STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION "Realm of Fear" #40276-228 Written by Brannon Braga Directed by Cliff Bole THE WRITING CREDITS MAY NOT BE FINAL AND SHOULD NOT BE USED FOR PUBLICITY OR ADVERTISING PURPOSES WITHOUT FIRST CHECKING WITH THE TELEVISION LEGAL DEPARTMENT. Copyright 1992 Paramount Pictures Corporation. All Rights Reserved. This script is not for publication or reproduction. No one is authorized to dispose of same. If lost or destroyed, please notify the Script Department. FINAL DRAFT JULY 15, 1992 STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - 07/15/92 - CAST STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION "Realm of Fear" CAST PICARD BARCLAY RIKER ADMIRAL HAYES DATA SCIENCE SHIP CREWMEMBER BEVERLY TROI GEORDI WORF Non-Speaking DEAD CREWMEMBER O'BRIEN THREE CREWMEMBERS NURSE OGAWA COMPUTER VOICE Non-Speaking BARTENDER SUPERNUMERARIES ENSIGN DERN STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - 07/15/92 - SETS STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION "Realm of Fear" SETS INTERIORS EXTERIORS USS ENTERPRISE USS ENTERPRISE MAIN BRIDGE CAPTAIN'S READY ROOM PLASMA STREAMER OBSERVATION LOUNGE SICKBAY SCIENCE SHIP ENGINEERING CORRIDOR TEN FORWARD BARCLAY'S QUARTERS TRANSPORTER ROOM TROI'S OFFICE SCIENCE SHIP SCIENCE OPS. STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - REV. 7/17/92 - TEASER 1. STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION "Realm of Fear" TEASER FADE IN: 1 EXT. SPACE - THE ENTERPRISE (OPTICAL) holding position near a PLASMA STREAMER -- a vast twist of highly-charged, gaseous matter connecting two binary stars. PICARD (V.O.) Captain's Log, Stardate 46041.1. We have located the U.S.S. Yosemite, a Starfleet science vessel sent to the Igo Sector to observe a remote plamsa streamer. The ship has not been heard from in several days. 2 INT. ENTERPRISE - BRIDGE (OPTICAL) PICARD, RIKER, DATA, WORF and SUPERNUMERARIES at their stations. There is a sense of urgency in the air. PICARD Magnify. Worf works his console. The image on the viewscreen shows the plasma streamer in which a Federation SCIENCE VESSEL, is trapped. RIKER (to Picard) The last report we have says they were observing the streamer at medium range. Maybe they went in for a closer look... got more than they bargained for. PICARD Hail them. WORF No response. PICARD Life signs? Data works his console. STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - 7/15/92 - TEASER 1A. 2 CONTINUED: DATA Our scanners cannot penetrate the plasma streamer's distortion field. Picard considers the situation. PICARD Can we tractor the vessel out? STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - 7/15/92 - TEASER 2. 2 CONTINUED: (2) DATA No, sir -- the ionic interference is too heavy. RIKER I'll take a shuttle. PICARD Too risky -- you could be pulled in, too. (to Com) Bridge to Engineering -- Geordi, can we beam an Away Team onto the science ship? 3 INT. ENGINEERING GEORDI is at his controls, REGINALD BARCLAY a couple of panels down; other N.D. ENGINEERS are also working. GEORDI We can beam them over there, Captain -- but with all this interference, we might not get a positive lock to bring them back. Barclay gets an idea, turns to Geordi. BARCLAY Commander... what if we bridged our Transporter system with theirs? It might be enough to cut through the ionic field. Geordi thinks. GEORDI To do that, we'd have to activate the Yosemite's Transporters by remote... BARCLAY (quick) No problem, sir. I can reconfigure their controller to accept commands from here. Geordi is sold. STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - 7/15/92 - TEASER 3. 3 CONTINUED: GEORDI Good idea, Reg. (to com) Captain, I think we can do it. We're gonna bridge the two Transporter systems. PICARD'S COM VOICE Acknowledged. Meet Commander Riker in Transporter Room Three. GEORDI Aye sir. (to Barclay, on the move) Barclay -- I'll need a systems' engineer on this Away Team. Barclay hesitates -- he doesn't want to join this Away Team, tries to stall. BARCLAY I'll ask Ensign Dern to join you. GEORDI I meant you, Barclay. BARCLAY Shouldn't I stay here and set up the remote link? Geordi motions to Ensign Dern. GEORDI Dern can handle that. Let's go. Barclay hesitates, but he has no choice. He stands to follow Geordi, looking a little worried -- and the reason will soon be clear. They EXIT. 4 INT. TRANSPORTER ROOM (OPTICAL) Riker, Worf and BEVERLY ENTER. Geordi and O'BRIEN are working the console. A few feet away, Barclay has a wall panel open and is re-working isolinear chips -- he looks distracted by something. Riker stops at Geordi and O'Brien. STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - 7/15/92 - TEASER 4. 4 CONTINUED: RIKER Status, Mister O'Brien? O'BRIEN You're in for a bumpy ride, Commander. Barclay reacts to the comment, alarmed -- listens to the rest of the conversation with growing concern... O'BRIEN (continuing) I'll have to send you over one at a time... because of band-width limitations. And the transport cycle will take a bit longer. RIKER How much longer? O'BRIEN Four, five seconds... about twice the normal time. Barclay closes the wall panel and joins the others. He tries to play it cool, like nothing's wrong. BARCLAY What do you... what exactly do you mean by a bumpy ride? O'BRIEN There may be a small amount of static charge accumulation. You'll feel a bit of tingling -- nothing to worry about. Barclay nods -- more worried than ever. RIKER Let's do it. Riker steps up onto the Transporter stage. Barclay stands a few feet behind the others, trying to hide his nervousness. O'Brien works the console. O'BRIEN Engaging system interlock... (beat) Pattern buffers synchronized... STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - 7/15/92 - TEASER 5. 4 CONTINUED: (2) A HUMMING SOUND begins as the Transporter system charges up -- and builds in intensity... O'BRIEN (continuing) Phase transition coils at stand-by... (beat) Energizing. Riker DEMATERIALZES in a Transporter effect that is noticeably longer and louder than normal. O'Brien closely monitors his console. After a beat, he looks satisfied. O'BRIEN He's there. Without hesitation, Worf steps onto the Transporter stage... 5 INTERCUT: ANGLE FAVORING BARCLAY (OPTICAL) as the process begins again. He watches, trying to stay calm... but every detail of the process -- every sight and sound -- seems to intensify his discomfort. O'BRIEN (O.S.) Engaging interlock... (beat) Buffers synched... Again, the HUMMING NOISE builds... O'BRIEN (continuing) Energizing. We HEAR the sound of Worf dematerializing. Barclay draws in a deep breath to calm himself. He doesn't want to do this... BEVERLY I'll go next. Beverly steps onto the stage. O'BRIEN Engaging interlock... (beat) Buffers synched... STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - 7/15/92 - TEASER 6. 5 CONTINUED: O'Brien reacts to his console. O'BRIEN Whoa, wait a minute... (works, confident) I'm reading an ionic fluctuation in the matter stream... No problem. O'Brien works, not too concerned. O'BRIEN Okay... Energizing. Beverly DEMATERIALIZES. Barclay reacts, dismayed by the complication. He's broken out in a sweat now... and it's all he can do to keep himself from leaving the room... GEORDI (O.S.) Barclay. Barclay jumps, startled. Geordi motions to the Transporter stage: "Your turn." It's an awful moment for Barclay -- he doesn't want to reveal his true feelings about this -- but what can he do? BARCLAY Aye sir... He braces himself, walks toward the stage... steps onto the stage... places his feet within a transport pad... closes his eyes... O'BRIEN Engaging interlock... (beat) Buffers in synch... The HUMMING NOISE builds. Barclay tenses up... readies himself for the most dreadful experience of his life... O'BRIEN (continuing) Phase coils... Then, in an instant, Barclay is overcome with panic. BARCLAY I'm sorry -- I can't do this. STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - 7/15/92 - TEASER 7. 5 CONTINUED: (2) Barclay steps down off the stage, quickly EXITS. Geordi and O'Brien watch him go, surprised. As they exchange a confused glance... FADE OUT. END OF TEASER STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - 7/15/92 - ACT ONE 8-8A. ACT ONE FADE IN: (NOTE: Episode credits fall over opening scenes.) 6 INT. TROI'S OFFICE TROI is talking to Barclay, who looks depressed by recent events. He's moving around the room, picking up objects and setting them down, anything to take the weight off of the moment. Troi tries to reassure him. TROI You were faced with a difficult transport, Reg. Anyone would have been apprehensive in that situation. Barclay is despondent. BARCLAY Tell that to Commander La Forge and the rest of the Away Team... TROI I'm sure they understand. As soon as you feel up to it, you can probably still join them -- BARCLAY (quickly) No. Troi reacts, sensing a deeper issue at hand. TROI Reg... is there something you're not telling me? Barclay shifts, uncomfortable. BARCLAY Actually, this isn't the first time I've been... apprehensive. (beat) Every single time I've had to do it, I've had a certain feeling of... I guess you could call it... (finds the words) ... mortal terror. STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - 7/15/92 - ACT ONE 9. 6 CONTINUED: TROI I see. How long have you had this fear of transporting? Barclay shakes his head and shrugs -- his look says that this is a serious problem for him. Troi considers. TROI Why have you kept it a secret? BARCLAY Why? My career in Starfleet would be over, that's why. TROI I doubt that. BARCLAY I usually manage to avoid it somehow. You wouldn't believe how many hours I've logged on shuttlecrafts... (shudders) The thought of being deconstructed molecule by molecule. It's more than I can stand... Barclay sits down, dejected. BARCLAY Ever since I was a child, I've been scared to death that if I ever dematerialized... I wouldn't come back whole again. (beat) I know it sounds crazy. Troi is reassuring. TROI There's nothing crazy about it, Reg -- you are being taken apart molecule by molecule. You're not the first person to have anxiety about transporting. Barclay listens intently, wanting to hear more. STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - REV. 7/17/92 - ACT ONE 10. 6 CONTINUED: (2) TROI (continuing) We can desensitize you to this type of fear. It's a slow and gradual process... but it works. BARCLAY It does... how? TROI Well... the first step might be a relaxation technique. Like Plexing. BARCLAY Plexing? TROI (nods) It's a Betazoid method. The next time you feel nervous about transporting, you would stimulate a neural pressure point -- like this... Troi demonstrates by quickly tapping her neck with her index and middle fingers in the region just behind her jaw. TROI There's a nerve cluster just behind the carotid artery -- it stimulates the part of the brain that releases natural endorphins. Intrigued, Barclay gives it a try -- he briskly taps his neck. BARCLAY Plexing... sounds easy enough... Barclay stops tapping, breathes a sigh of relief. He stands, driven by a rush of confidence. BARCLAY You know, I feel better already. I can do this. TROI Reg... there's no need to rush... STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - 7/15/92 - ACT ONE 10A. 6 CONTINUED: (3) BARCLAY No, no, no. We've talked before about confronting my fears. "The best way out is through." You said that once, remember? TROI I suppose I did... BARCLAY I'm going to beam over there. I can do it. OFF Barclay's determination... 7 EXT. SPACE - THE SCIENCE SHIP (OPTICAL) trapped inside the gaseous layers of the plasma streamer. 8 INT. SCIENCE SHIP - OPS The darkened room is heavily DAMAGED, as if by an explosion. Charred black walls... overturned equipment... no sign of a crew. Beverly is searching the room... Geordi is studying a damaged console as Riker and Worf ENTER from an adjoining corridor, having completed a search of the science station. RIKER No sign of survivors. No sign of a anyone. STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - 7/15/92 - ACT ONE 11. 8 CONTINUED: GEORDI Maybe they abandoned ship. WORF Unlikely. Both escape pods are still on board. A beat as they consider. Geordi indicates the room. GEORDI Well, there was an explosion in here. We know that much. RIKER Any idea what caused it? GEORDI I've ruled out a reactor core failure... and there's no sign of a systems overload. Worf begins to scan the room with his tricorder, waving it past the floor and ceiling and walls. He stops at a wall with nasty-looking burn marks on it. WORF (off tricorder) Blast analysis indicates the explosion originated... Worf follows his scan across the room... down along the wall... and stops with his tricorder pointed at the center of the Transporter chamber. WORF (continuing) ...here. In the center of this transport chamber. GEORDI How is that possible? The Transporter is still functional. RIKER Could someone have beamed an explosive device aboard? STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - REV. 7/17/92 - ACT ONE 12. 8 CONTINUED: (2) They consider the implications. BEVERLY (O.S.) (calls out) Commander Riker... Riker and Worf move to Beverly. She is looking at a male CREWMEMBER, who is lying behind a large console. Beverly scans the body with a medical tricorder. BEVERLY (re: crewmember) Lieutenant Joshua Kelly -- he was the ship's engineer. RIKER How did he die? Beverly completes her scan, stands up. BEVERLY There's evidence of burns... but they don't look serious enough to have killed him... I'm going to have to take him back for an autopsy. Riker nods. OFF his grim expression... 9 INT. ENTERPRISE - TRANSPORTER ROOM (OPTICAL) O'Brien is staring doubtfully at the person standing next to him. O'BRIEN You're sure about this, sir? INCLUDE Barclay, who is bravely trying to stay calm, but not doing a very good job of it. BARCLAY I'm sure. Please proceed. O'BRIEN This'll only take a minute... STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - 7/15/92 - ACT ONE 12A. 9 CONTINUED: O'Brien works the console. Barclay stares at the Transporter platform, mentally preparing himself for the journey. O'Brien tries to reassure him. O'BRIEN Should be a smooth ride over, sir. BARCLAY (unconvinced) Good... good... O'Brien studies him for a moment, feeling a genuine sympathy for the man. STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - 7/15/92 - ACT ONE 13. 9 CONTINUED: (2) O'BRIEN I know how you feel about this, sir. Barclay is surprised. BARCLAY You... you're afraid of transporting? O'BRIEN No -- of arachnids. (off Barclay's look) Spiders. Sickening, crawly little things, don't you think? All those legs... BARCLAY They've never bothered me. O'Brien keeps working. O'BRIEN A few years back, I was called in to re-route an emitter array at a Starbase on Zayra Four. Turns out the entire system was infested with Talarian hook spiders. (beat) Ever see a Talarian hook spider? Barclay shakes his head, no. O'BRIEN Their legs are half a meter long. (beat) Anyway, I had a choice. Do I walk away and let the emitter blow itself to hell... or do I crawl into a Jeffries Tube with twenty hook spiders? Barclay is hanging onto every word. BARCLAY What happened? STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - REV. 7/17/92 - ACT ONE 14. 9 CONTINUED: (3) O'BRIEN It was the hardest thing I ever did. But I got through it. After that, I was never quite as afraid of spiders. O'Brien's words have an effect on Barclay, who derives a swell of courage from the story. He looks at the Transporter platform and takes a deep breath. BARCLAY Thanks... Barclay walks toward the Transporter platform... stops and braces himself... every step is an event... He steps up onto the stage... finds a Transporter pad... Play the suspense as Barclay waits for the moment to come. He starts to tap his neck, plexing as he did in Troi's quarters. Tap, tap, tap... O'Brien works the controls and the Transporter system HUMS to life. The HUMMING grows louder. Barclay stops tapping -- it isn't helping. He's sweating now... heart pounding... terrified. O'Brien waves a hand over the console. O'BRIEN Energizing. Barclay begins to DEMATERIALIZE. CUT TO: 10 CLOSE ON BARCLAY - TRANSPORTER EFFECT (OPTICAL) (Transporter Room side) partially phased, the room behind him becoming SPARKLES OF ENERGY. For the first time, we are seeing what it feels like to transport. Barclay winces at the awful experience, but keeps his eyes open, looking around, alert the entire time. After a few seconds, we see Barclay himself start to PHASE OUT, as his body is broken down into molecules... 10A BARCLAY'S POV (OPTICAL) as O'Brien and the Transporter Room DISSOLVE away into sparkles of energy. The SPARKLES momentarily fill the entire field of view... then DISSOLVE out to reveal the SCIENCE SHIP SET, with Geordi standing nearby... STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - REV. 7/17/92 - ACT ONE 14A. 11 INT. SCIENCE SHIP - OPS (OPTICAL) Barclay standing on the science ship Transporter stage, transport complete. STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - REV. 7/20/92 - ACT ONE 15. 11 CONTINUED: He steps down off the stage, a little dazed -- and is met by Geordi, who lays a friendly hand on his shoulder, bringing him right back into the fold. GEORDI Welcome aboard, Reg. Ready to work? BARCLAY Yes, sir. GEORDI Good. Start by downloading the ship's science logs. Over there... BARCLAY Aye sir. Barclay's confusion gives way to relief: he made it. He moves to a wall, opens a panel, and starts to scan the isolinear chips with a tricorder. 12 ANGLE ON RIKER As he crosses to Geordi. RIKER Still four members of the crew unaccounted for. You come up with anything? Geordi indicates several metal FRAGMENTS that are scattered on the floor. GEORDI I don't know how these fit in, but... I found them near the Transporter platform. RIKER What are they? STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - REV. 7/16/92 - ACT ONE 16. 12 CONTINUED: GEORDI They look like pieces of a standard sample container. RIKER Take them back to the ship. We'll analyze them later. Geordi nods, collecting the fragments. Riker crosses to the room. He passes Barclay along the way, gives him a friendly nod. RIKER Glad you could join us, Mister Barclay. Barclay glances at him, feeling a genuine sense of accomplishment. BARCLAY Me too, sir. 13 EXT. SPACE - THE ENTERPRISE (OPTICAL) holding position near the plasma streamer. 14 INT. READY ROOM (OPTICAL) Picard behind his desk, listening grim-faced to ADMIRAL HAYES, who is on the desktop terminal. ADMIRAL HAYES The Ferengi are claiming two of their freighters were destroyed by a Cardassian warship in your sector. PICARD Is there any evidence to support this? The Admiral looks troubled. ADMIRAL HAYES Although I'm loathe to believe the Ferengi about anything... there was evidence of Cardassian weapons. (MORE) STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - REV. 7/17/92 - ACT ONE 16A. 14 CONTINUED: ADMIRAL HAYES (Cont'd) (beat) If the Cardassians also attacked the Yosemite... it could indicate a large-scale movement into this sector. PICARD I have an Away Team aboard the ship now. Their initial report indicates an explosion on board. But we're not sure if it was from an attack... ADMIRAL HAYES How long until you'll know? PICARD A few hours. If it does look like the Cardassians, I'll contact you immediately. ADMIRAL HAYES Very well. STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - REV. 7/16/92 - ACT ONE 17. 14 CONTINUED: (2) The viewscreen is replaced by a Starfleet logo. DATA'S COM VOICE Bridge to Captain Picard. PICARD Yes, Mister Data? DATA'S COM VOICE The Away Team is returning to the Enterprise. PICARD Acknowledged. Have Commander Riker join me in my Ready Room as soon as he's on board. DATA'S COM VOICE Aye sir. As Picard returns to the computer screen... 15 INT. SCIENCE SHIP - OPS Geordi and Barclay set the metal fragments onto the Transporter stage. Riker, Worf and Beverly are not present, having already beamed back to the ship. Barclay steps down off the stage. GEORDI (taps communicator) La Forge to Transporter Room Three. 16 INT. TRANSPORTER ROOM O'Brien at the controls. Riker stands nearby, having just returned. GEORDI'S COM VOICE (fritzed) I'm ready to go. O'BRIEN Stand by, Commander. Riker EXITS while O'Brien works the controls... STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - REV. 7/17/92 - ACT ONE 18. 17 INT. SCIENCE SHIP OPS (OPTICAL) Geordi DEMATERIALIZES. Barclay is now left alone. He steps onto the Transporter stage... braces himself... slightly more confident than the last time... BARCLAY (taps communicator) Barclay to Enterprise... (beat) One to beam back. O'BRIEN (fritzed) Stand by, sir. A beat to let the suspense build. Then the Transporter HUMS to life and Barclay DEMATERIALIZES -- 18 CLOSE ON BARCLAY - TRANSPORTER EFFECT (OPTICAL)) (Science ship side) as the room DISSOLVES INTO SPARKLES OF ENERGY. Barclay tenses up, hating every second of it. The SPARKLES fill the entire frame except for Barclay... and we see Barclay start to PHASE OUT... 19 BARCLAY'S POV (OPTICAL) as the science ship begins to DISSOLVE AWAY into sparkles... Partially obscured by the sparkles of energy is a MOVING SHAPE. It quickly crosses toward us, more visible now -- an amorphous cloud of energy. As it flies closer, the cloud momentarily takes on a more life-like form -- a gaping funnel opens in the cloud, like a distorted and voracious mouth. Terrifying. 20 BARCLAY (OPTICAL) (Transporter Room side) is beginning to PHASE BACK IN. He reacts. And it all happens at once: The creature FLIES at him -- Barclay throws up an arm to protect himself -- and the creature makes contact with his arm just as the Transporter Room dissolves into view -- CUT TO: 21 INT. TRANSPORTER ROOM (OPTICAL) Barclay completes his MATERIALIZATION on stage, his arm still in the air, expression blank with shock. O'Brien looks up from his console and gives him a smile. STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - 7/15/92 - ACT ONE 19. 21 CONTINUED: O'BRIEN (to Barclay) You see, sir? That wasn't so bad, was it? OFF Barclay's stunned reaction... FADE OUT. END OF ACT ONE STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - REV. 7/17/92 - ACT TWO 20-21 ACT TWO FADE IN: 22 OMITTED 22A EXT. SPACE - THE ENTERPRISE (OPTICAL) holding position at the plasma streamer. PICARD (V.O.) Captain's Log, supplemental. Our investigation has revealed there was an explosion aboard the Yosemite -- possibly the result of an attack. We are still analyzing data obtained by the Away Team. 23 INT. ENGINEERING Geordi and Barclay are at a console monitor, scanning logs. Barclay seems distracted -- he hasn't told anyone about the creature he saw in the Transporter. But the emotional impact of the experience is still with him... and it's nagging at him... GEORDI (off monitor) Mission logs... science logs... medical logs -- they're all completely scrambled. It looks like the blast wiped out the ship's core memory. BARCLAY We could try to reconstitute the data stream. GEORDI (nods) It's worth a try. STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - REV. 7/17/92 - ACT TWO 22. 23 CONTINUED: They continue working. Barclay glances at Geordi... awkward... not sure how to bring up what he wants to say. BARCLAY Commander... has anything... strange ever happened to you during transport? Geordi keeps working. GEORDI Like what? BARCLAY I don't know... anything out of the ordinary... GEORDI Not really... Geordi is preoccupied with the console. GEORDI This looks hopeless -- we're not gonna get anything from the logs... Geordi thinks... then looks at a nearby examination stand, which is covered with the metal fragments seen in Act One. GEORDI (re: fragments) Maybe this broken sample container I found can tell us something... BARCLAY Right... They cross to the table, where the fragments have been neatly laid out for analysis. GEORDI (re: fragments) Let's try to get this thing back in one piece... They start to piece together the fragments... STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - 7/15/92 - ACT TWO 22A. 23 CONTINUED: (2) BARCLAY I mean -- have you ever seen anything? GEORDI (confused) Where? BARCLAY In the... during transport. Geordi glances at him -- what's barclay getting at? GEORDI Sometimes my VISOR picks up resonance patterns from the matter-energy conversion. It's actually kind of pretty. (beat) Why? BARCLAY Just wondering... STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - REV. 7/17/92 - ACT TWO 23. 23 CONTINUED: (3) Barclay keeps working. Geordi senses that Barclay is holding something back. GEORDI Reg -- what are you getting at? Barclay wavers, embarrassed to come right out with it. GEORDI Do you think you saw something during transport? Barclay speaks haltingly -- this is torture for him. BARCLAY When I was returning to the Enterprise... I could've sworn I saw something... in the matter stream. Geordi is surprised. GEORDI Something? BARCLAY There was phased matter all around... at first I thought it was some kind of energy discharge. But then it flew toward me... and touched my arm... (beat) But how could anything be in there... the molecules flying apart... half-phased... it's... Barclay trails off, realizing how this must sound. BARCLAY (continuing) It's... impossible, isn't it? An awkward beat. Geordi isn't sure what to think -- but he can see that Barclay is genuinely shaken. He casts his doubts aside for the moment, and tries to allay his friend's fears. GEORDI We'd better check it out. When we're done here, let's run a full Transporter diagnostic. Alright? Barclay nods, grateful. STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - 7/15/92 - ACT TWO 24. 23 CONTINUED: (4) BARCLAY Alright. As they resume their work... 24 INT. TRANSPORTER ROOM One of the lighted circles on the Transporter platform is opened, and the inner-workings have been raised out in a column. O'Brien is kneeling on the stage, analyzing the circuits. From the looks of it, he's been running a Transporter diagnostic for the past couple of hours. He stands up and looks to Geordi, who's working at an opened wall panel with Barclay. O'BRIEN The confinement beam subsystems check out. So do the phase transition coils. GEORDI The pattern buffer's fine. O'Brien gets to his feet. O'BRIEN Emitter pad... targeting scanner -- they're all running normally. This system's clean... so is the science vessel's. Geordi reassures Barclay. GEORDI (to Barclay) There's a lot of energy floating around in the beam. Maybe you saw a surge in the matter stream. Barclay sighs -- he's starting to feel better now. BARCLAY Yeah... O'Brien decides to go the extra mile for Barclay -- they're here to allay his fears more than anything. He goes back to the opened Transporter pad. O'BRIEN I'll run a scan on the Heisenberg compensators... STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - REV. 7/17/92 - ACT TWO 25. 24 CONTINUED: Barclay is appreciative, but embarrassed at all the attention. BARCLAY No... you've done more than enough already, Chief... O'BRIEN No problem at all. Why don't you give me a hand? Barclay steps onto the stage, kneels down beside O'Brien and gazes at the Transporter workings. O'Brien starts to adjust various circuits. BARCLAY Maybe ignorance really is bliss... O'Brien gives him a look. O'BRIEN Sir? BARCLAY (re: transporter) If I didn't know so much about these things... maybe they wouldn't scare me so much... O'Brien continues working. Barclay sighs. BARCLAY I can still remember the day in Doctor Olafson's class on Transporter Theory when he talked about the body being converted into billions of kiloquads of data... zipping through subspace... and I realized, there's no margin for error. One atom out of place and poof! You never come back... (beat) It's amazing people don't get lost all the time. O'Brien gives him a look. O'BRIEN With all due respect sir -- I've been doing this for twenty-two years, and I haven't lost anybody yet. Barclay considers -- he won't let it go. STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - 7/15/92 - ACT TWO 25A. 24 CONTINUED: (2) BARCLAY Yes, but... you realize if these imaging scanners are off by even a thousandth of a percent -- O'BRIEN (right back at him) That's why each pad has four redundant scanners. If any one scanner fails, the other three take over. Geordi looks at Barclay. STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - REV. 7/17/92 - ACT TWO 26. 24 CONTINUED: (3) GEORDI How many Transporter accidents have there been in the last ten years, Reg? Two... three? What about the millions of people who transport every day without a problem? Barclay thinks for a moment... he's feeling better, but still... BARCLAY I've... I've heard about problems... what about... Transporter Psychosis? O'BRIEN (reacts) Transporter Psychosis -- there hasn't been a case of that in over fifty years. Not since they perfected multiplex pattern buffers. GEORDI Transporting really is the safest way to travel, Reg. Barclay listens -- their words are having an effect. OFF his face as he starts to unwind... 24A INT. SICKBAY (OPTICAL) Beverly and NURSE OGAWA are performing an AUTOPSY on Lieutenant Kelly, the dead male crewmember. The body is laid out under the clamshell. Ogawa watches a nearby MONITOR, which displays various data. BEVERLY I want to take a closer look at those burns. (to Ogawa) Take a tissue sample. OGAWA Yes, Doctor. Ogawa hits a few commands into the console -- the overhead donut sends out a thin LASER that sweeps across the body. Beverly reads the data as it scrolls across the clamshell. STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - REV. 7/17/92 - ACT TWO 27. 24A CONTINUED: BEVERLY Damage to the epidermis only... (beat) Initiate a circulatory probe. Ogawa picks up a hypospray, presses it to the body's neck, and injects. Just then something catches Ogawa'a eye -- the body's fingers are twitching. She stops, startled. OGAWA Doctor Crusher... Without warning, the monitor display LIGHTS UP and BEEPS, indicating that a heartbeat has begun. Beverly reacts. BEVERLY His heart is beating. A stunned beat -- then Beverly's instincts take over. BEVERLY Cardio-stimulator -- now. Beverly rushes to a nearby table, grabs a cardio-stimulator, and applies it to the body's chest. They work to revive the body. On the monitor, the heartbeat display goes dead. They react. OGAWA It's gone. A second later, an ALARM goes off and a different monitor read-out comes to life. OGAWA (off display) Neuro-electrical activity in the cerebral cortex. Just as they start to work, the monitor goes dead again. OGAWA Nothing. STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - REV. 7/17/92 - ACT TWO 28. 24A CONTINUED: (2) Before Beverly can respond, yet another monitor read-out comes to life. The crewmember starts to breathe. BEVERLY (astonished) Now the respiratory system's active. What the hell's going on... On the monitor, the respiratory display goes dead and the medical console COMES ALIVE all at once in a chaotic display of blinking lights. The body starts to convulse. BEVERLY (off display) Endocrine system's functioning... now the lymphatic system... the pancreas... Suddenly, the medical display blinks out completely... the body stops convulsing... A long silent beat. As Beverly and Ogawa exchange a mystified look... 25 INT. TEN FORWARD Barclay ENTERS and stops at the bar. A BARTENDER walks over. BARCLAY (to bartender) Just water, please. The bartender moves off. Barclay looks around the room, finally starting to relax. The bartender returns with his water. BARCLAY Thanks. Barclay crosses to a table, settles into a chair. A quiet beat as he takes a sip of water... looking around... unwinding... Suddenly, he looks down at his left arm and grabs it, as if in pain... STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - 7/15/92 - ACT TWO 28A. 26 BARCLAY'S POV (OPTICAL) of his arm, as it RADIATES with a SPARKLING LIGHT in the exact same spot where the creature touched him -- a vague impression, like a smudge. The light vanishes just as quickly. 27 RESUME SCENE As Barclay reacts, startled by the sight. He glances around the room -- no one has seen the vision but him. Barclay starts to say something, thinks better of it, and says nothing, deciding to conceal what he's seen. OFF his troubled expression... 28 OMITTED FADE OUT. END OF ACT TWO STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - 7/15/92 - ACT THREE 29-30 ACT THREE FADE IN: 29 OMITTED 30 INT. BARCLAY'S QUARTERS (OPTICAL) Barclay ENTERS, looking troubled and shaken. He absently rubs his left arm, then crosses to a replicator slot. BARCLAY (to replicator) Water, ten degrees celsius. A glass of water MATERIALIZES. He picks up the glass and takes a long drink, moves to a nearby chair and sits down. He's restless, panicky -- any peace of mind he once had is gone. He fidgets for a moment, at a loss... Then Barclay gets an idea -- he stands and starts to pace around the room. BARCLAY (to computer) Computer... access Starfleet Medical Data Base. Tell me about... describe the disorder known as... Transporter Psychosis. A beat as the computer works, then gives a "chapter summary" of the disorder. COMPUTER VOICE Transporter Psychosis was diagnosed in the year twenty-two-oh-nine by researchers on Delinia Two -- BARCLAY (interrupts) No, no... stop. All I need is the... what causes it? STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - 7/15/92 - ACT THREE 31. 30 CONTINUED: COMPUTER VOICE It is caused by a breakdown of neuro-chemical molecules during transport, affecting the body's motor functions, autonomic systems, and the brain's higher reasoning centers. Barclay unconsciously touches his head. What he's heard is morbid and scary, but he's compelled to know more. BARCLAY What are the symptoms? COMPUTER VOICE Victims suffer from paranoid delusions... multi-infarct dementia... hallucinations... Barclay reacts. BARCLAY Hallucinations? What kind of hallucinations? COMPUTER VOICE Victims experience somatic, tactile and visual hallucinations, accompanied by psychogenic hysteria. It sounds awful. Barclay is really getting worried now. He moves around the room as if the walls are closing in on him. COMPUTER VOICE (continuing) Peripheral symptoms include sleeplessness... accelerated heart-rate... Barclay impulsively touches his chest -- is his heart beating faster? STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - REV. 7/16/92 - ACT THREE 32. 30 CONTINUED: (2) COMPUTER VOICE (continuing) Diminished eyesight, leading to acute myopia... painful spasms in the extremities... Barclay blinks his eyes, checking them... then looks at his arm, grabs it in the same way he did in Ten Forward, remembering the sensation he had... COMPUTER VOICE (continuing) And in most cases, dehydration. Barclay glances at the glass of water he's holding, alarmed, quickly sets it down. His mind is working... and we can tell by the expression on his face that he's convinced he has the disorder. BARCLAY Computer... what is the treatment for Transporter Psychosis? COMPUTER VOICE There is no known treatment. Barclay slumps into a chair, pale and numb. He stares into middle distance, absently rubbing his arm... 30A INT. OBSERVATION LOUNGE Picard, Riker, Geordi, Data. Beverly is reporting. BEVERLY The autopsy showed residual ionization in every one of Lieutenant Kelly's systems. I think that's what caused the muscular and systemic contractions. A beat as they take in the chilling image. RIKER Where did this ionization come from? STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - REV. 7/16/92 - ACT THREE 32A. 30A CONTINUED: BEVERLY There's evidence of electrical burns on the victim's body... as if she were exposed to ionized gas... or high energy plasma. Geordi reacts. GEORDI Plasma? There's no way they could've been exposed... unless it was matter from the streamer... Picard thinks. PICARD Is there any evidence of a hull breach... could plasma from the streamer have found its way into the ship? GEORDI No... (gets an idea, to Data) Data, what's the report on that broken sample container? DATA The analysis of the fragments is not yet complete. GEORDI (to Picard) Captain -- if there's evidence of similar ionization in those fragments... it could mean they tried to beam aboard material from the streamer... PICARD (onto the idea) And if the plasma exploded... that would explain a few things. (beat) Let me know when the analysis is complete. GEORDI Aye sir. Picard rises; the others follow. STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - REV. 7/16/92 - ACT THREE 32B. 31 EXT. SPACE - THE ENTERPRISE (OPTICAL) at the plasma streamer. 32 INT. ENGINEERING Geordi, Barclay and Data are examining the metal fragments (as seen in Act One) -- but now the fragments have been roughly put together to form a matter sample container. Barclay looks exhausted, barely able to focus on the task at hand. GEORDI From the looks of these fracture patterns, I'd say the explosive force came from within the container. Data completes a scan. STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - 7/15/92 - ACT THREE 33. 32 CONTINUED: DATA The container does show evidence of residual ionization. (beat) I believe your hypothesis was correct. It was being used to store high energy plasma. Geordi considers. GEORDI So they were collecting samples from the plasma streamer... (perplexed) But they were using the proper container. How could it have exploded? DATA Perhaps we should try to recreate their experiment to see what happens when matter is beamed aboard under similar conditions. GEORDI Good idea. Let's prepare a new container. (to Barclay) Reg, I don't want to take any chances -- start setting up a level five containment field here in Engineering. Barclay glances over -- his mind is elsewhere. BARCLAY Aye sir... Geordi moves to his office. Barclay and Data start to work a nearby console. Barclay is on edge, distracted -- every move he makes is slow and deliberate, as if any second he might lose his balance. Barclay picks up a PADD to make a calculation. As he reads the screen, he moves the PADD to and fro while alternately blinking each eye -- as if he's testing his eyesight. Data glances at him, genuinely curious. DATA Are you having trouble with your eyesight, Mister Barclay? Barclay is embarrassed at having been caught. STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - 7/15/92 - ACT THREE 34. 32 CONTINUED: (2) BARCLAY No... thank you. Barclay picks up a nearby bottle of water (which he has brought with him) and takes a long, thirsty drink. He crosses to a JEFFERIES TUBE near the Pool Table, enters the tube. Data eyes him with growing concern, then crosses to Geordi. DATA May I have a word with you, Geordi? It concerns Lieutenant Barclay. GEORDI What is it? DATA He appears to be inordinately preoccupied with his physiological condition. I have seen him check his pulse rate, as well as his visual acuity several times in the last twenty minutes. Concerned, Geordi crosses to the Jefferies Tube, sees Barclay inside. He walks into the tube. 32A INT. JEFFERIES TUBE Geordi walks up to Barclay. GEORDI Reg... Barclay jumps, startled. BARCLAY Yessir? STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - 7/15/92 - ACT THREE 35. 32A CONTINUED: GEORDI Are you alright? BARCLAY (rattled) Just fine, sir. Geordi studies his face. GEORDI You look a little pale. BARCLAY (touching face, worried) I do? Geordi can see that Barclay is highly agitated. GEORDI (gently) It's been a long couple of days, Reg. Why don't you get some rest. We've got everything under control here. Barclay nods, grateful to get out of there. BARCLAY I'll do that, sir. Thank you. Barclay grabs his water bottle and EXITS the tube. Geordi follows... 32B INT. ENGINEERING Barclay quickly EXITS. Geordi and Data exchange a glance. GEORDI (taps communicator) La Forge to Counselor Troi. TROI'S COM VOICE Go ahead, Commander. GEORDI Counselor... do you have a minute? Off Geordi's concern... STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - REV. 7/17/92 - ACT THREE 36-37. 33 OMITTED 34 INT. CORRIDOR Barclay is briskly walking down the corridor at a steady clip -- oblivious to everything and everyone around him. He's in his own world. Follow Barclay as he walks... turns a corner... passes a curious crewmember... walking... walking... Troi round a corner from the opposite direction. TROI Lieutenant Barclay, I've been calling you, why haven't you responded -- Barclay plows past her without a glance. Troi catches up to him, almost having to run to keep up. Play the scene ON THE MOVE. TROI Reg, what are you doing? BARCLAY Walking. TROI I can see that. Where are you going? He tries to act like nothing's wrong. BARCLAY Nowhere. I just don't get to these decks very often. (points) There's Stellar Cartography -- I thought that was on Deck Eleven. STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - 7/15/92 - ACT THREE 38. 34 CONTINUED: TROI (seeing through it) Mister Barclay... BARCLAY I was... I was having trouble sleeping. I'm just trying to wear myself out. That's a perfectly normal thing to be doing, isn't it? A beat as they walk. TROI Commander La Forge said you seemed very nervous this morning. Barclay tries to make light of it. BARCLAY I'm always nervous. Everyone knows that. TROI He also mentioned that you said you saw something in the Transporter beam. A slight reaction from Barclay. BARCLAY I was wrong. They checked the Transporter and there wasn't... there was nothing there. I imagined the whole thing. TROI You don't sound very convinced of that... Barclay stops, turns to her, wanting to shut this conversation down. BARCLAY Counselor, I appreciate your concern... but I'd rather not continue this conversation. I'm... I'm feeling perfectly fine. Troi takes a more stern approach. TROI Mister Barclay, you are exhausted and highly agitated. (MORE) STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - REV. 7/17/92 - ACT THREE 39. 34 CONTINUED: (2) TROI (Cont'd) And I cannot allow a member of this crew to endanger himself and others. I think -- BARCLAY (cuts her off) I'm not endangering anyone and I wish you would -- TROI (cuts him off) I think it's in your best interest to take a leave of absence. (beat) Reg -- I'm temporarily relieving you of duty. A reaction from Barclay -- but he tries to play it cool. BARCLAY Fine... fine... do what you have to do, Counselor... He quickly walks off down the hall. OFF Troi's look of concern... 35 INT. BARCLAY'S QUARTERS The lights are dim. Several candles are burning. Barclay is lying on the floor in a contorted Yoga position. He is deep breathing, letting out his breath in drawn-out vocalizations. The SOUND of chirping BIRDS and gently falling RAIN can be heard playing over the Com system. Barclay is desperately trying to relax. His eyes shoot open. This isn't working. BARCLAY (to computer) Computer... more birds. The sound of more BIRDS comes up -- too many birds, loud, obnoxious SQUAWKING. Barclay looks annoyed. BARCLAY (to computer) End stress reduction program. STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - 7/15/92 - ACT THREE 39A. 35 CONTINUED: The candle flames GO OUT. The lights COME UP and the sounds STOP. Barclay struggles out of his Yoga position, stands, crosses to the replicator slot. BARCLAY (to replicator) Water. COMPUTER VOICE Specify temperature. BARCLAY (agitated) I don't care -- just give me water! A glass of water MATERIALIZES. Barclay drinks down the entire glass. He crosses to his bed and sits down, takes his pulse. Then he starts to tap his neck, plexing... STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - REV. 7/17/92 - ACT THREE 40-41. 35 CONTINUED: (2) BARCLAY (to himself) Calm... stay calm... (to computer) Computer -- let's try music... something soothing. Soft, tranquilizing MUSIC starts to play. Barclay stop plexing... takes a few manic breaths... violently fluffs his pillow... straightens the wrinkles out of his blanket... then crawls under the covers. He shuts his eyes... And tosses and turns, trying to get comfortable in the bed... finally finds the right position... settles in for the night. The soft music keeps playing... Barclay tries to sleep... He opens his eyes and looks down at his left arm, where a tingling sensation is slowly building. He touches it... dreading... He flings off the blanket -- 36 BARCLAY'S ARM (OPTICAL) is RADIATING with the SPARKLING LIGHT (as seen in Act Two). Only this time, the glowing imprint has spread to include his shoulder and neck. Barclay cries out, jumps out of bed. The glow VANISHES. Barclay's expression changes... as an inner resolve takes over. His fear transforms into grim determination. He refuses to end up a victim of whatever's happening to him. His fear compels him to take action. BARCLAY (taps communicator) Barclay to Chief O'Brien. A beat. O'BRIEN'S COM VOICE O'Brien here. BARCLAY I need your help. Would you meet me in Transporter Room Three... ? Off Barclay's look of determination... FADE OUT. END OF ACT THREE STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - REV. 7/17/92 - ACT FOUR 42. ACT FOUR FADE IN: 38 INT. TRANSPORTER ROOM (OPTICAL) Barclay is at the console, studying a read-out of the transport logs. O'Brien ENTERS, looking like he just woke up. O'BRIEN Sir, begging your pardon -- but couldn't this wait til morning? BARCLAY No... Barclay turns to him, trying to act casual. BARCLAY Chief... I've just... I've been reviewing the transport logs... (indicates console) What are these... energy variations that keep appearing? There was one when I transported to the science ship... see? O'Brien glances at the logs. O'BRIEN They're just ionic fluctuations, sir. A result of our interlock with the Yosemite's transporter system. BARCLAY A fluctuation occurred while I was inside the matter stream... ? O'BRIEN It's nothing to worry about, sir. Barclay looks at him, determined. BARCLAY I need you to transport me to the science ship... and directly back again. And while I'm in the beam... can you recreate one of those ionic fluctuations... ? STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - 7/15/92 - ACT FOUR 42A. 38 CONTINUED: O'BRIEN I guess so... but if you don't mind my asking, sir... what for? BARCLAY I need to... Commander La Forge wants some tricorder readings of those fluctuations. O'Brien is suspicious -- he senses Barclay's anxiety. O'BRIEN (indicates console) We can do it from right here. BARCLAY (scrambling) No, I... the Transporter sensors may not be sensitive enough... But Barclay isn't fooling anybody, and he knows it. BARCLAY I'm giving you an order, Mister O'Brien. O'BRIEN (a beat) Aye sir. O'Brien moves to the console and starts typing in commands. Barclay steps onto the Transporter platform. STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - REV. 7/17/92 - ACT FOUR 43. 38 CONTINUED: (2) O'BRIEN If you don't mind my making an observation... (beat) You forgot to bring a tricorder. Barclay looks down, realizes O'Brien's right... and finally lets down his guard. He gestures to the Transporter platform. BARCLAY Either there's something in there... or I'm going crazy. I've got to know. (beat) You can understand that, can't you? A beat. O'BRIEN Yes sir, I can. O'Brien works the controls. O'BRIEN Stand by, sir... The system HUMS to life. O'Brien waves a hand over the controls, Barclay begins to DEMATERIALIZE. CUT TO: 39 CLOSE ON BARCLAY - TRANSPORTER EFFECT (OPTICAL) (Transporter Room side) as the room DISSOLVES INTO SPARKLES OF ENERGY. Barclay looks around, searching for any sign of movement. The SPARKLES fill the entire frame except for Barclay... and we see Barclay start to PHASE OUT... INTERCUT: 40 BARCLAY'S POV (OPTICAL) as the science ship set DISSOLVES into view... then back to sparkles... the MOVING SHAPE from Act One is moving amidst the shimmering energy... visible now as the amorphous cloud. STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - REV. 7/17/92 - ACT FOUR 43A. 40A ON BARCLAY - TRANSPORTER EFFECT (OPTICAL) (Transporter Room side) Barclay begins to PHASE BACK IN. He sees the creature, fearful. The creature flies toward him, purposeful, its distorted mouth widening -- closer and closer and closer... STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - 7/15/92 - ACT FOUR 44. 41 INT. TRANSPORTER ROOM (OPTICAL) As Barclay MATERIALIZES. A beat as he takes in what he's seen. Then he steps down off the platform with renewed conviction. BARCLAY (to O'Brien) I want you to wake the senior staff. OFF O'Brien's reaction... 42 INT. OBSERVATION LOUNGE Picard, Riker, Worf, Geordi, Troi. Barclay is sitting at the head of the table, speaking to the group. He is uncomfortable, but determined to make his case. Beverly is standing beside him, taking tricorder scans of his left arm. BARCLAY Then I saw it again -- just twenty minutes ago. The same exact thing moving around in the Transporter beam. RIKER Let me get this straight -- you think it was alive? BARCLAY (nods) It was dark and distorted... and it had what looked like... a mouth... WORF (dubious) A mouth? A tense beat. Beverly completes the scan of his arm. BEVERLY I don't see anything wrong with his arm. TROI Reg -- why did you wait so long to tell anybody about your arm? Barclay shifts uncomfortably. STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - 7/15/92 - ACT FOUR 44A. 42 CONTINUED: BARCLAY Well... I thought I was hallucinating. I thought it was... that I had... Transporter Psychosis... Reactions. Barclay knows how this must look. BARCLAY (quickly) But now I know I don't. I know what I saw in there... was real. (beat) I was the only one to experience an ionic fluctuation during transport... maybe that explains why that's why no one else saw it. Picard throws a questioning look at Geordi, who shrugs -- he's sorry to have to put Barclay on the spot like this. GEORDI We ran a full diagnostic on the Transporter system yesterday, Captain. It checked out fine. STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - 7/15/92 - ACT FOUR 45. 42 CONTINUED: (2) PICARD (to Riker) Number One? RIKER We've been conducting intensive scans of the entire binary star system. No sign of any life forms. Picard considers. Doubt in the room is growing. PICARD Mister Barclay, I understand you've been under a considerable amount of strain the past couple of days. Isn't it possible you simply imagined -- Barclay stands, cutting him off, undaunted. BARCLAY I know what you're going to say, sir. And I realize... I know I've been acting strangely. But you've got to believe me. I wouldn't have called you in here if I weren't absolutely certain. Barclay looks at Picard, waiting for the verdict. A long beat as Picard takes Barclay's measure -- decides to take Barclay at his word. He turns to his staff, rapidly issues commands. PICARD (to Geordi) Commander La Forge, get Chief O'Brien -- take the Transporter system apart piece by piece if you have to. (to Worf) Mister Worf -- maintain a level three security alert until further notice. STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - 7/15/92 - ACT FOUR 46. 42 CONTINUED: (3) WORF Aye, sir. BEVERLY (to Picard) I'll run a micro-cellular scan on Mister Barclay's arm. It'll take some time -- but if there's something wrong, I'll find it. PICARD (satisfied, to all) Keep me apprised. Dismissed. They all stand to go. Barclay is awash with relief. Off his look of appreciation to Picard... 43 INT. SICKBAY Barclay sitting on a bio-bed. Beverly is moving a special medical DEVICE over Barclay's left arm. She moves the device up his arm... around his shoulder... and over his neck... then above his chest. Barclay is getting worried. Riker ENTERS. Beverly deactivates the scanner, turns to him. BEVERLY (re: Barclay) I'm reading minute levels of residual ionization in the sub-dermal tissue of his left arm. (beat) The patterns correspond exactly to the ones we measured in Lieutenant Kelly's body... and in the sample container from the science ship. (turns to Barclay) There's no question -- you've been exposed to the same high energy plasma they were. STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - 7/15/92 - ACT FOUR 47. 43 CONTINUED: Barclay reacts -- he's been vindicated. BARCLAY So... something did happen to me in the Transporter beam? BEVERLY It's too early to draw conclusions... you might've been exposed to something on the science ship. But you did say something touched your left arm during transport... and that's where the ionization is focused... Riker considers. RIKER Does this ionization pose a threat to Mister Barclay? BEVERLY (beat) It might. I'll need to run a base-pair correlation to look for signs of DNA break-down. BARCLAY (to Riker) Sir... Commander La Forge and I were planning to recreate the circumstances of the explosion on the Yosemite... that might give us some answers. Permission to continue with the experiment? Riker nods. RIKER Granted. Tell Chief O'Brien to take all primary Transporters off-line. I don't want to risk any further... contaminations. And make sure you take the necessary safety precautions. BARCLAY Aye sir. STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - 7/15/92 - ACT FOUR 48. 43 CONTINUED: (2) Beverly straps an ARMBAND onto Barclay's left arm and activates it. The armband lights up with various blinkies. BEVERLY I want you to wear this monitoring-device. It'll signal me at the slightest sign of increased ionization. BARCLAY Yes, Doctor. As Riker and Barclay move to go... 44 INT. ENGINEERING (OPTICAL) Geordi and Data are preparing an empty SAMPLE CONTAINER. Barclay is at a nearby console. DATA (re: container) Structural reinforcement is at two hundred forty percent. GEORDI Activating containment field... Geordi taps a control. A FORCE FIELD flashes briefly around the container. GEORDI That should do it. (to Barclay) Okay, Reg -- we've locked onto the coordinates of the plasma streamer. You can beam aboard a sample. BARCLAY Aye sir. STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - REV. 7/17/92 - ACT FOUR 49. 44 CONTINUED: Barclay works the console. After a beat, a plasma sample MATERIALIZES in the container -- a swirling mass of crackling ENERGY. They observe it for a moment. GEORDI Okay... what would they have done first? DATA A standard analysis begins with a resonance frequency scan. GEORDI Sounds like a good place to start. Let's do it. Data works a nearby console. DATA Initiating resonance sweep. Frequency range at -- Without warning, the sample container walls BLOW OUTWARD with a tremendous BLAST -- the containment force field FLASHES, expanding against the pressure of the explosion. The force sends Geordi, Data and Barclay stumbling backward. They regain their composure. Although the sample container is shattered, the containment field is holding. Inside, the plasma sample has transformed -- we now see several intensely glowing PARTICLES, pulsating with energy, hitting up against the containment field, as if trying to escape. GEORDI Check the containment field. Barclay runs to a console across the room, checks it. BARCLAY (off console) Field is at maximum limits, sir. But it is holding. Geordi stares at the energy particles, captivated. He moves closer to them... STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - 7/15/92 - ACT FOUR 50. 44 CONTINUED: (2) GEORDI My VISOR's picking up bio-magnetic energy... highly complex patterns... (beat) I think these things are alive. Reg... Geordi glances over -- Barclay is gone. GEORDI Reg? Then Geordi sees him -- Barclay is lying on the floor, unconscious, half of his body RADIATING with the SPARKLING LIGHT (as seen in Acts Two and Three). His armband is flashing. GEORDI Reg! As Geordi and Data rush to his side... FADE OUT. END OF ACT FOUR STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - 7/15/92 - ACT FIVE 51. ACT FIVE FADE IN: 45 INT. SICKBAY Barclay is sitting on a bio-bed, tired and edgy. Beverly, Geordi and Data are standing nearby. Mid-conversation. BARCLAY (surprised) Life forms? DATA That is correct. They appear to be quasi-energy microbes that exist within the distortion field of the plasma streamer -- which made them undetectable to our sensors. GEORDI They didn't come out until we tried to run the resonance frequency scan. Apparently, they didn't like it too much. They reacted by shattering the sample container. BARCLAY Which caused a plasma explosion similar to the one on the science ship... GEORDI Exactly. (beat) We think one or more of the microbes may have gotten into the Transporter system -- and are still caught inside the buffer. It probably explains what you saw in there... BARCLAY But... what I saw was much larger than a microbe... DATA Normal spatial relationships, such as size, are often distorted within the matter stream. (MORE) STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - REV. 7/20/92 - ACT FIVE 52. 45 CONTINUED: BEVERLY Some of these microbes are also in your body, Reg. Barclay looks down at his arm, dismayed. BARCLAY Inside me? BEVERLY They were in Lieutenant Kelly's body as well... that's what caused the contractions during the autopsy. Barclay realizes the implications. BARCLAY Is that what killed him? BEVERLY Yes... (off his look) But now that we've identified the microbes, we can start trying to eliminate them. I'm going to run a full spectrum antigen series... if that doesn't work, I'll try an imaging probe... BARCLAY But... isn't there a way to... to... to force these things out of me? Geordi thinks, starts to get an idea... GEORDI (musing) The bio-filter should've screened them out... but it didn't... DATA The microbes exist simultaneously as both matter and energy. The bio-filters cannot distinguish them from the matter stream. STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - REV. 7/20/92 - ACT FIVE 53. 45 CONTINUED: (2) GEORDI Right... but -- if we held Barclay suspended in mid-transport... at the point where matter starts to lose molecular cohesion... Data considers. DATA The molecules would begin to emit nucleonic particles. We might be able to derive a pattern the computer could recognize... GEORDI ... and reprogram the bio-filters to screen out the microbes. (to Barclay) Reg, I think this'll work. BARCLAY Suspend me... I don't like the sound of that... GEORDI We'd have to hold you in there for a while... BARCLAY How long? GEORDI Thirty or forty seconds... it's hard to tell. But I think it would be safe... BARCLAY But... if I'm in the matter stream too long... He stops, unable to say the dreaded words. Data completes the thought for him. DATA Your pattern would degrade to the point where your signal would be permanently lost. Barclay reacts -- this is his ultimate fear come true. But there seems to be little choice. OFF his face as he struggles with the decision... STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - REV. 7/17/92 - ACT FIVE 53A. 46 INT. TRANSPORTER ROOM (OPTICAL) Barclay ENTERS. Beverly is with him, medical gear at-the-ready. Geordi and O'Brien are working at the console. O'Brien looks at Barclay, tries to reassure. STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - 7/15/92 - ACT FIVE 54. 45 CONTINUED: (3) DATA Your pattern might degrade to the point where your signal would be permanently lost. Barclay reacts -- this is his ultimate fear come true. He stands and starts moving about the room, agonizing over what to do... BARCLAY This has been the thing I've been afraid of all my life... that I'd go in and not come back... Barclay struggles -- it's the toughest choice he's ever had to make. He lets out a nervous laugh. BARCLAY But I guess... if I'm ever going to confront my fear, it might as well be now... A long beat. Then his face sets with a look of inner-resolve. He's made the decision... 46 INT. TRANSPORTER ROOM (OPTICAL) Barclay ENTERS. Beverly is with him, medical gear at-the-ready. Geordi and O'Brien are working at the console. O'Brien looks at Barclay, tries to reassure. O'BRIEN After fifteen seconds or so in the beam, you may start to feel lightheaded. Try to stay calm... and it's important you don't move around too much. Barclay nods, swallows nervously. STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - REV. 7/17/92 - ACT FIVE 55. 46 CONTINUED: (2) BARCLAY Right. They watch as Barclay approaches the Transporter platform... steps up onto it... positions himself on a pad... O'BRIEN Initializing the back-up pattern buffer. Holding at stand by... O'Brien works the controls. The system HUMS to life. Barclay tenses. This is the most terrifying moment in his entire life. GEORDI (to Barclay) You ready, Reg? Barclay nods, takes a deep breath. BARCLAY Energize. O'Brien works the controls. Barclay begins to DEMATERIALIZE... CUT TO: 47 CLOSE ON BARCLAY - TRANSPORTER EFFECT (OPTICAL) (Transporter Room side) The world around him DISSOLVES into SPARKLES OF ENERGY -- the Transporter Room barely visible against the shimmering light. Barclay tries to stay calm and motionless... a second passes... then Barclay starts to PHASE OUT... 48 INT. TRANSPORTER ROOM Continuous. Geordi and O'Brien working, tense. Beverly works a nearby console. STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - REV. 7/17/92 - ACT FIVE 56. 48 CONTINUED: O'BRIEN Molecular resolution at sixty percent... engaging static mode... his pattern is locked and holding... GEORDI Starting bio-filter scan... As they work... 49 INT. TRANSPORTER EFFECT (OPTICAL) Continuous. Barclay's body stays in a SEMI-PHASED state, sparkling energy all around. Several seconds go by. Barclay sees something -- 50 BARCLAY'S POV (OPTICAL) of the familiar MOVING SHAPE coming toward us -- it's the LIFE FORM. 51 INT. TRANSPORTER ROOM Continuous. O'BRIEN Signal's holding... Beverly reads her console. BEVERLY The imaging scanners still aren't isolating the microbes... O'BRIEN I'll try increasing molecular dispersion... GEORDI (concerned) But -- his signal resolution's dropped to fifty-five percent... O'BRIEN Don't worry -- I can hold him together... STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - 7/15/92 - ACT FIVE 56A. 52 INT. TRANSPORTER EFFECT (OPTICAL) Continuous. Barclay terrified as the life form comes closer and closer, snaking through the streaks of energy, its distorted body and mouth-like orifice barely discernible. Barclay doesn't move, stares wide-eyed at the thing as it stops just inches from his face... STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - REV. 7/17/92 - ACT FIVE 57. 53 INT. TRANSPORTER ROOM Continuous. Tension building... O'BRIEN His signal resolution's down to fifty percent... we need to bring him back... GEORDI I know, I know... just give me one more second... (beat) We need more dispersion... increase phase-transition frequency... O'BRIEN (works) Aye, sir... They work. Beverly reacts -- BEVERLY The imaging scanners are actuating... GEORDI Got it... pattern acquisition... (works) Positive. O'BRIEN Programming bio-filter... The tension eases a bit. GEORDI (to himself) This won't hurt a bit, Reg... 54 INT. TRANSPORTER EFFECT (OPTICAL) (Transporter side) Continuous. Barclay gaping at the life form. The thing hovers there for a moment. Then it starts to tilt and move its body, as if trying to communicate -- like it's supplicating. And it should be clear at this close range that there is something vaguely human about this creature -- it seems to be asking for something... Barclay watches it intently... then something else catches his eye. He looks, and sees a second CREATURE, similar in appearance, quickly moving through the sparkles. STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - REV. 7/17/92 - ACT FIVE 57A. 54 CONTINUED: Barclay reacts to the sight... gradually coming to a realization. The sparkles start to give way to the Transporter Room, indicating that Barclay is returning -- BARCLAY GRABS HOLD OF THE FIRST CREATURE. STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - REV. 7/17/92 - ACT FIVE 58. 55 INT. TRANSPORTER ROOM (OPTICAL) Continuous. Barclay is just starting to MATERIALIZE on the platform -- he appears to be holding onto something, his arms wrapped around it, but we can't quite make out what it is... O'BRIEN (alarmed) I'm reading a ninety-two percent increase in mass, sir! GEORDI (off console) Something's in the beam with him... (taps communicator) Security to Transporter Room Three! O'BRIEN (working) I'm setting up a force field around the chamber... We HEAR a force field activate. They look at the platform -- 56 TRANSPORTER PLATFORM (OPTICAL) as Barclay PHASES IN AND OUT for a second... then MATERIALIZES all the way. HE IS HOLDING A HUMAN BEING -- A SCIENCE SHIP CREWMEMBER. They both slump onto the platform. Reactions. Beverly rushes to their aid. BEVERLY (to O'Brien, on the move) Drop the force field. O'Brien works and we HEAR the force field deactivate. The crewmember lifts his head and looks around him, groggy and exhausted... STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - REV. 7/20/92 - ACT FIVE 59. 56 CONTINUED: Worf and TWO SECURITY NDS ENTER and rush to the platform. Barclay gets to his feet, moves to them, urgent. BARCLAY (to Worf, security NDs) There are more of them in the beam... you have to grab them and hold on... Worf nods in understanding -- he moves with the security NDs onto the platform. O'Brien works the console. We HEAR the security team dematerialize. 56A ON GEORDI AND BEVERLY who are tending to the crewmember. Barclay moves to them. GEORDI (to Barclay) Reg, what happened? Barclay catches his breath. BARCLAY When I saw there was more than one of them... I thought... maybe the other crew was trying the same thing we were... The crewmember, still shaken, chimes in. CREWMEMBER We were infected with something... Lieutenant Kelly... tried to reprogram the bio-filter... STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - REV. 7/20/92 - ACT FIVE 59A. 56A CONTINUED: GEORDI (to crewmember) It looks like he increased molecular dispersion past the integrity point... your patterns were lost in the beam. BARCLAY (realizes) The residual energy from the plasma streamer... it must've amplified the charge in the buffer... enough to keep your patterns from degrading... The crewmember nods, exhausted. We HEAR the security team start to materialize... 56B TRANSPORTER PLATFORM (OPTICAL) as Worf and the two security NDs beam in. They are each holding an exhausted-looking science ship CREWMEMBER. Geordi lays a hand on Barclay's shoulder. It's a nice moment for Barclay. OFF his tired but satisfied expression... 57 EXT. SPACE - THE ENTERPRISE (OPTICAL) at impulse in normal space. PICARD (V.O.) Captain's Log, Stardate 46043.6. The reprogrammed bio-filter was effective in removing the alien microbes from Mister Barclay and the four crewmembers. The microbes have been returned to the plasma streamer. 57A thru OMITTED 58 59 INT. TEN FORWARD Continuous. Barclay ENTERS and spots O'Brien sitting at a table. He crosses to him. STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - REV. 7/17/92 - ACT FIVE 59B. 59 CONTINUED: BARCLAY Chief... O'BRIEN Lieutenant -- glad you could make it. Barclay sits. On the table top, O'Brien has a small BOX of some sort (the 24th century version of a cage). O'Brien looks at Barclay. O'BRIEN You know, I think this is the first time we've ever talked, outside the Transporter Room. STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - 7/15/92 - ACT FIVE 60. 59 CONTINUED: (2) Barclay looks a little embarrassed. BARCLAY Well... to be honest, I always avoided you. O'BRIEN Why? BARCLAY Because... you run the Transporters, and I hate transporters... Barclay considers for a beat. BARCLAY At least... I used to... O'Brien smiles, glad to hear it. Barclay returns the smile, grateful for O'Brien's help. He indicates the box. BARCLAY So what's in the box? O'BRIEN I thought you might like to meet Christina. Barclay looks at him, curious. O'Brien removes the top of the box to reveal its contents: a rather large, nasty-looking TARANTULA. Barclay reacts, surprised by the sight. O'BRIEN Christina -- Lieutenant Barclay. Barclay eyes the thing. BARCLAY Your... pet spider. O'BRIEN Lycosa tarantula. Don't worry, she won't bite. The tarantula takes a few crawly steps onto the table. Barclay shifts, uncomfortable. BARCLAY It's... she's... very... large. STAR TREK: "Realm of Fear" - 7/15/92 - ACT FIVE 61. 59 CONTINUED: (3) O'BRIEN I found her on Titus Four... almost stepped on her by accident. Barclay nods, trying to seem enthusiastic. O'Brien stands up. O'BRIEN I'll get us a couple of drinks. Keep an eye on her, will you? BARCLAY Sure... O'Brien crosses to the bar. Barclay looks down and freezes when he notices that the tarantula is crawling onto his hand. A flicker of panic crosses his face. With his free hand, he starts to tap his neck, plexing... trying to stay calm... BARCLAY Um... Chief... As the spider crawls up his arm... 60 EXT. SPACE - THE ENTERPRISE (OPTICAL) on to its next mission. FADE OUT. END OF ACT FIVE THE END