Star Trek: The Next Generation s05e16 Episode Script
Ethics
No question about it,|she was bluffing, Worf.
Bluffing is not one|of Counsellor Troi's strong suits.
I'm reading chlorinide leakage,|but I can't pin it down.
Maybe up here.
It would have been unwise to call.
Yes.
My hand was not strong enough.
You had jacks and eights,|she bluffed with a pair of sixes.
How did you know what I had? Let's just say I had a special|insight into the cards.
Next time, bring a deck that's|not transparent to infrared light.
Not to worry, Worf,|I only peak after the hand is over.
Still nothing.
I'll get a dynoscan.
We'll try again.
- Commander, is that what you wanted?|- Yes.
If anything changes, tell me.
Ensign, run a dynoscan.
Look out! - Worf!|- What happened? La Forge to sickbay.
|Medical emergency in cargo bay three.
What happened? The containers you were checking|fell on you.
You're lucky to be alive.
Doctor, I will not attempt to leave|sickbay without your approval.
The restraining field|is not necessary.
Worf, there is no restraining field.
- But I can't move my legs.
|- I know.
You can't move because a container|shattered seven of your vertebrae and crushed your spinal cord.
I'm afraid there's no way|we can repair this kind of injury.
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.
Captain's log, stardate 45587.
3 Lt Worf has been removed from active|duty following a severe injury.
Although a neuro-specialist|has arrived, Dr Crusher believes|his paralysis may be permanent.
Welcome, Dr Russell.
|I'm Beverly Crusher.
A pleasure.
|I have equipment on the Potemkin.
Can you send it to your labs? - Send it to med lab four.
|- Yes.
Before we get down to business,|I had the pleasure of reading your paper|on cybernetic regeneration.
Really?|You're the first to mention it.
I thought it was brilliant.
Your ideas on bio-active interfaces|border on revolutionary.
It will be a pleasure|working with you.
Thank you.
Have you had a chance|to review Worf's case yet? Only briefly.
I was shocked to find the state of Klingon|neurological medicine so primitive.
It's a cultural bias.
The Klingon|Medical Division informed me they usually let the patient die|in a case like this.
They've done no research|on neurological trauma.
We'll be in uncharted waters.
Worf is having a hard time.
He's always been|a difficult patient, but now He's tough at first,|but you'll like him I know that as a starship doctor, you have to maintain close ties|with patients.
But it will be best|if I maintain a discreet distance.
That way, I can give an objective|opinion regarding treatment.
Yes.
You're probably right.
Good.
Well, I believe you said|I'd be working in med lab four? Right this way.
You look good for somebody who's|eaten sickbay food for three days.
Please, sit down, Commander.
Thank you for agreeing|to see me in this condition.
I'm not a Klingon.
|There's no shame in being injured.
I am not merely injured, Commander.
Dr Crusher believes|my paralysis to be permanent.
I'm sorry.
I have a personal favour to ask.
Name it.
I want you to help me|perform the Hegh'bat ceremony.
I want you to help me die.
What? When a Klingon can no longer stand|and face his enemies as a warrior, when he becomes a burden|to friends and family, it is time for the Hegh'bat.
Time for him to die.
- There must be other options.
|- No.
There are not.
I will not live as an object|of pity or shame.
My life as a Klingon is over.
Mr Worf, .
.
I will not help a friend|commit suicide.
You and I have served together|for many years.
Fought side by side.
I know you to be a brave|and honourable man.
If you truly consider me a friend,|help me now.
Help me end my life|as I have lived it, with dignity and honour.
Please.
The spinal tract has deteriorated|over the last 72 hours despite CPK enzymatic therapy.
- What about alkysine treatment?|- Ineffective.
Over-designed.
Klingon anatomy.
double-lined neural pia mater.
I've never seen|so many unnecessary redundancies.
Unnecessary? The Klingons|refer to it as the brak'lul.
Almost every vital function|in their bodies has a built-in redundancy in case|any primary organ or system fails.
It's a good design in theory, but in practice the extra organs|are just that much more to go wrong.
Let me show you something.
I've been experimenting|with DNA-based generators.
This is a genetronic replicator.
It reads the DNA coding|of damaged organs, translates that into a specific set|of replicant instructions, and then begins to grow|a replacement.
I've read of your preliminary work.
The early results|have been very encouraging.
Beverly, the genetronic replicator can create a completely new|neural conduit for your Lt Worf.
- Replace his entire spine?|- Exactly.
Instead of pasting together|broken connections Iike a couple of glorified tailors,|we create a new living system.
I had no idea you were|using this on humanoids.
I haven't been.
|This will be the first time.
First time? I've done dozens of holo-simulations.
|The success rate is up to 37 percent.
Even a holographic patient|would balk at those odds.
Sooner or later it has|to be tried on a living patient.
You're talking about a spinal column.
Even before we could replace it,|we have to remove the existing one.
We don't know enough about|Klingon medicine to reattach it.
If something goes wrong, he'll die.
I agree it has remarkable potential, but you're still in the most|preliminary stages of research.
No, I can't justify the risk to Worf.
We'll have to use|more conventional approaches.
Dr Crusher, report to the bridge.
On my way.
The transport ship Denver|struck a gravitic mine.
They've sustained damage.
They attempted to crash-land|on a planet in the Mericor system.
- We'll arrive in seven hours.
|- How many were aboard? The Denver's crew complement is 23, but they were transporting|517 colonists to the Beloti Sector.
Convert all shuttlebays|into emergency triage centres.
Civilians with medical training|report for duty.
Make it so.
May I speak to you in private? - Yes.
You have the bridge, Mr Data.
|- Aye, sir.
I have always tried|to keep an open mind, not to judge someone's culture|by my own, but to be part of this ceremony I understand from Dr Crusher that Worf will never regain|the use of his legs.
- That doesn't mean his life is over.
|- That's a very human perspective.
For a Klingon|in Worf's position, his life is over.
I can't accept that.
If you were dying, terminally ill|with an incurable disease, and facing the remaining few days|of your life in pain, wouldn't you look on death|as a release? Worf isn't dying|and he is not in pain.
He could lead a long life You and I could learn to live|with that disability, but not Worf.
His life ended|when those containers fell on him.
We don't have to agree with it|or understand it, .
.
but we do have to respect|his beliefs.
I can respect his beliefs, but he is asking me to take an active|part in his committing suicide! He's asking for your help|because you're his friend.
You'll have to make your decision|based on that friendship.
Which leaves me|back where I started.
Will.
Look, I'm sorry,|I cannot help you make this decision, but I can tell you this.
Klingons choose their friends|with great care.
If he didn't know he could count|on you, he would never have asked.
Why won't you let me see him? Alexander, I told you,|it's not my decision.
- Your father doesn't|- My father wants to see me.
You're the one|keeping me away from him.
- I think you know that's not true.
|- Then, why can't I see him? Come here.
He's been injured|and he's embarrassed.
And to have anyone see him now|would make him feel worse.
Even if it were you.
This is part of that Klingon stuff,|isn't it? My mother always said Klingons|had a lot of dumb ideas about honour.
That Klingon stuff|is very important to your father.
It isn't very important to me.
I don't care about being Klingon,|I just want to see my father.
It's been a long day.
Get ready for bed and we'll talk|about this again in the morning.
Alexander is scared,|confused, hurt, all because his father|is refusing to see him.
You know why I left|those instructions.
Yes, it's not the Klingon way, right? It is a question of honour, and I would ask that you|respect my wishes in this matter.
All I care about, at this moment,|is a little boy who's terrified|he's going to lose his father.
Maybe it's time you stopped lying|here worrying about your honour, and started thinking|about someone else, like your son.
Would you like us to come back? No, please, come in, Doctor.
This is Dr Toby Russell from|the Adelman Neurological Institute.
She specialises in spinal injuries.
We've discussed|a variety of surgical procedures.
None of them|will repair the spinal cord, but we have found a way for you|to regain much of your mobility.
We can implant neural transducers|into your lower torso and legs.
They pick up electrical impulses|from your brain and stimulate|the corresponding muscles.
With a little work, you could regain The first step is to fit your legs|with motor-assist units like this.
They're a training device.
Once you've mastered using them,|you can move on to the implants.
Now try to move your leg.
No, that's good for a first try.
It will take some time|to get used to No! I will not live like that.
These are very sophisticated devices.
With enough time, they'll give you No.
I will not be seen lurching|like some half-Klingon machine.
The object of ridicule and disgust.
Perhaps all this|seems a bit frightening to you now.
I want you to take time|before making a decision.
Think about it.
There is one other option|I'd like you to consider.
It's called genetronic replication.
It's still experimental, but if it works, it will restore|virtually all your mobility, and without the need|for artificial implants.
I thought we'd discussed genetronics? - We did.
|- We decided against recommending it.
You heard him, he'd rather die|than live with the implants.
I gave him a better option|than suicide.
He's grasping for straws|and you're giving him one.
Now he's going to be thinking about|this miracle cure of yours.
There's a real chance|this could work.
If it does, it'll be a major|breakthrough in neurogenetics that will change a lot of lives.
You're using the desperation|of an injured man as an excuse to try a procedure|that you couldn't normally do.
Starfleet Medical|have turned down your request to test genetronics on humanoids|three times already.
Are you really going to hide behind|the rules of some bureaucracy? Beverly,|your patient's life is at stake here.
- Before you do any of this|- Picard to Dr Crusher.
Go ahead.
- We've located the Denver survivors.
|- We're ready here.
Triage teams standing by.
Very well.
We'll transport survivors|immediately.
Bridge out.
Beverly.
- Could you use a pair of hands?|- Absolutely.
Father? Come in, Alexander.
Deanna said you hurt your back,|that you couldn't walk.
I am still struggling with my injury.
I was worried about you.
There is much to discuss.
There will be difficult times ahead.
- You must be strong.
|- I understand.
Good.
As Klingons,|we all must be prepared for Father! - Take him away.
|- Let me help you.
- Leave!|- Alexander, go on.
It'll be alright,|I'll take care of him.
- Use this to cauterise the tissue.
|- Yes, Doctor.
- What happened here?|- Neural metaphasic shock.
From leporazine? That's unusual.
He couldn't take it.
|His blood pressure was too low.
- I tried something else.
|- A morathial series? No, a new rival therapy I've been|working with.
It's called borathium.
I've had some very good results.
You used this man to test a theory? Borathium is decades ahead|of leporazine and morathial.
Morathial would have saved his life.
His injuries were so severe no conventional treatment|would have saved him.
You didn't even try|standard treatment.
I made the choice I thought gave him|the best chance of surviving.
Isn't that what you would do? You used this|to test one of your theories, like you're doing with Worf.
That's what this is really about,|isn't it? Lt Worf.
I'm offering him a chance|to recover fully.
A chance you can't give him.
This is about the kind of medicine|you practise.
I make no excuses for my approach.
I don't like losing a patient|any more than you do.
But I'm looking down a long road.
|This man didn't die for nothing.
The data that I gathered|is invaluable.
It will help|save thousands of lives.
That won't be any comfort|to his family.
Let me ask you this.
If some years from now, borathium therapy|saved the life of someone you loved, would you still condemn me? I will not be drawn into|a hypothetical argument.
Your research here is over.
|You are relieved of medical duties.
Is that clear? Perfectly.
Doctor? I'm on my way to see your patient.
Be my guest.
Don't expect much conversation,|he's in full Klingon mode, honourable, strong and closed-minded.
I understand that you have relieved|Dr Russell of duty.
That's right.
She's irresponsible.
|I won't have her practising here.
Beverly, .
.
maybe you should let her go ahead|with this genetronic procedure.
How can you say that? She has a theory based on|a little empirical knowledge and a lot of supposition.
If he can't make a full recovery,|Worf will kill himself.
Not in my sickbay he won't.
I'll put him in a restraining field|and post security around his door.
How long will you keep him there?|A week? A month? A year? If I have to.
|Suicide is not an option.
Putting aside the fact that|a paraplegic can live a full life, conventional therapy|could restore much of his mobility.
- But not all of it.
|- No, not all of it! There are some things I can't fix.
Klingon or no,|he'll have to accept his condition.
He can't make the journey|you're asking of him.
You want him to go|from contemplating suicide to living with a disability,|but it's too far.
And the road between|covers a lifetime of values, beliefs.
He can't do it, Beverly.
But perhaps he can come|part of the way.
Maybe he can be persuaded|to forego the ritual in order to take the chance of regaining|the kind of life he needs.
A Klingon may not be good|at accepting defeat, but he knows all about taking risks.
The first tenet of good medicine|is never make the patient any worse.
Right now,|Worf is alive and functioning.
If he goes into that operation,|he could come out a corpse.
This may not be good medicine, but for Worf,|it may be his only choice.
I am ready, Commander.
I've been studying|this ritual of yours.
Do you know what I've decided? I think it's despicable.
|I hate everything about it.
Casual disregard for life, the way it tries to cloak suicide|in some glorious notion of honour.
I may have to respect your beliefs,|but I don't have to like them.
It is not something|I expect you to understand.
No.
All you really expect me to do|is bring you the knife and then walk away|so you can kill yourself in peace.
Well, I'm not gonna make it|that easy for you.
It is not easy for me.
But each of us must die|in our own time.
And my time Remember Sandoval? Hit with|a disruptor blast two years ago.
She lived for about a week.
Fang-lee? Marla Aster? Tasha Yar? How many friends have|we watched die? I've lost count.
Every single one of them|fought for life until the very end.
- I do not welcome death, Commander.
|- Are you sure? I think you feel noble about this.
"Look at me.
Aren't I courageous?|An honourable Klingon?" Let me remind you,|a Klingon does not put his desires above those of his family|or his friends.
How many people on this ship|consider you a friend? How many owe you their lives? Have you ever thought|about how you've affected us? How we might feel about your dying? Will you or will you not|help me with the Hegh'bat? You are my friend.
And in spite of everything I've said, if it were my place,|I would probably help you.
But I've been studying|Klingon ritual and law, and I've discovered that|it's not my place to fill that role.
According to tradition, that honour falls to a family member,|preferably the oldest son.
That is impossible.
He is a child.
The son of a Klingon is a man|the day he can first hold a blade.
- True?|- Alexander is not fully Klingon.
- He is part human.
|- That's an excuse.
What you really mean|is it would be too hard to look at your son|and tell him to bring you the knife.
Watch you stab it into your heart, then pull the knife out of your chest|and wipe your blood on his sleeve.
That's the rite of death, isn't it? Well, I'm sorry, Mr Worf.
I can't help you.
There's only one person|on this ship who can.
You said you wanted to see me.
- I need you to help me.
|- Anything, Father.
I have taught you|about Klingon customs, .
.
the beliefs which we value.
According to tradition, I must take my life|after suffering this kind of injury.
But I have decided|to break with tradition.
I have decided to live.
I'm glad, Father.
I must still undergo|a dangerous operation.
I may still die,|but it will not be by my own hand.
- Return this to our quarters.
|- Yes, sir.
Chief Medical Officer's log,|supplemental.
After consultation|with Starfleet Medical and much soul-searching, I have granted Worf's request to|undergo the genetronic procedure.
We started multiplication today.
Teacher said I'm faster|than anybody in my class.
We will speak again soon.
Yes, Father.
If I die, .
.
he must be cared for.
I'll make sure he reaches|your parents safely.
No.
They are elderly.
|They cannot care for Alexander.
Counsellor, I have a serious request|to make of you.
Would you consider? You want me to raise Alexander? I have come to have|a great respect for you, Deanna.
You have been most helpful in guiding|me since Alexander's arrival.
I can't imagine anyone who would be|a better parent to my son.
If it is too much to ask I'd be honoured.
I am ready.
Focus the drechtal beams on the|anterior and posterior spinal roots.
- Focused.
|- Initiate.
All neural connections below the|first vertebrae have been separated.
Microtome.
I'm severing the brain stem now.
Cerebral cortex placed|on life support at 0831 hours.
Three hours 26 minutes|until primary brain dysfunction.
OK, let's remove the support frame.
Exoscalpel.
I've notified Starfleet|that our survey of Sector 37628 will be delayed by a week|while we drop off the survivors.
Good.
I understand from Mr La Forge|that there's a minor fluctuation in the starboard warp coil.
I've scheduled a stress-simulation|routine to check it out.
- Has there been any word?|- No.
Preliminary genetronic scans|are complete.
Initiating DNA sequencer.
Reading at ten to the ninth base|pairs per second.
Once we're past the first two levels,|we'll begin the encoding sequence.
Increase TCH levels to What's happened? The scanner can't read|the Klingon dorsal-root ganglia.
- This showed up in your simulations?|- Yes.
I thought I made adjustments.
Bring me the detronal scanner.
I can scan the ganglia manually.
|It'll just take a little longer.
One hour 43 minutes|until primary brain dysfunction.
- Retract the paraspinal muscle.
|- Got it.
- Watch the proximal nerve endings.
|- I see them.
Make sure the cranial segment is 15 centimetres|from the brain stem.
- Fluctuation in the isocortex.
|- 20cc inaprovaline.
OK.
Release retractors on the paraspinal.
- How much time left on life support?|- 27 minutes.
Cover.
Close, please.
Ready.
Tissue growth proceeding|at anticipated rates.
No initial signs of rejection.
OK, ready.
Terminate life support.
Life support disengaged.
Neural connections appear stable.
Looking good so far.
- Fluctuations in the isocortex.
|- 40cc inaprovaline.
- Synaptic response falling.
|- BP dropping.
Now 60 over 40.
- VeK'tal response falling rapidly.
|- Increase oxygen to 95 percent.
Beginning|direct synaptic stimulation.
Respirations shallow and rapid.
|No response in the isocortex.
- Heart rate is erratic.
|- Going into cardiac arrest.
Alright.
Let's go to chloromydride.
|15cc.
We're losing him.
No BP.
No pulse.
- Brain activity?|- No higher brain functions.
OK, 25cc cordrazine.
That'll kill him.
We've done a good job|of that already.
No BP, no pulse.
- No activity in the isocortex.
|- Cortical stimulator.
Now.
Again.
Doctor.
Alright, make a note in the log.
Death occurred at 1240 hours.
It was all going so well.
No anomalies during replication.
|No initial rejection.
No.
Alexander, I am so sorry.
I want to see him.
- Alex|- No! I want to see him.
Activate biomonitors.
- 25cc polyadrenaline.
|- What's going on? Not sure, but if I'm right, one|of the unnecessary redundancies Doctor.
I don't believe it.
|Begin cardio-aid and ventilation.
That's amazing.
There must be|a back-up for his synaptic functions.
Vital signs are stabilising.
Begin rybo-synetic therapy.
|Increase oxygen to 90 percent.
Prepare a thalamic-booster series.
Well, I'd say your patient's|recovery is going well.
You won't acknowledge|what I did for him.
You just can't admit that it was|my research that made this possible.
I am delighted|that Worf is going to recover.
You gambled, he won.
Not all of your patients|are so lucky.
You scare me, Doctor.
You risk your patients' lives and|justify it in the name of research.
Genuine research takes time.
Sometimes a lifetime|of painstaking, detailed work in order to get any results.
Not for you.
You take short cuts.
Right through living tissue.
You put your research ahead|of your patients' lives.
And, as far as I'm concerned, that's|a violation of our most sacred trust.
I'm sure your work will be hailed|as a stunning breakthrough.
Enjoy your laurels, Doctor.
|I'm not sure I could.
This is gonna take time, Worf.
Your muscles are still sorting out|their new signals.
Don't rush it.
Alexander.
|Remember what we talked about? Your father|wants to do this by himself.
It's alright, Counsellor.
I would|appreciate some help from my son.
We will work together.
Yes, sir.
Bluffing is not one|of Counsellor Troi's strong suits.
I'm reading chlorinide leakage,|but I can't pin it down.
Maybe up here.
It would have been unwise to call.
Yes.
My hand was not strong enough.
You had jacks and eights,|she bluffed with a pair of sixes.
How did you know what I had? Let's just say I had a special|insight into the cards.
Next time, bring a deck that's|not transparent to infrared light.
Not to worry, Worf,|I only peak after the hand is over.
Still nothing.
I'll get a dynoscan.
We'll try again.
- Commander, is that what you wanted?|- Yes.
If anything changes, tell me.
Ensign, run a dynoscan.
Look out! - Worf!|- What happened? La Forge to sickbay.
|Medical emergency in cargo bay three.
What happened? The containers you were checking|fell on you.
You're lucky to be alive.
Doctor, I will not attempt to leave|sickbay without your approval.
The restraining field|is not necessary.
Worf, there is no restraining field.
- But I can't move my legs.
|- I know.
You can't move because a container|shattered seven of your vertebrae and crushed your spinal cord.
I'm afraid there's no way|we can repair this kind of injury.
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.
Captain's log, stardate 45587.
3 Lt Worf has been removed from active|duty following a severe injury.
Although a neuro-specialist|has arrived, Dr Crusher believes|his paralysis may be permanent.
Welcome, Dr Russell.
|I'm Beverly Crusher.
A pleasure.
|I have equipment on the Potemkin.
Can you send it to your labs? - Send it to med lab four.
|- Yes.
Before we get down to business,|I had the pleasure of reading your paper|on cybernetic regeneration.
Really?|You're the first to mention it.
I thought it was brilliant.
Your ideas on bio-active interfaces|border on revolutionary.
It will be a pleasure|working with you.
Thank you.
Have you had a chance|to review Worf's case yet? Only briefly.
I was shocked to find the state of Klingon|neurological medicine so primitive.
It's a cultural bias.
The Klingon|Medical Division informed me they usually let the patient die|in a case like this.
They've done no research|on neurological trauma.
We'll be in uncharted waters.
Worf is having a hard time.
He's always been|a difficult patient, but now He's tough at first,|but you'll like him I know that as a starship doctor, you have to maintain close ties|with patients.
But it will be best|if I maintain a discreet distance.
That way, I can give an objective|opinion regarding treatment.
Yes.
You're probably right.
Good.
Well, I believe you said|I'd be working in med lab four? Right this way.
You look good for somebody who's|eaten sickbay food for three days.
Please, sit down, Commander.
Thank you for agreeing|to see me in this condition.
I'm not a Klingon.
|There's no shame in being injured.
I am not merely injured, Commander.
Dr Crusher believes|my paralysis to be permanent.
I'm sorry.
I have a personal favour to ask.
Name it.
I want you to help me|perform the Hegh'bat ceremony.
I want you to help me die.
What? When a Klingon can no longer stand|and face his enemies as a warrior, when he becomes a burden|to friends and family, it is time for the Hegh'bat.
Time for him to die.
- There must be other options.
|- No.
There are not.
I will not live as an object|of pity or shame.
My life as a Klingon is over.
Mr Worf, .
.
I will not help a friend|commit suicide.
You and I have served together|for many years.
Fought side by side.
I know you to be a brave|and honourable man.
If you truly consider me a friend,|help me now.
Help me end my life|as I have lived it, with dignity and honour.
Please.
The spinal tract has deteriorated|over the last 72 hours despite CPK enzymatic therapy.
- What about alkysine treatment?|- Ineffective.
Over-designed.
Klingon anatomy.
double-lined neural pia mater.
I've never seen|so many unnecessary redundancies.
Unnecessary? The Klingons|refer to it as the brak'lul.
Almost every vital function|in their bodies has a built-in redundancy in case|any primary organ or system fails.
It's a good design in theory, but in practice the extra organs|are just that much more to go wrong.
Let me show you something.
I've been experimenting|with DNA-based generators.
This is a genetronic replicator.
It reads the DNA coding|of damaged organs, translates that into a specific set|of replicant instructions, and then begins to grow|a replacement.
I've read of your preliminary work.
The early results|have been very encouraging.
Beverly, the genetronic replicator can create a completely new|neural conduit for your Lt Worf.
- Replace his entire spine?|- Exactly.
Instead of pasting together|broken connections Iike a couple of glorified tailors,|we create a new living system.
I had no idea you were|using this on humanoids.
I haven't been.
|This will be the first time.
First time? I've done dozens of holo-simulations.
|The success rate is up to 37 percent.
Even a holographic patient|would balk at those odds.
Sooner or later it has|to be tried on a living patient.
You're talking about a spinal column.
Even before we could replace it,|we have to remove the existing one.
We don't know enough about|Klingon medicine to reattach it.
If something goes wrong, he'll die.
I agree it has remarkable potential, but you're still in the most|preliminary stages of research.
No, I can't justify the risk to Worf.
We'll have to use|more conventional approaches.
Dr Crusher, report to the bridge.
On my way.
The transport ship Denver|struck a gravitic mine.
They've sustained damage.
They attempted to crash-land|on a planet in the Mericor system.
- We'll arrive in seven hours.
|- How many were aboard? The Denver's crew complement is 23, but they were transporting|517 colonists to the Beloti Sector.
Convert all shuttlebays|into emergency triage centres.
Civilians with medical training|report for duty.
Make it so.
May I speak to you in private? - Yes.
You have the bridge, Mr Data.
|- Aye, sir.
I have always tried|to keep an open mind, not to judge someone's culture|by my own, but to be part of this ceremony I understand from Dr Crusher that Worf will never regain|the use of his legs.
- That doesn't mean his life is over.
|- That's a very human perspective.
For a Klingon|in Worf's position, his life is over.
I can't accept that.
If you were dying, terminally ill|with an incurable disease, and facing the remaining few days|of your life in pain, wouldn't you look on death|as a release? Worf isn't dying|and he is not in pain.
He could lead a long life You and I could learn to live|with that disability, but not Worf.
His life ended|when those containers fell on him.
We don't have to agree with it|or understand it, .
.
but we do have to respect|his beliefs.
I can respect his beliefs, but he is asking me to take an active|part in his committing suicide! He's asking for your help|because you're his friend.
You'll have to make your decision|based on that friendship.
Which leaves me|back where I started.
Will.
Look, I'm sorry,|I cannot help you make this decision, but I can tell you this.
Klingons choose their friends|with great care.
If he didn't know he could count|on you, he would never have asked.
Why won't you let me see him? Alexander, I told you,|it's not my decision.
- Your father doesn't|- My father wants to see me.
You're the one|keeping me away from him.
- I think you know that's not true.
|- Then, why can't I see him? Come here.
He's been injured|and he's embarrassed.
And to have anyone see him now|would make him feel worse.
Even if it were you.
This is part of that Klingon stuff,|isn't it? My mother always said Klingons|had a lot of dumb ideas about honour.
That Klingon stuff|is very important to your father.
It isn't very important to me.
I don't care about being Klingon,|I just want to see my father.
It's been a long day.
Get ready for bed and we'll talk|about this again in the morning.
Alexander is scared,|confused, hurt, all because his father|is refusing to see him.
You know why I left|those instructions.
Yes, it's not the Klingon way, right? It is a question of honour, and I would ask that you|respect my wishes in this matter.
All I care about, at this moment,|is a little boy who's terrified|he's going to lose his father.
Maybe it's time you stopped lying|here worrying about your honour, and started thinking|about someone else, like your son.
Would you like us to come back? No, please, come in, Doctor.
This is Dr Toby Russell from|the Adelman Neurological Institute.
She specialises in spinal injuries.
We've discussed|a variety of surgical procedures.
None of them|will repair the spinal cord, but we have found a way for you|to regain much of your mobility.
We can implant neural transducers|into your lower torso and legs.
They pick up electrical impulses|from your brain and stimulate|the corresponding muscles.
With a little work, you could regain The first step is to fit your legs|with motor-assist units like this.
They're a training device.
Once you've mastered using them,|you can move on to the implants.
Now try to move your leg.
No, that's good for a first try.
It will take some time|to get used to No! I will not live like that.
These are very sophisticated devices.
With enough time, they'll give you No.
I will not be seen lurching|like some half-Klingon machine.
The object of ridicule and disgust.
Perhaps all this|seems a bit frightening to you now.
I want you to take time|before making a decision.
Think about it.
There is one other option|I'd like you to consider.
It's called genetronic replication.
It's still experimental, but if it works, it will restore|virtually all your mobility, and without the need|for artificial implants.
I thought we'd discussed genetronics? - We did.
|- We decided against recommending it.
You heard him, he'd rather die|than live with the implants.
I gave him a better option|than suicide.
He's grasping for straws|and you're giving him one.
Now he's going to be thinking about|this miracle cure of yours.
There's a real chance|this could work.
If it does, it'll be a major|breakthrough in neurogenetics that will change a lot of lives.
You're using the desperation|of an injured man as an excuse to try a procedure|that you couldn't normally do.
Starfleet Medical|have turned down your request to test genetronics on humanoids|three times already.
Are you really going to hide behind|the rules of some bureaucracy? Beverly,|your patient's life is at stake here.
- Before you do any of this|- Picard to Dr Crusher.
Go ahead.
- We've located the Denver survivors.
|- We're ready here.
Triage teams standing by.
Very well.
We'll transport survivors|immediately.
Bridge out.
Beverly.
- Could you use a pair of hands?|- Absolutely.
Father? Come in, Alexander.
Deanna said you hurt your back,|that you couldn't walk.
I am still struggling with my injury.
I was worried about you.
There is much to discuss.
There will be difficult times ahead.
- You must be strong.
|- I understand.
Good.
As Klingons,|we all must be prepared for Father! - Take him away.
|- Let me help you.
- Leave!|- Alexander, go on.
It'll be alright,|I'll take care of him.
- Use this to cauterise the tissue.
|- Yes, Doctor.
- What happened here?|- Neural metaphasic shock.
From leporazine? That's unusual.
He couldn't take it.
|His blood pressure was too low.
- I tried something else.
|- A morathial series? No, a new rival therapy I've been|working with.
It's called borathium.
I've had some very good results.
You used this man to test a theory? Borathium is decades ahead|of leporazine and morathial.
Morathial would have saved his life.
His injuries were so severe no conventional treatment|would have saved him.
You didn't even try|standard treatment.
I made the choice I thought gave him|the best chance of surviving.
Isn't that what you would do? You used this|to test one of your theories, like you're doing with Worf.
That's what this is really about,|isn't it? Lt Worf.
I'm offering him a chance|to recover fully.
A chance you can't give him.
This is about the kind of medicine|you practise.
I make no excuses for my approach.
I don't like losing a patient|any more than you do.
But I'm looking down a long road.
|This man didn't die for nothing.
The data that I gathered|is invaluable.
It will help|save thousands of lives.
That won't be any comfort|to his family.
Let me ask you this.
If some years from now, borathium therapy|saved the life of someone you loved, would you still condemn me? I will not be drawn into|a hypothetical argument.
Your research here is over.
|You are relieved of medical duties.
Is that clear? Perfectly.
Doctor? I'm on my way to see your patient.
Be my guest.
Don't expect much conversation,|he's in full Klingon mode, honourable, strong and closed-minded.
I understand that you have relieved|Dr Russell of duty.
That's right.
She's irresponsible.
|I won't have her practising here.
Beverly, .
.
maybe you should let her go ahead|with this genetronic procedure.
How can you say that? She has a theory based on|a little empirical knowledge and a lot of supposition.
If he can't make a full recovery,|Worf will kill himself.
Not in my sickbay he won't.
I'll put him in a restraining field|and post security around his door.
How long will you keep him there?|A week? A month? A year? If I have to.
|Suicide is not an option.
Putting aside the fact that|a paraplegic can live a full life, conventional therapy|could restore much of his mobility.
- But not all of it.
|- No, not all of it! There are some things I can't fix.
Klingon or no,|he'll have to accept his condition.
He can't make the journey|you're asking of him.
You want him to go|from contemplating suicide to living with a disability,|but it's too far.
And the road between|covers a lifetime of values, beliefs.
He can't do it, Beverly.
But perhaps he can come|part of the way.
Maybe he can be persuaded|to forego the ritual in order to take the chance of regaining|the kind of life he needs.
A Klingon may not be good|at accepting defeat, but he knows all about taking risks.
The first tenet of good medicine|is never make the patient any worse.
Right now,|Worf is alive and functioning.
If he goes into that operation,|he could come out a corpse.
This may not be good medicine, but for Worf,|it may be his only choice.
I am ready, Commander.
I've been studying|this ritual of yours.
Do you know what I've decided? I think it's despicable.
|I hate everything about it.
Casual disregard for life, the way it tries to cloak suicide|in some glorious notion of honour.
I may have to respect your beliefs,|but I don't have to like them.
It is not something|I expect you to understand.
No.
All you really expect me to do|is bring you the knife and then walk away|so you can kill yourself in peace.
Well, I'm not gonna make it|that easy for you.
It is not easy for me.
But each of us must die|in our own time.
And my time Remember Sandoval? Hit with|a disruptor blast two years ago.
She lived for about a week.
Fang-lee? Marla Aster? Tasha Yar? How many friends have|we watched die? I've lost count.
Every single one of them|fought for life until the very end.
- I do not welcome death, Commander.
|- Are you sure? I think you feel noble about this.
"Look at me.
Aren't I courageous?|An honourable Klingon?" Let me remind you,|a Klingon does not put his desires above those of his family|or his friends.
How many people on this ship|consider you a friend? How many owe you their lives? Have you ever thought|about how you've affected us? How we might feel about your dying? Will you or will you not|help me with the Hegh'bat? You are my friend.
And in spite of everything I've said, if it were my place,|I would probably help you.
But I've been studying|Klingon ritual and law, and I've discovered that|it's not my place to fill that role.
According to tradition, that honour falls to a family member,|preferably the oldest son.
That is impossible.
He is a child.
The son of a Klingon is a man|the day he can first hold a blade.
- True?|- Alexander is not fully Klingon.
- He is part human.
|- That's an excuse.
What you really mean|is it would be too hard to look at your son|and tell him to bring you the knife.
Watch you stab it into your heart, then pull the knife out of your chest|and wipe your blood on his sleeve.
That's the rite of death, isn't it? Well, I'm sorry, Mr Worf.
I can't help you.
There's only one person|on this ship who can.
You said you wanted to see me.
- I need you to help me.
|- Anything, Father.
I have taught you|about Klingon customs, .
.
the beliefs which we value.
According to tradition, I must take my life|after suffering this kind of injury.
But I have decided|to break with tradition.
I have decided to live.
I'm glad, Father.
I must still undergo|a dangerous operation.
I may still die,|but it will not be by my own hand.
- Return this to our quarters.
|- Yes, sir.
Chief Medical Officer's log,|supplemental.
After consultation|with Starfleet Medical and much soul-searching, I have granted Worf's request to|undergo the genetronic procedure.
We started multiplication today.
Teacher said I'm faster|than anybody in my class.
We will speak again soon.
Yes, Father.
If I die, .
.
he must be cared for.
I'll make sure he reaches|your parents safely.
No.
They are elderly.
|They cannot care for Alexander.
Counsellor, I have a serious request|to make of you.
Would you consider? You want me to raise Alexander? I have come to have|a great respect for you, Deanna.
You have been most helpful in guiding|me since Alexander's arrival.
I can't imagine anyone who would be|a better parent to my son.
If it is too much to ask I'd be honoured.
I am ready.
Focus the drechtal beams on the|anterior and posterior spinal roots.
- Focused.
|- Initiate.
All neural connections below the|first vertebrae have been separated.
Microtome.
I'm severing the brain stem now.
Cerebral cortex placed|on life support at 0831 hours.
Three hours 26 minutes|until primary brain dysfunction.
OK, let's remove the support frame.
Exoscalpel.
I've notified Starfleet|that our survey of Sector 37628 will be delayed by a week|while we drop off the survivors.
Good.
I understand from Mr La Forge|that there's a minor fluctuation in the starboard warp coil.
I've scheduled a stress-simulation|routine to check it out.
- Has there been any word?|- No.
Preliminary genetronic scans|are complete.
Initiating DNA sequencer.
Reading at ten to the ninth base|pairs per second.
Once we're past the first two levels,|we'll begin the encoding sequence.
Increase TCH levels to What's happened? The scanner can't read|the Klingon dorsal-root ganglia.
- This showed up in your simulations?|- Yes.
I thought I made adjustments.
Bring me the detronal scanner.
I can scan the ganglia manually.
|It'll just take a little longer.
One hour 43 minutes|until primary brain dysfunction.
- Retract the paraspinal muscle.
|- Got it.
- Watch the proximal nerve endings.
|- I see them.
Make sure the cranial segment is 15 centimetres|from the brain stem.
- Fluctuation in the isocortex.
|- 20cc inaprovaline.
OK.
Release retractors on the paraspinal.
- How much time left on life support?|- 27 minutes.
Cover.
Close, please.
Ready.
Tissue growth proceeding|at anticipated rates.
No initial signs of rejection.
OK, ready.
Terminate life support.
Life support disengaged.
Neural connections appear stable.
Looking good so far.
- Fluctuations in the isocortex.
|- 40cc inaprovaline.
- Synaptic response falling.
|- BP dropping.
Now 60 over 40.
- VeK'tal response falling rapidly.
|- Increase oxygen to 95 percent.
Beginning|direct synaptic stimulation.
Respirations shallow and rapid.
|No response in the isocortex.
- Heart rate is erratic.
|- Going into cardiac arrest.
Alright.
Let's go to chloromydride.
|15cc.
We're losing him.
No BP.
No pulse.
- Brain activity?|- No higher brain functions.
OK, 25cc cordrazine.
That'll kill him.
We've done a good job|of that already.
No BP, no pulse.
- No activity in the isocortex.
|- Cortical stimulator.
Now.
Again.
Doctor.
Alright, make a note in the log.
Death occurred at 1240 hours.
It was all going so well.
No anomalies during replication.
|No initial rejection.
No.
Alexander, I am so sorry.
I want to see him.
- Alex|- No! I want to see him.
Activate biomonitors.
- 25cc polyadrenaline.
|- What's going on? Not sure, but if I'm right, one|of the unnecessary redundancies Doctor.
I don't believe it.
|Begin cardio-aid and ventilation.
That's amazing.
There must be|a back-up for his synaptic functions.
Vital signs are stabilising.
Begin rybo-synetic therapy.
|Increase oxygen to 90 percent.
Prepare a thalamic-booster series.
Well, I'd say your patient's|recovery is going well.
You won't acknowledge|what I did for him.
You just can't admit that it was|my research that made this possible.
I am delighted|that Worf is going to recover.
You gambled, he won.
Not all of your patients|are so lucky.
You scare me, Doctor.
You risk your patients' lives and|justify it in the name of research.
Genuine research takes time.
Sometimes a lifetime|of painstaking, detailed work in order to get any results.
Not for you.
You take short cuts.
Right through living tissue.
You put your research ahead|of your patients' lives.
And, as far as I'm concerned, that's|a violation of our most sacred trust.
I'm sure your work will be hailed|as a stunning breakthrough.
Enjoy your laurels, Doctor.
|I'm not sure I could.
This is gonna take time, Worf.
Your muscles are still sorting out|their new signals.
Don't rush it.
Alexander.
|Remember what we talked about? Your father|wants to do this by himself.
It's alright, Counsellor.
I would|appreciate some help from my son.
We will work together.
Yes, sir.