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The Lights of Zetar

Kirk: CAPTAIN'S LOG, STARDATE 5725.3--

THE "ENTERPRISE" IS EN ROUTE TO MEMORY ALPHA.

IT IS A PLANETOID SET UP BY THE FEDERATION

SOLELY AS A CENTRAL LIBRARY,

CONTAINING THE TOTAL CULTURAL HISTORY

AND SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE

OF ALL PLANETARY FEDERATION MEMBERS.

WITH US IS SPECIALIST LIEUTENANT MIRA ROMAINE.

SHE IS ON BOARD TO SUPERVISE THE TRANSFER

OF ALL NEWLY DESIGNED EQUIPMENT

DIRECTLY FROM THE "ENTERPRISE" TO MEMORY ALPHA.

YOU'RE THE SANEST, THE SMARTEST,

THE NICEST WOMAN THAT HAS EVER COME ABOARD THIS SHIP.

ANYTHING ELSE?

ANYTHING ELSE I'LL...

I'LL KEEP TO MYSELF FOR THE MOMENT.

Kirk: WHEN A MAN OF SCOTTY'S YEARS FALLS IN LOVE,

THE LONELINESS OF HIS LIFE IS SUDDENLY REVEALED TO HIM.

HIS WHOLE HEART ONCE THROBBED ONLY TO THE SHIP'S ENGINES.

HE COULD TALK ONLY TO THE SHIP.

NOW HE CAN SEE NOTHING BUT THE WOMAN.

I DIDN'T THINK MR. SCOTT WOULD GO FOR THE BRAINY TYPE.

I DON'T THINK HE'S EVEN NOTICED SHE HAS A BRAIN.

MR. SCOTT.

MR. SCOTT.

HMM?

AS SOON AS WE'RE WITHIN VIEWING RANGE OF MEMORY ALPHA,

YOU AND LIEUTENANT ROMAINE WILL GO TO YOUR POSITIONS

IN THE EMERGENCY MANUAL MONITOR.

YOU'LL PREPARE FOR DIRECT TRANSFER OF EQUIPMENT

TO MEMORY ALPHA.

AYE, CAPTAIN.

WE'RE READY, SIR.

Spock: LIEUTENANT,

MAY I OFFER MY CONGRATULATIONS

ON WHAT WILL BE YOUR FIRST ASSIGNMENT FOR THE FEDERATION.

YES. GOOD LUCK, LIEUTENANT.

THANK YOU.

[BEEPING]

CAPTAIN, I'M PICKING UP

A HIGH INTENSITY READING.

IS THAT MEMORY ALPHA?

NO, SIR.

EXCUSE ME.

MAGNIFICATION 8.

WHAT IS THAT?

INDICATIONS ARE A STORM, CAPTAIN,

ALTHOUGH I'VE NEVER SEEN ONE OF SUCH GREAT INTENSITY

OR STRANGE CONFORMATION.

Kirk: READINGS?

THE SENSOR READINGS ARE AT MAXIMUM CALIBRATION.

CAPTAIN, IT'S APPROACHING

AT WARP FACTOR 2.6 AND ACCELERATING.

CHECK THAT.

NO NATURAL PHENOMENA CAN MOVE

FASTER THAN THE SPEED OF LIGHT.

Spock: IT IS DEFINITELY DOING SO, CAPTAIN.

THEREFORE IT CANNOT BE A PHENOMENON OF NATURE.

DEFLECTORS ON, CONDITION YELLOW.

Uhura: CONDITION YELLOW, SIR.

SHIELDS ACTIVATED, CAPTAIN.

[NO VOICE]

Kirk: SPACE-- THE FINAL FRONTIER.

THESE ARE THE VOYAGES OF THE STARSHIP "ENTERPRISE."

ITS 5-YEAR MISSION-- TO EXPLORE STRANGE NEW WORLDS,

TO SEEK OUT NEW LIFE AND NEW CIVILIZATIONS,

TO BOLDLY GO WHERE NO MAN HAS GONE BEFORE.

[NO VOICE]

MR. SULU, GET US THE DEVIL OUT OF HERE!

FULL SCAN ON THE DISTURBANCE THAT PENETRATED THE BRIDGE.

LIEUTENANT, ALL DECKS-- DAMAGE REPORT.

MIRA!

Kirk: DR. McCOY, EMERGENCY. EMERGENCY.

MIRA!

[LOW-PITCHED CROAKING]

Scotty: WHAT'S THAT YOU'RE SAYING?

[CROAKING]

WAS SHE HURT BY THE FALL OR THE ACTION OF THE DISTURBANCE?

I DON'T KNOW. DID YOU NOTICE, SCOTTY?

WELL, AFTER THE DISTURBANCE WAS OVER,

SHE JUST COLLAPSED.

HOW'S SHE DOING, DOCTOR?

WELL, I THINK SHE'S COMING AROUND NOW.

EASY, NOW.

EASY. YOU HAD QUITE A FALL.

[SIGHS] I'M--I'M FINE.

YOU LET ME BE THE JUDGE OF THAT.

DO YOU FEEL LIKE WALKING TO SICK BAY?

I'M FINE, DOCTOR. REALLY I AM.

IS EVERYBODY ELSE ALL RIGHT?

AYE, THEY ARE.

NOW, YOU JUST DO WHAT DR. McCOY ORDERED.

WHY? I FEEL PERFEC--

YOU GET TO SICK BAY, LIEUTENANT. THAT'S AN ORDER.

YES, SIR.

CAPTAIN, WOULD IT BE ALL RIGHT IF I WENT ALONG TO SICK BAY?

NO, MR. SCOTT. YOU STAY AT YOUR POST, FOR THE MOMENT.

LIEUTENANT UHURA. CAPTAIN, I--

YES, SIR?

DAMAGE REPORT.

ALL STATIONS ARE OPERATIVE, SIR.

MR. SPOCK.

SOME EQUIPMENT WAS TEMPORARILY OUT OF ORDER.

MY SENSORS WERE INOPERATIVE.

ANY DAMAGE TO THE WARP ENGINES?

NONE, CAPTAIN.

GOOD. FROM THE ACTION OF THAT...STORM,

WE'LL NEED ALL THE SPEED WE CAN GET.

CAPTAIN, IT WAS NOT A STORM.

Uhura: CAPTAIN.

DURING THE DISTURBANCE, MEMORY ALPHA WAS HAILING.

I WANTED TO RESPOND, BUT I COULDN'T MAKE MY HAND MOVE.

Chekov: CAPTAIN.

IT WAS NOT HANDS THAT WERE PARALYZED.

IT WAS EYES.

I COULD NOT FORCE MY EYES TO LOOK DOWN

AND SET A NEW COURSE.

Sulu: NO, NO. IT WAS SPEECH THAT WAS AFFECTED.

I COULDN'T UTTER A SOUND.

MR. SPOCK... EXPLANATION.

ONLY OF THE RESULT, NOT OF THE CAUSE.

IN EACH CASE, A DIFFERENT AREA OF THE BRAIN WAS AFFECTED.

OUR VOLUNTARY NERVE FUNCTIONS WERE UNDER SOME FORM OF PRESSURE.

OR ATTACK.

ATTACK MIGHT BE A MORE PRECISE FORMULATION, CAPTAIN.

AND LIEUTENANT ROMAINE SEEMS MOST SUSCEPTIBLE.

ARE THE READINGS CORRESPONDING, NURSE?

EVERYTHING APPEARS NORMAL, DOCTOR.

THANK YOU.

WHAT'S THAT YOU'RE DOING, NURSE?

RECORDING YOUR RESPONSES IN THIS COMPUTER.

BUT WHY? I HAVEN'T HAD A SINGLE RESPONSE WORTH NOTING.

LIEUTENANT, PLEASE.

WELL, HAVE I?

LIEUTENANT, THERE ARE 430 PEOPLE ABOARD THIS SHIP.

YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE THAT PASSED OUT, AND I WANT TO KNOW WHY.

I WANT TO KNOW WHY, TOO.

YOU'RE THE DOCTOR. YOU TELL ME.

THIS WHOLE THING IS A NEW EXPERIENCE FOR ME.

THIS WHOLE THING IS A NEW EXPERIENCE FOR ALL OF US.

ALL OF YOU ARE ACCUSTOMED TO NEW EXPERIENCES.

IT'S PART OF YOUR WORK.

I'M NOT.

SHE MIGHT HAVE SOMETHING THERE, DR. McCOY.

THIS IS HER FIRST DEEP-SPACE TRIP,

AND YOU KNOW HOW THAT AFFECTS PEOPLE.

WELL, IF WE CAN GET ON WITH THIS, SCOTTY,

WE MIGHT MAKE THAT DETERMINATION.

NOW, THEN, TELL ME,

WHAT DID YOU FEEL BEFORE YOU PASSED OUT?

NOTHING.

NOTHING?

ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.

LIEUTENANT--

DOCTOR, THERE IS NOTHING MORE I CAN TELL YOU.

LIEUTENANT, YOU'RE BEING COMPLETELY UNCOOPERATIVE!

ARE YOU PUTTING THAT INTO MY RECORD? IT'S NOT TRUE!

I'LL PUT THE FACTS INTO YOUR RECORD IF I CAN GET THEM.

AW, NOW, MIRA,

WE MUST HELP THE DOCTOR.

TELL US WHAT HAPPENED.

PERHAPS YOU CAN EXPLAIN TO HER

THAT ANY CAREER SHE HOPES FOR IN STARFLEET

REQUIRES DISCIPLINE AND COOPERATION.

WELL, I'M SURE THAT'S WHAT THE LIEUTENANT WANTS.

SHE JUST DIDN'T UNDERSTAND.

DID YOU, NOW, LASS?

WITH A BEDSIDE MANNER LIKE THAT, SCOTTY,

YOU'RE IN THE WRONG BUSINESS.

WHEN THE RECORD OF THIS IS FORWARDED,

I'LL BE SENT BACK, WON'T I?

OH, YOU WILL NOT! THAT'S RIDICULOUS.

THIS GETTING USED TO SPACE TRAVEL,

THAT TAKES SOME DOING.

AND NOT EVERYBODY TAKES TO IT.

DID YOU?

WELL, ME, THAT'S DIFFERENT.

I WAS PRACTICALLY BORN TO IT.

I WANT TO CONTINUE.

YOU WILL.

YOU PASSED YOUR STARFLEET

PRELIMINARY EXAMINATIONS.

AND THIS IS JUST GETTING USED

TO WHAT YOU MIGHT CALL YOUR SPACE LEGS.

I HOPE THAT'S ALL IT IS.

CAPTAIN, I'VE PLOTTED THE STORM'S PATH.

MR. LEMLI.

MAIN SCREEN PROJECTION.

Sulu: ON ITS PRESENT COURSE,

IT WILL HIT THE MEMORY ALPHA PLANETOID AS IT DID US.

LIEUTENANT, TRY AND WARN MEMORY ALPHA

OF THE PROXIMITY OF THAT PHENOMENON.

GIVE ME AN E.T.A. FOR ITS POSSIBLE IMPACT.

I CANNOT, SIR. IT HAS THE ABILITY TO CHANGE SPEED.

SIR, I'M UNABLE TO ESTABLISH CONTACT WITH THE PLANETOID.

I'M HAILING ON ALL FREQUENCIES. NO RESPONSE.

IT IS OF LITTLE CONSEQUENCE, CAPTAIN.

MEMORY ALPHA HAS NO PROTECTIVE SHIELDS.

NO SHIELDS?

NONE, CAPTAIN.

WHEN THE LIBRARY COMPLEX WAS ASSEMBLED,

SHIELDING WAS CONSIDERED INAPPROPRIATE

TO ITS TOTALLY ACADEMIC PURPOSE.

SINCE THE INFORMATION ON THE MEMORY PLANET

IS FREELY AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE,

SPECIAL PROTECTION WAS DEEMED UNNECESSARY.

WONDERFUL.

I HOPE THE STORM IS AWARE OF THAT RATIONALE.

COMPLETING APPROACH TO PLANETOID.

IT IS ALREADY OVER MEMORY ALPHA, CAPTAIN.

ITS SPEED IS INCREDIBLE.

IT'S HITTING THE PLANETOID.

Kirk: ARE WE WITHIN ORBIT RANGE, MR. CHEKOV?

MAKING FINAL APPROACH.

LIEUTENANT, TRY AND WARN THEM--

I'M SORRY, SIR. I CAN'T BREAK THROUGH THIS INTERFERENCE.

MR. SPOCK, HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE ON MEMORY ALPHA?

IT VARIES WITH THE NUMBER OF SCHOLARS, RESEARCHERS, AND SCIENTISTS

FROM VARIOUS FEDERATION PLANETS

WHO ARE USING THE COMPUTER COMPLEX.

Chekov: CAPTAIN, WE ARE WITHIN ORBIT RANGE.

LOCK INTO ORBIT.

Chekov: AYE, SIR.

Sulu: IT IS LEAVING MEMORY ALPHA, CAPTAIN.

Spock: SENSORS GIVE NO READINGS OF GENERATED ENERGY

FROM MEMORY ALPHA, CAPTAIN.

ANY LIFE READINGS?

NONE.

LET'S FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING ON DOWN THERE.

KIRK TO ENGINEERING. MR. SCOTT, REPORT.

KIRK TO ENGINEERING. MR. SCOTT!

WHERE THE DEVIL IS HE?

SCOTTY, REPORT TO THE BRIDGE. REPORT TO THE BRIDGE.

HAVE THE TRANSPORTER ROOM STAND BY.

I'M TAKING A LANDING PARTY DOWN THERE.

Uhura: AYE, AYE, SIR.

SCOTT HERE.

SCOTTY, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? WHERE ARE YOU?

IN THE SICK BAY.

ARE YOU SICK?

OH, NO. I WAS JUST CHECKING ON THE LASS.

SHE'S GOING TO BE FINE NOW.

THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH HER.

WELL, I'M RELIEVED TO HEAR YOUR PROGNOSIS, MR. SCOTT.

IS THE DOCTOR THERE WITH YOU, OR WILL I FIND HIM IN ENGINEERING?

McCOY HERE, JIM.

DOCTOR, HOW'S THE GIRL?

I THINK SHE'S IN GOOD SHAPE.

Kirk: WELL, MR. SCOTT SEEMS TO AGREE WITH YOU.

THE TWO OF YOU MEET ME

IN THE TRANSPORTER ROOM ON THE DOUBLE.

Kirk: CAPTAIN'S LOG, SUPPLEMENTAL,

STARDATE 5725.6--

THE STORM HAS CLEARED MEMORY ALPHA.

IT IS HEADING AWAY AT INCREDIBLE SPEED.

WE HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO MAKE CONTACT WITH THE PLANETOID.

ITS SILENCE IS OMINOUS.

WE ARE BEAMING DOWN TO INVESTIGATE.

SOMEHOW I FIND

TRANSPORTING INTO THE DARKNESS UNNERVING.

SCOTTY, CAN YOU GIVE US SOME MORE LIGHT?

I'M AFRAID THIS LIGHT WILL HAVE TO DO, CAPTAIN.

THE GENERATOR IS INOPERATIVE.

DAMAGE REPORT, SPOCK.

A DISASTER FOR THE GALAXY, CAPTAIN.

THE CENTRAL BRAIN IS DAMAGED.

THE MEMORY CORE IS BURNT OUT.

THE LOSS TO THE GALAXY MAY BE IRRETRIEVABLE.

CAPTAIN!

A VERY FAINT LIFE READING

IN THE IMMEDIATE VICINITY, CAPTAIN.

LOCATE THEM. KEEP THEM ALIVE.

WE NEED MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS ENEMY.

OVER HERE, CAPTAIN.

[LOW-PITCHED CROAKING]

BONES, CAN YOU DO SOMETHING?

NOT A THING, JIM.

[CROAKING]

IT'S THE SAME GARBLED SOUNDS LIEUTENANT ROMAINE MADE

WHEN SHE FAINTED AFTER THE STORM.

ARE YOU SURE?

ABSOLUTELY SURE.

KIRK TO "ENTERPRISE."

SULU HERE.

BEAM DOWN LIEUTENANT ROMAINE IMMEDIATELY.

YES, SIR.

[CROAKING]

SPOCK...

HAVE YOU EVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THAT BEFORE?

NEGATIVE.

[CROAKING]

[SILENT]

BONES?

SHE'S DEAD.

WHAT DID SHE DIE OF?

SEVERE BRAIN HEMORRHAGING

DUE TO DISTORTION OF ALL NEURAL SYSTEMS,

DISSOLUTION OF AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM,

ALL BASIC PERSONALITY FACTORS, CAPTAIN.

THE ATTACK WAS THOROUGH.

WHAT DID THE OTHERS DIE OF?

EACH HAD A DIFFERENT CENTER OF BRAIN DESTROYED,

CAUSE UNKNOWN.

A DIFFERENT CENTER OF THE BRAIN, YOU SAY?

YES, CAPTAIN. I CAN BE MORE DETAILED

WHEN WE RETURN TO THE SHIP AND USE THE SHIP'S COMPUTERS.

Scotty: MIRA!

THE CAPTAIN HAS SOME QUESTIONS.

YES, CAPTAIN?

LIEUTENANT, WHEN YOU WERE UNCONSCIOUS, YOU WERE...SPEAKING.

WHAT DID I SAY?

I DON'T KNOW. THE WORDS WERE UNFAMILIAR TO ME.

WHAT DID IT SOUND LIKE?

THEY SOUNDED EXACTLY LIKE

THE LAST WORDS SPOKEN BY THE TECHNICIAN.

WHAT TECHNICIAN?

WE FOUND ONE PERSON IN THERE JUST BARELY ALIVE.

THE REST WERE DEAD, AND WE--

LIEUTENANT.

LIEUTENANT.

WE MUST GET BACK TO THE SHIP!

WHY? TELL ME WHY.

THAT STORM-- IT'S RETURNING.

HOW DO YOU KNOW?

I KNOW. YOU'LL BE KILLED IF WE STAY.

Spock: LIEUTENANT, I ASSURE YOU,

THAT UNEXPLAINED PHENOMENON WAS HEADED AWAY FROM THE PLANET.

IT IS PROBABLY SEEKING OTHER VICTIMS.

I TELL YOU, IT WILL KILL US.

"ENTERPRISE" TO CAPTAIN KIRK.

KIRK HERE. Sulu: BRIDGE, SIR.

THE STORM HAS REAPPEARED ON THE LONG-RANGE SCANNER AND IS CLOSING FAST.

WHAT'S ITS COURSE?

COMING BACK IN THIS DIRECTION.

BEAM US UP.

MR. SULU, THIS IS THE CAPTAIN.

GET THE "ENTERPRISE" OUT OF HERE.

WAIT, CAPTAIN! WE'VE LOST MIRA.

BELAY THAT ORDER, MR. SULU.

STABILIZER.

SOMETHING'S INTERFERING WITH THE TRANSPORTER SIGNAL.

I HAVE HER COORDINATES, BUT SHE'S SUSPENDED IN TRANSIT.

LET ME.

Kirk: ALL RIGHT, MR. SULU, GET US OUT OF HERE.

MR. SCOTT, CHECK EMERGENCY MANUAL MONITOR FOR TRANSPORTER CONTROL.

CAPTAIN, IT'S CHANGING COURSE.

PLOT THE NEW COURSE, MR. CHEKOV.

PRESENT COURSE IS 126 MARK 20.

PLOT IT.

PRESENT COURSE WILL BRING IT

ACROSS OUR STARBOARD SIDE, SIR.

MR. SPOCK, YOU MADE A STATEMENT

THAT PHENOMENON IS NOT A STORM.

EXPLAIN IT.

NO KNOWN CONDITIONS IN SPACE

WOULD SUPPORT THAT TYPE OF NATURAL PHENOMENON.

WHAT IS IT?

CAPTAIN, I'M HAVING DIFFICULTY

WITH THE SHIP'S SENSORS.

THEY SEEM TO BE UNDER SELECTIVE ATTACK BY THE PHENOMENON

AS THE UNFORTUNATE OCCUPANTS OF MEMORY ALPHA WERE.

THEN DEDUCTIVE REASONING WILL HAVE TO BE SUBSTITUTED.

Spock: SHIP'S SENSORS ARE OPERATING AT THE MOMENT.

PERHAPS THE ELUSIVE CREATURE WILL NOW REVEAL SOMETHING ABOUT ITSELF.

BUT I SAW THOSE MEN DEAD...

IN THEIR EXACT POSITIONS.

LISTEN TO ME.

I'VE TOLD YOU WHAT STRANGE TRICKS

A SPACE TRIP CAN PLAY ON YOUR MIND.

NOW, THAT'S ALL IT IS.

NO, SCOTTY.

HAVE YOU EVER HAD VISIONS OF THE FUTURE EVENTS BEFORE THIS?

NEVER.

WELL, IF YOU ASK ME, NOBODY EVER HAS.

THAT SEEING OF THE FUTURE-- IT'S PURE BUNK.

YOU KNOW THAT, DON'T YOU?

I'VE ALWAYS BELIEVED IT.

AND YOU WERE PERFECTLY RIGHT.

THEN WHAT IS IT, SCOTTY?

WHAT'S FRIGHTENING ME?

EVER SINCE THAT... THAT STORM HIT,

I'VE...I'VE HAD SUCH STRANGE THOUGHTS,

SUCH FEELINGS OF... OF TERROR.

SPACE.

SPACE-- THAT'S ALL IT IS.

THEN I DON'T HAVE TO REPORT IT?

IF YOU WANT TO SPEND THE REST OF THE TRIP IN SICK BAY.

BUT WHAT GOOD WOULD THAT DO?

DR. McCOY CAN NO MORE CURE IT THAN HE CAN A COLD.

CAPTAIN, IT'S HEADING STRAIGHT FOR US.

ACTIVATE SHIELDS.

SHIELDS ACTIVATED.

MR. CHEKOV, CHANGE COURSE TO ONE 4 3 MARK 3

ONE 4 3 MARK 3.

STORM'S COURSE, MR. SULU?

ONE 4 3 MARK 3.

TAKE EVASIVE ACTION.

Sulu: EVASIVE ACTION.

HARD STARBOARD, 2 ONE 7 MARK 5.

2 ONE 7 MARK 5.

Sulu: STILL WITH US, SIR.

HARD PORT.

117 MARK 2.

117 MARK 2.

Sulu: STILL WITH US, SIR.

IS IT CLOSING?

Spock: NEGATIVE, CAPTAIN. MAINTAINING ITS DISTANCE.

HOWEVER, IT IS MATCHING EACH MANEUVER WE EXECUTE,

AND I AM RECEIVING INCREASING MAGNITUDE OF ENERGY.

YOUR ANALYSIS, SPOCK.

WHAT IS IT?

NOT WHAT IS "IT," CAPTAIN.

WHAT ARE "THEY"?

THERE ARE 10 DISTINCT LIFE UNITS WITHIN IT,

ALL POWERFULLY ALIVE AND VITAL.

Kirk: WHO ARE THEY? WHERE ARE THEY FROM?

IMPOSSIBLE TO DETERMINE WITHOUT PROGRAMMING

FOR COMPUTER ANALYSIS.

IT'S CLEAR WE CAN'T OUTRUN THEM.

CAN WE SHIELD AGAINST THEM?

I DO NOT BELIEVE THE "ENTERPRISE" SHIELDS

WOULD PROVE AN EFFECTIVE DEFENSE.

THERE MUST BE SOME DEFENSE WE CAN USE.

CAPTAIN, WE ARE DEALING WITH A COMMUNITY OF LIFE UNITS.

THEIR ATTACK IS IN THE FORM OF BRAIN WAVES

DIRECTED AGAINST THE BRAIN WHICH IS MOST COMPATIBLE.

MAYBE WE CAN AVOID ANOTHER ATTACK.

LIEUTENANT UHURA, OPEN ALL CHANNELS,

TIE IN THE UNIVERSAL TRANSLATOR.

MR. SPOCK SAYS IT'S ALIVE.

MAYBE I CAN TALK TO IT.

Uhura: ALL CHANNELS OPEN, TRANSLATOR TIED IN.

THIS IS CAPTAIN JAMES KIRK

OF THE U.S.S. "ENTERPRISE."

WE WISH YOU NO HARM.

PHYSICAL CONTACT BETWEEN US

IS FATAL TO OUR LIFE FORMS.

PLEASE, DO NOT COME ANY CLOSER TO OUR SHIP.

PERHAPS IT DID NOT UNDERSTAND.

Sulu: CAPTAIN, CHANGE IN VELOCITY RECORDED.

Sulu: THEY ARE PASSING OUR STARBOARD SIDE

AND MANEUVERING IN FRONT OF US.

SWITCHING TO FORWARD SCANNER.

CAPTAIN, CHANGE IN VELOCITY RECORDED.

IT HAS ACCELERATED ITS APPROACH.

HELP, SCOTTY.

HELP. HOLD ME!

IT'S HAPPENING AGAIN!

NO!

MIRA.

PERHAPS IT UNDERSTANDS ANOTHER KIND OF LANGUAGE.

CONDITION RED ALERT.

[ALARM SOUNDING]

PREPARE FOR PHASER FIRING.

MIRA.

NO, SCOTTY! NO!

NO.

Kirk: LOCK IN PHASER TRACKING CONTROLS.

LOCKED IN, SIR.

ADJUST PHASERS TO FIRE ACROSS ITS COURSE.

DO NOT HIT IT.

LOCKED IN, SIR.

FIRE.

REACTION, MR. SULU?

NONE, SIR.

THEY'RE STILL APPROACHING US.

APPARENTLY A SHOT ACROSS THE BOW ISN'T SUFFICIENTLY CONVINCING.

PREPARE TO LOCK PHASERS INTO THE HEART OF THE COMMUNITY.

LOCKED IN, SIR.

FIRE.

SCOTTY!

OH!

MIRA!

MIRA.

Sulu: THE PHASERS SEEM TO HAVE STOPPED THEIR APPROACH.

THEY'RE HOLDING POSITION.

LOCK IN FOR ANOTHER BLAST.

LOCKED IN, SIR.

Scotty: CAPTAIN!

CAPTAIN, THE PHASER SHOTS-- THEY'RE KILLING MIRA!

KILLING LIEUTENANT ROMAINE?

AYE. WHEN YOU FIRED THE PHASERS,

THEY STUNNED HER AND SHE CRUMPLED.

ANOTHER SHOT AND YOU'LL KILL HER!

GET HER TO SICK BAY AT ONCE.

READY FOR FIRING, CAPTAIN.

CANCEL THAT ORDER.

ANOTHER ATTACK ON THAT ALIEN LIFE FORM

WILL KILL LIEUTENANT ROMAINE.

IT APPEARS SO.

IF SHE IS TO SURVIVE, WE CAN'T ATTACK.

NOT DIRECTLY.

CAN THE COMPUTER SUPPLY A DEFENSE

BASED ON ALL THE DATA YOU'VE BEEN ACCUMULATING?

NEGATIVE, CAPTAIN.

I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO GATHER SUFFICIENT DATA FOR THAT.

CAPTAIN, THERE IS ONLY ONE POSSIBLE DEFENSE--

IF WE CAN FIND AN ENVIRONMENT

WHICH IS DEADLY TO THE ALIEN FORM.

AND YET ISOLATE THE GIRL FROM ITS DEADLY EFFECTS.

CAPTAIN KIRK TO DR. McCOY.

McCoy: YES, CAPTAIN?

IS THE GIRL WELL ENOUGH TO BE QUESTIONED?

I CAN HAVE HER READY IN A FEW MINUTES.

HAVE THE LIEUTENANT AND MR. SCOTT

IN THE BRIEFING ROOM AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

BRING ALL AVAILABLE BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIAL WITH YOU.

KIRK OUT. MR. SPOCK, COME WITH ME.

GO EASY ON HER, JIM. SHE'S IN A PRETTY BAD STATE.

I'LL TRY.

LIEUTENANT ROMAINE.

I DIDN'T MEAN TO BE UNCOOPERATIVE, DOCTOR.

OF COURSE YOU DIDN'T. I TOLD THE CAPTAIN.

WE MUST GET TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS HAPPENING.

I'LL TELL YOU EVERYTHING I KNOW.

SHIP'S INVESTIGATIVE PROCEDURES ARE SOMETIMES CONFUSING

TO A NEW CREWMAN.

DON'T LET US UPSET YOU.

I TRUST ALL OF YOU IMPLICITLY.

I WANT TO HELP.

Kirk: THIS INVESTIGATION

HAS BEEN PROMPTED BY 2 EVENTS.

FIRST IS THE TIME YOU PASSED OUT ON THE BRIDGE,

AND THE SECOND IS WHEN WE FIRED

OUR MAIN PHASERS INTO THAT FORCE THAT IS ATTACKING US

AND SERIOUSLY INJURED YOU.

YOU MUSTN'T WORRY ABOUT HURTING ME.

NOW, THIS IS HOW WE'LL PROCEED.

MR. SPOCK HAS ALL THE INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO US

ABOUT OUR ATTACKERS.

DR. McCOY HAS ACCESS

TO STARFLEET'S EXHAUSTIVE FILES ON YOU.

A COMPARISON OF THE TWO

MAY TURN UP SOME IMPROBABLE CONNECTION

WHICH MAY PROTECT YOU AND OURSELVES.

ALL RIGHT, GENTLEMEN?

DR. MCCOY, WILL YOU PROCEED?

ROMAINE, MIRA. LIEUTENANT.

PLACE OF BIRTH, MARTIAN COLONY NUMBER 3.

PARENTS, LYDIA ROMAINE, DECEASED.

JACQUES ROMAINE, CHIEF ENGINEER,

STARFLEET, RETIRED.

MR. SPOCK, ARE YOU PREPARED WITH THE BACKGROUND HISTORY

OF THE ATTACKERS?

I AM, CAPTAIN.

I HAVE FED ALL OBTAINABLE DATA

TO THE MAIN COMPUTER.

IT SHOULD BE READY TO SUPPLY

WHATEVER CONCLUSIONS ARE POSSIBLE.

THANK YOU.

MR. SULU, WHAT IS THE STATUS

OF OUR FRIENDS UP THERE?

STATUS UNCHANGED.

THEY ARE STILL WITH US AND KEEPING THE SAME DISTANCE.

CONTINUE EVASIVE MANEUVERS.

KEEP ME INFORMED.

KIRK OUT.

DOCTOR, YOU HAVE A MEDICAL RECORD

OF LIEUTENANT ROMAINE AVAILABLE?

YES, CAPTAIN.

I'D LIKE A FEW ITEMS FROM HER PSYCHOLOGICAL

PROFILE CHECKED.

ANY HISTORY OF PSYCHOSOMATIC ILLNESS?

OCCASIONAL AND TEENAGE ROUTINE INCIDENTS.

ANY EVIDENCE OF INVOLUNTARY OR UNCONSCIOUS

TELEPATHIC ABILITIES?

NONE.

ANY PATHOLOGICAL OR UNUSUAL

EMPATHIC RESPONSES?

NO, CAPTAIN, NOT EMPATHIC.

HOWEVER, AN EXTREMELY FLEXIBLE

AND PLIANT RESPONSE TO NEW LEARNING SITUATIONS

IS HIGHLY MARKED.

GO AHEAD, DOCTOR.

RIGHT AFTER OUR PHASERS HIT THAT THING,

I GAVE LIEUTENANT ROMAINE A STANDARD STEINMAN ANALYSIS,

AND THE RESULTS MIGHT BE INTERESTING.

UH-HUH. GO AHEAD.

A COMPARISON OF OUR STEINMAN WITH STARFLEET RECORDS

SHOWS THAT LIEUTENANT ROMAINE'S FINGERPRINTS, VOICE ANALYSIS,

ALL EXTERNAL FACTORS REMAIN EXACTLY THE SAME AS BEFORE.

HOWEVER, ACCORDING TO 2 HYPERENCEPHALOGRAMS,

HER BRAIN WAVE PATTERN HAS BEEN ALTERED.

THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE!

THAT'S WHAT I WAS TAUGHT.

BUT THE BCP IS JUST AS CONSISTENT AS FINGERPRINTS.

LET'S SEE IT.

DR. McCOY, ACCORDING TO YOUR RECORDS,

LIEUTENANT ROMAINE HAS SHOWED NO ABNORMAL TELEPATHIC POWERS.

McCoy: THAT'S RIGHT, SPOCK,

BUT EXCEPTIONAL PLIANCY WAS INDICATED.

THAT MIGHT BE A FACTOR.

Spock: AND YOU ARE SURE

THAT THIS IS THE CORRECT SLIDE?

YES, MR. SPOCK. THAT IS TAPE DECK "D"--

BRAIN CIRCUITRY PATTERN OF LIEUTENANT MIRA ROMAINE.

GENTLEMEN, IT ALSO HAPPENS TO BE

TAPE "H"-- THE IMPULSE TRACKING

OBTAINED FROM THE ALIEN LIFE UNITS.

McCoy: NURSE CHAPEL FOLLOWED THIS EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.

THERE CAN BE NO ERROR.

CHECK IT, SPOCK.

AS I SAID, CAPTAIN, THIS IS THE TRACKING

OBTAINED DURING THE LAST SHIELDED RUN.

COMPUTER, RUN A DETAILED COMPARISON--

BRAIN CIRCUITRY PATTERNS,

TAPE "D" AND TAPE "H."

Computer voice: COMPARISON--

TAPE "D," BRAIN CIRCUITRY PATTERNS OF LIEUTENANT MIRA ROMAINE

AND TAPE "H," BRAIN CIRCUITRY PATTERNS OF ALIEN LIFE UNIT

IDENTICAL.

IDENTICAL.

FASCINATING.

THERE HAS BEEN NO ERROR.

DR. McCOY IS CORRECT, CAPTAIN.

THERE IS AN IDENTITY OF MINDS TAKING PLACE

BETWEEN THE ALIEN BEINGS AND THE MIND OF LIEUTENANT ROMAINE.

THEIR THOUGHTS...

ARE BECOMING HERS.

BRIDGE TO CAPTAIN KIRK.

THE ALIEN IS NO LONGER MAINTAINING ITS DISTANCE.

CONTINUE EVASIVE ACTION. KEEP ME INFORMED. KIRK OUT.

MIRA HAS TRIED TO TELL ME ALL ALONG

THAT SHE WAS SEEING THINGS IN ADVANCE.

WHY DIDN'T YOU REPORT IT?

YOU DON'T REPORT SPACE SICKNESS.

THAT'S ALL I THOUGHT IT WAS.

WHAT DID SHE SEE?

FIRST THE ATTACK ON THE SHIP,

THE ATTACK ON MEMORY ALPHA,

AND...THE TIME WE NEARLY LOST HER.

THOSE WERE ALL ACTS CARRIED OUT BY OUR ATTACKER.

AND...

AND...

YES, SCOTTY?

WHAT ELSE?

I THOUGHT FOR A MOMENT

THERE WAS SOMETHING ELSE,

BUT...I GUESS I WAS WRONG.

WAS HE WRONG, LIEUTENANT?

YES, THERE WAS ONE OTHER TIME.

WHAT DID YOU SEE?

I SAW SCOTTY.

WHERE?

I DON'T KNOW.

WHAT WAS HE DOING?

HE WAS DYING.

NOW I UNDERSTAND WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING.

I'VE BEEN SEEING THROUGH...

THROUGH ANOTHER MIND.

I'VE BEEN FLOODED WITH THOUGHTS...

NOT MY OWN.

THEY CONTROL ME! OH, SCOTTY.

SCOTTY, I'D RATHER DIE THAN HURT YOU!

I'D RATHER DIE.

ALL RIGHT, NOW.

WHAT'S ALL THIS TALK OF DYING?

THEY'VE CALLED THE TURN ON US 3 OUT OF 4 TIMES.

NOW, THAT'S A BETTER AVERAGE THAN ANYBODY DESERVES.

IT'S OUR TURN NOW.

WE'LL FIGHT THEM.

SO LET'S NOT HEAR ANYTHING MORE ABOUT DYING.

[SIGNAL FROM BRIDGE]

KIRK HERE.

SULU, CAPTAIN.

ALL EVASION TACTICS CARRIED OUT AS ORDERED.

Kirk: WHAT SUCCESS DID YOU HAVE?

IT'S BEEN USELESS, CAPTAIN.

Spock: AT THEIR PRESENT FORCE,

THEY WILL GET THROUGH THE SHIELDS THIS TIME, CAPTAIN.

WARP 8, MR. SULU.

YES, SIR.

THEY'LL BE HERE VERY SOON.

THEY MAY DESTROY YOU AND US AS THEY DID MEMORY ALPHA.

YOU ARE ESPECIALLY SUSCEPTIBLE TO THEIR WILL.

BUT WE HAVE... ONE CHANCE TO SURVIVE.

DON'T RESIST.

LET THEM BEGIN TO FUNCTION THROUGH YOU.

IF WE CAN CONTROL THAT MOMENT,

WE HAVE A CHANCE. WILL YOU TRY?

TELL ME WHAT TO DO.

CAPTAIN KIRK TO MEDICAL LAB.

MEDICAL LAB HERE, SIR.

PREPARE THE ANTIGRAV TEST UNITS.

LET'S GO.

Sulu: ATTENTION.

ALL PERSONNEL, ATTENTION.

ALIEN FORCE HAS PENETRATED THE SHIP.

TAKE DEFENSIVE ACTION.

ATTENTION, ALL PERSONNEL.

THE ALIEN BEING HAS PENETRATED THE SHIP.

TAKE DEFENSIVE ACTION.

GENERAL QUARTERS-- SECURITY CONDITION 3.

INTRUDER ALERT.

REPEAT. GENERAL QUARTERS-- SECURITY CONDITION 3.

INTRUDER ALERT.

Kirk: AS SOON AS SHE HAS ENTERED THE GRAVITY CHAMBER,

SECURE ALL PORTS.

DON'T TOUCH ME, SCOTTY!

STAY AWAY.

[LOW-PITCHED CROAKING]

WE'VE LOST HER TO THEM.

STAY WHERE YOU ARE.

SHE COULD KILL US ALL IN THIS STATE.

SHE WILL, UNLESS WE ARE ABLE TO COMPLETE

WHAT THE CAPTAIN HAS PLANNED.

STAY WITH US, MIRA.

PLEASE STAY!

I'M TRYING.

I WANT TO BE WITH YOU.

THEY ARE TOO STRONG.

DON'T LOSE YOURSELF TO THEM.

HOLD ON!

I AM MIRA ROMAINE.

I WILL BE WHO I CHOOSE TO BE.

Mira: I WI--

STAY AWAY, SCOTTY!

THEY'RE WITH ME.

THEY WILL KILL YOU.

YOU WON'T LET THEM.

Deep voice: SHE CANNOT STOP US.

YOU CANNOT PREVENT IT.

Scotty: MIRA...

MIRA!

CAPTAIN.

THAT'S NOT MIRA TALKING.

CAPTAIN, WE MUST DEAL WITH THEM DIRECTLY,

NOW, WHILE SHE STILL RETAINS PARTIAL IDENTITY.

WE CAN SPEAK TO THEM.

THEY WILL ANSWER USING HER VOICE.

I'M CAPTAIN JAMES KIRK

OF THE SPACESHIP "ENTERPRISE."

DO YOU UNDERSTAND?

Deep voice: YES, WE UNDERSTAND YOU.

WE HAVE SEARCHED FOR A MILLENNIUM

FOR ONE THROUGH WHOM WE CAN SEE AND SPEAK

AND HEAR AND LIVE OUT OUR LIVES.

WHO ARE YOU?

WE ARE FROM ZETAR.

THAT IS ONE OF THE PLANETS WHERE ALL HUMANOID LIFE WAS DESTROYED.

YOU CAN'T BE FROM ZETAR.

ALL LIFE WAS DESTROYED THERE LONG AGO.

YES. ALL CORPOREAL LIFE WAS DESTROYED.

THEN WHAT ARE YOU?

THE DESIRES, THE HOPES, THE MIND,

AND THE WILL OF THE LAST 100 OF ZETAR.

THE FORCE OF OUR LIFE COULD NOT BE WIPED OUT.

ALL THINGS DIE.

AT THE PROPER TIME.

OUR PLANET WAS DYING.

WE WERE DETERMINED TO LIVE ON.

AT THE PEAK OF OUR PLANS TO GO,

A SUDDEN FINAL DISASTER STRUCK US DOWN,

BUT THE FORCE OF OUR LIVES SURVIVED.

AT LAST WE HAVE FOUND SOMEONE THROUGH WHOM WE CAN LIVE IT OUT.

THE BODY OF THE ONE YOU INHABIT

HAS ITS OWN LIFE TO LEAD.

SHE WILL ACCEPT OURS.

SHE WILL NOT.

SHE IS FIGHTING FOR HER OWN IDENTITY.

HER MIND WILL ACCEPT OUR THOUGHTS.

OUR LIVES WILL BE FULFILLED.

WILL SHE LEARN THE WAY THE PEOPLE ON MEMORY ALPHA LEARNED?

WE DID NOT WISH TO KILL.

BUT YOU DID KILL.

NO. RESISTING US KILLED THOSE PEOPLE.

WE DID NOT KILL THEM.

THE PRICE OF YOUR SURVIVAL IS TOO HIGH.

WE ONLY WANT THE GIRL.

YOU CAN'T HAVE HER.

YOU'RE ENTITLED TO YOUR OWN LIFE, BUT NOT ANOTHER'S.

Mira's voice: LIFE WAS GIVEN TO ME.

IT IS MINE.

I WANT TO LIVE IT OUT.

I WILL--

McCoy: THE GIRL'S LIFE READING

IS BECOMING A MATCH TO THE ZETARIANS.

SHE'S LOSING.

Deep voice: DO NOT FIGHT US.

THEY WILL NOT ACCEPT THEIR OWN DEATHS.

THEY WILL BE FORCED TO ACCEPT IT.

YOU WILL ALL DIE.

CAPTAIN, IF WE CANNOT COMPLETE THE PLAN,

THEY WILL CARRY OUT THEIR THREAT.

WE MUST GET HER INTO THE PRESSURE CHAMBER.

JIM, YOU REALIZE THE PRESSURE NEEDED TO KILL THE ZETARS

MIGHT KILL THE GIRL, TOO.

MIRA WILL NOT KILL ME.

[ZAP] AAH!

I TOLD YOU SHE WOULDN'T KILL ME.

SECURE THE CHAMBER.

NEUTRALIZE GRAVITY.

THE ZETARS ARE GROWING STRONGER.

THE WEIGHTLESS STATE HAS BECOME THEIR NATURAL CONDITION.

PRESSURIZE THE UNIT.

BRING PRESSURE TO 2 ATMOSPHERES

AND THEN INCREASE ONE ATMOSPHERE PER SECOND.

CONTINUE INCREASING PRESSURE.

PRESSURE, SPOCK, PRESSURE.

PRESSURE IS DANGEROUSLY HIGH, CAPTAIN.

IT MAY DAMAGE HER!

CONTINUE, SPOCK.

PRESSURE.

McCoy: WE'VE DONE IT, JIM.

THEY'RE GONE.

IT'S ALL RIGHT, MIRA.

THEY'RE GONE.

THEY'RE GONE!

REDUCE THE PRESSURE VERY, VERY GRADUALLY, SPOCK.

WE MAY TAX MR. SCOTT'S PATIENCE, DOCTOR.

NOW LIE PERFECTLY STILL, LIEUTENANT. TRY NOT TO MOVE AT ALL.

TAKE DEEP, REGULAR BREATHS.

NOW, DON'T HOLD IT.

CONTINUE TO BREATHE DEEPLY.

IN, OUT. IN, OUT.

THAT'S IT.

NOW, YOU'LL BE IN THERE ANOTHER 20 MINUTES,

SO WHY DON'T YOU JUST TRY TO RELAX?

NOW WE HAVE ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD.

BONES, ARE YOU ABLE TO JUDGE

THE LONG-RANGE EFFECTS ON LIEUTENANT ROMAINE?

WHEN THE PERSONALITY OF A HUMAN IS INVOLVED,

EXACT PREDICTIONS ARE HAZARDOUS.

PARTICULARLY WHERE HUMANS ARE INVOLVED, DOCTOR.

HOWEVER, DESPITE STARFLEET JUDGMENT OF THE PLIANCY OF THE LIEUTENANT,

SHE PUT UP A VALIANT STRUGGLE

TO RETAIN HER IDENTITY,

AND I FIND THAT ENCOURAGING.

DR. McCOY IS CORRECT, CAPTAIN.

WHILE THE TRUTH WAS DIFFICULT TO ACCEPT,

WHEN IT WAS REVEALED, THE GIRL REACTED WELL.

I WOULD SAY HER STRUGGLE IN THIS EXPERIENCE

WOULD STRENGTHEN HER ENTIRE EGO STRUCTURE.

WOULD EITHER OF YOU CREDIT

SCOTTY'S STEADFAST BELIEF IN HER AS A FACTOR?

YOU MEAN LOVE AS MOTIVATION?

HMM. HUMANS DO CLAIM A GREAT DEAL

FOR THAT PARTICULAR EMOTION.

I SUPPOSE IT IS POSSIBLE. HOWEVER--

THERE ARE NO HOWEVERS ABOUT IT, MR. SPOCK.

IT WAS A FACTOR,

AND IT WILL BE A FACTOR IN THE GIRL'S RECOVERY.

Kirk: DO I TAKE IT BOTH OF YOU

AGREE THAT LIEUTENANT ROMAINE

NEED NOT RETURN TO STARBASE FOR FURTHER TREATMENT?

WELL, I SHOULD THINK WORK WOULD BE A BETTER THERAPY.

LOGICAL.

CAPTAIN KIRK TO MR. SCOTT.

SCOTT HERE, SIR.

MR. SCOTT, HOW IS LIEUTENANT ROMAINE?

BEAUTIFUL, CAPTAIN.

YES, MR. SCOTT.

DO I TAKE IT YOU SAY THAT

SHE IS FIT FOR DUTY?

POSITIVELY, CAPTAIN.

THANK YOU.

KIRK TO BRIDGE.

SULU, CAPTAIN.

MR. SULU, SET COURSE FOR MEMORY ALPHA.

LIEUTENANT ROMAINE HAS A LOT OF WORK TO DO THERE.

YES, SIR.

WELL, THIS IS AN "ENTERPRISE" FIRST.

DR. McCOY, MR. SPOCK, AND ENGINEER SCOTT

FIND THEMSELVES IN COMPLETE AGREEMENT.

CAN I STAND THE STRAIN?

[CHUCKLES]