|
|
Star date 2124.5. The Enterprise is traveling through a particularly empty sector of space on the way to Colony Beta 6 with supplies at warp factor 3. Unexpectedly a planet shows up in front of the ship. The planet is completely unknown to Star Fleet -- as Uhura tries to radio back the discovery, she finds that the planet acts as a natural radio source, blanketing all communication. Quit suddenly, Sulu stands up at the weapons console and .... disappears. Kirk, seeing this steps over to where he was standing, freezes, and disappears also. Spock reacts by reversing power to bring the Enterprise to a stop and enters orbit around the lone planet in the 'star desert'. For four hours he conducts a sweep of the planet without success.
Spock inquires of the conditions on the planet's surface. Geophysicist Yaager tells Spock that the planet is a hot, poisonous, barren world swept by tornadic winds. When asked how long a human could live on the surface of the planet he replies, "Not very long."
Now Uhura calls for Spock's attention. She is getting some strange messages from the planet on the video screen: 'Greetings & Felicitations', 'Hip-Hip-Hoorah!' and 'Tallyho!' "One things for certain, there's life on that planet", says McCoy. Spock forms a landing party out of McCoy, Mr Yaager, and Mr DeSalle. He remarks that "if those signals are coming from Captain Kirk or Mr. Sulu, their rationality is in question".
The party beams to the surface, but does not find the situation to be like Yaager described it on the ship. The planet is Earth-like with a nitrogen/oxygen atmosphere. As they look about, they are 
startled to find a Victorian style Keep, complete with burning torches. Phasers drawn, they go inside cautiously. But the building is strangely empty except for -- Kirk and Sulu who are frozen statues. "There's no reading. They're like wax-work figures.", states McCoy as he uses his tri-corder to check them. While he does this, the oaken door which they had left open, swings shut ... and harpsichord music begins to play.
"I must say they make a perfectly exquisite display pair, but I suppose you want them back now.", says our strange host, General Trelane (retired), as he frees the Captain and Sulu. "Welcome to an island of 
peace on my stormy little planet of Gothos." Trelane appears to be and act much like a gentleman of Victorian England might act and speak. He has created the house and surroundings based on what he has seen from Earth, 900 light years distant. He has, however, made an error in that he is seeing the Earth as it was 900 years ago. Kirk asks him, "For what purpose have you imprisoned us here?". Trelane tells, him, "Imprisoned? Nonsense, you're my guests." Trelane wants the landing party to tell him of their wars, campaigns of conquest and feelings on killing over dinner.
DeSalle begins to pull his phaser, which Kirk tells him to put on 'stun'. As Trelane meets each of the landing party, DeSalle sneaks around to get a clear shot. Trelane sees him in the mirror however, and freezes him. He is particularly interested in the phaser weapon which he takes and tries out on several of the houses furnishings. The Captain takes the phaser from Trelane and turns to leave. "Tut-tut-tut", says Trelane, "You're being quite rude. You can't go. Apparently you need another demonstration of my authority." and transports Kirk out into the hostile environment of the planet.
When Kirk returns, choking and gasping, Trelane goes back to playing his harpsichord. Bones, Kirk and the others move off and begin to talk quietly. Sulu asks who Trelane might be, where did he come from. McCoy tells him that "Better say what is he." The readings he has taken don't show any indication, alive or dead. Yaager points out that the fire in the fireplace is burning without heat. Kirk remarks that Trelane is not perfect, he makes mistakes.
Captain Kirk walks over to where Trelane is playing and asks him to return to the ship...they have tasks and duties to perform. Trelane tells him, "You must stay, I insist!". "For how long?", asks Kirk. Trelane, tired of hearing of a return to the ship tells Captain Kirk to relax and enjoy his stay. Captain Kirk then tells him that the crew of the Enterprise would be missing them, and mentions 400 men and women aboard the ship. "Women? Do you mean that you actually have members of the fairer sex among your crew?", Trelane is interested, very interested. He wants to transport them down, but Kirk firmly tells him, "No! Those are crucial operating personnel". Trelane insists that he can do whatever he pleases.
About this time we hear the beep of a transporter signal. Trelane wants to know what that means. Kirk informs him, "It means, Trelane, the party's over thanks to Mr Spock." Kirk stands with the rest of the landing party and beams to the ship. Trelane is a little upset.
As he arrives in the transporter room, Spock is there waiting for them. Kirk asks how he was able to get a clear signal through the radiation. But Spock did not have a clear signal on the party, he merely beamed up all life-forms in the area. "Which means Trelane is not a life-form as we know it or he'd be beaming though now", says McCoy. They all race for the bridge. The Captain is intent on placing 100 million miles between them and Trelane. But ho! What have we now? Trelane is standing on the bridge of the Enterprise looking about. He tells Kirk that he is only a bit upset with the Captain, but he wants to know who Spock is. Spock comes forward and introduces himself. "Surely not an officer? Isn't quite human, is he?, says Trelane. The Captain orders Trelane off the ship. "Oh rot", says the Squire. He informs them that they are all to be his guests at dinner. Instantly they are back in the house on the planet.
As the crew from the bridge sits around a long table, Trelane meets the women who beamed down. He requests that Uhura play the harpsichord while he waltz's with the yeoman. Uhura objects that she doesn't know 
how to play, to which he says "Of course you do." -- and she begins to play. Meanwhile the rest of the crew is together discussing the situation. It seems that Trelane knows all of the forms from Earth, but none of its substance. They determine that he has a machine or a device to help him do the things he has shown himself able to do. (Flash to Trelane dancing with the yeoman ...) "That dress hardly matches this charming scene.", remarks Trelane. He waves his hand and suddenly she is wearing a gown. Kirk notices that the Squire never wanders far from his large mirror. "It's part of his audience", says Kirk. Kirk asks whether the machine capable of keeping out the environment could be kept in the house (seems that Kirk remembers his earlier lesson with the planet's true atmosphere). Spock doesn't think so. Jim seems glad to hear this, he says that it leaves him free to try something.
Kirk immediately begins to insult Trelane and his habits, and act jealous over the yeoman. He then challenges the Squire to a duel -- which Trelane thinks is grand. He brings out a set of matched dueling 
pistols "Just like the set which slew your Alexander Hamilton". Facing off, Trelane claims the first shot, but fires into the air. "And now Captain, how do you have the expression? My fate is in your hands." Kirk takes careful aim, but before firing shifts the weapon to the mirror and fires. The mirrors explodes, revealing complex machinery behind it. Much of the effects in the house cease to be, such as the fire in the fireplace, lights, and so forth. As the machine shorts out, Kirk gloats over Trelane. Trelane is pissed and tells the Captain, "You've earned my wraith! Go back! Go back to your ship! You're all dead men. You especially, Captain." He strides toward the mirror machine and then disappears. (Uh-oh, Captain Kirk, I think you have a little more on your hands than you expected.)
Well, Kirk makes haste in beaming to the ship and leaving the area. They hustle away from the planet, setting course for Colony Beta 6. But each time the Enterprise crew thinks they're clear, the planet Gothos appears in front of them. It turns as they turn staying with them though all evasive maneuvers. Finally Kirk decides to enter orbit and beam down to have a face to face confrontation with Trelane to see what it will take to free the ship.
Kirk beams down to a chamber where Trelane has set himself up as a justice -- complete with a hangman's noose. The Captain explains to him that simply killing him with a rope is not exciting in the least. He suggests something more interesting, such as a hunt with the Enterprise as the stakes. He bargains for freedom for the ship if he will play the hunt with Trelane. The Squire is intrigued and agrees to the Captain's terms.
Once outside the building Kirk begins to try to signal the Enterprise while keeping out of the way of the Squire. Trelane, however, finds him easily and tries to skewer him with a sabre. Kirk disarms and 
defeats him, but Trelane has the power to blink in and out of existence rendering victory problematical. Eventually, Kirk runs back to the main door of the house where Trelane traps him with materialized steel bars. It doesn't look good for the Captain. He is about to become shish-ka-bob. Kirk reminds him that he promised to release the ship, but Trelane retorts, "Yes but this is such sport. I must fetch all the others back to play." "You haven't won, Trelane", states the Captain. Though beaten, Captain Kirk is not defeated. Trelane orders him on his knees, but Kirk grabs his sword away, breaks it and slaps Trelane across the face.
Trelane is furious.
Ahhh, but now the surprise ending. It is a surprise, isn't it? Trelane turns out to be an alien child (consider an Earth child of about 6), and his parents (curiously a male and female voice -- how convenient) are scolding him as Earth parents would a spoiled child. "If you cannot take proper care of your pets, you cannot have them at all", say the glowing spots of light which represent the adult aliens, "Time to come in." Trelane, the alien child gradually disappears as the 'parents' apologize to Captain Kirk for their child's actions.
As they approach Colony Beta 6 ... Spock approaches Kirk, "For the record, Captain, how do we describe him? Pure mentality? Force of intellect? Embodied energy? Super-being? He must be classified, sir." Kirk replies, "A small boy, and a very naughty one at that." Spock looks puzzled and returns to his station.
