Star Trek: The Next Generation s06e13 Episode Script
Aquiel
Captain's log, stardate 46461.
3.
We are at a communication station|near the Klingon border, where we are meant to|deliver supplies.
However, the station has not|responded to repeated hails.
- What's that noise?|- They left a monitoring system on.
We're hearing thousands of subspace|messages.
I'll try and shut it off.
Got it! - Geordi, what's that?|- Sounds like a loose panel.
I think it's coming|from this service duct over here.
Here's your loose panel.
Hey, pooch! Hey, pooch.
|Come on out of there.
Come on! Come on! Hey, pooch!|What are you doing in there? Commander, the shuttlecraft is gone.
|There is no one on board.
Commander? - What is it?|- Cellular residue.
I believe these are the remains|of one of our lieutenants.
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.
All the blood traces I've found|match those of Lt Aquiel Uhnari.
I take it those are her remains, but|I'll check the deck plate to be sure.
It would take a powerful weapon|to do that.
- I'll have a better idea soon.
|- If that is Uhnari, where's Rocha? The station shuttle's gone.
|Maybe he took it.
Before Uhnari died or after? We're ready, Commander.
- Any luck downloading the logs?|- I can't pass the security.
I think I know why.
Encrypted messages|are sent through this channel.
Take a look at this signal notation.
- It's out of sequence.
|- Someone tried to bypass protocols and break into the coded messages.
|That froze the security locks.
- Any messages missing?|- I'll know once I'm in the files.
- Looks like you've made a friend!|- Yep! Tell me when you have something.
I'm going to try accessing the logs|from another console.
What's going on here? Well, we can start with|repolarising the interface.
What is it, pup? What's the matter? Something over here? This doesn't look like|it belongs to you.
This is what you want, huh? There you go! Computer,|run station logs in sequence.
Station log, stardate 46458.
3.
Today we configured|the relay-controller grid.
It was the last system|we had to overhaul.
We are scheduled to align antenna|systems in the next three days.
Computer, access visual output.
Sent third request|for a message delay buffer.
Until it arrives, we have rigged|a memory module to compensate.
It better work,|or a half-million subspace messages are going to end up|drifting through space.
Computer,|open Uhnari correspondence file.
Computer, access correspondence|files, Lt Aquiel Uhnari.
Hello, Shiana.
|Sorry it's been a while.
I've been dealing with|the new Lieutenant, Rocha.
He's arrogant and condescending,|and he's only been here two days.
This might be a long year.
C'mon, Lieutenant.
Stick with me.
I had the dream again.
|Mother's calling out my name.
She's in the house.
I get to the top|of the hill but the house is slanted.
I'm still walking uphill.
|I can't find her.
Doors everywhere|and they all look the same.
The cellular residue is|completely fused to the deck plate.
We're trying to micro-vaporise|the metal to get a clear DNA sample.
Do you have any idea what killed her? Well, this is just a guess,|but from the molecules of the plating I'd say it was caused by|a high-level phaser blast.
- A Klingon disruptor?|- Possibly.
The messages have been tampered with.
|And we are close to Klingon space.
There hasn't been a Klingon raid|against us for more than seven years.
We can't risk a diplomatic incident|without more evidence.
And there's still the question|of what happened to Lt Rocha.
Get Rocha's file|from Starfleet Command and ask Starbase 212|to help us find the shuttle.
Keep me apprised, Doctor.
Alright, let's try this again.
Come on, this should be working!|The phase inducers are aligned.
Come on, Lieutenant.
|I know you're in here somewhere.
Computer, run me|a subsystems diagnostic with a frequency range|of 10 to 100 MHz.
Diagnostic cycle|will be complete in 20 seconds.
Iced coffee? What is it, girl? - Hello, Shiana.
|- There! By the time you get this,|the Batarael will be over.
It's the first time|I haven't been there.
I've been wondering, who's singing|the Harath in my place? I had that dream again,|the one where Mother is screaming.
I climb the hill to our house,|but I can't get to her.
Shiana, this time I ran away.
I was so scared,|I ran back down the hill.
I think I know why I've been|having the dreams about danger.
It's because of what's been happening|with that Klingon.
He's getting more aggressive|all the time.
Not just the usual threat.
It's because of what's been happening|with that Klingon.
He's getting more aggressive|all the time.
Not just the usual threat.
Morag actually locked his disruptors|to the station this time.
I don't think|there'll be any trouble.
It just brings up|those feelings of panic, of wanting to run,|wanting to get away from danger.
Shiana, I couldn't say this|to anyone but you, but the panic It's the same thing I used to feel|whenever Father got angry, when I knew he was going|to punish me.
Only now, I'm out here in space.
And there's nowhere to run.
Three times she refers to Cmdr Morag,|a Klingon who patrols this section.
Apparently he passed by the station|every few days and harassed them.
Perhaps this Morag was interested|in obtaining the encrypted messages.
She didn't say but I do have|several more days of logs to watch.
- I'm hoping to learn more.
|- Very well.
In the meantime I'll speak with the|Klingon governor about Cmdr Morag.
Are you saying|we attacked your outpost? I'm merely saying I'm following up|on evidence discovered on board.
Evidence.
|So you are making an accusation? The Klingon Empire will not stand|for these kinds of lies.
Governor Torak, I apologise.
I see that you honestly didn't know|what happened aboard the station.
I will just have to take this up with|Gowron.
I'm sorry we bothered you.
Gowron won't bother|with such a minor incident.
Ordinarily he wouldn't|but I was his arbiter of succession.
I'm sure he will be happy|to come and investigate this.
You needn't worry about it|any longer.
- Gowron will come here?|- Oh, yes.
So once again,|thank you for your help.
I will be sure to mention your|name to Gowron when I speak to him.
I will investigate this further,|Picard.
You need not bother Gowron|with this matter.
That's very kind.
- Qapla'!|- Qapla'! Computer, access the personal logs|of Aquiel Uhnari.
- Logs accessed.
|- Begin playback.
Shiana, you always said|I'd look great in a wig.
So here it is.
|What do you think? Definitely not you.
OK.
Maybe I'm getting a little crazy.
You would, too, stuck on a relay|station in the middle of nowhere with no one for company|except an egomaniac like Keith Rocha.
I took a big risk today.
|I countermanded an order he gave.
I agreed to handle the comm traffic|for Relay Station 194 while they shut down for maintenance.
Rocha said we couldn't handle|the extra signal load but I think he's wrong.
When he finds out, he'll be furious.
It's days like this|I wish I was home.
You know what I miss most?|Muskan seed punch.
Real muskan seed punch.
The replicator has it|but it's not the same.
I'd give anything|for the punch Mother used to make, with chunks of the seed still in it.
Keith, is that you? Keith? Commander.
There are DNA traces here.
Klingon.
- So Klingons did board the station?|- Yes.
But I only found DNA|from one Klingon so far.
I will continue to scan.
How could she read this stuff? How's it going? I've accessed all Lt Uhnari's logs.
|I'm still looking for Lt Rocha's.
Whatever happened to the encrypted|messages affected the whole system.
I can't find his files anywhere.
|I'm running a diagnostic now.
Maybe Rocha didn't make the logs.
|That could have been Uhnari's job.
I don't think so.
|Aquiel was the junior officer.
Aquiel? Lt Uhnari.
|I've been up all night watching her.
I'm starting to feel I know her.
What was she like? Well, she was Haliian.
|She had one sister named Shiana.
She drank muskan seed punch.
She had a quirky sense of humour.
She liked to sing.
She had|questionable taste in literature.
- Enterprise to Cmdr Riker.
|- Riker here.
The Klingon ship Qu'Vat|has arrived with Governor Torak.
Report to the observation lounge.
We're on our way.
Governor Torak, sir.
Welcome aboard.
Do not bore me|with your human pleasantries.
I told you|we did not kill the woman.
Now I will prove it to you.
This is Lt Aquiel Uhnari.
We were running a diagnostic of|the message buffer.
Nothing special.
Rocha had been on edge all morning.
But he'd constantly been irritable|so I didn't think anything of it.
We were halfway through the procedure|when suddenly he attacked me.
He threw me against a bulkhead.
I yelled at him to stop|but he wouldn't listen.
He grabbed my throat, I broke free and tried|to get to the weapons locker.
I'm not sure what happened next but somehow|I got aboard the shuttle and left.
We found her on our side of the|border, heading toward Sector 2520.
She is lucky my patrol ship|did not destroy her vessel on sight.
Lieutenant Why didn't you contact Starfleet? Let them know|what had happened at the station.
I don't know, sir.
|Maybe I passed out.
I'm not even sure how long I was on|this shuttle before I was picked up.
We presumed you were dead.
Your blood|was found at the murder scene.
I must have cut my head|when he pushed me.
Then the remains we found|must be those of Lt Rocha.
I can't confirm that.
Until we separate the cellular|residue from the deck plate, I can't do a clear DNA scan.
You said you were trying|to get to the weapons locker.
- Is there a possibility you did?|- No, l didn't.
You're sure? I don't remember exactly what|happened to me after I was attacked.
I'm sorry.
It's as if all my memories|were drained out of me.
Morag was harassing you.
Did you let|him or any other Klingon on board? Absolutely not.
If that is true, then Morag or some other Klingon|boarded the station after she left.
We found traces of Klingon DNA|on the station.
You still try to blame us! Have the courage|to admit your mistakes.
Or are you a lo'Be Vos? At last I do not wear|the uniform of the pahtk! Governor, we are merely|exploring all possibilities.
Lt Uhnari's logs reported that Cmdr|Morag had been harassing the station.
He was doing his job.
In that case, I am sure you would|not mind if we spoke with him.
Very well.
|In the interests of diplomacy I will allow you to speak to Morag.
But my patience has limits.
Lieutenant, I know a friend of|yours who's eager to see you.
Who? Come with me.
Maura! Come here, girl!|Come on, Maura! Maura? That's the name, huh? Yes, it's from Cold Moon|Over Black Water.
Have you read it? - I'm not much for Gothic fiction.
|- Not many people are nowadays.
Your shoe! Yeah, Maura got a little restless.
Shame on you! That's not like you.
|What a naughty dog.
Don't worry about it.
At least|she's chewing them up in pairs.
I'll arrange quarters for you.
|You'll want some time alone.
Actually, I've been stuck on|that station for nine months.
I wouldn't mind|somewhere with activity.
I know just the place.
Here you are, sir.
- Thank you.
|- You're welcome.
- Ever tried muskan seed punch?|- It nearly made me sick.
You have to be raised on it.
It's|nutritious.
The taste grows on you.
You speak Haliian! We travelled a lot when I was a kid.
|I picked up a couple of languages.
We never travelled.
My family lived in the same|house for five generations.
The one on the hill.
How do you know about that? Well, to be honest,|when we thought you were dead, I needed to review your logs|and personal correspondence for any possible clues|about what happened.
All of it? Most of it, yeah.
You need to understand,|we thought you'd been murdered.
We needed information.
I'm sorry.
It's just that I tell my sister|things I wouldn't tell anyone else.
I guess I was feeling|a little exposed.
I'd feel the same way.
Especially if I had seen you|in that wig! It really wasn't you.
I'm curious.
Now that you've met me,|am I what you expected? Actually, l I'm not sure.
The woman I saw in those logs|is complicated.
I think there's more to you|than meets the eye.
In what way? Well, your relationship|with Lt Rocha, for example.
He was only there for five days,|yet there was plenty of friction.
You seemed to delight in doing things|that you knew would upset him.
Why take on extra comm traffic|when it would make him angry? Is this a personal question|or part of a murder investigation? I don't know.
Maybe both.
Keith Rocha was obnoxious|from the minute he reported to duty.
He treated me|as though I was beneath contempt.
I felt like I had to battle him|to hold my own.
But I didn't want to see him dead.
Why do you think he attacked you? I don't know.
Rocha's file is spotless.
Two decorations for valour.
Three|outstanding commander's evaluations.
Doesn't sound like the same man|Lt Uhnari described.
- What did you find out about her?|- Her last posting was on Deriben V.
Her commanding officer|said she was argumentative, quick to take offence.
He told me he transferred her|to that relay station because she was|"hampering their efforts".
- I'm having trouble believing her.
|- Why? I sent Worf to check the weapons|locker.
There's a phaser missing.
- You think that she lied?|- Lied, conveniently forgot I'm not sure.
|It's something we have to consider.
As of now, we don't have|sufficient evidence either way.
I want you to examine her shuttle.
You might find something|to shed some light on her story.
Aye, sir.
How much longer|will the investigation take? Three, maybe four days.
|It's tough to tell.
I know I'm a suspect in the murder.
|But let me ask you something.
You've watched my logs.
|You know me better than anyone here.
Do I seem like a person|who would murder someone? No, you don't.
I don't think I realised|how much I needed to hear that.
Look, Aquiel, it's been a rough|couple of days.
You need some sleep.
You called me complicated.
|You're right.
I don't make friends easily.
Oumriel.
Oumriel.
Commander! It is set to kill.
We found this phaser in your craft.
|It was taken from the weapons locker.
I don't remember what happened! Maybe|I did make it to the weapons locker.
It was set to level ten! Phasers are always set at level|one when they're put in storage.
That means that somebody deliberately|changed the setting.
Then there's your conflict|with Lt Rocha.
Rocha and I had our disagreements.
|That does not mean I would kill him.
Have you been able|to remember what happened? No.
Nothing.
I suppose maybe in self-defence l To inflict the type of molecular|damage found in Rocha's remains, it would take a sustained phaser|discharge of 30 to 40 seconds.
- It doesn't sound like self-defence.
|- Now wait a minute.
We don't even know this phaser|is the murder weapon.
And even at level ten I don't see|how it could have done that damage.
A Klingon weapon, maybe We're not making accusations.
|We want to find out what happened.
Cmdr Morag is on his way.
- Let's hear his story.
|- Fine.
In the meantime, I'd like to try to|access Rocha's personal logs again.
Good idea.
Geordi? Wait a second.
- Thank you, Mr Worf.
|- Aye, sir.
This is off the record, said as|a friend, not a superior officer.
It would be best if you weren't|so personally involved with Aquiel.
- There's a lot we don't know.
|- There's a lot I do know.
And if she's innocent,|I want to help her prove it.
I think you've let your personal|feelings cloud your judgement.
I'm not the one making judgements.
Got it! Computer, display the records of Lt|Rocha from stardates 46455 to 46460.
Computer, what happened to|the log entries for stardate 46459? The logs have been deleted.
- Who deleted them?|- Unknown.
Captain's log, supplemental.
The Qu'Vat has arrived|with Cmdr Morag.
We're preparing to question him|regarding the murder of Lt Rocha.
I killed no one! We found your DNA|on the bulkheads and the console.
- We know you were there!|- Answer their questions.
Yes.
Yes, I was there.
My route takes me near the station|every six days.
Three days ago, I hailed them.
|There was no response.
I was concerned.
- Concerned?|- Yes.
I went aboard|to see what had happened.
There was no one there, so I left.
- Is that all?|- That's all.
Cmdr Morag, we found the encrypted|message bank has been tampered with.
Analysis indicates that 27 priority|Starfleet messages are missing.
What of it? Your DNA was found|on the message-control module.
This is outrageous! We will not|tolerate these accusations.
This is a diplomatic matter, Morag! Do not make me search your ship.
Yes.
I did take the messages.
- Did you kill Lt Rocha?|- No! I killed no one.
There was no one there.
I took the codes|but I killed no one.
Governor, we would like Cmdr Morag|to remain on board until this investigation|is completed.
Take him.
This way.
Last night, after I dropped you off, you established a subspace link|with this console.
You deleted|some of Rocha's files, didn't you? - Yes, I did.
|- Why? I found a letter Rocha planned to|send to Starfleet Command about me.
It said I had become belligerent|and insubordinate.
He was going to ask for|a formal hearing.
- Geordi, I know how this looks.
|- Yeah, it looks bad.
You've erased a letter containing|a possible motivation for murder? - I didn't kill him.
|- Then explain this! I was afraid if they found the letter|they'd blame me for the murder.
I'm not a model officer.
|I realise that.
Sometimes I act on impulse|instead of thinking things through.
Aquiel,|this really complicates things.
- What are you doing?|- Getting out of here.
Running won't prove your innocence.
|Facing this will.
- I'm scared, Geordi!|- Look.
We'll get through this.
|I promise you, OK? Then you believe me? Yes, I do.
Medical Officer's log.
I've isolated|the cellular residue from the deck, but the DNA has destabilised.
|I'm attempting to reform it.
Alright, initiate|the resonance frequency burst.
I'm beginning|to get a stable DNA scan.
This is odd.
The nucleotide sequences|are beginning to fluctuate.
The DNA is becoming mobile.
Let's try another frequency burst.
|Increase the resonance level by 20%.
I haven't been this close to someone|in a long time.
I don't want to let go of it.
Neither do I but we've got|600 logs to go through.
Alright.
But first there's|something I want to share with you.
What? A way that we can|become more intimate.
My people are partially telepathic.
We use something called the Canar|to help focus our thoughts.
We also use the Canar|for a stronger emotional link during love.
I was wondering what that was for.
Do both of us have to be telepathic|for it to work? Let's find out.
Like this.
Think of me.
An exact reproduction of my hand,|right down to the DNA structure.
This was formed from the organic|matter taken from the deck plates? When I infused it with|a resonance-frequency burst it activated its DNA.
Then it touched my hand and it began|to mimic my cellular structure.
What exactly is this? This sounds far-fetched, but have you|ever heard of a coalescent organism? No.
They're microscopic life forms which|absorb other organisms to survive.
That in itself isn't so unusual, but coalescents become the organisms,|right down to the cellular level.
Is this what happened with your hand? There have been reports that these|organisms can be quite large.
What happened to my hand|seems to support that.
Was Rocha killed|by one of these organisms? It's possible that something happened|to him before he reported for duty.
- I do not understand.
|- I've checked the records.
Before he was posted to the station,|Rocha served in the Triona system.
That is a remote sector.
Maybe he was absorbed|by a coalescent on that mission.
So, there could have been an organism|that looked and acted like Lt Rocha? How often do they|have to change bodies? The microscopic organisms have|a cycle of no more than ten seconds.
We can only assume that a larger,|more complex coalescent would have a cycle of days,|even weeks.
If that's true, then Rocha attacked|Lt Uhnari to find a new body.
- Right.
|- That means Uhnari is a coalescent.
There was one other person|on the station.
Morag.
It is possible he was the one|who was absorbed.
Computer, locate Cmdr Morag|and Lt Uhnari.
Cmdr Morag is in his quarters.
|Lt Uhnari is not on the Enterprise.
Where did she go? Lt Uhnari transported to|Relay Station 47 at 1830 hours.
- Get Morag.
I'll go to the station.
|- Aye, sir.
- Geordi?|- I can see you! And I can feel you.
Do not move! - What is this?|- You will come with me.
You've never been as close|to someone as you are about to be.
Think of me.
Step away from him, Lieutenant.
- What are you doing, Commander?|- That may not be Lt Uhnari.
- What?|- What are you saying? Step away, now.
Medical Officer's log.
Cmdr Morag and Lt Uhnari are being|kept under close observation.
So far no sign of coalescent|behaviour has surfaced.
Aquiel and Morag will be transferred|to a secure hospital on Starbase 12.
- We'll know more once we're there.
|- Yeah? Right.
It could be Morag.
|We don't know for sure.
Sure.
Get some rest.
|You've had a rough couple of days.
Thanks.
Computer.
Display the Engineering duty roster|for the next three days.
Not now.
I said, not now.
Give me a break here! Go lay down! Maura? Maybe the reason|you don't remember anything is that the coalescing process|had begun.
Thank you.
You said you felt your memories|had been drained out of you.
That's probably|exactly what was going on.
Maybe I did take the phaser.
Whatever happened, at least you got|away before the process took hold.
- So he turned on Maura.
|- Right.
Well, what now? I guess I'll be going|to Starbase 212 for reassignment.
I had a talk with Chief Pendleton|in Communications.
There's an opening|for a level-two specialist.
Really? With the waiting list,|I'd be grey before I got here.
I could put in a good word.
It's an appealing offer, but I think|I'd rather get here on my own merits.
Don't be surprised|if you see my name on that list.
3.
We are at a communication station|near the Klingon border, where we are meant to|deliver supplies.
However, the station has not|responded to repeated hails.
- What's that noise?|- They left a monitoring system on.
We're hearing thousands of subspace|messages.
I'll try and shut it off.
Got it! - Geordi, what's that?|- Sounds like a loose panel.
I think it's coming|from this service duct over here.
Here's your loose panel.
Hey, pooch! Hey, pooch.
|Come on out of there.
Come on! Come on! Hey, pooch!|What are you doing in there? Commander, the shuttlecraft is gone.
|There is no one on board.
Commander? - What is it?|- Cellular residue.
I believe these are the remains|of one of our lieutenants.
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.
All the blood traces I've found|match those of Lt Aquiel Uhnari.
I take it those are her remains, but|I'll check the deck plate to be sure.
It would take a powerful weapon|to do that.
- I'll have a better idea soon.
|- If that is Uhnari, where's Rocha? The station shuttle's gone.
|Maybe he took it.
Before Uhnari died or after? We're ready, Commander.
- Any luck downloading the logs?|- I can't pass the security.
I think I know why.
Encrypted messages|are sent through this channel.
Take a look at this signal notation.
- It's out of sequence.
|- Someone tried to bypass protocols and break into the coded messages.
|That froze the security locks.
- Any messages missing?|- I'll know once I'm in the files.
- Looks like you've made a friend!|- Yep! Tell me when you have something.
I'm going to try accessing the logs|from another console.
What's going on here? Well, we can start with|repolarising the interface.
What is it, pup? What's the matter? Something over here? This doesn't look like|it belongs to you.
This is what you want, huh? There you go! Computer,|run station logs in sequence.
Station log, stardate 46458.
3.
Today we configured|the relay-controller grid.
It was the last system|we had to overhaul.
We are scheduled to align antenna|systems in the next three days.
Computer, access visual output.
Sent third request|for a message delay buffer.
Until it arrives, we have rigged|a memory module to compensate.
It better work,|or a half-million subspace messages are going to end up|drifting through space.
Computer,|open Uhnari correspondence file.
Computer, access correspondence|files, Lt Aquiel Uhnari.
Hello, Shiana.
|Sorry it's been a while.
I've been dealing with|the new Lieutenant, Rocha.
He's arrogant and condescending,|and he's only been here two days.
This might be a long year.
C'mon, Lieutenant.
Stick with me.
I had the dream again.
|Mother's calling out my name.
She's in the house.
I get to the top|of the hill but the house is slanted.
I'm still walking uphill.
|I can't find her.
Doors everywhere|and they all look the same.
The cellular residue is|completely fused to the deck plate.
We're trying to micro-vaporise|the metal to get a clear DNA sample.
Do you have any idea what killed her? Well, this is just a guess,|but from the molecules of the plating I'd say it was caused by|a high-level phaser blast.
- A Klingon disruptor?|- Possibly.
The messages have been tampered with.
|And we are close to Klingon space.
There hasn't been a Klingon raid|against us for more than seven years.
We can't risk a diplomatic incident|without more evidence.
And there's still the question|of what happened to Lt Rocha.
Get Rocha's file|from Starfleet Command and ask Starbase 212|to help us find the shuttle.
Keep me apprised, Doctor.
Alright, let's try this again.
Come on, this should be working!|The phase inducers are aligned.
Come on, Lieutenant.
|I know you're in here somewhere.
Computer, run me|a subsystems diagnostic with a frequency range|of 10 to 100 MHz.
Diagnostic cycle|will be complete in 20 seconds.
Iced coffee? What is it, girl? - Hello, Shiana.
|- There! By the time you get this,|the Batarael will be over.
It's the first time|I haven't been there.
I've been wondering, who's singing|the Harath in my place? I had that dream again,|the one where Mother is screaming.
I climb the hill to our house,|but I can't get to her.
Shiana, this time I ran away.
I was so scared,|I ran back down the hill.
I think I know why I've been|having the dreams about danger.
It's because of what's been happening|with that Klingon.
He's getting more aggressive|all the time.
Not just the usual threat.
It's because of what's been happening|with that Klingon.
He's getting more aggressive|all the time.
Not just the usual threat.
Morag actually locked his disruptors|to the station this time.
I don't think|there'll be any trouble.
It just brings up|those feelings of panic, of wanting to run,|wanting to get away from danger.
Shiana, I couldn't say this|to anyone but you, but the panic It's the same thing I used to feel|whenever Father got angry, when I knew he was going|to punish me.
Only now, I'm out here in space.
And there's nowhere to run.
Three times she refers to Cmdr Morag,|a Klingon who patrols this section.
Apparently he passed by the station|every few days and harassed them.
Perhaps this Morag was interested|in obtaining the encrypted messages.
She didn't say but I do have|several more days of logs to watch.
- I'm hoping to learn more.
|- Very well.
In the meantime I'll speak with the|Klingon governor about Cmdr Morag.
Are you saying|we attacked your outpost? I'm merely saying I'm following up|on evidence discovered on board.
Evidence.
|So you are making an accusation? The Klingon Empire will not stand|for these kinds of lies.
Governor Torak, I apologise.
I see that you honestly didn't know|what happened aboard the station.
I will just have to take this up with|Gowron.
I'm sorry we bothered you.
Gowron won't bother|with such a minor incident.
Ordinarily he wouldn't|but I was his arbiter of succession.
I'm sure he will be happy|to come and investigate this.
You needn't worry about it|any longer.
- Gowron will come here?|- Oh, yes.
So once again,|thank you for your help.
I will be sure to mention your|name to Gowron when I speak to him.
I will investigate this further,|Picard.
You need not bother Gowron|with this matter.
That's very kind.
- Qapla'!|- Qapla'! Computer, access the personal logs|of Aquiel Uhnari.
- Logs accessed.
|- Begin playback.
Shiana, you always said|I'd look great in a wig.
So here it is.
|What do you think? Definitely not you.
OK.
Maybe I'm getting a little crazy.
You would, too, stuck on a relay|station in the middle of nowhere with no one for company|except an egomaniac like Keith Rocha.
I took a big risk today.
|I countermanded an order he gave.
I agreed to handle the comm traffic|for Relay Station 194 while they shut down for maintenance.
Rocha said we couldn't handle|the extra signal load but I think he's wrong.
When he finds out, he'll be furious.
It's days like this|I wish I was home.
You know what I miss most?|Muskan seed punch.
Real muskan seed punch.
The replicator has it|but it's not the same.
I'd give anything|for the punch Mother used to make, with chunks of the seed still in it.
Keith, is that you? Keith? Commander.
There are DNA traces here.
Klingon.
- So Klingons did board the station?|- Yes.
But I only found DNA|from one Klingon so far.
I will continue to scan.
How could she read this stuff? How's it going? I've accessed all Lt Uhnari's logs.
|I'm still looking for Lt Rocha's.
Whatever happened to the encrypted|messages affected the whole system.
I can't find his files anywhere.
|I'm running a diagnostic now.
Maybe Rocha didn't make the logs.
|That could have been Uhnari's job.
I don't think so.
|Aquiel was the junior officer.
Aquiel? Lt Uhnari.
|I've been up all night watching her.
I'm starting to feel I know her.
What was she like? Well, she was Haliian.
|She had one sister named Shiana.
She drank muskan seed punch.
She had a quirky sense of humour.
She liked to sing.
She had|questionable taste in literature.
- Enterprise to Cmdr Riker.
|- Riker here.
The Klingon ship Qu'Vat|has arrived with Governor Torak.
Report to the observation lounge.
We're on our way.
Governor Torak, sir.
Welcome aboard.
Do not bore me|with your human pleasantries.
I told you|we did not kill the woman.
Now I will prove it to you.
This is Lt Aquiel Uhnari.
We were running a diagnostic of|the message buffer.
Nothing special.
Rocha had been on edge all morning.
But he'd constantly been irritable|so I didn't think anything of it.
We were halfway through the procedure|when suddenly he attacked me.
He threw me against a bulkhead.
I yelled at him to stop|but he wouldn't listen.
He grabbed my throat, I broke free and tried|to get to the weapons locker.
I'm not sure what happened next but somehow|I got aboard the shuttle and left.
We found her on our side of the|border, heading toward Sector 2520.
She is lucky my patrol ship|did not destroy her vessel on sight.
Lieutenant Why didn't you contact Starfleet? Let them know|what had happened at the station.
I don't know, sir.
|Maybe I passed out.
I'm not even sure how long I was on|this shuttle before I was picked up.
We presumed you were dead.
Your blood|was found at the murder scene.
I must have cut my head|when he pushed me.
Then the remains we found|must be those of Lt Rocha.
I can't confirm that.
Until we separate the cellular|residue from the deck plate, I can't do a clear DNA scan.
You said you were trying|to get to the weapons locker.
- Is there a possibility you did?|- No, l didn't.
You're sure? I don't remember exactly what|happened to me after I was attacked.
I'm sorry.
It's as if all my memories|were drained out of me.
Morag was harassing you.
Did you let|him or any other Klingon on board? Absolutely not.
If that is true, then Morag or some other Klingon|boarded the station after she left.
We found traces of Klingon DNA|on the station.
You still try to blame us! Have the courage|to admit your mistakes.
Or are you a lo'Be Vos? At last I do not wear|the uniform of the pahtk! Governor, we are merely|exploring all possibilities.
Lt Uhnari's logs reported that Cmdr|Morag had been harassing the station.
He was doing his job.
In that case, I am sure you would|not mind if we spoke with him.
Very well.
|In the interests of diplomacy I will allow you to speak to Morag.
But my patience has limits.
Lieutenant, I know a friend of|yours who's eager to see you.
Who? Come with me.
Maura! Come here, girl!|Come on, Maura! Maura? That's the name, huh? Yes, it's from Cold Moon|Over Black Water.
Have you read it? - I'm not much for Gothic fiction.
|- Not many people are nowadays.
Your shoe! Yeah, Maura got a little restless.
Shame on you! That's not like you.
|What a naughty dog.
Don't worry about it.
At least|she's chewing them up in pairs.
I'll arrange quarters for you.
|You'll want some time alone.
Actually, I've been stuck on|that station for nine months.
I wouldn't mind|somewhere with activity.
I know just the place.
Here you are, sir.
- Thank you.
|- You're welcome.
- Ever tried muskan seed punch?|- It nearly made me sick.
You have to be raised on it.
It's|nutritious.
The taste grows on you.
You speak Haliian! We travelled a lot when I was a kid.
|I picked up a couple of languages.
We never travelled.
My family lived in the same|house for five generations.
The one on the hill.
How do you know about that? Well, to be honest,|when we thought you were dead, I needed to review your logs|and personal correspondence for any possible clues|about what happened.
All of it? Most of it, yeah.
You need to understand,|we thought you'd been murdered.
We needed information.
I'm sorry.
It's just that I tell my sister|things I wouldn't tell anyone else.
I guess I was feeling|a little exposed.
I'd feel the same way.
Especially if I had seen you|in that wig! It really wasn't you.
I'm curious.
Now that you've met me,|am I what you expected? Actually, l I'm not sure.
The woman I saw in those logs|is complicated.
I think there's more to you|than meets the eye.
In what way? Well, your relationship|with Lt Rocha, for example.
He was only there for five days,|yet there was plenty of friction.
You seemed to delight in doing things|that you knew would upset him.
Why take on extra comm traffic|when it would make him angry? Is this a personal question|or part of a murder investigation? I don't know.
Maybe both.
Keith Rocha was obnoxious|from the minute he reported to duty.
He treated me|as though I was beneath contempt.
I felt like I had to battle him|to hold my own.
But I didn't want to see him dead.
Why do you think he attacked you? I don't know.
Rocha's file is spotless.
Two decorations for valour.
Three|outstanding commander's evaluations.
Doesn't sound like the same man|Lt Uhnari described.
- What did you find out about her?|- Her last posting was on Deriben V.
Her commanding officer|said she was argumentative, quick to take offence.
He told me he transferred her|to that relay station because she was|"hampering their efforts".
- I'm having trouble believing her.
|- Why? I sent Worf to check the weapons|locker.
There's a phaser missing.
- You think that she lied?|- Lied, conveniently forgot I'm not sure.
|It's something we have to consider.
As of now, we don't have|sufficient evidence either way.
I want you to examine her shuttle.
You might find something|to shed some light on her story.
Aye, sir.
How much longer|will the investigation take? Three, maybe four days.
|It's tough to tell.
I know I'm a suspect in the murder.
|But let me ask you something.
You've watched my logs.
|You know me better than anyone here.
Do I seem like a person|who would murder someone? No, you don't.
I don't think I realised|how much I needed to hear that.
Look, Aquiel, it's been a rough|couple of days.
You need some sleep.
You called me complicated.
|You're right.
I don't make friends easily.
Oumriel.
Oumriel.
Commander! It is set to kill.
We found this phaser in your craft.
|It was taken from the weapons locker.
I don't remember what happened! Maybe|I did make it to the weapons locker.
It was set to level ten! Phasers are always set at level|one when they're put in storage.
That means that somebody deliberately|changed the setting.
Then there's your conflict|with Lt Rocha.
Rocha and I had our disagreements.
|That does not mean I would kill him.
Have you been able|to remember what happened? No.
Nothing.
I suppose maybe in self-defence l To inflict the type of molecular|damage found in Rocha's remains, it would take a sustained phaser|discharge of 30 to 40 seconds.
- It doesn't sound like self-defence.
|- Now wait a minute.
We don't even know this phaser|is the murder weapon.
And even at level ten I don't see|how it could have done that damage.
A Klingon weapon, maybe We're not making accusations.
|We want to find out what happened.
Cmdr Morag is on his way.
- Let's hear his story.
|- Fine.
In the meantime, I'd like to try to|access Rocha's personal logs again.
Good idea.
Geordi? Wait a second.
- Thank you, Mr Worf.
|- Aye, sir.
This is off the record, said as|a friend, not a superior officer.
It would be best if you weren't|so personally involved with Aquiel.
- There's a lot we don't know.
|- There's a lot I do know.
And if she's innocent,|I want to help her prove it.
I think you've let your personal|feelings cloud your judgement.
I'm not the one making judgements.
Got it! Computer, display the records of Lt|Rocha from stardates 46455 to 46460.
Computer, what happened to|the log entries for stardate 46459? The logs have been deleted.
- Who deleted them?|- Unknown.
Captain's log, supplemental.
The Qu'Vat has arrived|with Cmdr Morag.
We're preparing to question him|regarding the murder of Lt Rocha.
I killed no one! We found your DNA|on the bulkheads and the console.
- We know you were there!|- Answer their questions.
Yes.
Yes, I was there.
My route takes me near the station|every six days.
Three days ago, I hailed them.
|There was no response.
I was concerned.
- Concerned?|- Yes.
I went aboard|to see what had happened.
There was no one there, so I left.
- Is that all?|- That's all.
Cmdr Morag, we found the encrypted|message bank has been tampered with.
Analysis indicates that 27 priority|Starfleet messages are missing.
What of it? Your DNA was found|on the message-control module.
This is outrageous! We will not|tolerate these accusations.
This is a diplomatic matter, Morag! Do not make me search your ship.
Yes.
I did take the messages.
- Did you kill Lt Rocha?|- No! I killed no one.
There was no one there.
I took the codes|but I killed no one.
Governor, we would like Cmdr Morag|to remain on board until this investigation|is completed.
Take him.
This way.
Last night, after I dropped you off, you established a subspace link|with this console.
You deleted|some of Rocha's files, didn't you? - Yes, I did.
|- Why? I found a letter Rocha planned to|send to Starfleet Command about me.
It said I had become belligerent|and insubordinate.
He was going to ask for|a formal hearing.
- Geordi, I know how this looks.
|- Yeah, it looks bad.
You've erased a letter containing|a possible motivation for murder? - I didn't kill him.
|- Then explain this! I was afraid if they found the letter|they'd blame me for the murder.
I'm not a model officer.
|I realise that.
Sometimes I act on impulse|instead of thinking things through.
Aquiel,|this really complicates things.
- What are you doing?|- Getting out of here.
Running won't prove your innocence.
|Facing this will.
- I'm scared, Geordi!|- Look.
We'll get through this.
|I promise you, OK? Then you believe me? Yes, I do.
Medical Officer's log.
I've isolated|the cellular residue from the deck, but the DNA has destabilised.
|I'm attempting to reform it.
Alright, initiate|the resonance frequency burst.
I'm beginning|to get a stable DNA scan.
This is odd.
The nucleotide sequences|are beginning to fluctuate.
The DNA is becoming mobile.
Let's try another frequency burst.
|Increase the resonance level by 20%.
I haven't been this close to someone|in a long time.
I don't want to let go of it.
Neither do I but we've got|600 logs to go through.
Alright.
But first there's|something I want to share with you.
What? A way that we can|become more intimate.
My people are partially telepathic.
We use something called the Canar|to help focus our thoughts.
We also use the Canar|for a stronger emotional link during love.
I was wondering what that was for.
Do both of us have to be telepathic|for it to work? Let's find out.
Like this.
Think of me.
An exact reproduction of my hand,|right down to the DNA structure.
This was formed from the organic|matter taken from the deck plates? When I infused it with|a resonance-frequency burst it activated its DNA.
Then it touched my hand and it began|to mimic my cellular structure.
What exactly is this? This sounds far-fetched, but have you|ever heard of a coalescent organism? No.
They're microscopic life forms which|absorb other organisms to survive.
That in itself isn't so unusual, but coalescents become the organisms,|right down to the cellular level.
Is this what happened with your hand? There have been reports that these|organisms can be quite large.
What happened to my hand|seems to support that.
Was Rocha killed|by one of these organisms? It's possible that something happened|to him before he reported for duty.
- I do not understand.
|- I've checked the records.
Before he was posted to the station,|Rocha served in the Triona system.
That is a remote sector.
Maybe he was absorbed|by a coalescent on that mission.
So, there could have been an organism|that looked and acted like Lt Rocha? How often do they|have to change bodies? The microscopic organisms have|a cycle of no more than ten seconds.
We can only assume that a larger,|more complex coalescent would have a cycle of days,|even weeks.
If that's true, then Rocha attacked|Lt Uhnari to find a new body.
- Right.
|- That means Uhnari is a coalescent.
There was one other person|on the station.
Morag.
It is possible he was the one|who was absorbed.
Computer, locate Cmdr Morag|and Lt Uhnari.
Cmdr Morag is in his quarters.
|Lt Uhnari is not on the Enterprise.
Where did she go? Lt Uhnari transported to|Relay Station 47 at 1830 hours.
- Get Morag.
I'll go to the station.
|- Aye, sir.
- Geordi?|- I can see you! And I can feel you.
Do not move! - What is this?|- You will come with me.
You've never been as close|to someone as you are about to be.
Think of me.
Step away from him, Lieutenant.
- What are you doing, Commander?|- That may not be Lt Uhnari.
- What?|- What are you saying? Step away, now.
Medical Officer's log.
Cmdr Morag and Lt Uhnari are being|kept under close observation.
So far no sign of coalescent|behaviour has surfaced.
Aquiel and Morag will be transferred|to a secure hospital on Starbase 12.
- We'll know more once we're there.
|- Yeah? Right.
It could be Morag.
|We don't know for sure.
Sure.
Get some rest.
|You've had a rough couple of days.
Thanks.
Computer.
Display the Engineering duty roster|for the next three days.
Not now.
I said, not now.
Give me a break here! Go lay down! Maura? Maybe the reason|you don't remember anything is that the coalescing process|had begun.
Thank you.
You said you felt your memories|had been drained out of you.
That's probably|exactly what was going on.
Maybe I did take the phaser.
Whatever happened, at least you got|away before the process took hold.
- So he turned on Maura.
|- Right.
Well, what now? I guess I'll be going|to Starbase 212 for reassignment.
I had a talk with Chief Pendleton|in Communications.
There's an opening|for a level-two specialist.
Really? With the waiting list,|I'd be grey before I got here.
I could put in a good word.
It's an appealing offer, but I think|I'd rather get here on my own merits.
Don't be surprised|if you see my name on that list.