Mind-Sifter

Mind-Sifter
Attribution
Series:	The Original Series
Author(s):	Shirley S. Maiewski
Publication information
Printed:	The New Voyages
Chronology
Date:	1950s; 2267
Stardate:	after 3134.0

"Mind-Sifter" is a Star Trek (TOS) short story by Shirley S. Maiewski, published in the anthology The New Voyages in March 1976.

Summary

Captain Kirk is stranded on 1950s Earth in a mental hospital, having been abducted by Kor, subjected to a Klingon mind sifter, and transported through the Guardian of Forever. Spock is promoted to captain and spends a year looking for Kirk.

References

Characters

Blair (reporter) • Christine Chapel • Pavel Chekov • Fred • Guardian of Forever • Jan Hamlin • Josephs • James T. Kirk • Kyle • M'Benga • Leonard McCoy • José Méndez • Kevin Riley • Montgomery Scott • Spock • Hikaru Sulu • Thomas (engineer) • Frank Thomas • Nyota Uhura • Leonard Wright

Referenced only

God • Edith Keeler • Kor • Superman

Christine Chapel.

Pavel Chekov.

Guardian of Forever.

Josephs.

James T. Kirk.

Kyle.

M'Benga.

Leonard McCoy.

José Mendez.

Kevin Riley.

Scotty.

Spock.

Hikaru Sulu.

Nyota Uhura.

Starships and vehicles

car • USS Enterprise (Constitution-class heavy cruiser) • USS Lexington (Constitution-class heavy cruiser) • UFO

Enterprise.

Lexington.

Locations

Earth.

the galaxy's Alpha Quadrant

Earth (Korea) • Talos IV

the galaxy's Beta Quadrant

Omicron Ceti III • Organia • Gateway • Starbase 11 • unnamed "Open Planet"

Races and cultures

Human (Oriental) • Klingon • Organian • Vulcan

States and organizations

Klingon Empire • United Federation of Planets (Starfleet: Starfleet Command) • United States of America (Federal Bureau of Investigation • United States Military Forces: United States Army, United States Marine Corps, United States Navy)

Other references

American English • Berthold ray • boatswain's pipe • boot • casserole • coffee • dress • fork • grass • jacket • mind-sifter • Saurian brandy • selector • spoon • straitjacket • subcutaneous transponder • sweater • tape • transporter • turbolift • uniform • water

Chronology

1950s decade

2267

Appendices

Related media

• DS9 - Strange New Worlds IV short story: "Isolation Ward 4"

Background

The absence of Captain Kirk from the Enterprise for an entire year, and Spock's temporary promotion and uniform change make this story difficult to reconcile with the timeline later established in canon. One possibility is that the use of the Guardian of Forever caused the reversion of these events from the characters' history, even though they might still carry memories of these events.

Connections

Timeline

published order
Previous story: The Winged Dreamers	The New Voyages	Next story: Sonnet from the Vulcan: Omicron Ceti Three
chronological order
Previous Adventure: As Others See Us	Pocket	Next Adventure: If I Lose Thee...