}s journey began at a planet of living machines, and concludes that the entire vessel is a lifeform. ''Vejur'' is the ship itself. ''Vejur'' senses Spock's presence, and Spock is injured during the meld. Kirk, now in a spacesuit, leaves the ship to find Spock, when the Ilia-probe reveals ''Vejur'' is sending Spock back to the ''Enterprise''. There, Spock reveals ''Vejur'' has accumulated vast knowledge, but without the ability to feel that knowledge was useless, leaving ''Vejur'' without the answers it needs.
 
<!-- FURTHER SUMMARY
 
<!-- FURTHER SUMMARY
   
Line 67: Line 59:
 
QUOTES -->
 
QUOTES -->
   
==Background ==
+
==Background Information==
* [[Novel]]ization of [[Star Trek: The Motion Picture]] by [[Gene Roddenberry]], who is billed in the book jacket blurb as his nickname, "[[Great Bird of the Galaxy]]".
+
* This is the [[novelization]] of {{film|1}} by [[Gene Roddenberry]], who is billed in the book jacket blurb as his nickname, "[[Great Bird of the Galaxy]]".
  +
* This was the first Pocket Books ''Trek'' novel (though the imprint wouldn't officially begin its novel series until ''[[The Entropy Effect]]'' in 1981). It was also briefly issued as a hardcover, slip-cased, numbered limited edition. (This edition is dedicated to [[Majel Barrett]].)
* This was the first Pocket Books ''Trek'' novel.
 
* In Admiral Kirk's preface, he mentions that during his five-year mission, 94 of his crew perished. While this number equates, as it is higher than the number of people we know of dying in [[TOS]], many later [[comics]] and [[novels]] have featured numerous crew deaths that exceed this number.
+
* In Admiral Kirk's preface, he mentions that during his five-year mission, 94 of his crew perished. While this number equates, as it is higher than the number of people we know of dying in [[TOS]], many later [[comics]] and novels have featured numerous crew deaths that exceed this number.
  +
* In his preface, Kirk also establishes that his middle name is indeed "Tiberius".
 
* [[Will Decker]] is revealed to be the son of [[Commodore]] [[Matt Decker]]. This information is not officially established in the film.
 
* [[Will Decker]] is revealed to be the son of [[Commodore]] [[Matt Decker]]. This information is not officially established in the film.
* Spock began training to achieve [[Kolinahr]] 2.8 years prior to the this story.
+
* Spock began training to achieve ''[[kolinahr]]'' 2.8 years prior to this story.
  +
* The UK and Australian editions, from [[Futura Publications]], contain an insert of color plates: ten captioned publicity stills from the movie. These editions also have a brief addition to the main text about Vice Admiral Lori Ciana, better explaining how she went about getting herself onto Kirk's crew. (eg. ''She must have taken a temporary rank reduction to fill the zeno-psychology vacancy aboard.'') [Page 56 of Australian edition.]
  +
* All editions share a typographical error - "Ciani" - when first introducing this character.
  +
* Before the personal encounter of Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Decker and the Ilia-probe with the still-functioning ''Voyager 6'' relic spacecraft at its heart, Roddenberry consistently uses the spelling '''Vejur''' for the "intruder's" name from the text on page 179 of the novelization.
   
 
==Characters==
 
==Characters==
 
 
===Main===
 
===Main===
[[Image:AdmiralKirkTMP.jpg|thumb|[[James Tiberius Kirk]].]]
+
[[File:James Kirk, 2270s.jpg|thumb|[[James Tiberius Kirk]]]]
;[[James T. Kirk]] : [[Rear admiral]] who is [[chief of Starfleet Operations]].
+
;[[James T. Kirk]] : [[Rear admiral]], [[chief of Starfleet Operations]].
 
;[[Spock]]: [[Science Officer]].
 
;[[Spock]]: [[Science Officer]].
;[[Leonard H. McCoy]] : [[CMO]].
+
;[[Leonard McCoy]] : [[CMO]].
;[[Montgomery Scott]] : [[Chief Engineer]]
+
;[[Montgomery Scott]] : [[Chief Engineer]].
;[[Uhura]] : [[Communications]]
+
;[[Nyota Uhura|Uhura]] : [[Communications Officer]].
;[[Hikaru Sulu]] : [[Helm]]
+
;[[Hikaru Sulu]] : [[Helmsman]].
 
;[[Pavel Chekov]] : [[Chief of security]].
 
;[[Pavel Chekov]] : [[Chief of security]].
;[[Ilia]] : [[Navigator]]
+
;[[Ilia]] : [[Navigator]].
 
;[[Willard Decker]] : Captain, temporary grade reduction to [[Commander]].
 
;[[Willard Decker]] : Captain, temporary grade reduction to [[Commander]].
 
;[[Janice Rand]] : [[Transporter chief]].
 
;[[Janice Rand]] : [[Transporter chief]].
;[[V'Ger|Vejur]] : Also know as V'Ger. Vejur seeks the creator.
+
;''[[V'Ger|Vejur]]'' : Also known as ''V'Ger''. ''Vejur'' seeks the creator.
   
 
===Others===
 
===Others===
 
;Lori Ciana: A [[Starfleet]] [[vice admiral]] in [[2272]] assigned as [[Rear Admiral]] [[James T. Kirk]]'s commanding officer in his post as chief of [[Starfleet Operations]] (as well as his ex-lover, for some of the two-and-a-half years since he relinquished [[captain]]cy). She died in a [[transporter accident]] along with Commander [[Sonak]] when they were attempting to board the ''Enterprise''.
 
;Lori Ciana: A [[Starfleet]] [[vice admiral]] in [[2272]] assigned as [[Rear Admiral]] [[James T. Kirk]]'s commanding officer in his post as chief of [[Starfleet Operations]] (as well as his ex-lover, for some of the two-and-a-half years since he relinquished [[captain]]cy). She died in a [[transporter accident]] along with Commander [[Sonak]] when they were attempting to board the ''Enterprise''.
::''The character who died on the [[transporter]] was seen in the movie, but no reference was made to her rank or status. In Roddenberry's draft, she was being sent by [[Nogura]] to temper Kirk's enthusiasm for starship command -- a role that ended up being performed by McCoy.''
+
::''The character who died on the [[transporter]] was seen in the movie, but no reference was made to her rank or status. In Roddenberry's draft, she was being sent by [[Nogura]] to temper Kirk's enthusiasm for starship command &ndash; a role that ended up being performed by McCoy.''
 
;[[Sonak]] : Starfleet [[commander]] assigned as ''Enterprise'' [[science officer]].
 
;[[Sonak]] : Starfleet [[commander]] assigned as ''Enterprise'' [[science officer]].
[[Image:Sonak dead.jpg|thumb|The death of Sonak and Lori Ciana.]]
+
[[File:Sonak dead.jpg|thumb|The death of Sonak and Lori Ciana]]
 
;[[Nogura|Nogura, Heihachiro]] : [[Commander in chief]] of Starfleet in 2272.
 
;[[Nogura|Nogura, Heihachiro]] : [[Commander in chief]] of Starfleet in 2272.
 
; [[DiFalco]] : [[Chief]].
 
; [[DiFalco]] : [[Chief]].
Line 102: Line 97:
 
; Kugel : Assistant [[engineer]].
 
; Kugel : Assistant [[engineer]].
 
; Quarton : Assistant engineer.
 
; Quarton : Assistant engineer.
::''Named for British Star Trek fan, Janet Quarton, who also insprired the name for [[Q]].''
+
::''Named for British Star Trek fan, Janet Quarton, who also inspired the name for [[Q]].''
 
;[[Branch]] : Commander of the [[Epsilon IX station]].
 
;[[Branch]] : Commander of the [[Epsilon IX station]].
[[Image:Rhaandarite ensign, TMP.jpg|thumb|150px|The alien Rhaandarite boy.]]
+
[[File:Rhaandarite ensign, TMP.jpg|thumb|The alien Rhaandarite boy]]
 
; [[Rhaandarite]] ensign ([[unnamed USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) personnel]])
 
; [[Rhaandarite]] ensign ([[unnamed USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) personnel]])
:''Only referred to as Ensign here. His race is not established in the this novelization.''
+
:''Only referred to as ensign here. His race is not established in this novelization.''
 
; T'Sai : [[Vulcan master]].
 
; T'Sai : [[Vulcan master]].
 
; Libyan scholar : Earth civilian.
 
; Libyan scholar : Earth civilian.
Line 114: Line 109:
 
; Samuel Kirk : Jim Kirk's grandfather.
 
; Samuel Kirk : Jim Kirk's grandfather.
 
==References==
 
==References==
[[Africa]]; Alexandria; [[Constitution class|''Constitution''-class]]; Egyptisraeli Museum; [[five-year mission]]; [[human]]s; [[Klingon]]s; [[K't'inga class|''K't'inga''-class]]; [[Vulcan mind meld|mind meld]]; [[oath of celibacy]]; ''perscan'' device; senceiver implant; [[Starfleet]]; STF 7997B; [[Vulcan (planet)]]; [[Vulcan]]s; [[wormhole]].
+
[[Africa]]; Alexandria; {{class|Constitution}}; Egyptisraeli Museum; [[five-year mission]]; [[Human]]s; [[Klingon]]s; {{class|K't'inga}}; [[Vulcan mind meld|mind meld]]; [[oath of celibacy]]; ''perscan'' device; senceiver implant; [[Starfleet]]; STF 7997B; [[Vulcan (planet)]]; [[Vulcan]]s; [[wormhole]]
   
 
;[[Epsilon IX station]] : Outpost near the Klingon border.
 
;[[Epsilon IX station]] : Outpost near the Klingon border.
Line 120: Line 115:
 
;[[Fabrini]] : Dr. McCoy spent years researching the medical knowledge of the Fabrini.
 
;[[Fabrini]] : Dr. McCoy spent years researching the medical knowledge of the Fabrini.
   
;[[Gol]] : Mountain plateau where Vulcans can achieve [[Kolinahr]].
+
;[[Gol]] : Mountain plateau where Vulcans can achieve ''kolinahr''.
   
 
; [[Kolinahr]] : Ancient Vulcan discipline intended to achieve total logic by eliminating all emotions.
 
; [[Kolinahr]] : Ancient Vulcan discipline intended to achieve total logic by eliminating all emotions.
Line 128: Line 123:
 
;Gibraltar hydroelectric complex : In the twenty-first century, The Mediterranean Alliance built a dam across the strait of Gibraltar. This lowered the Mediterranean Sea by 60 meters, creating vast amounts of new land for farming and other uses, and enough hydroelectric power to supply all of southern Europe, and north Africa. It also exposed {{w|Cycladic civilization|pre-Minoan}} ruins, and the {{w|Library of Alexandria}}.
 
;Gibraltar hydroelectric complex : In the twenty-first century, The Mediterranean Alliance built a dam across the strait of Gibraltar. This lowered the Mediterranean Sea by 60 meters, creating vast amounts of new land for farming and other uses, and enough hydroelectric power to supply all of southern Europe, and north Africa. It also exposed {{w|Cycladic civilization|pre-Minoan}} ruins, and the {{w|Library of Alexandria}}.
   
;Mind Control Revolts : In the early-[[21st century]], behavior-control implants were politicalized in some parts of the world, and this lead to violent revolts beginning in [[2043]] and ending four years later. Mind-control technology was abandoned on [[Earth]] following these revolts.
+
;Mind Control Revolts : In the early-[[21st century]], behavior-control implants were politicized in some parts of the world, and this lead to violent revolts beginning in [[2043]] and ending four years later. Mind-control technology was abandoned on [[Earth]] following these revolts.
   
;New humans : In the early-[[23rd century]], society was evolving to a point where large numbers of "New Humans", telepathically linked as a group mind, represented a sizable portion of [[human]] society. Although more intelligent then normal humans, these people proved incapable of deep space exploration, lacking the ability to bear encounters with more advanced beings then themselves - for all their intelligence, aloofness was a hindrance to them.
+
;New Humans : In the early-[[23rd century]], society was evolving to a point where large numbers of "New Humans", telepathically linked as a group mind, represented a sizable portion of [[Human]] society. Although more intelligent than normal humans, these people proved incapable of deep space exploration, lacking the ability to bear encounters with more advanced beings than themselves - for all their intelligence, aloofness was a hindrance to them.
   
 
;''t'hy'la'' : [[Vulcan]] term for friend, brother, and/or lover.
 
;''t'hy'la'' : [[Vulcan]] term for friend, brother, and/or lover.
Line 136: Line 131:
   
 
===Chronology===
 
===Chronology===
; [[1999]] : Voyager VI falls into a black hole and contact is lost.
+
; [[1999]] : ''Voyager VI'' falls into a black hole and contact is lost.
 
; [[2043]]-[[2047]] : Mind Control Revolts
 
; [[2043]]-[[2047]] : Mind Control Revolts
 
; [[2270]] : Five-year mission ends. Kirk is promoted to Admiral. Spock and McCoy leave Starfleet.
 
; [[2270]] : Five-year mission ends. Kirk is promoted to Admiral. Spock and McCoy leave Starfleet.
 
; [[2272]] : The events of this novel.
 
; [[2272]] : The events of this novel.
   
  +
== External link ==
{| table class="browser"
 
  +
* {{NCwiki|Star Trek: The Motion Picture}}
|-
 
  +
| class="previous" rowspan="2" | '''First in series'''
 
  +
{{Novel nav
| class="topic" rowspan="2" | [[Novels]]<br />[[Pocket TOS]]<br />[[Star Trek Movies]]
 
  +
|series = [[Pocket TOS]]<br />Numbered novels
| class="next" | Next TOS novel:<br />#2: "[[The Entropy Effect]]"
 
  +
|prev = {{first|novel}}
|-
 
 
|next = #2: ''[[The Entropy Effect]]''
| class="next" | Next novelization:<br />"[[Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan (novel)|Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan]]"
 
  +
|series2 = Pocket TOS<br />[[Titan Books]] release order
|}
 
  +
|prev2 = ''[[The Three-Minute Universe]]'' (#13)
[[Category:Novels|Motion Picture, The]]
 
  +
|next2 = ''[[Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan (novel)|Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan]]'' (#14)
  +
|series3 = [[Star Trek films]]<br />Novelizations
  +
|prev3 = {{first|novel}}
 
|next3 = ''[[Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan (novel)|Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan]]''
 
}}
  +
 
[[de:Star Trek: Der Film (Roman)]]
 
[[de:Star Trek: Der Film (Roman)]]
  +
[[fr:Star Trek: The Motion Picture (roman)]]
 
[[Category:Novelizations|Motion Picture, The]]

Revision as of 03:31, 25 July 2014

Template:Realworld

The Great Bird of the Galaxy writes a Star Trek novel! – Novelization of Star Trek: The Motion Picture, authored by creator Gene Roddenberry.

Summary

From the book jacket
The writer-producer who created Mr. Spock and all the other Star Trek characters – who invented the starship Enterprise, who gave the show its look, its ideals – puts it all together again here in his first Star Trek novel!
Their first five-year mission is over. Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Scotty, all the crew have scattered to other jobs or other lives. Now they are together again on a fabulously refitted USS Enterprise as an incredibly destructive power threatens Earth and the Human race.
From the Australian edition's book jacket
It came from an unexpected quarter of the galaxy.
It ignored all attempts to communicate with it.
And it annihilated all opposition with energy bolts of unimaginable ferocity.
Computer projections showed that it would enter the solar system in precisely three days.
The USS Enterprise, refitting in dry dock, was the only craft that Starfleet Command could send to intercept the Cloud in time...

Excerpts of copyrighted sources are included for review purposes only, without any intention of infringement.

Admiral James Kirk, on a break from the Admiralty, relaxes in Africa at the world famous museum city, Alexandria. He slowly begins to receive a signal from Starfleet Command through a senceiver implant in his brain. The information plays out in his mind, of Klingon K't'inga-class cruisers destroyed by a powerful cloud in space heading towards Earth. Meanwhile on Vulcan, Spock kneels before the Vulcan masters on Gol. He is about to achieve kolinahr, when a powerful consciousness touches his mind. Spock telepathically senses Kirk's thoughts of the attack on the Klingons. After a mind meld, the Vulcan Master T'Sai sends Spock away without achieving kolinahr.

Kirk contacts his associate, Vice Admiral Lori Ciana, whom he has been involved with for the two-and-a-half years since the end of the Enterprise mission. She informs him that Admiral Heihachiro Nogura plans to launch the Enterprise to intercept the cloud. Kirk goes to Starfleet headquarters and convinces Nogura to hand command of the Enterprise over to him.

Once aboard the Enterprise, Kirk informs Captain Decker that he is assuming command. Decker is unhappy with the decision, but remains aboard as first officer. Suddenly, disaster strikes when the transporter malfunctions. Admiral Ciana and the Vulcan science officer Sonak are both killed. Later on the rec deck, Kirk briefs the crew on the cloud. Unexpectedly, the crew witnesses the destruction of Epsilon IX at the hands of that same cloud as the event occurs.

After the transporter is repaired, new crew members beam aboard. Lieutenant Ilia, a Deltan and former lover of Decker, takes the navigator position. Then Leonard McCoy beams aboard, after being drafted back into service by Kirk. He resumes his position as CMO.

With the crew finally together, the Enterprise leaves orbital dock. Once the ship's engages warp drive, a wormhole appears. The Enterprise is trapped inside, on a collision course with an asteroid. Torpedoes are fired and the asteroid is destroyed, freeing the ship. However, the warp engines are down.

A shuttle docks with the Enterprise. The crew is shocked to find Spock has come aboard. Spock immediately gets to work on fixing the engines, and the Enterprise warps towards interception with the cloud. Spock reveals he has been in mental contact with the cloud and senses perfect logic.

The Enterprise intercepts the cloud, and they are immediately scanned. The cloud returns no response to friendship messages and fires on the Enterprise. The force field holds and the Enterprise survives, however power is severely drained. The cloud fires again, but at the last second the energy bolt fades from sight. The cloud has received and understood friendship messages.

The Enterprise enters the cloud. Sensors detect an object at the cloud's center. Kirk risks a scan, and the cloud responds by sending a green energy probe to the bridge. It begins scanning the computer. A security officer attempts to stop it, but the probe lashes out at him and he vanishes. Spock intervenes when it attempts to scan his console, to prevent it from learning Earth's defenses. The probe attacks Spock, but Ilia interferes. She too vanishes, and the probe with her.

A tractor beam pulls the Enterprise inside the object at the center of the cloud. Once inside, the "intruder alert" alarm sounds. Inside Ilia's quarters, a probe identical to her in appearance is found claiming to be sent by Vejur to observe the carbon based units infecting Enterprise. She explains that Vejur is heading towards Earth to find the "Creator" and join with him. Kirk assigns Decker the task of learning as much information from the Ilia-probe as possible.

Spock secretly leaves the ship in a spacesuit, intent on mind melding with Vejur. He passes through an elaborate gallery of Vejur's journey, seeing stars and entire planets. After finding a sensor and melding with it, Spock discovers Vejur's journey began at a planet of living machines, and concludes that the entire vessel is a lifeform. Vejur is the ship itself. Vejur senses Spock's presence, and Spock is injured during the meld. Kirk, now in a spacesuit, leaves the ship to find Spock, when the Ilia-probe reveals Vejur is sending Spock back to the Enterprise. There, Spock reveals Vejur has accumulated vast knowledge, but without the ability to feel that knowledge was useless, leaving Vejur without the answers it needs.

Background Information

  • This is the novelization of Star Trek: The Motion Picture by Gene Roddenberry, who is billed in the book jacket blurb as his nickname, "Great Bird of the Galaxy".
  • This was the first Pocket Books Trek novel (though the imprint wouldn't officially begin its novel series until The Entropy Effect in 1981). It was also briefly issued as a hardcover, slip-cased, numbered limited edition. (This edition is dedicated to Majel Barrett.)
  • In Admiral Kirk's preface, he mentions that during his five-year mission, 94 of his crew perished. While this number equates, as it is higher than the number of people we know of dying in TOS, many later comics and novels have featured numerous crew deaths that exceed this number.
  • In his preface, Kirk also establishes that his middle name is indeed "Tiberius".
  • Will Decker is revealed to be the son of Commodore Matt Decker. This information is not officially established in the film.
  • Spock began training to achieve kolinahr 2.8 years prior to this story.
  • The UK and Australian editions, from Futura Publications, contain an insert of color plates: ten captioned publicity stills from the movie. These editions also have a brief addition to the main text about Vice Admiral Lori Ciana, better explaining how she went about getting herself onto Kirk's crew. (eg. She must have taken a temporary rank reduction to fill the zeno-psychology vacancy aboard.) [Page 56 of Australian edition.]
  • All editions share a typographical error - "Ciani" - when first introducing this character.
  • Before the personal encounter of Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Decker and the Ilia-probe with the still-functioning Voyager 6 relic spacecraft at its heart, Roddenberry consistently uses the spelling Vejur for the "intruder's" name from the text on page 179 of the novelization.

Characters

Main

James Kirk, 2270s

James Tiberius Kirk

James T. Kirk
Rear admiral, chief of Starfleet Operations.
Spock
Science Officer.
Leonard McCoy
CMO.
Montgomery Scott
Chief Engineer.
Uhura
Communications Officer.
Hikaru Sulu
Helmsman.
Pavel Chekov
Chief of security.
Ilia
Navigator.
Willard Decker
Captain, temporary grade reduction to Commander.
Janice Rand
Transporter chief.
Vejur
Also known as V'Ger. Vejur seeks the creator.

Others

Lori Ciana
A Starfleet vice admiral in 2272 assigned as Rear Admiral James T. Kirk's commanding officer in his post as chief of Starfleet Operations (as well as his ex-lover, for some of the two-and-a-half years since he relinquished captaincy). She died in a transporter accident along with Commander Sonak when they were attempting to board the Enterprise.
The character who died on the transporter was seen in the movie, but no reference was made to her rank or status. In Roddenberry's draft, she was being sent by Nogura to temper Kirk's enthusiasm for starship command – a role that ended up being performed by McCoy.
Sonak
Starfleet commander assigned as Enterprise science officer.
Sonak dead

The death of Sonak and Lori Ciana

Nogura, Heihachiro
Commander in chief of Starfleet in 2272.
DiFalco
Chief.
Phillips
Security officer.
Chavez
Security officer, rank of ensign.
Called Perez in the movie.
Kugel
Assistant engineer.
Quarton
Assistant engineer.
Named for British Star Trek fan, Janet Quarton, who also inspired the name for Q.
Branch
Commander of the Epsilon IX station.
File:Rhaandarite ensign, TMP.jpg

The alien Rhaandarite boy

Rhaandarite ensign (unnamed USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) personnel)
Only referred to as ensign here. His race is not established in this novelization.
T'Sai
Vulcan master.
Libyan scholar
Earth civilian.

Mentioned

Matt Decker
Will Decker's father.
Samuel Kirk
Jim Kirk's grandfather.

References

Africa; Alexandria; Constitution-class; Egyptisraeli Museum; five-year mission; Humans; Klingons; K't'inga-class; mind meld; oath of celibacy; perscan device; senceiver implant; Starfleet; STF 7997B; Vulcan (planet); Vulcans; wormhole

Epsilon IX station
Outpost near the Klingon border.
Fabrini
Dr. McCoy spent years researching the medical knowledge of the Fabrini.
Gol
Mountain plateau where Vulcans can achieve kolinahr.
Kolinahr
Ancient Vulcan discipline intended to achieve total logic by eliminating all emotions.
Mediterranean Alliance
A political unit in southern Europe located in the Mediterranean region and encompassing at least one former nation-state, Gibraltar, during the 2270s. Admiral Kirk was contacted by Starfleet during an excursion to Gibraltar, which is noted to be a member of this alliance.
Gibraltar hydroelectric complex
In the twenty-first century, The Mediterranean Alliance built a dam across the strait of Gibraltar. This lowered the Mediterranean Sea by 60 meters, creating vast amounts of new land for farming and other uses, and enough hydroelectric power to supply all of southern Europe, and north Africa. It also exposed pre-Minoan ruins, and the Library of Alexandria.
Mind Control Revolts
In the early-21st century, behavior-control implants were politicized in some parts of the world, and this lead to violent revolts beginning in 2043 and ending four years later. Mind-control technology was abandoned on Earth following these revolts.
New Humans
In the early-23rd century, society was evolving to a point where large numbers of "New Humans", telepathically linked as a group mind, represented a sizable portion of Human society. Although more intelligent than normal humans, these people proved incapable of deep space exploration, lacking the ability to bear encounters with more advanced beings than themselves - for all their intelligence, aloofness was a hindrance to them.
t'hy'la
Vulcan term for friend, brother, and/or lover.
This term, originated in Roddenberry's work, was used in several later novels by different authors.

Chronology

1999
Voyager VI falls into a black hole and contact is lost.
2043-2047
Mind Control Revolts
2270
Five-year mission ends. Kirk is promoted to Admiral. Spock and McCoy leave Starfleet.
2272
The events of this novel.

External link

  • Template:NCwiki


Previous novel: Series Next novel:
First novel in series Pocket TOS
Numbered novels
#2: The Entropy Effect
The Three-Minute Universe (#13) Pocket TOS
Titan Books release order
 Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (#14)
First novel in series Star Trek films
Novelizations
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan