DeForest Kelley credited as playing...
Dr. McCoy
- Mr. Spock: [about theragen being a deadly Klingon nerve gas] If I remember correctly, it caused fatality only when used in pure form.
- Dr. McCoy: That's right. And in this derivative, mixed with alcohol, it merely deadens certain nerve inputs to the brain.
- Scott: Oh, well, any decent brand o' Scotch'll do that.
- Dr. McCoy: Oh? Well, one good slug of this, and you could hit a man with phaser stun and he'd never feel it, or even know it.
- Scott: Does it make a good mix with Scotch?
- Dr. McCoy: It should.
- Scott: [heading out with the beaker of theragen derivative] I'll let ya know.
- [speaking over communicators aboard the USS Defiant]
- Dr. McCoy: What the devil!
- Capt. Kirk: Bones, what is it? - Bones, what is it? Answer me! - Answer me!
- Dr. McCoy: Jim, this ship is dissolving. My hand just passed through a man and a table.
- Dr. McCoy: I must admit, I don't understand you, Spock. But I just can't believe that you would want Jim's command. But you must know that if you get us out of this situation, they'll pin a medal on your chest and give you command of the Enterprise.
- Mr. Spock: Doctor, I AM in command of the Enterprise.
- Dr. McCoy: I would like to remedy that situation.
- Mr. Spock: If you believe I have acted irregularly, then relieve me of duty. That is your prerogative as Medical Officer of this ship.
- Capt. Kirk: How'd you two get along without me?
- Dr. McCoy: Oh, we managed. Er, Mr. Spock gave the orders and I found the answers.
- Capt. Kirk: Good. Then, no-no problems between you?
- Mr. Spock: None worth reporting, Captain.
- Capt. Kirk: Try me.
- Mr. Spock: Mmm, only such minor disturbances as are inevitable when Humans are involved.
- Capt. Kirk: Which Humans, Mr. Spock?
- Dr. McCoy: What he means's that when Humans become involved with Vulcans, Jim.
- Capt. Kirk: Well, I hope my last orders were helpful in solving any problems that you don't feel worth reporting.
- Mr. Spock: Orders, Captain?
- Dr. McCoy: What orders are you referring to, Jim?
- Capt. Kirk: M-my last orders. The-the last orders that I left for both of... for both of you... The last taped orders!
- Dr. McCoy: Oh, those orders! Well, there, there wasn't time. We never had a chance to listen to them.
- Mr. Spock: No. You see, the crisis was upon us and then passed so quickly, Captain, that we, er...
- Capt. Kirk: Good. Good. Well, I hope we won't have... similar opportunities to test those orders, which you never heard.
- Capt. Kirk: Bones, can you tell me what they all died of?
- Dr. McCoy: I'd say these people killed each other.
- Capt. Kirk: They *what*?
- Dr. McCoy: You heard correctly, Jim, these people killed each other.
- Capt. Kirk: Could... mental disease have infected all of the crew?
- Dr. McCoy: According to the ship's log, the medical surgeon down here didn't even know what was going on.
- Dr. McCoy: Even Scotty's being affected. If Scotty goes under, that's the finish of whatever chance we have of getting the Enterprise out of here.
- Dr. McCoy: 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.
- Mr. Spock: It will wait for a more suitable moment, Doctor.
- Dr. McCoy: Why? Are you afraid it'll change your present status?
- Mr. Spock: The mental and physical state of this crew are your responsibility, Doctor. At the moment, THEY are your top priority.
- Dr. McCoy: The Captain's last order is top priority, and you will honor that order, before you take over!
- Mr. Spock: I have confidence that you will soon isolate the cause, Doctor, and prevent any further spread of the affliction.
- Dr. McCoy: The disease is not transmitted by the men, Mr. Spock. The cause is the area of space we're in. It's affecting the whole crew. The molecular structure of the brain tissues in the central nervous system are distorting, and the madness that affected the Defiant's crew will soon happen to the Enterprise.
- Dr. McCoy: [about Kirk] He was a hero in every sense of the word, yet his life was sacrificed for nothing. The one thing that would have given his death meaning is the safety of the Enterprise. Now you've made that impossible, Mr. Spock.
- Dr. McCoy: What did you have to gain by fighting the Tholians? You could have assured yourself of a captaincy by leaving the area. But you chose to stay. Why?
- Mr. Spock: I need not explain my rationale to you, or to 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.
- Dr. McCoy: You mean, to be sure if he was dead. Well, you made certain of that.