Personal log, stardate 3013. 1.
I find it hard to believe
the events of the past 24 hours
or the plea of Mr. Spock
standing general court-martial.
How do you plead to the charge
of unlaw fully taking command?
Guilty.
Of sabotaging the computers of this vessel
and locking it on a course
for planet Talos IV?
Guilty.
And of forcibly attempting
to transport Captain Pike to that planet?
Guilty.
Why? Why does Spock
want to take to that forbidden world his former captain,
mutilated by a recentspace disaster,
now a shell of a man, unable to speak or move?
The only answer Spock would give
was on the hearing-room screen.
Spock refused to explain how,
but there, before our eyes,
actual images from 13 years ago
of Captain Pike as he was
when he commanded this vessel,
of Spock in those days,
and of how the Enterprise
had become the first and only starship
to visit Talos IV.
They had received a distress signal from that planet
and discovered there,
still alive after many years,
the survivors of a missing vessel,
only to find it wasallan illusion--
No survivors...
no encampment...
it wasalla trap
set bya race of beings
who couldmake a man believe he wasseeing
anything they wished him to see,
and Captain Pike was gone,
a prisoner for some unknown purpose.
The images we've been seeing are--
Are coming from Talos IV.
You're aware of orders
regarding any contact with Talos IV.
You have deliberately invited the death penalty.
Do you know what you're doing?
Have you lost your mind?
Captain.
Jim, please.
Don't stop me.
Don't let him stop me.
It's your career and Captain Pike's life.
You must see the rest of the transmission.
Space-- the final frontier.
These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise.
Its five-year mission--
to explore strange new worlds,
to seek out newlife and new civilizations,
to boldly go where no man has gone before.
The court-martial of Mr. Spock
has been convened in closed session.
Despite all we can do,
images continue to be transmitted to us
from Talos IV.
Starfleet has ordered no contact with Talos IV.
They made no exceptions.
You have no choice, sir.
I'm sorry.
The keeper has taken control of our screen.
Do you understand, sir?
As you saw before,
Captain Pike had been knocked unconscious
and captured by the Talosians.
Can you hear me?
I'm Christopher Pike,
commander of the space vehicle Enterprise
from the stellar group
at the other end of this galaxy.
Our intentions are peaceful.
Can you understand me?
It appears, Magistrate,
that the intelligence of the specimen
is shockingly limited.
This is no surprise since his vessel was baited here so easily
with a simulated message.
As you can read in its thoughts,
it only now suspects
that the survivors and encampment
were an illusion we placed in their minds.
You're not speaking, yet I hear you.
Note the confusion
asit reads our thought transmissions.
All right, then, telepathy.
You can read my mind. I can read yours.
Now, unless you want my ship
to consider capturing me an unfriendly act--
You now see the primitive fear/threat reaction.
The specimen is about to boast of his strength,
the weaponr of his vessel,
and so on.
Next...
frustrated into a need
to display physical prowess,
the creature will throw himself
against the transparency.
If you were in here,
wouldn't you test the strength of these walls, too?
There's a way out of any cage,
and I'll find it.
Despite its frustration,
the creature appears more adaptable
than our specimens from other planets.
We can soon begin the experiment.
The inhabitants of this planet
must live deep underground,
probably manufacture food and other needs down there.
Our tests indicate the planet surface,
without considerably more vegetation or some animals,
simply too barren to support life.
So we just thought we saw survivors there.
Exactly.
An illusion placed in our minds
by this planet's inhabitants.
It was a perfect illusion.
They had us seeing just what we wanted to see--
human beings who had survived
with dignity and bravery,
everything entirely logical,
right down to the building of the camp,
the tattered clothing, everything.
Let's be sure we understand the danger of this.
The inhabitants of this planet
can read our minds,
can create illusions out of a person's own thoughts,
memories, and experiences,
even out of a person's own desires,
illusions just as real and solid
as this table top
and just as impossible to ignore.
It's Captain Pike they've got.
He needs help.
If we buzz about down there,
we may find their mental power is so great,
they could swat this ship like a fly.
That entry resisted hand lasers.
We'll transmit the ship's power against it,
enough to blast half a continent.
Engineering deck will rig to transmit ship's power.
We'll try blasting through that metal.
Thousands of us
are already probing the creature's thoughts, Magistrate.
We find excellent memor capacity.
I read most strongly a recent death struggle
in which it fought to protect its life.
We will begin with this,
giving the specimen something more interesting to protect.
Come on.
We must hide ourselves.
Come.
Hurry. It's deserted.
There'll be weapons and perhaps food.
This is Rigel 7.
Please, we must hide ourselves.
I was in a cage, a cell, in some kind of a zoo.
I must still be there.
Come on.
They've reached into my mind
and taken the memory of somewhere I've been.
[ Grrr ]
The Kaylar!
Ohh!
It's starting just as it happened two weeks ago.
[ Grrr ]
Except foryou.
A brilliant deduction by Captain Pike, gentlemen.
Yes, he was still inside his cell,
but knowing that couldn't help him.
The Talosians controlled his brain.
And could make him live any place, any time,
any situation they wished.
He would see, taste, suffer
with the same reality as you gentlemen sitting there.
Longer hair, different dress,
but it is you,
the one the survivors call Vina.
Roar!
Or rather the image of Vina.
But why you again?
Why didn't they create a different girl?
[Grrr]
[ Grrr ]
Quick.
If you attack while it's not looking...
But it's only a dream.
[ Grrr ]
Kill him as you did before.
Tell my jailers I won't go along with it.
I'm not an animal performing for its supper.
What ever you call this, you'll feel it.
You'll feel it. That's what matters.
You'll feel whatever happens to you.
[ Clanging ]
[ Grrr ]
Oh!
Aah!
[ Grrr ]
Ohh!
Aah!
Ohh! Ohh!
[ Grrr ]
Aah!
[ Grrr ]
It's over.
Why have they stopped the images?
Because they know that Captain Pike is fatigued.
We can reconvene later.
Then they care about the captain?
They want him back alive, sir.
I demand to know why.
If you'll be patient, the answers--
You're forgetting you're on trial, Spock.
You will answer all questions put to you.
My answer to your question would be quite unbelievable.
I regret we'll have to wait and see it there.
Personal log, stardate 3013.2.
Reconvening court-martial of Mr. Spock
and the strangest trial evidence
ever heard aboard a starship.
From the mysterious planet
now only one hour ahead of us,
the story of Captain Pike's imprisonment there.
Why are you here?
To please you.
Are you real?
As real as you wish.
No. No.
No, that's not any answer.
I've never met you before, never even imagined you.
Perhaps they made me out of dreams you've forgotten.
And dress you in the same metal fabric they wear?
I can wear whatever you wish
or be anything you wish.
So they can see how their specimen performs?
They want to see how I react?
Don't you have a--a dream,
something you've always wanted very badly?
Or do they do more than just watch me?
Do they...
feel with me, too?
You can have whatever dream you want.
I can become anything,
any woman you-- you've ever imagined.
You can have anything you want
in the whole universe.
Let me...
please you.
Yes. Yes, you can please me.
You can tell me about them.
How can I keep them from probing my mind,
from using my thoughts against me?
Does that frighten you?
Does that mean there is a way?
You're a fool.
Since you're not real,
there's not much point in continuing this conversation, is there?
All circuits engaged, Mr. Spock.
Standing by, Number One.
Take cover.
10...
9...
8...
7...
6...
5...
4...
3...
2...
1...
Increase to full power!
Can you give us any more?
Our circuit sare beginning to heat.
We'll have to cease power.
Disengage.
The top of that knoll
should have been sheared off the first second.
Maybe it was. I tried to explain.
Their power of illusion is so great,
we can't be sure of anything we do,
of anything we see.
Perhaps ifyou asked me some questions
I could answer.
How far can they control my mind?
If I tell you,
then will you pick some dream you've had
and let me live it with you?
Perhaps.
They--they can't actually make you do anything
you don't want to do.
But they try to trick me with their illusions.
They can punish you when you're not cooperative.
Did they ever live on the surface of this planet?
Why did they go underground?
War, thousands of centuries ago.
That's why it's so barren up there?
The planet's only now beginning to support life again.
So the Talosians who came underground
found life limited here
and concentrated on developing their mental power.
But they found it's a trap...
like a narcotic,
because when dreams become more important than reality,
you give up travel, building, creating.
You even forget how to repair the machines
left behind by your ancestors.
You just sit,
living and reliving other lives
left behind in the thought record.
Or sit probing minds of zoo specimens like me.
You're better than theater.
They create the illusion foryou.
They watch you react,
feel your emotions.
They have a whole collection of specimens,
descendants of life brought back long ago
from all over this part of the galaxy.
Which means they had to have more than one
of each animal.
Please.
They'll need a pair of humans.
Where will they get the Earth woman?
You said if I answered questions--
That was a bargain with something that didn't exist.
You said you weren't real, remember?
I'm a woman as real and as human as you are.
We are like Adam and Eve.
If we--
Ohh!
Don't! Please!
Don't punish me!
I'll die!
Ohh! Aah!
An Earth woman?
You were captured as breeding stock?
Why?
Just to maintain a supply of zoo specimens?
Much more, Captain.
The vial contains a nourishing protein complex.
Is the keeper actually communicating
with one of his animals?
If the form and the color is not appealing,
it can appear as any food you wish to visualize.
And if I prefer...
To starve?
You overlook the unpleasant alternative
of punishment.
Aah!
[ Screaming ]
From a fable you once heard in childhood.
You will now consume the nourishment.
Why not...
just put irresistible hunger in my mind?
Because you can't, can you?
You do have limitations, don't you?
If you continue to disobey,
from deeper in your mind,
there are things even more unpleasant.
That's very interesting.
Now to the female.
You were startled.
Weren't you reading my mind?
As you've conjectured,
an Earth vessel did crash on our planet,
but with only a single survivor.
Let's stay on the first subject.
All I wanted for that moment
was to get my hands around your neck.
We repaired the survivor's injuries
and found the species interesting.
Do primitive thoughts
put up a block you can't read through?
It became necessary to attract a mate.
All right. Let's talk about the girl.
You've gone out of your way
to make her attractive,
to make me feel protective.
This is necessary in order to perpetuate the species.
Seems more important to you now
that I begin to accept her and like her.
We wish our specimens to be happy
in their new life.
Assuming that's a lie,
why would you want me attracted to her,
so I'll feel love in a husband-wife relationship?
That would be necessary
only if you intend to build a family group
or perhaps a whole human community.
With the female now properly conditioned.
You mean properly punished!
I'm the one who's not cooperating!
Why don't you punish me?
First, an emotion of protectiveness.
Now one of sympathy.
Excellent.
You want some coffee, dear?
I left the thermos hooked to my saddle.
[ Whinny ]
Tango!
You old devil, you.
Uh, I'm sorry I don't have any sug--
Well, they think of everything, don't they?
Is it good to be home?
They read our minds very well.
Home, anything else I want
if I cooperate, is that it?
It turned out to be a lovely day, didn't it?
You're home.
You can even stay if you want.
But we're not here, neither of us.
We're in a menagerie, a cage!
No.
I can't help if you won't let me.
Now, you told me once
they used illusions as a narcotic.
They couldn't repair their ancestors' machines.
Is that why they want us,
to build a colony of slaves?
Stop it.
Don't you care what they'll do to us?
In my cage, it seemed for two minutes
our keeper couldn't read my thoughts.
Do emotions like hate,
keeping hate in your mind,
does that block off our mind from them?
Yes.
They can't read through primitive emotions,
but you can't keep it up for long enough.
I've tried.
They keep at you and at you year after year,
tricking and punishing.
And they've won.
They own me.
I know you must hate me for that.
Oh, no. I don't hate you.
I can guess what it was like.
But that's not enough.
Don't you see?
They read my thoughts, my feelings,
my dreams of what would be a perfect man.
That's why they picked you.
I can't help but love you.
And they expect you to feel the same way.
If they can read my mind,
then they know I'm at tracted to you.
I was from the very first moment I saw you.
You were like a wild little animal.
I'm beginning to see why none of this has worked for you.
You've been home, and fighting as on Rigel--
That's not new to you, either.
A person's strongest dreams
are about what he can't do.
Yes, a ship's captain,
always having to be so formal,
so decent and honest and proper.
You must wonder what it would be like
to forget all that.
[ Flutes And Drums Play ]
Nice place you have here, Mr. Pike.
Vina?
That's Vina again,
as the green Orion slave girl?
[ Mendez ] They're like animals-- vicious, seductive.
They say no human male can resist them.
[ Kirk ] Strange evidence from thepast,
how the Talosians, planning to breed a society of human slaves,
tempted Captain Pike with the Earth woman they held in captivity.
Ass he appeared to him in many forms,
each more exciting than the last,
Pike was beginning to weaken.
Suppose you had all of space to choose from
and this was only one small sample.
Wouldn't you say it was worth a man's soul?
You all know the situation.
We're hoping to transport down inside the Talosian community.
If our measurements and readings
are an illusion also,
one could find oneself materialized
inside solid rock.
Nothing will be said if any volunteer wants to back out.
The women!
Captain.
Captain...
No! Let me finish!
But we were a party of six.
We were the only ones transported.
It's not fair. You don't need them.
They don't work.
They were fully charged when we left.
It's dead. I can't make this thing work.
What is it?
Don't say anything.
I'm filling my mind
with a picture of beating their huge, misshapen heads to pulp,
thoughts so primitive they black out everything else.
I'm filling my mind with hate.
How long can you block your thoughts?
A few minutes, an hour?
How can that help?
Leave him alone.
He doesn't need you.
He's already picked me.
Picked her?
For what? I don't understand.
Now, there's a fine choice for intelligent offspring.
Offspring... as in children?
Offspring as in, he's Adam.
Is that it?
You're no better choice.
They'd have more luck crossing him with a computer.
Shall we do some time computation?
Vina was listed on that expedition as an adult crewman.
Adding 1 8 years to your age then--
[ Door Opens ]
It's not fair.
I did what you asked.
Since you resist the present specimen,
you now have a selection.
I'll break out of this zoo somehow and get to you.
Is your blood red like ours?
I'm going to find out.
Each of the two new specimens
has qualities in her favor.
The female you call Number One
has the superior mind
and would produce highly intelligent children.
All I want to do is get my hands on you.
Can you read these thoughts--
images of hate, killing?
The other new arrival considered you unreachable
but now realizes this has changed.
The factors in her favor are youth and strength
plus unusually strong female drives.
You'll find my thoughts more interesting,
thoughts so primitive you can't understand.
Emotions so--
Oh!
Wrong thinking is punishable.
Right thinking will be as quickly rewarded.
You will find it an effective combination.
Captain--
No.
No. Don't help me.
I have to concentrate.
They can't read through hate.
Hold still, or I'll--
You hold still, or I'll--
Don't hurt them. They don't mean to be evil.
I've had some samples of how good they are.
[ Grrrr ]
You stop this illusion, or I'll twist your head off.
All right.
Now, you try one more illusion,
you try anything at all, and I'll breakyour neck.
Your ship...
release me, or we'll destroy it.
He's not bluffing, Captain.
They can make your crew work the wrong controls
or push any button it takes to destroy your ship.
I'll gamble you're too intelligent
to kill for no reason at all.
On the other hand, I've got a reason.
I bet you've created an illusion this laser is empty.
I think it blasted a hole that you keep us from seeing.
Want me to test my theory out on your head?
Captain.
Seems the Talosians have deserted you.
Gentlemen, a moment, please.
Well, Mr. Spock?
May I have your verdict?
Signal you want them to wait.
Captain, please. It's your life now...
at least a chance for life.
You keep talking about life, a chance for life.
How? As a prisoner,
caged, a zoo specimen,
living the illusions that amuse his keepers?
No, Captain. there's more to it.
Watch.
Guilty, yes or no, Captain?
Yes.
I must also vote guilty as charged.
And you, Captain?
Guilty...
as charged.
Security control affirmative.
Stand to, forward phaser.
Aft scanner to bridge.
Bridge to commander.
Mendez here.
Sir, we're entering orbit Talos IV.
Talos controls the vessel now, sir,
as they did 13 years ago.
You've asked me why.
You'll see the answer now.
Make contact, Number One.
They kept us from seeing this, too.
We cut through and never knew it.
Captain.
As you see,
your attempt to escape accomplished nothing.
I want to contact our ship.
You're now on the surface
where we wished you to be.
With the female of your choice,
you will now begin carefully guided lives.
And start by burying you?
That is your choice.
To help you reclaim the planet's surface,
our zoological gardens will furnish a variety of plant life.
I'll make a deal with you.
You and your life
for the lives of these two Earth women.
Show proof our ship's all right,
send these two back,
and I'll stay with Vina.
It's wrong to create a race of humans to live as slaves.
Is this a deception?
Do you intend to destroy yourselves?
What's that?
The weapon is building up an overload,
a forced chamber explosion.
You still have time to get underground.
Well, go on!
Just to show you how primitive humans are, Talosian,
you go with her.
If--if you all think
it's this important, then...
I can't go, either.
I suppose if they have one human being,
they might try again.
Wait.
Their method of storing records is crude and consumed much time.
Are you prepared to assimilate it?
We had not believed this possible.
The customs and history of your race
show a unique hatred of captivity.
Even when it's pleasant and benevolent,
you prefer death.
This makes you too violent and dangerous a species
for our needs.
He means that...
they can't use you.
You're free to go back to the ship.
And that's it.
No apologies...
you captured one of us, threatened all of us.
Your unsuitability has condemned the Talosian race
to eventual death.
Is this not sufficient?
No other specimen has shown your adaptability.
You were our last hope.
But wouldn't some form of trade...
mutual cooperation...
Your race would learn our power of illusion
and destroy it self, too.
[ Intercom Whistles ]
Captain, we have transporter control now.
Let's get back to the ship.
I can't.
I can't go with you.
Sir, it just came on.
[ Intercom Whistles ]
Mr. Spock here.
All power has come on. The helm is answering to control.
The captain.
You see why I can't go with you.
This is the female's true appearance.
They found me in the wreckage, dying,
a lump of flesh.
They rebuilt me.
Everything works.
But they had never seen a human.
They had no guide
for putting me back together.
It was necessary to convince you
her desire to stay is an honest one.
You'll give her back her illusion of beauty?
And more.
Mr. Spock, the system is coming on again.
What's happened to Vina?
Isn't she coming with us?
No.
No, and I agreed with her reasons.
All decks prepare for hyperdrive.
All decks are ready, sir.
Engage.
Commodore, don't you think that--
What you now seem to hear, Captain Kirk,
are my thought transmissions.
The commodore was never aboard your vessel.
His presence there and in the shuttlecraft
was an illusion.
Mr. Spock had related to us your strength of will.
It was thought the fiction of a court-martial
would divert you from too soon regaining control of your vessel.
Captain Pike is welcome
to spend the rest of his life with us,
unfettered by his physical body.
The decision is yours...
and his.
Mr. Spock,
even if regulations are explicit,
you could have come to me and explained.
Ask you to face the death penalty, too?
One of us was enough, Captain.
[ Intercom Whistles ]
Yes.
[ Uhura ] Message from Starbase 11, sir.
"Received images from Talos IV.
"In view of historic importance of Captain Pike"
"in space exploration,"
"GeneraI Order 7 prohibiting contact Talos IV"
"issuspended this occasion."
"No action contemplated against Spock."
"Proceed as you think best."
"Signed, Mendez,J.I., Commodore, Starbase 11. "
Chris...
do you want to go there?
Mr. Spock...
would you care to take Captain Pike to the transporter room...
see him off?
Thank you, sir,
For both of us.
Uh, Mr. Spock,
when you're finished, I want to talk to you.
This regret table tendency
you've been showing lately
towards flagrant emotionalism--
I see no reason to insult me, sir.
I believe I've been completely logical
about the whole affair.
[ Talosian ] Captain Kirk...
Captain Pike hasan illusion,
and you have reality.
May you find your way as pleasant.