Strange New Worlds (TNG Era episode)

Strange New Worlds is the 2nd episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation The Next Generation Season 1.
==Synopsis==
Enterprise encounters a new world much like Earth. A small crew stays on the surface overnight to continue researching the planet. A violent storm forces the crew to shelter into a local cave, but crew members believe they are not alone. 
==Script Chapters==
===Teaser===
FADE IN
EXT-WARP TUNNEL
The Enterprise is at high warp.
INT-U.S.S. ENTERPRISE MESS HALL
ETHAN: How can you eat that stuff? 
(She is eating soup and reading about termites.) 
ELIZABETH: It's healthier than that. 
ETHAN: At least this tastes like something. 
CUTLER: I guess it just takes a more discriminating palate to appreciate Vulcan cuisine. Do you know there are over five thousand subspecies of termites on Loracus Prime? 
(A glow comes in through the window, every one gets up and looks at a beautiful blue planet.) 
ETHAN: I thought we were headed for a nebula. 
CUTLER: Anybody hear about this? 
CREWMAN: Not a word. 
CUTLER: I wonder if somebody lives there? 
ETHAN: There's a lot of plant life. It might be an oxygen atmosphere. 
CUTLER: What do you think, first contact? 
CREWMAN: I don't see any cities or agriculture. 
ETHAN: Maybe they live underground or in the water. 
CUTLER: Is that snow on those mountains? 
ETHAN: You'd think the Captain would make an announcement or something. 
CUTLER: Well, call him. 
CUT TO:
INT-U.S.S. ENTERPRISE MAIN BRIDGE
Transparent viewer shows the planet at the science station Commander T'Mir is looking at her console read out and report.
LTCMDR. T'MIR: Seventeen percent oxygen, eighty one percent nitrogen. 
LTCMDR. JAMES (Smiles): Sounds like home. 
CAPT. BRANSON: Any people? 
Lieutenant Sito runs her scans as well.
LT. SITO: No, sir it looks like no one has planted a flag yet.
CAPT. BRANSON: Still, someone may have a claim on it. We don't want to go waltzing into their back yard. Scan for marker buoys, beacons, man-made satellites.
Lieutenant Mason runs a scan and reports.
LT. MASON: None in range, sir. Looks like no one's laid claim to it yet.
Captain Branson turns to Commander Kal.
CAPT. BRANSON [smiles]: Jane, prep an Away Team Commander T'Mir pick your survey team.
LTCMDR. T'MIR: Captain. There are a number of protocols you may want to consider. 
Captain Branson walks over to the rail and leans on it.
CAPT. BRANSON: Protocols?
LTCMDR. T'MIR: Romulan ships would begin by sending automated probes down to collect more detailed scans. If the planet proved to be Minshara-class, we would then conduct a geophysical survey from orbit.
LT. SITO: Minshara?
Lieutenant Kaye leans over.
LT. KAYE: Suitable for humanoid life.
CAPT. BRANSON: Go on how long will that take?
LTCMDR. T'MIR [raises an eyebrow]: Six or seven days.
LTCMDR. KAL [still at the door]: You expect us to sit up here for a week while probes have all the fun?
LTCMDR. T'MIR: This planet has been here a long time. It will still be here in seven days. 
CAPT. BRANSON [smiles]: I understand that you have a more cautious approach, but we didn't come out here to tip-toe around. [to Kal] get the landing party ready.
[Kal leaves.]
CAPT. BRANSON: I'd like you to put together the survey team. I assume that's not a violation of protocol? 
[END OF TEASER, FADE OUT]
=====
Theme Music:
======
INTRO:
CAPT. BRANSON'S (voice over): Space The Final Frontier These are the Voyages of the Starship Enterprise its Continuing Mission: To Explore Strange New Worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations to boldly go where no one has gone before!
The Enterprise leaps into warp.
=====
STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION
A STAR TREK FAN FILM PRODUCTION
=====
BASED UPON STAR TREK CREATED BY: GENE RODDENBERRY
The Enterprise flies over a gas giant's rings.
STARRING
Jarvis Davidson 
 as
Captain John Branson
Felecia Linkous
 as
Lieutenant Commander Jane
Enterprise flies next to a Pioneer-Class vessel
Kevin Regan
 as
Lieutenant Jack Mason
Ferne Myers
 as
Lieutenant Commander Courtney James
USS Enterprise flies by a Watchtower Starbase
Jacob Elliot
 as
Doctor Peter Langford
Sadie Brickhouse
 as
Lieutenant Sito Jaxa
USS Enterprise flying through an Asteroid field
Delena "Dee" Lusk
 as
Lieutenant Jamie Kaye
Becky Elliot
 as
Lieutenant Commander T'Mir
USS Enterprise flies by Earth as the ship's warp engines power up and she leaps into warp.
CREATED BY:
JARVIS DAVIDSON & JEREMY REGAN
===Act 1===
FADE IN
EXT-PLANET ORBIT
[EPISODE NOTES: OPENNG CREDITS FALL OVER OPENING SCENES]
Enterprise is in orbit of the planet.
'INT-USS ENTERPRISE TRANSPORTER ROOM
The survey team is gearing up as Captain Branson enters.
CAPT. BRANSON: You've got the coordinates Chief?
CHIEF MACKENZIE: Yes, sir the middle of the meadow seems to be a good place to beam you down at.
They step onto the transporter pad.
CAPT. BRANSON: Energize.
Chief Mackenzie inputs commands into the transporter console and activates the transporter and the survey team dematerializes.
EXT-PLANET SURFACE
The survey team beams down as Captain Branson looks around the place as he turns to the survey team. 
CAPT. BRANSON: We're walking on an alien world light years from Earth or Romulus. Doesn't that impress you? 
LTCMDR. T'MIR: I wouldn't know this is my first time doing this I mostly was on Romulus with my mother and brother.
Then she turns to the survey team.
LTCMDR. T'MIR: You have your assignments. We'll rendezvous here at nineteen hundred hours, unless the Captain wants to make another speech.
John shook his head and they split up, Cutler examines eel-like fish in a lake. There are two crescent moons in the sky. Ethan picks a yellow flower in an alpine meadow. 
EXT-PLANET SURFACE, BY A STREAM
Captain Branson, Commander Kal, Commander James, and Lieutenant Mason are looking around. 
CAPT. BRANSON: I don't think my report to Starfleet will do this justice.
LT. MASON: A cabin in these woods would be nice. 
CAPT. BRANSON: Three weeks in deep space, you're ready to jump ship? 
LT. MASON (Smiles): Nah, and plus you guys would be lost without your tactical officer.
LTCMDR. T'MIR [com voice]: T'Mir to Branson
John tapped his combadge.
CAPT. BRANSON [to com]: Branson here go ahead.
LTCMDR. T'MIR [com voice]: Is there a problem?
CAPT. BRANSON [to com]: No, no problem. 
CUT TO:
EXT-PLANET SURFACE, BEAM DOWN POINT, DAY
CAPT. BRANSON [com voice]: Why?
LTJG. T'MIR [to com]: We were scheduled to rendezvous fifteen minutes ago. 
CUT TO:
EXT-PLANET SURFACE, BY A STREAM
Commander Kal rolls her eyes.
CAPT. BRANSON [to com]: Sorry, we lost track of time we'll be right there Branson out.
[They head back to the beam down coordinates.]
EXT-PLANET SURFACE, DAY
Captain Branson, Commander Kal, Lieutenant Mason, and Commander James shows up.
LTCMDR. T'MIR: We've identified several nocturnal marsupials. I'd like to keep crewmen Cutler and Novakovich with me overnight to study them. 
CAPT. BRANSON: Alright.
Then Lieutenant Mason chimes in.
LT. MASON: Captain, if it's all right with you, Courtney and I'd like to stay as well. 
LTCMDR. JAMES: We would? 
LT. MASON: When was the last time we got to campout under the stars? There's plenty of camping gear in the pod. 
LTCMDR. T'MIR: This isn't shore leave, this is a research mission. 
CAPT. BRANSON: Why can't it be a little bit of both? Research isn't the only reason we're out here. Pitch your tent, Lieutenant. 
LT. MASON: Thanks sir don't worry Commander we'll keep out of your hair.
T'Mir is a bit annoyed.
CUT TO:
EXT-PLANET SURFACE, SURVEY TEAM CAMP SITE-NIGHT
Jack, Courtney, Elizabeth, and Ethan are around the camp fire as Commander T'Mir is sitting at her tent reviewing her scans.
JACK: Keep in mind those cargo vessels weren't equipped for rescue operations, so the Captain wasn't sure what to do when he picked up the distress call. But it wasn't a ship that sent the signal. It was a life-pod from one of the old Y-500-class freighters. 
COURTNEY: Those were retired when we got the more powerful warp drive system. 
JACK: Exactly. The pod had been drifting in space for sixty three years. Bio-scans showed one life-sign inside the pod. Human. The assistant engineer, George Webb, a friend of my father's, was assigned to open it. Took him over an hour to cut through the hull. He said the metal felt strange, cold to the touch. 
COURTNEY: Of course it was cold. It was floating in space for sixty years. 
JACK: He could hear a tapping noise coming from inside, but when he finally got it open the pod was empty. No body, nothing. A few days later, Webb started acting strange, getting into fights with the crew, muttering to himself in some sort of alien language. Then one day he locked himself in Engineering and overloaded the sub-light engine reactors. He almost destroyed the ship. Then he sealed himself in a life pod and ejected it. 
ELIZABETH: I assume the Captain went after him. 
JACK: No the engines were too badly damaged to attempt a retrieval of the pod, some people say it was an alien life form that got into him, others think it was the ghost of a dead crewman. I never knew what to believe, but Webb is still out there, drifting. When the subspace noise is real low, some comm. officers say they can still hear the echo of his distress call. Beep, Beep. 
(All laugh.) 
T'MIR: It's highly doubtful that a distress beacon could function continuously for sixty three years. 
COURTNEY: Let me guess. No ghost stories on Romulus?
ELIZABETH [pointing up]: That's it, to the left of that trinary cluster.
JACK: What is?
ELIZABETH: Our sun. 
STEPHANIE: Are you sure? 
ELIZABETH: Yeah, positive. Just another speck of light no different than any other. 
JACK: When I was a kid I'd go camping with my buddies. We'd spend half the night looking up at the stars wondering what our own sun would look like from this far away. 
COURTNEY: Now you know. 
Crewmen Novakovich starts feeling strange as Cutler looks at him.
ELIZABETH: Are you okay? 
ETHAN: Headache. If it's all right with you, I'd like to lie down for a while before we get back to work.
LTCMDR. T'MIR: Certainly I don't want my best officer to have a headache while we're observing some new life.
He heads to one of the tents.
ELIZABETH: Wait a minute. You notice something? Fireflies are gone. 
COURTNEY: Nice going, Jack, you scared off the bugs. 
ELIZABETH: Maybe it's the ghost of George Webb.
(A gust of wind suddenly blows through the camp.) 
JACK: Looks like we might have ourselves a little weather. 
LTCMDR. T'MIR [re: Tricorder]: A front is approaching from the south west.
INT-JACK & COURTNEY'S TENT
They're both in separate sleeping bags.
JACK: It must be gusting at eighty kph.
COURTNEY: I remember the time on our honeymoon the place got hit with a seventy-one mile wind.
JACK: Trying being on a ship traveling through an ion storm with deflectors up.
INT-CREWMENS CUTLER & NOVAKOVICH'S TENT
Ethan gets up quickly. 
ETHAN: Did you hear that? 
CUTLER (Groggy): What? 
ETHAN: Someone's out there. 
CUTLER (groggy): It's the wind. 
She falls back to sleep as the young officer looks around. 
CUT TO:
INT-JACK & COURTNEY'S TENT
JACK (leaping up): Ow! Son of a bitch! 
COURTNEY: What's wrong? 
JACK: Something is in by bag. 
They see something strange. 
COURTNEY: What is that? 
JACK: I don't know where's your boot. 
COURTNEY: Are we allowed to step on bugs? 
JACK: Yeah if they're crawling in your sleeping bag, wait where did you put the phasers? 
COURTNEY: You're going to shoot a bug? 
JACK: I'm just going to stun it and get it out of the tent. 
INT-LIEUTENANT COMMANDER T'MIR'S TENT
Commander T'Mir picks up her combadge and tapped it. 
LTCMDR. T'MIR (to com): T'Mir to Mason are you guys alright over there? 
INT-TENT ONE 
JACK (to com): Oh no, just an eight inch scorpion thing inside our tent. 
INT-COMMANDER T'LAR'S TENT
LTCMDR. T'MIR [to com]: Do you need help? 
LT. MASON (com voice): No I think we've got it under control
INT-TENT ONE
JACK: No not there, it's over there. 
(The tent ropes start to come loose.) 
JACK (to com): T'Mir, you said you found a cave this afternoon. 
INT-COMMANDER T'MIR'S TENT
LTCMDR. T'MIR (To com): About half a kilometers from here. 
INT-TENT ONE
JACK (to com): I think we're going to need them. 
(END OF ACT ONE, FADE OUT)
===Act 2===
FADE IN
EXT-PLANET ORBIT
Enterprise is in orbit of the planet.
INT-U.S.S. ENTERPRISE DECK NINE CORRIDOR
Commander Kal is at the doors and presses the door panel. 
CAPT. BRANSON (com voice): Come in 
Doors opened. 
INT-U.S.S. ENTERPRISE CAPTAIN'S QUARTERS
Doors opened and Commander Kal enters. 
JOHN: What can I do for you Jane? 
JANE (re: PADD): A wind storm's moving across the northern continent. It looks like a nasty one. 
JOHN: The survey team? 
JANE: They've taken shelter, but I'd recommend pulling them out. I've got a shuttle on standby. 
John tapped his combadge. 
CAPT. BRANSON [to com]: Branson to bridge get me the survey team.
LT. SITO [com voice]: Aye, sir
LTCMDR. T'MIR [com voice]: T'Mir here go ahead sir
CAPT. BRANSON [to com]: T'Mir what's your status? 
CUT TO:
INT-CAVERN
LTCMDR. T'MIR (to com): We have relocated into a cavern. 
CAPT. BRANSON [OC]: Commander Kal thinks we should come down and get you
LTCMDR. T'MIR [to com]: Sir a landing under these circumstances might be difficult. We'll be protected until the winds diminish. 
INT-U.S.S. ENTERPRISE CAPTAIN'S QUARTERS
CAPT. BRANSON (to com): We'll keep an eye on the storm. Let us know if you need anything. 
LTCMDR. T'MIR [OC]: Understood
CAPT. BRANSON: Keep the shuttle on standby, just in case. 
LTCMDR. KAL: Aye, sir. 
She leaves the quarters as Branson is a bit worried about his officers on the surface.
CUT TO:
EXT-PLANET SURFACE, CAVERN
 
The survey team is gathered together. 
LT. MASON: Anyone got the food packs? 
CREWMEN CUTLER: Not me. 
LT. MASON: Court? 
LTCMDR. JAMES: Nope. 
LT. MASON: I'll go get it. 
LTCMDR. JAMES: Be careful. 
Lieutenant Mason leaves to go get the food pack. 
EXT-PLANET SURFACE, CAMPSITE, NIGHT
Jack pounces on a food pack blowing in the wind, then sees a figure walking in the trees. 
LT. MASON [confused]: Court? Hello? 
CUT TO:
EXT-PLANET SURFACE, CAVERN
Jack returns with the food pack. 
LT. MASON: Was anybody outside just now? 
LTCMDR. JAMES: Just you why? 
LT. MASON: There's someone else out there. (hands over sole food pack) 
CREWMEN CUTLER [confused]: What? 
LTCMDR. JAMES: Alright, I think we have had enough ghost stories. 
LT. MASON: It's not a story. I saw three people.
CREWMEN CUTLER [worried]: Three? What did they look like? 
LT. MASON: It was too dark. 
LTCMDR. T'MIR: We've scanned the planet, it's uninhabited. 
LT. MASON: Its the truth. 
LTCMDR. JAMES: Commander?
[T'Mir runs her scans on her tricorder.]
LTCMDR. T'MIR [re: tricorder]: Other than ourselves, there are no humanoid life forms here. 
LT. MASON: There could be something wrong with your scanner. 
LTCMDR. T'MIR: It's functioning perfectly. Perhaps you imagined seeing them. 
LT. MASON: They looked pretty real to me. 
LTCMDR. JAMES: Calm down Jack come here get something to drink. 
She takes her husband over get some water. 
LTCMDR. JAMES: You've been up for over an hour since we've had to relocate to the caverns and its a bit toasty in here, you're sweating up a storm. 
LT. MASON: I'm sorry that you are down here seeing me like this Court. 
LTCMDR. JAMES [smiles]: It's alright Jack I wanted to spend time with you. 
CREWMEN CUTLER: Ethan? 
(Ethan is very tense and swinging his torch around.) 
CREWMEN NOVAKOVICH: There's someone back there. I heard voices. Are you going to tell me I'm imagining things too? It's not safe here. 
LT. MASON: We don't know that. They could be friendly. 
CREWMEN NOVAKOVICH: Then why are they hiding? Why don't they come out and say hello? We should leave. 
LTCMDR. T'MIR: Where do you propose we go, back out into the storm? 
CREWMEN NOVAKOVICH: It's better than being trapped in here. 
LT. MASON: Calm down Crewmen. 
Novakovich dashes out. 
CREWMEN CUTLER: ETHAN! 
LT. MASON: Stay here we'll be back. 
Lieutenant Mason walks over to a container and opens it and it has type-2 phasers he gets one and he hands one to Courtney and they both set out to search for Novakovich, Commander T'Mir gets the third phaser.
LTCMDR. T'MIR: I'll be back shortly. 
CREWMEN CUTLER: Where are you going? 
LTCMDR. T'MIR: If there's someone back there, I intend to find them.
(She heads deeper into the cavern. Cutler takes the final phaser.) 
EXT-PLANET SURFACE, NIGHT
Both Jack and Courtney are searching for Crewmen Novakovich. 
LTCMDR. JAMES [tricorder]: ETHAN! 
LT. MASON: ETHAN! 
[They continue to search for him as Courtney shines her SIM Beacon on a rock as she sees a figure emerge from it.] 
LTCMDR. JAMES: JACK!
Lieutenant Mason rushes over to her.
LTCMDR. JAMES: I saw one of them.
She scans the rock.
LTCMDR. JAMES [re: tricorder]: Tricorder scans just show a regular rock face let's keep searching.
They keep searching.
CUT TO:
INT-CAVERN
[Cutler hears voices and goes deeper into the tunnels to investigate.]
EXT-PLANET SURFACE, NIGHT
As they continue searching for Novakovich Jack nearly goes off a cliff face but Courtney grabs in time.
LTCMDR. JAMES: It's too dangerous Jack let's head back.
They head back to the cavern.
CUT TO:
INT-CAVERN
[Cutler follows the voices and sees T'Mir talking to two aliens who then merge into the rocks.]
CREWMEN CUTLER: Who were they? 
LTCMDR. T'MIR: Excuse me? 
CREWMEN CUTLER: Well, who were you talking to? 
LTCMDR. T'MIR: Talking to? There's no one here. 
T'Mir heads back to the main cavern as Cutler follows her as well.
CUT TO:
INT-U.S.S. ENTERPRISE MAIN BRIDGE
LT. MASON [com voice]: We've lost Novakovich and we're apparently not alone. There's some kind of lifeform down here
CAPT. BRANSON [to com]: Can you make it back to the cavern?
LT. MASON [com voice]: We're heading there now, sir
CAPT. BRANSON: Jane you've got the bridge Lieutenant Kaye you're with me.
Both Branson and Kaye leave the bridge as Commander Kal sits in the Captain's chair.
CUT TO:
INT-MAIN CAVERN
Both Courtney and Jack return. 
LT. MASON: The Captain's coming down to get us. 
CREWMEN CUTLER: But what about Ethan? 
LTCMDR. JAMES: We couldn't find him. 
LT. MASON: From what I saw, these things live inside the rock.
LTCMDR. T'MIR: I performed a geological analysis. The rocks are composed of limestone and cormalite, nothing more.
CREWMEN CUTLER: She's lying, Lieutenant. I saw her talking to them. 
LT. MASON: Crewman? 
CREWMEN CUTLER: In there. There were two of them. 
LTCMDR. T'MIR: She's mistaken. 
CREWMEN CUTLER: No, I'm not. Why won't you tell us what's going on? What do they want? 
EXT-PLANET SURFACE
The Class-11 shuttle Gardner descends down to the landing site. 
INT-GARDNER CANOPY [RED ALERT]
Both Captain Branson and Lieutenant Kaye are at the pilot and co-pilot stations.
LT. KAYE: I've got a fix. Twenty kilometers north east. 
CAPT. BRANSON [to com]: Branson to Novakovich. Ethan, respond. 
CUT TO:
EXT-PLANET SURFACE-STORMY & NIGHT
Crewmen Novakovich is huddled on a rock freaking out.
CREWMEN NOVAKOVICH [to com]: Who's there? Who is that?
CAPT. BRANSON [com voice]: It's Captain Branson we're attempting to land I need you to get back to cavern with the others.
CREWMEN NOVAKOVICH [to com]: GO TO HELL!!!
INT-MAIN CAVERN
The survey team is gathered.
LTCMDR. T'MIR: I have no reason to deceive you. 
LT. MASON: Neither does she. You keep claiming these creatures don't exist, but the rest of us have all seen them. That's a little strange, don't you think? 
LTCMDR. T'MIR: I can't explain what you've seen, but I assure you I didn't speak to anyone.
CAPT. BRANSON [com voice]: Branson to survey team
Jack tapped his combadge.
LT. MASON [to com]: Mason here.
CAPT. BRANSON [com voice]: We're closing in on your position, Jack. There's a clearing a hundred meters from the cave entrance. Get to it
LT. MASON [to com]; Aye, sir we're heading there now.
They head to the clearing.
CUT TO:
INT-GARDNER CANOPY
LT. KAYE: I'm reading them. Two kilometers due west. 
Captain Branson inputs commands into the helm station. 
CAPT. BRANSON: I'm taking us down. There's a lot of wind shear near the surface. Activate the auxiliary landing thrusters. Altitude seventy meters, forty meters. 
EXT-PLANET SURFACE, BEAM DOWN SITE, NIGHT
The survey team shows up and sees the shuttle attempting to land.
INT-GARNDER CANOPY [RED ALERT]
LT. KAYE: To starboard!
CAPT. BRANSON: I see it.
EXT-PLANET SURFACE
The starboard nacelle grazes a rocky outcrop.
INT-GARDNER CANOPY [RED ALERT]
WHUMPH! Sparks erupt from the ceiling.
LT. KAYE: Thruster four's down. We're leaking plasma coolant. 
CAPT. BRANSON: Seal it, we're almost down.
LT. KAYE: Sir, we can't safely land in this wind with a thruster out.
Captain Branson realizes this and inputs commands into the helm.
EXT-PLANET SURFACE, BEAM DOWN SITE, NIGHT
The shuttle leaves as the landing party looks up as Lieutenant Mason tapped his combadge.
LT. MASON [to com]: Captain, aren't you forgetting something? 
CAPT. BRANSON [com voice]: We're going to have to wait
INT-GARDNER CANOPY [RED ALERT]
CAPT. BRANSON [to com]: Until the wind dies down. Try to manage till then. 
EXT-PLANET SURFACE, CLEARING [NIGHT, WINDY]
LT. MASON [to com]: We'll do our best, sir. 
CAPT. BRANSON [com voice]: If you run across
INT-GARDNER CANOPY [RED ALERT]
CAPT. BRANSON: Anymore of these aliens, try to make contact. 
EXT-PLANET SURFACE, CLEARING [NIGHT, STORMY]
CAPT. BRANSON [com voice]: See what you can find out about them
LT. MASON [to com]: Aye, sir.
Jack look over at Commander T'Mir.
[END OF ACT TWO, FADE OUT]
===Act 3===
FADE IN
INT-MAIN CAVERN
[Sitting against the wall.]
LTCMDR. JAMES: You alright?
CREWMEN CUTLER: Never better.
Lieutenant Mason looks at T'Mir.
LT. MASON: You heard the Captain. He wants to know about your friends. What are you going to tell him? What are you going to tell him? 
T'Mir looks at him.
LTCMDR. T'MIR: This is pointless. 
LT. MASON: Is it? We're stuck down here for God knows how long with a bunch of rock people who, for all we know, are staring at us from these walls right now. Not to mention a crewman out there who probably won't last the night. Now if we're going to get through this, I need to know what the hell's going on. You beginning to see my point?
LTCMDR. T'MIR: I share your concern for crewman Novakovich, but as I told you...
LT. MASON: You couldn't care less about him or any of the rest of us. That would require some of those useless human emotions.
LTCMDR. T'MIR: Your emotions are beginning to affect your judgment. You're becoming irrational. 
Jack gets in her face.
LT. MASON: You've never seen me irrational.
Then Elizabeth looks at him.
CREWMEN CUTLER: Sir. I hate to add to our problems, but we're running low on water. 
LT. MASON: Great. We'll have to conserve what's left. 
LTCMDR. T'MIR: That won't be necessary. 
[She points further into the cavern.]
LTCMDR. T'MIR: I detected water about sixty meters in that direction.
LT. MASON: How do we know you're not going in there to talk to your friends?
LTCMDR. T'MIR: Join me if you'd like. 
CREWMEN CUTLER: It could be a trap, Lieutenant. 
LTCMDR. T'MIR: I can survive without water for several days. Can you?
Then he aims his phaser at her as the light turns from blue to red.
LT. MASON: Sit down.
He takes her phaser from the holster and tosses it to the ground.
LT. MASON: You heard me.
T'Mir sits down as Courtney is a bit worried about her husband.
CUT TO:
EXT-PLANET ORBIT
The Enterprise is in orbit. 
INT-USS ENTERPRISE MAIN BRIDGE [YELLOW ALERT]
Captain Branson walks onto the bridge and walks over to Ops.
CAPT. BRANSON: How is he?
LT. SITO: Not good his bio-signs are erratic.
CAPT. BRANSON: Try him again.
LT. SITO [to com]: Enterprise to Novakovich.
CUT TO:
EXT-PLANET SURFACE, NIGHT
Crewmen Novakovich is in a ball curled up scared not even acknowledging Sito's voice.
INT-U.S.S. ENTERPRISE MAIN BRIDGE [YELLOW ALERT]
[Ethan's screams come over the com.]
CAPT. BRANSON [to com]: Bridge to Transporter room Mack do you have a lock on him.
CUT TO:
INT-U.S.S. ENTERPRISE TRANSPORTER ROOM [YELLOW ALERT]
CHIEF MACKENZIE [to com]: Yes, sir.
CAPT. BRANSON [com voice]: Looks like our only choice
CHIEF MACKENZIE [to com]: Understood standby.
[She begins to beam Ethan up.]
CHIEF MACKENZIE [to com]: There's a problem, sir. There are contaminants in the matter stream. The phase discriminator can't seem to isolate the debris. 
[Crewmen Novakovich finally materializes with twigs and leaves stuck on him.]
CHIEF MACKENZIE [to com]: Mackenzie to sickbay medical emergency transporter room.
She checks his pulse.
INT-CAVERN
Commander T'Mir is examining her tricorder as Lieutenant Mason paces about.
LT. MASON: What are you doing?
LTCMDR. T'MIR: Working.
LT. MASON: On what?
LTCMDR. T'MIR: Scans I took this afternoon.
LT. MASON: Find anything you want to tell me about?
LTCMDR. T'MIR: There's nothing of scientific interest on this planet. Our mission here was a waste of time. 
LT. MASON: That's what you'd like us to think. Let me see that thing. (takes scanner off her) 
LT CMDR. T'MIR: The readings are in Romulan. You won't understand them. 
LT. MASON: No, but Sito would. This could be evidence. 
LTCMDR. T'MIR: Of what? 
LT. MASON: Your little conspiracy. 
LTCMDR. T'MIR: I was wrong. There is something of interest here. I've learned a great deal about human behavior. 
LT. MASON: Oh? 
LTCMDR. T'MIR: Under stress, you become volatile. You're a far more dangerous species than I previously believed. 
LT. MASON: Very funny we said the same thing about your people.
LTCMDR. JAMES: Jack?
LT. MASON: Imagine the news back home, Court. Enterprise crew found dead. Six weeks into their historic voyage, the bodies of all two hundred and twenty-seven crewmembers were located on an uninhabited world. A Romulan ship made the unfortunate discovery. Cause of death remains a mystery. But what the Romulans won't say is they know exactly who attacked us. In fact, they arranged the whole thing. They lured us down here so they could sabotage our mission. 
LTCMDR. JAMES: You were the one who found these caves, and it was your idea to stay overnight.
LTCMDR. T'MIR: I didn't ask you or Mister Mason to join us.
LT. MASON: We know you're here. Why don't you show yourselves? You're not afraid of us, are you? 
LTCMDR. T'MIR: There's no one there, Lieutenant. 
LT. MASON: Maybe you're waiting for the others to come down so you can kill us all at once. Did you see that? 
LTCMDR. T'MIR: ALL I SEE IS A DELUSIONAL TACTICAL OFFICER!
LT. MASON: Delusional you say you've not seen me delusional just yet Commander.
He keeps his phaser trained on T'Mir.
CUT TO:
INT-U.S.S. ENTERPRISE SICKBAY [YELLOW ALERT]
Captain Branson and Commander Kal walks into sickbay and over the surgical bio-bed as Doctor Langford walks over to them.
DR. LANGFORD: We were able to remove the debris from his body he'll make a full recovery.
CAPT. BRANSON: Can I talk to him?
DR. LANGFORD: Yes, but I doubt he'll make much sense. Have you ever heard of tropolisine.
CAPT. BRANSON: Not recently no but if you had the chance to look over Doctor Pholx's medical report you might find a match.
DR. LANGFORD: I did and I am still going over it.
LTCMDR. KAL: I'm a bit lost what is this tropolisine?
DR. LANGFORD: It's a psychotropic compound known for its hallucinogenic effects. This crewman's bloodstream is filled with it. 
CAPT. BRANSON: How come we didn't detect it?
DR. LANGFORD: Weren't new sensor plates installed at Earth Space dock before we launched maybe they weren't calibrated to find this stuff.
LTCMDR. KAL: Or perhaps it wasn't there until that damn wind started. 
CAPT. BRANSON: Will this stuff effect T'Mir?
DR. LANGFORD: There's no way to know. It might affect her to a lesser degree, or a greater degree.
John tapped his combadge.
CAPT. BRANSON [to com]: Branson to T'Mir.
INT-MAIN CAVERN
T'Mir tapped her combadge.
LTCMDR. T'MIR [to com]: T'Mir here.
CAPT. BRANSON [com voice]: We've got Crewmen Novakovich
LTJG. T'LAR [to com]: And I have a phaser pointed at my head. 
INT-U.S.S. ENTERPRISE SICKBAY [YELLOW ALERT]
CAPT. BRANSON [to com]: What?
LTJG. MASON [com voice]: Our chief science officer is working with the Romulans Captain she was the reason we came down here
CAPT. BRANSON [to com]: Jack put the phaser down.
LTCMDR. JAMES [com voice]: This Commander James sir, he's not responding he seems to be infected by something
CAPT. BRANSON [to com]: Listen to me. You've all been exposed to a psychotropic compound. It causes heightened anxiety and possibly hallucinations. 
EXT-PLANET SURFACE, CAVERN
CAPT. BRANSON [com voice]: The compound comes from the pollen of a flower. We think it was blown down from the mountains when the wind started. The doctor's run tests on Novakovich. He thinks he's going to be okay in a few hours. So if you can get As deep as you can into the caves, your symptoms should dissipate around the same times.
LT. MASON [to com]: Are you telling me those creatures aren't real? 
INT-U.S.S. ENTERPRISE SICKBAY [YELLOW ALERT]
CAPT. BRANSON: Jack, sensors so haven't picked up a Romulan warbird its safe to say they're still in isolation.
LTJG. MASON [com voice]: You're not down here sir
EXT-PLANET SURFACE, CAVERN
LTJG. MASON [to com]: You don't understand what's going on!
INT-U.S.S. ENTERPRISE SICKBAY [YELLOW ALERT]
CAPT. BRANSON [to com]: Put your weapon down, Lieutenant. That's an order. 
EXT-PLANET SURFACE, CAVERN
Lieutenant Mason slowly lowers his weapon.
CAPT. BRANSON [com voice]: T'Mir?
LTCMDR. T'MIR [to com]: He has lowered his weapon sir.
CAPT. BRANSON [com voice]: Have you been affected? 
LTCMDR. T'MIR [to com]: Yes, but only slightly.
CAPT. BRANSON [com voice]: Try to hang on Branson out
[Lieutenant Mason sits down.]
CUT TO:
INT-U.S.S. ENTERPRISE SICKBAY [YELLOW ALERT]
CAPT. BRANSON: Get back to the bridge I want a weather report.
[Kal leaves.]
[END OF ACT 3, FADE OUT]
===Act 4===
FADE IN
EXT-PLANET SURFACE, CAVERN
Lieutenant Mason gets worse.
LTCMDR. JAMES: Jack, can you hear me?
Jack still watching T'Mir.
LTCMDR. T'MIR: [Speaks Romulan]
LT. MASON: I have no idea what you just said, but it didn't sound very nice.
[He thinks he hears something he fires his phaser at the wall just past T'Mir. She doesn't flinch.]
LTCMDR. JAMES: JACK, FOR CRYING OUT LOUD STOP YOU'RE GOING TO BRING THIS WHOLE CAVERN ON TOP OF US!
[Jack turns to Courtney has his phaser trained on her as she backs up worried he's going to shoot her, as T'Mir goes for the other phaser.]
LTCMDR. JAMES [worried]: Jack, you're better then this don't do something you're going to regret later on down the road.
Jack quickly turns to face T'Mir who has the other phaser but its on the stun setting.
LTCMDR. T'MIR: [Speaking Romulan]
CUT TO:
INT-U.S.S. ENTERPRISE MAIN BRIDGE [YELLOW ALERT]
Captain Branson, Lieutenant Commander Kal are at the science station watching the weather pattern.
LTCMDR. KAL: The center of the storm's already passed over them, but the system spans some five hundred kilometers. We won't be able to beam down before dawn. 
CAPT. BRANSON: How long will that be?
LTCMDR. KAL: Nine hours.
[Com activates.]
DR. LANGFORD [com voice]: Langford to Captain Branson
CAPT. BRANSON [to com]: Branson here go ahead.
DR. LANGFORD [com voice]: Please report to sickbay right away
John looks over at Commander Kal.
CAPT. BRANSON [to com]: I am on my way.
He leaves the bridge.
CUT TO:
INT-U.S.S. ENTERPRISE SICKBAY [YELLOW ALERT]
CAPT. BRANSON [distraught]: I thought you said he was going to be fine. 
DR. LANGFORD: I did, but each tropolisine atom contains a stray neutron. When it started to break down in his bloodstream it released an undetectable toxin. I've injected him with inoprovalene but I think it may be too late. If I'd run a sub-molecular scan I might have anticipated the complication, but there was no reason to. At least, there didn't seem to be. I can't tell you how sorry I am, Captain. 
CAPT. BRANSON: What about the others?
DR. LANGFORD: They spent less time exposed. 
CAPT. BRANSON: I've got four people down on the surface, Doctor. I need to know if they're going to be dead when we get there in the morning.
Captain Branson leaves sickbay as the camera moves down and is at a wounded Novakovich.
CUT TO:
EXT-PLANET SURFACE, CAVERN
[Lieutenants Mason and T'Mir have their phasers aimed at each other.]
LT. MASON: Stay awake, Court. I can't afford to have you going out on me. 
LTCMDR. JAMES: I'm trying Jack.
LT. MASON: Cutler, you okay? (to T'Mir) If you're waiting for me to pass out, you're wasting your time. You might as well have your friends come out now, do whatever they're going to do.
LTCMDR. T'MIR: Drop the phaser Lieutenant that's an order.
LT. MASON: I don't take orders from traitors.
CAPT. BRANSON [com voice]: Enterprise to survey team
T'Mir tapped her combadge.
LTCMDR. T'MIR [to com]: T'Mir here go ahead sir.
CAPT. BRANSON [com voice]: How are you doing?
LT. MASON: Who the hell is that?
CAPT. BRANSON [com voice]: Its the Captain Jack, are you guys alright?
LTCMDR. T'MIR [to com]: He's irrational, sir. James and Cutler are nearly unconscious''
CAPT. BRANSON [com voice]: Both of you listen to me very carefully. Novakovich may be dying
CUT TO:
INT-U.S.S. ENTERPRISE MAIN BRIDGE [YELLOW ALERT]
CAPT. BRANSON [to com]: Turns out the pollen contains some kind of toxin our sensors hadn't detected. He's responding to medication, but his odds of recovery would be a hell of a lot better if we'd treated him sooner. The Doctor and Laurel are synthesizing ampoules of inoprovalene. We're going to have to use the transporter to get it to you, but it's imperative that you inoculate yourselves as soon as possible. Do you understand what I'm saying? 
EXT-PLANET SURFACE CAVERN
LTJG. MASON [to com]: Taking an injection isn't going to change a damn thing, don't you see that? They're planning something, Captain. First us, then all of you. 
LTCMDR. T'MIR: [in Romulan]
CUT TO:
INT-U.S.S. ENTERPRISE MAIN BRIDGE [YELLOW ALERT]
LTCMDR. T'MIR [com voice]: [in Romulan]
Lieutenant Sito checks the Universal translator and reports.
LT. SITO: She says Jack's going to kill her, and I don't think she's imagining it. 
LT. MASON [com voice]: Say one more word of that gibberish and I'm going to split you in two
CAPT. BRANSON [to com]: Jack, listen to me The pollen's affecting her too. Think about it. You've heard of people suffering from dementia who revert to their native language. 
EXT-PLANET SURFACE, CAVERN
CAPT. BRANSON [com voice]: She can't help it
LT. MASON [to com]: The only thing that's affecting her are the Romulans. If I can stop her now, I can save Enterprise.
INT-U.S.S. ENTERPRISE MAIN BRIDGE [YELLOW ALERT]
CAPT. BRANSON [to com]: Jack, there's no Romulans on the surface we've ran several scans for their warbirds and we've not detected any of them.
EXT-PLANET SURFACE, CAVERN
Jack sees two Romulan soldiers show up as he backs up.
LT. MASON [to com]: Too late, Captain. I'm not going to die with a hypospray in my hand.
CAPT. BRANSON [com voice]: Jack!
LT. MASON [to com]: No! It's not going to happen.
CAPT. BRANSON [com voice]: Alright!
INT-U.S.S. ENTERPRISE MAIN BRIDGE [YELLOW ALERT]
CAPT. BRANSON [to com]: Forget the medicine. I think it's time I explain what's really going on, but just stand by for a minute. I need Commander Kal to target your position.
EXT-PLANT SURFACE, CAVERN
CAPT. BRANSON [com voice]: Then I'll give you your orders
INT-U.S.S. ENTERPRISE MAIN BRIDGE [YELLOW ALERT]
CAPT. BRANSON [to com]: Branson to Langford its now or never.
CUT TO:
INT-U.S.S. ENTERPRISE TRANSPORTER ROOM II [YELLOW ALERT]
DR. LANGFORD [to com]: Understood.
[Doctor Carlson puts the case of hyposprays on the platform.]
DR. LANGFORD: How close can you get it to them?
CHIEF MACKENIZE: I think I can safely place it two meters inside the mouth of the cave. 
DR. LANGFORD: Good.
Chief Mackenzie works at the transporter console and activates the transporter as Langford is worried about his wife.
[END OF ACT 4, FADE OUT]
===Act 5===
FADE IN
EXT-PLANET SURFACE, MAIN CAVERN
Lieutenant Mason and Commander T'Mir are the only two awake and standing aiming phasers at each other.
LT. MASON [to com]: Captain? Hello? I'm waiting for that order.
INT-U.S.S. ENTERPRISE MAIN BRIDGE [YELLOW ALERT]
LT. MASON [com voice]: But I can't wait much longer
CAPT. BRANSON: Alright, Jack. This is a major breach of security, but I'm going to have to trust you. 
LT. MASON [com voice]: Standing by now sir
CAPT. BRANSON [to com]: Starfleet sent us here to make contact with a silicon-based life form. T'Lar was the only person granted clearance.
CUT TO:
EXT-PLANET SURFACE, CAVERN
CAPT. BRANSON [com voice]: To speak with them. Seems they've met Romulans before
LT. MASON [to com]: Why didn't you tell me as I am the ship's chief security officer, and why did you let me and Courtney spend the night down here?
INT-U.S.S. ENTERPRISE MAIN BRIDGE [YELLOW ALERT]
LTCMDR. SITO [sotto]: The winds.
CAPT. BRANSON [to com]: We never thought the storm would drive you into the caves. That's where these people live. They didn't want anybody in there except for T'Mir, so they're not too happy right now. I'm sure you can understand that. 
EXT-PLANET SURFACE, CAVERN
LT. MASON [to com]: But how come the Romulans didn't see them?
CAPT. BRANSON [com voice]: According to Fleet Captain Picard they hid from the Romulans after the war, but they've even threatened to destroy Enterprise. Now, T'Mir needs to explain to them why you're all there, but she's not going to have much credibility with you pointing a phaser at her. 
INT-U.S.S. ENTERPRISE MAIN BRIDGE [YELLOW ALERT]
CAPT. BRANSON [to com]: If they agree to listen to her, you'll need to lower your weapon. If they don't, I'm going to have Sito destroy the cavern. Sacrificing four more crewmen is a small price to pay to save Enterprise.
LT. MASON [com voice]: I understand
CAPT. BRANSON [to com]: Now, I'm going to ask Sito to tell T'Mir everything I just told you in Romulan. 
EXT-PLANET SURFACE, CAVERN
CAPT. BRANSON [com voice]: Do you have an issue with that?
LT. MASON [sweating and shaking, to com]: G-Go ahead.
CUT TO:
INT-U.S.S. ENTERPRISE MAIN BRIDGE [RED ALERT]
CAPT. BRANSON [nods]: Go ahead.
LT. SITO [to com]: [Speaks in Romulan]
LTCMDR. T'MIR [com voice]: [In Romulan]
LT. SITO: She says play-acting isn't exactly a Romulan tradition, but she'll do her best.
LTCMDR. T'MIR [com voice]: [In Vulcan]
CAPT. BRANSON [to com]: Jack, They've agreed to talk to her, so lower your weapon.
EXT-PLANET SURFACE, CAVERN
CAPT. BRANSON [com voice]: And act real friendly
[Lieutenant Mason lowers his phaser and T'Mir stuns him and goes get the hypo and injects Mason, Cutler, and James and then injects herself.]
EXT-WARP TUNNEL
Enterprise heads towards Stafleet Medical Outpost 12.
INT-U.S.S. ENTERPRISE SICKBAY
Jack wakes up and looks over at Captain Branson and Doctor Langford.
LT. MASON: C-Captain?
He slowly gets up but Langford puts his hand on his chest.
DR. LANGFORD: Easy Lieutenant you've been out for a few hours.
LT. MASON: T'Mir shot me didn't she?
CAPT. BRANSON [nods]: Yeah she did.
DR. LANGFORD: Thanks to the meds you five will make a full recovery after we get you all checked out at Starfleet Medical Outpost 12.
LT. MASON: And Crewmen Novakovich?
DR. LANGFORD: He's responding well to treatment but he'll have a little more time to recover.
CAPT. BRANSON: Get some rest Jack.
EXT-WARP TUNNEL
Enterprise is on course for Starfleet Medical outpost 12.
[END OF ACT 5, FADE OUT, ENDING CREDITS]
==Cast==
===Starring===
*Jarvis Davidson as Captain John Branson
*Felecia Linkous as Lieutenant Commander Jane Kal
===Also Starring===
*Kevin Regan as Lieutenant Jack Mason
*Ferne Myers as Lieutenant Commander Courtney James
*Jacob Elliot as Doctor Peter Langford
*Sadie Brickhouse as Lieutenant Sito Jaxa
*Delena "Dee" Lusk as Lieutenant Jamie Kaye
*Becky Elliot as Lieutenant Commander T'Mir
===Guest Stars===
*TBA as Transporter Chief Kayla Mackenzie 
*TBA as Lieutenant Junior Grade Harris Payne
*TBA as Crewmen Elizabeth Cutler
*TBA as Crewmen Ethan Novakovich
==Trivia Notes==
===Background Information===