Wink of an Eye

__NOTOC__ST episode
name = Wink of an Eye


Kirk and Spock battle the Scalosians
series = TOS
ep_num = 66
prod_num = 068
remas._num = 16
date = November 29, 1968
writer = Arthur Heinemann
story by
Gene L. Coon (as Lee Cronin)
director = Jud Taylor
guest = Kathie Browne Erik Holland Jason Evers Geoffrey Binney Ed Hice Richard Geary William Blackburn Roger Holloway
stardate = 5710.5
year = 2268
prev = Plato's Stepchildren
next = The Empath

"Wink of an Eye" is a third season episode of "", and was first broadcast on November 29, 1968. It was repeated on June 24, 1969. It is episode #66, production #68, and was written by Arthur Heinemann, based on a story by Lee Cronin, and directed by Jud Taylor.

Overview: Invisible "time-accelerated" aliens take over the "Enterprise" and attempt to abduct the crew for use as "genetic stock".

Plot

On stardate 5710.5, the starship USS "Enterprise" follows a distress call to the planet Scalos, which is outside known Federation space. When the ship arrives, Captain Kirk beams down with a landing party to investigate, finding a beautiful but empty metropolis, with not a single being around. In fact, the only trace of life found is heard in what sounds like the buzzing of unseen insects.

Soon after their arrival, Crewman Compton vanishes in a wave of energy right before the party's eyes. After a wide search of the area, Compton is still missing, and Kirk orders the landing party to return to the "Enterprise".

Once aboard however, strange things begin to happen as equipment fails and ship systems become erratic. A strange alien device suddenly appears in engineering, seemingly attaching itself to the main life support system. The strange buzzing of insects encountered on the planet, is now heard aboard the ship.

Kirk puts the ship on full alert, and while he takes a coffee break on the bridge, he notices the movements of the bridge crew seem to slow down to a stop as if time itself is being manipulated. Suddenly, a beautiful woman in a colorful gown appears on the bridge and addresses Kirk. The woman identifies herself as Deela, Queen of the Scalosians, and she explains to Kirk that the bridge crew has not slowed down, but he has been sped up, having been matched to the Scalosian's "hyper-accelerated" physical existence. It is only through this accelerated process that the aliens can interact with humans.

To the rest of the bridge crew, Kirk has simply vanished the same way Compton did. Compton however, is alive and well, and aboard the "Enterprise", having already been physically accelerated to the Scalosians' existence. Deela explains that exposure to radiation has caused the hyperacceleration of her people, and at the same time has made all the males sterile. She reveals her plan to have the crew of the "Enterprise" cryogenically frozen, providing an uncontaminated genetic stock her people can use to rebuild their population. She also claims Kirk as her consort, and demands that he join her on the planet below.

Kirk of course, has no say in the matter, and having been accelerated as well, he cannot interact with his slow-moving crew or give them warning of what is going to happen. Kirk's only hope is Mr. Compton, but Compton has been won over to the Scalosians' cause, believing that . Compton attempts to defend his Captain, however, he is attacked by those guarding the machine. His attempt costs his life when he experiences "accelerated cellular damage" and dies almost instantly as a result.

In the meantime, Deela meets with her fellow Scalosian, Rael, who has sneaked aboard with her. Kirk takes the opportunity to buy time to disable the transporter systems and foil the aliens' escape, and causing delay in the release of the cryogenics.

Meanwhile, back in real time, Mr. Spock, and Dr. McCoy try to figure out what happened to their Captain. Spock discovers that the strange buzzing is the hyperaccelerated conversations of the aliens, and learns they exist outside normal physics.

Analyzing Kirk's coffee cup, McCoy discovers traces of radioactive water from Scalos in the beverage, and realizes it must have something to do with Kirk's disappearance. McCoy and Spock use the Scalosian water to make an antidote that could reverse the acceleration effect. Armed with the antidote, Spock drinks some Scalosian water and hyperaccelerates himself to rescue the Captain.

Deela manages to reactivate the transporter, but Kirk overpowers her and steals her weapon. Kirk then joins Spock and the two rush to engineering to destroy the alien machinery that has been wired into the ship. The two escort their Scalosian prisoners to the transporter room and return them to their planet empty-handed.

Kirk then takes the antidote and returns to the normal speed of time. Spock however, remains accelerated a while longer and makes the necessary repairs to the ship's vital systems at lightning-fast speed. Spock then returns the ship, along with himself, to normal. Then Spock says to the Captain that he had an "accelerating" experience.

40th Anniversary remastering

This episode was remastered and first aired January 13 2007 as part of the 40th anniversary remastering of the "Original Series". It was preceded a week earlier by "Friday's Child" and followed a week later by "Where No Man Has Gone Before". 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:

*The city on the planet Scalos, originally a reuse of the city on Eminiar VII in "A Taste of Armageddon", was given a completely new face lift with a digital matte painting.
*The high-speed shifting effect of the Scalosians has been enhanced with a slow-motion blur effect instead of jump cuts.
*Phaser streams and their impact effects have been enhanced instead of animated blotches of color.

External links

* [http://trekmovie.com/2007/01/10/first-image-from-wink-of-an-eye/ Review of the remastered Wink of an Eye]
* [http://trekmovie.com/2007/01/13/wink-of-an-eye-screenshots/ Side-by-side comparisons]
* [http://www.startrek.com/startrek/view/series/TOS/episode/68796.html "Wink of an Eye"] at StarTrek.com