The Cage

"You stop this illusion, or I'll twist your head off!"
-- Captain Christopher Pike

Synopsis

A primitive radio wave distress signal emanating from what appears to be a survey ship lost some 18 years ago would, under normal circumstances have pursuaded Captain Christopher Pike to change course and investigate. But Pike is a troubled man. He can't forgive himself for the loss of three crew members at Rigel VII and confides to Dr. Boyce, the ship's physician, that he is contemplating resigning his Starfleet commission. He longs for the green meadows of his home town, Mojave, on Earth. And he even speculates about settling on another planet and becoming a trader.

In command of a damaged and undermanned ship, Pike's only concern is to get the U.S.S. Enterprise to the starbase on the Vega colony. However, the Vulcan Science Officer, Spock, indicates that there could be survivors from the S.S. Columbia survey ship on the planet Talos IV. Putting his own priorities to one side, Pike decides to change course, and heads for the as-yet uncharted Talos star system.

Leading a landing team to Talos IV, Pike discovers a group of old men on the desolate planet. Their leader, Dr. Theodore Hask, confirms that they are from the crashed S.S. Columbia and introduces Pike to a young and beautiful survivor, Vina. She offers to reveal their 'secret' and leads Pike away from the group. However, all of this is being observed on a screen below the planet's surface by a group of Talosians, who seem particularly interested in the captain of the Enterprise.

Suddenly, Vina disappears, together with the other 'survivors', and Pike is overcome by a knock-out gas. He is taken underground and wakes up to be met by Talosians, led by 'The Keeper'. Slowly, imprisoned in a transparent underground cage, he begins to understand these strange events.

Pike realises that the Talosians are telepathic and that they are reading his thoughts. It also dawns on him that much of what he has encountered is no more than an elaborate illusion, created to lure him into mating with Vina, which in turn will help create a new race of humanoid servants.

Pike's memories are used to transport him into a number of scenarios which are intended to draw him closer to Vina. He does his best to resist, and attempts to get as much information as possible out of Vina in the hope that he might escape.

Eventually Pike deduces that the Talosians cannot 'read' primitive emotions such as hatred, and he tries to make himself angry in order to block out their intrusions into his mind as well as Vina's attempts to seduce him. In response, the Talosians rationalize that Pike is not attracted to Vina and they intercept an Enterprise landing party, transporting the two female members, Number One and Yeoman Colt, into the cage - hoping that Pike will chose one of them as an 'Eve' to his 'Adam'.

Pike's determination is finally rewarded when he jumps The Keeper, who has entered the cage to steal the new arrivals' phasers. Pike and his two crew members force The Keeper to return them to the surface, but the Talaosian still holds the upper hand. Vina explains that the Talosians can use their telepathic powers to create illusions aboard the Enterprise, which would lead to its eventual destruction.

Spock, now in temporary command of the Enterprise, realises the danger and tries to move out of range, but the Enterprise loses all power - another Talosian iliusion. Back on the planet, threat and counter-threat follow, although the most disturbing moment is when Vina is revealed to be a disfigured old woman. Her beauty is yet another illusion.

The stand-off is finally resolved when two other Talosians reveal, after studying the Enterprise's computer banks, that the human race is unsuitable for their purposes. They had not raelized just how fervently humans would resist captivity - even under threat of death. Pike is somewhat reluctant to desert Vina, but is satisified when the when he sees that her beauty has been returned, together with an illusory 'companion' - Captain Christopher Pike.

The captain returns to the Enterprise having learned much from his experience. It's all very well having dreams and fantasies, but ultimately the reality of commanding the Enterprise is where he truly belongs.