Context: In Scene 1, Zuna Tor, commander of medical Starbase M-11, greets the captain and crew of the Enterprise with some confusion; they claim to have been summoned there by one of her residents, the gravely injured Captain Pike. She informs them that Pike couldn’t have sent them a message. When they ask why, she deduces they haven’t heard news of his accident. In this scene, she tells them what has happened, as she leads them toward his quarters. [Download the score.]
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After Tor has shared her news and prepared her guests for they will see, lights and set shift to reveal Pike’s quarters. Pike’s body is surrounded by wires, prosthetics, and life-support. Tor adjusts equipment and shifts our attention to a large nearby screen. Contrasting the tragic environment around his body, a radiant window emerges, showing imagery and other neurological readings on Pike’s brain activity. It pulses rhythmically, and the sense of Pike’s brain is subtle and complex. Spock is in awe. Tor remains distraught and searches the screen for meaning.