What Happened To Kirks Body In Current TrekLit??

[Admiral_Young]

I don't think Kirk would have wanted pomp and circumstance either...and that is why Picard buried him as simply as he did. Perhaps Starfleet would have thought otherwise and sent for his body to be recollected and transported back to Earth for a memorial service as some of the novels suggested. As for salvaging the technology it seemed to me that the end of the film that is what they were attempting to do. It's true there is no on-screen proof but I seriously doubt that Starfleet would have wanted any hardware behind.

 

[lstyer]

the Shatnerverse novels postulated that all the wreckage was being cleared away out of Prime-Directive concerns

Forget Prime Directive concerns. I'd think that leaving the remains of a reasonably modern starship behind would represent some kind of security risk.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Don't worry, I'm sure the desert animals didn't leave the corpse alone for long.

 

[SicOne]

Way I figure it, Picard (1) buried Kirk under a buncha rocks to keep the larger critters off of him until the corpse could be properly removed and (2) he needed something to do to occupy his time until Riker could pick his ass up.

Shatnerverse and other Trek lit aside, I find it hard to believe that Starfleet would just leave a Galaxy-class primary hull sitting abandoned on some planet whether it's in Federation space or not (don't have "Star Charts" handy...), even if it's in less-than-mint condition.

 

[Christopher]

Forget Prime Directive concerns. I'd think that leaving the remains of a reasonably modern starship behind would represent some kind of security risk.

They could've salvaged the sensitive stuff but left the superstructure, panelling, flooring, etc.

 

[SicOne]

^ Hull plating and tritanium starship frames don't just grow on trees. Those items could be utilized by anyone with cutting phasers and a powerful shuttle with a tractor beam.

Watched a History Channel show not too long ago in which an old Navy ship was stripped and large holes cut into it for scuba divers before it was sunk and turned into a coral reef. But somehow I don't see Starfleet leaving one of its newer ships, even if stripped of sensitive stuff, for anyone to explore and/or salvage. They couldn't "sink" it on Veridian...but perhaps they could have vaporized it from orbit with photon torpedoes or tricobalt devices if it were too big to carve up and carry it off-planet.

Probably a question better left to the masterminds in Trek Tech.

 

[Therin of Andor]

Way I figure it, Picard (1) buried Kirk under a buncha rocks.

When we were at the premiere, a friend said, "That's a very small pile of rocks" - and we got to thinking that it could have just been Picard's way of putting a memorial to Kirk on the planet, topped with Kirk's insignia badge, and that the body might have been taken up to a rescue starship with the crew of the "D".

 

[Expo67]

Don't worry, I'm sure the desert animals didn't leave the corpse alone for long.

Even in today's world there is still no respect for the dead.

In one of the new Star Trek comics from last year, Spock had left Romulus and traveled to Veridian III to have Kirk's body sent back to Earth. Upon arriving at Earth, Spock had Jim's dead body buried at the Kirk family farm in Riverside, Iowa.

While keeping a moment of silence for the memory of his best friend, Captain Picard arrived and also paid his respects. Both Spock and Picard discuss about James T. Kirk's heroic acts and his life. When Picard asks what made Spock pick the location for the burial site, the proud Vulcan quotes something that Jim once said.

"He did the same for me."

That is the mark of a true friendship.

Granted it was a comic, however, I was a bit moved by that moment.

 

[Christopher]

^Don't confuse the lack of adherence to a single type of burial ritual with a lack of respect for the dead. There are many different ways in which various cultures, or various individuals within a given culture, choose to handle the disposition of mortal remains, and it's unfair and intolerant to assume that others are less respectful of their dead just because they don't approach it the same way you would.

I'm sure there are cultures (and individuals) that think it is a sign of respect to allow a loved one's body to return to the cycle of life by sustaining animals, insects, plants, etc.

 

[BillJ]

I'm sure there are cultures (and individuals) that think it is a sign of respect to allow a loved one's body to return to the cycle of life by sustaining animals, insects, plants, etc.

I've always told my wife to cremate me and dump me in the cat box... that way the cats' can get revenge.

 

[ryan123450]

That's certainly respectful of your dignity as a human person...

 

[BillJ]

That's certainly respectful of your dignity as a human person...

Don't see as it much matters when I'm dead. Cat box or worm food... I don't see much of a difference.

 

[David cgc]

I'm sure there are cultures (and individuals) that think it is a sign of respect to allow a loved one's body to return to the cycle of life by sustaining animals, insects, plants, etc.

That's pretty much a perfect description of the Tibetan Sky Burial (just so you know, there are a couple of distant photos of corpses near the bottom of that article, in case that kind of thing freaks you out). Indeed, the article mentions that the preparation of the body isn't treated with any particular gravity, and the undertakers chat and joke as if they were doing any other kind of chore. Apparently, Buddhist teachings say the relaxed atmosphere helps the soul of the departed move on.

 

[Cybersnark]

I'm sure there are cultures (and individuals) that think it is a sign of respect to allow a loved one's body to return to the cycle of life by sustaining animals, insects, plants, etc.

And even in-universe, there are the Klingons, who revere their honoured dead, but regard the dead body as an empty shell and drop it with the trash.

 

[Expo67]

^Don't confuse the lack of adherence to a single type of burial ritual with a lack of respect for the dead. There are many different ways in which various cultures, or various individuals within a given culture, choose to handle the disposition of mortal remains, and it's unfair and intolerant to assume that others are less respectful of their dead just because they don't approach it the same way you would.

I'm sure there are cultures (and individuals) that think it is a sign of respect to allow a loved one's body to return to the cycle of life by sustaining animals, insects, plants, etc.

Still, the very idea of an animal feasting on the remains of a dead human seems disrespectful. If not undignified. Especially if that body were that of someone who did the same heroic acts as the character of James T. Kirk did.

If it's a sign of respect for other cultures to have animals feast on the flesh of the deceased, that's fine. More power to them. If that's what they believe in, so be it.

Personally, I think it's barbaric and it shows a lack of respect to that person's memory.

 

[David cgc]

Is there any conclusive evidence that Captain Kirk isn't a Tibetan Buddhist?

 

[DonIago]

Really. I'd say whatever Kirk wanted to have done with his remains when he died, and presumably he has a pre-need given his line of work, should be what occurs with his remains, or as close to it as reasonably possible. It isn't for others to judge what someone wants done with their body as long as it's within reason. Now, if he said, "Run me through a blender and sprinkle me over Starfleet Academy," I could see that being a bit over the top.

I similarly doubt he was buried under the rocks on Veridian, unless there's a crater under that pile. It didn't seem large enough for Kirk's body.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Way I figure it, Picard (1) buried Kirk under a buncha rocks to keep the larger critters off of him until the corpse could be properly removed...

'Cause nothing in the desert burrows.

I wish for my katra to be fused into a pot roast and consumed by Rob Schneider.

 

[Expo67]

Way I figure it, Picard (1) buried Kirk under a buncha rocks to keep the larger critters off of him until the corpse could be properly removed...

'Cause nothing in the desert burrows.

I wish for my katra to be fused into a pot roast and consumed by Rob Schneider.

As far fetched as the above quote sounds, it has made me wonder one thing.

Why would you want your very essence(i.e. living spirit)merged with a hunk of beef, that is about to be consumed and later digested by a comedian who is totally unfunny?

 

[UncleRogi]

It seems to me the best thing was to leave his body there, honorably interred on the last world he saved.

He would have approved, IMHO.