Author Christopher J. Valin

Here, for the first time in over a year, is the fourth and final part of the Star Trek: Kirk vs Picard script by Michelle (mitchelledax), from the contest presented by CBS Interactive and the now-defunct Fanlib.com. Please note that it is being presented for archival purposes only, and no copyright infringement is intended, nor are any profits being derived from the posting of this work of fan fiction.

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INT. ENTERPRISE-D – BRIDGE

Crisis in motion. Computer in the background is counting off the

seconds. Kirk is still onscreen. With a roar, Worf launches

himself at Gary Seven. Old Data shots him on stun and Worf

crumples.

OLD DATA

I’m sorry Lieutenant, but today is a

good day to die.

RIKER

Data, have you lost your mind?

PICARD

(angrily)

Guinan, what do you mean, our ship is

supposed to be destroyed?

GUINAN

I’m sorry, Jean-Luc…but even you

should not change the past.

COMPUTER

60 seconds…

Suddenly the Bridge jolts.

KIRK (ON SCREEN)

Hello, Mr. Seven. Well, Captain Picard,

you are now in our tractor beam. It

looks like we all go, or we all stay.

Gary’s blue eyes look up at Kirk. Kirk doesn’t flinch.

COMPUTER

40 seconds…

Gary turns to Engineering station.

COMPUTER

Self destruct sequence disengaged.

The Enterprise-D crew visibly relaxes.

GARY

Okay, Plan B then.

INT. ENTERPRISE – BRIDGE

KIRK and his crew react as GARY, OLD SPOCK, OLD DATA, GUINAN &

PICARD transport into the area in front of the viewscreen.

KIRK

What are you up to this time, Gary?

GARY

Just trying to save the timeline. I wish

that you wouldn’t interfere.

KIRK

(smiles wryly)

Sorry, but I felt that I needed to step

in when you were about to destroy an

entire Starship and kill over 1000

people. I’m just funny that way.

GARY

How did you know that I wouldn’t let

both ships blow up?

KIRK

(indicating Guinan)

She said that my Enterprise was not

supposed to be destroyed. I took a risk.

GUINAN

(sheepishly)

Ouch. My bad.

KIRK

(to Spock with concern)

What have they done to you?

OLD SPOCK

(struggling to contain his emotion)

They have done nothing, Captain. I have

been living on Earth these last 38

years, after being trapped there in

1930. It is good to see you again…Jim.

KIRK

An alternate timeline.

KIRK (CONT’D)

(to Gary)

How is this possible?

GARY

It shouldn’t have been. But it seems

that some moments are so powerful, that

the Guardian is affected.

GUINAN

It is a unique blending of both machine

and being. And for some reason, during

time travel events, it reacts

to…sacrifice.

OLD DATA

The Guardian allowed me to re-experience

my own sacrifice. I was able to live the

same few moments again. Because I knew

that the alien would appear and take the

cane from the Counselor, I was able to

take it from her first. But this was a

mistake. Because my head did not detach

from my body, there was no clue left

behind for the future Enterprise to

react to, and we were all trapped in

1893.

OLD SPOCK

Just as McCoy and I were trapped after

my Captain Kirk was able to re-live his

sacrifice. He could not endure seeing

Edith Keeler die the second time, and

was killed trying to save her.

PICARD

What do these alternate timelines have

to do with the destruction of my ship?

GUINAN

You also made a sacrifice in the cave in

1893, and stayed behind to tend to me.

When you re-lived those moments, you

were able to prevent my injury. However,

in doing so, Dr. Beverly Crusher was

killed.

PICARD

Who?

GARY

See, that’s the problem. Your later

attempt to go back in time to save her

went terribly wrong. Not only was her

entire existence erased, but your ship

became part of an alternate reality. It

is such a huge anomaly that it is

putting too much strain on the Guardian.

Soon, the time waves will destroy

everything.

KIRK

Can’t we just destroy the Guardian to

stop the time waves?

GARY

That would stop them. However, the

Guardian is actually the portal that

connects my planet to the universe. That

is how we are able to hide our planet.

If you destroy the Guardian, you destroy

my world, and all of our civilization.

An entire race of beings, Captain.

Peaceful beings so advanced that you

could barely comprehend them.

PICARD

Why should we believe you? You covertly

come aboard my ship, and activate the

self destruct sequence. This is hardly

the act of a peaceful people.

GUINAN

Jean-Luc, will you believe me? Would I

allow the ship to be destroyed if it

weren’t absolutely necessary?

OLD DATA

Sir, I have been to this planet. Gary

Seven is correct. It is a flourishing

race dedicated to knowledge and peace.

To destroy them would be a severe

violation of the Prime Directive.

MCCOY

(to Spock)

Where is our Spock?

OLD SPOCK

(raises eyebrow)

Thank you for your concern, Doctor. Your

Spock is safely in the portal, residing

in 1968. If our mission is successful,

he will be back with you in your own

timeline, and no one will remember these

events.

MCCOY

Well, I for one wouldn’t mind forgetting

some of this. Alternate realities,

different timelines…it hurts my head

to think about it.

PICARD

(to Gary)

How do you know that the destruction of

my Enterprise will solve this crisis?

GARY

Some of our most knowledgeable minds

have worked this out. There is no doubt.

Captain Kirk, you must immediately

release the tractor beam and get out of

harm’s way. There is not much time left.

KIRK

I did doubt you once, and I was wrong.

However, I cannot allow all of those

people to die just because you four say

that it’s the right thing to do.

PICARD

What if I agree with them?

KIRK

(surprised)

You want to die? You’d let them destroy

your ship?

PICARD

Believe me, it is not an agreeable

thought. But we have sworn to follow the

Prime Directive, at any cost. If my

ship, and even my crew, must be

sacrificed to save this planet and an

entire race, then it must be so.

KIRK

But what if it’s all lies? What if they

are not who they say they are? It could

be some sort of trick…

PICARD

I am well aware of the risks.

KIRK

There must be some other way. There are

always possibilities.

PICARD

(smiles)

I am open to suggestions.

The ship is suddenly hit by a large time wave. Everyone is thrown

around the bridge.

SCOTTY (OVER INTERCOM)

Captain, that last time wave hurt us

badly. We won’t be able to hold out much

longer.

PICARD

(straightens his jacket)

Well, Captain Kirk, it has been an honor

to meet you. I wish that we could have

met under better circumstances.

KIRK

(shaking his head)

No, it’s not over yet. We just need more

time…

PICARD

Sadly, it looks like time is not on our

side. I wish that it were.

KIRK

Given the time, I think that…we would

have become friends. (Straightens

formally) It has been an honor to serve

with you, Captain Picard.

PICARD

(smiles sadly)

Thank you…Jim.

PICARD (CONT’D)

(to Gary)

I will return to my ship and inform my

crew of the circumstances. They deserve

that much. Then I will set the self

destruct sequence myself.

GARY

Can we trust you?

PICARD

You have my word.

GUINAN

Come on, Jean-Luc. I belong on that ship

with you.

INT. ENTERPRISE-D – BRIDGE

Crew at their stations. There is a solemn mood as they listen to

the Computer count down the seconds.

COMPUTER

20 Seconds…

RIKER

Data was right. It is a good day to die.

WORF

It is always a good day to die.

 Troi reaches out for Riker’s hand. Picard makes eye contact with

Guinan. The ship explodes.

INT. ENTERPRISE – BRIDGE

Kirk and crew are at their normal stations.

SULU

Still nothing, Captain. Everything

checks out normally.

SPOCK

There is no indication at all of any

recent temporal disruptions.

MCCOY

Another wild goose chase, hmm? Too bad

it sent us here. Bad memories. I really

don’t like this place.

KIRK

Neither do I. Let’s get the hell out of

here.