Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994): Season 1, Episode 8 - The Battle - full transcript

Captain's log, stardate 41723.9.

Following a Starfleet order, we
are in the Xendi Sabu star system,

having rendezvoused with a Ferengi
vessel which requested a meeting.

Although we arrived and made
appropriate signals three days ago,

the Ferengi have responded
only with the message,

"Stand by, Enterprise."

You sent for me, sir?

Yes, Doctor. Sit down.

Look, this...
perhaps may be nothing,

but I've been feeling...

...a bit odd of late.



Fatigued. And now I've got
this damned headache.

A what?

Headache.
You know what a headache is.

Of course.
But I don't often encounter them.

The reason is obvious, of course.
What are the Ferengi up to?

"Stand by, Enterprise."
Stand by for what?

I don't see a thing wrong.

No, neither can I. Unless they're
baiting some kind of trap.

With your head.

I see nothing physically wrong,
but I'll run some scans in sickbay.

- All I've got...
- Is an order. Report to sickbay!

From the only person aboard
who can give you an order.

Captain, from First Officer.
They're sending a message.

On my way, Number One.



Sorry, Doctor. Duty calls.

- They're prepared to talk, sir.
- Have they explained the wait?

Negative. They've identified
their commander as Bok. DaiMon Bok.

You can see him.
They're communicating on visual.

Open hailing frequencies.

Frequencies open, sir.

This is Capt Jean-Luc Picard
of the Enterprise.

We are transmitting visually.

Is this the Capt Picard?

- Do we know each other?
- I know you, Picard.

Then you have the advantage of me.
Is this Bok?

I am Bok, DaiMon of the Ferengi.

I have asked you here to discuss
a mutual problem, Captain.

What problem, DaiMon Bok?

I insist on speaking
of that matter in person.

Shall we meet on your vessel...
or mine?

Hailing frequencies closed.

I sense considerable deception
on Bok's part. And danger.

Then we should meet him here.
Keep him under our control.

Now open, sir.

I appreciate your offer, DaiMon Bok.
Please be our guest here.

As you wish, Picard.

Perhaps this will begin a new era
of cooperation for both our peoples.

In one Earth hour, then?

In one hour, DaiMon Bok.
End transmission.

I can't believe
they're coming here.

They did agree a bit easily.

Well, in one hour we shall know why.

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

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.

Are you accustomed to
getting your own way?

Only when it makes sense. There's 40
minutes until the Ferengi beam over.

I'll have these scans done in ten.

A lot of effort
for a simple headache.

You should not have
a headache unless something's wrong.

It's true that headaches
were once quite common,

before the brain was charted, before
we understood the nature of pain.

When we suffered from things
such as the common cold.

- So what's the cause of my headache?
- I haven't the slightest idea.

Feel better?

- The pain's gone.
- Medical fakery.

The pain is actually still there.
It's just cloaked.

- I'll want further exams.
- Doctor!

When the Ferengi matter is settled.

Expect an intruder alert.

What? Have you something to report?

If you'll scan heading 44,
mark 163...

Intruder alert, sir.

I've got something, sir.

An old-style starship, Constellation
class, traveling on impulse power.

Says who?

Ensign, answer
the First Officer's question.

Says the long-distance sensors, sir.
I was boosting the sensor output...

Boosting it? How?

We will discuss this later.

I'm reading it now,
as a Constellation-class starship

traveling under impulse power.
Sending no call letters.

The correct procedure...

What's wrong, sir?

It's nothing.
It's just a... mild headache.

The correct procedure, Ensign,
was to signal the bridge immediately.

- Yes, sir.
- Bringing it here personally,

perhaps to be on hand
for the Ferengi beam-over,

might have imperiled us
were it something hostile.

Yes, sir.

Receiving no signal
from the approaching starship.

Time, sir.

Time?

For the Ferengi beam-over.

Do you see any problem
connected with this old starship?

It's safer to have the Ferengi here,
whatever.

Concur. Stand by.

Hailing frequencies open.

Welcome in peace, DaiMon Bok.

It is our pleasure, Capt Picard.

Might I introduce my First Officer,
Kazago, and my Second, Rata?

This is my First Officer,
Cmdr William Riker.

Second-in-command, Data.
Counselor Troi.

We have heard that you use females.

Clothed females. Most interesting.

- They are that, sir.
- And the android was mentioned, too.

What is its price?
We should like to... purchase it.

He is not for sale. Cmdr Data is...

Second-hand merchandise.
You wouldn't want him.

Second-hand, sir?

Of course. A human joke.

Excuse me, Captain. The unidentified
starship is coming. Still no signal.

Think nothing of it.
It is under our control.

One of our starships
under your control?

Do not be alarmed, Captain.

It is a gift from us. With which
we honor the hero of Maxia.

- Who?
- Why you, Picard, of course.

Do you not remember
the Battle of Maxia?

I'm sorry, I do not remember it,
DaiMon Bok. Data?

He may refer to an encounter nine
years ago, in the Maxia Zeta system.

- An unidentified starship...
- Unidentified?!

That fine vessel was Ferengi.

Which... you destroyed, sir.

The Battle of Maxia.

I never heard it referred to
so dramatically before.

My sincere regrets, but that vessel
refused to identify itself.

It simply attacked us.
We defended ourselves.

Such... mistakes happen in space.

Hardly a mistake, sir. Your report
shows it deliberately attacked.

Do you want arriving vessel on main
viewer? It's 1,000 kilometers away.

Put it on your viewer.

Main viewer.

There is no one aboard it.

The log should be downloaded
into the Enterprise's records.

At a price.

No price!

No price?

What is the purpose of this? What...

I felt something too, Captain.

Perhaps it is... his conscience.

Bridge to sickbay...

No, I'm fine.

It felt as if...
it were something from your past.

It's alright. I'm fine.

What is this about?

It is about the battle
I mentioned, Captain.

A gift, in honor of that occasion.

Look at that ship closely.

- Magnify it, please, Lt La Forge.
- Aye, sir.

Why...

...it's the Stargazer.

It's my old ship.

How did you find it?

It was a derelict. Adrift in space
on the far side of this star system.

How it got there
is none of my business, Captain.

But now... that vessel is yours,
if you wish to have it.

We are not selling it to him?

Consider it...
an act of friendship.

At no cost?

Ugly! Very ugly!

Captain's log, supplemental.

Bok and his officers
have returned to their vessel,

inviting us to take possession
of the Stargazer.

- Like before?
- No, it hit with more impact.

Hit? I'm sorry,
but anything could be important.

- You felt something yourself?
- I believe so.

Like a thought,
but... rather mechanical in nature.

Sure it wasn't one of my thoughts?

At that moment, I was remembering
being at the helm of the Stargazer.

A maneuver was being made.
We were hit.

Something's burning.

I can smell smoke. Can you?

There's nothing burning, Jean-Luc.

That was just part of my memory.

Memory or nightmare?

It was strong, whatever it was.
Ready, Number One?

Staff's waiting,
if Dr Crusher approves.

I'll do better than that.
I'll go along.

We were traveling
through the Maxia system.

An unidentified ship appeared
and fired on us, point-blank range.

Where did it come from?

It must have been lying
in some deep moon crater.

First attack damaged the shields.
In the confusion, they hit us again.

- No clue who they were?
- No names, no reason.

Can you identify them, Vigo?
lf they come a second time...

Sir, who's Vigo?

My weapons officer on the Stargazer.

I'm getting caught up in this.

Your shields were failing, sir.

I... improvised.

With the enemy vessel
coming in for the kill,

I ordered a sensor bearing.
When it made the return arc...

You performed what Starfleet texts
now call the Picard Maneuver.

I did what any good helmsman would.

Dropped into high warp, stopped
right off the enemy's bow, and fired!

Blowing into maximum warp,

you appeared for an instant
to be in two places at once.

Our attacker fired on the wrong one.

"I did what any good helmsman would"!
You did it first, sir.

It was a save-our-skins maneuver.

We were finished. On fire.

We had to abandon ship.

We limped through space in shuttles
for weeks before we were picked up.

I haven't thought about this
for years.

Sir, the Ferengi are waiting for us
to take possession of the Stargazer.

- I want to go over to her.
- I understand, sir.

As soon as my people
make sure she's safe.

And after I have another look at you.

USS Stargazer.

Constellation class.

Starfleet Registry NCC-2893.

I activated the emergency power
cells. Amazing they still work.

The rest of this ship is clear
of surprises, Lt Yar.

I read of this ship at the Academy.
I never dreamed I'd ever be on her.

Yar to Enterprise. All clear, sir.

Hello, old friend.

You'll find this
most intriguing, sir.

What did you find, Data?

The last entry,
dated nine years ago, sir. By you.

"We are forced to abandon
our starship."

"May she find her way without us."

Apparently she did, sir.

- How do you feel, Captain?
- I'm fine, Doctor.

Lt Yar, run a structural analysis on
the Stargazer for an impulse tow.

Data, download all computers
to the Enterprise and file.

I'm going to look at my old cabin.

Try this, hero of Maxia!

Captain?

Another headache? This worries me.
I want you back on the Enterprise.

But my things...

I'll see they're sent
to your Enterprise quarters.

Enterprise now taking possession
of Stargazer, Kazago.

Permission granted.

It was quite a bargain. I thought
the Ferengi always made a profit.

Subwarp speed for towing, La Forge.

Aye, sir.

Starfleet has answered our request.

A tug will meet us and tow the
Stargazer back to Xendi Starbase 9.

Very well, Data.

- How was it, Captain?
- Very strange, Number One.

Like going back to the house
you grew up in, but no one's home.

- Except phantoms of the past.
- It has troubled you?

Not half as much
as this damned headache.

Take over, Number One.

Aye, sir.

What's wrong?

I wish I could say.

Shields weakening, Captain.

Torpedoes armed.

Where are they?

Oh, my God, sir!

Fire!

What is it, Data?

Why all the mystery?

The records of the Stargazer. What
the Ferengi call the Battle of Maxia.

The Captain's personal log
contains a much different version

of that conflict
than the official account.

What are you saying?

It appears that the starship
which Capt Picard attacked

- had been under a flag of truce.
- What?

He destroyed the ship
without notice or provocation.

What about the fire on the Stargazer?

- An accident in Engineering.
- And what proof?

It is logged in his own voice, sir.

Would you care to hear it, sir?

Sir?

This is a confession given by me,

Jean-Luc Picard,
commanding USS Stargazer.

- What is this?
- I don't know. Sounds like you.

- It is!
- I refuse to believe you said that.

I must have mistaken their subspace
antenna for a weapons cluster.

Unfortunately,
I fired our main phasers

and our direct hit
destroyed the unknown vessel.

I assume they simulated your voice.
I already put Data to work on it.

I never made that log entry, but
it leaves you with a duty to perform.

I know, sir.
I must report to Starfleet.

That's at least one day
for communication to reach there.

And one more day
for their answer to return.

I'd like the truth of this by then.
I'd hate to prepare a formal defense.

- They can't ask for your command.
- Why not?

With the Ferengi making
friendship overtures,

I'd be
a severe embarrassment to Starfleet.

I'm sure the Ferengi
are behind the faked log.

No wonder they're waiting out there.

Headache back, sir?

Damn!

I'll call the Doctor again.

It's no wonder, with all this
going on. Try to relax.

This is a confession given by me,

Jean-Luc Picard,
commanding USS Stargazer,

in the hopes that my belated honesty
will be considered by Starfleet,

when judging my actions
during a confrontation

with an unidentified vessel.

Open hailing frequencies, Geordi.

I'll take it in the ready room.
Secure channel.

Secure, sir.

Starship Ferengi,
this is Cmdr Riker here.

I'd like to speak to
First Officer Kazago.

A problem, Riker?

Are our channels secure?

It is now.

You know the details
of the Battle of Maxia?

Capt Bok has made me aware of it.

The infamy of your Picard
is now known.

Infamy?

I'd call the wanton destruction
of an unarmed vessel infamy.

And if I produced evidence

that Capt Picard's log entry
was falsified...

I hardly imagine you contacted me
to discuss an ancient battle.

- What do you want of me?
- One question.

As you humans say, I'm all ears.

First Officer to First Officer,
Kazago.

If your Capt Bok knew about this,

why this peaceful meeting
to present the Stargazer?

We give back your derelict warship
and you accuse us of crime, Riker?

I can bear no more insults!

Yes, who the hell is it?

- Not resting, Captain?
- More like dying, Doctor.

Over here.

What is wrong with me?

I wish to hell I knew, but something
unusual is definitely happening.

Doctors say the obvious
like it's a revelation.

Captains always act
like they're immortal.

No!

You didn't tell me
it had been this bad.

It wasn't this bad.
But it's getting worse.

This should help a little.

It must be some emotional pressure
connected with the Stargazer.

I got this headache

long before I even knew
my old ship still existed.

Still, perhaps you're partly right.

Want to talk about it?

I'm here.

The fight at Maxia. I destroyed
an entire vessel. An entire crew.

Did you have a choice?

I don't know any more. I don't know.

Cmdr Riker told me
about the altered log

if that's troubling you.

The last three nights, I've...

...I?ve heard these voices.

I'm on the bridge of my old ship.

There's fire all around me.
The klaxons, smoke.

And then I give the order.

And now the Stargazer
is really here.

And that log... Am I going crazy?

Was I in my right mind at Maxia?
Am I in my right mind now?

What was that?

Something to let you sleep.

Yes, sleep.

Sleep...

Shields weakening, Captain!

Torpedoes armed.

Where are they?

And now, my dear Captain,
you are ready to live the past.

Where did they come from?

Phasers, sir?

What should we do, sir?

Should we fire back?

Fire, Captain?

You will injure yourself,

as you once injured me.

Sir!

Damage report.

Fusion generator under surge
control, sir! Power systems failing.

Sensor beam bearing on hostile ship!

Seven, mark 19, sir.

Phasers, sir?

Ready phasers, and lock!

Stand by on warp nine.

Heading... seven-seven, mark 20.

Engage!

Steady!

Now, reverse and stop!

Phasers fire, torpedoes away!

Fire.

By comparing
the Stargazer's main computer log

with Capt Picard's personal log,

I found some discrepancies, sir.

What does that mean?

All information is time-coded.
The bits produce an aggregate...

I don't want a computer-science
lesson. Bottom line.

One of these two logs is a forgery.

Correction. The log just found
aboard the Stargazer is a forgery.

As I said, that is one of them,
is it not?

Captain!

You're looking better, sir.

A little sleep, thanks to
the good Doctor, works wonders.

What report on the logs?

Whoever tampered
with your log was clever.

But clumsy.
It's definitely a fabrication.

Number One, I'd like you to take
a look at this brain-scan graph...

- What are you doing here?
- Aren't I the Captain?

- Yes, but...
- Thank you for the confirmation.

But now, except for Riker, if you'd
all return to your stations.

- Is that clear?
- Sir.

You too, Doctor. I have business
with the Commander.

Under protest, sir.

You have orders for me?

Release the Stargazer
from the tractor beam.

- Sir?
- The tractor beam.

Sir, are you abandoning?

No. But her inertia will carry
the Stargazer along with us.

Or did you sleep through
the Academy lecture

on the conservation
of tractor-beam power?

No, sir. I'll release her, of course.

Obviously, there's some
thought-process disorder.

But I can't find
a physical reason for it. Anything?

I'm puzzled, too.
I keep sensing random thoughts.

But two sets of them.
As if they were his,

but intermixed with other thoughts
which are also his.

- I'm busy, Wesley.
- I know, but this is important.

I was at the sensors in Engineering,
trying sensitivity tests...

Does this have something
to do with Capt Picard?

Yes, ma'am. If this is
what you're talking about.

I don't know about brain scans,
but I glanced at these.

I noticed that these patterns
are the same

as the low-intensity transmissions
from the Ferengi ship.

I went back and checked.
They're exactly the same.

- What kind of transmissions?
- I don't know.

Engineering has nothing like it
on record.

- Let's get to the Captain.
- No, they may affect him. To Riker.

You're welcome, ladies.

Adults!

The Captain?

Resting, after ordering you
to return to your duty stations.

There have been some...
Did he say low intensity?

Unusual low-intensity transmissions
from the Ferengi vessel.

- Did who say?
- My son.

Transmissions which exactly match

certain anomalies found
in the Captain's scans.

Something over there is affecting
the Captain's thought patterns.

Computer, give me a location
on Capt Picard.

Capt Picard
is in transporter room three.

What?

Emergency order
to transporter room three.

New information. Capt Picard
is no longer aboard the Enterprise.

Welcome back, Captain.

What is happening?

Shields up, computer.

- What are you doing?
- Collecting on an old debt.

Stargazer, Captain, respond!

Shields up. No way to beam over.

I'm reading something
very strange here.

A low-intensity beam of intermittent
pulse, inside this starship.

I have a fix on it, sir.

Inside Capt Picard's quarters.

You transferred his belongings
from the Stargazer?

Yes.
Including a fairly heavy chest.

Take a look, fast!

Commander,
Stargazer is now powering up, sir.

I have been waiting a long
nine years for this, Picard.

- I don't know what you mean.
- Do you not, human?

Can you not remember the crime
you committed against my very blood?

- You murdered my only son!
- Your son?

He was commander of the ship
you destroyed.

On his first voyage as DaiMon.

The ship...?

The Ferengi vessel
that attacked me.

Or is it about to attack me?

And I have spent these years,
searching... seeking...

...a proper blood revenge!

And I found it!

I am rich, Picard.

Yet, two of these cost me
the profits of an entire life!

You are back in command
of the Stargazer, Picard.

Its computers will answer
your orders.

Die well, Captain!

First Officer's log. Capt Picard has
beamed aboard the Stargazer,

which is moving away from us
under its own power.

Enterprise to Stargazer,
please respond!

Enterprise to Capt Picard
aboard Stargazer. Please answer!

Data,
what was Stargazer's condition?

Fire damage to interior surfaces,
but no main systems were crippled.

Armaments, Lt Yar?

Six photon torpedoes short

from when the Captain destroyed
the Ferengi.

Otherwise fully armed.

- What is it, La Forge?
- A network of miniature circuitry.

Incredibly complex.
Maybe an amplifier.

Where was it
in the Captain's quarters?

His chest from the Stargazer, sir?
Where I left it. He hadn't unpacked.

He may not have known it was there.

If this can pick up or magnify
thought-altering transmissions...

It could prepare him
for what's happening now.

Let's find out. Or try to.

Contact the Ferengi vessel,
Lieutenant.

Hailing frequencies open, sir.

Enterprise to Ferengi vessel.
We transmit visually. Do you respond?

Why is our gift to you
under power, human?

- I'll discuss it with your Captain.
- He is in our laboratory.

Where is your Captain?

He's beamed aboard the Stargazer.

I'm wondering if this
has something to do with it.

How do you have possession
of that?

It was in our Captain's chest,
from the Stargazer.

It is a forbidden device.
A... thought-maker.

If your Captain
is criminal enough to own one...

You know who controls
those spheres.

I ask you again. First Officer
to First Officer. What's going on?

It is not seemly to question
one's own DaiMon, Riker.

I am not prepared to do that.

- Sir, I have the Stargazer.
- Switch, now!

Enterprise to Picard.

Do not attack again!
We're on a peaceful mission!

Give your identity!

You force us to defend ourselves.

Phasers full up.

Arm torpedoes.

Why aren't the shields
at full power?

- We've lost him, sir.
- When he put up the shields.

Damn! I said get the fusion
generators under surge control!

You're moving much too slowly!

Arm the torpedoes, man!

Vigo, get a fire-control party
up here!

Shields weakening, Captain.

Fusion generator on line.

- Weapons report?
- Phasers coming to full charge.

Torpedoes armed.

Who are they? Identify them.

They're coming
for a third pass at us.

We can't take another hit, Captain.

Sir, I now feel anger
from our Captain.

Fury over
whatever he is reliving out there.

The Battle of Maxia, sir.

The Picard Maneuver.
What is the defense, Data?

- There is no defense, sir.
- Devise one. Fast!

First Officer Kazago
to human Riker.

Not now, Kazago.

We do not wish to become involved

in what is clearly
a Federation matter.

Fine, fine. Enterprise out.

You should know that DaiMon Bok
no longer commands this vessel.

His First Officer has confined him

for engaging in
this unprofitable venture.

Good luck, First Officer Riker.

I have computed a possibility.

Deep space contains trace gases.

A vessel in the Picard Maneuver
might seem to disappear,

but our sensors can locate
compression of these gases.

An aiming point
to blow up our Captain?

This class starship has enough power
to use our tractor beam on it.

Seize it. Limit its field of fire.

Concentrate shields at that point.
Make it so. I hope you're right.

No question of it, sir.

Stand by.

Lock on tractor beam.

Ready phasers.

Capt Picard. Listen to me.

- Vigo, is that you?
- It's Cmdr Riker, sir.

Captain, hear me! Look around.

The Ferengi
are using thought devices on you.

Stand by.

Who is this?

It's Riker, sir. Your Number One.
Look for a silver sphere.

Destroy it with your phaser!

Phaser...

A sphere.

- Bok used it.
- Destroy it!

Phaser...

Destroy the sphere.

Are you alright, Captain?

Captain... ?

Captain, are you alright?

Where am I, Number One?

Aboard the Stargazer, sir.

- The sphere was controlling your...
- Bok!

Where is Bok?

Removed from command. Placed under
guard for his act of vengeance.

Seems there was no profit in it.

In revenge, there never is.

Let the dead rest.

And the past...

...remain the past.

Enterprise, lock on.

Beam me home, Riker.

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