Star Trek: The Animated Series (1973–1975): Season 2, Episode 4 - Albatross - full transcript
Dr. McCoy is arrested and charged with causing an alien plague.
Space, the final frontier.
These are the voyages
of the Starship Enterprise.
lts five-year mission:
to explore strange new worlds,
to seek out new life
and new civilisations,
to boldly go
where no man has gone before.
Captain's Log, Stardate 5275.6.
Preparing to beam aboard
the Enterprise,
following the successful completion
of delivery of medical supplies
to the planet Dramia,
in the remote Dramian Star System.
We, of Dramia, wish to thank you
and the others of your Federation,
for your invaluable assistance,
Captain Kirk.
We hope, through our
medical assistance programs,
to develop and strengthen relations
with star systems
such as yours, Supreme Prefect.
Well, shall we?
Kirk to Enterprise.
Beam us aboard, Scotty.
-lf you would be so kind, Captain...
-Belay that, Mr Scott.
-Yes, sir?
-Commander Demos?
l have here a warrant for the arrest
and trial of one of your party, Captain.
Warrant? Who?
Read it, Captain.
''You are hereby directed to surrender
for trial by the people of Dramia,
''Dr Leonard McCoy, Medical Officer,
U.S.S. Enterprise."
ls this some kind of joke?
The wanton slaughter of hundreds
of people is not a joke, Captain.
Slaughter? Hundreds of people?
According to this,
Dr McCoy was responsible for a plague
which ravaged the planet Dramia ll
some 19 years ago, Captain.
-Let me see that.
-As you will note, Captain,
the warrant is perfectly in order,
approved by your own Federation.
Dr McCoy arrested?
For murder, Captain?
Sir, if you want me
and some of the men to beam down,
-just in case...
-No, Mr Scott. The warrant's legal.
Mr Spock and l
are at the Hall of Justice.
We'll keep you informed.
Your Dr McCoy headed
a mass inoculation program
on Dramia ll, 19 years ago.
When his force left,
a massive plague struck the planet,
killing most of its people.
That doesn't mean
he was responsible for it.
His trial will tell, Captain.
Trial? You mean kangaroo court!
l've heard about Dramian justice.
-Captain, you're becoming emotional.
-Of course l am!
Bones harming other beings.
You know better, Spock.
l know better. Not Bones.
l wish l could be as sure, Jim.
l... l just don't know.
-ls it possible that l really did?
-Nonsense!
The termination
of your inoculation program
and the subsequent outbreak of plague
could have been coincidence, Doctor.
-Or a tragic mistake on my part.
-l don't buy that, Bones.
-Guard!
-What now, Captain?
Some pre-trial investigation, Mr Spock.
On Dramia ll.
Do not be assured
by your friends' plans.
Dramian justice is swift,
too swift for them to save you, perhaps.
-Anything yet, Mr Spock?
-No, Captain.
The historical records
of this solar system are spotty, at best,
going back 19 years.
Mostly, they're technical data,
meteor showers, auroras,
radiation reports.
There it is.
''Plague, Dramia ll.
''Of unknown origin,
characterised by pigmentation changes
''in skin of victim, debilitation, death.
''Certain species known to have
natural immunity, notably, Vulcan.''
-lnteresting.
-Go on, Mr Spock.
-You are sure?
-Yes, Commander.
The Earth captain
is planning to visit Dramia ll,
-to investigate the case.
-Ready a patrol ship!
Captain's Log, Stardate 5275.8.
Underway for planet Dramia ll,
for investigation of McCoy case.
We are beyond subspace
communications with Starfleet.
Am proceeding under my own authority.
-Estimated time of arrival, Mr Sulu?
-Approximately four hours, Captain.
lncrease to warp 6, Mr Scott.
We may be racing against time,
-if l know Dramian justice methods.
-Aye, aye, Captain!
-Ship in pursuit, Captain.
-Origin?
l'd say Dramia, sir.
lt appears to be a one-man craft.
-Shall l make contact, sir?
-Yes. Belay that, Lieutenant.
You're planning something, Captain?
Unless l miss my guess,
that's friend Demos.
-What if he attacks, sir?
-Why should he?
We haven't contacted him,
so we must not have detected him.
He'd have to explain an attack.
Besides, he'll probably prefer
to sneak aboard,
seeing that we carelessly left
the hangar doors open.
But the hangar doors
aren't open, Captain.
Ah, yes. Take care of that oversight,
will you, Mr Sulu?
Now, now, Demos.
You're hardly in a position
to take on an entire crew.
And you are not in authority
to conduct an investigation
in our star system.
You will remind me
to report my conduct to the Federation,
-won't you, Mr Spock?
-Of course, Captain.
l demand that you report
to the Federation now!
l would, but unfortunately
we're out of communications range.
Then l will proceed to your starbase
and report your act.
Sorry, Commander.
Your ship is impounded.
-You are a stowaway, Commander.
-l have been tricked!
Captain's Log, Stardate 5275.9.
We are approaching Dramia ll,
where we hope to find the answers
concerning the question
of Dr McCoy's guilt or innocence.
Situation normal.
Aurora reported in the sector, however.
-Radiation level, Mr Sulu?
-lntense, Captain.
-Decidedly non-lethal, however.
-Good.
Then it's safe for us
to beam down to Dramia ll.
Shall we, gentlemen?
-You're sure it's safe, Captain?
-Absolutely.
Decidedly.
There's a difference, Captain.
Now, now, Mr Spock, you're not trying
to scare our Dramian friend, are you?
Of course, you can back out
if you'd like, Commander.
-l go.
-You heard the man, Mr Scott.
Not the most enchanting place
l've ever been to.
Plagues seldom leave behind
fields of flowers, Captain.
-Trouble?
-They do not like outsiders.
Surely you're not an outsider,
Commander. You're Dramian.
The distinction here
is between the world of the living
and the world of the walking dead.
lnhospitable or not,
he mustn't get away!
Wait!
He disappeared!
lt's almost as if he dematerialised.
Not likely, Captain.
l would advise against that, Captain.
l'm sure you won't mind
if l ignore your advice.
Caution would seem
to be advisable, Captain.
Bones' life is on the line, Mr Spock.
Cave dwellers?
ln the midst of your civilisation?
A result of your Dr McCoy
and his inhumane methods.
You say it, Demos, but that doesn't...
He attacked you
because you are an Earthling, Captain,
even as was McCoy.
But how did he survive the plague?
He, like the others who remain here,
was away at the time.
They returned to their planet
to find that their families
had succumbed to the plague.
He and a few others,
senseless in their grief,
chose to live here, in desolation.
You see, Captain,
there were no actual survivors.
You are wrong, there was a survivor.
l, Kol-Tai, survived.
By what miracle, l do not know.
Then you can tell us.
Do you remember?
l remember people all about me,
becoming blue in colour, then green
and finally red.
The pigmentation changes
associated with the disease
in our computer records, Captain.
Kol-Tai.
Dr McCoy, do you remember him?
The Earth doctor. He saved my life.
He treated me for Saurian virus.
A man who saves
does not also kill, Commander.
Beam us aboard, Mr Scott. Quickly.
Aye, aye, sir.
-Let's get underway for Dramia.
-Sir, who is that?
Meet Kol-Tai, Mr Scott.
A friend of Dr McCoy's.
Warp 6, Scotty.
l'll pour on the coal, Captain.
-Mr Spock?
-Yes, Captain?
How's our number one passenger
doing?
-Clean, fed, in good health, and resting.
-Good.
We want him to be a sterling witness.
-Approaching Dramia, Captain.
-Let's hope the trial hasn't started.
-Captain.
-Yes, Mr Spock, what is it?
-The trial may be academic.
-Academic?
Yes, Captain. Kol-Tai is turning blue.
The plague!
Set up an immediate quarantine,
Lieutenant.
He's hardly fit
to testify at the trial, Captain.
-We've got to save him!
-For McCoy's sake.
Yes, for McCoy's sake.
And for Kol-Tai's sake, too.
You see, Commander,
we do place a value on life, all life!
-Does that shock you, Commander?
-lt is not that. lt is...
Captain, you're blue.
Mr Spock, take command.
Captain's Log, Stardate 5276.4.
We are in orbit
around the planet Dramia,
under the conditions
of general quarantine.
As Commanding Officer, l have ordered
the activation of General Order 6.
-General Order 6 has been activated?
-Yes, sir.
lf everyone on board has perished
at the end of 24 hours,
the ship will self-destruct
in order to protect other beings
from the disease on board.
Good. Report to Sickbay, Mr Sulu.
But, sir, who will monitor?
l assure you l am capable, Mr Sulu.
Mr Spock...
-Captain, your condition.
-We have to get McCoy.
Must find an antidote.
This is the Enterprise.
l must speak with the Supreme Prefect.
Why do you speak,
and not your Captain?
The Captain and all of the crew
members are incapacitated.
The plague is aboard the Enterprise.
-Demos?
-The same.
You must release Dr McCoy
temporarily.
He is needed to find an antidote.
No.
We have a witness in McCoy's behalf.
You must trust me.
Let the witness speak.
lmpossible. He, too, is stricken.
Demos cannot speak,
the witness cannot speak.
Yet you wish us
to release the prisoner, McCoy.
Your treachery is transparent, Vulcan.
-Got to get McCoy.
-lf you'll permit me, Captain,
-l might be able to get McCoy.
-Spock, you're sure...
l can't infect the planet, Captain.
And l can get McCoy.
-Spock! What in the world...
-Later, Doctor.
Spock, have you and Jim
gone out of your minds?
Why, this is a jailbreak!
-Doctor, just come with me, please.
-No, Spock!
lt's illegal, that's what it is!
Besides, l must stand trial.
l have to find out.
Doctor, you will stand trial,
you will find out,
after you've found an antidote
for the plague
which is about to kill everyone
aboard the Enterprise.
-Plague? Why didn't you tell me?
-You wouldn't give me a chance.
You realise, Doctor, if you go,
and fail to find an antidote,
you, too, will die.
l'm a doctor, Spock, a doctor!
Get us beamed aboard!
Beam us aboard, Captain.
Jim!
-Anything, Spock?
-Negative, Doctor.
The file on all known diseases
doesn't recognise these symptoms
of pigmentation changes.
Blast it, Spock, work harder!
They're in the terminal stage.
My readings keep shifting.
lt must be the activity
of that blasted aurora!
Bones, that's it.
Aurora, changing colour.
Jim? Aurora? What...
Spock, feed in the data
That's it, Doctor.
The colour change symptoms
were misleading the computer.
Because they were caused
by the aurora!
Spock, there was an aurora
19 years ago. l remember...
Which brought on the particular plague,
just as this aurora has brought it on.
l didn't do it!
Spock, the disease, what is it?
What's the antidote?
That's the problem, Doctor.
There is no known antidote.
However, Doctor,
do you remember a certain Kol-Tai?
A man you treated for Saurian virus?
Yes, l think l do.
But what has that got to do
with anything?
Possibly nothing.
However, Kol-Tai did survive
the first plague.
Spock, l see what you mean!
Saurian virus antibodies in his blood,
that's what made him immune.
l presume, Doctor, that you have
a supply of live Saurian virus antibodies
in your laboratory?
-Bones, you did it!
-Again.
Thank you, Doctor.
Captain's Log, Stardate 5276.8.
Preparing to beam aboard
the Enterprise,
following the Dramian ceremonies
honouring Dr Leonard McCoy
for his significant achievements
in the field of interstellar medicine.
We of Dramia
wish to thank you, Doctor,
for your discovery of the antidote
which frees us from future attacks
of the auroral plague.
Thank Mr Spock, too. And Captain Kirk.
We will even forget about the
unorthodox manner
of your release, Doctor.
And we'll forget about
a certain stowaway.
We must apologise.
l think it's time we got aboard ship,
isn't it, Jim?
-Beam us aboard, Mr Scott.
-Aye, aye Captain.
Gentlemen, l don't know about you,
but l'm ready to get back to Starbase.
-Yes, sir!
-And l'm ready to get back
to some of that monotonous,
old, routine Sickbay work!
lncluding, l would hope,
some of that monotonous,
old dispensing of the regular
vitamin rations to the crew.
What is that supposed to mean?
Well, you have been derelict
in your duties of late, Doctor.
Spock, you know as well as l do
what we've all just been through.
Hippocrates would not have approved
of lame excuses, Doctor.
Why, that... That...
Jim,
if l'm ever in jail again,
don't send that Vulcan to release me.
Just let me rot!
These are the voyages
of the Starship Enterprise.
lts five-year mission:
to explore strange new worlds,
to seek out new life
and new civilisations,
to boldly go
where no man has gone before.
Captain's Log, Stardate 5275.6.
Preparing to beam aboard
the Enterprise,
following the successful completion
of delivery of medical supplies
to the planet Dramia,
in the remote Dramian Star System.
We, of Dramia, wish to thank you
and the others of your Federation,
for your invaluable assistance,
Captain Kirk.
We hope, through our
medical assistance programs,
to develop and strengthen relations
with star systems
such as yours, Supreme Prefect.
Well, shall we?
Kirk to Enterprise.
Beam us aboard, Scotty.
-lf you would be so kind, Captain...
-Belay that, Mr Scott.
-Yes, sir?
-Commander Demos?
l have here a warrant for the arrest
and trial of one of your party, Captain.
Warrant? Who?
Read it, Captain.
''You are hereby directed to surrender
for trial by the people of Dramia,
''Dr Leonard McCoy, Medical Officer,
U.S.S. Enterprise."
ls this some kind of joke?
The wanton slaughter of hundreds
of people is not a joke, Captain.
Slaughter? Hundreds of people?
According to this,
Dr McCoy was responsible for a plague
which ravaged the planet Dramia ll
some 19 years ago, Captain.
-Let me see that.
-As you will note, Captain,
the warrant is perfectly in order,
approved by your own Federation.
Dr McCoy arrested?
For murder, Captain?
Sir, if you want me
and some of the men to beam down,
-just in case...
-No, Mr Scott. The warrant's legal.
Mr Spock and l
are at the Hall of Justice.
We'll keep you informed.
Your Dr McCoy headed
a mass inoculation program
on Dramia ll, 19 years ago.
When his force left,
a massive plague struck the planet,
killing most of its people.
That doesn't mean
he was responsible for it.
His trial will tell, Captain.
Trial? You mean kangaroo court!
l've heard about Dramian justice.
-Captain, you're becoming emotional.
-Of course l am!
Bones harming other beings.
You know better, Spock.
l know better. Not Bones.
l wish l could be as sure, Jim.
l... l just don't know.
-ls it possible that l really did?
-Nonsense!
The termination
of your inoculation program
and the subsequent outbreak of plague
could have been coincidence, Doctor.
-Or a tragic mistake on my part.
-l don't buy that, Bones.
-Guard!
-What now, Captain?
Some pre-trial investigation, Mr Spock.
On Dramia ll.
Do not be assured
by your friends' plans.
Dramian justice is swift,
too swift for them to save you, perhaps.
-Anything yet, Mr Spock?
-No, Captain.
The historical records
of this solar system are spotty, at best,
going back 19 years.
Mostly, they're technical data,
meteor showers, auroras,
radiation reports.
There it is.
''Plague, Dramia ll.
''Of unknown origin,
characterised by pigmentation changes
''in skin of victim, debilitation, death.
''Certain species known to have
natural immunity, notably, Vulcan.''
-lnteresting.
-Go on, Mr Spock.
-You are sure?
-Yes, Commander.
The Earth captain
is planning to visit Dramia ll,
-to investigate the case.
-Ready a patrol ship!
Captain's Log, Stardate 5275.8.
Underway for planet Dramia ll,
for investigation of McCoy case.
We are beyond subspace
communications with Starfleet.
Am proceeding under my own authority.
-Estimated time of arrival, Mr Sulu?
-Approximately four hours, Captain.
lncrease to warp 6, Mr Scott.
We may be racing against time,
-if l know Dramian justice methods.
-Aye, aye, Captain!
-Ship in pursuit, Captain.
-Origin?
l'd say Dramia, sir.
lt appears to be a one-man craft.
-Shall l make contact, sir?
-Yes. Belay that, Lieutenant.
You're planning something, Captain?
Unless l miss my guess,
that's friend Demos.
-What if he attacks, sir?
-Why should he?
We haven't contacted him,
so we must not have detected him.
He'd have to explain an attack.
Besides, he'll probably prefer
to sneak aboard,
seeing that we carelessly left
the hangar doors open.
But the hangar doors
aren't open, Captain.
Ah, yes. Take care of that oversight,
will you, Mr Sulu?
Now, now, Demos.
You're hardly in a position
to take on an entire crew.
And you are not in authority
to conduct an investigation
in our star system.
You will remind me
to report my conduct to the Federation,
-won't you, Mr Spock?
-Of course, Captain.
l demand that you report
to the Federation now!
l would, but unfortunately
we're out of communications range.
Then l will proceed to your starbase
and report your act.
Sorry, Commander.
Your ship is impounded.
-You are a stowaway, Commander.
-l have been tricked!
Captain's Log, Stardate 5275.9.
We are approaching Dramia ll,
where we hope to find the answers
concerning the question
of Dr McCoy's guilt or innocence.
Situation normal.
Aurora reported in the sector, however.
-Radiation level, Mr Sulu?
-lntense, Captain.
-Decidedly non-lethal, however.
-Good.
Then it's safe for us
to beam down to Dramia ll.
Shall we, gentlemen?
-You're sure it's safe, Captain?
-Absolutely.
Decidedly.
There's a difference, Captain.
Now, now, Mr Spock, you're not trying
to scare our Dramian friend, are you?
Of course, you can back out
if you'd like, Commander.
-l go.
-You heard the man, Mr Scott.
Not the most enchanting place
l've ever been to.
Plagues seldom leave behind
fields of flowers, Captain.
-Trouble?
-They do not like outsiders.
Surely you're not an outsider,
Commander. You're Dramian.
The distinction here
is between the world of the living
and the world of the walking dead.
lnhospitable or not,
he mustn't get away!
Wait!
He disappeared!
lt's almost as if he dematerialised.
Not likely, Captain.
l would advise against that, Captain.
l'm sure you won't mind
if l ignore your advice.
Caution would seem
to be advisable, Captain.
Bones' life is on the line, Mr Spock.
Cave dwellers?
ln the midst of your civilisation?
A result of your Dr McCoy
and his inhumane methods.
You say it, Demos, but that doesn't...
He attacked you
because you are an Earthling, Captain,
even as was McCoy.
But how did he survive the plague?
He, like the others who remain here,
was away at the time.
They returned to their planet
to find that their families
had succumbed to the plague.
He and a few others,
senseless in their grief,
chose to live here, in desolation.
You see, Captain,
there were no actual survivors.
You are wrong, there was a survivor.
l, Kol-Tai, survived.
By what miracle, l do not know.
Then you can tell us.
Do you remember?
l remember people all about me,
becoming blue in colour, then green
and finally red.
The pigmentation changes
associated with the disease
in our computer records, Captain.
Kol-Tai.
Dr McCoy, do you remember him?
The Earth doctor. He saved my life.
He treated me for Saurian virus.
A man who saves
does not also kill, Commander.
Beam us aboard, Mr Scott. Quickly.
Aye, aye, sir.
-Let's get underway for Dramia.
-Sir, who is that?
Meet Kol-Tai, Mr Scott.
A friend of Dr McCoy's.
Warp 6, Scotty.
l'll pour on the coal, Captain.
-Mr Spock?
-Yes, Captain?
How's our number one passenger
doing?
-Clean, fed, in good health, and resting.
-Good.
We want him to be a sterling witness.
-Approaching Dramia, Captain.
-Let's hope the trial hasn't started.
-Captain.
-Yes, Mr Spock, what is it?
-The trial may be academic.
-Academic?
Yes, Captain. Kol-Tai is turning blue.
The plague!
Set up an immediate quarantine,
Lieutenant.
He's hardly fit
to testify at the trial, Captain.
-We've got to save him!
-For McCoy's sake.
Yes, for McCoy's sake.
And for Kol-Tai's sake, too.
You see, Commander,
we do place a value on life, all life!
-Does that shock you, Commander?
-lt is not that. lt is...
Captain, you're blue.
Mr Spock, take command.
Captain's Log, Stardate 5276.4.
We are in orbit
around the planet Dramia,
under the conditions
of general quarantine.
As Commanding Officer, l have ordered
the activation of General Order 6.
-General Order 6 has been activated?
-Yes, sir.
lf everyone on board has perished
at the end of 24 hours,
the ship will self-destruct
in order to protect other beings
from the disease on board.
Good. Report to Sickbay, Mr Sulu.
But, sir, who will monitor?
l assure you l am capable, Mr Sulu.
Mr Spock...
-Captain, your condition.
-We have to get McCoy.
Must find an antidote.
This is the Enterprise.
l must speak with the Supreme Prefect.
Why do you speak,
and not your Captain?
The Captain and all of the crew
members are incapacitated.
The plague is aboard the Enterprise.
-Demos?
-The same.
You must release Dr McCoy
temporarily.
He is needed to find an antidote.
No.
We have a witness in McCoy's behalf.
You must trust me.
Let the witness speak.
lmpossible. He, too, is stricken.
Demos cannot speak,
the witness cannot speak.
Yet you wish us
to release the prisoner, McCoy.
Your treachery is transparent, Vulcan.
-Got to get McCoy.
-lf you'll permit me, Captain,
-l might be able to get McCoy.
-Spock, you're sure...
l can't infect the planet, Captain.
And l can get McCoy.
-Spock! What in the world...
-Later, Doctor.
Spock, have you and Jim
gone out of your minds?
Why, this is a jailbreak!
-Doctor, just come with me, please.
-No, Spock!
lt's illegal, that's what it is!
Besides, l must stand trial.
l have to find out.
Doctor, you will stand trial,
you will find out,
after you've found an antidote
for the plague
which is about to kill everyone
aboard the Enterprise.
-Plague? Why didn't you tell me?
-You wouldn't give me a chance.
You realise, Doctor, if you go,
and fail to find an antidote,
you, too, will die.
l'm a doctor, Spock, a doctor!
Get us beamed aboard!
Beam us aboard, Captain.
Jim!
-Anything, Spock?
-Negative, Doctor.
The file on all known diseases
doesn't recognise these symptoms
of pigmentation changes.
Blast it, Spock, work harder!
They're in the terminal stage.
My readings keep shifting.
lt must be the activity
of that blasted aurora!
Bones, that's it.
Aurora, changing colour.
Jim? Aurora? What...
Spock, feed in the data
That's it, Doctor.
The colour change symptoms
were misleading the computer.
Because they were caused
by the aurora!
Spock, there was an aurora
19 years ago. l remember...
Which brought on the particular plague,
just as this aurora has brought it on.
l didn't do it!
Spock, the disease, what is it?
What's the antidote?
That's the problem, Doctor.
There is no known antidote.
However, Doctor,
do you remember a certain Kol-Tai?
A man you treated for Saurian virus?
Yes, l think l do.
But what has that got to do
with anything?
Possibly nothing.
However, Kol-Tai did survive
the first plague.
Spock, l see what you mean!
Saurian virus antibodies in his blood,
that's what made him immune.
l presume, Doctor, that you have
a supply of live Saurian virus antibodies
in your laboratory?
-Bones, you did it!
-Again.
Thank you, Doctor.
Captain's Log, Stardate 5276.8.
Preparing to beam aboard
the Enterprise,
following the Dramian ceremonies
honouring Dr Leonard McCoy
for his significant achievements
in the field of interstellar medicine.
We of Dramia
wish to thank you, Doctor,
for your discovery of the antidote
which frees us from future attacks
of the auroral plague.
Thank Mr Spock, too. And Captain Kirk.
We will even forget about the
unorthodox manner
of your release, Doctor.
And we'll forget about
a certain stowaway.
We must apologise.
l think it's time we got aboard ship,
isn't it, Jim?
-Beam us aboard, Mr Scott.
-Aye, aye Captain.
Gentlemen, l don't know about you,
but l'm ready to get back to Starbase.
-Yes, sir!
-And l'm ready to get back
to some of that monotonous,
old, routine Sickbay work!
lncluding, l would hope,
some of that monotonous,
old dispensing of the regular
vitamin rations to the crew.
What is that supposed to mean?
Well, you have been derelict
in your duties of late, Doctor.
Spock, you know as well as l do
what we've all just been through.
Hippocrates would not have approved
of lame excuses, Doctor.
Why, that... That...
Jim,
if l'm ever in jail again,
don't send that Vulcan to release me.
Just let me rot!