start your readings. well... i just might stake out a claim and settle down here, jim. it is spectacular, isn't it?

rted some pretty strange sensor readings. starfleet wants it investigated and the inhabitants contacted. we do what we're told. the soil here is remarkably rich and fertile, captain. husbandry would be quite efficacious. you sure about that? oh, quite sure. readings indicate the entire planet is covered with growth like this. curious-- even at the poles there's very little variation in temperature which maintains a planetwide average of 76 degrees. it makes me homesick. just like russia. more like the garden of eden, ensign. of course, doctor. the garden of eden was just outside moscow. a very nice place. it must've made adam and eve very sad to leave. "just outside moscow." all right. there's a village about 17 kilometers away on bearing 2-3-2.

captain. captain. dead. what did somebody say? that paradise must've looked like this? space--the final frontier. these are the voyages of the starship "enterprise." its five-year mission-- to explore strange new worlds...

captain's log, stardate 3715.3. while making a routine exploration of the unexplored gamma trianguli 6, one of my men has been killed by a poisonous plant. as soon as we get out of the way, beam the body up. aye, captain. that's a shame about hendorff. eem to have a problem here, too. what is it? we're losing potency in our antimatter pods. i don't think it's serious, but we're looking into it. what's causing it? i'm not sure, sir. but we've run measurements on the electromagnetic field of the planet, and they are a wee bit abnormal. that might have something to do with it. but you say there's nothing to worry about? well, sir, i didn't exactly say that. well, stay on top of it. we've got a job to do here. we might as well finish it. i hear it's nice down there.

it's nice. if we're a little more careful, we shouldn't run into any more trouble. i could do with a nice walk in a garden with green leaves and grass. we'll do the walking, scotty. you get on the antimatter pod. if it gets any worse, let me know, we'll beam up. kirk out. i find that most unusual, captain. well, scotty will handle it. we got a job to do. turn up anything on your tricorder? indeed. subsurface vibrations for miles in all directions. that's strange. quite strong, fairly regular, artificially produced. mallory. yes, captain? we're heading for the village. avoid contact with the humanoids. and i want you and marple to make a full reconnaissance. so be careful. there may be other dangers besides poisonous plants. keep in constant communication.

? there's a humanoid hiding directly behind us moving with remarkable agility, bearing 1-8. what is it, mr. spock? a visitor. one wanting to retain his anonymity, i should say. all this beauty, and now mr. hendorff dead, somebody watching us. it's frightening. if you insistt on worrying, worry about me. i've been wanting to get you in a place like this for a long time. mr. chekov, lieutenant landon. i know you find each other fascinating, but we're not here to conduct a field experiment in human biology.

anything? whatever it is, it moves like a cat. jim, i don't like this. neither do i. all hands! watched, we'll probably be watched. we're moving out. formation "l." interesting. extremely low specific gravity, some uraninite, hornlblende, quartz. fragile, good cleavage. an analysis should prove interesting.

captain. this could be a find of some importance. in large quantities, it could be a considerable source of power. garden of eden... with land mines. "enterprise" to captaininirk. kirk here. scott, sir. our antimatter pods are completely inert. i couldn't stop it, but i know why. why? something from the surface. it's like a pail of water on a fire. a beam, maybe, or a transmission. and it's still on. i'm having it analyzed, but it's like nothing i've ever seen before.

y. need any help? well, there's nothing you can do about it, sir. and there doesn't seem to be any immediate danger. all right, scotty. we'll try and find out what's going on down here. kirk out. if scott is correct about ththforce from the surface, it may have to do with the vibrations i read earlier. some kind of generator? if so, an immense one, probably subterranean. what's that? some of the thorns likeethose t. see the stuff on the end? stronger peculiar stuff to find in paradise. jim! spock! spock! security alert.

[hypospray hisses] i filled him with enough massoform "d" to make the whole crew turn handsprings and he's not responding. we've got to get him back to the ship, jim. kirk to "enterprise." scott here, sir. we're beaming up. notify transporter room. and make arrangements to pick up mallory and marple. they're scouting ahead of us. aye-aye, sir. transporter room, stand by to beam up landing party. all hands! standing by, sir. energize.

. scotty, what's the matter? we can't make transporter contact, sir. the entire system's inhibited. the way it is now,

captain's log, supplementary-- our investigation of gamma trianguli 6 has suddenly turned into a nightmare. we're being watched and followed, mr. spock has been injured,

scotty, is the transporter malfunction tied in with the trouble you're having with the antimatter pods? i don't know, sir. o you. scott out. spock. you all right? dr. mccoy's potion is acting like all his potions-- turning my stomach. other than that, i am quite well. well, if your blood were red instead of green, you wouldndn have an upset stomach. just what did you think you were trying to do? i surmised you were unaware of that plant, so i-- stepped in front and took the thorns yourself. i assure you, captain, i had no intention of doing that. it was merely my own clumsiness which prevented me from moving out of the way. i see. well, next time, just yell. i can step out of the way as quicklylyas the next man. i shall do so. trying to get yourself killed. you know how much starfleet has ininsted in you? 122,22--

but... thanks. kaplan, take the post. yes, sir. not only is sosothing after us, but it's after the ship as well. captain, to affect the ship at this extreme range would require a highly sophisticated planetarardefense system. 30 seconds ago, there wasn't a cloud in the sky.

phasers. beautiful day, mr. spococ not a cloud in the sky. just like paradise. [communicator beeps] kirk here. mallory here, captain.

by 2-2-0. [s[stic] mallory. mallory, you all r righ? come in! the village is... primitive. strictly tribal from the loooo of it. and, captain, there's something else. [static] captain, come in! [static] mallory. mallory, you allllight? mallory! captain. those coordinates are a short distance in that direction. on the double. it's over there! that way! ! never saw anything like--

watch it! rockck kaplan. hendorff. i knew kaplan's family. now mallory. jim, you couldn't have stopped any of this. his father helped me get into the academy. cacaain. in each case, this was unavoidable. i could've prevented all of it. i don't see how. walk in paradise... among the green grass and the flowers. i should've beamed up at the first sign of trouble. you are under orders to investitite this planet and this culture. i also have the option

this isn't that important a mission, spock. not worth the lives of three of my men. i drop my guard for a minute because i like the smell of growing things, and now three men are dead. and the ship's in trouble. no one has ever stated that starfleet duty was particularly safe. you've followed the correct and logical course, done everything a commander could do. self-recriminations... captain... our friend is back. [leaves rustle] marple, chekov, at attention. gentlemen, something or someone is behind that rock. i want it. marple, cut around the r rk to your right. make a loud noise. be careful. spock... you and chekov create a diversion

mr. chekov, your tricororr readings are totally inefficient! mind your own business! for your information, i i ve a very high efficiency rating! ensign, i will not have you address me in that tone of voice! what do you want, violins? [crying] i won't hurt you. do you understand? i won't hurt you. you struck me. with your hand. well, i won't strike you again. you've been following us... watching us. why? i am the eyes of vaal. he must see. who is vaal? vaal is vaal. he is... everything.

t i am akuta. . they're not going to hurt you. i promise you. akuta... akuta... we come in peace. we would like to speak totohis vaal. akaka alone speaks to vaal. i am the eyes and the voice of vaal. it is vaal's wish. captain, this is fascinating. if you will permit me, sir? antennae? they are my ears for vaal. they were given to me in the dim time

you speak of the people of vaal. are they nearby? we are close to vaal so we may serve him. i shall take you there. "enterprise" to captain kirk. [communicator beeps] kirk here. condition red! condition red! captain... something has grabbed us from the planet's surface, like a giant tractor beam and we can't break loose. r. scott. we're just barely holding our own. scotty, is the warp drive still out? aye, sir. all we have is impulse power. put it on maximum. full emergency circuits. they're all on, captain. status--are you still holding? kyle. no, sir. we're slipping. computer banksks kyle. feed in our rate. get me a figure. we might be able to pull out with warp drive. but t thout it, we're like a fly on flypaper. even worse, we're starting to lose ground. hurry up with that figure, kyle.

t it working. i've done that, captain. they haven't been able to do a thing. it's no good, captain. with maximum thrust against the pull, we'll only be able to maintain full power for 16 hours, then we burn up for sure. scotty... you're my chief engineer. you know everything about that ship that there is to know, more than the men who designed it. if you can't get those warp engines working... you're fired. i'll do everything there is to do, sir. scott out. tell me about vaal. all the world knows about vava. he causes the rains to fall and the sun to shine. all goododcomes fro. take me to him. i wish to speak to him. i shall take you to him,

i'll take my chances.

captain's log, stardate 3715.6. we have been introduced to vaal. evidently the source of the planet's power emanations

fascinating. very high order of workmanship. very ancient. generating great power. but this is not the center, mr. spock? no, captain. the center is deep in the earth beneath us. this is an access point. it would also seem to be-- a force field? obviously. yoyoall ri it extends some 30 feet beyond the figure in all directions. conventional in composition... and quite formidable. akuta, how do you talk to vaal? vaal calls me. only then. well, we can't get to it. we can't talk to it unless it wants to talk to us. vaal sleeps now. when he is hungry,

when does he get hungry? soon. come. we will give you food and drink. if you are tired, you may rest. where are the others? there are no others. the, uh, children. children? ha ha. you use unknown words to me. little ones like yourselves. they grow. none are necessary.

"love." ha ha ha ha. strange words-- children, love. what is love? love is... when two people are... ahh... yes. the holding. the touching. vaal has forbidden this. well, there goes paradise. these people... are from another place. they have come among us. welcome them! e to vaal. welcome to vaal. our homes are open to you. well, thank you. it, uh, does something for you. yes, indeed it does, captain. it makes me uncomfortable. i am sayana. you have a name? yes. spock. i am spock. ha ha ha. spock? ha ha ha.

ha ha... come! this house is your house. i will send you more food and drink. you are welcome in the place of vaal. planet was trying to kill us. it doesn't make sense. nothing makes sense down here. kirk to "enterprise." come in. scott here. status report, scotty. no change, captata. the orbit is decaying along computed lines. no success with the warp drive. we're going down, and we canan stop it. i'm sick of hearing that word "can't." get that ship out of there! sir, we're doing everything withinn eng. then use your imagination. tie every ounce of power the ship has into the impulse engines.

there with the main section, but get that ship out of there! sir, i'm going to switch over everything e power, but that's just about as dangerous. do it. kirk out. incredible. report. i just ran a thoroughhcheck on , and there's a complete lack of harmful bacteria in their systems, no decalcification, no degeneration of tissue, no arteriosclerosis. in simple terms, jim... they're not growing old, and i can't begin to tell you how old they are-- 20 years or 20,000 years. i see. opinion. quite possible. it checks with my atmospheric analysis. their atmosphere completely negates any harmful effects from their sun. add to that a simple diet... perfectly controlled temperature... no natural enemies...