Post by magicmuggle01 on Dec 31, 2018 10:22:37 GMT
The Enterprise discovers an ancient spaceship carrying genetically enhanced supermen from late 20th century Earth and their enigmatic warlord leader: Khan Noonien Singh.
Summary
The Enterprise encounters the
Botany Bay.
In 2267, the USS Enterprise encounters a spacecraft floating in deep space, sending out a signal in Morse code. Captain Kirk recognizes it as being similar to the DY-500 class, but Spock points it out as being the much older DY-100, built back in the 1990s.
Spock identifies the vessel from its outer hull markings as the SS Botany Bay, but finds no registry of the ship in the computer library; however, he points out that records of the era from which the ship was launched are fragmentary, as the 1990s was the era of the Eugenics Wars, a "strange and violent period in your history" as Spock puts it. Faint life signs are detected on board, and Kirk has the ship go to red alert as it closes in on the mysterious vessel to investigate.
Act One
Aboard the derelict vessel.
The Botany Bay takes no action as the Enterprise approaches it, the only sign of life being the faint life readings. Now certain the ship is a derelict, Kirk orders Scott and Doctor McCoy to join an engineering party to board the ship and investigate the life readings. Kirk also requests the services of the ship's historian, Lieutenant Marla McGivers. In the transporter room, Scott takes note of the life support systems coming back on, as if the ship is expecting them to transport over. "Very interesting," Kirk notes.
"A man from the 20th century
coming alive..."
The landing party materializes on board the Botany Bay, and Scott confirms that the vessel is Terran in origin, using old style atomic power and computers with transistor units. He tells Kirk that he would "love to tear this baby apart." McGivers speculates that the ship is a sleeper ship, designed for long periods of interplanetary travel due to the limits of space travel technology in that era until the year 2018.
One of the life units is then activated, and Kirk asks McGivers if this could be the leader; the lieutenant does not reply immediately, seemingly smitten with the appearance of the man, but eventually answers that it's likely, as the leader would be awakened first to determine if circumstances warranted the reviving of the others. She also speculates that the man could be Sikh, from the northern region of India, noting that they were the most fantastic warriors. Scott then reports that there are 84 people held in suspended animation, all of varied ethnic origins.
The life support unit malfunctions, likely due to the accumulation of dust, and its occupant's life readings begin dropping. As McGivers begs Kirk to save him, he breaks the glass on the stasis unit to release him. Taking shaky breaths as he regains consciousness, the man asks in a hoarse whisper how long he had been asleep; Kirk estimates the time at two centuries. Kirk flips his communicator open to request that McCoy and the man be beamed aboard the Enterprise immediately for further medical attention. "Magnificent," McGivers states.
Act Two
McCoy is conducting a medical analysis on the unidentified man at sickbay on the Enterprise. McCoy is amazed at the physical and recuperative power of the man.
"Well, either choke me or cut my
throat, make up your mind!"
Aboard the Botany Bay, Scott notes that twelve of the life units had failed, leaving 72 alive from the 1990s. Spock can find no record in the vessel in any of the computer libraries. Kirk suspects that since Botany Bay was the name of an Australian penal colony, this might have been a way to deport criminals.
Spock refutes this, as it would be a seeming waste of Earth's then-most advanced spacecraft, but has no other explanation of his own, lacking sufficient facts. Spock also notes the extremely low probability that a vessel of this type could have survived for so long, and managed to leave Earth's solar system. Kirk orders Lieutenant Spinelli to have the Botany Bay put under tow, and to set course to Starbase 12.
"Khan is my name."
"Khan – nothing else?"
"Khan."
In sickbay, Kirk arrives to speak to the man. McCoy notes his superior bodily strength and efficiency of his lungs, hinting at his Augment origin. McCoy estimates that the man could lift both he and Kirk with one arm. He tells Kirk that it would be interesting to see if the man's brain matches his body. McGivers arrives, while Kirk chides her on her performance on the landing party. She admits to finding the man fascinating, in a purely professional way, as her position aboard the Enterprise is historian. Kirk thanks her for admitting this, noting "If I can have honesty, it's easier to overlook mistakes," then dismisses her.
Later, the man awakes from his slumber and goes through some exercises of Hatha yoga; then, hearing Dr. McCoy at work, the man notes a scalpel among a collection of antique medical instruments on the wall. He takes it, and moves back to his bed, feigning sleep. McCoy arrives to check his vital signs, and the man reaches towards McCoy's throat, threatening him with the scalpel. McCoy sarcastically, and in an admirable display of calm, tells him to make up his mind to choke him or cut his throat, adding that it would be best if he would cut the carotid artery, just under the left ear. The man says he admires such bravery, and lets McCoy take back the scalpel. McCoy simply and calmly tells him that he was just trying to avoid an argument. The man demands to speak to the captain of the vessel, and McCoy calls Kirk, saying he is a man with "many questions."
McGivers meets Khan.
Kirk arrives, identifies himself as the captain, and asks the man his name. The man avoids the question, and asks what the ship's heading is. Kirk answers that it is Starbase 12, a planet in the Gamma 400 star system, the Enterprise's command base in that sector. The man identifies himself simply as "Khan". Kirk attempts to question Khan further, but he declines to elaborate on his history, claiming he is fatigued. He says that he was once an engineer of sorts, and would very much like to study the ship's technical manuals. Kirk and McCoy then show him how to use the computers to access such information. He is later visited by McGivers, asking her to "sit and entertain" him, rearranging her hairstyle to something more "attractive".
"Social occasions are only
warfare concealed."
In the officer's mess, the crew prepares a full-dress banquet, and McCoy wonders if the Enterprise is hosting a fleet admiral; Kirk replies it was McGivers' idea to welcome Khan to their century. Dressed for the occasion, Khan meets with McGivers in her quarters, decorated with portraits of great conquerors of the past, including Leif Ericson, Alexander the Great, and Napoleon Bonaparte, as well as an unfinished portrait of Khan in the 20th century. Khan tells her he is honored, but cautions her "such men dare take what they want", before passionately kissing her, which she apparently doesn't mind.
McGivers' affection for Khan
becomes apparent.
At the banquet, Khan explains the nature of his journey from Earth, going in search of "adventure", believing there was nothing left on Earth. Spock comments on the Eugenics Wars as a conflict to end tyranny, while Khan replies that it was an effort to unite Humanity, calling his era "a time of great dreams, great aspirations"; while there were dozens of petty dictatorships, Khan declares one would have ruled eventually, like Rome under Caesar, "think of its accomplishments!", he intones. Kirk bluntly asks why Khan fled, asking if he was afraid, goading Khan to declare, "We offered the world order!" to which Kirk responds by asking "we?", noting Khan's reference to a master race. Khan congratulates Kirk on his discovery of Khan's intent, then says he says he is "fatigued" again, and returns to his quarters.
McGivers appears at Khan's quarters, and apologizes for how he was treated at the dinner; Khan comments their reaction is understandable, given that he is something of a "mystery" to them. McGivers confesses that she knows exactly who he is, and wonders if he is going to like living in her century, to which Khan replies that he will have to remold it to his liking. Showing the darker side of his nature, Khan tells McGivers he intends to take control of the Enterprise and demands her help, bullying her into submitting to his desire; unwilling to lose him, she promises to do anything he asks.
Act Three
"From 1992 through 1996,
absolute ruler of more than a
quarter of your world."
In the briefing room, Kirk, Spock, McCoy, and Scott consult the historical records and determine that their guest is Khan Noonien Singh, one of the genetically-engineered tyrants of the Eugenics Wars, and the last to be overthrown. From 1992 to 1996, he was absolute ruler of one quarter of the Earth, from Asia to the Middle East. Scott admits he's always held a "sneaking admiration for this one", with Kirk and McCoy adding that his rule lacked the usual massacres and internal wars endemic to tyrants; Spock counters that he also severely curtailed freedoms, and is alarmed at the romantic tone of the Humans towards a ruthless dictator. Kirk replies that they can be against him and admire him all at the same time. "Illogical," Spock says. "Totally," Kirk responds. The captain then orders security to place a 24-hour guard on Khan's quarters, effective immediately.
Khan, wearing a Starfleet
uniform.
Later, Kirk visits Khan in his quarters, who is wearing a Starfleet uniform and "lost in thought", commenting on his door being locked from outside with a guard posted. Kirk admits it was "unusual treatment" for who he is, and wishes to know the truth about his departure from Earth. Khan replies that he and his followers sought a new life and a chance to build a new world, plus "other things" he did not believe Kirk, who he considered mentally and physically inferior, would understand; he comments on how little mankind has changed despite its technical advancements, and that he and his people would do well in this century. After Kirk leaves, Khan breaks out of his quarters and brutally knocks out the guard outside, taking his phaser, while McGivers holds transporter chief Kyle at phaser point, beaming Khan over to the Botany Bay to revive his people.
Security alerts Kirk that Khan has escaped; shortly afterwards, communications become jammed, the turbolifts disabled, and life support on the bridge cut off. Kirk calls engineering to find out why, and is answered by Khan, who controls engineering with his followers and has cut off life support, demanding that Kirk surrender the ship to him, or die of suffocation.
Act Four
The bridge crew watches as Kirk
suffocates.
The bridge crew suffocates to the point of passing out. Kirk and Spock are the last to fall unconscious; before passing out, Kirk, making a log entry, states he takes full responsibility for Khan taking over his ship. When the crew awakens, they are being held at phaser point by Khan's men in the briefing room while Khan holds Kirk captive in McCoy's decompression chamber, and the rest of the bridge crew in the briefing room.
Khan threatens to kill the captain if Kirk's crew doesn't join with him, offering to make all Humans superhuman like himself, telling them that this is much better than improving machines. When none of them will follow him, Khan becomes infuriated at the uselessness of their resistance. During this, the channel to the decompression chamber is suddenly cut. Joaquin, one of Khan's henchmen, asks Uhura how he can regain picture. When she says nothing, he prepares to slap her across the face. Khan stops him with a gesture, telling the crew that Kirk is dead and Spock be taken in to die next.
McGivers then excuses herself, unable to watch the torture of Kirk and the brutal way Joaquin treats Uhura. She then comes to Kirk's aid by knocking out the guard who is watching Kirk in the chamber with a hypospray. She removes Kirk from the decompression chamber and after freeing Kirk, she urges him not to hurt Khan. Spock and an augment enter just then. Kirk hides and confronts Khan's man but he is incapacitated by Spock using a Vulcan nerve pinch.
In the briefing room, Khan realizes something is wrong when he cannot contact his men, specifically, Rodriguez, Ling, and McPherson. Kirk and Spock then succeed in flooding the ship with knockout gas, but Khan is able to avoid the gas by escaping to engineering and cutting it off, rigging the ship to blow up with an overload. Kirk rushes to stop Khan with a phaser, but Khan ambushes the captain and crushes the phaser with his bare hands. The two men come to blows in engineering, with Kirk eventually defeating the genetically engineered man by knocking him out with a makeshift club, and saving the Enterprise from destruction.
Later, at a formal hearing, Kirk drops all charges against Khan and his people, considering it a "waste" to put Khan in a penal colony, and gives him the offer of taming the uninhabited world of Ceti Alpha V an offer which Khan accepts referencing a quote from Milton's Paradise Lost that "it is better to rule in Hell than to serve in Heaven." Marla McGivers is given the option of court martial or accompanying Khan and his people. Khan warns her it will be difficult at first to survive, to find food, and Marla chooses to join Khan and his people. As soon as Khan and his people leave, Kirk and Spock express an interest in returning to Ceti Alpha V in a hundred years to learn "what crop will sprout from the seed they planted".
Log entries
"Captain's log, stardate 3141.9. A full hour has elapsed since interception of the strange vessel. Our presence alongside is still being completely ignored. Although our sensors continue to show signs of equipment and life aboard, there's been no indication of danger to us."
"Captain's log, supplemental. Alongside the SS Botany Bay for ten hours now, a boarding party of engineering and medical specialists are now completing their examination of the mysterious vessel. Attempts to revive other sleepers await our success or failure with the casualty already beamed over. Dr. McCoy is frankly amazed at his physical and recuperative power."
"Captain's log, stardate 3142.8. They have my ship, discarding their own worthless vessel. Only moments of air left on the bridge now. Commendations recommended for Lieutenant Uhura, Technicians First Class Thule and Harrison... Lieutenant Spinelli... and, of course, Mr. Spock. I take full responsibility... I take full..."
"Captain's log, stardate 3143.3. Control of the Enterprise has been regained. I wish my next decisions were no more difficult. Khan and his people, what a waste to put them in a reorientation center... and what do I do about McGivers?"
Memorable quotes
"I fail to understand why it always gives you pleasure to see me proven wrong."
"An emotional Earth weakness of mine."
- Spock and Kirk, as the Enterprise encounters the Botany Bay
"Your attempt to improve the race through selective breeding."
"Oh, now wait a minute. Not 'our' attempt, Mr. Spock. A group of ambitious scientists'. I'm sure you know the type. Devoted to logic, completely unemotional..."
- Spock and McCoy, on the Eugenics Wars
"Care to join the landing party, doctor?"
"Well, if you're actually giving me a choice..."
"I'm not."
- Kirk and McCoy
"I signed aboard this ship to practice medicine, not to have my atoms scattered back and forth across space by this gadget."
- McCoy, before beaming over to the Botany Bay
"Insufficient facts always invites danger, captain."
- Spock, on the mystery surrounding the Botany Bay crew
"Well either choke me or cut my throat! Make up your mind!"
- McCoy, as Khan chokes him with a scalpel in hand
"Where am I?"
"You're in ..." (Khan squeezes McCoy's neck) "You're in bed, holding a knife at your doctor's throat."
"Answer my question."
"It would be most effective if you would cut the carotid artery just under the left ear."
- Khan and McCoy, in sickbay
"Khan is my name."
"Khan, nothing more?"
"Khan."
- Khan and Kirk
"Superior ability breeds superior ambition."
- Spock
"Would you reveal to war-weary populations that some eighty Napoleons might still be alive?"
- Spock, on the potential threat of the passengers of the Botany Bay
"Such men dare take what they want."
- Khan, before kissing McGivers
"Tyranny, sir? Or an attempt to unify Humanity?"
"Unify, sir? Like a team of animals under one whip?"
- Khan and Spock, on the reign of the dictators during the Eugenics Wars
"You have a tendency to express ideas in military terms, Mister Khan. This is a social occasion."
"It has been said that social occasions are only warfare concealed."
- Kirk and Khan
"You fled. Why? Were you afraid?"
"I've never been afraid."
"But you left at the very time mankind needed courage."
"We offered the world order!"
- Kirk and Khan
"Go or stay, but do it because it is what you wish to do."
- Khan, to McGivers
"He was the best of the tyrants and the most dangerous."
- Kirk on Khan, during the Eugenics War
"There were no massacres under his rule..."
"And as little freedom!"
"No wars until he was attacked..."
"...Gentlemen!?"
- Scott, teasing Spock, with McCoy joining in
"We can be against him and admire him all at the same time."
"Illogical."
"Totally."
- Kirk and Spock, on Khan
"It appears we will do well in your century, captain."
- Khan
"The trip is over. The battle begins again. Only this time it's not a world we win. It's a universe."
- Khan, greeting his revived followers
"Your air should be getting quite thin by now. Do you surrender the bridge?"
"Negative."
"Academic, captain. Refuse and every person on the bridge will suffocate."
- Khan and Kirk
"Nothing ever changes, except man. Your technical accomplishments? Improve a mechanical device and you may double productivity but improve man and you gain a thousand fold. I am such a man."
- Khan, to his hostages
"My vessel was useless. I need you and yours to select a colony planet, one with a population willing to be led by us."
"To be conquered by you... a starship would make that most simple, wouldn't it?"
- Khan, on his intentions for the Enterprise and McCoy retorting
"Each of you in turn will go in there! Die while the others watch!"
- Khan, to his hostages
"It does not matter, the captain is dead. Take Mr. Spock next."
- Khan
"If I understood your manuals, that's an overload in progress. Your ship flares up like an exploding sun within MINUTES!"
- Khan, setting the Enterprise's engines to overload
"I have five times your strength. You're no match for me!"
- Khan, shortly before being incapacitated by Kirk
"Those men went on to tame a continent, Mister Khan. Can you tame a world?"
- Kirk, before exiling Khan to Ceti Alpha V
"I will take her. And I've gotten something else I wanted. A world to win, an empire to build."
- Khan's last words at the hearing
"It is better to rule in hell than serve in heaven."
- Kirk to Scott, quoting John Milton's Paradise Lost
"It would be interesting, captain, to return to that world in a hundred years and to learn what crop has sprung from the seed you planted today."
- Spock, unaware that he and Kirk will encounter Khan again
Summary
The Enterprise encounters the
Botany Bay.
In 2267, the USS Enterprise encounters a spacecraft floating in deep space, sending out a signal in Morse code. Captain Kirk recognizes it as being similar to the DY-500 class, but Spock points it out as being the much older DY-100, built back in the 1990s.
Spock identifies the vessel from its outer hull markings as the SS Botany Bay, but finds no registry of the ship in the computer library; however, he points out that records of the era from which the ship was launched are fragmentary, as the 1990s was the era of the Eugenics Wars, a "strange and violent period in your history" as Spock puts it. Faint life signs are detected on board, and Kirk has the ship go to red alert as it closes in on the mysterious vessel to investigate.
Act One
Aboard the derelict vessel.
The Botany Bay takes no action as the Enterprise approaches it, the only sign of life being the faint life readings. Now certain the ship is a derelict, Kirk orders Scott and Doctor McCoy to join an engineering party to board the ship and investigate the life readings. Kirk also requests the services of the ship's historian, Lieutenant Marla McGivers. In the transporter room, Scott takes note of the life support systems coming back on, as if the ship is expecting them to transport over. "Very interesting," Kirk notes.
"A man from the 20th century
coming alive..."
The landing party materializes on board the Botany Bay, and Scott confirms that the vessel is Terran in origin, using old style atomic power and computers with transistor units. He tells Kirk that he would "love to tear this baby apart." McGivers speculates that the ship is a sleeper ship, designed for long periods of interplanetary travel due to the limits of space travel technology in that era until the year 2018.
One of the life units is then activated, and Kirk asks McGivers if this could be the leader; the lieutenant does not reply immediately, seemingly smitten with the appearance of the man, but eventually answers that it's likely, as the leader would be awakened first to determine if circumstances warranted the reviving of the others. She also speculates that the man could be Sikh, from the northern region of India, noting that they were the most fantastic warriors. Scott then reports that there are 84 people held in suspended animation, all of varied ethnic origins.
The life support unit malfunctions, likely due to the accumulation of dust, and its occupant's life readings begin dropping. As McGivers begs Kirk to save him, he breaks the glass on the stasis unit to release him. Taking shaky breaths as he regains consciousness, the man asks in a hoarse whisper how long he had been asleep; Kirk estimates the time at two centuries. Kirk flips his communicator open to request that McCoy and the man be beamed aboard the Enterprise immediately for further medical attention. "Magnificent," McGivers states.
Act Two
McCoy is conducting a medical analysis on the unidentified man at sickbay on the Enterprise. McCoy is amazed at the physical and recuperative power of the man.
"Well, either choke me or cut my
throat, make up your mind!"
Aboard the Botany Bay, Scott notes that twelve of the life units had failed, leaving 72 alive from the 1990s. Spock can find no record in the vessel in any of the computer libraries. Kirk suspects that since Botany Bay was the name of an Australian penal colony, this might have been a way to deport criminals.
Spock refutes this, as it would be a seeming waste of Earth's then-most advanced spacecraft, but has no other explanation of his own, lacking sufficient facts. Spock also notes the extremely low probability that a vessel of this type could have survived for so long, and managed to leave Earth's solar system. Kirk orders Lieutenant Spinelli to have the Botany Bay put under tow, and to set course to Starbase 12.
"Khan is my name."
"Khan – nothing else?"
"Khan."
In sickbay, Kirk arrives to speak to the man. McCoy notes his superior bodily strength and efficiency of his lungs, hinting at his Augment origin. McCoy estimates that the man could lift both he and Kirk with one arm. He tells Kirk that it would be interesting to see if the man's brain matches his body. McGivers arrives, while Kirk chides her on her performance on the landing party. She admits to finding the man fascinating, in a purely professional way, as her position aboard the Enterprise is historian. Kirk thanks her for admitting this, noting "If I can have honesty, it's easier to overlook mistakes," then dismisses her.
Later, the man awakes from his slumber and goes through some exercises of Hatha yoga; then, hearing Dr. McCoy at work, the man notes a scalpel among a collection of antique medical instruments on the wall. He takes it, and moves back to his bed, feigning sleep. McCoy arrives to check his vital signs, and the man reaches towards McCoy's throat, threatening him with the scalpel. McCoy sarcastically, and in an admirable display of calm, tells him to make up his mind to choke him or cut his throat, adding that it would be best if he would cut the carotid artery, just under the left ear. The man says he admires such bravery, and lets McCoy take back the scalpel. McCoy simply and calmly tells him that he was just trying to avoid an argument. The man demands to speak to the captain of the vessel, and McCoy calls Kirk, saying he is a man with "many questions."
McGivers meets Khan.
Kirk arrives, identifies himself as the captain, and asks the man his name. The man avoids the question, and asks what the ship's heading is. Kirk answers that it is Starbase 12, a planet in the Gamma 400 star system, the Enterprise's command base in that sector. The man identifies himself simply as "Khan". Kirk attempts to question Khan further, but he declines to elaborate on his history, claiming he is fatigued. He says that he was once an engineer of sorts, and would very much like to study the ship's technical manuals. Kirk and McCoy then show him how to use the computers to access such information. He is later visited by McGivers, asking her to "sit and entertain" him, rearranging her hairstyle to something more "attractive".
"Social occasions are only
warfare concealed."
In the officer's mess, the crew prepares a full-dress banquet, and McCoy wonders if the Enterprise is hosting a fleet admiral; Kirk replies it was McGivers' idea to welcome Khan to their century. Dressed for the occasion, Khan meets with McGivers in her quarters, decorated with portraits of great conquerors of the past, including Leif Ericson, Alexander the Great, and Napoleon Bonaparte, as well as an unfinished portrait of Khan in the 20th century. Khan tells her he is honored, but cautions her "such men dare take what they want", before passionately kissing her, which she apparently doesn't mind.
McGivers' affection for Khan
becomes apparent.
At the banquet, Khan explains the nature of his journey from Earth, going in search of "adventure", believing there was nothing left on Earth. Spock comments on the Eugenics Wars as a conflict to end tyranny, while Khan replies that it was an effort to unite Humanity, calling his era "a time of great dreams, great aspirations"; while there were dozens of petty dictatorships, Khan declares one would have ruled eventually, like Rome under Caesar, "think of its accomplishments!", he intones. Kirk bluntly asks why Khan fled, asking if he was afraid, goading Khan to declare, "We offered the world order!" to which Kirk responds by asking "we?", noting Khan's reference to a master race. Khan congratulates Kirk on his discovery of Khan's intent, then says he says he is "fatigued" again, and returns to his quarters.
McGivers appears at Khan's quarters, and apologizes for how he was treated at the dinner; Khan comments their reaction is understandable, given that he is something of a "mystery" to them. McGivers confesses that she knows exactly who he is, and wonders if he is going to like living in her century, to which Khan replies that he will have to remold it to his liking. Showing the darker side of his nature, Khan tells McGivers he intends to take control of the Enterprise and demands her help, bullying her into submitting to his desire; unwilling to lose him, she promises to do anything he asks.
Act Three
"From 1992 through 1996,
absolute ruler of more than a
quarter of your world."
In the briefing room, Kirk, Spock, McCoy, and Scott consult the historical records and determine that their guest is Khan Noonien Singh, one of the genetically-engineered tyrants of the Eugenics Wars, and the last to be overthrown. From 1992 to 1996, he was absolute ruler of one quarter of the Earth, from Asia to the Middle East. Scott admits he's always held a "sneaking admiration for this one", with Kirk and McCoy adding that his rule lacked the usual massacres and internal wars endemic to tyrants; Spock counters that he also severely curtailed freedoms, and is alarmed at the romantic tone of the Humans towards a ruthless dictator. Kirk replies that they can be against him and admire him all at the same time. "Illogical," Spock says. "Totally," Kirk responds. The captain then orders security to place a 24-hour guard on Khan's quarters, effective immediately.
Khan, wearing a Starfleet
uniform.
Later, Kirk visits Khan in his quarters, who is wearing a Starfleet uniform and "lost in thought", commenting on his door being locked from outside with a guard posted. Kirk admits it was "unusual treatment" for who he is, and wishes to know the truth about his departure from Earth. Khan replies that he and his followers sought a new life and a chance to build a new world, plus "other things" he did not believe Kirk, who he considered mentally and physically inferior, would understand; he comments on how little mankind has changed despite its technical advancements, and that he and his people would do well in this century. After Kirk leaves, Khan breaks out of his quarters and brutally knocks out the guard outside, taking his phaser, while McGivers holds transporter chief Kyle at phaser point, beaming Khan over to the Botany Bay to revive his people.
Security alerts Kirk that Khan has escaped; shortly afterwards, communications become jammed, the turbolifts disabled, and life support on the bridge cut off. Kirk calls engineering to find out why, and is answered by Khan, who controls engineering with his followers and has cut off life support, demanding that Kirk surrender the ship to him, or die of suffocation.
Act Four
The bridge crew watches as Kirk
suffocates.
The bridge crew suffocates to the point of passing out. Kirk and Spock are the last to fall unconscious; before passing out, Kirk, making a log entry, states he takes full responsibility for Khan taking over his ship. When the crew awakens, they are being held at phaser point by Khan's men in the briefing room while Khan holds Kirk captive in McCoy's decompression chamber, and the rest of the bridge crew in the briefing room.
Khan threatens to kill the captain if Kirk's crew doesn't join with him, offering to make all Humans superhuman like himself, telling them that this is much better than improving machines. When none of them will follow him, Khan becomes infuriated at the uselessness of their resistance. During this, the channel to the decompression chamber is suddenly cut. Joaquin, one of Khan's henchmen, asks Uhura how he can regain picture. When she says nothing, he prepares to slap her across the face. Khan stops him with a gesture, telling the crew that Kirk is dead and Spock be taken in to die next.
McGivers then excuses herself, unable to watch the torture of Kirk and the brutal way Joaquin treats Uhura. She then comes to Kirk's aid by knocking out the guard who is watching Kirk in the chamber with a hypospray. She removes Kirk from the decompression chamber and after freeing Kirk, she urges him not to hurt Khan. Spock and an augment enter just then. Kirk hides and confronts Khan's man but he is incapacitated by Spock using a Vulcan nerve pinch.
In the briefing room, Khan realizes something is wrong when he cannot contact his men, specifically, Rodriguez, Ling, and McPherson. Kirk and Spock then succeed in flooding the ship with knockout gas, but Khan is able to avoid the gas by escaping to engineering and cutting it off, rigging the ship to blow up with an overload. Kirk rushes to stop Khan with a phaser, but Khan ambushes the captain and crushes the phaser with his bare hands. The two men come to blows in engineering, with Kirk eventually defeating the genetically engineered man by knocking him out with a makeshift club, and saving the Enterprise from destruction.
Later, at a formal hearing, Kirk drops all charges against Khan and his people, considering it a "waste" to put Khan in a penal colony, and gives him the offer of taming the uninhabited world of Ceti Alpha V an offer which Khan accepts referencing a quote from Milton's Paradise Lost that "it is better to rule in Hell than to serve in Heaven." Marla McGivers is given the option of court martial or accompanying Khan and his people. Khan warns her it will be difficult at first to survive, to find food, and Marla chooses to join Khan and his people. As soon as Khan and his people leave, Kirk and Spock express an interest in returning to Ceti Alpha V in a hundred years to learn "what crop will sprout from the seed they planted".
Log entries
"Captain's log, stardate 3141.9. A full hour has elapsed since interception of the strange vessel. Our presence alongside is still being completely ignored. Although our sensors continue to show signs of equipment and life aboard, there's been no indication of danger to us."
"Captain's log, supplemental. Alongside the SS Botany Bay for ten hours now, a boarding party of engineering and medical specialists are now completing their examination of the mysterious vessel. Attempts to revive other sleepers await our success or failure with the casualty already beamed over. Dr. McCoy is frankly amazed at his physical and recuperative power."
"Captain's log, stardate 3142.8. They have my ship, discarding their own worthless vessel. Only moments of air left on the bridge now. Commendations recommended for Lieutenant Uhura, Technicians First Class Thule and Harrison... Lieutenant Spinelli... and, of course, Mr. Spock. I take full responsibility... I take full..."
"Captain's log, stardate 3143.3. Control of the Enterprise has been regained. I wish my next decisions were no more difficult. Khan and his people, what a waste to put them in a reorientation center... and what do I do about McGivers?"
Memorable quotes
"I fail to understand why it always gives you pleasure to see me proven wrong."
"An emotional Earth weakness of mine."
- Spock and Kirk, as the Enterprise encounters the Botany Bay
"Your attempt to improve the race through selective breeding."
"Oh, now wait a minute. Not 'our' attempt, Mr. Spock. A group of ambitious scientists'. I'm sure you know the type. Devoted to logic, completely unemotional..."
- Spock and McCoy, on the Eugenics Wars
"Care to join the landing party, doctor?"
"Well, if you're actually giving me a choice..."
"I'm not."
- Kirk and McCoy
"I signed aboard this ship to practice medicine, not to have my atoms scattered back and forth across space by this gadget."
- McCoy, before beaming over to the Botany Bay
"Insufficient facts always invites danger, captain."
- Spock, on the mystery surrounding the Botany Bay crew
"Well either choke me or cut my throat! Make up your mind!"
- McCoy, as Khan chokes him with a scalpel in hand
"Where am I?"
"You're in ..." (Khan squeezes McCoy's neck) "You're in bed, holding a knife at your doctor's throat."
"Answer my question."
"It would be most effective if you would cut the carotid artery just under the left ear."
- Khan and McCoy, in sickbay
"Khan is my name."
"Khan, nothing more?"
"Khan."
- Khan and Kirk
"Superior ability breeds superior ambition."
- Spock
"Would you reveal to war-weary populations that some eighty Napoleons might still be alive?"
- Spock, on the potential threat of the passengers of the Botany Bay
"Such men dare take what they want."
- Khan, before kissing McGivers
"Tyranny, sir? Or an attempt to unify Humanity?"
"Unify, sir? Like a team of animals under one whip?"
- Khan and Spock, on the reign of the dictators during the Eugenics Wars
"You have a tendency to express ideas in military terms, Mister Khan. This is a social occasion."
"It has been said that social occasions are only warfare concealed."
- Kirk and Khan
"You fled. Why? Were you afraid?"
"I've never been afraid."
"But you left at the very time mankind needed courage."
"We offered the world order!"
- Kirk and Khan
"Go or stay, but do it because it is what you wish to do."
- Khan, to McGivers
"He was the best of the tyrants and the most dangerous."
- Kirk on Khan, during the Eugenics War
"There were no massacres under his rule..."
"And as little freedom!"
"No wars until he was attacked..."
"...Gentlemen!?"
- Scott, teasing Spock, with McCoy joining in
"We can be against him and admire him all at the same time."
"Illogical."
"Totally."
- Kirk and Spock, on Khan
"It appears we will do well in your century, captain."
- Khan
"The trip is over. The battle begins again. Only this time it's not a world we win. It's a universe."
- Khan, greeting his revived followers
"Your air should be getting quite thin by now. Do you surrender the bridge?"
"Negative."
"Academic, captain. Refuse and every person on the bridge will suffocate."
- Khan and Kirk
"Nothing ever changes, except man. Your technical accomplishments? Improve a mechanical device and you may double productivity but improve man and you gain a thousand fold. I am such a man."
- Khan, to his hostages
"My vessel was useless. I need you and yours to select a colony planet, one with a population willing to be led by us."
"To be conquered by you... a starship would make that most simple, wouldn't it?"
- Khan, on his intentions for the Enterprise and McCoy retorting
"Each of you in turn will go in there! Die while the others watch!"
- Khan, to his hostages
"It does not matter, the captain is dead. Take Mr. Spock next."
- Khan
"If I understood your manuals, that's an overload in progress. Your ship flares up like an exploding sun within MINUTES!"
- Khan, setting the Enterprise's engines to overload
"I have five times your strength. You're no match for me!"
- Khan, shortly before being incapacitated by Kirk
"Those men went on to tame a continent, Mister Khan. Can you tame a world?"
- Kirk, before exiling Khan to Ceti Alpha V
"I will take her. And I've gotten something else I wanted. A world to win, an empire to build."
- Khan's last words at the hearing
"It is better to rule in hell than serve in heaven."
- Kirk to Scott, quoting John Milton's Paradise Lost
"It would be interesting, captain, to return to that world in a hundred years and to learn what crop has sprung from the seed you planted today."
- Spock, unaware that he and Kirk will encounter Khan again
