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Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!harpo!eagle!mhuxi!houxm!ihnp4!ihlts!rjnoe
From: rjnoe@ihlts.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.startrek
Subject: Re: Phaser that idiot! - (nf)
Message-ID: <200@ihlts.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 19-Sep-83 10:23:54 EDT
Article-I.D.: ihlts.200
Posted: Mon Sep 19 10:23:54 1983
Date-Received: Tue, 20-Sep-83 22:26:39 EDT
References: <2879@uiucdcs.UUCP>
Organization: BTL Naperville, Il.
Lines: 51

Some comments regarding comments regarding comments . . .  The basic format
is a few lines from my initial reply to uiucdcs!mcdaniel's first article
followed by a line or two from his response and my new comments.



                   . . . But no one is expected to commit suicide, not
even to save a starship and all others aboard.  This is extraordinary valor,
which can never be expected of all people, if anyone at all.
		[I beg to differ. . .]
The operative word here is EXPECTED.  One might indeed be chosen for a task
(e.g. chief engineer) because one is more likely to make the ultimate sacrifice
but that does not give those who picked you the moral right to EXPECT you to
do so.

Certainly Spock was the only one who could have done it.  McCoy warned Spock
that humans cannot survive in the chamber.  Spock, of course, reminded McCoy
that he is not human. . . .
	[Spock didn't survive either, did he?  The key question is actually
	"Could anyone else survive long enough to effect repairs?"]
That is precisely the question which McCoy and I were addressing.  As to
whether or not Spock did "survive" . . . I'm not divulging anything.

I also don't think one can accuse McCoy and Scott of cowardice because they
tried to keep Spock from dying.  In the first place, I doubt that they knew
the ship's tactical situation, not being bridge personnel.  . . .
	[Perhaps Kirk should have said "Fix it in 4 minutes or we're dead meat."
	. . . But wasn't Kirk saying something urgent over the intercom when
	Scotty passed out, like "Scotty, we *need* warp power"?  Scotty, when
	awake, could reasonably assume that speed wasn't needed because Kirk
	had a hot date on Epsilon Indi {sic} III.]
Kirk's words were really quite close to that.  But Scott passed out *moments*
later (if he had not already) from radiation exposure.  And how many times has
Kirk said to Scott to "do something impossible immediately or we've had it?"
How serious could Scott assume the situation was, in his state, without knowing
details of Khan's possession and activation of the Genesis device?  After all,
the Reliant had already been defeated.


	[Starfleet has "peaceful intentions" but it does not prevent them from
	blowing away dirty no-good imperialistic Klingons.  Military training
	is necessary, I assert, to handle a ship for purposes of fighting.]
I cannot disagree with your last statement.  But the Klingons are a poor
example.  They were added to the Star Trek universe by a bad writer who needed
a villain and are not up to the quality of the rest of Star Trek.  Once the
damage was done it was all too easy for writers in later TV episodes to pick up
on Klingons.  I would just as soon see Klingons and Romulans disappear
entirely.  They detract from the principles and ideals of Star Trek.


		Roger Noe		...ihnp4!ihlts!rjnoe