Captain's log, stardate 5029.5.
Responding to a distress call from our scientific colony on Triacus,
we are beaming down to investigate.
Professor Starnes.
It's Kirk.
He's dead, captain.
He didn't seem to know me.
Cyalodin.
Self-inflicted.
Must destroy ourselves. Alien upon us.
The enemy from within. The enemy!
All this. Self-inflicted.
Mass suicide.
- You did not! You missed me! - I did so!
Hi. Who are you?
- Kirk of the starship Enterprise. - I'm Tommy Starnes.
- This is Mary, Steve, Ray and Don. - Hello.
Come on. Play with us. Come on.
Ring around the rosy Pocketful of posy
Ashes, ashes, we all fall down
Ring around the rosy Pocketful of posy
Ashes, ashes, we all fall down
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.
Captain's log, supplementary.
We have buried the members of the Starnes' exploration party.
Everyone has been deeply affected by what has happened here,
with some important exceptions.
Let's go and play.
I'm gonna get you!
I'm gonna get you.
- No sign of grief? - No, Jim, no indication of any kind.
Or fear?
They seem completely secure and unafraid.
You insist that their behaviour is a sign of traumatic shock?
I don't insist, Jim, but I can't dismiss the possibility.
A child suppresses the fact that both parents are dead? I can't believe it.
Humans do have an amazing capacity for believing what they choose
and excluding that which is painful.
Not these children, to this extent. It's incredible.
What these children saw is incredible, Jim.
The way those deaths occurred, any reaction is possible,
including lacunar amnesia.
That's my diagnosis.
Until specific tests can be made, it remains that.
I'll be guided by that opinion, doctor, for the present.
What about questioning them?
Not until the fabric of the traumatisation weakens
or you can come up with another explanation for their behaviour.
Forcing them to see this experience now could cause permanent damage.
Accepted, doctor.
Be careful.
I'm sorry, Captain Kirk.
Children? Children, listen to me.
It's late, and it's time to go up to the ship.
Oh, not yet.
- But we're just beginning to have fun. - Not now.
I'm sorry. I'm sorry, you'll go up with the doctor.
Come on. It's time to be going.
Whatever happened here is locked up inside those children.
The attack on Professor Starnes' party must surely have been unprovoked.
Attack? Mass suicide is what it seems to be.
I stand corrected, captain. Induced would be a more precise term.
Induced by an outside force.
- Such as? - The release of bacteria.
Or a helpless mental depression and a state of suicidal anxiety
could have been chemically induced.
What would make the children immune?
I do not know. But it is possible.
Then the children would have been exempted by conscious design.
A valid assumption, I would say.
And their present behaviour explained by a fear of punishment.
Or the promise of reward.
An attack by an unknown assailant
on an uninhabited planet.
This planet is uninhabited, Mr. Spock, to the best of our information?
At present, yes.
- Odd. - Getting a reading?
There seems to be some disturbance coming from that cave.
Picking up any life forms, Mr. Spock?
Definitely not humanoid, captain.
Impossible to make any specific identification.
The readings do not correlate with any known information.
Oh, that's strange.
That's very strange.
I'm getting a feeling of anxiety in this place.
That doesn't sound very scientific, does it?
But it's strongest right here.
I'm not aware of it, captain.
Maybe that's what's registering on your tricorder.
I am not familiar with anxiety,
but I was not aware that it could be registered on sensors.
No.
Of course. That's... That's me.
That's me.
But what's causing your tricorder to react?
- Are you all right, captain? - Yes, I'm... I'm fine.
I'm fine.
Just some sympathetic vibration with what happened here.
Let's get back to the ship.
I want to check out those tapes from Professor Starnes' tricorder.
And I am going to question those children.
All right, children. Now, each card is a different flavour.
You take your pick, and the computer will mix your favourite combination.
What would you like? Just call out your favourite.
- Chocolate. - Vanilla.
- Cherry and banana. - Okay. Okay.
Well. Would you like a surprise, Stevie?
All right.
It's coconut and vanilla. They're both white.
There, there, now, Stevie.
There are unpleasant surprises as well as pleasant ones.
That was your unpleasant surprise.
Now, what would you like for your pleasant surprise?
Chocolate wobble and pistachio.
Well, coming right up.
And peach.
All right.
It's gonna be a wonderful surprise.
The tests show no evidence that tension is due to lying.
They behave as though nothing had gone wrong.
They check out sound physically,
and there are no signs of any bio-chemical substance
to account for their present state.
- I have no answers, Jim. - There has to be an answer.
Can't it wait till we get to a starbase hospital
so they can be checked out by a specialist?
We're not leaving here until we find out what went on, or what's going on.
I won't prevent you questioning them, but it could harm the children if you do.
It could be far worse for them if I don't, and for us too.
Be careful.
- And I got another flavour on top. - After this, we can all play games.
Yeah.
How do you like getting your ice cream out of a computer?
- I'll eat some more before bed. - That was fun.
Well, well, well, you're all having such a good time.
- I think I'll join you. Is that all right? - Please do.
- All right. I'll have a dish too. - Of course.
A little one. A very small one.
- It's better than Triacus, isn't it? - That dirty old planet?
- What's so good about that place? - Yeah.
You weren't there very long. You don't know.
I don't think your parents liked it very much either.
- Yes, they did. - Yeah, mine sure did.
Parents like stupid things.
Oh, I don't know about that. Parents like children.
That's what you think.
I'm sure your parents loved you.
That's why they took you with them to Triacus.
So they wouldn't be so far away from you for such a long time.
That would make them very unhappy, and they'd miss you.
I'm sure that you would miss them too.
- Busy, busy. - Busy, busy.
Busy, busy, busy.
- Guess what we are. - I know. A swarm of bees.
Busy, busy, busy.
Watch out. Watch out. I'll sting you.
Now, wait a minute.
Can we have some more ice cream, please?
No, I don't think so. It'll spoil your dinner.
See what I told you? They all say it.
Yeah.
All right, you've had a busy day. You could use some rest.
Nurse Chapel will see you to your quarters.
Very good idea, captain. Come on.
- Do we have to? - That's all right, that's enough.
- Tommy, just a moment. - Here we go.
I'd like to ask you a question. Come and sit down.
Tommy, will you tell me what you saw?
Saw where?
In the cave. On the planet. On Triacus.
- You were there. - Did you see your father today?
- I saw him. - Did he seem upset?
- Yeah, he was very upset. - What about?
Well, I didn't ask him.
What was going on that would have upset him?
How should I know? He was always upset.
Just like you, Captain Kirk.
I'm not upset with you, Tommy, or your friends.
We invited you aboard the Enterprise.
Why would I do that if I didn't like you?
You have your reasons.
Aren't you unhappy about leaving Triacus?
That place? That's for adults.
Aren't you upset about leaving your parents?
My parents? They love it down there.
Always busy.
They're happy.
Can I go now? I'm tired too, you know.
- Yes, certainly. I'll take you. - I know the way.
Kirk to Security.
Post a guard on the children.
They're to be kept under constant watch.
Hail, hail, fire and snow.
Call the angel, we will go.
Far away, for to see,
friendly angel, come to me.
Hail, hail, fire and snow.
Call the angel, we will go.
Far away, for to see,
friendly angel, come to me.
Hail, hail...
You have done very well, my friends.
You have done what must be done.
You have come aboard the Enterprise.
Now our destination is a Federation settlement.
Captain Kirk will undoubtedly choose a closer station.
Do not let that deter you.
Marcos Xll has millions of people on it.
Nearly a million will join us as our friends.
The rest will be our enemies.
Together with our other friends who will join us,
we will defeat our enemies as we defeated them on Triacus.
A million friends on Marcos will make us invincible.
No one will tell us where to go, when to sleep, where to eat.
The universe will be mine to command,
yours to play in.
To accomplish this great mission, we must first control the Enterprise.
To control the ship, we first must control the crew.
You know how to do that. That is your next task.
And as you believe, so shall you do, so shall you do.
As you believe, so shall you do, so shall you do.
Maintaining standard orbit, captain.
Lieutenant Uhura, any report from the planet's security team?
Everything is quiet, sir.
Captain, I have extracted the salient portion
- of Professor Starnes' tapes. - Good.
Among the technical facts he gathered,
Professor Starnes also offered some rather unscientific hypotheses.
Let's see them.
Log date 5025.3.
Ever since our arrival on Triacus,
I've felt a certain growing feeling of uneasiness.
At first I attributed it to the usual case of nerves
associated with any new project.
However, I found that the rest of my associates
are also bothered by these anxieties.
The only ones not affected are the children.
Bless them, find the whole thing an exciting adventure.
To be young again.
Let's see some more of these unscientific hypotheses, Mr. Spock.
5032.4.
The feeling of anxiety we've all been experiencing is growing worse.
There is another portion, captain,
which I believe you'll find particularly interesting.
5038.3.
Professor Wilkins finished his excavation today.
Although whatever civilization that might have been here
was destroyed by some natural catastrophe,
it would appear that one of the race took refuge in the cave.
And for our efforts, we are becoming only more apprehensive.
As if some unseen force were influencing us.
- What happened? - Unknown.
I didn't see you come in, Tommy.
Captain, after we leave here, can you take us to Marcos Xll?
No, we'll probably take you to a Federation starbase.
But I have relatives on Marcos Xll.
I'm sorry, Tommy, Marcos Xll is not within our patrol area.
Mr. Spock, we'll pursue this in my quarters.
Captain, can I stay here and watch? I'll be very quiet.
All right, Tommy.
Lieutenant, have Dr. McCoy report to my quarters for a brief conference.
Mr. Leslie?
- Hi, there. - Hi.
What is that?
The planet Triacus.
Will we see that all the time we stay here?
Yes, we will.
All the time we're here.
He sees Triacus on the screen.
He thinks he sees it.
Mr. Sulu, the screen. We're out of orbit.
- Will we reach Marcos Xll soon? - Very soon.
When did we change course?
We haven't changed course.
What do you mean, we haven't changed course?
Look at your Bridge control monitor.
We're still in orbit, sir.
Have you gone completely blind? That's not orbiting position.
Don't touch the controls, sir.
What the devil do you think you doing?
We must remain in this orbit till the Bridge orders a change.
You blind fool.
Can't you see what's in front of you? We're not in orbit.
I will not disobey an order from the Bridge.
You are disobeying an order from the Bridge. Now step aside.
You're losing control of yourself, sir.
Not yet.
I'm being influenced to do things that do not make sense.
I even went so far as to call Starfleet Command
to request a spaceship to be used as a transport.
It was only when I couldn't tell them what I wanted to transport
that I began to realize that my mind was being directed.
I decided to send a dispatch to Starfleet, warning them.
God forgive us. We must destroy ourselves.
Alien upon us. The enemy from within.
The enemy!
He never completed the entry. And the dispatch was never sent.
Except for scenes of family life, games and picnics with the children,
that is the complete record.
Whatever overwhelmed them must have done so with incredible speed.
Otherwise the professor would have provided details of the experience.
He was an excellent scientist and tireless in his pursuit of the truth.
- That could be what destroyed him. - Possible, captain.
Evil does seek to maintain power by suppressing the truth.
Or by misleading the innocent.
Misleading the innocent? I wonder.
Do you mean the children may be involved?
Yes, doctor.
Spock, what do we know about the race that lived here?
According to the legend, Triacus was the seat of a band of marauders
who made constant war throughout the system of Epsilon Indi.
After many centuries, the destroyers were themselves destroyed
by those they had preyed upon.
- Is that the end of it? - No.
Like so many legends, this one, too, has a frightening ending.
It warns that the evil is awaiting a catalyst
to set it again into motion
and send it marauding across the galaxy.
Is it possible that the evil found the catalyst?
I was speaking of a legend, captain.
But most legends have their basis in fact, Spock.
I think I read you, Jim.
But as medical officer, I must warn you
that unless the normal grief is tapped and released from these children,
you are treading dangerously.
I understand your diagnosis, doctor, and I will respect it.
But not to the exclusion of the safety of the Enterprise. Thank you.
Spock, what other expeditions have visited Triacus?
According to Federation records, this is the first.
What was it Professor Starnes said about the unseen force?
He said that an unseen force was influencing him.
That he recognized it, was beginning to fight it,
and cancelled his request for a ship.
A ship? Yes. A ship for Triacus.
But why? And by whom?
Security detachment, ready for relief duty on Triacus.
Assemble to the Transporter Room immediately.
I'll have some questions for that planet detachment
as soon as they're beamed up.
I think it's about time we found out
whether Professor Starnes' enemy within
is on the planet below or here onboard ship with us.
Come on.
Your tour of duty will last one hour.
Be prepared with your communicators at all times to report any alien beings.
Don't wait to investigate. Beam down the guards.
Beam up the security detachment from Triacus.
Spock.
What's wrong?
I am unable to lock on to the proper coordinates, captain.
Why not?
It appears we are no longer orbiting Triacus.
That's impossible.
If we're not orbiting Triacus, then the men I beamed down are dead.
Captain, we are no longer orbiting Triacus.
Activate the Bridge monitor screen.
Captain to Bridge. Mr. Sulu, we're not orbiting Triacus.
With all respects, captain, you're wrong.
I have Triacus on my screen now.
You're off course. I'm coming right up.
High, high, fire and snow
Call the angel, we will go
Far away, far to see
Friendly angel, come to me
- High, high, fire and snow - Sulu.
Call the angel, we will go
Far away, far to see
Friendly angel, come to me
Friends, we have reached a moment of crisis.
The enemy have discovered our operation.
But they are too late.
They no longer control the ship. We do.
We shall prevail. They will take us anyplace we desire.
So back to your stations. Maintain your controls.
If resistance mounts, call upon their beast.
Their beast will serve us well.
The fear in each one of them is the beast which will consume him.
Remember how it was on Triacus?
If they resist, so shall it be on the Enterprise.
If you need me, call and I will appear.
Our new goal is Marcos Xll.
It is our new beginning. We must not falter.
Go to your stations. Mary, you remain here with me.
Helmsman, disregard what you see on the screen,
what you think you see on the screen.
Set a course for Starbase 4.
- Helmsman, do you hear me? - Yes, sir.
Lieutenant Uhura. Contact Starbase 4.
Tell them we're bringing the children there.
Tell Starfleet Command I suspect them of being alien in nature
and I want a thorough investigation made upon our arrival.
Aye, aye, sir.
Lieutenant?
What are you staring at?
I see my death.
A long death. Disease and pain.
I see my death.
Lieutenant. Lieutenant, there's nothing there.
Oh, God!
Captain, don't let it be.
Mr. Spock, you make the call to Starfleet.
Mr. Sulu, I ordered you to change course.
- Mr. Sulu... - Captain.
Stay away from the controls. If you touch them, we'll be destroyed.
Mr. Sulu, there's nothing there.
Captain, why are we bothering Starfleet?
That was an order, Spock.
This Bridge is under complete control.
- Complete..? - There is no need.
Take a look around you.
I cannot obey your order, captain.
Take Mr. Sulu to his quarters. He's relieved of duty.
Mr. Spock...
From the... Confined to quarters...
Did you hear me?
Captain, we must get off this Bridge.
Yes, we must. I'm losing command.
I'm losing my ability to command.
I'm losing the Enterprise.
I'm losing command.
I'm losing the Enterprise.
The ship is sailing on and on.
I'm alone.
Alone.
- I'm losing command. - Captain.
I've lost command.
I've lost the Enterprise.
Jim.
I've got command.
Correct, captain.
Where to, captain?
Auxiliary control, my Vulcan friend.
This ship is off course.
Scotty.
I want you to override the Bridge navigation system
- and plot a course for Starbase 4. - I can't do that, sir.
- Why not? - These are very sensitive instruments.
I will not have you upset their delicate balance.
We would all be lost, forever lost.
Go away now. Go away or we'll kill you.
Scotty. Listen to me.
The Enterprise has been invaded by alien beings.
Its destination is Marcos.
If we take it there, millions will die the way they died at Triacus.
No, I'm all right, Spock. My beast is finished. It won't return.
Captain, so long as the children are present, there is danger.
They are the carriers.
Spock, they're not the alien beings. They're children being misled.
They are followers. Without followers, evil cannot spread.
They're children.
Captain, the 430 men and women onboard the Enterprise
and the ship itself are endangered by these children.
They don't understand the evil that they're doing.
Perhaps that is true.
But the evil that is within them is spreading fast,
and unless we can find a way to remove it...
We'll have to kill them.
- Captain Kirk? - What is it, now?
I have been instructed to place you and Mr. Spock under arrest.
- By whose order? - Starfleet Command, sir.
Where did you hear this order, ensign?
Now listen to me. This order is false.
I want you and your men to return to their stations.
I'm sorry, captain, but I must insist
you and Mr. Spock come with me to the detention section.
Ensign, listen to me.
Do not force me to kill you, sir.
I will if I have to.
- Will you come peacefully? - Ensign, listen to me.
This is a false order, ensign.
I have never disobeyed an order, captain. You know I have never...
I know that, ensign. You have never disobeyed an order.
- But an alien being is aboard this ship. - I will not disobey now.
- I cannot disobey. - Ensign, you will disobey this order!
Starfleet Command supersedes your order, sir!
Enough.
Take these men to detention, then join me on the Bridge.
The Enterprise will never reach Marcos Xll.
You will not be landed there.
The crew will take us. They believe.
The crew does not understand.
When we make them understand, as I understand,
they won't take you to Marcos.
- They will! - We are going to Marcos!
- No, they won't.
- We're gonna follow our friend. - They will, they will!
Your friend? Where is your friend?
Where is that stowaway? Why does he hide?
He will come if we call him.
But we won't. We don't need him. We're not afraid of you.
Good. I'm glad you're not afraid of me.
But your leader is afraid.
- What's he afraid of? - He's not afraid of anybody.
- He's not afraid of anything. - He's afraid to be seen.
And when the crew sees and hears him,
they'll understand that he is not their friend.
- And they won't follow him. - He is our friend.
Then let him show himself.
Bring him out. Let him prove to me that he is my friend
and I'll follow him to Marcos Xll and to the ends of the universe.
No.
Mr. Spock, play back the chant
the children sang to summon up the Gorgan.
Hail, hail, fire and snow.
Call the angel, we will go.
Far away, for to see,
friendly angel, come to me.
Hail, hail, fire and snow.
Call the angel, we will go.
Far away, for to see,
friendly angel, come to me.
The time has come to see the world as it is.
Come on.
Who has summoned me?
I did, Gorgan. My beast is gone.
It lost its power in the light of reality. I command again.
And I ordered you here.
No, captain. I command here.
My followers are strong and faithful and obedient.
That's why we take what is ours wherever we go.
You take from those who do not know you.
And we know you.
- Then you know I must win, captain. - Not if we join together to fight you.
Foolish. You will be destroyed.
I would ask you to join me, but you are gentle.
And that is a grave weakness.
We are also very strong.
But your strength is cancelled by your gentleness.
You are full of goodness. Such as you cannot be changed.
You are like the parents. You must be eliminated.
Children, I have pictures of some of you on Triacus.
I'd like to show them to you. Would you like to see them?
Mr. Spock, the pictures.
I forbid it.
Why should you fear it?
- I fear nothing. - So we were told.
Mr. Spock, the pictures. The children are waiting.
I'll get you.
Come on.
I'll get you.
They would not help transport us. They were against us.
They had to be eliminated.
Tommy's father would have destroyed you,
but he recognized you too late.
You were also too late.
The kind ones always are.
Not always, Gorgan. Not this time.
You can't hide from them. They see you as we see you.
They know what you are.
- Even the children learn. - You are my future generals.
Together we can raise armies of followers. Go to your posts.
The first great victories are upon us.
You will see.
We have millions of friends on Marcos Xll.
We shall exterminate all who oppose us.
Our purity of purpose cannot be contaminated
by those who disagree,
who will not cooperate, who do not understand.
They must be annihilated.
Don't be afraid.
Look at him.
Without you children, he's nothing.
The evil remains within him.
I command you. I command you.
To your posts.
Carry out your duties or I will destroy you.
You will be swept aside to make way for the strong.
How ugly he really is. Look at him, and don't be afraid.
Death. Death to you all.
Death to you all.
Death to you all. Death to you all.
It's all right.
They're crying, Jim.
I don't know how it happened, but it's good to see.
It's all right, Mary. It's all right.
It's all right, isn't it, doctor?
Yes, it's all right.
We can help them now.
Marcos Xll dead ahead, sir.
- Reverse course, Mr. Sulu. - Aye, sir.
Course reversed, captain.
- Set course for Starbase 4, Mr. Sulu. - Yes, sir.