Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994): Season 3, Episode 9 - The Vengeance Factor - full transcript

Someone sure stripped this place.

The reactor is gone.

No wonder they didn't answer
our hail for two days.

Nothing here to answer with.

Commander, I'm detecting life
signs from behind that door.

RIKER:
Worf.

CRUSHER:
Commander, take a look at this.

Blood.

Yes, but not human.

I'm gonna have to do
some analysis on it.

[WORF GRUNTING]



It's jammed.

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.

The two scientists are suffering
from phaser stuns.

I'd guess several hits each.

Several?

It'll take us a while to bring them
around, but they will recover.

We found a sample of blood.

It's a rare iron-copper composite.

Unique to one humanoid species,
the Acamarians.

Acamarians?



Then that would suggest
the Gatherers.

It is a likely hypothesis.

The nomadic marauders
who refer to themselves as Gatherers

have raided other outposts
in neighboring sectors.

They've never come out
this far before.

Mr. Crusher, set course
for the Acamar System.

WESLEY [OVER COM]:
Aye, sir.

PICARD:
Captain's log, stardate 43421.9.

In an effort to put an end
to the Gatherer raids,

we have come
to the Acamar System

to enlist the aid of Marouk,
the Sovereign of Acamar lll.

PICARD: Their raids
have made this sector unsafe.

They've ransacked
our research facilities,

our trade routes
have been disrupted.

The Gatherers are elusive.

We've only managed
to capture a handful of them.

But with the Starfleet's help--

Hunting them down
is not what I am proposing.

Reconciliation with the Gatherers
is impossible.

It's been tried.

Every time we've offered amnesty,
they've rejected it.

- When was the last attempt made?
- Eighteen years ago.

Eighteen years?

For almost a century now,
they've been parasites,

moving from star system
to star system,

living on what
they could find or steal.

- They're still your people.
MAROUK: No.

Captain,
you have to understand our history.

A hundred years ago,

before the Gatherers
split off from our culture,

we were a savage, violent race.

Clans battled clans, bloody, vengeful
feuds that lasted for generations.

But we overcame those ways,
all except for the Gatherers.

After a century of wandering,
they may be ready to come home.

Despite your progress,
you are a divided society,

and so it will remain
until the Gatherers return to Acamar.

The attempt may be futile.

But there is so much to gain, and
there is so little to lose by the effort.

This problem affects us all.
It cannot be ignored.

Sovereign Marouk,
welcome to the Bridge.

Thank you, captain.

How soon will you be ready
to leave Acamar?

I'm ready now, captain.

I need only bring aboard
two more servants.

I'll see to that,
and to your accommodations.

I have reason to believe
there is a Gatherer encampment

somewhere in the Hromi Cluster.

Mr. Data?

The Federation has charted
but not explored

several Class-M planets
in that area.

Any one of these planets
might serve well as a base.

Mr. Crusher,
set course for the Hromi Cluster.

Aye, sir.

[MAROUK GASPS]

- A fine ship, commander.
RIKER: We're all very proud of her.

Yuta, a light meal in 20 minutes.

May I be shown the kitchen,
commander?

- You're the chef?
- Yes.

I'll prepare all meals
for the sovereign and her servants.

We can provide you with a kitchen,
but it won't really be necessary.

These food dispensers can synthesize
anything that you may need.

I'll show you.
Sovereign, may I offer you a drink?

Yes, thank you. Cold water.

Computer, a glass of water,
five degrees.

[COMPUTER BEEPS]

YUTA:
Please.

- You're also the food taster?
- That's part of the cook's duties.

I'm sure the sovereign
will wish to sample

many of the cuisines
your ship has to offer,

but there are some Acamarian dishes
that she will insist upon.

I'll arrange for a technician

to help program your recipes
into the computer.

Of course,
I'll have to try some of them.

- What's your specialty?
- I have none.

Don't be modest.

You can't tell me that you haven't
come up with a few culinary delights.

- There is a spiced parthus dish.
- Parthus?

A green vegetable with fleshy roots.

Parthus a la Yuta.

I look forward to tasting it.
Sovereign.

Chef.

Now entering standard orbit
of Gamma Hromi Il, sir.

Captain, I am detecting life readings
from the planet's surface

as well as several small areas
of thermal radiation

and carbon dioxide emissions
indicative of combustion.

Campfires, Data.

Is that not what I said?

- It's worth a look.
- Make it so.

Data. Worf.

Artonian lasers.

Tonkian homing beacons.
Quite a collection.

Noranium alloys, sir.
Its salvage value is quite low.

Looks like these Gatherers weren't too
discriminating about what they steal.

WORF:
Commander.

[METAL CLANGS]

Ambush!

Rigellian phaser rifles, sir.
Not particularly powerful.

RIKER:
Powerful enough.

We came to talk.

[SIGHS]

Your words are wasted, commander.
They understand only this.

We're here to establish a dialogue,
Worf.

[GUNFIRE]

Data, tell me about Noranium.

- It vaporizes at..?
- 2314 degrees, sir.

- Of course, Noranium carbide--
- Thank you, Data.

Setting seven ought to do it.

Three, two, one, now!

RIKER:
Enterprise, four to beam up.

Cowards!

Your ambushes would be more
successful if you bathed more often.

We've brought
the Sovereign of Acamar.

- Marouk? Here?
- With an offer of amnesty.

MAROUK: Full dispensation
will be extended to all Gatherers

who are willing
to return to Acamar lll.

BRULL:
You don't trust me, Marouk.

- Should 1?
- But you expect me to trust you.

Maybe you just poisoned it yourself.

Taste this, Temarek.

[MEN LAUGHING]

- Barbarians. This is futile.
PICARD: Sovereign.

Brull.

Go home, old woman.

You people haven't changed
in a hundred years.

You should know. You were there.

Sit down!

Please.

Please.

Now, we're here to talk.

It's a waste of time, captain.

They don't care about how they live.

Am I supposed to believe
that you care how we live?

Yes.

Brull, she's here, isn't she?

Maybe you forced her to come,
Picard.

Nobody forces me anywhere, Brull.

What is there for us on Acamar Il?

A life. A home.

You can end your wanderings,
your miserable existence.

[LAUGHS]

Do I look miserable to you?

[MEN LAUGHING]

The clan wars are over, Brull.

It is a past we're ashamed of.

It is why you had to leave.

Now it is time to come home.

I want to speak privately
with Sovereign Marouk and Picard.

Everyone else, get out.

Any insights?

Brull's ready to negotiate.

He just wants privacy
so that he won't appear weak

in front of the other Gatherers.

[CHUCKLES]

You are the clan Lornack.

What of it?

- I've seen you before.
- Yes.

But it's impossible.

No. Look closer.

I am Yuta of the clan Tralesta.

[GASPS]

[GROANING]

I am the last of my line.

But my clan will outlive yours.

Marouk's offer has value.

Commander.

BRULL:
But still, I don't know.

But you'll agree,
it is enough to present to your leader.

Chorgan is a better judge
of these matters.

I will take it to him.
You'll hear from me in 20 days.

Brull, in 20 days
I hope to be very far from here.

With all due respect, Brull,

I would like to make the offer
to Chorgan myself.

We'll gladly take you with us
on the Enterprise.

How many of your men
do you want to accompany you?

I'll come alone.

- If this is a trap--
- Oh, it isn't.

Mallon, you'll be in charge
while I'm gone.

- If I'm not back in 10 days--
TEMAREK: Brull! Brull!

Volnoth.

Away Team to Enterprise.
Medical emergency.

Volnoth was an old man.
There's nothing to be done.

There's a chance
that our doctors can do something.

- You found him?
TEMAREK: Yes.

There are no other members
of the Lornack clan here.

- So I claim his possessions.
- Granted.

Have you no respect for the dead?

BRULL: What's there to respect
about a corpse?

[SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY]

Temarek, no. Calm down.

- He's been dead too long.
RIKER: How?

Cardiac arrest.

You don't sound convinced.

No, he died of a heart attack, all right,
but I can't find the cause.

His cardiac muscle is strong and
there's no sign of arterial occlusion.

Brull, will you show Mr. Crusher
the course to set to the Hromi Cluster?

Heh, a child?

This doesn't inspire my confidence.

This is our present position.

Set a heading for 343-mark-72.

That's gonna take us
through the center of an asteroid belt.

Hey, heh, what's the matter, kid?

Can't you fly yourself
around a couple of rocks?

[CHUCKLES]

Sure I can.

But if we take this heading,
we can avoid the belt completely,

and only lose 12.1 minutes
at warp 7.

Have it your way, kid.

[ALL CHATTERING]

For centuries,
my planet was in chaos.

Loyalty to one's clan was absolute.

The slightest injury to one member
demanded violent retaliation.

And these blood feuds
could last for decades?

MAROUK: The obsession
with vengeance would be passed

from generation to generation.

And with each act of retribution,
the violence would escalate.

It's not unlike much of the history
of my own planet.

Your pardon, sovereign.
May I be excused briefly?

Commander Riker requested
that I prepare him an Acamarian dish.

Of course, Yuta.

- What are you doing?
- Homework.

- Heh, what is this?
- Math.

I can see that,
but what does it mean?

This is the locally
euclidean metrization

of a K-fold contravariant
Riemannian tensor field.

You any good at it?

You don't like me.

- I didn't say that.
- No problem.

I have many friends
that don't like me.

But what do you know about me?

You're a thief.

I steal to survive,
not because I enjoy it.

We Gatherers value our freedom.

We do what we want
and we answer to no creature.

Then why are you helping
Sovereign Marouk to change all that?

Maybe because
I want something better.

For me and for my children.

- You have children?
- Yeah, two sons.

One's just about your age.

He's not any good at math.

[CHUCKLES]

[CHUCKLES]

[TROI CHUCKLES]

Parthus a la Yuta?

With the help of
one of your food stations.

It's wonderful.

- Truly excellent.
- Thank you.

RIKER:
Would you care to join us?

I don't want to intrude.

You're not.

I was just leaving anyway.
Please, sit down.

It really is delicious.

I am glad it pleases you,
commander.

I'm not your commander.
My name is William.

- I will call you William if you prefer.
- I do.

When you say "commander," you say
it like you say "sovereign" to Marouk.

As a servant.

You're an excellent commander,
but you'd make a poor sovereign.

Why is that? Not that I disagree.

- You're not comfortable with servants.
- No, I prefer the company of equals.

So you treat me as an equal.

And you're not comfortable
with that?

I'm not used to it.
I've always been a servant.

Not that I'm complaining.
The sovereign treats me well.

I have all that I could want.

What about freedom?

I can never have that.

Because you're the property
of the sovereign?

No, I'm not her slave.

I can leave whenever I wish.

- But you have no place to go?
- Just the opposite.

My path is all too clear.

Yuta, you're an excellent chef,
but you speak in riddles.

I've never been very good
at conversation.

MAROUK:
Yuta.

I believe the sovereign wants me
to return. Enjoy the parthus.

CRUSHER [OVER COM]:
Sickbay to Riker.

I've discovered something interesting,
Will.

On my way.

You're scowling, doctor.

- Heh, I'm thinking.
- And?

The old Gatherer on the planet?

I know what caused his heart attack.

The medical tricorder almost missed it,
but there was a microvirus in his body

blocking his autonomic
nerve impulses.

And that stopped his heart?

But here's the really interesting part.

This microvirus will only attach itself

to cells with a very specific
DNA sequence.

How specific?

Without knowing more about
their genetic makeup, I can't be sure.

But my guess is this virus would
only kill one Acamarian in a million.

- Pretty single-minded bug.
- Too single-minded.

I can't believe
it's a naturally occurring virus.

Meaning someone engineered it?

Meaning Volnoth was murdered.

[SIGHS]

DATA [OVER COM]:
Commander Riker,

Acamar lll has agreed to your request
for access to their databases.

They are now being transmitted
into our computer over subspace link.

Good. Notify Dr. Crusher when
Acamar's medical database is online.

Riker out.

[DOOR BEEPS]

Come in.

I'm disturbing you.

Not at all.

As...

...the sovereign has no further need
for my services this evening,

she suggested
I might spend some time with you.

What a charming suggestion.

She appreciates the affection
you've shown me.

Was I that obvious?

Yes.

Well, I've already dined.

Maybe you know a good
Acamarian dessert recipe.

Does that not please you?

Tell me what you want, William.
I will do anything you wish.

Wait a minute.

I don't understand.

Don't you want me
to give you pleasure?

Not as a servant.

I told you, I prefer equals.

Even in the matters of love?

Especially in matters of love.

I've offended you.

No, I only wanna make you
as happy as you wanna make me.

You're entitled to that.

- No, I'm not.
- Yuta.

I do not feel pleasure or passion.

I haven't been able to for a long time.

I don't know who did this to you,

or why,

but it can change.

I wish it could.

Tonight most of all.

I'm sorry.

[ALARM WAILING]

[SHIP RUMBLES,
THEN YUTA GASPS]

Your people have prepared
a warm welcome.

That's Chorgan's ship.

- Shields holding.
- Mr. Worf, contact Chorgan.

Tell him Brull has brought us to talk.

[COMPUTER BEEPS]

Chorgan is not responding.

Mr. Worf,

can we knock out their shields
without seriously damaging their ship?

I believe we can, sir.

Prepare phasers
and open a channel.

WORF:
Phasers locked. Channel open.

Chorgan, this is Captain
Jean-Luc Picard of the Enterpri--

All right.

Let's focus their attention.

Mr. Worf, fire phasers.

Their forward shields
are inoperative.

Well done, lieutenant.

[COMPUTER BEEPS]

- We are being hailed, sir.
- That's better.

On screen.

Brull, you traitor!

You have led them here
to destroy me!

Chorgan,
if I had wanted you destroyed,

you would not be talking to me now.

Obviously I wanted something else.

And what is that?

I have onboard
Sovereign Marouk of Acamar Il.

I want you to hear
what she and Brull have to say.

She's worth listening to.

CHORGAN:
I don't wish to listen to either of you.

You have no choice.
Prepare to receive us.

We are beaming onboard.
Picard out.

Cancel red alert.

Tell Sovereign Marouk
to meet me in Transporter 3.

WORF:
Aye, sir.

- You're going alone, captain?
- The danger is minimal, Number One.

Chorgan is unlikely
to do anything rash

with the Enterprise's phasers
trained on his ship.

RIKER:
There are still risks.

For these negotiations to succeed,
I must be a mediator, not an enforcer.

You have the Bridge, Number One.

Brull.

Chorgan, this is Sovereign Marouk.

You may sit.

CHORGAN:
Oh.

Chorgan, I think
you will find Marouk's proposal--

You know, Picard,

I could take you prisoner, heh.

Oh, don't worry.
I've no intention of doing so.

I know what trouble it's been
for you to get here.

And I'm curious why.

Then let's proceed.

Quite simply, I'm proposing amnesty
for every Gatherer.

Amnesty?

[LAUGHS]

You mean slavery.

Chorgan, if you want to know
what I think--

I don't.

Say what you came to say,
but I doubt I'm going to believe you.

I didn't believe this very
persuasive Federation captain

when he suggested
we could reconcile our differences.

I'm convinced now it is the right thing,
not just for you, but for us too.

We need you back.

I've brought some
Acamarian brandy, heh.

I'm sure it's been a long time.

Hmm. No. You have spent a century
hunting us down.

She is trying
to put an end to all that.

Yes, and luring us back
and putting us in prison.

No, by accepting you back
as free men.

CHORGAN:
Will you feed us? And clothe us too?

No, of course, I won't.

What I will do is give you the means
to feed and clothe yourself.

We've set aside some land
and you can use it to--

[LAUGHING]

Land?

Do we look like farmers to you?

Then don't farm.
Use the land as you wish. It's yours.

And the moment you set foot on it,
you'll be better off than you are today.

You won't be running any longer.

- We will need autonomy.
- Autonomy?

PICARD: Sovereign,
we can at least acknowledge

that Chorgan appears willing
to discuss your offer.

There are many levels of autonomy.

Certainly your region
would have certain rights.

Yes.

And those rights will be spelled out
before I agree to anything.

Commander, I am afraid the only entry
we have on Volnoth

in the Acamarian database
is a birth record.

Probably one of the last of the
Gatherers to be born on their planet.

CRUSHER
Commander,

I've been digging through the medical
database from Acamar Ill for hours.

And I have found another victim of the
same microvirus that killed Volnoth.

But only one.

Fifty-three years ago,
a Gatherer named Penthor-Mul.

Data, anything in your file
on Penthor-Mul?

Yes, sir. He was a member
of the Lornack clan.

He was captured while leading
a Gatherer raid

on an Acamarian outpost.

He died of a heart attack
before his trial ended.

RIKER:
Display Volnoth's birth record again.

Lornack, the same clan.

The only two recorded deaths by this
microvirus, both from the same clan.

What does that tell us, doctor?

If these microbes
were engineered for murder,

I'd say somebody could
be going after a whole family.

Commander, Chorgan,
the present leader of the Gatherers,

is also from the Lornack clan.

I wanna know how this clan
was involved

with the Acamarian blood feuds.

And I'd like to know any clue
as to who their enemies were.

How could this virus
have been transmitted, doctor?

More ways than I can count.

And it's perfectly safe to the carrier

as long as he doesn't have
the same DNA patterns.

Tailor-made for their enemies.

Commander, 80 years ago,

the Lornacks massacred a rival clan,
the Tralestas.

It ended a feud
that had lasted for 200 years.

Ended it?

According to these records,
there were no survivors.

The Tralestas were annihilated.

CRUSHER: Something tells me
they weren't all wiped out.

There must be a missing link here.

Computer, any members
of the Acamarian delegation

from the Tralesta clan?

AUTOMATED VOICE: Clan affiliation
is not within provided records.

Sir,

I believe I have found a correlation
between the two deaths.

Your missing link.

That is Penthor-Mul
being led from his trial.

I don't see the connection.

Behind him and to the left, sir.

Computer, scan left and magnify.

The computer can extrapolate and
reconstruct the rest of the face, sir.

Do it.

But that photograph
was taken over 50 years ago.

Fifty-three years ago,
and she hasn't aged a day.

Three seats on the ruling council?

If we're going to be subject to your law,
we want a part in making it.

Well, I agree you're entitled
to representation,

but not on the ruling council.

Unacceptable.

The real power is in the council.

You are shutting us off already.

No, you're trying to take too much!

No group has three seats
on the council!

I don't care what others have!

You only care about
what you can take!

Sovereign,
if the situation were reversed,

I'm sure you would be demanding
equal levels of representation.

You're right, captain.

I apologize for my temper.

Perhaps a brief pause
would be helpful.

I agree.

Hmm.

Maybe a little touch of that brandy.

Yuta.

You know-- Thank you.

--it is remarkable how very much alike
the two of you actually are.

CHORGAN: That's ridiculous.
MAROUK: Really, captain.

No, I'm quite serious.

You are both able negotiators,
strong leaders--

We don't obey weak leaders.

We have nothing in common at all.
We haven't agreed to anything.

You're wrong, Chorgan.

We have agreed
to have some brandy together.

RIKER: Don't move.
- A Federation trap!

Chorgan, I assure you, my first officer
has a very good reason for his actions.

You do, Number One?

Yuta, move away from Chorgan.

- Do it.
- Why?

Because of a man you once knew
named Penthor-Mul.

Penthor-Mul?

- How do you know Penthor-Mul?
- Tell him, Yuta.

I don't understand.

RIKER: You were with Penthor-Mul
when he died.

- It was 50 years ago. How could I--?
- I know, Yuta.

Stop! Chorgan, keep perfectly still.

Your life is in danger.
Step back, Yuta.

- William, this is not your concern.
- It is now.

You're about to commit a murder.

It isn't murder! It's justice.

Who are you?

Yuta of the clan Tralesta.

There are no more Tralestas.

Five survived the last Lornack raid.

But on that day a century ago,

my life ended and my search began.

I was the one chosen, transformed.

My cells were altered,
my aging slowed,

enough to finish my task.

You used me in order to get
to the last few you couldn't reach.

Yes, sovereign.

You will never leave this ship alive.

You're the last.

Once you're dead,
what happens to me doesn't matter.

The wars are over, Yuta.

- You cannot understand.
RIKER: You're right, I can't.

Because I've seen the part of you
that regrets what you've become.

Listen to me.
You don't have to do this anymore.

I have no choice.

You do.

William, I...

I'm sorry.

RIKER:
Stop!

[YUTA GROANING]

[GROANS]

RIKER:
Yuta.

Don't do this.

[SCREAMS]

Commander, I am in your debt.

Oh, yes, thank you.

New orders from Starfleet.

The rendezvous--
Nothing, thank you.

Rendezvous with the Garda
has been postponed.

- In the meantime?
- Starbase 343.

We're gonna take on medical supplies
for the Alpha Leonis system.

Sounds pretty routine.

Well, with the Gatherer truce in effect,
it certainly should be.

Oh.

We won't require
a full ship's complement.

I'm going to extend short leave on
the starbase to anyone who wants it.

I'll pass that along to the crew,
captain.