(part 2)
Once they had entered through the mysterious and vine-covered castle heavy wooden doors...
"Scotty... Sulu! We lost contact from the ship. What happened?" enquired a curious Kirk.
Kirk, Spock and Bones then notice the phasers trained on them... by Sulu & Scotty.
Also, the dead-pan look in each of their faces as well.
Bones: "Captain... They appear to be drugged..."
Spock: "Yes... Or, possibly under mind-control..."
Suddenly, an imposing male figure entered the large hall room that they all were ensconced within...
He was robed, had a pointed beard, but was otherwise bald. Human looking. Like a mythic wizard. He spoke:
"Hello... and Welcome... Captain Kirk... Mr. Spock the Vulcan... and Doctor McCoy. I... am Koreb."
Shockingly, a large animal like the black panthers or jaguars of Earth, entered. It 'nodded' to Koreb.
Then, there came a large puff of smoke, in a rainbow of colors... And out of that tinted fog, appeared
not the same wild beast... But a beast of another flavor and species entirely. A beautiful woman. A witch?"
"Captain Kirk... James... I am Silvia. Koreb and I are from a far away planet, unknown to
your Star Fleet. We came to explore this section of the galaxy. We are scientists... Yes.
And your men are not drugged, Doctor McCoy... Mr. Spock is correct... Mind Control!"
Kirk: "I see... and where is the 3rd member of the original landing party... Crewman Jackson?"
Koreb: "Captain Kirk... I am sorry... But his weaker mind cracked... He... is dead."
Koreb then directed Dr. McCoy to another room... Like a lab of Frankenstein? And there was the body.
Suddenly, Koreb waved a wand with an unusual crystal - large and of a deep cobalt blue color, that glowed.
Crewman Jackson's body was soon gone. Koreb: "He has been returned to your ship... To your Medical Bay, Doctor."
When 'Bones' returned to Kirk and Spock, he reported that Jackson was indeed dead... and also, what Koreb had done.
Silvia: "I am very sorry, for the loss of one of your complement, Captain. We did not intend any permanent harm.
Koreb and I did not know yet how fragile your life forms are. Please... Except our apologies. I am sincere..."
Kirk silently fumed... Losing even one of his crew made him both regretful... and also sad. His crew was like family.
(to be continued...)