The Slaver Weapon ( episode ) A group of Kzinti divert the shuttle " Copernicus " and retrieve a newly discovered Slaver weapon . Summary . The boxes were used to carry valuables , scientific instruments , weapons and data . When the " Copernicus " passes Beta Lyrae the stasis box suddenly glows , indicating a second box is hidden somewhere in that system . Spock remarks , " " Stasis boxes and their content are the only remnant of the species which ruled most of the galaxy a billion years ago . Their effect on science has been incalculable . In one was found a flying belt which was the key to the artificial gravity field used by starship s . Another box contained a disruptor bomb with the pin pulled . As a result all stasis boxes are now under the jurisdiction of Starfleet and only certain key specialists handle them . The boxes are rare , potentially dangerous , and we seem to have found a second one . " " The shuttle lands on an ice planet . Spock , Sulu , and Uhura exit the shuttle ' s aft airlock wearing life support belt s . Unfortunately for them , hostile Kzinti lie nearby in ambush with an empty stasis box . The team are captured in a police web by a group of Kzinti and taken aboard their vessel . Spock tells the others that the lean , bedraggled one is a mind - reader . He tells Sulu that the Kzinti won ' t read his mind because Vulcan s are herbivorous pacifists and Uhura a mere female . The Kzinti are meat eaters and if Sulu senses one trying to read his mind , he should think of eating raw vegetable s . Spock advises Uhura to try to look harmless because Kzinti females are dumb animals . In an emergency they may forget a Human female is an intelligent creature , giving them a chance to escape . At first , Uhura is irritated by this , telling Spock " " Thanks . Thanks a lot ! " " Spock then reminds Uhura that while he does indeed value her intelligence , they may have a better chance at escape if the Kzinti thinks she has none . Uhura understands Spock ' s instructions and quietly agrees . Their captors are led by Chuft - Captain , who commands the " Traitor ' s Claw " . Their archaeologists had found an empty stasis box , but discovered it was a good way to draw others there . In the opened box they find a picture of a Slaver , some fresh meat , and a weapon created by the Slavers . The Kzinti return to the surface to test the weapon . They run through settings similar or inferior to present technology . One setting disengages the police web , giving the team a chance to flee ; in the process , Spock kicks Chuft - Captain in his ribs , recovers the weapon from him and runs away , but Uhura is stunned and recaptured by the Kzinti . Sulu and Spock regroup some distance from the ship , in the shadow of an outcropping of rock and ice . Spock explains that his striking Chuft - Captain was a calculated move , dishonoring the Kzin and preventing him from calling for help . Sulu tells Spock he believes the weapon belonged to a spy . Spock is initially skeptical that even someone with Sulu ' s knowledge of weaponry could make such a determination so quickly , but agrees upon hearing his explanation – only one of the various settings , a relatively weak laser , would be of any real use to a common soldier – and concludes that , therefore , it should also have a self - destruct setting . Before he can find it , Chuft - Captain hails them wanting to trade Uhura ' s life for the weapon . He also wants to engage in combat with Spock to regain his honor . Spock estimates his chances of defeating the Kzin are low , and Sulu refuses on Spock ' s behalf through his communicator . As Spock tries another setting , the weapon releases a giant energy beam creating an enormous explosion far away . Sulu exclaims , " " We can ' t give them THAT ! " " Spock observes , " " Fascinating . No world in the Federation has produced anything so powerful . Almost beyond theoretical limits . Total conversion of matter to energy at a distance . " " Sulu remarks , " " If the Kzinti had that , the whole galaxy would be their dinner table ! " " The shock wave from the explosion knocks Spock and Sulu off their feet , and the Kzinti quickly recapture them and the weapon . The Kzinti find another mode for the weapon , a " reasoning computer " , a remarkable achievement for hand - held equipment . It gives few details of its origin and abilities , alluding to long - ago war . The weapon says that unless it is supplied with " certain code words " it will answer no further questions . Chuft - Captain demands the total - conversion beam , but Spock observes that the setting the computer gives him is not the same as the one he and Sulu observed earlier . As the Kzinti go outside to test the weapon , leaving the prisoners alone in the web , Spock explains his reasoning to Uhura . Awakened after an indeterminate time and surrounded by beings that do not know its proper protocols , it has decided to self - destruct to keep vital tactical information from falling into enemy hands . The Slaver weapon detonates , killing the Kzinti in a massive ( but conventional ) explosion . Standing on the rim of the crater left in the ice , Sulu laments the loss of a fine museum piece , but Spock observes that it never could be one , as it was far too dangerous to remain in one . The " Enterprise " crew resume their journey in the " Copernicus " . Spock observes how an artifact of an ancient war almost ignited a new one for possession of it , and Uhura jokes that the Kzinti might never get over their superstition about " haunted " weapons . Memorable quotes . " " Mr . Spock , if it takes a stasis box to find another stasis box , how did anyone ever find the first one ? " " " As with a number of discoveries , purely by accident , lieutenant . " " " " Lieutenant Uhura , this may be crucial - in the presence of the Kzinti , do not say anything , do not do anything startling - try to look harmless . " " " " Any special reason ? " " " " Are you forgetting Kzinti females are dumb animals ? In an emergency , the Kzinti may forget a Human female is an intelligent creature . " " ( Indignant ) " " Thanks - thanks a lot ! " " " " Lieutenant , " I " value your intelligence , but we may be able to seize an opportunity to escape if the Kzinti believe you have none . " " ( Understanding ) " " Yes , sir . " " " " Captain , he is too alien ! He makes me taste yellow root munched between flat teeth ! " " " " Be glad if you need not read the Vulcan ' s mind . " " " " What of the picture ? " " " " The Human , Sulu , believes it to be Slaver . " " " " So do I . It would have made a worthy enemy . " " " " I have the weapon . " " " " They ' ve got Uhura - and subspace radio . They can call for help from the Kzin planet if they think the weapon ' s worth it . " " " " No . . . they can not - or , rather , " will " not . " " " " Why ? " " " " Because I kicked Chuft - Captain . Consider . Chuft - Captain has been attacked by an herbivorous pacifist , an eater of leaves and roots , one who traditionally does not fight . And the ultimate insult , I left him alive . Chuft - Captain ' s honor is at stake . He must seek personal revenge before he can call for help . " " " " That gives us some time . You did plan it that way ? " " " " Of course . " " " " I have a feeling , Mr . Spock . This weapon must have belonged to a spy - an espionage agent . " " " " I acknowledge your expertise in the field of weapons , Mr . Sulu , but I do not see how you can determine probable ownership . " " " " Well , here - look at it . All these settings - we don ' t know a common Slaver soldier " couldn ' t " handle them , but as a weapon , only the laser is effective . The others aren ' t necessary for the line soldier ' s one purpose : to destroy the enemy . " " " " Assuming it ' s a spy weapon , then , the Slavers would have wanted to keep it a secret . If so , it is logical to assume that it has a self - destruct setting too . " " " " But we ' ve seen all the phases . " " " " Perhaps not . There is the null setting . It seems to do nothing - but " why " should it be there ? " " " " We have the female prisoner as hostage . You have something we want . We will trade her life for the Slaver weapon . " " " " I compute the odds of my defeating Chuft - Captain in combat at sixteen to one against . " " " " Offer refused . " " " " They think very little of you . " " " " Wrong , they don ' t think much of YOU . " " " " The Kzinti have legends of weapons haunted by their owners . " " " " Could it be a voice - activated mechanism ? " " " " No . It appears to be conversing with them . A reasoning computer that small ! " " " " How long has it been since you were turned off ? " " " " I do not know . When I am off I have no sense of passing time . " " " " What is the last thing you remember ? " " " " We were on a mission . I may not tell you of it unless you know certain code words . " " " " We can ' t let them have that weapon ! " " " " They are not about to get it , lieutenant . " " " " Why not ? " " " " Assume you are a Slaver war computer . You ' ve been turned off - you do not know for how long - but when you were turned off , there was a war on . Now you are awakened by aliens you never saw before . They do not know any of the military passwords . They ask you so many questions , it is obvious they know little about you . Your owner is nowhere about . What would you think ? " " " " I ' d think I ' d been captured by the enemy , or " an " enemy at least . " " " " And when they asked you how to find your most powerful weapon setting , what would you give them ? " " " " No sign of the weapon , of course . . . it would ' ve looked nice in some museum . . . " " " " It never would ' ve reached a museum , lieutenant . There was too much power in that one setting - if not the Kzinti , the Klingons or some other species would ' ve tried to possess it . " " Links and references . References . 1 billion years ago ; 2069 ; 2169 ; archaeologist ; artificial gravity ; Beta Lyrae ; Beta Lyrae system ; " " ; disruptor bomb ; disruptor field ; Earth - Kzin Wars ; energy absorber ; ghost ; heart ; hostage ; hundred ; Klingon s ; Kzin ; Kzinti government ; Kzinti ; Kzinti police vessel ; laser ; life support belt ; logic ; meter ; Milky Way Galaxy ; museum ; odds ; omnivore ; pacifist ; pedal ; personal rocket motor ; phaser ; police web ; privateer ; protoplasm ; record time ; rib ; running ; sight ; Slaver s ; Slaver Empire ; Slaver war ; Slaver weapon ; spy ; Starbase 25 ; Starfleet ; stasis box ; subspace radio ; superstition ; table ; teeth ; telescope ; theft ; tourist ; " Traitor ' s Claw " ; Treaty of Sirius ; vegetable ; Vulcan s