"Bread and Circuses" Line-by-Line!

MERIK: They're going to be arriving soon, anyway, Jim. A recon party, then a rescue party, then another rescue party. I had less men. It added up the same.

 

KIRK: Do you really believe I could be made to order my own people down?

 

CLAUDIUS: I believe this, Captain. That you would do almost anything rather than see these two dear friends put slowly to death.

 

(Kirk takes the communicator.)

MCCOY: Jim.

 

KIRK: Kirk to Enterprise.

 

SCOTT [OC]: Bridge. Scott here.

(Armed guards enter.)

 

KIRK: Scotty, if you have a fix. (guns are pointed at his head) Stand by, Scotty.

 

CLAUDIUS: Very wise of you, Captain. No point in sending up bullet-ridden corpses.

 

KIRK: Yet on the other hand, my chief engineer's standing by for a message.

 

CLAUDIUS: I do hope so, for your sake. Now, Captain, what are you going to order your men to do?

 

KIRK: If I brought down a hundred of them armed with phasers?

 

CLAUDIUS: You could probably defeat the combined armies of our entire empire, and violate your oath regarding noninterference with other societies. I believe you all swear you'll die before you'd violate that directive. Am I right?

 

SPOCK: Quite correct.

 

MCCOY: Must you always be so blasted honest?

 

CLAUDIUS: But on the other hand, why even bother to send your men down? From what I understand, your vessel could lay waste to the entire surface of the world. Oh, but there's that Prime Directive in the way again. Can't interfere.

 

MERIK: Jim, you've already started a message. Your engineer's waiting. What are you going to do?

 

KIRK: Scotty. Sorry to keep you waiting.

 

SCOTT [OC]: We were becoming concerned, Captain. You were a bit overdue.

 

CLAUDIUS: Order your officers to come down.

 

KIRK: Condition Green, all's well. Kirk out.