'Is There in Truth No Beauty?' by Jean Lissette Aroeste

When the Federation and the Medusan's agree to an exchange of technology and co-operation, the U.S.S. Enterprise is sent to collect Kollos, the Medusan ambassador; accompanying the delegate is Doctor Miranda Jones, a telepath, and Lawrence Marvick, the instrument specialist responsible for designing the Enterprise's engines. The importance of the mission is paramount, but is complicated by the fact that although the Medusans have a great beauty of character, the shock of their physical appearance can cause humanoids to go insane. Marvick is in love with Miranda, but when he proposes marriage, she turns down his offer in favour of staying with Kollos. Marvick is enraged, and attempts to kill the Medusan ambassador; however, the attempt fails after he is driven mad by a glimpse of the Medusan. Marvick takes over the ship's engine room and uses the auxiliary controls to take the ship out of the galaxy and into an unknown region of space. Here, Captain Kirk and the crew experience acute sensory distortion, and Marvick finally dies. With the ship back under his control Kirk realises that they do not know the way back to normal space; however, Kollos can - but is unable to use the vessel's controls. The only option is for Lieutenant Commander Spock to attempt a mind-meld, but Miranda jealously objects to the Vulcan contacting Kollos in this way. To allow Spock access to the alien ambassador, Kirk distracts the doctor, and discovers that the reason she is able to gaze upon Kollos without going out of her mind is because she is blind. Meanwhile, Kollos uses Spock's body to pilot the Enterprise back to known space; but when the Vulcan takes Kollos back to his protective box, he forgets to wear his protective visor, and is immediately driven insane...

William Shatner (Captain James Tiberius Kirk), Leonard Nimoy (First Officer Lieutenant Commander Spock), DeForest Kelley (Doctor Leonard H. ‘Bones’ McCoy), James Doohan (Chief Engineer Montgomery ‘Scotty’ Scott), Nichelle Nichols (Lieutenant Nyota Uhura), George Takei (Lieutenant Hikaru Sulu), Walter Koenig (Ensign Pavel Andreivich Chekov), Diana Muldaur (Doctor Miranda Jones), David Frankham (Lawrence Marvick)

Directed by Ralph Senensky

TX:
18th October, 1968

Notes:
*Featuring Captain James Tiberius Kirk, First Officer Lieutenant Commander Spock, Doctor Leonard H. ‘Bones’ McCoy, Chief Engineer Montgomery Scott, Lieutenant Nyota Uhura, Lieutenant Hikaru Sulu and Ensign Pavel Andreivich Chekov