Why does Enterprise require
the presence of carbon units?
Enterprise
could not function without them.
More data concerning
this functioning is necessary
before carbon units
can be patterned for data storage.
What does that mean?
When my examination is complete,
all carbon units
will be reduced to data patterns.
Within you
are the memory patterns of...
a certain carbon unit.
lf l can help you
to revive those patterns,
you could understand
our functions better.
That is logical. You may proceed.
l remember Lt llia
once mentioning she wore that.
Put it on.
On Delta. Remember?
llia?
Dr Chapel.
Will?
llia.
Commander.
This is a mechanism.
llia, help us
make direct contact with V`Ger.
l cannot.
This Creator V`Ger`s looking for.
What is it?
V`Ger does not know.
Computer, commence recording.
Capt Kirk, these messages
will detail my attempt
to contact the aliens.
l intend to calculate
acceleration rate
to coincide with the opening
of the V`Ger orifice.
This should facilitate
a better view of the interior.
Starfleet signals
are growing in strength, sir.
They still have the intruder
on their monitors.
- lt`s decelerating.
- Confirmed.
Lunar beacons indicate intruder
on a course into Earth orbit.
Sir, airlock four has been opened.
A thruster suit is reported missing.
A thruster suit?
That`s Spock.
Damn him! Bring him back here.
No, wait.
- Get a fix on his position.
- Aye, sir.
l have penetrated the next chamber
of the alien`s interior.
l`m witnessing some sort
of dimensional image
which l believe is a representation
of V`Ger`s home planet.
l`m passing through
a connecting tunnel.
Apparently
a kind of plasma-energy conduit.
Possibly, a field coil
for a gigantic imaging system.
Curious. l`m seeing images
of planets. Moons. Stars.
Whole galaxies stored, recorded.
lt may be a representation
of V`Ger`s entire journey.
But who or what are we dealing with?
The Epsilon lX station,
stored here with every detail.
Captain, l am now quite convinced
that all of this is V`Ger.
That we are inside a living machine.
The sensor... must contain
some special meaning.
l must try to mind-meld with it.
Now scanning pons area.
Spinal nerve fibre connection.
lndications
of some neurological trauma.
The power pouring through that
mind-meld must have been staggering.
- l should have known.
- Were you right? About V`Ger?
A life form of its own.
A conscious, living entity.
A living machine?
lt considers the Enterprise
a living machine.
l saw V`Ger`s planet.
A planet populated
by living machines.
Unbelievable technology.
V`Ger has knowledge
that spans this universe.
And yet, with all its pure logic...
...V`Ger is barren. Cold.
No mystery.
No beauty.
l should have... known...
Known? Known what?
What should you have known?
This simple feeling...
..is beyond V`Ger`s comprehension.
No meaning. No hope.
No answers.
lt`s asking questions.
``ls this... all that l am?``
``ls there nothing more?``
Bridge to Captain.
Kirk here.
A faint signal from Starfleet, sir.
lntruder cloud has been located
on the monitors for 27 minutes.
Cloud dissipating rapidly
as it approaches.
Starfleet reports velocity
is slowed to subwarp speed.
We are three minutes
from Earth orbit.
l`ll be right there.
l need Spock on the bridge.
Dalaphaline, five ccs.
Starfleet is sending
this tactical on V`Ger`s position.
V`Ger is transmitting a signal.
Jim!
From V`Ger.
V`Ger signals the Creator.
A simple binary code,
transmitted by carrier-wave signal.
Radio.
Radio?
Jim, V`Ger expects an answer.
An answer? l don`t know the question.
The Creator has not responded.
All planetary defence systems
have just gone inoperative.
Starfleet says
the devices are proceeding
to equidistant positions
orbiting the planet!
The same things that hit us.
They are hundreds of times
more powerful.
From those positions, they could
devastate the entire planet.
Why?
The Creator has