Writers' Wednesday: "Thyatira", Act One

Do you watch "Star Trek" in syndication? Did you grow up watching any of its, uh, six different series? Do you notice the various "Star Trek" novels in the science-fiction section of your favorite book store?

As a franchise, it's doing quite well. There's another movie in the works, and just-maybe perhaps we'll get to see another series again. Some episodes (pick your series) were particularly good – I have in mind, say, the award-winning "The City on the Edge of Forever" from the original series, and my own favorite, "The Inner Light", from "The Next Generation". "Deep Space Nine" kicked out a number of good ones, and Daughter One and I watched and enjoyed a good deal of "Voyager" while it was on the air.

The most recent series, "Enterprise", was a bit of a ratings-disappointment, and its plug was pulled after four seasons? Myself, I found it pretty good, though by the time it was running, I'd ceased watching most television, and so missed much of it.

Semi-adoptive sister Chuckles helped spearhead a vast international effort to keep "Enterprise" on the air a few years ago, when UPN had decided not to renew it. Her work included organizing a convention, protests at UPN network locations around the world, and so on. Their efforts did not pan out, unfortunately, but it was quite an, uh, enterprise, if I might put it that way.

As is often the case with a television series she likes, Chuckles did also write up a script for "Enterprise" (as well as one for "The Next Generation"), and submitted it. She even met with a number of the higher-ups in the franchise, pitching further script ideas, which went over quite well… although did not result in this particular script being filmed. So to do her hard work justice, I'm going to run her script here over four weeks, one act per week (teaser included) on Writers' Wednesday.

This script is Copyright © 2005 by Christine Roberts, and is registered with the Writers' Guild of America (WGA).

STAR TREK: ENTERPRISE

"Thyatira"

Written by Christine Roberts

CAST

JONATHAN ARCHER:                   SCOTT BAKULA

DEBBIE

T'POL:                                                JOLENE BLALOCK  

CHARLES "TRIP" TUCKER III:   CONNOR TRINNEER

MALCOLM REED:                          DOMINIC KEATING

TRAVIS MAYWEATHER:             ANTHONY MONTGOMERY

HOSHI SATO:                                  LINDA PARK

PHLOX:                                             JOHN BILLINGSLEY

TEASER

FADE IN:

EXTERIOR HOUSE – DAY

As we see explosions going on all over the place. The noise gets louder.

INTERIOR HOUSE – LIVING ROOM – DAY

ARCHER and DEBBIE, in her 20's, are in the living room. Debbie is crying as Archer tries to calm her down.

ARCHER: I'm here to help you.

Debbie is still crying.

ARCHER (CONT'D): Why don't you let me help you, Debbie? I can help you and your family get out of this hellhole!

DEBBIE: I can't. (BEAT, SOBBING) The bombing is scaring me so much!

She then looks toward the floor.

DEBBIE'S POV:

We see her feet planted firmly on the floor.

DEBBIE (CONT'D, FEARFULLY): I can't even move!

Archer has a worried look on his face.

ARCHER (WHILE RUNNING UP TO HER): I'm coming!

He gets to her. The GROUND begins to MOVE back and forth, like in an EARTHQUAKE. Archer has trouble reaching over to her.

DEBBIE (SCREAMING): Help me!

ARCHER (FRANTIC): Here I am! Just hold on!

The ground continues to shake some more. We see there is an opening in the floor now. Debbie begins to fall. There is fire coming from below.

DEBBIE (AS SHE IS FALLING THROUGH THE FLOOR): Hel…p!

ARCHER (FRANTIC): No! Don't!

He reaches out to her and grabs one of her hands.

DEBBIE: Don't let go of me, please!

ARCHER: Grab my hand!

Debbie swings her hand and misses.

DEBBIE: I can't!

ARCHER: I'm slipping!

Archer is sweating as he tries to pull Debbie up.

DEBBIE: Please! Don't let…!

We hear Debbie screaming as she falls through the floor and disappears.

REVEAL:

We're in…

INTERIOR CAPTAIN'S QUARTERS – (OPTICAL)

Archer is in bed and waking up. There is sweat all over his face. We can hear heavy breathing as he tries to calm down. He clutches at his chest.

CUT TO BLACK

END OF TEASER

The premise of "Enterprise" is that we're in the very early history of humankind's forays into interstellar space. It's a century or so before the era of Kirk, Spock, et al., and much of what was old hat or well established during the other series, is only just now being formulated or discovered: the United Federation of Planets, the Prime Directive, and so on. So the whole concept of a "final frontier" is much more evident in both look and feel... and in the experience.

ACT ONE

FADE IN (NOTE: episode credits fall over opening scenes)

INTERIOR CAPTAIN'S MESS – (OPTICAL)

At warp, Archer, T'POL and TRIP are SEATED, having breakfast. T'Pol is having a bowl of cream soup. Trip is having eggs and toast. Archer is having orange juice.

TRIP: Why aren't you having your usual breakfast?

Archer is puzzled.

T'POL: Yes, Captain.

Archer takes it in and then looks at her.

ARCHER: Yes.

T'POL: You are not eating your usual breakfast.

TRIP (CONCERNED): You didn't have that dream again.

Archer slowly turns to Trip.

TRIP (CONT'D, DISAPPOINTED): You did have it again.

T'POL (TO TRIP): How can you tell?

TRIP (SARCASTIC): Isn't it obvious? The way he's not eating anything?

T'POL: Maybe he isn't hungry.

Archer gets up and walks over to the window.

TRIP (TO T'POL): See? What did I tell you?

T'POL: Is there something wrong, Captain?

ARCHER (SLIGHTLY PUZZLED): It is usually the same dream every night…

T'POL: Was something different this time?

ARCHER: I see the same girl every night. I can describe her perfectly…

TRIP (INTERRUPTING): But…?

ARCHER: But, this time… (BEAT) …she didn't make it.

TRIP: I'm sorry.

T'POL (TO TRIP): Why are you apologizing? It was a dream.

Archer returns to the table and sits down.

ARCHER: It was so real. Like you two are here in front of me right now.

T'POL: That is how dreams frequently are. They are images created by the subconscious…

ARCHER (INTERRUPTING): This isn't like a psychology class. So I don't need a lecture on the subject!

T'Pol reacts.

ARCHER (CONT'D): The thing is, I've been having these… visions every night.

T'POL: Maybe you should see Doctor Phlox?

Archer and Trip shoot T'Pol a look.

HOSHI'S COM VOICE: Captain.

Archer gets up and taps a button, opening the com channel.

ARCHER: Archer here.

HOSHI'S COM VOICE: We are getting distress calls from a planet two light-years away.

ARCHER: Set a course for it. I'll be up there. Archer out.

CUT TO:

EXTERIOR SPACE

ENTERPRISE (OPTICAL): is dropping out of warp.

INTERIOR BRIDGE – (OPTICAL)

Archer, T'Pol, REED, MAYWEATHER, and HOSHI are at their stations.

ARCHER: Is this the planet where the distress call came from?

HOSHI: Yes, Captain.

T'POL: The planet is called "Thyatira". Scanner readings suggest it has been inhabited for thousands of years. Yet there is no record of any type of contact before now.

REED: Well, there's a first time for everything.

Archer takes this in.

ARCHER (TO HOSHI): Open a channel.

Hoshi taps a button, opening a com channel.

ARCHER (TO COM): This is the Federation starship Enterprise, answering your distress call.

HOSHI (TWO BEATS): No answer, Sir.

ARCHER (TO REED): Where down there are the distress calls originating from?

REED: On the northeast quadrant of the planet.

MAYWEATHER: I have the coordinates for you, Captain.

ARCHER: Good. I'll designate a team to go down and investigate.

MAYWEATHER: Yes, Captain.

CUT TO:

EXTERIOR PLANET'S SURFACE – DAY (OPTICAL)

There is a lot of forest in this area. There are so many trees that not much daylight is coming through. We hear birds and insects.

EXTERIOR FOREST – DAY

We see Archer, T'Pol, Trip, and Reed moving through the forest. T'Pol and Trip are combing the area with their scanners. Archer and Reed are armed with phaser pistols. We follow the team as they make their way to the clearing.

ARCHER: How much further?

T'POL: The coordinates are a few meters ahead, Captain.

TRIP: I'll be glad to get out of this area and see something other than trees.

REED: Not much for wildlife, I take it?

TRIP: Let's put it this way: I prefer people over birds, myself. (BEAT) And whatever else is out here.

EXTERIOR HOUSE – DAY

Archer, T'Pol, Trip, and Reed reach a clearing. Archer has a shocked look on his face. He appears as if he can't move. T'Pol, Trip, and Reed notice the look on his face. Not picking up the connection.

T'POL: Is there something wrong, Captain?

Archer remains still, looking.

TRIP: You're scaring me, Captain.

REED: I agree.

T'Pol scans the area.

ARCHER'S POV:

We see the exact same house that was in Archer's earlier dream. It is in every way the same, down to the last detail.

ARCHER: This is the house that was in my dreams.

Reed and Trip react to this news.

TRIP: Oh my God.

REED: You took the words right out of my mouth.

Archer gets excited and begins to run up to the house.

ARCHER: Debbie!

T'Pol reacts.

T'POL: Debbie?

Trip and Reed become excited.

TRIP:         /     REED:

Captain!    /     Captain!

Then they run after Archer. Archer, T'Pol, Trip, and Reed reach the front door together.

T'POL (SCANNING): This is where the distress signals are coming from.

REED: From this house?

T'POL (TO REED): I believe that is what I said.

ARCHER: Let's go in.

He tries to open the door.

TRIP (INTERRUPTING): Shouldn't we knock first?

Archer takes this in.

ARCHER: You're right.

Archer knocks. No one answers. Trip gets excited.

TRIP: Let's go in.

INTERIOR LIVING ROOM – MOVING

We see the living room. Again everything is in the same detail as it was in Archer's dream.

ARCHER (YELLING): Is anyone here?

T'Pol continues to scan. Reed and Trip look around the living room. REED moves into the kitchen.

REED'S POV:

It looks like a typical kitchen on Earth.

Trip runs down the hallway. He quickly looks into the bedroom.

TRIP'S POV:

The bedroom looks normal. There is typical furniture in the room with pictures of people hanging on the wall. The people look almost like humans, but are disfigured a bit. He picks up and examines a picture that resembles Debbie.

CUT TO:

Trip and Reed enter the living room. Trip is carrying the picture. He hands this picture to Archer.

TRIP: Is this what your "Debbie" looks like?

ARCHER: Almost. Except for these markings.

REED: This is too much of a coincidence.

ARCHER (TO T'POL): Where exactly are those signals coming from?

T'POL: Unfortunately, I cannot seem to pinpoint it within this house.

ARCHER: But it is coming from this house?

T'POL: Affirmative.

There is a sound of the doorknob rattling.

REED: Someone's coming.

TRIP: It could be that Debbie.

Archer looks toward the door. He looks anxious and begins to sweat.

REED: Captain?

The door opens and we see Debbie, looking exactly as in the photo, entering. Debbie has a shocked look on her face.

ARCHER (TO DEBBIE): Wait!

Debbie begins to run off.

EXTERIOR HOUSE – MOVING

As Archer, T'Pol, Trip and Reed run outside after her.

ARCHER: Debbie! Stop!

Debbie stops and turns around.

DEBBIE: How did you know my name?

ARCHER: You wouldn't believe me if I told you.

TRIP: I agree.

All of a sudden there are lightning bolts striking the ground, and thunder coming from the sky. Everyone looks up.

REED: There's not a cloud in the sky.

TRIP: That's impossible.

DEBBIE (FRIGHTENED): It's happening again!

Archer grabs Debbie's arm.

ARCHER: What is happening?

DEBBIE: Let go of me!

She then runs off into the woods.

CUT TO BLACK.

END OF ACT ONE