Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994): Season 3, Episode 10 - The Defector - full transcript

[ROOSTER CROWS]

WILLIAMS:
Brother John Bates,

is that not the morning
which breaks yonder?

BATES:
I think it be.

But we have no great cause
to desire the approach of day.

WILLIAMS: Who's there?
DATA: A friend.

WILLIAMS:
Under what captain serve you?

DATA:
Under Sir Thomas Erpingham.

WILLIAMS:
I pray you,

what thinks he of our estate?

Even as men wrecked upon a sand



that look to be washed off
the next tide.

He has not told his thought
to the king?

No.

Nor 'tis not meet he should.

For though I speak it to you,

I think the king is but a man,
as I am.

The violet smells
to him as it doth to me.

In his nakedness,
he appears but a man.

Therefore his fears, out of doubt,
be of the same relish as ours are.

Yet no man should possess him
with any appearance of fear,

lest he, by showing it,
should dishearten his army.

He may show
what outward courage he will,

but I believe, as cold a night as 'tis,

he could wish himself in Thames
up to the neck.



Methinks I could not die anyplace
so contented as in the king's company,

his cause being just
and his quarrel honorable.

That's more than we know.

Or more than we should seek after.

If his cause be wrong,

our obedience to the king
wipes the crime of it out of us.

But if the cause be not good,

the king himself
hath a heavy reckoning to make

when all those legs and arms
and heads chopped off in a battle

shall join together at the latter day
and cry all, "We died at such a place."

The king is not bound to answer
the particular endings of his soldiers,

the father of his son,
nor the master of his servant.

Splendid, Data, splendid.

- You're getting better and better.
- Freeze program.

[COMPUTER BEEPS]

Thank you, sir.

I plan to study the performances of
Olivier, Branagh, Shapiro and Kullnark.

Data, ah,

you're here to learn
about the human condition,

and there is no better way of doing that
than by embracing Shakespeare.

But you must discover it
through your own performance,

not by imitating others.

RIKER [OVER COM]: Riker to Picard.
Sorry to interrupt, sir.

Go ahead, Number One.

Sensors are picking up an unidentified
craft in the Neutral Zone.

[OVER COM] It's heading
toward Federation space.

We're on our way. Picard out.

We'll, uh, get to the rest of the act
another time, Data.

Computer, file program and clear.

[COMPUTER BEEPS]

Captain, why should a king
wish to pass as a commoner?

If he is the leader,
should he not be leading?

Listen to what Shakespeare
is telling you about the man, Data.

A king who had true feeling
for his soldiers

would wish to share their fears
with them on the eve of battle.

Sir, will I be able to schedule
a performance

for the crew in the near future?

- Let's not rush it, shall we?
DATA: Hmm.

RIKER: Outpost Sierra Six
confirms our readings, sir.

They identify it as a Romulan
scout ship, bearing 270-mark-14.

Scout ship? What would a scout ship
be doing this far in the Neutral Zone?

Captain, shall we transmit
a warning to withdraw, sir?

- Open a hailing frequency.
- Aye, sir.

[COMPUTER BEEPS]

- Captain, the Romulan is hailing us.
- Visual.

- Not within range yet.
- Open a channel.

[COMPUTER BEEPING]

SETAL [OVER RADIO]:
Federation ship, do you read?

I require urgent assistance.

This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard
of the USS--

SETAL [OVER RADIO]:
Federation ship, please, help me.

Requesting asylum. Under pursuit.

- Pursuit?
- Visual range. On-screen, captain.

PICARD:
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.

Red alert.
Open a channel to the warship.

[ALARM WAILING]

Come to intercept course.
Keep us out of the Neutral Zone.

WORF:
Channel is open.

How long before they cross over
into Federation territory?

Forty-one seconds, sir.

Romulan warbird,

this is Captain Jean-Luc Picard
of the Federation vessel Enterprise.

You have crossed
into the Neutral Zone

and are engaged in hostile action.

Explain yourself and your intent.

- No reply, sir.
- Hail the scout.

[COMPUTER BEEPS]

- Responding.
- On-screen.

SETAL: Federation craft.
Please, you must help me.

We are moving to intercept.
Maintain your course and power.

The scout ship
is severely damaged, sir.

Engines inoperative,
shields are down.

- Position?
- Coordinates 140-by-205, sir.

- Federation space.
- Right.

Move to within 5 kilometers.

Mr. La Forge,

prepare to extend our shields
around the Romulan scout ship.

At that range, the shields won't be able
to take much punishment, captain.

- Five kilometers, sir.
- All stop.

- Extend shields.
GEORDI [OVER COM]: In place.

We've got the scout ship, captain.

Weapons on the warbird
are fully powered, sir.

- Lock phasers. Open a channel.
- Ready.

Romulan vessel,
you are now in Federation territory.

Unless you withdraw...

No argument?

Warbird has re-entered
the Neutral Zone.

Heading toward Romulan territory.

Massive power failure
to the scout ship, sir.

All systems are going off-line,
including life support.

Transporter 2,
prepare to beam the occupant

of the scout ship directly aboard.

O'BRIEN [OVER COM]: Aye, sir.
- Mr. Worf.

Mr. Data, lock onto the scout ship.
Take it in tow.

Energize.

I must see your captain immediately.

- We'll get you to Sickbay. After that--
- This cannot wait!

I have information vital
to your survival.

PICARD: Captain's log,
stardate 43462.5.

We have beamed aboard
an apparent Romulan defector

who claims to be
a low-ranking logistics officer

with extraordinary information
about a secret offensive.

The humiliating defeat at the Battle
of Cheron has not been forgotten.

The new leaders have vowed
to disregard the treaty

and claim the Neutral Zone.

Nelvana lll is just the first step.

You're saying an entire base
has already been established there?

Within 48 hours,
the reactor core will be online.

So the Federation sensors that monitor
the Neutral Zone just missed it.

It would seem so.

In two days,
a fleet of Romulan warbirds

will be within striking distance
of 15 Federation sectors.

The Federation will not permit that.

Then it is war
that we're talking about, isn't it?

[SIGHS]

Destroy the base now
and the threat is over.

Well, I'm sure you are fatigued
by your ordeal

and you require medical attention.

Lieutenant Worf, will you conduct
Sublieutenant Setal to the Sickbay?

We will attend to your quarters.

No doubt you will wish
to question me further.

No doubt.

- Tells a hell of a story.
- You don't believe it?

The Empire knows
that we would never allow them

to build a base
within the Neutral Zone.

Commander, that would not be
an atypical Romulan ploy.

In their long history of war,
Romulans have rarely attacked first.

They prefer to test
their enemy's resolve.

I think he's a plant,
to draw us into the Neutral Zone.

That way,
we look like the aggressors.

And the Romulans would have
a legitimate excuse

- for responding in force.
- Exactly.

That would also not be
an atypical Romulan ploy, sir.

It's always a game of chess
with them, isn't it?

Well, at least he's given us a chance

to get a look at some
Romulan technology close-up.

Mr. La Forge, you will lead
the away team over to the scout.

Commander, you and Counselor Troi
will conduct Setal's interrogation.

Captain, permission to observe
the interrogation.

No, Mr. Data, I need you
on the Bridge with me.

There is much to be done.

We have less than 48 hours
to prevent a war.

Or perhaps to start one.

This will depend
on establishing the truth--

I set the auto-destruct sequencer
before I left the ship.

Why?

Wouldn't you?

To prevent your ship
from being captured.

Excuse me for being
a little confused, Setal,

but I thought you were defecting.

I am not a traitor.

[SIGHS]

All you can see is the opportunity
to exploit me. Hmm.

The Federation credo,
exploitation, heh.

Oh, you couldn't get aboard
my ship fast enough, hmm?

Strip it down.

What secrets might it reveal
that we can use?

You're short-sighted people.

Can't you understand?

I came to stop a war.

If you could just hold still.

With your metabolism,
this will heal in a few moments.

Hmm.

Thank you, doctor.

How fortunate that you know
something of Romulan medicine.

Yes, I had a chance
to gain some experience recently.

Oh, yes, the incident
at the Galorndon Core.

- Mm-hm.
- The two officers.

You are aware of a great deal
for a logistics clerk.

It was common knowledge.

I can show you my rating code.

Forged credentials
are a simple matter for a spy.

How do you allow Klingon pahtk
to walk around in a Starfleet uniform?

You are lucky
this is not a Klingon ship.

- We know how to deal with spies.
- Remove this tohzah from my sight.

Your knowledge of Klingon curses
is impressive.

But as a Romulan might say,

only a veruul
would use such language in public.

Mr. Worf, please see to the security
arrangements for our guest's stay.

Aye, sir.

[CHUCKLES]

You find something amusing?

Lieutenant Worf. I like him.

To be more accurate,
I understand him.

A warrior. Proud, fearless,
living only for combat.

Exactly the type that will get us
all killed if we're not careful.

This is the food station.

You can reach me
through the companel.

Later we'd like to ask you
a few more questions.

Computer, water.

AUTOMATED VOICE: Temperature?
- Twelve onkians.

AUTOMATED VOICE: This system is
calibrated to the Celsius metric system.

Any temperature at all on the cold side
of whatever your system is.

[COMPUTER BEEPING]

[SIGHS]

DATA: There is no unusual activity
in the Nelvana system, sir.

Let's isolate
and magnify that system.

DATA:
Nothing on the sensors.

[PICARD SIGHS]

It's hard to believe
in what we cannot see.

And yet conceivably,
with their cloaking technology,

a fleet of Romulan warbirds
could be passing before our eyes.

There must be some way
to neutralize this advantage.

COMPUTER: Captain Picard,
priority-one message from Starfleet

coming in on secured channel.

In my Ready Room.

Computer, delay time?

COMPUTER:
Two hours, 22-minute

delay from time of transmission
at Starfleet Command on Lya ll.

Computer, key access 412-mark-80,
Picard, Jean-Luc,

Starfleet priority code Gamma.
Decode.

Begin message.

Captain, we have received
an official protest

from the Romulan Empire demanding
the return of your defector.

Obviously,
we are refusing to comply.

I join in your skepticism,
but if it is a deception,

the Romulans are certainly
making a good show of it.

The Federation Council
has convened an emergency session.

There is no doubt in my mind

that this will eventually fall
on your shoulders, Jean-Luc.

You've got him.

You must decide
if he's telling the truth.

For now, I suggest you proceed
along the Neutral Zone border

toward a Federation position
proximate to Nelvana lll.

[SIGHS]

- Picard to Lieutenant Worf.
WORF [OVER COM]: Yes, captain?

Please, come to my Ready Room.

WORF [OVER COM]:
Aye, sir. On my way.

GEORDI:
Slow playback.

Display engine logs and power data
for both vessels.

Now watch what happens
at 095433 on the clock.

The scout has sustained
engine damage,

forcing him to slow to .615
impulse power.

The warship should overtake him,
but it doesn't.

Now, just 2.6 seconds later,

the warship slows
to precisely the same speed.

Three times,
three speed fluctuations,

the warship kept its distance
every time.

I don't think
they wanted to catch up.

And yet they fired on the scout ship.
They could have killed him.

Not necessarily, doctor.

The Romulans
have the same capability

to direct the impact
of their weapons as we do.

PICARD:
Hmm.

Is there a possibility
the wound could be self-inflicted?

They're very bad burns.
I hardly think...

A possibility?

[SIGHS]

Yes.

PICARD:
Captain's log, stardate 43463.7.

We are holding a position
at the Neutral Zone border

proximate to Nelvana lll.

If our guest is telling the truth,
there are 21 hours left

before the Romulan base
becomes functional.

The Monitor and the Hood
are headed in your direction,

though they will arrive too late
to be of assistance.

Warnings have gone out
to all outposts along the border

as well as several independent
vessels in nearby sectors.

No one here wants a war, captain.

But we are prepared to take them on
if that is what they want.

All Federation starships
have been placed on yellow alert.

[DOOR BEEPS]

Come.

[DOOR OPENS]

You wanted to see me, captain.

Yes, Data, I want you to prepare
a class-1 probe.

Set the sensors for maximum scan.

I want every meter
of Nelvana Ill monitored.

- I will start my calibrations, sir.
PICARD: Data.

Is there something else
you require of me, captain?

Your clarity of thought.

Your objectivity, as always.

Sit down.

Data, it's very possible
that we are about to go to war.

The repercussions of what we do
during the next 24 hours

may be felt for years to come.

I want you to keep a record
of these events

so that history will have the benefit
of a dispassionate view.

I will begin immediately, sir.
Is that all?

How is the crew's spirit?

They are concerned, of course,
captain, but confident.

Do you not see that, sir?

Data, unlike King Henry,

it is not easy for me to disguise myself
and walk among my troops.

That'll be all.

Now if these men do not die well,

it will be a black matter for the king
who led them to it.

Why must we waste time
playing this ridiculous game?

TROI: There's more here
than you're telling us.

You're forcing yourself to hold back.

I have told you everything
relevant about Nelvana Ill.

I'm not talking about the base.

The base is all that matters.

- You're lying, Setal.
- Go to Nelvana Ill and you will see.

We're not going anywhere
until we get to the truth.

- You're a spy, aren't you?
SETAL: No.

Then prove it. You can begin
by telling me something

about the location and the strength
of the Romulan fleet.

- I don't know it.
- You're a logistics officer.

For one sector only.

- Who is your superior officer?
- Jarok.

The location of the Romulan bases
along the Neutral Zone?

- I don't know.
- In your sector?

- Irrelevant!
- The number of troops

- under your admiral's command?
- Irrelevant! Irrelevant!

I guess you're right.

It's not worth playing this game.

Oh, what a fool I've been,

to come looking for courage
in a lair of cowards.

COMPUTER:
Captain Picard,

priority message from
security officer, Klingon vessel Bortis.

Mr. Worf, will you handle this
at Security Station Deck 97?

Aye, sir.

DATA: Sensors are configured
for planetary probe, sir.

- Ready for launch.
- Proceed.

Probe on course.

Sensors are functioning.

Coordinate your analysis
with Mr. La Forge.

I want this report with dispatch.

GEORDI: I don't know, Data.
My gut tells me we ought to be listening

to what this guy's trying to tell us.

- Your gut?
- It's just, uh, a feeling, you know.

An instinct, intuition.

But those qualities would interfere
with rational judgment, would they not?

You're right, sometimes they do.

Then why not rely strictly
on the facts?

Because you just can't rely
on the plain and simple facts.

Sometimes they lie.

They can lead to the wrong conclusions,
but they cannot lie.

Yeah? Well, what do you think?

Is he a defector or not?

The facts to date would lead to
the objective conclusion that he is not.

Yeah, somehow I think
we're gonna catch the Romulans

with their pants down
on Nelvana lll just like he says.

- "With their pants..."?
- A metaphor.

Catching them in the act.

- Because your gut tells you so?
- Exactly.

But you can't always
go with your gut either. It's...

Well, it's a combination, Data.

All right, I'll put it to you this way.

All these feelings that get in the way
of human judgment,

that confuse the hell out of us,
that make us second-guess ourselves,

well, we need them.

We need them to help us
fill in the missing pieces,

because we almost never
have all the facts.

So a person fills in
the missing pieces of the puzzle

with his own personality,
resulting in a conclusion

based as much on instinct
and intuition as on fact.

- Now you're getting it.
- Hmm.

[COMPUTER BEEPING]

But what does one do
if he has no instinct or intuition?

Data, look at this.
The facts just took a left turn.

DATA: As the probe went into orbit
around Nelvana lll,

it began picking up low-level
subspace radio emissions.

- Could they be naturally occurring?
DATA: No, sir.

The patterns are clearly artificial.

The signal was so faint, ship sensors
couldn't read it from this distance.

- Can we decode it?
- We've tried.

It's probably Romulan,
but we can't be sure.

We've also picked up
ionization disturbances.

Cloaked Romulan ships
could produce that effect.

What about the planet's surface?

Reading nothing but barren rock.
I don't know.

They might be able to hide a base from
our probe. Its capabilities are limited.

The only way we'll know for sure
is if we go down

and take a look for ourselves.

[PICARD SIGHS]

That will be all, gentlemen.

[DOOR OPENS]

[DOOR CLOSES]

I take it you have never seen
a Romulan before.

That would be
an incorrect assumption.

Then why do you invade my privacy?

I was attempting to ascertain
what my guts tell me about you.

You're the android.

I know a host
of Romulan cyberneticists

that would love
to be this close to you.

I do not find that concept
particularly appealing.

Nor should you.

I am told by various crew members

that this viewport is their favorite
on the ship.

Hmm.

I thought it would bring me
some comfort.

But these are not my stars.

Even the heavens
are denied me here.

[SIGHS]

Synthetic swill.

I don't suppose your food terminals

would be capable
of producing a Romulan ale.

I am afraid that would require

the molecular structure
of the beverage in question.

And as you are no doubt aware,

our knowledge of your planet
is quite limited.

The loss is yours.

For I have visited
over a hundred different worlds

and none possess
the awesome beauty of Romulus.

Am I correct in assuming
you regret your decision to come here?

What I did had to be done.

But never again

to see the Firefalls at Gal'gathong

and the spires of my home as they rise
above the Apnex Sea at dawn...

It's a bitter thing to be exiled
from your own home.

It does appear unlikely you will ever be
allowed to return to your planet.

The cold reaction of an android.

But perhaps
we can bring Romulus to you.

COMPUTER:
Program complete.

Run program.

After you.

SETAL:
The Valley of Julah.

I know it well.

You are free to stay here
as long as you wish.

I no longer live here.

Turn it off.

DATA:
Cancel program.

This...

This is my home now, my future.

I have sacrificed everything.

It must not be in vain.

Arrange a meeting between myself
and Captain Picard.

Tell him Admiral Jarok
wants to see him.

Captain, we have confirmed that
you are holding Admiral Alidar Jarok.

He has been identified
as the commander

at the massacre
of the Norkan Outposts.

The Council strongly advises

that you consider Jarok
an unreliable source of information.

[COMPUTER BEEPS]

Bring him in.

Ensign, will you wait outside?

- Have a seat, Admiral Jarok.
- Captain, there is no more time.

Admiral, have a seat.

[JAROK SIGHS]

You see, I'm just not convinced
that you are telling the truth.

What must I do?

You must convince me.

If I had irrefutable evidence...

But you did not bring
irrefutable evidence.

You brought no evidence at all.

And now, here, you are not the man
you claimed to be.

Admiral, your credibility
is stretched beyond belief.

A Romulan defector
is almost a contradiction in terms.

But Admiral Jarok
crossing the lines?

I explained my motivations
to your interrogators.

Yes, yes, yes. Peace in our galaxy.

Except, admiral,
you are not a man of peace.

Your military record,
what we know if it, is clear.

Which is precisely why
I chose an alternate identity here.

The massacres at the
Norkan Outposts, for example.

What you call massacres

were called the Norkan Campaigns
on my world, captain.

One world's butcher
is another world's hero.

Perhaps I am neither one.

On what basis, admiral,
am I to decide?

Hmm?

Your good word?

Are you willing to help us

overpower the Romulan
B-type warbirds we may encounter?

Are you prepared to help us detect
them through their cloaking shields?

Well, you see my problem, admiral.

You ask us for faith

in circumstances
which are hardly possible to believe,

compounded by lies and your refusal
to tell us what you know.

I cannot betray my people.

You've already betrayed
your people, admiral!

You've made your choices, sir.
You're a traitor.

Now, if the bitter taste of that
is unpalatable to you, I am truly sorry.

But I will not risk my crew

because you think you can dance
on the edge of the Neutral Zone.

You've crossed over, admiral.

You make yourself comfortable
with that.

Do you have any children,
Captain Picard? A family?

No.

Hmm.

Then you have sacrificed too much
for your career.

Yes, this is all very interesting--

There comes a time in a man's life
that you cannot know

when he looks down
at the first smile of his baby girl

and realizes
he must change the world for her,

for all children.

It is for her that I am here.

Not to destroy the Romulan Empire,
but to save it.

For months, I tried desperately
to persuade the High Command

that another war
would destroy the Empire.

They got tired of my arguments.

Finally I was censured, sent off
to command some distant sector.

This was my only recourse.

...will never see my child
smile again.

She will grow up believing
that her father is a traitor.

But she will grow up.

If you act, Picard.

If we stop this war before it begins.

I can't.

And I won't.

Unless I have
unequivocal cooperation.

Admiral Jarok has provided me
with the locations,

strengths and tactical plans
of the Romulan fleet.

Mr. La Forge,

he is prepared to give you data
regarding engines, weapons,

and the cloaking systems
of the warbird-class starship.

But I believe his experience as a field
commander will be more valuable

for its strategic sense
than in the technical areas.

- Any edge will help, captain.
- Don't depend on it.

For all we know, he may still be lying,
but we shall find that out soon enough.

Number One,
set course for Nelvana III.

DATA: Second officer's log,
stardate 43465.2.

We have entered the Neutral Zone

in direct violation
of the Treaty of Algeron.

Presuming Romulan warships
are cloaked and monitoring us,

we expect heavy resistance
as we approach Nelvana lll.

RIKER: Tactical?
- Nothing on sensors.

I don't like it.
I would have expected a greeting party.

You echo another
noteworthy commander

in similar circumstances,
Number One.

Countryman of yours.

George Armstrong Custer,

when his Seventh Calvary arrived
at the Little Bighorn.

May we have better luck.

Approaching Nelvana system.

Engage impulse engines.

Nelvana Ill on-screen.

[COMPUTER BEEPS]

Still no signs of them on sensors.

In a way I'd rather be fighting
my way through this.

It's just too damned easy.

Prepare to enter standard orbit.

[COMPUTERS BEEPING]

- Data?
- Scanning the planet, sir.

No life forms, no power sources,
no weapon systems.

- No indication of a base at all?
DATA: No, sir.

The subspace signal
the probe detected?

The ionization disturbances?

I am picking them up, sir,
but I cannot identify the source.

They seem to be moving in an orbital
path with an 800-kilometer apogee.

PICARD: Lieutenant Worf,
bring the admiral up here.

Aye, sir.

Maybe they abandoned the planet
after he defected.

There is no scarring
on the planet surface

that would denote
heavy construction of any kind.

A cloaking device of some sort,
to hide the entire base?

A cloaking device
operating on the surface

would be given away
by visible distortion effects.

Perhaps you would care to explain
why we are here, admiral.

There doesn't appear to be a base.

I don't understand.

PICARD:
Nelvana lll, admiral. No base.

No weapons.
No sign of any life at all.

But I saw the tactical communiqués.

The records,
timetables for completion.

An entire legion
was assigned to this section.

Is it possible they could have
been feeding you disinformation?

You said that you had been censured,
reassigned four months ago.

They knew of your dissatisfaction.

Could all this have been
to test your loyalty?

No.

No.

It's impossible.

They let you escape
with an arsenal of worthless secrets.

What other explanation is there?

Permission to withdraw
from the Neutral Zone.

At your earliest convenience,
Number One.

Helm, bring around 180 degrees.
Geordi, get us out of here.

GEORDI [OVER COM]:
I hear you, commander.

Two Romulan warships uncloaking.

Coordinates...

[GUNFIRE]

- Shields holding.
- Damage.

GEORDI [OVER COM]: Minor
damage to the secondary hull.

Power transfer fields
may be pinched off.

I'm working on it.

- Captain?
- Not yet, Mr. Worf.

This is just a tap on the shoulder,
or we wouldn't be here talking about it.

[COMPUTER BEEPING]

The Romulans are hailing us.

On-screen.

TOMALAK [ON MONITOR]:
Captain Picard,

I hardly expected
fo see you again so soon.

It seems this time you are the one

who has made an aggressive move
across the Neutral Zone.

Commander Tomalak,
as I'm sure you already know,

we were responding to warnings
of Romulan incursions at Nelvana Ill.

But, captain, as you can see,
there is no incursion.

And the matter of the unidentified
subspace radio emissions

and the ionization disturbances?

Ah, you must mean
our orbiting probe.

We are studying Nelvana Ill
for, uh, archaeological research.

With a cloaked satellite?

TOMALAK [ON MONITOR]:
Oh, really, captain,

would you have us
believe this satellite is an excuse

for your aggressive charge
across the Neutral Zone?

You can believe what you wish.

And we will be on our way.

TOMALAK [ON MONITOR]:
Without even an apology, captain?

If an apology will do, then I offer it.

I'm afraid it won't,
so I will save you the humiliation.

Get to it, Tomalak.

You see, Picard,

after we dissect your Enterprise
for every precious bit of information,

I intend to display its broken hull

in the center of the Romulan capital
as a symbol of our victory.

It will inspire our armies
for generations to come

and serve as a warning
to any other traitor

who would create ripples
of disloyalty.

All the communiqués.

All the timetables, all the records.

They were all fiction,
written for my benefit, a test.

A test of my loyalty.

And you used me to lure
the Enterprise into the Neutral Zone.

First, captain,
you will return the traitor, Jarok.

Then you will surrender
as prisoners of war.

Do you seriously expect me
to accept those terms?

No, Captain Picard,
I expect you won't.

You have 30 seconds to decide.

I do not require one, Tomalak.

I urge you, Captain Picard,
surrender.

Consider the men and women
you would lead into a lost cause.

If the cause is just and honorable,

they are prepared to give their lives.

Are you prepared to die today,
Tomalak?

Ugh, I expected more from you
than an idle threat, Picard.

Then you shall have it.

Mr. Worf.

Aye, sir.

Klingon warships,
armed and ready, sir.

What shall it be, Tomalak?

TOMALAK [ON MONITOR]:
You will still not survive our assault.

You will not survive ours.

Shall we die together?

I look forward
to our next meeting, captain.

Romulan disrupters
are powering down, sir.

Cancel red alert.

Mr. Worf, will you extend
the appreciation of the Federation

and my personal gratitude
to the Klingons?

Aye, sir.

[COMPUTER BEEPING]

Take us back, Number One.

I did it for nothing.

My home.

My family.

For nothing.

He ingested a Felodesine chip.

He must have brought it with him.

I'm sorry, captain.
There was no antidote.

A letter to his wife and daughter.

Sir, he must have known it would be
impossible for us to deliver it.

Today, perhaps.

But if there are others
with the courage of Admiral Jarok,

we may hope to see a day of peace

when we can take his letter home.