LINCOLN (extending hand to each)
Mr. Spock... Dr. McCoy... Mr. Scott. (to honor guard) Please stand at ease, gentlemen.
I hope to talk to each of you but... (back to Kirk) Meanwhile, your Captain is consumed with questions and I shall do my utmost to answer them. And I trust your duties will permit time to answer some of mine. At your service, Captain.

KIRK
Mr. Spock.

Together they go off, with Lincoln, who takes a last look around the room.

LINCOLN
A most interesting vessel.

They are out. McCoy goes to Scott.

MCCOY
Just what was it you locked onto before you beamed him aboard?

SCOTT
You heard Mr. Spock yourself. Mineral, he called it. Like living rock.

MCCOY
Did that become Lincoln?

SCOTT
I could not tell, It may have been another figure down there. Standing by.
McCoy looks off.

SCOTT
What do you make of it?
McCoy shakes his head.

INT. BRIEFING ROOM Empty, as Kirk, Spock and Lincoln enter, sit.
Lincoln stares around, delighted with the marvels he is witnessing.

LINCOLN
A marvel. A total marvel. I can hardly credit my eyes. We thought our Monitor the most formidable vessel imaginable. An iron ship that floated on water! (smiles) You can imagine my amazement at an iron ship that floats on air...

KIRK
Mr. President...

LINCOLN
Yes, Captain. Forgive my excitement at the novelty of all this.

KIRK
Sir... I find some of your comments hard to equate with other statements. For example, you are not at all surprised at the existence of this vessel. But you then exhibit only a 19th century knowledge about it... for example, stating that this vessel "floats on air.'

LINCOLN
I don't understand. What does your vessel float upon, Captain?

Kirk exchanges a look with Spock, decides to go along with the question patiently.

KIRK
Sir... the atmosphere surrounding any planet is a relatively thin envelope.

Again, Lincoln appears genuinely puzzled.

SPOCK
Given our present altitude, sir, and a present speed converting to 19271.4 Earth miles per Earth hour... our velocity counter balances the pull of this planet's gravity, creating equal but opposite forces which maintain us in orbit.

LINCOLN (beat; then)
When the choice is between exposing ignorance or honesty... (smiles) a wise man chooses the latter. I haven't the slightest idea what you said.

KIRK
With all respect, sir, that still does not answer my question. For example, you knew my name. How is it you know some things about us but not others?Lincoln considers this, frowns, seeming genuinely perplexed.

LINCOLN
Bless me! Yes, I do see the contradiction. (considers it again; shakes head)
Please believe I have neither desire nor intention to deceive you, gentlemen. I must have been told these things, but... I... I cannot recall when or where.

SPOCK
Could you guess who it might have been sir? What others exist on the planet surface with you?

LINCOLN (surprised)
Others? What others do you mean?

KIRK
That's clearly not 'earth' down there, Mr. President. Or do you believe that it is?

LINCOLN
(thinks, then)
Strange, I never considered that before. No, I do not claim it to be Earth.

KIRK
Less that thirty minutes ago, the temperatures and atmosphere at any point down there would have made your existence in this form impossible.

LINCOLN (surprised)
You don't say! (to the others) I can only assure you that I am what I appear to be, gentlemen. An all too common variety of... what is the term my physician was so fond of... homo sapiens? (sadly; to Kirk) Either way, I am too ordinary, James. I am surprised you've always though so highly of me. The errors, the unforgivable errors I made. McClellan at first appeared to me a veritable Napoleon; Grant seemed a whiskey-befuddled barbarian... (shakes head) There were so many things I could have done to end the war earlier, to save so many lives, so much suffering...

KIRK
I'm sure you did all you could, Mr. Pres... (bites it off)

Kirk is moved by Lincoln's statement and is now suddenly aware he was emotionally drawn in and now has his officers giving him curious looks.

LINCOLN
Ashamed of showing compassion, James? It is the noblest of qualities. (thinks; frowns) I am certain there is an answer to these contradictions you point up so well.
(suddenly remembering; to Kirk) Yes, that's it, of course. You are both invited to disembark with me. You will relieve the answers down there.

Kirk and the others are surprised, hesitant. Lincoln smiles at Kirk.

LINCOLN (continuing)
There is no need to hurry your decision, Captain, I am most anxious to inspect a vessel which...
(with a look at Spock) at least appears to float on air.

KIRK
We... shall be honored to have you inspect our vessel, Mr. President. (to Spock)
Inform the others, we'll consider this in the briefing room in one hour.

Kirk moves with Lincoln toward the exit, Spock joining them.

LINCOLN (looking around)
Fascinating! (to Spock, smiling) If I may borrow your favorite word.

SPOCK (smiles)
I am flattered, sir.

LINCOLN
The smile lends attraction to your features, Mr. Spock.

KIRK
I'm afraid you're mistaken, sir. Mr. Spock never smiles.

LINCOLN
Indeed?

Lincoln moves through the door followed by Kirk and Spock.

INT. BRIDGE Uhura, Chekov, Sulu present, Kirk and Spock out. The turbolift doors open and McCoy and Scott come on. Profoundly troubled they stare at the MVS o.s. for a moment.

ANGLE MVS (MATTE) The planet as before, reds and greens, steaming and deadly; orbit has taken the ship away for the earth like area.

BACK TO SHOT

MCCOY
Mr. Chekov, may we view the area where the earth-like surface appeared?

Chekov snaps to it.

OVER THE CREW ON MVS (MATTE) The quadrant snaps into the picture.

MCCOY
What do sensors read of its composition?

CHEKOV
It is a hard mineral crust, several hundred metres thick, over a molten iron core.

MCCOY
Stable?

CHEKOV
Stable at present, sir, although it was notably unstable in its formative phase.

MCCOY
Life forms?

CHEKOV
Transient images only. Mineral like.

MCCOY (to Scott)
Mineral.


SCOTT
Aye.

MCCOY
That patch of earth was created after our ship was scanned. They, whoever they are, examined us, determined our needs, and supplied them down there. They sent a Lincoln to invite the Captain and Spock down. They're waiting for them now.
(a beat; angrily)
It's a trap.

FADE OUT.

END OF ACT ONE