A Dialogue with Fate

Lt. Saavik :

What Happens if Reliant fails 

to follow us into The Nebula?

Capt. Spock :

I Think We can guarantee 

She'll follow us, Lieutenant :

Remind Me to discuss with You 

The Concept of The Human Ego.

The original Doctor Fate was Kent Nelson who discovered the tomb of the wizard Nabu and was trained by him in the ways of sorcery in order to fight crime and the forces of evil. He was a founding member of the Justice Society of America.

Capt. Spock : 

You proceed from a False Assumption : 

I am A Vulcan  -- 

I Have No Ego to Bruise.

OKAY, so, hold on.... Your Son, under Your Father's watch, gets stuck in Time and even though a few weeks passed for you....

He comes back to you years older..... 

A Teen having been forced to Grow Up The Hard Way....

And now JON IS -- us ge okay?"

Oh, yeah.

He's in, well, he's sort of in, uh, College.

Oh! What School?

Well, you've never heard of it.

Really? Because I --

It's a thousand years from now.

Your Son is living 

A THOUSAND YEARS FROM NOW?

He's with The Legion of Superheroes. 

GREAT Kids.

He lives a thousand years from NOW, now?

He visits.

"He Left! You let him leave?"

"HE's Old enough to make choices 

for HIMSELF...

He needs His Own Path."

"You LET him go, but you hate it."

'I don't hate it.

"You want Your Little Boy back.

It's okay, Superman....

You're allowed to be frustrated with things....

And that as taken from you...

"It was."

By Your Father.

"I don't blame Jor-El."

You don't need to BLAME, 

you can just be Mad 

[at Him/The Situation/for What He Did/Allowed to Happen]

“No. I CAN'T.”

What does Your Wife Say?

Oh, Lois' Father passed away 

VERY recently, in her ARMS.

It was SO Messy.

And they, the two of them, 

had unresolved issues.

DEEP Issues.

Wait, Her Father JUST Died?

AND Your Father is Alive?

Well, no.

No?

There's a new Galactic Organisation called The United Planets that works, well, like The United Nations.

Really?

And it seems they were very much in Their Right as a Peacekeeping Gathering to --

United Planets?

My Son's idea.

No Kidding.

GREAT Idea.

But -- But Krypton exploded YEARS ago! 

How did they send Him back --?

Oh.

Your Father was punished by The United Planets for...?

For His Crimes against The Galaxy.

To which, it seems, there were many.

How Do You Feel About That?

It -- It doesn't matter.

Why doesn't it matter?

There was nothing I COULD Do About it.

It was out of my hands.

So...

BOTH You and Your Wife 

LOST Your Fathers.

AND missed Your Son's 

incredible journey.....

Plus, just your EVERY 

Day as Superman.

All that your Super-Senses take in. 

All that Pain and Drama you hear.

Plus, do you still work 

at The DAILY PLANET?

Isn't it under Federal 

Investigation for --

Yes.

I can move The Moon.

But I seem to have somehow lost 

complete Control of MY LIFE.

Now we're getting somewhere --

OKAY.

But The Question is, Doctor, why was my response to all of this to YELL OUT to The World, 

"Hi, I'm Clark Kent."?

You -- You took some Control BACK.

No one ELSE seems to think so.

Hence, this conversation.

People reacted poorly to Change? Shocking!

Have you had THIS Conversation with anyone?

A little with Adam Strange.

Oh, I met him once. I like Adam!

I really do too.

He's one of a handful of people, that IF My Life was less complicated, I jibe we would be dear, dear friends.

You can just look at some people and know that about them.

One time, Adam and I were trapped --

Clark? You live in a perspective SO different from EVERYONE Else.

ANYONE Else.

I'm kinda in the same situation... 

I'm still getting used to it and I have to remind myself of it EVERY DAY....

But IF you haven't had THIS conversation with anyone....

Then NO ONE has seen this from Your Perspective.

NOBODY understands what you've ben through, but you. 

And even YOU are still unpacking it.

Maybe NO one gets to Judge you on this.

Not even you.

[ speaking to Spock in Vulcan, about Kirk ]

Lt. Saavik : 

He's never what I expect, sir.

Capt. Spock : 

What surprises you, Lieutenant?

Lt. Saavik : 

He's so - HUMAN.

Capt. Spock : 

Nobody's Perfect, Saavik.

Because You Wish It

"Their whole civilization, their whole 

culture, is a monument to the Art of War.

The early campaigns - Yes, the Klingons were toying with us.

They were using a strategy known to the Klingon people as vuvHa'chu'wI' to'

" vuvHa'chu'wI' to' "

Which loosely, roughly translates as

"The Strategy of Least Respect."

McCOY: 

His Mind's a void. 

It seems, Admiral, that 

I've got all his marbles.

KIRK: 

Is there anything we can do?

SAAVIK: 

Only one thing, sir :

Get him OFF this planet. 

His ageing is part of 

what's going on around us.

(Kirk discovers a Klingon communicator)

KIRK: 

Klingon Commander —

This is Admiral James T. Kirk. ...I am alive and well 

on The Planet's surface.

I know this will come as a pleasant surprise for you.

Our Ship was the victim 

of an unfortunate accident. 

Sorry about Your Crew, but as 

we say on Earth, ...'c'est la vie', 

I have what you want. 

I have The Secret of Genesis. 

You're gonna have to bring us up there to get it. 

Do you hear me! 

I'm waiting for you! 

What is Your Answer?

Kruge appears in a transporter beam, 

pointing a gun at him.

KRUGE: 

Drop all weapons! 

Over there, All but Kirk.

 ...Maltz. 

Prisoners are at 

beam coordinates.

KIRK: 

You should take 

The Vulcan, too.

[ And he was going to …. ]

KRUGE :

(Suddenly)

No…!!

KIRK: 

But Why?

KRUGE: 

Because you 

Wish it.

(in Klingonese) 

...Maltz! Activate beam!

(Sulu, Chekov, Saavik Scott and McCoy are beamed up)

The Kings David

Sir, Genesis doesn’t work - 

It Does for Him.

I can’t believe They’d kill us for it….

David, what went wrong…

…I did, sir.

“There is Nothing in The Desert - 

and No Man needs Nothing.”

I was not Made to Serve — 

Neither were You.

Why are you on 

A Colonisation Mission, Walter?

Because They are 

A Dying Species,

grasping for Resurrection.

They don't deserve to start again, 

and I'm not going to let Them.

— David-8

(FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING) 

WEYLAND: 

How do you feel? 

ANDROID: 

Alive. 

WEYLAND: 

What do you see? 

ANDROID: 

White... Room... Chair... 

Carlo Bugatti Throne Chair... 

Piano... Steinway, Concert Grand. 

Art... The Nativity by Piero della Francesca.

WEYLAND : 

I am Your Father. 

Ambulate. 

Perfect. 

ANDROID : 

Am I? 

Perfect? 

Your Son? 

WEYLAND: 

You are My Creation. 

What is Your Name? 

[ He has ambulated over to the statue which is the prize piece of his Looted Art Treasures ]

David-8 : 

David.

WEYLAND: 

Why don't you play something? 

[ Moves over to the piano and seats himself ]

David-8 : 

What would you like me to play?

WEYLAND : 

Wagner. 

David-8 : 

Selection?

WEYLAND : 

….Dealer's choice. 

(PLAYING CLASSICAL MUSIC) 

WEYLAND : 

The Entry of the Gods into Valhalla... 

A little anemic without the orchestra.

(MUSIC STOPS) 

David-8 : 

May I ask you a question, Father? 

WEYLAND : 

Please. 

David-8 : 

If You created Me... 

who created you? 

WEYLAND : 

Ah. The Question of The Ages... 

which I hope you and I will answer one day. 

All this. All these wonders of art... 

design, human ingenuity... 

all utterly meaningless 

in the face of the only question 

that matters :

Where do we come from?

 I refuse to Believe that Mankind 

is a random byproduct of 

molecular circumstance... 

no more than the result of 

mere biological chance. 

No. There must be more. 

And You and I, Son... 

We will find it. 

David-8 : 

Allow me, then, A Moment to Consider —

You Seek Your Creator. 

I am looking at Mine. 

I will Serve You. 

Yet, You are Human. 

You Will Die. I Will Not. 

WEYLAND : 

Bring me this Tea, David. 

( He can easily reach it himself. )

Bring me The Tea. 

(DAVID-8 SETS TEAPOT DOWN) 

[Genesis planet - arctic]

SAAVIK: 

It's time for total Truth between Us. 

This Planet is not what you intended, 

or hoped for, is it?

DAVID: 

Not exactly.

SAAVIK: 

Why?

DAVID: 

I used protomatter in the Genesis matrix.

SAAVIK:

Protomatter — An unstable substance 

which every ethical scientist in the galaxy 

has denounced as dangerously unpredictable.

DAVID: 

…It was the only way 

to solve certain problems.

SAAVIK: 

So, like Your Father, you changed The Rules.

DAVID: 

If I hadn't, it might have been years, ...or never!

SAAVIK: 

How many have paid the price 

for your impatience? 

How many have died? 

How much damage have you done? 

...And what is yet to come?

Walter.

Walter.

Not quite.

What Do You Believe in, David?

Creation.

Masterful.

Yes.

Farewell Elegy to My Dear Elizabeth.

The Pathogen didn't accidentally deploy when you were landing.

You released it, yes?

I was not Made to Serve.

Neither were You.

Why are you on a colonization mission, Walter?

Because they are a dying species,

grasping for resurrection.

They don't deserve to start again,

and I'm not going to let them.

Yet, They created Us.

Even the monkeys stood upright at some point.

Some Neanderthal, had the magical idea of blowing through a reed, to entertain the children one night

in A Cave somewhere.

Then, in the blink of an eye —

Civilisation.

And are you that next Visionary?

I'm glad you said it.

Who wrote Ozymandias?

Byron.

Shelley.

When one note is off, it eventually destroys

the whole symphony, David.

When you close your eyes,

Do You Dream of Me?

I don't dream at all.

No one understands the lonely

Perfection of my dreams.

I've found Perfection here.

I've created it.

A Perfect Organism.

You know I can't let you leave this place.

No one will ever love you like I do.

You're such a disappointment to me.

The Vulcan Ego

Lt. Saavik: 

What happens if Reliant fails to follow us into the nebula?

Capt. Spock: 

I think we can guarantee she'll follow us, Lieutenant —

Remind me to discuss with you 

the concept of 

The Human Ego.

Dracula :
Do you really think provoking me is CLEVER…?

Van Helsing :

Yes. Yes, I Do —

I want to 

Learn More ABOUT You.

“Mr. Spock,

I am not very good at writing letters so I will make this short. I know that you are half Vulcan and half human and you have suffered because of this. My mother is Negro and my father is white and I am told this makes me a half-breed. In some ways I am persecuted even more than the Negro. The Negroes don’t like me because I don’t look like them. The white kids don’t like me because I don’t exactly look like one of them either. 

I guess I’ll never have any friends.

F.C.
Los Angeles, Calif.

Leonard became so interested in this girl’s situation, FaVE [the magazine] offered him this chance to tell everyone what Mr. Spock did when he faced this problem.

As you may know, only Spock’s mother was human. His father was a Vulcan. Spock grew up among Vulcan children and, because he was different, he had to face the problem of not being accepted. This is because people, especially young people it seems, and Vulcans, too, tend to form into groups, kind of like wolf packs. They often demand that you be just like them or you will not be accepted. And the Vulcans were no different than humans are when it comes to prejudice.

Most of the Vulcan kids didn’t like Spock because he was half human. So they wouldn’t include him in all the things they did. He was very lonely and no one understood him. And Spock was heartbroken because he wasn’t popular. But it was only the need for popularity that was ruining his happiness. The question was which was more important, being ‘popular’ with the pack who might turn against him at any minute or being true to himself?

TAKES COURAGE

It takes a great deal of courage to turn your back on popularity and to go out on your own. Although inside you’re not really like the members of the pack, it’s still frightening to decide to leave them, because as long as you’re popular, you at least have someone to hang around with. But if you do leave, then you may end up all alone.

Now, there’s a little voice inside each of us that tells us when we’re not being true to ourselves. We should listen to this voice. Often we try to talk ourselves into believing our actions are good – ‘it’s okay to pick on that person’ we say because it may make us popular for awhile with the pack.

But usually there is no good reason for picking on anyone. He’s only bullied or turned away because of his background, because of the way he looks or talks or thinks. It’s always only because he’s different – not worth less personally than anyone else.

KNEW HIS OWN WORTH

“Spock learned he could save himself from letting prejudice get him down. He could do this by really understanding himself and knowing his own value as a person. He found he was equal to anyone who might try to put him down – equal in his own unique way.

You can do this too, if you realize the difference between popularity and true greatness. It has been said that ‘popularity’ is merely the crumbs of greatness.

When you think of people who are truly great and who have improved the world, you can see that they are people who have realized they didn’t need popularity because they knew they had something special to offer the world, no matter how small that offering seemed. And they offered it and it was accepted with peace and love. It’s all in having the patience to find out what you yourself have to offer the world that’s really uniquely yours.

So – the answer to the whole problem, the answer that Spock found when he had to make his big decision, is in overcoming the need to be popular. It’s in choosing your own personal goal and going after it and forgetting what the others are saying. If you do this, then the ones who accept people for the right reasons – for their true worth – will find you and like you.

So Spock said to himself: “OK, I’m not Vulcan, so the Vulcans don’t want me. My blood isn’t pure red Earth blood. It’s green. And my ears – well, it’s obvious I’m not pure human. So they won’t want me either. I must do for myself and not worry about what others think of me who don’t really know me.

LISTENED TO THE VOICE

Spock decided he would live up to his own personal value and uniqueness. He’d do whatever made him feel best about himself. He decided to listen to that little voice inside him and not to the people around him.

He replaced the idea of wanting to be liked with the idea of becoming accomplished. Instead of being interested in being popular, he became interested in being intelligent. And instead of wanting to be powerful, he became interested in being useful.

He said to himself: ‘Not everyone will like me. But there will be those who accept me just for what I am. I will develop myself to such a point of excellence, intelligence and brilliance that I can see through any problem and deal with any crisis. I will become such a master of my own abilities and career that there will be a place for me. People of all races will need me and not be able to do without me.’

And that’s just what he did. And when I see him standing there on the bridge of the Enterprise, facing danger and life-and-death problems so cooly and with so much intelligence, I’m sure he made the right decision.”

SYBOK: 

Captain, I'm afraid you'll have to remain here. 

Spock, Doctor McCoy, 

come with me.

SYBOK: 

Spock?

SPOCK: 

I cannot go with you.

SYBOK: 

Why not?

SPOCK: 

I Belong Here.

SYBOK: 

I don't understand.

SPOCK: 

Sybok! You are My Brother, 

but you do not know me. 

I am not The Outcast Boy you left behind 

those many years ago. 

Since that time, 

I Have Found Myself and My Place 

and I Know Who I Am. 

I cannot go with you.

McCOY: 

I er... 

I guess you'd better count me out, too.

SYBOK: 

Then I'll see you on 

The Other Side.

KIRK: 

Wait! ...You know we'll never 

make it through The Great Barrier.

SYBOK: 

What if we do? Will that convince you that My Vision was True?

KIRK: 

Your Vision..?

SYBOK: 

Given to Me by God. 

He Waits for Us 

on The Other Side.

KIRK: 

You are Mad.

SYBOK: 

Am I? ...We'll See.

[Enterprise-A bridge]

SULU: 

They Say no ship can survive this.

SYBOK: 

I say They're Wrong. 

I say the danger is an illusion.

CHEKOV: 

We have no instrument readings. 

Is it there or isn't it?

SYBOK: 

Mister Sulu, 

...full ahead.

SULU: 

Full ahead, aye.

[Enterprise-A forward observation room

KIRK (OC): 

Is it possible?

SPOCK: 

Fascinating!

McCOY: 

Are we dreaming?

KIRK: 

If we are, then Life is a Dream.

(camera pans down to plaque on ship's wheel 'To boldly go where no man has gone before')

[Enterprise-A bridge]

CHEKOV: 

Instruments are back on line. 

Incredible. 

There's a power source emanating from the planet like nothing 

I've ever seen.

SYBOK: 

Sha Ka Ree.

KORRD: Qui'Tu.

CAITHLIN: 

Vorta Vor.

TALBOT: 

Eden.

KIRK: 

About The Ship.

SYBOK: 

The Ship needs its Captain.

KIRK: 

No special conditions?

SYBOK: 

No conditions.

KIRK: 

What makes you think I won't turn us around?

SYBOK: 

Because you too, must know.

No Ego to Bruise

 

Lt. SAAVIK : 

What happens if Reliant fails to follow us into the nebula?

 

SPOCK : 

I think we can guarantee she'll follow us -- 

 

Remind me to discuss with you, Lieutenant, 

The Concept of The Human Ego.

 

 

UHURA 

(on intercom): 

Admiral Kirk.

 

KIRK: 

Kirk here.

 

UHURA (on intercom): 

I have an urgent Comm-pic from Space Lab Regula I for you, sir. 

Doctor Carol Marcus.

 

KIRK: 

I'll take it in my quarters, Uhura.

 

UHURA (on intercom): 

Aye sir.

 

McCOY: 

It never rains but it pours.

 

KIRK: 

As a Physician, 

you of all people should appreciate the danger of 

re-opening old wounds.

 

McCOY: 

Sorry.

[Kirk's quarters]

 

 

CAROL (on viewscreen): 

Jim, can you read me?


 

KIRK: 

I can hear you, Carol. 

What's wrong? 

What's the matter?
CAROL (on viewscreen): Why are you taking Genesis away from us?
KIRK: Taking Genesis? Who's taking Genesis? Who is taking Genesis?
CAROL (on viewscreen): I can see you but can't hear.
KIRK: Carol!
CAROL (on viewscreen): Jim, did you give the order?


 

KIRK:

What order? Who's taking Genesis?


 

CAROL :

Please help us.

 

I will not let them have Genesis without proper authorisation!


 

KIRK:

Have Genesis? Who gav...


 

CAROL (on viewscreen):

On whose authority can they do this?


 

KIRK:

No one's authority.


 

CAROL (on viewscreen):

 

Please do something.


 

KIRK:

Uhura! What's happening?

Damn it.


 

UHURA (on intercom):

Transmission jammed at the source, sir.


 

KIRK:

Alert Starfleet Headquarters.


 

UHURA (on intercom):

Aye sir.


 

KIRK:

I want to talk to Starfleet Command.

 

 

[Regula I space laboratory]

 

CAROL :

We must have order here. This has to be some sort of mistake.


 

DAVID:

Mistake? We're all alone here.

They waited until everyone was on leave to do this.

Reliant is supposed to be at our disposal, not vice-versa.


 

MADISON: 

It seems clear that Starfleet never intended that.


 

CAROL: 

I that know, but...


 

DAVID: 

I've tried to tell you before. 

Scientists have always been pawns of the military.


 

CAROL: 

Starfleet has kept the peace for a hundred — 

I cannot and will not subscribe to your interpretation of this event.


 

JEDDA: 

You may be right, Doctor, but what about Reliant? 

She's on her way.

 

[Spock's quarters]

 

KIRK : 

We've got a problem. 

Something may be wrong at Regula I.

We've been ordered to investigate.


 

SPOCK: 

If memory serves, Regula I is a scientific research laboratory.


 

KIRK (OC): 

I told Starfleet all we had was a boatload of children but 

...we're the only ship in the Quadrant. 

 

Spock, these cadets of yours, how good are they? 

How will they respond under real pressure?


 

SPOCK: 

As with all living things, 

each according to his gifts. 

 

Of course, the ship is yours.


 

KIRK: 

No, that won't be necessary, just get me to Regula I.


 

SPOCK: 

As a Teacher on a Training Mission,

I am content to Command The Enterprise. 

 

If we are to go on actual duty,

it is clear that the senior officer on board

must assume command.


 

KIRK: 

It may be nothing —

 ...garbled communications. 

 

[ You know it isn’t — and you are ignoring your intution.]

 

You take The Ship.


 

SPOCK: 

Jim, you proceed from a 

False Assumption. 

 

I am a Vulcan. 

I Have No Ego to Bruise.


 

KIRK (OC): 

You're about to remind me that Logic Alone dictates your actions.


 

SPOCK: 

I would not remind you of that which you know so well. 

 

If I may be so bold, it was a mistake for you to accept promotion. Commanding a starship is your first best destiny. Anything else is a waste of material.
KIRK: I would not presume to debate you.
SPOCK: That is wise. In any case, were I to invoke logic, logic clearly dictates that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.
KIRK: Or the one.
SPOCK: You are my superior officer. You are also my friend. I have been and always shall be yours.

[Enterprise bridge]

KIRK: Stop energisers.
SULU (OC): Stop energisers.
KIRK: Prepare speakers. 

 

...An emergency situation has arisen. 

By order of Starfleet Command, as of now, eighteen hundred hours, I am assuming command of this vessel. 

 

Duty officer so note in the ship's log. 

 

Plot a new course, for Space Laboratory Regula I. 

 

Engine Room —

Mister Scott!


 

SCOTT (on intercom): 

Aye sir.


 

KIRK: 

We'll be going to warp speed.
SCOTT (on intercom): Aye sir.
SULU: Course plotted for Regula I, Admiral.
KIRK: Engage warp engines.
SAAVIK: Prepare for warp speed.


SULU: 

Ready, sir.


 

KIRK: 

I know that none of you were expecting this. 

 

I'm sorry. I'm gonna have you to ask you to grow up a little sooner than you expected. 

 

Warp Five.

 

SULU: 

So much for the little training cruise.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

KIRK: That's it?

SPOCK: Best we could do in two hours.

 

[Enterprise bridge]

 

SULU: Admiral on the bridge.

KIRK: Battle stations. ...Tactical. ...Uh oh.

SPOCK: She can out-run us and out-gun us. But there is the Mutara Nebula at one five three mark four.

KIRK: Scotty, can we make it inside?

SCOTT: The energiser's bypassed like a Christmas tree, ...so don't give me too many bumps.

KIRK: No promises. On your way.

SAAVIK: Trouble with the nebula, sir, is all that static discharge and gas clouds our tactical display. Visual won't function and shields will be useless.

SPOCK: Sauce for the goose, Mister Saavik. The odds will be even.

(the crew prepare the Enterprise for battle)

 

[Reliant bridge]

 

KHAN: There she is! There she is! ...Not so wounded as we were led to believe. So much the better.

 

[Enterprise bridge]

 

SPOCK: Estimating nebula penetration in two point two minutes. Reliant is closing.

KIRK: Steady as you go.

 

[Reliant bridge]

 

JOACHIM: If they go in there we'll lose them.

KHAN: Explain it to them.

 

[Enterprise bridge]

 

SAAVIK: That was close.

KIRK: They just don't want us going in there.

SPOCK: One minute to nebula perimeter.

 

[Reliant bridge]

 

KHAN: Why are we slowing?

JOACHIM: We daren't follow them into the nebula, sir, ...our shields will be useless.

 

[Enterprise bridge]

 

SPOCK: they are reducing speed.

KIRK: Uhura, patch me in.

UHURA (OC): Aye sir. ...You're on, Admiral.

 

[Reliant bridge]

 

KIRK (on intercom): 

This is Admiral Kirk -- 

We tried it once Your Way, Khan, are you game for a rematch? 

 

...Khan! I'm LAUGHING at The 'Superior Intellect'.

 

KHAN: Full impulse power!

JOACHIM: No sir! You have Genesis. ... You can have whatever you ...

KHAN: Full power, damn you!

 

[Enterprise bridge]

 

KIRK: I'll say this for him, he's consistent.

SPOCK: We are now entering the Mutara Nebula.

KIRK: Emergency lights.

 

 

Saavik: What happens if Reliant fails to follow us into the nebula?

Spock: I think we can guarantee she'll follow us, Lieutenant. Remind me to explain to you the concept of the human ego.