Perhaps. But what if he gets to it before we do?

KIRK

Where’s the tricorder?

Spock disappears into the darkness of the basement, and there is the SOUND of METAL GRATING. In a moment he returns. He hands the tricorder to Kirk.

60 CLOSER SHOT—ON TRICORDER

as Kirk activates it. He speaks into the machine.

KIRK

Memory Banks.

VOICE OF TRICORDER

(filter)

Activated.

CAMERA ANGLE WIDENS to include Kirk holding the device; almost a 2-SHOT:

KIRK

Integrate all data on Old Earth, year 1930 old style. Compute for variables resulting in major alterations of historical flow.

(beat)

When these variables have been postulated, integrate for the crisis points.

VOICE OF TRICORDER

(filter)

Integration procedure involves seventh level extrapolation and attendant internal function overloads and failure.

KIRK

Give estimated time for completion of procedure.

VOICE OF TRICORDER

(filter)

Procedure initiated.

(click)

Three hours, Earth time.

KIRK

Proceed.

He turns off the tricorder and hands it back to Spock who vanishes once again into the darkness, as Kirk speaks to his unseen presence.

KIRK (CONT’D.)

Think we can keep busy shoveling garbage for three hours?

SPOCK’S VOICE O.S.

(voice from dark)

That is not what troubles me, Captain.

(beat)

That much integrating, at that level, for that intensive a period, may well burn out the circuits. The tricorder is a self-contained unit, with no dependenceon the Enterprise’s power. And as the Enterprise no longer exists, that is fortunate.

KIRK

I hear an unspoken “but.”

SPOCK’S VOICE O.S.

But…it is a unit of finite power. Setting it this excessive a task may burn out the circuits. Its value to us in this barbaric past is inestimable.

KIRK

As long as we get our answer, it won’t matter.

SPOCK’S VOICE O.S.

If we get the answer.

Spock has returned out of the darkness and is at work once more. Kirk stares at him with amusement.

KIRK

You don’t make a half-bad Chinese laborer. They barely looked at you in that “movie theater” last night. Twenty-three skidoo, kiddo.

SPOCK

(not amused)

“Movie theater.” You have an amazing facility for picking up the local language patterns, Captain—“twenty-three skidoo” indeed—but we do not seem much closer to locating that monster, Beckwith.

KIRK

Time is relative. He hasn’t even come through yet. We have a lot of time…

SPOCK.

A lot…and none at all.

SPOCK CLOSE as the preceding line is spoken. He has no humor about the situation. And there is a tone of caution that cannot be ignored.

DISSOLVE TO:

61 INT. BASEMENT—ANOTHER ANGLE

CLOSE ON TRICORDER as Spock holds it in his hands. CAMERA PULLS BACK to MED. 2-SHOT as they talk to machine.

VOICE OF TRICORDER

(filter)

Integration completed.

SPOCK

List all focal points.

VOICE OF TRICORDER

(filter)

Preliminary listing involves six hundred and sixteen thousand five hundred and ninety focal points.

SPOCK

Eliminate all but those within a ten-kilometer radius of our present coordinates.

VOICE OF TRICORDER

(filter)