The Galileo Seven

TOS Season 1 Episode 16
Air Date: January 5th, 1967

This episode was about Spocks first command. It was of a shuttle craft. While on their way to Makus III to deliver medical supplies, The Enterprise discovers a quasar and decides they have time to investigate. Spock, McCoy, Scotty and 4 other crew take a shuttle craft to a planet near the quasar but some ionic interference causes them to crash. The Entperise doesn't know where they ended up so it becomes a needle in a haystack search with a deadline as they have to get the medical supplies delivered.

On the planet they get attcked by something that appeared apelike and through giant spears. As they are fixing the shuttle craft Spock and Scotty estimate that at least one person would have to be left behind if they hope to make orbit. It is this that create the controversy of Spocks command in that each person wonders who he will chose to stay behind. The issue becomes mute though in that two are killed and they run out of fuel anyway.

Using the phasers as a replacement fuel source they are able to get into orbit but the Enterprise is already leaving. Spock makes an emotional decision to dump the fuel to make a bright trail behind the shuttle craft which does get seen by the enterprise.