The immortal... There was no place for Humans in his scheme of life! — "This Tree Bears Bitter Fruit" was the 47th issue of Gold Key Comics' 1967 ongoing series of Star Trek comics, written by George Kashdan & Doug Drexler and illustrated by Alden McWilliams.
Contents
Summary[edit | edit source]
On course to New Paris colony, three plant-like pods are detected near the Enterprise, registering on Mister Spock's sensors as lifeforms of pure energy and considerable intelligence. When Captain James T. Kirk orders investigation, the pods ignore communications hailing frequencies. When Kirk orders Lieutenant Hikaru Sulu to pilot the ship closer, an energy discharge from the pods shuts down all shipboard power. Scotty's engineering station reports damage to circuitry. The pod restored the ships power only after distancing themselves. The pods change course to Beta Niobe III, and Kirk orders the ship to follow. In order to safeguard the technologically-advanced civilization on that planet, a landing party of Kirk, Spock and Doctor Leonard McCoy beams down. Three humanoid-shaped beings made of energy emerge from the pods, disintegrating everything in their path as they move about. McCoy asserts the lifeforms are using osmosis to process the vaporized material. Kirk fires a phaser stun at one of the beings, but it destroys his phaser pistol. The beings feed for a while, but do not kill any inhabitants or harm their dwellings, and quickly depart for space.
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References[edit | edit source]
Characters[edit | edit source]
- Pavel Chekov • James T. Kirk • Leonard McCoy • Montgomery Scott • Spock • Hikaru Sulu • Nyota Uhura • Zhyopha • unnamed USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) personnel (USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) personnel)
Starships and vehicles[edit | edit source]
Locations[edit | edit source]
- Beta Niobe III (Beta Niobe star system; the galaxy's Alpha or Beta Quadrants) • uncharted planetoids (Gamma Cygnet region)
- Referenced only
- Memory Alpha • New Paris colony (New Paris)
Races and cultures[edit | edit source]
- Human • Vulcan • space beings
- Referenced only
- Organian • Zetarian
Science and technology[edit | edit source]
- computer • circuit • engineering • engineering station • evolution • hailing frequency • intercom • osmosis • phaser • phaser pistol • pistol • sensor • Sestra phaser II • spacecraft • starship • technology • time • transporter • tricorder • type-2 phaser
States and organizations[edit | edit source]
- Federation • Starfleet (command division • operations division • sciences division) • Starfleet Command
Ranks and titles[edit | edit source]
- captain • chief engineer • chief medical officer • commander • commanding officer • communications officer • doctor • pilot • engineer • ensign • Federation Starfleet ranks • Federation Starfleet ranks (2260s) • first officer • helmsman • horticulturist • lieutenant • lieutenant commander • medical practitioner • navigator • officer • science officer • mister • tactical officer • weapons officer
Other references[edit | edit source]
- alien • anatomy • atmosphere • beam • captain's log • clothing • command chair • communications • communicator • conn • energy • USS Enterprise personnel • five-year mission • helm • humanoid • lifeform • log entry • matter • medicine • navigation • plant • planet • quadrant • races and cultures • rank • saucer section • space • secondary hull • shark • star • star system • stardate • Starfleet uniform • Starfleet uniform (2265-2270) • stun • title • Tree of Life • uniform • universe • warp drive • weapon
Chronology[edit | edit source]
- stardate 67:32.4, 2269 (2260s chronology, 2264–2270 Enterprise voyages)
- Enterprise changes course for Beta Niobe.
Appendices[edit | edit source]
Background[edit | edit source]
- The Enterprise's visit to a planet in the Beta Niobe system indicates this story takes place prior to the supernova of that star in this same year, 2269, as depicted in TOS episode: "All Our Yesterdays".
- Zhyopha claims to be an immortal Human who has been growing the space beings' tree for eons, but it is not clear if he was actually that long-lived. Immortals such as Flint or Morgan Primus have been documented as having a similar ability in other sources.
- A tree's height is limited by the laws of physics affecting how water moves from the trunk to the leaves. The tallest living tree on Earth is a 379 foot-tall redwood. To be hundreds of miles tall, the Tree of Life's biology must have been more complex than that of a normal tree, or its appearance augmented by illusion or projection. (Tree Heights article at the Northern Woodlands website)
- Co-author Doug Drexler described his volunteer contributions to this story as a script polish and edit, including adding callbacks to the Metrons and Organians. Gold Key Comics' offices were near the Federation Trading Post where Drexler worked at that time in New York City. He also provided the creative team with reference materials. (Drawing Trek Podcast, Episode 33, 29:30-44:00)
Related Stories[edit | edit source]
- TOS comic: "The Choice" – Similar to Zhyopha’s claim that the Tree of Life originated in a previous universe, the USS Enterprise encountered a Kirk and an Enterprise from a universe that existed prior to the Big Bang.
- TOS comic: "The Tree of Life, the Branches of Heaven" – In 2289, Kirk, Spock and McCoy encountered an illusion of the Tree of Life.
- TOS episode: "Errand of Mercy", the Organians
- TOS episode: "The Lights of Zetar", the Zetarians
- TOS episode: "All Our Yesterdays", Beta Niobe
- TOS episode: "The Galileo Seven", New Paris colony
Images[edit | edit source]
Connections[edit | edit source]
| Published Order | ||
|---|---|---|
| Previous comic: Mr. Oracle |
TOS comics (Gold Key) | Next comic: Murder on the Enterprise |
| Previous story: The Mimicking Menace |
Stories by: George Kashdan |
Next story: A Warp in Space |
| Previous story: Star Trek Poster Books magazine series |
Stories by: Doug Drexler |
Next story: Sweet Smell of Evil Gold Key Comics |
| Chronological Order | ||
| Previous adventure: All of Me |
Memory Beta Chronology | Next adventure: The Patrian Transgression |
External links[edit | edit source]
- This Tree Bears Bitter Fruit article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.
- Tree of life article at Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
