This is an original unproduced script from the show. Although the writer's name is not mentioned it is not out of disrespect, it is simply because the script I received didn't have the writer's name on it. This is the first part (14 pages) of the 113 page script. I will continue to post sections of this script as I finish typing them on my computer.

FADE IN:

INT – ENTERPRISE – BRIDGE – DAY

KIRK sits by the controls, tired, harried, completely wrapped up in the mission. The crew is busy at its stations.

                        KIRK

Captain's log, star date 2824.7: Operating on a directive from Starfleet command, the Enterprise has been sent to investigate the strange disappearance of a small convoy of Earth cargo ships, which have simply vanished for no apparent reason. We are following the original course of the lost ships to retrace their flight path and discover what became of them.

Kirk turns, looks at SPOCK.

                        KIRK

Mr. Spock. What do you think happened to those ships?

Spock turns from his hooded viewer, looks at Kirk.

                        SPOCK

            Unable to say, Captain.

                        KIRK

            Speculation.

Spock raises an eyebrow, blinks, as is shrugging. He's stumped.

                        SPOCK

            From the little we know, the number of possibilities is so great that –

                        KIRK

(interrupts)

            What were they carrying?

                        SPOCK

Basic supplies. They were also transporting a large amount of raw materials to the Zena 5 colony.

                        KIRK

            Why?

                        SPOCK

For the construction of androids needed to operate in an atmosphere incapable of supporting human life.

Kirk looks away, contemplating.

                        KIRK

            Mmmm… that's too ordinary for the Klingons or the Romulans to waste time stealing…

Kirk looks back at Spock, questioning.

                        KIRK

…perhaps those ships were destroyed by natural causes…a heavy meteor storm…harmful radiation of some sort…

                        SPOCK

            That is quite possible, Captain.

Kirk turns away, speaks almost to himself. Spock looks down at his computers.

                        KIRK

(frustrated)

            But we still don't know…we're only making wild guesses…shooting in the dark.

Kirk turns back to Spock.

                        KIRK

            Mr. Spock, have you found any traces of those ships? Some…wreckage…debris?

Spock looks up.

                        SPOCK

            Negative. Only a slight trail of ionization left by their engines.

                        KIRK

(in conclusion)

Then as long as that ionized trail matches their original planned course, we know we're on the right track.

CUT TO MED. CLOSE SHOT LIEUTENANT UHURA at the communications station.

                        UHURA

(urgently)

            Captain. I'm picking up a distress call…very faint. Shall I put it on audio?

CUT TO MED. FULL TWO SHOT Kirk looking at Uhura.

                        KIRK

(quickly)

            Affirmative.

Uhura turns, pushes a button on her desk. Now JOANNA'S VOICE comes out of the communicators amid CRACKLING B.G. RADIO INTERFERENCE.

                        JOANNA'S VOICE (filter)

(hysterical, sobbing, desperate)

– heartless monster…the ship…trapped…can't escape…helpless –

As Joanna screams the transmission is abruptly cut off.

                        UHURA

            Transmission lost, sir.

                        KIRK

(quickly, snapping)

            Mr. Spock give me the transmission source of that signal.

Spock is looking into his hooded viewer.

                        SPOCK

Signal emanates from astro bearing 10768, approximately 10.4 parsecs from our present position.

Kirk turns to SULU, giving orders.

                        KIRK

            Mr. Sulu, plot an interception course with the source of transmission.

                        SULU

            Aye aye, sir.

Sulu turns and pushes buttons on his board.

                        SULU

            Course plotted and laid in, Captain.

                        KIRK

            Ahead warp factor seven, Mr. Kowal.

Kowal pushes switches on board.

                        KOWAL

(in confirmation)

            Ahead warp factor seven, sir.

Kirk turns to Uhura.

                        KIRK

            Lieutenant Uhura, keep all hailing frequencies open…

                        UHURA

            Aye aye, sir.

Kirk turned back to Spock.

                        KIRK

            Mr. Spock. Is our new in keeping with the ionized trail?

                        SPOCK

            Affirmative.

Kirk rises, walks over to Spock, rests his hand on the desk top.

                        KIRK

(curious)

            Exactly what do we know about the particular section of the galaxy we're headed for?

                        SPOCK

Virtually nothing, Captain. It is an unexplored region of space, on the extreme outer edge of the galaxy. If there are indeed life forms there, they have made no attempt at contact until now.

                        KIRK

(spunky)

Well, we may be entering an area of the galaxy which no starship has ever visited before, but we're certainly not going in unprepared.

Kirk turns to Sulu.

                        KIRK

Mr. Sulu, alert section B to standby for emergency rescue operations, and have the lab crews prepare to begin extensive information gathering.

                        SULU

            Aye aye, sir.

Sulu turns away.

CUT TO Spock and Kirk. Sulu is heard relaying Kirk's orders in the audio BG.

                        SULU (o.s.)

            Lab crews, standby. Section B, prepare to begin emergency rescue operations.

                        KIRK

(OVER SULU)

            Mr. Spock, what do you make of the signal we just picked up? It sounded pretty bad.

                        SPOCK

            Yes…it gave the distinct impression that the crew had been killed.

                        KIRK

(angry)

            There were over 600 men and women aboard those ships!

                        SPOCK

(unperturbed)

            That would seem most unfortunate…if we are to accept the message as valid.

                        KIRK

(tense)

            Explain.

                        SPOCK

We are following the same course as the lost ships, attempting to duplicate conditions and encounter whatever it was the caused their disappearance…

                        KIRK

(speculative question)

Are you suggesting…that this same message was also sent to those cargo ships…that it was a fake, a trick used to lure them into a trap of some sort?

                        SPOCK

The ionized trail deters from the planned course and follows the one which we are presently pursuing. They turned off for some reason…

                        KIRK

            That voice was unmistakably human…the pleas sounded so urgent, so real.

                        SULU

(urgently)

            Captain! Something visual…on the screen.

CUT TO SCREEN. A very small, elliptically shaped greenish cloud with a green sun in the center is seen on the screen. Kirk walks quickly back over to his seat, stands beside it.

                        KIRK

            Magnification 3.5, Mr. Sulu.

Sulu throws a few switches, image on screen becomes larger.

                        SULU

            Magnification 3.5, sir.

Kirk stares at the screen for a moment, then speaks, almost to himself.

                        KIRK

            What is it?

Spock looks into his hooded viewer.

                        SPOCK

It appears to be the remains of a destroyed solar system, Captain. Sensors reveal a highly radioactive mass…a nebula-like combination consisting of many things…gasses…debris…particles of dust…in the center lies a yellow sun.

                        KIRK

            Yellow sun? Then…why does it appear green?

Spock looks at Kirk.

                        SPOCK

(explaining)

Polarization, Captain… When light passes through a gas, the atoms of the gas become agitated and omit radiation of a different wave length than the entering light. This would account for ant number of alterations in the original radiation…color…intensity…frequency.

                        SULU

            Closing on the cloud, Captain.

                        KIRK

            Reduce speed to warp factor two, Mr. Sulu.

                        UHURA

(urgently)

            Captain! I'm picking up the signal again…

                        KIRK

            Put it on the speaker, Lieutenant.

Uhura pushes buttons on her desk.

                        UHURA

            Aye, sir.

Joanna's voice is heard again, amid CRACKLING BG RADIO INTERFERENCE.

                        JOANNA'S VOICE (filter)

(sobbing, desperate)

            Don't try to help…whatever you do…you'll never get out…

As Joanna screams, the signal is abruptly cut off.

                        UHURA

            Transmission lost, sir.

                        KIRK

            Spock, does the ionized trail lead into the cloud?

Spock is gazing into his hooded viewer.

                        SPOCK

            Affirmative.

                        KIRK

            Mr. Sulu, how far away are we?

Sulu is looking at his board.

                        SULU

            One point three parsecs and closing rapidly.

                        KIRK

(quickly)

            Veer off, forty-five degrees to starboard.

Sulu responds, operates controls.

                        SULU

(worried)

            Helm's sluggish, sir.

                        KIRK

(concerned)

            All engines, full stop.

Sulu pushes more buttons.

                        SULU

(desperate)

            Helm's not answering, Captain!

                        KIRK

(irritated)

            Reverse thrust, full power!

Sulu works more switches.

                        SULU

            Nothing.

CU (Close Up on) KIRK'S TAUT FACE

                        KIRK

            Bypass primary circuits. Try manual override.

Sulu's eyes open wide in disbelief as he stares at his board.

                        SULU

(shocked)

            Captain! We're losing power!

                        KIRK

(harsh whisper, incredulous)

            Losing power?!

                        SULU

(frantically)

It's impossible. Our engines are operating in reverse – but we're still going forward at warp factor one.

Kirk is stunned.

                        SPOCK

Sensors reveal nothing, but the logical answer would be an outside force…a highly sophisticated tractor beam of some sort…drawing us into the cloud.

                        KIRK

            Shields up.

Kowal pushes some buttons.

                        KOWAL

            It's no good, sir. We don't have enough power!

                        KIRK

            Red alert, Mr. Sulu.

Sulu relays in AUDIO BG. There is the SOUND of the siren.

                        SULU

            All hands, red alert. Battle stations, battle stations.

Kirk pushes a button on his chair.

                        KIRK

(OVER SULU)

            Kirk to engineering.

CUT TO SCOTT IN ENGINEERING.

                        SCOTT

            Scott here, Captain.

CUT BACK TO KIRK.

                        KIRK

            Scotty, what's happening down there?

CUT BACK TO SCOTT.

                        SCOTT

(worried)

            I don't know, Captain. All I know is that we're slowly losin' power all over the ship!

CUT TO KIRK.

                        KIRK

Have you checked all the circuits? Is the power leak being caused by another system within the Enterprise?

                        SCOTT

I've checked and double-checked everything. All the circuits are workin' perfectly. Wherever the thing is that's stealin' our power, it's someplace outside the ship.

                        KIRK

(demands)

            Mr. Sulu, distance from that cloud.

                        SULU

            Three thousand kilometers, Captain. Contact in five seconds…four, three, two, one –

The ship is shaken violently as it enters the green cloud. CRASHING SOUNS are heard, and crewmen are thrown out of their seats and onto the floor.

CUT TO ENTERPRISE – EXTERIOR. Swarms of tiny green planets, shaped like little pads, are attaching themselves to the outer hull of the Enterprise.

CUT TO BRIDGE. All lights on the ship grow dim, waver, then wink out. A GRINDING BG SOUND, like dynamos slowing down.

                        SULU

(shocked)

            Black out, Captain! All primary power is gone!

                        KIRK

(an order)

            Switch to battery power, Mr. Sulu.

As Sulu works controls, lights come on again. Kirk pushes button on his chair.

                        KIRK

            Kirk to Engineering.

                        SCOTT (filter)

            Scott here, Captain.

                        KIRK

            Damage control report.

CUT TO SCOTT – ENGINEERING.

                        SCOTT

A wee bit shook up, sir. No serious damage to main component parts. But we've lost every bit of primary power on the ship!

CUT TO KIRK.

                        KIRK

            We've initiated battery reserves. How long have we got until that runs out?

CUT TO SCOTT.

                        SCOTT

            A few days, a week if we're lucky. But if we don't get outta here soon, Captain…

CUT TO KIRK.

                        SCOTT (filter)

            We'll never get out!

CU KIRK, whose eyebrows narrow sharply, his face tightens with grim concern.

FADE OUT.

THEME MUSIC, TITLE