Episode 5 Teaser

TIDES OF STARS
A Star Trek: Triangle script

by David Brin

1 INT --- U.S.S. ENTERPRISE BRIDGE – DAY

The access door to the briefing room opens, admitting CAPTAIN KAAJ and some of his bridge crew, brandishing weapons.

KAAJ

To arms, Earthers! Your conquerors have arrived!

TIBBS

That’d be you?

KAAJ

No, not ME, Captain! Why, even now my mutinous crew is cutting through the floor of your turbolift car, and after that – WHY are you not all armed? I thought the ROMULANS were the ones who embraced death!

THARK

I’ve been asking myself that lately, too.

KAAJ

No time! Here they come! Kuvekaasei, stay out of the way of fighting men …

(The elevator doors burst apart in a flash. Klingons leap through, shooting. KAAJ and his men take cover behind the bridge rail and return fire, establishing a gunfight with the Captain’s Chair in the middle.)

AZUNDERKAR

“Kuvekaasei?” (KOO-vay-KAY-zee)

HANNAH

“Uh, slave-hands, more or less. People that don’t have weapons in their hands, so they’re basically tools for whoever wants them.”

AZUNDERKAR

Tools are good. I can work with that.                  

(He reaches up to work his console, but a shot blasts the video monitor and he ducks back down.)

AZUNDERKAR

Ow! Em Cee Square!

THARK

Grenade out!

TIBBS, HANNAH, AZUNDERKAR (together)

ON THE BRIDGE?

(Wham! The elevator explodes, doors slamming outwards. The Klingons in front of it are cut down in a flash of blue light that makes them glow red and crumple.)

THARK

No, in the elevator. WE’RE on the bridge.

KAAJ

Ha, ha! Well struck, purple Earthman! Up Starfleet!

AZUNDERKAR

Aw hell, it’s another shapeshifter. No way a Klingon just said “Up Starfleet.”

HANNAH

Not the way YOU mean …

KAAJ

And as this elevator has no bottom, another grenade wouldn’t go amiss … thank you, Sergeant …

(Wham! The elevator shakes from below.)

TIBBS

You had grenades. On the BRIDGE.

THARK

The Klingons had grenades. I took them.

TIBBS

Outstanding. What do they still hold?

RIVA

Life Support and Port Phaser … no, just Port Phaser. How’s the brig, Hannah?

HANNAH

Messy. Leaper was in there.

RIVA

Oh, my … any survivors?

HANNAH

Sure. Uh, two. I think. One looked iffy.

AZUNDERKAR

Life Support’s blocking the stun gas. But just in that one section, as far as I can tell.

TIBBS

Then we take it back. Major, I believe we have several Marines right here?

RIVA

Oo-rah, sir. On the way.

PELTIER

Shuttlecraft launch! Looks like it damaged the doors.

TIBBS

I thought we cleared the shuttle deck.

AZUNDERKAR

Cleared it of air, yes. Pumped it down. Unless some of the boarders had space suits .. which would have been a good idea, with that sudden jump aboard …

PELTIER

I can take the fighter out after ‘em!

AZUNDERKAR

Suit up first … there’s no atmosphere.

PELTIER

Right!

M’RESS

Mmm, Captain, therrre’s a call from the Brrrig forrr you.

TIBBS

Tibbs. Go.

BRIG (filtered voice-over)

Ah, Captain, this is Lt. Murphy speakin’ … the Klingon pris’ners are all in a moil. Seems someone’s lifted their preciouses an’ they’re swearin’ bloody revenge …

KAAJ

My people? Let me talk to them!

(TIBBS motions)

KAAJ

Mark! Who among the officers is disgracing us in front of the Earthers? If a Klingon’s loot is stolen, can he not just win some more?

MARK (filtered voice-over)

Arr, Cap’n. It truly be so. Only it’s not ours what be taken, ye see. Tis your’n.

KAAJ

The stasis boxes!

MARK (filtered voice-over)

Arr. All but th’one.

AZUNDERKAR

If even one of those has ancient tech from the Slaver era … it could change the balance of power!

PELTIER

Worse than that, Mr. Azunderkar. It could not only start a war … but finish one!

MUSIC UP AND HOLD

HANNAH

Say, where’s that Romulan commander?

MUSIC STING

FADE TO CREDITS