The Production GuideScript To Screen: Voyager's Return
by Martin Willey
The Production Guide
At the start of Act Two, we are in Koenig's office as they discuss Queller around the conference table.
In the original 29th July script, the dialogue is a little different, discussing margins of error and statistics. We'll see below how the scene was tightened up.
22
44 CONTD.
KOENIG
We're not here to pass
judgment on Ernst Queller,
but to decide if a man called
Ernst Linder should take
charge of the Voyager Operation.
(a beat)
Victor, can you guarantee to
stop Voyager in time?
BERGMAN
(defeated)
No. I can't guarantee...
KOENIG
Then Linder is the only one
who can shut down that drive.
HELENA
You would put the survival of
Alpha into his hands?
KOENIG
He's the logical choice...
he created the Queller Drive.
HELENA
(calmly)
One mistake, John, and Alpha
will be annihilated.
KOENIG nodes. He presses his commlock.
KOENIG
Sandra, send Doctor Linder in.
SANDRA (V.O.)
Yes, Sir.
Silence for a beat. Then the doors to Main Mission
open and LINDER comes in. He looks calm and composed.
Everyone stares at him.
KOENIG
Doctor Linder, you say you
have the delete code to
Voyager One?
LINDER
That is not quite correct.
What I implied was that I
understood the principle on
which it worked.
CONTINUED:
23
44 CONTD. 2
HELENA
So you are not certain you
can shut down the drive?
LINDER
Given time I believe I can.
MORROW
If the drive is shut down,
might it not start up again
when it is in close proximity
to Alpha?
LINDER
That is highly improbable.
MORROW
(tightly)
Doctor Linder... we all know
what happened to Voyager Two...
LINDER
(quietly)
And so do I.
MORROW
How can you say it won't happen
again?
LINDER
There is always some small
margin of error, some slight
risk...
HELENA
One of you 'small errors' as
you call them cost hundreds of
lives.
LINDER
(hotly)
That was a statistical
impossibility...
HELENA
We're dealing with peoples'
lives, Doctor, not statistics.
CONTINUED:
24
44 CONTD. 3
LINDER
Consider this, Doctor Russell.
We are heading towards an area
of space already surveyed by
Voyager One. If there are
habitable worlds out there then
that ship will help us pinpoint
them.
KOENIG
(decisive)
Doctor Linder, I am giving
you the maximum time allowed
within safety limits to
stop Voyager One.
LINDEN nods with serious dignity and goes out.
KOENIG
Paul... I don't want Linder's
real identity made known.
MORROW
Not even Jim Haines Commander?
He lost both his parents on
account of Queller. He should
know who he's working with.
KOENIG
I said no one. Should he?
ON MORROW
He snaps his notebook shut with a vicious gesture,
gets up and walks out.
ON HELENA
Unconvinced.
KOENIG
If it works think of what
it could mean for the future.
In the 5th August pink pages, the scene was rewritten. The dialogue is condensed, with Koenig repeating "Yes or no"
In the original script, Paul Morrow's personal connection had been mentioned earlier, as Alan Carter calls from his damaged Eagle. "Remember Voyager Two? Its Queller Drive activated too soon... Result, an entire scientific colony on the moon perished. I know what I'm talking about... Hundreds died on that colony. My Father was one of them." In the pink pages, the lines are moved to this conference scene: "Two hundred people got killed, that's what went wrong. A whole community wiped out. My father was one of them. I know something went wrong." Moving this dialogue here helps to underline his reaction at the end of the scene.
Instead of calling Sandra to let Linden enter from Main Mission, he now enters via a side door.
44 CONTD.
KOENIG
Paul, this is especially hard for
you. But we are not here now to
pass moral judgment on Ernst Queller;
we're here to decide if Ernst Linden
can help us.
HELENA
You would put the survival of Alpha
into the hands of that man?
KOENIG
Victor can you guarantee to shut
down the Queller Drive? In time?
BERGMAN
Guarantee? No.
KOENIG
Let's talk to Linden.
KOENIG spins his chair around away from the conference
table, and presses his commlock. The small door to
Main Mission opens, revealing LINDEN. He stands
looking down at them, calm and composed.
LINDEN'S P.O.V.
We see a circle of stern, accusing faces behind KOENIG.
KOENIG
Doctor Linden, we need the information
Voyager contains. I want to know if you
can shut down the Queller Drive so that
we can get that information. Please
think carefully. I want to know if
you can do it with the facilities we
have available on Moonbase. I want
to know if you can do it in the time
we have left. Kano?
KANO
Nine hours, ten minutes.
KOENIG
Yes, or no?
LINDEN
I believe I can.
KOENIG
Yes or no?
LINDER
Commander Koenig, twenty years ago,
I would have given you my guarantee.
Now, all I can say is I will do
everything I can.
CONTINUED:
"VOYAGER'S RETURN"
5th August 1974
23/24
44 CONTD.
KOENIG looks at LINDEN a long moment, making his
assessment of the man.
KOENIG
Thank you.
LINDEN nods with serious dignity and goes out.
KOENIG turns his chair slowly back to the others.
PAN SLOWLY around the ring of faces back on to KOENIG
KOENIG
I'm going with him. Paul... I
don't want Linden's real
identity made known.
MORROW
Not even Jim Haines? He lost both
his parents on account of Queller.
He should know who he's working with.
KOENIG
Should he?
MORROW snaps his notebook shut.
Copyright Martin Willey