Dead Zone

Andrew Leister-Frazier Captain's log Stardate 6001.9 we are at the edge of Federation Space, I have ordered my crew to cross the Klingon border in order to investigate the sector known as the "Dead Zone" deep inside the Onarus nebulae. It is an area of Klingon space no ship dare cross into. It has been estimated nearly a hundred ships have fallen silent and never returned. What is this dead zone menace? How could it have taken so many ships? SPOCK: Captain I must protest. This is irrational, wreckless and foolish. Substantial Risk with likely no reward. KIRK: Spock do I need to remind you of our mission? Our mission is to investigate the unknown, to go where no man has gone before. SPOCK: You are ordering us to breach Clingon Space in order to investigate a phenomenon which will most likely lead to the ships incapacitation. You will certainly lose your captaincy for this if not worse. Captain you stand to ignite a war with the Clingons. KIRK: I am well aware of the risks Spock. Unless you care to speculate what will find in the Dead Zone? SPOCK: Its probably the result of subspace interference created by the Onarus nebulae, perhaps electromagnetic interference that can influence the brain resulting in a kind of space madness. I have already made up my mind Spock, we're going to investigate. [Bridge] Chekov: Scanners show the sector is clear of Klingon ships sir as best we can make of it. the Nebulae is obscuring our scanners. SULU: We're crossing the border of Klingon space. beat. KIRK: Proceed. Warp factor 7. SULU: Aye-eye captain. beat.

SULU: We're approaching the edge of the Dead Zone now captain. KIRK: Very good Mr. Sulu, reduce to impulse power... let's make this quick. beat. Chekov: Captain we're encountering a Klingon ship inside the nebulae, it's inactive sir. KIRK: The ship is fully intact, there's not a scratch on it. SULU: Should we continue on our course? KIRK: No. Hold for now, we'll investigate the Klingon vessel before advancing. Scotty, Bones, join me in the transporter room. We'll transport aboard the Klingon vessel to investigate. Spock come with me. (Kirk Spock, Mccoy stand in the transporters) (Scotty stands by the control panel) KIRK: Energize *** (Beamed aboard the Klingon Ship) [Klingon Ship] KIRK: Let's split up, call out if you find something. beat. MCCOY: Jim! Over here. (they walk into the engineering room) MCCOY: They all look like they were doing something when they died. KIRK: They all are gathered around this prism. SPOCK: (scans) Nothing extraordinary about it. I've scanned it appears to be a regular prism, perfectly normal. MCCOY: And here this one seemed to be drawing geometric patterns when he died. KIRK: What's the cause of death Bones? MCCOY: (scans) It seems to be dehydration and starvation, scanners show they were also sleep deprived. Whatever happened here they stopped eating or drinking or sleeping for several days. SPOCK: They've gutted their equipment, all over the ship things have been taken apart Captain.

SPOCK: Look here captain, this is what appears to be the ship's engineer. KIRK: What's the writing? SPOCK: Looks like Lorentzian materialization algorithms. It's as if he was obsessed with figuring out how the process of materialization works. KIRK: A prism, equipment torn out, materialization algorithms... What were these people trying to do? is there some pattern here? MCCOY: I haven't the slightest idea Jim. Whatever it is, it's somehow affected their behavior. Made them immune to hunger, tiredness or thirst. I would like to bring one of the bodies aboard for examination. KIRK: Very well (pulls out communicator) Beam us aboard, Scotty. [Transporter Room] KIRK: It seems to be some kind of insanity. Regardless, we know what to look out for, any behavior of drawing things or taking things apart should alert us that something is wrong. Bones, I'll be on the bridge. Let me know if something comes up with your investigation of the Klingon. [Bridge] KIRK: Alright Mr. Sulu, set a course for the center of the Dead Zone Impulse power. SULU: Aye aye Captain KIRK: Bones how's the investigation coming along? MCCOY: I haven't had much time, but preliminary scans found nothing Jim, no demebian slug-mites, no parasitic brain worms, no viral infections. This Klingon's brain is perfectly healthy. SULU: We appear to be approaching something Captain. (unusual pattern appears on screen) KIRK: What is that? It's strange I've never seen anything like it. Capture the image and send it to the lower decks for analysis. SPOCK: It appears to be some sort of pattern captain. KIRK: What is it made of? SPOCK: 22.1 percent boro-silicate 12.8 ammonia, 8.2 percent water, 4.1 percent lithium carbonate, 2.9 percent carbon, 2.7 percent silicon dioxide, 2.4 percent Uranium 1.9 percent sodium benzoate KIRK: Sulu, move the ship around, let's see if I can see it from a different angle.

SULU: Ay .. eye (Sulu becomes fascinated with his hands) KIRK: It's so strange, how did it get here? [Hallway crew quarters and mess hall] (looking at a printout of the pattern) CREWMEMBER A: Have you seen this pattern? It's fascinating, look at the alternating colors here, there's some significance about it I just can't put my finger on it. CREWMEMBER B: That is incredible! What is it? Hey we need to share this with Michael. [Medical Room] NURSE: Doctor have you seen this pattern we encountered? BONES: ...This is amazing! Why I've never seen anything like it before. It looks like a sort of living organism. What's it made out of? NURSE: Well its made of 22.1 percent boro-silicate 12.8 ammonia, 8.2 percent water, 4.1 percent lithium carbonate, 2.9 percent carbon, 1.7 percent sillicon dioxide, 1.4 percent Uranium 1.1 percent. It goes on. BONES: fascinating, it kind of reminds me of Ekarotes Lobidii, you know, those tiny three gender organisms. NURSE: Ive never seen Ekarotes under a microscope, is that what they look like? BONES: Well sort of, theyre wonderful little creatures, I have always been interested in their three gender mating process, Its really a fascinating thing. Did you know Ekarotes are the only known species to.. [Engine Room] ENGINEER: Scotty take a look at this it's SCOTTY: Aye, it looks to be a magnificent machine. How do you think such a thing was constructed? beat. SCOTTY: Whatever it is, its not of this dimension ENGINEER: You mean it operates like the warp drive? SCOTTY: The warp drive doesnt operate extradimensionally ENGINEER: Then how does it work? SCOTTY: You know I've always wondered what makes the Warp drive go, I am sure you can explain it without the need for extradimensional mumbo jumbo. ENGINEER: Its not mumbo jumbo. It's a mathematical necessity. You know I always thought antimatter/matter materialization is the driving force behind the drives capacity for temporal distortion. SCOTTY: No laddy, that's just the catalyst, the real magic happens in the warp drive bays. I'd like to see your algorithms, we'll compare the warp drives temporal distortion array with our calculations. See who's more accurate. ENGINEER: Alright you're on.

[Bridge] SPOCK: ...1.1 percent Aluminum Sulfate, 1.0 percent Titanium dioxide, .93 percent Zinc Carbonate, .91 percent Barium oxide. KIRK: Lets see if we can get Scotty to teleport some of this pattern substance aboard, Id love to study it. KIRK: You know, I've always wondered how the ships transporter works. Are we torn to pieces and then reassembled? I'll be in the transporter room. [Transporter room] KIRK: Let's see, the the transaxial dilithium rotor, is actuated in this area of space. Each entity is analyzed by the materialization patternizer. I wonder if I shift the crystal over what effect that'll have. {time passes and scribblings are found all over the walls machines are taken apart, wires and circuits everywhere.} KIRK: Now I need to connect this to the Dematerialization catalyzer.. What is that? I've taken everything apart and I haven't ecountered anything resembling this "Dematerialization catalyzer". (Comes back to bridge) KIRK: Spock, could you go over the transportation mechanism - something called a "dematerialization catalyzer"? SPOCK: .0033 percent antimony hydride, .0029 percent ammonium perclorate, .0028 percent hydrogen peroxide... KIRK: Spock That's an order! I must know. SPOCK! SPOCK: Captain, I am performing important research, I will not be able to assist you. .0027 Iodic acid, Phenylphosphine, .0024 percent selenium hexasulfide. KIRK: The transportation device is of great interest Spock! SPOCK: .0019 percent magnesium heptoxide. .0018 percent potassium iodide KIRK: Very well Mr. Spock if you wont help me Ill get Scotty to do so. Scotty, I need your assistance Scotty: Negative sir I am working on some fascinating research. You see the engineer Lyle and I got into a debate whether antimatter/matter materialization was the propelling driver in the warp drive's spacetemporal distortion array and what we uncovered was that both our calculations were equally valid interpretations... KIRK: Enough of that Scotty, I need your help

SCOTTY: I won't be able to assist you, captain. KIRK: That's an order Scotty, now come up to the bridge! SCOTTY: No can do captain, you'll just have to wait. CHEKOV: [* looks under his command post and follows a wire to see where it goes] KIRK: Yeoman, I need you to get Scotty for me. YEOMAN: Why do we follow orders? What is it about you that allows you to order us around? KIRK: I'm the captain. YEOMAN: So its because we all call you captain, but why do we call you captain? and what right does this word give you to order people around?
KIRK: What is it with everyone? Why are they acting so strange? SPOCK: .08 percent Antimony Trioxide, .08 percent phosphorus pentoxide, CHEKOV: (Becomes fascinated by a wire and follows it wherever it goes.)

UHURA: Doh reh me fas oh las see doh,

YEOMAN: Uhura what does this button do? UHURA: Beeyooo YEOMAN: (presses buttion; a noise sounding like Beeyooo comes out) Oh. I wonder what this one does.

SULU: I can do this (twists hand and clasps it) I can move my hands! I have complete control, pinky finger crunch! Middle finger. Index finger. Ring finger. Thumb. To think were nothing more than stardust, assembled together and be able to do this! (clasps hand again)
KIRK: Why aren't people following my orders? (looks around, Sulu is fascinated by his hands, Urhura is tapping on her desk and going "Ahhh" Checkov is following a wire to see where it goes, the yeoman pressing buttons.) Everyone is so curious but why? Why is everyone so curious? Could it be an illness? How did we all get infected? It started around the time we encountered this pattern. Perhaps the pattern somehow makes us curious! Then that is what caused the demise of the Klingon ship! but how do we stop it? What possible remedy could we create?

[Medical Room] KIRK: Bones I need your help. There's this illness we're all suffering from and I...

BONES: Not now Jim, I'm busy. I'm studying Ekarotes Lobidii, theyre a fascinating microbe which has three genders! Their mating rituals have always been something of a fascination of mine. Their three genders allows for greater genetic diversity. One of the reasons why this particular pathogen is so hard to cure, it adapts so readily you see. KIRK: Bones, there's something so fascinating! so incredible! so amazing! you just won't believe it! This pattern Bones we look at it and we all become curious! Since we've been infected and no one has slept, eaten or drank anything! Isn't that incredible? We're all dying and we don't even care! BONES: You know what else doesn't care? Ekarotes Lombidii, they don't care about shock or acid, they just go right on replicating. KIRK: You know what's funny Bones? BONES: Ekarotes Lombidii are funny creatures, did I mention they have three genders? They have funny little dendritic arms they use to attach to one another. They do this little dance. KIRK: Don't you find this fascinating? Isn't this more interesting than some pathogen with branchy arms? BONES: There's so much to talk about Ekarotes, did you know they have at least 42 steps in their mating process? KIRK: BONES! (slaps McCoy in the face) Enough with the Ekarotes! LOOK AT THIS PATTERN BONES. IT CAUSES US ALL TO BECOME CURIOUS, TOO CURIOUS we are all dying Bones and we need your help. Bones I need to know can you treat us? Can it be done? As a patient to a doctor, as a captain to an officer, as a friend to a friend. I am trying to reach you. BONES: An illness of curiosity? Well I suppose that is fascinating. Spreads by optical stimuli you say? Extraordinary! Let's see how would I cure such a thing... I suppose I could develop an anti curiosity serum. Its tricky... It would be interesting to see what I come up with. I'd start with Eldaphendrine used for obsessive disorders some Amoxetine to increase absorption, and some Cloril blood thinners to allow passage into the neural capillaries. Yes, fascinating. There's a small chance of brain hemorrhaging, I'll need to correct that somehow. a bit of Clotsopine should do the trick. MCCOY: Jim get me the drugs I just mentioned. Ive got an idea. (Kirk brings the drugs, McCoy makes the drug) [CAFETERIA]

CREWMAN A: (flipping a coin constantly) I flip a coin. What are the chances the result lines up with probability? That is heads 50% and tails 50%? Yet it does, flip a coin enough times the ratio approaches 50% heads or tails, why can't it approach another ratio? If I flip a coin and its heads every time that shouldn't surprise us any more than any other sequence of tosses their all equally improbable. CREWMAN B:..You know light works on probability, its an extrodinary thing that the path of light is summed over all possible paths. You see Imagine a clock...

CREWMAN C :..I tasted everything possible on this ship, a shoe has a tart kind of taste almost sour Phaser banks, has this pungent taste to it it's no good. the control panels have a real distinctive taste to them, a metallic sort of taste, if you've ever put piece of copper on you tongue you know what I'm talking about.
[Medical Room] MCCOY: Alright Jim now I want you to remember this. 1.2 parts Eldaphedrine, 1.7 parts Amoxetine and

.3 parts Cloril, 1.1 parts Clotsopine oh and depending on blood physiology you may need blood thinners for absorption.
KIRK: How long do you suppose the medicine will last? MCCOY: Well my guess is it will slowly fade away over the course of a few hours, after that it would be interesting to see what happens. KIRK: (injected by drug) beat. MCCOY: How do you feel? Do you feel different? KIRK: I feel... bored. MCCOY: Fascinating, seems to be a side effect you stop being stimulated by your surroundings, I have just the remedy. There are these incredible microorganisms called Ekarotes. They are really an extraordinary thing to watch under the microscope, I am still documenting all of the steps of their mating process. You wanna come watch?

KIRK: No thanks Bones Ill be on the bridge. (yawns) [Hallway] [kirk walks down the hall and sees Chekov pulling a wire] [Bridge] SPOCK: .0014 percent silver tetrafloride, .0012 percent cobalt blue, .0011 percent magnesium aluminum oxide.... KIRK: (Yawns loudly) SULU: If the cells in my hands are unaware they are part of me, and yet I can move them. Uhura: Aaaaaa, oooooooo, eeeeeee, KIRK: Scotty, what are you up to? SCOTTY: Not now captain were trying to breach the antimatter containment fields. It will take a couple hours.

KIRK: Scotty that will lead to the destruction of the entire ship. SCOTTY: Aye thats one enticing possibility sir. Captain's log supplemental The situation is dire. It's been two days since we encountered the pattern at the center of the Klingon Dead Zone. We've lost many of our systems to the curious prying hands of the crew, myself among them. The crew is unable to perform their duties, they won't eat, drink or sleep. Scotty is among the worst affected, he and his engineering team developed an intense curiosity about the ship's warp drive. If Scotty and his team breach the antimatter containment fields as they are hellbent on doing, the entire ship will implode.