Roger is a very determined man. He'd find a way to live.Christine Chapel
Dr. Roger Korby was a renowned male Human scientist and professor who lived during the mid-23rd century. He was the ex-fiancée of Christine Chapel.
Quick Answers
What were Roger Korby's foundational principles in medicine?
Why is Roger Korby called the 'Pasteur of archaeological medicine'?
How did Roger Korby's work impact 23rd-century medicine?
How did Roger Korby influence archaeological medicine?
What is Roger Korby's connection to Christine Chapel?
Biography
Early career
Described by Joseph M'Benga as the "Pasteur of archaeological medicine", Korby enumerated three principles that were considered foundational to the field:
- "Medicine is always ancient and new, as cultures' understanding of what medicine is changes over time."
- "The keys to solving our toughest medical problems are often found by looking backward."
- "As a result, archaeological medicine is as much a study of history as it is of science." (TOS: "What Are Little Girls Made Of?"; SNW: "Charades")
He was also known to have researched and published papers regarding molecular memory and corporeal transference among forgotten technologies, both of which are seen as aspects toward resurrection and reincarnation through technology means. (SNW: "Through the Lens of Time")
Korby's translations of medical records found in ruins on Orion revolutionized Federation immunological techniques in the 23rd century. These were required reading at Starfleet Academy. He taught that "freedom of movement and choice produced the Human spirit". (TOS: "What Are Little Girls Made Of?")
In 2259, Korby sent a message to Christine Chapel aboard the USS Enterprise informing her of her acceptance into his fellowship. (SNW: "Subspace Rhapsody")
In 2261, Korby arrived on the USS Enterprise with Chapel for Federation Day at the end of her fellowship and they surprised the crew with the revelation that they were now dating. When the crew fell under the spell of Trelane, Spock and Korby managed to break out of it, but were unable to free the rest of the crew. Trelane threatened the crew to get Spock to go through with marrying Chapel, even transforming Korby into a dog, but was forced to relent when his father showed up. When Spock questioned Trelane's motivations, he explained that he had seen Korby digging in the dirt on "the old homeworld." Trelane had found Korby annoying for how "handsome, smart and perfect" he was, which Spock admitted made perfect sense. (SNW: "Wedding Bell Blues")
A few months later, Korby and Nurse Chapel conducted excavations on Vadia IX and found evidence that the M'Kroon were the direct descendants of an ancient, highly advanced civilization capable of traveling across multiple galaxies, and who claimed to have discovered immortality. The M'Kroonian alphabet shared similarities with an older language found on distant worlds such as Polaris XII and Praetorian. (SNW: "Through the Lens of Time")
Christine Chapel became Korby's fiancée. (TOS: "What Are Little Girls Made Of?")
Exo III
Later in 2261, Korby led an expedition to Exo III, where he was badly injured by exposure to the planet's bitterly cold temperatures. He lived long enough to discover an underground ancient android civilization there. Using their techniques, he constructed an android body into which he transferred his consciousness. His ruined corporeal form expired that year, but his consciousness survived for over five more years as an android. (TOS: "What Are Little Girls Made Of?")
Appendices
Appearances
Background information
Roger Korby was played by actor Michael Strong in Star Trek: The Original Series and Cillian O'Sullivan in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, as well as Luna during his transformation into a dog in SNW: "Wedding Bell Blues".
When Korby's image was introduced in the script of "What Are Little Girls Made Of?", he was referred to as "an intelligent-looking, but strong-faced man in his late-forties, with a self-assured and commanding presence himself." The cast list called him "Robert Korby", while the rest of the script called him Roger. [1]
On his archival picture, as shown on Spock's science station video screen, Korby was wearing a turtleneck Starfleet uniform shirt left over from the two pilots.
Apocrypha
The Star Trek: New Visions "The Survival Equation" comic reveals that Andrea's features were patterned after a member of Korby's crew, Andrea Milton (β), who had died before the events of "What Are Little Girls Made Of?".
External links
- Roger Korby at Memory Beta, the wiki for licensed Star Trek works