The Seed

[Engineering]

(Khan is working controls and listening to the intercom messages.)

 


SPOCK [OC]: 

Captain, acknowledge. 

Unable to flood Engineering section. 

I suspect 
—

SCOTT [OC]: 

This is Scott. Captain's headed 

for the Engineering section. 

I'll follow in case 
—

SPOCK [OC]: 

Negative. We must retake the vessel while the anesthesia lasts. 

Meet me in the Armoury. 

I'm blowing it clear first. Spock out. 


(Kirk dashes into Engineering and straight into Khan, who easily disarms him then crushes the phaser. Then an alarm beeps.) 


KHAN: 

If I understood your manuals, 

that's an overload in progress. 

Your Ship flares up like 

an exploding sun within minutes. 


(The two fight. Khan can throw Kirk around with little effort.) 


KHAN: 

I have five times your strength. 

You're no match for me.


(But Kirk gets himself a weapon and clubs Khan into unconsciousness before stopping the overload and saving his ship.)

Captain's Log. Stardate 3143.3. 

Control of the Enterprise has been regained. 

I wish my next decisions were no more difficult. 

Khan and his people. 

What a waste to put them in a reorientation centre. 

And what do I do about McGivers?

[Briefing room]

(The senior staff are in dress uniform again.) 


UHURA: 

Record tapes engaged and ready, Captain. 


KIRK: 

This hearing is now in session. 

Under The Authority vested in me 

by Starfleet Command, 

I declare all charges and specifications 

in this matter have been dropped. 


MCCOY: 

Jim. Agreed, you have 

The Authority 
—

KIRK: 

Mister Spock, our heading takes us 

near the Ceti Alpha star system. 


SPOCK: 

Quite correct, Captain. 

Planet number five there is habitable, although a bit savage, somewhat inhospitable. 


KIRK: 

But no more than Australia's Botany Bay colony was at The Beginning. 

Those men went on to tame a continent, Mister Khan. Can you tame a world? 


KHAN: 

Have you ever read 

Milton, Captain? 


KIRK: 

Yes. I understand. 

Lieutenant Marla McGivers :

Given a choice of court martial or accompanying them there. 


KHAN: 

(gazing into her eyes) 

It will be difficult —

A struggle at first even 

to stay alive, to find food. 


MARLA: 

I'll go with him, sir. 


KHAN: 

A superior woman. I will take her. 

And I've gotten something else I wanted. 

A world to win, an empire to build. 


KIRK: 

This hearing is closed. 


(Khan and McGivers are escorted out.)


SCOTT: 

It's a shame for a good Scotsman to admit it, but I'm not up on Milton. 


KIRK: 

The statement Lucifer made when he fell into the pit. 

'It is better to rule in Hell 

than serve in Heaven.' 


SPOCK: 

It would be interesting, Captain, 

to return to that world 

in a hundred years 

and to learn 

what crop has sprung 

from the seed you 

planted today. 


KIRK: 

Yes, Mister Spock, 

it would indeed.