He can’t finish. She stares at him, with wonder.

84 ANOTHER ANGLE—FEATURING STAIRWELL

as Mr. Spock appears. He is carrying a burlap parcel. It contains the phaser, but we don’t know it. He stops on the stairs. Kirk looks at him, and draws away from Edith. She looks, sees only a Chinese laborer. Spock watches them with silent understanding, then moves down the stairs and past them. He goes out.

KIRK

You’d better go upstairs. Please trust me…I know you want to go back to the mission to work, but if you would…please, go upstairs, get some rest, an hour of sleep…please. I have to go out for a while, but I’ll be right back.

EDITH

(deeply troubled)

Jim, if it’s something you’ve done…some trouble…

KIRK

Nothing, Edith. I’ll be right back. I promise. Just stay in your room…and keep the door locked.

EDITH

Please tell me, Jim!

He moves to the front door, opens it, starts to go.

EDITH (CONT’D.)

(softly)

I love you, James Kirk.

CAMERA ON KIRK as he pauses, without turning, hearing her words. Then his jaw muscles tighten, and he goes out the door. HOLD ON HER staring after him.

85 EXT. STREET—ANGLE ON ALLEY—DAY

as Kirk passes, sees Spock waiting, the burlap wrapped package still in his arms. He moves into the alley as CAMERA GOES WITH him. Spock is looking at him with a silent condemnation.

KIRK

Mr. Spock…you can’t know how it is with her…

He stops. A silent bit of character flow. He knows how Spock feels about all this. But he can’t defend himself.

SPOCK

Are they still alive in the Transporter Chamber, Captain?

KIRK

You don’t understand. You’re not—

SPOCK

I am not what, Captain? A human, subject to the pains and pleasures of love? No, that is true. I am merely part human; and I am merely concerned with saving the lives of the ones who trusted us to save them.

KIRK

I can’t let her die! I can’t.

SPOCK

Then Beckwith wins. Time is changed.

Spock starts past him. Kirk grabs his arm. The package slips out of Spock’s grasp, falls, and the phaser is revealed.

KIRK

You can’t use that on Beckwith. We have to bring him back ali—

He stops, his eyes widen.

KIRK (CONT’D.)

(almost a whisper)

It wasn’t for Beckwith, was it, Mr. Spock?

Spock stares at him. They stand there across a sudden abyss of conflicting interests. Spock says nothing. He gathers up the phaser, rewraps it and leaves the alley. CAMERA HOLDS on Kirk’s expression of growing helplessness. He turns away abruptly as we

SMASH-CUT TO:

86 BACK STREET—DEAD NIGHT—ESTABLISHING