The Naked Time ( episode ) The " Enterprise " crew is intoxicated by an inhibition - stripping contagion that causes mayhem throughout the ship . Summary . Teaser . The orbit s the planet Psi 2000 , a world that was much like Earth in its distant past , tasked to observe the planet ' s impending disintegration . Lieutenant Commander Spock and Lieutenant Junior Grade Joe Tormolen beam down in environmental suit s to a frozen surface laboratory and investigate the horrific deaths of the lab ' s scientist s . Carelessly , Tormolen removes a glove of his suit to better scratch his nose , unknowingly exposing himself to a red , blood - like liquid substance leaping to his exposed hand from a frozen wall . Spock contacts the " Enterprise " and informs Captain Kirk that all of the station ' s personnel are dead . Kirk asks what caused it and Spock replies , " " Unknown , captain . It ' s like nothing we ' ve dealt with before . " " Act One . The landing party returns to decontamination on the transporter pad , and undergo further examination and clearance by Doctor McCoy . Tormolen ' s sudden anguish over the surface deaths , something that didn ' t faze him previously , is brushed off with an order by Captain Kirk for him to rest . Captain Kirk and his senior officer s discuss the possible causes of the madness displayed on the surface in the briefing room . Concerned about the planet ' s break - up and the crew efficiency needed to maintain a tricky orbit for their observations , Kirk asks if the surface tragedy could happen aboard the " Enterprise " . Spock admits to limitations in their scanning technology as space still contains infinite unknowns , but Scott is confident in his engines , as long as the bridge crew stays sane . Early stages of the planet ' s destruction begin . Tormolen , aggravated by his hand and sweating , sits in the " Enterprise " s recreation room , getting something to eat from the food synthesizer . Entering in a jovial mood , Lieutenant Sulu tries to sell Lieutenant Kevin Riley on the virtues of fencing after previously trying to interest the " Enterprise " s navigator on botany . An effort to bring Tormolen into the conversation triggers a hysterical response . Tormolen brandishes his table knife and rants about the futility of life in space . He says " " what are we doing out here in space ? Good ? What good ? ! We ' re polluting it , " destroying " it ! " " . His mood quickly turns to despair and he turns the knife on himself . Sulu and Riley try to wrestle it away unsuccessfully , as Tormolen falls and impales himself . Riley runs over to the room ' s intercom calling for medical assistance and he begins to sweat on his hands profusely . Act Two . McCoy and Nurse Chapel fail to save Tormolen ' s life , despite the fact that " his wounds were not that severe " , leaving a confounded McCoy to speculate his patient had simply lost his will to live . Psi 2000 ' s breakup accelerates , and the crew follows . Sulu and Riley , now at their helm and navigation console s and showing signs of infection , are slow in making a necessary orbital correction . Sulu abandons the helm in favor of some exercise to " " take the edge off , " " encouraging Riley to join him . Riley remains , but soon becomes flamboyantly insubordinate to Spock , sporting an exaggerated Irish brogue . Reporting briefly to sickbay as ordered , Riley learns of the death of Tormolen from Nurse Chapel , and attributes his friend ' s bad luck to the fact that he wasn ' t born an Irishman . Riley then proceeds to flirt with Nurse Chapel , touching her face and infecting her . Sulu , now fantasizing himself a musketeer , stalks the corridor s with a foil and frightens off two crewmen . Deeper in delusion , he returns to the bridge and takes Uhura , declaring her a " fair maiden " ( despite her protest that she was neither ) , under his " protection " before Kirk jumps him from behind and Spock subdues him with a Vulcan nerve pinch . The planet convulses , but the helm is unable to respond . A call to engineering is answered by " Captain " Kevin Thomas Riley , who has expelled Scott and crew and begun the ship - wide broadcast of a one - man musical / comedy show , including a very off - key version of " I ' ll Take You Home Again , Kathleen " , to the great annoyance of Kirk and Uhura ( who are unable to turn off the broadcast ) . Without power , the " Enterprise " is twenty minutes from destruction , and the affliction continues to spread throughout the crew . Act Three . Spock tours the ship , urging Scott to hurry in re - taking engineering , observing the madness of crewmen , and checking on McCoy ' s progress . Chapel is emboldened , confessing her love for Spock and infecting him with the touch of her hand , affecting him quickly . He insistently blurts " " I am in control of my emotions . " " Ignoring repeated hails from Uhura , Spock begins losing composure in the corridors ( a crewman writes " love mankind " in red paint on a door , not helping him at all ) and secludes himself in the briefing room trying to regain control by stating his duty and counting by twos before he suffers a complete loss of his emotional control . Kirk , Scott , and two security officers recapture engineering and Riley is taken away by security , but Scott discovers Riley has shut the engines down completely ; a normal restart requires at least thirty minutes . The " Enterprise " , now skimming Psi 2000 ' s upper atmosphere , only has eight to spare . " " I can ' t change the laws of physics ; I ' ve got to have thirty minutes ! " " , Scott declares to Kirk . Act Four . A cold - restart with a controlled matter - antimatter implosion in balanced engines is possible , but requires Spock ' s attention . Meanwhile , McCoy has discovered a cure for the affliction , after administering it to Sulu . Kirk finds his first officer in anguished reflection , regretting his inability to express love even for his mother . Kirk slaps him in the face hard , and Spock admits to feeling shame over his friendship with the captain . Struck again , he responds in kind , sending Kirk backwards over a table , infecting him . Kirk haltingly advises Spock that he ' s better off without love , and rhapsodizes over his great affair , the " Enterprise " , and the price she exacts . Kirk suddenly shouts out and admits " " I have a beautiful yeoman ! " " . Self - awareness returns to Spock , who proceeds to help Scott with the restart . Kirk finds the strength to return to the bridge with quiet words to his ship , " " Never lose you . . . never . " " Entering a turbolift and heading to the bridge , Kirk sees " SINNER REPENT " painted on the inner door . Seeing this , he wipes away blood from the corner of his mouth . Entering the bridge , Kirk ' s uniform is ripped by McCoy , who administers the antidote to the captain . Taking the center seat , Kirk ' s orders are muddled , but a cured Sulu is able to plot the escape from orbit . With a hesitating reach , Kirk longs for his beautiful Yeoman Rand , standing next to him , whom he can ' t touch but for duty . Spock and Scott finish preparations , and the restart is engaged . The implosion is successful with an unexpected result , sending the " Enterprise " three days back in time . Perhaps deciding not to return to Psi 2000 , Kirk orders a course ahead , warp factor 1 . Memorable quotes . " " Your blood pressure is practically nonexistent , assuming you call that green stuff in your veins blood . " " " " The readings are perfectly normal for me , doctor , thank you . And as for my anatomy being different from yours – I am delighted . " " " " Space still contains infinite unknowns . " " " " A foil : it ' s a rapier , a thin sword . " " " " All right . So whatdya do with it ? " " " " Whatdya mean ' Whatdya do with it ? " " " " Self defense ? Mayhem ? Shish kebab ? " " " " You " practice " ! " " " " Get off me ! You don ' t rank me and you don ' t have pointed ears ! So just get off my neck ! " " " " And now crew , I will render Kathleen . . . ONE MORE TIME ! " " " " Please , not again . " " " " Well , we ' re doing everything that ' s possible . " " " " Bones , I want the impossible checked out , too . " " " " Have no fear , O ' Riley ' s here . And one Irishman is worth ten THOUSAND of you - " " " " You ' re relieved , Mr . Riley ! Lt . Uhura , take over his station . " " " " Yes sir . " " " " Now " that ' s " what I like . Let the " women " work too ! Universal suffrage ! " " " " You know what Joe ' s mistake was ? He wasn ' t born an Irishman . " " " " I ' ll protect you , fair maiden . " " " " Sorry , neither . " " " " I ' d like you to teach me that sometime . " " " " Take D ' Artagnan here to sickbay . " " " " Who ' s this ? " " " " This is Captain Kevin Thomas Riley of the starship " Enterprise " . " " " " I ' m in love with you , Mister Spock . You , the Human Mister Spock , the Vulcan Mister Spock . " " " " I canna ' change the laws of physics . I ' ve got to have thirty minutes . " " " " My mother . . . I could never tell her I loved her . " " " " This vessel . I give , she takes . She won ' t permit me my life . I ' ve got to live hers . " " " " I have a beautiful yeoman ! Ever noticed her Mr . Spock ? You ' re allowed to notice her ! The captain ' s not permitted ! " " " " Never lose you . Never . " " " " Since the formula worked , we can go back in time , to any planet , any era . " " " " We may risk it someday , Mister Spock . " " Links and references . References . 18th century ; Alert Condition Baker Two ; Alert System B - 2 ; amusement gallery ; anatomy ; antimatter ; atmosphere ; ; bio - analysis ; biopsy lab ; blood pressure ; " Bones " ; botany ; bowling alley ; bridegroom ; briefing room 2 ; bulkhead ; cassette tapes ; chronometer ; checkers ; circuit s ; coffee ; cold start ; computer room ; console room ; contamination ; cook ; cycling station ; D ' Artagnan ; diet card ; Earth ; Earth science ; Electrographic Analysis ; engineer ; environmental suit ; fencing ; foil ; food slot ; food card ; formal dance ; France ; French language ; friction ; fuel ; gravity ; ; gym ; hair ; ice cream ; " I ' ll Take You Home Again , Kathleen " ; intermix formula ; intestine ; Irish ; Irishman ; s ; king ; knife ; lab status report ; laughter ; life system s ; love ; magnetic field ; maiden ; make - up ; medic ; medicine ; muscle ; nurse ; observation station ; observer ; paint brush ; patient ; personality quotient ; phase lock ; physics ; polywater ; polywater intoxication ; posture ; Psi 2000 ; psychiatric file ; psychiatry ; pulse ; queen ; rapier ; rec room ; record tape ; relative gravity ; repent ; respirator ; Richelieu ; rose ; Sarek ; science party ; Scots language ; serum ; service record ; shish kebab ; shower ; sinner ; space madness ; spectro - analysis ; stratosphere ; strawberry ; suicide ; swashbuckler ; time travel ; tranquilizer ; tray ; tricorder ; universal suffrage ; ; Vulcan s ; Vulcan nerve pinch ; wardroom Unreferenced material . anti - matter tank s ; ; inter - mix chamber ; pay grade ; perfume ; pint ; ship ' s store s