Below are the dry, bare bones of plot ideas that never quite made it to finished story form. I inter them here in hopes that someone wandering through might be able to scavenge a little ivory from these fleshless remains. I have found that reading other people's story ideas -- even bad ones -- can help get my creative juices flowing. So even though you may be able to readily determine the very good reasons why some of these never made it past the tentative planning stage, I hope you're able to find some source of inspiration -- even if it's to clarify exactly the sort of story you never want to write.

You are free to claim any of the scenarios and make them your own. All I ask is that you let me see the final product.

If you have old plots lying around your brain that you're not doing anything with, or ideas for Chekov stories that you'd love to read, but would never write, please press the big "Submit" below and share them with all the other creatively inclined "Chekkie Trekkies" who visit this site. Who knows what we may be able to create together?

The Surprise Party

Chekov is depressed. It's his birthday and no one seems to care. No one else seems particularly concerned that the results from his promotion review are weeks overdue either. Worst of all, he's been assigned to a boring shuttle testing and maintenance run with Ensign Johnson -- the single most tedious and depressing person on the ship. Unbeknownst to him, his fellow officers have conspired to get him off the ship for a few hours to prepare for a surprise birthday party at which his promotion to lieutenant will be officially announced. Unbeknownst to them, an Orion raider is waiting, hidden in a nearby nebulae, and watching greedily as the little shuttlecraft wanders farther and farther beyond the protective range of the Enterprise's weapons....

The Prince and the Ensign

Capitalizing on a chance physical resemblance, Chekov takes the place of the heir to the throne on one of two warring planets in order to defeat an assassination attempt. The arrogant prince rather grudgingly assumes the role of a relatively unimportant junior officer in the delegation of observers and mediators from the Enterprise. As the mission progresses, Chekov starts to worry less about the assassin than he does about the damage the prince is doing to his reputation...

The Test

Chekov and Sulu are among a group of junior officers selected to test new Star Fleet survival equipment on the surface of a primitive planet near Starbase Five while the Enterprise undergoes maintenance. What starts out as a camping party becomes a fight for survival when equipment begins to develop mysterious malfunctions and their crewmates begin to disappear.

The Mausoleum

While investigating the disappearance of an archaeological team, Sulu, Uhura, and Chekov find an underground cavern filled with beautiful works of alien art in pristine condition despite their obvious age. Unfortunately, their entry triggers the activation of a dormant guardian, who jams their communicators and locks all the doors behind them....

He Looked a Lot Like You

Chekov is hastily drafted to take the place of a member of a Special Intelligence team in the last phases of an operation to expose and capture a ring of double agents working from a base near the Romulan Neutral Zone. The ensign knows that the situation is critical and he must work very hard to get up to speed with the rest of the team, but he can't help but be distressed that the team leader seems to have taken an instant and intense dislike to him. Rather than merely preparing him for the mission, his new commander's drills seemed to be designed to make life hell for the navigator. The other team members aren't willing to talk about it, but Chekov begins to wonder if the team leader's animosity has something to do with the man's relationship with Dmitri, the young agent he's been sent to replace. Did his new commander have some hand in the Russian Intelligence Officer's sudden, violent death?

The Harem

While on shore leave, Chekov is kidnapped by slavers who add him to a small collection of males from several species. The five captured men (the ensign, two Vulcans, a Klingon, and an Andorian) are intended to form a "literary" gift for a Romulan princess. Each prisoner is required to memorize a selection of literature from his native culture so that he will be able to recite and critically discuss the work in Romulan for the amusement and edification of his intended mistress. Chekov must cooperate because his captors are also holding a young human child who is being kept in another part of the ship. If he does as he is asked, the child is rewarded, if he rebels, he must watch via a viewscreen while the child is punished in his place. If he completes his training and becomes the princess's slave, the child will be released. If he escapes, the child will be killed. The ensign isn't sure if the others are being controlled in the same way, because although the adult captives share common living quarters, they are under constant surveillance and not permitted to discuss anything their captors have declared a forbidden topic. All seems hopeless until Chekov finds that the younger of the two Vulcans can communicate with him via touch telepathy.

STAR TREK ® as well as related character names and terminology are registered trademarks of Paramount Pictures Corp., A VIACOM company. No infringement intended.

Copyright © 1997 Teegar Taylor.