A Book to Color, second story was the third licensed Star Trek: The Original Series story. Published by Saalfield Publishing in 1967, 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 travels to Earth for shore leave. While there, James T. Kirk and Spock watch a pair of astronauts training in zero gravity, with Kirk remarking that they should take some training lessons. Kirk also visits his family home. Unfortunately, leave is cut short when an emergency arises on the planet Circo.
When the Enterprise enters orbit, Spock detects no activity on the surface. Kirk, Spock, Hikaru Sulu and a crewman beam down. Sulu immediately notices unusual plants with sunflower-like centers all over the place. Everyone seems to be unconscious: one person is found asleep in his groundcar, with a boy and his dog sleeping near a tree. Suddenly the strange plants float over the landing party and seeds burst out. Sulu reports via his communicator that he smells a sweet odor, then falls asleep. More plants assault the rest of the landing party. Kirk orders everyone back to the ship.
Research scientists assess images of the plants, then Leonard McCoy recommends that they be dried up. Kirk and Spock return to the surface and spray a chemical defoliant on the plants, remarking that it will be several hours before people revived.
Sulu awakes and feels better. Once back on the ship, he and Spock drink coffee.
References[]
Characters[]
Starships and vehicles[]
Locations[]
Races and cultures[]
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 • star • Starfleet uniform • Starfleet uniform (2265-2270) • sunflower • transporter room • tree • well • zero gravity
Timeline[]
Chronology[]
- The Saalfield coloring book stories take place immediately prior to TOS episode: "This Side of Paradise". Kirk references 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)
Appendices[]
Background[]
- The entire planet's population of two billion had been anesthetized, but the story only showed the initial use of the defoliant. The process of curing the problem worldwide was not shown. The origin of the plants, whether native or invasive, was also not explored.
- 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 and Spock made emergency repairs.
- In the 1975 edition, the aliens' scene was expanded and moved to the anthology's third story. The one-page illustration of Spock making repairs was incorporated into a new story, Coloring Book C1862, second story. The shore leave scenes were omitted; the story began as the Enterprise arrived at Circo.
- 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"
- 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.
Images[]
Connections[]
| published order | ||
|---|---|---|
| Previous story: A Book to Color, first story |
TOS coloring book stories | Next story: A Book to Color, third story |
External link[]
- A Book to Color, second story article at PlaidStallions website.