The ceremony will be carried on all viewing screens, sir.
Good.
There's a call for you from the bridge.
Kirk here.
[Spock] Still no answer
from Earth outpost number 2.
Now number 3 has gone silent.
Maintain course to outpost 4.
Keep me informed.
Kirk out.
Since the days of wooden vessels,
shipmasters have had one happy privilege--
that of uniting two people
in the bonds of matrimony.
We are gathered here today
with Angela Martine and Robert Tomlinson
in the sight of your fellows
in accordance with our laws
and our many beliefs--
[Ship's Whistle]
Alert!
All decks--alert!
Alert! Alert! Captain to the bridge.
Kirk here.
[Spock] Earth outpost 4 reports they're under attack--
a space vessel, identity unknown.
Full ahead. All decks-- condition red.
All decks--condition red.
Space...
the final frontier.
These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise.
Its five-year mission--
to explore strange new worlds,
to seek out new life and new civilizations,
to boldly go where no man has gone before.
Captain's Log, stardate 1709.2.
Patrolling outposts guarding the neutral zone
between planets Romulus and Remus
and the rest of the galaxy,
received emergency call from outpost 4.
The U.S.S. Enterprise is moving to investigate
and assist.
Outpost 4 reported under attack, sir.
Then message terminates.
Verified, Captain.
Our speed is now maximum, sir.
Position-- 8 minutes from outpost 4 at this velocity, sir.
Scotty...
I've talked to my engine room.
We'll get more speed out of her.
Did outpost 4 give anything
on the attacking vessel, Lieutenant?
No identification, sir.
There can't be much doubt who's attacking, sir.
Mr. Spock,
put this star sector on our screen.
Now show our position.
Signal this to all decks, Lieutenant.
All decks standing by, sir.
This is the captain speaking.
In our next action,
we can risk neither miscalculation nor error
by any man aboard.
Listen carefully. Science Officer.
Referring to the map on your screens,
you will note beyond our vessel
a line of Earth outpost stations.
Constructed on asteroids, they monitor the Neutral Zone established by treaty
after the Earth-Romulan conflict a century ago.
As you may recall, this conflict was fought,
by standards today,
with primitive atomic weapons
and in primitive space vessels
which allowed no quarter,
no captives,
nor was there even ship-to-ship visual communication.
Therefore, no human, Romulan, or ally
has ever seen the other.
Earth believes the Romulans to be warlike,
cruel, treacherous,
and only the Romulans know
what they think of Earth.
The treaty, set by sub-space radio,
established this Neutral Zone,
entry into which by either side
would constitute an act of war.
The treaty has been unbroken since that time.
Captain.
What you do not know and must be told
is that my command orders are precise and inviolable.
No provocation will be considered
sufficient reason to violate the zone.
We may defend ourselves,
but, if necessary
to avoid interspace war,
both these outposts and this vessel
will be considered expendable.
Captain out.
We know outpost 4 has been attacked, sir.
If we intercept Romulans now--
After a century, what will a Romulan ship look like?
I doubt they'll identify themselves.
They're painted like a giant bird of prey.
Is history your specialty?
Family history.
A Captain Stiles was in the space service,
and several officers--
all lost in that war, sir.
Their war, Mr. Stiles.
Not yours.
Don't forget it.
Yes, sir.
Outpost 2 coming into sensor range, Captain.
Outpost 2 was the first to go silent?
Yes, Captain.
Then outpost 3 an hour later.
Sweeping the area of outpost 2.
Sensor reading indefinite.
Double-checking outpost 3.
I read dust and debris.
Both Earth outposts gone,
and the asteroids they were constructed on...
pulverized.
Open a channel to our nearest command base.
Quarter-hour reports on our position and status.
Yes, sir.
Call battle stations, Mr. Sulu.
Battle stations.
All hands to battle stations.
Battle stations.
All decks acknowledge.
All decks acknowledge, sir.
All stations show green.
Energize main phasers.
All weapons to full power.
Phaser control room.
Energize. Acknowledge.
Phaser control acknowledging.
All weapons energizing to full.
Happy wedding day... almost.
You won't get off my hook this easily.
I'm going to marry you, mister,
battle or phaser weapons notwithstanding.
Well, meanwhile, temporarily at least,
I am still your superior officer.
So get with it, mister.
Helm weapons ready.
Starboard weapons ready.
Acknowledged. All weapons batteries ready.
Outpost 4 now 5 minutes away.
And showing on my sensors.
At least it's still there.
Sir, regaining contact with outpost 4.
Switching to speakers.
Outpost 4...
Do you read me, Enterprise?
This is Commander Hansen.
Kirk here. We're minutes away, Hansen.
What's your status?
Outposts 2, 3, and 8 are gone.
Unknown weapon. Completely destroyed,
even though we were alerted.
Had our deflector shield on maximum.
Hit by enormous power.
First attack blew our deflector shield.
If they hit us again
with our deflector shield gone...
Do you read me, Enterprise?
Confirm what hit you, Hansen.
What vessel? ldentity?
Space vessel, only glimpse of.
Can you locate the intruder for us?
Negative.
It seems to have disappeared somehow.
I have you on my screen now. Switching to visual.
Tie us in.
Tied in, sir.
Enterprise, can you see it?
My command post here.
We're a mile deep on an asteroid.
Almost solid iron.
And even through our deflectors, it did this. Can you see?
Affirmative.
What about the intruder?
No identification.
No answer to our challenge.
Only a glimpse of it.
Then they fired something at us--
some form of high-energy plasma.
Fantastic power.
And then the whole vessel disappeared,
but it's out there somewhere.
Our sensors show that much.
Enterprise, something coming on our viewing screen.
Lock us onto your screen.
Switching.
Can you see it, Enterprise?
Can you see her?
It's becoming visible
in the center of my screen.
Do you have phaser capacity?
Negative. Phasers gone.
Weapons crew dead.
Make challenge. Warn that ship off.
I'm trying, sir. They don't acknowledge.
Outpost 4...
disintegrated, Captain.
Position of the intruder, Mr. Spock.
Disappeared.
Interesting how they became visible briefly.
When they opened fire.
Perhaps necessary when they use the weapons.
A blip on the sensor. Could be the intruder.
Full magnification.
Screen is on full mag.
I don't see anything.
Can't understand it.
Invisibility is theoretically possible, Captain--
selectively bending light.
But the power cost is enormous.
They may have solved that.
Continuing to challenge. Still no response.
Discontinue.
Contact remaining outposts.
Have them signal us
any sightings or sensor readings in their area.
Blip has changed its heading.
And in a leisurely maneuver.
They may not be aware of us.
Their invisibility screen may work both ways.
With that kind of power consumption,
they may not be able to see us.
His heading is now 111...
mark 14--
The heading a Romulan would take
toward the Neutral Zone...
and home.
Parallel course.
Don't you mean interception course?
Negative. You and Mr. Sulu will match its course and speed exactly,
move for move.
If he has sensors,
he should think we're a reflection,
an echo.
Do not enter the Neutral Zone without direct orders.
Acknowledged, sir.
Cancel battle stations.
All decks-- standby alert.
Cancel battle stations.
May I respectfully remind the captain
what has happened?
Romulans have attacked our outposts, killed our men.
Mr. Stiles--
It was a sneak attack.
Are you questioning my orders?
Negative, sir.
We could have Romulan spies aboard this ship.
I agree, sir.
Respectfully recommend
all decks maintain security alert.
Very well.
All decks-- security alert.
Security alert, sir.
Picking up communications.
It's from their ship.
Pipe it in.
Sounds like code, sir.
I have a fix on it, Captain.
I can lock on it,
get a picture of their bridge.
Put it on the screen.
Decoding?
Cryptography is working on it, sir.
Give it to Spock.
I didn't quite get that, Mr. Stiles.
Repeat it.
I was suggesting that Mr. Spock
could probably translate it for you, sir.
I assume you're complimenting Spock's abilities.
I'm not sure, sir.
Here's one thing you can be sure of--
Ieave any bigotry in your quarters.
There's no room for it on the bridge.
Do I make myself clear?
You do, sir.
Transmission has been cut off.
I made a tape of it, sir.
Very well.
[Transmission Playing]
Something visual ahead, Captain,
at extreme range.
He's changing course, sir.
Stay with him, helm.
Turning, sir.
We grow visible. Attend the cloaking system.
It consumes much power, Commander. With no enemy to concern--
That Earth outpost called to an Earth vessel.
Which neither retreats nor grows near.
It is our judgment we run from a reflection.
Perhaps so, but my judgment prevails.
Cloaking system on, sir.
It is good we approach the Neutral Zone.
Not too soon for me
to see the stars of home.
I know they are following.
If an Earth ship,
why does he not attack?
First study the enemy,
seek weakness.
If I were their commander,
that is what I would do.
My commander sent for Decius.
A message was dispatched. You've broken the rule of silence.
Only to inform our praetor of the glorious mission.
Your carelessness might have ended this glorious mission.
You're reduced two steps in rank.
Take care, Commander.
He has friends,
and friends of his kind mean power,
and power is danger.
Danger and I are old companions.
We've seen 100 campaigns together.
Still I do not understand you.
I think you do.
You know what happens when we reach home with proof of the Earthmen's weakness,
and we will have proof.
The Earth commander will follow.
When he attacks, we will destroy him.
Our gift to the homeland-- another war.
If we are strong, isn't this the signal for war?
Must it always be so?
How many comrades have we lost?
Our portion, Commander...
is obedience.
Obedience...
duty.
Death and more death.
Soon even enough for the praetor's taste.
Centurion...
I find myself wishing for destruction
before we can return.
Worry not.
Like you, I am too well-trained in my duty
to permit it.
Continue evasive maneuvers.
Now back to the first course.
They're turning, sir.
We're staying with them.
Steady on 111, mark 14.
Back on their original course, Captain,
toward the Neutral Zone.
What's our position, navigator?
We'll enter the Neutral Zone in less than an hour,
assuming, of course, that we don't turn back.
[Scott] We now have aboard debris from outpost 4, Captain.
Bring it to the briefing room.
Are you ready, gentlemen?
From the outpost protective shield--
cast rodinium.
This is the hardest substance
known to our science.
Lab theorizes an enveloping energy plasma
forcing an implosion.
Comments?
Obviously, their weaponry is superior to ours,
and they have a practical invisibility screen.
You're discussing tactics.
Do you realize what this comes down to?
Millions of lives hanging on what we do.
Or on what we fail to do.
The question remains.
Can we engage them with a reasonable possibility of victory?
No question. Their power is simple impulse.
We can outrun them?
To be used in chasing them or retreating...sir?
Go ahead. I'm looking for opinions.
- We have to attack immediately. - Explain.
They're still on our side of the Neutral Zone.
It's clear they broke the treaty.
Attack without a visible target?
How do we aim our phasers?
Aim with sensors. Not accurate, but--
Enough for a lucky shot before they target us?
If we don't,
they'll report we saw their weapons and ran.
And if they could report they destroyed us?
You run away from Romulans, and you guarantee war.
They'll be back
with everything they've got.
You know that, Mr. Science Officer.
You've always left out that point.
I'm very interested in why.
Sit down, mister.
I agree.
Attack.
Are you suggesting we fight to prevent a fight?
Based on what?
Memories of an old war?
On theories about a people we've never even met?
We know what they look like.
Indeed we do.
If Romulans are an offshoot
of my Vulcan blood,
then attack becomes even more imperative.
War is never imperative.
It is for them, Doctor.
Vulcan, like Earth,
had its aggressive colonizing period,
savage even by Earth standards.
If Romulans retain this martial philosophy,
then we dare not show weakness.
Do you want a galactic war?
Captain to bridge.
This is Uhura.
What's our position?
Course unchanged. Estimating treaty boundary in 21 minutes.
Are you broadcasting tactical reports?
Affirmative.
At this distance?
Approximately three hours before receiving
a reply to our first message.
Check our course ahead, Mr. Spock.
A comet, magnitude 7,
dead ahead,
and the intruder changing course toward it.
Comet lchyrus-4. Composition?
Quite ordinary.
An ionized mass, a trail of frozen vapor particles.
And when an invisible object passes through it...
It leaves a visible trail.
Ah!
Our chance, gentlemen.
Prepare to attack. All hands--battle stations.
I hope we won't need your services, Bones.
Amen to that.
You're taking a big gamble, Jim.
Battle status?
All stations manned, Captain.
Phaser weapons energized.
Set for proximity blast.
Intruder bearing directly for comet's tail.
Plot his point of entry, Stiles.
Computed. On the board, sir.
When he enters the comet's tail, he's visible.
End run, gentlemen.
We'll swing around the other side
and catch him at that moment.
Acknowledged, Captain.
He's maintaining that bearing, Captain.
Let's get him, Mr. Sulu.
How pleasing to the eye it is.
Behold a marvel in the darkness.
You spoke of entrapment.
Its many particles will obscure
their sensing device, centurion.
We enter it, Commander.
Once fully obscured,
we will turn suddenly back upon our adversary.
The screen is clear.
Clear?
Our reflection no longer follows us.
Escape maneuver one! Quickly!
We're losing sensor contact, Captain.
Steady as she goes.
Phaser crews ready?
Phaser crews signal ready, sir.
He'll only be visible for a moment.
Stand by.
Sir...
he must have--
Guessed our move.
Hard to starboard, helm!
Hard to starboard!
He did exactly what I would have done.
I won't underestimate him again.
Now, fire blind. Lay down a pattern.
Traverse pattern! All phasers fire!
Phaser one, fire!
Phaser two, fire!
Phaser two, fire.
Divert all power to weapons.
Phaser overload.
Control circuit burnout.
It'll take time to correct, sir.
Captain, are they surrendering?
Full astern!
Emergency warp speed!
- Do we have emergency warp? - Full power. It's still overtaking us.
If we can get one phaser working, sir,
one shot would detonate it.
Navigation?
Estimate it will overtake us in two minutes.
Phasers, Mr. Spock?
Impossible, Captain.
Feed this to the space recorder and jettison immediately.
Captain, should I continue log entry--
Yeoman.
Affirmative, continue log entries.
Yes, sir.
10 seconds to impact.
Captain...
It's dissipating, sir.
It must have a range limit.
5...
4...
3...
2...
1...
impact!
Limited range.
Phasers operational, Captain.
Intruder bearing 111, mark 14.
Back to his old course.
He may think we're destroyed.
I wouldn't make that assumption.
I don't think their captain will, either.
Intruder holding steady, course 111, mark 14.
Same as before, Mr. Sulu.
Stay with him.
Commander, the reflection returns.
Activate our cloak.
Our fuel's low!
Quickly!
The Earth vessel? lmpossible.
It moves as we move.
Its commander is not one to repeat a mistake.
We'll enter the Neutral Zone in one minute, captain.
Do we violate the treaty, Captain?
They did, Doctor.
Once inside, they can claim we did. They want war, we provoke it.
We're still on our side, Captain.
Let's get them before we enter the Neutral Zone.
Full ahead, Mr. Sulu. Maximum warp.
Ahead, sir. Maximum.
Phasers, stand by.
At this distance?
We know their achilles heel, Mr. Stiles.
Their weapon takes all their energy. They must become visible to launch it.
A phaser hit at this distance would be wild luck.
I'm aware of that. Are phasers ready?
Phasers show ready.
Commander!
Evasive action.
The Earth ship again.
20 seconds to Neutral Zone, sir.
Lieutenant Uhura,
inform command base...
In my opinion, no option.
On my responsibility,
we are proceeding into the Neutral Zone.
Steady as we go, Mr. Sulu. Continue firing.
Commander, they stay within range!
I will tend to the centurion.
No need.
Centurion is dead.
Why don't we fire, Commander?
No.
No, he's shrewd, this starship commander.
He tries to make us waste energy.
He has estimated we have only enough...
It is time.
All debris into disposal tubes.
Yes, Commander.
The body of the centurion, too.
Forgive me, my old friend,
but I must use all my experience now
to get home.
Motion sensor signal stopped.
Cease fire.
Debris scatter ahead, sir.
We've hit it.
Vessel wreckage-- metal molds, conduit,
plastaforms, and a body, Captain.
However...
However?
Insufficient mass, sir.
What?
Simple debris.
Not a vessel,
a trick.
Go to sensor probes.
Nothing, sir.
No motion out there at all.
We've lost them, Captain.
Captain's Log, Stardate 1709.6. We are at the Neutral Zone.
Have lost contact with the intruder.
No reaction on our motion sensors,
but believe the Romulan vessel is close by
with all engines and systems shut down.
The Enterprise also waits in silence in hope of regaining contact.
Captain, I must make further repairs on the transfer coil.
It's giving out again.
Work quietly.
Now 20 full cycles, Commander.
Still no sign.
I say he's been fooled.
He must have gone on.
Shh... he is there somewhere.
I feel it.
Captain's Log, supplemental.
Now motionless for 9 hours, 47 minutes.
Can I get you something, sir?
Coffee, at least?
Thank you, Yeoman.
Bring it to the bridge. I'll be there in a moment.
Yes, sir.
I wish I were on a long sea voyage somewhere.
Not too much deck tennis. No frantic dancing.
No responsibility.
Why me?
I look around that bridge,
and I see the men waiting for me to make the next move.
And, Bones...
what if I'm wrong?
Captain--
No, I don't really expect an answer.
But I've got one.
Something I seldom say
to a customer, Jim.
In this galaxy, there's a mathematical probability
of 3 million Earth-type planets.
And in all of the universe,
3 million million galaxies like this.
And in all of that,
and perhaps more,
only one of each of us.
Don't destroy the one named Kirk.
[Alarm Sounds]
It's all right.
A signal, Commander.
We have him.
Move toward him.
Power on.
Reverse course. He'll try to slip under us.
Lateral power.
Coming around.
Phasers, fire.
Commander, how?
He's a sorcerer, that one.
He reads the thoughts in my brain.
Our fuel supply all but gone,
and he stays out of reach.
We are beaten.
Can it be true?
The praetor's finest and proudest flagship beaten!
Perhaps we can yet save
your praetor's pride for him.
More debris into the tubes!
Decius, do we have the old-style nuclear warheads aboard?
Yes, but only for self-destruction.
Place one with the debris.
Proximity fuse.
Yes, Commander, at once.
More wreckage across our path.
Cease fire.
Debris on our scanners.
Analysis, quickly.
Same as before.
Except...
one metal-cased object!
Helm, hard over! Phasers, fire point-blank!
Phasers, fire!
Glorious.
Now we go home.
They're at our mercy.
Commander...
I remind you of your duty.
- Captain to sick bay. - McCoy here.
- Casualties? - 22 so far.
Mainly radiation burns from the ship's outer areas.
Could have been much worse, Captain.
Thank you, Doctor.
Report, Mr. Spock?
Nuclear device of some kind, sir.
Our phasers detonated it less than 100 meters away.
- Ship damage? - Mainly overloads and circuit burnouts.
- Weapons status? - We've only the forward phaser room.
- Fully operable, Scotty? - Yes, sir.
But Tomlinson is manning it alone. No standby crew available.
Sir, my first assignment was in weapons control.
Go.
Lieutenant Uhura, take over navigation.
Yes, Captain.
We have engine power now, Captain, if you'd like to move off and make repairs.
No. Maybe we can pull them back
to our side of the Neutral Zone.
Hold our position. Play dead.
Still no sign of movement, Commander.
We're damaged ourselves.
Our fuel reserve is gone.
And it is our duty
to crush the praetor's enemies.
I do not trust their captain.
We are in the Neutral Zone!
They will not enter.
If you refuse,
permit me the glory of the kill, Commander.
We will attack...
but on my order.
Damage reports, Mr. Stiles?
Negative.
Will you require assistance?
This time, we'll handle things without your help, Vulcan.
Tomlinson!
Enemy vessel becoming visible, sir.
Forward phasers, stand by.
Fire!
Stiles, can you hear me? Fire!
Fire!
Stiles, can you hear me? Fire!
Fire!
Stiles, can you hear me? Fire!
Stiles!
Weapons!
Mr. Sulu, prepare to move in on the Romulan vessel.
Ship-to-ship, Uhura.
Put this on the screen.
Hailing frequencies open.
Captain, standing by to beam your survivors aboard our ship.
Prepare to abandon your vessel.
No.
No, that is not our way.
I regret that we meet in this way.
You and I are of a kind.
In a different reality,
I could have called you friend.
What purpose will it serve to die?
We are creatures of duty, Captain.
I have lived my life by it.
Just one more duty to perform.
- You all right, Mr. Spock? - Yes, very well, Captain.
- And you, Stiles? - I'm alive, sir.
But I wouldn't be.
Mr. Spock pulled me out of the phaser room.
He saved my life.
He risked his life after l--
I saved a trained navigator so he could return to duty.
I am capable of no other feelings in such matters.
How many men did we lose?
Only one-- Tomlinson.
The boy who was getting married this morning.
His fiancee's at the chapel.
We finally received an answer from command base, sir.
They'll support whatever decision you have to make.
It never makes any sense.
You both have to know that there was a reason.
I'm all right.