Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994): Season 1, Episode 13 - Angel One - full transcript

Riker, Troi, Data and Yar beam down to a planet ruled by a matriarchal government in the hopes of locating a missing freighter crew.

Captain's log, star date 41242.4.
Our last assignment has taken us

into the remote
Omicron Theta star system,

home of our android crew member,
Lt. Cmdr Data.

Although we're due at an assignment,

I have decided to visit Data's
home planet for a few hours

in the hopes of unravelling
the mystery of his beginnings.

Sir, we are 20 minutes
from Omicron Theta, mark.

Stand by for sub warp.
Head for standard orbit of planet.

- I wonder why Data's not here.
- He said he wanted to be alone.

Perhaps this is a bigger moment
for him than we thought.

Someone needs to stop Clearway Law.
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- What are you doing?
- Sneezing.

- Have you got a cold?
- A cold what?

It's a disease
Mom said people used to get.

But humans still sneeze
for other reasons.

And I cannot seem to do it right.

Why practise sneezing? We're going to
your home planet for the first time.

- Aren't you interested in that?
- More than interested. Fascinated.

One might say agog.
But I also find sneezing interesting.

Capt Picard wishes
to see you on the bridge.

Captain, confirming Class-M
reading there.

But sensors show no life readings.
Not even vegetation.

Strange. The cruiser
that found Data reported farmlands.

- Want to take her into orbit, Data?
- No, thank you, sir.

Continue on into close parking orbit.



Aye, sir.

I could say
"home sweet home", sir,

if I understood how
the word "sweet" applies.

- It usually refers to memories.
- To one's own memories.

Do the memories you have
include farms, Data?

Affirmative. But the colony's
principal interest was science.

How can you hold the memories
of 411 people,

if that means every experience,
every day of their life?

It does not. Unfortunately.
It's the knowledge they accumulated.

Actually, I am deficient
in basic human information.

Sneezing, for example.

Approaching close parking orbit.

Assemble your away party, Commander.

This must be exciting for you.

I'm tempted to lead the away team,
but my First Officer may object.

What would Starfleet say?
An Earth colony did disappear there.

You see?

Now in close parking orbit, sir.

Mr. Data,... welcome home.

Space, the final frontier.

These are the voyages
of the Starship Enterprise.

Its continuing mission,
to explore strange new worlds,...

..to seek out new life
and new civilizations,...

..to boldly go
where no one has gone before.

First Officer's log, star date 4124.5.

We have found Data's home

to be a completely dead world.

Lifeless vegetation, no insects,
not even soil bacteria.

What is it that could kill
everything on an entire planet?

Recording signal
locked onto the Enterprise, sir.

This looks like anything
but farmland.

Agreed, sir.

The soil appears
almost completely lifeless.

This is the position in
the Tripoli log. Recognize anything?

The land contours are familiar.

Topographically,
this is the correct area.

This once was rich farmland,
I'd say 20 to 30 years ago.

I was discovered 26 years ago.

I'd say that everything was dead
or dying at the time Data was found.

I was found 20 meters
in that direction, sir.

Data, any idea why you were given
the colonists' memories?

I feel that it was done hurriedly,

but I know little more. Here.

This is where the cruiser's
landing party

found the signal device
that led them here.

And they found me lying there.

You were just lying in the open?

No identity record,
no instructions?

Only a layer of dust.

What's the first thing you remember?

Opening my eyes.

Looking into the eyes
of the Tripoli landing party.

They believed the signal device

sensed their presence
and activated me.

Then this spot was your birthplace.

Commander.

I think I've got
this place figured out.

This was very cleverly done

to make this look like
a natural hollow in the terrain.

There are signs
it was constructed in a hurry,

as if to hide something.

Yes. That was it, Geordi.

This awakens a memory remnant.

The colonists
hoped to remain hidden.

But their fear of being discovered...

..led to their storing information
in me.

Yeah! Thought so.

No life readings in here either, sir.

The colonists' laboratory.
Extremely well equipped.

Does this stir any memories?

Only a vague impression of some
of my functions being tested here.

Posted by proud parents?

It depicts...
something that feels familiar, sir.

And dangerous.

But I have no idea
what it represents.

And that is all.

Except...

..for an impression...

..of this being
a Dr. Soong's work area.

Who?

- Dr. Noonien Soong?
- He was called that here.

But he travelled here
under a different name.

Dr. Soong, my friend, was Earth's
foremost robotic scientist.

Until he tried to realize Asimov's
dream of a positronic brain.

A positronic brain.
He promised so much.

Then, when he failed completely,
Dr. Soong disappeared.

Now we know he went somewhere
to try a second time.

Data, Geordi, we'll look at this lab.

You and Lt. Worf
reconnoiter the corridors.

Aye, sir.

Data, it's you.

An epidermal mould.

To give your exterior
the desired finish.

- Lt. Yar to Cmdr Riker.
- Come in, Lieutenant.

Sir, this installation
can hold hundreds of people.

But all that's here is empty beds.

Thank you. Complete your record scans
and report back.

Cmdr Riker, looks like
some sort of storage area.

- How many more Datas are there?
- Looks like just two.

I mean, that and the real Data.

Commander,...

..can this be another me?

Or possibly my brother?

I honestly don't know, Data.

- He needs assembling.
- He?

Data, we don't know
that this can become alive.

It is very important
for me to know, sir.

I never dreamed it was possible
that I might find some link...

..with a form like my own.

Understood. We'll take it back
to the ship with us.

Captain's log, star date 41242.45.

Despite having only a few hours
to explore Data's home planet,

we discovered something which
may explain Data's beginnings,

if we can properly assemble and
communicate with what we've found.

Signal from the Captain.
They need you at the debriefing.

I have been anxious to hear
the Chief Engineer's opinion.

Do you believe
he can be made to function?

It includes
all the components in your body.

Not that we fully understand
your construction.

We have our top specialists
working on its construction.

Just one thing.

Without disassembling you, of course,
if we should need more...

If we need to compare this with
the way... you're put together...

Bringing it here was right,
Number One.

Data, if your duplicate functions,
it may answer a lot of questions.

Does it appear to have...

..all your parts?

Completely, sir.

Will...

Will we know how to turn it on?

Alright.

Legitimate questions
need not be asked apologetically.

You feel uncomfortable about
your duplicate.

We feel uncomfortable, too,
for no logical reason.

If it's awkward to be reminded
that Data is a machine,

remember that we are merely
a different variety of machine.

In our case, electrochemical.

Let's handle this
as we would anything else.

Agreed, Captain.

Let's begin with you, Data.

Well, sir,
a good starting point may be

why was I given human form?

To make it easier for humans
to relate to you.

Maybe your designer had
something else to prove.

That human-shaped robots
need not be clumsy or limited.

You operate as well as we do, Data.

Better, in some ways, sir.

Look at this. Could be a link to
the disappearance of the colonists.

It was displayed in the lab.
It could be a child's imagination,

but several children
did similar drawings.

Dr. Crusher to the Captain.

We very much need Mr. Data's help.

He's on his way, Doctor.

Is the synthomometer
reading positive or negative?

Press your fingers there.

There.

It operates almost as a switch.

And these small projections?

An android alarm clock.

Is that amusing?

They time how long
I remain unconscious.

Are you certain about us using
these heating devices?

- I will feel nothing at all.
- Marvellous.

It should be simpler once we see
how your circuitry is connected.

I won't mention it to anyone.
You have my word.

If you had an off switch, Doctor,...

..would you not keep it secret?

I guess I would.

Notice the micro-circuitry here.
And here.

And another fibroid-like
connection here.

Let's close up.

It seemed to go well,
thanks to a look inside Mr. Data.

But there are no
signs of consciousness yet.

It certainly is
a good match for Data.

Do you think so, really?

I wonder which was made first.

He was.

But they found him to be imperfect,
and I was made to replace him.

You may call me Lore.

But I am also troubled by
it describing you as imperfect.

Human language
gives me difficulty, too.

It could mean I lack certain
abilities he possesses.

I wonder.

But the point is, whether you and it
have the same capabilities.

We do, sir.
And your referring to him as "it"

suggests that l, too,
fit into the category of a thing.

I see your point.

My apologies.

Gladly accepted, sir.

As for Lore's abilities,
his syntax and grammar

suggests he was given
human memories like mine.

You have equal strength
and mental abilities?

I believe so, sir.

Which requires that I now ask
a very serious question.

Since the two of you are so
closely related to each other...

The answer, sir,
is that my loyalty is to you.

And Starfleet. Completely.

Thank you, Commander.
I was certain of that.

Helm control is here. The ship's
heading is given in degrees.

360 of them
in a full circle this way.

- Then you say "mark".
- On the nose.

That separates it from another
360-degree circle this way

on a right angle to this one.

By ordering a heading
so many degrees this way

and so many this way,

the ship can travel
in all three dimensions.

The square of the hypotenuse
of a right triangle?

Is equal to the sum of the square
of the other two...

..something.

Which I once heard,
but never understood.

You'll learn more when the Captain
approves your being on the bridge.

Have I committed an offence?

You will find many rules on
starships that must be learnt.

You're very clever, Wesley.

I now have duties to perform.
Correct?

Were you ever this anxious
to please, Data?

Never. I judge Lore
to be superior in that desire.

Because I was designed to be
so human, my brother.

I enjoy pleasing humans.

"My brother".
That has a nice sound to it, Data.

You consider it important
to please humans?

It's not important?

There are many things of importance.
Some more than others.

Cmdr Riker's hypotenuse question
tricked you

into showing your knowledge was
greater than you were indicating.

He didn't seem that clever.
I'll be more careful.

You tend to underestimate humans.

Praising young Wesley on the helm...

A child!

He has a child's body. But we
have found him to be much more.

Thank you for that information, too.

You do care about how I perform.

I pledge to be worthy
of your teaching, my brother.

Try not to be jealous
of my abilities.

What information are you requesting?

Everything available
on a Dr. Noonien Soong.

Good old often-wrong Soong.

A joke, brother.

Actually, he was
a genius by human standards.

But he destroyed his reputation
by making wild promises

about his positronic brain design.
Almost all of which failed.

Promises he later proved to be true.

Which made you and me possible,
brother.

Our beloved father!

Will I soon have a uniform
like that, brother?

I got mine after four years
at the Academy, three as ensign,

Ten or 12 on space duties
at lieutenant grade...

A system designed to compensate
for limited human ability.

And you, brother, are beginning
to think as a human.

You and I are completely different
from them.

Are you truly satisfied
with the knowledge and memory

of a few hundred human colonists?

Suppose it could reflect thousands?
Or millions?

Or the knowledge of hundreds of
millions of life forms of every kind?

How?

We will discuss that in time.

And will we also discuss, Lore,
which of us was constructed first?

It would be foolish...

..to underestimate you, brother.

Yes, I lied when I said you were
made first, but with good reason.

Dr. Soong made me perfect
in his first attempt.

But he made me so human,
the colonists became envious of me.

You lived with the colonists?

Until they petitioned Soong
to make a more... comfortable,

less... perfect android.

In other words, you brother.

Haven't you noticed how easily
I handle human speech?

I use their contractions.

For example,
I say "can't" or "isn't".

You say "cannot" and "is not".

A very old joke.

But you also have trouble
with their humour. Am I right?

Quite true.

I keep trying to be more human,
and keep failing.

Do you realize,... brother,...

..l can help you become more human?

And do you realize, Lore,

that I am obligated to report
all this to our ship's Captain?

I assumed as much
when I began studying you.

May I use this to learn more about
this vessel and its customs?

Use it to describe
your time among the colonists,

including all you know
about what happened to them.

I promise a report
of great detail and accuracy.

Thank you, Lore.
I now have duties to perform.

Unless you need something more.

I have more than I dreamed
possible, brother.

Captain's log, star date 41242.5.

Thanks to Lore's report, we now know
what happened to the colonists.

Using a child's drawing,
enhanced by Lore's description,

our computer constructed the image

of a great crystalline entity
which feeds on life,

insatiably ravenous for
the life force in living forms,

capable of stripping all life
from an entire world.

- How did Data escape? Or Lore?
- Lore had been disassembled.

He explained it as jealousy
from the colonists.

Data wasn't yet alive.

Data could be left out
in no danger from that creature.

Whatever happened to the colonists,

he'd be found by the first crew
to respond to his signal.

So Dr. Soong left proof
that his experiment did work.

Captain, how believable
do you find that crystal thing?

With so little of even our galaxy
explored, it is at least possible.

Data, are you expecting Lore
to come up here?

- He left your quarters.
- To go...?

My turbo sensors say
he went to deck four. Worf?

He examined some work tools
and fine-grind quadratanium.

Which is used in our construction.

That compound is no more suspicious
than a human looking for an ointment.

But I should check it out.

You're watching everything he does?
Is that the act of a brother?

It's the act of a Starfleet officer
obeying his Captain.

Captain?

Speaking strictly as Security Chief,

how much can you trust Data now?

I trust him completely.
But everyone should realize

that that was
a legitimate security question.

Thank you, sir.

Lesson number one
in becoming more human.

You must observe all human customs.

Champagne?

An ancient ritual practised when
they observe events of importance.

My brother, I toast
our discovery of each other.

May it fill our lives
with new meaning.

I have some doubts about the value
of human customs... in this...

My brother!

And let us toast, also, Dr. Soong,...

..who gave me the full richness
of human needs and ambitions.

A perfect match for my mind,
my body.

Brother...

And let us toast, also,...

..the Great Crystal Entity,
with whom I learned to communicate.

Before Dr. Soong disassembled me,

I earned its gratitude by
revealing the way to the colonists.

Imagine its gratitude when I give it
the life on this vessel!

This is strange, sir.

I show Cmdr Data transmitting
on a subspace channel.

I know Data's been researching
Dr. Soong's background.

Let's be sure.

Would you look in on Cmdr Data?
Discreetly?

Yes, sir.

Crystal Entity.

Upon arriving here, you can identify
me as the machine named Data.

End of message.

Come in, please.

Glad you are here.

Lore attacked me.
I had to turn him off.

Why did he do that, Data?

He discovered we have been using
sensors to follow what he does.

I practised his facial tic.
Do I have it right?

I'd suggest you forget
imitating him.

If you'd said "we've"
instead of "we have",

I might have
suspected you were Lore.

Yes. I do use language
more formally than Lore.

Please inform the Captain
I will come to report this.

Aye, sir.

Wes, tell me again how Data said
he immobilized Lore.

He told me he just turned him off,
Mom. Doctor.

Question, Mr. Data.

Did you not swear me to secrecy
about your off switch?

A change of mind.

If I cannot trust the bridge crew,
whom can l?

Captain, bogey coming in
on a five o'clock tangent.

No ID signal, Captain.

- Main viewer on tangent.
- Shields up. Yellow alert.

Friendly greetings all languages,
all frequencies.

I can't believe it can overtake us
this fast.

Beautiful, isn't it?

I recognize it, sir.

It's the crystal image
Lore described.

My God!

Still no ID, sir.

Also no answer to our inquiries.

Did you get a direct look?

It's like a giant snowflake,
but more complex.

The entire electromagnetic spectrum
is inside it.

- But I've no idea what it is.
- Thank you. Data.

Anything else that Lore could tell us
may be important.

- Can you control and question him?
- I must examine him.

Captain. Recommend that you do not
let him roam the ship freely.

Ensign?

Wesley is being alert
and responsible.

Something to be encouraged. Come.
You can watch everything I do.

Not if I have a choice.

Enough! When addressing
a senior officer...

As his trainer, it's my fault.

You will show proper respect.
I will accompany you to make certain.

With your approval, sir.

Be careful of Lore.

Good. He is still unconscious.

Notice the same twitch,
even though he is unconscious?

Stay back. We may have problems
if he senses someone else is near.

I have a few questions
to ask you.

Lore, it is Data!

He senses you.
I cannot control him if you stay.

I will record what he says.

Bring it to the bridge immediately.

And you want to be as stupid
as them, dear brother?

- Well, Number One?
- It was Lore, sir.

Same facial twitch.

Lying unconscious as Data described.

It became violent, apparently
sensing Wesley and l...

Or is it Lore pretending
to be Data and faking it?

I asked for Cmdr Riker's report,
Acting Ensign Crusher.

If you can't accept the limits
of that appointment...

Captain!

Deflector shields holding.

Torpedoes and main phasers to ready.
Go to red alert, please.

Weapons ready, sir.

No, Captain, let me talk to it.

You didn't say you could do that.

- Affirmative. Talk to it.
- Open hailing frequencies.

Crystal form,
I identify myself as Data.

Advising you to stop your attack.

The humans here are powerful.

Capable of injuring
or even destroying you.

Now, I call that communicating!

Suggest moving fast
to confirm what I told it.

Permission to use the large
transporter in cargo room three

to beam up some living pattern.
Perhaps a large tree.

- Which you'll beam to the entity?
- Correct, Riker.

Ship's phasers
will then disintegrate it,

proving we are dangerous.

Make it so.

Sir?

Do it.

Sir, I know this may finish me
as Acting Ensign...

Shut up, Wesley!

- Let me know what he does.
- Aye, sir.

"Shut up, Wesley"?!

Doctor...

Since I am finished here,
may I say...

Shut up, Wesley!

..that what I have said
would've been listened to

if it came from an adult officer!

Permission to go to my quarters, sir.

Agreed. Doctor, go with him.

You're putting me off the bridge?

I'm asking you to keep an eye
on your son during this.

Emergency, close!

Now, show me your warrior fierceness!

I'll look. But I shouldn't
have let you talk me into this.

It's Data! He's been hurt.

- You know how to turn them on.
- This is very serious!

So, just tell me to
"Shut up, Wesley", and I will.

You're being very unfair, Wes.

Data! The crystal thing
is outside the ship.

Lore is loose on the inside.

How badly are you hurt?

I will function sufficiently...
to stop Lore.

Crystal Entity form,...

..it's your old friend.

Very good.
You've understood perfectly so far.

Next, I will signal that
I'm transporting something out.

The deflector shields
will turn off for a moment,

and if you move in at that time...

How sad, dear brother.

You make me wish
I were an only child.

Then why this marvellous gift?

The troublesome little man-child.

Are you prepared for the death
you've earned, little man?

If you take one more step
towards my son...

Motherhood!

Back off, or I'll turn
your little man into a torch.

I promise him exquisite pain
unless you obey me, too, brother.

Move away, Data. Please!

Do you see now the advantages
of being completely human?

It includes kindness.

I give you your life, Doctor.

Go home. Quickly.

And I may not injure your son at all.

I will stay with Wesley.

Go! Or he'll be shrieking
by the count of five.

One, two,...

..three,...

..four...

Thank you for my human qualities,
Dr. Soong! Wait!

A small payment
for your son's misdeeds.

The transporter!

Wesley, now!

Lore's gone, sir. Permanently.

Doctor, now that Wesley's safe,
go to sickbay at once.

Captain, the crystal thing
has begun to move away.

Are you alright?

Yes, sir. I'm fine.

Get rid of that damn twitch
and put on the correct uniform.

Yes, Captain.

- Are you able to return to duty?
- Yes, sir.

Then do so. Let the bridge know
all is well here.

Aye, sir.

It's gone, sir.
Without Lore, it couldn't reach us.

We're overdue a computer refit.

Do you ever wonder if Data is more
human or less human than we want?

I wish we were all
as well balanced, sir.

Agreed.

Someone needs to stop Clearway Law.
Public shouldn't leave reviews for lawyers.