The Enemy Within (episode)/script

Real-World

“The Enemy Within”
Star Trek: The Original Series  Episode
Details
Stardate	1672.1
Date	27 Dec 2266  (Terran)
Location	USS Enterprise
Planet	Alfa 177
System	Alpha Honorus
Quadrant	Beta
Chronology
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Real World  Information

[Planet surface]

KIRK

That should make a good specimen.

SULU

(holding pink animal with a horn) Temperature's starting to drop.

KIRK

Yeah. At night it gets down to a hundred and twenty degrees below zero.

SULU

That's nippy.

FISHER

Hey!

KIRK

What happened?

FISHER

I fell off that bank, sir. Cut my hand.

KIRK

Let's see it. Get back to the ship. Report to the Sickbay.

FISHER

Yes, sir. Geological Technician Fisher. Ready to beam up.

[Transporter room]

SCOTT

Right. Locked onto you. Energise. Coadjutor engagement.

WILSON

What happened?

FISHER

I took a flop.

WILSON

Onto what?

FISHER

I don't know. Some kind of yellow ore.

SCOTT

Magnetic. Decontaminate that uniform.

FISHER

Yes, sir.

(leaves)

SCOTT

That acted like a burnout.

KIRK [OC]

Captain Kirk ready to beam up.

SCOTT

Just one moment, Captain. It checks out okay now. You better go get a synchronic meter so we can double-check.

WILSON

Yes sir.

SCOTT

All right, Captain. Locked onto you.

(Kirk stumbles as he leaves the platform)

Are you all right, Captain?

KIRK

Yes, I'm all right. Just a little dizzy.

SCOTT

Let me give you a hand.

KIRK

I can't get through there. Nothing serious. Don't leave the transporter room unattended.

SCOTT

Wilson will be right back, sir.

(both leave, and another Kirk materialises on the pad)

Captain's Log, stardate 1672.1. Specimen-gathering mission on planet Alpha 177. Unknown to any of us during this time, a duplicate of me, some strange alter ego, had been created by the transporter malfunction.

[Transporter room]

WILSON

Captain? Are you all right, sir? Can I give you a hand, sir? Captain?

[Corridor]

UHURA [OC]

Bridge to all decks. Section duty officers, check communication lines.

KIRK

Thank you.

SCOTT

It might profit you to let Doctor McCoy give you the once-over.

KIRK

All right, Engineer, I'll have my engines looked to.

[Kirk's quarters]

RAND

Ship's manifests, sir. I think they're in order now.

KIRK

Thank you, Yeoman.

RAND

I've checked

KIRK

That's all.

RAND

Yes, sir. (leaves Kirk to lie down on bed)

[Sickbay]

MCCOY

You picked a good day, Fisher. Business has been lousy. What'd you do, take a fall on purpose so you could get a little vacation?

KIRK

Saurian brandy.

Back to duty status, Fisher. I have no sympathy for clumsiness.}}

FISHER

No, sir. The hand's much better, sir. (leaves)

MCCOY

What can I do for you, Jim?

KIRK

(grabbing him by the neck) I said, give me the brandy! (leaves with bottle and goes to Rand's quarters)

[Kirk's quarters]

KIRK

Yeah.

SPOCK [OC]

Mister Spock.

KIRK

Come in. Yes, Mister Spock, what is it?

SPOCK

Is there something I can do for you, Captain?

KIRK

Like what?

SPOCK

Well, Doctor McCoy seemed to think I should check on you.

KIRK

That's nice. Come on, Spock, I know that look. What is it?

SPOCK

Well, our good doctor said that you were acting like a wild man, demanded brandy.

KIRK

Our good doctor's been putting you on again.

SPOCK

Hmm. Well, in that case, if you'll excuse the intrusion Captain, I'll get back to my work.

KIRK

I'll tell him you were properly annoyed.

SPOCK

Captain.

[Transporter room]

KIRK

What is it, Scotty?

SCOTT

Transporter breakdown. Continue circuit testing. We beamed up this animal and, well, look for yourself. It's in this specimen case. (opens lid to reveal angry pink animal)

KIRK

Yes?

SCOTT

A few seconds after they sent this one up through the transporter, that duplicate appeared. Except it's not a duplicate, it's an opposite. Two of the same animal, but different. One gentle, this. One mean and fierce, that. Some kind of savage, ferocious opposite. Captain, we don't dare send Mister Sulu and the landing party up. If this should happen to a man.

KIRK

Oh, my.

[Rand's quarters]

RAND

Oh! Captain, you startled me. Is there something that you? Can I help you, Captain?

KIRK

Jim will do here, Janice.

RAND

Oh.

KIRK

You're too beautiful to ignore. Too much woman. We've both been pretending too long. (grabs her) Stop pretending. Let's stop pretending. Come here, Janice. Don't fight me. Don't fight me, Janice. (kisses her)

RAND

Captain!

KIRK

Just a minute, Janice. Just a minute! (forces her onto the floor, she scratches his face and gets away to the door which opens just as Fisher is passing by)

RAND

Call Mister Spock! Call Mister Spock!

[Corridor]

FISHER

Geological Technician Fisher. Deck twelve, section (Kirk grabs him and hits him, hard)

[Kirk's quarters]

KIRK

Me? My yeoman said that? I've been resting here since you left me. Alone, Mister Spock.

SPOCK

Doctor McCoy reports that you demanded this brandy in Sickbay and left with it. I found this bottle in Yeoman Rand's quarters.

KIRK

Not true. I haven't been to the Sickbay. Let's find out what's going on.

[Turbolift]

KIRK

Sickbay. (just missing the other Kirk nursing grazed knuckles, who goes into his quarters)

[Sickbay]

RAND

Then he kissed me and he said that we, that he was the Captain and he could order me. I didn't know what to do. When you mentioned the feelings we'd been hiding, and you started talking about us.

KIRK

Us?

RAND

Well, he is the captain. I couldn't just. You started hurting me. I had to fight you, and scratch your face.

KIRK

Yeoman, look at me. Look at me, look at my face. Are there any scratches?

RAND

I was sure I scratched you. I was frightened. Maybe

KIRK

Yeoman. I was in my room. It wasn't me.

RAND

Sir, Fisher saw you, too.

KIRK

Fisher saw?

RAND

If it hadn't been. I can understand. I don't want to get you into trouble. I wouldn't have even mentioned it!

KIRK

It wasn't me!

FISHER

It was you, sir.

KIRK

Do you know what you're saying?

FISHER

Yes, I know what I'm saying.

MCCOY

Back to that bed, bucko. Come on, let's go.

SPOCK

You can go now, Yeoman. (Rand leaves) There's only one logical answer. We have an impostor aboard.

Captain's Log, stardate 1672.9. On the planet's surface, temperatures are beginning to drop, our landing party there in growing jeopardy. Due to the malfunction of the ship's transporter, an unexplained duplicate of myself definitely exists.

[Transporter room]

KIRK

How did all this happen?

SCOTT

I don't know sir, but when Fisher came up, his suit was covered with a soft yellow ore that had highly unusual properties. It may have caused an overload. Can't tell, not yet.

KIRK

Does the transporter work at all?

SCOTT

Yes sir, but we don't dare bring up the landing party. It might be duplicated like this animal.

KIRK

How long will it take you to find the trouble?

SCOTT

Can't say, sir.

KIRK

We just can't leave those four men down there. It's getting dark. They'll die. The surface temperature of that planet goes down to a hundred and twenty degrees below zero at night.

SCOTT

We're doing everything we can, sir.

KIRK

Yes, I know, Scotty.

SPOCK

About your double, Captain.

KIRK

Yes, er, yes, we'll have to find him. Search parties, Mister Spock. Organise search parties.

SPOCK

We can't take a chance on killing it. We have no previous experience, no way of knowing what would happen to you.

KIRK

Yes, that's right. We don't know, but the men have to be armed. The men are to be armed, with their phasers locked, I repeat, locked, on setting number one. There can't be any chance of him being killed. He's to be taken without. If the men are forced to fire, he can't be killed.

SPOCK

How shall we explain it to them, Captain? The search parties are to capture you?

KIRK

Tell them.

SPOCK

The search parties, Captain.

KIRK

Yes, I'll make an announcement to the entire crew, tell them what happened. It's a good crew. They deserve to know.

SPOCK

Captain, no disrespect intended, but you must surely realise you can't announce the full truth to the crew. You're the Captain of this ship. You haven't the right to be vulnerable in the eyes of the crew. You can't afford the luxury of being anything less than perfect. If you do, they lose faith, and you lose command.

KIRK

Yes, I do know that, Mister Spock. What I don't know is why I forgot that just now. Mister Spock, if you see me slipping again, your orders, your orders are to tell me.

SPOCK

Understood, Captain.

Captain's Log, stardate 1673.1. Something has happened to me. Somehow, in being duplicated, I have lost my strength of will. Decisions are becoming more and more difficult.

[Kirk's quarters]

KIRK [OC]

This is the Captain speaking. There's an impostor aboard the ship, a man who looks exactly like me and is pretending to be me. This man is dangerous. Utmost caution is to be observed. All crew members are to arm themselves. The impostor may be identified by scratches on his face. Repeat, the impostor may be identified by scratches on his face.

[Bridge]

KIRK

Section chiefs, assign personnel to the search. All search parties.

[Kirk's quarters]

KIRK [OC]

report to Mister Spock for assignment.

[Bridge]

KIRK

Something?

SPOCK

About the phaser weapons to be set for stunning force and locked.

KIRK

Oh, yes, yes. All hand phasers must be set on base cycle, stunning force.

[Kirk's quarters]

KIRK [OC]

The impostor is not to be injured. Use minimum force. Repeat, the imposter

KIRK

I'm Captain Kirk!

KIRK [OC]

Is not to be injured.

KIRK

I'm Captain Kirk. I'm Captain Kirk! I'm Captain Kirk! I'm Captain Kirk! (goes to mirror, covers scratches with makeup, opens door) Wilson!

WILSON

Sir?

KIRK

Wilson, give me your phaser.

WILSON

Yes, sir.

KIRK

How have you been?

WILSON

Fine, sir. (Kirk grabs and hits him)

[Planet surface]

KIRK [OC]

How's it going down there, Mister Sulu?

SULU

It's already twenty degrees below zero. Can't exactly…

[Briefing room]

SULU [OC]

…call it balmy.

KIRK

Isn't there any way we can help them?

SPOCK

Thermal heaters were transported down. They duplicated. They won't operate.

KIRK

Then we've got to get those men up.

CREWMAN [OC]

Mister Spock?

SPOCK

Spock here.

CREWMAN [OC]

Transporter Technician Wilson found injured near the Captain's cabin. He says the impostor attacked him, called him by name, took his hand phaser.

SPOCK

Acknowledged. Continue the search.

KIRK

We've got to find him before he, but how?

SPOCK

Apparently, this double, however different in temperament, has your knowledge of the ship, its crew, its devices. This being the case, perhaps we can outguess him by determining his next move. Knowing how the ship is laid out, where would you go to elude a mass search?

KIRK

The lower levels. The Engineering deck.

[Engineering]

SPOCK

Set and locked on base cycle to stun, not to kill. What about your phaser, Captain? Don't you think we ought to get some help, Captain?

KIRK

No. I don't want anyone else to see the

SPOCK

Captain, you ordered me to tell you.

KIRK

Mister Spock, if I'm to be the Captain, I've got to act like one. (they split up to search, and Kirk comes face to face with himself)

KIRK

You can't hurt me. You can't kill me. You can't. Don't you understand? I'm part of you. You need me. I need you.

OTHER KIRK

I don't need you. (Spock neck-pinches him, and his phaser fire hits a panel instead)

[Sickbay]

MCCOY

He'll be regaining consciousness soon, and not knowing what his physical state is, I don't think I dare give him a tranquilizer of any kind. I think we'd better bind him.

KIRK

Yes. yes, all right. What's the matter with me?

SPOCK

Judging from my observations, Captain, you're rapidly losing the power of decision.

MCCOY

You have a point, Spock?

SPOCK

Yes, always, Doctor. We have here an unusual opportunity to appraise the human mind, or to examine, in Earth terms, the roles of good and evil in a man. His negative side, which you call hostility, lust, violence, and his positive side, which Earth people express as compassion, love, tenderness.

MCCOY

It's the Captain's guts you're analysing. Are you of that, Spock?

SPOCK

Yes, and what is it that makes one man an exceptional leader? We see indications that it's his negative side which makes him strong, that his evil side, if you will, properly controlled and disciplined, is vital to his strength. Your negative side removed from you, the power of command begins to elude you.

KIRK

What is your point, Mister Spock?

SPOCK

If your power of command continues to weaken, you'll soon be unable to function as Captain. You must be prepared for that.

MCCOY

You have your intellect, Jim. You can fight with that!

KIRK

For how long?

SPOCK

If I seem insensitive to what you're going through, Captain, understand it's the way I am.

SCOTT [OC]

Captain Kirk.

KIRK

Kirk here.

SCOTT [OC]

Mister Scott, sir, on the lower level of the Engineering deck.

[Engineering]

SCOTT

I've found a new trouble with the transporter. The casing has a wide gap ripped in it. (the phaser damage) The main circuits

[Sickbay]

SCOTT [OC]

have been burned through. The abort control circuit is gone altogether.

[Planet surface]

SULU

Can you give us a status report, Captain? Temperature's still dropping. Now forty one degrees below zero.

KIRK [OC]

We've located the trouble. It shouldn't be much longer.

SULU

Do you think you might be able to find a long rope somewhere and lower us down a pot of hot coffee?

[Sickbay]

KIRK

I'll see what we can do.

SULU [OC]

Rice wine will do, if you're short on coffee.

KIRK

Engineering deck, Kirk here.

SCOTT [OC]

Scott here, Captain.

KIRK

That unit, Scotty, status report.

SCOTT [OC]

The transporter unit ioniser. Nothing much left of it, sir.

KIRK

How bad is it?

SCOTT [OC]

We can't repair it in less than a week.

Captain's Log, stardate 1673.5. Transporter still inoperable. My negative self is under restraint in Sickbay. My own indecisiveness growing. My force of will steadily weakening. On the planet, condition critical. Surface temperature is seventy five degrees below zero, still dropping.}}

[Planet surface]

SULU

(using phaser to heat rocks) I think we ought to give room service another call. That coffee's taking too long. Enterprise, this is Sulu.

[Briefing room]

KIRK

Kirk here, Mister Sulu.

SULU [OC]

Hot line direct to the Captain. Are we that far gone?

KIRK

I gave everybody the afternoon off. I'm watching the store.

[Planet surface]

KIRK [OC]

How is it down there?

SULU

Oh, lovely, except that the frost is building up. We're using hand phasers to heat the rocks. One phaser quit on us, three still operating. Any possibility of getting us back aboard before the skiing season opens down here?

[Briefing room]

SPOCK

This is Spock, Mister Sulu. You'll have to hold on a little longer. There's no other way. Survival procedures, Mister Sulu.

SULU [OC]

Per your training programme, Mister Spock.

[Sickbay]

(other Kirk is screaming)

KIRK

What happened?

MCCOY

Apparently the body functioning weakened during the duplication process. A fact I failed to consider.

KIRK

He's not dying?

KIRK

Yes, he is.

OTHER KIRK

Help me.

KIRK

How can he die? Can I survive without him?

MCCOY

I don't know, Jim.

KIRK

Don't be afraid. Here's my hand. Hold on. You don't have to be afraid. I won't let go. Hold on. You won't be afraid if you use your mind and think! Think! You can do it. That's it!

MCCOY

Jim, he is back! Jim, you can use that brandy now. In fact, I'll join you.

KIRK

I have to take him back inside myself. I can't survive without him. I don't want him back. He's like an animal, a thoughtless, brutal animal, and yet it's me. Me.

MCCOY

Jim, you're no different than anyone else. We all have our darker side. We need it! It's half of what we are. It's not really ugly, it's human.

KIRK

Human.

MCCOY

Yes, human. A lot of what he is makes you the man you are. God forbid I should have to agree with Spock, but he was right. Without the negative side, you wouldn't be the Captain. You couldn't be, and you know it. Your strength of command lies mostly in him.

KIRK

What do I have?

MCCOY

You have the goodness.

KIRK

Not enough. I have a ship to command.

MCCOY

The intelligence, the logic. It appears your half has most of that, and perhaps that's where man's essential courage comes from. For you see, he was afraid and you weren't.

SPOCK [OC]

Captain Kirk.

KIRK

Kirk here.

SPOCK [OC]

Spock here. Would you come to the transporter room. We think we may have found an answer.

KIRK

Coming.

[Transporter room]

KIRK

What is it?

SCOTT

We've found a way to get the transporter working, sir.

SPOCK

We've attached some bypass and leader circuits to compensate for the difference. Tied directly into the impulse engines, there shouldn't be more than a five point variation in the velocity balance. I suggest we send the animal through. Captain.

KIRK

Yes, yes. Go ahead.

SCOTT

(opening box with angry animal in it) I'll grab him by the scruff of the neck and hold him as long as I can.

KIRK

Don't hurt him.

SPOCK

It's painless and quick. The animal will be unconscious for only a few minutes. (sedates it)

SCOTT

If this doesn't work, I don't know what will.

SPOCK

Energise. Reverse.

SPOCK

The shock of putting him back together seems to have been too much for him.

MCCOY

He's dead, Jim.

Captain's Log, stardate 1673.1. Entry made by Second Officer Spock. Captain Kirk retains command of this vessel, but his force of will rapidly fading. Condition of landing party critical. Transporter unit still under repair.

[Sickbay]

MCCOY

Autopsy in-depth. Hurry. I don't know. Animal could have died of some kind of shock.

SPOCK

For once, I agree with you.

MCCOY

I said could have, Mister Spock. We won't know until we get a full post-mortem.

SPOCK

No autopsy is necessary to know that the animal was terrified, confused. It was split into two halves and suddenly thrust back together again. Thus shock induced by blind terror.

KIRK

Yes, yes, that sounds likely.

SPOCK

It couldn't understand. You can. You have your intelligence controlling your fear.

KIRK

Get the transporter room ready.

MCCOY

Could be, if, maybe. All guesswork so far. Just theory. Jim, why don't you give me a chance to do an autopsy and let Spock check the transporter circuits again.

KIRK

That sounds, sounds reasonable. We should double-check everything.

SPOCK

Aren't you forgetting something, Captain?

KIRK

No, I don't think I've for

SPOCK

Your men on the planet surface. How much time do they have left?

KIRK

Yes, that's right. The men. We have to take the chance, Bones. Their lives

MCCOY

Suppose it wasn't shock, Jim. Suppose death was caused by transporter malfunction. Then you'd die. They'd die, anyway. Jim, you can't risk your life on a theory!

SPOCK

Being split in two halves is no theory with me, Doctor. I have a human half, you see, as well as an alien half, submerged, constantly at war with each other. Personal experience, Doctor. I survive it because my intelligence wins over both, makes them live together. Your intelligence would enable you to survive as well.

KIRK

Help me. Somebody make the decision.

SPOCK

Are you relinquishing your command, Captain?

KIRK

No. No, I'm not.

MCCOY

Well then, we can't help you, Jim. The decision is yours.

KIRK

Mister Spock, ready the transporter room. Bones, continue the autopsy.

UHURA [OC]

Captain Kirk, I have a tie-in with Sulu now.

KIRK

Kirk here.

[Planet surface]

SULU

Captain K-Kirk, Sulu here. One hundred seventeen below. Can't last much longer.

[Sickbay]

SULU [OC]

Can't see clearly, Doctor, to read top indicator. Think the cold penetrating communicator. Two men unconscious. No time. No. Can't wait. No time.

KIRK

Mister Sulu. Mister Sulu. Can't wait. Can't let them die.

OTHER KIRK

What are you going to do?

KIRK

Go through the transporter, both of us.

OTHER KIRK

There's nothing I can do to stop you.

KIRK

It's what I have to do. It's what I have to do. What we have to do.

OTHER KIRK

I won't fight you anymore. Oh, I feel so weak. I'll be glad when this is over. (grabs Kirk and knocks him out)

[Corridor]

KIRK

Janice, hello.

RAND

Captain, I

KIRK

Yeoman, I owe you an explanation.

RAND

No.

KIRK

Yes, I do. The transporter malfunctioned, divided me, created a duplicate. The animal part of me came to your cabin. He even scratched me to make us look more alike. I'd like the chance to explain it to you. You don't mind if I come to your cabin later?

RAND

No, sir.

KIRK

(enters turbolift) Bridge.

[Bridge]

FARRELL

No word from Mister Sulu, sir.

OTHER KIRK

Prepare to leave orbit, Mister Farrell. Well?

FARRELL

Captain!

OTHER KIRK

I gave you an order, Mister Farrell.

FARRELL

But what about

OTHER KIRK

They can't be saved. Prepare to leave orbit.

FARRELL

Yes, sir.

SPOCK

Captain, I thought the plan

OTHER KIRK

I've changed my mind. Man your station, Mister Spock. (McCoy enters with another Kirk, identically dressed) Grab him. He's the impostor.

MCCOY

No!

OTHER KIRK

McCoy, he's fooled you.

MCCOY

He (the one in the captain's chair) attacked him.

OTHER KIRK

Mister Spock, you know who I am. You know what that is.

FARRELL

Mister Spock, which one? What do we do?

SPOCK

We'll let the captain handle this.

OTHER KIRK

I'm the captain. Isn't that obvious? Look at his face. Remember the scratches? Look how he's tried to hide them. He wants you to think that he's Captain Kirk. You know who I am.

KIRK

Yes, I know.

OTHER KIRK

You want to kill me, don't you? Farrell, James, grab him. He'll destroy the ship! I'm the Captain. Don't you understand? I'm captain of the ship! (starts attacking the crew) I'm the captain! This is my ship! My ship! It's mine! I'll kill you.

KIRK

Can half a man live?

OTHER KIRK

Take another step, you'll die.

KIRK

Then we'll both die.

OTHER KIRK

Please, I don't want to. Don't make me. Don't make me. (Kirk takes phaser off him) I don't want to go back. Please! I want to live!

KIRK

You will. Both of us.

OTHER KIRK

I want to live!

[Transporter room]

SPOCK

You'll have to hold on to him, Captain.

KIRK

Mister Spock.

SPOCK

Captain?

KIRK

If this doesn't work.

SPOCK

Understood, Captain.

KIRK

Mister Spock.

SPOCK

Ready. (beams them out)

MCCOY

Well, Mister Spock? (one figure is beamed back) Jim?

KIRK

Get those men aboard fast.

SPOCK

Right away, Captain.

MCCOY

(as the party is wheeled away) Severe exposure and frostbite, but I think they'll make it. How do you feel, Jim?

KIRK

How? I've seen a part of myself no man should ever see.

[Bridge]

FARRELL

Status report, green.

SPOCK

All sections report ready, sir.

KIRK

Good. Thank you, Mister Spock, from both of us.

SPOCK

Shall I pass that on to the crew, sir?

KIRK

The impostor's back where he belongs. Let's forget him.

RAND

Captain? The impostor told me what happened, who he really was, and I'd just like to say that. Well, sir, what I'd like is

KIRK

Thank you, Yeoman.

SPOCK

The, er, impostor had some interesting qualities, wouldn't you say, Yeoman?

KIRK

This is the Captain speaking. Navigator, set in course correction. Helmsman, steady as she goes.