kirk: captain's log, stardate 3192.1. the enterprise is en route to star cluster ngc321. objective--to open diplomatic relations with the civilizations known to be there. we have sent a message to eminiar vii, principal planet of the star cluster, informing them of our friendly intentions. iting an answer. nothing yet, lieutenant? nothing, captain. hailing frequencies are open. have you received an answer to your message yet, captain? nothing yet, ambassador. we're awaiting a reply. today is the first time we've had any evidence that they've picked up our signal. captain, message coming in from eminiar vii.

positive. it repeats over and over again. is that supposed to mean something? code 710 means under no circumstances are we to approach that planet-- no circumstances whatsoever. you will disregard that signal, captain. mr. fox, it is their planet. captain, in the past 20 years, thousands of lives have been lost in this quadrant-- lives that could have been saved if the federation had a treaty for here. we need to have that port, and i'm here to get it. by disregarding code 710, you might well involve us in an interplanetary war. i'm quite prepared to take that risk. you are. i'm thinking about this ship, my crew. i have my orders, captain, and now you have yours. you will proceed on course. achieve orbit status and just leave the rest to me. you are well aware that my mission gives me the power of command. i now exercise it. you will proceed on course.

in view of code 710, captain, may i suggest-- yes, mr. spock. this is the captain. condition--yellow alert. phaser crews stand by. deflector shields up. we're going in, gentlemen-- peacefully, i hope, but peacefully or not... we're going in. these are the voyages of the starship "enterprise." its five-year mission-- to explore strange new worlds... to seek out new life and new civilizations...

captain's log, stardate 3192.5. now in standard orbit around planet eminiar vii.

at all cost. preparing to beam down to planet's surface. we know very little about them. their civilization is advanced. they've had spaceflight for several centuries, but they've never ventured beyond their own solar system. when first contacted more than 50 years ago, eminiar vii was at war with its nearest neighbor. anything else? the earth expedition making the report failed to return from its mission. listed as missing in space. kirk, what's this about you going down alone? not alone, mr. ambassador. i'm taking some security people with me. it is my prerogative. i can't risk beaming you down there until i know what kind of a reception you're going to receive. your safety is my responsibility. those are my orders, sir. mr. spock. transporter room standing by, captain. what coordinates? we've selected a site which, from the traffic,

directed toward us. no apparent notice taken of us at all, which seems strange. they did scan us when we assumed orbit. obviously, they know we're here. ship's defenses? screens down, but all defensive details on general alert status, captain. good. the landing party will pick up phaser number 1s from the arsenal. keep them inconspicuous. mr. scott. yes, sir? the ship is yours. take care of her until i come back. aye, aye, sir. and have a bonny trip. we'll do our best. let's go.

they are to be treated correctly, nothing more. i'm captain james t. kirk of the starship "enterprise" representing the united federation of planets. i know. i'm mea 3. i congratulate you on your instrumentation. you've come directly to the division of control. if you will follow me, please? captain, i wish-- yes? you were warned not to come here.

why did your people tell us to stay away? it was for your own safety, captain. i see no danger here. the danger exists. nevertheless, you are here. it would be morally incorrect to do less than extend our hospitality. anan 7 and members of the high council await you. if you will come this way, please... i'm captain kirk. this is my first officer, mr. spock; lieutenants galway, osborne; yeoman tamura.

well, captain, what can we do for you? my mission is to establish diplomatic relations between your people and mine. that is impossible. would you mind telling me why? because of the war. you're still at war? we have been at war for 500 years. you conceal it very well. mr. spock? sir, we have completely scanned your planet. we find it highly advanced, prosperous in a material sense, comfortable for your people, and peaceful in the extreme, yet you say you are at war. there is no evidence of this. casualties among our civilian population total from 1 to 3 million dead each year from direct enemy attack. that is one reason, captain, why we told you to stay away.

with whom are you at war? the third planet in our system, called vendikar, originally settled by our people and now a ruthless enemy-- highly advanced technologically. [alarm buzzing] please excuse me. vendikar is attacking. mea, prepare for our guests. strange. to say the least. it will not last long. don't you take shelter? there is no shelter, captain. are these attacks frequent? oh, yes, and we will retaliate immediately. oh! kirk: what is it? a hit right here in the city. do you hear any explosions, mr. spock? none, captain. yeoman tamura?

radiation disturbances of any kind. [buzzing] working, sir. no evidence. mea... if this is an attack, may i ask what weapons the enemy is using? fusion bombs, materialized by the enemy over their targets. kirk to bridge. scotty? scott here, captain. of course, sir. as per orders. anything unusual? nothing, sir. all quiet. thank you. kirk out. look, anan. yes, i see it. they were warned. just as it happened 50 years ago. alert a security detachment.

it was a vicious attack-- extremely destructive. fortunately, our defenses are firming, but our casualties are high-- very high. sir, i have been in contact with my ship, which has had this entire planet under surveillance. all during this... so-called attack, we have been monitoring. there's been no attack, no disturbances whatsoever. if this is some sort of game you're playing-- this is no game, captain. half a million people have just been killed. activate the attack units, sar. yes, councilman. launch immediate counterattack. computers, captain. they fight their war with computers totally. yes, of course.

to report? to our disintegration machines. you must understand, captain, we have been at war for 500 years. under ordinary conditions, no civilization could withstand that, but we have reached a solution. then the attack by vendikar was theoretical. oh, no. quite real. an attack is mathematically launched. i lost my wife in the last attack. our civilization lives. the people die, but our culture goes on. you mean to tell me... your people just walk into a disintegration machine when they're told to? we have a high consciousness of duty, captain. there is a certain scientific logic about it.

understand. good. and you will recall, i warned you not to come here. you chose to ignore my warning. i'm sorry, but it's happened. what has happened? once your ship was in orbit about our planet, it became a legitimate target. it has been classified destroyed by a tricobalt satellite explosion. have 24 hours to report to our disintegration machines. in order to ensure their cooperation, i have ordered you, captain, and your party held in custody until they surrender. if possible, we shall spare your ship, captain,

captain's log, delayed. the "enterprise," in orbit about eminiar vii, has been declared a casualty of an incredible war fought by computers. i and my landing party, though apparently not included as casualties aboard the enterprise, are confined on the planet's surface awaiting...

ire anything. we require a great deal. i wish to speak to anan 7. he is busy coordinating casualty lists. he'll have more casualty lists than he knows what to do with if he doesn't get in here and talk to me. don't you understand? our duty now-- your duty doesn't include stepping into a disintegrator and disappearing. i'm afraid mine does, captain. i, too, have been declared a casualty. i must report to a disintegrator by noon tomorrow. to report and die? my life is as dear to me as yours is to you, captain. then how can you stand-- don't you see? if i refuse to report, and others refuse, then vendikar would have no choice but to launch real weapons. we would have to do the same to defend ourselves. more than people would die then. a whole civilization would be destroyed.

it's been our way for almost 500 years. is there anything i can bring you? yes. anon 7. i tell you, we should have heard something by now. aye, doctor, that we should, but we haven't, and we cannot raise them. now, if there'd been trouble, they should have at least managed to get word back to us. we can't just sit here. what would you suggest? me? i'm a doctor. if i were an officer of the line, i'd-- would you have me open fire?

scott here, captain. kirk's voice: good news, mr. scott. the eminians have agreed to the establishment of full normal diplomatic relations. mr. fox will be glad to hear about that. they've also extended an invitation to all personnel to come ashore for shore leave. they've assured me that our people will have a wonderful time. uh, captain? yes, mr. scott? all personnel? all personnel. we'll transport up trained eminians to assume support positions. those are my orders, mr. scott. aye, aye, captain. we'll start forming shore parties immediately. scott out. well, now, what do you think of that? i don't know. well, i do. computer, last message received and recorded from captain kirk. [computer whirs]

nalyzer. question-- is it or is it not the captain's voice? negative. a close copy. a voice duplicator? 98% probability. well, they've got them, doctor, and now they're trying to get us. are you sure you can do it, mr. spock? limited telepathic abilities are inherent in vulcanians, captain. it may work. it may not.

thank you, mr. spock. my pleasure, captain. what do we do now, captain? we get our communicators back and try and contact the ship. mr. spock, we'll need more weapons. i understand. we'll try to take it easy,

an entrance, captain, but no exit. they go in, but they do not come out. a disintegration machine. so i would assume. mea! oh! what do you think you're doing? i'm--i'm going-- you're not going in there. well, i must. no, you're not. worry about me. mr. spock, that guard. i'll cover you. sir, there's a multilegged creature

all right, you people, clear out of the way. what are you doing? throwing a monkey wrench into the machinery. you can't do this. i've done it. come on. let's get out of here. man: the federation prisoners have attacked their guard and escaped. they are armed. disintegration station number 12 destroyed, councilman, apparently by disruptor fire. all security personnel, federation prisoners have escaped. they are to be found. they are armed.

calculate orbit of starcruiser now circling. stand by to fire full power. computer: councilman, planetary disruptor banks locked onto target. standing by. in 10 seconds, open fire. destroy the starcruiser.

you won't see these folks at the post office. they have businesses to run. they have passions to pursue. how do they avoid trips to the post office? stamps.com mail letters, ship packages, all the services of the post office right on your computer. get a 4 week trial, plus $100 in extras /tv and never go to the post office again. scotty: ship's log. stardate 3193.0-- chief engineer scott recording. the captain and first officer are overdue and missing on the surface of eminiar 7. i have taken standard precautionary measures while we continue our attempts to locate them. all stations reporting. deflector screens rigged at full power. phaser crews ready.

correction. mr. scott. yes, mr. depaul? sensor readings just shot off the scale. well, now... they're taking potshots at us. holding, mr. depaul? screens firm, sir. extremely powerful sonic vibrations. decibels-- 18 to the 12th power. e totally disrupted by now. i guess that answers our questions, mr. scott. they're not very friendly, are they? aye. but what about our captain and the landing party down there somewhere? we get them out. if they're alive and if we can find them. that's a big planet. not too big for the "enterprise" to handle if it has to. we can't fire full phasers with our screens up.

ourse, i could treat them to a few dozen photon torpedoes. you will do no such thing, mr. scott. mr. fox, we're under attack. they're trying to knock us down. you have taken defensive measures. of course, but-- there are no buts. obviously it's a misunderstanding, and one of my jobs is to clear up misunderstandings. they're holding our captain. we have no proof of that. i am responsible for the safety of this ship. and i'm responsible for the success of this mission, and that's more important than this ship. is that clear? we came here to establish diplomatic relations with these people. but they're the ones that are looking for a fight, mr. fox. this is a diplomatic matter. if you'll check your regulations, you'll find that my orders get priority. i'll try to make contact with the planetary officials. lieutenant, open up a channel and keep it open. tell them to expect a priority-1 message from me. there will be no punitive measures, gentlemen.

lomat i know is a fully-activated phaser bank. why did we come back here, captain? the last place they'll look for us is the place we escaped from. cover the door. captain, you have got to let me go. my time is almost up. are you that anxious to die? you don't understand. mr. spock, how did that little raid work out? we captured 4 of their disruptor-type weapons, two complete outfits of male clothing, and, perhaps most important of all, one of their communication devices. h the ship? not at this time. its range is restricted in comparison with ours. i may be able to alter its components, but it will take time. get to work on it. we've got to contact the ship. mea, i want you to give me a complete layout of this building complex. how do i get to the war room? no. now, listen to me. i'm trying to help you, to save your life and the lives of millions like you. if you help me, maybe i can do it. if you don't, you'll die, we'll die, and the killing will go on--

what are you going to do? we're going to try and stop the killing. we're trying to help. believe me. i believe you, but-- tell me what i want to know. please. time is running out. one of our disintegration chambers has been eliminated, and we have already fallen far behind in our quota. this is a grave crisis, and i am at a loss to know how to proceed. the central channel, anan. the earth ambassador's calling with an urgent message. what is the greater morality, open honesty