01x10 - To Boldly Go (Part 1)

[bunniefuu]

Thank you for allowing me
to meditate with you.

This is normally done
in private, counselor...

but it is an honor to teach Vulcan
techniques to one so willing.

These sessions...

They're the only times that Vulcans
pay attention to their emotions?

We find it salutary to have an interval
during which we ask ourselves

the question no other Vulcan may:

"How do you feel?"

When this mission is over...

I will miss these times with you.

And I with you.

Doctor, I believe you may benefit from

further teaching with masters on Vulcan.

Perhaps you could as well.

There's a discipline called
the "Dalhutnar," isn't there?

To help one accept the wisdom
of vestigial emotions.

There is also the "Kolinahr":
the purging of all remaining emotions.

There is no chance of me undertaking
the former, nor the latter.

I am rarely disposed to discuss
matters of a private nature...

but our relationship is... special.

I have served aboard this starship for
sixteen years under two captains.

I would not admit this
in front of Dr. McCoy...

but such a lengthy association with

men and women from Earth has
taught me to value

my maternal birthright in a way I never
could had I remained on Vulcan.

KIRK (VO): Captain's log,
stardate . .

The Enterprise is scheduled
to return to Earth shortly.

I always intended to bring her back in one
piece, but the triumph is bittersweet.

The recent loss of our
sister ship still gnaws at me.

Whatever it was that caused
the Hood's crew to lose life support,

k*lling all men
and women aboard is...

[INTERCOM WHISTLES]

Kirk here.

UHURA: Priority incoming message from
the Chief of Starfleet Operations.

I'll take it down here, lieutenant.

Admiral Thesp.

Captain... priority one. We're
diverting you to Aldebaran.

Admiral, considering the ships
we've lost in that system recently,

do you think that's wise?

Wise or not, it's necessary.

The Yorktown and Republic
were severely damaged

during their investigation
into the Hood's loss.

And shortly afterwards,

the Federation colony on Aldebaran
III went completely silent.

How could an entire Federation
colony suddenly go silent?

Starfleet has a top-secret
laboratory on that world.

The supply vessel we sent to investigate
the S.S. Halifax... never returned.

Before we lost contact,
the Halifax reported significant

anti-proton residue
on the planet's surface.

I think you know what that means.

Romulans.

KIRK (VO): Space. The final frontier.

These are the voyages of the
Starship Enterprise.

Its continuing mission:

to explore strange new worlds.

To seek out new life
and new civilizations.

To boldly go
where no man has gone before.

Captain, readings indicate the colony
has been destroyed.

Romulan plasma w*apon?

Judging by the damage,

it appears the central reactor has
suffered a containment failure.

- That's unusual.
- It's impossible!

I installed the safeguards
myself years ago.

Perhaps some kind of sabotage.

SCOTT: At least the Pandora
Science Lab's intact.

But it's underground...

and it generates a particle scattering
field. I'll have to put ya down outside.

- Just put us down in one piece, Scotty.
- Aye sir. - Energize.

The disruption field is
obstructing my readings.

I am detecting life forms
large enough to be humanoid.

I don't suppose they left a key
under a rock somewhere.

I can attempt to access the lift using
standard Federation prefixes...

Automated defenses!

We must maintain the barrage! The drone
cannot fire through its own shields!

Spock! Should the turret's anti-grav
beam be creating

a gap on the bottom
of its deflector screen?

- Highly possible.
- Let's find out.

Fascinating.

LANA: You're Vulcan.

- You. You're Vulcan.
- Affirmative.

When a simple "yes" would do.
Vulcan for sure.

Forgive the att*ck. The drone's sensors
thought you were another Romulan invader.

The bio-signs are almost identical.
You're in charge?

Captain James T. Kirk.
Federation starship Enterprise.

"T" for Tiberius.

Who are you? What happened here?

You don't know?

It was your starship that first pierced
the barrier around our galaxy years ago.

An energy field that enhances humans
with high ESP quotients. "Uplifts" them.

Since then, certain Starfleet officials
have been assembling us.

Testing us. Experimenting. in total.

It appears you, too, have journeyed
through the barrier yourself.

- A trial run.
- Trial for what?

The ultimate last resort.

Protection against invasion.

In the event the Federation is
ever invaded by a superior force,

we were to fly through the
galactic barrier.

Granting you superior powers.
Effectively weaponizing you.

The Federation isn't in the business
of weaponizing its citizens.

You should better familiarize yourself
with the Starfleet charter.

Article , Section .

Captain. Absolute power does NOT
corrupt absolutely.

It corrupts SELECTIVELY...

as you know from experience.

Aboard your ship, one uplifted
esper became a megalomaniac...

while the other retained humanity.

And which are you?

I follow "Sas-tar-Po-harn."

A human spiritual movement
that follows the pacifist

teachings of Surak
and T'Mord of Vulcan.

Psychologically unsuitable espers
were excluded from this project.

About my original question:

What happened here?

A cloaked vessel arrived.

They overwhelmed the lab. Destroyed
the ship sent here to investigate.

The Halifax.

The Romulans vaporized our scientists
and kidnapped the espers.

What about you?

I used my powers to suspend my life signs.

I "played dead."

What do Romulans want with
a bunch of espers?

I believe I can surmise
the answer, lieutenant.

Despite my advanced ESP rating,

my experiences with the barrier
failed to uplift me.

I suspect Vulcan physiology renders us
immune to the psionic effects.

- And, if Vulcans cannot be uplifted...
- Then neither can Romulans.

They want to use the kidnapped espers
to form an att*ck force.

But not against us, captain.
Against the Romulan Praetor.

They oppose his termination
of the Klingon alliance.

Romulan politics don't concern me.
Getting my people back does.

What's your name?

Lana.

You'll be safe with us, Lana.

SPOCK: Captain, a word?

If you recall, it was incredibly
dangerous to have Mitchell

aboard the Enterprise
after his powers had multiplied.

If we leave Lana here, she will remain
as we intended HIM to be:

Isolated, where she could do no harm.

You heard her Spock. She's a pacifist.

Besides, if we're going to pursue a
Romulan ship full of espers...

espers that've been turned...
I want us to have one of our own.

A most logical position.

You sound surprised.

Captain, there is the matter of the
other life form I detected.

SENTEK: That would be me, commander!

Drop your w*apon!

Do you feel confident that you can sh**t
me before I k*ll your captain? Disarm NOW.

Hold your position, lieutenant!

Surrender is not the Romulan way, captain.

Fire now, and this disruptor
will detonate. I have no quarrel with you.

Save yourselves.
But the mutant stays with me.

Given that particular model of firearm,

I believe we have approximately
seconds until a forced-chamber overload.

We will not abandon a Federation citizen!

It seems you have little choice.

[GRUNTS, FIGHTING]

Kirk to Enterprise!

Captain, we cannot
leave him here to die.

Emergency! Five to beam out... NOW!

[expl*si*n]

Sulu has detected the Romulan kidnappers
on long-range sensors.

- We are on an intercept course.
- Excellent.

Admiral, I won't lie. They
have a head start. A good one.

They'll cross into the Neutral Zone before
we can catch them.

A week before my retirement.

Captain, I'm ordering you to pursue those
"karskat" Romulans into the Zone...

all the way to the home
worlds if you have to.

Just get the espers back... no
matter what. Starfleet out.

- Kirk to bridge.
- Spock here.

Set a course for the Romulan Neutral Zone.
Maximum warp.

Acknowledged.

Mr. Spock?

- You heard the order lieutenant.
- Yes, sir.

Uhura, transmit this encrypted message
on the following subspace frequency.

- Sir, that carrier wave is only used...
- Please proceed.

Direct any response to my quarters.

Four-oh. Perfect.

I try to take the stairs instead of
levitating whenever I can. Keep in shape.

- Captain!
- We're in hot pursuit.

We'll get your friends back.

Uh... the Romulan?

He's in our brig. Lana, why was
he still there on Aldebaran III?

I think he's a praetorian spy!
Must've infiltrated the dissidents.

He fled to the hills
after they discovered him.

We were the only people at the lab
for weeks. Our paths crossed frequently.

Do you trust him?

About as far as I can throw him.

Which... in your case...
I'd wager is pretty far.

Why didn't you use your abilities
to subdue him?

He has tremendous innate powers.

And as I told you, captain...
I am a strict pacifist.

I do not utilize my abilities to harm
others unless they pose a direct thr*at.

Bones. Speaking of "direct threats"...
we'll be engaging the Romulan ship soon.

I hope I don't have to call on you, but...

If I had a credit
for every time you said that.

I have the chem lab synthesizing
hyronalin. Best against radiation burns.

SULU ON COMM: Bridge to captain.

Kirk here. Go ahead, Sulu.

SULU: The marauder's about to
cross into the Neutral Zone.

Sound battle stations. I'm on my way.

How long until the Neutral Zone boundary?

SULU: Ten seconds.

- Lieutenant?
- Our orders recorded and logged, sir.

Five seconds.

Stay sharp, everyone.

COMPUTER: Warning... treaty violation.
Warning... treaty violation.

Mute that, Uhura.

- On course for Romulan space.
- Keep an even hand on the tiller, Sulu.

Out of the frying pan... into the fire.

Scanning to one-half parsec.

There's no sign of the marauder, captain.
She could be cloaked.

- I've got something on motion sensors!
- Can we get a phaser lock?

No sir... but he's out there.

See if you can boost the directional beam.
We need surgical precision.

Try to take out his engines without
endangering the habitat module.

Captain, a Romulan ship
is decloaking off our port bow!

Shields to maximum.

T'liss-class imperial bird-of-prey.
I have visual.

The marauder?

Negative. The vessel is registered
as the I.R.W. Hawk's Talon.

Captain, we're being hailed.

Commander.

I received Mr. Spock's message
requesting a parley.

Yet the fact remains:

the Enterprise violated interstellar
law by entering Romulan space.

Shall we call it "w*r" now, Captain Kirk?
Or wait for an official declaration?

Contacting the Romulans, Spock?
THAT Romulan?

On your own initiative? What were you
thinking? Why didn't you ask me?

- You would not have agreed.
- Damn right I wouldn't have agreed!

You're lucky I don't rip one of those
stripes right off your sleeve.

Captain, I became aware of reports
that Charvanek was granted

command of a new bird-of-prey
after she was repatriated.

I am confident, once I speak with her,

that she will see the wisdom of assisting
us in pursuing the Romulan dissidents.

- She and I have a rapport.
- A "rapport."

Bring her aboard.

Spock.

You have minutes. I hope that's
enough time for your... rapport.

- Welcome aboard the Enterprise... again.
- Captain.

Mr. Dickerson, please conduct the
lieutenant to guest quarters.

Aye, sir.

"Jolan tru."

And should I greet you as your people
would? "Live long and prosper"?

You may greet me as you wish.

Human lore would suggest
I offer "the other cheek."

I confess... the humans
did treat me well.

Still, I was surprised the exchange
was arranged so quickly.

Logic dictated that your return
would entice your Praetor

to release the Tellarite
merchants held on Remus.

You mean the Tellarite SPIES.

They would have sold the information
they acquired. My terminology is apt.

Hmm... Now who is being clever, Spock?

Your Praetor would seem quite loyal
to you. Is your loyalty to him as great?

Commander, he needs your help.

I need your help.

Your father negotiated the arrangement
that led to my return.

The House of Sarek has my gratitude.

I will aid you... if I can.

KIRK:
Commander, I appreciate your assistance.

ROMULAN COMMANDER: Spock
mentioned Romulan dissidents

and kidnapped humans
with psionic abilities.

Our intelligence sources know
nothing of these "marauders."

In order to track them, I will need their
ships' configurations. Armaments.

Then we are... to use an Earth
expression... "in luck."

We apprehended a Romulan
commander on Aldebaran III...

an undercover member of the vessel's crew
still loyal to the Praetor.

"Jolan tru."

I have never seen this individual before!
He is certainly no Romulan commander.

Are you sure?

Transporter room,
what the hell's going on?!

I beamed the prisoner out of the brig...
just as you ordered, sir.

Dammit, chief! I gave no such order!

Captain, I know my fleet as well as you
know yours. That man was an imposter!

An imposter... who's now on the loose.

Captain, I swear I received
orders to transport the prisoner.

I just... I don't know where.

Sir, the targeting scanner's memory
logs have been erased.

But the imposter could
not have traveled far.

Our shields have been at full power since
Commander Charvanek beamed aboard.

Then he's still on the Enterprise.

Dickerson, I need security
teams on all decks.

SCOTT ON COMM: Intruder alert!
Main engineering!

Looks like we found our man.

Sir! The mains are going offline!

Hold your fire! He's released
the Electro-plasma!

Hand-to-hand!

Gotcha, ya lovely.

Clear!

If the nerve pinch
was as you described,

Charvanek will be incapacitated
for at least hours.

We don't have that kind
of time, doctor.

Her second-in-command wants
her returned immediately.

They ARE better equipped to
treat her than we are.

Burke, prepare the commander
for transport. What's HIS status?

I'm keeping him under. Pulse
, blood pressure / .

- Romulan or Vulcan, they read the same.
- Vulcan?

The pressure hold he administered.

Spock's "Vulcan death grip."

McCOY:
Bingo. I've been doing some digging.

The Aldebaran colony's last
census listed one Vulcan.

A male anthropologist named Sentek.

There's more, Jim. Federation records show
that he's married to our friend Lana.

And his ESP rating is through the roof.

He's got natural psionic abilities way
beyond normal... even for a Vulcan.

If his powers are already so strong,
why go to an esper lab?

Maybe... to find a mate.

A human esper. One that could be uplifted
by the barrier... become his equal.

And one who's already embraced
Vulcan philosophy.

Wanna bet Lana's trip into the barrier
wasn't authorized by Starfleet?

To see all the scientists k*lled...
to have everyone like you taken prisoner.

It must have been very difficult.

Colleagues, neighbors, friends...
Awful.

It's important to allow yourself
time to grieve, Lana.

I'd like to try and help if I can.

That was a brilliant performance.
We know about you and Sentek.

Why don't you try the TRUTH this time?

Captain, she's been through a terrible
ordeal.

She scripted the ordeal, counselor!

Didn't you, Lana? You and your husband.

He wasn't going to commit su1c1de
with that disruptor overload at all.

He was trying to blow
up the lab entrance

so we couldn't find
out what REALLY happened.

Human evolution has stalled, captain.

A typical man of ...

like you... is no different physically
from a Cro-Magnon of , years ago.

But WE are. We are superior.

I thought you said absolute power
only corrupts selectively.

And SELECTION... whether natural or
artificial... is the engine of evolution.

Your kind should embrace your fate.

Instead, you try to control us. Use us.

Chief.

Why do you suppose the Preservers
erected a barrier around our galaxy?

Why? Hell, probably to contain us.

To keep v*olence from spilling
into the universe.

No. It was so that naturally superior
individuals could be uplifted...

once we had the technology to
venture into the stars.

You don't know what gods think!

Yes. I do.

SMITH: Still no sign of the marauder.
He was there... and then he wasn't.

Subcommander?

Subspace scan completed. We find no
evidence of a cloaked vessel, Enterprise.

The sensor logs you requested.

Our trace of the Romulan kidnappers
disappeared after Sentek

lost consciousness and Lana
was put in the brig.

So that's why he tried
to disable the power grid:

to prevent us from realizing
the ship was an illusion!

TAL: So it would seem.

Mr. Palmer, run a level diagnostic on
our long-range sensors.

Let's see how badly
they've been compromised.

Yes sir.

Lt. Sulu... if there is no
"Romulan marauder,"

then the Enterprise entered
our space without provocation.

Starfleet is clearly the aggressor.

Subcommander, that's for diplomats
to decide. For now...

For now, you will stand down and
surrender to the Romulan Star Empire!

Sir, the bird-of-prey is charging
its plasma w*apon!

Captain Kirk to the bridge.

Go ahead, Tal. Open fire.

And tell your Praetor why you destroyed

a Federation starship
instead of capturing it.

Your ship's mission is about to end.
It is scheduled to return to Earth...

and our sources inform us only other
ships of its class remain in service.

We have no interest
in obsolete technology.

"Obsolete"?!

A shame. Unlike you, lieutenant, your
Mr. Spock had an agreeable cunning.

May his "katra" find its
way to "Vorta Vor."

Evasive maneuvers! Brace for impact!

Romulan w*apon reaching
full charge in ... ... ...

- Why haven't you fired?!
- Subcommander, I HAVE!

Stand aside!

Scans show their plasma torpedo
fully charged and operational.

- Why didn't they fire?
- I'm betting they think they did.

Subcommander! Power down
our weapons immediately!

Sir. You have recovered sufficiently
to return to duty?

The second time you've had to
relinquish command back to me, isn't it?

Your glory is mine, commander.

Tal, we will assist the Enterprise in
its mission. Is that understood?

Commander, we have them!
Here in Romulan space!

I have no intention of permitting human
espers... nor Romulan dissidents...

to att*ck the Praetor. Or worse.

I suspect there is a greater plan here.

A plan that may jeopardize
both the Federation and our Star Empire.

Your loyalty to the Praetor is admirable.

As, I assume, is yours.

Absolutely, commander.

What's our status?

DRAKE: Mr. Scott enhanced the forcefield
with the ship's shield grid.

Nobody's gonna beam through that.

- Indeed. Rather ingenious.
- I'd expect nothing less.

Sulu says you fooled Subcommander Tal into
thinking his weapons malfunctioned.

No need to thank me, captain.

Just like you fooled US into thinking
Romulans kidnapped the espers.

Your people STOLE
the Halifax, didn't they?

You knew Starfleet would send
another ship to investigate.

Sooner or later, we'd track them down.
So you and Sentek stayed behind...

projected that illusion
of a marauding vessel...

to buy your compatriots the time they need
to make it to the galactic barrier.

Simple humans are so easy to deceive.

They can be tricked into
doing almost anything.

Like shutting down their own life support.

The Hood. My God... that's
what happened to the Hood!

Why?

Lana, why?

To see if we could.

There's nothing you... or anyone...
can do now.

My brethren will be
uplifted by the barrier.

Even the great James T. Kirk
will be brought to his knees.

Captain's log, supplemental. What have
I done bringing an esper mutant on board?

I've been exhausted... but has
my judgment been compromised?

Have I put my ship at unnecessary risk?

In the hopes that my senior staff can
provide some insight,

I've assembled those who were present
when we first crossed the barrier...

what seems like an eternity ago.

SPOCK: Ladies and gentlemen, I direct
your attention to stardate .

The so-called "galactic barrier."

A field composed of negative
energy surrounding our galaxy.

Effectively encasing it.

Early in the Enterprise's five-year
mission,

I ordered us across the barrier
to investigate the disappearance

of an old Earth vessel
some years earlier.

I think we all remember what happened.

Except for those of us
that weren't yet aboard.

We've read the reports, captain.

Two crewmembers with high ESP ratings
had their abilities altered.

Correction. Their abilities
BOOSTED. Exponentially.

So, when the Halifax reaches that barrier
with all of those espers on board...

Counselor, that is precisely
what we must prevent.

It is logical that the espers
will endeavor

to enter the galactic barrier here,

at the point nearest the Aldebaran system.

The Halifax is a low-warp ship.
That journey would take weeks.

But it's been weeks since they stole the
wessel. What if they already made it?

Lt. Smith... As I recall,

you were holding Commander Mitchell's hand
when the crossing occurred.

Any insight you can provide?

Anything unique you may have
experienced via physical contact?

Nothing I didn't put in my report, sir.

Mr. Spock, defeating one god was hard
enough. But a ship full of 'em...!

They're not "gods," Scotty.
They're just humans.

Even with all his power, Gary was still
susceptible to human frailty.

Hell, he couldn't even
remember my middle name.

Precisely. An uplifted esper's strength
weakens as it is expended.

Then we must use that to our advantage.
Strike first... before they grow stronger.

We're not out to defeat them, commander.

They're Federation citizens...
our brothers, sisters...

even if they are misguided.

Consider this a rescue mission.

PALMER ON COMM: Captain,
transmission from the U.S.S. Kongo.

They've picked
up the Halifax's ion trail.

Transfer it to this computer. And tell
Captain Asmi we'll be joining the chase.

You heard her. Get to work.

Sir, even at maximum sustainable speed,

we can't catch the Halifax
before it enters the barrier.

Commander.

What are your ship's warp capabilities?

Our birds-of-prey do not utilize what
you refer to as "warp power."

We use other methods to
travel faster than light.

Indeed. There is speculation
that Romulans employ

confined quantum
singularities to bend space.

I cannot confirm that.

What if a traditional
warp field and the fold

from an artificial
singularity OVERLAPPED?

A background in astro-sciences comes in
handy when you're a helm officer.

- It may be possible.
- Sulu, you're a genius.

Who am I to argue with you, sir.

Work with Scotty and the Romulan
engineers to enhance our velocity.

Let's see how fast we can
get our girl to go.

Lower your deflectors, Enterprise.

- Mr. Chekov? - Shields down.
- Tractor beam standing by.

Activate tractors.
Extend superluminal fold.

Scott to bridge! I've routed the primary
tractor beam through the shuttle bay.

But captain... she's not designed to
take this sort a' strain for long!

You always say that...
and she always does. Mr. Smith?

Punch it.

Yes sir!

Six different systems red-lining!

KIRK ON COMM: Let them red-line!

Aye. Me poor bairns.

Well I'll be damned...

Sir, galactic barrier dead ahead.

Signal the Hawk's Talon. Full stop.

As before, sensors and deflectors
yield inexplicable readings.

[OVER COMM] Charvanek to Enterprise.
She's fiercely beautiful, isn't she?

Indeed she is. And deadly

Sir, we're picking
up a wessel at the barrier.

Full mag.

Identification confirmed: S.S. Halifax.

Ship-to-ship.

UHURA: Hailing frequencies open.

This is Captain James Kirk
of the Starship Enterprise.

We are here to render aid.

I understand that you have grievances,
and we offer our services

as go-betweens with Starfleet Command.

But it is crucial that you DO NOT
enter the barrier. Please reply.

- Uhura, anything?
- Just silence.

There is no one aboard.

Captain, we're detecting
another ship nearby. A starship!

Scanning. It is the Kongo, sir. We are
receiving anomalous readings.

Specify.

It would appear there are only about
two-dozen life forms aboard.

I've tied
into the Kongo's bridge, captain.

Put it on screen.

You're too late, captain.
Relinquish command...

or the Enterprise will suffer
the same fate as the Hood!