A Taste of Armageddon
By Robert Hamner and Gene L. Coon
A powerful episode. Still as absolutely relevant today as in 1967. (Yes, I am distracting myself while my husband's in the hospital.)
The Enterprise travels to Eminiar VII to open diplomatic relations. The planet sends a code back to not approach them. Ambassador Fox overrides this and orders Kirk to proceed.
SPOCK: We know very little about them. Their civilization is advanced. They've had space flight for several centuries, but they've never ventured beyond their own solar system. When first contacted more than fifty years ago, Eminiar Seven was at war with its nearest neighbor.
KIRK: Anything else?
SPOCK: The Earth expedition making the report failed to return from its mission. The USS Valiant. Listed as missing in space.
Kirk, Spock, a yeoman and two redshirts beam down. They are met by Mea 3, who tells them the message was for their own safety. We find out quickly from Anan 7 of the High Council that they've been at war with neighboring Vendikar for 500 years. But there's no sign of war - everything appears peaceful and prosperous. Vendikar attacks, but there aren't any explosions or signs of radiation. Kirk is very confused. Spock figures out that they fight with computers, but then finds out that those computed as dead in the attacks have 24 hours to report to disintegration chambers. This means (for them) that people may die, but their civilization lives on. Spock does not approve.
Then they find out the Enterprise has been "destroyed" and everyone is to report to the surface for death. Kirk takes this news as well as one might expect.
Kirk is boggled that Mea is going to report for death as ordered. She defends their way.
Meanwhile, "Kirk" (actually Anan) invites everyone on the Enterprise down to the planet for "shore leave." Scotty thankfully doesn't buy it and has the computer confirm the message isn't actually from Kirk.
Spock uses his "Vulcanian" telepathic ability to get the guard to open the door to the room they're in. Kirk takes his gun and they go into the city further, trying to get their communicators. Seeing the disintegration chamber in action, and Mea heading towards it, Kirk stops her from going in while Spock disarms another guard and takes his weapon. Kirk blows up the disintegration chamber.
Learning of their escape, Anan orders the planetary weapons to fire on Enterprise, but her shields repel the attack. Scotty wants to fire back, but Fox stops him.
Spock and the redshirts bring more weapons and 2 guard uniforms back to Kirk. The redshirts change clothes and Kirk asks Mea for directions to the War Room.
Fox contacts Anan and Anan calls off the attack on Enterprise. Fox agrees to beam down and Anan orders that the attack continue as soon as shields are down. Fox orders the shields down but Scotty refuses to comply. Apparently, Fox can beam down through them.
Kirk and Anan have a nice little discussion. Kirk fails his intimidate roll. Anan secretly signals for guards, but Kirk expects this and gets into a fight with them. He loses.
Fox beams down and learns he's a war casualty. Spock contacts the ship and finds out Fox beamed down. He orders Scotty to take the ship to maximum phaser range and has Yeoman Tamula guard Mea. Spock then finds Fox and saves him, blowing up another disintegration chamber in the process, and heads for the Council Room.
Anan contacts Enterprise and threatens to kill the landing party if her personnel don't start beaming down to die. Kirk manages to shout, "Scotty, General Order Twenty Four. Two hours! In two hours!" Scotty calls back and says, "All cities and installations on Eminiar Seven have been located, identified, and fed into our fire-control system. In one hour and forty five minutes, the entire inhabited surface of your planet will be destroyed. You have that long to surrender your hostages."
For many years, I thought this was a bluff on Kirk's part and Scotty played along. I'm don't think that anymore and I'll say why when we get there.
Anan doesn't know what to do. If Vendikar thinks the treaty is broken, they'll start attacking with real weapons. Kirk distracts a guard and disarms him, getting control just as Spock and his party come in.
KIRK: ...Death, destruction, disease, horror. That's what war is all about, Anan.
That's what makes it a thing to be avoided. [Emphasis mine] You've made it neat and painless. So neat and painless, you've had no reason to stop it. And you've had it for five hundred years. Since it seems to be the only way I can save my crew and my ship, I'm going to end it for you, one way or another.
Kirk gets Spock in to check out their computers and then Kirk blows the main one up. Anan is horrified and we get one of the (IMO) Great Star Trek Scenes (which, BTW, was quoted in the show
For All Mankind):
KIRK: Yes, Councilman, you have a real war on your hands. You can either wage it with real weapons, or you might consider an alternative. Put an end to it. Make peace.
ANAN: There can be no peace. Don't you see? We've admitted it to ourselves. We're a killer species. It's instinctive. It's the same with you. Your General Order Twenty Four.
KIRK: All right. It's instinctive. But the instinct can be fought. 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. [Emphasis mine.] That's all it takes. Knowing that we won't kill today. Contact Vendikar. I think you'll find that they're just as terrified, appalled, horrified as you are, that they'll do anything to avoid the alternative I've given you. Peace or utter destruction. It's up to you.
Here's why I think there really was a General Order 24: Kirk orders Scotty to cancel implementation. Whoa! So yeah, the Enterprise can destroy a whole civilization.
Fox offers to help with peace talks. Spock thinks Kirk took a big risk, but Kirk reasoned that an actual attack would've ended their ability to make war, or they might be desperate enough to talk, ending the whole thing one way or another.
Spock gets some really great lines in this episode by the way:
SPOCK: There is a certain scientific logic about it.
ANAN: I'm glad you approve.
SPOCK: I do not approve. I understand.
SPOCK: Sir, there's a multi-legged creature crawling on your shoulder.
SPOCK: ...Yeoman Tamula, you stay here and prevent this young lady from immolating herself. Knock her down if necessary. This is a killing situation. Do what you must to protect yourself. Clear?
SPOCK: Captain, you almost make me believe in luck.
KIRK: Why, Mister Spock, you almost make me believe in miracles.
You can still make it work; Star Trek allows for a lot of things.
