Original subtitles

- Captain? - What is it?

A blip just came on the screen.

- How do you read it? - Aircraft of some sort.

By the size of it and the speed, it's not one of ours, sir.

- Like nothing l've seen. - What was the approach?

None. lt was just there like it fell out of the sky.

- Current position? - Over the Omaha installation.

Watch the scope. Air Defence will send someone up to get a closer look.

We have a real UFO on our hands.

Space, the final frontier.

These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise.

lts 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.

Captain's log, stardate 31 1 3.2.

We were en route to Starbase 9 for resupply

when a black star's gravitational pull began to drag us toward it.

lt required all warp power in reverse to pull us away from the star.

But, like snapping a rubber band,

the breakaway sent us plunging through space, out of control, to stop here,

wherever we are.

Mr Spock?

Except for secondary systems, everything is out.

- lmpulse power only. - Auxiliaries?

lf Mr Scott is still with us, auxiliaries should be on momentarily.

Are you all right, Lieutenant?

Mr Scott is still with us.

This is the captain. Damage control parties on all decks, check in.

All departments tie in with the record computer.

Report casualties and operational readiness to the first officer.

Kirk out.

Lieutenant Uhura, contact Starfleet Control.

l want them alerted to the position of that black star in the area of Starbase 9.

Captain?

Casualty reports indicate only minor injuries.

Warp engines non-operational.

Mr Scott overrode the helm setting and is holding us in orbit.

- Orbit where? - Earth.

We were on course when we were pulled in by the star.

The breakaway threw us in the same direction.

Screen on.

We are too low to retain this orbit.

Engineering reports we have impulse power to achieve escape velocity.

- Give us some altitude. - Yes, sir.

Helm answering.

- She's sluggish, sir. - Captain?

Starfleet channel has nothing on it but static.

l'm getting something on another frequency.

Put it on audio.

This is the 5:30 news. Cape Kennedy.

The first manned moon shot is scheduled for Wednesday, 6am.

Astronauts who are to make this...

Manned moon shot?

That was in the late 1 960s.

Apparently, Captain, so are we.

What?

Whiplash propelled us into a time warp. Backward.

Chronometer readings in a few moments.

Captain.

l have a ground to air transmission.

Verified. Craft approaching from below. Under cloud cover and closing.

Bluejay 4, this is Blackjack. We're tracking you and the UFO.

l have him on my screen. Following.

Gain altitude faster. l want to outdistance them.

Picking up, sir, but she's slow in responding.

Blackjack, this is Bluejay 4. UFO is picking up speed and climbing.

l'm going in closer.

Bluejay 4. You should have visual contact.

l can see it now. Whatever this thing is, it's big.

Two cylindrical projections on top. One below.

- Purpose undetermined. - Two scrambled flights on the way.

They'll be there in two minutes.

l won't be here. The UFO's climbing away.

Bluejay 4, close on the UFO and attempt to force him to land.

We want it brought down or disabled until other planes arrive.

Acknowledged. Closing on target.

Positive identification. Aircraft is an interceptor

possibly armed with nuclear warheads.

lf he hits us, he might damage us severely,

perhaps beyond our capacity to repair under current circumstances.

Activate tractor beam. Lock onto that aircraft and hold it out there.

Captain, this type of aircraft might be too fragile to take our tractor beam.

Tractor beam on, sir. We have the target.

Aircraft is breaking up, Captain.

Transporter room. Can you lock onto the cockpit?

Scanning area, sir.

Try and beam that pilot aboard. Take over.

Welcome aboard the Enterprise.

- You speak English. - That's right.

Step off the transporter...

Captain John Christopher, United States Air Force, serial number 4857932.

Relax. You're among friends.

l'm Captain James T Kirk.

What's going on here? Where am l?

What happened?

You people, who are you?

All in good time, Captain.

l apologise for bringing you to the ship so abruptly but it couldn't be helped.

- l didn't know about your craft. - Don't give me any double talk.

- Tell me who you are. - We'll tell you in a few moments.

ln the meantime, relax. You're our guest. l have a feeling you'll find it interesting.

- Bridge to Captain Kirk. - What is it?

The aircraft has completely broken up. Shall we turn off the tractor beam?

Affirmative. We have the pilot aboard. l'll be right up. Kirk out.

Follow me.

- Good morning, Captain. - Morning. Captain?

- A woman? - Crewman.

Bridge.

Must have taken a lot to build a ship like this.

There are only twelve like it in the fleet.

l see.

- Did the navy... - We're a combined service

of the United Earth Space Probe Agency.

United Earth?

lt's very difficult to explain.

We're from your future. A time warp placed us here.

- lt was an accident. - You seem to have a lot of them.

However, l can't deny the fact that you are here. With this ship.

l never have believed in little green men.

Neither have l.

Captain Christopher, this is Lieutenant Commander Spock.

Captain.

Feel free to look around. You'll find it interesting.

lnteresting is a word and a half for it, Captain.

We have achieved a stable orbit.

Our deflectors are operative, enough to prevent our being picked up as a UFO.

Mr Scott wishes to speak about the engines.

Very well.

- Anything else on your mind? - Captain Christopher.

What about him?

We cannot return him to Earth, Captain.

He knows too much and is learning more.

l do not specifically refer to Captain Christopher,

but suppose an unscrupulous man were to gain knowledge of man's future?

Such a man could manipulate key industries, stocks and even nations,

and in so doing, change what must be.

And if it is changed, Captain,

you and l and all that we know might not even exist.

Your logic can be most...annoying.

That flight suit must be uncomfortable.

Have the quartermaster issue him something suitable.

Then l want to meet you and him in my quarters.

- Computer on. Record. - Recording.

Come.

Captain's log, supplemental.

Officer Scott informs warp engines damaged,

but can be made operational.

Computed and recorded, dear.

Computer, you will not address me in that matter. Compute.

Computed...dear.

Mr Spock. l ordered this computer and its interlinking systems repaired.

l have investigated it.

To correct the fault will require an overhaul of the system.

Three weeks at a starbase.

l wouldn't mind so much if only it didn't get so...affectionate.

lt also has an unfortunate tendency to giggle.

l take it a lady computer is not routine.

We put it in to Cygnet XlV for maintenance.

Cygnet XlV is a planet dominated by women.

They felt the computer system lacked a personality.

They gave it one. Female, of course.

Well, you certainly have interesting problems.

l'd love to stay and see how she works out but...

l'm afraid you'll have to. We can't send you back.

Can't?

Spock said your transporter can beam down an object from even this high.

lt's not the transporter. lt's you. You know what the future looks like.

lf anybody else finds out, they could change the course of it. Destroy it.

Then my disappearance would change something, too.

l have run a check on historical tapes.

They show no record of any relevant contribution by John Christopher.

Look, Captain. l don't buy your ''time accident'' story.

The experts can figure out who you are.

lt's my duty to report what l've seen.

Well, what would you do?

l'd...report, if l could.

- We can't take the risk. - l don't wanna know.

l have a wife, two children. What about them?

l'm sorry.

Engine room to Captain Kirk.

- What is it? - Progress report, sir.

We're coming along with the repairs.

We should re-energise in four hours, but...

But what?

Well, sir, as l say, the engines are being repaired, but...

we've no place to go in this time.

lf you see what l mean.

- Sir? - Yes. Carry on.

Too bad, Captain.

Maybe l can't go home but neither can you.

You're as much a prisoner in time as l am.

Captain's log, stardate 31 1 3.7.

Our engines are being repaired but we are still locked in time.

We have aboard a passenger we do not want and cannot return.

Recommendation for his disposition, dear?

Maintenance note.

My recording computer has a malfunction.

Recommend it either be corrected or scrapped. Compute.

Computed.

- Bridge to Captain Kirk. - Kirk here.

Have new information regarding Christopher.

- lmportant l see you both. - Report to my quarters.

- l'll contact Christopher. - Bridge out.

Captain Christopher?

Captain Christopher?

- Security? - Security chief here.

All decks alert. Captain Christopher is not in his quarters.

He may be trying to escape. l want a man outside the transporter room.

All right. Nice and easy.

l'm gonna step in that thing and you're gonna transport me back to earth.

With the exception of a bruise or two,

our captain is as healthy as a proverbial horse.

- He'll be out of it in a minute or two. - He tried to escape.

l know how he feels, but l can't send him back with what he knows.

Jim, what if we can't go back?

What do we do? Wait for our power to die? lt has to eventually, you know.

We can't go back to Earth. That's worse than the captain going.

There are 430 of us.

That means 430 chances of altering the future.

Yes.

- But we're not in that position yet. - l'm glad to hear it.

lf we do get back to where we belong, he won't belong.

We're roughly about the same age, but in our society, he'd be useless.

Archaic.

Maybe he could be re-educated.

Now you're sounding like Spock.

lf you're gonna get nasty, l'll leave.

Could he be retrained to forget his family?

- His children? - The answer to that is no.

- You all right? - Yes.

l see physical training is required in your service, too.

Crude methods, but effective.

- What does he mean? - lt's just a joke.

You said you had additional information.

- l made an error in my computations. - This could be an historic occasion.

We must return Captain Christopher to Earth after all.

Why? You said l made no relative contribution.

Poor choice of words on my part.

l neglected to correlate the possible contributions by offspring.

l find, after running a crosscheck on that factor,

that your son Shaun Geoffrey Christopher,

headed, or will head, the first successful Earth-Saturn probe which is a...

Wait a minute. l don't have a son.

You mean yet.

The doctor is correct. Unless we return Captain Christopher to Earth,

there will be no Colonel Shaun Geoffrey Christopher to go to Saturn.

Well, that's it, isn't it?

We'll have to find some way of...

A boy.

l'm going to have a son.

As we must return Captain Christopher, there are several problems,

prime of which is the explanation of his return.

We tracked his plane wreckage down after our tractor beam crushed it.

lt crashed in an open section of southern Nebraska.

Search parties will be all over that wreckage.

Captain Christopher complicated the matter.

When l made visual contact, l turned on my wing cameras.

l got close enough to get clear pictures of you.

Air Defence will process that film fast.

And ADC Control was probably recording my radio transmissions.

lf l remember my history, these things were dismissed as weather balloons,

sun dogs, explainable things, at least publicly.

Captain, our tractor beam caught and crushed an Air Force plane.

lt'll be impossible to explain us as anything other than a genuine UFO.

Possibly alien, definitely destructive.

What about our problem?

Any idea how to get us back to our own time?

A theory.

A reverse application of what happened to us.

Logically, it could work.

Also, logically, there are a hundred variables,

any one of which could put us in a worse position than we're in.

We're gonna have to go back and get those reports and photos.

lf the captain is duty-bound to report what he saw,

there won't be evidence to back him up.

That makes me out to be a liar or fool.

Perhaps.

Not at all. You'll simply be one of the thousands who thought he saw a UFO.

Captain, l know that base.

l was there a year ago. l'd like to...

No, Captain. Thank you.

But if anything should go wrong, you might get hurt. We couldn't risk that.

Neither could you, or your son.

l'd like to help. l could sketch a layout of the place for you.

Show you where the record section and the photo lab are.

Primitive computer.

l've seen them in museums.

lf this one's like those, it will make the devil's own noise if you start it.

l don't intend to start it.

- How long have they been there? - 1 5 minutes, 28 seconds.

Shouldn't they be coming up?

Prowling by stealth is more time-consuming than a direct approach.

- ln our case... - Work on your time warp calculations.

l am.

Hold it. Get your hands up.

Now, one at a time. Hand me those belts.

And the bag.

lt's been too long. Jim should have signalled.

You may be correct, Doctor. Open communicator channel.

- What was that? - What was what?

- That noise. - l didn't hear anything.

That noise. lt's coming from one of these things.

The emergency signal.

Stay right where you are.

- One emergency signal, sir. - Beam up immediately.

- What happened? - We'll know in a moment.

Kirk to Enterprise.

Spock here. Are you all right?

Yes, l'm all right, but as you can see, we have another problem.

Captain's log, stardate 31 1 3.9.

First Officer Spock recording.

Due to an unfortunate accident, we have another unwanted passenger.

He's an Air Police sergeant from the base.

Keep him in the transporter room. Don't let him see more of the ship.

l don't believe there'll be any trouble in that respect.

Our guest seems quite satisfied to remain where he is.

Kirk out.

What was the chronometer reading when we sighted the jet?

5:30 in that time zone, maybe a little after.

Put it at the end of these tapes. Get them all.

We'll try the darkroom.

Photo lab.

Yes.

That's it. That's all of them.

Signal Mr Spock that we're almost ready to beam up.

- l'll make a check of files just in case. - Yes, sir.

- Where's the other one? - What other one?

Your partner. l saw somebody move in there.

Just me. Besides, could anyone get out of here without you seeing them?

Nobody should have been able to.

Your decision to beam up was quite correct.

Engine room to Mr Spock.

- Spock here. - We've re-energised the warp engines.

- We can re-fire them any time. - Do it now. We need to test our theory.

Aye, sir. Engine room out.

Poor photography.

Blast your theories and observations. What about Jim?

He's alone, under arrest, without a communicator.

We can't locate him or beam him aboard.

l am aware of that, Doctor.

This is the first officer. Captain Christopher to the briefing room.

Look. You and l had better start communicating.

l want to know how you got in.

A simple question. Give me a simple answer.

Nobody saw you. You got all the way in without tripping an alarm. How?

Believe me, Colonel, you wouldn't believe me.

Don't try to be funny. How did you get in?

l popped in out of thin air.

You seem to think this is some kind of a game.

No, Colonel. l know it's no game.

All right. What did you say your name was?

For the fourth time, my name is James T Kirk.

And how did you get inside a top-security installation, James T Kirk?

l told you, you wouldn't believe me.

Colonel, would you mind being careful with that?

That worries you a little? What is that, a radio? Transmitter of some kind?

- Of some kind. - Be more specific. l don't like mysteries.

lf you don't stop being careless with that, then you'll have one. A big one.

l'll have it disassembled and examined. We are not dummies.

We know how to find out things we want to know.

What is that?

ls that a uniform of some kind?

This little thing? Just something l slipped on.

Maybe you don't realise how serious this is.

Sabotage of a government installation...

- Did l sabotage something? - We stopped you in time.

- What would you have done? - Believe me, nothing at all.

ls that what you're here for? Nothing at all?

lf you hadn't interfered.

All right. Maybe this will make you laugh.

Sabotage, espionage, unauthorised entry, burglary.

How are those for starters? l can think of more if you don't start talking.

All right. The truth is, l'm a little green man from Alpha Centauri.

A beautiful place. You ought to see it.

l am going to lock you up for 200 years.

That oughta be just about right.

He's probably in security section.

lt'll take time for the authorities to get there.

Quite logical.

Do you know the coordinates to get near the interrogation rooms?

Yes, but you won't get them unless you take me with you.

l can't do that, Captain.

- lf something went wrong... - Something's already gone wrong.

You could beam down anywhere in that base but it would take time to find him.

Mr Sulu, you and Christopher will beam down with me.

The captain will provide the transporter coordinates.

- Shall l issue phasers? - For you and me.

- Set them on heavy stun force. - Yes, sir.

You don't trust me.

ln fact, l do. But only to a certain point.

Energise.

Do they do that all the time?

- Are you hungry? - Uh-huh.

What would you like?

Maybe some chicken soup.

lt is!

Just a minute, sir. Hold it.

See what that is.

- Don't you find that painful? - Yes. What's he doing here?

He knew the coordinates. lt was necessary to bring him.

l see. No harm done.

- Did you check out those tapes? - Spock ran them through our computer.

- They were right. - They know you've been here.

They only have a mystery.

- Signal the chief. Four to beam up. - Uh-uh.

Not me.

Don't be a fool.

- You know what's at stake. - You bet l do.

My family. A son that isn't born yet. You don't have to return me now.

- Spock, come out. - You can't explain your presence here.

lt's my duty to report everything. That's explanation enough.

- Spock! - You'll go home, Christopher.

But you'll do it our way.

Over my dead body.

l suspected he might not wish to return.

- Four to beam up. - Yes, sir.

Captain's log, stardate 31 1 4.1 .

We must try to break free of this time, or we will remain its prisoners.

All we have is a theory and a few facts.

Mr Scott and l agree that the only possible solution is a slingshot effect

like the one that put us here.

My computations indicate that if we fly toward the sun, seek out its magnetism,

then pull away at full power,

the whiplash will propel us into another time warp.

Slingshot effects are fine for you. How will you return the sergeant and me?

Logically, as we move faster toward the sun, we'll move backward in time.

We'll go back beyond yesterday.

Beyond where we first appeared in the sky.

Then breaking free will shoot us forward in time.

We'll transport you back at a point before any of this.

You won't remember because it won't have happened.

What if you can't pull free?

We'll do that. We won't get so close that my engines can't pull us out.

But l am worried that we may not have control when we're thrown forward.

- Helm control? - Braking control.

lf l can't stop us soon enough, we may overshoot our time.

lf l stop the engine suddenly, the strain may tear us apart.

Anyway we do it, it means a mighty rough ride.

Well, gentlemen, we have to take a chance.

Especially if one is all you have.

Assume your stations.

Ahead warp factor 3.

Warp factor 3, sir.

l never thought l'd be in space.

l was in line to be chosen for the space program. But l didn't qualify.

Take a good look around. You made it ahead of all of them.

Our speed is increasing. We're travelling at over warp 8.

Since we passed Mercury, the sun's pull has increased greatly.

From here, we'll move even faster. The chronometers have started backward.

Minute by minute, the speed of time passage will now increase.

Get your gear, report to the transporter room.

You only have 1 5 years, so hurry.

Approaching breakaway point. On the countdown.

Ten, nine, eight, seven, six,

five, four, three, two...

Now.

More power.

lt's maximum now. She's fighting it.

We've broken free and heading back.

Gaining speed. We're now at warp 4. Warp 7.

8. Off the dial, sir.

Chronometers moving forward again.

Do you have the coordinates to return Captain Christopher?

Computed.

Bridge to transporter room.

- This is Christopher. - We're coming up on Earth. Ready?

Everything A-OK. Captain?

- Thanks for the look ahead. - Our pleasure, Captain. Bridge out.

20 minutes, sir. lt'll be close.

Bridge to transporter room. Prepare to energise.

Ten minutes.

Nine, eight, seven,

six, five, four, three, two...

Energise.

You should be close enough for visual contact.

Bluejay 4. Can you see it? What is it?

Bluejay 4. Come in. We've lost the image.

Blackjack, this is Bluejay 4.

l could have sworn there was a ship. But nothing could have moved that fast.

We don't track mirages.

Mark it down as a UFO. Bluejay 4 returning to base. Out.

Approaching second beaming.

Bridge to transporter room. Prepare to energise.

- Now. - Energise.

Past Pluto, sir.

- What's our reading? - Approaching our century.

Braking should begin...now.

Bridge to engineering.

Begin full braking power.

Pulling away from the sun weakened them. They may blow up if l reverse.

- No choice. - Aye, sir.

- 50 years to go. - Engine's cutting back.

- No decrease in speed. - 40...

- 30... - Never mind, Mr Spock.

The engines!

Engineer to bridge. Engines are on full reverse. They're buckling!

Bridge!

Mr Scott is still with us.

- Captain? - Starfleet Control calling Enterprise.

Come in, Enterprise.

Open a channel.

- Frequency open, sir. - Starfleet Control.

This is the Enterprise. Kirk speaking.

Record ship arrival, dear.

Enterprise, this is Starfleet Control. Come in, please.

Starfleet Control, repeating message.

The Enterprise is home.

Kirk out.