The Cloud Minders (episode)
From Memory Alpha, the free Star Trek reference.
| This article is written from the Real World point of view |
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| This article is written from the Real World point of view |
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| "The Cloud Minders" | ||
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| TOS, Episode 3x19 Production number: 60043-74 First aired: 28 February 1969 Remastered version aired: 12 July 2008 | ||
| ← | 75th of 80 produced in TOS | → |
| ← | 76th of 80 released in TOS | → |
| ← | 76th of 80 released in TOS Remastered | → |
| ← | 76th of 726 released in all | → |
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| Teleplay By Margaret Armen Story By David Gerrold and Oliver Crawford Directed By Jud Taylor | ||
| 5818.4 (2269) | ||
Kirk's efforts to obtain a vital mineral are complicated by terrorists striking at the beautiful cloud city Stratos and its virulent apartheid policies.
Contents |
[edit] Summary
A botanical plague threatens a planet, Merak II, near where the Enterprise is operating. Under Federation orders, the Enterprise is to go to Ardana, the only known source of a mineral called zenite, which can stop the plague.
Uhura receives a communication and informs Captain Kirk that the High Adviser of Ardana is ready to receive the landing party on Stratos, a cloud city. Kirk thinks there is a mistake because he expected to be beamed down to the mine entrance so they could collect the consignment of zenite and immediately leave for the plague-stricken planet.
Kirk informs Uhura to send the High Adviser his regrets that he won't be able to attend the welcoming ceremonies due to the emergency and that the landing party will beam directly down to the mine entrance.
After beaming down to a rocky desolate place, Kirk and Spock look up to admire Stratus, the city floating in the sky. Kirk admits to briefly visiting Ardana once before, while Spock mentions that art is the population's chief occupation and that Ardana is a totally intellectual society where all violence has been eliminated.
They stroll towards the nearby mine entrance where the zenite should have been delivered by the miners, but is not there. As they pause to consider the possibilities, they are each ensnared by leather loops that pin their arms to their chests.
Surprised, they turn around to find, at the end of the tethers, two people dressed in dusty jump-suits, wearing boots, gloves, bandanas, and goggle-like silver bands with a slit over their eyes; there are two more of these people nearby. In total, there are three men, all wearing red jumpsuits, and one woman, wearing a blue jumpsuit – Kirk and Spock are clearly outnumbered.
Kirk demands to know why he and Spock have been attacked. The woman in the group replies, "Interference breeds attack, Captain". Mistaking them for Stratos dwellers, Kirk explains the situation. Realizing the futility, he signals Spock with a glance and they begin fighting.
Spock is left to deal with the two men – one of them is already unconscious – while Kirk wrestles with the woman whose goggles have fallen off making it possible to identify her.
Three men, two of them dressed in sky-blue tunics, materialize on the platform where Kirk and Spock had previously beamed down. The third man, older and bearded, in flowing robes, yells for the fighting to stop while the other two draw weapons. The man again yells for surrender as the attackers withdraw. The guards shoot, striking one of the attackers; the woman and the other two attackers manage to escape into the mine.
The robed figure, flanked by the two guards, approaches Kirk and Spock and inquires if they have been harmed. Kirk admits to being a bit shaken up. The robed man introduces himself as the High Adviser of the Council and explains the situation – that the Troglytes are habitually violent – and the attackers will be found and punished.
Kirk asks about the missing zenite and the High Adviser explains that the Disrupters, a minority group of Troglytes, have confiscated it. He orders the guards to organize a search party to search for the missing zenite and invites Kirk and Spock to Stratos.
Kirk, Spock and the Adviser materialize on a balcony, with steps leading down from it. Spock comments that Stratos is the "finest example of sustained anti-gravity elevation" he has ever seen.
As they descend the stairs, a woman glides towards them. She is blond, wearing a shimmering, sky-blue gown – her shoulders and slim midriff are bare; her breasts are held in two strips of the shimmering cloth, which crosses at the neck and extends to a pleated train that trails behind her; a pair of beautiful earrings frame her delicate face.
She says to the High Adviser – calling him "Father" – that a Sentinel had informed her of the honored guests and that she came to meet them and extend greetings. She is introduced as, "one of our finest and incomparable works of art" – her name is Droxine. Kirk says hello while Spock serenely bows his head, clearly in awe of the beauty in his presence.
Droxine admits to never having met a Vulcan; Spock counters with never before having met a work of art. The Adviser shows them around and points out the art works assembled there and stops in mid-sentence as his eyes come upon a miner's tool embedded in one of the artworks.
He quickly becomes agitated and blames the Disrupters. Spock doesn't understand the actions of the Disrupters. The Adviser admits that they are doing it so that the Council will accede to their demands. Kirk asks what their demands are because the situation is clearly delaying the delivery of the zenite.
Spock and Kirk are invited to stay in a Rest Chamber while they wait for the zenite to be found. After they leave, two Sentinels struggle to bring a miner into the presence of the Adviser and his daughter who are at the balcony.
One of the guards informs them that the Troglyte was apprehended leaving the city without a transport card. The Adviser questions him and it is clear that the man is not answering truthfully. When confronted with the evidence of the cavern implement, he repeats his story that he came to make repairs and that he lost his repair permit in the struggle with the two Sentinels.
When the Adviser commands that the Troglyte be secured to the rostrum, the Troglyte breaks free, runs up the stairs past the surprised Droxine, and hurls himself off the balcony and falls to his death. The only thing the High Adviser can bring himself to say is, "How unfortunate."
In the luxuriously appointed resting chamber, Kirk is asleep on a bed while Spock reclines on a chair and meditates on the contrasts between the two classes that live on the planet. He suddenly stops, gets up and walks out of the room to surprise Droxine, who is pouring some drinks and expected that Spock would be resting. Spock admits that her movements awakened him. She apologizes and is clearly charmed that Vulcan ears are so sensitive to sound. Both Droxine and Spock fail to notice the woman that lurks behind some columns nearby and then enters the resting chamber.
While Droxine and Spock are distracted with each other, the woman, wearing a dark blue dress approaches the sleeping Kirk and draws a cavern implement. At the last possible moment, Kirk grabs her arm and in one swift move, pins her to the bed. She struggles to get free, to no avail and Kirk manages to knock the weapon from her hand. Kirk recognizes her as his attacker on the surface. After subduing her, Kirk insists that she answer his questions. When Kirk releases her after she promises not to attack him again, she again grabs the weapon and attempts to attack Kirk but is subdued.
Meanwhile, Droxine and Spock's discussion has arrived at Vulcan mating habits whose seven-year cycle curbs her intentions. They are sitting face to face, close to each other examining each other's features when Kirk's call for Spock interrupts them.
Kirk's attacker has now been disarmed and insists that murder was not her intent. When Droxine and Spock enter, it is clear that Kirk's attacker, named Vanna, is a servant on Stratos, who believes that the Enterprise and her crew have been called to Stratos to end the Disrupters' rebellion.
Droxine's and Vanna's conversation indicates that there are two classes of people and that the Stratos dwellers view the Troglytes as inferior, both intellectually and physically, and thus undeserving of any privileges.
After Vanna is taken away by a Sentinel, Kirk tries to understand the logic behind the mistreatment of the Troglytes. Droxine insists that the system, as it stands, is perfect and can see no reason to change it.
Vanna's hands are bound, behind her back, to a marble pillar that has an semi-circular arch in front, rising from the ground; Droxine and two Sentinels are also present. As some people stroll by, the High Adviser demands to know the names of the other Disrupters. When Vanna denies the existence of Disrupters, he realizes the futility of further questioning and switches on the rays, by clapping his hands twice. The semi-circular arch facing Vanna begins to emit a high-pitched wailing sound and multi-colored rays – Vanna is unable to look away or even shut her eyes.
Meanwhile, back at the Resting Chamber, as Spock explains the etymology of the ancient Earth-word, "troglyte" to Kirk, a scream from outside the room forces them to respond.
As they arrive, the torture stops and Vanna slumps unconscious. The High Adviser explains that physical discomfort is a most effective method of eliciting information. Droxine leaves after Spock disagrees with her again about the logic of the Stratos philosophy.
After some heated words and threats are exchanged between Kirk and the High Adviser, he orders the Sentinels to remove Vanna from the torture device and orders Kirk and Spock to return to the Enterprise or risk a diplomatic incident. After Kirk and Spock beam up, The High Adviser advises the Sentinels to kill Kirk if he ever sets foot on Stratos again.
While Kirk and Spock are again at the bridge of the Enterprise, Dr. McCoy comes to report some of his findings on the apparent differences between the cloud dwellers and the Troglytes. After some discussion, it becomes apparent that exposure to the gas emanating from unrefined zenite has deleterious effects on the mental function of the Troglytes. This would partly explain the Cloud Dwellers' prejudice against them. McCoy adds that the effects are fully reversible, and that simply wearing gas mask filters would inoculate the Troglytes from the effects of the gas. It is further postulated that since Vanna has passed a considerable amount of time at the city in the clouds, the effects of the gas on her are minimal, and is therefore in a position to lead the Troglyte uprising. Seeing that they now may have a bargaining chip to help persuade the Disrupters to give them the consignment of zenite, Kirk orders McCoy to acquire as many gas masks as he can.
Kirk, Spock, and McCoy at first approach the High Adviser to advise him of their findings, but his resolve is not moved by it at all. Moreover, he accuses Kirk of interfering with the workings of the local government. After the heated exchange, and seeing the obvious prejudice, Kirk asks to be beamed to Vanna's confinement cell, against the High Advisor's stern suggestion that he not return to Stratos.
Kirk, with gas mask in hand, is transported to the cell, where he tries to persuade Vanna. He promises her that after the zenite has been delivered, he will return to mediate the differences between the Cloud Dwellers and the Troglytes. At first, she too seems unmoved: "Hours can become centuries... and promises can become lies..." But in the end, Kirk seems to have gained her trust, and Vanna agrees to take him to the consignment, which is in a mine deep below the surface. As a sentinel arrives to deliver Vanna's refreshments, Kirk stuns him with his phaser. After appropriating the fallen sentinel's transport pass, they leave the cell.
Once they have made it into the subterranean zenite mine, Vanna strikes the mine wall with the implement as a signal, and two other Disrupters appear. But once Vanna has greeted them both, she orders them to subdue Kirk, takes his phaser, and places his communicator out of reach. She does not believe that an invisible and odorless gas has been keeping her people from functioning at the height of their potential. Now she has laid a trap, and has a very valuable hostage. She sends the two Disrupters away, one to transport the gas mask to the Cloud Dwellers' City, and another (who has half a mind to kill Kirk instead) to alert the other Disrupters of any officers who try to rescue Kirk. And she orders Kirk to mine the zenite, with his own bare hands.
Kirk knows that the effects of the gas are even now also getting to him, so he bides his time, knowing that with the two of them alone he may have a chance. Having somewhat placated Vanna by getting her to talk, he rushes at her, and takes his phaser from her. He shoots it at a nearby passageway, which loosens some heavy rocks and blocks the only exit. Vanna exclaims that Kirk has cut off their atmosphere, whereby Kirk replies that she seems to place a lot of importance on a gas that is also invisible.
After retrieving his communicator, he calls up the Enterprise. Spock asks about the captain's condition, and that of the zenite consignment. Kirk orders him to transport the High Adviser to Kirk's coordinates, without the High Adviser knowing. Spock sets to the task immediately, and works with Scotty to establish a transporter lock on the High Adviser. Spock is having some trouble, as the Adviser is at the moment inseparably close to another being. Scotty reminds Spock that the captain's orders were to be carried out immediately, whereupon Spock replies, "...the Captain will have to wait."
The other being is Droxine, who currently is discussing with her father the particulars of their recent guests, Kirk, and especially Spock. They are interrupted by the sentinel who had just recovered from Vanna's evacuated cell, and who brings the report of a gas mask having been found on the transporter. The Adviser then orders a search for Kirk, and sends Droxine away, but not before she asks her father whether their methods of dealing with the Troglytes are really the only correct recourse.
Spock, working with Scott, establish a transporter lock on the High Adviser, and transport him, first to the ship transporter room, and then to Captain Kirk's subterranean location.
One Earth hour later, the High Adviser hotly demands Kirk to be released from this predicament, but Kirk only forces both him and Vanna to mine the zenite with their bare hands. The High Adviser cannot stand any of this any longer, and challenges Kirk to a duel with the mining implements. Kirk accepts, and the two rumble on the mine floor. Vanna finally realizes that the gas does have an effect on even the High Adviser and on Kirk, who are descending into fits of rage. She grabs the communicator, and pleads to the Enterprise for help, to transport them away from this mine, else the two combatants kill each other. Spock orders it so, and once the three are on the transporter platform, Spock has to restrain Kirk and remind him of the effects of the zenite gas.
Having so graphically illustrated the effects of the gas to both Vanna and the High Adviser, Kirk gains the trust of Vanna and receives the consignment of zenite for the aid of the inhabitants of Merak II. He once again offers his assistance in mediating on the behalf of the Troglytes, referring them to the Federation Bureau of Industrialization. As for the High Adviser accusing Kirk of meddling with the affairs of local government, Kirk issues a counter-indictment of assaulting a Starfleet officer. The two seem to get into another heated exchange when Vanna steps in, this time as the cooler head; she suggests that the two just forget the equally vexing charges. Kirk agrees, and is transported away with the zenite awaiting a needy colony. Droxine looks on their departure thoughtfully.
[edit] Log Entries
- "Captain's log, stardate 5818.4. A botanical plague is devastating a planet in the quadrant of the galaxy where the Enterprise is operating at present. It threatens to destroy the vegetation on the entire planet, leaving it uninhabitable. At Federation orders, we're proceeding at top warp speed to the planet Ardana, where the only source of zenite exists. It is the one substance that can halt the plague."
- Log entry made by Commander Spock: "This troubled planet is a place of the most violent contrasts. Those who receive the rewards are totally separated from those who shoulder the burdens. It is not a wise leadership. Here on Stratos, everything is incomparably beautiful and pleasant. The high advisor's charming daughter, Droxine, particularly so. The name Droxine seems ... appropriate for her. I wonder, can she retain such purity and sweetness of mind, and be aware of the life of the people on the surface of the planet? There, the harsh life in the mines is instilling the people with a bitter hatred. The young girl, who led the attack against us, when we beamed down, was filled with the violence of desperation. If the lovely Droxine knew of the young miner's misery, I wonder how the knowledge would affect her."
- "Captain’s log, stardate 5819.0. More than eight hours have passed since the consignment of zenite disappeared and we have still found no trace of it. We received word from Merak II that the botanical plague is spreading rapidly. Delivery of the zenite is imperative within twelve hours, or all life on the planet will be annihilated."
- "Captain’s log, supplemental, stardate 5819.3. First Officer Spock reporting. Captain Kirk beamed down to Stratos to attempt to win the confidence of the rebel Troglytes. Unless he has made his escape from Stratos to the mines, his life is in danger from the high adviser. The captain has not informed us of his progress. For our part, we must maintain silence. We can be of no help to him without jeopardizing his life."
[edit] Memorable Quotes
"I have never before met a Vulcan, sir."
"Nor I a work of art, madam."
- - Droxine and Spock
"You sleep lightly, Captain."
"Yes, duty is a good teacher."
- - Vanna and Kirk
"You only take a mate once every seven years?"
"The seven-year cycle is biologically inherent in all Vulcans. At that time, the mating drive outweighs all other motivations."
"And is there nothing that can disturb that cycle, Mr. Spock?"
"Extreme feminine beauty... is always disturbing, madam."
- - Droxine and Spock
"Beam the high advisor down without warning, did he say?"
"That's not an exact quote, Mr. Scott. However, it does express the thought."
"I'd like to see the advisor's face."
"You'll have that opportunity."
"The captain did say immediately, did he not?"
"Now, that is an exact quote, Mr. Scott. And I suggest you handle the transporter yourself. This could be very delicate as a problem in transporting for us... and in diplomacy for the captain."
"Aye!"
- - Scotty and Spock
"I am high advisor of all the planet! I will take no more orders!!"
- - Plasus
"Dig!"
- - Captain Kirk, under the effect of zenite gas
"The Troglytes will no longer suffer from retardation and emotional difficulties."
"They will all be like her: ungrateful, vindictive!"
"Yes, our demands have just begun."
- - Kirk, Plasus, and Vanna
[edit] Background Information
- David Gerrold came up with the original story concept for this episode (called "Castles in the Air"), but it was changed greatly when brought to the screen. Gerrold hated the changes that were made and disowned the re-write. "Revolt" was another title used for the script before the final title was selected. The episode was filmed mid-November 1968.
- A line of dialog forgotten in the filming of this episode was dubbed in later by Shatner, but Kirk's mouth is not even moving as he says, "Who are you? What is the meaning of this attack?" Some recent telecasts have cut that line.
- The image of the planet river, seen from the Cloud City balcony, is the Hadramawt Plateau dry river basin in southern Saudi Arabia, taken by astronauts on the Gemini IV orbital mission in 1965. For the remastered effect, the distant mountains on the horizon are based on a different photo taken by astronauts on the International Space Station.
- Spock's "log entry" is an internal thought dialogue. Uniquely, clips from earlier in the episode are played as he thinks to himself.
- Fred "The Hammer" Williamson was a former professional football player.
- Garth Pillsbury had previously appeared as the devious Wilson in "Mirror, Mirror".
- Jeff Corey was one of Leonard Nimoy's acting teachers.
- When Garth Pillsbury leaps from the cloud city, his falling body is an animated figure receding into the distance, similar to Edmund Gwynn's fall from the Tower of London in "Foreign Correspondent".
- Spock is out of character in several segments of this episode. He tells Droxine that Vulcans pride themselves on their logic, yet pride is a Human emotion – as Amanda Grayson points out to Sarek in "Journey to Babel" . Moreover, as many have observed, Spock was extremely reluctant to talk about pon farr with his good friend the captain in "Amok Time", yet he freely discusses it with Droxine. An amusing irony of this conversation is that, as Spock discusses the mating drive with Droxine, Kirk is wrestling with Vanna.
- The pon farr mating cycle is revealed to be seven years. This wasn't specified in "Amok Time."
- There is a line of repetitive dialog in this episode: "For what purpose?" is asked by three different characters.
- The city of Stratos viewed from the planet's surface by Kirk and Spock was not a matte shot – it was simply a cut-out hung from the studio ceiling by a wire.
- Once again, Matt Jefferies managed to create a futuristic city with imaginative set design, all on a shoestring budget. Among the set decorations is an early fiber optic lamp.
- The covered dish containing Vanna's lunch is identical to the ones used aboard the Enterprise.
- The sliding bars to Kirk's cell on Stratos appear to be re-worked versions of the ones used in "By Any Other Name".
- Footage of Spock working the transporter as he beams up Kirk and Plasus is undercranked to make it look like the Vulcan is operating the device more quickly than normal.
- The torture machine used on Vanna ("the rays") is very similar to the agony booth of "Mirror, Mirror"
- The visual of the planet Ardana from orbit is reused footage previously representing Alfa 177 in "The Enemy Within", M-113 in "The Man Trap", The iron-silica planet in ""The Alternative Factor" and Argus X in "Obsession".
- It would seem that an as yet unavailable technology advancement, the site-to-site transport, would have been more appropriate to bring Plasus to the subterranean mine where Kirk and Vanna are located. Instead, Spock and Scott had to first beam him to the Enterprise, and then quickly beam his pattern to the mine, before he could realize what is going on.
- James Blish's novelized version of this episode is mistakenly titled "The Cloud Miners."
[edit] Production timeline
- Story outline by Oliver Crawford and David Gerrold, 24 June 1968
- Revised story outline, 10 July 1968
- Revised treatment by Margaret Armen, 2 August 1968
- Outline, 14 August 1968
- First draft teleplay, 27 September 1968
- Second draft teleplay, 21 October 1968
- Polished teleplay, 7 November 1968
- Filmed in mid November 1968
[edit] Video and DVD releases
- Original US Betamax release: 1988.
- UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, CIC Video): Volume 38, catalogue number VHR 2434, 4 February 1991.
- US VHS release: 15 April 1994.
- UK re-release (three-episode tapes, CIC Video): Volume 3.7, 2 February 1998.
- Original US DVD release (single-disc): Volume 37, 27 November 2001.
- As part of the TOS Season 3 DVD collection.
[edit] Links and References
[edit] Main Cast
- William Shatner as Kirk
- Leonard Nimoy as Spock
- DeForest Kelley as McCoy
- James Doohan as Scott
- Nichelle Nichols as Uhura
[edit] Guest Stars
- Jeff Corey as Plasus
- Diana Ewing as Droxine
- Charlene Polite as Vanna
- Fred Williamson as Anka
- Ed Long as Midro
- Kirk Raymone as Cloud Guard #1
- Jimmy Fields as Cloud Guard #2
- Garth Pillsbury as Troglyte Prisoner on Stratos
- Harv Selsby as Security Guard
- Lou Elias as Troglyte #1
- Marvin Walters as Troglyte #2
- Jay Jones as Prisoner #1
- Richard Geary as Cloud City Sentinel #1
- Bob Miles as Cloud City Sentinel #2
- William Blackburn as Hadley (uncredited)
- Paul Baxley as William Shatner's stunt double
- Ralph Garrett as Troglyte stunts
- Donna Garrett as Charlene Polite's stunt double
[edit] References
Ardana; Disrupters; dressmaker; Federation; Federation Bureau of Industrialization; filter mask; Merak II; mortae; rostrum; sentinel; Stratos; Stratos city-dweller; thong; transport card; Troglyte; zenite
[edit] External link
- The Cloud Minders at Memory Beta, the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
| Previous episode produced: "The Lights of Zetar" | Star Trek: The Original Series Season 3 | Next episode produced: "The Way to Eden" |
| Previous episode aired: "The Way to Eden" | Next episode aired: "The Savage Curtain" | |
| Previous remastered episode aired: "The Savage Curtain" | TOS Remastered | Next remastered episode aired: "Spectre of the Gun" |
