"This is com station Epsilon 9 calling USS Columbia." "Come in, Columbia." "Respond, please." "This is Scout Columbia, Epsilon 9." "Could you boost your transmission?" "This is Epsilon 9, Columbia." "Am boosting output." "How read you this?" "Fine, fine." "Thank you, Epsilon 9." "Receiving your transmission." "Scout Columbia, NCC-621... to rendezvous with Scout Revere, NCC-595... on stardate 7411.4." "Further orders will be relayed at that time." "Signed Commodore Prober to Starfleet." " End of transmission." " Received." "Thank you." "Our sensor drone is intercepting this on Quad L-14." "That's within Klingon boundaries." "Who are they fighting?" "Unknown, sir." "L 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." "Commander Sonak." "You received your appointment as Enterprise science officer?" "Based, I am told, on your recommendation, Admiral." "Thank you." "Then why aren't you aboard?" "Captain Decker requested I complete final science briefing here before..." " Here?" " We leave on our mission." "At Starfleet?" "The Enterprise is in final preparation to leave dock." "Which will require 20 more hours at minimum..." "Twelve." "I'm on my way to a meeting with Admiral Nogura... which will not last more than three minutes." "Report to me on the Enterprise in one hour." "Report to you, sir?" "It is my intention to be on that ship following that meeting." "Report to me in one hour." " Admiral!" " Mr. Scott." "Those departure orders... 12 hours." "Starfleet cannot be serious." "Why aren't the Enterprisetransporters operating, Mr. Scott?" "A wee problem, sir." "Just temporary." "Admiral, we have just finished 18 months... redesigning and refitting the Enterprise." "How in hell do they expect me to have her ready in 12 hours?" "Take me over, please." "She needs more work, sir." "A shakedown!" "Mr. Scott, an alien object of unbelievable destructive power... is less than three days away from this planet." "The only starship in interception range is the Enterprise." "Ready or not, she launches in 12 hours." "The crew haven't had near enough transition time... with all the new equipment." "And the engines..." "They're not even tested at warp power." "And an untried captain." "Two-and-a-half years as chief of Starfleet Operations... may have made me a little stale, but I... wouldn't exactly consider myself untried." " They gave her back to me, Scotty." " Gave her back, sir?" "L doubt it was that easy with Nogura." "You're right." "Well, any man who could manage such a feat..." "I would not dare disappoint." "She'll launch on time, sir, and she'll be ready." " Thank you, Mr. Scott." " Aye, sir." "Cargo bay to launch crew." "A travel pod is now available at dock 6." " Permission to come aboard, sir." " Granted, sir." "Welcome aboard, Admiral." "Commander Scott, you're needed in Engineering immediately." "Sir, you'll excuse me." "Flight deck, prepare for an incoming shuttlecraft." "If you'll follow me, I'll show you..." "I think I can find my way, Ensign." "Aye, sir." "Bridge." "What's the problem?" "L thought you people had that circuit patched in an hour ago." "We did." "We had to disconnect it." "All right." "Take out..." "It's going to take us longer that way." "We're trying to save time." "I'm still waiting for a check on the line." "What's holding it up?" "As soon as somebody can get to it." "What's the next program?" "L'll get somebody down there as soon as I can, Cleary." "My people are all tied up now." "Captain!" "Starfleet just signaled your transfer of command orders." "L wish the circumstances were less critical." "Epsilon 9 is monitoring the intruder." "Keep a channel open to them." "Aye, sir." " Where's Captain Decker?" " He's in Engineering, sir." "He..." "He doesn't know." " Mr. Chekov." " Aye, sir." "Assemble the crew on the recreation deck at 0400 hours." "L want to show them what we're facing." "He wanted her back." "He got her." "And Captain Decker?" "He's been with this ship every minute of her refitting." "Ensign, the possibilities of our returning from this mission... in one piece may have just doubled." "Check Cleary on number six." " Need your cooler status." " Stand by." "Space matrix restoration coils." "Dilithium crystals." "L knew it." "The transporter sensor was not activated." "Air equalization." "Automatic off." "Faulty module." "Cleary, put a new backup sensor into the unit." "Aye, sir." "Admiral Kirk!" "Well, we're getting a top brass send-off." "Don't worry, she'll launch on schedule... if we have to tow her out with our bare hands, right, Scotty?" "Aye." "That we will, sir." " Let's talk." " Sure." "Let me know when that backup's ready." "All due respect, I hope this isn't some kind of Starfleet pep talk." " I'm really too busy." " I'm taking over the center seat." "You're what?" "I'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 and its crew." "Admiral, this is an almost totally new Enterprise." "You don't know her a tenth as well as I do." "That's why you're staying aboard." "I'm sorry, Will." "No, Admiral, I don't think you're sorry." "Not one damn bit." "L remember when you recommended me for this command." "You told me how envious you were and how much you hoped... you'd find a way to get a starship command again." "Well, sir, it looks like you found a way." "Report to the bridge, Commander, immediately." "Aye, sir." "Transporter room!" "Come in!" "Urgent!" "Redline on the transporter, Mr. Scott!" "Transporter, do not engage!" " It's too late." "They're beaming now." " Do not..." "Do you read me, Starfleet?" "Override it!" "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!" " Oh, 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." "Commander Sonak's can be reached through the Vulcan embassy." "There was nothing you could have done, Rand." "It wasn't your fault." "Yeoman, turboshaft 8?" "Back that way, sir." "We have to replace Commander Sonak." "L'd still like a Vulcan there, if possible." "None available, Captain." "In fact, there's no one who's fully rated on this design." "You are, Mr. Decker." "I'm afraid you're going to 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 9." " Put it on viewer." " On viewer, sir." "Enterprise, the cloud is definitely a power field of some kind." "Measures..." "My God..." "over two AU's in diameter." "Must be something incredible inside there generating it." "We're transmitting lingua code friendship messages... on all frequencies." "No response." "Have a null reading at the center of the cloud." "Definitely something inside there, but scans are being reflected back." " Some kind of power surge." " Receiving an odd pattern now." "Enterprise, they could be mistaking our scans as a hostile act." "They seem to be reactingto our scans, sir." "Deflectors, emergency full!" " We are under attack." " External view." "Viewer off." "Prelaunch countdown will commence in 40 minutes." "Transporter system fully repaired and functioning normally, sir." "Dock signals clear, Captain." "Reply we are holding position, awaiting final crew replacements." "Aye, sir." "Transporter personnel reports... the navigator, Lieutenant Ilia..." "She's already aboard and en route to the bridge, sir." "She's Deltan, Captain." "Lieutenant Ilia reporting for duty, sir." "Welcome aboard, Lieutenant." " Hello, Ilia." " Decker." "L was stationed on the lieutenant's home planet some years ago." "Commander Decker?" "Yes, our exec and science officer." "Captain Kirk has the utmost confidence in me." "And in you, too, Lieutenant." "My oath of celibacy is on record, Captain." " May I assume my duties?" " By all means." "Starfleet reports our last six crew members are ready to beam up... but one of them is refusing to step into the transporter." "Oh?" "L'll see to it that he beams up." "Transporter room." " Yeoman?" " Yes, sir?" " What was the problem down there?" " He insisted we go first, sir." "Said something about first seeing how it scrambled our molecules." "Has a familiar ring, doesn't it?" "Starfleet, this is Captain Kirk." "Beam that officer up now." "Well, for a man who swore he'd never 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." "This was your idea, wasn't it?" "Bones, there's a thing out there." "Why is any object we don't understand always called a thing?" "Headed this way." "L 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." "Well, I'm going to need a top nurse... not a doctor who will argue every little diagnosis with me." "And they probably redesigned the whole sick bay too!" "L know engineers." "They love to change things." "Dock control reports ready, sir." " Helm ready, sir." " Orbital departure on plot, sir." "Yard command signaling clear, sir." " Maneuvering thrusters, Mr. Sulu." " Maneuvering thrusters, sir." "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.5." "Departure angle on viewer." "Departure angle." " Viewer ahead." " Viewer ahead." "Captain 's Log:" "Stardate 7412. 6... 1.8hours from launch." "In order to intercept the intruder at the earliest possible time... we must now risk engaging warp drive while still within the solar system." "Captain, assuming we have full warp capability... accelerating to warp 7 on leaving the solar system... will bring us to IP with the intruder in 20.1 hours." "Well, Bones, do the new medical facilities meet with your approval?" "They do not." "It's like working in a damn computer center." " Programming ready?" " Set for standard 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." "Captain, we need further warp simulation on the flow sensors." "Engineer, we need warp speed now!" "Jim, you're pushing." "Your people know their jobs." "That's it, sir." "L can't do any better." "Aye, lad." "It's borderline on the simulator." "L cannot guarantee she'll hold up." "Warp drive, Mr. Scott." " Ahead warp 1, Mr. Sulu." " Accelerating to warp 1, sir." "Warp.7,.8." "Warp 1, sir." "Mr. Decker..." "Wormhole." "Get us back on impulse power." "Full reverse." "Negative helm control, Captain." "Going reverse on impulse power." "Subspace frequencies jammed, sir!" "Wormhole effect!" "Negative control from inertial lag will continue 22.5 seconds... before forward velocity slows to sublight speed." "Unidentified small object has been pulled into the wormhole with us." " Directly ahead." " Force fields up full." "Put object on viewer." " Go manual override on helm." " No manual response, sir." "Navigational deflectors coming up, sir." "Wormhole distortion has overloaded the main power systems." "Navigational deflectors inoperative, Captain." "Directional control also inoperative." "Time to impact?" "Twenty seconds." "Mr. Chekov, stand by on phasers." "No!" "Belay that phaser order!" "Arm photon torpedoes!" "Photon torpedoes... armed!" "Object is an asteroid." "Reading mass.7." "Targeting... asteroid!" "Impact in ten seconds." "Impact in eight seconds." " Fire torpedoes!" " Six!" "Torpedoes away!" "Five!" "Helm control restored, sir." " Position report, Navigator." " Computing new intersection course." "Communications are normal, sir." "Negative damage reported, Captain." "No casualties reported, Doctor." "Wrong, Mr. Chekov." "There are casualties." "My wits, as in "frightened out of," Captain, sir." "We were at warp.8. Engineer, report your status there." "In just a second, Exec." "We're picking up the pieces down here." "Mr. Scott, we need warp drive as soon as possible." "The engine imbalance created the wormhole in the first place." "It'll happen again if we don't correct it." "That object is less than two days away from Earth." "We need to intercept while it still is out there." "Lay in a heading to conform with our initial IP with the intruder." "Mr. Sulu, you have the com." "Mr. Decker." " L'd like to see you in my quarters." " Mind if I tag along, Captain?" "Level 5." "All right, explanation." "Why was my phaser order countermanded?" "The Enterprise redesignincreases phaser power... by channeling it through the main engines." "When they went into antimatter imbalance... the phasers were automatically cut off." "Then you acted properly, of course." "Thank you, sir." "I'm sorry if I embarrassed you." " You saved the ship." " I'm aware of that, sir." "Stop competing with me, Decker." " Permission to speak freely, sir?" " Granted." "Sir, 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, sir, seriously jeopardizes this mission." "L trust you will... nursemaid me through these difficulties?" "Yes, sir, I'll do that." "Then I won't keep you from your duties any longer, Commander." " Yes, Doctor?" " Aye, sir." "He may be right, Jim." " Was it difficult?" " No more than I expected." "About as difficult as seeing you again." " I'm sorry." " That you left Delta IV?" "Or that you didn't even say good-bye?" "If I had seen you again... would you have been able to say it?" "No." "Make your point, Doctor." "The point, Captain, is that it's you who is 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 what you're saying?" "Yes." "It's an obsession." "An obsession that can blind you... to far more immediate and critical responsibilities." "Your reaction to Decker is an example, Jim." " Bridge to Captain." " Viewer on." "Signal from a Federation registered long-range shuttle, sir." "She wishes to come alongside and lock on." "For what purpose?" "My security scan shows it has a grade-one priority, Captain." "Non belligerency confirmed." "L 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." "Granted." "Why..." "Why, it's Mister..." "Spock!" "Spock." "Commander, if I may?" "Lf..." "Oh." "L've been monitoring your communications with Starfleet." "I'm aware of your engine design difficulties." "L offer my services as science officer... with all due respect, Commander." " If our exec has no objections." " Of course not." "I'm well aware of 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, I'm actually pleased to see you." "It's how we all feel, Mr. Spock." "Captain, with your permission..." "I will now discuss these fuel equations with the engineer." "Mr. Spock." "Welcome aboard." "Captain 's Log:" "Stardate 7413.4." "Thanks to Mr. Spock's timely arrival and assistance... we have the engines rebalanced into full warp capacity." "Repair time:" "Less than three hours." "Which means we will now be able to intercept intruder... while still more than a day from Earth." "Warp.8." ".9." "Warp 2, sir." "Warp 3." "Warp 4." "Warp 5." "Warp 6." "Warp 7." "Science Officer Spock, reporting as ordered, Captain." "Please, sit down." "Spock, you haven't changed a bit." "You're just as warm and sociable as ever." "Nor have you, Doctor... as your continued predilection for irrelevancy demonstrates." "Gentlemen." "At last report, you were on Vulcan... apparently to stay." "Yes, you were undergoing the "Kolanear" 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... that's 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... from a source more powerful than I have ever encountered." "Thought patterns of exactingly perfect order." "L believe they emanate from the intruder." "L believe it may hold my answers." "Isn't it lucky for you that we just happened to be heading your way?" "Bones!" "We need him." "L need him." "Then my presence is to our mutual advantage." "Any thought patterns you might sense... whether they appear to affect you personally 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 it is, how do we know..." "That he wouldn't put his own interests ahead of the ship's?" "L could never believe that." "How do we know about any of us?" "Bridge to Officers' Lounge." "Captain Kirk." "Revised estimate on cloud visualcontact:3. 7minutes." "On my way." "Order new backup settings there." "Present status." "Give us apriority, Commander." "Bridge Communication to Flight Conn." "Check your subspace alignment." "Standard light, Engineer." " Full mag on viewer." " Full mag, sir." "Lingua code?" "Continuing friendship messages on all frequencies, sir." "All decks and divisions confirmed." "Status red." "Captain, we are being scanned." "Do not return scan, Mr. Spock." "It could be misinterpreted as hostility." "Intruder scans emanating from the exact center of the cloud." "Energy of a type... never before encountered." "There's no response to friendship messages, sir." " Shall I go to battle stations?" " Negative." "We'll take no provocative action." "Recommend defensive posture, Captain." "Screens and shields." "No, Mr. Decker, that could also be misinterpreted as hostile." "Cloud composition, Mr. Spock?" " Twelfth-power energy field." " Twelfth-power?" "We've seen what their weapons can do." "Shouldn't we take every precaution?" " Mr. Decker..." " Captain." "L suspect there's an object at the heart of that cloud." "L will not provoke an attack." "If that order isn't clear enough..." "Captain, as your exec it's my duty... to point out alternatives." "Yes, it is." "L stand corrected." "Five minutes to cloud boundary." "Navigator, lay in a conic section flight path to the cloud center." "Bring us parallel to whatever we find in there." "Mr. Sulu, tactical plot on viewer." "Tactical on viewer, sir." "That measures 12th-power energy?" "Thousands of starships couldn't generate that much..." "Mr. Spock?" "Spock, tell me." "L 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, Captain." "Exact composition unknown." "Guidance system unknown." "All decks, brace for impact." "Engineering, status report." "Systems overloading, Captain." "Medic." "Medics are coming." "Engineering to Bridge." "Cannot hold full power on force fields." "Deflector power is down 70 percent." "Divert auxiliary power to deflectors." "Oh, 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... and at such a high rate of speed... their entire message lasts only a millisecond." "L am now programming our computer... to transmit lingua code at their frequency and rate of speed." "Commander." "Spock!" "Here it comes." "Engineering, what's happening to our force field?" "Our shields cannot handle another attack." "Mr. Spock." "Spock." "Fifteen seconds." "Spock, transmit now." "Ten seconds." "Transmitting." "It would seem our friendship messages... have been received and understood, Mr. Spock." "L would say that was a logical assumption, Captain." "One minute, 30 seconds to cloud boundary." "Captain... we are obviously confronted by a highly advanced mentality." "Yet they cannot understand... who we are or what we want." "And yet it would seem that they understood our message." "They broke off the attack." "They may have attacked only as a warning to us, Captain... to keep away." "That would presuppose a feeling..." "Commander." "Compassion." "L sense no emotion." "Only pure logic." "Mr. Sulu, hold present position." "Holding present position, sir." "Tactical plot on viewer." "Course projection on tactical, sir." "Opinion, Mr. Spock." "Recommend we proceed, Captain." " Mr. Decker?" " L advise caution, Captain." "We can't withstand another attack." "That thing is 20 hours away from Earth." " We know nothing about it as yet." " Precisely the point, Captain." "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." "Spock." "Instruments fluctuating, Captain." "Patterns unrecognizable." "Transmit image of alien to Starfleet." "Advise we are attempting further communication." "Unable to make contact with Starfleet, Captain." "Any attempt to transmit out of the cloud is being reflected back." "We are closing on it rapidly, Captain." "Reduce magnification factor four, Mr. Sulu." "We are already two settings below that, sir." "Mr. Sulu... bring us into a parallel course... over the alien... at 500 meters." "Five hundred meters?" "Then take us out to 100 kilometers distance... adjusting parallel course." "Aye, sir." "Viewer astern." "Reverse angle on the view, Captain." "Five hundred meters." "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." "It's taking control of the computer." "It's running our records..." "Earth defenses, Starfleet strength." "Ilia!" "Ilia!" "This is how I define "unwarranted."" "Activate auxiliary computer circuits through manual shutoff." "Captain, we've been seized by a tractor beam." "Get someone up here to take the navigator's station." " Engineering." " Chief DiFalco, to the bridge." " Emergency power." " Going to full emergency." "But, Captain, if we don't break free in 15 seconds, she'll burn up." "We cannot break free, Captain." "We have only a fraction of the power necessary." "Engineering, belay that order." "Disengage all main drive systems." "Chief DiFalco, take over Lieutenant Ilia's station." "DiFalco, disengage engine navigation relays now." "Aye, sir." "Force field circuits E-10 through 14... show ready for reactivation." "Confirm, please." "Scotty, drive systems should be free now." "Commander?" "Ready to launch remote communications drone... with complete ship's records... including our present situation, sir." "Delay launching as long as possible." "Our drone can't escape as long as we're held in their tractor." "Aye." "Captain, a maximum phaser strike directly at the beam... might weaken it just enough for us to break free." "Break free to where, Commander?" "Any show of resistance would be futile, Captain." "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, Captain." "Tractor beam has released us, Captain." "Confirmed." "Vessel is floating free." "No forward momentum." "Viewer ahead." "Viewer ahead, sir." "Maneuvering 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 look them over now." "Now that we're looking down their throat." "Right, now that we've got them just where they want us." "It's closing up." "Hold position." "Captain." "All our scans are being reflected back." "Sensors are useless." "Damn." "What do you make of all this?" "L believe the closed orifice leads to another chamber... undoubtedly part of the vessel's inner mechanism." "L suspect it may be necess..." "Intruder alert!" "Deck 5." "Officer's quarters." "Have Security meet me at deck 5, main elevator." "Spock." "Mr. Decker, you have the com." "Hold positions." "You are the Kirk unit." "You will assist me." "L have 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 is Lieutenant Ilia?" "That unit no longer functions." "L've been given its form... to more readily communicate 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 directly ahead?" "To find the creator." "Find the 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." "And who is the creator?" "The creator is that which created V'Ger." "Who is V'Ger?" "V'Ger is that which seeks the creator." "I'm ready to commence my observations." "Doctor, a thorough examination of this probe... might provide some insight into those who manufactured it... and how to deal with them." "Fine." "Let's get her to sick bay." "I'm programmed to observe and record... only the normal functioning of the carbon-based units." "The, uh... examination is a normal function." "You may proceed." "Micro-miniature hydraulics... sensors... and molecule-sized multiprocessor chips." "And take a look at this." "An osmotic micropump, right here." "Even the smallest body functions are exactly duplicated." "Every exocrine system is the same, too... even eye moisture." "Decker." "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, Commander." "Its body duplicates our navigator in precise detail." "Suppose that, beneath its programming... the real Ilia's memory patterns are duplicated with equal precision." " They had a pattern to follow." " Indeed." "They may have followed it too precisely." "Ilia's memory... her feelings of loyalty, obedience, friendship... might all be there." "You did have a relationship with Lieutenant Ilia, Commander." "That probe, in another form, is what killed Ilia." "Commander..." "Will, we're locked in an alien vessel... six hours from Earth's orbit." "Our only contact with our captor is that probe." "If we can control it, persuade it, use it..." "I have recorded enough here." "You will now assist me further." "The, uh..." "Decker unit can assist you with much greater efficiency." "Carry on with your assignment, Mr. Decker." "Aye, sir." "L am concerned with that being our only source of information, Captain." "Captain's Log:" "Stardate 7414. 1." "Our best estimates place us some 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 audiovisual association." "This device serves no purpose." "Why does Enterprise require the presence of carbon units?" "Enterprise would be unable to function without carbon units." "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." "L remember Lieutenant Ilia once mentioning she wore that." "Put it on." "On Delta." "Remember?" "Ilia." "Dr. Chapel." "Will?" "Ilia." "Commander." "Commander." "This is a mechanism." "Ilia... help us make direct contact with V'Ger." "L cannot." "This creator V'Ger is looking for..." "what is it?" "V'Ger does not know." "Computer, commence recording." "Captain Kirk, these messages will detail my attempt... to contact the aliens." "L intend to calculate thruster ignition and acceleration rate... to coincide with the opening of the V'Ger orifice." "This should facilitate a better view... of the interior of the alien spacecraft." "Captain, Starfleet signals are growing in strength, sir." "They still have the intruder on their monitors." " It's decelerating." " Confirmed, sir." "Lunar beacons indicate intruder on a course into Earth orbit." "Sir, air lock 4 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." "L have successfully penetrated... the next chamber of the alien's interior... and I'm witnessing some sort of dimensional image... which I believe to be a representation... of V'Ger's home planet." "I'm passing through a connecting tunnel." "Apparently, a kind of plasma-energy conduit." "Possibly a field coil for a gigantic imaging system." "Curious." "I'm seeing images of planets, moons, stars... whole galaxies all stored here, recorded." "It could be a representation of V'Ger's entire journey." "But who or what... are we dealing with?" "The Epsilon 9 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." "Ilia." "The sensor... must contain some special meaning." "L must try to mind-meld with it." "Spock." "Spock!" "Spock." "Now scanning pons area at spinal nerve fiber connection." "Indications of some neurological trauma." "The power pouring through that mind-meld must have been staggering." "Spock." "Jim." "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." "That's why the probe refers to our ship as an entity." "L 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." "Should have known." "Known?" "Known what?" "Spock." "What should you have known?" "What should you have known?" "Jim... this... simple feeling... is beyond V'Ger's comprehension." "No meaning, no hope." "Jim... no answers." "It's asking questions." ""Is this... all that I am?" "Is there nothing more?"" "Bridge to Captain." "Kirk here." "A faint signal from Starfleet, sir." "Intruder cloud has been located on their outer monitors... for the past 27 minutes." "Cloud dissipating rapidly as it approaches." "Starfleet reports forward velocity has slowed to sub-warp speed." "We are three minutes from Earth orbit." "L'll be right there." "L need Spock on the bridge." "Dalaphaline, five cc's." "Captain, 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." "Spock?" "A simple binary code... transmitted by carrier wave signal." "Radio." "Radio?" "Jim." "V'Ger expects an answer." "An answer?" "L don't know the question." "The creator has not responded." "All planetary defense systems have just gone inoperative." "Sir, Starfleet computes the devices are proceeding... toward equidistant positions orbiting the planet." "They're the same things that hit us." "They are hundreds of times more powerful, Captain." "From those positions... they could devastate the entire surface of the planet." "Why?" "The creator has not answered." "The carbon unit infestation is to be removed from the creator's 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." "A machine." "Captain." "V'Ger is a child." "L suggest you treat it as such." " A child?" " Yes, Captain." "A child... evolving, learning, searching... instinctively needing." " Needing what?" " Spock." "This child is about to wipe out every living thing on Earth." "Now, 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." "I'm losing Starfleet." "Interference 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, Mr. Sulu." " Aye, sir." "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?" "All ship's functions going to automatic, Captain." "If V'Ger destroys the Enterprise... the information that V'Ger requires will also be destroyed." "It is illogical to withhold required information." "Kirk unit!" "Kirk unit." "Why do you not disclose information?" "Because V'Ger's going to destroy all carbon units on the third planet." "They have 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 would be controlled from that point, then." "Precisely." "The carbon unit's 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." "I'm afraid our hand is pretty weak, Captain." "Mr. Chekov, when do those devices reach final position?" "Twenty-seven minutes." "Mark." " Engineering." " Scott here." "Mr. Scott, be prepared to execute Starfleet order 2-0-0-5." "When, sir?" "On my command." "Aye, sir." "Why has the captain ordered self-destruct, sir?" "L 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... oh, yes, we will indeed." "Eighteen minutes to device activation, sir." "Gravity control, get me an all-decks readout." "Starfleet has been apprised of our situation, Captain." "Crew status is 1-7-2 at duty stations... 2-4-8 of fi-duty... 11 in sickbay 0-9'er." "Tractor beam remains constant." "We are 17 kilometers inside the vessel." "Engineering, show me your pylon stress readings." "Deck4, that temperature should read 1-0-1-3 degrees." "Please confirm." "Spock." "Mr. Spock." "Not for us." "No, Captain, not for us." "For V'Ger." "L 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 that you found what you needed... but V'Ger hasn't?" "What would V'Ger need to fulfill 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." ""Is this all that I am?" "Is there nothing more?"" "Captain." "Forward motion slowing, Captain." "Captain, I believe that is our destination." "L read an oxygen-gravity envelope forming outside the Enterprise." "Forward motion stopped, Captain." "V'Ger." "Sir, I've located the source of V'Ger's radio signal." "It'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. Spock." "Bones." "Mr. Decker, I will contact you every five minutes." "Captain." "L'd like to go along." "Mr. Sulu, you have the com." "V'Ger." ""V..." "G-E-R."" "V'Ger." ""V-O-Y-A-G-E-R."" "Voyager." "Voyager 6." "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 6 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 inhabitants 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 that Voyager could actually fulfill 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 records... on the late 20th-century NASA probe Voyager 6." "Specifically, we want the old NASA code signal... that instructs the probe to transmit its data." " And fast, Uhura, fast." " Aye, sir." "That's what it's been signaling... its readiness to transmit its information." "And there's no one on Earth... who could recognize the old signal and send a response." "The creator does not answer." "V'Ger." "V'Ger." "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, Captain." "Set the Enterprise transmitter on appropriate frequency... and transmit the code now." "Transmitting." "5-0-4... 3-2-9... 3-1-7... 5-1-0... 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, Captain... because it did not receive the final sequence." "Jim, we're down to ten minutes." "Enterprise, stand by." " The antenna leads are melted away." " Yes, Captain, 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 liable to be in for one hell of a disappointment." "Perhaps not, Doctor." "Captain." "V'Ger must evolve." "Its knowledge has reached the limits of this universe." "It must evolve." "What it requires of its god, Doctor, is the answer to its question..." "Is there nothing more?" "What more is there than the universe, Spock?" "Other dimensions." "Higher levels of being." "The existence of which 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." "You mean this machine wants to physically join with a human?" "Is that possible?" "Let's find out." "Decker." "I'm gonna key the final sequence through the ground test computer." "You don't know what that'll do to you!" "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." "Well, it's been a long time since I delivered a baby." "L hope we got this one off to a good start." "I 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." "Interrogative from Starfleet." "They're requesting damage and injury reports and complete vessel status." "Report two casualties." "Lieutenant Ilia." "Captain Decker." " Aye, sir." " Correction." "They're not casualties." "They..." "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, aye." "We can have you back on Vulcan in four days, Mr. Spock." "Unnecessary, Mr. Scott." "My task on Vulcan is completed." "Mr. Sulu, ahead warp 1." " Warp 1, sir." " Heading, sir?" "Out there." "That away."