An Alternate Trek

Series 4
The Trodons Broadcast November 16th 1968

Mission date 0095.6 the Endeavour is continuing her shakedown cruise under Benjamin Russell when she receives a strange signal from the newly established colony on New Middlesex. An experimental nuclear power research centre built into a network of caves in Clapham Moor is experiencing mysterious power drains and mental breakdowns amongst staff. The local Commonwealth security unit is called in to investigate. One of the workers at the centre is found dead with giant claw marks on his body, and his companion's mind has been traumatised to the extent that he can only scrawl primitive cave drawings of reptilian creatures on walls. Hoyle (guest star George Sewell), the Director, resents their presence and feels that it will interfere with the working of the plant, which is trying a new process to generate nuclear electric power.

Russell, Brynne Travis and Blamire beam down and find Hoyle arguing with Miss Dawson, his assistant (guest star Wanda Ventham), she is protesting that they should stop "them" from taking the power. Hoyle makes it clear that he welcomes their presence even less than that of the local security force. Lieutenant Commander Baker (guest star Michael Billington), their leader, believes there is a saboteur in the centre. Brynne discovers that the logs of the nuclear reactor's operation have been altered and starts looking for inconsistancies in all the plant’s records.

Baker and Travis make their way into the caves, where they are attacked by a dinosaur-like creature before it is called off by a strange whistling sound. On investigating the scene further they find blood traces from the creature. Brynne analyses these and to his surprise finds similarities to birds. In the meantime, the creature goes to the surface and stumbles into an outhouse to hide. Hoyle goes into the caves to a hidden base, where he demands the knowledge he was promised. He is told that he must first help the wounded creature and is given a signal device which emits the sound heard earlier.

The creature is discovered by a worker and attacks him. The worker survives and identifies his attacker. While investigating the outhouse, Baker is knocked unconscious by the creature, and it flees. Travis and Blamire follow the creature's tracks and find they end in tyre marks.

When Russell goes to the office to reason with Hoyle, he finds him dead. Russell retrieves the signal device from Hoyle's body and is surprised by the wounded creature. Russell tries to talk to the creature, but it runs away. Looking for answers, Baker enters the caves and is captured and interrogated by its occupiers, who look like bipedal birdlike dinosaurs, about the strength of humans. Travis and Russell follow his route and open the entrance to the creatures’ base with Hoyles's signal device, where they find him in a locked cage. They rescue Baker and leave to inform Brynne and to summon more help from the Endeavour, but not before they see an alien being revived from hibernation by a machine, explaining the energy drains that the reactor has been experiencing.

Meanwhile, Henshaw (guest star Stratford Johns), the Commonwealth official in charge of the centre, arrives. Russell tells them about the aliens in the caves, urging peaceful contact. However, this falls on deaf ears when Miss Dawson reveals that Hoyle was killed by the alien he held captive. Russell, not willing to give up on a peaceful solution goes to warn the aliens, but they put him in a cage. Their Chief Scientist tells Russell how their race evacuated here about 60 million years ago from another planet which was being hit by repeated asteroid strikes and heavy volcanism. After a brief time of peace they had had to retreat underground to avoid a major ice age. The hibernation mechanism malfunctioned, and they did not revive until a new power source was discovered.

The alien shows Russell maps of their homeworld. To his surprise the maps look much like reconstructions of how the Earth looked at the end of the Age of Dinosaurs. These aliens are from one of the Earths (presumably the first one whichever one that was!). Russell is finally released from captivity to take a message back to the humans. “Leave this planet and we will negotiate with you. Stay and there will be unending war". Russell argues that the Commonwealth has far more resources than do the Trodons (that is what they call themselves) and that a war is unwinnable for them but they would be accepted with open arms as members. That depends on you leaving this planet is the Trodon reply.

Russell returns to the plant and relays the message to Commonwealth headquarters. Much to his surprise there is an immediate reply. An immediate evacuation of New Middlesex is ordered. Resources are spread too thinly in the aftermath of the Rememberers and as there are plenty more planets easier to settle than New Middlesex it is not worth fighting the Trodons to keep it(especially as there are only 4000 colonists). The Endeavour stays in orbit until the evacuation fleet arrives. It actually turns out to have been a wise move by the Commonwealth as by the time the evacuation fleet arrives a week later over 10000 Trodons have been awakened from hibernation.
 
Last edited:
Series 4
"Farmers" Broadcast November 23rd 1968

Mission date 0110.7 the Endeavour receives a signal from the human colony of New Barset. There the find a group of colonists living as farmers. The colony is not a success — the land seems unusually poor and recently they are being besieged by representatives of rapacious mining corporations, and more recently, ferocious animals. The colony's governor, William Grundy (guest star Jeremy Kemp), makes them welcome, and invites them to beam down.

Spock, Holmes and Blamire do so and are invited to an evening meal. During that meal a colonist dies in an animal attack, and later a man named Pargetter (Guest star Barry Foster ) arrives at the settlement, claiming that he is from another colony that was wiped out by the animals.

While they are investigating the dome of the dead colonists they are surprised by a mining robot controlled by Woolley (guest star Edward de Souza), a mineralogist for the mining company. Carson invites the Spock to talk to his bosses and hear their side of the story. His superior, Alldridge (guest star Ray Barrett), is a ruthless mining engineer, who has been using the mining robot to scare and now kill the colonists - something which Woolley finds repellent. Alldridge knows the planet is rich in rare minerals and wants it for the company and his greedy troops agree that this should be done at any cost.

The original inhabitants of the planet, known to the colonists as "Janners", have a truce with the colonists - but this is tested when Pargetter kills the colony's scientist and blames it on a janner, whom he insists are hostile. Later, Pargetter is seen communicating with Alldridge, implying that he is in fact a spy sent from the mining company to further disrupt the colonists and not the sole survivor of a similar colony as he claimed.

Holmes, together with a science team from the Endeavour, has meanwhile ventured to the janner city. From images on cave walls they interpret it was once home to an advanced civilisation that degraded over time. In the heart of the city, in a room filled with massive machines and a glowing hatch, they encounter a diminutive alien known as the Watcher (whom Holmes thinks bears a remarkable resemblance in behaviour to the Guardian of Time). He warns them that intruding into the city is punishable by death, and lets them go, but warns them not to return.

The situation between colonists and miners has meanwhile reached flashpoint with a pitched battle between them. Alldridge and his forces triumph and he stages a false trial of Grundy, sentencing him to death but commuting the sentence if all the colonists agree to leave the planet in their damaged old colony ship which first brought them to New Barset. At this point Russell has had enough and beams down with a large security team led by Travis and takes over.

Russell together with Spock returns to the city. The Watcher appears, demanding an explanation for the intrusion. He is surprised when Spock immediately exclaims “What are you doing here?” The Watcher recovers and admits that he is in fact the Guardian. He explains that long ago the Janners had been an advanced race but had invented a super weapon to defend themselves from his race at the height of the Time War. This weapon hadn’t worked in the way intended, and its radiation had and was continuing to ruin the planet. He instructs Spock to activate the self-destruct, which he does. The city begins to crumble, and the Watcher tells them they must leave before it is too late. When they demur he tells them to hurry up and that he has his own means to escape!

Russell and Spock return to the colony. Spock explains that the radiation from the weapon was what was killing their crops but this limiting factor has now been removed. Russell contacts the Commonwealth who send a Governor to New Barset to oversee both the colonists and the miners.

Back on board the Endeavour, Russell asks Spock about the Guardian and Spock shows him the records of the crew’s previous encounters with him.
 
Series 4
The Station Terror Broadcast November 30th 1968

Mission date 0130.4 the Endeavour is directed to the Wainwright Research Station in the Watkin system. It is situated on the largest asteroid in the asteroid belt and operates a warning beacon which has recently stopped transmitting and contact has been lost with the station. Spock, Holmes and a small security team led by Blamire beam down and find three surviving members of the 4 man team. Blamire discovers the dead body of the other team member in a mostly unused corridor. The other team members, Reuben (guest star Michael Hordern), Graves and Hawkins report that a light, which they assumed was a crashing spaceship, fell from the sky near the station. They also explain the electricity flow to the beacon has become erratic and too low to operate it. Spock deduces something is feeding on the flow.

Blamire goes back to the body previously discovered so that it can be beamed to the Endeavour for examination. He finds that it has gone! The security team search the station for it but find no trace of it. It is only when they do a sweep outside the station but still within the force field that protects it that the body is discovered. Spock thinks that it has been used as an anatomy lesson for an alien life form. They contact the Endeavour to beam back but Reuben has disappeared. Just as they are organising a search party he reappears a changed man, which the others put down to shock.

Just then a strange spacecraft enters the system and starts firing upon the Endeavour. Russell has to manoeuvre away from the asteroid in order to defend the Endeavour. The party are by themselves for the next few hours. Then the killings start. Graves is killed in the lamp room by a glowing alien presence on the outside of the lighthouse, and then Hawkins is killed when Reuben corners him in the boiler room. From the alien light emanating from Reuben it is clear he has become possessed or transformed by the alien creature. Holmes finds Hawkins’ body and then Reuben’s own – the latter cold for some time – which means the creature in Reuben’s form has chameleonic properties.

The creature then stalks down and attempts to kill the others in the station. First one member of the security team, then another. With its presence now revealed, the alien sheds its disguise: revealing itself to be a Berhyrht. These are only known from Tellurian records which say that they are a green blob-like amphibious life form. They had mounted one of the invasions of Tellus that had made the Tellurians so suspicious of “visitors”. Its scout ship crash landed on the asteroid and it was trying to summon its mother ship. It is this ship that had fired upon the Endeavour driving it away.

The crew’s phasers have little effect on the Berhyrht although they do cause it discomfort and drive it away. Spock and Holmes modify a phaser to destroy the alien, who was susceptible to certain energy frequencies and temperatures. Two more phasers are successfully modified and now the hunter becomes the hunted. Eventually the Berhyrht is cornered in the station’s commissary and is destroyed.

After an hour the Endeavour returns after destroying the strange space ship which, it is assumed, must have been the mother ship that the alien had summoned. Now no longer subject to power drains the beacon starts functioning again and the Endeavour leaves a small team to man the station until a new crew arrives.
 
Series 4
The Emrix Broadcast December 7th 1968

Mission date 0152.6 the Endeavour responds to a distress call from a Commonwealth colony on Powell IV and discovers the planet to be devastated and devoid of life, save for a patch of land containing a house and vegetation. Transporting to the surface, the away team meets the human occupants of the house, Clive and Edith (guest stars Roger Livesey and Ursula Jeans). They witnessed the attack that destroyed the colony, but are unaware that they are the only survivors. Though Clive would rather have the Endeavour leave them in peace, Edith allows the team to check the house for any reason why they might have been spared. The team, finding nothing of interest save for a small music box, insists that they return to the Endeavour for safety, but they refuse.

An unknown spacecraft appears in orbit and starts to attack the Endeavour, then turns and leaves at high speed. The Endeavour gives chase, but eventually Russell orders the ship to return to the planet. Russell transports to the surface with Travis to visit Clive and Edith; Clive suggests they were spared because they are pacifists. Upon Russell’s and Travis’ return, the spaceship appears in orbit again, but Russell orders the Endeavour to leave the system first, believing that the crew is being toyed with.

When they return to the planet, the ship is nowhere in sight, and Russell transports to the surface to plead that Clive and Edith leave with him. After being refused again, Russell tells them that the Commonwealth will provide a ship to protect them as long as they live, and returns to the Endeavour. The alien spaceship appears again and destroys their home. Russell orders an attack on the craft; unlike the previous encounter, this time the ship is easily destroyed by the Endeavour’s firepower. Playing on a suspicion, Russell has the Endeavour move to a higher orbit and continue scans of the planet; after a short time, Clive and Edith’s home reappears.

Russell orders them beamed up to the Endeavour and confronts Clive with the details he has deduced: Clive and Edith's house was destroyed in the attack and Edith was killed, but Clive, who is not human, has recreated them both. The alien warship is a device of Clive's to make the Endeavour go away: in the last attack, it seemed to destroy them both because then the Endeavour would no longer need to stay and defend them and no other ships would be sent. Clive admits the truth, and the illusory Edith disappears.

Clive reveals that he is an Organian, however unlike the others he still had the urge to explore. Whilst traveling in human form, he met Edith, fell in love, and settled with her on Powell IV. When the planet was attacked by an aggressive, destructive species called the Emrix, he refused to join the fight in accordance with his species' pacifism, but Edith did and she died, lost to Clive forever as bringing the dead back to life is something beyond even his extraordinary abilities.

Stricken with grief and wanting revenge, Clive used his powers to commit genocide on the entire Emrix species--over 50 billion. Horrified by his crime, he chose self-exile to the planet, creating the replicas of Edith and their house with which to spend the rest of eternity and using a recreation of the Emrix ship as intimidation to keep their privacy. The Endeavour leaves Clive and his illusion in peace, and Russell confirms he will issue a warning not to visit the planet.

EDIT: This is based on the Next Generation episode "The Survivors" written by Michael Wagner. It is one of the best episodes of stng with its themes of love, grief, vengeance and remorse.
 
Last edited:
Series 4
The Revanche Broadcast December 14th 1968

Mission date 0186.4 the Endeavour intercepts a message from a Rhihannaun ship. It was exploring a remote area of what had been the Rhihannaun Empire looking for the fabled home planet of the Konia. They believed that the extinct Konia had developed extremely advanced technology, and they were attempting to acquire this technology for use against the Tellurians. However, as the Rhihannaun ship neared the purported planet the ship began to experience system failures and was stranded. After receiving this distress signal the Endeavour heads to the given coordinates to investigate. There had been no communication with any Rhihannaun since the probe had cut a swathe of destruction through their Empire, although it was known that at least two colonies had survived.

When they arrive they find no Rhihannaun ship although there is wreckage as if a ship had self-destructed. There appear to be no survivors. Shortly after their arrival whilst they are investigating the wreckage, a Tellurian ship, the KSS Revanche arrives. Its captain who declares himself to be Kapitan Henrich Willenbrock (special guest star Patrick Macnee), demands that they leave this area of space which is now part of the Tellurian Empire. Russell informs the Tellurians that they will not leave until they have determined how the Rhihannaun ship was destroyed and that it is Rhihannaun territory and the Commonwealth have as much right to be there as the Tellurians!. He then orders the Endeavour to the same planet that the Rhihannaun had been investigating.

When they enter the planet's orbit, a probe is automatically launched from the surface. Having reached the Endeavour it sends a signal and then self-destructs. After a short while, the Endeavour starts to exhibit system failures. Scotty recognizes that the probe carried a creeper that could lead to the Endeavour ’s destruction. Russell, Brynne and Scott are amazed that a civilisation could programme a creeper to impair, let alone destroy, a computer system which it had never seen. Russell and Brynne manage to contain the creeper, but it still threatens to destroy the Endeavour.

Spock, Holmes, and Travis beam to the source of the probe launch to try to find how to stop the creeper. While exploring the ruins, they find a teleportation portal that appears to allow for instantaneous interstellar travel to a different location that changes every few seconds. Among the destinations are the Endeavour and Revanche bridges. Holmes attempts to access the Konian computer system but is rapidly denied access not knowing the correct codes, but he does find the self-destruct!

Spock learns that the creeper has affected the Endeavour transporter systems and they cannot be beamed back. Furthermore, the Revanche has achieved orbit, but appears to be suffering from similar failures. Spock orders Travis to return with Holmes through the Konian gate to the Endeavour, while he starts the destruct sequence. He uses the gate to jump onto the Revanche 's bridge, and discovers that their ship is set on an auto-destruct sequence they cannot stop due to the creeper.

On the Endeavour, the systems are nearly overtaken by the creeper. In desperation Russell orders Brynne to reboot the entire computer system. This takes time during which the Endeavour’s orbit decays alarmingly. However just in time the computer system restarts and is free of the creeper. With everything back online, Spock is beamed off the Revanche, and Brynne sends instructions to the Tellurians on how to clear the creeper. The Tellurians successfully restart their computers, and both ships peacefully leave the system as the Konian base can be seen destroying itself on the surface of the planet.
 
Series 4
The Yurani Broadcast December 21st 1968

Mission date 0212.9 the Endeavour arrives at Yurani IV. The Yurani inhabitants are described by Brynne as strong, warlike humanoids who average 7 feet in height; and, despite their violent tendencies, the Yurani do have a strong sense of honesty. Brynne is familiar with the Yurani since he spent a few months as an Ensign stationed on their world; he speaks their language and knows a great deal about their customs. However just after his tour of duty Yurani IV shut off all contact with aliens and it has only just recontacted the Commonwealth.

Russell beams down to the planet with Brynne and a security officer, leaving Spock in command. The Yurani order Russell and his party to hand over their weapons. Despite the hostile greeting, the Yurani treat the party as honoured guests.

Russell meets with Ahmun, the Teesack - leader - of the Yurani (guest star Stewart Granger), and the talks begin, with Brynne interpreting for his colleagues. The Yurani had cut off all contacts with the Commonwealth as an Isolationist faction had seized power blaming aliens for the continual failure of crops and the ensuing increasing hardship. However further research had shown that the crop failures were due to climatic shifts associated with their sun apparently cooling slightly. Ahmun seems to favour establishing relations with the Commonwealth so that they can bring their scientific knowledge to help resolve the situation. However, his rivals seem to disagree, especially Dumnal (guest star Michael Craig), who challenges Ahmun. A coup d'état ensues and Dumnal injures Ahmun, and deposes him becoming the new Teesack.

Dumnal orders the imprisonment of the party. He explains that although he bears them no ill will, he believes that the Yurani should sort the problem out for themselves or risk becoming over dependent upon outside aid and losing their culture as a result. Meanwhile the Endeavour receives a distress call from the SS Delaware. Spock takes the Endeavour out of orbit to find the ship, but when it arrives at the coordinates, he finds nothing. He notes the call strangely asked for the Endeavour by name, and no civilian ship would have direct knowledge of the Endeavour 's whereabouts. Realizing he had been duped, he races back to Yurani IV, but receives another distress signal along the way, this time from the CSS Carolina. Spock ignores it and returns to Yurani IV.

When the Endeavour returns to Yurani IV, Holmes who is at the science station finds a string of satellites around Yurani which seem to be emitting a force field which cuts down on its emissions reaching Yurani IV. Spock and Holmes wonder why they did not see these satellites on their first approach when they suddenly disappear! They must have been cloaked by something like the Klingon stealth device is Holmes’ conclusion. Then an unidentified ship manoeuvres to try and keep the Endeavour from establishing orbit or investigating the satellites. Forced to deal with this ship, the Endeavour is rendered unable to help its captured crewmembers imprisoned on the planet.

Russell and his party, along with Ahmun, manage to overpower their captors and escape into some nearby hills. Eventually the party finds an abandoned farm to hide in. The whole countryside appears abandoned and tough weeds and brush are taking over what was once lush farmland. Ahmun explains that the farmers are abandoning their land for the cities which is making the crisis worse as even less food is being produced. Russell starts a fire and Brynne and the security officer begin to fashion primitive bows and arrows to defend themselves.

Dumnal and his search teams finally find Russell and his companions. Dumnal asks them to surrender giving his solemn word that they will not be harmed. Russell looks at Ahmun who nods “If he is giving his solemn word then he means it. I disagree with Dumnal on many things but he would never break his word.”

Meanwhile Spock has managed to disable the unknown space ship. It transmits a signal and then it and the chain of satellites self-destruct. On the ground the change in Yurani’s output is noticed as Dumnal escorts Russell and his party back to the city. On getting back there they are met by Spock and a security team led by Blamire. Spock explains to Dumnal and Ahmun what had been happening and why things should now change for the better. Dumnal looks thoughtful and then says “Thank you but this changes nothing in the short term. Let us bring everything back to what it was and then we will reconsider contacting the Commonwealth.” Ahmun tells Russell that this is probably the best that can be done at this time as although he would establish contacts now, Dumnal actually has more support in the Orackt.

The Endeavour leaves the Yurani system but Russell has promised Dumnal and Ahmun that they will try to discover who had been responsible for the satellites and why.
 
"Real" World
So series 4 has come to an end. Series 5 will start on the 11th January 1969. Star Trek again was the dominant programme on a Saturday evening. Even the revamped and relauched Dock Green (George Dixon was still there but no longer the main character) didn't dent the viewing figures.(However it was so well recieved that it was moved to a Wednesday Evening and got the viewing figures that it deserved mainly due to the clashes between Chief Inspector Charlie Barlow (who had tranferred to the Met from Newtown) and Inspector Andy Crawford who had quite different approaches to their work). The Daleks were scheduled to begin transmission in January but there had been so many problems with the cast, scripts and production that it was pushed back to start in June.(Of course,the fact that Star Trek would have finished series 5 by then wasn't a factor in this decision:D)
 
Last edited:
Series 4
Series 4

The episodes of series 4 are as follows

1. Interphase 7th September 1968
2. Quandry 14th September 1968
3. A Solution? 21st September 1968
4. Revelations 28th September 1968
5. Resquiat in Pace 5th October 1968

Break for Mexico Olympics

6. Colossus 2nd November 1968
7. Stein's Epiphany 9th November 1968
8. The Trodons 16th November 1968
9. "Farmers" 23rd November 1968
10. The Station Terror 39th November 1968
11. The Emrix 7th December 1968
12. The Revanche 14th December 1968
13. The Yurani 21st December 1968

Episodes 1-5 were Pike and Decker episodes, 6-13 Russell episodes.

Also RIP Leonard Nimoy. Not Spock ITTL(yet!) but his OTL Spock did influence the Spock in this Star Trek.
 
"Real" World
Star Trek in the US

NBC bought the rights to series 2 and 3 (Season 2) and again broadcast it in the "graveyard slot" on a Friday evening. However it again, even so, got really good viewing figures for a non US show. Things became even more interesting when the networks started analysing who watched which show. Star Trek proved to be watched by College students, young men from all backgrounds and well educated people with high disposable incomes. In other words the very people that the advertisers wanted to get their hands on (metaphorically speaking!). On further investigation it was found that this was because as well as being good fun to watch, the plots didn't treat the viewers as imbeciles with a memory retention of a few seconds.

The NBC hierarchy started thinking. Star Trek in its present form couldn't be shown at primetime (apart possibly on NET) but perhaps an Americanised version could be. So feelers were put out to Lew Grade about the possibilities.
 
Series 5
Morgannig Broadcast January 11th 1969

Mission date 0441.6 beacons in the Hermack system are being blown up and plundered for precious tillonite. The Endeavour notices the lack of signals from the beacons and is ordered to investigate. Another beacon is destroyed despite their intervention, and the fragments are stolen. Russell informs the Fleet and Navy and recommends that all remaining beacons are closely guarded by the Navy.

On beacon Delta Holmes whilst investigating the lack of signals from that beacon is captured by the men responsible for the destruction of the beacons, a band of pirates led by a man called Craven (guest star Jack May) who beams Holmes onto his ship and then destroys the beacon after scavenging the tillonite.

The Endeavour meanwhile has visited the nearest inhabited world Morgannig, which is dominated by the Isengrim Mining Corporation, whose leader is Francesca Isengrim (guest star Lisa Daniely). The firm was founded by her father, who has been missing for several years. Russell visits Morgannig, believing that whoever is responsible for the destruction of the beacons is using Morgannig as their base, will end up there in due course – and he is right.

When Craven reaches Morgannig he visits Francesca’s office with Holmes in tow. She berates him for keeping Holmes alive but Craven states that if the Fleet or Navy catch up with him he does not want to have the death of a Fleet Officer on his hands as then he might end up on Bedlam! Holmes is then led away to a prison cell deep underneath the offices of I.M.E. There to Holmes’ surprise he finds Dominic Isengrim (guest star Gordon Gostelow) – alive but frail and scared – and it takes time for him to recover his wits.

Craven has meanwhile decided to break his alliance with Francesca. He is becoming frightened at how ruthless she is becoming, and does so by signalling the Endeavour, which has not yet reached the jump point to embark on a search for Holmes. Francesca reasserts her authority by threatening to kill him, his crew and Holmes unless he returns to his allegiance. Craven responds by contacting the Endeavour again and asking them not to come to Morgannig as he was mistaken.

Holmes has meanwhile escaped, taking the weak Dominic Isengrim with him, and heads to Isengrim’s private ship. However Francesca has thought ahead and forces the Operations Manager Keiman (guest star Dudley Foster) to cut the oxygen supply to the ship. As there are only Holmes and Isengrim on board the ship, only their lives are in danger. Francesca’s callousness especially her willingness to murder her father finally convinces Craven that he can no longer support her. He returns to his ship and beams Holmes and Isengrim onto it before they suffocate.

Francesca now gets desperate, threatening to destroy Morgannig by means of a series of strategically placed bombs. Craven and Holmes manages to disengage the triggering device in the nick of time. However before the Endeavour reaches orbit and Russell can beam a security team down Francesca kills Craven and seriously wounds Holmes.

On the arrival of Spock, Travis and a security team in her office, Francesca tries to bluff her way out of the situation by blaming it all upon Craven. However Blamire has found the seriously wounded Holmes and he manages to inform Spock of the true situation before he lapses into a coma. Francesca is arrested and on hearing this news Dominic Isengrim asks Russell to arrange for the Commonwealth to send a governor to run the colony.
 
Series 5
Zetar III Broadcast January 18th 1969

Mission date 0536.8 whilst mapping the Zetar system in which the third planet Zetar III is about to join the Commonwealth, the Endeavour detects a strange energy storm moving at warp speed. Given the storm's faster-than-light speed, it is believed that it cannot be a natural phenomenon.

The Endeavour intercepts the storm which bypasses the ship's shields and penetrates the hull. The exposure to the storm begins to affect crew members' nervous systems differently; Communications Officer Lt. McKenzie is unable to move her hands, CSO Brynne is unable to control his eyes, and both Captain Russell and Helmsman Mitchell are unable to speak.

Lieutenant Caroline D’Alembert faints from the effects of the storm. Dr. M’Beke examines D’Alembert who seems paralyzed and unresponsive and makes strange grunting sounds as she lies on the deck of the bridge. She soon recovers in sickbay and refuses to be examined any further.

The storm continues straight for Zetar III and the Endeavour gives chase. The storm manages to penetrate a space station orbiting the planet which acts as the Commonwealth’s embassy to the planet and destroys the main computer core, wiping out crucial stores of data. Russell, along with Science Officer Brynne, Dr. M’Beke, and Mr. Scott beam down to the station to inspect the damage. Meanwhile, D’Alembert has a strange premonition of dead people at the station.

The landing party finds the station staff have been killed—except for one, a woman who lies barely conscious on the floor. She makes the same strange guttural noises as D’Alembert did and her skin seems to be charged with a mysterious coloured energy. As the energy fades, she dies from what M’Beke determines to be a brain haemorrhage.

Russell then has D’Alembert beamed to the station. She is terrified to see the exact scene from her "premonition". She then warns that the storm is returning, and the landing party returns to the ship. Scans of the storm determine that it may be a life form and Russell tries to communicate with it through the universal translator, but gets no response. He then fires phaser warning shots, but the storm still approaches. Russell then orders a full attack and blasts phaser streams through the core of the storm.

This action seems to cause D’Alembert considerable pain as she asks Russell to hold her. D’Alembert feels the full blast of the phasers, collapsing to the floor. Russell believes D’Alembert and the storm are somehow connected and orders a stop to the attack. D’Alembert is taken back to sickbay. M’Beke and Fynely reveals that D’Alembert's medical records show her to have an extremely flexible ability to assimilate new knowledge and experiences. A neural scan shows her mental pathways have been adjusted to match those of the intelligence pattern of the storm. It appears the beings are trying to possess her body and completely take over her mind. Lying weak on the examining table, D’Alembert manages to confess her latest vision to Russell: seeing him dying.

Making an attempt to rid her of the alien influence, Russell has D’Alembert taken to a gravity pressure chamber. The alien force however, enters the ship and finishes its invasion of D’Alembert's mind and have now completely taken over her body. The aliens speak through D’Alembert, identifying themselves as survivors from a long gone civilisation of Zetar III. The creatures have evolved to shed their physical bodies and now seek one tuned to their mental capacity, as D’Alembert, to live out their remaining existence.

As the aliens cannot be persuaded to abandon their plan, Russell is about to place D’Alembert in the chamber, but Spock intervenes, to try and prevent D’Alembert’s vision coming to pass. He is stricken with an energy blast as he places D’Alembert in the chamber, but (presumably because of his different physiology) he is only heavily shocked. The chamber then exposes D’Alembert's body to dangerously high atmospheric pressure that drives out and kills the aliens before they can completely wipe her mind.

With the conclusion of the crisis, the Endeavour remains in orbit of Zetar III to ensure support for the Commonwealth’s diplomatic team until the CSS Aurora arrives to relieve them.
 
Series 5
Ancient Philosophy Broadcast January 25th 1969

Missiondate 0583.6 the Endeavour receives a distress signal from the Eudoxus system. Intrigued because there are no records of any human settlement in that area Russell decides to investigate. On arriving in the system Brynne discovers settlements on Eudoxus II which is an earth like world. Spock comments to Russell that it is a pleasant surprise for it not to be another Earth!

Russell, Spock, D’Alembert and M’Beke beam down at the request of Alexandros (special guest star Jeremy Kemp), who leads the landing party to meet the rest of his people, who have adopted classical Greek culture, and named themselves Pythagoreans in honour of the Greek philosopher. All of the Pythagoreans, except for Alexandros, seem to possess telekinetic powers.

The Pythagoreans explain that they "lured" the Endeavour to their planet because their leader, Philolaus (guest star Michael Wilding), requires medical help. After being treated by M’Beke, for a minor ailment, Philolaus demands that M'Beke remain on the planet to treat other Pythagoreans. When Russell objects, Philolaus uses his powers to punish him. They humiliate the landing party as M’Beke watches, forcing them to sing and dance like court jesters. Philolaus forces D'Alembert to laugh and, despite the strong objection of M’Beke, to cry. Later, the Pythagoreans use their powers to force two other Endeavour officers to the planet for their entertainment: Stein and Nurse Chapel. (Spock is forcibly moved back to the Endeavour as he proves resistant to the Pythagoreans mind control.)

Once on the planet, the officers quickly get their bodies usurped by Philolaus who proceeds to make Russell, Stein, Chapel and D’Alembert, all forced to wear Greek garb, perform for the gathered Pythagoreans and a captive M’Beke, including forcing Russell and D’Alembert into a passionate kiss. Alexandros becomes angry after watching the humiliating tricks played upon the crew by his Pythagorean masters. He tries, unsuccessfully, to attack Philolaus with a knife.

However, back on the Endeavour, Spock and Brynne manage to isolate and identify the substance that provides the inhabitants with their special powers: a mineral which they call Parmenide, which is abundant in the natural food and water supply of the planet. Spock manages to get this information to M’Beke. M’Beke is able to prepare a serum and inject Russell with doses of it. Furthermore, since Alexandros tells them that each person has a different and incompatible psionic frequency, they will not have to deal with a massed attack. As a result, Russell uses his new-found telekinetic powers to defeat Philolaus, for Alexandros' life.

Philolaus admits defeat and begs for mercy; he promises to mend his bullying ways. Russell warns him that the events encountered there will be reported to the Commonwealth and if Philolaus goes back on his word, the powers can be recreated by anyone whenever they wish to defeat him.

Russell promises to send appropriate medical technicians to the planet as long as the Pythagoreans behave themselves. M’Beke finds that Alexander's body naturally neutralises the Parmenide, and hence he had become the butt of the others pranks as they misused their powers. He is released from his duty of serving the planet's denizens as a slave and jester, and requests to go with the Endeavour to start a new (and presumably happier) life elsewhere in the galaxy.

As a show of goodwill Philolaus releases all the colony’s history to Russell. It would appear that their ancestors were transported from the Tellurian equivalent of Ancient Greece by some unknown alien force to extract the Parmenide but had been abandoned some 2000 years previously. The Tellurians had made the best of their situation but the development of their telekinetic powers had stymied scientific advancement.

As they leave Eudoxus II Russell comments to Spock that it is no wonder that the Tellurians mistrust aliens. They seem to have been raided for slaves several times. They also wonder why the Pythagoreans had been abandoned by their slavers.
 
Last edited:
Series 5
Those Pesky..... Broadcast February 1st 1969

Mission date 0602.4 the Endeavour is visiting CSS QEII to check on how well Tom Bergerac (guest star Sid James) is dealing with clearing up the infestation of Mhysse that he had inadvertently caused (Episode Of Mhysse and Men). He has actually done rather better than expected because the Mhysse are slowly dying off. Intrigued Fynely begins to investigate.

Whilst at the station the Endeavour receives a distress signal from Stuart’s Planet. They are suddenly being infested by a malignant form of fungus and they have lost contact with the Space Station which orbits the planet to monitor the weather. The Endeavour leaves to investigate with Tom Bergerac having stowed away to get a break from his penance (together with some Mhysse!!).

Tom is discovered only an hour after departure and Russell orders him thrown in the brig. “We’ll return him after we’ve dealt with this situation.” The Mhysse however remain undetected! The Endeavour arrives at the Weather Station and discovers a strange situation. They are unable to raise the Station Commander but are contacted by Phillips (guest star Christopher Coll) a technician. The Station has been subject to a takeover. Commander Hutchison and another technician have been killed sabotaging the relay system to try to prevent a takeover, and the Deputy Commander Torrance (guest star Terry Scully) has been pressed into assisting the invaders. Phillips has no idea about where the invaders are from spending most of his time evading them, although he admits that they are not looking particularly hard!

Travis and a security team beam over and discover that the invaders are Kardassans. It becomes apparent that the Kardassans have a deadly plan: they have seeds, which they intend to beam to various parts of Stuart’s Planet, of a fungus that will multiply and increase the Carbon Dioxide level to 5% of the atmosphere, making it more comfortable for the Kardassans but uninhabitable for humans. Some seeds have already been sent to Stuart’s Planet hence the distress signal. Whilst Travis and the security team battle the Kardassans to take back control of the station, more seeds are beamed to Stuart’s planet and are having the intended results.

Brynne works out that the seeds seem to have been deposited in a pattern – all in the Northern zone, where the country is facing winter presumably having the most similar weather to where the fungus originates. One captured seed is beamed aboard the Endeavour for investigation but it explodes on reaching the Science Lab, injuring Stein. The fungus spreads very rapidly and the Endeavour’s life support cannot counteract its effect on the air in the ship. However when it reaches Bergerac’s holding cell the Mhysse which he has brought with him start devouring the fungus faster than it can spread! Spock and Russell are delighted that the Mhysse are effective against the fungus but fear that they have exchanged one problem for another!

Travis reports that he now has control of the Weather Station and that the Kardassans have been captured. By now the Mhysse have devoured all the fungus on board the Endeavour but have multiplied exponentially. Spock sets Bergerac to collecting the Mhysse which he manages with help from the crew. Some of the Mhysse are beamed down to Stuart’s Planet where they neutralise the fungus that had reached epidemic proportions. Luckily they are easily spotted by the sensors and are all beamed on board the Kardassan ship which has been discovered hiding behind the moon of the planet. It beats a very hasty retreat after beaming back the Kardassans captured by the Security Team.

Russell sends a report to Fleet Headquarters and is ordered to remain at Stuart’s Planet until a Navy Ship the CSS El Alamein relieves them. Once this has been done the Endeavour returns to CSS QEII where Bergerac is set back to clearing the Mhysse from that station.
 
Last edited:
Series 5
The Parasite Broadcast February 8th 1969

Mission date 0683.9, the Endeavour is undertaking a survey of the McKay system. McKay III is a very earth like world but it has a string of satellites of unknown origin which are broadcasting the same message on a repeated cycle. Whilst McKenzie and Brynne try to interpret the signal, Spock together with Stein, Blamire and an archaeology team beam down to investigate some ruins. They appear to be of human origin, being very similar to ruins observed on Adams III. Stein sees something that catches his eye just outside the ruins and goes to investigate. After five minutes Spock and Blamire hear Stein yell and rush to him. They find him clutching his head but otherwise unharmed. He claims to have hit his head on a low branch and he has a wound which is consistent with this explanation. They beam back to the Endeavour.

The satellites signal still resists interpretation but McKenzie keeps trying when her duties allow. The Endeavour leaves the system and nothing more is thought of it. However after a couple of days Stein visits the Medical Centre complaining of a persistent headache. M’Beke scans him and gives him some Aspirin. Stein returns a day later, his headaches have got worse and he has started to forget things which he could previously recall with no problem. M’Beke and Fynely scan him together but this time they notice something unusual nestling next to Stein’s brain which is sending tendrils into his brain. This parasite resists all attempts to remove it by conventional means and its tendrils are too closely meshed with Stein’s brain to attempt surgery.

Over the next week Stein loses more and more of his memory and acts more and more like an old man who is losing his mind except that he is physically still very healthy. Stein is aware of what is happening and keeps a log. M’Beke and Fynely contact Medical Central but they have no records of anything similar having happened before. Russell decides to return to McKay III to see if they can find an explanation. Whist establishing orbit above the planet McKenzie finally translates the satellites’ signal. It is a warning to keep away from the planet because of a dangerous parasite which causes memory loss and eventual death. It also contains the coordinates of a shrine on McKay III that grants those afflicted with the parasite a single day of mental clarity, followed by a quick death.

Russell, Fynely and Spock beam down to the shrine with Stein, where he miraculously returns to normal. Spock determines that the shrine is emitting dangerous radiation that is causing the parasite to shrink so as to protect itself, but that prolonged exposure will kill the victim after a day. When they beam back out of the shrine to remove it in the Medical Centre the parasite rapidly reexpands and Stein again loses his memories. Fynely determines that they will have to return to the shrine with a field operating kit and attempt to remove the parasite whist still in the shrine and the parasite is compact enough to remove surgically. Once Fynely starts to drill into Stein’s skull the parasite begins to move towards the incision as if to escape the radiation.
As it leaves Stein’s skull, Fynely grabs it with forceps and M’Beke destroys it with a phaser.

A day later Stein is recuperating in the Medical Centre having regained all his memories and also his usual attitude towards others. Whilst Stein is being obnoxious to Chapel, Fynely watches one of Stein's log entries, where Stein admits that he considers Fynely to be his best friend and is worried about with whom Fynely can discuss important things such as the state of Yorkshire Cricket once he has gone. Fynely grins and goes into the ward to rescue Chapel.
 
Last edited:
Series 5
Uneasy lies the Crown Broadcast February 15th 1969

Mission date 0721.5, the Endeavour receives a coded signal from the KSS Revanche requesting a rendezvous at the edge of Commonwealth Space. Intrigued Russell agrees and they head to the meeting point. Once there, they are hailed by the Revanche and its Captain (special Guest Star Patrick Macnee) asks to be beamed aboard together with his First Officer (Guest Star Michael Billington).

Once in the meeting Room, Willenbrock reveals why he made contact. The Revanche is in hot pursuit of a space cruiser the Barbarossa, which was hijacked by followers of a disgraced Tellurian politician. This group unfortunately includes Wilhelm, the grandson of the Tellurian Emperor. Willenbrock has been asked by the Emperor himself to retrieve his grandson with as little fuss as possible so as to avoid a scandal which would rock Tellurian Society. Unfortunately the cruiser has headed into Commonwealth Space so Willenbrock decided to appeal to the Endeavour for help as its crew is trusted both by him and his superiors.

Russell feels that there is a lot which is being unsaid but agrees to help. The First Officer of the Revanche, Commander Paul Voster, is seconded to the Endeavour for the duration as he was a classmate of Wilhelm’s at the Academy. The ships part company and the Endeavour sets off to intercept the Barbarossa. After a day they make contact but the Barbarossa attempts to flee. Russell orders Scotty to lock on with a tractor beam, but the Barbarossa still tries to escape. With the craft already straining with pushed engines, the vessel begins to break up.

Russell orders the transporter room to lock on the passengers and beam them aboard immediately. As the Barbarossa explodes, the passengers are safely brought aboard the Endeavour. Russell heads down to meet with them and is surprised by their appearance. The youngest, are dressed in what could be best described as 20th century military uniform whilst the oldest is also dressed archaically but would probably pass unnoticed in a crowd. Despite their close brush with death, they appear completely calm and relaxed as if nothing has happened.

The group identifies themselves, starting with Wilhelm (guest star John Hurt) and Gunter Hindenberg (guest star Anton Diffring). The group shows a respect for authority but they all seem rather uncomfortable around the non-human crew especially Spock. They are sent to the Medical Centre to be examined. Russell comments to Vorster that they seem a strange set of rebels, Vorster doesn’t reply but hurries after the group. Medical scans reveal the party to be in good health, except for Hindenberg, who is a carrier of Tubercolosis, which has been eradicated in the Commonwealth but is still present in the Tellurian Empire. Russell orders Hindenberg to be quarantined to prevent the virus's spread until the crew can be vaccinated. However, his group loudly protests the decision, insulting Russell as a lackey of the Empire. There is also a scuffle between Wilhelm and Vorster who come to blows after Vorster remonstrates with Wilhelm reminding him about his duties as a grandson of the Emperor. Russell orders that they should be kept separate under guard until he can settle the matter.

Once the crew has been vaccinated Russell has Hindenberg, Wilhelm and Vorster escorted to the Meeting Room. Both Hindenberg and Wilhelm seem extremely uncomfortable at being escorted by Andorian security men even though Travis and Blamire are also present. On arriving at the Meeting Room Wilhelm is vehement that Spock should not be present as he is a Visitor! To Russell’s surprise it is Hindenberg who chastises Wilhelm by pointing out that firstly Spock is the First Officer, secondly this is a Commonwealth Ship not a Tellurian one and thirdly Spock is one of those who saved the Empire in the probe incident! Hindenberg also apologises for his followers protests at his quarantine. He had been taken aback at first but when M’Beke had explained that the reason was that none of the Endeavour’s human crew had ever been exposed to Tubercolosis and needed to be vaccinated, he accepted it.

In the meeting, it is disclosed that Hindenberg is the leader of a group that wants to restore the Empire to its past glories by re-establishing and strictly enforcing the laws about Visitors which have become more laxly enforced in the last few years. The group had been tolerated until the probe incident, which they had claimed showed that the Empire needed to return to its old ways and they had attempted a putsch to take over and place Wilhelm, who was a sympathiser, on the throne. Over the course of the meeting it becomes clearer that although Hindenberg is open to reason about “Visitors” especially on seeing them in positions of trust on the Endeavour, Wilhelm most definitely is not and he becomes ever more outspoken about the need not only to return the Empire to its “true path” but the need to cleanse the Commonwealth as well!

It is with some relief that Russell beams the group back to the Revanche, when the Endeavour reaches the rendezvous. He receives a signal from Vorster that they have safely returned and the ships part company. A little while later Russell gets a message from Willenbrock who expresses dismay at the way that Wilhelm had behaved on the Endeavour and voices his fears about what will happen when Wilhelm becomes Emperor. The current emperor is unwell and although his son (Wilhelm’s father) will continue the current policies it is increasingly obvious that Wilhelm will not! When that happens, Willenbrock states, the Commonwealth had better look to its defences.
 
Series 5
Clear as Mudd Broadcast February 22nd 1969

Mission date 0800.2 the Endeavour is visiting the Polys system. This contains two habitable planets each of which has a civilisation roughly equivalent to late 21st century Earth who trade regularly with each other. Brynne detects a small cargo ship, manually controlled by its single occupant. Spock, who is in command whilst Russell is on leave visiting his dying mother, makes contact with the pilot, who much to his surprise is none other than Harry Mudd (guest star George Cole) who has seemingly escaped custody once again! Spock takes the ship under tow and has Mudd beamed directly to the brig despite his vehement protests that he has done nothing wrong this time!

Continuing through the system, the Endeavour is intercepted by ships from the two planets, both of which lock their laser weapons upon the Endeavour. Both ships are vastly outclassed (it is remarked that their weapons would be easily defeated by the navigation shields alone). Jhamys (guest star Frank Windsor), from the planet Neutonne, accuses Mudd of impregnating his daughter Wyate, while Caroll (guest star Stratford Johns) from the planet Yven asserts that Mudd has stolen a state treasure, the Jewel of Harmony.

Spock has difficulty in believing Jhamys’ claim but has no difficulty in believing Caroll’s. The two leaders clearly know each other, but both demand that their own claim on Mudd take priority. Mudd denies both accusations, claiming ignorance of either the daughter’s condition or that the Jewel, which had been found on his ship, had been stolen. Spock, whilst realising that Mudd is an incorrigible rogue, tends to believe him. Spock therefore offers to arbitrate the dispute.

During the discussions it becomes clear that Mudd is indeed innocent, used as a go-between by both Wyate of Neutonne and Caroll's son, Barlo, who are in love with each other. Wyate is pregnant with Barlo's child and he has offered to marry her. Barlo (guest star Tim Pigott-Smith) asserts that the Jewel of Harmony rightfully belongs to him as the heir, and intended to present it to Wyate as a courting gift. Mudd was carrying the jewel between the two planets. While learning of this secret relationship alters the conflict between both Jhamys and Caroll, Spock cannot get involved in the internal political disputes between the two planets and leaves whilst transporting Harry Mudd back to serve his sentences. Jhamys and Caroll are left to argue about wedding details.
 
Series 5
Springheel Broadcast March 1st 1969

Mission date 0804.9, the Endeavour arrives at CSS Brunel, for an engineering conference which will discuss some of the discoveries made at the abandoned Rememberer base on Gemini III. Russell, Spock, Brynne and Scott beam down for the conference, although Scotty is recovering from a concussion caused by an explosion in the Engine Room. O’Gorman has been left stewing in the engine room as he has not been invited to the conference because of his rank (CPO) and the conference is for officers only.

The conference goes well especially those discussions about the data on enhanced warp drives which theoretically could be used to travel between star systems. These especially interest the Fleet and Navy as they would eliminate the time spent looking for jump points and then the time spent manoeuvring to use them. Scotty gets into earnest discussions with several other Engineering Officers about the potential for these warp drives with Scotty being in a minority claiming that there isn’t an energy source powerful enough currently available (although he does have some ideas!)

Brynne and Spock visit some of the other lectures whilst Russell has a meal with the station commander Admiral Beckett (guest star Maurice Denham) who was his commanding officer on the CSS Vespucci. Meanwhile the discussion between the engineering officers moves to the station bar and gets ever more heated with voices being raised. Suddenly the lights go out. When they come back on after a few seconds Scotty is found standing over the body of one of the officers with a knife in his hand!

Scotty is detained and interrogated by Commander Calder (guest star James Garbutt), the head of station security and Lt Commander Sarrik (guest star Shane Rimmer) his deputy, a Vulcanian, who has some telepathic abilities. They tell Russell that the outlook for Scott is decidedly grim, although Hauk is troubled as he states that Scotty is telling the truth when he claims his innocence. Sarrik asks if he can undertake a Vulcanian mind link with Scotty to investigate further.

Sarrik proceeds with the mind link ritual. As the ritual proceeds the lights dim and the room darkens. Sarrik states that "There is evil here, monstrous, terrible evil ... hater of all that lives,.. A hunger that never dies ... It has a name ... Ketran, Serkasis! A hunger that never dies! Redjac! Redjac!" The room becomes totally dark, and Sarrik screams. When the lights come back on, Scott is holding Sarrik's unconscious body.

Understandably, Calder and Beckett are angered by the assault on Sarrik, but agree to have everyone present during the ritual, questioned by Spock, who shares the Vulcanian’s telepathic abilities albeit to a much lesser degree. However, they warn Mr. Scott that the evidence is mounting against him and he stands to be convicted of two charges of murder and grievous bodily harm.

Spock confirms that Scotty knows nothing about the murder and assault. Scott insists, however, that he felt the presence of a cold, evil being during Sarrik's empathic contact ritual. Spock verifies he is telling the truth.
Russell and Brynne decide to run the names spoken by Sarrik through the computer. The machine returns information that Serkasis (of Vulcanis), and Ketran (of Denop II), are names given to serial killers on those worlds. It also identifies Redjac as "Red Jack", one name given to the elusive 19th Century Earth serial killer known as Jack the Ripper. Gradually, suspicion shifts from Scott to Sarrik, not least because the murder weapon was a ritual Vulcanian knife, and Sarrik took up his post on CSS Brunel shortly after the last murder took place on Vulcanis.

Sarrik attempts to flee, but is hampered by his injuries and Calder restrains him. Sarrik slumps to the floor; M’beke who is also present as a medical observer examines him and announces: "He's dead." However, the Ripper-entity jumps from Sarrik's body into the Brunel's central computer, from which it can control the station.

The Ripper-entity gets onto the station’s public address system and begins threatening the crew to generate the fear it feeds on. Beckett fights the attempt of the Ripper to terrify his crew by ordering his medical staff to administer tranquilizers to every one of them. Brynne drives the entity out of the computer by ordering it to compute e to its last decimal place. It jumps back into the apparently dead body of Sarrik in the briefing room where Scott's interrogation had taken place, but Calder subdues Sarrik and M’Beke hits him with a dose of tranquilizer, rendering the Ripper-entity helpless. Spock carries Sarrik to a Transporter Room and uses the transporter to beam the entity into space at maximum dispersion.

Spock notes that even if Redjac survived the dispersion beaming, each individual part of it will drift helplessly through space until the creature finally perishes. The threat from Jack the Ripper is ended for good.
 
Last edited:
Series 5
Njark Broadcast March 8th 1969

Mission Date 0857.8 the Endeavour is mapping the previously unexplored Goddard system. On Goddard IV they discover human life signs in one area of the planet, the rest is a highly polluted wasteland. On the edge of this area they find an unusual construction which emits strange energy readings. Russell, Brynne, Stein and Travis with a couple of security guards beam down to investigate the construction.

They arrive in time to witness the death of one of two humans, who is vaporised by smoke sprayed from nozzles on either side of the doorway from which he emerges, and intervene to save the other, Vania (guest star Madeleine Mills). Vania informs the team that she and the other humans are subject to the mysterious Krotons, unseen beings to whom they provide their brightest intelligences as “companions”. There are the beginnings of a rebellion against this practice led by Tharon, son of the Human leader Sovan; those who have become companions before have never been seen nor heard from again.

Vania takes the team to meet Sovan (guest star James Copeland), using her survival as a means to convince Sovan and the Council of the malign influence of the Krotons on their society. Brynne calls it “a self-perpetuating slavery” by which the brightest in society have been removed. Similarly, there are large gaps in their knowledge, especially relating to chemistry. This situation has been in existence for many years since the Krotons arrived in their spaceship, releasing a poison that polluted the lands beyond the city (known as Njark) — which they call 'the Wasteland' — and killed much of the population.

Tharon (guest star Gilbert Wynne) uses the disquiet of the situation to lead a rebellion and attack the Teaching Machines of the Krotons in the Hall of Learning. This prompts a crystalline probe to appear and defend the Machines, and warn the Humans to cease their rebellion. Stein now tries the Teaching Machines and is selected to be a “companion” of the Krotons. Brynne elects the same fate and both are summoned into the Citadel where they are subjected to a mental attack. Stein deduces that the Krotons have found a way to transfer mental power into pure energy, while Brynne busies himself with taking chemical samples of the Kroton environment. Circumstances now trigger the creation of two Krotons from chemical vats within the Citadel (the Kroton spaceship). The newly created Krotons, which look like faceless Androids, attempt to capture Russell, Travis and the security guards, but are really seeking Brynne and Stein, the “High Brains”, who have now left the Citadel. It takes them quite some time before they are able to make an effective escape. They also find that the Endeavour has come under attack from the Citadel and cannot afford to drop the shields to either beam them back up or beam down reinforcements.

Kran (guest star Philip Madoc) and Axon (guest star Richard Ireson), two councillors previously loyal to the Krotons, who begin to rally for all-out war with the Krotons, have now seized the initiative. The more level headed Sovan is deposed, but warns that an all-out attack will not benefit his people. Instead he has decided to attack the machine from underneath by destabilising its very foundation in the under hall. Kran has Sovan arrested and also reasserts control by negotiating with the Krotons that they will leave the planet if provided with the two “High Brains” who can help them power and pilot their ship.

Stein and Brynne are forced into the Citadel at phaserpoint and Sovan dies providing them with a phial of acid which Brynne adds to the Kroton vats. Outside Russell and the rest of the team launch an attack on the structure of the ship using sulphuric acid. This two-pronged assault destroys the tellurium-based Krotons and their craft. The Citadel dissolves away and the Humans are free at last — choosing Tharon rather than the cowardly and ambitious Kran to lead them.

Tharon shows Russell some of their sacred relics from “before”. It turns out that these humans were originally taken from Tellurian equivalent of North America during their early nineteenth century, abandoned by their kidnappers and then exploited by the Krotons. Russell contacts Willenbrock (guest star Patrick Macnee) to let him know the location of these lost Tellurians.

NOTE: As in OTL this episode was written by Robert Holmes and presented to the BBC as a serial. Also as in OTL they were not interested so it lay in limbo until Terence Dicks remembered it, as Holmes had presented the script as a possibility for Dr Who. As ITTL Dr Who had been cancelled Dicks contacted Holmes who willingly rewrote it for Star Trek.
 
Top