Journey to Babel (TOS episode)

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Star Trek: TOS episode
"Journey To Babel"
Sarek, Kirk, Gav, Thelev & Shras, Journey To Babel.
Episode no.	39
Prod. code	044
Airdate	November 17, 1967
Writer(s)	D.C. Fontana
Director	Joseph Pevney
Guest star(s)	Mark Lenard Jane Wyatt John Wheeler (actor) Reggie Nalder William O'Connell (actor) Billy Curtis James X. Mitchell Frank da Vinci Jerry Catron William Blackburn (actor)
Year	2268
Stardate	3842.3
Episode chronology
Previous	"Metamorphosis"
Next	"Friday's Child"

"Journey to Babel" is an episode of Star Trek: The Original Series. It is episode #39, production #44 and was first broadcast on November 17, 1967 during the second season. It was repeated on July 5, 1968. It was written by D.C. Fontana and directed by Joseph Pevney.

It features the first appearance of Sarek and Amanda, the parents of Mr. Spock.

Overview: The Enterprise must transport dignitaries to a peace conference, with an assassin on the loose.

[edit] Plot

On stardate 3842.3, the starship USS Enterprise, under the command of Captain James T. Kirk is transporting Federation ambassadors to the Babel Conference to discuss the admission to the Federation of the Coridan system. The system is a prime source of dilithium crystals but is also underpopulated and unprotected. Mining rights are disputed by many warring species who have strong reasons for keeping Coridan out of the Federation.

Ambassador Sarek from Vulcan boards with his human wife Amanda and Captain Kirk learns, to his surprise, the two are Mr. Spock's parents. Kirk is also taken aback by how coldly Sarek views his own son, apparently because Spock chose to devote his life to Starfleet instead of Vulcan science, against Sarek's wishes.

Formal negotiations are to take place on a neutrally aligned planet called Babel, but preliminary diplomacy begins aboard the Enterprise. The issue is a controversial one and the Tellarite ambassador, Gav, demands to know Sarek's position. Pushed to responding, Sarek accuses the Tellarites of wanting to keep Coridan out of the Federation so they can continue to plunder the dilithium. Gav takes offense at this allegation and the confrontation briefly becomes physical. Kirk hears Gav threaten to make Sarek pay for his "slanderous" remark, and Sarek replies calmly that "payment is usually expensive", suggesting that it's Gav who'd better watch his step.

Meanwhile, Uhura has detected an encoded transmission beamed from the Enterprise to a fast-moving vessel at the extreme edge of sensor range. Shortly after, the Tellarite ambassador Gav is found murdered. Checking the body, Dr. McCoy discovers the ambassador's neck is broken in a manner consistent with an ancient Vulcan form of execution; the Tal-Shaya. Sarek falls under suspicion because of the earlier altercation with Gav. During Kirk's questioning of Sarek, Sarek suffers a cardiovascular malfunction, the Vulcan equivalent of a heart attack, and is rushed to sick bay.

Uhura picks up another encoded transmission, this time from the pursuing ship to the Enterprise where it is received somewhere on board. Spock makes an unsuccessful attempt to decode a fragment of the message.

While in sick bay, Sarek reveals that he has had three previous "heart attacks", which includes one during the time of the murder, and has been taking medication to combat it. McCoy determines that Sarek will require immediate surgery. The ship's medical stores, however, have an insufficient supply of Sarek's rare "T-Negative" Vulcan blood type. Spock volunteers to donate his own blood for the operation, using an experimental stimulant to increase blood production.

Meanwhile, a member of the Andorian delegation, Thelev, attacks Captain Kirk on deck 5, managing to stab him before being rendered unconscious. Kirk is seriously wounded and taken to sickbay and Thelev is imprisoned in the brig. Spock briefly discusses the attack with Andorian ambassador Shras, who suggests that if Spock is right about this being part of a larger plot, he should devote himself to seeking what the motive might be.

In accordance with regulations, Spock halts his participation in Sarek's procedure and assumes command of the Enterprise. Over the objections of Dr. McCoy and his own mother, but with the agreement of his father, Spock states the mission, which is obviously now being threatened by outside assailants, is far too important to leave in the command of a less experienced officer, nor will his sense of duty allow him to step aside for purely personal reasons.

Kirk recovers enough to pretend that he is well, and with the grudging support of McCoy, returns to the bridge to relieve Spock of command, with the intent of immediately yielding to Lieutenant-Commander Scott once Spock returns to sickbay. After ordering Spock to accompany McCoy to sickbay, but before Scott can arrive on the bridge, Uhura picks up another encoded transmission from the Enterprise and traces the source to the brig. Kirk therefore decides to stay in command. When Thelev is searched, it is discovered that his antennae are fake and conceal a small transceiver. Thelev is not an Andorian at all, but as Kirk later comments, he'd been "surgically altered to look like one."

The unidentified vessel now closes in to attack the Enterprise, moving at extreme speed; far faster than the Enterprise can lock weapons on it. Kirk orders Thelev to the bridge and questions him about his and the attacking ship's motives, though Thelev is evasive. The ongoing attack damages the Enterprise and Kirk decides to try a ruse, shutting down internal power to make the Enterprise appear crippled. This lures the attacker to slowly approach and the Enterprise damages it with a surprise counterattack. The crew of the disabled ship self-destructs before surrendering. Thelev, having taken a delayed-action poison some time before, also collapses. Before dying, he reveals that he and the crew of the attacking ship had been ordered on suicide missions.

Kirk returns to sickbay for further care and finds Spock and Sarek returned to alertness, the surgery an apparent success. Spock speculates that Thelev and the attacking ship were of Orion origin and the speed and power of the latter are consistent with a suicide mission, with all energy dedicated to attack and none for defense or safe return. Thelev's mission aboard the Enterprise, Kirk and Spock presume, was to sow distrust among the Federation members and weaken the Enterprise (by killing Kirk) prior to the attack. In support of the Orion origin theory (the issue is unproven by the end of the episode, though it is suggested that an autopsy of Thelev will confirm it) is the knowledge that Orion has been raiding Coridan for dilithium and would profit greatly selling the valuable mineral to both sides in a Federation civil war. McCoy loses patience with the discussion and takes advantage of his medical authority over his patients to order everyone to be silent, and beams at finally getting "the last word".

[edit] External links

• Journey to Babel at StarTrek.com
• Journey to Babel article at Memory Alpha, a Star Trek wiki.

Last produced: "Bread and Circuses"	Star Trek: TOS episodes Season 2	Next produced: "A Private Little War"
Last transmitted: "Metamorphosis"		Next transmitted: "Friday's Child"