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"The Evictors"
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Cover Blurb:
The Enterprise crew is carrying out a protocol call upon the planet
Nraka, which is celebrating its 10,000th year of recorded history. Captain Kirk
and Mr. Spock meet with Councilor Dvor to offer their official congratulations,
and Spock makes a traditional cultural toast to the planet's most famous
historical figure, Zotar. Dvor is pleased that the Federation has learned so
much of his culture. He leads Kirk, Spock and Scotty to his palace balcony,
where they watch a fireworks celebration in honor of the occasion. Scotty is
accompanied by Miss Rava, the daughter of the supreme councilor. (And both seem
to enjoy one another's company quite well, judging from how closely they hold
each other!) Once the fireworks are finished, Dvor directs the attention of everyone
to the East, where a huge bright spot rises in the sky, revealing the image of a
man wearing armor. "Look, Mr. Spock" Kirk exclaims, "it's a
giant movie screen!". "Exactly captain!" Spock replies. "Lasers
of invisible light activated by the chemical particles! That is an actor made
up as Zotar!".
A large black spot appears in the middle of the stellar show, and begins growing larger. Nrakan Councilor Sja-Yo is alarmed, and he takes Kirk and Spock to a nearby observatory. He quickly brings up an image of the object - a huge spherical space ship. "It is a foreign space vessel" says Sja-Yo, "larger than anything we have ever dreamed of! Several miles in diameter by my estimate!".
"Hear me well!" the armored figure continues. "Once my people, the Sanoora, dwelt upon your world, climbed its mountains, fished its streams, 500,000 years ago! Now we have returned, and it is you who must go!". The Nrakans are stunned by this announcement, and the crowds become frightened. "You have many questions, of course! But we have prepared a history of my people to answer them!". As Inoduku narrates, images of the past flicker on view screens around the planet. "Once we were a great and powerful people" Inoduku says. "Our cities reached to the very clouds themselves!". Inoduku tells how, on a day that became known as "The Black 23rd", scientists discovered that a rogue star would pass nearby the planet in 342 years, destroying all life. From that day forward, their entire civilization thought of nothing else but "The Great Expedition" from their world.
The Nrakans cannot believe that their race sprung into existence in the 500,000 years since the Sanoora left. Mr. Spock speculates that the people left behind when the rogue star came were able to equip a giant cave, and survive the star's passing. Later, when the star had passed, the people emerged from the caves and had children, who were immune to the remaining radiation.
Nraka launches a defensive attack against the orbiting Sanooran warship,
however their small space craft are quickly destroyed. Councilor Dvor asks Kirk
for advice, but the Captain is reluctant to answer, fearing that he may break
his oath of neutrality. On Spock's urging, he finally speaks, telling the
Councilor to try and avoid an all-out war. However, he also adds "If this
were my world would I fight before I would abandon it? Yes!". Elsewhere
in the city, Scotty and Miss Rava are forced to run for their lives, as the
angry crowds turn against all foreigners and begin chasing them. The two flee
up a long staircase, and Scotty hurls a statue down at their pursuers to slow
them. He and Rava hide in a nearby building, as the mobs begin searching for
them.Back at the observatory, Councilor Dvor is angered as Mr. Spock explains that due to the Federation policy of neutrality, they will not assist his planet in fighting the Sanoora. The Enterprise contacts the landing party by communicator. Mr. Sulu reports that an oversized ship of unknown design is approaching. "I know what it is, Lt. Sulu" Kirk answers. "Use only defensive tactics to avoid contact!". Just then, the Sanooran ship fires a blast that narrowly misses the Enterprise, and Inoduku quickly appears again on a view screen in front of Kirk and the Nrakans.
After the attack and threat, Mr. Spock's attitude of non-interference quickly changes. "General" he says, "you will place a technical crew at my command immediately! I will adapt your present weapons for full penetration!". Later, as the Sanooran ship chases the Enterprise, a fleet of newly re-armed Nrakan space craft attack it. Now able to penetrate the huge ship's shields, they damage it severely. Soon, the giant ship turns and begins to retreat back into deep space.
"It would seem so, Captain!" Spock replies. "And now they are doomed to continue wandering space, a 'world' without a planet to live on!". "Was there any choice, Mr. Spock?" Kirk wonders aloud, "Could we have found a better way out? I suppose we'll never know!".
Notes:
 Email: cdanhauser@yahoo.com |
