Friday ' s Child ( episode ) The " Enterprise " becomes involved in a local power struggle on planet Capella IV , where the Klingons want mining rights . Summary . Teaser . The approaches Capella IV , the home of the Capellan s and a rich source of the rare mineral topaline . Topaline is vital to the life support systems of certain planetoid colonies . Captain Kirk ' s assignment from Starfleet is to obtain mining rights . Doctor McCoy , who had previously visited Capella , briefs the senior officers in the briefing room ; among other things , he reveals that Capellans have a complex structure of taboos , and that they can be angered easily . Kirk leaves Scotty in command of the " Enterprise " while he , Spock , McCoy and security officer Lieutenant beam down and are immediately accosted by a party of Capellans led by Maab . Also in the party is Kras , a Klingon . Grant reacts too quickly , drawing his phaser , which prompts immediate retaliation : one of the warriors with Maab throws his kleegat , which hits Grant , killing him instantly . Act One . Maab demands the landing party surrender their weapons and instruments as a show of good faith . Kirk , Spock , and McCoy throw their phasers and communicator s on the ground . The landing party must wait for a period of time . Kirk expresses frustration at losing a crewman and Spock warns about getting emotional . A female Capellan enters offering a gesture of fruit , though McCoy warns not to touch it in fear of a taboo . In the meantime , on the " Enterprise " , Chekov thinks he detects another ship , likely the Klingons , though Scotty does not see the need to contact Kirk . The landing party is then taken to see Akaar , who is High Teer , or leader , of the Ten Tribes of Capella . In this meeting , Kras attempts to gain the diplomatic upper hand , but McCoy ' s knowledge of Capellan culture trumps his efforts . Kras sneers at the Federation ' s offer , claiming that Capellans believe only the strong should live , just as Klingons do . Kirk retorts that the highest of Federation law s states that Capella belongs to the Capellans , and it will never be taken from them , and that Klingon space is full of worlds that learned not to trust the Klingon Empire the hard way . Maab is enthusiastic , believing that competition for the mineral can only help Capella . Akaar notes thoughtfully that in all their dealings , Earthmen have never lied to Capellans . Maab warns him that there are those who will not bargain with Earthmen , which Akaar interprets as challenge . On the Enterprise , Uhura detects a transmission that could be a distress call , but she can ' t be sure . A fight breaks out between Capellans – an armed " coup " . Both Maab and Akaar are involved . During the fracas , Kirk , Spock , and McCoy race to the main tent to retrieve their gear , only to discover Kras engaged in the same search . Overpowering him , Kirk learns he was sent in a small scout ship to negotiate the mineral rights for the Klingon Empire . His people need the topaline , too . Before Kirk can learn more , the fight outside is ended , and Capellans burst into the tent , demanding Kirk free Kras . Then Maab enters , declaring himself the new Teer – Akaar died in the fighting . When Kras demands he kill Kirk , Kirk suggests he fight with Kras . Now that Maab has seen fear in Kras , he is not sure about him . In orbit , Uhura confirms the distress call is from the , a small freighter . She claims she ' s under attack by a Klingon vessel . Kirk doesn ' t respond to communicators . On the planet , Eleen , Akaar ' s pregnant widow , enters the tent . Maab trips her with his sword and she burns her arm in the fire . Because she carries an heir , Maab must kill her to solidify his rule , but when he is about to do so , Kirk interferes , sparking another melee that ends with Eleen and the landing party imprisoned together . When Kirk snatched Eleen away from Maab ' s descending blade , he violated a taboo : no man may touch the wife of a Teer . She demands to see Kirk die before she herself is killed . Uhura cannot reach any of the landing party , but Scotty decides to take the " Enterprise " out of orbit to investigate , thus stranding the landing party on Capella . Act Two . Eleen and the landing party have been imprisoned together to await Maab ' s decision . Eleen is in a great deal of pain , and McCoy intends to help her . Kirk understands this is a distraction , as no one is allowed to touch her . Kirk and Spock overcome their guards and escape to the hills with Eleen . They are able to recover their communicators but not their phasers . In space , the " Enterprise " has been unable to locate the " Deirdre " , which is strange , since its top speed is limited to warp 2 . Ensign Chekov can detect no debris from the science station , as well . The landing party , with the reluctant Eleen , has taken refuge in a narrow canyon with a wide but defensible entrance and a narrow chute - like exit . McCoy demands to inspect Eleen , and slaps her to convince her of his determination , while Kirk and Spock see to their position . He determines the child could be born soon . Kirk proposes to block the entrance with a sonic disruption ; two communicators linked together can produce a sympathetic vibration . This will cause a rock slide , sealing the entrance and buying time , as the Capellan search party will be forced to go around the hills to the other side . Several large rocks tumble down from the disruption , injuring many Capellans . Act Three . During the confusion , Kras manages to retrieve a phaser from one of the fallen warriors and quickly kills the Capellan with his own blade . The landing party continue on – Kirk discovers a cave in which the landing party seeks refuge . On the Enterprise , unable to discover the source of the distress call , Scotty has Chekov pull the microtape and realizes how he has been duped : the " Deirdre " specifically called for the " Enterprise " by name – and there ' s no way a freighter would have known the " Enterprise " was ordered into this sector . Clearly , the intent was to lure the " Enterprise " from Capella IV . To be sure , Scotty has Sulu complete the search pattern . In the cave , Kirk uses one of McCoy ' s magnasite - nitron tablet s to start a fire , lighting the inside of the cave . Kirk and Spock leave McCoy there to supervise the birth , while they search for weapons . Eleen expresses frustration that the child will belong to the husband , and she does not want it to be born . McCoy attempts to convince her she wants the child and that it belongs to her . By the time Kirk and Spock have weapons fabricated , Eleen has given birth . The Enterprise has finished its search pattern and heads back to Capella IV . Lieutenant Uhura receives another distress call , this time from the . Scotty ignores it , even though the Carolina is registered in the sector . When Kirk and Spock leave to reconnoiter , Eleen hits McCoy with a rock and escapes without the child . Kirk and Spock have fabricated bows and find out what happened to McCoy . He stays with the child as they prepare to meet the Capellans . En route to Capella IV , the " Enterprise " Then , a Klingon warship intercepts them – sitting in space , establishing a line and daring the " Enterprise " to cross it . Act Four . The Capellans have found their way to the chasm ' s other entrance , and the landing party have placed themselves in the rocks overlooking the cut . Before they can attack , Eleen appears . She lies to Maab , telling him all the Earthmen , and her infant son , are dead . Maab accepts her at her word , believing her to follow the Capellan code of honor , but Kras is immediately suspicious . He questions Eleen ' s word , angering both Maab and Eleen . When Maab refuses to verify her claim , Kras draws a stolen Starfleet phaser and offers to demonstrate to them what killing really means . During the ensuing battle , the Capellans are introduced to the bow and arrow , a weapon they never developed . Kras manages a standoff ; to break it , Eleen proposes to flee as a sacrifice and a distraction . Maab elects to return her life to her , which forfeits his own . He advances upon the Klingon and sacrifices himself to draw Kras ' fire : his lieutenant Keel is ready and kills the Klingon in the chest with a kleegat . As the confrontation is about to conclude badly , Scotty and a rescue party appear , pointing their phasers at them and demand the Capellans ' surrender . McCoy appears from the hills with the new Teer , Leonard James Akaar . Eleen signs the mining agreement as regent for the new Teer , and the Starfleet team beams back to the " Enterprise " . On the bridge of the " Enterprise " , Kirk and McCoy remark with pride on how the new Teer of Capella IV is named after them both . Spock remarks that they will both be insufferably pleased with themselves for at least a month . The " Enterprise " then departs Capella IV . Memorable quotes . " " What the Klingon has said is unimportant , and we do not hear his words . " " " " Yes , you ' re quite right , Mr . Spock . Inefficient – and " illogical . " " " Perhaps to be a Teer is to see in new ways . I begin to like you , Earthman . . . and I saw fear in the Klingon ' s eye . " " " " Look , I ' m a doctor , not an escalator ! " " " " How did you arrange to touch her , Bones ? Give her a happy pill ? " " " " No , a right cross . " " " " Say to yourself , the child is mine . The child is mine . It is mine ! " " " " Yes , it ' s yours . ' " " " " Fortunately , this bark has suitable tensile cohesion . " " " " You mean it makes a good bowstring . " " " " I believe I said that . " " " " McCoy . Bring our child . " " " " Our child ? " " " " I ' ll explain later . " " " " There ' s an old , old saying on Earth , Mister Sulu . Fool me once , shame on you . Fool me twice , shame on me . " " " " I know this saying . It was inwented in Russia . " " " " The cavalry doesn ' t come over the hill in the nick of time anymore . " " " " Oochy - woochy coochy - coo , captain ? " " " " An obscure Earth dialect , Mister Spock . Oochy - coochy coochy - coo . If you ' re curious , consult linguistics . " " " " The child was named Leonard James Akaar ? " " " " Has a kind of a ring to it , don ' t you think , James ? " " " " Yes . I think it ' s a name destined to go down in galactic history , Leonard . What do you think , Spock ? " " " " I think you ' re both going to be insufferably pleased with yourselves for at least a month . . . sir . " " Links and references . References . arm ; bark ; belly ; " Bones " ; booster ; bow and arrow ; bowstring ; Capella IV ; Capellan s ; ; cavalry ; colony ; convoy ship ; debris ; dialect ; ; Earth ; Earth Federation ; Earthman ; encampment ; escalator ; " Fool me once , shame on you . Fool me twice , shame on me . " ; freighter ; galactic history ; gesture ; gunpowder ; happy pill ; High Chief ; High Teer ( Teer ) ; hill ; hospital ; humanoid ; interception course ; I ' m a doctor , not a . . . ; kleegat ; Klingon scout ship ; knife ; linguistics ; logic ; magnasite - nitron tablet ; medical book ; medical oath ; microtape ; mining ; mining treaty ; namesake ; " Oochy - woochy coochy - coo " ; patient ; planetoid ; psychiatry ; reconnaissance party ; regent ; right cross ; Russia ; shale ; standard orbit ; standard search pattern ; surgery ; sympathetic vibration ; taboo ; tensile cohesion ; tent ; Ten Tribes ; throat ; topaline ; vegetation ; water ; weapon s ; widow