A Digital Tribute from GoFigment
Celeste Yarnall - The Apple
"The USS Enterprise reaches Gamma Trianguli VI, a planet that looks like a lush, tropical oasis with a wealth of natural resources. Captain Kirk and a team of crew members - including Chief Medical Officer Dr. McCoy, Ensign Chekov, First Officer Spock, Yeoman Martha Landon (Celeste Yarnall), and four security personnel - disembark to investigate. However, they quickly discover the environment is incredibly hostile; three security teams are lost due to a plant with poisonous thorns, a strange lightning storm, and a rock that explodes.
With their ship unable to transport them back, Kirk orders the team to go to a nearby primitive village to avoid the planet's risks. On their way, they capture a native who had been following them, Akuta (Keith Andes). His head contains small antennae which allow him to communicate with "Vaal." Engineer Scott reports that a tractor beam pulls the Enterprise towards the planet, making Kirk suspect a link between Vaal and the force. Akuta takes them to a rock formation with a dragon-like head figure on it, which Spock ascertains is secured by a force field and appears to lead to an underground complex. Akuta states that Vaal might want to converse with them in the future, but in the meantime, they must go down and make contact.
The Enterprise crew members observe that the planet's inhabitants are youthful and strong, just like Akuta, but unrefined. These villagers inform the team that Vaal has forbidden them from having children, or "replacements," as they are unnecessary. After some time, the people of the planet were seen to be providing Vaal with a combustible mineral, which appears to be its energy source. Spock and McCoy debate the merits of this method, but Kirk reminds them that they must find a way to free the Enterprise from the planet's grip.
During the evening, Chekov and Landon went to a remote area to share a kiss and were watched by a young native duo who then mimicked their conduct. Vaal noticed quickly and gave Akuta commands to have the outsiders murdered in the morning. During the assault, the last safety personnel was slain, yet the remainder of the team controlled the locals and confined them into a hut. Landon was particularly remarkable during the battle, displaying exceptional hand-to-hand combat techniques to disable two of the natives.
Scott announced that their effort to use all their energy to extricate the vessel was unsuccessful. Kirk commanded his personnel to stop the locals from supplying food to Vaal and commanded Scott to fire the phasers of the boat at the rocky construct, wishing to deplete Vaal's excess energy. Vaal was overwhelmed, and the Enterprise was freed from the tractor beam. Kirk told Akuta, who was heartbroken that his people would now be able to have a normal life. On the ship, Spock suggested that their actions were the equivalent of the produce of the Tree of Knowledge - driving the villagers from their Garden of Paradise."
Comments