YouTube is blocked here at work. What did Admiral_M link? The (in)famous "Wilhelm scream"? Sincerely, Bill
No, a ten minute long Shepard tone. Pretty cool, actually, though I don't think the probe should have emitted that, either.
Early Federation, Pre-Federation, even Pre-Starfleet space tech always has a way of ending up in places it shouldn't be. Nomad, Pioneer, V'ger, Ares IV, Friendship One, Charybdis, the Essex, the Valiant... and I'm probably forgetting a few, too. Enough examples to qualify it as a trope. ...none of the others screamed, though. Metal stress? I don't know.
I'd always assumed the probe itself was a little joke at V'Ger so I suppose the scream could be an intentional part of the in-humour.
Those horrific screams...! I'm saddened by the tragic loss of all those brave astronauts from Lilliput...
It reminded me of when the robot r2 d2 got shot by the little druids with the glowing eyes then toppled over
I can only guess what the production meeting for that scene must have been like. "OK, we've got a Klingon who looks like an 80's hair band refugee, looking through his spaceship's periscope whilst taking pot shots at an old space probe. What? Of course it doesn't advance the plot, but we have 50 bucks left over in the effects budget we need to burn. Now, how can we make this scene any more ridiculous? That's it! Make the probe scream when it gets shot! It worked for Lucas, and he's stinking rich..."
I think a good "KHAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNN!!" would have sufficed. It would have also added some much needed drama.