Flashback: Planet of the Pod People

Posted on Mon Feb 27th, 2023 @ 3:03pm by Captain Tristan Faust
Edited on on Mon Oct 30th, 2023 @ 1:13pm

3,707 words; about a 19 minute read

Mission: Mission 2: Rendezvous At Starbase 10
Location: The Past
Timeline: M3 MD02 (2268.6.12) 1300

Captain Chiotis and his crew still wore the old style uniforms without the black collars and the bright reds and golds of the new style outfits. The few women crewmembers he allowed on his out-dated old battleship, for it was very much a battleship, 'Old Ben', wore the unattractive trousers that predated the, in his words, 'abysmal' minidresses of the more recent uniform issue.

Chiotis didn't want all those unpleasant female legs on show all over the place, distracting his crewmen.

So it was that as he accompanied his guests to the shuttle bay, they added an unexpected touch of glamour to the extruded metal and riveted platework of the USS Franklin's interior corridors, even in their 'workaday' landing party gear.

The Captain, more properly 'Fleet Captain' a sort of courtesy title for those those still in command of starships who were old enough to know better, chatted amiably to the odd pair as they entered the shuttle bay. There, one of his best officers was waiting next to the old, but serviceable, Class E shuttle along with three security men in their distinctive grey-blue landing party jackets and canvas phaser holsters.

"Ahh! Ladies, this is Lieutenant Commander Stryker who will be piloting you to the surface. I am afraid that atmospheric conditions make use of the transporters impossible. Commander, these are the two scientists that you will be accompanying: Doctor T'Mora and her Assistant Miss Vasha" He indicated the stern looking Vulcan woman and the enormously tall and outlandish looking Kelpien girl.

"Doctor, Ma'am." Stryker spoke quickly and to the point.

Vasha looked very much excited to be there; she was appropriately dressed for the mission and clutched a PADD to her chest. She carried a notebook in her pocket too. She waved to the high-ranking officer and smiled excitedly.

Captain Chiotis watched the alien creature's frantic waving with a raised eyebrow and a quiet mutter of "Yes... quite." For her part, the stoic Vulcan seemed interested in the interplay between Vasha and the handsome looking Commander Stryker, how an experienced space farer handled meeting an exotic and perhaps over friendly alien.

"I'm afraid the shuttle is not the newest or most comfortable, however it will certainly get us to the surface quickly enough." Stryker said to the Vulcan woman. Stoic was a good word to describe her, and actually most Vulcans, but the Kelpien female was quite another story.

The one called Vasha? This was his first encounter with a Kelpien, why, he had no idea. You went to different worlds and did various things while there, her world was one of them that Stryker missed for whatever reason.

"Excuse me, Vasha is it?" He asked, "You are I believe the tallest woman I have ever seen." He said looking up at her features. "I am glad to meet you, glad to have the opportunity to chat with one of a race I have not had the chance to meet before." There was a hint of excitement in his voice, but just the merest hint. 'God she's tall.' He said to himself mentally.

Vasha, contrary to belief, did not take the seat next to the pilot. The tall, gangly Kelpien plunked herself down near the front and smiled as the shuttle lifted off and took off out the hangar bay. When they'd cleared the bay doors she turned to the pilot. The handsome one who'd addressed the captain as Skipper. She had no idea what skipping had to do with captaincy - must be some weird Terran colloquialism she hadn't heard of yet, she reckoned - but it certainly sounded funny. In a good way, of course!

"Well, um. I know I'm kind of... unusual. Sir." She said. "My people aren't very common in the wider Federation as of yet. It's a pleasure to meet you as well."

"Well, I must wish you bon voyage Doctor, Miss," Chiotis nodded "Things to do, reports to write, you know how it is. Carry on Stryker and..." he spoke a little lower, so the men didn't hear him "... do try to bring some of the security team back alive this time."

"Aye aye Skipper." He responded, knowing that Captain Chiotis did not particularly embrace that ancient terminology. "I'll do my best." He turned, "Ladies, I believe that was my queue to get this crate off the deck and down below."

They entered the shuttle, and there was just room for all six of them. T'More chose the safest and most comfortable seat at the back. She imagined that Vasha would probably pick the seat near the front in her usual excitable state, up next to the 'driver'. Had the creature known the 20th Century shout 'Shotgun' she would no doubt have yelled it.

As she placed her self in her seat, the Vulcanian woman crossed her legs and the security man sitting opposite her stared at them and then piped up in a pathetic attempt to engage her in conversation: "How are you feeling Ma'am? It's my first mission!!" with a big wide grin. Intriguing how these human males, when faced with a new and potentially lethal situation were instantly and easily distracted by their primitive and constant mating urges.

"Okay people, buckle up it's go time," Striker called back, then; =^=Flight control. this is Shuttle One, preparing to lift off. Kindly open the doors for us, we'll be back in time for dinner, over.=^=

Sometimes Flight Control was a bit slower than he would like, but that was the way of it on Old Ben. Things just seemed to take longer than they should. Of course, being the Navigator and the shuttle pilot did not make things any easier.

=^=Shuttle One, bay doors opening in three-two-one, have a good flight, Sir.=^=

=^=Roger that control.=^= Stryker responded lifted the craft and slipped out into space, then slid to the left, under the Franklin, and toward the planet beginning her descent. It would not take all that long to reach the surface and be on solid ground. At least that was what reports had to say.

"We're about two minutes out, so best we prepare for the landing and our deployment." He advised. The landing should be soft, what happened after that, he had no idea, except to be ready for anything.

"Excuse me, if I may ask-" Vasha piped up from her seat. "What else do we know about the people we're about to meet?" She certainly seemed eager to get things going and learn something new, which was good all things considered. She'd taken out her notebook and pen at some point and now had them poised to make notes in her slender, long-fingered hands.

Doctor T'Mora's big Vulcan ears picked up this question.

"Federation long range scans have detected signs of a pre-warp civilisation, equivalent to the Commander's Earth period of the Agrarian revolution circa 1700. We should expect to see a still tradition-bound society starting to be transformed by the use of scientific methods of livestock management and cultivation. A previous crash by a trading ship means that the civilisation is aware of the existence of 'men from the stars' but we must still be careful not to allow our superior knowledge and technology influence their development in any way." the Vulcan lectured them.

Stryker's landing was perfect, the sight that greeted them when the shuttle doors opened was maybe less so: they were in a clearing but from a jungle-like treeline terrified, uncomprehending faces peered at them: the faces of humans! They were naked and dirty but for rags, but though unkempt, looked well fed; some of them could even be described as fat!

He led the group, two passengers and three Security Officers, off of the shuttle and stopped in his tracks. "Well..." (deep breath and exhale) "What have we got here?" Was his question as he gazed at the sight before him. "Doctor? These," he waved a hand in the direction of the beings, "Are the people that you came to study? Am I correct in that assumption?"

There was just something not right about what he was looking at. Of course, his knowledge of humans of the 1700's was quite limited, to say the very least. But, really? Naked, dirty, pudgy people, not that all of them were, but if they were aware of space travel, why the wide-eyed stares?

"Hardly, commander." sniffed T'More, holding up her tricorder and taking a reading from the animals "These are an indigenous group o natives who are cared for by a master race on this planet. We shall hopefully make contact with them soon."

The security men looked as appalled as Stryker at the sight of these creatures, ostensibly humans just like themselves, but bovine, slobbering, overweight and stupid to the point of being almost vegetables. One fat woman had her finger jammed up her nose as she looked on slack jawed. Another, a man, tried to speak, but a series of apelike gibberish came out.

The Vulcan woman looked up at the tall Kelpien and drew her attention to Stryker and the security pink-shirts.

"Vasha... feel these men, what are their emotions on seeing this parody of their race?" This was one of the main reasons that the tall alien was so important to the cold scientist: she was an empath.

"Mostly shock, a teensy bit of amusement, a dash of horror." Vasha replied. She'd never had any formal training in the use of her empathy, but what she had was quite enough. Or so she liked to think. "Or if you mean the, um... horizontally challenged... men over there, it's a funny mix of surprise and curiosity. Though I sense something a bit deeper than that, kind of struggling to come to the surface in... bubbles. Like bubbles through a membrane. " There was something hidden - or worse, subsumed - beneath their stupid-looking pudgy exterior, she could just sense it. She just couldn't work out what it was, or how to get a grip on it.

T'More had listened carefully to her assistant's description of the pink-shirts and Stryker's feelings but when Vasha started to describe those of the natives, she was dismissive. "No, they are mere primitives."

Despite this admonishment, the innocent and friendly girl, moved toward one of the humans, a plump young man who had moved forward, opening his mouth and making inarticulate gargling sounds, as if trying to warn them of something.

Well, someone had to say hi eventually, take the first step towards opening whatever counted for a line of communication. Vasha in her post-vahar'ai boldness did so; she took a step forward and waved at the pudgy, naked strangers. "Hello! We come to be friends with you! To learn!" She said, hoping that her Standard would be simple enough for them to understand. Saying hi was always a good way to start a relationship.

The man tried to reply but suddenly stopped, wide eyed in front of the visitors and then gave a stunted scream as his body was suddenly ripped apart in front of them by a series of green, plantlike tentacle that thrust through his skin from the inside, splattering blood and guts onto the forest floor and ending seconds later with a large, treelike being standing in front of them, rank and steaming with the remaining viscera of the human.

Stryker was stunned, and it took a bit to set him back on his heels. What he had just seen was nothing short of horrifying.

One of the security men reached for his phaser but T'Mora snapped a commanding "No!" at him.

The creature, tentacles wriggling and writhing, opened it's gaping maw.

"Welcome to our humble planet, Visitors from the Stars! I am The Eminence Green. I apologise for my delay in meeting you, I was just enjoying a little snack"

The Vulcan woman strode forward without batting an eyelid, and gave a little bow. I am T'Mora, this is Commander Stryker and my Assistant Vasha." she said calmly, indicating the man in command-gold and the tall Kelpien.

Stryker glared at the vegetable with a taste for humanoid flesh without a word. He would have words with the Vulcan woman about who was in command of the away team, and who was not! He would be very direct about the purpose of her mission here as it appeared that the team was in danger, at risk of being eaten!

"Fear ye not, strange talking animals, come with me, you are all under my protection!" the writhing verdant monstrosity assured them as he led the way through the quickly scattering, but still curious, privative humans.

Through the jungle upon a short path, the leaves and branches of the surrounding trees and bushes seeming to lean in toward them as they brushes through them, almost sniffing at their tasty forms. Then out of the other side to clearing in the valley below where stood a magnificent city built, it seemed, entirely of intertwined tentacles of creeper plants. Between the green woven 'houses' moved a few creatures, similar looking to their avuncular host.

To the south of the city there was a large pen or corral, it contained more of the humans: unlike the 'wild game' variety, these were naked, shaved of any hair and quite clean looking: like they had been washed.

Stryker followed the 'thing,' Doctor T'Mora and the Kelpien female, with the three security men. He liked none of this, not from the start when the ramp went down, and they stepped onto this rock.

His caution about what was going on, and where they were, had him using hand signs that had been developed with the security teams for just such situations, his signal, 'set phasers to heavy stun.' With their phasers holstered and pre-set to FX, their movements seem natural, like hands on their hips. Their movements were quick.

"Cattle pens. that's what they look like. So I'm to believe that we're here to watch these things eat humanoids? And what you are after is studying our reaction to this?" Stryker finished with a pair of questions that were actually quite obvious, but certainly not his intentions.

Protecting the Kelpien, defending the team, protecting the shuttle as there was what could be termed a new supply of food just out of reach, but if they could fly the shuttle by some miracle of evolution, but then, wasn't that a bit of a stretch?

The Vulcan woman turned to Stryker.

"If you believe the safety of the... 'Landing Party' is threatened, you are in command, Commander. You can withdraw us as you think fit. But is not our mission, the mission of your ship, to search out new life and new civilisations? As for your reactions..." her eyes flicked from him to the other humans "... they do, of course, intrigue me, but that is secondary to our purpose here, which is merely to add to the library banks of Memory Alpha."

"Convenient Doctor, yes I am well aware of our prime directive and have been for a number of years now. We are assigned to protect you and Vasha here, and though you seem to have their guarantee of our safety, I have my doubts, but we'll deal with that if and when the time comes." Stryker replied. "As you say, I am in command of this team, and I assure you, I will follow my orders to the letter! Withdrawal, is not one of them, Doctor."

Was that a flare of anger in the Vulcan woman's eye? Or some other response to the manly assurances of the tough and handsome Commander. Surely neither, she was a Vulcan, a logical, emotionless thinking machine: such feelings were alien to her.

They followed the Plant Man down to the city, he, or 'it', showed off the place with gestures of his tentacle like tendrils.

"We are especially proud of our abattoir, where we are able to process a hundred of the meat creatures a day. Mainly for storage of course, we much prefer to eat them while they are all nice and warm and wiggling, much as you enjoy fresh fruit and salad on your home planets." It seemed remarkably well informed, perhaps form information gleaned from the previously crashed space ship.

They arrived at an enormous hall of sorts, where dozens of the vegetable beings were gathered and a row of six tables had been arranged in rows.

It was a meat processing plant, only the meat was humanoid and there were three prime examples walking around with the thing, perhaps five depending on their taste for flesh.

Sans the corral full of humanoids of seemingly both sexes and ages, though he thought, none over twenty, Stryker was impressed with the size of the 'city' and stepping inside the hall-like structure he was greeted by a large contingent of veg-heads, as he thought of them. Far too many to defeat if it came to that.

He hoped they were not about to offer them lunch.

They all hoped.

It was almost inevitable really: with an almighty roar of "FOOOOOOOD!!!" a hundred tentacles whipped out from the plant creatures and wrapped around them. With a horrifying scream, more the disconcerting from a gruff looking bodybuilder type, Security Man Howard was carried up and stuffed writhing into the gaping maw of one of the veg-heads.

"Aaaahey!" Stryker yelled trying to get free of the tentacles or whatever they were. He seemed to be making some headway. Had they taken the Vulcan and the Kelpien? That was the question, and one he needed an answer for, yet he himself was fighting to get free of the being, or beings depending.

A hand suddenly came free and he could reach his phaser, he was not going down without a fight!

Although T'Mora and Vasha were unarmed, they were both skilled in the Vulcan martial art called Suus Mahna: the gangly alien was the coldly unemotional doctor's sparring partner amongst other things. They were able to fight off the jabbing, slithering, insinuating tentacles for a while: but eventually T'Mora was taken unawares from behind and dragged kicking and grunting to one of the tables, there the thick, living tendrils spreadeagled her on her back and held her fast.

One of the creatures - was it the one who had greeted them? It was hard to tell, they all looked the same! - roared his approval.

"Ha Haaaa! your Federation may burn this planet for my betrayal, but I do not care: I long for the taste of Intelligent FLESH!!!"

"That is not logical! These are NOT truly intelligent beings! They are humans and a Kelpian, only I am...GLUCK!!!" T'Mora's words were cut off as one of the tentacles forced its was into her mouth, shutting her up. To give her the benefit of the doubt, maybe she was just trying to stop the plants attacking the other members of the party. Maybe.

Whoopdee do, as some of her human classmates said. This entire encounter was a trap! No wonder all those humans were all fat and dumb; they were no more than a food source for these plant beings! Now that they'd begun to get a bit boring the promise of new, tastier food was simply too good to ignore! Vasha thrashed in the grip of the vine that held her, but it was like struggling against thick, girthy rope that was most certainly not made of hemp. "Stupid. Tree. Thing. Let. Me. Go!" The Kelpien snarled, pointed her head spikes directly at the creature's head and let three of the long, slender projectiles fly into what she assumed was its face. Strangely enough, despite seeming to have no eyes whatsoever the creature made a wet, rustling roar of pain and loosened its grip on her and T'Mora, allowing her to rip free with much more ease than before.

The Vulcan woman rolled off the table and struggled to her feet, of the three she had had received the most 'attentions' of the plant-men, tentacle like fronds had penetrated her throat and nettle-like leaves had brushed her exposed skin, her legs and face were marked with ugly red welts and it had taken all her Vulcan not to scream at the stinging pain.

"We need to go." She tried not to recoil and hiss as one of the other crewmen that'd accompanied them was also pulled into the gaping maw of yet another of the plant creatures and... well, eaten.

T'Mora nodded, she could not speak after the invasion of her vocal chords by the frond.

Stryker fired his phaser into whatever those tentacles were and the creature screamed! He upped the control to kill and began firing as did the other two men with him, although they had hung back and it was a good thing as they were able to add covering fire.

"Doc! You and your aide, RUN!" As he kept firing as he backed away. Soon he stood between the other two security men as their phasers did maximum damage to whatever those things were. A trap, how could he have been so stupid?

The Vulcan scientist, despite her injuries, tried to stop and take more readings with her tricorder but her less 'logical' but perhaps more common-sensical Kelpien companion pulled her along.

Suddenly, several of the "celery" stalks burst into flames screaming and howling something terrible but well deserved. One was the leader that had so cleverly laid this trap.

T'Mora stumbled back along the path out of the green city, she did not know how she made it back to the shuttle: only that without Vasha's help and Commander Stryker's martial skills, they would have been so many entrées.

Stryker had lost one of his own to the tap set by the Vegheads, his plan, get off the world, so it was strap in, and hold on, The engines came on line and just as they were ready Stryker rammed the throttle, and the stick home, the shuttle going vertical immediately and shuddering all the way!

He hoped he fried some of them on their way into space.

 

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