A Piece of the Action ( episode ) Returning to a planet last visited by an Earth ship 100 years earlier , the " Enterprise " finds a planet that has based its culture on the Chicago gangsters of the 1920s . Summary . Teaser . The arrives at Sigma Iotia II . This remote planet had been visited by the " " in 2168 , before the establishment of the non - interference directive . The " Horizon " was lost shortly after leaving Sigma Iotia II and Starfleet only managed to receive her radio reports nearly a century later , as the " Horizon " was only equipped with conventional radio . After planetfall , Uhura informs Captain Kirk that she is in contact with an Iotian named Bela Okmyx who describes himself as " Boss " . Okmyx invites Kirk to come down to the planet ' s surface saying that a " reception committee " will be waiting for him upon arrival . Since the " Horizon " s visit was before the Federation ' s Prime Directive against non - interference , Kirk , Spock and McCoy are concerned about what effects the " Horizon " s crew may have had on the Iotian culture which was just beginning industrialization at the time and have a knack for imitation . The three beam down to find a culture resembling that of Chicago in the 1920s . They are immediately greeted by two men dressed as gangsters who threaten them with Tommy gun s . Act One . The landing party surrenders its standard phaser s and communicator s and are asking questions of the gunmen when a drive - by shooting occurs . One of the gunmen is killed ; the other refers to the " hit " being committed by someone named Krako . Kirk , Spock and McCoy are taken to Okmyx ' s office , where they learn that Okmyx is one of a dozen or so " Bosses " and that he has the largest territory on Iotia . The office contains a book ( referred to as " The Book " ) published in the year 1992 titled " Chicago Mobs of the Twenties " . Okmyx informs Kirk , Spock , and McCoy that " The Book " was left by the crew of the " Horizon " , and the landing party correctly deduces that the entire Iotian culture has been formed by " This Book " . Okmyx refers to the landing party as " Feds " and tells them he wants the " Enterprise " to furnish him with " heaters " so he can wipe out all of the other Bosses and take total control of the planet . Kirk refuses and Okmyx gives him just eight hours to provide the weapons or die . Act Two . Okmyx has the landing party taken to a warehouse under guard . He then takes one of the confiscated communicators and contacts the " Enterprise " . He threatens to kill the landing party unless the ship provides him with one hundred phasers ( which he calls " heater s " ) and troops to show him how to use them . In the warehouse the gunmen are playing cards on a makeshift table while the landing party speculates while sitting in the background about the future of the Iotian society . Spock reasons that , although Okmyx ' s methods may seem deplorable , his ultimate goal is what the " Enterprise " crew must also work for : Iotia ' s society must become united or it will break down completely into anarchy . Kirk feels that since a Federation vessel contaminated the culture , it ' s the " Enterprise " s responsibility to set things right from this mess the planet ' s inhabitants are currently in . He distracts one of the gunmen named Kalo with a nonsensical and nonexistent card game supposedly from Beta Antares IV called " Fizzbin " which he makes up on the spot , enabling the landing party to overpower the gunmen and escape . Kirk grabs one of the mobster ' s Tommy gun and instructs Spock and McCoy to find the local radio station , contact the ship , and have themselves beamed aboard . Kirk goes off by himself planning on abducting Okmyx and bringing him back to the " Enterprise " . He is promptly greeted by a new gunman , named Zabo , and is forced to take a ride . Kirk is taken to the office of Jojo Krako , another boss who wants to be in control of the planet . Kirk again refuses to " come across with the heaters " for Krako and is confined to a small room . Spock and McCoy find the radio station . Spock incapacitated the station ' s operator with a Vulcan nerve pinch and they manage to contact Lieutenant Uhura and return to the ship . Shortly after , Okmyx contacts the ship through the communicator he stole and informs Spock that Krako has kidnapped Kirk . He offers to assist in getting Kirk back if Spock and McCoy will return to his office . Spock finds it difficult to trust Okmyx but decides to rather than use blatant force . Using wire from a radio , Kirk rigs a trip line across the doorway and then yells out for help . He knocks out two gunmen and escapes with a machine gun . In the transporter room , Spock instructs Scott to set one of the ship ' s phaser banks to a strong stun setting . He and McCoy then beam down to Okmyx ' s office where they are again met by armed hoods . Act Three . Okmyx again takes them prisoner , but Kirk arrives and turns the tables . Kirk and Spock dress in the clothes of Kalo and one of Okmyx ' s henchmen , commandeer a car and set out to " put the bag " on Krako . They are assisted by a small boy who demands " a piece of the action " in exchange for creating a diversion . The boy poses as Kirk ' s son and pretends to be injured , so Kirk and Spock can incapacitate the guards . They break into Krako ' s headquarters and appear to be in control until Krako ' s men gain the upper hand . Act Four . Kirk tells Krako that the Federation is taking over and arranges , via an indirect order to Scotty , to have Krako beamed up to the " Enterprise " to show him what he ' s up against . They overpower Krako ' s men in the process and then head back to Okmyx ' s office where Kirk has Scott locate and transport the other Bosses including Krako . Tepo is successfully transported , though , before more are located , an argument arises and Tepo casts doubt and supposes there aren ' t more people than just the three " Feds " he sees . Soon , on the street below , Krako ' s men try a hit on Okmyx ' s territory in an attempt to rescue Krako and a gunfight ensues in the street below . The landing party loses their guns once again , and Kirk has the ship fire its phasers on wide stun in the surrounding area to demonstrate their power . The mobsters are now convinced and agree to Federation control with Okmyx as the top boss and Krako as his lieutenant . They call the new structure a syndicate . Back aboard ship , Spock has concerns about Kirk ' s solution of having the Federation take a 40 % cut of the planet ' s annual " action " . Kirk explains that the money will go back into the planetary treasury to help the Federation guide the Iotians into a more ethical society . Spock has his doubts as to the logic behind Kirk ' s plan . McCoy is concerned because he seems to have left his communicator behind somewhere in Okmyx ' s office . Kirk and Spock speculate that with that kind of technology , such as the communicator ' s transtator in the hands of the Iotians and with their gift for imitation , the Iotians may one day want a piece of the Federation ' s action . Memorable quotes . " " Okay , you three , let ' s see you petrify . " " " " Sir , would you mind explaining that statement , please ? " " " " I want to see you turn to stone . Put your hands over your head , or you ain ' t going to have no head to put your hands over . " " " " I got the biggest in the world . You know , there ' s one thing wrong with having the biggest . There ' s always some punk trying to cut you out . " " " " I ’ m gonna give you just eight hours to get me the things I want . If I don ’ t have those tools by then , I ’ m gonna call up your ship and have them pick you up … in a box ! " " " " No , I don ' t think you ' re stupid , Mister Krako . I just think your behavior is arrested . " " " " I haven ' t been arrested in my whole life ! " " " " Nobody helps nobody but himself . " " " Sir , you are employing a double negative . " " " The most co - operative man in this world is a dead man . And if you don ' t keep your mouth shut , you ' re going to be co - operating . " " " " Logic and practical information do not seem to apply here . " " " " You admit that ? " " " " To deny the facts would be illogical , Doctor . " " " " Captain , you ’ re an excellent starship commander . But as a taxi driver , you leave much to be desired . " " " " It was " that " bad ? " " " " You mind your place , mister , or you ' ll be wearing concrete galoshes . " " " " You mean cement overshoes ? " " " " Uh . . . Aye . " " " " Are you afraid of cars ? " " " " Not at all , Captain . It ' s your driving that alarms me . " " " " Mother ! " " " " I would advise yas to keep dialin ' , Okmyx . " " " " Do you really think it ’ s that serious ? ! " " " " Serious ? ! Serious , Bones ? It upsets the whole percentage . " " " " How do you mean ? " " " " Well , in a few years , the Iotians may demand … a piece of OUR action ! " " Background information . Remastered information . The remastered version of " A Piece of the Action " aired in many North American markets during the weekend of . While the episode required very few new effects , the planet Sigma Iotia II was given a CGI - makeover , now a more Earth - like planet . Aside from orbital establishing shots , new phaser effects were created depicting the block - wide stun implemented from the " Enterprise " , replacing the more " cartoonish " aspects of the original . Links and references . References . 1992 ; 2168 ; . 45 automatic ; advisor ; anarchy ; Angelo ' s Delicatessen ; amplitude modulation ; baby blue ; baby carriage ; bag ; Bang Bang ; bean s ; beef ; Beta Antares IV ; Beta Antares IV native s ; Bible ; billiards ; block ; blotter ; bolt ; boss ; box ; broad ; bugged ; businessman ; cement ; Chamey ' s Auto Repair ; Chicago ; " Chicago Mobs of the Twenties " ; chopper ; Cirl the Knife ; clutch ; communicator ; concrete ; contract ; conventional radio ; cue ; darts ; dartboard ; distill ; double - barreled shotgun ; double negative ; Earth ; E . B . Green Portraits ; Economy Bus Lines ; ethics ; evolution ; eye ; Federation of Planets ; Feds ; firearm ; fireplug ; fizzbin ; flivver ; flop ; foot ; gear ; galoshes ; gang ; gangster ; gear s ; government ; hearse ; heater ; " hit " ; " " ; ice ; ice cream ; ignition ; industrialization ; intersection ; Iotian ; ; key ; kidnapping ; kronk ; language bank s ; laundry ; letter ; lieutenant ; logic ; machine gun ; material ; microphone ; Milky Way Galaxy ; moral inversion ; neutronium ; Northside Territory ; non - interference directive ; odds ; overshoe ; patty - cake ; peanut ; pedal ; percentage ; penny - ante operator ; percentage s ; petrify ; phaser ; phaser bank ; piecework factory ; planetary treasury ; playing card s ; postage ; profit ; punk ; radio set ; radio station ; reception committee ; " Request Time " ; right of petition ; Sawbones ; scrag ; Sigma Iotia II ; site - to - site transport ; sociological computer s ; Southside Territory ; sralk ; standard orbit ; Starfleet Command ; starter ; ; street light ; subspace radio ; sweat ; syndicate ; taxi ; taxi driver ; telephone ; territory ; textbook ; Thompson submachine gun ; transporter ; transtator ; troop s ; truce ; truck ; Tuesday ; Vulcan neck pinch ; warehouse ; wax