A Larry Niven short story was adapted for this episode, "The Slaver Weapon". Maybe a bit too dense source material for a cartoon...
An ancient artifact is being shuttled by Spock, Sulu, and Uhura. The artifact is a "stasis box", where time stands still inside. A "Slaver" race built them, who commanded the galaxy a billion years ago--they were taken out in a war that ended all intelligent life at the time. The box begins to glow--it indicates another box is in the area. They stop at an icy planet to investigate.
Suddenly, Kzinti attack and capture them! They wake up as prisoner on the Kzinti ship. More exposition follows from Spock--he mentions the Kzinti are meat eaters. They also have a telepath, and so they take precautions. They confront their captors, and Sulu mentions the Federation beat them in four wars--but now they have the magic box, which may have a weapon inside to turn the tide. They open the box, and find a weird appliance.
The Federation crew are taken to the icy surface so the weapon can be tested. They fire the weapon--every time a button is pressed, the weapon changes shape, but no setting seems deadly or even dangerous. One setting shoots fire at the holder. Uhura attempts to escape in the confusion--they underestimate her since Kzinti women are less intelligent. Another weapon setting kills the power, including their prison, so Spock and Co. make a break for it. Uhura is hit, but Spock grabs the weapon. The Kzinti captain wants revenge against the plant eater.
Sulu thinks the weapon is for a Slaver spy. The Kzinti make an ultimatum--Uhura's life for the weapon. Sulu tries another setting, and finds a major weapon--they get blown around by the resulting explosion and get captured--again. Another weapon setting in the Kzinti's hands--it starts beeping, and scares them. It's a small computer! It asks for codewords, which they don't have. It does provide info on how to change it back to the dangerous weapon, but the resulting effect is that it destroys the Kzinti--and itself.
Some things to look for:
- There's a long pause at the start of this episode--maybe they ran short?
- Yet another shuttlecraft design, this time the Copernicus
- We meet the Kzinti, a catlike race. Is M'ress a relative? They seem like a major enemy in this series, although they aren't mentioned in other series. As noted above, Larry Niven created them outside of the Trekverse.
- There's a lot of exposition here--I doubt kids watching Saturday morning cartoons and hopped up on sugar cereals paid attention
- I love the Kzinti telepath--he looks and acts very depressed
- Uhura does well running in heels on the icy surface
- The dangerous weapon setting apparently sets off a nuclear explosion where you point it--good thing Sulu shot into the far distance
Remember, you can play along by watching the show on Netflix!