You fly?
Oh, here and there.
I flew something similar back in my academy days.
Then this must be old stuff to you.
Old, yes, but interesting.
Mind if I ask you a few questions?
Do it.
This is a fine place you have here, Dr. Nichols.
Thank you.
Your knowledge of engineering
is most impressive.
Back home we call him "The miracle worker."
Indeed. May I offer you something, gentlemen?
I might be able to offer something to you.
Yes?
I noticed you're still working with polymers.
Still?
What else would I be working with?
Aye, what else, indeed.
I'll put it another way.
How thick would a piece of your plexiglass
need to be at 60' x 10'
to withstand the pressure
of 18,000 cubic feet of water?
That's easy. 6 inches.
We stock that size.
I have noticed.
Now, suppose...
just suppose...
I were to show you
a way to manufacture a wall
that would do the same job
but be only 1 inch thick?
Would that be worth something to you, eh?
You're joking.
Perhaps the professor could use your computer.
Please.
Computer.
Ah.
Hello, computer.
Just use the keyboard.
The keyboard.
How quaint.
"Transparent aluminum"?
That's the ticket, laddie.
It would take years
just to figure out the dynamics of this matrix.
You would be rich
beyond the dreams of avarice.
So, is it worth something to you,
or should I just punch up "clear"?
No! No.
[Door Opens]
Not now, Madelaine!
What exactly did you have in mind?
Well, a moment alone, please.
You realize, of course,
if we give him the formula,
we're altering the future.
Why?
How do we know he didn't invent the thing?
Yeah.
Sure you won't change your mind?
Is there something wrong with the one I have?
A little joke.
Bye, old friend.
Wait a minute!
How did you know Gracie's pregnant?
Nobody knows that.
Gracie does.
I'll be right here.
What, he'll just hang around the bushes
while we eat?
It's his way.
Do you trust me?
Implicitly.
A large mushroom, pepperoni
with extra onions,
and Michelob, please.
O.K. Great choice. And you, sir?
Make that two.
Thank you.
Well... how did a nice girl like you
get to be a cetacean biologist?
Just lucky, I guess.
You're upset about losing the whales,
aren't you?
You're very perceptive.
How will that be done exactly?
They'll be flown in a special 747 to Alaska
and released there.
That's the last you'll see of them?
See, yes,
but we'll tag them with radio transmitters
so that we can keep tabs on them.
You know,
I could take those whales somewhere...
where they'd never be hunted.
You can't even get yourself
from Sausalito to San Francisco
without a lift.
If you have a low opinion a my abilities,
how come we're having dinner?
Sucker for hard luck cases.
Ha ha ha.
Cheers.
Besides...
why are you traveling with that ditzy guy
who knows Gracie's pregnant
and calls you admiral?
Where could you take them?
Hmm?
My whales.
Where would they be safe?
It's not so much a place as a time.
The time would have to be right now.
Why right now?
No humpback born in captivity
has ever survived.
The problem is
they won't be that much safer at sea
because of all the hunting this time of year.
So you see,
that, as they say, is that.
Damn.
[Beep Beep Beep]
What is that?
What's what?
You have a pocket pager.
[Beep Beep Beep]
Are you a doctor?
[Beep Beep Beep]
What is it?
I said don't call me.
Sorry, Admiral.
We thought you should know.
They're beaming them in now.
O.K., tell them phasers on stun.
Good luck. Kirk out.
You want to try it from the top?
Why don't you tell me
when those whales are leaving?
Who are you?
Who do you think?
Don't tell me.
You're from outer space.
No, I'm from Iowa.
I only work in outer space.
Well, I was close.
I knew outer space would come into this sometime.
The truth?
I'm all ears.
O.K.
The truth.
I am from what on your calendar
would be the late 23rd century.
I've come back in time...
to bring two humpback whales
with me,
in an attempt to...
repopulate the species.
Well, why didn't you just say so?
I mean, why all the coy disguises?
You want the details?
I wouldn't miss this for all the tea in China.
When are those whales being released?
O.K.
What the hell?
Your friend was right.
Gracie's not only pregnant,
she is very pregnant,
and at noon tomorrow,
in what is sure to be a media circus,
the whales get shipped out.
Noon tomorrow?
Are we leaving?
Come on. We haven't much time.
Make that to go.
Who gets the bad news?
Don't they use money in the 23rd century?
Well, we don't.
Now hear this.
Smoking lamp is out while transferring fuel.
[Beeping]
How long?
Depends on how much shielding there is
between us and the reactor.
Well, ahem, Admiral,
that was the briefest dinner I've ever had
and certainly the biggest fish story
I've ever heard.
You asked.
Uh, you tell me something.
George and Gracie's transmitter...
what's the radio frequency?
Sorry, that's classified.
Look, I don't have a clue who you are!
You wouldn't want to show me
around your spaceship, would you?
That's not my first choice.
Well, there we are.
Let me tell you something.
I'm here to bring two humpbacks
into the 23rd century.
If I have to,
I'll get them from the open sea.
I'd much rather have yours.
It's better for me, better for you,
it's better for them.
Think about it.
Who are you?
Think about it, but don't take too long.
I'm out of time.
If you reconsider, I'll be here.
Here?
In the park.
Right.
The tank will be finished by morning.
That's cutting it close.
What about team two?
No word since beaming.
We'll wait for their call.
Damn it!
We got two perfect whales right in our hands.
If we don't move quickly, we'll lose them.
In that event, our mission will probably fail.
Our mission?
Spock, you're talking about
the end of every life on earth.
You're half human.
Haven't you got
any goddamn feelings about that?
[Footsteps]
[Beep]
There it is again.
That's too weird.
Commander?
I thought you gents were running a test program.
Yes, but we're apparently getting a power drain.
It must be coming from inside the ship.
[Telephone Rings]
CIC command duty officer, Commander Rogerson.
Yes, Chief, we're tracking that, too.
What do you think?
Scotty,
we're ready for beam-out.
Scotty, can you hear me?
[Static]
Confirmed.
Roger that.
Mardet commanding officer.
This is the command duty officer,
Commander Rogerson.
We have an intruder in number four MMR.
I say again...
we have an intruder in number four MMR.
Scotty, do you read?
Scotty, come in, please.
Yes.
I hardly hear you.
My transporter power is down to minimal.
I'll bring you in one at a time.
Take the collector.
You go first.
Stand by.
Scotty.
Hello.
Come in, please.
Scotty.
How soon?
Chekov!
You're breaking up!
Please signal again!
Chekov, can you hear me?
Scotty, now would be a good time.
Freeze!
Chekov!
I've lost him.
"Commander Pavel Chekov.
"Starfleet.
United Federation of Planets."
All right, Commander.
Is there anything you'd want to tell us?
Like what?
Like who you really are,
what you're doing here,
and what these things are.
I am Pavel Chekov,
a commander in Starfleet,
United Federation of Planets.
Service number 656-5827 d.
All right. Let's take it from the top.
The top of what?
Name.
My name?
No, my name!
Play games with me, mister, and you're through.
I am?
May I go now?
What do you think?
He's a Russkie.
That's the stupidest thing I've heard.
Of course, he's a Russkie,
but he's a retard or something.
We better call Washington.
Don't move.
O.K. Make nice.
Give us the ray gun.
I warn you...
lie on the floor, or I'll stun you.
Go ahead.
Stun me.
I'm very sorry, but...
[Phaser Squeaks]
Must be the radiation.
Emergency.
We have a security breach.
General alarm.
[Alarm Sounds]
Hit the deck!
Aah!
Man down.
Get a corpsman over here.
Yes, sir.
Any luck?
Nothing.
I shouldn't have left him.
You did what was necessary.
Keep trying. You'll find him.
Scotty, you promised me an estimate
on the dilithium crystals.
It's going slowly, sir.
It'll be well into tomorrow.
That's not good enough.
You've got to do better.
I'll try, sir. Scott out.
He's in a wee bit of a snit.
He's a man of deep feelings.
Aye. What else is new?
They left last night.
We didn't want a mob scene.
Besides, it's easier on you this way.
You sent them away
without even letting me say goodbye?
You son of a bitch!
Admiral!
Admiral Kirk!
[Helicopter Approaches]
Admiral!
Admiral Kirk!
Wait!
Admiral!
Admiral Kirk!
Oof!
Admiral!
Admiral Kirk!
Can you hear me?
They're gone! I need your help!
Are you in there?
Admiral, we have a problem!
Admiral!
Admiral Kirk!
Can you hear me?
Admiral!
Admiral Kirk!
Can you hear me?
Admiral Kirk!
Can you hear me?
I need your help!
Oh, my God.
Aah...
Aah!
Hello, Alice.
Welcome to Wonderland.
Oh, it's true.
It's true?
What you said.
Yes, it is.
You picked a great time to drop in.
Oh, take it easy.
We need your help.
Is any of this real?
Yes, it's real. Take a look.
Storage tanks for your whales.
Admiral, they're gone.
Gone?
They were taken last night.
They're in Alaska by now.
Damn.
But they're tagged.
You can go find them, right?
We can't go anywhere.
What kind of a spaceship is this?
It's a spaceship with a missing man.
Admiral,
full power has been restored.
Thank you, Mr. Spock.
Hello, doctor.
Welcome aboard.
Admiral, are you there?
Yes, Uhura.
What's wrong?
I've located Chekov, sir.
They're taking him to emergency surgery
right now.
Where?
Mercy Hospital.
Mercy Hospital?
That's in the Mission district.
They report his condition as critical.
He's not expected to survive.
Jim...
you've got to let me go in there.
Don't leave him in the hands
of 20th century medicine.
Admiral, may I suggest that Dr. McCoy is correct?
We must help Chekov.
Is that the logical thing to do, Spock?
No, but it is the human thing to do.
Right.
Will you help us?
How?
Well...
we'll have to look like physicians.
We'll try down here. You check there.
Ohh.
What's the matter with you?
Kidney dialysis.
Dialysis?
My God. What is this, the dark ages?
Here.
Now, you swallow that.
If you have any problems, just call me.
Here. I got it.
Let's go.
Bones.
He's being held
in the security corridor.
One flight up.
His condition is critical.
Come on.
Uh, excuse me.
We'll take that.
Hold the door!
Hold that door.
Emergency.
You were there when it happened?
Yeah. I heard everything.
Weintraub says radical chemotherapy,
or she'll croak.
Well, what about Gottlieb?
All he talked about was image therapy.
I thought they'd punch each other out.
Unbelievable.
You have a different view, doctor?
It sounds like
the goddamn Spanish Inquisition
to me.
Bad day.
Out of the way.
Sorry. I have strict orders...
Ohh!
Want an acute case on your hands?
This woman has immediate postprandial
upper abdominal distention!
Ohh!
Get out of the way.
What did you say she's got?
Cramps.
[Drills]
Who are you?
Why aren't you masked?
Who are these people?
I don't know.
What the hell is that?
What are you doing?
Tearing of the middle meningeal artery.
What's your degree in, dentistry?
How do you explain slowing pulse,
low respiratory rate, and coma?
Funduscopic examination!
That's unrevealing in these cases.
A simple evacuation
of the expanding epidural hematoma
will relieve the pressure!
My God, man!
Drilling holes in his head isn't the answer.
The artery must be repaired.
Let me save this patient before it's too late.
I'm going to have you removed.
Doctor, such unprofessional behavior.
Into that little room, please.
What is that, a gun?
They must be crazy.
Who is that guy?
I have no idea.
He melted the lock!
We're dealing with medievalism here.
Chemotherapy.
Funduscopic examinations.
Come on, Chekov. Wake up.
Pavel.
Can you hear me?
He's coming around, Jim.
Pavel, talk to me.
Name. Rank.
Chekov,
Pavel.
Rank...
Admiral.
How's the patient, doctor?
He's going to make it.
He? You came in with a she.
One little mistake.
Get us out of here.
They've taken the patient.
Get some help.
Hold it!
Hold it! Police!
Not now, Pavel.
Hold it!
Look out! Look out!
The doctor gave me a pill,
and I grew a new kidney.
Fully functional?
Fully functional.
What the hell's going on?
Freeze!
Where would the whales be by now?
If you have a chart, I'll show you.
All I need is the radio frequency.
What are you talking about? I'm coming with you.
Our next stop is the 23rd century.
Well, I don't care.
I've got to help those whales!
There isn't time to argue
or tell you how much you've meant to us.
The radio frequency, please.
The frequency's 401 megahertz.
Thank you...
for everything.
Scotty, beam me up.
Surprise.
Spock, where's the power you promised?
One damn minute, Admiral.
I'm ready. Let's find George and Gracie.
Sulu?
I'm trying to remember how this thing worked.
You tricked me.
You need me.
Ready, sir.
Take a seat.
Now, Mr. Sulu.
[Engines Roar]
What the hell was that?
Cloaking device is stable.
All systems normal.
Stabilize energy reserve.
Report, helm.
Maintaining impulse climb.
Wing 5 by 0.
Helm steady.
Advise reaching 10,000.
Steer 310.
310, aye.
Uhura, scan for the whales.
401 megahertz.
Scanning, sir.
10,000 MSL, Admiral.
Wing, cruise configuration.
Full impulse power.
Aye, sir.
310 to the Bering Sea.
ETA, 12 minutes.
Scotty, are the whale tanks secure?
Aye, sir,
but I've never beamed up 400 tons before.
400 tons?
It's not just the whales.
It's the water.
Yes, of course.
The whales... any contact?
Negative, sir.
You present the appearance of a man with a problem.
Your perception is correct, doctor.
To return us
to the moment we left the 23rd century,
I've used our journey through time
as a referent,
calculating the elapsed time
in relation to the acceleration curve.
Naturally.
So, what's your problem?
Acceleration is no longer a constant.
Well, then, you'll have to take your best shot.
Best shot?
Guess, Spock.
Your best guess.
Guessing is not in my nature, doctor.
Well...
nobody's perfect.
[Beeping]
That's it. That's it!
Affirmative. Contact with the whales.
Bearing.
Bearing 327. Range 600 nautical.
Put it on the screen.
How?
On screen.
I have a signal closing in on the whales,
bearing 328 degrees.
Let's see it.
What kind of ship is that?
It's a whaling ship, doctor.
Are we too late?
Full power descent, Mr. Sulu.
Aye, sir. Full power descent.
10 seconds, sir.
[Clang]
[Ship Bell Ringing]
All right, Scotty. It's up to you.
10 seconds, Admiral.
5...
4...
3...
2...
1.
Admiral, there be whales here!
Well done, Mr. Scott.
How soon can we assume warp speed?
Full power now, sir.
If you will, Mr. Sulu.
Aye, sir. Warp speed.
Mr. Sulu, you have the comm.
I'm taking our guest to look at her whales.
Spock, have you accounted for
the whales and water in your time reentry?
Mr. Scott cannot give me exact figures,
so...
I will make a guess.
A guess?
You, Spock?
That's extraordinary.
I don't think he understands.
No, Spock.
He means that he feels safer about your guesses
than most other people's facts.
Then you're saying it is a compliment.
It is.
Ah.
Then I'll make the best guess I can.
"They say the sea is cold,
but the sea contains the hottest blood of all."
Whales weep not.
D.H. Lawrence.
You know, it's ironic.
When man was killing these creatures,
he was destroying his own future.
The beasties seem happy to see you, doctor.
I hope you like our little aquarium.
A miracle, Mr. Scott.
A miracle?
That's yet to come.
What does that mean?
Our chances of getting home aren't too good.
You might have lived longer if you'd stayed.
I belong here.
I am a whale biologist.
Suppose you do get them through?
Who in the 23rd century
knows anything about humpback whales?
You got a point.
What's that?
Admiral, you better get up there.
We're having a power fall-off.
Stay with them.
On my way.
Hold on tight, lassie.
It gets bumpy from here.
Warp 7.5!
7.9!
Shields at maximum.
Mr. Sulu, that's all I can give you.
Can we make breakaway speed?
Hardly, Admiral.
I cannot guarantee
we'll escape the sun's gravity.
I shall attempt to compensate
by altering our trajectory.
Warp 8.
8.1.
Maximum speed, sir.
Admiral, I need thruster control.
Acceleration thrusters at Spock's command.
Steady.
Now!
Did braking thrusters fire?
They did, Admiral.
Then where the hell are we?
The probe.
[Screeee]
Condition report, Spock.
No data, Admiral.
Computers are nonfunctional.
The mains are down, sir.
Aux power is not responding.
Switch to manual control, Mr. Sulu.
I have no controls, sir.
My God, Jim, where are we?
Out of control and blind as a bat.
Get him back! Get him back!
Look!
They're heading for the bridge!
Keep the nose up if you can.
We're in the water! Blow the hatch!
This is the right place.
Get the whales out before we sink.
Abandon ship!
Scotty, can you hear me?
Move! Move!
See to the safety of all hands.
I will.
[Screeee]
Lassie, get my arm.
I've got it.
You got it?
Yeah.
Scotty?
Admiral!
I'm here, Scotty!
I'm here!
You'll be all right.
The whales are trapped. They'll drown.
There's no power to the bay doors.
Explosive override.
It's underwater. It can't be reached.
You go on ahead and close the hatch.
Admiral, you'll be trapped.
Go on!
[Screeee]
Do you see them?
Oh!
[Screeee]
There!
Why don't they answer?
Why don't they sing?
[Screeee]
[Whales Singing]
[Screeee]
[Whales Singing]
Mr. President, we have power.
Council is now in session.
You all take your seats.
Bring in the accused.
Captain Spock,
you do not stand accused.
Mr. President, I stand with my shipmates.
As you wish.
The charges and specifications are
conspiracy,
assault on federation officers,
theft of federation property,
namely the Starship Enterprise,
sabotage of the U.S.S. Excelsior,
willful destruction of federation property,
specifically the aforementioned
U.S.S. Enterprise,
and finally,
disobeying direct orders of the Starfleet commander.
Admiral Kirk,
how do you plead?
On behalf of all of us, Mr. President,
I'm authorized to plead guilty.
So entered.
Because of certain mitigating circumstances,
all charges but one are summarily dismissed.
The remaining charge,
disobeying orders of a superior officer,
is directed solely at Admiral Kirk.
I'm sure the admiral will recognize
the necessity of keeping discipline
in any chain of command.
I do, sir.
James T. Kirk,
it is the judgment of this council
that you be reduced in rank to captain,
and that as a consequence of your new rank,
you be given the duties
for which you have repeatedly demonstrated
unswerving ability...
the command of a starship.
Silence.
Captain Kirk,
you and your crew have saved this planet
from its own shortsightedness,
and we are forever in your debt.
Excuse me.
I'm so happy for you, I can't tell you.
Thank you so much.
Wait. Where are you going?
You're going to your ship.
I'm going to mine. Science vessel.
I got 300 years
of catch-up learning to do.
You mean this is goodbye?
Why does it have to be goodbye?
Well...
like they say in your century,
I don't even have your telephone number.
How will I find you?
Don't worry.
I'll find you.
See you around the galaxy.
Father.
I'm returning to Vulcan within the hour.
I'd like to take my leave of you.
It was kind of you to make this effort.
It was no effort.
You are my son.
Besides...
I'm most impressed
with your performance in this crisis.
Most kind.
As I recall,
I opposed your enlistment
in Starfleet.
It is possible
that judgment was incorrect.
Your associates
are people of good character.
They are my friends.
Yes, of course.
Do you have a message for your mother?
Yes.
Tell her...
I feel fine.
Live long and prosper, father.
Live long and prosper, my son.
The bureaucratic mentality
is the only constant in the universe.
We'll get a freighter.
With all respect, doctor,
I'm counting on Excelsior.
Excelsior?
Why would you want that bucket of bolts?
A ship is a ship.
Whatever you say, sir.
Thy will be done.
My friends...
we've come home.
Helm ready, Captain.
All right, Mr. Sulu.
Let's see what she's got.