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.