Data: Good morning, Commander.
Riker: Data. Interesting night?
Data: I found it extremely interesting. The lateral sensor arrays ran three separate spectral analyzes of the Alawanir Nebula on three distinct frequencies.
Riker: Sorry I missed it.
Data: I will have the report sent to you, sir. We are still on course for the Gariman sector. Our speed is warp six, ETA thirteen hundred hours. Sickbay reported one minor injury in the exobiology department at zero four twenty hours.
Riker: Very well.
Riker: Isn't Lieutenant Worf scheduled to replace Ensign Torigan?
Data: Yes, sir. I was not informed of any change in the duty roster.
Riker: He's never late. Riker to Lieutenant Worf. Computer, locate Lieutenant Worf.
Computer: Lieutenant Worf is in his quarters.
Riker: Something's wrong. Mister Data, you have the Bridge. Security team, meet me on deck seven, section twenty five baker.
Security: Aye, sir.
Riker: Computer, override security lock on this door. Authorisation, Riker alpha six zero.
Worf: Torva luk do shel! Torva
Riker: Worf, what the hell are you doing?
Worf: Enter.
Worf: Captain.
Picard: On your feet, Lieutenant.
Worf: Sir.
Picard: Mister Worf, your personal affairs are strictly your own concern until they interfere with the operation of this ship. You have now crossed that line. As your Captain, I want to know exactly what is going on.
Worf: It is difficult to explain.
Picard: Try.
Worf: Ever since I returned from the Carraya system I have felt empty.
Picard: Does this have something to do with the Klingons you rescued from Carraya Four?
Worf: They were young. They knew nothing of their heritage. So while I was there, I tried to teach them. Teach them about their people, their culture. I told them our ancient stories, instructed them in our customs, explained our beliefs. And then I told them about Kahless. How he united our people long ago. How he gave us strength and honor, and how he promised to return one day and lead us again.
Picard: Is that what you're doing here? Trying to recapture those feelings?
Worf: Yes. I was trying to summon a vision of Kahless.
Picard: It's a pity you didn't try using the holodeck instead of setting fire to your quarters.
Worf: Using the holodeck would not have been appropriate. Everything had to be real if Kahless were to appear. But all this was is nothing. He did not come to me. I gave Toq and the others a belief in Sto-Vo-Kor, the life which lies beyond this life where Kahless awaits us. When I saw the power of their beliefs I began to question the strength of my own. And I found it wanting.
Picard: Have you lost your faith in Sto-Vo-Kor?
Worf: To lose something, one must first possess it. I am not sure I ever had a true belief. But I should not have allowed it to interfere with my duties. My behavior has been
Picard: Inexcusable. And understandable. It may be that what you are looking for cannot be found here on the Enterprise. Perhaps you need to immerse yourself in Klingon beliefs in order to discover whether they can hold any truths for you. Is there something you can do, is there somewhere you could go to explore your faith more fully?
Worf: Boreth. The Followers of Kahless await his return there. To Klingons, there is no more sacred place.
Picard: Boreth is only twelve days from here by shuttle. As of this moment, Mister Worf, you are on leave.
Worf: Thank you, sir.
Picard: But when you set foot on this ship again, I expect you to perform your duties like a Starfleet officer.
Worf: Yes, sir.
Picard: And, Mister Worf? I hope you find what you're looking for.
Worf: Thank you, sir.
Divok: Kahless! I see Kahless! He is standing before me with a sword. He wants something. Me. He wants me! He wants me to go with him!
Koroth: It is a powerful vision you have had, Divok. Kahless wants you to join him in Sto-Vo-Kor. You are only nineteen and yet your place among the honored dead is already secure. Take him back to his chamber. Let him sleep.
Koroth: You're leaving us?
Worf: It has been ten days, Koroth. I have had no visions. I have received no insight. There is nothing here for me.
Koroth: What is the Story of the Promise, Worf?
Worf: When Kahless had united our people and gave them the laws of honor, he saw that his work was done. So one night he gathered his belongings and departed for the edge of the city to say goodbye.
Koroth: The people wept. They did not want him to go.
Worf: Then Kahless said, 'You are Klingons. You need no one but yourselves. I will go now to Sto-Vo-Kor. But I promise one day I will return.' Then Kahless pointed to a star in the sky and said, 'Look for me there, on that point of light.'
Koroth: So here we are, on a world circling that distant point of light. It has been fifteen centuries since he made that promise, and still we wait. What are ten days in the life of one Klingon compared to that? Is the son of Mogh really so easily discouraged? You came to us seeking answers but this is a place of questions. Open your heart to Kahless. Ask him your questions. Let him speak to you with your mind unclouded by doubt or hesitation. Only then can you find what you are looking for. If you cannot do that, then perhaps you should return to your starship.
Worf: Torva luk do shel. Torva luk
Worf: I see Kahless.
Worf: You are real.
Kahless: I am Kahless, and I have returned.
Koroth: What are you doing? Who are you?
Divok: It is Kahless.
Kahless: I have returned. You doubt me. Who here knows the story of how this sword was forged?
Torin: No one knows. It is not written in the sacred texts.
Kahless: I went into the mountains, all the way to the volcano at Kri'stak. There I cut off a lock of my hair and thrust it into the river of molten rock which poured from the summit. The hair began to burn. Then I plunged it into the lake of Lusor and twisted it into this sword. And after I used it to kill the tyrant Molor I gave it a name. Bat'leth. The sword of honor.
Koroth: You know. The story of the sword is known only to the High Clerics. It was never written down, so that if he returned, we could be sure it was Kahless.
Kahless: I have returned because there is a great need in my people. They fight among themselves in petty wars and corrupt the glory of the Klingon spirit. They have lost their way. But it is not too late. I have returned and I will lead my people again.
Koroth: Vorcha doh baghk, Kahless!
All: Vorcha doh baghk, Kahless! Vorcha doh baghk, Kahless!
Kahless: What is it you are doing?
Worf: I was getting my tricorder.
Kahless: Tricorder? Is it a weapon?
Worf: No, no. It is a tool. I intended to use it to see
Kahless: To see if I was real. Proceed. Use your tricorder. Well?
Worf: You are Klingon.
Kahless: What else could I be?
Worf: There are many possibilities. A shape shifter, a holographic projection.
Kahless: So, you are a skeptic, Worf. I like that.
Worf: How do you know my name?
Kahless: We have met before. I appeared to you in a vision in the caves of No'Mat. You were just a child then. I told you that you would do something that no Klingon had ever done before. You still do not believe it is me, do you Worf?
Worf: I want to believe.
Kahless: That is a beginning.
Torin: Gowron is the Leader of the Council. He commands the entire Defense Force. If he chooses to oppose you
Kahless: Do not worry. We are on the threshold of a new era for our people. Klingons from all over the Empire will flock to my banner. Yet something still weighs heavy on the brow of the son of Mogh. Are you contemplating yet another question for me? After three days, I am beginning to wonder if you know how to do anything else.
Worf: Questions are the beginning of wisdom, the mark of a true warrior.
Kahless: Do not forget that a leader need not answer questions of those he leads. It is enough that he says to do a thing and they will do it. If he says to run, they run. If he says to fight, they fight. If he says to die, they die.
Worf: If the commander is worthy of their trust.
Kahless: NuQ cha'tak. NuQ!
Kahless: What is wrong? Is there only anger and bloodlust in your souls? Is that all that is left in the Klingon heart? We do not fight merely to spill blood, but to enrich the spirit. Look at us. Two warriors locked in battle, fighting for honor. How can you not sing for all to hear? We are Klingons! Yes! Let it out! Let the joy in your heart be heard. We are Klingons!
Klingon: We are Klingons.
Kahless: We are Klingons.
All: We are Klingons. We are Klingons. We are Klingons. We are Klingons. We are Klingons. We are Klingons.
Picard: Captain's log, stardate 46852.2. The Enterprise is to proceed directly to the planet Boreth to take aboard a very unusual guest.
Crusher: Did you take any other tricorder readings? An anatomical profile or a neurophysiology scan?
Worf: No.
Crusher: It's going to be very difficult to eliminate any possibilities at this point. He may be a coalescent being taking Klingon form, or a bioreplicant or even a Klingon who has been surgically altered to look like Kahless.
Worf: There is another possibility. He could be the real Kahless. He may have actually returned as he promised.
Data: The appearance of Kahless in the lava caves is consistent with the stories found in the Klingon sacred texts.
Riker: Worf, no offense, but I have trouble believing that the man I that escorted to deck eight is supernatural.
Worf: I did not say that he is. I merely think we should not completely reject the possibility.
Picard: Look, we have no reason to rule out anything. We are not ordered to investigate the origins of our guest, nor tell anyone what they should believe. We are simply to transport Kahless to the Home World. And while he's here with us, he will be treated as an honored guest.
Data: Lieutenant? May I ask a question? In the absence of empirical data, how will you determine whether or not this is the real Kahless?
Worf: It is not an empirical matter. It is a matter of faith.
Data: Faith? Then you do believe Kahless may have supernatural attributes? As an android, I am unable to accept that which cannot be proven through rational means. I would appreciate hearing your insights on this matter.
Worf: Perhaps some other time, Commander. I do not believe I can provide much insight at this minute.
Picard: Welcome aboard, Gowron.
Gowron: Where is he, Picard?
Picard: I assume that you're referring to Kahless.
Gowron: I am referring to the filthy pahtk who is using his name.
Picard: Well, the person in question is in his quarters at the moment.
Gowron: What have you learned about him so far?
Gowron: What kind of medical analysis have you made? Do you have any theories about his true origin?
Picard: We haven't done any analysis.
Gowron: What kind of fools do you have working for you, Picard? The imposter's been aboard for nearly a day.
Picard: If you wanted to run tests on Kahless, you should have sent a Klingon ship for him.
Gowron: And have him begin spreading his poisonous lies through a ship of loyal Klingons? Never.
Picard: If he really is an imposter then you have nothing to worry about.
Gowron: Kahless has been dead for a thousand years, but the idea of Kahless is still alive. Have you ever fought an idea, Picard? It has no weapon to destroy, no body to kill. The idea of Kahless' return must be stopped here, now, or it will travel through the Empire like a wave and leave nothing but destruction behind.
Picard: So Gowron has come on board in order to test your claim.
Koroth: Gowron knows that his days are nearly over. Now he comes crawling aboard with some kind of test.
Torin: We do not have to prove anything to Gowron.
Kahless: What is this test?
Picard: He has brought a knife with him, a knife is was supposed to be stained with the blood of Kahless.
Torin: Gowron has brought the Knife of Kirom? No one is permitted to remove it from the sacred vault.
Koroth: Gowron does not care about what is sacred.
Picard: He wants to run a genetic analysis on a sample of the blood and on you. That should tell us if there is a biological match. Now if you agree to the test, I will make the Enterprise facilities available to ensure that it is conducted impartially.
Kahless: Perhaps it is time to settle the doubts of those who still do not believe. I will allow this test.
Crusher: There, that should do it. Computer, run a genetic comparison on this blood sample and the tissue belonging to Kahless.
Computer: The genetic patterns are identical.
Gowron: But how? How can this be?
Worf: It is true. Kahless has returned.
Worf: I am sorry. Our replicators do not do justice to Klingon Warnog.
Kahless: It has been so long since I have tasted any food or drink. There are many things I have forgotten.
Worf: Kahless, may I ask you about death and Sto-Vo-Kor? Tell me, what awaits us beyond this life.
Kahless: I do not have those answers. I am merely a traveler, someone who has journeyed back and forth between this world and the next. While I am in this form, I know only about this world. And there is much work for me to do in this world, and you will be part of it, Worf.
Worf: Me?
Kahless: It was your purity of heart that summoned me back from Sto-Vo-Kor, and Koroth has told me about the respect you have earned in the Federation and the Empire. I want you to have a place at my side as we restore honor to our people. Let me tell you about this new Empire we will forge.
Worf: It will be glorious!
Gowron: It will be war. You are not a fool, Worf. Do you really think that every Klingon in the Empire will bend his knee and grovel before this man just because Koroth says he is Kahless?
Worf: He is Kahless. Your own test proved it.
Gowron: I will not hand over the Empire to Koroth because of one test.
Worf: It is not Koroth, it is
Gowron: Of course it is Koroth! Open your eyes. Koroth and the other Guardians have always opposed me. This is nothing more than a ploy for them to finally seize power. Even now, there are warriors on my own ship who want to see Kahless. There are others who believe he is an imposter. The divisions are already forming.
Worf: But it does not have to be this way. We could all join together and welcome Kahless as a united people.
Gowron: Don't you see? This is exactly why they want you to join them. Because your brother sits on the Council and your voice carries weight in the Empire. They want you to influence others to follow them. Worf, we fought together once side by side to keep the Empire from being torn apart. Will you stand by and let these impostors destroy all that we fought so hard to protect? Renounce him, Worf. Stand with me and we can hold the Empire together.
Worf: You do not understand. Kahless is our future. Only with his help can we revive the pure warriors within ourselves. Listen to him, Gowron. Open your heart. Hear his words. He will restore your faith as he has restored mine. Give him a chance to lift your spirit and cleanse your heart before you take up arms.
Gowron: Koroth. I see that not all fools die young.
Klingon: Kahless!
Koroth: Kahless, may I present Gowron, Leader of the High Council.
Klingon: Kahless.
Kahless: Long ago, a storm was heading toward the city of Quin'lat. The people sought protection within the walls. All except one man who remained outside. I went to him and asked what he was doing. I am not afraid, he said. I will not hide my face behind stone and mortar. I will stand before the wind and make it respect me. I honored his choice and went inside. The next day, the storm came and the man was killed. The wind does not respect a fool. Do not stand before the wind, Gowron.
Gowron: What was his name?
Kahless: What?
Gowron: If you were really there, you should be able to tell us the name of the man outside the walls. Describe him to us. What was he wearing? How tall was he? What color were his eyes?
Kahless: I do not remember. It was long ago, and in another lifetime. What matters is, I have returned to restore faith and hope to my people. To lead them back to the way of honor and the glory that was once theirs and can be again. Is that what you oppose, Gowron?
Gowron: I oppose you. I say you are not Kahless, and I will not bend my knee to you as long as I can draw a breath or pick up a blade.
Koroth: No!
Worf: Koroth!
Kahless: A good try, Gowron, but not enough.
Kahless: You have no joy, Gowron. Is your heart so filled of distrust and suspicion that you've forgotten what it is to be truly Klingon?
Gowron: Kahless. The greatest warrior of them all.
Koroth: Everything will be all right. We will say that Gowron used a dishonorable tactic in his fight with Kahless.
Torin: That he cheated.
Worf: That is a lie. He did not
Koroth: We do not need to hear any more from the son of Mogh. None of this would have happened if you hadn't brought them together.
Kahless: I am Kahless, I am the strongest, the bravest warrior.
Torin: Do not think about what happened. You must think of the future, of the Empire.
Worf: There is no future here. No glorious new era for our people. Gowron was right. You did not know the name of the man who faced the storm. You do not even know what real warnog tastes like. And you certainly are not the greatest warrior of all. Whoever you are, you are not Kahless.
Koroth: You have said enough. Now get out!
Worf: You are using the name of Kahless for some twisted game. For that alone, you should die. And if you do not tell me what you have done, I will kill you right here.
Koroth: The problems with your memory are the result of the way you returned.
Kahless: What do you mean?
Koroth: We, the Guardians, have been awaiting your return for centuries, but we did not have the technology to bring you back. Until now. We were able to use an organic sample of the first Kahless to give you life.
Kahless: The first Kahless?
Worf: A clone. He is a clone.
Kahless: What is a clone?
Worf: A being created in a laboratory by genetic material taken from another being. You are a copy. A fraud.
Koroth: You are not just a copy. We gave you more than the body of Kahless.
Torin: We found a way to imprint specific information in your neurosynaptic patterns. We gave you memories, and not just any memories. We gave you the experiences of Kahless as written in the sacred texts.
Kahless: So, I did not do any of the things that I remember. I was never at the city of Quin'lat. I never went to the Kri'stat volcano.
Koroth: You were not awakened until we transported you into the cave and you appeared to Worf. Before that time you were unconscious in a laboratory where we accelerated your growth, corrected any genetic anomalies that occurred, gave you the wisdom and memories that
Worf: They grew you in a test tube like some kind of fungus and programmed you like a machine.
Koroth: You are twisting the truth.
Worf: You talk to me of truth? You, who have brought to life this lie and called it Kahless?
Koroth: It is not a lie. Genetically, he is Kahless, and he is needed by our people. You know better than anyone the corruption and dishonor that has destroyed the Empire. They need him.
Worf: They do not need a false god.
Koroth: How do you know that this is not the way the prophesy was to be fulfillled? Who is to say that what we did was wrong?
Worf: I am. I will not let this fraud continue.
Koroth: Worf! You cannot tell Gowron of this.
Worf: Do not give me orders, Koroth.
Koroth: All right, but consider this. If you tell Gowron what we have told you, it will destroy him. And with him, the last chance to restore hope to our people. It's your choice.
Data: They have been sitting here for three hours seventeen minutes. They refuse to transport back to the ship with the rest of Gowron's men. They insisted on waiting here until they see Kahless again. Their faith appears to be unaffected by his inability to defeat Gowron. They still believe.
Worf: Then they are fools.
Data: Does that mean you no longer believe this is the real Kahless?
Worf: Yes.
Data: I am curious. Do you still think the real Kahless will return someday? Or has this experience only deepened the spiritual crisis which originally sent you to Boreth?
Worf: I do not know.
Data: I understand your dilemma. I once had what could be considered a crisis of the spirit.
Worf: You?
Data: Yes. The Starfleet officers who first activated me on Omicron Theta told me I was an android, nothing more than a sophisticated machine with human form. However I realized that if I were simply a machine, I could never be anything else. I could never grow beyond my programming. I found that difficult to accept, so I chose to believe that I was a person, that I had the potential to be more than a collection of circuits and subprocessors. It is a belief which I still hold.
Worf: How did you come to your decision?
Data: I made a leap of faith.
Worf: The man who appeared to me on Boreth is not Kahless. He is a clone.
Gowron: A clone!
Worf: Yes.
Gowron: Did you really think you would get away with this kind of fraud, Koroth? I will have you and this abomination put to death.
Worf: It does not matter, Gowron. You will still not be able to stand against him.
Gowron: What? He's not real. You just said so.
Worf: I said he was not the Kahless, but in the minds of our people he can be just as powerful as Kahless. Even now, two members of your own crew are sitting on our Holodeck waiting for him to return.
Gowron: I do not care what they think.
Worf: But hey are not alone. Like many of our people, they need something to believe in, just like I did. Something larger than themselves, something that will give their lives meaning. They need Kahless.
Gowron: But when they find out the truth?
Worf: It will not matter, Gowron. Despite the facts, they will still believe. They will make a leap of faith and there will be others just like them. Not everyone, but enough to plunge the Empire into civil war if you oppose them.
Gowron: What are you saying? That I should just hand over the Empire?
Worf: No, that would be unwise as well.
Koroth: Then what are you proposing, Worf?
Worf: You were right about one thing, Koroth. Our people are becoming decadent and corrupt. They need moral leadership. Kahless can be that leader, as Emperor.
Gowron: There hasn't been an Emperor in three centuries!
Worf: The political power will remain with the High Council. Kahless would be a figurehead, but he will have the ability to rally the people, to lead by example, to guide them in spiritual matters.
Koroth: The title is meaningless without the power to back it up.
Worf: Real power comes from within the heart. You would have the power to mold the Klingon heart. You could return them to honorable ways according to the original teachings of Kahless which are within you. It would be a great challenge, if you have the courage to accept it.
Gowron: And what will we tell the people about their new Emperor? That he appeared in a cave or a laboratory?
Worf: We will tell them the truth. All of the truth. But we will tell them that even if he is not the real Kahless, he is the rightful heir to Kahless.
Gowron: And if I refuse to go along with this?
Worf: Then my brother and those who support him on the Council will fight you, and I will fight you. And the Empire will fall back into civil war.
Gowron: What do you say about this, Koroth?
Koroth: What I say is unimportant.
Kahless: It is acceptable.
Kahless: Join with me, Gowron. Let us usher in this new era together.
Gowron: Vorcha doh bagh Kahless.
Kahless: Farewell, Worf.
Worf: Goodbye.
Kahless: What's wrong? You should be proud of what you've accomplished.
Worf: I went to Boreth to find my faith. For a time I thought I had. But my heart is empty again. I do not know what to believe.
Kahless: You doubt the real Kahless will return one day. You doubt that he is still waiting for you in Sto-Vo-Kor. Kahless left us. all of us, a powerful legacy. A way of thinking and acting that makes us Klingon. If his words hold wisdom and his philosophy is honorable, what does it really matter if he returns? What is important is that we follow his teachings. Perhaps the words are more important than the man. Q'apla, son of Mogh.
Worf: Q'apla Kahless.


Picard: Captain's log, stardate 46915.2. The Enterprise is orbiting Nervala Four, waiting for an opportunity to retrieve scientific data left there by Starfleet researchers when they were forced to evacuate eight years ago.
Riker: Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you very much. Any requests tonight?
Troi: Night Bird.
Riker: Any request?
Troi: Night Bird!
Riker: Ladies and gentlemen, Night Bird. One, two.
Crusher: What was that all about?
Troi: Will's been trying to get this piece right for ten years now. He's never made it through the solo.
Troi: Here it comes.
Data: Data to Commander Riker.
Riker: Go ahead.
Data: Commander, you are needed on the Bridge.
Riker: On my way. Saved by the bell.
Riker: You wanted to see me, Mister Data?
Data: Yes, sir. It appears we will be able to transport to the surface sooner than anticipated.
Riker: Is the planet's distortion field re-phasing sooner than we predicted?
Data: No, sir. Using the Potemkin's transport logs from the original evacuation, Commander La Forge and I were able to modify the transporters.
Riker: So we can beam through a higher distortion field.
Data: The transporters are considerably more efficient than those used on the Potemkin eight years ago.
Riker: That's a good thing. I almost didn't make it off the surface. When can we get started?
Data: Ninety seven minutes, sir.
Riker: How long will the transport window be open?
Data: Twenty six minutes. After that, the distortion field will re-phase.
Riker: That doesn't give us much time to retrieve the database.
Data: The planet's proximity to its sun will create two additional transport windows in the next three days.
Riker: Let's hope that's enough.
Data: It will have to be, sir. The next transport window will not occur for another eight years, when the planet's orbit will bring it close enough to the sun to de-phase the distortion field.
Riker: Okay, notify the away team that we're going in ahead of schedule. I'll tell the Captain.
Data: Aye, sir.
Riker: This is different than I remember. The place was a mess when we left.
Data: Commander.
Riker: Someone was here.
Worf: A ship could have been caught in the distortion field and crashed. The survivors may have taken refuge here.
Data: Commander, someone is approaching. A humanoid. Forty meters due east and closing.
Riker: Who are you?
Riker 2: Who are you?
Riker: I'm Commander William Riker from the Federation Starship Enterprise.
Riker 2: That's not possible. I'm Will Riker.
Data: May I ask how you got here?
Riker 2: Eight years ago, I led a team to evacuate this station.
Riker: What ship were you on?
Riker 2: The Potemkin.
Data: Why did you not return to the Potemkin with the others?
Riker 2: I was the last one out. The distortion field must have interfered with the transport. They lost their signal lock on me. When I tried to contact the ship, I couldn't get through the interference. If you check with Starfleet I'm sure they will have recorded that I was lost on that day.
Riker: That's not what happened. I was the last one out and I made it back to the Potemkin.
Riker 2: You don't believe me?
Riker: It's not that we don't believe you. It's just hard to see how both stories could be true. Would you be willing have our Doctor check you out?
Riker 2: Of course.
Riker: Mister Worf, take him directly to Sickbay, and notify the Captain once you're on board. Let's get to work.
Worf: Worf to Enterprise. Two to beam up.
Crewman: Aye, sir. Stand by.
Crusher: Looks like you fractured your arm a few years ago.
Riker 2: I was doing some repairs under the station when an earthquake hit. I got caught in a rockslide. I had to set it myself.
Picard: Jean-Luc Picard.
Riker 2: Lieutenant Will Riker.
Picard: I hope you understand our need to verify your claim.
Riker 2: Yes, sir.
Crusher: Genetically, he's indistinguishable from Commander Riker.
Picard: Could there be some sort of cloning involved here?
Crusher: I don't think so. There's no genetic drift.
Picard: But it's not conclusive.
Crusher: That's why I compared their brain scans. Brain organization patterns are as unique as fingerprints. Except for minor, minor differences, theirs are identical.
Picard: But can't brain patterns be cloned?
Crusher: No. They're determined by experience, mostly from early childhood.
Picard: How can two grown men share the same childhood experiences? It just doesn't make any sense.
Riker 2: I am Will Riker. I don't know who or what made it back to the Potemkin that day, but it wasn't me.
Picard: Lieutenant, our Chief Engineer is checking the transport logs of the Potemkin. Perhaps that will shed some light on the matter. Don't worry, we will get to the bottom of this. And in the meantime, you will be taken to your quarters. Try and make yourself as comfortable as possible.
Riker 2: I will. The replicators on the station haven't worked for a long time ago. It's been a while since I've had a decent meal. Doctor.
Laforge: Apparently there was a massive energy surge in the distortion field around the planet just at the moment you tried to beam out. The Transporter Chief tried to compensate by initiating a second containment beam.
Data: An interesting approach. He must have been planning to reintegrate the two patterns in the transport buffer.
Laforge: Actually, it wasn't really necessary. Commander Riker's pattern maintained its integrity with just the one containment beam. He made it back to the ship just fine.
Crusher: What happened to the second beam?
Laforge: The Transporter Chief shut it down, but somehow it was reflected back to the surface.
Picard: And another William Riker materialized there.
Riker: How was the second pattern able to maintained its integrity?
Laforge: The containment beam must have had the exact same phase differential as the distortion field.
Riker: Which one of them is real?
Laforge: That's the thing. Both. You were both materialized from a complete pattern.
Crusher: Up until that moment, you were the same person.
Picard: But of course, as you and Lieutenant Riker have lived very different lives for the past eight years, you are now very different people. I suppose it's a little like meeting someone's twin. But no matter how strange it may seem to us, we now have two Will Rikers on board. And as Lieutenant Riker will be with us for several days, I think we should do everything we can to make him comfortable and welcome.
Riker: We still have the problem of retrieving the database. The computer on the station is not completely operational.
Data: Many of its components have been removed. Apparently Lieutenant Riker used them to keep the station's radiation shield operational.
Picard: Can it be repaired, at least enough to access the database?
Riker: Without knowing what he did, that'll be tough.
Picard: Perhaps he can help us.
Picard: He was alone down there for a long time. I'm hesitant to let him go back until he's been evaluated.
Troi: I'll talk to him.
Picard: Thank you, Counselor.
Riker 2: Come in.
Troi: Hello, Will.
Riker 2: Imzadi.
Troi: Will.
Riker 2: I never thought I'd see you again.
Troi: We need to talk.
Riker 2: You're on board because of him.
Troi: No. Commander Riker and I are friends. Close friends, but nothing more. Why don't we sit down? Do you remember the last time we saw each other?
Riker 2: Like yesterday. The Janaran Falls on Betazed.
Troi: It was the day before you started your tour on the Potemkin.
Riker 2: And we were going to meet on Risa, six weeks later.
Troi: We never did.
Riker 2: I know.
Troi: No, what I mean is, Commander Riker and I never did. You see, he earned a promotion very quickly.
Riker 2: I know that too. 'For exceptional valor during the evacuation of the research station on Nervala Four'. I looked at his service record.
Troi: He chose to make his career a priority. There wasn't much time for anything else. We kept in touch but we didn't see each other again until we were both posted to the Enterprise two years later. By then our feelings for each other had changed. We've served together for six years. Things never went back to the way they used to be.
Riker 2: I had a lot of time on my hands when I was down on that station. There were days I felt so alone I thought I might lose my mind. Do you know how I made it through? I thought if I hung on for more day, they'd rescue me. Maybe I'd see you again. I guess things don't always work out the way you expect them to.
Troi: I know this isn't what you were hoping for, but that doesn't mean you can't make a future for yourself.
Riker 2: Thanks.
Troi: Captain Picard wanted me to find out if you'd be willing to help us retrieve the station's database.
Riker 2: I reconfigured that computer so many times they probably can't make heads or tails of it. I'd be happy to help.
Troi: Do you feel up to it?
Riker 2: Absolutely.
Troi: Good. I'll tell the Captain. Well, I have to go.
Riker 2: Deanna. I know it's been a long time since we've been together, and I know your feelings have changed. Mine haven't. I can't just give up. I'd like to be with you again.
Troi: Goodnight, Will.
Palmer: Phase distortion is dropping. The second transport window opens in forty two seconds.
Riker: How long will we have, Lieutenant?
Palmer: Thirty six minutes, sir.
Worf: We are losing time. Lieutenant Riker should be here.
Riker: Computer, locate Lieutenant
Riker: Cancel inquiry.
Worf: You were supposed to report here at eight hundred hours.
Riker 2: I'm sorry, I was
Riker: I guess it's been a while since you've had to punch a clock. Let's go. Energize.
Riker 2: I've shut down most of the consoles to save power. I re-routed just about everything through here.
Riker: Check out the primary EPS system. See if you can get some power to the rest of these consoles.
Riker 2: I shunted the database to the main core underneath the station.
Riker: Can we access it from here?
Riker 2: There's been a lot of seismic activity over the years. If the servo-links were damaged we may not be able to. I'll try to tap into the command pathways. You see if you can access and disable the file server.
Riker: You know, I've been thinking we should probably let Dad know what happened.
Riker 2: I'm sure he'll be thrilled to know there are two of us now.
Riker: Actually, he and I have been able to patch a few things up.
Riker 2: I've been able to get by for a long time without seeing him. I'm not about to start now. What made you contact him?
Riker: I didn't. He came on board the Enterprise to brief me when I was offered the Aries.
Riker 2: What did he say when you turned down your own command?
Riker: He couldn't understand why I did it.
Riker 2: For once he and I agree on something.
Worf: The primary EPS coupling is fused. The entire unit will have to be replaced.
Riker 2: I've accessed the command pathways. The interlink pathways are functioning now.
Riker: See if that did the trick. No, it's not working.
Riker 2: The servo-link must be damaged. We're going to have to go under the station and access the core directly.
Data: We have less than three minutes left.
Riker 2: I'll stay here. I'll be finished by the time the third window opens.
Riker: It's too dangerous. Our scans show the caverns are unstable.
Riker 2: I've been down there dozens of times. I know my way around.
Riker: We'll come back during the third window, We'll bring a new EPS coupling and try to access the core from another console up here. Riker to Enterprise.
Laforge: La Forge here.
Riker: We're ready to beam out.
Riker 2: You go ahead. I'll be finished by the time you get back.
Riker: Hold it! I gave you an order, Lieutenant.
Troi: Computer, valerian root tea, hot.
Troi: Meet me in Transporter room three at nineteen hundred hours. It's important.
Troi: It pulses unendingly all through the night. Seek out the crystal that powers our flight.
Laforge: Can I help you, Counselor?
Troi: No, thank you.
Troi: What the future holds no one can know, But forward we look and forward we go.
Riker 2: The Janaran falls.
Troi: I remember. Where did you get this?
Riker 2: I made it a couple of years ago down on the station.
Troi: You made this?
Riker 2: You should have seen the first two. It took a while to get a fine enough beam out of the phaser.
Troi: It's lovely. Thank you.
Riker 2: Can you stay and talk? I wanted to remember our last night together.
Troi: So, how does it feel being with people again?
Riker 2: Great. Strange. For a long time I did whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. It's been hard taking orders again.
Troi: I can imagine.
Riker 2: But I guess I'll have to get used to it if I want to get my career going again.
Troi: Is that what you've decided to do?
Riker 2: Remember, I'm the one who wanted to make Captain by the time I was thirty five. I'm a little behind schedule, I'll admit that.
Troi: It's good you don't feel set back.
Riker 2: I do. Things are a little more complicated than I had planned, but there's nothing going to stand in the way of my getting what I want.
Waiter: There you go.
Riker 2: Thanks. You don't know how many times I thought about you, about us. For weeks after the evacuation, I kept thinking they'd find a way through the distortion field and come back for me. I even thought we'd meet on Risa like we planned. But days went by and nobody came. Then I realized why. They thought that I had been killed in the beam out. No one came down because they thought there was no one to come down for. So I figured that they'd had a memorial service for me. Somehow that made me feel better.
Troi: I can understand that.
Riker 2: You were there, all dressed in black. Very flattering on you, by the way.
Troi: I'm sure I looked terrible with my eyes all red and swollen from crying.
Riker 2: Sometimes I would look up into the sky and I'd think, if I tried hard enough, I could make you feel my presence. That if I could let you know that I was alive, maybe you'd wait for me. I know it sounds crazy, but there were times when I could've sworn. What am I talking about?
Troi: The other day, when I told you about how Commander Riker and I didn't meet on Risa, what I didn't say was how disappointed I was.
Riker 2: You didn't have to. I knew.
Troi: I started to hear from him less and less. I knew his career was taking him away from me but I didn't want to believe it was over. I spent a lot of time thinking about him. Wondering where he was, what he was doing. Sometimes I'd look into the sky and imagine that he knew, and that somehow he could sense me thinking about him. So, who knows? Maybe one night we were looking up at the same star, and you were thinking about me, and in a way, I was thinking about you.
Picard: Come.
Riker: You wanted to see me, sir?
Picard: Yes, Number One. Come in.
Picard: Lieutenant Riker has been to see me to talk about the away mission. He believes that the only way to retrieve the database is by directly accessing the main core underneath the station.
Riker: The seismic activity makes those caverns very unstable. In my opinion, it's too risky.
Picard: He said that he was down there recently. He seemed confident that it could be done safely.
Riker: There's a good chance we will be able to retrieve the database from one of the consoles inside the station.
Picard: But if it doesn't work, we won't have another chance for eight years.
Riker: Lieutenant Riker's plan is more dangerous, but it does have a better chance of succeeding.
Picard: Given the importance of the data, I think that it's worth the risk.
Riker: I'll look over the schematics and I'll draw up a mission plan.
Picard: I'm sure that Lieutenant Riker will be happy to help you with that.
Riker: I'll talk to him.
Crewwoman: Sir.
Riker: Lieutenant.
Riker 2: Sir.
Riker: I just met with the Captain about your mission recommendation. I would appreciate it if next time you came to me first.
Riker 2: I tried talking to you yesterday on the station. You wouldn't hear me out.
Riker: I heard you, Lieutenant. I rejected your plan.
Riker 2: May I ask what the Captain decided?
Riker: The Captain has decided to go with your recommendation, but that's not the point.
Riker 2: Isn't it?
Riker: If you think I'm coming down on you because the Captain overruled me, think again. I happen to disagree with his decision, but he is my commanding officer and I follow his orders. Just so there's no confusion, I am your commanding officer and I expect you to do the same. If you can't, there's no place for you on my away team.
Riker 2: Yes, sir.
Riker: There will be a meeting in the Observation lounge at fourteen hundred hours to draw up a mission plan.
Troi: We stayed in Ten Forward talking for hours.
Crusher: Then what happened?
Troi: He walked me to my quarters.
Crusher: Then what happened?
Troi: Beverly!
Crusher: I'm just asking.
Troi: You know it's been over between Will and me for a long time.
Crusher: He's not Will. He is Will but, you know what I mean.
Troi: It's really hard for me to separate my feelings for them.
Crusher: Deanna, just because things turned out the way they did between you and Commander Riker, doesn't mean you shouldn't let things between you and Lieutenant Riker take their own course.
Troi: I knew you'd encourage me.
Crusher: I thought that's that why you brought it up.
Crusher: Well, I think I'll call it a day.
Troi: Beverly.
Crusher: Bye.
Riker 2: Some form of tai chi chuan?
Troi: Klingon exercises, actually. Lieutenant Worf teaches a class.
Riker 2: The forms are very similar. Do that move again.
Troi: You just did the KoH-man-ara.
Riker 2: Tai chi chuan. It's called the crane block. Now let's try something else.
Riker 2: What was that called? Mister Worf's a very good teacher.
Troi: Hello, Will.
Riker: If you want to be with him, you don't have to ask my permission. It's the look in your eyes. I recognize it. You used to have it for me.
Troi: We've both had relationships with other people. This is different. I didn't know how you'd feel about it.
Riker: Flattered, sort of.
Troi: This must be very strange for you.
Riker: Ever since he came on board, I find myself thinking about the choice you and I made.
Troi: Me too.
Riker: Do me a favor. Be careful.
Troi: Will, I know you and he have had some problems.
Riker: That's not what I'm talking about. If he had gotten off the planet instead of me, don't you think he would have made the same choices that I made? I just don't want you to be hurt again.
Worf: Two pair.
Riker: Full boat, kings over. I'd like to thank you both for your very generous contributions.
Riker: Come in.
Riker 2: I thought you'd be alone. Excuse me.
Riker: Why don't you join us?
Data: The game is five card draw, no limit. Ante, please.
Data: Lieutenant?
Riker 2: Three. please.
Data: Mister Worf?
Worf: Four.
Data: Commander.
Riker: I'll play these.
Data: Dealer takes two. You control the bet, Lieutenant.
Riker 2: Fifty.
Worf: Fold.
Riker: Here's your fifty. And ten more.
Riker 2: You didn't take any cards. You must be holding something. Why not make it a little sweeter?
Riker: No, thanks.
Riker 2: Playing it safe?
Riker: You in?
Data: I will call.
Riker 2: Here's your ten, and it will cost you another one hundred.
Riker: I've practiced in the mirror too long to be fooled by that face. You're bluffing. Here's your hundred and twenty more.
Data: Dealer folds.
Riker 2: I thought if one thing were clear by now, it's that you and I play things a little differently.
Riker: Why don't we wait and see who comes out on top.
Riker 2: I thought you were willing to settle for second. Commander.
Riker: I've never settled for anything in my life. I know what I want, I know what I've got, and you'd be lucky to do as well. Lieutenant.
Riker 2: Here's your twenty. Three hundred more.
Riker: Now I know you're bluffing.
Riker 2: Are you in or not?
Riker: Why don't we get this over with? I'll call your three, and I'll raise you anything you've got left. Well?
Riker 2: Take it. You always had the better hand, in everything.
Troi: Come in.
Riker 2: Hi. I'm sorry to just stop by like this but there's something I'd like to talk to you about.
Riker 2: Captain Picard made has some inquiries. He managed to get me a posting on the Gandhi. And considering how long I've been out of commission, it's an amazing opportunity.
Troi: When would you leave?
Riker 2: In about a week.
Troi: I see.
Riker 2: Deanna. After I've served for six months, I'm eligible to bring family aboard. If we got married
Troi: You said those exact words to me before you went to serve on the Potemkin.
Riker 2: I know. I was just held up for a while.
Troi: But if you hadn't been, what would have happened between us?
Riker 2: I wouldn't've made the mistake of leaving you. I know that much.
Troi: I don't know if I can believe that. It took me a long time to get over what happened between Commander Riker and me. I don't know that I want to put myself in that position again.
Riker 2: I would never hurt you, Deanna.
Troi: It's not just that. I've worked hard to make a life for myself on the Enterprise. I'm happy here.
Riker 2: If the situation were different, I'd stay. But I can't. Not while he's aboard.
Troi: I know.
Riker 2: Are you saying it's over?
Troi: No. No. I just don't know if I'm ready to give up my life here. Maybe we both need some time.
Riker 2: Goodnight.
Picard: Captain's log, supplemental. The third transport window has opened and the away team is making their final attempt at retrieving the database.
Riker 2: Once we restore the servo link, you can shunt the database up to this console. Are you ready, Commander Data?
Riker: You're with me, Lieutenant.
Riker 2: I thought Commander Data's expertise.
Riker: It doesn't take that much expertise to repair a servo link. You and I can handle it.
Data: Lieutenant, I am curious about something. If you met a double of yourself, would you have difficulty interacting with him?
Worf: I think so.
Data: Why?
Worf: I am not easy to get along with.
Data: But Commander Riker and Lieutenant Riker are. Yet they seem to have trouble getting along with each another. I have found that humans value their uniqueness, that sense that they are different from every one else. The existence of a double would preclude that feeling. Could that be the source of the friction?
Worf: Or perhaps it is more a matter of seeing something in your double. Something you do not like in yourself.
Riker 2: This is it. There's the core, over there.
Riker: You waiting for something?
Riker 2: Your orders, sir. How would you like me to get over there, sir?
Riker: You've been down here dozens of times. I'm sure you know the best way.
Riker 2: Yes, sir. I do.
Riker 2: It's leaking ion radiation.
Riker: Why didn't you report this?
Riker 2: It wasn't here before. This must have just happened recently. If we have to repair this conduit, we won't have time to access that computer core.
Riker: Scan it now.
Riker 2: It's working. The radiation levels are dropping to normal.
Riker: Next time, don't give up so easily.
Riker: Hang on! Come on, grab on. Come on! Come on, climb! Come on! I'm being pulled in.
Riker 2: Let go! One of us has to get out of here.
Riker: Climb! Come on! Climb! Climb!
Data: They have restored the servo link to the core. We can begin downloading the database.
Worf: Initiating data transfer.
Picard: Captain's log, stardate 46920.1. We have retrieved the database from Nervala station and are headed for our rendezvous with the Gandhi.
Riker 2: Come in.
Troi: I hear the Gandhi's going on a terraforming mission to the Lagana Sector.
Riker 2: That's right. It'll take us four months just to get there.
Troi: I won't be joining you.
Riker 2: I guess I'm not surprised to hear that.
Troi: I'm just not ready to give up my life here. Not yet.
Riker 2: Come in.
Riker: I'm sorry.
Riker 2: It's all right.
Riker: I wanted to give you something.
Riker: My quarters are full of things that I suppose belong to both of us. The least I could do is give you this.
Riker 2: Thanks.
Riker: Good luck, Will.
Riker 2: I actually thought I might go with the name Thomas.
Troi: Your middle name.
Riker: I guess we really are different. I never really cared for that name.
Riker 2: Well, I sort of like it. I guess I'd better get going.
Riker 2: I waited a long time. I guess I can wait a little longer. Take care of her.


Crusher: Oh, you really did it this time, Will. This is not just a scrape, this is a very deep cut. Well, I can heal it, of course, but you've got to stop playing Parrises Squares as if you're twenty one years old. One of these days you're going to fall and break your neck, and I'm not going to be able to heal that as easily.
Riker: I wasn't playing Parrises Squares.
Crusher: Worf's callisthenic program?
Riker: No.
Crusher: I give up. What was it?
Riker: I was trying to feed Spot.
Crusher: Data's cat?
Riker: I told him I'd feed him while he was gone. I was just putting down the bowl of food. The next thing I know there's a hissing ball of fur coming at my face. I hate cats.
Crusher: I love cats. You know, you've just got to know how to handle them.
Riker: Maybe you'd like to do it.
Crusher: I would be honored, if I could
Worf: Commander Riker to the Bridge.
Riker: On my way. Oh, by the way, you'll need this.
Riker: Report.
Worf: We are picking up a distress call on long range sensors. It is Romulan, sir.
Riker: Romulan?
Worf: They claim they have suffered a complete engine failure. Power levels are dropping. Life support is failing. It could be a trick.
Riker: How long before we rendezvous with Captain Picard?
Worf: Approximately thirteen hours.
Riker: Lay in a course for the Romulan ship. Let's put up shields and go to Red Alert. I want to be ready for anything.
Worf: Aye, sir.
Picard: Captain's log, stardate 46944.2. Commander Data, Mister La Forge, Counselor Troi and I are en route to the Enterprise, after attending a three day conference on the psychological effects of long-term deep-space assignments.
Data: Computer activate automatic helm control.
Computer: Helm control activated.
Troi: I was just leaving the reception when this Ktarian walks up to me and says, hello, Diane. I understand you're an empath. I'm a very sensitive man myself. I'm doing a thesis on interspecies mating rituals. Would you care to join me in some empirical research?
Laforge: That's a very good impression of Doctor Mizan.
Troi: How did you know?
Laforge: He's notorious, but he really is an expert on interspecies mating practices.
Data: Did you help him with his research, Counselor?
Troi: Absolutely not.
Data: I thought it was a topic you were interested in.
Laforge: How did you enjoy the rest of the conference, Counselor?
Troi: To be honest, I was bored. I spent most of my time at Professor Wagner's phylobiology seminar. I thought the idea of the seminar was that we would all participate, bring different points of views to the discussion. He gathered two hundred scientists from all over the Federation, and all he did was put us to sleep.
Data: I have a memory record of the entire lecture, Counselor. I can repeat the portions you missed, if you
Troi: No, thank you, Data.
Picard: Well, it was little better at the physiognomy workshop. Doctor Vassbinder gave an hour long dissertation on the ionization effect of warp nacelles before he realized that the topic was supposed to be psychology.
Laforge: Why didn't anybody tell him?
Picard: There was no opportunity. There was no pause. He just kept talking in one long, incredibly unbroken sentence, moving from topic to topic so that no one had a chance to interrupt. It was really quite hypnotic.
Laforge: Well, I had a great time. The warp-energy symposium was fascinating. I actually had an opportunity to touch a plasma field.
Troi: Really? What was it like?
Laforge: It was incredible. I could feel the plasma moving up my arm. It was warm and, oh, there was this amazing tingling sensation that
Troi: Captain? Data?
Laforge: Moved through my chest. It was incredible. It was like taking a bath in pure energy.
Data: It was not painful?
Laforge: Oh, no. Counselor? Is there something wrong?
Troi: I'm not sure.
Laforge: Well, our bioscans check out. There are no physiological anomalies. If something did happen, it didn't leave any biological traces.
Picard: How long did it appear to you that we were frozen?
Troi: I don't know. Four, maybe five seconds. You just stopped and then started again. I can't explain it.
Data: My memory record does not indicate a pause or disruption during that time period. My internal chronometer and the ship's computer are both perfectly synchronized. There does not appear to be a temporal diskrepancy.
Laforge: Data, let's run a ship-wide diagnostic. Maybe we missed something.
Picard: Let's go through all this again. You were sitting there. The rest of us were here. Describe the exact moment when we appeared to freeze.
Troi: Well, Geordi was talking about what it felt like to touch the plasma field and you were taking a sip of tea.
Picard: Did you sense something from any of us at that time? Any unusual emotion?
Troi: Not a thing. I was empathically aware of you right up to the moment you froze, and then it all stopped. The past few days have been exhausting. Maybe it was my imagination. There were moments in that lecture hall when I thought time was standing still there, too.
Picard: Or there is another possibility, Counselor. This could be nothing more than simple
Picard: Are you all right, Counselor?
Troi: What happened?
Data: You were motionless for three minutes eleven seconds.
Picard: It appears to be the same effect that you described in us. Do you remember anything?
Troi: No. One second I was talking to you, and the next you were all standing around me.
Laforge: Wait a second. This is weird.
Troi: What is it?
Laforge: I had the tricorder run a comparison between the bioscan I took of you earlier and the one I took just now. In the time between the two scans, you should have aged twenty three minutes, but according to your cellular decay levels you've only aged twenty minutes.
Picard: How do you account for this diskrepancy?
Laforge: I don't know, sir. It's as if for Counselor Troi, for three minutes time just stopped.
Picard: Mister Data, contact the Enterprise. Tell Commander Riker to meet us at the rendezvous point as soon as possible. Have him scan the region for temporal anomalies.
Data: Aye, sir.
Laforge: I'll check the sensor logs, see if I can find anything.
Data: Captain, may I see you?
Data: The Enterprise is not responding to our hails.
Picard: Are we within sensor range?
Data: No, sir.
Picard: Increase speed to the rendezvous coordinates.
Data: Aye, sir.
Data: We have an engine failure warning in the
Picard: Report!
Laforge: The starboard nacelle just cut out.
Data: Attitude control has been restored.
Picard: Full stop. What happened?
Laforge: The starboard antimatter pod is completely drained. The fuel reserves are empty.
Picard: Is there a fuel containment leak?
Laforge: No, sir. The containment field is intact. all engine systems are operational. The fuel is just gone.
Data: Geordi, I believe I have an explanation. According to the plasma conversion sensor, the starboard engine has been in continuous operation for forty seven days.
Laforge: Forty seven days? Nah. Let's check that sensor. It must be malfunctioning.
Picard: I'll check the fuel consumption logs.
Troi: What happened?
Picard: My hand.
Troi: The cells are metabolizing at an incredible speed. Almost fifty times normal.
Picard: The pain is going away.
Troi: Your metabolism's stabilizing.
Picard: It happened when I reached for the bowl of fruit.
Data: Captain, I am detecting a temporal disturbance intersecting the table. It appears that within the disturbance, time is moving at an accelerated rate, approximately fifty times faster than normal. The disturbance is spherical in shape. It is extending outward from the hull approximately seventeen meters from the ship.
Laforge: That would cover the starboard nacelle. No wonder it used up all its fuel.
Picard: Check the hull integrity.
Data: It does not appear to be affected.
Picard: Mister La Forge, see if you can move us away from the disturbance.
Laforge: Aye, sir.
Laforge: Lateral thrusters online. Data, plot a course away from the disturbance.
Laforge: Make sure it doesn't come in contact with our other engine.
Data: Course plotted. Adjust pitch to twenty seven point three degrees. Set heading one eight zero
Data: Mark zero.
Laforge: Got it. Reversing at fifteen meters per second.
Data: We are clearing the phenomenon.
Data: All stop.
Laforge: What was that?
Data: There is another temporal disturbance directly behind us.
Laforge: Captain?
Laforge: I think you'd better come take a look at this.
Picard: Yes, Mister La Forge?
Laforge: The sensors are picking up temporal disturbances throughout the region. Different configurations, different sizes. They're everywhere.
Data: Within each disturbance it appears that time is moving at a different rate.
Laforge: It's almost as if something has shattered the space-time continuum.
Data: The fragmentation effect continues along a heading of two seven zero mark one five.
Laforge: That's the direction of the Enterprise.
Picard: Can we navigate around these fragments?
Laforge: We'll have to limit our maneuvering speed to one half impulse, but I think we can do it.
Picard: Get us to the Enterprise.
Laforge: These are the coordinates.
Picard: Perhaps the Enterprise has been delayed.
Laforge: I've got the long range sensors on maximum, sir. There's no sign of the Enterprise. But I am picking up a faint reading. Possibly metallic. It's difficult to tell. The energy levels are practically non-existent.
Picard: Take us to it.
Laforge: Aye, sir.
Data: The fragmentation effect is increasing.
Laforge: Slowing to one eighth impulse.
Picard: There she is.
Troi: My God.
Picard: Mister Data?
Data: The Enterprise and the warbird both appear to be trapped within one of the temporal fragments.
Laforge: The fragments seem to be converging at about this point. I'd say we're looking at the center of the temporal disturbances.
Picard: Scan for life signs.
Data: Sensors cannot penetrate the subspace field. I am unable to scan within the vessels.
Troi: It looks like the Enterprise has been damaged. There, on the port nacelle.
Laforge: The warbird doesn't look to have sustained any damage at all. I wonder if the Enterprise even had time to get off a shot.
Troi: The Romulans could've decloaked before the Enterprise had a chance to respond.
Picard: There's a second energy beam. It's coming from the Enterprise deflector array. Do you have any idea what that could be?
Data: It is impossible to tell from a visual inspection. However, it appears to be focused on the warbird's Engineering section.
Picard: We're not going to be able to determine anything from here. We need to get on board the Enterprise.
Data: That would be inadvisable, sir. In each of the three instances we came into contact with one of the temporal fragments, we were integrated into its time frame.
Laforge: If we beamed aboard the Enterprise, we'd be frozen in time just like they are.
Picard: Well, we have to find some way of staying unfrozen. Mister La Forge, what about a subspace forcefield like the one we used on Devidia Two? Could something like that protect us from the effects of the temporal fragment?
Laforge: Possibly. We'd need an awfully sensitive phase diskriminator in order to moderate that kind of field.
Data: The emergency transporter armbands contain a type seven phase diskriminator. It should be possible to reconfigure their subspace emitters.
Laforge: Yeah. Yeah, that would certainly isolate us from the effects of the other time frame. But if we wanted to interact with that environment, we'd have to restrict the field. It would have to be practically skintight.
Picard: Mister Data?
Data: I will attempt to narrow the field, sir.
Laforge: Captain, I think this is going to work, but it's going to take some time.
Picard: Well, Mister La Forge, it would seem that time is something we have plenty of.
Laforge: We've channeled all communications through the subspace relays in the armbands. That way we'll be able to be in continual communication.
Troi: How long will the fields last?
Laforge: About an hour, maybe less. Don't worry. I'll monitor you very carefully.
Data: Counselor?
Troi: I got a little dizzy for a second.
Laforge: We've created an artificial pocket of time around you, so it's probably playing tricks with your equilibrium. It might take a little while to get used to it. Let me know if it gets any worse.
Picard: Beam us directly to the Enterprise Bridge.
Laforge: Aye, sir. Energizing.
Picard: There are three Romulans, all of them with disruptors. One at conn. There are none of our security officers on the Bridge. They must have taken us by surprise. It appears that we can move objects in this time frame.
Troi: Maybe we could do something to help Will.
Picard: I'm wary about making changes in this time continuum until we understand more about what's going on.
Data: Captain, the equipment is no longer functioning. However, the information currently displayed indicates that there was a massive power surge in Engineering.
Picard: Security teams had just been sent to transporter room three. And to Sickbay. Counselor, will you go to Sickbay and investigate? Mister Data, go to main Engineering. See if you can determine the cause of that power surge. I'll be in transporter room three. Mister La Forge?
Laforge: La Forge here, sir.
Picard: Will you lock onto our signals. I want you to beam Counselor Troi to
Laforge: I'd rather not, Captain. We've got limited power and your isolation fields consume a lot of energy.
Picard: Understood. We'll use the Jefferies tube. Let's go.
Troi: Maybe we can go around them.
Picard: No, we'll find an alternative route. Let's go back up.
Picard: Excuse me, Mister Worf.
Troi: Captain.
Picard: Counselor, take a look at this. It appears that Mister Worf had just beamed these three on board, and according to this, three other Romulans had been beamed directly to Sickbay just seconds earlier.
Troi: I know. I just saw them.
Picard: What are we doing transporting Romulans on board the ship in the middle of a battle? They don't have any weapons and that one looks injured. If they were part of an invasion, then why are they unarmed? It doesn't make any sense.
Troi: Captain, there's something I have to tell you. Doctor Crusher has been hit by a disruptor blast at point blank range. If time returns to normal I don't see how she can survive.
Data: Data to Captain Picard.
Picard: Go ahead, Mister Data.
Data: Please come to Engineering immediately. It is urgent.
Picard: What's the problem, Mister Data?
Data: Captain, I believe I have found the cause of the power surge. There is a warp core breach in progress.
Data: It is the flashpoint of a warp core explosion. And it is expanding.
Picard: Expanding? I thought that time was suspended on this ship.
Data: We were incorrect, sir. I have determined that time is moving forward at an infinitesimal rate.
Troi: Why didn't we notice it before?
Data: Our initial conclusion was based on our observations of the crew. A warp core breach moves at a much faster rate. The motion of the cloud is within my visual detection threshold. At its current expansion rate, it will consume the Enterprise in approximately nine hours, seventeen minutes.
Picard: Is there anything we can do to stop it?
Data: It is no longer a question of stopping it, sir. The explosion has already occurred. The fact that it is moving slowly changes nothing.
Picard: Astonishing to see it frozen like this.
Troi: Do we know what caused the breach?
Data: No. However, the console displays indicate a power transfer in progress between the Enterprise and the Romulan ship at the moment time decelerated. That is why there is a second beam between the two ships.
Troi: Why would we be sending them power?
Data: Perhaps we should go aboard the Romulan ship. The answer to that question may
Data: Captain?
Troi: Captain, are you all right?
Picard: My head. Oh. Dizzy. I can't. No! No!
Troi: Troi to La Forge. Get us out of here now!
Laforge: It looks like you weren't completely protected from the effects of the other time continuum. The neurophysical stress must've been overwhelming.
Data: In much the same way deep sea divers experience nitrogen narcosis, you experienced a form of temporal narcosis.
Picard: Can we modify the subspace isolators to give us better protection?
Laforge: I don't think so. I'd say the best thing we can do right now is to be careful, limit our exposure to their time frame. I'd say no longer than ten minutes per trip. And we should stick probably stick together while we're there, just in case.
Picard: Very well. Well, the first step is to find out why the Enterprise was transferring power to the Romulan ship. I think we should begin our search in the Romulan engine room. Counselor, you spent several days on a Romulan vessel. You probably know more about the layouts than anyone here. Perhaps
Troi: Captain, it might be better if you stayed here this time and gave yourself a chance to recover.
Picard: Yes, very well. I will monitor your progress from here. But just remember, ten minutes, no more.
Troi: Yes, Captain.
Troi: Geordi, there should be a power utilization monitor over there. Data.
Data: This is highly unusual. The crew is not at battle stations. The ship is on evacuation alert.
Troi: Is that why Romulans were being transported to the Enterprise?
Laforge: Take a look at this. There's an energy feedback returning through the transfer beam. It's probably what overloaded the Enterprise's engines and caused the core breach.
Data: Perhaps the warbird was trying to destroy the Enterprise.
Laforge: I don't think so. According to this, the Romulans were actually trying to shut down the power transfer.
Troi: Whatever happened, this is beginning to look less and less like a Romulan attack.
Laforge: Data, why don't we take a look at their engine readouts?
Data: Geordi, the engine core is completely inactive.
Troi: That's impossible. The Romulans use an artificial quantum singularity as their power source. Once it's activated, it can't be shut down.
Laforge: Let's take a closer look.
Laforge: I think we've found the problem.
Data: It appears to be a highly focused aperture in the space-time continuum. Its energy signature matches that of the temporal fragments we observed earlier. However, it is approximately one point two million times as intense. I believe this may be the origin of the temporal fragmentation.
Troi: What are these dark spots?
Data: I am not certain. They exhibit a complex bioelectric patterns. Very possibly organic.
Laforge: Organic?
Data: From the molecular configuration, it appears The aperture is beginning to fluctuate. I believe
Romulan: There's an energy build-up in the phase compensation unit.
Romulan 2: Check the main distribution matrix.
Romulan: That's not it. The matrix is clear. It's the power transfer from the Enterprise. I'm reading a massive feed-back.
Romulan 2: Systems are beginning to overload.
Romulan: Notify the Enterprise to shut down the power transfer immediately.
Romulan 2: Unable to comply. Their power interlocks won't disengage. We'll have to disconnect it ourselves.
Romulan: Disconnect the transfer beam.
Romulan 3: There is no pressure.
Romulan: Impending warp core breach. Shut down all systems.
Data: I believe my tricorder emissions caused the temporal aperture to activate. I suggest we avoid exposing it to any
Data: Further energy emissions.
Picard: When time resumed, did you observe any activity in the engine room that might
Picard: Suggest what the Romulans were doing?
Data: They may have been attempting to eject their engine core.
Troi: I thought I heard one of the Engineers say something about a power transfer. Something about an energy feedback.
Laforge: Yes, Captain. It looks to me like they were trying to stop whatever was happening here.
Picard: Mister La Forge
Picard: From where you are, can you determine what's happening on the Romulan Bridge?
Laforge: I think so, Captain. Wait. Something's not right here. Data, was this man always standing right here.
Troi: He's in neural shock,
Data: We must get him to the runabout.
Troi: There isn't time. He's dying.
Troi: At least this way, he'll be alive in the other time frame. We might have a chance to save him later. Is the Romulan still alive?
Data: Yes, but I am getting unusual readings from his bioscan. I am not sure he is a Romulan.
Data: His cellular structure does not conform to any known species. His bioelectric patterns are in a state of temporal flux. I do not believe that this being is native to our time continuum.
Picard: Mister Data, you said that you found organic matter in the temporal aperture.
Data: Correct, sir.
Picard: I'd like to take a closer look at those readings.
Data: This is a biospectral analysis of the temporal aperture. The organic readings originated from these dark spots.
Picard: They appear to contain some sort of energy patterns. Can you isolate one of them and magnify?
Picard: They look like cellular clusters.
Data: Its bioelectric patterns are similar to those of the alien's. However, they are significantly less complex. Its cellular structure appears to be in a state of mitosis.
Picard: Data, this could be some sort of embryo.
Data: It is possible. If I could further scan the aperture, it might be possible to
Troi: Captain?
Alien: Must save. No.
Picard: Who are you?
Alien: This body is not mine. It was necessary to assume it to exist in your time.
Troi: Why are you here?
Alien: We had to come to save them. They were in danger.
Picard: Who were in danger?
Alien: Our young. They will die in the gravity well. It is artificial.
Troi: Artificial gravity well? Do you mean the Romulan engine core?
Alien: Yes. Our young are trapped. We must get them out, return them to our time.
Data: His molecular structure is destabilizing.
Picard: How were your young trapped in the core?
Alien: We must use a natural gravity well to incubate our young. We thought the Romulan core would suffice. It did not.
Data: Captain, I believe the aliens mistook the artificial singularity, which the Romulans use in their engine, for a natural one. A black hole. They tried to use it as a nest.
Troi: That's what deactivated the Warbird's engine core. So the Romulans sent out a distress call.
Picard: The Enterprise responded, and found the warbird suffering from an apparent engine failure, and they attempted a power transfer.
Alien: Power transfer. Must stop the power transfer. Ruptured time, destroy our young
Data: When the power transfer came into contact with the alien nest, I believe it disrupted the space-time continuum.
Picard: Did you who attacked the Enterprise?
Alien: Yes. Had to stop power transfer.
Picard: Are there any others like you here?
Alien: One other.
Picard: Do you know where he is? Could he help us restore normal time?
Data: I estimate the core breach will consume the Enterprise in approximately seven hours, two minutes.
Picard: Is it possible to lock onto the core itself, beam it into space?
Data: No, sir. We would have to surround the core with a subspace isolation field. It is not possible to generate a field of that magnitude from the runabout.
Picard: Mister Data, when you scanned the temporal aperture with your tricorder, it caused time to move forwards and then back again.
Data: Correct, sir.
Picard: What if we could reverse that process? Cause time move backwards and then forwards.
Troi: We might be able to run time back to a point before the warp core breach occurred and then find a way to prevent the power transfer. And then when time goes forward
Picard: The breach never happens.
Data: I could attempt to remodulate the tricorder's delta-band emissions. It should be possible to better control the temporal aperture.
Picard: Make it so. If this works, we may not have much time to prevent the power transfer. We'll have to decide precisely where to be and what to do the very instant that time begins to move backwards.
Picard: Captain's log, supplemental. After placing the modified tricorder on the Romulan ship, we have returned to the Enterprise.
Data: I have reached Engineering, Captain. Standing by.
Picard: Acknowledged. Counselor, are you in position?
Troi: Ready, Captain.
Picard: All right, Mister Data.
Data: Initiating tricorder emissions.
Data: Captain.
Picard: Go ahead, Mister Data.
Data: The warp core breach has been reversed, sir.
Picard: Be ready to stop the power transfer, Mister Data.
Data: Aye, sir.
Alien 2: You must stop!
Computer: Specified energy systems have been initialized. The power transfer can now be engaged.
Data: Do not initiate that power transfer.
Ensign: I'm sorry, sir. I already have.
Data: We must shut it down.
Ensign: The transfer beam is at saturation, sir. It can't be disengaged.
Data: Computer, place a level three containment field around the warp core.
Computer: Containment field activated.
Riker: Damage report.
Crewman: Shields down to twenty seven percent.
Riker: Captain?
Picard: No time to explain, Number One. Continue the evacuation of the Romulan ship. You'll find LaForge in the Romulan engine room. Beam him directly to Sickbay.
Troi: Step back, now.
Crusher: It's all right, Deanna. He wasn't firing at me.
Romulan: There was an alien here who'd taken Romulan form. I was firing at her. The Doctor got in the way.
Crusher: Where did she go?
Picard: Status, Mister Data?
Data: I was attacked by another alien, sir. I was unable to prevent the power transfer. It cannot be disengaged, sir. A core breach is again imminent.
Picard: Can we move the ship?
Riker: The feedback from the transfer beam would tear us apart.
Picard: Patch me into the navigational control of the runabout.
Riker: Got it.
Picard: I'm bringing the runabout in.
Picard: Mister Data?
Data: The core breach has been prevented, sir.
Picard: Data, it appears that severing the power transfer has not only prevented the core breach, but has also restored
Picard: Space-time to normal.
Data: The alien who attacked me has vanished, sir.
Picard: The warbird has vanished as well.
Data: Judging from the residual temporal fluctuations, I believe they have returned to their own time continuum.
Riker: Captain?
Picard: It's going to take a little time to explain, Number One.
Picard: Captain's log, stardate 46945.3. We successfully evacuated the crew of the Romulan ship, and we're on course to the Neutral Zone to bring them home.
Data: Come in.
Riker: Where's that cat of yours?
Data: Spot is sleeping, sir. Why do you ask?
Riker: No reason. I've worked out the new rotation schedules. I'd like you to cross-check the personnel assignments. Notify the department heads. Your Bridge shift begins at twenty three hundred hours.
Data: Understood, sir.
Riker: Data, what are you doing?
Data: Recent events have compelled me to study how humans perceive the passage of time. For example, I have often heard people comment that time seems to pass more slowly in one instance, or more quickly in another. In reality, the actual passage of time remains fixed.
Riker: I suppose it depends on how people perceive time. Every situation is different. It depends on how you feel.
Data: I have been testing the aphorism, 'a watched pot never boils'. I have boiled the same amount of water in this kettle sixty two times. In some cases, I have ignored the kettle. In others, I have watched it intently. In every instance, the water reaches its boiling point in precisely fifty one point seven seconds. It would appear that I am not capable of perceiving time any differently than my internal chronometer.
Riker: Well why don't you turn it off?
Data: Sir?
Riker: Data, people do not have internal chronometers. Why don't you see what happens if you turn yours off.
Data: Thank you, sir. I will try that.
Riker: Just don't be late for your shift.