The Trouble With Tribbles Part 22

Kirk and Spock exit into corridor, run for an elevator.

CUT TO:.

25 OMITTED 25.

26 INT. ENTERPRISE-BRIDGE 26.

as Kirk enters the bridge, followed by Spock.

KIRK.

(to Chekov) What's that Klingon ship doing now?

CHEKOV.

Nothing, Captain. He's just sitting there...a hundred kilometers off K-7.

UHURA.

I have Commander Lurry.

KIRK.

Put him on visual, Lieutenant.

Kirk steps to his chair.

KIRK.

Commander Lurry, there is a Klingon war ship hanging one hundred kilometers off your station...

26A INSERT-VIEWSCREEN 26A.

Past Chekov. Lurry is in his of.ce.

LURRY.

I do not think that the Klingons are planning to attack us.

26B ANGLE ON KIRK 26B.

KIRK.

Why not?

26C INSERT-VIEWSCREEN 26C.

WIDENING ANGLE to reveal the Klingon Commander KOLOTH and his aide KORAX also in the of.ce.

LURRY.

Because at this moment, the captain of the Klingon ship is sitting here in my of.ce.

Kirk reacts, covering his shock.

KIRK.

We're beaming over.

He and Spock start to leave the bridge as we: FADE OUT.

END OF ACT ONE.

ACT TWO.

FADE IN:.

27 OMITTED 27.

27A EXT. s.p.a.cE-SHOT OF s.p.a.cE STATION 27A.

KIRK.

Captain's log, Star date 4524.2. A Klingon warship is hovering only a hundred kilometers off deep s.p.a.ce station K-7, while its captain waits in the station commander's of.ce. Their intentions are unknown.

28 INT. s.p.a.cE STATION-LURRY'S OFFICE 28 -CLOSE SHOT ON KOLOTH.

Koloth is the Klingon commander and like the last Klingon commander that we saw, he is an evil-looking s...o...b..

KOLOTH.

My dear Captain Kirk, let me a.s.sure you that my intentions are peaceful.

CAMERA PULLS BACK to a FULL SHOT, revealing Kirk, Spock, Lurry, and-if we can afford them-two KLINGON AIDES.14 Kirk and Spock are on one side of the room. The Klingons are on the other. Lurry is caught in the middle.

KOLOTH.

(continuing) As I have already told Commander Lurry, the purpose of my presence here is to invoke sh.o.r.e leave rights.

Kirk and Spock exchange glances.

KIRK.

Sh.o.r.e leave?

KOLOTH.

Captain-Klingons are not as luxury-minded as Earthers. We do not equip our ships with non-essentials...15 We have been in s.p.a.ce for .ve months and what we choose as recreation is our own business.

(pause) Under the terms of the Organian Peace Treaty, you cannot refuse us.

KIRK.

The decision is not mine to make... Commander Lurry is in charge of the station.

LURRY.

(aside to Kirk) Kirk, I don't want them here-but I have no authority to refuse...

KIRK.

I have some authority to act-and I'm going to use it.

(to Koloth) All right-you can give your men sh.o.r.e leave-but no more than twelve at a time...and I promise you this, Koloth-for every one of your men on this station, I'll have at least one security guard...there won't be any trouble...

KOLOTH.

Captain Kirk, no formal declaration of hostility has been made between our two respective governments. So, of course, the nature of our relationship will be a peaceful one...

KIRK.

Let us both take steps to make sure that it stays that way...

The Klingon bows stif.y, politely. He turns on his heel and exits. Korax follows. Kirk, Lurry and Spock exchange a worried glance.

DISSOLVE TO:.

29 ENTERPRISE-HANGING MOTIONLESS 29.

IN s.p.a.cE.

CUT TO:.

30 INT. RECREATION ROOM OF SHIP 30.

Kirk and Spock enter. There are a few crewmen in the room. SCOTTY is at one table, reading. The other people in the room are in a knot around the other table. Kirk moves over to Scotty. Spock moves towards the knot of people.

31 CLOSER ANGLE-KIRK AND SCOTTY 31.

Kirk moves up and peers at the t.i.tle of the tape that Scotty is reading. It is a page re.ected on a screen.

KIRK.

Another technical journal?

SCOTT.

Aye, why shouldn't I?

KIRK.

Mr. Scott, don't you ever relax?

SCOTT.

(puzzled) But I am relaxing...

Kirk nods-of course you are-he moves over towards the group of people.

32 ANGLE 32.

McCOY and Uhura are in the f.g. of a knot of people. On the table is one larger tribble and at least ten smaller ones. They are playing with them. It is the quality of their playing that will make the tribbles seem alive.

MCCOY.

(to Uhura) How long have you had that thing, Lieutenant?

UHURA.

Only since yesterday. This morning, I found that he-I mean she...had had babies.

MCCOY.

I'd say you got a bargain... He picks up one of the tribbles and examines it curiously. Spock does likewise.

MCCOY.

(continuing) ...hmmmm...

SPOCK.

Fascinating.

Kirk moves up to the group.

KIRK.

Lieutenant Uhura, are you running a nursery?

UHURA.

I hadn't intended to...but the tribble had other plans.

Spock absentmindedly begins stroking his tribble. This is a bit of business which should be underplayed.

KIRK.

You got this at the s.p.a.ce station?