Anyone who follows this blog knows that I am a sucker for bottle shows. The point of them is to save money by having almost no guest stars and using existing sets. But I love them because the focus is squarely on our characters interacting off each other. So as you can imagine, with this show I am a sucker for episodes that don't leave the ship. And this is a big one which works even better with the enhanced digital effects.
Plot:The Enterprise encounters an enormous single-celled organism that feeds on energy which threatens the galaxy as it prepares to reproduce.
Guest Stars:John Winston as Lt.Kyle (he appeared in several episodes as the transporter tech, but here he is filling in for the still absent George Takei as the navigator).
Nitpick:It always bugged me that we never see Spock on the Enterprise after he has left in the shuttle. We see the shuttle return, and then that's it. Why not have him return to the Bridge for a second so we can establish that he's fine? Speaking of Spock for such a small moment that one where he gets the impression that the Intrepid was killed is very well done.
Summary:
Teaser-The Enterprise is headed for a much needed shore leave, Uhurs keeps getting messages from Starbase 6 regarding the Intrepid but can't make them out. The intrepid is a shp manned all by Vulcans. Suddenly Spock reacts as if he were in pain, and reports that the Intrepid is dead. McCoy takes him to Sick-Bay Starfleet orders them to investigate what happened. They approach the system and Chekov reports the system is dead. Kirk points out there were a billion inhabitants there, now all dead.
Act 1-Spock insists that he is fine and McCoy wonders how Spock could know the Intrepid was destroyed. Spock says that even he could hear the death cry of 400 Vulcan minds. Spock returns to the Bridge where Kirk confirms that the Intrepid is missing and are out of communication with an entire solar system. The ship hits some kind of energy turbulence, as they approach a zone of darkness. A probe penetrates the zone, causing a strange noise followed by half the crew fainting. Spock is still unable to provide an analysis on the dark area. All he can be sure is that it's some form of energy since the deflectors were activated. The ship penetrates the zone, and the stars all vanish. The ship is being pulled inside to the center. As people keep getting ill, Spock explains the noise was the turbulence when entering the zone. Kirk asks for a recommendation and McCoy recommends surviving. Kirk reassures the crew and McCoy then reports that the energy drain is affecting everyone on the ship (in a lame commercial cliffhanger he says "they're all dying". A little dramatic there Bones?).
Act 2-Kirk enters Engineering where Scotty says the power drain is getting worst. After a forward lurch Scotty says he was trying to reverse. Spock reports that the is accelerating toward the center, and Kirk tells Scotty to try a forward thrust. It slows the ship down, but not stopping it. McCoy explains there life functions get weaker the further they travel in the zone. Power levels are acting backwards but the drain continues. Something in the zone absorbs energy weather it be mechanical or biological. Spock says that the intrepid would have taken all the steps they are, and Kirk points out that they may not have. Spock just said the situation was illogical. Scotty transfers everything into one giant forward thrust. It fails and the best they can is maintain thrust against the pull. They get closer and finally reach the source, an 11,000 mile long single-celled creature, which apparently radiates the zone as a protective covering. Spock reports that it is alive.
Act 3-Kirk, Spock and McCoy look over the giant amoeba. It can perform all the functins that qualify it as a living organism. Spock speculates this amoeba is invading the galaxy like a virus. It's decided that they need to take a closer look, maybe one of them taking a shuttlecraft can get the info. The question then becomes, who should go? A shuttlecraft is prepared with special equipment, and Kirk decides that Spock is the most qualified to go despite McCoy's chagrin. Spock tells McCoy to wish him luck before he boards the shuttle. The shuttle is launched and Spock sends back telemetry. Spock reports that the power drain is enormous. The shuttle penetrates the organism, and Spock insists that McCoy would not have survived it. Spock heads toward the nucleus and reports that the chromosome structure is ready for reproductive process to commence. He reports how to destroy the creature but the transmission is garbled. If the organism reproduces the whole galaxy is in danger.
Act 4-Kirk and McCoy try to figure out what Spock was trying report. McCoy says it's a disease invading the galaxy. Then Kirk realizes that when the organism reproduces they will the virus invading it's body. Antibodies of their own galaxy, attacking an invading germ. This gives Kirk an idea. Use a charge of antimatter in the chromosome body to destroy the organism. The ship enters the organism's body and prepares a probe with an antimatter charge. Kirk will plant the probe at point blank range so that the probe doesn't drift away. They will then back away slowly. After Kirk and Spock record logs offering their commendations to the Enterprise and crew, the probe is ready. As the ship backs out sensors spot the shuttle. Kirk orders a tractor to bring it with them. Spock insists that they not easte energy to save him but McCoy tells him to shut up, they're rescuing him. Power levels are dead and the Enterprise exits the creature just as the blast goes off. The explosion ruptures the outer membrane, destroying the organism and throwing the ship and shuttle clear. With the shuttle back on the ship and power levels restored, Kirk comments that he is still looking forward to a little shore leave on some nice planet.
Final Thoughts:As I said it's a bottle show but I think it's a real good one. The stakes are serious and the characters on point. Not much else to say about it.
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