Horta

[Sionnach Glic]

While it's certainly possible the Horta have limbs hidden on their underside, it's highly unlikely. For what possible reason would they evolve there, where they can't reach out to grasp prey or manipulate objects usefully?

[stitch626]

While it's certainly possible the Horta have limbs hidden on their underside, it's highly unlikely. For what possible reason would they evolve there, where they can't reach out to grasp prey or manipulate objects usefully?

And how else would they move? I don't really see them slithering like a snake.

[Mikey]

They live in warrens which they carve in solid rock, and apparently don't ingest in the same way we do. What prey or objects would they have to grasp a/o manipulate in their natural environment?

[Captain Seafort]

Propulsion, although that would pose problems with how they moved in their tunnels other than perpendicular to the planet's gravity.

An alternative possibility for the writing is that they have very good control over how they excrete their acid - we know they can control it to a certain extent, since Spock didn't lose his hands when he mind-melded with it.

[stitch626]

Propulsion, although that would pose problems with how they moved in their tunnels other than perpendicular to the planet's gravity.

Gecko feet, duh.

[Mark]

While it's certainly possible the Horta have limbs hidden on their underside, it's highly unlikely. For what possible reason would they evolve there, where they can't reach out to grasp prey or manipulate objects usefully?

Well, for one they would most likely need SOME way of physically moving their young, right? The appendages would double as other things as well. They could provide a sense of smell, they could feel vibrations (ie hearing), they could be a horta's genitals for all we know. Just thinking that a bunch of little "finger-like" appendages would explain thier precise forming of the letters I mentioned before, the "shimmy" like shuffle that it used, and would also provide an explination of how a horta could serve on a Starship.

[Captain Seafort]

Well, for one they would most likely need SOME way of physically moving their young, right?

Nope - it was specifically mentioned in the episode that the first thing the newly-hatched Horta did was to start digging. They are apparently self-sufficient as soon as they emerge from the shell.

Just thinking that a bunch of little "finger-like" appendages would explain thier precise forming of the letters I mentioned before

Which could also be explained by fine control of their acid secretions.

the "shimmy" like shuffle that it used

Also possible if they "wriggled" their entire body, in a similar way to worms.

and would also provide an explination of how a horta could serve on a Starship.

Not really. Even if they had these tentacles, they're well-concealed on the underside of their body, and therefore aren'tgoing to be long enough to reach and manipulate a starship's controls.

[Mark]

Nope - it was specifically mentioned in the episode that the first thing the newly-hatched Horta did was to start digging. They are apparently self-sufficient as soon as they emerge from the shell.

Sorry, I meant their eggs. I should have specified that.

As for the rest, I have to admit that your theory is just as likely as mine. We just haven't seen enough of the Horta on screen to be sure, I don't think

[Sionnach Glic]

Who says they have to have a way to move the eggs? They could just leave them where they lay them.

As for the rest, I have to admit that your theory is just as likely as mine.

Incorrect. Seafort's theory is more likely, and has canon backing. We know they can secrete acid, and we know they can control when they secrete it, and probably from what parts of their body.
Your theory requires the addition of something we have never seen before, and which have no real use to the creature itself due to their length. This theory has no canon backing.

[Blackstar the Chakat]

I've got to ask this, what do you guys(Rochey and Seafort) have against speculation? If we stuck to just canon we'd have nothing new to talk about.

[Sionnach Glic]

I have nothing against speculation when it's called for. This situation does not need any rationalisation, however. This is a simply case of WYSIWYG. The only reason you'd need to speculate at all is if you consider the novels that feature Horta crewmembers canon. As they are not canon, we have nothing to speculate about as there's nothing to rationalise.

[Mark]

Agreed. I have no cannon evidence to support my theory. But then I'm trying to find an explination for a non-cannon event, so I feel a little exprapolation may be useful, because as cannon stands, it would be clearly useless and likely impossible for a Horta to join Starfleet. I'm trying to work out how the author of said books felt that it was possible.

[Blackstar the Chakat]

I have nothing against speculation when it's called for. This situation does not need any rationalisation, however. This is a simply case of WYSIWYG. The only reason you'd need to speculate at all is if you consider the novels that feature Horta crewmembers canon. As they are not canon, we have nothing to speculate about as there's nothing to rationalise.

But this discussion started over non-canon material and trying to rationalize why/how the Horta are crew members in these non-canon novels, therefore there is no reason not to speculate about the non-canon material. In the opening post:

I've been trying to wrap my mind around how that could be possible, considering it had no vocal communication abilities, no appendages, and just looked like a big rock. Can anybody brainstorm HOW a Horta could serve as a Starfleet Officer????

Therefore this entire topic is supposed to be about speculating how a Horta could serve as a Starfleet Officer.

[Captain Seafort]

But this discussion started over non-canon material and trying to rationalize why/how the Horta are crew members in these non-canon novels, therefore there is no reason not to speculate about the non-canon material. In the opening post:

Quite frankly, Horta crew fall into the same category as "3 million clones" - abject stupidity on the part of the writers.

Therefore this entire topic is supposed to be about speculating how a Horta could serve as a Starfleet Officer.

Easy answer: they couldn't. It's like speculating about how an elephant could balance on a toothpick.

[Mark]

Well, if the toothpick were a neutronium alloy, and the elephant were a bionic, shapeshifting, circus elephant.........

J/K

Point taken