Photons Be Free
From Memory Alpha, the free Star Trek reference.
Photons Be Free was a holonovel composed by The Doctor on the USS Voyager in 2377. Its original version was released by Broht & Forrester against the author's wishes, sparking a debate on the rights of holograms. The Doctor had planned to revise the work in order that it not slander Voyager and the crew. It is not known if the revised version was released. However, before the original version could be recalled, it was shown in thousands of Holosuites and, presumably bootlegged copies made their way to a mining colony which used holographic 'slave labor'. Unlike many other holo-programs, Photons Be Free did not react to the viewer as an individual, the Doctor character was always referred to as made in the image of a male human, regardless of the actual gender or species of the viewer. (VOY: "Author, Author")
[edit] Characters
The original version borrowed heavily from Voyager and her crew, as follows:
- The Doctor was the protagonist, played by the reader, who was serving aboard the USS Vortex. The Vortex is much darker (literally and figuratively) and was always at red alert.
- The Doctor's mobile emitter became extremely bulky and heavy, worn like a backpack.
- Captain Janeway became Captain Jenkins, who was warlike, highly unethical, and had a ready room decorated with small weapons.
- Chakotay became Katanay, a Bajoran thug, with a tattoo of a Bajoran dragon on his face and decorative earring.
- B'Elanna Torres became a rude human named Torrey.
- Tom Paris became Marseilles and sported a mustache.
- Tuvok became Tulak, a human, with a mustache and shades of gray hair.
- Harry Kim became Kymble, a hypochondriac Trill.
- Seven of Nine became Three of Eight, and was the only one who sympathized with the Doctor -- all the other characters treated him with cruelty and disrespect, considering him a tool with no rights. Her implants differed from Seven's. She appeared tired and weary, perhaps being subjected to similar treatment as the Doctor's character.
Neelix did not appear in the novel, and was the only member of the senior staff who praised it.
[edit] Premise
The original version contained eight chapters all from the point of view of the ship's Doctor (the protagonist, or the reader), an extended introduction and epilogue as follows:
- Introduction
About 10 minutes long, where the Doctor introduced the novel in its context as well as advising against viewing by people with a vascular disorder without consultation from a physician. He then continues on by releasing acknowledgments, including Doctor Lewis Zimmerman.
- Chapter 1 -- "A Healer is Born" (in which our protagonist must make a difficult choice)
The reader played the Doctor in a situation similar to his first activation after the Caretaker encounter, and was faced with a triage situation. The senior staff insist he treat Lieutenant Marseilles with minor wounds (who is more "valuable") rather than the one about to die. To "resolve" the situation, Captain Jenkins killed the latter.
- Chapter 5 -- "Out of the Frying Pan" (in which our protagonist must confront abusive colleagues)
Lt. Marseilles alerted the Doctor to an emergency in Engineering, only to discover no such disaster, but instead a particularly mean-spirited Torrey and a false alarm. The Doctor returned to discover Lt. Marseilles making out with a female ensign on the Biobed and threatened to destroy the Doctor if he informed his wife. Lieutenant Marseilles had at least two women lined up for "tonsillectomies."
- Chapter 6 -- "Duel in the Ready Room" (in which our protagonist faced an inquisition)
Captain Jenkins was fed up with the Doctor's "unnecessary" modifications (extracurricular subroutines) to his program, as a waste of space, and sent the Doctor to be "reprogrammed"; escorted by Tulak and Kymble.
- Chapter 7 -- "The Escape" (in which the protagonist is aided by his only ally)
Tulak, Kymble, and the Doctor were on their way to the hololab when 3 of 8 tried to assist the Doctor in escape; the attempt ultimately failing.
- Chapter 8 -- "A Tragic End" (in which our protagonist learns his fate)
The Doctor was, after a passionate speech by 3 of 8 on holographic rights, ultimately decompiled and to be kept offline except when needed.
[edit] Paris' altered version
During the creation of the work, it was sabotaged by Lieutenant Paris in order to protest the content and his portrayal. Paris' altered version took place aboard the USS Voyeur, and there were at least three characters:
The Doctor, by the same name, became egotistical, unethical, and obnoxious – with a bad comb-over and was more concerned with his extracurricular activities (golfing, as shown in the holoprogram, but it may have been Paris' tongue-in-cheek reference to all of the Doctor's extracurricular activities).
Seven of Nine became Two of Three, similar to Three of Eight, but was named so because One of Three, Two of Three and Three of Three were triplets. She was quite demure and submissive in her attitude.
Later, Tom Paris mused that the Doctor was not the doctor shown in the holonovel, insisting that that doctor "had more hair", a reference to the superficial differences between the doctor's characters and their Voyager counterparts.
- Introduction
The reader was initially introduced by Tom Paris sitting at a desk, writing in a book, wearing a nightcoat. He then stood up and jokingly acknowledged the reader's great taste (satirizing the Doctor's speech). He explained the plot then proceeded to inform the reader of the negative points of the Chief Medical Officer's personality (relating to the Doctor), in mockery of the Doctor's original warning (which itself was an in-joke at warnings at carnival and amusement park rides).
- To prevent the Doctor from exiting the satire, Paris deliberately created a protocol to prevent the program from being shut down until the story had run its course.
- Chapter 1 -- "It's the Doctor's world, you're just living in it"
- The reader was confronted by the Doctor over being late by 24 seconds to duty. They then proceeded to "treat" 2 of 3, for an out of alignment bi-radial clamp (a presumably minor injury). Though, instead of treating her, the Doctor gave 2 of 3 a Klingon aphrodisiac, proceeding to seduce and take advantage of her.
