are only human.
[Lokai]
Ah, Mr. Chekov,
therein lies my lack of ability
to alert you and your captain
to the real threat
of someone like Bele.
You are from the planet Earth. There
is no persecution on your planet.
How can you
understand my fear,
my apprehension, my degradation,
my suffering?
[Chekov] There was persecution
on Earth once.
I remember reading about it
in my history class.
[Sulu] Yes, but it happened
way back in the 20th century.
There's no such
primitive thinking today.
[Lokai] You have read about it
in history, I see.
How can I make your
flesh know how it feels
to see all those who are like you,
and only because
they are like you,
despised, slaughtered,
and even worse,
denied the simplest bit of decency
that is a living being's right?
Do you know what it would be like
to be dragged out of your hovel
into a war
on another planet?
A battle that will
serve your oppressor
and bring death
to you and your brothers.
Putting the matter into the hands
of your Starfleet Command
is, of course,
the proper procedure.
How long will it be before
we hear from them, Captain?
I expect the answer
is already on its way.
Well, then, let us drink to their
wise solution to our problem.
- Let's do that.
- Commissioner, Starfleet Command
may not arrive at the solution
you anticipate.
There is the matter
of the shuttlecraft
which Lokai appropriated.
The interrogation of that matter
may be of paramount
importance to Starfleet.
Gentlemen, we are discussing
a question of degree.
Surely, stealing a shuttlecraft
cannot be equated
with the importance of murdering
thousands of people.
We do not know
that Lokai has done that.
One thing we are agreed on
is that Lokai is a criminal.
[Kirk]No, Commissioner.
The one thing we're agreed upon
is that Lokai took a shuttlecraft.
- [Intercom] Uhura to Capt. Kirk.
- Excuse me. Kirk here.
I have a communication
from Starfleet Command, sir.
- Yes, read it.
- "Starfleet Command
"extends greetings to Commissioner
Bele of the planet Cheron.
"His urgent request to be
transported to his planet
"with the man he claims prisoner has
been taken under consideration.
"It is with great regret that
we cannot honour that request.
"Intergalactic treaty
clearly specifies
"that no being can be
extradited without due process.
"In view of the circumstances,
"we have no doubt that after
a hearing at star base,
"Commissioner Bele will be
permitted to retain his prisoner
- and be provided transportation--"
- That's enough. Thank you.
As always, Lokaihas
managed to gain allies.
Now, wait a minute,
Commissioner--
Even if they don't recognize
themselves as being such.
Yes, he will evade, delay, and
escape again and in the process
put thousands of innocent beings
at each other's throats,
getting them to kill and maim for
a cause which they have no stake in,
but which he will force them
to violently espouse
by twisting their minds
with his lies, his
loathsome accusations
and his foul threats.
I can assure you, Commissioner,
that our minds will not be twisted,
not by Lokai,
nor by you.
It is obvious
to the most simpleminded
that Lokai
is of an inferior breed.
The obvious visual evidence,
Commissioner,
is that he is of the same
breed as yourself.
Are you blind, Commander Spock?
Well, look at me.
Look at me!
You're black on one side
and white on the other.
I am black
on the right side.
I fail to see
the significant difference.
Lokai is white on the right side.
All of his people
are white on the right side.
Commissioner, perhaps the experience
of my own planet Vulcan
may set an example
of some value to you.
Vulcan was in danger
of being destroyed
by the same conditions
and characteristics
which threaten
to destroy Cheron.
We were once a people like
yourselves-- wildly emotional,
often committed to irrationally
opposing points of view,
leading, of course,
to death and destruction.
Only