Star Trek: The Next Generation s05e15 Episode Script

Captain's log, stardate 45571.
2.
|We are going into orbit around an unexplored M-Class moon|of Mab-Bu VI.
Though it is reported uninhabited,|we have picked up a distress call.
The electromagnetic whirlwinds make it hard to locate|the source of the signal.
- Any indications of life?|- Scanners read negative.
But there is interference.
Have you ever heard anything similar? I believe so.
|At Starfleet Academy.
- The Academy?|- I will verify it.
As I thought.
It is|a Starfleet subspace distress signal, standard to Daedalus-class starships.
They haven't been in service|for what? Any records of missing ships|in this vicinity? The USS Essex,|under Capt Bryce Shumar, disappeared in this sector|over two centuries ago.
Daedalus-class.
I have accessed the|transponder signature of the Essex.
It is identical|to the signal from the moon.
We arrived a little late! Mute it, Mr Data.
With the storms, it isn't worth|the risk to check on a ghost ship.
Advise Starfleet we have solved|the mystery of the Essex.
I'm not sure we have.
Someone's down there.
Alive.
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 civilisations, .
.
to boldly go|where no one has gone before.
First Officer's log, supplemental.
The interference is too dangerous|for anyone to transport down.
So we have taken a shuttle|to investigate.
- Shields are holding.
|- Wind shear is incredible.
Data, keep an eye on the stabilisers.
If it's like this on the ground,|how can people survive? - Maybe they live underground.
|- Where? I still can't locate|the source of the signal.
It's bouncing around|more than we are.
Thrusters have failed.
|We are losing power.
Enterprise! - Go ahead.
|- We've lost our thrusters.
Attempting to use boosters.
Their impulse generators|have shut down.
Can you hear me? Enterprise to shuttle.
|Please respond.
Hold on! We're going down.
- Initiating emergency landing.
|- Maintain the approach attitude.
I'm taking her in.
Brace for impact! - The shuttle has crashed.
|- Position? I have the trace signature, but the interference|is distorting its position.
- Can you locate them?|- I think I can.
I followed their entry.
We can calculate coordinates|from the angle of descent.
- Your arm.
|- Pretty sure that's broken.
Enterprise! It is unlikely we will be able|to establish communication.
We'll stay in the area|until they find us.
Take an inventory of the shuttle.
|See if there's anything usable.
The ground cover is nonporous rock.
It's even less likely|anyone's living here.
There are no instruments left|that have not been damaged.
What is that? It's not like any storm front|I've ever seen.
High levels of EM bursts|across the spectrum.
No life signs other than our own.
There is someone alive here.
|I'm certain.
I hope they can find us.
|There's no way we'll find them.
They're coming.
|They're coming with the storm.
We can't get a lock on them|because of the EM bursts.
There's no way we can beam them out|in these conditions.
Those conditions stop a shuttle|landing safely.
Any suggestions? Give us a minute.
Let me beam down|with a pattern enhancer.
You could rematerialise in|a million pieces in that whirlwind.
I can boost the confinement beam.
One person might be able to make it.
O'Brien wants to beam down|with a pattern enhancer.
His chances of making it down there|safely are no better than 50/50.
A major storm front is moving in|on their coordinates.
- You know the risks, Mr O'Brien?|- Yes, sir.
I think I can make it.
- Alright, then.
Good luck.
|- Aye, sir.
Mr O'Brien! - Nice of you to join us.
|- Nice spot for a picnic, sir.
We need to distribute these enhancer|rods at seven-metre lengths.
That should do it.
Will this storm front|interfere with the transport? I'd really like to get out|before it hits.
I'm meant to feed the baby lunch.
Molly gets in a foul mood|if I'm late.
I'm with you! Lunchtime, Miles.
Let's do it.
Easy, Deanna.
- Where?|- On the Enterprise.
You're OK.
My skin's tingling.
It's the after-images|of the electromagnetic discharge.
The sensation will pass.
They're all fine, too.
Now, take your time, Counsellor.
|Doctor's orders.
- Injury report, Doctor.
|- Mostly minor abrasions.
Cmdr Riker took the worst of it.
|A broken arm.
- Mr Data.
Good work, Chief.
|- Thank you, sir.
Ready for duty, sir.
- Sure, Number One?|- It's not my first broken bone.
- And how are you, Counsellor?|- Very glad to be here.
Good.
Let's go.
So what happened? That storm moved in|faster than anything I've seen.
Any evidence of life? No, but if Troi was right,|we were close to it.
Bridge.
How do you suggest|we proceed? We need to adjust the scanner|to penetrate the storms.
Any ideas, Data? We can employ virtual imaging|to interpolate missing data.
- Something wrong, Commander?|- My apologies, sir.
It seems my speech processes|are experiencing a minor fluctuation.
I will correct it in a moment.
Captain, may I speak with you|for a moment in private? You have the bridge, Number One.
Mr Data, deploy sensor scans.
Take us to a synchronous orbit|aligned around our crash site.
Sir, given the EM-field properties|of this moon, I recommend a search pattern beginning|in the southern polar region.
The polar region?|That would be starting from scratch.
Readings suggest that we begin|our scan around our crash site.
The Essex's signal|was never clearly located.
A survey of the moon from a|polar orbit might be more practical.
You may be right.
But I'd like to give the crash site|a once-over first.
- Maintain our current orbit.
|- Understood, sir.
I've never felt anything like it.
|It was as if they were calling to me.
Someone was communicating|telepathically? Perhaps.
For an instant.
It was like their voices|were being carried on the wind.
What were they trying|to communicate? I'm not sure.
But they were calling me|to the southern polar region.
I believe that's where|we should look for the Essex.
Commander, did you override|my orbital heading? - Override?|- We've moved into a polar orbit.
I'm locked out.
|Helm isn't responding.
Do you know anything about this,|Mr Data? Data? Security to the bridge! Computer, transfer command|to Engineering.
- This way.
|- What happened? He would not change course.
The Captain would have done it|for me.
Deck 36, Engineering.
Computer, re-enable bridge control.
Security protocol.
|Authorisation, Riker Omega three.
Report.
Data, O'Brien and Troi|tried to take over the ship.
They're in turbolift four.
|Engaging override now.
They've trapped us.
- What deck is this?|- Deck ten.
- Can you move us again?|- I can override bridge command.
Activate security fields.
Sir, the turbolift is moving again.
|They're still inside.
Initiate emergency bulkheads|in turboshaft four.
They have been stopped at deck 13.
Mr Worf.
Can you deactivate this? We can't override|an emergency force-field command.
My entity's artificial substructure|may be useful.
They've broken through|the security field.
Deck ten.
Security to ten-forward.
Momma's here.
Everyone, get down on the floor.
Miles? On the floor! Everyone, down, now! Miles! Multiple phaser shots, ten-forward.
Picard to Worf.
Report.
Mr Worf, acknowledge.
|Can you hear me, Mr Worf? Yes, bridge.
He can hear you.
Captain's log, supplemental.
Following an aborted attempt|to take over the bridge, Troi, Data and O'Brien|have seized ten-forward.
- Security teams at both entrances.
|- Yes, sir.
Shut down computer access|to ten-forward.
I can't.
They've set up|a remote security lockout.
We'd have to shut down the saucer.
Transporter room three, can you get|a lock on Data, Troi and O'Brien? Attempting to lock on, sir.
They're attempting|to engage the transporters.
- I know how to shut them down.
|- Do it.
Bridge, the transporter array|is in a diagnostic mode.
I can't override.
It'll take|a few hours to complete.
How many people are down there? - Dr Crusher to the bridge.
|- On my way.
What are you doing? Reversing the force fields|to isolate this room.
- Good.
|- Their communicators.
Now they'll learn nothing|except what we tell them.
They've done something|to the force fields.
Geordi? They've completely isolated|ten-forward.
How about using anaesthezine gas? That won't affect Data.
|We have to knock out all three.
A concussive charge would blow out|the security fields.
We could go in|and stun everybody.
Doctor, check the biofilter readouts|of the away team's transport.
See if you can come up|with any clue to explain this.
Ten-forward, this is Capt Picard.
|I will discuss this situation.
There is no need|for further violence.
Please, identify yourselves.
They will attempt to negotiate the|safety and release of their people.
Interesting.
|Under normal circumstances, I would be counselling the Captain.
What would you tell him to do? I would help him|find a way to secure our trust.
What are you looking at? You, Klingon.
Attack me.
Are you afraid? I have no fear of death.
And I have no fear of killing you.
Stop it! Please respond, ten-forward.
Do any of my crew|require medical assistance? We can discuss your wounded.
But first, you will move the ship.
Move it where? Change orbit to an inclination|of 80 degrees south.
The southern polar region,|where Data tried to move the ship.
That's what Troi asked me to do.
|But why? Ten-forward, if you could be more|specific about our destination You have 30 seconds|to change your heading, or additional members of your crew|will require medical attention.
We need to stabilise this situation.
|Play for time.
I suggest that we move the ship|as they've asked.
Agreed? Set a new heading, but take us there|as slowly as you can.
Ten-forward, we are moving the ship|as you requested.
He's telling the truth.
|Their heading has changed.
I compared the away team's|last transporter patterns to their earlier records.
They're exactly the same,|except in Data, Troi and O'Brien there's unusual synaptic activity.
|Anionic energy.
It might be a life form|superimposing its neural patterns.
- Why wasn't I affected?|- I don't know.
The only difference|is that you were injured.
- My broken arm.
|- It caused pain receptors to fire.
It may have made you immune|to this energy.
What would happen if we were|to inflict pain on the others? It might force whatever it is|out of them.
A plasma shock would be painful,|but wouldn't harm them.
I could hook up a laser|to a plasma inverter.
What about Data? It will definitely overload|his neural net.
It'll work on him.
We have to penetrate|the force field.
I could interrupt it|for a few seconds, but timing would be critical.
We have to hit all three|with one discharge.
If they're together, it'll be fine.
How will you gain access? A micro-optic drill|through the ceiling.
We have to have some way to contain|or neutralise this anionic energy once it's out of our people.
Yes, Doctor, that will be|your top priority.
Proceed.
Bridge to ten-forward,|now that we are moving the ship, I want to know the nature|of the injuries to my crew.
Five of your people are injured.
How serious is their condition? You, Klingon, tell him.
One person has what looks like|a level-five phaser hit.
Four have secondary burns.
|They require medical attention.
- Our captors are not affected|- Silence, Klingon! Ten-forward, you must release these people|for medical attention.
I will release no one.
If you will release them,|I will take their place.
I don't trust him.
|It may be a deception.
The crew values Picard's life|above all others.
Capt Picard,|we agree to your proposal.
- Expect a Medical team.
|- Acknowledged.
Sickbay, have an emergency|Medical team outside ten-forward.
Putting you there|strengthens their position.
While they're on board this ship,|I'm a hostage.
We all are.
We must find out|who we're dealing with.
If La Forge and Ro can attempt|a rescue, let them proceed.
If they can't, I will provide you|with an opportunity.
Watch for it.
Yes, sir.
Silence that child! I know you.
I know who you are.
And I know what this is.
She's frightened!|Why don't you just let us go? No.
Make it stop! Ten-forward,|we're outside the door.
Lower the force field.
Welcome, Captain.
|Allow me to introduce myself.
I am Capt Bryce Shumar|of the Federation Starship Essex.
The Essex vanished|over 200 years ago.
Indeed.
I know.
I was there.
This is my first officer,|Cmdr Steven Mullen.
And my security chief,|Lt Morgan Kelly.
And you have survived|all this time as? Spirits? Ghosts? But you're a man|who would never believe in ghosts.
Isn't that true?|You see, Troi knows you.
And so I do as well.
Then Counsellor Troi is still alive? Of course she is.
I have no wish|to harm her or to harm anyone else.
I'm pleased to hear that.
We have been forced to take this|action because we need your help.
My help? Our consciousness has been trapped|on this moon for two centuries.
We must escape this torture.
How did this happen to you? I can't explain how it happened.
|I only know that it did.
The Essex was caught|in an electromagnetic storm, just as your shuttle was.
Moments before we crashed,|the bridge was struck by lightning.
The ship was ripped apart.
Somehow, in that instant, our consciousness was absorbed into|the magnetic currents on the surface.
Why didn't you tell us this?|Why the deception? The violence? Because, as I said,|I knew you would not believe us.
Even now, I know you don't.
What was your vessel's designation|and complement? NCC-173.
Daedalus-class starship.
|Crew, 229.
Under whose command? Admiral Uttan Narsu.
Starbase 12.
You will find all this|in Starfleet records.
- I don't need to see the records.
|- Then you know I am correct.
End this, and I will give you|whatever help you need.
No.
You don't trust us.
|And I can't risk trusting you.
It's taking too long.
|We should have been there by now.
He is manipulating you.
Capt Picard|has every right to be curious.
He will delay|until a rescue is possible.
I know that.
I also know he will make every effort|to protect the lives of his people.
Since our demands|are not excessive, Captain, I hope you will see|that it will be simpler to accede than to risk further injuries.
What do you want? All you need to know for now|is that we want to rest.
Simply, finally, to rest.
Section two.
B.
A.
Section one.
Finally! I never want to see|this part of the Enterprise again.
I hear you.
This is what starship|designers call "easy access".
Yeah.
Yeah, this is it.
I thought we might have a problem|with conduit number 227, but it looks like|we're gonna be able to get by it.
Thanks.
- We're through.
|- Good.
Let's hook up the scanner|and see what we've got.
Got it.
All three have to be in the circle|for this to work.
We're halfway home.
La Forge|to Crusher, how are you doing? I have an idea|for a containment field.
This anionic energy seems vulnerable to the magnetic-flux density|in the storms.
If we can duplicate it, we can trap it.
You could flood ten-forward|with ionogenic particles.
Exactly what I was thinking.
How long will it take|to get it all ready? We still have to calibrate|the plasma invert.
My guess is 45 minutes to an hour.
The containment field will be ready.
Keep me advised.
Impressions, Mr Worf.
Spiritual possessions have been|reported throughout Klingon history.
It is called Jat'yln,|the taking of the living by the dead.
Human history|is full of many similar legends.
Then you believe|they may be telling the truth? Not for one moment.
They know much about the Essex.
|If it is the spirit of Capt Shumar Then he should be behaving|very much better.
- A Starfleet captain.
|- You two, sit down.
Living disembodied for two centuries.
|Perhaps they've gone mad.
I assure you, Mr Worf,|these are not Jat'yln.
Our job is to find out exactly|what they are, and how to deal Right, that's enough.
Sit down.
|You, over there.
You, there.
- Down!|- I gave you that.
In a place called McKinley Park.
|Green grass.
- Tall trees.
|- Please don't.
I hid the bracelet in your pocket.
- You were surprised.
|- Don't! You said,|"Miles, you make me feel so happy.
" No! Get away from me! Leave her alone.
Capt Shumar.
We're approaching the southern polar|region.
I need to give instructions.
Very well.
|We're taking you to our crash site.
- The southern pole?|- That is correct.
Nothing our sensors could detect|indicated the Essex went down there.
As I told you, Captain,|the ship broke up in the atmosphere, and the bridge went down here.
When we reach it, you will beam what's left|of our skeletal remains on board, and then take them back to Earth|for a proper burial.
You see how simple a request this is? Captain, .
.
if you will let these people go, I'll order the bridge|to follow your instructions.
I will release no one.
If you are who you say you are,|there's no need for this.
We'll gladly take you home.
I wish you were truly|as open-minded as you say, Picard.
Release the hostages|or I won't cooperate.
You'll cooperate, Captain.
You will cooperate,|or someone will die.
Who shall it be? How about the Klingon? Get another one.
You.
Come on.
Pick one to die, Captain,|or I kill them both.
They're all in range.
|I have to do it now.
I can only shut down the force field|for seven seconds.
If they're the right seven seconds,|it'll be enough.
Prepare to release|the ionogenic field.
Standing by.
- Ready?|- Lower force field.
- Force field down.
|- Firing plasma charge.
Damn! Tell them to stop, or I kill everyone|in this room, starting with you.
Picard to bridge, abort immediately.
As you say, Captain.
Riker to La Forge,|return to the bridge.
- Are you ready to cooperate?|- Yes.
First Officer's log, supplemental.
The Enterprise is in orbit|near the southern polar region.
We await further instructions.
- Any sign of the Essex?|- Negative.
Electromagnetic disturbances|are even worse here.
Bridge to ten-forward.
Intense storm activity|makes it virtually impossible for us to pick up|any trace of the Essex.
We are giving you|the exact coordinates of our remains on board the Essex.
I'm receiving those coordinates now.
Can you tell what's there? Just your basic ionic cyclone.
|I can't read a thing.
I'm not beaming up|whatever might be down there.
You've got a good excuse.
|Transporters wouldn't work.
Bridge to ten-forward.
Whatever's blocking our scanners|will block the transporters.
They're lying! We've had difficulties|with the transporters.
That's why we sent the shuttle.
- You should know.
|- We have to use the transporters.
Mr O'Brien safely executed|the return of the away team.
He's the most qualified person|to operate the transporters.
- Can you do it from here?|- No.
I need a transporter pad.
I could give you safe passage to a transporter pad|in a cargo bay.
It is a trick.
|He is trying to divide us.
We must not be separated.
I can give you all safe passage.
Why are you suddenly so helpful? I assume that if you choose|to go to the cargo bay, then you won't take all the hostages.
|Their safety is my priority.
What are the risks|when we leave this room? Without the force fields,|we are vulnerable.
They could use the transporter.
|They could beam us to the surface.
But there is a way|to neutralise that threat.
Bridge, transfer all transporter|functions to ten-forward.
In order to do that, you will have to release|your computer lockouts.
- That's not true.
|- Let me talk to him.
Number One, I think we have|an opportunity to end this siege.
It will require the cooperation|of all concerned.
Our guests will be moving shortly|to cargo bay four, from where the transport will occur.
I want you to ensure them|of safe passage between ten-forward|and the cargo bay.
Understood, Captain.
- Doctor.
Mr La Forge.
|- Yes, sir.
Transporter controls|are being transferred.
Ten-forward to bridge.
|I said all transporter controls! Including all those|aboard your shuttlecraft.
Almost had them, Ensign.
Nice try.
Riker to ten-forward.
Remaining|transporter functions transferred.
Once we create our own access code, no one can use the transporter|against us.
What about the weapons? We will each take a hostage.
|For protection.
- Klingon.
|- Picard, you are mine.
Please let her stay.
Lower the force field.
- Security teams, stand by.
|- They're in section five.
They'll be at their destination|in less than a minute.
They stopped at deck 18.
Security, allow them access|to cargo bay four.
I will require assistance.
Capt Shumar, how do you intend to|achieve this rest that you so desire? What do you mean? How do you intend|to free yourselves of this existence that has so trapped|your consciousness? It will fade as we move|from this planet.
Really? What is|your scientific basis for that? I don't need a scientific basis.
|Just be quiet.
When are you going to tell me|who you really are? I've initialised|the transporter signal.
Proceed.
- They're firing up the transporter.
|- Mr La Forge? I've isolated cargo bay four|with a neutrino field.
It will only take Data and O'Brien|a few minutes to override it.
I hope it gives the Captain|enough time.
Do you know what he'll do? There's only one reason|he chose cargo bay four.
If it becomes necessary, you'll blow the cargo bay hatch|on my orders.
Yes, sir.
You're right, Picard.
It's not rest we seek, only escape.
Escape? We were brought to this moon|over five centuries ago, from a star system called Ux-Mal.
We were separated from our bodies|and left to drift in the storms.
Once we almost escaped,|on board the Essex.
But that ship could not elude|this moon's electromagnetic storms.
You thought using their identities|would gain our sympathy? It was better than asking you to allow hundreds|of condemned prisoners on board.
Then this moon is a penal colony.
That's correct.
But now we have your ship|and your bodies to carry us home.
I'm reading dozens of them.
Hundreds.
They have the same anionic signature|we saw on the biophoto scans.
We can give the Captain|a new bargaining chip.
Dr Crusher, flood the cargo bay|with your containment field.
No! - Let them go or you will all die!|- Your threats are meaningless.
We are still in control|of these three bodies.
Will you sacrifice the others? They|will die when the hatch is blown.
- You will die too, Picard.
|- I would die to save my child.
To die defending one's ship|is the hope of every Klingon.
If you each know|the officers you inhabit, then you know they would|give their lives for this ship.
Free them now and I will|return you to the moon's surface.
I advise you, Picard,|not to pass our way again.
Picard to bridge.
|Our guests are leaving shortly.
- I need an emergency Medical team.
|- On our way.
Mr Worf, prepare to transport these|prisoners down to the moon's surface.
Gladly, sir.
Captain's log, stardate 45572.
1.
Dr Crusher has examined|Troi, Data and O'Brien.
There seem to be|no residual effects.
It was as if my own consciousness|were pushed to the side.
I watched everything, heard my voice,|but wasn't able to control it.
The entity that controlled you,|what were your perceptions? He was intelligent, actually.
Thoughtful,|in a ruthless kind of way.
Cold.
I must apologise|for my inadvertent misconduct.
- No apology necessary.
|- Your restraint was most remarkable.
You have no idea.
- How do you feel?|- Hungry.
That's a good sign.
Go home.
How do you feel? I'm just glad to have you back.
If I could have killed|that thing inside me, I would have.
I know.
We both know.