FADE IN:
INT. CRONOSIAN SHIP – DAY – MED. SHOT
Kirk and Argos stand face to face, almost glaring at each other, both adamant, both knowing he's going to have to fight for what he wants. Sulu and Spock stand slightly behind Kirk on either side of him. McCoy comforts Joanna off to the side. Joanna disengages herself from McCoy, walks over near Kirk and Argos. She stares at Argos, hating him, then looks alternately at Kirk and the other crewmen as she speaks.
JOANNA
(realizing the immensity of Argos' evil)
(hysterical but controlled)
Yes…yes…that's right. He wants your ship, Captain – just like he wanted all the others trapped here…dead, skeleton ships, with dead, skeleton crews.
(cruelly, guttural)
And now he wants to add your ship to his horrible collection.
McCoy is concerned about her health. He realizes the great ordeal she's going through.
McCOY
(wanting her to stop)
Joanna…
JOANNA
(contempt)
But that isn't enough for him. Ohhh, no! Not him! He wants your crew to entertain him before they die…amuse him…
CU ARGOS SMILING
JOANNA
Like animals performing for their supper.
(despair)
And even worse…he wants me!
CU McCOY blinking, squinting hate and concern.
ARGOS
(determined)
And I always get what I want!
KIRK
(angry)
All right! You may be able to take some of the things you want by force. But there are things you can't make a man do against his will, and you can't make us fight your androids…especially if we know that by dying in battle, you'll be deriving that much more pleasure from our deaths.
ARGOS
(slyly)
Unfortunately, you're right. That's why I'm going to let you go now.
SULU
(incredulous)
Let us go?
ARGOS
(sure of himself)
Yes. I'll permit you to return to your ship…think things over. You'll come around…make the decision to stop resisting me. I'm giving you an opportunity to make a choice…
(smiling, mocking)
…of your own free will…
(a cruel threat)
…to die fighting, like men…or simply be slaughtered, like animals.
Argos' facial expression becomes a merciless glare.
CU KIRK, SULU, McCOY, JOANNA who are shocked, concerned, afraid.
CU SPOCK, grim.
ARGOS
You have one hour, Captain. The girl will remain with me.
McCOY
(angry, threatening)
We're not leaving without my daughter.
ARGOS
(stutters, as if McCoy were so preposterous)
W-wh-WHAT?
McCOY
(glaring, determined)
We came for Joanna and we're not leaving this place without her.
Argos reaches behind his throne, grasps a small, strangely constructed "pistol" type weapon, aims it at McCoy, whose eyes widen.
ARGOS
(squinting, cool, angry)
When I give an order, I expect to be obeyed.
Argos fires the weapon, which emits a hazy, wavering green beam which strikes McCoy and changes him into a small lizard, about the size of a gilla monster. Joanna chokes, stares horror struck at the lizard. She screams in a shivering voice. Kirk charges forward, tries to grab Argos' neck, but slams into an invisible force field. He is repulsed at a CRACKLING SOUND, and is hurled back violently. Kirk falls gasping to the floor, then glares up at Argos.
ARGOS
(gloating)
You forget, Captain. I have at my disposal every weapon imaginable!
Joanna is desperate, concerned about McCoy.
JOANNA
(quivering, pleading)
Change him back…change him back!
She looks down, swallows a lump in her throat, tries to calm down.
JOANNA
(defeated)
I'll stay.
Argos aims the same weapon at lizard, fires. This time a thin orange beam hits the lizard, and McCoy re-appears in its place. McCoy begins to stagger, dazed. Sulu offers support.
KIRK
(realizing their helplessness)
Let's go.
They begin to leave. McCoy raises an arm in protest, still groggy, but fighting it.
McCOY
(worried)
No! Jim! We can't. Not without –
KIRK
(reasoning with him)
Bones, we've got to play it his way for now. That force field doesn't give us any choice.
McCOY
(to Joanna, a determined promise)
We'll be back.
ARGOS
(mocking)
Oh I'm sure you will be, Doctor, I'm sure you will be!
Argos bursts into horrible, sinister laughing as McCoy, Sulu, Spock, and Kirk walk away. As they are about to reach the "door," Argos calls to them. They turn to look.
ARGOS
(a threat)
Remember, Captain. One hour.
They walk out.
DISSOLVE TO INT. ENTERPRISE – LAB – FULL SHOT
A crewman is seated at a lab bench, looking into a microscope. Scott walks over to him.
SCOTT
Mr. Anderson…
Crewman looks up at Scott.
SCOTT
Have ye found anything yet?
CREWMAN
This sample of weed seems to be undergoing some sort of biological change. Nothing definite yet, though. It's still too early to tell.
SCOTT
(almost worried)
I just hope ye have a report ready for the Captain when he gets back, or it'll be mighty hot for the both of us.
{NOTE: the next page was missing. Now we're not on the Enterprise, we're back on the Cronosian ship, in a corridor. Kirk, Spock, McCoy, and Sulu are walking down it.}
SPOCK
Captain.
They all stop walking. Spock stands with his head cocked to the side, listening. The sound of marching feet is heard.
SULU
(urgently)
Android warriors! Coming this way!
KIRK
(annoyed)
Yes, it looks like Argos doesn't intend to let us leave without first providing him with some…
(disgusted)
…entertainment.
Kirk looks up at the wall, adorned with ancient weapons.
KIRK
(quickly)
Weapons.
They all sieze weapons from the walls. Sulu takes a pair of bolas; Spock, a broadsword; Kirk, a device consisting of two leather straps fastened to a thick flat rock about the size of a man's hand; McCoy, a long pole, similar to a quarterstaff.
SULU
(whispering)
Captain. They're coming from that way.
Sulu points up the corridor to the corner. The soldiers androids are coming from where the crewmen beamed down before, and the crewmen are now in the corridor from which the androids had first issued.
KIRK
We'll surprise them.
Kirk gives a "follow me" gesture with his arm. They all follow Kirk, who races up the corridor and stops just before the corner. He leans up against the wall, Sulu, Spock, and McCoy do likewise. They lie in wait, ready to leap out upon the androids as the robots come around the corner. They press their backs against the wall, breathing hard but trying to keep the sound of their breath quiet. Slowly the marching feet approach. The sound becomes louder, louder, then at last the androids round the bend and Kirk and the others leap into the attack. Sulu swings the bolas, entangles some androids, then finishes them off with sharp karate blows to the mid-section and neck, shouting as he did in the first encounter. Kirk swings his weapon like a sling shot, letting it wrap around the swords of his opponents and jerking the weapons out of their hands, then swinging his weapon in a sweeping arc which registers uppercuts to the jaws of his opponents. Spock is dueling with other androids, and McCoy is fighting them with his quarterstaff, parrying their thrusts by grasping his pole with both hands and using it to block their assaults, then quickly grasping one end of it and whipping it around, poking and clubbing them on the back of the neck and knocking them out.
CUT TO ARGOS' LARGE CHAMBER
Argos is advancing upon Joanna with an "I love you, you little wench" expression on his face. She breaks away from him, fear and anger both gripping her. She squints hate. Argos, laughing softly, walks toward her warily, his arms extended and spread wide, like a wrestler trying to grapple with an opponent.
JOANNA
(quivering, half pleading, half threatening)
Keep away from me…keep away from me!
ARGOS
You're such a beautiful young thing, Joanna…so lovely…and I always get what I want.
JOANNA
(slowly, vehemently)
I hate you…I hate you!
(pleading, trying to reason with him)
Doesn't that mean anything to you? Can't you understand?
ARGOS
(playing a game)
I could use a mind control device on you…command you to love and adore me… but then there'd be no challenge!
Joanna holds up her hands in protest, keeps backing away from Argos. She shakes her head "no" in dread.
JOANNA
(trembling, bordering on hysteria)
Stay back…get away from me…
ARGOS
How easy to merely take what I please. Where lies the sport in that? But to win something…to get what I want on the merits of my own efforts…
Argos' eyes take on a look of fierce determination, as if he feels he has been denied something he wants for too long.
ARGOS
…and I want you, Joanna!
He rushes forward, siezing her. She struggles with him, flailing wildly.
JOANNA
(screaming madly)
No…No! Get your hands off –
She screams even louder as they struggle. Slowly Argos forces her lips to his. She is trying hard to break free of his grasp and tear her lips from his. She's gasping protests. Then she manages to wriggle an arm loose and tear at Argos' face with her fingernails. The pain jerks his hand back and he cries out. Lines of blood are on his face. As his head goes back she slaps his face hard. Enraged, he hurls her from him. She is thrown to the floor, sobbing, but still wildly angry, defiant, her breast heaving. He staggers back to his throne. Slowly she regains her feet. They stand glaring at each other for a moment. Then Joanna speaks, trembling, her voice shaky, breathing hard, shaking her head "no."
JOANNA
(fiercely determined)
…Never…I'll never, never, never, accept you! I'll despise you as long as I live!
CU ARGOS GLARING. Then, slowly, his facial expression changes. He realizes that this girl will never love him, and that he'll never tame her. Angry at his own failure and also for the scratches and humiliation she caused him, he speaks, hoarsely.
ARGOS
(sneering)
Very well, then. None live long who reject Argos.
CUT TO KIRK, SPOCK, McCOY, and SULU FIGHTING ANDROIDS
CUT BACK TO ARGOS' CHAMBER
CU ARGOS – Extreme hatred.
CU JOANNA – hate, defiance, her face tear-streaked and her body trembling.
CU ARGOS' HAND reaching to arm of throne, to a small pad of buttons similar to those on Kirk's pilot's chair. Argos presses a stud. Suddenly Joanna disappears from the chamber.
CUT INSTANTLY TO FIGHT WITH ANDROIDS
Just as Spock is in the motion of stabbing an android, Joanna reappears, instantly in front of the android. Spock is unable to stop his thrust and his blade pierces Joanna's heart! She is killed instantly. Spock's mouth drops; he's shocked. He pulls the sword out lamely, lets it fall to the floor.
CUT INSTANTLY TO McCOY, showing that he has seen what happened. McCoy's eyes widen in disbelief, his whole face becomes contorted in anguish. He shouts long and loud.
McCOY
SPOCK!
FADE OUT.
