The Monsters of Star Trek Read online

  A CLOUD MONSTER.

  A GIANT SPACE AMOEBA,

  A DEATH-DUELING LIZARD—

  STRANGE CREATURES FROM STAR TREK!

  In the 23rd century the Enterprise speeds through space to explore the known—and unknown—worlds of our galaxy. In outer space the crew encounters strange, alien creatures!

  Among them:

  The Mugato,

  a strong, giant white ape with a poisonous bite

  The salt vampire,

  who kills humans and sucks salt from their bodies

  Yarnek,

  the rock creature, whose face glows when he speaks

  You’ll find non-humanoids stranger than you can imagine in the amazing adventures of the Star Trek television series!

  Expect the Unexpected….

  During practically every Star Trek episode the Enterprise and its crew faced some new and strange alien life form. Many of these aliens are what we would popularly call monsters. But for Star Trek the word “monster” needs a little explanation. Gene Roddenberry, the creator of Star Trek, wanted to express the idea that, “to be different is not necessarily to be ugly.” And being different does not necessarily make a creature evil either.

  Some of the alien creatures are terrifying in appearance and evil in nature. Others may appear hideous, but their basic nature is good. Still others seem to act in an evil way until one understands why they act as they do. So, when a strange or horrible looking creature appears in a Star Trek episode you can’t assume it is a villain. One of the great joys of Star Trek is that it doesn’t follow the old monster movie pattern. It often surprises you.

  But read on and see for yourself….

  Books by Daniel Cohen

  GHOSTLY TERRORS

  THE GREATEST MONSTERS IN THE WORLD

  HOLLYWOOD DINOSAUR

  HORROR IN THE MOVIES

  THE MONSTERS OF STAR TREK

  MONSTERS YOU NEVER HEARD OF

  REAL GHOSTS

  THE RESTLESS DEAD

  SCIENCE FICTION’S GREATEST MONSTERS

  STRANGE AND AMAZING FACTS ABOUT STAR TREK

  SUPERMONSTERS

  THE WORLD’S MOST FAMOUS GHOSTS

  Books by Daniel and Susan Cohen

  GOING FOR THE GOLD

  HEROES OF THE CHALLENGER

  THE KID’S GUIDE TO HOME COMPUTERS

  ROCK VIDEO SUPERSTARS

  ROCK VIDEO SUPERSTARS II

  WRESTLING SUPERSTARS

  WRESTLING SUPERSTARS II

  YOUNG AND FAMOUS: HOLLYWOOD’S NEWEST

  SUPERSTARS

  YOUNG AND FAMOUS: SPORTS’ NEWEST SUPERSTARS

  Available from ARCHWAY Paperbacks

  Most Archway Paperbacks are available at special quantity discounts for bulk purchases for sales promotions, premiums or fund raising. Special books or book excerpts can also be created to fit specific needs.

  For details write the office of the Vice President of Special Markets, Pocket Books, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10020.

  An Original Publication of POCKET BOOKS

  An Archway Paperback published by

  POCKET BOOKS, a division of Simon & Schuster Inc.

  1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020

  Copyright © 1980 Paramount Pictures Corporation.

  All Rights Reserved.

  STAR TREK is a Registered Trademark of

  Paramount Pictures Corporation.

  This book is published by Pocket Books, a division of Simon & Schuster Inc., under exclusive license from Paramount Pictures Corporation.

  All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever. For information address Pocket Books, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020

  ISBN: 0-671-68549-X

  First Pocket Books printing January 1980

  l4 l3 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5

  AN ARCHWAY PAPERBACK and colophon are registered trademarks of Simon & Schuster Inc.

  Printed in the U.S.A.

  IL 4+

  Chapter 1

  The “Star Trek” Universe

  The starship Enterprise

  There has never been anything quite like “Star Trek.” “Star Trek” started back in 1966 as a science fiction television series. It turned out to be a great deal more. After the first season network executives decided that not enough people were watching “Star Trek,” and it should be canceled. Then the executives found out that not only were people watching the show, but those who did watch loved it. Over a million letters poured in to protest the cancellation of “Star Trek.” “Star Trek” not only had fans, it had fanatic fans.

  So the show was renewed for a second season. After the end of that season the network again announced the show was to be canceled. They got the same angry reaction from the fans. So “Star Trek” went on again for a third season. At the end of that season the network executives finally got their way. The show was canceled. The millions of fans were enraged. They still get angry whenever the subject of the cancellation of “Star Trek” comes up.

  In a sense, the real popularity of “Star Trek” began only after the show was canceled by the network. It went into reruns on local TV stations. The original 78 episodes have been rerun at least once in practically every area of the country. In places like New York City or Los Angeles, “Star Trek” episodes have been rerun constantly since the show went off the air. A whole new generation of “Star Trek” fans has grown up. Many of those who watch “Star Trek” regularly today were too young to see it when it first was shown. Many had not even been born when the first episode was aired. But they can be just as fanatic as older fans.

  The original “Star Trek” never was brought back. But a series of animated “Star Trek” adventures was made. Millions of copies of books of “Star Trek” adventures have been sold. There have been popular “Star Trek” comic books.

  Conventions of “Star Trek” fans attract thousands—young and old. Gene Roddenberry, the creator of “Star Trek,” and many of the show’s stars attract huge audiences when they speak at colleges. No one is sure how many “Star Trek” fan clubs exist today—probably hundreds. Fans publish their own magazines—called fanzines—about “Star Trek.” A model of “Star Trek’s” starship Enterprise is in the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. It is there along with models of the Wright brothers’ airplane, the Apollo astronauts’ craft, and Charles Lindbergh’s airplane.

  And now comes the biggest tribute of all to the long-lasting popularity of “Star Trek”—a major Star Trek motion picture has been made with all of the cast from the original television series back in their original roles.

  As I said, there has never been anything quite like “Star Trek.” What accounts for the enormous popularity of the show? Everyone has an idea, but no one really knows.

  The basic idea behind “Star Trek” was quite simple. It was to be the adventures of the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise, sometime in the future. The Enterprise is a large starship with a crew of approximately 430. It is capable of traveling several times faster than the speed of light. Therefore, it can travel throughout the known (and unknown) universe.

  The Enterprise is part of the United Federation of Planets Star Fleet. The ship’s primary mission is to explore, “to go where no man has gone before.”

  Captain of the Enterprise is James T. (for Tiberius) Kirk. The character is played by William Shatner. Kirk is a man of great courage, intelligence, and charm. Perhaps his charm is his most outstanding characteristic. Females from all over the universe seem to be attracted to him. Though from time to time Kirk appears to fall in love, in the end his only real love is the Enterprise. Many times he has shown himself will
ing to give up his own life to save his beloved starship.

  Captain James T. Kirk

  (William Shatner)

  In the TV series

  In the movie

  In the television series, all of the major characters from the Enterprise are Terrans—that is, descendants of people who once lived on the planet Earth. There is only one exception—Mr. Spock, the First Officer and Chief Science Officer of the Enterprise. Spock, as played by the actor Leonard Nimoy, is the most popular character on the show. Spock is an unusual hybrid, the son of a Vulcan man and a Terran woman. He looks like a typical Vulcan. He is tall and thin with a sharply featured face. Actually, Vulcans look a lot like Terrans, except for pointed ears. Spock has pointed ears, too.

  Spock

  (Leonard Nimoy)

  In the TV series

  In the movie

  Though he may look quite human, Spock does not always act like a human. Far back in their history, Vulcans managed to suppress all of their emotions. They act entirely on the basis of logic. On a few occasions the emotional or human side of Spock’s character breaks through. But the great majority of the time he is coldly logical, in contrast to Kirk and the others of the Enterprise, who can get very excited.

  Spock has a few other non-human characteristics and abilities. He is not only intelligent, he has an almost computer-like mind, which can store a great deal of information. He has unusual control over his body. For example, he can endure far more pain than a human being. Spock can use the Vulcan Mind Touch, which is a form of telepathy or mind-reading.

  There are a number of other physical differences between Vulcans and Terrans. The most notable is that Vulcans, Spock included, have green blood.

  The third major character in the “Star Trek” adventures is Dr. Leonard McCoy, or “Bones,” as Kirk often calls him. Dr. McCoy is the Senior Ship’s Surgeon and Head of The Life Sciences Department. He is played by the actor DeForest Kelley.

  Dr. Leonard McCoy

  (DeForest Kelley)

  In the TV series

  In the movie

  McCoy has a running feud with Spock. They can and do argue about practically anything. Their basic disagreement, however, is that McCoy dislikes Spock’s coldly unemotional approach to everything. However, in a crisis (and there are many aboard the Enterprise), Spock and McCoy are able to work well together. One would suspect that their arguing is really more of a pose. It is clear that they really like and admire one another.

  Other members of the Enterprise crew come from all parts of Terra. There is Communications Officer Lieutenant Uhura, played by Nichelle Nichols. She is from the United States of Africa, and her name means “freedom” in the African language, Swahili.

  Chief Engineer Montgomery Scott, or “Scotty” (played by James Doohan), is, as you might guess, from Scotland. Scotty’s job is to keep the Enterprise running, a job he does very well.

  Ensign Pavel Chekov (played by Walter Koenig) is the young Russian navigator. Sulu (played by George Takei) is the Oriental Chief Helmsman of the Enterprise. Christine Chapel (played by Majel Barrett) is head nurse on board the Enterprise. She has fallen hopelessly in love with Spock. Spock has no time for love and tries to avoid her when he can.

  For those few among you who have not seen any “Star Trek” adventures yet, there are some items of equipment that you should know about. Phasers are the weapons of Star Fleet. They shoot out energy beams which can either stun or kill, depending on how they are set. Phasers come in many sizes, from small hand versions to huge artillery-sized models mounted on the Enterprise itself.

  Spock, Kirk, and Scott with small phasers

  The transporter is the main means of moving between the Enterprise and the surface of a planet, or other spacecraft. The transporter converts a person or object to pure energy, beams the energy to a distant point, and then reassembles the original. The operation is almost instantaneous.

  McCoy, Kirk, and Spock in the transporter room

  When communicating from a distant place back to the Enterprise, the crew uses a small hand communicator. The communicators are strictly for voice communications. The Enterprise also has a large viewscreen on the bridge. Sometimes the viewscreen will be used to project a picture of the person or alien communicating with the ship. Most often it is used to see what is going on around the ship.

  Kirk with phaser; Spock with communicator

  Practically every week during “Star Trek’s” three exciting seasons on network television, the Enterprise and its crew faced some new and strange alien life form. Many of these aliens are what we would popularly call monsters. They are what this book is about.

  But for “Star Trek” the word “monster” needs a little explanation. Gene Roddenberry, the creator of “Star Trek,” didn’t even like to use the word “monster.” One of the things he wanted “Star Trek” to reflect was the idea that “to be different is not necessarily to be ugly.” And being different does not necessarily make a creature evil, either.

  Some of the alien creatures are monsters in the strictest sense of the word—they are terrifying in appearance and evil in nature. Others may appear hideous, but their basic nature is good. Still others seem to act in an evil way until one understands why they act as they do.

  When a strange or horrible-looking creature appears in a “Star Trek” episode, you can’t immediately assume it is the villain of the piece. One of the great joys of “Star Trek” is that it doesn’t follow the old monster-movie pattern. It often surprises you.

  But read on and see for yourself.

  Chapter 2

  The Shape Shifters

  The first episode of “Star Trek” to be aired was called “The Man Trap.” That was in September of 1966. And the show was all about a monster. But at first it is not obvious that there is a monster. This particular creature has the ability to change its shape, or at least to create the illusion that it has changed its shape.

  It all seems to start innocently enough. The Enterprise arrives at Planet M113 on a routine visit. The remote planet was supposed to be the home of a small colony. When a landing party from the Enterprise beams down to the planet’s surface, they find that the colony has mysteriously disappeared. The only survivors are an archaeologist named Robert Crater and his wife Nancy. Nancy, as it happens, is an old girl friend of Dr. McCoy.

  Something seems very wrong. But Crater insists that everything is just fine. All he needs, he says, are some salt tablets. Then he and his wife just want to be left alone to do their work. Meanwhile, one of the members of the landing party from the Enterprise has met what he thinks is an attractive girl. He wanders off with her. When the rest of the party go to search for him, they find him dead. A round wound like a bite is found on his neck.

  Now Kirk knows something is wrong. He orders everybody, including the Craters, back to the Enterprise. That turns out to be a big mistake. For what looks like Nancy Crater is really the M113 Creature, the last survivor of a race that once inhabited the planet. These creatures needed sodium chloride—common salt—to survive. But the planet’s salt supply had run out long ago. That is why the race died out. This final survivor stayed alive by stealing salt from humans who had landed on the planet. When the human salt supply ran out, the M113 Creature began killing them and draining the salt from their bodies. It is a salt vampire.

  But there is something far more astonishing about the M113 Creature than its eating habits. It has the power to make those around think it is some other life form. The salt vampire had killed Nancy Crater, and then simply taken her place.

  Robert Crater, of course, knew what had happened. But he is determined not to give the monster away. It is the last of its race, and he wants to keep it alive. Once aboard the Enterprise, the salt vampire begins a reign of terror. First it lures members of the crew to some out-of-the-way place by appearing as another member of the crew. Then it kills them and sucks out their body salt. Robert Crater himself falls victim to the monster he has protected.
r />   Finally, Kirk and Spock figure out what has been going on. It seems that no matter what form the creature takes, it gives itself away by its habit of chewing on its own knuckles. But by the time Kirk and Spock make their discovery, the Creature has again assumed the form of Nancy Crater. All of McCoy’s old feelings toward Nancy have been revived. When he is told that what he is in love with is really an alien creature, and a deadly one at that, he refuses to believe it, at first. But finally he is convinced. He kills the monster just as it is about to kill Captain Kirk.

  In death the M113 Creature’s true form is revealed. It is roughly humanoid in size and shape. But there the resemblance ends. The Creature is covered with long, stringy hair. It has small eyes, no nose, and a large round mouth studded with small sharp teeth. The shape of the mouth matches the wounds found on its victims.

  The Salt Vampire

  You finally get a chance to see the real salt vampire. In the episode entitled “By Any Other Name,” there is another species of shape shifters. They are called the Kelvans. But you never actually see the Kelvans in their natural form. Spock gets the impression that they are huge creatures with hundreds of tentacles. Their minds are amazingly powerful. By the time the crew of the Enterprise meets them, the Kelvans have taken on human form. They are not trying to fool anybody. They just assume that human form will be more convenient for what they have in mind. What they have in mind is capturing the Enterprise.

  This particular group of Kelvans are scouts and representatives of the great Kelvan Empire in the distant Andromeda galaxy. Their ship has been destroyed and they are stranded on a small Earth-like planet. They need a starship to get back to Andromeda. They lure the Enterprise to the planet, then capture a landing party. The powers of the Kelvans are far greater than those of the humans. The Kelvans are completely ruthless, and without any feeling for other life forms. They will stop at nothing to get what they want.