Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994): Season 3, Episode 11 - The Hunted - full transcript

Captain's log, stardate 43489.2.

We have arrived at Angosia III,

a planet
that has expressed a desire

for membership in the Federation.

Prime Minister Nayrok has taken
us on a tour of the capital city.

I'm very impressed
with everything I've seen.

I hope it will reflect favourably
in your report.

Your recovery from the Tarsian
War is a tribute to your people.

It is, indeed.

We are not warriors.

Reason should settle disputes,
but not all cultures agree with us.



An unfortunate reality.

Development of the mind,
cultivation of the intellect...

These have been Angosian
pursuits for centuries.

Prime Minister, I'm sorry
to interrupt, but we have a problem.

- May I see you for a moment?
- Excuse me, gentlemen.

Yes, what is it?

They'll make a fine addition
to the Federation.

I'm not sure I'd like to live here.
A bit stuffy for my taste.

A prisoner has escaped
from the penal colony on Lunar V.

Two guards are dead. The prisoner
has taken a transport vessel.

- Can you pursue him?
- Our station's been sabotaged.

The entire base is in chaos.

We have ships following him,

but our civilian pilots
are not trained for this.



With your permission?

Data, a stolen transport vessel's
departed from Lunar V.

- Did you pick it up on the sensors?
- Yes, Commander.

Good. Quarantine the pilot.
Is he armed?

Yes. And dangerous. Lunar V
is a maximum-security facility.

- Did you read that, Data?
- Yes, sir.

- We will use extreme caution.
- Keep us informed. Riker out.

On screen, sir.

- Specifications on the vessel?
- No warp drive.

- Minimal weaponry.
- Heading, Mr. Crusher?

31 9 mark 250, sir.

Vessel speed increasing to .02
impulse. He's seen us, Data.

- That's the ship's drive section.
- Where's the rest of it?

- Scan for life form readings.
- None.

Bring us around
to the back of the asteroid.

Sensors show wreckage
on the surface.

- No life-signs.
- Apparently he did not survive.

Data, the drive section...
Where did it go?

There's no sign of it.
Someone must be at the helm.

- Status report, Mr. Data.
- The prisoner has eluded us, sir.

Eluded the Enterprise?

We followed procedures precisely.

Scanners showed no life forms
in the drive section.

I cannot explain how he escaped.

- Incoming message from Angosia.
- On screen.

We've identified the prisoner.
His name is Roga Danar.

He has a long criminal record,

and is given to bouts of
uncontrollable violence.

I appreciate your warning.
We will keep you informed.

How fast
can that transport ship travel?

Without warp drive,
it wouldn't be out of our range.

There's nothing within sensor range.

- Cloaking device?
- Not an Angosian capability.

- Unless he's borrowing one.
- Huh?

Hanging over the planet's pole
would confuse our sensors.

Commander,
I can recalibrate our sensors

to read through magnetic interference
over the poles.

- We'll try. Realign for polar orbit.
- Aye, sir.

- There he is. You were correct.
- He knows all the tricks.

Still no life-form readings.

- Could it be magnetic interference?
- No, I have compensated.

We'll have an answer shortly.
Lock on a tractor beam.

Tractor beam locking on, sir.

- He is coming about.
- He's out of his mind.

Massive power build-up
in his thrusters.

On main viewer.

He's making a suicide run.

Shields activated, beam disengaged.

- He bounced off the shields!
- An interesting twist.

Fix coordinates onto that vessel.
We'll beam it into a shuttle bay.

That will not be necessary. He is
no longer in the drive section.

What?

I anticipated that diversionary
tactic from his pattern to date.

We are picking up a cylindrical
object, seven metres in length

- and three metres in diameter.
- On screen.

Magnify.

- An escape pod!
- This guy's incredible!

Yet still no life-form readings.

Prepare to beam aboard
from inside that shuttle

anything large enough
to be a humanoid adult.

Aye, sir.

Security team,
report to transporter room four.

On our way.

Contents in stasis,
pending the arrival of security.

An illicit weapon has been detected
in the transporter beam.

It's been rendered inoperable.

Worf, let's greet our guest.

Bring him in, Mr. O'Brien.

Stay where you are!

More security, transporter room four!

More security! More security!

Get him to a detention cell.

Set phasers on maximum stun.

Commander...

We'll need time to get
our containment field operational

before we pick him up.

The damage he did during his escape
was considerable.

- We'll await your signal.
- We're grateful.

The prison psychologist suggests
that you keep Danar fully sedated

until he's ready for transport.

He's in our highest security
detention area.

- There shouldn't be any problems.
- Do not relax security at all.

He is extremely violent
and very cunning.

I will send a transport vessel
to pick him up. Nayrok out.

Have you run a diagnostic
on the sensors?

There is nothing wrong
with the ship's sensors.

The reason
we did not pick up life signs

is because the prisoner
has no life signs.

Computer, identify the occupant
of the detention cell.

The detention cell
is vacant at this time.

- He's in there.
- Is he an android?

Our sensors can identify
artificial life forms.

Apparently, he's capable
of deceiving the sensors.

Are you alright?

What is this ship?

You're on the USS Enterprise.

- A war vessel?
- A Federation starship.

Federation!

We were orbiting Angosia
when you escaped from Lunar V.

It seems that I'm a victim
of my own bad timing.

Are you the keeper of this jail?

- I'm Deanna Troi, ship's Counsellor.
- Counsellor?

Too bad. I'd rather you were
my jailer on my return trip.

I assume we are returning to Lunar V.

That terrifies you.

I killed three men
to get out of there.

I'm fully capable
of killing you as well.

That's a terrifying thought,
isn't it? Even to me.

Do they mistreat you there?

Not at all. I'm comfortable,
well-fed and housed.

The Angosians take good care
of prisoners.

It's simply a matter
of never being able to leave.

What about you, Counsellor?

You always visit prisoners? Are you
a specialist in criminal behaviour?

Or am I just
an interesting specimen,

an insect to be studied
under your microscope?

Why all this anger toward me?

A girl with long, dark hair
broke my heart a long time ago.

Out of bitterness and resentment...

..l turned to crime.

How about this one?

My mother abandoned me
when I was little.

I never got the guidance
that I needed.

- Why are you doing this?
- Playing games?

Isn't that what you do, Counsellor?

Isn't that what
mind-control experts do?

I am not a mind-control expert.

I'm here because I sensed
you were in pain.

And what do you sense now?

The pain is gone.

It's interesting, isn't it?

There's a duality about the man.
It's hard to describe.

He's aware of his crimes.

- They trouble him deeply.
- Counsellor...

He's intelligent, thoughtful,
typically Angosian.

I know what he's done.

But when I'm with him, I can't
believe he is deliberately violent.

In fact, inherently, he has
a non-violent personality.

It took five men to restrain him!

And he damaged the transporter room.

I'm not opening the door for him,
Captain.

I can only tell you that I sense
something unusual about him.

Something that is not inherent
to a criminal personality.

In a few hours I'm giving him
to the Angosians. And I'm happy to.

I understand.

Data, do we have a link-up
with the Angosian central computer?

Yes. We are copying records
for Federation inspection,

pursuant to their application.

Can I see a police record
on Roga Danar?

- There is no record.
- Impossible. He's been in prison.

Lunar V is a military prison.

Military? He's a soldier?

That may explain his tactics
when we tried to capture him.

It doesn't say here
what he was arrested for.

Call up his military record.

He served in many campaigns
during the Tarsian War.

Received two promotions
to the rank of subhadar.

An honourable tour of duty.

What was this man's crime?

- I've learned you are a soldier.
- I was a soldier.

- Why were you in prison?
- Because I'm a threat to society.

There's no police record.
What did you do?

Everything they asked me to do.

- That's why I became such a threat.
- I don't understand.

- Why are you bothering to try?
- Because I want to help.

Unlock the door.

You are a non-violent man.

Yet you committed acts
of excessive violence.

You can learn to do it
if you have to.

- Did you have to?
- It was war.

- So, it started with the war?
- It started the day I volunteered.

The day I began training.
The day I met my first instructor.

And he also called himself
a counsellor.

Roga Danar
was an idealistic young man

who answered
his people's call to service.

He joined the military to fight
for the Angosian way of life.

He didn't realize that by doing so

he'd have to give up that way of life
for ever. He's not the same man

who left home to go to war.

He's been through intense
psychological manipulation

and biochemical modifications.

I examined him. His cell structure
has been significantly altered.

They used a combination of
cryptobiolin, triclenidil

and a few things
I can't recognize.

Was he a prisoner of war?
Who did this to him?

His own government.

He's been programmed
to be the perfect soldier.

He can be normal,

but when danger is perceived,
the programming takes over.

Memory, strength, intelligence,
reflexes, all become enhanced.

He's conditioned
to survive at any cost.

A novel substance
in his cellular structure

even shields electrical impulses.

Perhaps that is why
our sensors did not detect him.

Why was he assigned
to the Lunar V facility?

He committed no crime. He says he was
ordered there with others like him.

When the first soldiers returned
to Angosia, they had trouble.

The rules changed too quickly.
A lost temper could result in murder.

Counsellor, did no one attempt
to adjust their programming?

They were just exiled to Lunar V.

Lunar V, an orbiting gulag.

What do you want?

- Am I disturbing you?
- Yes.

- Then I will leave.
- No, wait!

I'd rather talk to someone.

- Why do you have yellow eyes?
- I am an android.

- We have something in common.
- We do?

Yes. We have both
been programmed.

Ah, yes, you've been talking
to Counsellor Troi.

- It's not at all the same, android.
- I am not belittling your condition.

I understand your dilemma.
But I am curious.

My program can be altered.
Yours cannot?

The man I was is still inside me,
but this...

this conditioning has been imposed.

Woven together with my thoughts,
feelings and responses.

How do you separate program and man?

Without further analysis from Troi
or Dr Crusher, I cannot say.

- But I believe it is possible.
- Yeah, doctors!

Angosian doctors did this. If they
could, wouldn't they have undone it?

I cannot answer that.

Nor can l.

Yet I ask myself that question
every moment of every day.

He's been telling you half-truths.
He's a prisoner.

- What do you expect him to say?
- Please clarify it for me.

The soldiers were resettled on
Lunar V. It was to be their colony.

Was it a resettlement
of their choosing?

It was for their own and others'
protection. Most were happy.

We did everything to give them
a fine quality of life.

Even the most comfortable
prison is still a prison.

A few agitators like Danar
forced us to add security.

My medical team suggests that there
may be alternative treatment.

Captain, every alternative
has been explored.

We are now discussing internal
security, which is not your concern.

I've dispatched a ship to transport
the prisoner back to Lunar V.

On behalf of Angosia,

I thank the Federation for its
assistance in retrieving our citizen.

"Matter of internal security."
The age-old cry of the oppressor.

- Were you built for combat, android?
- No.

But my program
includes military strategy.

That was how I anticipated
your final tactic and captured you.

You did that? Perhaps you're better
at combat than you think.

Except I am not programmed to kill.

My improved reflexes
have allowed me to kill 84 times.

My improved memory lets me remember
each of those 84 faces.

- Do you know how that feels?
- I am incapable of any feeling.

Then I envy you.

- Roga, this is Capt Picard.
- Captain.

Mr. Danar, I'm transferring you to
Angosian security. They're en route.

I wanted to tell you I have no
choice. The Prime Minister insisted.

We have no right to refuse.

You would be foolish to consider
it otherwise, for they are correct.

I am dangerous. There is no place
for me in a "civilized" society.

- I do not believe that.
- Nor do l.

I respect my officers' judgments.
I wish I could help further.

- If a way appears, I will.
- I appreciate you telling me that.

You deserve that much.

You deserve to know I must use
whatever means I can to escape.

Captain, the Angosian
transport vessel has arrived.

Inform them the transfer
will take place shortly. Picard out.

Mr. Data, to the bridge, please.

Take care of yourself, android.
I enjoyed our talk.

I, too.

Perhaps when this planet
joins the Federation...

I will not be there to see it,
Counsellor.

Even with this demand to survive
they've built into my soul,

I would rather die
than return to Lunar V.

We're ready to receive the prisoner.

Transmitting coordinates
of the holding cell.

- Coordinates received.
- Stand by for transport. Picard out.

Have security precautions
been taken?

Between release of the force field
and activation of the transporter

there will only be a .1 second gap.

Even Danar can't move that fast.

There will be
a full security contingent present.

Proceed.

Transporter room one to Lt Worf.
We're ready, sir.

Energizing.

Increase transporter...

I'm losing him.

Don't! You'll be killed.

What the hell...?

Security personnel, shut down
shuttle bays, transporters

and turbo lifts.

Captain, a phaser is missing.
We must assume he is armed.

Sound general quarters. Clear all
corridors of non-essential personnel.

- We don't want him taking hostages.
- General quarters sounded.

Raise security containment fields
immediately on decks 34, 35 and 36.

- Aye, sir.
- Put the turbo lifts back on.

He may use them.
As soon as he does, we have him.

Sir, unauthorized access of
turbo lift five on deck 34.

- He took the bait.
- Override destination.

Divert that turbo lift to a position
near to Lt Worf.

Four seconds to arrival.

We're in position.

Phaser on overload. Seal this deck.

Captain,
the overload has been averted.

Drop force field on deck 36.

Sir, containment field
down on deck 36.

- How did he do that?
- He's headed for Engineering.

Riker to La Forge!

Engineering, respond!

Engineering!

Engineering, come in!

Geordi, are you OK?

Captain, someone in Engineering
is overriding the security lockout.

Riker to Worf,
he's in Engineering.

Acknowledged, Commander.
We're on our way.

Data, stall Danar.
Allow him to think he's succeeding.

As he bypasses each subsystem,
I can reroute it.

Make it so.

Danar is extremely adept, sir.

I am not sure which security measure
he is circumventing.

Sir, Danar has succeeded in
restoring power to shuttle bay two.

I have overwritten Dana’s bypass.

Shuttle bay two
is once again inactive.

Very good, Mr. Data.
Now we know where he's headed.

- You OK?
- Geordi!

I'm alright.

He took us by surprise.

He came out of nowhere!
No one moves that fast!

Lieutenant, I am reading
an open panel. K- 12, J-9, deck 30.

Acknowledged.

Danar must have climbed up
and gotten into a Jefferies tube.

He could be anywhere.

He's aiming for shuttle bay two.

25 decks up. Quite a climb.
I wouldn't put it past him.

- Full security at all shuttle bays.
- You want my advice?

Double it!

Captain, reading
another open access panel.

Security
to Jefferies tube J-4, deck 1 5.

Acknowledged.

Deck 1 5, a few decks
below the shuttle bay.

I find it unlikely Danar
is trying to reach shuttle bay two.

Explain.

In our previous encounter, Danar
employed a strategy of misdirection

to gain his objective.

You think he's using
that tactic now?

He is aware our sensors cannot track
him, yet he leaves a trail.

- Where do you think he's headed?
- His true destination is a mystery.

Readings indicate an open access
panel in Jeffries tube N-1 1 , deck 38.

- He's doubled back on us.
- The cargo bays.

- Everyone out of the cargo bays.
- Aye, sir.

- Status, Data?
- They appear to be empty.

Good. I want you
to flood them with anesthizine.

Aye, sir.

Sensors show anesthizine
concentration 70 parts per million

within the cargo bays.

That'll put him to sleep!

Return environmental conditions
to normal, Mr. Data.

- Move in your security teams, Worf.
- Acknowledged.

Worf to bridge.
No sign of the intruder

but there's a missing pressure suit.

Pressure suit?

Could be he's planning to enter
shuttle bay two from the outside.

Post security guards at all emergency
airlocks on decks 37 through 39.

Aye, sir.

I'll cover
the photon torpedo launchers.

Danar may attempt to leave the ship
that way. Worf out.

Danar! You are cunning.

You must have Klingon blood.
But the battle is over.

My battle is never over.

Worf to Bridge. I have Danar.

Explosion in Jefferies tube, section
T-95. All sensors inoperative.

Go to backup systems.

Unable to transfer control, sir.

Sit down, gentlemen.

Worf to bridge.

- Go ahead.
- Danar has escaped.

His phaser powered
the cargo transporter.

Coordinates indicate he beamed
aboard the Angosian ship.

- Data, can you verify that?
- Negative, sir.

External sensors
still non-functioning.

- Then we can't track him.
- That was his plan all along.

First Officer's log.
Supplemental.

We continue to repair the ship's
sensors since the escape of Danar.

He is still at large.

I'm getting readings. Are we back up?

- That's affirmative.
- Worf, sweep the area.

Captain, the Prime Minister
is hailing us. Priority one.

On screen.

- Priority channel cleared.
- Yes, Prime Minister?

I’ve just been informed
Danar has attacked

the penal colony on Lunar V.

- Attacked it?
- In our own police shuttle.

People have been wounded.
Hundreds of prisoners are rioting.

Some escaped with Danar
and are heading towards the capital.

Captain, we are not suited
to handle situations like this.

- That's what we created them for.
- I'll send an away team.

Picard out.

Troi, Data, Worf, you will accompany
me to the planet.

These men are programmed to survive.
Is that correct?

Yes, Captain.

And they won't kill unless
their survival is at stake?

It is against their nature to do so.

Let's hope they do not believe
their survival is at stake.

Mr. Worf,...

you are responsible
for the Captain's safety.

I understand, Commander.

I doubt they'll listen to reason.

I loathe the idea of violence,
but we must be prepared.

This is all?
Where are your security men?

We're not here to fight your wars.

They're moving towards the city
centre. People are scared.

Captain, they are dangerous.

You're dangerous. They're only
victims. You made them what they are.

They defended your way of life.
Then you discarded them.

- They were not happy here.
- They were not welcome.

The people wished them resettled.

No one was pleased, but we had
to act for the greater good.

If you have the skills
to create a master soldier,

can't you counteract the effect?

The chemicals can be removed,

but we don't think the psychological
conditioning can be reversed.

- Have you tried?
- We studied it thoroughly.

Before training began,
we knew there'd be problems.

It was a risk.

Did you reveal that risk to the men?

We were helping them
to survive the war.

They needed those skills.

Your brothers, sons.
You turned your backs on them.

There are methods of treatment.

Until you try,
how do you know they won't work?

A partial recovery
could give them some peace.

- It was the will of the people!
- To allow them to suffer?!

There was a referendum. The people
weighed the costs involved.

They chose the settlement solution.

Besides, we may need them
again some day.

- Have you understood what...?
- Freeze! Nobody move!

No, Worf! All of you!

Don't respond.
Don't provoke them further.

Keep all weapons down
unless you wish to be killed.

- Do as he says.
- No! Don't. Shoot us.

Destroy us. Do what you have to.
But you will not ignore us.

Go on, do it!

Cowards!

Yes and you're not programmed
to murder cowards.

If they won't fight back,
what will you do?

We will not go back.

You are programmed to survive.
You can survive on Lunar V.

To survive is not enough.
To simply exist is not enough.

Roga, tell them what you want.

We want our lives back.
We want to come home.

I am not prepared
to negotiate under threat, Danar.

But if you put down your weapons
and return to Lunar V...,

..l would be willing.

Mr. Prime Minister,
with all due respect,

you will have to force us.
Or at least try.

Captain, you must do something.
Call your ship.

Quite right, Prime Minister.

Enterprise, prepare to beam
the away team back.

At your command, Captain.

You can't leave us like this!

I know all I need for my report.
Your prisoner's been returned to you.

It's your decision, to try and
force them back or welcome them home.

In your own words,
this isn't our affair.

We cannot interfere in the natural
course of your society's development.

I'd say it's going
to develop significantly

in the next few minutes.

It's been an interesting visit.
When you're ready for membership

the Federation
will reconsider your application.

- Mr. Riker, four to beam up.
- Aye, sir.

Success, Captain?

Number One, will you note
in our report

that if the government of Angosia
survives the night,

we'll assist them in their efforts
to reprogram their veterans.

- If the government doesn't survive?
- I've a feeling they will choose to.

Mr. Crusher, set coordinates
for Starbase Lya III.

- Coordinates set, sir.
- Engage.