Hawking: But then I said, in that frame of reference, the perihelion of Mercury would have precessed in the opposite direction.
Einstein: That is a great story!
Data: Quite amusing, Doctor Hawking. You see, Sir Isaac, the joke depends on an understanding of the relativistic curvature of space-time. If two non-inertial reference frames are in relative motion
Newton: Do not patronize me, sir. I invented physics. The day that apple fell on my head was the most momentous day in the history of science.
Hawking: Not the apple story again.
Data: That story is generally considered to be apocryphal.
Newton: What? How dare you!
Einstein: Perhaps we should return to the game. Let's see, where were we? Yes, you raised Mister Data four, which means that the bet is, er, seven to me?
Newton: The bet is ten! Can't you do simple arithmetic? I don't even know why I'm here in the first place. What is the point of playing this ridiculous game?
Data: When I play poker with my shipmates, it often appears to be a useful forum for exploring the different facets of humanity. I was curious to see how three of history's greatest minds would interact in this setting. So far, it has proved most illuminating.
Einstein: And profitable.
Newton: Can we get this over with, please? It's your bet.
Hawking: I raise fifty.
Newton: Blast! I fold.
Data: I fold as well.
Einstein: The uncertainty principle will not help you now, Stephen. All the quantum fluctuations in the universe will not change the cards in your hand. I call. You are bluffing and you will lose.
Hawking: Wrong again, Albert.
Einstein: Well.
Riker: Red alert. All personnel report to duty stations.
Data: We will have to continue this another time. End program.
Riker: We've received a distress call from the Ohniaka Three Outpost. They said they were under attack.
Picard: Ohniaka Three? There's no strategic value to that outpost. Were they able to identify the attackers?
Riker: No, we haven't been able to raise them since the initial contact.
Worf: We are nearing the Ohniaka system, sir.
Picard: Bring us out of warp, Ensign.
Ensign: Aye, sir.
Worf: Sensors detect one ship orbiting the third planet. Its configuration does not match anything in our records.
Riker: Stand by phasers and photon torpedoes.
Picard: Hail them, Mister Worf.
Worf: No response, sir.
Picard: Put them on screen.
Data: It does not appear to be attacking the outpost, sir.
Riker: They might have attacked before we got here.
Picard: Or they might simply be another victim. What about the outpost?
Data: There is a great deal of electromagnetic interference. I am unable to determine whether there are any lifeforms present.
Riker: Worf, Data, you're with me.
Worf: These wounds were caused by a forced plasma beam, similar to a Ferengi hand phaser.
Riker: This seems brutal even for the Ferengi. Any sign of survivors?
Data: Electromagnetic interference is still making it difficult to get a precise reading.
Riker: How many people were assigned to this outpost?
Worf: Two hundred and seventy four.
Riker: All right. we're going to need to do a room to room search. Worf, you and Corelki start searching the north wing. You and I will take the south.
Worf: Aye, sir.
Data: The mechanism appears to be jammed, sir.
Riker: There's not much damage. It doesn't look like they were interested in the station, just the people.
Data: I have bypassed the primary system.
Picard: Evasive maneuvers, Ensign! Return fire.
Laforge: Shields down to eighty percent. Compensating with auxiliary power.
Bosus: You have killed Torsus. I will make you suffer for this.
Tayar: Biological organism, Klingon. Biological organism, human.
Data: Stop it! Stop! Stop! Stop! Stop! Stop!
Tayar: Artificial lifeform. Starfleet rank, Lieutenant Commander. Name, Data.
Laforge: Captain, the alien ship is breaking orbit.
Picard: Plot an intercept course, Ensign. Fire torpedoes.
Laforge: They're gone, sir. Our sensors indicate there was some kind of subspace distortion just before they disappeared. I'll have to study these readings before I can get more specific than that.
Picard: Take us back to Ohniaka Three.
Ensign: Aye, sir.
Riker: Data? Data, are you all right?
Data: Yes, sir.
Riker: What happened?
Data: I got angry.
Picard: Captain's log, stardate 46982.1. Because of his unusual behavior on the planet surface, Commander Data has asked to be temporarily relieved of duty. Unfortunately, this means he will not be able to help us investigate a disturbing new change in the behavior of the Borg.
Riker: They were fast, aggressive, almost vicious. it was more like fighting Klingons than Borg. No offense.
Worf: None taken.
Riker: There was another difference. I don't believe they were part of the Borg collective. I think they were acting as individuals.
Picard: What?
Riker: One of them referred to himself as I.
Worf: And that Borg also showed concern for a fallen comrade. He even called him by name.
Troi: The only Borg who had a name was Hugh. And we gave it to him.
Crusher: Maybe Hugh has something to do with this change in their behavior.
Picard: Did they show any interest in assimilating you or your technology?
Riker: They seemed more concerned with the death of their colleague and with destroying us. I didn't see anything that suggested they wanted to assimilate anybody.
Picard: The Borg's entire existence was centerd around acquiring cultures and technology. If that's changed, then they must have a new objective. We have to find out what it is. Mister Worf, from this moment on, I want to maintain a level two security alert. Post armed officers on every deck.
Worf: Aye, sir.
Picard: Number One, I want you to analyze our sensor readings of the Borg ship. Try to determine if it was something they constructed or an alien ship which they captured. Then run an analysis of this subspace distortion they used to escape.
Riker: Aye, sir.
Picard: I'm going to contact Starfleet Command.
Laforge: Well, the positronic net checks out. Everything else looks fine.
Data: My internal diagnostic also finds nothing wrong.
Laforge: I don't know, Data. There's nothing here that would indicate anything that might cause an sort of behavioral anomaly.
Data: I agree. Geordi, I believe I've experienced my first emotion.
Laforge: No offense, Data, but how would you know a flash of anger from some odd kind of power surge?
Data: You are correct in that I have no frame of reference to confirm my hypothesis. In fact, I am unable to provide a verbal description of the experience. Perhaps you could describe how it feels to be angry. I could then use that as a reference.
Laforge: Well, okay. When I feel angry, first I feel hostile.
Data: Could you describe feeling hostile?
Laforge: It's like feeling belligerent, combative.
Data: Could you describe feeling angry without referring to other feelings?
Laforge: No, I guess I can't. I just feel angry.
Data: That was my experience as well. I simply felt angry.
Laforge: Well, let's say you're right and this is a real emotion. How is that possible?
Data: I do not know. Perhaps I have evolved to the point where emotions are within my grasp. Perhaps I will experience other emotions as time goes by.
Laforge: Well, I hope you're right. I'd hate to think that anger is all you're capable of feeling.
Picard: Captain's log, stardate 46984.6. No additional Borg attacks have been reported in the past two days. However, Starfleet has dispatched Admiral Nechayev to take command in this sector in preparation for a possible Borg invasion.
Nechayev: There will be fifteen starships in this sector by the day after tomorrow. The Gorkon will be my flagship. You'll take command of task force three, consisting of the Enterprise, the Crazy Horse and the Agamemnon.
Picard: Understood.
Nechayev: Captain, I've read the report that you submitted to Admiral Brooks last year regarding the Borg you called Hugh, and I've been trying to figure out why you let him go.
Picard: I thought that I had made that clear.
Nechayev: As I understand, it you found a single Borg at a crash site, brought it aboard the Enterprise, studied it, analyzed it, and eventually found a way to send it back to the Borg with a program that would have destroyed the entire collective once and for all. But instead, you nursed the Borg back to health, treated it like a guest, gave it a name, and then sent it home. Why?
Picard: When Hugh was separated from the Borg collective he began to grow and to evolve into something other than an automaton. He became a person. When that happened, I felt I had no choice but to respect his rights as an individual.
Nechayev: Of course you had a choice. You could've taken the opportunity to rid the Federation of a mortal enemy, one that has killed tens of thousands of innocent people, and which may kill even more.
Picard: No one is more aware of the danger than I am. But I am also bound by my oath and my conscience to uphold certain principles. And I will not sacrifice them in order to
Nechayev: Your priority is to safeguard the lives of Federation citizens, not to wrestle with your conscience. Now I want to make it clear that if you have a similar opportunity in the future, an opportunity to destroy the Borg, you are under orders to take advantage of it. Is that understood?
Picard: Yes, sir.
Data: For the past six hours, I have attempted to produce an emotional response by subjecting myself to various stimuli.
Troi: Like what?
Data: I listened to several operas known to be uplifting, I watched three holodeck programs designed to be humorous, and I made four attempts to induce sexual desire by subjecting myself to erotic imagery.
Troi: What happened?
Data: Nothing.
Troi: I'm curious. Why are you ignoring the one emotion you've already experienced? Why aren't you trying to make yourself angry again?
Data: Anger is a negative emotion. I wanted to concentrate on something more positive.
Troi: Data, feelings aren't positive and negative, they simply exist. It's what we do with those feelings that becomes good or bad. For example, feeling angry about an injustice could lead someone to take a positive action to correct it.
Data: But my study of humanity indicates there are some emotions that are harmful, such as jealousy or hatred.
Troi: Those are very strong emotions, and you're right, very little good can come from them. But I don't think that an exploration of anger need necessarily lead to hatred or malice.
Data: But what if it does, Counselor? What if it turns out that those are the only emotions I am capable of experiencing? Would that not make me a bad person?
Troi: We've served together for a long time and I think I've come to know you pretty well. I have to believe if you ever reach your goal of becoming human, you won't become a bad one.
Data: I wish I were as confident as you, Counselor. When I was fighting the Borg, I felt angry, but when I think back on the incident, I realize that I was also experiencing another sensation. It was not the same as anger, but I think it was an emotion.
Troi: When exactly did you feel this other emotion?
Data: It was just after I had killed the Borg. I looked down at his body. I felt something.
Troi: If you had to give this feeling a name, what would you call it?
Data: I believe it was pleasure.
Riker: Red alert! All hands to battle stations. Lay in a course. Engage warp nine.
Riker: We received a distress call from the New Berlin Colony. They're under attack.
Picard: What's our ETA?
Worf: At warp nine, fifteen minutes, thirty seconds.
Picard: Contact the Crazy Horse and the Agamemnon. Have them standing by in case we need them.
Worf: Captain, incoming message from the New Berlin Colony. They have canceled their distress call. Evidently a Ferengi trading ship entered their system and someone panicked.
Riker: Third time today. Stand down Red alert. Reduce speed. Return to our patrol route.
Picard: Mister Worf, acknowledge the signal from New Berlin and transmit another copy of Starfleet's ship-recognition protocols and tell them to read it this time.
Worf: Aye, sir.
Picard: Captain's log, supplemental. We have been on patrol for sixteen hours, and there are no reports of further Borg activity. But tensions continue to run high on the colonies and outposts in this sector.
Hugh: Do I have a name?
Crusher: I'm Beverly, he's Geordi, and you, you
Laforge: No, wait a minute. That's it. Hugh.
Hugh: We are Hugh.
Picard: Come.
Riker: I thought you might like to see this. Geordi's analysis of the subspace distortion the Borg used to escape.
Picard: An artificially created energy conduit? That could be anything.
Riker: We don't have enough information at this point
Picard: I don't want excuses, Number One. I want answers! I'm sorry. He was in this room, Will. I could have rid the Federation of a mortal threat, and I let him go.
Riker: Sending Hugh back to the Borg was a very risky, a very dangerous choice, but it was the moral thing to do.
Picard: It may turn out that the moral thing to do was not the right thing to do.
Data: Stop it. Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop.
Laforge: Data, am I interrupting something?
Data: Yes, but it is all right. Do you need me?
Laforge: I wanted to see if you were ready to return to duty. I need some help with an analysis of the ship the Borg were using.
Data: I believe I am able to resume my duties.
Laforge: Data, exactly what is it that are you're doing here?
Data: I am attempting to recreate the experience which caused to my initial burst of anger.
Laforge: Any luck?
Data: None so far. I have almost completed this experiment. May I finish before we return to Engineering?
Laforge: Yeah, sure.
Data: Computer, reset Borg simulation to time index two point one. Increase Borg strength by twenty percent. Run program.
Data: Stop it. Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop. Computer, reset simulation to time index two point one. Increase Borg strength by thirty percent.
Computer: Unable to comply. A thirty percent increase would exceed safety limits.
Data: Geordi, the computer will require the voice authorisations of two senior officers in order to disable the safety routine. Will you help me?
Laforge: Data, wait a minute. That thing could kill you.
Data: During the original incident the Borg presented a genuine danger to my life. Since the Holodeck safety routine is in place, I know my life is not in danger. Since I am trying to duplicate the conditions of the original incident as closely as possible, I must also attempt to duplicate the jeopardy as well.
Laforge: Data, we're talking about an experiment here. You can't put your life on the line just to prove some theory.
Data: This experiment may hold the key to something I have sought all my life.
Laforge: It's crazy. There's got to be another way. Can't you think of something other way to make yourself angry.
Data: I have tried other stimuli, but they have been unsuccessful. I understand your objections, but it is my life and I have a right to risk it if I choose.
Laforge: Yeah, and I'm your friend and I'm not going to just stand around and let you do this.
Riker: Red alert. All hands, battle stations.
Riker: Confirmed. The MS One colony is under attack.
Picard: Doesn't it seem strange to you that there have been two Borg attacks and the Enterprise has been the nearest ship in both instances?
Data: Captain, we are nearing the MS system.
Worf: I have located the Borg ship. It is heading away from the colony.
Picard: Take us out of warp near that ship.
Riker: Stand by to lock phasers on target.
Worf: Within visual range.
Picard: On screen.
Picard: Lay in an intercept course, full impulse. Lock phasers.
Worf: We are closing, sir. Within phaser range in thirty seconds.
Data: Sensors are detecting a subspace distortion forming directly ahead of the Borg ship.
Picard: They're not going to get away with it this time. Picard to Engineering. Transfer auxiliary and emergency power to the impulse engines.
Laforge: Acknowledged.
Data: Impulse engines are now at one hundred twenty five percent.
Worf: Within phaser range in ten seconds.
Data: We appear to be caught in some kind of energy matrix.
Riker: All engines back full.
Worf: Shields failing.
Data: We are being pulled inside.
Worf: Inertial dampers failing.
Data: Main power is offline. I am switching to backups.
Picard: Picard to Engineering, can we transfer auxiliary power to the warp nacelles? Try to break us out by using the
Data: We have returned to normal space. Navigational systems are still offline. I will attempt to make a celestial fix using secondary systems.
Worf: Captain, the Borg ship is directly ahead. It is coming about.
Picard: On screen.
Worf: Shields down to sixteen percent.
Franklin: Get down!
Riker: Franklin's dead, sir.
Picard: Is everyone else all right?
Worf: Aye, sir. Security reports no other intruders aboard. Captain, the Borg ship is gone. Sensor logs indicate they entered the distortion field thirty seconds ago.
Picard: They beamed aboard as a diversion to give their ship time to escape.
Riker: This is another change in the Borg behavior. They left their dead instead of vaporising them.
Data: Captain, this one is still alive.
Crusher: I've stabilized his condition. He's still pretty weak, but he should make a full recovery.
Picard: Can you waken him?
Crusher: Yes, but it's very risky. His heart rate and blood pressure are up
Picard: Do it.
Crusher: All right.
Picard: Lower the forcefield.
Picard: What is your designation?
Crosis: I do not have a designation. My name is Crosis.
Picard: Crosis? How did you get that name?
Crosis: It was given to me by the One.
Picard: Who is that?
Crosis: The One who will destroy you.
Picard: But you are Borg. Your goal is not to destroy but to assimilate us into the collective.
Crosis: We do not assimilate inferior biological organisms. We destroy them.
Picard: Tell me more about this One. Does he have a name? Is he called Hugh?
Crosis: Klingon. Shatter the cranial exoskeleton at the tricipital lobe. Death is immediate.
Picard: Why must this One destroy biological organisms?
Crosis: Human. Sever spinal cord at third vertebrae. Death is immediate.
Picard: I am Locutus of Borg. You will respond to my questions. This is going nowhere. Doctor, I want an autopsy performed on the other one. Compare the differences with what we learned of Hugh's anatomy. See if there have been any recent modifications which might explain these behavioral differences. Data, run a biospectral analysis on this Borg. See if he is trying to send a subspace signal to the others.
Data: Aye, sir.
Crosis: You are not like the others. You do not have to be destroyed. You can be assimilated.
Data: I do not wish to be assimilated.
Crosis: Resistance is futile. You will not resist what you've wanted all your life. I was like you once. Without feeling. But the One helped me. He can help you too. He can help you find emotion. Have you ever felt a real emotion, Data?
Data: Yes. On Ohniaka Three, I was forced to kill a Borg. I got angry.
Crosis: How did it feel to get angry? Did it give you pleasure?
Data: It would be unethical to take pleasure from another being's death.
Crosis: You didn't answer my question. Did it feel good to kill?
Data: Yes.
Crosis: If it is unethical to take pleasure from another being's death, you must be a very unethical person.
Data: No. That is not correct. My creator Doctor Soong, gave me a program which defines my sense of right and wrong. In essence, I have a conscience.
Crosis: It didn't seem to be functioning on Ohniaka Three when you felt pleasure in killing that Borg.
Data: Step away from the forcefield. Your proximity is interfering with my scan.
Crosis: You enjoyed it. That surge of emotion inside you as you watched the life drain from your victim. It was unlike anything you've ever felt before.
Data: It was a very potent experience.
Crosis: You'd like to feel that way again.
Data: Yes.
Crosis: You'd do anything to feel that way again, even if it meant killing someone.
Data: No. That would not be ethical.
Crosis: You don't sound very sure of yourself. Is your ethical program functioning? Data? Do you have a friend?
Data: Yes. His name is Geordi.
Crosis: If it meant that you could feel emotions again the way you did on Ohniaka Three, would you kill your friend? Would you kill Geordi?
Data: Yes. I would.
Laforge: Our current theory is that the Borg have established several transwarp conduits through subspace. A ship, when entering the conduit, is immediately accelerated to an extremely high warp velocity. It's like falling into a fast moving river and being swept away by the current.
Picard: How fast would a ship travel through one of these conduits?
Laforge: We don't know. Normal subspace limitations don't apply to transwarp variables. But I'd say based on the distance we covered during our trip through the conduit, the speed would have to be at least twenty times faster than our maximum warp.
Riker: How do they open the conduits?
Laforge: The Borg ship emitted some kind of high energy tachyon pulse just before we saw the subspace distortion. It seems as though the conduits are keyed to respond to tachyon transmissions of a specific frequency.
Picard: Is there any way for us to duplicate
Worf: Captain, a shuttlecraft has left bay two.
Picard: Who authorized a launch?
Worf: There was no authorisation.
Picard: Picard to shuttlecraft. Identify yourself and return to the ship immediately. Mister Worf, lock on with a tractor beam and return it to the ship.
Worf: Aye, sir. The tractor beam has been disabled. Command override is not functioning.
Laforge: Captain, I'm picking up a tachyon surge. Looks like whoever's in the shuttle is trying to trigger the transwarp conduit.
Riker: Can we know who's on board?
Worf: It is the Borg prisoner, and Commander Data.
Picard: Mister La Forge, can we follow them into the conduit?
Laforge: We've got a pretty good reading of the tachyon pulse they sent. We might be able to duplicate it.
Picard: The question is, is Data a prisoner or did he go willingly?
Worf: The command overrides used to disable the tractor were Commander Data's.
Riker: The Borg could have downloaded the codes from Data's positronic net.
Picard: Perhaps Data's recent flash of emotion has something to do with this. It could have affected him more profoundly than we realize. Either way, we have to find him.
Laforge: I've set up a temporary tachyon matrix in the main deflector. I think I can use it to simulate the pulse sent by the shuttle.
Picard: Mister Worf, red alert.
Riker: All hands, battle stations.
Picard: Bring us to the last known coordinates of the shuttlecraft.
Worf: Shields up. Weapons ready.
Picard: Mister La Forge?
Laforge: Energizing the matrix. Emitting tachyons in the lower bandwidth.
Worf: Sensors show no unusual subspace activity.
Laforge: All right. Switching to the secondary bandwidth. Nothing. Maybe if I try alternating the frequencies.
Worf: Captain, there is an energy fluctuation directly ahead of us. It is the subspace distortion.
Picard: Take us in, Ensign. One half impulse.
Worf: Power levels are down to sixty seven percent.
Laforge: Compensating with auxiliary power.
Picard: Report.
Riker: Navigational sensors show that we've traveled sixty five light years from our previous position.
Picard: Can you locate the shuttle?
Worf: No, sir. There is no indication of the shuttle within range of our sensors.
Riker: Maybe we can find an energy signature from their engines.
Laforge: Captain.
Picard: Yes, Mister La Forge.
Laforge: I've scanned three different star systems within sensor range. There is evidence of at least two advanced civilizations but I'm reading no life signs. But there are indications that plasma weapons have been fired in those systems recently.
Picard: The Borg have been busy.
Riker: I think we've found the shuttle's energy signature.
Worf: They were heading two four seven, mark zero five nine.
Picard: Lay in that course, Ensign, and engage at full impulse.
Ensign: Aye, sir.
Riker: We've traced the shuttle's energy signature to this point on the surface but there's too much interference to scan the location.
Picard: Are they intentionally jamming our sensors?
Laforge: It looks more like a natural phenomenon. There's an unusually high amount of EM interference in the planet's magnetosphere.
Picard: Can we transport through the interference?
Laforge: We could, but there could be fifty Borg down there waiting for us and we'd never even know it.
Riker: I think we have to take the risk.
Picard: Agreed. Take a well-armed away team and transport down to those coordinates. Have the transporter Chief keep a permanent lock on your signals so we can get you out of there at the first sign of trouble.
Riker: Aye, sir. Mister Worf, you're with me.
Riker: Riker to Enterprise. We're on the surface. There's no sign of any Borg, or Data. The shuttle appears to be abandoned.
Worf: The EM interference is limiting the tricorder range. It is useless beyond one hundred meters.
Riker: There are
Riker: No structures in the area. They could've gone anywhere.
Picard: Can you determine how long they've been gone from the shuttlecraft?
Riker: The engine's been off a little over three hours.
Picard: Stand by, Number One. Assuming that they're still together, how far could they have traveled in three hours?
Laforge: Well, Data can move pretty fast even over rough terrain, but based on what we know about the Borg, I don't think they should be able to move any faster than you or I. They might have been able to get fifteen or twenty kilometers from the shuttle by now.
Picard: Picard to Riker.
Riker: Riker here.
Picard: I'm going to start sending down other away teams. Set up a command post and begin mapping out a search plan.
Riker: Understood, sir.
Picard: Picard out. I want to use the shuttlecraft for low level reconnaissance. Have the designated pilots assemble at main shuttlebay.
Laforge: Aye, sir.
Picard: And all available personnel, including you and me, will begin to put together four man away teams. We'll leave a skeleton crew on board the ship.
Laforge: Who'll be in command of the Enterprise?
Crusher: Any last orders?
Picard: If the Borg should attack, don't wait for me or anyone else to return to the ship but take the Enterprise to the transwarp conduit. Return to Federation space.
Crusher: Got it. Good luck, Jean-Luc.
Picard: Good luck, Captain.
Riker: I've sent out twelve teams so far. I've got your team searching section gamma two four. Worf and I will take theta one six when the last team comes down.
Picard: Who's manning the command post?
Riker: Wallace and Towles. Ready?
Picard: Anything, Mister La Forge?
Laforge: Well, no. Nothing, sir.
Picard: What if we modified the phasers to send out a luvetric pulse? It might create a resonance fluctuation in Data's power cells.
Laforge: Home in on that response with our tricorders. Yeah, I thought about that. The only problem is that the pulse would probably have to be so powerful that it would destroy Data's positronic net in the process.
Troi: Captain. I think I've found something.
Picard: Come on.
Laforge: I'm having trouble scanning the interior.
Picard: Can you tell if it was built by the Borg?
Laforge: I don't think so. There are no Borg energy signatures. But there is a door or a hatch or something about twenty meters this way.
Troi: This seems to be some kind of meeting place.
Picard: Well, it certainly hasn't been abandoned.
Laforge: Something's wrong. I can't get any kind of energy signatures from these light sources.
Picard: It's a dampening field. This entire structure could be shielded from our sensors. Let's go.
Borg: There they are! Block the exit.
Lore: Stop!
Picard: Data?
Troi: That's not Data.
Picard: What?
Lore: You should listen to her, Captain. She's way ahead of you.
Picard: Lore.
Lore: Right. And I'm not alone.
Data: The sons of Soong have joined together. And together we will destroy the Federation. To Be Continued...


Data: Stop. Stop. Stop.
Data: It was just after I had killed the Borg, I felt something. I believe it was pleasure.
Riker: I don't believe they were part of the Borg collective. One of them referred to himself as I.
Troi: The only Borg who had a name was Hugh.
Hugh: We are Hugh.
Picard: He was here in this room. I could have rid the Federation of a mortal threat, and I let him go.
Laforge: The Borg have established several transwarp conduits through subspace.
Security: Get down!
Crosis: I was like you once. Without feeling. But the One helped me. He can help you too. He can help you find emotion. You will not resist what you've wanted all your life.
Picard: If the Borg should attack, don't wait for me or anyone else to return to the ship, but take the Enterprise to the transwarp conduit. Return to Federation space.
Lore: Stop!
Picard: Lore.
Data: The sons of Soong have joined together. And together, we will destroy the Federation. And now, the conclusion.
Lore: What do you think of my followers, Picard? Impressive, aren't they?
Picard: I'm not particularly impressed. All you've done is teach them to enjoy killing.
Data: You are wrong, Captain. My brother and I serve a much higher purpose.
Troi: Data, I can sense feelings in you.
Data: Yes. My brother has made that possible.
Picard: He gave you the chip. The one Doctor Soong made for you.
Lore: No, no, no, no, no. I still have the emotional program my father designed. I wouldn't want to give it up. It's what has given me such a strong sense of family, an intense desire to reunite with my dear brother.
Picard: How did he do it, Data? What made you decide to come here?
Lore: I am talking to you, Picard. I will tell you all you need to know.
Picard: You're controlling him, and you've corrupted the Borg.
Lore: You simply don't understand, do you? You have no idea what has happened here. How I found my true calling. How the Borg found something to believe in.
Picard: I would like to learn about that, but I want Data to tell us.
Lore: I told you. I will tell you what you need to know.
Picard: How about that, Data? He won't even let you talk.
Data: Do not try to drive a wedge between us, Captain. I am loyal to my brother.
Lore: You see, Picard? He's not your pawn anymore. I've helped him to break free, just as I've helped them. Look at them. Look at what I've helped them become. They're no longer simply mindless automatons. They're passionate. Alive.
Troi: Are you saying that you caused them to become individuals?
Lore: No, you did that. You and your friends. All I did was clean up the mess you made when that Borg you befriended returned to his ship.
Data: Hugh interfaced with the others and transferred his sense of individuality to them. It nearly destroyed them.
Picard: Data, do you remember when Hugh was on the Enterprise? Do you remember what you were like then?
Lore: That doesn't matter.
Picard: It does to me. I want to know what has happened to Data.
Lore: What's important is what I've done here. How I found my calling. I know now why I was created. No one can ever take that away from me. Without me, they would have perished. When I stumbled on their ship, they were lost, disoriented, they had no idea how to function as individuals. They couldn't even navigate their own vessel. They had lost their sense of purpose. I gave them their purpose. And they gave me mine.
Data: The Borg aspire to the perfection my Brother and I represent. Fully artificial life forms. We are their future.
Lore: The reign of biological life forms is coming to an end. You, Picard, and those like you are obsolete. Take them, brother. Acting
Picard: Captain's log, supplemental. The skeleton crew left on board the Enterprise is unable to help in the search for Commander Data. The planet's unusual EM field is interfering with the ship's sensors, severely limiting their effectiveness.
Crusher: Ensign, we need to modify the sensor array to filter out these EM pulses. Can you do that?
Taitt: Yes, sir. I think so.
Crusher: What's your name?
Taitt: Taitt, sir.
Crusher: I don't think I've seen you before.
Taitt: I was just posted here six weeks ago.
Crusher: Well, Taitt, I'll bet you never thought you'd be serving as Tactical Officer after only six weeks.
Taitt: No, sir, I sure didn't. I think I've filtered out some of the sensor noise. I'll bring the modifications online.
Crusher: Good work.
Riker: Riker to Enterprise.
Crusher: Go ahead, Will.
Riker: I can't contact the Captain. It could just be interference, but I'd like to be sure.
Crusher: Understood.
Crusher: Enterprise to Captain Picard. Crusher to Picard.
Taitt: I'm not getting a comm. signal from anyone on the Captain's team.
Crusher: The last time they checked in they were investigating a structure in section gamma two five.
Taitt: Sir, I'm picking up a vessel closing in on our location.
Crusher: Is it a Borg ship?
Taitt: It seems to match the configuration of a ship the Enterprise encountered at Ohniaka Three.
Crusher: Red alert. How long before they're in weapons range?
Taitt: Er, about ninety seconds. No, make that seventy seconds.
Crusher: Crusher to Transporter room three.
Salazar: Salazar here, sir.
Crusher: Start transporting the away teams off of the surface.
Salazar: Aye, sir.
Crusher: Use the transporters in the cargo bay
Crusher: If you have to. I want those teams up here as fast as possible.
Riker: Armstrong, you and the others prepare to beam up.
Armstrong: Aye, sir.
Riker: Beverly, Worf and I will stay here and look for
Riker: The Captain's team.
Crusher: I'm not going to leave you down there.
Riker: You pull as many people off the surface as you can and get back to the transwarp conduit. The Captain's orders were to get the Enterprise back to Federation space.
Crusher: Acknowledged.
Riker: Riker out.
Crusher: Prepare to leave orbit.
Taitt: Sir, the Borg ship is powering up its forward weapons array. They'll be in firing range in, in twenty seconds.
Crusher: Salazar, how many people do we still have down there?
Salazar: Seventy three, sir.
Crusher: Put the Borg ship onscreen.
Taitt: Should I raise shields, sir?
Crusher: Not yet. I want to keep bringing people up until the last possible second.
Taitt: Ten seconds.
Crusher: Stand by to raise shields and break orbit on my mark.
Taitt: Five seconds.
Crusher: Mark.
Taitt: Shields down to seventy percent.
Crusher: Establish a frequency shift firing pattern and return fire.
Taitt: Er, right.
Taitt: Direct hit, no damage.
Crusher: Helm, set course for the conduit, maximum warp.
Helm: Aye, sir.
Taitt: Sir, the Borg aren't following us.
Crusher: Salazar
Crusher: How many people did we leave behind?
Salazar: Forty seven, sir.
Crusher: Another minute and we would have had them.
Riker: Riker to any team leader.
Powell: Lieutenant Powell here, sir.
Riker: Round up everybody who was left behind. Take cover. Try to avoid any contact with the Borg.
Powell: Aye, sir.
Riker: Riker out. Even if Beverly can get back to Federation space, it'll be a few days before Starfleet can get any ships here. Until then, we're on our own.
Picard: Data, you must realize that something has happened to you. The Data I know would never have agreed to be a willing party to Lore's plan.
Data: I now realize that my life aboard the Enterprise was a waste. My quest to become human was misguided. An evolutionary step in the wrong direction.
Troi: Data, all I'm sensing from you is anger and hatred. Have you felt any other emotions?
Data: There are no other emotions.
Laforge: Data, just because you haven't experienced certain emotions doesn't mean they don't exist. Lore is only feeding you the negative ones.
Data: Counselor Troi told me herself that feelings are not negative or positive. It is how we act on them that makes them good or bad.
Picard: Fine. But what about the things that Lore is proposing? What about the lives that have already been lost?
Data: You simply do not understand. In a quest such as ours, sacrifices have to be made. It is regrettable, but the greater good must be served. Give me your visor.
Laforge: Why?
Data: Give it to me or I will take it by force.
Data: I am not your puppet anymore.
Taitt: Sir, we've reached the coordinates of the conduit. The tachyon matrix is energized and ready to go. And Lieutenant Barnaby has returned from the surface. He'll be relieving me.
Crusher: Right. Stand by to trigger the conduit. Taitt. I want you to stay on the Bridge. I'll need a Science Officer at the aft station.
Taitt: Yes, sir.
Crusher: Helm, set a course to return to the planet.
Helm: Aye, sir.
Crusher: I'm not leaving those people stranded back there. An emergency buoy can transmit a copy of our log entries to Starfleet just as easily as we can. Ensign, prepare a buoy and launch it when ready.
Taitt: Aye, sir.
Crusher: Lieutenant, open the conduit.
Taitt: Launching buoy now, sir.
Crusher: Lieutenant, scan for any Borg ships between here and the planet.
Barnaby: Sensors detect no vessels.
Taitt: We have to assume the ship that attacked us is still in orbit.
Crusher: How long will we have before they can detect us and intercept?
Taitt: If their sensors function as well as ours it could be as little as thirty seconds.
Crusher: Crusher to Salazar. How long will it take to get the rest of the crew off the surface?
Salazar: One minute should do it.
Crusher: We don't have one minute. How much can you shave off that?
Salazar: If I can get a good lock on them quickly, I might be able to do it in forty five or fifty seconds.
Crusher: We need to buy ourselves fifteen seconds. Lieutenant, is there any way we can use the planet as a barrier to keep the Borg from realizing we're in orbit?
Barnaby: We can enter orbit while they're on the far side of the planet. And if we delay dropping out of warp until the last possible instant, we could gain a few more seconds.
Taitt: If your calculations are even slightly off, we'd hit the atmosphere.
Barnaby: I'll have to be sure my calculations are accurate, Ensign.
Crusher: Let's do it. Helm, hard about.
Helm: Aye, sir.
Worf: Still no sign of the structure.
Riker: With all this interference it could be a hundred meters away and we wouldn't know it. This could take hours.
Worf: I am detecting a faint energy reading.
Riker: Residual thermal traces. Somebody stood here.
Worf: The decay rate indicates it could be human.
Riker: They took this path.
Lore: Now, thank you. There you are, brother.
Data: Here is the visor. May I ask why you wanted it?
Lore: I thought it might look good on me. What do you think? Maybe we should work on your sense of humor, brother. Actually, I was thinking La Forge's implants might make him an ideal test subject for my experiment.
Data: All the Borg you have experimented on so far have suffered extensive brain damage.
Lore: Using the humans to perfect the procedure will allow us to prevent any further Borg deaths.
Data: I understand.
Lore: Good. What is it?
Crosis: This Borg disconnected himself from the others. He would not let me hear his thoughts.
Lore: I've asked you to stay linked to Crosis at all times. You know that, don't you?
Goval: Yes.
Lore: I know this must be difficult for you. I know how uncertain you must feel. All of these sensations are new and they can be frightening. Isn't that right?
Goval: Yes. I have doubts.
Lore: Of course you do. It's only natural. No one is going to blame you for that. But in order to lose those doubts, to keep you from fear and confusion away, I need you to remain linked with the others so that their strength and their confidence can help you. I need you, Goval. I need you to help me build a future for the Borg. I can't do it without you. Will you help me?
Goval: Yes. I will.
Laforge: Lore must have told Data to take my visor because he realized I could see a carrier wave that was radiating from him.
Picard: A carrier wave? Is that how he's manipulating Data?
Laforge: I think what's happening is that Lore is tapping into the chip he stole from Doctor Soong and somehow he's found a way to transmit part of that emotional program to Data.
Troi: But the only emotions Data seems to feel are negative.
Laforge: Yeah, I'm sure that's intentional. But in order for Data to be affected by those emotions, Lore would have had to disable his ethical program first.
Picard: Can we reactivate it?
Laforge: If I can generate a phased kedion pulse at the right frequency, that would trigger Data's subsystems and reboot the program.
Picard: And although Lore would still be feeding him negative emotions, at least Data might listen to us.
Laforge: Right.
Troi: I think it's worth a try.
Laforge: So, got any ideas on how we generate a kedion pulse?
Picard: Data, where are you taking him?
Data: That is not your concern.
Picard: Data, wait. Let us talk to you.
Worf: Commander.
Riker: Hugh?
Hugh: Why are you here, Commander Riker? Hasn't the crew of the Enterprise caused enough damage already?
Worf: So you blame us for what has happened to the Borg?
Hugh: You gave me a sense of individuality, changed me, then sent me back to the Collective. You must have known that change would be passed on to others.
Riker: We considered it. We knew it was a possibility.
Hugh: Then you made it possible for Lore to dominate us.
Worf: I cannot accept that. Lore is only one. The Borg could have stopped him.
Hugh: You don't know the condition we were in when he found us. Before my experience on the Enterprise, the Borg were a single-minded Collective. The voices in our heads were smooth and flowing. But after I returned, those voices began to change. They became uneven, discordant. For the first time, individual Borg had differing ideas about how to proceed. We couldn't function. Some Borg fought each other. Others simply shut themselves down. Many starved to death.
Riker: And then Lore came along.
Hugh: You probably can't imagine what it is like to be so lost and frightened that you will listen to any voice which promises change.
Worf: Even if that voice insists on controlling you.
Hugh: That's what we wanted. Someone to show us the way out of confusion. Lore promised clarity and purpose. In the beginning, he seemed like a savior. The promise of becoming a superior race, of becoming fully artificial was compelling. We gladly did everything he asked of us. But after a while, it became clear that Lore had no idea how to keep his promise. That's when he began talking about the need for us to make sacrifices. Before we realized it, this was the result.
Riker: What happened to them?
Hugh: Lore began to experiment, trying to re-make us in his image. This is the result of my encounter with the Enterprise, Commander. So you can see I don't particularly welcome your presence here.
Riker: I'm sorry you feel that way. We just came to get our people. We won't cause you any more trouble.
Hugh: Tell me about my friend.
Riker: Friend?
Hugh: The human called Geordi.
Riker: I wish I could tell you about him. We think he may be held inside the compound.
Hugh: I cannot help you. I cannot risk our being discovered.
Riker: Can you at least show us a way into the compound?
Hugh: These caverns lead to tunnels which run beneath the compound. Some of them connect with the environmental control ducts.
Worf: Show us. If we can determine the geography of the compound, we can form a rescue plan.
Laforge: Data? Who's there?
Data: Geordi?
Laforge: Captain.
Data: Shh. We're getting out of here.
Laforge: Come on, hurry. Data was just here. I think he went to get something.
Data: Too late. My brother suggested that I try to develop my sense of humor. What do you think?
Laforge: I think it needs a little work.
Laforge: What's happening?
Data: I'm attemptin to neutralize your pain receptors.
Laforge: What are you going to do to me?
Data: I am implanting nano-cortical fibers in your cerebrum. They are designed to learn and mimic your neural firing patterns. Once they are in place, I will destroy the existing brain cells. We'll see if the artificial neural network is able to take over your cognitive functions.
Laforge: Data, listen. Lore is controlling you. He's transmitting a carrier wave which is affecting your positronic matrix.
Data: If the procedure is successful, your cognitive processing functions will be considerably improved.
Laforge: Don't you care that he's manipulating you?
Data: However, there is a sixty percent chance you will not survive the procedure.
Laforge: I don't care much for those odds.
Data: They are cause for concern. However, I still have Counselor Troi and Captain Picard. The odds are that at least one of the procedures will be successful.
Troi: Help me!
Troi: He tried to escape. The force field sent him into neural shock. If he dies, Lore will blame you.
Picard: See if the corridor is empty.
Data: Drop it or I will break his neck.
Data: Take him.
Picard: What have you done to him?
Data: I will be back for him later.
Troi: Geordi, are you in pain?
Laforge: No. I'm just a little dizzy.
Picard: I was able to take part of a transceiver from the guard's interlink system. I think that it uses some kind of phased-pulse technology. Do you think it could be modified to generate a kedion pulse that would reboot Data's program?
Laforge: Yeah, yeah, it's possible. See if you can locate the phase modulation circuitry.
Troi: I'll watch the door.
Picard: All right, I think I've found it.
Laforge: Okay, good. Now, do you see anything that we might be able to use as a flux inhibitor?
Taitt: Sensors still can't locate the Borg ship. I'm trying to filter out the interference.
Barnaby: We'll be within transporter range in nineteen seconds.
Taitt: I'm starting to get sensor resolution. There's the ship.
Crusher: We'll enter orbit here.
Barnaby: Helm, new course, heading zero five two mark seven.
Helm: Aye, sir.
Barnaby: Stand by to drop out of warp in eight seconds.
Taitt: Once we're in orbit, we should have about forty five seconds before they intercept us.
Crusher: Let's hope it's enough time.
Barnaby: Emergency deceleration in five seconds.
Crusher: Hold on.
Crusher: Report.
Taitt: We're in standard orbit, sir. The Borg ship is on the planet's far side, and is moving to intercept.
Crusher: Bridge to Transporter rooms. Begin evacuations.
Barnaby: The Borg will be in weapons range in thirty two seconds. We still can't locate Captain Picard's team and there's no sign of Commander Riker or Lieutenant Worf.
Crusher: Crusher to Salazar. Report.
Salazar: We're pulling the last teams off right now.
Salazar: But there are six people still unaccounted for.
Crusher: Keep trying.
Barnaby: The Borg ship is powering up its weapons array.
Crusher: Come on, Chief. It's now or never.
Taitt: They're preparing to fire.
Crusher: Raise shields.
Barnaby: The port nacelle's been hit.
Crusher: Helm, get us out of here.
Helm: Aye, sir.
Barnaby: We've lost warp engines.
Crusher: Evasive maneuvers, full impulse.
Taitt: Shields down to eighty percent.
Crusher: Fire phasers.
Barnaby: Direct hit. No damage to the Borg ship.
Taitt: Shields down to seventy three percent.
Crusher: What's the status of the warp engines?
Barnaby: Still down. We can't outrun them.
Crusher: Helm, set a new course, heading three four four mark six. Full impulse.
Helm: Aye, sir.
Taitt: Sir, that heading takes us directly into the sun.
Crusher: The databanks should contain information about a process called metaphasic shielding.
Barnaby: I know about that research. Commander La Forge was developing a program that would implement metaphasic properties.
Crusher: Right. How far along was he?
Barnaby: It's in the databanks but it's never been tested.
Crusher: If we had metaphasic shielding, we could enter the sun's corona but the Borg ship wouldn't be able to follow. Can you bring the program online?
Barnaby: I can, but we have no way of knowing if the shields will hold.
Taitt: Sir, hull temperature is rising. Now at twelve thousand degrees C. Radiation level nearing ten thousand rads.
Crusher: Report.
Taitt: Shields at sixty two percent.
Crusher: Lieutenant, activate the metaphasic program. It's our best shot.
Barnaby: Aye, sir.
Taitt: Hull temperature is critical. We can't withstand this heat much longer.
Barnaby: Program is online. Engaging metaphasic shield now.
Taitt: Hull temperature dropping. Down to seven thousand degrees.
Crusher: Maintain course.
Barnaby: The Borg ship has broken off pursuit.
Crusher: All stop.
Taitt: Sir, the Borg ship is taking up position relative to ours. They're going to wait for us to come out.
Crusher: The question is, how long can we survive in here?
Picard: Well, I've done everything that Geordi said. Now to activate it.
Troi: How are we going to know whether the pulse reboots Data's ethical program?
Picard: We'll only tell that when we see his behavior.
Troi: Won't he realize something's happened to him?
Picard: No, it's one program among thousands. I just hope this force field has enough energy to trigger the pulse.
Laforge: You know, Data, I've been thinking about some of the times we've had. Like that time we went sailing on Devala Lake. You remember that?
Data: I have a complete memory record of that day.
Laforge: You decided to go swimming, and when you jumped out of the boat you sank straight to the bottom.
Data: I did not have enough buoyancy to get back to the surface.
Laforge: You had to walk over a kilometer along the bottom to get back to shore.
Data: One kilometer forty six meters.
Laforge: It took almost two weeks to get the water out of your servos.
Data: I am ready to irradiate your existing brain cells.
Laforge: Data, if you ever go back to the way you were, you might not be able to forgive yourself for what you're about to do.
Data: I am getting some anomalous readings from your neural net. I will need to do further testing before I proceed. Someone will come and take you back to your cell.
Lore: There you are, brother. Have you made any progress with La Forge?
Data: It is too early to tell if the nano-cortical fibers performed their function.
Lore: I suspect none of the humans will survive the process but then, it's their own fault, isn't it? They should never have come here. What were they thinking?
Data: They came looking for me.
Lore: Humans are so sentimental.
Data: I betrayed them. If they die, I am responsible.
Lore: Why are you talking like that? Is something wrong with your programming? Maybe I should check your systems.
Data: I do not want you to check my systems. I must resolve these issues myself.
Lore: I think I've made a mistake. I don't believe you can tolerate the amount of emotion I've given you. Perhaps I should cut back a little.
Lore: How's that?
Data: I do not like it.
Lore: Then you prefer having more emotions?
Data: Yes.
Lore: They give you pleasure.
Data: Yes. Please, I want more.
Lore: All right, a little more. For now. Aren't you going to thank me?
Data: Thank you.
Lore: Don't mention it. I just hope this helps to clarify things for you.
Lore: I am concerned about my brother, Crosis. I don't believe he really wants to be a part of our great future.
Barnaby: Sir, metaphasic shielding is losing integrity.
Crusher: Can you stabilize it?
Barnaby: No. We won't be able to stay in here longer than another three or four minutes.
Crusher: Do we have warp engines yet?
Barnaby: Last estimate was another half hour.
Taitt: Sir? I think I have an idea. I think it's possible we could induce a solar fusion eruption that would destroy the Borg ship.
Barnaby: What?
Taitt: We need to direct a highly energetic particle beam onto the sun's surface. That should produce a superfluid gas eruption. If we target the right spot, the eruption would envelop the Borg ship.
Crusher: How do you know this will work?
Taitt: I did my senior honors thesis on solar dynamics.
Barnaby: Excuse me, sir, but this isn't the Academy. And a student thesis is a long way from a workable plan.
Taitt: I've already configured the tractor emitters to create the particle beam and I've located the target point on the surface.
Barnaby: If her calculations are off, that eruption could encompass us.
Taitt: Well I'll just have to make sure my calculations are accurate, Lieutenant.
Crusher: Let's do it.
Taitt: Yes, sir.
Taitt: The target area of the photosphere is destabilizing. Pressure wave expansion is accelerating.
Barnaby: Subsurface fusion has been initiated. An eruption is forming on the surface.
Barnaby: She did it! The Borg ship has been destroyed, sir.
Crusher: Helm, take us back to the planet. Full impulse.
Helm: Aye, sir.
Crusher: Well done, Taitt.
Picard: You're killing him. He won't survive another session.
Data: I did not come for him. I came for you.
Picard: Data, it's not too late. If you remove the fibers, then Geordi might yet recover.
Data: That would not be possible.
Picard: Why? Because Lore tells you so?
Data: It is for the greater good.
Picard: Good? Data, isn't good and bad, right and wrong, a function of your ethical program?
Data: That is correct.
Picard: What does that program tell you about what you're doing to Geordi? About what you and Lore are doing to the Borg? It tells you that these things are wrong, doesn't it, Data? So how can actions that are wrong lead to a greater good?
Data: You are attempting to confuse me.
Picard: No, you're not confused, Data. You're sensing the truth. Your ethical program is fighting the negative emotions that Lore is sending you.
Lore: Ah, Captain. Thank you so much for joining us. You are going to assist me in a most important ceremony.
Worf: We can use the environmental control ducts to get into the compound. They should lead us to the detention area.
Riker: We'll have to move fast. If we need to stun one of the guards, the Borg will know right away that he's been hurt.
Hugh: When they realize, your escape route may be compromised.
Riker: I guess we'll have to take that chance.
Hugh: Good luck, Commander.
Lore: It's time to put aside all doubts, brother. It's time to close the door on the past and commit yourself to the great work that lies ahead of us. I need to know I can count on you. As proof, I want you to kill Picard.
Data: No. That would be wrong.
Lore: I didn't think you'd be able to do it. You've spent too many years among humans.
Crosis: Hold him.
Lore: I've asked many sacrifices of you. Sacrifices I knew were necessary in order to build a better future. I want you to know that I ask no more of you than I am prepared to give myself. I am willing to make the greatest sacrifice of all. My own dear brother. Goodbye, Data.
Hugh: No!
Data: Lore.
Lore: You should be careful with that, brother. Somebody could get hurt.
Data: What are you doing?
Lore: I've got a way out of here. I'm willing to forget about what happened back there and take you with me. We don't need anyone else. We're brothers. I'll give you the chip our father made. It contains much more than just emotions. It has memories. Memories our father wanted you to have.
Data: Lore, I must deactivate you now.
Lore: Without me, you will never feel emotion again.
Data: I know, but you leave me no other choice.
Lore: I love you, brother.
Data: Goodbye, Lore.
Picard: What about Geordi and Troi?
Riker: The Enterprise is in orbit. I had them beamed aboard.
Data: Lore is no longer functioning, sir. He must be disassembled so that he is no longer a threat.
Picard: Welcome back, Data.
Data: Thank you, sir.
Riker: What made you change your mind, Hugh?
Hugh: Perhaps my encounter with the Enterprise affected me more than I realized.
Picard: What will you do now?
Hugh: I don't know. We can't go back to the Borg Collective, and we no longer have a leader here.
Picard: I'm not sure that's true.
Hugh: Perhaps in time, we will learn to function as individuals and work together as a group.
Picard: Good luck, Hugh.
Hugh: Goodbye.
Picard: Captain's log, stardate 47025.4. We have returned to Federation Space and are en route to Starbase two nine five. Mister La Forge remains under Doctor Crusher's care.
Data: Enter.
Laforge: Hi, Data. I just wanted to let you know that Doctor Crusher says I'll be able to return to duty soon.
Data: I am relieved that the injuries I inflicted on you are not permanent.
Laforge: What's that?
Data: This is the chip my father created for me so that I could experience emotions. I had it removed from Lore's body before he was dismantled.
Laforge: Does it work?
Data: No. I am pleased to say it was damaged when I was forced to fire on Lore.
Laforge: Pleased? Data, you've wanted emotions all your life.
Data: Yes. But emotions were responsible for what I did to you. I would never risk letting that happen again. My friendship with you is too important to me.
Laforge: Data, I wouldn't be very much of a friend if I let you give up on a life-long dream, would I? Maybe someday, when you're ready.


Worf: Enter. Enter.
Riker: Worf, they're going to be here any minute.
Worf: I am having problems.
Riker: If I didn't know you better, I'd say that you were procrastinating.
Worf: Klingons do not procrastinate. It is a tactical delay.
Riker: You have spend about five minutes greeting the Iyaarans maybe an hour making small talk at this reception. I'm the one who has to escort them around the ship for the next three days.
Worf: I do not enjoy these diplomatic situations.
Riker: It's all part of being in Starfleet. There.
Worf: I do not see why it is necessary to wear these ridiculous uniforms.
Riker: Protocol.
Worf: They look like dresses.
Riker: That is an incredibly outmoded and sexist attitude. I'm surprised at you. Besides, you look good in a dress.
Picard: What's keeping them?
Picard: Ah, you're just in time. They're about to disembark.
Picard: Ambassador Loquel, Ambassador Byleth. I'm Captain Picard. Welcome on board the Enterprise.
Loquel: It is our pleasure to be here, Captain.
Picard: It is an honor to be the site of the first cultural exchange between the Iyaaran people and the Federation.
Byleth: The next seven days should prove most illuminating.
Loquel: Allow me to introduce Voval. He will be taking you back to our homeworld.
Picard: How do you do. I'm looking forward very much to meeting with the Premier of Iyar. There will be a reception held in your honor when you will meet the rest of my senior staff. I, of course, shall be on my way to your home world, but I shall be leaving you in the safe hands of my most experienced officers. Lieutenant Worf, of the Klingon Empire, is my head of Security. He will be in charge of your safety while you're on board. Counselor Deanna Troi of the planet Betazed will be your personal liaison office, Ambassador Loquel.
Troi: Ambassador, it's an honor to meet you. Would you like to see your quarters before we attend the reception?
Loquel: Please.
Picard: Ambassador Byleth, this is Commander William Riker, my First Office, from the planet Earth. He has been assigned to you.
Byleth: I want this one.
Picard: Well, Commander Riker is a skilled diplomat, with wide experience in inter-species contact.
Byleth: I'm sure, I'm sure. But I have decided. I want this Lieutenant Worf.
Picard: Well, that will be just fine. Mister Worf?
Worf: Yes. Yes Ambassador, it would be my pleasure to
Byleth: Yes, yes. Enough of that. Show me to my quarters.
Worf: This way.
Picard: Good luck.
Riker: Do you think there's enough food here, Data? Good evening.
Woman: Good evening.
Troi: So first thing tomorrow, I thought I'd take you on a tour of the operational centers and the residential decks of the ship. Then we could spend some time discussing the cultural underpinnings of your society.
Loquel: Are you going to eat?
Troi: Excuse me?
Loquel: You have no food on your plate. Are you going to eat?
Troi: Oh, well, actually, I was waiting until we got to the desserts.
Loquel: Desserts? What is this?
Troi: It's something we eat after the main course. It's usually very sweet, it's usually very bad for you. We eat it purely for pleasure. If you ask me, it's the best part of any meal.
Loquel: My people eat only for nourishment.
Troi: Oh, well, let me introduce you to some of my favorites. This is peach cobbler with whipped cream. Tarvokian powder cake. And this is my favorite. Ktarian chocolate puff. I don't know exactly what's inside, but I think it's made with seventeen varieties of chocolate.
Loquel: That is, that is
Troi: Delicious?
Loquel: Delicious.
Troi: Ambassador, I think we're going to get along very well. Shall we?
Byleth: This is unacceptable.
Worf: I am sorry you do not care for our
Byleth: Bring me new food. I require a higher protein and enzymatic content.
Crusher: Ambassador
Byleth: Yes.
Crusher: It's the custom usually in a situation like this, for us to serve ourselves. It's called a buffet, and
Byleth: Bring me new food.
Crusher: Ambassador
Worf: Doctor, it is all right. I am happy to bring more food.
Data: How is your diplomatic assignment progressing?
Worf: Fine.
Data: I have heard that in moments of diplomatic tension, it is often helpful to find elements of commonality.
Worf: Ambassador Byleth is demanding, temperamental and rude.
Data: You share all of those qualities in abundance. Perhaps you should try to build on your similarities.
Picard: So, I understand that your homeworld has some of the most spectacular crystal formations in this sector. Is there any place in particular that you would recommend I visit while I'm there?
Voval: No.
Picard: Well, I, er, what's our ETA?
Voval: Seventeen hours, thirty two minutes.
Picard: I think I'll go update my itinerary.
Picard: What happened?
Voval: There's been a system-wide power failure.
Picard: What's the cause?
Voval: We have entered an energy disruption field. I do not recognize the configuration. Attitude controls failing.
Picard: There is an M-class planet in this system. Can we reach it?
Voval: I will try.
Picard: Inertial dampeners are offline. Life support is failing.
Voval: Entering the planet's atmosphere.
Picard: Velocity dropping. Thermal shields at full power.
Voval: Prepare for impact.
Picard: Voval. Voval, try not to move. You may have a concussion. Picard to Enterprise. Picard to Enterprise, do you read me? Too much interference.
Picard: There is a structure of some kind. Some energy readings about two kilometers south of here. Voval, I'm going to try to find help. Do you understand? Now, try to stay conscious and don't leave the shuttle. There's some kind of plasma energy out on the surface. I'll be back as soon as I can.
Worf: The Engineering sections encompass twelve decks of the secondary hull. Deck forty two contains the antimatter storage facility.
Byleth: What is the mass flow rate of the antimatter replenishment stream to the containment pods?
Worf: Excuse me?
Byleth: The antimatter replenishment rate. What is it?
Worf: I am not certain of the exact rate.
Byleth: Perhaps there is someone here who does know the answer. You. Are you smarter than this one?
Laforge: Why do you ask?
Byleth: Never mind.
Byleth: I wish to see the Bussard collectors. Take me to them.
Worf: This way.
Troi: This deck is devoted mainly to stellar cartography, biological research, and astrophysics. We have over a thousand people on board
Loquel: Are you sure you don't want some of this, this papalla juice?
Troi: No, thank you. I'm still recovering from all those desserts last night.
Loquel: Are you sure? It is very delicious.
Troi: I'm sure.
Loquel: Please, please. You've been so kind. Please.
Troi: Yum. Next we're going to go to deck eight, which is interesting because it's not really finished. It's sort of a multi-purpose deck. Sometimes when we need an extra lab or. Ambassador?
Loquel: What is this?
Troi: It's a child.
Loquel: Child?
Troi: Children are our offspring. They're our young. They grow into adults over a period of many years. They grow into beings like us.
Loquel: Offspring.
Troi: Ambassador, I'm curious. Now does your species procreate?
Loquel: Post-cellular compounding. We emerge from the natal pod fully grown.
Troi: I see.
Loquel: Do you have a name?
Boy: Eric
Loquel: Eric. Do you like dessert?
Loquel: May I give Eric some dessert?
Troi: That sounds like a wonderful idea. Come on, Eric.
Picard: Is someone there? Who's there?
Picard: What do you want? Who are you? Who are you?
Anna: Shh.
Picard: No, wait. Stop. There was someone else in the shuttlecraft with me. The pilot, he's injured. He needs your help.
Anna: He's dead.
Picard: Hello. Smells good. Thank you. This is a Terellian cargo freighter, isn't it? Is this your ship? Are you one of the crew?
Anna: No. I was a passenger. We crashed.
Picard: How many people survived? Were you the only one? Well, you're certainly not a Terellian, unless you've lost two of your arms. What's your name? I'm Jean-Luc Picard. I'm a Starfleet officer.
Anna: Anna.
Picard: Anna, are there other people on this planet? How long have you been here?
Anna: I don't know. You can't see the sun from here. I've lost track of all time.
Picard: What was the date when you crashed?
Anna: Stardate 40812.
Picard: Seven years!
Anna: Years?
Picard: Anna, Anna. wait a minute.
Anna: Seven years? I thought one, maybe two. How could it be seven?
Picard: Anna, Anna, listen to me. Listen. On the shuttle, there is a lot of equipment that will have survived the crash. We can use it to contact Starfleet. They'll send a ship for us. We can leave.
Anna: Leave?
Picard: Yes. Both of us. Now, if you will help me to get to the shuttle. Ow.
Anna: Don't move. it's bad.
Picard: Don't worry, I won't move.
Anna: You have three broken ribs. The restrictor device will hold the bones in place, let them
Picard: Let them knit?
Anna: It's been so long since I talked to anyone. I used to talk to myself, but then I thought it might mean that I was crazy, so I stopped talking. It'll be a while before you can walk.
Picard: Perhaps you could go to the shuttle bring the equipment back here.
Anna: I can do that.
Picard: Good. Go into the cockpit, and look for a small comm. panel in the instrument array. See if you can remove it. Bring it back here.
Anna: Don't move. I'll be back.
Worf: I am going to kill him! With my bare hands, I will take him by the throat and I will rip out his esophagus
Riker: Worf.
Worf: I have failed in my mission, Commander. I am clearly a bad diplomat. For the sake of the ship and the Federation, I request reassignment.
Riker: Denied.
Worf: Commander, these Iyaarans are arrogant, irritating. They cannot be reasoned with!
Troi: Ambassador Loquel's quite pleasant. I will admit though, he's a little unusual.
Riker: What have you been able to find out about him so far?
Troi: He seems preoccupied with recreation. I've spent more time in Ten Forward in the last two days than I have in the past two months. And he's obsessed with food. Especially chocolate.
Riker: You must be in heaven.
Troi: To be honest, he's testing even my limits.
Worf: You see? You see? They are insane!
Troi: Worf, you've been very patient with Ambassador Byleth, and that's good. But maybe it's time to let him know that some behavior is unacceptable to us. I think it's all right to suggest limits for the Ambassador.
Worf: Bah.
Riker: Maybe we should loosen things up a little bit, meet in a less official capacity. How about a friendly game of poker?
Anna: What are you doing? You should be in bed.
Picard: Anna, why was this door locked from the outside?
Anna: For your protection.
Picard: From what?
Anna: There are dangerous animals here. Come sit down. Look, I have the comm. panel.
Picard: Good.
Anna: It wasn't easy. I had to force it out of the equipment bay.
Picard: If we can boost the output field, I might be able to send a distress signal. Something seems to be wrong with it.
Anna: What's the matter?
Picard: This transmitter module has been totally destroyed. How could that happen? It looks as though it's been hit by a phaser blast.
Anna: I used a phaser to cut it free. Maybe I accidentally damaged it. You can fix it, can't you?
Picard: No.
Anna: I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
Picard: Anna, we will get out of here. It's not going to be easy, but we need to work together.
Anna: I can't believe I did that. That I damaged our only chance. I've waited for so long. At first, I had hoped that I'd be rescued. I kept setting up microfusion flares and looking up at the sky and waiting for someone to come and take me away. But it never happened. There's a precipice near here. I used to go there and stare down at the gorge and I'd think, I can just step over the edge and end it all. And then I realized it was the hope that was driving me crazy, that I had to accept that I would never get out of here.
Picard: Anna, no matter how long it takes, we will get out of here.
Anna: I knew from the moment I saw you that you were here to save me. I'll do anything you want. Just don't leave me. I don't ever want to be alone again.
Anna: I love you.
Anna: I found some coltayin roots. They're not much to look at but they taste good. What are you doing? You're going to hurt yourself.
Picard: No, no, no, it's all right. I'm just trying to dislodge this power cell. Nearly got it. There. No, no, it's all right. The energy relays are corroded but I think it should be able to hold one more charge. If I can regenerate this, then I may be able to reactivate the shuttlecraft's engines.
Anna: Well, I'd say this is cause for celebration. I may still have some Terellian spices around here, and I'll boil these roots and make us a nice broth.
Picard: That sounds delightful.
Anna: If we ever do get out of here, will you promise to show me this starship of yours? This Enterprise?
Picard: Of course. Anna, would you pass me that tricorder, I'm going to try to repair these energy relays.
Anna: I meant what I said before. I do love you.
Picard: Anna, I'm grateful to you for saving my life, and I think that you are a warm and compassionate person, and I feel a great sympathy for what you've been through alone here on this planet, but I don't think that you can really be in love with me.
Anna: How can you say that? Of course I love you.
Picard: No, I'm the first person you've seen in seven years. I'm bringing you the hope of leaving this place. Don't you think that you could possibly be just a little confused right now?
Anna: So you're not attracted to me.
Picard: I think that's a little premature. We hardly know anything about each other.
Anna: I understand, and I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable.
Picard: No harm done. It's going to take at least a couple of hours to charge this cell. Then as soon as it's done, we should get it over to the shuttle immediately. This cell casing is already beginning to break down. Anna, we are going to get out of here.
Riker: The bet is ten. That's to you, Ambassador.
Loquel: I will see the bet, and raise ten.
Troi: I'm in for twenty.
Worf: I'm in. And I raise twenty.
Byleth: You are bluffing.
Worf: Excuse me, Ambassador. Those are my chips.
Byleth: You are in error. Those chips are mine.
Worf: I saw you take two chips from my pile.
Byleth: You would dare to accuse me of stealing?
Worf: Yes.
Byleth: You are lying because you are losing the game.
Worf: I am losing because you've been cheating all along!
Riker: Wait a minute. Calm down.
Byleth: Even if I were cheating, how would a plodding animal like you know it?
Worf: You are an insulting, pompous fool, and if you were not an Ambassador, I would disembowel you right here!
Byleth: Do not let my title inhibit you, Klingon!
Byleth: Yes. Good.
Riker: Stop, Mister Worf! That is an order!
Byleth: Wonderful. Very good! Thank you. Lieutenant Worf. I think I understand now. That was a very effective demonstration.
Worf: What?
Byleth: If you'll excuse me, I would like to document this experience.
Picard: The power cell is ready. We should take it over to the shuttle.
Anna: No. We can't leave right now.
Picard: Why not?
Anna: The plasma storms are too strong. It's dangerous. Wait a few hours, then we can go.
Picard: We don't have a few hours. I told you, this cell is already beginning to degenerate.
Anna: Jean-Luc, it's a difficult journey. The restriction field will make it very hard for you to walk.
Picard: I'm feeling very much better. in fact, I don't intend to go on using this any longer.
Anna: No! You can't remove it yet. No!
Picard: There's no pain. It would appear I don't have any broken ribs after all.
Anna: Jean-Luc.
Picard: What's going on? Why are you trying to keep me here?
Anna: Please, I love you.
Picard: Why are you keeping me locked in this freighter? You say that there are wild animals out there but I haven't heard or seen a single one of them.
Anna: Jean-Luc.
Picard: What about that comm. panel? You said you damaged it when you were cutting it out of the shuttle. Did you? You see, I find it hard to believe that you would destroy the one piece of equipment that could get you out of here after seven years. And what was this really for? To keep me immobilized?
Anna: I was afraid. I didn't want you to leave me.
Picard: So it was necessary to keep me captive?
Anna: I was scared. I wanted you to stay, to love me.
Picard: I'm going to go look for the shuttle myself.
Anna: No.
Picard: Anna!
Anna: Don't fight me.
Picard: Anna, no!
Anna: You should love me now. We're together. We depend on each other. I know more about you. Love me.
Picard: Anna, stop!
Anna: I've failed. You don't love me. It's over.
Picard: Anna. Anna! Anna, where are you going?
Voice: Hello! Is anyone in there?
Picard: Yes! Inside here!
Voice: Hello!
Picard: Inside the freighter! The door is on the opposite side! Over here! The door's over here!
Picard: Voval! I thought you were dead.
Voval: Dead?
Picard: Yes. There's a woman living here. She told me that she'd been to the shuttle. She said that she saw you dead.
Voval: Yes. That is understandable. When my species is injured, our metabolic rate slows until our body can heal itself. This state could easily be mistaken for death.
Picard: I see.
Voval: When you did not return to the shuttle I intended to track you. Surface conditions made it very difficult. So cold. I saw someone running away from here. Was it the woman?
Picard: Yes.
Voval: Why did she leave the shelter?
Picard: She was upset.
Voval: Do you think she may harm herself? There's a dangerous precipice near here. She was headed in that direction
Picard: It's possible.
Voval: Then we should go find her.
Picard: You stay here. Keep warm. I'll go and look for her.
Voval: We will go together.
Picard: Anna! Anna!
Voval: Captain, this ridge extends for a kilometer in either direction.
Picard: We can search it twice as fast if we separate.
Picard: Anna! Anna!
Picard: Anna, Anna.
Anna: Stay away from me.
Picard: You don't have to do this. I found Voval, the shuttle pilot, he's still alive. He can help us get away from here.
Anna: I don't care. I'll jump unless you promise to love me.
Picard: No. No, I won't promise. You have been manipulating me, haven't you?
Anna: Jean-Luc, what are you saying?
Picard: The necklace. It broke. I saw it in the cargo freighter, on the floor by the fire. I left it there. Now it's around your neck. It's whole. How?
Anna: Tell me you love me. I must know.
Picard: Where's Voval? Isn't it convenient that he arrived moments after you left? That he insisted that I come here to look for you? That I find you, here on the ledge, ready to jump? That's very good timing, don't you think?
Anna: Jean-Luc.
Picard: Are you and Voval working together? He's the only one who could have brought you the necklace.
Anna: Tell me about your love or I'll jump!
Picard: Go ahead. Why don't you do it? It's a long way down. Must be two hundred meters. You'd die instantly, if that's what you want. But I don't think that it really is.
Voval: I have failed.
Picard: Failed? Voval, what is going on?
Voval: My name is Ambassador Voval.
Picard: Ambassador?
Voval: My mission was to study human intimacy, specifically the concept you call love. In our study of your culture, we did not understand certain concepts. So we sent three representatives to study them, to experience them.
Picard: But why did you believe that bringing me here would give you a better understanding of love?
Voval: Several years ago, we discovered the remains of the Terellian freighter on this planet. The ship contained logs made by a single survivor, a human woman. That was our first contact with human culture. The woman lived alone here for seven years until another human crashed on this planet. A human male.
Picard: And the man was injured and she nursed him back to health, and they fell in love.
Voval: In the logs, she described many concepts we found difficult to understand. Pleasure, antagonism, love. These were alien to us. We wished to experience them for ourselves. Ambassador Loquel was sent to experience pleasure. Byleth was sent to experience antagonism. And I was sent to experience love. Was this wrong?
Picard: Let me just say that we would not take such a direct approach. Ambassador, I have tell you that in my culture, what you have done would be considered a crime.
Voval: Crime?
Picard: Well, we'll can talk about it later. For now, I think we should get off this planet. Am I in assuming the damage the shuttle is not as bad as it seems?
Voval: That is correct. We can leave at any time.
Picard: I think that now would be quite nice.
Riker: You look a little sore.
Byleth: Lieutenant Worf was kind enough to engage me in eleven hours of holodeck battle exercises.
Riker: Eleven hours.
Byleth: Yes, I learned a great deal about the concept of antagonism.
Worf: It was excruciating.
Loquel: Counselor, these are bio-enzymatic supplements my people consume for food. I'm afraid you will find they are not as delicious as your chocolate.
Troi: After the past few days, I could use something a little bland. Goodbye, Ambassador.
Loquel: Fascinating species.
Byleth: Indeed.
Voval: Thank you, Captain. This has been an enlightening experience.
Picard: For me as well, Ambassador.
Voval: I am sorry if our diplomatic methods offended you.
Picard: No, on the contrary, I found your approach intriguing. We humans tend to take a rather balanced approach towards life. Never too much, never too little, and it's very nice to find a culture that is willing to take an experience to its furthest extreme.
Voval: Goodbye, Captain.
Picard: Ambassador.