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Missing_Ship.pp
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Missing_Ship
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1995-11-11
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4KB
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70 lines
TF01
3,Missing - One Famous Starship...
4,by Sven Harvey
Way back when the modern legend that is Star Trek began, she was
there. Through the troubled times when it seemed Star Trek would
never be seen again she was the symbol of hope. Thanks to her
continued re-incarnation the Star Trek movies and Star Trek: The Next
Generation had unmistakable symbols... However once the creator had
passed on she has been neglected to the point where she currently
features no-more in the new Star Treks. All we are stuck with is an
overgrown runabout and a lifeless space station with its warp
capable guard dog with big teeth. Where is the good ship ENTERPRISE?
When Captain Kirk first appeared on our screens everyone had already
seen the Enterprise and her unique shape and design, not a saucer,
not a rocket, lodged her firmly in the memories of science fiction
fans forever. She was the symbol that carried the weight of Star
Trek through the naming of the space shuttle to the first Star Trek
movie. More people know of the Starship Enterprise than of Kirk,
Spock, McCoy, Scotty or any of the catch phrases. Familiar
statements such as "It is so complicated I feel like I am on the
Starship Enterprise" and others turn up regularly in television
programmes across the globe.
The final destruction of the original Enterprise in Star Trek III:
The Search For Spock was a more shocking scene than anything yet
witnessed in the lore of this legend. It carried even more emotion
than the death of spock as the burning hulk of the vessel ploughed
through the upper atmosphere of the Genesis planet with the crew
looking on.
Later we bore witness to the impressive sight of the Enterprise NCC-
1701-D in the first few seconds of Star Trek: The Next Generation and
once again the vessel became a constant symbol not only of Star Trek
but of the hope and dreams of Gene Roddenberry and an aspiration for
NASA. As NASA works toward building their space station that would
refit spaceships that would never land. Ships that would take their
crews on missions lasting years, and being outfitted and repaired in
space. We have heard it all before. NASA are building a space dock
for Enterprise like ships to explore our solar system and possibly
our Galaxy. Perhaps Professor Hawking work will give us that
capability?
It is a sobering thought to think that a lot of the astronauts with
NASA are Star Trek fans and we wonder if along with Bjo Trimble's
letter campaign if they may have put a bit more weight behind the
idea of naming the experimental shuttle after the famous Starship.
It has been about a year now since the last Enterprise was
destroyed, to actually give Star Trek Generations something worth
watching (shame the crash effect wasn't). Yet I miss the Enterprise.
Star Trek as a whole seems to be missing something, as if a keystone
had been removed from the lore. As if your best friend had suddenly
disappeared and replace with pretenders. The CHARACTER of the
Enterprise is missing and no matter how hard they try, a battleship
named Defiant and an overgrown runabout named Voyager ain't gonna
fill that gap. The Enterprises had a feel about them, thoroughly
Star Trek, thoroughly Starfleet. The creme of the crop, the
Enterprise was what all other ships aspired to.
There is still a question mark over the next movie. No one at
Paramount will confirm that the Enterprise will return in a new
guise. It seems to be generally accepted that Capt.(?) Riker will be
commanding the NCC-1701-E but then again he may not.
It may be regarded as sad or stupid or whatever but the Enterprise
was the honoured ship, the ship of legend... and I want it back.