ACT FIVE
INT. ENTERPRISE TRANSPORTER ROOM
Pike waits while Scott operates the transporter.
Kirk, Spock, McCoy and George MATERIALIZE.
George launches off the pad.
GEORGE
Scotty you old dog!
SCOTT
Captain, you were supposed to come back after that test.
GEORGE
(scoffs)
Earth is boring.
(to Pike)
Captain! Good to see you again.
PIKE
Welcome back, George.
GEORGE
Good to be back. I see you got yourself new digs.
PIKE
Hey, I worked hard to get a bigger cabin. I'm all set to give you the grand tour.
George brandishes the power converter cell in his hand.
GEORGE
If you don't mind, after five years I'd like to be on my way home first
PIKE
I think we can accommodate you.
(to Scott)
Lieutenant, take the Captain to engineering and get those cells in.
SCOTT
Right away, Sir.
As they stride out the door...
GEORGE
Lieutenant? I'm gone for five years and everyone gets a swelled head!
As the three disappear down the corridor, Kirk stands - alone - at the still open door and watches them go.
MCCOY (O.C.)
When am I going to get that chess lesson you promised me?
The voice brings Kirk back to the room.
MCCOY (CONT'D)
I already owe Joanna my entire retirement pay. I'd like to stop this before she gets the house.
KIRK
(interested)
You gamble on these games?
As they EXIT...
KIRK (CONT'D)
How big is that house?
EXT. SPACE
The Enterprise orbits: a few smaller ships trailing it again.
INT. KIRK'S ENTERPRISE QUARTERS
Kirk works at his computer. He's a man possessed.
INT. ENTERPRISE ENGINEERING
Pitcairn and George work. There's a frantic air about them.
Pitcairn rushes off as McCoy ENTERS and approaches George.
MCCOY
Captain, I just came from Jim's quarters.
George glances at McCoy but continues working. This isn't the place or time for social conversations.
MCCOY (CONT'D)
That boy just figured out how to beat the Kobayashi Maru.
GEORGE
(scoffs)
Jim's never been prone to fantasy.
MCCOY
You should see this plan. I think he's got a shot at it working.
GEORGE
Not now, Doctor.
MCCOY
Don't you even wonder what your son's been doing while you've been gone?
GEORGE
You can't get back years you've lost.
MCCOY
No. But you can make sure you don't squander the time you have.
GEORGE
Do you have children?
MCCOY
Yes. A six year old daughter.
George hesitates. He wasn't expecting that answer.
GEORGE
When she's older you'll understand.
He returns to work.
GEORGE (CONT'D)
You plan to be there for them but, you know, sometimes life happens. You do what you can.
MCCOY
Don't use fate as an excuse. Life is here. Life is now.
GEORGE
Don't lecture me, Doctor. I doubt you walk out on surgery to have tea parties.
MCCOY
Captain...
George has had enough of the distraction.
GEORGE
The business of the ship comes first. Jim understands that.
(looks off-screen)
Scotty!
Scott is there instantly.
GEORGE (CONT'D)
We're ready.
Finally silent, McCoy watches as Scott works on the board and "throws the switch". The board flickers - then goes dark. George and Scott are grim - weary from failure.
MCCOY
(alarmed)
What was that?
GEORGE
That was the power converter cell - NOT working.
As he EXITS off screen...
SCOTT
They're antiques. Adapting the beasties is proving harder than we expected.
MCCOY
But you can do it?
SCOTT
It may not matter. The strontium is taking the entire load. It's just a matter of time before they're completely drained: and without them we won't even be able to maintain orbit.
MCCOY
Explain this to me like, oh - I don't know - like I haven't spent my life in space!
SCOTT
If we don't get the cells working soon, we're going to crash into the planet.
He EXITS. This isn't what McCoy bargained for.
MCCOY
I'm giving that horse back.
EXT. SPACE
The Enterprise has attracted the attention of more ships.
INT. ENTERPRISE BRIDGE
On VIEWSCREEN the ships trailing the ship.
MITCHELL
They can read the drain on our engines.
NUMBER ONE
Power levels are dropping dangerously low.
PIKE
They can circle all they want. They're not getting one bolt off my ship.
INT. ENTERPRISE ENGINEERING
At the panel, Scott and George work feverishly.
In the main room, Pitcairn stares at the strontium crystals, raised from their shielding, as they struggle to work.
They go dark. The engine behind him fades.
At the panel, Scott and George are victorious.
INT. ENTERPRISE BRIEFING ROOM
Pike, Scott, Pitcairn, George, Spock and Kirk.
PIKE
How long?
PITCAIRN
Twelve hours. Then they will be salvaging the Enterprise from the surface of Shoal.
PIKE
Shoal is a geological treasure. They've got to have strontium.
SPOCK
It's present: but in primitive form. We haven't the time to mine and process the raw material.
GEORGE
I think I have the solution, Captain.
Pike is all ears.
GEORGE (CONT'D)
Dilithium crystals. They're on that planet - mined, processed, and ready to install in your engines.
PIKE
Dilithium is unstable. I'd rather have my crew marooned than dead.
KIRK
Not with the right formula. Scotty's got it - I've seen it.
SCOTT
I had a formula five years ago too.
spOCK
I have verified this formula. It will work.
PIKE
Find me the Athens' Queen, Spock.
SPOCK
Scanning.
On VIEWER - the wreck of the Athens' Queen. Half-covered with forest growth, the name of the crashed ship is visible.
SPOCK (CONT'D)
No energy signatures present.
GEORGE
Those damn thieves salvaged my ship.
SCOTT
All research materials are tagged to keep track of them.
SPOCK
Accessing your logs.
(beat)
Located. The dilithium crystals are being used as part of two major power stations.
PIKE
We'll need them all.
INT. ENTERPRISE TRANSPORTER ROOM
Pitcairn and Spock at the controls: Pike stands next to them.
Kirk, McCoy and Scott are in landing party gear.
PIKE
Your teams have to work quickly. There's no security but as soon as there's a failure in one of the grids they'll scramble to fix it and protect the others.
George ENTERS. He hesitates at the sight of Kirk.
GEORGE
What are you doing here?
KIRK
I've been working with dilithium crystals for two years and I've been on the planet.
Ready to argue, George catches sight of McCoy's stare.
KIRK (CONT'D)
(smiling)
Two Kirks are better than one.
They mount the transporter dias.
SPOCK
Mr. Pitcairn and I will have the engines prepared by the time you return.
PIKE
Good luck, gentlemen.
EXT. SPACE
The Enterprise orbits. The number of ships around her grows.
INT. FIRST SHOAL POWER STATION
A room essentially the same as the Utility Plant, but twice the size.
Kirk and George work in an open panel where the dilithium crystals glow in their mounts.
GEORGE
We'll have to shut down the power to this grid to get them out.
KIRK
On it.
Kirk works feverishly at the banks of panels and consoles: checking the routing of power, tracing it...
INT. SECOND SHOAL POWER STATION
A room that looks like the first.
Scotty works on the open panel while McCoy holds tools.
MCCOY
(muttering)
I'm a doctor, dammit: not an electrician.
INT. FIRST SHOAL POWER STATION
Kirk's become distracted in his task by what he sees.
GEORGE
Jim!
Startles, Kirk hurriedly returns to a different panel and shuts off controls. The dilithium crystals go dark.
EXT. SPACE
Beyond the Enterprise, there's a dramatic flash and shift within the Drake Passage.
INT. SECOND SHOAL POWER STATION
Scotty is pulling the crystals out of their mounts.
SCOTT
Got it!
McCoy hurriedly helps him pack up.
EXT. SPACE
Beyond the Enterprise, there's another dramatic flash and shift within the Drake Passage.
INT. FIRST SHOAL POWER STATION
Kirk furiously works at the panels as George packs the crystals in a cloth pack and makes a bee line for the door.
GEORGE
Time, Jim.. go!
KIRK
It doesn't exist!
George freezes.
KIRK (CONT'D)
Dad, the Drake Passage isn't real! The storms are being randomly generated by these power stations!
GEORGE
We're out of time!
He EXITS quickly.
EXT. SPACE
The Enterprise orbits Shoal.
INT. ENTERPRISE ENGINEERING
The engines are ominously dark.
EXT. SHOAL LANDSCAPE
George runs. Kirk follows at a distance.
Kirk stops.
KIRK
That plant is the central control system. If we destroy it the passage goes away. Forever.
His voice stops George.
GEORGE
The Drake Passage is how this planet survives.
KIRK
At the cost of how many thousands of lives? Hundreds of thousands?
GEORGE
We're not here to save the world - just one ship. Your ship.
Kirk stares him down.
GEORGE (CONT'D)
This is why we have the Prime Directive. To stop people like you from playing God.
KIRK
How long? How long have you known these crystals - your crystals - been helping to power these murders?
GEORGE
You do what you have to to survive.
Kirk isn't budging.
GEORGE (CONT'D)
You can't destroy that station without filling it with toxins. No one could live through that!
(beat)
Jim!
KIRK
Lieutenant. You taught me that a man has to live with the choices he makes.
He shoves the pack with the crystals at George, but hangs onto a large "wrench".
KIRK (CONT'D)
Go save the ship.
EXT. SPACE
The Enterprise orbits Shoal. The number of small ships is becoming oppressive.
EXT. SHOAL LANDSCAPE
George strides angrily. His eyes catch sight of...
...the first evening star in the sky.
He hesitates: staring at it.
MCCOY (O.C.)
Captain!
George looks down to the approaching Doctor.
MCCOY (CONT'D)
Where's Jim?
George shoves the bag with the crystals into McCoy's hands.
GEORGE
Get these to Scotty - quickly.
McCoy watches as George runs back.
INT. ENTERPRISE TRANSPORTER ROOM
McCoy MATERIALIZES.
MCCOY
(urgently)
Where's Spock?
INT. FIRST SHOAL POWER STATION
Angry red smoke fills the room. Consoles work furiously among dead, smashed, dark panels and tangled wires.
Kirk lays unconscious on the floor: tangled in wires and still gripping the tool.
George ENTERS and immediately reels backward against the wash of toxins. He fights through them, grabs Kirk and struggles to pull him...
EXT. FIRST SHOAL POWER STATION - CONTINUOUS
...George, struggling with his own weakening system: fighting to get Kirk out the door...
Spock grabs Kirk from George and easily drags him away.
McCoy drops to one knee beside Kirk and looks back.
The building is nearly obliterated with smoke. George is no where to be seen.
EXT. SPACE
The Enterprise orbits Shoal. The small ships are a swarm now, overwhelmed the sight of our ship with their darting about.
INT. FIRST SHOAL POWER STATION
A hand picks the tool up off the floor.
EXT. FIRST SHOAL POWER STATION
McCoy tends the unconscious Kirk as Spock pulls out his communicator. Suddenly...
...McCoy and Spock are thrown back by a blast of light.
...as the building EXPLODES into a great fiery mass.
EXT. SPACE - CONTINUOUS
...which is visible from space as the Enterprise orbits.
As though from a shock wave, the Enterprise rocks and we..
PULL BACK
to the Drake Passage as the shock wave shudders and ripples, all the colors and colliding forces collapsing, sizzling and disappearing until nothing is left but..
.. the star filled sky, punctuated by a serene asteroid belt with occasional space junk in it.
INT. ENTERPRISE SICKBAY
Kirk lays surrounded by the glow of an environmental bubble.
INT. ENTERPRISE BRIDGE
Pike, Number One, Spock, Tyler, Garrison at their stations. Pitcairn and Mitchell at engineering.
On the VIEWSCREEN is Shoal.
PIKE
I won't be sorry to see this planet in the rear view mirror. Ready when you are, Mr. Pitcairn.
PITCAIRN
WARP engines are on-line.
PIKE
Earth, Number One: WARP four.
EXT. SPACE
The Enterprise goes to WARP - powered now by dilithium crystals - it is a brilliant, beautiful sight.
INT. ENTERPRISE BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS
The bridge crew reacts with silence.
TYLER
Is it only me...or was that anticlimactic?
PIKE
I'll take routine for a change, Mister Tyler.
PITCAIRN
Dilithium crystals still holding stable. Power levels off the chart. We'll be home in no time.
PIKE
It may have taken five years, but George Kirk proved Scotty's engine design works.
SPOCK
And cleared the most important shipping route in the galaxy.
TYLER
But are the people of Shoal going to survive it?
NUMBER ONE
It made no sense for them to refuse Starfleet's offer to help rebuild their infrastructure now that salvage is no longer an option.
PIKE
They want to do it themselves.
(beat)
They said they don't accept charity from anyone.
The irony of that is lost on no one.
END ACT FIVE