Zarabeth

From Memory Alpha, the free Star Trek reference

Zarabeth was an inhabitant of the planet Sarpeidon.

She was exiled to her planet's past by Zor Kahn because members of her family tried to kill this tyrannical leader of her planet. She was transported to a barren Sarpeidon Ice Age by use of the atavachron, a time portal. She was provided with weapons, food and shelter and as her punishment, was to live out the remainder of her existence alone and unable ever to return to her time.

Spock and Leonard McCoy of the USS Enterprise accidentally entered Zarabeth's time era when they attempted to follow Kirk through the atavachron. While seeking shelter in the frozen waste, they encounter her and she leads them to safety. As McCoy recovered from their ordeal, Spock learned that they were "trapped" 5000 years in the past and as a result, began to emotionally regress to that time, which was a period before Vulcans had shed their emotions. Zarabeth, suffering from terminal loneliness, told Spock that they could not return to their own time but is unaware of the fact that Spock and McCoy had not been "prepared" by the atavachron as she was. McCoy, noticing the growing attraction between Spock and Zarabeth, and finding Spock more than willing to stay put, accuses her of deceiving them in order to convince Spock to remain with her. An emotional outburst ensues and shocks Spock back to reality. Zarabeth eventually concedes to knowing only that she can never go back and sadly agrees to lead them to the portal. Spock, still reluctant to leave her behind, finally summons the will to do so when they hear Kirk's voice. They eventually find their way back and in the emotional closing dialog, Spock acknowledges the painful realization that Zarabeth was now dead 5000 years.

[edit] Background

Zarabeth was played by actress Mariette Hartley. In the novel Yesterday's Son, it is stated that Zarabeth died 17 years after the events of "All Our Yesterdays."