Stardate 5423.4: Kirk is going to beam down to the isolationist planet of Gideon, but instead of the ground he materializes on a totally unmanned Enterprise. Moreover, he lost nine minutes in which he obviously bruised his arm. Kirk meets an apparently confused woman named Odona who too was transferred to the empty Enterprise. As Kirk gets closer to Odona, he notices that they are being watched. He is not on the Enterprise, but on a perfect replica of the ship. It was built for the sole purpose to bring Kirk and Odona together, to infect her with the deadly Vegan choriomeningitis, whose virus Kirk is carrying. Gideon is hopelessly overpopulated, and by introducing an illness Hodin, the council leader and Odona's father, hopes to ease the situation. Meanwhile Spock has defied orders from his superiors and Hodin's warning and has beamed down to search the captain. He beams back with Kirk and Odona, and McCoy successfully treats her infection. Odona, however, is now carrying the virus and still hopes to "help" her people by spreading it.

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