EXT. SPACE – WRIGLEY’S PLEASURE PLANET
A few light-years away from Starbase 95, we find Wrigley’s Pleasure Planet.
An egg-shaped body approximately the same size as Rhode Island, Wrigley’s Pleasure Planet isn’t a true planet; it is a captured asteroid which has been hollowed out and equipped with antigravity generators and weather control systems, allowing a temperate, life-sustaining environment to exist upon its surface in spite of its small size.
INT. MORNING STARS RESORT/MITCHELL’S SUITE/BEDROOM – DAY
Golden sunlight filters in through the tall, wraparound windows, filling the spacious room and falling upon the queen-sized bed currently occupied by the sleeping form of MAJ. GARY MITCHELL.
Beside Mitchell’s bed stands a short, round table, upon which rests a small holoprojector; the holoprojector suddenly begins to chirp.
MITCHELL: (frowns in his sleep) Mrffff …?
Turning over away from the table, he lifts his sheets over his head and bunches them up against his ears in a bid to muffle the sound. When this proves inadequate, he angrily slaps at the projector, hoping to make contact with the button that’ll turn the device off. Instead, a short holographic projection of himself – standing tall in a blue-and-white T-shirt and dark gray Bermuda shorts – flickers to life.
MITCHELL’S HOLOGRAM: Hi there, Gary. This is you, yourself, approximately sixteen hours ago, telling you to wake up!
Hearing his own voice yelling at him, Gary bolts upright in bed, fully awake.
MITCHELL’S HOLOGRAM: (cont’d) Knowing you were going to spend your last hours of freedom partying like it’s 1399, I figured you’d be too swept up in your hangover to remember you’re supposed to leave early today for Starbase 95.
MITCHELL: (groggy) Oh, God – what time is it?
As Mitchell begins fumbling about in search of his chronometre, the hologram replies.
MITCHELL’S HOLOGRAM: (cont’d) Don’t worry, Gary. I programmed this message to play three hours before the last shuttle leaves for the starbase. That leaves you plenty of time to get fed, showered, dressed, packed, and to the spaceport.
MITCHELL: I really think of everything, don’t I?
MITCHELL’S HOLOGRAM: James chose you to be his first officer. You wouldn’t want to disappoint him, would you?
MITCHELL: (turns off the holoprojector) No, you wouldn’t.
As Mitchell gets ready to leave his bed, a near-Human woman with orange skin, a head of large, feathery white hair, and a tray of food held between her hands enters the bedroom; dressed solely in a purple nightshirt, she is an exotically beautiful female.
ORANGE LADYFRIEND: (smiles) Morning, Gar, honey. (lifts up the tray, tilting it left-and-right in a little dance) I brought you a little something.
MITCHELL: (grins) Breakfast in bed. My favourite.
INT. STARBASE 95/DOCKING BAY
Having entered the docking bay, the Vrekasht – an Ericsson-class warp shuttle – makes its approach toward the Enterprise.
INT. VREKASHT/COCKPIT
Inside the spacious cockpit of the shuttle sit only two individuals: the pilot – a black-and-silver furred Caitian male – and Nyota Uhura herself. Having traded in her civilian garb, she is now dressed in her Starfleet uniform; aside from the black skirt, it is identical in form to those red-jacketed uniforms we’ve already seen worn by other operations division officers.
CAITIAN PILOT: (turns to Uhura) The Enterprise is prepared to receive you. Are you ready to beam over, Lieutenant?
UHURA: I’m ready.
CAITIAN PILOT: Step onto the transporter pad and I’ll start the transfer.
Nodding once in acknowledgement, Uhura picks the suitcase which has been resting down beside her up and crosses over to the transporter pad installed in the rear of the cockpit.
CAITIAN PILOT: (activates transporter) Energizing.
ENTERPRISE/TRANSPORTER ROOM
Once the transportation is finalized, Uhura finds herself standing inside the Enterprise’s transporter room. Manning the controls is 2ND LIEUTENANT JOHN THOMAS KYLE, a man with blond hair, blue eyes, and sharp features, dressed in a red jumpsuit.
Stepping away from the transporter controls, Kyle approaches Uhura as she steps down from the pad.
KYLE: (smiles) Welcome aboard the Enterprise (offers her his hand) So, you’re the new comm officer? I’m John – John Kyle.
UHURA: (shakes his hand) Nyota Uhura. (takes a gander about the room) So, this is the Enterprise.
KYLE: Yep, this is the old girl, alright.
UHURA: How long have you been assigned here, John?
KYLE: Oh, I’m new to the crew. I arrived here from the P2M-0057 colony just over a week ago.
UHURA: Have you had any trouble fitting in?
KYLE: Nope. Most everyone here’s pretty welcoming and friendly. Oh, except Mr. S’Pock, but he’s a Vulcan, so that’s to be expected from him. (beat) I hope you’re not thinking what I think you’re thinking. A lady such as yourself shouldn’t have any trouble making this ship home away from home.
UHURA: (half-smiles) From your lips to God’s ears, Mr. Kyle.