From: Ziana Astralos (ziana@extrotech.net)
Date: Sun Jul 14 2002 - 19:56:18 MDT
On Thu 11 Jul 2002 Louis Newstrom <louisnews@comcast.net> wrote:
> I know that the original Star Trek series had some "upload" scenarios.
> (I don't remember titles so I'll describe them.)
> ...
> The upside was that these are all in mainstream (cult) culture. The
> downside is that they portrayed them as imperfect procedures.
I was very impressed with Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979).
Excerpts from the novelization:
(Big spoilers below...)
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V'ger uploaded Ilia into an nonbiological lookalike:
***
"I... I've been here, *in* here. It was like I was dreaming it... and then Will
was... helping me wake up!" The probe turned toward Decker. "I wanted to help
you, but Vejur knew it and took control of... of this *body* I'm in..."
"She's *alive*," said Decker to Kirk. "Somehow Vejur was able to put the
*living person* in there..."
***
And the most surprising stuff of all for a relatively mainstream film, and
positively portrayed no less:
***
"It *can't* have done that, Spock! Vejur is *desperate* to hear from its
Creator!"
"It is desperate to *unite* with its creator, Captain. The probe told us that,
but we did not understand."
McCoy nodded. "Vejur's purpose is to survive... to unite with the Creator. But
I thought the probe meant that metaphorically..."
"Vejur speaks and interprets *everything* literally," said Spock as he looked
around at the amphitheater design. "It no doubt plans to unite physically with
the Creator here."
...
Spock was eyeing the twentieth-century capsule and the nucleus design around
it. "As Dr. McCoy said, we all create God in our image. Vejur still expects a
machine... it probably plans something similar to what occurs in our ship's
transporter chamber, except that *two* forms will be reduced to energy..."
"...and combined both of them together into a new form." It was Decker's voice -
- he and Ilia were standing at this side of the Voyager capsule, with Spock's
tricorder still in Decker's hand.
"Request permission to proceed, Captain." Decker was making an adjustment on
the tricorder.
"Wait," said Kirk. "We'll discuss *who* does it only after we're certain of
what..."
"Jim, it's got to be done-- with or without your permission."
...
"Let it happen, Captain," said Spock's voice. "I suspect he knows exactly what
he's doing."
Decker nodded. "I *do* know." From the tricorder in his hand they could hear
the high, thin sound of the code signal beginning-- a pulsating light glow was
appearing all around the base of Voyager Six.
"I want this!" called Decker. "Just as you wanted the Enterprise!"
...
Something was happening to the great pillar of white light thrusting up around
them. It was... trembling like a live thing-- a lovely thing in which spiraling
brilliant colors began to appear; the colors began fanning out over their heads
like great unfolding blossoms.
Even Spock's eyes were widening-- there was breathtaking *beauty* in what was
happening. It was becoming all beauty, driving out any feeling of fear they
might have had. McCoy was standing transfixed. Kirk became aware that they were
also *hearing* beauty-- and *feeling* it, too.
At the center of the cascading colors, Decker's body was beginning to glow with
the same brilliance and there was a look of serenity on his face-- the same
look on Ilia's face as she stepped into the spiraling colors with him.
"Jim... this is *transcendence*!" It was Spock, indicating around them where
the entire concave amphitheater was beginning to glow-- the brain nucleus
material beneath their feet becoming transparent, and deep down inside it they
could see a great whorl of spiraling color that was growing in size and
brightness like some immense flower blossoming to life.
...
On the bridge, they had a last look at the transcendence. It then became too
lovely for them to comprehend, and so it was gone without ever really leaving.
When Kirk began to relate to the here and the now of the Enterprise bridge, he
turned to Spock. "I wonder, did we just see the beginning of a new form of life
out there?"
"Yes, Captain. We witnessed a birth-- perhaps also a direction in which some of
us may evolve."
"Only *some* of us, Spock?"
"It would seem to me, Captain, that the dimensions of creation make our future
choices almost limitless."
***
It's a shame that Star Trek didn't maintain those sort of themes...
-- Aumentar! Onward, Ziana Astralos - ziana@extrotech.net - http://www.extrotech.net/ GCS/MC/IT/L/O d- s-:- a? C++++ W+++ K++ UL w+ M-- PS+++ PE Y+ DI++++
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