The Man Who Trained Meteors


Summary
"Captain's log, stardate 95.801. The starship Enterprise has entered the Pylar solar system, a warm comfortable realm with 12 planets orbiting around a medium-sized yellow sun. Our mission is to check the colonists of Perinda IV, a new Federation-settled planet. According to Starbase's last report, the world is one of the richest, lushest, most peaceful settlements in the known universe."

As the Enterprise approaches Perinda IV, they detect a massive swarm of meteors headed for the capital city, Perinda City. Unfortunately there is nothing they can do; the meteors become meteorites and destroy the city. Uhura picks up a distress signal from the survivors. In the short garbled transmission, the caller begs for help from the Enterprise, and warns of a mad man who poses a great threat. 

Kirk and fellows decide to beam down to the planet. When they arrive they see the devastation caused by the impacts. As the survivors slowly come out of their underground shelters, Kirk recognizes Tulid Yorker, the governor of the settlement.

Governor Yorker reveals to Kirk that a mad man had threatened them with destruction unless they evacuated the planet. Kirk is skeptical.

Back on the Enterprise, Scotty is nervous. Uhura picks up a transmission from the middle of a meteor field. It is a threat to leave the system or they will be destroyed die. Uhura cannot trace the signal, so Scotty goes to his engineering room, to work on problem. Sure enough, Scotty uses his incredible machinery to pinpoint the source of the transmission.

Kirk, Spock, and Scotty jump into a shuttlecraft and set a course for the source. Scotty reveals that the signal comes from under the surface of a large meteor in the field. He further suspects that it is hollow, and the mad man lives there. They land on the meteor, but as they prepare to leave the craft, a voice contacts them and tells them he will guide the shuttlecraft inside the meteor where there is a breathable atmosphere.

They are guided inside and meet Teranius, who claims he deserves to rule all of space. He explains his telekinetic powers. 

Kirk pretends to agree with Teranius, asking him to return to the Enterprise, so that they can help him take his rightful place as ruler. Scotty doesn't realize Kirk's plan and tries to tackle Teranius. Teranius freezes all motion and makes the Humans into zombie-men. He orders Scotty to return to the Enterprise and blow it up. Scotty heads off to obey the command.

Unfortunately for Teranius, Spock's Vulcan mind is unaffected. He mind-locks the psycho, and Kirk calls back to the Enterprise to warn them about Scotty, but the meteors are blocking the signal. 

Spock uses his mental lock on Teranius to move the meteors through his mind. Kirk beams back with Spock and the unconscious Teranius. 

Scotty is about to destroy the ship, but he hesitates and Kirk knocks him down. The spell is broken and Scotty is himself again.

Memorable quotes
"Greetings! … I am Teranius, ruler of this world, and soon to be emperor of all space!"

"Emperor? Why you little bald runt of a whithered old weasel, you have a lot to answer to, man, about destroying a Federation outpost on Perinda IV. "
- Teranius and Scotty

Background information

Releases
 This story was released twice during the Peter Pan Records run. It could be found on Records #15 and #22.

Nitpicks
 Like other later releases in the Peter Pan Records series, the Stardate used does not correspond to the standard format for the dating system.

Characters

 James T. Kirk  Enterprise captain.
 Scotty  The noble Chief Engineer of the Enterprise.
 Spock Enterprise exec and science officer.
 Uhura  Enterprise communications officer.
 Leonard McCoy  Enterprise surgeon.
 Tulid Yorker  Federation-appointed governor of Perinda City.
 Teranius  A malevolent mad man who makes massive meteors move with his menacing mental might. He lives in a hollowed-out meteor which is also called Teranius.
 Frank Tanka  Mister Frank Tanka was a crewmember of the Enterprise.

References
 Pylar solar system  A warm, comfortable, realm with 12 planets orbiting a medium-sized yellow sun
 Perinda IV  A rich, lush, and peaceful settlement.
 Perinda City  Capital colony of Perinda IV. The city is destroyed by Teranius' meteors attack.
 Code One distress signal  A very urgent distress signal.
 Meteor and Meteorite  Spock gives a great lesson on the difference between the two, to Mr. Scott, who apparently doesn't know. Meteors enter a planet's atmosphere, if they survive the passage through the atmosphere and impact the planet, they are called meteorites.
 Teranius  The hollowed-out inside of a massive meteor. It has an atmosphere suitable for humans. It is ruled by a man who is also named Teranius.

Man Who Trained Meteors, The