Maman

Picard's Mother 

TNG Older Explained 

Star Trek Picard

Picard and his mother.

Yeeeers -- That'll be 

The Trauma : He's clearly not 

remembering Her 

very well.....

 our son.

[Chez Picard]

(Picard is making inroads into a bottle of the family produce when Robert comes in with flowers for the house) 

BOB : 

Careful. You're not used to drinking the real thing. This synthehol never leaves you out of control, is that so? 

Johnny : That's so. 

BOB : This will. (pours himself the last dregs) Now there is something I'd like to see. 

Johnny : What's that? 

BOB : 

The gallant Captain out of Control. Mind if I ask you 

A Question? What the devil happened to you up there? 

Johnny : 

Is this brotherly concern? 

BOB : 

No. Curiosity. What did 

They Do to you? 

Johnny : 

You know what happened. 

BOB : 

Not precisely. I gather you were hurt. Humiliated. I always thought you needed 

a little humiliation. 

Or was it humility? 

Either would do. 

(Jean-Luc storms out of the house) 

[Garden]

BOB : Why do you walk away? That isn't your style. 

Johnny : I'm tired of fighting with you, Robert. 

BOB : Tired? 

Johnny : That's right. 

BOB : Yes. Tired of the Enterprise too? The great Captain Picard of Starfleet falls to Earth, ready to plunge into the water with Louis. That isn't the brother that I remember. Still, I suppose it must have seemed like the ideal situation, hmm? Local boy makes good. Returns home after twenty years to a hero's welcome. 

Johnny : I'm not a hero. 

BOB : Of course you are. Admit it. You'd never settle for less than that and you never will. 

Johnny : That's not true. 

BOB : Cancel the parade? In your favour? 

Johnny : No! I never sought that rubbish. 

BOB : Never sought? Never sought president of the school, valedictorian, athletic hero with your arms raised in victory? 

Johnny : Valedictorian? Arms raised in victory? Were you so jealous? 

BOB : Yes, damn it. I was always so jealous, I had a right to be. 

Johnny : Right? 

BOB : I was always your brother, watching you receive the cheers, watching you break every rule our father made and get away with it. 

Johnny : Why didn't you break a few rules? 

BOB : Because I was the elder brother, the responsible one. It was my job to look after you. 

Johnny : Look after me? You? You were a bully. 

BOB : Sometimes. Maybe. Sometimes I even enjoyed bullying you. 

Johnny : All right. Try it now. 

BOB : Did you come back, Jean-Luc? Did you come back because you wanted me to look after you again? 

Johnny : Damn you! 

(And he punches his brother, sending him flying over some barrels into the vineyard proper. There they fight in the muddy irrigation ditches, through the vines until they finally fall back laughing) 

Johnny : 

You were asking 

for it, you know. 

BOB : 

Yes, but you needed it. 

You have been terribly 

hard on yourself. 

Johnny : You don't know, Robert. You don't know. They took everything I was. They used me to kill and to destroy, and I couldn't stop them. I should have been able to stop them! I tried. I tried so hard, but I wasn't strong enough. I wasn't good enough. I should have been able to stop them. I should! I should! 

BOB : 

So, my brother is a human being after all. This is going to be with you a long time, Jean-Luc. A long time. You have to learn to live with it. You have a simple choice now. Live with it below the sea with Louis, or above the clouds with the Enterprise. 

Johnny : You know, I think you were right after all. I think I did come back so that you could help me. 

BOB : You know what? I still don't like you, Jean-Luc.

[Chez Picard]

(There's mud, and muddy boots, on the carpet, and drunken voices singing 'Aupres de ma blonde, qu'il fait bon, fait bon, fait bon' dum, dum, dum. Marie enters from outside) 

Mrs. BOB : What in the world? What happened here? 

BOB : Ah 

Johnny : It's entirely my fault, Marie. 

BOB : Yes, I fell down, then he fell and then 

Johnny : We both fell down. 

BOB : We both fell down. 

Johnny : Together. 

BOB : We both fell down together. 

Mrs. BOB : Have you two been fighting? 

BOB : Fighting? No, certainly not. 

Mrs. BOB : Shame on you both. What would your father say if he saw you like this? 

Johnny : He'd probably send us both to bed without our supper. 

Mrs. BOB : Well, perhaps it's just as well you got it out of your systems. 

Johnny : Perhaps it was, Marie. Perhaps it was. I'll contact Louis and cancel the meeting with the Board of Governors. It's time that I was going. 

Mrs. BOB : 

Already, Jean-Luc? 

Johnny : 

The ship will be ready to leave orbit soon, and I belong on board. If I should ever doubt that again, I know where to come. 

Picard - Sheer Fucking Hubris

[Patio]

(Arranging flowers in a vase in the evening.)

MORITZ: 

He said I'd find you out here.

Johnny : Moritz.

MORITZ: Hello, Jean-Luc.

Johnny : It's been a very long time.

MORITZ: Too long.

Johnny : I know there was a bit of trouble with the remote medscan, but I hardly expected a house call. Let me just er... (picks up tea tray) Your office told me they would be forwarding the certificate for interstellar service as soon as you had seen the results. (silence) Oh, I see.

MORITZ: You might want something stronger.

(A little later.)

MORITZ: Your medscan came in at or above Starfleet minimums in every category. Cardiovascular, metabolic, cognitive. For a relic, you're in excellent shape. Just that little abnormality in the parietal lobe.

Johnny : I was told a long time ago that it might cause a problem eventually.

(Irumodic Syndrome? See All Good Things.)

MORITZ: Loss of appetite, mood swings, unsettling dreams? Inappropriate displays of anger on interplanetary news holos?

Johnny : What do you think it is?

MORITZ: I'd need to run more tests. It could be one of a number of related syndromes.

Johnny : Prognosis? Come on. Let's have it, Doctor Benayoun.

MORITZ: A few are treatable, but they all end the same way. Some sooner than others.

Johnny : I see. I need you to certify me to Starfleet as fit for interstellar service. Now, will you do it?

MORITZ: I don't suppose you'd condescend to tell me why. Secret mission? We certainly had our share of those on the Stargazer, didn't we? Remember that time in the fireforest on Calyx, we

Johnny : Doctor Benayoun. Forgive me.

MORITZ: You really want to go back out into the cold, knowing

Johnny : More than ever, knowing.

MORITZ: I don't know what kind of trouble you're planning to get into. Maybe if you're lucky, it will kill you first.

[Starfleet HQ]

(Picard beams in through one of a line of arches in the plaza. Humans and aliens with a mixture of DS9 and Voyager style uniforms throng the area.)

COMPUTER: All visitors must report to the main security desk. All visitors must report to the main security desk.

(A large hologram of NCC1701 hangs over the foyer, then it changes to NCC1701D.)

MAN [OC]: Admiral Gurdy, please report to Conference Room B. Admiral Gurdy, please report to Conference Room B.

Johnny : Hello. I er, have a meeting with the CNC. I have an appointment.

ENSIGN: Of course, sir. May I have your name, please, sir?

Johnny : Oh. Er, Picard. P-I-C-A-R-D. Jean-Luc.

(The Ensign puts a visitor badge on the reception desk.)

ENSIGN: Ah. It's nice to see you up and around, Admiral. Welcome back.

[Admiral Clancy's office]

(Doorbell.)

Fleet Admiral Kirsten Clancy , 

C-in-C, Starfleet : 

Come. (door opens) 

Ah. Jean-Luc.

Johnny : 

Kirsten. Hello. 

May I? (he sits)

Fleet Admiral Kirsten Clancy , 

C-in-C, Starfleet : 

Apparently, you have 'urgent 

Federation Business'. 

I understood you to have left 

affairs of state behind.

Johnny :

 I am staying as far 

from it all as I can.

Fleet Admiral Kirsten Clancy , 

C-in-C, Starfleet : 

So then what can I do for you?

Johnny : 

Bruce Maddox.

Fleet Admiral Kirsten Clancy , 

C-in-C, Starfleet : 

What about him?

Johnny : 

I believe that he is using neurons 

from the late Commander Data 

to create a new race of

organic synthetics.

Fleet Admiral Kirsten Clancy , 

C-in-C, Starfleet : 

Well, that's not far from all 

of it, it is all of it.

Johnny : 

The Romulans are involved.

Fleet Admiral Kirsten Clancy, 

C-in-C, Starfleet : 

This gets better and better.

Johnny : 

Commander Data was 

not only my colleague, he was 

my dear friend, and he gave 

his life, body and soul, 

to The Federation.

 And if there is a chance that some part of him 

still exists, then I think we have 

an obligation to investigate.

Fleet Admiral Kirsten Clancy,

C-in-C, Starfleet : 

There is no 'We', 

Jean-Luc --

Johnny : 

Kirsten, I know we have not always seen eye to eye. Nevertheless, I have a request to make. Based on my years of service, I want you to reinstate me, temporarily, for one mission. I will need a small warp-capable reconnaissance ship with a minimal crew, and if you feel that my rank makes me too conspicuous, well then, I am content to be demoted to Captain.

Fleet Admiral Kirsten Clancy ,

 C-in-C, Starfleet : 

....sheer fucking hubris --

You think you could just waltz back in here 

and be entrusted with taking men 

and women into space? 

Do you think I wasn't 

watching the holo 

the other day along 

with everyone else 

in The Galaxy?

Johnny : I should not have spoken in public.

Fleet Admiral Kirsten Clancy , C-inC, Starfleet : The Romulans were our enemies, and we tried to help them for as long as we could, but even before the synthetics attacked Mars, 14 species within the Federation said, cut the Romulans loose, or we'll pull out. It was a choice between allowing the Federation to implode or letting the Romulans go.

Johnny : 

The Federation does not get to decide 

if a species lives or dies...!

.

Fleet Admiral Kirsten Clancy , 

C-in-C, Starfleet : 

Yes, We Do. 

We absolutely Do. 

Thousands of other species depend 

upon Us for unity, for cohesion. 

We didn't have enough ships left. 

We had to make choices. 

But The Great 

Captain Picard didn't 

like His Orders.

Johnny : 

I was standing-up 

for The Federation, for 

what it represents, for what 

it should still represent!!

Fleet Admiral Kirsten Clancy , 

C-in-C, Starfleet : 

How dare you 

lecture me?

Johnny : 

Ignore me again 

at your cost.

Fleet Admiral Kirsten Clancy , 

C-in-C, Starfleet : 

My cost?

Johnny : 

You are in 

peril, Admiral.

Fleet Admiral Kirsten Clancy , 

C-in-C, Starfleet : 

There's no peril here...!!
Only the pitiable delusions 

of a once-great man 

desperate to matter. 

This is no-longer Your 

House, Jean-Luc. 

So do What You're

Good at : Go Home. 

Request Denied.

The Redoubtable Commander Riker (Whom I Noticed, Before.)

PICARD: 

You're no Starfleet Admiral, Q!

Q. : 

Neither am I an Aldebaran serpent, 

Captain, but you accepted me as such.

RIKER: 

He's got Us there, Captain.

Q: 

Ah! The redoubtable Commander Riker, 

whom I noticed before —

You seem to find this 

all very amusing.

PICARD: 

You interfered with our Farpoint mission. 

You threatened to convict us as ignorant savages, if, 

while dealing with a powerful and complex life form, 

we made the slightest mistake, and 

when that didn't happen --

Q : 

The Q became interested in You. 

Does no one here understand 

your incredible good fortune? 

'Seized my vessel'. These are the complaints of 

a closed mind too accustomed 

to military privileges. 

But you, Riker, and 

I remember you well -- 

What Do You Make 

of My Offer?

RIKER : 

We don't have time for these games.

Q : 

Games? Did someone say 'games'? 

And perchance, for interest's sake, 

a deadly Game? To The Game --

redoubtable (adj.)

late 14c., of persons, "worthy of honor, venerable" (a sense now obsolete); late 15c., "that is to be dreaded or feared, formidable, terrible," also often "valiant," from Old French redoutable (12c.), from redouter "to dread," from re-, intensive prefix, + douter "be afraid of" (see doubt (v.)).

The verb also was in Middle English, redouten, "to fear, dread; stand in awe or apprehension of; honor" (late 14c., from Old French) and was used through 19c., though OED marks it "now rhetorical."

also from late 14c.

Entries linking to redoubtable

doubt (v.)

c. 1200, douten, duten, "to dread, fear, be afraid" (a sense now obsolete), from Old French doter "doubt, be doubtful; be afraid," from Latin dubitare "to doubt, question, hesitate, waver in opinion" (related to dubius "uncertain"), from duo "two" (from PIE root *dwo- "two"), with a sense of "of two minds, undecided between two things." Compare dubious. Etymologically, "to have to choose between two things."

The sense of "fear" developed in Old French and was passed on to English. Meaning "to be uncertain, hesitate or waver in opinion" is attested in English from c. 1300. The transitive senses of "be uncertain as to the truth or fact of" and "distrust, be uncertain with regard to" are from c. 1300.

The -b- was restored 14c.-16c. in French and English by scribes in imitation of Latin. French dropped it again in 17c., but English has retained it.

It replaced Old English tweogan (noun twynung), from tweon "two," on notion of "of two minds" or the choice between two implied in Latin dubitare. Compare German Zweifel "doubt," from zwei "two."

*dwo- 

Proto-Indo-European root meaning "two."

It forms all or part of: anadiplosis; balance; barouche; between; betwixt; bezel; bi-; binary; bis-; biscuit; combination; combine; deuce; deuterium; Deuteronomy; di- (1) "two, double, twice;" dia-; dichotomy; digraph; dimity; diode; diphthong; diploid; diploma; diplomacy; diplomat; diplomatic; diplodocus; double; doublet; doubloon; doubt; dozen; dual; dubious; duet; duo; duodecimal; duplex; duplicate; duplicity; dyad; epididymis; hendiadys; pinochle; praseodymium; redoubtable; twain; twelfth; twelve; twenty; twi-; twice; twig; twilight; twill; twin; twine; twist; 'twixt; two; twofold; zwieback.

It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Sanskrit dvau, Avestan dva, Greek duo, Latin duo, Old Welsh dou, Lithuanian dvi, Old Church Slavonic duva, Old English twa, twegen, German zwei, Gothic twai "two;" first element in Hittite ta-ugash "two years old."

redoubt (n.)

also redout, "small, enclosed military work," c. 1600, from French redoute (17c.), from Italian ridotto, earlier ridotta, "place of retreat," from Medieval Latin reductus "place of refuge, retreat," noun use of past participle of reducere "to lead or bring back" (see reduce). The unetymological -b- was added by influence of unrelated and now obsolete English verb redoubt "to dread, fear" (see redoubtable). As an adjective, Latin reductus meant "withdrawn, retired; remote, distant."

(Riker is sitting on a rock, laughing --

Q suddenly now has Three Commanders' 

pips on the collar of his fake uniform. )

Q. : 

Something amuses you? 

Perhaps you'll share 

The Joke with me?

RIKER: 

The Joke is You.

Q. : 

Strange gratitude, from one who has been granted 

a gift beyond any human dream. 

How can you not appreciate being able to 

send your friends back to their ship, or 

sending the soldiers back to the nothingness 

from which they came? 

Certainly, you must understand that 

at this moment you can send yourself 

back to the ship or to Earth, or change your shape 

and become anything else you want to be.

RIKER: 

What do you need, Q?

Q. : 

Need?

RIKER: 

You want something from Us, 

desperately. What is it?

Q. : 

Want something from you 

foolish, fragile, non-entities? 

Oh come, Riker. You're beginning 

to sound like your Captain.

RIKER: 

Now that's a compliment, Q. 

But that's not An Answer.

Q. : 

Riker, we have offered you 

a gift beyond all other gifts!

RIKER: 

Out of the goodness of your heart.

Q. : 

After Farpoint, I returned to 

Where We Exist. The Q Continuum.

RIKER: 

Which means exactly what?

Q. : 

The limitless dimensions of 

The Galaxy in which we exist.

RIKER: 

I don't understand.

Q. : 

Of course you don't, and you never will 

until you become One of Us.

RIKER: 

Until? Would you mind going over that again?

Q. : 

Well if you'll stop interrupting me. 

This is hardly a time to be teaching you 

the true nature of the universe. 

However, at Farpoint we saw you as savages only. 

We discovered instead that you are 

unusual creatures in your own limited ways. 

Ways which in time will not be so limited.

RIKER: 

We're growing. Something about Us 

compels Us to learn, explore.

Q. : 

Yes, the human compulsion. 

And unfortunately for Us, it is a power 

which will grow stronger century 

after century, aeon after aeon.

RIKER: 

Aeons. Have you any idea 

how far we'll advance?

Q. : 

Perhaps in a future that you cannot 

yet conceive, even beyond Us. 

So you see, we must know more 

about this human condition. 

That's why We've selected You, Riker, 

to become part of The Q, 

so that You can bring to Us 

this human need and hunger, 

that We may understand it.

RIKER: 

I suppose you mean that as a compliment, Q. 

Or maybe it's my limited mind. 

But to become a part of you? 

I don't even like you.

Q. : 

(grins) ......You're going to miss Me!

Paul’s Son’s Nebula


(mute) 


RIKER: 

What the hell do they 

want with you? 


SHELBY: 

I thought they weren't interested 

in human life forms, only 

Our Technology. 


PICARD: 

Their priorities seem to have changed. Open. 


WORF: 

Channel Open. 


PICARD: 

We have developed 

new defence capabilities 

since our last meeting and 

we are prepared to use them 

if you do not withdraw 

from Federation space. 


LAFORGE [OC]: 

Captain.

[Engineering]

LAFORGE: 

The shields are being probed. 

I'm modulating nutation.

[Bridge]

WORF: 

Captain, The Borg are attempting 

to lock on to us with 

their tractor beam. 


PICARD: 

Load torpedo bays. 

Arm phasers. Lock coordinates on the source of the tractor beam. 


RIKER: 

Shield status? 


DATA: 

Holding, sir. 


SHELBY: 

The nutation modulation 

has them confused. 


RIKER: 

They have The Ability to Analyse 

and Adapt, Commander. 


(The Ship shakes)

[Engineering]

LAFORGE: 

Shield modulation has failed. 

They've locked on.

[Bridge]

WORF: 

Shields are being drained. 

Ninety percent. Eighty.

[Engineering]

LAFORGE: 

Trying to recalibrate nutation. 

Damn.

[Bridge]

WORF: 

Shields have failed. 


PICARD: 

Fire all weapons.

[Engineering]

LAFORGE: 

Their subspace field is intact. 

New phaser frequencies 

had no impact.

[Bridge]

RIKER: Reverse engines. 
LAFORGE [OC]: Full reverse.

[Engineering]

LAFORGE: We're not moving.

[Bridge]

PICARD: Fire at will. 


WORF: 

Launching torpedoes. 

Phaser spread continuing. 


DATA: 

Still no damage 

to The Borg vessel, sir. 


(The Borg weapon cuts through the Enterprise like a hot knife through butter, almost.) 


COMPUTER: 

Warning. Outer hull breach.


WORF: 

They're cutting into The Hull. 

Engineering section. 


RIKER: 

Geordi, evacuate Engineering.

[Engineering]

LAFORGE: 

Computer. Evacuation sequence. 


COMPUTER: 

Sealing doors to core chamber. 


LAFORGE: 

Come on, move it, people! 

Let's go! Let's go! 


COMPUTER: 

Decompression danger, 

deck thirty six, section four.

[Bridge]

COMPUTER: 

Sealing Main Engineering. 


SHELBY: 

Data, fluctuate phaser 

resonance frequencies. 

Random settings. 

Keep them changing. 

Don't give them time to adapt. 


(Finally, boom and judder) 


WORF: 

The tractor beam has been released. 


PICARD: 

Warp nine. Course, one five one mark three three zero. Engage. 
(La Forge enters the Bridge)


WORF: 

They are in pursuit, Captain. 


PICARD: 

Maintain course. 


RIKER: 

Damage report, Geordi? 


LAFORGE: 

Hull rupture in main Engineering. The damage is pretty heavy. We lost a lot of good people down there. 


DATA: 

Eleven dead, eight more unaccounted for, Captain. 


RIKER: 

Repair teams to Engineering. 

Seal hull breach. 


LAFORGE: 

They didn't get to the core, 

I can control functions 

from here. 


WESLEY: 

Now approaching 

The Paulson Nebula, sir. 


PICARD: 

Drop to impulse. 

Take us in, Ensign. 


(Enterprise glides into the purple fog) 


WESLEY: 

The field is getting too dense, sir. 


PICARD: 

Steady. Analysis of the 

nebula cloud, Mister Data. 


DATA: 

82% DiLithium Hydroxyls. 

Magnesium, Chromium. 

It should provide an effective screen against their sensors, Captain. 


PICARD: 

Mister La Forge, prepare 

to reverse engines. Full Stop. 


(The Enterprise vanishes, 

and The Borg Cube halts) 


WORF: 

The Borg Ship is continuing scans, 

attempting to locate Us. 


PICARD: 

Good. As long as 

They're looking for Us, 

They won't Hurt 

anyone else.

Cubical

RIKER: 

We've picked up a vessel 

on the long range scanners, 

headed this way.

PICARD: 

Analysis.

DATA: 

The Vessel is traveling 

at Warp 7.6. 

Mass : 2.5 million metric tons. 

Configuration : Cubical.

The Exorcist :

Where’s Reagan?

Pazuzu :

In Here - with Us.

cubicle (n.)

mid-15c., "bedroom, bedchamber," from Latin cubiculum "bedroom," from cubare "to lie down," which is perhaps from a PIE *kub-, with cognates in Middle Welsh kyscu, Middle Cornish koska, Middle Breton cousquet "to sleep," but de Vaan regards the PIE origin of the Latin word as "uncertain." Compare cubit.

 

Obsolete from 16c. but revived by 1858 for "dormitory sleeping compartment," especially in an English public school. The sense of "any partitioned space" (such as a library carrel or, later, office work station) is attested by 1926. 

Related: Cubicular.

Entries linking to cubicle

cubit (n.)

ancient unit of measure (usually from 18 to 22 inches) based on the forearm from elbow to fingertip, early 14c., from Latin cubitum, cubitus "the elbow, the forearm," generally regarded as a derivative of PIE *keu(b)- "to bend," but de Vaan finds this dubious based on the sense of the proposed cognates and the sound changes involved. 

Also compare cubicle.

It seems much safer to assume that cubitus 'elbow' is a specific instance of the ppp. cubitus of the verb cubare 'to lie down'. People lie down on their elbow if they sleep on their side, and the Romans even reclined when dining. It matters little whether the original meaning was 'forearm' or 'the elbow joint'. One may even suggest that the verb cubitare 'to lie down' ... is not (only) a frequentative to cubare, but (also) arose as a denominative 'to rest on the elbow' to cubitus. [de Vaan]

Such a measure, known by a word meaning "forearm" or the like, was known to many peoples (compare Greek pekhys, Hebrew ammah, English ell).

The word also was used in English in the "forearm, part of the arm from the elbow downward" sense (early 15c.); hence cubital "as long as a cubit" (mid-15c.), also "pertaining to the forearm" (1610s).

concubine (n.)

c. 1300, "a paramour, a woman who cohabits with a man without being married to him;" also, in reference to Hebrew, Greek, Roman and other civilisations where the position was recognized by law, "a wife of inferior condition, a secondary wife," from Latin concubina (fem.), concubinus (masc.) "one who lives unmarried with a married man or woman." 

Usually the concubine was of a lower social order, but the institution, though below matrimonium, was less reproachful than adulterium or stuprum. The word itself is from concumbere "to lie with, to lie together, to cohabit," from assimilated form of com "with, together" (see con-) + cubare "to lie down" (see cubicle).

Such concubines were allowed by the Greek and Roman laws, and for many centuries they were more or less tolerated by the church, for both priests and laymen. The concubine of a priest was sometimes called a priestess. [Century Dictionary]

In Middle English, as in Latin, sometimes used of a man who cohabits with a woman without marriage. Related: Concubinary; concubinal.

PICARD: 

Mister Worf, dispatch 

a subspace message 

to Admiral Hanson :

We have engaged 

The Borg. 


WORF: 

Captain — YOU are being hailed. 


PICARD: 

I am? 


WORF: 

Yes, Captain :

 By Name. 


RIKER: 

Data, is it the same ship 

we faced at J two five? 


DATA: 

Uncertain, Commander, 

but the dimensions are 

precisely the same. 


PICARD: 

On screen. I am Jean Luc -


(The viewscreen just shows the inside of The Cube. The voice is made up of many speaking as one) 


BORG [OC]:

 Jean Luc Picard, captain of the Starship Enterprise, registry NCC 1701D, you will lower shields and prepare to transport yourself aboard our vessel. If you do not cooperate, we will destroy your ship. 


PICARD: 

You have committed acts of aggression 

against the United Federation of Planets. 

If you do not withdraw immediately 
—

BORG: 

You will surrender yourself or we will destroy your ship. 

Your defensive capabilities are unable to withstand us. 


(mute) 


RIKER:

 What the hell do They 

want with you? 


SHELBY: 

I thought they weren't interested 

in human life forms, 

only Our Technology. 


PICARD: 

Their priorities seem 

to have changed. 

Stay Where Thou Art

Captain's log, stardate 41153.7. 

Our Destination is Planet Deneb Four, 

beyond which lies the great 

unexplored mass of The Galaxy. 

My Orders are to examine Farpoint, 

a starbase built there 

by the inhabitants of that world. 

Meanwhile, I am becoming 

better acquainted 

with my new command, this 

Galaxy Class USS Enterprise. 

I am still somewhat in awe 

of its size and complexity. 

As for my crew, 

we are short in several 

key positions, 

most notably a first officer, 

but I am informed that 

a highly experienced man, 

one Commander William Riker, 

will be waiting to join Our Ship 

at our Deneb Four destination.

[Bridge]

PICARD: 

You will agree, Data, that 

Starfleet's orders are... difficult? 

DATA: 

Difficult? Simply, 

'Solve The Mystery 

of Farpoint Station.' 

PICARD: 

As simple as that. 

TROI: 

Farpoint Station. Even The Name 

sounds mysterious. 

PICARD: 

It's hardly simple, Data, 

to negotiate a friendly agreement 

for Starfleet to use The Base 

while at the same time snoop around 

finding how and why the life form there built it. 

DATA: 

Inquiry. The word 'snoop?' 

PICARD: 

Data, how can you be programmed 

as a virtual encyclopedia of human information 

without knowing a simple word like 'snoop'? 

DATA: 

A Possibility : A Kind of Human Behaviour 

I was not designed to emulate. 

PICARD: 

It means 'to Spy', 'to Sneak'. 

DATA: 

Ah! To seek covertly, to go stealthily, 

to slink, slither --

PICARD: 

Exactly, yes. 

DATA: 

Glide, creep, skulk, 

pussyfoot, gumshoe. 

TROI: 

Captain, I'm sensing a powerful mind. 

(Collision alert sounds) 

TORRES: 

Something strange on the detector circuits. 

(A massive barrier appears in front of them in space) 

DATA: 

It registers as solid, Captain. 

TROI: 

Or an incredibly powerful forcefield. 

But if we collide with either it could be very -- 

PICARD: 

Shut off that damned noise. 

Go to Yellow Alert. 

WORF: 

Shields and deflectors up, sir. 

(The barrier ripples like chain mail) 

PICARD: 

Reverse power, full stop. 

TORRES: 

Controls to full stop, sir. 

Now reading full stop, sir. 

(There's a flash of light, and an Elizabethan era soldier appears, complete with breast plate and plumed hat) 

Q.: 

Thou are notified that Thy Kind 

hath infiltrated The Galaxy too far already. 

Thou art directed to return 

to Thine Own Solar System immediately. 

PICARD: 

That's quite a directive. 

Would you mind identifying 

What You Are? 

Q.: 

We call ourselves The Q. 

Or Thou Mayst Call Me That. 

It's all much the same thing. 

(The same force barrier stops two people exiting the turbolift) 

Q .: 

I Present My Self to Thee as a fellow Ship's Captain, 

that Thou Mayst better understand me.

 

Go Back whence Thou camest. 

(to Helmsman) 

Stay Where Thou art! 

(And the helmsman is frozen solid, phaser in hand)

PICARD: 

Data, call medics. 

TROI: 

He's frozen! 

PICARD: 

He would not have injured You -- 

Do You recognise this, the stun setting? 

Q: 

Knowing Humans as Thou Dost, Captain, 

wouldst Thou be captured helpless by Them? 

Now, Go Back 

or Thou Shalt 

Most Certainly Die.

Captain's log, supplementary -- 

The frozen form of Lieutenant Torres 

has been rushed to sickbay. 

The Question, Now, is 

The Incredible Power 

of The Q.-Being. 

Do We Dare Oppose It?

[Bridge]

Q. : 

Captain, thy little centuries go by so rapidly. 

Perhaps thou will better understand this. 

(A flash of light and he is wearing a 20th century US military uniform, with a cigarette in his hand) 

Q. : 

Actually, The Issue at stake is Patriotism --

You must return to Your World 

and put an end to The Commies. 

All it takes is A Few Good Men. 

PICARD : 

What? That nonsense 

is centuries behind Us. 

Q. : 

But You can't deny that 

You're still a dangerous, 

Savage, Child-Race. 

PICARD: 

Most certainly I deny it. 

I agree we still were 

when humans wore costumes like
that, four hundred years ago. 

Q. : 

At which time you slaughtered millions 

in silly arguments about 

How to Divide The Resources 

of Your Little World. 

And four hundred years before that, 

You were murdering each other 

in quarrels over tribal God-Images. 

Since then,there are no indications 

that Humans will ever change. 

PICARD: 

But even when we wore costumes 

like that we'd already started 

to make rapid progress. 

Q: 

Oh yeah? You want to review your rapid progress? 

(Flash, and a change into a padded suit) 

Q. : 

Rapid progress, to where Humans learned 

to Control Their Military with drugs. 

WORF: 

Sir, sickbay reports 

Lieutenant Torres's 

condition is better. 

Q.: 

Oh, concern for one's fellow comrade --

How touching. 

WORF: 

And now a personal request, sir. 

Permission to clean up the bridge. 

TASHA: 

Lieutenant Worf is right, sir. 

As Security Chief I can't just stand here and let --

PICARD: 

Yes you can, Lieutenant Yar. 

Q. : 

(taking a snort of something) 

Oh, better. And later, on finally 

reaching Deep Space, 

Humans of course found Enemies 

to fight Out There, too. 

And to broaden those struggles 

You again found allies for still more murdering. 

The Same Old Story, 

all over again. 

PICARD: 

No. The Same Old Story is The One 

We're meeting now. 

Self-righteous life forms 

who are eager not to learn, 

but to Prosecute, 

to Judge anything 

They don't understand 

or can't tolerate. 

Q. : 

What an interesting idea : 

Prosecute and Judge. 

Suppose it turns out we understand 

You Humans only too well. 

PICARD: 

We've no fear of what the true facts about us will reveal. 

Q. : 

Facts about You? Splendid, splendid, Captain! 

You're a veritable 

Fountain of Good Ideas. 

There are preparations to make, 

but when we next meet, Captain, 

We'll proceed exactly 

as You suggest. 

(A flash and He is gone) 

WORF: 

Sir, respectfully submit, 

Our only Choice is to Fight. 

TASHA: 

Fight, or Try to Escape. 

PICARD: 

Sense anything, Commander? 

TROI: 

It's Mind is much Too Powerful. 

Recommend, We Avoid Contact. 

PICARD: 

From This Point, 

No Station aboard, 

repeat No Station, 

for any reason will 

make use of 

transmitted signals 

or intercom. 

We'll Try and Take Them 

by Surprise. 

Let's see what this 

Galaxy-class Starship can Do. 

(to Worf) 

Lieutenant, inform Engine Room 

to prepare for maximum acceleration. 

WORF: 

Aye, sir. 

PICARD: 

Records search, Data -- 

Results of detaching saucer-section 

at high-warp velocity. 

DATA: 

Inadvisable at any 

Warp Speed, sir. 

PICARD: 

Search Theoretical. 

DATA: 

It is possible, sir. 

But absolutely no 

margin for error. 

PICARD: 

Using print-out only, notify all decks 

to prepare for maximum acceleration. 

Now hear this, Maximum, 

You're entitled to know, 

means that We'll be 

pushing Our Engines 

well beyond safety limits. 

Our Hope is to surprise 

whatever That is Out There, 

try and outrun it. 

Our only other option is to 

tuck tail between our legs and 

Return to Earth as They demand. 

(Worf makes his trip to Engineering and back) 

WORF: 

Engine Room ready, sir. 

TROI: 

The Board shows Green, Captain. All Go. 

PICARD: 

Stand by -- Engage. 

(They swoop along and past The Barrier, which then turns into a ball and chases them) 

WORF: 

Velocity, Warp 9.2. 

DATA: 

Heading 351 mark 11, sir. 

PICARD: 

Steady on that. 

TASHA: 

The Hostile is now Giving Chase, sir. 

Accelerating fast. 

WORF: 

We're now at Warp 9.3, sir, 

which Takes Us past 

The Red Line, sir. 

PICARD: 

Continue accelerating. 

Counsellor, at This Point, 

I'm open to guesses about 

What We've just met. 

TROI: 

It it felt Like Something Beyond 

what We'd consider A Life Form. 

PICARD: 

Beyond? 

TROI: 

Very, very advanced, sir, 

or certainly very, very different. 

WORF: 

We're at 9.4, sir. 

TASHA: 

Hostile is now beginning 

to overtake Us, sir. 

PICARD: 

Are You Sure? 

DATA: 

Hostile's velocity is already 

Warp 9.6, sir. 

Shall I put Them on the main viewer? 

PICARD: 

Reverse angle. 

DATA: 

Magnifying viewer image. 

TASHA: 

Hostile's velocity is 9.7, sir. 

PICARD: 

Worf, inform The Engine Room 

We need more. 

DATA: 

Engine Room attempting 

to comply, sir, 

but They caution Us... 

PICARD: 

Go to Yellow Alert. 

Arm aft photon torpedoes. 

Place them on ready status. 

TASHA: 

Torpedoes to ready, sir. 

TASHA: 

Hostile now at Warp 9.8, sir. 

WORF: 

Our Velocity is only 9.5, sir. 

DATA: 

Projection, sir -- We may be able 

to match Hostile's 9.8, sir. 

But at extreme risk. 

TASHA: 

Now reading The Hostile 

at Warp 9.9, sir. 

PICARD: 

Now hear this. 

Print-out message, urgent, 

all stations on all decks. 

Prepare for emergency saucer sever. 

You will command the saucer section, Lieutenant. 

WORF: 

I am a Klingon, sir. 

For me to seek escape when 

My Captain goes into battle —

PICARD: 

You are a Starfleet officer, Lieutenant. 

WORF: 

Aye, sir. 

PICARD: 

Make The Mark, Data. 

Note in Ship's log 

that at this StarTime, 

I'm Transferring Command to 

The Battle Bridge. 

(Picard, Data, Yar and Troi 

leave the Bridge to unnamed crew)

Captain's log, StarDate 41153.7. 

Preparing to detach saucer section. so that families and the majority of the ship's company can seek relative safety while the vessel's stardrive, containing The Battle Bridge and main armaments, 

will turn back and confront the mystery that is threatening us.

[Battle Bridge]

(Families of various races make their way along corridors as the bridge crew settle into a more compact Bridge)

PICARD: 

Lieutenant, Your Torpedoes must detonate 

close enough to the hostile 

to blind it at the moment we separate. 

TASHA: 

Understood, sir. 

TROI: 

All decks acknowledging, sir. 
PICARD: 

Worf, this is the Captain.

[Bridge]

PICARD : 

At the moment of separation, 

we will reverse power just enough 

to get your saucer section out ahead and clear of us. 

WORF: 

Understood, Captain.

[Battle Bridge]

TASHA: 

Torpedoes away, sir. 

(Eight red dots shoot out from the stern) 

PICARD: 

Begin Countdown. Mark. 

DATA: 

Starship separation in six, five, 

four, three, two, one. 

(Gracefully, the huge saucer lifts away from the body of the ship) 

DATA: 

Separation is Successful, sir. 

(The main body does a hand-brake turn and heads back to their pursuer. The torpedoes detonate.) 

TASHA: 

Torpedoes have detonated, sir. 

PICARD: 

Let's come to a stop. 

Reverse power. 

DATA: 

Reverse power. 

Decelerating. 

PICARD: 

Dead Stop. 

We'll hold this position 

and wait for Them. 

TROI: 

That will bring them here in just minutes, sir. 

TASHA: 

Will we make A Fight of it, Captain? 

If We can at least damage Their Ship 

we'll have a chance 

PICARD: 

Lieutenant, are You recommending 

we fight a life form that can do 

all those things? 

I'd Like to Hear Your Advice. 

TASHA : 

I Spoke before I Thought, sir. 

We should look for some way 

to distract Them from 

going after The Saucer. 

O'BRIEN: 

All forward motion stopped, sir. 

PICARD: 

Thank you, Conn. 

Commander, Signal The Following, 

in All Languages 

and on All Frequencies. 

We Surrender. 

State that We are not asking 

for any terms or conditions. 

TROI: 

Aye, sir. 

All language forms and frequencies.