The Pirates of Orion (episode)

Template:Realworld

While Spock lies ill, Orion pirates hijack the drug shipment desperately needed to save his life.

Summary

"Captain's log, Stardate 6334.1. The outbreak of choriocytosis aboard the Enterprise seems to be under control. Dr. McCoy says the disease is no longer even as serious as pneumonia and there should be no problem completing our present mission, representing the Federation at the dedication ceremonies for the new Academy of Science on Deneb V."

While underway, however, Spock loses consciousness and is taken to sickbay. Spock has contracted the disease, which, because of their copper-based blood, is fatal to Vulcans. The infection enters the bloodstream and encases the cells so they cannot carry oxygen, resulting in suffocation. A synthesized drug can control the disease, but only naturally-occurring strobolin will cure it. The drug is found on only a few worlds in the galaxy, the closest of which, Beta Canopus, is four days away. McCoy can slow it down, but Spock only has two days before the disease builds up immunity to the drug. Then, by the end of the third day it will be irreversible.

"Captain's log, Supplemental. We have arranged to get the strobolin needed to save Mr. Spock's life. The starship Potemkin has already picked up the drug and will transfer it to a freighter, the SS Huron for delivery to the Enterprise."

Kirk informs Spock of the situation and tells him his duty time has been cut in half. When Spock protests, McCoy asserts, "Doctor's orders." When Spock leaves Kirk says, "It'll hurt seeing him like that." McCoy agrees adding, "As much as it may seem at times that I can't stand that pointy-eared encyclopedia I don't want to see that happen to him."

Captain O'Shea's freighter gets underway with the drug shipment. Without warning, they detect another vessel closing on them, of an Orion designation. Spock is summoned to sickbay for another injection, but the synthesized treatments are losing effectiveness on maintaining his health.

The Huron hails the oncoming ship and Captain O'Shea asks them to state their registry and purpose. When they don't answer, O'Shea sends out a distress signal to the Enterprise. The alien pirate craft then orders them to turn over their cargo of dilithium crystals or be destroyed. On the Enterprise, Spock falls unconscious, the drug no longer effective. The Enterprise finds the Huron, disabled, with its cargo missing, and recovers the injured crew. Spock has only twenty hours to live.

"Captain's log, Stardate 6335.6. The Huron has been left as space junk, its engines sabotaged. Captain O'Shea has no idea who attacked his ship, but the intruder must be found and the precious cargo retrieved."

The Enterprise sets out after the specific pattern of radioactive waste left by the intruder. They detect dilithium crystals in the cargo bay of a ship in a highly unstable asteroid field and the Orion vessel is fired upon by the Enterprise.

The Orion captain hails the Enterprise, protesting the pursuit of his vessel, but refuses a search. Kirk attempts to negotiate for the strobolin in exchange for not mentioning the stolen dilithium crystals, but the Orions suspect a ruse. Kirk agrees to meet the Orion captain on an asteroid knowing that it might be a trap, but worth the risk for Spock's life. Kirk and the Orion beam down to the asteroid to exchange the drug. Unknown to Kirk, the Orion arrives carrying a dilithium explosive set to disrupt the asteroid's molecular structure and destroy him, the asteroid, and both ships.

The Orion captain gives his ultimatum, but Kirk wrests the device and the drug from him and captures him. Scotty beams the explosive to the Enterprise, disarms it, and then beams up both captains and forces the Orion to stand trial for piracy. His crew becomes prisoners, ending Orion's neutrality in pirate activities. With the medicine administered, Spock is saved, but McCoy wants him to admit that this time his green blood almost did him in. He just says he prefers his own physiology. McCoy laughs that he's just as stubborn as usual. Kirk says that everything is back to normal.

Memorable Quotes

"Blasted Vulcan, why can't you have red blood like any normal Human?"

- McCoy

"Analysis Mr. Sulu."
"Standard phasers, sir, weak though. A diffused low quality beam. Our deflectors can stop them."
"I recognize the ship's markings Captain. It's an Orion."

- Kirk, Sulu, and Arex

"A Federation freighter was attacked in this quadrant, its cargo hijacked. As the first alien ship encountered we require you to submit to search as per Babel Resolution A-12. Reply!"
"We have no Federation cargo aboard. Orions are not thieves. If you don't cease this harassment we will lodge a formal protest with your government!"

- Kirk and Orion Commander

"Enterprise to Orion vessel. I have a proposal to make. If you do have the Huron's cargo there was some perishable drugs in it that we desperately need."
"What would these drugs be worth to you, if we had them?"
"You keep the dilithium shipment, no mention of the whole incident to Starfleet or in my log, plus an additional galactic standard weight container of dilithium as payment for the drug."
"We get what we want, plus our neutrality remains intact? We will consider your offer."

- Kirk and Orion Commander

Background Information

Kirk's reference to the Orion conflict at Coridan on stardate 3850 comes from TOS: "Journey to Babel".
Even after the loss of neutrality depicted here, the Orion Syndicate still causes trouble in 24th century DS9 episodes.
This was the first episode of TAS's second season. This episode was novelized by Alan Dean Foster in Ballantine Books' Star Trek Log 5. Writer Howard Weinstein went on to write several Star Trek novels and comics.
This episode was the first appearance of the light-skinned Orion males, although green Orion women were seen in TOS: "The Cage" and TOS: "Whom Gods Destroy". A light-skinned Orion woman was also seen in "The Time Trap" (the reason that Orions and Andorians were light-skinned in TAS was due to coloring difficulties). The first time an Orion male was shown in a live-action production was not until 2004 in ENT: "Borderland".
This episode premiered two Star Trek firsts:
- The first Orion starship design. An Orion ship had previously been seen, in "Journey to Babel," however in that episode it was animated as a colored shape on the viewscreen.
- The first Starfleet starship design besides the Template:ShipClass. No other manned Starfleet vessel had been seen on screen until the Huron. All other starships seen in TOS were either civilian or alien vessels, or reuses of the Enterprise herself.

Video and DVD releases

UK VHS release (CIC Video): Volume 6, catalogue number VHR 2540, 17 February 1992.
As part of the The Animated Series DVD collection.

Links and references

Starring

William Shatner as Capt. Kirk
Leonard Nimoy as Mr. Spock

And

DeForest Kelley as Dr. McCoy

Also starring

Guest star

Lou Scheimer as a Orion lieutenant

References

2245; Academy of Science; Babel Conference; Babel Resolutions; Beta Canopus; blood; choriocytosis; copper-based blood; Coridan planets; Deneb V; Huron, USS (Template:ShipType); iron-based blood; Orion; Orions; Orion vessel; phasers; pirate; Potemkin, USS; solar day; Starfleet Academy; strobolin

Previous episode:
"The Jihad"

Star Trek: The Animated Series
Season 2

Next episode:
"Bem"