Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994): Season 3, Episode 18 - Allegiance - full transcript

PICARD:
Captain's log, stardate 43714.1.

We have finally succeeded
in eradicating

the Phyrox plague on Cor Caroli V

and will soon be preparing
to leave orbit

and proceed to our next mission:

a rendezvous with the U.S.S. Hood

to assist in their terraforming efforts
on Browder IV.

[COMPUTER BEEPING]

Commander, ship's sensors detect
an abnormal energy reading

in the captain's quarters.

- Type?
- Undetermined.



Riker to Captain Picard.

Security team to captain's quarters.

[COM CHIRPS]

Picard to Enterprise.

Anyone receiving this transmission,
please respond.

[KEYPAD CHIMING]

Security override. Priority One.

Is something the matter, lieutenant?

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.

[GASPS]



PICARD: It's all right. It's all right.
I'm not gonna hurt you.

Captain?

Picard of the Enterprise.

Captain Picard.

We've studied your missions
at the Academy.

Mitena Haro, first year cadet,
Starfleet Academy.

Cadet Haro.

Perhaps you can explain
what this is all about.

- Unfortunately, I can't, Mr....
- Tholl.

Kova Tholl of Mizar II.

Well, Mr. Tholl, all I know is that
I've been brought here against my will.

Wherever here is.

HARO:
The same thing happened to me, sir.

I was alone studying and I fainted.

When I came to

it was about three days ago.

- And you, sir?
- I've been here 12 days.

Possibly more.

I had been meditating privately

and for no reason whatever,
I lost consciousness.

What can you tell me
about our captors?

- Nothing.
- They've never shown themselves.

Four sleeping areas.

That implies we may be joined
by another captive.

It's edible.

But I wouldn't call it food.

PICARD:
Hmm.

THOLL: I wouldn't touch that.
- Why not?

If it's the door lock,

the combination's too complex
to hit at random.

I tried it

and was punished.

Punished?

- How?
- Severe pain.

Some sort of energy beam.

I won't go near that panel again.

[MACHINE BEEPING]

Sir, the Hood has arrived
at the rendezvous point.

They are expecting us in 36 hours.

Thank you, lieutenant.

Mr. Data,

The nearest pulsar
is in the Lonka cluster, is it not?

Correct, sir.

- What do we know about that pulsar?
- A great deal, sir.

It is a rotating neutron star
of approximately 4.356 solar masses.

Mr. Crusher,
how long would it take us to get there?

At warp 7, 34 minutes, sir.

Mr. Crusher, make it so.

Sir?

Set course for the Lonka cluster.

Warp 2.

Aye, sir.

Sir, at warp 2, we'll arrive at the pulsar
in 31 hours.

Thank you, ensign.

- Engage.
WESLEY: Aye, sir.

Will we be delaying our rendezvous
with the Hood, sir?

We may have to, Number One.

Lieutenant, contact the Hood
and inform them of our delay.

- Aye, commander.
- Belay that order.

There will be no further
communication off this ship

without my prior authorization.

RIKER: Commander,
may I have a word with you?

- Mr. Data, you have the Bridge.
- Aye, sir.

Number One, you know
I like to keep you well-informed

- as to the nature of our missions.
- Yes, sir.

And if I don't inform you,
there is a reason.

Well, I don't like keeping you in the
dark, but for the next few days,

I may not be able to be
as communicative as usual.

It may make things difficult for you.

Don't worry about me, sir.
I can handle it.

And the crew?

You can count on all of us, sir.

I appreciate that, Number One.

[KEYPAD BEEPING]

Picard, what are you doing?

I'm attempting to let our captors know
we possess intelligence.

You don't think
they already know that?

They can hear us talking.

Yes, but they may not realize

that we're communicating
through language.

Captain Picard is letting them know
that we comprehend mathematics

by tapping out
the first six prime numbers.

I know what he's doing.
I'm trying to understand why.

It is imperative that we communicate
with our abductors.

Find out what they want.

Obviously, they want us.

Obviously.

But why?

What makes our captors
choose us?

- What makes us special?
- I couldn't say, captain.

I'm certainly not special.
I'm just one cadet.

What's your best area of study?

Impulse propulsion systems.
I'm very good with field coils.

Good enough to be useful
to our abductors?

I don't know.

Maybe.

But if they needed an engineer, sir,
why didn't they take a real one?

Why pick a Starfleet cadet?

That I can't answer.

The Bolians are maintaining
an uneasy truce

with the Moropa, are they not?

That's right.

But this does not look like
Moropa technology.

And even assuming
the Moropa wanted me,

what would they want
with either of you?

I've never even heard of the Moropa.

My race has no enemies.

None?

In the last 300 years
of Mizarian history,

your planet has been conquered
six times.

We've survived by not resisting.

Mizarians value peace
above confrontation.

Then you have no idea
who might have done this?

No. I can't think of anyone

- who bears malice toward my race.
- Or against you personally?

[SCOFFS]

You can't mean to suggest
that someone

with a personal grudge against me
has gone to all this trouble.

I'm not suggesting anything.

I'm merely trying to come up

with some explanation
for your abduction.

I'm sorry, Picard.
I can't give you one.

I'm neither important enough
to hold for ransom

nor radical enough to be dangerous.
I'm a simple public servant.

Nevertheless, Mr. Tholl...

[ENERGY BEAM WHIRRING]

[HISSES]

Stop. We mean you no harm.

We are prisoners like yourself.
We are not the enemy.

- Who has done this?
PICARD: We don't know.

We were brought here
the same way you were.

Our captors refuse
to show themselves.

I don't trust you.

You must trust us.

We wish only to return
to our worlds.

Were you abducted from Chalna?

You know my planet?

Oh, yes.

I visited there 12 years ago
while commanding the Stargazer.

- A five and 20.
- Ouch.

If it's too rich, Geordi, fold.

LA FORGE:
I'm thinking, I'm thinking.

[DOOR BEEPS]

DATA:
Enter.

Counselor, gentlemen.

Forgive this intrusion.
I was just passing by.

You are always welcome, captain.

I was wondering, Mr. La Forge,
what's our engine efficiency status?

- Operating at 93 percent, sir.
- Hmm.

That's very good.

But I would like to increase
the efficiency to 95 percent.

No problem, captain.
I'll get right on it.

That's not an order. Uh...

You can get to it later.
I don't want to disrupt your recreation.

No, captain, it's no problem.
Lady luck left me long ago.

Would you care to join us, captain?
We have an opening.

Um... I'll just observe,
if you don't mind.

Not at all. Counselor, 20.

Pair of threes.

Flush. Queen high.

- That beats my fours.
PICARD: Hmm.

Well-played, counselor.

Could I have a word
for just a moment?

- Certainly, sir.
- Forgive me, gentlemen.

I'll return your player
to you in a moment.

Counselor,

I wanted to ask you about the crew.

How they're reacting
to our sudden change in course.

I sense no unusual reactions,
Captain.

After all, such a change
is hardly out of the ordinary.

They're not curious
or concerned as to why?

They're curious, yes,
but concerned?

No, they trust you.

How far do you think
that trust goes?

Sir?

I know, counselor, that the crew
has always had full confidence in me.

But what if it were to change?

Well, I'd inform you, sir, of course.

Thank you, counselor.

My given name is Esoqq.

It means fighter.

I'll bet half the names
in the Chalnoth language

mean fighter.

Mizarians.

Your names all mean surrender.

We are a peaceful race.
A race of thinkers.

A race of cowards.

And you?

I don't know your people.

I am Mitena Haro of Bolius IX.

Who would want to imprison
a child?

I am not a child.

Esoqq, I have been trying to determine
if we have a common enemy.

Someone with a reason
for confining us here.

But there are Chalnoth
who would kill me if they could,

but kidnap?

There is no reason.

You have many enemies?

None of consequence.
I've slain all the ones who mattered.

That shocks you, Bolian?

A little.

- And you?
THOLL: No, no, I'm not surprised.

I've heard about your race.
You're uncivilized.

You have no laws,
no system of government.

The Chalnoth have no use for laws
or governments.

We are strong.

We obey no one.

You live in anarchy,

murdering one another.

That mentality may get us all killed.

And you may be the first.

Both of you,
this is getting us nowhere.

Neither is asking us
useless questions, Picard.

But if you must pursue the topic,

how long have you and the Romulans
been adversaries?

For quite a while, Mr. Tholl.

I am ethically willing
to entertain the hypothesis

that our captors are Romulans,

but what would the Romulans
want with you?

My brainpower, perhaps.

It's well known that my species
possess a superior intelligence

and I'm considered
among the brightest of my people.

HARO:
And the least modest.

[SNIFFING]

- What is this?
PICARD: Food.

The only food?

It would seem so.

Poison!

Does this mean
there's nothing here for you to eat?

- You.
- No, don't even think that.

- Picard, you won't let him--
PICARD: Esoqq.

How long can you go without food?

Three days.

Perhaps four.

- No longer?
- No longer.

Well, all your tests
indicate the same results.

You are in great shape.

- I've never felt better.
- I see.

Then why did you come in?

Your annual physical
isn't due for another month.

Well, usually you have
to remind me,

then badger me
and finally order me to report.

For once,
I thought I'd save you the trouble.

Jean-Luc,

be honest with your doctor.

Are there any warning signs

or symptoms
that you haven't told me about?

[SIGHS]

As far as I know,

I'm perfectly healthy.

Well, then, return to your post.

- Will you have dinner with me tonight?
- In Ten-Forward?

What about my quarters?

More intimate.

Jean-Luc,
you are full of surprises today.

I take that to be a yes.

THOLL.: Picard, is it wise
to attempt an escape?

- It's imperative.
THOLL: Why?

Our captors haven't mistreated us.

We've been kidnapped.
Locked in a room.

You don't think that's mistreatment?

They haven't hurt us, have they?

I think we should just wait
until we find out what they want.

Be patient.

We can no longer afford
to be patient.

Unless we act soon,
Esoqq will starve.

If we antagonize them,

they may decide we're more trouble
than we're worth.

Kill us.

And go capture another four.

I agree that's a risk.
But I see no alternative.

Well,

I refuse to help.

As you wish, Mr. Tholl.

We must get inside this panel.

ESOQAQ:
Not very sturdy.

Stand back, Haro.

[ESOQQ YELLS]

HARO:
The design is simple.

Cross-circuiting the door mechanism
should be easy.

- Make it so.
- Yes, sir.

I think

I've got it.

[DOOR BEEPS]

[GRUNTING]

I warned you.

[CHUCKLES]

Out with it, Jean-Luc.

Out with what?

Whatever has been on your mind
all evening long.

- Has it been that apparent?
- Mm.

How well you know me.

After all this time, I ought to.

Well, it's true.
I have been preoccupied.

I know that's not very flattering
to you,

but I have been thinking about us

and about the choices I've made.

We both have made choices.

And I've been wondering
if they were the right ones.

Sometimes I feel we've allowed
our positions to isolate us.

Our positions necessitate
a degree of professional detachment.

But there's a danger
in becoming too detached,

of never permitting ourselves
to get closer.

Is that what you want, Jean-Luc?

To get closer?

You're a very attractive woman.

And you're a very attractive man.

But we both know
it's not as simple as that.

Would it be simpler
if I were not your commanding officer?

Simpler, perhaps.

But that's not the only issue.

I guess,

right now, I'm comfortable
with our relationship just the way it is.

[REMOTE CONTROL BEEPS]

[ROMANTIC MUSIC PLAYING
OVER SPEAKERS]

Would you care to dance?

I thought you didn't dance.

On special occasions.

[CRUSHER CHUCKLES]

I don't think I told you,

but I'm glad you're back
on the Enterprise.

I missed our friendship.

I did too.

Jean-Luc, if I didn't know you better,

I would think
you were playing games with me.

Are you sorry you came tonight?

- I didn't say that.
- Good.

Because I'm delighted that you did.

But,

perhaps we should call it a night.

Good night.

I warned you
not to provoke our captors.

The next beams might be lethal.

Not to you.

- You moved far from the door.
- Of course I did.

Being stunned once was enough.

You claim you were hit
by the stun beam

before the rest of us arrived.

You could be lying.

Maybe our enemy is watching us

from inside.

Are you accusing me
of collaborating with our abductors?

Collaboration is what your species
does best.

You did try to talk us out
of attempting to escape.

ESOQQ:
For all we know,

you may be our captor.

[THOLL SCOFFS]

Impossible. I'm a Mizarian.
My people are not aggressive.

How can we be sure
you're a Mizarian?

You could be an impostor.

This is nonsense.
What if you're an impostor?

Esoqq was the last one to appear.
And he is the only one with a weapon.

Keep talking and I will use it.

Tholl, our captors have transporters,
they have stun beams.

It's hardly likely that they would try
to hold us at bay with a knife.

Well, then, maybe she's the impostor.

She could have triggered
the stun beams deliberately.

- I was hit too.
THOLL: To forestall suspicion.

You were very quick to volunteer.

PICARD:
Tholl, I asked her to open the door.

You ordered her, you mean.

You've been giving orders
from the moment you got here.

Trying to make everyone
do what you want.

Tholl, what I want
is for everyone to escape!

Why should we believe you?

Captain Picard's put his life at stake
for others many times.

The primitive culture
on Mintaka Ill,

the Wogneer creatures
in the Ordek Nebula...

And Cor Caroli V.

Right. Helping to cure
the Phyrox plague.

And how do we know
this is the heroic Captain Picard?

We have no proof of his identity.

THOLL:
You've wasted our time

with failed attempts to communicate
with them or escape.

Is that your task?

To keep us busy so we're off-guard?

RIKER:
First Officer's log, supplemental.

Although we're still 18 hours
from the Lonka pulsar,

the captain has ordered us
to slow to one-half impulse.

He's offered no explanation.

I don't know why
we're going to this pulsar.

And creeping up on it at half impulse
makes even less sense.

The captain
has given unusual orders before.

I know. But this is different.
He's different.

I can't put my finger on it,

but I'm worried.

The captain does seem detached
from his emotions.

[DOOR OPENS]

MAN 1:
Captain.

Mr. La Forge,

we are operating
at 96 percent engine efficiency,

well done.

Thank you, sir.

When we arrive at the pulsar,
I shall require everyone at their best.

- I know that I can rely on both of you.
- Of course, captain.

Excellent.

An ale for me and for my officers.

In fact, ales for everyone.

WOMAN: Oh.
MAN 2: Oh. Thank you.

- Here's to the finest crew in Starfleet.
MAN 3: Hear, hear.

[CREW CLAPPING & CHATTERING]

You know,

back when I was in the Academy,

we would follow every toast
with a song.

I wonder if I can...

Oh, yes.

[CLEARS THROAT]

[SINGING]
Come cheer up my lads

"Tis to glory we steer

To find something new

In this wonderful year

To honor we call you
As free men not slaves

PICARD: For who are so free
As the sons of the waves?

PICARD & CREW:
Heart of oak are our ships

Jolly tars are our men

We always are ready
Steady boys, steady

We'll fight and we'll conquer
Again and again

Come cheer up my lads

"Tis to glory we steer

To find something new
In this wonderful year

Commander,

what's the captain up to?

That's not the captain I know.

PICARD & CREW:
As the sons of the waves

Heart of oak are our ships
Jolly tars are our men

We're on a mission
that has no apparent purpose.

In itself, I can accept that.

All of us can.

Because the captain says
it's important and we trust him.

Then he runs the crew
through efficiency drills,

for the first time in my tour of duty.

But he says we need them,
so we need them,

because we trust our captain.

But we also have a captain
singing drinking songs with his men.

A captain who's come
to the poker game for the first time.

And he was very odd with me
afterwards.

He wanted me to warn him if the crew
started to lose confidence in him.

Any signs of mental stress, trauma?

He came in for a physical
with no word from me.

Anything unusual, doctor?

Every test result
identical to his last physical.

Which is kind of unusual
in itself, actually.

Almost as though
he wanted to establish

that there was nothing wrong.

There was one other thing.

He asked me to dinner in his cabin.

And it was a very unusual evening.

Which brings up
a very serious possibility.

What if there's an outside influence
at work here?

I detect no evidence
of telepathic coercion.

Commander, there is still one fact
we have not considered.

The abnormal energy reading
in the captain's quarters

was never explained.

It is not enough evidence
to justify mutiny.

Nobody has suggested
removing the captain from command.

Right now all we have are suspicions.

Not enough to act on.

The next move is his.

THOLL: Well, Picard,
prove to us you are not the enemy.

I can't.

You're right, Mr. Tholl.

Any one of us may be the enemy.

And there is no way to prove
that we aren't.

But until we set aside our mutual fears
and trust one another,

we have no hope of escape.

But, sir,
how can we trust each other?

She's right.
There may be an enemy among us.

PICARD:
And what if there is, Mr. Tholl?

Shall we continue
accusing one another

until hostility leads to violence?

Shall we allow our suspicions
to destroy us?

Now, let's see if we can override
this stun mechanism.

Helm, take us
into 20 million kilometers.

WESLEY:
Aye, sir.

Mr. Worf,
divert enough power to the shields

to offset the increased radiation
and magnetic fields.

Sir, at 20 million kilometers,

our shields will only be effective
for 18 minutes.

Noted, Mr. Data.

Captain,

may I have a word with you?

PICARD:
You have the Bridge, Mr. Data.

Aye, sir.

What is our mission?

I'm under no obligation
to tell you that.

If you don't, you force me
to take command of this vessel.

On what grounds?

You are endangering this ship
for no reason.

- No reason you're aware of.
- That's not good enough.

Your behavior has been erratic.

Erratic enough to justify mutiny?

Do you honestly believe
you have sufficient evidence

to convince a board of inquiry?

No, I don't.

But I can't let you risk the lives
of this crew.

Number One, has it occurred to you

that you might be the one
with the problem?

I'm aware you've been under stress
and I am willing to let the matter drop

if you report to Sickbay
for a full examination.

Otherwise,
I will have to relieve you from duty.

Think about it.

[DOOR OPENS THEN CLOSES]

Cadet.

[MACHINE BEEPING]

I may have overloaded it, sir.

[GRUNTING]

PICARD: Mr. Tholl.
- I still think this is a mistake.

Now what?

We're no better off
than when we started.

[COMPUTER BEEPING]

Captain, Number 4 Shield
has failed.

Increasing power to Number 3 Shield
to compensate.

Helm, move us closer.
Ten million kilometers.

DATA:
Sir, at that distance,

the ship will not withstand
the magnetic fields and radiation.

We will not survive.

Take us in, Mr. Crusher.

RIKER:
Belay that order.

You're relieved of duty, commander.

Mr. Worf,
confine Mr. Riker to his quarters.

PICARD:
Mr. Worf, I gave you an order.

Maintain your position, lieutenant.

You're destroying yourself.

And anyone foolish enough
to listen to you.

You've shown none of the concern
Captain Picard would

for the safety of this ship,
the welfare of this crew.

Mr. Worf, escort Commander Riker
from the Bridge.

Ensign Crusher,
take us away from this pulsar.

Heading 185 mark 32, full impulse.

[COMPUTER BEEPING]

Full impulse, aye, Commander.

Engage.

I hope you're satisfied, Picard.
You've accomplished nothing.

The sound of your voice
is beginning to anger me.

Well,

I think this charade
has gone far enough.

Don't you?

I don't understand.

Oh, yes, you do.

This isn't a holding cell.

It's a laboratory maze.
A carefully structured test.

It's an experiment to see
how well we react under pressure.

How do you know?

It's the only explanation.

Look at the four of us.

We do have something in common.

We all react differently to authority.

You, the collaborator,
defer to whoever has control.

You, the anarchist,
reject authority in any form.

I, a Starfleet captain,
trained to command.

And you,

a Starfleet cadet,

sworn to obey
a superior officer's authority.

Our captors have placed us here

and have devised obstacles
for us to overcome.

They give us food
which Esoqq can't eat

to make him a threat.

They give us a door we can't open

until the four of us cooperate.

And each time we succeed,

they deal us reverses
to set us against each other again,

while you

observe our reactions.

Sir, I've been trying to help.

I found it unlikely
that a first-year cadet

would know of the Enterprise's visit
to Mintaka lll, so I tested you.

Starfleet has classified
the Cor Caroli V plague a secret.

No cadet would have knowledge
of that incident.

- Captain--
- So

you may as well drop this pretense.

I'm not playing any further.
I'm quitting this game.

As far as I am concerned,
this experiment is over.

You are correct, Captain Picard.

To further our knowledge
of alien interaction,

we borrowed you, Tholl and Esoqq
and replaced you with replicas.

Replicas?

Our transporter
is able to replicate living matter,

including the brain's
many trillion dendritic connections

where memory is stored.

You mean there's a copy of me
on Mizar 117?

An imposter running my ship?

No longer. Commander Riker
has taken charge of the Enterprise.

Our species is telepathically linked.
We are all in continual contact.

Much more efficient than your primitive
vocal communications.

We would like to pursue this study,

but of course, your awareness of it
would taint the results.

We will therefore return you
to your places of origin.

RIKER: Captain.
- Hold your positions. Take no action.

Why did you choose to study

the concepts of authority
and leadership?

Because our species
has no such concepts.

As we are all identical,

distinctions among ourselves
are meaningless.

Hence we have no leaders,
no followers.

We wanted to examine
the nature of command.

Our replicas of Tholl and Esoqq

explored this issue on Mizar Il
and on Chalna,

just as our Picard replica did
on the Enterprise.

Your responses were most intriguing.

You had no right to put us through this
just to satisfy your curiosity.

Why not?

Because kidnapping
is an immoral assault.

The rights of other races
must be respected.

This concept of morality is a very
interesting human characteristic.

- We shall have to study it sometime.
- Now, Mr. Worf.

[COMPUTER BEEPS]

[BOTH GRUNTING]

What is it? Why do you hold us?

Because there is something else
you can learn.

With an alert crew,

even our primitive
vocal communications

are unnecessary.

With a single look,

I was able to inform my crew
that I wanted to hold you here.

But why?

Because I've decided to conduct
an experiment of my own.

I want to see how you react
to being imprisoned.

Captain, our species
cannot bear captivity.

We were merely curious.
We meant no harm.

We did not, after all,
injure you in any way.

Imprisonment is an injury,
regardless of how you justify it.

[WHIMPERING]

[BOTH SIGH]

And now that you have had a taste
of captivity,

perhaps you will reconsider
the morality of inflicting it on others.

In any event,
we now know of your race

and we know how to imprison you.

Bear that in mind.

Now, get off my ship.

Mr. Crusher, set course to rendezvous
with the Hood, warp 8.

Aye, sir.
It's good to have you back, sir.

Status, Number One.

Ship and crew
functioning normally, captain.

Then my doppelganger
caused no serious damage?

The replica was convincing.

Very convincing,

but not perfect.

Not perfect in what way?

Well, sir,

I find it hard to believe
that you're that good a singer.

Singer?

I look forward
to reading your report, Commander.

At least I think I do.

[DOOR OPENS]

Doctor.

Captain.

[COMPUTER BEEPING]

WESLEY:
Course laid in, sir.

Engage.

[COMPUTER BEEPING]