Trekking Through Compliance

In this episode of Trekking Through Compliance, we consider the episode The Empath, which aired on December 6, 1968, and occurred on Star Date 5121.5

Story Synopsis

The episode centers around Captain Kirk, Mr. Spock, and Dr. McCoy, who are sent to investigate a research outpost on Minara II.

Upon arrival, the crew discovers that the planet’s sun is about to go nova, threatening all life in the system. They encounter an alien species known as the Vians, who have captured a mute empath named Gem. The Vians have been conducting experiments to test the crew’s capacity for self-sacrifice and compassion, using Gem’s empathic abilities to heal injuries by absorbing pain and wounds.

Throughout the episode, the crew endures various forms of torture at the hands of the Vians, who wish to determine if Gem is capable of understanding and valuing the human traits of sacrifice and empathy. The crew’s willingness to endure suffering for one another ultimately influences Gem, proving to the Vians that she can learn these human traits.

Ultimately, the Vians save Gem and her planet, seeing the potential for compassion and selflessness. “The Empath” explores themes of sacrifice, empathy, and the power of compassion in the face of adversity.

Commentary

The plot involves the Enterprise landing party discovering an abandoned station on a planet near a supernova, leading them to meet a mute, empathic woman named Jim. The episode highlights themes of self-sacrifice and empathy as the crew faces ethical trials set by the Vians. Compliance lessons from the episode include the importance of cultural humility, immersive cultural exchanges, respect for local customs, building trust, and recognizing the limitations of an outsider’s perspective. These insights can improve the effectiveness of compliance programs in cross-cultural contexts.

Key Highlights

• Story Synopsis: The Empath
• Key Plot Points and Character Actions
• Fun Facts and Continuity Issues
• Cultural Humility in Compliance

Resources

Excruciatingly Detailed Plot Summary by Eric W. Weisstein

MissionLogPodcast.com

Memory Alpha

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Trekking Through Compliance, we consider the episode Wink of an Eye, which aired on November 29, 1968, and occurred on Star Date 5710.5

While exploring an outer quadrant of the Galaxy, the Enterprise receives a distress call from the planet Scalos. However, a landing party needs help locating the transmission’s source. Kirk thinks he detects the buzzing of insects, but the tricorder does not register them. Queer goings-on follows when Compton disappears right in front of McCoy.

After their return to the Enterprise, malfunctions occur aboard the ship, which cannot be explained. Kirk correctly concludes that aliens have been beamed aboard. Spock detects an alien machine being installed into the environmental control, but when Spock attempts to disconnect the machine, he is prevented by a force field. Kirk then disappears.

Kirk makes a tape for Spock, and he explains all this. McCoy discovers the tape, and Spock reads it by considerably slowing it down. Spock then speeds himself up, and the Scalosians are returned to their planet to live out the rest of their lives, recognizing that the Federation will not permit any more Starships to enter the area.

Commentary

The storyline follows the Enterprise responding to a distress call from Scalos, where they encounter the rapidly accelerated Scalosians. Captain Kirk and his crew grapple with malfunctions, an accelerated metabolism, and a plot to use Enterprise crew members for propagation. The episode highlights key compliance lessons, such as understanding time perception, considering alternative perspectives, gathering comprehensive evidence, and maintaining investigation adaptability. Fun facts about the episode’s production and approach to 1960s television standards regarding sex are also shared.

Key Highlights

• Story Synopsis
• Key Plot Points and Developments
• Fun Facts and Continuity
• Investigative Lessons from ‘Wink of an Eye’

Resources

Excruciatingly Detailed Plot Summary by Eric W. Weisstein

MissionLogPodcast.com

Memory Alpha

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Trekking Through Compliance, we consider the episode Plato’s Stepchildren, which aired on November 12, 1968, and occurred on Star Date 5784.0

Story Synopsis

The episode begins with the USS Enterprise responding to a distress call from a planet populated by the Platonians, a group of telepathic humanoids who model their society in ancient Greece. Upon arriving, Captain Kirk, Mr. Spock, and Dr. McCoy discover that the Platonians possess extraordinary telekinetic powers, which they use to manipulate and control others for amusement.

The Platonians’ leader, Parmen, demands that Dr. McCoy stay on the planet to serve them indefinitely, citing his medical skills as invaluable. When McCoy refuses, Parmen uses his powers to torture Kirk and Spock, forcing them to perform humiliating acts for entertainment. The Platonians’ cruelty is driven by their belief in their superiority and the assumption that their powers make them invincible.

As the episode progresses, the crew devises a plan to level the playing field. They discover that the Platonians’ powers are derived from kironide in the planet’s food. By synthesizing a serum, they temporarily gain similar telekinetic abilities. This allows them to challenge Parmen’s control, ultimately leading to the Platonians’ defeat.

A significant moment in the episode is the forced kiss between Captain Kirk and Lieutenant Uhura, one of the first interracial kisses on American television. While orchestrated under duress, this scene is iconic for its social and cultural impact.

Ultimately, the Enterprise crew warns the Platonians to change their ways, illustrating themes of resistance against tyranny, the ethical use of power, and the importance of equality and consent. Plato’s Stepchildren remains a thought-provoking episode that tackles complex social issues within a science fiction context.

Commentary

The plot revolves around the Enterprise crew encountering sadistic psychokinetic Plutonians who use their powers to amuse themselves at the expense of their captives. The episode is notorious for featuring the first interracial kiss on American television, though the context reveals a much darker scenario. Key compliance themes discussed include power dynamics, the importance of speaking up, respect for diversity, consent, crisis management, and accountability. Fox provides valuable insights into fostering a strong compliance culture while warning viewers about the episode’s disturbing content.

Key Highlights

• Story Synopsis
• Disturbing Elements and Commentary
• Compliance and Leadership Lessons

Resources

Excruciatingly Detailed Plot Summary by Eric W. Weisstein

MissionLogPodcast.com

Memory Alpha

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Trekking Through Compliance, we consider the episode For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky, which aired on November 1, 1968, Star Date Unknown.

McCoy calls Kirk to sick bay and informs him that the ship’s Chief Medical Officer (himself) has contracted an incurable fatal disease called xenopolycythemia and has only one year to live. However, McCoy assures Kirk he can still do his job until the end.

Suddenly, the Enterprise is attacked and diverts and determines their point of origin, an asteroid 200 km in diameter, which is a nuclear-powered spaceship on a collision course with planet Daran V. The inhabitants do not know that they are on a spacecraft, except for one old man who had climbed a mountain when he was young and intones “For the world is hollow and I have touched the sky.” After uttering this, the oracle punishes the old man with death using a subcutaneous “instrument of obedience.”

They can put the ship back on course. They also discover databanks of the Fabrini containing a great deal of medical knowledge, including the cure for McCoy’s xenopolycythemia.

Commentary

The episode synopsis includes McCoy’s diagnosis with a fatal disease and the Enterprise’s encounter with a nuclear-powered asteroid spaceship on a collision course with a planet. Through the storyline, Fox draws analogies to various continuous monitoring activities crucial for effective compliance programs, such as transaction monitoring, regulatory change monitoring, audit and incident monitoring, employee behavior monitoring, third-party risk monitoring, whistleblower hotline monitoring, regulatory development screening, and automated controls monitoring. Fox emphasizes the importance of proactive and continuous compliance monitoring to mitigate risks and uphold regulatory adherence.

Key Highlights

• Story Breakdown and Key Events
• Fun Fact: The Concept of an Interstellar Ark
• Compliance Insights: Continuous Monitoring

Resources

Excruciatingly Detailed Plot Summary by Eric W. Weisstein

MissionLogPodcast.com

Memory Alpha

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Trekking Through Compliance, we consider the episode The Tholian, which aired on November 15, 1968, and occurred on Star Date 3842.3.

When the Enterprise attempts to ascertain the fate of the U.S.S. Defiant, which vanished 3 weeks ago, Spock reports strange sensor readings. They visually detect the Defiant, but sensors indicate it is not there. A landing party beams aboard, and when McCoy tries to touch one of the dead crew members, his hand passes right through him, revealing that the Defiant is starting to disintegrate. They all beam back to save Captain Kirk.

The weakening of the surrounding space fabric traps Kirk and the ship in a parallel universe. The appearance of two hostile Tholian ships disrupts the spatial interphase, which would have allowed Kirk to reenter his universe. Spock convinces the Tholians to wait until the interphase occurs, but the Enterprise cannot beam Kirk aboard. The Tholians then fire and damage the Enterprise.

In her cabin, Uhura sees a vision of Captain Kirk and reports to McCoy that he is alive. McCoy believes Uhura is going mad and confines her to sickbay. Scott then sees the same vision and rushes to the bridge, where everyone, including Spock, also sees it. The Enterprise can hold Kirk in the transporter beam at the next interphase and escape from the completed Tholian web by using the ship’s power to disrupt space-time.

Commentary

The episode follows the Enterprise crew as they investigate the fate of the USS Defiant and encounter the Tholian energy web. Key compliance lessons include identifying anomalies, contextual analysis, leveraging specialized expertise, adaptability, collaborative problem-solving, and proactive monitoring. The show also highlights exciting facts about the episode’s production and its place within Star Trek continuity.

Key Highlights

• Key Plot Points and Developments
• Fun Facts and Continuity Issues
• Compliance Lessons from The Tholian Web

Resources

Excruciatingly Detailed Plot Summary by Eric W. Weisstein

MissionLogPodcast.com

Memory Alpha

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Trekking Through Compliance, we consider the episode Day of the Dove, which aired on November 1, 1968, Star Date Unknown.

Story Synopsis

In this episode of Trekking Through Compliance, we consider the episode Day of the Dove, which aired on November 1, 1968, Star Date Unknown.

Called to Earth colony Beta 12A by a distress signal which claims that the colony is under attack. Kirk’s suspicions of Klingon’s involvement seem confirmed when the Enterprise detects the approach of a Klingon battlecruiser.

Klingon Commander Kang and his landing party then beam down and subdue the Enterprise’s landing party. He accuses the Enterprise of attacking and killing 400 Klingons aboard his ship and demands that Kirk beam the Klingon landing party up to the Enterprise. Meanwhile, Kirk accuses Kang of destroying the colonists of 12A.

Kirk pretends to comply with Kang’s order but warns Spock by pressing a special button on his communicator. Kang and his landing party are then beamed aboard and taken prisoner with the rest of the Klingon crew, who have been beamed to the Enterprise from their stricken ship. Soon after, the Enterprise spontaneously accelerates to Warp 9 and traps all but 38 crew members below deck.

When Kirk confronts Kang and accuses him of being responsible for trapping the Enterprise’s crew, phasers and room ornaments turn into swords. The Klingons escape and take control of engineering. Their attempt to cut off life support to the bridge is foiled, however, when normal functioning returns for no apparent reason.

Meanwhile, Spock ascertained that an unfamiliar alien life force was aboard. After watching the Enterprise crew and the Klingons turn at each other’s throats, Kirk realized that the alien was influencing matter, humans, and Klingons’ behavior, somehow deriving sustenance from their violent emotions.

Kirk and Mara use intra-ship beaming to pass through the Klingon defenses. With Mara’s help, and after fighting Kang in a sword battle involving all Klingons and Enterprise crew members, Kirk eventually convinces Kang to cease hostilities and participate in temporary gestures of goodwill. These drive the creature away, returning control to Kirk.

Commentary

The episode explores the struggle between the crew of the Enterprise and Klingons under mind control, leading to violent confrontations and a painful scene of Chekov attempting to rape Mara, Kang’s wife. Tom highlights the compliance lessons from this episode, emphasizing establishing a collaborative culture within organizations. Key strategies include leadership by example, cross-functional teamwork, transparent communication, fostering a ‘speak-up’ culture, and leveraging technology to enhance compliance. He closes with tips for continuous improvement and rewards for collaborative behaviors.

Key Highlights

• Story Synopsis
• Continuity Issues and Interesting Tidbits
• Effective Strategies for Collaborative Compliance

Resources

Excruciatingly Detailed Plot Summary by Eric W. Weisstein

MissionLogPodcast.com

Memory Alpha

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Trekking Through Compliance, we consider the episode Spectre of the Gun, which aired on October 25, 1968, Star Date 4385.3.

Story Synopsis

On a mission to establish contact with the reclusive Melcotians, Kirk ignores the message of a space probe. The landing party encounters a Melcotian who informs them they are an outside disease that must be destroyed. Their trespassing is to be punished by death, and the pattern of their death will be taken from Kirk’s memories. As Kirk’s ancestors pioneered the West, the landing party finds itself teleported to Tombstone, Arizona, on October 26, 1881.

Desperately, Bones and Spock cooperate to build a tranquilizer bomb that will incapacitate the Earps. Scotty volunteers to test the potion Bones has cooked up. Despite Bones’ careful preparation, it does not work. Spock is the only one who understands the significance of this fact, saying, “You do not seem to understand. It did not function. But it must function.” Spock realizes that nothing around them is real; the whole scenario is taking place in their minds.

They end up at the OK Corral, and the Melcotians, impressed that Kirk did not kill, then extend an invitation to establish relations with the Federation.

Commentary

Tom recounts the storyline where Kirk and his team face an illusionary recreation of the historic gunfight at the O.K. Corral. The discussion extends to how technology can aid compliance officers in investigations, covering seven key areas: data analytics and visualization, automated monitoring systems, digital forensics, collaboration platforms, predictive analytics and machine learning, robotic process automation, and regulatory compliance management platforms. Through these techniques, compliance officers can improve the effectiveness and efficiency of their compliance processes.

Key Highlights

·      Key Moments and Analysis

·      Technology in Compliance Investigations

·      Conclusion and Next Episode Preview 

Resources

Excruciatingly Detailed Plot Summary by Eric W. Weisstein

MissionLogPodcast.com

Memory Alpha

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Trekking Through Compliance, we consider the episode Is There No Truth in Beauty, which aired on October 18, 1968, Star Date 5630.7.

The Enterprise is given the mission of transporting the Medusan ambassador Kollos, a member of a species so ugly that the mere sight of it causes humans to go insane back to his home planet. The ambassador arrives enclosed in a specially designed box and is accompanied by the telepath Dr. Miranda Jones, who is looking after his needs. Like Spock, Jones can look at a Medusan through a visor, supposedly because she has studied on Vulcan but in reality because she is blind.

Larry Marvick, one of the Enterprise’s designers, also beamed aboard. He seeks revenge against Kollos for taking Miranda away from him but is driven insane when he inadvertently looks at Kollos while attempting to shoot him with a phaser. The insane Marvick commandeers the Enterprise and pilots it to an unknown location outside the galaxy.

Using the visor to protect his human half from the sight of the Medusan, Spock melds minds with Kolos and returns the Enterprise to its galaxy. Miranda and Kollos are then delivered to their destination. Upon parting, Kirk presents Miranda with a rose. Miranda queries, “I suppose it has thorns,” and Kirk responds, “I never met a rose that didn’t.”

Commentary

In this episode of Trekking Through Compliance, the Enterprise must transport the Medusan Ambassador Kolos, a being so hideous it drives humans insane on sight, back to his home planet. Key characters include Dr. Miranda Jones, a telepath who cares for Kolos, and Larry Marvick, an engineer infatuated with Jones. The episode deals with cultural sensitivity, safeguarding sensitive information, impartial decision-making, balancing safety with individual rights, transparency, and ethical decision-making. The show notes also touch on how these themes translate to best practices for compliance professionals. Additionally, the episode covers exciting trivia, such as the creation of the Itik by Gene Roddenberry and references to Shakespeare’s ‘The Tempest.’

Key Highlights

• Story Synopsis: Is There No Truth in Beauty?
• Fun Facts and Behind the Scenes
• Ethical Lessons for Compliance Officers

Resources

Excruciatingly Detailed Plot Summary by Eric W. Weisstein

MissionLogPodcast.com

Memory Alpha

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Trekking Through Compliance, we consider the episode The Paradise Syndrome, which aired on October 4, 1968, with a Star Date of 4842.6.

Story Synopsis

The crew of the USS Enterprise discovers an idyllic planet inhabited by a peaceful, Native American-like tribe. Captain Kirk, suffering from amnesia due to the effects of an ancient obelisk, is mistaken for a deity by the inhabitants. He begins to live among them, forming a deep bond with a woman named Miramanee, whom he marries.

While Kirk adapts to his new life, the Enterprise faces a critical mission to deflect an asteroid on a collision course with the planet. Spock and McCoy work tirelessly to solve the mystery of the obelisk and restore Kirk’s memory. As the asteroid approaches, Kirk eventually regains his memory, and the truth about the obelisk is revealed: it is a deflector device left by an advanced civilization to protect the planet.

Tragically, Kirk’s return to his true identity and the intervention come too late to save Miramanee. She dies from injuries inflicted by her tribe, who turn against her when the deflector initially fails to work. The episode ends with the asteroid being diverted and a heartbroken Kirk resuming his duties aboard the Enterprise, forever affected by his experiences on the planet.

Commentary

The episode’s synopsis includes Kirk, Spock, and McCoy’s mission to prevent an asteroid from destroying a planet inhabited by Native American tribes. Amidst Kirk’s memory loss and the Enterprise’s struggle to deflect the asteroid, themes of cultural sensitivity, informed consent, and unintended consequences are explored. The discussion highlights five key compliance and ethical lessons: cultural preservation, informed consent, responsibility for unintended consequences, balancing progress with preservation, and maintaining transparency and accountability.

Key Highlights

• Kirk’s Amnesia and Integration
• Enterprise’s Struggle with the Asteroid
• Climax and Resolution
• Ethical Lessons from The Paradise Syndrome

Resources

Excruciatingly Detailed Plot Summary by Eric W. Weisstein

MissionLogPodcast.com

Memory Alpha

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Trekking Through Compliance, we consider the episode And The Children Shall Lead, which aired on October 11, 1968, Star Date 5027.1.

Story Synopsis

This episode explores themes of manipulation and the power of belief. The Enterprise crew responds to a distress signal from the Federation colony on Triacus and discovers all the adults dead from an apparent suicide, leaving only the children alive.

Captain Kirk and his team find the children seemingly unaffected and playing happily, which raises suspicion. Dr. McCoy’s medical scans show no physical harm or unusual conditions, but the children’s behavior is concerning. It soon becomes evident that the children are under the influence of an alien entity named Gorgan, who appears to them as a friendly figure promising them power and control. Gorgan manipulates the children to help him take over the Enterprise.

The children use their telekinetic abilities, granted by Gorgan, to take control of the ship, causing chaos among the crew. They create illusions that play on the crew members’ deepest fears, further destabilizing the situation. Kirk and Spock investigate and uncover historical data about the previous encounters with Gorgan and how he exploits the innocence and trust of children to achieve his goals.

Realizing that Gorgan’s power depends on the children’s belief in him, Kirk devises a plan to break his hold. He confronts the children with the truth about their parents’ deaths and shows them how Gorgan has deceived them. The children, seeing the reality of their actions and the consequences, withdraw their belief and support from Gorgan.

Without the children’s belief to sustain him, Gorgan loses power and vanishes. The children, freed from his influence, begin to process their grief and the reality of their situation. The episode concludes with the Enterprise leaving Triacus and restoring order and safety to the ship.

Commentary

I consider this episode the worst episode of the original Star Trek series. The episode, which first aired on October 11, 1968, involves the Enterprise crew investigating the mysterious mass suicide of adults on the scientific colony Triacus and the subsequent manipulation of their children by an alien entity known as the Gorgon. Despite the episode’s shortcomings, Fox identifies key compliance and investigative lessons, including thorough fact-finding, identifying patterns, adapting techniques, engaging with vulnerable parties, addressing ethical dilemmas, and leveraging cross-functional expertise.

Key Highlights

• Story Synopsis: And the Children Shall Lead
• Critical Reception and Fun Facts
• Compliance and Leadership Lessons

Resources

Excruciatingly Detailed Plot Summary by Eric W. Weisstein

MissionLogPodcast.com

Memory Alpha

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices