Planet Ecnal's Dilemma

Planet Ecnal's Dilemma was a Star Trek: The Original Series coloring book. It was one of two softcover books containing stories published in 1978 by Whitman Publishing, the producer of Gold Key Comics. It was reprinted by Merrigold Press in 1979.

In this story, the crew of the Enterprise investigates a crisis on Ecnal.

Summary

 * Captain's log, stardate 7000. We depart for planet "Ecnal", class M status, immediately.

James T. Kirk, Spock and Janice Rand beamed down to Ecnal. They agreed to help an Ecnalian who told them that their plant and animal life were dying. Rand scanned plants, Spock collected samples, and then they boarded Galileo to conduct a wider survey. Two Ecnalians followed in an Ecnal walker. They explored a wide variety of terrain and lifeforms, in areas ranging from a volcano to swampland.

They landed the shuttlecraft and entered the East Sector Laboratory. Spock studied their collected samples and determined that artificial forces were at work. With a computer, the Ecnalian located its source: a Lerow rocket parked on the surface. Spock theorized that the vessel was charging its power cells with life energy. Rand established video contact with the Lerows. The Ecnalian demanded they stop, but the Lerows refused, seemingly desperate.

Kirk proposed helping the Lerows. Spock provided calculations to make a ten-foot-long triangular prism amplifier. Ecnalians carried it close to the rocket. Assuming they were about to be attacked, the Lerows fired a cannon at it. The prism acted as an energy converter and amplifier, reflecting the weapon's fire back at the rocket as life energy, fully charging the power cells. Grateful, the Lerow's leader apologized for their actions. Their homeworld was afflicted by a type of acid rain, and they were only taking life energy from Ecnal to save their world. As a peace offering, they gave the Ecnalian and Starfleet crew healthy Lerow flowers brought from their home. Kirk gave them the prism amplifier, and the Lerow rocket blasted off.

The Ecnal official invited Kirk, Spock and Rand to celebrate. They dined while musicians and dancers entertained them. Afterwards, they brought one of the flowering symbols of friendship back to the Enterprise.

Characters

 * Christine Chapel • James T. Kirk • Leonard McCoy • Janice Rand • Montgomery Scott • Spock • Hikaru Sulu • Nyota Uhura • unnamed Ecnalians • unnamed Lerows • unnamed non-humanoids

Starships and vehicles

 * USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) ( heavy cruiser) • Ecnal walker • Galileo (class F shuttlecraft) • Lerow rocket

Locations

 * Ecnal (East Sector Laboratory)


 * Lerow homeworld

Races and cultures

 * Ecnalian • Human • Lerow • Vulcan

Science and technology

 * beaker • cannon • chemical • chemistry • computer • laboratory • power cell • prism amplifier • radio • radio antenna • rocket • scanner • telescope • tricorder • video

Ranks and titles

 * captain • dancer • doctor • entertainer • Federation Starfleet ranks (2260s) • juggler • lieutenant • musician • nurse • pilot • yeoman

Other references

 * acid rain • alien • animal • bridge • camera • cannon • castle • cephalopod • class M • dinosaur • drum • flower • food • harp • helm • city • jungle • lava • Lerow flower • life energy • lifeform • mirror • mountain • music • musical instrument • ocean • planet • plant • transporter • tree • turtle • beaker • laboratory • sickbay • singing • Starfleet uniform • Starfleet uniform (2265-2270) • stegosaurus • transporter room • turtle • volcano •

Production history

 * 1978 : First published by Whitman Publishing
 * 1979 : Reprinted in two volumes by Merrigold Press
 * Part one as "Planet Ecnal's Dilemma"
 * Part two as "A Launch Into Fun"
 * 2011 : Reproduction printed in Star Trek Vault: 40 Years From The Archives by Abrams Books

Background

 * The cover featured a rare cover appearance by Yeoman Janice Rand, though without the hairstyle she usually wore in 2266. As in the story itself, she was shown wearing an operations division uniform with lieutenant stripes, and she did analyze plant samples with a tricorder.
 * The first six pages introduced the Enterprise and its crew, including Rand with Nyota Uhura on the bridge, Montgomery Scott with Hikaru Sulu near the helm console, and Christine Chapel with Leonard McCoy in sickbay. Only Kirk, Spock and Rand had dialogue.
 * A removable eight-page facsimile of this story was provided in Star Trek Vault: 40 Years From The Archives. The 6" x 8" reproduction included the front and back covers along with pages 10, 30, 2, 3, 4, and 59, in that order.
 * Spock wore a 20th century-style lab coat when he worked in the laboratory. That illustration was reused on the title page.
 * The Lerow homeworld was likely in the same star system as Ecnal. The Ecnalian immediately recognized the Lerow rocket, and it used chemical propulsion rather than warp drive.
 * Klingon walking vehicles were featured in.

Related stories

 * – Taureans drained life energy to survive.
 * – The Hollow Planet drained life energy from planets, threatening the galaxy.
 * – Serafin's Planet colonists fed on life energy.