While studying an asteroid, the U.S.S.
Enterprise is attacked by three Romulan vessels which claim that the Federation
ship has trespassed into Romulan space. The U.S.S. Enterprise hides from
the Romulans in a gaseous energy field to avoid the close range barrage from
the war ships.
The gas from the cloud enters the Enterprise's computer systems and affects the functions of the computer. When the ship leaves for repairs the computer proceeds to play practical jokes on the crew by altering various ship functions, so that drinks leak and silverware bends. Spock is humiliated by his own microscope, and Scott is pelted with fruits and pies from a food dispenser. The crew discover the source of the jokes when outrageous laughter is heard over the intercom. Sulu, McCoy and Uhura are trapped in a recreation room and Scott is unable to fix the logic circuits because gravity has been shut off. Life support systems are replaced by laughing gas, which causes pain to Vulcans.
The ship returns itself to the neutral zone, thereby inciting a Romulan attack. The ship then plays a practical joke on the Romulans by creating a balloon-shaped like the U.S.S. Enterprise. Kirk tricks the ship back into the energy field, which is followed closely by the Romulans. While in the energy field the computer is returned to normal but the Romulan vessel begins to be affected by the same symptoms. Kirk decides to wait a bit before telling the Romulans how to remove their practical joker.
The entity tells them not to interfere with her "children," the people of this world. Bem escapes and Kirk and Spock are again captured. The entity demands that they leave immediately but Kirk tells Spock that they cannot leave without Bem. They arrange a search party to beam down, now that the entity has permitted communications. Bem is found and he realizes that he has failed in his mission and must die. The entity tells him he will not be killed because people must learn from their errors. The crew returns to the ship, where Spock ponders the existence of such a God-like entity and how they are all really children to the universe.
I don't have the Captain's Log for this episode yet, sorry.
Written By: Chuck Menville
Director: Hal Sutherland
James Doohan as Search Party Crewman
Majel Barrett as Enterprise computer
Lou Scheimer as Romulan Commander
Norm Prescott as Romulan crewman
Production Number: 22021
Stardate: 3183.3
First Aired In USA: 21st September 1974
First Aired In Australia: Unknown
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