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Synopsis:
The U.S.S. Enterprise is
hosting Commander Ari bn Bem of planet Pandro as an independent
observer of the Federation. Starfleet is eager to open diplomatic
relations with the Pandronians, due to their advanced medical
knowledge. Though he has not joined the crew on previous missions,
Bem accompanies a landing party to explore Delta Theta III and,
due to his non-violent nature, secretly replaces their weapons
with non-functioning ones.
The planet is populated by
preindustrial aborigines the Federation is interested in gathering
information about the world for research purposes. While walking
through the dense terrain, the crew scans lifeforms emanating from
the forest and Bem immediately runs toward them against direct
orders. Bem passes through the thick rain forest by splitting into
several body parts and floating through the cracks. Kirk and Spock
split off but are unable to track Bem through the dense woods.
They later discover that he has been captured by a group of angry
aborigines.
Scotty and Sulu beam back
to the U.S.S. Enterprise and discover a force field developing
around the small village, but they cannot contact Kirk or Spock.
At night, Kirk and Spock attempt to rescue Bem from the natives
but are also captured. Bem explains that he took Starfleet
equipment because he dislikes violence and wanted to see how the
captain could react without such devices. He returns the devices
to Kirk and Spock, who manage escape only to be paralyzed by a
supernatural force surrounding the area.
The entity tells them not
to interfere with her "children," the people of this
world. Bem escapes and Kirk and Spock are again captured. The
entity demands that they leave immediately but Kirk tells Spock
that they cannot leave without Bem. They arrange a search party to
beam down, now that the entity has permitted communications. Bem
is found and he realizes that he has failed in his mission and
must die. The entity tells him he will not be killed because
people must learn from their errors. The crew returns to the ship,
where Spock ponders the existence of such a god-like entity and
how they are all really children to the universe. |
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