Grace

Grace (gratia, Charis), in general, is a supernatural gift of God to intellectual creatures (men, angels) for their eternal salvation, whether the latter be furthered and attained through salutary acts or a state of holiness.

Supernatural Adoption

"Presents one of the most sublime of mysteries — the gracious divinization of man, which enables him to partake of the inner life of the Most Blessed Trinity."

The Elder

with no job and no wife.

The Callow Youth

with an Absent Father

and

The Maid

Who Wants to Do More

The Elder :
Lots of you knew Grace longer than me, 
so I can't stand here and pretend to know everything about her. 

I wasn't her first husband, 
but she said I would do for a second attempt. 

I can only tell you about the Grace I met, 
when I thought I didn't have much time left. 

The... the Grace that showed me life had more to offer, 
and... 

And I know if she was here now, she'd tell us not to be so sad. 

You see, I can hear her saying to me, 
'Graham, we had three glorious years, what're you complaining about?' 

I'm complaining because I wanted more. 

You see, Grace was a better person than I could ever be. 

And I should have gone and... 

Grace should still be here.

 (Latin adoptare, to choose.)

Adoption is the gratuitous taking of a stranger as one's own child and heir. 

According as the adopter is man or God, the adoption is styled human or divine, natural or supernatural. In the present instance there is question only of the divine — that adoption of man by God in virtue of which we become His sons and heirs. 

Is this adoption only a figurative way of speaking? 

Is there substantial authority to vouch for its reality? 

What idea are we to form of its nature and constituents? "

Our Lady: 
What did you mean in your speech, 
you thought you'd run out of time? 

The Elder :
Oh, well, er, I had cancer and er... 

Well, strictly speaking, I'm still in remission, three years gone. 

And Grace was my chemo nurse. 

That's where we met and fell in love. 

So by rights, I shouldn't even be here. 

The Maid :
Have you got family? 

Our Lady
No. Lost them a long time ago. 

The Callow Youth : 
How do you cope with that? 

Our Lady :
I carry them with me. 

What they would've thought and said and done. 
I make them a part of who I am. 

So even though they're gone from The World, 
they're never gone from me.
 

The Elder : 
That's the sort of thing Grace would have said. 

The Maid :
So everything we saw, 
everything we've lied to people about, 
is this normal for you? 

Our Lady :
I'm just a traveller. 
Sometimes I see things need fixing, I do what I can. 

Except right now, I'm a traveller without a ship. 

I've stayed too long. 
I should get back to finding my TARDIS. 

The Maid : 
Doctor. Can I just say, you really need to get out of those clothes. 

Our Lady : 
Right, yeah. 
It's been a long time since I bought women's clothes. 


[Charity shop]
(Lots of stuff being thrown out from behind the changing room curtain.) 

Our Lady [OC]: 
Not that. Not that, not that. Ah, not that. 
Oh! Yes! Now, that's what I want. 

(She comes out wearing a really weird ensemble of a top with two horizontal stripes across her biggest part, a pair of half-mast flares held up by braces, and a pale grey long coat with hood. Still in the Doc Martens, though.) 

The Maid : 
That's what you're going with?
 

 Our Lady : 
Yep! Got any cash?
Empty pockets. 

Also, I've been thinking about my TARDIS. 

So you think you guys might be able to help me?



GRACE : 
You'll have to learn how to change the hoover bag now. 
And work out where I kept the spares. 
Rubbish collection is every Friday. 
Recycling every other week.

The Elder : 
I know. I know. 
I've got so much to tell you.

The Prophet Sarek :
I must return to Vulcan.
There are evolving details to the plan that must be considered.

Michael :
What evolving details? 

The Prophet Sarek :
I sense you are uneasy.

During my mind-meld with Saru, I learned of your attachment to the Klingon spy and what he did to you.
Such events are clearly troubling.

Michael :
 I'm fine, Sarek.
 

The Prophet Sarek :

I remain unconvinced.
There is irony here, of course.
The man you fell in love with was a Klingon.
 

Michael :

He - I don't know what he was.
 

The Prophet Sarek :

There is also grace.
[ This, coming from you?! ]
For what greater source of peace exists than our ability to love our enemy? 

Michael, Burn 'em :

I've made foolish choices.
Emotional choices.

The Prophet Sarek :

Well, you are human.
As is your mother.
There is no telling what any one of us may do where the heart is concerned.

We are at War.
Logic dictates that each farewell may be our last.
 

Do not regret loving someone, Michael.

You all right?  

Yeah.

Fine.

Our Lady : 

Why did you do it?

              I just have to do what I have to do.

Our Lady : 

You don't have to do anything.

Rocky :

No, Adrian, I do.

I have to leave this place too.

Our Lady : 

So where are you going?

They said they would let me train  in Russia.

I just want to go someplace where...

I won't think of nothing except him.

Our Lady :

Give it some time.  

Don't do this.

A lot of people live with hurt.

Rocky :

Adrian, a lot of people don't have the choice. 

I do.

Our Lady : 

And for that you're willing  to lose everything?

This ain't ‘everything’.

This house and the stuff we have ain't ‘everything’.

There's a lot more than this.

Our Lady : 

Before, there were reasons to fight.  

I could understand...

But I don't understand this.

Even if you win, what have you won?  

Apollo is still gone.

Why can't you change your thinking?  

Everybody else does!

Rocky :

Because I'm a Fighter.

That's the way I'm made.

That's what you married.

We can't change what we are.  

Our Lady : 

Yes, you can.

Rocky :

You can't change anything.

All we can do is just go with what we are.

Our Lady : 

You can't go with What You Are.  

Have you read the papers?

Everybody says it's suicide!

You've seen him.  

You know how strong he is.

You can't win!

(Silence)

Rocky :

Adrian always tells The Truth.

Maybe I can't win.

Maybe the only thing I can do... 

is just take everything he's got.

But to beat me, he'll have to kill me.

And to kill me...

he'll have to have the heart  to stand in front of me.

And to do that...

he has to be willing  to die himself.

I don't know  if he's ready to do that.

I don't know.

             

BOOK :

Captain, you mind if I say grace?

MAL (which means ‘Bad’) :

Only if you say it out loud.

CROM !!!

I have never prayed to you before. 

I have no tongue for it. 

No one, not even you, will remember if we were good men or bad. 

Why we fought, or why we died. 

All that matters is that Two stood against Many. 

That's what's important! 

Useful

[Ready room]

PICARD: 
Mister La Forge, I would like you to accompany Captain Scott. 

LAFORGE: 
Me, sir? 

PICARD: 
Yes. Look, this is not an order, it's a request and it's one which you must feel perfectly free to decline. 

You see, one of the most important things in a person's life is to feel useful. 

Now, Mister Scott is a Starfleet officer and I would like him to feel useful again. 

LAFORGE: 
I'll go with him, sir. 

PICARD: 
Thank you.


*****

[Conference room]

DATA: 
Captain Picard is not satisfied with Ki Mendrossen's assurances that the Ambassador is in good health. 
Do you consider Sarek capable of carrying out his mission? 

SAKKATH: 
Have I given you cause to think otherwise? 

DATA: 
You have voiced certain reservations to me about his abilities. 

SAKKATH: 
I do not recall making such a statement. 

DATA: 
Not directly, no. 
But you did question me about the diplomatic capabilities of both Captain Picard and Counsellor Troi. 

SAKKATH: 
I am honour-bound to help Sarek carry out this mission. 
That is the only answer I can give. 

DATA: 
Then you must decide which is your greater obligation. 
Your loyalty to Sarek or your duty to the Federation. 
Can you accept the logic of continuing this mission? 

SAKKATH: 
Tell your Captain the mission is in jeopardy.

[Bridge]

DATA: 
Sakkath has been able, until recently, to use his telepathic skills to reinforce Sarek's emotional control, thus protecting others from the effects of his deterioration. 

RIKER: 
He hasn't been doing a very good job. 

DATA: 
The strain of this mission on Sarek has made it impossible. 

PICARD: 
It's ironic, isn't it? 
All this magnificent technology and we find ourselves still susceptible to the ravages of old age. 
The loss of dignity, the slow betrayal of our bodies by forces we cannot master. 

Do you still want to be one of us, Data? 

DATA: 
Sir, it is conceivable, even for me, that time will eventually lead to irreparable circuit failure. 
But there is one thing I do not understand. 
Sarek is a logical, intelligent being. The effects of Bendii Syndrome are apparent. 

Why would such a man choose to ignore them? 

PICARD: 
Logic fails us sometimes, Data. I think this is one of those times. 
I can only guess that he does not see, or he does not wish to see, the truth. 
And he is being insulated against that truth by those who love him most. 


RIKER: 
Someone has to confront him. 

PICARD: 
Not a task that I'm looking forward to. 



*****

PERRIN: 
Sarek is a good man. He's given the Federation a lifetime of service. 
I beg you to let him keep the respect he has earned. 

PICARD: 
He'll never lose that respect. 

PERRIN: 
Mendrossen and I never wanted to deceive you.

My husband's condition came on him so gradually it was so easy to delude ourselves and pretend that nothing was wrong. 

We convinced ourselves that he could complete this one last task and end his career with dignity. 

Help him, Captain. Help him regain his pride, his honour. 

PICARD: 
Believe me, it would give me great pleasure, but there is nothing I can do.

PERRIN: 
The mission can be saved. But he needs your help to do it.


[Corridor]

RIKER: 
I take it the mind-meld was a success? 

SAREK: 
Yes. All went as planned. 

RIKER: 
Is Captain Picard all right? 

SAREK: 
Don't worry, Number One. 

RIKER: 
And the Ambassador? 

SAREK: 
I am myself again. 
It has been a long time.

[Picard's quarters]

(Jean-Luc is voicing the agony Sarek had been keeping locked inside himself) 

PICARD: 
No! It is wrong. It is wrong! 
A lifetime of discipline washed away, and in its place bedlam. 
Bedlam! 

I am so old. 
There is nothing left but dry bones and dead friends. 
Tired, oh so tired. 

CRUSHER: 
It will pass, all of it. 
Just another hour or so. 
You're doing fine. Just hold on. 

PICARD: 
No! This weakness disgusts me! I hate it! 
Where is my logic? I am betrayed by desires. 
I want to feel. I want to feel everything. 
But I am a Vulcan. 
I must feel nothing. 
Give me back my control. 

CRUSHER: 
Jean-Luc! 

PICARD: 
Perrin. Amanda. 
I wanted to give you so much more. 
I wanted to show you such tenderness. 
But that is not our way. 
Spock, Amanda, did you know? 
Perrin, can you know how much I love you? 
I do love you! 

(Beverly comes over to wipe his tears) 

PICARD: 
Beverly. 

CRUSHER: 
I'm here, Jean-Luc. 
I'm not going anywhere.

PICARD: 
It's quite difficult. 
The anguish of the man, the despair pouring out of him, all those feelings, the regrets. 
I can't stop them. 

(He falls, sobbing, into her arms) 

PICARD: 
I can't stop them. 
I can't. 
I can't. 

CRUSHER: 
Don't even try.





PERRIN: 
Thank you, Captain. 

PICARD: 
He loves you very much. 

PERRIN: 
I know. 
I have always known. 

(Sarek enters) 

SAREK: 
I will take my leave of you now, Captain. 
I do not think we shall meet again. 

PICARD: 
I hope you are wrong, Ambassador. 

SAREK: 
We shall always retain the best part of the other inside us. 

PICARD: 
I believe I have the best part of that bargain, Ambassador. 
Peace and long life. 

SAREK: 
Live long and prosper. 

The Original Vulcan Hello

"Do you have the right to commit murder?"

COMPUTER VOICE (on viewscreen): 

...six, ...five, ...four, ...three, ...two, ...one...

(on the viewscreen the Enterprise self-destructs)

KLINGON AMBASSADOR: 

Hold the image. Hold! ...Behold! The quintessential devil in these matters! 

James T. Kirk, renegade and terrorist! 

Not only is he responsible for the murder of a Klingon crew, the theft of a Klingon vessel -

See now the real plot and intentions - even as this Federation was negotiating a peace treaty with us, Kirk was secretly developing the Genesis torpedo, conceived by Kirk's son and test detonated by the Admiral himself!

The result of this awesome energy was euphemistically called 'The Genesis Planet' 

...A secret base from which to launch the annihilation of the Klingon people! 

We demand the extradition of Kirk! 

We demand Justice!

SAREK: 

Klingon justice is a unique point of view, Mister President.

Genesis was perfectly named. 

The Creation of Life, not Death. 

The Klingons shed the first blood while attempting to possess its secrets.

KLINGON AMBASSADOR: 

Vulcans are well known as the intellectual puppets of this Federation!

SAREK: 

Your vessel did destroy U.S.S. Grissom. 

Your men did kill Kirk's son. 

Do you deny these events?

KLINGON AMBASSADOR: 

We deny nothing! 

We have the right to preserve our race!

SAREK: 

Do you have the right to commit murder?

FEDERATION PRESIDENT: 

Silence! Silence! There will be no further outbursts from the floor.

SAREK: 

Mister President, I have come to speak on behalf of the accused.

KLINGON AMBASSADOR: 

Personal bias! 

His son was saved by Kirk!

FEDERATION PRESIDENT: 

Mister Ambassador, with all respect, the Council's deliberations are over.

KLINGON AMBASSADOR: 

Then Kirk goes unpunished?

FEDERATION PRESIDENT: 

Admiral Kirk has been charged with 9 violations of Starfleet regulations.

• Conspiracy. 
• Assault on Federation Officers. 
• Theft of Federation Property, namely the Starship Enterprise. 
• Sabotage of the U.S.S. Excelsior, 
• Wilful destruction of Federation Property, specifically the aforementioned U.S.S. Enterprise. 

• Disobeying Direct Orders of the Starfleet Commander.

KLINGON AMBASSADOR: 

Starfleet regulations? That's outrageous! 

Remember this well - There shall be no peace as long as Kirk lives!

Tell My Mother - I Feel Fine

They are not emotionless - all Vulcans have emotions, even if they all are tutored and instructed from early childhood not to express them and techniques, with a basis in Vulcan psycho-social biology, in how to suppress them.

But Spock is not fully Vulcan, so techniques can never be fully effective in his case - he can't fully purge himself of all emotion using Vulcan techniques, although he does try at one point to do so, before realising at the last moment how the attempt itself is wrong and futile, at least in his case, and he must find his own path.

It's a Social Taboo - as a Vulcan, Sarek was raised to regard all expressions of emotion as obscene, even though he has and experiences his own emotions all the time, which he reflexively ignores. But, as an ambassador and a husbamd, he respects and is tolerant of emotional displays by aliens.

The problem is that Spock looks Vulcan. And he is his son.

Any open expression of emotion by his son would seem innately obscene and repulsive to Sarek - that's why they don't get on.

And yet a Statement of Fact is perfectly fine.

And Spock's non-Vulcan emotions are a fact.

And, Sarek loves his wife. As only a Vulcan can.

That's why, the key exchange of this conversation is when Sarek compliments Spock on his choice of associates, to which Spock responds with the statement "They are my friends."

The momentary pause before Sarek responds with the acknowledgement "Yes, of course.", carries all the meaning.

He knows, obviously he knows, but is almost incapable of openly admitting as much in his own terms.

And Spock by now has learnt enough about himself than to know better than to embarrass his father.

They are both right.