Star Trek: Insurrection (1998) - full transcript
While on a mission to observe the peaceful Ba'ku race, Lt. Commander Data suddenly behaves as if having to fear for his existence. The immortal Ba'ku, whose planet offers regenerative radiation and therefore incredible lifespans, live in harmony with nature and reject advanced technology. Their planet and their culture is secretly researched by the Federation associated with an alien race called the Son'a. But the Son'a intend to abduct the Ba'ku in order to take the planet for themselves and for the Starfleet officials who all would like to regenerate their bodies. But they did not think of the loyalty of Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the crew of the Enterprise-E to the Prime Directive.
There he is! Let's get him.
Come on.
Verifying materialization
sequence.
Bring up resolution
on radar unit 12.
- Area 7 to command.
- Go ahead.
We could use another
survey team out here, sir.
Base to ensign mccauley
and ensign gilles.
Please report to area 7 and
assist the edaphology team.
Acknowledged.
Transferring anthropometric data
files to secondary processor.
- Ethnographic studies indicate 97%...
- The ecological analysis...
Still working on correlating
that unidentified...
The comparative linguistic
analysis is complete, sir.
Admiral dougherty is waiting for this.
Transmit it to the ship.
Alert! Area 12!
- The android, he's out of control.
- Report.
He's headed toward the village.
We're trying to stop him.
Over there!
Magnify.
Hold your fire.
What is it? What's happening?
Base to commander data.
Rerouting micro-hydraulic
power distribution.
- Regulating thermal overload.
- Data, report to base immediately!
Transferring positronic matrix functions.
Engaging secondary protocol.
He's trying to remove
the headpiece.
All field units,
intercept the android.
Artim, artim, it's all right.
Get inside. Now.
Find shelter. Everyone, get inside.
Now. Back to your homes! Move it!
Now! Move!
Secondary protocol is active.
- They can see him.
- Stop him! Now!
Commander data, stand down. That's
an order! I repeat, stand down!
Who are they?
It's an m-class planet.
Population, 300 million.
- Say the greeting again.
- Yew-cheen chef-faw.
Emphasis on the "cheen"
and the "faw."
You either need a new
uniform or a new neck.
My collar size is exactly
as it was at the academy.
Of course it is.
Our guests have arrived.
They are eating the floral
arrangements on the banquet tables.
I guess they don't believe
in cocktails before dinner.
Oh, my god! Are they vegetarian?
That's not in there.
Perhaps we should have the chef whip
up a light balsamic vinaigrette,
something that goes well
with chrysanthemums.
- Bridge to captain picard.
- Go ahead, ensign.
Command wants to know our
eta at the goren system.
The goren system?
They need us to mediate
some territorial dispute.
No, no.
We can't delay the archeological
expedition to hanoran ii.
That'll put us right in the
middle of the monsoon season.
- Captain.
- Thank you.
The diplomatic corps is busy
with dominion negotiations.
Yes. So they need us to put
out one more brush fire.
Can anyone remember when
we used to be explorers?
- Deck 10.
- Yew-cheen chef-faw.
Remember, they have a significantly
less advanced technology than ours.
They only achieved
Warp drive last year.
And the federation council decided to
make them a protectorate so quickly.
In view of our losses to
the borg and the dominion,
the council feels we need all the
allies we can get these days.
Captain on deck.
You'll be expected to dance
with the regent cuzar.
- Can she mambo?
- Very funny.
The captain used to
cut quite a rug.
La forge to picard.
Captain, I need to talk to
you before the reception.
- Captain. Doctor.
- Mr. worf!
- Worf.
- What the hell are you doing here?
- I was at the manzar colony...
- He's a little late, geordi.
- Can it wait?
- I don't think so.
Excuse me. Tell him
that I'm already here,
and I'll talk to him when he arrives.
Mr. worf, I have...
Geordi, the captain would
like you to come up here.
Tell him we've received a communiqué
from admiral dougherty. It's about data.
Yew-cheen chef-faw, regent cuzar.
Welcome aboard the enterprise.
Captain picard,
may I welcome you in the
time-honored tradition of my people?
We are so honored to be accepted
within the great federation family.
- We have a dance later, I believe.
- I look forward to it.
- Counselor.
- Nice bead work.
Captain. Excuse me. Captain.
Captain, admiral dougherty is
aboard a son'a ship in sector 441.
- He's requesting data's schematics.
- Is something wrong?
The message doesn't say.
Data should have
been back by now.
They were only scheduled to observe
the ba'ku village for one week.
Geordi, would you set
up a secure comm link
- with the admiral in the anteroom?
- Aye, sir.
Captain, hars adislo.
We met at the nel bato
conference last year.
Did you ever have a
chance to read my paper
on thermionic transconductance?
Would you excuse me?
He's not acknowledging
any starfleet protocols,
not responding to
any of our hails.
Have you any idea what
precipitated this behavior?
None. Now he's holding our
people hostage down there.
Well, the enterprise could be at
your position in two days, admiral.
That's probably not a good idea.
Your ship hasn't been
fitted for this region.
There are environmental
concerns.
What kind of concerns?
We haven't fully identified
the anomalies yet.
They're calling this whole
area the briar patch.
Took us a day to
reach a location
where we could even
get a signal to you.
Just get me data's schematics. I'll
keep you informed. Dougherty out.
- His emotion chip?
- He didn't take it with him.
- Send the admiral data's schematics.
- Aye, sir.
- Yes, sir?
- Ensign, would you report to the galley
and tell the chef to
skip the fish course?
Aye, sir.
I would like our guests to depart
as soon as etiquette allows.
I'm going to ask worf to delay his
return to ds9 so that he can join us.
We're gonna stop by sector 441
on our way to the goren system.
- They are in opposite directions, sir.
- Are they?
I never should have let you talk me into
that duck blind in the first place.
Your federation procedures
have made this mission
ten times as difficult
as it needed to be.
Our procedures were in place to
protect the planet's population
from unnecessary risk.
Planet's population, 600 people.
If you want to avoid unnecessary risks,
next time, leave your android at home.
Bridge to ahdar ru'afo. We
are approaching the planet.
Take us into a high orbit.
Lie down, admiral. The girls'll
take 20 years off your face.
- Another time, perhaps.
- Your self-restraint puzzles me, admiral.
You continue to deny yourself every
benefit this mission has to offer.
I prefer to wait until we
can share the benefits
with all the people
of the federation.
- Report.
- Phaser blast. Unknown origin.
Raise shields.
- Take us out of orbit.
- Photon torpedoes. Brace for impact.
- The vessel has broken off pursuit, sir.
- Visual contact.
That's our ship.
Captain, we're about to lose all
communications with starfleet.
Do you have everything
you need from command?
I've downloaded all the files
on the duck blind mission
- and the son'a.
- You have two days to become experts.
Mr. worf, our job is to come up
with a plan to safely capture data.
I've already had commander la
forge modify this tricorder
with one of data's
actuation servos.
Its operational range is only 4
meters, but it Will shut him down.
Good to have you back, Mr. worf.
Slow to one-third. Take us in.
Half a century ago, they
conquered two primitive races,
the tarlac and the ellora,
and then integrated them into
their culture as a labor class.
Look at this.
The son'a are known
to have produced
mass quantities of the
narcotic ketracel-white.
Their ships are rumored
to be equipped
with isolytic subspace weapons
outlawed by the second
khitomer accord.
Why would we be involved
with these people?
Good question.
- You haven't done that in a long time.
- What?
- What you're doing to my neck.
- Was I doing something to your neck?
Bridge to commander worf.
- Worf!
- Captain.
I don't know how they do
it on deep space nine,
but on the enterprise, we still
report for duty on time.
- Sorry, sir. I'm on my way.
- We'll skip the court-martial this time.
Picard out.
When was the last time we
aligned the torque sensors?
- Two months ago, sir.
- They don't sound right.
The torque sensors are out
of alignment by 12 microns.
You could hear that?
When I was an ensign, I could
detect a three-micron misalignment.
Excuse me, sir. The son'a ship
with admiral dougherty aboard
has entered tracking range.
Straighten your baldric, commander.
On screen.
Captain, I wasn't expecting you.
This is too important for the enterprise
to be on the sidelines, admiral.
I wish I had better news.
Commander data attacked us in a
mission Scout ship yesterday.
Ru'afo and I have decided
to send in an assault team.
Commander worf and I are working on
several tactical plans to see...
Your android has turned
dangerously violent, captain.
Considerable damage was done to my ship.
He must be destroyed.
I know what data means
to starfleet, Jean-Luc,
but our crew is at the mercy
of those people on the planet.
If our first attempt
to capture data fails,
I Will terminate him.
I should be the one to do it.
I'm his captain and his friend.
All right, you have 12 hours, captain.
Then I want you out of the briar patch.
In the meantime, we'll
head out to the perimeter
to call for son'a reinforcements
in case you fail.
- Understood.
- Good luck, captain. Dougherty out.
Sensors are not picking up any
ships coming from the surface.
Transmit a wideband covariant signal.
That ought to get his attention.
He must be using the planet's
rings to mask his approach.
The metaphasic radiation from the
rings is in a state of extreme flux.
We'll steer clear of those.
Come out, come out,
wherever you are.
Sir?
That's something
that my mother...
Hold on.
Open all hailing frequencies.
Data, this is captain picard.
Data, please respond.
If we fire tachyon bursts,
it might force him to reset
his shield harmonics.
- When he does, we can beam him out.
- Make it so.
Direct hit. He's resetting
his shield harmonics.
Beam him out.
- He has activated a transport inhibitor.
- Prepare to enter the atmosphere.
We'll use the ionospheric
boundary to shake him.
Scanners are off-line.
Evasive maneuvers,
heading 1-4-0 Mark 3-1.
He can fly a ship. He can
anticipate tactical strategies.
Clearly his brain
is functioning.
We've seen how he responds to threats.
I wonder how he would respond...
Mr. worf, do you know
Gilbert and Sullivan?
No, sir, I have not had a chance
to meet all the new crew members
since I have been back.
They're composers, worf,
from the 19th century.
Data was rehearsing a production of h.M.S.
Pinafore just before he left.
A British tar is a soaring soul.
As free as a mountain bird.
His energetic fist should
be ready to resist.
A dictatorial word.
Sing, worf, sing.
His nose should pant.
And his lip should curl.
His cheeks should flame.
And his brow should furl.
His bosom should heave.
And his heart should glow.
And his fist be ever ready
for a knockdown blow.
His nose should pant and
his lip should curl.
His cheeks should flame
and his brow should furl.
His bosom should heave and
his heart should glow.
And his fist be ever ready
for a knockdown blow.
Prepare the docking clamps.
His eyes should flash
with an inborn fire.
His brow with scorn be wrung.
He never should bow down
to a domineering frown.
- Or the tang of a tyrant tongue.
- Or the tang of a tyrant tongue.
His heart should stamp.
And his throat should growl.
His hair should curl.
And his face should scowl.
His eyes should flash.
And his breast protrude.
And this should be his
customary attitude.
His foot should stamp and
his throat should growl.
His hair should curl
and his face...
Inertial coupling is
exceeding tolerance.
If we do not release him, he
may destroy both vessels.
I'm not letting go of him.
- We must stabilize the damping field.
- Reroute emergency power
to inertial dampers.
The auto-sequencer was
damaged by phaser fire.
Transferring controls to manual.
Power sequence realigned.
Engaging stabilizers.
- Damping field established.
- Maximum power.
Now, Mr. worf.
Captain, commander data
is safely in custody.
Captain, subahdar
gallatin, son'a command.
Lieutenant Curtis, attaché
to admiral dougherty.
- Are you all right?
- We've been treated extremely well.
They have incredible mental
discipline, clarity of perception.
- My name is sojef.
- Jean-Luc picard.
These are my officers, Dr.
crusher, counselor troi.
- Would you like something to eat?
- No, we're here to rescue them.
As you wish, but I would ask
you to disarm yourselves.
This village is a
sanctuary of life.
Prepare the hostages for
transport to the ship.
They should be quarantined before
joining the ship's population.
We were under the impression they
were being held against their Will.
It's not our custom to
have guests here at all,
let alone hold anyone
against their Will.
The artificial life-form would
not allow them to leave.
In fact, he told us they were our
enemies and that more would follow.
- Are you our enemy?
- Anij.
My people have a strict policy of
non-interference in other cultures.
It's our prime directive.
Your directive apparently doesn't
include spying on other cultures.
The artificial life-form
is a member of my crew.
Apparently, he was taken ill.
There was a phase variance
in his positronic matrix
which we were unable to repair.
I think the captain finds
it hard to believe
that we'd have any skills
repairing a positronic device.
Our technological abilities
are not apparent
because we have chosen not to
employ them in our daily lives.
We believe that when you create a
machine to do the work of a man,
you take something
away from the man.
But at one time, we explored
the galaxy, just as you do.
- You have Warp capability?
- Capability, yes.
But where can Warp drive take
us except away from here?
I apologize for our intrusion.
And because they have
Warp capability,
the consequences to their
society Will be minimal.
You've done a terrific
job, Jean-Luc.
Now pack your bags and get
the hell out of there.
How's data?
In stasis. La forge is
completing the diagnostic.
I'll need all your paperwork tomorrow.
We're heading back your way.
Set a course to
rendezvous with us,
so you can transfer the crew
and equipment on your way out.
You're not finished here?
Just a few loose ends to tie up.
Dougherty out.
Come in.
- Hi.
- You got a minute?
Sure.
I need a little counseling.
Well, there's a first
time for everything.
So, do I lie down or what?
Well, whatever makes
you comfortable,
but this isn't one of the
usual therapeutic postures.
- But it is comfortable.
- Why don't you try sitting up?
Why don't you try lying down?
Well, you're in
quite a mood today.
Do you really need counseling or
did you come down here to play?
- I think I'm having a midlife crisis.
- I believe you.
I'm not sleeping well.
Dr. crusher has something
that can take care of that.
What I need, I can't get from Dr.
crusher.
Counselor, do you think it's possible
for two people to go back in time,
fix a mistake they've made?
On this ship,
anything's possible.
- Yuck!
- Yuck?
- I never kissed you with a beard before.
- I kiss you and you say "yuck"?
I had to reconstruct data's
neural net and replace these.
They contain memory engrams.
- How were they damaged?
- By a son'a weapon.
There's no doubt about it, captain.
That's what caused data to malfunction.
But the son'a report claims
that they didn't fire
until after he malfunctioned.
Well, I don't believe
it happened that way.
Why would they fire on
him without provocation?
All I know is that he was functioning
normally until he was shot.
Then his fail-safe
system was activated.
Fail-safe?
His ethical and moral subroutines
took over all of his basic functions.
But you're saying that he
still knew the difference
between right and wrong.
In a sense, that's all he knew.
The system is designed
to protect data
against anyone who might try to
take advantage of his memory loss.
And yet he attacked us, and he told
the ba'ku that we were a threat.
- Are the implants bothering you?
- I'm all right. I think I'm just tired.
- Geordi? Captain?
- You're on the enterprise, data.
I seem to be missing
several memory engrams.
There they are.
Data, what's the last
thing that you remember?
His nose should pant and
his lips should curl.
From the mission.
I was in an isolation suit
gathering physiometric
data on the ba'ku.
My last memory is going into the
hills following some children.
Artim, do you remember where you
were on the day of lightning
when the artificial
life-form appeared to us?
- In the hills by the dam.
- Can you show us?
There is no reason to fear me.
I am now operating within
normal parameters.
- What?
- They fixed me.
- Captain, the boy is afraid of me.
- It's nothing personal, data.
You have to remember, these
people have rejected technology.
I am the personification of
everything they have rejected.
Until this week, that young man
probably never saw a machine,
let alone one that
walks and talks.
Bridge to riker.
Can I get back to you, Mr. worf?
Admiral dougherty is
on the comm link, sir.
Patch him through. Yes, admiral?
Why haven't you left orbit?
Captain picard is still
on the surface, sir.
Doing what?
He didn't want to leave until
we could adequately explain
why data malfunctioned.
His future in starfleet
could depend on it.
Remind the captain
his 12 hours are up.
- Yes, sir.
- Dougherty out.
Your body is producing
far too many toxins.
We've reached the limit
of genetic manipulation.
I won't need anymore
genetic manipulation
if our federation friends Will
allow us to complete this mission.
Tricorder functions are limited
due to heavy deposits of
kelbonite in these hills.
How about a passive
radiation scan?
Curious.
There appear to be strong neutrino
emissions coming from the lake.
- Can he breathe underwater?
- Data doesn't breathe.
- Won't he rust?
- No.
Captain! Captain!
I believe I know what is causing
the neutrino emissions.
The vessel is clearly
federation in origin, captain.
"Just a few loose
ends to tie up."
- We're not interested in such things.
- I am.
I think it would be
wiser if you didn't...
I'm going with you.
It is a holographic projection.
Incomplete, I might add.
What you're seeing is a
computer-driven image
created by photons
and force fields.
I know what a
hologram is, captain.
The question is, why would anyone
want to create one of our village?
Data, if you were following the
children and discovered this ship...
It is conceivable, I was shot to
protect the secret of its existence.
Why would they duplicate this village
except to deceive the ba'ku?
- Deceive us?
- To move you off this planet.
You go to sleep one
night in the village,
wake up the next morning
on this flying holodeck,
transported en masse.
Within a few days,
they're relocated on a similar
planet without ever realizing it.
Why would the federation or the
son'a wish to move the ba'ku?
I don't know.
Computer, end program.
Decloak the vessel.
Help! I can't swim!
Don't panic.
I've been shot at,
thrown into the lake out of a
ship that's come to abduct us.
What's there to panic about?
In the event of a water landing,
I have been designed to serve
as a floatation device.
Mr. worf, did the hostages mention
anything about a cloaked ship
during their debriefing?
- No, sir.
- Debrief them again.
- Have you been in a fight, Mr. worf?
- No, sir. It is a gorch.
A gorch?
A pimple, sir.
Well, it's hardly noticeable.
Smooth as an android's
bottom, eh, data?
I beg your pardon, sir?
Admiral dougherty wants to
know why we haven't left yet.
We're not going anywhere.
Deck 5.
You klingons never do
anything small, do you?
Dr. crusher asked to speak
to you when you returned.
- Picard to crusher.
- Captain.
The son'a hostages
declined to be examined.
I had them confined to quarters.
- And our people?
- They're fine.
In fact, they're
better than fine.
Increased metabolism, improved
muscle tone, high energy.
We should all be so lucky.
Very well, doctor. Picard out.
Worf, don't release the son'a officers
till I've talked to ahdar ru'afo.
Aye, sir.
Commander, may I...
Computer, music.
- No. Not that, something Latin.
- Specify.
The mambo.
That's more like it.
How old are you?
We came here from a solar system
on the verge of self-annihilation,
where technology had created weapons
that threatened to destroy all life.
A small group of us set
off to find a new home,
a home that would be isolated
from the threats of other worlds.
That was 309 years ago.
And you haven't aged
a day since then.
Actually, I was a good deal
older when we arrived,
in terms of my
physical condition.
There's an unusual
metaphasic radiation
coming from the planet's rings.
It continuously regenerates
our genetic structure.
- You must've noticed the effects by now.
- We've just begun to.
- I suppose you're 75.
- No, I'm 12.
The metaphasic radiation
won't begin to affect him
until he reaches maturity.
To most off-landers, what you
have here is more valuable than
gold-pressed latinum.
I'm afraid that's the
reason that someone
may be trying to take
your world away from you.
The artificial
life-form was right.
If it were not for data, it's probable
that you would be relocated by now.
How can we possibly
defend ourselves?
The moment we pick up a weapon,
we become one of them.
- We lose everything we are.
- It may not come to that.
Clearly, the architects of this
conspiracy want to keep it a secret,
not only from you, but
from my people, as well.
I don't intend to let them.
We've always known that to
survive, we had to remain apart.
It hasn't been easy.
Many of the young people want
to know more about the offland.
They're attracted to stories
of a faster pace of life.
Most of my people who
live that fast a life
would sell their souls
to slow it down.
But not you?
There are days.
You don't live up to your
reputation as an offlander, picard.
Well, in defense of offlanders,
there are many more people like me.
Who wouldn't be tempted by the
promise of perpetual youth?
I don't think so.
You give me more
credit than I deserve.
Well, of course I'm tempted.
Who wouldn't be?
But some of the darkest chapters
in the history of my world
involve the forced relocation
of a small group of people
to satisfy the demands
of a large one.
I'd hoped that we had learned
from our mistakes but
it seems that some
of us haven't.
This is extraordinary
craftsmanship.
It's the work of students.
They're almost ready
to become apprentices.
In 30 or 40 years,
some of them Will take their
place among the artisans.
Apprenticing for 30 years.
Did your people's mental
discipline develop here?
More questions.
Always the explorer.
- If you stay long enough, that'll change.
- Will it?
You stop reviewing what
happened yesterday,
stop planning for tomorrow.
Let me ask you a question.
Have you ever experienced
a perfect moment in time?
A perfect moment?
When time seemed to stop
and you could almost
live in that moment?
Seeing my home planet from
space for the first time.
Yes, exactly.
Nothing more complicated
than perception.
You explore the universe.
We've discovered that a
single moment in time
can be a universe in itself,
full of powerful forces.
Most people aren't aware enough
of the now to even notice.
I wish I could spare a
few centuries to learn.
It took us centuries to learn that it
doesn't have to take centuries to learn.
There's one thing I
don't understand.
In 300 years, you never
learned to swim?
I just haven't got
around to it yet.
I wonder if you're aware of the trust
you engender, Jean-Luc picard.
- In my experience, it's unusual for...
- For an offlander?
For someone so young.
- Geordi?
- Captain.
As it turns out, there wasn't anything
wrong with my implants at all.
There was something
right with my eyes.
When Dr. crusher removed
the ocular connection,
she found that the cells
around my optic nerve had...
Started to regenerate.
It may not last, and if
it doesn't, I just...
I just wanted, before we go...
You know, I've never
seen a sunrise,
at least, not the
way you see them.
Come.
Am I to understand that you're
not releasing my men, captain?
We found the holoship.
Ru'afo, why don't you let
the captain and me...
No!
This entire mission has been one
federation blunder after another.
You Will return my men
or this alliance Will end with
the destruction of your ship.
You're looking well, Jean-Luc.
Rested.
I won't let you move them, admiral. I
Will take this to the federation council.
I'm acting on orders from
the federation council.
How can there be an order to
abandon the prime directive?
The prime directive
doesn't apply.
These people are not
indigenous to this planet.
They were never meant
to be immortal.
We'll simply be restoring them
to their natural evolution.
Who the hell are we
to determine the next course
of evolution for this people?
Jean-Luc, there are 600
people down there.
We'll be able to use the
regenerative properties
of this radiation
to help billions.
The son'a have
developed a procedure
to collect the metaphasic particles
from the planet's rings.
- A planet in federation space.
- That's right.
We have the planet. They
have the technology,
a technology we can't duplicate.
You know what that makes us?
Partners.
Our partners are nothing
more than petty thugs.
On earth, petroleum once turned
petty thugs into world leaders.
Warp drive transformed
a bunch of romulan
thugs into an empire.
We can handle the son'a. I'm
not worried about that.
Someone probably said the same thing
about the romulans a century ago.
With metaphasics, lifespans
Will be doubled.
An entire new medical
science Will evolve.
I understand your chief engineer
has the use of his eyes
for the first time in his life.
Will you take that
away from him?
There are metaphasic particles
all over the briar patch.
Why does it have to
be this one planet?
It's the concentration in the rings
that makes the whole damn thing work.
Don't ask me to explain it.
I only know they inject
something into the rings
that starts a
thermolytic reaction.
When it's over, the planet Will
be uninhabitable for generations.
Admiral, delay the procedure. Let
my people look at the technology.
Our best scientific minds already have.
We can't find any other way to do this.
Then the son'a can establish
a separate colony
on the planet until we do.
It would take 10 years
of normal exposure
to begin to reverse
their condition.
Some of them won't
survive that long.
Besides, they don't want to live
in the middle of the briar patch.
- Who would?
- The ba'ku.
We are betraying the principles upon
which the federation was founded.
It's an attack upon
its very soul.
And it Will destroy the ba'ku,
just as cultures
have been destroyed
in every other forced
relocation throughout history.
Jean-Luc, we're only
moving 600 people.
How many people does it take,
admiral, before it becomes wrong?
A thousand? Fifty thousand?
A million?
How many people does
it take, admiral?
I'm ordering you to
the goren system.
I'm also ordering the release
of the son'a officers.
File whatever protests
you wish to, captain.
By the time you do,
this Will all be done.
Gallatin.
So, the righteous starfleet
captain finally released you.
Yes.
Did you encounter any
problems on the surface?
No, sir.
But it wasn't easy
being among them.
I'm sure. Just don't forget
what they did to us.
We'll have them rounded
up in a day or two.
We needn't bother with a
federation holoship anymore.
- Just get the holding cells ready.
- Yes, sir.
I'm going to miss these little
flesh-stretching sessions
of ours, my dear.
Re-routing the transport grid to
avoid detection was wise, sir.
However, the transporter is
rarely used after 0200 hours.
Taking the captain's
yacht out for a spin?
Seven metric tons of
ultritium explosives,
eight tetryon pulse launchers
and 10 isomagnetic
disintegrators.
Looks like you're planning
on doing some hunting.
Return to your quarters.
- That's an order.
- No uniform, no orders.
Captain, how could I
look at another sunrise
knowing what my sight
cost these people?
I feel obliged to point out that
the environmental anomalies
may have stimulated certain
rebellious instincts common to youth,
which could affect
everyone's judgment.
Except mine, of course.
Okay, data, what do you
think we should do?
Saddle up. Lock and load.
They won't begin the procedure while
the planet is still inhabited,
so our job is to keep
the planet inhabited.
Will, geordi, go back and put a
face on what's happening here.
Make the council see the ba'ku.
It's too easy to
turn a blind eye
to the suffering of a
people you don't know.
- I'll be back before you know it.
- We'll hold out as long as we can.
The injector performs perfectly
in every simulation.
Sir, as the enterprise
left orbit,
one of their support craft
went down to the surface.
What?
Appeared to be the captain's yacht.
Five persons on board.
We're not waiting until morning.
Take the shuttles and get
everyone off the surface tonight.
Gallatin.
If picard or any of his people
interfere, eliminate them.
We're leaving the village!
Take only what you need!
Bring food! We may not
be back for days!
It is a transport inhibitor.
It Will help prevent spaceships from
beaming anyone off the surface.
These veins of kelbonite
running through the hills.
Will interfere with
their transporters,
and when the terrain forces
us away from the deposits,
then we'll use transport
inhibitors as a compensation.
The mountains have the heaviest
concentration of kelbonite.
Once there, it'll make transport
virtually impossible.
There are caves in
those mountains.
Then we should be able to hold out
for a long time once we're there,
but they're not gonna make
it easy for us to get there.
Captain!
We've activated the transport
inhibitors around the village.
Good.
Let's move these people out!
Transporters are
not functioning.
They're blocking the beams
with some kind of inhibitors.
We'll have to locate
and destroy them.
No, no. Son, you're carrying too much.
We have a long climb ahead of us.
We've lost three transport inhibitors.
There's a gap in the field.
Artim!
Father!
They're following the
kelbonite deposits,
using the interference to
block our transporters.
- Recommendations?
- Take me down. Let me talk to picard.
Talk!
We should send down an assault
team and take them by force.
That is not an
acceptable option.
If people get hurt, all the support
we have in the federation...
Federation support,
federation procedures,
federation rules.
Look in the mirror, admiral.
The federation is old.
In the past 24 months,
they've been challenged by every
major power in the quadrant.
The borg, the cardassians,
the dominion,
they all smell the scent of
death on the federation.
That's why you've
embraced our offer,
because it Will give your
dear federation new life.
Well, how badly do you
want it, admiral?
Because there are hard
choices to be made now.
If the enterprise gets
through with news
about their brave captain's
Valiant struggle
on behalf of the defenseless ba'ku,
your federation politicians Will waver.
Your federation opinion polls
Will open a public debate.
Your federation allies Will want their say.
Need I go on?
There's an alternative
to an all-out assault.
Isolinear tags would allow our
transporters to lock onto them.
We'd have to tag
every one of them.
That would take time,
and we don't have it.
The enterprise is only 19 hours
from communications range
with the federation.
- I'll order riker to turn around.
- Picard's first officer.
You really believe he'll listen?
My ships are capable of
intercepting the enterprise
before it reaches the perimeter.
I could send them to...
To escort it back.
But commander riker
might not want to come.
Send your ships.
- Do you like being a machine?
- I aspire to be more than I am.
I know why. So people like us
won't be afraid of you anymore.
Perhaps.
Don't you ever get tired?
My power cells continually
recharge themselves.
I can't imagine what it's
like to be a machine.
Perhaps it would
surprise you to know
that I have often tried to imagine
what it is like to be a child.
- Really?
- Really.
For one thing, your legs are
shorter than everyone else's.
But they are in a
constant state of growth.
- Do you find it difficult to adapt?
- Adapt?
A child's specifications
are never the same
from one moment to the next.
It is a wonder you do not
trip over your own feet.
Sometimes I do.
My legs are exactly 87.2
centimeters in length.
They were 87.2 centimeters
the day I was created.
They Will be 87.2 centimeters
the day I go off-line.
My operation depends on
specifications that do not change.
I Will never know the
experience of growing up
or tripping over my own feet.
But you've never had adults telling
you what to do all the time
or bedtimes or having to
eat food you don't like.
I would gladly accept the
requirement of a bedtime
in exchange for knowing what
it is like to be a child.
- Do machines ever play?
- Yes. I play the violin,
and my chess routines
are quite advanced.
No, I mean, haven't you
ever just played for fun?
Androids do not have fun.
Look, if you wanna know what
it's like to be a child,
you need to learn to play.
Captain.
Mr. worf, you need a haircut.
Accelerated hair growth is
often experienced by klingons
during jak'tahla.
- Jak'tahla?
- Roughly translated, puberty,
although for a klingon, that
scarcely does it justice.
Any severe mood swings, unusual
aggressive tendencies,
- you let me know at once.
- Yes, sir.
The ba'ku need some rest, sir.
According to the geo-scan,
this is the safest area within
the next few kilometers.
Very well. We'll take an hour.
- Have them break out some rations.
- Aye, sir.
Right beyond that Ridge
is where the caves begin.
We can hide there for days.
By now, the son'a Will
have scanned this area.
They'll know that
as well as we do.
It's been 300 years since
I've seen a bald man.
How is it that you
never married?
And don't tell me it's just because
you haven't got around to it yet.
- What's the rush?
- I should warn you,
I've always been attracted
to older women.
- How are you doing this?
- No more questions.
Commander, I'm showing two son'a
ships on an intercept course.
- How long till they reach us?
- Eighteen minutes.
We won't be able to get a transmission
out of here for at least another hour.
They're hailing us.
Tell them our transceiver
assembly is down,
that we can send messages
but not receive them.
- I don't think they believe us.
- Why not?
Photon torpedo.
Isn't that the universal greeting
when communications are down?
I think it's the universal greeting
when you don't like someone.
Full impulse.
Manifolds can't handle full
impulse in the patch, commander.
If we don't outrun them, the manifolds'll
be the only thing left on the ship.
- I'll be in engineering.
- Red alert! All hands, battle stations!
And have you noticed how your
boobs have started to firm up?
Not that we care about such
things in this day and age.
Thank you, data.
I've an odd craving for the
blood of a live kolar beast.
This environment must
be affecting me again.
And have you noticed how your
boobs have started to firm up?
Not that we care about...
Take cover!
Isolinear tags. The transporters
can lock onto them.
We have to find shelter.
There's a cavern at the
base of the next hill.
This way!
- Shields at 60%.
- Engineering to bridge.
We're burning
deuterium down here.
We're gonna blow ourselves up. We
won't need any help from the son'a!
What's inside that
nebula cluster?
Cometary debris, pockets
of unstable metreon gas.
We don't want to
go in there, sir.
Yes, we do. I'll take
it from here, ensign.
Time to use the briar patch
the way brer rabbit did.
Inside the caves, quickly!
Everyone! This way!
Inside.
Definitely feeling
aggressive tendencies, sir.
They've detonated an isolytic burst.
A subspace tear is forming.
On screen.
I thought subspace weapons were
banned by the khitomer accord.
Remind me to lodge a protest.
Our Warp core is acting
like a magnet to the tear.
We're pulling it like a
zipper across space.
Options?
- We could eject the core.
- Will that stop the tear?
You got me, commander.
That's your expert opinion?
Detonating the Warp core might
neutralize the cascade.
Then again, it might not.
Subspace weapons are unpredictable.
That's why they were banned.
The tear is closing on us.
- Impact in 15 seconds.
- Eject the core.
I just did.
Impact in 10 seconds.
Detonate!
Get me a medic over here!
It worked, commander. The
tear has been sealed.
Yeah, but there's nothing to
stop them from doing it again,
and we're fresh out
of Warp cores.
We're still 36 minutes from
transmission range, sir.
We're through running
from these bastards.
Another 43 reported taken, sir.
Captain, they're trying to drive
us out so their drones can tag us.
With all the hydrothermal
vents in the substrata,
the structural integrity of this
cavern is not going to hold for long.
- Is there another way out of here?
- I don't know.
Captain, tracking the water's
course may reveal another exit.
Mr. worf, come with us.
I'm reading a nitrogen-oxygen flow
behind that calcite formation, captain.
Will this structure hold if
we were to blast through?
I believe it is safe, sir.
Fire.
Get everybody into those caves,
and set up force fields
once they're inside.
Aye, sir.
Geordi, are those
pockets of metreon gas?
Yes, commander. Highly volatile. I'd
recommend we keep our distance.
Negative. I want to use the ramscoop
to collect as much of it as we can.
The purpose being?
The purpose being,
I intend to shove it
down the son'a's throat.
Commander, if one of their
weapons hits that gas...
It's our only way out of here, Mr.
Daniels.
I wouldn't be surprised
if history remembers this
as the riker maneuver.
If it works.
Computer, access manual
steering column.
Transfer helm
controls to manual.
Bridge, storage cells are
at maximum capacity.
They're powering their
forward weapons array, sir.
Blow out the ramscoop. Stand by.
Full thrusters.
Ramscoop released.
Captain.
Data, troi, keep
these people moving.
Bring them out.
I suspect it won't be long
before the drones get here.
Keep moving! Keep moving!
They found caves on higher ground.
We'll be safe there.
Captain, take a look at this
med-scan, his DNA profile.
- How can that be possible?
- Maybe we should ask them.
Artim, what are you doing? Come.
- Is this the last group?
- Yes, sir.
Get them ready to move out.
We need to hurry.
Anij went to find artim.
- Go with tournel!
- No, I wanna stay with you!
It is safer there. Go!
Worf to picard!
Two life-signs, one of
them extremely faint.
There are almost 4 metric tons
of rock blocking our way.
No. That might cause
another cave-in.
Anij?
Anij?
- Worf to picard.
- Yes? Yes, I can hear you.
We are trying to
get to you, sir.
Anij.
Help is on the way.
- Worf, hurry. Anij is hurt.
- How bad is she, captain?
- I'm losing her.
- We're coming as fast as we can.
Anij, stay with me.
Help me find the power to
keep you in this moment.
Stay with me.
Don't let go of this moment.
She's stabilizing.
- Is it safe to move her?
- Safer than leaving her here.
And you thought it would
take centuries to learn.
Order them to surrender and I promise
you won't be court-martialed.
If a court-martial is the only way to
let the people of the federation know
what is happening
here, I welcome it.
The enterprise has
destroyed one of my ships!
The other is on fire,
requesting assistance.
The enterprise would only
fire to defend itself.
Ru'afo must have
ordered the attack.
I can't believe he would
have given that order
without your consent, admiral.
I wonder which of us Will be
facing that court-martial.
There's nothing further
to be gained from this.
You're right. This
is going to end now.
The ba'ku want to stay on the planet.
Let them.
- I'm going to launch the injector.
- You're not going to launch anything...
In six hours, every living
thing in this system.
Will be dead or dying.
You would kill your
own people, ru'afo?
Your own parents,
brothers, sisters?
Didn't you know, admiral?
The son'a and the ba'ku
are the same race.
Picard just told us.
Our DNA is identical.
Which one were you?
Gal'na? Ro'tin?
Those names, those
children are gone forever.
What's he talking about?
A century ago, a group
of our young people
wanted to follow the
ways of the offlanders.
They tried to take over the
colony, and when they failed...
When we failed, you
exiled us to die slowly.
You're ro'tin, aren't you?
There's something in the voice.
Would you be his friend, gal'na?
I helped your mother bathe
you when you were a child.
She still speaks of you.
You've brought the federation into
the middle of a blood feud, admiral.
The children have returned
to expel their elders,
just as they were once expelled,
except that ru'afo's need for revenge
has now escalated into parricide.
It was for the federation.
It was all for the federation.
We're taking this ship out of here.
This mission is over.
- It is not over.
- It is over!
I do not take orders from you!
If you launch the injector while
the planet's still populated,
the federation Will
pursue you until...
The federation Will never
know what happened here.
Admiral dougherty Will not
be joining us for dinner.
Deploy the collector.
- Do you have a problem with that order?
- May I talk to you alone?
- Deploy the collector.
- Yes, sir.
Moving them is one thing.
Killing them all...
No one hated them more
than you, gal'na.
We've come a long way together.
This is the moment we've
planned for so many years.
Separate the starfleet personnel and
secure them in the aft cargo hold.
See that picard joins them.
The shields in that section
won't protect them against
the thermolytic reaction.
Thank you for reminding me.
Jean-Luc.
Come with me.
It must have been strange for
you when you were a hostage,
surrounded by all the friends and
family you knew all those years ago,
each one looking exactly
as they did then.
Like looking through the
eyes of childhood again.
And here you are,
closing those eyes,
trying not to see what bitterness
has done to the son'a,
how it's turned
ru'afo into a madman.
And you, turned you
into a coward,
a man who denies his
own conscience.
Get in.
A coward without the moral
courage to prevent an atrocity.
You offend me!
Is this how a federation
officer pleads for his life?
I'm not pleading for my life.
I'm pleading for yours.
You can still go home, gal'na.
Computer, close turbolift doors.
What you're asking me
to do is impossible.
Do you know how to
disable the injector?
I would need to
be on the bridge.
The crew is loyal to ru'afo.
An assault would fail.
Perhaps we can lure him away.
It doesn't matter where he is.
As soon as he realizes
something's happening,
he'll override my commands with
one word to his comm link.
If he doesn't realize
something's happening...
Can you get me to a transmitter?
I need to speak with data and
worf down on the planet.
We'll need their help.
Deck 12.
Initiate separation protocols.
Activating injector assembly.
Separation in three minutes.
A small craft is coming
up from the surface.
It's powering up its weapons.
- On screen.
- One person aboard. It's the android.
He's no threat.
- Data to picard.
- Go ahead, data.
Captain, they're
ignoring my attack.
Keep firing tachyon bursts
into the shield grid.
- Is worf in position?
- Yes, sir.
He is ready for
simultaneous transport.
We're approaching the bridge.
Picard out.
Separation in one minute.
Sir, the federation ship is creating
a disruption in our shield.
If they go out of phase,
it'll increase our exposure
to the thermolytic reaction.
Very well. Destroy that ship.
Reset our shield harmonics.
Do not delay the countdown.
Data to picard. They are
rotating their shield harmonics.
I am attempting to return
to the surface, sir.
The federation ship
has been disabled.
Separation in 20 seconds.
- What is that?
- I don't know.
- The systems don't seem affected.
- Separation in 10 seconds.
Five seconds.
Injector assembly has separated.
Exactly as the
simulations predicted.
I'm not showing any change
in metaphasic flux levels.
Your scanners must
be malfunctioning.
All ship functions are off-line.
How can there be no ship functions
if the viewscreen is working?
Artificial gravity is stable.
Life support is...
A holodeck.
We were transported to the holoship
when we reset our shields.
Everything we saw
was an illusion.
Ru'afo, authorization Delta 2-1.
Override all interlinked commands
to injector assembly one.
Unable to comply.
Injector assembly one
has been deactivated.
All injector subsystems aboard the
collector are confirmed off-line.
Decloak the holoship and
engage a tractor beam.
Aye, sir.
The crew knows
something's happened.
I've secured the bridge.
This ship is equipped with
14 long-range transporters.
Are they all useless?
They must have been
locked and secured
after we were beamed here.
Isolate one
and re-route its command sequence
through the auxiliary processor.
Sir, there's nothing we can do. They
already have control of our ship.
I don't plan on going
back to our ship.
- Mr. worf, destroy that thing.
- Aye, sir.
Weapons systems have
been taken off-line.
The crew is re-routing
bridge controls.
Captain, there is a problem
aboard the collector.
The launch sequence has resumed.
Collector shields have been raised.
Someone's on board.
It's ru'afo.
Can you override the
launch sequence from here?
Not without his access codes.
Is there a self-destruct?
Yes, but without the codes,
it would have to be activated
at the upper control
matrix on the collector.
Mr. worf, try and find some way
to beam through those shields.
You'd have to detonate it manually.
There'd only be a two-second delay.
We may be able to transport
between the shield generators
if we are within 100 meters.
Take us into position.
Remain at your post, commander.
I'll need you to beam me back.
We're approaching the collector.
One minute before separation, you'll
see the cryogenic tanks venting.
Weapons fire could
ignite the exhaust.
Separation in 2 minutes
and 15 seconds.
Intruder alert. Intruder alert.
Captain!
Worf?
I'm picking up captain picard's
bio-signature on board the collector.
- Enterprise to picard!
- Number one.
We're approaching your position.
Do you need assistance?
I may need a lift
in a minute or so.
We're on our way.
Separation in one minute.
- Report.
- It's ru'afo's ship!
On screen.
Sensors are reading over 100
ba'ku on board and one klingon.
Target their ventral
engines and life support.
Set a collision course.
Stop!
Ru'afo, we're getting
too old for this.
After today, that won't be a
problem for either of us.
Separation in 30 seconds.
You're really going to
risk igniting the exhaust?
All right, I Will!
- Shields at 60%.
- Hold your course.
- He wouldn't.
- Yes, he would.
Now!
Stand by, captain. We're
right around the corner.
Sorry, time's up.
What kept you, number one?
The federation council has
asked me to inform you
that the ba'ku relocation Will be halted
while they conduct a top-level review.
Sir, ru'afo's ship
is hailing us.
- On screen.
- On screen.
Captain, the son'a crew would
like to negotiate a cease-fire.
It may have something
to do with the fact
that we have three
minutes of air left.
We have plenty over here, Mr. worf.
Prepare to beam aboard.
You think when we get away from
this metaphasic radiation,
it'll change the way we feel?
Your feelings about
her have not changed
since the day I met
you, commander.
This place just let them out
for a little fresh air.
I wish there were a way
to bring them back home.
Ask them.
I'm afraid there's too much
bitterness on both sides.
Mother and son.
You arranged this?
I thought it might begin
the healing process.
What am I going to
do without you?
I wish I could stay,
but these are perilous
times for the federation.
I can't abandon it to
people who would threaten
everything that I've spent
a lifetime defending.
I have to go back,
if only to slow things down
at the federation council.
But I have 318 days of
shore leave coming and.
I intend to use them.
Data?
It's time to go.
I have to go home now.
- Bye.
- Bye.
Mr. data, I hope
we'll see you again.
Data! Don't forget. You have to
have a little fun every day.
Good advice.
Picard to enterprise.
Seven to beam up.
Energize.
Released @ areafiles. Org
Come on.
Verifying materialization
sequence.
Bring up resolution
on radar unit 12.
- Area 7 to command.
- Go ahead.
We could use another
survey team out here, sir.
Base to ensign mccauley
and ensign gilles.
Please report to area 7 and
assist the edaphology team.
Acknowledged.
Transferring anthropometric data
files to secondary processor.
- Ethnographic studies indicate 97%...
- The ecological analysis...
Still working on correlating
that unidentified...
The comparative linguistic
analysis is complete, sir.
Admiral dougherty is waiting for this.
Transmit it to the ship.
Alert! Area 12!
- The android, he's out of control.
- Report.
He's headed toward the village.
We're trying to stop him.
Over there!
Magnify.
Hold your fire.
What is it? What's happening?
Base to commander data.
Rerouting micro-hydraulic
power distribution.
- Regulating thermal overload.
- Data, report to base immediately!
Transferring positronic matrix functions.
Engaging secondary protocol.
He's trying to remove
the headpiece.
All field units,
intercept the android.
Artim, artim, it's all right.
Get inside. Now.
Find shelter. Everyone, get inside.
Now. Back to your homes! Move it!
Now! Move!
Secondary protocol is active.
- They can see him.
- Stop him! Now!
Commander data, stand down. That's
an order! I repeat, stand down!
Who are they?
It's an m-class planet.
Population, 300 million.
- Say the greeting again.
- Yew-cheen chef-faw.
Emphasis on the "cheen"
and the "faw."
You either need a new
uniform or a new neck.
My collar size is exactly
as it was at the academy.
Of course it is.
Our guests have arrived.
They are eating the floral
arrangements on the banquet tables.
I guess they don't believe
in cocktails before dinner.
Oh, my god! Are they vegetarian?
That's not in there.
Perhaps we should have the chef whip
up a light balsamic vinaigrette,
something that goes well
with chrysanthemums.
- Bridge to captain picard.
- Go ahead, ensign.
Command wants to know our
eta at the goren system.
The goren system?
They need us to mediate
some territorial dispute.
No, no.
We can't delay the archeological
expedition to hanoran ii.
That'll put us right in the
middle of the monsoon season.
- Captain.
- Thank you.
The diplomatic corps is busy
with dominion negotiations.
Yes. So they need us to put
out one more brush fire.
Can anyone remember when
we used to be explorers?
- Deck 10.
- Yew-cheen chef-faw.
Remember, they have a significantly
less advanced technology than ours.
They only achieved
Warp drive last year.
And the federation council decided to
make them a protectorate so quickly.
In view of our losses to
the borg and the dominion,
the council feels we need all the
allies we can get these days.
Captain on deck.
You'll be expected to dance
with the regent cuzar.
- Can she mambo?
- Very funny.
The captain used to
cut quite a rug.
La forge to picard.
Captain, I need to talk to
you before the reception.
- Captain. Doctor.
- Mr. worf!
- Worf.
- What the hell are you doing here?
- I was at the manzar colony...
- He's a little late, geordi.
- Can it wait?
- I don't think so.
Excuse me. Tell him
that I'm already here,
and I'll talk to him when he arrives.
Mr. worf, I have...
Geordi, the captain would
like you to come up here.
Tell him we've received a communiqué
from admiral dougherty. It's about data.
Yew-cheen chef-faw, regent cuzar.
Welcome aboard the enterprise.
Captain picard,
may I welcome you in the
time-honored tradition of my people?
We are so honored to be accepted
within the great federation family.
- We have a dance later, I believe.
- I look forward to it.
- Counselor.
- Nice bead work.
Captain. Excuse me. Captain.
Captain, admiral dougherty is
aboard a son'a ship in sector 441.
- He's requesting data's schematics.
- Is something wrong?
The message doesn't say.
Data should have
been back by now.
They were only scheduled to observe
the ba'ku village for one week.
Geordi, would you set
up a secure comm link
- with the admiral in the anteroom?
- Aye, sir.
Captain, hars adislo.
We met at the nel bato
conference last year.
Did you ever have a
chance to read my paper
on thermionic transconductance?
Would you excuse me?
He's not acknowledging
any starfleet protocols,
not responding to
any of our hails.
Have you any idea what
precipitated this behavior?
None. Now he's holding our
people hostage down there.
Well, the enterprise could be at
your position in two days, admiral.
That's probably not a good idea.
Your ship hasn't been
fitted for this region.
There are environmental
concerns.
What kind of concerns?
We haven't fully identified
the anomalies yet.
They're calling this whole
area the briar patch.
Took us a day to
reach a location
where we could even
get a signal to you.
Just get me data's schematics. I'll
keep you informed. Dougherty out.
- His emotion chip?
- He didn't take it with him.
- Send the admiral data's schematics.
- Aye, sir.
- Yes, sir?
- Ensign, would you report to the galley
and tell the chef to
skip the fish course?
Aye, sir.
I would like our guests to depart
as soon as etiquette allows.
I'm going to ask worf to delay his
return to ds9 so that he can join us.
We're gonna stop by sector 441
on our way to the goren system.
- They are in opposite directions, sir.
- Are they?
I never should have let you talk me into
that duck blind in the first place.
Your federation procedures
have made this mission
ten times as difficult
as it needed to be.
Our procedures were in place to
protect the planet's population
from unnecessary risk.
Planet's population, 600 people.
If you want to avoid unnecessary risks,
next time, leave your android at home.
Bridge to ahdar ru'afo. We
are approaching the planet.
Take us into a high orbit.
Lie down, admiral. The girls'll
take 20 years off your face.
- Another time, perhaps.
- Your self-restraint puzzles me, admiral.
You continue to deny yourself every
benefit this mission has to offer.
I prefer to wait until we
can share the benefits
with all the people
of the federation.
- Report.
- Phaser blast. Unknown origin.
Raise shields.
- Take us out of orbit.
- Photon torpedoes. Brace for impact.
- The vessel has broken off pursuit, sir.
- Visual contact.
That's our ship.
Captain, we're about to lose all
communications with starfleet.
Do you have everything
you need from command?
I've downloaded all the files
on the duck blind mission
- and the son'a.
- You have two days to become experts.
Mr. worf, our job is to come up
with a plan to safely capture data.
I've already had commander la
forge modify this tricorder
with one of data's
actuation servos.
Its operational range is only 4
meters, but it Will shut him down.
Good to have you back, Mr. worf.
Slow to one-third. Take us in.
Half a century ago, they
conquered two primitive races,
the tarlac and the ellora,
and then integrated them into
their culture as a labor class.
Look at this.
The son'a are known
to have produced
mass quantities of the
narcotic ketracel-white.
Their ships are rumored
to be equipped
with isolytic subspace weapons
outlawed by the second
khitomer accord.
Why would we be involved
with these people?
Good question.
- You haven't done that in a long time.
- What?
- What you're doing to my neck.
- Was I doing something to your neck?
Bridge to commander worf.
- Worf!
- Captain.
I don't know how they do
it on deep space nine,
but on the enterprise, we still
report for duty on time.
- Sorry, sir. I'm on my way.
- We'll skip the court-martial this time.
Picard out.
When was the last time we
aligned the torque sensors?
- Two months ago, sir.
- They don't sound right.
The torque sensors are out
of alignment by 12 microns.
You could hear that?
When I was an ensign, I could
detect a three-micron misalignment.
Excuse me, sir. The son'a ship
with admiral dougherty aboard
has entered tracking range.
Straighten your baldric, commander.
On screen.
Captain, I wasn't expecting you.
This is too important for the enterprise
to be on the sidelines, admiral.
I wish I had better news.
Commander data attacked us in a
mission Scout ship yesterday.
Ru'afo and I have decided
to send in an assault team.
Commander worf and I are working on
several tactical plans to see...
Your android has turned
dangerously violent, captain.
Considerable damage was done to my ship.
He must be destroyed.
I know what data means
to starfleet, Jean-Luc,
but our crew is at the mercy
of those people on the planet.
If our first attempt
to capture data fails,
I Will terminate him.
I should be the one to do it.
I'm his captain and his friend.
All right, you have 12 hours, captain.
Then I want you out of the briar patch.
In the meantime, we'll
head out to the perimeter
to call for son'a reinforcements
in case you fail.
- Understood.
- Good luck, captain. Dougherty out.
Sensors are not picking up any
ships coming from the surface.
Transmit a wideband covariant signal.
That ought to get his attention.
He must be using the planet's
rings to mask his approach.
The metaphasic radiation from the
rings is in a state of extreme flux.
We'll steer clear of those.
Come out, come out,
wherever you are.
Sir?
That's something
that my mother...
Hold on.
Open all hailing frequencies.
Data, this is captain picard.
Data, please respond.
If we fire tachyon bursts,
it might force him to reset
his shield harmonics.
- When he does, we can beam him out.
- Make it so.
Direct hit. He's resetting
his shield harmonics.
Beam him out.
- He has activated a transport inhibitor.
- Prepare to enter the atmosphere.
We'll use the ionospheric
boundary to shake him.
Scanners are off-line.
Evasive maneuvers,
heading 1-4-0 Mark 3-1.
He can fly a ship. He can
anticipate tactical strategies.
Clearly his brain
is functioning.
We've seen how he responds to threats.
I wonder how he would respond...
Mr. worf, do you know
Gilbert and Sullivan?
No, sir, I have not had a chance
to meet all the new crew members
since I have been back.
They're composers, worf,
from the 19th century.
Data was rehearsing a production of h.M.S.
Pinafore just before he left.
A British tar is a soaring soul.
As free as a mountain bird.
His energetic fist should
be ready to resist.
A dictatorial word.
Sing, worf, sing.
His nose should pant.
And his lip should curl.
His cheeks should flame.
And his brow should furl.
His bosom should heave.
And his heart should glow.
And his fist be ever ready
for a knockdown blow.
His nose should pant and
his lip should curl.
His cheeks should flame
and his brow should furl.
His bosom should heave and
his heart should glow.
And his fist be ever ready
for a knockdown blow.
Prepare the docking clamps.
His eyes should flash
with an inborn fire.
His brow with scorn be wrung.
He never should bow down
to a domineering frown.
- Or the tang of a tyrant tongue.
- Or the tang of a tyrant tongue.
His heart should stamp.
And his throat should growl.
His hair should curl.
And his face should scowl.
His eyes should flash.
And his breast protrude.
And this should be his
customary attitude.
His foot should stamp and
his throat should growl.
His hair should curl
and his face...
Inertial coupling is
exceeding tolerance.
If we do not release him, he
may destroy both vessels.
I'm not letting go of him.
- We must stabilize the damping field.
- Reroute emergency power
to inertial dampers.
The auto-sequencer was
damaged by phaser fire.
Transferring controls to manual.
Power sequence realigned.
Engaging stabilizers.
- Damping field established.
- Maximum power.
Now, Mr. worf.
Captain, commander data
is safely in custody.
Captain, subahdar
gallatin, son'a command.
Lieutenant Curtis, attaché
to admiral dougherty.
- Are you all right?
- We've been treated extremely well.
They have incredible mental
discipline, clarity of perception.
- My name is sojef.
- Jean-Luc picard.
These are my officers, Dr.
crusher, counselor troi.
- Would you like something to eat?
- No, we're here to rescue them.
As you wish, but I would ask
you to disarm yourselves.
This village is a
sanctuary of life.
Prepare the hostages for
transport to the ship.
They should be quarantined before
joining the ship's population.
We were under the impression they
were being held against their Will.
It's not our custom to
have guests here at all,
let alone hold anyone
against their Will.
The artificial life-form would
not allow them to leave.
In fact, he told us they were our
enemies and that more would follow.
- Are you our enemy?
- Anij.
My people have a strict policy of
non-interference in other cultures.
It's our prime directive.
Your directive apparently doesn't
include spying on other cultures.
The artificial life-form
is a member of my crew.
Apparently, he was taken ill.
There was a phase variance
in his positronic matrix
which we were unable to repair.
I think the captain finds
it hard to believe
that we'd have any skills
repairing a positronic device.
Our technological abilities
are not apparent
because we have chosen not to
employ them in our daily lives.
We believe that when you create a
machine to do the work of a man,
you take something
away from the man.
But at one time, we explored
the galaxy, just as you do.
- You have Warp capability?
- Capability, yes.
But where can Warp drive take
us except away from here?
I apologize for our intrusion.
And because they have
Warp capability,
the consequences to their
society Will be minimal.
You've done a terrific
job, Jean-Luc.
Now pack your bags and get
the hell out of there.
How's data?
In stasis. La forge is
completing the diagnostic.
I'll need all your paperwork tomorrow.
We're heading back your way.
Set a course to
rendezvous with us,
so you can transfer the crew
and equipment on your way out.
You're not finished here?
Just a few loose ends to tie up.
Dougherty out.
Come in.
- Hi.
- You got a minute?
Sure.
I need a little counseling.
Well, there's a first
time for everything.
So, do I lie down or what?
Well, whatever makes
you comfortable,
but this isn't one of the
usual therapeutic postures.
- But it is comfortable.
- Why don't you try sitting up?
Why don't you try lying down?
Well, you're in
quite a mood today.
Do you really need counseling or
did you come down here to play?
- I think I'm having a midlife crisis.
- I believe you.
I'm not sleeping well.
Dr. crusher has something
that can take care of that.
What I need, I can't get from Dr.
crusher.
Counselor, do you think it's possible
for two people to go back in time,
fix a mistake they've made?
On this ship,
anything's possible.
- Yuck!
- Yuck?
- I never kissed you with a beard before.
- I kiss you and you say "yuck"?
I had to reconstruct data's
neural net and replace these.
They contain memory engrams.
- How were they damaged?
- By a son'a weapon.
There's no doubt about it, captain.
That's what caused data to malfunction.
But the son'a report claims
that they didn't fire
until after he malfunctioned.
Well, I don't believe
it happened that way.
Why would they fire on
him without provocation?
All I know is that he was functioning
normally until he was shot.
Then his fail-safe
system was activated.
Fail-safe?
His ethical and moral subroutines
took over all of his basic functions.
But you're saying that he
still knew the difference
between right and wrong.
In a sense, that's all he knew.
The system is designed
to protect data
against anyone who might try to
take advantage of his memory loss.
And yet he attacked us, and he told
the ba'ku that we were a threat.
- Are the implants bothering you?
- I'm all right. I think I'm just tired.
- Geordi? Captain?
- You're on the enterprise, data.
I seem to be missing
several memory engrams.
There they are.
Data, what's the last
thing that you remember?
His nose should pant and
his lips should curl.
From the mission.
I was in an isolation suit
gathering physiometric
data on the ba'ku.
My last memory is going into the
hills following some children.
Artim, do you remember where you
were on the day of lightning
when the artificial
life-form appeared to us?
- In the hills by the dam.
- Can you show us?
There is no reason to fear me.
I am now operating within
normal parameters.
- What?
- They fixed me.
- Captain, the boy is afraid of me.
- It's nothing personal, data.
You have to remember, these
people have rejected technology.
I am the personification of
everything they have rejected.
Until this week, that young man
probably never saw a machine,
let alone one that
walks and talks.
Bridge to riker.
Can I get back to you, Mr. worf?
Admiral dougherty is
on the comm link, sir.
Patch him through. Yes, admiral?
Why haven't you left orbit?
Captain picard is still
on the surface, sir.
Doing what?
He didn't want to leave until
we could adequately explain
why data malfunctioned.
His future in starfleet
could depend on it.
Remind the captain
his 12 hours are up.
- Yes, sir.
- Dougherty out.
Your body is producing
far too many toxins.
We've reached the limit
of genetic manipulation.
I won't need anymore
genetic manipulation
if our federation friends Will
allow us to complete this mission.
Tricorder functions are limited
due to heavy deposits of
kelbonite in these hills.
How about a passive
radiation scan?
Curious.
There appear to be strong neutrino
emissions coming from the lake.
- Can he breathe underwater?
- Data doesn't breathe.
- Won't he rust?
- No.
Captain! Captain!
I believe I know what is causing
the neutrino emissions.
The vessel is clearly
federation in origin, captain.
"Just a few loose
ends to tie up."
- We're not interested in such things.
- I am.
I think it would be
wiser if you didn't...
I'm going with you.
It is a holographic projection.
Incomplete, I might add.
What you're seeing is a
computer-driven image
created by photons
and force fields.
I know what a
hologram is, captain.
The question is, why would anyone
want to create one of our village?
Data, if you were following the
children and discovered this ship...
It is conceivable, I was shot to
protect the secret of its existence.
Why would they duplicate this village
except to deceive the ba'ku?
- Deceive us?
- To move you off this planet.
You go to sleep one
night in the village,
wake up the next morning
on this flying holodeck,
transported en masse.
Within a few days,
they're relocated on a similar
planet without ever realizing it.
Why would the federation or the
son'a wish to move the ba'ku?
I don't know.
Computer, end program.
Decloak the vessel.
Help! I can't swim!
Don't panic.
I've been shot at,
thrown into the lake out of a
ship that's come to abduct us.
What's there to panic about?
In the event of a water landing,
I have been designed to serve
as a floatation device.
Mr. worf, did the hostages mention
anything about a cloaked ship
during their debriefing?
- No, sir.
- Debrief them again.
- Have you been in a fight, Mr. worf?
- No, sir. It is a gorch.
A gorch?
A pimple, sir.
Well, it's hardly noticeable.
Smooth as an android's
bottom, eh, data?
I beg your pardon, sir?
Admiral dougherty wants to
know why we haven't left yet.
We're not going anywhere.
Deck 5.
You klingons never do
anything small, do you?
Dr. crusher asked to speak
to you when you returned.
- Picard to crusher.
- Captain.
The son'a hostages
declined to be examined.
I had them confined to quarters.
- And our people?
- They're fine.
In fact, they're
better than fine.
Increased metabolism, improved
muscle tone, high energy.
We should all be so lucky.
Very well, doctor. Picard out.
Worf, don't release the son'a officers
till I've talked to ahdar ru'afo.
Aye, sir.
Commander, may I...
Computer, music.
- No. Not that, something Latin.
- Specify.
The mambo.
That's more like it.
How old are you?
We came here from a solar system
on the verge of self-annihilation,
where technology had created weapons
that threatened to destroy all life.
A small group of us set
off to find a new home,
a home that would be isolated
from the threats of other worlds.
That was 309 years ago.
And you haven't aged
a day since then.
Actually, I was a good deal
older when we arrived,
in terms of my
physical condition.
There's an unusual
metaphasic radiation
coming from the planet's rings.
It continuously regenerates
our genetic structure.
- You must've noticed the effects by now.
- We've just begun to.
- I suppose you're 75.
- No, I'm 12.
The metaphasic radiation
won't begin to affect him
until he reaches maturity.
To most off-landers, what you
have here is more valuable than
gold-pressed latinum.
I'm afraid that's the
reason that someone
may be trying to take
your world away from you.
The artificial
life-form was right.
If it were not for data, it's probable
that you would be relocated by now.
How can we possibly
defend ourselves?
The moment we pick up a weapon,
we become one of them.
- We lose everything we are.
- It may not come to that.
Clearly, the architects of this
conspiracy want to keep it a secret,
not only from you, but
from my people, as well.
I don't intend to let them.
We've always known that to
survive, we had to remain apart.
It hasn't been easy.
Many of the young people want
to know more about the offland.
They're attracted to stories
of a faster pace of life.
Most of my people who
live that fast a life
would sell their souls
to slow it down.
But not you?
There are days.
You don't live up to your
reputation as an offlander, picard.
Well, in defense of offlanders,
there are many more people like me.
Who wouldn't be tempted by the
promise of perpetual youth?
I don't think so.
You give me more
credit than I deserve.
Well, of course I'm tempted.
Who wouldn't be?
But some of the darkest chapters
in the history of my world
involve the forced relocation
of a small group of people
to satisfy the demands
of a large one.
I'd hoped that we had learned
from our mistakes but
it seems that some
of us haven't.
This is extraordinary
craftsmanship.
It's the work of students.
They're almost ready
to become apprentices.
In 30 or 40 years,
some of them Will take their
place among the artisans.
Apprenticing for 30 years.
Did your people's mental
discipline develop here?
More questions.
Always the explorer.
- If you stay long enough, that'll change.
- Will it?
You stop reviewing what
happened yesterday,
stop planning for tomorrow.
Let me ask you a question.
Have you ever experienced
a perfect moment in time?
A perfect moment?
When time seemed to stop
and you could almost
live in that moment?
Seeing my home planet from
space for the first time.
Yes, exactly.
Nothing more complicated
than perception.
You explore the universe.
We've discovered that a
single moment in time
can be a universe in itself,
full of powerful forces.
Most people aren't aware enough
of the now to even notice.
I wish I could spare a
few centuries to learn.
It took us centuries to learn that it
doesn't have to take centuries to learn.
There's one thing I
don't understand.
In 300 years, you never
learned to swim?
I just haven't got
around to it yet.
I wonder if you're aware of the trust
you engender, Jean-Luc picard.
- In my experience, it's unusual for...
- For an offlander?
For someone so young.
- Geordi?
- Captain.
As it turns out, there wasn't anything
wrong with my implants at all.
There was something
right with my eyes.
When Dr. crusher removed
the ocular connection,
she found that the cells
around my optic nerve had...
Started to regenerate.
It may not last, and if
it doesn't, I just...
I just wanted, before we go...
You know, I've never
seen a sunrise,
at least, not the
way you see them.
Come.
Am I to understand that you're
not releasing my men, captain?
We found the holoship.
Ru'afo, why don't you let
the captain and me...
No!
This entire mission has been one
federation blunder after another.
You Will return my men
or this alliance Will end with
the destruction of your ship.
You're looking well, Jean-Luc.
Rested.
I won't let you move them, admiral. I
Will take this to the federation council.
I'm acting on orders from
the federation council.
How can there be an order to
abandon the prime directive?
The prime directive
doesn't apply.
These people are not
indigenous to this planet.
They were never meant
to be immortal.
We'll simply be restoring them
to their natural evolution.
Who the hell are we
to determine the next course
of evolution for this people?
Jean-Luc, there are 600
people down there.
We'll be able to use the
regenerative properties
of this radiation
to help billions.
The son'a have
developed a procedure
to collect the metaphasic particles
from the planet's rings.
- A planet in federation space.
- That's right.
We have the planet. They
have the technology,
a technology we can't duplicate.
You know what that makes us?
Partners.
Our partners are nothing
more than petty thugs.
On earth, petroleum once turned
petty thugs into world leaders.
Warp drive transformed
a bunch of romulan
thugs into an empire.
We can handle the son'a. I'm
not worried about that.
Someone probably said the same thing
about the romulans a century ago.
With metaphasics, lifespans
Will be doubled.
An entire new medical
science Will evolve.
I understand your chief engineer
has the use of his eyes
for the first time in his life.
Will you take that
away from him?
There are metaphasic particles
all over the briar patch.
Why does it have to
be this one planet?
It's the concentration in the rings
that makes the whole damn thing work.
Don't ask me to explain it.
I only know they inject
something into the rings
that starts a
thermolytic reaction.
When it's over, the planet Will
be uninhabitable for generations.
Admiral, delay the procedure. Let
my people look at the technology.
Our best scientific minds already have.
We can't find any other way to do this.
Then the son'a can establish
a separate colony
on the planet until we do.
It would take 10 years
of normal exposure
to begin to reverse
their condition.
Some of them won't
survive that long.
Besides, they don't want to live
in the middle of the briar patch.
- Who would?
- The ba'ku.
We are betraying the principles upon
which the federation was founded.
It's an attack upon
its very soul.
And it Will destroy the ba'ku,
just as cultures
have been destroyed
in every other forced
relocation throughout history.
Jean-Luc, we're only
moving 600 people.
How many people does it take,
admiral, before it becomes wrong?
A thousand? Fifty thousand?
A million?
How many people does
it take, admiral?
I'm ordering you to
the goren system.
I'm also ordering the release
of the son'a officers.
File whatever protests
you wish to, captain.
By the time you do,
this Will all be done.
Gallatin.
So, the righteous starfleet
captain finally released you.
Yes.
Did you encounter any
problems on the surface?
No, sir.
But it wasn't easy
being among them.
I'm sure. Just don't forget
what they did to us.
We'll have them rounded
up in a day or two.
We needn't bother with a
federation holoship anymore.
- Just get the holding cells ready.
- Yes, sir.
I'm going to miss these little
flesh-stretching sessions
of ours, my dear.
Re-routing the transport grid to
avoid detection was wise, sir.
However, the transporter is
rarely used after 0200 hours.
Taking the captain's
yacht out for a spin?
Seven metric tons of
ultritium explosives,
eight tetryon pulse launchers
and 10 isomagnetic
disintegrators.
Looks like you're planning
on doing some hunting.
Return to your quarters.
- That's an order.
- No uniform, no orders.
Captain, how could I
look at another sunrise
knowing what my sight
cost these people?
I feel obliged to point out that
the environmental anomalies
may have stimulated certain
rebellious instincts common to youth,
which could affect
everyone's judgment.
Except mine, of course.
Okay, data, what do you
think we should do?
Saddle up. Lock and load.
They won't begin the procedure while
the planet is still inhabited,
so our job is to keep
the planet inhabited.
Will, geordi, go back and put a
face on what's happening here.
Make the council see the ba'ku.
It's too easy to
turn a blind eye
to the suffering of a
people you don't know.
- I'll be back before you know it.
- We'll hold out as long as we can.
The injector performs perfectly
in every simulation.
Sir, as the enterprise
left orbit,
one of their support craft
went down to the surface.
What?
Appeared to be the captain's yacht.
Five persons on board.
We're not waiting until morning.
Take the shuttles and get
everyone off the surface tonight.
Gallatin.
If picard or any of his people
interfere, eliminate them.
We're leaving the village!
Take only what you need!
Bring food! We may not
be back for days!
It is a transport inhibitor.
It Will help prevent spaceships from
beaming anyone off the surface.
These veins of kelbonite
running through the hills.
Will interfere with
their transporters,
and when the terrain forces
us away from the deposits,
then we'll use transport
inhibitors as a compensation.
The mountains have the heaviest
concentration of kelbonite.
Once there, it'll make transport
virtually impossible.
There are caves in
those mountains.
Then we should be able to hold out
for a long time once we're there,
but they're not gonna make
it easy for us to get there.
Captain!
We've activated the transport
inhibitors around the village.
Good.
Let's move these people out!
Transporters are
not functioning.
They're blocking the beams
with some kind of inhibitors.
We'll have to locate
and destroy them.
No, no. Son, you're carrying too much.
We have a long climb ahead of us.
We've lost three transport inhibitors.
There's a gap in the field.
Artim!
Father!
They're following the
kelbonite deposits,
using the interference to
block our transporters.
- Recommendations?
- Take me down. Let me talk to picard.
Talk!
We should send down an assault
team and take them by force.
That is not an
acceptable option.
If people get hurt, all the support
we have in the federation...
Federation support,
federation procedures,
federation rules.
Look in the mirror, admiral.
The federation is old.
In the past 24 months,
they've been challenged by every
major power in the quadrant.
The borg, the cardassians,
the dominion,
they all smell the scent of
death on the federation.
That's why you've
embraced our offer,
because it Will give your
dear federation new life.
Well, how badly do you
want it, admiral?
Because there are hard
choices to be made now.
If the enterprise gets
through with news
about their brave captain's
Valiant struggle
on behalf of the defenseless ba'ku,
your federation politicians Will waver.
Your federation opinion polls
Will open a public debate.
Your federation allies Will want their say.
Need I go on?
There's an alternative
to an all-out assault.
Isolinear tags would allow our
transporters to lock onto them.
We'd have to tag
every one of them.
That would take time,
and we don't have it.
The enterprise is only 19 hours
from communications range
with the federation.
- I'll order riker to turn around.
- Picard's first officer.
You really believe he'll listen?
My ships are capable of
intercepting the enterprise
before it reaches the perimeter.
I could send them to...
To escort it back.
But commander riker
might not want to come.
Send your ships.
- Do you like being a machine?
- I aspire to be more than I am.
I know why. So people like us
won't be afraid of you anymore.
Perhaps.
Don't you ever get tired?
My power cells continually
recharge themselves.
I can't imagine what it's
like to be a machine.
Perhaps it would
surprise you to know
that I have often tried to imagine
what it is like to be a child.
- Really?
- Really.
For one thing, your legs are
shorter than everyone else's.
But they are in a
constant state of growth.
- Do you find it difficult to adapt?
- Adapt?
A child's specifications
are never the same
from one moment to the next.
It is a wonder you do not
trip over your own feet.
Sometimes I do.
My legs are exactly 87.2
centimeters in length.
They were 87.2 centimeters
the day I was created.
They Will be 87.2 centimeters
the day I go off-line.
My operation depends on
specifications that do not change.
I Will never know the
experience of growing up
or tripping over my own feet.
But you've never had adults telling
you what to do all the time
or bedtimes or having to
eat food you don't like.
I would gladly accept the
requirement of a bedtime
in exchange for knowing what
it is like to be a child.
- Do machines ever play?
- Yes. I play the violin,
and my chess routines
are quite advanced.
No, I mean, haven't you
ever just played for fun?
Androids do not have fun.
Look, if you wanna know what
it's like to be a child,
you need to learn to play.
Captain.
Mr. worf, you need a haircut.
Accelerated hair growth is
often experienced by klingons
during jak'tahla.
- Jak'tahla?
- Roughly translated, puberty,
although for a klingon, that
scarcely does it justice.
Any severe mood swings, unusual
aggressive tendencies,
- you let me know at once.
- Yes, sir.
The ba'ku need some rest, sir.
According to the geo-scan,
this is the safest area within
the next few kilometers.
Very well. We'll take an hour.
- Have them break out some rations.
- Aye, sir.
Right beyond that Ridge
is where the caves begin.
We can hide there for days.
By now, the son'a Will
have scanned this area.
They'll know that
as well as we do.
It's been 300 years since
I've seen a bald man.
How is it that you
never married?
And don't tell me it's just because
you haven't got around to it yet.
- What's the rush?
- I should warn you,
I've always been attracted
to older women.
- How are you doing this?
- No more questions.
Commander, I'm showing two son'a
ships on an intercept course.
- How long till they reach us?
- Eighteen minutes.
We won't be able to get a transmission
out of here for at least another hour.
They're hailing us.
Tell them our transceiver
assembly is down,
that we can send messages
but not receive them.
- I don't think they believe us.
- Why not?
Photon torpedo.
Isn't that the universal greeting
when communications are down?
I think it's the universal greeting
when you don't like someone.
Full impulse.
Manifolds can't handle full
impulse in the patch, commander.
If we don't outrun them, the manifolds'll
be the only thing left on the ship.
- I'll be in engineering.
- Red alert! All hands, battle stations!
And have you noticed how your
boobs have started to firm up?
Not that we care about such
things in this day and age.
Thank you, data.
I've an odd craving for the
blood of a live kolar beast.
This environment must
be affecting me again.
And have you noticed how your
boobs have started to firm up?
Not that we care about...
Take cover!
Isolinear tags. The transporters
can lock onto them.
We have to find shelter.
There's a cavern at the
base of the next hill.
This way!
- Shields at 60%.
- Engineering to bridge.
We're burning
deuterium down here.
We're gonna blow ourselves up. We
won't need any help from the son'a!
What's inside that
nebula cluster?
Cometary debris, pockets
of unstable metreon gas.
We don't want to
go in there, sir.
Yes, we do. I'll take
it from here, ensign.
Time to use the briar patch
the way brer rabbit did.
Inside the caves, quickly!
Everyone! This way!
Inside.
Definitely feeling
aggressive tendencies, sir.
They've detonated an isolytic burst.
A subspace tear is forming.
On screen.
I thought subspace weapons were
banned by the khitomer accord.
Remind me to lodge a protest.
Our Warp core is acting
like a magnet to the tear.
We're pulling it like a
zipper across space.
Options?
- We could eject the core.
- Will that stop the tear?
You got me, commander.
That's your expert opinion?
Detonating the Warp core might
neutralize the cascade.
Then again, it might not.
Subspace weapons are unpredictable.
That's why they were banned.
The tear is closing on us.
- Impact in 15 seconds.
- Eject the core.
I just did.
Impact in 10 seconds.
Detonate!
Get me a medic over here!
It worked, commander. The
tear has been sealed.
Yeah, but there's nothing to
stop them from doing it again,
and we're fresh out
of Warp cores.
We're still 36 minutes from
transmission range, sir.
We're through running
from these bastards.
Another 43 reported taken, sir.
Captain, they're trying to drive
us out so their drones can tag us.
With all the hydrothermal
vents in the substrata,
the structural integrity of this
cavern is not going to hold for long.
- Is there another way out of here?
- I don't know.
Captain, tracking the water's
course may reveal another exit.
Mr. worf, come with us.
I'm reading a nitrogen-oxygen flow
behind that calcite formation, captain.
Will this structure hold if
we were to blast through?
I believe it is safe, sir.
Fire.
Get everybody into those caves,
and set up force fields
once they're inside.
Aye, sir.
Geordi, are those
pockets of metreon gas?
Yes, commander. Highly volatile. I'd
recommend we keep our distance.
Negative. I want to use the ramscoop
to collect as much of it as we can.
The purpose being?
The purpose being,
I intend to shove it
down the son'a's throat.
Commander, if one of their
weapons hits that gas...
It's our only way out of here, Mr.
Daniels.
I wouldn't be surprised
if history remembers this
as the riker maneuver.
If it works.
Computer, access manual
steering column.
Transfer helm
controls to manual.
Bridge, storage cells are
at maximum capacity.
They're powering their
forward weapons array, sir.
Blow out the ramscoop. Stand by.
Full thrusters.
Ramscoop released.
Captain.
Data, troi, keep
these people moving.
Bring them out.
I suspect it won't be long
before the drones get here.
Keep moving! Keep moving!
They found caves on higher ground.
We'll be safe there.
Captain, take a look at this
med-scan, his DNA profile.
- How can that be possible?
- Maybe we should ask them.
Artim, what are you doing? Come.
- Is this the last group?
- Yes, sir.
Get them ready to move out.
We need to hurry.
Anij went to find artim.
- Go with tournel!
- No, I wanna stay with you!
It is safer there. Go!
Worf to picard!
Two life-signs, one of
them extremely faint.
There are almost 4 metric tons
of rock blocking our way.
No. That might cause
another cave-in.
Anij?
Anij?
- Worf to picard.
- Yes? Yes, I can hear you.
We are trying to
get to you, sir.
Anij.
Help is on the way.
- Worf, hurry. Anij is hurt.
- How bad is she, captain?
- I'm losing her.
- We're coming as fast as we can.
Anij, stay with me.
Help me find the power to
keep you in this moment.
Stay with me.
Don't let go of this moment.
She's stabilizing.
- Is it safe to move her?
- Safer than leaving her here.
And you thought it would
take centuries to learn.
Order them to surrender and I promise
you won't be court-martialed.
If a court-martial is the only way to
let the people of the federation know
what is happening
here, I welcome it.
The enterprise has
destroyed one of my ships!
The other is on fire,
requesting assistance.
The enterprise would only
fire to defend itself.
Ru'afo must have
ordered the attack.
I can't believe he would
have given that order
without your consent, admiral.
I wonder which of us Will be
facing that court-martial.
There's nothing further
to be gained from this.
You're right. This
is going to end now.
The ba'ku want to stay on the planet.
Let them.
- I'm going to launch the injector.
- You're not going to launch anything...
In six hours, every living
thing in this system.
Will be dead or dying.
You would kill your
own people, ru'afo?
Your own parents,
brothers, sisters?
Didn't you know, admiral?
The son'a and the ba'ku
are the same race.
Picard just told us.
Our DNA is identical.
Which one were you?
Gal'na? Ro'tin?
Those names, those
children are gone forever.
What's he talking about?
A century ago, a group
of our young people
wanted to follow the
ways of the offlanders.
They tried to take over the
colony, and when they failed...
When we failed, you
exiled us to die slowly.
You're ro'tin, aren't you?
There's something in the voice.
Would you be his friend, gal'na?
I helped your mother bathe
you when you were a child.
She still speaks of you.
You've brought the federation into
the middle of a blood feud, admiral.
The children have returned
to expel their elders,
just as they were once expelled,
except that ru'afo's need for revenge
has now escalated into parricide.
It was for the federation.
It was all for the federation.
We're taking this ship out of here.
This mission is over.
- It is not over.
- It is over!
I do not take orders from you!
If you launch the injector while
the planet's still populated,
the federation Will
pursue you until...
The federation Will never
know what happened here.
Admiral dougherty Will not
be joining us for dinner.
Deploy the collector.
- Do you have a problem with that order?
- May I talk to you alone?
- Deploy the collector.
- Yes, sir.
Moving them is one thing.
Killing them all...
No one hated them more
than you, gal'na.
We've come a long way together.
This is the moment we've
planned for so many years.
Separate the starfleet personnel and
secure them in the aft cargo hold.
See that picard joins them.
The shields in that section
won't protect them against
the thermolytic reaction.
Thank you for reminding me.
Jean-Luc.
Come with me.
It must have been strange for
you when you were a hostage,
surrounded by all the friends and
family you knew all those years ago,
each one looking exactly
as they did then.
Like looking through the
eyes of childhood again.
And here you are,
closing those eyes,
trying not to see what bitterness
has done to the son'a,
how it's turned
ru'afo into a madman.
And you, turned you
into a coward,
a man who denies his
own conscience.
Get in.
A coward without the moral
courage to prevent an atrocity.
You offend me!
Is this how a federation
officer pleads for his life?
I'm not pleading for my life.
I'm pleading for yours.
You can still go home, gal'na.
Computer, close turbolift doors.
What you're asking me
to do is impossible.
Do you know how to
disable the injector?
I would need to
be on the bridge.
The crew is loyal to ru'afo.
An assault would fail.
Perhaps we can lure him away.
It doesn't matter where he is.
As soon as he realizes
something's happening,
he'll override my commands with
one word to his comm link.
If he doesn't realize
something's happening...
Can you get me to a transmitter?
I need to speak with data and
worf down on the planet.
We'll need their help.
Deck 12.
Initiate separation protocols.
Activating injector assembly.
Separation in three minutes.
A small craft is coming
up from the surface.
It's powering up its weapons.
- On screen.
- One person aboard. It's the android.
He's no threat.
- Data to picard.
- Go ahead, data.
Captain, they're
ignoring my attack.
Keep firing tachyon bursts
into the shield grid.
- Is worf in position?
- Yes, sir.
He is ready for
simultaneous transport.
We're approaching the bridge.
Picard out.
Separation in one minute.
Sir, the federation ship is creating
a disruption in our shield.
If they go out of phase,
it'll increase our exposure
to the thermolytic reaction.
Very well. Destroy that ship.
Reset our shield harmonics.
Do not delay the countdown.
Data to picard. They are
rotating their shield harmonics.
I am attempting to return
to the surface, sir.
The federation ship
has been disabled.
Separation in 20 seconds.
- What is that?
- I don't know.
- The systems don't seem affected.
- Separation in 10 seconds.
Five seconds.
Injector assembly has separated.
Exactly as the
simulations predicted.
I'm not showing any change
in metaphasic flux levels.
Your scanners must
be malfunctioning.
All ship functions are off-line.
How can there be no ship functions
if the viewscreen is working?
Artificial gravity is stable.
Life support is...
A holodeck.
We were transported to the holoship
when we reset our shields.
Everything we saw
was an illusion.
Ru'afo, authorization Delta 2-1.
Override all interlinked commands
to injector assembly one.
Unable to comply.
Injector assembly one
has been deactivated.
All injector subsystems aboard the
collector are confirmed off-line.
Decloak the holoship and
engage a tractor beam.
Aye, sir.
The crew knows
something's happened.
I've secured the bridge.
This ship is equipped with
14 long-range transporters.
Are they all useless?
They must have been
locked and secured
after we were beamed here.
Isolate one
and re-route its command sequence
through the auxiliary processor.
Sir, there's nothing we can do. They
already have control of our ship.
I don't plan on going
back to our ship.
- Mr. worf, destroy that thing.
- Aye, sir.
Weapons systems have
been taken off-line.
The crew is re-routing
bridge controls.
Captain, there is a problem
aboard the collector.
The launch sequence has resumed.
Collector shields have been raised.
Someone's on board.
It's ru'afo.
Can you override the
launch sequence from here?
Not without his access codes.
Is there a self-destruct?
Yes, but without the codes,
it would have to be activated
at the upper control
matrix on the collector.
Mr. worf, try and find some way
to beam through those shields.
You'd have to detonate it manually.
There'd only be a two-second delay.
We may be able to transport
between the shield generators
if we are within 100 meters.
Take us into position.
Remain at your post, commander.
I'll need you to beam me back.
We're approaching the collector.
One minute before separation, you'll
see the cryogenic tanks venting.
Weapons fire could
ignite the exhaust.
Separation in 2 minutes
and 15 seconds.
Intruder alert. Intruder alert.
Captain!
Worf?
I'm picking up captain picard's
bio-signature on board the collector.
- Enterprise to picard!
- Number one.
We're approaching your position.
Do you need assistance?
I may need a lift
in a minute or so.
We're on our way.
Separation in one minute.
- Report.
- It's ru'afo's ship!
On screen.
Sensors are reading over 100
ba'ku on board and one klingon.
Target their ventral
engines and life support.
Set a collision course.
Stop!
Ru'afo, we're getting
too old for this.
After today, that won't be a
problem for either of us.
Separation in 30 seconds.
You're really going to
risk igniting the exhaust?
All right, I Will!
- Shields at 60%.
- Hold your course.
- He wouldn't.
- Yes, he would.
Now!
Stand by, captain. We're
right around the corner.
Sorry, time's up.
What kept you, number one?
The federation council has
asked me to inform you
that the ba'ku relocation Will be halted
while they conduct a top-level review.
Sir, ru'afo's ship
is hailing us.
- On screen.
- On screen.
Captain, the son'a crew would
like to negotiate a cease-fire.
It may have something
to do with the fact
that we have three
minutes of air left.
We have plenty over here, Mr. worf.
Prepare to beam aboard.
You think when we get away from
this metaphasic radiation,
it'll change the way we feel?
Your feelings about
her have not changed
since the day I met
you, commander.
This place just let them out
for a little fresh air.
I wish there were a way
to bring them back home.
Ask them.
I'm afraid there's too much
bitterness on both sides.
Mother and son.
You arranged this?
I thought it might begin
the healing process.
What am I going to
do without you?
I wish I could stay,
but these are perilous
times for the federation.
I can't abandon it to
people who would threaten
everything that I've spent
a lifetime defending.
I have to go back,
if only to slow things down
at the federation council.
But I have 318 days of
shore leave coming and.
I intend to use them.
Data?
It's time to go.
I have to go home now.
- Bye.
- Bye.
Mr. data, I hope
we'll see you again.
Data! Don't forget. You have to
have a little fun every day.
Good advice.
Picard to enterprise.
Seven to beam up.
Energize.
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