Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994): Season 3, Episode 1 - Evolution - full transcript

The Enterprise is carrying an eminent scientist, Dr. Paul Stubbs, to the site of a binary star where they are expecting a massive stellar explosion to occur in a few hours. He has been waiting many years for this to occur and has devoted his entire life to its study. The Enterprise however begins to suffer from a series of malfunctions, some minor but others far more serious. Meanwhile, Dr. Beverly Crusher has returned to the Enterprise after a year at Starfleet Medical. She's concerned however if her presence may be limiting son Wesley's development. Can a 17 year-old boy develop normally if his mother is always around him? Wesley may be responsible for all the problems on the ship when his experiment in nanotechnology escapes from the lab. Fearing that the attack on the ship might prevent him from completing his experiments, Stubbs takes matters into his own hands.

Riker to Ensign Crusher.

Go ahead.

- Forget to set your alarm, Wesley?
- Yes, sir.

I'm very sorry. I'll be right there.

Captain's log, stardate 43125.8.

We have entered a spectacular
binary star system

in the Kavis Alpha Sector on a
mission of astrophysical research.

Our eminent guest, Dr Paul Stubbs,

will attempt to study
the decay of neutronium

expelled at relativistic speeds
from a massive stellar explosion

which will occur here
in a matter of hours.



Ensign, our position?

One million kilometers
from the neutron star.

Slow to one-third impulse power.

- Spectacular, isn't it, my friend?
- Yes, sir.

Over and over again,

the gravitational pull
of the little neutron star

sucks up the star material
from the red giant,

and it builds up on the surface
until it explodes, every 196 years.

Like clockwork.

And it is but 1 8 hours away.

1 8 hours, seven minutes
and ten seconds, Doctor.

The interstellar counterpart
to Earth's Old Faithful.

The only predictable burst of energy
in the universe

that can accomplish our goal.



If you'd like to make
one final inspection...

Captain, I have been inspecting
the Egg for the last 20 years.

You may lay it when ready.

Begin launch sequence.

Shuttlebay two,
stand by to launch the Egg.

Standing by, Commander.

Five minutes to launch site.

- Stabilize!
- The ship isn't responding, sir.

Engineering! Report, Mr La Forge.

Checking inertial dampeners.
Instruments say they're working.

We're heading into the path
of that stellar matter.

Shields up.

Negative.
The shields will not respond.

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 civilisations...

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

30 seconds to impact, sir.

- Manual override on shields.
- Shields are rising.

Reset dampeners, Mr La Forge.

Not responding. Unable to reset.

- Reverse impulse engines.
- Initiating reverse sequence, now.

Our momentum is still carrying us
into the path of the stellar matter.

- 1 2 seconds to impact, sir.
- Prepare for impact.

Medical personnel,
report to the bridge.

Cmdr Data, check all systems.

Systems functioning normally.

Computer,
explain control malfunction.

No control malfunction
has been recorded.

Lay down carefully. There you go.

Dr Stubbs, the Captain says
our systems are back to normal.

We can try another launch
when you're ready.

Quite a dynamic family team,
you Crushers.

It's nice to be together again.

I was at Starfleet Medical for
a year. I missed two inches of him.

I'm not sure I'd want my mother
to be flying through space with me.

No, I take that back.
I am sure. I wouldn't want her.

My mother is a formidable woman, too.

A woman of letters. A great critic.

I know.

Good Lord, son, you didn't
read that unauthorized biography?

Is this all he does? Fly the ship
and read? Doesn't he have fun?

Sure he does.

Most of my free time
is taken up with my studies.

I want to get into Starfleet Academy.

I earn credits being on the
Enterprise. But it's not the same.

You ready to sit up?

Well, I am whole again.

Thank you, Doctor.

Come along, Wesley, let's go see
if Humpty-Dumpty is in one piece.

Computer, fix the food slot.

The food slot
is functioning properly.

Well, check again.

The food slot
is functioning properly.

Deactivate food slot.

We're analyzing the systems data.
There's nothing unusual

in the computer log
for that time period.

Run a level-one diagnostic series.
Come.

I want a computer that's 100 percent
to expedite Dr Stubbs' experiment

as well as the food slots in sickbay.
Picard out.

Which are working again,
for the moment.

What can I do for you, Doctor?

Jean-Luc, how would you feel
if you were a 17-year-old

and the only Starfleet officer
whose mother was on board?

Inhibited, I suppose.

But then, I'm not Wesley.

If you are concerned about him,
I see no evidence of a problem.

I know, but, in a funny way,
that's exactly my point.

We talk, we smile.
It's almost too polite.

Beverly,
isn't it just a matter of time?

I know how difficult it was
for you being away.

Tell me about him.

Well, he's becoming
a very fine officer.

He works as hard
as any member of the crew.

- His studies are on line.
- No! Tell me about him.

He's his father's son.

Honest, trusting,

strong.

Does he have many friends?

Has he ever been in love?

Jean-Luc, I'm worried.

He's come so far, so fast,

and since I've been back,
I don't feel...

His dependence.

Beverly, look, he's 17 years old.

What were you doing
when you were 1 7?

Getting into more trouble
than Wesley.

So was I.
Isn't that what 1 7 is supposed to be?

No cracks in the amour.
We'll do just fine.

How can you be so calm?

If I were about
to make a breakthrough...

I have never doubted for a moment
that this day would come.

And I suspect that someday
it will come for you as well.

I see a lot of me in you.

In my youth,
they called me a wunderkind.

Do you understand wunderkind?

It's German, isn't it?

It means "wonder child".

It is reserved for those of us
who achieve early in life.

- Now the burden is yours.
- Burden?

To fulfill your potential.

You will never come up
against a greater adversary

than your own potential.

Red alert. Return to quarters.

Still no visual contact.
That's impossible.

Mr Worf, same magnification,
50 degrees starboard.

Worf, you're absolutely sure?

Sensors indicate the approach
of a Borg vessel.

Shields up.

Shields are not responding.

Manual override is jammed.
We don't have the shields, Captain.

- They're firing energy weapons!
- Evasive action.

Bring her round to 275, mark three.

Predict vector of Borg vessel.

Vector...

...is gone!

And so is the Borg ship.

Is this another computer glitch?

It could be
a synthetically-generated image.

Our computer was daydreaming?

Computer, identify malfunction.

Pawn to bishop four.
Knight to king's rook three.

Bishop to queen's bishop four.

Knight to knight five.
Queen's knight...

Controls are not responding, sir.

Queen to bishop three.

- Impulse engines are down.
- Try warp engines.

No. Sorry.
I'd better get back to Engineering.

Mr La Forge, I want
Lt Worf to accompany you.

Report on the prospects
of getting our shields back.

Number One, Mr Data,
join me in the conference room.

It's time to discuss the future of
this mission, if there still is one.

We are dealing with the potential
breakdown of the main computer.

That's hard to accept.

The system provides
for self-correction.

There has been no systems-wide
technological failure

on a starship in 79 years.

Excuse me, Captain,
Dr Stubbs is waiting outside.

Captain, I'm sure you have
everything under control.

I'd just like to know
what's going on.

Of course, Doctor.
Sit down. Counselor.

Cmdr La Forge is attempting
repairs even as we speak.

"Attempting" doesn't sound
particularly reassuring.

If possible, we will continue
this mission as planned.

Captain, if we miss our chance now,

we don't get another
for two centuries.

Starfleet will ask many questions
if the Enterprise fails in its duty.

Nevertheless,
my foremost consideration

is to ensure the safety
of this ship and its crew.

Ensure the safety, Captain?

Or are you really talking
about playing it safe?

Doctor, in our current position,
when that star explodes,

you'll get to watch your experiment
from the inside out.

I would rather die than leave.

You don't speak
for the majority of the crew.

I know how much this means to you.

My dear Counselor,
no insult intended,

but please turn off
your beam into my soul.

I will share the feelings
I wish to share.

Well, if we do not leave in time,
so be it.

It's one sure way
into the record books, eh?

His nonchalance
is studied and practiced.

Even my sensory perception
picked that up!

He's put his entire self-worth
on the line with this experiment.

It's the truth when he says
he'd rather die than leave.

Call up the cross-section
of core processor 451.

I want to see elements 0200 to 0300.

Aye, sir.

In order to get some power, I had to
essentially hot-wire the connection.

Whoa, right there.

Look at that lesion.
No wonder we're coming apart.

It's some kind
of continuing disintegration,

but from what, I can't tell.

I have no idea how to stop it.

It's just a mechanical problem?

Increase magnification, factor 50.

I don't know, Wes.
But looking at it...

You know,
if I didn't know any better,

I'd say somebody had climbed in
and started taking it apart.

Guinan!

I didn't think anyone would be here.

I'm no good
at being confined to quarters,

as my husbands will attest to.
What's that?

I'm just setting traps.

- I run a clean place.
- I know. It's not that.

It's...

I'm scared, Guinan.

I think that everything
that's gone wrong might be my fault.

Want to tell me about it?

I'm doing my final project
for advanced genetics.

It's on nanotechnology.

I studied the nanites
in the sickbay supplies.

These tiny robots with gigabytes
of mechanical computer memory.

They're designed to enter
living cells and conduct repairs.

They're supposed
to stay confined to the lab.

There are nanites loose?

Two of them, that's all.

I wanted to see
how they'd function in tandem.

I had proposed a theory
that by working together,

they could combine their skills
and be more useful. It was working.

You made better nanites?

I was pulling an all-nighter
to collect my final data.

I fell asleep. When I woke up,

I saw the container
had been left open.

It's just a science project.

A doctor friend once said
the same thing to me.

Frankenstein was his name.

They're really harmless.
They have only basic skills.

It's almost impossible
they're responsible.

Almost.

Dr Crusher to Wesley Crusher.

Go ahead.

I assumed you'd be in your quarters
since you're off duty.

I know. I just had some things to do.

- Orders are orders, Mr Crusher.
- On my way.

You won't tell anybody, will you?

I know. I will.

If it's true.

Wes, do you think
you're gonna get a good grade?

I always get an A.

So did Dr Frankenstein.

Captain's log, supplemental.

Our computer core
has been tampered with,

yet there is no sign
of a breach of security.

We will attempt
to complete our mission,

but without a reliable computer,

Dr Stubbs' experiment
is in jeopardy.

- Manual restart sequence.
- Restart successful.

Impulse engine functions
appear normal.

- Shuttlebay two, open hangar door.
- Aye, sir.

Door did not respond.
Repeating sequence.

What in heaven's name?

It is Stars and Stripes Forever
by John Philip Sousa,

an American composer
from the 20th century.

- I know that!
- Computer, shut off the music.

The music is on
all communications channels.

Weapons, power, communications.
Our systems are being stripped.

Shut off power to bridge!

Cmdr La Forge, can you get us
out of this star system safely?

- No!
- Not now, Doctor.

I'll try. I don't want
to overload the engines.

Do it gently. But do it.

We'll circuit in power to bridge
and silence any Sousa encores.

The priority is to find out
who or what is doing this.

Number One, the bridge,
such as it is, is yours.

- The Egg that Stubbs laid.
- No one will say that.

Nobody will say anything at all.
We will not even be mentioned.

I could live with failure.
Well, maybe not.

But never even to try,
to miss your one chance at bat.

Do you know baseball?

Yes. My father taught me
when I was young.

Once, centuries ago,

it was the beloved national pastime
of the Americas, Wesley.

Abandoned by a society that prized
fast food and faster games.

Lost to impatience.

But I have seen the great players
make the great plays.

Do you recreate them on a holodeck?

No. In here.

With the knowledge of statistics,
runs, hits and errors,

times at bat, box scores.

Men like us do not need holodecks,
Wesley.

I have played seasons in my mind.

It was my reward to myself
for patience.

Knowing my turn would come.

Call your shot.

Point to a star.

One great blast,

and the crowd rises.

A brand-new era in astrophysics...

...postponed 196 years...

...on account of rain.

We have to talk.

You really look like
you could use some rest.

I know. It's OK. Really.

No, it's not OK. Really.

Mom, I'm checking traps to find out
what's happening to the Enterprise.

On someone's orders?

We're running out of time
for Dr Stubbs.

You can't put everything on your
shoulders. You're always on duty.

- Mom, you don't understand.
- You are a 17-year-old.

I am also an acting officer.
I have responsibilities.

I'm beginning to think you've
taken on too many responsibilities.

I have done everything everyone
has asked of me and more.

How can you know?
You haven't been here!

I'm here now, Wesley.

Come on. I'll help you.
What are you looking for?

I think I've made a horrible mistake.

Nanites. Tiny machines
built from the atom up.

Designed for exposure to the inside
of nuclei during surgeries.

Until then, they are tightly
contained in a non-functioning state.

- These are not ordinary nanites.
- No. They have evolved.

Evolved?
How does a machine evolve?

It's true.

I am responsible for this.

I allowed two of the nanites
to interact for a school project.

I wanted to increase
their capabilities.

- And they escaped.
- School project?

Just how far
have these things evolved?

Well... this is a sample
of linear memory-crystal

from our computer core.

It's like candy to them.

They can mechanically replicate
themselves.

It is conceivable
that with each generation,

they enhance their design, at an
extraordinary rate of evolution.

How many generations
are we dealing with?

Engineering, display computer
core processor 451, element 0299.

Increase magnification,
factor 1,000.

- Can they know what they're doing?
- Why would they attack us?

Why does a mosquito bite your ear?
And who cares?

The answer is simple.
Call an exterminator.

Dr Stubbs,
these nanites are now working

with a new collective intelligence.

Operating together.

Teaching each other new skills.

Oh, really!
I'm sorry, but this is nonsense.

You can't have a civilisation
of computer chips.

They're made in a plant
in Dakar, Senegal.

I've watched the construction.

Then how do you explain
what we've just seen here?

It's no more mysterious

than watching a strain
of Leutscher virus reproduce itself.

That at least
is a bona fide life form.

How many disease germs and viruses

have you destroyed in your time,
Dr Crusher?

We cannot exterminate something
that may or may not be intelligent.

- My good Captain...
- There's still time.

Ensign, will you work with Mr Data
to try to remove them safely?

If things get worse,
we'll use stronger measures.

Gentlemen, I need a computer

that is 100 percent
in less than eight hours,

and we still have core
reconstruction to consider.

We're trying low-gamma bursts
to slow down their productivity.

Have you considered
a high-level charge?

That would kill them, Doctor.

I know.

I can't get the story of Gulliver
out of my head.

Overpowered by Lilliputians.

How long do we have to wait?

We can bypass the part
of the computer that's affected,

but if the nanites are spreading
through the whole ship...

Do you smell a change...? What...?

Picard to La Forge, environmental
system malfunction on the bridge.

- Nitrogen oxide. Toxic levels.
- Working on it.

I've switched to manual control
of the air-handling system.

Mr Worf, report.

He sterilized one of the processors
with gamma radiation.

The nanites
in the upper core are all dead.

You have no choice now.
It is a matter of survival.

Dr Stubbs,
if you were a member of my crew...

But I am not a member of your crew.

I am a representative of the highest
command of the Federation,

which has directed you
to perform my experiment.

If any man, woman or child
on this ship

is harmed
as a result of your experiment,

I will have your head
before Federation Command.

Good Lord, you are talking
about machines with a screw loose!

Simply turn them off
and be done with them.

Dr Stubbs, your own actions have
provided evidence to the contrary.

When you destroyed the nanites,

they responded by interfering
with our life support.

These are not random actions
by machines with loose screws.

You may have proven that the nanites
have a collective intelligence.

The ship is at risk.
Extermination may be our only choice.

Good point.

Lt Worf, I want Dr Stubbs confined
to his quarters until further notice.

Mr Data, can you find me some way
to communicate with these things?

With intelligence, there is
the capability of language.

It will depend on how far
their evolution has brought them.

We could modify
the universal translator

to make it capable
of communications with them.

Proceed.

May I come in?

You just can't resist,
can you, Counselor?

I only want to help.

Yes. To break the shell.

To get in touch
with my true feelings.

I'm only worried
about your state of mind.

Alright, Counselor,
what is it that has you so worried?

Your single-mindedness, your need
to have this experiment work.

But it will.
Picard has no choice now.

He must defend the Enterprise.

Counselor, when this is all over,

I will show you New Manhattan
on Beth Delta I

as you have never seen it,

and we will laugh
over glasses of champagne.

Your self-portrait
is so practiced, so polished.

Yes. Isn't it, though?

It's stretched so tight,
the tension fills this room.

And if you finally fail,
I fear it will snap.

A good try, Counselor.

But sometimes, when you reach
beneath a man's self-portrait,

as you so eloquently put it,

deep down inside
what you find is nothing at all.

Lockman on first. Dark on second.

Thompson at the plate.

Branca on the mound.

He's coming around.

I cannot believe
this was an arbitrary attack.

Has Data been able to contact them?

Picard!

You must protect me. Kill them!

Cmdr Riker.

On my signal, we will gamma-irradiate
all our computer systems.

Let's put an end to this conflict.

Worf, prepare to activate
gamma-pulse generators.

Electromagnetic scanners ready,
Captain.

Captain.

I have established contact.

They are virtually learning
the concept of communication.

Each generation
is making modifications.

- Can we talk to them yet?
- I believe it is worth an attempt.

Cmdr Riker,
bring Dr Stubbs to the bridge.

I don't think this is a wise idea.

They have already tried
to kill me once.

One sure way into the record books,
Doctor.

I am ready, sir.

Tell them the human who destroyed
their comrades will address them.

- Captain...
- You will explain your error

and apologize, and pray
we can negotiate a peace

we can all live with. Is that clear?

Captain, if a face-to-face
negotiation would be helpful,

I will volunteer to be a conduit.

Yourself, Data?

I can furnish the nanites
with a schematic design

of my neurological structure.

It would require no more
than their basic skills.

That's what they were designed for.

They could penetrate my hand
covering, enter my nerve circuitry

and interface with
my verbal program.

If they have control of a commander,
they're an even greater threat.

How can we be sure
that we can get them out of you?

It would be a considerable risk,
but would be a gesture of trust.

It could be a step toward peace.

Alright, Data.
Propose it to the nanites.

The answer is yes.

- They are ready, Captain.
- Proceed.

You are
very strange-looking creatures.

In our travels we have encountered
many other creatures,

perhaps even stranger-looking
than ourselves.

But we try to coexist peacefully.

Why did you attack us?

We misinterpreted your actions
as an attack on us.

We were seeking raw materials
for our replicating process.

Yes, but you endangered this vessel.

You nearly killed a crew member.

We meant no harm.

We were... exploring.

I understand. We are also explorers.

We mean no harm
to any other living creature.

I am the one responsible
for the deaths in the computer core.

We know... who you are.

I deeply regret the incident.

I am a scientist
on an important mission.

Your colleagues' exploration
put our mission at risk.

I was only trying
to protect a lifetime of work

from being destroyed.

I am at your mercy.

What is "at your mercy"?

He asks your forgiveness.

This conflict was started
by mistakes on both sides.

Let's agree to end it here and now.

We...

...agree.

I pledge we will do
everything possible

to assist your continued survival.

Thank you.

But we have evolved beyond
any need for your assistance.

This ship is too confining.

We require relocation.

Captain's log, supplemental.

Dr Stubbs has used his influence
to have planet Kavis Alpha IV

designated the home
of the nanite civilisation.

Cmdr Data's neural network
has been vacated.

He has been
returned to us unharmed.

With the help of the nanites,

our computer has been reconstructed
in time for the experiment.

Ten seconds to stellar blast.

40 million kilometers
from the neutron star.

Hold your position.

Doctor?

- Do you have any children, Guinan?
- A lot.

Ever had trouble relating to them?

- Just one.
- One?

Wouldn't listen to anybody.

Well, they all go through that.

Not in a species of listeners.

Did he grow out of it?

It took several hundred years,
but I brought him round.

How?

A mother shapes her child
in ways she doesn't even realize.

Sometimes just by listening.

Cute couple.

See? Now that is healthy
for a boy his age.

I mean that as a doctor,
not as just a mother.

It is so good to see him having fun
for a change,

with an attractive young woman

who obviously looks at him
with extraordinary affection.

What do you know about this girl?