The Way to Eden

The Enterprise stops a stolen space cruiser and beams aboard six young travellers, including the son of a Catullan ambassador and Irina Galliulin, Chekov's former girlfriend, just before their ship explodes. Led by Dr Sevrin, a gifted scientist, they reject technological society and are searching for Eden, a mythical paradise planet. Kirk is wary, but Spock finds he understands their longing. McCoy discovers that Sevrin, though healthy himself, carries a dangerous bacterium, and he is confined. With music and song as cover, his followers free him and take over auxiliary control. They steer for Eden, then use a sound frequency to knock out the crew and escape in a shuttlecraft. When Kirk's party follows, they find that Eden's beautiful plants are full of acid. Adam has died after eating poisoned fruit and the others are burned. Sevrin bites into a fruit and dies. Back aboard, Spock encourages Irina to keep searching.