TRTSS7: The Hidden Trek Voyage! – By DS Wynne
Disclaimer: R1/2, SM, ST and other genres belong to their respective owners.
Note: This is a multi-genre story.
Part 21
Ten minutes later, the assembled landing party was being "geared up" for the mission in the transporter bay preparation area.
"Huh," Usagi said, as she checked her phaser pistol, before putting it in the holster.
"You sure you can handle that?" Pike asked wearily.
"Sir, Usagi has the prerequisite score rating," Ranma said, has he puts on his mission jacket.
Pike grumbled, as he turns towards the transporter chief.
"Chief, we don't know what the situation is down on the planet surface, so I would like for us to beam down in area away from the crash site."
The transporter chief checks out his sensors…
"There is a canyon not to far the coordinates Mister Tyler gave me," the transporter chief said. "I can set you down there."
"Sir, we beam into a canyon, that would be a perfect set up for an ambush," Ranma interjects. He then looks over at the sensor readings.
"I would recommend that we beam down near the ridge area. That way, we can have the high ground."
"Agreed," Pike said. "Chief?"
The transporter chief recalculated his instruments.
"You are all set, sir."
"Good," Pike said, as he hops unto the transporter pad. "The sooner we check out the situation, the sooner we can resume our original mission."
Ranma growled, as he steps unto the transporter pad.
This caught Scotty's attention. Scotty was the engineering specialist that would be participating in the mission on Talos IV.
"What's the problem, laddie?" Scotty asked.
"I just don't like using the transporters…at all," Ranma said. "Breaking down a person into a form of energy…it's not natural."
"You're not going to chicken out, are ya?"
"NO, I'm not, Scotty. Otherwise, I would have gone into Security, you know."
"Alright," Pike said, as he positioned himself on the transporter pad. "Energize."
BRRRRRRRIIIIIINNNNNNGGGGGGG…
The next thing Ranma realized, they were on a ledge overlooking a valley.
"Is everyone okay?" Usagi said, as she took out her medical tricorder. "No dizziness or anything?"
"I'm fine myself," Tyler said, as he checks himself out.
"Equipment is fine," Scotty said.
"Fascinating," Spock said, as he un-slings his science tricorder from around his shoulder.
Pike turns towards Spock.
"What's the situation, Lieutenant?" Pike asked.
"That sound," Spock said, as he scans the area with it. "The harmonics is fascinating."
"Energy or ocular?" Scotty asked.
"Ocular," Spock said. He then points towards one direction.
"There," Spock said.
Ranma raises takes out his phaser pistol, and had it ready. Pike sees this.
"Relax, Ensign," Pike said.
"Just doing my job, sir," Ranma replied.
Ten yards away, the landing party came across a field of-
"Plants," Usagi said.
"Indeed," Spock said. "This is the source of the sound."
Pike reaches out, and grabs one of the leaves, muting the sound.
"Fascinating," Pike said.
"Indeed," Spock replied.
"Sir, we should head this way, if we want to reach the crash site," Tyler said, as he points to a winding path that lead into a valley.
"Alright," Pike replied, as he lets go leaf, causing the sound to increase. "Let's go…"
Eventually, the landing party found the crash site, but they also found something else…
"They're men!" said an old man, as several people started to appear. All of them were dressed in rags.
Usagi took a quick scan of the crowd. She wanted to make sure that they did not have any contagious disease.
"Well?" Ranma asked. He was barring his party from going into the area, as it was standard protocol.
"Clean," Usagi replied. "Well, of diseases, at any rate…"
Taking this as a good sign, Ranma moves out of the way.
"Sorry, sir," Ranma said. "Just wanted to make sure."
Pike growled a bit, but understood that Ranma was doing his job. He then steps up.
"My name is Captain Christopher Pike, of the United Star Ship 'Enterprise'."
"My name is Dr. Theodore Haskins, of the American Continent Institute," said the apparent leader.
"Is…is Earth alright?" said another old man.
"Yes," Pike said. "It's still there, and waiting for the return trip for home."
"And the time barrier has been broken, so we can return to Earth in no time-" Tyler said, as he suddenly stops talking.
All eyes turn towards an attractive blond, who was dressed in rags. Her blue eyes bored into the new arrivals…
"This is 'Vena'," Haskins said. "Her parents died shortly after we crashed on this world.
"I'm sorry to hear that," Pike said.
Vena goes up to the landing party, and looks at each and everyone of them…
"Most curious," Vena said. "Unique in every way…especially YOU TWO."
Vena had stopped in front of Usagi and Ranma.
"Well, I should hope so, humph!" Usagi said, with a slight indignation in her voice.
"And, I like to think of myself as being 'awesome'," Ranma said with a chuckle.
"And modest, too…"
Unknown to the landing party, the native inhabitants of Talos IV—called Talosians—were secretly observing them. They were androgynous, but had mastered the power of the mind to an art form. And as they continued their observations, the veins in their large heads flexed, as they telepathically communicated with each other.
'The leader of these new arrivals have qualities that will suit our purposes,' thought one of the aliens to the other. 'But these others would also prove to be capable of fulfilling our needs.'
'Then perhaps an experiment is in order?' thought another alien. 'After all, if our world is to be restored, then we need to find the right candidate to be our progenitor.'
'If I may be so bold, we should be careful about these three,' thought yet another alien, as the scans focused on Spock, Ranma and Usagi. 'Their minds seem strange. The…Vulcan is potentially telepathic, as are the humans. However, the male's mind is fractured, as if something else lives within a field a serenity, while the female's mind is…strange.'
'Show us, fellow companion,' said the leader of the Talosians.
Their viewing screen changes, until it becomes a split screen.
In Ranma's mind, there was a sea of white, while a kitten slept in some sort of cage. In Usagi's mind, there were clowns…lots and lots of SEXY clowns.
'Fascinating,' the leader of the Talosians thought.
'But this is just one of the myriad of layers that exist within their minds. Perhaps, a further inquiry will yield results?'
"We shall oblige your wishes," the other Talosians said, as they spoke aloud.
As the other Talosians leave, the leader looks at Ranma and Usagi.
"What lurks within your human shell?" the Talosian said.
Meanwhile, up top, while the landing party helps the crashed survivors get ready to pack for the trip to return home…
"Ah-Choo!" Ranma sneezed.
"What's a matter?" Usagi asked.
"I don't know," Ranma replied. "I think someone is talking about me."
"That's just you being paranoid…as usual."
"Hey, I tend to attract trouble, you know."
"Well, I hope you're not right, considering what I just found…"
"Oh?" Pike said, as he goes over to Ranma and Usagi, with Vena in tow. "Something's up?"
"Not sure, except that everyone here, save for his or her attire, is fine," Usagi said.
"That's a good thing, right?"
"Sir, if you go by the baseline for a typical, healthy person, there should be SOME health deficiencies for those who 'rough it'."
"In other words…?"
"Sir, these people are WAY to healthy to be in this circumstance."
"The perhaps we can be of assistance?" said a voice.
Pike, Ranma and Usagi turn to see two of the Talosians standing in the middle of the encampment.
"Sir-" Ranma began, as he felt hostile intentions coming from them.
ZAAAAAAAPPPPPPPPP!
The Talosian sent out a massive feedback that renders the entire landing party unconscious.
"Ranma-!" Usagi called out, before she fell unconscious.
When that happened, the crash survivors disappeared, save for Vena. Vena turns towards the Talosians.
"That was NOT necessary," Vena said angrily. "Their willingness to help should have been more than enough to trust them."
"Only through proper experimentation can we be sure," the lead Talosian said. The Talosian then looks at an unconscious Ranma and Usagi.
"And these two will be a significant component in that regard."
Tbc.
Author's Note: I made the Talosians a more significant threat, considering the fact that Ranma and Usagi are present. C&C are always welcomed.