Original subtitles

All clear ahead, Captain. Sensors indicate zero register.

Forward readings, Mr Spock?

Gravimetric readings, no significant change.

Ahead warp factor 3, Mr Sulu. Colony Beta Vl wants their supplies.

- Let's get across this void in a hurry. - Void. Star desert.

The word conjures up pictures of dunes, oases, mirages...

Sunlight, palm trees? We're 900 light years from that kind of desert, Bones.

The precise meaning of ''desert'' is a waterless, barren wasteland.

l fail to understand your romantic nostalgia for such a place.

That doesn't surprise me, Mr Spock.

l can't imagine a mirage ever disturbing those perfect brain waves of yours.

Thank you, Dr McCoy.

Moving on schedule into quadrant 904. Beta Vl is eight days distant.

- Something, Mr Spock? - Unusual.

l'm now getting a sizeable space-displacement reading.

- Can you verify that? - No. Forward sweeps are negative.

Wait. Verified. We must be in a light warp or we'd have picked it up earlier.

Put it on visual.

lron-silica body, planet sized, magnitude 1 -E.

We'll be passing close.

lt's inconceivable that it's not noted.

And yet here it is. No time to investigate.

Science stations, gather data for computer banks.

Uhura, notify the discovery on subspace radio.

Strong interference on subspace.

The planet must be a natural radio source.

Let's get out of its range. Veer 40 degrees to starboard, Mr Sulu.

40 degrees.

Sulu!

Mr Spock, they're gone!

Emergency. Full reverse power.

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.

Ship's log, stardate 21 24.5.

First Officer Spock reporting for Captain James Kirk.

We are orbiting the lone, unrecorded planet in the star desert.

For four hours we have made every instrument sweep

but Captain Kirk and Sulu remain unaccounted for.

l have placed the ship on Red Alert.

We've searched the planet. lf they're not there, they're nowhere.

No sign of human life on the surface. Unless instruments aren't functioning.

Function is normal. Continuous sensor sweeps.

- Have you checked all wave bands? - All of them. No response.

Request permission to transport to the surface and carry out a search.

l second DeSalle's request. What are we waiting for?

The decision will be mine, Doctor. l have responsibility for your safety.

Mr Jaeger, describe your geophysical findings for the surface below.

No detectable soil or vegetation. Extremely hot and toxic atmosphere.

Swept by tornadic storms. Continuous volcanic eruptions.

Deadly to any life-forms, without oxygen and life-support systems.

Estimate survival time of two unprotected individuals down there.

- Not very long. - Mr Spock, look.

Greetings and felicitations.

Hm.

Send this, Lieutenant.

USS Enterprise to signaller on planet's surface.

ldentify self.

Hip-Hip-Hoorah.

And l believe it's pronounced ''tallyho''.

Some kind of a joke, sir?

l'll entertain any theories, Mr DeSalle. Any at all.

One thing is certain. Obviously there is life on that planet.

You're quite correct, Doctor. Prepare transporter room.

Request assignment to the search party.

No. Neither you nor l can be spared here.

Mr DeSalle, equip the landing party with communication and life-support gear.

Mr Jaeger, your geophysical knowledge may be crucial.

Dr McCoy will accompany.

lf those peculiar signals are coming from Captain Kirk or Lieutenant Sulu,

their rationality is in question. Dismissed.

No more messages from below, sir. l've locked on to their original source.

Very good. Transmit coordinates to Mr Scott.

Once there, you'll establish contact with us immediately.

Use the laser beacon if necessary.

- Ready, Scott? - Ready, Mr Spock.

Activate.

Where are your storms, Jaeger?

Atmosphere exactly the same as ours.

DeSalle to Enterprise.

lt doesn't function. We're cut off.

- No response. - Keep trying with yours.

Something is blocking the beacon. l've got to find open ground.

Mr Jaeger! McCoy!

ln the name of heaven, where are we?

Look!

There's no reading. They're like waxwork figures.

l must say, they make a perfectly exquisite display pair.

But l suppose you want them back now.

Where are we?

Welcome to an island of peace on my stormy little planet of Gothos.

- What happened? - You disappeared after Sulu.

We've looked for you for four hours.

You must excuse my whimsical way of fetching you here.

But when l saw you passing by, l simply could not resist.

l'm Captain James Kirk of the United starship Enterprise.

So you're the captain of these brave lads. My greetings and felicitations.

So good of you and your officers to drop in. Absolutely smashing!

- Who are you? Where are you from? - General Trelane. Retired.

At your service, sirs. My home is your home.

We've lost contact with the ship.

l'm delighted to have visitors from the planet that l've made my hobby.

According to my observations, l didn't think you capable of such voyages.

Notice the period. 900 light years from Earth.

lt's what may be seen through a viewing scope if it were powerful enough.

l've been looking in on the doings on your lively little Earth.

Then you've been looking in on the doings 900 years past.

Really? Have l made an error in time?

How fallible of me. l did so want to make you feel at home.

- l'm quite proud of the detail. - General Trelane...

Retired, sir. Just Squire Trelane now.

You may call me Squire. Yes, l rather fancy that.

For what purpose have you imprisoned us here?

lmprisoned? Nonsense! You are my guests.

l just finished my studies of your curious and fascinating society.

You came by at the most propitious moment.

l want to know all about your battles and your conquests.

Our missions are peaceful.

When we do battle, it is only because we have no choice.

- That's the official story, eh? - Let us go back to our ship.

l wouldn't hear of it. Join me in a repast.

l want to learn all about your feelings on war, killing and conquest.

Do you know that you're one of the few predator species that preys on itself?

Not yet. Put it on stun, not to kill, DeSalle.

DeSalle, did you say? Un vrai Francais?

- My ancestry is French. Yes. - Vive la gloire! Vive Napoleon!

- l admire your Napoleon very much. - This is Mr DeSalle, our navigator.

Dr McCoy, our medical officer. Mr Sulu, our helmsman

and Carl Jaeger, meteorologist.

Welcome, good physicianer and honourable sir.

ls he kidding?

Und Offizier Jaeger, und der deutsche Soldat, nein?

Eins, zwei, drei, vier! Gehen wir mit dem Schie?gewehr!

- l'm a scientist, not a military man. - We're all military men under the skin.

And how we do love our uniforms.

What an interesting weapon you've got there.

Do let me see it.

Yes. Now let me see. How does this work?

Yes, this won't kill...and this will.

How marvellous!

Devastating! Why, this could kill millions.

Who do you start with? Are we your next targets?

How absolutely typical of your species.

You don't understand something, so you become fearful.

Let me anticipate your next question.

You want to know how l've managed all of this.

We, meaning l and others, have perfected a system

by which matter can be transferred to energy and back again.

Like our transporter system?

A crude example of an infinitely more sophisticated process.

You see, we not only transport matter from place to place,

but we can alter its shape at will.

This drawing room...did you create it?

By rearranging matter on this planet?

- Quite. - l see.

- How did you manage...? - Your enquiries are becoming tiresome.

l want you to be happy. Free yourself of care.

Let's enjoy ourselves in the spirit of martial good-fellowship.

- We're getting out of here. - You're being quite rude.

You can't go. Apparently you need another demonstration of my authority.

Yes, quite.

That's a sample of the atmosphere of this planet outside my kindly influence.

You will behave yourself hereafter, won't you?

Or l shall be very, very angry.

Captain's log, stardate 21 25.7. Science Officer Spock reporting.

We've completed 1 4th orbit of this planet

without establishing contact with our officers or the parties sent to find them.

Communications remain blocked,

but by diverting impulse power to our sensors, we've made them operable.

We've detected one area on the surface that seems relatively stable.

lt's there, Mr Spock. Peaceful as Earth, but how do you explain it?

l don't, Mr Scott. lt simply exists. Artificial perhaps, or a freak of nature.

The fact remains that life can exist there.

lt could. But it couldn't move around much.

Apply a fine-tuning on our sensors. Locate any life-forms in that area.

lt doesn't follow that it would be our people.

Affirmative. But if the captain is down there and alive,

that's where he'll have to be.

We'll attempt to transport up any beings we detect.

- Shooting in the dark, Mr Spock? - Or stand by and do nothing, Mr Scott?

This is an array of your battle flags and pennants,

dating back to the Crusades, to Hannibal's invaders,

the Grecian war galleys and the hoards of Persia.

Can't you imagine it, Captain?

The thousands of men marching to their deaths, singing beneath these banners.

Doesn't it make your blood run swiftly?

Captain, where could he possibly come from? Who is this maniac?

Better say, ''What is he?'' l monitored him.

What l found was unbelievable.

- Not alive? - Not in the way we define life.

- No trace. Zero. - You mean, it shows he's dead?

Doesn't even show that he exists at all, alive or dead.

Notice the wood fire, Captain?

Burning steadily, ember-bed glowing, and it doesn't give off any heat at all.

Fire without heat. Mistaking all this for present-day Earth,

without taking into account the time differential.

Whatever we're dealing with, he certainly isn't all knowledgeable.

- He makes mistakes. - Discussing deep-laid plans, l'll wager.

l cannot wait to see them evolve.

Trelane, we haven't planned any...

Do not think that l deplore your martial virtue of deception and stratagem.

Quite the contrary. l have nothing but admiration for your whole species.

lf that's genuine, you must respect our sense of duty.

Our ship needs us. We have tasks.

l can't let you go now. l was getting a bit bored until you came.

- You must stay. l insist. - For how long?

- Until this is over. - Until what is over?

So many questions. Make the most of an uncertain future.

Enjoy yourself today. Tomorrow may never come.

Even if we wanted to stay, our companions miss us.

Yes, l must experience your concern and grief at the separation.

There are 400 men and women aboard that ship.

Women! You have members of the fairer sex among your crew?

How charming!

And they must be all very beautiful. l shall be so very gallant to them.

- Let me fetch them down at once. - No.

- No? - This game has gone on long enough.

- Those are crucial personnel. - l can do anything l want.

You should have realised that by now.

- Receiving a transporter signal. - Transporter signal?

What does he mean? You must tell me.

lt means the party is over, thanks to Mr Spock.

Wait! l won't have this. l haven't dismissed you yet.

Stop! l won't have this!

Everyone to stations.

How did our scanners penetrate that radiation field?

They didn't. We merely beamed up all life-forms in a given area.

Trelane is not a life-form or he'd be beaming through now.

Prepare to warp out of here. Maximum speed.

- Captain, l was so worried. - Scotty...

We're going to put 1 00 million miles between us and that madman.

l'm quaking but l don't know if it's with laughter or terror.

Doctor, what was it? What was down there?

Well, it was a... Oh, forget it.

Look!

Where are all your weapons, Captain? Don't you display your weapons?

- Trelane... - Don't fret, Captain.

l'm only a bit upset with you.

But this Mr Spock you mentioned...

The one responsible for that impudent act of taking you from me.

- Which is he? - l am Spock.

Surely not an officer. He isn't quite human, is he?

- My father is from the planet Vulcan. - And are its natives predatory?

Not generally. But there have been exceptions.

Really? You will see to his punishment.

- On the contrary. l commend his action. - But l don't like him.

- Get off my ship. - Oh, rot! You're all going back with me.

- We're not going anywhere. - Nonsense.

l have an sojourn on Gothos planned for all of you.

And you shan't spoil it for me.

Anyway, the decor of my drawing room is much more appropriate and tasteful.

- Don't you agree? - No.

But so much more fitting, honourable sir.

- You... - DeSalle.

Oh. What primitive fury. Why, he's the very soul of sublime savagery.

Trelane, let him go.

We haven't even got our phasers.

l forget that l shouldn't frighten you too much.

But l warn you, you can't provoke me again.

Come. Let's forget your bad manners.

Let's be full of merry talk.

We have victuals to delight the palate and brave company to delight the mind.

Come, Doctor. Do partake.

You've been quite derelict in your social duties, Captain.

You haven't introduced me to the charming contingent of your crew.

- This is General Trelane. - Retired.

But if you prefer, you may address me as the lonely Squire of Gothos, ladies.

Lieutenant Uhura of communications.

A Nubian prize.

Taken on one of your raids of conquest, no doubt, Captain?

She has the melting eyes of the Queen of Sheba. The same lovely colouring.

And this...

''ls this the face that launched a thousand ships

''And burnt the topless towers of llium?

''Fair Helen, make me immortal with a kiss!''

Yeoman Teresa Ross.

You've met our science officer, Mr Spock.

You do realise that it's in deference to the captain that l brought you here?

- Affirmative. - l don't know if l like your tone.

lt's most challenging. ls that what you're doing, challenging me?

l object to you. l object to intellect without discipline,

power without constructive purpose.

Mr Spock, you do have one saving grace, after all.

You're ill-mannered. The human half of you, no doubt.

Come, my little wood nymph. Won't you dance with your swain?

Give us some sprightly music, my dear girl.

- l don't know how to play this. - Of course you do.

Captain, how far do we go along with this charade?

Until we can think our way out.

Meanwhile, we accept his hospitality.

You should taste his food. Straw would taste better than his meat,

and water better than his brandy. Nothing has any taste.

lt may be unappetising, Doctor, but it is very logical.

There's that magic word again. Does your logic find this fascinating?

''Fascinating'' is a word l use for the unexpected.

ln this case, l should think ''interesting'' would suffice.

You don't find this unexpected?

That his food has no taste, his wine no flavour? No.

lt means that Trelane knows all the Earth forms, but none of the substance.

And if he's fallible, he can't be all powerful.

Which means he has something helping him.

- Evidently. - A machine?

A device?

Something which does these things for him.

My dear, don't we make a graceful pair?

Except for one small detail. That dress hardly matches this scene.

Yes, that's more of what we want.

The dashing warrior and his elegant lady.

That mirror - it's part of his audience, his ego.

- He never wanders from it. - ls it ego? Or something else?

- Explain. - The mirror.

- What about it? - He never gets far away from it.

- lt could be vanity. - No, Mr Spock. That's not the reason.

What kind of a machine could do these things?

A machine with an ability to turn energy into matter guided by thought waves.

lt would have a complex memory bank, and be extremely sophisticated.

Like a computer, only much more.

Could the machine that maintains this environment be kept in this house?

No. A device capable of keeping out this planet's atmosphere would be immense.

- Good, l agree. That leaves me free. - Free, Captain?

lf l'm not mistaken, Mr Spock...

l think l can turn his lights off at the source.

Don't be too upset by what you see, gentlemen.

After all, his actions are those of an immature, unbalanced mind.

l overheard that remark, Captain. l'll have to dispense with you.

You only heard part of it. l just started.

l want you to leave my crewmen alone. Leave my crewwomen alone too.

- Don't dance with him. - Does it make you angry?

- Don't accept his gifts. - Don't think...

- l believe that the captain is jealous. - Keep your hands off her.

How curiously human and barbaric!

l've had enough of your attentions to her.

Of course! That's the root of the matter, isn't it?

You fight for the attention and possession of women.

lf it's fighting that you want, you may have it.

- You're challenging me to a duel? - lf you have the courage.

This is better than l'd planned. l shall not shirk an affair of honour.

A matched set. Just like the pair that slew your heroic Alexander Hamilton.

And Captain...

l never miss.

Captain's log, stardate 21 26.1 . Delayed report.

The whole bridge crew are the unwilling guests of a creature called Trelane.

We are weaponless and powerless.

Our only hope of escape with the Enterprise lies in playing his games.

l've decided to make my move with the ''field of honour'' game.

Everything depends on my one chance with the ancient duelling pistol.

How fascinating. l'm party to an actual human duel.

- Ready? - Quite ready, sir.

We shall test each other's courage and then...

And then we shall see.

- Let's get on with it. - As you will, sir.

Honour will be served.

Wait! As the one challenged, l claim the first shot.

- We shoot together. - lt's my game and my rules.

But if you need to be persuaded.

- All right. - Captain.

Now, Captain. How do you have the expression?

My fate is in your hands.

- You've ruined everything. - The machine.

- Subspace interference is clearing. - Contact the ship.

The remarkable treachery of the species.

Go on, Trelane. lt's over. Your power is blanked out. You're finished.

You've earned my wrath. Go back to your ship. All of you.

And prepare. You're all dead men. You especially, Captain.

Trelane!

We're getting out of here. Now.

This is the captain. Commence beaming up. Maximum speed.

- Set a course for colony Beta Vl. - Laid in, sir.

- Full power acceleration, Mr Scott. - Full power, sir.

Emergency warp at the earliest moment, Mr Sulu.

Standing by to warp, sir.

Shall l make a report to Fleet Command?

Not yet. They may trace our beam. Wait until we're out of range.

- Can we know what his range is? - We can guess.

The point we entered their solar system.

Still no sign of pursuit. lnstruments clear, sir.

- May l take a moment to change? - Yes, l think you might.

Turn in your slippers. The ball is over.

Gladly, Captain.

Hard to believe it...ever happened.

- Captain, we're about to warp. - Large body ahead.

- Collision course. - Hard to port, Mr Sulu.

- That was the planet Gothos, Captain. - Gothos?

- We've been going in circles? - No. All instruments show on course.

Gothos again, Captain.

Hard over, Mr Sulu.

- Cat and mouse game. - With us as the mouse.

- 90 degrees to starboard, Mr Sulu. - Turning, Captain.

- But not veering off from it. - 90 degrees sub-port, Mr Sulu. Adjust!

Turn completed and still accelerating toward the planet.

Or it toward us.

Decelerate into orbit. Prepare transporter room.

- You're not beaming down? - l am going to see Mr Trelane.

And whatever it takes to make him give up our ship. Stand by communications.

lf you don't receive a message from me within the hour, leave at once.

The prisoner may approach the bench.

Trelane.

Any attempt at demonstrations will weigh against you with the court.

And this time my instrumentality is unbreakable.

- l've had enough of your games. - The absurdity of these inferior beings.

Captain James Kirk, you stand accused of the high crime

of treason against a superior authority, conspiracy,

and the attempt to ferment insurrection.

- How do you plead? - l haven't come to plead in your court.

Anything you may say has already been taken down in evidence against you.

- l've come to get back my ship. - lrrelevant.

We've made you angry with our will to survive?

- Uncalled for. - Then vent your anger on me alone.

l led the others. l shot out your mirror machine.

You thought that was the only medium of instrumentality at my command?

l took that chance. l'm willing to pay the price for chancing wrong.

- Then you do admit to the charge? - Yes. Anything.

Just allow the Enterprise to continue its journey.

- You pompous... - lmmaterial.

They've done you no harm. We're not playthings for your amusement.

Silence! This trial is over. You are guilty on all counts.

And according to your own laws, this court has no choice in fixing punishment.

You will hang by the neck, Captain, until you are dead, dead, dead!

Captain's log, stardate 21 26.3. First officer Spock reporting.

Still no word from Captain Kirk.

Waiting time is almost up. l'll soon be forced to attempt departure.

Until a moment ago, l didn't think it possible. But it was.

l did it. l was angry. l actually experienced genuine rage.

This experiment has been successful.

- l'm glad you weren't disappointed. - Captain, you're still angry.

Would that l could have sustained that moment.

No matter. Do you have a last request?

lf you think l'll cheerfully stick my head in that noose...

You still haven't learned. You have no choice.

This is becoming tiresome. lt's all very easy.

That's your problem, Trelane. Everything is easy.

lt's given you a bad habit. You're not aware of it but you have it.

You don't think, Trelane. That's your problem.

You miss opportunities. Like your anger before, and mine right now.

You enjoy it, but you couldn't have accomplished it without me.

You know why? Because you're a bumbling, inept fool!

- Take care now. - You have a unique opportunity.

And you're wasting it. You want to commit murder? Go ahead.

But where is the sport in a simple hanging?

- Sport? - Yes.

The terror of murder. The suspense. The fun.

l'm intrigued. Go ahead, Captain. What do you suggest?

A personal conflict between us.

Not like the duel before, but the real thing.

The stakes - a human life. Mine.

- Yes! Yes! - That's the idea.

- Then you approve? - Yes.

But you can do better than that.

There's not enough sport in killing me with a sword.

l know. That will be dull. We'll have to have something more fanciful.

Let me see...

A hunt. A royal hunt. Predator against predator.

Now you may go hide in the forest and l shall seek.

- How does that strike you, Captain? - lt strikes me very well.

But you'll have to make it worth my while, Trelane.

- Why not up the stakes? - The stakes?

Yes. While we're playing our game, free my ship.

Let it continue on its way. ln return, l'll give you a contest you'll remember.

Always back to your ship.

Oh, well.

lf it will add spice to the pursuit....

l accept your terms, Captain.

You must try not to let me find you too quickly.

Let me notify the Enterprise that it can go.

At your convenience.

Enterprise. Enterprise, this is Kirk. Can you hear me?

Get the ship away as fast as you can. l'll try to give you the time you need.

- Can you hear me? - Aha!

- Enterprise... - Ha, ha, ha!

Captain Kirk!

You must try harder, Captain. This is too easy.

Enterprise... Enterprise, can you hear me?

Touche, Captain. Touche! l must confess you scored first.

But, after all, l've never played this game before.

And now let's have at it again.

Enterprise... Enterprise!

Tallyho!

- You made a noble fight of it, Captain. - You promised to let my ship go.

Yes, but this is such sport. l must fetch all the others back to play.

So this is victory. lt has a sweet taste.

- Down, Captain. On your knees. - You haven't won, Trelane.

- l could run you through. - But you haven't won anything.

- On your knees, Captain. - No!

Does it still taste as sweet?

- l order you. You've been beaten. - But l'm not defeated.

l order you. l order you!

- You broke my sword! - You've got a lot to learn about winning.

You dare to defy me!

ln fact, you've got a lot to learn about everything.

l'll fix you for that. You haven't played the game right. l'll show you.

Trelane.

No!

No. You said l could have this planet for my very own.

- This has gone far enough. - You always stop me when l have fun.

You're disobedient and cruel. We've told you before.

- Time to come in now. - But l don't want to come in.

- l'm a general and l won't listen to you. - Enough, Trelane. Come along.

- Why? l didn't do anything wrong. - We said come along.

l haven't finished studying my predators.

This is not studying them.

lf you can't take proper care of your pets, you can't have any.

But l was winning. l was winning!

They are beings, Trelane. They have spirit. They're superior.

- No, no. You saw... - You'll grow up. You'll understand.

- Now come along. - But you said l could.

You promised. l never have any fun.

Stop that nonsense or you won't be permitted to make more planets.

But you saw. l was winning.

l would have won. Honest.

- No, Trelane. - No, Trelane.

l would have. l would have. l would have.

l would! l would! l would!

We regret that the life paths of you and your companions have been disturbed.

- Who are you? Who is Trelane? - You must forgive our child.

The fault is ours for indulging him. He will be punished.

We would not have let him intercept you had we realised your vulnerability.

Forgive us, Captain.

We'll maintain life support while you return to your ship.

Please accept our apologies.

Captain to Enterprise. Captain to Enterprise.

- Captain, we're receiving you. - Beam me up, Mr Spock.

We're free to go.

Warping down, Captain. Now warp factor 4.

- Approach channels clear, Captain. - Colony Beta Vl clears us for approach.

Normal orbit approach procedures, Mr Sulu.

- Captain. - Still thinking about Trelane?

For the record, how do we describe him?

Pure mentality? A force of intellect? Embodied energy? Super-being?

- He must be classified, sir. - God of war.

- l hardly find that fitting. - Then a small boy.

- And a very naughty one at that. - A strange entry in the library banks.

Then he was a very strange small boy.

He was probably doing things comparable

to the same pranks you played as a boy.

- Pranks, Captain? - Yes.

Dipping little girls' curls in inkwells. Stealing apples from the neighbours.

Tying cans on...

Forgive me, Mr Spock. l should have known better.

l shall be delighted, Captain.