"Yes, she is something special."
Dr. Miranda Jones was a blind telepath who specialized in the field of psychology.
She wore a special sensor web which allowed her to perceive her environment.
Biography[]
Jones's blindness was a source of shame for her, so much so that she wore the protective visor in an effort to hide the fact. Among the crew of the USS Enterprise, only Dr. Leonard McCoy was privy to her disability, but said nothing in an effort to protect her privacy.
Although Human, Dr. Jones had never visited the planet Earth; she did however spend four years on Vulcan. While on Vulcan, she studied Vulcan mental discipline to turn her telepathic abilities "off" in order to maintain her sanity.
In 2268, she was given an assignment to coordinate with the Medusan Ambassador Kollos after the initial offer to Commander Spock was turned down. Her assignment's success was based upon her ability to achieve a true mind link.
Jones's assistant on her mission was Larry Marvick, who was in love with her. Dr. Jones, however, wished to avoid the struggle of Human emotion and therefore could not love Marvick the way he wanted her to.
On Stardate 5630.7, Dr. Jones, Marvick and Kollos were transported aboard the USS Enterprise. Aboard the Enterprise, Jones exhibited signs of jealousy towards Spock, because of his higher telepathic ability, whenever he was with Kollos.
Meanwhile, Marvick's jealously towards Kollos, as he felt Dr. Jones's mission with Kollos was taking her from him, grew to the point where he attempted to kill Kollos. After Marvick's failed murder attempt, and subsequent insanity and death, Jones used this as an example of why she disliked Human companionship. She viewed Human emotion as a struggle, and was willing to spend the rest of her life with the Medusans in order to avoid it.
After Spock was accidentally exposed to Kollos's true appearance, Captain Kirk forced her to put aside her jealousy so she could use her telepathic abilities to help cure Spock of his resulting insanity. She did so and was able to establish a true link with Kollos. After this, she seemed to have found a measure of peace, ready to accept her assignment. As she prepared to beam down, she offered Spock the Vulcan salute and one half of the Vulcan phrase that accompanied it "peace and long life," to which Spock responded in kind with "live long and prosper." (TOS: "Is There in Truth No Beauty?")
Miranda Jones was played by Star Trek veteran Diana Muldaur.
According to the novel The Higher Frontier, Humans are not a naturally psychic race, as they lack a paracortex or similar structure in their brains. Instead, Miranda Jones and every other Human esper is bonded with a Spectre, a non-corporeal entity that provides its host with psychic ability.