Your So-Called Life

Q: 

The Borg is The Ultimate User.

 They're unlike any threat your Federation has ever faced. 

They're not interested in Political Conquest, Wealth or Power as you know it. 

They're simply interested in Your Ship, 

its Technology. 

They've identified it as something they can consume.

RIKER: 

You brought us here, 

you exposed us to Them, 

and you cost us the lives 

of our shipmates 

Q: 

Oh, please. 

PICARD: 

Number One —

Eighteen of Our People have died. 

Please, Tell Us this is 

one of Your Illusions.

Q:

Oh, no. This is as real 

as your so-called 

“Life” gets.

(And he vanishes) 

In the revised final draft of the script, in the scene in the observation lounge where Riker confronts Q about how he exposed the Enterprise to the Borg, which led to the deaths of eighteen crewmembers, his temper flares and he moves to assault Q, who warns Riker to stop or he would kill him. 

In the final aired version, Q merely dismisses Riker's comments with an "Oh, please." 

This is the only Q episode that Maurice Hurley wrote. Melinda M. Snodgrass commented, "Maurice Hurley always thought Q was here to teach us a lesson, to guide and instruct us."

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. 

To Hang, Together --

Q2: 

The Road takes us to The Rest of The Universe, 

then it leads back here -- 

An endless circle.

I travelled The Road many times, 

sat on The Porch, 

Played The Games, Been The Dog, 

everything -- 

I was even The Scarecrow for a while.

Q. : 

Oh, we've all done The Scarecrow -- 

Big deal..!!

continuum (n.)

1640s, "a continuous spread or extension, a connection of elements as intimate as that of the instants of time," from Latin continuum "a continuous thing," neuter of continuus "joining, connecting with something; following one after another," from continere (intransitive) "to be uninterrupted," literally "to hang together" (see contain). The plural is continua.

1996-02-19: Q Continuum Road Metaphor

[Desert road]

JANEWAY: 

This is the Q Continuum..? 

A Road in A Desert?

Q: 

I told you so.

QUINN: 

This is a manifestation of the Continuum that we hope falls within your level of comprehension. 

This way.

[Roadside building]

A man and woman in 20s clothes are playing croquet on an immaculate lawn, with planets for balls. 

A Scarecrow in Starfleet uniform stands nearby. 

The Sign over The Door says 'Never Closes' 

and The Clock has no hands. 

A man puffing on a pipe is reading a book called The Old while a young woman reads a magazine called The New. 

Someone plays the Continuum Galaxy pinball machine. 

The group walk past a panting bloodhound.

JANEWAY: 

Good afternoon.

QUINN: 

I apologise for their lack of hospitality, Captain. 

We're not used to visitors here. 

In fact you are the only ones who've ever come.

TUVOK: 

Then what is The Purpose of The Road?

QUINN: 

The Road takes us to the rest of The Universe, 

then it leads back here -- An endless circle.

JANEWAY: 

This was your existence before your confinement?

QUINN: 

I travelled The Road many times, sat on The Porch, 

Played The Games, been The Dog, everything -- 

I was even The Scarecrow for a while.

JANEWAY: 

Why?

QUINN: 

Because I hadn't done it.

Q. : 

Oh, we've all done The Scarecrow -- 

Big deal..!!

JANEWAY: 

I can't say I entirely understand what I'm seeing here, but these people don't seem to be suffering.

Q: 

Of course not. They're happy people. Happy people. 

What's there to feel sad about? Look at them.

QUINN: 

They don't dare feel sad. 

If only they could, that would be progress.

Q: 

Oh, The Philosopher speaks.

QUINN: 

When I was a respected philosopher, 

I celebrated The Continuity, The Undeviation of Q life. 

I argued that our civilisation had achieved a purity that no other culture had ever approached. 

And it was wonderful, for a while. 

At the beginning of the New Era, 

Life as a Q was a continuous dialogue of Discovery and Issues and Humour from all over The Universe. But look at them now. 

Listen to their dialogue now.

TUVOK: 

…I'm afraid I cannot hear any.

QUINN: 

Because it has all been said. Everyone has heard everything, seen everything. 

They haven't had to speak to each other in ten millennia. 

There's nothing left to say.

Q: 

Well, I don't know about you, 

but I appreciate a little peace and quiet now and again.

QUINN: 

It's ironic, isn't it, Q.

Q: 

I don't know what you mean.

QUINN: 

Of course you do. 

That you of all people should be arguing their case.

Q: 

I believe in the ultimate purity of The Q.

QUINN: 

You, who were banned from the Continuum 

and made mortal to pay for your crimes?

Q: 

My penance has ended. 

I'm a born again Q. 

That life is behind me.

QUINN: 

What a shame. 

Because in many ways, that life inspired me.

Q: 

It did? I did?

QUINN: 

Oh, yes. You never knew that, did you? 

You see, Captain, Q rebelled against this existence 

by refusing to behave himself. 

He was out of Control. 

He used his powers irresponsibly and all for his own amusement. 

And he desperately needed amusement, 

because he could find none here at home.

Q: 

And I paid the price for my inappropriate behaviour.

QUINN: 

No, no, we paid the price 

by forcing you to stop. 

But for a moment there, 

you really had our attention. My attention. 

You gave us something to talk about. 

But then you surrendered 

to The Will of The Continuum like a good little Q, 

and may I say that you've become 

a fine, upstanding member of the Continuum. 

But I miss the irrepressible Q, 

the one who forced me to Think. 

May I borrow this?

(Quinn takes the The New magazine from the woman and shows and article to Janeway.)

QUINN: 

This was the beginning of my fall from grace. This was the last edition, by the way. They shut down the presses after I wrote that.

(My Corner of the Continuum. I'm Ready To Die: How About You?)

QUINN: 

But they couldn't keep me silent. 

I continued to speak out in favour 

of self-termination.

Q: 

That's when he lost his mind 

and started trying to destroy himself. 

We had No Choice but to confine him 

but for his own safety.

QUINN: 

Not for my safety. For theirs. I was the greatest threat the Continuum had ever known. They feared me so much they had to lock me away for eternity. And when they did that, they were saying that the individual's rights will be protected only so long as they don't conflict with The State. 

Nothing is so dangerous to A Society. 

My Life's Work is Complete, 

but They force Immortality on me, 

and when They do that 

They cheapen and denigrate My Life 

and all Life in The Continuum. 

All Life. 

Captain, you're A Explorer. 

What if you had nothing left to explore? 

Would you want to live forever under those circumstances? 

You want me to prove to you that 

I suffer in terms that you can equate with pain or disease. 

Look at Us. 

When Life has become futile, 

meaningless, unendurable, 

it must be allowed to end. 

Can't you see, Captain? 

For Us, The Disease 

is Immortality.

Q.

There were things that Thor did when 

Something Went Wrong;

The First Thing he did 

was ask himself 

if What Had Happened 

was Loki's fault -- 

 

Maybe Q. did The Right Thing for The Wrong Reasons.

 OR

Maybe Q. did The Wrong Thing  for The Right Reasons

OR

Maybe Q. did The Right Thing for The Right Reasons....

Q: 

They will follow this ship until you exhaust your fuel. 

They will wear down your defences. 

Then, you will be Theirs. 

Admit it, Picard. You're out of your league. 

You should have stayed where you belonged.

You can't outrun them. 

You can't destroy them. 

If you damage them, the essence of what they are remains. 

They regenerate and keep coming. 

Eventually you will weaken, your reserves will be gone. 

They are RELENTLESS.

Where's your stubbornness now, Picard, your arrogance? 

Do you still profess to be prepared for what awaits you?

I'll be leaving now. You thought you could handle it, so handle it.

PICARD : 

Q. End this.

Q : 

Moi? What makes you think I am either inclined or capable to terminate this encounter?

PICARD : 

If we all die, here, now.... you will not be able to gloat..!! 

You wanted to frighten us. 

We're frightened. 

You wanted to show us that we were inadequate. 

For the moment, I grant that. 

You wanted me to say that I need you. 

I NEED You!

(With a snap of Q's fingers, the Enterprise goes whirling through space again)

Q: 

That was a difficult admission. 

Another Man would have been humiliated to say those words. 

Another Man would have rather DIED than ask for Help.

PICARD:

I understand what you've done here, Q --

But I think The Lesson could have been learned without the loss of eighteen members of my crew.

Q: 

If you can't take a little bloody nose, maybe you ought to go back home and crawl under your bed. It's not safe out here. It's wondrous, with treasures to satiate desires both subtle and gross -- but it's NOT for The Timid.

[Ten forward]

(Guinan and Picard are playing Chess)

GUINAN: 

Q set a series of events into motion, bringing contact with The Borg much sooner than it should have come. 

Now, perhaps when you're ready, it might be possible to establish A Relationship with them. 

But for now, for right now, you're just raw material to Them. 

Since They are aware of your existence --

PICARD: 

They WILL Be Coming.

GUINAN: 

You can bet on it.

PICARD: 

Maybe Q did The Right Thing for The Wrong Reason.

GUINAN: 

How so?

PICARD: 

Well, perhaps what we most needed was a kick in our complacency, to prepare us ready for what lies ahead.