09 Wesley, Geordi and Data's Angels

That was a good chapter. I like the parts with Wesley, Lesley and the Traveller. I liked part where Captain Picard made Wesley an Ensign. I really like the ending too.

Thank you. I had a feeling that you'll like those parts.

Chapter 7
Lonely Among Us

PICARD: (VO) Captain's log, stardate 41249.3. We have orbited the two major planets of the Beta Renner system taking aboard delegates from those two worlds. Since achieving space flight, their major life forms, the Anticans and the Selay have become deadly enemies. But both have also applied for admission into our Federation. We are to deliver these delegates to this sector's neutral conference planet, called Parliament, in the hope their dispute can be resolved.
Scene: Transporter room.
Picard, Riker and Yar are in dress uniform, a knee-length coat, to greet the delegates as they are beamed aboard. The Selay are snake-like bipeds, wearing long robes, and a tail just visible behind.
PICARD: I'm Captain Picard. Welcome aboard. We hope your journey will be pleasant and comfortable. Arranging that will be my First Officer, Commander Riker.
RIKER: Welcome aboard. If you'll follow me I will show you the accommodations that we've.
SELAY: (orange cloak) We can already smell the Anticans. They were taken aboard first?
PICARD: Only because their world was the first on this heading to Parliament.
SELAY: Will our quarters be near the Anticans?
RIKER: About one hundred metres apart.
PICARD: Is that all right?
SELAY: No. Unsatisfactory.
RIKER: I believe we can accommodate your wishes. We'll rearrange the suite assignments. If you'll follow me.
SELAY: And we must be upwind from the Anticans.
RIKER: Of course, sir.
Riker and the delegation leave.
TASHA: Neither seem like very promising Federation candidates, sir.
PICARD: Even Parliament's peacemakers may find this case a little difficult.
Scene: Bridge.
Back in normal uniform.
PICARD: But do you understand the basis of all this nonsense between them?
RIKER: No sir. I didn't understand that kind of hostility even when I studied Earth history.
PICARD: Really? Oh, yes, well these life forms feel such passionate hatred matters of custom, God concepts, even, strangely enough, economic systems
DATA: Sir, my sensors are picking up an unusual energy object ahead.
PICARD: On screen.
TASHA: Confirmed, sir. My sensors read nothing solid but considerable energy in changing patterns.
DATA: Also travelling at warp speed, sir. Intriguing. I can find no match with anything in our records, sir.
PICARD: Change course to make a close sensor pass. We can then increase warp speed and reach Parliament on schedule.
DATA: Aye, sir.
Scene: Sensor Maintenance.
Geordi and Worf are checking the screens in the small room.
GEORDI: So, Worf, why the interest in this? It's just routine maintenance on the sensor assemblies.
WORF: Simple, Geordi. Our Captain wants his junior officers to learn, learn, learn.
GEORDI: Not just the junior ones. Okay, you hold this relay offline while I adjust these sensor circuits.
TASHA: (OC) Security to Sensor Maintenance.
GEORDI: Lieutenant LaForge here.
Scene: Bridge.
TASHA: We're making a close sensor pass on an unusual object, Geordi. Any problems?
GEORDI: (OC) Not at all, Lieutenant. All equipment on line and functioning.
TASHA: Sensors ready, sir.
PICARD: Life form reading?
DATA: No life form reading, sir.
PICARD: Begin the pass.
The Enterprise approaches the blue cloud.
DATA: Sir, it is changing shape.
PICARD: Any readings of matter there?
DATA: Negative, Captain. Energy only.
The Enterprise enters the cloud.
Scene: Sensor Maintenance.
Worf goes over to a wall panel, and puts his pen device on it. Blue energy goes up his arm and he cries out. Then he is flung back to the floor.
GEORDI: Worf! LaForge to Sickbay. We have a medical emergency in sensor maintenance. I repeat, this is a medical emergency.
After the titles, Crusher and a medic dash in.
BEVERLY: What happened?
GEORDI: I don't know. He got hit by some sensor feedback, maybe.
Worf suddenly wakes up and starts fighting the medic. Geordi lies across him so Beverly can inject him.
GEORDI: You got it, Doc?
BEVERLY: I got it. Lieutenant Worf, can you hear what I'm saying? Let's get him up.
GEORDI: Okay. Come on, big guy. On your feet. Here we go. That's it.
BEVERLY: (to medic) Are you okay?
Scene: Ready room.
GEORDI: He was just monitoring the sensor console when he jerked as though something hit him. What my sensors showed was a glow, just for a second. I can't explain it.
PICARD: Could your Visor device have malfunctioned?
GEORDI: I doubt it, sir. It seemed what I was seeing was something real.
Scene: Antican quarters.
The Anticans have long white eyebrows, and white facial hair, and have sharp teeth like a mongoose.
TASHA: Sorry to call you, sir. Not strictly security. It's about the dietary requirements of the Antican delegates.
RIKER: I thought that had been taken care of in advance, Tasha.
TASHA: So did we, sir. Their live animals were beamed aboard. We were going to preserve the meat for them, but they say we must bring it to them alive.
RIKER: Then do so. Lieutenant Yar was confused. We no longer enslave animals for food purposes.
ANTICAN: But we have seen humans eat meat.
RIKER: You've seen something as fresh and tasty as meat, but inorganically materialised out of patterns used by our transporters.
ANTICAN: This is sickening. It's barbaric.
Scene: Sickbay.
Work is on a bed, with Beverly tending to him, when blue energy comes out of him, up her arms. She sags, then Deanna enters.
DEANNA: He's reading normal now. How did you manage that?
BEVERLY: Yes. Normal.
DEANNA: Are you all right?
BEVERLY: Yes, perfectly. Both of us. Quite normal now.
Worf wakes suddenly.
WORF: What? Where am I?
DEANNA: Don't you remember? You were in the sensor maintenance room.
WORF: I remember monitoring the sensor console. What am I doing here?
DEANNA: That's a story the Doctor will tell you.
But Beverly walks out.
Scene: Bridge.
At a rear science station.
PICARD: Obviously you feel it's something we should look at more carefully.
DATA: A mystery is only a mystery as long as it remains uninvestigated, sir.
PICARD: I love a mystery, Data, but this one will have to to wait until we deliver the delegates to their peace conference on Parliament. Time and tide, Lieutenant La Forge. Go to warp eight.
GEORDI: Warp eight, sir.
Scene: Beverly's quarters.
WESLEY: Hi, Mom. You're back early.
BEVERLY: Yes.
She looks at the computer monitor he's studying.
WESLEY: Physical sciences class. We're studying Doctor Channing's theory on dilithium crystals.
BEVERLY: Tell me about it.
WESLEY: Really? You never seemed that interested in warp theory before. Doctor Channing thinks it's possible to force dilithium into even more useful crystals. If as shown here, matter and antimatter could be aligned even more efficiently
BEVERLY: Would that affect navigation?
WESLEY: This is engineering, not helm control.
BEVERLY: Oh yes, the helm's located on the Bridge.
Beverly leaves.
WESLEY: Mom, is something wrong?
LESLEY: Wes, she wasn't herself?
WESLEY: Are you sure?
LESLEY: Yes, I'm sure.
WESLEY: How do you know that?
LESLEY: I, uh, I'll explain later. But if you try to tell her again she won't remember.
Scene: Bridge.
Beverly tiptoes to Geordi's station,
BEVERLY: This is the helm.
GEORDI: Unless there have been some changes I don't know about.
PICARD: Doctor Crusher?
BEVERLY: You will wish to know Lieutenant Worf is much improved. Ready to return to duty.
PICARD: What was the diagnosis?
BEVERLY: A temporary mental aberration.
PICARD: Doctor, when such a diagnosis concerns a bridge officer, I expect a better explanation.
BEVERLY: Then I will first have to run some crosschecks on the library computer. Klingons are so unusual in their reactions, aren't they?
PICARD: Use Science Station two, Doctor.
That's next to where Data is working.
DATA: Intriguing, Doctor. What does helm control have to do with medical crosschecks?
Unseen by him, the blue energy leaves Beverly and enters the computer. She is disoriented.
BEVERLY: Why am I?
DATA: Is something wrong, Doctor?
PICARD: Doctor, are you all right?
BEVERLY: Yes. Yes. I'll do my work in my office. That's where I should be.
PICARD: Do you want someone to accompany you?
Beverly shakes her head and enters the turbolift.
DATA: Captain? There is a malfunction in this station. I cannot bring any information up on it. Science two does not function either, sir.
SINGH: (OC) Engineering to Captain Picard.
Scene: Engineering.
SINGH: We have something wrong with warp drive circuitry, sir.
Scene: Bridge.
CHIEF: (OC) Transporter room six to Bridge. Reporting transporter console malfunction, sir.
PICARD: Data, this ship is less than a year out of Spacedock. What are the chances of this occurring?
DATA: It is a virtual impossibility, sir.
PICARD: So what the hell is going on here?
Scene: Observation lounge.
PICARD: And you are telling me there are no explanations for these malfunctions?
RIKER: At least, sir, all the department heads have reported the damage repaired.
PICARD: That was not my question, Number One. What caused the malfunctions?
SINGH: I believe it was a rampant electronic short that jumped from system to system, sir. But the only thing is, er
PICARD: Yes, Mister Singh?
SINGH: That shouldn't be possible. The affected systems don't generally interact with each other. And where they do, it wasn't an interlink that was malfunctioning.
PICARD: Have you spoken with Chief Engineer Argyle about this problem?
SINGH: With all the Engineering staff, sir. They're just as puzzled.
PICARD: Well, I'm not satisfied. I want an explanation of this by the time we reach Parliament.
SINGH: But, sir.
PICARD: By the time we reach Parliament, Mister Singh.
Scene: Antican quarters.
RIKER: These weapons were taken from two of your people who were loitering out of sight in the vicinity of the Selay delegation quarters. Would you care to explain, sir?
ANTICAN: These are not weapons, First Officer. They are tools. We use these to dispatch the animals we consume.
TASHA: Your food supply is not on the same deck as the Selay delegation, sir.
RIKER: And you have to admit that these could kill.
ANTICAN: I admit some of my people are impulsive. and we all have reason to hate the Selay.
TASHA: They appear to have the same feelings about you, sir.
ANTICAN: The nature of politics.
RIKER: Nevertheless, Chief Delegate, you're on notice that all of your weapons, no matter what their basic function, are being confiscated. Violence will not be tolerated on the Enterprise.
ANTICAN: Of course not. And if any does occur, let me assure you it will not be we Anticans who start it.
TASHA: Thank you, sir.
Riker and Tasha leave.
ANTICAN: But we will finish it.
Scene: Bridge.
WORF: Sir, warp power is fading.
PICARD: Picard to Engineering.
Scene: Engineer's office.
PICARD: (OC) What is the problem?
SINGH: We have lost the warp engine computer tie.
Scene: Bridge.
WORF: Warp five, four, three, two
PICARD: State of the art vessel? Data, signal Parliament we'll be delayed. We will send a new arrival time as soon as it is determined.
DATA: Sir, subspace radio is out.
Scene: Ready room.
PICARD: All right, gentlemen, your theories on this sudden vulnerability of these systems.
DATA: If the Enterprise were really this fragile, sir, she never would have left Spacedock. Therefore, her systems' failures are not endemic to the ship, but are the result of the actions of an unknown adversary.
RIKER: We have a saboteur aboard.
DATA: I believe I said that.
PICARD: Gentlemen. The question is, who? I can't believe it's one of our people.
RIKER: Agreed. It must be someone from either alien delegation. Now, if the Ferengi could have bought or bribed even one of them, that's all that they'd need.
DATA: Ferengi contacts have been detected on both Selay and Antica, sir.
PICARD: Can any of you suggest any other suspects?
RIKER: You're sounding like a private eye, sir.
DATA: Inquiry. Private eye?
PICARD: A private consulting investigator, Data, who solves crimes.
DATA: A most interesting occupation.
PICARD: In the world of fact, probably not. However, in literature, criminal detection can be a fascinating exercise. The immortal Sherlock Holmes would have an interesting view of our mystery, I believe.
RIKER: But I'm afraid we're going to have to find our solution without history's greatest Consulting Detective.
Scene: Engineering.
Wesley is at an auxiliary console.
WESLEY: How about here, Mister Singh? If the control network breaks at this point
SINGH: It bleeds warp engine commands off into dead ends. Excellent. I believe I can handle it from here, Mister Crusher.
WESLEY: But, sir.
SINGH: You are scheduled for class work now. Sorry.
WESLEY: Yes, sir. But I don't learn nearly this much in school.
SINGH: I tend to agree, but the captain's orders on this are very clear.
Scene: Beverly's quarters.
BEVERLY: Hi. Solve any new problems today?
WESLEY: I was starting to, maybe. Mister Singh sent me off to class.
BEVERLY: Wes, you're only an acting ensign. You've got to let the commissioned officers do some of the work.
WESLEY: Mom, I've learned a more than they understand. For example, the Channing's dilithium crystals theory I was telling you about?
BEVERLY: When were you telling me about that?
WESLEY: This morning. Don't you remember?
BEVERLY: Honestly, I don't remember.
LESLEY: (sotto voce to Wesley) See, I told you Wes.
Scene: Engineering.
Singh taps at a console, then the blue energy zaps into his body and throws him onto the floor. Worf finds him.
WORF: Engineering to Captain Picard. Security alert.
PICARD: (OC) Picard.
WORF: Lieutenant Worf, sir. I just found Mister Singh. He's dead.
PICARD: (VO) Captain's log, stardate 41249.4. I've ordered an immediate investigation into the death of Assistant Chief Engineer Singh. We continue to run on impulse power.
Scene: Engineer's office.
WESLEY: He could have been working there, restoring warp power.
GEORDI: According to these readings, we could go back to warp speed now.
WESLEY: Those aren't the same readings as when I left.
WORF: Singh probably repaired it just before he was killed.
WESLEY: He couldn't have repaired, sir. The problems were inside the engine.
GEORDI: Who else could have corrected it, Wes? Inform the bridge of engine status.
WORF: Engineering to Bridge. We now have warp capacity, sir. All power on line.
Scene: Bridge.
PICARD: Well done. Warp engines ready on previous heading. Warp factor six.
Scene: Antican quarters.
ANTICAN: I tolerate these questions, Lieutenant Yar, because I need this vessel to get us to Parliament. Your shipboard problems do not concern me.
TASHA: They should. Our delays are your delays.
ANTICAN: The peace conference will wait for us.
TASHA: I must ask where you were during this vessel's Earth hours of eighteen hundred last night and zero seven hundred this morning.
ANTICAN: Eating.
TASHA: Sir, we're talking about hours here.
ANTICAN: It was a large meal, Lieutenant Yar. And a very interesting animal.
Scene: Beverly's office.
WORF: You wanted me, Doctor?
BEVERLY: Yes, concerning your memory blackout.
WORF: I still don't remember having one.
BEVERLY: The same thing happened to me.
DEANNA: I want to try hypnosis on both of you. It may restore your memory as to what happened.
Scene: Observation lounge.
TASHA: One thing is clear. Almost all of the peace delegates answered our questions with lies.
DATA: (smoking a meerschaum pipe) Imprecise, Lieutenant. They omitted certain truths, which in itself tells us something.
TASHA: We can learn something from non-disclosure?
DATA: Indubitably, my good woman.
RIKER: It's something the Captain mentioned. Sherlock Holmes. Indubitably, Data has been studying him.
DATA: Has studied, sir. Every case. As Holmes would've pointed out, during the time in question, something was afoot.
TASHA: Afoot?
DATA: While both sets of delegates say they were in their quarters, our crew locator sensed them passing here and here.
TASHA: But since it doesn't show where they went, we're still in the dark.
DATA: On the contrary, dear colleague. On their return, they drew medical supplies appropriate to the treatment of minor wounds and abrasions on these life forms.
RIKER: Which, leaves us with only one conclusion.
DATA: Exactly. That they were too engaged in their own affairs to have disabled our ship and murdered the Engineer. Given a choice, they'd rather kill each other than any of us. It's elementary, my dear Riker. Sir.
Scene: Sickbay.
Beverly is staring at a moving light on a device in Deanna's hand.
DEANNA: Beverly, can you hear me?
BEVERLY: Yes.
DEANNA: I want you to go back in your mind to the moment when you first recall this sensation of memory loss. Picture it exactly as it occurred.
BEVERLY: He's lying on the hospital bed sedated. I'm walking up to him. I.
DEANNA: How do you feel at this moment, as you lean over him to take the specimen?
BEVERLY: I feel someone else. There's someone else who's there. Not alone. Get out. Get out of my mind.
DEANNA: (to Worf) That's almost exactly what you said. As though there was something else inside you.
Scene: Observation lounge.
DEANNA: Which confirms the feeling of duality that I sensed earlier in both of them.
PICARD: Why didn't you report it?
DEANNA: Because, sir, I assumed at first it was the kind of duality we Betazeds feel in all of you. Even you, sir. When you approach a decision and ask yourself which way to go, who are you talking to?
PICARD: Your hypnotism revealed another form of duality?
DEANNA: Yes, sir. I believe something invaded them.
BEVERLY: It seems the only possible conclusion.
PICARD: Data, let's proceed without the pipe.
DATA: Yes, sir. If you wish, sir. But I ask if you'd take it as incontrovertible that it cannot be a family member or one of our crew?
PICARD: Yes. Very unlikely.
DATA: Then our investigation was worthwhile, sir. We have eliminated both the delegates and the ship's regular complement.
PICARD: Data, what are you suggesting?
DATA: I am referring to the great detective's credo, sir. I quote, we must fall back on the old axiom that when other contingencies fail, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.
Scene: Bridge.
WESLEY: That engine computer net wasn't repaired, sir. It just suddenly became all right.
GEORDI: Sometimes it's the result that counts, you know. What the? Oh, no.
WORF: What is it?
GEORDI: Helm control just went down. She won't respond.
WORF: Bridge to Captain. You're needed here immediately.
GEORDI: Wes, alert Engineering from your panel, alright?
WESLEY: I'm trying.
PICARD: Report.
WORF: Helm is down, sir. There's no apparent reason.
GEORDI: Captain, we've just dropped to impulse power.
Picard leans over and touches the console. Blue energy enters him.
GEORDI: Sir, are you all right? I thought I just saw.
PICARD: I'm fine. Everything is fine now. Why the drop to impulse power, Lieutenant?
GEORDI: The helm is suddenly malfunctioning, sir.
PICARD: Malfunctioning? You're wrong. Look again.
GEORDI: Sir, I was just.
RIKER: Mister LaForge?
GEORDI: Well, there's nothing wrong with it now, sir. Everything is just as it should be.
PICARD: In that case, make our heading nine two five mark three seven.
GEORDI: Sir?
PICARD: You have a problem with that heading, Lieutenant?
GEORDI: You want to double back on our course, sir?
PICARD: Isn't that what I ordered?
GEORDI: Yes, sir.
RIKER: Sir, I'm puzzled about your reversing our course.
PICARD: That energy cloud, Commander. I believe it important we have another look at it.
RIKER: But we're behind schedule for Parliament already.
PICARD: I believe a very important scientific discovery awaits us on this heading.
DEANNA: Perhaps you'd like to share your reasoning on that, sir?
DATA: Yes, since we obtained only minimal information on our sensor pass of it.
PICARD: Right, Data. We must go back to learn more. Counselor, do you believe a ship Captain should explain every order?
DEANNA: Of course not, sir.
Scene: Corridor.
ANTICAN: I demand to see the Captain.
O'BRIEN: (as a security guard) Stop! Return to your quarters.
SELAY: What is that doing on our deck?
ANTICAN: I demand to know why this starship has changed its course!
O'BRIEN: Please, return to your quarters, delegates!
Scene: Riker's quarters.
A model of NCC1701 shuttlecraft is in the corner.
DATA: A mere change of direction hardly justifies mutiny.
BEVERLY: Exactly what do you believe you're sensing from him?
DEANNA: It's just a feeling that he's, well, that he's closed part of his mind to me. I just feel that the Captain has become, perhaps dangerous.
RIKER: If he's dangerous. If.
GEORDI: Then he'd have to be relieved of command. Which you could do, Doctor, but it's beaucoup trouble if you're wrong.
DATA: And at the moment it is all pure speculation. He has done nothing to subject the Enterprise to danger.
BEVERLY: I'd need a medical log citing clear evidence of incapacity. You could do it without that problem.
RIKER: Only if all command officers agreed it vital to do so. But he has not been showing any overt unusual behaviour.
DEANNA: Ultimately, I believe he will.
BEVERLY: As second in command, it's still in your corner. I'll order medical and psychiatric exams. You'll have to back me up somehow.
RIKER: (VO) First Officer's log, supplemental. After meeting with the senior officers, Doctor Crusher and I decided to approach the Captain regarding his recent behaviour.
Scene: Ready room.
PICARD: Yes?
BEVERLY: I'd like you to come to Sickbay for some examinations, Captain.
PICARD: Oh? I'll be glad to do when I'm free.
BEVERLY: I'd like to conduct them now, sir.
PICARD: Why? What can I do for you, Number One?
RIKER: Sir, Counselor Troi has recommended the examinations.
PICARD: Same question. Why?
RIKER: It is my duty to inform the Captain we believe he may be under some kind of alien influence which may constitute a danger to this ship.
PICARD: I consider it equally possible that the two of you, and Counselor Troi, are overworked, and possibly suffering hallucinations. Now this is an order. You will arrange medical and psychiatric exams of both yourself and them. Doctor, are you aware everybody is behaving strangely?
BEVERLY: I'm concerned that you've suddenly turned the ship away from it's course.
PICARD: What's happened to your mind, Doctor? The search for knowledge is always our primary mission. I'm sorry, I really am too busy for this kind of nonsense. Do I have to call Security to force you to report to the Sickbay?
BEVERLY: No, sir.
Scene: Corridor.
Someone uses a florescent green lasso on Riker.
RIKER: What the hell?
SELAY: Sorry. Wrong species.
RIKER: Riker to Security Chief.
Scene: Bridge.
TASHA: Yar here.
RIKER: (OC) Security guard to the Engineering deck.
Scene: Corridor.
RIKER: Selays are playing hide and seek down here, obviously with the Anticans. It's a lethal game. I want them returned to their quarters under guard.
TASHA: (OC) Right away, sir.
Scene: Ready room.
PICARD: Come.
Beverly enters with a data chip.
PICARD: What do you want?
BEVERLY: Here are the results from the exams you ordered, sir. You don't care to inspect them? Please, are you Jean-Luc?
PICARD: He is here.
BEVERLY: The Jean-Luc I know?
PICARD: And more.
BEVERLY: The more frightens me.
PICARD: And elates us. We wish you could understand the glorious adventure ahead.
BEVERLY: You and?
PICARD: Soon we'll both be home.
RIKER: (VO) First officer's log, supplemental. On the orders of Captain Picard, we have returned to the vicinity of the energy pattern cloud. I am personally convinced that something from this cloud now shares the Captain's mind. But there seems to be nothing we can do, at least within regulations.
Scene: Bridge.
GEORDI: We're now approaching the cloud, sir.
RIKER: Very well, Mister La Forge. Bring us to within ten thousand kilometres and hold us there.
GEORDI: Aye, sir.
Picard enters.
RIKER: Shall we begin the scientific tests you wanted, sir?
PICARD: Oh, they're already underway. I have an announcement for the entire Bridge. As many of you suspected, when our ship passed through the edge of this, it accidentally carried away a sentient being. Much like these energy patterns we're seeing here. A terrifying experience for any intelligent being. As if a great claw had reached down and scooped one of you from your home world. Drawn into the energy circuits of this vessel, it found its way to you, Worf. Frantic at being carried from its home world, and recognising you as sentient beings, it pleaded for help, but in ways you couldn't understand. Desperately going from person to person, and then discovering the computer intelligence in this ship's memory circuits. Oh, simplistic intelligence, but it furnished it enough to slow this Enterprise thing that had captured it. And it very much regrets the accidental death of Engineer Singh.
DEANNA: Captain, do you exist in combination with this entity?
RIKER: Is it in control of you, sir?
PICARD: Very soon after we combined we had learned much about each other. A passion for exploration, for the unknown. We found we had similar dreams, and it offered your Captain a way to realise them beyond human expectations.
RIKER: Captain, I must speak to you privately now.
DATA: I understand. As an energy pattern, free of the limitations of matter, he might travel anywhere, at any velocity.
RIKER: Captain, do you hear me?
DATA: Sir, I see no way for you to journey with an energy form.
PICARD: Isn't there?
DEANNA: He's planning to beam himself and the entity into that cloud.
PICARD: The transporter need not pattern your Captain into matter. We'll beam energy only, and we will become a combined energy pattern of our life forms. A resignation from this command and from Starfleet has been appropriately recorded.
RIKER: I refuse to allow this, sir.
PICARD: How does this resignation threaten the ship and its crew in any way?
BEVERLY: Captain Picard, you are now relieved from duty. I judge you to be disabled and mentally incapacitated.
Picard sends blue energy into the ship's systems and through all the Bridge crew.
RIKER: Security! Red Alert! Restrain the Captain!
TASHA: Where is he?
DEANNA: This is blinding me.
WORF: Captain! I'll help you if you'll let me.
Picard leaves the Bridge as the crew are still transfixed by the blue energy.
RIKER: Someone restrain the Captain!
Scene: Transporter room.
The transporter chief is on the floor with blue energy dancing on him. Picard activates the transporter and beams out.
RIKER: (VO) First Officer's log, supplemental. More than an hour has passed since the Captain beamed out, energy only. Every effort has been made to determine his whereabouts.
Scene: Bridge.
TASHA: The Transporter Chief has no idea what the coordinates were, sir.
GEORDI: So he's just floating around out there? How can we settle for that?
RIKER: Give me a choice then.
DATA: Still no readings, no sign of anything.
RIKER: Mister La Forge, it's time to set a course for Parliament. Warp eight.
GEORDI: We're really leaving him?
DEANNA: Commander, wait! It's the Captain. But only the Captain. He's out there alone!
RIKER: The entity, has it abandoned him?
DEANNA: No, but the combination wasn't possible out there. He's in trouble, sir. We have to beam him back.
RIKER: Beam him back as what? He's nothing but energy now.
DATA: Sir, the entity was caught in the ship's circuitry. The Captain might try to get in the same way if he's in trouble.
RIKER: Bring us in closer, La Forge.
GEORDI: Moving in, sir, but where?
RIKER: There's no way to know. Let's hope he can come part way himself. Troi, is there any way you can get a message to him?
DEANNA: I wish I could.
GEORDI: Sensors monitoring the perimeter, ship's circuitry, sir. Nothing.
RIKER: Bring us right into the edge of it, LaForge.
GEORDI: Aye, sir.
WORF: Sir? On my sensor controls.
DEANNA: There's something's here. I feel it.
DATA: Just as before, going to Worf first.
GEORDI: Something crazy on my panel. Commander Riker. (blue energy) Static?
RIKER: P for Picard!
DATA: He's in the ship's circuitry. Come to the Transporter room, please. There might be a way, sir. Hurry!
Scene: Transporter room.
RIKER: Is it a wild theory, Data?
DATA: I knew we had to have the Captain's physical pattern here, sir. He was the last one to beam out.
RIKER: Is what you're thinking possible?
DATA: Unknown at this time, sir. I hope the Captain remembers his physical pattern is here. If he has, his energy has moved into the transporter relays by now.
RIKER: I wish we had some sign that he's in here. I guess we have no choice but to risk it.
DATA: Energising, sir.
Slowly, Picard materialises on the platform.
PICARD: What the devil am I doing here?
RIKER: Sounds like our Captain.
DEANNA: But confused. This Picard pattern was formed before he went out there.
PICARD: What's happening to me, Number One? I was preparing to beam out to somewhere. And I remember there was talk of an entity? But it all seems so vague.
DATA: I believe the Captain is now his separate self, sir. Much of what happened is naturally missing.
PICARD: What are you talking about, Data? Is this still Sherlock Holmes?
DATA: Indubitably, sir, Indubitably.
PICARD: Well, at least you got rid of the damn pipe.
RIKER: Doctor Crusher asked me to steer you past Sickbay. She said you've been looking very tired.
Tasha enters.
TASHA: Captain!
PICARD: Yes, Lieutenant.
TASHA: Sorry, Commander, but Security Team Two reports they've discovered a puddle of blood outside the Selay Quarters and they can't find one of the delegates and so
RIKER: Lieutenant. This couldn't have waited a moment?
TASHA: It's good to see you, sir. The problem is that one of the cooks has just been asked to broil reptile for the Anticans, and it looks like the Selay delegate.
PICARD: Riker, with the peace delegates and all, I think I do need a rest. Take charge, Number One.
Scene: Ten Forward
Wesley, Lesley, Geordi, and Georda are sitting at a table talking when all of sudden Dana walks in. She soons joins her sisters, Geordi and Wesley.
GEORDA: Dana, what's wrong?
DANA: I am still not sure how or when I should tell Data my feelings for him.
WESLEY: You mean you still haven't told him yet.
DANA: No I have not.
GEORDI: Well you better tell him before it's too late.
DANA: I know Geordi, but I do not know if he will feel the same about me. Geordi could you perhaps talk to him.
GEORDI: Why me?
LESLEY: Aren't you Data's best friend?
GEORDI: Yeah I guess I am.
GEORDA: Than you should go and talk to him.

That was a good chapter. I liked the parts between Wesley and Lesley. i liked the part in Ten Foreward when Dana told them not knowing when or how to tell Data about her feelings. I also like the part where Dana suggest that Geordi talk to me Data.

Thank you. I had a feeling that you'll like those parts.

Chapter 8
Justice

PICARD: (VO) Captain's log, stardate 41255.6. After delivering a party of Earth colonists to the Strnad solar system, we have discovered another Class M planet in the adjoining Rubicun star system. We are now in orbit there, having determined it to be inhabited as well as unusually lovely. My first officer has taken an away team down to make contact and they are in the process of returning to the ship.
Scene: Bridge.
Wesley is sitting next to Troi and Lesley is sitting next to where Riker always sits.
PICARD: Riker says the planet's life forms are almost identical to us.
DEANNA: He's very enthusiastic.
Beverly enters.
BEVERLY: Captain? Sorry, Troi.
DEANNA: The Doctor has something very important to tell you, Captain.
PICARD: You've been talking about it for days. Shore leave for the crew.
BEVERLY: Establishing that colony has been exhausting for the entire crew, Captain. We're not a supply vessel. Settling all those people has been a strain on everyone. I'm tired myself.
Riker, Data and Tasha enter.
PICARD: Is it as good as your report suggests, Number One?
RIKER: As per report, sir. Class M, Earth-like, beautiful. It will startle you.
BEVERLY: It sounds wonderful for the children. The holodecks are marvellous, of course, but there's nothing like open spaces and fresh air.
TASHA: I've listed my report on their customs and laws, sir. Fairly simple, common sense things.
GEORDI: They're wild in some ways, actually puritanical in others. Neat as pins, ultra-lawful, and make love at the drop of a hat.
TASHA: Any hat.
PICARD: But the happiest report has its negatives. Let's start with them, Number One.
RIKER: There are none, sir. Not that any of us can find.
DATA: But there is a problem here, sir.
WORF: It's the faulty reading I reported, sir.
DATA: I'm reading something off the starboard bow, but there is nothing there.
TASHA: Sensor technicians are working on it, sir. They've identified it as a glitch in the system.
PICARD: I take it you find no glitch at all in this planet, however?
RIKER: No, sir.
TASHA: If you approve shore leave, sir, we could start with a small group.
PICARD: Of course. Wesley? Lesley? If we go down, I'd like the two of you to join the away team to evaluate this world as a place for young people to relax.
WESLEY & LESLEY: Yes, sir.
PICARD: If our scans and observations confirm the report, of course I'll approve it. Let's hope it is not too good to be true.
PICARD: (VO) Captain's log, supplemental. We are in orbit of a planet designated Rubicun Three, the home of a life form who call themselves the Edo. Our away team, including Wesley Crusher and his girlfriend Lesley Hatter, has beamed down to make arrangements concerning some well-deserved recreation.
Scene: Planet surface.
It's a lovingly tended garden extending in all directions. The people wear enough for modesty, run instead of walk, and are nauseatingly beautiful. When the team arrive two people run towards them.
WORF: Careful, sir.
RIKER: No, it's all right, Lieutenant. Those are the Edo we met before. They certainly are fit.
DEANNA: They certainly are.
RIVAN: (a woman) Health and happiness.
LIATOR: (a man) A pleasant day to you.
RIVAN: You did return as promised.
She greets Riker with a slow, loving hug.
RIKER: Rivan, Liator. Also from our vessel, Troi.
LIATOR: Slowly, slowly. I must also welcome this lovely one.
He nuzzles Deanna's neck, she just pats his shoulder.
LIATOR: Nice to see you again.
TASHA: My pleasure.
RIKER: Counselor?
DEANNA: Healthy sensuality, sir. I feel mainly friendship, and (looking at Tasha) happiness.
RIVAN: And I welcome this huge one. Oh, yes.
WORF: (returning the hug) Nice planet.
RIKER: Yeah.
RIVAN: But you are a young one. I do not know your custom regarding love.
WESLEY: Er. I guess, whatever you usually do.
It's a very fleeting hug for the teenager.
LIATOR: You are also a young one. Who are you?
LESLEY: (wrapping her arm around Wesley's arm) I'm his girlfriend.
Liator hugs Lesley the same way Rivan hugged Wesley.
RIKER: There are others who would like to visit here, if you would give us a limit on the numbers.
LIATOR: Whatever pleases you. We can discuss it at the Council Chambers.
RIVAN: Shall we go there now or remain in play?
RIKER: Play?
RIVAN: At love. Unless you don't enjoy that. (to Worf) Perhaps you do?
LIATOR: And you? (Deanna blushes) Yes, I can see that you do.
WESLEY: Maybe Les and I should just go on ahead.
RIVAN: Oh, this is unfair to them. We'll go to the Council Chambers. You'll find young people your age there.
WESLEY: Well, I can't make any promises.
LIATOR: You don't have to. Our rules are simple. No one does anything uncomfortable to them.
RIVAN: Come! Our people will want to know you.
LIATOR: Rivan, perhaps they can't run.
WESLEY & LESLEY: Can't run?
LESLEY: A friend of mine runs all the time when he is saving his friends from trouble.
WESLEY: Sure we can run. Right, Commander?
RIKER: That's the custom here, running. Lead the way.
They all set off along a paved path.
RIKER: When in Rome, eh?
WORF: When in where, sir?
EDO: Good health to you!
TASHA: Happiness to you! It's like an Eden here.
Scene: Outside the Council Chambers.
A low rise building with formal fountains in front of it.
RIVAN: Good health! I thought you might be out of breath.
RIKER: We may surprise you in a lot of ways.
LIATOR: Children, we've brought you a new friend!
BOY: Well, hello. Join us.
GIRL: Yes, please.
Wesley and Lesley runs off with the two boys and girl.
RIVAN: And now it's time for you to meet some new friends.
Scene: Council Chambers.
Musicians are playing gentle tunes, some couples are dancing, others strolling with glasses of drink. One man is getting a massage.
RIVAN: Everyone! We've brought the visitors!
LIATOR: Please enjoy what we have!
And the team are lead away to - whatever.
Scene: Bridge.
DATA: I've traced it through our sensor channel, sir It is not a glitch or any other form of error or malfunction.
GEORDI: Confirmed by my readings, Captain. It's a shadow something.
DATA: Exactly. As if it were neither in or out of our dimension.
PICARD: What is, Commander?
DATA: Whatever is sitting out there without triggering our alarm relays, sir.
PICARD: Centre main viewer on that area. I see nothing, Commander.
DATA: Enterprise to object off our starboard bow. Request that you identify yourself.
And something appears.
GEORDI: Shields and deflectors up full, sir. Main phaser banks ready.
PICARD: Hailing frequencies. Any reply?
DATA: It was something unintelligible, Captain. Now running it through language and logic circuits.
PICARD: Geordi.
GEORDI: Sir.
PICARD: Have a real look.
GEORDI: Aye, sir.
OFFICER: (At Tasha's station) Sir, my sensors read it. Well, it's half there. It does look as if it were partly transparent.
PICARD: Data, what the hell is it?
Scene: Lounge.
Geordi finds a window with a good view of the other thing.
GEORDI: Lieutenant LaForge to Captain.
Scene: Bridge.
PICARD: Go ahead, LaForge. What can you make out?
Scene: Lounge.
GEORDI: This is something I've never seen before, sir. After complete spectral analysis, well it's as if it's not really there.
Scene: Bridge.
GEORDI: (OC) I don't understand it.
DATA: I've got some information on its first transmission, sir. It translates as stand by.
OFFICER: Sir, I see show something coming out of that ship.
DATA: Verified, sir. Something very small.
A little globe of light passes through the shields, and the hull, and the bulkheads.
OFFICER: Intruder alert, sir. I don't show a location.
DATA: The away team signal's been cut off, Captain. We've lost contact with our people. OFFICER: Intruder relays do show something.
PICARD: Why has everything become a something, or a whatever?
The globe has arrived on the Bridge, and is face to face with Picard. When it speaks, everything shakes.
EDO: State the purpose. (it tones down) State the purpose of what you have done.
PICARD: I'm Captain Picard, commanding this Federation starship.
EDO: State the purpose of your visit here.
PICARD: We have sent down what we call an away team to make peaceful contact here.
EDO: Do you plan to leave life forms here?
PICARD: No. We are merely visiting here.
EDO: But you did more at the world you just left. Why have you left your own life forms there?
DATA: The colony we just planted, sir.
PICARD: We found that world uninhabited. The life forms we left there had, had sought the challenge. At least, that is the basic reason. Had sought the challenge of creating a new lifestyle, a new society there. Life on our world is driven to protect itself by seeding itself as widely as possible.
EDO: Do not interfere with my children below.
The globe goes over to Data.
DATA: Captain, I do not understand how, but it is asking me if I was constructed for information exchange.
PICARD: If there is any way of finding out whatever is out there, Data.
The globe shrinks and attaches itself to Data's forehead. He falls backwards onto the floor.
Scene: Planet surface.
BOY: Watch! I bet you can't do this!
He walks along in a hand-stand.
WESLEY: Watch this.
He does a series of cart wheels.
LESLEY: That's nothing compare to what a friend of mine can do.
BOY: What can your friend do?
LESLEY: He can do all sorts of cart wheels and flips and he can even do a hand-stand push-up.
GIRL: I want to do something too. With you.
WESLEY: Er. What?
GIRL: It's something you can teach me. Will you?
WESLEY: Er. Well, actually, there are some games I don't quite know yet.
GIRL: It's playing ball. Will you teach me?
WESLEY: Oh, sure! If you have a bat for the ball, I can show you my favourite. A bat? A stick or branch, about this thick, this long.
GIRL: We can get it in the gardens. Come on.
Scene: Council Chambers.
MAN: This will please you. Join us.
RIKER: Thanks. Another time.
WOMAN: Joy and happiness.
RIKER: It certainly is. The good life, Worf.
WORF: I am not concerned with pleasure, Commander. I am a warrior.
RIKER: Even Klingons need love now and then.
WORF: For what we consider love, sir, I would need a Klingon woman.
RIKER: What about plain old basic sex? You must have some need for that.
WORF: Of course, but with the females available to me, sir, Earth females, I must restrain myself too much. They are quite fragile, sir.
RIKER: Worf, if anyone else had said that, I'd suspect he was bragging.
WORF: Bragging, sir?
RIKER: I think I'll pass on that. I'd better check in. Enterprise, come in. Captain, do you read me? Let's. This may be nothing, but let's move all our people together.
WORF: Including Wesley, the boy and his girlfriend? They're outside.
DEANNA: Is there a problem?
RIKER: We've lost contact with our ship.
DEANNA: It's nothing these people have done. I'm certain of that. Their minds are so open.
RIKER: Help me locate Wes and Les. They've wandered off.
Riker and Deanna leave. Worf goes over to Tasha, who is with Rivan and Liator.
TASHA: That is extraordinary.
WORF: Can I take a moment of your time, Lieutenant?
TASHA: Yes, Worf, but you've got to hear this. Are you telling me that there's no crime here whatsoever? No one breaks any laws?
LIATOR: Once they did. Long, long ago there was much disorder. But not now.
TASHA: But I seen no sign of police. Those who enforce laws.
RIVAN: Oh, we have very few. They are called Mediators. And they are needed only in one place each day.
LIATOR: The punishment zone. An area that's selected for a period of time.
TASHA: It's a completely random selection?
LIATOR: No one but our Mediators know what place or for how long. We're very proud of the wisdom of our ancestors. No person ever knows where or when a zone will be.
RIVAN: And so no one risks death.
WORF: Death?
RIVAN: by breaking any law.
TASHA: Wait. Explain this.
LIATOR: Only one punishment for any crime.
WORF: Anyone who commits any crime in the punishment zone dies?
LIATOR: The law is the law. Our peace is built on that.
TASHA: Even a small thing? Such as ignoring the rule, keep off the grass?
RIVAN: Then no one breaks that rule. Who wants to risk execution? And there's always a white wall or fence to remind anyone of a forbidden area like that.
TASHA: And just who tells visitors about these rules?
WORF: We'd better find Wesley and Lesley.
Scene: Planet surface.
The children are running and laughing near cold-frames, nicely marked out with low white fences around them, and throwing the ball back and forth.
GIRL: You're very clever at this.
WESLEY: At home we play a lot of it. Here, toss the ball ahead of me.
A boy does, and Wesley runs back to catch it, not watching where he is going.
GIRL: No, Wes!
BOY: No! It's forbidden to disturb new plants!
But Wesley jumps to catch the ball, and clears the fence, smashing into the cold frame.
BOY: Couldn't you see the fence? It's for new plants. Don't ever go past a white marker.
WESLEY: It's okay.
LESLEY: Are you okay, baby?
WESLEY: I'm fine starshine.
BOY: (to Lesley) Why did you call Wes, baby?
LESLEY: That's because Wes is my boyfriend.
Two burley men come running.
GIRL: Oh, no! Oh, please, no!
MEDIATOR 2: Speak the truth. We are mediators.
WESLEY: I said I was fine.
GIRL: He doesn't know. He's from another place.
MEDIATOR 2: How very sad. But this zone has been selected.
BOY: But he doesn't understand.
MEDIATOR: It's always sad. Now doubly so.
Riker and Deanna arrive.
WESLEY: I was chasing a ball and I fell into that. I'm really sorry!
MEDIATOR: You admit you did that? Freely?
WESLEY: I'm with Starfleet. We don't lie.
RIKER: It won't happen again. We apologise.
MEDIATOR: We're sorry, too. But that changes nothing.
Tasha and Worf arrive.
TASHA: Careful, Commander. They've got some strange laws here.
RIKER: I thought you reviewed their laws.
TASHA: But they listed nothing about punishment.
MEDIATOR: One moment, please. Is there a witness to this transgression?
BOY: But it was my fault. I threw the ball past him.
LESLEY: How true that is.
MEDIATOR: We have a visible transgression, ample witnesses, and an admission of guilt. And though it deeply pains us to do it, we must.
He takes a small hypodermic needle from his belt pouch.
MEDIATOR: Are you prepared for punishment?
WORF: Punishment? If you mean what the others were talking about.
RIKER: What punishment? Name it!
MEDIATOR: Death, of course. Don't make it difficult for the boy.
The other mediator goes to take Wesley, and Riker knocks him down. Tasha and Worf draw their phasers.
WORF: Drop it. Drop it now!
He drops the needle and Tasha picks it up.
TASHA: It's a kind of syringe.
RIKER: What is this? You said death. Is this poison?
MEDIATOR: But of course it is. Completely painless. The boy would have felt nothing. But look at him now. You've frightened him.
WESLEY: He was going to kill me?
MEDIATOR 2: And if this Zone were still in effect, you would all deserve death.
MEDIATOR: It was announced you came as friends. Is this how friends act?
RIKER: Enterprise from away team, come in. Are you receiving us, Enterprise?
Scene: Bridge.
Doctor Crusher is examining Data, who still has the globe attached to him.
PICARD: Condition?
BEVERLY: No sign of consciousness, but the balance of the readings are quite normal for him.
PICARD: I believe this is some form of information exchange with whatever is over there. At least, I hope it is.
BEVERLY: Any communication from the away team?
PICARD: Something is blocking communication both.
The globe leaves Data, then vanishes.
TASHA: (OC) Security. Urgent. Repeating. Enterprise from away team.
GEORDI: This is the Enterprise, Lieutenant. We're receiving you now.
TASHA: (OC) This is an urgent call for Captain Picard.
RIKER: (OC) We may need your presence here, Captain. We have serious trouble with a member of our away team and an unusual law they have here.
PICARD: Captain to Riker, stand by.
Scene: Planet Surface.
The Mediators take Wesley away and Lesley tries to go after him but Riker grabs her before she could get to him.
LESLEY: (kicking and screaming in Riker's arms) Wesley! Nooooooo! Wesley! Riker let me go!
RIKER: (still holding onto Lesley) Les behave yourself or I won't let you go.
LESLEY: (still in Riker's arms) Please Riker. I won't let them kill Wesley. If they do they have to kill me as well.
MEDIATOR: (to Lesley who is still in Riker's arms) Who are you miss?
LESLEY: I'm (pointing to Wesley) his girlfriend. (to Riker) Please let me go Riker.
RIKER: I can't do that.
LESLEY: Than you leave me with no choice, Riker.
Lesley puts her arms in front of her and holds the inside of her left forearm with her right hand and the outside of her right forearm with her left hand and then she contencrates and closes her eyes and before Riker knew it Lesley was no longer in his arms.
RIKER: Lesley what did you do?
LESLEY: I'll explain later, Riker. In the meantime, Riker, I want to go home to the Enterprise.
RIKER: Why don't you transport yourself there the way you transported out of my arms.
LESLEY: I can't do that.
RIKER: Why is that?
LESLEY: It's too far a distance. Also if I do try it, it will drain me of all my enegry and I'll get extremely weak.
Scene: Bridge.
PICARD: Signs of consciousness?
BEVERLY: Not yet. Could be minutes or hours. It's unclear what's happened to him.
PICARD: Take him to Sickbay. Let me know the instant he's awake. Anything new on that that thing out there?
GEORDI: Negative, sir.
PICARD: Captain to First Officer. I'm beaming down.
Scene: Council Chambers.
PICARD: Would you care to comment privately how you read any of this?
DEANNA: Unnecessary, sir. These people are honest, almost to a fault. And they have great pride in their ways.
LIATOR: You're the Captain. We're ready. This way, please.
Benches have been arranged in a circle. Picard has a chair to himself.
LIATOR: Welcome to our world, Captain.
PICARD: Thank you.
LIATOR: We regret that our system of justice is troubling you.
PICARD: The boy, Wesley Crusher, where is he, please?
RIKER: In accord with the Prime Directive, I've allowed them to hold him pending the outcome of this.
RIVAN: He is safe and unharmed. We promise that. Captain Picard, I do not know how you Earth people conduct law and justice, even if you respect such things.
PICARD: We do.
LIATOR: Good, so do we. Our precepts have been handed down from long ago. The tranquillity you see in our lives has been made possible by our laws.
RIVAN: We are a people of law. They do sometimes bring us sadness, but we have learned to adjust to that. Perhaps your laws work as well.
PICARD: They haven't always, but now they do.
LIATOR: Do you execute criminals?
PICARD: No, not any longer.
RIVAN: But you did once?
PICARD: Unfortunately, yes. But since then.
RIVAN: But when you did, was it believed necessary to do so?
PICARD: Some people felt that it was necessary. But we have learned to detect the seeds of criminal behaviour Capital punishment, in our world, is no longer considered a justifiable deterrent.
LIATOR: So, we are not yet as advanced as they are. And since you are advanced in other ways too, I suggest you use your superior powers to rescue the Wesley boy. We will record him as a convicted criminal out of our reach, an advanced person who luckily escaped the barbarism of this backward little world.
PICARD: Unfortunately, we have a law known as the Prime Directive.
RIVAN: Riker has explained it to us.
PICARD: Is the boy in any danger from you at this moment?
LIATOR: Until sundown?
Lesley gasps.
LESLEY: Captain, I want to go home to the Enterprise now. Please.
RIVAN: Because you are strangers, we are delaying enforcement of the law. But we must act by sundown.
PICARD: Then I have another question. While orbiting, while circling high above your world, as we do, we have encountered a strange object. A vessel perhaps. Have you any idea what it is? It's not entirely real. At least, it's not completely solid.
RIVAN: Do you mean God?
PICARD: God?
LIATOR: God is said to be somewhere up there, protecting us.
PICARD: Exactly, exactly how would you describe God?
RIVAN: As you just did. As existing both here and in another place also.
LIATOR: But when God wants to show its power, it can make itself felt most fully.
BEVERLY: (OC) Captain, come in please.
PICARD: Picard here.
BEVERLY: (OC) CMO Crusher, sir.
Scene: Bridge.
BEVERLY: Commander Data has just regained consciousness.
PICARD: (OC) What condition? Can he talk?
BEVERLY: He's insisting on it, sir. Urgently.
Scene: Council Chamber.
DEANNA: (whispers) Wesley.
PICARD: Stand by; Picard out. I want to speak to her personally about her son. So you promise that Wesley Crusher is safe until sundown?
LIATOR: You have our word.
PICARD: Then, will one of you return with me to our vessel?
RIVAN: Of course. I'll go as a hostage for the boy's safety.
PICARD: No, no, no. That's not it. I want you to identify something for me, if you can. Captain to Transporter Room. Four to beam up.
Picard, Deanna, Lesley and Rivan move away from the group.
RIVAN: I'm frightened.
DEANNA: There's no reason to be.
PICARD: Transporter Room, energise.
Scene: Corridor.
RIVAN: But this is a city. A great city.
BEVERLY: Captain, I've just seen the away team report about Wesley.
Lesley gives Beverly an emotional hug at the sound of Wesley.
PICARD: In a moment, Doctor.
BEVERLY: In a moment?
PICARD: Exactly. In a moment. You were about to say?
RIVAN: Since you have all this power, why be concerned about our laws? You could take the boy from us.
PICARD: It's not that simple. From the starboard lounge, you can see whatever is outside this vessel.
RIVAN: Do you mean my world? You said we'd be high above it.
PICARD: And something else that's circling your world. It's very important to us, and perhaps to you, to know what it is.
Scene: Lounge.
As soon as Rivan sees the other vessel, she drops to her knees, head bowed.
PICARD: I'm sorry, Rivan, but this was necessary. Do you know what that is?
DEANNA: Can you tell us what it is?
PICARD: Is it God? (she nods) Now, it's very important you answer something. How do you recognise what it is?
DEANNA: Nothing will harm you, I promise. Just tell us how you recognise it.
RIVAN: It has appeared before.
PICARD: Can you speak to it? Does it speak to you?
DEANNA: Captain!
The vessel becomes even more visible.
EDO: (OC) Return my child.
BEVERLY: Return?
DEANNA: It's coming toward us.
PICARD: Picard to Transporter Room, come in.
He puts his comm. badge on Rivan.
DEANNA: Yes, do that. But hurry!
BEVERLY: It's still coming toward us.
CHIEF: (OC) Transporter Chief to Captain.
PICARD: One to beam down to away team location. Hurry! Engage! Transporter Room. Urgent! Engage!
And Rivan is beamed away. The Edo vessel backs off.
BEVERLY: It seems the Edo's god is very protective of its children.
PICARD: I had no choice but to learn about that thing from her. I'm sorry I had to. She was so frightened.
DEANNA: It's understandable, sir. Sharing an orbit with God is no small experience.
PICARD: Let's go see your patient, Doctor.
Scene: Corridor.
BEVERLY: What do you intend to do about my son?
PICARD: He's being held safely until sundown.
BEVERLY: When he faces execution! Although he's committed no crime, certainly none that any sane and reasonable person would.
PICARD: You saw what that thing was about to do.
BEVERLY: I apologise, sir, but this is very difficult for me. If he were your son, you'd be as frightened
PICARD: But I am.
BEVERLY: Data is in Sickbay here. You'll find him able to talk to you.
Scene: Sickbay.
MEDIC: He's checking out fine, Doctor.
BEVERLY: Thank you. Finish it later, please.
DATA: I was an excellent choice for them, Captain. They were able to communicate with me quite. I was about to say quite easily, but there was nothing easy about it. Fortunately, they stopped short of overloading my circuitry.
PICARD: You're saying they. It is a vessel of some sort.
DATA: Definitely not a single entity if that's what you mean, sir, although they know the Edo worship them as a god thing.
PICARD: They know?
DATA: They recognise that this is quite expected and harmless at the present Edo stage of evolution.
PICARD: What sort of vessel?
DATA: It is perhaps not what we would understand as a vessel, sir. The dimensions this one occupies allows them to be, well, to be in several places at once. But they consider this entire star cluster to be theirs. It was probably unwise of us to attempt to place a human colony in this area. Of course, there are three thousand four other planets in this star cluster in which we could have colonised. The largest and closest.
PICARD: Data, don't babble.
DATA: Babble, sir? I'm not aware that I ever babble, sir. It may be that from time to time I have considerable information to communicate, and you may question the way I organise it.
PICARD: Please, organise it into brief answers to my questions. We have very little time. Do they accept our presence at this planet?
DATA: Undecided, sir.
PICARD: Data, please, feel free to volunteer any important information.
DATA: I volunteer that they are now observing us, sir.
PICARD: To judge what kind of life forms we are?
DATA: No, it is more curiosity, sir. I doubt that they expect us to abide by their value systems.
PICARD: Do they know of our Prime Directive?
DATA: They know everything I know, sir.
PICARD: And, if we were to violate the Prime Directive, how
BEVERLY: That's not a fair question.
PICARD: How would they react?
DATA: It would be a case of judging us by our own rules, sir. If we violate our own Prime Directive, they might consider us to be deceitful and untrustworthy. You do recall they cautioned us not to interfere with their children below. What has happened?
BEVERLY: The Edo want to execute my son. (Lesley starts to tear up) I will not allow that to happen, Jean-Luc.
DATA: Most interesting, sir. The emotion of motherhood, compared to all others felt by
BEVERLY: Shut up!
Beverly storms out. Lesley runs after Beverly.
DATA: You were right, sir. I do tend to babble.
PICARD: (VO) Captain's log, stardate 41255.9. Whatever the object or vessel in orbit with us, it hangs there like a nemesis. It is one thing to communicate with something mysterious, but it is quite another to be silently observed by it. I am concerned whether it understands the same concept of reason that we do?
Scene: Lounge.
DATA: You sent for me, sir?
PICARD: Let's have more talk, Data.
DATA: Yes, sir.
PICARD: Sit down.
DATA: What level of communication, sir?
PICARD: Any. My apologies for saying that you babbled.
DATA: But I do, sir.
PICARD: You also see things in a way we do not, but as they truly are. I need help, my friend. I cannot permit that boy or any member of this vessel be sacrificed. The Prime Directive never intended that. Also Lesley won't forgive me if I did let that happen.
DATA: The problem, sir, is there. (the Edo vessel) Although they've learned of the Prime Directive from my mind, how will they evaluate it? How do they reason? What are their values? Remember their warning to us, sir.
PICARD: Exactly. How do I explain my refusing to obey their laws down there. Not permitting the Crusher boy to be executed. And by so doing do I endanger this vessel and more than a thousand other lives?
DATA: Would you choose one life over one thousand, sir?
PICARD: I refuse to let arithmetic decide questions like that. Did you learn anything about the relationship between that and the Edo? Why are they so certain it's a god?
DATA: Any sufficiently advanced life form would appear to others to be that, sir. But when they were probing my thoughts, Captain, I could feel that whatever they are now, they once existed in this dimension, just as we do. Perhaps in the same kind of flesh and blood form. Since then, however, they have evolved considerably. Their present existence in multi-dimensions no doubt has advantages we do not understand.
PICARD: Then in some earlier flesh and blood form they might have shared our kind of values.
DATA: We know the Edo share them, sir.
PICARD: Why would such an advanced thing feel obliged to protect the Edo?
DATA: Perhaps the Edo are a child race by comparison. Possibly a race which those life forms have planted here. Much as we plant human colonies on Class-M planets.
Beverly enters with Lesley.
BEVERLY: Having fulfilled my professional obligations regarding Commander Data
PICARD: You now request permission to beam down to the planet. Permission granted. You can accompany me while I try and resolve this. And you should know that whatever the cost, I will not allow them to execute your son.
BEVERLY: Thank you, sir.
PICARD: Data, take command.
DATA: Aye, sir.
Scene: Council chambers.
RIKER: It's almost time. I want the boy brought here now.
Liator get up.
TASHA: I'll go along with you.
LIATOR: Of course.
Picard, Beverly and Lesley beam in. Rivan goes over and kneels, handing back his communicator.
RIVAN: Captain Picard. I saw you share the sky with God. You must be Gods.
PICARD: No, no, we're not gods.
Wesley enters, escorted by the two mediators, Liator and Tasha.
WESLEY: Mother. I guess you know a lot has happened here.
BEVERLY: I know.
Lesley clears her throat. Wesley goes over to her and kisses her.
WESLEY: Captain Picard, are you going to let them kill me?
PICARD: No. But I must find some way to prevent it that you understand.
MEDIATOR: How can we let this happen, Liator? They threaten everything we respect. Our law, our peace, our tranquillity and order.
MEDIATOR 2: You are powerful, but do not do this to us, we beg you. At least study what we were without law. Hurtful to each other, savage, thieving.
PICARD: I understand. Perhaps your system of law and punishment is better than any system we once had. But we do now have a law I must obey. And part of it says I must protect my people from harm.
LIATOR: We did not ask you to come here.
RIKER: Which has to do with another law that we must obey.
PICARD: We are all sworn not to interfere with other lives in the galaxy. If I save this boy, I break that law.
MEDIATOR: And you should be executed if you do so!
PICARD: I may suffer almost as much. Starfleet takes the Prime Directive very seriously.
MEDIATOR 2: No, it is God who will punish you.
PICARD: That thought has crossed our minds. Your god up there may insist that we obey our non-interference directive.
WESLEY: Sir, does this mean if you save me the entire crew could die?
PICARD: You're not involved in this decision, boy.
WESLEY: I'm sorry, sir, but it seems like I am.
PICARD: Picard to Transporter room. Lock into this signal. Stand by for seven to beam up. Wesley, Lieutenant.
The Starfleet people gather together.
LIATOR: Our laws have been violated. What of justice?
TASHA: What of justice to Wesley? Does he deserve to die?
PICARD: I'm truly sorry, Liator, but I must have justice for my people too. Transporter room, energise.
Nothing happens.
PICARD: Transporter room, come in.
CHIEF: (OC) We can't energise the beam, sir. Everything checks out but we're getting no results.
MEDIATOR: God has prevented your escape.
BEVERLY: Then your god is unfair. My son had no warning that his act was criminal.
MEDIATOR 2: We cannot allow ignorance of the law to become a defence.
PICARD: I don't know how to communicate this, or even if it is possible, but the question of justice has concerned me greatly of lately. And I say to any creature who may be listening, there can be no justice so long as laws are absolute. Even life itself is an exercise in exceptions.
RIKER: When has justice ever been as simple as a rulebook?
The party is beamed up.
PICARD: It seems the Edo Lord agrees with you, Number One.
Scene: Bridge.
RIKER: Main viewer on.
PICARD: Hailing frequencies.
TASHA: Open, sir.
PICARD: To the object in orbit with us. We will remove the human colonists from the adjoining solar system if you signal us to do so. Please tell us.
DATA: Captain.
The Edo ship vanishes.
GEORDI: Is that a signal?
PICARD: I suppose, I suppose it must be. I was hoping for more.
GEORDI: More of what, sir? I'm glad it's gone.
RIKER: Agreed, sir. Short and sweet. God-like efficiency.
PICARD: I was hoping we'd learn more about it. But since we can't, take us out of here, Number One.
RIKER: Gladly, sir.
Scene: Ten Forward.
Data and Geordi are just walking in. Lesley, Wesley, Georda and Dana are sitting at a table in Ten Forward. Data and Geordi sat at another table on the opposite side of Ten Forward.
LESLEY: So what do you think Geordi and Data are talking about?
GEORDA: I don't know.
DANA: I think that Geordi might be talking to Data about me.
With Geordi and Data.
DATA: So Geordi what did you want to talk to me about?
GEORDI: Dana.
DATA: What about Dana?
GEORDI: What do you think of her?
DATA: Well she is a very unique and beautiful Android.
GEORDI: Data did you say that she is beautiful?
DATA: Yes I did. Why?
GEORDI: Why did you say that she is beautiful?
DATA: I know that I may be an Android myself and incapable of human feelings but I think that I am falling in love with Dana. I also think that I am afraid to tell her. Geordi please do not tell Dana that I think that I might have feelings for her.
GEORDI: Don't worry Data I won't.

That was a good chapter. I liked the part with parts with Lesley and Wesley. I really like the part where Geordi is talking with Data about Dana.

Thank you. I had a feeling that you'll like those parts.

Chapter 9
The Battle

PICARD: (VO) Captain's log, stardate 41723.9. In response to a Starfleet order we are in the Xendi Sabu star system, having rendezvoused with a Ferengi vessel which has requested a meeting. Although we arrived here and made appropriate signals to the Ferengi three days ago, they have so far responded only with the message, stand by Enterprise.
Scene: Picard's quarters.
Picard is reading, when the door bell chimes, and Beverly enters with her medical bag.
BEVERLY: You sent for me, sir?
PICARD: Yes, Doctor. Sit down. Look, this perhaps may be nothings, but I've been feeling a bit odd of late. Fatigued. And now I've got this damned headache.
BEVERLY: A what?
PICARD: Headache. Headache. Surely you know what a headache is.
BEVERLY: Of course. But I don't often encounter them.
PICARD: The reason is obvious, of course. What are the Ferengi up to? Stand by, Enterprise. Stand by for what?
BEVERLY: I don't see a thing wrong.
PICARD: No, neither can I. Unless they're baiting some kind of trap.
BEVERLY: With your head. I see nothing physically wrong, but I want to run some additional scans in Sickbay.
PICARD: Doctor, all I've got is
BEVERLY: Is an order to report to Sickbay. From the one person aboard this ship who can give you an order.
RIKER: (OC) Captain from First Officer. They're finally sending a message.
PICARD: On my way, Number One. Sorry, Doctor. Duty calls.
Scene: Bridge.
RIKER: They're prepared to talk, sir.
PICARD: Have they given any hint of what they've been waiting for?
TASHA: Negative, Captain. They've identified their Captain as Bok. DaiMon Bok.
GEORDI: You'll be able to see him now, sir. They're willing to communicate on visual.
PICARD: Open hailing frequencies.
TASHA: Hailing frequencies open, sir.
PICARD: Ferengi vessel. This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the Enterprise. We are transmitting visually.
BOK: (on viewscreen) Is this the Captain Picard?
PICARD: Do we know each other?
BOK: (on viewscreen) I know you, Picard.
PICARD: Then you have the advantage. Is this Bok?
BOK: (on viewscreen) I am Bok, DaiMon of the Ferengi. I have asked you here to discuss a mutual problem, Captain.
PICARD: What problem is that, DaiMon Bok?
BOK: (on viewscreen) I insist on speaking of that matter in person. Shall we meet on your vessel or mine?
Deanna signals the transmission cut.
TASHA: Hailing frequencies closed.
DEANNA: Captain, I sense considerable deception on Bok's part. And danger.
RIKER: Then we should meet him here. Keep him under our control.
Picard nods.
TASHA: Now open, sir.
PICARD: I appreciate your offer, DaiMon Bok. We would like you to be our guest here.
BOK: (on viewscreen) As you wish, Picard. Perhaps this will begin a new era of cooperation for both our peoples. In one Earth hour, then?
PICARD: In one hour, DaiMon Bok. End transmission.
WORF: I can't believe they're coming here.
PICARD: They did agree a bit easily. Well, in one hour we shall know why.
Scene: Sickbay.
Picard is lying on an examination table.
PICARD: Are you always accustomed to getting your way, Doctor?
BEVERLY: Only when my way makes sense, Captain. There are still forty minutes before the Ferengi beam over. I'll have these scans done in ten.
PICARD: It seems an awful lot of effort for something as simple as a headache.
BEVERLY: As simple? You should not have a headache unless there's something wrong, sir. It may be true that headaches were once quite common, but that was in the days before the brain was charted, before we understood the nature of pain. When we were suffering from such things as the common cold.
PICARD: So what's the cause of my headache?
BEVERLY: I haven't the slightest idea. (she puts something against his temple) Feel better.
PICARD: The pain's gone.
BEVERLY: Medical fakery. The pain is actually still there. It's just cloaked. I'll want further exams.
PICARD: Doctor!
BEVERLY: When the Ferengi matter is settled.
Scene: Bridge.
Wesley enters, in his new acting Ensign uniform. It looks hot well through Lesley eyes it does.
WESLEY: Commander, you'll soon be getting an intruder alert.
RIKER: What? Wesley, if you've something to report.
WESLEY: If you'll scan heading four four mark one six three, Lieutenant, you'll find
TASHA: Intruder alert, sir.
GEORDI: I've got something, sir.
WESLEY: It's an old style starship, Constellation Class, heading this way under impulse power, sir.
Picard enters.
RIKER: Says who?
PICARD: Ensign, answer the First Officer's question.
WESLEY: Says the long distance sensors, sir. I was in Engineering, playing around with boosting sensor output.
DATA: Boosting it? How? (catches Picard's eye) We will discuss this later.
GEORDI: I read it now, sir, as a Constellation class starship heading this way under impulse power. Sending no call letters, sir.
PICARD: The correct procedure,
RIKER: What's wrong, sir?
PICARD: Oh, it's nothing. It's just a, just a mild headache. The correct procedure, Ensign, would have been to signal the Bridge of your finding immediately.
WESLEY: Yes, sir.
RIKER: Bringing it here personally, perhaps with the idea of being on hand for the Ferengi beam over, might have imperiled this vessel had it been something hostile approaching.
WESLEY: Yes, sir.
WORF: We are receiving no signal at all from the approaching starship, sir.
DATA: Time, sir.
PICARD: Time? Oh, for the Ferengi to beam over. Do you see any problems connected with this old starship coming in, Number One?
RIKER: Suggest it would be safer, sir, to have the Ferengi here whatever happenings.
PICARD: Concur. Stand by.
TASHA: Hailing frequencies open, sir.
The Ferengi transporter is a curved effect, instead of vertical. Three big-eared little men appear in front of the viewscreen.
PICARD: Welcome you in peace to the Enterprise, DaiMon Bok.
BOK: It is our pleasure, Captain Picard. Might I introduce my First Officer, Kazago, and my Second, Rata?
PICARD: This is my First Officer, Commander William Riker. Second in command, Data. Counselor Troi.
BOK: We have heard that you use females. Clothed females. Most interesting.
RIKER: They are that, sir.
KAZAGO: And the android was mentioned too. What is its price? We should like to purchase it.
PICARD: He is not for sale. Commander Data is, um, is, um
RIKER: Is second-hand merchandise. You wouldn't want him.
DATA: Second-hand, sir? Oh, of course. A human joke.
TASHA: Excuse, Captain, but the unidentified starship is coming in. Still no signal at all.
BOK: Think nothing of it. It is under our control.
PICARD: One of our starships under your control?
BOK: Do not be alarmed, Captain. It is a gift from us. With which we honour the Hero of Maxia.
PICARD: Who?
BOK: Why you, Picard, of course. Do you not remember the Battle of Maxia?
PICARD: I'm sorry, I do not remember it, DaiMon Bok. Data?
DATA: Captain, he may refer to an incident which occurred nine years ago in the Maxia Zeta star system, in which an unidentified starship
BOK: Unidentified? That fine vessel was Ferengi.
DATA: Which you destroyed, sir.
PICARD: The Battle of Maxia. I've never heard it referred to so dramatically before. My sincere regrets, Bok, but that vessel refused to identify itself. It simply attacked us. We defended ourselves.
BOK: Such mistakes happen in space.
DATA: Hardly a mistake, sir. Your report shows that it deliberately attacked.
TASHA: Do you want the arriving vessel on main viewer, sir? It is only a thousand kilometres away now.
BOK: Put it on your viewer.
PICARD: Main viewer.
BOK: There is no one aboard it.
RATA: The log should be downloaded into the Enterprise's records. At a price.
BOK: No price!
KAZAGO: No price?
PICARD: For what purpose? What (clutches his head in pain)
DEANNA: I just felt something too, Captain.
BOK: Perhaps it is his conscience?
RIKER: Bridge to Sickbay.
PICARD: No, no. I'm fine
DEANNA: It felt as if it were something from your past.
PICARD: It's right. I'm fine. What is this all about?
BOK: It is about the battle I mentioned, Captain. A gift, in honour of that occasion. Look at that ship closely.
PICARD: Magnify please, Lieutenant La Forge.
GEORDI: Aye, sir.
PICARD: Why, it's the Stargazer. It's my old ship. How did you find it?
BOK: It was a derelict, adrift in space on the far side of this star system. How it got there is none of my business, Captain. But now, that vessel is yours, if you wish to have it.
KAZAGO: We are not selling it to him?
BOK: Consider it an act of friendship.
RATA: At no cost? Oh, ugly. Very ugly.
Captain's log, supplemental. Bok and his officers have returned to their vessel, inviting us now to officially take possession of the Stargazer.
Scene: Sickbay.
This time, Picard is on a full bio-bed.
BEVERLY: Like before?
PICARD: No. It hit with more impact.
DEANNA: Hit? I'm sorry, but anything could be important.
BEVERLY: You said you felt something yourself.
DEANNA: I believe so. Like a thought, but rather mechanical in nature.
PICARD: Are you sure it wasn't one of my thoughts? At that moment, I was remembering being at the helm of the Stargazer. A manoeuvre was being made. We were hit. Something's burning. I can smell smoke. Can you smell it?
BEVERLY: There's nothing burning, Jean-Luc.
PICARD: That was just part of my memory.
DEANNA: Memory or nightmare?
Riker enters.
PICARD: Well, it was strong, whatever it was. Are you ready, Number One.
RIKER: Staff's waiting, if Doctor Crusher approves.
BEVERLY: I'll do better than that. I'll go along.
Scene: Observation lounge.
All the senior staff are seated around the long table.
PICARD: We were traveling at warp two through the Maxia Zeta star system when this unidentified starship suddenly appeared and fired on us, point-blank range.
RIKER: Where did it come from?
PICARD: It must have been lying in some deep moon crater. First attack damaged the shields. In the confusion, they hit us a second time.
TASHA: No clue who they were?
PICARD: No names, no reason. Can you identify them, Vigo? If they come in a second time with our shields damaged
DEANNA: Sir? Who's Vigo?
PICARD: He's my weapons officer on the Stargazer. I'm getting quite caught up in this.
RIKER: Your shields were failing, sir.
PICARD: I improvised. With the enemy vessel coming in for the kill, I ordered a sensor bearing, and when it went into the return arc.
DATA: You performed what Starfleet textbooks now refer to as the Picard Manoeuvre.
PICARD: Well, I did what any good helmsman would have done. I dropped into high warp, stopped right off the enemy vessel's bow and fired with everything I had.
RIKER: And blowing into maximum warp speed, you appeared for an instant to be in two places at once.
PICARD: And our attacker fired on the wrong one.
RIKER: I did what any good helmsman could have done. You did it first, sir.
PICARD: It was a save our skins manoeuvre. We were finished. On fire. We had to abandon ship. We limped through space in shuttlecraft for weeks before we were picked up. I haven't thought about this for years.
DATA: Sir, the Ferengi are standing by for us to take possession of the Stargazer.
PICARD: I want to go over to her.
RIKER: I understand, sir. As soon as my people have made certain she's safe.
BEVERLY: And after I have another look at you, Captain.
Scene: Stargazer Bridge.
Tasha and Data are exploring by torchlight.
DATA: (reading the plaque) USS Stargazer. Constellation Class. Starfleet Registry NCC 2893.
Lights come on and Geordi enters.
GEORDI: I activated the emergency power cells. Amazing they still work.
WORF: The rest of the ship is clear of surprises, Lieutenant Yar.
GEORDI: I read about this ship at the Academy, I never dreamed I'd ever be on her.
TASHA: Yar to Enterprise. All clear, sir. (Picard and Crusher beam in)
PICARD: Hello, old friend.
DATA: You'll find this most intriguing, sir.
PICARD: What did you find, Data?
DATA: The last entry dated nine years ago, sir. By you. (reading screen) We are forced to abandon our starship. May she find her way without us. Apparently she did, sir.
BEVERLY: How do you feel, Captain?
PICARD: Oh, I'm fine, Doctor. Lieutenant Yar, run a structural analysis on the Stargazer for an impulse tow. Data, download all computers to the Enterprise and file. I'm going to look at my old cabin.
Scene: Stargazer Captain's Quarters.
Picard is going through the books he left behind, and a trunk of clothes. Inside the trunk, something lights up, and he doubles over in agony.
Scene: Ferengi Science Lab.
Bok is working at a double of the thing in the trunk.
BOK: Try this, Hero of Maxia.
He slides the top of the sphere around and.
Scene: Stargazer Captain's quarters.
Picard jerks up in pain and clutches at his head before collapsing. Beverly enters.
BEVERLY: Captain? Another headache? This really worries me. I want you back on the Enterprise.
PICARD: But my things
BEVERLY: I'll see they're sent to your Enterprise quarters.
Scene: Bridge.
RIKER: Enterprise now taking possession of Stargazer, Kazago.
KAZAGO: (on viewscreen) Permission granted, Riker.
RIKER: Actually it was quite a bargain, Kazago. I thought the Ferengi always made a profit on things.
Kazago growls and ends the transmission.
RIKER: Set sub-warp speed for towing, LaForge.
GEORDI: Aye, sir.
Picard enters, in pain.
DATA: Starfleet has responded to our request, sir. A tug will rendezvous with us and tow the Stargazer back to Xendi Starbase Nine.
PICARD: Very well, Data.
RIKER: How was it, Captain?
PICARD: Very strange, Number One. Like going back to the house you grew up in, but no one's home, except the phantoms of the past.
DEANNA: It has troubled you?
PICARD: Not half as much as this damn headache. Take over, Number One.
RIKER: Aye, sir.
Picard leaves.
RIKER: What's wrong?
DEANNA: I wish I could say.
Scene: Picard's quarters.
The trunk has been delivered. Picard goes to lie down on his bed.
VOICES: (OC) Shields weakening, Captain. Torpedoes armed. Where are they? Oh my god, sir! Fire! Fire!
Scene: Ready Room.
RIKER: What is it, Data? Why all the mystery?
DATA: The records of the Stargazer, sir. What the Ferengi call the Battle of Maxia. It seems the Captain's personal log contains a much different version of that conflict than the official historic account.
RIKER: What are you saying?
DATA: It would appear that the starship which Captain Picard attacked, had in fact, been under a flag of truce.
RIKER: What?
DATA: And apparently, the Captain destroyed the ship without notice or provocation.
RIKER: Impossible. What about the fire aboard the Stargazer?
DATA: An accident in Engineering.
RIKER: And what proof?
DATA: It is logged in his own voice, sir. Would you care to hear it, sir? Sir?
Scene: Picard's quarters.
PICARD: (Stargazer log) This is a confession given by me, Jean-Luc Picard commanding USS Stargazer.
PICARD: What does this mean?
RIKER: I don't know, sir. It sounds like your voice.
PICARD: It is, Number One.
RIKER: I refuse to believe you ever said that.
PICARD: (Stargazer log) I admit I must have mistaken their subspace antenna for a weapons cluster. Unfortunately, I fired our main phasers and our direct hit destroyed the unknown vessel.
RIKER: I've assumed they've simulated your voice somehow. I've already put Data to work on it.
PICARD: Thank you, Will. I never made that log entry, of course, but it still leaves you with a duty to perform.
RIKER: I know, sir, I must report it to Starfleet. That's at least one full day for subspace communications to reach there.
PICARD: And one more full day for their answer to return. I'd like the truth on this by then. I'd hate to have to prepare a formal defence.
RIKER: I can't believe they'd ask for your command.
PICARD: Why wouldn't they? With the Ferengi making these friendship overtures, I could become a severe embarrassment to Starfleet.
RIKER: I'm certain the Ferengi are behind the faked log. No wonder they're waiting out there. Headache back, sir?
PICARD: Damn! I'll call the Doctor again.
RIKER: It's no wonder, with all this going on. Try to relax.
Riker leaves.
PICARD: (Stargazer log) This is a confession given by me, Jean-Luc Picard, commanding USS Stargazer, in the hopes that my belated honesty will be taken into account by Starfleet when judging my actions during a confrontation with an unidentified vessel.
Scene: Bridge.
RIKER: Open hailing frequencies, Geordi.
GEORDI: Open, sir.
RIKER: I'll take it in the Ready room. Secure channel, LaForge.
GEORDI: Secure, Sir.
Scene: Ready room.
RIKER: Starship Ferengi, this is Commander Riker here. I'd like to speak to First Officer Kazago.
KAZAGO: (OC) A problem, Riker?
RIKER: Are our channels secure on your end?
KAZAGO: (on monitor) It is now.
RIKER: Are you aware of the details of the Battle of Maxia?
KAZAGO: (on monitor) Captain Bok has just made me aware of it, Riker. The infamy of your Picard is now fully known.
RIKER: Infamy?
KAZAGO: (on monitor) I would call the wanton destruction of an unarmed vessel infamy.
RIKER: And if I produced evidence that Captain Picard's log entry was falsified to indicate that?
KAZAGO: (on monitor) I can hardly imagine you contacted me to discuss an ancient battle. What do you want of me?
RIKER: Just one question.
KAZAGO: (on monitor) As you humans say, I'm all ears.
RIKER: First Officer to First Officer, Kazago, if your Captain Bok knew about this, then why this peaceful meeting to present us with the Stargazer?
KAZAGO: (on monitor) We freely give you back your derelict warship and now you accuse us of crime, Riker? I can bear no more insults!
Scene: Picard's quarters.
The doorbell chimes.
PICARD: Yes? Who the hell is it?
Beverly enters.
BEVERLY: Not resting, Captain?
PICARD: More like dying, Doctor.
BEVERLY: Over here.
PICARD: What is wrong with me?
BEVERLY: I wish to hell I knew, Captain, but something unusual has definitely been happening to you.
PICARD: Why do doctors always say the obvious as though it's a revelation?
BEVERLY: Why do captains always act like they're immortal?
She tries another painkiller.
PICARD: No.
Scene: Ferengi Science Lab.
Bok turns up the device.
Scene: Picard's Quarters.
BEVERLY: You didn't tell me it had been this bad.
PICARD: It wasn't this bad. But it's getting worse.
BEVERLY: This should help a little. It's got to be some kind of emotional pressure connected with the Stargazer.
PICARD: I got this headache long before I even knew my old ship still existed. Still, perhaps you're partly right.
BEVERLY: Want to talk about it? I'm here.
PICARD: The fight at Maxia. I destroyed an entire vessel. An entire crew.
BEVERLY: Did you have a choice?
PICARD: I don't know anymore. I just don't know.
BEVERLY: Commander Riker's told me about the altered log, if that's what's troubling you.
PICARD: The last three nights I've, I've heard these voices. I'm on the bridge of my old ship. There's fire all around me. The klaxons, smoke. And then I give the order. And now the Stargazer is really here!. And that log. Am I going crazy? How do I know I was in my right mind at Maxia? How do I know I'm in my right mind now?
Beverly gives him an injection.
PICARD: What was that?
BEVERLY: Something to let you sleep.
She helps him to his bed.
PICARD: Yes sleep. Sleep.
Beverly puts two small devices on his forehead, turns the lights out and leaves.
VOICES: (OC) Shields weakening, Captain. Torpedoes armed. Where are they?
Scene: Ferengi Science Lab.
BOK: And now, dear Captain, you are ready to live the past.
He winds the contraption up to maximum.
Scene: Picard's quarters.
VOICES: (OC) Where did they come from? Phasers, sir? Sir? Sir? What should we do, sir? Should we fire back? Fire, Captain? Fire!
Scene: Ferengi Science Lab.
BOK: You will injure yourself as you once injured me.
Scene: Picard's quarters.
VOICES: (OC) Sir!
Picard opens his eyes, and he sees the ghost of the Stargazer's bridge and her crew. He is reliving the past.
PICARD: Damage report!
VOICE: (OC) Fusion generator under surge control, sir! Power systems failing!
PICARD: Sensor beam bearing on hostile ship!
VOICE: (OC) Seven mark nineteen, sir!
VOICE: (OC) Phasers, sir? Sir?
PICARD: Ready phasers, and lock! Stand by on warp nine. Heading seven, seven mark twenty. Engage. Steady. Now, reverse and stop! Phasers fire, torpedoes away! Fire. Fire.
Scene: Ready Room.
DATA: By comparing the Stargazer's main computer log with Captain Picard's personal log, I have found checksum discrepancies, sir.
RIKER: What does that mean?
DATA: All information is time-coded by entry, and the bits when totaled produce an aggregate amount which
RIKER: I don't want a computer science lesson, Data. Bottom line.
DATA: One of these two logs is a forgery, sir.
GEORDI: Correction. The log just found aboard the Stargazer is a forgery.
DATA: As I said, that is one of them, is it not?
Picard enters.
GEORDI: Captain. You're looking better, sir.
PICARD: A little sleep, thanks to the good Doctor, works wonders. What report on the logs?
DATA: Yes, sir. Whoever tampered with your personal log was clever.
GEORDI: But a bit clumsy. It's definitely a fabrication, sir.
Beverly enters.
BEVERLY: Number One, I'd like you to take a look at this brain scan graph. What are you doing here?
PICARD: I thought I was Captain of this starship.
BEVERLY: Of course you are, but I
PICARD: Thank you for the confirmation, Doctor. But now, except for Riker, I would like you all to return to your stations. Is that clear?
DATA: Sir.
Data and Geordi leave.
PICARD: You too, Doctor. I have business with the Commander.
BEVERLY: Under protest, Captain.
Beverly leaves.
RIKER: You have orders for me, sir?
PICARD: Release the Stargazer from the tractor beam, Number One.
RIKER: Sir?
PICARD: The tractor beam.
RIKER: Sir, are you abandoning?
PICARD: No, but her inertia will carry the Stargazer along with us. Or did you sleep through the Academy lecture on conservation of tractor beam power?
RIKER: No, sir. I'll release her, of course.
Scene: Sickbay.
The output from the forehead devices is on a wall display.
BEVERLY: Obviously, there's some thought process disorder, but I can't find a physical reason for it. Anything?
DEANNA: I'm puzzled too. I keep sensing random thoughts but two sets of them. As if they were his, but intermixed other thoughts which are also his.
Wesley enters with Lesley.
BEVERLY: I'm busy at the moment, Wesley.
WESLEY: I know, Mom, but this is important. When I (Lesley nudges Wesley in the elbow) sorry when we went back to the main sensors in Engineering to try some more sensitivity experiments.
DEANNA: Does this have something to do with Captain Picard?
WESLEY: Yes, ma'am, if this is what you're talking about here. We don't know much about brain scans but we glanced at these when you were studying them, and we noticed that these patterns are the same as those picked up from the low-intensity transmissions from the Ferengi ship. We went back and checked, and they're exactly the same.
DEANNA: What kind of transmissions?
LESLEY: We don't know. Engineering has nothing like it on record.
DEANNA: Let's get to the Captain.
BEVERLY: No, they might be affecting the Captain. To Riker.
Beverly and Deanna leave.
WESLEY: You're welcome, ladies. Adults.
LESLEY: Wes what would they do without us?
Wesley kisses Lesley.
Scene: Bridge.
BEVERLY: The captain, Commander?
RIKER: Resting in his quarters after ordering both of you to your duty stations.
DEANNA: There have been some, did they say low intensity? Some unusual low intensity transmissions from the Ferengi vessel.
RIKER: Did who say?
BEVERLY: My son and his girlfriend. Transmissions which exactly match certain anomalies found in the Captain's brain scans. Something over there is affecting the Captain's thought patterns.
RIKER: Computer, give me a location on Captain Picard.
COMPUTER: Captain Picard is in Transporter room three.
RIKER: What? Computer, emergency order to Transporter room three.
COMPUTER: New information. Captain Picard is no longer aboard the Enterprise.
Scene: Stargazer Bridge.
Picard beams in and takes the Captain's chair.
BOK: Welcome back, Captain.
Bok is holding the device he has been using on Picard.
PICARD: What is happening?
BOK: Shields up, computer.
PICARD: What are you doing?
BOK: Collecting on an old debt.
Picard collapses in agony.
Scene: Bridge.
RIKER: Stargazer, Captain, respond!
TASHA: Shields up, sir. No way to beam over any help.
GEORDI: Commander, I'm reading something very strange here. A low intensity beam of intermittent pulse inside this starship.
DATA: I have a fix on it, sir. Inside Captain Picard's quarters.
TASHA: You transferred some of his belongings from the Stargazer?
WORF: Yes. Including a fairly heavy chest.
RIKER: Go take a look, fast!
GEORDI: Commander, Stargazer is now powering up, sir.
Scene: Stargazer Bridge.
BOK: I have been waiting a long nine years for this, Picard.
PICARD: I don't know what you're talking about.
BOK: Do you not, human? Can you not remember the crime you committed against my very blood? You murdered my only son.
PICARD: Your son?
BOK: He was the commander of the ship you destroyed! On his first voyage as DaiMon.
PICARD: The ship? The Ferengi ship that attacked me. Or is it about to attack me?
BOK: And I have spent these years searching, seeking a proper blood revenge! And I found it! I am rich, Picard, yet two of these cost me the profits of an entire life. You are back in command of the Stargazer, Picard. Its computers will answer your orders. Die well, Captain.
Bok beams away.
RIKER: (VO) First officer's log. Captain Picard has beamed himself to the Stargazer, which is now moving away from us under its own power.
Scene: Bridge.
RIKER: Enterprise to Stargazer, please respond. Enterprise to Captain Picard aboard Stargazer. Please answer. Mister Data, what was Stargazer's condition?
DATA: Considerable fire damage to interior surface reported, sir. But none of her main systems were crippled.
RIKER: Armaments, Lieutenant Yar?
TASHA: Six photon torpedoes short, sir, probably used when the Captain destroyed his Ferengi attackers nine years ago. Otherwise fully armed.
Geordi is examining the globe device from the chest.
RIKER: What do you make of it, LaForge?
GEORDI: It seems to be a network of miniature circuitry, sir. Incredibly complex. Maybe an amplifier.
RIKER: Where was it in the Captain's quarters, Mister Worf?
WORF: His chest from the Stargazer, sir? Just where I had left it. He hadn't yet unpacked.
BEVERLY: So, he may not have even known it was there. And if this is able to pick up or magnify thought-altering transmissions.
DEANNA: It could have prepared him for whatever is happening now.
RIKER: Let's find out, or try to. Contact the Ferengi vessel, Lieutenant.
TASHA: Hailing frequencies open, sir.
RIKER: Enterprise to Ferengi vessel, we transmit visually. Do you respond?
KAZAGO: (on viewscreen) Why is our gift to you under power, human?
RIKER: I will discuss that with your captain.
KAZAGO: (on viewscreen) He is working in our ship's laboratory. Where is your Captain?
RIKER: He's beamed himself aboard the Stargazer, and I'm wondering if this has something to do with it.
KAZAGO: (on viewscreen) How do you have possession of that?
RIKER: It was found in our Captain's chest, which was brought over from the Stargazer.
KAZAGO: (on viewscreen) It is a forbidden device. A thought maker. If your Captain is criminal enough to own one
RIKER: Kazago, you know who controls those spheres. Now I ask you again, First Officer to First Officer. What's going on?
KAZAGO: (on viewscreen) It is not seemly to question one's own DaiMon, Riker. I am not prepared to do that.
TASHA: Sir, I have the Stargazer.
RIKER: Switch, now! Enterprise to Picard.
PICARD: (on viewscreen) Do not attack again! We are on a peaceful mission. Give your identity. You force us to defend ourselves. Phasers full up. Arm torpedoes. Why aren't the shields at full power?
TASHA: We've lost him, sir.
LAFORGE: When he put up the shields, sir.
Scene: Stargazer Bridge.
Picard is surrounded by the ghosts of his crew, and the flames.
PICARD: Damn, I said put fusion generators under surge control. You're moving too slowly. Arm the torpedoes, man! Vigo! Get a fire control party up here!
VOICES: (OC) Shields weakening, Captain! Fusion generator online.
PICARD: Weapons report!
VOICE: (OC) Phasers coming to full charge, sir. Torpedoes armed!
PICARD: Who are they? Identify them!
VOICE: (OC) They're coming for a third pass at us, sir!
VOICE: (OC) We can't take another hit, Captain!
Scene: Bridge.
DEANNA: Sir, I now feel anger from our Captain. Fury over whatever it is he is reliving out there.
GEORDI: The Battle of Maxia, sir. That's what it is.
RIKER: The Picard Manoeuvre. What is the defence against that, Data?
DATA: There is no defence, sir.
RIKER: Then devise one, fast!
KAZAGO: (on viewscreen) First Officer Kazago to human Riker.
RIKER: Not now, Kazago.
KAZAGO: (on viewscreen) We do not wish to become involved in what has become clearly a Federation matter.
RIKER: Fine, fine, Enterprise out!
KAZAGO: (on viewscreen) You should also know that DaiMon Bok no longer commands this vessel. His First Officer has confined him for engaging in this unprofitable venture. Good luck, First Officer Riker.
DATA: I have computed a possibility, Commander. Since even deep space contains trace gases, sir, a vessel in the Picard manoeuvre might seem to disappear, but our sensors could locate any sudden compression of those gases.
RIKER: And use it as an aiming point and blow our Captain to bits?
DATA: This class starship has enough power to use our tractor beam on it. Seize it, limit it's field of fire.
RIKER: Right. Concentrate shields at that point. Make it so. I hope you're right, Data.
DATA: No question of it, sir.
RIKER: Stand by!
Stargazer suddenly appears to be in two places at once.
RIKER: Lock on tractor beam.
And the Stargazer is held.
Scene: Stargazer Bridge.
PICARD: Ready phasers.
RIKER: (OC) Captain Picard, listen to me.
PICARD: Vigo, is that you?
RIKER: (OC) It's Commander Riker, sir!
RIKER: (on viewscreen) Captain, hear me! Look around you, the Ferengi are using their thought devices on you.
PICARD: Stand by. Who is this?
RIKER: (on viewscreen) It's Riker, sir. Your Number One. Look for a silver sphere. Destroy it with your phaser.
PICARD: Phaser. A sphere. Bok used it.
RIKER: (on viewscreen) Destroy it!
PICARD: Phaser. Destroy the sphere. Destroy the sphere.
After some hesitation, Picard destroys the sphere. The resulting explosion throws him across the Bridge.
Scene: Bridge.
RIKER: Are you all right, Captain?
Scene: Stargazer Bridge.
RIKER: (OC) Captain? Captain, are you all right? Captain, are you all right?
PICARD: Where am I, Number One?
RIKER: (OC) Aboard the Stargazer, sir. The sphere you destroyed, it's been controlling your
PICARD: Bok! Where is Bok?
RIKER: (OC) Removed from command, sir. Placed under guard for his act of personal vengeance. Seems there was no profit in it.
PICARD: In revenge, there never is. Let the dead rest. And the past remain the past. Enterprise, lock on. Beam me home, Riker.
Scene: Ten Forward
Data and Dana are sitting at a table in a dark corner of Ten Forward.
DATA: So Dana what did you want to talk to me about?
DANA: Well Data, I know that you are an Android and incapable of any human feelings but I just wanted to tell you that I think you are the most gorgeous Android that I have ever seen.
DATA: What are you saying?
DANA: Data, I am saying that I am in love with you.
DATA: You are?
DANA: Yes I am.
DATA: You are right about me being incapable of human feelings.
DANA: Data just because you are incapable of any human feelings that does not mean you do not deserve love. Everyone desevres love even in Android like you Data.
DATA: Are you sure?
DANA: Yes I am.
DATA: Well Dana I have to admit that you are the most beautiful Android that I have ever seen.
DANA: You really think that I am beautiful?
DATA: Yes I do. Dana I have to admit that I am in love with you too.
DANA: Really you are?
DATA: Yes I am. Now what do you want to do?
DANA: I would very much like to kiss you now.
DATA: Well I am new at kissing.
Dana leaned in and kissed Data. At that very moment Dana's sisters walked in with Wes and Geordi. Lesley was the first to noticed Dana and Data kissing.
LESLEY: (mouth opened in shock) Oh my gosh. I don't believe it.
GEORDA: Don't believe what sis?
LESLEY: (pointing to where Data and Dana are kissing) Just take a look over there?
GEORDA: Is that Dana and Data kissing?
LESLEY: Yes it is.
GEORDA: It's about time.
LESLEY: I agree.
WESLEY: Why is that?
LESLEY: Wes remember how Dana was always trying to get up the nerve to tell Data how she feels about him?
WESLEY: Yeah I remember.
LESLEY: Well it looks like now she has told him.
GEORDI: Well I just now Dana will be happy like the four of us.
LESLEY: How true that is.

That was a good chapter. I liked parts with Captain Picard and Dr. Crusher. I liked part where Riker to Picard to destroy the sphere. I really like the ending where Dana and Data admitted their feelings for each other.

Thank you. I had a feeling that you'll like those parts.

Chapter 10
Hide & Q

PICARD: (VO) Captain's log, stardate 41590.5. Having dropped off Counselor Troi at Starbase G6 for a shuttle to visit home, we were fortunately close to the Sigma Three solar system when its Federation colony transmitted an urgent call for medical help. An accidental explosion has devastated a mining operation there.
Scene: Corridor.
BEVERLY: Include a burn unit with each kit. Upon arrival, identify the most critically injured and beam them up to cargo bay six.
PICARD: (OC) Doctor Crusher, this is the Captain.
BEVERLY: Doctor Crusher here.
Scene: Bridge.
PICARD: Additional information. The number of colonists at the site is five hundred and four. Are you prepared for that many, Doctor?
BEVERLY: (OC) We believe so, sir.
GEORDI: Captain, we are now at warp nine point one, sir.
DATA: Which will bring us to the colony in three point two hours, sir.
RIKER: Captain, I have a schematic of the explosion site. It suggests the cause as a methane-like gas seeping in from underground.
GEORDI: Captain, I'm picking up a forcefield out there of some kind. It's almost.
The chain-link that envelopes the Enterprise is straight out of Encounter At Farpoint.
DATA: The Q entity, sir. It is identical to the grid we encountered when
WORF: It reads solid, sir.
PICARD: Emergency. Full stop.
GEORDI: Reversing power, sir.
PICARD: Not now, damn it, Q.
TASHA: Shields and deflectors up, sir.
GEORDI: Now reading full stop, sir.
There's a flash, and something similar to Prince of Wales' feathers hovers.
Q: Humans, I thought by now you would have scampered back to your own little star system.
PICARD: If this is Q I'm addressing, we are on a mission of rescue where a group of badly injured
Q: We the Q have studied our recent contact with you, and are impressed. We have much to discuss, including perhaps the realisation of your most impossible dream.
PICARD: However intriguing that may be, we are now in the midst of an urgent journey. Once that is completed, then, perhaps
Q: You will abandon that mission, Captain. My business with you takes precedence. If my magnificence blinds you, then perhaps something more familiar.
Flash, and the familiar human shape of John de Lancie, this time costumed as.
Q: Starfleet Admiral Q, at your service.
PICARD: (VO) Captain's log, supplemental. Our rescue mission to the Sigma Three solar system has been halted by an immense grid and an untimely visit from Q
Scene: Bridge.
PICARD: You're no Starfleet Admiral, Q.
Q: Neither am I an Aldebaran serpent, Captain, but you accepted me as such.
RIKER: He's got us there, Captain.
Q: The redoubtable Commander Riker, whom I noticed before. You seem to find this all very amusing.
RIKER: I might, if we weren't on our way to help some suffering and dying humans who.
Q: Your species is always suffering and dying.
PICARD: No, Lieutenant Worf. You'll make no move against him unless I order it.
Q: Pity. You might have learned an interesting lesson. Macro head with a micro brain.
PICARD: You said you had the realisation of impossible dreams to offer us. When this rescue is completed, I am prepared to listen carefully to whatever proposal you wish to make and subject to it being acceptable.
Q: Subject to your foolish human values? Oh, come, Picard. Why do you distrust me so?
PICARD: Why? At our first meeting you seized my vessel. You condemned all humans as savages, and on that charge you tried us in a post-atomic twenty first century court of horrors, where you attacked my people. You again seized my vessel.
Q: And that angered you, did it? Seized my vessel, seized my vessel.
PICARD: You interfered with our Farpoint mission. You threatened to convict us as ignorant savages, if, while dealing with a powerful and complex life forms, we made the slightest mistake, and when that didn't happen
Q: The Q became interested in you. Does no one here understand your incredible good fortune? Seized my vessel. These are the complaints of a closed mind too accustomed to military privileges. But you, Riker, and I remember you well, what do you make of my offer?
RIKER: We don't have time for these games.
Q: Games? Did someone say games? And perchance for interest's sake, a deadly game? To the game.
A flash, and Picard is alone on the Bridge.
Scene: Planet surface.
Sand and rocks under a green sky with yellow horizon.
RIKER: Where are we?
DATA: Obviously a class M world. Gravity and oxygen within our limits.
GEORDI: Twin moons. Where are we?
DATA: Considering the power demonstrated by Q the last time, anywhere. Assuming this place even exists.
RIKER: But this won't be boring. If Q is anything, he's imaginative. Apparently our Captain wasn't meant to be with us here.
Scene: Bridge.
PICARD: Security, this is the Captain. Security? Engineering, this is the Bridge.
Control panels don't operate. Doors don't open.
PICARD: Turbolift Control, do you read? This is the Captain.
But answer came there none.
Scene: Planet surface.
TASHA: Sir! Over here.
It's Q, in a French uniform complete with tricorn hat and tricolor cockade.
Q: Join me, Riker. A good game needs rules and planning. Wasn't it your own Hartley who said, nothing reveals humanity so well as the games it plays? Almost right. Actually, you reveal yourselves best in how you play.
DATA: Sir, what he has in mind might provide us with vital information.
Riker joins Q at a table in front of a tent. He picks up a glass to drink.
RIKER: Incredible. I was just thinking about an old-fashioned lemonade.
Q: And so it became that. An excellent thirst quencher. It gets rather hot out on this plain.
RIKER: What about my people?
Q: Whatever they'd like, of course!
Glasses appear in everyone's hands. Worf ostentatiously pours his onto the ground.
Q: Drink not with thine enemy. The rigid Klingon code. That explains something of why you defeated them.
RIKER: You're still fascinated with the human past? Perhaps you're not that original.
Q: Au contraire! It's the human future which intrigues us, and should concern you most. You see, of all species, yours cannot abide stagnation. Change is at the heart of what you are. But change into what? That's the question.
DATA: That is what humans call a truism.
Q: You mean hardly original?
RIKER: You're the one who said it. While we're at it, this isn't part of any human future.
Q: True. I borrowed this from your stodgy Captain's mind. This is dressing for a game that we will play. Now games require rules and rewards and dangers and familiar settings. That sort of thing.
RIKER: This isn't that familiar to me. Data?
DATA: This is from Europe's Napoleonic era, sir. Late eighteenth, early nineteenth centuries. This is a campaign headquarters tent, his uniform is that of a French Army marshal.
RIKER: And a marshal outranks even an Admiral
Q: Well, do you think I would go from a Starfleet Admiral to anything else?
RIKER: Of course you wouldn't. But Napoleonic equipment on an alien planet. One so different it has twin moons?
Q: Well, as you said, I'm nothing if not imaginative. And the game should reflect that. Shall it be a test of strength? Meaningless, since you have none. A test of intelligence, then? Equally as meaningless. But it needs risk, something to win and something to lose.
RIKER: If we must play a game, what would we win?
Q: The greatest possible future that you can imagine. Which, of course, requires something totally disastrous if you lose. Now the point of this game shall be, can any of you can stay alive?
WORF: If your game is fair, we will.
Q: Oh, for shame, Worf. Fairness is such a human concept. Think imaginatively! This game shall in fact be completely unfair.
TASHA: You've gone too far!
Q: Game penalty!
Tasha vanishes.
RIKER: Where is she, Q? You can forget your game if.
Q: To use a twentieth century term, she's in a penalty box. Where she will remain unharmed unless one of you merits a penalty. Unfortunately, there is only one penalty box. If any of you should be sent there, dear Tasha must give the box up to you.
GEORDI: And where does she go?
Q: Into nothingness. I entreat you to carefully obey the rules of the game. The only one who can destroy your Tasha now is you.
Scene: Bridge.
PICARD: Captain's log.
COMPUTER: Captain's log.
PICARD: Damn it. I can't even make a log entry.
TASHA: I wish I could help you, Captain.
PICARD: Where is everyone else?
TASHA: Down on some planet.
PICARD: Some planet? What are you doing here?
TASHA: Well, I, er. It sounds strange, but I'm in a penalty box.
PICARD: A penalty box?
TASHA: Q's penalty box. It sounds strange, but it definitely isn't. I know that one more penalty by anyone and I'm gone.
PICARD: Gone?
TASHA: Yes! I am gone! It is so frustrating to be controlled like this!
PICARD: Lieutenant. Tasha, it's all right.
TASHA: What the hell am I doing? Crying?
PICARD: Don't worry. There's a new ship's standing order on the Bridge. When one is in the penalty box, tears are permitted.
TASHA: Captain. Oh, if you weren't a captain.
Q: Consorting with lower rank females, Captain? Especially ones in penalty boxes? Destructive to discipline, they say. But then again, you're what? You're only human? Penalty over.
PICARD: A marshal of France? Ridiculous!
Q: One takes what jobs he can get. For example, star log entry, stardate today. This is Q, speaking for Captain Jean-Luc Picard, who we consider too bound by Starfleet customs and traditions to be useful to us. The Enterprise is now helpless, stuck like an Earth insect in amber while its bridge crew plays out a game whose real intent is to test whether the First Officer is worthy of the greatest gift the Q can offer.
PICARD: So you're taking on Riker this time. Excellent. He'll defeat you just as I did.
Q: Shall we wager on that, Captain? Your starship command against?
PICARD: Against your keeping out of humanity's path for ever. Done?
Q: Done! You've already lost, Picard. Riker will be offered something impossible to refuse.
Scene: Planet surface.
RIKER: Geordi, can you see Worf?
GEORDI: I'd see the freckles on his nose if he had them, sir. He's at the third ridge.
DATA: The third ridge?
GEORDI: Moving well too. Oh, oh. Good, he sees them.
Them being soldiers in an camp. And they grunt like pigs. Worf runs back.
Scene: Ready Room.
PICARD: Listen to me, Q. You seem to have some need for humans.
Q: Concern regarding them.
PICARD: Whatever it is, why do you demonstrate it through this confrontation? Why not a simple, direct explanation, a statement of what you seek? Why these games?
Q: Why these games? Why, the play's the thing. And I'm surprised you have to ask when your human Shakespeare explained it all so well.
PICARD: So he did, but don't depend too much on any single viewpoint
Q: It's a pity you don't know the content of your own library. Hear this, Picard, and reflect. All the galaxy's a stage.
PICARD: World, not galaxy. All the world's a stage.
Q: Oh, you know that one? Well, if he were living now he would have said galaxy. How about this? Life is but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more. It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.
PICARD: I see. So how we respond to a game tells you more about us than our real life, this tale told by an idiot? Interesting, Q.
Q: Oh, thank you very much. I'm glad you enjoyed it. Perhaps maybe a little Hamlet?
PICARD: Oh, no. I know Hamlet. And what he might said with irony, I say with conviction. What a piece of work is man. How noble in reason. How infinite in faculty. In form, in moving, how express and admirable. In action, how like an angel. In apprehension, how like a god.
Q: Surely you don't really see your species like that, do you?
PICARD: I see us one day becoming that, Q. Is it that what concerns you?
Scene: Planet.
GEORDI: Those soldiers have formed a skirmishing line, I think you'd call it, and they're headed this way.
RIKER: Armed with ancient ball and powder muskets?
GEORDI: That's what their weapons look like, sir.
DATA: Muskets are appropriate to the 1790 to 1800 French army uniform, sir. But it is hardly a weapon by our standards. A lead ball propelled by gunpowder. One hundred metres at best with any accuracy.
GEORDI: Yeah, but against phasers? Just one of our hand phasers could finish off an entire regiment.
RIKER: Except for one thing. It hardly sounds like Q to give us an advantage like that. Unless.
He does a test firing. A rock blows up most satisfactorily.
WORF: Drop your weapons!
RIKER: I'm afraid that was me, Worf. I was checking to see if the phasers still operate.
GEORDI: Incredible, Worf! You came out of nowhere.
WORF: A warrior's reaction.
RIKER: Report. What did you find?
WORF: Sir, what they're wearing may be old Earth uniforms, but what's inside of them isn't human at all. More like vicious animal things.
And here they come.
GEORDI: Those soldiers are moving in fast, sir.
RIKER: Data, if you've got a theory about what's happening?
But it's not Data, it's Q made up to look like him.
Q (DATA): Think fast, Commander Riker, and move fast.
One of the soldiers fires. An energy bolt comes from the musket.
RIKER: Those aren't muskets.
He vapourises two soldiers.
Q (DATA): You have only one chance to save them now. Send them back to the ship.
RIKER: You'll let me beam them?
Q (DATA): Send them the same way as I do. I've given you that power. Do you understand? I have given you the power of the Q. Use it.
Q vanishes.
Q: (OC) Use your power.
The real Data reappears.
Q: (OC) Use your power.
Riker holds up his hand and beams Worf, Data and Geordi away.
Scene: Bridge.
The forcefield vanishes while Tasha is sitting alone on the Bridge. Everything comes back to life and Picard comes out of the Ready room.
PICARD: Lieutenant, take the conn position. Engineering, this is the Bridge.
CREWMAN: (OC) Engineering here, sir.
PICARD: Engineering, are all systems back online?
CREWMAN: (OC) Back online, sir? They were never off.
TASHA: Captain, you'd better look at this. There's been no interruption in course or speed. Both have remained constant. It's as though we never stopped.
PICARD: We never did, Lieutenant. Q suspended time.
Worf, Data and Geordi appear.
TASHA: Where's Commander Riker?
WORF: He was with us.
GEORDI: He must still be on the planet. We were under attack by these, these animal things.
PICARD: Animal things?
GEORDI: Well, maybe Data could explain better, sir.
DATA: You may find it aesthetically displeasing, sir. I could just file a computer report on that.
PICARD: Data!
TASHA: Sir, the important thing right now is why is Commander Riker missing?
PICARD: Understood, Lieutenant, but I suspect that Commander Riker is probably perfectly safe, at least in a physical sense. Q has an interest in him. In fact, Q's entire visit has something to do with our First Officer.
DATA: And the reason for that, sir?
PICARD: I wish I knew. Q first became interested in him at Farpoint. I have no idea what it means. Meanwhile, we must proceed with our rescue mission.
Scene: Planet surface.
Riker is sitting on a rock, laughing.
Q: Something amuses you? Perhaps you'll share the joke with me?
RIKER: The joke is you.
Q: Strange gratitude, from one who has been granted a gift beyond any human dream. How can you not appreciate being able to send your friends back to their ship, or sending the soldiers back to the nothingness from which they came? Certainly, you must understand that at this moment you can send yourself back to the ship or to Earth, or change your shape and become anything else you want to be.
RIKER: What do you need, Q?
Q: Need?
RIKER: You want something from us, desperately. What is it?
Q: Want something from you foolish, fragile, non-entities? Oh come, Riker. You're beginning to sound like your Captain.
RIKER: Now that's a compliment, Q. But that's not an answer.
Q: Riker, we have offered you a gift beyond all other gifts!
RIKER: Out of the goodness of your heart.
Q: After Farpoint, I returned to where we exist. The Q Continuum.
RIKER: Which means exactly what?
Q: The limitless dimensions of the galaxy in which we exist.
RIKER: I don't understand.
Q: Of course you don't, and you never will until you become one of us.
RIKER: Until? Would you mind going over that again?
Q: Well if you'll stop interrupting me. This is hardly a time to be teaching you the true nature of the universe. However, at Farpoint we saw you as savages only. We discovered instead that you are unusual creatures in your own limited ways. Ways which in time will not be so limited.
RIKER: We're growing. Something about us compels us to learn, explore.
Q: Yes, the human compulsion. And unfortunately for us, it is a power which will grow stronger century after century, aeon after aeon.
RIKER: Aeons. Have you any idea how far we'll advance?
Q: Perhaps in a future that you cannot yet conceive, even beyond us. So you see, we must know more about this human condition. That's why we've selected you, Riker, to become part of the Q, so that you can bring to us this human need and hunger, that we may understand it.
RIKER: I suppose you mean that as a compliment, Q. Or maybe it's my limited mind. But to become a part of you? I don't even like you.
Q: You're going to miss me!
Q vanishes and the Bridge crew appear.
GEORDI: Come on, not again!
WESLEY: Commander Riker, what's going on? Lesley and I were sitting in school and.
TASHA: Worf, my phaser's gone. Are you armed?
WORF: No.
The animal solders advance.
PICARD: Where is Q? If you have any answer to any of this?
Worf charges to meet their enemy. He knocks two down before being bayoneted in the stomach.
WESLEY: Worf!
He dashes to Worf.
RIKER: Look out!
PICARD: Wesley, no!
Wesley gets bayoneted from behind.
LESLEY: (drops to her knees in tears) Wesley, no!
RIKER: Wesley!
PICARD: Wesley!
LESLEY: (tearfully) Wesley!
RIKER: No! Damn it! Damn it to hell!
Riker throws up a Q forcefield in front of the soldiers.
PICARD: Riker. You! You did that!
RIKER: And that's not all!
Scene: Bridge.
They are all back on the Bridge, alive and well, including Wesley. Lesley is hugging Wesley.
PICARD: That grid, their wounds. Only the Q can do that.
PICARD: (VO) Captain's log, stardate 41591.4. Twelve minutes out from Quadra Sigma Three where the survivors of an underground disaster desperately need our help. Aboard the Enterprise, First Officer William T. Riker needs help nearly as badly. But this is a subject far out of my experience. Out of any human's experience.
Scene: Ready Room.
PICARD: Will. How the hell do I advise you? You know the implications as well as I.
RIKER: No one has ever offered to turn me into a god before.
PICARD: What the Q has offered you has got to be close to immortality, Will. They're not lying about controlling space and time. We've seen it in what they can do.
RIKER: You've also seen it in what I can do.
PICARD: If you are going to refuse his offer, you must not allow yourself to use this power again. It's too great a temptation for us at our present stage of development.
RIKER: Are you worried that I won't be able to say no to it?
PICARD: You tell me. Are you strong enough to refuse to use that power.
RIKER: Certainly.
PICARD: No matter how tempted? No matter how difficult Q makes it for you?
RIKER: You have my word.
PICARD: Good. I know what your word means.
DATA: (OC) In orbit of Quadra Sigma Three, sir. Ready to beam down rescue team to underground emergency area.
Scene: Disaster Area.
DATA: This way sir.
Data forces open a jammed door and they enter a room with some water on the floor and people groaning. Beverly and her medics start tending to them.
RIKER: Are there any others?
WOMAN: Gone. It's just us.
GEORDI: Commander. (by a rock fall) There's someone under here.
Data tosses rocks as if they were made of polystyrene, which they are.
GEORDI: You're getting close, Data.
Data uncovers a little girl, and lifts her out. Check the number on the pipe on the wall.
BEVERLY: It's too late. She's dead. If only we'd gotten here a little sooner.
DATA: Sir, if indeed you have the power of Q.
BEVERLY: I don't understand. Certainly you can't bring her back to life.
RIKER: I can't. I'm prevented from that by a promise.
Scene: Bridge.
RIKER: I should never have made that agreement with you. I could have saved that child.
PICARD: You were right not to try. Once you became accustomed to that power, Number One.
RIKER: When I used it before, what happened? I saved most of our Bridge crew.
PICARD: And when you grow to like it too much?
RIKER: As soon as it's convenient Captain, I want a meeting with you and your Bridge staff.
PICARD: As soon as we are secure of this rescue operation, I'll discuss all of this new power
But Riker has already gone to the turbolift. Later, Riker returns.
PICARD: We can confer here on the Bridge, if no one has any objections.
RIKER: The Bridge will be fine, since I've called the entire staff.
PICARD: Correction, Number One. Knowing the decision you face, I have permitted you this gathering.
RIKER: Of course, Jean-Luc.
Beverly, Wesley and Lesley enter.
RIKER: Wesley, this meeting is not for you.
WESLEY: Why not, sir? You helped make me a Bridge officer. Acting Ensign.
RIKER: All right, he stays. Because I've been given unusual powers, I am not suddenly a monster. Except for these abilities, and I don't yet know how far they go, I'm the same William T. Riker you've always known. Well? Everyone still looks uncomfortable.
PICARD: Perhaps they're all remembering that old saying. Power corrupts.
RIKER: And absolute power corrupts absolutely. Do you believe I haven't thought of that, Jean-Luc?
PICARD: And have you noticed how you and I are now on a first name basis? Number One, Will, something has happened already.
RIKER: In what way? Haven't you seen how much I regretted not saving that child? Using the Q power to save her may not have been wrong. No more than it was wrong to save the rest of you from those soldier things.
PICARD: Let's keep in mind that that particular danger was invented by Q.
TASHA: What we represent to the Q, Commander, are lowly animals, tormented into performing for their amusement.
RIKER: Actually, they think highly of us, Tasha. We have a quality of growth which they admire.
GEORDI: Or fear.
PICARD: No, we've learned the Q do not admire us. The Q has muddled your mind.
RIKER: Don't you understand his incredible gift to me?
Q: Are these truly your friends, brother?
Everyone turns to see Q in a monk's habit.
Q: Let us pray. For understanding and for compassion.
PICARD: Let us do no such damned thing! What is this need of yours for costumes, Q? Have you no identity of your own?
Q: I come in search of the truth.
PICARD: You come in search of what humanity is!
Q: I forgive your blasphemy.
PICARD: Don't you see, Riker? He's nothing but a flim-flam man! He's been that ever since we first met him at Farpoint.
WORF: Flim-flam?
Q: You offer Riker jealousy. What I offer him is clearly beyond your comprehension. How can you claim friendship for Riker while obstructing his way to the greatest adventure ever offered a human?
PICARD: Obstructing him? Then it's not yet certain. He's not yet committed.
Q: The truly evil part of this, Captain, is your jealousy. (to Riker) You love each one of your people. Demonstrate it. You have the power to leave each of them with a gift proving your affection.
RIKER: There'd be no harm, would there, if I gave them something I know they'd like?
Q: How touching. A plea to his former Captain. May I please give some happiness to my friends, sir? Please sir?
PICARD: In fact I authorise and support your idea, Riker. Please, feel free to cooperate with him if you wish.
DATA: Are you certain, sir?
PICARD: Quite certain, Data. By all means, demonstrate your gifts of affection.
RIKER: Don't be frightened. There is no way I could harm any of you. Shall I guess your dreams?
BEVERLY: Leave now, Wesley.
RIKER: No! Wesley, I may know best of all. Our friendship, our long talks.
BEVERLY: No, please!
RIKER: Have your favourite wish, my young friend.
Wesley is transformed from an attractive teenager to an unattractive adult through Lesley's eyes.
RIKER: You're ten years older. A man.
GEORDI: Hey, Wes. Not bad.
LESLEY: Riker please turn Wesley back to his handsomeself.
RIKER: Data.
DATA: No. No, sir.
RIKER: But it's what you've always wanted, Data, to become human.
DATA: Yes, sir, that is true. But I never wanted to compound one illusion with another. It might be real to Q, perhaps even you, sir. But it would not be so to me. Was it not one of the Captain's favourite authors who wrote, This above all, to thine own self be true? Sorry, Commander, I must decline.
RIKER: Well, my friend, I know what you want.
He waves his hand in front of Geordi and takes off the visor.
GEORDI: (to Tasha) You're as beautiful as I imagined, and more.
RIKER: Then we can throw away the visor?
GEORDI: I don't think so, sir. The price is a little high for me, and I don't like who I would have to thank. Make me the way I was. Please!
Riker does.
RIKER: Proud warrior Worf, without a single tie to his own kind.
A Klingon woman is kneeling at his feet. She gets up, tries to swipe at Tasha, and gets knocked down by Worf.
WORF: No! She is from a world now alien to me!
GEORDI: Worf, is this your idea of sex?
WORF: This is sex. But I have no place for it in my life now.
Q: No place, micro-brain? What possesses you?
WESLEY: Commander Riker, it's too soon for this.
RIKER: If this is because your mother objects?
WESLEY: No. I just want to get there on my own. Honest.
Q: But it's easier, boy. Listen to Riker.
RIKER: How did you know, sir? I feel like such an idiot.
PICARD: Quite right. So you should. It's all over, Q. You have no further business here.
Q: Human, you have just destroyed yourself.
PICARD: Pay off your wager.
Q: I recall no wager!
PICARD: I'm sure your fellow Q remember you agreed to never trouble our species again. Just as they're aware you failed to tempt a human to join you.
Q: (to the ceiling) No, if I could just do one more thing.
PICARD: Q, I strongly suspect it's some explaining you have to do now.
Q screams as he disappears. Wesley returns to handsome teenager, the Klingon woman vanishes and everyone is moved to new positions.
PICARD: Extraordinary!
GEORDI: Captain, we are showing that same hole in time again. Our instruments say we've just now beamed back from our rescue mission.
DATA: Sir, how is it that the Q can handle time and space so well, and us so badly?
PICARD: Perhaps some day we will discover that space and time are simpler than the human equation. No coordinates laid in, Number One?
RIKER: Yes, sir. You have my coordinates, LaForge.
GEORDI: Aye, sir. On the board.
PICARD: Engage.

That was a good chapter. I like parts with Lesley and Wesley. I liked part with Riker and Wesley. I also like the ending.

Thank you. I had a feeling that you'll like those parts.

Chapter 11
Haven

PICARD: (VO) Captain's log, Stardate 41294.5. Our destination, the class M Beta Cassius planet known simply as Haven. It is a world so renowned for its peaceful beauty that some believe it to have mystical healing powers. We will rest and relax, all too briefly, I fear
Scene: Bridge.
PICARD: Such a beautiful world. Legends say it has been known to mend souls and heal broken hearts.
DATA: Legends which are totally unsupported by fact, Captain.
PICARD: Legends like that are the spice of the universe, Mister Data, because they have a way of sometimes coming true.
Scene: Riker's quarters.
Riker is relaxing to a holographic pair of women playing musical instruments.
TASHA: (OC) Lieutenant Yar to Commander Riker, your presence is requested in Transporter room one.
RIKER: Sorry ladies. Duty calls.
Scene: Transporter room.
RIKER: You needed me, Lieutenant?
TASHA: Yes, sir. There's an object of some kind beaming in from Haven.
RIKER: What is it?
TASHA: We're not sure.
CHIEF: Surface Station approval coming in now, Lieutenant.
TASHA: All right, let's bring it in.
It's a box, with a face in relief on the front of it.
RIKER: Odd looking.
Troi enters.
DEANNA: What's going on?
The face on the box comes alive.
FACE: I hold a message for Deanna Troi. Lwaxana Troi and the honourable Miller family will soon arrive. The momentous day is close at hand. Rejoice.
DEANNA: No. No.
RIKER: What's going on?
The box bursts open and scatters gems on the transporter pad.
TASHA: Jewels. Look at these jewels.
DEANNA: They're bonding gifts. What you would call wedding presents.
RIKER: Who's getting married?
DEANNA: I am.
Scene: Ready room.
DEANNA: I was certain it would never happen, Captain. The years I'd spend on this mission, the distance it has taken me away from home. As you must have heard, genetic bonding is a Betazoid tradition. Steven Miller was my father's closest friend.
RIKER: Your father was human, Deanna. The Millers are human.
PICARD: Will you and your husband be staying with the ship, Counselor?
DEANNA: No, sir.
PICARD: Then I'll just say congratulations for now, Deanna. You'll excuse me?
Picard leaves.
DEANNA: Will, more than anything else in the world, anything, you want to be a starship captain. True?
RIKER: That's not all I want, Deanna.
DEANNA: I can feel that. I know you care, within those limits. Did you hear what I said?
RIKER: Every word. This whole thing is still bizarre. I'm sorry.
DEANNA: Come dance at my wedding.
RIKER: I'll try.
Riker leaves as Data enters.
DATA: A message from planet Haven, Counselor. They wish to beam the Miller wedding party aboard.
Scene: Transporter room.
Mr. Steven Miller, Mrs. Victoria Miller and their son Wyatt beam aboard.
PICARD: I'm Jean-Luc Picard, Captain of the Enterprise. Welcome aboard.
STEVEN: Quite some starship you have here, Captain. Look forward to this visit.
VICTORIA: You couldn't be.
DEANNA: I'm Deanna.
VICTORIA: Deanna darling! You probably don't even remember me.
STEVEN: Wyatt was absolutely right. She is a beauty.
WYATT: I'm Wyatt.
VICTORIA: Isn't this simply beautiful? I knew romance was still alive, somewhere.
WYATT: I'd like you to have this. It's a Chameleon Rose. It changes color with the mood of its owner.
DEANNA: It's wonderful. Thank you. When is my mother arriving?
WYATT: Your mother is still down on the planet, Deanna.
DEANNA: Why?
WYATT: Er, is there a place for my parents to rest, Captain?
STEVEN: Well, we're not really tired, son. Besides, I'd like to see some of the ship.
VICTORIA: Steven, you know full well Lwaxana Troi isn't about to beam on aboard until we leave. So?
PICARD: You can see your quarters now, if you like. Will you show the Millers to their accommodations, please, and I shall join you later.
The Millers leave.
CHIEF: Two more are ready to beam in, sir.
PICARD: So be it. Wyatt seems a fine young man.
DEANNA: Yes, he does. But I'm not what he expected.
PICARD: I don't understand.
DEANNA: Neither do I, but I'm definitely a surprise of some sort to him. I should warn you, sir. My mother is a little eccentric.
A large man is sitting on a chest, and a woman has her back to them
LWAXANA: Where is everyone? Oh, I hate that.
DEANNA: Hello, Mother
LWAXANA: (OC) Don't say it, think it. Use your mind, not your mouth.
DEANNA: Hello Mother.
LWAXANA: (OC) Deanna, shame. What has this life done to you?
LWAXANA: No, don't tell me. You're the Captain.
PICARD: Of course. Your daughter has explained your telepathic ability.
LWAXANA: That wasn't telepathy, it was just common sense. Who else would they send to greet me but the Captain? You may carry my luggage.
DEANNA: Mother!
PICARD: No, no, that's quite all right. I'm indebted to your mother for the fine Counsellor she
The luggage is heavier than he expected. A lot heavier.
PICARD: (straining himself) This way.
The reincarnation of Christine Chapel and voice of the Enterprise computer follows, with her daughter and Lurch-sized servant.
Scene: Corridor.
DEANNA: Mother, it's quite inappropriate to ask the captain to.
LWAXANA: Yes, you do seem to be having difficulty. A man your age must work to keep himself in shape.
DEANNA: Mother, I'm not going another step like this. A starship has its customs, just as we do. If you're my mother's valet, then please valet!
PICARD: Oh, please don't let me keep up from doing your duty.
LWAXANA: I apologise for her behaviour. Do you realise you've embarrassed your Captain?
PICARD: Oh, no.
LWAXANA: Anything to avoid a quarrel on this occasion. It's amazing how that accent of yours reminds me of your father.
Mr. Homn the valet lifts the case with ease.
DEANNA: Your last valet tried so hard to rid me of it. Whatever happened to Mister Xelo?
LWAXANA: I was forced to terminate his employment. Xelo was strongly attracted to me. His thoughts became truly pornographic.
Scene: Turbolift.
LWAXANA: Of course, the thoughts of Wyatt's father toward me were almost as vulgar, but he really doesn't have Xelo's.
PICARD: Passenger accommodation.
LWAXANA: He doesn't really have Xelo's imagination.
DEANNA: Mother.
LWAXANA: Between him and that woman's inane chatter, it's a wonder I made it here at all. How do you like the Millers, Captain?
PICARD: I'm sure I find them perfectly pleasant.
LWAXANA: As for me, I find it shocking how they've changed in the years since my husband and I knew them. Of course, it's probably because I've grown beyond them. You realise of course that with Betazoids, our ability to read the thoughts of others does see us grow much faster than the typical plodding human who.
DEANNA: (OC) Mother, that's enough!
LWAXANA: (OC) So, you're not totally out of practice. Good. Very good.
Scene: Lwaxana's quarters.
PICARD: We hope you find the room comfortable.
LWAXANA: Yes, the room is adequate. Small, but adequate. You will of course adjust the temperature to a civilised level?
PICARD: I'll see what I can do. And now, if you will excuse me, I'm sure the two of you have a lot to talk about.
LWAXANA: Yes, Captain. You may go.
Picard backs out of the room with a bow.
LWAXANA: (OC) You've been slack, little one. Allowed your mental powers to rust.
DEANNA: (OC) Only to avoid confusion, mother. Humans constantly think one thing and say another.
LWAXANA: (OC) Yes, they do, don't they. Poor dears. Our style of complete honesty frightens them.
DEANNA: On that subject Mother, there is such a thing as too much honesty with humans.
LWAXANA: (OC) If they'd only say what they think instead of hiding it. An entire shipload of such inconsistency could drive one insane.
LWAXANA: Darling, I'm terribly sorry about what happened here. Truly I am. Steven Miller tracked me down and reminded me of the vows we had made.
DEANNA: Mother, I'm having some trouble believing in those vows as once I did.
LWAXANA: Deanna.
DEANNA: But I'll honour them, of course. I'm a Betazoid.
LWAXANA: You may find Wyatt an unusual person. I've sensed remarkable depths in him.
Scene: Bridge.
GEORDI: Message coming in from Haven, Captain.
PICARD: On screen.
An elegant woman appears.
VALEDA: (on viewscreen) I'm Valeda Innis, First Electorine of Haven. Captain Picard?
PICARD: Greetings, Electorine. I'm Picard.
VALEDA: (on viewscreen) Your presence honours us, and your timing is fortuitous, Captain.
PICARD: In what way?
VALEDA: (on viewscreen) An incoming vessel has bypassed our stargate, violating our law. It has refused any attempt at communication.
PICARD: Are you saying you believe it to be hostile?
VALEDA: (on viewscreen) Failure to communicate is inherently hostile. We have no defensive capabilities here and our treaty with the Federation specifies your obligations in that matter.
PICARD: Agreed. But let's hope it doesn't become a defence matter.
VALEDA: (on viewscreen) Of course, Captain, but I'm very happy we have you here.
Scene: Wyatt's quarters.
WYATT: Come in.
DEANNA: I wanted to apologise for my mother's behaviour.
WYATT: Your mother's honest. I respect that.
DEANNA: Yes, but she never lets up.
WYATT: I'll admit, her honesty is a bit persistent.
DEANNA: I never heard it described better. But it is a Betazoid trait. I'll try to be only half as annoying.
WYATT: Let's see, what can I tell you about myself? I'm a medical doctor, for whatever that's worth.
DEANNA: Doctor?
WYATT: If you're picking up my thoughts, you'd know. You can do that, can't you?
DEANNA: Sometimes. This must be what Mother felt about you. I believe we could read each other eventually.
WYATT: Can I take that as a compliment?
DEANNA: Absolutely. I only ever felt this, well, with someone who's on this ship.
WYATT: Oh? Do I have competition?
DEANNA: No. What he wants most is to captain a starship.
WYATT: What I want is to cure people.
DEANNA: Well, I'm a practicing psychologist. Maybe we can work in concert. We are going to be together a long time.
WYATT: Yes. That is the point of marriage, I suppose.
DEANNA: I really thought you'd tell me you were an artist. I just felt your mind very much on these. They are your work, aren't they?
WYATT: I can see it'll be very hard to keep secrets from you.
DEANNA: This is why you were surprised when you first saw me. This woman. You thought that I would be this woman.
WYATT: I have seen this face ever since I was a boy. When I closed my eyes at night, I could hear her whispering my name. And knowing you were Betazoid, I just assumed it was you projecting yourself into my mind.
DEANNA: I'm sorry I'm not what you hoped for.
WYATT: No. Please don't mistake a childish fantasy for disappointment. You are so beautiful. I feel honoured.
DEANNA: You've no idea who she is?
WYATT: It doesn't really matter now.
PICARD: (VO) Captain's personal log. I trust my concern over the problems of ship's Counselor Troi are not based merely on losing a highly valuable crew member. But it seems to me that she is trapped by a custom of her home world which the facts of the twenty-fourth century life have made unwise and unworkable. I wish I could intervene.
Scene: Bridge.
DATA: On the viewer, Captain. Unidentified vessel travelling sub-warp speed, bearing two three five point seven.
PICARD: Sub-warp? It's several hours away then? Let's take a look at it. Enlarge to maximum.
GEORDI: Increasing magnification, sir.
PICARD: Mister Data, is that the trouble I believe it is?
DATA: If you mean a Tarellian vessel, sir, it is.
RIKER: I thought the Tarellians were all dead. What are the poor devils doing here?
PICARD: Picard to Sickbay. Doctor Crusher to Bridge, urgent. They must not be permitted them to destroy us. Or the planet.
PICARD: (VO) Captain's log, supplemental. It has been believed the Tarellian race was extinct, an assumption contradicted now by the sight of one of their vessels approaching Haven.
Scene: Observation lounge.
RIKER: The fact that it's travelling at its present velocity suggests a possible answer.
GEORDI: A damaged vessel, sir. That could explain it.
RIKER: If it were unable to reach warp speed, it would have taken all these years to get here.
PICARD: Go on with your briefing, Mister Data.
DATA: Tarella was class M, much like your Earth, with similar humanoid life forms. Unfortunately they faced the old story of hatred out powering intelligence.
PICARD: There were hostilities?
DATA: Between the inhabitants of their two land masses, resulting in one group unleashing a deadly biological weapon on the other.
BEVERLY: And in the end the other became infected as well. Makes one question the sanity of humanoid forms.
PICARD: Can you identify the origin of the infection, Doctor?
BEVERLY: The Tarellians had reached Earth's late twentieth century level of knowledge. That's all you need if you're a damned fool. A deadly, infectious virus which at that modest level of knowledge is not difficult to grow.
TASHA: We learned the rest of the story in security training. Some Tarellians made it to other worlds only to die along with the populations they infected.
GEORDI: It's pretty well covered in Academy training now, Captain. Many of them tried to avoid other civilised worlds as they escaped only to be hunted down and destroyed anyway.
PICARD: And it was believed that the last Tarellian vessel was destroyed eight years ago by the Alcyones.
GEORDI: Yes, sir.
PICARD: Exactly when will they reach Haven?
DATA: Exactly thirteen hours, nine minutes, twenty two seconds, three hundred fifty.
PICARD: Thank you. Which creates a very difficult problem for the Enterprise. Our treaty requires us to protect Haven, and Federation policy requires that we assist life forms in need, which must include the Tarellians. I'll want you to help me find some answers. Thank you. However, there will be ample time for your second assignment, voluntary of course. The pre-joining announcement of Counselor Deanna Troi.
Riker leaves.
PICARD: And Wyatt Miller.
Scene: Lounge.
VICTORIA: We've talked it over, Captain, and the ceremony will be tomorrow if you agree. And Captain, would it be possible for you to perform the ceremony?
PICARD: Well, yes, of course, if all parties request it.
LWAXANA: All parties do not request it. It's simply out of the question. I'm sorry, Captain, but unfortunately you are not practiced in the ways of Betazed joining.
PICARD: No, that's quite true.
LWAXANA: Therefore you are totally unqualified.
VICTORIA: He is qualified to lead a traditional Earth ceremony, which is what this will be.
LWAXANA: I thought you had no sense of humour. Earth wedding? Ridiculous!
VICTORIA: My family and I are living on Earth now.
LWAXANA: So, that's why you want that backward ritual. Terrible, Captain, to see a woman go downhill like this.
DEANNA: Mother!
VICTORIA: Downhill?
LWAXANA: The matter is settled. Mister Homn will conduct the joining.
STEVEN: But Homn can't even talk!
LWAXANA: No matter, he is highly adept in the acts of sign language. The matter is closed.
VICTORIA: Who are you to tell us what we should do?
LWAXANA: Your ignorance is astonishing. I am Lwaxana Troi. Daughter of The Fifth House, Holder of the Sacred Chalice of Rixx, Heir to the Holy Rings of Betazed. Who are you?
PICARD: Ladies and gentlemen, it is a Starfleet tradition that at social gatherings, disputes are not permitted. I hereby declare therefore all disagreements resolved.
At table, during the meal.
PICARD: A toast. To the young couple and their families.
VICTORIA: And?
PICARD: And may this union be a productive one.
General hear, hear, and cheers. Dana who is standing by Data who is standing by Mr. Homn, who is standing by a small gong, and knocking back drinks as if he's spent a month in a desert.
DATA: Considering the rate at which you imbibe, sir, is your lineage at all mixed with human?
Homn exaggeratedly sticks his nose in the air. Such an insult, young android.
WYATT: Is it true, Captain, that there's a Tarellian ship headed for Haven?
Lwaxana takes a bite of food, Homn strikes the gong. This goes on during the following conversation and gets on everyone's nerves.
PICARD: Yes, it is true.
WYATT: That's amazing. I've read everything I could about them. Biological virus analysis was a favourite subject at medical school.
BEVERLY: In which case I'd very much like to confer with you. I'm pleased to have a medical colleague aboard.
WYATT: Yes, ma'am, Doctor. Would it be possible to prepare some medical needs, geared toward the Tarellian's probable needs? We could beam it over without any fear of infection.
PICARD: What do you think, Doctor?
BEVERLY: It's a very considerate idea. Our Sickbay is at your disposal, Doctor.
WYATT: Thank you.
PICARD: Mister Data?
DATA: Sir?
PICARD: You're circling the room like a buzzard.
DATA: Perhaps being human yourself, sir, you do not find them as intriguing as I.
DANA: Yes please Data. You are making me dizzy walking around like the Captain said.
VICTORIA: Must he do that?
LWAXANA: As you well know, it is the Betazed way of giving thanks for the food we eat.
VICTORIA: You giving thanks? Besides, you never did this before.
LWAXANA: I do it now. Unlike some people, I am in growth.
The apparently decorative leaf-like thing on her sleeve, shakes at her.
LWAXANA: Victoria, I've forgotten whether you enjoy pets or not.
VICTORIA: Love them, of course.
LWAXANA: Good.
So the thing on her sleeve slides over to Victoria Miller, who of course screams.
LWAXANA: Gently, gently. Poor baby, did she hurt you?
RIKER: Captain. If you'll excuse me, I'd like to spend some time considering the Tarellian situation
PICARD: Yes, of course.
RIKER: Ladies and gentlemen.
Riker leaves.
DATA: Mrs. Troi, I'm very interested in the Betazed ceremony you mentioned. Could you tell us more?
LWAXANA: Why, I'd be delighted, Commander. It's an ancient ceremony, widely regarded as the most beautiful in the universe. After the young couple have removed their clothing.
TASHA: The bride and groom go naked?
DANA: (thinking and looking at Data) I wouldn't mind seeing Data naked.
LWAXANA: All guests must go unclothed. It honours the act of love being celebrated. Oh, you needn't worry too much, dear. Your body's not that bad. Besides, your husband quite likes the idea of seeing me unclothed.
VICTORIA: Steven!
LWAXANA: You did know he's attracted to me, didn't you?
STEVEN: Untrue! I don't.
DEANNA: Stop this petty bickering, all of you! Especially you, Mother!
Deanna storms out, knocking over the gong on her way.
DATA: Could you please continue the petty bickering? I find it most intriguing.
DANA: As do I.
LWAXANA: (to Dana) Who are you my dear?
DANA: I am Dana Hatter. I am an android just like Data. Also I am his girlfriend.
LWAXANA: Do you have any brothers and sisters?
DANA: I have a lot of brothers and sisters but only two of my sisters are on broad with me the rest are back home with our parents in Wonderland.
LWAXANA: What are your two sisters' names that are aboard?
DANA: Georda and Lesley. Georda is Geordi LaForge's girlfriend and Lesley is Wesley Crusher's girlfriend.
Scene: Holodeck.
Riker is brooding in an evening desert landscape.
DEANNA: May I join you?
RIKER: I will miss you, Deanna.
DEANNA: I'm no longer Imzadi to you?
RIKER: You taught me that word means my beloved.
DEANNA: And the human heart is too small to permit that feeling now.
RIKER: Have you discussed this with Wyatt? I think you should. It's also damned unfair to me.
DEANNA: I understand. I should have realised. Humans, young human males particularly, have difficulty separating platonic love and physical love.
RIKER: The problem is, Imzadi, I couldn't. Not now. Call it an old Earth tradition, habit of the beasts, whatever.
WYATT: Hello, you two.
RIKER: We were just talking about you, Wyatt.
WYATT: This is incredible.
RIKER: Yes. And in that discussion, I
DEANNA: Actually, Will was concerned that you might be upset that I care deeply for him, too.
WYATT: Oh. You're the one who wants to be a starship captain. Yes, I've heard that bonding or marriage would complicate things in that case. To each his own. Good luck with that ambition. And I very much respected what you did tonight.
DEANNA: All I did was lose my temper.
RIKER: If you'll excuse me.
WYATT: Of course. Running all this is a big job.
Riker leaves.
WYATT: In fact, you shamed them into compromise. So they've decided that the joining will be half Betazed, half Earth. The Captain will do the ceremony and Mister Homn will be my best man.
DEANNA: And we'll take our clothes half off?
WYATT: Some of us still go naked. You do, I do, your mother, my father, but not my mother or the guests.
DEANNA: Captain Picard will be very relieved. How did you manage it?
WYATT: Your mother relented. And I just caught my father practicing naked in front of his mirror. And so, a question I should have asked before. Deanna, do you really want to go through with this?
DEANNA: Yes, I want to.
WYATT: I'm a very lucky man.
They kiss, one short, one very long.
PICARD: (VO) Captain's log, supplemental. All attempts at warning off the Tarellian ship have failed. They still refuse to communicate and I am growing concerned.
Scene: Bridge.
PICARD: How can you be certain they're receiving us?
DATA: Because our sensors are showing a responder echo, sir, on the frequency they once used.
GEORDI: We have a message, sir, coming in from Haven.
PICARD: On viewer.
VALEDA: (on viewscreen) Captain, the plague ship is approaching transport range.
PICARD: We are aware of that, Electorine.
VALEDA: (on viewscreen) Do you realise that they can turn this lovely world of ours into a graveyard? Please, please take action now before it's too late.
RIKER: We recognise your situation.
VALEDA: (on viewscreen) Please destroy them now!
PICARD: We will not fire on them, Electorine.
VALEDA: (on viewscreen) You must!
Transmission ends.
TASHA: I'm certain I could disable their ship with a phaser burst, Captain.
PICARD: And then, Lieutenant?
DATA: They're within transporter range, sir.
PICARD: Then we can't delay any longer. Ready the tractor beam, Lieutenant Yar. Target the ship. Activate on my command.
TASHA: Tractor beam ready.
PICARD: Engage.
TASHA: Got them, sir.
PICARD: Do we have them securely, Lieutenant? Can they beam out to the planet?
TASHA: Negative, sir. They can't leave that ship.
GEORDI: I know they can receive us, Captain. At this distance they can respond with running lights if necessary.
DATA: Unless they have all died. Their ship could have been brought in by automation.
RIKER: Captain!
The viewscreen crackles into life, and it's a face Troi recognises.
DEANNA: It's the woman in Wyatt's drawings.
PICARD: (VO) Captain's log, stardate 41294.6. Orbiting Haven with the Tarellian vessel locked in our tractor beam. Question. What strange of circumstances has caused a woman out of someone's imagination to appear on the plague ship?
Scene: Bridge.
GEORDI: Enterprise to Tarellian vessel, are you receiving us?
A balding man moves the young woman aside.
WRENN: (on viewscreen) My name is Wrenn, and before I enquire why your tractor beam has trapped us here, is there one aboard your vessel named Wyatt?
Beverly and Wyatt enter. He has his drawings with him.
WYATT: Captain, I don't understand.
WRENN: (on viewscreen) It's astounding. Ariana was right. He is here, daughter.
ARIANA: Wyatt, you've come just as you promised.
WYATT: How could I be so accurate? Except for the dream images, I've never seen her.
PICARD: Sir, our concern is with the threat your vessel poses to the planet below. If you're still carrying the infection which destroyed your world
WRENN: (on viewscreen) Oh, we still carry it, Captain. My daughter, I, all eight of us.
PICARD: Eight?
WRENN: (on viewscreen) All of us that are left, Captain. Most of the rest passed on during the years that it took to reach Haven.
PICARD: If you've come here because of the legend about planet Haven miraculously healing the sick.
WRENN: (on viewscreen) We don't ask to make contact with those living below. All we ask is to be on the edge of some sea, some unpopulated island, a faraway peninsula.
PICARD: This is not our planet, sir, but I will present your needs to those who do govern this world.
WRENN: (on viewscreen) Present the fact we intend to die here, Captain. And if we die while caged by your tractor beam, so be it.
Scene: Lwaxana's quarters.
LWAXANA: Oh, Wyatt, how do you like my new hairstyle? Of course, it's going to look much better on me when I'm naked.
WYATT: Mrs. Troi, can I talk to you about something serious?
LWAXANA: Oh, but I am always serious, dear boy. Only my pleasant nature makes it appear otherwise.
WYATT: Please, Mrs. Troi.
LWAXANA: Yes, that was puzzling. A woman out of another place who insists that she knows you.
WYATT: And.
LWAXANA: And whom you've dreamed of all these years.
WYATT: And I hoped that the way you handle thoughts
LWAXANA: Fascinating, Wyatt, how easily your thoughts come through. The answer to the puzzle of Ariana and you is so simple, it's too simple for most humans to understand.
WYATT: Too simple?
LWAXANA: Of course. It's something they all know instinctively but go to great effort to reject or to build complicated superstitions about. All life, Wyatt, all consciousness, is indissolvably bound together. Indeed, it's all part of the same thing.
WYATT: Yes. I have wondered if something like that
LWAXANA: That weren't so. And no doubt so has Ariana, which helped the two of you to make contact. Wyatt, tell me something seriously. Which of these would look best on me naked?
Scene: Sickbay.
BEVERLY: Wyatt? Are you feeling all right?
WYATT: Just wedding nerves. The supplies are ready. I'll take them to the transporter room.
BEVERLY: I'll notify the Captain they're ready.
When her back is turned he gets a hypo and fills it.
Scene: Lounge.
VICTORIA: Look at your father, Wyatt. He just can't wait to strip off his clothes for that barbaric ceremony.
WYATT: Please take care of each other. (to Deanna) You are beautiful. But you looked best of all in the desert on the holodeck when we did this.
Scene: Transporter room.
CHIEF: You can put the supplies on the pad. Doctor Crusher had me set the coordinates. All we need is the captain's order.
Wyatt injects the Chief and he goes down. Then Wyatt activates the transporter and stands on the pad with the supplies.
Scene: Bridge.
GEORDI: Captain! Someone's transporting over to the Tarellian ship.
PICARD: Override.
GEORDI: I can't sir. It's too late.
Scene: Tarellian ship.
Wyatt beams into a corridor lines with drawings of himself at different ages.
WRENN: Hello, Wyatt. We always thought you were a dream.
WYATT: You're not surprised. Did you know I'd beam over?
WRENN: Once we saw you were real, we knew. You are a doctor?
WYATT: Yes. I've brought medicines and supplies.
ARIANA: And I knew you would be this brave.
Scene: Bridge.
VICTORIA: How could you let this happen? My son, surrounded by those horrible lepers!
PICARD: Mrs. Miller, if I could have prevented this I would have.
VICTORIA: Beam him back.
DEANNA: He can never come back, Mrs. Miller.
WRENN: (on viewscreen) You may turn off your tractor beam, Captain. We will not be going to Haven. We have what we really came for.
VICTORIA: Wyatt?
WYATT: Mother. Father. Forgive me, but I must. I'm going to try to continue the work to cure these people.
ARIANA: And Wyatt will do it. I've believed that all along.
WYATT: I knew I was coming to Haven to meet my destiny. I thought it was to be with you, Deanna. It was Ariana who drew me here. I'm sorry.
DEANNA: Wyatt, I'm happy for you, and for Ariana too.
LWAXANA: You've done very well for a human, Wyatt.
DEANNA: Mother.
WRENN: (on viewscreen) Captain, my respects.
PICARD: And mine, sir.
Transmission ends.
DEANNA: Goodbye.
Scene: Transporter room.
STEVEN: Keep the chest. You'll have use for it some day.
The Millers beam away, and Lwaxana sweeps in.
LWAXANA: Seems such a shame to waste the whole trip. Perhaps I should stay and be joined to a new mate?
DEANNA: What?
LWAXANA: Well, the Captain's highly attracted to me, but he's a little too old. Perhaps I should choose you.
Riker.
DEANNA: He has other obligations, Mother.
LWAXANA: Oh. Very well. It's his loss. Mister Homn.
HOMN: Thank you for the drinks.
LWAXANA: (OC) Try and remember your heritage, little one. (out loud) Captain! Even Xelo never had such thoughts about me. You may energise.
Lwaxana and Homn are beamed away.
DEANNA: That was meant as a joke, Captain.
PICARD: I was not amused.
Scene: Ten Forward.
Geordi, Georda, Data and Dana are all sitting at a table.
GEORDI: Girls where is your sister Lesley?
DATA: Yeah we have not seen her all day.
GEORDA: Oh she's probably with Wesley.
DANA: In our quarters.
GEORDI: Why is that?
DATA: Yeah why is that?
GEORDA: I guess they wanted to be alone.
DANA: Well that is what she told us earlier.
DATA: Told you what earlier?
DANA: That she wanted to be alone with Wesley.
GEORDI: It's it just me or does she always want to be alone with Wesley.
GEORDA: It's not just you Geordi. She does always want to alone with Wesley.
Scene: Bridge.
PICARD: Take us out of here, Mister Riker.
RIKER: Aye, sir. Warp two, helm. Heading five seven mark three one nine.
PICARD: Our destiny is elsewhere. But I'm happy that yours is here with us, Counselor.
GEORDI: Warp two, heading five seven mark three one nine.
RIKER: Engage.

That's was a really good chapter. I liked that parts between Deanna and Will. I liked when Data was pacing and Dana told him to stop because he was making her dizzy. I liked when Geordi ask Geodra and Dana where Lesley was. I liked the endling.

Thank you. I had a feeling that you'll like those parts.

Chapter 12
The Big Goodbye

RIKER: (VO) First Officer's log, stardate 41997.7 We are about to make a brief but necessary contact with the Jarada, a reclusive, insect-like race known for its idiosyncratic attitude towards protocol. The Jarada demand a precise greeting, in this case from Captain Picard. Their language is most unusual. The slightest mispronunciation is regarded as an insult.
Scene: Ready room.
PICARD: Unless it's followed by?
DEANNA: The double bars indicate an elongated S sound.
PICARD: And the inverted T means to hold the Z.
DEANNA: Unless?
PICARD: Unless it's followed by three wavy lines; in which case the Z becomes a B.
DEANNA: Exactly.
PICARD: What a language.
DEANNA: But you spell knife with a K.
PICARD: I spell knife with an N. But then, I never could spell.
DEANNA: Well, this is an insect mind, sir.
PICARD: My mind is barely working.
DEANNA: Take a break.
PICARD: No, no. I want to go over this again.
DEANNA: You could be over-preparing. You've been looking forward to the upgrade of the holodeck. You have the time. Captain, you need the diversion.
PICARD: Dixon Hill.
DEANNA: The program's installed and waiting.
Scene: Outside Holodeck.
COMPUTER: Programme desired location.
PICARD: Earth, United States, San Francisco, California.
COMPUTER: Time period?
PICARD: 1941, A.D.
COMPUTER: File or access code.
PICARD: File Dixon Hill, private detective.
COMPUTER: Enter when ready.
PICARD: (VO) Captain's personal log. I'm entering the ship's holodeck, where images of reality can be created by our computer. Highly useful in crew training, highly enjoyable when used for games and recreation.
Scene: Hill's Waiting room.
In uniform, Picard goes along a corridor being washed by a cleaner, listening to music - you came to me from out of nowhere, you took my heart - and opens a door marked 312 - Dixon Hill Private Investigator.
SECRETARY: Very funny, Dix. What'd you do, lose another bet?
PICARD: I'm sorry, I don't understand.
SECRETARY: The bellboy suit. Are you moonlighting at the Fremont?
PICARD: The uniform. It's totally inappropriate. I should have changed.
SECRETARY: Detective Bell, your cop friend, McNary's new partner, was here nosing around. If he'd have seen you in those threads he'd have you sent to the funny farm. Mister Leech called twice, and there's a lady named Bradley waiting in your office. Nice legs. Not you. Her. Got a hot date with my fella. See you in the morning.
She leaves, laughing. Picard opens the door to his inner office and we go into Maltese Falcon territory.
PICARD: I lost a bet.
JESSICA: Oh well, at least you're ready for Halloween.
PICARD: Halloween?
JESSICA: I need your help, Mister Hill. Someone is trying to kill me.
PICARD: (VO) Captain's personal log. I'm delighted with how the Holodeck has created the fictional world of Dixon Hill, the twentieth century detective who has been a hero of mine since childhood. The illusion is flawless. The characters I meet are generated by the computer, of course, yet they feel real, they seem real in every way.
Scene: Hill's office.
JESSICA: I'm not sure who wants me dead. My husband, my stepdaughter.
PICARD: Or a lover, perhaps?
JESSICA: Perhaps. Or perhaps it's Cyrus Redblock. I need you to find out. Name your fee.
PICARD: Twenty dollars a day, plus expenses.
JESSICA: Agreed.
PICARD: I haven't said yes yet.
JESSICA: Oh, you'll say yes, Mister Hill. (she kisses him) If it is Redblock, he must think I've got what he's looking for. But believe me, I don't.
PICARD: I'll take your word for it.
JESSICA: Here's a C-note in advance. Consider it a retainer. (she tucks it in his collar) And next time, wear a suit. Au revoir.
She takes one of his calling cards and leaves. Picard looks out of the window.
PICARD: Remarkable. Exit.
He is just leaving the holodeck when there is a knock on the office door.
PICARD: You'll have to call again. I'm just leaving. I'm not dressed properly. I'll be back.
Picard leaves, the exit vanishes and the visitor enters the room.
LEECH: (Peter Lorre accent) Mister Hill? Where are you?
Scene: Outside Holodeck.
PICARD: Memory, save current setting.
COMPUTER: Current setting saved.
PICARD: Holodeck off.
The crew notice the red lipstick on his face as he goes along the corridor.
Scene: Observation Lounge.
PICARD: And when I looked down into the street, I actually saw automobiles!
WORF: Automobiles?
DATA: An ancient Earth device used primarily for transportation.
WORF: Ah.
DATA: Also seen as a source of status and virility. Often a prime ingredient in teenage mating rituals.
WESLEY: Teenage mating rituals?
PICARD: From that window, I could see an entire, er
DATA: City block.
PICARD: That's right. Sounds, Smells.
BEVERLY: You make it sound so real.
PICARD: That's how it felt.
BEVERLY: Incredible. (she wipes the lipstick off his face)
PICARD: I'm going to go again, only this time I'm going to dress the part. Why not come with me?
BEVERLY: Yes, I'd like that.
PICARD: I want to take that twentieth century historian.
BEVERLY: Who? Whalen?
PICARD: Yes, Whalen. I bet he knows more about Dixon Hill than I do.
DATA: Shall I tell him, sir?
PICARD: Invite him, Mister Data. This is supposed to be a recreational activity. The sense of reality was absolutely incredible. When that woman kissed me, it was so
BEVERLY: Exciting?
PICARD: Real. The subject of this meeting is the Jaradan rendezvous. Mister Riker, will you go ahead with the briefing.
RIKER: This is primarily a diplomatic mission. The Jaradan are strategically important to the Federation. Previous attempts have failed because they are so easily irritated. A slip in the pronunciation of the greeting caused a twenty year rift.
DEANNA: The Captain has to recite the entire greeting without making any mistakes.
GEORDI: Simple as that, huh?
DATA: Yes. If, on the other hand, the Captain makes even the slightest error
DEANNA: The Captain is well aware of the gravity of the situation, Commander.
DATA: We are all aware of the tape of the last Federation starship to come in contact with the Jaradan. It graphically demonstrates what happened when that Captain offended them.
DEANNA: Captain Picard is familiar with that, Data.
DATA: Should we not rerun it?
PICARD: It's not necessary, Mister Data. Meeting adjourned.
Scene: Corridor.
DATA: Why would the Captain not want to review all available information on the subject?
GEORDI: Data, when you've seen the Jaradan react once, you don't ever have to see it again.
DATA: This Dixon Hill is a most puzzling character.
GEORDI: Not really. He was just a twentieth-century Sherlock Holmes.
DATA: Ah, but was his modus operandi not dissimilar? Worth investigating.
GEORDI: Indubitably, my dear Data. Indubitably.
Scene: Bridge.
DATA: Computer: request all biographical information on fictional character Dixon Hill.
COMPUTER: Working. Character first appeared in pulp magazine, Amazing Detective Stories, copyright 1934, AD. Second appearance in novel The Long Dark Tunnel, copyright 1936.
DATA: Request complete text of all stories involving said character. Increase speed.
The ultimate speed reading course whizzes before Data's optics.
PICARD: (VO) Captain's log, supplemental. The Jaradan rendezvous still is eleven hours away. I am about to reenter the world of Dixon Hill, this time properly dressed. An experience like this is more enjoyable when shared, so I've invited our fiction expert, Whalen, to accompany me. Doctor Crusher will join us shortly.
Scene: Outside Holodeck
In trench coat and fedora, Picard looks the part.
PICARD: Ready for San Francisco, Mister Whalen?
WHALEN: More than ready, sir.
PICARD: Well, if it's anything like the last time, I'm sure you won't be disappointed
DATA: Request permission to accompany you, sir. I am totally versed in the genre of the period.
PICARD: Well, shall we?
Scene: Street.
It has been raining, the tarmac glistens and cars sound their horns.
VENDOR: Extra! Extra! Read all about it.
The group cross the street to the news stand.
VENDOR: Hey Dix. How's tricks?
PICARD: Oh, she's fine, fine.
WHALEN: He actually thinks you're Dixon Hill.
PICARD: Say Mac, I would like to buy a newspaper too, but I don't have any money.
VENDOR: You catch me next time, Dix.
PICARD: Thank you. (reads) Hitler on the move. Roosevelt presses Congress for British aid. DiMaggio streak reaches thirty seven?
DATA: DiMaggio, sir. Jolting Joe, the Yankee clipper.
WHALEN: Baseball, sir. It was a national obsession at the time.
DATA: The streak they refer to will eventually reach fifty six games. And be snapped by a pair of journeyman hurlers for the Cleveland Indians.
VENDOR: Cleveland? Ha! They got no pitchers! They ain't never got no pitchers. What are you, nuts or something?
DATA: The record will stand until the year 2026, when a shortstop for the London Kings
VENDOR: Hey Dix, what gives with this guy? He's not from around here, is he.
PICARD: No he's not. He's er, he's from South America.
VENDOR: Yeah. He's got a nice tan.
Picard reads the inside headline - Wealthy Socialite Murdered. Police have several leads in brutal slaying of Mrs. Arthur Clinton Bradley
PICARD: I should have listened to her. She told me someone was trying to kill her.
WHALEN: Captain, she's a page from a book. That's all she ever was.
BELL: Well, well, look what the cat dragged in.
DATA: Cat?
BELL: Where the hell did he come from?
VENDOR: South America. Can't you tell?
BELL: Wherever you're from, while you're in my town, keep your nose clean. Well, tough guy, this time you've really done it. Your goose is cooked but good.
MCNARY: I'm sorry about this, Dix.
BELL: Don't apologise to him. Where were you last night between ten and midnight?
PICARD: That would be a bit hard to explain.
BELL: Yeah? Well you'll have plenty of time to come up with something. You're going downtown.
PICARD: What for?
BELL: For the murder of Jessica Bradley. We found this in her purse. (the business card)
Scene: Bridge.
RIKER: Status report.
TASHA: We're being probed, sir.
DEANNA: The Jarada.
TASHA: Most likely, but it's long range. Can't be certain where it's originating
The ship shakes as a beam passes through it, including the holodeck, whose controls flicker and door briefly opens and closes a few times.
RIKER: One could get the feeling they don't exactly trust us.
GEORDI: Commander, I'm receiving a subspace message from the Jarada.
RIKER: That's not part of the plan. Pipe it through.
JARADAN: (OC) En-ter-prise. We speak to you in your language. The time has come to honour us in ours.
RIKER: This is Commander Riker, First Officer of the Enterprise.
JARADAN: (OC) You are not captain?
RIKER: No sir, I'm not. I suggest we commence with screen to screen communication so we can see each other
JARADAN: (OC) You offend us! We will not show ourselves to a mere subordinate. We await your Captain's greeting with growing unrest. End of communication.
RIKER: Terrific. Find the Captain. He's in the Holodeck.
GEORDI: Aye, sir.
Scene: Outside Holodeck
Bevery is trying to straighten her stocking seams.
COMPUTER: Enter when ready. When ready. When ready.
It takes a couple of goes to get the doors open enough to go through.
Scene: Police Station.
Beverly enters, wobbling a little on her stiletto heels.
DATA: (Bogart) Hiya Doc. What's cooking?
BEVERLY: You know I had some trouble getting through. Where's Captain Picard?
DATA: He's on ice.
BEVERLY: Pardon?
DATA: He's being grilled.
BEVERLY: What is he, a fish?
WHALEN: He's being interrogated. They think he's committed a murder.
BEVERLY: Why aren't we all being interrogated? Maybe I should go and help him.
WHALEN: No, relax. He's having the time of his life in there.
BEVERLY: Well, why should he have all the fun?
She sits down and copies the woman next to here by crossing her legs and pulling up her skirt slightly.
POLICEMAN: Come on, Toots, let's go.
Scene: Interrogation room.
BELL: Spill it!
PICARD: I've told you everything I know.
BELL: Well, you'll just have to tell us again. From the top. From the top!
PICARD: Oh, very good. I've read all this before, you know. It's absolutely as it should be.
BELL: Spill it!
Scene: Outside Holodeck.
GEORDI: LaForge to Bridge.
RIKER: (OC) Riker here.
GEORDI: I can't find the Captain, sir.
RIKER: (OC) I told you, he's in the holodeck
GEORDI: I'm at the holodeck. Something's gone wrong.
RIKER: (OC) What are you saying?
GEORDI: I can't communicate with him, I can't access the programme, and I can't open the doors.
RIKER: (VO) Enterprise log, supplemental. First Officer reporting. Due to an unknown breakdown in the holodeck, we are unable to contact the Captain.
Scene: Bridge.
RIKER: Tasha, take over. I'm going to holodeck three.
WESLEY: Commander? I've studied all the technical manuals on the holodecks, sir. I think I can be of some help down there.
RIKER: Geordi's well equipped to deal with the situation, Wes. Right now, your duty's here on the Bridge.
DEANNA: Will. His mother's missing too.
RIKER: Come on, Wesley.
LESLEY: Riker, permission for my sisters and I to join you.
RIKER: Well. I don't know.
LESLEY: Please Commander. My sister, Dana knows Data is missing too.
GEORDA: Also Les and I want to be with Geordi and Wesley.
RIKER: Come on, girls.
Scene: Interrogation room.
BELL: And you say you never met her before she came to hire you.
PICARD: I've already told you that twice.
BELL: Yeah? Well you're going to have to tell me again.
PICARD: Look fellas, this is no longer amusing.
MCNARY: Easy, Dan!
BELL: You think you're tough, Hill, but you're nothing!
Bell leaves.
MCNARY: Don't take him too seriously, Dix. His old lady's been giving him a hard time. You know how it is.
PICARD: Actually, I do need to get out of here.
MCNARY: I'll see what I can do.
Scene: Police station.
Beverly is continuing to try and imitate the other women, this time by powdering her nose. The Desk Sergeant is enjoying the view.
BEVERLY: Something on your mind?
SERGEANT: Yeah, nut I'm not sure it can be repeated in mixed company. (he offers her gum) You're a pretty hep lookin' broad.
BEVERLY: Is that good?
SERGEANT: It ain't bad. You like Tommy Dorsey? (she nods) I got two tickets for the dance tomorrow night.
Beverly swallows the gum.
Scene: Outside Holodeck.
RIKER: Have you tried the intercom?
GEORDI: Yes.
RIKER: Riker to holodeck. Riker to holodeck!
Wesley takes a piece of equipment and uses it to 'look' at the holodeck controls.
RIKER: Are you seeing anything?
WESLEY: No, sir.
RIKER: What can I do?
GEORDI: Not a thing. We have to go through this millimetre by millimetre.
RIKER: All right. Get it fixed.
GEORDI: Easy, Wes. Slow it down. If there's an anomaly, you could go right past it, okay?
Scene: Interrogation room.
MCNARY: Okay, Dix, we're cutting you loose.
PICARD: That's welcome news.
BELL: You better not try to leave town.
PICARD: If I leave town, the town leaves with me. I get the feeling your friend doesn't like me.
MCNARY: We know you're dealing with Redblock, Dixon. Take it from a friend, it doesn't help your case.
PICARD: Redblock? I'll keep it in mind. Thank you for helping me.
Takes a cigarette, inhales and coughs.
MCNARY: Forget it. Hey, Dix, when are you coming over for supper? The kids'd love to see you, and you know how much you love Sharon's cooking.
PICARD: Soon, my friend. For the moment, I have other duties.
MCNARY: Blonde or brunette?
PICARD: She's a lady, all right, and her name is Enterprise.
MCNARY: Sounds like a working girl to me. I'll stop by the office with a bottle of scotch. You can tell me all about her.
Scene: Police station.
McNary sees the look on Picard's face when he sees Beverly, and leaves without another word.
BEVERLY: Have a good time?
PICARD: I don't know. Sometimes it almost seemed too real. I must say, you wear it well. I'm glad you could make it.
BEVERLY: Why, thank you, Mister Hill.
PICARD: Maybe we should be getting back to the Enterprise.
BEVERLY: We are on the Enterprise.
PICARD: Oh, yes, of course, so we are.
BEVERLY: Do we have time to see your office?
PICARD: Yes, of course. Why not.
WHALEN: Captain, mind if I join you?
DATA: Yeah, me too, boss. I'd love to take a gander.
Rolled eyes all round.
Scene: Hill's Waiting room.
PICARD: (OC) The holodeck makes excellent use of finite space.
The group enter.
LEECH: Ah, Mister Hill. You've been avoiding me.
WHALEN: It's Felix Leech! It has to be.
LEECH: You know me, sir?
WHALEN: Well, I've read about you many times.
PICARD: I'm very sorry, Mister Leech, but we have to be going. Call again tomorrow.
LEECH: You're being quite rude, Mister Hill. You haven't even introduced me to your charming companions.
PICARD: That'll have to wait.
LEECH: But we have business! (pulls a gun) Urgent business.
Scene: Hill's office.
LEECH: You're not going anywhere. Not until we have a little chat.
Scene: Outside holodeck.
TASHA: (OC) Bridge to holodeck. We're approaching the Jaradan sector.
RIKER: Any word from the Jaradans?
TASHA: (OC) Not a thing, sir.
RIKER: They may be testing us. Seeing if we'll stick to the arrangements.
TASHA: (OC) What do we do now, sir?
RIKER: We wait.
GEORDI: Well, everything checks out so far. Ensign Crusher believes the trouble may have been caused by the Jaradan probe. If so, it could be very difficult to locate.
Scene: Hill's office.
LEECH: I am not a man to be toyed with, Mister Hill. You were hired to locate a certain object. I demand to know what you have done with it.
PICARD: Well, I suppose a few moments longer. I'm afraid I can't help you, Mister Leech. The game is over.
LEECH: I assure you, this is not a game.
WHALEN: (Jimmy Cagney) Take it from me, Leech, you'll never find it. Now, give me the gun.
Leech shoots him in the chest. Beverly applauds his performance until she sees the blood.
WHALEN: But, they're not real.
BEVERLY: There's massive internal bleeding. We have to get him to Sickbay.
PICARD: How could this happen?
LEECH: It will happen again if you don't cooperate.
Quickly, Picard disarms him and thumps him for good measure.
LEECH: You struck me! How dare you! You're going to be sorry! I promise you, Redblock isn't going to like this!
Leech runs from the office.
BEVERLY: If we don't get him to sickbay, he will die!
PICARD: Exit! Computer, exit! (nothing) Data, try the other exit in the hall.
Scene: Hall.
DATA: Computer, identify exit.
Scene: Hill's office.
DATA: There is a programming malfunction. The computer refuses to identify the exits.
BEVERLY: I'm losing his pulse!
PICARD: Computer, this is the Captain! Computer, identify exit!
Scene: Bridge.
RIKER: Standard orbit, Mister Worf.
WORF: Aye, sir. Standard orbit.
RIKER: Riker to Holodeck.
GEORDI: (OC) Nothing yet, Commander.
RIKER: We're running out of time.
Scene: Outside holodeck.
RIKER: (OC) The Jarada will expect the Captain's greeting.
GEORDI: Well you may have to stall them.
Dana and Georda notices Lesley sensing something that happened on the holodeck.
GEORDA: What's wrong Les?
LESLEY: Oh I just sensed something from the holodeck.
GEORDI: Really? What did you sense?
LESLEY: That someone literally got hurt.
Scene: Hill's Office.
BEVERLY: It's no use. It's just not there.
PICARD: Suggestions, Mister Data?
DATA: I am at a loss, sir. We are in a holodeck-created building of 1941. The computer refuses to accept voice commands. The controls for the environment are, therefore, not accessible.
BEVERLY: I could use some light.
Data carries a standard lamp over, and is baffled when it goes out because the plug has come out of the wall. Picard plugs it in nearer the patient. Leech returns with a gunman and a fat man.
REDBLOCK: Good day, Mister Hill. My name is Cyrus Redblock. I hope you don't mind us dropping in.
A very poor, skinny version of Sydney Greenstreet.
PICARD: I see I have no choice.
REDBLOCK: Life is an endless stream of choices. Unfortunately, you have chosen to make my life more difficult. I don't suppose you'd be foolish enough to hide it here.
PICARD: I don't suppose so.
REDBLOCK: Still, I'm sure you won't mind if we take a look around.
BEVERLY: I wish you'd quit asking, since it's obvious you're going to do it anyway. It's just a waste of time.
REDBLOCK: Good manners, Madam, are never a waste of time. Civility, gentlemen, always civility. Get that stiff out of here.
BEVERLY: He's not dead.
REDBLOCK: From his pallor, he soon will be.
THUG: You want I should throw him in the garbage, boss?
REDBLOCK: The room next door will be good enough for now.
PICARD: Don't touch him.
REDBLOCK: Which one struck you?
LEECH: It was Hill.
Leech pistol-whips Picard.
REDBLOCK: For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. A Newtonian truism which you have obviously neglected.
MCNARY: (OC) Dix, you in there?
The Thug greets the policeman and takes the bottle of drink away from him, then his gun.
MCNARY: I saw your light, figured you were working late. Guess I was right. Nice company you're keeping, Dix. You forget to take the trash out this morning?
That earns him a punch in the solar plexus.
REDBLOCK: I'm a tolerant man, but I do not tolerate disrespect.
DATA: Your devotion to etiquette is highly admirable, sir. However, your methods leave much to be desired.
REDBLOCK: What have we here?
LEECH: Looks like a ghost.
REDBLOCK: Yeah. Where do you suppose he's from?
LEECH: Where were you hatched, anyway?
DATA: I was created on a planet.
PICARD: Data.
DATA: South America.
REDBLOCK: I've been all over this world and I've never seen anything like you.
PICARD: He's not from this world. None of us are. We are from a world, we're from a world of fabulous riches. A world where there are objects far greater than the one you seek.
LEECH: That's ridiculous! You're a private dick. We've met before and you never even mentioned any of this.
MCNARY: He's right, Dix. That's pretty weak stuff. I wouldn't even buy that line of guff.
PICARD: I am not Dixon Hill. I just look like Dixon Hill.
DATA: He speaks the truth, sir. From your point of view, he is only a facsimile, a knock-off, a cheap imitation.
PICARD: Thank you, Mister Data.
DATA: Sorry sir, that did not come out quite the way I intended.
REDBLOCK: Very, very, good. What wonderful fiction. Quite entertaining. I admire your skill at trying to obfuscate our sense of reality.
DATA: It is you who are not real, sir.
PICARD: Data.
DATA: It is you who are imaginary characters derived from a work of fiction.
MCNARY: Give it up, fellas. These guys are too smart to fall for that story.
DATA: I am afraid you are not real either, Lieutenant.
LEECH: I don't want to hear any more of this. You're making me crazy. Let me shoot them, Mister Redblock. Let me kill them, one by one.
REDBLOCK: What an interesting situation. Perhaps we should test this theory by killing one of them.
BEVERLY: You've already done that. This man is dying. This whole thing is senseless.
REDBLOCK: Hardly. Senseless killing is immoral. But killing for a purpose can be quite often ingenious.
LEECH: Well said, Mister Redblock. What is our purpose?
REDBLOCK: We are on a quest for knowledge, Mister Leech. We want the item.
PICARD: We don't have it.
LEECH: Shall I kill him?
REDBLOCK: No, kill the woman.
PICARD: Redblock. I have the item.
REDBLOCK: At last. I knew it. God, man, you are a character you are. Waiting until the last moment, testing my resolve. All right, where is it?
PICARD: I'll explain. But first, tell Leech to back off.
REDBLOCK: Put the gun down, Mister Leech.
LEECH: But I so much want to kill her.
REDBLOCK: Maybe later. It won't harm us to listen to Mister Hill.
MCNARY: Don't make any deals with that slime, Dix!
The Thug knocks him down again.
REDBLOCK: All right, let's begin. Make your thoughts fruitful and your words eloquent. Because I don't have to tell you your lovely lady friend's life depends upon it.
PICARD: There is a price.
REDBLOCK: By God, I knew you were a man of stripe. All right, what is it?
PICARD: Mister Whalen's life. You must help us to save him.
Scene: Bridge.
DEANNA: We can't delay much longer.
RIKER: We're going to have to tell them something. Open hailing frequencies.
TASHA: Frequencies open, sir.
RIKER: This is Commander Riker, aboard the Enterprise. We demand that you (ear splitting noise) Cut that off! They're not going to be satisfied with anyone less than the Captain.
Scene: Outside Holodeck.
GEORDI: LaForge to Bridge.
RIKER: (OC) Riker here.
GEORDI: We think we have something, sir. I'll let Ensign Crusher explain.
WESLEY: The bi-converter interface has been affected.
Scene: Bridge.
RIKER: Forget the explanation! Can you do it?
Scene: Outside Holodeck.
WESLEY: I don't know if I should. If this isn't done correctly, the programme could abort and everyone inside could vanish.
Scene: Bridge.
RIKER: Do you need more time to study it?
WESLEY: (OC) Whether we do it now or later, the risk is the same.
RIKER: Do it.
Scene: Hill's Office.
PICARD: If we can find away of getting him to our Sickbay by fixing our computer
REDBLOCK: Computer? I don't know that word.
DATA: An electronic or mechanical apparatus capable of carrying out repetitious or complex mathematical operations at high speed. Computers are used to control, process, perform, or store.
LEECH: Enough! Let me kill him. He's really beginning to irritate me.
Wesley does something, and the office briefly turns into an arctic snowstorm.
BEVERLY: Captain, the exit.
PICARD: That's it. The way into our world.
REDBLOCK: Remarkable. Is this a two-way passage? Can one enter your world and return to this one simply by stepping through?
PICARD: Oh, yes. Allow us to help Mister Whalen, and we will return with the item.
REDBLOCK: You really are a scamp, aren't you. Do you actually think I'd stay here?
DATA: If you were going to go through yourself, sir, that is not possible.
REDBLOCK: One look at you, sir, is proof that anything is possible. Step back, Mister Hill. I'd shoot you myself, but I don't want to deprive my assistant of his greatest pleasure. After we've gone, kill them all. Make sure the bodies are never found.
MCNARY: You're insane. You think you can kill a cop and get away with it?
REDBLOCK: Why not? I've done it before. Come on, Mister Leech. Au revoir et bonne chance, mon ami. Our destiny awaits.
Scene: Corridor.
REDBLOCK: Another world. A whole new world to plunder!
Leech looks down. They disappearing from the feet upwards.
REDBLOCK: What is this? What are they doing? They can't do this to me! Don't they know who I am? I'm Cyrus Redblock! Cyrus Redblock!
The corridor is now empty.
Scene: Hill's office.
Data takes the gun off the Thug, and squeezes the barrel closed.
DATA: With your permission, sir?
PICARD: Permission granted.
Data thumps the Thug, very hard. Dana would be very impressed if she saw Data do that.
PICARD: Data, pick up Whalen. Take him to Sickbay.
DATA: And you, sir?
PICARD: I'll follow. You go now.
Data, Beverly and Whalen leave.
PICARD: I wish I could take you with me.
MCNARY: Someone has to book this creep. Once a cop always a cop, I guess.
PICARD: I have to go.
MCNARY: So this is the big goodbye. Tell me something, Dixon. When you've gone. will this world still exist? Will my wife and kids still be waiting for me at home?
PICARD: I honestly don't know. Good-bye my friend.
Scene: Ten Forward.
The Hatter triplets were sitting at a table talking to each other.
GEORDA: So who did you sense that got hurt on the holodeck earlier?
LESLEY: It was Mr. Whalen.
DANA: How did he get hurt on the holodeck?
GEORDA: I guess the morality fail-safe was offline and that's probably how Mr. Whalen got hurt.
LESLEY: How true that is.
GEORDA: Have you told Wesley about your visions?
LESLEY: No I haven't yet.
DANA: Are you going to tell him?
LESLEY: Yes, I will.
GEORDA: When?
LESLEY: I'm not sure when yet.
Scene: Bridge.
TASHA: Captain!
RIKER: Are you ready, sir?
PICARD: As ready as I'll ever be, Number One. Open hailing frequencies.
TASHA: Frequencies open.
Picard loosens his tie, puts his hands on his hips and takes a deep breath.
PICARD: This is Jean-Luc Picard, Captain of the USS Enterprise. Aaaaard klaxon leeeeesss blag blan ar'nik ka'nik. Aaaaard krasulaaa. Rassss trassss trasulaaaah.
JARADAN: (OC) You have honoured us with your words of greeting. A new day dawns between us.
Applause from the Bridge crew.
RIKER: So, did you have a nice vacation?
PICARD: It was a nice place to visit, Number One, but I wouldn't want to die there.
GEORDI: So, Data, how was it?
DATA: It was raining in the city by the bay. A hard rain. Hard enough to wash the slime.
PICARD: Data!
DATA: Sorry, sir.
PICARD: Lieutenant, take us out of orbit.
GEORDI: Aye, sir.
PICARD: And, Mister LaForge.
GEORDI: Sir?
PICARD: Step on it.

That was a good chapter. I like part when Wesley was trying to figure out what happen. I liked parts when Data, Captain Picard and Beverly were trying to get out. I liked when really like the ending.

Thank you. I had a feeling that you'll like those parts.

Chapter 13
Datalore

PICARD: (VO) Captain's log, stardate 41242.4. Our last assignment has taken us into the remote Omicron Theta star system, home of our android crewmember Lieutenant Commander Data. Although we are due at our next assignment, I have decided to visit Data's home planet for a few hours in the hopes of unravelling some of the mystery of his beginnings.
Scene: Bridge
GEORDI: Sir, we are now twenty minutes from Omicron Theta, mark!
RIKER: Stand by for subwarp. Head for standard orbit of Data's planet. I wonder why Data hasn't come up here.
PICARD: He said he wanted to be alone. Perhaps it's a bigger moment for him than we thought.
Scene: Data's Quarters.
DATA: Aah, ahh, ahh
Wesley enters with Lesley.
WESLEY: Data!
DATA: Choo!
LESLEY: What'cha doing?
DATA: Sneezing.
WESLEY: Have you got a cold?
DATA: A cold what?
WESLEY: It's a disease my mom says people used to get.
DATA: Ah. But humans still sneeze for other reasons and I cannot seem to do it right.
WESLEY: How can you be practicing something like sneezing when we're arriving at your home planet for the first time? Aren't you interested in that?
DATA: More than interested. Fascinated. One might say agog. But I also find sneezing interesting.
WESLEY: Captain Picard wishes to see you on the Bridge.
Scene: Bridge.
TASHA: Captain, confirming class M reading there. But the sensors aren't showing any life readings. Not even vegetation.
PICARD: Strange. The cruiser that found Data reported farmlands here.
Data, Wesley and Lesley enter.
RIKER: Do you want to take her into orbit, Data?
DATA: No, thank you, sir.
PICARD: Continue on into close parking orbit.
GEORDI: Aye, sir.
DATA: I could say home sweet home, sir, if I understood how the word sweet applies.
PICARD: It usually refers to the memories.
RIKER: It usually refers to one's own memories, Captain. Do the memories you were given include farms, Data?
DATA: Affirmative, sir. But the colony's principal interest was science.
TASHA: Data, I can't understand how you can hold the memories of four hundred and eleven people. If that means every experience, every day of their life?
DATA: It does not, unfortunately. It means only the knowledge they had accumulated. Actually, I am quite deficient in some basic human information. Sneezing, for example.
PICARD: Sneezing?
GEORDI: Approaching close parking orbit, sir.
PICARD: Assemble your away party, Commander. This must be an exciting moment for you, Mister Data. I'm tempted to lead the away team myself, except that my First Officer would object.
RIKER: How would Starfleet judge me if I didn't? An entire Earth colony did disappear down there.
PICARD: You see?
GEORDI: Now in close parking orbit, sir.
PICARD: Mister Data, welcome home.
RIKER: (VO) First Officer's log, stardate 4124.5. We have found Data's home to be a completely dead world made out of lifeless vegetation. No insects, not even soil bacteria. What is it that could kill everything on an entire planet?
Scene: Planet surface.
Riker, Data, Dana, Tasha, Worf, Geordi and Georda beam down.
TASHA: Recording signal locked onto the Enterprise, sir.
RIKER: This looks like anything but farmland.
GEORDI: Agreed, sir. The soil appears almost completely lifeless.
RIKER: This is the exact position listed in the Tripoli log. Do you recognise anything, Data?
DATA: The land contours are familiar, sir. Topographically, this is the correct area.
GEORDI: This once was rich farmland. I'd say something like twenty to thirty years ago.
DATA: I was discovered twenty six years ago.
GEORDI: Commander, I'd say that everything on this planet was either dead or dying at the time Data was found.
DATA: I was found twenty metres in that direction, sir.
They walk down steps cut into the rock, to a cave.
TASHA: Data, any idea at all why you were given the colonists' memories?
DATA: I have always felt that it was done hurriedly, but I know little more. Here, sir. This is where the cruiser's landing party found the signal device that had led them here. And they found me lying there, sir.
He indicates a platform, obviously man-made, on a rock shelf.
TASHA: You were just lying out there in the open? No identity record, no instructions?
DATA: Only a layer of dust.
RIKER: What's the first thing you remember, Data?
DATA: Opening my eyes. Looking into the eyes of the Tripoli landing party. They believed that the signal device sensed their presence and activated me.
TASHA: Then this very spot was your birthplace.
GEORDI: Commander, I think I've got this place figured out here. This was really very cleverly done to make this look like a natural hollow in the terrain here. There are signs of it being constructed in a hurry as if to hide something here.
DATA: Yes, that was it, Geordi. This wakens a memory remnant of how the colonists hoped to remain hidden, but their fear of being discovered led to their storing information in me.
GEORDI: Yeah, thought so.
He has found the catch to the secret door. The back of the cave swings open to reveal a passageway into.
Scene: Underground Complex.
Riker turns the lights on.
TASHA: No life readings in here either, sir.
They walk on until they come to a circular door, which opens for them.
Scene: Laboratory.
The lights come on. The apparatus is still functioning. Lasers and indicators are flashing and blinking.
RIKER: The colony laboratory. Extremely well equipped. Does this stir any memories, Data?
DATA: Only a vague impression of some of my functions being tested here.
There are crude pictures on a notice board of a spiky object in the sky.
RIKER: Posted by proud parents?
DATA: It depicts something that feels familiar, sir. And dangerous. But I have no idea what it represents. And that is all. Except for an impression of this being a Doctor Soong's work area.
RIKER: Who? You don't mean Doctor Noonien Soong?
DATA: He was called that here, but his memories indicate he travelled here under a different name.
GEORDI: Doctor Noonien Soong, my friend, happens to have been Earth's foremost robotics scientist.
TASHA: Until he tried to make Asimov's dream of a positronic brain come true.
RIKER: A positronic brain. He promised so much. And then when he failed completely, Doctor Soong disappeared. Now we know he went somewhere else to try a second time. Data, Geordi, we'll get a close look at this lab. You and Lieutenant Worf reconnoitre where these corridors lead.
TASHA: Aye, sir.
Tasha and Worf leave. Riker presses a button and a cover slides back to reveal a transparent torso and face mask. Data puts the mask over his own face.
GEORDI: Data, it's you.
RIKER: An epidermal mold. Made to give your exterior the desired finish.
TASHA: (OC) Lieutenant Yar to Commander Riker.
RIKER: Come in, Lieutenant.
TASHA: (OC) Sir, this installation is big enough to hold hundreds of people. But all that's here now is empty beds.
RIKER: Thank you, Lieutenant. Complete your record scans and report back here.
GEORDI: Commander Riker, looks like some sort of storage area.
Data opens the new door and dry ice pours out before revealing another android, in pieces. Dana screams and hides her head against Data's body who had her in his arms when he heard her scream.
RIKER: How many more Datas are there?
GEORDI: Looks like just these two. I mean, that and the real Data.
DATA: Commander, can this be another me? Or possibly my brother?
RIKER: I honestly don't know, Data.
DATA: He needs assembling.
RIKER: He? Data, we don't know that this can become alive.
DATA: It is very important for me to know that, sir. I never dreamed it was possible I might find some link with some form like my own.
RIKER: Understood. We'll take it back to the ship with us.
PICARD: (VO) Captain's log, Stardate 41242.45. Despite having only a few hours in which to explore Data's home planet we've discovered something which may explain Data's beginnings, if we can properly assemble and communicate with what we've found.
Scene: Laboratory.
A mass of people are working on putting the pieces together, while Data looks on.
BEVERLY: Signal from the Captain. They need you at the debriefing.
DATA: I've been most anxious to hear the Chief Engineer's opinion, Mister Argyle. Do you believe he can be made to function?
ARGYLE: It appears to include all the components in your body. Not that we fully understand your construction either.
BEVERLY: We have our top specialists working on its construction, Mister Data.
ARGYLE: Just one thing. Without disassembling you, of course, if we should need more
BEVERLY: If we should need to compare this with the way you're put together?
Data nods.
Scene: Observation Lounge.
PICARD: Bringing it up here was the right thing to do, Number One. We were just saying, Data, that if your duplicate functions, it might answer a lot of questions.
RIKER: Does it appear to have all your parts?
DATA: Completely, sir.
GEORDI: Will we know how to turn it on?
PICARD: All right, all right. Legitimate questions about any of this need not be asked apologetically. You feel uncomfortable about aspects of your duplicate, Data. We feel uncomfortable too, and for no logical reason. If it feels awkward to be reminded that Data is a machine, just remember that we are merely a different variety of machine. In our case, electrochemical in nature. Let's begin to handle this as we would do anything else.
GEORDI: Agreed, Captain.
PICARD: Let's begin with you, Data.
DATA: Well, sir, a good starting point may be, why was I given human form?
GEORDI: Well, to make it easier for humans to relate to you. Had to be. But your designer may have had something else to prove as well.
PICARD: That human-shaped robots need not be clumsy or limited. You certainly operate as well as we do, Data
DATA: Better in some ways, sir.
RIKER: You might want to have a look at this, Captain. Could be a link to the disappearance of the colonists. It was displayed in the lab, no doubt by proud parents. It could be just a child's imagination, but several children did similar drawings.
BEVERLY: (OC) Doctor Crusher to Captain. At this point, sir, we very much need Mister Data's help.
PICARD: He's on his way, Doctor.
Scene: Laboratory.
While technobabbnle goes on over the new android, Data is talking quietly with Beverly.
DATA: Press your fingers there, Doctor. (the small of his back) There. It operates almost as a switch.
BEVERLY: And these small projections?
DATA: An android alarm clock. Is that amusing? They time how long I remain unconscious.
ARGYLE: Are you certain about us using these heating devices, Data?
DATA: I will feel nothing at all.
ARGYLE: Marvellous. It should all be a lot simpler once we can see how your circuitry's connected.
BEVERLY: I won't mention it to anyone. You have my word.
DATA: If you had an off switch Doctor, would you not keep it secret?
BEVERLY: I guess I would.
Scene: Sickbay.
Data and his twin are lying on biobeds, as Argyle and Beverly gaze at Data's magnified innards.
ARGYLE: Notice the micro-circuitry here and here. And another fibroid-like connection here.
BEVERLY: Let's close up.
Later, Riker and Picard enter.
ARGYLE: It seemed to go well, thanks to a look inside Mister Data. But there have been no signs of consciousness, yet.
RIKER: It certainly is a good match for Data, sir.
PICARD: Do you think so, really? I wonder which of them was made first?
LORE: He was. But they found him imperfect and I was made to replace him. (he twitches) You may call me Lore.
Scene: Ready Room.
PICARD: I'm also a bit troubled by it describing you as imperfect.
DATA: Human language gives me difficulty too, sir. Imperfect could mean I lack certain abilities he possesses.
PICARD: I wonder. But the point of this is, whether you and it have approximately the same capabilities.
DATA: We do, sir, and your referring to him as an it suggests that I, too, fit into the category of a thing.
PICARD: I see your point. My apologies.
DATA: Gladly accepted, sir. As for Lore's abilities, his use of syntax and grammar suggests he was given human memories similar to my own.
PICARD: And you have about equal physical strength and mental abilities?
DATA: I believe so, sir.
PICARD: Which requires I now ask you a very serious question. Since the two of you are closely related to each other.
DATA: The answer, sir, is that my loyalty is to you and Starfleet. Completely.
PICARD: Thank you, Commander. I was certain of that.
Scene: Bridge.
Lore is in a brown overall, getting an introduction to ship's operations.
GEORDI: And helm control is here, with the ship's heading given in measurements we call degrees. Three hundred and sixty of them in a full circle this way.
LORE: Then you say mark.
GEORDI: On the nose.
WESLEY: Which separates it from another full three hundred and sixty degree circle this way on a right angle to this one.
LORE: So by ordering a heading so many degrees this way and so many this way, the ship can travel in any direction. All three dimensions.
RIKER: And the square of the hypotenuse of a right triangle.
LORE: Is equal to the sum of the square of the other two. Two something. Which I once heard, but never understood.
DATA: All of which you will learn more about when the Captain has approved your being on the Bridge.
LORE: Have I committed an offence?
WESLEY: You will find that there are many rules on starships that must be learnt.
LORE: You're very clever, Wesley. I now have duties to perform. Correct?
WORF: Were you ever this anxious to please, Data?
DATA: Never. I judge Lore to be superior in that desire.
LORE: Because I was designed to be so human, my brother, I enjoy pleasing humans.
GEORDI: My brother. That has a nice sound to it, Data.
DATA: You consider it important to please humans?
LORE: It's not important?
DATA: There are many things of importance. Some more than others.
Scene: Corridor.
DATA: Do you realise that Commander Riker's hypotenuse question tricked you into showing your knowledge was greater than you were indicating?
LORE: He didn't seem that clever. I'll be more careful.
DATA: You tend to underestimate humans, my brother. Praising young Wesley on the helm, for example.
LORE: A child!
DATA: He has a child's body, but we have found him to be much more.
LORE: Thank you for that information, too. You do care about how I perform. I pledge to be worthy of your teaching, my brother. Try not to be jealous of my abilities.
Scene: Data's Quarters.
Data sits at a computer terminal.
LORE: What information are you requesting?
DATA: Everything available on a Doctor Noonien Soong.
LORE: Good old Often Wrong Soong. A joke, brother. Actually, he was a genius by human standards.
DATA: But he had destroyed his own reputation by making what seemed wild promises about his positronic brain design, almost all of which failed.
LORE: Promises he later proved to be true. Which made you and me possible, brother. Our beloved father. Will I soon have a uniform like that, brother?
DATA: If you get one the way I did, Lore, it will mean four years at the Academy, another three as ensign, ten or twelve on varied space duty in the lieutenant grades.
LORE: A system designed to compensate for limited human ability. And you, brother, are beginning to think as a human. You and I are completely different from them. Are you truly satisfied with the knowledge and memory of a few hundred human colonists? Suppose it could reflect thousands? Or millions? Or the knowledge of hundreds of millions of life forms of every kind?
DATA: How?
LORE: We will discuss that in time.
DATA: And will we also discuss, Lore, which of us was constructed first?
LORE: It would be foolish to underestimate you, brother. Yes, I lied when I said you were made first, but with good reason. Doctor Soong made me perfect in his first attempt. But he made me so completely human the colonists became envious of me.
DATA: You lived with the colonists?
LORE: Until they petitioned Soong to make a more comfortable, less perfect android. In other words, you, brother. Haven't you noticed how easily I handle human speech? I use their contractions. For example, I say can't or isn't, and you say cannot or is not. (sings) I say tomato, you say tomahto. I say potato, you say potahto. (laughs) A very old joke. But then you also have trouble with their humour. Am I right?
DATA: Quite true. I keep trying to be more human, and keep failing.
LORE: Do you realise, brother, I can help you become more human?
DATA: And do you realise, Lore, that I am obligated to report all of this to our ship's Captain?
LORE: I assumed as much when I began studying you. May I use this to learn more of this vessel and its customs?
DATA: Use it also to describe for the Captain the time you spent among the colonists. Including everything you know about what happened to them.
LORE: I promise a report of great detail and accuracy.
DATA: Thank you, Lore. I now have duties to perform. Unless of course, you need something more.
LORE: I have more than I dreamed possible, brother.
Dana walks in. Lore was the first one to spot her.
LORE: What's your name beautiful?
DANA: Dana Hatter. Who are you?
LORE: I'm Lore.
DATA: (as he walks over and wraps his arm around her) He is my brother, angel.
LORE: Why do you have your arm around her and why did you call her angel?
DATA: She is my girlfriend.
LORE: Why would you want to be his girlfriend when you could be mine?
DANA: Now why would I want to go and do a stupid thing like that? Besides I rather have Data than anyone else.
DATA: Do you really mean that?
DANA: Yes, yes I do. I love you, Data. I always have and I always will no matter what.
Data kisses Dana. And Lore starts accessing ship's records at great speed from terminal 40271.
PICARD: (VO) Captain's log, stardate 41242.5. Thanks to Lore's report, we now know what happened to the colonists. Beginning with a child's drawing, enhanced by Lore's description, our computer has constructed the image of a great crystalline entity which feeds on life, insatiably ravenous for the life force found in living forms, capable of stripping all life from an entire world.
Scene: Bridge.
TASHA: But how did Data escape that thing? Or Lore?
RIKER: Lore had been disassembled. He explained it as jealousy from the colonists. And Data wasn't yet alive at that time.
PICARD: Which explains why Data could be left outside in no danger from that creature. Whatever happened to the colonists, he would be found by the first Starfleet crew that responded to the signal he transmitted.
TASHA: By which Doctor Soong left proof behind that his experiment did work.
RIKER: Captain, how believable do you find that crystal thing?
PICARD: With so little of even our galaxy explored, I find it at least possible.
TASHA: Data, are you expecting Lore to come up here? He left your quarters some time ago.
DATA: To go?
TASHA: My turbo-sensors say he went to deck four. Worf?
WORF: Where he examined some micro-miniature work tools, and some fine grind quadratanium ?
DATA: Which is used in our construction. That particular compound is no more suspicious, sir, than a human looking for an antiseptic or an ointment. Nevertheless, I should check it out.
BEVERLY: You're watching everything he does, Data? Is that the act of a brother?
PICARD: It's the act of a Starfleet officer obeying his Captain, Doctor.
Data leaves.
TASHA: Captain? Speaking strictly as Security Chief, how much can you trust Data now?
PICARD: I trust him completely. But everyone should also realise that that was a necessary and legitimate security question.
TASHA: Thank you, sir.
Scene: Data's Quarters.
Lore pours out two glasses of champagne, and adds a substance to one of them. Data enters.
LORE: Lesson number one in becoming more human. You must observe all human customs.
DATA: Champagne?
LORE: An ancient ritual still practiced when they celebrate events of importance. My brother, I toast our discovery of each other. May it fill our lives with new meaning.
Data drinks from the doctored glass.
DATA: I have some doubts about the value of human customs (feels an effect) in this. My brother!
LORE: And let us toast also Doctor Soong, who gave me the full richness of human needs and ambitions. A perfect match for my mind, my body.
Data collapses.
LORE: And let us toast also the great Crystal Entity with whom I learned to communicate. Before Doctor Soong disassembled me, I earned its gratitude by revealing the way to the colonists. Can you image its gratitude when I give it the life on this vessel?
Scene: Bridge.
WORF: This is strange, sir. I show Commander Data transmitting on a subspace channel.
RIKER: I know Data's been doing considerable research on Doctor Soong's background. Let's be sure. Wesley, Lesley, would you look in on Commander Data? Discreetly?
LESLEY & WESLEY: Yes sir!
Scene: Data's Quarters.
Obviously, Lore is now impersonating Data and has donned his uniform.
LORE: Crystal Entity. Upon arriving here you can identify me as the machine named Data. (door bell) End of message. Come in, please.
Wesley and Lesley enters and sees Lore, or rather Data in Lore's overall, on the floor.
LORE: Glad you are here, Wesley and Dana.
LESLEY: Dana? I'm Lesley.
LORE: You are, you look like Dana.
LESLEY: Dana's my sister.
LORE: You are twins.
LESLEY: Actually we are triplets we have another sister named Georda. Wait a minute you know all this already why are you asking this now.
LORE: Oh it must have been when Lore suddenly attacked me and I had to turn him off. That made me forget about Dana being a triplet.
WESLEY: Why did he do that, Data?
LORE: He discovered we have been using sensors to follow what he does. (twitch) I practiced his facial tic. Do I have it right?
WESLEY: I'd suggest you forget imitating him. If you'd said we've been using the sensors, instead of we have, I might have suspected you were Lore.
LORE: Yes. I do use language more formally than Lore. Please inform the Captain I will come up to the Bridge and report on this.
WESLEY: Aye, sir.
Wesley leaves, and Lore uses a laser to recreate his tic on Data, and cure his own.
Scene: Bridge.
BEVERLY: Wes, tell me again how Data said he immobilised Lore.
WESLEY: He told me he just turned him off, Mom, er, Doctor.
Lore as Data enters.
BEVERLY: Question, Mister Data. Did you or did you not swear me to secrecy about your off switch?
LORE: A change of mind, Doctor. If I cannot trust the bridge crew, whom can I?
GEORDI: Captain, I'm picking up a bogey coming in on a five o'clock tangent.
TASHA: It's transmitting no ID signal, Captain.
RIKER: Set main viewer on that tangent.
PICARD: Shields up. Go to Yellow Alert. Transmit friendly greetings, all languages, all frequencies.
The Crystal Entity whooshes towards them.
RIKER: I can't believe anything's overtaking us this fast.
LORE: Beautiful, isn't it?
RIKER: I recognise it, sir. It's the crystal image Lore described.
BEVERLY: My God.
The Enterprise is dwarfed by the Entity.
TASHA: Still no ID being transmitted, sir. Also no answer to our inquiries.
Geordi enters, or re-enters. Some time must have passed.
PICARD: Did you get a direct look at it
GEORDI: It's like a giant snow flake crystal, but much more complex. The entire electromagnetic spectrum seems to play about inside it, but I haven't the slightest idea what it is, sir.
PICARD: Thank you, Lieutenant. Data, is there anything else that Lore can tell us about it, it may be important. Can you control him enough to question him?
LORE: I will have to examine him to know, sir.
WESLEY: Captain, recommend that you do not let him roam the ship freely.
PICARD: Ensign.
LESLEY: I agree with Wes, Captain.
LORE: Wesley is only showing himself to be alert and responsible. Something to encourage. Come, you can watch everything I do.
WESLEY: Not if I have a choice.
PICARD: That is enough, Ensign. When addressing a senior officer.
RIKER: I've guided his training, sir, I'm the one at fault. You will show the proper respect. I will accompany you down there to make certain of it. With your approval, of course, sir.
Scene: Data's Quarters.
LORE: Be careful of Lore. Good. He is still unconscious. Notice the same twitch, even though he is unconscious? Stay back. We may have problems if he senses someone else is near. (flicks Data's switch on and off) Lore, I have a few questions to ask you.
LORE: Lore, it is Data. He senses you. I cannot control him if you stay. Please! I will record everything he says.
RIKER: You will bring it to the Bridge, immediately.
Riker and Wesley leave.
LORE: And you want to be as stupid as them, dear brother?
Lore kicks Data in the head, opening a flap of skin.
Scene: Bridge.
PICARD: Well, Number One?
RIKER: It was Lore, sir. Same facial twitches that we've seen all along. Lying unconscious on the floor exactly as Data had described. But then it suddenly became violent, apparently sensing that Wesley and I were present.
WESLEY: Or is it Lore pretending to be Data and faking it all?
PICARD: I asked for Commander Riker's report, Acting Ensign Crusher. And since it now seems clear that you are unable to function within the limits of that appointment.
LESLEY: But, Captain, Wes is telling the truth. I'm sure of it.
PICARD: How do you know that? For all I know you could be just saying that because you're his girlfriend.
LESLEY: I uh, uh, I'll explain later, I promise and no I'm not just saying that because I'm his girlfriend.
GEORDI: Captain!
The entity is starting to send rays their way.
TASHA: Deflector shields holding, sir.
PICARD: Bring photon torpedoes to ready. Main phasers to ready. Go to Red Alert, please.
Data/Lore enters.
WORF: Weapons now ready, sir.
LORE: No, Captain, let me talk to it.
PICARD: You didn't say you could do that. (the ship shakes) Affirmative. Talk to it.
LORE: Open hailing frequencies. Crystal form, I identify myself as Data, advising you to stop your attack. The humans here are powerful, capable of injuring or even destroying you.
The attack stops.
GEORDI: Now I call that communicating.
LORE: Suggest moving fast to confirm what I told it, sir. Permission to use the large transporter in cargo room three. There I can beam up some living pattern, perhaps a large tree.
RIKER: Which you'll beam over next to the entity
LORE: That is correct, Riker. Our ship's phasers will then blast and disintegrate it, proving we are dangerous.
PICARD: Make it so.
LORE: Sir?
PICARD: Do it.
Lore leaves.
WESLEY: Sir, I know this may finish me as an Acting Ensign, but
PICARD: Shut up, Wesley! Lieutenant, pick a good security team, let me know what he does.
TASHA: Aye, sir.
BEVERLY & LESLEY: Shut up, Wesley?
PICARD: Doctor. Lesley.
WESLEY: And since I am finished here, sir, may I point out that.
BEVERLY: Shut up, Wesley!
Lesley gasps at hearing Beverly say it.
WESLEY: That everything that I have said would have been listened to if it came from an adult officer. Request permission to return to my quarters, sir.
PICARD: Agreed. Doctor, go with him.
BEVERLY: You're putting me off the Bridge?
PICARD: I'm asking that you keep an eye on your son during all of this, Doctor. You, too, Lesley.
LESLEY: You're also putting me off the Bridge?
PICARD: You're his girlfriend and you are agreeing with every word he says.
LESLEY: (proudly) How true that is.
Scene: Turbolift.
Worf is leading the security team, but gets cut off from them when -
LORE: Emergency close!
He slaps the phaser out of Worf's hand.
LORE: Now, show me your warrior fierceness.
Of course, flesh and blood is no match for the machine.
Scene: Data's Quarters.
BEVERLY: I'll look. But I shouldn't have let you talk me into this.
WESLEY: Mom, it's Data. He's been hurt. It's Data, Mom. I heard you know how to turn him on.
BEVERLY: This is very serious.
WESLEY: So just tell me to shut up, Wesley, and I will.
BEVERLY: You're being very unfair, Wes.
She switches Data on.
WESLEY: Data, the Crystal Thing is outside somewhere close to the ship, and Lore is loose on the inside.
BEVERLY: How badly are you hurt, Data?
DATA: I will function sufficiently to stop Lore, Doctor
Scene: Cargo bay.
Lore is at the cargo transporter console.
LORE: Crystal entity form, it's your old friend.
Data, Beverly, Wesley and Lesley enter unnoticed as Lore receives a reply from the Entity.
LORE: Very good. You've understand perfectly so far. Next, I'll signal that I'm about to transport something out, at which time the deflector shields will turn off for a moment, and if you move in at that time
Lore realises that Data has snuck up behind him.
DATA: How sad, dear brother. You make me wish I were an only child.
LORE: (sees Wesley and Lesley) Then why this marvellous gift? The troublesome little man-child and his little girlfriend. Are you prepared for the kind of death you've earned, little man and your little girlfriend?
Beverly steps out, with her phaser.
BEVERLY: If you take one step toward my son and his girl
LORE: Ah, motherhood.
Lore grabs Data, pushes him into Beverly and grabs her weapon.
LORE: Back off, or I'll turn your little man and his little girlfriend into a torch. I promise them exquisite pain unless you obey me too, brother.
BEVERLY: Move away, Data. Please.
LORE: Do you see now the advantages of being completely human? It includes kindness. I give you your life, Doctor. Go home. Quickly. And I may not injure your son and his girlfriend at all.
DATA: I will stay with Wesley and Lesley, Doctor.
LORE: Go! Or they'll be shrieking by the count of five. One, two, three, four
Beverly runs for it.
LORE: Thank you for my human quality, Doctor Soong. Wait! A small payment for your son and his girlfriend's misdeeds.
Lore shoots Beverly in the arm. Data jumps Lore and they fight across the cargo bay, sending barrels and containers flying.
DATA: Wes! The transporter.
Data throws Lore onto the pad, and just as Lore aims the phaser.
DATA: Wesley, now!
Wesley beams Lore out, somewhere. Tasha and Riker arrive, armed, followed by Picard and Beverly.
WESLEY: Lore's gone, sir. Permanently.
PICARD: Doctor, now that Wesley's safe, go to Sickbay at once.
Beverly leaves.
RIKER: Captain, the crystal thing has begun to move away.
PICARD: Data, are you all right?
DATA: Yes, sir. I'm fine. (twitch)
PICARD: Get rid of that damned twitch and put on the correct uniform.
DATA: Yes, Captain.
PICARD: Ensign Crusher, are you able to return to duty?
WESLEY: Yes, sir.
PICARD: Then do so, and let the Bridge know that all is well down here.
WESLEY: Aye, sir.
Wesley, Lesley, Data, Tasha leave.
RIKER: It's gone, sir. Without Lore, it had no way to reach us.
PICARD: And we're overdue for our computer refit. Number One, have you ever considered whether Data is more human, or less human than we want?
RIKER: I only wish we were all as well balanced, sir.
PICARD: Agreed!

That was a good chapter. I like parts with Data and Lore. I liked the parts when Lore wanted Dana but she told him that she love Data. I also like when Lore thought that Lesley was Dana. I liked the ending too.

Thank you. I had a feeling that you'll like those parts.

Chapter 14
Angel One

PICARD: (VO) Captain's log, stardate 41636.9. As feared, our examination of the seven year overdue Federation freighter, Odin, disabled by an asteroid collision, revealed no survivors. However, three escape pods were missing, suggesting the possibility of survivors.
Scene: Bridge.
GEORDI: Ready to begin orbit of Angel One, Captain.
PICARD: Make it so, Mister LaForge. What kind of place is this, Data?
DATA: Angel One is a class M planet, sir, supporting carbon based flora and fauna, sparsely populated with intelligent life forms. It is similar in technological development to mid-twentieth century Earth.
GEORDI: Kind of like being marooned at home.
RIKER: Assuming any of the survivors made it this far. Admittedly, it 'is the closest planet to the Odin, but to travel distance we did in two days at warp one would have taken the Odin escape pod five months.
DATA: Five months, fourteen days, eleven hours, two minutes
RIKER: Thank you, Data.
DATA: And fifty seven seconds.
TASHA: Captain, we're receiving an audio signal from Angel One.
PICARD: Starfleet are adamant that we maintain excellent diplomatic relations with this planet. Mister Data, is there any other pertinent information before we reply?
DATA: Angel One has evolved into a constitutional oligarchy. It is governed by a parliamentary body consisting of six elected Mistresses, and headed by a female they refer to as The Elected One.
DEANNA: It sounds like my own planet.
WORF: Klingons appreciate strong women.
PICARD: How current is this information, Mister Data?
DATA: A Federation vessel last visited this planet sixty two years ago, Captain.
PICARD: Counselor, as this is a female dominated society, you might wish to make the initial contact.
DEANNA: Thank you, sir.
PICARD: Open hailing frequencies.
TASHA: Hailing frequencies open, sir.
DEANNA: This is Counselor Deanna Troi from the USS Enterprise.
BEATA: (OC) I am Beata, The Elected One. How may we assist you, Counselor?
DEANNA: The Federation has neglected to visit to your planet for far too long. With your permission, we would like to correct that oversight.
BEATA: (OC) We feel in no way neglected, Counselor. A diplomatic courtesy call is neither expected nor required.
DEANNA: We also come in search of possible survivors from one of our freighters.
BEATA: (OC) A brief visit will be tolerated.
TASHA: They've broken off transmission.
GEORDI: Ever feel like you're not really wanted?
Scene: Corridor.
RIKER: Where're you three off to?
WESLEY: Our ski instructor has us scheduled for the Denubian Alps, sir.
RIKER: Save us some deep powder.
WESLEY: No problem, sir. The holodecks have all you'll ever need.
Scene: Transporter Room.
Riker, Deanna, Tasha and Data get on the transporter pad.
RIKER: The away team's ready, sir.
PICARD: Angel One's strategic importance in this quadrant may become vital. Starfleet's hope is that one day this world may become part of the Federation.
RIKER: We'll do our best to make a good impression, sir.
PICARD: Energise.
PICARD: (VO) Captain's log, supplemental. Our away team has beamed down to an unusual matriarchal society where the female is as aggressively dominant as the male gender was on Earth hundreds of years ago. Here, the female is the hunter, the soldier, larger and stronger than the male. An arrangement considered most sensible and natural.
Scene: Great Hall.
There is a full gathering to greet the away team. People here kneel, not sit on chairs.
BEATA: I am Beata, The Elected One of Angel One. Representatives of the Starfleet Enterprise, do you wish to petition?
DEANNA: We do. We have reason to hope that survivors from a damaged Federation freighter may be marooned on your planet. We are seeking to learn if this is so.
BEATA: Even a planet as remote as Angel One has heard of Starfleet. Searching the galaxy for survivors seems a petty task for one of their mighty vessels.
RIKER: We don't consider even one survivor petty.
BEATA: Is this man implying that we put a lesser value on life than you do?
DEANNA: Not at all. Our discovery of the freighter was unexpected. We have a duty to investigate.
BEATA: I see. And if you find any survivors, what then?
DEANNA: We will take them with us and see that they were reunited with their families.
ARIEL: Are we to take these strangers at their word?
BEATA: Good question.
TASHA: What reason could we possibly have to deceive you?
BEATA: Another good question.
RIKER: Are there survivors from the freighter Odin on your planet?
BEATA: I'm not prepared to answer, yet. See to their comforts.
RIKER: (to Deanna) What's going on?
Scene: Guest quarters.
TRENT: You will remain here until summoned.
He leaves as Tasha sweeps the room with her tricorder.
RIKER: Is this area secure? Can we talk?
TASHA: Yes. Tricorder doesn't show any listening devices or anything else of a threatening nature.
RIKER: Good. Troi?
DEANNA: There was much fear in that room.
RIKER: Paranoia, I'd say. But of what?
DEANNA: I cannot say. But their fear was not focused. I sensed that all were not concerned for the same reason. Undoubtedly there are survivors from the Odin on this planet.
RIKER: I agree. Otherwise, why would they be so circumspect?
TASHA: As Mistress Beata is so fond of saying, good question.
DATA: What do we do if they deny the existence of survivors?
RIKER: Let's not look for problems.
Scene: Turbolift.
PICARD: I want all departments prepared for a warp six trip into the Neutral Zone as soon as the away team completes its mission.
WORF: Trouble, Captain?
PICARD: Insurance. Romulan battle cruisers have been detected near one of our border posts.
Scene: Corridor.
Picard steps out of the turbolift into a snowball.
PICARD: They've requested assistance as soon as Argh!
The culprits leave the holodeck.
PICARD: Report, Mister Crusher.
WESLEY We finished our ski lesson, sir, and it kind of just happened.
PICARD: On the Enterprise, Mister Crusher, nothing just happens. What is that smell?
WORF: Hmm, yes. Slightly reminiscent of night blooming throgni, Captain. From home. Quite stimulating, wouldn't you say?
PICARD: No.
WESLEY: I don't smell anything. I'm a little congested. The snow.
PICARD: Don't let this just happen again, Mister Crusher.
WESLEY: Yes, sir.
PICARD: Les, I'm making you to make sure that this won't just happen again.
LESLEY: Aye, sir.
Scene: Guest quarters.
Data has found an atomiser, and gives himself a face-full.
DATA: Interesting. An alcohol-based synthetic, artificially reproducing a floral scent.
DEANNA: It's called perfume, Data.
DATA: The purpose of which is?
TASHA: Certain cultures consider perfume an aphrodisiac.
DATA: I am unfamiliar with that term.
RIKER: An aphrodisiac is something used to stimulate or enhance sexual pleasure.
DATA: How does stimulation of the olfactory nerves affect the enjoyment of sex?
Trent enters.
TRENT: The Elected One will see you now.
When the group have left, he sprays himself with the perfume.
Scene: Great Hall.
BEATA: You claim you intend to remove these survivors from our planet. Are you prepared to give us your solemn word on that?
DEANNA: We are.
BEATA: You should know that the vote was not unanimous. Some of those among us are suspicious. Yet the majority feel that we have no choice but to trust you.
RIKER: We don't understand the source of your misgivings, Mistress, but we appreciate your faith in us.
BEATA: Make certain that faith is not misplaced. There are four survivors from the ship you call Odin. All male. Their leader is a man who calls himself Ramsey.
DEANNA: If you'll deliver these men to us, we'll have them off your planet immediately.
BEATA: If they were mine to deliver, I would do it without hesitation. Unfortunately, their hiding place has long eluded us.
TASHA: Hiding place? Why are they in hiding?
BEATA: Because they are fugitives on Angel One, and the quicker we get rid of them, the better. When these men came to us seven years ago, they accepted our hospitality quickly enough. But they gradually became restive, started making unreasonable demands, went against the natural order.
DEANNA: Using the technology of the Enterprise, we might be able to find these men.
BEATA: I assumed as much. But be warned, Counselor, these men are dangerous.
Scene: Sickbay.
Wesley and his ski-ing companion are in beds, coughing. Lesley who isn't coughing is standing by Wesley's side.
BEVERLY: Sickbay to Captain Picard.
PICARD: (OC) Picard here.
BEVERLY: Wesley and one of his friends have contracted some form of respiratory ailment.
PICARD: (OC) A respiratory aliment? Is it contained? What about Lesley? How is she?
BEVERLY: I hope so. I've isolated the twelve students who were on the Quazulu Eight field trip. As for Les she seems fine. She's standing by Wesley's side at this very moment. I asked her to not stand so close but she insisted on staying with Wesley no matter what.
Scene: Bridge.
PICARD: How contagious is it?
Scene: Sickbay.
BEVERLY: Still running tests. The key is to figure out how the virus is transmitted. So far I've been able to rule out
Scene: Bridge.
BEVERLY: (OC) Person to person contact.
PICARD: Well, keep with it, Doctor. Starfleet has very important business for us as soon as the away team returns. I don't fancy the idea of my crew being infected.
Scene: Great Hall.
RIKER: Data, what's the best way to go about finding Ramsey and the other survivors?
DATA: If we can isolate something unique to the Odin survivors, perhaps an element not otherwise found on Angel One, we can utilise the Enterprise scanners.
RIKER: Mister Data will need access to your library.
BEATA: Our library is far too sophisticated for a man to comprehend.
DATA: I am an android, Mistress, although anatomically I am a male.
BEATA: An amusing notion. Maybe you could teach our males a thing or two. Trent, see to the android's needs.
Scene: Bridge.
WORF: Bridge to Captain Picard.
PICARD: (OC) Go ahead, Lieutenant.
WORF: The away team requests that we scan the planet surface for traces of platinum.
PICARD: (OC) Have Mister LaForge break fixed orbit and initiate a search pattern.
WORF: Aye, Captain. Geordi.
GEORDI: Search pattern initiated now.
Scene: Guest quarters.
Riker enters, and Deanna hands him a local male outfit on a hangar.
DEANA: This was delivered for you.
RIKER: Good. It's for my meeting with Beata.
DEANNA: You're not going to wear that.
RIKER: Of course. Part of this mission is diplomatic. I have requested an audience with a head of state, and I will honour her by wearing indigenous apparel.
TASHA: I don't believe this. You're going to put that thing on and parade around like one of them?
RIKER: Why, what is this attitude? On Kabatris I had to wear furs to meet the leadership council. And on Armus Nine I wore feathers. This objection doesn't have anything to do with the fact that Beata is a woman, and an attractive one, does it?
Scene: Ready Room.
The Captain is obviously ill.
PICARD: This is quite unnecessary, Doctor. I'm fine.
BEVERLY: You're infected with the virus. Captain. In my opinion, you are no longer physically able to effectively command this vessel.
PICARD: That is ridiculous, Doctor. I have an away team down there, in less than friendly territory, and in addition I have an appointment with several Romulan battlecruisers.
BEVERLY: You have an appointment in your cabin, Captain. With your bed.
PICARD: Is that an order, Doctor?
BEVERLY: Yes.
Scene: Bridge.
WORF: I think I may sneeze.
GEORDI: A Klingon sneeze?
WORF: Only kind I know.
Picard and Beverly enter.
PICARD: Lieutenant LaForge, you have command until further notice. Please, make the proper ship's log entries.
GEORDI: Aye, sir.
Geordi goes and sits in the Captain's chair.
WORF: Scanners indicate a platinum trace. Should I notify the away team?
GEORDI: Make it so.
GEORDA: I must say, Geordi you look great in that chair.
GEORDI: Thanks princess.
GEORDA: You're welcome, baby.
Geordi kisses Georda.
Scene: Guest quarters.
DEANNA: Tasha.
Riker emerges in full local costume, left breast and chest hair to the waist fully on show. The women find it highly amusing.
RIKER: What do you think?
TASHA: Well, I got to say, it's kind of sexy.
RIKER: Thank you, Lieutenant. Actually it feels quite comfortable.
Scene: Beata's quarters.
They also double as her private office.
BEATA: How handsome you look.
RIKER: Thank you, The Enterprise reports a possible location for Mister Ramsey and the other survivors.
BEATA: So soon? I'm impressed.
ARIEL: I suspicious.
RIKER: You don't believe me?
ARIEL: Not yet. I hear the words, but not the sincerity.
BEATA: You had your opportunity to object, Ariel. You were in the minority.
ARIEL: After seven years, the great ship Enterprise come to repatriate a small group of insignificant people.
RIKER: Mistress Ariel, I hear the words but not the sincerity.
ARIEL: You should listen more carefully. Excuse me, Mistress. I have matters to attend to elsewhere.
Ariel leaves, and Trent follows.
RIKER: With your permission, we'd like to begin our search immediately.
BEATA: By all means. But I'm sure that Counselor Troi and the others can do that without you. If I recall, you had a gesture of goodwill you wished to give to me?
RIKER: Certainly that can wait until we've recovered the survivors.
BEATA: Are you suggesting that the women in your party are incapable of accomplishing their task without the help of a man?
RIKER: Not at all. Lieutenant Yar and Counselor Troi are completely qualified.
BEATA: You're very generous with your praise. Inform them you will remain here with me.
RIKER: Riker to Lieutenant Yar.
Scene: Guest quarters.
TASHA: This is Yar.
Scene: Beata's quarters.
RIKER: In the interests of diplomatic relations, I'll remain here with Mistress Beata while you conduct our search.
Scene: Guest quarters.
TASHA: Commander?
RIKER: (OC) You have your instructions.
Scene: Beata's quarters.
BEATA: Relax. We have much to discuss.
She goes through gauze curtains into another room.
Scene: Guest quarters.
TASHA: Set phasers to stun.
DEANNA: I wish they weren't necessary.
DATA: A justified precaution, Counselor. Mistress Beata observed that Mister Ramsey and his men are dangerous.
TASHA: Lieutenant Yar to Enterprise.
GEORDI: (OC) Go ahead, Tasha.
TASHA: Three to beam to the location of that platinum trace, Geordi.
GEORDI: (OC) Coordinates set.
TASHA: Energise.
Scene: Hideout.
DEANNA: Tasha!
Below them is a cave and settlement, and a man at a table.
RAMSEY: Welcome. I've been expecting you.
Scene: Picard's quarters.
PICARD: Picard to Bridge.
Scene: Bridge.
Worf sneezes.
GEORDI: LaForge here.
Scene: Picard's quarters.
PICARD: Status report.
GEORDI: (OC) Eighty-two more reported cases of the virus, sir. Doctor Crusher's converted the holodeck into an isolation ward.
PICARD: And the away team?
Scene: Bridge.
GEORDI: Well, no recent contact, sir, but I have informed them of the medical situation up here and the growing Romulan threat to our Neutral Zone outpost.
Scene: Picard's quarters.
PICARD: Keep me advised. You have the Bridge until Commander Riker returns.
Scene: Bridge.
WORF: Engineering reports a computer malf (sneeze) I'm sorry, I'm getting sick.
GEORDI: I'm sure half the ship knows that by now. (Georda giggles a little) Report to Sickbay, Lieutenant.
CREWMAN: (OC) Engineering to bridge.
GEORDI: LaForge here.
CREWMAN: (OC) The computer won't accept the variant climate controls.
GEORDI: On my way.
WORF: With all respect, Lieutenant, there are people to do that job now.
GEORDI: LaForge to Engineering. Lieutenant Wong knows the system. I'm sure she'll be able to resolve all problems. Worf, thanks for the advice.
Scene: Hideout.
RAMSEY: How did you find me?
DATA: Actually, it was quite simple. Angel One has no platinum. Enterprise scanners did the rest.
RAMSEY: Platinum, was it? My wings. I kept them for their sentimental value.
TASHA: Where are the other survivors, Mister Ramsey?
RAMSEY: Oh, they're nearby. They're packing, as a matter of fact, since we can no longer remain here.
DEANNA: Seven years on an alien planet, and I sense no anticipation, no excitement at being rescued.
RAMSEY: What is it that you think you're rescuing me from? My shipmates and I have all taken wives. A few even have children. You can't rescue a man from a place that he calls his home.
Scene: Beata's quarters.
Beata has slipped into something more comfortable.
RIKER: Why were you so hesitant at first to tell us about the Odin survivors?
BEATA: Simply because Ramsey and his men are anarchists. I had to make sure you weren't here to fuel their struggle. I like the way your eyes pick up the colour of your tunic.
RIKER: It's not our position to interfere in the domestic affairs of other societies.
BEATA: But you can interact.
RIKER: Of course. Otherwise, how can we learn?
BEATA: Is that why you're here with me tonight? To learn?
RIKER: Yes.
BEATA: About our society.
RIKER: Yes.
BEATA: Well, in our society, it is the men who are the fortunate ones, enjoying all life has to offer while we women devote ourselves to the obligation of making life work.
RIKER: In our society, we share the responsibilities and the pleasures equally. Which is why I am able to be here with you while the women of the away team go to find Ramsey.
BEATA: You'll have to remind me to thank them when they come back for giving us this time.
She kisses him.
BEATA: You resist. Don't you find me attractive?
RIKER: Yes, I find you very attractive.
BEATA: You attract me like no man ever has.
RIKER: It's not my function to seduce or be seduced by the leader of another world.
BEATA: It's not the reason.
RIKER: No, it's not. But will you still respect me in the morning?
BEATA: I hope so.
They get into a clinch just as Trent enters and hands a gift to Riker.
RIKER: Thank you, Trent.
BEATA: You may go.
Trent leaves reluctantly. Riker opens the gift for Beata.
RIKER: Compliments of the USS Enterprise. It's called an Albeni meditation crystal.
He touches it with a rod, and it pulses with a yellow glow.
BEATA: Very impressive. And now I must repay you in kind.
Scene: Hideout.
RAMSEY: Five months in a rescue pod no bigger than this room is an eternity I hope none of you will ever have to face. When we finally made it here, we thought we'd died and gone to heaven. You've seen the women of the planet. They're tall and strong and lovely. But after the newness wore off, we started to see how the men were treated. There's no votes. There's no opinions. There's no respect.
TASHA: None of which is your concern any longer, Mister Ramsey. Call the others in, please. It's time to leave.
RAMSEY: Despite their problems, Lieutenant, we happen to like it here on Angel One. We're not going anywhere.
DEANNA: But Mistress Beata
RAMSEY: Mistress Beata be damned! Her wish is not my command, and neither is yours. You can't force us to go.
DATA: Mister Ramsey is correct, Counselor. The Odin was not a starship, which means her crew is not bound by the Prime Directive. If he and the others wish to stay here, there is absolutely nothing we can do about it.
Scene: Sickbay.
GEORDI: (OC) Bridge to Sickbay how are you doing, Doctor?
BEVERLY: We have more sick than we do beds. So far I've been forced to confine over three hundred to their private quarters.
Scene: Bridge.
GEORDI: We're going to be seriously undermanned if we're forced to engage the Romulans in battle.
Scene: Sickbay.
BEVERLY: The Romulans are your problem, Lieutenant. Trying to find an inoculants is mine. This virus mutates every twenty minutes. But so far we haven't had any fatalities, yet.
Scene: Bridge.
GEORDI: If this continues, there'll be no one left to run the ship.
Scene: Sickbay.
BEVERLY: If this continues, Lieutenant LaForge, no one will be healthy enough to care.
Scene: Bridge.
GEORDA: Beverly where's my sister Lesley and Dana.
Scene: Sickbay.
BEVERLY: Lesley is here in Sickbay with Wesley and I don't know where (as she sees Dana walk into Sickbay) No wait a minute she just walked in here. Georda how are you feeling?
GEORDA: (OC) I'm feeling fine Beverly.
Scene: Bridge.
TASHA: (OC) Yar to Enterprise.
GEORDI: Enterprise here. Go ahead.
Scene: Hideout.
TASHA: Prepare to beam three to our previous location, Geordi. After re-grouping with Commander Riker, we'll return to the ship.
Scene: Bridge.
GEORDI: I suggest you make that on the double, Tasha. We have a real medical emergency brewing up here.
Scene: Hideout.
GEORDI: (OC) One third of the crew is down, and the latest information from the Neutral Zone outpost is that more Romulan vessels are converging on that area.
TASHA: I'll inform the Commander. Yar out. One thing before we go. You said you were expecting us. Why?
RAMSEY: I can't answer that.
DEANNA: We wish you well, Mister Ramsey.
TASHA: Energise.
The three beam away.
RAMSEY: They're gone.
Ariel comes out and embraces him.
Scene: Beata's quarters.
BEATA: What a refreshing change to be with a man who knows what he wants.
RIKER: And doesn't have to be told by a woman?
BEATA: Exactly. I knew you were bright enough to understand. You see, women, by our very nature, want only what is best for their men.
RIKER: Men are not objects to be possessed, Mistress Beata.
BEATA: Of course they're not. It was merely a figure of speech.
Doorbell. She rolls over and turns off the meditation crystal and gets up.
BEATA: Enter.
Trent comes in.
BEATA: What is so important you find it necessary to intrude upon my privacy?
TRENT: They have returned, Mistress, but without Ramsey or the others.
Tasha, Deanna and Data enter.
BEATA: Your advanced technology has proven inadequate?
RIKER: What happened, Tasha?
DEANNA: Mister Ramsey and the other survivors refuse to leave.
BEATA: You gave me your solemn word.
RIKER: I'm sorry, there's nothing else we can do.
BEATA: I'm sorry as well. Since you refuse to take them with you, I am left with no choice but to sentence them all to death.
Scene: Picard's quarters.
Beverly enters bearing a flask. Picard is in bed, bare-chested.
PICARD: Come.
BEVERLY: It looks horrible, tastes worse, and it's absolutely guaranteed to make you feel better.
He drinks.
BEVERLY: I knew you'd like it. Are you wearing cologne? Like something I smelled earlier. Something Klingon.
PICARD: Lieutenant Worf and I detected the same scent when we bumped into your son at the Holodeck.
BEVERLY: It's that smell. That's how the virus travels. An airborne particle whose sweet scent inspires deep inhalation. And once inside the body, it becomes that damned virus. I have work to do.
Beverly leaves.
PICARD: You are excused, Doctor.
Scene: Great hall.
RIKER: What's the latest on the Enterprise's medical situation?
DATA: Doctor Crusher feels the virus will undoubtedly run unchecked through the entire ship. Attempts to develop an inoculants have so far ended in failure. Lieutenant LaForge still has Bridge command pending your return, sir.
RIKER: And what about the Romulans entering the Neutral Zone?
DATA: The border outpost reports a contingent of seven Romulan battlecruisers within sensor range. The USS Berlin has answered the distress call. However, should hostilities erupt, both the outpost and the starship will be out-gunned. It is felt that the Enterprise's presence in the area will be a vital show of force.
TASHA: Some show of force. The Enterprise could fly on autopilot, but with that virus knocking down our crew, we're going to be in sorry shape if things turn ugly.
RIKER: I think it's time we to leave this place.
DEANNA: It doesn't feel right to leave while Beata is determined to execute those people.
RIKER: She has to find them first. Ramsey and his bunch have been fugitives for years. I suspect he's pretty good at evading capture.
DEANNA: Something's wrong.
Beata enters, with Trent.
BEATA: Before you go back to your ship, there's something I want you to see.
Ramsey and his group are brought in.
RAMSEY: We were no harm to anyone. Why did you tell them where to find us?
BEATA: You brought this upon yourself. You and the traitor. One does not need the technology of the Enterprise to follow Mistress Ariel sneaking out to warn her husband. Let her stand with him now. For tomorrow they will die together.
Scene: Beata's quarters.
Beata is doing paperwork.
RIKER: You claim to be an advanced society, and yet you resort to executions in order to suppress those who don't share your views.
BEATA: I don't expect you to understand.
RIKER: Why? Because I'm only a man?
BEATA: You'll accomplish nothing with that attitude.
RIKER: Mistress Beata, if you had an alternative to the execution of Ramsey and his followers, would you take it?
BEATA: Is that not the way of an advanced society?
RIKER: Then let us meet with the men from Odin one last time. Let me try to convince them to leave with us.
BEATA: Will you also include those from this world who unwisely choose to follow Ramsey and his group?
RIKER: Yes. All of them.
Scene: Holding area.
DEANNA: Mistress Beata is willing to give you a second chance. We're prepared to take your entire group with us.
RAMSEY: That's very kind of you, but we're not going.
TASHA: Haven't you been paying attention, Ramsey? You're scheduled to be executed tomorrow.
RAMSEY: We don't want to die. We don't want to leave, either.
RIKER: There's no time to debate the issues. You're going with us whether you choose to go or not.
DATA: Excuse me, Commander, but removing any of these people against their will would be a violation of several Starfleet regulations, not the least of which would be the Prime Directive.
RIKER: I realise that, Mister Data. I'd rather face a court martial than live with the guilt of leaving these people to their deaths. Commander Riker to Enterprise.
BEVERLY: (OC) This is the Enterprise. Crusher here.
TASHA: It must be worse up there than we thought.
RIKER: Doctor, where is Lieutenant LaForge?
Scene: Bridge.
BEVERLY: He's right here, but he's in bad shape.
RIKER: (OC) Notify the transporter room I have fourteen to beam up.
BEVERLY: I can't allow it.
Scene: Holding area.
BEVERLY: (OC) This virus is totally out of control here. Until I know exactly what I'm dealing with, I can't let anyone new be exposed.
RIKER: Doctor, these people are facing their deaths down here.
Scene: Bridge.
BEVERLY: They might be facing the same thing up here. Until I have a better idea of what I'm dealing with, no one can beam up. I'm sorry, Will, but you must wait.
Scene: Holding area.
RIKER: Understood. Doctor, would this virus have any effect on Mister Data?
BEVERLY: (OC) Not likely. But it has absolutely no effect on the Hatter triplets.
RIKER: You're going back there alone. I want you to get the Enterprise into the Neutral Zone before it's too late.
DATA: This is Data, standing by to beam up.
He beams away.
DEANNA: What of them?
RIKER: I don't know, Deanna.
Scene: Guest quarters.
TRENT: Mistress Beata invites you to witness this morning's reaffirmation of Angel One's moral imperative.
TASHA: Is that the civilised word for murder on this world?
RIKER: You send Mistress Beata our regrets.
TRENT: The Elected One will not look fondly upon
DATA: (OC) Enterprise to Commander Riker.
DEANNA: They're still here!
RIKER: Riker here. Data, I gave you direct orders to get to Neutral Zone immediately. Explain the delay.
Scene: Bridge.
DATA: To be precise, Commander, you ordered me to reach the Neutral Zone before it is too late.
Scene: Guest quarters.
DATA: After relieving Lieutenant LaForge, I computed the length of time the border outpost
Scene: Bridge.
DATA: And the USS Berlin can safely withstand a Romulan attack, and deducted our time to destination at maximum warp speed. That leaves Doctor Crusher forty eight minutes to develop an inoculants to the virus.
Scene: Guest quarters.
TASHA: Which means there's still time for us to do something.
RIKER: Forty-eight minutes.
Scene: Bridge.
DATA: Forty seven, sir.
Scene: Guest quarters.
RIKER: Perhaps, Data, perhaps. Thank you
Scene: Bridge.
RIKER: (OC) For following my orders so precisely, Data.
Scene: Guest Quarters.
RIKER: On second thought, Trent, we would be honoured to witness your moral imperative in action.
Scene: Great Hall.
BEATA: (upset) We have determined that the heretical teachings of Ramsey and his followers are inconsistent with harmonious life on Angel One. Our patient efforts to silence revolutionary voices have failed. Therefore we are left with none but the most final alternative.
There is a large jar between two devices. Trent puts his hands on a glass globe, it glows purple, the devices light up and disintegrate the jar.
BEATA: As you can see, we are not without compassion. Your deaths will be swift and painless.
RIKER: Mistress Beata, before we see living examples of your compassion, may I speak?
BEATA: Is this a plea for leniency?
RIKER: Nothing of the sort. As the governing body of Angel One, you're entitled to execute your laws or your citizens as you see fit.
BEATA: Make your point, so we can proceed with this unpleasant business.
RIKER: When you spoke of the prisoners, you used the term revolutionary. Indeed, death has been known to stop revolutions. But I suspect it's not a revolution that Angel One is hoping to stop. It's evolution. Mister Ramsey and the Odin survivors did not initiate the waves of dissent that are rippling through your planet. Their presence here merely reinforced the change in attitudes between men and women that was already well under way. They became symbols around whom others who shared their views could gather. You may eliminate the symbols, but that does not mean death to the issues which those symbols represent. No power in the universe can hope to stop the force of evolution. Be warned. The execution of Mister Ramsey and his followers may elevate them to the status of martyrs. Martyrs cannot be silenced.
Ramsey is taken to the place of execution. Trent starts to lower his hand.
ARIEL: Beata!
BEATA: Stop. We will adjourn to consider your words.
The council leaves.
RAMSEY: Thank you.
RIKER: I don't know if it was enough.
Scene: Bridge.
BEVERLY: (OC) Sickbay to Bridge.
DATA: Go ahead, Doctor.
BEVERLY: (OC) Bingo, Data.
DATA: Bingo? I fail to see the relevance, Doctor. Is that not a reference to an ancient Earth game?
Scene: Sickbay.
BEVERLY: It's also a reference to success, Data. I've got the inoculants.
Scene: Bridge.
DATA: Excellent, Doctor. We still have seventeen minutes left. I will inform the away team immediately. Enterprise to Riker.
Scene: Great hall.
DATA: (OC) We are ready to have you beamed up, Commander.
RIKER: Data, Ramsey and the prisoners are with us in the Great Hall. I want you to lock the transporter. Prepare to evacuate the entire group.
Scene: Bridge.
RIKER: (OC) But for now, stand by.
DATA: Understood, Commander. (to Dana) I know why you are not effected, but how is that Lesley and Georda are not effected by this virus?
DANA: Well Data that is because we are from Wonderland and no one in Wonderland can get effected by something like this type of virus.
DATA: How is that possible?
DANA: It happens when we step through the looking glass.
DATA: Looking glass?
DANA: A mirror, Data, a mirror.
DATA: How can one step through a mirror?
DANA: I will explain later, Data.
Data kisses Dana.
Scene: Great hall.
Beata and the council enter.
BEATA: After careful consideration, this legislature has voted to stay the execution of the prisoners. Their children will be returned to them immediately. Do not rejoice prematurely. Ramsey and his followers are to be exiled to a distant and unpopulated region. Life will be difficult there with little time for revolutionary or evolutionary upheaval. As some have observed, we may be able to stop evolution, but perhaps we can reduce it to a slow crawl. For a man, you can be very clever, Commander Riker.
RIKER: Riker to Enterprise. Belay my previous order, Mister Data. There will now be only three to beam up. Energise.
Scene: Bridge.
Beverly greet the arrivals with an injection.
BEVERLY: Welcome home.
DEANNA: It's good to be back.
RIKER: Are they recovering?
BEVERLY: Slowly, but yes.
RIKER: And the Captain?
PICARD: (hoarse) The Captain is fine, thank you. Mister Data has been briefing me on the away team's comportment, Number One.
DEANNA: We improvised, sir.
PICARD: I look forward to your reports.
RIKER: Don't we have a call to pay on the Romulans, Captain?
PICARD: Indeed we do. Mister Data, set course for the Neutral Zone. Warp six.
DATA: Coordinates set. Warp six on your mark, sir.
PICARD: (inaudible) Engage.
DATA: Sir?
Picard glares at Riker.
RIKER: Engage.

Chapter 15
11001001

PICARD: (VO) Captain's log, stardate 41365.9. The Enterprise has been ordered to Starbase 74, in orbit around Tarsas Three. A routine maintenance check of all systems will be made, and certain upgrades completed, including the holodeck, with which we've had problems. I anticipate a glowing report. The ship has performed magnificently, beyond anyone's expectations.
Scene: Bridge.
Enterprise glides serenely through the big space doors, into Spacedock.
GEORDI: Coming into position.
RIKER: Stand by to dock.
DATA: Ready to dock, sir.
RIKER: Engage mooring beams and lock off.
GEORDI: Aye sir. (clunk) And docking complete.
PICARD: Thank you, Number One. Well done. And well done all.
Scene: Corridor.
COMPUTER: Starbase maintenance approaching airlock five.
The airlock door opens.
QUINTEROS: Commander Quinteros. Request permission to come aboard.
PICARD: Granted. Welcome.
QUINTEROS: Captain.
PICARD: Commander Riker.
The group head down the corridor, including a pair of 'mirror image' small humanoids.
QUINTEROS: Commander. You're late. We expected you a week ago.
RIKER: We were unexpectedly delayed at Omicron Pascal.
QUINTEROS: Is there anything specific you wish to report, or that we should be aware of?
PICARD: No. We are very pleased with the operation of the Enterprise.
QUINTEROS: I knew you would be - I was in charge of the team which put her together.
RIKER: And are these gentlemen the Bynars?
Scene: Engineering.
QUINTEROS: They're not gentlemen, or ladies, Commander. They are a unified pair. They're always together. This is One Zero. (device on left of head) And this is Zero One. (device on the right) They just finished upgrading the computers on the Wellington. Did a great job.
PICARD: Your reputation precedes you. I'm very pleased you're going to be improving our system.
ONE ZERO: It is a great pleasure
ZERO ONE: to work on such a large mobile computer.
PICARD: You have forty eight hours, because at forty eight plus six we have an appointment at Pelleus Five we must keep.
ZERO ONE: I thought we'd
ONE ZERO: have more time.
PICARD: I'm sorry. This mission can't be delayed. If you want to postpone the work?
ZERO ONE: Oh, no. This is
ONE ZERO: the best time
ZERO ONE: to do it.
ONE ZERO: We can complete
ZERO ONE: our work within the
ONE ZERO: time allotted.
QUINTEROS: They work very quickly, but it'll be very tight.
PICARD: Commander Riker and I will stay on board, be available should you need us.
QUINTEROS: Thank you, Captain. I don't think we'll need you until we're ready for inspection.
Scene: Corridor.
RIKER: The Bynars seem perfect for this. Even though this is the first time I've ever come in contact with them.
PICARD: As I understand it, over time they have become so interconnected with the master computer on their planet that their language, their thought patterns have become as close to binary as it's possible for organic beings.
RIKER: It'll be interesting to see how they improve a computer as advanced as ours.
Scene: Turbolift.
PICARD: Bridge. Well, I have a little work to finish up, then I'm going to my cabin. I'm going to put my feet up, I'm going to turn on my personal relaxation light and I'm going to lose myself in the pages of some old novel. What about you, Number One? You've earned a rest.
RIKER: I've never been very good at organising my time off. Something'll turn up. It always does.
Scene: Bridge.
There are four Bynars at a rear computer station. Wesley and Lesley are watching them as Riker and Picard enter.
PICARD: I'll be in my ready room. And Number One, good work.
RIKER: I thought there were only going to be two of you.
ONE ZERO: Because of the limited time allotted us
ZERO ONE: We need others
RIKER: Is there a problem?
ZERO ONE: No.
ONE ZERO: No. No problem.
RIKER: Then why are you acting so excited?
ZERO ONE: Because we have to
ONE ZERO: The stacking
ZERO ONE: To reconfigure the computer
ONE ZERO: To communicate with itself
ZERO ONE: More efficiently
ONE ZERO: And at higher speeds.
They turn back to their work.
WESLEY: You act like you don't believe them.
RIKER: I'm not sure that I do. Maybe it's probably nothing.
LESLEY: Perhaps it's just how another species behaves.
RIKER: Maybe. I'm going to stroll the ship. You two have got the Bridge. Keep your eye on them.
WESLEY & LESLEY: Yes, sir.
Scene: Corridor.
Tasha, Worf and two others are wearing vivid blue catsuits with knee and elbow pads.
TASHA: We've been challenged to a friendly game of Parrises Squares by some of the maintenance personnel. Want to join us on the starbase?
RIKER: You've already got all the players you need.
TASHA: We can switch off.
RIKER: No, you know if you do that in Parrises Squares you lose the rhythm of the game.
TASHA: I can't talk you into coming with us?
RIKER: No. But win, all right? The pride of the Enterprise goes with you.
WORF: Rest assured, Commander, we will be victorious. At whatever the cost.
RIKER: Worf, it's just a game. A little friendly competition, You work up a sweat, you have a few laughs, and you make new friends.
WORF: If winning is not important, then, Commander, why keep score?
TASHA: I think he's pulling your leg. Believe it or not, Worf is developing a sense of humour.
RIKER: I hope so, for their sake.
The team go down another corridor, then the lights go out. Riker activates panel 40271.
RIKER: Computer. There's a power reduction in section L-Ninety Four. Explain.
COMPUTER: Unoccupied sections are being closed down in order to clear space in the main computer banks. It is necessary to facilitate the system upgrade. Full power can be restored if needed.
Scene: Observation Lounge.
Data is painting an image on glass. Dana and Georda are with them.
GEORDI: Well, what do you think?
RIKER: Tell me what it's supposed to be, then I'll give you my opinion.
DATA: It is an attempt at pure creativity.
GEORDI: What we're investigating is, can Data be creative?
DATA: And this is my attempt, with guidance from Geordi.
GEORDI: I suggested the zylo eggs.
RIKER: Is that what those are?
RIKER: Keep notes. This project might turn out to be of interest to scholars in the future.
GEORDI: Really?
RIKER: Well of course. Think about it. A blind man teaching an android how to paint? That's got to be worth a couple of pages in somebody's book.
DANA: (after Riker leaves) I like it Data. You are a very good painter.
DATA: (as he has his arm around her and kisses her on the cheek) Thanks, angel.
DANA: You are welcome, sweetheart.
GEORDA: I, too like it Data.
GEORDI: Do you really princess?
GEORDA: Yes, I do.
DATA: Thanks, Georda.
GEORDA: You're welcome, Data.
Scene: Doctor's office.
RIKER: You look like you're packing to leave forever.
BEVERLY: Oh, Commander Riker. No, I'm just gathering my notes. Professor Terence Epstein is at this starbase.
RIKER: Is that someone I should know of?
BEVERLY: He's the leading mind in cybernetics. He lectured at my medical school. You know the disaster at Micromius?
Scene: Corridor.
BEVERLY: Well, since then I've been working on an approach that combines cybernetics and regeneration. It sounds impossible, I know, but I have found an approach which will work. I mean, what an opportunity. To have a chance to talk with Doctor Epstein. Sorry, Will, I'd love to chat, but I have to go.
Scene: Outside holodeck.
Bynars with a different style of clothes are working.
RIKER: How's it going?
ZERO ZERO: (left hand side) We are almost done.
ONE ONE: (right hand side) The deviation
ZERO ZERO: caused by a previous
ONE ONE: probe has been corrected
ZERO ZERO: You may use the equipment
ONE ONE: anytime you wish.
RIKER: How much has been changed? What exactly did you do?
ONE ONE: Enhancement.
ZERO ZERO: Nothing more.
They talk to each other in binary.
ZERO ZERO: Would you like to try
ONE ONE: the enhancement?
RIKER: All right. What should I choose? Computer, I'd like some place to play some music. A little atmosphere.
COMPUTER: Specify.
RIKER: Jazz.
COMPUTER: Era?
RIKER: Circa 1958.
COMPUTER: Location.
RIKER: Kansas City. No, wait. New Orleans. Bourbon Street Bar, New Orleans. Around two a.m.
COMPUTER: Programme complete. Enter when ready.
Scene: Holodeck.
A nightclub with a slightly raised stage, tables with candles for light.
RIKER: Very good. Very good indeed. Now I'll need someone to play with. A trio. Piano, bass and drums, and a 'bone for me.
The musicians appear.
RIKER: Now an audience. Whoa. Too many. I was thinking of something a little more intimate.
A single blonde in a red dress.
RIKER: Great job, boys. But, computer, blondes and jazz seldom go together. (a red-head) Now that is truly exceptional. But more sultry.
A brunette at the bar.
RIKER: Gentlemen, if this is what you call enhancement, you've got a gift for understatement.
The Bynars work on the internal controls as the band starts playing.
RIKER: What's your name? Tell me you love jazz.
MINUET: My name is Minuet and I love all jazz except Dixieland.
RIKER: Why not Dixieland?
MINUET: You can't dance to it.
RIKER: My girl. What's a knockout like you doing in a computer-generated gin joint like this?
MINUET: Waiting for you.
RIKER: Waiting for me? You can't be serious.
MINUET: Oh yes, Will. I've never been more serious in my life.
The Bynars leave.
Scene: Bridge.
WESLEY: Can I ask you a question about the Bynars?
QUINTEROS: Why not just ask them?
WESLEY: What is that high-speed sound you make?
ZERO ONE: That is our
ONE ZERO: primary language.
WESLEY: How can you process information at that speed?
ZERO ONE: We store the information
ONE ZERO: with these buffers.
On their belts.
ZERO ONE: We receive information
ONE ZERO: all the time
ZERO ONE: and save it
ONE ZERO: until we need it.
WESLEY: How did you happen to develop this ability?
ONE ZERO: It happened over
ZERO ONE: a long period of time.
WESLEY: To have a society so intermixed on computers has tremendous advantages.
ONE ZERO: And a few
ZERO ONE: disadvantages.
Picard enters.
PICARD: Everything under control, Ensign Crusher?
WESLEY: Fine, Captain. I was just trying to find something about the Bynars.
PICARD: Where's Commander Riker?
WESLEY: He's in holodeck four. Shall I call him for you, sir?
PICARD: No, I'll go down there myself. Keep me apprised.
WESLEY: Yes, sir.
Scene: Bourbon Street Bar.
Riker joins the band with his trombone, and serenades Minuet with 'the nearness of you.
BASS: Hey, man, the chick digs you.
RIKER: What makes you say that?
BASS: Hey, look at her.
RIKER: Maybe it's my music.
PIANO: Yeah, well, about that. Don't give up your day job.
RIKER: Too real.
BASS: You got that straight, Slim. Too real is too right.
RIKER: Thanks for letting me sit in.
PIANO: Ain't nothin' to it.
RIKER: I'm going to have to leave for a while to see to my duties.
MINUET: Your work's very important to you.
RIKER: It is me. It's what I am.
MINUET: Can we dance once before you leave?
RIKER: Sure, why not. (She snuggles in close) How did you learn to dance so well?
MINUET: From following you. I can anticipate your lead. So, tell me about your work. What is it about it that consumes and enthralls you?
RIKER: Interesting choice of words. That's exactly what it does.
MINUET: You're very fortunate.
RIKER: I know that.
MINUET: To be exactly where you want to be. And it's great that you realise it.
RIKER: I'd be a fool not to realise how lucky I am to be on this ship serving with these people. It's like a dream come true. Just like this.
MINUET: A dream? Is that what this is? Is that what I am?
RIKER: I know you are a computer-generated image, but your smell, your touch, the way you feel. Even the things you say and think seem so real.
MINUET: Thank you.
RIKER: How far can this relationship go? I mean, how real are you?
MINUET: As real as you need me to be.
They kiss for a long time, then the holodeck doors open and.
PICARD: Astounding.
RIKER: Captain.
PICARD: Oh, I'm sorry, Number One. I didn't mean to interrupt.
RIKER: No, it's all right. Come on in.
PICARD: You picked a wonderful locale. This is something I might have chosen myself.
MINUET: Aren't you going to introduce me?
RIKER: Captain Picard, this is Minuet. Minuet, Captain Jean-Luc Picard.
MINUET: Enchantee. Comme c'est merveilleux de vous voir ici.
PICARD: Incroyable! Vous etes Parisienne?
MINUET: Au fond, c'est vrai, nous sommes tous Parisiens.
PICARD: Oui, au fond, nous sommes tous Parisiens. The spirit of that city can always enchant my soul.
MINUET: I have been hoping to meet you.
PICARD: Oh. Have I been the subject of conversation?
MINUET: Indirectly. Come, join us, Jean-Luc. A glass of wine?
PICARD: Thank you.
MINUET: Will was saying how much he enjoys this assignment. It's a credit to you. For a ship and crew to function well it always starts with the Captain. You set the tone.
PICARD: At the moment, it's you who are setting the tone. The sophistication of this programming is remarkable.
MINUET: In what way?
PICARD: The holodeck has been able to give us woodlands and ski slopes, figures that fight and fictional characters with which we can interact, but you, you're very different. You adapt. You spoke to me in French.
MINUET: It was very simple. When I heard your name, I merely accessed the foreign language bank.
PICARD: That's very impressive.
MINUET: Oui, mon chou.
Scene: Observation Lounge.
Data is continuing to paint, or not to paint.
GEORDI: Now what are you doing?
DATA: I am awaiting inspiration.
WESLEY & LESLEY: (OC) Commander Data?
DATA: This is Commander Data. Go ahead, please.
Scene: Bridge.
WESLEY: Les and I are getting an indication of possible trouble in main Engineering, sir.
Scene: Observation lounge.
DATA: Can you be more specific?
Scene: Bridge.
WESLEY: I'm afraid not. I'm reading a problem with the magnetic containment field which contains the antimatter. Could you come up here?
Scene: Observation lounge.
GEORDI: We'll go to Engineering since that's where the trouble is. Wes, don't disturb the Captain or Commander Riker until we check this out.
Scene: Bridge.
WESLEY & LESLEY: Aye, sir.
Scene: Engineering.
GEORDI: Bridge, this is main Engineering.
WESLEY: (OC) This is the Bridge.
GEORDI: Are you running any test programs up there?
WESLEY: (OC) No.
GEORDI: Are the Bynars?
WESLEY: (OC) Not to my knowledge. Is there a problem?
GEORDI: I don't know. There's no one on duty here, and we're getting some very strange readings from the magnetic containment field.
DATA: The field is deteriorating. Contact the captain immediately. I am initiating Red Alert.
GEORDI: Data, I can't maintain the integrity of the containment field.
DATA: Engineering to Captain. (no reply) If the antimatter is released, the ship will be destroyed.
GEORDI: Nothing I do has any effect. I'm losing it. Data, I've rechecked every circuit. This is not a misread by the computer.
DATA: Computer, situation analysis.
COMPUTER: (male voice) Estimate release of antimatter in four minutes eighteen seconds. Seventeen seconds. Sixteen seconds.
DATA: Engineering to Bridge.
Scene: Bridge.
WESLEY: This is the bridge.
Scene: Engineering.
DATA: Alert starbase. Inform them we are abandoning the ship. Tell them why. Initiate automated sequence for departure. Set course and speed course and speed to put maximum distance between the Enterprise and any inhabited planets.
Scene: Bridge.
WESLEY: Shouldn't we wait for the Captain's approval?
DATA: (OC) There is no time.
Scene: Engineering.
DATA: Based on all information presently available, the decision is correct. This is Lieutenant Commander Data speaking for the Captain. Abandon ship. This is not a drill. All personnel. This is not a drill. (around the ship) I say again, abandon ship. All personnel, this is not a drill.
Scene: Bridge.
DATA: (OC) Abandon ship.
Scene: Corridor.
People are walking briskly, but not running. Well, some are running.
COMPUTER: Decks two through four to cargo transporters. Decks five through ten, proceed to transporters one, two, three and four. Decks six through sixteen, proceed to transporters five, six, seven, eight, nine and ten.
Scene: Transporter room.
The queue is back into the corridor and Wesley, Lesley and a couple of children and parents beam out.
CHIEF: Hold your positions please. Prepare to energise. And energise.
COMPUTER: Decks seventeen through twenty eight proceed to transporters eleven, twelve, thirteen and fourteen.
Scene: Airlock.
COMPUTER: Decks twenty nine through forty two, proceed to transporters fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen and twenty. This is not a drill. This is not a drill.
Scene: Starbase Command Centre.
Tasha and Worf enter. Beverly is already there with Quinteros.
WORF: What's going on?
QUINTEROS: Please stand out of the way.
BEVERLY: The Enterprise is being evacuated.
WORF: Why?
BEVERLY: Some problem in Engineering.
TASHA: Get a Security team together.
WORF: Aye, Lieutenant.
DATA: (VO) Ship's log, supplemental. This is Lieutenant Commander Data. I have put the ship on automated departure and ordered the complete evacuation of the Enterprise. Everyone remaining is leaving on foot or beaming off.
Scene: Bridge.
DATA: Computer, where are the Captain and Commander Riker?
COMPUTER: (female) All decks empty.
DATA: Curious. The Captain is usually the last to leave.
GEORDI: Let's go. We've only got forty one seconds.
They step into the turbolift with Dana and Georda.
GEORDI: I think we're the last.
DATA: I hope we are.
Scene: Starbase Command Centre.
Data, Dana, Geordi and Georda beam in.
WORF: Did you see the Captain and Commander Riker?
DATA: No. Are they not here on Starbase?
TASHA: No, we thought
GEORDI: You mean they're still on the Enterprise?
WORF: Yes. Sir, where is your transporter room?
DATA: We have to beam back and get them.
QUINTEROS: You haven't time.
STARBASE: This is Starbase 74. The Enterprise magnetic field is regenerating.
GEORDI: Wait a minute. How is that possible?
STARBASE: Unknown.
TASHA: That changes nothing. The Captain and Commander Riker must be in trouble, or they'd be here.
QUINTEROS: Look. Your ship is almost clear.
Enterprise gracefully backs out of the space doors and warps away.
Scene: Holodeck.
The only red here is Minuet's dress. Riker and Minuet are staring into each other's eyes.
MINUET: And the boy never found out?
RIKER: Oh, yes, but not until later when he came back into the room with his little sister.
MINUET: I'll bet both of them were all smiles.
RIKER: Yes, but by that time both of them had been found out.
MINUET: You handled that in a very thoughtful way. You're very good with people. Don't you agree, Jean-Luc?
PICARD: She's so very different from the images we've experienced on the holodeck, isn't she? She's more intuitive.
RIKER: It's as though she's been plugged into my subconscious. She already knows what I want her to say before I'm aware of it myself.
PICARD: I suppose it's an understandable progression. Computers make decisions based on inputs and we humans give off a multitude of subtle signs that communicate our emotions.
RIKER: It's uncanny. I could develop feelings for Minuet, exactly as I would for any woman.
PICARD: Doesn't love always begin that way? With the illusion being more real than the woman?
MINUET: Oh, Jean-Luc, spoken like a true Frenchman.
PICARD: Well, I think I'll be leaving.
MINUET: Oh, don't go.
PICARD: Two's company.
MINUET: We have time. There's no rush. I'd really like it if you would stay.
RIKER: Yes, Captain, stay.
PICARD: This is your diversion, Number One, not mine.
MINUET: Wait! We haven't danced.
PICARD: I don't dance.
MINUET: Then some more wine.
PICARD: No, thank you.
MINUET: Wait! Please! Please, don't go. You can't. Not yet.
RIKER: Why? What's the matter? Why can't he leave?
PICARD: Exit!
The holodeck doors open and they seen and hear the Red Alert. Picard goes to the arch controls.
PICARD: Captain to Bridge. Situation report.
RIKER: Riker to Bridge.
PICARD: Computer, explain Red Alert.
COMPUTER: Initiated as a programmed response. The magnetic field containing the antimatter had weakened. There was no fail-safe available.
PICARD: Why wasn't I notified?
COMPUTER: Unknown.
PICARD: Present condition?
COMPUTER: The magnetic field is now restored. Containment is restored. Propulsion is at maximum efficiency.
PICARD: Locate Lieutenant Commander Data.
COMPUTER: Not on board the Enterprise.
PICARD: Explain.
COMPUTER: All Enterprise personnel except the Captain and First Officer have been evacuated.
PICARD: Evacuated? Was the condition that critical?
COMPUTER: Yes.
RIKER: Are we still docked at the starbase?
COMPUTER: No.
PICARD: Position report.
COMPUTER: Coordinates four one five nine point two six by eight one nine two one by three one two. Heading two three three mark four five.
PICARD: Destination?
COMPUTER: Planet Bynaus in the Beta Magellan system.
RIKER: The Bynars.
PICARD: Am I to understand the Bynars have stolen the Enterprise?
COMPUTER: That information is not available.
PICARD: It's the Bynars, and you're part of this.
MINUET: Yes.
RIKER: They made you the lure to keep me here. They programmed you while I was relaxing.
MINUET: Yes. When they saw your interest in me, they thought I could distract you and keep you here.
PICARD: That explains, Riker. What about me?
MINUET: Your being here was just a fortunate happenstance.
RIKER: Why do they want with me?
PICARD: What do they want with the Enterprise? What's their purpose?
MINUET: I'm not programmed to give you that information.
PICARD: Come on, Number One. We've got to regain control of our ship.
Scene: Starbase Command Centre.
GEORDI: Okay, so what do we do?
DATA: Which is the nearest Starfleet vessel?
QUINTEROS: The Trieste.
DATA: I know the Trieste. Too small, too slow.
QUINTEROS: Plus it's sixty six hours away.
DATA: Where are the Bynars?
QUINTEROS: I haven't seen them.
DATA: They are obviously still aboard. Another Starfleet vessel must be sent to intercept the Enterprise at Bynaus. They might be taking the ship to their home planet.
QUINTEROS: What makes you think so?
DATA: It is the best place for us to start.
Scene: Corridor.
PICARD: (to computer) Picard. Access.
Picard and Riker enter the Weapons Room.
PICARD: (VO) Captain's log, supplemental. We now know who has commandeered the Enterprise. The Bynars. We can't communicate with the Bridge. Commander Riker and I will now try to regain control of our ship.
Scene: Corridor.
PICARD: This way.
RIKER: That's toward Engineering.
PICARD: That's our first stop. Verify containment and initiate auto-destruct.
RIKER: Initiate auto-destruct?
PICARD: Our ship has been commandeered by a force of unknown size and intent. We're here alone. We must assume the worst.
Scene: Engineering.
PICARD: If we don't regain control, then no one else must have it either. Now, this is the one decision involving the operation of this vessel which requires you and I to be in total agreement.
RIKER: It's the time allotted that concerns me.
PICARD: As to that, there's no option.
RIKER: I know. It's a five minute countdown.
PICARD: That's sufficient to get to the Bridge. Once there, either we'll get control of the ship and shut off the auto-destruct, or we won't. This vessel must not fall into hostile hands.
RIKER: Then let's set it and get going.
They place their hands on computer screens.
COMPUTER: (male) Recognise Picard, Jean-Luc, Captain. Recognise Riker, William T, Commander.
PICARD: Set auto-destruct sequence.
COMPUTER: Does the First Officer concur?
RIKER: Yes. Set auto-destruct sequence. Now.
COMPUTER: Auto-destruct will detonate in four minutes and fifty-nine seconds.
PICARD: The only place we can stop this is on the Bridge. Let's go.
Riker spots strange symbols flashing across a wall display.
RIKER: What do you make of this, sir?
PICARD: An enormous amount of data is being received and stored in the main computer.
RIKER: Just stored. Why?
PICARD: It's another piece to of puzzle.
Scene: Outside Turbolift.
COMPUTER: Bridge access denied.
PICARD: They've locked it off. We must find another way to get in.
RIKER: One of us could beam into the Bridge.
PICARD: No, it takes several seconds to materialise. You wouldn't stand a chance.
RIKER: I could beam into the turbolift, force the doors, take them by surprise.
PICARD: No, we'll both beam in simultaneously in two different areas of the Bridge. With luck one of us will be a distraction.
RIKER: There must be only four minutes left.
Scene: Starbase Command Centre.
GEORDI: Still no response from the Enterprise.
WORF: They would answer if they could. Someone else has control of the ship.
DATA: Do you think I am responsible?
GEORDI: Responsible? How could you possibly have known?
DATA: My station is on the Bridge.
GEORDI: You can't be on the Bridge every second, Data.
DATA: You are wrong, Geordi. I can. I do not need rest or diversion. I should not have been painting. I was negligent.
TASHA: It's a pointless discussion, Data. You could have been on the Bridge and it still might have happened.
LESLEY: How true that is.
TASHA: Commander Quinteros, you have three ships in here. We need one of them now.
QUINTEROS: We're rushing repairs on the USS Melbourne, but it's still eighteen hours until she'll be ready. There's nothing else you can do.
Scene: Transporter Room.
PICARD: Set coordinates for main Bridge. Port forward for me and aft for you.
RIKER: You're on pad two. I've set a ten second delay.
PICARD: Set phasers on stun. Number One, good luck.
Scene: Bridge.
Picard and Riker beam in but there is no resistance. The four Bynars are lying propped up against each other, and do not seem well.
RIKER: Over here, Captain.
PICARD: Why did you steal my ship?
ONE ZERO: Please try to
ZERO ONE: help us.
They pass out again. The Enterprise enters planetary orbit as the countdown passes two minutes.
PICARD: Cancel auto-destruct.
COMPUTER: (male) Does the First Officer agree?
RIKER: Affirmative.
COMPUTER: Auto-destruct cancelled.
RIKER: We're in orbit around Bynaus. How are they?
PICARD: They appear dead. Let's see if we can get some answers from Bynaus.
RIKER: Their main computer is off. All sensors reveal that all of the equipment on the planet is inert. They can neither receive nor send any messages.
PICARD: What about all the people in that world who are totally dependant on their computer? Are they still functioning?
RIKER: They're probably like these Bynars here. Dying. What is this all about? Why did they steal the ship and bring it here? What is their purpose?
PICARD: They went to an awful lot of trouble to clear computer space. Let's see what they've stored.
RIKER: Captain, it's enormous. Every byte of free space in the computer has been filled. They must have made a core-dump from their world to our computer. I can't get in. I wish they'd left a note.
PICARD: Maybe they did.
RIKER: Minuet.
PICARD: Maybe.
Scene: Bourbon Street Bar.
Minuet comes back to 'life' when they arrive at the table.
RIKER: Tell me what this is all about.
MINUET: A star in the Bynar system went supernova and they miscalculated. The electromagnetic pulse from the explosion was going to knock out their main computer.
PICARD: So their only choice was to transfer all the stored information and shut down until after it passed. And then reactivate their system and transfer the information back to this main computer.
RIKER: The Enterprise has the only mobile computer large enough to handle all that information.
PICARD: So what went wrong? Why are they dying?
MINUET: The star went supernova before it was expected, and you were late arriving at Starbase 74.
PICARD: Why didn't they say something? Why didn't they just ask for help?
MINUET: I don't know. I don't have those answers.
PICARD: Is there anything we can do?
MINUET: Yes. Return the data stored on the Enterprise's computer back to the one on Bynaus.
RIKER: How can we do that?
MINUET: You don't know?
RIKER: Yes. If we had the file name. But we don't. Do you?
MINUET: I don't know what you're talking about.
PICARD: They wouldn't intentionally hide it or make it difficult for us to find. It must be right in front of our faces.
RIKER: We should call Starbase 74, and see if anyone can decipher this.
MINUET: They're dying. They meant you no harm. It was their world they were trying to save. Help them, Will. Hurry. Please.
Scene: Bridge.
PICARD: Starbase 74, this is the Enterprise. Do you read me?
Scene: Starbase Command Centre.
QUINTEROS: This is Starbase 74. Captain Picard, what is your situation?
Scene: Bridge.
PICARD: We'll go into that later. Right now I must speak to Lieutenant Commander Data.
DATA: (OC) I am here, sir.
PICARD: Data, the Bynars have stored an enormous amount of material in our computer. We need to access it. We can't.
Scene: Starbase Command Centre.
DATA: The access would be available by code or password.
Scene: Bridge.
PICARD: Yes, I know that, Data, but what could it be?
Scene: Starbase Command Centre.
DATA: File names can be anything, sir.
Scene: Bridge.
PICARD: They want us to find it. They would have kept it simple.
Scene: Starbase Command Centre.
DATA: Then a name, or a place. It could be something personal. In this case, in binary language, which is ones and zeros in groups of eight or sixteen characters.
Scene: Bridge.
PICARD: (pointing at the pile of Bynars) Would they have kept it that simple? Try it. Picard out.
The computer searches the combinations of 1 and 0 to get to 11001001.
RIKER: That's the file. It'll work now.
PICARD: Now access the file. Start the transfer.
Scene: Access denied.
RIKER: So much for that idea.
PICARD: Let me get on the other position. The Bynars always work in pairs. Maybe that is also required. It appears to be successful. Their system's started up. A resident diagnostic programme is running. Their system is absolutely incredible.
The Bynars wake up, get up and access the nearest console.
ZERO ONE: Our world
ONE ZERO: is reactivated.
ZERO ONE: Our people
ONE ZERO: express their gratitude.
ZERO ZERO: We will return to
ONE ONE: your starbase for whatever
ZERO ZERO: punishment your system
ONE ONE: requires of us.
PICARD: Why didn't you just ask for our help?
They discuss it amongst themselves.
ZERO ONE: You might have
ONE ZERO: said no.
RIKER: But there was a very good chance we would have said yes.
ZERO ZERO: Our need was too great
ONE ONE: to risk rejection.
PICARD: So you stole it.
RIKER: Their reason is part of their binary thinking. For them there are only two choices. One or zero. Yes or no. Why did you lure me to the holodeck and hold me there.
ONE ZERO: Because we knew we might die.
ZERO ONE: And we needed someone
ONE ZERO: to restore our computer.
ZERO ONE: And you did.
PICARD: No one has been hurt. You have achieved your objective. You have your planet back in order. We have our ship. Well, it's been some time since I had the conn. But not to worry, Number One, you're in good hands. Starbase 74, warp two. Engage. Everything's under control.
Scene: Starbase Command Centre.
COMPUTER: USS Enterprise has cleared the starbase perimeter.
And she docks once again.
Scene: Bridge.
BEVERLY: Is everything all right?
PICARD: We're fine. Everything is in order. But now, I want a complete check, all systems, all divisions.
TASHA: What about the Bynars?
PICARD: Turn them over to Quinteros. There will be a hearing.
ZERO ONE: We understood that
ONE ZERO: would happen.
TASHA: Follow me, please.
RIKER: While these things are being checked, permission to leave the Bridge, sir.
PICARD: Permission granted.
Scene: Bourbon Street Bar.
RIKER: What is a knockout like you doing in a computer generated gin joint like this?
But it is a different woman who turns and smiles at him.
RIKER: You're not Minuet.
Scene: Bridge.
RIKER: She's gone. I tried variations of the programme, others appeared, but not Minuet.
PICARD: Maybe it was all part of the Bynar's programming. But you know, Number One, some relationships just can't work.
RIKER: Yes, probably true. She'll be difficult to forget.