November 05, 2006

Star Trek meets Indians

A transcript of The Paradise Syndrome, the episode in which Kirk and crew encountered alien Indians.

5 comments:

Rob said...

Sounds like a fitting sequel to "The Paradise Syndrome." But I'm still wondering how the Indians could go from little or no technology to spaceships in less than a century.

Rob said...

As I think I told Russ before, this idea definitely should be a Star Trek novel.

Mesoamerican history goes back to at least 2500 BC. Pre-Classic Maya history began in 500 BC. The Maya civilization died out around 1200 AD, when the Aztecs moved into central Mexico. Building on previous cultures, the Aztecs achieved their pinnacle around 1500 AD.

So the Maya achievements took 3,700 or 1,700 years to accomplish, depending on which starting point you pick. The Aztec achievements took 4,000, 2,000, or 300 years, again depending on the starting point. No Mesoamerican civilization accomplished anything like spaceflight in under a century.

I'd consider this a fatal flaw in your premise. But if you posit that the obelisk used its mental instructional powers to educate the Natives, then I'd buy it. If you don't want to make it too "deus ex machina," you could say the obelisk heightened the Natives' natural proclivity for inventiveness.

Rob said...

Bonus points if you tie "The Paradise Syndrome," "Brothers of the Blood," and "How Sharper Than a Serpent's Tooth" into one overarching storyline.

Rob said...

Going from plane flight to space flight in less than a century is one thing. Going from pre-wheel technology (not even animal-driven carts) to space flight in less than a century is another.

When I see the finished story that integrates the three Indian Trek "chapters," then I'll give you your bonus points. Think of it as an incentive. ;-)

RavenDove said...

Oh Yes! Please Please do this! The Paradise Syndrome, has always been one of my favorite episodes of the original Star Trek. And it begs something more. Each and every time I see it, I 'need' to see more. I need to know what happens next. Wouldnt it have been just grand if they had went ahead and used this sequel in TNG!
Raven Dove~