Ex Machina (Star Trek: the Original Series) (Mass Market Paperback)

by Christopher L. Bennett (Author) "JIM KIRK WAS LOST in the Enterprise..." (more)
Key Phrases: wrist communicator, plasma cannon, command chair, Spring Rain, Captain Kirk, Instruments of Obedience (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
THE HUMAN ADVENTURE CONTINUES.

In the aftermath of the astonishing events of Star Trek®: The Motion Picture, the captain and officers of the U.S.S. Enterprise remain haunted by their encounter with the vast artificial intelligence of V'Ger...and by the sacrifice and ascension of their friend and shipmate, Willard Decker.

As James T. Kirk, Spock, and Leonard McCoy attempt to cope with the personal fallout of that ordeal, a chapter from their mutual past is reopened, raising troubling new questions about the relationship among God, Man, and AI. On the recently settled world of Daran IV, the former refugees of the Fabrini worldship Yonada are being divided by conflicting ideologies, as those clinging to their theocratic past vie with visionaries of a future governed by reason alone.

Now, echoes of the V'Ger encounter reverberate among the Enterprise officers who years ago overthrew the Oracle, the machine-god that controlled Yonada. Confronting the consequences of those actions, Kirk, Spock, and McCoy also face choices that will decide the fate of a civilization, and which may change them forever.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Chapter One

Shall we give the Enterprise a proper shakedown, Mr. Scott?

-- James T. Kirk

Jim Kirk was lost in the Enterprise.

Not the way he'd been two weeks ago, when his unfamiliarity with the redesigned starship had forced him to ask a yeoman the way to the turboshaft, embarrassing himself in front of Will Decker. No, as soon as the V'Ger mission had ended, Kirk had launched into an intensive study of the upgraded vessel's every feature. It was something he'd always meant to do, since it made sense for a Chief of Starfleet Operations to know these things, but somehow the business of managing the deployments, personnel, and maintenance of an entire fleet had always managed to keep him from concentrating on the particulars of a single redesign. Or, perhaps, he had subconsciously shied away from it, since it would have hurt too much to watch from afar, knowing that the Enterprise was no longer his.

Kirk had thought his crash course in the new Enterprise's technical particulars had cured him of the romanticized reaction he'd had upon first seeing her in drydock, when Scotty had taken the long way around in the travel pod to show off his baby. But now, as he gazed out the large picture windows of Starbase 22's officers' lounge, which overlooked the base's dock facility and the gleaming starship moored therein, he was lost in her beauty once again. The old Enterprise had always reminded Kirk of Pegasus in flight, her skin gleaming white, her dorsal connector evoking the neck of a horse with head held high, her nacelle struts angled like wings poised for a forceful downstroke. Yet to an observer of a less poetical bent, it had been a utilitarian design, all functional straight lines and circles. Now, with her more forward-thrusting neck, her backswept pylons, her Art Deco nacelles, her subtly sleeker hull contours, and her constellation of self-illuminating lights, she was a sculpture evoking speed and energy. It was as though she'd emerged from her cocoon looking the way she'd always been meant to look.

Arguably there was little left of the original ship beyond the bare skeletal framework of the saucer and forward secondary hull. It certainly wasn't the first ship in naval history to be so thoroughly rebuilt, and as much as possible of the original material had been recycled into the new structural members and bulkheads. Still, every propulsion and power system, every computer, every piece of equipment, every meter of piping and optical cable, every last console and chair and lighting panel had been replaced with a new, improved model. Yet none of that mattered to Kirk. After all, most of the cells in his body at the time he'd first taken command of the starship had been replaced by now (though regrettably not with improved versions), but the gestalt remained the same; the body held the same soul. And Kirk had known as soon as he'd seen her that the same was true of Enterprise. The only difference was that her soul was more visible now.

"Don't you ever get bored?" came a cheerful voice. Kirk noted Commodore Fein's florid reflection in the window as the base commander entered the lounge. "Just staring at your ship? I mean, it's just...sitting there. It's not doing anything."

Kirk smiled. "Neither is the Mona Lisa. But people seem to like looking at her."

"Not my type," the big, dark-bearded commodore said with a shrug. "And I don't see what the big mystery is about the smile. I mean, aren't you supposed to smile when you get your picture taken?"

Kirk opened his mouth, but couldn't find a response to that. So he just went back to looking at the Enterprise. Fein joined him for a moment, but then yawned conspicuously, earning a glare from Kirk. "Sorry. Don't get me wrong, she is a pretty ship, no question. Even more so now that my guys are done with her."

"No argument there. Please extend my thanks to Commander Mattesino and his teams." Since the Enterprise had been launched prematurely, there hadn't been much time to install creature comforts. Kirk's impulsive decision to head "out there, thataway" on a shakedown cruise, rather than returning to Spacedock for debriefing, re-crewing, and final outfitting, had led to grumbling among the crew. So Kirk had arranged to have their personal effects delivered to Starbase 22, which had happened to be in the general direction of "thataway." Fein and his staff had done a superb job of fixing up the ship, making it less austere and more comfortable. More importantly, they'd helped Spock and the engineering staff purge the last of the Trojan-horse code with which Romulan spies had infected the computers during the refit, and which Decker had discovered literally the night before Kirk had booted him from command. It was only after the V'Ger mission, when Scott and Dr. Chapel had had time to brief him about the incident, that Kirk had learned just how much they all owed the late Will Decker. No, not late, just...missing? Departed? Ascended? What, exactly?

Fein spoke up again, interrupting his reverie. "Are you sure you don't want us to paint the hull, though? You just want to leave it like that?"

Kirk's eyes swept across Enterprise's skin once more. He knew that what he saw was twenty thousand crystal-tritanium plates phase-transition bonded into a single, nearly seamless whole, each plate with its grain aligned differently so no crack in the hull could propagate too far. But to his eyes it was a mosaic of pearlescent, luminous grays, making the ship shimmer like a many-faceted jewel. "I prefer her this way," he said, but stopped himself from adding "naked," realizing how that would sound -- especially if it got back to McCoy, who was still watching him for signs of obsession with the Enterprise.

But if I'm not obsessed, Kirk thought, then why am I standing here gawking out the window at every chance, instead of mingling with my crew, getting to know them? Particularly the new ones just coming on board here at the starbase. Enterprise had left port with a minimum standard crew of 431, many of them temporary personnel who had other assignments waiting now that the emergency was past. They had disembarked and just over a hundred new people had boarded here at the starbase, bringing the crew to its full five-hundred-person capacity. Kirk had formally welcomed them all aboard and gone through the proper motions, but he hadn't yet made any serious effort to get to know them, to connect with his crew and begin forging them into a team, a family, like the old crew had been. Why was that?

Kirk mentally shook himself from his reverie. "You're right, David," he said. "Enough rubbernecking. It's time I got back aboard." With Fein following, he left the officers' lounge with a deliberate stride.

The corridor leading to the docking gangway had its own windows, and Kirk was not surprised to see that he was far from the only person looking at the Enterprise. Certainly he could understand the base personnel's curiosity -- for most, this was their first look at the cutting edge of Starfleet technology. But soon he realized that many of them were staring at him, with expressions ranging from curiosity to awe. He fidgeted. "What's wrong?" Fein asked.

Kirk hid behind a wry smirk. "Contrary to popular belief...I'm not that comfortable in the limelight."

"You can't blame them, Jim. That was a pretty spectacular mission you were on. A giant cloud cutting a warp-nine swath through Klingon and Federation space, spitting out a ship the size of Maui that almost wipes out the Earth, but somehow ends up putting on the mother of all fireworks displays instead, apparently in the course of evolving to a higher plane of existence. On top of which it turns out to be the long-lost Voyager 6, all grown up and looking for its mommy. Not only epic stuff, but with great visuals to boot."

"Visuals?"

"Of course. V'Ger's...eruption...has been all over the news feeds for a week and a half now, shot from every conceivable angle. Not to mention the sensor records from your flyby of the thing, which the feeds have been replaying ad nauseam. Pundits are coming out of the woodwork to explain what V'Ger was, what it became, and how it proves their pet theories about cosmology, cybernetics, evolution, God, whatever. I hear some people are making pilgrimages to Earth, declaring it a holy site." Fein frowned. "Haven't you heard any of this?"

"I've been busy! Besides, you know me, I'm more of a reader."

"Anyway, the point is, it's only natural that people would be interested in the ship that was in the middle of it all, and its captain."

"But Starfleet people? We encounter...strange cosmic phenomena all the time."

"But this is a special case. Face it, Jim, you literally saved the Earth. That's going to get a guy a fair amount of publicity, especially if that guy happens to be James T. Kirk."

Kirk sighed. "I'm not James T. Kirk," he said, echoing Fein's dramatic delivery. "I'm just Jim Kirk. I'm no more special than any other captain. It's just...publicity."

"Yeah, I know. The Pelos thing. Hard enough trying to live that down, and now this gets dumped on you. Face it, Jim, from now on you're a cosmic hero, larger than life, like it or not." Fein chuckled. "If it were me, I'd capitalize a little. A promotion, a book deal...But then, that's not the way of the cosmic hero, is it?"

"Keep it up, David, and I'll stop coming here for repairs," Kirk said with more good humor than he felt.

"And miss out on the food? That'll be the day." The commodore slapped Kirk on the back and made his farewells, leaving the captain alone with his thoughts as he strode along the gangway.

Cosmic hero. Where did they get that? But then, maybe Kirk had started to believe it himself. He'd been so sure that only his years of experience could let him save the world. But how much had he really contributed to the V'Ger mission? It had been Spock whose mind-meld with V'Ger had provided the key insights into its nature. And it had...

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Star Trek (December 28, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743492854
• ISBN-13: 978-0743492850
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 3.9 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #134,006 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Star Trek novel that's been a long time coming, January 18, 2005

By	Michael Hickerson (Smyrna, TN) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

In recent years, Pocket Books has moved away from just telling stand-alone stories in their Star Trek novels. Instead, they've moved more toward bridging gaps between series and/or movies (The Lost Era), continuing the saga on the printed page (DS9 relaunch) or just expanding the already rich Star Trek universe in new and interesting ways (New Frontier).

And every once in a while, there is a novel that gets the best of all those possible worlds.

Christopher L. Bennett (no relation to Harve Bennett, he tells us) does that with his first published novel, Ex Machina. The story is a sequel to the events of Star Trek: The Motion Picture and also revists characters and events from Star Trek's third season episode "For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky." But don't think the references end there--Bennett peppers his novel with homages galore to the animated Star Trek, the entire original series run and many of the best Trek novels published over the years. But don't worry if you're not a devoted Trek fan who will "get" every reference. Bennett slips them the references in a non-invasive way--if you get them, it only adds depth to the great story being told. If you don't, you aren't missing any great details. (One of my favorites is when Bennett has Chekov wonder about a security force composed of telepaths...an homage to Walter Koenig's character on Babylon Five).

But fan-friendly references mean little if there isn't a good story to go with it. And there's a good one here. Kirk and company are called to revisit the world first seen in "For the World Is Hollow..." and many of the characters there. One of the themes of the orignal series was Kirk taking on computers--usually those keeping a society of growing or interfering somehow. Kirk would generally overthrow the computer control and then warp off into space. This novel deals with the after effects of those actions in an intersting, meaningful way. The novel also plays a lot with the reputation Kirk has gained not only in Starfleet but on some of the worlds he's visited--for good and bad.

The storyline also sees Spock, McCoy and the rest of the Enterprise crew dealing with the aftermath of the events in The Motion Picture. Ex Machina isn't a sequel so much as it's a contiuation of the events begun on TMP. And it's definitely worth the trip.

And that's what makes the novel such a pleasure to read--Bennett's take on the characters. He gets all of the original crew right, in the place in their lives they are. Seeing Spock struggle with emotions, Kirk with his role in taking back command of the Enterprise and McCoy in trying to find his place on the ship--all of it works extremely well. Not only that, but Bennett introduces us to some original creations of his own along the way.

In short, this novel is an enjoyable read. As you read it, you may be stunned that a novel this assured and thought-provoking can come from a first-time author. If this is Bennett's debut, I can hardly wait to see what he comes up with next.

19 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally a true sequel to events of the first Star Trek movie, January 10, 2005

By	Ian McLean (Penrith, NSW Australia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

"Ex Machina" is a Star Trek novel that finally salutes TMP's alien races with gusto. In fact, this novel is the "TMP Episode #2" I've been waiting for... for 25 years.

Christopher L Bennett 's excellent, fast-paced novel is a highly effective sequel to TMP (and its novelization), and also the poetically-titled episode "For the World is Hollow and I have Touched the Sky". Christopher continues numerous character arcs from TMP (Kirk's guilt and self-doubt; Spock's epiphany about emotions; McCoy's future in Starfleet; even Decker and Ilia's sacrifice) and cleverly links them to important, unfinished business about Natira and the Fabrini (TOS). In addition, the author affectionately continues storylines for Chapel, Uhura, Sulu, Scott, Chekov and Rand, whose aspirations are all barely touched upon in TMP, in ways that are "spot on" and highly logical. Then we learn a little more about Chief DiFalco (TMP), the late Lori Ciana (TMP novelization and "The Lost Years" saga), and even excitable Mr Lindstrom, whom we last saw cleaning up the mess on Landru's planet (TOS). Rounding out the "Ex Machina" cast, we meet almost all of TMP's aliens through individual members recruited to the refitted USS Enterprise by Uhura (just as her counterpart Nichelle Nichols did for NASA) and the late Captain Willard Decker.

"Ex Machina" is a page-turner of a novel. Now, maybe I'm biased, but every time Christopher started to do several entertaining paragraphs about the Rhaandarites, or the Saurians, the Megarites, the Betelgeusians, or the Zaranites (based, often, on a single, sometimes-bizarre line or two of descriptive text originally written by the movie's costume designer for TMP's publicity and production notes), I was well and truly hooked, and happy to be reeled in. Various ST comic book lines over the years have sometimes paid visual homage to the odd TMP alien, but they've constantly been overlooked by the ST novels, barring the occasional mention of a Saurian. But Christopher is most generous in the time he spends developing each race, creating some memorable lower decks and bridge characters to populate the Enterprise. *Spring Rain Upon Still Water* the Megarite is a beautiful character, even if she is perhaps TMPs "ugliest" rubber-faced alien. (Doesn't sound very IRIC of me, does it?) Christopher even utilizes Worene, the unique wolfish alien created by actress and stuntwoman Paula Crist (who was barely visible in the rec deck scene of TMP), and he does so to great effectiveness. (Finally, Worene's species has a name; she's an Aulacri!)

While I often found myself thinking that "Ex Machina" was a novel I should have written myself, I also acknowledge that Christopher is masterfully efficient in his worldbuilding, particularly his explanations for the whys and wherefores of Rhaandarites, Megarites, Betelgeusians and Zaranites. I'm so very pleased with the ideas he has extrapolated about these aliens. Surely, hopefully, Christopher's worldbuilding in this novel will inspire other Pocket ST authors to make full use of Rhaandarites, Saurians, Megarites, 'Geusians, Zaranites, Aulacri, Arcturians, K'normians and turtle-like Rigellians in other ST novels.

I never spent a lot of time pondering the background and themes of "For the World is Hollow and I have Touched the Sky", but Christopher expertly unpeels so many layers from the Fabrini story, developing a believable alien race who went on an incredible journey. He reminds us most vividly how history is written by the victors, and that all written history is open to multiple interpretations. Several senseless terrorist acts in the novel also ring too close to the bone for comfort, due to recent world events in the 21st century.

Christopher hasn't forgotten the science aspect of this science fiction novel, either. I was reminded very much of David Gerrold's body of SF work. No doubt Gerrold was an inspiration, especially since a character in "Ex Machina" is clearly based on the "character" played as a fan extra in TMP.

Now that we finally have Episode #2 of "Star Trek Phase II: Beyond TMP", dare I ask how long we have to wait for Episode #3? And can Christopher write it please?

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Star Trek for Star Trek Lovers, October 18, 2005

By	Ian B. Leary "Webstral" (Mill Valley, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Ex Machina is Star Trek for Star Trek lovers. This is, quite simply, the best work of its kind written by a true fan-someone who knows and loves Star Trek.

From the very beginning, it is obvious that author Christopher L. Bennett has thought through his work. He has thought through the character motivations, the unstated aspects of "Star Trek: The Motion Picture", and the rich potential of Star Trek's history. On a personal note, I love the fact that somebody else finds "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" as remarkable a film as I did. The first Star Trek movie is often panned as boring or too intellectual. Chris Bennett plainly agrees with me that "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" is a work of great depth and breadth; and I am pleased to report that Bennett lives up to this commitment to quality in Star Trek with his own commitment to the characters, the plot, and the world of Star Trek in Ex Machina.

Chris Bennett looks beneath the surface of things in Ex Machina, and there is where he shows us the rich detail of Star Trek. He shows us a James T. Kirk who is thoughtful and reflective. Kirk is troubled by the manner in which he reclaimed the center seat of Enterprise. He becomes troubled by the seeming success he enjoyed on so many occasions throughout the original Star Trek series. The admiral begins to consider the idea that his whirlwind involvement with many new cultures and many and diverse dilemma do not reflect a mature commitment to problem solving. Indeed, the focus of the story is the return of a problem he once felt solved-the fate of the great asteroid ship Yonada and her people now that the ark has reached its destination and the Oracle has been silenced. Kirk questions the wisdom of his in-and-out involvement with Yonada and other cultures, wherein he caused great upheaval but gave modest consideration to long-term solutions. This theme seems especially appropriate for the English speaking world, given our current situation in Iraq.

Bennett gives great attention to Spock's post-V'Ger mindset. I suspect that like me he noticed some things had happened with Spock's character between "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" and "Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan". The emotional aspect of himself that Spock finally seems to find acceptable in his sickbed following his mind meld with V'Ger has become an integral part of his behavior by the start of "The Wrath of Khan." Bennett clearly wanted to fill the gap, and he succeeds admirably. We see that Spock faces some of the problems of the adolescent in that he must grapple with sometimes-overwhelming bursts of feeling; unlike most adolescents, Spock is committed to fully understanding what is happening to him. Bennett plays this journey-or at least the beginning of it-out in a laudable fashion.

McCoy gets some attention, too. Bennett shows us a reflective man who is plagued by doubts about his return to Starfleet medicine and his own role in the Yonada venture. Interestingly, Bennett chooses to turn the usual banter between Spock and McCoy on its ear: Spock struggles to embrace his emotions in a constructive fashion, while McCoy wonders if his have done him good service. All very good stuff by a man who clearly loves and understands Star Trek.

We see some very Roddenbury-esque narrative regarding other species as well. Bennett shows us an Enterprise that is highly integrated with non-humans, courtesy of Will Decker's determination to use diversity as a strength. Bennett gives us some non-human characters whose cultural biases and internal conflicts are well-considered. He even goes so far as to acknowledge that these beings are unusual for their species in that they have left their home worlds and are serving aboard ships that are principally human. Again, the narrative reflects a commitment to Star Trek ideals of thoughtfulness, careful consideration, and the embrasure of the diverse through understanding.

The author also gives a whole new dimension to the story of the asteroid ark Yonada. Bennett delves into the history of the ship over its ten thousand year journey and, instead of trying to create a static environment, shows us a culture that has evolved into to form we see in "Star Trek: The Original Series". As with so much else in this book, Bennett has invested considerable thought and energy into imagining a rational, realistic series of events and sociology that lead to the final product of Yonadi society encountered by Kirk & Co.

Bennett even gives consideration to many of the details that are under-the-hood issues for most other Star Trek authors. He addresses the nomenclature of slower-than-light travel and some of the details of alien physiology. Everywhere throughout Ex Machina are such tidbits.

Ex Machina truly is Star Trek for Star Trek lovers. Chris Bennett can be proud of a job very well done indeed. Instead of trying to sloppily break new ground as so many Star Trek authors do, Bennett shows us the richness that already is. He finds treasure in exploring the wonderful characters portrayed in the original series and the first movie, and he gives us a Star Trek triumph in print. I eagerly await Bennett's new work.

Webstral