Original subtitles

Captain's log, stardate 2821 .5.

On route to Makus lll with medical supplies.

Our course leads us past Murasaki 31 2, a quasar-like formation.

Vague, undefined, a priceless opportunity for scientific investigation.

On board is Galactic High Commissioner Ferris,

overseeing the delivery of the medicines to Makus lll.

Captain to shuttlecraft Galileo. Stand by, Mr Spock.

Captain, l am entirely opposed to this delay.

You are to get the medical supplies to Makus lll

in time for their transfer to the New Paris colonies.

No problem, Commissioner. And may l remind you

that l have standing orders to investigate quasars wherever they are.

Besides, it's three days to Makus.

And the rendezvous doesn't take place for five.

l don't like to take chances. The plague is out of control on New Paris.

- We must get the drugs there on time. - No problem.

Captain to Galileo. All systems cleared for takeoff.

Power up. All instruments activated. All readings normal. All go.

Launch shuttlecraft.

Readings normal.

Acceleration normal. Phase 1 separation normal.

- Position? - 3.7.

- Sir, l... - Make up your mind.

- This indicator's gone crazy. - That's to be expected.

Quasars are extremely disruptive. How much, we don't know.

- Considerably. - Radiation is increasing.

Stop forward momentum, Mr Latimer.

l can't, sir. Nothing happens.

Galileo to Enterprise.

Galileo to Enterprise. Come in, please.

- lonic interference. - We're being drawn right into it.

Galileo to Enterprise.

We are out of control, being pulled directly into the heart of Murasaki 31 2.

Being hit by a violent radiation on outer hull. Course 3.25.

- Anything? - Nothing clear.

Words about being pulled off course.

- Get me a fix on the Galileo. - l can't.

We're getting readings l've never seen before. Nothing makes sense.

Negative ionic concentration 1 .64 times 1 0 to the 9th power metres.

Radiation wavelength, 370 angstroms.

Harmonics upwards along entire spectrum.

- What is it? - That thing has ionised the sector.

None of our instruments work.

At least four solar systems in the vicinity.

And out there somewhere, a 24-foot shuttlecraft, off course, out of control.

Finding a needle in a haystack would be child's play.

Space - the final frontier.

These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise.

lts five-year mission, to explore strange new worlds,

to seek out new life and new civilisations,

to boldly go where no man has gone before.

Captain's log, stardate 2821 .7.

The electromagnetic phenomenon known as Murasaki 31 2

whirls like some angry blight in space,

a reminder that seven of our shipmates have not been heard from.

The effect has rendered our normal searching systems useless.

Without them, we are blind and almost helpless.

l was opposed to this from the start. Our flight to Makus lll is our priority.

l know, but l have scientific duties and investigating this is one of them.

Yes, but you've lost your crew.

- We have two days to find them. - Two days? ln all that?

- Would you have me leave them there? - You shouldn't have sent them out.

There's one planet in this system capable of sustaining human life.

lt's type M. Oxygen, nitrogen, and it's listed as Taurus ll.

lt's unexplored. As far as we can determine with our equipment,

it's just about dead centre of the Murasaki effect.

- Thank you. Mr Sulu? - Yes, sir.

- Set course for Taurus ll. - Aye, aye, sir.

- You all right? - Yes.

Scotty? Boma?

Now that's what l call a ride.

- Yeoman? - Just got a little bump on the head.

Thank you.

- What happened? - l can't be sure.

But l'd say that...the magnetic potential of the effect was... Thank you...

...was such that as we gathered speed, it was multiplied geometrically.

We were simply shot into the centre of the effect.

Like a projectile.

- l'd say your evaluation is reasonable. - What a mess.

Picturesque descriptions will not mend broken circuits.

Your work is cut out for you.

Galileo to Enterprise. Come in, please.

You don't expect an answer, do you?

No. lt is merely logical to try all the alternatives.

Dr McCoy, a reading on the atmosphere.

Partial pressure of oxygen, 70mm of mercury. Nitrogen, 1 40.

- Breathable if you're not running. - Just the facts, Doctor.

Traces of argon, neon, krypton, all in acceptable quantities.

But l wouldn't recommend this place for the summer.

Thank you for your opinion.

- Are you recording this? - Of course.

- Make a survey of damage, please. - Logical.

Let's make room for Mr Scott to work.

Mr Latimer, Mr Gaetano, arm yourselves and scout out the area,

keeping in visual contact with the ship.

What are our chances of contacting the Enterprise?

- With these conditions, extremely poor. - They'll be looking for us.

lf the ionisation effect is as widespread as l believe it is,

they'll be searching without instrumentation, by visual contact only.

On those terms, this is a very large planet.

You don't think they'll find us?

Not while we're grounded. We may be here for a long time.

Nothing, Captain.

Mr Sulu, anything on your scanners?

Totally inoperative, sir.

- Have you tied into the auxiliary power? - Yes. No change.

Transport room. This is the captain speaking.

- Are the transporters beaming up yet? - Not 1 00% .

We beamed down inert material, but it came back dissociated.

- We wouldn't dare try it with people. - Thank you.

This is the captain speaking. Flight deck.

Prepare Columbus for immediate exit to search the planet's surface.

Correlate coordinates with Mr Sulu.

Anything?

All wavelengths dominated by ionisation effect, sir.

Transmission is blocked, reception impossible.

Well, Captain?

We have until 2823.8 to continue the search, Commissioner.

You don't really think you'll have any luck, do you?

These people are my friends.

l'll continue the search until the last possible moment.

Very well, Captain, but not one second beyond that moment.

ls that clear?

lf it isn't, look at book 1 9, section 433...

l'm familiar with the regulations. l know all about your authority.

Launch shuttlecraft Columbus.

l can't say much for the circumstances but at least it's your big chance.

- My big chance? For what? - Command.

l know you.

You've always thought that logic was the basis on which to build command.

- l am a logical man. - We'll need more than logic now.

Perhaps, but l know of no better way to begin.

Command does have its fascinations, even under these circumstances.

But l neither enjoy the idea of command, nor am l frightened of it.

lt simply exists. And l will do whatever logically needs to be done.

Excuse me.

Very bad, Mr Spock. We've lost a great deal of fuel.

We have no chance of escape velocity.

And if we ever hope to make orbit, we'll have to lighten our load by 500 pounds.

- The weight of three men. - You could put it that way.

Or the equivalent weight in equipment.

We use virtually every piece of equipment in attaining orbit.

There's very little excess weight.

- Three of us must stay behind? - Unless the situation changes.

And who is to choose?

As commanding officer, the choice will be mine.

You wouldn't draw lots?

A very quaint idea, but l'm better qualified to make the selection.

All right. Who?

My choice will be a logical one, arrived at through logical means.

Life and death are seldom logical.

But attaining a desired goal always is.

l suggest we move outside to further examine the hull

in case we've overlooked any damage.

lf any damage was overlooked, it was when they put his head together.

Not his head, Mr Boma, his heart. His heart.

What is it?

l don't know. lt's from up there.

No, it's from back there.

- lt's all around us. - Let's get out of here.

Come on, Boma.

What was it?

Something huge. Terrible. Up there. l think l hit it.

Did you see what it was?

Vaguely. lt was like a giant ape.

- Poor Latimer. - At least it was quick for him.

We'll get off all right.

- Nothing there. - There was.

- l don't doubt your word. - There must be something. l hit it.

Folsom point.

There's a remarkable resemblance to the Folsom point

discovered in 1 925 Old World calendar, New Mexico, North America.

Bit more crude about the shaft. Not very efficient.

Not very efficient? ls that all you have to say?

Am l in error, Mr Boma?

You? Error? lmpossible.

- Then what? - There's a man lying there dead.

And you talk about stone spears. What about Latimer?

My concern for the dead will not bring him back.

ln the interest of efficiency, l don't think we should leave his body here.

Bringing him back to the ship should not interfere.

- lf you need assistance... - We'll do it.

Give me a hand with Latimer, will you?

Captain's log, stardate 2822.3.

We continue to search but l find it more difficult each moment

to ward off a sense of utter futility and great loss.

The Columbus has returned from searching quadrant 7 79X by 534M.

Results negative.

- Any word on our sensors? - They're working on them.

- Transporters? - Still unsafe.

Thank you.

- Captain. - Yes, Commissioner.

l don't want to abandon your crewmen.

- However... - l haven't forgotten.

- You're running out of time. - l know that.

Use overload power on the transporters.

We've got to get them working.

Uhura, order the Columbus to open its course two degrees on every lap.

But Captain, they'll be overlooking a dozen miles on each search loop.

lt gives us a chance to cover most of the planet's surface.

- Mind your helm, Mr Sulu. - Yes, sir.

24 more hours, Captain.

Channel the second auxiliary tank through the primary intake valve.

lt's too delicate. lt won't take the pressure.

- This should save us 50 pounds. - Excellent, Doctor.

We can scrape up 1 00 pounds.

Which would still leave us 1 50 pounds overweight.

l can't believe you'd leave someone behind. Whatever is...

lt is more rational to sacrifice one life than six.

- l'm not talking about rationality. - You might be wise to start.

- We're ready. - For what?

- The services for Latimer. - We're working against time.

He deserves a decent burial. You're the captain. A few words.

- Doctor, you know the correct words. - That's your place.

My place is here. lf you please, Doctor...

We may all die here. At least let us die like men, not machines.

l hope to increase our chances of staying alive.

- Mr Scott? - Give me a hand with this conduit.

Pressure's dropping.

- What happened? - A line gave.

The strain of coming through the atmosphere.

Yes, that's done it. We have no fuel.

That would seem to solve the problem of who to leave behind.

- Consider the alternatives. - We have no fuel. What alternatives?

There are always alternatives.

Mr Spock!

Something's happening outside.

What do those super-sensitive ears make of that?

Wood rubbing on leather.

- They're getting ready to attack. - Not necessarily.

lt could be a tribal rite, assuming a tribal culture.

No. Their artefacts are too primitive. More likely a loose association.

- lf we knew more... - We know enough.

lf they're tribal, they'll have unity.

- We can use that. - How?

By hitting them hard. Make them think twice about attacking us.

l agree. lf we do nothing, we're inviting them to slaughter us.

l'm appalled by the low regard you Earth men have for life.

We're practical about it. l say we hit them before they hit us.

- Mr Boma? - Absolutely.

- Dr McCoy? - Seems logical to me.

lt does indeed. lt seems logical to me, also. But to take life indiscriminately...

- The majority... - l'm not interested in the majority.

We must weigh the danger to ourselves and our duties to other life-forms,

friendly or not.

- There's a third course. - That could get us killed.

l think not. Dr McCoy, Mears, return to the ship.

Assist Mr Scott. We'll be back shortly.

Gentlemen, you will follow my orders to the letter,

firing only when so instructed at my targets.

- Now you're talking. - We'll fire to frighten. Not to kill.

Oh, for the... You saw what they did to Latimer.

l am in command. The orders and the responsibility will be mine.

Follow me.

The mists...

- l can't see them. - l hear them.

They're directly ahead of us. Several, l believe.

Direct your phasers to two o'clock and ten o'clock.

- l say we hit them dead on. - Fortunately, l'm giving the orders.

Take aim and fire when l give a signal.

Fire.

Cease fire.

- They'll think twice now. - We should kill them.

lt's not necessary. Fear will do what needs to be done.

Mr Boma, return with me to the Galileo. Mr Gaetano, you remain on guard here.

- Did you find them? - Yes. They won't bother us again.

l hope not. Scotty has an idea.

lt's dangerous, but it might work.

Go, Mr Scott.

l can adjust the reactor to function with a substitute fuel supply.

But we don't have a substitute supply.

We do. Our phasers. l can adapt them and use their energy. lt's possible.

But they're our only defence.

They would also seem to be our only hope.

- Yeoman, your phaser. - What if the creatures attack again?

They won't for several hours. By then we'll be gone.

We should achieve orbit with all hands. But we can't maintain it long.

We don't have to.

ln less than 24 hours, the Enterprise will be forced to abandon its search.

lf we can't maintain orbit after that time, it won't make any difference.

lf we burn up in a decaying orbit, or die on the planet's surface,

we shall surely die.

Doctor. Your phaser.

- Go to work, Mr Scott. - Aye, aye, sir.

Sir, in my opinion the transporters are now safe for humans.

Good. This is the captain.

Landing parties 1 , 2 and 3, report to transporter room

for immediate beaming down to surface of the planet.

Captain, it will be sheer luck if they find anything.

Luck is the only tool we have that will work now.

Take this back to Mr Scott for conversion.

Nobody knows what's happened to Gaetano

and you hand over his phaser like nothing's happened.

Give this to Mr Scott in the event l don't return.

Where are you going?

l have a scientific curiosity about what's become of Mr Gaetano.

Return to the ship, please.

l don't know. He'll risk his neck locating Gaetano,

and if he finds him, he's just as liable to order him to stay behind.

You tell me.

Do you think the ship will ever leave?

lt won't unless we get these phasers back.

Well, they didn't stay frightened very long, did they?

Most illogical reaction.

- They should have fled. - They should have respected us?

- Of course. - Respect is a rational process.

Did it ever occur to you they might react emotionally? With anger?

l'm not responsible for their unpredictability.

They were perfectly predictable to anyone with feeling.

Admit it, Mr Spock. Your precious logic brought them down on us.

- Why haven't they done anything? - They're studying us.

- Another prediction? - My opinion.

- Seal the windows. - Studying us?

They learn rather quickly.

- You have all the answers. What now? - Your tone is increasingly hostile.

My tone isn't the only thing that's hostile.

- Curious. Most illogical. - l'm sick and tired of your logic!

- We could use a little inspiration. - Strange.

l have made the logical decisions. And yet two men have died.

And you've brought our furry friends down on us.

l did miscalculate regarding them.

And inculcated resentment on your parts.

Less analysis and more action. That's what we need.

- How much longer? - Another hour. Maybe two.

- That won't be long enough. - A phaser can only drain so fast.

How long do you think the plates will hold? We must do something!

You've got your hands full.

Captain's log, stardate 2823.1 .

Our landing parties are on Taurus ll. We continue to hope.

lnstruments are returning to an operable condition

as the ion storm slowly disperses.

On the ship, we can only wait helplessly.

- What word on the sensors? - At last report...

l want to know now.

- You have two hours and 43 minutes. - l'm aware of that.

- l shall continue to remind you. - You do that.

Sensor section reporting. lnterference creating false images.

Estimates 80% undependable.

- Radio communication? - Clearing.

lncapable of transmission or reception.

- What do you intend to do? - Do?

l'll continue the search, by candlelight if necessary,

until the last moment.

And if you'd keep your nose off my bridge, l'd be thankful.

The authorities will be pleased by your diligence.

l'm not sure they'll appreciate how you address me.

l'm in command here, Mr Ferris.

You are, Captain. For another two hours and 42 minutes.

How much power do we have left in the batteries?

- They're fine but they won't lift us off. - Will they electrify the ship's exterior?

That they will!

Get to the centre of the ship. Don't touch the plates.

Stand by. Are you ready?

- Ready. - All right. Go.

Again!

Again!

l daren't use any more if we want ignition.

We've used enough. Continue draining the phasers.

- lt must have worked. - For the moment.

When they discover they're not hurt, they'll be back.

See if there's anything else you can unload to lighten the ship.

Mr Gaetano's body is back there.

- lt will be left behind. - Not without a burial.

- The creatures won't be far away. - Not without a burial.

lt would expose crew members to unnecessary peril.

l'll take that chance.

l would insist upon a decent burial even if your body was back there.

- Mr Boma! - l'm tired of this machine!

- That's enough! - Gentlemen.

You'll have your burial, provided the creatures will permit it.

Landing party 2 has beamed back aboard.

They have casualties. One dead, two injured.

Put Lieutenant Kelowitz on visual.

- Kelowitz, Captain. - Report.

We were attacked, Captain. Huge furry creatures.

l checked with astral anthropology. They're order 480G, anthropoid.

Similar to life-forms on Hansen's Planet but much larger.

- Ten, twelve feet in height. - There are casualties?

Ensign O'Neil was speared before we knew they were around.

Lieutenant lmmamura has a dislocated shoulder and severe lacerations.

The creatures are all over the place. lf the Galileo is on that planet, l...

Thank you, Lieutenant. You'd better report to sickbay.

Aye, Captain.

Captain Kirk.

You'll see it is 2823.8. Your time is up.

- But they're still out there. - So are the plague victims.

l now assume authority granted me under Galactic Emergency Procedures.

- Abandon search. - The Columbus hasn't returned.

l still have two search parties out.

You're procrastinating. Recall the parties and proceed to Makus lll.

Lieutenant, order the transporter room to beam up the two search parties.

- Contact the Columbus. - l'm in partial contact now.

Then have them return. Mr Sulu, prepare to abandon search.

Set course for Makus lll.

Captain's log, supplement. The search parties have returned.

The Columbus is on its way back. l have had to abandon the search.

The beams are working again.

- The other systems? - Too much interference.

Course set for Makus lll.

Stand ready, Mr Sulu. How long before the Columbus comes on board?

23 minutes, sir.

23 minutes.

Enterprise, this is Galileo. Come in, please.

Nothing, sir. Just interference.

- That's it. - How about weight?

lf we shed every ounce, we might achieve orbit.

- How long can we hold it? - A few hours.

But if we time it right, we can save enough fuel for a re-entry.

To land here again? Not an attractive possibility.

We have very few alternatives.

Dr McCoy? Mr Boma? When can we lift off, Scott?

Eight minutes, if the weight's right.

Ship will lift off in exactly ten minutes. Bury Mr Gaetano.

lt appears to be clear outside. l'll assist you. Hurry.

The Columbus is aboard, sir.

The last of the landing parties have beamed safely up.

All systems report secured for warp factors.

Mr Sulu, proceed on course for Makus lll at space-normal speed.

- Space-normal? - Those are my orders.

Order all sensor sections to direct beams aft,

full function, continuous operation.

lnto the ship! lmmediate liftoff!

Go back! Lift off! Go back! No!

All right, go!

- Go, Scott! l told you to lift off! - Don't be a fool. We couldn't leave you.

- Get us off! - We should be moving but we're not!

There's somebody holding us down. All systems are go but we're not moving.

- What are you doing? - Our boosters.

- We won't hold orbit! - You want to stay?

No, Mr Spock.

- We're moving! - They let go!

We have yet to achieve orbit, nor can we maintain it long.

An hour from now we may be right back where we started.

By coming after me, you may have destroyed your chance for survival.

The logical thing for you to have done was to have left me behind.

Remind me to tell you that l'm sick and tired of your logic.

That is a most illogical attitude.

- Orbit in one minute. Fuel status? - 1 5 pounds per square inch.

- Enough for one orbit. - After that?

Tapping our boosters ended our chance for a soft landing.

You mean a burn-up?

- The usual end of a decaying orbit. - l don't want to die up here.

Preferable to the death we'd be granted on the planet.

l admire your ability to make so measured a choice.

You said a while ago that there were always alternatives.

Did l? l may have been mistaken.

At least l've lived long enough to hear that.

ls there anything we can do?

The Enterprise is surely on course for Makus lll by now.

l for one do not believe in angels.

Well, Mr Spock, so ends your first command.

Yes. My first command.

Orbit attitude.

With our present fuel, that gives us about 45 minutes.

Galileo to Enterprise. Come in, please.

Galileo to Enterprise. Come in, please.

Mr Spock!

- What happened? - He jettisoned the fuel and ignited it.

We need that fuel! Are you out of your mind?

Perhaps, Mr Boma.

How long have we got now?

The orbit will start decaying when the fuel's exhausted. Six minutes.

Captain, there's something there. At Taurus ll.

Sensors. A meteorite?

No, it's holding a lateral line. There it is again, holding steady.

1 80 degrees about, Mr Sulu.

Contact transporter room. All beams ready. Full normal speed.

A distress signal?

lt's like sending up a flare. Mr Spock, that was a good gamble.

- Perhaps it was worth it. - No one out there to see it.

Orbit decaying, Mr Spock.

Ten seconds to atmosphere.

lt may be the last action you'll ever take, Mr Spock. But it was all human.

- Totally illogical. There was no chance. - That's exactly what l mean.

lt's getting hot.

- Transporters locked in. - Activate beams.

Whatever it was, Captain, it just burned up in the atmosphere.

The transporter room just beamed up five persons!

Alive and well.

Mr Sulu...proceed on course to Makus lll.

- Ahead warp factor one. - Aye, aye, sir.

There's something l don't understand. Maybe you can explain it to me logically.

When you ignited the fuel, you knew there was no chance of it being seen.

- That seems an act of desperation. - Quite correct.

We all know, and l'm sure the doctor would agree,

that desperation is a highly emotional state of mind.

How does your well-known logic explain that?

Quite simply, Captain. l examined the problem and it was hopeless.

Logic informed me that under the circumstances,

the only action would have to be one of desperation.

- Logical decision, logically arrived at. - Uh-huh. l see.

You mean you reasoned that it was time for an emotional outburst.

l wouldn't put it in exactly those terms, Captain,

but those are essentially the facts.

You're not going to admit that for the first time ever,

you committed a purely human emotional act?

No, sir.

Mr Spock, you're a stubborn man.

Yes, sir.