Twelfth UK Story Arc " It wasn ' t often that Captain James T . Kirk , commander of the starship " Enterprise " , had to prepare his vessel for the reception of V . I . P visitors . . . " Summary . Captain Kirk and Mr . Spock make an inspection of officers en route to the transporter room in preparation for the arrival of Ambassador Courtenay Marshall of the Federation Council . The ambassador beams aboard with perfect timing , and suggests that Kirk respectfully refer to him as " Excellency " . He informs Kirk that he will be using the captain ' s quarters and requires a station prepared for him on the bridge . Kirk points out that having civilians on the bridge is prohibited under eighteen Federation regulations , and Marshall angrily retorts that Kirk is to obey his orders without question . Countering , Kirk asks for orders in writing , which Marshall grudgingly produces . On the bridge , Kirk orders a course set for planet Tondus . It is a strategic world near the Romulan Empire , and Marshall is to negotiate for Tondus to join the Federation , thereby gaining a tactical advantage for the Federation . Marshall orders that a ceremonial guard of officers be provided to escort him to negotiations . Kirk assembles Spock , Chekov , and Sulu in the Quiet Room to practice formation . Chekov complains , protesting that they are being treated like army recruits , and Kirk rebukes him , explaining that he does not like it either , but they are required to adhere to supreme orders . Scotty interrupts the drill , alerting the captain that the " Enterprise " is under attack , but the ambassador has given orders not to raise shields . Kirk dashes to the bridge , demanding that the shields be raised . Marshall says that the Tondusian ship is merely suspicious of their approach , and they should show no sign of hostility . After the ship is hit in a critical area , Kirk orders shields raised and retaliatory fire . The attacker retreats , and Marshall dismisses it as a misunderstanding , directing his entourage to accompany him to Tondus immediately . They assemble in the transporter room , and Kirk cautiously suggests that they beam down fully armed . The ambassador furiously threatens to relieve Kirk of command if there are any further arguments against his methods . As the landing party materializes on Tondus , an officer greets them , requesting their papers . They are escorted to the reception chambers of the Tondusian Premier . The ambassador and the premier exchange cordial greetings . Kirk interjects that there was difficulty in contacting Tondus to announce their arrival , as they had been attacked . Marshall is indignant that Kirk should be so bold as to say anything , but the premier takes Kirk ' s words seriously . He orders his chamberlain to make a full investigation of all spacecraft activity in the last four hours . Marshall and the premier commence diplomatic discussions , and the chief of staff takes Kirk and his men on a tour of the capital city . Privately , Kirk ponders misgivings . Meanwhile , the premier and the ambassador raise glasses in a toast – to the might of the Romulan Empire . The chief of staff shows the landing party a mass - transit system of transporters , and makes small talk with Kirk , recognizing that Tondus could be used as a bulwark against the Romulan s . Back at the " negotiations " , the ambassador congratulates the premier on the appearance of normality he has preserved in the city . The premier explains that the Tondusians do as they are told . Their leaders issue the orders that are dictated to them , since their families are being held under arrest . At the end of their tour , Kirk and his men are led into a large building . The door seals shut behind them , and they are borne along on a conveyor belt . They pass a large viewscreen with the grinning face of the chief of staff . When the conveyor stops , they see a tattered old man in chains who introduces himself : Ambassador Courtenay Marshall . Marshall reveals that the ambassador they had known was an impostor . When the real Marshall transported to the " Enterprise " , his beam was intercepted , and his signal was replaced with that of the impostor . Kirk doesn ' t understand why the ambassador was kidnapped , as the Federation only wanted to establish an alliance with Tondus . The chief of staff then reappears , complete with armed guards , announcing that Romulans have already occupied Tondus , and the planet is under their control . Kirk and his men are taken to the " transformation center " , and the chief of staff , or more properly , the consul , tells his men to alert the president . The consul informs Kirk that they are plotting to take over Federation headquarters using Kirk and his men as tools . The president arrives , explaining that the " Enterprise " is to return to Earth with a fleet of Tondusian ships , apparently on a peace mission , though they will instead be used to attack . He says that the transformation machinery will provide the Romulans with a new command crew for the " Enterprise " . Spock perceives that they are all in great danger and attacks the Romulan guards , but the president throws a switch , jolting Kirk and his men with a massive shock , rendering them unconscious . They are then and strapped down to procedure tables . The president revels in his plan to wipe out the faces and intelligences of the men , transferring them to Romulan operatives . On the " Enterprise " , Scotty , in command , is growing concerned that the landing party has not yet checked in . Just then , Uhura receives a scrambled transmission from Earth . Intelligence reports that Ambassador Marshall has been replaced with an impostor . The official displays a photograph of Marshall , and Scotty realizes that Intelligence is correct . Scotty tries to contact Kirk using a low - pitch communicator signal , but the captain is still unconscious . The president prepares his willing men for the transformation procedure , describing the process . Their personalities and physical characteristics will be removed by dematerialization , and they will be given the minds , bodies , and memories of Kirk , Spock , Sulu and Chekov . Though thinking , talking , and acting as their templates do , they will still be loyal Romulan agents . Through the captain ' s open comm link , Scotty hears everything . Scotty sounds a red alert , assembling a four - shuttle strike force full of heavily armed officers . As the transformation process begins on the Romulan volunteers , Kirk and his men regain consciousness . The President taunts Kirk with his plans of domination , but a Romulan officer suddenly reports that four armed craft from the " Enterprise " are approaching fast . Bewildered by how his plans could have been discovered , the president orders a full defense alert , adamant that his plans will still succeed . In the stratosphere above the capital , Tondusian ships intercept the shuttles and engage them in a firefight . With the Romulans distracted , Kirk is able to contact Scotty , informing him the Tondusian leaders ' families are being held hostage . He directs that the strike force be divided , with one group heading for the government building , and the other to the prison . The shuttles are able to overcome and destroy the Tondusian defenses , and the impostors start to panic . Knowing that they will be executed for failure , the President and the fake Ambassador plot to blow up the building with everyone inside . Before they can activate the auto - destruct controls , Scotty and his men burst in , stunning the Romulans with phaser rifles . The men free their crewmates , and Scotty reports that the Tondusians and the prisoners are now free . Memorable quotes . " " It ' s happened before that men have been sent to their deaths by the orders of a fool with a headful of nothing ! " " " " Masterly ! But then we are masters , aren ' t we ! " " " " Naturally . We ' re Romulans . " " " " An escalator . . . out of nowhere ! " " " " I don ' t like this one bit ! We ' ve been taken for a ride ! " " " " You can ' t get us to help your treacherous schemes . We ' re all trained to resist mind domination ! " " " " There ' s no time for finesse , sir ! We must attack ! " " " " Out of the way , you snivelling [ sic ] curs ! Make way for your masters ! " " " Haw ! " There ' s no fight in these spineless jackals ! " " Background information . Publishing history . None of the UK weekly stories had titles . Each installment was two pages in length . The entire story was published in black and white , a first for the weekly UK story arcs .