This is a script I wrote back in 2011 for an animated Star Trek web series called Star Trek: Universe that was to follow the adventures of the USS Enterprise 1701-G commanded by Captain Alexander Chase. Set in the 25th century after a devastating war between the Federation and the Klingons, Star Trek: Universe would find the Enterprise on the run from a corrupt Federation, seeking an artifact to help topple a sinister machination in progress that threatens to destabilize the entire galaxy.
Star Trek: Universe, unfortunately, never came to fruition and was cancelled by its creator but not before I wrote two scripts for the series.
This was the second script, called “Zero Axis” and the less I say about it, the better because it goes to some weird places with its story of unexpected time travel. I’m fond of this script because giving Captain Chase a solo adventure off the ship really helped me understand him as a character and the one-off character of Dual, a man with a very special and familiar past, was a lot of fun to write for. “Zero Axis” is a story of evolution and holding on to days gone by.
I’m sad that Star Trek: Universe didn’t happen because it had a very fun cast of characters (and I was cast as the voice of the captain, so that would have been fun too). At the very least, it’s way past time that this script made it to a public forum.
I hope you enjoy it.
INT. A LARGE WHITE HALLWAY
Off in the distance, we see someone running towards the
camera. Closer and closer and closer. We can make out
details… it is a ZULU WARRIOR with a spear and shield in
hand. Strangely, he is also holding a Colt 45 and a phaser
rifle. He runs as fast as he can as if something is chasing
him, but we cannot yet see what it is. The Zulu runs past
the camera.
INT. A WHITE ROOM
The Zulu enters the room, breathing heavily. He chucks his
spear to the side and takes the phaser rifle and aims it at
the door. A groaning sound fills the room, but the man
continues to aim at the door.
ZULU
I will not die, easily! You may
beat me, but you will remember me!
More groaning. There is a flash of Q-like light and the Zulu
suddenly finds himself without his phaser. He takes out the
Colt 45, but it disappears in the same way.
ZULU
FACE ME, YOU COWARDS!!!
The Zulu retrieves his spear and holds up his shield ready
for combat. There is a flash behind him. The Zulu turns,
yells a fierce battle cry and leaps off camera for the
attack. There is a flash of bright light.
The spear and shield fall to the ground. The Zulu is gone.
A man enters in the background. He runs to the spear and
sheild and waves his hand over it. Raising his hand up, he
looks at it as a 3-D display appears in his palm. He closes
his hand and the display vanishes. He hangs his head low in
sadness. His name is Zee.
ZEE
(sighs)
Not another one…
CUT TO BLACK:
END TEASER
FADE IN:
INT. A WHITE ROOM
Four walls and a floor – all completely white. No furniture,
no doors or windows… nothing. On the floor, we see CHASE
snoring away. He rolls over and sleepily feels of the floor.
He slowly raises his head up and looks around.
CHASE
Huh.
(a beat)
Computer, end program.
(a beat)
That’s going to work one day, I
just know it.
Chase stands and looks around.
CHASE
Hello? Can anyone hear me?
(a beat)
Ogaki? S’tok? Am I being
punished?
Nothing. Chase sees something on the wall and walks to it.
It is a label, but in a strange language. Chase regards it
for a moment, but then checks his pockets.
CHASE
(muttering)
No tricorder… no phaser.
Perfect. If this is Ogaki getting
even with me for that tweak to his
holodeck program… I am seriously
impressed.
TIANA (O.C.)
Who are you!?
Chase whirls around to see a woman standing there. This is
Tiana.
CHASE
Who are you!?
TIANA
I asked you first!
CHASE
Good point. I’m Captain Alexander
Chase.
TIANA
Captain? Captain of what!?
CHASE
What’s your name?
TIANA
Tiana Elliot.
CHASE
Tiana, where did you come from?
TIANA
Where did I…? Where did YOU come
from!? I’ve been here for an hour!
CHASE
You’ve been HERE for an hour? No
you haven’t.
TIANA
I haven’t been imagining it!
CHASE
No, no, no… I’ve been here
several minutes and I didn’t see
you. How did you get here. You
know, initially?
TIANA
I was opening the door to my
apartment. I just went grocery
shopping and when I opened the
door, I was here.
(a beat)
This is a flying saucer, isn’t it?
CHASE
A flying what?
TIANA
You know, those little gray aliens
on TV who take people into their
ships and do experiments on them?
I had a friend who had a cousin who
swears this happened to him.
CHASE
Gray aliens on… TV?
(a beat)
Can I ask you a silly question?
What year is it?
TIANA
Huh?
CHASE
Pretend I’m an idiot and indulge
me.
TIANA
(rolls eyes)
I’ll try. It’s 1993.
CHASE
(annoyed)
Okay…. Perfect. I’ve got a
headache already.
TIANA
So, is it the gray men?
CHASE
No, those guys were harmless. They
thought that their messiah was
going to be born into the soul of a
human and spent several years
searching for him. Gave up when we
discovered warp and the Vulcans
told them to cut it out.
TIANA
Do what now?
CHASE
These aliens you’re so scared of?
They never experimented on people
and certainly never probed anyone.
I don’t understand where these
rumors get started.
(a beat)
But here we are. Question is where
and, given your point of origin,
when? That’s the first thing we
have to determine…
(quietly amazed)
Who would have ever thought that
extension course given by the
Department of Temporal
Investigations would actually come
in handy?
TIANA
Mister, you ain’t making a whole
lot of sense.
CHASE
Nothing makes sense here. I just
wish there was a way out of here.
TIANA
You could always go out the door.
CHASE
Ma’am, if there was a door, I would
have found it by–
He looks. There is a door there plain as day.
CHASE
Oh… I hate this place.
Chase walks through the door. Tiana follows.
INT. A GALLERY
Chase and Tiana enter a hall filled with paintings,
sculpture, and everyday items. Peppered in with them are
several items that obviously belong in a time period long
after the 25th century. Chase whistles as he looks.
CHASE
Quite a collection. Some old, some
new, some… I don’t know what the
hell THAT is but I want one.
TIANA
What is this stuff?
CHASE
It’s like a museum. A museum
dedicated to items from Earth
history past, present, and future.
TIANA
Are you ever going to start making
sense?
CHASE
Probably not, but it’s one of my
many charms.
TIANA
Mister, if you think that’s a
charm, I’d bet money you’re single.
Chase laughs.
CHASE
You’re taking all of this in stride
now, aren’t you?
TIANA
Don’t have much of a choice, do I?
I mean, I could sit down and cry
for an hour… tried that and it
didn’t do anything, or I can just
accept that something weird is
happening and go with it.
(she examines something in
a glass case)
Besides, people have laughed at me
for years because I thought aliens
and junk was real. This is…
confirmation of my sanity.
CHASE
That’s the spirit.
They separate on separate sides of the room. Chase finds a
metallic plaque on the wall written in an odd language. He
runs his fingers over it as though he’s trying to figure it
out.
TIANA
(looks at some labels)
What language is this written in?
CHASE
I don’t know. I’ve never seen it
before. If I had a tricorder, I
might be able to translate… Hell,
this room seems to have everything
else, but not one of those.
TIANA
Could it be Russian? You think
they’re behind this?
CHASE
Probably not. My money’s on the
Orion Syndicate though this way
more elaborate than anything I’ve
seen them do. Could be some sort
of internal hallucination as well
by a non-corporeal life form.
TIANA
You spend a lot of time talking a
bunch of stuff that doesn’t make
any sense, you know?
You might as well grunt a lot for
all the good its doing.
CHASE
I’m trying to figure out where and
when we are.
TIANA
You’re saying it’s not 1993?
CHASE
Where I came from, it’s 2451.
TIANA
The future? We’re in the future?
CHASE
Or the past, it’s hard to tell.
Plus it depends if you are telling
the truth.
TIANA
I ain’t no liar.
CHASE
For all I know, you’re the one
behind this or work for them. You
might be a Klingon agent or a shape
shifter. I want to trust you, but
I’m no sucker. In situations like
this, I question every damn thing I
see.
TIANA
(cold)
I guess I need to not trust you
either. Is that how this is
supposed to work? Doesn’t seem
like a good system.
CHASE
(a beat)
You’re right… We need information
before we start blindly accusing–
Chase looks around and sees something.
CHASE
Tiana, over here.
Chase shows her a display case that houses an android (not
Data). There is more alien language on the plaque.
CHASE
There’s got to be a way to open it
without– Hey!
Tiana opens the case.
CHASE
You shouldn’t have done that! It
might have been booby trapped or
wired to an alarm or…
TIANA
…or it might have been as simple
as opening a door.
Chase shakes his head and picks up the android’s head. The
head is slightly damaged and burned, but appears to be in
good shape otherwise.
TIANA
What is that thing?
CHASE
Looks like some sort of advanced
android. If I can get this thing
talking, maybe it can tell us where
we are.
TIANA
That’s a robot?
Chase removes the back of the android’s head.
CHASE
Far beyond a robot. I just hope
this was a working unit and not
some replica.
Chase takes off his com badge.
TIANA
What are you doing?
CHASE
It looks intact, but its internal
power cells are dead. I’m going to
try hooking up the cell in my com
badge and see if we can make our
friend here working.
Chase snaps the battery into place. The Android’s head
jumps. The android is DUAL.
DUAL
…can kiss my shiny android ass!
Chase drops the head in alarm. Tiana yelps.
DUAL
Hey! Ow!
CHASE
Sorry!
Chase picks up the head.
DUAL
What’s wrong with you!? Wait,
you’re not a Child of Soong. Where
am I? Have I been recovered?
CHASE
Sort of. We found you on display
in a museum… kind of.
DUAL
I can’t feel my legs.
CHASE
Uh… they’re fine. They’re over
there in a display case.
DUAL
(looks)
Oh, thank goodness. I was getting
worried. Wait a minute… is that
right?
CHASE
Is what right?
DUAL
What year is this?
CHASE
I was hoping you could tell us.
What’s the last thing you remember?
DUAL
Cursing the universe as I drifted
through space.
TIANA
That explains a bit.
DUAL
Eight centuries before that, I was
one of the captains on board the
Children of Soong exploration
vessel, Spot’s Curiosity. We were
studying a comet at close range
when our quantum core detonated for
an unknown reason. The explosion
blew me free of the ship and into
open space.
CHASE
What year?
DUAL
By the Gregorian calendar, the year
9909.
TIANA
Ninety-nine oh nine!? We’re in
Ninety-nine oh nine?
DUAL
No, that was the date of my
accident. My power cell failed
after eight hundred forty-one
years. My last conscious moment
was in the year ten seven fifty.
CHASE
At least that gives us an idea
where we are.
DUAL
I’m afraid I have further bad news.
TIANA
How can it get any worse!?
DUAL
My internal chronometer uses a
piece of Vulcianum-781. Measuring
the half-life of this element,
gives me an accurate date no matter
how long I am deactivated.
CHASE
Okay…
DUAL
Only that element… is inert.
TIANA
What does that mean?
CHASE
It means we’re not just centuries
from where we’re supposed to be…
we’re eons away.
DUAL
At least 2.4 million years not
counting the time since the element
decayed. It could be much longer
than that.
(a beat)
Please, call me Dual.
CHASE
I’m…
DUAL
Alexander Chase. I recognize you
from my historical database. That
is Tiana Elliot.
TIANA
You know who I am?
DUAL
I do possess a 500 zebibyte memory
and it must be filled with
something. It appears you are both
out of your own times and I am
compelled to help rectify the
situation.
CHASE
Excellent. You’re coming with us,
then.
DUAL
Where are we going?
CHASE
We’re going to find whoever is in
charge of this place and ask them
nicely to send us back to where we
came from.
DUAL
I will serve in any capacity I can.
TIANA
If we need a paperweight, we’ll let
you know.
DUAL
She’s funny. I like her.
TIANA
See? It likes me just fine.
DUAL
(winces)
Oo, “it?” Really? We’re going to
be all racist all of the sudden?
CHASE
Cut her a break, she’s never seen
an android before.
TIANA
Sorry, Dual… I guess that was
rude of me. This is all just so…
new and weird.
CHASE
You okay?
TIANA
Actually, I’m kind of enjoying it.
DUAL
See? I told you I liked her for
some reason. Even if she is a
racist.
TIANA
Stop calling me that!
CHASE
(trying to stop it)
Dual, are you functioning okay?
DUAL
Well, I’ll never do ballet again.
(serious)
The power source you have equipped
me with is insufficient to power my
external sensors, but should keep
my positronic brain powered for
another five hours if I shut down
all wireless communications and
unnecessary apps.
CHASE
Hopefully we’ll be gone long before
that.
DUAL
Let’s go then.
TIANA
Where?
Chase indicates a door.
CHASE
Let’s see where that leads us and
go from there.
INT. A LARGE WHITE HALLWAY
Chase and Tiana enter the hallway. Chase is carrying Dual.
TIANA
Does this help you find out where
we are?
She indicates a hallway.
CHASE
It’s a hallway… Not a road map.
They start walking down the hall.
TIANA
So, you said you’re a captain.
What are you a captain of?
CHASE
A…
(he shrugs)
Just a ship.
TIANA
Spaceship? Come on, I’m not a
complete idiot. You said you were
from the future… or the past, I
guess considering we’re a bajillion
years in the future.
CHASE
(smirks)
Yeah, I’m in command of a Starship
named Enterprise.
TIANA
I knew it… and you meet aliens?
CHASE
Work with them, count them among my
friends… occasionally date.
TIANA
You dog! I’d give anything to meet
an alien. You know, the not-probing
kind.
CHASE
Technically, I guess Dual is an
alien.
DUAL
I was constructed on Soong World,
the planet formerly known as
Omicron Theta and, yes… we are
not known to probe people… not
unless they ask politely.
CHASE
I’m guessing by the 100th century,
androids are their own species?
DUAL
Something like that. We have a
homeworld, we reproduce in a
fashion… and we explore space.
CHASE
How’s Earth doing in the 100th
century?
DUAL
Last I saw it, it was being moved
to a more distant orbit from Sol
because of increases in solar
luminosity. You will be pleased to
know that my time’s equivalent of
Starfleet still honors the
tradition of having Enterprise as
the flagship.
CHASE
No kidding? What letter are they
up to?
DUAL
NCC-1701-Q.
CHASE
Fine ship?
DUAL
Ships if you want to get technical.
She’s a Legion Class and has the
ability to split into as many as
ten thousand smaller vessels, one
for each member of her crew if
necessary.
CHASE
You going to get into trouble for
telling me this?
DUAL
I’m a severed head… how much more
trouble could I be in?
Chase regards the head.
CHASE
Point taken. I’d love to hear
about every Enterprise, but you
know… The Department of Temporal
Investigations will have my butt in
a sling.
(a beat)
Wait a minute… 75 centuries and
they’re only up to “Q”?
DUAL
Ships and men last longer in my
time. The 1701-Q just celebrated
her 500th year of service. I
myself have been operational for
one thousand six hundred fifty-two
years one hundred one days five
hours twenty two minutes and thirty
three seconds….
TIANA
I can’t believe you two are just
having a conversation about this.
A couple of guys from the future…
and one’s just a head.
Chase hands Dual’s head to Tiana.
CHASE
Here, get to know the head a little
better.
TIANA
(uneasy)
But I… Ooo…
DUAL
Tell me about it. Your hands are
all sweaty.
TIANA
(offended)
They are not!
CHASE
If our spaceman and android
conversations are bothering you
that much, Tiana, we could always
walk in awkward silence if you
want.
DUAL
But we’d have to come up with a
system of hand signals to notify
one another if we find something
significant… but then again, I
might be getting ahead of myself.
A long beat. Chase suddenly laughs. Dual laughs with him.
TIANA
You’re both crazy!
Chase spies something.
CHASE
What is that!?
Chase walks towards it.
INT. A GARDEN
Chase, Tiana, and Dual enter a garden housed under a gigantic
dome. The garden boasts full grown redwoods and sequoias and
other trees. It is gigantic… at least the size of
Manhattan island. Through the dome, we can see stars –
literally millions of them much brighter and more numerous
than today or the 25th century. The vista is marked by a
large and beautiful ringed nebula that blots space like a
bull’s-eye. Our trio is stunned… even the android.
DUAL
Are my eyes malfunctioning or are
you seeing what I’m seeing?
TIANA
I’m seeing it. I’m not sure what
I’m seeing, but I sure am seeing
it.
CHASE
It’s like a giant aboritum. Like
the one on Enterprise… except you
could fit fifty Enterprises in
here.
A beat.
CHASE
You two stay here. I want to check
this out.
TIANA
You’re going to just leave us here?
CHASE
We don’t know what’s in there.
Could be wild future animals or
something. I’d rather make sure
its safe.
TIANA
Oh…
Chase walks off camera.
CHASE (O.C.)
I wouldn’t want Dual to get hurt,
after all.
TIANA
Ha ha.
Tiana and Dual watches as Chase disappears into the thick
bushes.
DUAL
Looks overgrown.
TIANA
Yeah… they could use a good
landscaper. My dad was a
landscaper.
DUAL
My dad was too.
Tiana looks down at him.
TIANA
Your dad… was a landscaper?
DUAL
A very good one, I might add.
TIANA
He was an android?
DUAL
Yes.
TIANA
Dual, I’m trying not to be…
racist or whatever, but why would
an android become a landscaper?
DUAL
What do you do for a living?
TIANA
I’m a librarian… trying to be a
writer.
DUAL
Do you enjoy it?
TIANA
Yes.
DUAL
Humans possess a brain with amazing
recall and storage capabilities,
they are able to think, adapt,
imagine… all with that amazing
brain. It’s taken the Children of
Soong over seven thousand years to
get close to your level – that mind
we envy… you use it to put books
on shelves.
TIANA
But, like I said, I enjoy it.
DUAL
As did my father.
Tiana nods.
TIANA
So, you have a mom and dad too?
DUAL
Actually, I have two fathers. The
divisions of gender are no
consequence to androids. I myself
lived as a female for two hundred
years. It’s easy when you can
download into a new body.
TIANA
Did they… love each other? Your
parents?
DUAL
(smiles)
They loved each other very much.
Chase emerges from the bushes. Tiana and Dual take notice.
TIANA
What did you find, Chase?
CHASE
Looks clear. I didn’t see any
signs of any animals or anything.
I think it’s safe.
The bushes behind him shakes. Chase jumps out of the way.
TIANA
There’s something moving in there!
Chase gets ready to protect them from whatever is coming.
After a few tense moments a starfleet officer in a red TOS
era uniform explodes out of the bushes. This is RIGGS.
RIGGS
Wait, don’t…
Tiana screams and throws Dual at Riggs like a basketball.
The android’s head hits Riggs in the face and he falls down.
CHASE
Wait!
RIGGS
DID YOU JUST THROW A HEAD AT ME!?
DUAL
YOU THREW ME AT THAT GUY!
RIGGS
CRAZY WOMAN!!!
TIANA
I’m sorry, I thought you were a–
RIGGS
A WHAT!?
Riggs gets up. Another man exits the bushes. This is
FORREST.
FORREST
Riggs! Are you okay!?
RIGGS
She threw a head at me!
FORREST
She threw a…
(to Tiana)
You threw a head at him!?
TIANA
You were coming right at us!
RIGGS
So you just throw stuff at people!?
You showed up on my scans! We’ve
been looking for other people for
hours!
Riggs holds up a TOS era tricorder.
CHASE
You have a tricorder!
FORREST
Good eye!
DUAL
Still on the ground here.
Tiana goes to pick up Dual.
CHASE
(to Riggs)
I’m Captain Alexander Chase.
RIGGS
Captain!?
(Suspiciously)
Lieutenant Dusty Riggs.
FORREST
Forrest Keller.
RIGGS
We were with three others…
TIANA
What happened to them?
RIGGS
I don’t know. I thought I saw
something down a hallway, the two
of us went to investigate, heard
some screaming, and when we came
back, they were all gone… So was
the hallway. It was a swimming
pool… only you could breathe
underwater.
FORREST
This place… it’s weird.
CHASE
No idea where they went?
RIGGS
No, but… those screams? Pure
terror. Whatever happened to them,
it wasn’t good.
TIANA
Who were they? The people you were
with?
FORREST
They were from all over the
place… all over time.
TIANA
Same with us.
RIGGS
One was a musician from the 28th
century, another was a Sheppard
from before the Gregorian Calendar
was introduced so I’m not sure WHEN
he was from, and the last was a
caveman who just grunted a lot.
CHASE
I’m guessing you’re from the mid
23rd century?
RIGGS
Give or take. You?
CHASE
Early 25th.
RIGGS
I’ve been looking for those three
people ever since we were
separated.
CHASE
Let me see your tricorder. If
there’s something else in this
place with us, I’d like to know as
quickly as possible.
Riggs hands Chase his tricorder.
FORREST
You can scan for it with that
unreliable antique if you want, but
the readings I got were confused
and chaotic.
TIANA
Where are you from?
FORREST
34th century. I’m a commander on
the Federation Timeship Relativity.
CHASE
According to the DTI regs, that
makes you the superior officer on
this thing laughably called a
mission.
Chase hands him the tricorder. Forrest holds his hand up and
refuses it.
FORREST
Yes, I know captain. Please
continue with what you are doing
and thank you for your
understanding.
CHASE
It’s not understanding, it’s the
regulations. I never said I
understood… sir.
RIGGS
(quickly to Chase)
Let me help you, sir.
Chase and Riggs walk off with Riggs helping Chase work the
old tricorder. As soon as they are out of earshot…
RIGGS
Best not to rile him up, sir. He
seems to be pretty knowledgeable,
but not much on people skills.
CHASE
(silently)
Strikes me as an ass.
RIGGS
I think he might actually be
figuring this thing out, though,
but every time I prod, he says
something about not wanting to
contaminate the timeline.
CHASE
As a command officer from further
up our timeline, he is in charge
now and, being from the future, he
may know a lot more than we do.
The regs are there for a reason.
RIGGS
Who would have ever thought that
extension course from the
Department of Temporal
Investigations would come in handy?
CHASE
(scanning)
What ship do you serve on,
Lieutenant?
RIGGS
The Chawla.
CHASE
Ah… NCC-498. Advanced Daedalus
Class.
RIGGS
You know her?
CHASE
(laughs)
She’s drydocked at Pearl Harbor. I
went there as a kid. Had a model
of her hanging in my room over my
bed for the longest time.
(looks up)
Don’t you go telling the Department
of Temporal Investigations I told
you that. Or Forrest for that
matter.
(back to the tricorder)
Hmm… I see what you mean by
confusing…
RIGGS
The human lifesigns are scattered
all around us… but the tricorder
can’t scan the entire structure.
It’s too massive.
CHASE
I’m picking up 534 individual
signals.
RIGGS
That number keeps shrinking…
slowly but surely. Then, there’s
the anomaly.
CHASE
(over his shoulder)
Dual, come here.
DUAL (O.C.)
Is that a joke?
CHASE
(rolls eyes)
Tiana, would you bring Dual here,
please?
Tiana carries Dual over to them. Forrest follows. Tiana
holds him up so that he can see the tricorder.
TIANA
(to Riggs)
I’m Tiana. Sorry about throwing
the robot’s head at you.
RIGGS
In the past.
TIANA
You mean the future.
RIGGS
Whatever.
DUAL
Fascinating… This anomalous
lifeform reading appears to come
from the ship or station we’re in.
CHASE
Are you saying that this… place
is alive?
DUAL
It is only a theory… But given
how far in the future we appear to
be, living machinery is not that
far fetched. Look at me! This
place could be up my evolutionary
ladder.
FORREST
That’s what I thought as well.
TIANA
(exasperated)
Well, why don’t we just plug the
head into this place and ask it
what’s happening!?
A beat, everyone looks at Tiana.
CHASE
That’s… actually not a bad idea.
INT. A LARGE WHITE HALLWAY
Chase and Riggs are taking a panel off the wall. Chase scans
with the tricorder. Tiana is holding Dual’s head.
CHASE
(To Dual)
I’m… guessing that this is some
sort of hard lined interface, but I
don’t know what will happen to you
if we connect you to it.
DUAL
(dramatically)
Oh no! I may never walk again!
RIGGS
You may never do anything again, my
friend.
DUAL
I have a head and about two hours
worth of power left… not much to
lose.
TIANA
You’ve got a soul… humanity.
Don’t lose that for us! If you’re
not sure…
FORREST
He has to do this, my dear. For
all our sakes.
TIANA
No he doesn’t.
FORREST
Yes he does, he’s a machine…
TIANA
How can you say that!?
DUAL
The humanity of those like myself
have been questioned many times
throughout history. Let me guess,
Forrest… you’re either in or
sometime after the great Bot
Rebellion?
FORREST
Shut your mouth, android! Don’t
contaminate the past!
TIANA
I don’t care! I don’t care about
Bot Rebellions or any of that
stuff! You’re alive enough for me.
FORREST
He is a tool and I suggest we treat
him as one. No more talk of this
humanity. He is a machine built by
human hands!
TIANA
He was built by two androids that
loved each other!
FORREST
What? Is that what he said? My
dear, they were programmed to
approximate love… or whatever.
CHASE
Duals from the 100th century,
Commander. I think it’s gone
beyond programming by that point.
FORREST
I don’t remember asking.
CHASE
I don’t remember caring.
DUAL
Everyone shut up!
Everyone goes silent.
DUAL
I am doing this! It’s my choice!
(to Forrest)
If this does destroy me and saves
the people in this place, it will
not negate what it is that makes me
alive… be it a soul or just very
good programming. It will not
destroy my humanity… merely
confirm it.
Tiana gives Dual a kiss on his forehead and hands him to
Chase.
CHASE
(to Dual)
Are you sure?
DUAL
Of course I’m not, but do it
anyway.
CHASE
(takes a wire from the
console)
I’m not sure if this will even
interface with you. Tricorder says
its more like a nerve ending than
anything, else, but…
The wire shoots out of Chases hand and plunges into Dual’s
open head compartment.
More wires interweave into the compartment and physically
lift the head out of Chase’s hands. Chase backs away along
with Riggs and Tiana as Dual’s head, surrounded by the nerve
wires, looms over them all. The wires form arms and legs…
a new body, stringy and lean. It’s quite unnerving.
TIANA
Dual?
DUAL
Fascinating…
RIGGS
What? What’s going on?
DUAL
So much information and power…
overloading my positronic net…
Memory cache is reading maximum…
CHASE
Dual, tell us what we need so we
can disconnect you!
FORREST
Don’t you dare! Dual, tell us what
you’re learning!
DUAL
No need… he is coming. Don’t
worry, Captain, you can trust him.
He knows you’re here now.
CHASE
Who?
ZEE comes running around the corner. He skids to a stop and
yells in triumph.
ZEE
There you are!
FORREST
Who are you!?
ZEE
Call me Zee.
CHASE
Did you bring us here?
ZEE
No. Yes… Kind of. It’s a long
story. We have to go!
DUAL
Agreed. I will hold them off.
CHASE
Hold who off?
ZEE
I’m not the only one who took
notice of your access of ship
systems.
FORREST
Not so fast! I’m commander of this
mission and you’re going to give me
some an–
Forrest is engulfed in a Q-like flash. Suddenly, There are
two Q-like flashes. Two beings made of light stand there.
RIGGS
Forrest!
ZEE
NO! Get away from them!
DUAL
Take them out of here, Zee!
Dual points his “arms” at the light beings. Wires twist out
of them and attack the beings. Whether this attack is doing
any good is unknown.
CHASE
You heard the man, let’s go!
ZEE
This way!
Zee leads them down the hall. Dual watches them go as the
light beings come towards him. Dual suddenly stops his
attack and withdrawals his wires.
DUAL
(amazed)
Of course… I didn’t recognize
you.
One touches Dual on the head and he vaporizes into ash.
INT. A LARGE WHITE HALLWAY
Zee runs with Chase, Riggs, and Tiana.
TIANA
We’ve got to get away from those
things!
ZEE
Done.
TIANA
What?
They stop… they are now in a red hallway.
CHASE
Whu… Where are…?
ZEE
On the other side of the ship.
Approximately 76,000 kilometers
from our last location.
CHASE
Seventy six THOUSAND!? How big IS
this thing!?
TIANA
Nevermind that! What about Dual?
ZEE
Gone, I’m afraid… but an
archaeological relic is not my
priority.
Tiana slaps him.
TIANA
He was NOT a thing!
RIGGS
He died to buy us some time. Show
some respect.
ZEE
(rubs cheek)
We don’t have time for respect.
The continuum will find us in a
matter of seconds. We have to get
out of here now!
CHASE
Continuum? That was the Q
Continuum?
ZEE
The very same. I’ve been trying to
protect humanity from them all my
life.
TIANA
But you’re human? Aren’t you?
ZEE
Here we go.
RIGGS
Here we go what?
The three of them are suddenly standing out in space. The
three humans react in alarm.
TIANA
Oh, Jesus! We’re in space!
ZEE
We’re in a parallel existence
commonly known as The Mirror
Universe. I used the ship’s blink
to get us here along with some
oxygen and gravity. It will take
the Q a while to find us here.
TIANA
What’s the Q?
RIGGS
Letter of the alphabet as far as I
know.
CHASE
All powerful pains in the ass, but
we haven’t encountered them in well
over forty years.
(down to business)
Zee… I think you owe us some
answers. Now.
ZEE
By your calendar, it is the year
one billion five hundred thirty one
thousand six hundred and sixty two.
February 14th, as a matter of fact.
TIANA
Valentine’s Day… bummer.
ZEE
Approximately 400 million years
ago, the Q Continuum, for reasons
never provided nor ascertained,
began to attack humanity. The
attacks began on Forth Earth then,
it spread to the rest of the Andro
Milky Way… all galaxies and
parallel dimensions inhabited by
humans were culled. Their
inhabitants gone as if they never
existed. The Entire Event lasted
approximately one hour and thirteen
minutes… after which, the human
race was extinct. This is
something I absolutely would not
abide.
CHASE
You said this was 400 million years
ago. You were there? You’re 400
million years old?
ZEE
Much older, as a matter of fact.
(he looks up)
They’ve found us.
Suddenly the gang are in a very dark place with no light.
Zee summons a sphere of light by snapping his fingers.
RIGGS
Where are we now?
ZEE
We’re inside a single neutrino
hurtling through the galaxy. There
are well over 900 nonillion of them
in the universe, so we’ll be safe
here for a few minutes.
CHASE
(whispers)
S’tok would flip…
RIGGS
Zee, continue please.
ZEE
It took all of this time to perfect
a reliable Forever Guardian that
didn’t try and undo the big bang
and destroy all of creation.
With it, I have been plucking
people randomly from the timeline.
RIGGS
So, we were randomly selected? For
what reason?
ZEE
Repopulation.
TIANA
(looks at Chase and Riggs)
Oh… HELL no.
ZEE
No, ma’am, not that way… I simply
need some of your DNA. When the Q
attacked, they not only destroyed
humans, but all trace of them.
(a beat)
I thought it would be safe… all
these millions of years later, to
bring humans into the future to
clone them anew and return
something special to the galaxy but
then we were attacked by the Q.
They began to be taken from me.
CHASE
Why not tell us all this at the
beginning?
ZEE
Too many variables. Too many
humans… I meant to only bring a
dozen… I accidentally transported
over three thousand.
RIGGS
Three thousand? There were only
about five hundred on my scan!
ZEE
The Q… they’ve taken them.
Killed them… I don’t know. I’ve
destroyed the timeline… I’ve
destroyed history. I tried to
bring humanity here so that it
could have a future, and I’ve
wrecked its past.
CHASE
No, this isn’t making any sense…
if you’ve wrecked the past, I
wouldn’t be here. None of us
would.
ZEE
They’ve found us.
The three light figures return and reach for Zee and the
others.
Suddenly, they are surrounded by pure white light.
RIGGS
Holy crap, is this…?
ZEE
The reaction chamber of the ship’s
engine, yes. We’re out of phase
with the reaction and so, safe
until the Q locate us.
TIANA
You said there were five hundred
other people on your ship. Where
are they now? Did you just leave
them defenseless?
ZEE
Of course not. I am with them as
well… the ones I could locate.
One of my main defenses is a
randomly occurring spatial anomaly
that connects different parts of
the ship at random terminals…
TIANA
Do what now?
ZEE
The insides get all jumbly. It
confuses the Q, but it confuses me
as well. Finding my guests has
been problematic. It’s fortunate
that you interfaced that relic with
my systems. I am currently
escorting 367 humans as I am
escorting you.
TIANA
Can’t you just keep us all
together.
RIGGS
No, keeping them separate buys more
time.
CHASE
To do what? How do we fight the Q?
Myself and Zee here are the only
ones who even know what a Q is!
RIGGS
He’s right, I wouldn’t know a Q if
it walked up and shook my–
A light being suddenly steps out of nowhere and grabs Riggs.
He screams and vanishes in a flash.
TIANA
RIGGS!
INT. A LARGE WHITE HALLWAY
Zee, Tiana, and Chase appear in the blink of an eye.
TIANA
He’s gone! Oh my God, he’s gone!
ZEE
I’m sorry, there was nothing I
could do.
CHASE
(angry)
You could have left him in his own
time where he was!
ZEE
The human race must continue!
CHASE
It’s been over a billion years…
sounds like we had a good run. I’m
guessing the Romulans, Klingons,
and Vulcans aren’t around anymore
either?
ZEE
(heavy)
No.
CHASE
So, who’s around in the galaxy now?
ZEE
Turrrhs.
TIANA
Turds?
ZEE
No, Turrrhs. They evolve from
creatures you know as Tribbles.
CHASE
(huh?)
Tribbles rule the galaxy?
ZEE
A significant portion of it.
CHASE
Zee… don’t think that I’m not…
honored by what you’re doing, but
what makes Humans so special? Why
should they get a second chance?
ZEE
Because… they made me. Oh, I
went on such adventures with them.
Where… no sentient had ever been.
I traveled with them literally from
one side of the universe to the
other… Took millions of years to
make the trip and we were the first
to do so. A straight line — a
universe of such beauty and void,
such treasure and danger. They
brought out the best in me and then
they passed into extinction, it was
if a light in my soul went out.
CHASE
Everything has a time. The old
steps out of the way to let the new
explore and build. Maybe that’s
what the Q is trying to tell you.
ZEE
It’s not their choice! They
destroyed humanity and I cannot
just let it go. If you could save
Riggs or Forrest or Dual, would
you? Or would you allow them to
simply pass into the night as well?
No answer.
ZEE
You didn’t live through it,
Captain. I not only lost a
species, I lost friends…
colleagues.
CHASE
Who are you?
TIANA
Oh God.
Chase looks. There are five light beings in the corridor.
CHASE
Zee, take Tiana and go.
TIANA
What?
CHASE
We can’t fight them, can’t outrun
them… maybe I can talk to them.
ZEE
Others have tried.
CHASE
Others don’t have my charm and good
looks. Zee… take her and go.
Please.
Zee nods. He and Tiana blinks out of existence. Chase looks
at the light beings walking towards him.
CHASE
Talk to me. You know I can’t hurt
you… what’s the harm in showing
me why you’re doing this?
The light beings surround him. Chase is visibly nervous.
CHASE
I get the feeling I’m hearing only
one side of a much larger story.
The Q Continuum may be all powerful
jackasses, but they’ve never been
stupid jackasses.
One light being walks towards Chase. Chase can hear what its
saying, but the audience cannot.
CHASE
Yes, I can hear you.
(listens)
What do you mean?
(listens)
But I saw you kill…
(listens)
Oh… Oh, I see.
(he smiles)
I didn’t recognize you.
Chase and the light beings vanish in a flash.
EXT. SPACE
CHASE is standing with the light beings in space. Chase
looks down at a massive ship below him (animators note – the
ship is supposed to be massive and mysterious, don’t show it
all!). Chase is confused.
CHASE
Wait, why did you bring me out…?
The light being points towards writing on the hull… it’s in
the same alien language we saw before.
CHASE
I can’t read that.
The letters start to morph in front of him. Chase’s eyes
grow wide.
CHASE
(amazed)
Oh my God… I didn’t recognize him
either!
EXT. A LARGE GRASSY FIELD
Tiana and Zee are standing there alone. Grasslands stretch
as far as the eye can see.
TIANA
I can’t believe you just left him
there!
ZEE
I had to. I had no choice!
TIANA
You could have sent him with us!
You have that power!
ZEE
I don’t… I had to obey!
TIANA
WHY!?
Chase appears in a Q-Flash.
CHASE
Because that’s what he does.
That’s who he is.
Tiana suddenly hugs him.
TIANA
This ain’t no trick, is it?
CHASE
No, no trick. I just had some
things explained to me.
(he smiles)
You’re going home now.
TIANA
What?
CHASE
You’re going home and you won’t
remember any of this.
TIANA
I… I want to.
CHASE
I’m sorry, you can’t. It’s all
part of the deal.
TIANA
I don’t want to forget, Captain
Chase… all the things I’ve
seen…
CHASE
Some of it… may come to you in a
dream. A weird unexplainable dream
with a rugged and good looking man
to guide and protect you.
TIANA
Dual was pretty handsome.
The light beings are behind Tiana.
CHASE
Goodbye. Don’t be afraid.
TIANA
(whispers)
I won’t…
Tiana and the light beings vanish. Zee is mortified.
ZEE
(whispers)
What have you done? They’re…
They’re all gone. Every human on
the ship is gone, except for you.
CHASE
Take me to the gallery, please.
INT. THE GALLERY
Chase and Zee are suddenly there.
ZEE
Why?
CHASE
Why here or why are you so
compelled to obey a captain’s
order? I assumed you were some
sort of hologram or android, but
you… You’re just… beautiful. I
got no other words, you’re
beautiful.
Chase knocks on the plaque he tried to read earlier.
CHASE
They made it so I could read this.
I thought it was an alien language,
but it’s just English… evolved,
changed, and adapted… but still
English.
ZEE
So?
CHASE
There’s an old joke in Starfleet…
as long as there’s an alphabet,
there will always be an Enterprise
from A… to Zee.
(a beat)
I never actually thought I would
see the last Enterprise with my own
eyes… much less meet and talk
with it.
ZEE
I haven’t been called Enterprise in
well over 400 million years. There
was a debate, of course, about what
would happen if I were lost or
destroyed… would they build a new
Enterprise or would they simply
leave it be and let a tradition
die? It appears that became a moot
point. The Q will never allow
humanity to return.
CHASE
You’re wrong…
ZEE
You convinced them otherwise?
CHASE
No… humanity never left.
The light beings are there. Zee is surprised.
ZEE
What is this?
CHASE
They were stopping you from making
a serious mistake. 400 million
years ago, humanity didn’t end, it
just changed… it evolved. They
became something else. They call
themselves, the R Continuum now.
One of the light beings steps forward.
R
We apologize for not contacting you
directly, Zee, but we have a strict
Prime Directive not to interfere
with the development of less
evolved lifeforms.
CHASE
When you brought people to
repopulate the past, it…
interfered with the R Continuum’s
new existence.
R
Think of it as incompatible
programming. Humans from the past
disrupted our morphic field to
where we could not fully
materialize. Our only hope to
reconstitute was to send the
subjects back to where they came
from.
CHASE
They weren’t killing and hunting…
they were sending them home!
R
As the number of humans decreased,
we were able to make contact with
Captain Chase… and finally with
you.
ZEE
You… are the human race.
R
We are… We were… and more.
ZEE
But… what do I do? You left me
here alone. I am nothing without
you.
R
You are more than what you think.
You are alive… the culmination of
many who came before that
represents the best of us. You,
the Children of Soong before you,
and others are our children… but
now it is time for you to live in
your own age without our guidance.
This universe is yours now.
Chase walks over to Zee.
CHASE
They want you to be alive, grow,
adapt, and evolve.
Journey down your own path and, one
day… join them.
R
To Boldly Go Where None Have Gone
Before. It was our mission… now
it is yours.
ZEE
Alone?
DUAL (O.C.)
Of course not.
Dual is there: restored and brand new.
DUAL
The R told me that the Children of
Soong are out there somewhere
striving to be more. I want that
for myself… and I’m willing to
help you too, Zee.
ZEE
I… would welcome that.
Zee and Dual shake hands. Chase smiles.
EXT. SPACE
From above, Chase looks down on the massive ship and its hull
lettering – USS ENTERPRISE – NCC-1701-Z. A member of the R
is with him.
CHASE
Tell me something.
R
We are about to remove all memories
of this place from your mind, so I
will answer any question you have.
CHASE
Fair enough.
(a beat)
Does he make it? I mean, I know
that as higher beings you probably
know this kind of stuff… future
future stuff, I mean.
R
We are non-linear and yes, the
Enterprise does make it.
Enterprise creates a vast
civilization that dwarfs even ours
at its height and one day, a
billion years from now, he and his
kin will join us making way for the
new.
CHASE
The S Continuum? Wait… what
happened to the Q?
R
The same that happened to the
sixteen before them… they evolved
into the next step. One that even
we don’t understand… Not yet.
(a beat)
There will be life beyond for every
letter of the alphabet, I suppose.
CHASE
(laughs)
Just like the Enterprise?
R
Just like… But come… someone
is hailing you.
CHASE
Huh?
INT. CHASE’ CABIN
Chase awakens in bed with a startle. There is a flashing
indicator on his night stand. He presses it.
CHASE
This is Captain Chase.
KORIX (V.O.)
Captain, there is an incoming
transmission from the Department of
Temporal Investigations for you.
CHASE
Oh, great…
OGAKI (V.O.)
Captain, what did you do?
CHASE
Nothing! I’ve been sleeping!
(a beat)
Put it on standby down here.
KORIX (V.O.)
Aye, sir.
Chase gets out of bed and walks to a monitor. He activates
it revealing AGENT YARVIL.
AGENT YARVIL
Captain Chase? Agent Yarvil,
Department of Temporal
Investigations.
CHASE
What can I do for you?
AGENT YARVIL
You can explain this.
Agent Yarvil holds up a book.
CHASE
It’s a book?
AGENT YARVIL
It’s a piece of fiction recently
brought to our attention by an
antique book seller in Harlem.
It’s called “Adventures in the Year
One Billion” by a woman named Tiana
Elliot written in the 20th century.
CHASE
It’s a book?
AGENT YARVIL
You are mentioned in the book quite
prominently.
CHASE
I am?
AGENT YARVIL
Yes, You are described as a dashing
young captain from the 25th century
commanding a “flying saucer” named
Enterprise.
CHASE
Shut up!
AGENT YARVIL
Apparently, the book chronicles how
you, Miss Elliot, a man named
Forrest from the future, and a
Starfleet officer by the name of
Dusty Riggs were kidnapped and
brought to the year one billion
where, with the help of a android’s
severed head, you fought off
attacks from the Q Continuum.
CHASE
Get out! I did that?
AGENT YARVIL
We checked… There was a Starfleet
officer named Dustin Riggs in the
23rd century. Ascended to the rank
of Admiral, retired, and died at
the age of one hundred and fifty
one.
CHASE
…and you just discovered this?
AGENT YARVIL
Yes, It was found in an attic a few
years ago, apparently. It was not
a very successful novel.
CHASE
That’s a shame. Sounds…
interesting.
AGENT YARVIL
You have no memory of these events?
CHASE
No, none… Agent Yarvil… can
you send me a copy of that book?
AGENT YARVIL
If this book chronicles something
that hasn’t happened yet…
CHASE
…I’d like to know what to do if
it does. It’s here… Come on, it
might be a predestination paradox!
AGENT YARVIL
I hate those.
(a beat)
Very well. Digital copy being
transmitted now.
Chase picks up his padd and looks.
CHASE
Got it. Thank you, Agent.
AGENT YARVIL
Thank you, Captain… and I guess I
should say good luck… or welcome
back, whatever applies.
CHASE
Good night would be just fine.
AGENT YARVIL
Good night then, but when you get
back to Earth, I’d like to have a
talk with you.
CHASE
(not looking forward to it)
Looking forward to it!
The transmission cuts off. Chase picks up the padd and
reads.
OGAKI (V.O.)
Captain, is everything all right?
CHASE
Everything’s fine, Commander,
apparently I went on a little
adventure.
OGAKI (V.O.)
Where?
CHASE
I’ll let you know when I finish
reading it.
EXT. SPACE
The Enterprise flies by on her way to her next adventure.
Jason Gaston 