Picard: Captain's log, stardate 45703.9. We are en route to Earth, where it will be my pleasant duty to deliver this year's commencement address at Starfleet Academy. I'm also looking forward to seeing Wesley Crusher again. His flight team will perform a demonstration near Saturn that will be transmitted to the graduation ceremonies.
Worf: Captain, Starfleet Academy is requesting an update on our estimated arrival.
Picard: Mister Data?
Data: We should be arriving at Earth in ten hours sixteen minutes, sir.
Picard: Please inform the Academy, Mister Worf, and send my regards to Superintendant Brand.
Worf: Aye, sir.
Troi: Do you know Admiral Brand?
Picard: We've met a few times. She's a formidable woman.
Riker: Sounds like my superintendent. When I was at the Academy, we had a Vulcan Superintendent who had memorized the personnel files of every single cadet. He knew everything about them. It was like having your parents around all the time.
Picard: My superintendent was a Betazoid, a full telepath. When he sent for you to his office, he didn't have to ask what you'd done.
Riker: You got called into the superintendent's office? That's a story I'd like to hear.
Worf: Sir, we are being hailed again by the Academy. It is Admiral Brand.
Picard: On screen.
Worf: Sir, she is requesting a private channel.
Picard: In my Ready room.
Picard: Admiral Brand. What can I do for you?
Brand: Hello, Captain. I know you're a close friend of the Crusher family.
Picard: Yes.
Brand: I wanted to inform you personally. There's been an accident.
Picard: He had second degree burns on his chest and multiple fractures of his right arm, but he's going to be fine.
Crusher: Have they completed the regeneration series?
Picard: I'm not certain.
Crusher: Wesley's allergic to metorapan treatments. I think they'll have to use a bicaridine substitute. I should send his complete records to the Academy infirmary. Of course, they probably have them already, but you can't be too sure.
Picard: Beverly. He's fine.
Crusher: I know he's fine. I know he's fine. How did it happen?
Picard: Apparently, his squadron was practicing on the Academy flight range near Saturn. they were flying a close formation. There was a collision. All five ships were destroyed. Four of the cadets managed to transport out. One didn't make it.
Crusher: Do you know who it was?
Picard: Yes. His name was Joshua Albert.
Crusher: Wesley spoke of him. They were friends. Wesley was so excited to make the flight team. Of course, I was a little nervous, but I was proud of him. I always knew there was a chance that something like this might
Picard: Beverly, Wesley's alive and he's well.
Brand: There was very little left to salvage from the wreckage. We did recover one of the ships' data recorders, but it was badly damaged. We're attempting to restore the information, but that will take some time. Standard procedure calls for an immediate investigation by two command level officers. Captain Satelk and I will be taking depositions from Nova Squadron at fifteen hundred hours today. Commander Albert. I'm sure that everyone in this room joins me in expressing my deepest sympathies to you on the tragic loss of your son. There will be a memorial service for Cadet Albert this evening in the west garden. It has been suggested that we should cancel the graduation ceremonies in the light of what's happened. Commander Albert and I have discussed this and we've agreed that commencement should go forward as planned. The cadets should know that even after a tragedy like this, there are still duties to perform and life continues. Thank you all for coming.
Brand: It's good to see you again, Captain. I wish it were under better circumstances.
Picard: This is an unhappy way to begin commencement. If you require any assistance, then the Enterprise is at your disposal.
Brand: I'm sure we'll be able to conduct the investigation, but thank you for your offer.
Crusher: Wes. I was so worried about you.
Picard: How are you feeling, Wesley?
Wesley: Not bad. The arm's a little sore.
Crusher: We were very sorry to hear about Joshua.
Picard: Would you like to talk about it?
Wesley: No. I don't think so. No, thank you. I know you're trying to be helpful, sir, but it seems like that's all I've talked about for the last two days. I don't want to go through it again.
Picard: I understand. But I just want you to know I'm available if you should change your mind.
Wesley: Thank you sir.
Wesley: Hi.
Locarno: Hi.
Locarno: Captain, sir.
Picard: At ease, Cadet.
Wesley: This is my squadron leader, Nicholas Locarno. This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the Enterprise. My mother, Doctor Beverly Crusher.
Locarno: Hello, Doctor.
Crusher: Hello.
Locarno: Captain Picard.
Picard: Mister Locarno.
Locarno: I came by to see if Wes had healed up all right.
Crusher: And how are you feeling, Nicholas?
Locarno: I'm okay. I just never lost anyone under my command before.
Picard: I'm afraid that never gets easier.
Wesley: Captain, Mom, will you excuse us please? Nick and I have some things we need to talk about.
Crusher: Of course. Let me know if you need anything.
Wesley: I will.
Picard: I'll see you at the inquiry. Good to meet you, Mister Locarno.
Locarno: You too, sir.
Locarno: The inquiry is scheduled for fifteen hundred hours. Are you ready?
Wesley: I think so.
Locarno: Don't worry about it, Wes. Everything's going to be all right so long as we stick together.
Boothby: Hey! Can't you see that's a flower bed?
Cadet: Sorry. I'm really sorry.
Picard: Boothby? Jean-Luc Picard, class of twenty seven.
Boothby: I know that. What happened to your hair?
Picard: How are you?
Boothby: I'm pretty damned cranky, thank you. I've already replanted this bed four times this week.
Picard: Let me give you a hand.
Boothby: You?
Picard: I've acquired an interest over the years.
Boothby: Well, don't plant 'em too deep. The stems
Picard: Will rot.
Boothby: Captain Picard. Of the Enterprise, no less. And giving the commencement address.
Picard: You sound surprised.
Boothby: Surprised? Uh, uh. Nothing you ever did surprised me, son. Except that time you caught that Ligonian with a reverse body lift and pinned him in the first fourteen seconds of the match. Didn't think you had it in you.
Picard: Well, it was all in the legs, all that running I did. Boothby.
Boothby: Hmmm?
Picard: I don't think I ever. I don't think I ever told you how much I appreciate.
Boothby: There's nothing to tell.
Picard: Yes, there is. I just wanted to, while I was here. Look, you know as well as I do I would never have graduated if you
Boothby: You made a mistake. There isn't a man among us who hasn't been young enough to make one.
Picard: Nevertheless.
Boothby: You did what you had to do. You did what you thought was best. I just made sure that you listened to yourself.
Picard: At the time I thought you were a mean-spirited, vicious old man.
Boothby: I was. And by the way, I was about the same age you are now.
Picard: I didn't speak to you for months.
Boothby: You needed to get your bearings. I knew that. The important thing is, what you did with your life afterwards. Seems you did okay. That's thanks enough for me.
Picard: Did you know the boy from Nova Squadron who was killed?
Boothby: Josh Albert? Yeah. Crusher, Hajar, Sito, Locarno. I know them all.
Locarno: You nervous?
Sito: No. Yes.
Locarno: That's okay. So am I. But we're going to be all right. We've got some tough times ahead but we've always come through for each other. Whatever happens, I want you all to know that leading this team has been the high point of my years at the Academy. No one could have asked for a better team, or better friends. Let's go.
Locarno: At this point, we accelerated and executed a starboard turn of twenty seven degrees. We came out of the turn on course for Titan.
Brand: And you were still in the lead position?
Locarno: Yes, sir.
Brand: Continue.
Locarno: As we entered Titan's gravitational sphere, I gave the signal to tighten up and move into a diamond slot formation. Remaining in the diamond formation, we executed a low apogee turn around Titan then began a z-plus twenty five degree climb in preparation for a Yeager loop.
Locarno: Approximately nine seconds later, Cadet Albert's ship collided with Cadet Hajar's. We had less than two seconds to activate our emergency transporters and beam to the evac stations at Mimas. Everyone made it except Josh.
Brand: Thank you, Mister Locarno. Cadet Hajar.
Brand: As team navigator, you filed a flight plan with the Academy Range Officer before the exercise. Correct?
Hajar: Yes, sir.
Brand: Did Nova Squadron deviate from that flight plan after you entered the Saturn range?
Hajar: No, sir.
Brand: Then how do you explain the fact that the low apogee turn around Titan was at least two thousand kilometers closer to the moon than indicated in your plan?
Hajar: We were still within flight safety parameters, sir.
Brand: That was not my question, Cadet.
Hajar: We had discussed changing our approach after I filed the flight plan. The final decision was made en route to Saturn. I didn't consider it significant enough to mention here. I apologize for the confusion, sir. I should have been more precise.
Satelk: Did you see Mister Albert's ship break formation before it collided with your ship?
Hajar: No, sir. My first indications of trouble was when my proximity alarm went off.
Satelk: You may be seated. Did any of you see the collision take place?
Locarno: No, sir.
Satelk: Cadet Sito, you were in the tail position, therefore you should have seen any sign of trouble from Cadet Albert. Yet you saw nothing?
Sito: That is correct, sir.
Satelk: Did your attention falter?
Sito: No, sir. I was flying solely on sensor readings at the time. I did not have any visual contact with Cadet Albert's ship when he broke formation.
Satelk: Sensor readings?
Crusher: What's wrong?
Picard: Well, it's unusual to fly on sensors alone in this type of maneuver. The pilot relies on visual clues from the other ships to maintain formation.
Brand: If you were flying on sensors alone, perhaps you could tell us the orientation of his ship before the collision.
Sito: I don't know, sir.
Brand: You were flying a ship, traveling eighty thousand kph, with Cadet Albert's ship less than ten meters away and you don't know what his orientation was?
Sito: I don't remember, sir.
Locarno: Sir, may I?
Brand: Go ahead.
Locarno: Admiral, Josh was a good pilot but lately he'd been having difficulties. He'd get nervous during close fly-bys and pull away in the final seconds. His formation flying was a little erratic.
Brand: And you didn't report this to anyone?
Locarno: No, sir, I didn't. We'd flown together a long time. I thought he could handle it if I gave him a chance. I was wrong.
Brand: Then you are saying that the accident was Cadet Albert's fault?
Locarno: I think Josh got frightened and tried to pull out of the turn prematurely, and then crashed into Cadet Hajar. Josh was our friend. We didn't want him to be remembered as someone who panicked.
Brand: Please be seated. I'm very disturbed by what I've heard here today. By your own admission, you allowed your teammate to fly when you knew he was having difficulties maintaining formation. That demonstrates a serious lack of judgment. I am also disturbed by the fact that you did not come forward with this information immediately. We should have the first data from Mister Crusher's flight recorder tonight. We will reconvene at thirteen hundred hours tomorrow.
Locarno: Everything's fine. Trust me.
Laforge: I don't know, Captain. The Academy has one of the best reconstructive analysis labs in Starfleet. I'm not sure there's much we could contribute to the investigation.
Picard: Yes, that may well be. But Wesley's one of our own.
Laforge: Understood, sir. We'll get right on it.
Picard: Good. I've spoken with Admiral Brand and she's agreed to allow us access to all of the physical evidence and testimony. Thank you, gentlemen.
Sito: You shouldn't have said it, Nick. Josh wasn't responsible for what happened.
Locarno: I had to do something.
Wesley: You said we wouldn't have to lie to them. We all agreed not to lie to them.
Locarno: I didn't lie. Everything I said was the truth.
Wesley: The accident was not Josh's fault.
Locarno: Look, he was my friend too, Wes. I worked to get him on this team. But the truth is, he panicked.
Wesley: We don't know that.
Locarno: Of course we do. None of us has wanted to say it out loud, but we've all had the same thought. Haven't we?
Hajar: He must have pulled away too soon. I think he got scared.
Locarno: Sito?
Locarno: Wes, I know you want to protect his memory, We all do. But we have to look out for ourselves now. What do you want us to do, walk in and tell them everything that happened?
Sito: We might as well turn in our uniforms and start packing our bags.
Locarno: Are we ready for that? We'll take this one step at a time. This is the preliminary report from your flight recorder. It was so badly damaged in the crash, that the lab could only retrieve a third of the total telemetry on the recorder. And all of it is before the collision. There's no problem here.
Wesley: I don't know if I can do this, Nick.
Sito: You don't have to lie. Just don't volunteer any new information.
Locarno: The first night I met you, Wes, I knew I wanted you on this squad. You, more than any of the rest, would understand what it means to be able to count on someone, because you've been out there, putting yourself on the line. You know you've got to be able to count on the people on your team, because your life is in their hands, and their lives are in yours. We made a promise to each other right in the beginning, that we'd stick together. We were Nova Squadron. Nobody else could say that. And even after we graduated, we'd try to get posted to the same duty. We were going to be a team for a long time. Josh can't be a part of those plans anymore, but I think he would still want us to be a team. What do you think?
Albert: Mister Crusher?
Wesley: Sir.
Albert: At ease. Am I interrupting?
Wesley: No. I was just going over my deposition for tomorrow.
Albert: They told me you'd be here. I found this in Josh's room. I think it belongs to you.
Wesley: Our ski trip. Josh and I went to Calgary last month. He forgot his sweater so he borrowed one of mine.
Albert: He told me you helped him with his classes.
Wesley: A little. He only needed help in statistical mechanics.
Albert: If Josh had a weakness, it was mathematics.
Wesley: No, he could do it. He just didn't like to.
Albert: His mother and I thought he'd never get out of calculus. Then he found out what the Academy entrance requirements were like. That turned him around. He stayed after class, got a tutor. He really worked hard. Never gave up on anything. And he had a lot of respect for you, and everybody on the team. I realize it was his fault. That everybody could have been killed. And I want to say that, I want to say I'm sorry. I'm sorry that he let you down.
Brand: Are you ready, Mister Crusher?
Wesley: Yes, sir. This is the beginning of our run toward Titan. I'm on the right wing.
Brand: Where is Mister Albert at this point?
Wesley: He was on my port quarter, approximately fifty meters away. We've just received the signal to begin the diamond slot formation. That's Cadet Locarno coming into view. We're in a twenty degree turn around Titan. We should be coming out of Titan's gravity well about now.
Brand: That is the extent of the data we were able to recover from the flight recorder. Mister Crusher, would you describe what happened after you left orbit of Titan?
Wesley: Once we cleared the moon, Mister Locarno led us into a Yeager loop. Approximately nine seconds later, my proximity alarm went off. I tried to veer away, but it was too late and I was hit. I lost control of my ship. A power coupling exploded in my cockpit. I don't know how, but I managed to activate my escape transporter, and the next thing I remember is finding myself on the emergency evac station on Mimas with the rest of the squadron, except Josh.
Brand: Do you have anything to add to your testimony?
Wesley: No, sir.
Satelk: Mister Crusher, will you describe a Yeager loop?
Wesley: The ships begin in a diamond slot formation, and climb and loop backwards at a steep angle, and at the peak of the loop, turn over and accelerate in a new direction.
Satelk: Mister Crusher, did your team remain in formation throughout the loop?
Wesley: Yes, sir.
Brand: I want you to be absolutely clear on this point, Mister Crusher. Before the collision, was Nova Squadron in a diamond slot formation?
Wesley: Yes, sir.
Satelk: Computer, display Saturn NavCon file six dash three seven nine. These images were obtained by a navigational control satellite in orbit around Saturn during a standard sensor sweep. Computer, freeze image. Magnify sector gamma three and enhance.
Satelk: This image was recorded when your ships moved briefly into the satellite's sensor range. According to the time index, what you see on the monitor took place seven seconds after Nova Squadron completed the Yeager loop.
Brand: Mister Crusher, are these ships in a diamond slot formation?
Wesley: No, sir.
Brand: What is your explanation, Mister Crusher?
Wesley: I have none, sir.
Crusher: Everything's going to be okay, Wesley. There must be an explanation for all this. Data and Geordi are already analyzing the flight recorder and the satellite transmission.
Wesley: Why?
Crusher: There must be something wrong with the satellite data. It might have been tampered with.
Wesley: Mom.
Crusher: Well, there must be some explanation for this. I know you're telling the truth but the satellite data made it look as if you were lying. I've spoken with the other parents. I am going to talk to Admiral Brand and ask her to delay the inquiry
Wesley: Mom. Don't. You can't do that.
Crusher: I'm not going to let them ruin your career, Wesley. You haven't done anything wrong.
Wesley: Mom, don't try to protect me. Please stay out of this.
Boothby: These weeds keep popping up in the pittosporum. Poor plants don't have a chance to grow.
Picard: You could use a good herbicide instead of pulling the weeds with your bare hands.
Boothby: And you could explore space on a holodeck instead of a starship.
Picard: Boothby, tell me some more about Nova Squadron.
Boothby: Not going well, is it.
Picard: No, it isn't.
Boothby: Do you remember the parrises squares tournament of 'twenty four?
Picard: The final game against Minsk.
Boothby: It took me three weeks to repair the grounds after the celebration.
Picard: We had a lot to celebrate. Our team wasn't supposed to win. We were very proud of them.
Boothby: Well the cadets today are just as proud of the Nova Squadron. The celebration they held after Nova won the Rigel Cup made 'twenty four look like a dinner party. To the other cadets, the members of that team are gods, and that's a hard image to live up to. But Nick Locarno, he watches out for them. He keeps them together. Nick is what makes that team special. He's their coach, surrogate father and best friend all in one. A natural leader. The members of that team love him. If he asks them to do something, they do it, even if it means going right over a cliff.
Picard: Report.
Laforge: Nothing conclusive. We do know that the collision occurred about four seconds after the satellite images were recorded, but we still don't know how the ships got into the new formation or why the crash occurred.
Data: We unsuccessfully tried fifty three different computational models in an effort to simulate the movements of the Nova Squadron just prior to the crash.
Laforge: There're just too many variables to take into consideration. Speed, attitude, course.
Picard: Did Wesley's flight recorder indicate that there was anything unusual about the ship or the way it was operating?
Laforge: The starboard power flow was fluctuating.
Data: However it was well within operational limits.
Laforge: Fluidic pressure in the landing struts was low, but I don't know what difference that would make.
Data: We did find that Wesley opened his coolant interlock just before beginning the maneuver around Titan.
Laforge: That is a bit unusual. Normally the interlock is closed unless you're performing a check on the engine coolant levels. But there's no evidence Wesley was performing that sort of check.
Picard: Filling the primary coolant tanks requires an open interlock but that can only be performed in a maintenance bay. Is there any other reason for opening the valve?
Laforge: It's the first step in purging the plasma exhaust.
Data: That procedure would be extremely hazardous while the ship was in flight.
Laforge: Yeah, the engine would probably ignite the plasma.
Picard: Ignite the plasma. That's exactly what they were trying to do.
Picard: Come.
Wesley: Captain.
Picard: Can you tell me what maneuver this is?
Wesley: It's a Kolvoord Starburst, sir.
Picard: Five ships crossing within ten meters of each other and igniting their plasma trails. One of the most spectacular and difficult demonstrations of precision flying. It hasn't been performed at the Academy team in over a hundred years. Do you know why?
Wesley: It was banned by the Academy following a training accident, sir.
Picard: An accident in which all five cadets lost their lives. I think that Nicholas Locarno wanted to end his Academy career in a blaze of glory. That he convinced the four of you to learn the Kolvoord Starburst for the commencement demonstration. If it worked, you would thrill the assembled guests and Locarno would graduate as a living legend. Only it didn't work, and Joshua Albert paid the price. Am I correct? Cadet, I asked you a question. Am I correct?
Wesley: I choose not to answer, sir.
Picard: You choose not to answer? But you've already given an answer to the inquiry, and that answer was a lie.
Wesley: I said the accident occurred after the loop. It did.
Picard: What you neglected to mention was that following the loop your team attempted a maneuver that was the direct cause of the crash. You told the truth up to a point. But a lie of omission is still a lie. Do you remember the day you first came aboard this ship? Your mother brought you on the Bridge.
Wesley: Yes.
Picard: You even sat in my chair. I was annoyed. Presumptuous child playing on my ship. But I never forgot how you already knew every control, every display. You behaved as though you belonged on the Bridge. And then later when I decided to make you an acting ensign, I was convinced you could be an outstanding officer. I've never questioned that conviction, until now. The first duty of every Starfleet officer is to the truth. Whether it's scientific truth, or historical truth, or personal truth. It is the guiding principle upon which Starfleet is based. If you can't find it within yourself to stand up and tell the truth about what happened you don't deserve to wear that uniform. I'm going to make this simple for you, Mister Crusher. Either you come forward and tell Admiral Brand what really took place, or I will.
Wesley: Captain
Picard: Dismissed.
Locarno: Your message said it was urgent.
Wesley: They know, Nick. They know what we did.
Locarno: Calm down. Calm down. Now tell me exactly what happened.
Wesley: Captain Picard called me to the Enterprise. when I got there he told me that he knows. The Kolvoord maneuver, the cover up, everything. He said that if I didn't come forward and tell the truth now, he would.
Locarno: You said he'd figured it out. Does he have any evidence?
Wesley: No, but he knew exactly how it happened.
Locarno: Captain Picard doesn't know anything. He has a theory. So let him tell the inquiry what he thinks happened. They'll ask us, is it true? We'll say, no, sir. There's no evidence, so there's no case. We'll get off with a reprimand.
Wesley: I can't call Captain Picard a liar.
Locarno: Wesley, we have to hang on just a little longer, then this will all be over.
Wesley: It's wrong, Nick.
Locarno: Wesley.
Wesley: No. I'm going to tell them what happened.
Locarno: You're going to tell them what happened? You? Alone? Are going to decide what happens to me, to Sito, to Jean? You're going to decide that?
Wesley: I'm not going to lie to them again, Nick. I can't live with it.
Locarno: You can't lie to them. You can't live with this. You have to tell them what happened. Who the hell are you?
Wesley: Nick!
Locarno: You're going to turn us in?
Wesley: Now wait a minute.
Locarno: No, you wait a minute. He got to you, didn't he? Picard told you some big story about duty and honor. It must've been a pretty good speech to make you turn your back on your friends.
Wesley: We're Starfleet cadets. We have a duty to the truth.
Locarno: What about your duty to your friends? I got you on this team. I gave you a chance when there were upperclassmen waiting in line. I said, He won't let us down. He was on the Enterprise. He knows what it's like to trust somebody with his life. I guess I was wrong.
Wesley: If we all come forward together and tell Admiral Brand
Locarno: We don't want to come forward. Sito, Jean and me, we don't have a problem with this. But if you do, then resign your appointment to the Academy and walk away. Don't make us pay for your guilty conscience.
Wesley: You'd let me do that? You'd let me throw my career away just to save your neck?
Locarno: To save the team. That's more important than you, and it's more important than me. And if I was in your place I'd do it without hesitation. But that's me.
Brand: Captain Satelk and I have gone over your testimony and the physical evidence from the crash. Your statements cannot be reconciled with the data collected from the NavCon satellite. Your unwillingness to offer any explanation for this contradiction is disappointing, and raises suspicion. We cannot escape the conclusion that either the data is faulty in some way, or you have lied to us. However suspicion is not proof and I have no proof that you have lied to this inquiry. Therefore, if no further evidence is presented, I have no choice but to close this investigation. For filing an inaccurate flight plan, and for allowing Cadet Albert to fly when you knew he was having difficulties, I am ordering a formal reprimand placed on each of your permanent records. I am also revoking your flight privileges. This inquiry is closed.
Wesley: Sir. I would like to add something to my testimony.
Brand: Proceed, Mister Crusher.
Wesley: Yesterday I testified that the crash occurred following a Yeager loop. That is not entirely true. We performed a loop, and afterwards broke formation and attempted a Kolvoord Starburst. We knew it was prohibited. We knew it was dangerous, but we wanted to do something spectacular for the commencement demonstration. We pushed Josh into it and he wasn't ready. We thought we could do it. We thought we could do anything. We were wrong, and Josh died. Josh didn't let us down, sir. It wasn't his fault.
Brand: Mister Locarno, you are the leader of Nova Squadron. Do you have anything to say? Mister Locarno?
Locarno: No, sir.
Picard: Mister Locarno has been expelled.
Wesley: They should've expelled all of us.
Picard: They very nearly did. Mister Locarno made an impassioned plea for the rest of you. He said that he'd used his influence as squadron leader to convince you to attempt the Kolvoord maneuver and then to cover up the truth. He asked to take full responsibility.
Wesley: He did exactly what he said he would. He protected the team. I feel awful. I've let down everyone. My mother, my friends, you.
Picard: You should feel bad, and you will pay for what you've done. Admiral Brand has decided that in addition to a formal reprimand, your academic credits for the past year will be canceled and you will not advance with your class.
Wesley: I understand.
Picard: It's not going to be easy, staying here on campus, everyone knowing what you did. You have difficult times ahead.
Wesley: Yes, sir. Thank you, Captain.
Picard: You knew what you had to do. I just made sure you listened to yourself. Goodbye, Cadet.
Wesley: Goodbye, Captain.


Worf: Forward tubes armed and ready, Captain.
Picard: Fire.
Worf: A direct hit, sir.
Data: The asteroid has shattered. However, the core is still intact and still on a collision course with Tessen Three.
Riker: Is it big enough to cause a threat?
Data: Yes, sir. It is of sufficient size and density to cause planetwide damage.
Picard: Time to impact.
Data: It will reach the upper atmosphere in forty four seconds and impact on the planet eleven seconds later.
Riker: Ready torpedoes.
Worf: Aye, sir.
Data: Sir, the core is composed of nitrium and chrondite. It is unlikely another photon torpedo will be of any effect.
Picard: Mister Worf, prepare a tractor beam.
Worf: Aye, sir.
Data: Thirty seconds to impact.
Worf: Captain, I am unable to get a positive lock with the tractor beam. There is magnetic field interference emanating from the core materials.
Picard: Activate a deflector dish. If we project a particle beam, we may be able to produce a disruptive nuclear effect within the core.
Worf: Aye, sir.
Data: Impact in seventeen seconds.
Worf: Particle beam activated. The target has been destroyed, Captain.
Data: The remaining debris is of no threat to the planet, sir.
Picard: Well done, everyone . Ensign, put us back on course for the Moselina system. Warp four as soon as we're clear of the debris field.
Ensign: Aye, sir.
Worf: My instructions were clear.
Alexander: They were not!
Worf: Before he was allowed to play, he was to place his soiled clothing in the garment reprocessor.
Alexander: I was not!
Troi: I sense a touch of hostility here, gentlemen.
Worf: You were specifically told that.
Alexander: You told me that yesterday, not today!
Troi: If I may suggest
Worf: You know very well the same rules apply today that
Troi: Please! Why not simply draw up a contract which clearly defines the duties of each family member.
Alexander: You mean he tells me what he wants and I have to do it.
Troi: No, I means you both agree to your responsibilities. And when you've done the things that you've agreed to do, then you've earned the privilege to doing the things that you want to do. When he's cleaned his room, for instance, then perhaps he's earned a visit to the holodeck to fight his alien monsters.
Worf: You suggest bribery.
Troi: I suggest working out an equitable system with the rules clearly spelled out. For the child and the parent. You must make a list of your responsibilities, too. What would you like your father to promise, Alexander?
Alexander: No yelling.
Worf: I do I do not yell.
Troi: Well then you should have no trouble with that part. Why not go back to your quarters and talk this thing over? Decide on which points each of you wants in the contract.
Worf: Very well.
Troi: One day you'll learn to be glad your father cared enough about you to insist on rules. It may be hard to imagine right now, but eventually, most children come to appreciate their parents.
Riker: Riker to Counselor Troi. Your mother's just come aboard.
Troi: On the other hand
Lwaxana: Deanna, my dear! It's Mother!
Lwaxana: Oh, I've got such deliciously exciting news, you're going to be absolutely thrilled! I'm getting married!
Lwaxana: You know, with just a bit of redecorating here and there, this Ten Forward room should make a very nice wedding hall.
Troi: I beg your pardon?
Lwaxana: Where else, my little one, but here amongst all my good friends and in the presence of my adored daughter.
Troi: Mother, where did you, when did you meet this man? Who is he? I mean, marriage? When did all this happen?
Lwaxana: My poor, plodding, little Deanna, with her questions, questions, questions. Wherever did you inherit such pedestrian genes? What matters, my little one, is that your mother's happy.
Troi: Mother, if you're happy, then I'm happy for you. I only asked who he is, and where you met him. Those are not unusual questions.
Lwaxana: He's such a wonderful man, and he has such good breeding, I tell you, he's absolute perfection.
Troi: Who is he?
Lwaxana: He's Campio, Third Minister to the Conference Of Judges on the planet Kostolain. Royalty, my little one, naturally.
Troi: Naturally. I didn't know you'd ever been to Kostolain. Or was he on some diplomatic mission to Betazed?
Lwaxana: Well, neither, actually. You see, we haven't exactly met yet, really. Oh, but the profiles we've exchanged. Why, they're in such accord that you could weep, my little one. You would weep at the harmony between us.
Troi: Mother, don't you think it would be a good idea if you actually met the man you're going to marry before committing to spend the rest of your life with him?
Lwaxana: Deanna, I love you, but you do make everything sound like an epitaph.
Alexander: I don't want to agree.
Worf: But you have to agree. That is what an agreement is. Counselor Troi, excuse the intrusion, but we're having some difficulty drawing up our contract. Mrs. Troi.
Alexander: He's not fair!
Worf: The boy is unreasonable.
Lwaxana: Well, of course he's unreasonable. He's a child. And such a child. You know, making little boys reasonable only gives them pimples.
Troi: Alexander, this is my mother.
Lwaxana: Alexander! What a wonderful name. You know, I once knew a tall, handsome warrior named Alexander. Oh, he utterly adored me. We went everywhere, simply everywhere. Have you been anywhere yet? Contract? What contract?
Troi: Between father and son. A fair and balanced way to achieve a mutual sense of order.
Lwaxana: Well, how ghastly for you. And you're doing this to your own child, Mister Woof?
Troi: Mother!
Worf: It is Worf, Madam.
Lwaxana: Contracts are usually between people who don't really trust one another. A child who is trusted becomes worthy of that trust.
Troi: Mother, will you kindly stay out of this?
Lwaxana: And if he does not perform his contractual duties, I assume he will be chastised?
Worf: He will be sanctioned, yes.
Lwaxana: And if you fail to perform your duties, what is the child supposed to do about it?
Troi: Mother, will you please
Worf: I? Not perform my duty?!
Lwaxana: Alexander. Now life's true gift is the capacity to enjoy enjoyment. Now, have I arrived too late, or can you still smile?
Picard: Married? She's getting married?
Riker: Yes. If we stay on our present course, we should rendezvous with her intended groom in thirty one hours.
Picard: I will not continue have that woman continuing to use this ship for her convenience, simply because her daughter happens to be one of my officers.
Riker: Apparently, Deanna being on board is only part of the reason.
Picard: The other reason being?
Riker: She thinks the honor of giving away the bride should fall on you.
Picard: Permission for an on-board wedding is granted, Number One. Nothing would please me more than to give away Mrs. Troi.
Lwaxana: Ah! My little warrior. And how are you this morning? Oh, I see. Being punished for something, are we?
Alexander: It's just my regular time to meet with Counselor Troi. She's not here yet.
Lwaxana: Then you're early. That's very responsible of you.
Alexander: No, I just wanted to be out of my room before
Lwaxana: Before what? Now, if we're to be real friends, we've got to share only the truth.
Alexander: Why?
Lwaxana: Well, for one thing, it's easier. When you tell the truth, you never have to remember later what you lied about. But mostly, a true friend is a person you can always tell the truth to without worrying about it.
Alexander: I wanted to leave before my father got back.
Lwaxana: Oh.
Alexander: I hate him. I wish my mother was here. But she died.
Lwaxana: That's not very fair, is it.
Alexander: All he cares about are rules. I'm supposed to do everything right all the time. I don't know how.
Lwaxana: To tell you the truth, little warrior, neither do I. But, I do know one marvelous thing we can do with rules.
Alexander: I'm supposed to wait for Counselor Troi.
Lwaxana: Exactly.
Lwaxana: I'll bet you've never been to a colony of free spirits.
Alexander: What do they do there?
Lwaxana: Whatever they want. Artists, philosophers, free thinkers and people who don't quite fit other people's rules. Personally, I come for the mud baths. You, oh, you're going to adore the mud baths. Computer? I'm assuming you have the Parallax Colony of Shiralea VI?
Computer: That program is available.
Lwaxana: Oh, good. Then run it for us, dear.
Alexander: What's that?
Lwaxana: A Wind Dancer. He stands guard. You see, only those whose hearts are joyous may enter. Come on.
Lwaxana: Fire sculptor. We'll chat with her later if you're not wearing anything flammable.
Juggler: Hello. A few of us were just gathering together for our laughing hour. Would you care to come laugh with us?
Lwaxana: Actually, we were about to experience a mud bath.
Juggler: Were you? What an idea! My friends and I will join you. One can always laugh in the bath.
Alexander: Do you ever drop one?
Juggler: Oh, no. No, no. These are my worlds. I protect them. I am a master of worlds, and they fly only as I wish. We're having guests for laughing hour. Would you care to join us!
Young Man: We'd love to!
Young Woman: No, thank you.
Young Man: Yes.
Young Woman: No.
Young Man: Why do you always say no when I say yes?
Young Woman: I don't.
Young Man: You just did.
Young Woman: There you go again. You are the most negative person!
Alexander: Why are they arguing?
Juggler: They're friends. They love contradiction. They thrive on challenge. They flourish in conflict.
Alexander: Then why are they friends?
Lwaxana: Who else are you going to fight with if not your friends?
Poet: Hold! What is the lesson for today?
Lwaxana: Damned if we know. We're just here for some fun and a mud bath.
Poet: Every moment requires a purpose.
Lwaxana: No, it doesn't.
Poet: Every purpose requires a plan.
Juggler: He does this every day. Usually while everybody's food gets cold. It's rather boring.
Poet: The higher the fewer!
Lwaxana: Well that's a conversation stopper if I ever heard one.
Woman: I am not!
Man: Yes, you are.
Woman: I am not.
Alexander: Excuse me! If you're going to argue, you should remember, the higher the fewer.
Lwaxana: So, my little warrior wants to see more in life than just fighting. The mind opens, and in creeps wisdom.
Worf: Alexander. Be patient, she says. Come. I can't believe this.
Worf: Isn't Alexander supposed to be with you?
Troi: He didn't show up for his appointment. I assumed he must still be here.
Worf: Computer, what is the location of Alexander Rozhenko?
Computer: Alexander Rozhenko is in holodeck two.
Troi: Is he there alone?
Computer: He is with Lwaxana Troi.
Poet: To all the creatures within us!
Alexander: All the creatures within us?
Lwaxana: Of course. Every one of us has a thousand different kinds of tiny people inside of us. And some of them want to get out and be wild, some want to be sad, or happy, or inventive or even just go dancing. That's why we all have so many different urges at different times. And all those different little people inside us, we must never be afraid to take them with us wherever we go. I mean, who knows when we may need one of them to pop up and rescue us from ourselves. Variety, my little Alex. The great secret is not the variety of life, it's the variety of us.
Juggler: Are we ready for the entertainment?
All: Yes. Bring on the entertainment.
Troi: Mother.
Lwaxana: Little one! Mister Woof. Come, join us.
Troi: Mother, I'm trying to help the boy learn the value of responsibility. You're not helping by giving him a lot of mixed messages.
Lwaxana: I exposed you to all sorts of mixed messages when you were that age. You still turned out deadly dull. What are you so worried about?
Troi: Among other things, his relationship with his father. No more holodeck, Mother. Please. And why aren't you all absorbed in your wedding plans? It's only three days away.
Lwaxana: I'm letting Mister Homn take care of all the mundane details. He knows my tastes.
Troi: Mother.
Lwaxana: Deanna, there's absolutely nothing to do, you nosey little girl. Campio's already sent me his mother's wedding gown, which Mister Homn is now altering for me. Outside of that there really isn't anything else
Troi: Wedding gown? Mother, stop. You're telling me you're not going to be naked at your own wedding?
Lwaxana: Campio is from a different planet with different traditions. He would not approve of a traditional Betazoid wedding, so I am happily adapting. Now it's as simple as that. I need some tea.
Troi: I can't believe I'm hearing this from the Heir to the Holy Rings of Betazed, holder of the Sacred Chalice of Rixx.
Lwaxana: Oh, why can't I ever work this replicator?
Troi: Mother, I think it's time you tell me about this mysterious marriage to a man you've never met.
Lwaxana: Computer, some jestral tea, please. Anyway, why shouldn't I get married if I choose to? You make everything into such a mystery. There is no mystery, Deanna, except about this Petrokian sausage. The tea. All I wanted was a cup of tea. Oh dear, I think your replicator's having a nervous collapse.
Data: A level-four diagnostic of the food replication systems has failed to detect any faults in the orientation terminals.
Laforge: That may be, but we've still got over two hundred reports of malfunctioning replicators.
Data: There is an energy fluctuation in one of the utility access corridors.
Laforge: Well, we'd better look into it, whatever it is, before the captain decides to order dinner.
Laforge: Yeah, dash six four. Here we are. Some kind of intermittent EM field pattern. Give me a hand with that, will you, Data? There's no plasma leakage, just a little negative ion charging.
Lwaxana: Bad enough having to wear anything at my own wedding, but this? Perhaps if we lower the bodice? Raise the hemline, then. What a constant joy you are.
Lwaxana: Mister Homn.
Lwaxana: Alexander! My little warrior, come here. Come on. Give me a great big hug. Now, you're not escaping another appointment, are you?
Alexander: No, ma'am.
Lwaxana: Well, I suppose eventually we all have to live up to our obligations. Well now, tell me. What brings you here to brighten my day?
Alexander: I wanted to say I'm sorry if I got you in any trouble.
Lwaxana: That's very sweet, dear, but I really wasn't in any trouble. Until I saw this dress. Ugly, isn't it?
Alexander: What's it for?
Lwaxana: I'm getting married.
Alexander: Why?
Lwaxana: Are you sure my daughter didn't send you? Just a joke. People get married because they want to spend their lives with someone.
Alexander: Their whole life? They must have to like that person a lot.
Lwaxana: Well, if you're young and lucky, it'll be someone you like a lot, yes. And if you're older.
Alexander: Are you very old?
Lwaxana: I'm alone, Alex. And when you do get older and can no longer pick and choose from whatever may come your way, then you do what we call compromise. It keeps you from being afraid.
Data: We have traced the failure to a data net interface which routes replicator selections to the correct subprocessors.
Laforge: When we opened the panel, we discovered that the interface had been transformed into a gelatinous material that we haven't been able to identify.
Worf: We have an intermittent failure of the inertial damping system.
Picard: Take us out of warp, Ensign.
Riker: Primary attitude control has failed. Going to secondary systems.
Data: We have lost helm control, sir.
Riker: Try a manual bypass of the damping systems.
Data: Aye, sir.
Picard: Backup generators.
Laforge: Coming online now.
Picard: How long before we regain attitude control?
Laforge: We're almost there.
Riker: Ensign, put us back on course. Let's stay at impulse for now.
Picard: Did something hit us, Mister Worf?
Worf: Negative, sir.
Picard: The inertial dampers shouldn't fail without kicking in the automatic bypass. I want to know what went wrong. Analysis in thirty minutes.
Laforge: The same thing that happened to the replicator happened to the stabilizer. The transfers in both systems were turned into this.
Riker: Some kind of corrosion?
Data: We have not yet identified the substance, Commander.
Laforge: Whatever it is, it looks like there's been a conversion process, transforming some of the metal into gelatinous residue. But what caused it is a mystery.
Picard: Replicators and stabilizers. Two totally unrelated systems.
Laforge: Yes, sir. And we still don't know why the sensors didn't pick up the problems.
Riker: Let's run a mass spectrometer analysis and find out what this stuff is.
Chief: Transporter room one to Captain Picard. Minister Campio is beaming on board, sir.
Picard: I'll be right there. The bridegroom.
Lwaxana: Ah, Campio! My dear, your compatibility profile didn't do you justice. I, of course, am Lwaxana, and any introductory compliments you'd care to make will be happily received.
Campio: Indeed, Mrs. Troi. You are even lovelier in person.
Lwaxana: Now that worked just fine.
Campio: Now, now we don't wish to be too familiar at this early juncture.
Picard: Forgive this tardiness. Ship's business. Minister Campio, Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the Enterprise. Welcome aboard.
Campio: I thank you and greet you with appreciation for permitting this wedding aboard your fine vessel.
Picard: Not at all, sir.
Lwaxana: Campio, may I present my daughter? Deanna Troi, meet, well, your future stepfather, come to think of it.
Campio: Ah, yes. If I recall the profile, you are the ship's counselor?
Troi: I am, sir.
Campio: And my escort, who need not be addressed in this company: Protocol Master Erko.
Lwaxana: Campio? Personally I adore all the ostentation I can get, but, Protocol Master?
Campio: I would not do you nor our benevolent hosts the disservice of failing to ensure that priorities are observed.
Lwaxana: Oh, yes. How very thoughtful.
Campio: After all, it would be unpardonable to simply abandon ourselves to the moment, would it not?
Lwaxana: Unpardonable.
Laforge: Well, it looks like the only alloy common to both the replicator and the stabilizer is nitrium. Computer, analyze the nitrium content of both the affected stabilizer and replicator.
Computer: There is no nitrium present in the affected stabilizer or replicator.
Data: There is none present in the residue, either.
Laforge: According to the mass spectrometer, the elements in the residue have been broken down into simpler molecular structures.
Data: That would suggest the nitrium has been organically metabolized.
Laforge: Maybe that's it, Data. If a living organism ingested the nitrium.
Data: This residue would be the waste left behind.
Laforge: If that's true, if something's eating away at the nitrium on the ship. That means the dilithium chamber is vulnerable, as well as the power transfer conduits. We'd better get to Engineering.
Alexander: Ha! Ha!
Worf: Eat, son.
Alexander: Ha!
Worf: What are you doing? What is that noise?
Alexander: Ha! It's my laughing hour. Ha! Ha!
Worf: That is enough, please. It is your dinner hour. Eat.
Alexander: Ha! I promised to meet Mrs. Troi for another lesson in happy wisdom. Ha!
Worf: Will you stop doing that, please? Alexander, eat your food. Wisdom will wait, I assure you.
Alexander: I promised. Should I break my promise, Father?
Worf: A Klingon ever breaks his word.
Worf: Where are you going?
Alexander: You said no Klingon ever breaks his word.
Worf: I did not mean now. Now just sit down and eat.
Alexander: I don't understand, Father. You're confusing me.
Worf: Understand later. Just eat.
Alexander: Father? The higher, the fewer.
Campio: I don't wish to be authoritative, my dear, but Master Erko says that now is our proper time for discussion of certain details.
Lwaxana: Well, I certainly don't wish to be considered anti-Erko, dear, but I did promise Alexander one more holodeck trip. Come along, my little love.
Campio: Surely there'll be other occasions for you to spend time with the boy.
Lwaxana: My goodness, Campio. You and I are going to have the rest of our lives. I'll tell you what. I'll be back here with you in one hour exactly, all right?
Erko: Minister, the woman should not be addressing you in the familiar.
Troi: Mother, we have to talk.
Lwaxana: Yes, we certainly do, dear, but not just now. Well, how, er how do I address him?
Troi: Mother, we've come for Alexander. Please, forgive the intrusion.
Erko: Preferably he should be called by his ministerial title.
Lwaxana: Ah. I'll remember. Oh, Mister Homn. You make everybody comfortable until we get back. Especially the Minister, here. Now, I'll be back. One hour, darling. I'll see you then.
Worf: Mrs. Troi, it is Alexander's dinner hour.
Lwaxana: How thoughtless of me. I guess we'll just have to have a little picnic before our mud bath.
Campio: We have business to deal with here. Leaving is simply not acceptable.
Lwaxana: Oh, well can't we just pretend it's acceptable? We'll be back.
Campio: You are missing the point.
Worf: Alexander, you will return to our quarters and have dinner.
Alexander: But we're going to go to the holodeck.
Troi: Mother, you're undermining every effort we're trying to make here.
Lwaxana: Don't be absurd. You poor dear, don't they ever let you change those colorless outfits?
Erko: It is essential that we begin a discussion of the wedding procedures now.
Lwaxana: Oh, Minister, darling, perhaps you and the Jerko here can come with us.
Campio: Lwaxana, this exceeds all boundaries.
Lwaxana: Oh. Well, half hour, then. No longer, I promise. Mister Homn, your duties.
Campio: Counselor Troi, have you no influence?
Troi: Ha!
Alexander: Ha!
Campio: Lwaxana, if you will remain, I may allow the boy to stay
Erko: Definitely not!
Worf: Definitely not. My son is to return to quarters.
Erko: Nor may a servant be present during a prenuptial consultation.
Troi: Well, sir, I'm afraid even the bride won't be present for this one.
Data: The dilithium chamber shows no anomalous readings.
Laforge: So far, these transfer conduits are clean, too. Hold on, I'm getting something here. There's a severe energy fluctuation in this access panel.
Alexander: What happened?
Juggler: I was just juggling and I happened to catch one in my mouth. It tasted good, so I ate it. Before I knew it, I'd eaten up every one of my worlds. It never occurred to me that once they were gone, I'd have nothing left to juggle. If you ever have a world, plan ahead. Don't eat it.
Lwaxana: Well, now. Almost time to get back.
Alexander: Are you sad?
Lwaxana: Of course not. I'm about to be a bride.
Alexander: You know that man you're going to marry? He would never come and take a mud bath, would he.
Lwaxana: Oh, he might. Probably not.
Alexander: You know, maybe this would be a good time to get one of those little people that live inside of you to come out and tell you what to do, or help you, or something.
Lwaxana: Alexander, what are you talking about?
Alexander: I'm sorry.
Lwaxana: No. No, don't you dare be sorry.
Alexander: What's wrong?
Lwaxana: Come along, Alexander. Let's not leave everyone waiting for us.
Laforge: Once we saw that photonic trail moving through the wall, we realized we must be dealing with a metal parasite of some kind.
Data: We believe the parasites came through the ship's hull after we destroyed the asteroid near Tessen Three.
Picard: Are they attacking anything other than nitrium alloy?
Laforge: No, sir, not that we can tell. But we've got nitrium everywhere. The computers, the life support, the ventilation, the engines, even the dilithium chamber.
Picard: Mister Data, the asteroid we destroyed. That was rich in nitrium.
Data: Aye, sir.
Picard: And that asteroid came from the Pelloris Field. If the rest of that field is rich in nitrium, it would make a natural feeding ground.
Laforge: We should think about going back there. The parasites could possibly be lured back to the asteroids for a meal that's more appealing than we are.
Picard: Mister Data, how long to the field?
Data: At warp nine, five hours twenty minutes, sir.
Picard: Picard to the Bridge
Riker: Riker here, sir.
Picard: Set a course for the Pelloris asteroid field, warp nine.
Riker: Aye, sir.
Data: Captain, with our sensors unable to detect the parasites and given the speed with which they appear to be moving through the ship
Picard: We may not have five hours and twenty minutes. I'm aware of that. How can we slow them down?
Data: In several cases, an exanogen gas barrier has been known to slow the progress of metal parasites.
Picard: They don't like cold, eh? Make it so.
Laforge: The problem is finding them. As soon as we spot an energy fluctuation, they've already consumed all the nitrium and have moved on.
Laforge: Primary power systems are going down. I've rerouted to the secondary generators.
Picard: Inform the Bridge. Mister Data, with me.
Picard: Bridge. Commander, do you have any suggestions on how we could encourage the parasites to leave the ship once we reach the Pelloris Field?
Data: If we reconfigure a particle beam with a high concentration of nitrium, and project it toward one of the asteroids.
Picard: Then they would follow the beam like a trail of breadcrumbs. Very well.
Data: Turbolift velocity is beginning to fluctuate, Captain.
Picard: Computer, stop at next level. Computer, acknowledge.
Data: We have reached the bridge, sir.
Picard: Report, Number One.
Riker: Ventilation and life support are failing at random spots all over the ship.
Worf: Captain, we've dropped to warp five point seven.
Picard: Picard to Engineering.
Laforge: La Forge here.
Picard: What's happening, Mister La Forge? We're losing speed.
Laforge: The parasites must've gotten into the primary warp controllers, Captain. Trying to do a bypass patch to isolate the backup controllers but it looks like warp six is about the best I'm going to be able to give you.
Picard: At that speed, Mister La Forge, there won't be a ship left to reach the Pelloris Field. Do what you have to.
Laforge: Working on it, sir.
Data: Captain, we're losing life support on decks eleven and twelve.
Picard: Mister Worf, have security evacuate all personnel from those decks.
Worf: Aye, sir.
Laforge: Engineering to Bridge. We've got warp six point five but I don't know how much more coaxing
Laforge: We can do here.
Picard: We need more speed than that, Commander.
Laforge: The matter-antimatter
Laforge: Injectors are failing. I'm rerouting to secondary injector power now. Watch the antimatter containment for any system failure.
Riker: Atmospheric systems are down twenty seven percent. We're going below tolerable oxygen limits.
Worf: We must evacuate decks twenty through twenty four, Captain.
Picard: Make it so. Shut down life support to those decks.
Riker: Direct all evacuees to decks nine and ten.
Picard: Divert emergency life support to those decks.
Data: Aye, sir.
Picard: Time to asteroid field?
Data: If we maintain our current speed, two hours, twenty three minutes, sir.
Picard: Mister Data, the rest of us may lose consciousness. If we do, it will be your job to execute the plan as discussed.
Data: Aye, sir.
Computer: Structural integrity of the dilithium chamber is at thirty four percent. Estimated breach in one minute.
Data: Computer, transfer power from warp engines to life support.
Computer: Transfer complete.
Data: Activate Bussard collector.
Computer: Activated. Breach of dilithium chamber in forty seconds.
Data: Reconfigure hydrogen plasma mixture to include thirty percent nitrium.
Computer: Mixture complete.
Data: Project emitter beam, heading zero two four mark zero four one.
Computer: Structural integrity of the dilithium chamber is at twenty eight percent and holding.
Picard: Mister Data?
Data: The plan was successful, sir.
Picard: Well done. Mister Worf, coordinate your teams with Doctor Crusher and Commander La Forge. Assess damage and injury.
Worf: Aye, sir.
Picard: Captain's log, stardate 45733.6. Temporary repairs to the ship have been completed. Our attention now turns to matters of a more festive nature.
Erko: This is intolerable.
Riker: You'd think she'd at least get to her own wedding on time.
Erko: Minister! Minister! This is infamous. Infamous! We leave immediately!
Lwaxana: Ah, heavenly. Every pore in my body tingles with contentment. Isn't it wonderful how things work out, Alexander? I wanted to teach you how to grab the joys of living, and you turned around and taught me not to let go of them. How very mutual.
Troi: We still have to learn how to live in the real world, Mother. All of us.
Lwaxana: She's absolutely right, Alexander. But only when necessary.
Worf: You're just supposed to sit here?


Clara: I like to cook all kinds of stuff, like yogurt and raisin salad, chocolate chip pancakes and purple omelets.
Troi: Purple omelets?
Clara: You put grape juice in the eggs. Isabella doesn't like it very much. She says it tastes funny.
Troi: I can see her point. Sugar with your tea?
Clara: Yes, please.
Troi: Isabella would you like some too?
Clara: Yes, but she takes two cubes.
Troi: I'll bet Isabella is very pretty.
Clara: She's very, very pretty. She has blonde hair and a blue dress with white buttons. Her ears are pierced and she's tall.
Troi: Maybe you could draw me a picture. I'd love to see what she looks like.
Clara: You don't think she's real.
Troi: I think she's real for you, and that is real enough for me.
Sutter: Honey, I think it's time for you to go. You don't want to keep Keiko waiting.
Clara: I have to go plant the nasturtiums now. I'm Keiko's helper in the arboretum today.
Troi: Is that so?
Sutter: You go ahead, sweetie, and be home for dinner.
Troi: I hope I see you soon. Maybe we can be friends.
Clara: Okay. Counselor Troi?
Troi: Yes?
Clara: Isabella says she likes you.
Troi: Why, thank you, Isabella.
Troi: I can understand your concern, Ensign Sutter, but really you have nothing to worry about. It's a normal, healthy activity for children to engage in imaginary play.
Sutter: I'm just afraid she's not making any real friends. She spends all of her time with Isabella.
Troi: You've been moving from starship to starship since Clara was two years old. Maybe Isabella provides a constant companion. She knows this is one friend she won't have to leave behind.
Sutter: You're probably right.
Troi: Give Clara a chance. As she learns to make friends on the Enterprise, you'll probably find that she'll leave her imaginary world behind.
Picard: Captain's log, stardate 45852.1. The Enterprise has arrived at FGC four seven, a nebula which has formed around a neutron star. We are eager to investigate this unique formation.
Laforge: We've got elevated quantities of hydrogen, helium and trionium, but nothing the shields can't handle.
Riker: Shields up.
Picard: Take us in, Ensign. One quarter impulse.
Felton: Aye, sir.
Data: In order for the lateral sensors to complete their scheduled observations, additional processing time will be required.
Laforge: We could steal a couple of hours from the Engineering team while they're recalibrating the thermal interferometery scanner.
Data: Will two hours be enough time to complete the high-resolution series on the neutron star?
Laforge: No problem. We'll just double up the main sensor bandwidth while they're freeing up the lateral unit.
Crusher: And then after dinner, then what?
Ogawa: We went to the holodeck and took a walk on the Champs Elysees.
Crusher: The neural scanner still seems to be a bit off. Let's check the sensor calibrations.
Ogawa: I'll run a diagnostic.
Crusher: And?
Ogawa: And?
Crusher: After Paris?
Ogawa: He has shore leave next month. He asked me to go to Risa with him.
Crusher: No problem. Nurse McClukidge can cover for you.
Ogawa: I don't think I'm going, Doctor. I hear it's a very uninhibited atmosphere. Personally, I don't think I'm ready for that kind of fun.
Crusher: Try to talk him into Tavena Minor. They have a cruise down the Jokri River. The iridescent currents are beautiful.
Clara: See, Isabella? You have to push your finger into the soil as far as it can go. I'm making a hole for the seeds. Now they need to be watered. But the baby seeds are very small, so we mustn't give them too much to drink.
Clara: Hello? Is anybody there?
Isabella: Hello.
Clara: Isabella?
Isabella: Hello, Clara.
Clara: Isabella, how come I can see you?
Isabella: Is something wrong with the way I look?
Clara: No. I've just never seen you before. Not for real.
Isabella: Well, now you can see me for real. Doesn't that make you happy?
Clara: Yes, it's wonderful.
Isabella: Can we go now?
Clara: We'd better finish planting the seeds first.
Isabella: I'm tired of planting. Let's do something else.
Clara: Like what?
Isabella: Like, I would really like to explore the ship.
Clara: We'd better finish planting first. I promised Keiko.
Isabella: We can finish later. Let's go look around.
Clara: I'd better ask my daddy.
Isabella: Your daddy won't mind. We can tell him later. Come on.
Laforge: So what are we going to name this nebula? FGC forty seven just doesn't have the proper ring to it.
Sutter: Why don't we call it Sutter's Cloud?
Data: The rotational period of the neutron star is one point three five seconds.
Laforge: That's a bit on the long side. Sutter, let's see if you can get a reading on the particle flux.
Sutter: Aye, sir.
Laforge: I was thinking about something more along the lines of the La Forge Nebula. It's got sort of a majestic sound, don't you think?
Data: Given the selections, I prefer FGC four seven.
Sutter: What was that?
Laforge: It felt like we hit something.
Data: Shields have registered an impact, however sensors show nothing in the vicinity.
Worf: Forward velocity is down by point two percent, and dropping.
Picard: Engineering.
Picard: Report.
Laforge: Could be something wrong with the shields, Captain. We're checking it out now.
Sutter: Systems are normal, sir.
Laforge: So did we hit something or not? Shields say yes, sensors say no. This is very strange. Ensign, give me a breakdown on shield energy conversion and then run a spectral. Whoa. Where did you come from?
Clara: I'm Clara Sutter. That's my daddy.
Sutter: Clara, you can't be here right now.
Clara: But Isabella wanted to see Engineering.
Sutter: I don't care what Isabella wanted to see, you go back to our quarters right now.
Clara: But Daddy
Picard: Bridge to La Forge. Our speed is still dropping.
Laforge: I hear you, Captain. I'm increasing the power to the impulse engines, but forward velocity just isn't consistent with engine output.
Picard: Explanation.
Laforge: It seems like there's something increasing the drag coefficient on the ship.
Laforge: But we can't find the source.
Picard: If we can't correct it we may have to reverse course and leave the nebula.
Laforge: Give me a couple of minutes here, Captain.
Sutter: Clara, now.
Sutter: I'm sorry, Commander.
Clara: Why do you keep disappearing like that?
Isabella: The grown-ups don't believe I'm real. When they're around, I have to be invisible. Wait here.
Data: The drag coefficient continues to increase. Our velocity has fallen by twelve percent. Velocity is increasing. Ship's speed has stabilized at one quarter impulse.
Laforge: That's great, Data. What'd you do?
Data: I did nothing. The problem seems to have corrected itself.
Clara: Where did you go?
Isabella: There was something I had to do.
Laforge: I don't have an explanation, Captain. We seemed to hit something, then we started losing speed. So far as we can tell, there's nothing out there to hit.
Riker: Could some kind of damping field have caused us to lose velocity?
Data: We have simulated several such fields, but were unable to reproduce the same drag coefficient.
Laforge: And we still don't know why the problem suddenly corrected itself.
Picard: It seems we're looking a unique phenomenon. One that hasn't been recorded before.
Laforge: The question is, do we stay here and check it out?
Riker: Might be dangerous.
Data: Since we have only experienced the phenomenon once, it is impossible to estimate the risks.
Laforge: Captain, I'd like to stay here for a little bit, collect some samples of the gaseous matter, see what it tells us.
Picard: Agreed. Collect your samples, Mister La Forge. We'll proceed with caution. Dismissed.
Isabella: What's in here?
Clara: That's the door to the cargo bay. We can't go in there.
Isabella: Let's go someplace with a lot of people.
Clara: Okay. Isabella, why are you so serious lately?
Isabella: What do you mean?
Clara: You haven't even smiled once today.
Clara: You're my best friend, Isabella.
Isabella: Why?
Clara: I don't know. Because we do things together and we trade secrets.
Isabella: Does everybody have a best friend?
Clara: If they're lucky. Before I had you, I didn't have one.
Isabella: Why not?
Clara: Every time I made friends with someone, my daddy's job would change and we'd move to a new ship. It takes time to make a best friend.
Isabella: How long?
Clara: It depends. With you, not very long. You always listened to me, even when I was sad.
Isabella: Clara, I'm glad we're best friends.
Clara: Race you.
Isabella: Okay.
Clara: Ready, set, go!
Worf: This area is not designated for children. Are you lost? Where are you supposed to be?
Clara: We were only playing. We're sorry.
Worf: Return to your quarters, and we will forget this incident.
Clara: Thank you. Come on.
Laforge: Okay, I've configured the magnetic coil to collect samples of gaseous matter from the nebula. Go ahead and activate the beam emitter.
Sutter: I'm setting the fractionater to a continuous cycle.
Laforge: We'll take samples from eight random sections. That ought to give us a reliable measure.
Sutter: Commander, I understand that you had a parent who was in Starfleet.
Laforge: Two of them, as a matter of fact. My father was an exozoologist, my mother a Command officer.
Sutter: They must have been posted to a lot of different assignments.
Laforge: That's putting it mildly. They were always on the move. Some of the time together, sometimes separately. I never knew whether or not I was going to be stationed with my father while he studied invertebrates in the Modean system or on some outpost near the Neutral Zone with my mom.
Sutter: Was that hard on you?
Laforge: I don't remember it that way.
Sutter: It must have been disruptive if you didn't stay in one place long enough to make friends.
Laforge: Well, I suppose there were aspects of my childhood that were less than ideal, but to me it was just one long adventure. Children are a lot stronger than you think. As long as they know you love them, they can handle just about anything life throws at them, you know.
Sutter: Thanks, Commander.
Guinan: It's a Samarian coral fish with its fin unfolded.
Data: I believe what you are seeing is the effect of the fluid dynamic processes inherent in the large scale motion of highly rarified gas.
Guinan: No, no. First it was a fish, and now it's a Mintonian sailing ship.
Data: Where?
Guinan: Right there. Don't you see the two swirls coming together to form the mast?
Data: I do not see it. It is interesting that people try to find meaningful patterns in things that are essentially random. I have noticed that the images they perceive sometimes suggest what they are thinking about at that particular moment. Besides, it is clearly a bunny rabbit.
Guinan: Looks as though someone's lost their way. Excuse me. Hello. Are you looking for someone?
Clara: No. I brought Isabella to see Ten Forward.
Guinan: Oh, I see. Well, ordinarily we would only let you in with a grown-up, but since you've brought Isabella, you can be my guest. Won't you join me?
Clara: Thank you.
Guinan: Now, how about two Papalla juices with extra bubbles.
Clara: Just one, please. Isabella isn't thirsty.
Guinan: One juice.
Clara: You're not like the other grown-ups.
Guinan: Oh, no?
Clara: They don't think Isabella's real.
Guinan: Well, most grown-ups have a hard time with things they can't see.
Clara: Why?
Guinan: Well, because they get preoccupied by other things.
Clara: Like what?
Guinan: Like how much fuel it takes to power a ship, or whether we should go to one star system or another, or whether little girls should go to bed at seven or be allowed to stay up till eight. So their heads can get so full that they forget about the things that are important to you and me, like imaginary friends.
Clara: If the other grown-ups don't understand, how come you do?
Guinan: Maybe because when I was your age, I had one.
Clara: You did? What was she like?
Guinan: It wasn't a she.
Clara: What was he like?
Guinan: It wasn't a he.
Clara: It?
Guinan: It was a Tarkassian razor beast. It had dark brown fur and gold eyes and huge spiny wings, and it would fly so fast nobody could see it except me.
Clara: Sounds scary.
Guinan: Oh, it was, especially when he smiled. But the best thing about him was I could curl up on his furry belly, and he had the softest purr you ever heard. It put me right to sleep every night. I tell you, that razorbeast was a good friend.
Clara: So is Isabella.
Troi: Hello, Clara.
Clara: Hello.
Guinan: Clara and Isabella and I were just having a conversation.
Troi: Would you and Isabella like to come for a walk with me?
Clara: I guess so. Bye.
Guinan: Bye, Clara. Bye, Isabella.
Troi: Clara, you haven't been on this she very long, so maybe you don't know, but Ten Forward is usually for grown-ups.
Clara: I know that. I didn't want to go, but Isabella wanted to see it.
Troi: If Isabella is making you do things you know are wrong, then you must tell her it's not acceptable.
Clara: I try to but she doesn't listen.
Troi: Deck thirty two. Clara, do you want me to talk to Isabella?
Troi: Isabella, it's not very nice to get Clara to do things that she isn't supposed to.
Clara: She's over there.
Troi: From now on I want you to ask a grown-up before you go to any place that is off-limits.
Troi: What does she say?
Clara: She said.
Troi: Clara, please tell me what Isabella said.
Clara: She said, you'd better leave us alone.
Troi: I'm a little concerned at the turn this is taking. It seems Clara is beginning to do inappropriate things and blaming them on Isabella.
Sutter: She came into Engineering today. She said it was Isabella's idea.
Troi: I don't think it's too serious yet, but we should make more of an effort to get her involved with real friends her own age. The children's center's having a ceramics class this afternoon. Why don't I take Clara?
Sutter: I think she'd like that.
Troi: I'll see if there's any room left in the class. In the meantime, I think you should make yourself more available to Clara. Let her know she doesn't have to rely on Isabella when she needs someone to talk to.
Sutter: Counselor, thank you.
Isabella: Are you mad at me? I'm sorry I got you in trouble.
Clara: That's okay.
Isabella: Are we still best friends?
Clara: Here, you can help me put this together if you want.
Isabella: Clara, why are grown-ups so mean?
Clara: They're not mean. They're just more serious than we are.
Isabella: Sometimes I wish they would just go away.
Clara: You do?
Isabella: Yes, I don't like them. I'm bored. Let's go back to Engineering.
Clara: We're not allowed to go there.
Isabella: I thought we were best friends.
Clara: We are.
Isabella: Then why won't you play with me?
Clara: I told you.
Isabella: You always listen to the grown-ups. You don't care about me.
Clara: That's not true.
Isabella: I thought we'd have fun together, once you could really see me. I thought you'd like me. Let's go to Engineering, Clara. Just for a little while. No one will know. It'll be our secret. And if they find us, we'll tell them we got lost.
Clara: Who is it?
Troi: Counselor Troi.
Troi: Hello, Clara.
Clara: Hi.
Troi: I came to ask if you'd like to go to a ceramics class.
Clara: Can Isabella come too?
Troi: No. Let's do something with Isabella another day.
Clara: Well, okay.
Data: Sir, as we move deeper into the nebula, sensors indicate that the levels of helium and trionium are continuing to rise.
Picard: Is it something that the shields can't handle?
Data: No, sir. We are well within tolerance levels.
Picard: Mister Data?
Data: Shields have registered an impact.
Picard: But the sensors show nothing out there, right?
Data: There is no indication of anything near the ship.
Worf: Forward velocity is dropping, Captain. Down by point four percent.
Picard: Can we go to warp speed?
Data: Until we determine the cause of the drag coefficient, I would not recommend it, sir.
Worf: Forward velocity down by one point one percent.
Picard: Ensign, increase power to the impulse engines.
Felton: Aye, sir. Impulse engines now at full power.
Worf: We are no longer losing speed. Forward velocity is holding steady.
Data: The drag coefficient is still present, but it has stabilized.
Picard: Bridge to Commander Riker. Check with Mister La Forge. See if he found anything in the matter sample from the nebula.
Riker: On my way, sir.
Riker: Any luck?
Laforge: Yeah, take a look at this. We tried radiating the subject matter with just about everything we could think of. We didn't find anything until we subjected it to a high frequency warp field. We think this is what we've been running into.
Riker: Do you know what it is?
Laforge: We think so, now that the sensors can read it. It seems to be a highly cohesive form of plasma, like a strand of energy.
Sutter: We figure it's a segment of just part of a network of much larger strands.
Laforge: When these things come in contact with our shields it produces a resonant effect, and that creates the drag coefficient we've been experiencing.
Riker: Is there anything like this on record?
Laforge: No, sir.
Riker: Do you know how many of them there might be?
Laforge: No, but if we run the warp field generators through the deflector grid, we could radiate a field outside the ship.
Riker: And we'd be able to see for ourselves. Let's do it.
Troi: Alexander, I thought you might like a partner. This is Clara Sutter. She's new on the Enterprise. Clara, meet Alexander Rozhenko.
Alexander: I'm making a cup for my father. Want to help?
Troi: Go ahead.
Alexander: Well, you're supposed to put them in a row, like this.
Troi: Clara, would you like some clay of your own?
Teacher: Here, honey.
Clara: I've never made a cup before. How do you make the round part?
Alexander: Well, it's easy. You take a big piece of clay like this, and push your hand into it.
Worf: Warp field generators are standing by.
Laforge: Captain, we should be able to illuminate any strands within two thousand kilometers of the ship.
Picard: Proceed.
Laforge: Initiating field generation.
Picard: Remarkable.
Data: It is an irregular lattice composed of approximately forty seven million strands of energy.
Laforge: Captain, with this many of them, the resonant effect on our shields could cause a problem.
Picard: Agreed. Ensign, bring us about. Take us out of the nebula.
Data: It may be difficult, sir. I am detecting a significant number of strands behind us.
Picard: Do your best, Ensign.
Felton: Aye, sir.
Troi: Hot chocolate. Computer, I need my appointment schedule for next week.
Alexander: Kryonian Tigers aren't so scary. I saw one once.
Clara: You did?
Alexander: My father took me to the zoo on Brentalia. All the tiger did was lick my hand. And he smelled funny.
Clara: I think we need more water.
Alexander: I'll get some.
Clara: Isabella?
Alexander: Clara!
Clara: I didn't do it.
Alexander: Who did?
Clara: It was Isabella.
Alexander: I don't see anybody.
Clara: She's invisible.
Alexander: I spent two weeks on that. That was really mean.
Clara: I didn't do it. I didn't.
Alexander: Clara, there's no such thing as invisible people. You're lying.
Alexander: Hey!
Clara: Isabella, stop!
Isabella: Clara.
Clara: Why were you being so mean to me? Why'd you do that to my friend?
Isabella: Because you ran away from me. You left me alone. I had to do everything by myself.
Clara: You're scaring me.
Isabella: I was going to protect you, Clara. I liked you. But now I don't care. Now, when the others come, you can die along with everyone else.
Picard: Status, Mister Data.
Data: At our current speed, we will clear the nebula in twelve minutes four seconds.
Picard: Continue a full sensor sweep. I want all the information we can gather.
Worf: Captain, forward velocity is down by point six percent. Velocity down by two point four percent.
Picard: Mister Data?
Data: We are moving through a dense concentration of energy strands.
Riker: Can we go to warp?
Laforge: The stress on the hull would be too great.
Data: Captain, density appears to be lower off the starboard bow.
Picard: Ensign, bring us to bearing oh three oh mark five.
Felton: Aye, sir.
Worf: Forward velocity holding.
Picard: Steady as she goes.
Guinan: Is something wrong with the cake?
Troi: Excuse me?
Guinan: Well, I see you sitting here with a piece of untouched chocolate cake in front of you. I assume something's wrong with the cake or something's bothering you.
Troi: I'm sure the cake is fine. I've just been thinking.
Guinan: Let me guess. About the little girl with the imaginary friend?
Troi: I'm wondering if I'm doing the right thing.
Guinan: How so?
Troi: Well, I know the best thing to do is to gradually wean her away from her fantasy, and she did make some new friends today and had a good time.
Guinan: But?
Troi: But I can't help feeling that I'm taking something from her. Something precious. A part of her childhood she'll never have again.
Guinan: Well, I'm not sure about that. I was just telling Clara about my imaginary friend.
Troi: You have an imaginary friend?
Guinan: A Tarkassian razor beast. It protected me. I knew as long as that razorbeast was around, nothing could hurt me. You know, over the years his body kind of faded away but the idea stayed. And I just don't seem to talk to him as often as I used to.
Troi: You still talk to it?
Guinan: Oh, yeah, when I'm afraid or I get confused or a little scared. I just don't think you should have to give up an imaginary friend.
Sutter: Ensign Sutter to Counselor Troi.
Troi: Go ahead, Ensign.
Sutter: Would you come to my quarters? I'm having a problem with Clara.
Troi: I'm on my way.
Sutter: She won't even go into her room. She's terrified that Isabella's going to hurt her.
Troi: Clara, your father tells me Isabella has been saying some very bad things to you. What did she say?
Clara: She said they were going to come and kill everyone.
Troi: Who's going to come and kill everyone?
Clara: The others, like her.
Troi: Did she say why? I know you're very frightened. Sometimes what we imagine can be just as scary as something real. But I promise you, there is no way Isabella can harm you or anyone on this ship.
Clara: But she's not imaginary anymore. She's real now. I can see her.
Troi: You can see her?
Clara: Yes.
Troi: If I go with you and hold your hand, will you go into your room?
Clara: I think so.
Troi: We'll make sure Isabella isn't anywhere around, okay? Come on.
Troi: Do you see anybody?
Troi: Let's look under the bed. Is she there? Okay, where else?
Troi: Is she behind here?
Troi: Maybe Isabella's gone home.
Troi: Let's see. Anything here? Maybe Isabella knows that you've got new friends now. In fact, I'll bet she won't be coming around as much anymore.
Clara: Maybe. What about in the closet?
Troi: Okay. Anybody in here? Looks pretty empty to me.
Troi: She was eleven, maybe twelve, with blonde hair. Clara.
Crusher: Clara's sleeping. She's going to be fine. Her bioelectrical processes were severely disrupted. It's as if the energy were pulled right out of her body.
Sutter: Captain, Clara has told me that her imaginary friend has been making threats. She claimed that others were on the way and that they had plans to kill everyone on the ship.
Picard: Picard to Lieutenant Worf.
Worf: Worf here, sir.
Picard: Lieutenant,
Picard: We've established the presence of what appears to be an alien entity on board. It seems the entity has manifested itself in the form of a twelve year old human girl who has been seen with Clara Sutter. She has blonde hair, blue eyes
Worf: And a blue dress.
Worf: Yes sir, I have seen her.
Picard: When?
Worf: Two days ago, near Engineering. She was with Miss Sutter.
Picard: Security Alert
Picard: Mister Worf. Keep a good lookout.
Worf: Aye, sir.
Ogawa: She insisted on talking to you.
Clara: It's about Isabella.
Sutter: What about her, Clara?
Clara: I think her feelings were hurt. She said she liked me, she liked being with me. She was my friend. She only got mean when I stopped paying attention to her.
Sutter: Did she say when the others were coming? All right, thanks, sweetie. You go back to bed now. We'll handle this.
Clara: But Daddy.
Picard: Clara, if we need your help again, I hope we can count on you.
Clara: Yes, Captain.
Riker: Captain Picard, report to the Bridge.
Picard: On my way.
Picard: Report.
Riker: Our speed is down by twenty two percent.
Laforge: Strand density is ten times what it was, Captain. We can't take many more of these hits.
Picard: All stop.
Worf: Sir, something is heading toward us, bearing one oh three mark oh two four.
Picard: On screen.
Data: It appears to be an energy vortex of highly complex patterns. Possibly a life form.
Riker: Red alert.
Data: It is in direct physical contact with our shields.
Worf: Shield strength dropping to seventy five percent. Seventy two percent.
Riker: The damn thing's feeding off our shields. Mister Data, remodulate our shield frequencies.
Data: Aye, sir. No effect.
Worf: Shield strength has dropped to sixty four percent.
Laforge: We've got about eight minutes before this thing drains our shields.
Riker: Any ideas?
Clara: Isabella? Isabella? Don't you want to talk to me? I'm not mad at you. Isabella?
Picard: We know you've been on this ship for some time now, and that you're posing as Clara's friend, and that you've been threatening her. We can only assume that there is some connection between yourself and the life forms attacking this ship. You're obviously an intelligent being. There's no reason to hide from us. Talk to us. Or can you only communicate by threatening a small child?
Clara: I'm scared, Isabella.
Picard: Who are you?
Isabella: I came here to determine whether you were a threat to us, and to examine the purity of your energy sources.
Picard: Energy? Is that why you're draining our shields?
Isabella: Yes. The emissions from your graviton field generators are far richer than our normal sources of energy.
Picard: Picard to Bridge. Report.
Riker: Shields are down to three percent. We're diverting all available power.
Picard: Acknowledged. If it's energy that you want, we have other ways of providing it. You needn't destroy us.
Isabella: You should be destroyed. You are cruel, uncaring creatures.
Picard: What makes you say that?
Isabella: The way you treat Clara.
Picard: In what way have we mistreated her?
Isabella: You wouldn't let her do what she wanted to, or go where she wanted to.
Picard: You mean where you wanted her to.
Isabella: What difference does it make?
Picard: You were taking her to places that were inappropriate, even dangerous.
Isabella: I wouldn't have let anything happen to her.
Picard: We didn't know that. We didn't even know if you were real. All we knew was that a little girl's imaginary friend was frightening her, threatening her.
Isabella: That was only after you told Clara not to be my friend.
Picard: I understand. You are seeing this ship, all of us, from a unique perspective. From a child's point of view. It must seem terribly unfair and restrictive to you. As adults, we don't always stop to consider how everything we say and do shapes the impressions of young people. But if you're judging us as a people by the way we treat our children, and I think there can be better criterion, then you must understand how deeply we care for them. When our children are young, they don't understand what might be dangerous. Our rules are to keep them from harm, real or imagined, and that's part of the continuity of our human species. When Clara grows up, she will make rules for her children to protect them, as we protect her.
Clara: Please don't hurt us. If you still want to be my best friend, I'd like that very much.
Picard: Status, Number One.
Riker: We're clear of the strands. We'll have full warp capability in twenty minutes.
Picard: Notify all sections we'll be leaving this area in one hour.
Riker: Sir?
Picard: Mister La Forge, I want you to drive the warp engines to full power, and direct a flow of energy out into the nebula.
Laforge: Aye, sir.
Isabella: I came to say I'm sorry I frightened you.
Clara: That's okay.
Isabella: And I misled you. I wasn't really your Isabella.
Clara: For a while you were.
Isabella: I never had a friend before.
Clara: I'm sorry I have to go away.
Isabella: Do you think you'll ever come back?
Clara: I hope so.
Isabella: So do I.