THE ENTERPRISE IS TRYING TO SAVE SOME LOST HUMANS FROM BEING RIPPED APART BY TWO BLACK HOLES!

 

Name: The Galactic Whirlpool

Author: David Gerrold

Publication Date: 10/1980

Publisher: Bantam Books

Page Number: 223

Historian’s Note:  At the very end of this book Kirk orders the ship to the K-7 Space Station.  This led me to believe that this episode was a prequel to The Trouble with Tribbles. However, earlier a character makes a tribble joke and there are characters only seen in Star Trek: The Animated Series.  Therefore, I would say this book takes place sometime between The Counter-Clock Incident and The Motion Picture.

Cast of Characters:  Captain James T. Kirk       Commander Spock              Dr. Leonard H. McCoy AKA “Bones”              Lieutenant Commander Montgomery Scott AKA “Scotty”       Lieutenant Commander Lasker                       Lieutenant  Hikaru Sulu              Lieutenant Nyota Uhura              Lieutenant  Kevin Thomas Riley                   Lieutenant Arex                Lieutenant M’Ress                   Nurse Christine Chapel          Ensign Pavel Chekov                 Ensign Specks                   Ensign Susan Kelly              Crewman Munker             Crewman Mante N'Komo                Crewman Micah Omara                          Crewman Ussef Stokely            Katholin Arwen  AKA Katwen          Captain Frost                    Captain Jesus Garcia Gomez                    Marilyn Garcia                         Dr. Hobie                    

Starships and/or Starbases: USS Enterprise NCC-1701, The Wanderer

Planets: None

My Spoiler filled summary and review:  The Enterprise is exploring a region of space that is near the border with the Klingon Empire.  It is feared that the Klingons will become active in this region that is of great strategic importance.  The sensors pick up an unknown object.  Fearing it might be some Klingon ship or weapon, Captain Kirk orders that they investigate. 

What they find turns out to be a gigantic ship.  As they look closely, they discover it is a non-warp capable vessel.  Since it can only travel under light speed it becomes clear that if there is a crew then this vessel is most likely a generation ship.  The crew that launched knew they would not live to see their destination, and their immediate descendants for multiple generations would live and die on the ship.  As the Enterprise continues to observe this discovery, they find something not good. Large parts of the ship have been damaged.  Three out of four power plants aren’t operational.  Spock theorizes that at one point there may have been a civil war aboard the vessel.  Perhaps arising out of munity due to disagreement over their destination.

Enterprise finds something big

Lt. Riley leads a boarding team to the strange craft.  They enter through an outer hull and proceed through a secondary one.  When they get in a security team shows up to oppose them.  To everyone’s shock they are human beings both on clear appearance and tricorder readings. There is a brief phaser fight and one of the locals is stunned.  It is a young woman; Riley decides to bring her back to the ship. 

The fact that they are humans raises some interesting questions, such as when was this ship built and when did it leave Earth?  Scotty is adamant that Earth never built or launched a vessel such as this.  Spock points out that it is nevertheless here.  They consulted the ship’s historian, Ensign Specks, for his idea.  The reason Scotty didn’t remember this was it was originally not supposed to be a ship at all but rather an off-world colony that was to help produce energy and resources of the great Earth powers at the time, the first and second world countries. Called a LV, the colonists eventually sought and gained their independence.  They decided to leave Earth and its problems behind and set off for the stars.  McCoy is concerned that such isolation is going to lead to culture shock once they recounter the rest of humanity.

The woman that the boarding party brought back with them wakes up in the sickbay. We learn that her name is Katholin Arwen and she goes by Katwen.  She is considered to be a warrior in her culture and works as part of the ship’s security.  The ship is named the Wanderer and Katwen thinks she is still on it.  She is convinced that she is on the lower levels that are currently held by the mutinous rebels.  Convincing her that this is not the case is going to take some doing.  In any traditional Star Trek story this would be the time where Captain Kirk would turn on the sexiness and seduce the young Katwen to their way of thinking.  However, Kirk will not take the center seat for this part of the adventure.  That will be filled by Lt. Kevin Riley.  Lt. Riley is a good choice to turn on the sexiness because he feels a natural attraction to Katwen, as she wears her hair more loosely and really light on the makeup.  That last part is important because women shouldn’t look made up.  Riley shows Karwen the Enterprise inside and out.  He is able to convince her of the truth.

People on ship are humans

While Riley is turning up the sexiness, Ensign Chekov is stuck doing the unsexy science work normally done by Spock.  There Chekov discovers that the Wanderer is on course to hit the galactic whirlpool, basically two black holes orbiting each other ripping all sorts of space apart.  Unless the Wanderer changes course in less than two weeks then they are doomed. 

The information is given to Katwen and she decides to return with Riley to the Wanderer via transporter to try to get her people to cooperate.  When they beam over there, she tells Riley that before they try to see the Captain the will contract Dr. Hobie the Chief Science Officer.  The reason for this is Captain Frost is a religious zealot, who won’t believe them.  We learned earlier that the once 30,000 crew of the Wanderer has been waddled down to a few thousand people aboard.  The surviving population continued civil war has caused the government of the upper levels to become run by fanatics such as the current Captain.  By recruiting Hobie, she hopes he will be able to reach out to Frost.

This turns out to be a mistake.  Hobie, although sympathetic, is within the Captain’s clutches.  Both Reiley and Katwen are taken prisoner as spies for the rebellion.  They are repeatedly tortured but do not change their story.  The Captain decides to execute them but before that can be carried out the floor opens up beneath the two prisoners and they two slide down to the lower levels. 

torture!

Katwen is afraid of the lower level “savages”, but Rieley feels he has to try to reach out to someone.  Fortunately, these poor souls do listen more closely than those on the higher levels.  It could be because they are desperate everyone Riley sees is malnourished and no one is old.  They take him to the “true captain,” a man named Jesus Garcia Gomez.  Captain Gomez points out their situation that they have to take the upper levels to get to the control room and that having been denied a basic education, they don’t know how to fix the engines anyway.  Riley is able to connect Captain Gomez with Captain Kirk and the two negotiate an agreement about regime change on the Wanderer and the Enterprise lending its medical staff for the poor souls on the lower levels.   

A joint attack is carried out on the higher levels from all sides, personally led by Captain Kirk.  However, despite the technological edge the allied forces are driven back with experience and adapted battle tactics.  Kirk then conceives of a plan to turn all of the Wanderer’s interior lights on and magnified.  His own side uses special glasses to protect themselves and pushes on the attack.  Kirk himself has a showdown with Captain Frost on the bridge of the ancient ship.  It becomes anti-climatic with Frost vaporizing himself by accident.  Dr. Hobie surrenders as Captain Gomez convinced his former adversary that Captain Kirk can be trusted to do the right thing.

Kirk and Spock can be trusted to do the right thing!

Despite going past the deadline to save the ship, Chekov thought of a way out.  They can use the gravity of a nearby star to sling-shot the Wanderer to safety.  Since they are going sub-warp drive there is no time travel risk. Lt. Reilly has to do the traditional Star Trek good-bye to his lost love Katwen, the girl is nice, but he has a destiny with the stars.   

Additional thoughts: This was an enjoyable, well done story.  The premise of the story may be a little overused.  We have seen the “people on generation ship not understanding that they are on a ship or that other worlds exist”-thing before.  It is what the Enterprise encounter in the episode “For The World is Hollow and I Have Touched The Sky” and in the earlier Trek novel The Starless World by Gordon Eklund.  However, it is still different enough to remain interesting.  It also takes full advantage of the novel from allowing us to get into the heads of the important characters. 

There is something that I want to address: Julius Caesar was not a Roman Emperor; he was a Dictator.  The first Roman Emperor was Augustus.  This makes Tiberius the second Emperor not the third.  This can sometimes be confusing, but it is important.  The office that Caesar used was an extraordinary office of the Republic that had been used before.  Augustus created the Principate headed by the Princeps.  Princeps simply means “First Citizen.”  All the Roman Emperors until Diocletian held that office.

Augustus, Roman Emperor #1

My general rule on this blog is to review everything based on where the franchise was when it came out.  So, in this case I can only use elements of Star Trek that were around back in October 1980, when this book came out.  I am going to violate that rule slightly because there are some interesting things that I would like to note.  So, Captain Kirk was referred to Starfleet Academy by Admiral George LaForge.  LaForge, that sounds like a familiar name.  According to the book, the Admiral comes from a long line of Starfleet officers.  Hmm.  I wonder if there will be any more of them.  Also, they discovered that the original destination of the Wanderer is Wolf 359!  Okay I won’t say what is going to happen there in a future Star Trek episode but let’s just say it’s like reading about a person in the 1990s who got a brand-new job at the World Trade Center.

One part about this book that makes it fun is how the author will randomly dive into these little bits of untold history of the characters.  Some might criticize the book for these distractions from the main story, but I like the added depth.  Since the author is one of the writers of classic Star Trek it also feels more authentic coming from him.  The best one of these little trips down memory lane happens in Chapter 15.  I first read this book back in high school and this chapter was the part I remembered the most clearly as I re-read it this last week.  When you come to that chapter it is a gem.  

Lt. Kevin Riley returns in a major way.  It is ironic that he falls in love with a woman named Katholin.  Riley was a fun character, and it is nice to see him used.  This is the story his character has been waiting for.  In addition to Lt. Riley getting some time in the sun, Ensign Chekov shines in this episode as well.  In the book, Chekov is seen as a reliable officer and scientist.  He is noticeably absent of his traditional jokes.  At no point does he try to claim the Wanderer was a Russian design. He both discovers and solves the Wanderer’s deadly course heading.

Kevin Riley 

I thought it was weird that the author decided to give Kirk a personality quirk of repeating his middle name to himself. He didn’t do this show so what is the point of adding it? Also, at one point Kirk refers to Uhura as the fourth-in-command, but she isn’t, Sulu is, and after him is DeSalle. 

Lastly, I wonder why Kirk and his command crew just didn’t choose to abandon the Wanderer and just evacuate the population.  They were supposed to settle on planet anyway and I am sure there are plenty in the Federation that they could settle. Kirk should just ask Starfleet to send more ships and begin taking people out of there.  Take the people in the lower levels first, as they don’t want to be there, then focus on trying to convince those in the upper levels.  Without their adversaries they might start to become more willing not to knuckle under the leadership of Captain Frost anymore.  If you can somehow save the ship so you can stick it in a space museum that’s great but not important. Well, that probably would be a less exciting story, but it would have made more sense.  

Should it be canon: Given the author is David Gerrold, who is one of the original series writers I would say yes.  The history given maybe altered by later canon, but the timeline is flexible after all Khan and his crew were originally from the 1990s.

Cover Art: The cover art has Captain Kirk on the viewer’s left near the top talking on a communicator.  Uhura is on viewer’s right near the bottom with her normal earpiece.  On the top right is an image from the battle where the upper levelers were using gliders.   The cover is a bit of a lie as Uhura doesn’t really play much of a role in the story, the cover should have probably featured Kevin Riley.  

Final Grade: Final Grade 5 of 5

PEACE AS A DISEASE

 

Name: Perry’s Planet

Author: Jack C. Haldeman II

Publication Date: 2/1980

Publisher: Bantam Books

Page Number: 132

Historian’s Note:  Takes place sometime between The Counter-Clock Incident and The Motion Picture

Cast of Characters:  Captain James T. Kirk       Commander Spock              Dr. Leonard H. McCoy AKA “Bones”              Lieutenant Commander Montgomery Scott AKA “Scotty”       Lieutenant  Hikaru Sulu              Lieutenant Nyota Uhura              Lieutenant Martin Larousse                Nurse Christine Chapel          Ensign Pavel Chekov      Ensign Alan Huff              Ensign Wade Moody            Ensign Nason         Crewman Bischoff             Crewman Kukar                 Crewman Shaw                          Commodore Larry Propp              Dr. Kelly Davis                   Commander Karol                    Priest Kirl                    Captain Wayne Perry                          Ami                     Dawn                   Joan        Jon         Mika          Rus

Starships and/or Starbases: USS Enterprise NCC-1701, USS Potemkin NCC-1657, USS Phoenix NCC-625, one unnamed Klingon K't'inga-class ship

Planets: Tombstone, Waycross, Perry

My Spoiler filled summary and review: The Enterprise is delivering medical supplies and personnel to the planet Waycross.  They are long overdue for tune-up for the ship and leave for the crew. The dilithium crystals need to be swapped out and the crew is on edge.  McCoy is really concerned for the ship’s mental health.  So, this is the worst time for an attack and that is exactly what happens. Coming from seemingly nowhere, a Klingon warship attacks the Enterprise.  They manage to fight back and drive them off, but before the Klingons leave the two ships make contact and communicate with each other on screen.  The Klingon commander is named Karol, and he is here to avenge his dead brother, Khall.  Khall was killed by Kirk in a physical fight on unseen adventure.  Karol has sworn the Klingon Blood Oath.  This means he will stop at anything to get Kirk.  His likely hood of doing it is high with this new technology.  More than a cloaking device, this technology renders the ship undetectable to a Federation starship’s sensors until it is too late, and the attack has begun.  Kirk may have fought him off now but soon he will look to strike again. 

Attacked by the Klingons

Things go from bad to worse when a transporter accident causes an explosion on the ship.  Some are killed and several are injured.  Among the injured is Dr. Kelly Davis, a brilliant surgeon that was headed to help at Waycross.  Investigation reveals that it was Klingon sabotage, using their new technology they were able to get onboard without anyone knowing about it.  It also reveals that the crew should have caught the sabotage in time, but that overwork and exhaustion prevented it.

They bury their dead and get to Waycross to drop off supplies and personnel.  Dr. Davis is too injured to be moved from the ship’s sickbay so she will be staying.  The Enterprise is now looking to head to the nearest Starbase 6 for some needed repairs and R & R.  However, the USS Phoenix shows up with Commodore Propp in command, to deliver a message to Captain Kirk.  They have a new assignment, a colony that was established by a long-lost generation ship, has been found and they wish to join the Federation.  Starfleet wants its best man, and that is James Kirk, to handle the negotiations.  Kirk protests citing the needs of his ship.  The Commodore says they are aware of the problems that the Enterprise is facing, but this mission is far too important, so they are sending them there anyway.

You're too important, you have to go!

  

Kirk organizes a landing party consisting of himself, Spock, McCoy, and a few security officers.  When they arrive, they are greeted by local pages of the colony’s governing council.  No one, on a planet without transporter technology, seems the slightest bit surprised that a number of people just appeared out of thin air.  They are brought to the Council where it has a feeling of local town council and not a planetary government.  Everyone is on a first name basis.  Kirk explains what the Federation is all about, the Council receives it positively, let’s them know that the people will have to vote on it, before going to Captain Wayne Perry for final approval.  Captain Perry was the leader who led the generational ship from the Earth.  Conversation with Council makes it clear that this is same person not a descendant.  They are granted an audience with Captain Perry, who seems friendly enough, and he tells them that they have had the ability to monitor their communications but not to contact them.  Perry seems quite interested in joining the Federation.  However, as the leave Spock has some new information.  He has discovered that Captain Perry is not real.

Kirk meets council

 Despite the weirdness of Captain Perry, the planet is quiet, and the people are welcoming.  Kirk and McCoy decide it’s time for some shore leave and start sending down parties.  This planet doesn’t use money so everything is free for the crew to enjoy.  Dr. Kelly Davis, now recovered from her earlier injuries, makes friends with Lt. Uhura and the two explore the planet together.  They find the people nice if not a bit naïve.  For example, they think it’s perfectly normal for Captain Perry to have been alive for over 300 years, because he is their ruler and rulers are different.  They give off the impression of children whose parents keep replacing the family dog every time they lose one and telling the children that it is the same dog.  There are no law enforcement people because there is no violence at all.  There is one big exception, Uhura and Davis notice a woman being dragged away with force by a man.  Uhura wants to get help, but Davis thinks it might be an odd mating ritual, since no one around seems to be concerned.

Uhura gets captured!

Later Sulu gets into an intense argument with another crew member and faints.  When he recovers, he doesn’t even remember what happened.  And even though he was in a local place none of the natives were aware of what had happened to him.  When they get him back to the Enterprise they try to test him and when he faints and loses memory after another confrontation they know they have a serious problem.  Kirk goes to confront Perry.  Perry explains that violence is very bad, and they have worked to remove it from their society as its evil cannot be justified.  Kirk, who thinks sometimes you need to be a little violent after all it can be a nasty universe.  Elsewhere Uhura and Davis are kidnapped by an unknown group.

Sulu can't feel any negative emotion

The Klingons arrived in the sector, but they were targeting it for different reasons, resources, when they came upon the Enterprise.  Stunned to see Karol’s archnemesis, they attacked.  The Enterprise crew raised the shields and evaded, but neither Scotty nor anyone under his command could go near the weapon controls.  Kirk tries to use his communicator but finds he can’t give an offensive order.  He and Spock confront Perry, who now reveals his plan.  He created a society where only peace can exist.  Once exposed to this virus, of their creation, no one can be violent again.  Just has he created the prefect society here soon they will spread this nice disease.  Kirk points out that you are taking an important trait that makes them fully human, more immediately you are removing their ability to defend themselves and they are right now attacked by Klingons.  Perry says he knows that there will be sacrifices.  Spock then points out that his whole plan is flawed anyway because his virus isn’t perfect some are immune who have been shunned by your society and forced to live as outcasts.  However, they exist by preying on the settlement with impunity because there is nothing anyone can do to stop them.  When Perry tries to say they will go away Spock counters that mathematically the more the virus spreads the number of immunes will grow, with maybe entire species as immunes, this would make the infected easy prey for an aggressor.  Perry gets annoyed and leaves.  

As the one space battle rages, Scotty comes up with a plan that will earn him glory and humiliate the Klingons.  Feigning helplessness, as the Klingon ship goes in for the kill, Scotty lowers the shields and beams right on to the Klingon bridge.  They are now all infected with the nice virus and can no longer act aggressively without passing out.  This allows Scott to walk around their ship with the Klingons being able to do anything.  Scotty takes the new sensor-cloaking device so Starfleet can develop countermeasures and beams right back.

Enterprise under attack!

Kirk, Spock, and McCoy find the hideout of the immunes.  McCoy is able to knock one out—because in his head giving a hypo is treating not attacking so the nice virus can’t stop him—now with some of his DNA he can get back to the ship and try to develop a cure.  Uhura and Davis, having escaped from their confinement join up with the three other officers.  McCoy, Uhura, and Davis head back up to the Enterprise, with Davis providing an additional doctor brain to help find a cure.  

The narrative suddenly shifts, and we get the point of view of Rus, we learn from him there is a third group besides the Villagers and the Immune.  These people are immune but choose to keep their emotions under control and the fact that they can use violence a secret as they continue to live among the villagers.  A life with family and predictability is preferred to that of a raider.

Kirk and Spock explore the underground facility more and they discover the chamber that contains the ancient wheezing body of the real Captain Perry.  He has been hooked to this machine for most of the last three centuries.  The Perry they have been in conflict with is a composite of the original Perry and the ship’s computer.  The fake Perry shows up and armed with a phaser he uses this to blackmail Spock.  Perry threatens to kill Kirk unless Spock allows him to assimilate Spock’s mind into the machine, giving him access to Spock’s intelligence and reasoning.  Since they can’t go on offense Spock chooses to comply. This turns out to be a mistake for the fake Perry for once he has Spock hooked up to machine, Spock’s essence reaches out to the essence of the real Perry. 

Now Perry decides to kill Kirk, but he is stopped by Rus, who has now entered the room.  Attacked both internally and externally the fake Perry crumbles.  Spock is restored and the real Perry has now died after centuries of agony being hooked to the machine.  Returning to the ship, Kirk finds McCoy who is singing the praises of Davis for having cracked the cure.

Having been cured, Kirk beams onto the Klingon ship to tell Karol what a loser he thinks he is, and that his brother was way better Klingon. Kirk leaves and the Klingon Priest informs the Commander of the High Command’s decision to remove him for his disastrous failure.

The Federation is going to send professional help to the people of Perry’s Planet now that they are cured of the nice virus.   

Additional thoughts: At first this story reminded me a little of the first Star Trek novel Mission to Horatius, with the human colony ships that set up societies outside the Federation, all of which took a bizarre twist.  This book also shows what Star Trek novels can really do.  It’s a self-contained story where the crew encounters an alien civilization—even though its human—they go on adventure and at the end of the story all the main characters are back on the ship where they started.  However, unlike a traditional episode the omniscience narrator allows the reader to get inside the heads of the crew in a way live action could not.  An example would be Scotty’s internal monologue as he defeated the Klingons using the nice virus. 

It is also interesting that this is the first work published after the release of Star Trek: The Motion Picture, not counting the novelization.  The author probably had no idea what the movie was to be about when writing this, but it does show that fans were still interested in stories from that original five-year mission.  Another interesting aspect about this version is how it is the first to show us some of the warrior culture that classic series only hinted about.  Especially the concept of the “blood oath” that Klingons may swear to partake in to avenge a lost relation. 

I thought it was interesting the Kirk and the Enterprise were hurt because of Kirk’s reputation. The Enterprise is limping and running on fumes, while the crew are all about to collapse with exhaustion.  Starfleet knows about this but doesn’t care, because they have an important mission, and they want their best man on the job.  In worked out in this case, it was good to have Kirk and his crew here, but really Starfleet had to rethink its priorities.  On the face of it this was a small colony of humans thinking about joining the Federation, why do they need the Enterprise?  Given these original mission parameters this hardly justifies pulling a starship that was in desperate need of a tune up.   The Enterprise will never get a break at this rate, as Starfleet can’t tell the difference between a critical and non-critical assignment.  Kirk should have told the Commodore that he was in a ship not broken, so he should do it himself.  

So, the local villagers on Perry’s Planet have their scarves to identify what area of expertise their jobs are assigned.  The leadership wears gold and the scientists wear blue.  That seems very familiar.  It is interesting, separated culturally for 300 years different groups of humans came up with the same uniform color codes.  The Villagers appear at first like they will be great for the Federation: they are peaceful devoid of all conflict, and they don’t use money.  We’re still a few years and movies away from that becoming a Federation trait. (I say breaking my rule of never mentioning future Star Trek in my reviews.  This is the only exception I promise.)

Then there is the Immune culture.  Those who were the Immunes found themselves as outcasts for their ability to use violence.  They are forced to live outside the village but in a short time found themselves with the advantage of being able to go on offence and the Villagers can’t do anything about it.  If they want to eat something they steal food from a Villager, they want a coat, they take one off a Villager, and if they want sex, they rape a Villager.  The Villagers can’t defend themselves, can’t remember attacks on them, and can’t even see attacks on others.  To the Immunes the Villagers have become just objects for use.  The only exception to this is the Immunes who are able to hide themselves within the Villagers by suppressing their emotions.

Perry wanting to plug Spock into the system reminded me a lot “Spock’s Brain.” The only difference here is Spock told Perry right up front how stupid and dangerous his plan is.  Like the last time once Spock is in the system, he is able to turn the tables on his captor.   Captain Perry also reminded me of Landru from “The Return of the Archons.”  Like before, a computer program was created by an inventor to help their people.  However, that program assumed the creator’s identity and decided to directly rule the people under its ideas of a perfect society.  In both cases there was a section of society that was immune and could resist the directive.  The only difference is Fake Perry kept the real Perry alive, and Landru had figured out how to use a controlled release to get rid of bottled-up emotions.

Remember Landru!

McCoy was able to knock out an Immune with a hypo because he said that he views it as medical treatment and not an offensive attack.  I was wondering the whole time if you could somehow trick the virus into doing what you wanted it to do. My idea was to program the computer so that when you wanted to fire weapons you would see little hearts and sunflowers as opposed to phasers and photon torpedoes.  Therefore, you wouldn’t be going on offense you would be spreading love.

The best part of this book was Scotty getting his win over the Klingons.  Scotty might not want to be a captain, but he was a great one here. Using the virus against the Klingons was brilliant.  I thought that might be possible, but I thought it would require a surrender first, Scotty did in the middle of the fight.  He makes sure the shields are down before he beams over, and when he does Scotty the Klingons new weapon with him.

Should it be canon: Yes, I think this would a good one for Star Trek canon.  It is a complete story that doesn’t play into or contradict anything else in the franchise. 

Cover Art: The cover features both Kirk and Scotty’s faces looking forward.  The images imposed on top of another image of what I am assuming is the Klingon ship’s bridge or maybe it’s an underground laboratory.  So that is either Perry or Karol looking on the viewscreen.

Final Grade: Final Grade 4 of 5

THE ENTERPRISE FINDS THE LOST HUMAN COLONIES OF THE HORATIUS SYSTEM

 

Name: Mission To Horatius

Author: Mark Reynolds

Publication Date: 9/1968

Publisher: Whitman Publishing

Page Number: 210

Historian’s Note: Sometime between season 2 and season 3 of classic Star Trek

Cast of Characters:  Captain James T. Kirk    Commander Spock             Dr. Leonard H. McCoy AKA “Bones”              Lieutenant Commander Montgomery Scott AKA “Scotty”        Lieutenant  Hikaru Sulu              Lieutenant Nyota Uhura          Lieutenant DePaul          Lieutenant Peterson        Lieutenant Freeman         Lieutenant Kellum             Lieutenant Masaryk           Nurse Christine Chapel          Ensign Pavel Chekov      Yeoman First Class Janice Rand           Yeoman Second Class Doris Atkins         Yeoman Second Class Thompkins             Crewman Dick       Grang of the Wolf Clan            Shaman Muel of the Wolf Clan           Pater Delvin                           Pater Stuart                     Extreme Holy Warren                Feldherr Jodl                 Oberst Muller              Nummer Ein Shickle                Anna Shickle

Starships and/or Starbases: USS Enterprise NCC-1701

Planets: Neolithia, Mythra, and Bavarya

My Spoiler filled summary and review: The book begins with McCoy stepping on to the bridge. He wants to know why they were being rerouted when they had been scheduled for some shore leave.  The reason McCoy is so concerned is he thinks there may be an outbreak of space cafard.  Cafard is a condition of space madness the space travelers get when they are overly board for long periods of time.  It used to be triggered by having no artificial gravity.  Since they have artificial gravity, it is not as common a problem anymore.  However, it is going to be part of a minor ongoing subplot for the rest of the book.  Also, Sulu has a pet mouse that snuck in his uniform shirt.  Sulu, in addition to botany, likes to get specimens of animals from planets they explore.  Although this little guy is just a mouse who Sulu named Mickey adding a bit a comic relief to the book.  

McCoy concerned about Cafard

The main story is the Enterprise has a secret mission given to them by Starfleet.  They are to proceed to the Horatius system. When they arrive, they are able to read their secret orders.  The Enterprise enters the Horatius system so it is time to look at the orders.  Starfleet has received a distress call from this system.  In the system are three planets, Neolithia, Mythra, and Bavarya, each world was settled by humans who had left Earth before the formation of the Federation.  Their mission is to explore these worlds and discover who is seeking their help.

The first planet the visit is Neolithia.  It turns out the humans who went to this planet seem to have reverted back to the stone age.  While there the away team is attacked by a young teenager who they quickly stun.  When he wakes, he identifies himself as Grang of the Wolf Clan.  Grang is an interesting character and provides a good deal of comic relief with his misunderstanding for Starfleet human nomenclature.  He often identifies Enterprise crew members as “Captain of the Kirks” or “Doctor of the McCoys.” 

Captain Kirk needs to get to the bottom of this

Almost being stereotypical space aliens Kirk has Grang “take them to his leader.”  Grange warns they will be killed.  When they get to the leader, who is referred to as a wizard-doctor of the Council of Patriarchs, it turns out really does have powers of a telepathic nature.  He tries to execute for the landing party for their “crimes.” It appears there have been these raiders from space attacking and the Council think its Kirk and company.  An army of men seem ready to kill the leaning party with arrows.  Spock is the only one who senses that the archers are not real.  The wizard-doctor’s powers only extend to fellow descendants of Earth and Spock’s Vulcan half protects him.  With his illusion destroyed the wizard doctor retreats.  Had Spock not called this out the landing party would have suffered “the silent death.”  Now, according to Grang, they were going to get their actual physical warriors. 

Since Kirk is now convinced the people of this planet did not send the distress signal and clearly don’t want them around it is time for them to leave.  Sulu protests seeing as they can’t abandon their ally Grang, who the wizard-doctor threatened with death.  Kirk points out that according to general order # 1 they can’t take him for that would be interference.  It sucks for Grang but those are the breaks.  However, when they beam back up it turns out Grang came along anyway.  The device that Kirk had Sulu set up to capture a specimen of animal life, turns out it “captured” Grang.  It is implied that Mr. Sulu told Grang about it and where to go.  Kirk, who isn’t really angry, let’s Sulu know that watching Grang will be his responsibility.  So “the Lieutenant of the Sulus” becomes Grang’s ship buddy. 

Sulu looking out for Grang!

The Enterprise then heads to Mythra.  This planet is capable of communicating with the Enterprise as it has radio technology, however they were quite surprised when the starship popped in to say hello.  The Mythraian officials put Kirk in contact with their leader a man named Warren who is the Supreme Exarch, Extreme Holy of the United Temple.  He tells Kirk to take the ship away, but Kirk insists that they are there to see who is sent the distress signal and who is attacking Neolithia.  Once he has cleared them the ship will leave.  He also points out that it is against their orders to interfere with their internal affairs.    

Kirk leads an away team down to the planet.  They are greeted and their hosts ask if they have had their anodyne yet.  Anodyne is part of their religion in worshiping “The Ultimate.”  McCoy scans it and finds that it is laced with a drug that will make its victims mind zombies for a day.  The government has this entire population outside the leadership in an intoxicated state.  Chekov had some and becomes one of their mind slaves.  Kirk orders an emergency beam out.  Since it is clear these people neither sent the distress signal nor are attacking Neolithia—in fact are victims of such attacks themselves—Kirk decides to move on to the next planet.  However, before they leave McCoy puts an antidote to the anodyne in the water.  So much for the prime directive.    

They get to the last planet Bavarya.  This planet actually has space capabilities and is none too happy to have the Enterprise around. Bavarya demands the Enterprise get lost but Kirk points out they are not in their space, as apparently intergalactic space governments only recognize a planets ability to claim space so far from itself and the Enterprise is outside of Bavarua’s legal claims.  Bavarya attacks but their phasers are no match for the Enterprise’s shields. Kirk points out that the Federation has more scientists so their technology is better. 

The Bavaryan leader, a man named Nummer Ein, reluctantly agrees to let a landing party from the Enterprise come to their planet to investigate the attacks. Kirk has Grang dress in an ensign’s uniform and he accompanies the landing party.  After they beam down Grang can confirm that these are the people who attacked his planet.  The whole place has a Nazi-Germany vibe to it.

They meet a young woman named Anna Shickle and she is the one who sent the distress signal.  Before they can find out why they discover that Nummer Ein never intended to treat Kirk and his crew as guests instead he choices to hold them as hostages until they hand over the Enterprise and its technology to them.  With the planet’s phasers targeted at the Enterprise, the crew can’t lower its shields to beam back the landing party.

To make them comply Nummer Ein decides to have them complete in gladiator matches.  The fighters are Kirk, Spock, and Grang.  Since Kirk is the greatest fighter in the galaxy, Spock has enhanced strength and gladiator experience, and Grang isn’t sloppy himself, they make quick work out of their three opponents.  However, every time they win their opponents are taking away only to return moments later fully restored.  The three keep wining however so Nummer Ein decides for a break.  The three are taken down to their cell only to by saved by Anna Shickle who was able to get Yeoman Rand her phaser.  With the Starfleet officers and Grang all armed they learn the truth of Bavarya.  They manufacture their underclass: the Doppelgangers by way of cloning.  Except they can’t replicate the soul.  So, the upper class, the Herr Elite, has a bunch of soulless servants waiting on them hand and foot.  Until Anna learned that her father, Nummer Ein had been replaced by one.  This would indicate that the Doppelgangers are capable for much more than we are told.  However, we never explore this.  Anna explains that the Doppelgangers are all connected to a machine that generates them.  Kirk destroys the machine making all the Doppelgangers disappear.  Bavarya no longer has the man-power to harass the other planets but also now the Herr Elite will have to work for themselves for a change.

Spock with gladiator experience 

  

They return to the Enterprise and bring Grang home where he is welcome as a hero for stopping the raids from outer space.  McCoy discovers that Sulu’s pet mouse got loose and maybe carrying the bubonic plague.  So, the whole ship searches for the missing rodent and it turns out to be a gag.  Dr. McCoy was despite to find a cure for space cafard made the whole thing up with the senior staff in order to get the crew excited again.   

Additional thoughts: The only Star Trek novel published when the series was actually on the air.  The book was released right as season 3 was getting started. I bought my copy in 1999 under the banner of “the lost Star Trek novel, out of print for more than 30 years.” It was a great add to my collection.  The story is mostly told from the point of view of Captain Kirk but sometimes shifts to Dr. McCoy and an omniscient narrator. 

The main adventure is rather interesting the ship being called to a system where there are three human settlements who have been separated from the rest of humanity for so long that they evolved into an entirely different cultures that are like us but not like us. Each planets name has a special meaning the to the culture that is there.  Neolithia, clearly is from the word Neolithic which is a period of human civilization that represents the end of the stone age and the beginning of agriculture.  Bavarya comes from Bavaria a former German kingdom and modern-day German province. This planet is under a fascist regime that claims to be descended from the elite of the Teutonic peoples.   I am not really sure where Mythra gets its name but considering it was run by a religious cult it probably has something to do with that.

The prime directive comes up in this book which left me confused.  Why would the prime directive be applicable to humans? They are part of us not some alien culture.  It is also applied very haphazardly.  Kirk is about to abandon poor Grang because taking him would be a violation of the prime directive.  However, Kirk doesn’t hesitate to free the people of Mythra from the drug induced mind-control that their government was imposing and he outright destroys all the Doppelgangers.  You can try to make a “not developing argument” such as “The Return of the Archons” and “The Apple” but I feel that is a bit of a reach. 

There are some interesting errors in the book such as referring to the Romulan Star Empire as the Romulan Confederation, and referring to the Enterprise as a space ship and not a star ship.  Also, there is a huge typo when Kirk is telling Chekov on page 143 to “report to the bridge” it is typed out as “repair to the bridge.

The book could have done without the whole space canard and Mickey misadventure.  It really was a huge waste of space.   The author really should have spent more time on Bavarya.  The whole Herr Elite ruling over the Doppelgangers, who they regard as having no souls despite the fact that one of them has appeared to have replaced their leader. This is the source of a great story.  Unfortunately, it is brushed over to spend more time with canard and space mice.  In the end of the day why would anyone on the Enterprise get bored to the point of sickness?

Even though it was a book it was nice to see the whole cast.  Since Janice Rand disappeared in the early first season, it meant we never saw her interact with some of the new characters added later such as Ensign Chekov.  She even had an important part to play getting Kirk and Spock out of that dungeon.   

Missed you, Yeoman

Should it be canon: Now since the status of the books as any sort of canon is the matter some contention, we should ask ourselves “should this be” canonical material.  I really liked where they discussed “space law” describing it like we would discuss “national waters.”  In my opinion, despite its flaws yes it should be.  It is good adventure for the crew, it fits right in with the series for which it is based. I would find this to be a fine addition to the Star Trek mythos.

Cover Art: The art of cover I find to be okay, but nothing more than that.  It consists of a full color drawing of the Enterprise on the front with a drawing of Kirk and Spock behind it.  The image of the Captain and First Officer are not colored in rather they appear as drawings on a blueish back ground.  

Final Grade: 3 of 5

CAPTAIN KIRK LOSES HIS MEMORY AND GETS MARRIED

 

Episode Title:  The Paradise Syndrome

Air Date: 10/4/1968

Written by Margaret Armen

Directed by Jud Taylor

Cast: William Shatner as Captain James T. Kirk    Leonard Nimoy as Commander Spock             DeForest Kelley as Dr. Leonard H. McCoy AKA “Bones”              James Doohan  as Lieutenant Commander Montgomery Scott AKA “Scotty”        George Takei  as Lieutenant  Hikaru Sulu              Nichelle Nichols as Lieutenant Nyota Uhura          Eddie Paskey as Lieutenant Leslie                 Bill Blackburn as Lieutenant Hadley Roger Holloway as Lieutenant Lemli       Walter Koenig as Ensign Pavel Chekov                 Majel Barrett as Nurse Christine Chapel      Jeannie Malone as unnamed Yeoman              John Lindesmith as unnamed Crewman      Sabrina Scharf as Miramanee            Rudy Solari as Salish          Richard Hale as Goro        Naomi Newman as unnamed Woman         Peter Virgo Jr.as Warrior           Lamont Laird as Boy who almost drowned               Vincent St. Cyr as Father of Boy who almost drowned

Ships: USS Enterprise NCC-1701

Planets:  Amerind

My Spoiler filled summary and review: The planet Amerind is being threatened by a giant asteroid that is headed its way.  Since the planet’s population is at tribal level in terms of development Starfleet has assigned the Enterprise with the task of preventing disaster.  Even though they are on a tight deadline Kirk wants to head down to see if the planet is worth saving.  So the Captain beams down with Mr. Spock and Dr. McCoy to inspect the world.  Kirk is amazed that all the local planet life is an exact duplicate of Earth.  Which I find odd since they have come across duplicate Earths a number of times.

Checking out a planet

As they continue to explore they come across an ancient obelisk created from extremely advanced technology.  It is covered with alien symbols.  This inspires Kirk to take a closer look at the local inhabitants.  When they discover them the three Starfleet officers find a group that resembles a tribe of what McCoy calls a tribe of American Indians. (Notes on this will be in the additional comments section.)   Spock notes with a singular glance that they are a mixture of Navajo, Mohican, and Delaware tribes.  Which I have to say is very impressive having only looked at them once at a distance.  Instead of wondering how it was that a group of Aboriginal people who appear as if they are from the past got placed on a different planet or questioning if they found another duplicate Earth, Kirk just wonders how nice it would be not to have command decisions and just live.  

So who put this here?

They head back to the obelisk to explore it a little more.  Kirk wonders around it and when he opens his communicator to get in touch with the ship a trap door opens underneath him and he falls in. Spock and McCoy desperately look for Kirk but they don’t have any time.  They have to return to the Enterprise in order to stop the asteroid, as Spock must explain to the upset McCoy. 

Kirk wakes up and his internal monologue tells us he has no idea who he is.  He manages to work his way out of the obelisk and when he does he is found by two women from the village.  Since the two saw him emerge from the obelisk they assume he must one of those who built it.  That would make him in their minds a god.  They convince Kirk to come back to the village and meet with their chief, Goro.   While this is happening the Enterprise is racing to meet the asteroid at warp 9 when their maximum safe speed is about warp 8.  Clearly they spent more time looking for Kirk than they should have.  Scotty is really concerned about the dilithium crystals getting burnt out.   

Kirk found by locals

 Upon meeting Goro, who I was disappointed to see had only two arms, Kirk tries his best to answer the questions from him and medicine chief Salish.  Unfortunately for Kirk and his hosts he still doesn’t remember anything about who he is or where he is from.   Then a medical emergency occurs when a child is brought in who had been drowning in the river.  Salish examines the boy and determines that he was too far gone.  Suddenly Kirk remembers how to do CPR and performs it on the boy reviving him.  Since Salish already declared him dead it looks as if a resurrection had been performed.   Kirk is a god as far as they are concerned and a divine being makes a better medicine chief than a mere mortal. With that Goro grants Kirk Salish’s job.  With the arrival of the outsider Salish is now unemployed.

The man in front is about to lose his job!

The Enterprise arrives at the asteroid.  Spock orders for the ship’s main deflector dish to fire full power at the asteroid to disrupt its path.  While the ship is trying to push the asteroid out of the way the dilithium crystals, having already been strained by the trip at warp 9, shatter ending the attempt to stop the asteroid and crippling the ship.  Now with only impulse power the ship is placed by Spock in the path of the asteroid for one last attempt.

Miramanee

One of the women who had brought Kirk to the village is named Miramanee.  We learn that she and Salish are engaged to be married.  However when Salish comes to discuss some wedding plans when she gives him a shock.  Since it is custom for the daughter of the tribal chief and the medicine chief are to be married the moment he lost his job is the moment their engagement ended.  Broken hearted it is as if the new comer has stolen his entire life.

The Enterprise vs the asteroid.

Miramanee then informs Kirk, who is now being called “Kirok” because it was the closest he could remember his name, about tribal custom and that they are to be married.  Kirk thinks this is great and immediately starts to plan a life with his new intended.  From Miramanee he learns the history of the tribe how they were rescued by gods like him and brought to this place.  The aliens/gods gave them the obelisk which is used whenever the skies go unnaturally dark.  It is the medicine chief that operates the obelisk and that traditionally the knowledge of how is passed from father to son.  Unfortunately Salish’s father died before he was able to pass the knowledge down to him.

Salish is not that good at his job, I blame his dad.

Spock tries to deflect the asteroid one last time with phaser fire.  With impulse power they can stay ahead of the asteroid on the way back to the planet.  It is a journey that will take two months.  While the Enterprise is crawling in front of an asteroid, Kirk is having the time of his life with his brand new wife.  He is extremely happy and content.  The two of them are making plans for a life and family. Kirk spends some time with his new father-in-law setting him up in his new role.  After he is attacked by Salish.  Salish is lucky Kirk doesn’t remember that he is the greatest fighter in the known universe who fights with such speed and grace that most fighters turn green with envy before being beat.  Salish manages to cut Kirk with a knife.   The cut is minor but Salish is excited and runs away proclaiming he has discovered that “Kirok” is a false god. 

On the Enterprise Spock is practically exhausting himself trying to figure out what the symbols on the obelisk mean.  His is so obsessed that he is skipping means and avoiding sleep.  It gets so bad that McCoy has to order him to bed rest which he fakes until McCoy leaves and then gets up like a child playing video games at night after his or her parent has gone to bed.  It pays off and Spock has decoded the obelisk.  He announces to McCoy that those symbols are musical notes. 

Spock cracking the code!

Now that Spock understands symbols he knows who put the obelisk there to begin with.  He explains to McCoy that there were an ancient spacefaring people known as the Preservers.  The Preservers spent a great deal of time taking endangered species and/or cultures and would relocate them to planets on which they were able to thrive.   McCoy thinks about the implications of what Spock is telling him and proclaims that he always wondered why the galaxy seemed to be so populated with humanoids.   Spock confirms that and that the obelisk is there to protect the people.

First he loses his job then his girl, bad day.

While this is all going on Kirk is working with Miramanee on plans for a dam.  Then his father-in-law Goro shows up to tell Kirk that the sky has darkened and he must go to the obelisk to save them.  Kirk says they must go to caves but Goro and the others insist that Kirk must save them with the obelisk.  So Kirk goes to the obelisk to see if he can work it but he fails.  Salish points out to the people Kirk’s failure and in panic the people turn on Kirk throwing stones at him.  Miramanee rushes to her husband’s defense but the villagers and up stoning them both.  After the two fall and the villagers leave, Spock and McCoy beam down.  They are able to talk briefly with Miramanee who explains what happened to them.  With a mind meld Spock restores Kirk’s mind and Nurse Chapel beams down to aid McCoy. 

Fine line between love and hate!

With Kirk’s health and mind restored he can retrace his steps and remember that it was the noise of him using his communicator that opened the door.  Spock and Kirk mange to get inside and Spock deciphers how to use the obelisk and does so to divert the asteroid saving the day. 

Nothing like a mind meld to make a mind straight

Miramanee unfortunately was fatally injured by the stoning so much that 23^rd century medicine is not able to save her.  Kirk stays by her side as she dies while talking about their plans for the future.  For the second time in three years Kirk loses someone one who could be considered the love of this life.

Additional thoughts: This episode has one thing that I thought was really cool.  That is the introduction of the concept of the Preservers.  This is way better than the whole stupid “Hodgkin's Law of Parallel Planet Development” to explain the duplicate Earths and other types of humanoids running around.  The story possibilities that it opens are endless.  Since the Preservers are gone we have no hard rules about what circumstances cause them to try to preserve a particular species.

Kirk relying on Spock to be the code cracker!

Although Star Trek is a progressive show particularly for its time, it can still have it short comings. For one you have Native American characters that are played by people of European decent as opposed to using Native American actors. I am okay with them thinking Kirk, a white man, was a god because it makes sense story-wise.  This group of people having been taking from Earth to this other world, from their perspective those aliens would be gods and would have taught that to their children.  Since Kirk did emerge from what had been created by those very beings it was a logical deduction to conclude that Kirk must be one of those beings.  McCoy refers to the group as “American Indians” which was the polite term when the show aired; it wasn’t when I was growing, and nowadays it is somewhat complicated with some groups preferring it and others not.  It should be noted that the Preservers selecting these people for preservation in a strong indictment against European colonialism.

Take that asteroid! 

Captain Kirk is out of character for the entire episode and not just because he lost his memory and became “Kirok.” Even at the start of the episode there is some foreshadowing as Kirk looks out to the villagers and starts to go on about what a wonderful simple life they lead with no command decisions.  Throughout the episode it is even applied that this is the only time Kirk had truly been happy.  I call bullshit.  Kirk’s foremost desire is to be in command of a starship.  In the previous episode he overcame the tears of the Dolhman at will because of his love the Enterprise.  In The Naked Time Kirk overcame the virus at will be recommitting himself to his ship.  I saw an interview between William Shatner and Joan Collins once when they discussed The City on the Edge of Forever and whether they thought it could have been possible for Kirk and Keeler to be together.  Shatner points out although he did love Edith he thinks Kirk would have gotten bored.  Speaking of Shatner his acting in this episode must be what all the parodies of him are based on.  It is hardly his best work but to be fair he wasn’t working with a good story to begin with. 

Another thing that I have a real problem with in order for the plot to work all of the characters have to act stupid.  Let’s start with Kirk.  So we have an asteroid that is coming to destroy all life on this planet and they have limited time to do it.  So while this window is closing instead of taking his ship a little early to make sure they are right on time and take account for any unexpected delays, Kirk decides to explore the planet some just so he can see what he is saving.  When Spock says they have thirty minutes to reach their time window Kirk sees this as thirty minutes they can goof off exploring.  He has made a mistake like this before in The Galileo Seven but you think he would learn from it.

It gets worse when Kirk is lost and Spock has to take command we see him rushing the Enterprise there at warp 9.  The ship’s fastest safe speed is warp 8 going 9 runs the risk of wreaking the engines.  This means they didn’t really have time to be goofing off on the planet to begin with.  Then after they wreck their warp engines and are only on impulse Spock bets everything on decoding the obelisk.  This turns out to be right but Spock obsesses over it not eating or sleeping.  McCoy orders him to get rest, which he ignores.  This is supposed to show how tough and determined Spock is but it just makes him look ridiculous.  Try doing anything when you’re exhausted.  You are not more focused.  It would be a good idea for him to take a nap and when he wakes up look at it through fresh eyes.  Unlike earlier we are no longer in time crunch.  Spock literally has two months to figure this out.  Then we have Dr. McCoy the spacefaring doctor who needs to have Spock explain to him why asteroids hitting planets are bad the way parent would explain something to a child.

In addition to the crew acting dumb where was the rest of Starfleet?  I know the show really like to do this “only ship in sector” in almost every episode but when the Enterprise is going to be crawling in front of an asteroid for two months isn’t that a good time to send another ship to assist?  They’re going to have to anyway if only to tow the Enterprise to a starbase to undergo repair.

I did think the part of the medicine chiefs passing down the position and knowledge from father to son and poor Salish losing out because his father prematurely died was somewhat amusing.  In a bit of cross franchises with Star Wars it does remind me a little bit of the Sith’s famous “Rule of Two” what happens if the Sith Master dies prior to instructing his apprentice on their most important teachings?  Well that is what happened to dear old Salish.  His old man kicked the bucket before telling him how to work the obelisk and save their civilization from destruction. 

Since the Captain doesn’t have access to his Captain’s Log or even memory to what that was we are instead given an internal monologue.  I am going to be clear I don’t like it.  I think it is stupid and I can’t remember if they ever use it again but I hope they don’t.  I also have hard time wrapping my head around the idea that Kirk spent 1/6 of his third year in command of the Enterprise living with an Indian tribe on a planet with no idea who the heck he was.

Since they can’t have Captain Kirk abandon his wife and child and remain the hero Miramanee is given a cheap plot death.  Plot death is like but the opposite of plot armor.  Her death doesn’t have to make sense it just has to happen.  Think Padme.  Personally I think it would have been cool to allow her to live and leave with Kirk.  I think she could have made a great character as learns about the larger universe around her.

Waste of a good character!

This brings me to my last point and that is the Prime Directive and how it shouldn’t apply here. These are not human looking aliens they are humans who were removed from Earth and placed on a faraway planet.  Earlier in the season it was established that if other powers interfere with the development of another culture than Starfleet can correct the contamination.  So even if the Prime Directive could be applied to humans the very fact that they were abducted and transported should allow for any knowledge available to be passed to these villagers. If they want to stay so be it but they should be allowed to explore the stars with the rest of humanity.

 

FINAL GRADE 3 of 5