WRITTEN BY
Barry Trivers
DIRECTED BY
Gerd Oswald
AIRED ON
December 8, 1966
RUNTIME
50 minutes
STARRING
VIEWS
309
LAST UPDATE
2024-09-18 12:54:04
PAGE VERSION
Version 7
LIKES
0
DISLIKES
0
SUMMARY
No summary yet.
STORY
No story yet.
BEHIND THE SCENES
No trivia yet.
QUOTES
Spock: You should be told the difference between empiricism and stubbornness, Doctor.
FILMING LOCATIONS
TOPICS
No topics yet.
REVIEWS
Murder He Wrote
Written by
Pike on 2019-04-21
★
★
★
KIRK'S REVENGE
Whether it was conscious or not, Captain Kirk is, in a way, getting his revenge on Spock. In the previous two episodes, Spock manipulated his way behind Kirk's back in order to offer a better life to Captain Pike. In this episode, Kirk is keeping Spock outside of the loop, as if he wanted to get his own personal revenge. Not only that, but Kirk is very direct with Spock, saying multiple times to "follow his orders." Knowing the buoyant character from Kirk, this is no surprise.
MURDER HE WROTE
In lots of ways, this episode feels like an episode from Murder She Wrote. But in this case, Kirk is playing Jessica Fletcher and doing his own investigation in the entertainment world. This makes for a very powerful resolution, even more once you learn who was the killer of the witnesses.
ROMANCE
Also, once again, there's a romance storyline between Captain Kirk and a very attractive lady. Obviously, the young lady he's spending time with is beautiful. But not only that, she has a beautiful quality. Their first kiss with that music and the stars, just great. Once again, Star Trek tries things and it, once again, does not feel ridiculous at all.
UHURA SINGS
For the second time, Uhura sings. This time, it's called Beyond Atares, and it is really great.
JUSTICE
But more than this, the conclusion is very powerful. The other crew member seeks justice, but Kirk is the greater man and shows that you must not judge, as long as there is a single breath of doubt.
SUMMARY
I give it 3 out of 10. Enjoyable.
TRANSCRIPT
Theatre
On stage a velvetclad arm raises a bloody knife then plunges it again into his sleeping victim The audience are rapt
KIRK Interesting An Arcturian Macbeth
LEIGHTON a man with an eyepatch Watch him Watch Macbeth
LENORE as Lady M Is he dead Speak Is King Duncan dead
KARIDIAN Will all great Neptunes ocean wash this blood clean from my hands
LEIGHTON That voice Hes back That man on the stage Im certain of it Thats Kodos the Executioner
KARIDIAN Pluck out mine eyes
Captains log star date 28176 Starship Enterprise diverted from scheduled course Purpose to confirm discover by Doctor Thomas Leighton of an extraordinary new synthetic food which would totally end the threat of famine on Cygnia Minor a nearby Earth colony
Leightons home
KIRK You mean to tell me youve called me three light years off my course just to accuse an actor of being Kodos
LEIGHTON He is Kodos Im sure of it
KIRK You said you discovered a new food concentrate What am I supposed to put in my log that you lied That you diverted a starship with false information Youre not only in trouble youve put me in trouble too
LEIGHTON I did it to trap Kodos
KIRK Kodos is dead
LEIGHTON Is he Is anyone sure A body burned beyond recognition
KIRK Tom the authorities closed the book on that case years ago
LEIGHTON Then lets reopen it Jim four thousand people were butchered
KIRK Martha you tell him
MARTHA I cant tell him anything Jim Hes been like this since the company of actors arrived
KIRK Kodos is dead Im satisfied of that
LEIGHTON Well Im not I remember him That voice The bloody thing he did
He turns his head to reveal its not just an eyepatch but a covering over half his face
LEIGHTON Jim Jim I need your help There were only eight or nine of us who actually saw Kodos I was one you were another If hes to be exposed
KIRK Hes dead
LEIGHTON Then it will be a ghost Martha and I receive in our home tonight I invited the entire company to a cocktail party I have to be sure
KIRK And I have to get back to my ship and figure out how Im going to enter all this in my log Tom Martha
Briefing room
COMPUTER Library computer
KIRK History files Subject former Governor Kodos of Tarsus Four also known as Kodos the Executioner After that background on actor Anton Karidian
COMPUTER Working Kodos the Executioner summary Governor of Tarsus Four twenty Earth years ago Invoked martial law Slaughtered fifty percent of population Earth colony that planet Burned body found when Earth forces arrived No positive identification Case closed Detailed information follows On stardate 27947
KIRK Stop Information on Anton Karidian
COMPUTER Director and star of travelling company of actors sponsored by galactic cultural exchange project touring official installations last nine years Has daughter Lenore nineteen years old
KIRK Stop Give comparative identification between actor Karidian and Governor Kodos
COMPUTER No identification records available on actor Anton Karidian
KIRK Give information on actor Karidian prior to Kodos death
COMPUTER No information available Anton Karidian prior to twenty years ago
KIRK Photograph Kodos an image of a redhaired man with a beard comes on the monitor Photograph Karidian the greyhaired man with a small moustache Now photograph both
Door opens
KIRK Mister Spock You know Doctor Leighton dont you Would you say hes given to fantasy
SPOCK A good empirical research scientist Steady reputable occasionally brilliant
KIRK With a very long memory
SPOCK I have no information on that Captain We are ready to leave orbit
KIRK Well delay departure for a time Im beaming back down to the planet
Leightons home
The cocktail party is in full swing in the main room and Martha is bringing another tray of drinks for her guests
KIRK Wheres Tom
MARTHA He went to town He called Hes on his way back
The lovely young blonde Lenore Karidian enters and Kirk beams
KIRK The others are on the patio
LENORE I take it youre the welcoming committee referring to his glass Is that for me
KIRK Why not I saw your performance today May I extend my appreciation
LENORE My father will be delighted Mister Mister
KIRK Captain James Kirk Starship Enterprise
LENORE We are honoured
KIRK I had hoped to meet your father here tonight personally
LENORE Im sorry Captain Kirk He has a rigid rule about that He never sees anyone personally and he never attends parties
KIRK An actor turning away his admirers Very unusual
LENORE Karidian is a most unusual man You saw Macbeth That was my father
KIRK Then Ill talk to Lady Macbeth
They sit
LENORE So Captain of the Enterprise Interesting
KIRK So Lady Macbeth Interesting Whats your next move
LENORE We play two performances at Benecia if the AstraI Queen can get us there
KIRK Shes a good ship takes a glass from a passing tray Thank you You were very impressive as Lady Macbeth
LENORE Thank you And as Lenore Karidian
KIRK Very impressive Lenore Id like to see you again
LENORE You mean professionally
KIRK Not necessarily
LENORE I think Id like that Unfortunately we must keep a schedule
KIRK You dont have a schedule now do you
LENORE You mean leave But Ive only just arrived
KIRK So have I
LENORE And you hate to overstay a welcome
KIRK Exactly
LENORE Why not
KIRK Good Ill make our apologies to our hostess Ill meet you outside
Countryside
Meandering between rocks and scrubby trees arm in arm
KIRK Tired of walking
LENORE No Just thinking
KIRK About what
LENORE At the party you were such a brash young man
KIRK And now
LENORE Now somehow different Not a ships Captain with all those people to be strong and confident in front of You know youre really very dear arent you In some ways very lonely
But just as their lips are about to meet Kirk spots a body among the rocks and goes to investigate
KIRK Its Tom Leighton Hes dead
Leightons home
Toms body is laid out on the couch and Martha covers it
MARTHA At least he has peace now He never really had that before Oh why was Tom killed if what he suspected wasnt true
KIRK I dont know Ill try and find out
MARTHA Oh Jim How Ill miss him bursts into tears and leaves
KIRK Kirk to Enterprise
UHURA OC Bridge here Captain
KIRK Put me through to Captain Jon Daily of the AstraI Queen on orbit station and put it on scramble
UHURA OC Captain Dailys on sir
KIRK Jon Jim Kirk
DAILY OC Hi Jim
KIRK Can you do me a favour
DAILY OC I owe you a dozen Just ask
KIRK Dont make your pickup here
DAILY OC You mean strand all those actors
KIRK Ill pick them up And if theres any trouble itll be my responsibility
DAILY OC Will do Anything else
KIRK Just keep this between the two of us and accept my thanks Over and out Kirk to Enterprise
UHURA OC Bridge here Captain
KIRK Transporter room ready to beam up
Bridge
SPOCK Ready to resume course Captain
KIRK I think were due for a pickup
SPOCK What kind Personnel Cargo
UHURA Captain A Miss Karidian has been transported aboard ship She requests permission to see you
KIRK Tell her to come up to the Bridge Lieutenant
Transporter room
UHURA OC Escort Miss Karidian to the Bridge
Bridge
SPOCK How did you know this lady was coming aboard
KIRK Im the Captain
LENORE Captain Kirk I didnt think wed be meeting again so soon
KIRK You probably wouldnt believe me if I told you I arranged it
LENORE No but its a delightful thought Captain Im afraid we need your help Weve been stranded It seems that our transportation has cancelled out on us
KIRK Cant you make other arrangements
LENORE Yes but not in time You see our schedule is like a chain One break and it all collapses
KIRK Itd be a shame if that happened
LENORE If ever we needed a Good Samaritan
KIRK Well
LENORE I appeal to you
Spocks eyebrow hits the ceiling
KIRK The regulations are very clear about taking on passengers
LENORE Ill make a bargain with you Captain
KIRK What have you got to trade
LENORE Special performance for the crew in exchange for a lift
KIRK You make it sound very interesting The crew has been on patrol for a long time They could use a break in the monotony
LENORE Then youll do it
KIRK Youve got me backed into a corner The men would never forgive me if I deprived them of your performance and your presence
LENORE Thank you Captain Im eternally grateful Ill get the company ready This means so much to them
KIRK Mister Spock prepare to leave orbit as soon as the Karidian company is aboard the ship
Lenore and her escort enter the turbolift
SPOCK May I inquire as to our course Captain
KIRK Benecia Colony
SPOCK Benecia Colony is eight light years off our course
KIRK If my memory needs refreshing Mister Spock Ill ask you for it In the meantime follow my orders
Captains log stardate 28189 There are many questions in my mind too many perhaps about the actor Karidian and his daughter For personal reasons Im almost afraid to learn the answers
Bridge
KIRK Mister Spock ETA the Benecia Colony
SPOCK Well arrive stardate 28253 Captain approximately fifteen hundred Benecia time
Kirk goes over to Spocks station and throws a few switches
COMPUTER Library computer
KIRK Data on question submitted to personnel files
COMPUTER Data being received Kodos file of all survivors There are nine actual eye witnesses who can identify Kodos
KIRK Stop Give list
COMPUTER Kirk J presently Enterprise Captain Leighton T Moulton E Riley K Eames D
KIRK Stop Is that star service Lieutenant Kevin Riley
COMPUTER Affirmative Riley Kevin Presently assigned USS Enterprise communications section
KIRK Stop Mister Spock
SPOCK Captain
KIRK Lieutenant Kevin Riley in communications I wish to have him transferred down to the engineering decks
SPOCK He came up from engineering Captain
KIRK Im sending him back
SPOCK Any explanation Hes a fine young officer Hes bound to consider this transfer a disciplinary action
KIRK I dont wish to discuss it Mister Spock Please follow my orders
Sickbay
MCCOY Mister Spock the man on top walks a lonely street The chain of command is often a noose
SPOCK Spare me your philosophical metaphors Doctor The Captain is acting strangely Im asking if youve noticed
MCCOY Negative Did you know this is the first time in a week Ive had time for a drop of the true Would you care for a drink Mister Spock
SPOCK My fathers race was spared the dubious benefits of alcohol
MCCOY Now I know why they were conquered What are you so worried about anyway I find Jim generally knows what hes doing
KIRK It was illogical for him to bring those players aboard
MCCOY Illogical Did you get a look at that Juliet Thats a pretty exciting creature Of course your personal chemistry would prevent you from seeing that Did it ever occur to you that he simply might like the girl
SPOCK It occurred I dismissed it
MCCOY You would
SPOCK Did you know that he suddenly transferred Lieutenant Riley to engineering
MCCOY Lots of things go on around here that I dont know Mister Spock Now hes the Captain He can transfer whoever he pleases You can look that up in a hundred volumes of space regulations somewhere All right Come on have a drink
SPOCK No thank you
MCCOY Youre welcome But I will And please Mister Spock if you wont join me dont disapprove of me At least not until youve tried it huh
Observation deck
Lenore is getting a personal tour of the ship
KIRK This is the observation deck Thats the flight deck down there with the shuttle craft
LENORE Interesting
KIRK Isnt it
LENORE Tell me Captain Kirk
KIRK Anything
LENORE Did you order the soft lights especially for the occasion
KIRK If I had ordered soft lights Id also have arranged for music and flowers Unfortunately it isnt so On the Enterprise we try to duplicate earth conditions of night and day as closely as possible
LENORE Star light star bright I wish I may I wish I might Do you remember that Captain
KIRK Its very old
LENORE Almost as old as the stars themselves And this ship All this power surging and throbbing yet under control Are you like that Captain All this power at your command yet the decisions that you have to make
KIRK Come from a very human source
LENORE Are you Captain Human
KIRK You can count on it
LENORE Tell me about the women in your world Captain
KIRK Id rather talk about you You must have wanted to perform since you first saw your father act When was that
LENORE In the beginning
KIRK Tell me about it
LENORE Thats not fair You havent answered my question about the women
KIRK What would you like to know
LENORE Has the machine changed them Made them just people instead of women
KIRK Worlds may change galaxies disintegrate but a woman always remains a woman
LENORE All this and power too The Caesar of the stars and the Cleopatra to worship him
Finally a passionate embrace
Bridge
Spock is on duty and thinking
COMPUTER Library computer
SPOCK Full personal dossiers on the following names Doctor Thomas Leighton Anton Karidian Lieutenant Kevin Riley and Captain James T Kirk
COMPUTER Accomplished Standing by
SPOCK Correlate Check their past histories Report any item any past episode or experience they all have in common
COMPUTER Affirmative
Corridor
MCCOY I appreciate whatever concern you may have for the ships company Mister Spock
SPOCK I will continue Doctor According to our library banks it started on the Earth colony of Tarsus Four when the food supply was attacked by an exotic fungus and largely destroyed There were over eight thousand colonists and virtually no food And that was when Governor Kodos seized full power and declared emergency martial law
MCCOY Ive heard of it
SPOCK You may not have heard it all Kodos began to separate the colonists Some would live be rationed whatever food was left The remainder would be immediately put to death Apparently he had his own theories of eugenics
MCCOY Unfortunately he wasnt the first
SPOCK Perhaps not But he was certainly among the most ruthless to decide arbitrarily who would survive and who would not using his own personal standards and then to implement his decision without mercy Children watching their parents die Whole families destroyed Over four thousand people They died quickly without pain but they died Relief arrived but too late to prevent the executions And Kodos There never was a positive identification of his body
MCCOY What has Karidian to do with it
SPOCK His history begins almost to the day where Kodos disappeared
MCCOY You think Jim suspects hes Kodos
SPOCK Hed better There were nine eye witnesses who survived the massacre whod actually seen Kodos with their own eyes Jim Kirk was one of them With the exception of Riley and Captain Kirk every other eye witness is dead And my library computer shows that wherever they were on Earth on a colony or aboard ship the Karidian Company of Players was somewhere near when they died
MCCOY Its unbelievable
Engineering
Theres just one officer on duty and he hasnt touched the meal lying on a plate nearby
RILEY Hey Rec room Somebody
Rec room
RILEY OC Talk to me
MATSON Larry Matson here Is that you Riley
Engineering
MATSON OC Whats up
RILEY Not me I am down In the engineering room
MATSON OC Youve been a bad boy
RILEY Maybe so Whatever Ive done theyre sure keeping it a secret from me
Rec room
RILEY OC Hey Is that Uhura playing Let me talk to her
MATSON I think his heart is sore
UHURA What can I do for you Riley
Engineering
RILEY A song Make it a love song Just something to reassure me Im not the only living thing left in the universe huh
Rec room
UHURA Well youre not and Ill prove it to you
sings The skies are green and glowing
Engineering
UHURA OC Where my heart is
Where my heart is
Where the scented lunar flower is growing
Somewhere beyond the stars
Beyond Antares
As Riley listens we see a shadow moving
Rec room
UHURA Ill be back though it takes forever
Forever is just a day
Forever is just another journey
Engineering
UHURA OC Tomorrow a stop along the way
Something gets squirted into Rileys milk
UHURA OC Then let the years go fading
Rec room
UHURA Where my heart is
Engineering
Riley reaches for his tray
UHURA OC Where my heart is
Where my love eternal is waiting
Somewhere beyond the stars
Beyond Antares
He drinks
Rec room
UHURA Howd you like that Riley
Engineering
But Riley is sweating and choking
RILEY Help me please
He collapses
Sickbay
SPOCK Youve got to pull him through
MCCOY Im not sure I can
SPOCK If he dies the only one wholl be able to identify Kodos is the Captain And hell be the next target
Captains log stardate 28191 Ships officer Rileys condition worsening Doctor McCoy making lab analysis to determine cause and antidote Entire crew deeply concerned
McCoys office
MCCOY As of this date lab report indicates presence of appreciable amount of tetralubisol a highly volatile lubricant in use aboard ship
SPOCK Someone tried to poison him
MCCOY Tetralubisol us a milky substance Someone could have gotten careless made a mistake
SPOCK I dont believe that and neither do you I want the Captain to see that report
MCCOY When Ive finished logging it
SPOCK Now
Captains quarters
KIRK Come
MCCOY My report on Lieutenant Riley
KIRK Will he make it
MCCOY Hes got a good chance
SPOCK Can we predict the same for you Captain
KIRK All right Mister Spock Lets have it
SPOCK Lieutenant Riley was a witness So were you
KIRK All right
SPOCK Someone tried to kill him
MCCOY Could have been an accident
SPOCK You should be told the difference between empiricism and stubbornness Doctor I checked with the library computer just as you did I got the same information
KIRK Arent you getting a little out of line Mister Spock My personal business
SPOCK Is my personal business when it might interfere with the smooth operation of this ship
KIRK You think that happened
SPOCK It could happen
KIRK I dont like anyone meddling in my private affairs Not even my second in command
MCCOY Jim Spocks simply trying
KIRK I know what hes doing and I dont like it
MCCOY Its his job and you know it
KIRK And you also know that nothing is proven
SPOCK Even in this corner of the galaxy Captain two plus two equals four Almost certainly an attempt will be made to kill you Why do you invite death
KIRK Im not Im interested in justice
MCCOY Are you Are you sure its not vengeance
KIRK No Im not sure I wish I was Ive done things Ive never done before Ive placed my command in jeopardy From here on Ive got to determine whether or not Karidian is Kodos
SPOCK He is
KIRK You sound certain I wish I could be Before I accuse a man of that Ive got to be I saw him once twenty years ago Men change Memory changes Look at him now hes an actor He can change his appearance No Logic is not enough Ive got to feel my way make absolutely sure
MCCOY What if you decide he is Kodos What then Do you play God carry his head through the corridors in triumph That wont bring back the dead Jim
KIRK No but they may rest easier
A scene break during which McCoy apparently leaves
SPOCK Logic Captain Doctor Leighton was murdered while the Karidian Company was on Planet Q Now an attempt has been made against Riley while the company is on board the Enterprise
KIRK Doc isnt sure it was a murder attempt Besides I have an idea may prove
SPOCK Shh Listen Do you hear it That low hum
KIRK A phaser
SPOCK On overload starts searching
KIRK This is the Captain Theres a phaser on overload in my quarters If it blows itll take out the entire deck Evacuate all personnel in this quadrant Double Red Alert now starts searching himself You get out of here
SPOCK You cant stay
KIRK Go on Block off this section Hurry Ill find it
Corridor
SPOCK Evacuate this section Seal it off Clear section C4 and C5
In Kirks quarters the noise gets louder and finally he sees the phaser silhouetted against the Red Alert light high in a bulkhead He gets it dashes into the corridor and drops it into a convenient pressure waste disposal unit directly opposite Spock returns in time for the bang that throws them against the opposite wall
Karidians quarters
KIRK barging in without knocking Were overdue for our talk arent we
KARIDIAN I hoped you would have respected my privacy Captain
KIRK A moment ago we narrowly averted an explosion which would have destroyed several decks of this ship Before that someone tried to poison one of my crewmen
KARIDIAN I am sorry to hear that
KIRK Im sure you are Are you Kodos I asked you a question
KARIDIAN Do you believe that I am
KIRK I do
KARIDIAN Then I am Kodos if it pleases you to believe so I am an actor I play many parts
KIRK Youre an actor now What were you twenty years ago
KARIDIAN Younger Captain Much younger
KIRK So was I But I remember Lets see if you do Read this into that communicator on the wall It will be recorded and compared to a piece of Kodos voice film we have in our files The test is virtually infallible It will tell us whether youre Karidian or Kodos the Executioner switches on comm Ready for voice test Disguising your voice will make no difference
KARIDIAN reading The revolution is successful but survival depends on drastic measures Your continued existence represents a threat to the wellbeing of society stops looking at the paper Your lives means slow death to the more valued members of the colony Therefore I have no alternative but to sentence you to death Your execution is so ordered Signed Kodos governor of Tarsus Four
KIRK I remember the words I wrote them down You said them like you knew them You hardly glanced at the paper
KARIDIAN I learn my parts very quickly
KIRK Are you sure Are you sure you didnt act this role out in front of a captive audience whom you blasted out of existence without mercy
KARIDIAN I find your use of the word mercy strangely inappropriate Captain Here you stand the perfect symbol of our technical society Mechanised electronicised and not very human Youve done away with humanity the striving of man to achieve greatness through his own resources
KIRK Weve armed man with tools The striving for greatness continues But Kodos
KARIDIAN Kodos whoever he was
KIRK Or is
KARIDIAN Or is Kodos made a decision of life and death Some had to die that others might live Youre a man of decision Captain You ought to understand that
KIRK All I understand is that four thousand people were needlessly butchered
KARIDIAN In order to save four thousand others And if the supply ships hadnt come earlier than expected this Kodos of yours might have gone down in history as a great hero
KIRK But he didnt And history has made its judgment
KARIDIAN If youre so sure that Im Kodos why not kill me now Let bloody vengeance take its final course And see what difference it makes to this universe of yours
KIRK Those beautiful words well acted change nothing
KARIDIAN I suppose not Theyre merely tools like this ship of yours
KIRK There are no previous records to Anton Karidian prior to twenty years ago
KARIDIAN Blood thins The body fails One is finally grateful for a failing memory I no longer treasure life not even my own I am tired And the past is a blank Did you get everything you wanted Captain Kirk
KIRK If I had gotten everything I wanted you might not walk out of this room alive
LENORE Captain Kirk
She enters from the next room
LENORE to Karidian Youd better rest now Theres a stain of cruelty on your shining armour Captain You could have spared him and me You talked of using tools I was a tool wasnt l A tool to use against my father
KIRK In the beginning perhaps But later I wanted it to be more than that
LENORE Later Everythings always later Later Latest Too late Too late Captain You are like your ship powerful and not human There is no mercy in you
KIRK If he is Kodos then Ive shown him more mercy than he deserves And if he isnt then well let you off at Benecia and no harm done
LENORE Captain Kirk Who are you to say what harm was done
KIRK Who do I have to be
Sickbay
Kevin is pacing up and down in the background overhearing what is being dictated
MCCOY Medical log Lieutenant Rileys sufficiently recovered to be discharged but the Captains ordered him restricted to Sickbay to prevent contact with the passenger who calls himself Karidian and whos suspected of being Kodos the Executioner and of murdering the Lieutenants family
Captains log stardate 28198 Suspect under surveillance Strategic areas under double guard Performance of the Karidian Players taking place as scheduled
Ships Theatre
LENORE on stage Tonight the Karidian Players present Hamlet another in a series of living plays presented in space dedicated to the tradition of classic theatre Hamlet is a violent play about violent times when life was cheap and ambition was God
Kirks quarters
Two pieces of paper are lined up on his desk
SPOCK I believe we have a match Captain
KIRK But not an exact match Mister Spock Were dealing with a mans life No machine can make that decision
Sickbay
MCCOY In the long history of medicine no doctor has ever caught the first few minutes of a play Riley dont forget to
but hes not there
MCCOY Riley Captain Kirk McCoy here
KIRK OC Yes Doctor
MCCOY Rileys gone I was recording my log about Karidian and Kodos If he overheard
Kirks quarters
KIRK Youve made your point Doctor
SECURITY OC Captain Security H deck The weapons locker has been broken into One phaser is missing
KIRK This is the Captain Security two alert Find and restrain Lieutenant Kevin Riley Hes armed and possibly headed towards the ships theatre
Ships Theatre
The Ghost summons Hamlet
HAMLET Whither wilt thou lead me Speak Ill go no further
KARIDIAN Mark me
HAMLET I will
Kirk comes creeping around backstage
KARIDIAN My hour is almost come when I to sulphurous and tormenting fires must render up myself
HAMLET Speak I am bound to hear
KARIDIAN So art thou to revenge when thou shalt hear I am thy fathers spirit doomed for a certain term to walk the night
Kirk spots Kevin with the phaser
KIRK Riley get back to the Sickbay
RILEY He murdered my father and my mother
KIRK You could be wrong Dont throw away your life on a mistake
RILEY Im not wrong
KARIDIAN But that I am forbid to tell the secrets of my prison house
RILEY I know that voice that face I know it I saw it He murdered them
KARIDIAN Thy soul freeze thy young blood
KIRK Its an order Give me the weapon
Takes it from Riley
KIRK Now get back to Sickbay Go on
Riley leaves and there is polite applause at the end of the scene on stage Karidian comes backstage
LENORE Its going beautifully What is it Whats wrong
KARIDIAN There was a voice out of the past haunting me torturing me There was another part I once played long ago I never told you about it Now that same curtain rises again The time has come
LENORE No Father The time will never come Tonight after my performance the last two who can harm you will be gone
KARIDIAN What are you saying
LENORE There were nine Now there are only two and they will be gone as soon as I Dont look at me like that
KARIDIAN What have you done
LENORE What had to be done They had to be silenced
KARIDIAN All of them All seven More blood on my hands
LENORE No Father not anymore Im strong Father Its nothing
STAGEHAND OC Second act three minutes
LENORE Well be ready Dont you see All the ghosts are dead Ive buried them Theres no more blood on your hands
KARIDIAN Oh my child my child Youve left me nothing You were the one thing in my life untouched by what Id done
LENORE But youre safe now Father Ive saved you Now no one can touch you Not even Captain Kirk See Caesar come Hes awed by your greatness your shining brightness Bright as a blade before it is stained with blood
KIRK Bright as a blade Come with me both of you
LENORE Of course After the play
KIRK The play is over Its been over for twenty years
KARIDIAN I was a soldier in a cause There were things to be done terrible things
LENORE Stop it Father You have nothing to justify
KARIDIAN Murder flight suicide madness I never wanted the blood on my hands ever to stain you
LENORE I did it for you Ive saved you
KIRK By killing seven innocent men
LENORE They werent innocent They were dangerous I would have killed a world to save him
STAGEHAND OC Curtain going up one minute
Kirk takes Karidians arm
LENORE The play Captain He must go on This is the great Karidian
KIRK Guard
LENORE You cannot deny him his last performance
She grabs the security guards phaser and runs out onto the stage
KARIDIAN Lenore dont
KIRK Youll never get off the ship
LENORE It will become a floating tomb drifting through space with the soul of the great Karidian giving performances at every star he touches Kirk moves towards her I know how to use this Captain
KARIDIAN No
LENORE Caesar beware the ides of March
KARIDIAN No child Dont
As she squeezes the trigger her father steps in front of Kirk and takes the shot himself Lenore screams at what she has done and Kirk takes the phaser from her as she kneels over Karidians body
LENORE Father Father O proud death What feast is toward in thine eternal cell that thou such a prince at a shot so bloodily hast struck The curtain the curtain rises It rises Theres no time to sleep The play The play The plays the thing wherein well catch the conscience of the king
Bridge
MCCOY Medical report hands it over Shell receive the best of care Jim She remembers nothing She even thinks her fathers still alive giving performances before cheering crowds You really cared for her didnt you
SPOCK Ready to leave Benecia orbit Captain
KIRK Stand by Mister Leslie All channels cleared Uhura
UHURA All channels clear sir
KIRK Whenever youre ready Mister Leslie
LESLIE Leaving orbit sir
MCCOY Youre not going to answer my question are you
KIRK Ahead warp factor one Mister Leslie
MCCOY Thats an answer
2024-09-18 12:54:04 -
Pike:
Added the writer.
2024-09-17 21:01:28 -
Pike:
Added the director.
