Title:
Star Trek (Gold Key)
Synopsis:
Part I
In an Enterprise corridor, Spock and McCoy exchange phaser fire with Kirk...
Captain’s log, star date 18:41.2 – The Enterprise is in standard orbit around planet Beta II while First Officer Spock and I conduct a small surveying expedition on the surface...
The landing party splits up to search for ores believed to be on the planet. Some time later, Scotty contacts Spock from the ship to tell him there is an urgent message from Star Fleet Command and he cannot reach Kirk. Spock’s group tracks Kirk’s communicator and finds him and his two companions lying on the ground before a gigantic Betasaur. Spock and his companions kill the reptile by firing at its mouth. Kirk revives, but the other two crewmen are dead.
Back on the ship, Kirk insists on leaving Sick Bay to respond to the priority one message. Star Fleet orders Kirk to transport an Omegan ambassador from Star Base 6 to his home planet, thus proving to him that the Omega system should not shift its alliance to the Klingon Empire.
Captain’s log, star date 18:41.4 – We are in orbit around Star Base 6, awaiting the arrival of the Omegan Ambassador...
The supercilious Ambassador T’Ki is beamed aboard and shown to his quarters. Kirk rudely orders Scotty to increase speed from warp two to warp four. Later, while Kirk is giving the ambassador a tour of the ship, an ensign rushes past and bumps into T’Ki. The diplomat ungraciously accepts the young man’s apology, but Kirk is much angrier and orders him to the brig, to Spock’s concern. Spock consults McCoy, who blames Kirk’s behavior on his blow to the head on Beta II. Kirk enters and accuses Spock and McCoy of plotting against him. Back on the bridge, Kirk orders a heading which Sulu warns him will take the ship into the B-Gamma Maelstrom. As T’Ki arrives on the bridge, the ship enters the huge whirlpool in space...
Part II
Captain’s log, star date 18:41.8 (Mr. Spock reporting) – There is something wrong with the captain. Since he was attacked on Beta II, a subtle change has come over his personality – he has become moody, short-tempered, almost tyrannical – and his behavior threatens our relations with the Omegan government – and our very lives as well!
The Enterprise plunges into the Maelstrom, which is inhabited by monstrous creatures. Kirk orders Scotty to throw the ship into full thrust reverse, then to send it forward at warp 8. The ship escapes the whirlpool. Spock apologizes to T’Ki for the ”accident”, but the ambassador says the Klingons were right about the Federation’s foolishness. Kirk orders the ship to maximum warp; when Scotty refuses to obey this reckless order, Kirk stuns him with a phaser. At Scotty’s bedside in Sick Bay, Spock, McCoy and Sulu discuss removing Kirk from command.
Spock, McCoy and Sulu confront Kirk on the bridge and ask him to remove himself from command on medical grounds. Kirk fires his phaser at McCoy and escapes into the elevator. On a lower deck Kirk shoots several crewmembers before Spock and McCoy find him and trade phaser fire with their friend. Kirk steals a shuttlecraft and flees the ship. Finding Spock and McCoy in the shuttle hangar, T’Ki sneers at this further instance of Federation incompetence, but Spock reveals that they wanted Kirk to escape because he is not Kirk.
The Enterprise returns to Beta II, Spock telling T’Ki the delay will be worth his while. The ambassador accompanies the landing party to the surface, where Spock finds the shuttle, in which he had hidden a tracer device. Inside a cave they find two Kirks and a party of Klingons. Spock explains that the Klingons intended to discredit the Federation in the ambassador’s eyes. Having intercepted the Priority One message before the Enterprise received it, they faked the mineral deposits on Beta II, then replaced Kirk with a duplicate while he was searching for the ore. The duplicate Kirk runs from the cave, pursued by the real Kirk. Following them outside, Spock cannot tell the two Kirks apart until one orders him to kill the other. Spock stuns that Kirk with his phaser, knowing the real Kirk would never order him to kill.
Back on the Enterprise, T’Ki says his government will strengthen its relationship with the Federation. Kirk asks Spock what would have happened if he had shot the wrong Kirk; Spock replies that he would have turned himself in for court-martial.
In an Enterprise corridor, Spock and McCoy exchange phaser fire with Kirk...
Captain’s log, star date 18:41.2 – The Enterprise is in standard orbit around planet Beta II while First Officer Spock and I conduct a small surveying expedition on the surface...
The landing party splits up to search for ores believed to be on the planet. Some time later, Scotty contacts Spock from the ship to tell him there is an urgent message from Star Fleet Command and he cannot reach Kirk. Spock’s group tracks Kirk’s communicator and finds him and his two companions lying on the ground before a gigantic Betasaur. Spock and his companions kill the reptile by firing at its mouth. Kirk revives, but the other two crewmen are dead.
Back on the ship, Kirk insists on leaving Sick Bay to respond to the priority one message. Star Fleet orders Kirk to transport an Omegan ambassador from Star Base 6 to his home planet, thus proving to him that the Omega system should not shift its alliance to the Klingon Empire.
Captain’s log, star date 18:41.4 – We are in orbit around Star Base 6, awaiting the arrival of the Omegan Ambassador...
The supercilious Ambassador T’Ki is beamed aboard and shown to his quarters. Kirk rudely orders Scotty to increase speed from warp two to warp four. Later, while Kirk is giving the ambassador a tour of the ship, an ensign rushes past and bumps into T’Ki. The diplomat ungraciously accepts the young man’s apology, but Kirk is much angrier and orders him to the brig, to Spock’s concern. Spock consults McCoy, who blames Kirk’s behavior on his blow to the head on Beta II. Kirk enters and accuses Spock and McCoy of plotting against him. Back on the bridge, Kirk orders a heading which Sulu warns him will take the ship into the B-Gamma Maelstrom. As T’Ki arrives on the bridge, the ship enters the huge whirlpool in space...
Part II
Captain’s log, star date 18:41.8 (Mr. Spock reporting) – There is something wrong with the captain. Since he was attacked on Beta II, a subtle change has come over his personality – he has become moody, short-tempered, almost tyrannical – and his behavior threatens our relations with the Omegan government – and our very lives as well!
The Enterprise plunges into the Maelstrom, which is inhabited by monstrous creatures. Kirk orders Scotty to throw the ship into full thrust reverse, then to send it forward at warp 8. The ship escapes the whirlpool. Spock apologizes to T’Ki for the ”accident”, but the ambassador says the Klingons were right about the Federation’s foolishness. Kirk orders the ship to maximum warp; when Scotty refuses to obey this reckless order, Kirk stuns him with a phaser. At Scotty’s bedside in Sick Bay, Spock, McCoy and Sulu discuss removing Kirk from command.
Spock, McCoy and Sulu confront Kirk on the bridge and ask him to remove himself from command on medical grounds. Kirk fires his phaser at McCoy and escapes into the elevator. On a lower deck Kirk shoots several crewmembers before Spock and McCoy find him and trade phaser fire with their friend. Kirk steals a shuttlecraft and flees the ship. Finding Spock and McCoy in the shuttle hangar, T’Ki sneers at this further instance of Federation incompetence, but Spock reveals that they wanted Kirk to escape because he is not Kirk.
The Enterprise returns to Beta II, Spock telling T’Ki the delay will be worth his while. The ambassador accompanies the landing party to the surface, where Spock finds the shuttle, in which he had hidden a tracer device. Inside a cave they find two Kirks and a party of Klingons. Spock explains that the Klingons intended to discredit the Federation in the ambassador’s eyes. Having intercepted the Priority One message before the Enterprise received it, they faked the mineral deposits on Beta II, then replaced Kirk with a duplicate while he was searching for the ore. The duplicate Kirk runs from the cave, pursued by the real Kirk. Following them outside, Spock cannot tell the two Kirks apart until one orders him to kill the other. Spock stuns that Kirk with his phaser, knowing the real Kirk would never order him to kill.
Back on the Enterprise, T’Ki says his government will strengthen its relationship with the Federation. Kirk asks Spock what would have happened if he had shot the wrong Kirk; Spock replies that he would have turned himself in for court-martial.
Cover Date:
05/1972
Publisher:
Gold Key
Issue Number:
14
Year:
1972
Country:
United States
Cover Price:
$0.15
Genre:
Science Fiction
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Language:
English
Date Added:
2018-07-02 23:07:30
Series:
Vol 1
Story Arc:
Halfway House
Date Added:
2018-07-02 23:07:30
