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Wednesday, April 6, 2011

True Vision

In the Star Trek pilot The Cage, Captain Christopher Pike has been captured by the Talosians.  In a subsequent conference aboard the Enterprise, one senior officer insisted Pike was in danger and must be rescued immediately.  Dr. Phil, the chief medical officer, asked: If another landing party beams down, how can they be certain of anything they see or do?  Mr. Spock, as science officer, warned that if they tried to storm the underground city, the Talosians might use their mental powers to destroy the Enterprise.

Number One, Pike’s Second-in-Command, has left Mr. Spock in charge of the Enterprise and beamed down to Talos 4.  Her landing party has aimed a laser cannon at the rocky knoll in which the Talosians secreted the entrance to their underground elevator.  When the preparations are completed, she orders her people to take shelter behind nearby rocks, and signals Mr. Spock to transfer the ship’s power to the cannon. 

As they watch, the enormous cannon hums to life.  A laser shoots out.  Amazingly, the rocky knoll resists its destructive power.  Number One orders Mr. Spock to increase to full power, and when this proves insufficient, she asks him if he can give her any more.  But eventually, Mr. Spock reports that the ship’s circuits are in danger.  A reluctant Number One orders the laser cannon to power down.

The rocky knoll cools, leaving no trace of the attack.  Dr. Phil reminds her of the point he tried to make in the conference room: the top of the knoll might no longer be there, but if so, they will never know it.  The Talosians’ power of illusion is so great that the Enterprise crew cannot believe what they see, what their instruments tell them, or if anything they touch is actually there.  Thoroughly dispirited, Dr. Phil walks away.

As men of science, both Mr. Spock and Dr. Phil have calculated the odds facing them.  For them, the potential cost to the crew and ship are too high, while the possible pay-off, of rescuing Captain Pike, is minuscule.  Trying to beat the Talosians is therefore too risky to be attempted.  Yet Number One has accomplished what few other women in Starfleet have achieved: not only does she serve on the bridge of the Enterprise, but she is Pike’s Second-In-Command.  As Dr. Phil walks away, Number One’s expression suggests she is wondering how she can next attempt to circumvent the Talosians’ hold on their minds and rescue Captain Pike.  She knows the odds are against them, but is not so certain of failure as the men she serves with.

Throughout history, humans have repeatedly accomplished what many viewed as impossible, whether it was curing a killer disease, building a skyscraper, or traveling to the moon.  What is the daunting task you currently face, and how badly do you want success?  Knowing the odds against you, how hard will you try, and how much will you risk, to achieve your goal?

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