Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999): Season 3, Episode 22 - Explorers - full transcript

Excuse me.

You're Dr. Bashir, aren't you?

That's right.

I'm Leeta.

I've been meaning to come
by the Infirmary to see you.

Oh, dear.

How long have you had
that cough?

A few days now.

May I?

Cough for me.

Hmm...



Is it serious, Doctor?

No, but it's a good thing
you came to me when you did.

We need to start
your treatment immediately.

Bring me a Fanalian toddy,
very hot.

Make that two.

I'm feeling a bit of a cough
coming on, myself.

I'm... sorry to hear that,
Doctor.

No, please.

Call me...

Julian.

Hi.

I'm Jadzia.

Leeta.

Before I forget...



here's that immunological
data you asked for.

How nice of you

to put it together
for me so quickly.

I, uh... I think
I'll go over it right now.

Oh, by the way

I hear the Lexington
is docking here

for a few days.

The Lexington?

Excuse me, um...

for just one second.

Stay there.

Jadzia!

Do you happen to know when
the Lexington is coming in?

Three weeks.

Don't you have a friend aboard?

Do I?

The Medical Officer--
Elizabeth Lense.

Elizabeth Lense...

You know, I think
she may have been

in my class
at Starfleet Medical.

Wasn't she valedictorian?

That's right.

And you were salutatorian.

Second in my class.

But if I hadn't mistaken
that preganglionic fiber...

For a postganglionic nerve--
um, I know.

I would have been valedictorian.

You must be looking forward
to seeing her.

I can hardly wait.

Hey, Jake-0.

Hey, Dad.

Hey!

What is this?

I thought it was time
for a change.

What do you think?

I like it.

Yeah.

How was Bajor?

Beautiful!
You should have come with me.

The reopening
of some old library

isn't exactly my idea
of a good time.

This wasn't just
some old library.

We're talking about the
most extensive collection

of Bajoran antiquities
on the planet.

I saw manuscripts
that dated back

to before the fall
of the First Republic.

Great.

Here...

look at this.

What is this,
some kind of ship?

According to legend

the ancient Bajorans
used ships like these

to explore their star system

800 years ago.

You mean that when humans

were first sailing
across the oceans

Bajorans were already
going to other planets?

Some scholars say

they made it all
the way to Cardassia.

Ah, that seems hard to believe.

What are these?

Solar sails.

These ships were propelled
by light pressure.

Like a sailboat
catching the wind.

Exactly.

I wonder if a ship like that
could really fly.

I don't know.

That's why I'm going
to build one.

I'm expecting a lumber shipment
from Bajor this afternoon.

Okay.

Which reminds me--
I'll need a saber saw.

A saber saw?

You know, to cut wood.

Why not use a laser cutter?

Oh, no, I want to use

the same types of tools
the Bajorans had.

This will do fine, Major.

As soon as these cargo
containers are out of the way

I'll start construction.

Sir, I've looked over
the specifications

you brought back from Bajor.

I'm not sure this design
is spaceworthy

and I'm positive
a ship like this

could never have made it
from Bajor to Cardassia.

Now, why would you say that?

At sublight speeds

the trip would
have taken them years

and that's assuming
ideal conditions.

One unexpected ion storm

in the Denorios Belt
would have torn

the sails to pieces
and left them stranded.

Well, maybe they were lucky

and they didn't
go into any storms.

I just don't see

how this ship could
have made the trip.

They didn't even have
replicators back then.

They would have had
to store their air supply.

And there's only room
on board

for a few weeks' worth.

Well, maybe they
recycled it somehow--

used some kind
of photosynthetic plant.

Yeah, maybe.

Oh, you sound just
like a Cardassian.

I beg your pardon?

They have denied the possibility
of ancient contact for decades

because they cannot
stand the idea

of Bajor having
interstellar flight

before they did.

With all due respect, Major

you're beginning to sound
like a Romulan.

A Romulan!

There is no piece

of technology in existence
they don't claim

they invented
before everyone else.

Look, I don't plan to spend
the next few years

sailing to Cardassia.

All I want is to build
one of these ships

and prove
that it's spaceworthy.

A computer model could do that.

Why go to all that trouble?

Why?

Because it'll be fun.

Oh, yes.

You know, I've been thinking.

According to the star charts

the most difficult part
of the trip

between Bajor and Cardassia

would be getting through
the Denorios Belt.

After that, it would be smooth
sailing the rest of the way.

Really?

Just making that part
of the trip would go

a long way towards demonstrating
that the Bajorans

could have made
the journey to Cardassia.

Seems reasonable.

It should only take
about four, five days.

That's not so long.

SQ?

What?

So, what do you say
you come with me?

We'll have a great time.

The ship will be ready to go
in another week.

That's when Leanne is supposed
to be getting back from Bajor.

I really want to see her

and I don't know
how long she's going to be here.

Oh, well...

if you can't do it...

you can't do it.

I'd like to, but...

it's just not good timing,
you know.

Sure.

I understand.

Hi!

Oh, hello, Jadzia.

I brought you something to eat.

Oh, thank you.

Let me just finish this welding
and I'll take a break.

Benjamin, I can't believe
the work you've put into this.

I'm just following
the blueprint.

But you didn't have to bother
with detail like this

to prove that the ship
is spaceworthy.

Oh, I suppose not

but I want everything
to be just right.

It's an exact replica,
you know

except for the gravity net
that I installed in the floor.

Weightlessness makes me queasy.

Ooh, I haven't seen you
like this for a long time.

Like what?

So caught up in something.

So excited.

Not since, um...

not since you and Jennifer
decided to have a baby.

Ah, the nursery.

I don't think anyone's
ever put such effort

into making a room
for their child.

Well, you have to admit,
it turned out pretty well.

Oh...

especially the starscape
on the ceiling.

Yeah, Jake loved that ceiling.

In fact, when we
moved out of the house

he couldn't understand why
we couldn't bring it with us.

You're disappointed
he's not going with you

on this trip, aren't you?

Well, he has other things
he'd rather be doing.

Friends he'd rather be with.

It's funny...

a year or two ago, nothing
would have stopped him

from coming with me
on an adventure like this.

I guess I waited too long.

You'll have other adventures,
Benjamin.

They'll just be different.

Believe me, I know.

I've been a father
a couple of times myself.

Oh, I could tell you stories.

You already have.

That's right, I have, haven't I?

Then you know I'm right.

Computer...

are there any messages for me?

One.

A communication
from Wellington, New Zealand.

Display it on screen.

Hello.

Welcome aboard, son.

Hey, Dad.

So...

what do you think?

Well, it's wonderful.

Maybe a bit small
for two people, but, uh...

I think I could get used to it.

That is, uh, if you
still want me along.

Oh...

"A Survey of Cygnian
Respiratory Diseases "?

Fascinating.

Yeah, I'm reading
just about everything

I can get my hands on.

I don't want to be
caught flat-footed

by our intrepid Dr. Lense.

It's useless, of course.

She's probably discovered
the cure to aging by now.

I take it the two of you
are competitive?

Absolutely.

We were neck and neck
right until the final exam.

Then... I blew it.

That's how she wound up
on the Lexington--

a post which virtually everyone

in our graduating class
was hoping for.

Including you?

No, this is the assignment
I wanted.

Then what does it matter?

Well, don't you see?

She could have had this post.

She could have taken it from me.

No matter what I accomplish
while I'm here

somehow, that'll always
make me feel...

second best.

I understand
you're planning a trip.

Word gets around.

I can't believe
that a man of your intelligence

would take stock
in Bajoran fairy tales

about ancient contact.

If you recall

you thought the Celestial Temple
was a Bajoran fairy tale

until we discovered
the wormhole.

I suggest you
reconsider your plans.

Solar vessels are very fragile,
and it's a long way

to the Denorios Belt
at sublight speeds.

Don't worry.

I'll have emergency equipment
on board.

If something goes wrong

Major Kira can have a runabout
to me within an hour.

An hour can be a very long time

especially if you happen to
encounter something unexpected.

Like what?

Oh, I don't know.

A Maquis ship, perhaps.

Why would the Maquis
have any quarrel

with an unarmed ship sailing
toward the Denorios Belt?

They have nothing at stake here,
nothing to prove--

or should I say, disprove.

Commander, I contacted you
out of concern for your safety

but you seem to be intimating

that I've made
some sort of threat.

Ah, then I'm glad I was wrong.

For a moment there, I thought
that you had been put in charge

of the Cardassian Ministry

for the Refutation
of Bajoran Fairy Tales.

Since I don't seem
to be able to dissuade you

from undertaking
this little voyage of yours

I'll wish you luck instead.

Let's hope you don't need it.

All right, first, we have
to deploy the mainsails.

I want you to take
that winch right there.

Huh? Release brakes.

All right.

When I give you the word,
crank it with all you got.

And... now.

That's as far as they'll go.

Lock it off.

All right...

let's work on the spritsails.

Psst.

Oh.

All right, now get
your back into it, huh?

All right.

That's right.

We'll make a sailor
out of you yet.

These will trim the spritsails.

Now I get it.

What?

Why you wanted
to build this ship.

It is beautiful, isn't it?

Jake-0.

Trim the starboard sprit
about six degrees.

Okay.

How's that?

That should do it.

We'll start to pick up speed

as the pressure
on the sails builds.

Hey, Dad...

where do we sleep?

We have hammocks
we can string up later.

Is this the bathroom?

Yes, it was designed

for a zero-gravity
environment.

Well, how am I supposed to...?

How are you supposed to, um...?

You'll get the hang of it.

Hmm.

We'll be tacking
against the light

most of the way.

And then we'll run like this

for about 90 minutes or so
and come about.

And I'll calculate
the next leg of our trip.

How about something to drink?

Yeah, sure.

Don't tell me we only have
zero-gravity rations.

It's all
the ancient Bajorans had.

Listen.

I don't hear anything.

Exactly.

Not even the hum of an engine.

It's almost like being on
the deck of an old sailing ship.

Except the stars
are not just up in the sky

they're all around us.

Imagine how the ancient Bajorans
must have felt

heading into space
in a ship like this one

not knowing what they
were going to find

or who they were going to meet.

Jake...

I know that you really didn't
want to come on this trip.

I just want to say,
I'm glad you're here.

Dad, there's something
I need to talk to you about.

What is it?

First, you should read this.

It's a story I wrote.

Ah, a story.

That's why you kept
putting this away

every time I walked
into the room, huh?

Well, if you'll keep an eye
on the rigging

I'll read it right now.

Deal.

It looked better
where it was before.

I thought you might want to know

the Lexington docked
a few minutes ago.

Already?

Oh, I thought it wasn't coming
for another day or two.

She's in Quark's.

Oh, okay.

Are you going
to talk to her or not?

She's busy.

You never mentioned
she was beautiful.

I never mentioned her at all

not to you, anyway.

Morn gave me three-to-one odds
that you'll exchange

awkward pleasantries
for a few minutes

then say good-bye.

I'm betting that your charm
will take you further.

Okay then.

In the ship?

She's getting up.

So, what do you think?

I liked it.

You're not just saying that?

No, no, no.

It's good.

What do you think
about the part

where Jared thinks
he's been betrayed?

I don't think that he would
confront him with it.

Not right away.

Yeah, I guess he could wait

until he gets back
from the Demilitarized Zone.

Yeah, that'd make it
more believable.

Hmm.

So, you really think
it was good, huh?

I think it shows
a lot of promise.

What?

Promise?

In a few places,
you're writing about things

you haven't actually experienced

or at least I hope
you haven't experienced.

Unless you've joined the Maquis
without telling me.

I can't talk about it.

I had you going there.

Jake, I really am impressed.

I think you should
keep writing.

I'm thinking about it.

Don't think about it,
just do it.

What I... what I mean is...

Yesterday, I got a communication

from the Pennington School
in New Zealand

and, uh...

they offered me
a writing fellowship.

Oh, well, Jake, that...

that's terrific.

I, uh...

I didn't realize
you had applied.

Well I-I didn't, really.

What happened is,
I showed a story I wrote

to Mrs. O'Brien.

I guess she liked it,
because she showed it

to a friend of hers who knows
someone at the school, and...

A mast support gave way.

The starboard sprit
is fouling one of the mainsails.

Can we fix it?

I don't think so.

We're going to have
to jettison the sprit.

Let's fall off a little.

Take some pressure
off the sails.

Lock that down
and give me a hand.

One more turn.

Lock it!

Good work.

I'm going to jettison the sprit.

That's better

but we're still getting
a lot of spill off the sails.

We won't be able to make
much headway with each tack.

I don't think we'll be able

to get to the Denorios Belt
like this.

The ancient Bajorans

probably ran into
these kinds of problems.

I suppose they did.

Well, did they give up
and go home?

It seems to me, we're here
to prove that they didn't.

What are we waiting for?

Let's get to work.

Lay out the port sprit.

Coming about.

Bring me my chariots of fire

I will not cease
from mental fight

Nor shall my sword
sleep in my hand

Till we have built Jerusalem

In England's green
and pleasant land.

Ha!

That was really beautiful,
Chief.

You know what we should do?

What?

We should go to Quark's
and sing it for everybody.

Oh, no. I-I-I think
we should switch to synthale.

No, no, this isn't...

a synthale kind of night.

She walked right past me, Chief.

Acted like I wasn't even there.

Do you know what I think?

What?

I think she's in love with you.

I don't think so.

It's the only explanation.

Unless...

Unless she really ignored you

because she can't stand you.

Isn't there some explanation
in between?

Well...

you're not
an in-between kind of guy.

What do you mean?

Well, people either
love you or hate you.

Really?

I mean, I hated you
when we first met.

I remember.

But now...

And now?

Well... now I don't.

That means a lot to me, Chief.

It really does.

Really!

Now...

that is from the heart, huh?

Huh? I really do.

Not hate you anymore.

Hey, do you know what I think?

What?

If you want to know
why she ignored you

you have got to confront her.

You're right.

I got to go right up to her...

and ask her flat out

where she gets off
walking past me like that.

Better wait until tomorrow.

Why?

Why not right now?

Because you can barely
stand up right now.

Good point.
Good point.

Good point.

And did those feet,
in ancient time

Walk upon England's
mountains...

Lock it.

Coming about.

Now.

Good.

Solid job.

Let's take a break.

String up the hammock.

Hammock time.

Yo!

Hop in.

Phew!

Oh!

Nice.

Whoa!

I'm okay.

Comfortable, isn't it?

I'm fine. Yeah.

Yeah, we'll make
a sailor of you yet.

I suppose congratulations
are in order.

Pennington is a good school--

and very competitive.

Dad, before you say anything

I'm turning down the fellowship.

Turning it down?
Why?

I'm just... not ready to go.

Jake, an opportunity
like this

doesn't come along every day.

I can defer admission
for a year.

If I want to go then,
I still can.

Well, that's fine

but why will things be
different in a year?

I don't know.

They just might be, that's all.

Now, remember, Jake.

I wasn't much older than you
when I left for San Francisco

to go to Starfleet Academy.

For the first few days,
I was so homesick

that I'd go back
to my house in New Orleans

every night for dinner.

I'd materialize
in my living room

at 6:30 every night

and take my seat at the table,
just like I had come downstairs.

You must have used up

a month's worth
of transporter credits.

Hmm.

My parents, they never said
anything about it.

Just "How you doing, son?
How was school today?"

They knew that I would get over
being homesick soon enough.

Well, after about the
fifth, sixth day

you couldn't pry me
from that campus.

Of course now, if you go
to Pennington

you won't be able to beam
back to the station

to have dinner
with your old man.

After about a week or so,
you'll get over it.

It's not me I'm worried about.

It's you.

Me?

Well, if I go,
you'll be all alone.

Well, I appreciate
you thinking about me, Jake

but please don't turn down
this opportunity on my account.

I'll have plenty of people
to keep me company.

I can always eat dinner
with Dax or Dr. Bashir

or... even Quark.

I guess.

I'd feel a lot better
if you had someone.

You know, someone special,
like a girlfriend.

I see.

Well, let's face it.

It's been over a year
since your last date.

A year, Dad.

Well, you got to make time
for these things.

I cannot believe
that I'm getting advice

about women from my son.

Don't think of me
as your son right now.

Just think of me as another guy.

Another guy who happens to know

a very attractive lady
who wants to meet you.

You are trying to set me up?

Why not?

What was that?

I'm not sure,
but whatever hit us

almost tore off
the port mainsail.

Main power is off-line.

We're moving at warp.

How can that be?

I don't know.

What happened?

That's a good question.

There's no record

of any spatial anomalies
in this region.

What are these?

Tachyon eddies.

They run all through this area.

Could we have gotten
caught up in one?

No, tachyons don't
have enough mass

to affect a ship of...

This... isn't

an ordinary ship.

It has a lot more surface area
relative to its mass.

Because of the sails.

And since tachyons
travel faster than light

it could be that their impact
on the sails

somehow accelerated us
to warp speeds.

We could be light-years
off course.

The question is...
where did we end up?

You check the rigging.

I'll try to figure that out.

We lost the jib
and port mainsail.

Damn!

What?

It's useless.

Now we can't figure out
where we are

or where we're going.

Guess we'll have to contact
the station.

Let them know they have
to come and get us.

We were so close.

Another day and we
would have made it

to the Denorios Belt.

Hey, we did pretty well
getting as far as we did.

Is something wrong?

The station's not responding.

Is the com unit damaged?

Not as far as I can see.

Maybe they haven't
received our message yet.

Do you think we could have
been carried that far away

from the station?

I suppose it's possible.

Well... they'll
find us eventually.

Right?

Sure.

Excuse me.

Yes?

We were at medical
school together.

Julian Bashir.

You're Bashir?

You sound surprised.

Well, I thought
you were Andorian.

Andorian?

Someone pointed out
an Andorian to me at a party

and said
that that was Julian Bashir.

It was, um, New Year's Eve

at Bruce Lucier's
four years ago.

Well, I did go to that party.
May I?

Yes.

With my friend, Erib.

Now, he's Andorian.

No, thank you.

I must have gotten
you mixed up.

All these years, I thought
you were someone else.

Didn't you see me give
my speech at graduation?

No, I was back stage,
waiting to give my speech.

I was so nervous,
I almost passed out.

I know the feeling.

So, you gave me
quite a run for my money.

If it hadn't been
for that preganglionic fiber...

You know about that.

I know that if you
hadn't got that wrong

you would be valedictorian.

Well, I never got a chance
to congratulate you.

It seems like
a long time ago, doesn't it?

Not so long.

So, you got the Lexington.

You must have had
quite an adventure

exploring uncharted space

meeting fascinating
new species

with fascinating
new diseases.

Actually, it ended up being
more of a charting expedition.

Sometimes it would be months
between planetary systems.

You wouldn't believe
how excited I would get

if we actually found
something living

even if it was just moss
under a rock.

Don't take this the wrong way,
but... there were times

when I regretted
not taking your assignment.

Really?

I read your paper
on the immunotherapy project

you've been doing on Bajor.

It was brilliant.

Thank you.

I really envy
the opportunity you have

to work on that kind
of long-term project.

On the Lexington

it was collect your samples

and then on to the next system.

I suppose I was lucky...

What's happening on Bajor?

Were you able to get the T cell
anomalies under control?

If you're really that interested

we should go to the Infirmary

and I can show you
my latest results.

I'd love it.

Morn, about that bet.

I believe the odds
were three to one.

So, Dad...

we're not going
to run out of air

or anything, are we?

Don't worry.

Somebody will find us
before that happens.

Hmm.

So...

tell me about this woman
you want me to meet.

Well...

she's a freighter Captain.

A freighter Captain.

Well, Dad, trust me.

You'll like her.

All right.

I'll agree to meet her,
on one condition.

What?

That you agree not
to base your decision

about going to Pennington
on how our date turns out.

Don't worry.

I won't.

I've already decided
to wait at least a year.

Why?

Well...

I've heard
that you can only write

about what you've experienced.

And you-you got to admit

Deep Space 9 is a pretty
good place to get experience.

Dad.

It appears we've got company.

What do you think they want?

Hmm. Looks like we're
about to find out.

What can I do for you, Dukat?

Well, I wanted to be the
first one to congratulate you.

Congratulate me?

On managing to make it
all the way here.

All the way where?

Don't you know?

You've just entered
the Cardassian system.

The tachyon eddy.

It must have taken us
past the Denorios Belt

and brought us here.

The same thing
must have happened

to the ancient Bajorans.

We did it!

We proved the trip
was possible.

I hate to interrupt
your celebration, Commander

but I've been asked

to convey a message
from the Cardassian government.

"Your voyage is a testament

"to the spirit
of the ancient Bajorans

"who first ventured
out into space.

"It could not be
more appropriate

"that your arrival coincides

"with the discovery
here on Cardassia

"of an ancient crash site--

"a site that our
archaeologists believe

"contains the remnants
of one of the Bajoran vessels

whose journey
you have just recreated."

What an amazing coincidence.

Yes, isn't it?

Welcome.