Passage to Moauv


Summary
"Captain's log, stardate 5440. The  has been ordered to transport the pet waul of the Moauvian ambassador from Centaurus Base to his home world of Moauv. We are proceeding on course… as rapidly as possible."

As Captain Kirk attempts to record his captain's log, he is constantly interrupted by the ambassador's waul, a feline-type creature, which is nervously wailing and meowing. With the help of Yeoman Prentiss, Dr. McCoy takes the animal down to sickbay to house it with the experimental animals. The Enterprise is two standard weeks and six and a half hours from the planet of Moauv, a neutral world near both the Federation and Klingon Empire. Spock notes that the Moauvians are an advanced and logical people.

As Spock and Kirk discuss affection for animals, McCoy radios the bridge to inform Kirk that the waul has escaped, and that they cannot find it. He also reports that Prentiss' arm is bleeding. Kirk delegates Spock to take a security team to look for it, seals off the decks above and below sickbay, and uses the intercom to inform the crew of what has happened.

Spock meets up with Prentiss and McCoy, and as they describe the situation to him, he meows in response, but thinks that they are joking when they mention it. As Spock directs the security team, both McCoy and Prentiss also begin making cat-like noises and snarls. On the bridge, Uhura tells Kirk that she is getting reports of fights breaking out on sickbay level, and that she is also hearing cat-like sounds.

Kirk tells Uhura to locate Spock, just as Spock enters the bridge, covered in scratches and with his uniform shirt torn to shreds. Spock tells him that they had the animal cornered and he suddenly felt a sense of fear, and not a logical fear. The security officers with him were reacting in a similar manner. Spock surmises that the waul is projecting a very powerful telepathic field that is causing panic, fear, and the cat-like noises to be made.

Kirk contacts the ambassador, Oavid, to report that his pet, Ewass, is loose and causing trouble. Oavid tells Kirk that he will be filing a formal protest, but tells them that the more frightened Ewass becomes, the more difficult it will be to approach him. He recommends shooting the animal with tranquilizers from a distance, but the Enterprise does not have the necessary drugs on hand and it would be impossible to shoot around corners like those in the ship's interior. The Ambassador is very dismissive and ends the transmission, saying he has to meet shortly with another diplomat. 

Kirk and Spock decide to approach the creature with a net, but as they near it, they are both overcome by panic and fear. Spock attacks Kirk, stopping when Lieutenant M'Ress approaches them. M'Ress, apparently unaffected by the telepathy, approaches the waul. As she does, the panic and fear subsides. The creature seems to have taken to the lieutenant and begins purring happily. Spock deduces that it is because M'Ress is also of feline ancestry and can empathize with the animal. Kirk relieves her of her communications duties for the remainder of the trip and delegates her as the caretaker for the waul.

On the bridge, Kirk contacts Oavid again, informing him that they have managed to calm the animal. Oavid thanks them and asks them to be gentle with Ewass over the remainder of the voyage as Ewass is pregnant, and they can expect six to ten baby wauls before they arrive at Moauv. Kirk tells Spock to inform M'Ress that she is about to become a mother shortly and to inform McCoy to prepare for the impending births.

Memorable quotes
"I confess, Captain, that for a change I find myself empathizing with Dr. McCoy. This is a considerable disappointment."
"For me too, Spock."
 - Spock and Kirk

"Mr. Spock… you all right?"
"Yes, Captain. I must report myself under arrest for assaulting…"
"No, Spock. You had no control over your thoughts."
 - Kirk and Spock, after Spock attacked Kirk and the panic subsided

Background information
 This story was sometimes accompanied by a comic book telling of the story. The comic book did make some errors in character depiction however:
 Sulu is shown as a black man in a blue science uniform.
 Uhura is shown as a blond Caucasian woman.
 M'Ress is shown with green hair, blue skin, and no feline features.
 Spock mentions his pet sehlat, referencing  and .

Releases
 This story was released a total of six times during the Peter Pan Records run. It could be found on records #1, #5, #11 (a re-release of #1), #12, #14 (a re-release of #5), and #23 (the final record released).

Characters

Regular and recurring
 James T. Kirk  's commanding officer, a Starfleet captain.
 Spock  Half-Vulcan Enterprise XO and science officer, a Starfleet commander.
 Leonard McCoy  Enterprise CMO, a Starfleet doctor with the rank of lieutenant commander. 
 Uhura Starfleet lieutenant serving as Enterprise communications officer. This story's comic edition is the first of many times Uhura is incorrectly portrayed with light skin and blond hair, seemingly because of a mistake by the color artists.
 Hikaru Sulu Enterprise helmsman, a Starfleet lieutenant. This story's comic edition is the first of many times Sulu is incorrectly portrayed with dark skin, curly hair and blue sciences division uniform, possibly because of a mistaken association (by the colorist or ink artists) of his name with the African warrior name "Zulu".
 M'Ress  Caitian Starfleet lieutenant who was the Enterprise relief communications officer. M'Ress was shown in the comic with green hair, blue skin, and no feline features (besides her "purr" accent).
 Christine Chapel  Starfleet nurse assigned to the Enterprise. She had no dialogue in this story.

Others
 Prentiss  Enterprise sciences division yeoman.
 Gebson  Enterprise security officer.
 Oavid  Moauvian ambassador to the Federation.
 Ewass  Oavid's pet waul.

References
 Moauv  Homeworld of the Moauvians, and a planet near the border between the Federation and Klingon Empire.
 PAQ M and LQ  Two Moauvian tranquilizer drugs.
 Sehlat  A pet that Spock once had.
 Waul  A Moauvian animal that is a cross between "a nervous bobcat and a furry lizard".

Audio dramas
Comics