Bem

TAS Season 2 Episode 2
Air Date: September 14th, 1974

Plot

The Enterprise is host to Commander Ari bn Bem of a planet they only recently met called Pandro. Bem was brought on as an observer to see how Starfleet operates. When the Enterprise approaches a planet to survey and possibly contact new life Bem is waiting in the transporter room. Kirk tries to convince him it is too dangerous for him to beam down but he insists. When they beam down, Kirk and Spock fall into a river due to a bad beam down spot. Bem uses this opportunity to replace Kirk and Spocks communicators and phasers with fakes by splitting into two pieces, one above water and one below.

When they detect some life forms ahead, primitives on the planet Bem runs ahead. Kirk and Spock chase him but eventually see he gets caught by the primitives. When Kirk and Spock try to rescue Bem, they get caught themselves and learn that their equipment is fake. Bem says that if they are as good as they are supposed to be they wouldn't need it but gives them back. This awakens a god like intelligence that tells Kirk to not use his weapons. The intelligence offers to let Kirk go, but by this time Bem has escaped so Kirk orders security officers down to find him. This angers the intelligence but Kirk reasons with her and they all get to safety. Bem learns a valuable lesson.

Quotes

"How come we always end up like this?" - Kirk

"I assume that's a rhetorical question, captain, not requiring an answer." - Spock