Mudd's Women

Quick Overview: The Enterprise picks up an intergalactic con man and his "beautiful" female cargo.

On stardate 1329.1, the USS Enterprise, under the command of Captain James T. Kirk, is in pursuit of a stolen J-Class cargo ship. Overloading its engines to avoid capture, the ship tries to make a daring run for an asteroid field. Kirk orders the Enterprise's shields cast around the craft to avoid its eminent demise until the ship's occupants can be beamed aboard. This action, however, blows out dilithium crystals in the Enterprise's engine core.

The Enterprise manages to beam the cargo ship's passengers aboard, (three women and one gentleman), seconds before an asteroid destroys their vessel. In the transporter room, the man steps forward and introduces himself as Leo Francis Walsh. The three women who accompany him are stunningly beautiful, causing double-takes from the male crew members, especially Lt. Sulu and Navigator John Farrell. The women also introduce themselves, as Ruthie, Magda, and Eve.

Walsh explains his human "cargo" are destined to be wives for settlers on Ophiuchus III. Dr. McCoy notices a strange reading on his medical scanner when one of the women walks near it. He's about to investigate it but is distracted by another matter.

Meanwhile, Kirk has Walsh and his girls taken into custody, and a hearing is convened. With Walsh in the spotlight, the Enterprise computer reveals Walsh's real name to be Harcourt Fenton Mudd, a criminal wanted in several star systems, with a long rapsheet of crimes. Mudd, annoyed by the computer's "tattling", simply states he likes to be called "Harvey". Kirk doesn't charge Mudd's associates with anything at the moment, for now he has a bigger concern; the welfare of his ship.

As a result of the dilithium burn out, the Enterprise must limp on reserve power to Rigel XII for new crystals. Mudd however, obtains unauthorized use of ship communications. He radios ahead and makes his own deal with Rigel XII's dilithium supplier, Chief Ben Childress. Mudd's deal is for Childress to give dilithium to Captain Kirk, only if Kirk agrees to let him go free. In exchange he will give up his women to the miners. Taking one look at the women's stunning beauty, Childress and his fellow miners excitedly agree.

The Captain of course, flatly refuses such an absurd compromise. Time however, is running out for the Enterprise, which now begins to decay in orbit and is in danger of burning up in the planet's atmosphere. Kirk eventually gives in and allows Mudd and the women to beam down to the planet. Childress instantly becomes so involved with Eve, he forgets all about the plight of the Enterprise. Annoyed, and wondering what is taking so long, Kirk nervously watches the last bit of reserve energy dwindle down.

Eve, however becomes fed up with her own plight, and confronts Mudd about his shady business of buying and selling women. She runs away in anguish, and Childress runs out after her. Using ship's sensors, Kirk tracks Eve down and discovers the secret to the women's startling beauty. Mudd has been giving the women the illegal "Venus Drug" to which makes them appear much younger than they really are. Without the drug, the women appear broken down, and very plain to look at. Once the discovery is made, the angry miners confront the con artist Mudd for pulling a fast one on them.

Kirk gives Eve a placebo of the Venus drug, which she believes to be authentic and she begins to unintentionally reveal her natural inner beauty, impressing Chief Childress. In the end, Mudd's women decide to stay with the miners, Mudd is handed over and faces charges, and Kirk gets his dilithium.

Mudd's character reprises his role again in the The Original Series episode "I, Mudd".

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