** Time Out**
Captrek, I didn't get around to mentioning this earlier, but I'm in agreement with your rules regarding silliness. Poking fun at cliches and such is okay as long as it doesn't control the story.
** Time In**
Maddock shook his head. "I can't take a scan of the city. My scanner isn't working."
Kirk scowled. "No communications. No scanner. Let's hope the Prime Minister can explain this when we meet with him."
McCoy said, "Well, as long as we have nothing to do but wait, let's see what kind of view we have from here." He drew back the curtains that covered the room's huge window, and found that the vista was quite impressive indeed. The night was lit up by the glow of an enormous lava cascade, kilometers away but large enough to nearly fill the window. Molten rock poured smoothly from a high-altitude caldera in straight lines down to a standing pool thousands of meters below.
"The famous lava-falls of Veros 3," said Spock. "That volcano has been steadily pouring out lava for centuries. The local cities use it as an energy source."
Kirk looked closely at the lava pool, and thought his eyes were tricking him when he noticed what appeared to be people glowing bright orange walking near it.
Spock said, "Those are the Magmasians. They are humanoid in shape, but they actually live near and in lava and underground magma. They will die of cold if their surroundings cool to 250 Celsius."
The view was beautiful enough to hold their attention for awhile, but eventually Kirk said, "It's been more than an hour. We were supposed to have met with the Prime Minister by now. Let's see what is holding them up." He went to the door, but it did not slide open and there was no handle or other visible means of opening it. Kirk slammed his fist against it. "Alright. What's going on here?"
Maddock said, "Look, Captain! Where did that come from?" He pointed to a glowing orange snake, which slithered toward the center of the room, coiled itself up and opened its threatening fanged jaws.
"This is no accident," grumbled McCoy. The snake turned toward him and suddenly sped toward him, but the doctor jumped out of the way.
"It's okay," said Ensign Daniels. Someone just needs to grab it right at the neck so it can't bite them. I think I can do it. I just need to move fast enough." He rolled up the sleeves of his red uniform.
