Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994): Season 3, Episode 24 - Ménage à Troi - full transcript

PICARD:
Captain's log, stardate 43930.7.

The Enterprise has been
in attendance

at the biennial Trade Agreements
Conference on Betazed.

For the first time,
the Ferengi are present,

and I have reluctantly consented
to their boarding the Enterprise

for the closing reception.

[CHATTERING AND LAUGHING]

[SOFT DRUM MUSIC PLAYING]

[CHUCKLES]

Check and mate.

WESLEY:
Perfect.



The Queen's Gambit, finished off
with the Aldabren Exchange.

It is unfair.

I couldn't concentrate
with all that noise.

WESLEY:
Noise?

It's Algolian ceremonial rhythms.

[SCOFFS THEN CHUCKLES]

I toast the success
of the trade conference, Reittan.

I must admit...

I had some doubts
when you invited the Ferengi.

They made a profit
and behaved themselves.

What more could one ask?
Still, they trouble me.

We Betazeds are uncomfortable
with species like the Ferengi

whose minds we can't read.

Perhaps your telepathic skills
are ineffective



owing to the anomalous construction
of the Ferengi brain,

- which is composed of four different--
- Thank you, Mr. Data.

It was thoughtful of you
to invite Lwaxana Troi

to be part of the Betazed delegation.

GRAX:
Yes, Lwaxana and I go way back.

Her first husband and I
were old friends,

and I've known Deanna
since she was a child.

I'm sure Counselor Troi
appreciates the opportunity

to spend time with her mother.

[THINKING]
Little one, you could at least pretend

you're happy to see me.

Mother, we're among non-telepaths.

It's impolite not to speak aloud.

Oh, you mean talk
with my mouth full? Ha.

Deanna, please.

[LAUGHS]

Well, all right,
you want me to say something aloud?

Have you ever considered
if you had stayed on Betazed,

you might have been
a happier person?

Let's not guess
what might have been.

I love my work on the Enterprise.

Yes, of course you do,
but it's all business and no play.

You've got to enjoy life.
Relax. Like I do.

Find yourself the right man.
Think of your future.

Think of my future.

Lwaxana, Deanna,
anything I can do for you?

Could I...?

She's as repulsive
as the rest of them.

Repulsive? Heh.

I find her exotic.

And what an advantage her telepathy
would be in our negotiations.

To read our competitors' minds.

Yes, that would be valuable.

But she'd never agree
to use her powers to help us.

I'm not so sure.

Lwaxana Troi of Betazed, I believe.

I am DaiMon Tog
of the Ferengi vessel Krayton.

May I join you?

I was just going to see
Captain Picard. Excuse me.

Oh, Jean-Luc? Jean-Luc, uh,
come, have a drink with me.

- Tell me what you've been up to.
- Perhaps later, Lwaxana.

Mr. Data and I were about to show
Reittan Grax the, um...

The, um-- Uh, the new door
mechanisms on the aft turbolifts.

If you'll excuse us.

Lwaxana Troi,

I desire you.

What?

You see, your Betazoid skills
would be very useful to me.

And I find you very attractive.

I am willing
to pay handsomely for you.

I don't believe this.

You must be aware
that every female has her price.

Let's get one thing straight,
little man.

I am not for sale.

And if, by some chance,
I were to become available,

I would rather eat Orion wing slugs

than deal with
a toad-faced troll like you!

So go away and find yourself
somebody else

to become your property.

As you wish.

Now that you've totally humiliated us,
may we return to our vessel?

She is exhilarating, isn't she?

[CHUCKLES]

Now I want her more than ever.

Lwaxana Troi,

you will be mine.

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.

Are we at war with the Ferengi yet?

DaiMon Tog has returned to his vessel
and the Ferengi have left orbit.

My mother will be relieved.

I hear she handled the situation
quite skillfully.

An admirable woman.

I'll be sure to tell her you said so.

LWAXANA [THINKING]:
Come in, little one.

[SIGHS]

TROI:
Mother?

Mother, please.

[GROANS]

Oh, after that awful little Ferengi
insulted me,

I needed to center myself.

Can you imagine that dreadful
little creature talking to me like that?

Doesn't he realize
that I am the daughter

of the Fifth House of Betazed?

Holder of the sacred
Chalice of Rixx?

The sacred Chalice of Rixx
is an old clay pot

with mold growing inside it.

Well, perhaps one day
when you're older and wiser,

you'll understand.

Come on, little one, sit down.
Talk to me.

- We spend so little time together.
- That's true.

I'm sorry.

And I didn't mean to get
so upset with you at the reception.

Deanna, try to understand.
You're all I have.

My only concern
is for your happiness.

I am happy.

Why can't you believe that?

Oh, I wish I could,
but how much happiness is there

in always being there
for someone else

and never being there for yourself?

I get a great deal of satisfaction
out of my work.

Oh, I'm sure you do.
I'm sure it's very rewarding in its way.

[SIGHS]

But what about a family?

This is my family.

My friends, here on the Enterprise.

All right. In case I have to
spell it out for you,

I am talking about finding a husband,
having a child.

That's what made me happy.

At least until now.

Mother, look.
Perhaps someday I will marry.

But you have to let me
make my own choices,

live my own life and not the life
that you would choose for me.

You had your chance
with Commander Riker.

Look how you ruined that.

I did not ruin anything.
We've become very good friends.

Well, all the better. You certainly
wouldn't wanna marry an enemy.

I see we can't talk about this.

Very well,
have it your own way, little one.

Little one?

You called me that when I was 5.

Now, stop demeaning me
and address me as an adult.

LWAXANA [THINKING]: I'll be home
on Betazed if you need me, lit--

Deanna.

Adding preprocessors
to the neutrino counters

boosted efficiency by 11 percent.

Commander La Forge
and Commander Data

did most of the work.

Not so fast, Wesley.

Reprocessing the data
with an optical chip was your idea.

DATA:
That is correct, sir.

Although Commander La Forge
and I designed the chip,

Mr. Crusher derived the equation
governing its operation.

The point is, you completed
the upgrade well ahead of schedule.

- Very impressive.
- Indeed. Fine work.

We shall miss you, Mr. Crusher.

As you've guessed,
final entrance examination scores

from Starfleet Academy have arrived.
Congratulations.

As soon as you have completed
the oral exam,

you'll be formally admitted.

We'll have you back
at Betazed in time

to meet up
with the Academy transport ship.

Thank you, sir.

That'll be all.

- Number One, a moment?
- Yes, captain?

[PICARD SIGHS]

You'll agree that this is
a fairly routine mapping mission?

Yes, sir.

Counselor Troi had the good sense
to ask for shore leave.

I can see I'm gonna have to
suggest it to you.

Have a good time, Number One.

[TROI LAUGHS]

RIKER:
Your mother...

I think it's around here somewhere.

Well, maybe it died.
It has been a few years.

Muktok live for hundreds of years.

- Here it is.
- Oh!

Oh, it's lovely.

[JINGLES]

I remember that sound.

And all the good times we had.

I remember.

A certain junior officer meeting
a very serious psychology student.

Best part about
being assigned to Betazed.

LWAXANA:
Oh, this is the perfect spot.

Put the food down over there,
Mr. Homn.

Oh, isn't it a beautiful day
for a picnic?

[RIKER SIGHS]

They'll be joining us in a moment.
No, no, no.

Here, I-- Put the food over there.

- No, no, you can go back to--
- Mother.

How did you know about this place?

Your father used to bring me here.

Sit down.

And you even brought provisions.
Very thoughtful.

Here, Will, Deanna.

Try an oskoid. They're delicious.

See, that's sap running through
the veins. Helps keep it warm.

Very tasty.

Tell us, Lwaxana, the last time we met,
you were looking for a husband.

- Have you had any luck?
- Ah, alas, no.

But what happens to me
isn't important.

I am much more concerned
with other people

getting on with their lives.

Mother.

Mr. Homn, I noticed some uttaberries
back along the path.

Pick some.

Well, Mr. Homn and I
could go back home

if you two would like to be alone.

It's such a romantic setting.

Mother, stop it.

[CLEARS THROAT]

Darling,
you have been so excitable lately.

Have you ever thought
of a leave of absence?

I could talk to Jean-Luc.

Try the oskoid. Very different.

[TROI CHUCKLES]

- What the--?
LWAXANA: Oh.

For one whose beauty
surpasses even these pericules.

DaiMon Tog, I thought
the Krayton left orbit hours ago.

It did.

But when I tried to get the image
of Lwaxana Troi out of my mind,

I could not succeed.

This is ludicrous.

You mean you came
all the way back to Betazed for me?

Why continue to search for perfection
once you have found it?

I don't believe this.

Now, look, Demon Tog,
or whatever you call yourself.

I am the daughter
of the Fifth House,

holder of the sacred Chalice of Rixx,

heir of the Holy Rings of Betazed.

And unless you wanna create
an interstellar incident,

you had better beam back
to your ship.

Returning to my ship
is exactly what I had in mind.

- Krayton, transport four immediately.
- No, Tog.

FERENGI:
Pawn. Pawn takes knight, king's level.

[FERENGI 1 CHUCKLES]

FERENGI 2:
Then bishop takes knight, king's level.

FERENGI 1:
Rook to queen four.

[FERENGIS CHUCKLING]
[RIKER GROANS]

Lwaxana.

[LWAXANA GROANS]

Deanna.

LWAXANA:
Where are we?

From the smell of things,
I'd say we're aboard a Ferengi vessel.

The Ferengi can't do that.
You're Starfleet officers.

Tog must not have read that chapter
in the Ferengi book of etiquette.

Enterprise?

[COMMUNICATOR BUZZING]

- Must be too far out of range.
LWAXANA: Oh.

[RIKER YELLS]
[TROI & LWAXANA GASP]

DaiMon,
they have regained consciousness.

TOG [OVER COM]:
Very good.

[LWAXANA GASPS]

I should have known.

Even their transporters
can't be trusted.

Why have you removed
our clothing?

Females do not deserve
the honor of clothing.

They're as bad as humans.
Look at that leer on his face.

No.

His is an expression of revulsion.

But it is a feeling
that I do not share, Lwaxana.

Well, it's cold in here.

Do you want me to become ill?

You must forgive the doctor.

He is not accustomed
to dealing with Betazoid females.

Now, Lwaxana.

I have a, uh,
business proposition for you.

Thanks, but I'm not interested
in any of your propositions.

TOG:
Hear me out.

Your telepathic powers
could bring us both great profit.

Ha. Why would I want
to bring you profit?

In order to keep your daughter
alive and healthy, for one.

TOG:
There is no need for threats.

Lwaxana is a sensible female.

TROI [THINKING]:
I don't like the sound of this.

LWAXANA [THINKING]:
I believe I can control him, little one.

I'm sure that, uh,
we can talk about this.

Just the two of us.

A wise choice.

Farek, leave us.

[DOOR OPENS THEN CLOSES]

And you may rejoin your friend.

- Mother, are you sure?
- I'll be fine.

And now, Lwaxana Troi.

Let us talk.

Fifteen hours from Gamma Erandi
and already the subspace static

is playing hell
with the communications.

Just what you'd expect
from a stellar nursery.

Wesley, congratulations on passing
your Starfleet written examination.

- An excellent achievement.
- Thanks, Data.

Now, if I can just do as well
on the oral exams.

Not to worry. You will.

And when you return,

we'll be gaining the best ensign
in the fleet.

There is no guarantee that Wesley
will be reassigned to the Enterprise.

Ninety-one percent
of Starfleet graduates

are not posted
to Galaxy-class starships

on their first assignment.

I never thought of that.

I always assumed
I'd be coming back to the Enterprise.

Well, I'm sure Captain Picard
will request you.

That is, if he's still commanding
the Enterprise when you graduate.

I never thought of that either.

I never thought I'd feel this way

about leaving you guys
and the Enterprise.

Is that not part
of the human experience?

Growth and change?

- I suppose so, but--
LA FORGE: Listen, Wesley.

I felt the same way when I left
my family to go to the Academy.

But it was one of
the best times of my life.

You're gonna meet new friends

and have adventures
that you can't even imagine yet.

I hope you're right, Geordi.

LWAXANA [THINKING]:
Oh, little one.

Tog's given me something
perfectly hideous to wear.

He says it flatters my beauty.

[TROI CHUCKLES]

So far, Mother is in no danger.

I hope she knows what she's doing.

Well, she's bought us some time.
Let's make the most of it.

I wouldn't do that.

I don't need your help.

The hell you don't. You're two moves
away from being mated.

[GRUMBLES]

See? Should have listened to me.

Now you've only got
one possible escape.

[GRUNTS]

That wasn't it.

[FERENGI 1 GRUMBLES]
[FERENGI 2 CHUCKLES]

Should have moved the bishop.

Ridiculous. The bishop was pinned.

RIKER:
Don't listen to me.

Forget the fact
that I beat you in 30 moves.

- Pure luck.
- I was being polite.

I could have won in 20.

Then prove it.

Pawn to queen four, king's level.

Pawn to king's bishop three,
queen's level.

I must admit, when you, uh,
first approached me

aboard the Enterprise,
I was, ahem, intrigued.

[TOG CHUCKLES]

- You mean revolted.
- Perhaps a little.

- Do you forgive me?
- Yes.

But with your powers,

we could be a formidable team.

My...

You have great strength
in your hands.

And you like that?

[SIGHS]

I have always admired strong males.

You are beautiful.

It is impossible for me to resist you.

Then, uh...

[CLEARS THROAT]

...don't.

[LWAXANA CHUCKLES]

Initial scans of ionization patterns
complete, sir.

Now correlating sensor readings.

[PANEL BEEPING]

Almost incomprehensible.

The amount of energy
being expended.

Actually, it is 5.34
times 10 to the 41st watt, sir.

Well within the norm
for this type of phenomenon.

Yes, yes, yes, perhaps, Data.

But that takes away
none of the wonder.

Check.

- I'm sick of this game.
- Of course. Now that you are losing.

Who's losing?
I'm just tired of standing up.

You can't resign now.

It's hard to play from in here.
I can't even see the whole board.

Ah. Then you'll finish the game
if I let you out of the cell.

I might.

[CHUCKLES]

Clever, human,
but I'm not that foolish.

What, do you think
I'm gonna try to escape?

What would that get me?
You've already got her.

Besides, where would I go?

I do not trust you.

Fine. Thanks for the game.

Come out here.

Now save your rook. If you can.

And that was my first husband.

Not much
of a conversationalist, but, uh...

[CHUCKLES]

What a lover. Heh.

Well, then I met--

I do not want to hear
about your other romances.

It makes me jealous.

My, my.
What, uh, big ears you have.

Has anyone ever told you
how attractive they are?

Some females think
they are my best feature.

No one has ever given me 00-mox
like this before.

Oo-mox?

There is no translation.

But the ear is one of our
most erogenous zones.

Those Ferengi have iron jaws.

LWAXANA [THINKING]: Little one,
if Tog were a kitten, he'd be purring.

TROI [THINKING]:
Good work, Mother.

According to Mother,

DaiMon Tog is extremely relaxed
at the moment.

Tell Lwaxana to keep him relaxed
while we call in the cavalry.

[PANELS BEEPING]

FERENGI [ON RECORDING]:
Access to communications denied.

All transmissions to be authorized
by DaiMon Tog.

Let's see just how relaxed
DaiMon Tog is.

TROI [THINKING]:
Mother, we're out of the cell

and we're trying to contact
the Enterprise.

But we can't do it
without Tog's access code.

- Do you think you could manage--?
LWAXANA: Say no more, little one.

Ah, Lwaxana, you and I are going
to make such a wonderful team.

With your telepathy and my cunning,
I foresee--

A very profitable future.

[TOG CHUCKLES]

Subspace interference
is subsiding, sir.

- Communications have been restored.
- Good.

Contact Commander Riker
on Betazed.

Messages coming in from Betazed, sir.
Priority one.

On screen.

Captain Picard, at last.

We have been trying
to reach you for two days.

Our communications have been
blocked by the nebula, Reittan.

- Is there a problem?
- I'm afraid so, captain.

Lwaxana, Deanna,
and Commander Riker

have disappeared.

I knew I wanted you
the moment I saw you.

You have fulfilled
all my expectations.

How sweet.

Farek thought it was a bad idea.

- But I knew better.
- How clever.

Hmm, I knew best.

I always know best.

- How repugnant.
- What?

Oh, I said, how romantic.

I can't resist a man
who knows what he wants

and goes after it.

Hmm, that's me. And that's why
I'm DaiMon of this ship.

I take charge in every situation.

More to the left, woman.

Whatever you say.

TOG:
Mm.

My darling, would you care
for something to drink?

You're so attentive.

Does your food synthesizer
know how to make an Arcturian fizz?

I don't think so.

They have certain
pleasure-enhancing qualities.

[TOG CHUCKLES]

Uh, let me teach your computer
how to make one.

Oh. I'll need your access code.

Yes, my beloved.

Uh, computer, access code:

[SPEAKING IN FERENGI]

Tog, be silent!

I knew you were not to be trusted.

Dr. Farek, I was just going
to make DaiMon Tog a drink.

Save your lies for this fool.

But he's-- But, uh--
Oh, please don't listen to him, don't.

- No, he's misunderstood.
- No, Tog, you have misunderstood.

You have been tricked by a sly female
who finds you repulsive.

She was only trying
to serve me a drink.

You almost gave her complete access
to the ship's computer.

A security breach severe enough
to cost you your command.

It's time you took my advice.

Let me study her.

Study her?

Your mind probes could kill her.

You brought her aboard
for her telepathic powers.

If I can determine
what neural configuration

gives her those powers,
I may be able to duplicate them.

We could still profit from this.

I don't know.

A true DaiMon
would not be blinded by lust.

Give her to me.

Or I may be forced
to report your transgressions.

- Very well, take her.
LWAXANA: Oh.

WORF: When you're finished here,
survey in that direction.

OFFICER:
Aye, sir.

I wish I had some answers for you,
Lieutenant Worf.

- Mr. Homn was no help?
- None.

He last saw them
as he was leaving this clearing.

When he returned,
all three of them were gone.

Lieutenant Foley discovered this
in the pond.

The species is Zan Periculi.

It is not indigenous to Betazed,
but to Lappa IV, a Ferengi world.

Now we have
a reasonable hypothesis as to whom.

The difficult question is where.

The Ferengi ship
is almost as fast as the Enterprise.

She could be anywhere by now.

Commander Riker will assume
we'll be searching for them.

He'll find some way
to send us a message.

Mr. Worf, I want continual monitoring
of Ferengi subspace frequencies.

Mr. La Forge,
can you extend our sensor range?

If I narrow the band
and tie in the long-range sensors

to the subspace scanners,
I can boost the gain.

Make it so.

Do you wish to leave orbit, sir?

Not until we have someplace to go.

[TROI SIGHS]

I've done everything I know how.
It's no use.

Without Tog's security code,

I can't get near
their communication system.

We're running out of time.

Farek's about to begin
the neural scan on Mother.

Maybe I'm going about this
in the wrong way.

If I pick a minor subsystem,
something nonessential.

Like this.
Warp field phase adjustment.

All this does is suppress
the subspace interference

- generated by the warp engines.
- Meaning what?

Meaning, if I set up
a simple oscillation,

I can send out a signal.

The trick is to create a message
the Enterprise will understand,

but the Ferengi will think
is just normal subspace static.

[LWAXANA GROANING
AND GRUNTING]

[GROANS]

What's wrong?

Mother.

Will,

we have to help her.

Thanks for your help, but you'd
better get aboard the Bradbury.

They were ready to break orbit
an hour ago.

Soon as I'm sure this works.

Initiating scans now, captain.

[COMPUTER BEEPING
AND BUZZING]

Can you locate the Krayton?

Ferengi transmissions are routinely
scrambled and encoded, sir.

Without breaking the code,

we will be unable to identify
any specific Ferengi vessel.

Ferengi codes
are damn near impossible to break.

Gentlemen,
I have the utmost confidence

in your ability to perform
the impossible.

Captain, the Bradbury is hailing us.

They can no longer delay
their departure.

Mr. Crusher. Now.

No lengthy farewells.

Good luck.

Thank you, sir.

[RHYTHMIC POPPING AND STATIC
OVER COMPUTER]

The repetitive nature
of the subcarrier pattern

implies a modified
Huffman-Greenlaw encoder scheme...

WESLEY:
Deck 6.

CRUSHER:
Wesley.

Take care.

You too, Mom.

Something the matter?

We've been scanning
Ferengi transmissions,

trying to locate the Krayton.

One of the signals was,

I don't know, familiar somehow.

Something in the message?

No, the message was scrambled.

It was the static.

Where are you going?

Captain.

The Bradbury has informed us

they can no longer wait
for Mr. Crusher to come aboard.

PICARD:
Wesley.

I think there's a pattern
to the subspace interference

I heard on one
of the Ferengi messages.

Unless you leave immediately,
you're gonna miss the Bradbury.

The interference itself
could be a message.

If I could just hear a replay
of the subspace scans.

Signal the Bradbury.
They may leave.

Play back
the Ferengi transmissions.

[RHYTHMIC POPPING AND STATIC
OVER COMPUTER]

Wait. Repeat that one.

Put it on continuous replay.

Hear that popping noise?

Data, can you filter out everything
but that sound?

That's Cochrane distortion.

A fluctuation in the phase
of the subspace field.

All warp engines generate
that kind of interference.

But listen to the pattern.

It's the Algolian ceremonial rhythm

that the musician played
at the reception.

Mr. Crusher is correct, sir.
There is a temporal correlation.

Then it is a signal
from Commander Riker.

Ingenious.

He selected a signal we'd recognize,

but one the Ferengi
would dismiss as static.

- Signal source located, captain.
- Plot an intercept course.

- Course plotted and laid in, sir.
- Well done, Mr. Crusher. Warp 8.

Aye, sir.

Engage.

[LWAXANA GROANING
AND GRUNTING]

- Get away from her.
- What do you think you're doing?

[MACHINE POWERS DOWN]

TOG:
Stand off, commander.

LWAXANA:
DaiMon Tog, can't we strike a bargain?

All I am concerned about
is my daughter's safety.

What happens to me isn't important.

What are you suggesting?

Well, let me be candid, DaiMon Tog.

Deanna's of no use to you.
She's only half-Betazoid.

And if you keep Riker,
Starfleet will never stop chasing you.

Release them.

Release them
and I will stay with you willingly.

I'll even use my telepathy
to aid in your negotiations.

A tempting offer.

I would like to believe you.

The offer is genuine.

I give you my word as a daughter
of the Fifth House of Betazed.

- Lwaxana, don't.
- I've made up my mind.

I can't let you do this.

William, I am a grown woman.
I can make my own decisions.

Mother,
we can't just leave you here.

LWAXANA [THINKING]:
Yes, you can,

and before he changes his mind.

Please, little one, do this for me.

Just this once.

[SIGHS]

Do we have an agreement?

I give you my word.

I will release your daughter
and the commander.

[COMPUTER BEEPS]

FERENGI [OVER COM]:
DaiMon, a Federation ship

approaching at high warp.

The Enterprise has found us.

Slow to impulse. Raise shields.

Inform the Enterprise
that two of our guests

are ready to return.

The other will be staying with us
at her own request.

I must protest, DaiMon.

Lwaxana has given her word.

Oo-mox is only the beginning.

[TOG CHUCKLES]

- Are you both all right?
RIKER: None the worse for wear.

My mother bought
our freedom, captain.

She doesn't want to stay with Tog.

Hail the Krayton.

Frequencies open.

DaiMon Tog responding.

PICARD:
On screen.

Captain Picard.

So good of you to meet us.

We were on our way to Betazed
to return our guests.

Of course you were, DaiMon.

But you're still holding Lwaxana Troi.

When will you get it
through your thick head

that it's over between us,
Jean-Luc?

I think I know what she's doing.

You have to fight
to get her back, captain.

Open.

Um-- Uh, it's not over
between us, uh, Lwaxana. Um...

Uh, you're mine and, uh,
I will not let you go.

I insist you return to my side
immediately.

You mean you still care?

My love

is a fever

longing still for that
which longer nurseth the disease.

Tell me more.

In faith, I do not love thee
with mine eyes,

for they in thee
a thousand errors see

but 'tis my heart
that loves what they despise.

Who, in despite of view,
are pleased to dote.

Shall I compare thee
to a summer's day?

Thou art more lovely
and more temperate.

You didn't tell me
that you and Captain Picard were--

You said you didn't wanna hear
about my other romances.

I have a new love, Jean-Luc.

And you can't keep killing
all my lovers.

Now, that simply has to stop.

- Killing?
- Oh, he's insanely jealous.

Listen, Tog,
I must possess Lwaxana,

and if that means destroying your ship
in the process, so be it.

Captain, I had no idea Lwaxana--

Don't let him threaten you.
You can defeat him.

The only way you'll ever get me back
is over Tog's dead body.

That can be arranged.

Mr. Worf, arm phaser banks
and photon torpedoes.

If Lwaxana Troi is not in my arms
in ten seconds,

throw everything you've got
at the Krayton.

But you will destroy Lwaxana.

When I have plucked the rose,
I cannot give it vital growth again.

It needs must wither.

Nine, eight.

"Tis better to have loved and lost
than never to have loved at all.

Seven, six.

Uh, no, wait.

Five, four.

Beam her to their Bridge, now.

Two, one--

You wonderfully jealous fool, you.

Captain, I trust there will be
no further action taken against us?

Such as my reporting this incident
to your superiors,

who may question your competence
as DaiMon?

I will think about it. Screen off.

Thank you, Jean-Luc.
You were most convincing.

You certainly convinced me.

I am truly grateful, Mrs. Troi,

that you risked your life
to save my people.

- I'll have you home in a few hours.
- No, no, no, that won't be necessary.

I'd just love to hear
more of your poetry.

[PICARD CHUCKLES]

Perhaps another time.

Please.

Mr. Crusher,
set course for Betazed.

[IN LOW VOICE]
Warp 9.

[DOOR CHIMES]

Come.

You wanted to see me, captain?

I've been in touch with Admiral Hahn
at Starfleet Academy.

He regrets your missing
the oral examination,

but hopes that you will
reapply next year.

I understand, sir.

And I do intend to reapply.

In the interim,
the Academy's loss is our gain.

The Enterprise will continue to benefit
from your talents for another year.

Thank you, sir.

Is that all?

No.

Is there something wrong, captain?

I'm just thinking that...

...I'm saying goodbye to you

as you are today.

But I thought you said
I wasn't going to be able to go.

The Academy must make you wait.
That's true.

But when I review your service
to this ship, your crewmates,

I cannot in all conscience
make you wait for the Academy.

You see, Wesley...

...in my eyes,
you're an acting ensign in title only.

I hereby grant you field promotion
to full ensign

with all the commensurate
responsibilities

and privileges of that rank.

Congratulations.

You're dismissed.

Lwaxana Troi has beamed down
to Betazed, captain.

Notify Starfleet we are en route
to the Xanthras system

for our rendezvous with the Zapata.

Aye, sir.

Ensign Crusher, take us out of orbit.

Set a course for Xanthras lll,
warp factor 6.

Aye, sir.

Course is set.

Engage.