I’m starting a new series of #MicroTreks called #SwapTreks which feature an existing #StarTrek story swapped and re-imagined in a different series from the franchise.
Original Episode: “Rosetta”
Swapped from Discovery to TOS
“Rosetta Stone”
1/24
Kirk, Spock, and McCoy shimmer into place at the base of a great gray-blue spire.
“Sensor readings, Mister Spock,” Kirk says.
Spock opens his tricorder, scanning the area.
Kirk rests is palm upon the gray spire. “Bones, what do you think?” Blue dust coat his palm.
2/24
“I think you’re looking to make history, Jim,” McCoy says.
“Bones, this is about saving lives, not—my ego,” Kirk claims. “If this truly is the homeworld of the race who constructed the other planet killer on its way to—well—”
3/24
“You really think they’ll help us turn off another of their killing machines?” McCoy asks.
Kirk drops his hand. “I have to believe it. We’ve no other choice—no other way to—prevent the destruction of Earth.”
“And of Vulcan,” Spock adds, joining them.
4/24
“Something to report, Mister Spock?” Kirk asks. Suddenly, his eyes widen. His version blurs with images of violence paired with horrible cries. He grabs his head, falling back into the spire.
“Jim!” McCoy exclaims, grabbing onto Kirk by the arms and helping him sit.
5/24
“Horrible! It’s a—a horrible—hallucination—a terrible—feeling of—of—” Kirk strains to explain.
“Of what, Jim?” McCoy asks, beginning a scan of Kirk with his tricorder.
“FEAR!” Kirk exclaims.
Spock raises a brow. “Curious.”
6/24
“Well that’s an understatement, Spock,” McCoy says. “I’m reading an elevated heart rate and increased levels of cortisol. He’s definitely showing a physiological response to fear.”
“An atypical presentation for Captain Kirk, is it not?” Spock asks.
7/24
“He’s human, Spock,” McCoy says. “This is how the human body reacts to fear.”
“But our Captain has demonstrated an unparalleled ability to cope with fear in several dangerous scenarios,” Spock explains. “In each of these examples, he did not exhibit such physical symptoms.”
8/24
Kirk squeezes his eyes shut. “Something—someone—is—is here,” Kirk says, breathless.
“In fact, I detected no lifeforms on the surface, Captain,” Spock explains. “However, sensors could mot penetrate a structure to the east.”
“We should—investigate,” Kirk strains to say.
9/24
“Now hold on a minute,” McCoy says. “I’d feel much better with you back in my Sickbay, recovering from whatever induced this—condition.”
Kirk stands. “No, we—must try for communication with these—beings—we must.”
Kirk steadies his breathing. “I’ll be alright.”
10/24
McCoy eyes Kirk with a raised brow.
“Come on,” Kirk says. “Let’s see if anyone is home at your structure, Spock.”
Kirk and McCoy follow Spock through a large, gray-blue formations.
“Doctor,” Spock says, stopping in his tracks. “Will you engage your medical tricorder?”
11/24
“Spock, what is it?” Kirk asks.
“A hypothesis, nothing more,” Spock replies, pointing to a formation. “Doctor, if you will, please.”
McCoy begins scanning. “It’s—bone.”
“Bone?” Kirk asks, bewildered.
“As I suspected,” Spock says. “This is an alien graveyard.”
12/24
“Their planet was in danger, perhaps from their war,” Spock explains. “And these are the remains of the victims of that long ago violence.”
“Remains?” Kirk begins. “But these have to be at least 4 meters long. That would mean—”
“These were massive creatures,” McCoy says.
13/24
“And avian,” Spock adds. “These bones are pneumatic.”
Kirk raises a confused brow.
“Porous,” McCoy says, patting the bone. “They’re porous, like a bird’s.”
“This is—is fascinating, gentlemen, but—” Kirk grabs his head again, gritting his teeth.
14/24
“Jim!” McCoy exclaims, grabbing hold of him.
“Let’s—get to that structure,” Kirk says.
They wind through the half-buried bones and enter a structure that leads down underground.
Inside, a soft blue light illuminates what looks like stalagmites and egg-like formations.
15/24
“Let’s—find some way to contact these people as soon as—possible,” Kirk says. “I’m not—sure how much longer I can fight this—this fear.”
“I will endeavor to increase the rate of my tricorder’s scans,” Spock says.
“Oh!” McCoy shouts, bending over, clutching his head.
16/24
“Bones!” Kirk exclaims, wrapping his arm around McCoy, standing him upright.
“It’s—pure—heart-stopping fear—like you said, Jim,” McCoy strains to say.
“Fascinating,” Spock says, noticing the blue dust coating both Kirk and McCoy’s hands.
He scans their hands.
17/24
“I believe you both have been infected with some kind of organic compound which is triggering this fear response,” Spock says.
“Compound? What compound?” growls McCoy.
Spock lifts McCoy’s dust-laced hand before their eyes.
“Must be—some kinda—pheromone,” McCoy surmises.
18/24
“Precisely, Doctor,” Spock agrees as he scans the cavern.
“I am detecting 17 other distinct organic compounds in this cavern.”
“What—what do you think those are?” Kirk asks, pointing to the egg-like formations.
Spock approaches them, scanning.
19/24
Some rocks shift beneath his feet causing him to stumble into an egg. His hand presses into yellow dust.
His eyes squeeze shut as a smile fights to form in his lips.
“Spock?” Kirk calls, approaching.
“I’ve—I’ve been exposed to one of the compounds,” Spock explains.
20/24
“You don’t look afraid,” McCoy says.
Spock turns, his face calm. “This particular compound apparently produces feelings of love, of contentment.”
“You mean to tell me that we just happen to get the fear-inducing pheromone and you get one that feels like a warm hug?”
21/24
“Yes, Doctor,” Spock replies.
“If—you felt love when touching the compound on these—eggs,” Kirk begins. “And Doctor McCoy and I felt fear outside this—this cave, then perhaps this is how they communicate ideas—through emotions—through pheromones.”
22/24
“A logical deduction, Captain,” Spock says.
“Well if they can understand fear, maybe we can convince them to shut off their killing machine,” McCoy says.
“A species which communicates entirely through emotions,” Kirk says.
23/24
“This must be the universe’s answer to Vulcans,” McCoy adds.
“You will undoubtedly be specially equipped to communicate with them, Doctor,” Spock says. “What with your varied and thinly veiled emotional states.”
“Okay, you two,” Kirk says. “Let’s get samples back to the ship.”
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