Changes: One of Our Planets Is Missing (episode)

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The Enterprise crew learns that a massive, planet-destroying cloud has entered Federation space.

Summary

"Captain's log, stardate 5371.3. A huge cosmic cloud has been reported moving into the outer fringe of our galaxy. Nothing like it has ever been seen before. Starfleet Command has sent the USS Enterprise to investigate, as we are the only vessel in the vicinity of the phenomenon. Our present position is in the Pallas 14 system, which contains Mantilles, the most remote inhabited planet in the entire Federation."

As the Enterprise nears the Pallas 14 system, the cloud engulfs planet Alondra, and the planet disappears from sensors. The cosmic cloud engulfed it, and broke it up into small pieces in seconds. Kirk asks, "Spock, is it possible that the cloud consumes planets?" Spock answers in the affirmative. Suddenly and without warning, the cloud changes course heading directly for Mantilles. Kirk feels the need for speed and orders warp eight.

"Captain’s Log: Supplemental. At warp eight we will intercept the cloud before it reaches the inhabited planet Mantilles, but we are uncertain what we can do to stop a matter-energy cloud that measures thousands of times more than our vessel."

The Enterprise maneuvers itself directly into the path of the cloud and the ship is engulfed. When Kirk gives the order to fire, Spock reports that the cloud seems to be absorbing the phaser energy.

Since it is unknown if the entity has selective abilities, the Enterprise crew assumes that not only Mantilles, but all planets and star systems are in danger. The Enterprise decides to warn Bob Wesley, governor of Mantilles. But before it can do so, the ship is engulfed by the cloud, and unknown objects comprised of highly charged gaseous antimatter swarm the vessel, causing a large power drain of the shields. An antimatter charge from the shield is successful in dissipating the objects.

"Captain’s Log: Supplemental. The Enterprise has only 15 minutes left before her power is drained and we are left helpless."

Research indicates that the cloud is actually a living being, and that the objects act like enzymes, slowly breaking up the remnants of Alondra and the Enterprise. After more studying of the anatomy of the creature, the Enterprise plots a course through the digestive system, with enormous power consumption. To regenerate the ship's antimatter reserves, Montgomery Scott cut off a piece of the creature's villi, and use it to create power regeneration of the ship's anti-matter reserves, with minutes to spare. Kirk sighs, "Scotty, you’ve just given the Enterprise, and Mantilles, a chance to live." Scott replies, "Thank you sir." Spock then ascertains the being has a brain and on hearing this Kirk plans to use the photon torpedoes to destroy the cloud's brain. When Spock begins to remind Kirk of the regulations against the killing of intelligent creatures, Kirk stops him, well aware of the regulations. But they don't know yet if the cloud is intelligent and it is a fact that every living thing on Mantilles will die unless they stop the cloud and so if Kirk is forced to make a choice, he chooses saving Mantilles.

"Captain's Log: Stardate 5372.0. Spock and Uhura are using our sensors to prepare a detailed chart so we may determine targets for our photon torpedoes."

Feeling very unsure about his decision Kirk asks, "Am I doing the right thing, Bones? Once I said that man rose above primitiveness by vowing, 'I will not kill today'." The ever pragmatic Bones replies, "But you can’t let this thing destroy eighty million lives either." Spock tells them the brain is so vast Enterprise's entire armaments may not guarantee its destruction. He determines that they would have to destroy the Enterprise itself and direct the explosion right at the cerebral cortex. Kirk orders Scott to prepare the ship for self destruct and Spock to try to establish contact the creature.

"Captain's log, stardate 5372.1. The cloud will reach Mantilles in seven minutes. Spock has been working on the mechanics of reaching the cloud's thoughts, but I doubt if there's any time left. And even if we do establish contact, can we communicate with it and persuade it not to kill?"

But Spock uses a Vulcan mind-meld to contact the creature and allows the creature to see glimpses of human life for the first time. The creature comes to understand that its food, the planets, are inhabited by, "Many somethings, so small, but alive. Comprehend. Not desire to consume other beings." The creature allows the Enterprise to leave peacefully and agrees to depart the galaxy. Kirk asks, "Spock, what did you perceive?" The first officer replies, "The wonders of the universe, captain. Incredible, completely incredible."

Memorable Quotes

"Spock, is it possible that the cloud consumes planets?"

- Kirk

"Scotty, you've just given the Enterprise, and Mantilles, a chance to live."
"Thank you, sir."

- Kirk and Scott

"Am I doing the right thing, Bones? Once I said that man rose above primitiveness by vowing, 'I will not kill today.' "

- Kirk

Background Information

Story and production

The animation from "Lassie's Rescue Rangers"

This episode was written by Marc Daniels who directed many episodes of the original series.
One of the few sound effects from TOS that is heard in the animated series is featured in this episode – a klaxon that goes off in Chief Engineer Vanderberg's office in "The Devil in the Dark" when the Horta steals the pump mechanism from the pergium reactor.
The shots of Earth life are taken from stock footage of the animated series Lassie's Rescue Rangers, another 1973 Filmation TV show. Views of Earth on a computer screen were shown to Spock as he was melding with the cloud intelligence. It was the scenes that featured children running with a dog that came from the Lassie show.

Continuity

Lieutenant Arex appears for the second time in this episode, and it is the first where he speaks.
Robert Wesley first appeared in TOS: "The Ultimate Computer", played by Barry Russo. In this episode James Doohan provides Wesley's voice.
This episode is where we see for the first time the anti-matter nacelles where Kirk and Scotty use the piece of villi extracted from the cloud-creature to recharge the anti-matter engines.
Kirk quotes himself in this episode, stating "man rose above primitiveness by vowing, 'I will not kill today.'" While this line was never explicitly spoken by Kirk in any previous episode, it does echo the meaning of Kirk speech in TOS: "A Taste of Armageddon", where he stated, "We're human beings with the blood of a million savage years on our hands, but we can stop it. We can admit that we're killers, but we're not going to kill today. That's all it takes. Knowing that we won't kill today."