Star Trek: The Next Generation s02e22 Episode Script

There you are.
- What's wrong?|- Something jabbed me in the calf.
O'Brien, Cmdr Riker's injured.
|Bring him up.
Stand by.
- Geordi|- It's just a scratch? Right.
Sorry.
We're the first team on this planet.
|We don't know what the risks are.
O'Brien, what's the hold-up? The transporter shows|unidentified microbes in Cmdr Riker.
- Can't the biofilter screen 'em out?|- No.
Dr Pulaski has been notified.
- Acknowledged.
|- I wasn't ready to leave anyway.
Here's the biofilter analysis|of the microbes.
Not much to go on.
I can override|and beam Cmdr Riker aboard.
No.
I'd better go down|and make an evaluation there.
I hope these are|the right coordinates.
Just kidding.
|I know you love the transporter.
About as much as I love|comical transporter chiefs.
Ready? Over here, Doctor.
Fill me in.
I was walking along|doing a simple geological sweep.
Something stuck me in the leg.
- Any pain?|- No.
It's just a little numb.
- Do you know what stuck you?|- We've looked.
No luck.
Whatever it is, it left something|behind.
I'll take you up to sickbay.
O'Brien, this is Dr Pulaski.
|Medical override is authorized.
Acknowledged.
This is the strangest feeling.
|My leg just went dead.
Space, the final frontier.
These are the voyages|of the Starship Enterprise.
Its continuing mission,|to explore strange new worlds, .
.
to seek out new life|and new civilizations, .
.
to boldly go|where no one has gone before.
Captain's log, stardate 42976.
1.
During a survey on Surata IV, Cmdr Riker has become infected|by an unidentified microbe.
- Number One.
|- Captain.
Put your foot|where it didn't belong? The Doctor was bored|so I gave her a challenge.
That you did.
Cmdr Riker's nervous system has been|invaded by an unknown microorganism.
Not a bacteria, not a virus,|but with elements of both.
There's the point of entry.
The microbes are infecting|the great sciatic nerve, and they are multiplying|at an incredible rate.
There.
- Can you remove it?|- Not surgically.
The organisms fuse to the nerve,|intertwining at the molecular level.
That's why the transporter's|biofilters couldn't extract it.
There's no evidence of nerve damage but the organisms|are impeding nervous function.
- My leg's still asleep.
|- Prognosis? The infection is spreading.
|It will eventually reach the brain.
And if it interfered|with neural activity? Cmdr Riker could die.
How can I help? I need to know more|about its composition.
- For that you need a sample.
|- Exactly.
Cmdr Data, Mr La Forge,|prepare to beam down to the planet.
Aye, sir.
I must reiterate,|it would be better if I went alone.
Don't like my company? Your company is not at issue.
|Your vulnerability is.
I'll watch my step.
Besides, this|bug may prefer androids to humans.
Possible, but highly unlikely.
|In any event, why risk both of us? Because I know where he was|when it happened.
Mr O'Brien, energize.
He was right over here.
I am detecting no animal|life forms within 50 kilometers.
However, I am reading extensive|animal remains, mostly fossilized.
A graveyard? I do not know.
Look at this.
The structure is rhizomatous.
- Careful.
|- I'm always careful.
It appears to be dead.
I'm not so sure.
|I'm seeing thermal variations.
Let it go.
Let's try something.
|Maybe it likes humans over androids.
If so, you could be|placing yourself in danger.
I know.
I'm counting on those great|android reflexes of yours.
That must be what we're looking for.
I tend to agree.
Stand by, O'Brien.
Got it.
Energize! Thanks, O'Brien.
Another minute|and we'd have been fossils, too.
Not precisely.
True fossilization|requires several millennia.
- Here's your sample.
|- Get it to sickbay right away.
Report.
Captain, Cmdr Riker's injury|was not accidental.
Certain vines seek warm-blooded|beings and deliberately infect them.
To what end? Unknown, sir.
There might be|a symbiotic relationship involved.
Go on.
There are many|animal remains around, leading me to hypothesize that|the vines could be predatory.
Vines infect animals|in order to kill them? It is possible.
For Cmdr Riker's sake,|I hope my hypothesis is in error.
Unfortunately, Cmdr Data,|your hypotheses rarely are.
All negative.
Is there nothing|to cure this infection? This microorganism|is very mysterious.
I can't even figure out|what's keeping it alive.
- Or how to kill it?|- I can kill it.
But not without destroying|the nerves it's inhabiting.
I know you're doing your best.
My best may not be good enough.
Comfortable? Why wouldn't I be?|They wait on me hand and foot.
I just hope they don't find out|that I'm faking it.
I wish you were faking it.
- I've seen the thorn.
|- Yes.
So have I.
It looks harmless.
And deadly.
I'm sorry.
Well, these things happen.
When least expected.
I'm surprised they don't happen more|often.
We are exploring the unknown.
And the unknown can be benign .
.
or malevolent.
One of the things I've learned|on these voyages, and from you, is that most life forms act out of|an instinct for survival, not malice.
It's an important lesson, and I admire|your lack of resentment, Number One.
If you drop a hammer on your foot, there's no use|getting mad at the hammer.
- Anything?|- Not yet.
What can I do? You can get out of my hair.
Aye aye, Doctor.
The bug is persistent, I admit.
But I'm not worried.
|We Rikers are ornery too.
My great-grandfather|once got bit by a rattlesnake.
After three days of intense pain,|the snake died.
You're a very entertaining patient.
I try.
- You're trying hard to be cheerful.
|- You, of all people, should know.
You feel what anyone|in your position would feel.
As the First Officer on this ship,|I have to set an example.
- Even now?|- Now more than ever.
Deanna, facing death|is the ultimate test of character.
I don't want to die, but if I have|to, I hope to do it with some pride.
And a lot of impudence.
You bet.
Dying's bad enough, but to lose|my sense of humour? Forget it.
Imzadi.
I haven't given up yet.
It's spread to the spinal column.
It's weakening|his autonomic nervous system.
Judging by its present rate of|growth and its infiltration pattern, the infection will spread|to the brain within an hour.
Medical log, stardate 42976.
3.
I can't keep the alien infection|from spreading to Riker's brain.
Once there, it will kill him|by dampening neural impulses.
I can only keep him alive by|forcing the neurons to stay active, by stimulating them directly|with electrical impulses.
Let's proceed.
Good.
Stand by with five milligrams|of tricordrazine in case of seizure.
Here goes.
Anybody? We have stimulated random activity|but the patterns are erratic.
Hang on, Will.
Hang on.
The wave patterns|are still too irregular.
Why won't they stabilize? Wait.
|I've found the right amplitude.
There.
The patterns are steadier.
Is it preventing the infection|from taking hold? For now.
The vertex waves show a K-complex|corresponding to an REM state.
He's dreaming.
Hello! Marvellous.
|How easily humans do that.
I still need much practice.
There are some puzzles down on .
.
the planet|that the Captain wants answered.
He suggests you for my away team.
I shall endeavour|to function adequately.
Yes.
When the Captain suggested you,|I looked up your record.
A wise procedure.
Your rank of Lieutenant Commander|is honorary? Starfleet class of '78.
Honours in|probability mechanics and exobiology.
- But the file says you're a|- Machine.
Does that trouble you? To be honest, yes.
Understood, sir.
|Prejudice is very human.
That troubles me.
|Do you consider yourself superior? I am superior, in many ways.
But|I'd gladly give it up to be human.
Nice to meet you, Pinocchio.
A joke.
Intriguing.
You'll be an interesting companion.
What should I say?|How do I act? What do I do? Guinan, I need your help.
|Step over here.
Sounds simple enough.
Now, first words are important.
|You may want to start like this.
You are the most beautiful woman|in the galaxy.
But that might not work.
Yes.
It would.
I've so wanted to say that.
- But you were afraid?|- Yes.
- Of me?|- Of us, what we might become.
Commander? - That you might think it was a line.
|- Maybe I do think it's a line.
- You think I'm not sincere?|- I didn't say that.
What's wrong with a line?|It's like a knock at the door.
- You're inviting me in?|- I'm not sending you away.
- It's more than I expected.
|- Is it what you hoped? To hope is to recognize|the possibility.
I had only dreams.
- Dreams can be dangerous.
|- Not these.
I dream of a galaxy|where your eyes are the stars and the universe|worships the night.
Careful.
Putting me up so high,|you may not be able to reach me.
Then I'll learn how to fly.
You're the heart in my day|and the soul in my night.
This isn't my style.
Shut up, kid.
Tell me more about my eyes.
I couldn't go|without saying goodbye.
I don't like goodbyes.
|How about "Until next time"? How about "Until next time"? It's been a pleasure|working with you, Commander.
The feeling is mutual, Counsellor.
I'm supposed to know|how everyone feels, but .
.
I can't read you right now.
Perhaps your own feelings|are getting in the way.
My job is to help others|with their emotions.
My own feelings|are beside the point.
Not to me.
Our feelings|are what make us all human.
Are you feeling sad? Yes, I am.
So am I.
He's relaxed.
Experiencing feelings of|warmth and friendship.
He's reliving memories.
It's a|side effect of neural stimulation.
Look at this.
The organism's|metabolism has changed.
Perhaps the stimulation|is affecting them.
I'm going to refocus the impulse|pattern on the interpretative cortex.
- To intensify his memories?|- Exactly.
We'll see if that affects|the microbes.
Everyone,|we've brought the visitors.
Please, enjoy what we have.
Gentlemen, if this is what|you call enhancement, .
.
you've got a gift|for understatement.
What's a knockout like you doing in a computer-generated|gin joint like this? - Waiting for you.
|- Waiting for me? - You can't be serious.
|- Yes, Will.
I've never been|more serious in my life.
Something wrong? No.
It's just that Cmdr Riker's|emotions are rather passionate.
- As in erotic?|- Very much so.
A dream? Is that what this is?|Is that what I am? I know you're|a computer-generated image, but .
.
your smell, your touch,|the way you feel, .
.
even the things you say|and think seem so real.
Thank you.
How far can this relationship go? I mean, how real are you? As real as you need me to be.
You resist.
|Don't you find me attractive? Yes, I find you very attractive.
You attract me like no man has.
It's not my function|to seduce or be seduced by the leader of another world.
- It's not the reason.
|- No.
But will you still respect me|tomorrow? I hope so.
- William, is something wrong?|- What do you mean? Do you not like girls? Of course I do.
Is there a special technique|to this foot washing? You generally start at the top|and work your way down.
I think I can handle that.
I was hoping you might.
The organisms responded alright.
|Their growth rate has doubled.
Then all we've done|is make things worse.
So the growth rate is related to|the memories he's experiencing.
Or the emotions they produce.
Different mental processes|generate different chemicals.
Perhaps the organisms|are sensitive to brain endorphins.
So if some types of endorphins|attract them Others will repel them.
I'll change the differential|current patterns, see what happens.
- We're not going without our crew.
|- I warn you.
People need attention.
We won't|hurt you, but we must help them.
Number One? The creature attacked.
Yar is down.
- It feeds on phaser energy.
|- We had no effect on it.
What's Lt Yar's condition? - Dr Crusher, report!|- She's dead.
I'm losing life signs.
You must save him.
I'm sorry.
Growth rate has definitely slowed.
|What is he feeling? Can you tell? Sadness.
Which is the opposite of before.
With the opposite effect|on the infection.
Then your theory's correct.
The organisms are sensitive|to different types of endorphins.
- And negative emotions|- Such as sadness .
.
produce endorphins|that inhibit the organism's growth.
Then we can repel the infection.
- Assuming we're not too late.
|- How much time do we have? I'm not sure.
|His vital signs are getting weaker.
I can't risk another dose|of tricordrazine unless I have to.
I must refocus the pattern again.
We need to isolate memories that|generate stronger negative emotions.
I know I can count on|every Klingon warrior in this crew to serve and die in that battle.
So, I ask you again, Cmdr Riker,|where are your loyalties? I've been assigned to serve|this ship and to obey your orders and I will do exactly that.
- You'll take an oath to that effect?|- I just did.
This is your Second Officer,|Lt Klag.
Is there something|you wanted to say? Yes, sir.
I do not believe you.
You challenge my authority over you? Correct.
And your position on this, Captain? I would say|it is your first command decision.
Ready for your tour, Admiral? Quite ready, Commander.
- What's in the case?|- I brought it for Dr Crusher.
Perhaps you would like to see it? - What is it?|- A form of life.
It was discovered accidentally by|a survey team on an uncharted planet.
- Why haven't we heard about it?|- You will do shortly.
First, there remains|scientific study to be done.
- It is a superior form of life.
|- Superior? - Totally.
Come, have a look.
|- I'll summon my Science Officer.
It won't like your Science Officer.
|It does like you! Vitamins.
|They do wonders for the body.
Riker to Security.
|Guest quarters 17.
Emergency.
We've reduced the growth,|but not enough.
His vital signs are deteriorating.
But we've isolated|the specific areas to stimulate.
The feelings were primal.
Survival emotions.
They must produce an endorphin|that poisons the organisms.
Can't you intensify that emotion? I can refocus|the impulse pattern even tighter.
I don't know if he can withstand it.
|He's extremely weak.
Do we have a choice? No.
If we don't neutralize the infection,|within half an hour he'll be dead.
Medical log, supplemental.
Cmdr Riker's condition|is still critical.
I've discovered a way|to reverse the infection's growth, but I may be too late.
He's getting weaker, isn't he? Respiration shallow, heartbeat|irregular, but we can't delay.
Take us home and leave us|with our medicine, or he dies.
Don't you see I have no choice?|We were sent to bring felicium back.
The suffering on my planet|is too great.
People are dying.
Whether we are entitled to it|or not, we must have it.
Let him go.
You will take us there now,|or give us a shuttle, but we must have the medicine.
- If you refuse, this man will die.
|- I will not be coerced.
I will do it I will kill him.
Who are you? Data, something's got me! - Touch him and he dies.
|- No, don't! Enterprise? - Armus has enveloped Cmdr Riker.
|- I'm beaming you up.
If any of you leave now, he dies.
And so do the survivors|of the crash.
The growth rate's down|to seven percent.
The organisms are still impairing|his neural functions.
Respiration erratic, pulse irregular, blood pressure almost nil.
|Tricordrazine.
Can we tighten the pattern further? Recognize Picard, Jean-Luc.
|Captain.
Recognize Riker, William T.
|Commander.
Set auto-destruct sequence.
Does the First Officer concur? Yes.
|Set auto-destruct sequence.
Now.
Auto-destruct will detonate|in four minutes and 59 seconds.
- I am Korris.
|- We'll handle the formalities later.
Right now we have to get off|this ship.
Any other survivors? No.
- I have found a quicker way out.
|- Check him out.
He is alive, but barely.
- Then pick up the body and let's go.
|- No.
- I will carry him.
|- As you wish.
C'mon, let's go! Tasha, go to transporter room three.
- I want you there when they return.
|- Aye, sir.
Commander, this ship is blowing! Transporter room, have you got us? Too much interference.
Get away|from the engineering section.
The engineering section's critical.
|Destruction is imminent.
There are no options! Do it! Now! The growth rate's almost at zero.
That's not good enough.
We seek peaceful coexistence.
Set auto-destruct.
Data, something's got me! Auto-destruct Now.
Data, something's got me! - Sickbay to bridge.
|- Yes, Doctor? We've eradicated the infection.
I'm on my way.
You're still here? I could ask you the same question.
How do you feel? Beat.
You wouldn't believe my dreams.
Yes, we would.
You'll be pleased to hear|we've terminated the infection.
Great work, Doctor.
Now, if I can|get out of here, I'll return to Lie still.
I still have|a few dozen tests to run.
- Why? I feel fine.
|- There may be residual memory loss.
I want to be certain|you still know who you are.
Of course I know who I am.
I'm Capt Jean-Luc Picard|of the USS Enterprise.
I'm delighted you're|feeling better, Captain.
The Admiral and I|were worried about you.
Captain, you do not have the|authority to promote me to Admiral.