Well here we are again with an episode I've seen but can hardly remember. So far for the most part these episodes have turned out good. Will this one be as well? Like with "Mark of Gideon" the original script was re-written and would have made a better episode.
Plot:Kirk's efforts to obtain a vital mineral are complicated by terrorists striking at the beautiful cloud city Stratos and its virulent apartheid policies.
Guest Stars:Jeff Corey as Plasus, Diana Ewing as Droxine
Nitpick:The common criticism of this one is the way Spock openly discusses the Vulcan mating cycle, despite having it pried out of him in "Amok Time". My theory is that it's embarrassing when they are experiencing it, other times it's just a part of their society. And later Trek series prove that the Pon Farr is not the big secret that Spock was making it out to be in that episode. I also don't get why people critique Spock flirting with Droxine, I mean Vulcans do court and marry women don't they?
Summary:
Teaser-The Enterprise is approaching Ardana on a search for Zenite which they need to stop a botanical plaque. Kiek tells Uhura to send a message to the high advisor that they are im a hurry. They beam down to a platform and observe the cloud city Stratos. Before they get to the mine they are lassoed by troglytes and captured.
Act 1-Kirk demands to know why they were captured and a woman comments she thought they were Stratos dwellers. When three people appear the attackers all scatter. Plasus the high adviser apologizes for the attack. He explains that the zenite they wants has been confiscated by the Troglytes. He orders a search and invites Kirk and Spock to visit Stratos in the meanwhile. On the amazing city Kirk and Spock are impressed at the sustained anti gravity elevation. A woman appears and says her name is Droxine, Plasu's daughter. Who is enamored with Spock. As Plasus shows the art the notice a miners tool from a disrupter embedded in one. Plasus suggests the two relax until the zenite is found. When they are gone, a Troglte is dragged in. Plasus insists he be questioned but instead the man breaks away and throws himself off the city. In the resting chamber, Kirk is asleep while Spock rests in a chair. Droxine and Spock have a talk about Vulcans, while another woman sneaks into the room. She sneaks over to Kirk and holds a weapon under his neck.
Act 2-Kirk defeats the attacker who insists she just wanted to take him hostage. While Droxine gets to know Spock better. The attacker, named Vanna, is a servant on Stratos. She believes the Enterprise is there to end the rebellion. It is clear that the people of Stratos considers the Troglytes inferior to them and do not believe they have a place in the clouds. Droxine explains the Troglytes are workers, they perform the physical labor while the people in the city share the advantages. Vanna is tortured and her screams bring Kirk and Spock in. They are appalled to see the torture. As they disagree on the way the society is run, Plasus suggests the two return to their ship. If they do not cause it could cause a diplomatic incident. Plasus tells the guards if Kirk appeared again to kill him.
Act 3-On the Enterprise the ship only has another 12 hours to deliver the zenite. McCoy says medical readings show the troglytes are mentally inferior. Even though they are the same species. They realize that Zenite in its raw state emite an odorless gas that retards the mental functions of a person. And heightens the emotional. The troglytes are constantly exposed to that gas. Vanna is functioning without exposure, meaning that the brain can return to normal is exposure is stopped (I love the future where nothing causes permanent damage). Kirk contacts the planet to tell them of the gas and how to prevent the affects with a mask. However, Plasus refuses to accept what they say. Kirk orders Spock to beam him to Vanna's cell, there he says once the zenite is delivered he will mediate between the dwellers and the troglytes. Vanna is skeptical but agrees and takes him to consignment deep within the mines. When they have made it to the subterranean mine where more trogluyes appear and grab Kirk. She does not believe his story about the gas and now has a valuable hostage. She forces him to mine zenite with his bare hands.
Act 4-Vanna sends the two disrupters away to send the message to the high advisor. Vanna argues with one of the disruptors. After they leave Vanna and Kirk talk alone. She says she wants help in the mines and her home in the clouds also. Kirk then tosses zenite at her which distracts her enough for him to get the upper hand. Kirk uses his phaser to seal them in, and then has Spock beam Plaus to there location without warning. After the episode is padded out for a bit, the transport is successful and Plasus is outraged. Kirk forced him to mine the mineral with his bare hands. As the gas begins to affect Kirk and Plasus, they begin to fight with mining tool. Vanna realizes that the gas is real, as are the affects. She manages to grab Kirk's communicator and summons the Enterprise to have the three beamed up. It takes Spock a moment to calm Kirk down, but finally Kirk comes to his sense and realizes he made his point. Later, Droxine gets a few more words with Spock. Vanna says that Kirk will have his zenite, and that her increased medical abilities will serve their cause well. Droxine says she will leave Startos and live below in the mines. I have no idea why, whatever episode over.
Final Thoughts:I always like the ending with Kirk and Plasus fighting and then Vanna panic calling the Enterprise to beam them up. But that's about the only part of this episode that ever stuck with me. It's no surprise this episode makes no impact on me it's a bore. I forgave Spock flirting, which went nowhere by the way, but what the heck is with the voice over stuff in act 1? The Episode feels, off. neither Kirk or Spock act right. Though the message is a good one, sometimes the wealthy do look down on the lower class. Just because they are laborers does not mean they are no smart or skilled or entitled to the same privilege's as anyone else. But Kirk forcing Plasus to dig the zenite with his hands is a bit much. Yeah I know the gas was affecting him but still. And yeah the gas mask thing is to easy a solution and doesn't solve the real issue the episode was trying to address. That's what happens when someone write another's script I guess.
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