Monday, January 9, 2012

Case Study No. 0157: Mr. Atoz

Star Trek - Time Portal
3:21
Kirk, Spock and McCoy unknowingly step through a time portal that takes them to different points throughout history (All Our Yesterdays)
Tags: kirk spock bones space enterprise cool science
Added: 2 years ago
From: CBS
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From startrek.com:

Star Trek: The Original Series
Episode: TOS 078 - All Our Yesterdays
Season 3 Ep. 23
Air Date: 03/14/1969
Stardate: 5943.7
Written by: Jean Lisette Aroeste (former UCLA librarian)

The crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise investigate the planet Sarpeidon whose sun is soon to go nova. Upon beaming to the surface, Kirk, Spock, and McCoy discover the inhabitants gone and a library containing the planet's accumulated knowledge.

Kirk, Spock and McCoy are surprised to find a lone inhabitant on the surface, Mr. Atoz, the librarian, who mistakes them for citizens of Sarpeidon. Mr. Atoz has been transferring people into the planet's past using a machine called the "atavachron." While investigating this unique technology, Kirk leaps to rescue a woman he hears screaming and ends transported to a period fraught with superstitions and witchcraft. Attempting to follow Kirk, Spock and McCoy enter the atavachron's portal to find themselves in a different time — Sarpeidon's ice age.

McCoy, who is close to freezing to death, and Spock are rescued by a beautiful woman, Zarabeth. While close to the portals they entered from, Kirk, Spock and McCoy can communicate with each other but little more. However, this is enough to get Kirk arrested for practicing witchcraft.

Spock increasingly finds himself attracted to Zarabeth, and disturbingly more emotional and irrational, and even goes against Vulcan custom by eating meat. McCoy convinces Spock that this time in Sarpeidon's past is linked to Vulcan's primitive past and that they must return to their own time. Zarabeth insists they cannot return to the present without dying.

In jail, Kirk is befriended by a lawyer, another traveler of Sarpeidon's present, who helps him escape to find the portal, and return to the library.

Zarabeth helps McCoy and Spock to the place where she found them. By following the sound of Kirk's voice, they find their portal and leap back into the library. Mr. Atoz leaps to his own designated past and the Enterprise, with Kirk, Spock, and McCoy safely aboard, warps from orbit just as the sun explodes.

---

From memory-alpha.org:

Mr. Atoz was an inhabitant of the planet Sarpeidon whose sun was going supernova. He was the overseer of a library (his name being a play on "A to Z," i.e. a reference to his occupation as a librarian) and the atavachron, a time portal device that he used to transport the inhabitants of the planet into the past in order to escape its destruction. He had replicas of himself to help him in the care of the library.

On stardate 5943.7, crewmembers from the USS Enterprise (Kirk, Spock, and McCoy) arrived on the planet to investigate its star going supernova. Atoz believed that they were citizens of his world and chided them for being late for transport. After Kirk escaped the past of the planet, he forced Atoz to help him locate Spock and McCoy. Atoz, at first, resisted and attempted to send Kirk back to the past. When the missing men were located and returned to the present, Atoz went through one of the portals to his planet's past to escape the supernova.

---

From chakoteya.net:

[Spock, Kirk, and McCoy beam down onto the surface of the planet, finding themselves in a library]
SPOCK: The power source we detected is in this building, Captain.
KIRK: Any sign of survivors?
SPOCK: No signs of sapient life forms.
MCCOY: How can a planet full of people just disappear?
KIRK: If they knew that their sun was dying, it could be anything up to mass suicide.
SPOCK: Reports deny that they had any space flight capability. This appears to be an archive or library of some kind.
KIRK: Then we're certainly in the right place to find out what happened, where the inhabitants are, and if there are any left now.
MCCOY: Well, that's fine. Where do we start?
[Mr. Atoz appears behind them]
ATOZ: May I help you? I am the librarian. May I be of assistance?
KIRK: Perhaps you can, Mister ... ?
ATOZ: Mister Atoz. I confess that I'm a little surprised to see you. I had thought that everyone had long since gone. But the surprise is a pleasant one. After all, a library serves no purpose unless someone is using it.
KIRK: You say everyone is gone? Where'd they go?
ATOZ: It depended on the individual, of course. If you wish to trace a specific person, I'm sorry, but that information is confidential.
MCCOY: No, no particular person, just people in general. Where did they go?
ATOZ: Ah, you find it difficult to choose, is that it? Yes, a wide range of alternatives is a mixed blessing, but perhaps I can help. Would you step this way, please?
[they leave Mr. Atoz behind and walk towards the other end of the library, when another Atoz steps from behind one of the bookshelves]
ATOZ: May I help you? You may select from more than twenty thousand verism tapes, several hundred of which have only recently been added to the collection. I'm sure you'll find something here that pleases you. [to Kirk] You, sir, what is your particular field of interest?
KIRK: What about recent history?
ATOZ: Really? Oh, that's too bad. We have so little on recent history. There was no demand for it.
KIRK: It doesn't have to be extensive, just the answers to a few questions.
ATOZ: Of course. Reference services available at the desk.
[he points towards the desk, where another Atoz is hunched over]
ATOZ: You're very late. Where have you been?
KIRK: You're a very agile man, Mister Atoz. Just how many of you are there?
[commercial break]
KIRK: We ... came as soon as we knew what was happening.
SPOCK: Forgive me, sir. It is my fault. I must have miscalculated. Our readings indicated that there was no one here at all.
ATOZ: Of course I know. Everyone on this planet was warned of the coming nova long ago. They followed instructions and are now safe. And you had better do the same.
KIRK: Did you say they were safe?
ATOZ: Absolutely. Every single one.
KIRK: Where did they go?
ATOZ: Wherever they wanted to go, of course. It is strictly up to the individual's choice.
KIRK: I see. And you personally sent all these people on the planet to safety?
ATOZ: Yes, yes, yes. They are all gone ... except you three. Of course, I had to delegate the simple tasks to my replicas.
[the camera shows one of his duplicates filing something amongst the shelves]
KIRK: You are the real one, Mister Atoz?
KIRK: Of course. I am the real Mister Atoz.
MCCOY: [takes readings] As a matter of fact, he's quite real, Jim.
KIRK: Let us take you with us to a place of safety.
ATOZ: No, thank you. I plan to join my wife and family when the time comes. Now, don't be concerned about me. Think of yourselves. I warn you most urgently, make your escape before it's too late. [he gets up] The library is at your complete service. I will gladly supply you with all reference material to help you. History of the planet is available in every detail. Just choose what interests you the most.
[he takes a disk out of one of the shelves]
ATOZ: The millennium, the century, the date, the moment. The library is your key.
[he places the disk into a reader on the wall]
ATOZ: Oh! It's in the wrong file. [he re-files it] Make your own selection, but remember, you're very late ...
[he walks off towards another shelf]
KIRK: Yes, we'll choose it as quick as we can ... [to Spock] How long till nova?
SPOCK: Three hours, thirteen minutes.
KIRK: This gentleman is not--
ATOZ: [comes back and takes Kirk by the arm] Ah, you, sir. I think you'll find something interesting over here.
[he brings Kirk back to his desk and picks up another disk]
ATOZ: Now, if these won't do, I can bring you another file.
[as Atoz walks away, Kirk places the disk into a machine sitting on the desk, and sees images of an Old West-style town playing out in front of him]
ATOZ: [as Spock walks up to him] Have you made your selection, sir?
SPOCK: Exactly what is it that I'm expected to select?
ATOZ: I'm sure I was clear. The period in which you're interested.
SPOCK: I see ... [looking at the machine that Mr. Atoz was working on] This is a fascinating machine. What is it?
ATOZ: Ah, this is the atavachron.
SPOCK: Interesting nomenclature. And how does it work? May I--
[as the two are talking, McCoy has placed a disk into the machine on the wall behind them and sees a snow-covered mountain]
ATOZ: Oh, no, sir, no. I must ask you not to touch the controlling mechanism. Return and make your selection. When you have chosen, I will prepare you through the atavachron.
SPOCK: Thank you, Mister Atoz ... [he walks away]
[the sound of a woman screaming is suddenly heard]
KIRK: Spock! Bones!
ATOZ: Wait! I haven't prepared you ...
[Kirk runs through the doorway and disappears, then suddenly finds himself in a 17th century-style setting where men are mistreating a young woman]
ATOZ: [yelling at Spock and McCoy as they are running towards the spot where Kirk disappeared] You must be prepared!
[they run through the doorway anyway and find themselves on the snow-covered mountain]

[...]

[Kirk has defeated the men and saved the woman]
WOMAN: Oh, thank you, man. I thought I'd be limbered sure when that gull caught me cuttin' his purse.
KIRK: What's that? Are you all right?
WENCH: Oh, I took you to be an angler, but you're none of us, are ya? Well, you're a bully fine coe for all of that. What a handsome dish ya served them, the coxcombs!
KIRK: You better come back with me to the library. You'll be safe there. Doctor McCoy can see to those bruises.
WENCH: I'm game, love. Lead and I'll follow. Where's "Li-brary?"
KIRK: It's right over th--
[he points to where he entered, but there's nothing but a brick wall]

[...]

[Spock and McCoy have found shelter from the cold inside a cave, led there by a young woman]
SPOCK: [looking down at McCoy as he has lost consciousness] McCoy ... McCoy, wake up.
MCCOY: [he comes to and looks at the woman] Who are you?
ZARABETH: My name is Zarabeth.
MCCOY: Zarabeth ... Spock, are we in the library?
SPOCK: No, we are still in the Ice Age, but safe for the moment.
MCCOY: [weakly] Jim ... What about Jim?
SPOCK: Doctor, you're in no condition to get up. You lie down and rest. I shall attempt to find the captain.
MCCOY: You find him, Spock. Don't you worry about me. You just find him.
[he again slips out of consciousness, as Spock and Zarabeth walk away to let him rest]
ZARABETH: Spock, who is this Jim?
SPOCK: He's our commanding officer, and our friend.
ZARABETH: I saw only the two of you. I did not know there was another.
SPOCK: He did not come with us. He was sent through the time portal to another period in history much later than this one. If I am to find him, there is only one possible avenue ... [he takes her by the arm] Zarabeth, will you show me where the time portal is?
ZARABETH: But your friend, he is ill.
SPOCK: Yes, that is true. If I leave him, there's a chance he may never regain the ship. He would then be marooned in this time period. But he is no longer in danger of death, so my primary duty to him has been discharged. And if I remain here, no one of our party would be able to aid Captain Kirk.
ZARABETH: You make it sound like an equation.
SPOCK: It should be an equation. I should be able to resolve this problem logically ... Perhaps it has something to do with the atavachron. If only I knew more about how it worked. Zarabeth, you said that you were brought here as a prisoner. May I ask--
ZARABETH: Why? My crime was in choosing my kinsmen unwisely. Two of them were involved in a conspiracy to kill Zor Kahn.
SPOCK: I remember that name from the history tapes in the library. Zor Kahn the Tyrant.
ZARABETH: It was not enough that he execute my kinsmen. Zor Kahn determined to destroy our entire family. He used the atavachron to send us places no one could ever find us.
SPOCK: Zarabeth, I must return to Mister Atoz and the atavachron. We will carry Doctor McCoy, and you must come with us. I will send you and the doctor to the ship, and I shall search for Captain Kirk.
ZARABETH: I can't go through the portal again. If I do, I will die.
SPOCK: You cannot go back?
ZARABETH: None of us can go back. When we come through the portal, we are changed by the atavachron. That is its function. Our basic cell structure is adjusted to the time we enter ... You can't go back. If you go through the portal again, you will die by the time you reach the other side.
MCCOY: [stands up] Spock! Where are we?
ZARABETH: You are safe here, McCoy.
MCCOY: Yes, I remember you.
SPOCK: Come, Doctor, back to bed ... [takes him to go lie down again]
MCCOY: Why are you still here, Spock? Why aren't you looking for Jim?
SPOCK: It is impossible to look for him, Doctor. We cannot go back.
MCCOY: What do you mean impossible? We've got to get back.
SPOCK: Zarabeth explained it to me. When we came through the time portal, it altered our physiological structure. If we attempt to return to the library, we shall die.
MCCOY: Are you trying to tell me that we're trapped here?
SPOCK: Yes, Doctor, we are trapped. Just as Jim is trapped wherever he is.

[...]

[after being accused of witchcraft and escaping his jail cell, Kirk returns to the wall where he first entered this time period and is able to walk through it and back to the library]
KIRK: Spock? McCoy? [speaking into his transmitter] Kirk to Enterprise. Come in.
SCOTT: [through the transmitter] Scott here, Captain.
KIRK: How much time before the sun blows up?
SCOTT: Seventeen minutes. You three had better come back right away.
KIRK: We can't, Scotty. Spock and McCoy are missing.
SCOTT: I knew there was trouble. I've got a landing party standing by.
KIRK: No. Under no circumstances send anyone else down here without my orders. Prepare to warp out and stand by. Kirk out ... [yelling] Mister Atoz, where are you?
ATOZ: May I help you? It's you! You're lucky you found your way back here. Now let me process you through the atava--
KIRK: No! Mister Atoz, my friends and I are from another planet. We don't belong in your history. We don't belong on your planet at all!
ATOZ: Just let me take care of you and get you back where you belong.
KIRK: No ... I want to find the exact disc that they were viewing. [he walks away]
ATOZ: [runs in front of him] Please, go back!
KIRK: I'm sorry, Mister Atoz ... [they start struggling] Mister Atoz!
ATOZ: [grabbing his arms] I must prepare to escape!
[Kirk opens and door and pushes Mr. Atoz inside, closing the door behind him]
KIRK: I'll let you out in a minute ... [turns to find another Mr. Atoz behind him] Still up to your little game of replicas? Which are you this time, real or not?
[this Mr. Atoz tries to grab him, but Kirk knocks him out]
KIRK: [starts to walk away, but yet another Mr. Atoz blocks his way]
ATOZ: You are evidently a suicidal maniac! I don't understand what you're trying to do, but if you continue, both of us will die ... and I, for one, do not wish death.
KIRK: If you help me, we won't die. I promise you that.
ATOZ: I don't trust you.
KIRK: Which one are you now, the replica or the real one?
ATOZ: I am the real Atoz. You've done away with my replicas. I regret what I must now do ... [he pulls a small weapon out from beneath his sleeve]
KIRK: You don't really want to hurt me, do you? You've been trying to save my life, I realise that. Put that thing away.
[Mr. Atoz fires the weapon and Kirk falls unconscious to the floor]

[...]

[Kirk regains consciousness and finds himself on a type of sled, which Mr. Atoz is pushing towards the doorway]
ATOZ: Just stay where you are, sir. I'll see you get to safety ...
[Mr. Atoz gives one final heave, but Kirk is able to roll off before it passes through the doorway]
ATOZ: [grabs Kirk and tries to push him through the doorway]
KIRK: [is able to reverse the hold and put him in a full nelson] Now, you're gonna help me look for my friends!
ATOZ: [struggling] You're a most determined man ...
KIRK: [answers his beeping transmitter] Kirk here.
SCOTT: What's happening? Why are you waiting?
KIRK: No time to explain. Are you ready to warp out?
SCOTT: Aye, Captain.
KIRK: Stand by to beam us up. But when that star explodes, don't wait. Get out fast. Kirk out ... [to Atoz] Now we're going to start looking.
ATOZ: [yelps in pain as Kirk cinches in the hold]
KIRK: They were in a frozen waste. I could hear the wind.
ATOZ: All right, all right! It must be the Sarpeidon Ice Age, five thousand years ago. Let me look.
KIRK: We'll both look, Mister Atoz ... [he lets him go as they head for the shelves]

[...]

[Mr. Atoz and Kirk are looking at the frozen landscape in one of the disks]
ATOZ: Do you think that's the right one?
KIRK: I don't know.
ATOZ: If we're to get the portal set for the proper time period, you must be specific.
KIRK: I didn't see it.
ATOZ: Well, try calling out.
KIRK: [heads for the doorway] Bones? Spock! McCoy! [heads back to Mr. Atoz and grabs him by the shoulder] You've got the wrong one!
ATOZ: Please, there's no time left. Let me go!
KIRK: Try again.
[he places another disk in the machine, as the scene changes to Zarabeth, Spock, and McCoy on the mountain]
SPOCK: There's no portal here, Doctor. It's hopeless.
MCCOY: I suppose you're right.
SPOCK: You're too ill to remain out here any longer. Give it up.
[back to the library, where Mr. Atoz inserts another disk into the machine]
KIRK: [heads for the doorway] Bones! Spock!
[back to the mountain, where the three hear Kirk's voice]
MCCOY: It's Jim! Here we are, Jim!
KIRK: [to Mr. Atoz] We found them ... [yelling into the doorway] Can you still hear me?
SPOCK: [from off-camera] We hear you perfectly, Captain!
KIRK: Follow my voice!
[cut back to the mountain]
KIRK: [from off-camera] Spock, McCoy, follow my voice. Do you hear me? Keep following my voice ... Spock. McCoy.
MCCOY: [he stops] This must be it.
[cut to the library]
KIRK: [yelling into the doorway] What are you waiting for? Hurry!
[cut to the mountain]
SPOCK: [embraces Zarabeth]
MCCOY: Come on, Spock!
SPOCK: You start ahead, Doctor ... [to Zarabeth] I do not wish to part from you.
ZARABETH: I cannot come. If I go back, I will die.
[cut to the library]
KIRK: What are you waiting for? Hurry!
[cut to the mountain]
SPOCK: [to Kirk] How much time do we have?
[cut to the library]
KIRK: [speaks into his transmitter] Scotty, how much time is there?
SCOTT: You've got to come aboard now!
[cut to the mountain]
MCCOY: Come on Spock, now!
SPOCK: [he tries to push McCoy into the portal, but he doesn't go through]
MCCOY: Something's wrong.
[cut to the library]
KIRK: [to Mr. Atoz] What's the matter? Why can't he get through?
ATOZ: I don't know ... unless, it's because they originally went through the portal together.
KIRK: [yelling into the doorway] Spock, McCoy, you can't get through unless you both come back at the same time! [speaks into his transmitter] Scotty.
SCOTT: Orders or no, I'm beaming you up first.
KIRK: No! Wait!
[cut to the mountain]
KIRK: [from off-camera] Spock, McCoy! Hurry through the portal, time is running out!
ZARABETH: [turns and leaves]
[cut to the library, as Spock and McCoy pass through the portal and reunite with their captain]
ATOZ: [grabs a new disk, puts it in the machine, then pushes everyone out of the way before running through the doorway himself and disappearing]
KIRK: He had his escape planned. I'm glad he made it ... [talks into his transmitter] Kirk to Enterprise.

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