Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994): Season 3, Episode 7 - The Enemy - full transcript

Responding to an unidentified distress signal from the inhospitable planet Galorndon Core, deep in Federation space, a landing party finds a crashed Romulan vessel and brings in one badly wounded survivor, but Geordi La Forge, who fell in a deep crevice, failed to beam back up during a storm, and non-cranial brain injury to the Romulan suggests he too is in danger of magnetic radiation. Data intercepts a Romulan ship signal announcing it will pass the neutral zone in six hours; Picard forbids that but must promise to deliver the wounded, after recovering Geordi. Despite the Romulan's assurance, Geordi is surprised by an armed other Romulan survivor and is blinded by the radiation; they should collaborate to survive. Klingon Lt. Worf proves the only possible donor to save the captive, but objects to helping the species which killed his parents. The Romulan rescue ship's commander Tomalak being found a liar and most impatient, Picard fears a casus belli.

[WIND BUFFETING]

RIKER:
Placing beam-out marker.

Return transport,
14 minutes, 40 seconds.

Is your view any better, Geordi?

LA FORGE: Not too bad, commander.
A lot of charged particle precipitation,

but I can compensate.

- Communicators are dysfunctional.
RIKER: Tricorders.

Readings only valid
within five meters.

RIKER:
Good thing we didn't bring Data.

We'd be unscrambling his circuits
for a week.

[ELECTRICITY CRACKLING]



Commander!

Picking up something
on the positron scan.

[THUNDER RUMBLING]

LA FORGE:
Over here.

Some electrically
conductive objects.

Recognize those markings, Worf?

Yes, sir. Romulan.

What the hell were they doing
in a Federation sector?

Picking up traces
of ultritium residue.

An explosive device
must have been used

to destroy the craft after it crashed.

RIKER: All right, let's spread out.
Twenty-five meter radius.

Our window back closes
in 12 minutes.

WORF:
Commander!



Commander Riker!

[BOTH GRUNTING]

[YELLS]

Four minutes to beam up.

Where is he?

Wait here.

[COUGHING]

[LA FORGE GROANS]

Worf!

Worf!

Commander Riker!

RIKER:
Geordi!

Geordi!

Worf!

Commander Riker!

Hold your position, Mr. Worf.

Worf!

[SIGHS]

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.

PICARD:
Captain's log, stardate 43349.2.

An unidentified distress signal
has led to the discovery

of a crashed Romulan vessel
on the surface of Galorndon Core,

a Federation planet.

We have recovered one survivor.

But Lieutenant Commander La Forge
did not report back

with the away team
and is still missing.

Get him to Sickbay.

Secure Sickbay. Post a guard
in visual contact at all times.

He's not going anywhere, lieutenant.

Sorry, commander, there's no way
to lock in on anything down there.

Keep trying, O'Brien.

The electrical storm's creating
thousands of ghosts.

Well, beam some of those ghosts
back. One of them may be Geord..

Permission to lead
another away team, sir.

Denied.

When we get another window
in the storms. The crash site?

The Romulan craft is a total loss.

There's nothing there to salvage
unless you wanna use tweezers.

No sign of others?

Well, you couldn't see more than two
meters in front of yourself down there.

It certainly is the last place one would
expect a Romulan encroachment.

On the other hand,

Galorndon Core
would provide ideal cover

for the opening move
of a new offensive.

I doubt if they were there
for the climate.

CRUSHER: We thought it would be
like working on Vulcans,

but there are subtle differences,
too many of them.

Can you treat him?

CRUSHER:
He has cell damage to vital areas.

He's going to need a transfusion
of compatible ribosomes

in order to recover.

I'm setting up a schedule
to test every member of the crew.

We can't use the replicator?

CRUSHER:
The molecules are too complex.

Will he survive?

CRUSHER: I can't answer that yet.
- Let me put it another way.

Will he survive to tell us
what he was doing down there?

Doctor,
it's an important consideration.

I can bring him around
for a few minutes,

but there is one
serious complication.

His brainwaves indicate
early neural-pathway degeneration.

- Head injury?
- There's no obvious cranial trauma.

I'm guessing his exposure
to the magnetic fields on the surface

were slowly breaking down
his synaptic connections.

Will that affect Geordi
the same way?

CRUSHER:
He'll be conscious for a minute or two.

RIKER: You are onboard
the Federation starship Enterprise.

We're treating your injuries.

How long were you down
on Galorndon Core?

Do you understand me?

I will not answer questions.

We need to know if there
are other survivors on the surface.

I am alone.

I will not answer any questions.

Do you have a mothership who should
be advised of your condition?

The only answer he wants to give
is that he was alone.

Which suggests that he wasn't.

[GRUNTING]

[PANTING]

Something.
Anything to cut through the storm.

Some way to get a signal
through to him.

A neutrino pulse.

We could build
a portable neutrino source

and send it in a probe to the planet's
surface. It'll act like a beacon.

DATA: A neutrino pulse
would send non-charged particles

back up through the atmosphere and
would be detectable by Geordi's visor.

He can show us that he's found it
by modifying the pulse.

Make it so.

[COMPUTER BEEPING]

Captain, I have a new transmission

on a parallel frequency
to the distress call.

From the surface?

No, sir.
From inside the Romulan Zone.

We should be able
to view the transmission.

On-screen.

TOMALAK:
Tomalak to Pi.

We have received
your distress signal.

Respond.

If you can hear me,

we are entering
the Neutral Zone now.

We will reach you in six hours.

Mr. Worf, hail the Romulan vessel.

Hailing frequencies open, sir.

Romulan vessel,
this is Captain Jean-Luc Picard

of the Federation starship
Enterprise.

The frequency is open, sir.

Commander Tomalak,
we have intercepted your transmission.

You are not
to enter Federation space.

Captain Picard, my apologies.

Had I known you were
in this sector,

I certainly would have advised you

- before crossing the Neutral Zone.
- Indeed.

I'm sure you will understand
when I explain.

One of our ships
had a slight navigational error

and apparently crashed
on Galorndon Core.

Slight navigational error?

Nearly half a light year
past the Neutral Zone.

I assure you, captain,
no aggression was intended.

Commander,

we have recovered one
of your survivors.

He is onboard your ship?

PICARD:
He's being treated for severe injuries.

And his craft?

Destroyed.

Deliberately.

After the crash.

I'm sure you are prepared
to leave at once

and rendezvous with me
in the Neutral Zone.

I have an away team on the planet.

We're waiting for a window
in the storm to beam them up.

And then you will return my officer?

Are there any other Romulans
we should be looking to recover

from Galorndon Core?

No. It was a one-man craft.

Captain, we will be
at the Federation border

of the Neutral Zone
in roughly five hours.

We will expect you to rendezvous
at that time.

Counselor?

There's great hostility
behind his smile.

He'll stop at nothing
to complete his mission.

Including the Neutral Zone border.

Captain, I see no reason
to return the Romulan to his ship.

He should be held and interrogated.

We have every right
to detain him, sir.

Without evidence of intent,
Number One,

it will not be a simple matter.

It obviously wasn't pilot's error.

I think it demands
a response from us.

But we must measure
our response carefully

or history
may remember Galorndon Core

along with Pearl Harbor,
Station Salem-One

as the stage
for a bloody preamble to war.

I want him off all the drugs.
They're not doing anything.

- Dr. Crusher to Picard.
PICARD: Go ahead, doctor.

My patient is not responding
to treatment.

You haven't found
a compatible ribosome donor?

CRUSHER:
The lab is still processing the tests.

Early results indicate humans
have far too many bio-rejection factors.

I've also ruled out
the Vulcans we've tested.

I think I'll try
a little old-fashioned country medicine.

Keep the fever down,
try to let the body heal itself.

Keep me advised. Picard out.

Captain,
the neutrino beacon's operational.

We've placed it aboard
a class-3 probe.

Well done, ensign.

- Mr. Worf, launch the probe.
WORF: Aye, aye, sir.

[GRUNTS]

[PANTING]

[COMPUTER BEEPING]

WORF:
Probe has reached the surface, sir.

The neutrino stream
is coming in strongly.

Sensors are tracking the probe
despite the interference.

LA FORGE:
A stationary neutrino source.

Wesley Crusher.

Thank you, Wesley.

[GRUNTS]

You are my prisoner.

Right.

Congratulations.

Surely a strategic triumph
for the Romulan Empire.

Stay there!

My shoes are getting full of sand.

I just hate that, don't you?

Name and rank.

Lieutenant Commander
Geordi La Forge.

I don't think I got yours.

A Romulan ship will arrive shortly.

- You will accompany me onboard.
- I don't think so.

See, we heard your message too
and well, the fleet's in, commodore.

- Sky's full of Federation ships.
- You're lying.

I never lie when I've got sand
in my shoes, commodore.

Get up.

Seriously, the only way out of here
is for you to put that thing down

and as soon as there's a window
in the storm--

[RUMBLING]

[BOCHRA SCREAMS]

[BOTH COUGHING]

LA FORGE:
Are you okay?

[BOCHRA COUGHING]

You gotta be kidding.

Sit.

Welcome to Galorndon Core,

where no good deed
goes unpunished.

Yes, doctor?

Lieutenant, good.

Come in. Please sit down.

We have finally found
a compatible ribosome match

for the Romulan. But only one.

You.

That is impossible. I am a Klingon.

Different species, yes.

But many humanoids
have comparable cell structures.

And you have
what this Romulan needs.

There's absolutely no risk to you.

You did understand
that was the purpose for all the testing.

I have no objection to tests.

You have an objection
to being a donor.

Yes.

Lieutenant, I understand your feelings
about the Romulans.

But this is not the time or the place.

If you had seen them Kill your parents,
you would understand, doctor.

It is always the time and place
for those feelings.

This Romulan didn't murder
your parents.

And you are the only one
who can save his life.

Then he will die.

LA FORGE:
I sure wish you'd put that away.

BOCHRA: You're afraid of dying.
LA FORGE: You bet I am.

- Who isn't?
- I'm not.

Yeah, right.

To die in the service of my people.

Oh, the Romulan path to glory.

You can be sarcastic now.

But in a few millennia,
when humans are extinct

and the Romulan Empire
spans the galaxy...

You really believe that stuff,
don't you, commodore?

You may address me
as Centurion Bochra.

Bochra.

Good, solid Romulan name.

[COUGHING]

- What's the matter?
- Nothing.

Wrong. Your heart rate
just shot way up.

It translates a wide range of radiation
into neural impulses.

Allows me to see.

Without it, you're blind?

Yeah.

How did this happen?

I was born that way.

And your parents let you live?

What kind of question is that?
Of course they let me live.

No wonder your race is weak.

You waste time and resources
on defective children.

Whoa.

I must be having
some sort of polarity shift.

The diagnostic insists
everything's fine.

Hey.

Hey, your body temperature's gone up
almost another full point.

What are you saying?

I don't know. I--
It must be this place.

It's all that electromagnetic soup.

It's wreaking havoc
on our nervous systems.

Your metabolism's messed up.
So is my interface with the visor.

- Gotta get out of here while we can.
- Sit down.

- Bochra--
- Sit down!

[SIGHS]

[SIGHS]

[BOCHRA COUGHING]

What is that?

It's just a background fluctuation,
commander.

He hasn't found it yet.

Then he must be hurt or dead.

When does our next window open up,
Mr. Data?

There's no indication, commander.
I have no way to predict.

- Incoming Romulan transmission.
- They're early.

The Romulan warbird
should still be 29 minutes away

from the edge of the Neutral Zone.

Close enough, however,
to see that we're not there.

On-screen.

Picard, I'm approaching
the Federation border

and the Enterprise is not to be found.
Why?

My away team is unable to leave
the surface because of the storms.

And my officer?

He is alive.

His life remains in jeopardy?

Yes.

And yet you will still not permit me
to cross

into your precious Federation space
to retrieve him?

If the point has not yet
been made clearly, commander,

let me make it again.

Romulan warships
do not enter Federation space

unless they are prepared
to do battle.

But a mission of mercy.

A mission to recover
one of your officers

who has been caught
on a Federation planet

for reasons as yet unknown.

I have already explained.

And I have rejected
your explanation.

Territories.

You would measure territories

against a man's life?

Commander, I'm singularly impressed
by your concern for a life.

Do not risk any more lives
by leaving the Neutral Zone.

Picard out.

Bochra.

Bochra, you're in bad shape.
And my vision's getting worse.

Now, there's a beacon out there.

They'll get us back to my ship,
but not if I can't find it.

I cannot surrender
to the Federation.

Then stay here and die.

If the situation were reversed,

would you not die to avoid capture?

I don't know.

I might.

If I thought it was necessary.
If the stakes were high enough.

But they'd have
to be pretty damn high.

I guess I'd make
a pretty lousy Romulan, huh?

[LA FORGE CHUCKLING]

I no more wish to die than you do.

Bochra,

there are times

when it's necessary to die
for one's ideals.

Do you believe
this is one of those times?

Come on, let's go find that beacon.

[BOCHRA GROANS]

Whoa.

What is it?

Everything's gone blank.

I'm blind.

[DOOR CHIMES]

Come.

Worf.

You are busy. Forgive my intrusion.

For what it's worth,

I understand your bitterness.

With respect, sir, you cannot.

I am asked to give up the very lifeblood
of my mother and my father

to those who murdered them.

- So you blame all Romulans for that?
- Yes.

Forever?

What if someday the Federation
made peace with the Romulans?

Impossible.

That's what your people said
a few years ago about humans.

Think how many died
on both sides in that war.

Would you and I be here now
like this

if we hadn't been able to let go
of the anger and the blame?

Where does it end, Worf?

If that Romulan dies,

does his family carry the bitterness
on another generation?

Then you believe I should.

What I believe doesn't matter.

My Starfleet training tells me
one thing.

But everything I am
tells me another.

[INTERCOM BEEPS]

CRUSHER:
Lieutenant Worf, report to Sickbay.

Acknowledged.

[GROANING]

Lieutenant,
his life is coming to an end.

I thought it important for you
to see him again.

It's not too late to change your mind.

Come close to me, Klingon.

Let me die with my hands
at your throat.

There is a substance within my cells
which you need to survive.

Then you've come
to hear me beg for my life?

No.

I would rather die

than pollute my body
with Klingon filth.

I've lost almost all feeling in my legs.

My synapses must be turning
to jelly.

The visor's fine.

I just can't see a thing.

How do we locate the beacon?

We don't.

Do all humans give up so easily?

Bochra, we're lost.

Unless you've got something
that can smell neutrinos.

We have the sensor device
you are carrying.

Tricorder?

It's not set up to detect neutrinos.

Your eye device does.
Connect them.

That's crazy,
they don't speak the same language.

Besides, I'd never be able
to get an accurate sampling.

Wait a second.

Wait, I wouldn't need
an accurate sampling, just a pointer.

A neutrino Geiger counter.

[SIGHS]

No, it's still not possible.

You cannot do it?

Under normal circumstances, maybe.
Here? No way.

- Why?
- Because I can't see!

Adapting the neural output pods
of the visor is tricky work.

It can't be done by touch.

Then I will be your eyes.

The storm is beginning to subside,
captain.

We should have a window
in less than an hour.

There's still no indication
that he's found the beacon, sir.

- Assemble an away team.
- Yes, sir.

Captain, the Romulan warship
has crossed the Neutral Zone border.

It is in Federation space
and heading towards us.

Belay that order, Number One.

Red alert.

[ALARM WAILING]

LA FORGE:
Make sure the scanner select limiter

matches the visor output range.

BOCHRA:
Not so fast.

Now, place the neural output pods
in contact

with the tricorder scanner heads.

- Ready.
- Let her rip.

Bearing 350.

[LA FORGE LAUGHING]

We did it. The first
Federation-Romulan co-venture.

The storm may be breaking.

With luck, there'll be
an electromagnetic window opening up

and we can get out of here.

At which point, I'll be your prisoner.

Can you walk?

I don't know.

Well, let's find out.

Come on.

- Okay, let's go.
- Straight ahead.

Okay.

To the right.

[DOOR CHIMES]

PICARD:
Come.

- You wished to see me, captain.
- Yes, lieutenant.

I assume you know what it's about.

Yes.

The Romulan vessel
will reach us within the hour.

If our patient dies,

it may be just the excuse
the Romulan commander needs

to start an incident.

The death of a Romulan officer
at the hands of the Federation.

- Think of it.
- I have, captain.

So there is no question
that the Romulan officer

is more valuable to us alive
than dead.

I understand.

Lieutenant,

sometimes the moral obligations
of command

are less than clear.

I have to weigh
the good of the many

against the needs of the individual

and try to balance them
as realistically as possible.

God knows I don't always succeed.

I have not had cause to complain,
captain.

Oh.

Lieutenant, you wouldn't complain
even if you had cause.

If you order me
to agree to the transfusion,

I will obey, of course.

I don't want to order you.

But I ask you,

I beg you

to volunteer.

I cannot.

Lieutenant.

Sir.

That will be all.

- Picard to Dr. Crusher.
CRUSHER: Go ahead.

Do not continue to enlist
the cooperation of Lieutenant Worf.

I won't have to, captain.

The Romulan has died.

BOCHRA:
We've found it.

LA FORGE:
Now, we have to alter its signal pattern

so the Enterprise knows
we found it.

BOCHRA: Will that be difficult?
- No. Not with your help.

Scanners are showing a window,
captain.

PICARD:
Expected duration?

Nine minutes, 40 seconds, sir.

No change
in the neutrino beacon signal, sir.

WORF: Romulan ship approaching.
Bearing 354, mark 287.

On-screen.

WORF:
Entering phaser range.

We are being hailed, sir.

On viewer.

You have one chance
to escape destruction, Picard.

Return my officer at once.

Commander, you have entered
Federation space despite my warning.

You forced the situation!

I will not leave without him.

He's dead.

Then he is but the first to fall,
Picard.

The Romulan ship is routing power
to its forward disruptor array.

All shields to maximum.

Aye, sir.

Lock phasers on target.

WORF:
Phasers locked and ready.

Captain, the signal pattern from
the neutrino beacon is modulating.

It's Geordi.

We can't transport him
with the shields up.

If we lower our shields,
the Romulan will strike.

The electromagnetic window
on the planet is closing, sir.

Three minutes remain.

Transporter Room, lock on
to the neutrino beam and stand by.

O'BRIEN:
Standing by, captain.

The window is allowing
intermittent sensor readings.

There are still numerous
ghost images,

but I believe we are picking up
two life forms near the beacon.

Another Romulan?

I cannot say.

The electromagnetic interference
prevents an accurate reading.

But that's a likely hypothesis,
Number One.

If Commander La Forge
has located a second survivor.

Lieutenant,

hail the Romulan vessel.

Aye, sir.

They are ignoring our hail.

Repeat the hail. All channels.

You see, they have no way of knowing
how accurate our sensors are.

Put on your best poker face,
Number One.

Open a frequency.

Commander Tomalak.

It would appear our away team
has located a second man

from your one-man ship.

We're preparing to beam them
to the Enterprise

after which, of course,
we will return the survivor to you.

No acknowledgment, sir.

Commander, both our ships
are ready to fight.

We have two extremely powerful

and destructive arsenals
at our command.

Our next actions
will have serious repercussions.

We have good reason
to mistrust one another,

but we have even better reason
to set those differences aside.

Now, of course, the question is,

who will take the initiative?

Who will make
the first gesture of trust?

The answer is, I will.

I must lower our shields

to beam those men up
from the planet surface.

Once the shields are down,

you will, of course,
have the opportunity to fire on us.

If you do,

you will destroy not only the Enterprise
and its crew,

but the cease-fire that the Romulans
and the Federation now enjoy.

Lieutenant,

lower the shields.

Leave the hailing frequency open.

Yes, sir.

Shields down.

PICARD: Mr. O'Brien,
transport Commander La Forge

and the Romulan directly
to the Bridge.

O'BRIEN:
Aye, sir. Energizing.

Security team to the Bridge.

Belay that order, lieutenant.
Shields up.

No one is gonna harm you.

You have my word on that.

Well, commander?

If he has been
in any way mistreated...

I've given them no information,
commander.

But I have not been mistreated.

In fact,

this human saved my life.

PICARD:
Tomalak.

How is it possible
that you didn't know

of the second Romulan
on Galorndon Core?

A simple misunderstanding,
Captain Picard.

I was obviously misinformed
as to the size of the craft.

I assure you,
I intended no deception.

Of course not.

You doubt my good faith?

Let's just say my faith
would be strengthened

by a gesture from you,

such as powering down
your disruptors.

Disruptors powering down.

Thank you.
Cancel red alert, lieutenant.

Commander,
we shall return your officer

and escort your ship
to the Neutral Zone.

That is acceptable.

It's good to have you back,
commander.

It's good to be back, sir.

Actually, I have Centurion Bochra
to thank for it.

Indeed.

Commander La Forge

and Lieutenant Worf,

escort our guest
to Transporter Room 1.

Yes, sir.

Come on.

RIKER:
Close call.

Too close, Number One.

Brinkmanship is a dangerous game.