Star Trek (1966–1969): Season 1, Episode 9 - Dagger of the Mind - full transcript

Ready to beam down.

Energize.

Energize.

Having trouble, gentlemen?

I just don't understand
the problem, sir.

You're beaming cargo down
to a penal colony, Mr. Berkeley.

- Their security force field, sir.
- USS Enterprise to Tantalus Colony.

Rehab colony, come in.

Request opening in your force field
for beaming down of cargo.

Enterprise, affirmative.
Our security cover is now open.

Energize.



Any incoming cargo?

Just one item, sir.
Some research material

bound for the Central Bureau
of Penology, Stockholm.

Tantalus cargo ready to beam up.

Oh, Mr. Berkeley.

You might refamiliarize yourself
with the manual

- on penal-colony procedures.
- Immediately, sir.

I think you can take the time
to lock this up first.

I'll get a vault assignment.

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.



Captain's log, stardate 2715.1.

Exchanged cargo with penal colony
on Tantalus V.

Have departed
without going ashore.

I would like to have met Dr. Adams.

Have you been to a penal colony since
they started following his theories?

- A cage is a cage, Jim.
- You're behind the times, Bones.

They're more like
resort colonies now.

Message, captain.
Switching to speaker.

Tantalus Colony to Enterprise.

We are unable
to locate one of our inmates.

This is a potentially violent case.

Possibly hidden in the box
we beamed up to you.

Repeat. Unable to locate
one of our inmates.

- This is a potentially violent case.
- Enterprise acknowledging. Stand by.

Security alert three.

Security alert. Condition three.
All sections go to alert condition three.

We may have an intruder aboard.

Repeat. All sections to
alert condition three. Intruder aboard.

Hey, you from Engineering.

Bridge, section C, deck 14.

Captain, section C, deck 14,
reporting trouble.

Someone in Engineering uniform.

Security control, this is the bridge.
Come in.

I have them, captain. Closing off
deck 14, search in progress.

Security alert. Condition three.

Approximately 6'4", male, early 40s.
Approach with caution.

This man, extremely dangerous.

Repeat, approach with
extreme caution. Bridge out.

Negative in the deck area, captain.
He may have gotten out.

Expanding search
to adjoining sections.

- Enterprise to Tantalus Colony.
- Tantalus Colony, Adams here.

Dr. Adams? This is Captain Kirk.

It appears we may have
an inmate of yours aboard the ship.

Transporter crewman
found unconscious, captain.

Cargo case open and empty.

Make that definite, doctor.
He's aboard.

Terribly sorry, captain.
I take all the blame. Let me repeat.

He's clever as well as extremely
violent. Take all possible precautions.

We'll keep you posted, doctor.
Kirk out.

All sections.
Security check in progress. Report.

Over-changer, affirmative.

Confirm alert conditions.
Section operational ready.

Interesting.

You Earth people glorify
organised violence for 40 centuries,

but you imprison those
who employ it privately.

And of course,
your people found an answer.

We disposed of emotion, doctor.

Where there's no emotion,
there's no motive for violence.

Where's the captain?

- Which one of you is the captain?
- I'm Captain Kirk.

My name is...

...Van Gelder.

I want asylum.

At gunpoint?

I want your promise first.

Your word that you won't
take me back there.

To Tantalus.

No promises.

- Give me the weapon.
- No.

No. No, I'm not going back.

I'll disable your vessel first.
You choose, captain.

I'll destroy your control panel.

Take him to Sickbay.

Reverse course.

Head back for Tantalus Colony.

Abnormal, of course.

It's not schizophrenia,
tissue damage

or any condition I'm acquainted with,
Jim. And after getting him here,

it took almost a triple dose
of sedative to put him under.

The report said
he was quite talkative.

But not very informative.

Claim one thing,
then he seemed to forget,

and then he'd start
to claim something else.

But always with
just a ring of truth in it.

I'd sure like to study this one, Jim.

- Not our problem, Bones.
- You smug, button-pushing brass hat.

Wash your hands of it.
Is that your system?

You're both quite sure of yourselves,
aren't you? Quite expert.

Take him back.
Let someone else worry about him.

- What did you say your name was?
- My name?

My name is...

Simon...

...Van Gelder.

I was the director of...

Director...

...at the Tantalus Colony.

See what I mean?

I was graduate of...

Of...

I was assistant to...

I knew...

I knew...

But they've erased it.

Erased?

Edited.

Adjusted.

Subverted me.

But I won't forget!
I won't forget!

You're so blind ignorant. You believe
I belong back there, don't you?

Dead or alive.
Well, I won't let you take me back.

I'm not going. I'll die first.

Do you hear? I'm not going.

No. No. No

Estimating arrival to Tantalus?

Fifty-seven minutes,
30 seconds, captain.

What's so fascinating?

An identification tape
from our ship's library

on Dr. Simon Van Gelder.

- Dr. Van Gelder?
- Dr. Van Gelder, captain.

No mistake.
There's a full ID tape on him.

- Committed to Tantalus Colony when?
- Assigned there.

Six months ago,
as Dr. Adams' associate.

Ship to surface. Tantalus Colony.

- Hailing frequency's open, sir.
- USS Enterprise to Tantalus Colony.

Tantalus.

This is Captain Kirk.
I'd like to speak to Dr. Adams.

Stand by, Enterprise.

Captain Kirk. Dr. Adams here.

Dr. Adams,
regarding your escaped man.

Is Dr. Van Gelder all right?
And your people, no injuries?

No casualties, sir.

- This man is Dr. Simon Van Gelder?
- Yes, of course.

You're certain he's all right?
We've been very concerned.

- In the violent state he's in...
- No harm to him, sir.

We thought you might enlighten
us as to his condition.

He'd been doing some
experimental work, captain.

An experimental beam we'd hoped
might rehabilitate incorrigibles.

Van Gelder felt
he hadn't the moral right

to expose another man to something
he hadn't tried on his own person.

- Tragedy, doctor...
- Jim.

That doesn't quite ring true.

Dr. Adams, please stand by.

Explain.

I don't believe him.

I can't explain it,
but the more I study that patient...

You don't believe him,
and you can't explain it.

Bones, are you aware
that in the last 20 years

Dr. Adams has done
more to revolutionise,

to humanize prisons
and the treatment of prisoners

than all the rest of humanity
had done in 40 centuries?

I've been to those penal colonies

since they've begun
following his methods,

- and they're not cages anymore.
- Jim.

They're clean, decent hospitals
for sick minds.

- Jim, listen...
- Gentlemen.

I suggest you ask Dr. Adams
if he wants Van Gelder returned.

- Dr. Adams, regarding Van Gelder.
- Yes, captain.

May I enquire
about your patrol destinations?

Are you passing near any
hospital facilities superior to ours?

I'd like Van Gelder to have
the best possible treatment, of course.

Thank you, doctor. I'll take it up
with the ship's surgeon. Stand by.

Well, Bones, you've got the ball. You
care to recommend a better place?

There are no superior facilities.
He knows that.

But that's not the question.

If something unusual
is going on down there...

An assumption, doctor.

I'm required to enter any
reasonable doubts into my medical log.

That requires you
to answer in your log.

Sorry, Jim.

Dr. Adams.

This is rather embarrassing.

By strict interpretation
of our starship regulation,

I'm required to initiate
an investigation of this

- so that a proper report...
- No need to apologise, Captain Kirk.

In fact,
I'd take it as a personal favour

if you'd beam down
and look into it yourself.

I'm sure you realise
we don't get too many visitors here.

Oh, l...

Captain, I would appreciate it

if you could come down
with a minimum staff.

We're forced to limit
outside contact as much as possible.

Affirmative, doctor.

I've visited rehab colonies before.
Enterprise out.

Find me someone in your department
with psychiatric

and penology experience,
if possible.

Yes, sir.

Captain's log, stardate 2715.2.

Standard orbit, planet Tantalus V.

Mission:
Routine investigation and report

as per ship's surgeon's medical log.

As for my last entry, it seems
I will get to meet Dr. Adams at last.

However, I would have preferred
other circumstances.

Sickbay.

Report, doctor.

Van Gelder is still
violently agitated, captain.

And you'd prefer to keep him here until
I complete my investigation, anyway.

I believe we should, Jim.

Oh, I'm assigning you
technical aid, captain.

One of our psychiatrists does have a
background in rehabilitative therapy.

Dr. Noel. Standing by
in the Transporter Room now.

Thank you, doctor.
Bridge out. Mr. Spock.

- Coordinates?
- Locked in, sir. Ready to beam down.

Dr. Helen Noel, captain.

We've met.

Don't you remember?

- The Science Lab Christmas party.
- Yes, I remember.

- You dropped in.
- Yes. Yes, I remember.

Problem, captain?

Mr. Spock, you tell McCoy
that she had better check out

as the best assistant I ever had.

Energize.

Energize.

In here, I presume, doctor.

Perhaps it would be simpler
if you called me Helen, captain, since...

This is another time,
another place and another situation.

Of course, captain.

Elevator.

And going down quite a way.

I wouldn't recommend it
for weak hearts.

Hello, Captain Kirk.

- And?
- Dr. Helen Noel.

- A pleasure to finally meet you, sir.
- Thank you. Thank you, captain.

- Welcome to Devil's Island, doctor.
- Perhaps you'll call me Helen, doctor.

With so many titles around, we're not
gonna be sure who's talking to who.

- I shall indeed. Won't you?
- Thank you.

I believe regulations call
for me to check my weapon.

Oh, no, no. That won't be necessary
in your case, captain.

Just keep it out of sight, huh?

I know you people feel
as naked without a weapon

as we do without a medikit.

A small toast. Do you mind?

It's such a great day for us here
on Tantalus when we have visitors,

- no matter what the excuse.
- Doctor...

Oh, now, captain, you made your
apology from upstairs. Now forget it.

I don't think you'll be able to get
through the security screen, captain.

Just a second.

Here, now try it.

- Kirk to Enterprise. Come in.
- Enterprise. Spock here.

Your landing coordinates
were right on the nose, Mr. Spock.

We arrived safely, and we're here
with Dr. Adams right now. Kirk out.

Affirmative, captain. Enterprise out.

Lethe. Come in.

Lethe, this is Captain Kirk
and Dr. Helen Noel.

Lethe came to us for rehabilitation
and stayed on as a therapist.

And a very good one too,
I might add.

I love my work.

Go right ahead, captain.

Before you came here?

I was another person.
Malignant, hateful.

May I ask
what crime you committed?

Does it matter?
That person no longer exists.

Part of our cure, if you will, captain,
is to bury the past.

Why should a person go on living with
unbearable memories if there's no..?

Oh, I feel quite sure that you'd concur
with me in that, doctor...

Helen.

A shifting of memory patterns
is basic to psychotherapy.

Yes. And now to the toast.

You'll forgive us, Lethe?
There you are, captain.

To all mankind.

May we never find space so vast,

planets so cold,

heart and mind so empty

that we cannot fill them
with love and warmth.

Quite a tour, doctor.
Very impressive.

Thank you.

Hey, Karl.

- Doctor?
- Yes.

I was afraid you'd ask
about this, captain.

One doesn't like to talk about
their personal failures, you know.

Just an experiment
that went wrong, I'm afraid.

May I see it?

If something hasn't worked out
and therefore has no scientific value...

Shall we leave it up to the doctor?

Since you brought me down here
for advice, captain...

One of the advantages
of being a captain, doctor,

is being able to ask for advice
without necessarily having to take it.

I think I'll have to award that round
to the captain, Helen.

You're fighting over your weight.
All right, let's take a look.

I'm not a criminal.

I do not require...

...neural neutraliser.

Neural neutraliser?

Can you explain that,
Dr. Van Gelder?

A room.

A device.

Door.

Control panel.

Ceiling.

A device.

- A light! Light!
- This room, what happens there?

A neural neutraliser.

Experimental. Actually, we don't expect
to get much use out of it at all.

That beam from above
neutralizes brain waves.

Relaxes the patient's mind.
Does him no harm, of course,

- and the effects are only temporary.
- One question, doctor.

- If it doesn't do any good...
- Why do we go on using it, captain?

Hope. Yes. Yes, there's always
that slight chance that

it might do some good
in the more violent cases.

Tranquilizers are fine, captain.

But to continually pump chemicals
into a person's bloodstream...

Exactly my point, Helen. Yes.
Shall we?

- How does it work?
- Quite simple.

Off-on switches.

The large control here
changes the strength

of the brain-neutralising beam.

Captain.

You remind me of the ancient sceptic
who demanded of the wise old sage

to be taught all the world's wisdom
while standing on one foot.

Beam neutralising has been
experimented with on Earth, captain.

I'm not acquainted with
this particular style of equipment,

but I can assure you that Dr. Adams

has not created a chamber
of horrors here.

I didn't mean to suggest that he had.

The reason I asked, sir,

was you haven't mentioned where
Dr. Van Gelder's injury occurred.

Right here, captain.

Yes.

Simon was a very stubborn man.

He could have sat in that room for
years with the beam at that volume,

or even higher. Or if he simply had
someone standing by

to snap it off
in case he got into trouble. But no.

He tried it alone and on full volume.

It is a pity.

Thank you.

You will forget all you have heard.

To remember any portion of it,
any word, will cause you pain.

Terrible pain, growing more terrible
as you fight to remember.

Can you give us
your present location, captain?

In Dr. Adams' study,
Mr. Spock. Why?

- Then you're with Dr. Adams now?
- Affirmative.

Captain.

Van Gelder has made reference
to a particular treatment room.

The term was "neural neutraliser."

Yes, he was injured there.
I've seen the room.

Dr. Adams explained
the mistake Van Gelder made.

Go ahead, Mr. Spock.
Anything further?

Your Mr. Spock sounds like
a very excellent

second in command, Captain Kirk.

Please tell him
to go ahead and speak freely.

I have to check in
with a member of my staff, anyway.

- Thank you, Dr. Adams.
- Excuse me.

Stand by, Mr. Spock.

Dr. Adams has left
with some things to attend to.

What is it, Mr. Spock?

Van Gelder
is extremely agitated, captain,

and warns that you're in danger.

That's foolish.

Please repeat, captain.
I didn't receive that.

Tell McCoy the technical expert
he sent along with me

insists that any concern
is unjustified.

According to Adams,
Van Gelder created his own problem.

He's suffering from
neural synapse damage.

As if his brain were short-circuited.
It's no wonder he's having delusions.

McCoy here.
Received and understood.

But we still have
some doubts up here, captain.

Can you tell us any more?

Not really.

When do you plan
to beam back up, captain?

I think we'll spend
the night here, Mr. Spock.

No! No, no, no.

And you will continue
to check in every four hours?

Affirmative.

Kirk out.

No! No, no, don't let them.

You must warn your captain.
No. No.

Don't let him stay. Don't let him stay.

Don't. No, no, don't hypo me.
Please, don't hypo me.

I'll try not to fight.

I'll try.

But you must listen.

Warn your captain. Dr. Adam...

Dr. Adams...

...will destroy...
- Destroy how? What?

Like death.

Enterprise log,
First Officer Spock, acting captain.

I must now use
an ancient Vulcan technique

to probe into Van Gelder's
tortured mind.

Spock, if there's
the slightest possibility it might help.

I have never used it
on a human, doctor.

If there's any way
we can look into this man's mind

to see if what he's saying
is real or delusion...

It's a hidden, personal thing
to the Vulcan people.

Part of our private lives.

Now, look, Spock,
Jim Kirk could be in real trouble.

Will it work or not?

It could be dangerous.

Do you understand?

It requires I make pressure changes
in your nerves, your blood vessels.

You must open my mind.

Let me warn you, explain to you.

This will not affect you, Dr. McCoy.
Only the person I touch.

- It is not hypnosis.
- I understand.

Good. The reading's levelling.

You begin to feel
a strange euphoria.

Your body floats.

Yes.

I begin to feel it.

Open your mind.

We move together.

Our minds sharing
the same thoughts.

- Good evening.
- Good evening.

What did you think of the inmates
we saw here this afternoon?

You could have waited
until tomorrow morning

- to ask me that, captain.
- I didn't.

I thought they were happy,
well-adjusted.

But a bit blank.

Captain, if you're questioning the
methods of a man like Tristan Adams...

I'd like to see that
treatment room again.

You say you're somewhat familiar
with the theory behind it?

Yes, somewhat,

but if you'd simply state
any doubts you have to Dr. Adams...

If he's lying, he'll continue to lie,
and I won't find out a thing.

The only way I can be sure
is to see that machine at work.

Or is that too impractical
and unscientific of me, doctor?

- Well?
- Coming.

What is our name?

Who are we?

We are Simon Van Gelder.

Dr. Adams,

the neural neutraliser.

What did he do to us?

He can reshape
any mind he chooses.

He used it to erase our memories,

put his own thoughts there.

He was surprised
it took so much power.

We fought him, remember?

But we grew so tired.

Our mind so blank, so open

that any thought he placed there
became our thoughts.

Our mind so empty,

like a sponge needing thoughts,

begging, empty.

Loneliness.

So lonely to be sitting there empty.

Wanting any word from him.

- Love.
- Yes.

- Hate.
- Yes.

- Live.
- Yes.

- Die.
- Yes.

Such agony, to be empty.

Empty.

Lonely.

- Lonely.
- So empty.

So empty.

I have no desire
to damage my brain.

Can this be handled
with reasonable safety, yes or no?

Yes.

And will you be able to determine

if that beam is harming me
in the slightest?

Yes, captain. I know my profession.

Ready?

We'll try minimum intensity.
A second or two.

Anytime you're ready, doctor.
Just for a second or two.

We already tried it
for that long, captain.

Nothing happened.

Something happened.
Your face went completely blank.

Try a harmless suggestion.

You're hungry.

When we finally
get through with this,

I'd like to locate and raid
a kitchen somewhere.

I put that suggestion
in your mind, captain.

I said simply that you were hungry.

Remarkably effective for a device
that Dr. Adams was going to abandon.

- I think we should try this again.
- Yes. Pick something unusual.

An unusual suggestion.
Something we can both be sure of.

At the Christmas party,

we met, we danced.

You talked about the stars.

I suggest now that it happened
in a different way.

You swept me off my feet
and carried me to your cabin.

Merry Christmas.

Captain, if your crew
saw you carry me here...

My crew is sworn to secrecy.

But my reputation.
I mean, just having met like this.

Of course, it would be different
if you cared for me.

You want me to manufacture a lie?

Wrap it up
as a Christmas present for you?

No.

I prefer honesty.

Now Captain Kirk is going to have
a complete demonstration.

I want there to be no doubts
whatsoever in his mind.

You're madly in love
with Helen, captain.

You'd lie, cheat, steal for her.

- Sacrifice your career, your reputation.
- No, doctor. No.

The pain. Do you feel it, captain?

You must have her,
or the pain grows worse.

The pain, the longing for her.

Helen.

For years you've loved her, captain.

- For years.
- For years. I've loved you.

You must continue
to remember that, captain.

And now she's gone.

Helen.

Helen, don't go.

I need you, Helen.

Now, captain, you must take
your phaser weapon

and drop it on the floor.

Captain, the pain increases
unless you obey me.

I must...

...drop it.

Very good, captain.

Very good, indeed.
And now your communicator.

Drop it on the floor.

Kirk to Enterprise.

Kirk...

...to Enterprise.

No!

They've taken you
from the room, captain.

You're in your own quarters now.

Helen.

Helen, for years I've loved you.

Helen.

- Try to remember.
- I've loved you.

- He placed all that in your mind.
- For years.

Remember. Dr. Adams took
the controls away from me.

Do you remember the pain?
And then his voice? Remember?

Yes.

Yes.

I remember.

I remember.

Helen.

Look.

The duct.

The duct.

Give me a hand here. Pull.

Air conditioning.

It has to connect
with other ducts and tunnels.

You can get through this.
It might lead to the power supply.

Short-circuited, it would cut off
the security force field.

Have you had any training
in hyper-power circuits?

No.

Megavoltage.

Touch the wrong line,
and you're dead.

Anything's better
than Adams' treatment room.

Time for another treatment?

Please don't fight me, captain.

The pain only gets worse
when you doubt me.

- You believe in me completely.
- I believe in you.

And you trust me completely.

I...

...trust you.

Excellent, captain.
I compliment you.

Do you know Dr. Van Gelder
was down on his hands and knees,

sobbing at this point?

It's so gratifying.

I'm so fortunate to have had a couple
of excellent specimens to work with.

I've learned a great deal.

The woman doctor.
She's gone, Dr. Adams.

Notify security at once, Lethe.

- Where is she, captain?
- L...

- Don't know.
- Where did you send her?

And with what instructions?

I...

...don't know.

- Emergency channel D.
- It's no good, Mr. Spock.

- I can't break through their force field.
- Keep trying.

Get him back in the chair, Eli.
And find that girl.

Mr. Spock, the force field is gone.

I can send you right to
the source of the interruption.

Get some security people
and follow me down.

Energize.

Enterprise, this is Spock.
Force field has been eliminated.

Captain.

Captain?

- Helen, are you all right?
- Yes.

Oh, this isn't right, captain.

Dr. Adams did this to you.

Dr. Adams?

Dr. Adams.

The treatment room. Follow me.

Jim.

The power came up.

He's dead, captain.

The machine wasn't on
high enough to kill.

But he was alone.

Can you imagine
the mind emptied by that thing?

Without even a
tormentor for company?

I understand.

All sections.
Security check in progress. Report.

Oh, captain, there was a message
from Tantalus Colony, sir.

It was from Van Gelder.

He thought you'd like to know the
treatment room had been dismantled,

the equipment destroyed.

Thank you.

It's hard to believe
that a man could die of loneliness.

Not when you've sat in that room.

Take us out of orbit, Mr. Spock.

Ahead warp factor 1.

Acknowledged, captain.
Warp factor 1.