But they have no time to ponder an answer, for at that moment Beckwith breaks from cover and makes a long run toward the Time Vortex. He is halfway there before they realize what is happening. Kirk and Spock plunge forward to stop him. Spock gets to him first, and knocks the phaser out of Beckwith’s hands, but Beckwith slams Spock across the jaw and keeps going. He grabs Yeoman Janice Rand as a shield and roughhouses her in front of him, ever closer to the Vortex. She half-turns and elbows him; he leaves her and Kirk reaches him just as he closes on the Vortex. Kirk sees he is going for the Vortex (from which the 1930s scene is gone, but which still flickers and glows so we know it is in operation) and makes a flying dive for him. But Beckwith does a little dance-step of broken-field maneuvering and flings himself forward. CAMERA WITH HIM as he dives headfirst into the Vortex. There is the SOUND of a LOUD WHOOOOSH! as space rushes to fill the vacuum where he has been, even as Kirk grabs up the phaser lying near him on the ground and fires at the Vortex. A blast of coruscating energy hits the light pillar, but does nothing. The Vortex is empty. Beckwith is gone.

27 WITH KIRK

as he crawls back to Spock, who is just rising. Yeoman Rand joins them, and the rest of the crew patrol.

KIRK

(to Spock)

Are you—

SPOCK

I am undamaged, Captain.

Kirk looks at Janice Rand. She nods tightly that she’s fine also. Then Kirk turns quickly, speaks to the Guardians.

KIRK

He went back?

1ST GUARDIAN

(panic)

Yes. The Vortex was active. Your world, Old Earth.

KIRK

But you said—

1ST GUARDIAN

All past history has been changed.

KIRK

But how can that be…it all looks the same here?

1ST GUARDIAN

Yes, here. But from here outward, everything has been changed. It is another universe in which we stand.

SPOCK

How has it been changed?

28 ANGLE ON GUARDIANS—CITY IN B.G.

high on that farther crag, the CITY BEGINS TO PULSE & GLOW. We SEE IT over the Guardians’ shoulders. One of the other two who has been bone-silent all through this action, suddenly begins to show animation. His body quivers ever so faintly under the robes, and his face makes a slight movement.

1ST GUARDIAN

The time-flow has been diverted. We are being summoned. The machines of the Ancients are registering traumas in time. We must return.

And THEY VANISH! The Vortex dies out. Kirk, et al alone.

29 TWO-SHOT—KIRK & SPOCK

with the crew patrol behind them. Yeoman Rand prominent.

KIRK

We have to get back to the ship.

SPOCK

(to Rand)

Yeoman. Signal Enterprise for Transporter pickup; give these coordinates.

RAND

Yes, sir.

She fiddles with the console, BLEEPS a signal.

KIRK

If they were right—If it’s changed…

SPOCK

Conjecture has no merit.

KIRK