STAR TREK: SNAKE BITES

Star date: 94254.8

The Starship Enterprise escaped from a collision with two Klingon space vessels and ended upon a foreign planet known to man. As the many crew members salvage for parts that landed on the planet Captain James T. Kirk and his associates Mr. Spock and Dr. McCoy inspect the area for any signs of life forms. The formations of the surface appear to be more primitive than Earth with canyons, valleys, mountains and volcanoes. They came across a deep canyon which had giant egg shaped buildings made of volcanic rock, and went inside the nearest one. Kirk was amazed at what was going on inside...it seemed as if the egg was an Arabian palace throne room with gigantic purple streamers which danced in mid air while a bustle of people rushed through this way and that. Merchants sitting on silk cushions tried to bargain with them in a unfamiliar tongue and showed them signs with the prices of their products. Spock tried to decipher the language, but even a Vulcan couldn't process the logic in the symbols.

"It's an entirely greater intelligence. Each symbols immensely unique and complex it only represents one thing." Spock stated as one vender thrust a clay pot with a silvery liquid inside it in front of him. Dr. McCoy glanced at a woman with a fine woven cloth layered in front of her who placed a long fingernail at a sign.

"So you mean this symbol might be the word for clearance?" the doctor asked pointing it out. Spock shrugged as they passed more peddlers and merchants until they stopped at the very end of the room. A sculpture of a snake stood on the back wall of the establishment made of the same volcanic rocks from the cave. The snake had two tails that coiled into an area which three men one in orange silk clothing with thick brown beard and two that looked far younger were sitting cross legged on cushions smoking out of twisted pipes that they placed in a golden bowl in the center of the floor.

The man in the middle placed his pipe down and blew green smoke into the air. He glanced towards the three and summoned Kirk forward. Kirk cautiously stepped forward, unknown to what the man would do to him. When he stepped inside the boundaries that the snake the captain found that the other two men had disappeared. The man in orange clothing beaconed him to sit down on a cushion next to him. When Kirk sat he looked upon the market and felt a sudden rush of suspicion and excitement as the man took one of the twisted pipes smothered it inside the bowl and gave it to Kirk. The orange clothed man started to speak in his language as James had inhaled the mixture from the twisted pipe..as he blew out the green smoke Kirk heard the words the man said.

"Welcome to the Istar Inn, Captain Kirk."

Kirk was startled at how powerful the drug was inside the pipe was, he felt somewhat lightheaded as he left the area and into the crowds which seemed to be running in faster and larger. He saw many new merchants some with glass jars of filled with long reeds and small metallic spheres. He passed through an archway and found his two shipmates looking around confusedly.

"Where have you been Jim? We've been looking all over for you." Dr McCoy implored as another stream of people rushed through.

"What do you mean...you were just with me five minutes ago." the captain replied. McCoy looked surprised. "Don't you remember the man with the orange robes and the giant snake?"

"Giant snake..there aren't any giant snakes here." McCoy answered. "Are you feeling alright?"

"I'm..." Kirk hesitated as a deep pounding sound filled his ears and his head throbbed with pain. He felt a little dizzy as the pain started to go away, but something was disturbing. McCoy looked at him. "What?"

"Hey! Stop her! Stop that girl! Guardians! Guardians!" He heard a merchant yell hurrying past them shaking his fist as he vanished into the crowd. Suddenly someone was tugging at Spock's sleeve. A little girl no more than ten years old tried to talk to him, but he couldn't follow what she said..it was the same foreign tongue the other merchants and dwellers used. The girl spoke again, but she still was too complex for him. McCoy smiled and patted Spock on the shoulder.

"You did your best Spock, but we're not going to get an answer out of her. If the language is too difficult to understand we can't help it." he said doubtfully. The Vulcan raised an eyebrow.

"I do not consider that it is not translatable, doctor. This child is merely saying..." Spock said defensibly.

"...that she was the one who stole from the vender." Kirk added in. The girl smiled and nodded her head.

"Why didn't you tell us that before?" McCoy commented. "You know what they're saying."

"I guess I do." he admitted, and turned towards McCoy. "Don't you?"

"Then talk to her Jim! Why did she steal?" the doctor pressed excitedly. Jim knelt down beside her seeing her soft yellow eyes like those of a kitten's. When he opened his mouth to speak her eyes grew larger.

"What is your name?" he questioned the girl. The girl stepped back from him trying to hide the object under her rumpled up tattered garment. "No, don't leave. I'm a friend..you know 'friend' right?"

"Captain." Spock interrupted, Kirk glanced at his friend.

"What is it, Spock?" Kirk demanded. Spock motioned towards the men behind them. The men were faceless individuals who carried long scythes and bags that were made of snake skin with beheaded skulls inside them. One of the men Kirk recognized was the vendor that ran by.

"There's the basket Guardian, destroy these Vagrants! Kill them!" the vendor ordered. One of the faceless figures lowered his scythe towards Kirk's neck. Kirk looked down at his lap and saw the stolen basket that the girl left. One guardian pushed McCoy to the floor and another did the same to Spock. Then all at once the Guardians lowered their scythes towards their necks. Kirk opened his mouth to translate but was silenced by Bones.

"No need to explain..we get the picture already." he muttered looking back at Kirk who seemed to cower as the scythe slowly brushed against his neck mocking the captain as if the guardian was playing a game. A game that either way..they would lose.

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