Overview
Captain Kirk and an away team find themselves transported to a parallel universe when they beam up during an ion storm.
Plot Summary
Stardate: unknown Opening title Opening title
Following a meeting to negotiate the possibility of mining dilithium crystals on Halkan, Captain Kirk, Chief Engineer Scott, Communications Officer Uhura, and Chief Medical Officer Dr. McCoy beam back to the Enterprise. However, an ion storm interferes causing a transporter malfunction that causes the away team to re-materialize aboard a parallel universe's version of the Enterprise, switching places with their alternate universe counterparts. In our universe, First Officer Spock immediately recognizes something amiss and puts the entire returning party in the brig.
In the other universe, per Imperial orders, Spock orders Mr. Sulu to prepare a phaser barrage attack on the Halkans for their refusal to permit dilithium mining. He also uses an "agonizer" device to punish the transporter operator for the temporary malfunction. Kirk in command of the 'ISS Enterprise' Kirk in command of the 'ISS Enterprise'
Kirk takes the entire away team to Sickbay to buy some time to figure out their situation. When Mr. Scott figures out what has happened, they consult the ship's computer and learn that the conditions can be artificially replicated to send them home. Kirk issues an ultimatum to the Halkans to allow dilithium mining or they will be destroyed in 12 hours, in order to buy himself and the Halkans time, preventing their immediate execution. This goes against Imperial procedure, so Spock reports Kirk to Star Fleet.
En route to his quarters, Kirk barely escapes assassination from Chekov and his henchmen when one of them betrays Chekov to save Kirk in exchange for promotion. Kirk's personal bodyguards appear and take Chekov to "the Booth". Meanwhile, Scotty and McCoy divert power from the warp engines to the transporter to replicate conditions to send the away team home. 'Captain's Woman' Marlena Moreau 'Captain's Woman' Marlena Moreau
Spock sends a secret transmission to Kirk in his quarters, warning him that Star Fleet has ordered him to kill him and take his place. Kirk acknowledges the warning but threatens retaliation if Spock moves against him too soon. Also in his quarters Kirk finds the sleeping Lieutenant Marlena Moreau, who claims to be his woman. Marlena reminds Kirk of the Tantalus Field, a weapon at his disposal that allows him to eliminate anyone aboard the ship at the touch of a button. She focuses the device on Mr. Spock, lamenting his imminent demise, but as she reaches for the button, Kirk stops her. Uhura distracts Sulu Uhura distracts Sulu
While Mr. Scott is rigging the warp drive, Uhura distracts Security Chief Sulu, who fancies her. Meanwhile, Mr. Spock is now extremely suspicious of the entire away team, and uncovers the information they've accessed from the ship's computer. He finds Kirk in the transporter room and escorts him to Sickbay where where the rest of the away team is awaiting his arrival. A fight breaks out with Spock besting them all until he's knocked out by Kirk with a heavy object. McCoy believes the blow to the head to be life threatening if left untreated, and reluctantly Kirk allows McCoy to treat him. At that moment Mr. Sulu arrives with a security team. He tells them he intends to assassinate Kirk and make it look like Kirk and Spock killed each other, making him the new Captain of the ISS Enterprise. But before he can act, Marlena, who has been observing remotely, uses the Tantalus Field to eliminate Sulu's guards. Then Kirk takes out Sulu, and with Uhura and Scott, heads to the transporter room, instructing Dr. McCoy to join them after treating Spock. But when Spock awakens, he performs a Vulcan mind meld on McCoy and learns the whole story. Uhura covers Moreau Uhura covers Moreau
Lt. Moreau is waiting for them in the transporter room and begs Kirk to take her with him. She tries to force the issue at phaser point, but Uhura disarms her. Then they find the power to the transporter has been cut. Scotty realizes he can reset the controls to allow manual operation, but that means one of them must stay behind to operate the controls. Just then Spock arrives and announces he will operate the controls, as it serves his purposes to have his original version of Kirk back.
Before beaming away, Kirk tries to convince Spock that the Empire is unsustainable, and therefore illogical. Spock agrees to ponder the issue. He tells Spock that he should seize command and spare the Halkans. Spock counters that he cannot maintain command in defiance of norms without strength. Kirk tells him the secret of the Tantalus Field and suggests an alliance between Spock and Marlena. Back in the right universe Back in the right universe
The away team beams out, successfully switching places with their counterparts. On reflecting upon events, Spock states that the ruthless nature of their evil counterparts was "the very flower of humanity". Kirk then meets a young Lieutenant Marlena Moreau in this universe for the first time. She says that she recently transferred to the Enterprise. When Spock notices the recognition, Kirk tells him that she just seems like a likable girl and he hopes they can "be friends".
Production Notes
This was episode #33 to air, but episode #39 to be produced. It was broadcast for the first time on October 6, 1967, and repeated on April 12, 1968.
This episode was one of the inspirations for the UK TV series Blakes 7.
A group of young female fans who wanted more female characters wrote in asking that "Captains Woman" be made an official position on the show. Gene Roddenberry wrote back telling the proto-feminists to ask their parents what a "Captain's Woman" really was.