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STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION
"Contagion"
#40272-137
Written by
Steve Gerber & Beth Woods
Directed by
Joseph L. Scanlan
THE WRITING CREDITS MAY NOT BE FINAL AND SHOULD NOT BE USED
FOR PUBLICITY OR ADVERTISING PURPOSES WITHOUT FIRST CHECKING
WITH THE TELEVISION LEGAL DEPARTMENT.
Copyright 1989 Paramount Pictures Corporation. All Rights
Reserved. This script is not for publication or
reproduction. No one is authorized to dispose of same. If
lost or destroyed, please notify the Script Department.
2ND REV. FINAL DRAFT
JANUARY 4, 1989
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - REV. 01/10/89 - CAST
STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION
"Contagion"
CAST
PICARD CAPTAIN DONALD VARLEY
RIKER ROMULAN SUB-COMMANDER TARIS
DATA
PULASKI Non-Speaking
TROI YAMATO CREWMEMBERS
GEORDI ROMULAN CREWMEMBERS
WORF
WESLEY Voice-Over
ICONIAN COMPUTER VOICE
O'BRIEN ROMULAN COMPUTER VOICE
WILLIAMS
DOCTOR
Non-Speaking
CREWMEMBERS
Voice-Over
COMPUTER VOICE
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - 01/04/89 - SETS
STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION
"Contagion"
SETS
INTERIORS EXTERIORS
USS ENTERPRISE USS ENTERPRISE
CAPTAIN'S READY ROOM
MAIN BRIDGE USS YAMATO
OBSERVATION LOUNGE
MAIN ENGINEERING PLANET ICONIA
CORRIDOR
TURBOLIFT ROMULAN BIRD OF PREY "HAAKONA"
ACCESS TUNNEL
TRANSPORTER ROOM
PLANET ICONIA
CONTROL CENTER
ROMULAN BIRD OF PREY "HAAKONA"
MAIN BRIDGE
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - REV. 01/06/89 - TEASER 1.
STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION
"Contagion"
TEASER
FADE IN:
1 EXT. SPACE - THE ENTERPRISE (OPTICAL)
slows to sub-warp speed, moving forward on impulse.
PICARD (V.O.)
Captain's log, stardate 42609.1.
In response to a desperate plea
for aid by my old friend, Captain
Donald Varley of the USS Yamato,
I am running a grave risk and
taking the Enterprise into the
Neutral Zone.
2 INT. CAPTAIN'S READY ROOM
PICARD at his desk, scanning a screen of data,
schematics of the Galaxy Class starships, as:
PICARD (V.O.)
(continuing)
This rendezvous is necessitated
by dangerous malfunctions which
are plaguing our sister ship.
Perhaps with both crews working
together we will be able to
eliminate the problem -- before
we are detected by the Romulans.
He taps a touchpad, turning off the screen.
3 INT. MAIN BRIDGE
The Ready Room doors open and Picard steps onto the
bridge.
PICARD
Mister Crusher -- how long to
rendezvous?
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - 01/04/89 - TEASER 2.
4 VARIOUS ANGLES AS NEEDED
WESLEY, WORF, and TROI are at their stations. RIKER
is at Science One with DATA. Picard crosses to his
seat.
WESLEY
Four minutes, thirty-three
seconds, sir.
PICARD
Status of download, Mister Data?
DATA
Entire Yamato log will be in our
computer by rendezvous.
RIKER
(to Data)
Have you nailed down our little
hiccup yet?
DATA
Sir?
RIKER
The odd reading.
DATA
No. It might be due to the
problems currently being
experienced by the Yamato.
PICARD
Trouble, Number One?
RIKER
I'm not sure, sir.
(to Worf)
We are alone out here?
WORF
Yes, sir. There are no other
vessels in the area except the
Yamato.
(checks his panel)
Which is coming into viewer range
now.
Riker takes his seat next to Picard. Data moves back
to his station.
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - REV. 01/10/89 - TEASER 3.
5 COMMAND AREA AND VIEWSCREEN - ANGLES AS NEEDED
(OPTICAL)
The screen displays a majestic view of the approaching
USS Yamato, a twin of the Enterprise. Picard and Riker
rise and move toward the viewscreen.
WORF
Transmission from the Yamato,
Captain -- on visual.
On screen is CAPTAIN DONALD VARLEY, about Picard's age,
but brawnier and white-haired. He is standing near
the executive officer's chair. To either side of him
are two crewmembers who are inspecting an open panel
which shows scorch marks and scattered isolinear chips.
A third crewmember crosses in the foreground.
PICARD
Donald, what's a nice Starfleet
Captain like you doing in a place
like this?
VARLEY
It's good to see you, Jean-Luc,
despite your antique humor. I
only hope your people can help
us. The malfunctions are becoming
serious. We lost an engineering
team when the computer shut down
the forcefield in an open shuttle
bay. Eighteen people.
Picard and Riker exchange a look of shock.
RIKER
And no idea what's causing these
problems?
VARLEY
None. They are affecting every
system simultaneously. It's like
the ship has suddenly decided to
fall apart.
(a forced little laugh)
It's beginning to make me think
we should have run these Galaxy
Class ships across a few more
drawing boards before we built
one.
PICARD
Are you suggesting it's a design
flaw?
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - REV. 01/10/89 - TEASER 3A.
5 CONTINUED:
Varley is a man under intense pressure who is burying
it deep. He's had to call on an old friend for help.
He feels helpless and frightened. He has also
committed a major offense by entering the Neutral Zone.
He's talking a little off the top of his head.
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - REV. 01/10/89 - TEASER 4.
5 CONTINUED: (2)
VARLEY
I don't know. I'm grasping at
straws here. All I know is that
we've got to get it fixed, and
before I lose more than an
engineering team.
RIKER
(urgently)
Do you wish to evacuate
non-essential personnel to the
Enterprise?
VARLEY
No... that would be premature.
PICARD
Donald, we'll get our teams to
work. I'm sure neither of us
feels too comfortable sitting
around the Neutral Zone.
VARLEY
I know what you're thinking, what
the hell am I doing here? Well,
I had heard rumors about a couple
of archaeological digs that
started making the Iconians sound
a lot less like legend. I did
a little investigating, and I
located their homeworld.
PICARD
In the Neutral Zone.
VARLEY
In the Neutral Zone.
PICARD
Don, this was quite a risk to
run just to satisfy an
archaeological curiosity.
VARLEY
No, the risk would be in allowing
the Romulans to locate Iconia.
The viewer image of Varley breaks up in STATIC, fading
for a beat, then returns.
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - REV. 01/10/89 - TEASER 5.
5 CONTINUED: (3)
VARLEY
(continuing)
Fortunately, I got there first.
It's a virtually dead planet, but
enough of the technology remains
to give the Romulans an edge if
they were ever to find it.
During Varley's speech, more break-up occurs.
PICARD
Don, your transmission is breaking
up.
(rising, then to Data)
Clean that up.
WORF
(tensely)
Sir, there is an energy build-up
in the Yamato's engineering
section.
Picard whirls back to face the screen.
PICARD
Yamato, this is the Enterprise,
come in Yamato.
More STATIC.
WORF
Magnetic seals in the antimatter
chamber decaying!
PICARD
Captain. Don!
The viewer image of Varley BURSTS INTO A BLINDING WHITE
FLASH. PULL BACK to show the Yamato exploding.
PICARD
(continuing)
Shields up!
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - 01/04/89 - TEASER 6.
6 INT. MAIN BRIDGE AND VIEWSCREEN - VARIOUS ANGLES
(OPTICAL)
The bridge crew reflexively shield their eyes. The
flash subsides, and the viewscreen defaults to a
forward view of space and a barrage of fiery objects,
hurtling toward the ship. KLAXONS SIGNAL RED ALERT as
the objects batter the Enterprise. The ship is
pounded (SFX) and shakes violently.
WORF
Sir!
Worf is staring at the viewscreen. Picard and Riker
follow his gaze and stared, stunned, as the Yamato's
saucer section, engulfed in flames and explosions,
sails past, narrowly missing the Enterprise.
DATA
(quietly)
Sensors indicate no life readings
from the Yamato's saucer section.
WORF
(looks up from his
instruments)
Captain! Another vessel coming
into sensor range.
(ominously)
It is Romulan.
FADE OUT.
END OF TEASER
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - REV. 01/09/89 - ACT ONE 7.
ACT ONE
FADE IN:
7 INT. MAIN BRIDGE (OPTICAL)
On the Main Viewer is the Romulan battle cruiser.
PICARD (V.O.)
Captain's log, supplemental. The
Yamato's entire crew and their
families, more than a thousand
people, have been lost.
Data is at Ops. Wesley is at the Conn station. Riker
is seated at his normal position. End on Picard as he
finishes the log.
PICARD (V.O.)
(continuing)
Circumstances, unfortunately,
permit us no pause for grief.
WORF
No response from the Romulan
vessel.
RIKER
Arm phasers and prepare to lock
on target.
PICARD
(to Data)
Did they attack the Yamato?
DATA
Unknown, sir.
WORF
All their weapons systems have
been fully activated. Still no
response.
PICARD
(upward glance; then,
sternly)
Romulan vessel, this is Captain
Picard of the USS Enterprise.
Explain your illegal presence in
the Neutral Zone --
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - 01/04/89 - ACT ONE 8.
8 VIEWSCREEN (OPTICAL)
He is interrupted by an UNFAMILIAR FEMALE VOICE.
Picard faces the image of the SUB-COMMANDER. She is
seated in what we assume to be her command position on
the Romulan bridge.
TARIS
Explain yours!
PICARD
Are you responsible for the
destruction of the Yamato?
TARIS
No. And believe me, Captain, had
we chosen to exercise our right
to defend the Neutral Zone, we
would not have stopped with one
starship. You will leave at
once.
Picard makes a slashing gesture to Worf who cuts the
com.
PICARD
(looking to his bridge
crew)
Comments?
TROI
She is extremely anxious --
WORF
Understandable if she just
destroyed a Federation starship.
RIKER
Your scan was inconclusive. We
can't be sure of what happened
to the Yamato.
TROI
Our presence in the Neutral Zone
is provocative. It could force
her to respond.
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - 01/04/89 - ACT ONE 9.
8 CONTINUED:
PICARD
(to Worf)
Open com. We will comply when
we have determined the cause of
the Yamato's destruction. And
when we are fully satisfied that
you were not responsible. Picard
out.
The Romulan response is to disappear.
WORF
They are engaging their cloaking
device.
RIKER
Good. They can't fire when
they're cloaked.
WORF
Unless they have overcome that
deficiency. The Yamato was
destroyed while they were cloaked.
PICARD
Forget the Romulans. I want to
know what happened to the Yamato.
Number One, assemble the staff
for a conference in one hour.
And I want answers.
RIKER
Aye, sir.
9 EXT. SPACE - THE ENTERPRISE (OPTICAL)
stationary, holding in space.
10 INT. OBSERVATION LOUNGE
Riker, Data, Worf, and GEORDI are present. Geordi
stands by a screen containing a schematic of the
Yamato and a blow-up of the affected engineering
section. There is a pulsing red dot in the engine
area.
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - REV. 01/06/89 - ACT ONE 10.
10 CONTINUED:
GEORDI
(pointing)
Sensor recordings reveal that what
we witnessed was an uncontrolled
and catastrophic matter/antimatter
mix. The magnetic seals between
the chambers collapsed --
PICARD
That's not possible.
GEORDI
Yes, sir, it is, but a highly
improbable series of events has
to take place before such an
occurrence can result.
PICARD
Explain.
GEORDI
In the event of a breach of seal
integrity there is an emergency
release system which dumps the
antimatter.
DATA
Apparently such a dump began, was
then halted, and the containment
seals were dropped. There was
still sufficient antimatter
present to lead to the result we
observed.
They all look back to the schematic where that deadly
red dot is still pulsing.
PICARD
Then there is no evidence that
a weapon was used?
Troi enters and moves to a chair. Seats herself.
TROI
I'm sorry I'm late. I was with
the children. They have been
deeply affected by the Yamato's
destruction.
There is a beat while they consider the cost in human
terms of this tragedy.
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - REV. 01/06/89 - ACT ONE 11.
10 CONTINUED: (2)
PICARD
Mister Data.
DATA
Evidence of a weapon? No, sir,
none.
GEORDI
However it happened, the Yamato
did it to herself.
PICARD
Theorize. What do you think
caused this catastrophic
malfunction?
GEORDI
(looking very grim)
I think Captain Varley may have
been correct. There could be
a design flaw.
RIKER
In a Galaxy Class starship?
Murmurs and physical reactions of consternation from
the officers. Picard is stone faced, unmoved.
GEORDI
Yes, sir. It's the most
complicated piece of machinery
ever built. Something could have
been overlooked.
PICARD
Knowing where the flaw is located,
do you think you can isolate and
solve the problem?
GEORDI
We're working on it now.
PICARD
Pull any and all personnel who
might be useful to your task.
They rise, ready to scatter to their assigned tasks.
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - REV. 01/06/89 - ACT ONE 12.
10 CONTINUED: (3)
TROI
(to Picard)
If we have established that the
Romulans were not responsible for
the destruction of the Yamato,
would it not be prudent for us
to withdraw?
PICARD
If this is a design flaw, we
better stay where we are and
give Geordi time to work. Or
what happened to the Yamato
could happen to us.
10A EXT. SPACE - THE ENTERPRISE (OPTICAL)
remaining stationary.
11 INT. CAPTAIN'S READY ROOM
Picard is standing near his desk, staring at his
unactivated console. This is a duty he'd like to skip.
He sits down.
PICARD
Computer, access Captain Donald
Varley's personal log. Search
parameter, locate entries
containing the words Romulan and
Iconia.
COMPUTER VOICE
Working.
12 COMPUTER VIEWSCREEN (OPTICAL)
Top of the screen shows a date and time code. Varley
is slowly turning an alien-looking device in his
hands. It is corroded and appears to be very old.
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - REV. 01/10/89 - ACT ONE 13.
12 CONTINUED:
VARLEY
Personal log. It was kind of
Doctor Ramsey to allow me to carry
away my own little piece of legend
from the archaeological dig on
Denius Three. My engineers have
examined it, but are completely baffled
by the technology. What was its
purpose? I'm like a caveman
confronted by a tricorder. I'm
certain this device is Iconian.
But how far had it travelled
before it was abandoned on an
alien world?
A new image appears. Varley: elated.
VARLEY
(continuing)
Personal log. A galactic Rosetta
stone. The starfield shown on
the artifact was unintelligible
until I took into account two
hundred millenia of stellar
drift. After that it was easy
to pinpoint Iconia.
Screen blips. New image. Varley: thoughtful.
VARLEY
(continuing)
My first officer is questioning
the wisdom of my order to
violate the Neutral Zone, but
I am convinced I have taken the
only proper course. Should this
advanced technology fall into
the hands of the Romulans, we
might as well dock our ships
and defend ourselves with sticks.
Screen blips. New image. Varley: grim faced.
VARLEY
(continuing)
Personal log. We've been spotted
by a Romulan cruiser, but after
playing hide and seek through
several solar systems, I think
I've managed to elude them.
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - 01/04/89 - ACT ONE 14.
12 CONTINUED: (2)
Screen blips. New image.
VARLEY
(continuing)
The Iconian probe scan -- was it
an attempt at communication? If
only I knew what we were dealing
with here.
Screen blips. New image. Varley: worried and angry.
VARLEY
(continuing)
Personal log. I am unable to send
an away team to the surface of
Iconia, nor can I scan the energy
source on the planet because of
these maddening system failures.
It is infuriating to be stopped
at the threshold of a dream by
one's own ship. We are leaving
orbit to rendezvous with Picard.
If his people can't help us repair
the Yamato, I must convince him
to continue this exploration.
The future well being of the
Federation may depend upon it.
The image blips out.
COMPUTER VOICE
No further entries conforming to
search parameters.
For a long, grim moment, Picard stares at the blank
screen. He then rises and starts to exit. But the
doors fail to open. He steps back, giving the doors
a quizzical look, then steps forward again. This time
the doors open normally. He exits.
13 INT. MAIN BRIDGE (OPTICAL)
Riker is in the Command Chair. Data is at Science One.
Picard crosses to the android.
PICARD
Mister Data, there is a reference
in Captain Varley's personal log
to a probe which scanned the
Yamato.
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - REV. 01/09/89 - ACT ONE 15.
13 CONTINUED:
DATA
Yes, sir. We have a visual
record.
PICARD
Put it on Main Viewer.
14 ANOTHER ANGLE (OPTICAL)
The image does not fill the entire screen. Next to
it are a series of read-outs and a reference to the
fact that this is from the Yamato log. Rising into
view from the surface of a planet comes the probe.
It is spherical, about the size of a beachball. It
has a hard, transparent shell and, within it, a deep,
translucent blue gel, flecked with bits of reflective
material. It stops at "eye-level" and emits a BURST
OF CRACKLING, SPIDERY ENERGY directly INTO CAMERA.
RIKER
What the devil is that?
PICARD
(to Data)
Have you ever seen anything like
that before?
DATA
No, sir, but it appears to be
a scanner. Possibly a
transmitter.
RIKER
Transmitting what?
DATA
Unknown, sir.
Picard crosses to his Command Chair.
PICARD
Engineering.
GEORDI'S COM VOICE
La Forge.
PICARD
Progress on your matter/antimatter
scan?
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - 01/04/89 - ACT ONE 16.
14 CONTINUED:
GEORDI'S COM VOICE
Everything continues to check
out. I'm starting an analysis
of the magnetic coils.
PICARD
Data, when the Yamato was probed,
where was she?
DATA
In orbit around a planet at
coordinates two two seven mark
three five nine.
PICARD
Estimated time of arrival at warp
factor eight?
DATA
Twelve hours, sixteen minutes.
WORF
Sir, that would put us
substantially closer to the
Romulan side of the Neutral Zone.
PICARD
It can't be helped. Ensign
Crusher, lay in a course. Warp
factor eight.
Riker is staring at him.
PICARD
(continuing)
We are going to assume the
Yamato's mission.
RIKER
And risk a war?
PICARD
If that's what it takes to get
some answers.
As we:
FADE OUT.
END OF ACT ONE
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - REV. 01/09/89 - ACT TWO 17.
ACT TWO
FADE IN:
15 INT. CAPTAIN'S READY ROOM (OPTICAL)
Picard is seated at his desk. There is a CHIME.
PICARD
Come.
Wesley enters a little hesitantly. Picard eyes him,
a little surprised by the intrusion.
WESLEY
Sir, may I talk to you for a
minute?
PICARD
Yes.
Wesley crosses to him. Picard studies the boy's
serious face.
WESLEY
It's about the Iconians, sir.
I'd always heard that they were
just a myth.
PICARD
China was thought to be only a
myth until Marco Polo travelled
there. No, the Iconians were
real. We know that three
systems in this sector have a
number of cultural similarities.
Similarities which can be
explained only if there had been
a single unifying force.
WESLEY
The Iconians colonized those
worlds?
PICARD
Probably conquered.
WESLEY
So they were warlike?
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - 01/04/89 - ACT TWO 18.
15 CONTINUED:
PICARD
Perhaps. Ancient texts refer
to them as the Demons of Air and
Darkness, but that could have
so many different interpretations.
WESLEY
Air and darkness?
PICARD
Legend has it that they travelled
without the benefit of spaceships.
Merely appearing from thin air
on distant planets.
WESLEY
That sounds like magic.
PICARD
Wouldn't we seem magical to a
stone-age people?
WESLEY
(responding to Picard's
enthusiasm and echoing
it)
How did you find out about all
this?
PICARD
Archaeology has been a hobby since
my Academy days. But why don't
we talk about what really brought
you here?
WESLEY
I can't stop thinking about the
Yamato. All those people -- dead.
I just don't know how you do it.
You, Commander Riker, Geordi, you
all handle it so easily.
PICARD
Easily. No, not easily.
Picard rises and crosses to the food unit. Keys for
a cup of tea.
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - REV. 01/10/89 - ACT TWO 19.
15 CONTINUED: (2)
PICARD
(continuing)
Darjeeling tea, hot.
We handle it because we are
trained to, as you will be. But
if the time ever comes when the
death of even a single individual
fails to move us --
Sitting smugly on the shelf of the food unit is a
single flower in a pot. Picard takes a step back, eyes
it, points.
PICARD
(continuing)
That should not have happened.
16 OMITTED
17 EXT. SPACE - THE ENTERPRISE (OPTICAL)
in route to Iconia.
PICARD (V.O.)
Captain's log, supplemental. As
happened with her sister, the
Enterprise is being plagued by
a series of system failures.
18 INT. MAIN ENGINEERING
(Log entry will conclude over the fade-in to
Engineering.)
PICARD (V.O.)
(continuing)
So far they are random, but
perhaps early symptoms of what
happened to the Yamato.
Geordi is hurrying from station to station. He holds a
PADD and is making notes. Five other crewmembers
hurry about. The com SOUNDS. With a mutter, he lunges
to answer.
GEORDI
La Forge!
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - 01/04/89 - ACT TWO 20.
18 CONTINUED:
PICARD'S COM VOICE
Lieutenant, are you making any
progress toward a solution to our
problems?
GEORDI
A solution, no sir, but I can
eliminate one worry. It is not
a design flaw. I've been
reviewing the Yamato's log, and
I think maybe that alien probe
had something to do with her
problems.
PICARD'S COM VOICE
How?
GEORDI
I'd need to see the thing.
PICARD'S COM VOICE
If it was the probe, that explains
the Yamato; but how do you account
for the difficulties the
Enterprise is experiencing?
GEORDI
I can't.
PICARD'S COM VOICE
Are our problems likely to attain
the seriousness experienced by
the Yamato?
GEORDI
If you want speculation, yes sir,
I think they are. I need time.
PICARD'S COM VOICE
Lieutenant, time is the one
thing which we do not have in
abundance.
19 EXT. SPACE - PLANET ICONIA (OPTICAL)
as the Enterprise ENTERS SHOT and assumes orbit.
Iconia is a brown and red world. There are few bodies
of water. It looks like a dead world.
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - REV. 01/06/89 - ACT TWO 21.
20 INT. MAIN BRIDGE - VARIOUS ANGLES (OPTICAL)
Picard, Riker, Data, Wesley and Worf are at their
stations.
DATA
Scanning.
Picard stands and moves between Wesley and Data.
Examines the viewscreen, looking for anything that will
tell him more about this place.
PICARD
(impatiently)
Mister Data.
DATA
No life-form readings.
WORF
All major cities have been
heavily damaged, and the pattern
of destruction is consistent
with large-scale orbital
bombardment.
PICARD
How long ago?
DATA
Approximately two hundred
thousand years.
WORF
There is an energy source in the
mountains of the smaller
continent.
PICARD
Magnify.
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - REV. 01/06/89 - ACT TWO 22.
20 CONTINUED:
RIKER
Is this Iconia?
PICARD
Donald Varley died believing that
it was.
Suddenly, we SEE a tiny bright FLASH OF LIGHT on the
planet's surface.
WORF
Captain! Projectile launched from
the planet's surface!
DATA
(checking readings)
Its size and composition match
the probe which scanned the
Yamato.
PICARD
Shields up. Ready the tractor
beam. Lieutenant La Forge, I'm
about to assist you in your
research. A probe has been
launched from Iconia. I intend
to capture it.
21 INT. MAIN ENGINEERING
Geordi is studying his notes. He has the expression
of a man who has made the final leap of logic and put
together the puzzle.
GEORDI
No, sir, wait!
There is a SQUEAL OF STATIC from the com, causing
everyone in Engineering to cover their ears. The
communications system goes dead.
GEORDI
(continuing)
Captain! Captain!
(no response)
Damn!
He races for the door.
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - 01/04/89 - ACT TWO 23.
22 INT. CORRIDOR
Geordi runs down the corridor heading for the
turbolift.
23 INT. TURBOLIFT
Geordi enters the turbolift.
GEORDI
Bridge!
The turbolift lurches into motion at an incredible
speed, SCREAMING along its shaft, decks FLASHING by
almost stroboscopically. The sudden acceleration pins
Geordi to the ceiling and knocks off his VISOR.
GEORDI
(continuing; shouts)
Emergency stop!
24 ANOTHER ANGLE
The turbolift comes to a sudden, complete halt. The
SCREAMING of the air in the shaft STOPS, and Geordi
falls to the floor. Barely a beat... then the lift
SCREAMS off in another direction, pinning him against a
wall.
GEORDI
Emergency stop! Stop dammit!
Another sudden halt -- and Geordi rolls toward the
doors. He rolls across his VISOR, but manages to get a
grip on the VISOR.
25 INT. MAIN BRIDGE - ANGLE ON THE PROBE (OPTICAL)
Picard and Riker stand in front of their command
positions watching the viewscreen as the probe
approaches. Worf leans in tensely over his console
ready to key the tractor beam.
WORF
Tractor beam ready, sir.
PICARD
Prepare to lower shields,
Mister Crusher.
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - 01/04/89 - ACT TWO 24.
25 CONTINUED:
Suddenly the turbolift doors WHOOSH open, and Geordi
tumbles out. He jams on his VISOR. Riker moves to
assist him. Geordi looks up and sees the probe now
dangerously near to the Enterprise.
RIKER
Geordi, are you --
Shrugging off the helping hands:
GEORDI
Destroy it, sir, quickly!
Picard is not a man to waste words when one of his top
officers is so obviously in distress.
PICARD
Worf, target phasers!
Worf quickly punches several touchpads on his console.
WORF
Phasers locked on target.
26 ANGLE -- PAST PICARD TO VIEWSCREEN (OPTICAL)
The probe almost on top of the Enterprise. It begins
to spit its energy.
PICARD
Fire!
PHASERS FIRE, striking the probe. It EXPLODES.
PICARD
(continuing; cool as
ice)
Mister La Forge, are you all right?
GEORDI
Yes, sir, and thank you for
trusting me. If that thing had
managed to scan us, we would have
had no hope of saving the
Enterprise.
Various reaction shots from the bridge crew as we:
FADE OUT.
END OF ACT TWO
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - REV. 01/06/89 - ACT THREE 25.
ACT THREE
FADE IN:
27 OMITTED
28 INT. OBSERVATION LOUNGE
Present are Picard, Riker, Geordi, and Data.
GEORDI
That probe was a transmitter
sending an alien computer program.
The same program that is currently
aboard the Enterprise and trying
to rewrite our software in its
own image. We have two
completely incompatible computer
systems trying to interact.
RIKER
So that's why the ship's
instruments have become so
erratic.
GEORDI
Yes.
PICARD
What can you do?
GEORDI
Not very much. The Iconian
program is so sophisticated I
don't think I'll ever understand
it.
DATA
Consider, Captain, this program
has entered an alien data base
-- ours -- and in less than seven
hours it has managed to not only
learn our system, but has also
begun to reprogram our computer.
PICARD
(to Geordi)
So the earlier probe was
responsible for the Yamato's
destruction.
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - REV. 01/06/89 - ACT THREE 26.
28 CONTINUED:
GEORDI
Only insofar as the probe
transmitted the program.
RIKER
But we weren't scanned by the
probe. So how did this thing
get aboard the Enterprise?
DATA
We downloaded the Yamato log, and
contained in the log was the
program.
PICARD
So why haven't we suffered their
fate?
GEORDI
The program affected all systems
on the Yamato simultaneously.
But with us, the program was
deposited in a specific section
of our mainframe. It's having
to work its way out from that
location. That gives us a little
breathing space.
RIKER
Not much. Reports of injuries
are mounting.
DATA
Doctor Pulaski is unwilling to
trust the turbolifts. She is
sending medical teams through the
access tunnels.
GEORDI
Sir, the Enterprise computer
system is a lot like our bodies
with a voluntary and involuntary
system. Probably ninety percent
of what happens on this ship is
done automatically, completely
beyond our control. We're sitting
on a bomb that could go any second
-- or never.
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - REV. 01/06/89 - ACT THREE 26A.
28 CONTINUED: (2)
RIKER
Can you stop this thing?
GEORDI
I'll give it my best shot.
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - REV. 01/12/89 - ACT THREE 27.
29 OMITTED
29A INT. SICKBAY
PULASKI chews out one of her medical staff. Sickbay
is a scene of orderly chaos. The single remaining
doctor is bouncing between three patients, the readouts
on the biobeds are going crazy.
PULASKI
The biobeds aren't working.
The ship's falling apart and
you're wasting my time about
biobeds? I've got thirty-five
emergency calls scattered across
twelve decks and my trauma teams
are being run ragged trying to
respond.
(almost to herself,
flinging up her hands)
Biobeds!
The doctor is trying to work with a patient with a
broken arm. Frustrated, he calls for Pulaski:
DOCTOR
Doctor Pulaski.
PULASKI
What?
DOCTOR
I've got a problem here.
Pulaski storms past the chastised nurse to where the
harried doctor is staring at the broken arm and a shell
that isn't doing its job.
DOCTOR
(continuing)
The knitter isn't working.
PULASKI
Use a splint.
A beat as the doctor stares uncomprehendingly at
Pulaski.
PULASKI
(continuing)
Splint. It's a very ancient
concept -- two flat pieces of wood
or plastic, a bandage. The broken
limb is kept immobile.
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - REV. 01/12/89 - ACT THREE 27A-28.
29A CONTINUED:
DOCTOR
That's crazy, that's not
practicing medicine.
PULASKI
Oh yes it is. A time-honored way
of practicing medicine -- by
using your head and your heart
and your hands. So jump to it.
The doctor jumps to it.
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - REV. 01/12/89 - ACT THREE 28AA.
30 INT. MAIN ENGINEERING (OPTICAL)
Geordi and Data (mood lighting if desired).
GEORDI
Dammit!
DATA
Try a bypass on the shield control
interface.
GEORDI
No go. Let me see if I can
directly access the master
program.
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - REV. 01/09/89 - ACT THREE 28A.
30 CONTINUED:
His fingers fly across the key pads. Suddenly the
console passes a powerful electric shock into Geordi,
freezing him to the console. Data pulls Geordi off
the console. Feels for a throat pulse. Geordi is
already recovering and fends him off.
GEORDI
(continuing)
What happened?
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - REV. 01/09/89 - ACT THREE 29.
30 CONTINUED: (2)
DATA
Any answer would be mere
speculation. This is just another
example of how our actions have
random results.
GEORDI
Thank you, Data, I noticed.
31 INT. CAPTAIN'S READY ROOM
Present are Picard, Riker (mood lighting if desired).
RIKER
Life support has failed on Decks
Seven and Thirteen.
Picard gives no reaction to this report.
RIKER
(continuing)
Suppose this thing manages to
rewrite our entire system? It's
so far beyond us that we don't
have a hope of understanding it,
much less controlling it. Our
ignorance could kill us.
PICARD
We may never reach that point.
A variation of what happened to
the Yamato may destroy us first.
RIKER
So we just sit here while the ship
disintegrates around us?
PICARD
The probe was launched from
Iconia, probably by an automated
system. There may be records
near the launch site which
could help us find a solution.
RIKER
I'll form an away team.
PICARD
I will lead it.
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - REV. 01/11/89 - ACT THREE 30.
31 CONTINUED:
RIKER
You will lead it?
PICARD
Yes.
RIKER
We've had this discussion a
hundred times before.
PICARD
Will, ever since I was a cadet
I've studied the Iconians. I have
to be the one to go.
Riker slowly nods.
PICARD
(continuing)
The Enterprise is yours.
RIKER
For as long as she lasts.
32 INT. TRANSPORTER ROOM (OPTICAL)
O'Brien behind the console. Tools lie scattered
around the transporter, isolinear chips, etc. Picard,
Data, and Worf on the platform (mood lighting if
desired).
O'BRIEN
I've got a fix on the energy
source, and for the moment this
baby...
(points to the
transporter console)
... is working, but that could
change in an instant.
PICARD
We're aware of the risks.
Energize.
They DEMATERIALIZE.
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - 01/09/89 - ACT THREE 31.
33 INT. MAIN BRIDGE (OPTICAL)
Riker in the Command Chair with Troi at his side.
Wesley is at his station. WILLIAMS is at Tactical,
supernumeraries at the other positions (mood lighting
if desired).
O'BRIEN'S COM VOICE
Transport complete.
RIKER
Stay sharp, Mister O'Brien, I want
to be able to pull them out at
a moment's notice.
WESLEY
Commander, Romulan vessel!
At Wesley's call Riker's focus is jerked to the
viewscreen where a Romulan vessel is appearing.
Following dialogue must proceed very quickly.
RIKER
Open hailing frequencies.
WILLIAMS
They're arming photon torpedoes!
RIKER
Shields up! Go to Red Alert!
WESLEY
Shields not responding.
WILLIAMS
They are preparing to fire photon
torpedoes!
RIKER
Ensign Crusher, we need those
shields!
WESLEY
I'm trying, sir!
WILLIAMS
Firing.
Everybody turns to face the viewscreen and tenses as
they prepare to die. Nothing happens.
RIKER
What happened?
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - 01/09/89 - ACT THREE 32.
33 CONTINUED:
WILLIAMS
(confused)
Instead of firing they suddenly
disarmed and cancelled.
RIKER
Fate protects fools, little
children and ships called
Enterprise.
(to Williams)
Lock phasers on the Romulan, but
hold your fire.
WESLEY
Sir, the shields are up.
RIKER
(almost to himself)
Impeccable timing.
WESLEY
Uh, shields are back down.
WILLIAMS
Phaser banks are down.
WESLEY
The shields are back up.
TROI
In another time and another place
this could be funny.
RIKER
Status of the torpedo banks?
WILLIAMS
They're down too.
RIKER
In case it should become necessary
to fight, do you suppose you could
find me some rocks to throw at
them?
Williams just shrugs and looks helpless. She returns
to tinkering with the console.
WILLIAMS
Sir, the Romulan torpedoes are
continuing to arm and disarm.
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - REV. 01/10/89 - ACT THREE 33.
33 CONTINUED: (2)
RIKER
Maybe their attempt to fire
was not intentional.
(to Williams)
Open hailing frequencies.
WILLIAMS
Open.
The viewscreen comes up revealing the Romulan
sub-commander.
RIKER
Romulan vessel, this is Commander
William Riker, first officer of
the USS Enterprise. Why did you
attempt to fire on us?
TARIS
This is Sub-Commander Taris of
the Haakona. Why have you
penetrated deeper into the
Neutral Zone?
RIKER
Why are you still here?
TARIS
I have claimed this planet for
the Romulan Empire.
RIKER
This is the Neutral Zone. Nobody
can claim anything.
TARIS
You will withdraw or I will be
forced to destroy your ship and
your away team.
She is interrupted mid-speech. There is break-up on
Taris's face. CUT TO a view of the Romulan ship as it
cloaks and uncloaks, cloaks and uncloaks. As it
cloaks, communication is lost. Then returns when the
ship reappears. Taris is looking rattled as she
appears and disappears.
RIKER
What the hell?
Taris is back on viewscreen. She is once again fully
in control.
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - 01/09/89 - ACT THREE 33A.
33 CONTINUED: (3)
TARIS
This is your final warning, I
will not --
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - REV. 01/09/89 - ACT THREE 34.
33 CONTINUED: (4)
RIKER
(interrupting)
Having a little trouble with your
systems, Commander? Maybe we
could consider postponing the war
until we solve our more immediate
problem?
TARIS
You're stalling for time.
WESLEY
Sir, another probe launched from
the planet, heading for the
Romulan.
RIKER
(to Williams)
Have we got our phasers back?
WILLIAMS
No, sir.
RIKER
Taris, if you've got phaser
capability, you better use it now!
TARIS
What?
RIKER
Destroy that probe!
Taris blips out, and we have a view of the cruiser with
the incoming probe. The probe reaches eye level and is
destroyed by phaser fire. Taris does not return.
RIKER
(continuing)
And not even a thank you.
TROI
Sub-Commander Taris is deeply
frustrated, probably because her
ship is as crippled as the
Enterprise.
WESLEY
Why would the Romulans be having
problems? They haven't been
probed.
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - 01/09/89 - ACT THREE 35.
33 CONTINUED: (5)
RIKER
They must have tapped into the
Yamato log. Taris got a whole
lot more than she bargained for.
WILLIAMS
Commander, sensors indicate the
Romulans are attempting to
transport a team.
(a beat)
They lost them, complete
molecular break-up.
TROI
So the captain is safe for the
moment.
RIKER
Safe from the Romulans.
(rises)
Maintain Red Alert, and try to
keep those shields up just in case
Taris feels she has to act on her
threat.
WESLEY
(slewing around in his
chair)
Sir, what about the away team?
With our shields up we can't beam
them back.
Riker looks to the viewscreen at the ominous image
of the Romulan cruiser. To the empty captain's chair.
We can see his dilemma as we:
FADE OUT.
END OF ACT THREE
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - REV. 01/09/89 - ACT FOUR 36.
ACT FOUR
FADE IN:
34 INT. ICONIAN CONTROL ROOM
The away team is exploring. They have beamed into a
dimly lit room. The walls are covered with controls
and conduits. Directly across from them is a wall
which contains three silver gateways. In the center of
the room is a pentagon-shaped "table" about waist high.
At the center of the table is a large, softly glowing,
translucent blue dome. It is flecked with the same
bits of reflective material as the probe. Around the
dome, extending to the edge of the table, are countless
colored keys. There are also flat screens set in each
of the five angles of the table. Each screen is a
different geometric shape -- a square, a triangle, an
octagon, a pentagon and a rectangle. There is alien
script beneath the screens and on certain parts of the
control walls. Data is scanning with his tricorder.
Worf has his phaser out. Picard just roams the room.
WORF
(touching his insignia)
Enterprise. Come in Enterprise.
Still no response, sir.
PICARD
Keep trying them. Communication
is going to be erratic.
WORF
I do not want to become a
permanent resident of this
planet.
PICARD
Nor do I, Mister Worf.
DATA
Scans indicate no other life-forms
on the planet.
PICARD
I would not expect any. Judging
from the severity of bombardment,
I doubt any Iconians survived.
Picard claps his hands and briskly rubs them together
as he approaches the console.
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - REV. 01/11/89 - ACT FOUR 37.
34 CONTINUED:
PICARD
(continuing)
Well, Mister Data, let us see if we
can make sense of this.
DATA
Aye, sir.
Picard studies the alien writing as Data joins him.
PICARD
This is very reminiscent of
Dinasian.
DATA
Yes, sir. There are also
similarities to Dewan and Iccobar.
PICARD
Is it possible that they are all
branches of a language family
beginning with Iconian?
DATA
Yes.
PICARD
Run a comparison between simple,
basic words in Dinasian, Dewan
and Iccobar. Let's see if we
can't reconstruct a common root
language.
Data goes into his analysis mode.
DATA
Accessing.
34A INT. MAIN BRIDGE
Troi and Riker are in the Command Chairs. Williams
stands tensely at Tactical. Wesley is at Ops. A
supernumerary mans Conn.
RIKER
You're jumpy.
TROI
The tension on the ship is very
high.
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - REV. 01/10/89 - ACT FOUR 38-40.
34A CONTINUED:
RIKER
What's your recommendation?
TROI
Give everyone something else to
think about, some place to focus
their attention.
RIKER
All right, let's consider
evacuation.
TROI
(surprised)
To the planet?
RIKER
It's risky with Taris sitting
out there -- it's probably
impossible to pull off, but it
will give everyone something
to do. You go and start
organizing it.
TROI
But you will need me if you
have to negotiate with Taris
again.
RIKER
I'll manage. Right now
they're more important.
Troi exits.
35 OMITTED
36 INT. ICONIAN CONTROL ROOM (OPTICAL)
Picard and Worf are studying the console. Data comes
out of his analysis mode.
DATA
Captain, your original hypothesis
was correct. Iconian is the
parent tongue for a language
family consisting of Dewan,
Iccobar and Dinasian. I have
constructed a basic working
understanding through a comparison
of common root words such as
mother, father, food, death,
child, home, tribe, pain, love,
mine, yours, ours --
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - REV. 01/11/89 - ACT FOUR 40A.
36 CONTINUED:
PICARD
Data, Data, Data -- the point.
DATA
You do understand that my
interpretation of the symbols will
not be exact?
PICARD
Yes, let's get on with it.
DATA
(pointing to a set of
symbols)
This would appear to be the manual
override.
He touches the keys, and a LOW HUMMING fills the room.
The light within the globe intensifies. Worf stiffens
with hand on phaser. Suddenly rays lance out from the
globe. Our people react. The rays strike the panels
on the back wall and intersect in the room to form the
gateway. It spins slowly. Each time it comes around,
a new image appears through the opening. It makes one
full revolution every couple of minutes. Appearing is
a courtyard of a house with an alien-colored sky, a
desert scene with a city in the distance, a street with
iron balconies and pastel stucco walls, a grassy field
(and eventually the Enterprise and the Romulan
bridges). Picard walks forward and stares in wonder.
DATA
That was not manual override.
PICARD
(to himself)
Demons of Air and Darkness,
indeed.
WORF
What is that?
PICARD
A gateway.
WORF
The scenes could be holographic
images.
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - REV. 01/11/89 - ACT FOUR 40BB.
36 CONTINUED: (2)
Data steps forward and thrusts his arm through the
gate. From his elbow down, the arm is gone. Picard
reacts quickly to this foolishness. Leaping forward,
he grabs Data by the shoulders and pulls him back just
as the scene changes.
PICARD
Data, that was very foolish.
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - REV. 01/11/89 - ACT FOUR 40B.
36 CONTINUED: (3)
DATA
But we have established it is
not a holograph. If I step
through and investigate, we would
determine whether it is truly a
gateway.
PICARD
No, Data. You might not be able
to get back, and I can't risk
losing you.
WORF
If it's not illusion, this gate
would seem to take you beyond the
confines of this planet.
PICARD
Is this how the Iconians
travelled? Stepping across light
years as easily as we would cross
a room? Those worlds might be
in distant sectors of our galaxy.
Picard takes a turn about the room, studying the
gateway.
PICARD
(continuing; almost to
himself)
This is what Varley feared. What
he lost his life for.
WORF
Sir?
PICARD
The Romulans could turn this
technology into a weapon.
WORF
Like the Iconians did.
DATA
No, I believe that to be
incorrect. Captain, there is
nothing in this room to indicate
it was used as a military command
center. It is much more akin to
a transporter room.
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - REV. 01/12/89 - ACT FOUR 40C.
36 CONTINUED: (4)
WORF
But the probe was hostile.
PICARD
We can't make that assumption.
The probe's effect on the Yamato
was devastating, but I suspect
that was by accident rather than
design.
WORF
We do know that the Iconians were
conquerors.
PICARD
Do we? The little we know was
passed down by the descendants
of the people who attacked this
world. I'm beginning to think
the Iconians may have been the
victims of some very bad press.
DATA
Sir?
PICARD
There's an unfortunate tendency
in most cultures to fear what they
don't understand. It is possible
that their enemies, when confronted
with this technology, were driven
to attack the Iconians out of
fear.
Worf turns back to the gate to contemplate Picard's
words. Picard and Data return to the console.
Occasionally Data runs scans with his tricorder.
Suddenly the bridge of the Enterprise appears.
WORF
Sir!
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - REV. 01/11/89 - ACT FOUR 41.
36 CONTINUED: (5)
The other two whirl at the note of urgency in his voice
and have a brief glimpse of the Enterprise before it is
replaced by an alien landscape. The Romulan bridge
appears, vanishes; and we again have an alien
landscape.
WORF
Was that really the Enterprise?
PICARD
I believe that it was. Gentlemen,
we have a way home.
(a beat)
I think the Iconians might have
outfoxed their enemies. Perhaps
they didn't all die in the
bombardment; some may have passed
through this.
Data runs more scans with his tricorder.
DATA
Sir, there is a vast underground
power source which is controlled
by this console.
He points to a bank of lights which had not been lit
previously, but are now glowing brightly.
DATA
(continuing)
My triggering of the gateway has
caused a dramatic upsurge in power
levels.
(runs more scans)
Ah, I have access.
Symbols appear on one side of the screens. Data
studies them. He begins to input using the keys on
the console.
WORF
Sir, the Enterprise again.
PICARD
Time the rotation.
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - REV. 01/09/89 - ACT FOUR 42.
36 CONTINUED: (6)
Suddenly the globe emits a HIGH-PITCHED TONE followed
by a beam of sickly green light. There is a SOUND OF
CRACKLING as the ray envelops Data. It travels the
length of his body, rendering him immobile. The energy
flow stops, and Data -- stiff as a board -- starts to
topple. He is caught by Worf who eases him to the
floor. Data lies unmoving, eyes open but devoid of
expression, staring at the ceiling.
FADE OUT.
END OF ACT FOUR
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - REV. 01/10/89 - ACT FIVE 43.
ACT FIVE
FADE IN:
37 INT. ICONIAN CONTROL ROOM (OPTICAL)
Picard, seated on the floor, cradles Data.
PICARD
Data, respond.
Data shudders, a shiver running from his head to his
feet. Blinks.
DATA
Captain.
WORF
Are you all right?
DATA
No, I am damaged.
Worf and Picard have gotten Data to his feet, but he
is swaying drunkenly and can barely stand.
PICARD
How bad is it?
DATA
The Iconian program is attempting
a rewrite of my basic software.
Physical manifestations --
Data abruptly cuts off and seems to go into analysis
mode.
WORF
Sir, without him we have no hope
of deciphering the program.
We see Picard's terrible agony as he realizes that the
Enterprise may be doomed.
PICARD
How long until the Enterprise
reappears?
WORF
Six minutes if the cycle holds.
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - REV. 01/09/89 - ACT FIVE 44.
37 CONTINUED:
PICARD
Stand ready, Mister Worf, and go
through with Data. Geordi can
learn from him. Maybe help him.
WORF
Sir, we have not yet established
that that...
(a gesture to the gate)
... is truly a gateway.
PICARD
This will be the test.
WORF
Aye, sir.
PICARD
(holding out a hand)
Data, give me your tricorder.
With a hand that shakes like a palsy victim, Data
removes the tricorder. He then hesitates, moving his
head like a questing stork.
DATA
Sir, what is your present
location?
PICARD
I'm right in front of you... Data,
what is it?
DATA
Please, take the tricorder. I
am unable to sufficiently pinpoint
your location to be able to hand
it to you.
PICARD
You're blind.
DATA
Yes, sir.
Picard takes the tricorder from Data's hand. He has
to peel back the android's fingers because Data has
such a grip on the device. Data's equilibrium is shot,
and he walks in a tight circle around himself. He then
collapses again.
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - REV. 01/11/89 - ACT FIVE 45.
37 CONTINUED: (2)
PICARD
(handing the tricorder
to Worf)
Destroy this.
WORF
But, sir, it contains the record
of all that we have discovered
here.
PICARD
And that is precisely why it must
be destroyed. Time?
WORF
Three minutes.
PICARD
(to himself)
I am running out of time. We
all are.
Picard kneels beside Data and pulls him up until the
android is supported against his shoulder. Worf lays
the tricorder on the floor of the chamber and fires his
phaser at it. The tricorder VANISHES.
PICARD
(continuing)
This room and the technology
contained in it must be destroyed.
It cannot be allowed to fall into
Romulan hands.
DATA
I understand...
PICARD
How! How do I do it? How can
I destroy everything? Control
room, the probes? All of it.
DATA
The... power... source.
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - REV. 01/11/89 - ACT FIVE 46.
37 CONTINUED: (3)
PICARD
I detonate it?
DATA
Yes.
PICARD
(giving Data a shake)
How? What do I do?
DATA
The... probes.
PICARD
Probes... the probes. Launch?
Do I launch the probes?
Data nods.
PICARD
(continuing; to Worf)
What's that going to do? Nothing.
DATA
Doors.
PICARD
Doors?
WORF
Perhaps the probes are in a
launch bay.
Data nods energetically.
PICARD
The doors will open automatically
when the launch begins. I'd have
to override.
DATA
Yes.
PICARD
The power source! The backwash
from the rockets will spill into
the main power grids and cause
an overload.
DATA
Cor... rect.
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - REV. 01/09/89 - ACT FIVE 46A.
37 CONTINUED: (4)
PICARD
Which control keys? Damn, I
forgot you can't see.
DATA
Help.
Picard rightly assumes that Data wants to be helped
to the console. With Worf's help they get the Android
to his feet and over to the console. This dialogue
has to fly.
DATA
(continuing)
Describe.
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - REV. 01/11/89 - ACT FIVE 47.
37 CONTINUED: (5)
PICARD
We're directly opposite the
gateway. There is a rectangular
screen.
DATA
(shakes his head)
Left... one meter.
PICARD
Triangular screen. The lights
directly above are solid amber.
To the left red --
DATA
Cor... rect. Key... blue,
amber... amber... red.
PICARD
That's the launch sequence?
Data nods.
PICARD
(continuing)
How do I override the doors?
DATA
Blue, blue, blue.
PICARD
I hope you're not stuttering.
(to Worf)
I don't know how long a delay
there will be between the launch
and the detonation. I'll hold
off keying the launch sequence
until you're through the gate.
How long until the Enterprise
returns?
WORF
Almost time, sir. Captain, you
will be killed.
PICARD
I'll go through the gate.
WORF
But where will you end up?
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - REV. 01/09/89 - ACT FIVE 47A.
37 CONTINUED: (6)
PICARD
Any place is going to be better
than this room. Worf, I'm
depending on you. Get Data back
to the Enterprise. He may be
their last hope.
Worf helps Data. At the time expected, the bridge of
the Enterprise appears and the Klingon steps through.
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - REV. 01/09/89 - ACT FIVE 48.
38 INT. MAIN BRIDGE (OPTICAL)
Access panels are open. The bridge is a complete
mess. Still mood lighting. People work at the various
stations. Riker is overseeing this last-ditch effort.
Worf and Data APPEAR.
RIKER
Worf! What happened? Where's
the captain?
Data makes small mewling little sounds, then falls
silent.
WORF
We must take Data to Engineering.
Worf shifts Data into a fireman's carry, and he and
Riker start moving.
39 INT. MAIN ENGINEERING
CLOSE UP on Geordi's hands as he runs scans on Data.
PULL BACK to reveal Riker watching tensely. The
scanner is emitting a steady beeping sound.
GEORDI
I don't know how to help him.
But comparing recorded norms for
Data to the current readings, it's
clear that all his functions are
going crazy. If we had an expert
-- Maddox, or somebody --
The steady blip of the scanner suddenly becomes a flat,
steady tone; and the line goes flat.
GEORDI
(continuing)
He's gone.
40 INT. ICONIAN CONTROL ROOM
Picard keys in the launch sequence. A LOW HEAVY
RUMBLING fills the room. A MECHANICAL, ALIEN-SOUNDING
VOICE begins what is obviously a countdown.
COMPUTER VOICE
Kandar se. Kandar ere.
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - REV. 01/11/89 - ACT FIVE 49.
41 INT. MAIN ENGINEERING
Only a few seconds have passed. Geordi reaches out
and closes Data's eyes. Then abruptly the android's
eyes reopen. Data sits up.
GEORDI
Data!
RIKER
What the hell?
DATA
Ah, I have access.
Suddenly things begin to fall into place for Geordi.
GEORDI
The self-correcting mechanism --
DATA
(looking for Picard)
Captain? Captain?
GEORDI
It's constantly kicking in to make
minute adjustments in the
positronic brain.
DATA
This is the Enterprise. How did
I get here?
RIKER
He cleared the Iconian program
from his own system. How?
DATA
Iconia? I was on Iconia. Now
I am on the Enterprise.
RIKER
Geordi, this is critical. How?
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - REV. 01/12/89 - ACT FIVE 49A.
41 CONTINUED:
GEORDI
Let me think for a second. There
was an incompatible program
running through Data's system, so
the mechanism started searching
for a way to keep him alive. The
solution must have been a shutdown
and a total wipe of all affected
memory.
DATA
Query. What have I forgotten?
RIKER
One question. Can we do the same
thing with the Enterprise?
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - REV. 01/09/89 - ACT FIVE 50.
41 CONTINUED: (2)
GEORDI
I don't see why not... but it will
have to be a complete shutdown.
We turn her off, effect a wipe
of the Yamato log and every
subsequent event since we
downloaded it. I'll then reload
all the ship's programs from the
protected archives in the main
core.
RIKER
Geordi, a shutdown means that the
shields are going to be coming
down too, and we're hanging nose
to nose with a Romulan battle
cruiser.
GEORDI
Hey, Commander, whether it's
Romulan phasers or our own
warp engines we're just as dead.
RIKER
Make it so.
Geordi whirls to obey. Data is very confused, but he's
still game and ready to be of help.
DATA
Can I help?
42 INT. ICONIAN CONTROL ROOM
Picard is keying the override sequence. The RUMBLING
becomes a ROAR. Suddenly the room is shaking. Steam
erupts from the console. The countdown continues over
this scene.
COMPUTER VOICE
Kandar more, kandar sete, kandar
ne.
43 EXT. SPACE - THE ENTERPRISE (OPTICAL)
A shot of the ship completely dark. Suddenly the
lights come up on the vessel.
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - REV. 01/11/89 - ACT FIVE 51.
44 INT. TRANSPORTER ROOM
Riker walks in like a man with a purpose and hangs over
the terminal.
O'BRIEN
All systems functioning.
RIKER
Lock on the captain and bring him
back.
O'BRIEN
Scanning, sir. Got him.
45 INT. ICONIAN CONTROL ROOM (OPTICAL)
Sparks are flying off the console. The room is
shaking. Steam coming out of the walls. The gate is
showing the bridge of the Enterprise. Picard runs for
it, but at the last minute it switches to the bridge of
the Romulan cruiser. Picard hesitates for an instant,
then plunges through just as the globe shatters. Over
all of this the countdown continues:
COMPUTER VOICE
Kandar qetar, Kandar jet, kandar
piqe, kandar...
46 INT. ROMULAN MAIN BRIDGE (OPTICAL)
Taris stands in astonishment as Picard APPEARS. Her
bridge is a disaster. Sparks off some of the consoles,
etc. Two Romulan crewmembers with phasers move in on
Picard. Over all there is a HOWLING KLAXON and lights
flashing. A MONOTONOUS VOICE announces:
COMPUTER VOICE
Setha-tri par trukatha.
47 INT. ENTERPRISE TRANSPORTER ROOM
O'BRIEN
I've lost him!
RIKER
Damn it!
O'BRIEN
Got him! Sir! He's on the
Romulan ship.
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - REV. 01/11/89 - ACT FIVE 52.
47 CONTINUED:
RIKER
How the hell... never mind.
Energize!
O'Brien's hands as he engages the transporter.
48 INT. ROMULAN MAIN BRIDGE (OPTICAL)
TARIS
(bitterly)
You did this.
COMPUTER VOICE
Setha-ki par trukatha.
PICARD
Did what?
TARIS
Activated the auto-destruct. I
at least have the satisfaction
that you will die with us.
COMPUTER VOICE
Setha-mille par trukatha.
PICARD
(feeling the effects
of the transporter
kicking in)
Not I think, today, Commander.
He DEMATERIALIZES.
49 INT. ENTERPRISE TRANSPORTER ROOM (OPTICAL)
Picard BEAMS IN and plunges off the platform. Reaches
over the console and hits the com:
PICARD
Bridge.
DATA'S COM VOICE
Yes, sir.
PICARD
Get us out of here. The Romulan
ship is set for auto-destruct and
they can't deactivate it.
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - REV. 01/11/89 - ACT FIVE 52A.
49 CONTINUED:
RIKER
Wait, sir.
(to O'Brien)
Open a hailing frequency.
Picard steps back and regards his First Officer in
puzzlement.
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - REV. 01/11/89 - ACT FIVE 53.
49 CONTINUED: (2)
O'BRIEN
Open, sir.
RIKER
Commander Taris, prepare to
receive a transmission from our
chief engineer. He'll instruct
you on how to purge your system.
A beat.
DATA'S COM VOICE
Commander, your transmission has
been received and acknowledged.
RIKER
Now, Mister Data, warp speed please
-- just in case Taris's engineer
is not as efficient as Lieutenant
La Forge.
DATA'S COM VOICE
Yes, sir.
(a beat)
Captain, sensors picking up a
large explosion on the surface
of Iconia. It is equivalent to
a force twelve hydrogen explosion.
Blast radius is nine hundred
kilometers.
Picard and Riker begin walking toward the doors. Data
continues to burble on over their dialogue:
DATA'S COM VOICE
(continuing)
The dust particles entering the
stratosphere will take an
estimated seven months to fall
back to the surface. The
diminution in sunlight will have
the effect of lowering average
daily surface temperatures on
Iconia by fifteen degrees
Celsius.
PICARD
I see Data's back to normal.
RIKER
With a little touch of amnesia.
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - REV. 01/11/89 - ACT FIVE 53A.
49 CONTINUED: (3)
Picard pauses and surveys the lights, glances about the
Transporter Room.
PICARD
It seems that everything is back
to normal. Well done, Commander.
RIKER
(with a grin)
Thank you, sir.
STAR TREK: "Contagion" - 01/04/89 - ACT FIVE 54.
49 CONTINUED: (4)
The two officers exit as we:
FADE OUT.
END OF ACT FIVE
THE END
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