Journey to Babel

__NOTOC__Infobox Star Trek episode
name = Journey To Babel


Sarek, Kirk, Gav, Thelev, and Shras
series = TOS
ep_num = 39
prod_num = 044
remas._num = 19
date = November 17, 1967
writer = D.C. Fontana
director = Joseph Pevney
guest = Mark Lenard
Jane Wyatt John Wheeler Reggie Nalder William O'Connell Billy Curtis James X. Mitchell Frank da Vinci Jerry Catron William Blackburn
stardate = 3842.3
year = 2268
prev = Metamorphosis
next = Friday's Child

"Journey to Babel" is an episode of "." 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.

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 whom Captain Kirk learns, to his surprise, 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 neutral 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 transparently implies that the Tellarites want 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. 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. Upon 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 now had three previous "heart attacks", and was on medication. 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 and stabs Captain Kirk on deck 5 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 investigate 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 his father's assent, Spock states the mission, which is obviously now being threatened by outside assailants, is 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 long enough to pretend that he is well, and with the grudging support of McCoy, returns to the bridge to relieve Spock and order him to return to sickbay. Uhura soon picks up another encoded transmission from the "Enterprise" and traces the source to the brig. Kirk decides to stay in command in his weakened state. 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 had 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 phaser counterattack. The crew of the disabled ship self-destructs before surrendering. Thelev, having taken a delayed-action poison, 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 both alert, the surgery having been 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. 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, then beams at finally getting "the last word".

40th Anniversary Remastering

This episode was remastered and first aired February 3 2007 as part of the 40th anniversary remastering of the "Original Series". It was preceded a week earlier by "For the World Is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky" and followed a week later by "The Doomsday Machine". Aside from remastered video and audio, and the all-CGI animation of the USS "Enterprise" that is standard among the revisions, specific changes to this episode also include:

*Vulcan has been reworked with more realistic features, and more closely resembles its appearance in "".
*There is a new sequence for the arrival of the shuttlecraft bringing Sarek aboard, particularly of the arrival in the hangar deck. Crew are visible in observation galleries.
*The Orion ship is better detailed but retains the spinning effect; upon its destruction, there is a more realistic dispersal pattern for the debris. There is an action shot of the phaser aim changing to try to hit the Orion ship as it moves away.

pock's pet

* It is revealed that as a child Spock had a pet "sehlat", a Vulcan animal described here as "a large teddy bear with six-inch fangs". The creature in question (named I-Chaya) is seen in the episode "Yesteryear" and the "" episode "The Forge".

* After the Orian operative (disguised as an Andorian) is defeated and dies on the bridge from self-induced poisioning, Kirk, as he returns to Sickbay, orders Ensign Chekov to takeover for him, despite Lt. Uhura being present. This is likely another example of the lesson learned from the rejection of the series' initial pilot "The Cage" of not having women in positions of authority.

External links

* [http://www.startrek.com/startrek/view/series/TOS/episode/68748.html "Journey to Babel"] at StarTrek.com
* [http://trekmovie.com/2007/02/03/remastered-%e2%80%9cjourney-to-babel%e2%80%9d-screenshots/ Remastered comparison screenshots]
* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0708434/ Journey to Babel] at IMDB