Post by magicmuggle01 on Jul 8, 2019 10:30:23 GMT
The exploits of Fleet Captain Garth.
"I am master of the universe, and I must claim my domain."
– Garth of Izar, 2268 ("Whom Gods Destroy")
Garth of Izar was a decorated, highly regarded officer in the Federation Starfleet and former starship captain, who rose to rank of fleet captain in the course of his service through the mid-23rd century. His career dissolved in a dramatic descent into madness and attempted genocide, resulting in his commitment to the Elba II asylum for the criminally insane.
Biography
Starfleet's fallen hero
Garth emerged from Starfleet Academy to make good on his promise as a star pupil. Among contemporaries like Captains Pike and Garrovick, Garth became known as an eminent explorer, with a distinguished record for charting new worlds. As a tactician, he was a pivotal figure in the Federation victory at the crucial Battle of Axanar. His exploits were immortalized in his own time, becoming required reading at the Academy and inspiring members of a new wave of young officers.
His legacy was tarnished following the accident that left him badly maimed. The gentle beings of Antos IV nursed him in his darkest hour, and gifted him with their technique of cellular metamorphosis to repair his mangled body. In gratitude, he "offered them the galaxy" – an offer refused. By this point, he was no longer the honored captain of the history books, and his diseased mind found such offense in Antos' rejection that he ordered his forces to annihilate the entire species. Whatever loyalty he once inspired in his crews vanished, and they refused his order. Federation authorities deemed it appropriate that Garth be sent to an asylum for the criminally insane. By 2268, he was in a ward of Elba II.
Exile on Elba II
"Lord" Garth
The isolated asylum was a formidable cage to house the fifteen most incorrigibly dangerous and unstable outcasts of Federation society. Beyond internal security measures, the facility was surrounded by a powerful force field that blocked transporter activity and could even withstand the orbital bombardment from a starship. Outside the asylum dome on the planet's surface was no option considering Elba II's poisonous atmosphere. Effectively blocked from escape, Garth was limited to whatever freedoms he could find within the asylum.
Garth's sanity may have abandoned him, but his cleverness remained. In the time following his convalescence on Antos IV, Garth had secretly expanded his control of the transformative gift that had saved his life. Far beyond repairing damaged flesh, Garth amassed enough skill to assume the appearance of others, down to the sound of their voice and their clothing. He revealed his talent by taking the form of the asylum's Governor, Donald Cory, and convincing a guard to release him from his cell. The inmates were soon running the asylum, and all of them swore allegiance to their benefactor, "Lord" Garth.
The self-styled potentate stoked his dreams of empire-building while he reinforced his control over a petty kingdom. He manufactured a chemical explosive of substantial strength from available materials (and claimed it was the most potent weapon in history) and transformed a rehabilitation chair into an instrument of torture – taking great pleasure in tormenting his former overseer, Governor Cory. He found the time to court the most beautiful woman on the planet, eventually taking her as his "royal consort." The green-skinned pathogical liar Marta consistently tested Garth's infantile patience, but he endured her, as the seductive dancer was the only woman on the planet.
Queen to Queen's level three
Garth's best chance to escape his exile came as the USS Enterprise entered orbit around Elba II for the delivery of revolutionary new medicines. Garth greeted Captain James T. Kirk and his first officer, Spock, in the genial guise of Donald Cory, and presented the asylum's image as the visiting officers expected, including viewing inmates in their cells. All except Garth's supposed cell, inhabited by a practically crucified Governor Cory. Once the Enterprise officers were secured, Garth revealed himself and declared his ambitions for galactic domination, backed by his new cadre of followers, "the future masters of the universe".
The form of Kirk seized his long-awaited moment of escape, and Garth contacted the Enterprise, asking to be beamed aboard. Chief Engineer Scott, at the conn, answered the request with a chess-code challenge, "Queen to Queen's level three," dashing Garth's hope for a prompt escape. Garth raged that his great escape had been so easily countered. Garth insisted he would "shatter every bone in Captain Kirk's body" to gain control of the Enterprise. Moments later, he invited Kirk and Spock to a little dinner and light entertainment.
Spock's choice
Kirk, who professed to hero-worship, and Spock endured Garth's musings on his greatness. Flattery and offers of command in Garth's fleets were answered with reminders of Garth's former life and some key benefits of the formation of the Federation. A subtle segue into Kirk's thoughts on chess revealed nothing, faithless Marta's attempt to seduce (and kill) Kirk failed. Impersonating Spock, in a third attempt to learn the chess counter-phrase, was useless. A magnificent self-coronation ceremony and bestowing the honor of "heir apparent" left Kirk unimpressed. Even sacrificing Marta to the elements of Elba II and "mercifully" using her to demonstrate a sample of his new explosive, bore no fruit.
Garth's final gambit, once again assuming Kirk's visage in the hopes of confusing his first officer, was unable to prevent Spock's eventual identification of his true captain. Garth was subdued, and his followers were returned to their confinement. Cory and Dr. McCoy began to administer the new drug therapy to the asylum's patients with optimism.
Return to Sanity
Garth following treatment
Before the Enterprise departed, Kirk was at last able to catch a glimpse of the hero of his youth. With the help of the new medicine, Garth seemed to be emerging out of a fog, somewhat bewildered. Kirk identified himself and the name meant nothing, but the words "starship" and "captain" sunk in, and clearly held meaning. Garth raised his hand to shake Kirk's. (TOS: "Whom Gods Destroy")
Memorable quotes
"We are going to take the Enterprise. Do you hear me? We are going to take her if I have to shatter every bone in Captain Kirk's body."
- Garth, to his followers (TOS: "Whom Gods Destroy")
"I may have you beaten to death."
"No, you won't, because I am the most beautiful woman on this planet."
"You're the only woman on this planet, you stupid cow!"
- Garth and Marta, as she accuses him of jealousy (TOS: "Whom Gods Destroy")
"You wrote that?"
"Yesterday, as a matter of fact."
"It was written by an Earth man named Shakespeare a long time ago!"
"Which does not alter the fact that I wrote it again yesterday!"
- Garth and Marta, after she recites Sonnet XVIII (TOS: "Whom Gods Destroy")
"What is your reaction, Mr. Spock?"
"Well, I find it, uh, mildly interesting and somewhat nostalgic, if I understand the use of that word."
""Nostalgic?""
"Yes. It is somewhat reminiscent of the dances that Vulcan children do in nursery school. Of course, the children are not so… well-coordinated."
- Garth and Spock, during Marta's dance (TOS: "Whom Gods Destroy")
"You, Captain, are second only to me… as the finest military commander in the galaxy."
- Garth to Kirk (TOS: "Whom Gods Destroy")
"Should I know you, sir?""
"No…Captain."
- A newly cured Garth's inquiry to Kirk, having no recollection of his recent actions. (TOS: "Whom Gods Destroy")
"I am master of the universe, and I must claim my domain."
– Garth of Izar, 2268 ("Whom Gods Destroy")
Garth of Izar was a decorated, highly regarded officer in the Federation Starfleet and former starship captain, who rose to rank of fleet captain in the course of his service through the mid-23rd century. His career dissolved in a dramatic descent into madness and attempted genocide, resulting in his commitment to the Elba II asylum for the criminally insane.
Biography
Starfleet's fallen hero
Garth emerged from Starfleet Academy to make good on his promise as a star pupil. Among contemporaries like Captains Pike and Garrovick, Garth became known as an eminent explorer, with a distinguished record for charting new worlds. As a tactician, he was a pivotal figure in the Federation victory at the crucial Battle of Axanar. His exploits were immortalized in his own time, becoming required reading at the Academy and inspiring members of a new wave of young officers.
His legacy was tarnished following the accident that left him badly maimed. The gentle beings of Antos IV nursed him in his darkest hour, and gifted him with their technique of cellular metamorphosis to repair his mangled body. In gratitude, he "offered them the galaxy" – an offer refused. By this point, he was no longer the honored captain of the history books, and his diseased mind found such offense in Antos' rejection that he ordered his forces to annihilate the entire species. Whatever loyalty he once inspired in his crews vanished, and they refused his order. Federation authorities deemed it appropriate that Garth be sent to an asylum for the criminally insane. By 2268, he was in a ward of Elba II.
Exile on Elba II
"Lord" Garth
The isolated asylum was a formidable cage to house the fifteen most incorrigibly dangerous and unstable outcasts of Federation society. Beyond internal security measures, the facility was surrounded by a powerful force field that blocked transporter activity and could even withstand the orbital bombardment from a starship. Outside the asylum dome on the planet's surface was no option considering Elba II's poisonous atmosphere. Effectively blocked from escape, Garth was limited to whatever freedoms he could find within the asylum.
Garth's sanity may have abandoned him, but his cleverness remained. In the time following his convalescence on Antos IV, Garth had secretly expanded his control of the transformative gift that had saved his life. Far beyond repairing damaged flesh, Garth amassed enough skill to assume the appearance of others, down to the sound of their voice and their clothing. He revealed his talent by taking the form of the asylum's Governor, Donald Cory, and convincing a guard to release him from his cell. The inmates were soon running the asylum, and all of them swore allegiance to their benefactor, "Lord" Garth.
The self-styled potentate stoked his dreams of empire-building while he reinforced his control over a petty kingdom. He manufactured a chemical explosive of substantial strength from available materials (and claimed it was the most potent weapon in history) and transformed a rehabilitation chair into an instrument of torture – taking great pleasure in tormenting his former overseer, Governor Cory. He found the time to court the most beautiful woman on the planet, eventually taking her as his "royal consort." The green-skinned pathogical liar Marta consistently tested Garth's infantile patience, but he endured her, as the seductive dancer was the only woman on the planet.
Queen to Queen's level three
Garth's best chance to escape his exile came as the USS Enterprise entered orbit around Elba II for the delivery of revolutionary new medicines. Garth greeted Captain James T. Kirk and his first officer, Spock, in the genial guise of Donald Cory, and presented the asylum's image as the visiting officers expected, including viewing inmates in their cells. All except Garth's supposed cell, inhabited by a practically crucified Governor Cory. Once the Enterprise officers were secured, Garth revealed himself and declared his ambitions for galactic domination, backed by his new cadre of followers, "the future masters of the universe".
The form of Kirk seized his long-awaited moment of escape, and Garth contacted the Enterprise, asking to be beamed aboard. Chief Engineer Scott, at the conn, answered the request with a chess-code challenge, "Queen to Queen's level three," dashing Garth's hope for a prompt escape. Garth raged that his great escape had been so easily countered. Garth insisted he would "shatter every bone in Captain Kirk's body" to gain control of the Enterprise. Moments later, he invited Kirk and Spock to a little dinner and light entertainment.
Spock's choice
Kirk, who professed to hero-worship, and Spock endured Garth's musings on his greatness. Flattery and offers of command in Garth's fleets were answered with reminders of Garth's former life and some key benefits of the formation of the Federation. A subtle segue into Kirk's thoughts on chess revealed nothing, faithless Marta's attempt to seduce (and kill) Kirk failed. Impersonating Spock, in a third attempt to learn the chess counter-phrase, was useless. A magnificent self-coronation ceremony and bestowing the honor of "heir apparent" left Kirk unimpressed. Even sacrificing Marta to the elements of Elba II and "mercifully" using her to demonstrate a sample of his new explosive, bore no fruit.
Garth's final gambit, once again assuming Kirk's visage in the hopes of confusing his first officer, was unable to prevent Spock's eventual identification of his true captain. Garth was subdued, and his followers were returned to their confinement. Cory and Dr. McCoy began to administer the new drug therapy to the asylum's patients with optimism.
Return to Sanity
Garth following treatment
Before the Enterprise departed, Kirk was at last able to catch a glimpse of the hero of his youth. With the help of the new medicine, Garth seemed to be emerging out of a fog, somewhat bewildered. Kirk identified himself and the name meant nothing, but the words "starship" and "captain" sunk in, and clearly held meaning. Garth raised his hand to shake Kirk's. (TOS: "Whom Gods Destroy")
Memorable quotes
"We are going to take the Enterprise. Do you hear me? We are going to take her if I have to shatter every bone in Captain Kirk's body."
- Garth, to his followers (TOS: "Whom Gods Destroy")
"I may have you beaten to death."
"No, you won't, because I am the most beautiful woman on this planet."
"You're the only woman on this planet, you stupid cow!"
- Garth and Marta, as she accuses him of jealousy (TOS: "Whom Gods Destroy")
"You wrote that?"
"Yesterday, as a matter of fact."
"It was written by an Earth man named Shakespeare a long time ago!"
"Which does not alter the fact that I wrote it again yesterday!"
- Garth and Marta, after she recites Sonnet XVIII (TOS: "Whom Gods Destroy")
"What is your reaction, Mr. Spock?"
"Well, I find it, uh, mildly interesting and somewhat nostalgic, if I understand the use of that word."
""Nostalgic?""
"Yes. It is somewhat reminiscent of the dances that Vulcan children do in nursery school. Of course, the children are not so… well-coordinated."
- Garth and Spock, during Marta's dance (TOS: "Whom Gods Destroy")
"You, Captain, are second only to me… as the finest military commander in the galaxy."
- Garth to Kirk (TOS: "Whom Gods Destroy")
"Should I know you, sir?""
"No…Captain."
- A newly cured Garth's inquiry to Kirk, having no recollection of his recent actions. (TOS: "Whom Gods Destroy")
