- Kirk and Spock are caught up in a revolution on a planet where intellectuals and artists live on a utopian city in the sky while the rest of the population toils in mines on the barren surface below.
- In order to save an inhabited planet from being destroyed by a botanical plague, the Enterprise goes to pick up zenite, the mineral cure, on the only known planet where it is mined. When Kirk and Spock beam down, they are attacked by 'troglites' (troglodyte miners) but not captured. High council adviser Plasus intervenes and brings them to Stratos, a luxurious metropolis which literally floats in the sky. However, it is under attack from 'disruptors', troglite revolutionaries who want equal life conditions for their peers. They do all the hard work, mainly toiling miserably in mines and dwell in caves on the barren surface below. Dr. McCoy ascertains that the alleged intellectual inferiority of the troglites is not genetic but the reversible effect of exposure to an invisible gas emitted by the zenite.—KGF Vissers
- Kirk and the Enterprise arrive at the planet Ardana to collect a supply of zenite, needed to combat a botanical plague. The Stratosians live in a city literally in the clouds, far above the planet. They are highly intelligent and devote most of their time to art and intellectual pursuits. On the planet however live the Troglites, a primitive people who work in the mines. The Stratosians face a rebellion from the planet's populace by a group of Troglites known as the Disruptors. In the city above, one particular Stratosian, the beautiful Droxine, takes a particular interest in Mr. Spock. Kirk soon realizes that the Disruptors may have legitimate complaints and is forced to deal with them when they steal the zenite shipment. They also discover there may be a explanation for the Troglites' limited intellectual capacity.—garykmcd
- Kirk and the Enterprise arrive at the planet Ardana to collect a supply of zenith, needed to combat a botanical plague in its section of the Galaxy. The Stratosians live in a city literally in the clouds, far above the planet. They are highly intelligent and devote most of their time to art and intellectual pursuits. On the planet however live the Troglites, a primitive people who work in the mines.
Kirk and Spock are invited to the cloud city Stratos, but they prefer to go directly to the mine to pick the shipment as time is of the essence. Kirk and Spock are attacked by the miners. But Stratosians arrive on time with Plasus (Jeff Corey), high advisor of the Ardana council, and the miners run away at their sight. The Stratosians face a rebellion from the planet's populace by a group of Troglites known as the Disruptors. All other Troglites are dominated by the Disruptors, who have convinced the population to stop mining for Zenite. Plasus promises to search for the missing Zenite consignment and takes Kirk and Spock to Stratos.
In the city above, one particular Stratosian, the beautiful Droxine (Diana Ewing), takes a particular interest in Mr. Spock. Kirk soon realizes that the Disruptors may have legitimate complaints and is forced to deal with them when they steal the zenith shipment. Kirk and Spock stay overnight at Stratos and Spock realizes that perhaps Droxine doesn't know of the conditions of the people on the planet & that this knowledge will change her perspective towards the Troglite struggles. As Spock goes to speak to Droxine, a Troglite girl Vanna (Charlene Polite) attacks Kirk in his cabin. Kirk overcomes her. Vanna says that the Troglytes struggle to gain entry into Stratos and they have equal right over the warmth and leisure of the city. Kirk and Spock understand from Droxine that in Ardana society, the Stratosians have all the pleasure, while Troglites do all the work..And Droxine sees nothing wrong in that segregation. Plasus tortures Vanna and Kirk objects. Plasus is offended by this and orders Kirk to return to the enterprise and not to interfere with the working of the Ardana Government.
They also discover there may be a explanation for the Troglites' limited intellectual capacity. McCoy finds that unfiltered and unrefined Zenite emits a gad that stops the normal functioning of the brain and reduces IQ by 20%. But the impact is temporary and reversible if the person is removed from the gas for a prolonged period. Vanna and other Disruptors had been removed from the mines to serve on Stratos and hence had higher intellectual capacity. Kirk develops a simple mask to remove the gas and wants to offer it to the Troglytes. But Plasus is dismissive and says that the difference is evolutionary and cannot be explained by simple Geo-physics. He forbids the distribution of the masks to the Troglites. Meanwhile Kirk has just 10 hrs left to deliver the Zenite to stop the botanical plague.
Kirk decides to meet Vanna against Plasus's orders. He offers masks for the Zenite and promises to come back to mediate between Stratos and Troglites. Vanna says that the Zenite is deep within the mines, but when they get there, she asks her fellow Troglites to imprison Kirk and confiscates his weapons. Kirk waits till he and Vanna are alone and then attacks her, gains his phaser back and seals the entrance to the mines. Then he speaks to Spock and gets Plasus Transported down to the mines as well. Plaus is transported down by Spock, who finds an enraged Kirk due to the effects of the Zenite gas. Kirk and Plasus start fighting and Vanna begs Spock to beam them back up, which he does.
Vanna and Plasus are convinced of the impact of Zenite gas. Vanna delivers the Zenite in exchange for the masks. Droxine agrees to work in the mines to convince Plasus to improve conditions there.
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