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Screenplay by
Michael Pillar & Rick Berman
REV. FINAL DRAFT
March 12, 1998
FADE IN:
1 TALL GRASS BLOWING GENTLY IN A BREEZE - DAY - (OPTICAL) 1
The sound of children playing, running through the
grass... as one boy (ARTIM, 12) pokes his head out, we
see by his facial skin pattern that he's an alien... his
cloths are simple, homespun. As other alien children
pursue him in a game of tag into the rocky foothills, we
BOOM UP to reveal a breathtaking view of a rural
community along a vast sparkling lake... mountains rising
in the background...some odd-like livestock graze
on the hillside...
2 A FARM - LONG SHOT 2
A woman uses a bike pump to get well water...a man works
the soil in his fields, wipes his brow, waving to --
3 A WOMAN (ANIJ, 38) 3
whose beauty immediately captivates us as she strolls
past the farm, the wind barely jostling her close cut
curly hair. She takes us to a busy outdoor farmers
market at the edge of a hand-constructed village set
against a natural rock face barrier. These are the Ba'ku
people and from the opening shots we can feel the simple
charms of this beautiful place... and who would blame us
for wanting to be there, to escape a life like this...
where people seem to have all the time in the world... to
chat with neighbors, taste a piece of fresh fruit and
enjoy the day... Anij nods hello to people including
SOJEF (male, 42), the community leader... she smiles as a
vendor slices a piece of fruit for her...
4 NEW ANGLE - ANIJ - (OPTICAL) 4
From the point of view of the rock face behind the
village. Although we may not realize it yet, we are
watching through a window now... slightly discolored,
pulling back to see a mysterious figure in an isolation
suit standing incongruously beside her, his suit glowing
with a green force field. None of the Ba'ku are aware of
him as he takes readings with a sophisticated sensor
device built into his suit. Now our pullback reveals
we're inside a duck blind. Low lighting levels. A bi-
level gallery of Starfleet officers and members of an
alien race (the Son'a) observe the peaceful village scene
like sportswriters at the ballpark...
5-9 VARIOUS ANGLES 5-9
as they enter data into their computers. Supernumeraries
move in and out of the main viewing room with PADDS...
10 ANGLE TO INCLUDE THE FULL WINDOW (OPTICAL) 10
Outside, several other cloaked figures move among the
unknowing Ba'ku...
11 ANGLE - THE RANKING SON'A OFFICER (GALLATIN, 60) 11
(OPTICAL)
Inside the duck blind. Like all Son'a, his face is
stretched like a rubber band about to snap...they look
like victims of three too many cosmetic surgeries. He
studies a PADD from a supernumerary...
GALLATIN
Admiral Dougherty is waiting for
this. Transmit it to the ship.
Suddenly a communications crackle on loudspeakers...
MALE SON'A COM VOICE
Alert, area twelve...!
Now the sound of a weapon blast... turmoil...As the
blast echoes through the hills, the Ba'ku outside the
window react, turn their heads toward the sound...
MALE SON'A COM VOICE
(distressed)
... the android has...
It crackles off... Gallatin moves to a companel...
LIEUTENANT
Data, report to base immediately.
DATA'S COM VOICE
Transferring... positronic...
matrix functions... engaging...
secondary protocols...
The running man starts pulling at his headgear.
STARFLEET OFFICER #1
He's trying to remove the
headpiece...
GALLATIN
All field units. Intercept the
android.
12 OMITTED 12
THRU THRU
15 15
16 ANGLE - THROUGH WINDOW - (OPTICAL) 16
as all the men in suits converge on the running man...
but with superhuman strength, he tosses them aside with
ease... Meanwhile Ba'ku people, unaware of the fight,
greet their children back, happy they're safe...
17 EXT. MARKET - CONTINUOUS (OPTICAL) - ANGLE ON ARTIM 17
as he moves to Sojef, his father...
SOJEF
It must have been some kind of
odd electrical storm...
But as Sojef speaks, Artim turns to see the floating head
of Data DECLOAKING in mid-air barely a yard away as he
removes his helmet... the boy yells... jumps back,
falling as Data makes eye contact with him. The Ba'ku
scatter... Sojef pulls the boy away to safety...
DATA
Secondary protocols... active.
We notice a slashing burn wound on Data's neck as he
fights off an invisible force again... we hear a ripping
crunch and a green force field sputters briefly -- a Son'a
man in a torn isolation suit partially DECLOAKS as he is
slammed to the ground, unconscious. Data rips off the
rest of his suit revealing himself, picks up a weapon
from the unconscious Son'a, aims it at the rock face...
18 INT. DUCK BLIND - (OPTICAL) 18
The observers dive for cover as he points the weapon this
way. But Data fires it to the left of the window...
19 EXT. ROCK FACE - (OPTICAL) 19
And then fires again to the right... and again above...
each hit knocking out generators...
finally the rock face shimmers, like a computer image
breaking up, and disappears revealing the high-tech
stations behind it...
20 ANGLE (OPTICAL) 20
All the invisible men in suits DECLOAK in the village.
21 THROUGH THE DUCK BLIND WINDOW 21
The scientists begin to poke their heads up from the
floor... exposed to the world outside...
22 THE BA'KU IN HIDING PLACES 22
including Anij, Artim and Sojef react with shock...
VARIOUS BA'KU
What is it? Who are they?
23 DATA 23
stands alone, satisfied with his mysterious work.
24 EXT. SPACE - THE ENTERPRISE - (OPTICAL) 24
In orbit of an M-class planet.
25 INT. PICARD'S QUARTERS 25
Close on the four Captain's pips on his uniform, and
moving back to reveal BEVERLY CRUSHER helping JEAN-LUC
PICARD fasten the collar on his jacket as DEANNA TROI
briefs him, glancing at a PADD. All are wearing formal
uniforms. They are running late.
TROI
... Population three hundred
million...
PICARD
Say the greeting again...
TROI
Yew-cheen chef-faw... emphasis
on the 'cheen' and the 'faw'...
CRUSHER
You either need a new uniform or
a new neck.
PICARD
'Yew-cheen chef-faw'... My collar
size is exactly the same as it
was at the Academy.
CRUSHER
(dry)
Sure it is. And your hair is
still chestnut brown.
Our angle clearly establishes Picard's white hair... she
finishes with the collar... overlapping the above
dialogue: a chime at the door, Troi answers it, letting
in WILL RIKER in his dress uniform.
RIKER
Our guests have arrived and are
eating the floral arrangements on
the banquet tables...
CRUSHER
I guess they don't believe in
cocktails before dinner...
As Picard leads the way out of the door...
TROI
(looking at her PADD)
Oh, my God, are they vegetarians?
That's not in here...
PICARD
Better have the chef whip up a
light balsamic vinaigrette...
something that goes well with
chrysanthemums...
26 INT. CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS 26
Very up-tempo dialogue...
PICARD (CONT'D) PERIM'S COM VOICE
Yew-cheen chef-faw... Bridge to Captain
Picard...
PICARD
Yes, Ensign...
PERIM'S COM VOICE
Command wants to know our ETA at
the Goren systsem...
PICARD
(to Riker)
The Goren system...?
RIKER
They need us to mediate some
territorial dispute...
PICARD
(frustrated)
We can't delay the archaeological
expedition to Hanoran Two. It
would put us into the middle of
monsoon season...
RIKER
(can't be helped)
The Diplomatic Corps is busy with
Dominion negotiations.
PICARD
(sighs)
... so they need us to put out one
more brush fire.
(beat)
Anyone remember when we used to
be explorers?
They enter...
27 INT. TURBOLIFT - CONTINUOUS 27
PICARD
(refocussing)
'Yew-cheen chef-faw.'
RIKER
Deck ten.
TROI
(resuming her
briefing)
Remember; they have a
significantly less advanced
technology than ours... they only
achieved warp drive last year...
CRUSHER
A year? And the Federation
Coucil decided to make them a
Protectorate already?
PICARD
In view of our losses to the Borg
and the Dominion, the Coucil
feels we need all the allies we
can get these days.
As the turbolift doors open, we see much activity, can
hear music coming from the party... Picard puts on a
brighter face. As they exit...
TROI
You'll be expected to dance with
Regent Cuzar...
CRUSHER
Can she mambo...?
PICARD
Very funny...
CRUSHER
(off Riker & Troi's
reactions)
Your Captain used to cut quite a
rug...
28 INT. CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS 28
Several officers in dress uniform move to make room for
the Captain's entourage... moving with them...
FEMALE ENSIGN
Captain on deck!
LA FORGE'S COM VOICE
La Forge to Picard. Captain, I
need to talk to you before you go
into the reception...
Before Picard can respond, he runs into Worf...
WORF
Captain...
PICARD
Worf, what the hell are you doing
here?
WORF RIKER
I was at the Manzar colony It's a little late,
installing a new defense Geordi... can it wait?
perimeter when I heard the
Enterprise was in this
sector...
PICARD LA FORGE'S COM VOICE
Stop by my quarters later; I don't think so
I have a few ideas about Commander..
Manzar security...
(non-stop to Riker)
Have him come to the
reception... we'll talk
here...
Picard moves into the banquet room, continuing to Worf --
PICARD RIKER
How's your bride? The Captain wants you to
come over.
WORF LA FORGE'S COM VOICE
A challenge I'm on my way... tell him
we've recieved a
PICARD communique from Admiral
Then you were made for Dougherty...
each other.
LA FORGE'S COM VOICE (CONT'D)
It's about Data.
29 INT. BANQUET ROOM 29
Maybe thirty Starfleet officers, most human but a few
Bajorans, Trills and Borians peppered about... a small
group of musicians play a festive tune. The crowd moves
back as their Captain enters and Troi escorts him to
REGENT CUZAR, 50 and her delegation of about eight
extremely short aliens... she's at least a foot shorter
than he is...
PICARD
Yew-cheen chef-faw, Regent Cuzar.
Welcome aboard the Enterprise.
CUZAR
Captain Picard, may I welcome you
in the time-honored tradition of
my people...
An aide steps forward and she takes an alien headpiece
from him and reaches up to put it on Picard's head...
Picard has to make himself shorter to make it work... the
other aliens throw tiny seeds over Picard and Cuzar (like
rice at a wedding)... Picard smiles, trying not to show
how silly he feels...
CUZAR
We are so honored to be accepted
within the great Federation
family.
(excusing him)
Please, I know you have other
guests to greet...
PICARD
We have a dance later, I believe?
CUZAR
I look forward to it.
One of her misters escorts her away, Picard turns to
Troi -
PICARD
How are we supposed to dance?
Her head will be in my...
He's interrupted by GEORDI LA FORGE who approaches
looking concerned, holding a PADD, hands it to Picard...
LA FORGE
Excuse me, sir. Admiral
Dougherty's aboard the Son'a ship
in sector four-four-one. He's
requesting Data's schematics...
TROI
Is something wrong?
LA FORGE
The message doesn't say.
PICARD
(concerned)
Data should have been back by
now. They were only scheduled to
observe the Ba'ku village for a
week.
(to Geordi)
Set up a secured com-link to the
Admiral in the anteroom...
Geordi acknowledges, moves away... a Bolian science
officer grabs Picard by the arm...
BOLIAN OFFICER
Captain, Hars Adislo, we met at
the Nel Bato Conference last
year... did you ever have a
chance to read my paper on
thermionic transconductance...?
As Picard reacts, smiling with no recollection...
30 A MONITOR -- INT. ANTEROOM OFF BANQUET ROOM - (OPTICAL) 30
Admiral MATTHEW DOUGHERTY, 69, a confident, charismatic
officer is transmitting from a Son'a ship.
DOUGHERTY
He's not acknowledging any
Starfleet protocols... not
responding to any of our hails...
We pull back to see we're in a small room off the
reception... Picard faces the monitor (he's removed the
headpiece). Geordi observes. A Starfleet Ensign stands
guard just outside the door to make sure they're not
disturbed.
PICARD
You have no idea what
precipitated his behavior?
DOUGHERTY
(shakes his head)
... And now he's holding our
people hostage down there...
PICARD
The Enterprise can be at your
position in two days, Admiral...
DOUGHERTY
That's probably not a good idea.
Your ship hasn't been fitted for
this region; there are
environmental concerns...
PICARD
What kind of concerns?
DOUGHERTY
We haven't fully identified the
anomalies yet. They're calling
this whole area The Briar
Patch... it took us a day to reach
a location where we could get a
signal out to you. Just get me
Data's schematics. I'll keep you
informed.
(Picard acknowledges)
Dougherty out.
The screen returns to a starfield.
PICARD
Send him the schematics.
Geordi acknowledges.
PICARD
Ensign...
ENSIGN
(moving inside)
Sir?
PICARD
Report to the galley and tell the
chef to skip the fish course.
The Ensign gives a puzzled reaction but an order is an
order. He exits. Geordi gives his Captain a curious
look.
PICARD
I want our guests to depart as
quickly a etiquette allows.
I'll ask Worf to delay his return
to DS9 so he can join us. We're
going to stop by sector four-four-
one on our way to the Goren
system.
LA FORGE
(understanding)
They... are in opposite
directions, sir...
PICARD
(dry)
Are they...?
La Forge smiles, leaves. Picard takes a beat to collect
himself and we may sense how the clutter in a Captain's
life may wear him down. He puts the alien headpiece back
on with sullen eyes... then restores his diplomat's face
and returns to the reception...
31 EXT. SPACE - SON'A SHIP - (OPTICAL) 31
moving toward a ringed planet well in the distance,
passing slowly through wisps of space matter...
wonderful, glowing plasma tendrils like legs of a
gigantic tarantula dotted by low density gas clouds...
32 INT. SON'A SHIP BODY ENHANCEMENT FACILITY - (OPTICAL) 32
Low lighting. Strange futuristic dialysis machines pump
fluids in and out of reclined Son'a men and women... the
women use powder and heavy but carefully applied make-up
to obscure their faces. Son'a costumes are made of
expensive fabrics with latinum chains and exquisite
jewels as accessories, suggesting a wealthy culture that
values materialism. Sexy female attendants from various
alien races, dressed provocatively, work with laser tools
to repair cracked, raw skin off Son'a faces. We move to
find RU'AFO, 63, the Son'a Ahdar (Commander), reclining
getting an elaborate facial from two beauties, creams and
oils massaged into his skin by their gentle fingertips...
RU'AFO
I should have never let you talk
me into the duck blind in the
first place...
Reveal Admiral Dougherty observing, wearing a crisp,
Starfleet uniform... he looks and feels out of place
here, but such are the demands of alien alliances...
RU'AFO (CONT'D)
Your Federation procedures have
made this mission ten times as
difficult as it needed to be...
DOUGHERTY
Our procedures were in place to
protect the planet's population
from unnecessary risk...
RU'AFO
Planet's population. Six hundred
people. You want to avoid
unnecessary risks? Next time
leave your android home.
SON'A OFFICER #1'S COM VOICE
Bridge to Ahdar Ru'afo. We're
approaching the planet.
He motions to the girls to finish up, presses his
personal comlink, answering the call...
RU'AFO
Take us into a high orbit.
(as he rises from the
chair)
Lie down, Admiral. The girls
will take twenty years off your
face...
DOUGHERTY
Another time.
Ru'afo studies his own face in the mirror...
RU'AFO
Your self-restraint puzzles me,
Admiral. You continue to deny
yourself every benefit this
mission has to offer...
DOUGHERTY
I prefer to wait until we can
share the benefits with all the
people of the Federation...
Suddenly, boom! The ship is hit by a blast. Ru'afo
reacts, leads the way out....
33 INT. SON'A BRIDGE - (OPTICAL) 33
As Ru'afo and Dougherty enter...
RU'AFO
Report.
SON'A OFFICER #1
Phaser blast. Unknown origin.
RU'AFO
Raise shields.
(another blast)
Take us out of orbit.
SON'A OFFICER #2
Photon torpedoes. Brace for
impact!
Blam... again... and again... serious hits...
SON'A COMPUTER VOICE
Warning. Outer hull damage, deck
three...
SON'A OFFICER #1
Visual contact!
On the viewscreen the attacking ship moves suddenly into
view from a low density gas cloud like a destroyer
emerging from a fog bank... it is a Federation Scout ship --
small but impressive, with windows at the forward
cockpit... the Admiral reacts...
DOUGHERTY
That's our ship.
34 EXT. SPACE - CLOSE VIEW: THE SCOUT - (OPTICAL) 34
as it moves at us, firing one last blast which
illuminates the pilot for a instant and we clearly see
the face of Data through the window...
35 EXT. SPACE - THE ENTERPRISE - (OPTICAL) 35
at warp, in normal space...
36 INT. PICARD'S QUARTERS - (OPTICAL) 36
Close on the replicator. An allegro chamber music piece
in the background...
PICARD (O.C.)
Tea. Earl Grey. Hot.
The tea appears as we pull back to reveal Picard studying
a PADD... he reaches out for the tea without his eyes
ever leaving his reading... walks across the room and
sits at a dining table that has stacks of various work
materials... more PADDS, charts and graphs and maps... a
half-eaten salad sits in front of him... and in a move
that would challenge the world's greatest juggler, he
pokes a fork of salad into his mouth with one hand as he
sips his tea with the other, finding a spot to prop the
PADD so he can still read... and now, his mind, asking a
silent question, reaching over to grab a chart, and as he
pulls it over, he also spills the salad plate splashing
gorgonzolla dressing over his jacket... sighs... a chime
at the door...
PICARD
Who is it?
RIKER (O.C.)
Commander Riker...
Picard looks at himself, shrugs, what the hell...
PICARD
Come...
Riker enters with a PADD, eyes drawn to Picard's stained
jacket...
PICARD
I'm the casualty of a working
lunch.
Picard takes off his jacket... and as the scene
continues, he changes.
PICARD (CONT'D)
I've been going over the few star
charts we have of this "Briar
Patch". It's full of supernova
remnants, false vacuum
fluctuations...
Riker looks at the star chart, brushes it off...
RIKER
... and gorgonzolla cheese.
PICARD
We won't be able to go any faster
than one-third impulse in that
muck...
RIKER
(handing him the PADD)
Nothing dangerous turned up in
the astrometric survey...
PICARD
So where are the 'environmental
concerns' the Admiral was talking
about?
RIKER
(shrugs)
The only unusual readings were
low levels of metaphasic
radiation from interstellar dust
across the region...
WORF'S COM VOICE
Bridge to Captain Picard. We are
approaching sector four-four-one.
PICARD
Slow to impulse. We're on our
way.
Picard leads the way out...
37 EXT. SPACE - THE BRIAR PATCH - (OPTICAL) 37
The edge of the dangerous and beautiful region...
moving to find the Enterprise approaching at impulse...
38 INT. BRIDGE - (OPTICAL) 38
Seeing the Patch on the viewscreen... Worf at tactical,
ENSIGN KELL PERIM, female Trill, 29, at Conn... Troi at
command, La Forge at Ops... as Picard and Riker enter...
LA FORGE
We're about to lose
communications with Starfleet,
Captain.
PICARD
(to Troi)
Do you have everything you need
from command?
TROI
We've downloaded all the files on
the duck blind mission as well as
intelligence reports on the
Son'a.
PICARD
(including Riker)
You have two days to become
experts... Mister Worf, your job
and mine will be to find a plan
to safely capture Data.
Worf holds up a modified tricorder...
WORF
I've already modified a tricorder
with one of his spare actuation
servos. Its operational range is
only seven meters but it should
shut him down...
PICARD
(appreciating his
initiative)
It's good to have you back, Worf.
(he sits)
Slow to one-third. Take us in.
39 EXT. SPACE - THE ENTERPRISE - (OPTICAL) 39
as it moves slowly into The Patch.
40 INT. ENTERPRISE LIBRARY 40
Significantly electronic... many computer stations... a
few real books... Troi and Riker work at parallel
computer stations... people are at other stations...
TROI
(off her computer)
The Son'a discovered an M-class
planet with humanoid life six
months ago. Turned out it's in
us to get approval for a
sociological study. The
Federation Council suggested it
be a joint mission...
RIKER
Why was Data assigned?
TROI
"Environmental concerns", again.
An android could be safely
exposed to the elements during
the installation of a duck
blind...
LIBRARIAN(C.O.)
Sssshhh...
They turn to see -- a middle-aged, prune-faced woman at a
desk, looking sternly at them... Troi goes back to her
reading but seems distracted... sees a paper notepad on
the desk, rips off a shred and, during the following
exchange, starts to press it between her thumb and
forefinger into a little ball. Whispering now --
RIKER
I don't see anything to suggest
the Son'a have any interest in
sociology...
TROI
What are they interested in...?
RIKER
Wine, women and song.
TROI
You should feel right at home
with them.
She throws the ball of paper and hits Riker on the side
of the head... he turns but she's looking innocently at
her screen... he rolls a little paper ball himself...
RIKER
Nomadic, collectors of precious
metals, jewels...
TROI
(joking)
Hmm, I should feel right at home
with them...
RIKER
You're in luck... it says here
they've taken women from several
races as indentured servants.
Just as he's about to throw his paper ball back at her...
he sees the librarian staring at him... Riker, caught,
sheepishly turns back to his computer... a beat...
RIKER
(reacts)
Look at this...
She stands, leaning over Riker's shoulder to see his
computer, putting one arm on the desk...
RIKER (CONT'D)
'The Son'a have been suspected of
producing mass quantities of the
narcotic ketracel-white... their
ships are rumored to be equipped
with isolytic subspace weapons
outlawed by the Second Khitomer
Accord...'
41 ANGLE EMPHASIZING HER BREAST 41
as it rests gently on his upper arm... and he's deeply
aware of that breast touching him...
TROI
Why would we be involved with
these people?
RIKER
Good question.
They exchange a brief glance that has nothing to do with
the Son'a. As his eyes return to the computer scrolling,
she casually plays with hair at the nape of his neck...
RIKER
You haven't done that in a long
time...
TROI
What...?
RIKER
What you're doing to my neck...
TROI
(flirtatiously)
Was I doing something to your
neck?
He pauses his scrolling as he comes to something
curious...
RIKER
It says here that some form of
genetic damage has apparently
prevented the Son'a from
procreating...
TROI
No children?
RIKER
If that's true, they're a dying
race.
Suddenly, a tiny ball of paper hits Riker...
RIKER
Hey...
He turns to see an alien ensign looking too innocently at
his computer. The librarian's eyes fix on Riker and
Troi, obvious troublemakers... Troi points to Riker...
TROI
He started it.
Riker reacts, starts to leave... Troi follows...
RIKER
I didn't do anything, I swear it.
41A EXT. SPACE - THE ENTERPRISE (OPTICAL) 41A
As it continues slowly through The Briar Patch...
42 INT. WORF'S QUARTERS 42
Dark. Worf asleep in bed, an alarm already beeping...
PICARD'S COM VOICE
Bridge to Commander Worf...
Worf begins to stir... then his eyes open and he realizes
the alarm is going off... he sits up...
PICARD'S COM VOICE
Worf?
WORF
Captain?
PICARD'S COM VOICE
I don't know how they do it on
Deep Space Nine... but on the
Enterprise, we still report for
duty on time.
Worf stands in the dark, bumping his head as he does...
INTERCUT:
43 INT. BRIDGE 43
Picard at command... La Forge at Ops... Perim at conn...
LIEUTENANT NARA, human male, 35, at Tactical...
WORF'S COM VOICE
I... I must have slept through my
alarm. I'm on my way...
PICARD
We'll skip the court martial this
time... Picard out.
A beat as Picard listens to the sound of his ship, raises
an eyebrow... we hear nothing... he moves forward to
La Forge and Perim...
PICARD
When was the last time we aligned
our torque sensors...
PERIM
Two months ago, sir...
PICARD
They don't sound right.
La Forge and Perim react, work the controls, exchange a
look at the results...
LA FORGE
The torque sensors are out of
alignment... by twelve microns...
you could hear that?
PICARD
(pleased with himself)
When I was an ensign, I could
detect a three-micron mis-
alignment...
NARA
Excuse me, sir. The Son'a ship
with Admiral Dougherty aboard has
entered tracking range...
PICARD
Try to hail them.
A disheveled and embarrassed Worf enters...
NARA
Admiral Dougherty responding.
Worf replaces Nara...
PICARD
Straighten your baldric,
Commander. On screen...
44 ANGLE - INCLUDE THE VIEWSCREEN - (OPTICAL) 44
Dougherty and Ru'afo are sitting in Ru'afo's tactical
room, opulently decorated for a spaceship.
DOUGHERTY
Captain, I wasn't expecting you.
PICARD
This was too important for the
Enterprise to be on the
sidelines, Admiral...
DOUGHERTY
I wish I had better news.
Commander Data attacked us in the
mission scout ship yesterday.
Ru'afo and I have decided to send
in an assault team...
PICARD
Sir, Commander Worf and I have
been working on several tactical
plans to safely...
RU'AFO
Your android has turned
dangerously violent, Captain...
Considerable damage was done to
my ship. He must be destroyed.
DOUGHERTY
I know what Data means to
Starfleet, Jean-Luc... but our
crew is at the mercy of those
people on the planet...
PICARD
If our first attempt to capture
Data fails, I will terminate him.
(beat)
I should be the one to do it.
I'm his Captain. And his friend.
Dougherty pauses to consider but Ru'afo wants none of
Picard.
RU'AFO
It isn't safe for you to remain
in this area.
DOUGHERTY
He's right. Our shields have
been upgraded to protect against
the environmental anomalies...
PICARD
We haven't noticed any ill
effects.
The Admiral studies him a long beat, is sympathetic to
Picard's position.
DOUGHERTY
All right. You have twelve
hours, Captain. Then I want you
out of The Briar Patch. In the
meantime, we'll be heading out to
the perimeter to call for Son'a
reinforcements in case you fail.
PICARD
Understood.
DOUGHERTY
Good luck. Dougherty out.
His image disappears. On Picard's expression...
45 EXT. SPACE - THE ENTERPRISE - (OPTICAL) 45
As the bay door slides open and a shuttle emerges... moves
through the gas clouds toward the beautiful ringed
planet...
46 INT. SHUTTLE - (OPTICAL) 46
Worf and Picard at the controls...
WORF
Sensors are not picking up any
ships coming from the surface...
PICARD
Transmit a wide band co-variant
signal. That'll get his
attention.
WORF
(touches panel)
He might be using the planet's
rings to mask his approach.
PICARD
(off sensors)
The metaphasic radiation in those
rings is in a state of extreme
flux. Steer clear of them,
Mister Worf...
A beat. Watching and waiting.
PICARD
Come out, come out wherever you
are...
WORF
Sir?
PICARD
Hmm? Oh, it's just something my
mother used to...
Suddenly, wham -- a blast...
PICARD
Hold on.
He hits the controls and they climb sharply...
47 EXT. SPACE - THE SHUTTLE - (OPTICAL) 47
evading phaser shots form the scout... the planet
providing a dramatic backdrop...
48 INT. SHUTTLE 48
PICARD
Open all hailing frequencies.
(Worf acknowledges)
Data, this is Captain Picard...
49 INT. SCOUT - CLOSEUP DATA - (OPTICAL) 49
Windows showing a gas cloud outside...
PICARD'S COM VOICE (CONT'D)
... please acknowledge...
Data ignores him, continues to fire...
50 EXT. SPACE - THE SCOUT - (OPTICAL) 50
moving through the dark clouds, pursuing the shuttle,
firing phasers...
51 INT. SHUTTLE 51
More shots connect... more sharp evasive maneuvers...
WORF
Sir, if we fire a tachyon burst,
it may force him to reset his
shield harmonics. When he does,
we could beam him out...
PICARD
Make it so.
52 OMITTED 52
53 EXT. SPACE - THE SHUTTLE - (OPTICAL) 53
fires a tachyon burst...
53A THE SCOUT - (OPTICAL) 53A
the blast connects...
54 INT. SHUTTLE 54
WORF
Direct hit. He's resetting his
shield harmonics...
PICARD
Beam him out!
55 NEW ANGLE INCLUDING THE TRANSPORTER PAD - (OPTICAL) 55
which wheezes unsuccessfully... they react...
WORF
He's activated a transport
inhibitor.
PICARD
Prepare to enter the
atmosphere... we'll use the
ionospheric boundary to shake
him...
56 EXT. SPACE - UPPER ATMOSPHERE - SCOUT/ SHUTTLE - 56
DAY (OPTICAL)
The shuttle blasts through the atmosphere attempting to
shake off the scout...
57 INT. SHUTTLE 57
Picard works hard to stabilize the ship...
WORF
Scanners are off line!
PICARD
Evasive maneuvers... heading one-
four-zero mark three-one...
Then, wham... wham... WHAM! Gas shoots from the
ceiling... Worf tries to stop it...
58 THROUGH THE WINDOW - (OPTICAL) 58
to see the Scout zooming past, so close that Picard and
Data can even make eye contact... Picard works to avoid
him again...
PICARD
He can fly a ship, he anticipates
tactical strategies, his brain is
obviously functioning...
We've seen how he responds to
threats. I wonder how he'd
respond to...
Another shot connects...
PICARD
(a new idea)
Do you know Gilbert and Sullivan?
WORF
No, sir. I haven't had a chance to
meet all the new crew members
since I've been back...
PICARD
They're composers, Worf, from the
nineteenth century. Data was
rehearsing a part in H.M.S.
Pinafore before he left...
(singing to com)
"A British tar is a soaring soul,
As free as a mountain bird, His
energetic first should be ready to
resist A dictatorial word..."
Picard looks at Worf, nods, join me! Worf gives him an
exasperated look... Picard begins to enter commands into
the computer as he continues to sing...
59 OMITTED 59
& &
60 60
61 INT. SCOUT 61
PICARD'S COM VOICE (CONT'D)
"His nose should pant and his lip
should curl, His cheeks should
flame and his brow should
furl..."
Data reacts.
From somewhere inside his damaged brain, he recalls this
song. He starts to sing to himself...
DATA/PICARD'S COM VOICE
(together)
"His bosom should heave and his
heart should glow, and his fist
be ready for a knock-down
blow..."
62 INT. SHUTTLE - (OPTICAL) 62
The lyrics are scrolling on a monitor now... a bouncing
ball making it easier for Worf to follow...
PICARD
(to Worf)
Sing!
PICARD AND WORF
"His nose should pant and his lip
should curl, his cheeks should
flame and his brow should
furl..."
63 INT. SCOUT 63
And Data sings in unison --
DATA/PICARD/WORF'S COM VOICES
(CONT'D)
"... His bosom should heave and
his heart should glow... And his
fist be ready for a knock-down
blow..."
64 INT. SHUTTLE 64
Picard catches his breath, turns off the companel.
PICARD
He's stopped firing.
Suddenly from the speaker --
DATA'S COM VOICE
"His eyes should flash with an
inborn fire, His brow should scorn
be wrung; he never should bow
down to a domineering frown, Or
the tang of a tyrant tongue..."
PICARD
(smiles, triumphant)
Prepare the docking clamps.
Worf moves to a rear panel as Picard sings with Data...
PICARD/ DATA'S COM VOICE
"... His foot should stamp..."
65 INT. SCOUT 65
Data, mesmerized by the song, is not paying attention to
his sensors...
DATA/PICARD'S COM VOICE
"... and his throat should growl,
His hair should twirl and his
face should scowl..."
66 EXT. SCOUT AND SHUTTLE - DAY - CONTINUOUS (OPTICAL) 66
As the shuttle moves within yards, even feet, of the
scout... sliding under the belly of Data's craft...
DATA/PICARD'S VOICES
(muffled)
"... His eyes should flash and his
breast protrude, And this should
be his customary attitude --"
67 CLOSE - THE DOCKING CLAMP - (OPTICAL) 67
on the roof of the shuttle extends and with a magnetic
jolt attaches itself to the scout.
DATA/PICARD'S VOICES
... His foot should stamp and his
throat should growl..."
68 INT. SCOUT 68
Data feels the jolt, reacts, stops singing, his programs
clinking back into a defense mode...
PICARD'S COM VOICE
"His hair should twirl and his
face should scowl..."
Data checks his sensors, hits a panel and...
69 EXT. SCOUT AND SHUTTLE - (OPTICAL) 69
as the scout rocks back and forth trying to shake the
shuttle loose...
70 INT. SHUTTLE 70
Picard and Worf hold on for dear life...
WORF
Sir, inertial coupling is
exceeding tolerance... if we
don't release him, he may destroy
both vessels...
PICARD
I'm not letting go of him.
71 EXT. SCOUT AND SHUTTLE - (OPTICAL) 71
They begin to spin and spiral downwards...
72 INT. SCOUT - (OPTICAL) 72
Data still trying to free his ship... the surface
spinning and looming closer through the window...
COMPUTER VOICE
Warning. Impact with surface...
73 INT. SHUTTLE - (OPTICAL) 73
The same view of the surface through their window...
COMPUTER VOICE
... in twenty seconds.
PICARD
Reroute emergency power to
inertial dampers!
WORF
The damping sequencer was damaged
by phaser fire!
PICARD
Transferring controls to manual.
COMPUTER VOICE
Warning. Impact with surface...
74 INT. SCOUT - (OPTICAL) 74
As before.
COMPUTER VOICE
... in ten seconds.
75 INT. SHUTTLE - (OPTICAL) 75
WORF
Damping field established!
PICARD
Maximum power!
76 EXT. SCOUT AND SHUTTLE (OPTICAL) 76
The shuttle gains control sweeping both ships into a hard
arc parallel to the surface, only a dozen yards above the
surface.
77 INT. SCOUT (OPTICAL) 77
Data reacts to a hatch being blown open on the floor
behind him, turns to see Worf aiming the modified
tricorder at him... Worf presses a button, nothing
happens... Data looks curiously at him... then lunges at
him, but Worf extends his arm and presses the button
again and Data shuts off in mid-lunge and falls
motionless, inches from Worf. He presses his combadge...
WORF
Captain...
78 INT. SHUTTLE 78
WORF'S COM VOICE
Commander Data is safely in
custody.
Picard takes a deep breath... satisfied.
79 OMITTED 79
& &
80 80
81 EXT. VILLAGE - DAY (OPTICAL) 81
The hostages are sitting at wooden tables with the Ba'ku
having lunch, the Son'a quietly keeping to themselves at
separate tables. To the side, Artim and friends play a
game (TBD) that displays extraordinary hand-eye
coordination, well beyond human abilities.
82 ANGLE - PICARD, TROI AND CRUSHER 82
and several engineers enter the village on foot, phasers
drawn, their faces curious at the picnic before them...
the hum of conversation fades... for a moment, it almost
seems that the hostages are sorry to seem them...
Gallatin and the Starfleet lieutenant move to Picard...
GALLATIN
Captain, Subahdar Gallatin, Son'a
Command.
LIEUTENANT
Lieutenant Curtis, attach, to
Admiral Dougherty.
PICARD
Are you all right?
LIEUTENANT
We've been treated extremely well
by these people.
The children have resumed their game. Troi observes them
with keen interest... Picard notices...
PICARD
Counselor?
TROI
They have an incredible clarity
of perception, Captain. I've
never encountered a species with
such mental discipline...
Sojef, Anij and several of the Ba'ku, including another
village leader, TOURNEL (35), move toward them.
SOJEF
My name is Sojef, Captain.
PICARD
Jean-Luc Picard... my officers
Doctor Crusher and Counselor
Troi.
SOJEF
Would you like something to eat?
PICARD
No, we're here to... rescue them.
SOJEF
As you wish. But I would ask you
to disarm yourselves. This
village is a sanctuary of life.
Picard measures the request... then holsters his
phaser... the rest of the away team does the same...
PICARD
(to Crusher and Troi)
Prepare to transport the
'hostages' to the ship...
CRUSHER
They should be quarantined
before joining the ship's
population.
Picard nods. They move off with Gallatin and the
Lieutenant. The work crew moves to disassemble the duck
blind.
PICARD
(to Sojef)
We were under the impression they
were being held against their
will.
ANIJ
It's not our custom to have
guests here at all, let alone
hold anyone against their will.
Picard makes eye contact with Anij... her tone is not
harsh, but we can sense an inner strength in this woman.
SOJEF
The artificial lifeform would not
allow them to leave. He told us
they were our enemies and more
would follow.
ANIJ
Are you our enemy?
SOJEF
Anij...
PICARD
My people have a strict policy of
non-interference with other
cultures. In fact, it's our Prime
Directive.
ANIJ
(dry, with a smile)
Your directive apparently doesn't
include spying on other cultures.
PICARD
If I were in your shoes, I'd feel
the same way after what happened.
(beat)
The 'artificial lifeform' is a
member of my crew. Apparently,
he became... ill...
TOURNEL
There did seem to be a phase
variance in the positronic matrix
that we were unable to repair.
Picard reacts, not the sort of thing one expects to hear
from someone in a place like this...
ANIJ
I believe the Captain finds it
hard to believe that we'd have
any skills repairing a positronic
device...
SOJEF
Our technological abilities
aren't apparent because we've
chosen not to employ them in our
daily lives. We believe when you
create a machine to do the work
of a man, you take something away
from the man.
ANIJ
(don't take us
lightly)
But at one time, we explored the
galaxy just as you do...
PICARD
You have warp capability?
ANIJ
Capability, yes. But where can
warp drive take us, except away
from here...?
Clearly establishing that she and her people have very
little interest in life beyond their world. Picard
allows himself to take in this glorious setting... a
humming bird hovers briefly nearby... it is the kind of
paradise that would appeal to any contemporary man trying
to escape the clutter of his life if only for a brief
respite... and at least, to that extent --
PICARD
I understand.
In the background, the Starfleet hostages embrace their
hosts as they say farewell...
PICARD
I apologize for our intrusion.
83 INT. READY ROOM - (OPTICAL) 83
Picard talks to Dougherty on a monitor...
PICARD
... and because they have warp
capabilities, the consequences to
their society are minimal...
DOUGHERTY
You've done a terrific job, Jean-
Luc. Now, pack your bags and get
the hell out of there. How's
Data?
PICARD
In stasis. La Forge is
completing the diagnostic.
DOUGHERTY
(acknowledge)
I'll need all your paperwork
tomorrow. We're heading back
your way. Set a course to
rendezvous with us so you can
transfer the crew and equipment
on your way out.
PICARD
You're not finished here?
DOUGHERTY
Just a few loose ends to tie up.
Dougherty out.
Picard turns off the monitor, glances at the pile of work
PADDS -- his "paperwork" -- on his desk without
pleasure...
picks one up and begins to study it for a beat... then is
drawn to the window, where he can see the warm inviting
planet below.
84 INT. TROI'S OFFICE 84
She's sitting on the sofa making some notes on a PADD
when the door chimes...
TROI
Come in.
(Riker enters)
Hi.
RIKER
Got a minute? I... need a little
counseling.
(off her surprise)
First time for everything. Do
I... lie down... or what?
TROI
Whatever makes you comfortable...
Riker lies down, only he winds up with his head on her
lap looking up at her...
TROI
This isn't one of the usual
therapeutic postures...
RIKER
But it's comfortable.
TROI
Why don't you try sitting up?
RIKER
Or you could try lying down.
TROI
You're in quite a mood today.
He finally sits up, stealing a kiss along the way... she
rises shocked but not upset...
TROI
Do you really need counseling or
did you come down here to play?
Riker is on his feet now, approaching her. She retreats.
RIKER
Both.
(off her look)
I think I'm having a mid-life
crisis...
TROI
(retreating)
... I believe you...
RIKER
... I'm not sleeping well...
TROI
... Doctor Crusher has something
that'll take care of that...
She allows him to catch her...
RIKER
What I need, I can't get from
Doctor Crusher...
(inches away)
Counselor, do you think it's
possible for two people to go
back in time to fix a mistake
they've made?
TROI
On this ship, anything can
happen. And usually does.
He closes the gap between them, kisses her deeply.
TROI
Augh.
RIKER
Augh?
TROI
I never kissed you with a beard
before.
She pushes him out the door...
RIKER
I kiss you and you say 'augh'?!
She hits the panel and the door slides closed in his
face... a tiny grin comes to her face...
85 INT. ENGINEERING CORRIDOR - MOVING WITH PICARD & 85
LA FORGE
La Forge has a headache he's trying to work through... he
shows Picard several burned components...
LA FORGE
I took these out of Data's neural
net... they contain memory
engrams...
PICARD
Do you know how they were
damaged?
LA FORGE
By a Son'a weapon.
(off Picard's look)
There's no doubt about it, sir.
That's what made Data
malfunction.
PICARD
The Son'a reports claim they
didn't fire until after he
malfunctioned.
LA FORGE
I don't believe it happened that
way.
PICARD
Why would they fire at him
without provocation?
LA FORGE
All I know is that he was
functioning normally until he was
shot. Then, his fail-safe system
was activated...
PICARD
Fail-safe?
LA FORGE
His ethical and moral subroutines
took over all of his basic
functions...
PICARD
So, you're saying he still knew
the difference between right and
wrong.
LA FORGE
In a sense, that's all he knew.
The system is designed to protect
him against anyone who might try
to take advantage of his memory
loss.
PICARD
And yet he attacked us. And told
the Ba'ku we were a threat...
'Why?' is the unspoken question on Picard's face.
86 ANGLE 86
They reach a door with a significant security system in
place... Geordi hits several panels... Picard notices his
eye discomfort...
PICARD
Implants bothering you?
LA FORGE
It's nothing. I'm just tired.
The door slides open to reveal a closet-sized space with
Data mounted on the wall in a diagnostic device... Geordi
touches a panel which activates Data...
PICARD
Hello, Data...
DATA
Captain, Geordi...?
PICARD
You're aboard the Enterprise.
LA FORGE
You've had a serious malfunction.
DATA
(going inward a beat)
I seem to be missing several
memory engrams...
Geordi holds up the damaged components for him to see.
DATA
Yes... that looks like them.
PICARD
What's the last thing you
remember, Data...
DATA
(searching his
memory, signs)
'his nose should pant and his lip
should curl...'
PICARD
From the mission...
DATA
I was in an isolation suit
collecting physiometric data on
Ba'ku children. My last memory
is going into the hills,
following a boy...
87 EXT. VILLAGE - DAY - (OPTICAL) 87
Artim is playing with a tiny 'palm-pet', a colorful cross
between a caterpillar and a jellyfish that crawls over
his hand and between his fingers, as Sojef moves over
with Picard and Data... the boy looks at Data with fear
in his eyes. Data can't help but notice...
SOJEF
Artim, do you remember where you
were on the day of lightning
when the artificial lifeform
appeared to us?
ARTIM
In the hills, by the dam.
PICARD
Can you show us?
Artim puts his pet in a pocket (or it can have its own
little pouch on Artim's belt if he has no pockets) and
leads the way. Several Ba'ku including Anij and Tournel
curiously follow. As Picard makes eye contact with her,
she moves over...
ANIJ
Haven't you disrupted our lives
enough...?
She says it gently, but honestly...
PICARD
I understand how you feel. We
just want to retrace Data's
movements that day...
ANIJ
Why?
PICARD
(a cautious reply)
I don't like to leave questions
unanswered.
ANIJ
(evenly)
Then you must spend your life
answering questions.
She moves away. Picard watches her; she doesn't look
back.
88 ANGLE ON DATA 88
Who notices Artim still glancing at him with fear. To
reassure him --
DATA
There is no need for concern. I
am operating within normal
parameters now.
ARTIM
You're what?
DATA
I am better.
The android's manner only seems to frighten Artim more.
Before Data can say anything else, Sojef comes and leads
him away, giving Data a cool smile that says, in effect,
I don't want any artificial lifeform talking to my son.
Data reacts. After a thoughtful beat, moves to walk with
Picard.
DATA
I believe the boy is... afraid...
of me.
PICARD
It's nothing personal data. You
have to remember these people
have rejected technology. And
you...
DATA
... I am the personification of
everything they have rejected.
PICARD
Until this week, that young man
probably never saw a machine, let
alone one that walks and talks...
DATA
And I do not believe I made a
very good first impression.
It clearly bothers Data to be the object of fear. The
boy glances over his shoulder once more at the android,
looks quickly away...
89 LONG SHOT 89
as the group moves into the rocky foothills...
90 PICARD 90
enchanted by the natural beauty, the antithesis of
clutter.
91 NEW ANGEL 91
They come to a brook. Artim hops on one foot across
rocks in the water and without stopping to think, Picard
does the same thing, looking like a little boy... then
notices a curious look from Data which makes him collect
himself and adjust his jacket. Anij glances over at
Sojef with concern. The others cross in adult fashion.
92 COMING OVER A RISE 92
ARTIM
I saw the first bolt of lightning
over there...
As they move along the rise...
93 INT. RIKER'S QUARTERS - BATHROOM 93
Close on a 24th century container of Gillette Foamy
Shaving Cream ("For weightless Environments!")... finding
a female hand with a straight razor moving to Riker's
face... his chin and cheeks lathered with cream... and
the hand is Troi's and they're in the bathtub together in
a bubble bath... she expertly moves the blade across his
face, leaving a swath of bare chin...
WORF'S COM VOICE
Bridge to Riker.
RIKER
Can I get back to you, Worf?
WORF'S COM VOICE
Admiral Dougherty's on the com-
link, sir.
RIKER
(sighs)
Patch him through.
(the computer bleeps)
Yes, Admiral.
94 INT. SON'A BODY FACILITY 94
Dougherty in the foreground; behind him a Son'a physician
is pulling green scum from subcutaneous boils under the
skin of Ru'afo's neck with a syringe...
DOUGHERTY
Why haven't you left orbit yet?
RIKER
Captain Picard is still on the
surface, sir.
DOUGHERTY
Doing what?
RIKER
He didn't want to leave until we
could adequately explain why Data
malfunctioned. His future in
Starfleet could depend on it.
Dougherty exchanges a concerned look with Ru'afo...
DOUGHERTY
Remind the captain his twelve
hours are up.
RIKER'S COM VOICE
Yes, sir.
DOUGHERTY
Dougherty out.
Ru'afo's eyes are closed, as the green goo moves from his
neck to the doctor's syringe...
SON'A DOCTOR
Your body is producing far too
many toxins... we've reached the
limit of genetic manipulation...
RU'AFO
I won't need any more genetic
manipulation if our Federation
friends will allow us to complete
this mission.
He opens his eyes, gives Dougherty a pointed look...
95 EXT. PLANET SURFACE - DAY - LOOKING DOWN TO SEE A SMALL 95
LAKE
Picard, Data and the Ba'ku have moved toward a dam where
Data is having trouble with is tricorder...
DATA
Tricorder functions are limited
due to heavy deposits of
kelbonite in these hills...
PICARD
How about a passive radiation
scan?
Data adjusts his tricorder... reacts...
DATA
Curious, there appear to be
strong neutrino emissions coming
from the lake...
Staying with Data s he follows the tricorder to the edge
of the lake... a brief pause... and then in a Harold
Lloyd sort of moment, he steps into the lake up to his
ankles, pauses again to look at the tricorder and then
disappears under water.
96 ARTIM 96
reacts, astounded... looks to Picard...
ARTIM
Can he breathe under water?
PICARD
Data doesn't breathe.
ARTIM
Won't he rust?
PICARD
(smiles to himself)
No.
The boy turns his wide eyes back toward the lake.
97 UNDERWATER - DATA (OPTICAL) 97
An eel and a fish investigate him as he stands on the
lake bottom, examining his tricorder...
98 EXT. LAKE - DAY 98
Data emerges at a distance from the others... calling --
DATA
Sir, I believe I know what is
causing the neutrino emissions...
He climbs to the top of the earthen dam and turns a heavy
wheel that might usually require the strength of two men,
opening a floodgate... as he does --
ARTIM
(fascinated)
Are there other machines like him
in the offland?
SOJEF
The offland is no concern of
yours.
98A ANGLE WITH DATA 98A
The water continues to run off and as we push to the
falling water...
98B WITH PICARD 98B
reacting as he looks down at the lake...
99 ANGLE (OPTICAL) 99
a strange displacement of water appearing as the lake
drains... something invisible is sitting in the water...
a bird lands on top of it... and as the water sinks
lower, spilling off the sides of the invisible object,
the shape is revealed to be that of a cloaked spaceship.
100 PICARD 100
PICARD
A ship,
DATA
It is clearly Federation in
origin, Captain.
PICARD
(quoting Dougherty)
'Just a few loose ends to tie
up.'
As they move to a rowboat... Artim begins to follow but
Sojef puts a firm arm on his shoulder.
SOJEF
We're not interested in such
things.
Anij looks to Sojef...
ANIJ
I am.
And she hops onto the rowboat with Picard and Data...
decidedly not trusting either of them to go alone...
PICARD
It might be wiser for you to stay
on shore.
Anij's answer is to grab an oar and push them away from
shore... as Data and Picard exchange a glance, Picard
takes the oar from her and...
101 WIDE - (OPTICAL) 101
Picard, Anij and Data row closer to the invisible ship.
102 CLOSER - THE ROWBOAT 102
Data presses controls on his tricorder. A hatch opens.
Picard and Data draw phasers...
103 INT. HOLOGRAPHIC SHIP/VILLAGE - (OPTICAL) 103
As they climb in to find themselves in an identical image
of the Ba'ku village. Anij is stunned...
DATA
(off tricorder)
It is a holographic projection.
Moving to a gap that shows the metal holo-grid...
DATA (CONT'D)
Incomplete, I might add.
PICARD
(to Anij)
What you're seeing is a computer
driven image created by photons
and forcefields...
ANIJ
I know what a hologram is,
Captain. The question is -- why
would someone want to create one
of our village?
PICARD
(beat, considering)
Data, if you were following the
boy and discovered this ship...
DATA
... it is conceivable I was shot
to protect the secret of its
existence.
PICARD
(beat, musing aloud)
What possible purpose could a
duplicate village have except...
to deceive the Ba'ku...
ANIJ
Deceive us?
PICARD
To move you off this planet. You
go to sleep one night in your
village... wake up the next
morning in this flying holodeck
transported en masse. A week
later, maybe a month, you've been
relocated on a similar planet
without ever realizing it.
DATA
Why would the Federation or the
Son'a wish to move the Ba'ku?
PICARD
I don't know.
We may notice a look in Anij's eyes - she knows why but
doesn't intend to say. Picard and Data don't notice her
reaction...
104 ANGLE - (OPTICAL) 104
Suddenly wham! -- a plasma charge is fired from the
shadows of the "village" hologram... and then another and
another... the shots hit walls revealing portions of the
holo-grid (an effect we will see again later during the
final action). Plasma ricochets off the walls spraying
sparks over them all... as Data fires back, Picard grabs
Anij and shoves her out of the hatch for her safety...
105 ANGLE OUT THE HATCH 105
as she falls several yards into the water making a big
splash... Picard turns back and starts firing...
106 INT. HOLO-SHIP - (OPTICAL) 106
A brief, intense exchange of shots... creating more gaps
in the holo-image... and finally a Son'a officer falls
off the roof of a holo-building, unconscious.
PICARD
Computer, end program and decloak
the vessel.
And as the holo-image DEMATERIALIZES, they're standing on
a holodeck.
107 EXT. HOLO-SHIP - (OPTICAL) 107
DECLOAKING... Anij splaying her arms to keep afloat in
the water... Picard and Data stick their heads out of the
hatch...
ANIJ
I can't swim!
Data and Picard promptly jump in after her...
PICARD
(reaching for her)
Don't panic...
ANIJ
(with some humor)
I've been shot at... thrown into
the lake out of an invisible ship
that's come to abduct us all...
what's there to panic about?
DATA
In the event of a water landing,
I have been designed to serve as
a floatation device.
He twists his neck a certain way and we hear a slight
technical re-alignment and suddenly he floats...she
hangs on as Picard swims over to retrieve the rowboat...
108 INT. TRANSPORTER ROOM - (OPTICAL) 108
Data and Picard MATERIALIZE... Worf, sporting a large
red mark on his nose, observes. Picard is still wet and
angry... on the move...
PICARD
Did any of the hostages mention a
cloaked ship during their
debriefings?
WORF
No, sir...
PICARD
Debrief them again.
(noticing)
Have you been in a fight,
Commander?
WORF
(humiliated)
No, sir. It is a gorch.
PICARD
Gorch?
Data leans in and whispers the translation into Picard's
ear... Picard is embarrassed he brought it up...
PICARD
Oh... well, it's hardly...
noticeable...
Off Data's deadpan look at Picard, as they exit...
109 INT. CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS 109
Riker with his clean shaven face moving to meet them...
Picard and Data react... Riker smiles...
RIKER
Smooth as an android's bottom,
eh, Data?
DATA
I... beg your pardon, sir?
For the rest of the sequence, Data observes Riker's chin.
Moving to the turbolift...
RIKER
Admiral Dougherty wants to know
why we haven't left yet...
PICARD
We're not going anywhere.
Worf and Riker exchange a glance as they enter...
110 INT. TURBOLIFT - CONTINUOUS 110
PICARD (CONT'D)
Deck five.
RIKER
(re: the gorge)
You Klingons never do anything
small, do you...
The doors close. Ignoring Riker --
WORF
Doctor Crusher asked to talk to
you when you returned...
PICARD
Picard to Crusher...
111 INT. SICKBAY 111
CRUSHER
Captain, the Son'a hostages
declined to be examined.
I had them confined to quarters.
PICARD'S COM VOICE
And our people?
CRUSHER
They all have slightly elevated
levels of endorphin production...
probably the result of the
environmental anomalies here...
PICARD'S COM VOICE
Are they in any danger?
CRUSHER
Not at all. They're fine... in
fact, they're better than fine.
Increased metabolism, high
energy, improved muscle tone. We
should all be so lucky.
PICARD'S COM VOICE
Very good, Doctor. Picard out.
112 INT. CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS 112
coming out of the turbolift toward Picard's quarters...
PICARD
The Son'a officers are not to be
released until I've met with
Ahdar Ru'afo.
He enters his quarters. Data finally submits to his
curiosity and runs a finger along Riker's chin...
DATA
No, sir. It is not.
(off Riker's look)
As smooth as an android's bottom.
113 INT. PICARD'S QUARTERS 113
As he enters...
PICARD
Computer, music.
Picard's favorite chamber music comes on...
PICARD
No. Not that. Something else.
Something... Latin.
COMPUTER VOICE
Please specify.
PICARD
A mambo.
(as the music comes
on, his tension
easing)
That's more like it...
Picard moves to...
114 INT. BATHROOM - CONTINUOUS 114
He takes off his jacket and shirt... and begins to towel
himself dry... as he glances in the mirror... his towel
patting his face, slows to a stop as he stares at himself
in the mirror...
115 CLOSE - THE HAIR AROUND HIS EAR 115
is changing color, no longer all white, it is now
predominantly chestnut brown.
116 PICARD 116
looks, his mind adding up all the strange little things
that have been happening on the ship...
117 EXT. ANIJ'S HOME - NIGHT 117
Picard knocks on a door... it is opened by Anij...
PICARD
How old are you?
TIME CUT:
118 INT. ANIJ'S HOME - NIGHT 118
Austere but inviting with a warm fire... Sojef, Tournel
and Artim have joined them... Artim spoons hot cider from
a kettle into cups, serves it to the adults as the scene
continues...
SOJEF
We came here from a solar system
on the verge of self-
annihilation... where technology
had created weapons that
threatened to destroy all life.
A small group of us set off to
find a new home... a home that
would be isolated from the
threats of other worlds.
(beat)
That was three hundred and nine
years ago.
PICARD
(reacts)
You've not aged a day since then?
SOJEF
Actually, I was a good deal older
when we arrived... in terms of my
physical condition.
ANIJ
There's an unusual metaphasic
radiation coming from the
planet's rings. It continuously
regenerates the cells in our
bodies. You must have noticed
the effects by now.
PICARD
We've... just begun to.
(to Artim)
I suppose you're seventy-five.
ARTIM
No. I'm twelve.
TOURNEL
The metaphasic radiation won't
begin to affect him until he
reaches maturity...
PICARD
To many offlanders, what you have
here would be more valuable than
gold-pressed latinum.
(beat)
And I'm afraid it's the reason
that someone is trying to take
this world away from you.
ARTIM
The artificial lifeform was
right?
PICARD
If not for Data, you'd probably
have been re-located by now.
TOURNEL
How can we possibly defend
ourselves?
SOJEF
The moment we pick up a weapon,
we become one of them... we lose
everything we are...
PICARD
It may not come to that.
They turn to him...
PICARD
Clearly, the architects of this
conspiracy have tried to keep it
a secret. Not just from you, but
from my people as well.
(beat)
I don't intend to let them.
119 EXT. VILLAGE - PREDAWN 119
ANIJ
We've always known that to
survive, we had to remain apart.
It hasn't been easy. Many of the
young people here want to know
more about the offland... they're
attracted to stories of a faster
pace of life...
PICARD
Most of my people who live that
faster pace would sell their
souls to slow it down.
ANIJ
But not you.
PICARD
(smiles)
There are days.
ANIJ
(beat, studying him)
You don't live up to your
reputation as an offlander,
Picard.
PICARD
(self-effacing)
In defense of offlanders, there
are many more like me...
ANIJ
... who wouldn't be tempted by the
promise of perpetual youth? I
don't think so.
PICARD
You give me more credit than I
deserve. Of course, I'm tempted.
Who wouldn't be?
(beat)
But some of the blackest marks in
the history of my world have
involved the forced relocation of
a small group of people to
satisfy the demands of a larger
one. I'd like to believe we
learn from our mistakes.
Obviously, some of us haven't.
120 NEW ANGLE - (OPTICAL) 120
Picard pausing to look in a corner window... beautifully
hand-crafted quilts are displayed...
PICARD
The craftsmanship is
extraordinary.
ANIJ
(smiles)
This is a school... that's a
student's work.
(off his reaction)
She'll be ready to become an
apprentice soon. Then, in thirty
or forty years, she'll take her
place among the artisans...
PICARD
An apprentice for thirty years.
(they continue
walking)
We've noticed your people's
mental discipline. Did that
develop here?
ANIJ
(teasing)
More questions. Always the
explorer. If you stay long
enough, that'll change.
PICARD
Will it?
ANIJ
You'll stop reviewing what
happened yesterday... stop
planning for tomorrow... until
you find...
(interrupting herself)
Let me ask you a question -- have
you ever experienced a perfect
moment in time?
PICARD
A perfect moment?
ANIJ
When time seemed to stop... and
you could almost live in that
moment...
PICARD
Seeing my home planet from space
for the first time...
ANIJ
Yes. Exactly. Nothing more
complicated than perception.
(beat)
You explore the universe. We've
discovered a single moment in
time can be a universe in
itself... full of powerful
forces... most people aren't
aware enough of the now... to
ever notice them...
PICARD
I wish I could spare a few
centuries to learn.
ANIJ
It took us centuries to learn
that it doesn't have to take
centuries to learn.
They reach a doorway to her home...
PICARD
There's one thing I don't
understand.
(off her look)
In three hundred years...you
never learned to swim?
ANIJ
(smiles)
I just... haven't gotten around
to it yet.
She steps forward to enter, pauses...
ANIJ
I wonder if you're aware of the
trust you endanger, Jean-Luc
Picard. In my experience, it's
unusual for...
PICARD
... an offlander?
ANIJ
(beat, smiles)
For someone so young.
Picard smiles, aware of a sexual tension... for the
second time in his visit, a humming bird flitters by,
briefly examining a street lamp and then away. She moves
inside, glances back and smiles. Then she's gone.
Picard turns and looks at the horizon where the sun will
come up soon... reacts as he sees --
121 THE SILHOUETTE OF GEORDI LA FORGE - (OPTICAL) 121
standing there, looking out at the horizon...
122 CLOSER 122
as Picard moves over...
PICARD
Geordi...?
Geordi turns and Picard reacts as he sees Geordi's
eyes... without the implants... Geordi smiles...
LA FORGE
Funniest thing, Captain. There
wasn't anything wrong with my
implants. There was something
right with my eyes. When Doctor
Crusher removed the ocular
connections, she found the cells
around my optic nerves...
PICARD
... had regenerated.
LA FORGE
It may not last after we leave.
If not, I just wanted, before we
go...
(beat)
I've never actually seen a
sunrise.
Picard considers him a long beat... and they turn to see --
123 THE SUN - (OPTICAL) 123
cracking the horizon turning the lake red...
124 PICARD AND GEORDI 124
bathed in the sunlight... Picard's face looking younger,
contented in the new sun...
125 THE SUNRISE - VARIOUS SHOTS 125
... the silhouette of an eagle-like bird coasting a foot
above the water... the morning breeze brushing the red-
tinged field of tall grass.
126 GEORDI 126
A tear rolls down his cheek...
127 WIDE - (OPTICAL) 127
as the sunlight cascades over the village and hills and
if we weren't sure this place was magic before, we
certainly know it now.
128 EXT. SPACE - THE FOUR SON'A SHIPS - (OPTICAL) 128
dwarf the Enterprise as they move into orbit...
129 INT. READY ROOM (OPTICAL) 129
Dougherty and Ru'afo enter... Ru'afo is furious --
RU'AFO
Am I to understand you're
not releasing my men, Captain?
Picard at his desk working, looks up, makes strong eye
contact with his guests...
PICARD
(quietly)
I found the holoship.
That stops Ru'afo. He looks at Dougherty who realizes
some damage control will be necessary...
DOUGHERTY
Ru'afo, why don't you let the
Captain and I...
Ru'afo's face is so tight it seems it's going to break...
RU'AFO
No!
... and it does -- a crack opens up from his forehead to
his chin and blood dribbles out of it...
RU'AFO (CONT'D)
This entire mission has been one
Federation blunder after another.
You will return my men or this
alliance will end with the
destruction of your ship.
He exits. Dougherty measures Picard for a beat...
DOUGHERTY
You're looking well, Jean-Luc.
Rested.
PICARD
Your "Briar Patch" turned out to
be more hospitable than I
expected.
DOUGHERTY
(nods)
That's why we put chromodynamic
shields in place - so our people
wouldn't feel the effects from
the metaphasic radiation...
PICARD
... or understand that they were
participating in the outright
theft of a world.
(beat)
I won't let you move them,
Admiral. I'll go to the
Federation Council...
DOUGHERTY
I'm acting on orders form the
Federation Council.
PICARD
(reacts, beat)
How can there be an order to
abandon the Prime Directive...?
DOUGHERTY
The Prime Directive doesn't
apply. These people are not
indigenous to this world. They
were never meant to be immortal.
We'll simply be restoring their
natural evolution.
PICARD
Who are we to decide the next
course of evolution for these
people?
DOUGHERTY
There are six hundred people down
there. We'll be able to use the
regenerative properties of this
radiation to help billions.
(beat)
The Son'a have developed a
procedure to collect the
metaphasic particles form the
planets rings...
PICARD
A planet in Federation space...
DOUGHERTY
Right. We have the planet and
they have the technology -- a
technology we can't duplicate.
You know what that makes us?
Their partners.
PICARD
Our partners are nothing more
than petty thugs.
DOUGHERTY
(dismissing that)
On Earth, petroleum once turned
petty thugs into world leaders.
Warp drive transformed a bunch of
Romulan thugs into an empire. We
can handle the Son'a, I'm not
worried about that...
PICARD
Someone probably said the same
thing about the Romulans a
century ago.
DOUGHERTY
With metaphasics, lifespans will
be doubled... an entire new
medical science will evolve...
(beat)
I understand your Chief Engineer
has the use of his eyes for the
first time in his life... would
you take his sight away from him?
PICARD
There are metaphasic particles
all over The Briar Patch. Why
must this planet be...
DOUGHERTY
(interrupting)
The concentration in the rings is
what makes the whole damned thing
work. Don't ask me to explain
it. I only know they inject
something into the rings that
starts a thermolytic reaction.
After it's over, the planet will
be unlivable for generations.
PICARD
Delay the procedure. Let my
people look at the technology.
DOUGHERTY
Our best scientific minds already
have. We can't find any other
way to do this.
PICARD
Then the Son'a can establish a
separate colony on this planet
until we do...
DOUGHERTY
It would take ten years of normal
exposure to begin to reverse
their condition. Some of them
won't survive that long.
Besides, they don't want to live
in the middle of The Briar
Patch... who would?
PICARD
The Ba'ku.
Picard and Dougherty look at each other a long beat.
PICARD
We are betraying the principles
upon which the Federation was
founded... this is an attack on
the very soul of the Federation.
(beat)
This will destroy the Ba'ku.
Just as cultures have been
destroyed in every other forced
relocation throughout history.
DOUGHERTY
We are only moving six hundred
people, Jean-Luc.
PICARD
(beat)
How many people would it take...
before it becomes wrong? A
thousand? Fifty thousand. A
million?
Dougherty has taken this as far as he intends to.
DOUGHERTY
I'm ordering you to the Goren
system. File whatever protests
you wish to. By the time you do,
this will be all done.
(moves to exit)
I'm also ordering the release of
the Son'a officers.
He's out. Picard sits at his desk for a long beat...
130 INT. BRIDGE 130
Worf at Conn, Data at Ops, Riker at command... they look
up at Picard as he comes out of the Ready Room.
PICARD
Prepare the ship for departure at
oh-seven-hundred hours.
RIKER
Aye, sir.
Data exchanges a curious glance with Riker as Picard
crosses to the turbolift. Before he gets in, he turns
and looks at his bridge, imprinting it on his mind.
131 INT. PICARD'S QUARTERS 131
as he enters, stands in the middle of the room a long
beat, his table still cluttered with charts and PADDS...
132 ANGLE - CLOSEUP - HIS DRESSER 132
One pip is placed on top, a second, third and fourth...
133 INT. SON'A BODY SCULPTURE CHAMBER - CLOSE ON A TOOTH 133
(OPTICAL)
as it's implanted into a very old man's mouth and now,
the old fellow has a mouthful of bright new teeth...
Gallatin enters, moving to --
134 RU'AFO - (OPTICAL) 134
sitting, his head locked in position by an apparatus... a
female attendant actually giving him a facelift in front
of our eyes... the device stretching his face ever
tighter, as she snips off skin by one ear with a laser in
a bloodless surgery that heals his wound...
RU'AFO
Gallatin! So the righteous
Starfleet Captain finally
released you. Did you encounter
any problems on the surface?
GALLATIN
(acknowledges)
No, sir. But it wasn't easy...
being among them...
RU'AFO
I'm sure. Just don't forget what
they did to us.
(Gallatin nods)
We'll have them rounded up in a
day or two... we needn't bother
with the Federation holo-ship
any more. Just get the holding
cells ready.
Gallatin acknowledges, leaves. To the attendant -
RU'AFO
I'm going to miss these little
flesh-stretching sessions of
ours, my dear.
As she pulls up his other ear...
135 INT. YACHT COCKPIT - (OPTICAL) 135
Picard, out of uniform, works a transporter and cases of
military supplies MATERIALIZE on a loading platform that
will lower into the cargo hold of the yacht... he studies
a translucent geological scan of the surface that we will
hear more about later...
DATA (O.C.)
Re-routing the transport grid to
avoid detection was wise, sir,
but the transporter is rarely
used after oh-two-hundred hours.
Picard turns to see Data, Troi, Crusher, La Forge, Worf
and Riker have entered the hatch. All but Riker and
Geordi are out of uniform.
TROI
Taking the Captain's yacht out
for a spin?
WORF
(examining the cargo)
Seven metric tons of ultritium
explosives, eight tetryon pulse
launchers, ten isomagnetic
disintegrators...
RIKER
You must be planning on doing
some hunting.
PICARD
Go back to your quarters
(no one moves)
That's an order.
No one moves.
RIKER
No uniform? No orders.
Geordi, with his normal eyes, moves forward...
LA FORGE
How could I look at another
sunrise, knowing what my sight
cost these people, Captain?
Picard looks at them with appreciation.
DATA
I feel obliged to point out that
the environmental anomalies may
be stimulating certain rebellious
instincts common to youth that
could affect everyone's judgment.
Except mine, of course.
CRUSHER
Okay, Data, what do you think we
should do?
Data looks to everyone, considering a beat... picks up a
phaser rifle... activates it...
DATA
Saddle up. Lock and load.
The family united looks to their Captain for
instructions. Picard looks to them with deep affection.
PICARD
They won't begin the procedure
while the planet is inhabited.
So, our job is to keep the planet
inhabited.
He looks at Riker and La Forge, knowing that his first
officer and chief engineer must stay with the ship.
PICARD (CONT'D)
Go back and put a face on what's
happening here. Make the Council
see the Ba'ku. It's too easy to
turn a blind eye to the suffering
of an unfamiliar people.
Riker and La Forge acknowledge. Picard takes an extra
moment to look, perhaps for the last time, into the eyes
of his first officer with affection...
PICARD
There's a short letter I left you
all, just some... sentimental
nonsense... the computer will
bring it to your attention at oh-
four-hundred... I'd just as soon
you delete it...
RIKER
Fat chance. I'll post it on
every monitor on the ship...
Picard grins with nice embarrassment, then with a serious
look to Riker --
PICARD
We'll hold out as long as we can.
Riker understands they're counting on him. Picard hits a
panel and the weapons sink into the yacht...
as the non-uniformed officers move to take their posts,
Riker takes Troi in his arms, kisses her good-bye. The
others react in surprise.
DATA
Apparently the environmental
anomalies are also stimulating...
Worf shuts him up with a hard look... Data gets the
message, sits in a cockpit chair and quietly begins to
work...
136 EXT. SPACE - THE YACHT - (OPTICAL) 136
falls away from the belly of the mother ship...
and after a beat, the thrusters ignite and off they go...
137 INT. SON'A SHIP TACTICAL ROOM - (OPTICAL) 137
Ru'afo watches a realistic simulation of a space
procedure on a monitor... a small but sophisticated
injector assembly sailing into the planet's rings begins
to fire charges that start a thermolytic reaction (we see
only the early stages here)... Gallatin enters with a
PADD...
RU'AFO
The injector performs perfectly
in every simulation...
GALLATIN
Sir, as the Enterprise left
orbit, one of their support craft
went down to the surface.
(Ru'afo reacts, takes
the PADD)
It appeared to be the Captain's
Yacht. Five persons on board.
RU'AFO
We're not waiting until
morning... take the shuttles and
get everyone off the surface
tonight.
Gallatin starts to leave... pauses as --
RU'AFO
Gallatin, if Picard or any of his
people interfere... eliminate
them.
138 EXT. VILLAGE - NIGHT - (OPTICAL) 138
On a door opening... as we hear a bell ringing... the
face of Artim fills the screen... his eyes scared... and
as we reveal his point of view of the village, it's a
stunning sight -- Tournel pulling on the warning bell in
the square... hundreds of people moving with urgency...
supplies are being packed onto the backs of llamas...
Worf, Data and Troi are unpacking the cases of military
supplies that have already been loaded from the
(unseen) yacht... Picard is going over charts with Anij
and Sojef near-by...
VARIOUS BA'KU
(ad lib)
What is it? What's going on?
What's happened? Is something
wrong?
TOURNEL
We're leaving the village...
take only what you need. Bring
food... we may not be back for
days...
Artim jumps with a start as a slim, high-tech device on a
stake suddenly lights up like a Christmas tree beside
him... sees Data who just activated it...
DATA
It is a transport inhibitor. It
will help prevent Son'a ships
from beaming anyone off the
surface...
Artim, overwhelmed and still scared of the android, backs
away from Data without responding and moves toward his
father. Picard is showing Anij and Sojef the translucent
geo-scans we saw on the yacht...
PICARD
... these are the veins of
kelbonite running through the
hills... the more concentrated
the deposits the more trouble
they'll have with their
transporters... our route will
keep us close to these
deposits as possible...
Artim moves beside his father, holds onto him...
PICARD (CONT'D)
When we're forced away by the
terrain, we'll use transport
inhibitors to compensate. The
mountains have the highest
concentrations. Once we're
there, transport will be
virtually impossible...
ANIJ
There are caves in those
mountains.
PICARD
(acknowledges)
We can hold them off a long
time... once we get there...
(beat)
But they will not make it easy to
get there...
Worf and Data move over...
DATA
Captain, I've activated transport
inhibitors around the village...
PICARD
Good. Let's begin to move these
people out...
WORF
Should I distribute phasers to
the Ba'ku, sir...?
PICARD
No. We'll be responsible for
that, Mister Worf.
They all react to the sound of thrusters flying
overhead... they look up to see --
139 P.O.V. - THE NIGHT SKY - (OPTICAL) 139
as Son'a shuttlecraft roar overhead...
140 INT. SON'A SHUTTLE - NIGHT 140
SON'A OFFICER #1
Transporters are not functioning.
GALLATIN
(off sensors)
They're blocking the beams with
some kind of inhibitors. We'll
have to locate and destroy them.
141 EXT. FIELD - WIDE NIGHT - (OPTICAL) 141
The mass of people cross the fields.. the Starfleet
officers separated at intervals among them, continuing to
encourage and assist them forward... progress slows as
they converge onto the narrow path leading into the
hills...
142 ANGLE NEAR THE VILLAGE - (OPTICAL) 142
with Sojef and Artim...
SOJEF
Don't try to carry too much...
we've got a long climb ahead of
us...
Suddenly, the ground shakes with booms as the ships
overhead fire a series of air to surface missiles
parallel to the path ahead... voices raise in fear,
parents grab their children, people begin to move more
quickly, some drop what they're carrying...
143 OMITTED 143
& &
144 144
145 ANOTHER SON'A SHIP - (OPTICAL) 145
fires at the surface... we see the blast knock out...
146 A TRANSPORT INHIBITOR 146
that explodes...near-by --
147 WORF 147
reacts...moves to Picard and Anij guiding people up the
narrow path as the explosions continue...
WORF
We've lost an inhibitor! There's
a gap in the field...
148 EXT. FIELD - WIDE (OPTICAL) 148
As another wave of ships passes over, suddenly, with the
moving sounds of ships above, people caught in the
unprotected gap are swept away on a path of
DEMATERIALIZATION...maybe fifty are just scooped away
from the crowd... and now people are really panicking,
screaming, cries, pushing forward... some scatter...
149 ARTIM - (OPTICAL) 149
being pushed, trying to hang onto his father...
but as the ships continue to pass over and the
DEMATERIALIZATIONS in the same gap continue, suddenly
Sojef is beamed away...
ARTIM
My father!
His voice is lost in the cries of the scared people who
surge even harder forward toward the protection of the
next inhibitor and now the boy is thrust to the ground.
As he falls, the little palm-pet slips out of his
pocket... Artim desperately tries to save him from being
stepped on, finally snatches him in his hand. But now
the crush of people threatens to trample the boy and it's
a reminder how scary it can be to be small. Suddenly, an
arm reaches down and scoops him up... and as we follow
Artim up, we can see it's Data who has rescued him...
their eyes connect briefly as Data carries him forward...
in the pushing crowd...
150 ANGLE - PICARD - (OPTICAL) 150
PICARD
Stay in the protected areas...
we'll be safe when we get into
the hills...
The people file ahead up the path...
151 INT. SON'S TACTICAL ROOM 151
Dougherty, Gallatin and Ru'afo study black and white
aerial surveillance photographs of the Ba'ku exodus up
the foothills. Dougherty is angry and embarrassed...
GALLATIN
They're following the kelbonite
deposits... using the
interference to block our
transporters...
RU'AFO
Recommendations?
DOUGHERTY
Take me down. Let me talk to
Picard.
RU'AFO
Talk... we should send down an
assault team and take them by
force.
DOUGHERTY
That is not an acceptable option.
If people get hurt, all the
support we have in the
Federation...
RU'AFO
Federation support, Federation
procedures, Federation rules...
look in the mirror, Admiral...
the Federation is old... in the
last twenty four months, it's
been challenged by every major
power in the quadrant -- the
Borg, the Cardassians, the
Dominion... they all smell the
scent of death on the Federation.
That's why you've embraced our
offer... because it will give
your dear Federation new life.
Well, how badly do you want it,
Admiral? Because there are hard
choices to be made now. If the
Enterprise gets through with news
about their brave Captain's
valiant struggle on behalf of the
defenseless Ba'ku, your
Federation politicians will
waver, your Federation opinion
polls will open a public debate,
your Federation allies will want
their say... need I go on?
Dougherty takes a deep breath... knows Ru'afo is right.
Gallatin hates the idea of a violent assault, gives
Dougherty the other option he's desperately seeking --
GALLATIN
There is an alternative to an all-
out assault. Isolinear tags
would allow our transporters to
lock on to them.
RU'AFO
We'd have to tag every one of
them... that would take time...
and we don't have it. The
Enterprise is only nineteen hours
from communications range with
the Federation...
DOUGHERTY
I'll order Riker to turn around.
RU'AFO
Picard's first officer. Do you
really believe he'll listen?
Ru'afo's clearly lost faith in the Admiral's ability to
control the situation... Dougherty's jaw tightens...
RU'AFO
My ships are capable of
intercepting the Enterprise
before it reaches the perimeter.
I could send them to... escort...
it back... but Commander Riker
might not want to come...
And we slowly push into Dougherty as he steps across his
self-imposed moral line...
DOUGHERTY
Send your ships.
Dougherty tries to digest the knot in his stomach...
152 EXT. PLANET SURFACE - DAWN (MATTE/OPTICAL) 152
Deep into the foothills now... much steeper terrain...
feeling the power of the mountains near-by... seeing the
path below as hundreds of Ba'ku and dozens of llamas wind
their way up... it's almost biblical in scope with Picard
and Moses leading the way...
153 ANGLE WITH DATA AND ARTIM - (OPTICAL) 153
They've been walking silently for some time...Artim
struggling inside to reconcile what he's been taught
about machines and the experience he's had with Data...
ARTIM
My father told me I shouldn't
talk to you.
DATA
I understand.
ARTIM
I don't.
They exchange a glance. Artim sighs, troubled.
ARTIM
Not everyone here agrees with
him. I mean, you know, about
machines. There was even a
big fight about it once.
(beat)
Do you like being a machine?
DATA
(considering)
I aspire to be more than I am.
ARTIM
I know why.
(off Data's look)
So people like us won't be afraid
of you any more.
DATA
(a beat)
Perhaps, that is true.
The boy is obviously tired from miles of walking
uphill...
ARTIM
Don't you ever get tired?
DATA
My power cells continually re-
charge themselves.
ARTIM
I can't imagine what it would be
like to be a machine.
Data studies him... (and it should be noted that his
responses are a deliberate attempt to enlighten Artim,
give the child a new perspective on what it means to be
an android.)
DATA
Perhaps it would surprise you to
know that I have often tried to
imagine what it would be like to
be a child...
ARTIM
Really?
DATA
Really.
ARTIM
(with fatigue)
For one thing, your legs are
shorter than everyone else's.
DATA
But they are in a constant state
of growth. Do you find it
difficult to adapt?
(off Artim's
perplexed look)
A child's specifications are
never the same from one moment to
the next. I am surprised that
you do not... trip over your own
feet.
ARTIM
Sometimes I do.
DATA
My legs are eighty-seven-point-
two centimeters. They were
eighty-seven-point-two
centimeters the day I was
created. They will be eighty-
seven-point-two centimeters the
day I go off line. My operation
depends on specifications that do
not change.
(beat)
I... cannot imagine... the
experience of growing up or even
tripping over my own feet...
Artim is seeing the artificial lifeform in a whole new
light now, which is exactly what Data intended...
ARTIM
But you've never had adults
telling you what to do all the
time... or bedtimes... or having
to eat food you don't like...
DATA
I would gladly accept the
requirement of a bedtime in
exchange for knowing what it is
like to be a child.
ARTIM
(considering)
Do machines ever play?
DATA
I play the violin... and my chess
routines are quite advanced...
ARTIM
No, I mean...
He tries to find a way to explain, gets an idea -- pokes
him with a finger...
ARTIM
You're it.
And he starts to run away...
DATA
I'm what?
Artim frowns, stops...
ARTIM
Chase me!
DATA
For what purpose?
ARTIM
Because you're it. And if you
tag me... then I'm it.
DATA
But I can run much faster than
you... I am capable of exceeding
forty-seven meters per second...
ARTIM
(sighs, walking back)
Data... haven't you ever just
played... for fun?
DATA
Androids... don't have...fun.
ARTIM
Why not...?
DATA
(beat)
No one's ever asked me that
before.
ARTIM
If you want to know 'what it's
like to be a child', you need to
learn how to play...
As Data considers...
154 WITH PICARD AND ANIJ 154
at point...
walking up a part of the trail protected by towering
rocks. Worf approaches from the rear... (Note: we may
notice more physical changes in our people because of the
regenerative process. For example, Picard's hair is
darker and there actually seems to be a touch more of it
growing than before... Worf's hair is more straggly,
unkempt...)
PICARD
(not serious)
You need a haircut, Commander.
WORF
Accelerated hair growth is often
experienced by Klingons during
Jak'tahla...
ANIJ
Jak'tahla?
PICARD
Roughly translated: puberty...
although for a Klingon that's not
doing it justice...
(to Worf)
Any severe mood swings, unusual
aggressive tendencies -- be sure
to let me know right away...
WORF
The Ba'ku could use some rest,
sir. According to the geo-scan,
this may be the safest area for
the next few kilometers...
PICARD
Very well. We'll take an hour.
Break out some rations...
Worf acknowledges, signals and the column lumbers to a
halt... people sit along the trail...
155 AROUND THE BEND - (OPTICAL/MATTE) 155
A spectacular view of the mountains ahead... Picard and
Anij move forward through some brush, lay on their
stomachs as Picard uses 24th century field glasses to
examine the path ahead...
ANIJ
Right beyond that ridge is where
the caves begin... we can hide
for days...
PICARD
By now the Son'a have scanned the
area and know that just as well
as we do.
She studies him as he continues to survey the territory
they must still cross... on a whim, she reaches out and
runs a finger across his bald head... he looks up,
surprised...
ANIJ
(smiles)
It's been three hundred years
since I've seen a bald man.
He grins, studies her... they feel the sexual tension...
after a beat...
PICARD
How is it a woman like you never
married? And don't tell me you
"just haven't gotten around to it
yet"...
ANIJ
What's the rush?
PICARD
(beat)
I should warn you... I've always
been attracted to older women...
She looks seriously at him, takes his hand in hers,
guides both hands to touch his cheek.
156 PICARD'S SUBJECTIVE POV - (OPTICAL) 156
... and in that moment, his perception and our view
begin to move down her arm... and we enter...
157 AN ALTERED REALITY - (OPTICAL) 157
Picard, and we, find ourselves in a heightened state of
sensory perception -- time seems to be slowing down to a
crawl, sounds are sharper... we hear Picard's heart
beating slowly with a booming percussion... he follows her
gaze to see yet another humming bird, hears its languid wing
motion... swirling dust from the mountain seems like a
zipping scarf in a breeze that plays in his ears like a
natural flute... his breath becomes more even as he
relaxes into this altered state and he feels...
158 HER FINGERS 158
gently touching the hair at the top of his chest,
sensing, even hearing, her fingertips against his flesh.
159 HER LIPS 159
brush his cheek, his lips... her teeth nip gently on his
lower lip, tugging it and then her lips press against his
for an eternity...
160 EXT. SPACE - THE ENTERPRISE - (OPTICAL) 160
Moving at one-third impulse through The Briar Patch...
161 INT. BRIDGE 161
Riker at Command, Perim at Conn, La Forge at Ops, Nara at
Tactical, supernumeraries...
PERIM
Commander, I'm showing two Son'a
ships on an intercept course.
RIKER
How long 'til they reach us?
PERIM
Eighteen minutes...
LA FORGE
We're not going to be able to get
a transmission out of here for at
least another hour...
NARA
They're hailing us.
RIKER
Tell them our transceiver
assembly is down, that we can
send messages but can't receive
them.
Nara sends the message... a beat...
NARA
I don't think they believe us.
RIKER
Why not?
Boom... a small explosion well off target... the ship
shakes gently...
RIKER
(off sensors)
A photon torpedo.
(dry)
Isn't that the universal greeting
when communications are down?
LA FORGE
I think it's the universal
greeting when you don't like
someone.
Another boom shakes them slightly...
RIKER
Full impulse.
LA FORGE
The manifold can't handle full
impulse in the Patch, Commander.
RIKER
If we don't outrun them, the
manifolds are going to be the
only thing left of this ship.
LA FORGE
(nods)
I'll be in Engineering.
La Forge exits. A supernumerary quickly replaces him.
RIKER
All hands. Battle stations!
162 EXT. TRAIL - DAY 162
TROI
And have you noticed how your
boobs have started to firm up?
CRUSHER
(dry)
Not that we care about such
things in this day and age.
TROI
Uh huh.
Data glances at their breasts as he hands them plates...
CRUSHER
Thank you, Data.
We stay with him as he takes the tray to Worf who looks
at the plate with disdain...
WORF
I have an odd craving for the
blood of a live Kolar beast.
(off Data's look)
The environment must be affecting
me again.
DATA
(agreeing)
And have you noticed how your
boobs have started to firm up?
(Worf reacts)
Not that we care about such
things in this day and age.
Suddenly, the distant sound of approaching thrusters...
163 ANGLE - FOUR SON'A SHUTTLES (OPTICAL) 163
coming over the horizon...
WORF
(hits combadge)
Take cover!
164 PICARD AND ANIJ 164
moving back toward the others... look up to see --
165 SON'A SHUTTLES - (OPTICAL) 165
overhead, dropping dozens of...
166 FLYING DRONES - (OPTICAL) 166
the size of footballs with parts rotating, blinking,
scanning...
167 EXT. DRONE POV - FLYING ABOVE THE TRAIL - (OPTICAL) 167
The Ba'ku scattering as drones fly over them...
168 DATA AND ARTIM - (OPTICAL) 168
react, Data firing at the drones as Artim crawls behind a
rock...
169 PICARD AND WORF - (OPTICAL) 169
open fire with phasers destroying two, but the third
fires a new kind of weapon hitting --
170 CLOSE ON A BA'KU WOMAN'S BACK 170
as it's tagged with a tiny device fired from the drone...
171 ANGLE - THE BA'KU WOMAN - (OPTICAL) 171
DEMATERIALIZES... a fraction of a beat later, Picard
blasts the drone... more people DEMATERIALIZE as the
drone attacks continue...
WORF
Isolinear tags. Their
transporters can lock onto them.
PICARD
We have to find shelter...
ANIJ
There's a cavern at the base of
the next hill...
PICARD
(signaling to the
others)
This way!
172 VARIOUS - (OPTICAL) 172
THRU THRU
175 175
on our principles providing covering fire as the Ba'ku
move quickly ahead... more drones fly in, firing their
tags, more Ba'ku are hit and DEMATERIALIZE... our people
fire repeated bursts destroying several of them...
176 WITH DATA AND ARTIM - (OPTICAL) 176
DATA
A dangerous variation on your
game of 'tag', Artim. Hurry
we most definitely do not want
to be 'it'...
He blasts a drone as they push ahead...
177 EXT. SPACE - THE ENTERPRISE - (OPTICAL) 177
exchanging fire with the two Son'a ships in pursuit, a
trail of hot exhaust coming from the Enterprise...
178 INT. BRIDGE 178
Seriously damaged... plasma leaks, smoke...
NARA
Shields at sixty percent... !
LA FORGE'S COM VOICE
Engineering to Bridge. We're
burning deuterium down here...
179 INT. ENGINEERING 179
Impulse engines smoking... engineers spray coolant foam
over them to keep the temperatures from red-lining...
LA FORGE
We're going to blow ourselves
up... we won't need any help from
the Son'a...
180 INT. BRIDGE INCLUDE VIEWSCREEN - (OPTICAL) 180
A huge nebula cluster up ahead...
RIKER
What's inside that nebula
cluster?
PERIM
Cometary debris, pockets of
unstable metreon gas... we don't
want to go in there, sir...
RIKER
Yes, we do.
(pats her shoulder)
You're relieved, Ensign. Take
over at Ops.
He takes the Conn... Perim replaces the officer at Ops...
RIKER
Time to use "The Briar Patch"
like B'rer Rabbit did...
181 EXT. SPACE - THE ENTERPRISE - (OPTICAL) 181
making a hard turn and disappearing into the cluster...
182 EXT. PLANET SURFACE/TRIAL - (OPTICAL) 182
The Ba'ku run for their lives toward the mouth of a
cavern, steam coming up from the hot mineral waters
within it...
PICARD
Into the cavern! Move!
And our people continue to blast the swarming drones
above but there are so many of them... several Ba'ku are
tagged and DISAPPEAR...
183 WITH WORF 183
as his phaser jams and he picks up a thin tree trunk and
with Klingon howls, swings it like a bat'leth at the
drones... missing one but then connecting with another
and a second one knocking them out of the park like Hank
Aaron... glancing to Picard...
WORF
Definitely feeling aggressive
tendencies...
184 ANGLE WITH DATA AND ARTIM - (OPTICAL) 184
surrounded by Ba'ku as they move quickly along a very
steep trail, Data firing at drones as they go... suddenly
just in front of them, a Son'a assault team appears over
the ridge... three armed foot soldiers ready to take
prisoners... Data lunges, like a running back hitting a
defensive line and his power throws them back and they
fall...
185 OFF THE CLIFF - (OPTICAL) 185
the long terrible fall beginning...
186 DATA - (OPTICAL) 186
thinks fast, snatches a passing drone out of the air and
aims it at...
187 THE THREE FALLING SON'A - (OPTICAL) 187
and as they're tagged, they DEMATERIALIZE in free-fall.
188 DATA 188
looks down, satisfied, then crushes the drone with his
bare hands and provides more cover fire as the Ba'ku move
quickly to the cavern...
189 EXT. NEBULA - THE ENTERPRISE - (OPTICAL) 189
Flying through dark matter clouds and stellar debris
which light up as Son'a torpedoes explode all around
them... suddenly there is a different kind of blast off
the Enterprise's stern -- a bright implosion, sucking up
everything around it, literally ripping subspace apart as
it cascades toward the ship...
190 INT. BRIDGE 190
Terribly rough ride...
NARA
Sir, they've detonated an
isolytic burst... a subspace tear
is forming...
RIKER
On screen.
191 ANGLE TO INCLUDE VIEWSCREEN - (OPTICAL) 191
As Riker sees the tear coming at them...
PERIM
I thought subspace weapons were
banned by the Khitomer Accord...
RIKER
Remind me to lodge a protest...
LA FORGE'S COM VOICE
Commander, our warp core is
acting like a magnet to the tear.
192 INT. ENGINEERING 192
Geordi on the move to a new control panel...
LA FORGE (CONT'D)
We're pulling it like a zipper
across space...
RIKER'S COM VOICE
Options?
LA FORGE
Eject the core.
INTERCUT:
193 INT. BRIDGE - (OPTICAL) 193
As the viewscreen shows the tear getting closer...
RIKER
Will that stop the tear?
LA FORGE
You got me, Commander.
RIKER
That's your expert opinion?
LA FORGE
Detonating the warp core might
neutralize the cascade... but
then again it might not.
Subspace weapons are
unpredictable. That's why they
were banned.
NARA
The tear is closing on us...
impact in fifteen seconds...
RIKER
Eject the core.
LA FORGE
I just did.
NARA
Impact in ten seconds...
RIKER
Detonate!
194 INT. ENGINEERING - GEORDI 194
presses the panels to detonate and...
195 EXT. NEBULA - THE SUBSPACE TEAR (OPTICAL) 195
rips toward the Enterprise as the ejected warp core
explodes. The subspace disruption that follows --
196 INT. ENGINEERING 196
throws everybody down. Consoles explode...
197 INT. BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS 197
Panels are blown off, fires break out, lights fail,
people thrown to the ground. As it subsides, Riker
crawls back to Conn...
NARA
It worked, Commander... the
tear's been sealed...
198 INT. ENGINEERING 198
LA FORGE
There's nothing to stop them from
doing it again... and we're fresh
out of warp cores...
199 INT. BRIDGE 199
PERIM
We're still thirty-six minutes
from transmission range, sir.
RIKER
(nods, deciding)
We're through running from these
bastards.
200 INT. HYDROTHERMAL CAVERN - DAY 200
A large, steamy, wet environment... pools of mineral
water drizzle along the floor...
the Ba'ku and their llamas slosh through the mud, seeking
some kind of comfortable place to rest...
201 ANGLE - TOWARD THE ENTRANCE - (OPTICAL) 201
Where a forcefield has been established across the mouth
of the cave... the drones try to get in and are blocked;
they hover menacingly outside... Data moves to Picard
from the interior of the cave...
PICARD
(to Data)
How many?
DATA
Another forty-three people
reported taken, sir...
Picard frowns, sighs, takes in their new surroundings...
suddenly, the caverns are shaken by the sound of overhead
explosions... reactions, fearful murmurs, skittish
llamas...
202 ON ARTIM 202
sitting with other Ba'ku... they look up at the
frightening sound... sand drifting dangerously from the
ceiling...
203 CLOSE ON ARTIM'S POCKET 203
The palm-pet crawls out...
204 EXT. FOOTHILLS - CONTINUOUS (OPTICAL) 204
As the Son'a shuttles fly over firing torpedoes,
explosions across the terrain...
205 INT. HYDROTHERMAL CAVERN 205
As Picard et al react to the aerial assault... ground
continually shuddering... Picard and Worf exchange a grim
look...
WORF
They're trying to force us out so
their drones can tag us...
Picard nods, agreeing. As dust falls from the ceiling
and the blasts continue to rock them...
Data studies his tricorder...
DATA
With all the hydrothermal vents
in the substrata, the structural
integrity of this cavern is not
going to hold for long,
Captain...
Picard glances out at a half-dozen drones hovering
outside...
PICARD
Is there any other way out of
here?
Anij shakes her head, grim...
DATA
Tracking the water flow may
reveal another potential exit...
As they use tricorders to follow the water flow deeper
into the cavern...
206 NEW ANGLE - NARROWER PORTION OF THE CAVE - (OPTICAL) 206
as the flow of water disappears under a wall... the air
assault continues...
DATA
(off tricorder)
I'm showing fresh air (TECH
BETTER) behind this calcite
formation, Captain...
PICARD
Will the structure hold if we
blast through?
DATA
(examines walls with
tricorder)
I believe it is safe, sir.
Using their phasers, they blast the wall away, crawl
through the new hole --
207 EXT. SECOND EXIT - CONTINUOUS (MATTE/OPTICAL) 207
as they come out and turn to see several paths up to
rocky mountains not far away, distant cave openings in
view...
PICARD
Spread out as far as you can...
get everyone into those caves,
set up forcefields once you're
inside...
With renewed optimism, they go to gather up the Ba'ku...
208 EXT. NEBULA - THE ENTERPRISE - (OPTICAL) 208
coming about...
209 INT. BRIDGE - ANGLE TO INCLUDE VIEWSCREEN - (OPTICAL) 209
Riker at Conn as messed up as we've ever seen him, his
face a study in determination. The bridge is barely
functional. Pockets of colorful gases are visible on the
screen.
RIKER
Geordi, are those pockets of
metreon gas...?
210 INT. ENGINEERING 210
Off an Okudagram --
LA FORGE
Aye, sir. Highly volatile...I
recommend we keep our distance...
RIKER'S COM VOICE
Negative. I want to use the
ramscoop to collect as much of it
as we can...
LA FORGE
The purpose being...?
211 INT. BRIDGE 211
RIKER
The purpose being I intend to
shove it down the Son'a's throat.
NARA
Commander, if one of their
weapons hits that gas...
RIKER
It's our only way out of here,
Mister Nara.
212 INT. ENGINEERING 212
as Geordi goes to work, nods with admiration...
LA FORGE
I wouldn't be surprised if
history remembers this as the
Riker Maneuver...
RIKER'S COM VOICE
If it works you mean.
LA FORGE
Even if it doesn't, they'll be
teaching kids as the Academy not
to do this for years to come.
213 EXT. NEBULA - CLOSE ON THE RAMSCOOP - (OPTICAL) 213
as it begins to sweep up the gases... compressing them
into a critical mass...
214 INT. BRIDGE - INCLUDE THE VIEWSCREEN (OPTICAL) 214
LA FORGE'S COM VOICE
Bridge, storage cells are at
maximum capacity -- five thousand
cubic meters of metreon gas...
RIKER
Computer, access manual steering
column.
In an instant, a joystick pops up from the control. He
grabs the stick... a computer gamester's dream...
RIKER
Transfer helm controls to manual.
The computer bleeps. As the fog clears, we can see on
the screen that we're closing fast on the Son'a ships...
PERIM
They're powering their forward
weapons array.
RIKER
Blow out the ramscoop. Stand by
full thrusters.
LA FORGE'S COM VOICE
Ramscoop released!
Riker hits panels and the ship lurches...
215 EXT. NEBULA - THE ENTERPRISE - (OPTICAL) 215
turning away as the Son'a ships fire and wham, the gases
erupt... the Enterprise careens away out of control as
the Son'a ships are hit by the explosion's full force.
Both catch seriously on fire. After a beat, one explodes
into bits... the other one sits there, helplessly on
fire...
216 INT. HYDROTHERMAL CAVE - (OPTICAL) 216
The aerial assault continues as people file out the new
exit... sand drifting dangerously from the ceiling ass the
bombs shake the cavern... Data looks at a tricorder...
moves to Picard. Just outside the new exit, a series of
plasma blasts are fired from a nearby hill...
WORF
Up there!
He points to a small squadron of Son'a that have spotted
them...
PICARD
Data, Troi... keep these people
moving. Worf, with me...
They arm themselves, Worf takes a new bazooka-like
weapon, an isomagnetic disintegrator, and they move
out...
217 EXT. CAVERN (SECOND EXIT) - (OPTICAL) 217
Worf and Picard provide cover as Data and Troi lead more
people toward the mountains... Worf fires his
disintegrator...
218 THE SON'A ASSAULT TEAM - (OPTICAL) 218
is blown back as it connects... one of the wounded falls,
sliding a long way down the hill, landing near the
cave...
219 CRUSHER 219
scans the unconscious Son'a with a tricorder. Her eyes
react as she sees something else on the tricorder... this
is impossible, she checks again.
CRUSHER
Captain...
Picard moves over cautiously...
PICARD
Will he live?
CRUSHER
Yes. But look at this medscan...
He looks at the tricorder, reacts incredulously...
PICARD
How could this be possible?
She shakes her head, looks back to the cavern entrance
where Anij and Tournel are assisting the last Ba'ku out
of the cave...
CRUSHER
Maybe we should ask them.
Data and Troi return to lead the last group out of the
cave...
220 HYDOTHERMAL CAVERN 220
Artim is among a dozen of so of the Ba'ku waiting to be
taken...he reaches into his pocket for his palm-pet,
can't find it... he reacts... he moves into the main
cavern away from the others... a beat later, Anij and
Tournel ready the group...
ANIJ
Is that everyone?
BA'KU WOMAN
(looking for)
The boy...
They check the immediate vicinity... no Artim...
ANIJ
Wait here.
She moves toward the main cavern...
221 WITH ARTIM 221
back in the corner where he found the rifle, finding his
pet crawling slowly on the floor...
ANIJ
Artim! What are you doing?
She doesn't bother waiting for an answer... just grabs
him and pulls him along with her in a hurry...
222 AT THE (SECOND) ENTRANCE 222
Picard, Worf, Data, Troi and Crusher arrive...
TOURNEL
Anij went to find Artim...
ANIJ (O.C.)
I've got him.
At the sound of her voice, Picard moves toward the main
cavern...
223 ANGLE - INTO THE CAVERN 223
And we see Anij and Artim maybe thirty yards away from
Picard... running now... coming this way... suddenly,
wham... a rocket hits the mountainside and the ground
shudders... and the ceiling starts to collapse... and...
224 PICARD'S EYES 224
connect with...
225 ANIJ'S EYES 225
for an instant...
226 WIDE 226
Picard reaches out for her... just as the whole thing
comes down on both of them... Picard throws Artim out of
the cave just in front of the collapse into the arms
of...
227 DATA 227
who pulls him safely away from the collapse... The
Starfleet officers move back to examine the collapsed
mouth of the cave...
ARTIM
Anij!
DATA
(to Artim)
Tournel will take you the rest of
the way...
ARTIM
No... I want to stay with you...
DATA
It is safer there. I will join
you shortly.
Artim reluctantly goes and the last people cross the
divide with Tournel. Overlapping the above dialogue --
WORF
(press combadge)
Worf to Picard.
No response.
CRUSHER
(off tricorder)
Two life signs... one extremely
faint...
TROI
(off tricorder)
There are almost four metric tons
of rock blocking our way...
She aims a phaser at the rocks, but Worf stops her...
WORF
That might cause another cave-in.
They have no choice... they start digging furiously...
Data picking up rocks that no human could lift... Worf
refusing to surrender to his own physical limitations...
Beverly and Troi do the best they can... Tournel takes
the last children across the divide...
228 INT. HYDROTHERMAL CAVERN 228
Almost pitch black... finding Picard under rubble, his
face cut, dazed, shaking himself back to consciousness...
hoarsely cries out for...
PICARD
Anij...
He gropes around for her...
WORF'S COM VOICE
Worf to Picard...
PICARD
Yes... yes, I... can hear you...
WORF'S COM VOICE
We're trying to get to you,
sir...
Picard begins to crawl around in the darkness and finally
comes to motionless body of Anij...
PICARD
Anij.
She barely opens her eyes... Picard looks to see if he
still has his tricorder; he does... he trains it on
her... the reading are not good...
PICARD
Help is coming.
She looks at him and tries to smile, but it's too much...
and her eyes close... and the tricorder tells Picard
she's on the edge of death...
PICARD
Worf, you must hurry...
WORF'S COM VOICE
We're coming as fast as we can...
we can't risk using phasers...
PICARD
I understand. Tell Doctor
Crusher to have a hypospray of
lectrazine ready...
CRUSHER'S COM VOICE
How bad is she, Captain...?
PICARD
(beat)
I'm losing her.
CRUSHER'S COM VOICE
We're coming.
Picard takes Anij's hand and holds it to his own cheek...
PICARD
Stay with me... don't let go of
this moment, Anij... help me find
the power to make you live in
this moment... just one more
moment... and then one more after
that... and one more after that.
Her eyes weakly open one last time and look at him...and
as their eyes connect... once again...
229 HIS POV (OPTICAL) 229
as his consciousness moves down her arm and as the bond
is formed... he experiences --
230 AN ALTERED REALITY - (OPTICAL) 230
with heightened senses again as time seems to slow down,
her eyelids thumping slowly louder and louder... and as
they hold the moment the cavern seems to light up with
the metaphysical energy they're emanating... and it's
like Picard has thrown her a mystical lifeline to hold
onto... his eyes are her eyes as life seeps into them...
the moment seems to last forever... she smiles gently and
finally sunlight cracks into the cavern as Data and Worf
break through... Crusher crawls in and uses the
hypospray an Anij's neck... measures her lifesigns with
the tricorder, smiles at Picard...
CRUSHER
She's stabilizing.
PICARD
Is it safe to move her?
CRUSHER
Safer than leaving her here.
Picard kneels and picks her up in his arms... Anij looks
weakly at him...
ANIJ
And you thought it would take
centuries to learn.
He smiles with affection at her... and they all exit...
231 EXT. HYDROTHERMAL CAVERN (ENTRANCE #2) - DAY 231
as Beverly, Worf, Troi, Data and Picard, carrying Anij,
come out to cross the divide... and they stop dead in
their tracks... as they see --
232 FIVE DRONES HOVERING - (OPTICAL) 232
menacingly between them and the safety of the mountain
caverns... and as we intercut between the drones and
233 THE FACES OF OUR HEROES 233
we understand a classic showdown is imminent... an
O.K. Corral moment... and all this happens very fast: our
people stand shoulder to shoulder each a yard apart...
Picard gently lowers Anij to the ground... Worf tosses
him a spare phaser rifle... as he catches it...
234 THE DRONES - (OPTICAL) 234
open fire...
235 VARIOUS - (OPTICAL) 235
THRU THRU
238 238
Our people react... move, duck and roll, tags just
missing them, as they fire back... only Picard stands
motionless on one knee protecting Anij... one, two,
three, four drones are destroyed but the fifth fires,
tagging Anij... Picard instantly reaches for her tag, but
then he feels the sting of...
239 CLOSE - A TAG 239
on the side of his jacket; he reaches to pull it off but
it's too late...
240 PICARD AND ANIJ - (OPTICAL) 240
DEMATERIALIZE together...
241 EXT. SPACE - RU'AFO'S SHIP - (OPTICAL) 241
in orbit of the Ba'ku planet...
242 INT. SON'A BRIG - DOUGHERTY 242
escorted by Gallatin, enters a cavernous brig filled with
Ba'ku, perhaps as many as eighty of them...his eyes
looking for --
243 ANGLE - PICARD 243
stroking Anij's hair as she lies weakly next to him and
Sojef. A beat as he locks eyes with Dougherty.
DOUGHERTY
Order them to surrender, and I
promise you won't be court-
martialed.
PICARD
If a court-martial is the only
way to tell the people of the
Federation what happened here,
then I welcome it.
Ru'afo enters, controlled rage, hands a PADD to
Dougherty.
RU'AFO
The Enterprise has destroyed one
of my ships. The other is on
fire, requesting assistance.
A beat. Picard reacts as Dougherty studies the PADD.
PICARD
(to Dougherty)
The Enterprise would only fire if
it were defending itself. Ru'afo
must have ordered the attack.
(beat)
I can't believe he would've given
that order without your consent,
Admiral.
Dougherty maintains eye contact but has completely lost
his dignity...
PICARD
I wonder... which one of us will be
facing that court-martial...
DOUGHERTY
(to Ru'afo)
There's nothing further to be
gained from this...
RU'AFO
You're right. This is going to
end now.
(to Picard)
The Ba'ku want to stay on the
planet. Let them. I'm going to
launch the injector...
Gallatin's face reacts to that...Picard sees his sharp
displeasure and then for an instant their eyes meet.
Gallatin looks away, but Picard registers the
information.
DOUGHERTY
You're not going to launch
anything until...
RU'AFO
In six hours, every living thing
in this system will be dead or
dying.
He starts to exit...
PICARD
You would kill your own people,
Ru'afo? Your own parents, your
brothers, sisters...
(off Dougherty's look)
Didn't you know, Admiral? The
Ba'ku and the Son'a are the same
race.
Dougherty, confused, looks to Ru'afo... who doesn't look
back... Sojef stands and comes forward... to Ru'afo --
SOJEF
Which one were you? Gal'na...
Ro'tin...Belath'nin... I'm
sorry, I don't recognize you...
RU'AFO
Those names, those children are
gone forever.
DOUGHERTY
What is he talking about?
SOJEF
A century ago, a group of our
young people wanted to follow the
ways of the offlanders. They
tried to take over the colony...
and when they failed...
RU'AFO
When we failed, you exiled us.
To die slowly.
Anij gathers the strength to look at him...
ANIJ
You're Ro'tin, aren't you...?
There's something in the voice.
(to Gallatin)
Would you be his friend Gal'na?
(Gallatin looks away)
I helped your mother bathe you
when you were a child. She still
speaks of you.
PICARD
(to Dougherty)
You've brought the Federation
into the middle of a blood feud,
Admiral. The children have
returned to expel their elders...
just as they were once expelled.
Except Ru'afo's need for revenge
has now escalated to parricide.
Ru'afo exits. Gallatin looks at Sojef and then follows.
Dougherty is a lost man, realizing his tragic errors.
DOUGHERTY
It was for the Federation. It
was all for the Federation.
Picard offers no sympathy... Dougherty turns and exits...
244 INT. SON'A BODY SCULPTURE CHAMBER - (OPTICAL) 244
Deserted as Ru'afo enters, his face full of tension... he
moves to a device that bombards his face with pulsating
green energy, trying to relax... Dougherty enters...
DOUGHERTY
We're taking this ship out of
here... this mission is over...
RU'AFO
It is not over.
DOUGHERTY
It is over.
Ru'afo moves away from the device and grabs Dougherty
roughly... moving him across the room...
RU'AFO
I do not take orders from you.
DOUGHERTY
If you begin the procedure while
the planet is still populated,
the Federation will pursue you
until...
Ru'afo, more powerful than Dougherty, throws him down
into one of the treatment chairs...
RU'AFO
The Federation...
He locks Dougherty's head into the device... switches
several panels... the device lights up ominously...
RU'AFO (CONT'D)
... will never know what happened
here.
He hits a switch and begins to raise Dougherty's ears in
the facelift procedure we saw before... Dougherty
struggles but Ru'afo holds him down... as the Admiral's
twists and morphs into a grotesque facelift that
finally strangles him to death.
245 INT. SON'A BRIDGE 245
Ru'afo enters...Gallatin and officers on duty...
RU'AFO
Admiral Dougherty will not be
joining us for diner. Deploy
the collector.
(Gallatin hesitates)
Do you have a problem with those
orders?
GALLATIN
May I talk to you alone?
RU'AFO
(to another officer)
Deploy the collector.
The officer complies.
GALLATIN
Moving them is one thing.
Killing them all...
RU'AFO
No one hated them more than you,
Gal'na.
(beat, intimately)
We've come a long way together.
This is the moment we've planned
for so many years...
Gallatin looks at his friend, his commander... Ru'afo
pats him encouragingly on the shoulder...
RU'AFO
Separate the Starfleet personnel
and secure them in the aft cargo
hold... see that Picard joins
them...
GALLATIN
The shields in that section won't
protect them against the
thermolytic reaction...
RU'AFO
Thank-you for reminding me.
He sits in his command seat and watches his viewscreen...
246 ANGLE INCLUDE SCREEN - THE SON'A SCIENCE VESSEL - 246
(OPTICAL)
as huge hatches open and the particle collector that will
capture the metaphasic radiation from the rings slowly
extends out in both directions. After a beat, Gallatin
exits... push in to Ru'afo...
247 INT. COLLECTOR - (OPTICAL) 247
an Astrodome-sized chamber full of weird crisscrossing
patterns of pipes, conduits, cables, and rails -- all of
them stretching slowing outward as the collector expands.
248 EXT. SPACE - BRILLIANT SOLAR SAILS 248
begin to unfurl majestically in front of the planet's
rings... and now we recognize it as the remarkable device
we saw earlier in Ru'afo's simulation.
249 INT. SON'A BRIG - (OPTICAL) 249
Picard has climbed the rear wall with help from two
Ba'ku, examines the forcefield generators in the ceiling.
ANIJ
(a warning)
Jean-Luc...
Gallatin arrives... armed with a hand weapon. Aiming it
at Picard, he turns off the forcefield...
GALLATIN
Come with me.
Picard measures him for a moment then comes out, smiles
'don't worry' to Anij... Gallatin restores the field and
motions for Picard to exit...
250 INT. SON'A CORRIDOR 250
walking to a turbolift... unusually cordial considering
the circumstances --
PICARD
It must have been very strange
for you.
(off his look)
When you were a hostage. Being
among the friends and families
you knew so many years ago. All
of them looking exactly as they
did. Almost like... looking
through the eyes of childhood
again.
Gallatin presses a panel at the lift... Picard fixes his
eyes on him, evenly --
PICARD
And here you are trying to close
those eyes again... to pretend
you can't see what the bitterness
has done to your people... what
it's done to Ru'afo... and to
you
(beat)
It's turned you... into a coward.
(off his reaction)
A man who ignores his conscience.
The turbolift arrives...
GALLATIN
Get in.
Picard enters...
251 INT. TURBOLIFT - CONTINUOUS 251
PICARD
A coward... without the moral
courage to stop an unspeakable
atrocity. You offend me.
GALLATIN
(incredulous)
Is this how a Federation officer
begs for his life?
PICARD
I'm not begging for my life. I'm
begging for yours.
(beat)
There is still a way home,
Gal'na.
Gallatin looks at Picard a long, miserable beat, then...
GALLATIN
Computer, close turbolift doors.
The doors close. Gallatin lowers his weapon.
GALLATIN
What you're asking me to do... is
impossible... the crew is loyal
to Ru'afo...
PICARD
Do you know how to disable the
injector?
GALLATIN
(nods)
But I would need at least three
minutes on the bridge.
PICARD
If we could lure him away from
the bridge...
GALLATIN
(shaking his head)
It doesn't matter where he is.
As soon as he realizes something
is happening, he'll override my
commands with one word at his com-
link...
PICARD
(beat, an idea)
What if he doesn't realize
something's happening...
(Gallatin reacts,
confused)
Can you get me to a transmitter?
I have to speak with Worf and
Data on the surface... we'll need
their help...
As Gallatin acknowledges, still uncertain what Picard's
up to...
GALLATIN
Deck twelve.
252 EXT. SPACE - THE COLLECTOR - (OPTICAL) 252
sails fully extended now...
253 INT. SON'A BRIDGE - (OPTICAL) 253
RU'AFO
Initiate launch sequence.
SON'A OFFICER #2
Activating injector assembly.
SON'A OFFICER #3
Launch in (TECH) minutes.
Establish a digital display near Ru'afo's command post
that shows (time TECH) counting down. Ru'afo is calm,
determined. Suddenly a tiny boom. Reactions.
SON'A OFFICER #3
A small craft is coming up from
the surface. It's firing tachyon
bursts at us...
RU'AFO
On screen.
On the screen, the Captain's yacht approaches, firing...
SON'A OFFICER #3
One person aboard. It's the
android.
Ru'afo dismisses the puny attack...
RU'AFO
He's no threat.
254 EXT. SPACE - THE YACHT - (OPTICAL) 254
firing at the Son'a ship... the solar collector
continuing to power up in the background...
255 INT. YACHT COCKPIT 255
Data is alone... presses the companel...
DATA
Data to Picard...
PICARD'S COM VOICE
Yes, Data...
256 INT. SON'A SHIP ELECTRICAL CONDUIT - PICARD 256
crawling through the narrow passage behind Gallatin...
DATA'S COM VOICE
Sir, they're ignoring my attack.
PICARD
Keep firing tachyon bursts into
their shield grid. Is Worf in
position...?
257 INT. YACHT - (OPTICAL) 257
DATA
Yes, sir. He's ready for
simultaneous transport.
PICARD'S COM VOICE
We'll be at the bridge in two
minutes... Picard out...
Data moves the ship into an attack posture, diving at the
larger vessel seen in the window... firing...
258 OMITTED 258
259 INT. SON'A BRIDGE - (OPTICAL) 259
The collector on the viewscreen...
SON'A OFFICER #3
Detonation in three minutes.
SON'A OFFICER #2
Sir, the Federation ship is
creating a disruption in our
shields... if they go out of
phase, it will increase our
exposure to the thermolytic
reaction...
RU'AFO
(beat, irritated)
Very well. Destroy that ship and
reset our shield harmonics... do
not delay the countdown...
260 EXT. SPACE - THE YACHT - (OPTICAL) 260
is hit by a concentrated burst of fire from the Son'a
ship... it goes spinning out of control...
261 INT. YACHT 261
Data tries to control the yacht. He's hit again... his
whole console is smoking...
DATA
(off console)
Data to Picard. They are
rotating the shield harmonics. I
am attempting to return to the
surface...
262 INT. SON'A BRIDGE - (OPTICAL) 262
SON'A OFFICER #3
The Federation ship has been
disabled.
SON'A OFFICER #2
Launch in thirty seconds.
Suddenly, there is an extended optical flash (note: long
enough to cover a brief transporter effect). Reactions.
RU'AFO
What is that?
SON'A OFFICER #3
I don't know.
(the effect ends)
Systems don't seem affected...
SON'A OFFICER #2
Launch in fifteen seconds.
See the digital countdown display at 00:15.
263 ANGLE TO INCLUDE VIEWSCREEN - (OPTICAL) 263
to see the collector with its sails fully extended...
SON'A OFFICER #2
Ten seconds.
A tiny section of the collector is launched toward the
rings...
SON'A OFFICER #2
Injector assembly launched.
As it enters, it begins to disperse charges that set off
a chain reaction in the ring system... the very nature of
the rings changes before our eyes, and flumes of
particulate matter scatter away. The process continues
racing along the rings... all of this is seen on the
viewscreen...
264 CLOSE ON RU'AFO 264
He watches mesmerized, his vengeance finally satisfied.
RU'AFO
Exactly as the simulations
predicted...
SON'A OFFICER #2
Sir, I am not showing any change
in metaphasic flux levels...
265 WIDER - (OPTICAL) 265
RU'AFO
Your scanners must be
malfunctioning.
SON'A OFFICER #2
(off console, puzzled)
All ship functions are off-line.
Ru'afo reacts, turns to a station and presses panels...
RU'AFO
How can there be no ship
functions if the viewscreen is
working, artificial gravity is
stable, life support is...
But his eyes catch something. He moves across the bridge
to a small visual gap where a holo-grid is visible... his
eyes react with horror... he reaches out, touches it...
RU'AFO
A holodeck?
He takes out a disruptor and fires it at the wall
revealing a further portion of the holo-grid in the same
effect we saw earlier with Picard and Data...
RU'AFO
A holodeck?
He fires again and again...revealing more of the grid...
his repeated blasting eventually reveals a short flight
of stairs... he leads the way up them...
266 INT. HOLO-SHIP BRIDGE - (OPTICAL) 266
Barely more than a cockpit with a large window into space --
as they enter, Ru'afo reacts as he sees the rings are
normal... his own ship is right there in front of him...
RU'AFO
(stunned, realizing)
We were transported to the holo-
ship when we reset our shields.
Everything we saw... was an
illusion.
(hitting his com-link)
Ru'afo, authorization delta two-
one... override all interlink
commands to injector assembly
one.
He stands there, but his com-link responds simply...
SON'A COMPUTER
Unable to comply. Injector
assembly one has been de-
activated.
On his reaction...
267 INT. SON'A BRIDGE - (OPTICAL) 267
where Picard, Worf and Gallatin are firmly in command...
see the real countdown display has been frozen at 2:12.
WORF
All injector sub-systems are
confirmed off-line.
PICARD
Decloak the holo-ship and engage
a tractor beam, Mister Worf.
As Worf presses panels and the holo-ship DECLOAKS on the
viewscreen, Picard presses a companel...
PICARD
Picard to Data.
268 INT. YACHT COCKPIT - (OPTICAL) 268
as the ship re-enters the planet's atmosphere, shaking
badly, heating up... a piece of the roof breaks off...
PICARD'S COM VOICE
Your status?
DATA
Precarious, sir... I am having
trouble re-entering the
atmosphere... I believe I will
have to transport to the
surface...
Data is heating up and turning red just as the rest of
the ship is.
PICARD'S COM VOICE
Understood. Well done.
DATA
Thank-you, sir.
He DEMATERIALIZES. A beat later, the yacht disintegrates
in the atmosphere.
269 INT. HOLO-SHIP COCKPIT 269
Ru'afo is frustrated...
RU'AFO
This ship is equipped with
fourteen long range
transporters... are they all
useless...?
SON'A OFFICER #2
(working the console)
They must have been locked and
secured after we were beamed
here.
RU'AFO
Isolate one and re-route its
command sequence through the
auxiliary processor...
SON'A OFFICER #3
Sir, there's nothing we can do...
they already have control of our
ship.
RU'AFO
I don't plan on going back to our
ship.
270 EXT. SPACE - BRIAR PATCH - THE ENTERPRISE (OPTICAL) 270
on it's way back...
271 INT. ENTERPRISE BRIDGE 271
Riker at Command, La Forge at Ops, Perim at Conn, Nara at
Tactical. Basic repairs have been done, but the bridge
still shows signs of the battle.
NARA
Sir, we're within sensor range of
the Son'a ship. I'm picking up
Captain Picard's com-signal on
board...
Off Riker's reaction...
272 INT. SON'A BRIDGE 272
RIKER'S COM VOICE
Enterprise to Picard...
PICARD
(reacts)
Number one.
RIKER'S COM VOICE
We should be at your position in
seven minutes. Do you need
assistance...
PICARD
Negative. Did you succeed?
273 INT. ENTERPRISE BRIDGE 273
RIKER
The Council has ordered a halt to
the Ba'ku relocation while they
conduct a top-level review.
274 INT. SON'A BRIDGE 274
PICARD
Top level review, my ass.
There'll be no cover-up of this.
Not after I get...
WORF
Captain...
He motions to the digital display... counting backwards
at 2:05 now... Picard reacts... Gallatin works the
controls...
GALLATIN
The countdown control has been
transferred to the collector...I
can't override...
PICARD
Scan for lifesigns.
WORF
One. It's Ru'afo.
PICARD
Can you beam him off?
WORF
Negative. He's established a
security field around the control
room...
PICARD
Is there any other way to disable
the injector?
Gallatin thinks, then calls up...
275 ANGLE (OPTICAL) - COMPUTER DISPLAY SHOWING THE 275
INJECTOR ASSEMBLY
isolating the section that we saw launched into the rings
in the simulation...
GALLATIN
We'd have to remove the ignition
matrix directly from the injector
assembly... but in less than two
minutes, that injector is going
to be launched into the rings...
276 OMITTED 276
277 RESUME 277
WORF
Sir, I volunteer to...
Picard moves toward a transporter station, starts to
Remove his jacket...
PICARD
Denied, Commander. I have no
intention of informing your bride
that you're not coming home...
The countdown is at 1:41...
278 INT. COLLECTOR - (OPTICAL) 278
The weird cavernous room is left with a skeleton of
structured elements now that all the sails are fully
unfurled... it almost reminds of the support foe an old-
time roller coaster -- a cobweb of crisscrossing pipes,
and conduits and planks...
279 RU'AFO - (OPTICAL) 279
in a control area safely removed from the injector,
working controls... the digital display moving back from
1:35... he doesn't immediately see --
280 ANGLE - PICARD - (OPTICAL) 280
MATERIALIZING... near the injector. This is not an area
built for manned operation... so Picard has to make do
with the structural elements...
he's been beamed to a platform a few yards from the
injector... and now he has to crawl across what is
essentially a plank on his back... under the injector
assembly...
281 ANGLE (OPTICAL) - LOOKING DOWN ON PICARD 281
moving across the plank... the dark recesses of the vast
chamber below him... he slides into the assembly's grill,
with many open spaces...
282 ANGLE FAVORING HIS POV - THE IGNITION MATRIX - (OPTICAL) 282
where another digital display shows the countdown at
1:19...he takes a Son'a tool out of a pouch on his
costume... goes to work, still lying on his back... he
inserts the tool and removes the panel cover to expose
the interior of the ignition matrix...
283 WITH RU'AFO (OPTICAL) 283
as an alarm goes off on his console...he reacts...
switches off the forcefield and goes out to look up at --
284 HIS POV - PICARD (OPTICAL) 284
working on the injector...
285 WIDE - (OPTICAL) 285
as Ru'afo climbs toward Picard...
286 PICARD 286
knows he's running out of time now... he works on
removing an interior safety screen that shields the
components... it finally slips off and falls, clanging as
it hits structural elements below... the countdown hits
1:09...
287 RU'AFO - (OPTICAL) 287
climbs...
288 PICARD - (OPTICAL) 288
reaches in to pull out the ignition matrix but a small
forcefield blocks his hand... he frowns... examines the
security sensors, begins to disconnect them...
289 RU'AFO (OPTICAL) 289
starts to cross a plank toward Picard... their eyes
connect...
290 ON THE INJECTOR'S GRILL - (OPTICAL) 290
Picard succeeds in defeating the security system... the
forcefield fritzes off... the countdown at :47... he
reaches for the component but Ru'afo gets there first...
lunges at Picard, seconds before he can complete his
task. They grapple across the grill and Picard slips
through one of the openings...
291 ANGLE EMPHASIZING THE FALL - (OPTICAL) 291
... Picard barely catching himself by grabbing on to the
grill...
292 RU'AFO 292
scrambles onto the assembly, reaches Picard and starts
to uncurl...
293 PICARD'S FINGERS 293
holding onto the grill... trying to force him to let
go...
294 PICARD - (OPTICAL) 294
grimaces, looks to see:
295 THE DIGITAL DISPLAY HITS :20 295
296 RESUME - (OPTICAL) 296
The ignition matrix engages and the nitrogen flow that
follows throws Ru'afo slightly off-balance... Picard
knowing it's now or never, releases one hand and grabs
Ru'afo by the neck and yanks his head down hard against
the grill, stunning him... Picard pulls himself up and
moves quickly into the blinding nitrogen toward the
detonation circuit again...
he literally disappears for a brief second... as Ru'afo
comes back at him again... the countdown at :10... Ru'afo
pulls him away from the controls... :05... Picard leaps
for the plank he crawled over on... Ru'afo looks at...
297 HIS POV - THE DETONATION CIRCUIT 297
and it's gone!
298 RU'AFO 298
reacts... looks at...
299 PICARD 299
on the plank who holds up the circuit for him to see...
PICARD
Looking for this?
300 THE DIGITAL DISPLAY - 0:00 300
301 TWO SHOT: PICARD AND RU'AFO - (OPTICAL) 301
perhaps no more than a foot apart... but an instant
later, Ru'afo slides away with the injector as it's
launched... a protective forcefield zaps into place as it
enters space... Picard watches as it moves toward the
rings...
302 EXT. COLLECTOR - CONTINUOUS (OPTICAL) 302
As we saw in the simulation, the injector continues to
move toward the rings...
303 INT. INJECTOR - ANGLE THROUGH THE FORCEFIELD - (OPTICAL) 303
to see the rings getting closer and closer... and as we
burst into them... the bright colorful metaphasic dust
and gases swirling around us like a hurricane...
304 RU'AFO - (OPTICAL) 304
begins to change... growing younger and younger... face-
lift falls into middle-age... then taking on the Ba'ku
facial skin pattern as he reaches young adulthood... then
adolescence... then childhood. White out.
305 EXT. VILLAGE - DAY 305
The Ba'ku returning from the hills... Troi waves from a
distance... and we move to see Riker, standing with Worf
(back in uniform), waving back...
WORF
Have I mentioned the
unanticipated rewards I've
discovered in a permanent
relationship...?
RIKER
'Permanent'... that sounds like a
long time, Worf.
WORF
(with irony)
Life is short, Commander.
Worf leaves Riker to think about that... and as we move
away with him, he takes us to Gallatin watching the
children play tag in the high grass with a personal
longing.
306 ANGLE TO SEE PICARD, ANIJ AND SOJEF - (OPTICAL) 306
walking slowly observing Gallatin. Anij is almost fully
recovered. Picard is back in uniform.
SOJEF
I wish there was a way to bring
them back home.
PICARD
Ask them.
SOJEF
I'm afraid there's too much
bitterness... on both sides.
They pause as they notice Crusher escorting a young Ba'ku
woman... returning from the mountains... she tries to
recognize Gallatin... we're too far away to hear what is
said... but the woman embraces Gallatin as a mother
embraces a lost son... and Crusher looks over and smiles
to Picard... before she leaves the couple alone... Anij
looks to Picard, realizing --
ANIJ
Mother and son. You arranged
this...?
PICARD
I thought it might begin the
healing process.
Sojef considers Picard, shakes his hand with a unstated
but deep appreciation for all that this offlander has
done. He moves away to join Gallatin and his mother.
Anij looks to Picard with love.
ANIJ
What am I going to do without
you?
Picard reacts, slightly surprised that she has
anticipated that he has to go.
PICARD
These are perilous times for the
Federation. I can't abandon it
to people who would threaten
everything I've spent a lifetime
defending.
PICARD (CONT'D)
I'm going back to Earth to...
slow things down... at the
Federation Council.
She nods, she knows...
PICARD
But I have three hundred and
eighteen days of vacation time
coming. I plan on using them.
ANIJ
I'll be here.
Worf moves over...
WORF
Captain, the Ticonderoga has
moved into orbit.
QUARK'S VOICE
Worf!
They turn to see a Ferengi (QUARK) approaching in a
bathing suit with a beach umbrella and two barely dressed
Dabo girls...
WORF
What are you doing here, Quark?
QUARK
The same thing everyone else in
the quadrant is going to be doing
here... as soon as I build the
greatest spa in the galaxy...
(sotto)
... these people don't have any
religious thing about casinos do
they...?
PICARD
There aren't going to be any spas
on this planet.
QUARK
Do I know you?
PICARD
(ignoring the
question)
This world is about to become a
Federation protectorate, which
will end any and all attempts at
exploitation by people like you.
QUARK
Explain to me how five thousand
time-share units... right there
along the lake... would be
'exploiting' anyone.
PICARD
Mister Worf, have this
uninvited... offlander and his
quests beamed to the Enterprise.
We'll deposit them at Deep Space
Nine.
WORF
Must you, sir?
Worf takes Quark away by the scruff of his beach shirt...
his disappointed babes follow ...trailing away --
QUARK
You'll hear from my Nagus.
They're gone.
ANIJ
Do you really think your mighty
Federation would be interested in
protecting six hundred people?
PICARD
The "mighty" Federation could
learn a few things from this
village...
He kisses her. The signature humming bird appears,
sweeping up in the breeze and hovers briefly in front of
them... and as he takes her hand to his cheek...
307 THE HUMMING BIRD (OPTICAL) 307
slows... its wing movements becoming more fluid and
gentle... as the moment extends...
308 ANGLE ON TROI, CRUSHER, WORF, LA FORGE AND RIKER 308
prepared to transport...
LA FORGE
Where's Data?
309 ANGLE - THE HIGH GRASS 309
a shot like our opening shot...except the head that
peeks through the grass this time is Data's... and as we
widen, we see he has taken Artim's earlier advice and is
playing tag with all the kids...
CRUSHER
(calling)
Data! It's time to go!
Data stands up straight as he hears the voice, looks at
Artim a long beat... and this is a kid's moment,
underplaying the sentiment the way kids would...
DATA
I have to go home now.
ARTIM
Bye.
Data nods...
DATA
Bye.
Artim smiles as Data joins the others...
ARTIM
Don't forget -- you've got to
play a little bit every day.
Data acknowledges...
RIKER
Good advice.
Riker takes Troi's hand suggesting perhaps a new
permanent commitment. Picard moves to join the others,
presses his combadge.
PICARD
Enterprise... seven to beam up.
Energize.
Picard exchanges a final look with Anij as they
DEMATERIALIZE.
310 EXT. SPACE - THE ENTERPRISE - (OPTICAL) 310
leaves orbit and as it moves into space...
FADE OUT.
THE END
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