Star Trek I: Specter of the Past

Star Trek: Specter of the Past is a 2009 fan-produced CGI film, exploring through its characters the definitions of "hero" and "villain," as well as the lengths one may go to in order to defend their own moral standards. The film is being produced by Brandon Bridges, with support from Scifi-Meshes.com and other Star Trek fan sites. It is slated for a fall 2009 release. The principal action takes place aboard the USS Fitzgerald, a modified starship, but features appearances by Deep Space 9 and by the Enterprise-E and two of her officers.

Act One
"In times of doubtful morality, it is usual to say: 'Is there any harm in doing this?'  This question may sometimes best be answered by asking ourselves another:  'Is there any harm in letting it alone?' " -Charles Caleb Colton

In space, a Dawn Star-class starship--the USS Daystrom--pursues a Yellowstone-class runabout, firing phasers at the smaller vessel. Despite repeated shots from the Daystrom, none of the phaser beams manages to hit the runabout, which is only executing minimal evasive maneuvers.

On the starship's bridge, the captain expresses frustration at his tactical officer's inability to score even a glancing hit on the fleeing runabout. Moments later, the runabout pilot hails the ship, revealing himself to be Dr. Braiyon Garr, a leading Federation scientific physicist, who curiously is seen wearing an antique set of gold-rimmed glasses. As he does so, an officer at a side science station--later revealed to be named Gaius Reyf--perks up and watches the exchange with sudden interest. Garr attempts to warn the ship off, proclaiming that his runabout can more than outrun the Daystrom. His message ends with a direct threat to the captain:  "Don't think that you're a match for me, captain.  You're not."

The phaser fire continues, with the Daystrom still unable to hit the runabout despite switching to manual targeting. The captain asks Reyf if he can figure out how Garr is defeating their weapons, but Reyf simply stares at the viewscreen as though in shock. Just as the captain is about to relieve Reyf of duty, the helm officer reports the runabout's new heading: the Utopia Planitia shipyards. Panicked, the captain orders an emergency transmission to the yard superintendent, knowing the warning will come too late to do any good.

But instead of opening fire on the spacedocks or the nearly-completed starships within, the runabout simply weaves through them--at one point strafing the new USS Enterprise NCC-1701-E at close range--before slingshotting around Mars. Realizing the doctor's plan hadn't been to cause damage at all but simply to outmaneuver the larger vessel, the captain orders auxiliary power routed to the engines, and the Daystrom veers around the spacedocks.

Just as the Daystrom is closing on the runabout again, the small ship alters course and dives into the asteroid field. Too large to maneuver safely inside the close confines of the asteroid field, the Daystrom is forced to break off pursuit. Reyf monitors the runabout's progress with the sensors, which shortly indicate that the runabout has suffered an impact from a rock and, leaking warp plasma, is spiraling down towards one of the asteroids. On the viewscreen, the bridge crew sees an orange flair against the surface of one of the asteroids; and stunned, the bridge crew looks on as they realize the runabout just exploded.

The ship holds position for a while at the asteroid field, running a final sensor scan to determine the fate of the runabout. Meanwhile, the captain consoles Reyf on his loss, and orders the Daystrom back to the shipyards. Reyf watches silently as the ship reverses direction, and moves away from the asteroid belt.

Act Two
Two Years Later...

''Captain's personal log, stardate 50061.1. Following a three-month survey mission in the remote Gamma Quadrant, we have taken advantage of an invitation for shore leave aboard space station Deep Space Nine. While the majority of the crew have chosen to indulge in the change of scenery offered by the station, I have chosen a diversion of...a different sort.''

With the newly commissioned USS Fitzgerald docked at Deep Space Nine and her crew enjoying some time off, Captain Gaius Reyf--enjoying the feeling of success following his first mission as captain--compares thoughts on a holoprogram that he and the ship's doctor, Elizabeth Falwell, have just run together. The program, a recreation of the Mary Shelley novel "Frankenstein," sparks a debate between them about the nature of good and evil and what constitutes a true villain. Although Falwell believes the Frankenstein creation to be a simple villain with no deeper motivation, while Reyf attributes the creature's behaviors to having been rejected by his creator. Falwell refuses to acknowledge the validity of his viewpoint, and they part ways--she for a five-day botanical conference on Bajor, he for his quarters to relax.

Later, in his quarters, Reyf has his feet up and is deeply immersed in an old novel, when his first officer--Commander Brad Prentice--arrives to deliver the crew duty rosters. He shares his own plans for their leave--to spend as much time as possible in Quark's holosuites--before learning of Reyf's recent loss in his literary debate with Falwell. Amused, Reyf recommends his first officer try it and that he would learn humility from the experience. Prentice good-naturedly declines before leaving Reyf to his book. Reyf returns to his reading, but is quickly interrupted again by an urgent subspace message. He has the call routed to his quarters, and learns from an aged research scientist named Dr. Edward Chellik that a rash of break-ins at secret research facilities across the Federation had taken place during Reyf's mission, and that until now no one had had any idea who the perpetrator was. Visibly bracing himself, he shows Reyf a visual log recorded at his facility, and a shocked Reyf sees the face of his old friend, Dr. Braiyon Garr, in the image. Chellik warns Reyf that the stolen device, an exotic-matter subspace field generator, could disrupt space across ten light-years and that it must be recovered at all costs. He tells Reyf that he was chosen for the job because of his familiarity with Dr. Garr, something which Chellik is all too aware could compromise the captain's judgement; at Reyf's insistence that the search will be handled appropriately, he obtains the location from Chellik, and the Fitzgerald leaves to track it down.

Achieving orbit of Beta Reticuli IV, Reyf orders the planet scanned for the energy signature provided by Chellik. It takes only a few moments for the sensors to locate the source: an underground laboratory sprawling over almost three kilometers. Although the sensors show no life signs in the area, Reyf's away team only consists of himself, his chief engineer, Lt. Cmdr. Merv Ronston, and his chief of security, Lt. Kendra Erickson, armed with a large black phaser rifle. They transport to the surface, materializing in an extensive cave system. Once there, Reyf can't shake the feeling that the away team is being watched, but since their tricorders show no evidence of anyone besides themselves, they begin to explore the cavern, finally coming upon a metal doorway set into the rock face. Ronston finds traces of Federation technology in its design, concluding that the entire facility is likely constructed using Federation technology. He is able to override the locking mechanism and the door opens, leading the away team into a dark and seemingly powerless facility.

Aboard the Fitzgerald, meanwhile, sensors continue to monitor the away team's progress. Although the transporter lock remains solid, Commander Prentice remains troubled by the presence of a strange energy displacement near the away team's position, a displacement the sensors can neither identify nor lock on to. He contacts Reyf to advise the captain of the situation.

In the hidden lab, Reyf receives a sudden summons to Lt. Erickson's position. He arrives, and finds her in a side lab standing over what looks to be a half-completed female android. Ronston arrives moments later, and begins an analysis. As Reyf leans in for a closer look, the android's eyes suddenly open and Reyf and his team find themselves being studied carefully. Although she is uncommunicative, Ronston's tricorder scans indicate a highly complex and very sophisticated neural network, and Reyf agrees to allow her aboard the ship for analysis.

Just then, Erickson spots a silhouetted figure across the room and sounds the alarm, but too late to prevent the figure from beaming out. Reyf calls for beam-up as well, and moments later the Fitzgerald breaks orbit as sensors detect a ship powering up behind the planet's second moon. All attempts to communicate with the mysterious vessel fail, but Erickson is able to read its transponder: I.S.S. Voyager, NCC-74656. Reyf immediately recognizes it for what it is--Dr. Garr's vessel, constructed from the plans the doctor had stolen two years prior, and realizes that this may be his one and only chance to stop Garr from doing whatever it is he's doing. He calls for the duplicate ship's surrender, but his hails go unanswered until he threatens to take drastic action. The Voyager duplicate responds, a dark and distorted version of Dr. Garr's voice coming across the speakers: "Drastic action...what a wonderful idea."

Garr alters course for the system's sixth planet, where a science ship is conducting an analysis of the gas giant's core. As its weapons begin to come on-line, Reyf at once knows what Garr is about to do but is too far away to stop him. He and the rest of the bridge crew watch, horrified, as Voyager opens fire with some kind of antiproton-based phasers. It quickly disables the Miranda-class science ship, which begins to descend into the gas giant's atmosphere. Garr tauntingly dares Reyf to allow the starship's crew of twenty-four to die, a sacrifice Reyf isn't willing to make even knowing what a danger Garr poses. Vowing that he and Garr will meet again, he orders his helmsman to reverse course, and the Fitzgerald breaks pursuit to rescue the survey vessel. Shaken by what he's just experienced, Reyf admits to his first officer that they need help to defeat this particular foe.

A short time later, the USS Enterprise NCC-1701-E joins the Fitzgerald in orbit of Beta Reticuli IV, and Reyf goes to his transporter room to greet two special guests from the other ship: Lt. Cmdr. Data and Counselor Troi. He explains the nature of their mission, and assigns Troi to review Garr's personnel file to determine what's happened to his old friend, while Data is assigned first to review the list of stolen equipment and to then lend his assistance in the analysis of the female android.

Meanwhile, Commander Prentice leads an away team to the hidden lab in an attempt to uncover the secrets of Garr's recent activities, in an attempt to uncover his ultimate goal. But when they manage to restore power, they find the facility virtually empty and the computer system completely wiped.

Only adding to the confusion, Data and Ronston's analysis of the female android reveals that her neural network is mostly organic and that retrieving information from her via computer interface will be impossible. Ronston points out that if she can be made to speak, she may be able to tell them what they need to know. Data theorizes that a biological analysis may yield some clues, so they take her to sickbay to conduct a more in-depth study. They learn that her brain shares its form with the human biological brain, and Ronston realizes that the portions of her brain controlling speech and long-term memory are dormant. A scan of that part of her brain reveals the existence of enough memory engrams to account for three years of memories, an impossibility since Garr couldn't possibly have started her a year prior to his disappearance, as he would still have been with the real Kristie Vensen at that time. Before they can investigate further, the Fitzgerald receives a call for help.

The Fitzgerald closes in on the source of the distress call, a Constellation-class starship called the Fairgrieve, covered with phaser burns and with her hull ripped open in several places. The supply ship has drifted dangerously close to the nearby sun and the high radiation levels prevent Reyf from lowering his shields to send an away team. Marveling at the speed with which the attack was carried out, Reyf realizes who must've been responsible and calls for scans in hopes of picking up Garr's trail--but this close to the star solar winds have wiped away any trace of an impulse wake, even that of the Fairgrieve. Unsure of his next move, Reyf retreats into his ready room.

A short time later, the officers and crew gather at a staff briefing. By now, Ronston has devised a possible approach for repairing the android's brain, and Reyf authorizes the procedure. Troi reveals her certainty that, somewhere along the way, Garr suffered a severe personal trauma and that for him to be capable of everything they've witnessed he's become extremely dangerous and cannot be trusted. She seems about to say more but Reyf silences her with a warning glance. He adjourns the meeting and returns to the bridge, with Data close in tow, and the two of them along with Lieutenant Erickson conduct a facial-recognition search on the android while Ronston leaves to perform his repairs. The first few efforts fail, but eventually they are able to identify the android as the half-completed replica of a woman Dr. Garr was once involved with, Kristie Aris Vensen. Realizing the connection and its significance, Reyf ventures belowdecks to review her records.

Retreating to the ship's Stellar Cartography lab, he and Counselor Troi review Vensen's records and compare them to Garr's, attempting to decipher his endgame. Troi says little as Reyf reads and recollects, drawing upon his 15-year friendship with Garr to search for answers. The captain is visibly disturbed as he recalls how normal everything seemed with Garr right up until the day he disappeared, but Troi spots a pattern in Garr's actions: anger.  Reyf recalls that in all the novels he's ever read, anger itself is rarely a motivator, but that it's usually a response to lost love. He recalls a bit of conversation he'd once had with Garr about something terrible happening between himself and Vensen, and Troi fills in the missing piece--a betrayal, which prompted Garr to seek revenge, after which his guilt-ridden conscience drove him insane. He realizes that if this is the case, Garr must be trying to restore his own innocence and prevent his downfall, and that he'll stop at nothing to to do it.

Meanwhile, on the bridge, Data establishes a computer link with the Fairgrieve to download its sensor logs. But as soon as the interface is complete, Erickson begins to detect a sudden and inexplicable drop in mass of the Fairgrieve. With Data unsure if he'll be able to complete the computer download before the other ship's warp core ruptures, Prentice orders the helm to lay in an escape course and prepare to engage the warp drive. Everything seems to go fine until the download nears completion--when the Fitzgerald suddenly loses main power. Prentice contacts engineering and learns that a harmonic disruption coming from whatever is happening to the Fairgrieve is disrupting the EPS system, and Ronston is barely able to get the warp engines back on-line in time to get the Fitzgerald clear.

Reyf then steps onto the bridge, and after Prentice assures him that everything is well, he turns to Data. The android reports that the sensor information from the Fairgrieve was corrupted by the subspace mine that destroyed it, but Reyf seems uninterested in that as he asks if any configuration of the equipment Garr stole might result in a functional time machine. Data reports that there were several, but that he dismissed them as likely possibilities because they all required an additional element--verteron particles--to function. The exotic power source cannot be manufactured, and can only be obtained naturally from the event horizon of a black hole. The Fitzgerald sets off at maximum warp to the nearest one to their present location.

The captain next visits sickbay, where Ronston has just reactivated the Vensen android. She regains consciousness and at first, still does not speak. Gradually Reyf is able to get her to speak to him, and then she doubles over as her embedded engrammatic memory begins to reassert itself. Reyf learns that the memories are Garr's, and Vensen confirms Reyf's suspicions: the doctor was betrayed by her real counterpart, and did something so terrible as a result that he went insane, and his ultimate objective is to travel back in time and stop the whole mess from beginning. Reyf asks if she can devise any way to stop him, but she simply shakes her head. Just then, Prentice summons Reyf to the bridge: the Fitzgerald has arrived at its destination, and sensors have confirmed the presence of the I.S.S. Voyager in the system, hovering perilously close to the system's black hole. Reyf has him set an intercept course, and the Fitzgerald takes off at impulse.

Act Three
Meanwhile, at the black hole, the I.S.S. Voyager is just moving into position above the phenomenon and begins to draw the verteron particles up from the event horizon. On the bridge, Garr directs the process of beaming the incoming particle stream aboard and transferring it into a series of specially-prepared containment cylinders. The procedure goes smoothly, but just as the first round is complete the Fitzgerald enters sensor range, its weapons and shields active. Reyf hails Voyager, and again calls for Garr to surrender. Garr twice refuses, baffling Reyf as the refitted Galaxy-class starship seems to far overmatch its Intrepid-class foe, but the doctor eventually agrees to allow Reyf aboard his ship. Over Prentice's objections, Reyf transports to Voyager alone and with no weapons.

Aboard Voyager, Reyf finds Dr. Garr waiting for him in the ship's transporter room, and after a tense and uncomfortable moment, Reyf decides to call upon whatever vestige might still exist of the friendship the two once shared, and asks Garr to explain himself. Garr is immediately suspicious, but agrees to allow Reyf to accompany him as he makes his final preparations to complete his mission. As they walk, Garr explains that everything that has been happening had done so according to an intricate plan, and that it is no accident that Reyf is present. At first confused, Reyf realizes that Garr's sudden reappearance and the sudden evidence was no accident, and neither was the timing of it mere days after the Fitzgerald returned. Garr admits he couldn't maintain perfect secrecy forever, no matter how hard he tried, and tells Reyf that of all the people Starfleet might've sent to stop him, he believes Reyf is the one person who may actually understand what he's trying to do. Horrified at the very idea, Reyf balks and questions how Garr could possibly expect him to understand. Garr merely looks at him and says they have much to discuss.

Meanwhile, back aboard the Fitzgerald, Commander Prentice has begun to grow concerned for his captain's safety aboard the doctor's ship, as it has been several hours since his last check-in.

''First officer’s log, supplemental. It’s now been a total of four hours since the captain transported to the I.S.S. Voyager. We’ve had no contact since then; all our hails have gone unanswered, and although we’ve been able to a maintain a constant transporter lock, with each passing hour I begin to worry just a little more.''

Reyf and Garr step into Garr's ready room, where Reyf confronts Garr about his intentions. By now he has seen the entire ship and is well aware of the intricacies of Garr's plans, finding them risky and horribly unethical. Garr refuses to abandon his work, citing his many sacrifices to get to this point and accusing Reyf of a lack of vision. He steps onto the bridge, and Reyf follows suit. As Garr makes the final preparations to leave, Reyf questions what his old friend has really become, citing the doctor's ruthless attacks on the survey ship and later the Fairgrieve, accusing the mad doctor of having given in to his feelings of hatred and remorse, at the cost of everything he held dear. Garr denies it, but Reyf insists, and Garr finally breaks, screaming in uncontrolled rage.

Frightened by the sudden release of Garr's emotions and aware that his life is suddenly very much in jeopardy, Reyf listens quietly as Garr slowly advances on him, his voice low as he describes the many compromises he made on his own morals, and that no amount of talking will change the fact that he has nothing left to go back to in this timeline. Reyf defuses the tension by noting that in his rage, Garr's combadge had fallen off, before turning to leave. His words, "See you around, Frankenstein," seem to make Garr start to hink as he exmaines his combadge in his hand. As Reyf turns to step toward the turbolift, he suddenly hears Garr softly quoting a line from Frankenstein: "For this I had deprived myself of rest and health.  I had desired it with an ardour that far exceeded moderation; but now that I had finished, the beauty of the dream vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart." Reyf questions him, and Garr explains that he had been in denial about his entire plan, and in his rage had convinced himself he was serving a greater purpose, while in fact he had simply been unable to let go of his hatred for Vensen's betrayal and his own self-loathing over what he had done. He and Reyf exchange a glance, and Garr pins his combadge back to his uniform before wordlessly powering down his time device.

Act Four
Back on the Fitzgerald a short time later, Reyf confers with Prentice and Troi about what he had witnessed on Voyager. He tells Prentice that for all intents and purposes his first officer had been right all along--sometimes villains are simply that, and not always do they have the greater depth Reyf had hoped. Troi expresses her hope that Garr can be rehabilitated and returned to society, and Prentice expresses his desire to study Voyager for clues to the advanced technology aboard her. Reyf refuses to allow anyone to board the deuplicate starship until Erickson can complete a security scan. Reyf asks Troi's thoughts on what they should do with Dr. Garr until they can reach a starbase, and she warns him that the doctor is very uncertain of his decision to trust his future to Reyf and that it might not take much to set him off again.

At that very moment, Garr paces restlessly in his guest quarters on the Fitzgerald, staring at times in frustration at his own vessel still visible through the windows. The door chime sounds, and in walks the Kristie Vensen android. Visibly shaken, Garr invites her in, and the two have a brief discussion about why she was built but not finished. Garr admits that he had originally intended for her to take the place of the real Kristie Vensen in his life, but that with every change he made to her personality, the more he realized it would've been a lie, a lie he didn't want to have to live with, and so he abandoned the effort in favor of time travel. Recounting these truths to Vensen proves too much and Garr breaks down; unable to bear the sight of her creator so disturbed, Vensen reminds him that there's still one other option.

Several decks up, Reyf adjourns the meeting with his officers and agrees to see to Dr. Garr's needs as a cover for verifying the doctor's continued cooperation. He visits the doctor's guest quarters, but there is no response to the door chime. Reyf tries again and then enters the room, to find it empty. Just as he is about to question the computer for Garr's whereabouts, he sees Voyager suddenly come to life and move away through the windows. Prentice summons him to the bridge, and the ship takes off after Voyager. Reyf hails the fleeing starship and attempts to talk Garr down, but the doctor won't be swayed a second time. With Vensen at his side, he vows to complete his mission or die trying, and the channel closes.

Faced with the daunting task of overcoming Voyagers tactical superiority, Reyf nevertheless knows his duty and he chooses to uphold it. Calling for red alert, he orders the weapons readied. The starship launches an assault in an attempt to knock out Voyagers warp drive, but as expected the fearsome volley fails to do any noticeable damage to the duplicate vessel. His options begin to narrow when the sensors detect a chronometric energy field beginning to form around Voyager, and he realizes Garr is about to make his time jump. An attempt to disable the temporal field generator with an antiproton beam also fails, disrupted partly by Voyagers hull armor and in part by auxiliary circuits the doctor apparently prepared for just such an attempt. Faced with no other option and with the temporal field nearly at full strength, Reyf orders the deployment of the ship's transkinetic warheads. Erickson launches two, which explode against Voyagers shields. Moments later, the Fitzgerald suffers an impact by a powerful shock wave, which Data describes as what one might expect from a starship's warp core losing containment. Despite extensive scans, there is no sign of any debris from Voyager. Visibly shaken at having lost his friend a second time--and this time at being the instrument of that destruction--Reyf leaves the bridge.

Shortly thereafter, Data visits Reyf in an attempt to glean some understanding of humanity from what has just happened. Reyf recounts the story of Frankenstein and his earlier debate with Falwell, and Data likens what they have seen and done to events in a story, and surmises based on Reyf's choice of words that the captain believes himself the hero and Dr. Garr the villain. Data disagrees, questioning whether based on his stated intentions Dr. Garr could truly be considered criminal. Reyf responds that although Garr's intent was to merely alter the events of his own life, no one individual could predict how they impact the people around them and thus Garr would have no way to know how his actions would truly alter history. Data asks again whether Reyf considers the doctor a true representation of evil, a question for which Reyf doesn't have an answer. Data then also notes that Reyf doesn't seem to be observing the typical human period of mourning for a long-standing friend. Reyf looks through the window and simply says that he doesn't truly believe Garr is dead--at Data's questioning glance he reminds the android that Garr also "died" in the asteroid belt two years prior, and that somehow, somewhere--sometime--he's certain that Braiyon Garr is still alive.

Epilogue
Following Data and Troi's return to the Enterprise, Reyf returns to the bridge, where he orders his ship to set course back to Deep Space Nine, to both complete the shore leave their crew has earned and to retrieve their CMO from Bajor. As the helmsman lays in the course, a crewman in science-dpeartment blue delivers a report to another crewman at the aft science station, before turning to step into the turbolift. Reyf hears and turns but is too late to catch the figure as the turbolift doors close. Shrugging it off, he gives the order to engage.

In the turbolift, the man rides silently, reaching into his pocket to retrieve something. As the doors open, the man puts on a pair of gold-rimmed glasses and looks to his left, revealing himself to be none other than Dr. Braiyon Garr. He grins softly, and says to himself, "Full circle," before stepping out into the corridor. The doors close, and the Fitzgerald moves off into space.

Memorable Quotes
''"I'm a doctor, not a drama critic."


 * - Dr. Elizabeth Falwell

''"How'd you do that?"

''"Magic." ''


 * - Reyf and Ronston, after Ronston is able to open the door to Garr's hidden lab using nothing more than his tricorder

''"Lieutenant?"

''"This place still gives me the creeps, even with the lights on. I feel like a thousand eyes are watching us."

''"Under other circumstances I might call you paranoid, lieutenant. But this time I feel it too." ''


 * - Prentice and Erickson, while investigating Garr's hidden lab

"The design of her neural structure seemed atypical because it does not match any known technological'' template."

''"Turns out we were barking up the wrong tree. Data decided to run a comparative analysis against any known neural structures, not just the technological ones."

''"What made you think of that alternative?"

''"Through deduction, sir. The available facts did not provide sufficient information for us to arrive at a solution.  It therefore seemed that an alternative method of investigation was prudent.  In the words of Sherlock Holmes—"

''" 'When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains must be the truth, no matter how improbable.' Yes, I have heard that expression."

''"Admit it, Data, you had a hunch, and you turned out to be right."

"It was the only logical alternative. I—"  (looks around)  "I had a hunch."


 * - Data, Ronston, and Reyf, discussing their investigation of the female android's strange brain

"Human memory doesn’t always work like stored computer files. When you look at this, a stimulus in your brain connects the stimulus with the word tricorder.  Repeat it enough, and a neural connection forms to retain that stimulus in your frontal lobe.  But when I ask you to describe the tricorder, and the stimulus is no longer present, your brain collects everything it knows about tricorders.  You may think of the color of the casing, or the lights on the screen, or the sound it makes.  For me, the same stimulus might make me think of the weight of the unit, or the feel of the casing the last time I used it."


 * - Cmdr. Ronston, discussing how human memory works

"This is Dr. Braiyon Garr, commanding the Federation starship ISS Voyager''. Now’s not a good time, Gaius, I’m gonna have to ask you to come back."

''"Stand down and prepare for transport, doctor. I’m taking you into custody."

''"Oh, please spare me the tired cliché of making the impassioned appeal for the bad guy to surrender and give up his evil ways. You and I both know it’s not going to happen." ''


 * - Garr and Reyf, as Reyf calls for Garr's surrender at the black hole

''"In every work of early human fiction that I’ve ever read, there was a person—a villain—with some unthinkable plan to conquer the known world, or to cause mass destruction if certain demands weren’t met. In nearly every case, the villain was either given what they wanted, or they were stopped before they could carry out their plans."

"Fairy tales. Poor'' storytelling at best."

''"Maybe. Maybe not.  You see, in nearly every story I’ve read, the villain always saw themselves as some kind of…misunderstood, and suffering individual, wronged by society and determined to make it right by whatever means are necessary."

''"You’re not seriously comparing Dr. Garr to one of these…storybook ne’er-do-wells of yours."

''"Why not? Even the most…unbelievable works of fiction, are still based in reality at some level.  Ultimately every work of sophisticated prose is just a story about people, and with only a few exceptions, people always act from here."

''"Sir, I’m well aware that you’re versed in classic writing. And I grant that some antagonists are more than simple villains out to destroy the universe.  But I see no evidence that Dr. Garr fits that description; and with him running around hatching evil, super-villain plans, we can’t afford to take that chance.  We have no reason to believe he’s doing any of the soul-searching that you’re apparently giving him credit for."

''"Even the most misguided literary figures still believed they were doing what had to be done. And no villain could ever refuse the possibility of gaining understanding by mainstream society."

''"And what happens when you encounter an unexpected plot twist?"

''"I suppose I’ll have to do what any good protagonist would do. I’ll improvise."


 * - Reyf and Prentice, discussing Dr. Garr as Reyf prepares to beam to Voyager

"Don’t you…dare talk to me about ethics! This is not about morals, or principles, or any other Starfleet platitude.  There comes a point in every man’s life, when to do what’s right, he must surrender his beliefs.  I’ve been there.  And I know what I have to do."


 * - Dr. Braiyon Garr

''"I suppose now you’re going to tell me all about your sinister scheme."

(with amusement)'' "Reveal my plan?  What do you think this is, a cheap cartoon?"

''"Something like that."


 * - Reyf and Dr. Garr

''"You are mad, Braiyon. Mad!"

''"No, actually I’m quite happy. In less than an hour, I’ll be where I want to be, and my life will be back on track.  That’d brighten anyone’s day.  Now if you’ll excuse me, this really isn’t the time for us to be spouting lines from bad 20th century holonovels at one another."


 * - Reyf and Dr. Garr

(bitterly) "The only award that self-serving madman deserves after everything he’s done is for perfect attendance at the New Zealand Penal Colony."


 * - Cmdr Brad Prentice

''"Good and evil have reconciled. And now the villain has seen the error of his ways, and the hero has returned to his people, victorious once again."

''"Commander?"

''"A discussion the captain and I were having before he went over there. He likened Dr. Garr to a villain in a story, and we were arguing over whether he was a villain of complexity."

''"You didn’t think he was?"

''"I still don’t. He’s intelligent, sure…but complex?"

''"The best villains are the mysterious ones. There’s something to be said for an antagonist you can’t predict."

''"I could never get into a story like that. There’s always some unexpected, last-minute plot twist, that gives the villain one last shot at his evil plan."

''"Commander, I am detecting a low-frequency nadion radiation surge."

''"Speaking of plot twists."


 * - Prentice, Troi, and Data, following Garr's surrender

''"In the literary style of most pre-23rd century authors, each work followed a predictable pattern, whereby an individual became incensed with mainstream culture, rejected it, and left to pursue their own desires. This would require a counterpart—the antagonist—to emerge and confront them.  Typically, the protagonist is also defined as a character undergoing a dramatic change, both of his own character traits and external circumstances.  In many plotlines evolving from order to chaos, a reversal of fortune can bring about the downfall of the protagonist, usually an exceptional individual, as a result of a tragic flaw in his personality.  Do you believe the events we witnessed have played out according to this definition?"

''"It certainly seems that way, doesn’t it." ''


 * - Data and Reyf, discussing the events they've witnessed

"You’re asking if it was proper for me to give the order to destroy Voyager.'' Whether the ends justify the means."

''"Yes, sir."

''"I’ve gone over that question a thousand times in my mind. Data, part of being human is learning when you have to make a personal sacrifice for the greater good.  In fact I believe very strongly in the defense of history, but…that doesn’t make what I did any easier.  Braiyon may have been an old friend, but what he was trying to do violated every Federation law that I swore to uphold.  I’ve looked the other way before, I’ve even come close to breaking the Prime Directive now and again, but…"

''"These circumstances are unique."

''"Yes, they are. The simplest answer, Mr. Data, is that the ends don’t always justify the means.  Dr. Garr’s downfall began with a single compromise that he made many years ago, to back away from what he believed in for someone else’s benefit.  After that, each compromise he made got a little easier, and a little easier, until finally he’d gone too far to go back to where he started.  Today I had a chance to make that first compromise myself.  And today I refused."

''"Thus defending the things you believe in."

''"Indeed. You know, Data…for all our advancements, all our achievements…all our protestations of having become an enlightened race…humans are no more immune to our own feelings than we were a thousand years ago."


 * - Reyf and Data, discussing Dr. Garr following the disappearance of the ISS Voyager

''(final words)

"Full circle."
 * - Dr. Braiyon Garr

Cast

 * Dr. Braiyon Garr. Noted Federation research scientist and theoretical physicist, Garr had been working for Starfleet Intelligence on Earth, heading their R&D division, when he suddenly stole a runabout from the facility and fled Earth. After stealing classified starship blueprints from Earth Station McKinley, he apparently died in an accident in the asteroid belt of Sector 001.
 * Dr. Edward Chellik.
 * Captain Gaius Reyf.
 * Commander Brad Prentice.
 * Lieutenant Commander Merv Ronston.
 * Lieutenant Kendra Erickson.
 * Lieutenant Howard Parks.
 * Lieutenant Garrett.
 * Lieutenant Commander Data.
 * Counselor Deanna Troi.

Background Information

 * The starship chase scene in the opening sequence is loosely based on a similar prologue sequence seen in the pilot episode of Star Trek: Voyager, "The Caretaker." In that episode, scrolling text also precedes a space battle.
 * The type of starship seen in the prologue sequence is a fan design known as the Dawnstar-class, obtained from StarTrekAustralia and meant to represent an intermediate step between the canon Ambassador-class and Galaxy-class designs. The bridge of this vessel, the USS Daystrom, is a recreation of the Enterprise-B bridge from Star Trek: Generations, and can be seen with a standard Ambassador-class Master Systems Display.
 * The display screens on the Daystrom bridge are reminiscent of those seen in Star Trek VI, although the uniforms are clearly those from the early seasons of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. The display screen format would change to late-2370s LCARs, and the uniforms would also change to those seen from Star Trek: First Contact.  This was done intentionally so as to clearly establish the two different eras in which the film takes place.
 * The "blinkies" under the Daystrom viewscreen are not seen in the prologue sequence.
 * For the prologue sequence, Dr. Garr's vessel is incorrectly referenced in dialogue as a "shuttlecraft," as opposed to a "runabout." The interior for the unnamed runabout, though built to reflect one of several configurations that appeared on the series Deep Space Nine, bears colors and even an LCARs from Star Trek: Insurrection.
 * The bridge ambient and control panel sound effects of the USS Daystrom are from the Enterprise-B, from sound effects provided on the commercial soundtrack of Star Trek: Generations.
 * Looking closely over Garr's shoulder in the prologue reveals the presence of what looks like an advanced mainframe computer, on whose display screens the audience can see the schematics for Voyager.
 * Look carefully inside the turbolift doors on the Daystrom bridge as they close. The man inside wears a gold engineering uniform and a set of gold-rimmed glasses, something which is said to be unique to Dr. Garr himself.  This happens twice again on the Fitzgerald, once on the bridge as the ship approaches the black hole, and again when Prentice confronts Reyf in the corridor on his way to the transporter room.  In both cases, a man in gold-rimmed glasses can be seen disappearing into a turbolift door just before the officers would've noticed.  This is explained by Garr's final appearance in the epilogue, as him having somehow successfully traveled back in time, but there having been no ill effects to the timeline.
 * Though it is never made clear in dialogue, the Sovereign-class starship in the prologue sequence is meant to be the Enterprise-E.
 * For all of his lines following the prologue, Dr. Garr's vocal track was remixed to increase its presence and give the doctor a slightly off-base quality, to convey to viewers that he may have a touch of Khan Noonien Singh in him.
 * For all of his scenes except for the epilogue, Dr. Braiyon Garr is seen wearing a Maquis rank insignia on his collar. In the epilogue, he is seen wearing captain's insignia.
 * Due to a costuming error, "Commander" Reyf is seen wearing captain's pips in the prologue sequence, a mistake since he would not be promoted to captain until approximately nineteen months later.
 * This film is rife with literary analysis, paralleling Star Trek II and Star Trek: First Contact in that both had strong literary undertones. Unlike those films, which referenced Moby Dick, Specter of the Past uses the story of Frankenstein as the basis for its ethical dilemma and resolution.

Camera Shots

 * Many shots based on those from the various TV series appear in this film. For example, the first shot in 2373 showing the Fitzgerald docked at Deep Space Nine is a faithful recreation of the first shot of "Emissary" following the title sequence.
 * The sequence showing the Fitzgerald leaving DS9 is composed of the following shots: the introductory shot of the USS Odyssey in flight from "The Jem'Hadar," a season 5 exterior shot, the second shot from the season 3-7 DS9 title sequence, the future 1701-D moving away from the crippled Pasteur from "All Good Things," and the last several seconds of the first DS9 title shot, with the Fitzgerald replacing the runabout.  Immediately thereafter is a stock shot of the Enterprise-D at warp.  Two things to note about this sequence:  watch behind the station, and you'll notice that in the first shot of the Fitzgerald'' docked there, there are no nebulae in the background; then, when the ship is leaving, suddenly there they are.  Also, the scale of the ship to the station seems to change between the initial shot and the departure sequence; either the ship got smaller or the station got bigger!
 * A shot that many fans consider a favorite, that which was first seen in "Encounter at Farpoint" as the 1701-D comes to a stop in front of the "Q Grid," can be seen in its entirety when the Fitzgerald reaches Sector 585 and moves at impulse speed towards its rendezvous with Voyager.
 * The frequently-seen shot of the USS Hood breaking orbit, first seen in "Encounter at Farpoint," makes an appearance here, with the Enterprise-E replacing the Hood. Interestingly enough, when scaled against the Fitzgerald, the size difference makes the Enterprise look approximately the same size as the Hood had first appeared.
 * Many others also appear, with the camera angles on traditional 4:3 shots widened to accommodate the 2.35:1 aspect ratio of the film.

ISS Voyager NCC-74656

 * How Dr. Garr was able to build this ship by himself in under two years, and make it the superior of any other ship in Starfleet, is never explained in dialogue. Viewers are meant to conclude that Garr is every bit the powerful intellect that Reyf fears him to be.
 * The exterior hull of this ship is darker than the USS Voyager, with the implication being that the ship is covered by hull armor. In addition, a number of extra equipment can be seen on the ship's hull, including recreations of the ablative generators from "Endgame."  The purpose of most of this equipment is never stated in dialogue, but is meant to clearly distinguish this vessel from its Federation counterpart, and reinforce the idea that the ship would be a formidable foe and very difficult to defeat in battle.
 * This ship is a prime example of a modeling technique known as "kitbashing," whereby various small bits are attached to a large filming model for effect. The executive producer felt this was necessary because in order to make Voyager a suitable flagship for Dr. Garr:  "It had to look mean, and that meant adding as much technology onto the hull as I could.  Were those weapons?  sensors?  bubble gum dispensers?  You as the audience aren't supposed to know, and that's supposed to scare you."
 * According to the executive producer, the Intrepid class was chosen because it was "just big enough and yet just small enough" for one person to handle and maintain alone, and also because it looked "really functional and militaristic; of all the modern-day Federation starship designs, the Intrepid always seemed to work the best because you could believe it was sleek and fast and mean when it had to be."
 * All of the interiors of the ISS Voyager are exact replicas of their TV counterparts, with some slight adjustments to the lighting for taste. The exception to this is Main Engineering, whose warp core prop looked very similar to that of the Defiant and the Enterprise-E.  Of Main Engineering, the designer comments:  "Voyager is small and she's fast, and she's meant to be powerful.  There's a moment during a montage when Garr and Reyf walk into the room, and you look up expecting to see the warp core from Star Trek: Voyager there.  Instead you see this bigger one that looks like something off the Enterprise-E, and you realize this really is a mean little monster."  This is meant to reassure viewers that Reyf made the correct decision in not openly engaging the ISS Voyager in a firefight and that it is indeed more powerful than the Fitzgerald; from a production standpoint this helped avoid any drawn-out battle sequences, thus saving the production time and expenses.

USS Fitzgerald NCC-25277

 * The shooting model for the USS Fitzgerald was built to very closely match the appearance of the Enterprise-D as it was seen in the alternate future in "All Good Things...", including the third warp nacelle and the "air conditioner" torpedo launcher behind the bridge. The ship's maximum speed is never mentioned in dialogue, however at one point while pursuing Voyager in the final scene, Data reports Voyager to be traveling at warp 9.988, and Reyf orders his own ship to match velocity.
 * This design was chosen in part because it had to look equally powerful to the ISS Voyager, without straying too far from established Starfleet designs. The executive producer felt this design was appropriate because "while both the Galaxy and the Sovereign were both wonderful designs in themselves, neither one felt appropriate for this adventure.  The Galaxy by itself had the size I was looking for but it just didn't look good from some angles because it's so overbalanced, with the large saucer and the smaller battle section.  The third nacelle on the future variant always seemed to even it out, and of course you knew that one had teeth.  So the choice for which ship the good guys ride around in pretty much made itself."


 * Both principal starships in this film -- the Fitzgerald and the I.S.S. Voyager -- But, in order for the Fitzgerald to look comparable to Voyager in any way, it too couldn't simply be a "basic" starship. The challenge lay in selecting a design that would still fit with what we've come to expect from Starfleet, and the anti-time future Enterprise-D seemed like the best solution.
 * Several other starship types have appearances in this film, mostly in the spacedock wide shot in the prologue. Among the ships visible in that scene:  a Sovereign-class starship, several Excelsior-class ships, a Constellation-class ship, and in the far background a New Orleans-class starship.  Of those, only the New Orleans would not be seen again.

Music
Much of the score for the film comes from previous Star Trek productions. Several prominent cues make an appearance, including the end of "Total Logic" (from Star Trek: The Motion Picture) to announce the arrival of the Enterprise-E and its distinguished guests. Much of the music used to represent Reyf's feelings of unease is recycled from Star Trek: First Contact, whose eerie Borg motif represented Reyf's discomfiture well. Dr. Garr's presence is represented by the flanger themes associated with the V'Ger probe in the first film. Most of the music is excerpted from pieces composed by Jerry Goldsmith, however several pieces by James Horner (most notably "Returning to Vulcan" to accompany the Fitzgerald first achieving orbit of Beta Reticuli IV) can be heard as well.

Sets & Props
Many familiar sets and props from the Star Trek franchise appear in the film, faithfully recreated from the official Paramount floor plans wherever possible.


 * In one deleted scene, Garr approaches Chellik directly for help, prematurely revealing the fact that he is alive. In that version of the story, Garr and Chellik are said to be old friends, with Garr asking Chellik to keep the secret of his existence.  That storyline was scrapped because it removed some of the mystery surrounding his character and also made him seem less unbalanced.
 * The shot of the Landry bridge was meant to harken back to the original series, with a Vulcan standing next to the captain as he visibly pondered his next move, in the same pose as Kirk was famous for.

Bloopers

 * In the scene of the android being examined in Main Engineering, look closely at the LCARs image on the wall display that Erickson and Ronston are studying. There are two discrepancies between that, and the female android which it supposedly depicts:  one, the schematic clearly shows two full and completed arms, while the female android only has one real arm and one which is still mostly machine; and two, the skeletal structure on the screen is clearly male, while the android in the foreground is female.  This is so because the LCARs image itself is sourced and the artist was unable to provide a custom graphic in time for the production.