Relics ( episode ) The " Enterprise " discovers a ship that crashed on a Dyson sphere more than seventy - five years prior with a single survivor suspended in the transporter buffer : Captain Montgomery Scott . Summary . Teaser . The picks up a distress call from the , a transport vessel that has been missing for seventy - five years . As the " Enterprise " drops out of warp to respond to the signal , the starship is rocked violently by a massive gravitational field . Although initial scans do not find the source of the field , they trace the field to its center and discover a massive spherical structure , two hundred million kilometer s in diameter ( about 2 / 3 of the Earth ' s orbital diameter around the Sun ) . The sphere ' s dimensions are consistent with those of the ( until then ) theoretical structure known as a Dyson sphere . The sphere ' s size creates massive gravimetric interference that interferes with sensor s , preventing the " Enterprise " from locating it before the ship had dropped out of warp . The " Enterprise " locates the " Jenolan " , having crashed on the surface of the sphere . Surprisingly , power readings are still emanating from the crashed ship and life support systems are still operating . Commander Riker , Lieutenant Commander La Forge and Lieutenant Worf beam aboard the " Jenolan " and find that , although some of the ship ' s systems are still functioning , there are no apparent signs of life . However , La Forge discovers that the transporter s have been reconfigured in a strange manner – power has been drawn from the auxiliary systems ( they were a regenerative power source ) while the rematerialization subroutine s have been intentionally disabled with the phase inducer s being connected to the emitter array and that the pattern buffer s have been locked in a diagnostic cycle . Furthermore , a pattern is still in the buffer and , amazingly , it has suffered almost no degradation . Riker wonders if someone could survive in the transporter buffer for seventy - five years and La Forge finds out by rematerializing the stored pattern . Captain Montgomery " Scotty " Scott materializes on the transporter pad . Act One . After Scott thanks La Forge and Riker for rematerializing him , he runs over to the transporter console and attempts to retrieve a second pattern , that of Ensign Matt Franklin , but unfortunately , unlike the phase inducer that kept Scott ' s pattern intact , the phase inducer responsible for doing the same for Franklin ' s pattern has failed – allowing it to degrade by 53 % – too much for him to be rematerialized when the transporters cannot compensate . Riker offers his condolences and introduces La Forge and himself to Scott . When Riker explains that they came from the starship " Enterprise " , Scott reacts understandably , believing he was saved by a crew led by Jim Kirk in the , and asks how long he was in the pattern buffers . Worf interrupts the conversation and Riker introduces the security officer to Scott . Learning that there is a Klingon serving in Starfleet , Scott realizes that he has been in the buffer for an " extremely " long time . When asked why he used the transporters to place himself and Franklin in such a state , Scott explains that although only he and Franklin survived the crash , there were too few supplies to survive long enough to be rescued . After transporting back to the " Enterprise " , La Forge escorts Scott to sickbay while discussing some of the advances in technology over the past seventy - five years and the events leading to the " Jenolan " s crash . La Forge tells Scott that he is very impressed with his inventive use of the transporter to survive , but Scott acts modestly , due to the fact that he lost his friend . In sickbay , Scott is diagnosed by Dr . Crusher with only minor injuries . Captain Picard enters and greets Scott in sickbay . He is surprised that Scott was on board the " Jenolan " , as the engineer wasn ' t listed in the crew manifest . However , Scott explains that he was traveling aboard the " Jenolan " as a passenger to the Norpin colony on Norpin V to enjoy his then recent retirement from Starfleet . When La Forge is ordered to study the Dyson sphere , Scott is eager to help , but Dr . Crusher advises him to rest . When Scott is escorted to his quarters by Ensign Kane , he is awe - struck at the luxury that he is entitled to , compared with starships of his time period . Scott , with much enthusiasm , reminisces to Kane about his years in Starfleet , but Kane has very little interest in Scott ' s nostalgia and returns to duty , leaving Scott alone , feeling much less enthusiastic and somewhat pensive about his new life in the 24th century . Act Two . As La Forge and his team are working on their spectrographic analysis of the sphere , Scott interrupts , insisting on offering La Forge his assistance . Lieutenant Bartel tries to inform him that engineering is restricted to authorized personnel only but La Forge allows him to stay . La Forge skeptically accepts Scott ' s offer for help and the team begin their duties . Meanwhile , on the bridge , Data reports to Captain Picard that the sphere was built around a G - type star and that its interior surface provides an environment much like that of an M - Class planet , but there are no apparent signs of inhabitants . Picard orders four probe s to be launched to speed up the scans of the sphere . Back in engineering , Scott finds further advances and changes in technology that in his era were dangerous . La Forge is quietly becoming irritated until Scott offers advice on how to deal with Starfleet captains . When La Forge finally voices his frustration and tells Scott that he is in the way , the older officer leaves engineering in a disgruntled state . Later , Scott arrives in Ten Forward and orders a drink of Scotch whisky . He is repulsed when he tastes the drink , realizing that it is not " real " Scotch . Data approaches and tells Scott about the use of synthehol to replace alcohol in the majority of traditional spirits . Data offers Scott a " real " alcoholic drink from Guinan ' s personal supply , pulling out a bottle with a neon green liquid inside . After being asked by Scott what it is , Data attempts a rudimentary examination by sight , smell and taste , but cannot describe it any more precisely than , " it is green . " The engineer ' s reaction to this drink is much more pleasant and Data shortly pours him another glass . Act Three . In a slightly drunken state , with the bottle of green spirits and a glass in his hands , Scott arrives outside one of the holodeck s and requests a simulation of the bridge of his ship . The computer states that his request is insufficient , so Scott angrily says he wants to see the bridge of the " Enterprise " . The computer then tells Scott that there have been five Federation starships with that name and asks Scott to specify by registry number . Scott then states in annoyance , " " NCC one seven O one . No bloody A , B , C , or D . " " The computer accepts his instructions and creates an authentic replica of the bridge . In an instant , Scott feels like he ' s come home . The sounds of old - style duotronic instruments fills the air as Scott fondly remembers his time aboard his former ship . As he muses around , he notes the " Enterprise " in orbit of the planet on the viewscreen , as if no time has passed and raises a toast to his absent comrades . He sits down at his old engineering station and gives a deep , dejected sigh just as Captain Picard walks in after coming off duty and excuses himself for interrupting . Scott perks up and welcomes him into the simulation , offering Picard a drink , which he happily accepts . Just as Scott is about to warn Picard that it ' s not synthohol , Picard downs a glassful , which he instantly recognizes as Aldebaran whiskey and explains that he was the one who gave it to Guinan . Picard recognizes the bridge as that of a starship and explains that there ' s one in the fleet museum . Picard then recognizes the bridge as that of Scott ' s " Enterprise " . Scott then says he served on two , but this is the first one and the first ship he ever served on as chief engineer . Scott mentions that he served on eleven ships of varying class , but that " Enterprise " is the only one he misses or thinks about . Picard then recalls his first command on the while taking a seat at Pavel Chekov ' s old navigation console . Picard describes the " Stargazer " as overworked , underpowered and always on the verge of flying apart at the seams . Picard says that while his " Enterprise " is far superior , there are days when he ' d give almost anything to command the " Stargazer " again . Scott compares their feelings as to the first time a man falls in love and that he never loves a woman quite the same way . They then share a toast to the original " Enterprise " and to the " Stargazer " , Scott calling them " " old girlfriends we ' ll never meet again . " " Picard then asks Scott what he thinks of the " Enterprise " - D . Scott calls her a beauty , but laments that when he was on his " Enterprise " he could tell the speed of the ship just by the feel of the deck plates . He then begins to feel gloomy and opines that he is in the way and obsolete in the 24th century . When Picard offers to let Scott peruse the updated technical manual s , Scott refuses with a chuckle , saying that is not eighteen years old any more and he can ' t start out again like a raw cadet . He says there is a time when a man knows it ' s time to quit and time to stop living in the past . He then shuts off the bridge simulation and leaves the holodeck feeling dejected but determined to start acting his age . Picard can only look on sadly as the legendary engineer exits , clearly feeling for the man . The following day , Picard asks La Forge in his ready room about recovering the logs of the " Jenolan " , but the engineer says that all efforts so far have yielded very little as the ship ' s computer core was heavily damaged when it crashed . Picard suggests having Scott assist in trying to recover the ship ' s logs ; La Forge agrees that Scott would be of great help as he knows the " Jenolan " s systems better than anybody on the " Enterprise " and says that he ' ll send Lt . Bartel with Scott over to the " Jenolan " . At this point , the captain requests that La Forge personally accompany Scott back to the " Jenolan " to recover the ship ' s logs , hoping to make Scott feel useful again . While Picard makes it clear that this is a request , not an order , La Forge understands the captain ' s motive and gladly accepts . In the morning , La Forge waits in the transporter room for Scott , who is late . He finally arrives and apologizes as they immediately enter the transporter , mentioning that he has a bit of a hangover from drinking the Aldebaran whiskey heavily the night before . As La Forge and Scott transport over to the " Jenolan " , Data discovers a communications array in close proximity to the " Enterprise " s current location , and the crew set a course for it . As the " Enterprise " arrives at the array , the crew discovers a large hatch in the Dyson sphere , which they presume is a front door . As they open hail ing frequencies , the hatch opens and a series of powerful tractor beam s pull the " Enterprise " inside the sphere , easily overpowering it . Act Four . Due to the fact that the resonance frequency of the tractor beams used to pull the " Enterprise " inside is incompatible with the starship ' s power systems , the relays for the warp and impulse drive overload and are rendered inoperable . The " Enterprise " has now lost primary and auxiliary systems and the ship is soon released from the tractor beams . However , because the " Enterprise " is still moving under the inertia of being towed in , it is heading directly for the star at the center of the sphere . Back on board the " Jenolan " , Scott is having trouble with recovering the ship ' s log , calling the vessel " garbage . " La Forge realizes that Scott is referring to both himself and the ship and tries to console him by saying that the basics of technology haven ' t changed a great deal in seventy - five years , the transporters of the " Jenolan " are still virtually identical to those of the " Enterprise " , subspace radio and sensors work on the same basic principles and that impulse engine design has changed very little in two centuries – long before Scott ' s time . La Forge adds that the " Jenolan " would probably still be in service had the vessel ' s structural damage not been so extensive . Scott is dismissive and retorts that nobody would want something as old as the " Jenolan " ( and again hints at himself as well ) but La Forge disagrees , saying that if the ship were in service , it could still " " run circles around the " Enterprise " at impulse speeds – just because something ' s old , doesn ' t mean you throw it away . " " Scott feels much more welcome and a bond begins to form between him and La Forge . However , the moment breaks as Scott moves back to the console he was working on . He asks La Forge to retrieve a dynamic mode converter from the " Enterprise " , a tool which may help to recover the " Jenolan " s log entries . La Forge suggests using something similar but his call from his combadge to the " Enterprise " goes unanswered . Scott wonders if interference is blocking his call but La Forge determines that the " Enterprise " is gone . Back on board the " Enterprise " , the ship is three minutes from being destroyed by the star . However , Commander Riker has managed to restore thirty percent power to the maneuvering thruster s , although they will still not be enough to save the ship from destruction . It is not until power is diverted from the auxiliary relay systems to the thrusters that Ensign Rager manages to achieve a stable orbit in the photosphere of the star . Picard demands to know how and why the " Enterprise " was towed in and orders Data to conduct a scan of the sphere ' s interior for lifeform s . When La Forge and Scott fail to locate the " Enterprise " , they realize that the starship must be inside the sphere . Although it seems impossible to repair the " Jenolan " s flight capability , the two engineers still try restoring power to the ship ' s engines . On board the " Enterprise " , Data reports to Picard that the sphere is abandoned and the star is highly unstable , expelling matter and severe bursts of radiation . This explains why the inhabitants of the sphere must have abandoned it . The android postulates that the " Enterprise " may have unintentionally triggered an automated series of piloting beams which would guide a starship inside the sphere – this would explain why the " Enterprise " was pulled inside without anyone occupying the sphere . When the star emits a solar flare , the " Enterprise " raises her shields accordingly but the vessel ' s shields are only operating at 23 % . To worsen matters , the solar flares are becoming larger and within three hours , the " Enterprise " s shields will no longer be enough to protect the starship from harm . Act Five . La Forge and Scott work on repairing the " Jenolan " s engines by jury - rigging the ship ' s supply of deuterium – La Forge initially insists that Scott ' s suggestion to send it through the auxiliary tank can ' t be done , but when he cites impulse engine specifications , Scott laughs , claims authorship of the regulation in question , and assures him that , while he knew the tank " could " handle the pressure , on paper a good engineer should be more cautious than in the field . Eventually , they are successful as power is restored . When Scott offers La Forge the command chair , La Forge is surprised as Scott is the senior officer . However , Scott tells La Forge that , while he holds the rank of captain , all he ever wanted to be was an engineer , and insists that La Forge take command of the " Jenolan " . La Forge finally accepts and Scott moves to the engineering console . Meanwhile , the " Enterprise " is heavily damaged by the star ' s solar flares , but Riker reports that partial impulse power has been restored . Picard asks Worf if the ship ' s phaser s could be used to cut a hole through the shell of the sphere , allowing the " Enterprise " to escape , but the sphere is composed of carbon - neutronium and phasers ( or any other of the ship ' s weapons ) would be completely ineffective . As the " Jenolan " slowly orbits the sphere , La Forge and Scott trace the impulse ion trail from the " Enterprise " to the hatch that the starship was pulled into . The ion trail ' s momentum distribution around the hatch suggests that the " Enterprise " s impulse engines were at full reverse and that the starship was dragged into the sphere unwillingly . La Forge and Scott realize that the hatches are access terminals ( and not communications arrays ) , which are triggered by certain subspace frequencies , such as hailing frequencies . When the " Jenolan " opened hailing frequencies seventy - five years ago , the tractor beams locked on to the ship , severely damaging it and causing the vessel to crash on the surface of the sphere . Scott suggests positioning the " Jenolan " 500 , 000 kilometer s , far enough away from the hatch , then opening hailing frequencies so that the hatch will open but the tractor beams will miss the ship . As the hatch would begin to close , the " Jenolan " would enter a gap between the doors and use the vessel ' s shields to hold the doors open for the " Enterprise " to exit the sphere . La Forge dismisses the idea as suicidal , but Scott pleads to him that the theory will work , as he has spent his entire life figuring out crazy ways to do things . Eventually , La Forge makes the decision to go ahead with Scott ' s plan . The engineers wedge the " Jenolan " between the doors , the shields hold and La Forge manages to open a communications channel to the " Enterprise " . The starship receives the hail and sets a course for the hatch . The " Jenolan " suffers heavy damage while the craft is wedged in the hatch and La Forge tells Picard that the " Enterprise " will have to destroy the ship to escape . When the " Enterprise " is in transporter range of the " Jenolan " , Picard gives the order to beam La Forge and Scott back on board ( with the " Jenolan " s shields still raised ) and fire photon torpedo es , destroying the old vessel . The doors continue to close , but the " Enterprise " manages to exit the sphere . As La Forge and Scott walk off the transporter pad , Scott is cheerfully relieved to be returned to safety . Later , La Forge tells Scott about the " Enterprise " s encounter with a on stardate 44614 . 6 . ( ) It is obvious that a strong bond has formed between the two engineers . Scott was expecting La Forge to take him for a drink , but La Forge had different intentions . As they walk through the doors to one of the " Enterprise " s shuttlebay s , the senior staff is revealed , standing in front of a shuttlecraft , the " Goddard " . Picard offers Scott the craft on " an extended loan " basis in thanks for sacrificing the " Jenolan " to save the " Enterprise " . Scott says that he won ' t be going to the Norpin colony as he had first planned . The senior staff bids Scott farewell : all shake hands , save Worf . Scott reveals his approval of the " Enterprise " - D , the crew and the starship ' s engineer . After shaking La Forge ' s hand , he begins to depart the " Enterprise " in his new shuttlecraft . " " You take care of yourself out there , " " La Forge tells Scott . " " Aye " " , Scott says before disembarking . Memorable quotes . " " Well , thank you lads . " " " " The " Enterprise " ? ! I shoulda known – I ' ll bet Jim Kirk himself hauled the old gal outta mothballs to come lookin ' for me ! " " " " You know , I think you ' re going to enjoy the 24th century , Mr . Scott . We ' ve made some pretty incredible advances these last eighty years . " " " " How are you feeling ? " " " " I don ' t know . How am I feeling ? " " " " Other than a few bumps and bruises , I ' d say you feel fine for a man of 147 . " " " " And I don ' t feel a day over a hundred and twenty . " " " " Well , I ' ll say this about your " Enterprise " . . . the doctors are a fair sight prettier . " " " " Good lord man , where have you put me ? " " " " These " are " standard guest quarters sir , I can try and find something bigger if you want . " " " " Bigger ? In my day , even an admiral would notta had such quarters aboard a starship ! " " " " Starship captains are like children . They want everything right now and they want it their way . The secret is to give them what they need , not what they want . " " " " I told the captain I would have this diagnostic done in an hour . " " " " And how long will it " really " take you ? " " " " An hour ! " " " " Oh , you didn ' t tell him how long it would " really " take , did you ? " " " " Of course I did . " " " " Oh , laddie , you have a lot to learn if you want people to think of you as a miracle worker . " " " " I was drivin ' starships while your " GREAT - GRANDFATHER " was still in diapers ! I think you ' d be a little grateful for some help ! I ' ll leave ya to work , Mr . La Forge . " " " " Laddie , I was drinking scotch a hundred years before you were born . And I can tell you that whatever this is , it is definitely " not " scotch . " " " " Synthetic scotch , synthetic commanders . . . " " " " It is . . . it is . . . it is green . " " " " Please enter program . " " " " The android at the bar said ya ' could show me ma ' old ship . Lemme see it . " " " " Insufficient data . Please specify parameters . " " " " The " Enterprise " ! Show me the bridge of the " Enterprise " , ya ' chatterin ' piece of . . . " " " " There have been five Federation ships with that name . Please specify by registry number . " " " " NCC - 1701 . No bloody A , B , C , or D . " " " " Program complete . Enter when ready . " " " " . . . Here ' s to ya ' , lads . . . " " " " Would you have a drink with me , captain ? " " " " Thank you ! " " " " I don ' t know what it is , exactly , but I would be real careful , it ' s real . . . " " ( Picard downs it in one gulp before he can heed this warning ) " " Aldeberan whiskey . . . " ( noting the surprise on Scotty ' s face ) . . . " who do you think gave it to Guinan ? " " " " Ah , it ' s like the first time you fall in love . You never love a woman quite like that again . To the " Enterprise " and the " Stargazer " – old girlfriends we ' ll never meet again . " " " " When I was here , I could tell ya the speed that we were travelin ' by the feel of the deck plates . " " " " There comes a time when a man finds he can ' t fall in love again . He knows it ' s time to stop . I don ' t belong on your ship . I belong on this one . This was my home . This was where I had a purpose . . . " " " " Computer , shut this bloody thing off ! " " " " Bunch of old , useless garbage . . . " " " " Just ' cause something ' s old doesn ' t mean you throw it away . " " " " The tank can ' t handle that much pressure . " " " " Where ' d you get that idea ? " " " " What do you mean , where did I get that idea ? It ' s in the impulse engine specifications . " " " " Regulations 42 / 15 : ' Pressure Variances in IRC Tank Storage ' ? " " " " Yeah . " " " " Forget it . I " wrote " it . . . A good engineer is always a wee bit conservative , at least on paper . " " " " Take the bridge , commander . " " " " Oh no . . . you ' re the senior officer here . " " " " Oh , I may be captain by rank . . . but I never wanted to be anything else but an engineer . " " " " Geordi , I have spent my whole life trying to figure out crazy ways of doing things . " " " " See now that wasn ' t so bad , was it ? " " " " A good crew . . . and a fine ship – a credit to her name . But I ' ve always found that a ship is . . . only as good as the engineer who takes care of her – and from what I can see , the " Enterprise " is in good hands . " " Background information . Production . Bridge set . Considerable effort was put in the recreating the bridge of the original " Enterprise " for Scotty ' s scenes on the holodeck by the production staff . For a detailed treatise on the recreation of the original bridge , please refer to : " Constitution " - class sets : " Relics " Apocrypha . The " Relics " storyline has been followed up in three separate comic book stories : Links and references . References . 47 ; Aldebaran whiskey ; Argelius II ; articulation frame ; ; chief engineer ; class 4 probe ; class B solar flare ; class M ; Code 1 - Alpha - Zero ; computer ; conduit interface ; ; containment field ; deck plate ; deuterium ; diagnostic mode ; diaper ; dilithium ; Dohlman ; duotronic enhancer s ; dynamic mode converter ; ; Dyson sphere ; Earth ; Elaan ; Elas ; emitter array ; ; ; ; ; ; EPS ; Federation ; Federation science vessel ; Fleet Museum ; ; frequency ; G - type star ; gigawatt ; " Goddard " ; gravimetric fluctuation ; gravity well ; Guinan ; hairline fracture ; hemisphere ; Heisenberg compensator ; holodeck ; hotel ; humerus ; impulse engine ; impulse engine specifications ; IRC tank ; isolinear chip ; ; ; ; level 4 diagnostic ; life support ; matter stream ; memory core ; " " ; multiphase autocontainment field ; neutronium ; Norpin colony ; Norpin V ; number one ; pattern buffer ; pattern degradation ; phase inducer ; phase lock ; phase 7 survey ; phaser ; photosphere ; plasma intercooler ; " Pressure Variances in IRC Tank Storage " ; Psi 2000 ; resonator array ; rematerialization subroutine ; Scotch whisky ; shock ; short range scan ; sickbay ; ; solar flare ; spectrographic analysis ; ; subspace radio ; ; synchronous orbit ; synthehol ; technical schematic s ; toast ; tractor beam ; transport ship ; transporter ; warp field