AUTHOR'S NOTE: I posted episode one here a couple of months and didn't get much of a respone. That might have been because it was quite long and I posted it all at once (or just because it was crap) so I'll post this episode in installments. You can read episode one here if you want; it introduces the characters and some plot elements but I don't think you'd be too lost without it. Anyway...
Episode 2
'Attack Of The Hobwoks'
'Captain's log, Stardate 1007.4. On our recent mission to the seventh planet in the Pran system we discovered that many of the children orphaned as a result of the Dust Wars are themselves suffering from Otto Fever caused by the biological weapons used in that conflict. This fever is always fatal if left untreated and the only known remedy requires the Moop plant which grows in the jungles of the ninth planet in the Brint system and nowhere else in the known universe. The planet is home to many dangerous indigenous species and a single sentient race known as the Puriben, an isolationist people who colonised the planet two hundred years ago. The Puriben have a supply of the Moop plant but have only agreed to hand it over after they hear in person the details of our need for it. For this reason we have picked up Federation Diplomat Hans Stormbridge from Starbase TK81 to plead our case to the Puriben.'
"I can't believe they won't lower their shield for even a minute," said first officer George Kirk as he and captain Richard Robau walked into the Kelvin's shuttlebay. "They don't even have to lower the whole thing, just a segment large enough for us to beam through. I know there's dangerous animals living in the jungles, but surely there's a spot which would be safe to open?" The Puriben lived in several large settlements, some as big as Earth cities, spread around the jungle, each removed from the outside by massive shield domes. They had refused to let the Kelvin's away team beam down and instead a shuttle would have to be taken, following a flight schedule the Puriben had sent to the Kelvin. The Puriben had massive gun towers outside of their shield domes and had been known to shoot down ships which entered their airspace without permission.
"I'm sure there is," said Captain Robau, who had never met a member of the Puriben (very few had) but liked little of what he'd hear of them. "I think it's more about power, George. Having the upper hand."
"And that's more important to them than war orphans dying on Pran?"
"Apparently so. Their security may seem ridiculous, but the Puriben shouldn't be taken lightly. They are dangerous."
"Just ask the Bolian explorers they shot down," nodded George.
"Don't worry, the shuttle journey will be short and Johnson's the most skilled pilot I've ever served with. He'll get you there okay. It's down to Diplomat Stormbridge to convince them to hand over the Moop plant as quickly as possible."
"From his reputation he seems up to the task," said Kirk. Stormbridge was well respected. Not too long ago he'd negotiated a non-aggression pact with the Klingons, which they had mostly upheld. Technically he'd actually been just one of a team of twenty diplomats negotiating that pact, but he was the most renowed of them. "Speaking of Johnson, sir, do you think I'll have any discipline problems with him on this mission, even as short as it's likely to be?" asked Kirk.
"I talked to him after his remarks during the Noodle Nebula mission and he gave the impression the matter was settled," said Robau. Johnson had made several inappropriate remarks during that mission.
"An impression you didn't share?" asked Kirk.
"I don't know," admitted Robau. "I think there's more to the issue with Johnson than he's let us know. But I don't think he'll provide any serious problems on this mission. I think you'll have a harder time with a certain botanist who's coming along."
Kirk smiled. "I think you're right," he said, as the rest of the away team arrived at the shuttlebay. There was Diplomat Stormbridge, Ensign Johnson, chief of security Lt. Commander Alnschloss K'Bentayr (known as AKB for short), security officer Blunt and the ship's botanist Wionna Kirk...George's wife. His pregnant wife. George smiled at her. She ignored him and walked straight onto the shuttle. Robau obviously noticed this but didn't want to comment. "Captain, when this mission is over...I may need to talk to you," said George. Wionna had made it clear that she did not want to have the baby on board the Kelvin and wanted to raise it and their son George Samuel (who was being looked after by the Cardassian head of stellar cartography Ensign Dukat) back on Earth.
"I hope you feel free to talk to me whenever you have need, George," said Robau. "As a captain or as a friend." George nodded, then stepped onto the shuttle with the rest of his away team.
"Flying a shuttle down to a dock, following such a rigid flight path, it's a waste of my abilities," complained Johnson as Kirk walked over beside him. "Sir," he added, as an afterthought.
"This mission is of vital importance," said George. "We need that plant and we're making sure we get everything right, including having our best pilot flying us."
"If you want the best then you should have taken T'Poo instead of me," said Wionna, referring to the ship's Vulcan science officer. George said nothing.
"Oh, a botanical officer will suffice, don't worry," said diplomat Stormbridge, perhaps not being very diplomatic. "The real challenge in this mission falls on me, and even there you don't have to worry. I've negotiated with more intimidating races than the Puriben, the Klingons, for exampe. Not to mention the Cardassians, the Dog People of Xizor Woof and the Romulans...and the Romulans were over subspace radio!" George had heard that Stormbridge had a large ego, but hadn't expected him to so blatantly name-drop the races he'd negotiated with so quickly. "The only possible danger," added Stormbridge, "would be if my diplomacy skills failed me somehow. So no danger then!"
"If that's the case, then why are we bringing along the chief of security?" asked Johnson.
"Prepare for launch, Mister Johnson," ordered Kirk, ignoring his remark. The shuttle bay doors opened.
"You are cleared for launch," came the voice of Communications Officer Rice from the bridge.
"Then let's get this over with," said Johnson. The suttle lifted off with thrusters and passed through the forcfield erected where the doors had opened and out into space, in high orbit above the planet. Kirk looked down below. Even from here the massive jungles could be clearly seen.
"Looks like quite a harsh world," said Wionna, speaking for the first time.
"Oh don't worry," said Stormbridge. "The Puriben are quite civilised. Quite civilised indeed."
In the ship's morgue, a small room off Sickbay, Doctor Slod stood over the body of Commander McDougal, pleased with himself. McDougal had died from a mystery illness months before and, as far as the rest of the crew knew, Slod had kept his body in order to determine what that illness had been. In reality Slod had kept the body in order to secretly reanimate McDougal as a mindless zombie under Slod's control, for purposes known only to Slod.
"You are the first," Slod whispered to McDougal's cold ears. "Your human life was nothing compared to the life you will have in service of Traxtor. It will be a short life, but worth more than any human could ever know." McDougal's eyes opened for a moment, flashing black like Slod's...then the door to the morgue opened and McDougal's eyes instantly shut. Nurse Jackie Bombad was standing in the doorway. She did not want to go completely into the morgue, because then the door would close behind her and she would be alone in a small room with Slod and a dead body. She'd had nightmares like that.
"The captain's yeoman, Chang, she's just been back," said Jackie. "She said Captain Robau wants to talk to you, again." Slod knew that Robau wanted to talk about McDougal's body. His family had been asking for it to be sent back to Earth for a proper burial.
"Nice of her to pass on the message," said Slod. "But I'm busy."
"I wish you would talk to him, maybe then Chang would stop coming round!" said Jackie. "All she talks about is how that new Yeoman we picked up at Starbase is trying to steal her job and I really don't care. The new yeoman seems nice actually..."
"Well now you know how I feel about everything anyone on this ship says to me," said Slod. "I really don't care."
"She said the Away Team's just went down to the planet, so..." Slod put up a hand, telling her to stop talking. He smiled to himself.
"In that case, I will go the bridge and talk to Captain Robau," he said. "You stay here and make sure McDougal doesn't go anywhere." Then he strolled right out of the morgue. Jackie looked at McDougal's body.
"He was joking, right?" she asked it. McDougal did not answer.
As the shuttle containing the Away Team descended, the massive shield domes which covered the Puriben cities and seperated them from the jungle became clearly visible. The gun towers soon became visible as well, towering above the treetops. George watched them growing larger, perhaps because he didn't want to look at his wife. They had barely talked in the last week since she had told him about wanting to return to Earth. It was not an unreasonable demand, George knew, yet he did not want to leave the Kelvin. He had been first officer for eight months and felt like he was really growing into the role. His goal was to be captain of his own ship in three to five years. He had not told Wionna thist. To leave now, to return to Earth, for however long (and he had a feeling Wionna would want it to be permanent) would seriously derail his plans. Surely there was some compromise that could be worked out? He looked at Wionna at last and smiled tentatively. She did not return it.
"So your mission will be to identify the moop plant when the Puriben hand it over, just to be absolutely sure they give us the right thing," said George.
"I know," said Wionna. "I was briefed. And that's IF the moop plant is handed over, not when."
"Oh, it's definitely when, not if!" said Stormbridge, who had annoyingly been listening in.
"It's important we're not deceived," said George.
"The moop plant is very distinctive," said Wionna. "There's really no chance they could deceive us, and no reason they would, unless they take pleasure out of being responsible for orphans dying."
"It's not funny," said George. He felt helpless. Everyone was listening in now. He was supposed to be the first officer, but he wondered if anyone on the shuttle respected him. His wife obviously didn't, Johnson didn't respect anyone, Stormbridge only had respect for his own abilities...and what AKB was thinking George could never tell. So much for growing into the role.
"I'm not laughing," sighed Wionna.
"We need our finest botantical expert on the job," said George. "I know you're up to it...ensign." That felt strange. He rarely had to talk to his wife as an officer under his command. Most of her time on ship was spent looking after their son Sam.
"T'Poo knows more about plants than me," said Wionna. It was perhaps true, T'Poo seemed to know a great many things. "But I will of course carry out my duty...commander." George said no more. He looked out the shuttle's front window.
"Not long now," said Johnson, unusually cheery. "We'll stay above the trees until we get to the dock, of course...wow, look how thick the vegetation is. Wouldn't want to crash land in that jungle."
"What are those!?" said Stormbridge, suddenly, pointing out the window. There were large shapes moving below them...then flyng up towards them.
"Just birds," said Johnson.
"They're huge! They're like dinosaurs!" said Stomrbridge.
"We have birds like that on our planet," said AKB, unimpressed. "Our females eat them for breakfast."
"They can't do our shuttle any damage," said Johnson. Some of the birds appeared to flying right at the shuttle.
"Shoot them!" said Stormbridge. Blunt laughed. AKB gave him a stern look (he'd been perfecting his human expressions recently) and Blunt stopped. Johnson sighed.
"They can't do anything to us! Unless you just hate animals...sure, I could shoot them."
"Hold your fire," said Kirk. "Nobody's shooting any birds."
"There's something on the treetops," said Wionna. "Jumping from tree to tree...it's big." A monkey had been her first thought, but it was much larger.
"Never mind that, look out!" said Stormbridge, as the birds started crashing into the shuttle.
"No wonder the Puriben shield their cities, I wouldn't want to live with constant suicide bird attacks," said Johnson.
"Take us down lower, that's an order!" said Stormbridge.
"Maybe you should take us down anyway...this is getting kind of disturbing," said Kirk, as the crew watched birds splatter against the shuttle's front window
"Hopefully the monkey won't attack us," said Wionna, meaning the animal on the treetops. The shuttle went lower, just above the trees. There was no sign of the animal...until suddenly it appeared flying through the air right at them.
"That's no monkey!" said Stormbridge. It was larger even than a human being. It seemed to land on the roof of the shuttle.
"Should I shake it off?" asked Johnson.
"Yes!" said Stormbridge.
"I don't want to kill whatever it is," said Kirk.
"It's a dumb animal, kill it!" said Stormbridge. Then, an alarm flashed. The shuttle shook, then plunged downwards , crashing through the treetops.
"I've lost the engines!" said Johnson, frantic. "Still got thrusters..."
"How far are we from the dock?" asked Kirk, jumping to the controls.
"We've been thrown off course...still got thrusters...still got thrusters..."
"We need to land," said AKB, with the kind of calm only he was capable of.
"He's right, we could drop out of the sky any moment, Johnson, try to land us safely," ordered Kirk.
"But in the wild jungle, anything could happen to us!" said Stormbridge. "And he said we've still got thrusters..."
"I've lost thrusters!" said Johnson. "Going down, we are going down..." The shuttle plunged through the trees. George and Wionna each reached for the other's hand without even thinking.
"Brace for impact," said George. He found himself holding Wionna tightly now, as if that could protect her and their unborn child. Then everything went black.
Episode 2
'Attack Of The Hobwoks'
'Captain's log, Stardate 1007.4. On our recent mission to the seventh planet in the Pran system we discovered that many of the children orphaned as a result of the Dust Wars are themselves suffering from Otto Fever caused by the biological weapons used in that conflict. This fever is always fatal if left untreated and the only known remedy requires the Moop plant which grows in the jungles of the ninth planet in the Brint system and nowhere else in the known universe. The planet is home to many dangerous indigenous species and a single sentient race known as the Puriben, an isolationist people who colonised the planet two hundred years ago. The Puriben have a supply of the Moop plant but have only agreed to hand it over after they hear in person the details of our need for it. For this reason we have picked up Federation Diplomat Hans Stormbridge from Starbase TK81 to plead our case to the Puriben.'
"I can't believe they won't lower their shield for even a minute," said first officer George Kirk as he and captain Richard Robau walked into the Kelvin's shuttlebay. "They don't even have to lower the whole thing, just a segment large enough for us to beam through. I know there's dangerous animals living in the jungles, but surely there's a spot which would be safe to open?" The Puriben lived in several large settlements, some as big as Earth cities, spread around the jungle, each removed from the outside by massive shield domes. They had refused to let the Kelvin's away team beam down and instead a shuttle would have to be taken, following a flight schedule the Puriben had sent to the Kelvin. The Puriben had massive gun towers outside of their shield domes and had been known to shoot down ships which entered their airspace without permission.
"I'm sure there is," said Captain Robau, who had never met a member of the Puriben (very few had) but liked little of what he'd hear of them. "I think it's more about power, George. Having the upper hand."
"And that's more important to them than war orphans dying on Pran?"
"Apparently so. Their security may seem ridiculous, but the Puriben shouldn't be taken lightly. They are dangerous."
"Just ask the Bolian explorers they shot down," nodded George.
"Don't worry, the shuttle journey will be short and Johnson's the most skilled pilot I've ever served with. He'll get you there okay. It's down to Diplomat Stormbridge to convince them to hand over the Moop plant as quickly as possible."
"From his reputation he seems up to the task," said Kirk. Stormbridge was well respected. Not too long ago he'd negotiated a non-aggression pact with the Klingons, which they had mostly upheld. Technically he'd actually been just one of a team of twenty diplomats negotiating that pact, but he was the most renowed of them. "Speaking of Johnson, sir, do you think I'll have any discipline problems with him on this mission, even as short as it's likely to be?" asked Kirk.
"I talked to him after his remarks during the Noodle Nebula mission and he gave the impression the matter was settled," said Robau. Johnson had made several inappropriate remarks during that mission.
"An impression you didn't share?" asked Kirk.
"I don't know," admitted Robau. "I think there's more to the issue with Johnson than he's let us know. But I don't think he'll provide any serious problems on this mission. I think you'll have a harder time with a certain botanist who's coming along."
Kirk smiled. "I think you're right," he said, as the rest of the away team arrived at the shuttlebay. There was Diplomat Stormbridge, Ensign Johnson, chief of security Lt. Commander Alnschloss K'Bentayr (known as AKB for short), security officer Blunt and the ship's botanist Wionna Kirk...George's wife. His pregnant wife. George smiled at her. She ignored him and walked straight onto the shuttle. Robau obviously noticed this but didn't want to comment. "Captain, when this mission is over...I may need to talk to you," said George. Wionna had made it clear that she did not want to have the baby on board the Kelvin and wanted to raise it and their son George Samuel (who was being looked after by the Cardassian head of stellar cartography Ensign Dukat) back on Earth.
"I hope you feel free to talk to me whenever you have need, George," said Robau. "As a captain or as a friend." George nodded, then stepped onto the shuttle with the rest of his away team.
"Flying a shuttle down to a dock, following such a rigid flight path, it's a waste of my abilities," complained Johnson as Kirk walked over beside him. "Sir," he added, as an afterthought.
"This mission is of vital importance," said George. "We need that plant and we're making sure we get everything right, including having our best pilot flying us."
"If you want the best then you should have taken T'Poo instead of me," said Wionna, referring to the ship's Vulcan science officer. George said nothing.
"Oh, a botanical officer will suffice, don't worry," said diplomat Stormbridge, perhaps not being very diplomatic. "The real challenge in this mission falls on me, and even there you don't have to worry. I've negotiated with more intimidating races than the Puriben, the Klingons, for exampe. Not to mention the Cardassians, the Dog People of Xizor Woof and the Romulans...and the Romulans were over subspace radio!" George had heard that Stormbridge had a large ego, but hadn't expected him to so blatantly name-drop the races he'd negotiated with so quickly. "The only possible danger," added Stormbridge, "would be if my diplomacy skills failed me somehow. So no danger then!"
"If that's the case, then why are we bringing along the chief of security?" asked Johnson.
"Prepare for launch, Mister Johnson," ordered Kirk, ignoring his remark. The shuttle bay doors opened.
"You are cleared for launch," came the voice of Communications Officer Rice from the bridge.
"Then let's get this over with," said Johnson. The suttle lifted off with thrusters and passed through the forcfield erected where the doors had opened and out into space, in high orbit above the planet. Kirk looked down below. Even from here the massive jungles could be clearly seen.
"Looks like quite a harsh world," said Wionna, speaking for the first time.
"Oh don't worry," said Stormbridge. "The Puriben are quite civilised. Quite civilised indeed."
In the ship's morgue, a small room off Sickbay, Doctor Slod stood over the body of Commander McDougal, pleased with himself. McDougal had died from a mystery illness months before and, as far as the rest of the crew knew, Slod had kept his body in order to determine what that illness had been. In reality Slod had kept the body in order to secretly reanimate McDougal as a mindless zombie under Slod's control, for purposes known only to Slod.
"You are the first," Slod whispered to McDougal's cold ears. "Your human life was nothing compared to the life you will have in service of Traxtor. It will be a short life, but worth more than any human could ever know." McDougal's eyes opened for a moment, flashing black like Slod's...then the door to the morgue opened and McDougal's eyes instantly shut. Nurse Jackie Bombad was standing in the doorway. She did not want to go completely into the morgue, because then the door would close behind her and she would be alone in a small room with Slod and a dead body. She'd had nightmares like that.
"The captain's yeoman, Chang, she's just been back," said Jackie. "She said Captain Robau wants to talk to you, again." Slod knew that Robau wanted to talk about McDougal's body. His family had been asking for it to be sent back to Earth for a proper burial.
"Nice of her to pass on the message," said Slod. "But I'm busy."
"I wish you would talk to him, maybe then Chang would stop coming round!" said Jackie. "All she talks about is how that new Yeoman we picked up at Starbase is trying to steal her job and I really don't care. The new yeoman seems nice actually..."
"Well now you know how I feel about everything anyone on this ship says to me," said Slod. "I really don't care."
"She said the Away Team's just went down to the planet, so..." Slod put up a hand, telling her to stop talking. He smiled to himself.
"In that case, I will go the bridge and talk to Captain Robau," he said. "You stay here and make sure McDougal doesn't go anywhere." Then he strolled right out of the morgue. Jackie looked at McDougal's body.
"He was joking, right?" she asked it. McDougal did not answer.
As the shuttle containing the Away Team descended, the massive shield domes which covered the Puriben cities and seperated them from the jungle became clearly visible. The gun towers soon became visible as well, towering above the treetops. George watched them growing larger, perhaps because he didn't want to look at his wife. They had barely talked in the last week since she had told him about wanting to return to Earth. It was not an unreasonable demand, George knew, yet he did not want to leave the Kelvin. He had been first officer for eight months and felt like he was really growing into the role. His goal was to be captain of his own ship in three to five years. He had not told Wionna thist. To leave now, to return to Earth, for however long (and he had a feeling Wionna would want it to be permanent) would seriously derail his plans. Surely there was some compromise that could be worked out? He looked at Wionna at last and smiled tentatively. She did not return it.
"So your mission will be to identify the moop plant when the Puriben hand it over, just to be absolutely sure they give us the right thing," said George.
"I know," said Wionna. "I was briefed. And that's IF the moop plant is handed over, not when."
"Oh, it's definitely when, not if!" said Stormbridge, who had annoyingly been listening in.
"It's important we're not deceived," said George.
"The moop plant is very distinctive," said Wionna. "There's really no chance they could deceive us, and no reason they would, unless they take pleasure out of being responsible for orphans dying."
"It's not funny," said George. He felt helpless. Everyone was listening in now. He was supposed to be the first officer, but he wondered if anyone on the shuttle respected him. His wife obviously didn't, Johnson didn't respect anyone, Stormbridge only had respect for his own abilities...and what AKB was thinking George could never tell. So much for growing into the role.
"I'm not laughing," sighed Wionna.
"We need our finest botantical expert on the job," said George. "I know you're up to it...ensign." That felt strange. He rarely had to talk to his wife as an officer under his command. Most of her time on ship was spent looking after their son Sam.
"T'Poo knows more about plants than me," said Wionna. It was perhaps true, T'Poo seemed to know a great many things. "But I will of course carry out my duty...commander." George said no more. He looked out the shuttle's front window.
"Not long now," said Johnson, unusually cheery. "We'll stay above the trees until we get to the dock, of course...wow, look how thick the vegetation is. Wouldn't want to crash land in that jungle."
"What are those!?" said Stormbridge, suddenly, pointing out the window. There were large shapes moving below them...then flyng up towards them.
"Just birds," said Johnson.
"They're huge! They're like dinosaurs!" said Stomrbridge.
"We have birds like that on our planet," said AKB, unimpressed. "Our females eat them for breakfast."
"They can't do our shuttle any damage," said Johnson. Some of the birds appeared to flying right at the shuttle.
"Shoot them!" said Stormbridge. Blunt laughed. AKB gave him a stern look (he'd been perfecting his human expressions recently) and Blunt stopped. Johnson sighed.
"They can't do anything to us! Unless you just hate animals...sure, I could shoot them."
"Hold your fire," said Kirk. "Nobody's shooting any birds."
"There's something on the treetops," said Wionna. "Jumping from tree to tree...it's big." A monkey had been her first thought, but it was much larger.
"Never mind that, look out!" said Stormbridge, as the birds started crashing into the shuttle.
"No wonder the Puriben shield their cities, I wouldn't want to live with constant suicide bird attacks," said Johnson.
"Take us down lower, that's an order!" said Stormbridge.
"Maybe you should take us down anyway...this is getting kind of disturbing," said Kirk, as the crew watched birds splatter against the shuttle's front window
"Hopefully the monkey won't attack us," said Wionna, meaning the animal on the treetops. The shuttle went lower, just above the trees. There was no sign of the animal...until suddenly it appeared flying through the air right at them.
"That's no monkey!" said Stormbridge. It was larger even than a human being. It seemed to land on the roof of the shuttle.
"Should I shake it off?" asked Johnson.
"Yes!" said Stormbridge.
"I don't want to kill whatever it is," said Kirk.
"It's a dumb animal, kill it!" said Stormbridge. Then, an alarm flashed. The shuttle shook, then plunged downwards , crashing through the treetops.
"I've lost the engines!" said Johnson, frantic. "Still got thrusters..."
"How far are we from the dock?" asked Kirk, jumping to the controls.
"We've been thrown off course...still got thrusters...still got thrusters..."
"We need to land," said AKB, with the kind of calm only he was capable of.
"He's right, we could drop out of the sky any moment, Johnson, try to land us safely," ordered Kirk.
"But in the wild jungle, anything could happen to us!" said Stormbridge. "And he said we've still got thrusters..."
"I've lost thrusters!" said Johnson. "Going down, we are going down..." The shuttle plunged through the trees. George and Wionna each reached for the other's hand without even thinking.
"Brace for impact," said George. He found himself holding Wionna tightly now, as if that could protect her and their unborn child. Then everything went black.
