Acts of Savagery

  

[Daystrom conference room]

 

(Around a round table.)

 

MARCUS: 

Thank you for convening on such short notice. Be seated.

By now, some of you have heard what happened in London.

The target was a Starfleet data archive.

Now it's a damned hole in the ground.

 

Forty two men and women are dead. 

 

One hour ago, I received a message from a Starfleet officer

who confessed to carrying out this attack,

that he was being forced to do it by this man,

Commander John Harrison. 

 

He's one of our own.

And he is the man responsible

for this Act of Savagery.

 

For unknown reasons, John Harrison has just

declared a one man war against Starfleet.

And under no circumstances are we to

allow this man to escape Federation space.

 

You here tonight represent the senior command

of all the vessels in the region.

And in the name of those we lost,

you will run this bastard down.

 

This is a manhunt, pure and simple,

so let's get to work.

 

Earth's perimeter sensors have not detected

any warp signatures leaving the system,

so we know he can't be far.

 

You will park your ships in a blockade formation

then deploy search vehicles and landing parties

to run down every lead.

 

(Kirk is studying images from the bombing. He finds Harrison holding a case.)

 

MARCUS:

This man has shown willingness to kill innocent people,

so the rules of engagement are simple :

If you come across this man and fear for your life

or the lives of those nearby, you 

are authorised to use

deadly force on sight.

 

KIRK:

What's in The Bag?

 

PIKE:

James, not now.

 

KIRK:

It doesn't seem odd to you

that he'd target an archive?

 

It's like bombing a library.

 

MARCUS:

Chris, everything okay there?

 

PIKE:

Yes, sir. Mister Kirk is just acclimating

to his new position as First Officer.

 

MARCUS:

You got something to say, Kirk, say it.

Tomorrow's too late.

 

KIRK:

I'm fine, sir. My apologies.

 

MARCUS:

Spit it out, son. Don't be shy.

 

KIRK:

Why the archive? All that information is public record,

and if he really wanted to damage Starfleet,

this could just be The Beginning.

 

MARCUS:

The beginning of what, Mister Kirk?

 

KIRK:

Sir, in the event of an attack,

protocol mandates that senior command

gather captains and first officers

at Starfleet HQ, right here --

In this room.

 

SPOCK:

It is curious Harrison would commandeer

a jumpship without warp capabilities

 

(A bright light appears outside.)

 

KIRK:

Clear the room!