"I always wanted to be a baseball player with my own baseball card, but this is as close as I've gotten so far. Here I am as Decker, merging with V-ger in a bubble gum card from 'Star Trek - The Motion Picture.' The backlighting was done by a gigantic drive-in movie projector lamp that was so hot they had to use huge fans to cool us down when we were in front of them. Persis Khambatta, who died too young of a heart attack in mid-August, played the beautiful, bald Ilea. Persis' eyelids were burned during this part of the shooting, but, sweet soul that she was, she never complained.

By the way, the only other Persises I've ever met are my mother's sister and my grandmother."

"Here I am as Decker, looking on with DeForrest Kelly while Ilea (Persis Khambatta) studies herself in a mirror. Persis, a former Miss India, had to have her head shaved twice a day to reduce stubble, and her make-up took two hours. De Kelly was my favorite of the Trek cast, although I spent a lot of time talking baseball with Walter Koenig. Walter and I played for a couple of years (even after shooting was long over) on a Star Trek softball team. Walter pitched, and pitched well. I played left field and batted .304 (but who's counting?), the only respectable batting average I ever compiled."