The Galileo Seven

This article is about the TOS episode and novelization. You may be looking for the IDW TOS comic story, The Galileo Seven.

The Galileo Seven was the 13th episode of the first season of the Original Star Trek, aired on 5 January 1967. The teleplay was written by Oliver Crawford^MA & S. Bar-David^MA, and directed by Robert Gist^MA. The story was later novelized by James Blish in the Star Trek 10 collection, and adapted again, this time as a comic story arc beginning in the third issue of IDW Publishing's ongoing TOS series. The Galileo Seven was notable as the first appearance of a shuttlecraft in Star Trek.

Summary

Captain's log, stardate 2821.5: En route to Makus III, with a cargo of medical supplies. Our course leads us past Murasaki 312, a quasar-like formation. Vague… undefined. A priceless opportunity for scientific investigation. On board is Galactic High Commissioner Mitchell Ferris, overseeing the delivery of the medicines to Makus III.

While traveling to deliver medical supplies to a plague-ridden planet, the USS Enterprise passes the Murasaki 312 quasar. In accordance with standing orders to investigate quasar-like phenomena, Captain Kirk dispatches Commander Spock and a six-man party on the shuttlecraft Galileo to investigate the quasar. On the bridge, Kirk receives a signal from Spock that the shuttle is ready for launch, crewed by Spock, Lieutenant Commander Scott, Doctor McCoy, Lieutenants Latimer, Gaetano, Boma, and Yeoman Mears.

Commissioner Ferris emerges from the bridge turbolift and declares a previously-stated objection to diverting from the medicine delivery that is under Ferris's supervision. The disease outbreak on New Paris is out of control, he contends, and the Enterprise must drop off the medicine on Makus III in order for the shipment to be transferred to a transport to the colony. Kirk reminds Ferris that he has standing orders to investigate "all quasars and quasar-like phenomena". Since the rendezvous at Makus is in five days, and the trip there would be three days' travel, Kirk feels justified in delaying for two days to study the phenomenon.

The Galileo proceeds to launch, traveling to the edge of the Murasaki 312 effect. While studying the phenomenon, the shuttle experiences turbulence, with strange electrical interference generated by the phenomenon acting on the small craft's course. Communications and sensors begin to fail, making it impossible for them to contact Enterprise. Uhura receives a garbled signal, with the words "blown off-course" audible. With the shuttle's entry causing major interference activity radiating towards the ship, Kirk finds himself contemplating staging a rescue without working sensors.

Captain's log, stardate 2821.7: The electromagnetic phenomenon known as Murasaki 312 whirls like some angry blight in space. A depressive reminder that seven of our shipmates still have not been heard from. Equally bad, the effect has rendered our normal searching systems useless. Without them we are blind, and almost helpless.

Fortunately for the shuttle crew, Spock manages to maneuver the shuttle to land on the barren planet Taurus II—a world in the heart of the phenomenon—inhabited by a hostile species of humanoids, the Taurus II anthropoids. The shuttle crew attempt to size up their situation, but soon find themselves under attack.

In high levels of ionizing radiation around the Murasaki effect, Enterprise is unable find the Galileo, leading Commissioner Ferris to officially demand that Captain Kirk continues with the mission. Meanwhile on Taurus II, the situation becomes deadly when two of the crew are killed by the hostile humanoids. Spock orders repairs made to the shuttle, but Boma requests services be held for the deceased.

As the Enterprise prepares to leave the area, the Galileo is able to reach an unsteady orbit of Taurus II, but is unable to pull away from the planet's gravitational pull. Knowing that their deaths are imminent, Spock ignites the remaining fuel reserve, which attracts the attention of the Enterprise, who beam the surviving crewmembers aboard.

References

Appendices

Timeline

published order
Previous episode: The Conscience of the King	TOS episode produced	Next episode: Court Martial
Previous episode: Shore Leave	TOS episode aired	Next episode: The Squire of Gothos
Previous story: The Empath	Star Trek 10	Next story: Is There In Truth No Beauty?
chronological order
Previous Adventure: Burning Dreams Chapter 1, scenes 1-2	Memory Beta Chronology	Next Adventure: Anything But Alone Star Trek: The Manga
Previous Adventure: The Conscience of the King	Pocket	Next Adventure: A Private Anecdote Strange New Worlds I
Previous Adventure: Yeoman Figgs Strange New Worlds V	Voyages of the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) (2264 to 2270)	Next Adventure: Anything But Alone Star Trek: The Manga