Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994): Season 3, Episode 25 - Transfigurations - full transcript

PICARD:
Captain's log, stardate 43957.2.

We are charting
an unexplored star system

within the Zeta Gelis Cluster.

This routine assignment has made

for a refreshingly quiet time
aboard the Enterprise.

That's her.

WORF: Which one?
LA FORGE: The one on the right.

Don't stare.

- Why not?
- Because she'll see.

Good.

You must let her see the fire
in your eyes.



[SIGHS]

But what would I say?

Words come later.

It is the scent
that first speaks of love.

Thanks, Worf. That helps a lot.

Hi, Geordi.

[LA FORGE CLEARS THROAT]

Hi.

So how have you been?

Good. Uh...

[SIGHS]

How are things
down in Engineering?

Fine, they--

[GRUMBLES]



They've been fine.

Well, I'll see you around.

[SIGHS]

I have much to teach you
about women.

RIKER [OVER COM]: Mr. La Forge,
report to Transporter Room 3.

[DOOR OPENS]

What's this all about, commander?

Sensors have discovered
a small one-man spaceship

crashed on the planet.

We picked up life signs, humanoid,
very faint and fading.

Radiation levels
within acceptable limits.

We can beam him out from under
there, get him right up to Sickbay.

He's not stable enough for transport.

There's damage to his brain stem.
Autonomic functions are failing.

His heart needs
active neural feedback,

it can't regulate itself.

I need a volunteer.

Right here.

I'm going to hook up
your nervous systems to the tricorder.

Your brain will regulate
both systems.

That should stabilize him long enough
to get him up to the ship.

[DEVICE DRONING]

Take deep, regular breaths.

If anything goes wrong,
I'll break the connection.

Okay.

- Ah.
- Geord.i.

[SIGHS]

I'm fine, no problem.

Transporter Room,
three to beam directly to Sickbay.

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.

Autonomic responses are still low.
Begin cardio stimulation.

Sixty cc's of inaprovaline.

Massive infection is setting in.

Use the protodynoplazer
to stabilize his immune system.

We need to design a virus
that can infiltrate his cell structure

and boost his ATP production.

What about Commander La Forge?
He's waiting in the diagnostic center.

I need you to give him a full bioscan.

See if there's any residual effect
from that energy discharge

during the neuro-link.

Keep his arm in cryogenic stasis

until the vital signs are strong enough
for surgical procedures.

From the size and shape
of the wreckage,

it appeared to be some kind
of an escape pod.

Their control system
was badly damaged,

which is probably
what caused the crash.

An escape pod?
Then it couldn't have traveled very far.

Mr. Data, are there any other signs
of ships in the area?

I am picking up a scattering of debris
in extended orbit around the planet.

It reads as refined metals
and other synthetic compounds.

The remains of a larger vessel.

He must have left in the pod
before the ship was destroyed.

Sensors show trace elements
in the debris

that would indicate phaser fire
was recently exchanged.

Were you able to salvage anything else
from the escape pod?

This is all that was left
from their computer system.

Mr. Data, can you access it?

It will take time, sir.

Downloading this into our system

will require fabrication
of a matrix translator

to emulate
the alien's computer system.

Keep me apprised of your progress.

DATA:
Aye, sir.

Limb refusion appears
to be successful, doctor.

- Tissue oxygenation is within norms.
- Hmm.

That's all we can do for now.

We won't be able to test
neuromuscular function

for a few days.

Ah, Geordi.

Can I go now, doc?

No need to keep you here.
Your bioscan came out negative.

I could have told you that.
I feel great.

How's your patient?

[SIGHS]

I never thought he'd make it this far.

There was major trauma
to his head and chest cavity,

massive plasma loss
and severe damage

to most of his organs.

- What are his chances?
CRUSHER: I believe he's gonna live.

I'm afraid I can't take
the credit for it though.

His body seems to have
amazing recuperative powers.

The damaged tissue seems
to be repairing itself

at a phenomenal rate.

There's one thing
that troubles me though.

What's that?

Take a look at this.

Cell regeneration?

Yes.

The thing is, it has nothing to do
with the injuries.

These are undamaged cells
that seem to be mutating.

Do you have a theory
as to the cause?

No. I've never seen anything
like it in my life.

There is a possibility that it's part
of his natural healing process.

I hope it is, because there's nothing
I can do to stop it.

I'm telling you, Data,
there's got to be some way

to decode the information
in this thing.

I agree, Geordi.

But the data matrix
within the capsule

does not correspond
to any standard format.

All we have been able to determine
is that the device contains

a chemically-based system
for molecular energy encoding.

Yeah, and the computer still
can't analyze

the specific chemical elements
involved.

It's gotta be part
of the data processing system.

What if it's a feedback
loop controller?

The compact shape does suggest
a rapid chemical processing

and storage capacity.

We found it near the escape
pod's instrumentation assemblage.

This capsule might process
the ship's dynamic motions

and augment
its manual control inputs.

You know, we could send it
a few test signals.

Make it think the entire assemblage
was awake and operating.

An intriguing experiment.

The capsule might provide us
with information

without the need to decode
the storage medium itself.

Perhaps we should examine
your theory immediately.

Less talk, more synthehol.

We came here to relax.

I am relaxed.
In fact, I've never felt better.

But you know, Worf, you're right.

The storage capsule
can wait a while.

Christy, you're not leaving, are you?

I was just on my way down
to the arboretum.

Hmm.
Would you care for some company?

I'd love some, but I didn't think
you were interested

in that kind of thing.

Hmm, there are a lot of things
that you don't know about me.

[DOOR OPENS THEN CLOSES]

I've been tutoring him.

He learns very quickly.

CRUSHER:
Medical log, stardate 43958.8.

I have removed patient John Doe
from the emergency bio-support unit.

In just 36 hours,
most of his major organ systems

have regenerated themselves
to the point

where they can now function
on their own.

[GASPS]

[CRUSHER SIGHS]

[SIGHS]

I am alive?

You certainly are.

Thank you for my life.

Tell me,

who am I?

PICARD:
Captain's log, stardate 43960.6.

Our mission to map
the Zeta Gelis star cluster

is proceeding on schedule.

Meanwhile, Dr. Crusher reports
that the recovery of the patient

she has named John Doe
continues at a remarkable pace.

Are you experiencing
any discomfort?

None.

I can feel the life returning
to my body.

Your neurofibrowaves
are functioning almost normally again.

That puts you about six weeks ahead
of my original schedule.

That should give you
and your colleagues

something to talk about.

You are all we've talked about
since your arrival.

I believe I'm ready
for the next phase of my treatment.

You are right.

It is about time you stopped taking up
valuable bed space.

Now, these motor assist bands
will provide you

with electrical stimulation
for your arms and legs.

They will help you to re-learn
how to control your muscles again.

But remember, you've been
off your feet for almost a month,

so don't be disappointed
if at first your mobility is restricted.

Your limbs are still weak.

I appreciate your concern, doctor,
but I think I may surprise you again.

[GRUNTS]

I feel strong enough to fly.

Perhaps I should concentrate
on walking first.

Let's try it again,
a little more slowly this time.

Much more slowly.

I envy your reflexes, captain.

I envy your strength of will.

Dr. Crusher's been keeping me
informed of your progress.

It's really quite extraordinary.

I have an extraordinary doctor.

She gave me back my life.

I hope that I am worthy
of her efforts.

Are you still unable to recall anything
about your past?

JOHN:
Unfortunately, captain,

my memories begin the moment
I woke up in Sickbay.

Dr. Crusher told me you think
I was in some kind of battle.

PICARD:
We're quite sure of that.

Have you any idea how you came
to be in that escape pod,

or what happened to the ship?

No.

Believe me, captain,
it's a horrible feeling

not knowing who you are,
where you're from.

Have you tried synaptic induction?

His neural nets don't conform
to any known patterns.

Conventional neurotherapy
has proven ineffective.

Hopefully in time,
his memory pathways

will re-establish themselves
naturally.

[GROANS]

- That same pain?
- Yes.

I think I've made enough progress
for one day.

Not a relapse, I hope.

This has nothing to do
with his previous wounds.

I think this has something to do

with the continuing mutation
of his cell structure.

And you still have no theory
as to what's causing it?

It doesn't make any sense.

I seem to be a mystery, doctor.

To you and to myself.

[LA FORGE CLEARS THROAT]

Well, this is where I get off.

- See you tonight in Ten-Forward?
- Yeah, I'll be there.

Hello, commander.

Miss Henshaw.

Bridge.

Deck 6.

So you and Miss Henshaw
have been seeing a lot of each other.

- Every night this week.
- Is that all?

I thought you'd been walking around
with that smile a lot longer than that.

Heh, well, I guess I have.

This whole last month or so,
everything seems to be going my way.

I don't know what it is, but something
sure has changed around here.

- The only thing that's changed is you.
- Me? Ah.

I'm the same old guy I always was.

If you say so.

I don't remember the old Geordi
having that much success

with Miss Christy Henshaw.

[CHUCKLES]

Well,

maybe I am a little bit more confident
than I used to be.

CRUSHER:
What happened to you?

I was kayaking
on the Holodeck again.

And you dislocated your shoulder.

Sit down,
I'll get the osteotractor frame.

Hi, Mom.
We still on for dinner tonight?

- Seven-thirty sharp. I'll be right back.
- Aah.

- Kayaking again?
- Yeah.

How's my mom's favorite patient?

Judge for yourself.

WESLEY:
Not bad.

Your mom promised me
a tour of the ship tomorrow.

You may find this hard to believe,

but Sickbay can be
an incredibly boring place to be.

O'BRIEN:
Hey, doc.

I'm dying out here.

Don't worry, my friend.
You'll be all right.

The pain's gone.

It's completely healed.

I don't understand.

- What did you do?
- I don't know.

It was instinct, I just touched him.

CRUSHER: I've run every test
and scan on him that I can think of.

And yet there's no
physiological evidence

to indicate that he would possess
such powers.

But then, there's so much
about John that's a mystery.

You know, I really like him.

He does have a certain charm,
doesn't he? Heh.

The entire medical staff
has commented on it.

You seem a little taken
with him yourself.

He has a strength and serenity
that I find very attractive.

And yet he's vulnerable.

I guess I find him intriguing.

It seems like there's a little more
to it than that.

Is this your way of asking me

if I'm getting romantically involved
with him?

You said it, I didn't.

My feelings towards him
aren't romantic...exactly.

I mean, I know
that the doctor/patient relationship

can sometimes create
a false sense of intimacy,

but this is different.

There's an almost
spiritual connection.

[SIGHS]

I guess I'm not making
any sense, am I?

I think I understand.

Data, I was thinking about
the storage capsule last night,

and I was wondering,

what if we've been going
about this thing the wrong way?

We've been trying to analyze
its mechanical properties.

What if it's a biochemical
storage medium?

Are you suggesting
that it employs memory RNA

like an organic cell?

Well, it does contain quantities
of nucleic acids.

Perhaps the information sequences
are encoded

in the molecular patterns
themselves.

Computer,
scan the storage capsule.

Analyze molecular sequences
on nucleic acid chains.

Well, what do you know?
A navigational chart.

It appears that your hypothesis
was correct, Geordi.

I knew it. Captain!

You found something?

We've determined
that the storage capsule

from John Doe's escape pod
contains navigational information.

Can you match these stars
to our charts?

Computer, run
transformational matrix calculations.

Match navigational referents
to known stars in this sector.

COMPUTER: Information
on this sector is incomplete.

No correlation.

I'm not giving up yet.

Not after coming so close
to cracking this thing.

You know,

that might be flight path information
from John's ship

but without a frame of reference,
I can't determine its origin points.

Computer, assume those paths
are course corrections

and derive gravitational values
for stellar objects

near those flight paths.

Most of these
are ordinary G-type stars.

This would appear to be
a neutron star, possibly a pulsar.

LA FORGE: Which means that this
might be a rotational time reference.

Computer,
assume these symbols are pulsars.

Translate associated values
into standard temporal notations.

Computer, is there a pulsar
with a rotational period

of 1.5244 seconds
within sensor range?

COMPUTER:
Affirmative.

Bingo. Now, computer,
overlay navigational chart

using referenced pulsars and project
a flight path back to its origin.

COMPUTER: Flight path originated
at bearing 003, mark 015.

Distance, 2.3 parsecs.

That's it, captain.
That's where John Doe came from.

That bearing is almost directly along
our planned course, sir.

Good.

Then we can continue our mission
without significant interruption.

- Home?
PICARD: Yes.

Using the information we found
in your escape pod,

we may be able to return you
to your people.

I cannot go back.

Why is that?

You must not take me home,
captain.

John, your memory, has it returned?

All I know is that we came out here
to escape.

- Escape?
- There were others with you?

Yes, I was not alone.

But... But what happened
to the others,

or what we were escaping from,
I cannot remember.

But I do know
you must not take me back. Not yet.

We'll not arrive in your star system
for at least three weeks.

That will give us plenty of time
to discuss this further.

Hopefully, by then, you will have
regained more of your memory.

You're right, of course.
Captain, I apologize for my outburst.

It's...

It's understandable.

[DOOR OPENS THEN CLOSES]

[DOOR OPENS THEN CLOSES]

[GRUNTS]

[CHATTERING]

This ship is astounding.

It seems to stretch on without end.

We can see the rest of it
some other time.

This is your first day out of Sickbay

and I don't want you
to overexert yourself.

This looks like an ideal place to rest.

My thoughts exactly.

- Truly remarkable.
- What is?

These people.

They're all so different
from one another

and yet they work together freely.

That surprises you?

It is new to me.

My people are different somehow.

If only I could remember.

Yesterday,
for one terrifying moment,

there was clarity.

You mean the energy pulse?

Yes. For that moment,
my purpose seemed clear.

And then it was gone.

The pain, the energy pulse,

must be linked to the cell mutation
in the body.

I wish I could help you find the truth.

Beverly,
you've done so much for me.

I only wish there was some way
I could repay you.

But you have.

The friendship we've developed
has made me very happy.

The rapport that exists between us
also means a great deal to me.

But I am on some kind of a journey.

Whatever brought me here,

whatever is happening to my body,

is all part of that journey.

And I must complete it

before any other consideration.

Sir, I am reading a vessel
on long-range scanners.

It is coming from Sector 95609.

What configuration?

Impossible to identify
at this distance.

However, it is on
an intercept course.

Captain,
the ship is traveling at warp 9.72.

Warp 9.727

Time till intercept?

At present course and speed,
10 hours, 53 minutes.

Try and hail them, Mr. Worf.

No response, captain.

Keep monitoring their approach.

- Repeat the hail every half an hour.
WORF: Aye, sir.

Whoever they are,
they're in a big hurry to get here.

[GRUNTS]
[COMPUTER BEEPING]

Dr. Crusher,
medical emergency, Room 4.

[JOHN BREATHING HEAVILY]

I can't make it stop.

John, tell me,
is it worse than before?

- Much worse.
- Should I get something for the pain?

No, the readings are fluctuating
too wildly.

Besides, it wouldn't do any good.

His entire cell structure
is transforming.

I have to leave, Beverly.

John, where do you have to go?

I must get off this ship.

That's impossible.
Not in your condition.

I must!

Security...

Okay,
let's realign the magnetic inducer

on the starboard nacelle.

[GRUNTS]

John.

Leave the control booth
immediately.

[ALARM WAILING]

John, listen to me.

You must come down.
I'll try to help you.

Step away from the controls.

Get back. Please, stay away.

I have no wish to harm you,

but you must return to Sickbay
immediately.

JOHN:
No.

Do not come any closer.

I cannot control
what is happening to me.

[WORF GRUNTS]

[YELLS]

His neck is broken. No life signs.

Sickbay, form a resuscitation team.
I have a code 7 in Shuttlebay 2.

Transporter Room, stand by.

SECURITY OFFICER: Hold it.
- No, don't.

[WORF INHALES]

- Hold still.
LA FORGE: Doc?

I can't believe it.

There's no trace of injury.

You admit you were trying to steal
a shuttlecraft.

JOHN: Yes.
- So I ask you again, why?

I don't know.

Unacceptable. You had a reason.
I want to know what it was.

Damn it, you nearly killed a member
of my crew.

- And healed him.
- I'm not forgetting that.

That's the reason he's here
and not in the brig.

I warned him.

I told him it was dangerous.

Why? Why was it dangerous?

What is happening to you?

I don't know.

The rate of metamorphosis
is accelerating.

It's almost as if your body is generating
an electrical field

that's warping the tissue.

Who are you?

What are you?

I'm afraid

for myself.

For all of you.

I have to get away.

Isolate myself.

Whatever is happening to me,
it's dangerous.

As Lieutenant Worf discovered.

I don't wanna hurt anyone.

Captain, for the sake of your crew,
let me go before this happens again.

John, I don't believe
you're capable of harming any--

DATA [OVER COM]:
Captain, the alien vessel is coming

within weapons range.

- Its shields are up.
- I'm on my way.

I want him kept
under constant surveillance.

John,

I really wanna thank you.

For what?

I don't know how or even why,

but down on the planet,
you gave me something.

A new confidence.

I doubt I can take credit for that.

Perhaps I only helped you
find something you already had.

[CHUCKLES]

DATA:
Captain, on-screen.

Alien vessel approaching
at half impulse, sir.

Heading: 051, mark 114.

Raise shields.

Slow to one-third impulse power.

Bring us to 103, mark 025.

Mr. Worf, hail the alien vessel.

They continue to ignore our hails,
Sir.

DATA:
They are scanning us, sir.

They are answering our hail,
captain.

On-screen.

JOHN:
Sunad.

- You know him?
- Yes.

I don't know how,
but he's dangerous.

I am Commander Sunad of Zalkon.

You are trespassing into our space

and you are holding
a Zalkonian citizen.

PICARD: I'm Captain Jean-Luc Picard
of the United Federation of Planets.

- We do not intend transgression of--
- You will return him to us immediately.

Sunad, this individual
is a guest aboard our ship.

We found him dying in a shipwreck.
We have returned him to health.

Then you aided a criminal.

He is one of four escaped prisoners.

We eliminated the other three.

We thought this one dead as well.

Return him
So we may complete our task.

Of what is he accused?

He is a disruptive influence.

He spreads lies.

He encourages dissent.

He disturbs the natural order
of our society.

- In what way?
- That is not your concern.

I will give you two hours to comply.

RIKER:
Tactical analysis.

The Zalkonian ship
has a formidable armament.

Their weaponry is comparable
to ours.

They're as fast as the Enterprise
and probably just as maneuverable.

Counselor, do they mean
to carry out their threat?

I believe so.

Sunad's hatred for John
was evident.

But there's something else.

Zalkonians are afraid of John.

Commander Riker, counselor, doctor,
John, I want you to join us.

Mr. Data, you have the Bridge.
Mr. Worf, stay at Tactical.

Counter any move
the Zalkonian makes.

WORF:
Aye, sir.

I can neither confirm nor deny
what the Zalkonians told you.

They make serious accusations
against you.

Their accusations may be true,
I don't know.

I don't believe that I am a criminal.

You understand the difficult position
in which I'm placed?

Completely.

And I refuse to place your ship
in danger.

If necessary,
I will surrender to them.

But I'm convinced
there is more at stake here

than my life.

Something important
I must complete.

My survival is vital.

If I could explain it, I would.

I'll inform you of my decision shortly.

Captain,
you can't seriously be considering--

PICARD:
We must consider all options, doctor.

And not let our personal feelings
impede our judgment.

You'll tell me it's irrelevant
that we'll be sending him to his death?

Whether we approve
of the Zalkonians' intentions

is not the issue.

But for what it's worth,

I believe that John is correct,

that his existence
has broader ramifications

than that of a simple criminal.

TROI:
Sunad thinks so.

He feels personally threatened
by John.

Sunad called John
a disruptive influence.

That's hardly a capital offense.

It's not up to us
to judge their laws, doctor.

I know how I would feel
if the situation were reversed,

if they were in our territory
holding a Federation citizen.

The Zalkonians truly don't understand
our indecision about returning John.

In their eyes,
we shouldn't even be involved.

But we are involved.

I saved his life.

For what?

So that they could chase him down
and take away that life again?

Picard,
we will not tolerate more delays.

Commander, let me remind you,
we are on a mission of exploration.

Our purpose
is to establish peaceful relations

with the civilizations we encounter.

We do not want relations with you.

If that is your wish,
we will respect it.

We simply want you
to leave Zalkonian space

as soon as you return the criminal.

Commander, we will leave.

It is not our policy to intervene
in the affairs of other cultures.

But before I return the survivor
to you,

I would appreciate
a more detailed explanation

of what he has done
to merit a death sentence.

- As I said, it is not your concern.
PICARD: Agreed.

However, there are circumstances
of which you may be unaware.

The survivor has suffered
a memory loss.

He's therefore ill-equipped
to defend himself

against your accusations.

There is no defense!
Our judgment is final.

PICARD:
There's something else.

Since his recovery,
he's manifested unusual abilities.

What kind of abilities?

He apparently has the power
to heal injuries with a simple touch.

- Lies.
- And even to reverse death itself.

Obviously,
he has corrupted you as well.

I see I'm wasting my time.

[GASPING]

[ALL GASPING AND CHOKING]

I can't breathe.

It's come back to me, Beverly.

I know who I am.

What I am.

Ready all weapons.

You will no longer harm these people,
Sunad.

Fire upon that ship.

JOHN:
Do not be afraid.

I won't hurt you.

Kill him, captain. He's evil.

You could learn from these people,
Sunad.

They do not fear me.

They don't know
how dangerous you are.

You and the others like you.

That is what you and the other leaders
have maintained for generations

but it is not true.

Captain, my species is on the verge
of a wondrous evolutionary change.

A transmutation
beyond our physical being.

I am the first of my kind
to approach this metamorphosis.

They tried to convince us it was a
sickness we would never survive.

That the pain and energy pulses
would kill us.

They claimed we were dangerous.

So they destroyed anyone

who exhibited the signs
of the transfiguration.

We were protecting our society.

JOHN:
By murdering us?

You saw the mutations
as a threat to your authority.

You were terrified
of something you couldn't understand.

Some suspected
that what was happening to them

was not evil.

Four of us decided to flee Zalkon

and let the metamorphosis
take its course.

You hunted us down,
killed the others.

But I survived,

with the help of a kind

and generous people.

[GASPING]

JOHN:
There is nothing to fear.

You can join me.

All Zalkonians can.

- Let me show you.
- Don't touch me.

JOHN:
As you wish.

But others will listen

now that you can no longer prevent me
from telling them the truth.

Those who are willing will follow me.

Sunad is back aboard
the Zalkonian vessel, captain.

JOHN: My people are about to embark
on a new realm.

A new plane of existence,
thanks to you.

It is our mission to seek out life
in all forms.

We are privileged to have been present
at the emergence of a new species.

JOHN:
Beverly, you gave me life

and more.

I do not have the words
for my gratitude

nor my sorrow at leaving you.