INT. STARBASE 104/LEVEL 10/CORRIDOR #1
At the end of this corridor, the door into the turbolift shaft stands open. Peeking up over the bottom edge of the door, Mitchell brings his rifle up and over, scoping the corridor for enemy agents.
MITCHELL: It’s clear.
Mitchell climbs out of the shaft and into the corridor, followed quickly by Ruan, Piper, and the remaining five infantrymen.
MITCHELL: (reactivates the holographic map) The armory’s three corridors down. Let’s go, and keep a watch out.
The landing party stealthily crosses through the corridor into the adjacent corridor, and from there to the next corridor.
Soon they come to the end of the final corridor. Beyond it lies the door to the armory – the door and SIX KLINGON WARRIORS. Each seven-feet tall, humanoid in form, armed with heavy disruptor rifles, and encased head-to-toe in black armour which makes them look like fusions between Samurai warriors and emperor scorpions, even a blind man can see that they are dangerous opponents who will not surrender or go down without a brutal fight.
Halting, Mitchell throws up his hand for the others to do likewise. With another gesture, he motions them to spread out and plant themselves out of sight.
MITCHELL: (pulls out a stun grenade and arms it) Just a little gift from Starfleet, boys.
Kissing the grenade, Mitchell then lobs it out into the midst of the Klingon warriors. The Klingons quickly take notice of the grenade, bark guttural Klingon proclamations through the filters of their helmets, and are quickly overtaken by the grenade’s wave of bright, green energy.
Protected by their heavy armour, the Klingons remain conscious, albeit incredibly weakened and unsteady on their feet. Allowing the warriors no chance to recover, Mitchell and Ruan jump out of hiding, opening fire with their phaser rifles. The blue phaser beams pierce the black suits of armour with a minimum of effort; with sharp cries of quick pain, the Klingons are cut down.
Crossing over to the armory door, Mitchell quickly looks it over. Finding an intercom beside it, he pops the front panel open, exposing the inner workings of the powerless device.
MITCHELL: I need the generator over here.
One of the infantrymen, saddled with a heavy pack, joins Mitchell by the door. Opening the pack, he fishes out a portable generator. Taking the power cords, Mitchell hooks them up to the intercom.
MITCHELL: Alright, turn it on.
The infantryman flips a switch and a current of energy begins flowing into the intercom panel. The inner workings of the intercom immediately light up.
MITCHELL: (activates the intercom) This is Gary Mitchell, Starfleet major, serial number HE5095C21922, first officer of the USS Enterprise. I’m here with an armed escort and we’re here to take you back to the Enterprise. If you can, please respond.
Mitchell gives whoever is on the other side a chance to respond. The intercom remains silent.
MITCHELL: (to the infantryman) Can we cut through this door?
INFANTRYMAN #3: This door’s made out of solid beresium. Even a disruptor at full power wouldn’t be able to burn through it.
Right then, the intercom crackles.
RAND: (O.S.; weak) Major?
MITCHELL: I’m here. Who’s this?
RAND: (O.S.) Janice Rand, Starfleet corporal, serial number CU4729D20023. (beat) How do I really know you’re Starfleet?
MITCHELL: You’ll just have to take my word for it, Corporal.
RAND: (O.S.) I suppose I will. (beat) I’ve unsealed the lock; you have to open the door.
Working with the infantryman, Mitchell attaches a mechanical apparatus to the door. Activating it, they pull the door open, allowing access into the armory.
INT. STARBASE 104/ARMORY
Mitchell enters the armory. Beside the door, half-leaning, half-lying against the intercom, is the barely conscious Janice Rand, a respirator affixed over her mouth and nose. Beyond her are FOURTEEN FIGURES, all laid out prone about the compartment, many of them wearing respirators like Rand’s. As we can ascertain from the life readings taken by S’Pock earlier, at least eight of them are already dead.
MITCHELL: Doctor, get in here.
Piper rushes in. Moving in on Rand, he begins taking her readings.
PIPER: She’s suffering from oxygen deprivation.
Grimacing in pain, Mitchell clutches his injured side.
MITCHELL: (groans) I can see that, Doc. Just give her something to help her.
Taking his hypospray, Piper injects the young woman with tri-ox compound. Almost immediately, she begins to come around. The doctor then goes to attend to the other living patients.
MITCHELL: (to Rand) You well enough to stand?
RAND: (slips off her respirator) Yes, I ….
Still woozy, Rand almost collapses. Mitchell is quick to brace her up, but at the expense of causing more pain to shoot through his side.
MITCHELL: (grimaces; to the infantrymen outside) C’mon, lend us a hand!
Ruan and the other infantrymen enter the armory. As they go to help the survivors to their feet, we can see that amongst their number is the Betazoid science officer and Capt. Quloob himself.
MITCHELL: (to Rand) You think you’re ready to handle a weapon, Corporal?
RAND: I think so, yes.
MITCHELL: Then grab yourself a phaser rifle.
Leaving Mitchell’s side, Rand crosses over to a gun rack holding several type-2 phaser pistols. Taking one of the pistols, she then moves over to a rack holding separate rifle barrel-stocks. Taking a barrel-stock, she interlocks the two components, converting the pistol into a complete type-3 phaser rifle.
MITCHELL: (to the other survivors) If any of you are good enough to go, outfit yourselves with rifles, too. We’re moving out.
INT. STARBASE 104/LEVEL 10/CORRIDOR #1
The landing party members and their compliment of starbase survivors make their way back through the corridor en-route to the open turbolift shaft.
MITCHELL: Capt. Quloob, when did the Klingons attack the starbase?
CAPT. QULOOB: Six days ago? Seven? (shakes his head) I’m sorry, but I’m not sure.
MITCHELL: You have any idea why they attacked?
CAPT. QULOOB: I have some idea, yes.
MITCHELL: Would you care to divulge that information, Captain?
CAPT. QULOOB: In due time, Major.
Frowning, Mitchell prepares to press the Tellarite further, but he doesn’t get the chance; as they round a bend in the corridor, they find FIVE KLINGON HUNTER-SEEKERS – floating, tri-winged weapons equipped with single green sensors for vision and disruptors secured to their undercarriages for offense/defense — waiting for them at the end of the corridor.
MITCHELL: (jumps back) Hunter-seekers! Get back!
One of the hunter-seekers fires its disruptor, but the members of the landing party and the starbase survivors both manage to avoid the disintegrating beam. Bringing up her rifle, Rand opens fire on the attacking hunter-seeker, keeping the blue beam trained upon the dangerous device; the weapon’s in-built deflector shield holds for five seconds before winking out, allowing the phaser beam to blast it to smithereens.
MITCHELL: Retreat!
Backing away, the Federation personnel flee back up the corridor as the hunter-seekers gain chase.
INT. STARBASE 104/LEVEL 10/CORRIDOR #2
Blue and green beams crisscross the length of the corridor, forming a beautiful but deadly light show. Hunter-seekers and Starfleet personnel are both cut down in the rain of death.
Hoisting up the grenade launcher, Ruan turns to an infantryman.
RUAN: Proximity grenade, double-quick!
Fishing out a proximity grenade, the infantryman hands it to the lieutenant. Taking the grenade, she hurriedly arms it and just as hurriedly slides it into the launcher. Finding the approaching hunter-seekers in her scope, she grits her teeth and pulls the trigger.
Rocketing forward, the proximity grenade enters the swarm of hunter-seekers. Detecting the presence of the klingon weapons, it detonates; with an immense explosion of pure white light, the hunter-seekers and surrounding corridor are reduced to fine debris.
Just as she’s almost ready to let down her guard and relax, a green disruptor beams flashes out towards the tough lieutenant, barely missing her left arm to demolish the grenade launcher in her hands instead. Taking hold of her phaser rifle, she spins around to her left; there, in an adjoining corridor, are NINE KLINGON WARRIORS on approach. Grimacing, she shoots a Klingon warrior right through his disruptor rifle and into his gut, returning their favour.
INT. STARBASE/LEVEL 10/CORRIDOR #3
On the run from the armoured Klingon warriors, the Starfleet personnel enter this new corridor. Most of their number has now been lost to the Klingons; of the landing party, only Mitchell, Ruan, Piper, and two infantrymen remain; of the starbase personnel, only Quloob, Rand, the Betazoid, and a handsome female 1st lieutenant with short blond hair.
BETAZOID SCIENCE OFFICER: There’s a transporter room in this section! We can escape to the Enterprise from there!
CAPT. QULOOB: There’s no power to power the transporter, Lieutenant.
BETAZOID SCIENCE OFFICER: (to an infantryman) You brought a portable generator with you, didn’t you?
INFANTRYMAN #3: Yeah, but it doesn’t have enough juice to power a transporter.
BETAZOID SCIENCE OFFICER: Maybe not alone, but used in conjunction with the power packs from our phasers, we might just be able to provide enough energy for one beam-out.
MITCHELL: Our phasers are the only things between us and the Klingons outside, Lieutenant ….
BETAZOID SCIENCE OFFICER: Danal. Lt. Jaxxon Danal. (beat) Major, we’re trapped in here. Those Klingon warriors’ll be joined by more Klingons soon, and our phasers won’t make a lick of difference then; we’ll be dead. This is our one and only chance to get out of here alive.
Mitchell takes a moment to think it over. As a disruptor beam passes over his head, singeing his helmet, he silently decides to agree to the desperate plan.
INT. STARBASE 104/TRANSPORTER ROOM
The Starfleet personnel enter a dark transporter room. As the two infantrymen brace themselves against the open door frame to lay down cover fire, Mitchell collapses to his knees, finally succumbing to his injuries.
RUAN: Major!
Coming to the major’s aid, the lieutenant helps him back to his feet.
MITCHELL: (pained; to Danal) Alright, Lieutenant, if you can do it, do it now.
Danal nods, then goes to collect the phaser rifles from all but the infantrymen stationed by the door. Taking the weapons, he, Quloob, Rand, and the blonde lieutenant work speedily to connect the phaser power packs to the generator and the generator to the transporter control panel.
As Danal, the captain, and the two blonde women work on the transporter, the Klingons steadily continue to advance towards the transporter room. One of the two infantrymen stationed by the door is hit by disruptorfire, and he goes down with a scream, his phaser rifle hitting the deck with a CLATTER as the molecules of his body break apart. Pulling away from Ruan, Mitchell collects the rifle and takes the place of the fallen infantryman, opening fire on the Klingon warriors amassed in the outside corridor.
RUAN: (edgy) Major --!
MITCHELL: Just stay back, Lieutenant!
With the final connections made between the generator and transporter panel, Danal goes to activate the device. The controls of the panel come to dim life.
1ST LT. DANAL (BETAZOID SCIENCE OFFICER): Transporter’s on-line!
CAPT. QULOOB: Everyone, on the transporter pad!
As Piper, Quloob, Rand, and the blonde lieutenant hurry to climb atop the transporter pad, Ruan hesitates, eyes fixed on her commanding officer.
MITCHELL: (to the infantryman beside him) Time for you to join the others, Airman.
INFANTRYMAN #4: But sir –
MITCHELL: (interrupts) That’s an order, Airman.
INFANTRYMAN #4: Yes sir.
MITCHELL: Just leave me your phaser.
With reservation, the infantryman hands the major his rifle before stepping on over to the transporter. That is when Mitchell finally notices Ruan staring at him.
MITCHELL: You, too, Lieutenant.
Frowning, Ruan strides up to Mitchell, seemly unaware of or unconcerned with the danger posed by the incoming disruptorfire.
MITCHELL: (angry) Lieutenant, maybe you didn’t hear me. I gave you a direct order. Join the others on the transporter pad now.
RUAN: All due respect, Major ….
Balling her gauntleted right hand into a fist, Ruan punches Mitchell hard in the face, knocking him out cold.
RUAN: (cont’d) … go to hell.
Hefting Mitchell’s limp form up and over her shoulder, finding a way to pick up the two phaser rifles in her free hand, the lieutenant scrambles over to the transporter pad, joining the others there.
1ST LT. DANAL: (activates the transporter) Energizing.
As a low HUM begins to emanate from the energizing transporter, Danal leaves the controls. Unfortunately for the Betazoid, an armoured Klingon warrior enters the room, disintegrating him with one shot from his disruptor rifle. The Klingon then trains his weapon on the transporter control panel, but Rand – having taken one of Ruan’s two phaser rifles – brings him into her scope, shooting him right through the helmeted head before he can open fire.
As more Klingons spill into the room, a transport beam – weak, nearly colourless – coalesces around the people standing on the pad. As the Starfleet personnel are converted into energy, the transport beam begins to flicker erratically with the power being consumed.
INT. ENTERPRISE/TRANSPORTER ROOM
In the transporter room, Lt. Kyle stands over the controls, eyes fixed on the transport beam before him. Like its twin on Starbase 104, it, too, is ephemeral and nigh-colourless. Furrowing his brow, he tries boosting the signal, but to little avail.
KIRK: (enters the room) What’s happening, Mr. Kyle?
KYLE: Someone’s trying to beam in, sir, from the starbase.
KIRK: (frowns) From the starbase?
KYLE: They must have jury-rigged a secondary power source. The signal’s incredibly weak.
KIRK: Have you tried boosting the signal from our end?
KYLE: Yes, sir.
Several tense moments pass, with the tenuous transport beam coming to the brink of discorporating, but the transfer finally manages to go through; the landing party and starbase survivors successfully materialize on the transporter pad without a single molecule in their bodies displaced.
Leaving Kyle, the starship captain approaches the survivors. He becomes desperately anxious when he finally notices Mitchell’s unconscious form braced against Ruan.
KIRK: (worried) Gary!? What happened?!
PIPER: He took a disruptor hit. If I don’t get him to sickbay right now he’s going to die.
KIRK: Do it.
As Kirk moves aside to let Piper and Ruan pass with Mitchell, he activates his wrist-worn comcorder.
KIRK: (into comcorder) Medical personnel, prep a table for immediate surgery STAT. Maj. Mitchell has been wounded in battle. Dr. Piper and Lt. Ruan are on their way with him now.
The order given, the captain turns to regard the other beam-overs. It is at that very moment where he meets the eye of Yn. Rand. For an instant, there’s an immediate connection between them – an unconscious sense of mutual familiarity and recognition – but just as quickly it is broken, gone as if it had never been.