Did Commander Kruge have Permission?

[Timo]

...It's a nice story point that Kirk apparently doesn't speak a word of Klingoneseianish. I mean, how may Cold War hero characters of the western persuasion would have been skilled in Russian?

Whom Gods Destroy is a rare exception.

And also a rule unto itself. Apparently, Kirk whips up this rare security check for the purposes of this mission only, so that it takes the seasoned Starfleet veteran Garth by surprise. Similarly, in "Dagger of the Mind" the transporter operator is unaccustomed to security protocols, apparently again because transporters generally just plain don't do security.

That Kirk, Scotty and Merrick in "Bread and Circuses" all would be aware of the Condition Green code is the curious exception, the rare instance of reasonable protocol to defeat attempts at transporter misuse...

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Yet he locked onto a human and a Vulcan for *mumble mumble* hand-wave reasons. Not even a question of ’Err, where are you Kruge?’

From a story perspective that was always a 'what?' moment for me.

Reverse the scenario with Kruge calling up to the Enterprise 'Scotty, me up now beam!'.

I always thought it was because Maltz was already a prisoner and was forced to beam up Kirk and Spock.

 

[Timo]

But we see this is not the case. That is, there's a shot on the bridge where Kirk, carrying Spock and holding a gun, enters - surprising Maltz who until then has been holding a gun and pointing it at the rest of the heroes. Afterwards, Saavik confiscates Maltz' gun.

This is impossible to divine from the TrekCore screencaps that omit the telltale motion (of Saavik, say). But the setup itself is telling, with the heroes amassed against the wall while Maltz covers them.

The Klingon having the gun contradicts the idea that he could have been forced to do anything much. What this all leaves open is whether Maltz initiated the transport from the bridge, not bothering to oversee what was being beamed (perhaps necessitated by him being the only one left standing), or whether there was a Klingon transporter operator down at the transporter room whom Kirk surprised and overpowered first (thus making Maltz' neglect far more understandable, but the transporter guy then takes the blame).

Timo Saloniemi