Crystalline Entity
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In the fictional Star Trek universe the Crystalline Entity is an enormous spacefaring life form. The entity first appeared in the Star Trek:TNG episode "Datalore".
[edit] Appearance
The Crystalline Entity appeared to be a massive crystal lattice, looking somewhat like a frost-covered Christmas tree. It was several times the size of the USS Enterprise-D. The Crystalline Entity is capable of firing an energy beam from its body that can wipe a planet clean of all organic life in under half an hour. The Entity appears to also have a natural Warp Drive capable of reaching speeds matching the Galaxy Class USS Enterprise-D.
[edit] History
The early history of the Crystalline Entity is unknown, however it would seem that the life form is unique in the galaxy. The entity was first encountered by the Federation when Data's brother Lore discovered a way to communicate with it and summoned it to destroy the Omicron Theta colony. Later, while Lore was aboard the Enterprise, he summoned the entity once again, this time with the intent to destroy the ship. The attempt was unsuccessful and the entity moved on. It is known that after that encounter the entity consumed eleven more worlds before arriving at Melona IV where the Enterprise again happened to encounter it in the episode "Silicon Avatar".
After studying it, the Enterprise crew debated whether the entity was eating to survive, and whether to regard it as malevolent:
"Doctor, the sperm whale on Earth devours millions of cuttlefish as it roams the oceans. It is not evil...it is feeding. The same may be true of the Entity." – Captain Picard
Late in "Silicon Avatar," the Enterprise caught up with the Entity, using graviton pulses to open a brief channel of rudimentary contact. On the brink of establishing the Entity as intelligent life and perhaps even communicating, the crew is surprised to see it vibrate, shake, and explode. A scientist visiting the Enterprise, Kila Marr, had hijacked the communications channel, using it to create a massive resonant vibration which destroyed the Entity. This was in revenge for the death of her son, who perished on Omicron Theta.
[edit] External link
- Crystalline Entity article at Memory Alpha, a Star Trek wiki.
