"Captain." " Got a minute?" " A minute." "It's Spock." "You noticed anything strange about him?" "No, nothing in particular." "Why?" "Well, it's nothing I can pinpoint without an examination, but he's become increasingly restive." "If he were not a Vulcan, I'd almost say "nervous."" "For another thing, he's avoiding food." "I've checked and he hasn't eaten at all in three days." "Well, that just sounds like Mr. Spock in one of his contemplative phases." "Miss Chapel." " Dr. McCoy." " Captain." "What's this?" "Vulcan plomeek soup." "And I'll bet you made it too." "You never give up hoping, do you?" "Mr. Spock hasn't been eating, Doctor." "And I just happened to notice." "It's all right." "Carry on, Miss Chapel." " Bones, I'm a busy man." " Jim, when I suggested to Spock it was time for his routine checkup your logical, unemotional first officer turned to me and said:" ""You will cease to pry into my personal matters, Doctor, or I shall certainly break your neck."" "Spock said that?" "What is this?" "Poking." "Prying." "If I want anything from you, I'll ask for it." "Captain, I should like to request a leave of absence." "On my home planet." "On our present course, you can divert to Vulcan with a loss of but 2.8 light-days." " What the devil is this all about?" " I've made my request, Captain." "All I require from you is that you answer it, yes or no." "Space, the final frontier." "These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise." "Its five-year mission:" "To explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before." "All right, Spock." "Let's have it." "It is undignified for a woman to play servant to a man who is not hers." "I'm more interested in your request for shore leave." " In the years that I've known..." " You have my request." "Will you grant it or not?" "In all the years I've known you, you've never asked for leave of any sort." "In fact, you've refused them." "Why now?" "Captain, surely I have enough leave time accumulated." "Agreed." "But that isn't the question, is it?" "If there's a problem of some sort, illness in the family..." "No." "Nothing of that nature, Captain." "Then since we're headed for Altair VI, and since the shore facilities there are excellent..." "No." "I must..." "I wish to take my leave on Vulcan." "Spock, I'm asking you." "What's wrong?" "I need rest." "I'm asking you to accept that answer." "Bridge." " Helm." " Yes, Captain?" "Alter course to Vulcan." " Increase speed to warp 4." " Aye, sir." "Thank you, Captain." "I suppose most of us overlook the fact that even Vulcans aren't indestructible." "No." "We're not." "Captain's Log, Stardate 3372.7." "On course, on schedule, bound for Altair VI via Vulcan." "First Officer Spock seems to be under stress." "He has requested and been granted shore leave." "Ship's Surgeon McCoy has him under medical surveillance." "Captain, something's coming in on the Starfleet channel." "Priority and urgent, sir." "Put it on audio over here, Lieutenant." "Message complete, sir." "Switching over." "To Captain, U.S.S. Enterprise." "From Starfleet, Sector 9." "Inauguration ceremonies Altair VI have been advanced seven solar days." "You're ordered to alter your flight plan as filed to accommodate." "By order of Komack, Admiral, Starfleet Command." "Acknowledge." "Lieutenant Uhura, acknowledge that message." "Aye aye, sir." "Mr. Chekov, compute course and speed necessary for compliance." "We'll have to head directly there at warp 6, sir." "Insufficient time to stop off at Vulcan." "Head directly for Altair VI." "Sailor's luck, Mr. Spock." "Or, as one of Finagle's Laws puts it:" ""Any home port the ship makes will be somebody else's, not mine."" "The new President of Altair VI wants to get himself launched a week early, so we have to be there a week early." "Don't worry, I'll see that you get your leave, as soon as we're finished." "I quite understand, Captain." " Bridge, Navigation." " Navigation, Chekov here." "Mr. Chekov, how late will we arrive for the ceremonies if we increase speed to maximum and divert to Vulcan just long enough to drop off Mr. Spock?" "I do not understand, Captain." "How far behind schedule will diverting to Vulcan put us?" "We're on course for Vulcan, Captain, as Mr. Spock ordered." "Thank you, Mr. Chekov." "Kirk out." "Mr. Spock." "Come with me, please." "Deck 5." "You changed course for Vulcan, Mr. Spock." "Why?" "Changed the course?" "Do you deny it?" "No." "By no means, Captain." "It is quite possible." " Then why did you do it?" " Captain, I accept, on your word that I did it." "But I do not know why, nor do I remember doing it." "Captain, lock me away." "I do not wish to be seen." "I cannot." "No Vulcan could explain further." "I'm trying to help you, Spock." "Ask me no further questions." "I will not answer." " I order you to report to the Sickbay." " Sickbay?" "Complete examination." "McCoy's waiting." "Come in, Spock." "I'm all ready for you." "My orders were to report to Sickbay, Doctor." "I have done so." "And now I'll go to my quarters." "My orders were to give you a thorough physical." "In case you hadn't noticed," "I have to answer to the same commanding officer that you do." "Come on, Spock." "Yield to the logic of the situation." "Very well." "Examine me, for all the good it will do either of us." "How do you figure it, Chekov?" "First we're going to Vulcan." "Then we're going to Altair." "Then we're headed to Vulcan again." "Now we're headed back to Altair." "I think I'm going to get space-sick." "Jim, you've got to get Spock to Vulcan." "Bones, I will, I will." "As soon as this mission is completed." "No, now." "Right away." "If you don't get him to Vulcan within a week, eight days at the outside, he'll die." "He'll die, Jim." "Why must he die?" "Why within eight days?" "Explain." "I don't know." "You keep saying that." "Are you a doctor or aren't you?" "There's a growing imbalance of body functions." "As if in our bodies, huge amounts of adrenaline were constantly being pumped into our bloodstreams." "Now, I can't trace it down in my bio-comps." "Spock won't tell me what it is." "But if it isn't stopped somehow, the physical and emotional pressures will simply kill him." "You say you're convinced he knows what it is?" "He does." "And he's as tightlipped about it as an Aldebaran shellmouth." "No use to ask him, Jim." "He won't talk." "Come." "Stay." "McCoy has given me his medical evaluation of your condition." "He says you're going to die unless something is done." "What?" "Is it something only your planet can do for you?" "Spock." "You've been called the best first officer in the Fleet." "That's an enormous asset to me." "If I have to lose that first officer, I want to know why." "It's a thing no outworlder may know except those very few who've been involved." "A Vulcan understands, but even we do not speak of it among ourselves." "It is a deeply personal thing." "Can you see that, Captain, and understand?" "No, I do not understand." "Explain." "Consider that an order." "There are some things which transcend even the discipline of the service." "Would it help if I told you that I'll treat this as totally confidential?" "It has to do with biology." " What?" " Biology." " What kind of biology?" " Vulcan biology." "You mean, the biology of Vulcans?" "Biology as in reproduction?" "Well there's no need to be embarrassed about it, Mr. Spock." "It happens to the birds and bees." "The birds and the bees are not Vulcans, Captain." "If they were, if any creature as proudly logical as us, were to have their logic ripped from them as this time does to us..." "How do Vulcans choose their mates?" "Haven't you wondered?" "I guess the rest of us assume that it's done quite logically." "No." "It is not." "We shield it with ritual and customs shrouded in antiquity." "You humans have no conception." "It strips our minds from us." "It brings a madness which rips away our veneer of civilisation." "It is the Pon farr." "The time of mating." "There are precedents in nature, Captain." "The giant eel-birds of Regulus V, once each 11 years they must return to the caverns where they hatched." "On your Earth, salmon." "They must return to that one stream where they were born to spawn." "Or die in trying." "But you're not a fish, Mr. Spock." "You're..." "No, nor am I a man." "I'm a Vulcan." "I had hoped I would be spared this but the ancient drives are too strong." "Eventually they catch up with us." "And we are driven by forces we cannot control to return home and take a wife or die." "I haven't heard a word you've said." "And..." "I'll get you to Vulcan." "Somehow." "Lieutenant, get me Admiral Komack at Starfleet Command, Sector 9." "Pipe it down to McCoy's office." "Starfleet Command." "Yes, sir." "Mr. Sulu, you don't think..." "Maybe you ought to plot a course back to Vulcan, just in case." "Communication to Mr. Spock." "Lieutenant Uhura here." "Captain asked me to inform you he is..." "Let me alone!" "Captain, you're making a most unusual request." "I'm aware of that, sir." "But it's of the utmost importance." "You must give me permission to divert to Vulcan." "But you refuse to explain why it is so important." "I can't, sir." "But believe me, I wouldn't make such a request..." "The Altair VI is no ordinary matter." "That area is just putting itself together after a long interplanetary conflict." "This inauguration will stabilise the entire Altair system." "Our appearance there is a demonstration of friendship and strength which will cause ripples clear to the Klingon Empire." "Sir the delay would be at most a day." "I can hardly believe..." "Kirk, you will proceed to Altair VI as ordered." "The subject is closed." "You have your orders." "Starfleet out." " Well, that's that." " No, it's not." "I know the Altair situation." "We would be one of three starships." "Very impressive, very diplomatic." "It's simply not that vital." "You can't go off to Vulcan against Starfleet orders." "You'll be busted..." "I can't let Spock die, can I, Bones?" "And he will if we go to Altair." "I owe him my life a dozen times over." "Isn't that worth a career?" "He's my friend." " Bridge." "Navigation." " Bridge." "Navigation." "Mr. Chekov lay in a course for Vulcan." "Tell Engineering I want warp 8 or better." "Push her for all she'll take." "Course already plotted." "Laying it in, sir." "I see." "Very well." "Carry on, Mr. Chekov." "Kirk out." "Miss Chapel?" "Yes, Mr. Spock?" "I had a most startling dream." "You were trying to tell me something but I couldn't hear you." "It would be illogical for us to protest against our natures don't you think?" "I don't understand." "Your face is wet." "I came to tell you that we are bound for Vulcan." "We'll be there in just a few days." "Vulcan." " Miss Chapel." " My name is Christine." "Yes, I know, Christine." "Would you make me some of that plomeek soup?" "Oh, I'd be very glad to do that, Mr. Spock." "Bridge." "It's obvious that you've surmised my problem, Doctor, and my compliments on your insight." "Captain, there is a thing that happens to Vulcans at this time, almost an insanity, which you would no doubt find distasteful." "Will I?" "You've been most patient with my kinds of madness." "Then would you beam down to the planet surface and stand with me?" "There is a brief ceremony." " Is it permitted?" " It is my right." "By tradition, the male is accompanied by his closest friends." "Thank you, Mr. Spock." "I also request McCoy accompany me." "I shall be honoured, sir." "Captain we're standing by on Vulcan hailing frequencies, sir." "Open channel, Lieutenant." "Vulcan Space Central, this is the U.S.S. Enterprise requesting permission to assume standard orbit." "U.S.S. Enterprise from Vulcan Space Central, permission granted." "And from all of Vulcan, welcome." " Is Commander Spock with you?" " This is Spock." "Stand by to activate your central viewer, please." "Doctor, what's going on?" "Spock." "It is I." "T'Pring." "Parted from me and never parted." "Never and always touching and touched." "We meet at the appointed place." "Spock." "Parted from me and never parted." "Never and always touching and touched." "I await you." " She's lovely, Mr. Spock." "Who is she?" " She is T'Pring my wife." "This is the land of my family." "It has been held by us for more than 2000 Earth years." "This is our place of Koon-ut-kal-if-fee." "He called it Koon-ut what?" "He described it to me as meaning "marriage or challenge."" "In the distant past, Vulcans killed to win their mates." "And they still go mad at this time." "Perhaps the price they pay for having no emotions the rest of the time." "Lovely." "I wish the breeze were cooler." "Yeah. "Hot as Vulcan." Now I understand what that phrase means." "The atmosphere is thinner than Earth." "I wonder when his T'Pring arrives?" "The marriage party approaches." "I hear them." "Marriage party?" "You said T'Pring was your wife." "By our parents' arrangement." "A ceremony while we were but 7 years of age." "Less than a marriage, but more than a betrothal." "One touches the other in order to feel each other's thoughts." "In this way, our minds were locked together." "So that at the proper time we would both be drawn to  Koon-ut-kal-if-fee." "Bones, do you know who that is?" "T'Pau." "The only person to ever turn down a seat in the Federation Council." "T'Pau?" "Officiating at Spock's wedding?" "He never mentioned that his family was this important." "Spock are our ceremonies for outworlders?" "They are not outworlders." "They are my friends." "I am permitted this." "This is Kirk." "Ma'am." " And thee are called?" " Leonard McCoy, ma'am." "Thee names these outworlders "friends."" "How does thee pledge their behaviour?" "With my life, T'Pau." "What thee are about to see without change." "This is the Vulcan heart." "This is the Vulcan soul." "This is our way." " What is it?" "What happened?" " She chooses the challenge." "With him?" "He acts only if cowardice is seen." "She will choose her champion." "Spock?" "Do not attempt to speak with him, Kirk." "He is deep in the plak tow, the blood fever." "He will not speak with thee again until he has passed through what is to come." "If thee wishes to depart thee may leave now." "We'll stay." "Spock chose his friends well." "Ma'am, I don't understand." "Are you trying to say that she rejected him." "That she doesn't want him?" "He will have to fight for her." "It is her right." "T'Pring, thee has chosen the kal-if-fee the challenge." "Thee are prepared to become the property of the victor?" "I am prepared." "Spock." "Does thee accept challenge, according to our laws and customs?" "You think Spock can take him?" "I doubt it." "Not in his present condition." "T'Pring, thee will choose thy champion." "As it was in the dawn of our days, as it is today as it will be for all tomorrows," "I make my choice." "This one." "No." "I am to be the one." " It was agreed." " Be silent." "Hear me." "I have made the ancient claim." "I claim the right." "The woman is..." "I ask forgiveness." "Kirk T'Pring is within her rights, but our laws and customs are not binding on thee." "Thee are free to decline with no harm on thyself." "T'Pau." "Thee speaks?" "My friend does not understand." "The choice has been made, Spock." "It is up to him now." "He does not know." "I will do what I must, T'Pau." "But not with him." "His blood does not burn." "He is my friend." "It is said thy Vulcan blood is thin." "Are thee Vulcan or are thee human?" "I burn, T'Pau." "My eyes are flame." "My heart is flame." "Thee has the power, T'Pau." "In the name of my fathers, forbid." "T'Pau." "I plead with thee." "I beg." "Thee has prided thyself on thy Vulcan heritage." "It is decided." " What happens to Spock if I decline?" " Another champion will be selected." "Do not interfere, Kirk." "Keep thy place." "You can't do it, Jim." " I can't?" " No." "She said that their laws and customs were not binding on you." "And you said Spock might not be able to handle him." "Now, if I can knock Spock out without really hurting him." "In this climate?" "If the heat doesn't get you, the thin air will." "You can't do it." "If I get into any trouble, I'll quit." "And Spock wins, and honour is satisfied." " Jim, listen, if you..." " Bones." "He's my first officer and my friend." "I disregarded Starfleet orders to bring him here." "Another thing, that's T'Pau, a Vulcan." "All of Vulcan in one package." "How can I back out in front of her?" "It is done." "Kirk, decide." "I accept the challenge." "Here begins the act of combat for possession of the woman T'Pring." "As it was at the time of the beginning, so it is now." "Bring forth the lirpa." "If both survive the lirpa..." "What do you mean, "if both survive"?" "This combat is to the death." "Now, wait a minute, ma'am." "Who said anything about a fight to the death?" "These men are friends." "To force them to fight till one of them is killed..." "I can forgive such a display only once." "Challenge was given and lawfully accepted." "It has begun." "Let no one interfere." "Spock, no!" "Is this Vulcan chivalry?" "The air is too hot and thin for Kirk." "He's not used to it." "The air is the air." "What can be done?" "I can compensate for the atmosphere and the temperature with this." "At least it will give Kirk a fighting chance." "Thee may proceed." "You're going to have to kill him, Jim." "Kill Spock?" "That's not what we came to Vulcan for, is it?" "What's that?" "It's a tri-ox compound." "It'll help you breathe." " Now be careful." " Sound medical advice." "The ahn'woon." "Get your hands off of him, Spock." "It's finished." "He's dead." "I grieve with thee." " McCoy to Enterprise." " Enterprise." "Lieutenant Uhura here." "Have the Transporter Room stand by to beam up the landing party." "As strange as it may seem, Mr. Spock, you're in command now." "Any orders?" "Yes." "I'll follow you up in a few minutes." "You will instruct Mr. Chekov to plot a course for the nearest star base where I must surrender myself to the authorities." "T'Pring." " Explain." " Specify." "Why the challenge." "And why you chose my captain as your champion." "Stonn wanted me, I wanted him." "I see no logic in preferring Stonn over me." "You have become much known among our people, Spock." "Almost a legend." "And as the years went by," "I came to know that I did not want to be the consort of a legend." "But by the laws of our people, I could only divorce you by the kal-if-fee." "There was also Stonn, who wanted very much to be my consort, and I wanted him." "If your captain were victor, he would not want me and so I would have Stonn." "If you were victor, you would free me because I had dared to challenge and again I would have Stonn." "But if you did not free me, it would be the same." "For you would be gone, and I would have your name and your property, and Stonn would still be there." "Logical." "Flawlessly logical." " I am honoured." " Stonn." "She is yours." "After a time, you may find that having is not so pleasing a thing after all as wanting." "It is not logical but it is often true." "Spock here." "Stand by to beam up." "Live long, T'Pau, and prosper." "Live long and prosper, Spock." "I shall do neither." "I have killed my captain and my friend." "Energize." "Doctor, I shall be resigning my commission immediately, of course." "So I would appreciate your making the final arrangements." " Spock, I..." " Doctor, please, let me finish." "There can be no excuse for the crime of which I am guilty." "I intend to offer no defence." "Furthermore, I will order Mr. Scott to take immediate command of this vessel." " Shouldn't you check with me first?" " Captain." "Jim!" "I'm pleased to see you, Captain." "You seem uninjured." "I am at something of a loss to understand it, however." "Blame McCoy." "That was no tri-ox compound he shot me with." "He slipped in a neural paralyzer." "Knocked me out." "Simulated death." " Indeed." " Nurse, would you mind, please?" "Spock, what happened down there?" "The girl, the wedding?" "Oh, yes, the girl." "Most interesting." "It must have been the combat." "When I thought I had killed the Captain, I found I'd lost all interest in T'Pring." "The madness was gone." " Kirk here." " Captain Kirk." "Message from Starfleet Command." "Top priority." "Relay it, Lieutenant." "Response to T'Pau's request for diversion of Enterprise to Vulcan hereby approved." "Any reasonable delay granted." "Komack, Admiral, Starfleet Command." "A little late, but I'm glad they're seeing it our way." "How about that T'Pau?" "They couldn't turn her down." "Mr. Chekov, lay in a course for Altair VI." "Leave orbit when ready." "Kirk out." "There's just one thing, Mr. Spock, you can't tell me when you saw Jim alive, you weren't on the verge of giving an emotional scene that would've brought the house down." "Merely my quite logical relief that Starfleet had not lost a highly proficient captain." " Yes, Mr. Spock." "I understand." " Thank you, Captain." "Of course, Mr. Spock." "Your reaction was quite logical." "Thank you, Doctor." "In a pig's eye." "Come on, Spock." "Let's go mind the store."