A few hours ago,
the captain elected to
remain on board the Defiant
so that three members
of his crew
would have the best chance
of returning safely
to the Enterprise.
His concern
was not only for them,
but for all the members
of the crew of this ship.
You all know
the sequence of events.
You were fired upon
by the Tholian ship.
At that time,
Captain Kirk
may have been alive.
I deemed it necessary
to return the Tholian fire
for the safety
of the Enterprise.
The Tholian ship
has been disabled.
But as a result
of the battle,
we must accept the fact
that Captain Kirk
is no longer alive.
Aah!
Take him to sick bay.
Put him in restraint.
I shall not attempt
to voice the quality
of respect and admiration
which Captain Kirk
commanded.
Each of you
must evaluate the loss
in the privacy
of your own thoughts.
Attention.
Dismissed.
There is a duty
to be performed
in the captain's quarters,
which requires
our presence.
It can wait, Doctor.
My duties require my immediate
presence on the bridge.
The captain
left a message tape.
It was his order that it be
reviewed by both of us,
should he ever be
declared dead.
You have just
declared Jim dead.
It will wait for a more
suitable moment, Doctor.
Why? Are you afraid it'll
change your present status?
The mental and physical state
of this crew
are your responsibility,
Doctor.
At the moment, they
are your top priority.
The captain's last order
is top priority,
and you will honour that
order before you take over.
He was a hero,
yet his life
was sacrificed for nothing.
What would have
given his death meaning
is the safety
of the Enterprise.
Now you've made that
impossible.
We came here for
a specific purpose, Doctor.
Maybe not the same one.
I really came here to find out
why you stayed and fought.
The captain would have remained
to recover a crew member
at the risk of his own life
or even his own ship.
Yes, he would,
Mr. Spock,
but you didn't have
that decision to make.
What would you gain
by fighting the Tholians?
You could have assured
yourself of a captaincy
by leaving the area.
But you chose to stay. Why?
I need not explain
my rationale to you
or any other member
of this crew.
There is a margin of
variation in any experiment.
While there was
a chance,
I was bound
legally and morally
to ascertain
the captain's status.
You mean to be sure
if he was dead.
Well, you made certain
of that.
That is enough, Doctor.
We both have
other things to do.
Yes, I have
something to do.
If the crew is to survive,
I have to find
an antidote
to this space
you've locked us into.
You will return
to your duty
as soon as we've discharged
our responsibilities here.
There's no hurry,
Mr. Spock.
The antidote probably
doesn't concern you.
Vulcans
are probably immune,
so just take your time.
I must admit I don't
understand you, Spock,
but I just can't believe
that you would
want Jim's command.
You must know that
if you get us out of this situation,
they'll
pin a medal on you
and give you command
of the Enterprise.
Doctor, I am in command
of the Enterprise.
I would like to
remedy that situation.
[Beep]
If you believe
I have acted irregularly,
then relieve me of duty.
That is your prerogative
as medical officer of this ship.
Bones, Spock...
since you are
playing this tape,
we will assume
that I am dead,
that the tactical situation
is critical,
and both of you are locked
in mortal combat.
It means, Spock, that you
have control of the ship
and are probably making
the most difficult decisions
of your career.
I can offer only
one small piece of advice,
for whatever
it's worth--
Use every scrap of knowledge
and logic you have
to save the ship.
But tempery our judgment
with intuitive insight.
I believe you have
those qualities,
but if you can't
find them in yourself,
seek out McCoy.
Ask his advice.
And if you find it sound,
take it.
Bones, you've