[Ready room]
PICARD:
Mister La Forge, I would like you to accompany Captain Scott.
Mister La Forge, I would like you to accompany Captain Scott.
LAFORGE:
Me, sir?
Me, sir?
PICARD:
Yes. Look, this is not an order, it's a request and it's one which you must feel perfectly free to decline.
You see, one of the most important things in a person's life is to feel useful.
Now, Mister Scott is a Starfleet officer and I would like him to feel useful again.
Yes. Look, this is not an order, it's a request and it's one which you must feel perfectly free to decline.
You see, one of the most important things in a person's life is to feel useful.
Now, Mister Scott is a Starfleet officer and I would like him to feel useful again.
LAFORGE:
I'll go with him, sir.
I'll go with him, sir.
PICARD:
Thank you.
*****
[Conference room]
DATA:
Captain Picard is not satisfied with Ki Mendrossen's assurances that the Ambassador is in good health.
Do you consider Sarek capable of carrying out his mission?
SAKKATH:
Have I given you cause to think otherwise?
DATA:
You have voiced certain reservations to me about his abilities.
SAKKATH:
I do not recall making such a statement.
DATA:
Not directly, no.
But you did question me about the diplomatic capabilities of both Captain Picard and Counsellor Troi.
SAKKATH:
I am honour-bound to help Sarek carry out this mission.
That is the only answer I can give.
DATA:
Then you must decide which is your greater obligation.
Your loyalty to Sarek or your duty to the Federation.
Can you accept the logic of continuing this mission?
SAKKATH:
Tell your Captain the mission is in jeopardy.
[Bridge]
DATA:
Sakkath has been able, until recently, to use his telepathic skills to reinforce Sarek's emotional control, thus protecting others from the effects of his deterioration.
RIKER:
He hasn't been doing a very good job.
DATA:
The strain of this mission on Sarek has made it impossible.
PICARD:
It's ironic, isn't it?
All this magnificent technology and we find ourselves still susceptible to the ravages of old age.
The loss of dignity, the slow betrayal of our bodies by forces we cannot master.
Do you still want to be one of us, Data?
DATA:
Sir, it is conceivable, even for me, that time will eventually lead to irreparable circuit failure.
But there is one thing I do not understand.
Sarek is a logical, intelligent being. The effects of Bendii Syndrome are apparent.
Why would such a man choose to ignore them?
PICARD:
Logic fails us sometimes, Data. I think this is one of those times.
I can only guess that he does not see, or he does not wish to see, the truth.
And he is being insulated against that truth by those who love him most.
RIKER:
Someone has to confront him.
PICARD:
Not a task that I'm looking forward to.
*****
PERRIN:
Sarek is a good man. He's given the Federation a lifetime of service.
I beg you to let him keep the respect he has earned.
PICARD:
He'll never lose that respect.
PERRIN:
Mendrossen and I never wanted to deceive you.
My husband's condition came on him so gradually it was so easy to delude ourselves and pretend that nothing was wrong.
We convinced ourselves that he could complete this one last task and end his career with dignity.
Help him, Captain. Help him regain his pride, his honour.
PICARD:
Believe me, it would give me great pleasure, but there is nothing I can do.
PERRIN:
The mission can be saved. But he needs your help to do it.
[Corridor]
RIKER:
I take it the mind-meld was a success?
SAREK:
Yes. All went as planned.
RIKER:
Is Captain Picard all right?
SAREK:
Don't worry, Number One.
RIKER:
And the Ambassador?
SAREK:
I am myself again.
It has been a long time.
[Picard's quarters]
(Jean-Luc is voicing the agony Sarek had been keeping locked inside himself)
PICARD:
No! It is wrong. It is wrong!
A lifetime of discipline washed away, and in its place bedlam.
Bedlam!
I am so old.
There is nothing left but dry bones and dead friends.
Tired, oh so tired.
CRUSHER:
It will pass, all of it.
Just another hour or so.
You're doing fine. Just hold on.
PICARD:
No! This weakness disgusts me! I hate it!
Where is my logic? I am betrayed by desires.
I want to feel. I want to feel everything.
But I am a Vulcan.
I must feel nothing.
Give me back my control.
CRUSHER:
Jean-Luc!
PICARD:
Perrin. Amanda.
I wanted to give you so much more.
I wanted to show you such tenderness.
But that is not our way.
Spock, Amanda, did you know?
Perrin, can you know how much I love you?
I do love you!
(Beverly comes over to wipe his tears)
PICARD:
Beverly.
CRUSHER:
I'm here, Jean-Luc.
I'm not going anywhere.
PICARD:
It's quite difficult.
The anguish of the man, the despair pouring out of him, all those feelings, the regrets.
I can't stop them.
(He falls, sobbing, into her arms)
PICARD:
I can't stop them.
I can't.
I can't.
CRUSHER:
Don't even try.
PERRIN:
Thank you, Captain.
PICARD:
He loves you very much.
PERRIN:
I know.
I have always known.
(Sarek enters)
SAREK:
I will take my leave of you now, Captain.
I do not think we shall meet again.
PICARD:
I hope you are wrong, Ambassador.
SAREK:
We shall always retain the best part of the other inside us.
PICARD:
I believe I have the best part of that bargain, Ambassador.
Peace and long life.
SAREK:
Live long and prosper.
Thank you.
*****
[Conference room]
DATA:
Captain Picard is not satisfied with Ki Mendrossen's assurances that the Ambassador is in good health.
Do you consider Sarek capable of carrying out his mission?
SAKKATH:
Have I given you cause to think otherwise?
DATA:
You have voiced certain reservations to me about his abilities.
SAKKATH:
I do not recall making such a statement.
DATA:
Not directly, no.
But you did question me about the diplomatic capabilities of both Captain Picard and Counsellor Troi.
SAKKATH:
I am honour-bound to help Sarek carry out this mission.
That is the only answer I can give.
DATA:
Then you must decide which is your greater obligation.
Your loyalty to Sarek or your duty to the Federation.
Can you accept the logic of continuing this mission?
SAKKATH:
Tell your Captain the mission is in jeopardy.
[Bridge]
DATA:
Sakkath has been able, until recently, to use his telepathic skills to reinforce Sarek's emotional control, thus protecting others from the effects of his deterioration.
RIKER:
He hasn't been doing a very good job.
DATA:
The strain of this mission on Sarek has made it impossible.
PICARD:
It's ironic, isn't it?
All this magnificent technology and we find ourselves still susceptible to the ravages of old age.
The loss of dignity, the slow betrayal of our bodies by forces we cannot master.
Do you still want to be one of us, Data?
DATA:
Sir, it is conceivable, even for me, that time will eventually lead to irreparable circuit failure.
But there is one thing I do not understand.
Sarek is a logical, intelligent being. The effects of Bendii Syndrome are apparent.
Why would such a man choose to ignore them?
PICARD:
Logic fails us sometimes, Data. I think this is one of those times.
I can only guess that he does not see, or he does not wish to see, the truth.
And he is being insulated against that truth by those who love him most.
RIKER:
Someone has to confront him.
PICARD:
Not a task that I'm looking forward to.
*****
PERRIN:
Sarek is a good man. He's given the Federation a lifetime of service.
I beg you to let him keep the respect he has earned.
PICARD:
He'll never lose that respect.
PERRIN:
Mendrossen and I never wanted to deceive you.
My husband's condition came on him so gradually it was so easy to delude ourselves and pretend that nothing was wrong.
We convinced ourselves that he could complete this one last task and end his career with dignity.
Help him, Captain. Help him regain his pride, his honour.
PICARD:
Believe me, it would give me great pleasure, but there is nothing I can do.
PERRIN:
The mission can be saved. But he needs your help to do it.
[Corridor]
RIKER:
I take it the mind-meld was a success?
SAREK:
Yes. All went as planned.
RIKER:
Is Captain Picard all right?
SAREK:
Don't worry, Number One.
RIKER:
And the Ambassador?
SAREK:
I am myself again.
It has been a long time.
[Picard's quarters]
(Jean-Luc is voicing the agony Sarek had been keeping locked inside himself)
PICARD:
No! It is wrong. It is wrong!
A lifetime of discipline washed away, and in its place bedlam.
Bedlam!
I am so old.
There is nothing left but dry bones and dead friends.
Tired, oh so tired.
CRUSHER:
It will pass, all of it.
Just another hour or so.
You're doing fine. Just hold on.
PICARD:
No! This weakness disgusts me! I hate it!
Where is my logic? I am betrayed by desires.
I want to feel. I want to feel everything.
But I am a Vulcan.
I must feel nothing.
Give me back my control.
CRUSHER:
Jean-Luc!
PICARD:
Perrin. Amanda.
I wanted to give you so much more.
I wanted to show you such tenderness.
But that is not our way.
Spock, Amanda, did you know?
Perrin, can you know how much I love you?
I do love you!
(Beverly comes over to wipe his tears)
PICARD:
Beverly.
CRUSHER:
I'm here, Jean-Luc.
I'm not going anywhere.
PICARD:
It's quite difficult.
The anguish of the man, the despair pouring out of him, all those feelings, the regrets.
I can't stop them.
(He falls, sobbing, into her arms)
PICARD:
I can't stop them.
I can't.
I can't.
CRUSHER:
Don't even try.
PERRIN:
Thank you, Captain.
PICARD:
He loves you very much.
PERRIN:
I know.
I have always known.
(Sarek enters)
SAREK:
I will take my leave of you now, Captain.
I do not think we shall meet again.
PICARD:
I hope you are wrong, Ambassador.
SAREK:
We shall always retain the best part of the other inside us.
PICARD:
I believe I have the best part of that bargain, Ambassador.
Peace and long life.
SAREK:
Live long and prosper.
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