The cast and crew of Star Trek wish to dedicate this film to the men and women of the spaceship Challenger whose courageous spirit shall live to the 23rd century and beyond...
Sarek: Klingon justice is a unique point of view, Mr. President. Genesis was perfectly named- the creation of life, not death. The Klingons shed the first blood while attempting to possess its secrets.
Klingon Ambassador: Vulcans are well-known as the intellectual puppets of this Federation.
Sarek: Your vessel did destroy U.S.S. Grissom. Your men did kill Kirk's son. Do you deny these events?
Klingon Ambassador: [proudly] We deny nothing. We have the right to preserve our race.
Sarek: You have the right to commit murder? [audience uproar]
Leonard McCoy: You think they could at least send us a ship. It's bad enough to be court-martialed and to have to spend the rest of our lives mining borite, but to have to go home in this Klingon flea trap!
James T. Kirk: You could learn a thing or two from this flea trap, it's got a cloaking device that costs us a lot.
McCoy: I just wish we could cloak out the stench.
[while traveling over the Golden Gate Bridge in a passenger bus]
Spock: Admiral, may I ask you a question?
James T. Kirk: Spock, don't call me Admiral. You used to call me Jim. Don't you remember "Jim"? What's your question?
Spock: Your use of language has altered since our arrival. It is currently laced with, shall I say, more colorful metaphors-- "Double dumb-ass on you" and so forth.
Kirk: You mean the profanity?
Spock: Yes.
Kirk: That's simply the way they talk here. Nobody pays any attention to you unless you swear every other word. You'll find it in all the literature of the period.
Chekov: We will beam in tonight, collect the photons, and beam out. No one will ever know we were there.
Kirk: Understood and approved. Keep me informed. Kirk out.
[Pavel Chekov is being interrogated by an FBI agent]
FBI Agent: "Commander Pavel Chekov, Starfleet, United Federation of Planets." Alright Commander, is there anything that you want to tell us?
Chekov: Like what?
FBI Agent: Like who you really are, and what you're doing here, and what these–these things are.
Chekov: I am Pavel Chekov, a commander in Starfleet, United Federation of Planets. Service number 656-5827B.
FBI Agent: Alright, let's take it from the top.
Chekov: The top of what?
FBI Agent: Name.
Chekov: My name?
FBI Agent: [sarcastically] No, my name!
Chekov: I do not know your name!
FBI Agent: You play games with me mister, and you're through!
Chekov: I am? May I go now?
FBI Agent: [leans over and whispers to a colleague] What do you think?
Agent: He's a Russkie.
FBI Agent: That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard in my life, of course he's a Russkie, but he's a retard or something.
Agent: We better call Washington.
Chekov: [rises from his chair, grabs the Klingon phaser from the table and points it at the agents] Don't move.
FBI Agent: Okay, make nice: give us the ray gun.
Chekov: I warn you: if you don't lie on the floor I will have to stun you.
FBI Agent: Go ahead: stun me.
Chekov: I'm very sorry, but— [tries to fire the phaser but it malfunctions; he looks at it and chuckles] Must be the radiation. [tosses the phaser to the FBI Agent, turns and runs away]
James Kirk(wheeling the trolley): He's gonna make it.
Cop guard(confused): He? You went in with a she!
James Kirk(mild disgust at himself): One little mistake...!
[Having returned to the 24th century and saved Earth, the Federation summons the Enterprise crew]
Federation President: Bring in the accused. [crew enters council chamber; Spock stands and joins them in line, and attracts the President's attention] Captain Spock, you do not stand accused.
Spock: Mr. President, I stand with my shipmates.
Federation President: As you wish. The charges and specifications are - conspiracy; assault on Federation officers; theft of Federation property, namely the starship Enterprise; sabotage of the USS Excelsior; willful destruction of Federation property, specifically the aforementioned USS Enterprise; and finally, disobeying direct orders of the Starfleet commander. Admiral Kirk, how do you plead?
Kirk: On behalf of all of us Mr. President, I am authorized to plead guilty.
President: So entered. Because of certain mitigating circumstances, all charges but one are summarily dismissed. The remaining charge, disobeying orders of a superior officer, is directed solely at Admiral Kirk. I'm sure the admiral will recognize the necessity of keeping discipline in any chain of command?
Kirk: I do, sir.
President: James T. Kirk, it is the judgment of this council that you be reduced in rank to captain. And that as a consequence of your new rank, you be given the duties for which you have demonstrated unswerving ability, the command of a starship. Captain Kirk, you and your crew have saved this planet from its own short-sightedness, and we are forever in your debt.
Spock: Father.
Sarek: I am returning to Vulcan within the hour, I would like to take my leave of you.
Spock: It was most kind of you to make this effort.
Sarek: It was no effort. You are my son. Besides, I'm most impressed with your performance during this crisis.
Spock: Most kind.
Sarek: As I recall, I opposed your enlistment in Starfleet... It is possible that judgment was incorrect. Your associates are people of good character.
Spock: They are my friends.
Sarek: Yes, of course. Do you have a message for your mother?
Spock: Yes, tell her...I feel fine. Live long and prosper, Father.
Sarek: Live long and prosper, my son.
[The crew is pondering what their ship will be.]
Leonard McCoy: The bureaucratic mentality is the only constant in the universe. We'll get a freighter.
Hikaru Sulu: With all respect, Doctor, I'm counting on Excelsior.
Montgomery Scott: Excelsior? Why in God's name would you want that bucket of bolts?
