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There's a corridor scene, which is only noteworthy because they show a gurney transport moving through the air, above the ground but not touching it a la Han Solo in carbonite. Kirk enters Engineering and looks around. He's smiling down on the man whose dreams he's about to destroy. He joins Scotty and Reverend Camden from 7th Heaven as they fiddle with stuff. Apparently, RevCam (tm Mr. Stupidhead) is the Cpt. Decker Sulu mentioned. He expresses surprise at seeing Kirk, commenting that they're "getting a top-brass send-off." Kirk brusquely takes Cpt. RevCam aside for a little talk, which Cpt. RevCam hopes isn't a pep talk, because he's too busy. "I'm taking over the center seat, Will," Kirk tells him. RevCam's jaw drops as Kirk tells him he'll stay on as First Officer. "May I ask why?" RevCam asks. "My experience. Five years out there dealing with unknowns like this -- my familiarity with the Enterprise, its crew," Kirk explains. RevCam protests that the ship is completely different, and that Kirk doesn't know her one-tenth as well as he does. "That's why you're staying aboard," Kirk tells him, and then takes a step forward to look him in the eye with Kirk's Look Of Absolute Sincerity: "I'm sorry, Will." RevCam then says he doesn't think Kirk's "one damn bit" sorry. OH! The Rev said "damn"! "I remember when you recommended me for this command, you told me how envious you were and how much you hoped you'd find a way to get a starship command again. Well, sir, it looks like you found a way," RevCam snips. Kirk orders him to report immediately to the bridge. RevCam aye-sirs off. To get ordained. With that butt-chin of his. Kirk looks at Scotty, who gives him a sympathetic look. But not for long, because something goes wrong, and blue flames leap out at the technician. The transporter room comes in with an urgent message. Scotty tells the transporter room not to engage. "It's too late," the transporter room tells him. "They're beaming now!" Kirk and Scotty run away.
Transporter room. "Do you read me, Starfleet? Override it, pull them back!" a voice pleads. We see it's former Yeoman Rand, now promoted to Transporter Chief, attempting to do something with the transporter beam. "Malfunction! Malfunction!" the computer bleats. Two misshapen outlines appear in the psychedelic downloads of the beams; they waver. "Give it to me!" Kirk demands. ["Ew. Hee." -- Sars] He tells Starfleet to boost their matter gain. "More signal!" Kirk shouts. Scotty frantically works with the controls. "They're losing their pattern!" Scotty reports. "Oh no, they're forming!" T.C. Rand breathes. We can see a fleshy color inside the blue beam and the faint markings of a face, which seems to melt like hot wax. There's a horrible metallic wail, a hiss, and another wail. Oh, god. The beams disappear. Rand turns away, while Scotty and Kirk stare in shock. "Oh, my god," Kirk says flatly, and asks Starfleet if they have them. Starfleet's response makes my blood run cold. "Enterprise, what we got back didn't live long. Fortunately," Starfleet tells him. Kirk chokes out that Starfleet must express his condolences to their families and that Commander Sonak's family can be reached through the Vulcan Embassy. Kirk turns to look at Rand and says, "There was nothing you could've done, Rand. It wasn't your fault." He leaves. She gazes after him. Guess he still doesn't like her legs. Wow. I don't think there's been a transporter accident like that ever or since. The only thing TNG ever did that was comparable in dark shuddersomeness was when that officer fell halfway between decks and had the floor rematerialize in her middle.