Murder on the Enterprise Express! Not quite, but Journey to Babel managed to be a solid murder mystery with a story about Spock's struggles with his father and his people along for the ride. In addition to meeting Spock's father Sarek we also meet his human mother Amanda. I think of Sarek as a regular, but this is actually his only appearance in TOS. This episode also introduces several other alien races previously only mentioned in passing greatly expanding the lore of Trek.
The episode opens with the ship crowded with diplomats on their way to a conference to discuss the inclusion of a valuable mining world into the Federation. Kirk and Spock personally greet the Vulcan ambassador who Kirk discovers is Spock's father Sarek. Sarek doesn't seem pleased to see Spock, even for a Vulcan. Amanda explains to Kirk that Sarek wanted Spock to follow in his footsteps rather than join Starfleet, but Spock only ever felt truly at home in the multiracial world of Starfleet. At a social gathering of ambassadors the Tellarite ambassador Gav confronts Sarek about how he will vote on inclusion, but Sarek refuses to answer and Gav storms off. Later Gav returns and confronts Sarek again and it gets heated this time. Gav again storms off and is found dead soon after.
Examining the body Spock explains that Gav's neck was broken in a way traditional to Vulcans. The confront Sarek, who refuses to explain what he was doing on classic Vulcan, "we do not discuss such things with outsiders," excuse. Sarek then collapses and McCoy discovers he has a heart condition that will kill him without a risky surgery, a surgery that requires a large amount of Vulcan blood. Meanwhile on the bridge a vessel approaches the Enterprise, but stays just outside weapons range. Without warning an Andorian attacks Kirk in a hallway and wounds him badly in the lung (he clearly stabbed Kirk in the kidney) narrowly missing his heart. Spock assumes command and refuses to give his blood to McCoy to save Sarek on the grounds that his duty is to Starfleet.
Kirk awakens from surgery in a lot of pain, but manages to drag himself onto the bridge and fake it to get Spock to save Sarek. Spock agrees and McCoy begins surgery, but before Kirk can turn command over to Scotty and go recover they are attacked! The small ship that has been staying near them flies in at warp 10 (arrrr, TNG warp rules make it hurt every time they say warp 10 or higher) and shoots them with phasers. Kirk has the Andorian prisoner brought to the bridge, but in a struggle with security part of his antenna is damaged and revealed to be fake. Kirk manages to draw in the hostile ship by pretending to be badly damaged and cripples the vessel. Before they can be beamed about the ship self destructs followed by the so called Andorian who commits suicide. Medical examinations reveal he was Orion, a planet trying to profit from the valuable system staying out of the Federation. The episode ends with Kirk, Spock and Sarek all in sickbay where McCoy is gloating over being able to order them all to stay in bed.
Commentation: This is a solid episode which introduces numerous new aliens into Star Trek lore and manages to stay tense and exciting throughout. I guess it wasn't all that shocking that Sarek isn't a murderer, but the mystery of why he would be framed is plenty interesting. It also explores the sometimes twisted logic of the Vulcans in ways that would continue to develop over the decades.
9 out of 10
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