#ceti alpha eels

[silveragelovechild]

Plot elements in Star Trek the Wrath of Khan that don’t make sense - part 2

The Reliant’s sensors only register some pre-animate matter on Ceti Alpha VI so Chekov and Terrell beam down to investigate. They discover the creepy Ceti Eels then Khan and his crew.

Based on the cast list for Wrath of Khan on IMDb, there were at least 14 people stranded on the planet with Khan. Why couldn’t the Reliant’s sensors detect over a dozen people and the creepy eels? They are a lot bigger than pre-animate matter.

If something in the atmosphere prevented the sensors from detecting actual life on the planet, it sounds like the Reliant was the wrong ship assigned to do survey work for Dr. Marcus.

[thehauntedrocket]

Ceti Alpha V "Eel" Concept Artworks from Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan

Art by Ken Ralston

Paramount (1982)

From ha.com...

Vintage original set of (3) conceptual artworks accomplished in ink and watercolor on 14" x 8.5" artist's leaf paper. The Ceti eel is a genetically engineered creature created by "Khan Noonien Singh" (Ricardo Montalban), the main antagonist of the movie, who uses them as a means of controlling his enemies. The scene where "Chekov" (Koenig) and "Terrell" (Winfield) encounter the Ceti eels is one of the most memorable and unsettling moments in the film.

[nerds-yearbook]

Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Kahn (originally titled The Vengeance of Kahn, but was changed when Star Wars Return of the Jedi was set to be titled Revenge of the Jedi) premiered on June 4, 1982. While many consider Star Trek the Motion Picture one of the worst of the franchise, it's sequel is often cited as one of the best. Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry was basically removed from involvement save for name only, so it was probably no surprise he was not a fan of the film. He would later come into further conflict with the studio with antics and behind the scenes drama on Star Trek the Next Generation TV series. The movie was a continuation from an episode of the original series "Space Seed" (season 1, episode 22, February 16, 1967, written by Gene L Coon and Carey Wilber, Directed by Marc Daniels). In the episode, the crew of the Enterprise awoke Khan Noonien Singh (Ricardo Montalban) and his crew of the SS Botany Bay after approximately 200 years of suspended animation. They realized Kahn and his people were products of genetic experimentation that lead to the Eugenics Wars of the 1990s. After a failed mutiny, Kirk exiled Kahn, his crew, Star Fleet officer Lt. Marla McGivers (Madlyn Rhue) and the Botany Bay to the planet Ceti Alpha V. It was learned that since being left there that Ceti Alpha VI exploded turning Ceti Alpha V into a wasteland. Many were killed by the event and others were killed by Ceti eels, including McGivers, who had become Kahn's wife. Kahn managed to capture Captain Clark Terrel (Paul Windfield) and Pavel Chekov (Walter Koenig) and take control of the USS Reliant. Kahn then set off to try to take control of the Genesis Device that was being developed for the purpose of terraforming planets. The project was lead by one of Kirk's ex-lovers Dr Carol Marcus (Bebi Besch) and their son Marcus (Merrit Butrick). When Kirk learned they were in danger, he took comand of the USS Enterprise, which was on a training mission. He was joined by his old crew Mr Spock (Leonard Nimoy), Leonard "Bones" McCoy (DeForest Kelley), Montgomery "Scotty" Scott (James Doohan), Hikaru Sulu (George Takei), Lt Uhura (Nichelle Nichols) as well as new member Saavik (Kristy Alley). In their clashes with Kahn, the Enterprise was damaged leading to the deaths of Scotty's nephew (Ike Eisenmann) and Mr Spock (a large part of why Nimoy agreed to return for the sequel). A new planet was also created. This film was cited as having one of the first complete computer generated scenes in a movie, which was accomplished by the company that would become Pixar. ("Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn)

[goingrampant]

I'm pretty sure the Animorphs character Illim/Mr. Tidwell is based on DS9's Elim Garak. The Animorphs series borrows a lot from Star Trek, most notably the Yeerks being the Ceti Alpha eels crossed with the Trills, plus the Ellimist resembling Q, and the pronunciation guides for alien names indicate that the names are meant to be read with romantic phonetics, so it's reasonable to interpret "Illim" as an effort to transcribe "Elim" into the consistent spelling of Animorphs alien names (both, essentially, pronounced as "EE-leem"). Illim is a spy for the imperial alien antagonists, who is also a double agent working for an underground peace movement and helps the protagonists evade detection of their main enemy before recruiting them to help rescue his leader, who happens to know all their identities and is a huge security risk. That sounds like a Garak plotline to me. As for Mr. Tidwell, he's Illim's voluntary host who lost his wife and then found companionship with his alien parasite, commenting that he always feels empty when Illim isn't in his head... Well, he sounds like Illim's domestic partner, like a nod to Garak being telegraphed as gay. Maybe I should have been picturing him as Dr. Bashir.

[pluralzalpha]

Galactic Gazetteer: Ceti Alpha V

AKA: Alpha Ceti V, Menkar V

Class: formerly M

Quadrant: Beta

Location: Mutara Sector

Animal life: Ceti eels

Appearance: Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982); ENT "Twilight " (2003)

Fun fact: once barely Class-M, was then devastated by the explosion of Ceti Alpha VI leaving it almost uninhabitable.

Another fun fact: Khan was stranded here with his followers by James T. Kirk.

Fun fact 3: in an alternative timeline, humans colonised the planet after the Xindi destroyed Earth, and in the Kelvin Timeline, it was suggested as the site for New Vulcan. Neither of these would have gone well.

[icarusthelunarguard]

This Week’s Horrible-Scopes

It’s time for this week’s Horrible-Scopes! So for those of you that know your Astrological Signs, cool! If not, just pick one, roll a D12, or just make it up as you go along. It really doesn’t matter. Better yet! Check out “Heart of the Game, Fredonia” and see if they can sell you those D12’s with the symbols on them. Tell them “Shujin Tribble” sentcha. And “Hail, Hail, Fredonia!” Home of the Blue Devil!

A suggestion was made for a theme this week: ALIEN DAY! Now before you get your hair into a frazzle just know that the specific event day of April 26th has passed. The date is from the “Alien” movie franchise, specifically the designation “LV-426”, one of three moons orbiting the gas giant Calpamos in the Zeta2 Reticuli system, 39 light years away from Earth. And since we never run from a challenge, let’s see what aliens you’ll each be paired with this week! And we’re using each of your star sign letters to help pick. 

Aries 

One Shall Stand. One Shall Fall… Aries, your alien race is the Autobots! From the Transformers Universe, they’re a machine race that can transform between a humanoid form and that of a certain machine… and, c’mon. Do we REALLY need to explain who the Autobots are? It’s been Forty Freekin’ Years! So This Week… Can we all still agree that Starscream is a little bitch? Thank You!

Taurus 

Well, it’s likely safe to say you’re screwed. Coming from the SCP Foundation, you’re matched up with the Taronyu from Mo’ara. They’re Six-sexed humanoid aliens who came to Earth after their homeworld had some apocalyptic disasters. On the down side, they’re an SCP-Designated Lifeform… but on the UP side with six sexes there’s likely going to be at least one that’ll catch your eye for a night in. So This Week… You can take your chances with the Taronyu. After all, how bad could it possibly be? 

Gemini  

Hope you like sand, ‘cause you’re gunna see a LOT of it. Hailing from the Stargate SG-1 Universe your aliens are the Goa'uld. They’re not exactly humanoid, but they are parasites to them. They burrow into a host's neck and possess them, posing as Gods to other races around the galaxy. So This Week… If you’re not sure who the Goa'uld is in your collection of friends, just turn off the lights and see whose eyes glow. Sadly it’ll be too late to do anything about it, but hey! At least you’ll know, right?

Cancer Moon-Child 

FINALLY we get to a Star Trek race, but… Your race isn’t exactly known for being conversant while being able to break up married couples. Hailing from Ceti Alpha V you get the Ceti Eel. Now, we know that some of you won’t like this choice, we understand. But it’s a native species and will kiss, lick, and hug you in places you never knew you could be. So this Week… Just do what the nice megalomaniacal voice on your wrist tells you to do.

Leo 

Not Gunna Lie, Leo… we’re only throwing this species your way because you drew the short straw. Your pairing is with the Large Nostril People from the planet Boodie-Nen in the Invader Zim Universe. No one knows what they look like. No one knows how intelligent they are. All we know is that they were mentioned once and never talked about again. So This Week… If you have to wear perfume, don’t wear something like Chanel Number 5. Ask to buy whatever’s on tap and bring your own growler.

Virgo 

There’s something so satisfying about your alien race, Virgo. They’re smaller than you are, incredibly efficient, and love the night life. From the Doctor Who universe you’re getting paired with the Vashta Nerada. Technically, yes, they can communicate with you, but only through a third party… usually unwillingly. But they’re great at cleaning off their plate after a meal. So This Week… Do you like reading in libraries? So Do They! You could make a date out of it: a book and a meal all in one night! 

Libra

You don’t want to be matched up with your race. You want to use them as target practice. No, scratch that! You want to have already done a lot of target practice so you can off these buggers as quickly as you can squeeze off the trigger. You’re paired off with the Locust from the Gears of War universe. All they want to do is destroy anything they can on any planet they land on - in this case all of humanity, which means you too. So This Week… Invest in weapons. LOTS of ranged, high explosive, maximally accurate weapons.  

Scorpio 

How do you feel about being matched up with a race who are generally peaceful farmers and painters on their home planet? Hailing from the planet Hathor in the Ben10 Universe, the Splixson are small, humanoid aliens who can duplicate themselves infinitely. This would seem like a problem, but they’re just fine with this. They get to be everywhere at once! So This Week… Just imagine the possibilities.

Sagittarius 

We’re pretty sure there’s a serious imbalance between you and your alien race.  Native to the Planet Arrakis, your pairing is with the Sandworms. Now, yes, there is a small problem of what to eat when you want to share a meal with them: You want something that won’t get sand in it, and they want you, so… there’s some middle-ground to be worked on. So This Week… Learn to speak in Iambic Pentameter so they don’t know you’re there.

Capricorn 

Your race, and this is true! …first appeared to the social consciousness of Earth in 1977. Stranded here from the planet Remulak, the Coneheads Family have been here ever since - consuming mass quantities of sustenance while teaching their daughter to not play Ring-Toss with her boyfriend in public. So This Week… Memorize the lyrics to Soft Cell’s version of “Tainted Love”. It will likely save your life.

Aquarius 

You’re welcome to watch the TV Series with this Melmacian character, but just… don’t watch the TV-Movie series finale; It’s too much a bummer. The character’s name is “Gordon Shumway”, but he’s commonly known by the acronym, “ALF” - standing for “Alien Life Form”... and he’s a piece of work. From trying to eat cats to branching out into cartoons and talk shows, he’s fine enough to be around, so long as you don’t talk about his poor driving skills. So This Week… Try not to think about how there’s an entire race of aliens that can only exist if someone’s got a hand up their posterior.

Pisces  

Do you like tall people with a love for crystal energy? Have we got a group for you! Don’t threaten them with a Yamato Cannon because you’re being paired with the Protoss from the StarCraft Universe! They are incredibly gifted thinkers as a race - so much so they can influence how you think, or understand what you think… or maybe just explode your brain. In any event just remember they have a one-track mind. So This Week… You Must Construct Additional Pylons.

And THOSE are your Horrible-Scopes for this week! Remember if you liked what you got, we’re obviously not working hard enough at these. BUT! If you want a better or nastier one for your own sign or someone else’s, all you need to do to bribe me is just Let Me Know - or check out the Ko-Fi page ( https://ko-fi.com/icarusthelunarguard )! These will be posted online at the end of each week via Tumblr, Twitter, Facebook, Discord, and BLUESKY.

[vintageandroid]

I firmly believe it was a combination of "Conspiracy" and Wrath of Khan's Ceti eel scene. Via Memory Alpha, for those unfamiliar:

Once emerged, an eel larva could enter the ear of a larger animal, where it wrapped itself around the cerebral cortex. The effect caused the host extreme pain and rendered them extremely susceptible to outside suggestion. Over time, as the larva matured, the subject suffered from madness and eventual death.

The visual of the sluglike creature crawling into someone's ear sticks with you, and I feel like KAA & Michael Grant were like, "Honestly, we can't improve on that."

(I also vaguely remember on the old "Ask KAA page" or whatever back in the day that someone accused KAA of ripping her ideas off and her saying something like, "Listen, Star Trek has already done every sci fi plot.")

what about animorphs but star trek au

Not a Trekkie, sorry! Anyone else with thoughts?

[planetaryalphabet]

Ceti Alpha V was a Minshara class planet - habitable but with a savage environment. Shortly after 2267 the planet’s orbit shifted and it became inhospitable. The only indigenous animal to survive was the Ceti eel, a small burrowing desert animal. Ceti eels incubate their larvae within the plates of their jointed carapace. The parasitic larvae Then seeks a host to complete their maturation. Ceti Alpha V was also briefly the home of a colony of homo superior exiles.

Source: “Star Trek Wrath of Khan" (1982)

[spockvarietyhour]

Star Trek II Novelization

Novelizations are a tricky thing, especially if you're working from an earlier version of the script. There's minute changes (Regulus vs Regula, Alpha Ceti V vs Ceti Alpha V for example), expanded scenes (a *lot* more Peter Preston, Joachim has serious reservations about Khan), things that existed in the novels only later conceded as Canon (Sulu was already a Captain transferring to Excelsior at the end of the month (yes, the ship was already named) Saavik's half-Romulan heritage (which might as well be canon by this point), and things that only exist here (Sulu again, nearly killed on the bridge when Reliant attacks in the nebula, resuscitated by David Marcus and out of the action for the remainder of the scene, and Spock not knowing Jim's Birthday until *now*, Peter's crush on Saavik and her tutoring him). Then there's also tweaks, I don't know how much of it is author's liberty and how much is script vs screen, but after 37 years of knowing this movie the words don't flow nearly as well here. The words are sometimes substituted or flipped around. It detracts a bit from the overall product. Kirk is also a lot closer to despair and closer to the breaking point than the movie shows us, theatrically so. Despite all this though, it remains a fun read and there's a bit little more to discover.

Gonna admit I did remember Kirk avoiding the urge to scream Dive! Dive! Dive!. that's the ONLY thing I remembered for sure from the last time (aside from again Peter Preston and Saavik expanded backstory)

Here's some (a lot of) notes and highlights:

“She was aesthetically elegant in the spare, understated, esoterically powerful manner of a Japanese brush-painting” describing Saavik. The words “exotic beauty” are used later.

“Spock reached out as Kirk started to go in. He stopped before his hand touched Jim Kirk's shoulder, but the gesture was enough. Kirk glanced back. ��Something oppresses you,” Spock said. Kirk felt moved by Spock's concern. “Something....” he said. He waned to talk to Spock, to someone. But he did not know how to begin.”

Chekov really believes his inwented in Russia schtick.

Jim Kirk has erotic alien drawings on his wall and the one he's looking at in particular also used to hang on his cabin wall on the Enterprise. He's also very fond of England's Victorian era, apparently, hence Dickens.

Inside Botany Bay they meet one of the Khan-babies.

One of the Khan-centric novels from the 2000s-2010s had established that Chekov knew about the system they were in but, bc of the exacting demands of the Genesis project he didn't see the need to bring Terrel into the secret bc the system would likely be rejected anyway. Only if they had settled on Ceti Alpha VI would Chekov then have debriefed Terrel about Khan. Here tho, he just...plum forgot. Kirk didn't want any official records so Chekov just didn't remember, but had been uneasy since they'd entered the system.

Chekov had a crush on Marla McGiver.

Sulu was already a Captain in rank for this final training cruise, and was waiting on Excelsior.

“The new Galaxy-class ships were smaller than the Enterprise, but much faster. They were most efficient around warp twelve. Only three as yet existed: Andromeda, M-31, and Magellanic Clouds. Their purpose was very-long-range exploration...”

Peter Preston is fucking fourteen years old, we're sending actual kids into space (Janice Rand was 15 in TOS)

Saavik's Romulan heritage, one of those open secrets from the movies. Her raw Romulan emotions are a lot closer to the surface. She's also decidedly not a vegetarian (she wants a steak tartare but out of consideration for Spock who’s  eating with her she chooses an egg dish as a compromise)

Both this novel and the Khan one confirm that Reliant's engineering crew was kept on board, controlled by eels.

How big is computer memory anyway? We're talking games at 50 megs that are impressive and can be scanned into new computers from paper printouts......

The scenes where Jim seeks out Spock's in his cabin to take command of the Enterprise to take it to Regulus/Regula and then the bridge scene where he informs the cadet crew of the change of orders are flipped. He first changes the Enterprise's course and then seeks out Spock....

There's a whole subplot of Saavik tutoring Peter, who has a big ole crush on Saavik, Scotty having none of that, and her talking to Spock about it during lunch in the cafeteria and nearly causes a scene.

We get to know every one of the Regulus/Regula scientists that are with Carol.

Joachim is a lot more uncertain about their course of action and doesn’t want anyone to die, but he’s fine using the eels.

After watching the Genesis proposal we don't immediately run into Reliant, but go into Dinner with Kirk, Spock and McCoy where they debate the subject some more.

Spock gives a task to Saavik as an excuse for her to go to Sickbay to see Peter before he dies. She arrives too late and has a breakdown in private.

McCoy had previously served with Clark Terrell, Reliant's Captain. He known him rather well, for years.

Kirk tries to shoot the Genesis torpedo as it's being beamed out.

Kirk also didn't know David was his son, Carol vowed she'd never tell him, but blurted it to both so they'd stop fighting. The last time they'd met she'd also been surprised he didn't ask who's child he was given his age.

Saavik tells David almost right off the bat about her background

Janice Rand is still aboard as transporter chief (whereas in TSFS she's in spacedock giving a disapproving look as the wounded Enterprise returns)

Jim and Carol have Genesis-cave flowers on them when they return, he a flower over his ear, she has a floral wreath

Enterprise was using Regula I's scanners to find out Reliant's position and keep them out of sight of her.

After the Enterprise is hit by Reliant inside the nebula, Sulu's panel overloads, he's electrocuted and loses consciousness. Saavik take over while David starts mouth to mouth and chest compressions, until the medics arrive and stab Sulu with an epi pen. Sulu is off the bridge for the rest of the action. David helps him down to sickbay

As Joachim's dying he clearly tells Khan he wants no revenge, but Khan isn't listening and repeats that he will avenge him.

David helps a barely functioning Chekov up to the bridge.

After his ship his crippled and his body ruined, Khan crawls down from the bridge to the storage bay to activate the Genesis torpedo manually, then crawls back to the bridge...

After the nerve pinch but before the meld, Spock tells an unconscious McCoy “You have been a worthy opponent and friend.”

Saavik had noticed Spock's departure from the bridge, she knew, logically, what the only course of action he could take and almost went after him, but the control he had taught her her kept her in place. She also interrupts Kirk and Spock's last scene to tell Spock (via bridge intercom) about Genesis:

“Saavik's voice broke in over the intercom. “Captain, the Genesis world is forming. Mr. Spock, it's so beautiful–“ Infuriated, Kirk slammed the channel closed, cutting off Saavik's voice. But Spock nodded, his eyes closed, and perhaps, just a little, he smiled.”

Saavik sits in a vigil over the bodies of Peter and Spock.

Spock's will stated that he was not to be taken to Vulcan.

Saavik could feel Spock's consciousness retained its integrity and grew stronger but she had no knowledge anything surrounding katras (not explicitly mentioned but that she was ignorant of those ways).

Kirk has been a lot closer to//has reached the breaking point several times in this book than he ever does in the movie

[trade-baby-blues]

Diamond in the Ruff

Pairing: Jim x Reader

Word Count: 1790

Warnings: Suspense. Swearing (I think?? Probably).

A/N: Based on a request by @sebastianstanslefteyebrow. I’m sorry to the other requests I have floating around. I read this one and immediately had an idea (that I stole from the new Star Wars movie) and just rolled with it. I did NOT edit it all because I am super sick and can’t focus but I wanted to post it anyway so y’all can read it. Hope you enjoy!

Finding new signs of intelligent life. Exploring the outer reaches of deep space. This was exactly the kind of thing that got your heart racing. It made up for the last dozen away missions where all you found was soil and poisonous plants.

“Maybe we’ll find a poisonous animal this time,” you rambled to anyone who would listen on the shuttle to the planet’s surface.

Jim scoffed. “You're probably the only person who’s excited about that.”

“Poisonous, not poisonous. I don't really care as long as it's not another new species of subterranean fungi. The botanists always have a field day and the zoology team gets nothing! Ever! And don't you dare even bring up the Phylosians,” you glared at Jim. “You and I both know the botanists robbed us of that find. Sure they're plant-based life forms but they were sentient. Sentient!”

“Officially the Phylosians were classified as an alien race,” Spock interjected, “not a species of plant, therefore the botanists we're not qualified to classify them either.” Spock turned his attention back to the PADD in his hand and you stuck your tongue out at him, making Jim snicker.

“Stupid planet made of stupid rocks and stupid dirt,” you muttered. You kicked the ground, knocking up a small cloud of dust which you promptly inhaled. You swung blindly in front of you trying to disperse it while you coughed your lungs out, eyes burning from the dust and cheeks burning from embarrassment at Jim’s laughter. You flipped him off, but the sight of you covered in dust, tears on your cheeks, muffling a cough had Jim doubled over laughing even harder. “I hate this.”

“Captain,” an Ensign yelled as he ran towards you and Jim. “Captain there's something! Something in the woods! Over there in the...woods.” The ensign collapsed on the ground in front of you.

Jim called for help and dropped to his knees to check for a pulse. You stared at him, jaw dropped and smiling as if someone had just dropped a beautiful alien baby in front of you. Jim caught the look in your eye and pointed his finger at you like he was your father. “Don't you dare.”

“Wasn't he with another ensign, though? We should really find them and make sure they're okay,” you said, inching your way closer to the woods despite Jim’s protests. “It would be cruel to leave them out there without help. I mean it could be a wild animal. A dangerous wild animal.” You had to suppress a fit of giggles, trying not to sound too desperate for a new discovery.

“Which is exactly why I don't want you- Hey! Wait,” Jim called, looking back up from the ensign to find you sprinting full speed into the woods. Jim wrestled with himself, not wanting to leave an ensign unconscious and unattended but knowing you had an even greater affinity for trouble than he did. “Damn it. Don't go anywhere,” he said to the unconscious ensign before running after you.

“This really isn't how I wanted to spend my afternoon,” Jim called out into the empty woods. He cursed under his breath again when there wasn't an answer. “I am not doing the paperwork if you get eaten.”

Jim prepped himself for another shout when something slammed into him from the side, pinning him to a tree back-first. A hand clamped over his mouth and Jim prepared himself for the worst until his eyes finally focused on your profile. He began to protest, albeit muffled, against the palm of your hand but you shushed him.

“They're close.” You saw the question in Jim’s eyes but the woods answered for you as a chorus of howls surrounded you.

Jim shoved your hand away and whispered “Please tell me that's a pack of known animals. Known vegetarian animals.”

“Maybe. Could also be wild sehlats.”

“Sehlats?” Jim coughed, trying to cover up the rising octave in his voice. “Like the one Spock used to have?”

“Oh no, no. Wild ones are much bigger and much more aggressive.” Jim tensed against you, and you could've sworn he stopped breathing for a second. “Of course I’m probably wrong! I mean I was top of my class so it's unlikely, but there haven't been any recorded sightings of sehlats outside of Vulcan before - maybe because anyone who spotted them got eaten - but probably not! It could just be one animal. One small, harmless animal.” A chorus of howls erupted again.

“Does that really sound like one animal to you Lieutenant “Top of the Class Zoologist”,” Jim hissed.

“It could just be throwing its howl. Coyotes have been known to do that to fend off other predators.”

“Oh yeah because coyotes are completely safe.”

“They are as long as you don't threaten them.”

“We’re in the middle of the woods! We have guns.”

“A coyote doesn't know what a gun is.”

“No, but they can smell fear.”

“So don't be scared.”

“Oh great,” Jim said, throwing his hands up. “Thank you so hadn't thought of that. You're absolutely right there's nothing to be scared of lost in the middle of the woods with one ensign already missing and a pack of foreign and possibly carnivorous animals on the loose hunting us.” Jim winced at the loudness in his voice. “They probably didn't hear that, right?”

A rustling from the bushes behind you shut you up before you could answer. Jim pushed you in front of him, reaching for his gun. You immediately crouched, opening your arms and extended your hands. “What are you doing?” Jim whispered sharply at you.

“They're less scared if you get on the same level. They won't view you as an alpha so you won't be a threat.”

“No they see you as a tasty snack!”

“That is completely -” Another chorus of howls, closer this time. A rustling in the bushes. A low growl that sent a jolt of ice through your body and stood the hairs on your neck on end. Jim stepped closer to you, whether to comfort you or himself you didn’t know. Probably would never know. Probably would die in the woods on an alien planet slowly eaten by vicious animals and never knowing if Jim was trying to comfort you in his last moments. Never knowing what it would be like to get married and have kids and a dog and that apple pie, picket fence kinda life you’d always dreamed of.

Gradually, the creature emerged. Snout first. Teeth bared. You quickly ran through a list of mammalian physiology. It was clearly canine like, though the fur seemed rigid and you’d never seen an animal with a lavender cut before. As the rest of the creature emerged, only one thought crossed your mind: “Holy shit.”

You immediately dropped to your knees, smile plastered on your face as if your parents had just surprised you with a puppy on Christmas day. “Holy shit, Jim. I think this is a new species of Vulptex. I’ve only read about them in stories, but they were said to have crystalline fur.”

The Vulptex crept forward cautiously. You extended your fingers farther, bowing your head. Jim whispered your name in warning but you ignored him as the creature finally brushed its wet nose against your fingertips. Your fingers ran through its coat, expecting harsh edges. Instead you were greeted by fur softer than you could have imagined. Your fingers slid through it as if it was water. The Vulptex seemed to be enjoying the encounter too, because it leaned into your hand before letting out a sharp bark.

A few other heads emerged from the bushes. Seeing their friend in your arms and unharmed, they quickly ran at you. Their growls changed to excited barks as they licked every patch of skin they could find on you. Surprisingly, their tongues were course, much like a cat’s. Their eyes were an almost hypnotic shade of dark blue, not that you had much time to look into them with the pups jumping into your face. You laughed as one managed to get a tongue inside your nose. Jim laughed with you, finally putting his gun away and letting his guard down.

As soon as he knelt, the Vulptexes were all over him too, sniffing his hair, licking his cheeks, covering his uniform in muddy paw prints. You laughed again. “I finally discover a new species and they’re puppies.” You cupped one of the Vulptex’s faces and blew a raspberry against its nose. The creatures all snapped to attention, looking around bewildered. You laughed again and a few of the more skittish ones ran back into the bushes.

“There you are,” a voice said from the bushes. Several excited barks followed.

“Ensign Ramero,” Jim called. “Is that you?”

The ensign emerged cuddling one of the smallest pups in her arms. “Yeah, sorry. I didn’t mean to abandon the other ensign. I just saw one of these guys tangled in some thorns and I couldn’t leave ‘im there. Vasiliev was scared, sayin’ they were poisonous or some shit, pardon my French, and, well, like I said I couldn’t just leave the lil guy.” Ramero ruffled the fur on the Vulptex’s head and it nuzzled closer to her.

“See,” Jim muttered. “I’m not the only one who thought they were dangerous.”

“Yeah, about as dangerous as a tribble.”

“Tribbles are a banned from transportation on Starfleet vessels because of their danger and you know that.”

“Oh, come on. They’re just like cats, only a little more invasive.”

“A little? Don’t you remember that time you snuck a Tribble that happened to be pregnant on board? Scotty was finding Tribbles in every duct on the Enterprise!”

“That was one time.”

“One time with the Tribbles. Then there was also that Regulan bloodworm-”

“Which proved to have incredible medicinal use.”

“Oh yeah and the Ceti eel that almost ate Chekov’s brain? Did that have medicinal use too?”

“No,” you sighed. “But it was super cool. And these are just like dogs! I could probably train one to fetch you your slippers or your PADD. Except it’d probably miss it’s pack. Unless we can bring them all.”

“No.” Jim said without hesitation. You pouted, but only for a few seconds before a Vulptex jumped into your face again to lick you. You smiled and rubbed behind its ears, making it wiggle its back leg.

“But they’re so cute,” you whined.

Jim hunkered down, lying back against the forest floor. The Vulptexes took their chance and swarmed him, jumping and sniffing and licking all over him. One of the pups had curled up between the two of you and was already dozing off. Jim sighed deeply. “Yeah, they are.”

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[radwolf76]

Wait... You said "Favorite", I didn't mean to post Harriman. Hold on...

Terrell at Ceti Alpha V.

Terrell, the eel in his ear.

when someone asks who your favourite captain is

but only bring up “kirk or picard”

[spockvarietyhour]

Captain Clark Terrell: Captain, U.S.S. Reliant. Assigned to the Genesis Project in 2285 searching for a suitable planet to conduct the third stage test of Genesis. Reliant was taken over by Khan and his followers when they mistakenly landed on Ceti Alpha V thinking it was Ceti Alpha VI. Khan used a local slug, the Ceti Eel, to take control of Terrell and his first officer, Pavel Chekov and learned of Project Genesis. Most of the crew was stranded on planet and they travelled to Regula One Spacelab in an attempt to grab the Genesis device. He had Chekov send a message announcing their arrival with false orders from Admiral Kirk, hoping Dr. Marcus would lure Kirk there. When they arrived, Carol Marcus, David Marcus and one other scientist were missing, the databanks empty and the Genesis device gone. Khan tortured and killed all those remaining (none yielded) and left Terrell and Chekov behind for Kirk to find, as double agents. Kirk did exactly that and was able to lead them to the Genesis cave and Terrell revealed he and Chekov had been working for Khan. After killing one of the remaining scientists Terrell was unable to follow through on Khan’s order to kill Kirk. He fought the eel and ended up killing himself in his struggle. 

Appeared in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan