The Trouble With Tribbles Part 10

JAYMIN.

Ten.

STOREKEEPER.

Ridiculous! Five.

JAYMIN.

Nine.

STOREKEEPER.

Not a cent more than six.

JAYMIN.

Eight and a half.

STOREKEEPER.

Too much. No deal.

JAYMIN.

Eight.

STOREKEEPER.

Six and a half.

JAYMIN.

Seven and a half.

(no response) Seven?

(still no response) All right, you Shylock. Six and a half.

STOREKEEPER.

It's a deal. How many have you got?

JAYMIN.

How many do you want?

STOREKEEPER.

(thinking) Maybe ten....fteen...

JAYMIN.

Take more. They go fast.

STOREKEEPER.

All right. I'll take twenty-on consignment.

JAYMIN.

You'll take twenty-.ve, cash in advance.

UHURA.

(to storekeeper) I'd like to buy one of these-I'll buy this one. How much are you selling it for?

STOREKEEPER.

Well, .gure a ten percent markup for a reasonable pro.t; I think ten credits would be fair.

JAYMIN.

(under his breath) Robber!

UHURA.

I would like to have one, but...

JAYMIN.

Well, then my pretty little lady, I'm going to give you this one as a gift.

And he does so, much to the chagrin of the storekeeper. She accepts it delightedly. For some reason, she asks Sulu to hold it for a moment, while she powders her nose, or etc. Sulu fails to notice that the fuzzy is munching on the rest of his grain.

8. ELSEWHERE IN THE TRADING POST-Kirk runs into Sulu and Uhura with her fuzzy. He asks her about it and she mentions the strangely colorful Cyrano Day Jaymin.

Kirk makes a mental note to check into this Cyrano character.

Sulu and Uhura are about to return to the s.h.i.+p. They ask Kirk if he is going to join them. He says he will be along shortly, but .rst he wants to check the guards at the warehouse.

9. ENTERPRISE RECREATION ROOM/ GALLEY VARIOUS MEMBERS OF THE CREW are in the room.

MR. SCOTT is at one of the tables reading. SMITH asks Mr. Scott what he is reading. Scotty shows the cover of it to him. It is a technical journal. Smith nods, "What else?"

UHURA and SULU enter. She is still carrying the fuzzy. Sulu goes up to Scotty to see what he is reading. Perhaps he grins and remarks that Scotty is the only one who reads technical manuals for pleasure.

Uhura gets herself a cup of coffee from the wall and sits down at a table. She puts the fuzzy down. Perhaps it had been perched on her shoulder.

As the fuzzy creeps along the tabletop, a small crowd gathers to see the curious creature.

Some of them remark that they had seen them at the trading post earlier. Others ask where Uhura got it. Everyone wants to hold it. Some try feeding it. Some ask if she saw the man who was selling them. A few discuss the strange Cyrano.

As they examine it, KIRK and SPOCK enter. They are looking for Mr. Scott to check with him about certain replacement parts that he ordered, and also several necessary but minor repairs. Kirk pauses to ask Scott what he is reading. Scott gives up and puts away his manual.

Meanwhile, Spock goes over to examine the fuzzy, because he has noticed the crowd. Kirk wanders over also.

Spock picks the creature up and examines it curiously, while Kirk tells Uhura about the s.h.i.+p's regulations. The beautiful lieutenant is already familiar with the regulations. No mascots without the captain's permission. All other animals must be kept in the biology section, etc.

Finally, Kirk agrees to let her keep the fuzzy, as long as it will not be a problem.8 He starts to leave. Then he notices that Spock is absentmindedly stroking the little beast. He stares at Spock for a moment.

Spock puts the fuzzy down, or hands it back.

As Kirk starts to leave the room, a wall panel bleeps. A Klingon s.h.i.+p has been sighted. It has stopped at the trading post and Klingon men are being beamed over. Kirk leaves the room at a run.

END ACT ONE.

ACT TWO.

FADE IN:.

10. INT. BRIDGE OF ENTERPRISE.

Kirk radios the Klingon s.h.i.+p. He asks the Klingon com-mander what he is doing at a Federation Protectorate. The Klingon replies that he is only there to give his men a chance for sh.o.r.e leave and to take on supplies and fresh water.

The Klingon adds that he knows that the two governments are technically at peace, but if any violence is provoked against him, he will answer it with violence.

Kirk replies that if there is violence, the Enterprise will not be the one that starts it.

The Klingon answers, "Good, then if neither of us is going to start anything, there should be no problem."

The Klingon signs off. Kirk gives orders for security men to patrol the trading post. Also, all sh.o.r.e leave parties must consist of at least three persons.

11. PROCESS SHOT-ENTERPRISE-CAPTAIN'S LOG, VOICE OVER.

KIRK.

Captain's log, Star date 4532.7: We are keeping the Klingons under surveillance, and all crew members have been warned to watch for any signs of sabotage to the grain. So far, all has been peaceful. End of entry.

(pause) Correction: One additional entry. Lt. Uhura has become a G.o.dmother and the population of the Enterprise has increased by ten.

12. INT. BIOLOGY SECTION OR RECREATION ROOM.

CLOSE SHOT of one big fuzzy and ten little ones in a box. They can be made to move by a hidden air hose.

CAMERA PULLS BACK to show a knot of people standing around oohing and ahhing. UHURA and McCOY are in the foreground.

MCCOY.

How long have you had that thing?

UHURA.

Only a day. If I had paid for it, I would have gotten quite a bargain.

MCCOY.

I don't understand it. That big one-is that the mother?

UHURA.

(nodding) It was smaller when I .rst got it, but everybody was feeding it. They're cute to watch.

MCCOY.

(grunts, reaching into the box) You mind if I take one of these to the lab? I'd like to .nd out what makes it tick.

(he avoids any mention of dissection) UHURA.

Sure, Bones. Go ahead. But if you're planning to dissect it, don't tell me.

Bones leaves with a baby fuzzy. Others crowd around and ask if they too might have a fuzzy. Perhaps it is mentioned in pa.s.sing that others aboard the s.h.i.+p have brought fuzzies back from the trading post.

13. TRADING POST-Kirk is checking to see that there has been no trouble from the Klingons. Lurry con.rms that the Klingons have been peaceful, but Baris has not. Lurry does mention that a man named Cyrano Day Jaymin has also created a minor sensation on the post with his fuzzies.

ON THE MAIN PROMENADE nearly every store has a sign that says they are selling fuzzies. Fuzzies are quite a bit in evidence.

The two of them visit Cyrano as he is making his rounds, distributing fuzzies to eager storekeepers. Kirk warns him about transporting harmful animals. Jaymin a.s.sures him that the fuzzies are harmless, and gives Kirk one as a token of his esteem.

As Jaymin leaves, Baris arrives. Baris eyes the fuzzy in Kirk's hands with reluctant distaste. Kirk ignores it. Actually, he doesn't quite know what to do with the little creature, so he just holds it.

Baris complains about the Klingons and demands that Kirk do something, like ordering them off the post. Kirk says that is beyond his authority. Kirk does agree to double the guard around the warehouse, but that is all. As he leaves, he hands the fuzzy to Baris's twitchy a.s.sistant.9 14. BACK ON THE ENTERPRISE.

Kirk visits McCoy in the sick bay to ask for something for a headache.

MCCOY.

Why? What's the matter?

KIRK.

I've been over to the post again.

MCCOY.

Let me guess. The Klingons? Baris? Cyrano Day Jaymin?

KIRK.