Star Trek (1966–1969): Season 1, Episode 18 - Arena - full transcript

When an alien race known as the Gorn destroys an Earth colony, the Enterprise pursues the fleeing Gorn vessel until another race of powerful aliens called the Metrons intervenes and forces Captain Kirk and the Gorn captain to face off in one-on-one combat in which the winner will be released and the loser destroyed along with his ship and crew.

You'll enjoy Commodore Travers.

He sets a good table.

I wonder if he brought his personal
chef with him to Cestus III.

Probably.
Rank hath its privileges.

- How well we both know that, huh?
- [Intercom Whistles]

Scotty. Kirk here.

Travers,Jim. We're waiting.

Good, Commodore.
We're on our way.

Besure to bring along
your tactical people.

I've got an interesting
problem for them.

We'll beam down immediately,
Commodore. Kirk out.



Captain, I wonder why he's insistent
that our tactical aides come down.

His colony is isolated, exposed,
out on the edge of now here.

He probably wants
additional advice.

- Perhaps, but never the less--
- Spock, isn't it enough...

the commodore is famous
for his hospitality?

I, for one, could use
a good nonreconstituted meal.

Doctor, you are a sensualist.

You bet your
pointed ears I am.

Ready whenever
you are, Captain.

Energize.

Kirk to Enterprise, red alert.

- What is it, Captain?
- Cestus III has been destroyed.

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.

Full alert.

Tricorder readings, Mr. Spock:
life detection.

Those messages we got, Captain,

the one directing
us here yesterday--

Faked. All this happened
several days ago.

Lang, over there.
Look for survivors.

Kelowitz, that way.

O'Herlihy, stick with me.

Captain, impulses that direction--

Very weak,
possibly a survivor.

Come on, Bones.

Captain's log,
Stardate 3045.6--

The Enterprise
has responded to a call

from Earth observation
outpost on Cestus III.

On landing,
we have discovered

that the outpost
has been destroyed.

Captain, over there.

Careful, careful.

Shock, radiation burns,
internal injuries for certain.

- He's in a bad way, Captain.
- Keep him alive, Bones.

I want to know what's
been happening here.

Getting another
life reading, Captain.

Survivors?

Not survivors--
not warmblooded.

Living creatures,
but not human.

Where?

Azimuth 93 degrees,

range 1,570 yards.

O'Herlihy.

Captain, I see something.

[Shell Falls]

[Explosion]

[Shell Falls]

O'Herlihy!

[Explosion]

Kirk to Enterprise,
lock on transporters. Beam us up.

Captain,
we're coming under attack--

Unidentified ship
quartering in.

We can't beam you up.

I've just rigged up
defensive screens.

Keep those screens up.
Fire all phasers.

Firing phasers, Captain.

Alien has screens up, too.

Take all action necessary
to protect the ship.

We'll hold out here.

Are you
under attack, Captain?

We could drop screens.

Keep those screens up.

Worry about us
when the ship is safe.

Kirk out.

[Shell Falls]

[Explosion]

If they lower those screens
to beam us up,

they'll be open
to phaser attack.

We're hopelessly
outnumbered here, Captain.

With those disruptors versus
our hand phasers--

We're stuck with it,
Mr. Spock.

We'll have to make do
with what we've got.

Kelowitz, Lang, flank out.

Lay down fire on coordinates
Mr. Spock gave you--

even if you don't see them.

Keep your heads down.

We're helpless down here,

and the Enterprise--

Sulu's an experienced
combat officer.

It's my ship, Mr. Spock.
I should be there.

We can't even
get at them.

Nor can they at us
at the moment.

Not unless they move
their original position...

to that intervening high ground.

You remember the layout
of this place, the arsenal?

About 100 yards
in that direction.

But after an attack
as thorough as this one--

I'll risk it.

[Explosion]

[Shell Falls]

[Shell Falls]

[Explosion]

Kirk here. Report.

Captain, are you all right?

Never mind me.
What about the ship?

We returned fire
with all phaser banks--

Negative against his
deflector screen.

Arm your photon torpedoes.

Aye, aye, sir.

Arm photon torpedoes.
Stand by.

-Identification on attacking vessel?
-No, sir.

Doesn't correspond with any
configuration we're familiar with.

We can't get visual contact.
She's too far away.

Mr. Sulu,
photon torpedoes locked on.

Photon torpedoes
locked on, Captain.

Fire all banks.

All banks fired, sir.

Sulu--

[Static]

Sulu, our communications
are being interfered with.

[Shell Falls]

Now get this straight.

You do anything
you think necessary

to protect the ship--

Leave orbit, maximum warp, anything.
Clear?

Clear, Captain, but you--

Never mind about me.
Protect my ship.

Yes, sir.

Photon torpedoes negative,
Captain.

I'm warping out of orbit.

Good. Contact me
when you can. Kirk out.

[Shell Falls]

[Explosion]

- How is he, Doctor?
- He'll be dead in halfan hour...

if we don't get him
some decent care.

[Tricorder Sounds]

They're moving.
I've got to get to the captain.

[Shell Falls]

Locked on to the enemy, Captain.

They're moving
toward the high ground.

They've locked on
to my tricorder.

[Explosion]

Very ingenious.
They fed back my impulses...

and built up an overload.

We'll see
how ingenious they are.

Here. Give me a hand
with this grenade launcher.

- Lang!
- Any word from the Enterprise?

Sulu's taken her out oforbit.

They got Lang, sir.

Did you see them?

No, sir.

An evaluation, Mr. Kelowitz.

Where do you think they are?

If I were them, I'd go
to the high ground on the right.

I'd make it 1,200 yards,

azimuth 87.

It's pretty close for one
of these little jewels, Captain.

It'll be a lot closer to them.
Stand clear.

[Communicator Beeps]

Kirk here.

Captain, the alien's withdrawing.

She'sat extreme range,
but our sensors indicate...

she just activated
her transporters.

Lock on to the alien, Mr. Sulu.
I don't want to lose her.

Aye, aye, sir.

Our screens are down.
We can beam you up now, sir.

I want a search party
of 30 medical personnel...

beamed down immediately
to search for survivors.

Notify the transporter room.
Lock onto us. We're beaming up.

Aye, aye, sir.

Captain's log, supplement.

We have beamed back
to the Enterprise...

and immediately set out inpursuit
of the alien vessel.

Appear she aded toward a largely
unexplored section of the galaxy.

Can you tell me what happened?

Scanners reported
a ship approaching.

We get them now and then. They're
all welcome to use our facilities.

- You know that.
- Yes, I know.

They came in
space-normal speed,

using our regular
approach route, but...

they knocked out our phaser
batteries with their first salvo.

From then on
we were helpless.

We weren't expecting anything!
Why should we?

We didn't have anything
anyone would want.

Easy. Easy.

They poured it on like...

like phasers, only worse,
whatever they were using.

I--I tried to signal them.
We called up.

Tried to surrender.
We had women and children.

I told them that!
I begged them!

They wouldn't listen.

They didn't let up
for a moment.

Lieutenant, the Enterprise
received two messages,

ostensibly from Cestus III.

One for the Enterprise
to go there,

and the other for myself
and my tactical crew...

to beam down to the surface.

They hit us a full day before
you got there, Captain.

No messages
came from us, Captain.

Why did they do it?

Why?

Why did they do it?

There has to be a reason.

There has to be a reason!

It was a trap--

Getting the Enterprise
to come to Cestus III,

getting us and our
whole crew to come ashore.

Very clever.
As to the reason--

The reason
is crystal clear.

The Enterprise
is the only protection...

in this section
of the Federation.

Destroy the Enterprise,
and everything is wide open.

You allude to invasion, Captain,
yet positive proof--

I have all the proof I need
on Cestus III.

Not necessarily.
Several possible explanations--

How can you explain
a massacre like that?

No, Mr. Spock, the threat
is clear and immediate.

Invasion.

Very well, then.

If that's the case,

you must make certain
that the alien vessel...

never reaches its home base.

I intend to.
If we can keep them in the dark...

as to our strength,

they'll never dare
move against us.

- Captain to helms man.
- Sulu here, sir.

- Is the alien still making warp 5?
- Affirmative, sir.

- Initiate warp 6.
- Affirmative, sir.

Overtake.
Phaser banks...

Iock on to the enemy vessel.

Stand by for firing orders.

[Siren]

All hands, this is the captain.

We are going into battle.

All hands, battle stations.

Red alert.

I repeat, red alert.

This is no drill.

This is no drill.

Captain's log,
Stardate 3046.2.

We are in hot pursuit...

of the alien vessel which destroyed
the Earth outpost on Cestus III.

- Mr. Depaul.
- Yes, sir.

Position.

22.3 parsecs beyond
latest chart limits, sir.

All scanners lock
into computer banks.

I want a complete
record of this.

Mr. Spock, what do we have
on this general area?

Virtually nothing, Captain.

No records of any explorations.

There are rumors of certain strange
signals on subspace channels.

However, none has
ever been recorded.

Anything on
intelligent life forms?

Nothing specific, Captain.
Unscientific rumors only.

More like... space legends.

Mr. Sulu,
status, alien vessel.

They must be aware
we're after them, sir.

They've gone
to warp 6 also.

Warp factor 7.

Aye, aye, sir.

Something the matter,
Mr. Spock?

A sustained warp 7 speed
will be dangerous, Captain.

Thank you, Mr. Spock.

-I mean to catch them.
-We'll either catch them or blow up.

They may be faster
than we are.

They'll have to prove it.

Yes, Mr. Spock?

-You mean to destroy the alien ship.
-Of course.

I thought perhaps the hot pursuit
alone might be sufficient.

Destruction
may be unnecessary.

Colony Cestus III has been
obliterated, Mr. Spock.

The destruction
of the alien vessel...

will not help
that colony,Jim.

If the aliens go unpunished,

they'll be back,

attacking other
Federation installations.

I merely suggested that
a regard for sentient--

There's no time for that.

It's a matter of policy.

Out here, we're the only
policemen around.

And a crime
has been committed.

Do I make myself clear?

Very clear, Captain.

I'm delighted, Mr. Spock.

Report, Mr. Sulu.

Alien ship maintaining interval,
Captain.

Now at warp 7.

Warp factor 8.

Aye, aye, sir.

Captain to phaser banks.

All components
at battle ready.

All banks primed.

Aft phaser to Bridge.

Alert status.
All weaponsat operational ready.

Captain.

Yes, Mr. Sulu.

Closing on target, sir.

Good. Mr. Depaul.

- Yes, sir.
- Our position.

2279 pl, sir.

Uncharted solar system at 2466 pm.

Is it on
the alien's course?

No, sir.

He's headed away from it.

Captain, sensors report
we're being scanned.

By the alien ship?

No, sir.
It's from that solar system ahead.

Any interference,
resistance?

No, sir,
Just scanning beams.

It's on
an unusual wave length.

Mr. Spock?

It would appear
someone is curious about us.

Mr. Sulu.

Is the alien still heading away
from that solar system?

Yes, sir.
We're closing, sir.

Lieutenant Uhura, anything further
on those scanning beams?

There's no hostility, sir.

They're not tractors
or weapons ofany sort,

Just increasing in intensity.

Steady.

Regular.

It's growing stronger, sir.

Captain!

Yes, what is it?

The alien...
it's slowing down.

Warp 5...4...2.

It's going sublight, sir.

Sir?

It's stopped dead in space.

He may be turning to fight.

No, sir.

They're just dead out there.

Are you sure?

Yes, sir.

Unmoving.

Then we've got him!
Go to red alert.

Prepare to fire phaser banks.
Sensors lock on.

Mr. Sulu, continue closing.
Mr. Spock--

Lock phasers into computer.
Computers will control attack.

Computer lock ready, Captain.
All systems standing by.

Range is 1810...

1760...

Range is 1700...

1640...

Range is 1590...

1550 and closing, sir.

[Crash]

Warp 6... Warp 5...

4... Warp 3...

Warp 1 .

Sublight, Captain.

We're stopped, Captain.

It's impossible, but...

It's impossible.

Warp 8?
Have you lost your mind?

Same as the alien, Captain.

- Mr. Scott, report.
- We're dead, Captain.

Locked up.
Frozen tight.

All propulsion systems
read zero.

Life systems?

They're all normal, sir--

Atmosphere, heat, light,
no variance.

Phaser banks. Report.

We're all in operative
here, Captain.

No power at all.

No faulty circuits
I can find.

Just no power.

Damage Control, report.

All systems report normal, Captain.
No ascertainable damage.

Then what is it?

I don't know, sir,
but whatever it is, we cannot move.

We're being held
in place, Captain,

apparently
from that solar system.

This far out?
That's impossible.

We are being held.

Tractor beam?

No, sir,
an unidentifiable power.

[Male Voice]
We are the Metrons.

You are one of two crafts...

which have come into our space
on a mission of violence.

This is not permissible. Yet we have
analyzed you and have learned...

that your violent tendencies
are inherent.

So be it.
We will control them.

We will resolve your conflict...

in the way most suited
to your limited mentalities.

Captain James Kirk.

This is Kirk.

We have prepared a planet
with a suitable atmosphere.

You will be taken there...

as will the Captain of the Gorn ship
which you have been pursuing.

There you will
settle your dispute.

I... don't understand.

You will be provided with
a recording-translating device,

in hopes that a chronicle
ofthis contest...

will serve to dissuade others
of your kind...

from entering our system--

but you will not be permitted
to communicate with your ship.

You will each
be totally alone.

What makes you think
you can interfere--

It is you who are interfering.

We are simply
putting a stop to it.

The place we have
prepared foryou...

contains sufficient elements
for either ofyou...

to construct weapons lethal enough
to destroy the other,

which seems
to be your intention.

The winner ofthe contest
will be permitted...

to go his way unharmed.

The loser,
along with his ship,

shall be destroyed
in the interests of peace.

The contest will be one
of ingenuity against ingenuity,

brute strength
against brute strength.

The results will be final.

-Just a min--
- There will be no discussion.

It is done.

Aah!

He's gone.

[Roaring, Hissing]

The Enterprise
is dead in space,

stopped cold
during her pursuit

of an alien raider
by mysterious forces,

and I have been somehow
whisked off the bridge

and placed on the surface
of an asteroid,

facing the captain
of the alien ship.

Weaponless,

I face the creature
the Metrons calleda Gorn--

Large, reptilian.

Like most humans,

I seem to have an instinctive
revulsion to reptiles.

I must fight to remember
that this is

an intelligent,
highly advanced individual--

the captain ofa starship,
like myself,

undoubtedly a dangerously
clever opponent.

[Hissing]

[Growling]

[Hissing]

[Growling]

[Growling]

[Hissing]

You tried overload?

Aye, sir.
It does no good.

How about bypassing
the transformer banks--

feed the impulse engines
directly?

I tried that, sir--

Nothing.

Lieutenant Uhura,
have sensors learned anything...

about the nature ofthe force
which holds us here?

No, sir. They report they emanate
from that solar system ahead.

No indication
of its composition--

gravimetric, magnetic,
electronic?

Nothing, sir.

This is Captain James Kirk

of the Starship Enterprise.

Who ever finds this...

please get it
to Star fleet Command.

I'm engaged
in personal combat...

with a creature
apparently called a Gorn.

He's immensely strong.

Already he has with stood
attacks from me...

that would have killed
a human being.

Fortunately, though strong,
he is not agile.

The agility, and I hope
the cleverness, is mine.

The Metrons, the creatures
that sent us both here,

said that the surface
of the planet...

provides the raw material...

to construct... weapons.

There's very little here--
scrub brush, rocks,

an abundance
of mineral deposits--

but no weapons
in the conventional sense.

Still, I need to find one.

Bare-handed...

against the Gorn...

I have no chance.

Leave channel one open,
Lieutenant, just in case.

Aye, aye, sir.

What are you going to do,
Mr. Spock?

I'm going to wait, Doctor.

There is little else I can do.

What about the captain?

If I could help him, I would.

I cannot.

Now, you're the one that's
always talking about logic.

What about some logic now?

Where's the captain, Mr. Spock?

He's out there, Doctor--

out there somewhere...

in 1,000 cubic
parsecs ofspace,

and there's absolutely
nothing we can do to help him.

[Growling, Chuckling]

A large deposit of diamonds
on the surface--

perhaps the hardest substance
known in the universe,

beautifully crystallized
and pointed,

but too small to be
useful as a weapon.

An incredible fortune
in stones...

yet I would trade them all
for a hand phaser,

or a good solid club.

Yet the Metrons said
there would be weapons...

if I could find them.

Where?

- [Gorn Growling]
- What kind?

[Growling, Hissing]

[Growling]

[Gorn Growling]

[Hissing]

[Growling]

[Hissing]

This is the U.S.S. Enterprise
calling the Metrons.

Our channels are open.
Come in, please.

We urgently desire
a conference.

Please answer.

This may be my last entry.

I am almost exhausted.

Unless I find the weapon
the Metron mentioned...

I have very little time left.

Native sulfur, diamonds.

This place is
a mineralogist's dream.

Yet...

there is something...
about sulfur.

Something very old.
Something--

[Growling]

If only I could remember.

The ship, our engines,
our weapons...

it'sjust inconceivable
that we are immobilized.

But it has happened, Doctor.

We are the Metrons.

Your captain
is losing his battle.

We would suggest you make...

whatever memorial arrangements,
if any,

which are customary
in your culture.

We believe you have
very little time left.

We appeal to you in the name
of civilization.

Put a stop to this.

Your violent intent
and actions...

demonstrate
that you are not civilized.

However, we are not
without compassion.

It is possible you may have
feelings toward your captain.

So that you will be able
to prepare yourself,

we will allow you
to see and hear...

what is now transpiring.

[Hissing]

If there were only some way
we could contact him.

Yes, indeed, Doctor,
if only there were.

Notice the substance
encrusting that rock.

Yes.

Unless I'm mistaken,

it's potassium nitrate.

So?

Perhaps nothing, Doctor.

Perhaps everything.

Earthling!

Captain!

Who is this, the Metron?

This is your opponent,
Earthling.

I have heard every word
you have said.

All right.
What do you want?

I'm weary of the chase.

Wait for me.

I shall be merciful and quick.

Like you were at Cestus III?

You were intruding!

You established an outpost
in our space.

You butchered
helpless human beings--

We destroyed invaders,

as I shall destroy you!

Can that be true?

Was Cestus III an intrusion
on their space?

It may well be possible, Doctor.

We know very little about
that section of the galaxy.

Then we could be
in the wrong.

Perhaps.

That is something
best decided by diplomats.

The Gorn simply might have been
trying to protect themselves.

Yes.

[Gorn Snarls]

[Hissing]

Fascinating.

Good.

Good.

He knows, Doctor.

He has reasoned it out.

[Gorn Snarls]

Yes.

Yes.

What is it, Spock?

An invention, Doctor.

First potassium nitrate,

and now if he can
find some sulfur...

and a charcoal deposit
or ordinary coal...

What's he doing?

Diamonds--
the hardest known substance.

Impelled by sufficient force,

they would make
formidable projectiles.

What force?

Recall your basic chemistry,
Doctor.

Gunpowder.

Captain, let us be reasonable.

You have lost!

Admit it to yourself!

Stop running!

Coal.

[Hissing]

Can he do it?

If he has the time, Doctor.

If he has the time.

[Hissing]

[Growling]

No.

No, I won't kill you.

Maybe you thought you were...

protecting yourself...

when you attacked the outpost.

No, I won't kill him!

Do you hear?

You'll have to get
your entertainment someplace else!

You're a Metron?

Does my appearance
surprise you, Captain?

You seem more like a boy.

I am approximately
1,500 of your Earth years old.

You surprise me, Captain.

How?

By sparing your helpless enemy--

who surely would
have destroyed you--

you demonstrated
the advanced trait of mercy,

something we hardly expected.

We feel there may be
hope for your kind.

Therefore you will
not be destroyed.

It would not be... civilized.

What happened to the Gorn?

I sent him
back to his ship.

If you like,
I shall destroy him for you.

No. That won't be necessary.

We can talk...

maybe...

reach an agreement.

Very good, Captain.

There is hope for you.

Perhaps in
several thousand years,

your people and mine...

shall meet
to reach an agreement.

You are still halfsavage,

but there is hope.

We will contact you
when we are ready.

[Uhura]
Captain!

Are you all right?

I don't know.

I don't know.

All right, everybody.
Back to your posts.

Let's get out of here.

Captain.

Mr. Sulu.

It's impossible, but...

there's Sirius over there
when it should be here.

And Canopus...

and Arcanis.

We're--

All of a sudden,
we're clear across the galaxy,

500 parsecs from where we are--
I mean, were.

I mean--

Don't try and figure it out,
Mr. Sulu.

Just plot a course for us
back to Cestus III.

Aye, aye, sir.

After you touched off
your primitive cannon, Captain,

we lost the picture
the Metron was sending us.

- You saw what happened down there?
- Most of it.

I would be interested in knowing
what finally happened.

We're a most promising
species, Mr. Spock...

as predators go.
Did you know that?

I've frequently had my doubts.

I don't.

Not anymore.

And maybe in
a thousand years or so,

we'll be able to prove it.

Never mind, Mr. Spock.

It doesn't make
much sense to me either.

Take us back to where
we're supposed to be, Mr. Sulu.

Warp factor 1 .

Warp factor 1 .

A thousand years, Captain?

Well, that gives us
a little time.