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You are here: Experts > Movies > Star Trek Fans > Star Trek: The Next Generation > transports
Expert: Deran McKean - 11/5/2009
Question
QUESTION: 1) Trelane was assumed to be a lifeform of unknown composition (or words to that effect) when the Enterprise could not beam him up.
Armus, of course, was not identified by the Enterprise.
Given an infinite amount of time, with both starships working together (in Picard's century), which being's composition could be understood first?
2) A Douwd and Q were shown to be transported. Does this imply that the Guardian and Nagilum could be transported?
The Guardian and Nagilum's compositions could arguably be more complex than a Douwd's, but I have difficulty believing their compositions are more complex than a Q's. And if Voyager's transporters can handle a Q, why couldn't they handle Nagilum or the Guardian?
Also, would the same apply to Armus? I think if they could 'lock on' to Q then they should be able to transport Armus, even if his composition is unknown.
ANSWER: Hi John -
Wow, I guess probably Armus since, as a being in this space/time continuum his physiology must on some level adhere to at least some of the laws of physics the crews are familiar with.
Trelane is a wholly unknown quantity and there are indications that his physiology might be something far more advanced than the 'normal' forms of life encountered in this dimension of space/time.
The Douwd and Q were 'wearing' human forms when they were transported which (I assume) the transporter systems could easily read, disassemble, and reassemble as they do all the time. My guess is that the human disguises were sophisticated enough to fool the system into believing that they were indeed human.
Nagilum and the Guardian consist of molecular patterns that are unrecognizable to the transporter system and its for that reason I think they couldn't be transported.
Armus probably doesn't have anything easily recognized by the transporter nor could he 'trick' they system the way Q and the Douwd could. My guess is that, given sufficient time, maybe Data or Spock could figure out a means to transport the creature, but it would take some major re-engineering of the system.
Thanks!
Deran
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Then why couldn't Trelane be transported? He was 'wearing' a human form, yet the Enterprise couldn't lock on.
My Klingon question asked what (roughly) humanoid species a normal Klingon would refuse to fight (you stated that Klingons don't rush into hopeless battles for no good reason).
Data has already been mentioned, and I considered Armus, and possibly changelings.
If the following lost to a Nausicaan at Dom-jot because he cheated, how would they react?
A) Worf
B) Odo
C) Riker
D) Data (implausible, but just assume)
E) Spock
F) Hirogen
G) Gorn
H) Danar
I) Admiral Quinn
In "Tapestry," Q accuses Picard of being "obtuse" because his ideas about death are not "Q-like." Q explains that he can take away Picard's life, and give it back, with the snap of a finger.
Does this mean that Q would call Nagilum extra-obtuse? How would Nagilum react if Q insulted him in this way?
Answer
Hi John -
Good question, possibly Trelane himself had made some type of error in the construction of his 'human' body and incorporated something the transport sensors couldn't identify.
Klingons -
It's not that the Klingons would out and out refuse to fight, its just that they might 'cheat' if they were going up against certain beings. For example, a Klingon who knew he or she was going to come up against a boarding party of Gorn would order the environmental controls set to colder temperatures knowing that doing so would give them an advantage over the reptilian Gorn.
Now nobody but a fool would run up to a pack of hungry Vulcan Sehlats and pick a fight, but if an unfortunate Klingon found himself being attacked like that, he or she would go down swinging.
Songs are not sung about warriors who take stupid chances so I doubt a Klingon would march right up to the mouth of an active volcano and claim he or she could force the thing into submission, but if a Klingon fell into the volcano while fighting, he or she (again) would go down fighting.
Does that make sense?
A) Worf - He'd confront the Nausican and expose his opponent as a cheater. One on one I doubt Worf would back down from a Nausican but the problem with them is they tend to fight in packs.
B) Odo - I doubt he'd just sit back and let the Nausican cheat him, he'd probably disable the mechanism (or whatever) the Nausican used to cheat and demand a rematch in front of witnesses.
C) Riker - He'd denounce the cheater and challenge the Nauscian to a legitimate rematch.
D) Data - He'd probably reveal the method of the cheat to the crowd and politely ask the Nausican if he'd like a rematch or wanted to revel in his 'false victory.'
E) Spock - He'd most likely figure out the means of the cheat quickly and expose it to any onlookers and to let the Nausican know he'd figured it out.
F) Hirogen - My guess is the Hirogen would denounce the Nausican and refuse to tolerate the company of a cheater any longer.
G) Gorn - Gorns are tough to gauge but I'd bet a Gorn would probably laugh out loud at the cheating and refuse to play the Nausican any more. (Go seek his entertainment elsewhere so to speak.)
H) Danar - He'd probably not mention it at all and challenge the Nausican to a rematch wherein he'd out cheat the cheater.
I) Quinn - He'd probably smack the Nausican across the face with the Dom Jot cue and initiate a fight.
Q probably would berate Nagilum for his lack of understanding (or apparently even a theory) about death and its ramifications.
Nagilum didn't seem unnecessarily cruel to me, just curious the way human scientists are curious about bacteria. I'd imagine he'd ask Q to "explain."
Thanks!
Deran
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