Mortality Paradox (TOS episode)

Mortality Paradox is the 37th episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 3.
==Plot==
The USS Enterprise investigates signs of an advanced civilization living on a barren planet but end up trapped on a world that seems to bend space and time. 
==Script Chapters==
===Teaser===
Fade In
EXT-SPACE
A shuttle approaches the Enterprise.
INT-USS ENTERPRISE COMMANDER IVANOVA'S OFFICE
Doors chimed.
CMDR. IVANOVA: Come.
Doors opened and Julia enters.
ZHASA: Julia welcome back how are things on Earth?
JULIA (smiles): Great, mom is doing well and father is as well he is working on some sort of new way of doing geothermal energy for something that won't require the energy of a star.
ZHASA: That's impressive.
She walks over to her.
JULIA: I put my report in your file.
ZHASA (confused): Report? You were on vacation.
JULIA: I picked up the residue of a Klingon warp signature out by the Avior system. It was pretty faint, so my guess is they're long gone, but anything near this sector is concerning.
ZHASA (worried): What the hell would they be doing out here?
JULIA: No idea. But I thought the Captain should know.
ZHASA: I'll make him aware.
JULIA: Permission to return to duty?
ZHASA: Go to it. It's good to have you back.
Julia leaves her office to her quarters to go change into her uniform.
EXT-SPACE
The Enterprise is at impulse speed.
INT-USS ENTERPRISE MAIN BRIDGE
Lieutenant Smith enters and assumes her station from Ensign Christina as Captain Branson walks over to his sister in law.
JOHN: So, how was your parent?
JULIA: Great mom is looking forward to seeing you and Jessica soon but watch out for dad he'll bore you with his geothermal stories, and what not as well as seeing the girls and I saw Felix he's just such a little doll.
JOHN: Yeah I saw him when we were at Earth I just don't want him to hate me for being gone all the time.
Julia turns to John.
JULIA: John he'll understand that his father is getting ready to fight in the biggest war since the first Federation-Klingon War, and he wants to keep his family safe.
Then T'Lar reports.
LTCMDR. T'LAR: Captain long range sensors have detected a narrow-band electromagnetic emissions.
Captain Branson walks over to the science station.
CAPT. BRANSON: Source of the signature?
T'Lar checks and reports.
LTCMDR. T'LAR: From the surface of Narran 1 its about 13.4 light-years from our current position.
Captain Branson looks at T'Lar.
CAPT. BRANSON: Narran 1 that's impossible your readings must be off.
T'Lar checks her console and reports.
LTCMDR. T'LAR: Readings confirm its coming from Narran 1 sir.
Captain Branson thinks and goes to his command chair.
CAPT. BRANSON: Kara alter course to Narran 1 warp factor 5.
LT. CARLSON: Aye, sir.
Lieutenant Carlson inputs commands into the helm and engages the warp drive.
EXT-SPACE
The Enterprise comes about and enters warp a few hours at warp and the Enterprise exits warp and approaches Narran 1.
INT-USS ENTERPRISE MAIN BRIDGE
Transparent viewer shows the planet.
CAPT. BRANSON: T'Lar are you still picking up those signals?
LTCMDR. T'LAR: Scans are showing industrial power sources and transportation networks, which would indicate the presence of multiple advanced cities, all operating at a 25th century level of development. Planet-wide population 8.5 billion, concentrated mainly in the northern hemisphere.
LT. MITCHELL (Skeptical): It has to be a mistake.
Then Commander Clarkson enters from the turbo-lift.
CAPT. BRANSON: Kyle check the forward scanners and see if they're working properly.
Commander Clarkson sits at the engineering station and checks the forward scanners and turns to John.
LTCMDR. CLARKSON: Forward scanners are working properly John.
CMDR. IVANOVA: Every Starfleet record of Narran 1, every scan ever taken, shows a desolate world.
LTCMDR. T'LAR: That is correct, Commander. However, this scan does not.
CAPT. BRANSON: Julia, hail them.
LT. SMITH: Hailing. Nothing. Let me try a different channel. Scans show they have the infrastructure for communication, they're just not answering.
Captain Branson frustratingly thumbing his arm rest on his command chair.
CAPT. BRANSON: I'm leading a landing party to the surface to investigate this cause something isn't right Mister Mason, Commander Ivanova, Mister Clarkson, and Lieutenant Smith you're with me T'Lar you've got the conn.
LTCMDR. T'LAR: Aye, sir.
They enter the lift as T'Lar sits in the Captain's chair.
CUT TO:
EXT-NARRAN 1 SURFACE
The landing party materializes on the surface.
CAPT. BRANSON: This is weird.
CMDR. IVANOVA: You're telling me it should be a barren world not a forest world.
Captain Branson gets out his communicator and flips it open.
CAPT. BRANSON (to com): Branson to Enterprise.
INT-USS ENTERPRISE MAIN BRIDGE
LTCMDR. T'LAR (to com): T'Lar here go ahead Captain.
CAPT. BRANSON (com voice): What does the sensors show?
She turns to Lieutenant Sheridan.
LT. SHERIDAN (to com): Ensign Sheridan here sir sensor readings show that the city we detected early has vanished without a trace, and has been replaced with this strange forest area.
LTCMDR. T'LAR (to com): Recommend that you and the landing party return to the Enterprise sir.
EXT-NARRAN 1 SURFACE
CAPT. BRANSON (to com): Standby on that for now we're going to take a more closer look around but have the transporter room keep a lock on our communicators to beam us out at the first sign of trouble and continue your scans T'Lar Branson out.
He closes his communicator.
CMDR. IVANOVA: I'm not one to pass up a chance to explore but maybe T'Lar is right John.
LT. SMITH: Captain you're going to want to see this.
Captain Branson and the others walk over to Julia who's scanning with her tricorder.
CAPT. BRANSON: What is it?
LT. SMITH (re: Tricorder): Life forms. Several hundred humanoids, in that direction.
Captain Branson draws his phaser out of its holster and set it to stun as the others do the same thing.
CAPT. BRANSON: Alright, let's go.
They walk through the forest and they discover something that is impossible.
CAPT. BRANSON (surprised): What the hell?
They see a school.
[END OF TEASER, FADE OUT]
====
Theme Song:
=====
CAPTAIN'S OATH:
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....
 ======
A shot over another Federation starship as the USS Enterprise NCC-1701 is at station keeping. 
STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS
A STAR TREK FAN FILM PRODUCTION
BASED ON STAR TREK CREATED BY: GENE RODDENBERRY
The Enterprise exits drydock berth. 
JARVIS DAVIDSON 
 AS
CAPT. JOHN BRANSON 
An underbelly shot of the ventral section of the Enterprise as the moon is in full view. 
FELECIA LINKOUS 
 AS
CMDR. ZHASA IVANOVA 
The Enterprise flying by an interstellar dust cloud. 
KEVIN REGAN 
 AS
LT. JACK MASON 
The Enterprise flying towards an M-class planet. 
FERNE MYERS 
 AS
LTCMDR. STEPHANIE WILLIAMS 
JEREMY REGAN
 AS
LTCMDR. KYLE CLARKSON
The Enterprise traversing a planetary debris field. 
JACOB ELLIOT 
 AS
DR. STEVEN CARLSON
The Enterprise flying by a binary pulsar. 
DELENA "DEE" LUSK 
 AS
LT. KARA CARLSON
BLAKE WAYMIRE 
 AS
LT. TYSON MITCHELL
The Enterprise heading towards Arcamon along the Vulcan border as ships flyby the Starfleet vessel.
SADIE BRICKHOUSE 
 AS
LT. JULIA SMTH 
Enterprise flying by a comet. 
BECKY ELLIOT 
 AS
LTCMDR. T'LAR
The Enterprise's warp engines power up and she leaps into warp. 
CREATED BY:
JARVIS DAVIDSON & JEREMY REGAN
===Act 1===
FADE IN
EXT-NARRAN 1 SURFACE
The landing party is surprised to see a school.
CMDR. IVANOVA: This is impossible.
LT. SMITH (re: Tricorder): According to my tricorder its a school.
Captain Branson once again gets out his communicator and flips it open.
CAPT. BRANSON (to com): Branson to T'Lar report.
INT-USS ENTERPRISE MAIN BRIDGE
Commander T'Lar toggles the com panel on the arm rest.
LTCMDR. T'LAR (to com): T'Lar here go ahead sir.
CAPT. BRANSON (com voice): Scan the immediate vicinity of our location
LTCMDR. T'LAR (to com): We are just reading the landing party, sir.
CUT TO:
EXT-NARRAN 1 SURFACE
CAPT. BRANSON (to com): Just the landing party? Nothing else?
LTCMDR. T'LAR (com voice): Confirmed sir, what did you want us to scan for?
CMDR. IVANOVA (to com): A high school?
LTCMDR. T'LAR (com voice): Say again, Commander?
CMDR. IVANOVA (to com): A high school.
LTCMDR. T'LAR (com voice): Like a 21st-century high school
CAP. BRANSON (to com): T'Lar, are you reading a structure of any kind?
LTCMDR. T'LAR (com voice): Negative. Just plant life
CAPT. BRANSON (to com): We're going to take a closer look at this strange looking thing be sure to continue scans T'Lar Branson out.
He closes the communicator.
CAPT. BRANSON: Alright, let's take a look.
They still have their phasers out at the ready as they're exploring the outside of the building.
LT. SMITH (re: Tricorder): My tricorder still isn't reading anything at all sir.
They stop at the doors.
CAPT. BRANSON: Let's take a look inside.
He opens the doors and they walk into the school.
INT-HIGH SCHOOL, HALLWAY
They look around the school.
CAPT. BRANSON: Julia anything?
LT. SMITH (re: Tricorder): Still nothing.
The landing party looks around the hallway.
CAPT. BRANSON: Seems perfectly normal.
They reholster their phasers as Lieutenant Smith checks her tricorder.
LT. SMITH: Captain, we're not alone I'm detecting at least half a dozen life-signs.
CMDR. IVANOVA: I think its time we get the hell out of here.
CAPT. BRANSON: I couldn't agree more.
He gets out his communicator and flips it open as it beeps.
CAPT. BRANSON (to com): Branson to Enterprise emergency beam out now.
Static comes over the communicator as Captain Branson toggles it.
CAPT. BRANSON (to com): Branson to Enterprise come in, T'Lar do you read me come in T'Lar come on we're getting out of here.
The team tries to go out the way they came in but the doors are shut tight and then the bell rings and students pour out of the classrooms. The students seem unaffected by the presence of Federation officers.
(END OF ACT ONE, FADE OUT)
===Act 2===
FADE IN
INT-HIGH SCHOOL HALLWAY
The students are chatting and just minding their own business when one of them walks up to Captain Branson.
ASHLEY: Um, do you mind?
CAPT. BRANSON: What?
ASHLEY: You're like right in front of my locker.
John moves out of the way.
LT. SMITH (re: Tricorder): Captain. They read as human.
CAPT. BRANSON: Excuse me.
ASHLEY: Hm?
CAPT. BRANSON: Where are we?
ASHLEY: We're in the hallway?
CAPT. BRANSON: Who are you?
ASHLEY: Ashley. This is a fun conversation, but I have to get to bio.
CMDR. IVANOVA: Hey, hey. Um, what's today's date?
ASHLEY: Uh, I think it's the 19th?
CMDR. IVANOVA: No, no, the year. What's the year?
ASHLEY: What are you, high?
CMDR. IVANOVA; Possibly, that's what I'm trying to find out.
LTCMDR. CLARKSON: Could it be time travel?
CAPT. BRANSON: I don't know
LT. MASON: Somehow I don't think so.
CAPT. BRANSON (sighs): Alright, first things first, we need to find a way out. Zhasa and I will search this direction, the rest of you check those corridors down there. We'll meet back here in ten minutes.
Landing party splits up to find away to get out of the building and contact the Enterprise.
EXT-NARRAN 1 ORBIT
The Enterprise is in orbit of the planet.
INT-USS ENTERPRISE MAIN BRIDGE [YELLOW ALERT]
LTCMDR. T'LAR: Have you tried a subsurface tomographic analysis of the planet?
LT. SHERIDAN: Yes, ma'am and there's no sign of the landing party.
Commander T'Lar sits in the Captain's chair thinking.
LTCMDR. T'LAR: We have missing crewmen we have to find them but logic dictates that we search at their last known position, Mister Mitchell take a second landing party armed and find the landing party.
LT. MITCHELL: Yes, ma'am.
Lieutenant Mitchell gets up from the navigational console and heads to the turbo-lift to lead the second landing party as T'Lar is keeping her Vulcan stoic manner intact.
INT-HIGH SCHOOL, HISTORY CLASS
A History teacher is teaching a class about History.
MR. REYNOLDS: So by 1914, when things were close to a boiling point, the European nations found themselves divided into two factions: the Triple Entente, which included Russia, England, and France, and the Triple Alliance, which consisted of Germany, Italy.
Then he turns to see Lieutenant Mason and Lieutenant Smith enter his class room searching the windows.
MR. REYNOLDS (confused): Can I help you two?
Julia turns to him.
LT. SMITH; Perhaps I'm looking for a way out of here.
MR. REYNOLDS: Well, I think you should talk to the guidance counselor. This is History 103.
Are you supposed to be in this class?
LT. MASON (annoyed): We so don't have time for this time to bring out the heavy guns.
He gets out his phaser and sets it to maximum setting and aims it at the window and starts firing as a red energy beam lances out and hits the window as Julia does the same thing with her phaser.
MR. REYNOLDS (frustrated): Hey! Just what in the hell do you think you're doing? Hey, hey, hey, knock it off! Okay, if the two of you don't leave right now, I'm calling the principal's office!
They both stop firing and Julia turns to Jack.
LT. SMITH: It's impenetrable, just like the doors.
LT. MASON: It could be a force-field of some kind.
MR. REYNOLDS (frustrated): Out, now!
LT. SMITH: Where's Kyle?
CUT TO:
INT-HIGH SCHOOL, MEN'S BATHROOM
Kyle is accosted by three bullies, who drag him into a bathroom and beat him.
KYLE (confused): Hey! Hey! What the hell!
He's punched in the gut.
KYLE: Uggh! What the hell is going on? Who are you guys?
BULLY #1: Shut up!
KYLE (confused): What Uggh!
BULLY #2: Randall wants his money, asshole!
KYLE: Who the hell is Randall?
BULLY #3: You're pissin' him off, and you're pissin' us off, now where is it?
KYLE: Guys, I seriously have no idea what you're talking about. I don't even know where I am.
He's punched in the face and then gut.
BULLY #1: Come on, where is it, you little bitch?
KYLE: I swear to God, I have no idea. Okay, okay! I'll get him I'll get him his money, okay? I just don't have it right now. Alright? I need a little more time!
BULLY #1: You got till 3:15 to pay up, or Randall's gonna put you in a world of shit, you got me?
KYLE (nods): Yeah. Yeah, yes. I gotcha.
BULLY #1: Yeah?
They leave as Lieutenants Mason and Smith enter.
KYLE (groans): Uggh!
LT. MASON: Commander are you alright?
LTCMDR. CLARKSON: I'll live.
LT. SMITH: What happened?
LTCMDR. CLARKSON: Those guys jumped me and dragged me in here and proceeded to give me what is called a swirly.
LT. MASON: Who were they?
LTCMDR. CLARKSON: I'm not sure they wouldn't tell me.
LT. SMITH: We better get to the Captain and Commander and inform them that we can't find away out of here.
They go to meet up with the Captain and Commander.
CUT TO:
INT-HIGH SCHOOL, CAFE AREA
Lieutenants Mason and Smith and Lieutenant Commander Clarkson enter the area to meet up with Commander Ivanova and Captain Branson.
CMDR. IVANOVA: Oh my god what happened to you?
LTCMDR. CLARKSON: I'm okay, Commander. I just had a little run-in.
CAPT. BRANSON: With who?
LTCMDR. CLARKSON: Bullies.
CMDR. IVANOVA: What did they want?
LTCMDR. CLARKSON: Money. They said I have till 3:15 to pay some guy named Randall.
LT. MASON: Captain. His wounds are real.
LT. SMITH: Which means that even
CMDR. IVANOVA: if this is a hallucination
LT. MASON: We can be hurt.
CAPT. BRANSON: We need answers.
LTCMDR. CLARKSON: Now what?
CAPT. BRANSON: Find someone who looks friendly.
They look around the place as they find a table.
CAPT. BRANSON: Hey mind if we join you.
STUDENT #1: Yeah sure.
The landing party joins them.
STUDENT #2: What happened to you?
Kyle still tending to his busted lip with a napkin.
LTCMDR. CLARKSON: Maybe you can tell me do you guys know someone named Randall?
STUDENT #1: Yeah, he's a big brute who bullies the little guys forces them to do his homework and be his servant to his women he picks up after school.
CAPT. BRANSON: Sounds terrible.
STUDENT #2: And word around is that you owe him money you better give it to him or something bad will happen to you.
LTCMDR. CLARKSON (snickers): Believe me I've had my fair share of bullies when I was your age kid, and I took care of them.
John looks at him with a yeah right look.
INT-USS ENTERPRISE TRANSPORTER ROOM
Lieutenant Mitchell enters holding a phaser rifle.
LT. MITCHELL: Alright, I'll be brief we've got missing officers on a planet with strange energy readings that maybe the cause of our people vanishing. Now we're going to beam down and we're going to be in a group of threes so if one group makes contact with the landing party they can get them back to the Enterprise and come back for the other groups.
DR. CARLSON: They maybe injured so keep it nice and slow.
They walk onto the pad.
CHIEF MACKENZIE: Same coordinates as the first landing party is still plugged into the console sir.
LT. MITCHELL: Energize Chief.
Chief Mackenzie inputs commands into the console and activates the transporter as the landing party dematerializes.
CUT TO:
EXT-NARRAN 1 SURFACE, FOOTBALL FIELD
Once the school day ends, the students exit, followed by the away team.
LT. MASON: I never want to go through that again.
LTCMDR. CLARKSON: You weren't the one that was swirled and punched several times Mister Mason.
Commander Ivanova gets out her communicator and flips it open.
CMDR. IVANOVA (to com): Ivanova to Enterprise come in please.
CAPT. BRANSON: Ideas, anyone?
LT. MASON: Perhaps this "Randall" could give us some information.
LTCMDR. CLARKSON: Wait-wait, the Randall who just had me beat up? The guy who wants to kill me?
CAPT. BRANSON: Kyle it's the only lead we have. Maybe we can talk to him.
LTCMDR. CLARKSON (sighs): Alright, let's find the bleachers. Great.
CAPT. BRANSON: We're looking for Randall.
RANDALL: You found him.
LTCMDR. CLARKSON: Oh, shit!
(END OF ACT TWO, FADE OUT)
===Act 3===
FADE IN
EXT-NARRAN 1 SURFACE, FOOTBALL FIELD
They're running from the big buffed Randall but Kyle trips and falls and Kyle avoids Randall's feet trying to stomp on him, but then Kyle's eyes turn white for an instance. As John leaps on Randall's back attempting to subdue him so Kyle can get away.
CAPT. BRANSON: Eat phaser you overgrown jock.
John shoots a phaser beam down Randall's throat and the beast dies.
KYLE: Thanks John.
JOHN (nods): Don't mention it man.
Then Randall gets up.
CAPT. BRANSON; OH COME ON! RUN BACK TO THE SCHOOL!
The landing party heads for the school as both Captain Branson and Lieutenant Mason are providing cover fire as their phaser beams aren't having any effect on the brute, Julia opens the door and they enter the building.
INT-USS EXCALIBUR MAIN BRIDGE [RED ALERT]
They are onboard a Federation Starship.
CAPT. BRANSON: Where are we now?
Commander Ivanova looks over at the plaque.
CMDR. IVANOVA: We're onboard the USS Excalibur John this is during the M5 disaster.
WHUMPH! Sparks erupt from the ceiling as the transparent viewer shows the USS Enterprise flying over head.
CAPT. BRANSON: Not good.
CUT TO:
EXT-NARRAN 1 SURFACE
The search party continues searching for the landing party.
LT. MITCHELL (to com): Mitchell to Enterprise so far no sign of the Captain or his team.
LTCMDR. T'LAR (com voice): We have to hope that they found away out and back to us Mister Mitchell return to the ship
LT. MITCHELL (reluctant, to com): Yes, ma'am Mitchell out Mitchell to transporter room four to beam up.
The search team dematerializes from the surface.
INT-USS EXCALIBUR MAIN BRIDGE [RED ALERT]
Lieutenant Smith checks her tricorder.
CAPT. BRANSON: Anything?
LT. SMITH (re: tricorder): According to my tricorder scans this is a real Federation starship main bridge, and these are real people the crew of the Excalibur.
CMDR. IVANOVA: John do you know these people?
CAPT. BRANSON (nods): Yeah the man sitting in the command chair that's Captain Harris he was my mentor and friend he's the one who recommended me for a promotion to Captain along with Admiral Kirk, and that's my successor for the first officer post on this vessel Commander James Laws Amanda's ex-boyfriend.
Kyle walks over to John.
KYLE: John, something happened when that creature had me in the air.
CAPT. BRANSON: What do you mean?
KYLE: It was like my whole brain froze. You know, I was there, but, I wasn't.
JOHN: Were you in shock?
KYLE: No, no, no. I mean, yeah, I was, but I've been in shock before. This-This was something different.
LT. SMITH: Perhaps, whatever is causing these hallucinations, is affecting our minds in other ways.
CAPT. BRANSON: If that's the case then we need to get out of here fast before anyone of us have what happened to Kyle.
Just then huge shower of sparks erupt from the ceiling.
CAPT. HARRIS: Re-route power to secondary emitters.
HELM OFFICER: Starboard emitters are fried we've lost the port nacelle we're venting drive plasma!
CMDR. LAWS: Their targeting the bridge!
John falls on one knee as he's holding his head and his eyes turn white just like Kyle's did.
CMDR. IVANOVA: Come on let's get out of here.
They get into the lift quickly before the bridge is destroyed with everyone on it.
INT-USS EXCALIBUR TURBO-LIFT
CAPT. BRANSON: Thanks Z.
CMDR. IVANOVA: You're welcome.
The lift stops and they enter a battlefield on a distance world.
CAPT. BRANSON: What in the hell is this?
[END OF ACT THREE, FADE OUT]
===Act 4===
FADE IN
EXT-NARRAN SURFACE, DAY
The landing party is looking around.
LT. SMITH: John your head.
John checks his head and winces.
CAPT. BRANSON: I'll be alright Julia.
John turns to Kyle.
JOHN: You know that feeling, you said you had, when the creature attacked you?
KYLE: Yeah.
JOHN: I felt it too. It was right before the Enterprise fired that photon. It was almost like-Like I was somewhere else.
KYLE: Yes. Exactly, like-Like your mind wasn't your own.
JOHN: I wish Steven were here. We could both use a brain scan.
CMDR. IVANOVA: Where are we?
LT. MASON: I know this place this is Corvan II this is during the first battle of the war with the Klingons in 2256, I was part of that cadet training cruise when Captain Shaffer was killed by Ju'ulla.
CMDR. IVANOVA: The sister of T'Kumva?
LT. MASON (nods): Yeah.
They're looking around as they're seeing Starfleet phasers and Klingon disruptor bolts brighten up the darken city of the colony.
CAPT. BRANSON: I was aboard the USS Lancer during this attack we arrived late in the battle but we were able to provide back up.
They're walking through the city.
CMDR. IVANOVA: Why are we being shown this if we weren't apart of the ground combat.
CAPT. BRANSON: Wish I knew.
LTCMDR. CLARKSON: Well I can tell you guys this we never should of left the Enterprise. I should've smelled something was wrong at the start.
CAPT. BRANSON: Let's start looking for an exit.
They start looking around the buildings.
LT. MASON: If only we could contact the Enterprise to get us out of here.
Then a Klingon grabs Jack by the neck.
LT. SMITH: JACK!
The others rush to him as his eyes turn white as well then he was able to push the dead Klingon off him and the Klingon remains lifeless.
CAPT. BRANSON: Jack you alright?
LT. MASON (gasps): I have no idea sir but I had the same issue you two had like I was outside of my body.
CAPT. BRANSON: Let's get out of here.
They start looking for the exit.
LT. SMITH: Hey I found it.
They enter a building.
CUT TO:
EXT-PLANET SURFACE
The landing party are on Vulcan.
CAPT. BRANSON: This is strange how can we be on Vulcan we're far from it.
LTCMDR. CLARKSON: I don't care just as long as we don't have to face dead Klingons or big brutes.
They look around the place.
CAPT. BRANSON: Come on let's go find the Vulcan High Command and have them contact The Enterprise and let them know we're alive.
They head to the city.
EXT-NARRAN 1 ORBIT
The Enterprise is in orbit of the planet.
INT-USS ENTERPRISE CAPTAIN'S READY ROOM/SITUATION ROOM [YELLOW ALERT]
Monitor shows the planet surface.
LT. MITCHELL: We covered every inch of the planet and so far no sign of the Captain or his team.
DR. CARLSON: This is weird T'Lar we should be able to find them.
LTCMDR. T'LAR: Mister Sheridan anything?
ENS. SHERIDAN: Nothing ma'am we're having trouble looking for them but I'm not giving up.
LTCMDR. T'LAR: Keep looking for them dismissed.
They leave the room except for T'Lar who is a bit worried but can't show it.
EXT-VULCAN SURFACE
The landing party is making their way to the city to get to Vulcan High Command.
CAPT. BRANSON: Hasn't anyone noticed that we can handle this heat?
CMDR. IVANOVA: Yeah I've noticed that.
Then a sealot attacks and grabs Commander Ivanova by her shoe and starts dragging her.
LT. SMITH: COMMANDER!
Lieutenant Smith rushes over to her and grabs her arm as Captain Branson, Commander Clarkson, and Lieutenant Mason are hitting the beast with rocks, as Zhasa's eyes also turn white the beat releases her and retreats.
CAPT. BRANSON: Commander are you alright?
CMDR. IVANOVA: Yeah, but I felt like I...
CAPT. BRANSON: Was out of your body?
She nods.
CAPT. BRANSON (annoyed): If you can hear me, whatever this goddamn game is, it's over!
We're done! So either kill us, or let us go, because we are done with this bullshit! 
LTCMDR. CLARKSON: Well, so, now where do we go? 
CAPT. BRANSON: Anywhere but there. This time we're not taking the bait.
With no other option, the group decides to wander away, refusing to participate any longer then a door appears in front of them John opens it and they enter it.
EXT-CAVE
The landing party walks through a cave as Julia gets out her tricorder.
CAPT. BRANSON: Julia what are you reading?
LT. SMITH (re: Tricorder): It appears to be a holographic power generator of some kind. The projection radius is significant.
Kyle gets out his engineering tool to see if he can disable it but is thrown back.
LTCMDR. CLARKSON: OW!
Julia scans the device again.
LT. SMITH (re: Tricorder): There is an axionic shield in effect.
LTCMDR. CLARKSON: Thanks for telling me.
CMDR. IVANOVA: Its frequency is constant.
LTCMDR. CLARKSON: I believe I can deactivate it.
Kyle gets out his phaser and sets it to level 4 and fires at the shield till it goes down.
LT. SMITH (re: Tricorder): The shield has been neutralized.
CMDR. IVANOVA: What do you want to do?
The group destroys the projector with their phasers and the illusion of Vulcan vanishes, leaving only the broken device and the vast, empty terrain of "the real Narran 1." John gets out his communicator and flips it open.
CAPT. BRANSON (to com): Branson to Enterprise come in Enterprise do you read me.
LTCMDR. T'LAR (com voice): Enterprise here we read you Captain what happened?
CAPT. BRANSON (to com): We'll explain when we get aboard Branson out.
He closes his communicator.
CMDR. IVANOVA: What do we do with these pieces?
CAPT. BRANSON: Collect them and we'll take them back to the ship.
They collect the pieces.
CUT TO:
EXT-NARRAN 1 ORBIT
The Enterprise is in orbit of the planet.
INT-USS ENTERPRISE SICKBAY [YELLOW ALERT]
Doctor Carlson is with the landing party as he's give them his report.
DR. CARLSON: Look at this. It's a residual polarization along the cognitive pathways of the cerebral cortex, and, it's present in all five of you.
CAPT. BRANSON: So whatever it was, it affected all of us the same way.
DR. CARLSON: This is evidence of a highly invasive neurogenic scan. Think of it as electromagnetic ayahuasca.
CMDR. IVANOVA: So you're saying we all just had a bad trip?
DR. CARLSON: Partly.
LT. MASON: Doctor, you saw our injuries. I mean, Kyle got beat up in a bathroom, that's not a hallucination.
DR. CARLSON: True but I don't have an explanation other then that.
CUT TO:
INT-USS ENTERPRISE SCIENCE LAB II
Commander Clarkson and Commander Williams are studying the debris as Captain Branson, Lieutenant Smith, and Commander Ivanova enter.
CAPT. BRANSON: You two have something for me to report Starfleet Command.
LTCMDR. CLARKSON: We think we might have something.
CAPT. BRANSON: What?
LTCMDR. WILLIAMS: There are vestiges of unfamiliar technology present within the device's components, but, the primary elements appear to be of Klingon design.
CAPT. BRANSON: Oh, man
CMDR. IVANOVA (to Julia): Julia. You said you picked up Klingon warp signatures, on your way back from Earth?
LT. SMITH (nods): I did. 
CAPT. BRANSON: Then it's possible they planted the device on Narran 1.
LTCMDR. CLARKSON: For what purpose?
CAPT. BRANSON: Got me.
EXT-NARRAN 1 ORBIT
The Enterprise is in orbit.
INT-USS ENTERPRISE CAPTAIN'S READY ROOM/SITUATION ROOM
Both Commander Ivanova and Captain Branson are debriefing Admiral Halsey on what they experienced.
VICE ADM. HALSEY (monitor): So the Klingons have figured out a way to mess with our minds
CAPT. BRANSON: Sure seems that way sir.
VICE ADM. HALSEY (monitor): To what end?
CMDR. IVANOVA: We're not sure sir but whatever the case is it can't be good sir, I think they want to figure out different ways to kill us or at the very least turn us against each other so that way they come and invade without firing a shot.
CAPT. BRANSON (sighs): Admiral, between Julia's initial report of Klingon activity in the sector and what we've discovered on Narran 1, I think there's something big brewing out here.
Admiral Halsey interlaces his fingers leaning on his desk.
VICE ADM. HALSEY (monitor): I agree John which is why I'm dispatching a convoy to begin a tactical survey of the region. They'll be escorting a science vessel with instructions to retrieve the device fragments and return them to Earth for further study. They'll rendezvous with you at Narran 1
CAPT. BRANSON: Aye, Admiral.
VICE ADM. HALSEY (monitor): Halsey out
Transmission ends.
EXT-NARRAN 1 ORBIT
The Enterprise is at station keeping.
INT-USS ENTERPRISE MAIN BRIDGE
LTCMDR. T'LAR: Sir, sensors are detecting the convoy.
CAPT. BRANSON: On screen.
Transparent viewer shows the USS Voyager and its convoy.
LT. SMITH: We're getting a signal from Voyager its Captain Nicole Tyson her battlegroup will reach us in two minutes.
CAPT. BRANSON: Good inform her that the debris fragments will be ready for transport.
LT. SMITH: Aye, sir.
LT. MASON: Uh, sir my tactical board just lit up light a Christmas tree our deflectors automatically engaged.
EXT-NARRAN SYSTEM
The convoy drops its ruse and is shown to be Klingon warships. 
INT-USS ENTERPRISE MAIN BRIDGE [RED ALERT]
CAPT. BRANSON: RED ALERT, DEFLECTORS UP! Kara get us out of here warp factor 6.
EXT-SPACE
The Enterprise breaks orbit but a D7-class warbird descends down and takes out the starboard nacelle including the pylon, a bird of prey fires at the secondary and primary hull causing massive explosions.
INT-USS ENTERPRISE MAIN BRIDGE [RED ALERT]
LT. SMITH: All sections are reporting heavy damage!
CAPT. BRANSON: Kara get us out of here warp speed.
LT. CARLSON: Helm isn't responding!
CMDR. IVANOVA (to com): Bridge to Engineering Steph what's going on down there?
INT-USS ENTERPRISE MAIN ENGINEERING [RED ALERT]
LTCMDR. WILLIAMS (to com): The warp core has been fractured, Commander! We can't risk a breach!
CUT TO:
INT-USS ENTERPRISE MAIN BRIDGE
Commander T'Lar continues to peacefully serve as acting captain when Ensign Christina turns to report.
ENS. CHRISTINA: Commander we're being hailed.
T'Lar walks over to the communications console.
LTCMDR. T'LAR: Is it the Captain?
Ensign Christina checks and reports.
ENS. CHRISTINA; No, ma'am its Lieutenant Smith.
LTCMDR. T'LAR: Put her on.
LT. SMITH (com voice): This is Lieutenant Smith calling Enterprise do you read me
LTCMDR. T'LAR (to com): We read you Lieutenant.
LT. SMITH (com voice): T'Lar you're in command?
LTCMDR. T'LAR (raises an eyebrow): Yes, I am.
Tyson walks over to the com station.
LT. MITCHELL: Julia we've been trying to reach you are you and the others alright?
INT-ZHANG SUI CANOPY
LT. SMITH (to com): Yeah I'm, I'm fine but Tyson I've been at the rendezvous point for three hours.
INT-USS ENTERPRISE MAIN BRIDGE
LT. MITCHELL (confused): Wait what?
LT. SMITH (com voice): Yeah, I mean, if you don't want me back, I'm happy to take another week off, but, I'd rather get back to work
LT. MITCHELL (to com): Julia, we picked you up hours ago.
JULIA (com voice): You Say again?
LTCMDR. T'LAR (to com): We were at the rendezvous point. We picked you up. You went down to the surface of Narran 1 with the Captain, Commander Ivanova, Commander Clarkson, and Lieutenant Mason.
LT. MITCHELL (to com): You all disappeared, and we've been trying to find you ever since.
INT-ZHANG SUI CANOPY
JULIA (to com): Ty, I left Earth two days ago. I came straight here.
LTCMDR. T'LAR (com voice): Lieutenant, I think it would be logical if you meet us here Lieutenant Carlson is transmitting our coordinates
Julia checks the console read out.
LT. SMITH (to com): Got it see you guys in a bit Smith out.
CUT TO:
INT-USS ENTERPRISE MAIN BRIDGE
LT. MITCHELL: If Julia didn't come aboard then who is down there with the Captain and the others?
CUT TO:
INT-USS ENTERPRISE MAIN BRIDGE (RED ALERT)
WHUMPH!
LTCMDR. CLARKSON: Sir the core has been breached!
LT. MITCHELL: Navigational array has been destroyed sir we can't maneuver!
LT. CARLSON: Helm control is off-line!
LT. MASON: Tactical systems are off-line as well!
CAPT. BRANSON (to com): All hands abandon ship, I repeat all hands abandon ship!
LTCMDR. T'LAR: Sir, the Klingon vessel is on a ramming speed course!
EXT-SPACE
A Bird of Prey begins a kamikaze dive into the Enterprise. Just as the frigate makes contact with the Enterprise's hull.
INT-USS ENTERPRISE MAIN BRIDGE [RED ALERT]
CMDR. IVANOVA: Too late!
Everyone covers their faces but then everything freezes and a light scans the team. The team is confused and scared, except for Julia, who transforms into an alien woman.
CAPT. BRANSON: Who are you?
DINAL: Don't be afraid Captain I'm Dinal.
The landing party is confused.
CUT TO:
EXT-NARRAN 1 SURFACE, DAY
CAPT. BRANSON: What's going on?
DINAL: Please don't be afraid you all are alright.
CAPT. BRANSON: What have you done with Julia?
DINAL: Nothing she's back aboard your ship safe and sound.
CMDR. IVANOVA: So you were posing as her for what reason?
DINAL: I wanted to experience what you experience.
LTCMDR. CLARKSON: Which is what?
DINAL: The fear of death.
They look at each other confused.
CAPT. BRANSON: I-I don't get it.
DINAL: You don't know me, but you knew my ancestors.
LTCMDR. CLARKSON: Your ancestors?
DINAL: Oh, Zhasa. Our goddess, lord, and savior. Or, more accurately, a simple human woman,
with a less-than-simple relationship to our forebears. About two years ago, by your perception, you encountered a planet, locked in what you would call a "multiphasic" orbit.
CAPT. BRANSON: That's right.
DINAL: Every 11 days, it would enter our space, and during that time, it advanced 700 years. And also during that time, you watched as a religion sprang up. A religion devoted to you, thanks to your clumsiness, amid one of our More primitive eras.
CMDR. IVANOVA: I'm sorry for that.
DINAL: Ancient history, it's irrelevant.
CAPT. BRANSON: Is that why you're here? To check up on us?
DINAL (smiles): No, no, we've been watching you for some time. Don't worry, we're very discreet. But your significance to our past made you a logical choice. Or, at least as good as any other.
LT. SMITH: A choice, for what? By your chronology, roughly 50,000 years have passed for us. I won't bore you with the details, but, suffice it to say We advanced.
CAPT. BRANSON: You've evolved 50,000 years?
DINAL: "Evolved" is an arcane term in this case. Evolution is blind and drunk. It stumbles along, by trial and error, and emerges with a barely adequate excuse for a being. No offense.
CAPT. BRANSON: None taken.
DINAL: Long ago, we learned to take the reins of evolution and guide it with a greater efficiency. Let's just say Things moved faster. A lot faster.
CAPT. BRANSON: You're immortal.
DINAL (smiles): Gold star, Captain. The cultivation of the mind becomes a lot less stressful when you don't have to worry about dying.
CAPT. BRANSON: None of this explains why you created these hallucinations.
DINAL: Oh, everything you experienced was real. Think of them as custom-made micro-universes, tailored just for you. The content was gathered from your own minds and cultural databanks. That's not what mattered. What did matter, is that each of you, experienced a moment, when you thought you were going to die. And we were there to experience it with you. I apologize for the brief disorientation. That's what happens when you share a mind.
CAPT. BRANSON: Why would you wish to experience death? Immortality has its rewards.
DINAL: But after a while, the drive to advance begins to atrophy. Once you've seen it all, and done it all, and time has no worth, all that's left is Idle play. We've become complacent, because none of us can conceive of our own mortality. That's why we had to see it through your eyes.
LTCMDR. CLARKSON (frustrated): Well, I'm glad you got your existential rocks off, but the fact is, you put us through hell.
DINAL: It was all in the interest of knowledge. 
CAPT. BRANSON: You poke a worm to see what it'll do, you could still kill the worm. Centuries ago, my people used other species, for experimentation, in the name of knowledge. Didn't take us 50,000 years to realize it was wrong.
DINAL: You were never in any real danger. I promise you that.
CMDR. IVANOVA: What's it like, immortality? 
DINAL: You outgrew your gods, and your nations, as we did. You left your training wheels behind, and, you made it to the stars. Your next hurdles are really no different. You simply must outgrow self. These abstractions that you inhabit for now: Captain Explorer Husband Man They are irrelevant, when you become one with the cosmos. And when you do Sculpting a universe, will be as simple as blinking an eye. You're an interesting species. We'll meet again.
Dinal vanishes just then John's communicator beeps he takes it out and flips it open.
CAPT. BRANSON (to com): Branson here go ahead.
LTCMDR. T'LAR (com voice): Captain this is Commander T'Lar it is good to hear your voice sir we have the transporter standing by to beam you and the rest of the landing party up
LT. SMITH: What happened down there sir?
CAPT. BRANSON (to com): We ran into an old friend four to beam up T'Lar.
CUT TO:
EXT-WARP TUNNEL
The Enterprise is at warp.
CAPT. BRANSON'S (voice over): Captain's Log Supplemental, After our ordeal on Narran 1 The Enterprise is heading to Starfleet Medical Outpost 14 so me and my landing party can get a clean bill of health
INT-USS ENTERPRISE CAPTAIN'S QUARTERS
John is looking out the window at the warp stream.
JOHN: I don't know what could of happened if it was real.
ZHASA: Same here but at least this is the real Enterprise and not that simulated one where we were about to die.
JULIA: How did my copy fool the sensors?
KYLE: I think they were able to copy everything from your DNA right to your genetic makeup the computer couldn't make heads or tails of it to trigger the intruder alert.
JACK: I for one can't wait to see what the future holds next for us.
ZHASA: Let's hope its peace and quiet.
They all raise their glasses up.
EXT-WARP TUNNEL
The Enterprise soars at warp.
(END OF ACT FOUR, FADE OUT, ENDING CREDITS)
==Cast==
===Starring===
*Jarvis Davidson as Captain John Branson
*Felecia Linkous as Lieutenant Commander Zhasa Ivanova
===Also Starring===
*Kevin Regan as Lieutenant Jack Mason
*Ferne Myers as Lieutenant Commander Stephanie Williams
*Blake Waymire as Lieutenant Tyson Mitchell
*Sadie Brickhouse-Waymire as Lieutenant Julia Smith
*Delena Lusk as Lieutenant Kara Carlson
*Jacob Elliot as Doctor Steven Carlson
*Becky Elliot as Lieutenant Commander T'Lar
===Guest Stars===
*TBA as Nurse Christine Chapel
*TBA as Transporter Chief Kayla Mackenzie