Head Case
| Star Traks: The Original Series | |
| Episode name | Head Case |
|---|---|
| Season | The Lost Years |
| Episode number | 8 |
| Writer(s) | Alan Decker |
| Year | 2376 |
| Stardate | 53722 |
| Chronology | |
| Previous in series | Tricks Of The Trade [TRK] |
| Next in series | The Old Man And The Conspiracy [TRK] |
| Previous in timeline | Swamped [VEX] |
| Next in timeline | Waiting For The Other Shoe [WAY] |
An away mission gone awry leaves Commander Travis Dillon with a rather persistent hat. Will Guinanco make an exception to their dress code and let him eat in Seven Backward?
Summary
Commander Travis Dillon and Commander Jaroch are surveying Phargus VIII, which Dillon is not thrilled about. He has an interview for a position on the Advancement Advisory Board, which sets the future direction of Starfleet, that he needs to prepare for. At Jaroch's suggestion, Dillon wanders off by himself to mentally ready himself for the interview, where he is attacked by a horde of crab-like creatures, one of which latches itself onto Dillon's head, piercing Dillon's skull with its flagella in the process and causing him to lose consciousness.
Dillon awakens in Sickbay on the USS Secondprize with the creature still attached to his head. According to Dr. Elizabeth Aldridge, it is feeding off of Dillon's brain activity. Dillon dubs the creature "Ted" (as in "Ted On My Head" or "Head Ted") and tries to resume his normal life, which isn't easy with...well...a thing on his head. He is even refused service in Seven Backward by Jemmy Fisk, the lounge manager, because Guinanco does not allow pets, but Patricia Hawkins is able to resolve the situation with her trusty phaser.
Despite the presence of Ted, Dillon goes to his interview. Ted has absorbed enough brain power from Dillon to develop the power of speech, and he interrupts the interview to tell the panel not to accept Dillon's application because Dillon, as he so bluntly puts it, is a "twit." Dillon doesn't get on the board and returns to the Secondprize dejected. After verbally-sparring with Hawkins for a bit, Ted detaches from Dillon and goes to visit Captain Alexander Rydell, telling Rydell that he's all done on the Secondprize and wants to go home. Back on Phargus VII, Ted reports back to the other members of his species about his experience.
Featuring
- Captain Alexander Rydell
- Commander Travis Dillon
- Commander Jaroch
- Lieutenant Commander Patricia Hawkins
- Lieutenant Commander Emily Sullivan
- Lieutenant Andrea Carr
- Dr. Elizabeth Aldridge