A ghostly presence... haunts the
! – "The Empire Man" was the 60th issue of Gold Key Comics' 1970s series of Star Trek comics. The issue was written by John Warner and drawn by Alden McWilliams.
Description
- The universe is eternal and, in that eternity, are many veiled mysteries! Whole civilizations are but momentary thoughts in the galactic continuity! But what if the universe were to lose its memory?
Summary
- Captain's log, stardate 2314.6...
- While cruising in Quadrant IV, we received a priority distress call from Terrellian II!
The USS Enterprise diverts to Terrellian II. The Terralyns find themselves under attack by an unknown marauder craft. Upon meeting with Minister Scorvik, Kirk and McCoy learn — and see — each attack is proceeded by the appearance of etheric woman the Terralyns call "The Ghost". The Ghost may be trying to warn the Terralyns, but she is mute.
Aboard the Enterprise, Spock makes contact with the marauder's pilot, who calls himself Zar-Tan. He warns the Enterprise that the planet is his, and he will destroy the Terralyns and the ship if they interfere. Spock attempts to incapacitate the marauder with tractor beams, but Zar-Tan resists so much, he crashes on the planet.
- Captain's log, supplemental...
- Using the ship's sensors, we maintained a track on Zar-Tan's ship when it crashed! An additional security team joined us at the crash site!
Kirk, McCoy and a security team find Zar-Tan, and after a brief struggle, capture him. The Ghost witnesses this, and inexplicably unleashes a seismic attack on the planet, injuring the Terralyn chancellor. Showing remorse and compassion, the Ghost touches the chancellor, healing him.
- Captain's log: stardate 2315.6 —
- We have arrested the strange raider who terrorized Terrellian II... Doctor McCoy now has him under observation.
Examining Zar-Tan in the Enterprise sickbay, McCoy finds there is no way to remove the attacker's body armor. Spock discovers the entire planet is surrounded by a ring of energy. When a security team beams down, the Ghost is able to follow the transporter signal back to the Enterprise. Meanwhile, McCoy goes to Zar-Tan's security cell, only to be taken hostage by him. Zar-Tan takes his prisoner to the bridge, where Spock's analysis of the planet's energy ring reveals a resemblance to brain wave patterns. Zar-Tan attempts to lock the ship's phasers onto the planet, but recoils in fear when the Ghost steps onto the Bridge. The entity merges with Spock to use his Vulcan mental powers to unlock Zar-Tan's buried memories of the planet.
Spock/Ghost explains this world, once known as Thelema, was on the brink of destruction by a radiation cloud. The Thelemites discover the radiation won't harm plant life, and the entire civilization's mental patterns are recorded into the native flora. A cell from each citizen was used to make an artificial carrier body — Zar-Tan — to preserve the Thelemites' organic structure. Zar-Tan was sent off into space, programmed to return when the radiation was no longer a threat. The Thelemites soon learn, however, that radiation has mutated the plants. Their plant forms could no longer communicate, either with Zar-Tan or the Terralyns. The most they could manage was to generate the image of the Ghost.
The truth revealed, Spock/Ghost deactivates Zar-Tan and informs the Terralyns how to restore their new neighbors. The Thelemites agree to share their technology to convert people into plants, which Spock observes may be an improvement for humans.
References
Characters
- Pavel Chekov • The Ghost • James T. Kirk • Manning • Leonard McCoy • Scorvik • Montgomery Scott • Spock • Hikaru Sulu • Nyota Uhura • Zar-Tan • unnamed Terralyns • unnamed Thelemites • unnamed USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) personnel
Starships and vehicles
Locations
Races and cultures
States and organizations
Science and classification
- biobed • body armor • circuitry • command chair • communicator • cyborg • force field • genetic engineering • impulse engine • phaser • probe • rocket • science • sedative • sensor • technology • tele-syringe • tractor beam • transporter • tricorder • turbolift • viewscreen • warp drive • weapon
Ranks and titles
- captain • chancellor • chief engineer • chief medical officer • commander • commanding officer • communications officer • engineer • executive officer • helmsman • lieutenant • lieutenant commander • miner • minister • navigator • science officer • scientist • tactical officer • weapons officer
Other references
- alert status (red alert) • alien • animal • assignment patch • brain • bridge • captain's log • cell • city • civilization • day • dilithium • distress call • energy • Federation Starfleet ranks • Federation Starfleet ranks (2266-2270) • gas • government • humanoid • insignia • karate • landing party • log entry • matter • minute • month • nation-state • omni-orbital • peace • planet • plant • races and cultures • radiation • rank • rank insignia • rock • science • security • security cell • seismoquake • sickbay • space • species • star • stardate • Starfleet uniform • Starfleet uniform (2265-2270) • starship • system • technology • time • title • transporter room • tree • uniform
Appendices
Related media
- TOS episode & Star Trek 2 novelization: Tomorrow is Yesterday – An Enterprise tractor beam crushed an aircraft.
- TOS comic: "To Walk the Night" – The Enterprise aided colonists who believed they were seeing ghosts.
- TOS comic: "The World Beneath the Waves" – Surgeons invented new technology so their race could survive an extinction-level event.
Background
- This was the second to final issue of the Gold Key Comics run of TOS comics.
- The story was first reprinted in 2019.
- This issue was slated to be collected in The Key Collection, Volume 7, but that volume was never released after Checker Book Publishing Group ended The Key Collection series with Volume 5.
- The issue's cover was an inked drawing, one of only three in the series that was not painted or illustrated with photographs. The other two were "Death of a Star" and "Operation Con Game".
Images
Connections
Timeline
| published order | ||
|---|---|---|
| Previous story: #59: To Err Is Vulcan |
TOS comics (Gold Key) | Next story: #61: Operation Con Game |
| Previous story: The Final Truth |
Stories by: John Warner |
Next story: Trial by Fire! |
| chronological order | ||
| Previous adventure: When Planets Collide |
Memory Beta Chronology | Next adventure: Mr. Oracle |
| Previous comic: When Planets Collide |
Voyages of the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701), Year Two | Next comic: Mr. Oracle |
Production history
- February 1979
- First published by Gold Key Comics.
- September 2008
- Included on The Complete Comic Book Collection DVD. (Graphic Imaging Technologies)
- 9 May 2019
- Reprinted in Graphic Novel Collection #62. (Eaglemoss Collections)
External links
- The Empire Man! article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.
- The Empire Man! article at Curt Danhauser's Guide to the Gold Key Star Trek Comics.
- The Empire Man! article at Siskoid's Blog of Geekery.