(Nedanstående är skrivet av Michael Cronsten i ett Fidonetmöte
2000-12-16 kl. 01:00, utlagt på webben 2002-07-22)
Jag fick nog av att titta på TV & stängde av den vid 24-snåret
när dom visade en repris av serien med John Carlsson (?) Följa
John, den man som i Filmkrönikan för ett/nåt år sen sa att
Star Trek med dess tekniksvammel var bara skräp, tacka visste
han Starwars. Usch...
Nu har jag hittat det citatet jag var ute efter. I avsnittet
Metamorphosis av ST TOS har Kirk, Spock, Bones, och en sjuk
passagerare kommissionären Nancy Hedford, när dom färdades i
rymdskytteln dragits ner av en okänd kraft till en planet. Där
nere upptäcker dom en ensam man som det visar sig är den
välkände Zefram Cochrane, den som upptäckte warp-drift.
Problemet är bara att han dog för 150 år sen. Zefram berättar
att han var 87 år, och reste ut i rymden för att dö där, när
plötsligt hans farkost blev manöveroduglig, och han räddades
av en okänd kraft, ett till synes gasmoln med norrskensliknande
ljusegenskaper som satte ner hans farkost säkert på planetens
yta. Efter ett tag märkte han hur han blev yngre, och snart var
han i trettioårsåldern, i den åldern höll han sig sen. Han lärde
sig snart kommunicera med den okända kraften/varelsen/gasmolnet,
och efter 150 år uttryckte han önskemål att få lämna planeten
eftersom det började kännas lite ensamt. Det var då gasmolnet
tog ner Kirks sällskap av fyra personer för att hålla honom
sällskap.
Gasmolnet kallade han Kamraten (the Companion). Kirk och Spock
bygger om rymdfärjans universella språköversättare så att den
även kan översätta Kamratens elektriska tankevågor till talad
engelska, och då visar det sig vara en kvinna. Zefram blir inte
glatt överraskad när han inser att Kamraten varit kär i honom
i 150 år.
Kirk frågar ut Zefram Cochrane, och Zefram som varit avskiljd
från teknikutvecklingen så länge frågar Kirk:
Cochrane:
What's it like out there, in the galaxy?
Kirk:
We're on a thousand planets, and spreading out. We cross
fantastic distances, and everything's alive, Cochrane, life
everywhere. We estimate there are millions of planets with
intelligent life. We haven't begun to map them. Interesting?
Cochrane:
How would you like to go asleep for a hundred and fifty years
and wake up in a new world?
Alltså:
Hur är det där ute i galaxen, nuförtiden?
Vi finns på tusentals planeter, och antalet ökar. Vi kan resa
över otroliga avstånd, och allting lever, Cochrane, det finns
liv överallt. Vi beräknar att det finns miljontals planeter med
intelligent liv. Vi har knappt börjat att kartlägga dem.
Intressant?
Hur skulle _du_ gilla att gå och lägga dig och sedan vakna upp
efter hundrafemtio år till en helt ny värld?
Star-Trek-avsnittet slutar med att Kamraten övertar den döende
Nancy Hedfords kropp, och hon och Zefram stannar kvar på planeten
mot löfte från Kirk att han inte ska avslöja hans existens.
Cochrane föddes år 2025, och var som sagt den som upptäckte
warp-drift, den princip genom vilken man skapar konstgjord
gravitation vilken förmår flytta farkoster/rymdskepp snabbare
än ljushastigheten. Den första fungerande farkosten byggdes
år 2063, och gick till grannstjärnsystemet Alfa Centauri, en
resa som tack vare warp-driften "bara" tog fyra år. Färden
startade 2054 och kom fram år 2059 till den första för människan
kända andra varelsetyp än vi själva.
Här följer en timeline över dessa händelser, som jag hittar på
DAN: (http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Corridor/7835/cochrane.html)
2025
Zefram Cochrane, the creator of warp drive, is born.
2028 August 12 [reference stardate 0/2808.12]
Astronomers on Alpha Centauri pick up intelligent signals from
outside their system. These signals will later be identified as
originating from Vulcan.
2036, May [reference stardate 0/3605]
Terran space-time researchers find holes in the general theory
of relativity, making faster-than-light communications and
travel theoretically possible, though not yet an actuality.
The interstellar probe U.N.P. "Drake" ("Wells" series) detects
geon holes in the space-time fabric for the first time. These
deformations are used decades later for warp communications.
The "Drake" probe was one of 15 launched from Earth's moon in
the early 2030s. The series had a fourfold increase in effective
range and a ten-fold improvement in data gathering and analyzing
capability over the earlier "Stellar" series, employing
significantly increased artificial intelligence enabling them
to make much more complex decisions on their own sending back
whatever pictures and data they deemed important.
2039, January [reference stardate 0/3901]
Terra's first Pluto Base opens. It will serve as a
navigational checkpoint for out system missions.
2042, 23 June [reference stardate 0/4206.23]
The U.N.S.S. "Icarus" sets sail for the closest neighboring
star system, Alpha Centauri, commanded by Captain Roger Tauber.
The estimated travel time for the voyage is six years. This 8,600
metric ton craft is powered by a high acceleration, sublight
speed Bussard ramjet. A crowd of several thousand people watch
nearby as the spacecraft is launched from Luna, while billions
watch live, televised coverage, carrying a complement of 40.
At age 17, Zefram Cochrane is the youngest scientist to be aboard.
While on board he will continue his studys and receive many
degrees in multiple areas of science.
2045, January [reference stardate 0/4501]
A Vulcan scoutship crashlands on Earth. The survivors secretly
leave Earth in a stolen DY-100 vessel with help from Captain
Kirk and his officers one of which was Gary Mitchell. They were
transported from the 23rd century by accident on an away mission
transport to the surface of Delta Vega. The entire incident is
covered up until the late 23rd Century when Kirk remembers the
incident with the help of Spock and a Vulcan mindmeld. When
Kirk and crew return to their own century they are just finishing
the transport to the Delta Vega planets surface to strand
Gary Mitchell there because of his new and dangerous powers.
None of them remember anything of the side trip to 21st century
Earth. As for Gary Mitchell, he lost his powers on his stay in
the 21st cantury but they returned when he returned to the 23rd
century.
(TOS Pilot Episode: Where no man has gone before)
2048
The U.N.S.S. "Icarus" makes contact with the inhabitants of
Alpha Centauri VII. This is Earth's first official
extraterrestrial contact. The Centaurians are quite humanoid,
descendants of Greeks transported from Earth in the 3rd Century.
This event forever changes Humankind.
2048 December [reference stardate 0/4812]
While on and after meeting the scientists of Alpha Centauri VII,
Dr. Zefram Cochrane, age 23 discovers the space warp at the
Alpha Centauri Scientific Institute. The information is
transmitted to Earth.
2051
While on board the Icarus on its return voyage to Earth,
Dr. Zefram Cochrane, age 26, formulates the initial warp
drive calculations that will make faster-than-light possible
and, eventually, practical. This information is also
transmitted to Earth.
2052, April [reference stardate 0/5204]
The Warp Drive Principle transmission from Zefram Cochrane,
age 27, reaches Earth entitled "Warp Drive". Zefram Cochrane's
Warp Drive Principle causes a sensation, and an intensive warp
drive development program is immediately set up.
2053
Cochrane's Factor, the curvature of space-time by the presence
of mass in subspace, is discovered and transmitted to Earth.
2054, September [reference stardate 0/5409]
The "Icarus" returns from its historic journey. The United Nations
dispatches a mission to Alpha Centauri to open formal relations,
discuss trade, and exchange knowledge of each other's history.
Cochrane, age 29, continues to work on his Warp Drive principles
on Earth.
2055
Zefram Cochrane, age 30, developes the first warp engine
prototype WD-1 and it propels Rosy the chimpanzee at warp 1.5
during a successful controlled experiment. The U.N.S.S. "Fisher,"
commanded by Captain Richard Hanna, recovers the prototype at
the outer limits of the Pluto Test Area.
2057
Zefram Cochrane, age 32, demonstrates a practical warp drive.
2059
The UN mission that left Terra in 2054 arrives at Alpha
Centauri, and diplomatic relations begin.
2061
At age 36, Zefram Cochrane and his team succeed in
producing a prototype field device of massive proportions.
Described as a fluctuation superimpeller, it finally
allows an unmanned flight test
vehicle to straddle the speed of light "wall", alternating
between two velocity states while remaining at neither for
longer than Planck time. The first continuum distortion
propulsion (CDP) engines (only informally dubbed warp engines)
are developed and incorporated into existing spacecraft designs.
Eventually Zefram Cochrane and his team of engineers relocate
to the Alpha Centauri colonies, (a 4-year CDP-powered voyage),
to continue to pioneer warp physics.
The S.S. "Bonaventure" (NCC- S1100) galactic survey cruiser,
the first starship with warp drive, is built and launched for
Alpha Centauri with Zefram Cochrane and team abord, still
working as they journey and sending results back to Earth.
After they arrive at Alpha Centauri she will be given a
trained crew and will mysteriously disappear on her third voyage.
2064
Rapid improvements in warp drive technology results in the
advanced "Verne" class ships. These cruisers are the most
popular of the early warp spaceships, used for both
interplanetary and interstellar missions.
The U.N.S.S. "Amity" will make the first historical Vulcan
contact and carry the stranded Vulcan survivors back to their
home world. These ships utilize 35:1 matter to antimatter fuel,
have warp 2.7 capability, a complement of 112, and are armed
with 8 forward lasers and 50 fusion torpedoes.
2064 July [reference stardate 0/6407]
The "Franklin" series warp-driven message probe becomes
operational. These small, unmanned probes have rudimentary
astrogational equipment, and are capable of carrying a cargo
of up to 0.1 metric tons in addition to several hundred
recorded messages. These probes are later refitted with modern
warp drives and used for the next three decades. A total of
380 are built.
2065
A disabled starship from the planet Vulcan is rescued by the
Solar Fleet: 42 survivors including 4 wounded under the command
of Captain Sparon. After a brief Earth stay they are returned
to their home planet aboard the U.N.S.S. "Amity" ("Verne" class)
cruiser, which rescued them, commanded by Captain Peter O'Brian
and begin diplomatic relations. This is Earth's first official
contact with the Vulcans.
The fourth-dimensional (second-level) nature of dilithium
crystals is discovered. On Earth, a mad dilithium rush occurs
when it is discovered that dilithium crystals have a dozen
different three-dimensional physical configurations which can
make them resemble common crystals. Many Earth museums become
incredibly well funded overnight simply by tearing apart their
geology exhibits to find dilithium crystals which had been
misidentified as quartz for generations. It will be some time
until the crystals are used to their full potential in warp drives.
2065 November 12 [reference stardate 0/6511.12]
A "Franklin" series warp-drive probe encounters a Vulcan colony
world. As they have already developed the warp drive, Vulcan
techniques substantially improve on the original design. The S.S.
"Cochrane" will establish contact with the colony on stardate 1135.7
2087
Beginnings of the United Federation of Planets. The first Babel
Interplanetary Conference is held. Tatiana Bilash is one of the
elder statepersons present. The stardate dating system is established.
2089
Zefram Cochrane, age 64, takes his last interstellar voyage.
The next time he will ever be seen is by Captain James T Kirk
of the starship Enterprise in the 23rd century.
Stardates 3219.4-3220.3
En route to Epsilon Canaris III, the "Enterprise 1701" shuttlecraft
"Galileo" (NCC-1701/7) is hijacked in space to Gamma Canaris N
by a gaseous life form known as the Companion.
Episode #31 METAMORPHOSIS)
Cochrane was glad to hear that his discoveries were put to such
good use throughout the years and Kirk got to meet one of his
idols. This happened almost 200 years after Cochrane disappeared
on his last starflight.
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