Star Trek fanfiction (unfinished)

The USS Enterprise had been on schedule for a routine patrol of a certain sector of the galaxy they were visiting, when Spock had received readings of life forms on a nearby planet. Very sparsely populated, seemingly only a small colony had settled, and an even smaller amount had survived. Captain Kirk ordered a landing party to beam down to the surface to investigate: himself, his first officer Spock, the chief medical officer McCoy, helmsman Sulu, and two security guards.

To the crew's surprise, the planet seemed like that out of a fairy tale—the air smelled of freshly cut melon, and the water flowing in the stream nearby was purple. Everything was vibrant and rich in color.

As the small landing party approached the coordinates for the nearby village, the men all looked around in wonder. The sky was perfectly blue, the clouds fluffy and white, the grass so green, and the unfamiliar plants looked almost appetizing. The trees that sprawled the low hills they ventured had white trunks, and the leaves were lush yellows and oranges, as if it were autumn, yet the weather was pleasantly warm. The ambience made them all feel a sense of contentment—even Spock. 

A stream of glistening purple water flowed near them, never straying far from their designated path. Even the water's gurgling sounded joyous. The water was a clear sign they were close to the village, likely being a water source for a lake, maybe a bathing area. The stream widened and deepened, becoming a river, which did in fact lead to a small lake outside the outskirts of the village.

The village itself was quaint, and matched the aesthetic of the planet's flora. The houses were small, painted pastel colors in purples, pinks, blues, yellows, and even more. It reminded the men of a little girl's dollhouse, full of whimsy.

Spock, who was leading the party by the coordinates on his communicator, slowed down considerably about 50 feet away from the small town's entrance. "Captain, the houses are silent," he reported, turning to Kirk.

"But there are still readings of life forms," Bones said, glancing at his tricorder. "The instruments don't lie, Mr Spock."

"Nor do my Vulcan ears, Doctor," Spock replied, turning back to face the small settlement before them.

One of the guards spoke up, causing the others to turn.

"I don't like this," he said, hand hovering near the phaser on his hip. "It's suspicious."

"Suspicious? Lighten up, Reg," Sulu drawled, a lazy grin on his face. That feeling of contentment seemed to have sunk into him. He seemed much more mellow. "This place is pretty spectacular to me."

"Fascinating," Spock murmured, watching Sulu. Then said to Kirk and McCoy, "The atmosphere may contain chemicals which trigger such...effects. Which may explain the particular scent of fruit. It's the planet of contentment."

"I'm not very content," Reg grumbled, crossing his arms, though his fingers still itched to grab his weapon.

Presently, there came a noise from the hamlet, reminding the party of their task at hand: investigate the life forms.

As they made their way into the town center, the other security guard said, "Sounds like singing."

"Not very good singing," McCoy grunted, frowning at the sound. "Whoever that is should've had a glass of water first."

More voices rose, joining with the initial vocals, which were still clear above the others. Together, they worked in tandem to create a rich, flowing sound. A musician's equivalent to spreading soft butter on fresh toast. Sulu swayed slightly with the pitch and rhythm. However, Reg remained wary.

"Where are they? The voices are loud but there are no people," he asked suspiciously.

"I do not know," Spock admitted, just as puzzled. "It seems to echo through the entire settlement, but there's no designated point where it's coming from. Interesting."

"Mechanical devices?" Kirk suggested, turning around in a circle to look above. "Speakers?"

"Perhaps," Spock agreed, looking at Sulu, who was oblivious to the discussion. "Mr Sulu." Sulu's eyes met Spock's, though recognition took a moment longer than it should have.

"Mr Spock!" he said, as if greeting a friend one hadn't seen in years. "Don't you hear? They call us! We must go. They're waiting! The maidens are waiting!" He grabbed Spock's wrist and tugged, pulling him in the direction of the dense forest behind a row of town houses. When Spock didn't budge, Sulu simply tsked and walked off alone, not even bidding goodbye.

"The voices must be hypnotic to a degree," Kirk mused, watching Sulu head into the forest. "Harry, go with Mr Sulu. Make sure he doesn't get into any trouble."

The other security guard glanced at Reg, before nodding and complying with Kirk's instructions. He too then headed into the forest behind Sulu.

"Jim. The voices," McCoy began, reaching out to touch Kirk's shoulder. "I'm... I'm seeing visions. Of...very specific things. My wants. My..." He shuddered. "My desires. How..."

"Most fascinating," Spock said, quirking an eyebrow. "Like a siren's call." He looked to Kirk. "Captain, I report seeing no visions. Have you?"

Kirk shook his head. "No. At least, not yet anyway. Harry didn't make any indication that he was, either."

They all turned to Reg expectantly.

"None, sirs," the guard said gruffly. "I have no wants. I'm perfectly happy where I am."

"I guess it can only affect you if you're currently...longing for something," Kirk said slowly.

"Or someone," McCoy muttered under his breath. Spock glanced at him curiously and opened his mouth to say something, but the glare he got from the doctor made it clear that now was not the time for smart remarks.

"Indeed, like a siren's call. Most curious."

Kirk flipped open his communicator. "Harry," he said, turning the dile to reduce radio interference. No response. "Harry, come in. Status report," he tried again, still to no avail. Just static silence.

"Captain," Spock said, grabbing Kirk's attention. "The voices are changing. There is a new addition. It sounds like Mr Sulu."

Reg immediately pulled out his phaser. "Harry?" he asked, to which the Vulcan shook his head. Panic crossed Reg's face. "We need to go! He could be hurt, or worse!" His face flushed at his open display of worry, before he added, "And Sulu... He could've been brainwashed! We need to go and find them, and fast!"

Kirk nodded, already starting off towards the forest at a brisk pace. "Bones, do you have adequate supplies for worst case scenario?" McCoy simply huffed, trudging along behind Spock. "It's the basics, but most of it'll suffice if we're in a pinch."

Reg broke out into a run, clearly agitated, and disappeared into the thick greenery. 

"Reg!" Kirk called after him, forced to also run, which caused the entire party to sprint to catch up.

"Harry! Harry!" Reg shouted, though none of the other crew could spot him. "Harry, where are you?"

They heard rustling, then silence, aside from the consistent siren's song.

McCoy shifted restlessly next to Kirk. "Jim... It's getting harder to... ignore," he managed, slightly out of breath. "The visions... They feel so real... So... Real..." His eyes glazed over and the corners of his mouth curved up into a soft, dreamy smile.

"Bones!" Kirk exclaimed, grabbing the chief medic's shoulders and shaking. "Bones, wake up, man! Snap out of it, it's just a dream! A fantasy!"

Spock glanced between them and the direction Reg had gone. "Captain... We could perhaps... follow Dr McCoy. Let him lead us to the voices."

"Assuming it's not a trap," Kirk murmured. Spock nodded. "Yes, Captain."

"Alright." Kirk reluctantly released McCoy, who chuckled softly to himself and immediately began walking away. Spock and Kirk followed suit.

"Spock," Kirk murmured, glancing at his first officer as they walked side by side. Spock met his gaze. "Yes, Captain?"

"Did you see... Did you notice how restless Reg was when when didn't hear from Harry?" Kirk furrowed his brow, as if deep in thought. "Do you think something is...going on between them?"

"Captain," Spock began plainly, his expression still neutral. "I do not believe it is our place to theorize as to what our crew members' interpersonal relationships are like."

Kirk sighed. "I should've assumed that'd be the answer you'd give me," he said with an eye roll. Spock smirked almost imperceptibly.

"However, Captain," he added, "if we were to theorize... I must say, they seem much closer than what might be considered 'just friends'." Kirk grinned. "My thoughts exactly, Mr Spock." Then he put on a straight face. "But of course, like you said, we aren't to assume or bet on it." 

"It's none of our business," Spock agreed.

As their conversation ended, so did the density of the forest. Ahead of them, the trees thinned out into a small glade, with a lake in the center. The water there was also purple, glittering with specks of green from the offlight of the trees. Rocks jutted out of the water, and on the rocks were—

"Sulu!" Kirk shouted, momentarily distracted from the fact that McCoy was about to plunge straight into the lavender water. Spock grabbed the doctor by the collar of his shirt, yanking him back onto land, then pinched the nerve at the base of his neck to make McCoy black out temporarily.

Sulu was sitting on the rocks, along with a few other people. All women. All singing.

"The sirens," Spock whispered.