In this episode of Trekking Through Compliance, we consider the episode This Side of Paradise, which aired on March 2, 1967, Star Date 3417.3.

The Enterprise is ordered to a Federation colony on Omicron Ceti III to evacuate them from some deadly rays. Kalomi offers to show Spock how the colonists have survived and expose him to spores that protect humans from the rays. Kirk returns to the ship while the rest of its crew, under the influence of spore plants brought on board, beams down to the planet.

After exposure to the spores, Kirk prepares to leave, but he is frustrated at his abandonment of the ship. The spores’ effect disappears, and Kirk surmises violent emotions destroy them. Kirk lures Spock back aboard the Enterprise and uses derogatory racial remarks to goad him into attacking. Kirk and Spock induce a similar effect on the planet below by broadcasting an irritating subsonic frequency to the crew’s communicators, provoking fights among the colonists and crew.

As they leave orbit with the colonists aboard, Kirk asks Spock about his experiences on the planet. Spock replies, “I have little to say about it, Captain, except that for the first time in my life … I was happy.”

 Compliance Takeaways:

1.     What are the unknown talents of your staff?
2.     Failure to continuously monitor can lead to disaster.
3.     What is the role of all your team members?

Resources:

Excruciatingly Detailed Plot Summary by Eric W. Weisstein for This Side of Paradise
MissionLogPodcast.com- This Side of Paradise