"This is comm station Epsilon lX, calling USS Columbia." "Come in, Columbia." "Respond, please." "This is Epsilon lX." "Am boosting output." "How read you this?" "Scout Columbia NCC-62 1 to rendezvous with Scout Revere NCC-595 on stardate 7 4 1 1.4." "Further orders to be relayed at that time." "Signed, Commodore Probert, Starfleet." "End of transmission." "Our sensor drone is intercepting this on Quad L-1 4." "That`s within Klingon boundaries." "Who are they fighting?" "Unknown, sir." "I have an exterior visual." "We`ve plotted a course on that cloud, Commander." "It will pass into Federation space fairly close to us." "Heading?" ""Sir, it`s on a precise heading for Earth." "Cmdr Sonak, you were appointed as Enterprise Science Officer?" " Based on your recommendation." " Why aren`t you aboard?" "Capt Decker requested I complete final briefing here before we leave." "At Starfleet?" "The Enterprise is in final preparation to leave dock." " Which requires 20 hours." " 1 2." "l`m meeting Admiral Nogura." "I won`t be more than three minutes." "Report to me on the Enterprise in one hour." "To you?" "It is my intention to be on that ship following that meeting." "Report to me in one hour." " Admiral." " Mr Scott." "Those departure orders, 1 2 hours." "Starfleet cannot be serious." "Why aren`t the transporters operating?" "A wee problem." "Temporary." "We have just finished 1 8 months` redesigning the Enterprise." " How can she be ready in 1 2 hours?" " Take me over, please." "She needs more work, a shakedown." "Mr Scott, an alien object of unbelievable destructive power is less than three days away from Earth." "The only starship in interception range is the Enterprise." "Ready or not, she launches in 1 2 hours." "The crew haven`t had near enough time with all the new equipment." "And the engines are not even tested at warp power." "And an untried captain." "Two and a half years as Chief of Starfleet Operations may have made me stale, but I wouldn`t consider myself untried." " They gave her back to me, Scotty." " Gave her back?" "I doubt it was that easy with Nogura." "You`re right." "Well, any man who could manage such a feat, I would not dare to disappoint." "She`ll launch on time, sir, and she`ll be ready." " Thank you, Mr Scott." " Aye, sir." "Cargo bay to launch crew." "Travel pod is now available at dock six." " Permission to come aboard." " Granted." "Welcome aboard, Admiral." "Cmdr Scott, you`re needed in Engineering." "Sir, you`ll excuse me." "Flight deck, prepare for incoming shuttlecraft." " lf you`ll follow me..." " l think I can find my way, Ensign." "Aye, sir." "Bridge." "I thought you had that circuit patched in an hour ago." "We did." "We had to disconnect it." "l`ll get somebody there as soon as I can." "Captain!" "Starfleet just signalled your transfer-of-command orders." " Captain." " l appreciate the welcome." "I wish circumstances were less critical." "Epsilon lX is monitoring the intruder." "Keep a channel open." "Where`s Capt Decker?" "He`s in Engineering, sir." "He... doesn`t know." " Mr Chekov." " Aye, sir." "Assemble the crew on the recreation deck at 0400 hours." "I want to show them what we`re facing." "He wanted her back." "He got her." "And Capt Decker?" "He`s been with this ship every minute of her refitting." "The possibilities of our returning from this mission in one piece may have just doubled." "Check Cleary on number six." "Space matrix restoration coils." "Dilithium crystals." "I knew it." "The transporter sensor was not activated." "Faulty modules." "Cleary, put a new backup sensor into the unit." "Admiral Kirk." "We`re getting a top-brass sendoff." "She`ll launch on schedule if we have to tow her with our hands." "Right?" "Aye, that we will, sir." " Let`s talk." " Sure." " Tell me when the backup`s ready." " Aye, sir." "Sir, I hope this isn`t some kind of pep talk." " l`m too busy." " l`m taking over, Will." "You`re what?" "l`m replacing you as Captain of the Enterprise." "You`ll stay on as Executive Officer." "Temporary grade reduction to Commander." "You personally are assuming command?" "Yeah." "May I ask why?" "My experience." "Five years out there dealing with unknowns like this." "My familiarity with the Enterprise, its crew." "Admiral, this is an almost totally new Enterprise." " You don`t know her like I do." " That`s why you`re staying aboard." "l`m sorry, Will." "No, Admiral, I don`t think you`re sorry, not one damn bit." "I remember when you recommended me for command." "You said how much you hoped you`d find a way to get a starship again." "Well, sir, it looks like you found a way." "Report to the bridge, Commander, immediately." "Aye, sir." "Transporter room." "Come in." "Red line on the transporter." " Transporter, do not engage." " lt`s too late." "They`re beaming." "Do you read me, Starfleet?" "Override us." "Pull them back." "Unable to retrieve their pattern, Enterprise." "Give it to me." "Starfleet, boost your matter gain." "We need more signal." "More signal." " We`re losing their pattern." " No, they`re forming." "Starfleet, do you have them?" "Enterprise, what we got back didn`t live long, fortunately." "Starfleet, Kirk." "Please express my condolences to their families." "Cmdr Sonak`s can be reached through the Vulcan Embassy." "There was nothing you could have done, Rand." "It wasn`t your fault." " Yeoman, turboshaft eight?" " Back that way, sir." "We must replace Cmdr Sonak." "l`d still like a Vulcan if possible." "None available, Captain." "No one`s fully rated on this design." "You are, Mr Decker." "You`ll have to double as Science Officer." "That`s all we know about it except that it is now 53.4 hours away from Earth." "Enterprise is the only Federation starship that stands in its way." "Our orders are to intercept, investigate, and take whatever action is necessary." "And possible." "Bridge to Captain." "Priority signal from Epsilon lX." " Put it on viewer." " On viewer." "Enterprise, the cloud is definitely a power field of some kind." "Measures... my God..." "over two aus in diameter." "Must be something incredible inside there generating it." "We`re transmitting friendship messages on all frequencies." " No response." " Null reading at the centre." "There`s something inside, but all scans are reflected back." " A power surge." " Receiving an odd pattern." "They could be viewing our scans as a hostile act." " They`re reacting to our scans." " Deflectors, full!" " We are under attack." " External view." "Viewer off." "Pre-launch countdown will commence in 40 minutes." "Transporter system fully repaired and functioning, sir." "Dock signals clear." "Reply we are awaiting final crew replacements." "Aye, sir." "Transporter personnel reports the navigator Lt Ilia." "She`s already aboard and en route to the bridge, sir." "She`s Deltan, Captain." " Lt Ilia reporting for duty, sir." " Welcome aboard, Lieutenant." " Hello, llia." " Decker." "I was stationed on the Lieutenant`s home planet some years ago." "Cmdr Decker?" "Our Exec and Science Officer." "Capt Kirk has the utmost confidence in me." "And in you too, Lieutenant." "My oath of celibacy is on record." "May I assume my duties?" "By all means." "Captain, our last six crew members are ready to beam up, but one of them is refusing to step into the transporter." "l`ll see to it that he beams up." "Transporter room." "Ellen, what was the problem down there?" "He insisted we go first." "Said something about seeing how it scrambled our molecules." "That has a familiar ring." "Starfleet, this is Capt Kirk." "Beam that officer up now." "And you swore never to return to Starfleet!" "Just a moment, Captain, sir." "l`ll explain what happened." "Your revered Admiral Nogura invoked a little-known, seldom-used reserve activation clause." "In simpler language, Captain, they drafted me." "They didn`t." "This was your idea, wasn`t it?" "There`s a thing out there." "Any object we don`t understand is always a "thing"." "Headed this way. I need you." "Damn it, Bones, I need you." "Badly." " Permission to come aboard?" " Permission granted, sir." "Well, Jim, I hear Chapel`s an MD now." "l`m going to need a top nurse, not a doctor who`ll argue every diagnosis with me." "They probably redesigned the whole sickbay, too." "Engineers love to change things." "Dock control reports ready, sir." " Helm ready, sir." " Orbital departure on plot, sir." "Yard Command signalling clear, sir." " Manoeuvring thrusters, Mr Sulu." " Manoeuvring thrusters." "Hold station." "Thrusters at station-keeping, sir." "Thrusters ahead, Mr Sulu." "Take us out." "Intermix set, bridge." "Impulse power at your discretion." "Impulse power, Mr Sulu." "Ahead, warp point five." " Departure angle on viewer." " Departure angle." "Viewer ahead." "Captain`s log, stardate 7 4 1 2.6, 1. 8 hours from launch." "In order to intercept the intruder at the earliest possible time, we must risk engaging warp drive while still within the solar system." "Captain, assuming we have full warp capability, accelerating to warp seven outside the solar system will bring us to ip with the intruder in 20.1 hours." "Bones, do the new facilities meet with your approval?" "They do not. lt`s like working in a computer centre." " Programming ready?" " Set for warp entry." "But I still recommend further simulation study." "Mr Decker, every minute brings that object closer to Earth." "Engineering, stand by for warp drive." "We need further simulation on flow sensors." "Engineer, we need warp speed now." "Jim, you`re pushing." "Your people know their jobs." " That`s it. I can`t do any better." " Aye, lad." "lt`s borderline on the simulator." "I cannot guarantee she`ll hold up." "Warp drive, Mr Scott." "Ahead, warp one, Mr Sulu." "Accelerating to warp one, sir." "Warp point seven... point eight." "Warp one, sir." "Mr Decker..." "Wormhole." "Get us back on impulse power." "Full reverse." "Negative helm control." "Going reverse on impulse power." "Subspace frequencies jammed, sir." "Wormhole effect." "Negative control will continue 22.5 seconds before velocity slows to sublight speed." "Unidentified small object is in the wormhole with us, directly ahead." "Force fields up full." "Put object on viewer." "Manual override on helm." " No manual response." " Navigational deflectors coming up." "Distortion has overloaded power systems." "Navigational deflectors inoperative." "Directional control also inoperative." " Time to impact?" " 20 seconds." "Mr Chekov, stand by on phasers." "No." "Belay that phaser order." "Arm photon torpedoes." "Photon torpedoes..." "..armed." "Object is an asteroid." "Reading mass point seven." "Targeting asteroid." "lmpact in ten seconds." "lmpact in eight seconds." "Fire torpedoes." " Six." " Torpedoes away." "Four." "Helm control restored, sir." " Position report, Navigator." " Computing new intersection course." " Communications normal." " Negative damage reported, Captain." "No casualties reported, Doctor." "Wrong, Mr Chekov." "There are casualties." "My wits." "As in "frightened out of", Captain, sir." "We`re at warp point eight." "Engineer, report your status there." "Just a second." "We`re picking up the pieces down here." "Mr Scott, we need warp drive." "An engine imbalance created the wormhole in the first place." "We must correct it." "That object is less than two days from Earth." "We must intercept it." "Navigator, lay in a new heading to conform with our initial ip." "Mr Sulu, you have the conn." "Mr Decker, l`d like to see you in my quarters." "Mind if I tag along, Captain?" "Level five." "Explanation." "Why was my phaser order countermanded?" "The Enterprise redesign increases phaser power by channelling it through the main engines." "When they went into antimatter imbalance, the phasers were automatically cut off." "You acted properly, of course." "Thank you, sir." "l`m sorry if I embarrassed you." " You saved the ship." " l`m aware of that, sir." "Stop competing with me, Decker." " Permission to speak freely?" " Granted." "You haven`t logged a single star hour in two and a half years." "That, plus your unfamiliarity with the ship`s redesign, in my opinion, seriously jeopardises this mission." "I trust you will... nursemaid me through these difficulties, mister?" "Yes, sir, l`ll do that." "Then I won`t keep you from your duties any longer." " Yes, Doctor?" " Aye, sir." "He may be right, Jim." "Was it difficult?" "No more than I expected." "About as difficult as seeing you again." " l`m sorry." " That you left Delta iv?" "Or that you didn`t even say goodbye?" "If I had seen you again... ..would you have been able to say it?" "No." "Make your point, Doctor." "The point is it is you who`s competing." "You rammed getting this command down Starfleet`s throat." "You`ve used this emergency to get the Enterprise back." "And I intend to keep her, is that it?" "Yes." "lt`s an obsession." "An obsession that can blind you to more critical responsibilities." "Your reaction to Decker is an example, Jim." "Bridge to Captain." "Viewer on." "Signal from a Federation-registered long-range shuttle." "She wishes to come alongside and lock on." "For what purpose?" "Security scan shows it has a grade-one priority, Captain." "Non-belligerency confirmed." "I suspect it is a courier of some kind." "Very well, Mr Chekov." "See to it." "Viewer off." "Your opinion has been noted." "Anything further?" "That depends on you." "Security scan." "One boarder." "Identity, Starfleet inactive." "Permission to come aboard, sir." "Granted, sir." " Why... it`s Mr..." " Spock!" "Commander, if I may?" "If... I monitored your communications with Starfleet, Captain." "l`m aware of your engine-design difficulties." "I offer my services as Science Officer." "With all due respect, Commander." "Our Exec has no objections?" "No. I know Mr Spock`s qualifications." "Mr Chekov, log Mr Spock`s Starfleet commission reactivated." "List him as Science Officer." "Both... effective immediately." "Mr Spock!" "Well, so help me, l`m actually pleased to see you." " lt`s how we all feel." " Captain, with your permission, I will discuss fuel equations with the Engineer." "Mr Spock." "Welcome aboard." "Captain`s log, stardate 7 4 1 3.4." "Thanks to Mr Spock`s timely arrival and assistance, we have the engines rebalanced into full warp capacity." "Repair time less than three hours." "We will be able to intercept intruder while still more than a day from Earth." "Warp, point eight." "Point nine." "Warp two." "Warp three." "Warp four." "Warp five." "Warp six." "Warp seven, sir." "Science Officer Spock reporting as ordered." "Please, sit down." "You haven`t changed a bit." "You`re just as warm and sociable as ever." "Nor have you, as your predilection for irrelevancy demonstrates." "Gentlemen." "At last report, you were on Vulcan." "Apparently to stay." "Yes, you were undergoing the Kolineer discipline." "Sit down." "If you are referring to the Kolinahr, Doctor, you are correct." "Well, however it`s pronounced, Mr Spock, it`s the Vulcan ritual supposed to purge all remaining emotions." "The Kolinahr is also a discipline you broke... to join us." "Will you, please... sit down?" "On Vulcan, I began sensing a consciousness more powerful than I have ever encountered." "Thought patterns of exactingly perfect order." "I believe they emanate from the intruder." "I believe it may hold my answers." "Well, isn`t it lucky for you that we`re heading your way?" "Bones!" "We need him." "I need him." "Then my presence is to our mutual advantage." "Any thought patterns you might sense whether they affect you or not, I expect immediately reported." "Of course, Captain." "is there anything else?" "No." "Jim?" "If this super intelligence is as important to him as he says, how do we know...?" "That he wouldn`t put his own interests ahead of the ship`s?" "I could never believe that." "How do we know about any of us?" "Bridge to Capt Kirk." "Revised estimate on cloud visual contact. 3. 7 minutes." "On my way." "Give us a reading, Commander." "Standard light, Engineer." " Full mag on viewer." " Full mag, sir." "Linguacode?" "Friendship messages on all frequencies." "All decks confirmed." "Status red." "Captain, we are being scanned." "Do not return scan. lt could be misinterpreted as hostility." "Intruder scans emanating from the exact centre of the cloud." "Energy of a type never before encountered." "No response to messages." " Battle stations?" " Negative." "No provocative action." "Recommend defensive posture." "Screens and shields." "No, Mr Decker, that could also be misinterpreted as hostile." "Cloud composition, Mr Spock?" " Twelfth-power energy field." " Twelfth?" "We`ve seen what they can do." "We should take precautions." "I suspect there`s an object at the heart of that cloud." "I will not provoke an attack." "If that isn`t clear..." "As your Exec, it`s my duty to point out alternatives." "Yes, it is. I stand corrected." "Five minutes to cloud boundary." "Navigator, lay in a conic section flight path to cloud centre." "Bring us parallel to whatever we find in there." " Mr Sulu, tactical plot on viewer." " On viewer." "That measures twelfth-power energy?" "Thousands of starships couldn`t generate that much." "Spock, tell me." "I sense... puzzlement." "We have been contacted." "Why have we not replied?" "Contacted?" "How?" "Force fields up full!" "Deflectors, now!" "Force fields and deflectors up full, Captain." "Analysis, Mr Spock." "Alien weapon is a form of plasma energy." "Exact composition unknown." "Guidance system unknown." "All decks brace for impact." " Engineering, status report." " Systems overloading." " Medic." " Medics are coming." "Engineering to bridge." "Cannot hold full power on force field." "Deflector power is down 70 percent!" "Divert auxiliary power to deflectors." "Good." "Christine, it`s Chekov." " Medic." " l can stop his pain." "Thank you." "Captain, the intruder has been attempting to communicate." "Frequency more than one million megahertz." "At such speed, their entire message lasts only a millisecond." "I will program our computer to transmit linguacode at their frequency and rate of speed." "Commander." "Spock!" " Here it comes." " How is our force field?" "Our shields cannot handle another attack!" "Mr Spock?" " Spock." " 1 5 seconds." "Spock, transmit now!" "Ten seconds." "Transmitting." "It would seem our messages have been received and understood." "I would say that was a logical assumption." "One minute, 30 seconds to cloud boundary." "Captain." "We are confronted by a highly advanced mentality, yet they cannot understand who we are or what we want." "Yet they understood our message." "They broke off the attack." "They may have attacked only as a warning to us to keep away." "That would presuppose a feeling, Commander." "Compassion." "I sensed no emotion only pure logic." " Mr Sulu, hold present position." " Holding position, sir." " Tactical plot on viewer." " Course projection on tactical, sir." " Opinion, Mr Spock." " Recommend we proceed." "Mr Decker?" "I advise caution." "We can`t withstand another attack." "That thing is 20 hours from Earth." "We know nothing about it." "Precisely the point." "We don`t know what it`ll do." "Moving into that cloud at this time is an unwarranted gamble." "How do you define "unwarranted"?" "You asked my opinion, sir." "Viewer, standard ahead." "Navigator, maintain course." "Helmsman, steady as she goes." "No vessel could generate a power field of this magnitude." "Instruments fluctuating, Captain." "Patterns unrecognisable." "Transmit image to Starfleet." "Attempt communication." "Unable to make contact with Starfleet." "Any attempt to transmit out of the cloud is being reflected back." "We`re closing on it rapidly, Captain." "Reduce magnification factor four, Mr Sulu." "We`re already two settings below that." "Mr Sulu..." "bring us into a parallel course over the alien at 500 metres." "500 metres?" "Then take us out to 1 00 kilometres, adjusting parallel course." "Aye, sir." " Viewer astern." " Reverse angle on the viewer." "500 metres." "Viewer ahead, sir." "Hold relative position here." "Mr Spock!" "Can that be one of their crew?" "A probe from their vessel, Captain." "Plasma-energy combination." "Don`t interfere with it!" "Absolutely, I will not interfere!" "No one interfere." "It doesn`t seem interested in us, only the ship." "Computer off." "lt`s taken control of the computer!" "lt`s running our records." "Earth defences." "Starfleet strength." "Ilia!" "This is how I define "unwarranted"!" "Activate auxiliary computer circuits through manual shut-off." "We have been seized by a tractor beam." "Someone take the Navigator`s station." " Engineering, emergency power." " DiFalco to bridge." "Captain, if we don`t break free in 1 5 seconds, she`ll burn up!" "We cannot break free." "We have only a fraction of the power necessary." "Engineering, belay that order." "Disengage main drive systems." "Chief DiFalco, take over Lt llia`s station." "DiFalco, disengage engine navigation relays now." "Force field circuits E1 0 through 1 4 show ready for reactivation." "Confirm, please." "Scotty, drive systems should be free." " Commander." " Ready to launch remote drone with ship`s records, including our present situation." "Delay launch." "Our drone can`t escape as long as we`re held." "Aye." "Captain..." "A maximum phaser strike might weaken it enough for us to break free." "Break free to where?" "Any show of resistance would be futile." "We don`t know that, Mr Spock." "Why are you opposed to trying?" "Why bring us inside?" "Not to destroy us." "They could have done that outside." "They still can." "Curiosity, Mr Decker." "Insatiable curiosity." "Captain, photic sonar readings indicate the aperture is closing." "We`re trapped, sir." "Reverse angle on the viewer." "Tractor beam has released us, Captain." "Confirmed." "Vessel is floating free." "No forward momentum." "Viewer ahead." "Manoeuvring thrusters, Mr Sulu." "Ahead one third." "Thrusters ahead one third." "Let`s take a look." "Full sensor scan, Mr Spock." "They can`t expect us not to scan them now." "We`re looking down their throat." "We`ve got them just where they want us." "lt`s closing up." "Hold position." "Captain." "All our scans are being reflected back." " Sensors are useless." " Damn!" "What do you make of this?" "I believe the closed orifice leads to another chamber." "Undoubtedly, part of the vessel`s inner mechanism." "I suspect it may be necessary... lntruder alert!" "Officers` quarters." "Have Security meet me at the elevator." "Spock." "Mr Decker, you have the conn." "Hold position." "You are the Kirk unit." "You will assist me." "l`ve been programmed by V`Ger to observe and record normal functions of the carbon-based units infesting USS Enterprise." " Jim, what`s going on?" " Tricorder." "Who is... ..V`Ger?" "V`Ger is that which programmed me." "is V`Ger the name of the captain of the alien vessel?" "Jim, this is a mechanism!" "A probe, Captain." "No doubt, a sensor-transceiver combination." "Recording everything we say and do." " Where`s Lt Ilia?" " That unit no longer functions." "l`ve been given its form to talk with the carbon-based units infesting Enterprise." "Carbon-based units?" "Humans, Ensign Perez." "Us." "Why does V`Ger travel to the third planet of the solar system ahead?" "To find the Creator." "What?" "Creator?" "Whose...?" "What does V`Ger want with the Creator?" " To join with him." " To join with the Creator?" "How?" "V`Ger and the Creator will become one." "Who is the Creator?" "The Creator is that which created V`Ger." " Who is V`Ger?" " That which seeks the Creator." "l`m ready to commence my observations." "An examination of this probe might provide insight into those who manufactured it" " and how to deal with them." " Fine." "Let`s get her to sickbay." "l`m programmed to observe and record only the normal functioning of the carbon units." "The... examination is a normal function." "You may proceed." "Micro-miniature hydraulics." "Sensors." "And molecule-sized multiprocessor chips." " And take a look at this." " Osmotic micro-pump." "Right here." "Even the smallest body functions are exactly duplicated." "Every exocrine system is the same, too." "Even eye moisture." "Fascinating." "Not "Decker unit"." "Gentlemen." "Will." " What happened to her?" " Captain." "This probe may be our key to the aliens." " Probe?" "Ilia?" " Exactly." "It is a programmed mechanism." "Its body duplicates our Navigator in precise detail." "Suppose that beneath its programming llia`s memory patterns are duplicated with equal precision." " They had a pattern to follow." " indeed." "They may have followed it too precisely." "llia`s memory, her feelings of loyalty, obedience, friendship, might all be there!" "You did have a relationship with Lt Ilia." "That probe in another form is what killed Ilia!" "Commander!" "Will." "We`re locked in an alien vessel six hours from Earth." "Our only contact with our captor is that probe." "If we could control it, use it... I have recorded enough here." "You will now assist me further." "The Decker unit can assist you with much greater efficiency." "Carry on with your assignment, Mr Decker." "Aye, sir." "I am concerned with that being our only source of information." "Captain`s log, stardate 7 4 1 4. 1." "Our best estimates place us four hours from Earth." "No significant progress thus far reviving Ilia memory patterns within the alien probe." "This remains our only means of contact with our captor." "All those vessels were called Enterprise." "The carbon units use this area for recreation." "This is one of the games." "What types of recreation does the crew aboard your vessel enjoy?" "The words "recreation" and "enjoy"" "have no meaning to my programming." "Ilia enjoyed this game." "She nearly always won." "Good." "He`s using audio-visual association." "This device serves no purpose." "Why does Enterprise require the presence of carbon units?" "Enterprise could not function without them." "More data concerning this functioning is necessary before carbon units can be patterned for data storage." "What does that mean?" "When my examination is complete, all carbon units will be reduced to data patterns." "Within you are the memory patterns of... a certain carbon unit." "If I can help you to revive those patterns, you could understand our functions better." "That is logical." "You may proceed." "I remember Lt Ilia once mentioning she wore that." "Put it on." "On Delta." "Remember?" "Ilia?" "Dr Chapel." "Will?" "Ilia." "Commander." "This is a mechanism." "Ilia, help us make direct contact with V`Ger." "I cannot." "This Creator V`Ger`s looking for." "What is it?" "V`Ger does not know." "Computer, commence recording." "Capt Kirk, these messages will detail my attempt to contact the aliens." "I intend to calculate acceleration rate to coincide with the opening of the V`Ger orifice." "This should facilitate a better view of the interior." "Starfleet signals are growing in strength, sir." "They still have the intruder on their monitors." " lt`s decelerating." " Confirmed." "Lunar beacons indicate intruder on a course into Earth orbit." "Sir, airlock four has been opened." "A thruster suit is reported missing." "A thruster suit?" "That`s Spock." "Damn him!" "Bring him back here." "No, wait." " Get a fix on his position." " Aye, sir." "I have penetrated the next chamber of the alien`s interior." "l`m witnessing some sort of dimensional image which I believe is a representation of V`Ger`s home planet." "l`m passing through a connecting tunnel." "Apparently a kind of plasma-energy conduit." "Possibly, a field coil for a gigantic imaging system." "Curious. l`m seeing images of planets." "Moons." "Stars." "Whole galaxies stored, recorded." "It may be a representation of V`Ger`s entire journey." "But who or what are we dealing with?" "The Epsilon lX station, stored here with every detail." "Captain, I am now quite convinced that all of this is V`Ger." "That we are inside a living machine." "The sensor... must contain some special meaning." "I must try to mind-meld with it." "Now scanning pons area." "Spinal nerve fibre connection." "Indications of some neurological trauma." "The power pouring through that mind-meld must have been staggering." " l should have known." " Were you right?" "About V`Ger?" "A life form of its own." "A conscious, living entity." "A living machine?" "It considers the Enterprise a living machine." "I saw V`Ger`s planet." "A planet populated by living machines." "Unbelievable technology." "V`Ger has knowledge that spans this universe." "And yet, with all its pure logic V`Ger is barren." "Cold." "No mystery." "No beauty." "I should have... known..." "Known?" "Known what?" "What should you have known?" "This simple feeling... ..is beyond V`Ger`s comprehension." "No meaning." "No hope." "No answers." "lt`s asking questions." ""ls this... all that I am?"" ""ls there nothing more?"" "Bridge to Captain." "Kirk here." "A faint signal from Starfleet, sir." "Intruder cloud has been located on the monitors for 27 minutes." "Cloud dissipating rapidly as it approaches." "Starfleet reports velocity is slowed to subwarp speed." "We are three minutes from Earth orbit." "l`ll be right there." "I need Spock on the bridge." "Dalaphaline, five ccs." "Starfleet is sending this tactical on V`Ger`s position." "V`Ger is transmitting a signal." "Jim!" "From V`Ger." "V`Ger signals the Creator." "A simple binary code, transmitted by carrier-wave signal." "Radio." "Radio?" "Jim, V`Ger expects an answer." "An answer?" "I don`t know the question." "The Creator has not responded." "All planetary defence systems have just gone inoperative." "Starfleet says the devices are proceeding to equidistant positions orbiting the planet!" "The same things that hit us." "They are hundreds of times more powerful." "From those positions, they could devastate the entire planet." "Why?" "The Creator has not answered." "The carbon-unit infestation is to be removed from the planet." " Why?" " You infest Enterprise." "You interfere with the Creator in the same manner." "Carbon units are not an infestation." "They are... a natural function of the Creator`s planet." " They are living things." " They are not true life forms." "Only the Creator and other similar life forms are true." "Similar life forms." "Jim, V`Ger is saying its Creator is a machine." "Machine!" "Captain." "V`Ger is a child." "I suggest you treat her as such." " A child?" " Yes, Captain." "A child." "Evolving, learning, searching." " lnstinctively needing." " Needing what?" "Spock!" "This child is about to wipe out every living thing on Earth!" "What do you suggest we do?" "Spank it?" "It knows only that it needs, Commander." "But, like so many of us, it does not know what." "The carbon units know why the Creator has not responded." "Disclose the information." "Not until V`Ger withdraws the devices orbiting the third planet." "Captain!" "l`m losing Starfleet!" "lnterference from V`Ger." "Kirk unit, disclose the information." "Why has the Creator not responded?" "No." "Secure all stations." "Clear the bridge." "Clear the bridge, Captain?" "That was the order." "Clear the bridge." "Your child is having a tantrum, Mr Spock." "V`Ger requires the information." "Bridge!" "Secure all stations." "Move out." "Jim, what the hell kind of strategy is this?" "Ship`s functions going to automatic." "If V`Ger destroys the Enterprise, the information will be destroyed." "It is illogical to withhold required information." "Kirk unit!" "Why do you not disclose information?" "V`Ger will destroy the carbon units on the third planet." "They repressed the Creator." "The information will not be disclosed!" "V`Ger needs the information." "Then V`Ger must withdraw all the orbiting devices." "V`Ger will comply, if the carbon units will disclose the information." "It learns fast, doesn`t it?" "Captain, the vessel, V`Ger, obviously operates from a central brain complex." "The orbiting devices are controlled from that point." "Precisely." "The information cannot be disclosed to V`Ger`s probe." "But only to V`Ger, directly." " Forward motion, Captain." " Tractor beam." "Captain, what`s the next move?" "The question is, Mr Decker, is there a next move?" "Resume duty stations." "All personnel, resume stations." "Well, Mr Decker, it seems my bluff has been called." "l`m afraid our hand is weak, Captain." "Mr Chekov, when do those devices reach final position?" "27 minutes." "Mark." " Engineering." " Scott here." "Mr Scott, be prepared to execute Starfleet order 2005." "When, sir?" " On my command." " Aye, sir." "Why has the Captain ordered self-destruct, sir?" "I would say, lass, because he thinks, he hopes, that when we go up, we`ll take the intruder with us." "Will we?" "When that much matter and antimatter are brought together, yes, indeed." "1 8 minutes to device activation, sir." "Give me an all-decks read-out." "Starfleet has been apprised of our situation, Captain." "Crew status is 1 7 2 at duty stations." "2 48 off duty." "1 1 in sickbay, all minor." "Over." "Tractor beam remains constant." "We are 1 7 kilometres inside the vessel." "Engineering, show me your readings." "Deck four, that temperature should read 1 0 1 3 degrees." "Please confirm." " Not for us?" " No, Captain, not for us." "For V`Ger." "I weep for V`Ger as I would for a brother." "As I was when I came aboard, so is V`Ger now." "Empty, incomplete and searching." "Logic and knowledge are not enough." "Spock, are you saying you found what you needed, but V`Ger hasn`t?" "What would V`Ger need to fulfil itself?" "Each of us, at some time in our lives, turns to someone." "A father, a brother, a god, and asks," ""Why am I here?"" ""What was I meant to be?"" "V`Ger hopes to touch its Creator." "To find its answers." ""ls this all that I am?" "is there nothing more?"" "Captain?" "Forward motion slowing, Captain." "Captain, I believe that is our destination." "An oxygen gravity envelope is forming outside the Enterprise." "Forward motion stopped, Captain." "V`Ger." "Sir, l`ve located the source of V`Ger`s radio signal." "lt`s directly ahead." "That transmitter is a vital link between V`Ger and its Creator." "The carbon units will now provide V`Ger with the required information." "Mr Decker. I will contact you every five minutes." "Captain." "l`d like to go along." "Mr Sulu, you have the conn." "V`Ger." "V-G-E-R." "V`Ger." "V-O-Y-A-G-E-R." "Voyager!" "Voyager Vl?" "NASA." "National Aeronautics and Space Administration." "Jim, this was launched more than 300 years ago." "Voyager series." "Designed to collect data, and transmit it back to Earth." "Captain!" "Voyager Vl disappeared into what they used to call a black hole." "It must have emerged on the far side of the galaxy." "And fell into the machine planet`s gravitational field." "The machine inhabiters found it to be one of their own kind." "Primitive yet kindred." "They discovered its simple 20th-century programming." "Collect all data possible." "Learn all that is learnable." "Return that information to its Creator." "Precisely, Mr Decker." "The machines interpreted it literally." "They built this entire vessel so Voyager could fulfil its programming." "And on its journey back, it amassed so much knowledge, it achieved consciousness itself." "It became a living thing." "Kirk unit." "V`Ger awaits the information." "Enterprise, order up the ship`s computer library of records on the late 20th-century NASA probe, Voyager Vl." "We want the old NASA code signal that instructs the probe to transmit its data." " And fast, Uhura!" " Aye, sir." "lt`s been signalling its readiness to transmit its information." "No one on Earth could recognise the old signal and respond." "The Creator does not answer." "V`Ger." "We are the Creator." "That is not logical." "Carbon units are not true life forms." "We will prove it." "We will make it possible for you to complete your programming." "Only the Creator could accomplish that." "Enterprise." "We have just received the response code." "Set the Enterprise transmitter on appropriate frequency and transmit the code now." "Transmitting." "504." "329." "31 7." "51 0." "And the final sequence..." "That should trigger Voyager`s transmitter." "Voyager is not transmitting its data, Captain." "The Creator must join with V`Ger." "Uhura, repeat the final sequence." "The Creator must join with V`Ger." "Voyager is not transmitting because it did not receive the final sequence." "We`re down to ten minutes." "Enterprise, stand by." " The antenna leads are melted away." " Yes, just now." "By V`Ger itself." "Why?" " To prevent reception." " Of course." "To bring the Creator here." "To finish transmitting the code in person." "To touch the Creator." "Capture God?" "V`Ger`s in for one hell of a disappointment." "Perhaps not, Doctor." "Captain." "V`Ger must evolve." "Its knowledge has reached the limits of this universe." "What it requires is the answer to its question," ""ls there nothing more?"" "What more is there than the universe?" "Other dimensions, levels of being." "Whose existence cannot be proven logically." "Therefore, V`Ger is incapable of believing in them." "What V`Ger needs in order to evolve is a human quality." "Our capacity to leap beyond logic." "Joining with its Creator might accomplish that." "This machine wants to physically join with a human?" "is that possible?" "Let`s find out." "l`ll key the sequence through the ground-test computer." "You don`t know what that`ll do!" "Yes, I do, Doctor." "Decker, don`t!" "Jim, I want this." "As much as you wanted the Enterprise, I want this." "Captain." "Spock!" "Did we just see the beginning of a new life form?" "Yes, Captain." "We witnessed a birth." "Possibly a next step in our evolution." "I wonder... lt`s been a long time since I delivered a baby." " l hope it got off to a good start." " l hope so, too." "I think we gave it the ability to create its own sense of purpose." "Out of our own human weaknesses, and the drive that compels us to overcome them." "And a lot of foolish human emotions, right, Mr Spock?" "Quite true, Doctor." "Unfortunately, it will have to deal with them as well." "Starfleet request damage and injury reports and vessel status." "Report two casualties." "Lt Ilia." "Capt Decker." "Aye, sir." "Correction." "They`re not casualties." "They are..." "List them as missing." " Vessel status fully operational." " Aye, sir." "Mr Scott!" "Shall we give the Enterprise a proper shakedown?" "I would say it`s time for that, sir." "We can have you on Vulcan in four days, Mr Spock." "Unnecessary, Mr Scott." "My task on Vulcan is completed." "Mr Sulu?" "Ahead warp one." "Warp one, sir." "Heading, sir?" "Out there." "Thataway."