No? How long have you been my man, Lieutenant? How long have you been hooked on the Jewels?

LeBeque’s face tightens, his fists clench at his sides. He isn’t a weak man, nor a toady. But Beckwith holds his life.

LEBEQUE

You gave me my first taste on Karkow, that was a year ago. One taste and I was addicted. I need one…stop playing with me.

Beckwith extends one, a golden Jewel. But as LeBeque reaches for it, Beckwith closes his fist, and the light is shut off. LeBeque gasps, winces, as though physically hurt. Then with his hand still extended, Beckwith gets down to business.

BECKWITH

(directorially)

I want to know about that planet out there. What the log says about valuable commodities. I’ll want a landfall pass, and I’ll want you to cover for me when I trade with the natives.

LEBEQUE

(amazed horror)

After the slaughter you caused on Harper Five, you’ll do it again? If Kirk finds out—

BECKWITH

(chilled steel)

He won’t find out, will he, Lieutenant? If he does, you’ll never hear these Jewels sing inside you again. I’m your only source, remember that.

(beat)

I’m coming back from this a rich man, and I’ll never have to go to space again.

Nobody’s getting in my way, LeBeque: I want to live an elegant life, but that takes resources.

LEBEQUE

(it takes guts)

So you cheat aliens, get them hooked on illegal narcotics, and steal what they could trade for cultural advances?

BECKWITH

Hooked like you, LeBeque. Hooked like you.

LEBEQUE

(bitterly)

Yeah, like me. And I’m already paying.

BECKWITH

(with finality)

But you’ll pay a little more. Do I get what I want?

LeBeque nods painfully, reluctantly. Beckwith slowly opens his hand and the golden light shines. LeBeque grabs it quickly and swallows it. CAMERA HOLDS past Beckwith smiling knowingly at the Lt/Jg as a look of almost orgasmic pleasure crosses LeBeque’s face.

3 REVERSE ANGLE—LEBEQUE’S POV—WHAT HE SEES

as shot THRU HIS EYES as Beckwith’s face begins to shimmer with weird lights, like a Van deGraaf generator, like heat lightning off a rain-slick pavement. We HEAR the incredible MUSIC OF THE JEWELS as they reach through LeBeque’s head: part electronics, part orchestral and something like a scream from a creature dying horribly. Everything goes OUT OF FOCUS as the LIGHTS collide and merge and swirl and dance in patterns of no-pattern, and for SEVERAL BEATS we SEE THRU the drug-drunken eyes of a man in the grip of an alien narcotic. The MUSIC RISES and the SCREAM BUILDS as Beckwith’s face fades away with that damnable smile and everything blurs as we

COME BACK INTO FOCUS TO:

4 INT. BRIDGE—MEDIUM CLOSE ON LeBEQUE