wix@bergil.DEC (Jack Wickwire) (06/12/84)
(this is being submitted through me (BERGIL::WIX) to you
- I will pass on all mail to the writer)
All right, I can't stand it any more; certain subjects keep coming
up, and I must remark on them. I'm new at this; please forgive me
if I do anything stupid. (And tell me about it, of course, so I
don't do it again.)
A number of people have recommended John M. Ford's "Star Trek" novel,
*The Final Reflection*, a recommendation I heartily endorse. For
those of you who actually read science fiction (I realize that some
"Star Trek" fans do not, which is perfectly reasonable of them), I
also highly recommend his other s-f novels, *Web of Angels* (Pocket,
1980), and *The Princes of the Air* (Pocket, 1982). They are more
convoluted than the "Star Trek" novel (really!), and have a faint
but definite "Star Trek" flavor about them. He's also written a
most peculiar alternate-history novel called *The Dragon Waiting*,
but those who liked the "Star Trek" novel wouldn't necessarily
enjoy that.
* * *** S P O I L E R W A R N I N G *** * *
* * ***[ S P O I L E R W A R N I N G ]*** * *
The other matter I wanted to remark on is the confident (or disgusted,
depending on the point of view of the person holding the attitude)
belief that, because T'Pau intervened with Starfleet Command on
Kirk's behalf when he took Spock to Vulcan against orders, T'Lar will
be able to perform the same service for Kirk et al this time.
Do consider the differences between these situations. In "Amok
Time" (of which I just saw a rerun, no doubt with the scene that
would refute my argument cut out), the consequences of Kirk's disobeying
orders (i.e., the ship's being late for an inauguration) had not
yet occurr. T'Pau's request for diversion to Vulcan occurred after
Kirk had done so, but before he was late for the ceremony.
In STAR TREK III, Kirk has *already* done the following: subverted
one Starfleet officer into sabotaging the Fleet's pride and joy;
subverted three more into busting a fifth, who has been babbling
all over bars the one thing he was specifically requested to shut
up about, out of jail; stealing the *Enterprise*; taking her to
the one place in the universe he had been specifically forbidden
to go, and there, having failed to prevent the murder of one of
the only two people left who know much about Genesis, he has blown
up the ship to vanquish a handful of Klingons and taken himself
and his fellow criminals and one so-far virtuous officer (Saavik)
off to Vulcan in a Klingon ship Starfleet would no doubt give
its eyeteeth to examine.
There are certainly extenuating circumstances, and I think all
of them can get off with their lives and portions of their
careers intact. But it should be extremely difficult, touch-
and-go.
Of course, this doesn't mean that the people who put STAR TREK IV
together will see matters this way; but if they don't, they will
be WRONG, and the Great Bird of the Galaxy will never roost on
THEIR planets.
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PDDB