Was that the entire scene? Some heavy editing there. It suddenly goes from the threat to use the slug and the Klingon holding hit right next to his head to Nero suddenly being taken back to his cell.
Also, that's not what the slugs were supposed to do, according to what Nero told Pike. So maybe the Klingon was exaggerating. Otherwise, that slug would've killed Pike trying to dig itself out.
Yeah, according to the script, what's shown there is actually TWO different scenes. This is how the tail end of the first half goes (all phrases in caps are how they are written), which comes right after young Kirk drives the Corvette into the quarry:
54B CONTINUED:
A Guard uses TONGS to pull out the most DISGUSTING creature
you've seen from the container: a SLUG with SUCKERS and spikes,
covered in a grimy muck -- it FLIP FLOPS.
KLINGON INTERROGATOR (CONT'D)
Centaurian slugs. Their native planet is
in constant sunlight. As a result,
ther's nothing they hate more... than
darkness
A Guard GRABS NERO'S HEAD and FORCES IT BACK; the second PRIES
HIS MOUT OPEN with his hands.
Another Guard SHOVES THE THING INTO NERO'S MOUTH -- Nero keeps
his eyes open -- furiously determined not to be broken -- as
they FORCE HIM TO SWALLOW IT -- he DOESN'T SCREAM as the
wretched thing makes its way down his esophagus and into his
stomach --
KLINGON INTERROGATOR (CONT'D)
They try to claw and bit their way out of any dark space they're in.
Nero stares at the ceiling in HORRIFYING INTERNAL PAIN -- but
straining to block it out. PUSH DOWN on Nero's wide, crazed
eyes -- TIGHTER as we SLOWLY DISSOLVE TO SEE WHAT HE'S SEEING --
IMAGES OF
A WOMAN -- HER BEAUTIFUL, SMILING FACE -- SHE'S
ROMULAN -- LOOKING AT US, EYES FULL OF LOVE -- AND SHE TURNS AND
WE SEE SHE'S PREGNANT -- AND AS OUR MUSIC BUILDS, WE CUT TO:
---
The next part is a really quick sequence, coming after Kirk meets McCoy for the first time:
64F INT. NERO'S CELL - NIGHT
Nero lies on the floor of his cell, semi-conscious, looking like
death. Behind him the DOOR OPENS. Two KLINGON GUARDS enter,
backlit.
KLINGON GUARD #1
The day you've been waiting for is upon
us, Slient One. And look. No sign of
salvation. No sign of change. Just more
pain.
And they both lift his limp body up --
as something miraculous
happens --
NERO SNAPS TO LIFE AND SINGLE-HANDEDLY BEATS THE SHIT
OUT OF THE GUARDS -- TAKING THEM BOTH DOWN IN TEN SECONDS -- in
what seems like an instant, he's the only one standing here --
holding both of the Guards' rifles -- which he TWIRLS, badass.
64G INT. AYEL'S CELL - NIGHT
PUSH IN ON THE DOOR as it opens -- Ayel, chained, looks up,
intensely -- and sees that it's NERO who has arrived -- we PUSH
IN TIGHT ON HIM as he SPEAKS FOR THE FIRST TIME:
NERO
The wait is over.
Off Ayel, we CUT TO:
---
So, yeah, we're missing a bunch of that sequence... unless it changed during shooting (though, I doubt it, due to the writer's strike)
