Elsa Hoff

Elsa Hoff was a Human female, an archeologist in the 23rd century who was married to Paul Hoff.

History
The Hoffs were known for having discovered crystal cities on Lakh VII. However, the researchers were extracted prematurely by Starfleet, who feared an imminent cyborg uprising. The uprising never happened, leaving them resentful.

In 2273, after spending a few years alone on Abaris researching an apparently extinct culture, they discovered 2,000 surviving Abaris natives. They learned to read and speak the native language with the help of a Rosetta Stone-like tile. They discovered an underground hall representing the planet's history. But proximity to various mushrooms in the hall and the fungal biology of natives effectively drugged the Hoffs, making them irrational, paranoid and distrustful. They were rude when the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) hailed them. When Kirk, Leonard McCoy and Nyota Uhura beamed down, the Hoffs drugged and hid them. When Spock, Hikaru Sulu and Greywolf found them, the Hoffs lied about having seen Kirk and also tried to drug them. Elsa insisted irrationally that they couldn't abandon their work, even when told that Abaris would be destroyed in a matter of hours.

The Hoffs and Abaris natives watched their planet's destruction from the safety of the starship's recreation room. McCoy thought the natives were serenely oblivious. Elsa spoke with a native in their language, and clarified to him that natives did know what was happening. McCoy realized the natives' biochemistry affected both the Hoffs as well as the natives, suggesting that future contact be managed with the aid of a psychochemist. The Hoffs and natives were taken to Starbase 11. 

Background

 * The Hoffs were referenced in one of Thomas Warkentin's audition comic strips for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate. In the proposed story, Kirk said he attended the Hoffs' wedding on Zeon. Four years later, the Enterprise was assigned to bring supplies to their remote base. The audition strip was created in 1978 before the start of principal photography on . It was set on stardate 7935.3 and drawn in the style of the five-year mission. (The Newspaper Comics, Volume 1)

Reference

 * The Newspaper Comics, Volume 1 audition comic strips