THE EPISODE WITH THAT KISS

 

Episode Title:  Plato’s Stepchildren 

Air Date: 11/22/1968

Written by Meyer Dolinsky

Directed by David Alexander

Cast: William Shatner as Captain James T. Kirk    Leonard Nimoy as Commander Spock             DeForest Kelley as Dr. Leonard H. McCoy AKA “Bones”              James Doohan  as Lieutenant Commander Montgomery Scott AKA “Scotty”        Nichelle Nichols as Lieutenant Nyota Uhura          Bill Blackburn as Lieutenant Hadley     Majel Barrett as Nurse Christine Chapel      Jeannie Malone as unnamed Yeoman         Michael Dunn as Alexander         Liam Sullivan as Parmen       Barbara Babcock as Philana           Ted Scott as Eraclitus         Derek Partridge as Dionyd

Ships: USS Enterprise NCC-1701

Planets:  Platonious

My Spoiler filled summary and review: The Enterprise answers the distress call from a previously unknown planet.  Kirk, Spock, and McCoy beam down to the planet they soon learn is called Platonious.   The first Platonian they meet is a Dwarf man named Alexander.  Alexander describes himself and his people as followers of Plato of Ancient Athens.  His role is that of court jester and a player of games.  He lets them know that he is a very good loser.

Philana and Alexander

They are then introduced to a familiar looking woman named Philana.  Philana explains that the patient is the philosopher-king Parmen.  As Dr. McCoy tries to treat Parmen we learn that he had great telekinetic powers. He uses his mind to life McCoy’s tools from him and tries to treat himself.  It is from Philana that Kirk receives a more detailed explanation of their origins.  They were bread using eugenics on the planet Sahndara.  This gives them extremely long lives.  Philana and Parmen are both well over 2,000 years old. The Platonians it turns out had actually been to ancient Greece.  They became so obsessed with Greek culture that when they saw it fade, they took to the stars to form their own colony. 

McCoy treating a dying Parmen, this was a mistake!

Philana tells Captain Kirk that despite their long life and telekinetic powers they have virtually no medical knowledge and no trained practitioner in the medical arts, as their long life and near perfect health make that unnecessary.  She then makes a startling statement, a rather stupid admission given their soon-to-be-reveled intentions, that they are exceptional vulnerable to disease and infection due to their isolation.  She says that even a scratch can led to an infection and kill them. 

  Parmen starts to grow delirious and when he does his power goes crazy, objects start flying around the room, McCoy is pinned back, and even the Enterprise is caught up in the storm. Working diligently McCoy is able to cure Parmen’s condition.  With that done Kirk now wants to leave but when he calls up to the Enterprise Scotty informs him that the ship is stuck in orbit and cannot move. Kirk confronts Parmen about this and Parmen uses his telekinetic powers to force Kirk to smack himself in the face while Parmen shouts “What are you doing? Stop hitting yourself!” (Actually, he didn’t say that but it would have been cool if he did.  Since Kirk was a younger brother, it probably would have brought back some childhood memories.)

Parmen and Philana

Later while discussing their options the three of them are forced to move like puppets, just like Alexander was earlier, into the chambers for an audience with the philosopher-king.  Parmen apologizes for the smack yourself game.  He tries to blame it on his thoughts always becoming reality.  They give each officer a gift and then they invite Dr. McCoy to stay with them forever.  (Like anyone would want to stay with these people forever.)  As punishment for McCoy not agreeing to stay Kirk and Spock are forced to dance and sing Beetlejuice Style.  However, unlike the Deetzs, they are not having a good time.  They even have little Alexander get in on the action by having him ride on Kirk’s back like a donkey.

After their humiliation torture, the Starfleet officers have a conference with Alexander.  First, they conclude that they are not going to tolerate Dr. McCoy staying.  Not only because allowing someone to blackmail a Starfleet officer is wrong but even if they were to give up McCoy it wouldn’t save the ship.   Parmen and his Platonians would not want the Enterprise alerting others of their presence.  As soon as the Platonians had the Doctor they would just destroy them.  Second, they realized that the Platonians cannot combine their power.  If they could Parmen is such a bad leader that a group of them would have probably overthrown him long ago.  

The three of them ask Alexander if the Platonians had always had this telekinetic ability.  Alexander states that they didn’t, they started to display it after being on Platonious for about six months.  Spock inquiries about their supplies, and Alexander lets him know that they had four months-worth.  This means the Platonians developed their abilities after two months of eating the planet’s food.  Armed with this information McCoy was able to isolate the compound kironide in the food of Platonious that gives them the power.  Parmen has the most in him that is what gives him the greatest power.  The reason why Alexander never received the power is because he lacks the growth hormone which also triggers the kironide.  Kirk has McCoy put so much kironide in them that they will be able to defeat any Platonian including Parmen.  McCoy can also fix it that Alexander can access the power as well, but Alexander chooses not to because he doesn’t want to become like those he hates.

Here are some gifts so you can't say we exploited you!

McCoy applies the kironide to the three of them but explains it may take hours or days to kick in.  While they are waiting Lt. Uhura and Nurse Chapel are beamed down.  They apparently are being controlled by the Platonians.  I guess Parmen and his friends have decided it is time for some more adult entertainment.  They have Spock and Kirk sing and serenade the women.  After that they physical embrace them and that is where we get the famous kiss.

Kirk being forced against his will!

Alexander decides he has seen enough and, before things start to get too physical between the Starfleet officers, he tries to stab Parmen.  Parmen sees this and forces Alexander to turn the knife on himself.  However, Alexander is saved at the last minute.  Kirk’s powers have turned on.  Kirk and Parmen battle over the direction of their knife with their powers and Kirk wins.  Alexander chooses to disappoint me and not kill Parmen.  I mean really disappointment me, I wanted to watch that POS die. Instead, Alexander chooses to lecture him about how he could have had his power but choose not to.  I will never understand Alexander. In defeat Parmen cowers like a kitten, he agrees with all of Kirk’s demands and the five Starfleet officers beam back to the Enterprise with Alexander.

Spock being forced to laugh!

Additional thoughts: Okay so let’s talk about the kiss.  Famed for being the first interracial kiss but that is false.  However, the fact that people thought it was for so long is a testament to the popularity of Star Trek and the Star Trek franchise.  So, I guess we can call it the “first interracial kiss that anyone remembered.”  Having the lead man of European descent kiss one of his supporting stars who was a woman of African descent was a big deal.  The problem however is in its execution. 

Kirk as a character has already established that he does not like to date his subordinates.  Having a romance with beautiful aliens that is one thing, but being romantic with someone that reports to you that is a different thing.  The only time Kirk ever seemed tempted to do that is in the episode Mirror Mirror when he met the prime universe, Marlena Moreau.  Also given Star Trek’s serialized format the writers would not want to get the Captain in any type of ongoing relationship that could develop.  So, anything that happens has to happen in a way it can be reset to zero.

Thus, we have this disaster Kirk and Uhura kiss because Parmen is having them put on a show. So basically, Kirk and Uhura (and Spock and Chapel as well) are being simultaneously sexually assaulted by Parmen. If had not been for Alexander we have no idea how far this was going either, but the Platonians seemed to be enjoying the show.

Kirk and Spock in their new outfits!

Frankly I think this could have been done much better if they decided to the famous kiss a year earlier.  In the episode Return to Tomorrow, instead having Diana Muldaur as Dr. Ann Mulhall a character we never see again, they could have had Uhura fill that part and have her carry the mind of Thalassa.  Their famous kiss could have been between two lovers of Sargon and Thalassa who had not had physical form in over 1,000 years.  Not only would have this been actually romantic but it also would solve the problem of needing the relationship to be over by the end of the episode.

I have a confession to make.  I have read The Republic by Plato and I found it to be very boring. I respect and appreciate what that work has contributed to Western Civilization but I often found it a chore to get through.  Now Kirk and Spock point out that this society is more like Plato in a fun house mirror but I would hate to be trapped with a bunch of people who wanted to talk about that book all the time first and foremost.  For a group of near immortals these are the dullest we have ever come across. When it was looking like Dr. McCoy was going to have to stay with them, I imagine he must have wished he was still on Yonada.  

The Enterprise crew in their new style!

Okay so I have issues with this time line that we are giving. They said the Platonians had traveled to classical Greece.  Yet if we crunch the numbers Philana gives us we find that they were born during the time that ancient Rome was transforming from the Republican government to the Imperial one.  Parmen himself was born on the very year Julius Caesar was assassinated.  Now granted the Greeks flourished under the Romans who also admired Greek culture but that wasn’t the impression that these characters had created.

Kirk trying to get control of Alexander from Parmen

Will someone please explain to dear Alexander that just because you have superpowers does not mean you have to be evil.  Alexander doesn’t want the power because he doesn’t to be like his enemies but in doing so, he hampers his own ability to resist their exploitation.  And resisting is something that he really wants to do, we see this when he tries to attack Parmen who is exploiting Kirk and Uhura.

 Speaking of Parmen, boy do I hate this guy. I can’t think of anyone else that Kirk and Spock encountered that was totally just a waste of space as this guy and at one point they fought Nazis.  Kahn was a former dictator who wanted to be a dictator again.  However, he was extremely charismatic and always interesting to watch.  The senior staff also pointed out he was quite a productive and benevolent ruler.  Charlie Evans did stuff that made me hate him but I could also sympathize with his character.  Trelane could be horrible but at least he was entertaining.  Parmen is evil, sadistic, and boring.  Kirk should have let Alexander kill him.

Alexander walking out with the Enterprise crew!

Since they had met these Greek inspired aliens why didn’t Kirk tell them that he already beat Apollo?  I realize that Plato wasn’t that big on the gods but I would have brought it up as Kirk.  What I also would like to know is how long did Kirk, Spock, and McCoy keep those powers?  Do they only work on the planet?  I bet they would be helpful at times.

This episode contains one of Captain Kirk’s best all time lines: “Where I come from, size, shape, or color does not matter. And no one has the power.”

FINAL GRADE 4 of 5

FIGHTING KLINGONS WITH SWORDS

 

Episode Title:  Day of the Dove

Air Date: 11/1/1968

Written by Jerome Bixby

Directed by Marvin J. Chomsky

Cast: William Shatner as Captain James T. Kirk    Leonard Nimoy as Commander Spock             DeForest Kelley as Dr. Leonard H. McCoy AKA “Bones”              James Doohan  as Lieutenant Commander Montgomery Scott AKA “Scotty”        George Takei  as Lieutenant  Hikaru Sulu              Nichelle Nichols as Lieutenant Nyota Uhura          Frank da Vinci as Lieutenant Brent     Roger Holloway as Lieutenant Lemli   David L. Ross as Lt. Johnson         Walter Koenig as Ensign Pavel Chekov                 Dick Geary as unnamed Security Guard         Eddie Hice as unnamed Security Guard        David Sharpe as unnamed Security Guard          Michael Ansara as Kang      Susan Howard as Mara          Mark Tobin as unnamed         Klingon solider          Phil Adams as unnamed Klingon solider             Albert Cavens as unnamed Klingon solider           Jay D. Jones as unnamed Klingon solider               Pete Kellett as unnamed Klingon solider         Hubie Kerns as unnamed Klingon solider          Victor Paul  as unnamed Klingon solider               Charlie Picerni as unnamed Klingon solider     George Sawaya  as unnamed Klingon solider       

Ships: USS Enterprise NCC-1701, unnamed Klingon K't'inga-class battle cruiser

Planets:  Beta XII-A

My Spoiler filled summary and review: Arriving at a Federation colony on Beta XII-A, Captain Kirk and his landing party are horrified to discover that the colony has been wiped out of existence.  The destruction was so through that there is now no evidence of there ever being a colony.  Kirk takes his communicator and contacts Spock on the Enterprise to report what they found.   Spock also has something to tell the Captain: a Klingon ship has entered orbit. 

Klingons vs. Starfleet

The Enterprise has it shields raised but the Klingon ship does not seem prepared for battle.  According to the Enterprise’s sensors there are numerus malfunctions all over the Klingon ship.  A Klingon landing party beams down armed with disruptors and overwhelms the Starfleet landing party.  The leader of the Klingons is the ship’s captain, Kang.  Kang and Kirk each accuse each other of attacking the other one.  Both think the other is lying.  Kang demands the Enterprise as payment for his lost vessel. If Kirk doesn’t hand it over, he will begin torturing the landing party’s members to death.  Chekov then attacks the Klingons because they killed his brother in an earlier attack some years ago.  The Klingons easily contain him and Chekov is the first “volunteer” for torture. 

Scotty finding some weapons!

In order to save Chekov, Kirk agrees to surrender.  However, when communicating with Spock he transmits a secret code that lets Spock know they are prisoners of their “guests.”  When Scotty beams them up only the Starfleet personnel re-materialize.  Mr. Scott has the Klingons patterns in the buffer.  Kirk has the security team come in and when the Klingons are solid again, they are quickly arrested.  The Klingon ship is falling apart, Kirk has the survivors transported on the Enterprise and captured.  Among them is Mara, Kang’s science officer and wife.  With the Klingon ship leaking radiation, Kirk has it destroyed.

In short order however the Enterprise begins to experience its own problems.  The ship starts to veer off course and speed up.  Making matters worse sections of the ship get sealed off giving only forty crew members with access to the entire ship.  Kirk suspects the Klingons are somehow behind this and goes and confronts Kang.  Kang denies the charges but he is amused however.  The two captain’s argument turns physical when Kirk socks Kang for doing the same on the planet.  Then swords appear everywhere and even the Enterprise crew’s phasers turn into swords.  A great battle then erupts across the starship.

Klingons brought over from their ship!

             

Kirk confers with Spock.  The Captain blames the Klingons for this, but Spock has his doubts.  The Science Officer reasons that if the Klingons have this ability, then why do they not give themselves better weapons for which to use?  As the battle rages on neither side can gain grown.  People are getting fatal injuries but instead of dying Dr. McCoy notices they completely recover and then re-join the battle.  This makes the episode the best for red shirts, since there is no damage that they can not recover from. 

Kang and Mara

At one point Kang and his men seize engineering and shut of life support everywhere else in the ship.  However, this victory is taken from him as power and life support return saving the Enterprise crew, but no one among the crew can take credit for it.  Kirk orders Sulu to retake engineering but Chekov want to be the one to do it.  When Kirk orders him to stay at his post, Chekov raises his sword to Kirk and tells him that he won’t let the Captain stop him he must avenge Pyotr.  When Sulu asks who that is, Kirk tells him it was Chekov’s brother.  Sulu informs the Captain that Chekov is an only child.

Klingons in victory!

Spock while doing scans of the ship picks up an energy-based life form on board.  They deduce that if Chekov’s memory has been altered then the reason the landing party saw no colony is that there was none.  The distress call was fake, the knowledge of a nonexistent colony had been forced into their minds.  Kirk realizes he need to communicate with Kang.  There is a bit of a problem at first when McCoy and Spock almost turn on each other but that is short lived.

Kirk leaves the bridge to find the deranged Chekov almost about to rape Mara.  After taking Chekov down he tries to reason with Mara but it takes a while for him to get through to her.  When Kang refuses to yield over the intercom, Kirk goes to engineering himself with no one but Mara.   The two of them try to get Kang to agree to a truce.  Kang refuses again and fighting resumes.  McCoy and Spock lead reinforcements for Kirk.

Kang is awed against Kirk's speed and grace!

During the battle the entity revels itself.  Spock notices it loses power as tensions decrease, and suggests positive emotions might finish it.  Kirk and Kang team up to laugh at the entity and tease it so that it gives up and leaves.  Peace is maintained and the Enterprise will drop the Klingons of a the nearest Starbase so they can be transported home.  Until then the Klingons will be their guests.  

Kirk and Kang laugh at their enemy together.

 

Additional thoughts: When deciding what to call this review my first idea was “The Power of Plot Armor” however that might mislead some poor reader into thinking that I was going to be discussing plot armor in all TV and literature instead of just making a comment on this one.  However, if you need to have a story to explain to a person what plot armor is then you have one here.  I am sorry but the ending doesn’t make any sense.  We have the energy being that is powered by hostel emotions so its pits two powers against each other in unending conflict.  During their fight it makes sure the weapons and numbers are even and then when one side begins to prevail the entity pushes the scale in the favor of the losing side.  It even shows that it has the power to alter memories to further the conflict.  So, if it can do all that why doesn’t it just alter Kirk’s and Kang’s memories so that they can’t communicate effectively and remain at each other’s throats?

I did enjoy other parts of this episode.  I thought there was a great scene when Mara explains some of the background of the Klingons.  That their home world lacks resources and that is what drove them to become an expansionist power.  Kang also was a great antagonist for Kirk as well even if the real bad guy remained hidden for most of the episode.  I really like Mr. Scott’s creative use of the transporter in the beginning.  It shows the writers are really thinking about exploring this technology that was thought up to help with the TV budget. 

When Kang has them in the dark

 I must say my favorite image of this episode is McCoy and Spock leading a number of crewmen against the Klingons.  What makes it so funny is how they are just causally walking with no sense of hurry in them. To be fair it is not good to run with a sword in hand.

One of my favorite sights ever!

This episode really could have used more Sulu. Giving we know how much he loves swords it would have been nice to see him show those Klingons a thing or too.  You know Takei would have had a fun time.

FINAL GRADE 4 of 5

THE BEST EPISODE TITLE EVER

 

Episode Title:  For The World is Hollow and I Have Touched The Sky

Air Date: 11/8/1968

Written by Rik Vollaerts

Directed by Tony Leader

Cast: William Shatner as Captain James T. Kirk    Leonard Nimoy as Commander Spock             DeForest Kelley as Dr. Leonard H. McCoy AKA “Bones”              James Doohan  as Lieutenant Commander Montgomery Scott AKA “Scotty”        George Takei  as Lieutenant  Hikaru Sulu              Nichelle Nichols as Lieutenant Nyota Uhura          Frank da Vinci as Lieutenant Brent     Walter Koenig as Ensign Pavel Chekov                 Majel Barrett as Nurse Christine Chapel      Jeannie Malone as Fabrini Servant         Byron Morrow as Admiral Westervliet         Katherine Woodville as Natira     Jon Lormer as Old Man        

Ships: USS Enterprise NCC-1701, Yonada

Planets:  none

My Spoiler filled summary and review: The episode starts right out running when the Enterprise is attacked by some atomic space missiles.  It is not much of crisis as the ship’s phasers take care of it quite nicely.  Kirk orders Chekov to tract where those warheads came from when he is called down to sickbay.  McCoy then gives Kirk the bad news that that upon examining himself he discovered he has xenopolycythenia and the condition is terminal.  Dr. McCoy only has a few months to live.

The Enterprise meets Yonada

They trace the source of the attack to an asteroid however after some observation with the ship’s sensors they discover that what they are seeing isn’t an asteroid but a spaceship that seems to be abandoned.  The real bad news is given its present course it is going to crash into the Federation colony Daran V.  They would rather not destroy it so Kirk decides to beam over with Mr. Spock and, after a request, Dr. McCoy to see if they can stop it. 

Both a bad fighter and a bad dresser!

Well, it turns out the place isn’t abandoned after all the people were just hiding underground.  Also, what is strange is this ship’s insides are made to appear as if they were on a planet.  The away team is able to fight off their attackers, Captain Kirk is one of the greatest fighters in the galaxy and the three do well, but fight ends as Natira calls it off.  Natira explains that she is the high priestess of her world which is named Yonada.  She invites her new guests down to meet the Oracle, which is their leader.  The Oracle is an AI who doesn’t realize how much of a threat it is in if it wishes to go against Captain Kirk.  In order to show their new guests what would happen if they took up against Yonada it zaps them unconscious. 

Kirk and Spock wake up first.  Spock wonders what is taking the good Doctor so long to awaken.  Kirk then confides in Spock about McCoy’s condition.  McCoy wakes up but before they can have any serious discussion a familiar looking old man walks in the room.  He gives the guests some herbs.  At which point Kirk starts to ask the man about the nature of their planet.  The man confesses that he has at times been curious about it.  Once in his youth, he climbed the tallest hill in Yonada an action that is forbidden by the Oracle.  The man started to feel pain then returned to his story.  He tells them that he discovered “the world is hollow and I have touched sky!” With that he drops down dead.  It turns out that those in Yonada have an implant that ensures obedience and if they ignore their warning signs it kills them. 

Natira appears after the death of the old man and explains things to them.  She takes a strong liking to Dr. McCoy and he to her.  Here Captain Kirk sees an opportunity.  He doesn’t know why Natira doesn’t have the hots for himself, as the women on this show naturally do, and instead has them for McCoy, as women on this show normally don’t.   However, Kirk sees the opportunity of a distraction, while McCoy is being entertained by Narita, he and Spock plan to get into the Oracle room and see what they can find. 

Yonadians being more friendly

McCoy and Natira are hitting it off extremely well and McCoy even tells her of his condition to which she responds with her intention love him as long as they have together.  She is so excited that she goes to the Oracle to ask for permission to marry him.  The Oracle says so long as McCoy agrees to all their rules and gets the implant, he is good.  However, by turning on the Oracle it senses the intruders and beings to blast them.  McCoy realizing that his friends are about to be put to death he tells Natira that he wants to stay but the only way he can do that is if he knows his friends are alright.  She agrees and will send them back.  McCoy tells the Captain he is staying.  With McCoy certainly only with months left and the people of Yonada maybe with only months left, Kirk agrees to let him stay as he and Spock return to the ship.

The Oracle!

Kirk receives orders from Admiral Westervliet that the Enterprise is being reassigned and that another Starfleet starship will take over.  On Yonada, McCoy learns of a book that contains all of the society’s secrets.  Realizing there is now a way to save his new world, as soon as his new wife leaves him alone, he contacts the ship.  Kirk and Spock quickly return but McCoy is punished by his implant and it nearly kills him for giving the information to Spock.  Spock saves him by simply removing the implant.  

Natira

Natira walks in on them and Kirk confronts her with the truth.  She rejects it but an idea is taking root in her brain.  She goes to the Oracle and confronts it with what she knows.  The Oracle is angry that she is questioning it and begins to kill her. Spock and Kirk show up however and save her the same way they did McCoy. 

McCoy finding his love

Oracle tries to kill them by baking them alive but using the book McCoy told them about they are able to take control of the ship and shut the Oracle down.  As an added bonus they discover the cure to Dr. McCoy’s condition that is stored in Yonada’s databanks.  With McCoy recovered and the truth of Yonada reveled to their people, Natria realizing her place is helping her people live their lives in truth and Dr. McCoy’s place is with the Enterprise.  With that she lets her husband go and he goes to return to his ship.  On board Kirk let’s him know that it will be possible for the Enterprise to return later this year, to see how they are doing.  This would allow McCoy to be with Natria again.

Additional thoughts: This episode hit a little too close to home for me.  In this episode a dying Dr. McCoy meets a woman who loves him for all his flaws and even though he had enjoyed his time on the Enterprise there is still a certain type of loneliness that he experiences that she ends.  The two understand each other and he is happy.  McCoy even gets inspired to search for a cure to his condition.  When he is finally cured and the planetary crisis is averted, Natria has an epiphany and shows him the door.  Well, that was a lot like my summer.  I meet someone and she was like me a bit socially awkward but willing to meet people.  We had a lot in common, large families, and desire to form our own.  A number of similar interests and differences to grow on.  We talked everyday online for over a month and went on a few dates and officially became an item.  Then one day in the middle of an IM chat she suddenly says that since no one had ever been romantically interested in her, she was just so amazed meet someone who was that she didn’t think about if she were truly that into me or not.  She decided that she wasn’t and broke it off all the while explaining I had done nothing wrong.  I was so depressed I didn’t leave my house for two days.  During that time, I watched this episode to review it, at the time I was just glad I had already reviewed A City on the Edge of Forever, but I wasn’t prepared for the emotional impact.  When it rains, it pours. 

True love!

So why did Kirk have to send to Starfleet for a new CMO?  Isn’t there any doctors on McCoy’s staff who could take over?  What about Dr. Joseph M'Benga?  He is plenty capable. When did we last see him? I just feel this should be an in-house promotion for the stake of the ship.  Someone should find Dr. M’Benga.

Learning about each other!

Well after all the episodes where they are the “only ship in the quadrant” it turns out Starfleet has some ships to put on this problem and no longer needs the Enterprise.  Where were they when the Enterprise was half broke down fighting an asteroid for months.  The one time they get relief from Starfleet is the one time they don’t want it.

Like almost every critic who has ever reviewed this episode I find myself wondering why it was exactly the founder of Yonada thought it necessary to trick their descendants into thinking they were on a planet when it was actually a starship.  What was the purpose?  Wouldn’t it be better to let them know where they were going so, they could better prepare?  I mean I understand why you make your ship look like a planet, after all you want those who would have to spend their entire lives there to be comfortable.   I also don’t understand people smart enough to build a ship like this would design such ugly hats for their people.

Poor guy he just wanted the truth!

What luck it was that Spock was able to just pick the cure right out of their databanks. One would think when righting the direction of a starship probing for unknown cures might have been the farthest from one’s mind.  Mr. Spock however is a multitasker. 

FINAL GRADE 4 of 5