Chapter 7 - A Big Green Hostile Alien

Author's Note

I have changed the layout of the chapters for this section, as previously, I was alternating between the Enterprise and our reality but I thought it would make better reading to continue with the story of Leonard meeting the Gorn captain.

Bernadette screamed as Leonard vanished. Sheldon flicked a glance at her, surprised. How had she known that Uhura screamed at that point, he wondered, not realising that Bernadette's scream had been all her own idea. He moved her out of the way as he crossed from her station to be by the captain's chair,

"You can't do this!" Doctor McCoy raged. "Where's your decency?"

"As you seem to care so much for your captain, we will allow you to see him on the big screen," was the reply.

Leonard staggered up, blinded by the bright desert sun and shaded his eyes to look around the barren landscape. He was very aware that he did not have long before the Gorn captain would appear. His mind was screaming at him to run away and run fast. But that wasn't in the script. It occurred to him that maybe he didn't have to fulfil every line of the script; maybe he could cut it short and spare himself some pain.

Just then the Gorn captain materialised and he looked just as green and huge and tough to Leonard frozen with fear. I have an important advantage, I know how things will pan out, Leonard told himself but it seemed like a small advantage just then. Kirk had recorded that he had an instinctive revulsion against reptiles and needed to remember that the Gorn was a member of an intelligent species. Leonard had no problems with reptiles, he used to have an iguanda when he was little and he knew that the Gorn was intelligent. Another advantage, he reminded himself. Still, he remained rooted to the spot until the Gorn began to advance towards him, breathing heavily. Then he began to back away.

As soon as Penny heard that weird voice echoing across Sick Bay, saying that they could watch their captain on the big screen, she sat up and looked across at Amy.

"Coming to the Bridge with me?" she asked.

"We really should should stay down in Sick Bay to maintain our cover," Amy told her.

"Yeah. Except there is no way in hell that I am staying here. You with me or not?"

Amy struggled for a few seconds before she said huskily, "I'm with you, bestie."

Together, they left Sick Bay and headed for the elevators.

"What deck is the Bridge?" Amy asked.

"First," Penny replied automatically then realised what she had said. "I've been watching way too much Star Trek."

Sheldon flicked a disapproving glance at the pair as they emerged onto the Bridge. This was perilously close to breaking their cover but for once, he controlled himself. He had more important things to worry about. Even though he was convinced that if Leonard followed the script of the 'Arena' episode, he would be fine, he knew that something might go wrong and Leonard and the crew would be in real trouble. Everyone on the Bridge's attention was fixed on the screen. Penny gasped as she saw the Gorn captain. He looked much tougher and meaner.

The weird thing Leonard noticed about the real Gorn was his eyes. In the TV show, you could tell that his eyes were not real, that they were faceted crystals but here he had genuine, reptile eyes. The Gorn captain went over to a nearby tree and broke off a long, thick branch. Leonard raced to his nearest tree and found, like Kirk, that he could only manage to break off a short, slender branch, almost twig like. The Gorn advanced on him and Leonard realised that it was useless to try to fight him with the stick and threw it away. He knew that Kirk then engaged him in hand to hand combat, which the Gorn nearly won. He didn't waste any time in that but ran away up among the rocks, the Gorn lumbering after him.

Up on the bridge, Sheldon went through the motions of asking Mr Scott about various options to fire on the planet although he already knew that the answers would be negative. Then he went over to Bernadette and asked her about the composition and origin of the alien signal. Bernadette stared at him.

"Just say no, sir," Sheldon mouthed.

"No, sir," Bernadette said.

"Leave Channel One open, just in case, Lieutenant, Sheldon instructed Bernadette.

"Aye, aye, sir," said Bernadette without a clue what to do.

Leonard knew that he was ahead of schedule. The next thing Kirk had done after escaping from the Gorn was to make a recording. But Leonard knew, as Kirk hadn't, that the Gorn captain could hear everything he was saying. Should he make the recording or not? He had already deviated from the script, which Sheldon had said that he must not do. He hesitated then decided to make the recording.

"This is Captain James Kirk of the Starship Enterprise. Whoever finds this, please get it to Starfleet Command. I am engaged in personal combat with a creature apparently called a Gorn. He's immensely strong. Fortunately, although strong he is not very agile. The agility and the cleverness are mine." Well, Kirk was wrong about the cleverness, Leonard reflected. He hoped his little speech hadn't wound the Gorn up too much. He continued his recording. "The Metrons, the creatures who sent us here, said that the surface of the planet contains raw materials to construct weapons." And how right they were. "There's very little here, scrubland…. But no weapons in the conventional sense. But still I need to find one. Bare handed, against the Gorn, I stand no chance.' Leonard was momentarily very proud of himself for being able to remember so much of Kirk's speech. He wished that Sheldon, Raj and Howard could have heard him. Then he looked around at the desert landscape and remembered that he was pitted on his own against a giant alien.

Sheldon leant down and flicked the controls to leave Channel One open. Just then the doors opened and Dr McCoy came in, closely followed by Penny and Amy.

"What are you going to do, Mr Spock?" he asked Sheldon.

"I'm going to wait,doctor," Sheldon told him.'There's little else I can do."

"What about the captain?"

"If I could help him, I would." Sheldon paused. "I cannot."

"You're the one always talking about logic, what about using some logic now? Where's the captain?"

"He's out there, doctor, out there somewhere, out there somewhere in a thousand cubic parsecs of space and there is absolutely nothing we can do to help him."

Penny gave a little moan.

Leonard was hot and becoming thirsty even in Kirk's stronger body. He was also worrying about how close he had to keep the script to win. Sheldon had kept saying that they would be safe if they kept to the script. He had already deviated a little. He stopped by a clump of bamboo, remembering how in the show Kirk had looked at this and thrown a tube away in disgust. He and the others had often shouted at the screen,"use your brains, moron, you can use it for a cannon." Next he stumbled past a cluster of diamonds. He thought that it wouldn't help to keep to the script. He picked up a diamond, flipped open his tricorder and recorded, 'diamonds, the hardest substance in the universe." Then he dropped the diamond and picked up several red crystals, he bet that they were rubies and thought how much Penny would like them. Then he dropped them and said to the tricorder, 'A fortune in precious stones but useless to me. What wouldn't I give for a hand phaser or a good, solid club."

He heard the sound of the Gorn and went to investigate. The Gorn was below him, standing by an outcrop, busy fashioning a stone knife. Oh yes, this was the part with the huge stone, thought Leonard. He looked up and saw the huge, whitish grey boulder, poised on the edge of the cliff top, clearly visible against the brown cliff. He climbed up to the top and began to push the boulder. It was hard work even for Kirk and he had to push with all his might and main. Finally, he pushed the boulder over and it tumbled down. The Gorn looked up but seemed frozen by surprise. Then it smashed the Gorn to the ground in a cloud of dust. Next thing, the boulder was on top of the Gorn who was not moving.

Leonard didn't know what to do next. He knew that climbing down to check on the Gorn was a bad move but it was a predicted one and he would know what to expect if he did it. But it seemed such a stupid thing to do when he knew that the Gorn wasn't dead. He hesitated and then began to descend down the rocky slope to where the Metron lay. As he got closer to the Gorn, he slowed down, much further back than Kirk did. The Gorn appeared trapped between the boulder and a mound. However, then the Gorn began to move and to throw off the boulder. He had been playing dead. Leonard knew he had to move.

He raced off, determinded not to fall into the same trap as Kirk. But the plant fibres that the Gorn had used to make a tripwire were hard to see against the sun, they blended into the background. Leonard tripped over the rope and the boulder tumbled against him, knocking him to the ground. It winded him and he lay on the ground, fighting for breath. His right ankle was hurting. He heard the Gorn's laboured breathing and he lumbered into view, clutching his black stone knife. He bent over Leonard who panicked and felt absolutely helpless. Then the Gorn lunged down towards him, knife pointed downwards. Leonard dodged out of the way and leapt up and ran off. But he was now at a disadvantage, he had injured his ankle just like Kirk and he was now limping. The Gorn was slow but he was relentless, he would keep coming after him.

Back on the bridge, Sheldon said crisply "This is the USS Enterprise calling the Metrons. Our channels are open. Come in please." But answer came there none. Sheldon then said, "we urgently require a conference, please answer."

Leonard limped on until he found a place where yello sulfur lay over the rocks. He had to make another recording. Or should he? He hesitated then took the plunge.

'This may be my last recording. I urgently need to find the weapon that the Metrons mentioned." He stopped, it wasn't Kirk's fault that he hadn't realised that the Gorn could hear what he was saying but how could he not know what do even if he hadn't majored in science? Then he heard the Gorn down below and hurried as fast as he could away.

Finally, Sheldon had a reply. The spinning abstract pattern appeared on the screen again.

"We are the Metrons. Your captain is losing his battle. Prepare to make whatever memorials is customary with your species. It appears that there is little time left."

Penny moaned again. Sheldon told himself that this was part of the script and provided Leonard was sticking to the script, he would be ok in the end. But was Leonard sticking to the script?

Dr McCoy stepped forward and said angrily, "we appeal to you in the name of civilisation to stop this butchery.'

The Metrons replied, "your violent behaviour and tendencies show that you are not civilised. However, we are not without compassion. You may have feelings for your captain. In order to allow you to prepare yourselves, we will now allow you to see and hear what is transpiring."

Suddenly the screen changed from the swirling abstract patten to a view of the desert landscape below. The crew said the Gorn come into view and then it switched to a view of Kirk (Leonard) resting against a rock. Other members of the crew including Bernadette, Amy and Penny came down further, nearer to the viewing screen. Penny was biting her lip and Amy had her arm around her shoulders. Luckily, no one noticed.

"You will notice the white substance coating the rock?' Sheldon asked Dr McCoy.

"Yes?"

"It's potassium nitrate, doctor."

"So?"

"Perhaps nothing doctor, and," Sheldon, paused for effect, loving this, despite the gravity of the situation for Leonard, "and perhaps everything." He honestly didn't think even the great Leonard Nimoy himself could have said it any better.

Leonard realised that he could finally start making the weapon and started stumbling down away from the white substance to find the bamboo. He was nearly exhausted, even in Kirk's strong body and wasn't sure how much longer he could keep going. His ankle was killing him.

"Earthling!" It was repeated. "Captain?"

Leonard halted. Oh yeah, this was when the Gorn made contact. He really was starting to resent having to say Kirk's stupid lines.

'Who is this, the Metrons?" He remembered that Kirk glanced around him at the words and did the same.

"This is your opponent, captain. I have heard every word you have said."

"All right, what do you want?"

"I weary of the chase, earthling. Wait for me. I will be merciful and quick."

"Like you were on Cestus Three?" Leonard asked.

"You were intruding. You established an outpost in our sector of space."

"You butchered helpless human beings,' Leonard protested angrily.

"We destroyed invaders," the Gorn growled, "as I shall destroy you!"

The conversation ended there and Leonard put his communicator back on his belt.

Meanwhile Dr McCoy asked Sheldon if it could be true that the Gorn were just protecting themselves and if so, it might be that the humans were in the wrong. His eyes widened.

Sheldon nodded wisely, "it could well be but it is something best left to diplomats." He so loved playing Spock. He knew every line of this episode, (he knew every line from every episode) so it was so easy for him. They continued to watch Leonard limp down to the grove of bamboo. Leonard looked for and finally selected, a short, stout length of bamboo. By rubbing a length of plant fibre against a jagged rock, he tore off a section and took both off to the potassium nitrate deposit.

"Good, good," said Sheldon. Under his breath he said, "go Leonard."

'What is it?' asked Dr McCoy. He clearly had no grounding in chemistry thought Sheldon.

"First potassium nitrate, then sulphur and if he can find a charcoal deposit. Or coal."

Leonard had now limped on to the deposit of diamonds, which he scooped up and put inside the bamboo pole. All the time, the crew could see the Gorn getting nearer with its sharp handmade knife.

"What's he doing?" Dr McCoy asked.

"Diamonds, doctor. The hardest substance known to man. Propelled by sufficient force, they would make formidable projectiles," Sheldon answered.

"Propelled by what force?" Dr McCoy scoffed.

"Recall your basic chemistry, doctor." Sheldon really enjoyed saying that. 'Gunpowder."

Just then Leonard was disturbed by the Gorn.

"Captain, you have lost. Admit it to yourself. Stop running." The crew saw the Gorn brandish the knife.

Leonard ignored him and finishing with the diamonds, moved onto the sulphur deposit. He shoved some sulphur powder into the tube and stumbled on. Moving slowly across the landscape, he spotted some dark lumps lying in a crevice.

"Coal," Sheldon said with great satisfaction. He smiled slightly. Leonard was keeping to the script and everything was going to be all right. The Gorn grew closer.

Leonard threw himself down by the coals, wincing as he did so. Then he grabbed some coals and threw them into the tube. He then got up and moved a little way away to an almost flat rock. He emptied out the contents of the tube. Leonard ground the coals with a large diamond and then used the diamond to make a hole in the bamboo tube half way along. He was sweating and his hands were slippery. He knew that he didnd't have much time. He mixed everything together and then poured it into the tube.

"Can he do it?" Dr McCoy asked.

"If he has the time, doctor. If he has the time."

The Gorn was getting closer and closer. Next, Leonard tore a strip from his trousers and put it on top of the rock. He started knocking a stone and his communicator together, trying to get a spark to set the strip of fabric alight. Finally, a wisp of smoke appeared. As he was concentrating on this, the Gorn came within a few yards of him. Leonard heard its noisy breathing and looked round to see it. For a second, he was paralysed then knew he had to act or he was dead. He moved the bamboo cannon into position, aiming it at the Gorn. Then he stuffed the smouldering rag into the hole. The makeshift cannon exploded.

Leonard was knocked backwards from the explosion against the rocks. He rested for a moment and then looked to see the result. The Gorn was lying on its back. Its knife fell from its grip and rolled down the incline. Leonard seized his chance. He grabbed the knife, went over to the Gorn and knelt beside it. It was still alive but motionless, stunned by the blast. Leonard put the point of the knife at its throat. He crouched over it so as to put more pressure on the point. He had it at his mercy. He really wanted to kill the Gorn for what the Gorns had done to Cestus Three. Then he paused. Kirk hadn't killed the Gorn and neither could he. He wasn't a killer, he was Leonard Hofstader, a scientist from New Jersey. He lifted the knife up and away from the Gorn.

"No, I won't kill you. Maybe you thought that you were protecting yourself when you attacked the outpost." He straightened up, glanced at the sky, and moved away from the Gorn. He looked up at the sky. "No, I won't kill him. You'll have to get your entertainment someplace else."

He glanced back at the Gorn after speaking. The Gorn's body vanished and was then replaced by a youth with curly fair hair, wearing a white, sparkling sleeveless robe and sandals with silver straps that crisscrossed up his legs.

"Are you a Metron?"

"Does my appearance surprise you, Captain?" The Metron asked.

"You look like a boy."

"I am about fifteen hundred of your earth years old. You surprised me, Captain."

"How?"

"By sparing the life of your helpless captive who would surely have killed you. You demonstrated the advanced trait of mercy, there may be hope for your species after all. Therefore you will not be destroyed."

"What happened to the Gorn?" Leonard asked.

"We sent him back to his ship. If you like, I can destroy him for you."

Leonard smiled. "No, don't do that. We can talk and maybe work something out."

'Very good, Captain," the Metron said approvingly. "There is hope for you. Maybe, in several thousand years, your people and mine can meet to reach an agreement. You're still half savage but we will contact you when we are ready."

The Metron faded from view and the next second, Leonard was back on the bridge.

The crew crowded round him. Penny started towards him but Amy's kind shoulder suddenly became a grip of steel and held her in her place.

"Captain," asked Howard, (he knew the script pretty well too and knew that Bernadette couldn't be relied on to say the line), "are you right?"

"I don't know," Leonard said, slightly bewildered.

Sheldon nodded in approval. "What do we do now?" he prompted.

"Lets get out of here," said Leonard but the crew took it as an order.

Leonard sat down in the captain's chair, grateful to be back.

"Captain!" Howard called.

"Mr Sulu?"

"I don't know how but suddenly we are half across the galaxy. Five hundred parsecs from where we are, I mean where we were, I mean…." Howard looked up and pretended to be confused. Sheldon wasn't the only one who could remember his lines and Howard was sure he was a better actor than him.

"Never mind, Mr Sulu," Leonard said. "Plot a course for us back to Cestus Three."

Howard nodded and got to work. Dr McCoy patted Leonard on his right shoulder. Leonard looked round and Dr McCoy smiled at him before leaving the bridge.

"After you let off your primitive cannon, Captain, we lost the picture that the Metrons were sending us." He paused to let Leonard say his line. Leonard said nothing. Sheldon frowned and then said " I should be interested to know the final outcome."

Leonard looked at him. "Really?" he said.

"Yes," Sheldon said. He murmured to Leonard, "keeping to the script kept you alive."

Leonard sighed then smiled. "We're a most promising species, Mr Spock, did you know that?"

"I frequently have my doubts," Sheldon said.

"I don't," said Leonard. Sheldon raised his eyebrows at him. How did it go? "Not any more. And maybe in a thousand years, we'll be able to prove it."

Sheldon looked at him.

"Never mind, Mr Spock, it doesn't make much sense to me, either." Leonard so enjoyed saying that line to Sheldon. He turned to Howard. "Take us back to Cestus Three, Mr Sulu, Warp Factor Two."

"Warp Factor One," Sheldon muttered.

"Shut up," Leonard said quietly. Then he got up, "you have the bridge, Mr Spock, I'm going to my cabin to get cleaned up." He looked across at Penny and nodded slightly.

"We had better get back to Sick Bay," said Amy loudly. She and Penny hurried to the door.

Going down in the elevator, Penny hugged Leonard.

"You could have been killed!" she cried.

"But I wasn't," said Leonard, grinning and hugging her back. He was so happy to be alive.