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The Alternative Factor

WELL, MR. SPOCK?

VERY TYPICAL, CAPTAIN.

IRON-SILICON BASE, OXYGEN-HYDROGEN ATMOSPHERE,

LARGELY ARID, NO DISCERNIBLE LIFE.

NO SURPRISES.

CARTOGRAPHIC SECTION, BEGIN SCANNING.

TIE INDIVIDUAL SECTION 988-TG, COMPUTER BANK 22.

KIRK OUT.

ABOUT FOUR MORE ORBITS OUGHT TO DO IT, MR. LESLEY.

THEN WE'LL WRAP IT UP.

LAY IN A COURSE FOR STARBASE 200.

AYE, AYE, CAPTAIN.

CAPTAIN!

MR. SPOCK.

INCREDIBLE, CAPTAIN.

WHAT WAS THAT?

WHAT MY INSTRUMENTS READ IS TOTALLY UNBELIEVABLE, CAPTAIN.

TWICE, FOR A SPLIT SECOND EACH TIME,

EVERYTHING WITHIN RANGE OF OUR INSTRUMENTS

SEEMED ON THE VERGE OF WINKING OUT.

I WANT FACTS, NOT POETRY.

I HAVE GIVEN YOU THE FACTS, CAPTAIN.

THE ENTIRE MAGNETIC FIELD

IN THIS SOLAR SYSTEM SIMPLY BLINKED.

THE PLANET BELOW,

THE MASS OF WHICH WE'RE MEASURING, ATTAINED ZERO GRAVITY.

THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE.

WHAT YOU'RE DESCRIBING...

IS NONEXISTENCE.

STANDARD GENERAL ALERT SIGNAL FROM STARFLEET COMMAND, CAPTAIN.

ALL STATIONS TO IMMEDIATE ALERT STATUS. STAND BY.

CAPTAIN, SCANNERS NOW REPORT A LIFE OBJECT

ON THE PLANET'S SURFACE BELOW.

YOU JUST DID A COMPLETE LIFE SURVEY 5 MINUTES AGO.

HOW IS IT YOU'RE JUST PICKING IT UP NOW?

INEXPLICABLE, CAPTAIN. THIS READING BEGAN

AT APPROXIMATELY THE MOMENT THAT THE PULSATION PHENOMENON BEGAN TO SUBSIDE.

WELL, WHAT IS IT,

THIS OBJECT? ITS PHYSICAL MAKEUP?

A LIVING BEING. BODY TEMPERATURE 98.5 FAHRENHEIT.

MASS, ELECTRICAL IMPULSES, MOVEMENT.

IT IS APPARENTLY HUMAN, CAPTAIN.

AND ITS APPEARANCE COINCIDED WITH THIS COSMIC WINKING OUT?

ALMOST TO THE SECOND.

EXPLANATION?

NONE.

SPECULATION.

COULD THIS BEING PRESENT ANY DANGER TO THE SHIP?

POSSIBLE.

VERY POSSIBLE.

LIEUTENANT UHURA, NOTIFY SECURITY

TO HAVE AN ARMED DETACHMENT OF MEN

READY TO BEAM DOWN WITH US.

LET'S GO.

ANY WORD COMES THROUGH FROM STARFLEET COMMAND,

PIPE IT DOWN IMMEDIATELY.

COMMUNICATIONS, PRIORITY ONE.

SPACE--THE FINAL FRONTIER.

THESE ARE THE VOYAGES OF THE STARSHIP ENTERPRISE.

ITS FIVE-YEAR MISSION--

TO EXPLORE STRANGE NEW WORLDS...

TO SEEK OUT NEW LIFE AND NEW CIVILIZATIONS...

TO BOLDLY GO WHERE NO MAN HAS GONE BEFORE.

CAPTAIN'S LOG, STARDATE 3087.6.

WHILE INVESTIGATING AN UNCHARTED PLANET,

THE ENTERPRISE AND AT LEAST THIS ENTIRE QUADRANT OF SPACE

HAS BEEN SUBJECTED TO VIOLENT, UNEXPLAINED STRESS AND FORCE.

SENSORS HAVE REPORTED THE PRESENCE OF A HUMAN BEING ON THE PLANET BELOW

WHO MIGHT BE CONNECTED WITH THE PHENOMENON.

WITH MY FIRST OFFICER AND A SECURITY TEAM,

I HAVE SET OUT IN SEARCH OF HIM.

YOU CAME!

THANK THE HEAVENS.

THERE'S STILL TIME.

IT'S NOT TOO LATE.

WE CAN STILL STOP HIM.

BUT I--BUT I...

NEED...NEED YOUR HELP.

AAH!

NOTHING YET, SIR.

REPORT ON THE DILITHIUM CRYSTALS, CAPTAIN.

YES.

WHATEVER THAT PHENOMENON WAS,

IT DRAINED ALMOST ALL OF OUR CRYSTALS COMPLETELY.

IT COULD MEAN TROUBLE.

YOU HAVE A TALENT FOR UNDERSTATEMENT, LIEUTENANT.

WITHOUT FULL CRYSTAL POWER, OUR ORBIT WILL BEGIN TO DECAY IN 10 HOURS.

RE-AMPLIFY IMMEDIATELY.

AYE, AYE, SIR.

ANY FURTHER MAGNETIC DISTURBANCE?

NEGATIVE, CAPTAIN.

SCANNERS INDICATE SITUATION NORMAL.

NOTHING?

NOTHING.

ILLOGICAL.

AN EFFECT OF SUCH PROPORTIONS, UNEXPLAINABLE

BY ANY ESTABLISHED PHYSICAL LAWS THAT I'M AWARE OF.

I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ASCERTAIN ONE FACT.

THOUGH THE EFFECT, WHATEVER IT WAS,

WAS UNQUESTIONABLY WIDESPREAD, IT WAS STRONGEST HERE,

ON THE PLANET BENEATH US.

KEEP CHECKING.

RED 2 MESSAGE IN ONE MINUTE, CAPTAIN.

STARFLEET COMMAND.

CODE FACTOR 1, SIR.

REPEAT.

CODE FACTOR 1.

INVASION STATUS.

ALL HANDS, THIS IS THE CAPTAIN.

BATTLE STATIONS. I REPEAT, BATTLE STATIONS.

THIS IS NO DRILL.

[INTERCOM BUZZER]

McCOY, CAPTAIN.

KIRK HERE.

ABOUT OUR PATIENT--

YES, DOCTOR, QUICKLY.

HE'LL MAKE IT.

HE'LL BE STIFF AND SORE FOR A WHILE, BUT HE'LL BE ALL RIGHT.

I'LL TALK TO HIM LATER, THANK YOU.

KIRK OUT.

MESSAGE READY, CAPTAIN.

MAIN SCREEN, COMING UP.

KIRK HERE.

ENTERPRISE STANDING BY, COMMODORE.

YOU'RE AWARE OF THE EFFECT AN HOUR AGO?

YES, SIR.

YOU MAY NOT BE AWARE OF ITS SCOPE.

IT OCCURRED IN EVERY QUADRANT OF THE GALAXY AND FAR BEYOND.

COMPLETE DISRUPTION OF NORMAL MAGNETIC AND GRAVIMETRIC FIELDS,

TIME WARP DISTORTION,

POSSIBLE RADIATION VARIATIONS...

AND ALL OF THEM CENTERING IN THE GENERAL AREA

WHICH YOU ARE NOW PATROLLING.

THE QUESTION IS, ARE THESE NATURAL PHENOMENA...

OR ARE THEY MECHANICALLY CREATED?

AND IF THEY ARE, BY WHOM, FOR WHAT PURPOSE?

YOUR GUESS, CAPTAIN?

THANK YOU, SIR.

I HAVE CONSIDERED ALL THE ALTERNATIVES.

MY BEST GUESS IS IT COULD BE A PRELUDE TO INVASION.

EXACTLY OUR CONSENSUS.

I'M GIVING YOU THE JOB OF FINDING OUT SPECIFICALLY.

AYE, AYE, SIR.

CAN YOU ASSIGN ME OTHER STARSHIPS AS A RESERVE?

NEGATIVE. I'M EVACUATING ALL STARFLEET UNITS AND PERSONNEL

WITHIN 100 PARSECS OF YOUR POSITION.

IT'S GOING TO BE TOUGH ON YOU AND THE ENTERPRISE,

BUT THAT'S THE JOB YOU'VE DRAWN.

YOU'RE ON YOUR OWN.

I SEE.

YOU MEAN... WE'RE THE BAIT.

GOOD LUCK.

THANK YOU, SIR.

MAINTAIN ALERT STATUS AT ALL BATTLE STATIONS.

AYE, AYE, SIR.

FROM THE TOP, MR. SPOCK.

FIRST, PHENOMENON CAME FROM THE PLANET BELOW.

SECONDLY, THE DANGER IS APPARENTLY REAL AND IMMINENT.

THIRD, A CLOSER EXAMINATION OF THE PLANET'S SURFACE WOULD BE IN ORDER.

MY JOB, SIR?

YES.

MEANWHILE, I'LL TALK TO OUR UNEXPECTED GUEST.

MAYBE HE CAN PROVIDE SOME ANSWERS.

THAT'S HOW I CAME TO BE DOWN THERE, CAPTAIN,

PURSUING THE DEVIL'S OWN SPAWN--

A THING I'VE CHASED ACROSS THE UNIVERSE.

HE'S HUMANOID, OUTSIDE,

BUT INSIDE, HE'S A HIDEOUS, MURDERING MONSTER.

I'LL GET HIM, CAPTAIN.

I SWEAR IT.

YOU SAY THIS ONE MAN--

NOT MAN!

THING.

THING...DESTROYED YOUR ENTIRE CIVILIZATION.

TO THE LAST MAN, WOMAN, AND CHILD.

HOW DID YOU ESCAPE?

I WAS INSPECTING MAGNETIC COMMUNICATIONS SATELLITES.

YOU BELIEVE ME, DON'T YOU?

BEFORE WE PICKED YOU UP,

OUR SHIP SUSTAINED A NUMBER OF INCREDIBLE EFFECTS.

THAT WAS HE!

HE'S DEATH...ANTILIFE.

HE LIVES TO DESTROY!

IS HE THE THING THAT ATTACKED YOU?

YES. I GIVE YOU MY WORD.

I SWEAR IT.

WE DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER FACTS, ANY INFORMATION.

THEN YOU'LL JOIN ME IN MY HOLY CAUSE.

HELP ME IN VISITING JUSTICE AND VENGEANCE UPON HIM?

MY ONLY CAUSE IS THE SAFETY OF MY SHIP

AND THE MISSION WE'RE ON.

YOU'LL BEAM DOWN WITH ME.

I'LL CHECK YOUR STORY OUT.

SPOCK, FIND ANYTHING?

NEGATIVE, CAPTAIN.

ANYTHING FROM OUR GUEST?

ACCORDING TO HIM, THERE'S A CREATURE OF SOME SORT DOWN HERE,

A HUMANOID.

LIEUTENANT UHURA COMMUNICATED THAT INFORMATION.

I ORDERED RECONFIRMATION ON OUR SENSORS.

THEY INDICATE NO LIVING CREATURE ON THIS PLANET.

I SUGGEST, CAPTAIN, THAT YOU'VE BEEN LIED TO.

CAPTAIN, YOU YOURSELF SAID THERE WERE NO OTHER EXPLANATIONS.

WHY DO YOU GIVE CREDENCE TO THIS MAN?

I FAIL TO COMPREHEND YOUR INDIGNATION, SIR.

I HAVE SIMPLY MADE THE LOGICAL DEDUCTION THAT YOU ARE A LIAR.

LET'S HAVE IT. THE TRUTH THIS TIME.

OH!

YOU'VE COME BACK HERE, LIZARD.

WELL, DON'T STOP. HERE I AM.

COME AT ME AGAIN.

WE'LL FINISH IT!

CAN YOU IDENTIFY THAT?

I'M TRYING, CAPTAIN.

LAZARUS!

YOU STAY HERE.

ALL PERSONNEL, SECURITY RED.

YOU CAN'T RUN! IT'LL DO YOU NO GOOD!

I'LL CHASE YOU TO THE VERY FIRES OF HELL!

LAZARUS, WHAT HAPPENED?

I SAW IT AGAIN, THE THING.

IT ATTACKED ME.

I'LL HELP YOU GET OUT OF HERE.

CAPTAIN, READINGS OF THE EFFECT INDICATE

IT'S CENTERED HERE ON THIS PLANET,

ALMOST ON THIS VERY SPOT.

I TOLD YOU IT WAS THE THING--

ALL WHITE, BLACK...

AND EMPTY, A TERRIBLE EMPTINESS.

LET'S GET BACK TO THE SHIP.

HE'LL KILL US ALL

IF WE DON'T KILL HIM FIRST!

KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL!

CAPTAIN'S LOG, STARDATE 3088.3.

WE CONTINUE TO ORBIT THE DEAD PLANET,

WHICH SEEMS TO BE THE SOURCE OF THE PHENOMENON

WHICH HAS STRUCK THE ENTERPRISE

AND ALL SECTIONS OF THE GALAXY ONCE AGAIN.

AS FOR LAZARUS,

THE STORY HE TELLS ME ABOUT THE HUMANOID

CONTINUES TO TROUBLE ME.

ANY LUCK?

NEGATIVE, CAPTAIN.

I CAN NO MORE EXPLAIN THE OCCURRENCE OF THE SECOND PHENOMENON

THAN I CAN THE FIRST.

WHAT IF THERE'S A SHRED OF TRUTH TO WHAT LAZARUS SAID?

THAT A SINGLE CREATURE,

A HUMANOID COULD BE RESPONSIBLE

FOR AN EFFECT OF SUCH MAGNITUDE?

HARD TO BELIEVE.

INDEED.

BUT THE REST OF HIS STORY SEEMS TO FIT.

HIS WOUNDS TESTIFY TO AN APPARENT

CONFRONTATION WITH SOMETHING.

AFFIRMATIVE.

ASSUMING THERE IS A HUMANOID--SOMETHING--

HOW DOES HE DO IT?

HE HAS NO WEAPONS, NO POWERS.

CAPTAIN, I ONLY KNOW FOR CERTAIN

THAT THE OCCURRENCE OF THE PHENOMENON

COINCIDES EXACTLY WITH THE MOMENTS

THAT LAZARUS HAS HIS ALLEGED CONFRONTATIONS.

[INTERCOM WHISTLES]

DR. McCOY ASKING TO SEE YOU IN SICK BAY, CAPTAIN.

I DON'T KNOW, JIM.

MAYBE I'M IMAGINING THINGS,

AND MAYBE I'M NOT. YOU TELL ME.

YOU TELL ME. THAT'S WHY YOU BROUGHT ME DOWN HERE.

WELL, AS YOU KNOW, WE BOTH BROUGHT LAZARUS IN HERE.

AND I TREATED A DEEP ABRASION ON HIS FOREHEAD, RIGHT?

RIGHT.

AND THEN I BANDAGED IT,

I STEPPED INTO THIS ROOM FOR JUST A MOMENT--

BONES, I HAVE A LOT OF THINGS TO DO. GET TO THE POINT.

WELL, SAY HE'S GOT THE CONSTITUTION OF A DINOSAUR,

RECUPERATIVE POWERS, DITTO.

AND AS WE BOTH KNOW,

I'M A BRIGHT YOUNG MEDIC WITH A MIRACULOUS TOUCH.

WELL, WHY, THEN, WHEN I RETURNED,

THERE WASN'T A TRACE OF THAT WOUND ON HIS FOREHEAD?

NOT EVEN A BRUISE.

IT WAS LIKE HE HAD NEVER BEEN INJURED.

WHERE IS HE?

I DON'T KNOW, JIM.

THIS IS A BIG SHIP.

I'M JUST A COUNTRY DOCTOR.

HI.

HI. COFFEE?

OH. IS THAT AN ORDER, LIEUTENANT?

I KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN.

THE AMPLIFICATION FINISHED ON THE DILITHIUM CRYSTALS?

YEAH, READY AND WAITING.

LAZARUS, ARE YOU ALL RIGHT?

UH, YES, SIR...

BUT IMPATIENT.

HAVE YOU DECIDED TO HELP ME YET?

IS SOMETHING WRONG?

NO. I HAVE A SHIP'S PHYSICIAN

WITH A STRANGE SENSE OF HUMOR.

NO, BUT THIS IS NO JOKE, JIM. I KNOW WHAT I SAW.

[UHURA] BRIDGE CALLING THE CAPTAIN.

GO.

[SPOCK] REQUEST YOU COME TO THE BRIDGE, CAPTAIN.

FIND SOMETHING?

SOMETHING QUITE EXTRAORDINARY.

ON MY WAY.

LAZARUS, YOU'RE WITH ME.

BONES, IF I HAD TIME, I'D LAUGH.

MAIN SCREEN ON, LIEUTENANT.

SCREEN ON, SIR.

A SOURCE OF RADIATION, CAPTAIN.

HOW IS IT THE SCANNERS DIDN'T PICK IT UP BEFORE?

BECAUSE IT IS NOT THERE.

ANOTHER RIDDLE?

FIRST DR. McCOY, THEN YOU?

WHAT I MEAN, CAPTAIN, IS THAT

ACCORDING TO OUR USUAL SCANNING PROCEDURES,

THERE'S NOTHING THERE THAT COULD BE CAUSING THAT EFFECT.

BUT IT IS THERE.

AFFIRMATIVE.

I CONFESS I AM SOMEWHAT AT A LOSS FOR WORDS.

IT MAY BE DESCRIBED,

THOUGH LOOSELY AND INACCURATELY,

AS A...RIP IN OUR UNIVERSE.

WHAT?

A KIND OF PHYSICAL WARP, CAPTAIN,

IN WHICH NONE OF OUR ESTABLISHED PHYSICAL LAWS

APPLY WITH ANY REGULARITY.

HOWEVER, WITH THE DILITHIUM CRYSTALS,

I WAS ABLE TO LOCALIZE IT.

YES!

THAT'S IT!

THE DILITHIUM CRYSTALS.

THEIR POWER...

WE COULD DO IT.

YOU REFER TO THE HUMANOID?

YES. WE'VE GOT HIM, CAPTAIN, WE'VE GOT HIM.

WHAT DO THE CRYSTALS HAVE TO DO WITH IT?

ALL THEY SHOW IS A POINT OF RADIATION.

THAT'S JUST IT.

THAT'S THE KEY.

THAT'S THE WAY TO TRAP HIM.

THAT'S THE SOLUTION.

CAPTAIN...

I BEG OF YOU.

I PLEAD.

I DEMAND.

GIVE ME THE CRYSTALS.

OUT OF THE QUESTION.

THOSE CRYSTALS ARE THE VERY HEART OF THE POWER MY SHIP.

YOU FOOL.

THERE WON'T BE ANY SHIP IF WE DON'T KILL HIM.

HE'LL DESTROY YOU ALL.

HOW?

NOW, YOU TELL ME HOW!

ALL I'VE HEARD FROM YOU IS DOUBLE-TALK, LIES, THREATS,

ACCUSATIONS THAT DON'T HOLD AN OUNCE OF WATER.

NOW, YOU TELL ME, HOW DOES IT PRESENT A DANGER TO MY SHIP?

I WARN YOU, CAPTAIN.

YOU'LL GIVE ME THE CRYSTALS.

DON'T THREATEN ME, LAZARUS.

NO THREAT INTENDED.

CAPTAIN...

I'LL HAVE MY VENGEANCE.

LIEUTENANT MASTERS, CAPTAIN'S CALLING.

MASTERS HERE.

[KIRK] LIEUTENANT, CAN YOU PREPARE AN EXPERIMENTATION CHAMBER IN 10 MINUTES?

ALL DILITHIUM CRYSTALS FULL POWER.

I'LL CHECK, SIR.

CAPTAIN, THE CHAMBER WILL BE READY IN 10 MINUTES, SIR.

MY ASSISTANT AND I WILL--

CAPTAIN!

CAPTAIN!

LIEUTENANT, WHAT IS IT? WHAT'S WRONG?

LIEUTENANT? LIEUTENANT?

CAPTAIN, SECURITY REPORTS LAZARUS MISSING.

CAPTAIN'S LOG, STARDATE 3088.7.

WE ARE NO CLOSER TO FINDING AN ANSWER

TO THE STRANGE PHENOMENON

THAN WE WERE AT THE BEGINNING.

NOT ONLY HAVE TWO OF MY CREWMEN BEEN ATTACKED,

TWO OF OUR DILITHIUM CRYSTALS ARE MISSING,

AND WITHOUT THEM,

THE ENTERPRISE CANNOT OPERATE AT FULL POWER.

THEY MUST BE FOUND.

FACT--YOU SAID YOU NEEDED THE CRYSTALS.

FACT--AN HOUR AFTER YOU SAID YOU MUST HAVE THEM, THEY WERE MISSING.

FACT--TWO OF MY CREWMEN WERE ATTACKED.

AND FACT, CAPTAIN-- I DIDN'T TAKE THE CRYSTALS.

I'M NOT THE ONE.

FIND MY ENEMY.

FIND THE BEAST,

AND YOU'LL FIND THE CRYSTALS.

HOW DID THIS BEAST GET ABOARD MY SHIP?

HE DID. ISN'T THAT ENOUGH?

NO. HE DIDN'T TRANSPORT UP.

A REPORT WOULD HAVE BEEN MADE.

I TELL YOU, WE'RE DEALING WITH A CREATURE

CAPABLE OF DESTROYING WORLDS.

WHY DOES HE NEED THE CRYSTALS?

FOR WHAT REASON?

FOR THE SAME REASON THAT I DO.

LISTEN TO ME.

HE'S HUMANOID.

WHY, HE...

HE CAN PILOT A SPACESHIP.

HE CAN COMPUTE FORMULAS TO DESTROY RACES.

HE CAN STEAL AN ENERGY SOURCE FOR HIS VEHICLE

SO HE CAN ESCAPE FROM ME.

ARE YOU DEAF AS WELL AS BLIND?

SIT DOWN.

THE CRYSTALS CERTAINLY AREN'T HERE.

THERE'S AN UNEXPLAINED RADIATION SOURCE ON THE PLANET.

OBVIOUSLY SOME CONNECTION.

WE'LL CHECK IT OUT.

ORGANIZE A SEARCH PARTY IMMEDIATELY.

MR. LAZARUS WILL BEAM DOWN WITH US.

THANK YOU, CAPTAIN.

YOU MAY NOT HAVE REASON TO THANK ME,

DEPENDING ON WHAT WE FIND.

WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE NOW, CAPTAIN?

I BELIEVE THE MISSING CRYSTALS AREN'T IN YOUR SHIP.

MR. SPOCK?

UNABLE TO LOCATE THE SOURCE OF RADIATION.

WHY NOT? YOU HAD IT SPOTTED FROM THE ENTERPRISE.

IT HAS SIMPLY DISAPPEARED, CAPTAIN.

I WANT EVERY INCH OF THIS TERRAIN CHECKED.

LOOK FOR FOOTPRINT, MOVEMENT--ANYTHING.

CALL OUT IF YOU SPOT ANYTHING.

DON'T BE AFRAID TO USE YOUR WEAPONS.

[THUNDER]

[THUNDER]

[THUNDER STOPS]

CAPTAIN, LOOK OUT!

AAH!

[THUD]

HE'S COMING OUT OF IT NOW.

UH, THE THING...

THE THING...

IT'S ALL RIGHT.

YOU'RE ON BOARD THE ENTERPRISE.

THE ROCK, I--

HOW'S YOUR HEAD?

ACHES.

YOU SAVED MY LIFE DOWN THERE.

I WANT TO THANK YOU.

WHY SHOULDN'T I?

I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS I WANT TO ASK YOU.

NOT NOW, JIM.

IT'S NECESSARY.

GO AHEAD.

IT'S ALL RIGHT.

THIS IS A COMPUTER REPORT

OF THE EVIDENCE YOU GAVE

AT YOUR FIRST SCREENING.

IT CALLS YOU A LIAR, LAZARUS.

FOR ONE THING, THERE'S NO PLANET AT THE LOCATION

YOU SAID YOU CAME FROM.

THERE NEVER HAS BEEN.

IF YOU WANT HELP FROM US,

YOU BETTER START TELLING THE TRUTH.

YOU WOULDN'T BELIEVE ME IF I TOLD YOU.

TRY US.

ALL RIGHT.

I DISTORTED A FACT

IN THE INTEREST OF SELF-PRESERVATION,

FOR MY HOLY CAUSE.

I NEEDED HELP,

NOT CENSURE,

FREEDOM, NOT CAPTIVITY FOR BEING A MADMAN.

I WAS AFRAID THAT'S WHAT YOU'D CALL ME

IF I TOLD YOU THE TRUTH.

I'LL HAVE THE TRUTH NOW.

MY PLANET...

MY EARTH...

OR WHAT'S LEFT OF IT,

IS DOWN THERE BENEATH US.

WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?

MY SPACESHIP...

IS MORE THAT JUST THAT.

IT'S A TIME CHAMBER...

A TIME SHIP...

AND I...

I AM A TIME TRAVELER.

AND THIS THING YOU SEARCH FOR

IS A TIME TRAVELER, TOO?

OH, YES.

HE'S FLED ME ACROSS ALL THE YEARS...

ALL THE EMPTY YEARS TO A DEAD FUTURE...

ON A MURDERED PLANET HE DESTROYED.

HELP ME!

GIVE ME THE TOOLS I NEED TO KILL HIM! THE CRYSTALS!

DON'T LET HIM GET AWAY!

LAZARUS, YOU'VE BEEN HURT, I KNOW.

I SYMPATHIZE WITH YOU,

BUT I'VE GOT 430 OTHER MEN TO WORRY ABOUT.

NOW, WHERE ARE THOSE CRYSTALS?

I TOLD YOU.

HE'S GOT THEM. HE TOOK THEM.

THE THING...

HE'S GOT TO GET SOME REST, JIM.

AND WOULD YOU GET THAT MUSCLEMAN

OUT OF MY SICK BAY?

DISMISSED.

HE'S IN A LOT OF PAIN.

SOMETIMES PAIN CAN DRIVE A MAN HARDER THAN PLEASURE.

I'M SURE YOU KNOW THAT, DOCTOR.

WELL, DON'T WORRY. HE'S NOT GOING ANYWHERE,

NOT THIS TIME.

OH!

[LAZARUS GROANS]

WHAT HAVE WE GOT, MR. SPOCK?

A MAGNETIC EFFECT WHICH PRODUCES A WINKING-OUT PHENOMENON,

A MYSTERIOUS, UNIDENTIFIED SOURCE

OF RADIATION ON THE PLANET,

LAZARUS, A WALKING POWDER KEG,

YOUR RIP IN THE UNIVERSE,

A SO-CALLED MURDERING HUMANOID--

TRUE, CAPTAIN, BUT MORE SIGNIFICANT TO ME

IS THE FACT THAT OUR SHIP'S INSTRUMENTS

ARE SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO LOCATE AND IDENTIFY

ANY OBJECT IN OUR UNIVERSE,

BE IT ENERGY OR MATTER.

BUT BY USING THOSE INSTRUMENTS,

YOU WERE UNABLE TO IDENTIFY

THE SOURCE OF THE RADIATION.

CORRECT... WHICH WOULD SEEM TO BE IMPOSSIBLE.

ARE THE INSTRUMENTS IN ORDER?

PERFECT WORKING CONDITION.

THEN WHAT YOU SAY LEADS OBVIOUSLY...

TO ONE ALTERNATIVE.

THE SOURCE OF RADIATION IS NOT FROM OUR UNIVERSE.

NOR IN OUR UNIVERSE, CAPTAIN.

IT CAME FROM OUTSIDE.

OUTSIDE...

YES...

THAT WOULD EXPLAIN A LOT.

ANOTHER UNIVERSE...

PERHAPS IN ANOTHER DIMENSION...

OCCUPYING THE SAME SPACE AT THE SAME TIME.

POSSIBLE EXISTENCE OF A PARALLEL UNIVERSE

HAS BEEN SCIENTIFICALLY CONCEDED, CAPTAIN.

ALL RIGHT.

WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF...

ANOTHER UNIVERSE,

SAY A MINUS UNIVERSE,

CAME INTO CONTACT WITH A POSITIVE UNIVERSE

SUCH AS OURS?

UNQUESTIONABLY A WARP,

A DISTORTION OF PHYSICAL LAWS

ON AN IMMENSE SCALE.

WHICH IS WHAT WE'VE BEEN EXPERIENCING.

THE POINT WHERE THEY COME INTO CONTACT,

COULDN'T THAT BE DESCRIBED AS...

A HOLE?

INDEED.

I POINT OUT THAT A HOLE IN THE UNIVERSE

OR IN A SIMPLE CONTAINER

CAN EITHER ALLOW THE CONTENTS TO ESCAPE...

OR WHAT IS OUTSIDE TO ENTER.

THE INVASION THAT COMMODORE BARSTOW SUSPECTED.

THERE HAS BEEN NO EVIDENCE

OF A LARGE-SCALE INVASION.

BUT A SMALL-SCALE INVASION, MR. SPOCK?

WHAT IS YOUR ANALYSIS

OF THE MENTAL STATE OF LAZARUS?

DIFFICULT, CAPTAIN.

ONE MOMENT, PARANOID,

THE NEXT, CALM, MILD, RATIONAL.

ALMOST AS IF HE WERE...TWO MEN.

YES, TWO MEN.

DIFFERENT, BUT IDENTICAL.

AND A HOLE IN THE UNIVERSE.

NO, NOT A HOLE.

A DOOR.

THROUGH WHICH

THESE TWO BEINGS

ARE SOMEHOW ENABLED TO PASS.

TAKE A LOOK AT LAZARUS.

ONE MINUTE HE'S AT THE POINT OF DEATH,

THE NEXT, HE'S ALIVE, WELL, STRONG AS A BULL.

THE CUT ON HIS FOREHEAD.

FIRST HE HAS IT, THEN IT'S GONE,

THEN HE HAS IT AGAIN.

WHICH IS PHYSICALLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR ONE MAN.

QUITE RIGHT.

UNQUESTIONABLY, THERE ARE TWO OF HIM.

BUT WHAT'S GOING ON?

THIS LEAPING FROM UNIVERSE TO UNIVERSE...

THIS WILD TALK ABOUT A MURDERING CREATURE

WHO DESTROYS CIVILIZATIONS--

WHAT'S THE PURPOSE?

JIM, MADNESS HAS NO PURPOSE...

OR REASON...

BUT IT MAY HAVE A GOAL.

HE MUST BE STOPPED, HELD...

DESTROYED IF NECESSARY.

I DON'T FOLLOW YOU.

TWO PARALLEL UNIVERSES-- PROJECT THIS--

ONE POSITIVE, THE OTHER NEGATIVE...

OR, MORE SPECIFICALLY,

ONE, MATTER...

THE OTHER, ANTIMATTER.

DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE SAYING?

MATTER AND ANTIMATTER HAVE A TENDENCY

TO CANCEL EACH OTHER OUT...

VIOLENTLY.

PRECISELY.

UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS,

WHEN TWO IDENTICAL PARTICLES

OF MATTER AND ANTIMATTER MEET...

LIKE LAZARUS...

IDENTICAL...

LIKE BOTH LAZARUS...

ONLY ONE IS MATTER AND THE OTHER ANTIMATTER.

IF THEY MEET...

ANNIHILATION, JIM.

TOTAL, COMPLETE,

ABSOLUTE ANNIHILATION.

OF EVERYTHING THAT EXISTS...

EVERYWHERE.

[BEEP]

THE ENERGIZER-- IT'S SHORTED.

GET OUT OF HERE. SOUND THE ALARM.

COME ON, YOU, TOO, LIEUTENANT.

I'VE GOT TO STAY--

THE WHOLE THING MIGHT BLOW!

[COUGHING]

[SIREN WAILS]

ENGINEERING CALLING BRIDGE.

FIRE!

FIRE, THE ENERGIZING CIRCUITS!

[SIREN WAILS]

FIRE, CAPTAIN. ENGINEERING.

SITUATION CRITICAL.

ALL AVAILABLE PERSONNEL, ON THE DOUBLE.

SPOCK, WITH ME.

REPORT.

UNDER CONTROL, SIR, BUT IT COULDN'T HAVE STARTED BY ITSELF.

LAZARUS-- A TRICK TO GET THE CRYSTALS.

SIR, YOU SHOULDN'T BE IN HERE.

OH, I DIDN'T KNOW.

HE'S PROBABLY BEAMING DOWN WITH THE CRYSTALS RIGHT NOW.

I'M GOING AFTER HIM. YOU ORGANIZE A SECURITY DETAIL.

FOLLOW ME AS SOON AS YOU CAN.

SPOCK TO BRIDGE.

I'LL GET YOU NOW.

I HAVE A THRESHOLD.

RUN, RUN...

I'LL GET YOU NOW.

[SIREN WAILS]

ENERGIZE.

IT'S DONE, IT'S DONE.

FINISHED, FINISHED.

IT'S DONE.

IT'S DONE.

IT'S DONE, IT'S DONE.

LAZARUS...

NO! DON'T!

NOT YOU!

NO!

WELCOME, CAPTAIN.

I WASN'T EXPECTING YOU.

NO...

HIM.

YES, HIM.

YOU UNDERSTAND?

NOT COMPLETELY.

THIS IS A PARALLEL UNIVERSE?

OF COURSE.

ANTIMATTER?

HERE, YES.

AND IF IDENTICAL PARTICLES MEET...

THE END OF EVERYTHING.

CIVILIZATION, EXISTENCE--

ALL GONE.

I TRIED TO STOP HIM, CAPTAIN.

THAT'S WHY I TOOK YOUR DILITHIUM CRYSTALS.

HE HAS TWO MORE.

THAT'S VERY BAD, CAPTAIN.

IF HE COMES THROUGH

AT A TIME OF HIS OWN CHOOSING...

WELL, I THINK IF WE HURRY

AND YOU WILL HELP ME,

HE CAN YET STILL BE STOPPED.

THERE'S LITTLE TIME LEFT.

HE MEANT TO COME THROUGH.

WHEN YOU ACCIDENTALLY PASSED THROUGH,

IT DRAINED HIS CRYSTALS.

IT'LL TAKE HIM ABOUT 10 MINUTES TO RE-ENERGIZE

WITH THE EQUIPMENT ABOARD HIS SHIP.

THAT SHOULD GIVE US ENOUGH TIME.

EXACTLY WHAT DID I PASS THROUGH?

THAT'S HARD TO EXPLAIN, CAPTAIN.

I CALL IT AN ALTERNATIVE WARP.

IT'S SORT OF A NEGATIVE MAGNETIC CORRIDOR

WHERE THE TWO PARALLEL UNIVERSES MEET.

IT'S SORT OF A SAFETY VALVE.

IT KEEPS ETERNITY FROM BLOWING UP.

THIS CORRIDOR...

IS IT WHAT CAUSED THE MAGNETIC EFFECT,

THE WINKING-OUT PHENOMENON?

PRECISELY, CAPTAIN...

BUT NOT BECAUSE OF ITS EXISTENCE...

BECAUSE...

BECAUSE MY FOE ENTERED.

THE CORRIDOR IS LIKE A PRISON

WITH EXPLOSIVES AT THE DOOR.

OPEN THE DOOR,

AND THE EXPLOSIVES MIGHT GO OFF.

STAY INSIDE...

AND THE UNIVERSE IS SAFE.

BOTH UNIVERSES, CAPTAIN...

YOURS AND MINE.

SURELY, LAZARUS MUST REALIZE WHAT WOULD HAPPEN

IF YOU SHOULD MEET FACE-TO-FACE

OUTSIDE THE CORRIDOR.

OF COURSE HE KNOWS, CAPTAIN,

BUT HE'S MAD.

YOU HEARD HIM. HE'S LOST HIS MIND.

WHEN OUR PEOPLE FOUND A WAY

TO SLIP THROUGH THE WARP

AND PROVE ANOTHER UNIVERSE,

AN IDENTICAL ONE, EXISTED,

IT WAS TOO MUCH FOR HIM.

HE COULD NOT LIVE KNOWING THAT I LIVED.

HE BECAME OBSESSED

WITH THE IDEA OF DESTROYING ME.

AND THE FACT THAT IT MEANT HIS OWN DESTRUCTION

AND EVERYTHING ELSE

MEANT NOTHING TO HIM.

SO YOU'RE THE TERRIBLE THING,

THE MURDERING MONSTER...

THE CREATURE?

YES, CAPTAIN.

OR HE IS.

IT DEPENDS ON YOUR POINT OF VIEW,

DOESN'T IT?

IT'S READY, CAPTAIN.

IF WE CAN FORCE HIM INTO THE CORRIDOR WHILE I'M WAITING,

WE CAN PUT AN END TO THIS.

BUT IF HE COMES THROUGH

AT A TIME OF HIS OWN CHOOSING

AND BREAKS INTO THIS UNIVERSE TO FIND ME--

I UNDERSTAND.

WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO?

FIND HIM.

FORCE HIM THROUGH HIS THRESHOLD,

WHILE I'M WAITING FOR HIM,

INTO THE CORRIDOR...

AND I'LL HOLD HIM THERE.

YOU CAN'T HOLD HIM FOREVER.

CAN'T I, CAPTAIN?

YOU DESTROY HIS SHIP.

BUT IF I DESTROY HIS SHIP,

WON'T YOURS ALSO BE DESTROYED?

IT WILL.

AND YOUR DOOR WILL BE CLOSED.

YES, AND SO WILL HIS.

YOU'LL BE TRAPPED INSIDE THAT CORRIDOR WITH HIM

FOREVER...

AT EACH OTHER'S THROATS THROUGHOUT TIME.

IS IT SUCH A LARGE PRICE TO PAY

FOR THE SAFETY OF TWO UNIVERSES?

I'M READY.

SEND HIM TO ME.

I'LL BE WAITING.

LAZARUS.

STAND BACK.

NO!

NO!

NO, I'M NOT READY!

I'M NOT READY!

STOP!

TAKE THESE CRYSTALS TO THE ENTERPRISE.

WE MUST DESTROY THAT SHIP COMPLETELY.

WHAT OF LAZARUS?

AND WHAT OF LAZARUS?

[SIREN WAILS]

ACTIVATE PHASER BANKS.

PHASER BANKS ACTIVATED.

STAND BY TO FIRE.

PHASERS STANDING BY, SIR.

FIRE PHASERS.

ALL RIGHT, MR. LESLEY, LET'S GET OUT OF HERE.

AHEAD WARP FACTOR ONE.

WARP ONE, SIR.

EVERYTHING'S ALL RIGHT, MR. SPOCK...

FOR US.

THERE IS, OF COURSE,

NO ESCAPE FOR THEM, SIR.

THERE IS, OF COURSE,

NO ESCAPE.

HOW WOULD IT BE...

TRAPPED FOREVER

WITH A RAGING MADMAN AT YOUR THROAT

UNTIL TIME ITSELF CAME TO A STOP?

FOR ETERNITY?

HOW WOULD IT BE?

CAPTAIN...

THE UNIVERSE IS SAFE.

FOR YOU AND ME.

BUT WHAT OF LAZARUS?