Captain's log-- Stardate 1329.8.
The U.S.S. Enterprise in pursuit of an unidentified vessel.
There he is, sir. Center screen.
- Still trying to run from us. - Don't lose him.
No, sir.
- Earth ship, Mr. Spock? - Difficult to say.
We're getting no registration beam.
If it is, he'll soon overload his engines.
[Spock] He's pushing his engines too hard.
Changing course again. He knows we're after him.
Stay with him, Mr. Sulu.
Communication?
I've tried. He refuses to answer.
- Unless he's not receiving us. - He's receiving us.
Approaching an asteroid belt, Captain.
- Schiller rating-- 3-5. - Deflectors on, Mr. Farrell.
He's seen the asteroid, too.
Stay with him.
He'll try to lose us in them.
[Sulu] lf one hits him--
[Spock] Sensor reading on the vessel.
I make out a small, class J cargo ship,
and his engines are super-heating.
Try to warn him. If he loses power now--
There go his engines, sir.
He is drifting into asteroid belt, Captain.
He's had it,
unless we put our deflector screen around him.
If we try, we'll overload our own engines. He's too far away.
Cover him with our deflector screen, Mr. Farrell.
[Whir]
Scotty, Spock, stand by in the transporter room.
Aye, sir.
We're protecting him, sir.
We won't be able to hold it long.
We're overloading, Captain. Engine temperatures climbing.
[Beep Beep Beep]
Space...
the final frontier.
These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise.
Its five-year mission--
to explore strange new worlds,
to seek out new life and new civilizations,
to boldly go where no man has gone before.
This is the engine room.
Temperatures are passing the danger line.
Deflector screen's weakening. We can't protect them much longer.
[Zap]
That was one of our lithium crystal circuits, sir.
Bridge to transporter room, beam that crew over--
They're not answering.
Nothing to lock onto.
Another circuit, sir.
I'm getting a distress signal call from them, sir.
Scotty, we're getting a distress signal.
- [Beep] - We're locked onto something, Captain.
Meaning no ingratitude, gentlemen,
but just where is it I find meself?
You're aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise.
It's really a darn beautiful ship, isn't it?
Really a beautiful ship.
Oh, the name, gentlemen, is Walsh, Captain Leo Walsh.
How many more in your crew?
A few more.
Your vessel's breaking up, man.
If we don't get them--
We couldn't be sure you was a friendly vessel.
The three will be in position about now.
[Whir]
- [Buzz] - [Beep Beep]
Another lithium circuit.
Now supplementing with battery power, sir.
Scotty, how many of them did you get aboard?
One, but we've locked onto three more.
What's wrong?
I don't know, sir.
With those lithium crystals gone--
- It'll take longer on battery. - Never trusted this.
There she goes!
Asteroid. Hit him dead center.
Bridge to transporter room.
Their vessel was hit. Is the crew off?
Not yet, but we've hooked onto something.
Kirk to transporter room. Report.
It's all right, darlings.
We're in good hands.
Bridge to transporter room.
We're clearing the asteroid belt now, Captain.
Deflector screen down, Mr. Farrell.
Captain to transporter room.
Are you reading me, Mr. Scott?
Bridge to transporter room. How many did we get off?
Oh.
Um... four in all, sir.
If that captain can walk, I want him in my cabin.
Correction.
I want him there no matter what.
That fellow sounded a mite upset, didn't he?
Yes.
Yes, they are.
Curious.
You're certain this was everyone aboard, Mr. Walsh?
No other crewmen?
No. That's everyone, all right.
But so far as the ladies being the crew--
Explain that to the captain.
Aye!
Amen to that, Scotty.
Sure, these starships are really something marvelous,
but men will always be men,
no matter where they are.
Eh, mister? You'll never take that out of them.
Deck 12.
- You're part Vulcanian, aren't you? - Mmm.
Ah, well, then a pretty face doesn't affect you at all,
unless you want it to.
You can save it, girls.
This type can turn himself off from any emotion.
[Door Opens]
I apologize for what he said, sir. He's used to buying and selling people.
I'll handle the conversation, darling.
- [Knock On Door] - Come.
Commander of the transport to see you, Captain.
Good. Now, if you don't mind telling--
Hello.
And the ladies? ls this your crew, Captain?
Well, no, Captain.
This is me cargo.
Captain's log-- Stardate 1329.1.
We've taken aboard from unregistered transport vessel its captain and--
and three unusual females.
These women have a mysterious magnetic effect
on the male members of my crew,
including myself.
Explanation unknown at present.
Well, how the devil am I supposed to know this is a starship, Captain?
A strange ship comes alongside.
Naturally I tried to evade you.
Starship captain, you exceeded your authority
when you drove me and mine into a shower of asteroids.
Your name, please.
Leo Walsh. You destroyed me ship.
I'm convening a ship's hearing on your actions.
Mr. Spock will supply you with any legal information
you may need for your defense.
- You're a hard-nosed one, Captain. - And you're a liar.
I think we both understand each other.
Security!
Escort Mr. Walsh to his quarters. Confine him there.
You're on duty, Johnny-O.
Back to reality.
You can feel their eyes when they look at you,
Iike something grabbing hold of you.
Did you notice?
I noticed. How I noticed!
Come on, now, Johnny. Ok.
We've got trouble, Mr. Spock.
I'm well aware of that, Mr. Scott.
One lithium crystal left,
and that with a hairline split at the base.
- Better rig a by-pass circuit. - Can't.
We blew the whole converter assembly.
- [Click] - Kirk here.
Needed on the bridge, Captain.
[Whispering]
Harry! Where were you?
Shh! Calm down now.
Would you mind waiting outside?
- Sorry, sir. - Now,
answer every question they put to you.
Don't lie. You've no need.
Don't submit to a med--
That is, being so healthy,
they've no need for a medical exam.
What if they ask about--
They won't. Have you no place to go?
They'll notice we're--
No, they won't.
Just let Leo take all the hard questions.
- Don't be panicking. We'll get to-- - Get where?
- We don't have a ship, Harry. - Le--
Leo. Leo Walsh is me name, darling.
Don't forget that.
So lovely. Lovely, aren't they?
If they'd only think lovely thoughts.
If they'd smile,
they'll come out right, won't they?
Me personal guarantee on that.
The entire ship's power is feeding through
one lithium crystal.
Well, switch to by-pass circuits.
We burned them all out when we super-heated.
That jackass Walsh not only wrecked his vessel, but in saving--
That's one jackass we're going to see skinned.
But it's frustrating.
Almost a million gross tons of vessel
depending on a hunk of crystal the size of my fist.
That won't last pulling all our power.
Well, Mr. Spock?
There's a lithium mining operation on Rigel-12.
High-grade ore, I've heard.
Location and distance.
Mr. Farrell has the course.
Less than two day's travel.
Make for Rigel-12.
Rigel-12, Mr. Farrell.
You have the course.
Captain's log-- Stardate 1329.2.
On board the U.S.S. Enterprise,
a ship's hearing is being convened against the transport vessel's captain.
I'm becoming concerned about the almost-hypnotic effect
produced by the women.
This hearing is convened.
Stardate 1329.2,
on board starship U.S.S. Enterprise.
Formal hearings against transport captain Leo Walsh.
Start computer.
State your name for the record.
Leo Francis Walsh.
Incorrect.
Your correct name.
Gentlemen, you're not going to take the word
of a mechanical device over that of a man.
[Sigh]
State your correct name for the record.
- Harry Mudd. - Incorrect.
Harcourt Fenton Mudd.
Any past offenses, Mr. Mudd?
Of course not.
Gentlemen, I'm simply an honest businessman.
Incorrect.
Blast that tin-plated pot.
Full data coming on screen.
If it can read our minds, too...
It can't, darling.
Just what's on the record.
Offense record-- smuggling.
Sentence...suspended.
Transport of stolen goods.
Purchase of space vessel with counterfeit currency.
Sentences-- psychiatric treatment...
effectiveness disputed.
Mr. Mudd,
you're charged with
galaxy travel without a flight plan,
without an identification beam,
and failure to answer a starship's signal,
thus a menace to navigation.
My tiny ship in this immense galaxy
a menace to navigation?
You're also charged with operation of a vessel
without a master's license.
Untrue! I have a master's ticket.
Incorrect. Master's license revoked Stardate 1116.4.
All right. Well, very simply,
Leo Walsh, who was to be my captain on this trip,
passed away suddenly.
Well, I had no choice but to take out me ship me own self.
I assumed Leo's name out of courtesy to him.
In memoriam, as it were.
A fine, fine man,
alas, gone to his reward.
Destination and purpose of journey?
Planet Ophiuchus-3.
Wiving settlers.
Come again, Mr. Mudd. You do what?
I recruit wives for settlers,
a difficult but satisfying task.
Data on witnesses.
No data.
Computer, go to sensor probe. Any unusual readings?
No decipherable reading on females.
However, unusual reading on male board members.
Detecting high respiration patterns,
perspiration rates up,
heartbeat rapid,
blood pressure higher than normal.
Uh, that's sufficient.
Strike that from the record, Mr. Spock.
You see, gentlemen, just as I told you.
Three lovely ladies
destined for frontier planets
to be the companions of lonely men,
to supply that warmth of a human touch
that's so desperately needed--
a wife, a home, a family.
Gentlemen, I look upon this work
as a sacred public trust.
I've devoted me whole life to it.
Incorrect.
Well, I'm about to start devoting my entire life to it.
Did these ladies come voluntarily?
Well, of course! Now, for example,
Ruthie comes from a pelagic planet-- sea ranchers.
Magda there from helium experimental station.
It's the same for all of us. No men.
Mine was a farm planet
with automated machines for company
and two brothers to cook for, mend their clothes,
canal mud on their boots all the time.
Fine, Evie. Fine.
It's not fine!
We've got men willing to be our husbands waiting for us,
and you're taking us in the opposite direction!
Staring at us
Iike we were Saturnius harem girls or something.
That's enough, Evie.
The only charges are against Mr. Mudd.
Illegal operation of a vessel.
Do you have any defense?
Only heaven's own truth, which I've just given you.
The hearing is closed.
Mr. Mudd to be handed over to the legal authorities
at our earliest opportunity.
And what about us? What happens to us? Help us, please.
Miss McHuron, if you don't mind--
Our last crystal, sir. It's gone.
Captain Kirk, engineering section reports
our entire life-support system is now on batteries.
Mr. Spock-- Miss McHuron, please.
Mr. Spock, will you contact the miners on Rigel-12?
Notify them that we'll need the lithium crystals immediately upon arrival.
Oh, you beautiful galaxy!
Oh, that heavenly universe!
Well, girls, lithium miners.
Don't you understand?
Lonely, isolated, overworked, rich
Iithium miners!
Girls, do you still want husbands, hmm?
Evie, you won't settle for a ship's captain.
I'll get you a man who can buy planets.
Maggie, you're going to be a countess.
Ruth, I'll make you a duchess.
And l--
I'll be running this starship.
Captain James Kirk, the next orders you're taking
will be given by Harcourt Fenton Mudd!
Captain's log-- Stardate 1330.1.
Position-- 14 hours out of Rigel-12.
We're on auxiliary impulse engines.
Fuel low, barely sufficient to achieve orbit over the planet.
Lithium replacements are now imperative.
The effect of Mudd's women on my crew continues to grow.
Harry Mudd is confined to his quarters under guard.
[Female Voice] May I come in?
Why, yes, please do. By all means.
Connors, are you finished?
I was wondering what this place looked like.
[Beeping]
It's fascinating.
Would--Would you walk past my panel again, please?
Your what?
- My medical scanner. - Oh, why?
You're not giving me an examination, are you?
No. I wouldn't trust my--
my judgment, believe me.
Just walk by, please.
[Beeping]
It's not supposed to do that.
I wondered, will you be examining the miners on Rigel-12?
Yes, if they need it.
- You haven't asked? - [Beeping Stops]
- Are they in good health? - What?
Oh, yes, they're in excellent health,
all three of them.
Oh. Three.
Are you wearing some unusual kind of perfume
or something radioactive, my dear?
No. I'm just me.
Wonder what makes it do that.
Captain?
I hope you don't mind.
As a matter of fact, Miss McHuron, I do.
I was taking a walk, and I had to run in someplace.
All your men were looking at me,
following me with their eyes.
Yes. I'll have to talk to them about that.
They, uh-- They don't do that ordinarily, Miss McHuron,
but somehow, in your case, and the ladies with you--
Well, they're probably just lonely.
I can understand loneliness.
Yes.
Yes, uh, now, Miss McHuron--
I--I suppose you understand it even more.
I mean, having to run a huge ship like this
with so much responsibility every minute
and having to be so careful
with all your men looking up to you.
Well, it probably appears more difficult than it is.
Hmm! I read once
that a commander has to act like a paragon of virtue.
I never met a paragon.
Neither have l.
Well, of course not. No one is.
But some people try to pretend.
Um--
Do you, Captain?
Miss McHuron, I don't--
Oh, no! Oh! I just can't do it.
I don't care what Harry Mudd says.
I do like you,
but I just can't go through with it.
I hate this whole thing!
Just three? You sure?
Yes. The miners are healthy and fairly young.
Later, dear, later. Magda, did you get to your communications man?
The head miner is named Ben Childress.
The others are Gossett and Benton.
And they've been there--
Almost three years now, alone!
Perfect. Perfect.
Three of them and three lovely ladies has Harry Mudd.
And lithium crystals, my dear,
are worth 300 times their weight in diamonds,
thousands of times their weight in gold.
But they'll be down there,
and we'll be up here, circling a hundred miles above them.
There's a guard outside your door.
You can't get out of your cabin.
After one more job for you,
it won't be Harry Mudd that's trapped.
It will be a gentleman named James T...
I don't like you,
and I'm not very happy with myself, either.
Well, I'm not really surprised.
I've seen you noticing the captain.
We're supposed to notice them!
Oh.
Oh, Harry.
I don't feel very good.
I think it must be near the time.
I asked for a preorbital course, Mr. Farrell.
[Beep]
Preorbital course locked in, sir.
That's the last time I'm giving an order twice, gentlemen.
We're down to battery power.
It'll get us to Rigel-12, sir.
Just hang us in long enough to get six crystals.
I'll get you there.
Ridiculous.
What are we running here?
Did you examine them? Did you examine Eve?
She refused.
Well, come on, you're the doctor.
What is it?
Is it that we're tired, and they're beautiful?
They are incredibly beautiful.
Are they, Jim?
Are they actually more lovely,
pound for pound, measurement for measurement,
than any other women you've known?
Or is it that they just...
well, act beautiful.
No, strike that.
Strike that.
What are they, Bones?
You mean are they alien illusions?
That sort of thing?
I asked you first.
No...
an alien smart enough to pull this
could also keep my medical scanner from going "bleep!"
- I don't follow you. - I don't either.
Top-space frequency of 3-9.
[Communicator Beeps]
Rigel-12. Rigel-12.
This is Rigel-12. Come in, Enterprise.
This isn't exactly the Enterprise.
My name is Harry Mudd.
To whom have I the pleasure of speaking, sir?
Power curve still dropping, Captain.
We'll make orbit, sir. A temporary one.
Lay in. Computer?
We can sustain this orbit
for three days, seven hours.
More than enough time.
Communications, have a Rigel-12 representative meet us.
Beam him up first pass over their camp.
Look what's happening.
Look at my face.
Give us the pills.
What if someone sees us like this?
You'll never find them, Harry.
And if you do find them,
you know what they are?
A cheat.
If you care for someone,
really care--
For whom, Evie? For Kirk?
Ship's captains are already married to their vessels.
You'd find out the first time you came between him and the ship.
I'm going back to what I was--ugly.
I can't stand myself like this.
Why did you hide them, Harry? Don't you trust us?
I didn't hide them. I put them in a safe place.
Find the pill, Harry!
Mattress!
Yes! Here!
Go on, Eve. Take it.
It's not a cheat.
It's a miracle...
for some man who can appreciate it
and who needs it.
Even burned and cracked, they're beautiful.
Destroying them was a shame.
The choice was burning this lithium crystal
or the destruction of another man's ship.
- [Door Buzzer Buzzes] - Come.
Mining Chief Childress and Mr. Gossett.
Show them in.
I'm James Kirk, captain of the Enterprise.
This is my science officer Mr. Spock.
Let's get right to business.
We've got lithium crystals.
I'm authorized to pay an equitable price.
We're not sure they're for sale.
We might prefer a swap.
- What did you have in mind? - Mudd's women.
We'd like to have a look at them first.
Trot them out, Captain.
Either way, I've agreed to have Harry Mudd released.
Charges dropped.
Ha ha ha!
Is there anything else?
You've got no choice, Kirk.
You beam a landing party down,
and you won't find one blessed crystal.
No deal.
You're a long way out in space, gentlemen.
You'll need medical help, cargo runs, starship protection.
You want to consider that?
Come along, ladies.
You must be Ben Childress. Come on now, girls.
And you must be Herm Gossett.
Yes, I reckon I am.
One thing I'll say for you, Mudd,
you're not a liar.
Ladies, you are welcome.
It's still no deal!
Conserving batteries, sir. Half power.
I'm told they have only three days of orbit left
before they start spiraling in.
I hate to see you suffering such a situation, Captain.
The sad fact is, you will deal.
Sooner or later, you'll have to.
Captain's log--
Transporting down to surface of planet Rigel-12
to acquire replacement lithium crystals.
Expect further difficulty from miners.
[Music Playing]
All right, Childress, you've won.
I'll take the lithium crystals.
When I have the time, Kirk.
Ha ha ha!
Childress.
We're busy, Mr. Kirk.
We don't have the time to spare, Captain.
You got a better idea?
Blows like that all the time.
[Wind Howling]
You can get lost
a dozen feet from your doorstep.
The wind comes up sudden.
[Sizzling]
Magnetic storm.
That means the wind will really rip soon.
Dance with me.
- Would you like to dance? - No, l--
[Coughing]
No.
I'm sorry, I guess it must be the dust.
That's the way it is on Rigel...
all the time.
[Laughing]
- Hey. - Go away.
- I'm cutting in. - Not on me.
What's the matter with you?
Why don't you run a raffle
and the loser gets me?
You can't go out there!
Just have those crystals here when I get back.
Eve!
Eve!
Captain's log--
Have transported aboard the Enterprise
to search with infrared scanners and sensing system.
Magnetic storms on the planet's surface
are reducing efficiency of our equipment.
Search now in progress for 3 hours, 18 minutes.
Traverse parallel three and four.
Checking...
but not getting much.
The storm is ionizing the atmosphere.
Getting difficult to probe through it.
Captain, this is draining our batteries further.
- If we only had those crystals. - But we don't!
I didn't get any. Satisfied, Mr. Scott?
Losing communications with the miners, sir.
Magnetic storm seems worse.
Has Childress reported in yet?
No, sir. They're still missing.
Sorry, Scotty.
- How much power is left? - About five hours.
Captain's log--
Have expended all but 43 minutes of power.
Ship's condition--critical.
Search now in progress 7 hours, 31 minutes.
Magnetic storms are easing.
Infrared reading. Check traverse three,
grid 0-4-0.
11 miles. Bearing 1-2-1 from the mining company.
That's Childress' quarters.
There's a heat unit operating. It could be a cookstove.
Have Mudd meet me in the transporter room.
[Kicks Chair]
I had things where I wanted them.
I ate some of your food,
so I paid with some chores.
I do my own cooking. Aah!
I've not laid a hand on you.
Remember that.
Oh, the sound of male ego.
You travel halfway across the galaxy,
and it's still the same song.
There. You going to eat or talk?
I guess I'm supposed to sit, taste, and roll my eyes.
"Ooh, female cooking again."
I've tasted better, by my own hand.
You're tasting some of it.
I couldn't scrape your leavings out of that pan.
Find me some decent water, then talk.
Well, why don't you hang your pan out in the wind
and let the sand blast it clean?
Hadn't you thought about that?
It might work.
That solitaire?
Double jack.
The red eight ought to go on the black nine.
Not in double jack.
You're not only plain as an old bucket,
you're not even good company.
What the devil happened to your looks, anyway?
I got tired of you. I slumped.
You're homely!
I've got enough in crystals already to buy queens...
by the gross!
I didn't touch her.
Thank heaven you found her.
She's been bubbling with gratitude ever since.
Sit down.
Tell him.
Tell him, Harry.
Ah. Yes, well--
The Venus drugs, Harry.
Venus drug?
I've heard of it, but isn't that just a story?
Oh, it exists, illegally.
Well, actually, you see, it's a relatively harmless drug.
- Harmless? - Yeah, uh--
Well, what it does is give you more
of whatever you have.
Well, with men, it makes them more muscular.
Women, rounder.
Men, more aggressive. Women, more feminine.
He gave it to the women before you met them.
Does that mean the others...
they look like she does?
- Mr. Childress, l-- - Is that what it means?
Yes, that's what it means!
What happened to my partners?
They left during the storm.
They're married-- subspace radio marriage.
It was a fraud. They can get out of it.
If they want to.
Why?
- You can't condemn the women. - I can!
A man goes out and fights,
almost dies.
We all almost die.
We should have, but we didn't.
And now that we've got the good life in our hands,
you bring us women for wives--
You don't want wives!
You want this.
This is what you want, Mr. Childress.
I hope you remember it,
because you can't have it!
It's not real!
Is this the kind of wife you want, Ben?
Not someone to help you.
Not a wife to cook and sew and cry
and need,
but this kind.
Selfish,
vain, useless.
Is this what you really want?
All right, then. Here it is.
Quite a woman, eh, Childress?
A fake...
pumped up by a drug.
By herself. She took no drug.
- I swallowed it. - Colored gelatin.
Yes, they took away my drug
and substituted that.
But that can't be.
- There's only one kind of woman. - Or man.
You either believe in yourself, or you don't.
Childress, I've gone as far with you as I intend to.
I want those lithium crystals now.
[Communicator Beeps]
- Enterprise, this is Kirk. - Spock here, Captain.
Stand by.
Do I beam down a search party?
No. The crystals are here,
and you're welcome to them.
Stand by, Mr. Spock.
We're coming aboard with the lithium crystals.
How many coming?
Eve will stay...
today, at least.
We, uh--
We want to talk.
Eve?
You've got someone up there called the Enterprise.
Two of us, Mr. Spock.
Come along, Mr. Mudd.
Don't you think you could, by accident,
arrange to leave me behind?
That would be punishment enough.
I can't do that, Harry.
But I will appear as a character witness at your trial,
if you think that'll help.
They'll throw away the key.
That must have been quite a talk.
Ever try considering the patent medicine business?
Why should I work your side of the street?
I'm happy the affair is over.
A most annoying emotional episode.
Smack right in the old heart.
Oh, I'm sorry.
In your case, it would be about here.
The fact that my internal arrangement differs from yours, Doctor,
pleases me no end.
Course plotted and all systems in operation.
Engines engaged. Helm answering.
Out of orbit, sir.
Ahead full.
Ahead full, sir.
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