"In Thy Image" was the pilot episode script for the abortive development of the television series Star Trek: Phase II. The episode went unproduced, and the script was heavily rewritten to become Star Trek: The Motion Picture. The original version of the story did eventually find publication, as the complete script was reprinted in the reference work Phase II: The Lost Series.
In this story, in the Phase II continuity, V'Ger and its probe Tasha made different choices while returning to Earth in search of its creator.
Publisher's description
- Script introduction, Phase II: The Lost Series
- We are exceedingly grateful to Harold Livingston for allowing us to share what is usually an intermediate stage of the writing process, intended only for the eyes of coworkers and other professionals. But for all that this might have been a work-in-progress when it left Mr. Livingston's typewriter, so much of what Star Trek would become is on these pages...
Summary
A reunion between Admiral James T. Kirk and retired Doctor Leonard McCoy at a park in San Francisco was cut short when Kirk was recalled to Starfleet Headquarters for an emergency meeting. Joining through holographic technology, Captain Lebutu reported the destruction of three Klingon cruisers by a massive vessel headed for Earth. USS Aswan was diverted to intercept, and Starfleet hastily readied the refitted USS Enterprise to assist. Willard Decker, Xon and Pavel Chekov were reassigned, and McCoy "drafted". Kirk was assigned as its commanding officer, and Heihachiro Nogura officiated a brief recommissioning ceremony.
En route, the Enterprise suddenly found itself unable to avoid an asteroid. Xon had deactivated helm, deflectors, sensors and phasers in order to reprogram and familiarize himself with the systems. Chekov hastily armed a photon torpedo and destroyed the asteroid. Xon apologized, having computed high odds against such an emergency, and assured Kirk that he would make fewer mistakes in the future.
- Captain's log, stardate 7420.1. Light cruiser USS Aswan is gone... obliterated by a weapon we were unable to identify or understand. We also know nothing of whatever it is that used that weapon. Our forward sensor scans are being absorbed by whatever object it is that we are now about to intercept.
At battle stations with shields up, the Enterprise approached the 70-kilometer-long vessel at warp six. They launched a probe, but it was destroyed, then phaser-like weapons and a tractor beam struck the Enterprise. Xon discovered that the alien vessel responded to their initial hails as if the Enterprise was alive. When Kirk allowed Xon to transmit back at the same frequency, the vessel ceased fire. It then downloaded starship schematics from the main computer, but nothing about the crew.
- Captain's log, stardate 7421.6. For an entire day now, we have been locked in the alien's tractor beam, being carried with it toward Earth. We have been unable to establish further communications with our gigantic captor and are unable to determine its intentions toward planet Earth. With our engines shut down, engineering is rushing the repair of damage suffered in the attack. Casualties have been heavy, but with no fatalities, thanks to the skills of Doctors McCoy and Chapel.
Groups of hovering egg-shaped probes materialized throughout the ship, as well as a different probe that walked on spindly legs and squeaked. Xon disassembled one of the hovering probes, finding sophisticated technology made of liquid hydrogen and controlled force fields. After probes tried to break into the computer library, and requests to stop were ignored, Chekov and others tried to stop them with phasers. The floating probes dematerialized, but the walking probe emerged on the bridge. Its squealing was translated by Nyota Uhura as requests, then demands, to talk to the Enterprise. Chekov named it Tasha after one of his relatives. When Uhura translated Kirk's reply that he was in command, the response was a denial — humans were parasites. Transmitted via the computer as if he was the ship, Kirk asked why the probes attacked and why the vessel was headed for Earth. It said it attacked because the Enterprise was infested with 430 parasites, and revealed Earth was "The Holy Home of the Creator". Then, discovering Kirk's deception, it started downloading more files. To prevent it from learning about Starfleet and the Federation, Xon smashed the computer, getting electrocuted in the process. As Ilia reached to help him, she and Tasha dematerialized.
- Captain's log, stardate 7421.7. We — and the alien — will reach Earth orbit in exactly two days... with us still helplessly imprisoned in his tractor beam. The irony of all, of course, is that by cutting off our computer, we have also cut off our only means of communicating with the alien... so that we are unable to ascertain the fate of Lieutenant Ilia — and, more important, the purpose of the alien's visit to Earth. Our only clue is his statement that Earth is "The Holy Home of the Creator." What Creator…?
Based on the files it downloaded, Xon believed that the alien vessel now considered Earth infested and might want to disinfect the planet. Xon recuperated in sickbay, and Kirk followed McCoy's advice to get some sleep. He awoke when his sonic shower activated and Ilia appeared within. But it wasn't Ilia. She explained that she was Tasha, reformed by V'Ger into the likeness of Ilia to better communicate with humans. Kirk updated Starfleet with a brief, hi-speed subspace transmission. Tasha asked why he did that. Kirk explained that the planet needed to be informed of V'Ger's arrival. V'Ger released the tractor beam as an act of faith and offered to show Kirk proof that Earth was the home of the creator.
Kirk, Xon and Tasha beamed to a set of coordinates within V'Ger, inside a massive technological cavern. They found Ilia suspended in a stasis field. Nearby they saw pieces of a 20th century space probe growing out of the walls — Voyager 18, which had disappeared into a black hole. When they read NASA's ID plaque, Tasha muttered "Glory to Nasa". Kirk tried to explain that humans built Voyager, but got struck by lightning.
- Captain's log, stardate 7421.6. In three hours we enter Earth's orbit. The giant starship V'Ger or Voyager, is five hours behind us, having allowed us that time to prepare "higher life forms" for its arrival... and, apparently, the destruction of "lesser life forms". Although the presence of the android Tasha/Ilia is for the clear purpose of providing V'Ger a constant flow of information about us... we dare not obstruct her for fear of provoking V'Ger into an immediate and catastrophic attack on Earth... Tasha/Ilia has, however, been of considerable assistance on helping us compile and correlate facts pertaining to V'Ger. Between her and Mr. Xon, who had repaired our main computer, a fascinating yet perfectly credible hypothesis has been formed…
When the Enterprise entered orbit, it used the USS Delphi as a transporter relay to beam Kirk and Tasha to the park in San Francisco. By exposing her to other humans, he tried to convince her that human beings were living things who build machines. They then beamed to Starfleet's Archives Building and shown films made by NASA, but Tasha remained unconvinced. Meanwhile, V'Ger arrived in orbit and prepared neutron bombs to annihilate humanity.
- Captain's log, stardate 7421.6. Supplemental, to concur with other logs previously ejected. First Officer Willard Decker in command. Our vessel is now in self-destruct mode, and we have additionally begun overloading our engines to create a matter-antimatter explosion... in less than four minutes, the alien's four neutron devices will destroy every living thing on Earth…
Tasha expressed regret that humans had to die. Kirk implored her to see that V'Ger was wrong. Emotionally wrought and compassionate, Tasha lied and told V'Ger she accepted the proof. V'Ger disengaged its bombs. Disappointed to learn that lower life forms were in fact its creator, and feeling it could learn nothing from them, V'Ger deactivated Tasha, returned Ilia, and departed the Sol system.
The Enterprise was ready for its next assignment.
References
Characters
- Bandar • Barak • Branch • Carson • Christine Chapel • Pavel Chekov • Coryell • Willard Decker • Hawkins • Ilia • James T. Kirk • Lebutu • Ledoux • Leonard McCoy • Heihachiro Nogura • Janice Rand • Ronak • Montgomery Scott • Hikaru Sulu • Swenson • Tasha • Nyota Uhura • Xon • Yonson • unnamed USS Delphi personnel • unnamed USS Enterprise personnel (2270s and 2280s)
- Referenced only
- Alexander the Great • Attila the Hun • Bar-Lev • God • Adolph Hitler • Napoleon Bonaparte • Spock • unnamed Horta • Wah Chen
Starships and vehicles
- IKS Amar • USS Aswan • USS Delphi • USS Enterprise (refit Constitution-class heavy cruiser) • Galileo (SW7-class shuttlecraft) • hydrofoil • unnamed Klingon starships (Koro class) • observation pod
- Referenced only
- USS Boston (Miranda-class) • cargo freighter • USS Paris
Locations
- Earth (Drydock • North America • San Francisco • San Francisco Bay • Earth Orbital Office Complex • Starfleet Command • Union Square) • Sol System • Starbase 9
- Referenced only
- Delta XIV • Earth (Alaska • Baja California • Coit Tower • Gobi Desert • Los Angeles • Manhattan Island • Pacific Ocean • Starfleet Academy • Trans-America Building) • Federation-Klingon Neutral Zone • Jupiter • Starbase 6
Races and cultures
States and organizations
Science and technology
- android • antigrav • antimatter • astronomical unit • auto destruct • bomb • camera • cassette • chronometer • chronometer • communications • communicator • computer • computer tape • deep space probe • deflector • engine • force field • hologram • hour • intercom • intercom • intermix regulator • life support belt • life support system • linguacode • machine • main computer • maneuvering jet • medikit • metabolic recorder • microfilm • neutron bomb • nurse • parsec • phaser • photon torpedo • plasti-skin • scanner • sensor • sensor drone • sensor probe • stardate • subspace • technology • tractor beam • transporter • tricorder • turbo-elevator • viewscreen • Voyager 18 • warp • warp drive • weapon • welder
Ranks and titles
- admiral • artist • captain • chief medical officer • chief of staff • commander • Commanding Admiral • crewman • dock officer • engineer • ensign • Federation Starfleet ranks (2270s) • flag officer • lieutenant • lieutenant commander • lieutenant junior grade • medical officer • navigator • rank • science officer • security officer • Starfleet ranks • surgeon • technician
Other references
- 1996 • 20th century • 21st century • 23rd century • agriculture • aluminum • animal • asteroid • atmosphere • auto destruct • basketball • battle stations • black hole • bridge • bridge • briefing room • cabin • captain's log, USS Enterprise (NCC-1701), 2273 • carbon • cargo deck • cavern • cell • cement • century • cheetah • clothing • coordinates • Crusades • day • deer • elephant • emotion • engineering • flower • fly • fruit • galaxy • Golden Gate Bridge • gravitational field • gravity • helm • hour • hydrogen • intruder alert • library • light year • lightning • logic • kilometer • magnetic field • metal • meteorite • mile • minute • monastery • month • mosquito • nebula • neutron • newspaper • observation port • ocean • oxygen • parasite • plague • pollution • quadrant • quarters • recreation room • red alert • robot • second • shakedown cruise • sheepdog • ship commissioning • sickbay • silicon • silver • sonic shower • space • sports and games • star map • star system • stardate • starship • stasis field • tennis ball • terrorism • thousands of years ago • titanium •transporter room • treaty • tree • universe • USS Enterprise personnel records • vegetable • vegetation • war • warp one • warp seven • warp six • water • weapons control station • yak • year • yellow alert
Appendices
Background
- Harold Livingston's 110-page Rough First Draft script was completed on October 20, 1977. It was published along with Alan Dean Foster's 8-page Original Treatment, dated July 31, 1977.
- Notions of Kirk and McCoy corresponding through handwritten letters and McCoy treating unusual patients in the early 2270s would be expanded upon in John Byrne's series Leonard McCoy, Frontier Doctor.
- When Kirk and Xon beamed aboard V'Ger, the text compared them to Lilliputians and Lemuel Gulliver.
- V'Ger was spelled phonetically, Ve-Jur, in the script.
- In this continuity, V'Ger did not generate a power field. Rather than measuring more than 1 AU in diameter when initially encountered, sensors found V'Ger to be about 70 kilometers long and 10 kilometers wide.
Characters
- Captain Wah Chen was the assigned commanding officer of the Enterprise, not Willard Decker. Kirk was given command by Nogura because Chen was at Starbase 6.
- After science officer Ronak was killed in the transporter malfunction, Vulcan Lieutenant Xon was assigned as his replacement, despite only recently having graduated from Starfleet Academy.
- Commander Decker was reassigned from the USS Boston (Miranda-class) to be the first officer. He soon would earn his own command, but he was not demoted, nor was any mention made of him having had a prior relationship with Ilia.
- Pavel Chekov was reassigned to the Enterprise by Admiral Carson at Kirk's request.
- Spock's absence was unexplained, though he was referenced in two scenes. Xon compared himself to Spock following a miscalculation, and Kirk compared Ronak to Spock.
- Ledoux, a patient in sickbay, was also seen in TOS - Mere Anarchy eBook: The Darkness Drops Again.
- Bandar and Swenson also appeared in TOS novel: Ex Machina.
- Hawkins, an engineering lieutenant, also appeared in Ex Machina. He could be Darryl Hawkins. He could be Wallace Hawkins, a famous 23rd century test pilot, if he survived a grueling experience in TOS comic: "The Collector". He could also be the prime reality counterpart of Hawkins (Kelvin timeline).
- Branch was a woman in this continuity, based at Starbase 9 rather than Outpost Epsilon 9.
Technology
- Conferencing involved life-size holograms of some participants, a technology later visualized on Star Trek: Discovery.
- Life support belts were mentioned prior to beaming inside V'Ger. These were stated as being unnecessary due to the formation of a gravitational field and oxygen atmosphere.
Related stories
- TOS episode & Star Trek 4 novelization: The Devil in the Dark – Kirk and McCoy recalled their experiences with the Horta on Janus VI.
- TOS movie, novelization & comic adaptation: The Motion Picture – The prime reality version of V'Ger's encounter with the Enterprise.
Images
Connections
| Published Order | ||
|---|---|---|
| Previous episode: First Phase II episode |
Star Trek: Phase II episodes | Next episode: Tomorrow and the Stars |
External links
- In Thy Image article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.
- In Thy Image article at the Orion Press website.
- In Thy Image article at the Forgotten Trek website.
- In Thy Image article at Eruditorum Press.
- In Thy Image article at The Movie Blog.