Changes: Telepathic pitcher plant

Revision as of 00:16, 10 April 2007

Telepathic pitcher plant's maw

USS Voyager being consumed

The telepathic pitcher plant is a name given to the largest bioplasmic organism known, encountered by the USS Voyager in 2375. The name was given by Naomi Wildman, based on her recent biology lessons about Earth plant life. It was a space-dwelling lifeform, approximately 2000 km wide, that preyed on starships.

It fed by generating a powerful neurogenic field extending several million kilometers. When a ship entered the field, it caused the crew to begin experiencing delusions of what they most wanted, with the organism appearing as the desired thing. For example, a crew seeking a planet to settle on might see an uninhabited world that perfectly met their needs. Thus the crew would set a course straight to it. The creature showed signs of great intelligence and cunning; not only would the field influence the minds of the crew to accept the illusion, it falsified the ship's sensor readings to support the illusion. However, should one or more crew members not share the particular desire on which the illusion was based, they would be unaffected, and as the ship approached the creature, would become aware of the danger and alter course away. But, in such a case, the creature would manipulate the crew into restraining those members, keeping them from interfering.

When the ship got to the creature, the neurogenic field would be strong enough to render the crew unconscious, their minds firmly trapped in the illusion. The ship would enter the creature's maw and pass into its digestive chamber, where lightning-like bioplasmic discharges from the walls of the chamber would cause the hull to slowly degenerate on a molecular level. The molecules would be absorbed as nutrients. Eventually the ship, and everything and everyone on it, would be broken down and digested.

In 2236 it consumed the Nokaro, a colony ship containing the friends and family of Qatai. Qatai dedicated his entire life to destroying the creature, and gradually became largely immune to its telepathic manipulation, although he was still sometimes susceptible to it.

In 2375 it attempted to consume the USS Voyager. It lured them by creating the illusion that the creature was a wormhole to the Alpha Quadrant. However, three of those on board were not affected. These were Seven of Nine, who was reluctant to return to Earth out of apprehension as to how she would be greeted, Naomi Wildman, who had been born on Voyager and saw the ship as her home, and The Doctor because of his holographic nature.

With the aid of Qatai, the three were able to cause Voyager's engines to emit a burst of plasma from the ship's nacelles. This was then detonated by Qatai's tetryon-based weapons, thus producing an electrolytic reaction and making Voyager 'taste bad'. This forced the creature to 'spit' Voyager out. The crew, which had fallen unconscious under the creature's neurogenic sway, subsequently regained consciousness and the situation was explained to them by Seven, the Doctor and Naomi. (VOY: "Bliss")

There is an old Klingon myth telling the tale of a large beast that traveled through Klingon space devouring entire vessels. It is possible that this entity, or another like it, had passed through Klingon space in the Alpha Quadrant centuries ago. (TNG: "Where Silence Has Lease")

The term 'pitcher plant' refers to any of a number of carnivorous plants native to Earth. These plants use modified leaves that form basin-like structures. These basins fill with a fluid that is mostly water, but also contains narcotic compounds and digestive juices, and is usually lined with downward pointing hairs. Insects are lured to the plant by nectar and become trapped in the basin where they exhaust their energy attempting vainly to escape, drown, and the soft body parts are digested by enzymes released by glands in the lower quarter of the pitcher. Another set of glands located near the enzyme exuding glands absorb the water-enzyme-insect mixture. Eventually all that remains of the insect after digestion is the exoskeleton.

Further references

VOY:
- "Inside Man"
- "Shattered"

@@ Line 10: / Line 10: @@
 In [[2236]] it consumed the ''[[Nokaro]]'', a [[colony ship]] containing the friends and family of [[Qatai]]. Qatai dedicated his entire life to destroying the creature, and gradually became largely immune to its [[telepathy|telepathic]] manipulation, although he was still [[time|sometimes]] susceptible to it.
-In [[2375]] it attempted to consume the ''[[USS Voyager]]''. It lured them by creating the illusion that the creature was a [[wormhole]] to the [[Alpha Quadrant|Alpha]] [[Quadrant]]. However, three of those on board who were not keen on returning to [[Earth]] were not affected. These were [[Seven of Nine]], who was reluctant to return to [[Earth]] out of apprehension as to how she would be greeted, [[Naomi Wildman]], who had been born on ''[[Voyager]]'' and saw the ship as her home, and [[The Doctor]] because of his [[holographic]] nature.
+In [[2375]] it attempted to consume the ''[[USS Voyager]]''. It lured them by creating the illusion that the creature was a [[wormhole]] to the [[Alpha Quadrant|Alpha]] [[Quadrant]]. However, three of those on board were not affected. These were [[Seven of Nine]], who was reluctant to return to [[Earth]] out of apprehension as to how she would be greeted, [[Naomi Wildman]], who had been born on ''[[Voyager]]'' and saw the ship as her home, and [[The Doctor]] because of his [[holographic]] nature.
-With the aid of Qatai, the three were able to cause ''Voyager'''s engines to emit a pocket of [[antimatter]] that was then detonated by Qatai's [[tetryon]]-based [[weapon]]s, thus producing an electrolytic reaction and making ''Voyager'' 'taste bad'. This forced the creature to 'spit' ''Voyager'' out, the crew subsequently regained consciousness and the situation was explained to them by Seven, the Doctor and Naomi.  ({{VOY|Bliss}})
+With the aid of Qatai, the three were able to cause ''Voyager'''s engines to emit a burst of [[plasma]] from the ship's [[Warp nacelle|nacelles]]. This was then detonated by Qatai's [[tetryon]]-based [[weapon]]s, thus producing an electrolytic reaction and making ''Voyager'' 'taste bad'. This forced the creature to 'spit' ''Voyager'' out. The crew, which had fallen unconscious under the creature's neurogenic sway, subsequently regained consciousness and the situation was explained to them by Seven, the Doctor and Naomi.  ({{VOY|Bliss}})
 There is an old [[Klingon]] myth telling the tale of a large beast that traveled through Klingon space devouring entire vessels.  It is possible that this entity, or another like it, had passed through Klingon space in the Alpha Quadrant centuries ago. ({{TNG|Where Silence Has Lease}})