Star Trek: The Next Generation s07e23 Episode Script
Emergence
Graves at my command Have waked their sleepers oped and let 'em forth By my so potent art.
But this rough magic I here abjure, and, when I have required Some heavenly music, which even now I do, To work mine end upon their senses that This airy charm is for, I'll break my staff, Bury it certain fathoms in the earth.
And deeper than did ever plummet sound, I'll Captain? Sir, your attention is wandering.
- Data, I can barely see you.
- But, sir.
I am supposed to be attempting a Neo-Platonic magical rite.
The darkness is appropriate for such a ritual.
But, Data, this is a play.
The audience has to see you.
Perhaps I have been too literal with my set design.
Computer, modify holodeck program Data 73.
Shakespeare's The Tempest, Act Five, Scene One.
Increase torch light by 20 percent.
There, that's better.
Do you want to try it again? Yes, sir.
Captain.
I am not certain I fully understand this Prospero character.
I would appreciate any insight you might have that would improve my performance.
Well, Data.
Shakespeare was witnessing the end of the Renaissance and the birth of the modern era.
Prospero finds himself in a world where his powers are no longer needed.
So, we see him here about to perform one final creative act before giving up his art forever.
There is certainly a tragic aspect to the character.
There's a certain expectancy, too.
A hopefulness about the future.
Shakespeare enjoyed mixing opposites.
The past and the future.
Hope and despair.
Data, what is it? Is this part of your program? No, sir.
What's going on? - It appears to be a locomotive.
- A train? - If I am not mistaken.
- Computer, end program.
Space, the final frontier.
These are the voyages of the Starship Enterprise.
Its continuing mission, to explore strange new worlds to seek out new life and new civilisations to boldly go where no one has gone before.
Captain.
- You are injured.
- Yes, I know.
It's alright.
I'll get it seen to, Data.
The train we encountered was from one of Dr Crusher's programs.
It was a recreation of the Orient Express, a train which travelled from Paris to Istanbul in the Yes, I know about the train.
But what is it doing on Prospero's island? There was a malfunction in the database retrieval program.
The two programs temporarily linked together.
Is it possible this will affect the other holodecks? It is a possibility.
I will run a full diagnostic.
Good.
Shut down the other holodecks until you're finished, - Just to be on the safe side.
- Aye, sir.
I never realised you were interested in trains.
Did you know that, at its peak, the Orient Express carried over 10,000 people a year? It isn't the train I'm interested in.
- What, then? - It's the experience.
The Orient Express is romantic, mysterious, an elegant way to see exotic places and meet fascinating people.
On one trip, both Sigmund Freud and Gertrude Stein were in the same car.
They had dinner together every night.
- I wonder what they talked about.
- Take a trip yourself and find out.
- Riker to Picard.
- Picard here.
All sections ready to begin the survey, sir.
Good.
I'm on my way.
Thank you.
Don't forget the trip.
Think about it.
You never know who you'll meet on the Orient Express.
Captain's log, stardate 47869.
2.
After weathering an unexpected magnascopic storm, we are continuing our search for new Federation colony sites.
There's no possibility of developing sites here.
Most of the stars are binaries.
There are no M-class planets.
Let's move on another survey region.
Have stellar cartography - Mr Data, report.
- The ship has moved into warp.
Who gave that command? Apparently, no one.
Helm and navigation controls are not functioning.
Our speed is warp 7.
3 and holding.
Picard to Engineering.
- Mr La Forge, what's going on? - I don't understand it.
The impulse system cut out and warp drive just kicked in.
- Can you take the engines off line? - I'm working on it.
- Mr Data, what's our heading? - Bearing 187, mark four, sir.
I cannot determine our destination, but we are moving away from the Mekorda sector.
Computer's locked out propulsion controls.
I can't access the overrides.
If you want to stop, I'll have to do an emergency core shutdown.
That would leave us without warp power for over a week.
Begin the procedure, Mr La Forge.
We are no longer at warp, sir.
Impulse power has resumed.
All systems show normal.
Where are we? We are 30 billion kilometres from our original position.
Well done, Mr La Forge.
It wasn't me.
I didn't have time to complete the shutdown procedure.
I want an explanation.
Picard out.
Have you found anything yet? Only that we seem to have more than one mystery here.
I don't know why the ship jumped into warp, but we're lucky that it did.
There was a data-flux distortion building up around the ship.
Why didn't our sensors alert us? They're not designed to detect such distortion.
And yet there is a record of the distortion in our sensor log.
That's the other mystery.
One fact is clear.
The distortion was growing in strength.
If we had remained at our position 1.
7 seconds longer, it would have ruptured our warp core.
If the Enterprise hadn't jumped into warp when it did, we would have been blown to pieces.
I don't get it, Data.
What would cause the engines to jump into warp? Perhaps they were activated by a random power fluctuation.
Which occurred just in time to save the ship? It is improbable but it is possible.
I don't know.
I don't think I'm ready to start believing in luck.
- There is another possibility.
- Yeah, what's that? The sensors apparently detected a dangerous anomaly that threatened the Enterprise.
Perhaps they triggered a safety device that caused the ship to avoid destruction.
Yeah, but there's no direct link between the engines and the sensors.
What is that? It looks like some kind of new circuit node.
And it's connected to at least six points on the sensor array.
It seems to be connected to several other systems, including the warp-control circuits.
There's a connection between the warp engines and sensors after all.
A force field.
Where did that come from? I am not certain.
Perhaps it came from the node itself.
Well, wherever it came from, it doesn't want us messing with this node.
It appears to be protecting itself.
We found these nodes in several systems around the ship.
At some level or another, they're all connected.
These nodes linked the sensors to our warp control and defensive systems.
We think this is why the ship jumped to warp.
When the sensors detected danger, the defensive systems activated the warp engines to protect us.
Where did the nodes come from? Possibly, the magnascopic storm we recently encountered affected the ship's systems.
Wherever they're from, they seem to be multiplying.
As they increase, it will become more difficult to control the ship.
What do you propose we do? Getting rid of them won't be easy.
When we tried to examine one of the nodes, it generated a force field to keep us out.
Whatever's going on, our priority is getting back control of the ship.
Agreed.
All of the nodal connections intersect in holodeck three.
It appears to be a focal point of some kind.
We could use the holodeck circuitry to disable the nodes permanently.
Alright.
Let's do it.
Commander, the holodeck appears to be in operation.
I thought you shut down the entire system.
I did, but it has reactivated itself and will not disengage.
Which program is running? Several different ones are running simultaneously.
This should be interesting.
- You weren't kidding, Mr Data.
- No, sir.
I estimate that this scene consists of portions of seven distinct holodeck programs.
See if you can access the circuits that have been affected by the nodes.
Tickets, please.
Please have your tickets ready.
Thank you, sir.
Thank you, madam.
Tickets, please.
I never even been away from home.
Now I'm going to Vertiform City.
Very nice, sir.
Enjoy your trip.
Tickets, please.
Tickets.
Thank you, sir.
Commander.
I have located a large concentration of nodes behind this wall They appear to be connected to the holodeck's main power coupling.
Depolarise the entire power grid.
It is located below this deck, sir.
Get away from there.
Would you gentlemen show me your tickets? I believe we left our tickets in our compartments.
- Mr Worf, I told you to bring them.
- I forgot.
I don't think you folks belong on this train.
Hold it.
You leave these people alone.
They're only trying to help.
You go back to the engine.
This doesn't concern you.
They're all trying to hijack the train.
If you're the engineer, who's doing the driving? I am.
Easy, sir.
Easy.
I've got you.
I'm alright.
Thanks.
It looks like the navigational relay has overloaded.
Geordi, what's going on? We just went into warp.
We've lost engine and helm control again.
This time, they're completely burnt out.
I don't know if we can stop the ship.
I believe we have changed direction.
Now we're on the right track.
Ladies and gentlemen, we are on our way.
I was right.
He was trying to make off with my brick.
Take good care of that.
We can't afford to lose it.
Now, are you people gonna leave, or do we have to throw you off? Commander.
My tricorder says the holodeck safeties have been disengaged.
His weapon could be lethal.
Alright.
Let's get out of here.
The number of systems affected by the nodes has increased considerably.
Sensors, engines, replicators, propulsion, they're working together, almost independently of the computer.
And the nodes link them all through the holodeck.
Why the holodeck? It doesn't make sense.
I believe what happens on the holodeck directly affects the ship.
When we tried to destroy the nodes, the characters on the train responded immediately to stop us.
When the engineer tried to protect us, one of the characters shot him.
Then the conductor signalled the train to change direction - And at the same time - The Enterprise changed direction.
The ship is under the control of the holodeck? Not precisely.
Geordi, does the configuration of connection nodes look familiar? Yeah! It looks a little like the structure of your positronic brain.
Correct.
The nodes are in the process of creating a rudimentary neural net.
Data, what are you suggesting? Unlikely as it may sound, I believe the Enterprise may be forming an intelligence.
This is a synaptic map of the human neo-cortex, this is a cross section of my positronic net.
This is a schematic of the connection nodes linking the ship's systems.
I believe some sort of neural matrix is forming on the ship.
It is relatively primitive, but still an intelligence.
How could that happen? - It is an emergent property.
- Explain.
Complex systems can behave in ways that are entirely unpredictable.
The human brain, for example, might be described in terms of cellular functions and neurochemical interactions.
But that description does not explain human consciousness, a capacity that far exceeds simple neural functions.
Consciousness is an emergent property.
Something that's more than the sum of its parts.
Exactly.
How does that explain what's happening? The Enterprise contains a vast database of information managed by a sophisticated computer.
This complex system gives the ship many characteristics of a biological organism.
True.
It sees with sensors and talks with communications systems.
In a sense it almost reproduces with the replicators.
And you think the ship is developing a new capacity? Yes, sir.
I think a self-determining intelligence is emerging.
If that is so, what does the ship want? Where is it taking us? The key to understanding the ship's behaviour is in the holodeck.
All the nodes intersect there.
It is clearly the processing centre.
- Processing centre? - Yes, sir.
A focal point where the ideas and instincts of this intelligence are first expressed in some form.
Almost like an imagination.
Captain, I'd like to go to the holodeck.
I could interact with the characters, maybe find clues to help us understand what's happening.
Very well.
Mr Data, Mr Worf, go along.
Try to re-establish control of the ship without damaging the nodes.
If the ship is truly an emerging intelligence, then we have a responsibility to treat it with the same respect as any other being.
Welcome aboard, Counsellor.
If you distract these people, I will try to depolarise the power grid.
Excuse me.
Have you finished the puzzle yet? Not yet, but we're getting close.
Do you recognise it? No.
I would like to help.
Tell me, what exactly are you making? What do you think we're making? A puzzle.
No.
I meant the picture.
What is it? Well, I don't know.
- Can you deal me in? - Sorry.
It's a two-man game.
Get your hand off that.
Is that why you killed the engineer? To get this brick? I had to get it back.
You know what it's worth, lady? Plenty.
And I gotta get it to Keystone City.
- Why, what's Keystone City? - It's where everything begins.
Gin.
Are you succeeding, Commander? I am ready to access the main power grid.
Keystone City, next stop.
Keystone City.
Well, look who's back.
We do not want any trouble.
We are simply passengers.
Then I'm sure you wouldn't mind showing me your tickets.
Right, sorry, boys.
You're getting off right here.
This is my stop.
What happens at Keystone City? Why are you taking the brick there? Excuse me.
We should follow that man.
The brick might be an important clue.
Where did he go? I can access the power grid here.
I will try to depolarise the grid with a low-frequency inversion field.
It may disengage the nodes without destroying them.
There he is.
I'm going after him.
What are you doing here? Laying the foundation.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I got a train to catch.
All of a sudden, cargo bay five started to depressurise.
Did everyone get out? Yes, sir.
But I'm reading massive power surges in the cargo bay, and lots of transporter activity.
Something weird is happening there.
Send a team down there immediately.
Find out what's going on.
- La Forge to bridge.
- Picard here.
What's going on? I wish I could tell you.
That man said he was laying a foundation.
Foundation for what? - Troi to Data.
- Data here.
How are you doing? I encountered a minor difficulty, but it has been dealt with.
I am ready to depolarise the power grid.
It looks like the ship's replicator and transporter systems have been merged somehow to create this.
The question is, what is it? Ensign, I want you to run a full spectral analysis on this I'm reading massive power fluctuations.
The ship is losing its structural integrity.
What's happening? It's an earthquake.
La Forge to Data.
Stop what you're doing.
Acknowledged.
- Are you alright? - I'm fine.
Data, we ought to get together and compare notes.
Agreed.
The ship was protecting itself again.
Stopping us from interfering.
Whatever it's doing, it intends to continue.
This must have something to do with that object in the cargo bay.
He's right.
Look at the common themes playing out on the holodeck.
A puzzle being put together, a foundation being laid, a paper doll being fashioned.
They're all images of something being constructed.
And some kind of object in the cargo bay that's being constructed atom by atom.
What is that object? I've no idea, but it's composed of silica polymers, duranium and other compounds we haven't identified yet.
But creating it has had an effect on our systems.
Warp power has dropped 47 percent.
Did you draw any other conclusions from your experiences on the holodeck? Anything that would help us understand this situation? The holodeck was full of metaphoric imagery, like it was having some kind of daydream.
It may not make literal sense, but symbolically, it probably has some kind of logic to it.
These characters you spoke to, do they have any significance? I think they represent different aspects of the ship.
The engineer may represent the navigation system, the gunslinger could be the weapons system.
Could we persuade them to give us back control of the ship? I don't think it's possible to reason with them.
Many of them are genuinely unaware of what's going on.
This emergent intelligence seems like an infant acting on impulse, trying to figure itself out as it goes.
The only source of experience it can draw on is ours, through our holodeck programs.
Could we relate to them on their own level, find some way to influence their behaviour? Maybe there is.
I'd like to go back and try.
Counsellor, we haven't re-established the safeties.
The injuries you suffered on the holodeck weren't severe, but next time they might kill you.
I'm aware of that.
Very well, Counsellor, go ahead.
But bear in mind, whenever we have tried to hinder their efforts, we've failed.
Perhaps it's time to cooperate with them.
You don't belong on this train.
Three tickets for Vertiform City.
Well, I guess I was wrong about you folks.
Welcome aboard.
- What was that? - We've been having some problems.
The engine is running out of steam.
I hope we make it to Vertiform City on time.
Is there anything we can do to help? I could use a pair of strong arms in the engine room.
Might help us get back on schedule.
Why don't you go with him, Worf? We'll see what we can do here.
Excuse me.
Are we gonna get there OK? Of course, you needn't worry about a thing.
So, tell me everything you know about Vertiform City.
Well, they got this restaurant there where you can eat all you want.
It's the best food around.
There's the coal and there's the boiler.
I'm much obliged for your help.
Well done, sir.
I think this'll make a big difference.
I don't know how or why, sir, but warp power is back to normal.
What's our heading? We appear to be on a course for Tambor Beta VI, a white dwarf star.
Keep it steady.
Put your back into it.
That's the ticket.
The ship is using a tractor beam to collect vertion particles from the star.
Vertion particles? Vertiform City.
That's what the ship was looking for.
The particles are being routed into cargo bay five.
Geordi, what's going on? The object is absorbing vertion particles.
It's growing even faster than before.
Commander, I'm picking up internal energy from this thing.
What do you mean? I mean it's generating its own energy.
I'm picking up coherent emissions, matter conversion.
It's incredible.
Wait a minute.
Something's wrong.
We've got power fluctuations.
Vertion absorption rate is dropping.
What's happening with the particle beam? The beam's exhausted the particles from the star.
There's nothing left.
Captain, energy output of the object is decreasing.
Something's wrong.
What is it? This was supposed to be Vertiform City.
We've been on the wrong track all along.
- Are you alright? - Yes.
What happened? - The conductor derailed the train.
- Data to Capt Picard.
Picard here.
There's been an accident here.
Has anything happened to you? Yes, we've had a ship-wide shutdown.
Most systems are off line.
Captain, you'd better take a look at this.
When the particle beam cut off, the object was beginning to form a coherent energy matrix.
If these are accurate, the emission patterns were almost organic.
You're saying the ship is trying to create a life form? - I think so.
- Will it survive? Its energy levels are dropping.
Unless it gets an infusion of vertion particles soon, I don't think so.
All systems are back on line.
We're moving again, at warp nine.
Let's get back to the bridge.
That was a close one, wasn't it? - Where are we going now? - New Vertiform City, of course.
- Data to Captain.
- Picard here.
The train is back to normal.
Our destination is New Vertiform City.
- What's our course? - The Cordannas system.
- Another white dwarf star.
- It's the nearest one.
Captain, we have a problem.
Even at warp nine, the Cordannas system is over 12 hours from here.
- Will the object survive that long? - Yes, but that's not the problem.
The ship has diverted all systems to propulsion, including life-support.
We have less than two hours of reserve oxygen.
Mr Data, we must stop the Enterprise.
You have to get control of the train.
Understood.
The ship is looking for vertion particles.
It believes Cordannas is the closest source.
Might there be anything closer? White dwarf stars are the only natural source, sir.
Then what about artificial ones? Can you create the particles? - How did he stop the train? - There's a brake in the engine room.
- Let's go.
- Sorry, folks You ain't going nowhere.
I've narrowed it down to the MacPherson Nebula, a supernova remnant, and Dikon Alpha, a class-nine pulsar.
Either one could produce vertion particles if we detonated a modified torpedo inside it.
Vertions usually occur in minuscule amounts.
Could these produce enough? It's hard to say.
I can't guarantee that we can create them at all.
We've got to try.
The nebula or the pulsar.
It's your choice.
- I say go with the nebula.
- Very well.
Begin the torpedo modifications.
Now let's see if we can get the ship to go where we want.
Please listen to me.
We understand what's happening.
We know you have to get to New Vertiform City, and we want to help.
Well, I don't know.
- Please, we're your friends.
- You're really gonna help us? I promise.
OK.
But just one of you.
The rest stay here.
- That's far enough.
- Sorry to spoil your party, pal.
I can get us there more quickly.
I know a shorter route.
Don't listen.
He's up to something.
- A shorter route? - Yes, if I can handle the controls.
Don't do it.
Well, we're already behind schedule.
If you can get us there on time Alright, go on, but no funny stuff.
Data to Capt Picard.
I have taken control of the train.
Stand by.
Are we within sensor range of the nebula? Yes, Captain, we are.
Mr Data, slow us to impulse speed.
I will attempt to do so.
I hope you know what you're doing.
Are the modifications to the torpedoes complete? - Aye, sir.
- Launch torpedo.
It's working, Captain.
The reaction is producing vertion particles.
Well, what do know? We're here! New Vertiform City.
The nodes are deactivating.
All our systems are functioning normally.
The purpose of the ship's intelligence was simply to bring this life form into being.
There are some species whose sole purpose is to reproduce.
Once they procreate, they die.
Captain.
Captain's log, supplemental.
The Enterprise is back under our control.
All traces of the emergent intelligence are gone, and the object it created has disappeared into space.
Come.
Captain, I am staging a scene from The Tempest tonight for a small audience.
- I would like you to attend.
- I'd be honoured.
What scene? Miranda's first encounter with other human beings.
"O brave new world, That has such people in't.
" It seemed appropriate.
Captain, you took a substantial risk in allowing the Enterprise to complete its task.
Why do you say that? Because the end result was unknown.
The object could have been dangerous.
It may in fact be dangerous.
And I have allowed it to go off on its merry way.
Yes, sir.
The intelligence that was formed didn't just come out of the ship's systems.
It came from us.
Our mission records, personal logs, holodeck programs, our fantasies.
If our experiences with the Enterprise have been honourable, can't we trust that the sum of those experiences will be the same?
But this rough magic I here abjure, and, when I have required Some heavenly music, which even now I do, To work mine end upon their senses that This airy charm is for, I'll break my staff, Bury it certain fathoms in the earth.
And deeper than did ever plummet sound, I'll Captain? Sir, your attention is wandering.
- Data, I can barely see you.
- But, sir.
I am supposed to be attempting a Neo-Platonic magical rite.
The darkness is appropriate for such a ritual.
But, Data, this is a play.
The audience has to see you.
Perhaps I have been too literal with my set design.
Computer, modify holodeck program Data 73.
Shakespeare's The Tempest, Act Five, Scene One.
Increase torch light by 20 percent.
There, that's better.
Do you want to try it again? Yes, sir.
Captain.
I am not certain I fully understand this Prospero character.
I would appreciate any insight you might have that would improve my performance.
Well, Data.
Shakespeare was witnessing the end of the Renaissance and the birth of the modern era.
Prospero finds himself in a world where his powers are no longer needed.
So, we see him here about to perform one final creative act before giving up his art forever.
There is certainly a tragic aspect to the character.
There's a certain expectancy, too.
A hopefulness about the future.
Shakespeare enjoyed mixing opposites.
The past and the future.
Hope and despair.
Data, what is it? Is this part of your program? No, sir.
What's going on? - It appears to be a locomotive.
- A train? - If I am not mistaken.
- Computer, end program.
Space, the final frontier.
These are the voyages of the Starship Enterprise.
Its continuing mission, to explore strange new worlds to seek out new life and new civilisations to boldly go where no one has gone before.
Captain.
- You are injured.
- Yes, I know.
It's alright.
I'll get it seen to, Data.
The train we encountered was from one of Dr Crusher's programs.
It was a recreation of the Orient Express, a train which travelled from Paris to Istanbul in the Yes, I know about the train.
But what is it doing on Prospero's island? There was a malfunction in the database retrieval program.
The two programs temporarily linked together.
Is it possible this will affect the other holodecks? It is a possibility.
I will run a full diagnostic.
Good.
Shut down the other holodecks until you're finished, - Just to be on the safe side.
- Aye, sir.
I never realised you were interested in trains.
Did you know that, at its peak, the Orient Express carried over 10,000 people a year? It isn't the train I'm interested in.
- What, then? - It's the experience.
The Orient Express is romantic, mysterious, an elegant way to see exotic places and meet fascinating people.
On one trip, both Sigmund Freud and Gertrude Stein were in the same car.
They had dinner together every night.
- I wonder what they talked about.
- Take a trip yourself and find out.
- Riker to Picard.
- Picard here.
All sections ready to begin the survey, sir.
Good.
I'm on my way.
Thank you.
Don't forget the trip.
Think about it.
You never know who you'll meet on the Orient Express.
Captain's log, stardate 47869.
2.
After weathering an unexpected magnascopic storm, we are continuing our search for new Federation colony sites.
There's no possibility of developing sites here.
Most of the stars are binaries.
There are no M-class planets.
Let's move on another survey region.
Have stellar cartography - Mr Data, report.
- The ship has moved into warp.
Who gave that command? Apparently, no one.
Helm and navigation controls are not functioning.
Our speed is warp 7.
3 and holding.
Picard to Engineering.
- Mr La Forge, what's going on? - I don't understand it.
The impulse system cut out and warp drive just kicked in.
- Can you take the engines off line? - I'm working on it.
- Mr Data, what's our heading? - Bearing 187, mark four, sir.
I cannot determine our destination, but we are moving away from the Mekorda sector.
Computer's locked out propulsion controls.
I can't access the overrides.
If you want to stop, I'll have to do an emergency core shutdown.
That would leave us without warp power for over a week.
Begin the procedure, Mr La Forge.
We are no longer at warp, sir.
Impulse power has resumed.
All systems show normal.
Where are we? We are 30 billion kilometres from our original position.
Well done, Mr La Forge.
It wasn't me.
I didn't have time to complete the shutdown procedure.
I want an explanation.
Picard out.
Have you found anything yet? Only that we seem to have more than one mystery here.
I don't know why the ship jumped into warp, but we're lucky that it did.
There was a data-flux distortion building up around the ship.
Why didn't our sensors alert us? They're not designed to detect such distortion.
And yet there is a record of the distortion in our sensor log.
That's the other mystery.
One fact is clear.
The distortion was growing in strength.
If we had remained at our position 1.
7 seconds longer, it would have ruptured our warp core.
If the Enterprise hadn't jumped into warp when it did, we would have been blown to pieces.
I don't get it, Data.
What would cause the engines to jump into warp? Perhaps they were activated by a random power fluctuation.
Which occurred just in time to save the ship? It is improbable but it is possible.
I don't know.
I don't think I'm ready to start believing in luck.
- There is another possibility.
- Yeah, what's that? The sensors apparently detected a dangerous anomaly that threatened the Enterprise.
Perhaps they triggered a safety device that caused the ship to avoid destruction.
Yeah, but there's no direct link between the engines and the sensors.
What is that? It looks like some kind of new circuit node.
And it's connected to at least six points on the sensor array.
It seems to be connected to several other systems, including the warp-control circuits.
There's a connection between the warp engines and sensors after all.
A force field.
Where did that come from? I am not certain.
Perhaps it came from the node itself.
Well, wherever it came from, it doesn't want us messing with this node.
It appears to be protecting itself.
We found these nodes in several systems around the ship.
At some level or another, they're all connected.
These nodes linked the sensors to our warp control and defensive systems.
We think this is why the ship jumped to warp.
When the sensors detected danger, the defensive systems activated the warp engines to protect us.
Where did the nodes come from? Possibly, the magnascopic storm we recently encountered affected the ship's systems.
Wherever they're from, they seem to be multiplying.
As they increase, it will become more difficult to control the ship.
What do you propose we do? Getting rid of them won't be easy.
When we tried to examine one of the nodes, it generated a force field to keep us out.
Whatever's going on, our priority is getting back control of the ship.
Agreed.
All of the nodal connections intersect in holodeck three.
It appears to be a focal point of some kind.
We could use the holodeck circuitry to disable the nodes permanently.
Alright.
Let's do it.
Commander, the holodeck appears to be in operation.
I thought you shut down the entire system.
I did, but it has reactivated itself and will not disengage.
Which program is running? Several different ones are running simultaneously.
This should be interesting.
- You weren't kidding, Mr Data.
- No, sir.
I estimate that this scene consists of portions of seven distinct holodeck programs.
See if you can access the circuits that have been affected by the nodes.
Tickets, please.
Please have your tickets ready.
Thank you, sir.
Thank you, madam.
Tickets, please.
I never even been away from home.
Now I'm going to Vertiform City.
Very nice, sir.
Enjoy your trip.
Tickets, please.
Tickets.
Thank you, sir.
Commander.
I have located a large concentration of nodes behind this wall They appear to be connected to the holodeck's main power coupling.
Depolarise the entire power grid.
It is located below this deck, sir.
Get away from there.
Would you gentlemen show me your tickets? I believe we left our tickets in our compartments.
- Mr Worf, I told you to bring them.
- I forgot.
I don't think you folks belong on this train.
Hold it.
You leave these people alone.
They're only trying to help.
You go back to the engine.
This doesn't concern you.
They're all trying to hijack the train.
If you're the engineer, who's doing the driving? I am.
Easy, sir.
Easy.
I've got you.
I'm alright.
Thanks.
It looks like the navigational relay has overloaded.
Geordi, what's going on? We just went into warp.
We've lost engine and helm control again.
This time, they're completely burnt out.
I don't know if we can stop the ship.
I believe we have changed direction.
Now we're on the right track.
Ladies and gentlemen, we are on our way.
I was right.
He was trying to make off with my brick.
Take good care of that.
We can't afford to lose it.
Now, are you people gonna leave, or do we have to throw you off? Commander.
My tricorder says the holodeck safeties have been disengaged.
His weapon could be lethal.
Alright.
Let's get out of here.
The number of systems affected by the nodes has increased considerably.
Sensors, engines, replicators, propulsion, they're working together, almost independently of the computer.
And the nodes link them all through the holodeck.
Why the holodeck? It doesn't make sense.
I believe what happens on the holodeck directly affects the ship.
When we tried to destroy the nodes, the characters on the train responded immediately to stop us.
When the engineer tried to protect us, one of the characters shot him.
Then the conductor signalled the train to change direction - And at the same time - The Enterprise changed direction.
The ship is under the control of the holodeck? Not precisely.
Geordi, does the configuration of connection nodes look familiar? Yeah! It looks a little like the structure of your positronic brain.
Correct.
The nodes are in the process of creating a rudimentary neural net.
Data, what are you suggesting? Unlikely as it may sound, I believe the Enterprise may be forming an intelligence.
This is a synaptic map of the human neo-cortex, this is a cross section of my positronic net.
This is a schematic of the connection nodes linking the ship's systems.
I believe some sort of neural matrix is forming on the ship.
It is relatively primitive, but still an intelligence.
How could that happen? - It is an emergent property.
- Explain.
Complex systems can behave in ways that are entirely unpredictable.
The human brain, for example, might be described in terms of cellular functions and neurochemical interactions.
But that description does not explain human consciousness, a capacity that far exceeds simple neural functions.
Consciousness is an emergent property.
Something that's more than the sum of its parts.
Exactly.
How does that explain what's happening? The Enterprise contains a vast database of information managed by a sophisticated computer.
This complex system gives the ship many characteristics of a biological organism.
True.
It sees with sensors and talks with communications systems.
In a sense it almost reproduces with the replicators.
And you think the ship is developing a new capacity? Yes, sir.
I think a self-determining intelligence is emerging.
If that is so, what does the ship want? Where is it taking us? The key to understanding the ship's behaviour is in the holodeck.
All the nodes intersect there.
It is clearly the processing centre.
- Processing centre? - Yes, sir.
A focal point where the ideas and instincts of this intelligence are first expressed in some form.
Almost like an imagination.
Captain, I'd like to go to the holodeck.
I could interact with the characters, maybe find clues to help us understand what's happening.
Very well.
Mr Data, Mr Worf, go along.
Try to re-establish control of the ship without damaging the nodes.
If the ship is truly an emerging intelligence, then we have a responsibility to treat it with the same respect as any other being.
Welcome aboard, Counsellor.
If you distract these people, I will try to depolarise the power grid.
Excuse me.
Have you finished the puzzle yet? Not yet, but we're getting close.
Do you recognise it? No.
I would like to help.
Tell me, what exactly are you making? What do you think we're making? A puzzle.
No.
I meant the picture.
What is it? Well, I don't know.
- Can you deal me in? - Sorry.
It's a two-man game.
Get your hand off that.
Is that why you killed the engineer? To get this brick? I had to get it back.
You know what it's worth, lady? Plenty.
And I gotta get it to Keystone City.
- Why, what's Keystone City? - It's where everything begins.
Gin.
Are you succeeding, Commander? I am ready to access the main power grid.
Keystone City, next stop.
Keystone City.
Well, look who's back.
We do not want any trouble.
We are simply passengers.
Then I'm sure you wouldn't mind showing me your tickets.
Right, sorry, boys.
You're getting off right here.
This is my stop.
What happens at Keystone City? Why are you taking the brick there? Excuse me.
We should follow that man.
The brick might be an important clue.
Where did he go? I can access the power grid here.
I will try to depolarise the grid with a low-frequency inversion field.
It may disengage the nodes without destroying them.
There he is.
I'm going after him.
What are you doing here? Laying the foundation.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I got a train to catch.
All of a sudden, cargo bay five started to depressurise.
Did everyone get out? Yes, sir.
But I'm reading massive power surges in the cargo bay, and lots of transporter activity.
Something weird is happening there.
Send a team down there immediately.
Find out what's going on.
- La Forge to bridge.
- Picard here.
What's going on? I wish I could tell you.
That man said he was laying a foundation.
Foundation for what? - Troi to Data.
- Data here.
How are you doing? I encountered a minor difficulty, but it has been dealt with.
I am ready to depolarise the power grid.
It looks like the ship's replicator and transporter systems have been merged somehow to create this.
The question is, what is it? Ensign, I want you to run a full spectral analysis on this I'm reading massive power fluctuations.
The ship is losing its structural integrity.
What's happening? It's an earthquake.
La Forge to Data.
Stop what you're doing.
Acknowledged.
- Are you alright? - I'm fine.
Data, we ought to get together and compare notes.
Agreed.
The ship was protecting itself again.
Stopping us from interfering.
Whatever it's doing, it intends to continue.
This must have something to do with that object in the cargo bay.
He's right.
Look at the common themes playing out on the holodeck.
A puzzle being put together, a foundation being laid, a paper doll being fashioned.
They're all images of something being constructed.
And some kind of object in the cargo bay that's being constructed atom by atom.
What is that object? I've no idea, but it's composed of silica polymers, duranium and other compounds we haven't identified yet.
But creating it has had an effect on our systems.
Warp power has dropped 47 percent.
Did you draw any other conclusions from your experiences on the holodeck? Anything that would help us understand this situation? The holodeck was full of metaphoric imagery, like it was having some kind of daydream.
It may not make literal sense, but symbolically, it probably has some kind of logic to it.
These characters you spoke to, do they have any significance? I think they represent different aspects of the ship.
The engineer may represent the navigation system, the gunslinger could be the weapons system.
Could we persuade them to give us back control of the ship? I don't think it's possible to reason with them.
Many of them are genuinely unaware of what's going on.
This emergent intelligence seems like an infant acting on impulse, trying to figure itself out as it goes.
The only source of experience it can draw on is ours, through our holodeck programs.
Could we relate to them on their own level, find some way to influence their behaviour? Maybe there is.
I'd like to go back and try.
Counsellor, we haven't re-established the safeties.
The injuries you suffered on the holodeck weren't severe, but next time they might kill you.
I'm aware of that.
Very well, Counsellor, go ahead.
But bear in mind, whenever we have tried to hinder their efforts, we've failed.
Perhaps it's time to cooperate with them.
You don't belong on this train.
Three tickets for Vertiform City.
Well, I guess I was wrong about you folks.
Welcome aboard.
- What was that? - We've been having some problems.
The engine is running out of steam.
I hope we make it to Vertiform City on time.
Is there anything we can do to help? I could use a pair of strong arms in the engine room.
Might help us get back on schedule.
Why don't you go with him, Worf? We'll see what we can do here.
Excuse me.
Are we gonna get there OK? Of course, you needn't worry about a thing.
So, tell me everything you know about Vertiform City.
Well, they got this restaurant there where you can eat all you want.
It's the best food around.
There's the coal and there's the boiler.
I'm much obliged for your help.
Well done, sir.
I think this'll make a big difference.
I don't know how or why, sir, but warp power is back to normal.
What's our heading? We appear to be on a course for Tambor Beta VI, a white dwarf star.
Keep it steady.
Put your back into it.
That's the ticket.
The ship is using a tractor beam to collect vertion particles from the star.
Vertion particles? Vertiform City.
That's what the ship was looking for.
The particles are being routed into cargo bay five.
Geordi, what's going on? The object is absorbing vertion particles.
It's growing even faster than before.
Commander, I'm picking up internal energy from this thing.
What do you mean? I mean it's generating its own energy.
I'm picking up coherent emissions, matter conversion.
It's incredible.
Wait a minute.
Something's wrong.
We've got power fluctuations.
Vertion absorption rate is dropping.
What's happening with the particle beam? The beam's exhausted the particles from the star.
There's nothing left.
Captain, energy output of the object is decreasing.
Something's wrong.
What is it? This was supposed to be Vertiform City.
We've been on the wrong track all along.
- Are you alright? - Yes.
What happened? - The conductor derailed the train.
- Data to Capt Picard.
Picard here.
There's been an accident here.
Has anything happened to you? Yes, we've had a ship-wide shutdown.
Most systems are off line.
Captain, you'd better take a look at this.
When the particle beam cut off, the object was beginning to form a coherent energy matrix.
If these are accurate, the emission patterns were almost organic.
You're saying the ship is trying to create a life form? - I think so.
- Will it survive? Its energy levels are dropping.
Unless it gets an infusion of vertion particles soon, I don't think so.
All systems are back on line.
We're moving again, at warp nine.
Let's get back to the bridge.
That was a close one, wasn't it? - Where are we going now? - New Vertiform City, of course.
- Data to Captain.
- Picard here.
The train is back to normal.
Our destination is New Vertiform City.
- What's our course? - The Cordannas system.
- Another white dwarf star.
- It's the nearest one.
Captain, we have a problem.
Even at warp nine, the Cordannas system is over 12 hours from here.
- Will the object survive that long? - Yes, but that's not the problem.
The ship has diverted all systems to propulsion, including life-support.
We have less than two hours of reserve oxygen.
Mr Data, we must stop the Enterprise.
You have to get control of the train.
Understood.
The ship is looking for vertion particles.
It believes Cordannas is the closest source.
Might there be anything closer? White dwarf stars are the only natural source, sir.
Then what about artificial ones? Can you create the particles? - How did he stop the train? - There's a brake in the engine room.
- Let's go.
- Sorry, folks You ain't going nowhere.
I've narrowed it down to the MacPherson Nebula, a supernova remnant, and Dikon Alpha, a class-nine pulsar.
Either one could produce vertion particles if we detonated a modified torpedo inside it.
Vertions usually occur in minuscule amounts.
Could these produce enough? It's hard to say.
I can't guarantee that we can create them at all.
We've got to try.
The nebula or the pulsar.
It's your choice.
- I say go with the nebula.
- Very well.
Begin the torpedo modifications.
Now let's see if we can get the ship to go where we want.
Please listen to me.
We understand what's happening.
We know you have to get to New Vertiform City, and we want to help.
Well, I don't know.
- Please, we're your friends.
- You're really gonna help us? I promise.
OK.
But just one of you.
The rest stay here.
- That's far enough.
- Sorry to spoil your party, pal.
I can get us there more quickly.
I know a shorter route.
Don't listen.
He's up to something.
- A shorter route? - Yes, if I can handle the controls.
Don't do it.
Well, we're already behind schedule.
If you can get us there on time Alright, go on, but no funny stuff.
Data to Capt Picard.
I have taken control of the train.
Stand by.
Are we within sensor range of the nebula? Yes, Captain, we are.
Mr Data, slow us to impulse speed.
I will attempt to do so.
I hope you know what you're doing.
Are the modifications to the torpedoes complete? - Aye, sir.
- Launch torpedo.
It's working, Captain.
The reaction is producing vertion particles.
Well, what do know? We're here! New Vertiform City.
The nodes are deactivating.
All our systems are functioning normally.
The purpose of the ship's intelligence was simply to bring this life form into being.
There are some species whose sole purpose is to reproduce.
Once they procreate, they die.
Captain.
Captain's log, supplemental.
The Enterprise is back under our control.
All traces of the emergent intelligence are gone, and the object it created has disappeared into space.
Come.
Captain, I am staging a scene from The Tempest tonight for a small audience.
- I would like you to attend.
- I'd be honoured.
What scene? Miranda's first encounter with other human beings.
"O brave new world, That has such people in't.
" It seemed appropriate.
Captain, you took a substantial risk in allowing the Enterprise to complete its task.
Why do you say that? Because the end result was unknown.
The object could have been dangerous.
It may in fact be dangerous.
And I have allowed it to go off on its merry way.
Yes, sir.
The intelligence that was formed didn't just come out of the ship's systems.
It came from us.
Our mission records, personal logs, holodeck programs, our fantasies.
If our experiences with the Enterprise have been honourable, can't we trust that the sum of those experiences will be the same?