Note: Because they lose Spock halfway through season 5, we see Decker and Xon on screen at the end of TOS's run and the Phase II scripts are rushed into production, several years before they are written IRL. I believe some of them were old TOS story ideas that were never produced but came back to life when Paramount thought about broadcasting Phase II in 1977. I know that Theodore Sturgeon, John Meredyth Lucas, Norman Spinrad and Margaret Armen all wrote Phase II scripts IRL and wrote for TOS (and in Lucas' case, produced).
WI: The Enterprise completes its five year mission (Star Trek survives for 5 seasons)
hammo1j
Donor
Hello Mr Roddenbery
First of all may I say thank you for responding to my script. I thought it would be on your slush pile till the 25th century and I am forever grateful for you comments.
I should say that the characters chosen for this episode were not based upon any form of racial or religious preference or dislike. It seems mundane but I am part of a team of financial auditors and the names I chose were based on the team with subtle distortions. We are a mixed bunch.
That said I can see your concerns that one does not make sections of people the subject of hate. Propaganda, unfortunately is a powerful force among those unfortunate enough to have not had a decent education, and the audience of Star Trek is a wide one.
The seduction of Wong was just me playing around with the fact that the characters that seem to involve themselves with financial fraud have a little bit of the Captain Kirk about them: Charmers who can never look the truth in the eye. Please excuse me. It was not meant to be a stereotype for Asian women but more for any woman or man that falls for these persons. I do appreciate your concern given we wage a war in the far east and that American Asians should not suffer as a consequence.
I have one more question for you, if I may. I was shocked to attend a Trek convention and view the preview to your show. An Episode called the "The Cage" featured a man I believe would be more to your liking; Christopher Pike, the everyman. Compassionate and inclusive, we viewed this Captain on a bootleg version that I feel was your ordained man from the 25 th Century. Science and logic orientated this man was handsome but never let his heart overrule his head.
So my question is: why did you replace your choice of the Enterprise's Captain with a man at polar odds to these principles, Captain Kirk ; A Narcissist who abandons logic to follow his own whim. He puts the entire ship at risk on the conviction of his superior judgement. He should have been picked up in audit and relegated to a position where his enormous ego can no longer bend reality to his own means. He is a Hornblower of the stars when this kind in our species should be obsolete.
With your principled outburst against anything not 25th century in my script, I believe Captain Kirk is not of your own making. I think it may be attributable to the character of William Shatner, the reluctant substitute for Jeffrey Hunter.
Sorry to ask this question of you, but Kirk is in violation of all your principles of humankind progressing beyond the primitive. This winner takes all, cocksure, womaniser does not fit with your principles, but he has taken the lead in most of the 120 episodes.
Chapter 56: December 1970
I think I can sneak in a fast update for today. Hopefully it's up to the usual standard. I almost certainly won't be around to write one tomorrow.
VIETNAM ARMISTICE ACHIEVED IN PARIS
December 3, 1970
President Richard M. Nixon's national security adviser, Mr. Henry Kissinger, and North Vietnamese diplomat Mr. Le Duc Tho have reached an armistice agreement to stall fighting in the Vietnam War, which has raged on for over a decade. The North Vietnamese, with their Chinese allies, agreed to withdraw back to the 17th parallel demilitarized zone originally set during the 1950s. Mr. Kissinger agreed to elections in both parts of the divided nation in April 1971, with unification elections to occur in 1975. The United States has agreed to lower its number of troops to 400,000 until the elections occur, with a further drawdown expected after April. American troops will also withdraw from Laos, where they captured Tchepone, a town bordering Khe Sanh, a key American military base in South Vietnam. Mr. Kissinger described the talks as tense but turning cordial. "The North Vietnamese want to see an end to this conflict just like we do. We offered them a very palatable deal, which they accepted. The alternative would have been more aerial bombardment of Hanoi and Haiphong." Mr. Kissinger also described the Chinese intervention in the peace talks as positive. "The Chinese agreed to reduce their arms deal with the North Vietnamese government as a key detail in the armistice." President Nixon is planning direct talks with the Chinese, with a possible state visit to occur as early as 1971.
NIMOY ENJOYING HIS NEW ROLE ON MISSION IMPOSSIBLE
December 5, 1970
Leonard Nimoy is happy in his new role as "The Great Paris" on Mission: Impossible. Nimoy plays an ex-magician who is deployed to spy on opponents in various costumes. Although the makeup demands for the role still have him rising from bed at 5 AM, the reduced role on Mission allows Nimoy to maintain a better work-life balance. "Playing Spock was wonderful for Leonard's prestige as an actor, with his Emmy award win and his worldwide fame, but he needed to relax and rebuild his marriage," said Sandra Nimoy, his wife. "Leonard's role is a lot less stressful. He sometimes gets home at five in the evening, and is able to enjoy time with Julie and Adam," Mrs. Nimoy said. Mr. Nimoy also agreed with his wife. "Playing Spock was the pinnacle of my career, but I need to relax a little bit," Nimoy said. "My family life was degrading rapidly, but now I am repairing it very quickly. My role on Mission: Impossible is not as expansive and allows me more time to raise my children." When asked if he would ever return to play Mr. Spock, Nimoy said, "I guess it is possible. They would have to bring me back in a movie or two and only work a couple of months at a time, because the stresses of playing Spock became monumental." Nimoy is planning on writing a book about his experiences as Spock and delineating the difference between Nimoy the man and the famous Vulcan he played for four and a half years on television.
EPISODE UPDATES:
EPISODE 13: TO ATTAIN THE ALL, Written by Norman Spinrad, directed by John Meredyth Lucas. Air date: December 4, 1970. This was a script for Phase II, but due to the demand for new stories from Roddenberry, he receives a bunch of new yarns, one of which is from THE DOOMSDAY MACHINE writer Spinrad. In this story, the Enterprise mysteriously vanishes from the known galaxy and meets a bald, blue-skinned alien known as the Prince. The Prince explains that they can learn about his new species and "attain the all," or the vast amount of knowledge The Ones, his species, gathered over many millennia. Decker (Tom Selleck) and Xon (Lawrence Montaigne) are invited to The Ones' planet, and Kirk wants the Enterprise freed after their visit, but is denied. Decker and Xon are forced to navigate through a maze to a computer that supposedly has all the knowledge in the universe. Decker and Xon switch roles; Decker acts like a Vulcan and Xon a human. On the ship, the Prince flips the personas of McCoy and Chapel into each other. Kirk threatens to destroy the Enterprise if he cannot contact Decker and Xon; he is permitted to establish a link with Xon. The Prince links the entire crew up with the Xon communication line except for Decker. The two new Enterprise officers see a glowing orb on the planet, which the Prince explains is the computer to "attain the all." The Prince wants to merge the Enterprise with the glowing orb, so the Ones can take the Enterprise in physical form to merge with other species. Eventually, the Enterprise crew is able to fight off the Prince and the Ones and return to Federation space. Nielsen rating: 1st in timeslot. The New York Times called this story "an intriguing premise, but a little convoluted."
EPISODE 14: THE STARFLEET INCIDENT, Written by D.C. Fontana, directed by Jud Taylor. Air date: December 11, 1970. The Kent State massacre occurred earlier in the year, and of course Star Trek plays it out in the future. At the start of the episode, four Andorian anti-war protesters on Earth are shot and killed by Starfleet officers. The Andorian government, furious with the treatment of their citizens on Earth, threatens to leave the Federation. The Enterprise, disobeying orders, conveys the Andorian president to Earth to confront Starfleet over its actions. Kirk and McCoy, along with the Andorian president, face off with Vice President Wagner (played by Robert Ryan) and Admiral Komack (played by Byron Morrow). McCoy is given the plum lines in this episode, and his famous speech earns him an Emmy nod:
"Mr. Vice President, we have returned back to Earth to protest with our Andorian friends the awful treatment their citizens have received. By God, are we, the United Federation of Planets, turning into an imperial monster like the Klingons, who wage chemical warfare, and the Romulans, who wage biological warfare? Are we losing our morals one day at a time? We are slowly becoming our enemies; enemies that crush dissent within their borders, and demand loyalty of their citizens that is not returned. I entered Starfleet because we had ideals and principles that made us different from our barbaric Klingon and Romulan foes. Instead, I am now serving an organization that is turning into a mirror image of those horrible, tyrannical empires. I will resign my Starfleet commission, along with Captain Kirk and everyone else on the Enterprise, if this behavior continues, and Starfleet will have no flagship to lead the fleet. Other starship captains certainly agree with my line of thinking, Mr. Vice President. Soon enough, the Federation will fragment into several pieces. We almost saw Vulcan leave the Federation because of our imperialism, and now the Andorians are considering an exit. I believe, Mr. Vice President, that you and President Norman must exit, or it will be the end of the Federation."
The episode is critically acclaimed, especially for DeForest Kelley's tour de force. McCoy saves the Federation, and we hear that President Norman and Vice President Wagner have tendered their resignations at the end of the episode. Nielsen rating: 1st in time slot.
EPISODE 15: DEVIL'S DUE, Written by William Douglas Lansford, directed by Marvin Chomsky. Air date: December 18, 1970. IRL this became an episode of TNG, but instead, it is broadcast in the Original Series with the TOS characters. The story largely follows what occurred in TNG, but with Kirk's crew instead of Picard's. The special effects are obviously toned down from what we see in TNG. Nielsen rating: 2nd to the CBS Friday Night Movie.
Then Star Trek takes a 2 week break for Christmas (December 25, 1970) and New Years Day (January 1, 1971). The last 9 episode of the Original Series will be broadcast in 1971.
MAILBAG:
Where is Mr. Spock? I know you said he returned to Vulcan to take shore leave, but I want to see Mr. Nimoy on Star Trek again! He's my favorite character, and the grooviest man in the galaxy. I know that the audience for Star Trek tunes in for Mr. Spock and I don't really dig his replacement, although he seems like a nice guy. That young man you got to play Commander Decker is a hunk though. Where did you find him! I think he could take over for Shatner someday! (Debra L, New York)
Last edited:
Thank you for your gracious reply.
We had to make the changes in the script to meet our stringent requirements for Star Trek, but your premise met what we are looking for on the series and we were glad to place the script into production with a few polishes.
Regarding Captain Pike, the actor who portrayed him, Jeffrey Hunter, played a tremendous starship captain in Christopher Pike in our pilot episode, The Cage, and I am sure you have seen him on The Menagerie. Unfortunately, Mr. Hunter is deceased. He passed away a year ago when he was injured in an on-set explosion when a car exploded inward towards him. He suffered a serious concussion and a series of strokes, which eventually caused his untimely death at the age of 42. He was far too young and a talented actor. Jeff left Star Trek after our pilot because his wife considered him to be a movie star (he played Jesus Christ in King of Kings) and Jeff agreed that he should continue on in the movies. Jeff also did not want to continue playing a starship captain, to our disappointment.
We were fortunate that William Shatner became available after his previous series was unexpectedly cancelled. We never expected to find an actor of his caliber, trained in the same Shakespearean theatre as the famous Christopher Plummer of The Sound of Music. Shatner carries our series as our hero, and we hope that he will continue to lead our cast as Captain (maybe Admiral in the future)? Kirk if Star Trek becomes a big screen feature.
Best,
The Great Bird of the Galaxy, Gene Roddenberry
Last edited:
The reason I'm going to retcon TMP into a Klingon war movie ITTL is because I think the Axanar fan production was fantastic, and that involves a Federation-Klingon conflict. Trek fans should check it out. I also think it does a better job of acting as a prequel in the 23rd century than Discovery did in regards to the Klingons. Axanar has Robert April as the first captain of the Enterprise and Garth of Izar as a brilliant strategist fighting Klingons
Axanar is a much better take on the Klingon-Federation conflict than Discovery (which should have been set in 2390 imho) and fits into the timeline just fine and looks great, however it is such a pity that the chap in charge of Axanar basically fucked it up* and in the process fucked up Trek fan-films for everyone else.
*What part of making money from other people's IP do you not understand, among other things.
Garth of Izar would have made much more sense in one of the reboot films than redoing Khan. As good an actor as Benedict Cumberbatch is, Ricardo Montalban as Khan is irreplaceable. Cumberbatch as a tactical genius who Kirk looked up to while studying at the Academy but has to defeat to would have made a compelling film
I have a little bit of a writer's block right now. I tied off the Vietnam story a little bit with the armistice, I tied off the Beatles story by reuniting them for a 1971 world tour, and I have to figure out which episodes will be the final 9 of the original series. Maybe I'll come up with an update later if some creativity returns to my COVID vaccinated soul. That second shot hit me a little harder than the first one did
Chapter 56: January 1971
Some Episode updates, and a little change in the Apollo 14 mission. I had a little writer's block and some COVID shot side effects earlier, but am feeling well enough for a short update.
EPISODE 16: THE TIME TRAP: Written by Joyce Perry, directed by Jud Taylor. Air date: January 8, 1971. This is a TAS episode IRL but becomes live action ITTL because of the improved budget. The Enterprise gets caught in an area of space called the Delta Triangle, and is attacked by a Klingon D7 commanded by Kor. John Colicos reprises his role as Kor. The Enterprise and Klingons are judged as violent rivals by a species called the Elysians, who set up the Delta Triangle to ensnare both vessels. Kirk and Kor must find a way out of the Delta Triangle to survive. Reaction to the episode is mixed because it copies elements of earlier TOS episodes. Nielsen rating: 2nd to the CBS Friday Night Movie. This is Spock's last appearance on TOS before the movies.
EPISODE 17: LORD BOBBY'S OBSESSION: Written by Shimon Wincelberg (Shimon Bar David pen name), directed by Herb Wallerstein. Air date: January 15, 1971. This was a Phase II script IRL which was never produced, but is advanced to TOS because Roddenberry needs scripts. This episode is similar to the TNG first season episode THE NEUTRAL ZONE, except the character of Lord Bobby is supposedly a member of English high society who got lost on a spaceship. The Enterprise crew reveals that Lord Bobby is an alien, and the Romulans want to know why the Enterprise is in the Neutral Zone. More at this link here: https://forgottentrek.com/lord-bobbys-obsession/. Reaction to this episode is also mixed. Nielsen rating: 1st in timeslot.
EPISODE 18: THE PRISONER: Written by James Menzies, directed by John Meredyth Lucas. Air date: January 22, 1971. This is also a Phase II script IRL which ITTL is written several years earlier. Aliens masquerade as famous human scientists and attempt to take over the Enterprise. The leader of the aliens masquerades himself as Albert Einstein. More on this episode here: https://forgottentrek.com/the-prisoner/. Reaction to this episode is generally positive, but plot points are taken from THE SAVAGE CURTAIN. Nielsen rating: 1st in timeslot.
APOLLO 14 MISSION LAUNCHES FOR MOON
January 31, 1971
Astronauts Alan Shepard, Stuart Roosa and Edgar Mitchell successfully lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center yesterday at 4:03 PM, on the Apollo 14 mission. They are expected to land on the Moon in the Fra Mauro highlands, where the aborted Apollo 13 mission was supposed to land. Shepard is expected to be the first man to exit the lunar orbiter, and he brought some special items, including an American flag, one of his golf clubs, a six-iron, two golf balls, and figurines of the entire cast of the television series Star Trek. The mission is expected to reach the Moon on February 4, a five day mission, and return to Earth after a day of exploration on the Moon. NASA director Thomas O. Paine said, "We anticipate no problems with Apollo 14 like we did with the last mission. The near-disaster that was Apollo 13 was studied intently by members of mission control in Florida and our world class astrophysicists and rocket scientists." Mr. Paine is extremely excited for Mr. Shepard, who at 47, is the oldest astronaut to enter space. "Alan Shepard was the first American in space, and we are beyond happy that he will get his opportunity to walk on the moon. He deserves it, and he will assuredly indulge himself in the experience."
NIXON PLANS TRIP FOR CHINA IN FEBRUARY
January 31, 1971
After the fragile armistice in Vietnam slowed down conflict between the North and South, President Nixon has revealed that he, along with Secretary of Defense Melvin Laird and Secretary of State William Rogers, will visit the Forbidden Kingdom next month for a state visit with Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai. Nixon chief of staff H.R. Haldeman hailed the development, telling the Post that "We have achieved peace with honor in Vietnam, as President Nixon said he would, and will build on that peace by making this historic visit to Communist China to improve relations." President Nixon was criticized by some of the extremely conservative members of his party for the visit, such as California governor Ronald Reagan, but Nixon sees a motive in opening talks with the Red Chinese. Haldeman said, "We seek to open a split in the Communist world between the Soviet Union and Communist China to weaken the Russians by giving them something to think about. We believe that the Communist system in Peking is different than the system in Moscow and they can evolve away from the Soviet orbit."
Last edited:
Hello Mr Roddenberry,
I would like to answer you call for Star Trek scripts with a submission of my own. I hope you like this, it should not be a huge piece to make in terms of sets, models etc as I am sure you have everything but one item already.
The Defector
Enterprise is contacted by a Starfleet Admiral Baker who informs Captain Kirk of shipping going missing by the Klingon border. Enterprise is to investigate and stop whatever is going on, short of provoking a war. There are other assets on the way to the area, but Enterprise is closest.
The sensor data sent by the Admiral is gone over by Scotty and Xon and they come to the conclusion that the ships were destroyed by one massive blast like from a phaser but much bigger. They will know more when the ship reaches a site of the vanished ship.
When the ship reaches the last known position of the Olympic, they find an amount of debris, and residue radiation of a unknown type, but it leaves a trial. Kirk orders it followed and puts the ship on yellow alert. They find the site of another destroyed ship with the same radiation. Kirk orders the ships speed up so they can prevent more destruction.
After some time, Sulu reports something on the scanner ahead and it’s HUGE. Kirk orders red alert, and they get into sensor range. They are looking at a HUGE cannon being carried between two Klingon D7’s and power fed by them. Scotty is called to the Bridge and is clearly staggered by the power output of the thing. Uhura has hacked into Klingon comm channels and tells Kirk they Klingons have spotted another Federation ship- a science vessel called Reliable and are moving to attack it. Kirk orders the Enterprise ready to fight.
Enterprise attacks the cannon first, but it is protected by a strong force field. The power sharing by the D7’s means their shields are twice as strong. Kirk presses the attack as the Reliable comes on sensors (does not need to be seen) Decker orders them warned, and Uhura gets in touch, but it’s too late the Klingons power up their gun. Kirk orders all power to shield’s and gets in the way of the gun. Enterprise is rocked by a HUGE blast- systems go down all over the place- the shields are failing.
The Klingons are preparing to fire the gun again when Uhura reports the Reliable has got safety away. Kirk orders all power to the Engines, and for a moment they have no shields as they leap away at warp. As they get into orbit of a sun some distance away for repairs Kyle signals from the transporter room- they have a Klingon on-board!
Kirk himself charges down to the Transporter room to find Kyle has the intruder sat down with his hands on his head. He surrenders to Kirk and asks for asylum. Kirk does not want to believe him, but Decker reminds him this needs to be processed properly. Kirk agrees and the Klingon- Konam is taken to Sickbay for examination by Doctor McCoy.
Konam is not just medically tested McCoy gives him a through head exam, asking him probing questions and getting a gauge of his mental state. Konam served as an engineer under Kor when he first graduated the Imperial War College and loves his people but cannot agree with the High Council’s policy of antagonism with the Federation when he thinks the Empire and Federation should team up and take on the Romulans. He informs McCoy he has the means to destroy the experimental cannon – the name translates as Lion’s Roar and gives the Doctor a Klingon data tape. McCoy takes Konam’s information to Kirk.
At a senior officers meeting Kirk and the officers listen as Konam outlines his plan. He knows the cycle of the Lion’s Roar’s shields, there is a tiny window to beam into an exact point on the Cannon itself, but they have to be very close. Once on-board it is a matter of planting explosives. They will not be able to take over or shut down Lion’s Roar without taking both D7’s. Kirk thanks Konam and has escorted from the meeting by security.
Kirk turns to his officers. Scotty is upset, he waves at the screens showing plans of the canon telling Kirk with some modifications- and he is sure after their encounter with the Enterprise the Klingons would be making them- he believes Lion’s Roar could destroy even a Constitution class in one go. He does not trust Konam, but his data seems accurate. Xon agrees.
Decker thinks it is a trap, as does Sulu. Uhura wonders if there is even a tiny chance, they should take it. McCoy agrees, otherwise he says they might as well take the plans back to Starfleet so they could also start building their own Lion’s Roar, then the Romulans will find out and soon everyone will want one...
Kirk asks about repairs to the Enterprise. Scotty has managed half shields and all weapons. The ship defiantly cannot take… they are interrupted by Chekov from the Bridge. They are getting distress calls from a Federation research outpost. Kirk orders Enterprise underway over Scotty’s grumbles.
They reach the outpost in time to see Lion’s Roar fighting another Constitution- USS Hood for the research space station (reuse K-7?). Kirk orders Sulu to fly her in so they can enact Konam’s plan. He gives the chair to Decker and meets Chekov, Konam, and security crew in the transporter- they each have a backpack of explosives. Konam has a Starfleet tricorder and places it on Kyle’s console under close supervision. He informs Kyle to transport them at XX frequency but only at YY point in the cycle and only if they are 100m or less away. Sulu calls from the bridge they will be in range in 30 seconds. They beam out as Enterprise flies over the huge canon and starts firing on it.
Decker warns Captain Theev (Andorian) not to fly in front of the cannon, but the Captain has worked that out. They start to coordinate defence, but we cut to the interior of the Lion’s Roar. I think this could be done with a sort of heavy industrial plant- lots of pipes, smoke, and tight spaces. Kirk and his team work to place explosives while Konam acts as lookout- on one occasion distracting a guard patrol claiming to be working. To place the last explosive’s however they have to cross an open space- where Kirk and co are confronted by Captain Koloth. Kirk thinks he has been betrayed but Koloth is dismissive of Konam, calling him a traitor, while Konam called Koloth a ‘war monger’ who will bring the quadrant down in flames, which Koloth called ‘glorious!’
While they have been arguing however Chekov slipped away and placed the last charges. He flips his communicator while at the back stifling the chirp noise with a coughing fit. He does not speak but taps several times on the speaker. On Enterprise Kyle informs the Bridge they need to pick up their crew. Sulu turns the Enterprise over Lion’s Head and swings past the stern just as it fires on Hood, which survives like Enterprise did, but is out of the fight.
Kirk and party (inc Konam) is recovered, and Kirk signals the Bridge to get clear and detonate the explosives. As Enterprise flies away, the cannon is warming up for another fire, just as it explodes. Kirk reaches the Bridge in time to see it.
In the briefing room Kirk, Konam, and McCoy sit, cups between them. Konam regrets the deaths on Lion’s Roar, but it too risky to have such a weapon of mass destruction. Kirk agrees and the two warriors share a nod. McCoy says Starfleet will want to talk to Konam, prompting Kirk to offer him a berth on Enterprise under Scotty once he is free. Konam accepts, pleased that Kirk has some honour.
Fin.
I hope you like my story idea and can produce it for Star Trek Season Five.
Regards
I would like to answer you call for Star Trek scripts with a submission of my own. I hope you like this, it should not be a huge piece to make in terms of sets, models etc as I am sure you have everything but one item already.
The Defector
Enterprise is contacted by a Starfleet Admiral Baker who informs Captain Kirk of shipping going missing by the Klingon border. Enterprise is to investigate and stop whatever is going on, short of provoking a war. There are other assets on the way to the area, but Enterprise is closest.
The sensor data sent by the Admiral is gone over by Scotty and Xon and they come to the conclusion that the ships were destroyed by one massive blast like from a phaser but much bigger. They will know more when the ship reaches a site of the vanished ship.
When the ship reaches the last known position of the Olympic, they find an amount of debris, and residue radiation of a unknown type, but it leaves a trial. Kirk orders it followed and puts the ship on yellow alert. They find the site of another destroyed ship with the same radiation. Kirk orders the ships speed up so they can prevent more destruction.
After some time, Sulu reports something on the scanner ahead and it’s HUGE. Kirk orders red alert, and they get into sensor range. They are looking at a HUGE cannon being carried between two Klingon D7’s and power fed by them. Scotty is called to the Bridge and is clearly staggered by the power output of the thing. Uhura has hacked into Klingon comm channels and tells Kirk they Klingons have spotted another Federation ship- a science vessel called Reliable and are moving to attack it. Kirk orders the Enterprise ready to fight.
Enterprise attacks the cannon first, but it is protected by a strong force field. The power sharing by the D7’s means their shields are twice as strong. Kirk presses the attack as the Reliable comes on sensors (does not need to be seen) Decker orders them warned, and Uhura gets in touch, but it’s too late the Klingons power up their gun. Kirk orders all power to shield’s and gets in the way of the gun. Enterprise is rocked by a HUGE blast- systems go down all over the place- the shields are failing.
The Klingons are preparing to fire the gun again when Uhura reports the Reliable has got safety away. Kirk orders all power to the Engines, and for a moment they have no shields as they leap away at warp. As they get into orbit of a sun some distance away for repairs Kyle signals from the transporter room- they have a Klingon on-board!
Kirk himself charges down to the Transporter room to find Kyle has the intruder sat down with his hands on his head. He surrenders to Kirk and asks for asylum. Kirk does not want to believe him, but Decker reminds him this needs to be processed properly. Kirk agrees and the Klingon- Konam is taken to Sickbay for examination by Doctor McCoy.
Konam is not just medically tested McCoy gives him a through head exam, asking him probing questions and getting a gauge of his mental state. Konam served as an engineer under Kor when he first graduated the Imperial War College and loves his people but cannot agree with the High Council’s policy of antagonism with the Federation when he thinks the Empire and Federation should team up and take on the Romulans. He informs McCoy he has the means to destroy the experimental cannon – the name translates as Lion’s Roar and gives the Doctor a Klingon data tape. McCoy takes Konam’s information to Kirk.
At a senior officers meeting Kirk and the officers listen as Konam outlines his plan. He knows the cycle of the Lion’s Roar’s shields, there is a tiny window to beam into an exact point on the Cannon itself, but they have to be very close. Once on-board it is a matter of planting explosives. They will not be able to take over or shut down Lion’s Roar without taking both D7’s. Kirk thanks Konam and has escorted from the meeting by security.
Kirk turns to his officers. Scotty is upset, he waves at the screens showing plans of the canon telling Kirk with some modifications- and he is sure after their encounter with the Enterprise the Klingons would be making them- he believes Lion’s Roar could destroy even a Constitution class in one go. He does not trust Konam, but his data seems accurate. Xon agrees.
Decker thinks it is a trap, as does Sulu. Uhura wonders if there is even a tiny chance, they should take it. McCoy agrees, otherwise he says they might as well take the plans back to Starfleet so they could also start building their own Lion’s Roar, then the Romulans will find out and soon everyone will want one...
Kirk asks about repairs to the Enterprise. Scotty has managed half shields and all weapons. The ship defiantly cannot take… they are interrupted by Chekov from the Bridge. They are getting distress calls from a Federation research outpost. Kirk orders Enterprise underway over Scotty’s grumbles.
They reach the outpost in time to see Lion’s Roar fighting another Constitution- USS Hood for the research space station (reuse K-7?). Kirk orders Sulu to fly her in so they can enact Konam’s plan. He gives the chair to Decker and meets Chekov, Konam, and security crew in the transporter- they each have a backpack of explosives. Konam has a Starfleet tricorder and places it on Kyle’s console under close supervision. He informs Kyle to transport them at XX frequency but only at YY point in the cycle and only if they are 100m or less away. Sulu calls from the bridge they will be in range in 30 seconds. They beam out as Enterprise flies over the huge canon and starts firing on it.
Decker warns Captain Theev (Andorian) not to fly in front of the cannon, but the Captain has worked that out. They start to coordinate defence, but we cut to the interior of the Lion’s Roar. I think this could be done with a sort of heavy industrial plant- lots of pipes, smoke, and tight spaces. Kirk and his team work to place explosives while Konam acts as lookout- on one occasion distracting a guard patrol claiming to be working. To place the last explosive’s however they have to cross an open space- where Kirk and co are confronted by Captain Koloth. Kirk thinks he has been betrayed but Koloth is dismissive of Konam, calling him a traitor, while Konam called Koloth a ‘war monger’ who will bring the quadrant down in flames, which Koloth called ‘glorious!’
While they have been arguing however Chekov slipped away and placed the last charges. He flips his communicator while at the back stifling the chirp noise with a coughing fit. He does not speak but taps several times on the speaker. On Enterprise Kyle informs the Bridge they need to pick up their crew. Sulu turns the Enterprise over Lion’s Head and swings past the stern just as it fires on Hood, which survives like Enterprise did, but is out of the fight.
Kirk and party (inc Konam) is recovered, and Kirk signals the Bridge to get clear and detonate the explosives. As Enterprise flies away, the cannon is warming up for another fire, just as it explodes. Kirk reaches the Bridge in time to see it.
In the briefing room Kirk, Konam, and McCoy sit, cups between them. Konam regrets the deaths on Lion’s Roar, but it too risky to have such a weapon of mass destruction. Kirk agrees and the two warriors share a nod. McCoy says Starfleet will want to talk to Konam, prompting Kirk to offer him a berth on Enterprise under Scotty once he is free. Konam accepts, pleased that Kirk has some honour.
Fin.
I hope you like my story idea and can produce it for Star Trek Season Five.
Regards
Last edited:
Good morning and I hope this reply receives you well!
Once again, Star Trek is not about Klingons! I receive so many Klingon stories that I'm drowning in them. However, this story is different and interesting because it discusses a real issue, that of defectors who leave the Communist bloc for freedom in the United States and other allied nations. One of them, Milos Forman, has become an acquaintance of mine, having recently defected from Czechoslovakia after the Soviet invasion of that country in 1968. We like the idea of a Klingon realizing that the warlike ways of his empire are wrong and the peaceful, albeit checkered Federation is a force for good. I suggest we change the working title of this script to KONAM, making it more mysterious to the viewers as to what the story is about.
This episode will be extremely expensive to produce, because of all the special effects required (the phaser and photon torpedo blasts) and the numbers of ships needed. However, we have the D7 battlecruisers from earlier productions, the space station K-7 from season two, and we can cast the actors we need. I like that you gave Decker and Xon interesting roles. Since we no longer have Leonard Nimoy in the series, we need to flesh out those characters. Please place Decker in the landing party carrying the explosives. Tom Selleck would like to be an action hero for an episode and he feels like that is right up his alley.
I am unsure of Nichelle Nichols' availability to play Uhura. She has just finished shooting her roles in the movie Shaft and could be caught between recording music for the movie and this potential commitment. However, knowing Nichelle as well as I do, she would not mind taking a week out of her busy life to do me another favor.
At the end of the episode, I do not want Konam to take a post on the Enterprise. We do not believe Klingons should serve in Starfleet yet, even though this particular Klingon wants to serve in Starfleet. Please give Konam a civilian post on a Federation space station or some other treatment that serves him well.
Also, how long is this episode? Is it a one-hour or two-hour treatment? I'm reading the synopsis and I feel like it is caught between and would take 90 minutes of airtime. Can this be shortened to an hour to fit our episodic nature of the series?
Lastly, we were only supposed to produce 24 episodes for the season, and I am in the process of shooting the final episode. I will have to convince the network and Paramount to allow me to add a 25th episode to the schedule. Hopefully the fact that we are winning ratings battles with CBS and ABC will convince the peacock and the studio to add an episode to the final year of our five year mission.
Best,
The Great Bird of the Galaxy, Gene Roddenberry
Last edited:
Also on a sports note, Ali-Frazier I is coming up in a couple of days, with a promised different result than IRL. In the far future of this timeline, one wonders how I have the Knicks winning two championships in the 1990s (1993 and 1994)? I have them picking up Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf, the point guard from Denver, because he is unhappy in Denver, a city he thinks is hostile to his Muslim beliefs, and Pat Riley needs another scorer playing alongside Ewing (John Starks is hit or miss). Plus, the Knicks keep Xavier McDaniel, so no Charles Smith missing layups against the Bulls. An NBA arms race of sorts develops between the Knicks and Bulls as a result. The Bulls expedite Toni Kukoc's debut in the NBA so he becomes a slightly better player than IRL, and they pick up Dennis Rodman a year earlier than IRL (1994-1995) as a pest to deal with Ewing. Abdul-Rauf focuses less on religion in New York and more on basketball, so he becomes an All-Star point guard under Riley's tutelage
Last edited:
Chapter 57: February 1971
News articles:
NICHOLS RETURNS FROM SHAFT FOR ONE LAST EPISODE OF STAR TREK
February 4, 1970
Nichelle Nichols has agreed to return to Los Angeles for an unplanned 25th episode of the final season of Star Trek, after shooting a role in the Gordon Parks movie Shaft and recording music with Isaac Hayes for his album, to be released with the film. Nichols told Variety, "I believe that Shaft will allow me to become a bigger movie star in the future, and was glad to accept the role. Ike Hayes is a fantastic musician, and it was a dream to record a few songs with him. I believe that Hayes can win a Grammy and possible even an Academy Award, because he is that talented as a singer." Nichols is glad to reprise her role as Lieutenant Commander Uhura one last time. "Gene Roddenberry has always been a close friend of mine, and I decided to do him a favor and return as Commander Uhura. He helped make my career in show business, first on an episode of The Lieutenant and now on nearly five years of Star Trek. I hope to work with Gene again in the future if he plans any future television series after Star Trek's run ends."
NIXON ARRIVES IN COMMUNIST CHINA
February 19, 1971
President Richard M. Nixon, along with his secretary of state Mr. William Rogers, and his secretary of defense Mr. Melvin Laird, arrived in Peking for the first day of a week-long historic visit to Communist China. Mr. Nixon met Chinese premier Zhou Enlai upon landing in China, and the two leaders shared pleasantries. "The visit is expected to be cordial," said President Nixon's chief of staff H.R. Haldeman, who granted an interview for the Times. "The President and Mr. Enlai are expected to discuss the opening of China to the West and the Vietnam armistice, and how elections should be administered in North and South Vietnam," Mr. Haldeman noted. Mr. Nixon is planning a strategy of turning the Communist Chinese into a counterweight to Moscow in the Communist world, and wants access to Chinese markets. In exchange, the Communist Chinese want reunification of Taiwan with the Communist mainland, an issue that President Nixon will likely disapprove of. "Taiwan will be protected no matter what, and is non-negotiable," Haldeman told the Times. "We can offer the Chinese improved technology, especially in their agricultural sector, to align them closer to us, which will hopefully ensure that they make no aggressive move on Taiwan in the future."
VIETNAM ELECTIONS PLANNED FOR END OF APRIL
February 21, 1971
During the visit to China, President Nixon and Chinese premier Zhoi Enlai agreed that elections in North and South Vietnam will take place on April 30, 1971. One election will be held in Hanoi, under Chinese observance, while the other election will be held in Saigon, under American influence. The Communist Chinese wanted a further withdrawal of American troops during the election period, but President Nixon disagreed, arguing that the North Vietnamese were untrustworthy and could take advantage of the withdrawal by invading the South and breaking the armistice. American troop levels will remain at 400,000, with an extra 125,000 men on standby if events do not occur as planned and war breaks out again. Nixon national security adviser Henry Kissinger told the Post, "We cannot withdraw more forces from South Vietnam at this point in time. The North Vietnamese will see that action as a sign of weakness, cancel the elections, and violate the armistice." Kissinger sees the potential election of Le Duan, the general secretary of North Vietnam and the replacement for the late Ho Chi Minh, as a threat to South Vietnam and fears that the armistice will no longer exist if he retains a leadership role in Hanoi. "I discussed how problematic Mr. Duan was with Le Duc Tho," Kissinger said. "I told Mr. Tho that he should stand as a candidate for election, but he declined. I trust Mr. Tho a lot more as a potential bargaining partner than Duan, who is a revolutionary," concluded Kissinger.
Last edited:
Chapter 58: Episode Updates and the Season 5 credits
EPISODE UPDATES:
EPISODE 19: THE GORN HEGEMONY. Written by D.C. Fontana (under the Michael Richards pen name), directed by John Meredyth Lucas. Air date: February 5, 1971. The Gorn return to Star Trek as the Federation plans an incursion of Gorn space. The Gorn are accused of supplying the anti-Orion Federation faction with weapons, when in fact they are remaining neutral in the conflict. Kirk has to confront Starfleet Command and another Federation vessel regarding the Federation's actions, because the Gorn have been falsely accused. There is anti-Gorn sentiment in the Federation because the Federation Council considers the Gorn violent. This is a futuristic take on President Nixon's illegal invasion of Cambodia. Nielsen rating: 1st in timeslot.
EPISODE 20: CASSANDRA. Written by Theodore Sturgeon, directed by Marvin Chomsky. Air date: February 12, 1971. This is a Phase II script, but Roddenberry forces the notoriously slow scriptwriter Sturgeon to rush it into production. More on this episode here, at Memory Beta: https://memory-beta.fandom.com/wiki/Cassandra_(Phase_II). The audiences find it an interesting premise, especially due to civil wars occurring in several different places around the world during this time period (all over Southeast Asia and in parts of Africa). Nielsen rating: 1st in timeslot.
EPISODE 21: TOMORROW AND THE STARS: Written by Larry Alexander, directed by Jud Taylor. Air date: February 19, 1971. This is also a Phase II script that is written several years earlier than IRL. In this story, a transporter malfunction places Kirk back in Pearl Harbor before the Japanese attack in December 1941. More on this story here: https://memory-beta.fandom.com/wiki/Tomorrow_and_the_Stars. Audiences liked the episode because of the time travel concept and Kirk's precarious position, comparing it to CITY ON THE EDGE OF FOREVER because Kirk cannot change the timeline. In the Phase II script there's a mention of Ilia, but Ilia has not been created yet, because no female wants to shave their head for the the role or put on a bath cap to play a bald woman. Nielsen rating: 1st in timeslot.
Season 5 pictures at the end of the show/credits:
Star Trek: Created by Gene Roddenberry
Assistant Producer: Fred Freiberger
Scotty in the Jefferies Tube
McCoy confronting Vice President Wagner
Kirk welcoming Decker aboard the Enterprise
Uhura commanding the Enterprise fighting against the Romulans
Sulu in Imperial Japanese garb saving his crew
Orion dancing girl
Douglas S. Cramer, Executive in Charge of Production
A Paramount Television and Norway Corporation Production
EPISODE 19: THE GORN HEGEMONY. Written by D.C. Fontana (under the Michael Richards pen name), directed by John Meredyth Lucas. Air date: February 5, 1971. The Gorn return to Star Trek as the Federation plans an incursion of Gorn space. The Gorn are accused of supplying the anti-Orion Federation faction with weapons, when in fact they are remaining neutral in the conflict. Kirk has to confront Starfleet Command and another Federation vessel regarding the Federation's actions, because the Gorn have been falsely accused. There is anti-Gorn sentiment in the Federation because the Federation Council considers the Gorn violent. This is a futuristic take on President Nixon's illegal invasion of Cambodia. Nielsen rating: 1st in timeslot.
EPISODE 20: CASSANDRA. Written by Theodore Sturgeon, directed by Marvin Chomsky. Air date: February 12, 1971. This is a Phase II script, but Roddenberry forces the notoriously slow scriptwriter Sturgeon to rush it into production. More on this episode here, at Memory Beta: https://memory-beta.fandom.com/wiki/Cassandra_(Phase_II). The audiences find it an interesting premise, especially due to civil wars occurring in several different places around the world during this time period (all over Southeast Asia and in parts of Africa). Nielsen rating: 1st in timeslot.
EPISODE 21: TOMORROW AND THE STARS: Written by Larry Alexander, directed by Jud Taylor. Air date: February 19, 1971. This is also a Phase II script that is written several years earlier than IRL. In this story, a transporter malfunction places Kirk back in Pearl Harbor before the Japanese attack in December 1941. More on this story here: https://memory-beta.fandom.com/wiki/Tomorrow_and_the_Stars. Audiences liked the episode because of the time travel concept and Kirk's precarious position, comparing it to CITY ON THE EDGE OF FOREVER because Kirk cannot change the timeline. In the Phase II script there's a mention of Ilia, but Ilia has not been created yet, because no female wants to shave their head for the the role or put on a bath cap to play a bald woman. Nielsen rating: 1st in timeslot.
Season 5 pictures at the end of the show/credits:
Star Trek: Created by Gene Roddenberry
Assistant Producer: Fred Freiberger
Scotty in the Jefferies Tube
McCoy confronting Vice President Wagner
Kirk welcoming Decker aboard the Enterprise
Uhura commanding the Enterprise fighting against the Romulans
Sulu in Imperial Japanese garb saving his crew
Orion dancing girl
Douglas S. Cramer, Executive in Charge of Production
A Paramount Television and Norway Corporation Production
Last edited:
Did you know: The second season credits always had Balok at the end because Robert Justman played a practical joke on his friend Herb Solow, who was executive of production at Desilu. Justman wanted the fans to think that Solow looked like Balok, so Solow's name in the credits always came up with Balok's picture behind it. Then Gene Roddenberry booked a flight for Justman with the Balok puppet sitting next to him. The flight crew demanded that Justman remove the Balok puppet from the airplane. Star Trek was a really wild show back in the day
Last edited:
marathag
Banned
North Vietnamese would not be happy, since the USSR had been their main benefactor since the Cultural Revolution got rolling
It's part of Nixon's strategy to play China and the USSR off each other. But pay very close attention to what Kissinger says about Le Duan ITTL. Something could happen there. The Nixon administration will attempt to influence what happens in Hanoi in April 1971. Kissinger thinks that if Le Duan remains in power in the North, they will restart the war in May 1971. So the armistice is a stall for time by the Nixon administration to improve ARVN readiness plus calm angry anti-war sentiment at home. The Democrats just whipped Nixon in the midterms and he had to get the armistice done to prevent Congress from tying his hands if the war restarts.
Nixon is also going to try and find a reliable South Vietnamese leader, which is a tall task. Remember several years earlier, in 1963, the CIA triggered a coup d'etat on Ngo Dinh Diem. Nixon is going to use the CIA to determine which of the South Vietnamese leaders he thinks will lead the country the best and stabilize matters, since the government in Saigon was very factionalized and fragmented. Nixon loses trust in Thieu, who he feels is not backing up his end of the bargain for democratic reforms in the South. So the US will attempt to play both sides in the upcoming elections in a surreptitious way. They don't call Nixon Tricky Dick for no reason
Last edited:
Hello
Thank you for you kind words, and accepting my story idea.
I have no issue changing the title to KONAM, as you say it does leave it more mysterious as to the content.
The script (attached) has been amended as requested so it is Decker instead of Chekov on the landing party. I do feel Mr. Selleck will make a good action star going forward. I certainly hope Mr. Decker stays with Star Trek for a long time as well.
If Mrs Nichols is not available, I do have a character idea in mind for stand in character- it would involve some face make up and maybe mild prosthetics to realise the 'catperson' I am suggesting. Please see my attached sketches.
While I'd like to see Konam again, I felt I left it open with Kirk's offer as Konam's debrief by Starfleet might take a long time, thus he is not returning to the Enterprise anytime soon. I can make that more explicit if you wish? I have suggested some wording in appendix 2.
I have outlined some cuts to make it 1 hour in the script, but this story felt like a TV movie at 90 mins to myself to get the tensions and interactions right. I hope this could be done as the capstone finale for the season?
Although this is the final season I really wish for Star Trek to return soon. TV will not be the same without new adventures of the Enterprise crew.
Regards