Journey To Babel - Plot

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 who 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 planetoid 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 for a response, 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 before Kirk breaks it up, warning all parties to keep order on his ship.

Meanwhile, Communications Officer Lt. Uhura has detected an encoded transmission beamed from the Enterprise to a fast-moving vessel at the extreme edge of sensor range. Shortly afterward, the Tellarite ambassador Gav is found murdered (by a method Spock calls Tal-Shaya, an ancient Vulcan form of execution), making Sarek a suspect. During questioning, Sarek suffers a cardiovascular malfunction, and is rushed to sick bay, where Chief Medical Officer Dr. McCoy determines that he will require immediate surgery. Since there is a shortage of his blood type, which is relatively rare among Vulcans, Spock volunteers to donate his own blood for the operation, using an experimental stimulant for increasing blood production.

Meanwhile, a member of the Andorian delegation, Thelev, attacks and stabs Captain Kirk. Kirk is seriously wounded and taken to sickbay and Thelev is imprisoned in the brig. In accordance with regulations, despite the objections of both his mother and Dr. McCoy, Spock halts his participation in Sarek's procedure in order to assume command of the Enterprise, as the situation is too critical to leave in the hands of a less experienced officer.

Kirk recovers sufficiently 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. As Uhura 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 brought 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 disabled ship self-destructs, and Thelev reveals that both he and the ship were on suicide missions; he then collapses and dies from a delayed-action poison.

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 were 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 civil war between Federation members. Amanda asks Sarek to thank Spock for saving his life, but Sarek simply shrugs, saying that it was only logical. Amanda becomes angered at the Vulcan ways, Spock noting her temper and asks Sarek why he married her. When Sarek replies "it seemed the logical thing to do," Amanda realizes they were actually joking with her. 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."