"STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN" (1982)

by HARVE BENNETT

MAIN TITLE SEQUENCE (TO BE DESIGNED)

FADE IN:

Absolute quiet. SOUND bleeds in. Low level b.g. NOISES of Enterprise bridge, clicking of relays, minor electronic effects. We HEAR A FEMALE VOICE.

As the ANGLE WIDENS, we see the crew at stations; (screens and visual displays are in use): COMMANDER SULU at the helm, COMMANDER UHURA at the Comm Con- sole, DR. BONES McCOY and SPOCK at his post. The Captain is new -- and unexpected. LT. SAAVIK is young and beautiful. She is half Vulcan and half Romulan. In appearance she is Vulcan with pointed ears, but her skin is fair and she has none of the expressionless facial immobility of a Vulcan.

Breaks up.

Tactical on big screen.

On screen: Enterprise approaches the stricken vessel.

On screen we see the approach of the Klingon vessels, they are dark and sinister.

The ALARM SOUNDS.

Screen verifies this. Saavik makes an agonized choice.

The image flops: more Klingons approach. They FIRE photon torpedoes.

Sulu does his best, but Enterprise is hit; Sulu is hurled from his station, and Bones hurries to him.

The bridge takes another hit -- a big one. In its wake there is a second electrical EXPLOSION along the communi- cations panel. Uhura falls from her station. Bones rushes to her side amid the smoke and alarms.

Another hit: reverberating flashes of spark and flame on the bridge. Spock dies. Bones comes to him, but even as he coughs his way through the smoke, a final hit and Bones falls. The room is smoke filled and a shambles. Saavik looks about in shock.

Saavik digests this for a painful moment. Then, touch- ing a comm button:

There is a loud CLANGING and --

The side walls of the "bridge" slide apart, revealing a lighted room beyond. Through the opening strides KIRK. He stops, surveys the shambles, and shakes his head.

Sulu awakens with a grin. Uhura straightens herself demurely. The Trainees head toward the distant room, Spock rises and leaves. Bones remains on the floor, head propped in his hand, whimsically.

Bones rolls his eyes and rises. Kirk sees Saavik who has not moved.

She stays at attention.

He leaves. They look at each other.

HOLD ON Saavik.

Kirk rounds the corner and sees Spock, leaning against the wall.

Spock almost smiles.

They walk together.

As I recall you took the test three times yourself. Your final solution was, shall we say, unique?

He lifts the book.

Kirk looks around uncomfortably, overlaps:

Spock studies him --

They are old friends --

He steps into a turbo elevator. The doors close as Spock watches, wiping the scene.

In f.g. is the U.S.S. RELIANT, an older, somewhat battered starship of the ENTERPRISE class, with a slightly different configuration. Reliant approaches an inhospitable-looking yellow planet: CETI ALPHA V

Well-aged and distinctive. The usual compliment of officers and crew. CAPTAIN CLARK TERRELL, about 45, soft spoken and in good shape, but somewhat laconic.

Behind Terrell, surveying the data screen is COMMANDER CHEKOV, aged some, but still boyish.

Forward screen: Ceti Alpha.

Terrell rises and crosses to Chekov.

A functional cluster of modules serve as a scientific complex, a futuristic White Sands, orbiting a small barren plantoid in b.g.: Regula.

Big but deserted except for Carol, in contact with Reliant. Surrounded by equipment clearly meant for many workers, CAROL MARCUS is in her early forties, attractive and intelligent. Static mars the trans- missions.

On the monitor: Terrell and Chekov, looking hopeful.

Carol sighs as the image fades, not happy.

Carol walks through the labyrinthine complex with DAVID, her son, a bright young scientist of twenty. He is good looking and humorous.

Silence.

They walk past the CAMERA, their VOICES FADING.

HOLD ON the empty corridor.

Kirk reads the novel, trying to focus. His flat befits an Admiral and a loner with few possessions, except a collection of antiques.

WE HEAR A SOFT BONG.

Startled, Kirk lowers the book and pushes a button.

The door slides open and Bones enters. He carries two packages, one of them wrapped in brown paper.

With a flourish, he pulls out a bottle of blue liquid.

He takes the bottle and pours; continues talking.

Kirk starts to obey.

They drink. The package is opened: a pair of gold "Ben Franklin" half-glasses. (N.B.: Romulan Ale is an INSTANT DRUNK: both men react.)

He toasts. Kirk is unsure how they work.

An awkward silence.

Pause. Kirk pours another drink.

They look at each other.

orbiting Ceti Alpha V.

VOICES OVER indicate the transporter room is ready.

A YELLOW PLANET, in constant SWIRLING HURRICANE WINDS OF SAND. Terrell and Chekov materialize. Their VOICES, filtered, are hard to make out.

With the TRICORDER to guide them, they set out...

The difficult search, the men leaning into the wind --

is ahead of Chekov on a slight rise --

Terrell waves him frantically forward. As Chekov moves up, we rise with him to the top of the ridge and look down.

A RUINED SERIES OF MAN-MADE STRUCTURES, half buried in sand. They look at each other in consternation. Chekov is worried; something about all this is familiar.

They descend towards the structures, now seen to be the wreckage of some sort of space craft.

They pass but do not notice the FEDERATION LOGO, half buried next to their feet.

As Chekov looks at the porthole, a face suddenly looks back! It is the face of a CHILD! The Apparition scares the daylights out of Chekov -- and us. He screams.

He comes clumsily over --

He points. The porthole is empty.

He points and they go into the airlock.

Terrell and Chekov enter, dumbfounded. THEIR POV. Someone lives here -- there are beds, food, all jury- rigged -- but no people. Terrell checks a monitor.

He takes off his helmet; Chekov likewise.

They wander as they talk, picking up objects that be- speak a fairly sophisticated ad hoc environment: a laboratory in one hold; a kitchen; A LARGE SAND TANK filled with disgusting CETI EELS.

ABRUPTLY A SOUND -- They start: CHILD'S GURGLE.

They start looking. They enter a new chamber --

On its side in the sand: the walls are now the floor, etc. All in crookedness -- like its owner. On the floor, smiling at them (i.e., the wall) is a BABY.

Tentatively they come over to it, looking around --

Lethal-looking odd swords on one wall, a bookshelf; CAMERA PANS by 20th Century volumes; MOBY DICK, KING LEAR, THE HOLY BIBLE -- and a seat belt dangling with the name on it -- Botany Bay.

Chekov mouths the words, softly at first, then aloud --

Chekov runs, tries to get his helmet on, tries to drag Terrell --

Terrell catches his urgency --

Terrell and Chekov emerge, helmeted, then stop dead.

A RING OF SUITED FIGURES has them surrounded.

Mr. Beach, the duty officer, stands looking at Ceti Alpha V on the forward screen.

Captain Terrell, respond please.

Nothing.

Terrell and Chekov are held by FOUR STRONG MEN.

They seem to be waiting. One of the men is JOACHIM.

Out of the airlock steps a tall masked figure. A moment of suspense as Terrell and Chekov watch, terri- fied. The mask is peeled back.

KHAN is startled by the recognition; comes over and examines Chekov and Terrell.

nothing, sir. I, on the other hand, am in a position to grant nothing. What you see is all that remains of the ship's company and the crew of the Botany Bay, marooned here fifteen years ago by Captain James T. Kirk.

I have been left by Admiral Kirk to digest my own entrails.

The wind howls in the silence. When Khan turns, his eyes are filled with tears.

He recovers his poise and returns to them --

They don't answer. Khan goes over to Terrell and, WITH ONE HAND, LIFTS HIM INTO THE AIR --

Terrell gasps, stays silent --

He lets go; Terrell falls with a thud --

KHAN

(continuing) You will soon tell me willingly enough.

He goes over to the tank and dips a kind of strainer in, pulling out TWO CETI EELS -- wriggling items --

As he speaks, Khan dumps an eel in each of their helmets; he swirls the helmets around as though he were mixing martinis --

At a sign, the helmets are slammed down. As the muffled shrieks are heard from within, the eels crawl across the faces of Chekov and Terrell; with unerring in- stincts they head for the ears of the two hapless men. There is some atrocious pain as they enter -- then dazed calm.

That's better! Now: tell me why you are here -- and tell me where I may find James Kirk.

No answer -- Beach makes up his mind --

He heads for the door but is stopped by:

Fractional pause.

Beach and Kyle look at each other.

A SPACE SHUTTLE moving toward us.

A new composite. Bones, Sulu, Uhura and Kirk -- who sits, reading. Through the windows we can see the approach to the starship ENTERPRISE. Kirk looks up, nods. Sulu activates a comm button.

Kirk looks up from his book as Sulu sits next to him.

Sulu laughs.

The shuttle approaches the mammoth airstrip. As we

near the ship, a few WORK CREWS IN SPACE flit about her hull, working.

The shuttle makes its way to the Docking Lock of the mother ship and settles in place.

A reception group awaits, led by Captain Spock. Saavik stands at his side, in company of the Trainee crew. Also present: CHIEF ENGINEER MR. SCOTT and members of his staff in their distinctive uniforms.

The group comes to attention.

The doors open. Kirk and his staff are piped aboard by an electronic version of the boatswain's tradi- tional whistle. Kirk salutes the Federation symbol and steps forward to exchange salutes with Spock.

Saavik stiffens slightly -- humor is not her forte.

Mr. Scott, you old space dog. You're well?

Uncomfortable, Scotty exchanges a glance with Bones --

He stops before a BRIGHT-FACED FOURTEEN-YEAR OLD, stand- ing so stiff he looks like he'll break -- in an engineer's uniform.

A big salute. Kirk is amused, returns the salute.

He moves, followed by his staff.

Kirk and party leave. CAMERA PUSHES IN ON SPOCK AND SAAVIK.

Saavik is humbled.

The inspection party dwarfed by the size. Silence as Kirk looks around, runs a finger for dust, etc. Scotty, his team and Preston, stand at attention.

FEATURING power room separated by glass from the rest of the facilities. Bones, Sulu, Uhura, and some train-

ees watch as Kirk inspects one console, clearly the responsibility of the bursting Midshipman Preston.

The repressed grins of the others, and a smile on Scotty's face tell Preston he's being had. He stops, confused.

Approving laughter. Kirk looks amused.

engines capable of handling a minor training cruise?

He moves off, followed by Preston, who gives one last salute as Kirk leaves, followed by Bones.

They step into the Turbo Lifts.

The real one, no doubt! CAMERA REVEALS the maze detail: winking and blinking displays, all HANDS at station, a hum of activity, Uhura and Sulu in familiar chairs, Spock is in the Captain's chair, Saavik in the First Officer's position. Kirk and Bones stand towards the rear.

Saavik punches data into her console.

The dock slowly folds away from the ship.

Saavik watches instruments, punches data in response.

Spock casts a glance at Kirk, then, to Saavik:

Kirk tries to conceal his reaction. Spock enjoys it.

Saavik settles herself in the chair, looks again at the console -- Spock looks at Kirk.

They all stifle their responses. Kirk is like a father watching his kid drive the family car for the first time.

SAAVIK

Aft thrusters, Mr. Sulu.

as the ship slowly and majestically leaves the dock.

Activity hums.

Kirk starts to say something, but doesn't. Bones looks at him.

Kirk shakes his head, takes a breath --

The ship clears the dock and begins heading into space.

Kirk quietly lets his breath out.

Spock turns inquiringly to Kirk.

Spock digests this with a slight smile.

She gathers speed into the vastness of space.

moving towards us, in opposition to the previous shot, close enough for us to read her markings.

Khan occupies the Captain's chair. We PULL BACK: the crew of the RELIANT has been replaced by Khan's fol- lowers in their odd-looking clothes.

At the helm is Joachim, Khan's lieutenant. He is in the largest and brightest of Khan's group. Terrell sits in the First Officer's chair, Chekov at the Comm Console. Their behavior is normal, save for subtle hesitation, symptoms of their mind-controlled state.

CHEKOV

I would think so, sir. He's on the Fleet General Staff.

Huge and busy. Among the scientists going about their tasks are JEDDA, a Deltan; MARCH, thin intense; MADISON, black, easy going. They are all young and earnest. Carol and David huddle over a computer

console.

Jedda at the Comm Console overlaps.

Carol moves forward as the others close in.

Buttons punched; the screen ebbs, flows and crackles on. ON SCREEN is CHEKOV.

us?

Pleased reaction from the scientists.

Consternation in the lab. David is livid -- the words "Bullshit" are overlapped by his mother.

Chekov hesitates, seems to be listening to someone off the monitor.

Sensation in the lab.

He starts to press a button; Carol pushes his hand away and communicates herself.

The image fades.

Chekov, in a matched cut, turns away as CAMERA WIDENS TO REVEAL KHAN by his side. He is charming.

Khan smiles, more charming than ever as we move in.

Everyone is talking at once.

Silence.

Carol reacts: this is certainly true.

They split off in different directions as ordered.

In no particular hurry.

Kirk waits for the Turbo Lift, which opens at last. As he gets in --

Kirk holds and Saavik dashes in. She is surprised to see him.

Kirk nods, the doors close. There is an uneasy forced intimacy between them.

She reaches out and touches a button. The lift stops.

She stares.

She's a laugh a minute. Kirk pushes the button; the elevator starts.

She studies him, considering. No doubt about it, the attraction is mutual and she has no idea how to handle it.

The lift stops and the doors open.

He reacts to them. Saavik exits demurely.

Bones enters and the doors close. Kirk studies the ceiling.

Kirk says nothing.

UHURA'S VOICE

Yes, sir.

Awkward silence.

The elevator stops. Kirk leaves. The doors close.

Featuring VIEW SCREEN: A scramble of interference and noise. A piece of Carol's VOICE breaks through now and again as we PULL BACK revealing a frustrated Kirk.

Carol's face appears. The image will never be stable for long; sometimes the sound will be covered.

CAROL

... taking Genesis away from us...

But the picture is irrevocably scrambled now. Kirk pounds the Comm in frustration.

cruising.

The activity is normal. The Turbo-Lift opens and Kirk

strides in. Bones and Saavik react to the following:

They look wonderingly. Kirk takes a breath --

Sulu does, and with a great thrust of energy --

The ship accelerates, and then, with an eye-filled burst, whips ahead to warp speed, disappearing.

Spock is at meditation as Kirk enters quietly. Spock looks up.

Spock raises an eyebrow --

Kirk smiles in bemused wonderment.

Spock inclines his head.

Kirk is moved. He starts to speak, can't -- finally:

SPOCK

I'd best talk with Mr. Scott, first so that he may, in his own words, explain the situation to his cadets.

Kirk's face tells us the wisdom of Spock's choice.

Floating quietly around the planet below. Tranquil as we PUSH SLOWLY IN.

OVER we can hear, FILTERED, UHURA'S VOICE:

Featuring Spock and Uhura, as she keeps trying --

Spock considers, moves to Kirk.

Kirk looks at him, nods; rising now.

They start for the Turbo Lifts as Saavik reacts --

The screen is suddenly busy with coded read-outs and then computer graphics of retina patterns. Then it glows green. SECURITY CLEARANCE, CLASS 1 GRANTED.

More coded read-outs, a red line SECURITY SCAN, then over it APPROVED, in green. Replaced by:

Carol appears, FACING CAMERA, not used to it. To one side stands David and behind them, the lab.

(DNA ILM TAPE ACCOMPANIES, AD LIB)

& &

It is our intention to introduce what we call the Genesis device or "torpedo" into the targeted area of a lifeless space body, a moon or other inert form -- the device is fired --

react with wonder.

The tape becomes snowy and blinks off.

Kirk looks at Bones and Spock -- they are stunned.

experiments?

The whoosh of the turbo doors and Kirk, Bones and Spock assume their posts. Saavik stands next to Kirk's chair.

Reliant.

Space; a tiny dot in the distance, growing larger.

Boring forward ominously.

Khan and his crew; no sign of Chekov and Terrell. On Khan's screen, the Enterprise grows larger --

Visual of Reliant appears.

ALARMS SOUND. The lights on the bridge dim into the soft reddish glow of battle illumination. ADDITIONAL CREW troop in to man vacant consoles.

... short range band. They say their Chambers coil is shorting their COMM system.

He steps to his station.

The two ships are very close, barely moving as they inch toward each other.

Khan is half out of his seat, sweating with anticipation.

Computer graphics monitor: Cross-hairs on Enterprise. BIG SCREEN (?)

He reacts to his blue-lit scope --

But the ENTIRE BRIDGE is ROCKED by a shock impact, some of the crew sent flying.

Reliant firing phasers at Enterprise. A hit in the rear of the engine room area, debris flying into the void.

An explosion rips through the facility, sending yellow- ish green GAS hurtling down the long facility towards us. Crewmen are hurled through the air, screaming.

roll closed, sealing off the damaged tail section, SIRENS SHRIEKING!

terrified, scramble to get out amid the deadly yellow- ish green smoke, the cries.

trying to rally them --

And he puts his own respirator on, as do some of the veterans. Preston dons his respirator -- and stays.

The angle we saw during inspection. The trainees, in panic amid the gas crawl over each other trying to get out. They scramble over each other's shoulders in the efforts to escape, screaming and shouting.

The bridge is slowly righting. Crew members getting back to their stations. On speaker, we hear the CRIES AND SHOUTS of the Engine Room.

KIRK

Mr. Sulu... The shields!

Bones dashes out.

Scotty's voice is faint, drowned by the screams and cries from a dozen intercom stations.

Uhura does. There is a dead silence. Then:

Behind, the crew chief and a few others work feverishly in respirators. Scotty, in respirator, with a throat mike which filters his voice.

ON SCREEN computer graphics, red flashing lights indi- cate damaged areas. Spock steps up to Kirk evaluating the display.

SPOCK

They knew just where to hit us.

On VISUAL SCREEN, Photon torpedoes approach...

The bridge is shaken badly, screens go dark, fires spark and erupt. ALARMS and SOUND full. Crew personnel try to put out electrical fires, help the fallen --

circling Enterprise.

The glow of the O.S. screens and battle illumination highlighting the passion in his eyes.

The firefighting continues.

There is a moment. Kirk looks around the battered bridge, and his eyes meet Spock's, and Saavik's.

All eyes go to the SCREEN. After momentary visual confusion, Khan's face appears, smiling --

We can see Reliant making a large arc as she prepares to come back for another round.

Reliant continues her slow arc.

Reactions from Spock and Kirk.

Kirk turns from the screen --

smashed, computers inoperative...

Reliant, her arc completed, is coming back.

Kirk puts on his spectacles --

soon and he'll have time to figure it out and raise them again.

Spock nods; Kirk turns to the screen --

He turns from the screen again, softly:

They're all sweating.

followed by other signals.

Joachim punches frantically --

All monitors are haywire now that Enterprise is tapped in. They search wildly for the right switch, but...

punching.

Enterprise fires at Reliant inflicting heavy damage.

A shambles -- debris flying; Khan knocked to the deck. He struggles to his feet through wiring --

JOACHIM

Sir, we must! (desperate urging) We must repair the damage. Enterprise will wait; she's not going anywhere.

Khan calms as the other holds him; he breathes deeper.

Reliant turns away.

They watch on screen as Reliant hauls off.

The turbo doors whoosh open as Kirk reaches them. Scotty stands there, tears streaming down his face; he holds the body of Midshipman Preston. Both of them are covered in blood. He sways into Kirk's arms as the others rush forward.

The Enterprise, motionless, scars of battle showing.

The CREW, wearing respirators amid the motionless ball of gas, work frantically at a dozen jobs, trying to put things aright, splicing wires, etc. Some TRAINEES who panicked are back.

making a final adjustment.

A TURBO WHINES and a great wind of suction pulls the gas towards appropriate vents. The Crew Chief watches, then yanks off his respirator; wipes his brow.

MANY CASUALTIES IN EVIDENCE. Kirk enters and LEADS CAMERA THROUGH them; he has a word or two for men he doesn't know by name. Kirk leads us to the operating theatre, where Bones works over Preston. Scotty stands by, his lips trembling. Preston opens his eyes, sees Scotty and Kirk.

He dies. Pause. Scotty looks across the body at Kirk.

KIRK

If he hadn't, we'd be space by now.

Kirk hits a wall intercom --

With an effort, he gets to his feet --

Squeezes his shoulder and limps off -- We NOW HEAR the sound of impulse power taking effect.

Bones shrugs unhappily, looks at Preston.

yourself; we're talking about a bang that would re-arrange the universe...

He turns and leaves as Bones watches, looks again at Preston.

Regula, the dead planet beyond.

Approaching. As she moves slowly PAST CAMERA, WE PAN WITH her TO SEE that she is approaching the space lab.

Battle damage, some repaired, some not. The bridge is filled with tension, all hands at station.

As before, Uhura's image, imploring a response.

During this, CAMERA HAS PANNED CLOSE AMONG the techni- cal clutter. Then suddenly. SOUND -- eerie, frightening. Our ears cannot place it... and before we can, it is gone a warning.

He starts out. Bones stops him.

Saavik's gaze falters --

Kirk, Bones and Saavik head for the turbo doors.

CLOSER ANGLE now. The silence is ominous.

empty, except for the hums and crackles of abandoned equipment. With a FAMILIAR SOUND, BONES, KIRK and SAAVIK MATERIALIZE. All have phasers, communicators and tricorders.

For a moment they look around, seeing emptiness. Like being in a haunted house.

A WEIRD ECHO reverberates his cries.

They separate. Each begins to search.

She moves to the electronic and data area, examines the consoles, the equipment, then settles for the data bank. She starts keying sequences with the computer.

He shows signs of fear as he walks through the deserted place, like a scuba diver exploring a cave. We want him to go back.

A NOISE. Bones reacts with brave apprehension.

Rounding a corner, he starts: A RAT scuttles right in front of him.

Bones sighs with relief and moves forward. We think he's safe.

SUDDENLY SOMETHING FALLS RIGHT ON HIS FACE: an upside

down human ARM.

Kirk helps Bones cut down the last of the five BODIES from where they were hanged, upside down.

Having recovered his composure, Bones examines the corpses. We RECOGNIZE Madison, March, among others.

One is clearly the COOK.

Kirk looks around, despairingly --

WITH SAAVIK working with console. Something puzzles her. She frowns, but a NEW SOUND distracts her. She looks up and moves off.

A moan is heard. All three now converge on the area. As they near it, Saavik's tricorder hums furiously. Be this a room, a locker of some other place, this time they -- "open the door." The limp bodies of Chekov and Terrell fall out.

She will continue sporadically.

KIRK

My God!

Chekov emits a live, reassuring moan.

Bones is passing his medical tricorder over Chekov.

He reaches into his kit. He shoots Chekov moves off to Terrell. Uhura, voice continues in the b.g.

Saavik's face appears on her screen.

Chekov opens his eyes, and stares into Kirk's.

He weeps like a child, and Kirk holds him. Meanwhile, Terrell opens his eyes and stares at Bones.

Chekov breaks the embrace in high relief and anxiety.

Bones takes over Chekov --

Chekov breaks into tears. Kirk looks at Terrell, who is more composed.

Kirk, wearing his spectacles, studies the transporter consoles. ANGLE WIDENS TO REVEAL the transporter pods, and the others, b.g.

Chekov and Terrell look at each other; they seem a bit stronger.

Saavik approaches Kirk:

Kirk looks at her over the rims of the glasses:

Saavik studies the console.

Kirk gets it.

like days.

Fractional pause.

Kirk frowns.

Kirk looks at Saavik and Bones, decides --

Kirk walks onto the pods as Saavik works the console, rolling in electronic coding. The others join Kirk.

She presses a button, joins them on the pods. Slowly they VANISH.

CAMERA MOVES TOWARD it as the BEAM SOUND continues, with irregularity. The plantoid is ugly and dead. The sound frightens us, and climaxes with:

The BEAM SOUND screeches, then settles into its comfort- able mode as the FIVE FIGURES FLUCTUATE, FADE, then APPEAR. They look around in wonder and relief.

She indicates something O.S. They cross as CAMERA reveals a cave wall stacked with technical materials and crowned by a LARGE PROJECTILE, a giant version of the model we saw earlier. They stare. (N.B. FEATURE GENESIS ARMING CONTROL BOX.)

BONES

Genesis, I presume.

They walk by a group of crates. It all happens very fast: David leaps out and tackles Kirk, throwing him to the ground and landing atop him, a knife at his throat.

At the same time, Bones and Saavik reach for their phasers, but Jedda, already armed, steps out. He has them covered and helpless.

He raises the knife --

Again he raises the knife --

Carol reaches the tunnel entrance to the cave --

Carol sees Kirk --

All react. David and Kirk, facing each other, are turned to stone. Bones, Jedda and Chekov turn to look at Carol, wondering. Terrell very casually takes the phaser from Jedda.

But Kirk and Carol ignore them and walk towards each other. There are tears in Carol's eyes. She reaches up, trying to smile and touches his hair --

She can't. Kirk takes her and holds her tightly, look- ing at David, over her shoulder. He stands there, stunned, looking back.

She nods --

He and Chekov have their phasers trained on them.

Terrell speaks into his wrist recorder.

David makes a reckless break for Terrell; Saavik instantly throws herself on him bringing him down as Terrell fires, hitting Jedda, who was behind David -- a killing ray. Jedda dematerializes. Carol SCREAMS and David reacts with horror and guilt.

Most importantly, Chekov begins to tremble. Terrell himself is shaken by his reflexive action. He's in semi-panic.

thru thru

Reliant, motionless in a parking orbit.

Joachim over his shoulder. Others in evidence. Khan speaks into his console.

Reactions by all -- only Kirk and Bones are unsurprised. David and Saavik, dazed, fight the urge to do something. Chekov is close to a seizure. Terrell fights conflicting mental signals.

As though tearing off a leach, Terrell grabs at the wrist recorder and flings it to the ground. A shock- wave of pain hits Terrell. He recovers, trembling and tries to obey. Chekov is shaking badly. Terrell aims his phaser at Kirk. Chekov slowly raises his phaser and aims at Terrell, though his hands are like lead. We THINK Chekov is going to do the right thing. Then, shockingly: Terrell turns his phaser on himself.

Terrell does, blowing himself into oblivion.

He SCREAMS, horribly, drops his phaser, clutching his head.

Bones leaps to his side, pulls an injection device from his belt pack, jabs it into Chekov's arm. Chekov, almost with a sigh of relief, drops.

They rush to his side, as do Carol and David.

From the fallen man's ear, something begins to emerge.

The Ceti eel crawls out. It has grown quite large.

Horror from all. Kirk picks up a phaser. As the eel clears Chekov, he fires and destroys it. He shudders, then sees the wrist recorder and grabs it.

Khan reacts to Kirk's VOICE: electronic shock. He clutches the communicator, his eye-whites rolling.

INTERCUT AS DESIRED WITH

else, but like a poor marksman, you keep missing the target.

He punches several buttons.

In the Rocky Cavern the transporter beam locks on to the Genesis torpedo and its arming control box.

As Kirk and the others watch, horrified, Khan beams up the materials. David tries to reach the torpedo, but Saavik holds him fast --

The beam disappears and Genesis with it, leaving them alone.

count on Enterprise. She can't move. My next act will be to blow her out of the heavens.

Khan closes his eyes in voluptuous satisfaction. Joachim enters and Khan looks at him.

Khan sighs, contentedly.

As before, Saavik is on the communicator.

She keeps trying. Chekov stirs --

Bones goes and tends Chekov who moans, tries to sit up.

Chekov tries to smile; Kirk takes his hand --

jamming all channels.

David has been effectively spiked. Long silence.

BONES

How can you think of food at a time like this?

Carol laughs -- there's an edge of hysteria to it.

David looks at his father, who checks his watch, putting on his spectacles.

Saavik and Bones make to follow. Saavik turns to Kirk --

thru thru

Dark side of Gamma. Reliant sits idle.

Carol sits on the ground, Chekov's head in her lap, looking at Kirk.

Kirk turns away, overcome. She watches him.

Her joke doesn't take effect. He doesn't turn.

Kirk says nothing.

Kirk hesitates, comes back and sits next to Chekov; he changes Bones' compress on the ear as he finally speaks.

Carol studies him; gently she sets Chekov's head down on a sweater, then stands.

She offers her hand. Kirk looks at Chekov, who smiles, faint assurance.

After a moment's hesitation, Kirk takes her hand and she leads him to the tunnel.

TRUCKING BEFORE Carol and Kirk. A rising light falls on their faces as they walk, then run with excitement toward the source. Kirk races ahead...

toward an iridescent light at its end, blindingly beautiful with color.

INTERCUT: THESE TWO ANGLES until WE CAN HARDLY WAIT

for Kirk to reach the end of the tunnel, and then, when it does:

where the rock tunnel ends. Kirk comes out of the tunnel, and his mouth drops open.

SCENE 130)

A huge cavern. Kirk is actually standing at the middle of it. Space extends vastly above and below his point of view. Like Eden, lush growth everywhere, water- falls, and a cobalt blue sky high, high above where a round orb glows sending light and warmth downward. There is a path from where Kirk stands down to the lower level where Bones, and the others are waiting and calling to him. Mist and haze waft gently across the cavern.

as Carol comes up beside him.

The turbo doors open and Joachim stands there.

Khan smiles.

He punches at his console.

thru thru

Reliant ominously pokes her nose into the lit side of the planet, heading for Enterprise.

The Regula I Space Station -- but where is Enterprise?

frowning with puzzlement.

not a trace!

Kirk and the others eat fruit from the huge (matte) forest beyond. Chekov has been moved to join them.

who watches him.

She almost smiles. David returns her stare and it throws her.

Saavik rises, paces. Kirk puts down his food.

Kirk watches Saavik.

SAAVIK

On the test, sir, will you tell me what you did? I'd really like to know.

Kirk looks at Bones, who smiles --

He looks at his watch again, using his glasses --

He picks up the communicator.

Spock, this is Kirk. It's two hours. Are you about ready?

The others are on their feet, stunned with amazement --

He clicks off.

David gapes at his father.

WE CAN SEE NOW where Enterprise is: she has slipped behind the plantoid, clockwise, even as Reliant was rounding into the lighted side.

Kirk, David, Saavik, Carol and Bones, holding the semi- conscious Chekov MATERIALIZE. Spock is there to greet them.

They are moving through the room as they talk --

Saavik steps in front of Spock.

CAMERA STAYS WITH THEM, HOLDS ON DAVID, awed.

Saavik and Kirk follow Spock. They stop at a Turbo Lift --

They race down corridors as they speak --

Full crew in place as doors whoosh open --

ALARMS, SIRENS, ETC. CREW RUSH INTO PLACE AS Kirk, Spock and Saavik approach the big screen.

We see the Enterprise emerging from the dark side of Gamma Regula, where Reliant is now a moving blip.

function and shields will be useless.

Kirk looks over the rims of his glasses at Spock; they smile with faint amusement.

As the lights change, the CREW runs to their stations.

ENTERPRISE STARTS MOVING.

Carol, David and Bones react to the light change and the sirens -- Bones works on Chekov...

Carol and David are civilians on a battleship.

Reacting. Saavik approaches Kirk and Spock.

Kirk and Spock exchange looks --

The Enterprise whooshes by CAMERA leaving Regula behind. Reliant now appears in far b.g. and CAMERA BEGINS A MOVE to her.

Reliant moves to and past CAMERA in hot pursuit.

Call them SPACE-BYS. Enterprise rushes TOWARD US, flashes BY and CONTINUES towards the swirling nebula.

THEN Reliant does the same, closer in pursuit. At this moment, half the distance between Regula and the nebula has been covered.

Orientation, SHOT. Reliant can clearly see where Enterprise is headed --

Reliant's shot crosses Enterprise's bow --

The ship reverberates with the near miss. Chekov wakes up, looks wildly about --

As they talk, David, unnoticed, leaves the area. The Enterprise is buffeted again --

She whitens in fear. ANOTHER SHOT reverberates.

SPOCK

One minute to nebula perimeter.

The bridge door slides open and David enters. He stares in wonder. Saavik reacts to David.

Khan's eyes bulge --

Khan's eyes bulge --

And he reaches across and executes it himself.

They react to Reliant's speed-up. The nebula approach is ON SCREEN.

WE'RE VERY CLOSE NOW, and SEE CLEARLY the swirling, slowly moving gases, magenta, purple, etc. There are veils of luminescent materials and through all an interlace of unpredictable electrical charges.

Like lightning, these intermittent great flashes illumine whole sections of the nebula. OUR VIEW is moving slowly forward...

As Enterprise whooshes into the PICTURE headed into the purplish gas -- and disappears into a cloud bank of the stuff.

A moment then Reliant APPEARS, pursues Enterprise into the gloom, also disappears.

ON SCREEN the picture is squirrelly purple, breaking up. Blindness. Panic.

Electrical forces raging without are also reflected on the circuits within. It's bumpy, on top of everything else. Electronic WHINING.

Khan does not argue.

Cautiously Reliant emerges from a massive "cloudbank." Electrical discharges abound. Barely moving, she feels her way forward. Alone.

A treat: Enterprise is above and behind Reliant.

Reliant's image is breaking up.

Sulu strains, then fires -- just as an electrical dis- turbance bounces the bridge --

The bounce causes Sulu's phaser shot to go wide of Reliant, amid CRACKLING discharges --

Rolls from the near-miss concussion --

Reliant is wide of the mark with a Photon torpedo. A BLINDING ELECTRICAL DISCHARGE. When it clears, Enterprise appears to be alone.

ON SCREEN, nothing but magenta amid picture breakup --

Enterprise feeling its way...

All peer into the lousy picture. Occasional electrical flashes.

Still Enterprise moves forward... A LARGE FLASH... a SUDDEN GLIMPSE: Reliant boring in on collision course!

A sudden clearing ON SCREEN: Reliant!

Hard over, but not fast enough. Reliant fires a phaser.

Reliant's phaser shot hits the Enterprise torpedo room in Dorsal Fin area of ship.

An EXPLOSION rocks the room and...

The Bridge rattles from the explosion below; Sulu is thrown from his chair. Saavik leaps to her post --

The Enterprise fires a phaser and delivers a raking shot -- which rips along the side of Reliant's primary hull.

The bridge is damaged; Joachim and others are wounded...

For the first time, his friend wounded, Khan hesitates, holds him --

She veers to one side with the impact and disappears into a deep purple mass.

Sulu is being helped by David --

Bones is there, helping some crewmen. The Reactor Room flashes a red warning light and glows with a blue

light. The air is heavy with smoke but the doors, damaged earlier, still hold.

The bridge door opens and closes; Chekov, faint, stands there.

ANGLE FAVORING David as the others react to Chekov taking his place. Quiet.

Spock is bent over the scanner --

Kirk looks at him, smiles.

Reliant in purplish mass, banking slightly, completing a long turn, then boring ahead.

As Reliant emerges from the dark blue mass into a clear almost tranquil place. Reliant, moving slowly, stops, as if looking around.

The screens are empty.

Reliant motionless in the f.g. amid occasional flashes. Now, behind Reliant and from below, like a great whale rising from the depths, Enterprise rises vertically, slowly passing the unsuspecting enemy. When Enterprise is above, behind and quite close:

Reliant ON SCREEN, intermittent but clear.

A) EXT. ENTERPRISE

fires torpedo; one which hits, destroying Reliant's weapons pod on top.

B) INT. RELIANT

C) EXPLOSIONS rock the interior of Reliant.

D) EXT. ENTERPRISE

fires two more times. The first causes general damage. The second, close behind blasts Reliant's port engine off into space, debris scattering.

E) INT. RELIANT BRIDGE

is devastated. Khan is blown from his chair and WE'RE UNCERTAIN of his fate.

Reliant, now a scarred, battered hulk, her main hull still intact, but dead in space.

No cheers, just deadly professionalism.

prepare to be boarded.

Amid the smoke and ruins, WE SEE no signs of life.

In f.g., chillingly, Khan rises INTO SHOT by the main console. He is horribly burned, and it is clear that he is clinging to life by his will.

As Uhura's voice continues O.S., Khan pulls himself into a chair at the console, one of his hands useless at his side.

Painfully, with one good arm, he starts arming the Genesis console.

There sits the Genesis torpedo: lights start blinking in response. As we watch, the CHILD we met on Ceti Alpha walks to the torpedo and smiles at the lights.

transporter room --

David peers closer over Spock's shoulder, reacts.

The briefest stunned moment. Kirk hits intercom:

STATIC.

Spock leaps from his place and disappears through the bridge doors.

Enterprise backs away from Reliant. Her speed is pain- fully slow.

ON SCREEN, Enterprise, intermittent image, backs away. Khan smiles triumphantly through his pain. An elec- tronic power SOUND has been building.

Khan topples forward, dead. The WHINE continues to build chillingly.

Spock rushes in. Bones ministers to Scotty, b.g.

Spock sizes up the situation, starts for the radiation room, Bones intercepts him.

He gives Bones the Vulcan nerve pinch. Bones goes down.

Spock presses the access button and enters the Reactor Room, a separated area behind radiation-proof glass and metal, RED FLASHING LIGHTS and an iridescent blue glow within.

Bathed in blue light, arcing energy around him, Spock is a silhouetted figure as he goes to work, door clos- ing behind him.

The WHINE increasing, the dead ship Reliant alive with danger...

A snail's pace compared to the escape speed needed.

REQUIRED)

Outside the glass, Scotty and Bones screaming:

God...!

WE CAN SEE the silent urging of Bones and Scotty. Spock is oblivious. Amid the fire-blue arcs, he moves to the control panel. Between his hands and the con- trols, power arcs insanely. Spock is in an inferno, a radiation hell, fighting now with all his strength to control it. Slowly, the damping rods move out. Spock moves to a manual control, begins to turn it.

on the manual control, slowly turning black.

His face, using all the self discipline he is capable of to control the pain, continuing to work --

Bones and Scotty react in helpless horror.

Enterprise still well within the nebula, Reliant a figure still visible in b.g. She's crawling still.

Reliant, now symbol of death, ON SCREEN.

Kirk looks at David, but David shakes his head: No way. Then:

She increases power and --

A) With a burst of warp speed, Enterprise accelerates

out of the lazy pace and whooshes PUT OF SCENE, leaving Reliant behind.

B) POV RELIANT

disappearing in the swirls of:

C) POV MUTARA NEBULA

which clears the flame and --

D) ENTERPRISE

roaring through space -- and:

E) RELIANT

The WHINE increases to fever pitch, then: she goes!

F) EXT. MUTARA NEBULA - MASTER EFFECT

As Reliant goes, so goes the nebula. The "Genesis Effect" WE SAW in its earliest experiments, now seems familiar on a gigantic, cosmic scale.

The blinding flash at first, followed by the same tumbling turbulence of the miniature test. It is awesome.

The bridge doors open and Carol appears. Instinctively she draws near her son.

Finally, Kirk turns, sees Carol --

at it.

ON SCREEN and INTERCUT -- GENESIS TUMBLES and starts evolving. A moment in history.

The tone frightens Kirk.

He moves through the doors quickly, leaving the rest staring at the new world evolving.

It is endless. Kirk runs forever, feet pounding down, down, down --

The clouds tumble and move, new things lie beyond --

Kirk races --

Kirk emerges to encounter Scotty and Bones. Their looks tell him. He sees the flashing light over the Reactor Room. He dashes for the control panel. Bones grabs him.

Kirk's eyes bulge.

With stunned understanding, Kirk stumbles to the door, sees Spock on his knees, hands blackened, face cracked with radiation lines and scars.

Spock shakes his head. With a feeble hand he reaches the intercom button: filtered communication.

Spock is satisfied; he fights for breath --

He almost keels over. Kirk has tears streaming down his face.

He props a hand on the glass to support himself. Kirk's hand reflexively goes to match Spock's on the other side of the glass --

I never took the Kobayashi Maru test -- until now. What do you think of my solution?

Spock falls. Bones and Scotty react.

But Kirk is past hearing or caring. He is huddled up against the glass, destroyed. Bones looks on, helpless.

A spectacular look at Carol's planet being born!

the Ship's Company in full dress uniforms assembled for ship's burial service. Over the PULLBACK, we HEAR:

Carol and David are PROMINENTLY FEATURED. David watching Kirk attentively. So are Sulu, Uhura, Chekov, and Saavik. Bones stands next to Kirk. Scotty carries his bagpipes.

Saavik wears her hair down.

He tries to go on, but catches Bones' face: Bones is streaming tears. Kirk can't go on.

Saavik steps forward.

All Starfleet personnel salute. Scotty begins to PIPE, an odd blare which mellows into Amazing Grace. Kirk nods a signal.

A gleaming black projectile is carried by pallbearers into the launching chamber, which locks behind it. At

a hand signal from a TORPEDOMAN, the projectile is fired. NOISE.

Spock's remains seen on their way to the new world. The capsule grows too small to SEE. The bagpipes STOP.

The salute drop.

She steps to him and they exchange salutes --

They salute. She about-faces as Kirk walks towards the Turbo Lift. Saavik issues dismissal and posting orders, but WE TRUCK with Kirk until CAMERA STOPS and he leaves FRAME and WE HOLD on David. He finally understands.

After a long moment, the CAMERA DISCOVERS Kirk. He pours a drink, then decides not to have it.

He sits wearily, not knowing how to shake the ghosts. Then he sees the book.

Kirk picks up the battered volume, the gift from his friend, and closes his eyes a moment. Almost idly he starts turning pages, looking for a clue. But he can't see the writing -- he rummages through his pockets and pulls out the half-glasses --

One of the lenses is broken. It has a deep impact on Kirk. He puts down the book and glasses and covers his eyes.

A SOFT BONG. Kirk clears his throat.

The door whooshes open and closes to admit David. The last person Kirk expected to see.

David's strength is turning a corner with Kirk --

KIRK

(rueful) I didn't expect anything.

Pause. They study each other.

A stunned moment, then Kirk lets it all hang out: for David, for Carol and for Spock. He hugs his son, hold- ing onto him as if to life itself.

The Enterprise passes the new planet in all its beauty.

The door whooshes. Kirk strides on the bridge, David with him. Carol is there with Bones; they are glad at what they see.

Saavik comes close to blushing --

She takes him off, deadpan amusement --

SAAVIK

(continuing) So you turn out to be the dumb bastard.

They stare at her.

Kirk has a smile. He joins Bones and Carol facing the screen.

He shakes his head, remembering --

He turns to Saavik and David --

The bridge crackles with lights and CHATTER as we...

She is moving out now, passing CAMERA and heading toward the distant stars. She is beautiful and they are beautiful. And as she slowly disappears from VIEW...

MUSIC RISES. CREDITS ROLL.