In rapid succession, McCoy, Scotty, Walking Bear, and Kirk are swept off the Enterprise and taken to the other ship. A voice tells them that they must discover the secrets of a holographic city before it will appear to them, and the city takes shape around them. The four officers walk around the city, examining what looks to be a combination of Mayan, Aztec, Egyptian, and Chinese architechture. Kirk climbs a temple and looks down at four dragon-head pillars, and he realizes that all four must face the temple and amplify the sun's power to use as a homing beacon of a sort. The four officers rotate the pillars to face the temple, and the voice comes again. "After scores of centuries, my design has finally been fulfilled!" A giant flash of light comes, and a dragon/snake appears before them, flapping its feathered wings. "Behold, Kuklukhan!"
Kuklukhan takes the four men to a room filled with cages, each containing an animal of unknown origin. McCoy recognizes one to be a Capellan PowerCat, a bobcat-like creature with the ability to throw off a charge of 2000 volts. Kuklukhan reveals that he collects primitive species and keeps them in holographic worlds that only they can see, letting them live safely and happily. Long ago, Kuklukhan visited Earth and gave many of its ancient peoples knowledge, intending to return and take them away in his ship later. When they did not summon him using the beacon in the city, he sent a probe after a long period of waiting and saw that the humans had developed into what he thought was warriors. The officers are horrified by the casual way this being deals out punishment, and how quickly he angers when he is forgotten and is not considered their master. Kuklukhan, upon being told that he is not needed, begins to attack the officers.
Meanwhile, on the Enterprise, Spock uses the ship's tractor beams and warp engines to shatter the force globe, allowing the ship to escape. Trying to distract Kuklukhan (so he won't destroy the ship), Kirk and McCoy release the Capellan PowerCat from its cage. The PowerCat leaps about, sparking, and knocking over other cages. At that moment, the Enterprise fires on Kuklukhan's ship and disables his power sources. Unable to control the PowerCat, Kuklukhan is frightened and angry at the Earth people. Kirk takes a tranquilizer hypo from McCoy and runs to the PowerCat, jamming the tranq into its shoulder. The PowerCat shocks him with a 2000 volt charge, and Kirk goes flying and lands, unmoving.
The PowerCat is subdued as the tranquilizer takes effect, and Kirk regains consciousness with only a bit of aftereffects. Kuklukhan listens to Kirk, and realizes that he really isn't needed on Earth anymore. Kuklukhan releases his four abductees, and they return to the Enterprise. Kuklukhan leaves the sector, saddened but enlightened, and the Enterprise continues on to its next mission.




















































