Kirk's Joyride in the Enterprise

[JonA]

I watched Star Trek 3 last night and in particular the film's highlight when Kirk and Co half inch the Enterprise.

I was sitting there I was thinking that it seemed awfully easy.

Does anyone agree? Wouldn't a starbase the size of spacedock have it's own tractor beams? What weapons to disable the engines? Or the prefix code (that is so secret every ship has every other ship's code in it's databanks - which kind of makes the prefix thing pointless IMO)?

Taken for what it is, it's a great movie moment so I accept it as such and it was plot driven. But even so....

[Scarecrow]

It is absurdly easy but then, as you say it's a great scene.
The moment when the music builds to a crescendo, pauses for a second and Sulu says, 'We have cleared Space Doors' and then the music kicks back in with the main overture at full tilt. Almost brings a tear to the eye. =)

Actually, I'm listening to that very tune right now.

spooky!

Crow

PS - Actually, I wish they'd use James Horner for the movies again. His music, imho is the best Trek has ever had.

[Publius]

I assume you mean half inch as in "pinch"? Or is that a Britishism of which I am unaware...

In regards to the question, yeah it was awfully easy, but you might assume that they took the precautions to sabotage all of the other countermeasures before they left (they did after all, take care of the Excelsior, why not Spacedock too?). I think it would have been better to place a one-liner about that in the movie though.

With regards to the Prefix Code: After just using the prefix code against Kahn, they were well aware of what that could do and doubtless changed it when they were setting it up to run on a minimal staff.

Lastly, I agree fully with your point that the act was one driven by the plot more than anything. They needed to get it out of the Spacedock so that they could get it to the Genesis Planet and blow the crap out of it.

[JonA]

Originally posted by Publius
I assume you mean half inch as in "pinch"? Or is that a Britishism of which I am unaware...

That it's exactly. Half Inch, Pinch. It's yet more Cockney Rhyming Slang. Appologies I watched Snatch last night so I'm in Cockney mode at the moment - it's a phase and will pass.

[Owen E Oulton]

The prefix code is, IMHO, merely an access code which says "I am an authorised user" to the computer, and is used by starbases to assume remote docking control and such. It's not normally used for one captain to assume contol of another's ship - Kirk was only able to use it that way because Khan was unaware of it, as stated in dialogue.

It wasn't quite as easy as you're interpreting - watch again and note that they're hacking the station's security systems while they're heading for the doors, and it's a continuous process which appears to be actively resisted. They've obviously been working on this right from the get-go, even before Kirk asked Morrow for official permission to go to Genesis - permission which he knew he wasn't likely to get.

[Dan Gurden]

remember that this was Kirk. And he doesn't believe in the no win scenario. Owen is right, the plan went so smotothly that a lot of plotting and conspiracy must have been underway.

We just saw the actions of his very loyal Command Crew. But remember that Uhura stayed behind. She could easily have been responsible for organising the other equally Loyal, but less involved members of Kirks crew who were unable to make the trip due to re-assignment (Scotty's desertion was down to a greater loyalty to Kirk and Spock), or simply because Kirk wouldn't let so many risk themselves, just for him...

So while we never saw them, I imagine that Uhura, Commander Kyle, Commander Rand and Dr Chappell among others were the one responsible for the slow reaction of Spacedock... Remember that the next time we saw Rand, she was in Starfleet HQ Comms centre on Earth. Think she could have helped out there???

Kirk was always written as an awe-inspiring commander. but the plot only needed 'the faces'. Its a fair bet that had he chosen that option, Kirk could have fully crewed the Enterprise...

[Alex Pryde]

On other thing about the ship prefix codes, let's not foget we are talking about ADMIRAL Kirk at this time. I'm sure that's one of the reasons he could access the command code prefixes... afterall, rank has its privledges...

[REG]

Originally posted by JonA

I watched Star Trek 3 last night and in particular the film's highlight when Kirk and Co half inch the Enterprise.

I was sitting there I was thinking that it seemed awfully easy.

Does anyone agree? Wouldn't a starbase the size of spacedock have it's own tractor beams? What weapons to disable the engines? Or the prefix code (that is so secret every ship has every other ship's code in it's databanks - which kind of makes the prefix thing pointless IMO)?

Taken for what it is, it's a great movie moment so I accept it as such and it was plot driven. But even so....

I dunno. I'd like to think there is more to Uhura than being just a comm-officer-slash-receptionist, who stayed behind and manned one of the posts on the Spacedock. Then again, who knows what else Scotty did besides disabling Excelsior, also docked there?

[Sea Tyger]

Originally posted by REG
I dunno. I'd like to think there is more to Uhura than being just a comm-officer-slash-receptionist, who stayed behind and manned one of the posts on the Spacedock. Then again, who knows what else Scotty did besides disabling Excelsior, also docked there?

Actually, Uhura was manning a communications and transporter post in the "Old City" (I would assume she meant San Fransisco), not Spacedock.

[WarriorKnight]

According to the novel which was taken from the early draft of the script,Uhura jammed all com channels & made a mess for Starfleet to sort out.Which they did very quickly,She almost got nabbed when she got to the Vulcan Embassy.The only thing that saved her was Sarek.

[Space_Cadet]

Originally posted by Scarecrow
It is absurdly easy but then, as you say it's a great scene.
The moment when the music builds to a crescendo, pauses for a second and Sulu says, 'We have cleared Space Doors' and then the music kicks back in with the main overture at full tilt. Almost brings a tear to the eye. =)

Actually, I'm listening to that very tune right now.

spooky!

Crow

PS - Actually, I wish they'd use James Horner for the movies again. His music, imho is the best Trek has ever had.

I got the soundtrack too..and i love that sequence too!! ST3 that rare odd movie