The City on the Edge of Forever (26 page)

ACT FOUR

FADE IN:

88 EXT. NEW YORK STREET—EVENING—ESTABLISHING

CLOSE ON a hand-lettered placard that reads:

I FOUGHT AT VERDUN

as CAMERA PULLS BACK we see the sign is hung around the neck of a legless cripple, hunkered down on his stumps on a wooden push-board that rolls on roller skate wheels. He has a tray of apples and pencils beside him. His cap is pulled down far over his eyes, and the beard stubble looks as though it nests a troupe of nits. A VOICE O.S. speaks to him just as a PAIR OF LEGS MOVE INTO FRAME. All we see are the legs.

KIRK’S VOICE O.S.

Are you Trooper?

TROOPER looks up with rheumy eyes. In that face is the true meaning of the worst social era America ever faced. He is a man destroyed. The light has gone out in the eyes, the mouth speaks a silent sadness. Disillusioned. He was the drummer boy who went to war, and came back to find no one needed him. He nods up at the unseen person.

TROOPER

Good apples, fellah. Pencils? I fought at Verdun.

KIRK’S VOICE O.S.

Someone told me to come see you.

TROOPER

(shakes his head as if to clear it)

I just sell apples and pencils.

KIRK’S VOICE O.S.

Perhaps it’s time for you to diversify your wares.

TROOPER

Who are you?

Kirk hunkers down next to him on the filthy sidewalk. And we see Kirk fully for the first time in this scene. Trooper looks nervous about it.

KIRK

I’m just a Bo who needs some easy information.

TROOPER

I don’t know much ’cept there’s nine guys on this block sellin’ apples. Try
them
.

KIRK

There’s two bucks in it for a few words.

TROOPER

I din’t do nothin’. I been right here sellin’—

KIRK

I’m not
after
you, mister, I want you to find out something for me…I was told you know everything that goes on in this neighborhood. Now, you want to make a couple of bucks?

TROOPER

(warily)

How do I know you ain’t crooked as a hairpin?

KIRK

Take a two-dollar chance.

Trooper ponders a moment, licks his lips, nervously nods.

KIRK

A man wearing peculiar clothes.

TROOPER

What kind of clothes?

Kirk looks around (without being melodramatic) and pulls a parcel toward them. He opens it enough to show Trooper the
Enterprise
comet insignia, the velour material, the bright color, so stark beside Trooper’s own drab garb.

KIRK

He’d be carrying a…weapon.

TROOPER

What’dya want him for?

KIRK

For about two bucks.

TROOPER

Let’s see it.

Kirk fishes out two crumpled dollar bills. Trooper touches them with an outstretched hand. But doesn’t take them.

TROOPER

I s’pose I gotta find out before you give it to me.

Kirk gives him the two crumpled balls of money. Trooper is astonished. It is the first real life we’ve seen in his face.

KIRK

I think I can trust a man who fought at Verdun.

There is disbelief and a kind of grandeur in Trooper’s face as he is confronted with dignity, trust and honesty. He nods firmly as Kirk rises, the legs MOVE OUT OF FRAME and Trooper watches him go. Then, determined, he gathers his wares and, using two padded blocks of wood with hand-grips, he propels himself down the sidewalk on the roller skate platform as we

DISSOLVE TO:

89 INT. EDITH’S APARTMENT—KIRK & EDITH—NIGHT

That plain little room. They are eating cake and having coffee, at that same little square table covered with oilcloth. There is MUSIC OF THE PERIOD UNDER.

EDITH

Too rich?

KIRK

(preoccupied)

Pardon?

EDITH

The cake. Did I make it too sweet?

KIRK

No, it’s delicious. I’ve never tasted anything like it before.

EDITH

(surprised)

You’ve never tasted angel food cake before?

(beat)

Jim…?

KIRK

(still distracted)

Uh-huh…?

EDITH

I’d like to ask you a great manyquestions. But I’m afraid you might give me answers.

Kirk lays down his fork, gets up and walks to the window. He stares out at the night. She follows him in the shadowy room, stands behind him, barely touching.

EDITH

A skyful of stars.

KIRK

(softly)

You’ll never know how many.

EDITH

Are you going away, Jim?

KIRK

Perhaps. I don’t want to.

EDITH

It’s that Chinese fellow, isn’t it?

KIRK

In a way. I know him. And he knows me.

Edith turns him to her. She puts her arms around him, lays her head against his chest.

EDITH

All my life I’ve belonged to other people. I know things will be cleaner, happier, I try to tell them, so they’ll wait, so they’ll hope. But now I don’t belong to anyone. And I’m losing my own hope…Jim…

He holds her away for a moment, speaks earnestly.

KIRK

You’re right. There are a million tomorrows. The one you believe in is the best one. I know.

EDITH

How
do you know, Jim?

KIRK

(helplessly)

Because I love you…and I know.

A KNOCK on the DOOR. They stand a moment. Another KNOCK. Edith looks at Kirk, he nods for her to open it. She goes to the door. It is Spock. She steps aside. He doesn’t come in, just stares at Kirk. Kirk nods and walks past Edith. He turns for a beat to look at her, then follows Mr. Spock out. The door closes and we HOLD on EDITH.

90 INT. TENEMENT—HALLWAY—SPOCK & KIRK

CLOSE 2-SHOT in the dim hallway, one bulb glowing far down the passage.

SPOCK

The little man without legs was here.

KIRK

Is it Beckwith time?

SPOCK

He thinks so. Good chance.

KIRK

Where is he?

SPOCK

I have the address.

Kirk nods, and they go. Down the corridor as we

DISSOLVE TO:

91 EXT. NEW YORK STREET—ANGLE ON ALLEY MOUTH

REDRESS OF ALLEY SCENE 86. A group of SHADOWY MEN wait in the corners and behind crates. Trooper is there, as Kirk and Spock come upon the group. As they arrive, the burly men in the shadows turn to look and we catch their faces. The dregs. The gutter men. The outcasts. The strongarm types one sees on any skid row. We can almost smell the stench of sour rye and sweat. (Redressed extras from previous crowd scenes can be used here as the men will be seen in shadow only.)

TROOPER

(nods his head)

I think the guy you’re lookin’ for, the guy with them hoity-toity clothes like you showed me…we saw him duck back in there somewhere.

KIRK

Has he got the pha—the weapon?

TROOPER

If he has, he ain’t usin’ it.

SPOCK

(softly, to Kirk)

We can’t let him kill anyone—the time flow—

Kirk nods understanding. He motions the street thugs back. They vanish, leaving Kirk, Spock, and Trooper alone. Kirk fishes a dollar bill out of his vest pocket, hands it down to the cripple.

TROOPER

Hey, you din’t haveta do that, two bucks was enough.

KIRK

Thanks, Trooper. You take a powder. He’s ours, now.

92 ANOTHER ANGLE—FULL SHOT

as they smile briefly at each other. Then Trooper fades away into the dark. Kirk and Spock start down opposite sides of the alley, holding close to the walls, half in crouch, moving stealthily.

93 WITH KIRK—HAND-HELD

CLOSE BEHIND HIM as the alley tilts and weaves in the FRAME. Across the alley, past Kirk, we can see Spock moving like a mountain cat, smooth as oil, silent. Suddenly, a garbage can comes clanging with NIGHT-SHATTERING IMPACT down on Spock, who is sideswiped by the can, and falls beneath it. ARRIFLEX CAREEN-PANS UP-ANGLE to the low rooftop, and Beckwith framed against the night sky, the phaser leveled at Kirk. Spock is struggling with the garbage can as Kirk in f.g. looks up, sees Beckwith and realizes he is pinned against the wall and cannot escape. MAKE THIS DANGEROUS!

94 ANGLE FROM BECKWITH

as he fires. A blur of movement from the alley mouth and Trooper is there, hurtling toward Kirk on his little cart. He hits Kirk dead-center and the
Enterprise
Captain is flung sidewise as the phaser blast lances out. Trooper is hit, and with a SHARP, SHORT SCREAM THAT CUTS OFF IN MID-NOTE he is gone.

95 WITH SPOCK—HAND-HELD

as he springs to his feet, grabs the garbage can, and with incredible strength hurls it up at Beckwith.

The can strikes Beckwith and he falls, dropping the phaser into the alley where it lands near Kirk with a rainbow of blast-lines. Kirk grabs it. Beckwith clambers to his feet and vanishes over the rooftops. Spock stands a beat, watching, then goes to Kirk, who is rising. They look down at the power-blasted spot where Trooper was vaporized. The bricks are cleft in half, the cement is sundered, and the cripple is gone. All that remains is one of the hand-pedaling devices with its raggedy grip.

SPOCK

Any death in this era that alters the sum of intelligence…alters time permanently.

KIRK

If he mattered in the time-flow.

They stand long in silence.

SPOCK

Why did he do that for you?

KIRK

Because I gave him two dollars.

(beat)

Mr. Spock, you know history: where is Verdun?

Spock does not answer. They stand in silence; a life has been taken. They stare down at the hand-grip left by Trooper and CAMERA RISES UP AWAY FROM THEM in the alley as we

DISSOLVE TO:

96 EXT. NEW YORK STREET—SAME AS 65—DAY

Edith Keeler in her blue-as-the-sky cape with its sunburst, on her little dais, talking to a tiny crowd of half a dozen men and women.