Story [Star Trek] The Divergent Series: Ep. 1-1 -- "These Are the Voyages ..." (COMPLETE)

Again, I have to mention that a fair bit on this screenplay is adapted from the TOS novel Enterprise: The First Adventure, and most of Spock's dialogue thus far comes directly from its pages, so I really can't take any credit for it. I honestly don't know how good a job I'd do at capturing his voice were I writing a completely original story.

 

INT. TALK SHOW SET -- EVENING

In front of a large bay window which looks out over an alien metropolis, behind a desk of midnight green wood, sits a TALK SHOW HOST.

SUPERIMPOSE: (in Federation Standard) THE FOURTH-QUARTER AT NIGHT SHOW!.

ANNOUNCER: (V.O.) We now return to The Fourth-Quarter at Night Show! with Franc Gouger Is.

CUT TO

A close-up shot of FRANC GOUGER IS. Adorned in a five-piece suit of magenta and gold, Mr. Gouger looks almost like a baseline Human; only his webbed hands and nictitating membranes break the illusion.

FRANC GOUGER IS: Welcome back, welcome back. (beat) Now, for our next guest. I’m sure you all know who she is; she played the laughing groupie in The Infitters, played Victim #16 in Nightmare in Remelt Set, and now has a starring role as Lei Ka in Lei & Wain: The Wain-B’Rus Story. (beat) Guys, gals, herms, and a’s, I present to you Ms. Heth Lang!

PAN LEFT

As HETH LANG, an attractive near-Human woman with mottled red skin, walks out onto the set.

Waving to the unseen audience as they applaud her, she walks up to Gouger’s desk as he rises from his chair; the two greet each other with a hug and kiss.

FRANC GOUGER IS: (smiles) Welcome to the show, Heth. My contractors are glad to have you here.

HETH LANG: (laughs) I’m glad to be here, too, Is.

Gouger returns to his chair as Lang takes a seat on the hot pink couch to his right.

FRANC GOUGER IS: So, how are you tonight, Heth?

HETH LANG: (tucks a loose strand of hair behind her ear) Oh, I’m fine -- just fine.

FRANC GOUGER IS: Nice to hear that. Traffic in the second sector was the tenth hell earlier today; did you --?

HETH LANG: The traffic was a little congested, but it was no biggie. (beat) You wanna see real bad traffic? Check out the skylanes of the Northeastern Quadrant back home; now that’s just awful.

FRANC GOUGER IS: (turns to the camera) You heard it here first, folks, straight from the qantu’s orifice: “Kwwa XI -- homeworld of the Alpha Sector’s worst drivers.”

The audience laughs uproariously.

CUT TO

Captain Kirk seated in his cabin aboard the Enterprise, watching The Fourth-Quarter at Night Show! on a flatscreen display.

Having discarded his gold command jacket and kicked off his jackboots, Kirk sits low in the cushions of a comfortable sofa, his eyelids heavy with drowsiness.

KIRK: (yawns) Sorry, Is, but it’s time for this starship captain to call it a night. (beat) Computer, record program already in progress and deactivate flatscreen display.

COMPUTER: Recording. Deactivating.

As the display goes dark, Kirk stands up then strips down to his underwear. Yawning again, he walks half-asleep to his bunk, throws back the sheets, lies down on the mattress, then pulls the sheets back over him as he closes his eyes.

CROSSFADE TO

Carol Marcus, dressed only in a translucent black nightie, who now sits astride Kirk.

CAROL: (whispers) Jim … oh, Jim ….

Slowly, Kirk opens his eyes. Coming awake to this beautiful angel straddling him, he smiles lazily.

KIRK: Carol …?

CAROL: (smiles) You were expecting maybe Lenore Karidian?

KIRK: You wouldn’t believe the dream I just had.

CAROL: (grins) You won’t believe the dream you’re going to have.

Smiling sexily, Carol bends low over Kirk, bringing her lips
close to his. Before they can connect, she halts.

CAROL: Beep, beep, beep.

Kirk frowns.

INT. ENTERPRISE/KIRK’S CABIN

Kirk bolts upright, wide awake. The computer is sounding its wake-up call -- a series of loud BEEPS.

KIRK: (disappointed) Damn ….

Kirk rises out of bed.

 

INT. ENTERPRISE/BRIDGE

The turbolift door swishes open and Kirk steps out onto the bridge. The officers of the day watch -- Mitchell, S’Pock, Uhura, Sulu, and Kelso included -- are all already present and accounted for.

MITCHELL: Captain on the bridge!

The other crew members snap to attention.

KIRK: (perturbed) At … ease.

As the bridge crew relaxes, Kirk strides over to Mitchell’s station.

KIRK: Maj. Mitchell, it isn’t necessary for you to call attention to my presence each time I enter the bridge.

MITCHELL: (grins mischievously) Only following standard Starfleet procedure, Captain.

Frowning lightly, Kirk turns and steps on over to the command chair.

KIRK: (sits down) What’s our current position, Mr. Kelso?

KELSO: Approximately 14.11 light-days away from Starbase 104, sir.

KIRK: Reduce warp factor to 2 then take her to impulse factor 6.4.

KELSO: Aye, sir.

EXT. SPACE

With a burst of disrupted spacetime, the Enterprise drops out of warp. In the distance, a lone sentinel in a sea of stars, lies Starbase 104.

INT. ENTERPRISE/BRIDGE

KIRK: Open hailing frequencies, Ms. Uhura.

A moment passes as Uhura tries to establish a connection with the starbase.

UHURA: Captain, I’m getting no response.

KIRK: (frowns) No response?

As the Enterprise moves in closer to Starbase 104, the image of the starbase on the viewscreen grows larger and evermore defined. Soon, the telltale signs of weapons’ fire on the station’s hull become disturbingly evident.

KIRK: Mr. S’Pock -- readings!

S’POCK: (checks his readouts) Structural integrity remains intact, but the fusion reactor has been destroyed. Radiation signatures indicate disruptor fire as the most probable cause of damage.

KIRK: Life signs?

S’POCK: Twenty-one lifeforms detected on-board.

KIRK: But are they friend or are they foe?

S’POCK: That cannot be ascertained at this range, Captain.

As Kirk opens his mouth to reply, something strikes the ship with tremendous force, causing the bridge -- and everyone on it -- to rattle about violently.

EXT. SPACE -- STARBASE 104

A K’t’inga-class battle cruiser -- one of the very three which attacked the starbase -- has descended over the Enterprise from above. Its disruptors charged and aglow with green radiance, it unleashes another deadly disruptor beam upon the Constitution-class starship.

INT. ENTERPRISE/BRIDGE

The bridge is shaken violently about once again.

KIRK: Mr. Mitchell, 077-mark-10!

MITCHELL: 077-mark-10 -- aye!

EXT. SPACE

Under Mitchell’s guidance, the starship Enterprise follows the course Kirk has set for it. The K’t’inga follows along after it, firing its disruptors.

INT. ENTERPRISE/BRIDGE

KIRK: Turn us about, Mr. Mitchell. Fire phasers as soon as the Klingon ship comes within your scopes, Mr. Sulu.

EXT. SPACE

The Enterprise turns on its axis until it’s facing the battle cruiser, then bright blue phaser beams flash out, impacting on the Klingons’ shields. The Klingons are quick to reciprocate, and the two ships -- the Enterprise flying backwards, the K’t’inga on its trail like a relentless hound -- trade weapons’ fire.

INT. ENTERPRISE/BRIDGE

KIRK: Sulu, fire six photon torpedoes aft!

SULU: But sir --!

KIRK: (irritated) I said fire, Mr. Sulu!

SULU: (resigned) Firing.

KIRK: Mitchell, 000-mark-90!

EXT. SPACE

As the six glowing red photon torpedoes are deployed behind the Enterprise, the Federation ship pulls straight up, taking it directly out of the way of the battle cruiser’s line of direction. The Klingon ship then plows directly into the torpedoes lying ahead in its path; with tremendous explosions of antimatter, the K’t’inga is knocked askew, its deflectors decimated.

INT. ENTERPRISE/BRIDGE

KIRK: Open fire with phasers, Mr. Sulu, but target their flight and weapon systems only -- I want them taken alive.

SULU: Aye, sir.

EXT. SPACE

Locking the K’t’inga-class battle cruiser in his scopes, Sulu opens fire; with the delicacy of a surgeon wielding a finely sharpened scalpel, the tactical officer excises the Klingon ship’s disruptor banks, photon torpedo tube, impulse engines, and starboard nacelle.

INT. ENTERPRISE/BRIDGE

KIRK: Mr. S’Pock, give me a status report on the Klingon ship.

S’POCK: Neutralized, Captain. It is no longer capable of fight or flight.

KIRK: Very good. (beat) Ms. Uhura, open a channel to the battle cruiser.

EXT. SPACE

At that very moment, the Klingon ship explodes.

INT. ENTERPRISE/BRIDGE

Kirk sits silently in his chair, watching the flaming debris of the Klingon ship burn itself out in the airless vacuum of space on the viewscreen with a mildly surprised expression on his face.

KELSO: There goes surrender.

KIRK: Self-destruction -- the last resort of a defeated Klingon captain. (presses an armrest button) Lt. Ruan?

RUAN: (O.S.) Captain?

KIRK: Assemble a landing party of twelve and report to the transporter room immediately. Be sure to equip yourselves with type-3 phasers and mark-5 body armour.

S’POCK: Captain, with the starbase reactor off-line, the on-board transporters will be non-functional. A beam-over will be quite impossible.

KIRK: (to Ruan) Lieutenant, report to the shuttlebay instead. Maj. Mitchell and Dr. Piper will be accompanying you.

RUAN: Yes, sir.

KIRK: Kirk out.

Ending the communication, Kirk stands up. As the captain crosses over to his station, Mitchell rises and turns to face him.

MITCHELL: This is one of the fringe benefits of being a first officer, I suppose.

KIRK: (half-smiles) I’d lead the landing party myself, but you know standard Starfleet procedure.

MITCHELL: The captain stays on the ship where he’s needed most.

KIRK: (claps Mitchell on the shoulder) Good luck, Major.

Flashing that roguish grin of his, Mitchell leaves the bridge.

 

Thanks. I have a fondness for writing space battles between larger ships (fighters, not so much), so I always try to do my best describing them.

 

EXT. SPACE -- STARBASE 104

The Enterprise’s shuttlebay door slides open, allowing the Galileo -- a Class G shuttlecraft -- exit into the open vacuum of space. Impulse thrusters blazing a bright azure, the Galileo begins its trek to Starbase 104.

INT. GALILEO/MAIN CABIN

The inner walls of the cabin are lined by two long benches. Seated upon these benches are Mitchell, Ruan, Piper, and TEN INFANTRYMEN. Suited up in mark-5 body armour -- environmentally-sealed armour equipped with life support systems -- they each go over their equipment and weapons.

PIPER: (praying quietly) Our Creator in Heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins as we forgive those who have sinned against us. And save us from this time of trial, and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are Yours now and forever. Amen.

As Piper concludes his prayer, he looks up to find Mitchell, seated across from him on the other bench, examining him.

MITCHELL: A religious man, Doc?

PIPER: I try to be. How about you?

MITCHELL: (shakes his head) I come from a long line of secular humanists. Faith’s just not in my genes.

PIPER: In my experience, I’ve found that faith doesn’t come with the genes. You find it somewhere down the road -- or maybe it finds you -- and then once you have it, you have to struggle to hang onto it. (beat) There are times when I don’t feel the struggle’s worth it, times when I feel I should just hang up my cross and call it a day. Other times, I feel that faith’s the only thing in my life that makes the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune the least bit tolerable.

MITCHELL: (frowns) You’re not a very happy man, are you, Doc?

PIPER: (half-smiles) I have my days.

EXT. SPACE -- STARBASE 104

The Galileo enters the open shuttlebay of the K-class space station, disappearing into the deep shadows within.

INT. STARBASE 104/SHUTTLEBAY

As the shuttlecraft comes to a hover just inside the shuttlebay, we find all the various starships, tools, and other unsecured machinery and equipment taking up space within drifting about without the starbase’s artificial gravity to hold it all down.

INT. GALILEO/COCKPIT

Mitchell steps inside the cockpit and turns to the second pilot.

MITCHELL: Fire a low-powered phaser burst, wide spread.

INT. STARBASE 104/SHUTTLEBAY

The Galileo’s phaser banks power up, glowing with bright green radiance. A burst of green energy is then released, spreading out in a wide field to envelop the entire interior. The low-powered blast -- calibrated only to take out organic life -- isn’t powerful enough to inflict any severe structural damage to the walls or mechanical components inside the chamber.

INT. GALILEO/COCKPIT

MITCHELL: Alright, take her down.

INT. GALILEO/MAIN CABIN

As the shuttlecraft touches down, Mitchell re-enters the main cabin. Crossing over to the rear of the compartment, he turns to face the others.

MITCHELL: Alright, everyone, here’s what’s up. Twenty-one lifeforms have been detected on-board this station. Of that twenty-one, we aren’t quite sure how many are friendlies, but six have been detected holed up in the station armory. As the armory is the most secure area of the station, it makes sense that the starbase commander would have taken as many of his personnel with him as he could there. (beat) Our mission is to head straight for the armory, retrieve the survivors there, and head straight back here. They are our top priority; if enemy troops are present aboard this station, we can’t go out of the way looking for strays. (beat) Any questions?

No one replies.

MITCHELL: Alright then. (puts on his helmet) Let’s lock ‘n’ load!

Standing up, the others secure their helmets in place, activate their gravity boots, and bring their phaser rifles to bear. The Galileo’s hatch then pops open before them, lowering to form a ramp leading out into the shuttlebay. With the shuttle’s on-board force field active, the atmosphere inside is prevented from being sucked out into the airless vacuum beyond.

MITCHELL: After me!

Bringing his rifle up, the major cautiously steps out of the shuttlecraft, making his way down the ramp onto the shuttlebay deck.

RUAN: You heard the No. 1 -- move out!

Ruan and the infantrymen follow Mitchell out into the shuttlebay. Spreading out, they keep their eyes peeled for hidden dangers, fingers tensed over their phaser triggers as they make their way away from the Galileo and deeper into the cavernous bay.

 

The landing party soon comes to the freight turbolift. The turbolift door having already been wrenched open, an apparatus of Klingon design has been erected around it.

Holding his hand up for the others to stay where they are, Mitchell cautiously approaches the piece of Klingon technology. Activating the analytical components in his left gauntlet, he scans the device.

MITCHELL: (looks over the holographic readouts) Just your basic force field barrier. It’s safe for us to pass through.

Turning the holographic readout off, Mitchell takes a step through the barrier. Blue-green energy crackles around him as he pass through the force field, but he remains unharmed. The others follow after.

INT. STARBASE 104/TURBOLIFT

Once inside the large turbolift, the landing party members turn on their helmet lamps and look up. As the beams of light play over the top of the cab, they can see that an impromptu opening has been created with disruptorfire, allowing entrance into the turbolift shaft.

PIPER: (takes readings of surrounding environment) There’s atmosphere present here, Major -- standard oxygen-nitrogen mix. (beat) I’m not registering any biological, chemical, radiological, or nanotechnical hazards in the air, so it should be safe to breathe, if a little stale.

MITCHELL: Alright, men, you heard the doc; you can retract your faceplates.

With a press of a button, the faceplates of their helmets are retracted.

Pressing a button in his gauntlet, Mitchell activates a red holographic map of the starbase; the path to the armory is illuminated in yellow.

MITCHELL: The armory’s on Level 10. That’s a fair distance from here, and with the power out, we’ll have to make the trek on foot. (beat) Set your phasers to full power. We don’t know what’s waiting for us up there.

With their rifles set to full power, the members of the landing party walk straight up the wall of the turbolift cab, step through the ragged hole one-by-one, and enter the turbolift shaft.

INT. STARBASE 104/TURBOLIFT SHAFT

The landing party makes its way along the turbolift shaft. Dark and dusty, the lamps of their helmets providing the only illumination, the shaft is like a foreboding tunnel leading straight into nothingness.

INFANTRYMAN #1: (edgy) It’s creepy in here!

MITCHELL: (checks his map) Only fifteen more metres to go.

As they continue on their way, yellow warning lights begin to blink on all their left gauntlets.

RUAN: I’m getting readings, Major! (beat) There’s something in here with us!

Suddenly, in the darkness ahead of them, four small green lights flash into existence, forming a lozenge pattern in the blackness.

MITCHELL: (whispering) Bring your rifles to bear … slowly.

The lights begin to advance on them.

MITCHELL: (cont’d) Steady ….

As the armoured Starfleet personnel stand there, stock-still with their phaser rifles at the ready, the green lights move into the beams of their helmets. As the yellow-white light washes over them, the lights are revealed to be the sensors of a KLINGON HUNTER-KILLER. A large, semi-humanoid robot, the hunter-killer is eight-feet tall, its head, shoulders, arms, and chest bristling with in-built disruptors.

INFANTRYMAN #2: (afraid) Hunter-killer!

Overcome by his fear, the infantryman springs forward, pushing Mitchell out of the way as he swings his phaser into firing position.

MITCHELL: (alarmed) You idiot --!

The infantryman fires. The blue phaser beam strikes the hunter-killer dead centre, but the energy dissipates against the automaton’s powerful deflector shield. The hunter-killer fires back with its pair of head disruptors; the twin disruptor beams slam into the infantryman’s armoured chest, and with a bloodcurdling SHRIEK he is disintegrated in disturbing fashion, leaving his now-empty suit of armour to collapse into a smouldering heap.

MITCHELL: Spread out!

The remaining members of the landing party spread out. Training their rifles on the hunter-killer, they open fire; leaving their fingers pressed down on their triggers, they keep phaser energy trained upon the behemoth, hoping to overwhelm its deflector shield. Its shield glowing brightly as the blue phaser energy washes over it, the hunter-killer fires back. Four more infantrymen are struck down, their armour joining their foolhardy companion’s on the floor.

Opening her pack, an infantryman fishes out the components of a grenade launcher and begins assembling the weapon. Just as she loads a photon grenade into the launcher, she’s shot down by the Klingon machine.

Spotting the grenade launcher lying prone upon the dusty floor, Mitchell makes a dash for the weapon. Somersaulting across the floor, he snatches the launcher up, finds the hunter-killer in his sights, and presses the trigger. With a burst of red light, the photon grenade rockets forth, striking the hunter-killer with deadly accuracy. With a white-hot explosion, electricity cascades over the body of the hunter-killer. Tossing the launcher aside, Mitchell takes his rifle and fires upon the robot; the beam slams into the robot's left shoulder disruptor without hinderance, blasting it apart.

With the surviving landing party members firing upon the now-unshielded robot, the hunter-killer begins to falter against the onslaught of phaser beams. Encased in heavy armour plating, however, the machine still has fight left in it. Advancing on its treads, it swivels around until it’s got Mitchell in clear line of sight of its left arm disruptor. Mitchell, quick on his feet, leaps out of the way just in time to avoid the full force of the subsequent disruptor blast, but the green beam grazes his side; the armour there superheating, damage is inflicted to the underlying flesh.

Before the hunter-killer can finish the job it started on the major, Ruan leaps in between them. Instead of firing upon the bronze-skinned woman, the hunter-killer inexplicably freezes up. The lieutenant doesn’t hesitate to take advantage of the situation; jamming the barrel of her phaser rifle right into its chest, she pulls the trigger, unleashing high-powered phaser energy directly into the robot's heart. With a BOOM, Ruan is tossed back as the hunter-killer is reduced to hundreds of pieces of white-hot shrapnel.

Grimacing, Mitchell holds his side where the disruptor beam struck him. Approaching the major, Piper begins scanning his injury.

PIPER: (frowns) This isn’t good ….

MITCHELL: Give it to me straight, Doc.

PIPER: The armour protected you from the brunt of the hit, but you still suffered severe subdermal hemorrhaging. (beat) Major, if you don’t report to sickbay as soon as possible, you’re going to bleed to death internally.

MITCHELL: (shakes his head) Isn’t there something you have on hand that can help?

PIPER: A shot of triclenidil would slow the bleeding, but --

MITCHELL: Give it to me, Doc.

Unsealing one of his gauntlets, Mitchell pulls it off, allowing Piper access to his naked wrist. Frowning, the doctor opens his medical kit, fixes a vial of triclenidil to his hypospray, then injects the drug into Mitchell’s bloodstream.

PIPER: You’re dancing on the razor’s edge, Major.

MITCHELL: (reseals his gauntlet) The razor’s edge? My favourite place to be.

Leaving Mitchell, Piper turns his attentions to Ruan, who has already regained her wits. Without asking, he begins scanning her for injuries.

RUAN: I'm fine, Doctor. (holds up her blackened, half-melted rifle) My rifle'll never be the same ….

Once Piper has made the rounds, Mitchell hefts up his rifle, motioning for his subordinates' attention.

MITCHELL: Recess is over, boys and girls -- hup to.

As the infantrymen resume their stride, Mitchell stops Ruan and waves her over.

RUAN: Yes, Major?

MITCHELL: If it hadn’t been for you, Lieutenant, my goose would have literally been cooked. Thank you.

RUAN: It doesn’t seem to have done you that much good, Major.

MITCHELL: Still, it’s better to be dying than dead, right? (grimaces) God, disruptor blasts really smart, don’t they?

RUAN: You should follow Dr. Piper’s advice, Major. Return to the Enterprise -- I can handle the mission from here.

MITCHELL: It’s too late for that, Lieutenant. I wouldn’t even make it to the shuttlebay. Piper knows it, I know it. (beat) You familiar with the ancient Terran song “Rock of Ages”?

RUAN: I can’t say that I am.

MITCHELL: “It’s better to burn out than to fade away.”

Turning on his heel, Mitchell leaves Ruan to make his way back to the front of the group.

 

INT. STARBASE 104/LEVEL 10/CORRIDOR #1

At the end of this corridor, the door into the turbolift shaft stands open. Peeking up over the bottom edge of the door, Mitchell brings his rifle up and over, scoping the corridor for enemy agents.

MITCHELL: It’s clear.

Mitchell climbs out of the shaft and into the corridor, followed quickly by Ruan, Piper, and the remaining five infantrymen.

MITCHELL: (reactivates the holographic map) The armory’s three corridors down. Let’s go, and keep a watch out.

The landing party stealthily crosses through the corridor into the adjacent corridor, and from there to the next corridor.

Soon they come to the end of the final corridor. Beyond it lies the door to the armory -- the door and SIX KLINGON WARRIORS. Each seven-feet tall, humanoid in form, armed with heavy disruptor rifles, and encased head-to-toe in black armour which makes them look like fusions between Samurai warriors and emperor scorpions, even a blind man can see that they are dangerous opponents who will not surrender or go down without a brutal fight.

Halting, Mitchell throws up his hand for the others to do likewise. With another gesture, he motions them to spread out and plant themselves out of sight.

MITCHELL: (pulls out a stun grenade and arms it) Just a little gift from Starfleet, boys.

Kissing the grenade, Mitchell then lobs it out into the midst of the Klingon warriors. The Klingons quickly take notice of the grenade, bark guttural Klingon proclamations through the filters of their helmets, and are quickly overtaken by the grenade’s wave of bright, green energy.

Protected by their heavy armour, the Klingons remain conscious, albeit incredibly weakened and unsteady on their feet. Allowing the warriors no chance to recover, Mitchell and Ruan jump out of hiding, opening fire with their phaser rifles. The blue phaser beams pierce the black suits of armour with a minimum of effort; with sharp cries of quick pain, the Klingons are cut down.

Crossing over to the armory door, Mitchell quickly looks it over. Finding an intercom beside it, he pops the front panel open, exposing the inner workings of the powerless device.

MITCHELL: I need the generator over here.

One of the infantrymen, saddled with a heavy pack, joins Mitchell by the door. Opening the pack, he fishes out a portable generator. Taking the power cords, Mitchell hooks them up to the intercom.

MITCHELL: Alright, turn it on.

The infantryman flips a switch and a current of energy begins flowing into the intercom panel. The inner workings of the intercom immediately light up.

MITCHELL: (activates the intercom) This is Gary Mitchell, Starfleet major, serial number HE5095C21922, first officer of the USS Enterprise. I’m here with an armed escort and we’re here to take you back to the Enterprise. If you can, please respond.

Mitchell gives whoever is on the other side a chance to respond. The intercom remains silent.

MITCHELL: (to the infantryman) Can we cut through this door?

INFANTRYMAN #3: This door’s made out of solid beresium. Even a disruptor at full power wouldn’t be able to burn through it.

Right then, the intercom crackles.

RAND: (O.S.; weak) Major?

MITCHELL: I’m here. Who’s this?

RAND: (O.S.) Janice Rand, Starfleet corporal, serial number CU4729D20023. (beat) How do I really know you’re Starfleet?

MITCHELL: You’ll just have to take my word for it, Corporal.

RAND: (O.S.) I suppose I will. (beat) I’ve unsealed the lock; you have to open the door.

Working with the infantryman, Mitchell attaches a mechanical apparatus to the door. Activating it, they pull the door open, allowing access into the armory.

INT. STARBASE 104/ARMORY

Mitchell enters the armory. Beside the door, half-leaning, half-lying against the intercom, is the barely conscious Janice Rand, a respirator affixed over her mouth and nose. Beyond her are FOURTEEN FIGURES, all laid out prone about the compartment, many of them wearing respirators like Rand’s. As we can ascertain from the life readings taken by S’Pock earlier, at least eight of them are already dead.

MITCHELL: Doctor, get in here.

Piper rushes in. Moving in on Rand, he begins taking her readings.

PIPER: She’s suffering from oxygen deprivation.

Grimacing in pain, Mitchell clutches his injured side.

MITCHELL: (groans) I can see that, Doc. Just give her something to help her.

Taking his hypospray, Piper injects the young woman with tri-ox compound. Almost immediately, she begins to come around. The doctor then goes to attend to the other living patients.

MITCHELL: (to Rand) You well enough to stand?

RAND: (slips off her respirator) Yes, I ….

Still woozy, Rand almost collapses. Mitchell is quick to brace her up, but at the expense of causing more pain to shoot through his side.

MITCHELL: (grimaces; to the infantrymen outside) C’mon, lend us a hand!

Ruan and the other infantrymen enter the armory. As they go to help the survivors to their feet, we can see that amongst their number is the Betazoid science officer and Capt. Quloob himself.

MITCHELL: (to Rand) You think you’re ready to handle a weapon, Corporal?

RAND: I think so, yes.

MITCHELL: Then grab yourself a phaser rifle.

Leaving Mitchell’s side, Rand crosses over to a gun rack holding several type-2 phaser pistols. Taking one of the pistols, she then moves over to a rack holding separate rifle barrel-stocks. Taking a barrel-stock, she interlocks the two components, converting the pistol into a complete type-3 phaser rifle.

MITCHELL: (to the other survivors) If any of you are good enough to go, outfit yourselves with rifles, too. We’re moving out.

INT. STARBASE 104/LEVEL 10/CORRIDOR #1

The landing party members and their compliment of starbase survivors make their way back through the corridor en-route to the open turbolift shaft.

MITCHELL: Capt. Quloob, when did the Klingons attack the starbase?

CAPT. QULOOB: Six days ago? Seven? (shakes his head) I’m sorry, but I’m not sure.

MITCHELL: You have any idea why they attacked?

CAPT. QULOOB: I have some idea, yes.

MITCHELL: Would you care to divulge that information, Captain?

CAPT. QULOOB: In due time, Major.

Frowning, Mitchell prepares to press the Tellarite further, but he doesn’t get the chance; as they round a bend in the corridor, they find FIVE KLINGON HUNTER-SEEKERS -- floating, tri-winged weapons equipped with single green sensors for vision and disruptors secured to their undercarriages for offense/defense --- waiting for them at the end of the corridor.

MITCHELL: (jumps back) Hunter-seekers! Get back!

One of the hunter-seekers fires its disruptor, but the members of the landing party and the starbase survivors both manage to avoid the disintegrating beam. Bringing up her rifle, Rand opens fire on the attacking hunter-seeker, keeping the blue beam trained upon the dangerous device; the weapon’s in-built deflector shield holds for five seconds before winking out, allowing the phaser beam to blast it to smithereens.

MITCHELL: Retreat!

Backing away, the Federation personnel flee back up the corridor as the hunter-seekers gain chase.

INT. STARBASE 104/LEVEL 10/CORRIDOR #2

Blue and green beams crisscross the length of the corridor, forming a beautiful but deadly light show. Hunter-seekers and Starfleet personnel are both cut down in the rain of death.

Hoisting up the grenade launcher, Ruan turns to an infantryman.

RUAN: Proximity grenade, double-quick!

Fishing out a proximity grenade, the infantryman hands it to the lieutenant. Taking the grenade, she hurriedly arms it and just as hurriedly slides it into the launcher. Finding the approaching hunter-seekers in her scope, she grits her teeth and pulls the trigger.

Rocketing forward, the proximity grenade enters the swarm of hunter-seekers. Detecting the presence of the klingon weapons, it detonates; with an immense explosion of pure white light, the hunter-seekers and surrounding corridor are reduced to fine debris.

Just as she’s almost ready to let down her guard and relax, a green disruptor beams flashes out towards the tough lieutenant, barely missing her left arm to demolish the grenade launcher in her hands instead. Taking hold of her phaser rifle, she spins around to her left; there, in an adjoining corridor, are NINE KLINGON WARRIORS on approach. Grimacing, she shoots a Klingon warrior right through his disruptor rifle and into his gut, returning their favour.

INT. STARBASE/LEVEL 10/CORRIDOR #3

On the run from the armoured Klingon warriors, the Starfleet personnel enter this new corridor. Most of their number has now been lost to the Klingons; of the landing party, only Mitchell, Ruan, Piper, and two infantrymen remain; of the starbase personnel, only Quloob, Rand, the Betazoid, and a handsome female 1st lieutenant with short blond hair.

BETAZOID SCIENCE OFFICER: There’s a transporter room in this section! We can escape to the Enterprise from there!

CAPT. QULOOB: There’s no power to power the transporter, Lieutenant.

BETAZOID SCIENCE OFFICER: (to an infantryman) You brought a portable generator with you, didn’t you?

INFANTRYMAN #3: Yeah, but it doesn’t have enough juice to power a transporter.

BETAZOID SCIENCE OFFICER: Maybe not alone, but used in conjunction with the power packs from our phasers, we might just be able to provide enough energy for one beam-out.

MITCHELL: Our phasers are the only things between us and the Klingons outside, Lieutenant ….

BETAZOID SCIENCE OFFICER: Danal. Lt. Jaxxon Danal. (beat) Major, we’re trapped in here. Those Klingon warriors’ll be joined by more Klingons soon, and our phasers won’t make a lick of difference then; we’ll be dead. This is our one and only chance to get out of here alive.

Mitchell takes a moment to think it over. As a disruptor beam passes over his head, singeing his helmet, he silently decides to agree to the desperate plan.

INT. STARBASE 104/TRANSPORTER ROOM

The Starfleet personnel enter a dark transporter room. As the two infantrymen brace themselves against the open door frame to lay down cover fire, Mitchell collapses to his knees, finally succumbing to his injuries.

RUAN: Major!

Coming to the major’s aid, the lieutenant helps him back to his feet.

MITCHELL: (pained; to Danal) Alright, Lieutenant, if you can do it, do it now.

Danal nods, then goes to collect the phaser rifles from all but the infantrymen stationed by the door. Taking the weapons, he, Quloob, Rand, and the blonde lieutenant work speedily to connect the phaser power packs to the generator and the generator to the transporter control panel.

As Danal, the captain, and the two blonde women work on the transporter, the Klingons steadily continue to advance towards the transporter room. One of the two infantrymen stationed by the door is hit by disruptorfire, and he goes down with a scream, his phaser rifle hitting the deck with a CLATTER as the molecules of his body break apart. Pulling away from Ruan, Mitchell collects the rifle and takes the place of the fallen infantryman, opening fire on the Klingon warriors amassed in the outside corridor.

RUAN: (edgy) Major --!

MITCHELL: Just stay back, Lieutenant!

With the final connections made between the generator and transporter panel, Danal goes to activate the device. The controls of the panel come to dim life.

1ST LT. DANAL (BETAZOID SCIENCE OFFICER): Transporter’s on-line!

CAPT. QULOOB: Everyone, on the transporter pad!

As Piper, Quloob, Rand, and the blonde lieutenant hurry to climb atop the transporter pad, Ruan hesitates, eyes fixed on her commanding officer.

MITCHELL: (to the infantryman beside him) Time for you to join the others, Airman.

INFANTRYMAN #4: But sir --

MITCHELL: (interrupts) That’s an order, Airman.

INFANTRYMAN #4: Yes sir.

MITCHELL: Just leave me your phaser.

With reservation, the infantryman hands the major his rifle before stepping on over to the transporter. That is when Mitchell finally notices Ruan staring at him.

MITCHELL: You, too, Lieutenant.

Frowning, Ruan strides up to Mitchell, seemly unaware of or unconcerned with the danger posed by the incoming disruptorfire.

MITCHELL: (angry) Lieutenant, maybe you didn’t hear me. I gave you a direct order. Join the others on the transporter pad now.

RUAN: All due respect, Major ….

Balling her gauntleted right hand into a fist, Ruan punches Mitchell hard in the face, knocking him out cold.

RUAN: (cont’d) … go to hell.

Hefting Mitchell’s limp form up and over her shoulder, finding a way to pick up the two phaser rifles in her free hand, the lieutenant scrambles over to the transporter pad, joining the others there.

1ST LT. DANAL: (activates the transporter) Energizing.

As a low HUM begins to emanate from the energizing transporter, Danal leaves the controls. Unfortunately for the Betazoid, an armoured Klingon warrior enters the room, disintegrating him with one shot from his disruptor rifle. The Klingon then trains his weapon on the transporter control panel, but Rand -- having taken one of Ruan’s two phaser rifles -- brings him into her scope, shooting him right through the helmeted head before he can open fire.

As more Klingons spill into the room, a transport beam -- weak, nearly colourless -- coalesces around the people standing on the pad. As the Starfleet personnel are converted into energy, the transport beam begins to flicker erratically with the power being consumed.

INT. ENTERPRISE/TRANSPORTER ROOM

In the transporter room, Lt. Kyle stands over the controls, eyes fixed on the transport beam before him. Like its twin on Starbase 104, it, too, is ephemeral and nigh-colourless. Furrowing his brow, he tries boosting the signal, but to little avail.

KIRK: (enters the room) What’s happening, Mr. Kyle?

KYLE: Someone’s trying to beam in, sir, from the starbase.

KIRK: (frowns) From the starbase?

KYLE: They must have jury-rigged a secondary power source. The signal’s incredibly weak.

KIRK: Have you tried boosting the signal from our end?

KYLE: Yes, sir.

Several tense moments pass, with the tenuous transport beam coming to the brink of discorporating, but the transfer finally manages to go through; the landing party and starbase survivors successfully materialize on the transporter pad without a single molecule in their bodies displaced.

Leaving Kyle, the starship captain approaches the survivors. He becomes desperately anxious when he finally notices Mitchell’s unconscious form braced against Ruan.

KIRK: (worried) Gary!? What happened?!

PIPER: He took a disruptor hit. If I don’t get him to sickbay right now he’s going to die.

KIRK: Do it.

As Kirk moves aside to let Piper and Ruan pass with Mitchell, he activates his wrist-worn comcorder.

KIRK: (into comcorder) Medical personnel, prep a table for immediate surgery STAT. Maj. Mitchell has been wounded in battle. Dr. Piper and Lt. Ruan are on their way with him now.

The order given, the captain turns to regard the other beam-overs. It is at that very moment where he meets the eye of Yn. Rand. For an instant, there’s an immediate connection between them -- an unconscious sense of mutual familiarity and recognition -- but just as quickly it is broken, gone as if it had never been.

 

I've returned to the previous two entries and overhauled them.

In regards to the first, I replaced the three flying hunter-seekers with a single hunter-killer (which is a kind of cross between the Lost in Space Robot and the HK-tank from the Terminator franchise). In regards to the second, I added some some more twists and turns to the landing party's escape from the starbase as I wasn't satisfied with how I executed it the first time around.

 

INT. ENTERPRISE/SICKBAY

Piper and Ruan enter the sickbay, Mitchell’s limp form held between them. Already in wait for them is a contingent of nurses.

PIPER: Help us get his armour off.

Moving in, the nurses assist Piper and Ruan with the removal of Mitchell’s body armour. Once that is done, they carry him over to a biobed, laying him down on it. One of the nurses takes up a pair of scissors and cuts open the front of the major’s black bodysuit; pushing it aside, the nasty disruptor wound on Mitchell’s torso is revealed. The nurses quickly administer an anesthetic and disinfect the wound.

NURSE #1: A disruptor blast?

PIPER: (removes his helmet and gauntlets) Yes. Thank God it was only a glancing hit. (to Nurse #4) Hand me the laser scalpel.

NURSE #4: Aren’t we going to use the cellular regenerator, Doctor?

PIPER: (shakes his head) The hemorrhaging is too extensive. We’ll have to go in with a protoplaser if we’re to stop the bleeding.

The nurse hands Piper the laser scalpel. Activating the tool, the doctor begins making the incision.

PIPER: (to Mitchell) As for you, you pig-headed son of a *****, you’d better not die on me.

 

INT. ENTERPRISE/CORRIDOR OUTSIDE SICKBAY

Kirk is standing outside sickbay, anxiously awaiting news on Mitchell’s condition. The sickbay door slides open and Dr. Piper walks out, his expression stoic.

KIRK: Doctor, how is he?

PIPER: I managed to stop the internal bleeding and heal the most grievous damage, but it was a serious injury ….

KIRK: (grabs Piper by the shoulders) Give it to me straight, Doctor.

PIPER: His condition’s been stabilized, but I can’t say with any certainty that it’ll improve. (beat) Only time will tell.

Swallowing audibly, Kirk releases his grip on the doctor.

KIRK: Can I see him?

PIPER: Yes.

INT. ENTERPRISE/SICKBAY

Entering the sickbay, Kirk walks over to Mitchell’s biobed. The major, lying prone atop the bed with a sheet pulled up to his bandaged torso, looks peaceful in his unconsciousness.

Placing one hand on Mitchell’s shoulder and the other across his own face, the captain begins to weep silently.

INT. ENTERPRISE/BRIEFING ROOM

Kirk, S’Pock, Scotty, and Ruan are seated at a long conference table when Capt. Quloob and Yn. Rand enter the briefing room.

KIRK: (rises from his chair and approaches the Tellarite) Capt. Quloob.

CAPT. QULOOB: Capt. Kirk. (shakes Kirk’s hand) If only we could have met under more agreeable circumstances. I hear Maj. Mitchell is in recovery?

KIRK: (nods) He’s still is sickbay. Maj. S’Pock will be handling his responsibilities as first officer until he’s ready to resume active duty.

CAPT. QULOOB: (motions to Rand) Have you met my yeoman, Janice Rand?

KIRK: (glances at Rand) Briefly.

After Kirk and Rand shake hands, the yeoman and two captains take a seat at the table.

CAPT. QULOOB: May I ask how the situation aboard the starbase is being handled?

KIRK: We’ve sent in drones to contain the remaining Klingons and locate any surviving members of your crew ….

CAPT. QULOOB: Are there any? Any survivors, I mean?

KIRK: I’m sorry.

Quloob nods solemnly. This news only confirms what he already suspected.

CAPT. QULOOB: Capt. Kirk, you’re probably wondering what inspired the Klingon Empire to attack us -- a small, inconsequential starbase out in the middle of nowhere.

CAPT. KIRK: The thought had occurred to me.

CAPT. QULOOB: (reaches into his jacket) I have a good reason to believe they attacked us because of this.

The Tellarite pulls out a small microtape and hands it to S’Pock. Taking the microtape, S’Pock inserts it into a reader; a projection of the nearby galaxy is automatically displayed from the holographic projector built in the centre of the table.

CAPT. QULOOB: Three years ago, Federation scouts came across a previously undiscovered G-class planet while charting new routes. This planet -- P2G-0091 -- turned out to be quite extraordinary.

The hologram shifts focus to reveal P2G-0091 in full detail. Rocky and barren, the world is tinted pink by its atmosphere.

CAPT. QULOOB: (cont’d) 85% of its lithosphere consists of nithium crystal deposits. The atmosphere itself is rich with dinithium gases.

SCOTT: (amazed) Ye could build a trillion warp drives over with that much nithium!

S’POCK: Quite fascinating. If that information got out, it could cause a --

KIRK: (interrupts) Gold rush, S’Pock?

S’POCK: (cont’d) I was thinking war, Captain.

CAPT. QULOOB: Well, gentlemen, I think that highly sensitive data has gotten out.

KIRK: (to Quloob) This planet -- are you certain it doesn’t lie within Klingon jurisdiction?

CAPT. QULOOB: Absolutely certain. A Klingon presence was never detected on the planet. The world is nowhere to be found on the registry of local Klingon territories. (beat) Captain, there’re over three-hundred colonists living on P2G-0091; they don’t have any means to defend themselves. If you don’t set course for the planet right away, the Klingons will certainly do to them what they did here to us.

Leaning back in his chair, Kirk sighs.

KIRK: How far away is P2G-0091 from here?

CAPT. QULOOB: Approximately 2 light-years.

S’POCK: And the attack on the starbase was staged six days ago?

CAPT. QULOOB: About that.

SCOTT: (to Kirk) Captain, those D7 cruisers canna travel any faster than warp 5.

KIRK: It’d take them about six days to reach P2G-0091. Travelling at warp 8, we could get there within a day.

S’POCK: They do have a six-day advance on us, Captain.

KIRK: Yes. All the more reason to move immediately. (rises from his chair) Dismissed.

 

INT. ENTERPRISE/BRIDGE

On the bridge, almost all is as it was before the arrival at Starbase 104; the only change is that Ens. Dfhue -- an eight-foot-tall Axanari woman -- has taken Mitchell’s place at the helm.

The turbolift door to the bridge slides open. Stepping out of the turbolift, Kirk and S’Pock head to their stations.

S’POCK: Captain on the bridge.

KIRK: (sits down) There’ll be no more of that, Mr. S’Pock.

S’POCK: Yes, Captain.

KIRK: Mr. Kelso.

KELSO: Yes, sir?

KIRK: Lay in a course for system S3OBB-44600.

KELSO: Course laid in, sir.

KIRK: Ens. Dfhue.

ENS. DFHUE: Yes, Captain?

KIRK: Take us to maximum warp.

ENS. DFHUE: Maximum warp, aye.

EXT. SPACE

The USS Enterprise disappears from conventional spacetime, speeding through the darkness of warp space on a mad dash for P2G-0091.

 

I've made a minor revision to this screenplay.

When I set out to do this reimagining of TOS, my goal was to try to approach this as more of a spiritual expansion of the original series than an all-out reboot -- ie. while I wanted to move beyond the purely episodic storytelling and dated '60s aesthetics of the show, I still wanted to stay as true to the themes and spirit of the series as possible. During the writing of this screenplay, though, I made the Federation very old -- over 18,000 years old -- and incorporated a lot of exotic aliens into the mix; I've always felt that the Federation of the mainstream Trek universe was a little too young to be as technologically advanced as it was, and I'm no fan of all the human/rubber forehead aliens which cluttered up the franchise. However -- for good or ill -- a young Federation finding its footing in the cosmos and a galaxy populated largely with human-like beings are both traits which helped define TOS. So, to rein things in, I've decided to change the Federation of this universe into a largely Human civilization which is only 1000+ years old, and have made the requisite modifications to this script to reflect this new direction.

Now, just to paint a complete picture of this "new" ST:TDS, the Federation of this timeframe hasn't yet made first contact with a truly alien race/civilization yet; all the known sapient races -- Vulcans, Klingons, Andorians, Orions, Kzinti, etc. -- either diverged from baseline humanity following the Eugenic Wars or were created by Humans. Truly alien aliens with no ties or relationships to humanity or Earth will eventually show up in future stories, but I'm going to keep them rare in number, just like how the really exotic aliens in TOS (the Horta, the Excalbians, etc.) were depicted.

 

EXT. SPACE -- P2G-0091

P2G-0091 lies in the dark sea of space, its three parent stars far in the distance. A world of empty desert, its atmosphere providing it its rosy tint, it is a near-twin of the planet Mars as it was thousands of years into the past, before it was terraformed into a resplendent M-class planet.

Dropping out of warp, the Enterprise moves on approach for the colony world.

INT. ENTERPRISE/BRIDGE

Kirk sits in his chair, clenching and unclenching his left fist at regular intervals; it is all he can do to keep himself from jumping up out off his seat and pacing about the bridge. Capt. Quloob stands behind him, a quiet observer.

KELSO: We are coming up on P2G-0091 now, sir.

KIRK: On-screen, Mr. Kelso.

The navigator brings a live-feed image of P2G-0091’s upper hemisphere up onto the viewscreen.

KELSO: On-screen, sir.

KIRK: Magnify to 10.

The Enterprise’s scanners zoom in and the image grows in size, enlarging until details on the surface come into focus. In moments, the P2G-0091 colony can be seen -- or more accurately, the remains of the P2G-0091 colony. The entire colony -- its housing facilities, its processing plants, everything -- has been burnt down to the ground, leaving scorched earth in its place; only a few transmitter towers and derelict land vehicles remain to indicate that a colony had ever been here.

CAPT QULOOB: We’re too late.

KIRK: Uhura …?

Uhura turns in her seat, meeting Kirk’s gaze with her own.

UHURA: (shakes her head) I’m sorry, Captain.

Kirk’s features briefly contort with rage, but the captain pushes them down, refusing to let them take hold and overwhelm him.

KIRK: Where are they?

ENS. DFHUE: Straight ahead, sir.

EXT. SPACE -- P2G-0091

Emerging from behind the other side of the planet, two K’t’inga-class battle cruisers move on approach for the Enterprise, disruptor banks powering up with baleful energy.

INT. ENTERPRISE/BRIDGE

UHURA: They’re hailing us.

KIRK: Let’s see them.

Uhura relays the incoming transmission to the viewscreen, and an image of a Klingon appears on-screen. The Klingon is male, clad in the black bodysuit and sleeveless mail tunic of a Klingon officer, a gold baldric bearing his rank, family, house, and caste insignia affixed over his chest. His skin is bronze, with beady eyes, a broad nose, a Fu Manchu mustache, and a cruel mouth situated upon his face. Were it not for the pronounced forehead ridges he sports, he’d be virtually indistinguishable from a baseline human.

KOR: Commander Kor of the Klingon battle cruiser Klothos.

EXT. SPACE -- P2G-0091

The lead K’t’inga opens fire. The disruptor beams pass just over the Enterprise’s bow -- a warning shot.

INT. ENTERPRISE/BRIDGE

KOR: (cont’d) I am prepared to discuss the terms of your surrender.

KIRK: Capt. Kirk of the Federation starship Enterprise. Commander, does this look like a cold day in Hell to you?

KOR: Should I interpret that clumsy Human idiom to mean you refuse to surrender, Kirk? With your one ship under the guns of my two cruisers? (beat) Very well, perhaps I should give you a choice instead. You may surrender or you may die.

KIRK: If that’s a bluff, it’s not a strong one, Kor. You’ve already destroyed a Federation colony in Federation space; destroy a Starfleet vessel and war between our two peoples will be a foregone conclusion.

KOR: It is you who provides the weak bluff, Kirk. This planet does not fall within Federation space; your mining operation was established on unclaimed territory. And as the terms of the Treaty of Organia clearly state, either of our two powers can lay claim to disputed territories -- with or without extreme prejudice. (beat) I give you seven minutes, Captain -- seven minutes to acquiesce or suffer the consequences of the alternative.

Kor ends the connection.

KIRK: (turns and looks up at Quloob) Was he telling the truth? Did our people erect a colony without laying claim to the planet first?

CAPT. QULOOB: Technically … yes.

KIRK: (angry) Three-hundred people dead -- needlessly!

CAPT. QULOOB: It wasn’t my decision to make, Captain.

Frustrated, Kirk faces back forward.

KIRK: Mr. S’Pock, you are our resident logician. What course of action do you suggest we take?

S’POCK: Captain, the Enterprise is an exploratory vessel; it was designed for long-duration missions at the expense of heavy weaponry. Conversely, the D7s were specifically designed to be combat vessels; they are equipped with six disruptor banks and two torpedo launchers each. (beat) Only through subterfuge were we able to defeat the last D7, and then only barely. The same initial conditions will not be in effect here.

KIRK: So we turn tail and run.

CAPT QULOOB: We can’t leave all that nithium to the Klingons!

S’POCK: It is the logical decision.

KIRK: Logical, but not reasonable.

S’Pock merely cocks an eyebrow in response.

KIRK: (sighs) Lt. Uhura, hail the Klothos.

Uhura opens a channel to the Klothos. In seconds, Kor’s face reappears on the viewscreen.

KOR: So, you’ve accepted the inevitable.

KIRK: Yes, I’ve accepted the inevitable -- the inevitable conclusion that I can’t allow a planet of nithium to fall into Klingon hands.

KOR: (grins) Will you make a fight out of this after all?

KIRK: No. Trying to take you on would be like a cat trying to take on a pair of sharks.

KOR: What then? You have no reinforcements, nothing to bargain with.

KIRK: Kor, are you at all familiar with King Solomon?

KOR: I don’t make the sovereigns of inferior races a concern of mine.

KIRK: Solomon was a king on ancient Earth, famous for his wisdom. He was so wise that people from all over the world came to him, eagre for his advice. (beat) On one morning, a pair of women came to his palace; they each claimed to be the mother of a newborn son and wanted Solomon to resolve their dispute. Solomon, wise as his was, quickly came up with a solution; he would have the child cut in half, allowing the pair to have equal shares of the boy.

KOR: If this is what passes for wisdom among Humans, then your race is a sorry one indeed.

KIRK: (cont’d) While one of the women agreed to Solomon’s resolution, the other was despondent. She begged Solomon not to have the boy killed, promising to relinquish all claim to him, to allow the other woman to raise the boy as her son if the king would only have him spared. Right then Solomon knew who the rightful mother was; taking the baby, he placed him in the arms of the woman who was ready to give him up for his own benefit. (beat) You see, Kor, I am King Solomon and the Federation and Klingon Empire are the two women. Only this time, neither of the women will be willing to give the child up for its own benefit.

INT. KLOTHOS/BRIDGE

The Klingon science officer -- a gracile Klingon with negligible forehead ridges, incredibly pale skin, and very fine hair -- spins around in his chair to face Kor.

KLINGON SCIENCE OFFICER: The Enterprise has charged her weapons. She is targeting the planet!

INT. ENTERPRISE/BRIDGE

KIRK: If you have any personnel on the surface, I advise you to beam them up if you can. (beat) Lt. Sulu, photon torpedoes, full spread.

EXT. SPACE -- P2G-0091

The Enterprise deploys its entire payload of photon torpedoes. A massive arrow of glowing red death, they head straight for the planet. Upon dropping into the atmosphere, they detonate, setting off a massive conflagration which immediately begins consuming the dinithium gases.

INT. ENTERPRISE/BRIDGE

S’POCK: Sensors indicate the photon torpedoes have ignited the dinithium atmosphere and initiated a combustive cascade through the entire geosphere. I estimate that the whole of P2G-0091 will explode in 1.29 minutes, unleashing a subspace shockwave which will annihilate everything within a 1.7 light-year radius. (beat) You have inadvertently killed us all, Captain.

KIRK: Kelso, turn us around and get us the hell out of here.

EXT. SPACE -- P2G-0091

The Enterprise swivels around, impulse engines flaring as it heads as far and as fast as it can away from the volatile planet.

INT. ENTERPRISE/BRIDGE

KIRK: (presses an armrest button) Mr. Scott.

INT. ENTERPRISE/MAIN ENGINEERING

SCOTT: Yes, Captain?

INT. ENTERPRISE/BRIDGE

KIRK: Mr. Scott, you recall that discussion on speed trials we had the other day?

INT. ENTERPRISE/MAIN ENGINEERING

SCOTT: Yes, Captain.

INT. ENTERPRISE/BRIDGE

KIRK: (O.S.) Now would be an opportune time to follow through with them. Don’t you agree?

INT. ENTERPRISE/MAIN ENGINEERING

SCOTT: (grins) Aye, Ah certainly do!

EXT. SPACE -- P2G-0091

As the Enterprise goes to warp, P2G-0091 explodes, unleashing a spherical shockwave of coruscating violet energy which quickly subsumes into subspace, obliterating the neighbouring planets and parent stars in an instant before moving on to the surrounding systems.

EXT. WARP SPACE -- ENTERPRISE

The Enterprise moves forward through warp space, travelling at the highest possible velocities to escape the subspace shockwave. The shockwave is right on the ship’s heels, however, its destructive violet energies seeping into the pocket universe and licking the rear end of the starship, threatening to overtake and destroy it.

INT. ENTERPRISE/BRIDGE

KIRK: Faster, Mr. Scott! Must go faster!

INT. ENTERPRISE/MAIN ENGINEERING

Scott and his corp of engineers are hard at work coaxing more-and-more energy out of the warp drive.

SCOTT: The bairns are burnin’ at warp 8.8, sir!

INT. ENTERPRISE/BRIDGE

KIRK: Then get them burning at warp 9, Mr. Scott!

EXT. WARP SPACE -- ENTERPRISE

Warp space directly behind the Enterprise burns with glowing violet-white energy, warp space in front criss-crossed with angry red veins as the shockwave threatens to tear everything apart. In moments -- certainly under a minute -- the shockwave will consume the Enterprise.

Miraculously, the Enterprise begins to accelerate to ever greater velocity. Perhaps Scotty managed to coax a little more energy out of the warp drive, or perhaps the energies of the shockwave itself are augmenting the starship’s speed. Whatever the explanation, the Enterprise pulls ahead, escaping the shockwave’s path of destruction.

The threatening violent energies retreat and vanish, restoring warp space to its natural black state.

 

EXT. SPACE -- STARBASE 104

The Enterprise has returned to Starbase 104, where they have rendezvoused with three Saladin-class destroyers sent to clean up the mess left by the Klingons.

INT. ENTERPRISE/TRANSPORTER ROOM

Kirk, Quloob, and two of Quloob’s subordinates step inside the transporter room. Acknowledging Kyle’s presence at the controls, they cross over to the pad.

CAPT. QULOOB: (cont’d) ... will be upgraded, equipped with new top-of-the-line shields and defenses so something like this doesn’t happen again. Until that time, Starbase 104 is officially decommissioned.

KIRK: An eight-month paid vacation sounds good right about now.

CAPT. QULOOB: Longer than that, perhaps. (beat) Someone up there has apparently found fault with my administration. I’m on indefinite suspension pending review.

KIRK: (frowns) There’s nothing you could’ve done to prevent this atrocity.

CAPT. QULOOB: It’s instinctual, Captain; the undying need to assign blame. Starfleet Command has no legal grounds to take the Klingons to task for what they’ve done here, so I’ve been designated the de facto scapegoat.

KIRK: If anyone should shoulder the guilt, it’s whoever sanctioned this ignorant, ill-thought-out endeavour.

CAPT. QULOOB: Our races have come a long way in three-million years of evolution, but we still have a long way to go before we finally learn to stop passing the buck along.

Quloob and his men climb atop the transporter pad.

CAPT. QULOOB: Oh, and Captain?

KIRK: Yes?

CAPT. QULOOB: I have it on good authority that you’re looking for a qualified yeoman ….

ENTERPRISE/KIRK’S CABIN

Some time has passed. Kirk now sits at his desk, hopelessly going over the files on his computer console.

The door BUZZES.

KIRK: Come.

The door slides open. There on the other side stands Janice Rand.

KIRK: Hello.

RAND: Hello. (steps inside) I’m here to help with your files?

KIRK: Right over here.

Rising from his chair, he gestures to the console. Striding up to the desk, she takes a gander at the screen then at the captain. Stepping aside, he allows her to take a seat behind his desk. Sinking into the chair, she looks at the displayed information.

RAND: (shocked) Oh! That’s not right!

KIRK: Can you get me out of the hole I’ve dug, or will you have to start all over?

The yeoman doesn’t respond. She’s already hard at work re-configuring the data.

KIRK: I’m sure you’ll do fine, Yeoman. (takes a step away from the desk, then halts) Lt. Uhura on the bridge will know how to reach me, if you have any questions.

RAND: Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.

Kirk leaves Rand to her business.

INT. ENTERPRISE/SICKBAY

Kirk and Piper stand at the foot of Mitchell’s bed. Though still very weak, the major has regained consciousness.

PIPER: The wound is healing quite nicely. He should be able to resume active duty within another full week. (smiles) I’d say the prognosis looks good.

KIRK: Thank you, Doctor. (beat) May we be alone for a moment?

PIPER: Certainly.

Dr. Piper makes his departure.

MITCHELL: So, the folks around these parts have been telling me you blew up a star system.

KIRK: (half-smiles) Thirty-four photon torpedoes reacting with a planet’s worth of nithium will have that result, yes.

MITCHELL: (sighs) I’m just sorry to have missed out on all the action.

KIRK: I’ll tell you what -- next time we need a system destroyed, I’ll let you fire the torpedoes off yourself.

MITCHELL: Promises, promises ….

INT. ENTERPRISE/RECREATION DECK

Kirk now sits alone at a table, playing a game of three-dimensional chess against himself. Deep in concentration, he doesn’t make an effort to acknowledge S’Pock’s presence as the half-Vulcan enters the room and walks up to him.

S’POCK: Would the captain oblige me with the answer to a question?

KIRK: (turns to S’Pock) Certainly, Mr. S’Pock. I mustn’t put leisure above a consultation with my science officer.

S’POCK: I need only a moment. It is not my intention to take you from you pleasure.

KIRK: Ask away, Mr. S’Pock.

S’POCK: Regarding white to checkmate in three ….

KIRK: I apologize for barging in on your problem.

S’POCK: (cocks an eyebrow) Then … white cannot checkmate in three moves?

KIRK: Yes, it can. Did you think I was making a joke?

S’POCK: One can never be certain when a Human is making a joke.

KIRK: Usually we laugh.

S’POCK: Not invariably.

KIRK: No. Not invariably. Still, I wasn’t making a joke.

S’POCK: If the captain will indulge me … your comment has piqued my curiosity.

KIRK: In that case, of course I’ll play out the problem with you.

S’Pock takes a seat on the other side of the table from Kirk. Leaning forward, he rearranges the pieces on the board, perfectly recreating the game he was playing all those days before.

KIRK: Maj. S’Pock, I thought Vulcans experienced no emotions. Yet you confess to curiosity.

S’POCK: Curiosity is not an emotion, Captain, but the impetus in the search for knowledge that distinguishes sapient creatures. (beat) Your move, Captain.

Kirk moves his queen’s knight. S’Pock then regards the chessboard, staring at the positions as if he were calculating the effects of every possible move of every piece on the board. Reaching out, the half-Vulcan takes hold of his king and tips it.

S’POCK: I resign.

Kirk studies the science officer. The barest hint of a frown can be made out on the half-Vulcan’s features.

S’POCK: Your move risked your queen and your knights. It was … illogical.

KIRK: But effective.

S’POCK: Indeed. (beat) What method of calculation did you use? Sinhawk, perhaps? Or a method of your own devising?

KIRK: One of my own devising, you might say. I didn’t calculate it, S’Pock. I saw it. Call it intuition, if you like, or good luck.

S’POCK: I do not believe in luck, and I have no experience of … intuition.

KIRK: Nevertheless, that’s my method of calculation.

S’Pock clears the board.

S’POCK: Would you care for a complete game?

The captain nods his assent.

EXT. SPACE

Somewhere out in the void between systems, there is a bright flash of violet light as a subspace portal is torn open, spewing a K’t’inga-class battle cruiser out into normal space. It is the Klothos -- heavily damaged, powerless, but remarkably intact.

INT. KLOTHOS/BRIDGE

The bridge is in chaos. Several consoles spark and burn, cloying smoke fills the air, and most of the bridge crew float about in the now-zero gravity environment, dead or injured.

Kor, one of the few Klingons who escaped serious injury, is seated in his command chair, hands gripped around the chair tightly to keep himself from floating off.

KOR: You owe me a blood debt for this humiliation, Kirk, and I will collect … when circumstances are more propitious for me. (beat) We Klingons have a saying, “BortaS blr jablu’DI reH QaQqu’nay.” In your clumsy Human idiom, “Revenge is a dish best served cold.”

EXT. SPACE

Carried forward on its own momentum, no friction in space to slow its course, the Klothos tumbles end-over-end towards an uncertain fate.

FADE OUT

END CREDITS

 

To wrap this episode up, here are some designs of costumes, weapons, etc. used by the Starfleet of this universe:



This is my take on the Starfleet uniforms of the Pike era. Inspired by the utilitarian aesthetic of "The Cage", I decided to give these uniforms a more muted colour scheme than the Kirk-era uniforms, keeping the vibrant division colours restricted to the undershirts, which are largely hidden beneath jackets of gray and white.

These uniforms make an appearance in the teaser of this episode, but are already phased out by the time Kirk takes command of the Enterprise.



This is my take on the Starfleet uniforms of the Kirk era. Though I'm not a fan of the TOS uniforms, I like the basic colour scheme of those uniforms, so I didn't go out of my way to make any radical changes to the design; I just made a few alterations to achieve a more professional look.



Starfleet's rank insignia. Rank pins are on the left, sleeve braids on the right.



Starfleet's division/department insignia.



I came across this image while Googling designs for an alternate TOS-era phaser rifle. I consider it an excellent design -- certainly the best of its type I've come across -- so I've officially adopted it as the Kirk-era phaser rifle of my re-write.

 

Congratulations on completion. I enjoyed the format especially, and also the posting of a TOS story. Yeah, the phaser rifle with the unusual stock stands out.