INT. ACCESS TUNNEL
Having detoured briefly to the Saladin to switch into his green dress uniform, Kirk has now arrived at the access tunnel leading into the USS Enterprise. A countless number of VIPs – Starfleet officers; civilian dignitaries; and reporters from every news medium in the Federation – stand in the path before Kirk. Entering the morass of bodies Human, near-Human, semi-Human, and pseudo-alien, Kirk begins pushing himself through, fighting to get to the head of the crowd.
As Kirk nears his destination, he sees the heads of Cdre. Pike and GENERAL KIMITAKE NOGUCHI over the crowd; the two officers are deep in concentration and do not yet notice the captain.
As Kirk prepares to make his way past the final line of onlookers to the general and commodore, he is stopped by the sight of two individuals – dressed in clothing plainer than that worn by the others in the access tunnel – out of the corner of his eye. Turning his head, he sees them clearly.
KIRK: (surprised) Mom! Sam!
There stands Kirk’s mother and older brother, WINONA and SAMUEL KIRK. A short woman in late middle age, Winona is still pretty for her age. Sam, minus his mustache and slightly receded hairline, is almost an exact twin of his younger brother. Both smile broadly at the sight of James R. Kirk standing there before them.
KIRK: What are you doing here? When did you get here? How long can you stay?
WINONA KIRK: We came to see you take command of the Enterprise, of course.
SAMUEL KIRK: But if you don’t hurry up, they’re going to auction it off to the highest bidder.
Glancing at Noguchi and Pike, Kirk sees that they have finally caught notice of his presence. They wear expressions of patient amusement upon their faces, as they both understand that the joy of seeing one’s loved ones after a long separation overwhelms mere protocol.
Turning back to Sam and Winona, he hugs her and claps him on the back, then leaves their side to join Pike and Noguchi. Together, the three officers head into the body of the USS Enterprise.
INT. ENTERPRISE/RECREATION DECK
The recreation deck has been turned into a reception hall. All the starship’s officers have gathered here. A podium and lectern stood on the stage at one end; tables along one wall held trays of food, racks of champagne bottles, and rows of sparkling glasses.
Lieutenants Sulu and Kelso are helping themselves to a platter of hor d’oeuvres when they notice Uhura in amongst the crowd.
KELSO: Hey, Sulu, who’s the lady?
SULU: That’s Lt. Uhura, our new communications officer.
KELSO: (cocks an eyebrow) No kidding? Hope she’s only married to the service.
Elsewhere, we come to 1ST LT. HADIA RUAN, the Enterprise’s infantry commander and chief of security. Judging by appearances, she is a Human or near-Human woman, in her thirties, with long black hair pinned back in a utilitarian style, bronze skin, and intense hazel eyes. Though a striking beauty, there is an underlying hardness to her features which shouts “WATCH YOURSELF”.
She is staring into her glass of champagne with apparent contempt when Scotty sidles up to her.
SCOTT: Penny for yer thoughts?
RUAN: If I ever meet the insect who passed the act prohibiting real alcohol from sanctioned Starfleet events, I’ll drown it in a vat of this synthetic swill.
Taking care not to be noticed, Scott reaches into his jacket and pulls out a copper flask. Unscrewing the cap, he carefully lifts it over the rim of Ruan’s glass and pours some of the rich brown contents into it.
RUAN: (grins) Why, Major – is that what I think it is?
SCOTT: (taps his nose) Ye can return th’ favour later, Lieutenant.
Noguchi, Pike, and Kirk then arrive, drawing the attention of all present.
SCOTT: Looks like th’ ceremony’s about t’ start.
INT. ENTERPRISE/RECREATION DECK – MONTAGE
Over the next hour, speeches from the general, commodore, and captain are made.
CUT TO
The ceremony as it draws to a close.
Pike, holding a sabre sheathed in an ornate gold scabbard, stands before Gen. Noguchi on the stage.
GEN. NOGUCHI: (cont’d) … and have you, Cdre. Christopher Pike, faithfully executed your duties as a captain of Starfleet?
CDRE. PIKE (CAPT. PIKE): To the best of my abilities, General, I have strengthened interstellar peace, I have kept the Prime Directive, I have obeyed my oath.
Taking the sabre, Pike presents it before the general.
CDRE. PIKE: (cont’d) I return to you this sword, a token of the ship on which I served.
Noguchi accepts the sword and Pike takes a step back. The general then turns to face Kirk.
GEN. NOGUCHI: Capt. Kirk, stand forward.
The captain steps forward.
GEN. NOGUCHI: Let all present know your name and rank.
KIRK: Capt. James Regis Kirk.
GEN. NOGUCHI: Capt. Kirk, do you swear to maintain interstellar peace, to uphold the Prime Directive, to obey your oath to captaincy?
KIRK: I … do, sir.
GEN. NOGUCHI: (presents the sabre to Kirk) Then receive this symbol of your new office, captain of the Enterprise!
Kirk accepts the sword, and the crowd breaks out in applause.
SULU: So, what do you think, Kelso? Is Kirk the man to take Capt. Pike’s place?
KELSO: Ask me again in five years.
SCOTT: Aye!
FADE TO
The recreation deck sometime later.
As the after-ceremony celebrations continue, Kirk, Pike, Noguchi, and Winona and Sam Kirk stand off to the side away from prying eyes and ears.
CDRE. PIKE: Captain, the starship Enterprise is yours. (shakes Kirk’s hand) I know you’ll find her and her crew as faithful as I did.
KIRK: (smiles) Thank you, Commodore.
With a slight smile, Cdre. Christopher Pike turns and leaves, never once looking back.
SAMUEL KIRK: Hey, Jim – that was a great speech you made.
WINONA KIRK: (smiles) I agree completely.
KIRK: Thanks, Sam – Mom.
Gen. Noguchi turns to Winona.
GEN. NOGUCHI: Winona, it’s a pleasure to see you again. Especially now.
WINONA KIRK: It’s been a while, Kimitake, hasn’t it?
GEN. NOGUCHI: Yes, a long time. Since before …. Well, George would have been very proud, I think.
WINONA KIRK: Yes, he would.
GEN. NOGUCHI: (offers Winona his arm) We mustn’t offend the chefs by ignoring their day’s work. I understand they’ve created quite the spread for us. I’m told the chocolate cake is particularly delectable. (beat) Winona?
WINONA KIRK: (takes Noguchi’s arm in hers) Thank you, Kimi.
The older folks depart arm-in-arm, leaving the two Kirk brothers alone.
KIRK: (seizes Sam by the shoulders) My lord, I’m glad to see you. When did you get in? Where’s Aurelan? How’s my nephew? Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?
SAMUEL KIRK: We just arrived. There’s a xenobiology conference, so we got our ways paid. We weren’t certain we’d arrive in time for the ceremony. We figured if we did, we’d surprise you. (beat) Peter’s fine – he’s learning geometry. Aurelan … she sends her love, but she’s in the middle of an experiment and can’t leave it.
KIRK: You look great, Sam. Everything’s going well?
SAMUEL KIRK: (grins) Never better.
Leading Jim over to a table, Sam picks up a pair of champagne glasses.
SAMUEL KIRK: (hands a glass to Jim) To my little brother and his ship.
Raising their glasses in a toast, they down the contents.
SAMUEL KIRK: How’s Mitch doing, anyway? Isn’t he supposed to be here?
KIRK: (smiles wryly) He had a bad run-in with pink pachyderms from Bolarus IX. He’s sleeping it off.
SAMUEL KIRK: Ah. (beat) Jim, Mom’s going back to Earth. P3M-0107’s done her good, and she loves being a grandmother – I never saw her enjoy anything as much as she enjoys spoiling Peter. You ought to –
Noticing Jim’s suddenly distant expression, he clams up.
SAMUEL KIRK: (cont’d) You ought to visit us and see how you like being an uncle. (beat) Anyway, Mom and Aurelan and I wrote a paper – it’s coming out in Jox. She wants to follow up on it on Earth, in Iowa, back on the homestead.
KIRK: That’s good news. (beat) It’s going to be a while before she gets the opportunity. It’s a three-year trip back to Earth from here.
SAMUEL KIRK: (sighs) Well, like they say: Warp travel’s not the best way to travel faster than the speed of light –
KIRK: – it’s just the only known way.
Grinning, Sam heads on over to the table with the chocolate cake. Taking up a piece, he bites into it.
SAMUEL KIRK: (mouth full) Jim, aren’t you going to enjoy your own party? Kimitake was right – the chocolate cake is terrific.
INT. ENTERPRISE/BRIDGE
On-board the bridge, the bridge crew – Maj. Gary Mitchell; Maj. S’Pock; Lt. Nyota Uhura; Lt. Hikaru Sulu; and Lt. Lee Kelso – are all present; only Capt. James Kirk is absent.
As we look upon S’Pock and Mitchell, we notice a change in the uniforms they now wear. S’Pock, no longer the Enterprise’s first officer, now wears a blue jacket of the sciences division; Mitchell has replaced his red jacket with one of command gold.
S’POCK: All stations report ready, Mr. Mitchell.
Mitchell, seated at the helm, winces, still suffering the aftereffects from his drinking binge the night before.
MITCHELL: Thank you, Mr. S’Pock. (turns in his seat until he sits facing the empty command chair) All we need now is someone in the centre seat.
Just as soon as those words are spoken, the bridge turbolift discharges James R. Kirk.
MITCHELL: Captain on the bridge!
Everyone on the bridge snaps to attention at Mitchell’s announcement.
KIRK: At ease.
As the bridge crew relaxes, Kirk walks up to the command chair and sits down in it – tenderly, lovingly.
KIRK: Status report, Mr. Mitchell?
MITCHELL: All stations ready, Captain.
KIRK: Detach all moorings. Prepare to leave Starbase 95.
INT. STARBASE 95/DOCKING BAY
Detaching from its mooring, the Enterprise backs away and then turns on its axis until it’s facing the opposite direction. Impulse engines engaging, the craft begins its run to the exit.
EXT. SPACE – STARBASE 95
The large bay door opens, allowing the Enterprise out to the airless splendour of free, star-studded space.
INT. ENTERPRISE/BRIDGE
KELSO: We have cleared Starbase 95, sir.
KIRK: Viewer on aft. Let’s have one last look at the starbase ….
An image of Starbase 95 appears on the viewscreen.
KIRK: (cont’d) It’ll be the last time we see it for five years.
With that said, Kirk then reaches for a button on an armrest; pressing it, he activates the recorder.
KIRK: Ship’s log, StarDate 1312.16, Capt. James R. Kirk reporting. With all personnel aboard, we have left Starbase 95 and are preparing to leave system S1K-28313. (beat) Words are insufficient to express what this moment means to me. I’ve had a dream for every day of my life since I was fourteen, and I’ve finally realized that dream: to sit in the command chair of the Enterprise, as her captain, taking her out into the wild, untamed regions of the galaxy.
EXT. SPACE – P1C-0072
With the Enterprise travelling at full impulse, Starbase 95, P1C-0072, and the parent red dwarf star recede into the distance until they all but vanish in the distance.
KIRK: (O.S.) For the next five years, my crew and I’ll be patrolling the Delta Sector border, far from the centres of our civilization; I don’t know what those years hold in store for us, but I’m all-too-eagre to find out.
EXT. SPACE
The local spacetime around the Enterprise begins to fluctuate, rippling wildly, until it distends and wraps itself in a ball around the ship, catapulting it on its way through the depths of warp space toward the Delta Sector.