THE ONE THING THAT WOULD HAVE GIVEN HIS DEATH MEANING
IS THE SAFETY OF THE
NOW YOU'VE MADE THAT IMPOSSIBLE, MR. SPOCK.
WE CAME HERE FOR A SPECIFIC PURPOSE, DOCTOR.
MAYBE NOT THE SAME ONE.
I REALLY CAME HERE TO FIND OUT WHY YOU STAYED AND FOUGHT.
THE CAPTAIN WOULD HAVE REMAINED TO RECOVER A MEMBER OF THE CREW
AT THE RISK OF HIS OWN LIFE OR EVEN THE SHIP.
YES, HE WOULD, MR. SPOCK,
BUT YOU DIDN'T HAVE THAT DECISION TO MAKE.
WHAT DID YOU HAVE TO GAIN BY FIGHTING THE THOLIANS?
YOU COULD HAVE ASSURED YOURSELF OF A CAPTAINCY
BY LEAVING THE AREA.
BUT YOU CHOSE TO STAY. WHY?
I NEED NOT EXPLAIN MY RATIONALE TO YOU
OR TO ANY OTHER MEMBER OF THIS CREW.
THERE IS A MARGIN OF VARIATION IN ANY EXPERIMENT.
WHILE THERE WAS A CHANCE,
I WAS BOUND LEGALLY AND MORALLY
TO ASCERTAIN THE CAPTAIN'S STATUS.
YOU MEAN TO BE SURE IF HE WAS DEAD.
WELL, YOU MADE CERTAIN OF THAT.
THAT IS ENOUGH, DOCTOR.
WE BOTH HAVE OTHER THINGS TO DO.
YES, I HAVE SOMETHING TO DO.
IF THIS CREW IS TO SURVIVE,
I HAVE TO FIND AN ANTIDOTE
TO THIS SPACE YOU'VE LOCKED US INTO.
YOU WILL RETURN TO YOUR DUTY
AS SOON AS WE'VE DISCHARGED OUR RESPONSIBILITIES HERE.
THERE'S NO HURRY, MR. SPOCK.
THE ANTIDOTE PROBABLY DOESN'T CONCERN YOU.
VULCANS ARE PROBABLY IMMUNE,
SO JUST TAKE YOUR TIME.
I MUST ADMIT I DON'T UNDERSTAND YOU, SPOCK,
BUT I JUST CAN'T BELIEVE
THAT YOU WOULD WANT JIM'S COMMAND.
BUT YOU MUST KNOW THAT IF YOU GET US OUT OF THIS SITUATION,
THEY'LL PIN A MEDAL ON YOUR CHEST
AND GIVE YOU COMMAND OF THE
DOCTOR, I
I WOULD LIKE TO REMEDY THAT SITUATION.
[BEEP]
IF YOU BELIEVE I HAVE ACTED IRREGULARLY,
THEN RELIEVE ME OF DUTY.
THAT IS YOUR PREROGATIVE AS MEDICAL OFFICER OF THIS SHIP.
BONES, SPOCK...
SINCE YOU ARE PLAYING THIS TAPE,
WE WILL ASSUME THAT I AM DEAD
AND THE TACTICAL SITUATION IS CRITICAL,
AND BOTH OF YOU ARE LOCKED IN MORTAL COMBAT.
IT MEANS, SPOCK, THAT YOU HAVE CONTROL OF THE SHIP
AND ARE PROBABLY MAKING
THE MOST DIFFICULT DECISIONS OF YOUR CAREER.
I CAN OFFER ONLY ONE SMALL PIECE OF ADVICE,
FOR WHATEVER IT'S WORTH.
USE EVERY SCRAP OF KNOWLEDGE AND LOGIC YOU HAVE
TO SAVE THE SHIP,
BUT TEMPER YOUR JUDGMENT WITH INTUITIVE INSIGHT.
I BELIEVE YOU HAVE THOSE QUALITIES,
BUT IF YOU CAN'T FIND THEM IN YOURSELF,
SEEK OUT McCOY.
ASK HIS ADVICE.
AND IF YOU FIND IT SOUND, TAKE IT.
BONES, YOU'VE HEARD WHAT I'VE JUST TOLD SPOCK.
HELP HIM IF YOU CAN,
BUT REMEMBER, HE
HIS DECISIONS MUST BE FOLLOWED WITHOUT QUESTION.
YOU MIGHT FIND THAT HE IS CAPABLE OF HUMAN INSIGHT
AND HUMAN ERROR.
THEY ARE MOST DIFFICULT TO DEFEND,
BUT YOU WILL FIND THAT HE IS DESERVING
OF THE SAME LOYALTY AND CONFIDENCE
EACH OF YOU HAVE GIVEN ME.
TAKE CARE.
SPOCK, I, UH...
I'M SORRY.
IT DOES HURT, DOESN'T IT?
WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE ME SAY, DOCTOR?
[INTERCOM WHISTLE]