How refreshing to see a favorite Star Trek actor in a completely new genre. The Virginian features many actors from various tv shows. It's fun to see our favorite actors in a different genre, from what we're used to seeing them in. This episode features Shatner as Luke, an adventurous drifter & old friend of Trampus'.
The Virginian is riding Trampas too hard & he's getting sick of eating the cooks horrible beans for every meal. He sets off for Medicine Bow after a particularly difficult day cutting steers from the herd when he runs into his old pal from Chicago at the bar.
Trampus convinces Luke to come work at Shiloh with him. Things get dicy one day at lunch when The Virginian is not happy with their work & they have words causing the pair to leave Shiloh behind for adventure & the freedom of making their own decisions. Along the trail they're meandering, they decide on the gold fields of Deadwood in the Dakota's as their destination.
The pair get themselves in a knock out brawl in one of the local saloons over a couple of ladies & land themselves in jail where they meet an old miner, Finley. When they get out of jail, they pay Finley's $8.00 bail. Old Finley entices Trampus & Luke to join him on his claim. The trio set off for Finley's claim near Sioux land.
There's confusion about the location of Finley's claim being on Sioux land. A recent law change made it illegal to prospect for gold on Sioux lands. The trio reaches the claim, set up camp & start mining for gold along the creek. They dream of what they can achieve with their success as they work their sluice box. Trampus & Luke become disenchanted by their lack of results on top of the fact that they're still eating beans, when they strike it big.
The three are overjoyed with their find. They begin to realize their lives of hard work & eating beans for every meal are behind them. Suddenly a stranger shows up in their camp. Something is off with the stranger. Luke follows the stranger as he leaves camp, yet, soon after a member of the Sioux tribe dies in an altercation on the claim. Suddenly Trampus realizes they're on Sioux land & tries to convince his partners to get out of there before the tribe comes looking for their missing loved one. Someone starts shooting at the camp! Luke gets gold fever & goes after Finley, accusing him of the attack.
Finley fesses up that his wife has died & he doesn't want the gold. He gives his share of the gold to both Trampus & Luke. Yet, Luke has gold fever so bad, he refuses to let Trampus leave with his share. Luke ties Trampus up with the captive Sioux braves while he gets drunk, mines for MORE gold & can't be reasoned with. Trampus manages to free himself & one Sioux warrior before he's caught by Luke & Finley who's been coerced to cooperate with Luke. Luke kidnaps the remaining Sioux warrior as security to get the gold back to town.
Suddenly they find themselves in a gunfight with the stranger who'd shown up in camp. As the gunfight ends with the stranger, the Sioux Nation catches up with them. Luke gets shot in the fracas & dies in Trampus' arms leaving only Trampus & Finley alive.
Trampus does the right thing & gives the gold they mined back to the Sioux. The pair return to Deadwood. Trampus is so touched by the experience he even turns down a lady's invitation to return to Shiloh. The Virginian graciously re-hires Trampus.
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