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"The Deadly Years" is an episode of Star Trek: The Original Series, first broadcast December 8, 1967. It is episode #40, written by David P. Harmon, and directed by Joseph Pevney.
Quick Overview: Strange radiation exposes the command crew of the Enterprise to the effects of rapid aging.
Captain Kirk suffers from rapid aging in The Deadly Years On stardate 3478.2, the starship USS Enterprise, on her way to Starbase 10, makes a stop at the planet Gamma Hydra IV, to resupply the research station on the surface. A landing party, consisting of Captain Kirk, first officer Spock, ship surgeon Dr. McCoy, engineer Montgomery Scott, tactical officer Lt. Pavel Chekov, and Lieutenant Galway, beams down to the facility.
Once there, they find the station completely empty, and no personnel are seen. This is bizarre since Kirk had spoken to the station's leader, Robert Johnson, an hour earlier. Exploring further, Lt. Chekov discovers the body of a man who apparently has died of old age. This is stranger still since none of the station's personnel were older than 30.
Suddenly Johnson appears with his wife Elaine. Both are in their late 20's, yet appear to have aged 50 more years. The landing team beams back to the Enterprise with Johnson and his wife. There are still no clues to what is going on, as two soon die in sickbay. Dr. McCoy rules their cause of death as "extreme old age".
Commodore Stocker, (who is on his way to Starbase 10) wants some answers. Kirk has Mr. Spock and Dr. Janet Wallace (an old flame of Stocker's) assist in the investigation. The only theory Spock can give at this time is a strange comet-like object passed by Gamma Hydra IV quite recently. It may have emitted radiation that somehow caused the rapid aging effect, but how isn't certain.
Soon the landing party begin to experience the rapid aging effect. Kirk begins to have memory loss and arthritis symptoms in his hands. His hair is turning grey and wrinkles are forming on his face. In fact, by McCoy's estimate, he's aging at the rate of 30 years per day. Soon all of the landing party, Spock, McCoy, Scotty and Lt. Galway are all showing signs of rapid aging. Lt. Chekov however, remains unaffected.
As Kirk becomes senile, Commodore Stocker rules him unfit for command and takes over the ship. Stocker has no deep space training, but he believes he can command the ship regardless. He orders a fast, direct course to Starbase 10, ignoring the warnings that he will take the ship right through the Romulan Neutral Zone.
Meanwhile, Kirk, McCoy and Spock try to figure out why Chekov wasn't affected. They remember Chekov displayed fear during the discovery of the dead body. McCoy surmises that Chekov's increased adrenaline levels at the time, may have protected him in some way. He recalls research that showed adrenaline is a natural defense against certain kinds of radiation, but the research was abandoned when other artificial drugs were found more useful. Spock prepares an injection of adrenaline and tests it on Kirk. It seems to work in reversing the aging effect and Kirk's judgment returns well enough to resume command of the ship.
A Romulan ship detects the Enterprise's intrusion and races to intercept them bringing weapons to bare. Kirk heads to the bridge and relieves Stocker, pointing out his bad choice to trespass on Romulan territory. The Romulans threaten to destroy the Enterprise, and Kirk explains that they passed into the Neutral Zone accidently. The Romulans don't seem to care and close in for an attack.
Kirk however bluffs the Romulans, pointing out that the Enterprise is equipped with the Corbomite Device which will destroy the Enterprise and any ship within a 200,000 kilometer radius. The ruse seems to work and the Romulans back off. Kirk orders an immediate retreat at Warp 8 back to Federation space. With the help of the adrenaline injections, the rest of the landing party eventually revert back to their normal age.
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