Star Trek: The Next Generation s06e22 Episode Script
Suspicions
Alright, come in! - Guinan, what's wrong?|- I need a doctor.
Geordi beat me in straight sets.
|I think I have tennis elbow.
Well, you better go to sickbay.
|I think Dr Selar's on duty.
I don't want to see Dr Selar.
|I'm particular about my doctors.
You better get a new one.
I'm not|a doctor on this ship any more.
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.
A three-day shuttle to Starbase 23,|transport back to Earth.
I can hear Admiral Brooks telling me|how I've disgraced Starfleet Medical.
Then a day and a half before the|inquiry begins and my career ends.
Beverly? - My elbow.
|- Your elbow.
Let me see it.
Does this hurt? - Yes, right there.
|- That's tennis elbow alright.
Here, hold your arm like this.
You know,|I've never been to a formal inquiry.
I'll see if I can|arrange one for you! All you have to do is disobey orders,|violate medical ethics and cause an interstellar incident.
I guess that would do it.
Make a fist.
Do I have to hit you with my fist|before you tell me what happened? It started when those scientists|came on board.
No.
It started when I got curious.
Nothing wrong with that.
That's why I went to|the Altine Conference.
I'd heard of a subspace technology|developed by a Ferengi, a Dr Reyga.
A Ferengi scientist.
His invention was based|on metaphasic fields, but his methodology|was most unorthodox.
- I like unorthodox.
|- Too bad you weren't there.
Nobody else would listen to him.
They all but jeered him|off the stage.
But I had read his paper|and his work was extraordinary.
So you gathered all these scientists|to come hear this Ferengi.
Yes.
I hoped|I could be a facilitator.
I thought if I invited scientists|from various cultures, I could help them to understand|the value of his ideas.
- Like a scientific diplomat.
|- Exactly.
After asking the Captain, I rounded|up as many scientists as I could from the field of|subspace technology.
But of all the scientists I invited, only four were interested in|hearing about Dr Reyga 's invention.
And I wasn't altogether sure|they were going to be compatible.
Kurak was a warp-field specialist|on the Klingon Homeworld.
I don't think Klingons|regard scientists highly.
She always seemed a little defensive.
Dr T'Pan is practically a legend|in the field of subspace morphology.
She's been Director of the Vulcan|Science Academy for 15 years.
Her husband, Dr Christopher,|came with her.
He was some kind of|subspace theoretician.
Jo'Bril was a Takaran,|the first one I'd ever met.
I had no idea|what to expect from him.
And then there was Dr Reyga,|the Ferengi scientist.
You've all seen|my experimental data.
The metaphasic shield|has been proven.
Forgive my scepticism, Doctor,|but your claims are extravagant.
Protect a shuttle|within a star's corona? Not even your government believes it.
That's why I've invited you all here.
You have the vision to see the|potential of the metaphasic shield.
I need help to develop the shield.
I will grant exclusive rights|to whoever provides the resources.
I think you all realise what this|shielding process could mean.
The possibilities of exploration|and research are endless.
But only if it works.
I'm not convinced|this metaphasic shield can withstand the temperature or the radiation|it would be exposed to.
But it has!|Not only in countless simulations, but in a field test|that I conducted myself.
For which, of course,|we have only your word.
Are you accusing me of|falsifying my data? You would not be the first scientist|to manipulate experimental data.
Dr Reyga has offered|to demonstrate his invention.
He's outfitted one of our shuttles|with his shield.
I will take it into the corona|of the star Vaytan.
That star has a dense corona and|would emit very intense radiation.
It would be wise to choose|a star of lesser magnitude.
I agree.
My own research suggests Vaytan's|corona is extremely unstable.
What better way to test my invention? I'm not concerned.
|The shield will hold.
I for one would feel more comfortable|if someone else flew the shuttle.
Someone more objective.
I will volunteer for that.
I've spent years studying|solar-plasma reactions.
The thought of being able|to penetrate a star's corona.
It is a remarkable opportunity.
I've studied your data, Dr Reyga.
|You're on solid scientific ground.
I do not share your optimism,|but if you wish to pilot the craft, I would be more confident|in your assessment than Dr Reyga's.
I agree.
|We need an impartial evaluation.
You'll have to know the controls|and Dr Reyga's modifications.
I am an accomplished pilot.
|It will be no problem.
Well, what do you think? I am gratified, Dr Jo'Bril.
It will not be difficult|to operate the metaphasic controls.
The system activates automatically|as you approach the star.
Well, then,|we'll proceed at 1500 hours.
We'll meet on the bridge.
It wasn't exactly an enthusiastic|response to Dr Reyga's technology, but given the circumstances|and the quarrelsome personalities, I was quite pleased.
- I thought it went well.
Didn't you?|- Thanks to you, Doctor.
I didn't do anything.
This is a chance I would never have|had without you.
I won't forget it.
Some of them still seem doubtful,|but I'm sure they'll come around.
If I'm used to anything,|it's scepticism.
After all, a Ferengi scientist|is almost a contradiction in terms.
No, don't deny it.
|I know how the Ferengi are regarded.
I still expect the scientific|community to be a little more open.
Well, the shield is a breakthrough.
|Many have tried to develop it.
It's only natural that|there would be some resistance.
You mean jealousy.
I know.
That might account|for Dr T'Pan's attitude.
She's been working on that technology|for years and you beat her to it.
I'm not interested in competition.
All I want is to be acknowledged.
|Respected as a scientist.
This invention will finally do that.
I figured the hard part was over.
I'd stepped out on a limb|and it hadn't broken.
Not bad for my first venture|into scientific diplomacy.
Captain,|the shuttle has been launched.
On screen.
Open a channel.
I am one million kilometres|from the star's corona.
At three-quarters impulse, I should reach it|in approximately three minutes.
The metaphasic shielding|has begun to form.
External temperature|is 0.
9 million Kelvins and rising.
Radiation levels|are nearing 10,000 rads.
- That shouldn't effect the shuttle.
|- That's right.
Cabin temperature is 21 degrees|and the radiation levels are normal.
Wait.
I'm reading elevated|neutrino levels in the cabin.
Those are from the subspace field|around the shuttle.
Well within acceptable parameters.
Outside temperature rising rapidly.
|1.
7 million Kelvins.
Temperature is still 21 degrees|and the shield is holding.
This is incredible.
|I am actually flying into a star! Congratulations, Doctor.
|This is an amazing achievement.
Radiation levels outside the shuttle|are nearing 14,000 rads.
Cabin temperature is still normal.
I am now engulfed in the corona.
|It's astonishing.
You see, Doctors?|Metaphasic shielding is a reality.
Dr Jo'Bril, can you give us|an estimate of the plasma turbulence? Dr Jo'Bril? - Something's wrong.
|- What's going on, Mr Data? Sensors indicate increased|baryon particles in the cabin.
No! That's not possible.
Dr Jo'Bril, can you hear me?|Please respond.
Baryon levels|are continuing to rise, sir.
I don't understand.
|This shouldn't happen! - Mr Worf, can you beam him out?|- The solar radiation is interfering.
He must be|at least 500,000 kilometres from the star|before we can get a transporter lock.
- We're losing him.
|- Dr Jo'Bril, listen to me.
It is imperative|that you turn the shuttle.
Take it out of the corona.
|Do you understand me? Pilot the shuttle away from the star.
The shuttle is emerging.
- Mr Worf, get a lock on him.
|- Beam him directly to sickbay.
At that point the doubts of|the others seemed justified.
I had no idea what had gone wrong or how badly Dr Jo'Bril|had been injured, but I knew this could stop Reyga being accepted|by the scientific community.
It's not working.
|Cortical stimulators.
Now.
Again.
I saw the sun.
So that was my first experience|as a scientific diplomat.
A complete failure.
- I don't understand.
|- No? I mean, I've lost patients before.
But this was different.
You know, when you're a doctor and|you have patients, you're in control.
But when you send somebody|on a mission, all you can do is sit and watch.
That's what I felt.
Helpless.
Anybody would.
|Don't be too hard on yourself.
What you say reminds me|of something Jean-Luc said to me when I was doing the autopsy|on Jo'Bril.
It was the most puzzling autopsy|I've done, and the most frustrating.
Jo'Bril's anatomy|was unlike any I'd encountered, and I've run into|some unusual specimens.
How's it going? I've never run into|a humanoid species like this before.
His internal physiology is baffling.
He doesn't seem to have|any discrete organs, not in the traditional sense.
Practically every system is equally|distributed throughout the body.
That should make him|incredibly resistant to any injury.
So whatever killed him|occurred at the cellular level.
- Any idea what it was?|- No.
Something caused a system-wide|failure, but I don't know what.
Were the solar radiation levels|high enough to kill him? His exposure to the star's radiation|was minimal.
It's all very strange.
There's no apparent cause of death.
Doctor, here's the result|of the tissue scan you asked for.
That's odd.
The rate|of cellular decay is extremely low.
Beverly, the answers will come.
Maybe even minimal exposure|to radiation altered the cellular physiology.
You know,|you've been at this for hours.
- You need a good night's sleep.
|- I can't sleep.
I want to find out what killed him.
|I owe that to Dr Reyga.
You're doing it for him or yourself? What do you mean? You're the loneliest person|in the world now.
No one can say anything, no one|can do anything that will help.
And you think it will never go away.
|And you're right, it won't.
But you can get used to it.
I know it doesn't feel like that now,|but you can.
At the time, I was too preoccupied|with my problems to understand what he was saying.
I wasn't thinking|about the rest of my life.
I was trying to make sense|of what had happened.
And I wasn't alone.
Jo'Bril's death|had raised a lot of questions.
Geordi and Data were determined|to find out what had gone wrong.
They went over every millimetre|of the shuttle, with Dr Reyga 's help.
Run a diagnostic|on the EPS flow regulator.
The flow regulator|is functioning normally.
And the fuel emitter?|Has it maintained polarity? Yes.
- The radial-force compensator?|- I cannot locate any malfunctions.
All systems are operating according|to your design specifications.
- Did you find anything?|- No.
There must be something|we've overlooked.
I've found damage to the hull.
That confirms your shield was|breached by baryonic radiation.
Were the levels high enough|to damage tissue? I don't know.
Perhaps there was an interaction|between the radiation and the shield.
No, that's not possible! I anticipated every contingency.
Then maybe Jo'Bril ran into something|which you didn't anticipate and your shield|just wasn't able to protect him.
My shield was not at fault.
Reyga seemed angry, but I knew it was|because he was so disappointed.
Everything he'd worked for,|hoped for, was slipping away.
And that made what I had to do next|even harder.
In light of what happened, it would be inappropriate|to continue further testing.
If Dr Reyga perfects his metaphasic|technology, we can try again.
Dr Crusher, please.
If I could have a little more time|to investigate, I could find what went wrong.
But that won't bring back Jo'Bril,|will it? I do not believe the shield|will ever work.
Its very concept is flawed.
Just one more test.
Whom do you propose|we sacrifice next? - I will pilot the shuttle myself.
|- I'm sorry.
I'm responsible for the health|and safety of all the people aboard.
I will not authorise further tests.
Very well.
But I will prove myself! I had to admire his tenacity.
|He just wouldn't accept defeat.
I hoped he would prove himself.
But that was the last time|I saw him alive.
We were in science lab four when the ship's sensors registered|a sizable plasma surge there.
Look at this.
A plasma infuser.
It's completely discharged.
|It must have killed him instantly.
Perhaps he could not live with|his failure and took his own life.
Or perhaps someone|just wanted it to look that way.
Isn't it odd he held on so tightly to|the infuser when it was discharged? The normal reflex|would be to drop it.
It could have affected|his nervous system, causing him to grip tighter.
I'll know when I do the autopsy.
- Is your examination complete?|- For now.
- Have his body taken to the morgue.
|- Very well.
I remembered his passion|and commitment and his determination|to prove himself, and I was sure that this man|had not taken his own life.
If anyone could understand that,|I knew it would be Capt Picard.
I was with him right before he died.
|He was not suicidal.
But by your own admission, Reyga|was a difficult man to understand.
Isn't it possible that|he was simply masking his feelings? I don't think so.
He was disappointed|at the failure of his device and he was upset at Jo'Bril's death, but I never felt|he was ready to end his own life.
If that's true,|then someone killed him.
- Do you have any evidence of that?|- Not yet.
But when I finish the autopsy,|I hope I'll have it.
Beverly.
I'm afraid there will be no autopsy.
|The family were contacted.
They insist he must not be touched|until they perform the death ritual.
But there's a question|as to how he died.
- To them it's irrelevant.
|- I'll speak to them.
Believe me, they're adamant.
We rendezvous with a Ferengi vessel|in 17 hours.
They will pick up Reyga's body then.
- Sorry.
There will be no autopsy.
|- Jean-Luc, I cannot just drop this.
Don't you see?|There may have been a murder.
Then you will have to find evidence|some way other than an autopsy.
Isn't it pretty clear that Reyga died|from a plasma discharge? It won't be clear|until after an autopsy.
He could have been poisoned and had the infuser|put in his hand after he died.
- He was murdered?|- I don't discount the possibility.
Without a complete autopsy,|there's no way to know for certain.
- Why won't the Ferengi allow it?|- It's their death rituals.
A body can't be violated|before it's buried.
The family cares more about ritual|than finding out how he died.
I just can't get the information|I need from a tricorder scan.
Suspects.
If Reyga didn't|kill himself, someone else did.
So who are the possible suspects? Whoever would gain from his death.
The only ones to fit that category|are the other scientists.
I don't understand.
Do you have|evidence that Reyga was murdered? No, but I can't believe|he took his own life and I would like to explore|any possibilities.
Why would anyone kill him? I was wondering if you had|some thoughts along that line.
I see.
You are suggesting|that I had such a motive.
Had Reyga's technology|been successful, you might have been displaced|as the top scientist in your field.
But since it wasn't successful, it's|illogical to say I had such a motive.
I must say I resent this, Doctor.
We have all been shocked|by recent events.
There's nothing to gain by dragging|us through these insinuations.
I'm just trying to uncover the truth|and I need your help to do it.
Have you seen or heard anything that might suggest someone else|had a motive? We want to forget the unpleasantness|of these past several days, not have it stirred up again.
I find it disturbing that you would|try to foster suspicions among us.
Forgive me.
|I don't mean to upset you.
But have you noticed|anything unusual? I find your question distasteful.
Is there something|you're not telling me? I'm sure it's nothing.
I was in the science-laboratory|store room yesterday.
Kurak was working in the lab.
Reyga came in|and they got into an argument.
About what? I don't know.
I couldn't hear anything clearly until they started to shout|at one another.
Then I heard Kurak say|that Reyga had insulted her honour and no Klingon would stand for that.
I do not believe she killed him.
These were words spoken in anger.
Kurak is volatile, passionate,|but not a killer.
And, Doctor, neither are we.
Thank you.
I knew he might be right about Kurak.
Klingons make threats|as a matter of course.
On the other hand,|sometimes they follow through.
That looks like one of Dr Reyga's|shield configurations.
Yes.
Personal research.
Even though this technology failed? No one has denied|there is potential in the idea.
Which you're now free to develop.
Are you accusing me of something? No.
But I want to know|why you threatened Dr Reyga.
I warned Dr Reyga that if he persisted in his slander,|he would pay the price.
What was his accusation? I will not repeat his lies.
Were they lies? Be careful, Doctor.
Insulting the honour of a Klingon|can be extremely dangerous.
Did Reyga make that mistake? I have heard enough|of your accusations! Now I will have your silence! Well, you'll have to throw me|a lot harder than that.
Now, what did he accuse you of? Sabotage.
Of the metaphasic shield?|Was that why it failed? - How would I know?|- Did you sabotage the project? No.
I did not.
Goodbye, Doctor! Kurak refused to say anything more.
I wasn't sure if her silence|was motivated by guilt or just Klingon pride.
I was finding out|that investigating a murder was a little more perilous|than I'd thought.
And for everything I'd been through, I didn't have any more insight|than I did before I started.
Which brought me back|to Reyga 's body.
The more I thought about it, the more it seemed that|the answers had to be there.
DNA traces, tissue anomalies, a wealth of forensic clues|that could shed light on the mystery.
So I made the decision.
Come.
Beverly.
This is something you need to know,|but you're not gonna like it.
I did an autopsy on Dr Reyga.
What did you find? Nothing.
I'm sorry.
|I know I shouldn't have done it.
You most certainly should not.
I made it clear|that the family would not allow it.
Not only have you|disobeyed my orders, but you've interfered|in the rituals of another culture.
You've put both of us|in a difficult position.
The family will have to be notified.
I don't doubt that|they will react strongly.
If the Ferengi government becomes|involved, as I'm certain they will, this could have|very significant repercussions.
I'm not sure|how much I can protect you.
You don't have to, Jean-Luc.
I knew what I was doing and I'm|prepared to accept the consequences.
I could tell|he was terribly disappointed in me and that was almost|the hardest part of all.
So that's the story.
|That's how I ended my career.
- Backhand volley.
|- What? That's how I did it.
|Geordi kept hitting to my backhand.
Guinan, two people died on this ship,|two lives ended horribly, and you're worried about|your tennis game? - Are you upset?|- You tell me.
You're supposed to be wise.
If you are upset, why mope here?|Why don't you do something about it? I've done all I could think of.
|It got me fired.
- You think Dr Reyga killed himself?|- No.
- You think a murderer is on board?|- Yes.
- Then why are you sitting here?|- If I start digging around again You could be relieved of duty.
Chief Medical Officer's log,|personal, stardate 46830.
1.
I leave the ship tomorrow|to attend the board of inquiry.
That means I have less than 24 hours|to get to the bottom of this mystery.
What are you doing? I am running diagnostics to make sure there was no permanent|radiation damage to the shuttle hull.
You've studied|Dr Reyga's shield system.
Do you think it was sabotaged? There was no evidence|to support that.
Just consider the possibility.
Access to the circuitry is prevented|unless the shield emitter is active.
Any attempt at sabotage had to be|made with the shield in operation.
The only time the shield was active|was during the test flight.
Correct.
It is unlikely Jo'Bril would perform|sabotage resulting in his own death.
I agree.
Would it be possible to sabotage the|shuttle by remote during the flight? A phased ionic pulse|beamed into the metaphasic matrix would result|in a temporary system malfunction.
Where on board|could you generate such a pulse? It could be initiated|from the lateral sensor array, science labs one, four and 16,|or the bridge science stations.
Let's assume someone did send out|a phased ionic pulse.
What would have happened|inside the shuttle? A tetryon field|would be formed in the cabin, disrupting the metaphasic shield.
A tetryon field? If Jo'Bril was exposed|to a tetryon field, it might have left traces|in his tissue.
Thanks, Data.
- Beverly?|- Yes? The shuttle will take you|to Starbase 23.
- You leave at 0700 hours tomorrow.
|- Thank you.
About everything that's going on.
|I'm sorry.
- I'm sure it will all work out.
|- Of course.
You know the inquiry|is just a formality.
- Capt Picard will do all he can.
|- I'm sure that'll help.
But if you do anything foolish|before that, it won't look good.
- I don't know what you mean.
|- I think you do know what I mean.
You ought to go to your quarters|and read a good book.
If you make the situation worse,|it'll be that much harder on you.
- Thank you.
Your concern is noted.
|- Beverly! I'm saying this to you as a friend.
Yes, Will, I know.
But, as a friend, please try to|understand that I can't quit now and I don't want you|to become involved in this.
Computer, access ship's Medical logs|and download current autopsy files.
Autopsy files are restricted to|active Medical personnel only.
- Access denied.
|- Damn! Dr Crusher? What do you need|the autopsy files for? Don't worry.
|I know I shouldn't be here.
I'll go.
Computer, .
.
access autopsy files.
You'll need the files|on Dr Reyga and Jo'Bril? - Alyssa|- I can see this is important to you.
- I don't want you to get involved.
|- Is that an order? - Yes.
|- Too bad you're not my boss now.
Thank you.
- So what do we do now?|- Review the physiology records.
Then look again at the body|to see if there's any tetryon traces.
Let's do it.
We need to run a tissue scan|at the molecular level.
Calibrate the scanner|to pick up tetryon particles.
Yes, Doctor.
- Recalibration complete.
|- Activate the scan.
Nothing.
Let's do it again.
Use the enhanced resolution mode|to boost the sensitivity.
- Something in the subdermal tissue.
|- Narrow the scan field.
Tetryon traces! Someone did sabotage the shield.
That's a possibility, but this|is very circumstantial evidence.
There's only one way|to know for certain.
Captain,|I'm concerned about Beverly.
I've tried to talk to her|but she's been avoiding me.
I'm not surprised.
This experience has been Captain.
An unscheduled launch|is taking place in shuttlebay two.
No idea.
|No one's filed a flight plan.
On screen.
That's the Justman,|the shuttle Reyga modified.
Open a hailing frequency.
Dr Crusher,|what do you think you're doing? Testing a theory, Captain.
A theory? I think Dr Reyga's shield does work.
Return to the ship immediately.
I'm sorry.
Mr Worf,|override the shuttle's computer.
Aye, sir.
Sir, she has isolated|her navigational control.
Remote operation is not possible.
Get a tractor beam on her.
I cannot establish a lock.
|Solar interference is too high.
- Mr Data, what is her heading?|- Bearing 271, mark four, sir.
She is headed into the sun's corona.
Computer, begin monitoring|external temperature.
External temperature|0.
8 million Kelvins and rising.
What do you hope to accomplish? I think Dr Reyga was right|about his shield.
It failed because it was sabotaged.
|I'm going to prove it.
You can't be certain.
You're betting|your life on a hypothesis.
I'm not wrong.
External temperature|1.
9 million Kelvins.
Sir, the shuttle|is entering the corona.
What's happening? I'm alright.
- Computer? Shield status.
|- Metaphasic shield holding.
All systems within|normal operating parameters.
Congratulations, Dr Reyga.
|You did it.
Captain, post Security guards around|the three visiting scientists.
One of them is responsible|for sabotaging the first test.
I think if we Sir, we have lost contact.
Crusher to Enterprise.
|I've lost you.
Come in.
Justman to Enterprise.
Come in.
Enterprise, do you hear me? They cannot hear you.
- I have severed communications.
|- How can you be alive? I'd think after your autopsy on me|you'd know the answer to that.
The slow rate of cellular decay.
It is a natural result|of physiostasis.
Takarans can control their physiology|at a cellular level.
We can create|the appearance of death.
In the morgue, you were conscious.
|You heard everything we said.
You knew everything|we were going to do.
Move away.
Move away.
What are you doing? I'm sending out|a transient subspace signal.
It will obscure the shuttle|from the Enterprise sensors.
They will interpret it|as a warp-engine breach.
They will believe|that you have been destroyed.
- I'd like to thank you, Doctor.
|- For what? All I wanted to do|was discredit Reyga so that no one would pursue|his technology except me.
But you have given me|more than I could have hoped.
Now I can take the prototype itself|back to Takara, where I will develop it|into a weapon.
All I need do is wait here until the Enterprise is convinced|you are dead and leaves.
Captain, there is|no indication of debris.
However, the subspace signal|indicates a warp-engine breach.
Begin a search, starting with|the shuttle's last known coordinates.
Plot a course toward the star.
Sir, we are picking up an object|emerging from the corona.
Crusher to Enterprise.
|I'm alright.
Returning to the ship.
And I finally have the answers|I've been looking for.
Chief Medical Officer's log,|stardate 46831.
2.
I have been reinstated|and I will resume my duties shortly.
In the meantime, I have|a personal matter to attend to.
- Hi, Guinan.
|- Hello.
Somebody's birthday? Not unless it's yours.
It's for you.
What's the occasion? It's a thank-you.
|For giving me a kick in the butt.
Now, I didn't I did some research.
This is|the latest design, state of the art.
It is specifically designed|to cushion all vibrations, so you will never have|tennis elbow again.
Thank you, Doctor.
This looks like a great racket,|but I don't play tennis.
Never have.
Geordi beat me in straight sets.
|I think I have tennis elbow.
Well, you better go to sickbay.
|I think Dr Selar's on duty.
I don't want to see Dr Selar.
|I'm particular about my doctors.
You better get a new one.
I'm not|a doctor on this ship any more.
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.
A three-day shuttle to Starbase 23,|transport back to Earth.
I can hear Admiral Brooks telling me|how I've disgraced Starfleet Medical.
Then a day and a half before the|inquiry begins and my career ends.
Beverly? - My elbow.
|- Your elbow.
Let me see it.
Does this hurt? - Yes, right there.
|- That's tennis elbow alright.
Here, hold your arm like this.
You know,|I've never been to a formal inquiry.
I'll see if I can|arrange one for you! All you have to do is disobey orders,|violate medical ethics and cause an interstellar incident.
I guess that would do it.
Make a fist.
Do I have to hit you with my fist|before you tell me what happened? It started when those scientists|came on board.
No.
It started when I got curious.
Nothing wrong with that.
That's why I went to|the Altine Conference.
I'd heard of a subspace technology|developed by a Ferengi, a Dr Reyga.
A Ferengi scientist.
His invention was based|on metaphasic fields, but his methodology|was most unorthodox.
- I like unorthodox.
|- Too bad you weren't there.
Nobody else would listen to him.
They all but jeered him|off the stage.
But I had read his paper|and his work was extraordinary.
So you gathered all these scientists|to come hear this Ferengi.
Yes.
I hoped|I could be a facilitator.
I thought if I invited scientists|from various cultures, I could help them to understand|the value of his ideas.
- Like a scientific diplomat.
|- Exactly.
After asking the Captain, I rounded|up as many scientists as I could from the field of|subspace technology.
But of all the scientists I invited, only four were interested in|hearing about Dr Reyga 's invention.
And I wasn't altogether sure|they were going to be compatible.
Kurak was a warp-field specialist|on the Klingon Homeworld.
I don't think Klingons|regard scientists highly.
She always seemed a little defensive.
Dr T'Pan is practically a legend|in the field of subspace morphology.
She's been Director of the Vulcan|Science Academy for 15 years.
Her husband, Dr Christopher,|came with her.
He was some kind of|subspace theoretician.
Jo'Bril was a Takaran,|the first one I'd ever met.
I had no idea|what to expect from him.
And then there was Dr Reyga,|the Ferengi scientist.
You've all seen|my experimental data.
The metaphasic shield|has been proven.
Forgive my scepticism, Doctor,|but your claims are extravagant.
Protect a shuttle|within a star's corona? Not even your government believes it.
That's why I've invited you all here.
You have the vision to see the|potential of the metaphasic shield.
I need help to develop the shield.
I will grant exclusive rights|to whoever provides the resources.
I think you all realise what this|shielding process could mean.
The possibilities of exploration|and research are endless.
But only if it works.
I'm not convinced|this metaphasic shield can withstand the temperature or the radiation|it would be exposed to.
But it has!|Not only in countless simulations, but in a field test|that I conducted myself.
For which, of course,|we have only your word.
Are you accusing me of|falsifying my data? You would not be the first scientist|to manipulate experimental data.
Dr Reyga has offered|to demonstrate his invention.
He's outfitted one of our shuttles|with his shield.
I will take it into the corona|of the star Vaytan.
That star has a dense corona and|would emit very intense radiation.
It would be wise to choose|a star of lesser magnitude.
I agree.
My own research suggests Vaytan's|corona is extremely unstable.
What better way to test my invention? I'm not concerned.
|The shield will hold.
I for one would feel more comfortable|if someone else flew the shuttle.
Someone more objective.
I will volunteer for that.
I've spent years studying|solar-plasma reactions.
The thought of being able|to penetrate a star's corona.
It is a remarkable opportunity.
I've studied your data, Dr Reyga.
|You're on solid scientific ground.
I do not share your optimism,|but if you wish to pilot the craft, I would be more confident|in your assessment than Dr Reyga's.
I agree.
|We need an impartial evaluation.
You'll have to know the controls|and Dr Reyga's modifications.
I am an accomplished pilot.
|It will be no problem.
Well, what do you think? I am gratified, Dr Jo'Bril.
It will not be difficult|to operate the metaphasic controls.
The system activates automatically|as you approach the star.
Well, then,|we'll proceed at 1500 hours.
We'll meet on the bridge.
It wasn't exactly an enthusiastic|response to Dr Reyga's technology, but given the circumstances|and the quarrelsome personalities, I was quite pleased.
- I thought it went well.
Didn't you?|- Thanks to you, Doctor.
I didn't do anything.
This is a chance I would never have|had without you.
I won't forget it.
Some of them still seem doubtful,|but I'm sure they'll come around.
If I'm used to anything,|it's scepticism.
After all, a Ferengi scientist|is almost a contradiction in terms.
No, don't deny it.
|I know how the Ferengi are regarded.
I still expect the scientific|community to be a little more open.
Well, the shield is a breakthrough.
|Many have tried to develop it.
It's only natural that|there would be some resistance.
You mean jealousy.
I know.
That might account|for Dr T'Pan's attitude.
She's been working on that technology|for years and you beat her to it.
I'm not interested in competition.
All I want is to be acknowledged.
|Respected as a scientist.
This invention will finally do that.
I figured the hard part was over.
I'd stepped out on a limb|and it hadn't broken.
Not bad for my first venture|into scientific diplomacy.
Captain,|the shuttle has been launched.
On screen.
Open a channel.
I am one million kilometres|from the star's corona.
At three-quarters impulse, I should reach it|in approximately three minutes.
The metaphasic shielding|has begun to form.
External temperature|is 0.
9 million Kelvins and rising.
Radiation levels|are nearing 10,000 rads.
- That shouldn't effect the shuttle.
|- That's right.
Cabin temperature is 21 degrees|and the radiation levels are normal.
Wait.
I'm reading elevated|neutrino levels in the cabin.
Those are from the subspace field|around the shuttle.
Well within acceptable parameters.
Outside temperature rising rapidly.
|1.
7 million Kelvins.
Temperature is still 21 degrees|and the shield is holding.
This is incredible.
|I am actually flying into a star! Congratulations, Doctor.
|This is an amazing achievement.
Radiation levels outside the shuttle|are nearing 14,000 rads.
Cabin temperature is still normal.
I am now engulfed in the corona.
|It's astonishing.
You see, Doctors?|Metaphasic shielding is a reality.
Dr Jo'Bril, can you give us|an estimate of the plasma turbulence? Dr Jo'Bril? - Something's wrong.
|- What's going on, Mr Data? Sensors indicate increased|baryon particles in the cabin.
No! That's not possible.
Dr Jo'Bril, can you hear me?|Please respond.
Baryon levels|are continuing to rise, sir.
I don't understand.
|This shouldn't happen! - Mr Worf, can you beam him out?|- The solar radiation is interfering.
He must be|at least 500,000 kilometres from the star|before we can get a transporter lock.
- We're losing him.
|- Dr Jo'Bril, listen to me.
It is imperative|that you turn the shuttle.
Take it out of the corona.
|Do you understand me? Pilot the shuttle away from the star.
The shuttle is emerging.
- Mr Worf, get a lock on him.
|- Beam him directly to sickbay.
At that point the doubts of|the others seemed justified.
I had no idea what had gone wrong or how badly Dr Jo'Bril|had been injured, but I knew this could stop Reyga being accepted|by the scientific community.
It's not working.
|Cortical stimulators.
Now.
Again.
I saw the sun.
So that was my first experience|as a scientific diplomat.
A complete failure.
- I don't understand.
|- No? I mean, I've lost patients before.
But this was different.
You know, when you're a doctor and|you have patients, you're in control.
But when you send somebody|on a mission, all you can do is sit and watch.
That's what I felt.
Helpless.
Anybody would.
|Don't be too hard on yourself.
What you say reminds me|of something Jean-Luc said to me when I was doing the autopsy|on Jo'Bril.
It was the most puzzling autopsy|I've done, and the most frustrating.
Jo'Bril's anatomy|was unlike any I'd encountered, and I've run into|some unusual specimens.
How's it going? I've never run into|a humanoid species like this before.
His internal physiology is baffling.
He doesn't seem to have|any discrete organs, not in the traditional sense.
Practically every system is equally|distributed throughout the body.
That should make him|incredibly resistant to any injury.
So whatever killed him|occurred at the cellular level.
- Any idea what it was?|- No.
Something caused a system-wide|failure, but I don't know what.
Were the solar radiation levels|high enough to kill him? His exposure to the star's radiation|was minimal.
It's all very strange.
There's no apparent cause of death.
Doctor, here's the result|of the tissue scan you asked for.
That's odd.
The rate|of cellular decay is extremely low.
Beverly, the answers will come.
Maybe even minimal exposure|to radiation altered the cellular physiology.
You know,|you've been at this for hours.
- You need a good night's sleep.
|- I can't sleep.
I want to find out what killed him.
|I owe that to Dr Reyga.
You're doing it for him or yourself? What do you mean? You're the loneliest person|in the world now.
No one can say anything, no one|can do anything that will help.
And you think it will never go away.
|And you're right, it won't.
But you can get used to it.
I know it doesn't feel like that now,|but you can.
At the time, I was too preoccupied|with my problems to understand what he was saying.
I wasn't thinking|about the rest of my life.
I was trying to make sense|of what had happened.
And I wasn't alone.
Jo'Bril's death|had raised a lot of questions.
Geordi and Data were determined|to find out what had gone wrong.
They went over every millimetre|of the shuttle, with Dr Reyga 's help.
Run a diagnostic|on the EPS flow regulator.
The flow regulator|is functioning normally.
And the fuel emitter?|Has it maintained polarity? Yes.
- The radial-force compensator?|- I cannot locate any malfunctions.
All systems are operating according|to your design specifications.
- Did you find anything?|- No.
There must be something|we've overlooked.
I've found damage to the hull.
That confirms your shield was|breached by baryonic radiation.
Were the levels high enough|to damage tissue? I don't know.
Perhaps there was an interaction|between the radiation and the shield.
No, that's not possible! I anticipated every contingency.
Then maybe Jo'Bril ran into something|which you didn't anticipate and your shield|just wasn't able to protect him.
My shield was not at fault.
Reyga seemed angry, but I knew it was|because he was so disappointed.
Everything he'd worked for,|hoped for, was slipping away.
And that made what I had to do next|even harder.
In light of what happened, it would be inappropriate|to continue further testing.
If Dr Reyga perfects his metaphasic|technology, we can try again.
Dr Crusher, please.
If I could have a little more time|to investigate, I could find what went wrong.
But that won't bring back Jo'Bril,|will it? I do not believe the shield|will ever work.
Its very concept is flawed.
Just one more test.
Whom do you propose|we sacrifice next? - I will pilot the shuttle myself.
|- I'm sorry.
I'm responsible for the health|and safety of all the people aboard.
I will not authorise further tests.
Very well.
But I will prove myself! I had to admire his tenacity.
|He just wouldn't accept defeat.
I hoped he would prove himself.
But that was the last time|I saw him alive.
We were in science lab four when the ship's sensors registered|a sizable plasma surge there.
Look at this.
A plasma infuser.
It's completely discharged.
|It must have killed him instantly.
Perhaps he could not live with|his failure and took his own life.
Or perhaps someone|just wanted it to look that way.
Isn't it odd he held on so tightly to|the infuser when it was discharged? The normal reflex|would be to drop it.
It could have affected|his nervous system, causing him to grip tighter.
I'll know when I do the autopsy.
- Is your examination complete?|- For now.
- Have his body taken to the morgue.
|- Very well.
I remembered his passion|and commitment and his determination|to prove himself, and I was sure that this man|had not taken his own life.
If anyone could understand that,|I knew it would be Capt Picard.
I was with him right before he died.
|He was not suicidal.
But by your own admission, Reyga|was a difficult man to understand.
Isn't it possible that|he was simply masking his feelings? I don't think so.
He was disappointed|at the failure of his device and he was upset at Jo'Bril's death, but I never felt|he was ready to end his own life.
If that's true,|then someone killed him.
- Do you have any evidence of that?|- Not yet.
But when I finish the autopsy,|I hope I'll have it.
Beverly.
I'm afraid there will be no autopsy.
|The family were contacted.
They insist he must not be touched|until they perform the death ritual.
But there's a question|as to how he died.
- To them it's irrelevant.
|- I'll speak to them.
Believe me, they're adamant.
We rendezvous with a Ferengi vessel|in 17 hours.
They will pick up Reyga's body then.
- Sorry.
There will be no autopsy.
|- Jean-Luc, I cannot just drop this.
Don't you see?|There may have been a murder.
Then you will have to find evidence|some way other than an autopsy.
Isn't it pretty clear that Reyga died|from a plasma discharge? It won't be clear|until after an autopsy.
He could have been poisoned and had the infuser|put in his hand after he died.
- He was murdered?|- I don't discount the possibility.
Without a complete autopsy,|there's no way to know for certain.
- Why won't the Ferengi allow it?|- It's their death rituals.
A body can't be violated|before it's buried.
The family cares more about ritual|than finding out how he died.
I just can't get the information|I need from a tricorder scan.
Suspects.
If Reyga didn't|kill himself, someone else did.
So who are the possible suspects? Whoever would gain from his death.
The only ones to fit that category|are the other scientists.
I don't understand.
Do you have|evidence that Reyga was murdered? No, but I can't believe|he took his own life and I would like to explore|any possibilities.
Why would anyone kill him? I was wondering if you had|some thoughts along that line.
I see.
You are suggesting|that I had such a motive.
Had Reyga's technology|been successful, you might have been displaced|as the top scientist in your field.
But since it wasn't successful, it's|illogical to say I had such a motive.
I must say I resent this, Doctor.
We have all been shocked|by recent events.
There's nothing to gain by dragging|us through these insinuations.
I'm just trying to uncover the truth|and I need your help to do it.
Have you seen or heard anything that might suggest someone else|had a motive? We want to forget the unpleasantness|of these past several days, not have it stirred up again.
I find it disturbing that you would|try to foster suspicions among us.
Forgive me.
|I don't mean to upset you.
But have you noticed|anything unusual? I find your question distasteful.
Is there something|you're not telling me? I'm sure it's nothing.
I was in the science-laboratory|store room yesterday.
Kurak was working in the lab.
Reyga came in|and they got into an argument.
About what? I don't know.
I couldn't hear anything clearly until they started to shout|at one another.
Then I heard Kurak say|that Reyga had insulted her honour and no Klingon would stand for that.
I do not believe she killed him.
These were words spoken in anger.
Kurak is volatile, passionate,|but not a killer.
And, Doctor, neither are we.
Thank you.
I knew he might be right about Kurak.
Klingons make threats|as a matter of course.
On the other hand,|sometimes they follow through.
That looks like one of Dr Reyga's|shield configurations.
Yes.
Personal research.
Even though this technology failed? No one has denied|there is potential in the idea.
Which you're now free to develop.
Are you accusing me of something? No.
But I want to know|why you threatened Dr Reyga.
I warned Dr Reyga that if he persisted in his slander,|he would pay the price.
What was his accusation? I will not repeat his lies.
Were they lies? Be careful, Doctor.
Insulting the honour of a Klingon|can be extremely dangerous.
Did Reyga make that mistake? I have heard enough|of your accusations! Now I will have your silence! Well, you'll have to throw me|a lot harder than that.
Now, what did he accuse you of? Sabotage.
Of the metaphasic shield?|Was that why it failed? - How would I know?|- Did you sabotage the project? No.
I did not.
Goodbye, Doctor! Kurak refused to say anything more.
I wasn't sure if her silence|was motivated by guilt or just Klingon pride.
I was finding out|that investigating a murder was a little more perilous|than I'd thought.
And for everything I'd been through, I didn't have any more insight|than I did before I started.
Which brought me back|to Reyga 's body.
The more I thought about it, the more it seemed that|the answers had to be there.
DNA traces, tissue anomalies, a wealth of forensic clues|that could shed light on the mystery.
So I made the decision.
Come.
Beverly.
This is something you need to know,|but you're not gonna like it.
I did an autopsy on Dr Reyga.
What did you find? Nothing.
I'm sorry.
|I know I shouldn't have done it.
You most certainly should not.
I made it clear|that the family would not allow it.
Not only have you|disobeyed my orders, but you've interfered|in the rituals of another culture.
You've put both of us|in a difficult position.
The family will have to be notified.
I don't doubt that|they will react strongly.
If the Ferengi government becomes|involved, as I'm certain they will, this could have|very significant repercussions.
I'm not sure|how much I can protect you.
You don't have to, Jean-Luc.
I knew what I was doing and I'm|prepared to accept the consequences.
I could tell|he was terribly disappointed in me and that was almost|the hardest part of all.
So that's the story.
|That's how I ended my career.
- Backhand volley.
|- What? That's how I did it.
|Geordi kept hitting to my backhand.
Guinan, two people died on this ship,|two lives ended horribly, and you're worried about|your tennis game? - Are you upset?|- You tell me.
You're supposed to be wise.
If you are upset, why mope here?|Why don't you do something about it? I've done all I could think of.
|It got me fired.
- You think Dr Reyga killed himself?|- No.
- You think a murderer is on board?|- Yes.
- Then why are you sitting here?|- If I start digging around again You could be relieved of duty.
Chief Medical Officer's log,|personal, stardate 46830.
1.
I leave the ship tomorrow|to attend the board of inquiry.
That means I have less than 24 hours|to get to the bottom of this mystery.
What are you doing? I am running diagnostics to make sure there was no permanent|radiation damage to the shuttle hull.
You've studied|Dr Reyga's shield system.
Do you think it was sabotaged? There was no evidence|to support that.
Just consider the possibility.
Access to the circuitry is prevented|unless the shield emitter is active.
Any attempt at sabotage had to be|made with the shield in operation.
The only time the shield was active|was during the test flight.
Correct.
It is unlikely Jo'Bril would perform|sabotage resulting in his own death.
I agree.
Would it be possible to sabotage the|shuttle by remote during the flight? A phased ionic pulse|beamed into the metaphasic matrix would result|in a temporary system malfunction.
Where on board|could you generate such a pulse? It could be initiated|from the lateral sensor array, science labs one, four and 16,|or the bridge science stations.
Let's assume someone did send out|a phased ionic pulse.
What would have happened|inside the shuttle? A tetryon field|would be formed in the cabin, disrupting the metaphasic shield.
A tetryon field? If Jo'Bril was exposed|to a tetryon field, it might have left traces|in his tissue.
Thanks, Data.
- Beverly?|- Yes? The shuttle will take you|to Starbase 23.
- You leave at 0700 hours tomorrow.
|- Thank you.
About everything that's going on.
|I'm sorry.
- I'm sure it will all work out.
|- Of course.
You know the inquiry|is just a formality.
- Capt Picard will do all he can.
|- I'm sure that'll help.
But if you do anything foolish|before that, it won't look good.
- I don't know what you mean.
|- I think you do know what I mean.
You ought to go to your quarters|and read a good book.
If you make the situation worse,|it'll be that much harder on you.
- Thank you.
Your concern is noted.
|- Beverly! I'm saying this to you as a friend.
Yes, Will, I know.
But, as a friend, please try to|understand that I can't quit now and I don't want you|to become involved in this.
Computer, access ship's Medical logs|and download current autopsy files.
Autopsy files are restricted to|active Medical personnel only.
- Access denied.
|- Damn! Dr Crusher? What do you need|the autopsy files for? Don't worry.
|I know I shouldn't be here.
I'll go.
Computer, .
.
access autopsy files.
You'll need the files|on Dr Reyga and Jo'Bril? - Alyssa|- I can see this is important to you.
- I don't want you to get involved.
|- Is that an order? - Yes.
|- Too bad you're not my boss now.
Thank you.
- So what do we do now?|- Review the physiology records.
Then look again at the body|to see if there's any tetryon traces.
Let's do it.
We need to run a tissue scan|at the molecular level.
Calibrate the scanner|to pick up tetryon particles.
Yes, Doctor.
- Recalibration complete.
|- Activate the scan.
Nothing.
Let's do it again.
Use the enhanced resolution mode|to boost the sensitivity.
- Something in the subdermal tissue.
|- Narrow the scan field.
Tetryon traces! Someone did sabotage the shield.
That's a possibility, but this|is very circumstantial evidence.
There's only one way|to know for certain.
Captain,|I'm concerned about Beverly.
I've tried to talk to her|but she's been avoiding me.
I'm not surprised.
This experience has been Captain.
An unscheduled launch|is taking place in shuttlebay two.
No idea.
|No one's filed a flight plan.
On screen.
That's the Justman,|the shuttle Reyga modified.
Open a hailing frequency.
Dr Crusher,|what do you think you're doing? Testing a theory, Captain.
A theory? I think Dr Reyga's shield does work.
Return to the ship immediately.
I'm sorry.
Mr Worf,|override the shuttle's computer.
Aye, sir.
Sir, she has isolated|her navigational control.
Remote operation is not possible.
Get a tractor beam on her.
I cannot establish a lock.
|Solar interference is too high.
- Mr Data, what is her heading?|- Bearing 271, mark four, sir.
She is headed into the sun's corona.
Computer, begin monitoring|external temperature.
External temperature|0.
8 million Kelvins and rising.
What do you hope to accomplish? I think Dr Reyga was right|about his shield.
It failed because it was sabotaged.
|I'm going to prove it.
You can't be certain.
You're betting|your life on a hypothesis.
I'm not wrong.
External temperature|1.
9 million Kelvins.
Sir, the shuttle|is entering the corona.
What's happening? I'm alright.
- Computer? Shield status.
|- Metaphasic shield holding.
All systems within|normal operating parameters.
Congratulations, Dr Reyga.
|You did it.
Captain, post Security guards around|the three visiting scientists.
One of them is responsible|for sabotaging the first test.
I think if we Sir, we have lost contact.
Crusher to Enterprise.
|I've lost you.
Come in.
Justman to Enterprise.
Come in.
Enterprise, do you hear me? They cannot hear you.
- I have severed communications.
|- How can you be alive? I'd think after your autopsy on me|you'd know the answer to that.
The slow rate of cellular decay.
It is a natural result|of physiostasis.
Takarans can control their physiology|at a cellular level.
We can create|the appearance of death.
In the morgue, you were conscious.
|You heard everything we said.
You knew everything|we were going to do.
Move away.
Move away.
What are you doing? I'm sending out|a transient subspace signal.
It will obscure the shuttle|from the Enterprise sensors.
They will interpret it|as a warp-engine breach.
They will believe|that you have been destroyed.
- I'd like to thank you, Doctor.
|- For what? All I wanted to do|was discredit Reyga so that no one would pursue|his technology except me.
But you have given me|more than I could have hoped.
Now I can take the prototype itself|back to Takara, where I will develop it|into a weapon.
All I need do is wait here until the Enterprise is convinced|you are dead and leaves.
Captain, there is|no indication of debris.
However, the subspace signal|indicates a warp-engine breach.
Begin a search, starting with|the shuttle's last known coordinates.
Plot a course toward the star.
Sir, we are picking up an object|emerging from the corona.
Crusher to Enterprise.
|I'm alright.
Returning to the ship.
And I finally have the answers|I've been looking for.
Chief Medical Officer's log,|stardate 46831.
2.
I have been reinstated|and I will resume my duties shortly.
In the meantime, I have|a personal matter to attend to.
- Hi, Guinan.
|- Hello.
Somebody's birthday? Not unless it's yours.
It's for you.
What's the occasion? It's a thank-you.
|For giving me a kick in the butt.
Now, I didn't I did some research.
This is|the latest design, state of the art.
It is specifically designed|to cushion all vibrations, so you will never have|tennis elbow again.
Thank you, Doctor.
This looks like a great racket,|but I don't play tennis.
Never have.