Centuries earlier, several threatened tribes, including a mixture of Navajo, Mohican, and Delaware Indians, were transplanted from Earth to Amerind by a group known to them as the Wise Ones. These Wise Ones also placed an obelisk on the planet, which possessed an asteroid deflector, used to protect the planet's inhabitants. By the mid-23rd century the obelisk had malfunctioned and the planet was vulnerable to asteroid collisions.
In 2268, the USS Enterprise was on a mission to divert an asteroid, nearly the size of Luna, off of the collision course it was on with Amerind. Although the Enterprise was unable to stop it, they were able to repair the deflector in the obelisk, which was in turn able to deflect the asteroid, and once again protect the planet. (TOS: "The Paradise Syndrome")
In 2268, the USS Enterprise visited the planet Amerind and discovered a civilization of American Indians living there. The Preservers had evidently transplanted a nearly extinct group of these Indians to Amerind. They may have transplanted various flora and fauna as well, for Amerind was richly populated by Earth-native forms. The inhabitants referred to the Preservers as the "Wise Ones." Because asteroid impacts threatened Amerind on a semi-regular basis, the Preservers constructed a deflector in the form of an obelisk and left instructions with the tribal medicine man.
Leonard McCoy and Spock theorized that the Preservers were responsible for the spread of the many humanoids that populate the galaxy (TOS: "The Paradise Syndrome"). But about a century later, Captain Jean-Luc Picard and archaeologist Richard Galen learned that the Preservers were only part of the reason. (TNG: "The Chase")
Writerfella here --
ReplyDeleteWell, yes and no. The 'Preservers' were not rescuing species in danger of 'extinction,' they were rescuing 'endangered' species. And at the time that the 'Preservers' passed close by Earth, certain Native Americans were in danger of 'extinction.' Thus, the 'Preservers' picked the most endangered tribes and transported enough of them to a suitable planet where they might -- read: MIGHT -- survive. It is a bit like going to sleep on your own world and then waking the next morning on another world entirely. Thus, the disparate tribes had to ally for survival and so their cultures united. And as in 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY, the people were given enough information and technology to reasonably guarantee their survival. Margaret Armen's teleplay doesn't explain enough to reveal WHY the 'Preservers' did what they did nor does it explain why they departed. Maybe it is like the Wolf Project currently ongoing in Yellowstone Park - let it happen, no matter what.
At least, STAR TREK at the time was informing its audience that the local neighborhood of galaxies are young enough to witness the existence of races far older than even those from the galaxies themselves, and that longevity equals benevolence. Quite a lot of beans for the average TV viewer to absorb, but the episode (no matter how trite or stereotypical it may have seemed) it was successful out of the other "bad" episodes of the third season of the series. No matter how much her original ideas were altered, the story came through. writerfella sneakingly always has had an admiration for Margaret Armen's episode itself...
All Best
Russ Bates
'writerfella'
There is no contradition between "species in danger of extinction" and "endangered species".
ReplyDeleteThe "danger" in "endangered species" actually refers danger of extinction. See this.
"At least, STAR TREK at the time was informing its audience that the local neighborhood of galaxies are young enough to witness the existence of races far older than even those from the galaxies themselves, and that longevity equals benevolence."
Informing? Hardly. As attractive as these ideas are, we have no evidence concerning alien races to call any such conjecture "informing". The only evidence we can get is from our supposedly advanced race. That is all. You just can't generalize that way using information from a set of one.
Writerfella here --
ReplyDeleteThe Peanut Gallery speaks! writerfella has been a science fiction writer for forty years for TV and print, has an Emmy and a Peabody, and thus may know something about the subject. Science is the real reason for writing science fiction and communication of same is the usual goal. Informed science fiction also is science fiction that informs and there is no getting around it even using the generalizations expressed by young master Marks. And, oh, somone please tell him that the white man's god is dead...
All Best
RussBates
'writerfella'
As long as we know that the only actual "informing" Star Trek could do in this area is that "galaxies are old". All else is fantasy, especially matters concerning alien races.
ReplyDeleteIt can be good fantasy, and can win one many Hugo's and Nebula's, or it can challenge minds with "what if's", but science fiction can do precious little "informing" about alien races. The evidence is just not there. There's nothing to inform about.
I think that "Science is the real reason for writing science fiction" is only half true. Isn't telling a good story equally as important? "Good" can mean literary and socially conscious as well as merely being entertaining.
The Hugo folks know this. That's why "Babylon 5" deservedly got awards/nominations, even though you really can't find science in it.
Now, should I feel endangered? Or should I instead feel in danger of extinction?
Writerfella here --
ReplyDeleteActually, you should feel both endangered AND in danger of extinction. And therefore you must realize that they are NOT the same states of being. You are endangered for several reasons: if you're a EuroMan, the current thinning of the ozone layer means that EuroMan very much is endangered by inability to deal with increasing levels of ultraviolet radiation. Caucasians evolved in arctic regions and rarely had much exposure to solar radiation. That's why they're white, whereas other races in temperate and tropical regions turned yellow, brown, and black to accommodate increased exposure. Caucasians have not evolved such protections, though they now have spread over the entire globe. That whole species of amphibians have become extinct WITHOUT environmental destruction only means that all life on earth is reacting to higher amounts of solar radiation reaching the surface of the earth. And you should feel in danger of extinction because of world overpopulation, such a state being due to what are known as Ardrey's Principles that delineate the effects of overpopulation of any given species: 1 - the females go barren; 2 - the parents destroy the young; 3 - further births yield nonviable offspring; and 4 - new diseases spring up to savage the overpopulated species, sometimes to extinction. Look at the world around you as it is, and you must see that all of these principles are operant at this time.
writerfella has been nominated three times for Hugoes and Nebulae awards but has yet to win, though he came closest in 1974 for his "Rite Of Encounter." Once his stories, "The Last Quest" and "Fifth And Last Horseman" are published in 2008, he will be in that arena once again.
Science fiction informs about alien races in one area of specificity: other humans have become 'aliens' to the rest of the human race and some still are considered such even today. Know that the population of the American continents was over 110 millions in 1492, and was less than 1 million in 1892. Endangered? In danger of extinction? You do the math. As any aliens passing Earth system most certainly would have done...
All Best
Russ Bates
'writerfella'