From: andres@cbnewsj.cb.att.com (Andy C) Newsgroups: rec.arts.startrek,alt.startrek.creative Subject: The Once and Future Starship - Teaser Keywords: ASCII Text Version Date: 9 Aug 91 23:24:36 GMT Organization: AT&T Bell Labs For those who asked for a plain file.... STAR TREK: "The Once and Future Starship" 8/9/91 - TEASER 1. STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION "The Once and Future Starship" TEASER FADE IN: EXT. SPACE - THE ENTERPRISE-C (OPTICAL) Scene is of deep space interrupted only by a distant nebula or other touch of color. Suddenly the Enterprise, designated NCC- 1701-C, enters the scene. Camera closes on the ship as it passes. We hear the voice of RACHEL GARRETT, Captain of the Enterprise-C as the OPTICAL continues. GARRETT (V.O.) Captain's Log, Stardate 21436.25. The Enterprise is on assignment in the area bordering the Klingon Neutral Zone. Although the Federation continues to negotiate a peace with the Klingons, it is rumored that hostilities between the Klingons and their former allies the Romulans are heating up. INT. MAIN BRIDGE ENTERPRISE-C Shift to an establishing shot of the bridge of the Enterprise-C as the voice over continues. GARRETT is seated in the center chair. LT. RICHARD CASTILLE sits at the Navigation helm station, both are as they appeared in the episode Yesterday's Enterprise. SUPERNUMERARIES at other stations as needed, including a young female COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER and an older male FIRST OFFICER at the sensor station. GARRETT (V.O.) Although the Federation has not heard nor seen any activity from the Romulans in close to thirty years, intelligence sources noted flare-ups of fierce fighting between the two warrior races. GARRETT sits upright in her command chair studying the calm efficiency of her crew. Behind her, her COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER looks up as an indication comes across her workstation's control panel. COMM OFFICER Captain, I'm picking up a distress call coming in from . . . within Klingon space. An outpost of theirs on a planet called Norendra III. (a beat) They report being under attack by Romulan forces. They request immediate assistance from any ships in the vicinity. GARRETT Mr. Castille, do you read any other vessels in the vicinity? CASTILLE No, Captain, nothing within several light years. Of course, we are not in range of that system yet. We would have to cross over into Klingon territory to be sure. GARRETT (to Communications) Lieutenant, open a hailing frequency to the Klingons, identify us and give our position. COMM OFFICER Aye, Sir, opening hailing frequencies. GARRETT Mr. Castille, set an intercept course to the Klingon outpost, ahead warp factor two. Keep the sensors pealed for any vessels or disturbances in the area. Remember both the Klingons and the Romulans have cloaking devices. (a beat) Bring us to the edge of the Neutral Zone, but do not enter until I give you the word. COMM OFFICER Hailing frequencies open, Captain. I have Governor General Kangmore of Norendra III. GARRETT On screen. An older, slim Klingon appears on the main viewing screen. He seems upset, even for a Klingon. KANGMORE You are from the Federation, yet you heed our call of distress? GARRETT Yes, in the Federation we believe in helping our neighbors, Governor General. (a beat) We are heading in your direction, can you give us the details of your situation? KANGMORE We are under heavy attack by at least four Romulan war vessels. They came in under cloak and destroyed many of our planetary defense systems before we could recover. KANGMORE (CONT) (mumbled) They have no honor ! Explosions can be heard in the background at the Klingon outpost. One particularly loud one punctuates Kangmore's speech at this point. KANGMORE (CONT) We will cannot hold out much longer, Enterprise. Can you assist us? Garrett is skeptical, but before she can speak the General's location is hit and they lose their connection. GARRETT (After a thoughtful pause) Helm, give me maximum warp speed. Take us into Klingon space, Mr. Castille! CASTILLE Aye, Sir, going to maximum warp now! GARRETT We're going in people, look sharp! EXT. SPACE - THE ENTERPRISE-C (OPTICAL) Enterprise-C takes off into warp space. Effect is something between the multicolored of the Star Trek motion pictures and the Next Generation warp effect. The ship is then seen cruising at warp speed. The effect is similar to the Next Generation, but doesn't look as FAST as the Enterprise-D. INT. MAIN BRIDGE ENTERPRISE-C (OPTICAL) Much as before, the bridge is silent, Garrett studies the main viewer as we close in on her. GARRETT ETA to Norendra III, Mr. Castille? CASTILLE Within sensor range in thirty seconds, Sir. ETA at Norendra III in ten minutes, at current speed. GARRETT Very well, Mister. Go to red alert, raise shields. Phasers and photon torpedoes on standby. EXT. SPACE - ENTERPRISE-C AND ROMULANS Just then, three Romulans come out of cloak around the Enterprise and catch her by surprise. She is hit before she can raise shields, but puts up a valiant fight. They raise shields and fire at the Romulans, destroying one with a lucky shot. INT. MAIN BRIDGE ENTERPRISE-C As the Enterprise-C is being attacked go back and forth from bridge to space or main viewer scenes. GARRETT Damn it, get those shields up! Fire phasers! (a beat) Mr. Castille, plot a course around those ships to Norendra III, and get us out of here! Castille works his console and executes. They pull sharply to one side. EXT. SPACE - ENTERPRISE-C AND ROMULANS The Enterprise-C pulls away from the two remaining Romulans and warps away. But, as they near Norendra III another Romulan ship appears in their path and begins to fire at them. They take a beating from the three ships before they can get away. They let the Romulans have it with all they have and then try to move out of the path of their fire. INT. MAIN BRIDGE ENTERPRISE-C GARRETT Castille, come about to 119 mark 010. Let's try to draw them away from the colony. Give me everything left in the engines. Castille does the maneuver. CASTILLE Coming to 119 mark zero one zero, going to warp 7. They are hit again and several people are hurt or killed, including the first officer who is behind Garrett and to stage left. GARRETT Castille, take over the sensor station. (points to someone off screen) You, take the helm, quickly. The remaining three Romulan ships turn on the Enterprise with a vengeance. The Enterprise is hit again, more people die as more consoles explode. Damage is consistent with the appearance of the Enterprise-C bridge at the beginning of Yesterday's Enterprise. EXT. SPACE ENTERPRISE-C AND ROMULANS The Enterprise flees, trying to lead them away from the outpost and trying to escape their fury. The Romulans fire a volley of plasma torpedoes all at once surrounding the Enterprise with fire. A huge white flash engulfs the Enterprise-C and it disappears in a manner inconsistent with a deep space explosion of a large vessel and inconsistent with a normal warp effect. The three Romulan vessels veer off the large white flash, one going "up" the other two "left" and "right" and go off screen. The camera zooms on the white flash as it dims to an eery looking swirling mass of dark greys and blacks (use stock footage of the time rift from the episode Yesterday's Enterprise). FADE OUT. END OF TEASER