Sixties City: Turnabout Intruder

Dr. Janice Lester
Sandra Smith

Dr. Arthur Coleman
Harry Landers

Ensign Angela Martine
Barbara Baldavin

Mr. Lemli
Roger Halloway

The Enterprise, nearing the end of its five-year mission, receives a distress call from a group of archaeologists and scientists who are exploring the ruins of an extinct civilisation on the planet Camus II. The leader of the expedition, Dr. Janice Lester, has become ill from the effects of radiation poisoning. She and Kirk used to be close in Starfleet but their relationship turned sour when she became bitter about the fact that he had managed to become captain of a starship where she had failed.

Kirk, Spock and McCoy beam down to the encampment where they find Lester confined to bed. Kirk stays with her while the other two go with Dr. Coleman in search of the rest of the scientific team. Kirk is examining one of the alien artefacts they have discovered when Lester uses a remote control device to transfix him. Standing next to him by the alien machine their minds and life forces are transferred to each other's bodies.

Spock and McCoy return to report that the other expedition members, apart from Coleman, have already died. The five of them beam back to the Enterprise where Kirk's behaviour is unusual and soon starts to arouse suspicion, particularly when he orders the delay of a rendezvous with U.S.S. Potemkin in order to transport Lester to Venecia which only has very basic medical facilities. Spock goes to sickbay and mind-melds with Lester where he discovers what has occurred.

While trying to help Lester to escape they are caught by Kirk and a security team and Spock is arrested and charged with mutiny. A court martial is convened in which Spock can offer little in evidence to substantiate his story but Scotty and McCoy are bothered by Kirk's over-emotional behaviour towards Lester. They talk it over between themselves and decide that they believe Spock's story unlikely as it seems. However, their 'secret' conversation is monitored by Kirk and they, too, are charged with mutiny and sentenced to death*.

Kirk returns to the bridge but finds that the rest of the crew has turned against him. He orders Coleman to accompany him to the brig, where Lester is being held, in order to destroy Lester's body as the energy transfer seems to be weakening and there is a danger that the process will reverse itself, but they are too late. Now back in his own body, Kirk restrains a very weak and hysterical Janice Lester as she collapses. Leaving her, he returns to the bridge and the command of the Enterprise, where he belongs.

* The Death Penalty is still in operation in Starfleet but can only be invoked aboard a starship in cases where General Order Number Four has been violated.