"One of Our Planets Is Missing" was the third episode of Star Trek: The Animated Series. It was produced in TAS' first season and debuted on 22 September 1973. The episode was directed by Hal SutherlandMA and written by Marc DanielsMA, a director of 14 TOS episodes. The story was novelized in Star Trek: Log One by Alan Dean Foster in June 1974.
In this story, Captain James T. Kirk was faced with destroying the USS Enterprise in order to save the lives of 82 million people.
Description[]
- VHS teaser
- The crew of the USS Enterprise jumps into action when an immense cosmic cloud enters the galaxy and threatens to destroy the most remote, but inhabited, planet in the Federation.
Log entries[]
Captain's log, stardate 5371.3. A huge cosmic cloud has been reported moving into the outer fringe of our galaxy. Nothing like it has ever been seen before. Starfleet Command has sent the Enterprise to investigate as we're the only vessel in the vicinity of the phenomenon. Our present position is in the Pallas Fourteen system, which contains Mantilles, the most remote inhabited planet in the entire Federation.
Captain's log, supplemental. At warp eight, we will intercept the cloud before it reaches the inhabited planet Mantilles. But we are uncertain what we can do to stop a matter-energy cloud which measures thousands of times more than our vessel.
Captain's log, supplemental. The Enterprise has only fifteen minutes left before her power is drained and we are left helpless.
Captain's log, stardate 5372.0. Spock and Uhura are using our sensors to prepare a detailed chart so we may determine targets for our photon torpedoes.
Captain's log, stardate 5372.1. The cloud will reach Mantilles in seven minutes. Spock has been working on the mechanics of reaching the cloud's thoughts, but I doubt if there's any time left. And even if we do establish contact, can we communicate with it and persuade it not to kill?
Captain's log, stardate 5372.1. This may well be the last entry in the log of the USS Enterprise. It is only a matter of minutes before the cosmic cloud referred to in previous entry reaches Mantilles. Science officer Spock has been working on the problems involved in reaching the cloud's thoughts – if it has any. But even should he succeed, I doubt there is enough time left for any meaningful exchange to take place. The possibility that we could persuade it to avoid Mantilles is... (Novelization)
References[]
Characters[]
Episode characters[]
- Arex Na Eth • James T. Kirk • John Kyle • Leonard McCoy • Montgomery Scott • Spock • Hikaru Sulu • Nyota Uhura • Robert Wesley • Cosmic cloud
- Referenced only
- Frank Gabler • Katie Wesley
Novelization characters[]
- Arex Na Eth • James T. Kirk • John Kyle • Leonard McCoy • Montgomery Scott • Spock • Hikaru Sulu • Nyota Uhura • Robert Wesley • Cosmic cloud
- Referenced only
- Davis • God • Katie Wesley
Starships and vehicles[]
- USS Enterprise (Constitution-class)
- Referenced only
- evacuation ships
Locations[]
- Pallas 14 system (Alondra • Bezaride • Mantilles)
- Referenced only
- Earth (North America) • Jupiter • Milky Way Galaxy • Neptune • Saturn
Races and cultures[]
States and organizations[]
Science and technology[]
- antimatter charge • antimatter engine • chemical identity sensors • chronometer • computer • deflector shield • engineering core • forcefield • library computer • matter engine • courier torpedo • periodic table • phaser • priority 1 call • photon torpedo • physics • psychology • quarters • remote control • scanner • sensor • splint • subspace radio • tractor beam • transporter • turbolift • universal translator • warp nacelle
Biology[]
- ambiplasma • anatomy • brain • digestive system • koinoenergy • macromorphase enzyme • small intestine • stomach • villus
Units of measurement[]
Ranks and titles[]
- captain • chief engineer • doctor • engineer • Federation Starfleet ranks (2260s) • first officer • governor • helmsman • lieutenant • navigator • rank • Starfleet ranks • technician
Other[]
- amoeba • antimatter • assignment patch • auto-destruct • bridge • bull • electricity • element • energy • engineering • evasive action • galaxy • gas • judge • language • matter • self-destruct •sickbay • Starfleet General Orders and Regulations • Starfleet uniform • Starfleet uniform (2265-2270) • transporter room • unicorn • universe • Vulcan mind touch • warp speed (warp eight)
Appendices[]
Background[]
- Kirk left the bridge to talk with Wesley privately in his quarters, but the room shown in the episode was the briefing room.
Novelization[]
- The story was set 54 hours after the events of TAS episode & novelization: Yesteryear.
- The novelization confirmed that Kirk and Scott brought antimatter inside the warp nacelle.
- Hikaru Sulu broke his left leg during the buffeting endured by the Enterprise as it was engulfed by the creature. Kirk ordered him to report to sickbay, but Sulu asked to remain at his station. McCoy applied a temporary splint to the leg.
- Robert Wesley swore at Kirk in a frustrated outburst, then apologized.
- Following the ship's exit from the cloud, The Enterprise helped the fleet of evacuation ships return to Mantilles.
Related stories[]
- TOS episode: "A Taste of Armageddon" – Kirk referenced a speech he made in that episode.
- TAS episode & novelization: Beyond the Farthest Star – In the novelization, Kirk recalled the last time he ordered arming of the self-destruct system.
- TOS episode: "The Ultimate Computer" – Introduction of Commodore Robert Wesley.
- TOS episode: "The Immunity Syndrome" – In 2268, the Enterprise entered and was forced to destroy a massive space amoeba that had annihilated a planet and the USS Intrepid in the Gamma 7A system.
Timeline[]
| published order | ||
|---|---|---|
| Previous episode: The Lorelei Signal |
TAS episode produced | Next episode: Mudd's Passion |
| Previous episode: Yesteryear |
TAS episode aired | Next episode: The Lorelei Signal |
| Previous story: Yesteryear |
Log One
|
Next story: last story |
| chronological order | ||
| Previous Adventure: The Vanished |
Memory Beta Chronology | Next Adventure: The Survivor |
| Previous Adventure: Yesteryear |
Next Adventure: The Survivor | |
Images[]
Translations[]
- 1993
- German : Planet in Gefahr, translated by Lore Straßl. (Goldmann)
- 1994
- Romanian : Una din planetele noastre nu mai există, translated by Florin Șlapac. (Editura Teora)
External link[]
- One of Our Planets Is Missing article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.
- One of Our Planets Is Missing article at Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
- One of Our Planets Is Missing article at Curt Danhauser's Guide to the Animated Star Trek.
- One of Our Planets is Missing review at TrekToday.
- One of Our Planets is Missing discussion at the Mission Log podcast.
- The Ambergris Element discussion at the Saturday Morning Trek podcast.