Watch Star Trek TOS Errand Of Mercy 1 of 7
Posted on 30. Jan, 2009 by Honey Ryder in Sci-Fi
The Enterprise arrives at its designated position and Kirk examines his coded orders. A war with the Klingon Empire is anticipated and they’re to head to the planet Organia to prevent the Klingons from using it as a base. The Organians are a peaceful low-tech people along the invasion route. They’re interrupted when a Klingon scout ship launches a surprise attack. The Enterprise returns fire and destroys their opponent. Starfleet sends an all-points message saying that the war has begun.
The Enterprise arrives at Organia and receives word of an approaching fleet of Klingon cruisers. Kirk leaves Sulu in command with orders to leave and alert the fleet if the Klingons arrive, while he and Spock go down to the planet. The two officers beam down in the middle of a courtyard but no one seems to pay them any attention or find their arrival unusual. They notice a ruined fortress in the distance which doesn’t match the reports of a peaceful culture. A man approaches them, Ayelborne, and welcomes them on behalf of the Council of Elders. He takes Kirk to the Council chambers while Spock examines the village.
Kirk addresses the Council and warns them about the Klingons. He offers them Federation protection but Ayelborne says they neither have nor need defenses. They insist they don’t need help but can’t explain to Kirk why. They agree to discuss his offer and Spock arrives to inform him the Organians are a stagnant society with no advancement in tens of thousands of years. The Organians reiterate that they don’t need assistance and advise Kirk and Spock to leave before the Klingons arrive. However, the Klingons arrive and Sulu calls to inform them he has to leave orbit. The Council informs Kirk and Spock that the Klingons are beaming down and suggest they do something to protect the officers.
As the Klingon establish themselves on the planet, the Organians disguise Kirk as a local and Spock as a Vulcan merchant. The Klingon leader, Commander Kor, arrives and the Organians welcome him. They introduce Kirk as Barona, a local leader, and he rushes to Spock’s defense when Kor orders Spock’s arrest on suspicion of being a spy. Kor is impressed and amused, and warns that any resistance will be met with death. The Organians agree and Kor demands a liaison and chooses Kirk. Spock is taken away for questioning and Kirk is brought to Kor’s office for instruction in his new duties. Spock is brought back, his cover identity confirmed. Kor explains that they used a mind-sifter on Spock to determine the truth of what he claimed.
Kirk and Spock are released and Spock notes that only Vulcans could resist it. Kirk suggests they demonstrate to the Organians how they can fight back. That night they go to an armory and set off an explosion. They go to the Council and Ayelborne is shocked at their violence. They are unaware that Kor is listening in on them. He enters the Council chambers with an armed guard and Ayelborne readily provides Kirk’s identity. Kirk is disgusted and Kor can sympathize. He locks up Spock and takes Kirk to his office for a conversation. He talks about their similarities as wolves and asks for fleet placement, but Kirk refuses to talk When the captain refuses to talk, Kor gives him twelve hours and will then proceed with the mind-sifter.
With six hours left and no chance of escape, Ayelborne arrives and casually opens the locked door to release them. He takes them to the Council chamber without explanation and Kirk wonders if they will betray him again. The Organians note that the officers don’t understand them. Meanwhile, Kor gets word of the escape and orders the execution of 200 Organians. He announces that 200 more will be killed every two hours until Kirk and Spock are turned over. An increasingly frustrated Kirk asks why the Organians won’t fight back or give him his phasers back. He threatens them with violence if they don’t and Ayleborne returns their phasers. Kirk says he doesn’t particularly like them but plans to fight the Klingons on their behalf.
As the Organians somehow track their actions, Kirk and Spock make their way through the Klingon base to Kor’s office. He casually informs them that a Starfleet armada is on the way and the Klingon fleet will meet them. He points out that he’s under surveillance and a security force comes in, but suddenly discovers that their weapons are extremely heat. Their bodies are similarly hot when they try to strike each other. Aboard the opposing fleets, the controls also become super-heated.
The Organian Council comes in and informs them that they are putting a stop to all violence. They contact their respective ships and confirm that they are inoperative. Kirk and Kor alike resent the Organians’ interference. The Organians say that no one has died there in two thousand years. When Kirk insists they have no right to interfere, Ayleborne asks if he’s really arguing for the right to wage war and kill millions. Kirk reconsiders and the Organians note that eventually there would be peace but at the cost of millions of lives. The Organians then note that their emotions are painful and they will have to leave. When Kirk questions their claim, they admit that they have long since evolved into beings of pure energy. The Organians disappear in a flash of energy and Spock concludes that everything they’ve seen is conventionalizations created by the Organians for them as a point of reference. There will be no war, but Kor admits that it would have been glorious.
Later as they return to base, Kirk admits it’s humbling to encounter superior being and Spock notes that even the gods didn’t spring into existence overnight.
