abstract
| - The Enterprise is sent to investigate the colonists of Omicron Ceti III. After three years of exposure to Berthold rays, the colonists are expected to be dead. The crew is surprised to find the colonists alive, happy and in perfect health. They have a perfect world. A world with no hate, violence, death or disease. They are vegetarians, who only farm what they need. It is a true paradise. The away team beams to the surface and meets Elias Sandoval, the leader of the group. He introduces them to Leila Kalomi, a beautiful, young botanist who had fallen in love with Spock six years earlier on Earth. She promises to show Spock how they have survived on the planet with Berthold ray exposure and leads him to a secluded section of the planet where one of the plants spray him with their spores. Leila tells Spock that the plant induces feelings of happiness and love. Spock tells Leila that he can love her and decides to stay with her on the planet. He is happy with Leila, watching clouds, hanging from trees...and engaging in other "activities". Other members of the crew begin to become infected with the spores and some of the plants are beamed aboard the Enterprise where more of the crew are affected. Captain Kirk, the last to be infected, is affected by the spores. He prepares to beam down, but his desire to remain on the Enterprise is to strong and destroys the spore influence. Kirk coxes Spock into beaming back to the ship, where he angers Spock into a fist fight. The anger that wells up in Spock causes the spore influence to subside and Spock returns to normal. They then head to the bridge to begin getting the crew back. Leila contacts the ship and speaks with Spock; she asks to see the ship. Spock beams her up and she quickly learns that he has been cured. Spock tells Leila that he has a responsibility to the ship and to Jim. She tells him that she still loves him after she realizes that she's lost him. Using a subsonic sound wave, Kirk and Spock bring the rest of the crew and colonists out from the influence. The colonists realize that the spores have made them stagnant and they plan to relocate. Back on the bridge, McCoy observes that this is the second time man has been kicked out of paradise. "No no Bones, this time we walked out on our own," Kirk muses. Kirk asks Spock what his thoughts were on Omicron Ceti III. Spock responds, "for the first time in my life, I was happy."
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