"Captain's log, stardate 5943.7." "We have calculated that Beta Niobe will go nova in approximately three and a half hours." "Its only satellite, Sarpeidon, is a Class-M planet, which, at last report, was inhabited by a civilised humanoid species." "Now our instruments show that no intelligent life remains on the planet." "The power source we detected is in this building, captain." " Any sign of survivors?" " No signs of sapient life forms." "How can a whole planet full of people just disappear?" "If they knew that the sun was dying, it could be anything up to mass suicide." "Reports deny that they had any space-flight capability." "This appears to be an archive or library of some kind." "Then we're certainly in the right place to find out what happened, where the inhabitants are, and if there are any left now." " Well, that's fine." "Where do we start?" " May I help you?" "I am the librarian." "May I be of assistance?" " Perhaps you can, Mr?" " Mr. Atoz." "I confess that I'm a little surprised to see you." "I had thought that everyone had long since gone." "But the surprise is a pleasant one." "After all, a library serves no purpose unless someone is using it." "You say everyone is gone." "Where'd they go?" "It depended on the individual, of course." "If you wish to trace a specific person," "I'm sorry, but that information is confidential." "No, no particular person, just people in general." "Where did they go?" "You find it difficult to choose, is that it?" "Yes, a wide range of alternatives is a mixed blessing." "But perhaps I can help." "Would you step this way, please?" "May I help you?" "You may select from more than 20,000 verisim tapes, several hundred of which have only recently been added to the collection." "I'm sure you'll find something here that pleases you." "You, sir." "What is your particular field of interest?" " What about recent history?" " Really?" "Oh that's too bad." "We have so little on recent history." "There was no demand for it." "It doesn't have to be extensive." "Just the answers to a few questions." "Of course." "Reference service is available at the desk." "You're very late." "Where have you been?" "You're a very agile man, Mr. Atoz." "Just how many of you are there?" "Space, the final frontier." "These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise." "Its five-year mission:" "To explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilisations, to boldly go where no man has gone before." "We came as soon as we knew what was happening." "Forgive me, sir." "It is my fault." "I must have miscalculated." "Our readings indicated that there was no one here at all." "Of course I know." "Everyone on this planet was warned of the coming nova long ago." "They followed instructions and are now safe." "And you had better do the same." " Did you say they were safe?" " Absolutely." "Every single one." "Where did they go?" "Wherever they wanted to go, of course." "It is strictly up to the individual's choice." "I see." "And you personally sent all these people on the planet to safety?" "Yes, yes, yes." "They are all gone, except you three." "Of course, I had to delegate the simple tasks to my replicas." "You are the real one, Mr. Atoz?" "Of course." "I am the real Mr. Atoz." "As a matter of fact, he's quite real, Jim." "Let us take you with us to a place of safety." "No, thank you." "I plan to join my wife and family when the time comes." "Now, don't be concerned about me." "Think of yourselves." "I warn you most urgently." "Make your escape before it's too late." "The library is at your complete service." "I will gladly supply you with all reference material to help you." "History of the planet is available in every detail." "Just choose what interests you the most." "The millennium, the century, the date, the moment." "The library is your key." "It's in the wrong file." "Well, make your own selection, but remember you're very late." "Yes, we'll choose it as quick as we can." "How long till nova?" " Three hours, 13 minutes." " This gentleman is not..." "Hey, you, sir." "I think you'll find something interesting over here." "Now, if these won't do, I can bring you another file." "Have you made your selection, sir?" "Exactly what is it that I'm expected to select?" "I'm sure I was clear." "The period in which you're interested." "I see." "This is a fascinating machine." "What is it?" "This is the atavachron." "Interesting nomenclature." "Now, how does it work?" "May I?" "Oh, no, sir." "No." "I must ask you not to touch the controlling mechanism." "Return and make your selection." "When you have chosen," "I will prepare you through the atavachron." "Thank you, Mr. Atoz." "Spock." "Bones." "Wait." "I haven't prepared you." "You must be prepared." " What is this place?" " Yes, and where is the captain?" "Oh you dirty thing." "Let go of me." "Vile vixen." "Come when you are bidden, slave." "You need a lesson in how to use your betters." "Who's your master?" "I'm a free man, sir." "Then you want better manners, free man." "Defend yourself." "Heating this boulder may provide some temporary heat." "What's wrong?" "Something's preventing my phaser from operating." "Oh, thank you, man." "I thought I'd be limbered sure when that gull caught me cutting his purse." "What's that?" "Are you all right?" "I took you to be an Anglo, but you're none of us, are you?" " You're a bully fine cool for all of that." " Thank you." "What a handsome dish you served them, the coxco..." "You better come back with me to the library." "You'll be safe there." " Dr. McCoy can see to those bruises." " I'm game, love." "Lead and I'll follow." " Where's library?" " Right over th..." "Where's the captain, Spock?" "We were right behind him." "What's with you, man?" "Let's make off before coxcombs come with shoulder clappers." "No, no." "Come here." "Do you remember when you first saw me?" "Do you remember whether I came through some kind of door?" "Oh, I think the wrong gull must have kicked you in the head." "Come on, love." "I know a leech who'll ask no questions." "No, no." "It must be here someplace." " Jim." "Jim, can you hear us?" " Bones?" "Spock?" "Captain, we hear you, but we cannot see you." "Are you all right?" "We must have missed each other somehow." "Agreed." "Apparently, they have all escaped the destruction of their world by retreating into its past." " Mercy on us." "It's spirits." " No, no, no." "These are friends of mine." "They're..." " Spock, are you in the library?" " Indeed not." "We're in a wilderness of arctic characteristics." " He means it's cold." " Can you get back to the library?" "There is no library, captain." "At least not that we can see." "We are at the base of an ice cliff." "Explain." "Just before you disappeared, captain," "I discovered a machine which Mr. Atoz called the atavachron." "It must have been tied into the tape viewer somehow." "Opening time portals to the past." "You cross through into the period which you were viewing." "I was looking over some material about their ice age." "And I am here, evidently, because I stepped through at the same instant as Dr. McCoy." "Yes." "My friends are coming back with reinforcements." "There's the mort's accomplice." "Arrest him." "We are the law and do require that you yield to us." " On what charge?" " Thievery and purse cutting." " That is a mistake." "I'm no thief." " What's happening?" " Lord, help us." "What's that?" " It's spirits." "Away, away, spirit, and let honest men approach." " Keep talking." " Captain." "They speak at his bidding." " Stop his mouth, and they'll quiet." " You must be close to the portal." "Keep talking now." "Jim, what's the matter?" " Jim sounded like he was in trouble." " We may be in trouble ourselves." "We must find shelter." "In this severe cold, we cannot survive much longer." "Leave me here, Spock." " We go together or not at all." " Don't be a fool." "My hands and face are frostbitten." "I can't feel my feet." "Alone, you have a chance." "Now, do what I say." "Go try to find Jim." "We go together." "You stubborn, thickheaded Vulcan." "Suffering from the severity of your weather." "Unfortunately, he is the doctor, not I." "I'll avoid giving him any medication at this time." "Perhaps if he's kept quiet and warm, he may recover naturally." "It is agreeably warm here." "What are you called?" "I'm called Spock." "Even your name is strange." "Forgive me." "I've never seen anyone who looks like you." "Why are you here?" "Are you prisoners too?" "Prisoners?" "This is one of the places Zor Khan sends people when he wants them to disappear." "Didn't you come in through the time portal?" "Yes, we came through the time portal, but not as prisoners." "We were sent here by mistake." "The atavachron is far away, but I think you come from someplace farther than that." "That is true." "I am not from the world you know at all." "My home is a planet millions of light-years away." "How wonderful." "I've always loved books about such possibilities." "But they are only stories." "This isn't real." "I must be imagining all this." "I'm going mad." "Listen to me." "I am firmly convinced that I do exist." "I am substantial." "You are not imagining this." "I've been here for so long." "Alone." "When I saw you out there, I couldn't believe it." "Is he dying?" "Here." "There's the mort." "And there's the mort's henchman." "Open up." "Rouse him." "You are the thief who talks to spirits." "No." "I'm a stranger." "Where are you from?" " An island." " What is this island?" "It's called Earth." "I know no island Earth." "But no matter." "Continue." "I never saw that woman before tonight." "When she screamed, as far as I could tell, she was being attacked." "Then you deny being her accomplice?" "Yes, I deny it." "I was reading in the library when I heard her scream." "My lord, the library." "Do you remember where the library is, my lord?" "Perhaps your part in this is innocent." " I believe you to be an honest man." " He's a witch." "Take care, woman." "I'm convinced of your guilt." "Do not compound it with false accusation." "He speaks to unseen spirits." "He's a witch." " You heard the voices." " It's truth, my lord." "I heard the spirit talk to him." "He answered and did call it Bones." "You're a witch." "He cast a spell." "He made me steal against my wish." "Surely you don't believe..." " You heard these spirits?" " Aye, my lord." "I'll witness to it." "What he heard, my lord, were only my friends behind the wall, in the library." "In the library." " I know nothing of this." " The library." "Send for someone learned in witchcraft, and let him examine him." "I will have nothing to do with him." "My lord." "At least arrange for me to meet Mr. Atoz." " I know no Atoz." " Yes." " Yes, Atoz." " I know nothing of this." "Nothing of these matters." " I will not hear him." " Let me speak to you!" "I will not hear him!" "At least let me talk to you." "Witch." "Witch." "Witch." "They'll burn you." "McCoy." "McCoy, wake up." " Who are you?" " My name is Zarabeth." "Zarabeth." "Spock, are we in the library?" "No, we are still in the ice age, but safe for the moment." "Jim." " What about Jim?" " Doctor, you're in no condition to get up." "You lie down and rest." "I shall attempt to find the captain." "Well, you find him, Spock." "Don't you worry about me." "You just find him." "Spock." "Who is this Jim?" "He's our commanding officer." "And our friend." "I saw only the two of you." "I did not know there was another." "He did not come with us." "He was sent through the time portal to another period in history much later than this one." "If I am to find him, there's only one possible avenue." "Zarabeth, will you show me where the time portal is?" "But your friend." "He is ill." "That is true." "If I leave him, there's a chance he may never regain the ship." "He would then be marooned in this time period, but he is no longer in danger of death." "So my primary duty to him has been discharged." "And if I remain here, no one of our party would be able to aid Captain Kirk." " You make it sound like an equation." " Well, it should be an equation." "I should be able to resolve this problem logically." "Perhaps it has something to do with the atavachron." "If only I knew more about how it worked." "Zarabeth." "You said that you were brought here as a prisoner." " May I ask?" " Why?" "My crime was in choosing my kinsmen unwisely." "Two of them were involved in a conspiracy to kill Zor Khan." "I remember that name from the history tapes in the library." "Zor Kahn the tyrant." "It was not enough that he execute my kinsmen." "Zor Kahn determined to destroy our entire family." "He used the atavachron to send us places no one could ever find us." "Zarabeth, we must return to Mr. Atoz and the atavachron." "We will carry Dr. McCoy, and you must come with us." "I will send you and the doctor to the ship, and I shall search for Captain Kirk." "I can't go through the portal again." "If I do, I will die." "You cannot go back?" "None of us can go back." "When we come through the portal, we are changed by the atavachron." "That is its function." "Our basic cell structure is adjusted to the time we enter." "You can't go back." "If you go through the portal again, you will die by the time you reach the other side." "Spock." "Where are we?" "You are safe here, McCoy." "Yes, I remember you." "Come, doctor." "Back to bed." "Why are you still here, Spock?" "Why aren't you looking for Jim?" "It is impossible to look for him, doctor." "We cannot go back." "What do you mean, impossible?" "We've gotta get back." "Zarabeth explained it to me." "When we came through the time portal, it altered our physiological structure." "If we attempt to return to the library, we shall die." "Are you trying to tell me that we're trapped here?" "Yes, doctor." "We are trapped." "Just as Jim is trapped wherever he is." "Captain's log, stardate 5943.9." "The people of this time believe in witches, and witchcraft is what I've been accused of." "Five witnesses heard McCoy's voice speak to me and thought it was an evil spirit." "From what I know of witchcraft trials," "I don't have much chance unless I can get to the prosecutor." "No supper for you, love." "Come on." "Up you go." "Give me your cup." "Cry out, and I'll break it." "Don't move." "Jailor." "Jailor." "I'm being falsely accused." "You know that." "You will come with me before the inquisitional tribunal." "There the matter of your witchcraft will be decided." " There are no such things as witches." " Jailor." "That is sacrilege." "If they hear you, they will burn you for such beliefs." "You're the only one that can hear me, and that's the truth." "There are no witches." "Why do you deny it?" "Do not let them hear you." "There are witches." "There are." "You yourself may be discovered to be a witch by the inquisitor." "No." "What are you doing?" "No." "Help." "I'll denounce you to the inquisitor." "You came here from the future, just as I did." " Therefore, you too are a witch." " I beg you, do not implicate me." " They would burn me." " Then help me." "I will do everything I can to prove you innocent." "I will disprove all the charges of witchcraft." "But you must never again speak to the comrades you left behind." "Help me return to the library." "I've lost my way." "I must get back there." " You cannot get back." " I tell you I must." "I had two friends with me who are lost in another time period." "I must find them." "You'll come back with us." "We can never go back." "We must live out our lives here in the past." "The atavachron has prepared our cell structure and our brain patterns to make life natural here." "To return to the future would mean instant death." "Prepare?" "I was not prepared." "Your Mr. Atoz did not prepare me in any way." "Then you must get back at once." "If you were not transformed, you can only survive for a few hours here in the past." "Come." "Hurry." "Hurry." "Zarabeth, you are a beautiful cook." " Have you ever been told that?" " Not recently." "Oh, well, you'll find that Spock is quite delinquent in those matters." "I hadn't noticed it." "Well, now that I'm feeling better, you'll notice a distinct difference in our approach." "Really?" "It's something to look forward to." "I think you must be well enough, doctor, to try the few delicacies this climate has to offer." "No, not yet." "At your rate of progress, it will be soon, I can see." "Dr. McCoy is making excellent progress." "And Mr. Spock has been practising medicine without a licence, now." "Don't let him doctor you." "I'm the doctor around here." "And known as the worst patient in the entire crew of the Enterprise." "I wonder where she is." "Five thousand years in the future." "Thank you." "I wonder where Jim is." "Who knows?" "We can only hope that he is well, wherever he is." "What do you mean, we can only hope?" "Haven't you done anything about it?" "What was there to do?" "You could locate the portal." "It can't be too far." "We've been through all that, doctor." "What's the point of rehashing that subject?" "We can't get back." "Wasn't that clear to you?" "Yes, that was clear to me." "Then perhaps you are too ill to understand what "can't get back" means." "I don't believe it, Spock." "It's just not like you to give up trying." "Then I'll repeat it for you." "Get this through your head." "We can't get back." "That means we are trapped here, in this planet's past, just as we are." "And we'll stay here for the rest of our lives." "Now do you understand?" "Yes, I understand." "I never thought I'd hear it, but I understand." "You wanna stay here." "As a matter of fact, you are highly motivated to stay in this forsaken waste." "The prospect appeared quite attractive to you a moment ago." "Now, you listen to me, you pointed-eared Vulcan..." "I don't like that." "I don't think I ever did, and now I'm sure." "What's happening to you, Spock?" "Nothing that shouldn't have happened long ago." "Long ago." "Of course." "Long ago." "This is where it is." "I can't remember the exact spot." "That's it." "That is the portal." "I cannot wait any longer." "Spock?" "McCoy?" " Kirk to Enterprise." "Come in." " Scott here, captain." "How much time before the sun blows up?" "Seventeen minutes." "You three had better come back right away." "We can't, Scotty." "Spock and McCoy are missing." "I knew there was trouble." "I got a landing party standing by." "No." "Under no circumstances send anyone else down here without my orders." "Prepare to warp out and stand by." "Kirk out." "Mr. Atoz." "Where are you?" "May I help you?" "It's you." "You're lucky you found your way back here." "Now, let me process you through the atavachron." "No." "Mr. Atoz, my friends and I are from another planet." "We don't belong in your history." "We don't belong on your planet at all." "Just let me take care of you and get you back where you belong." "No." "I want to find the exact disc that they were viewing." " Please, go back." " I'm sorry, Mr. Atoz." " Mr. Atoz." " Please." "I must prepare to escape." "I'll let you out in a minute." "Still up to your little game of replicas?" "Which are you this time, real or not?" "You are evidently a suicidal maniac." "I don't understand what you're trying to do, but if you continue, both of us will die, and I, for one, do not wish death." "If you help me, we won't die, I promise you that." " I don't trust you." " Which on are you now?" "The replica or the real one?" "I am the real Atoz." "You've done away with my replicas." "I regret what I must now do." "You don't really wanna hurt me, do you?" "You've been trying to save my life, I realise that." "Put that thing away." "I cannot pretend to be sorry that you are here, though I realise it is a misfortune for you." "I'm here against my will too, just as you are." "I'm sorry." "I know of no way to return you to your own time." "It's not that I wish to return." "This is my time now." "I've had to face that, but it has been lonely here." "Do you know what it's like to be alone?" "Really alone?" "Yes." "I know what it is like." "I believe you do." "Have something to eat, please." "If it pleases you." "This is animal flesh?" "Well, there's not much else to eat around here, I'm afraid." "Naturally, because of the climate." "What is the source of heat in this shelter?" "There's an underground hot spring." "Excellent." "Then it will be possible to build a greenhouse of sorts." "Meanwhile, this will have to do as the only source of nourishment." "There aren't many luxuries around here." "Zor Kahn only left me what was necessary to survive." "But he evidently intended that you continue living." "Yes." "He gave me weapons, a shelter, food, everything I needed to live." "Except companionship." "He did not want it said that he had me killed." "But to send me here alone, if that is not death, what is?" "A very inventive mind, that man." "But insensitive, to send such a beautiful woman into exile." "The cold must have affected me more than I realised." "Please, pay no attention." "I'm not myself." "I'm behaving disgracefully." "I have eaten animal flesh and I've enjoyed it." "What is wrong with me?" "I tell you you're beautiful." "But you are beautiful." "Is it so wrong to tell you so?" "I have longed to hear you say it." "You are beautiful." "More beautiful than any dream of beauty I've ever known." "Just stay where you are, sir." "I'll see you get to safety." "You're gonna help me look for my friends." "You're a most determined man." " Kirk here." " What's happening?" " Why are you waiting?" " No time to explain." " Are you ready to warp out?" " Aye, captain." "Stand by to beam us up." "But when that star explodes, don't wait." "Get out fast." "Kirk out." "Now we're gonna start looking." "They were in a frozen waste." "I could hear the wind." "All right." "All right." "It must be the Sarpeidon ice age, 5,000 years ago." "Let me look." "We'll both look, Mr. Atoz." "Spock." "You've been dishonest with me, Spock, and that is also something new for you." " I've given you the facts, doctor." " The facts as you know them." "Or did you just accept Zarabeth's word because it's what you wanted to believe?" "You were told the truth." "If Zarabeth is the source, what difference does it make?" "Zarabeth is a woman condemned to a terrible life of loneliness." "She would do anything to anybody to change that." " Wouldn't you, Zarabeth?" " I told you what I know." "Did you?" "You said we can't get back." "The truth is you can't get back." "She would not jeopardise other lives." "She would do anything to prevent that life of loneliness." "She would lie." "She would cheat." "She would even murder me, the captain, the entire crew of the Enterprise, to keep you here with her." "Go ahead, Zarabeth." "Tell Spock the truth." "Go ahead." "Tell Spock you would kill." " What are you doing to her?" " Don't let him touch me." "Are you trying to kill me, Spock?" "Is that what you really want?" "Think." "What are you feeling?" "Rage?" "Jealousy?" "Have you ever had those feelings before?" "This is impossible." "Impossible." "I am a Vulcan." "The Vulcan you knew won't exist for another 5,000 years." "Think, man." "What's happening on your planet right now at this very moment?" "My ancestors are barbarians." "Warlike barbarians." "Who nearly killed themselves off with their own passions." "Spock." "You're reverting into your ancestors, 5,000 years before you were born." "I've lost myself." "I do not know who I am." "Can we go back?" "I don't know." "I only know that I can't go back." "I know I'm gonna try, Spock, because my life is back there." "And I want that life." " You think that's the right one?" " I don't know." "If we're to get the portal set for the proper time period, you must be specific." " I didn't see it." " Well, try calling out." "Bones." "Spock." "McCoy." " You've got the wrong one." " Please, there's no time left." " Let me go." " Try again." "There's no portal, here, doctor." " It's hopeless." " I suppose you're right." "You're too ill to remain out here any longer." "Give it up." "Bones." "Spock." "It's Jim." "Here we are, Jim." "We found them." " Can you still hear me?" " We hear you perfectly, captain." "Follow my voice." "Spock, McCoy, follow my voice." "Do you hear me?" "Keep following my voice." "Spock." "McCoy." "This must be it." "What are you waiting for?" "Hurry." "Come on, Spock." "You start ahead, doctor." "I do not wish to part from you." "I cannot come." "If I go back, I will die." "What are you waiting for?" "Hurry" "How much time do we have?" " Scotty, how much time is there?" " You've got to come aboard now." "Come on, Spock, now." "Something's wrong." " What's the matter?" "Why can't he get through?" " I don't know." "Unless it's because they originally went through the portal together." "Spock, McCoy, you can't get through unless you both come back at the same time." " Scotty." " Orders or no, I'm beaming you up fast." "No." "Wait." "Spock, McCoy, hurry through the portal." "Time is running out." "He had his escape planned." "I'm glad he made it." "Kirk to Enterprise." "There's no further need to observe me, doctor." "As you can see, I've returned to the present in every sense." "But it did happen, Spock." "Yes, it happened." "But that was 5,000 years ago." "And she is dead now." "Dead and buried." "Long ago." " Scotty, are you there?" " It's now or never, captain." "Beam us aboard." "And go to maximum warp as soon as we're there." "Kirk out."