Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994): Season 6, Episode 5 - Schisms - full transcript
Commander Riker's inability to fall asleep begins to show in other members of the crew in other forms, putting the Enterprise on the trail of a mystery.
Captain's log, stardate 46154.2.
The Enterprise has entered
the Amargosa Diaspora,
an unusually dense,
globular cluster.
We have the daunting task
of charting this vast region.
(sighs)
Someone needs to stop Clearway Law.
Public shouldn't leave reviews for lawyers.
(beeping)
Lt Shipley, get a triangulation
on these sector points.
Aye, sir.
Sorry I'm late. I overslept again.
What have we got?
Well, the cluster is dense. It'll
take three days to map a tenth of it.
- Three days?
- We can speed that up.
We've tested a way to channel
warp energy to the deflector grid.
It should enhance the sensors.
The modification would increase
our sensor efficiency and imaging
by 25 percent or more.
That would use up warp energy.
We'd channel it
through the EPS mains on deck four.
OK. Let's give it a try.
Data, let's get the field taps
on line.
Commander, I would like to remind you
about my poetry reading.
I wouldn't miss it for the world.
I can't wait to see
what he's come up with.
(Data) We sat on the sand
for some time and observed
How the oceans
that covered the world were perturbed
By the tides
from the orbiting moon overhead.
"How relaxing the sound
of the waves is," you said.
I began to expound upon tidal effects
When you asked me to stop,
looking somewhat perplexed.
So I did not explain
why the sunset turns red,
And we watched the occurrence,
in silence, instead.
That poem was written in anapaestic
tetrameter. For my ninth poem...
I don't understand.
I can't keep my eyes open.
Throughout the ages,
from Keats to Jorkemo,
poets have composed odes
to individuals
who have had a profound effect
upon their lives.
In keeping with that tradition,
I have written my next poem
in honor of my cat.
I call it Ode to Spot.
Felis catus
is your taxonomic nomenclature,
An endothermic quadruped,
carnivorous by nature.
Your visual, olfactory,
and auditory senses
Contribute to your hunting skills
and natural defenses.
I find myself intrigued
by your sub-vocal oscillations,
A singular development
of cat communications
That obviates
your basic hedonistic predilection
For rhythmic stroking of your fur
to demonstrate affection.
A tail is quite essential
for your acrobatic talents,
You would not be so agile
if you lacked its counterbalance.
And when not
being utilized to aid in locomotion,
It often serves to illustrate
the state of your emotion.
Commander,
you have anticipated my denouement.
However,
the sentiment is appreciated.
- I will continue.
- (sighing)
O Spot, the complex levels
of behavior you display
Connote a fairly well-developed
cognitive array.
And though you are not sentient,
Spot, and do not comprehend,
I nonetheless consider you
a true and valued friend.
(snoring)
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 civilisations...
...to boldly go
where no one has gone before.
I have no problem getting to sleep.
Then I think I'm sleeping all night.
When I wake up, I feel exhausted.
- How long has this gone on?
- Two, three days.
Do you have to hold it that close?
I'm sorry.
I've been on edge all day.
Well, other than
some muscle tension in your neck,
I don't see anything
physically wrong. Any bad dreams?
Not that I remember.
This could be the result
of lack of REM sleep.
What do you recommend?
- Drink this before bed.
- What is it?
A recipe for a warm-milk toddy.
A hot-milk toddy? You're kidding.
The heat activates the amino acids
in the lactose. A natural sedative.
It's a recipe
of the Captain's Aunt Adele.
- It's delicious.
- I'll try anything.
If it still bothers you tomorrow,
I'll run further tests.
Thanks.
Everything's in place. Warp-grid
couplers, subspace-field taps.
Alright, let's do it.
Lt Shipley,
initiate warp-power transfer.
Aye, sir. Verifying sensor
calibration. EPS mains stable.
- Sensor array on line.
- Come on, work.
Geordi, active scanner output
has increased by 26 percent.
Inform Astrophysics that the new
La Forge sensor array is on line
- And awaiting major discoveries.
- Yes, sir.
Geordi, may I make
a personal enquiry?
- It concerns my poetry reading.
- Sure. What is it?
I noticed that many spectators seemed
distracted during my presentation.
Was my poetry uninteresting?
(clears throat)
Well, it was very well constructed,
a virtual tribute to form.
Thank you.
- And?
- And what?
Did it evoke an emotional response?
Well...
Your hesitation suggests you
are trying to protect my feelings.
However, since I have none,
I would prefer you to be honest.
An artist's growth depends
upon accurate feedback.
Well, your poems were... clever,
Data.
And your haiku was clever.
And your sonnet was... clever.
But did it evoke
an emotional response?
To be honest, no, I don't think so.
Then I did not succeed.
No, it's not that you didn't succeed.
You accomplished a lot, but...
If you want to touch people,
don't concentrate on rhyme and meter.
Think more about what you want to say
instead of how you're saying it.
(beeping)
It's a power grid warning.
- I read a massive EPS explosion.
- Where?
I am attempting to localize it.
- It is cargo bay four.
- Three people are in there.
Damage control. Medical team
to cargo bay four. Let's go.
The field imbalance has subsided.
There may still be
a residual discharge. Stand clear.
(chatter)
Is there something wrong?
There's no evidence
of an EPS explosion.
The sensors thought there was.
My modification may have caused
a pattern-recognition failure.
- Just a glitch?
- That's my guess.
Let's perform a level-three
diagnostic on the internal sensors.
Make sure
we haven't overlooked anything.
Could we pick this up
in the morning? A fresh start?
Would you do me a favor?
Stop by my quarters, 0700 hours?
- I'm having trouble waking up.
- Sure.
- Goodnight.
- Goodnight.
- Commander.
- Gordon.
- Who is it?
- It's La Forge.
Come in.
- Good morning.
- Morning? I just went to bed.
Commander, it's 0700 hours.
She said, "If they're not squirming,
we won't eat them."
Ah, Mr Worf, my good Klingon.
Sir, welcome.
What a pleasure it is to have you
back with us again so soon.
So, Lieutenant, haircut today?
Trim your beard?
I would like my hair trimmed.
- A trim.
- Not like last time.
No. Just a little off the top.
I took way too much off last time.
I was just telling my colleague,
Mr Setti,
how thick and luxuriant
Klingon hair is.
It's such a pleasure to cut.
Sometimes, I get carried away.
All those away missions,
the wind and dry air,
the elements
really are harsh on the hair.
I'd like to suggest you start
using a conditioning agent.
I promise,
not too much off the top.
Just before the alarm, we ran
warp power through this junction.
Somehow, it must have tripped
the internal scanners.
- It showed up as an EPS explosion?
- Yes, but why?
I've modified the sensors before.
Nothing like this has ever happened.
We can't waste time
chasing sensor ghosts.
We should keep it off line
until we can get a closer look.
(yawns)
- Excuse me.
- I know the feeling.
It seems like as soon as my head
hits the pillow, it's time to get up.
We could all use
a little shore leave.
- Definitely. Keep me posted.
- Yeah.
Data, could you give me a hand?
I need to run a structural-integrity
scan. I want to make sure...
What is it?
This is the second time today
that my visor has just cut out.
Are you alright, Geordi?
I don't know.
I just got a very weird feeling.
Maybe I should go to sickbay.
- I will run the integrity scan.
- Thanks, Data.
This is curious.
There's a slight bacterial infection
around your neural inputs.
It was interrupting the data stream.
An infection? What from?
It doesn't match
any bacterial strains on record.
I'm going
to have to sterilize the area.
But I need to run
a resonance tissue-scan
to search for signs of additional
infection. Come over here.
Sit down.
Now, come forward.
Now, you're going to need
to hold very still.
- How's it going?
- I just started.
Did you not go to sickbay?
I've been there
for over an hour and a half.
That is not possible.
My chronometer indicates
you have been gone
for one minute, 1 5 seconds.
I'm telling you,
I've been gone for over an hour.
Computer, what is the time, please?
The time is 1 427 hours.
You are correct. 90 minutes, 1 7
seconds have passed since you left.
What have you been doing?
I have no memory of events
during that period.
When we finish,
I'll perform a diagnostic.
You know, first a false EPS
explosion, then my visor cuts out,
now you lose an hour,
all in this cargo bay.
La Forge to Engineering.
Diagnostic team to cargo bay four.
On our way.
Cartography needs a better position
to study cluster FGC-1 3.
Bring us about, heading 1 23,
mark four.
Aye, sir.
Helm won't lock
to those coordinates, sir.
First time navigating
through a globular cluster, Ensign?
You have to compensate for the
gravimetric interference before...
Is there something wrong, sir?
No.
I don't know.
Put us back on our original heading.
Don't tell me...
This can't be right.
Data, come here
and take a look at this, would you?
I think
we have another sensor glitch.
Sensors are functioning normally.
They are detecting a subspace
particle emission within this room.
Within this room? That's impossible.
The emission is emanating
from this direction.
Geordi.
The bulkhead has been altered
on a subatomic level.
The metal is in a state
of quasimolecular flux.
- What's causing it?
- This is where it gets wild.
Behind that panel is a junction
we used to transfer warp power.
We're reading a subspace particle
stream from that junction.
It appears to be composed of
spatially inverted tetryon particles.
We believe they are
from a tertiary subspace manifold.
But I thought that tetryons
were unstable.
We don't understand it either, sir.
Something from deep subspace
can't exist in our universe.
But there it is.
- Does it pose a danger?
- Not unless it spreads.
If it does, we can beam
the bulkhead into space
and erect a force field in its place.
Well, keep that option ready.
In the meantime,
proceed with the analysis.
When I sat at the console,
it was like I'd been trapped.
- I had to get out.
- Was it the console?
No. I felt like I was disconnected.
Like it was something
that I had dreamed.
You're the third person today
with something like this.
An intense, emotional response
provoked by an object.
Did any of them know why?
No, they couldn't explain it
any more than you.
At this point,
I won't say it's coincidence.
Maybe we should all get together.
Talking about it would help you
understand your response.
I'll find out if anyone else
has had these experiences.
Will, you told me you had
an unusual experience at the console.
Why don't you describe it?
It was vague,
the way you recall a dream.
I remember the sensation
of feeling trapped
and something about a smooth surface.
I had a similar response,
but to a pair of scissors.
Have you dreamt about scissors
recently?
I have no distinct memory of it.
When my visor cut out
in the cargo bay,
I had a weird feeling, too,
about a smooth surface.
It was smooth... and cold.
- Yeah, it was cold.
- Yes. Cold.
It was... elevated?
- A platform.
- Right. Like a bench.
Or a table.
It seems you've all had
a similar experience.
Is there anything else you remember,
besides a table?
Maybe we could help ourselves
remember more.
You all remember a table.
Let's start with that.
Computer, show me a table.
There are 5,047 classifications
of tables on file.
Specify design parameters.
Can you be more specific?
You mentioned it was smooth and cold.
Can you remember its shape?
Long. It was long.
Yeah.
And it had a rectangular shape.
Computer, show me a rectangular
conference table.
It's too high.
Computer, reduce the height
of the table by 25 percent.
The table was smaller.
And it was inclined.
Computer, decrease the table's
surface area by 20 percent
and incline the top 1 5 degrees.
No, it wasn't made of wood.
It was smoother. More metallic.
Computer, make this a metal table.
Yeah.
Yeah, that's starting to look right.
Was there anything else in the room?
Furniture? Chairs? A door?
- Other people?
- No, it was dark.
Yes, it was dark.
I couldn't see beyond the table.
Computer,
lower the surrounding light level.
There was a light
right in my face. A bright light.
Computer. Give me a bright light
right above the table.
Specify light source.
I couldn't tell. It was above me.
An overhead lamp.
- Estimated distance of light source.
- I don't know.
It was at least
two or three meters above.
Brighter.
Brighter.
You said you were uneasy
at the conn position.
Yes. I felt trapped by the console.
But it wasn't like this.
There was something else here.
A restraint of some kind?
Yes, there was a restraint.
It was flat and metal.
It was made of metal.
It came down over my legs.
No, no. It was across my chest,
right here.
It was holding you down?
Yes. It was part of a table.
It was right here.
Computer, create a restraining arm
attached to the right side
of the table at midpoint.
Was it like that?
Computer, put controls
on the restraining arm.
A control panel. Lights.
There was something else there.
Over the head of the table.
A metal swing arm.
Computer, create a metal swing arm.
Double-jointed,
total length, one meter.
Connect it to the head of the table.
There was something
attached to it. A tool.
Scissor-like.
Computer, produce a pair of scissors
attached to the armature.
The handle is wrong.
It was not scissors.
Computer, make the handle
a single-piece grip.
Ten centimeters long, solid metal.
Now, make one blade longer,
curved inward.
Give the other a jagged edge.
Alright. You were lying on the table.
You had a bright light
shining in your eyes.
Were there any smells in the room?
Were there any sounds?
Yes.
Yes, there was a sound.
Computer, there were noises
coming from the darkness.
Strange.
Like whispering.
(whispering)
More like clicks.
Clicking sounds.
(sparse clicking)
- Louder.
- (louder clicking)
Faster.
- (clicking accelerates)
- More of them.
(clicking multiplies)
I've been in this room before.
We've all been here before.
Here it is again.
Something has caused high levels
of serotonin
to be produced
in Geordi's visual cortex.
When I examined him, I thought
it was a bacterial infection.
But I find the same thing
in all three.
They all have elevated levels
of serotonin
concentrated in the hippocampus,
which suggests they've been exposed
to a neuro-sedative.
That's not all. I have detected
minute tetryon-particle traces
in their subdermal tissues.
Tetryons? Like the emissions
in the cargo bay.
I have completed my self-diagnostic.
I was not aboard the Enterprise
for 90 minutes, 1 7 seconds yesterday.
Are you sure?
When I am on the ship,
the warp field leaves a signal
on my internal servo-fluid system.
Between the period
of 1 254 to 1 426 hours,
that signature is missing.
Computer, are there any members
of the crew missing?
There are two crew members
unaccounted for.
Identify them.
Lt Edward Hagler
and Ensign Sariel Rager.
When did they leave?
They have not been present
since 2332 hours.
- How did they leave?
- Method of departure unknown.
- Picard to bridge.
- Bridge here.
Raise shields. I want
a level-four security alert.
I need to know if
anyone comes on or off this ship.
Mr La Forge, Mr Data.
I think if we find the source
of those tetryon emissions,
we'll find the missing crew members.
We're on it, sir.
Dr Crusher?
- My God!
- What is it?
It looks as though your arm has been
severed, then reattached.
What?
The skeletal structure in your radius
and ulna is offset by 0.02 microns.
Your arm has been amputated
and surgically reattached.
Any progress with the analysis?
Look at this.
(beeping)
Data, the tetryon emissions
have intensified.
They seem to be focusing
in this direction, coalescing here.
They're reading
as a point of subspace energy.
It appears to be the beginnings
of a spatial rupture.
The tetryon emissions are modulating
in a way that looks like somebody's
controlling the energy.
You know, the signals from the
modifications to the sensor array,
some of them dig deep into subspace.
Maybe they caught
somebody's attention.
At this rate, we will be
in danger of hull breach.
We should surround it
with a subspace containment field.
Other than the tetryon emissions,
our internal sensors
haven't recorded anything unusual.
Initiate a metallurgical analysis
of the hull.
Subspace incursions
may have left a trace.
Captain, sensors indicate Lt Hagler
has returned to the Enterprise.
He is in his quarters,
deck nine, section 1 7.
Computer, emergency entry.
Chief Medical Officer Crusher.
Crusher to sickbay. A plasma-infusion
unit to deck nine, section 1 9.
His blood is turning
into a liquid polymer.
We've set up a containment field,
but the rupture just keeps expanding.
We've got five to six hours
before it breaches the hull.
Can we still beam it into space?
No, sir. The spatial rupture
is creating nucleonic interference.
It is impossible to obtain
a lock on the bulkheads.
Has your analysis suggested any way
in which we might seal this rupture?
We think we can close the rupture
with a coherent graviton pulse.
We have to do that at the source.
- How do we find the source?
- Good question.
The emissions come
from a tertiary subspace domain,
but subspace has
an infinite number of domains.
It's a huge honeycomb
with an infinite number of cells.
We need to isolate the exact cell
these emissions come from.
If someone homed on
to the subspace signals
created by our modified signal array,
could we do the same to them?
Track the tetryon emissions
to their universe?
Tetryon particles
have a random momentum.
Our sensors cannot track them.
Perhaps we could construct
a homing device.
Something
that our sensors could track.
Good idea, but there's no way
to get that device to the source.
Yes, there is. Give it to me.
They've taken me
for the last few nights.
The same thing will happen tonight.
If you had a homing device,
we could track it in subspace.
As soon as they send you back,
we could neutralize the emissions.
If they send him back.
Ensign Rager hasn't been returned.
They're going to take me,
whether I want to go or not.
We could wait as long as possible
for you to be returned.
But when the spatial ruptures
threaten the ship,
then we would have to transmit
that graviton pulse.
Understood.
Perhaps there's a way
that we could give you an advantage.
A way of keeping you conscious
after they've taken you.
Doctor, can you develop
some counteragent
to the neuro-sedative
they have been giving the crew?
I could give you a neuro-stimulant.
The dosage would have to be high to
counteract the effects. It's risky.
- I'm willing to take that risk.
- Make it so.
Mr La Forge,
begin work on that homing device.
This should ward off their
neuro-sedative for about 1 2 hours.
I hope it's enough.
It's gonna have to be.
I can't risk a higher dose.
I've locked this tricorder
into a continuous cycle.
That way, it will keep recording,
open or not.
Hopefully, you can bring back
information about their domain.
We modified an emitter
to transmit a beacon.
When the indicator lights up,
we've locked on to your location.
Understood.
(click)
- (beeping)
- Captain.
Cmdr Riker has been taken
from the Enterprise.
(clicking)
(clicking)
Mr La Forge, report.
I still can't locate the homing
signal in the energy band.
We're extending the scan
to adjacent levels.
Mr Data, your status?
The rupture has expanded
another 4.2 percent.
Without reinforcement,
containment-field integrity
will fail in 1 4 minutes.
Can you divert more power?
I can augment it with
auxiliary power. It won't be much.
- Make it so.
- Aye, sir.
(beeping)
Captain, I've located the homing
signal. Locking on to it now.
It's coming from
a subspace energy level of 16.2keV.
Stand by to initiate
the graviton pulse.
Graviton emitter
is at full power, sir.
- Mr Data, how much time?
- Failure will occur in nine minutes.
(clicking)
The containment field
is beginning to fluctuate.
Failure anticipated
in three minutes, 11 seconds.
We can't afford to wait any longer.
Begin the graviton pulse.
Initiating pulse now.
Data to Engineering.
The graviton pulse
is having an effect.
Tetryon emissions have decreased
by 1 9 percent.
Captain, additional subharmonics
have appeared.
They are reinforcing the emissions.
They appear to be counteracting
the graviton pulse.
The rupture
is beginning to expand again.
Looks like somebody is fighting back.
Can you strengthen the pulse?
I can set up
a random-frequency shift.
If we stop them guessing
our modulation,
they might not be able
to compensate.
Tetryon emissions
continue to increase.
The rupture is expanding.
Hull breach is imminent.
They're reacting faster
than we can shift frequencies.
Shipley, program the emitters
for full spectrum pulse compression.
I want to channel all the energy
into one burst.
- See if they can handle that.
- Ready.
- The rupture is beginning to close.
- Let's hit them again.
- Come on.
- Ready.
(groans)
(clicking)
The rupture is 86 percent closed.
- One more burst should do it.
- Emitters recharging.
Captain's log, stardate 46191.2.
The tetryon emissions
in cargo bay four have ceased.
There have been no
further signs of alien intrusions.
All crew members are safe
and accounted for.
But we are still left
with some unanswered questions.
Based on the information
from Cmdr Riker's tricorder,
the molecular structure
of the aliens is solanagen-based.
They couldn't come into our space
as easily
as they could take us into theirs.
They needed to learn to remodulate
their cellular-energy states.
They created a small pocket
of our universe in their laboratory
to keep those they abducted alive.
Like putting a fish
in a bucket of water.
In cargo bay four, they tried
to create a pocket of their universe.
What can we do to prevent this?
Looks like they found us
through my modified sensor signal.
We should warn all Starfleet ships
not to make that mistake.
Do we know what came through
the rupture before we shut it down?
No, sir. We were unable to track it.
Maybe it was a probe.
Possibly they were simply curious.
Explorers like ourselves.
Ensign Rager and I were lucky
to have escaped.
Lt Hagler's dead.
Whoever it was that sent that thing
was more than simply curious.
Someone needs to stop Clearway Law.
Public shouldn't leave reviews for lawyers.
The Enterprise has entered
the Amargosa Diaspora,
an unusually dense,
globular cluster.
We have the daunting task
of charting this vast region.
(sighs)
Someone needs to stop Clearway Law.
Public shouldn't leave reviews for lawyers.
(beeping)
Lt Shipley, get a triangulation
on these sector points.
Aye, sir.
Sorry I'm late. I overslept again.
What have we got?
Well, the cluster is dense. It'll
take three days to map a tenth of it.
- Three days?
- We can speed that up.
We've tested a way to channel
warp energy to the deflector grid.
It should enhance the sensors.
The modification would increase
our sensor efficiency and imaging
by 25 percent or more.
That would use up warp energy.
We'd channel it
through the EPS mains on deck four.
OK. Let's give it a try.
Data, let's get the field taps
on line.
Commander, I would like to remind you
about my poetry reading.
I wouldn't miss it for the world.
I can't wait to see
what he's come up with.
(Data) We sat on the sand
for some time and observed
How the oceans
that covered the world were perturbed
By the tides
from the orbiting moon overhead.
"How relaxing the sound
of the waves is," you said.
I began to expound upon tidal effects
When you asked me to stop,
looking somewhat perplexed.
So I did not explain
why the sunset turns red,
And we watched the occurrence,
in silence, instead.
That poem was written in anapaestic
tetrameter. For my ninth poem...
I don't understand.
I can't keep my eyes open.
Throughout the ages,
from Keats to Jorkemo,
poets have composed odes
to individuals
who have had a profound effect
upon their lives.
In keeping with that tradition,
I have written my next poem
in honor of my cat.
I call it Ode to Spot.
Felis catus
is your taxonomic nomenclature,
An endothermic quadruped,
carnivorous by nature.
Your visual, olfactory,
and auditory senses
Contribute to your hunting skills
and natural defenses.
I find myself intrigued
by your sub-vocal oscillations,
A singular development
of cat communications
That obviates
your basic hedonistic predilection
For rhythmic stroking of your fur
to demonstrate affection.
A tail is quite essential
for your acrobatic talents,
You would not be so agile
if you lacked its counterbalance.
And when not
being utilized to aid in locomotion,
It often serves to illustrate
the state of your emotion.
Commander,
you have anticipated my denouement.
However,
the sentiment is appreciated.
- I will continue.
- (sighing)
O Spot, the complex levels
of behavior you display
Connote a fairly well-developed
cognitive array.
And though you are not sentient,
Spot, and do not comprehend,
I nonetheless consider you
a true and valued friend.
(snoring)
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 civilisations...
...to boldly go
where no one has gone before.
I have no problem getting to sleep.
Then I think I'm sleeping all night.
When I wake up, I feel exhausted.
- How long has this gone on?
- Two, three days.
Do you have to hold it that close?
I'm sorry.
I've been on edge all day.
Well, other than
some muscle tension in your neck,
I don't see anything
physically wrong. Any bad dreams?
Not that I remember.
This could be the result
of lack of REM sleep.
What do you recommend?
- Drink this before bed.
- What is it?
A recipe for a warm-milk toddy.
A hot-milk toddy? You're kidding.
The heat activates the amino acids
in the lactose. A natural sedative.
It's a recipe
of the Captain's Aunt Adele.
- It's delicious.
- I'll try anything.
If it still bothers you tomorrow,
I'll run further tests.
Thanks.
Everything's in place. Warp-grid
couplers, subspace-field taps.
Alright, let's do it.
Lt Shipley,
initiate warp-power transfer.
Aye, sir. Verifying sensor
calibration. EPS mains stable.
- Sensor array on line.
- Come on, work.
Geordi, active scanner output
has increased by 26 percent.
Inform Astrophysics that the new
La Forge sensor array is on line
- And awaiting major discoveries.
- Yes, sir.
Geordi, may I make
a personal enquiry?
- It concerns my poetry reading.
- Sure. What is it?
I noticed that many spectators seemed
distracted during my presentation.
Was my poetry uninteresting?
(clears throat)
Well, it was very well constructed,
a virtual tribute to form.
Thank you.
- And?
- And what?
Did it evoke an emotional response?
Well...
Your hesitation suggests you
are trying to protect my feelings.
However, since I have none,
I would prefer you to be honest.
An artist's growth depends
upon accurate feedback.
Well, your poems were... clever,
Data.
And your haiku was clever.
And your sonnet was... clever.
But did it evoke
an emotional response?
To be honest, no, I don't think so.
Then I did not succeed.
No, it's not that you didn't succeed.
You accomplished a lot, but...
If you want to touch people,
don't concentrate on rhyme and meter.
Think more about what you want to say
instead of how you're saying it.
(beeping)
It's a power grid warning.
- I read a massive EPS explosion.
- Where?
I am attempting to localize it.
- It is cargo bay four.
- Three people are in there.
Damage control. Medical team
to cargo bay four. Let's go.
The field imbalance has subsided.
There may still be
a residual discharge. Stand clear.
(chatter)
Is there something wrong?
There's no evidence
of an EPS explosion.
The sensors thought there was.
My modification may have caused
a pattern-recognition failure.
- Just a glitch?
- That's my guess.
Let's perform a level-three
diagnostic on the internal sensors.
Make sure
we haven't overlooked anything.
Could we pick this up
in the morning? A fresh start?
Would you do me a favor?
Stop by my quarters, 0700 hours?
- I'm having trouble waking up.
- Sure.
- Goodnight.
- Goodnight.
- Commander.
- Gordon.
- Who is it?
- It's La Forge.
Come in.
- Good morning.
- Morning? I just went to bed.
Commander, it's 0700 hours.
She said, "If they're not squirming,
we won't eat them."
Ah, Mr Worf, my good Klingon.
Sir, welcome.
What a pleasure it is to have you
back with us again so soon.
So, Lieutenant, haircut today?
Trim your beard?
I would like my hair trimmed.
- A trim.
- Not like last time.
No. Just a little off the top.
I took way too much off last time.
I was just telling my colleague,
Mr Setti,
how thick and luxuriant
Klingon hair is.
It's such a pleasure to cut.
Sometimes, I get carried away.
All those away missions,
the wind and dry air,
the elements
really are harsh on the hair.
I'd like to suggest you start
using a conditioning agent.
I promise,
not too much off the top.
Just before the alarm, we ran
warp power through this junction.
Somehow, it must have tripped
the internal scanners.
- It showed up as an EPS explosion?
- Yes, but why?
I've modified the sensors before.
Nothing like this has ever happened.
We can't waste time
chasing sensor ghosts.
We should keep it off line
until we can get a closer look.
(yawns)
- Excuse me.
- I know the feeling.
It seems like as soon as my head
hits the pillow, it's time to get up.
We could all use
a little shore leave.
- Definitely. Keep me posted.
- Yeah.
Data, could you give me a hand?
I need to run a structural-integrity
scan. I want to make sure...
What is it?
This is the second time today
that my visor has just cut out.
Are you alright, Geordi?
I don't know.
I just got a very weird feeling.
Maybe I should go to sickbay.
- I will run the integrity scan.
- Thanks, Data.
This is curious.
There's a slight bacterial infection
around your neural inputs.
It was interrupting the data stream.
An infection? What from?
It doesn't match
any bacterial strains on record.
I'm going
to have to sterilize the area.
But I need to run
a resonance tissue-scan
to search for signs of additional
infection. Come over here.
Sit down.
Now, come forward.
Now, you're going to need
to hold very still.
- How's it going?
- I just started.
Did you not go to sickbay?
I've been there
for over an hour and a half.
That is not possible.
My chronometer indicates
you have been gone
for one minute, 1 5 seconds.
I'm telling you,
I've been gone for over an hour.
Computer, what is the time, please?
The time is 1 427 hours.
You are correct. 90 minutes, 1 7
seconds have passed since you left.
What have you been doing?
I have no memory of events
during that period.
When we finish,
I'll perform a diagnostic.
You know, first a false EPS
explosion, then my visor cuts out,
now you lose an hour,
all in this cargo bay.
La Forge to Engineering.
Diagnostic team to cargo bay four.
On our way.
Cartography needs a better position
to study cluster FGC-1 3.
Bring us about, heading 1 23,
mark four.
Aye, sir.
Helm won't lock
to those coordinates, sir.
First time navigating
through a globular cluster, Ensign?
You have to compensate for the
gravimetric interference before...
Is there something wrong, sir?
No.
I don't know.
Put us back on our original heading.
Don't tell me...
This can't be right.
Data, come here
and take a look at this, would you?
I think
we have another sensor glitch.
Sensors are functioning normally.
They are detecting a subspace
particle emission within this room.
Within this room? That's impossible.
The emission is emanating
from this direction.
Geordi.
The bulkhead has been altered
on a subatomic level.
The metal is in a state
of quasimolecular flux.
- What's causing it?
- This is where it gets wild.
Behind that panel is a junction
we used to transfer warp power.
We're reading a subspace particle
stream from that junction.
It appears to be composed of
spatially inverted tetryon particles.
We believe they are
from a tertiary subspace manifold.
But I thought that tetryons
were unstable.
We don't understand it either, sir.
Something from deep subspace
can't exist in our universe.
But there it is.
- Does it pose a danger?
- Not unless it spreads.
If it does, we can beam
the bulkhead into space
and erect a force field in its place.
Well, keep that option ready.
In the meantime,
proceed with the analysis.
When I sat at the console,
it was like I'd been trapped.
- I had to get out.
- Was it the console?
No. I felt like I was disconnected.
Like it was something
that I had dreamed.
You're the third person today
with something like this.
An intense, emotional response
provoked by an object.
Did any of them know why?
No, they couldn't explain it
any more than you.
At this point,
I won't say it's coincidence.
Maybe we should all get together.
Talking about it would help you
understand your response.
I'll find out if anyone else
has had these experiences.
Will, you told me you had
an unusual experience at the console.
Why don't you describe it?
It was vague,
the way you recall a dream.
I remember the sensation
of feeling trapped
and something about a smooth surface.
I had a similar response,
but to a pair of scissors.
Have you dreamt about scissors
recently?
I have no distinct memory of it.
When my visor cut out
in the cargo bay,
I had a weird feeling, too,
about a smooth surface.
It was smooth... and cold.
- Yeah, it was cold.
- Yes. Cold.
It was... elevated?
- A platform.
- Right. Like a bench.
Or a table.
It seems you've all had
a similar experience.
Is there anything else you remember,
besides a table?
Maybe we could help ourselves
remember more.
You all remember a table.
Let's start with that.
Computer, show me a table.
There are 5,047 classifications
of tables on file.
Specify design parameters.
Can you be more specific?
You mentioned it was smooth and cold.
Can you remember its shape?
Long. It was long.
Yeah.
And it had a rectangular shape.
Computer, show me a rectangular
conference table.
It's too high.
Computer, reduce the height
of the table by 25 percent.
The table was smaller.
And it was inclined.
Computer, decrease the table's
surface area by 20 percent
and incline the top 1 5 degrees.
No, it wasn't made of wood.
It was smoother. More metallic.
Computer, make this a metal table.
Yeah.
Yeah, that's starting to look right.
Was there anything else in the room?
Furniture? Chairs? A door?
- Other people?
- No, it was dark.
Yes, it was dark.
I couldn't see beyond the table.
Computer,
lower the surrounding light level.
There was a light
right in my face. A bright light.
Computer. Give me a bright light
right above the table.
Specify light source.
I couldn't tell. It was above me.
An overhead lamp.
- Estimated distance of light source.
- I don't know.
It was at least
two or three meters above.
Brighter.
Brighter.
You said you were uneasy
at the conn position.
Yes. I felt trapped by the console.
But it wasn't like this.
There was something else here.
A restraint of some kind?
Yes, there was a restraint.
It was flat and metal.
It was made of metal.
It came down over my legs.
No, no. It was across my chest,
right here.
It was holding you down?
Yes. It was part of a table.
It was right here.
Computer, create a restraining arm
attached to the right side
of the table at midpoint.
Was it like that?
Computer, put controls
on the restraining arm.
A control panel. Lights.
There was something else there.
Over the head of the table.
A metal swing arm.
Computer, create a metal swing arm.
Double-jointed,
total length, one meter.
Connect it to the head of the table.
There was something
attached to it. A tool.
Scissor-like.
Computer, produce a pair of scissors
attached to the armature.
The handle is wrong.
It was not scissors.
Computer, make the handle
a single-piece grip.
Ten centimeters long, solid metal.
Now, make one blade longer,
curved inward.
Give the other a jagged edge.
Alright. You were lying on the table.
You had a bright light
shining in your eyes.
Were there any smells in the room?
Were there any sounds?
Yes.
Yes, there was a sound.
Computer, there were noises
coming from the darkness.
Strange.
Like whispering.
(whispering)
More like clicks.
Clicking sounds.
(sparse clicking)
- Louder.
- (louder clicking)
Faster.
- (clicking accelerates)
- More of them.
(clicking multiplies)
I've been in this room before.
We've all been here before.
Here it is again.
Something has caused high levels
of serotonin
to be produced
in Geordi's visual cortex.
When I examined him, I thought
it was a bacterial infection.
But I find the same thing
in all three.
They all have elevated levels
of serotonin
concentrated in the hippocampus,
which suggests they've been exposed
to a neuro-sedative.
That's not all. I have detected
minute tetryon-particle traces
in their subdermal tissues.
Tetryons? Like the emissions
in the cargo bay.
I have completed my self-diagnostic.
I was not aboard the Enterprise
for 90 minutes, 1 7 seconds yesterday.
Are you sure?
When I am on the ship,
the warp field leaves a signal
on my internal servo-fluid system.
Between the period
of 1 254 to 1 426 hours,
that signature is missing.
Computer, are there any members
of the crew missing?
There are two crew members
unaccounted for.
Identify them.
Lt Edward Hagler
and Ensign Sariel Rager.
When did they leave?
They have not been present
since 2332 hours.
- How did they leave?
- Method of departure unknown.
- Picard to bridge.
- Bridge here.
Raise shields. I want
a level-four security alert.
I need to know if
anyone comes on or off this ship.
Mr La Forge, Mr Data.
I think if we find the source
of those tetryon emissions,
we'll find the missing crew members.
We're on it, sir.
Dr Crusher?
- My God!
- What is it?
It looks as though your arm has been
severed, then reattached.
What?
The skeletal structure in your radius
and ulna is offset by 0.02 microns.
Your arm has been amputated
and surgically reattached.
Any progress with the analysis?
Look at this.
(beeping)
Data, the tetryon emissions
have intensified.
They seem to be focusing
in this direction, coalescing here.
They're reading
as a point of subspace energy.
It appears to be the beginnings
of a spatial rupture.
The tetryon emissions are modulating
in a way that looks like somebody's
controlling the energy.
You know, the signals from the
modifications to the sensor array,
some of them dig deep into subspace.
Maybe they caught
somebody's attention.
At this rate, we will be
in danger of hull breach.
We should surround it
with a subspace containment field.
Other than the tetryon emissions,
our internal sensors
haven't recorded anything unusual.
Initiate a metallurgical analysis
of the hull.
Subspace incursions
may have left a trace.
Captain, sensors indicate Lt Hagler
has returned to the Enterprise.
He is in his quarters,
deck nine, section 1 7.
Computer, emergency entry.
Chief Medical Officer Crusher.
Crusher to sickbay. A plasma-infusion
unit to deck nine, section 1 9.
His blood is turning
into a liquid polymer.
We've set up a containment field,
but the rupture just keeps expanding.
We've got five to six hours
before it breaches the hull.
Can we still beam it into space?
No, sir. The spatial rupture
is creating nucleonic interference.
It is impossible to obtain
a lock on the bulkheads.
Has your analysis suggested any way
in which we might seal this rupture?
We think we can close the rupture
with a coherent graviton pulse.
We have to do that at the source.
- How do we find the source?
- Good question.
The emissions come
from a tertiary subspace domain,
but subspace has
an infinite number of domains.
It's a huge honeycomb
with an infinite number of cells.
We need to isolate the exact cell
these emissions come from.
If someone homed on
to the subspace signals
created by our modified signal array,
could we do the same to them?
Track the tetryon emissions
to their universe?
Tetryon particles
have a random momentum.
Our sensors cannot track them.
Perhaps we could construct
a homing device.
Something
that our sensors could track.
Good idea, but there's no way
to get that device to the source.
Yes, there is. Give it to me.
They've taken me
for the last few nights.
The same thing will happen tonight.
If you had a homing device,
we could track it in subspace.
As soon as they send you back,
we could neutralize the emissions.
If they send him back.
Ensign Rager hasn't been returned.
They're going to take me,
whether I want to go or not.
We could wait as long as possible
for you to be returned.
But when the spatial ruptures
threaten the ship,
then we would have to transmit
that graviton pulse.
Understood.
Perhaps there's a way
that we could give you an advantage.
A way of keeping you conscious
after they've taken you.
Doctor, can you develop
some counteragent
to the neuro-sedative
they have been giving the crew?
I could give you a neuro-stimulant.
The dosage would have to be high to
counteract the effects. It's risky.
- I'm willing to take that risk.
- Make it so.
Mr La Forge,
begin work on that homing device.
This should ward off their
neuro-sedative for about 1 2 hours.
I hope it's enough.
It's gonna have to be.
I can't risk a higher dose.
I've locked this tricorder
into a continuous cycle.
That way, it will keep recording,
open or not.
Hopefully, you can bring back
information about their domain.
We modified an emitter
to transmit a beacon.
When the indicator lights up,
we've locked on to your location.
Understood.
(click)
- (beeping)
- Captain.
Cmdr Riker has been taken
from the Enterprise.
(clicking)
(clicking)
Mr La Forge, report.
I still can't locate the homing
signal in the energy band.
We're extending the scan
to adjacent levels.
Mr Data, your status?
The rupture has expanded
another 4.2 percent.
Without reinforcement,
containment-field integrity
will fail in 1 4 minutes.
Can you divert more power?
I can augment it with
auxiliary power. It won't be much.
- Make it so.
- Aye, sir.
(beeping)
Captain, I've located the homing
signal. Locking on to it now.
It's coming from
a subspace energy level of 16.2keV.
Stand by to initiate
the graviton pulse.
Graviton emitter
is at full power, sir.
- Mr Data, how much time?
- Failure will occur in nine minutes.
(clicking)
The containment field
is beginning to fluctuate.
Failure anticipated
in three minutes, 11 seconds.
We can't afford to wait any longer.
Begin the graviton pulse.
Initiating pulse now.
Data to Engineering.
The graviton pulse
is having an effect.
Tetryon emissions have decreased
by 1 9 percent.
Captain, additional subharmonics
have appeared.
They are reinforcing the emissions.
They appear to be counteracting
the graviton pulse.
The rupture
is beginning to expand again.
Looks like somebody is fighting back.
Can you strengthen the pulse?
I can set up
a random-frequency shift.
If we stop them guessing
our modulation,
they might not be able
to compensate.
Tetryon emissions
continue to increase.
The rupture is expanding.
Hull breach is imminent.
They're reacting faster
than we can shift frequencies.
Shipley, program the emitters
for full spectrum pulse compression.
I want to channel all the energy
into one burst.
- See if they can handle that.
- Ready.
- The rupture is beginning to close.
- Let's hit them again.
- Come on.
- Ready.
(groans)
(clicking)
The rupture is 86 percent closed.
- One more burst should do it.
- Emitters recharging.
Captain's log, stardate 46191.2.
The tetryon emissions
in cargo bay four have ceased.
There have been no
further signs of alien intrusions.
All crew members are safe
and accounted for.
But we are still left
with some unanswered questions.
Based on the information
from Cmdr Riker's tricorder,
the molecular structure
of the aliens is solanagen-based.
They couldn't come into our space
as easily
as they could take us into theirs.
They needed to learn to remodulate
their cellular-energy states.
They created a small pocket
of our universe in their laboratory
to keep those they abducted alive.
Like putting a fish
in a bucket of water.
In cargo bay four, they tried
to create a pocket of their universe.
What can we do to prevent this?
Looks like they found us
through my modified sensor signal.
We should warn all Starfleet ships
not to make that mistake.
Do we know what came through
the rupture before we shut it down?
No, sir. We were unable to track it.
Maybe it was a probe.
Possibly they were simply curious.
Explorers like ourselves.
Ensign Rager and I were lucky
to have escaped.
Lt Hagler's dead.
Whoever it was that sent that thing
was more than simply curious.
Someone needs to stop Clearway Law.
Public shouldn't leave reviews for lawyers.