They arrived upon the planets Lamos, Telepylos of Laistrygones
they were enthralled to see that almost all the people were gigantes.
Rapture quickly turned to horror when they learned of giant society
Captain Kirk, once reckless explorer, remained on board to oversee.
Carol, newest of their number, and Pavel, youngest of their set,
Bones and Spock, Lt. Darwin, went down to settle Starfleet debt.
Among the secret files of Marcus, Uhura found his youth's infractions
his breaking of the Prime Directive, though well intentioned, sparked chain reaction
The giants became cannibals without rite or reason, rule of law
the mighty formed a pact among them, branded the weak and slaughtered all.
Starfleet ordered 'fix the problem, establish order, clean the mess,'
Jim cautioned only to make contact, see if they listen or aggress.
The other teams sent down to surface were told to search and document
the suffering of the weak encattled, look for signs of defiance.
The pictures sent to ship above, of hanging carcass hooked through bone
of decapitated heads and gloves made of hides with hairs in sewn
filled every member of the crew with terror, horror, steel resolve
to bring to right this crime of error and uphold space flight's first law.
Spock, Bones, Carol, Pavel, and Darwin entered the city through the gate
ignoring stares and looks of hunger, they marched straight to the palatial plate.
Antiphates, the gigante king, summoned them to royal assembly
before any could speak a word to reason, his eye roved over them contemptibly.
"You have returned after making a vow to never set foot in this damned place
You have returned with the fair daughter of the very man whose ideas about race
have destroyed our species, desecrated our temples, overturned our traditions,
made civil war to erase the bodies, minds, and rights of the living
Titans who now we eat in disgrace. There were those in our number
longing for power, for the glories and weapons of outer space
found their answer in blood and devoured their brothers, sisters and mothers, defaced.
I will not listen to words you may offer. I have eaten my father, my friends and my fate.
I will eat you and perhaps in that hour understand why you have come to be great.
I will start with the daughter, so fair and so small-
Why did your father spare you from the fall!"
Spock, Chekhov and Darwin drew phasers and fired, Bones reached for Carol
who through shocked grief desired to set aright the wrongs that imperiled
this war torn race of cannibals feral. But they had no time. The away team fled
while giants tore up the streets throwing flames, skulls, and heads
excited, enraged, entrenched in their evil. Jim beamed up his crew and asked for a plan.
Spock could find no good answer, Bones suggested a ban
of all Federation vessels and leave them to right it
sometimes only time can heal sickness so blighted.
Lt. Darwin and Chekhov were both overwhelmed by the stench of the blood,
the flesh rot in that realm. But Carol, determined, said "Come hell or flood water
we will find a solution for I am the daughter of a man, who in death
could not see the good, disillusioned in life though he'd tried as he could.
My father once believed not in war, but protection, in keeping the peace
through precise advanced weapons, which killed only those who would do unto others
the same that these Titans do unto themselves. I studied the power of weapons
with faith that only enemies were killed and innocents were held
alive and unharmed. I did not know who is enemy, or innocent, we cannot foretell.
I did not know weapons could not hold all answers until the Red Matter blew Vulcan away.
That day of destruction changed my father and it changed me, like darkness and day."
The Captain listened, poised and quiet. His eyes glowed blue, reflecting the riot
of emotions held in reserve. Bones grunted, said softly "They could just change their diet."
Spock thought once again of the scene he had witnessed, of the King Antiphates,
of his anger sadistic. Darwin thought back to old myths of gods on Euphrates
she remembered the Greeks, Zeus and Chronos, and Hades. Chekhov said:
"Sometimes, Keptan, nothing can be done.
Sometimes you cannot fix a people, so set upon zeir current ways
Sometimes the only right to ewil is preserf the good for one more day.
We cannot save the titan giants from themselfs or force a change
We can only help the small defiants escape to life without the slain."
And so it was done.
Warning: Mentions of cannibalism.