Course Change - Act 3

ACT THREE

FADE IN:

INT. - VULCAN COMPOUND -- MOMENTS LATER

Both Soval and Archer are in the process of recovering from the effects of the mind meld.

In the B.G., we can see Phlox and T'Pol, hovering, alarmed but unsure as to what to do.

SOVAL
I apologize, Captain. The
(beat)
intensity of the emotion was unexpected.

Archer doesn't answer immediately; he blinks, hard, driving back the tears. Reliving Trip's death in such excruciating detail has not been easy.

ARCHER
Well?

SOVAL
I'm sorry. I cannot give you the answer you seek.

ARCHER
You mean ...?

SOVAL
Commander Tucker's katra is not here.

Archer looks even more shattered than before, if that is possible.

OFF of his look, we ...

CUT TO:

EXT. - VULCAN COMPOUND -- MOMENTS LATER

Archer, Phlox and T'Pol are leaving the compound. Phlox and T'Pol exit ahead of Archer, who stops again to speak to Soval.

ARCHER
Thank you, Ambassador. I know that
this wasn't easy for you.

SOVAL
Nor you. I know that this was not the
outcome you wished for.

ARCHER
No ... No, I'd hoped ...

He stops, brushes his hand over his eyes.

ARCHER (CONT'D)
(trying to keep his voice steady)
He's really gone.

Soval looks at him compassionately.

SOVAL
As I came to know Commander Tucker
over the years, I found him to be a man
of integrity. I came to admire him a great
deal.

(a beat; gently)

Do not be ashamed of your grief, Captain;
it honors him.

ARCHER
What am I going to do?

SOVAL
Time is the answer.

He lifts his hand in the Vulcan salute.

SOVAL (CONT'D)
Live long and prosper.

Archer looks like this is the last thing
he wants in his present frame of mind,
but he returns the salute.

ARCHER
And you, Ambassador.

OFF of the two men facing each other

CUT TO:

INT. - ARCHER'S APARTMENT -- LATER

Archer is sitting, brooding, on his couch, with Porthos by his side. The lighting is minimal; most of the apartment is in shadow. He is stroking the beagle's fur in an absent fashion.

TRIP (O.S.)
Rough day?

Archer starts, slightly. He looks over to see Trip perched on the window sill.

ARCHER
You tell me.

TRIP
Running all the way to the Vulcan compound...
(a beat)
Guess things didn't work out the way
you wanted. I would say you're not too good.

Archer is silent.

TRIP (CONT'D)
I figure it's this way: you kept it all
together. All inside of you. Managed
to get through the ceremony --

ARCHER
(interrupting; loudly)
-- You do realize that you're just a
figment of my imagination, right?

TRIP
(ignoring him)
-- And the funeral, too. No breakdowns
during the eulogy. Kept the ol' stiff upper
lip, as Malcolm would say –-

ARCHER
-- Phlox says you're an outlet for my
stressed psyche –-

TRIP
-- but now it's all done and you're all
alone, and you have to face facts.

ARCHER
-- So I don't have to listen to you,
you know –-

TRIP
-- And that dam you've built up around
your feelings -–it's starting to show the
strain, isn't it? First few cracks are
showing, aren't they?

He begins to wander around the apartment, while Archer watches from the couch.

TRIP (CONT'D)
So what are you going to do?

ARCHER
So why are you still here? You're not real.

TRIP
It's your imagination – you tell me.

ARCHER
You always were one stubborn son of a bitch.

TRIP
(smiles slightly)
Look who's talking.

He gives Archer a steady, measuring look.

TRIP (CONT'D)
Should I say I'm sorry?

ARCHER
For what?

TRIP
For not staying.

ARCHER
Seems to me you're still around.

TRIP
As a figment of your imagination only, remember?

ARCHER
That's right. You're not real.

TRIP
If I'm not real, how come I'm still here?

ARCHER
I just asked you that, remember?
I sure as hell don't know.

TRIP
Oh, come on, Cap'n. You've got to have
some idea. Why don't you want me to leave?

ARCHER
Don't you start. It's bad enough with
Phlox ...

He trails off. The apartment is now empty. He sighs, and buries his face in his hands.

OFF of this ...

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. - ESTABLISHING SHOT -- BLACK STAGE (DREAM SEQUENCE)

A single old-fashioned door stands suspended in mid-air on a black stage.

Archer enters, stands in front of this door.

He tries to open it, but cannot.

Frustrated, he jiggles the knob. Still no success.

Suddenly T'Pol is standing beside him, dressed in her Vulcan robes.

T'POL
Why do you desire access?

ARCHER
Something important is in there.

T'POL
You are certain of this?

ARCHER
I am.

He rattles the door again.

ARCHER (CONT'D)

But I can't get in!

He's alone again. But he hears T'Pol from off-stage:

T'POL (O.S.)
It is merely a matter of knowing where to look.

Archer looks around, then looks at the door again. Now there is an ornate key hanging on its surface.

He takes the key, inserts it in the lock.

TRIP (O.S.)
It's forever in there.

Archer opens the door, steps inside

CUT TO:

INT. - HALL OF MIRRORS - -- CONTINUOUS

Another black stage. Mirrors hang, suspended in space, spinning slowly.

Archer begins to walk down the aisle formed by these mirrors, attempting to catch a glimpse of his reflection, but he can't; the mirrors seem to move just out of reach.

He finally reaches out, touches one. It stops.

ANGLE ON

Surface of the mirror.

Instead of Archer's reflection, we see a gorgeous shot of space, with stars, nebulae and hot gas.

BACK TO SCENE

The mirror breaks, and this causes a chain reaction; all the mirrors in this room break.

As they do, the pieces fall. There is no floor; they seem to fall forever, and Archer begins to fall as well...

OFF of this ...

CUT TO:

ANGLE ON

Archer, falling helplessly through black space to ...

CUT TO:

INT. -- WHITE ROOM -- CONTINUOUS

... A white room, empty except for a huge, glowing hourglass.

There is no sound except for a slow, drugged heartbeat.

The hourglass has bright, glowing grains in its bottom half, which fly upwards to the top half in time to each heartbeat.

Archer watches for a beat or two, fascinated.

ARCHER
(softly)
That's impossible ...

TRIP (O.S.)
Says who?

Archer looks up. Trip is sitting, cross-legged, yoga-style, on top of the hourglass.

He is dressed in white, and looks aloof; mysterious; otherworldly.

ARCHER
Trip?

There is no answer. Trip continues to sit there, and the glowing grains fly upwards in time to the heartbeat.

ARCHER (CONT'D)
Trip?

Now Trip is gone. The sound of the heartbeat is faster, louder, and the grains fly faster in time.

The heartbeat becomes so loud as to be intolerable, and the grains are a whirling stream speeding upwards.

Archer claps his hands over his ears, falls to his knees, and ...

CUT TO:

INT. - ARCHER'S APARTMENT -- CONTINUOUS

... Wakes up on his couch. It's been a dream. One hell of a dream. Porthos whines worriedly, and Archer strokes his dog, rubs his face.

Slowly, he stands up, goes over to a picture on the wall.

He touches it, and it swings open, revealing a safe.

He opens the safe

ANGLE ON

the safe's contents: a large box, and a phase pistol.

BACK TO SCENE

Archer picks up the phase pistol, thoughtfully.

Suddenly, his door chime sounds, and he starts.

OFF of this ...

CUT TO:

INT. - HALLWAY OUTSIDE OF ARCHER'S APARTMENT -- CONTINUOUS

T'Pol is standing at Archer's door. She is carrying a heavy knapsack. She rings the bell. No answer.

T'POL
Captain, please. I know you're in there.

Slowly, the door opens. Archer stands in the doorway, blocking her view of his apartment, and her entrance into it.

ARCHER
It's a little late for a social call.

T'POL
This is not a social call, and you know it.

ARCHER
Do I?

T'POL
Captain, please. This is not the time
or place to fence words.

ARCHER
Look, it's very nice that you're worried
and all that, but I'm busy, and I --

T'POL
(cutting him off)
I am not being "nice". I know what
you're planning.

ARCHER
(taken aback)
You do?

T'POL
It's the only logical conclusion.

ARCHER
And?

T'POL
And you're going to need my help.

Archer hesitates. T'Pol plays her trump card.

T'POL (CONT'D)
Jonathan. Please.

At this, Archer relents. He holds the door open, and she enters his apartment.
The door shuts.

CAMERA REMAINS on the closed door.

BEGIN MONTAGE

... of time passing.

An N.D. DELIVERY PERSON comes to the door with Chinese food.

DISSOLVE TO:

Another N.D. DELIVERY PERSON from Starfleet with some papers.

DISSOLVE TO:

Another N.D. DELIVERY PERSON with pizza.

DISSOLVE TO:

Another N.D. DELIVERY PERSON with a package.

END MONTAGE.

The door opens, and Archer and T'Pol, in different clothes, both carrying knapsacks, exit.

Porthos comes to the door, whines.

Archer stops, kneels down.

ARCHER
Sorry, fella.
(pats dog)
But we'll be back before you know it.

Porthos looks up at him, wags his tail at these reassuring words.

Archer looks at T'Pol, and she raises a brow.

OFF of her look ...

FADE OUT:

END ACT THREE

Continue to Act 4

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