The Group-Written Classic Trek Story

Note: Despite the movie-era picture above, this story takes place during the original 1960's series.

Kirk walked onto the transporter pad. "I'm looking forward to seeing Dr. Egnarts again, although I hear he's grown slightly eccentric in the years since he taught my Sociology class at the Academy."

McCoy stepped up beside him. "He's a Sociology Professor who lives alone, studying Earth history while living 300 lightyears from Earth. He sounds eccentric enough for me."

Spock joined them. "His current abode is logical when considerring that he is recording and archiving Earth's radio and television broadcasts from 300 years ago."

"You of all people would find that logical," grumbled Bones as the transporter began to hum.

They materialized onboard the asteroid's space station in what appeared to be a botanical garden. Blue and purple shrubbery surrounded them, sprawled across the ground and hanging from the ceiling. Some plants featured golden blossoms the size of watermelons and others waved meandering tentacles through the air.

"Greetings, Jim!" A man rushed toward them with outstretched arms, trailing an unkempt mane of white hair and the stench of someone who saw little need to shower when living in isolation. "I see you managed to accomplish something with your career despite the grade I gave you!"

Although this man contrasted sharply with his memory of a straightlaced no-nonsense educator, Kirk smiled and said, "It's good to see you again." After a pause, he added, "I'm surprised to see a room like this on a historical research station."

"I need something to keep me occupied when I'm not analyzing Twentieth Century TV Shows. I have a substantial zoological collection as well which I can't wait to show you."

Spock interjected, "It sounds fascinating, but we're short on time. It would be better to first discuss our plans for transferring this station to the Alpha Lazhan system."

Egnarts' expression darkened. "I'm not certain how you'll take this, but I've decided not to move the station."

"What?" exclaimed Kirk. "Didn't Starfleet's message make it clear? This asteroid will collide with Anaran 4 within a week."

"I know," answered Egnarts. "I plan to be on the asteroid when it hits the planet."
--Argus Skyhawk

Kirk, puzzled momentarily, but never at a loss for words, or demonstrative gestures, formed the word "why" with his mouth and hands a few seconds before it came out in stilted but genuine concern. "Why..... would.... you do that ,doctor, its guaranteed suicide". "You're an educated man. a....... dedicated and respected scholar.....surely you must ...be... considering an alternative outcome......."

McCoy interjected quickly "Jim.... as I have said before, you'd make a respectable country Psychologist, but perhaps this man has chosen some form of hospice, or.. perhaps we should discuss this in private after I speak with the good doctor first for a moment with regard to..." and with this Spock announced with a characteristic crisp and matter-of-fact comment "Captain......perhaps we should not attribute such behavior with assumed dire consequences or histrionic intent.......my tri-corder readings are indicating some very unusual and previously unknown forms of energy, at least within my experience in this sector of the galaxy". He circled around with the instrument, slightly puzzled, even a bit irritated looking, and Kirk queried "Mr. Spock... get.... to the point. What is it ? "Well, Captain, I am picking up two anomolies. First, these plants are of a genus and species never catalogued before, and are emitting low-level electro-magnetic radiation waves in a pattern not consistent with circular functions.... , secondly (as he looked upward again), the material we are encased in, in geologic strata terms, is exhibiting dynamic and unexpected readings with respect to shifting mass and isostasic variation in the..." Kirk cut him off and chided him " get to the point Mr. Spock"

"Jim, gravity varies as a function of the square of the distance from the source as a universal constant" "In this case, I am reading a gravitational attraction pattern more akin to a Lemniscate or perhaps a Euler spiral vortex-based wave propagation of what once were called gravitons, and we now know empirically to be..." Kirk cut him off again, and said angrily 'Get the point Mr. Spock....... and please do it in plain english this time"

McCoy smirked and quipped "that'll be the day"
--Steven M. Dunbar

Spock looked at McCoy, and, if McCoy didn't know any better, he could swear Spock had glared at him. "In *plain English,* there is a device of unknown configuration at the center of this asteriod; that is what is emitting the radiation. This asteriod will collide with Anaran 4 and brake into hundreds of thousands of pieces, and so will this station and Dr. Egnarts. "The central device has embedded everything on this asteriod with a 'lock-on' signature of radiation. After the asteriod has collided, the central device will, in essence, pull everything with the lock-on signature back together."
--Stephanie Bennet

"Dr. McCoy, my English is certainly quite plain. Perhaps the problem is rather that you simply do not understand gravity. Understanding your technical shortcomings, I will attempt to explain with a metaphor. You understand magnetic attraction. If you attempt to push similar magnetic poles together, the fields repel. In this case, it is possible that the asteroid will be repelled by these anomalous fields. Is that plain enough for..."

"Enterprise to Captain Kirk." It was Scotty, who took the helm when the landing party transported down to Anaran 4.

"Go ahead Mr. Scott."

"There is a vessel comin' at us real quick. And, Captain, it's a Klingon!"

"Captain, we are not far from Klingon space," interjected Spock. "It would not be surprising for a Klingon cruiser to be near this sector."

"Let me know if anything happens, Mr. Scott. Kirk out."

Kirk whipped his communicator shut and turned to Egnarts. "Have you had any contact with the Klingons?"

"Why, no Captain Kirk. As you know, I have no capabilities to contact anyone but the Federation. I have no universal translator, and I don't speak Klingon."

"I don't think the Klingons would have any interest in 'Lost in Space' reruns," mumbled Kirk to no one in particular. "And I don't believe in coincidences."

"Mr. Spock, think the Klingons would have any interest in these plants?"

"There may be a military application, Captain. The anomalous fields might prove capable of repelling photon torpedoes, for example, since their quantum mass is nevertheless mass. If it were possible to…"

"Kirk to Enterprise," interrupted Kirk. "Four to beam up. Now."

"Wait!" yelled Egnarts. "Why do I…" The four dissolved in the glitter before he could finish.
--Rich Hanson

As the four entered the bridge Kirk asked Scotty "Any word from the Klingons?"

"No sir." Scotty replied. "The Klingon devils aren't responding to my hails."

Kirk signaled to Uhura as he took his seat. "Klingon vessel...this is Captain Kirk of the U.S.S. Enterprise. State your intentions."

A tense moment passed as the sounds of the computers filled the silence. The image of the Klingon ship on the screen changed to that of a familiar face. "My dear Captain Kirk."

"My dear Captain Koloth." Kirk said with a smirk.

"Perhaps it is YOU who should state intentions..." Koloth smiled, "since you are so close to our space."

Spock slowly approached Kirk and said quietly "Our presence could be interpreted as hostile."

Kirk lifted a hand, cutting off Spock before saying to Koloth "This IS neutral space...State your intentions."

Koloth's face changed to an expression of annoyance but was quickly composed again."Very well...I am here conducting... a planetary survey."

Kirk smiled back. "What a coincidence. We are conducting...a planetary survey as well. Perhaps we could share our results."

"Thank you for such a generous offer but I don't think that will be neccessary."

"You're probably right. If you do require assistance..."

Koloth finished the sentence. "I will keep your offer in mind. Good day, Kirk."

The screen, once more, showed the Klingon ship but only for a moment before it cloaked.

A voice sounded on the comm. "Captain. We have a problem in the transporter room. You better get down here."

"Spock, you have the conn." Kirk said as McCoy followed him into the turbolift.

As they approached the door to the transorter room McCoy asked "What in blazes is going on, Jim?"

"I don't know but we're going to find out." Kirk answered as the door opened.

As purring sounds filled their ears they saw that the transporter room was filled with tribbles.
--9 Bananas

 "Well, well," drawled McCoy. "Looks like Koloth has the last laugh here, Jim."

"Maybe. "Kirk stood there a moment, silent, then another moment. "And maybe not. Koloth doesn't strike me as the merry prankster. No, he's up to something. I just don't see the Klingons keeping the little creeps for three years just for a game of 'gotcha!'."

"The tribbles do represent a threat to life support, Captain." As usual, it took little time for Spock to formulate a sequence of implications. "They reproduce rapidly, as you recall. Given their exponential growth, they would begin to exceed our ability to remanufacture atmosphere in 2.47 days if left unchecked. If even one is left unaccounted for with a food source, the critical tribble population would exist in 8.1 days. And that does not consider the amount of food they would..."

"I get the point, Spock," said an agitated Kirk. "Scotty, round up all the hands you can find and load 'em into the brig. Then scan the entire ship three times to make sure the Klingons haven't hidden a batch somewhere else."

  "Now. We've got a problem. My guess is that the Klingons know something we don't. Makes me nervous.
--Rich Hanson

You are also welcome to read JJCrockroft's alternate addition.

"Captain, four Klingons beamed to the surface of the asteroid," Spock replied.

"Koloth is hailing us," Uhura blurted out.

"Onscreen," Kirk grinted between his teeth.

"Having fun with the tribbles, haha," Koloth humored himself.

"I don't see this as funny Koloth," Kirk replied instantly.

"Well, where I stand it is," the Klingon captain answered. The viewscreen suddenly went blank.

"Illogical," Spock stated.

"I don't recall Klingons ever being logical," Kirk added.

"I'm detecting an unauthorized use of Transportor 3 and Security shows Dr. Egnarts Missing," Scotty replied.

"The fool, he's going to run into Klingons and then get mashed into the planet," McCoy said harshly.

"Mr. Scott can you get a fix on Dr. Egnarts?" Kirk replied.

"No sir, too much interference caused by the unstable gravitional stresses," Scotty replied near rambling.

"Umm, if we compensate the gravitional stress by using the tractor beam and lowering the inertial mass using the ship's warp field, long enough to transport..." Spock replied.

"I wouldn't gaurantee she'll hold up," Scotty replied.

"Spock, we'll have to find another way," Kirk ordered, for he knew that scotty was telling the truth; the ship wouldn't be able to withstand that much stress of the asteriod.

"I volunteer to take a shuttlecraft to the asteriod, Captain," Spock replied.

"Spock, you yourself said that four klingons beamed to the surface. I wouldn't let you go without at least a couple security officers," Kirk said with a logical sort of way.

"Is it just me or has everyone gone crazy?" McCoy replied walking to turbolift.

"How long is there until the asteriod hits the planet?" Kirk asked.

"One hour, two minutes, and 54 seconds" Spock answered.

Kirk tapped the console near the armrest of his chair, giving Spock shuttle clearance. The viewscreen switched to view, watching Spock's shuttle depart at high speed towards the asteriod.

The shuttle shuttered a bit for a few brief seconds due to some unforseen stress as it entered the asteriod's thin atmosphere. Spock pulled out his communicator "Spock to Kirk."

"Kirk here," he replied over Spock's comm.

"We are heading towards the East Wing of Dr. Egnarts' complex, patching in the possible landing site's coordinates."

The shuttle touched down upon the asteroid's surface without error. The hatch opened. Spock and the security team rushed into the complex. Time was moving fast toward either of two possible scenarios 1. Impacting with the planet or 2. Egnarts experiment working. Neither one was a risk they would dare take.

Kirk noticed a ball of fur next to his arm rest console. "Scotty, when Spock returns we need to do something about the tribbles," Kirk said while staring at an orangish-yellow tribble.

"McCoy to Kirk."

Kirk flipped out his communicator. "Kirk here" he answered.

"What are we going to do about these tribbles? They are getting into the lab equipment."

McCoy's voice sounded synthesized on Kirk's communicator. "Just be patient Bones."

Spock noticed a fairly large Klingon guarding the entrance of that wing.

The Klingon was distracted for a brief moment, and then was subdued when Spock performed the infamous Vulcan Nerve Pinch. They walked in the entrance catiously but quickly.
--Falbe

Once they entered they found a note.

"Spock to Enterprise." He said.

"Enterprise. Kirk here."

"We have found a note, Captain."

"What does it say?"

"It says that Dr. Egnarts is on the asteriod. He has locked himself in."

"Where?"

"It doesn't say. Dr. Egnarts must not want to be found."

"Mr. Spock we have 5 minutes until the asteriod collides with the planet" Chekov said.

"Then beam us up."

"We can't. The transporter is out." Spock ran to the shuttlecraft, with the guards behind him, but they could not get in!
--Mr Guy J Crockroft

They headed towards the central portion of the complex were they had orignally found Egnarts. Without warning the asteriod shook violently, almost the equivent of the terran magnitude 6 of the Richter Scale.

Spock without warning flipped out his communicator. "Spock to Enterprise." Nothing but static.

Temors shook the asteriod once more. "We don't have much time," Spock replied. Down the Hallway to the central area they saw two Klingons surrounding Dr. Egnarts, interogating him. "Where is it?" asked a Klingon resembling Koloth first officer.

"Where is what?" Egnarts said evasively.

The second Klingon pinned Engarts agianst the bulkhead. All but one Klingon was accounted for.

In the adjacent room the console started to beep irratically, flashing red and blue, with the text initiating Phase One.
--Falbe

"What is that?" growled the largest Klingon.

Egnarts, remarkably calm for the circumstances, stated, "The device implanted in this asteroid has been activated. When we collide with Anaran 4, this asteroid and everything on it will be destroyed, only to be reformed moments later as we are pulled back together."

Spock interjected, "Your willingness to trust your life to this untested device is not logical."

The planet rapidly grew in the window. Security Guard Hawker yelled at the Klingons, "We need you to beam us to your ship now, or we will all be killed!"

Another Klingon responded, "We are not leaving. Koloth trusts that Egnarts' experiment will work, and we trust Koloth."

The station was rocked by the sound of a thunderous rushing wind as the asteroid entered Anaran 4's atmosphere. Emotionless as ever, Spock said, "We have little choice but to trust him as well." --Argus Skyhawk

What happens next? You decide. Write a sentence, write a paragraph then send it to me and I will add it to the story.

The picture above was obtained with permission from The USS Enterprise BBS Internet Site.