Flesh of My Flesh

From the pilot episode of The Original Series... Captain Pike commands the U.S.S. Enterprise!

Summary
The USS Enterprise has been diverted from its course to the Marrat system to investigate several strange disappearances, a number of small ships have been found, a fleet of Marie Celestes, adrift and undamaged but entire devoid of crew. The Enterprise has been sent to act as bait to find out what happened. The culprit soon makes itself known, a huge organic starship. As The enterprise attempts to hail a huge energy build-up blinds the crews…

In the void of his mind Captain Pike finds himself walking with Captain April in spacedock alongside the Enterprise. As Pike prepares to board he discusses his crew, some old hands from April’s time on the Enterprise, Pike’s yeoman of the last three years, and some new faces. On the Enterprise, Spock brings Number One out of her daze and informs her of the captain’s disappearance. Using Enterprise’s few active sensors the crew ascertain they are being held by the alien ship, and travelling at warp three. Doctor Boyce turns up on the bridge to fix up the crew.

Meanwhile… Pike recalls his meeting to enrol Lieutenant Robbins as his first officer. Whilst she was hoping for a command of her own she is happy to wait with a chance to serve under Pike and on the Enterprise. The two discuss how they might go about bettering Captain April’s legendry exploits.

Whilst Doctor Boyce announces his findings, that whilst they were knocked out the crew were subjected to invasive surgery, Number One takes the Captains chair. Spock borrows the doctor’s medical tricorder hoping to diagnose what might be wrong with the ship after his deductions indicated aliens with organic starships might well use organic weapons.

As Pike suffers the pains of his memories being sucked from him he recalls his first encounter with the young cadet Spock, hoping to enrol him into his then two year old crew as a replacement for his fever stricken science officer.

In the briefing room Spock announces his findings; the Enterprise has been infected by an energy sapping virus. Whilst the rest of the crew are assigned duties to restore the ship Number One decides to take a landing party to rescue the captain. Back choosing his crew, Pike goes over the personal files of his final choices with his trusted Yeoman; Dermot Cusack. Finally unable to take anymore, Pike pulls himself into consciousness to find himself dangling in the organic prison of the aliens which call themselves Ngultor. They reveal their plans; to use Pike’s mind to find the homeworld of species in the region and consume them. As they prepare to re-enter his mind the chamber is illuminated by phaser fire.

The captain is quickly cut down and puts on an EV suit for the journey back to the Enterprise, but before they can leave, the Ngultor ships tentacles swipe Number One away. Fortunately Nano is on the team and uses his pyrotechnic ability to drive off the organic ship and rescue Number One. However escape still eludes the team who get lost in the ever changing labyrinth of the organic vessel and end up face to face with Ngultor.

The huge insectoid aliens explain their plight, lost from home in a freak warp accident, now harvesting flesh for the return journey. As they encroach on the team ready to consume the landing party feel the familiar tingle of the transporter beam as they relocate to the Enterprise.

Nurse Carlotti briefs the group on the progress of curing Enterprise’s virus and they quickly make their way to the bridge. Soon after they drop out of warp before the huge Ngultor mothership. Using what limited phaser power is available the Enterprise cuts herself free from the smaller Ngultor vessel, then upon restoration of the torpedo banks, fires on the mother ship, destroying it.

Observing a hollow victory the Enterprise resumes her course for the Marrat system and Captain Pike retires to his quarters confident in the abilities of his crew and sure the name Enterprise will not depart the history books under his reign.

Regulars
Phillip Boyce | Gabrielle Carlotti | Dermot Cusack | Moves-With-Burning-Grace | Sita Mohindas | Nano | Number One | Christopher Pike | Spock | Jose Tyler

Others
Robert April | Nils Pitcairn

Referenced
Rajiv Mohindas

Starships and vehicles
USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) | Ngultor ship | Ngultor mothership

Referenced: USS Alexander (NCC-511) | USS Lee | USS Nelson (EV) | USS Redoubt (EV) | USS Tiberius | USS Valley Forge (EV)

Locations
The events of the comic occur in an unspecified area of open space.

Referenced: Delhi | Earth | Eristas | Marrat system | Mars | New Milan | New Venice | Pathiad Nebulatae | Utopia Plantia Yards

Races and cultures
Andorian | Human | Lirin | Masai | Ngultor | Tellarite | Vulcan

States and organisations
Federation Starfleet

Other
Acting ensign | Antibody | Astrography | Brain stem | Comparative xenobiology | Chronometer | Irish whisky | Five-year mission | Mantra | Marie Celeste | Medical tricorder | prayer | Pyrotechnic | Quantum mechanics | Semiotics | Tholian expansionist programs | Vaccine | Virillian toxic fever | Virus | Warp engineering

Information

 * Despite being set up as a main character in this issue, transporter chief Nils Pitcairn did not appear in any other issues of the Early Voyages.
 * Captain Pike's flashbacks feature a number of unspecified locations:
 * Captain April walking Pike to Enterprise occurs in a spacedock facility, with another Constitution class vessel visible in the background. Walkways around, and leading up to airlocks on the Enterprise all appear to be open air, though it's possible they are all protected by invisible force-fields from a more typical vacuum environment of spacedock facilities.
 * Captain Pike meets Number One in another unspecified establishment, quite possibly an area of the same spacedock facility. A blue/green planet can be seen out of the window.
 * Cadet Spock is recruited from an orange skied world, which could be Vulcan, though it is never stated. One other Vulcan, a Tellerite, two human like characters and a number of other humanoids are shown in the facility featured.
 * Amongst the 16 pages of adverts in this comic is one page advertises subscriptions to Marvel's comic, highlighting Star Trek comics with an image of the USS Voyager (NCC-74656).

Quotes
"There you go, Nano. My favourite Lirin patient. You're right as rain" "Doctor Sir, I am your only Lirin patient"
 * - Doctor Boyce and Nano

"Did you hear me Cadet?" "Of course Captain. You seemed so sure about my posting, I didn't realise it required a response"
 * - Captain Pike recruiting Spock

Related Stories

 * The Fires of Pharos (EV comic) - The Enterprise's scheduled mission to the Marrat system is depicted in the second issue of Early Voyages.
 * The Cage (TOS episode) - The crew of the Enterprise under Pike was established in The Cage, which is the basis for the entire Early Voyages series.
 * Our Dearest Blood (EV comic) - Doctor Boyce remains concerned that Captain Pike still hasn't fully recovered from his ordeal with the Ngultor in this issue.
 * Nor Iron Bars a Cage (EV comic) - Doctor Boyce reflects his concerns to Pike that he is still not at his best after the incident with the Ngultor.