02x07 - Catspaw

[bunniefuu]

Still no response, sir.

Well keep it open.

I don't like this.

Nothing since the first check-in.

Scott and Sulu should've contacted us
again half an hour ago.

They may have nothing to report.

Our sensors indicate no life forms
except our landing party.

Both those men are well aware
of landing-party procedure.

They should've checked in with us
by now.

Contact established, captain.

- Jackson to Enterprise.
- Enterprise. Kirk here.

- One to beam up, Enterprise.
- One?

- Jackson, where are Scott and Sulu?
- I'm ready to beam up, sir.

- Jackson!
- I'm sorry, I can't clear it, captain.

Notify Transporter Room
to prepare to beam up

one member of the landing party.

Then have Dr. McCoy report to me in
the Transporter Room, on the double.

- Ready, sir.
- Energise.

- What's on, Jim?
- Trouble.

Jackson, where are the others?

The man is dead.

Captain Kirk,
can you hear me?

There is a curse on your ship.

Leave this place...

... or you will all die!

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 civilisations,

to boldly go
where no man has gone before.

Captain's Log: Stardate 3018.2.

Crewman Jackson is dead,

and there are no apparent
physical causes.

Mr. Scott and Mr. Sulu are still
out of touch on the planet below.

Leaving Assistant Chief Engineer
DeSalle in command of the Enterprise,

I'm beaming down
to the planet's surface

to find my two missing crewmen...

... and discover what k*lled Jackson.

Odd. Our probe data didn't indicate fog.

No cloud formations,
no bodies of water,

no changes in surface temperature.

Under these conditions,
fog is highly unlikely, captain.

According
to our transporter coordinates,

this is the exact location from which
Jackson was beamed up to the ship.

- Readings, Mr. Spock?
- No indications of... A moment.

Picking up life form readings:

24 degrees mark 7.
Range 137.16 metres.

- Multiple readings, captain.
- Scott and Sulu?

- Kirk to Enterprise.
- Enterprise, Lieutenant Uhura here.

What are the ship's sensors
reading now, lieutenant?

Report, mister.

I am only picking up physical impulses
from the three of them.

As far
as the instruments can make out...

...there is nothing else down there
that's alive.

Relay, lieutenant.

Captain, we are only registering
on you.

Captain. Captain Kirk!

Lieutenant, can you hear me?

Whatever this stuff is,
it's getting thicker.

Do you suppose it has anything to do
with the interference?

No. There has to be some explanation
for the fact

the ship's sensors
can't register anything but us,

while we're picking up readings
for multiple life forms.

- Are they still there, Spock?
- No change, captain.

Standby alert.

Listen.

- What do you think that...
- Quiet.

Captain Kirk.

Captain Kirk.

- Who are you?
- Go back.

Remember the curse

Winds shall rise

And the fog descend

So leave here, all

Or meet your end!

Spock, comment.

Very bad poetry, captain.

A more useful comment, Mr. Spock.

What we've just seen is not real.

That's useful.

However, on Azimuth 24,
at just over 100 metres,

there are definitely life forms.

Erratic, confused...

...but definitely registering.
- That's where we go.

That was a pretty real illusion,
Mr. Spock.

Jim.

This is the source
of the life form readings, captain.

They're inside somewhere.

Kirk to Enterprise.

Enterprise, come in.

Isn't that how we lost contact
with the first landing party?

What about it, Spock?

Does this structure have anything
to do with communicator interference?

I would say not, captain.

There's no indication of anything
that would cause such interference.

And it doesn't pick up
on our ship's sensors.

Nor do our sensors
register the life forms inside.

It could be exerting a force field
of some kind

that cuts into our sensor scan.

Then it would affect Spock's tricorder
too, wouldn't it?

Would it?

I wonder.

Three witches...

...what appears to be a castle,
and a black cat.

If we weren't missing two officers,
and a third one dead,

I'd say someone was playing
an elaborate trick-or-treat on us.

- Trick-or-treat, captain?
- Yes, Mr. Spock.

You'd be a natural.
I'll explain it to you one day.

- Shall we have a look around?
- That would seem to be in order.

Bones. Spock.

They're gone, Mr. DeSalle.

The captain and the others.
Simply stopped registering.

Check for malfunctions.

- I did, sir, as soon as it happened.
- Mr. DeSalle...

...that's exactly what happened
to Mr. Scott and his party.

- They just disappeared.
- Nobody just disappears.

They may have encountered
a magnetic field

or some other obstruction.

Mr. Chekov, recalibrate your sensors.

- If you need help...
- I can do it, sir.

I'm not that green.

Lieutenant Uhura,
continue your efforts

to break through
that static interference.

Aye, aye, sir.

We know they're down there.
I want them found.

- Straight ahead, Mr. Spock?
- The readings would so indicate.

Dust, cobwebs.

Halloween is right.

Spock...

...are you all right?
- Yes.

I am undamaged, captain.

Bones. Doc.

You were saying something
about trick-or-treat.

Dungeons...

...curses.

Skeletons and iron maidens.
They're all Earth manifestations.

- Why?
- I do not know, captain.

But these things do exist.
They are real.

Could this be an Earth parallel
development of some sort?

None of this parallels
any human development.

It's more like a human...

...nightmare.
- As if someone knew

what it was that terrifies man most
on an instinctive level.

Ghost stories, ogres, demons.

The whole...

Scotty, Sulu.

Scotty...

...put down the phaser.

They appear to be drugged, captain.

Look at their eyes.
They hardly blink at all.

Neither did Jackson,
just before he collapsed.

These two are alive.

Scotty, do you hear me?

Sulu, do you know who I am?

What's happened to you?

I think they're going to release us.

Stop!

Whoever you are...

...you've proven your skill
at creating illusions.

Now I want to know why,
and what you've done to my men.

Where did your race get this ridiculous
predilection for resistance?

You examine any object,
you question everything.

Is it not enough to accept what is?

Not when one of my men is dead
because of it,

- and two others turned into mindless...
- Not mindless.

These two are merely controlled,
Captain Kirk.

Yes, we know who you are.

All of you.

Don't we, my precious?

Who are you?

Why did you bring us here?

My name is Korob.

And as for bringing you here...

...it was you who quite
contrarily insisted upon coming.

- You were warned to stay away.
- But why?

For what reason?

Why all the mumbo jumbo?

Mumbo jumbo?

No, I assure you
it was not that, captain.

Mapping expeditions
have charted this solar system before.

There never have been any life forms
on Pyris Vll.

It is of no importance
that we are not native to this planet.

I'm told I've been an inattentive host,
gentlemen.

You will join me for something
to refresh yourselves?

- That cat.
- That cat.

There are ancient Earth legends
about wizards and their familiars.

Familiars?

Demons in animal forms,
sent by Satan to serve the wizard.

Superstition.

I do not create the legend, captain.
I merely report it.

You are the different one, Mr. Spock.

You do not think like the others.

There are no colours
to your patterns of logic.

There's only black and white.

You see all this around you...

...and yet you do not believe.
- He doesn't know about trick-or-treat.

I do not understand that reference.

Therefore it also is of no importance.

Gentlemen, I can be most hospitable.

- Ingenious.
- Do be seated.

- We're not hungry.
- But I insist.

All right, Korob.
What do you want from us?

For the moment, merely that you eat
and enjoy yourselves.

Doctor, do try the wine.
You'll find it excellent.

You'll find us most uncooperative...

...unless you start explaining yourself.

Hopefully I can change that attitude.

- These look real.
- They are, I assure you.

Diamonds, rubies,
emeralds, sapphires.

All the crystalline forms you cherish
above all things.

A fortune of them for each of you,

if you will leave here
without further enquiry.

We could manufacture
a ton of these on our ship for you.

- They mean nothing to us.
- Valueless?

I don't understand. I read...

Whatever it is you read,
you read it wrong.

As for leaving,
we'll leave when we're ready.

You are most unpredictable.

Perhaps I have made a small mistake.

Nevertheless,
you have passed the tests.

- Tests?
- Yes.

Our analysis of you may have been,
in some small way, in error...

...but you were warned to stay away,

and yet you came
to save your comrades.

That proves loyalty.

Your bravery was tested,
and you did not frighten.

And despite my failure
with these bright baubles,

I perceive you cannot be bribed.

In many ways, you are quite admirable.

Quite right. Go at once, yes.

Gentlemen, my colleague, Sylvia.

Dr. McCoy, Mr. Spock...

...and Captain Kirk.

You wanted to know
what we did to your men.

Actually, it's a simple matter for us

to probe the minds
of creatures like yourself.

Mind-probing. Hypnosis?

You like to think of yourselves
as complex creatures,

but you're flawed.

One gains admittance to your minds
through many levels.

You have too many
to keep track of yourselves.

There are unguarded entrances
to any human mind.

Telepathy?

Not entirely, no.

Telepathy doesn't imply control

and I assure you that I have
full control of your friends.

Don't move.

Cover them.

Now, I want the rest of our weapons
and our equipment.

- I want some answers.
- Put that w*apon down.

Captain, it seems so foolish of you
to insist on demonstrations.

In the mythology of your race,
this is called "sympathetic magic".

Jackson, the crew member
who returned to the ship.

You wondered what k*lled him.
I made an image of him.

In the essence of my thoughts,
the image was Jackson.

And when I k*lled the image
and knew that it was dead...

...he d*ed.

You can't think a man to death.

Your communicator.

Now...

...signal your ship.

Don't. Sylvia, don't!

Kirk to Enterprise, come in.
Come in.

- Enterprise, I'm Captain Kirk. Come in.
- Captain.

Are you all right? Where are you?
Are the others all right, sir?

Never mind about us.
What's happening up there?

The temperature, sir. It keeps rising.

Reading, mister.

It's up 60 degrees
in the past 30 seconds.

We're burning up, sir.

DeSalle...

...channel bypass power
into your heat dissipation units.

I've already done it, captain.
It had no effect.

- We're cooking up here.
- All right.

I'll handle it down here. Kirk out.

You've won.

You can relax now, captain.
Your ship is safe.

The temperature is almost back
to normal...

...dropping down fast.

Lieutenant,
try to raise the captain again.

Enterprise to Captain Kirk.
Come in, please.

Enterprise to Captain Kirk.
Acknowledge.

We've lost him again, Mr. DeSalle.

Captain, you've seen something
of our science,

now tell us about yours.

You seem to be singing
a different tune.

I'd rather know more about yours. You
call it "magic," you call it "science".

It seems
to be unrelated to both of them.

- What would you name it, captain?
- I wouldn't attempt to name it.

But you seem to do with your mind
what we do with tools.

You alter matter,
move it about by telekinesis.

- Yes, we can change the molecular...
- Korob, you talk too much!

You kept Scott and Sulu as catspaws
to lure us down here.

- How'd you know we'd come?
- We didn't have to know.

- They knew.
- Enough of this.

You will tell us what we want to know.

It's too late for threats.
You let me contact the ship.

How long do you think it will be
before a search party arrives?

Some time, captain.

Quite some time.

There will be no search party,
Captain Kirk.

An impenetrable force field
around your ship, captain.

It will not hinder orbit,
but your people are prisoners within it.

It's some kind of a force field, sir.

But not like any other
I've heard of before.

It's not coming from anywhere...

...it's simply all around us.

I would advise you
to cooperate, captain.

Forcible extraction of the information
we wish from you is not complicated,

but it is extremely painful.
And it has a certain

- draining effect.
- We have nothing to discuss.

Take them to their cell.

Wait.

The doctor will stay.

Your turn will be next, captain.
It makes little difference.

Take them out of here.

Wavelength analysis, Mr. Chekov?

It will not analyse, sir.

All right.

But it's there, and it's real.

If it's real, it can be affected.

Engineering, standby to divert
all power systems to the outer hull.

Prepare impulse engines for generation
of maximum heat

directed as ordered.

Maybe we can't break it,

but I'll bet you credits to navy beans
we can put a dent in it.

How long has it been?

- 22 minutes,17 seconds.
- Thanks.

I wonder what they're doing to Doc.

I'm sure we'll find out shortly.

Jim...

...all these things that we've seen...

...to an Earthman like yourself
they must seem quite familiar.

Familiar. Startling...

...not rational.
- Precisely.

I refer you to the psychological theory
of the racial subconscious.

- The universal myths, symbols.
- Ghosts, witches, you mean?

And dungeons, and castles,
and black cats.

They all belong
to the twilight world of consciousness.

- They tried to tap our conscious mind.
- And they missed.

They reach basically only
the subconscious.

Korob seemed quite puzzled...

...by your reaction
to the environment he had provided.

He expected me
to react as though it were all normal.

He admitted they weren't native
to this planet.

And not to have a knowledge
of our scientific methods

is most unlikely, for any life form
we've met in this galaxy.

They refer to us as "creatures"...

as though we were some species
they were unfamiliar with.

If we're creatures...

I wonder what they're really like?

Evidently something...

...totally alien in all respect.

Agreed. Totally alien.

I don't like hostile strangers

showing such an acute interest
in our galaxy,

our world, Spock.
Not at all like friendly visitors.

We're going to have to stop them. Cold.

But at the moment...

I too, am at a loss at this time
to suggest a course of action.

Bones.

Doc.

You forget what we were sent here for.

I forget nothing.
I'm not a puppet, Korob, like you.

- You're a traitor!
- You are a fool!

We have nothing like this.

And I like it.

To touch, to feel,
to understand the idea of luxury.

I like it...

...and I don't intend to leave it.

- We have a duty to the Old Ones.
- What do they know of sensations!

- This is a new world.
- You're cruel.

You t*rture our specimens.

And that too, is a new sensation.
I find it stimulating.

You're wrong!

You're discarding
everything we live by.

I live by my own decisions.
You're a weak fool, Korob.

- I have the power.
- But you're afraid to use it.

Don't thr*aten me.

I can squash you,

and that would be
an interesting sensation, yes.

I find I like these new sensations.

Don't try to push me.

Captain...

...it's time for our talk.

Korob, leave us alone
and take these men with you.

This is not ended, Sylvia.

But it may end soon, old man.

What now?

Do you wave your magic wand
and destroy my mind too?

There's no real damage
to the mind, Captain.

- Simply a drain of knowledge and will.
- You don't call that damage?

Why should I?

You'd know...

...if you had compassion.

A woman should have compassion.

- But I forget you're not a woman.
- But you're mistaken, Captain.

I am a woman now.

I come from a world without sensation
as you and I now know it.

It excites me. I want more.

You seem to need us. Why?

Because you have knowledge
which I lack.

But were our abilities put together...

Tell me about power, captain.

How does it feel?

What about Korob?

He is a fool. I'll do without him.

But you...

...why do I find you different?

Why would it be so difficult
to dispose of you?

Why don't you simply probe my mind
and get what you want?

No. Not that, not for you.

What I want is...

...is a joining.

My mind to yours, willingly.

Think of the secrets you could learn,
think of the power that would be yours.

Anything you can imagine,
I can give you.

You're very persuasive.

What happens if I go along?

Then everything
would be ours together.

I've never conceived of the idea
of togetherness before. It excites me.

You excite me. Why?

For the same reasons you excite me.

You're a very beautiful woman.

You find me beautiful.

But I can be many women.

You like what you see?

Or do you prefer me as I was?

You have a knack
for giving me difficult choices.

You have nothing like that
where you come from?

Nothing.

Your people, when they come here...

They're like feathers in the wind,
without the transmuter.

- The transmuter?
- The source.

You will learn. I will teach you later.

Then it's a device. You do use tools.

It gives only form.
You are teaching me substance.

You haven't changed your mind.
You won't return home.

My home is here with you.

A billion worlds of sensation
to pick and choose.

You are using me!

You hold me in your arms,
and there is no fire in your mind!

You're trying to deceive me.

It's here, like words on a page!

- You were using me.
- Why not?

You've been using me and my crew.

You will be swept away.

You, your men, your ship,

your worlds!

- I don't see any change.
- It's there, lieutenant.

It was that electrical field we set up,
Mr. DeSalle.

That dent you wanted.

It's not much, but it is a start.

Keep it up, Mr. Chekov.

Channel the entire output of reactors

one, two and three,
into the relay stations.

Whatever it is, it's starting to weaken.

I have released the model of your ship
from the crystal.

Although they would
have freed themselves soon.

It is difficult to control so many things
in so little time.

Here...

...you must go before she finds
the w*apon is missing.

- I'm not leaving without my men.
- They're not your men anymore.

They belong to Sylvia.
I can no longer control them...

...or her.

She's irrational.

It's the strain of adopting to your form.

The insatiable desire for sensation
and experience.

She's a great danger.
And it was not necessary.

We could have entered your galaxy
in peace.

- You came in a ship?
- We used a transmuter.

Transmuter. Yes, she mentioned that.

There's no time to explain now.
She means to destroy us all.

There may still be a chance. Quickly.

Come.

Fascinating.

- Why a cat?
- Racial memories.

The cat is the most ruthless,
most terrifying of animals.

As far back as the sabre-toothed tiger.

I think I can stop her.

You'd better let us.

It's out of energy.
She must have drained it.

We could've jumped Scott and Sulu
any time, if we'd known.

- No way out.
- That's my problem.

She's one of my kind.

Come quickly.

- You think you can make it?
- Ready when you are, captain.

Get ready.

No!

Get back!

Get back! Get back!

- Korob, the door won't last.
- Get back!

Go. Go!

Quickly, captain.

Korob seemed to think
this was important.

He said something about a transmuter.

Captain, a bit more alacrity,
if you please.

Captain.

Doc.

Jim!

- At least we found them.
- Fortuitous, captain.

And now that we have them
all together?

A most unpleasant situation, captain.

If only your phaser had some power.

Maybe we do.

Sylvia...

...I have the transmuter.
It's mine now.

You're very clever, captain.
More so than I'd imagined.

Clever, resourceful,

- and handsome.
- Don't let her touch the wand, captain.

Jim!

- Don't you get tired of these games?
- I've never played games. Give it to me.

I wasn't sure before, but I am now.

This is the source of your power,
the transmuter.

No, not the source.

It's merely an amplifier, a director.
The mind is the source.

Mine is simple. But yours has the key.

- But you don't know how to use it.
- I catch on quickly.

It's not too late, Captain James Kirk.
Come with me.

- I'll teach you, you'll teach me.
- Why? Do your people

have nothing of their own?
Is that why you need us?

We need your dreams, your ambition.
With them I can build.

- Give me the transmuter.
- No.

You fool!

Don't you know what you're giving up?

Everything
that your species finds desirable.

Look at me!
I am a woman. I am all women!

I don't know what you are,
but you're not a woman.

You've tortured my men
and taken their minds from them.

You ask for love
and return pain instead.

Korob was wrong.
I didn't destroy all your weapons.

Give me the transmuter.

Give it to me!

- What happened, Jim?
- That'll take some explaining, Bones.

- Everything's vanished.
- Not everything.

Korob and Sylvia as they really are.

Their forms were an illusion,
just like the castle and everything else.

Only the power-pack
gave them reality.

Fascinating.
A life form totally alien to our galaxy.

If we could preserve and study this.

Too late.

All of this, just an illusion.

No illusion.

Jackson is dead.

Kirk to Enterprise. Come in.

- Standing by, captain.
- Five to beam up.