as he fires. A blur of movement from the alley mouth and Trooper is there, hurtling toward Kirk on his little cart. He hits Kirk dead-center and the Enterprise Captain is flung sidewise as the phaser blast lances out. Trooper is hit, and with a SHARP, SHORT SCREAM THAT CUTS OFF IN MID-NOTE he is gone.

95 WITH SPOCK—HAND-HELD

as he springs to his feet, grabs the garbage can, and with incredible strength hurls it up at Beckwith.

The can strikes Beckwith and he falls, dropping the phaser into the alley where it lands near Kirk with a rainbow of blast-lines. Kirk grabs it. Beckwith clambers to his feet and vanishes over the rooftops. Spock stands a beat, watching, then goes to Kirk, who is rising. They look down at the power-blasted spot where Trooper was vaporized. The bricks are cleft in half, the cement is sundered, and the cripple is gone. All that remains is one of the hand-pedaling devices with its raggedy grip.

SPOCK

Any death in this era that alters the sum of intelligence…alters time permanently.

KIRK

If he mattered in the time-flow.

They stand long in silence.

SPOCK

Why did he do that for you?

KIRK

Because I gave him two dollars.

(beat)

Mr. Spock, you know history: where is Verdun?

Spock does not answer. They stand in silence; a life has been taken. They stare down at the hand-grip left by Trooper and CAMERA RISES UP AWAY FROM THEM in the alley as we

DISSOLVE TO:

96 EXT. NEW YORK STREET—SAME AS 65—DAY

Edith Keeler in her blue-as-the-sky cape with its sunburst, on her little dais, talking to a tiny crowd of half a dozen men and women.

EDITH

There are great times on the way. Days of gold and nights cool and sweet-smelling. This isn’t the only happiness, this world turning under us. Look up tonight, see them all out there…see them burning, smiling…

CAMERA PANS RIGHT to a doorway where Kirk and Spock are standing beside one another, watching Edith from concealment. CAMERA CLOSE ON THEM, the street scene in b.g. with EDITH’S VOICE UNDER.

SPOCK

She speaks as though you’ve talked to

her.

KIRK

(a little dead)

She doesn’t know who we are.

SPOCK

Her ideas are years ahead of their time.

KIRK

Yes.

SPOCK

My race has a word for her kind of person: liira: open.

KIRK

Yes. That, too.

SPOCK

Captain…

Edith finishes, the crowd leaves at once, and Kirk does not even wait for Spock to complete his sentence. He steps out where she can see him.

97 thru 100 SEQUENCE—SELECT BEST ANGLES

(NOTE: this sequence is the heart of the climax. It is imperative that the order of action, and the angles on closeups, be tight and specific. No camerawork has been indicated here purposely, so the pace and layout of shots can be best developed by on-set choices.)

Spock moves away so Edith will not see him.