The Alternative Factor

"The Alternative Factor" was the 20th episode of Star Trek: The Original Series, in the show's first season, first aired on 30 March 1967. The episode was written by, directed by and novelized in Star Trek 10 by James Blish.

Summary
Investigating a "winking out" of the universe, the USS Enterprise finds a time traveler named Lazarus who has counterparts in both the positive and antimatter universes. If both versions of Lazarus meet at the same time—outside of a magnetic corridor between universes—it will mean the end of everything!

Log entries

 * Captain's log, stardate 3087.6 : While investigating an uncharted planet, the USS Enterprise, and at least this entire quadrant of space, has been subjected to violent, unexplained stress and force. Sensors have reported the presence of a Human being on the planet below who might be connected with the phenomenon. With my first officer and a security team, I have set out in search of him.


 * Captain's log, stardate 3088.3 : We continue to orbit the dead planet, which seems to be the source of the phenomenon which has struck the Enterprise, and all sections of the galaxy, once again. As for Lazarus, the story he tells me about the humanoid continues to trouble me.


 * Captain's log, stardate 3088.7 : We are no closer to finding an answer to the strange phenomenon than we were at the beginning. Not only have two of my crewmen been attacked, two of our dilithium crystals are missing, and without them, the Enterprise cannot operate at full power. They must be found.

Characters

 * • Clifford Brent • Bill Hadley • • James T. Kirk • Lazarus • Ryan Leslie • Charlene Masters • Leonard McCoy • Spock • Nyota Uhura • USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) personnel (unnamed USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) personnel)

Starships and vehicles

 * USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) ( heavy cruiser • Lazarus' spaceship)

Locations

 * Lazarus's planet (unnamed Alpha and Beta Quadrant planets, the galaxy's Alpha or Beta Quadrant)

Earth • Starbase 200

Shipboard areas

 * USS Enterprise : bridge • briefing room • cartographic section (referenced) • dilithium reamplification • corridor • engineering • main engineering • quarters • sickbay

Races and cultures

 * Human • Vulcan

Technology and weapons

 * starship • viewscreen

States and organizations

 * Federation • Starfleet (Starfleet Command • command division • operations division • sciences division)

Technology and weapons

 * computer bank • experimentation chamber • explosives • magnetic communication satellite • phaser • phaser bank • safety valve • sensors • spaceship • starship • viewscreen

Materials and substances

 * antimatter • atmosphere • coffee • blood • crystal • dilithium • dilithium crystal • hydrogen • iron • gas • oxygen • silicon

Ranks and titles

 * captain • commander • commodore • commanding officer • communications officer • crewman • doctor • engineer • Federation Starfleet ranks • Federation Starfleet ranks (2260s) • first officer • lieutenant • lieutenant commander • medic • officer • physician • scientist • security • security team • science officer

Other references

 * abrasion • alternative warp • anatomy • antimatter universe • arm • bandage • battle stations • beam • blindness • "Bones" • boot • bruise • bull • captain's log • clothing • Code Factor 1 • deaf • devil • dilithium reamplification • dimension • dimensional door • dinosaur • dizziness • electromagnetism • energizer/energizing circuits • energy • Fahrenheit • Federation members • five-year mission • footprint • forehead • galaxy • general alert • government • gravimetric field • heaven • Hell • homeworld • humanoid • landing party • language • life survey • lifeform • log entry • logic • magnetic corridor • magnetic effect • magnetic field • magnetism • matter • medicine • memory • multiverse • muscleman • nation-state • negative magnetic corridor • orbit • ounce • pants • parallel universe • paranoia • parsec • photographic section • planet • poetry • powder keg • positive universe • priority one • prison • pulsation phenomenon • quadrant • races and cultures • radiation • rank • recuperative powers • red 2 message • rip in the universe • science • space • standard orbit • star • star chart • stardate • Starfleet General Orders and Regulations • Starfleet uniform • Starfleet uniform (2260s) • technology • time • time chamber • time ship • time travel • title • tunic • uniform • universe • water • weapon • zero gravity

Chronology

 * years prior to 2267 : Lazarus crosses over and encounters his double. (prior to episode/novelization)
 * stardate 3087.6, 2267 (2260s chronology, 2264–2270 Enterprise voyages) : Enterprise travels to Lazarus's planet.