A Book to Color, second story

A Book to Color, second story was the third licensed Star Trek: The Original Series story. Published by Saalfield Publishing in, it was the second of three untitled coloring book stories appearing in the anthology A Book to Color. The story was edited for its reprinting in Coloring Book C1856 in 1975.

In this story, the inhabitants of Circo were found anesthetized by odorous plants.

Summary
The USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) traveled to Earth for shore leave. While there, James T. Kirk and Spock watched a pair of astronauts training in zero gravity, with Kirk remarking that they should take some training lessons. Kirk also visited his family home. Unfortunately, leave was cut short when an emergency arose on the planet Circo.

When the Enterprise entered orbit, Spock detected no activity on the surface. Kirk, Spock, Hikaru Sulu and a crewman beamed down. Sulu immediately noticed unusual plants with sunflower-like centers all over the place. Everyone seemed to be unconscious: one person was found asleep in his groundcar, with a boy and his dog sleeping near a tree. Suddenly the strange plants floated over the landing party and seeds burst out. Sulu reported via his communicator that he smelt a sweet odor, then fell asleep. More plants assaulted the rest of the landing party. Kirk ordered everyone back to the ship.

Research scientists assessed images of the plants, then Leonard McCoy recommended that they be dried up. Kirk and Spock returned to the surface and sprayed a chemical defoliant on the plants, remarking that it would be several hours before people revived.

Sulu awoke and felt better. Once back on the ship, he and Spock drank coffee.

Characters

 * Aurelan Kirk • Brett Kirk • James T. Kirk • Leonard McCoy • Robbie Kirk • Spock • Hikaru Sulu • Nyota Uhura • unnamed Starfleet personnel

Starships and vehicles

 * USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) ( heavy cruiser) • groundcar

Locations

 * Circo/Onyx XIII • Earth (Riverside, Iowa)

Races and cultures

 * Human • Vulcan

Science and technology

 * chemical • communicator • defoliant • magnifying glass • microtape reader • transporter • tricorder

Ranks and titles

 * astronaut • captain • doctor • Federation Starfleet ranks (2260s) • research scientist • Starfleet ranks

Other references

 * anesthesia • assignment patch • beam • bridge • Circo sleeping plant • coffee • dog • donut • flower • hour • house • life • minute • observation port • plant • poison • shore leave • sleep • spoon • star • Starfleet uniform • Starfleet uniform (2265-2270) • sunflower • transporter room • tree • well • zero gravity

Chronology

 * The Saalfield coloring book stories take place immediately prior to . Kirk referenced the episode at the end of the third story.

Production history

 * 1967 : First printed in the anthology A Book to Color (Saalfield Publishing)
 * 1975 : Updated as the first of two stories in the anthology Coloring Book C1856 (Saalfield Publishing)

Background

 * The page showing Spock's emergency repairs was expanded into an original story in 1975, Coloring Book C1862, second story.
 * Aurelan Kirk, Brett Kirk, Robbie Kirk and Riverside, Iowa were not cited by name. Their identities were deduced in the scene of Kirk shown sitting on the front steps of a residence stating that he was happy to be "home again". As the woman was too young to be Kirk's mother Winona Kirk, that left Kirk's sister-in-law Aurelan. Only two children were depicted, both appearing to be younger than Peter Kirk as seen in, making them Aurelan's two other children. Their names were cited as Brett and Robbie in , though given other names in other sources.
 * The origin of the plants, whether native or invasive, was not mentioned.
 * Ship's scientists studied drawings of the plants rather than tricorder data, perhaps so the drawings could be colored in by readers.
 * Leonard McCoy was not drawn to resemble DeForest Kelley.

Edition differences

 * Preface
 * In the 1967 edition, before the Enterprise returned to Earth, a group unknown aliens watched the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) and Spock made emergency repairs.
 * In the 1975 edition, the aliens' scene was expanded and moved to the anthology's third story. The illustration of Spock making repairs was incorporated into a new story, Coloring Book C1862, second story.
 * Character introductions
 * In the 1967 edition, the characters were introduced in A Book to Color, first story. Nyota Uhura's name was spelled "Uhara". Leonard McCoy was identified only as the ship's doctor.
 * In the 1975 edition, Uhura's name was spelled correctly. Sulu was not introduced or named, even though he was the first character to speak. McCoy remained unnamed.
 * Use of "Onyx"
 * In the 1967 edition, Onyx XIII was the name of the planet visited by the Enterprise.
 * In the 1975 edition, the observing aliens were from the planet Onyx. The planet's name was Circo.
 * Groundcar interior
 * In the 1967 edition, the vehicle looked like a 20th century automobile, with a door and handle visible.
 * In the 1975 edition, the vehicle looked more futuristic, with a single-seat cockpit.
 * Coffee break
 * In the 1967 edition, Sulu and Spock shared coffee after the events of A Book to Color, third story.
 * In the 1975 edition, they took a two-page coffee break after the events of this story.

External link

 * A Book to Color, second story article at PlaidStallions website.