The Survivors

 

 

For the last time, SPRINGER,

I am NOT an Autobot!

I’m a Decepticon WARRIOR!

Saving Humans might be YOUR idea 

of FUN, but it ISN’T mine!

 

Crashed Trains, Hijacks, Burning Oil Rigs...

Is this what it’s come to?

 

When I agreed to join your little group of SURVIVORS, 

I thought we might get a fight or three in!

Maybe I should have STAYED with The Decepticons!

 

Blast! Why’d I blow my top like that?

Springer means well, but…. 

He just DOESN’T UNDERSTAND!

 

This Do-Gooding stuff 

doesn’t come EASY to me!

Though I don’t consider myself EVIL….

I’m still a Decepticon at Heart.
The Need to Fight is in My Oil!

 

Maybe I was WRONG to defy The Decepticons

They won’t rest until I’m DEAD!

Yeah, and all of this High-Profile Rescuing of Humans...

will probably lead them RIGHT TO ME!

 

PROWL :

Well, you’ve certainly proved yourself 

worthy of our Trust, Carnivac. 

Here we were, out for blood, 

and it took a Decepticon 

to remind us we don’t kill.

With that merciful act, 

I welcome you the ranks 

of The Earthforce!

 

CARNIVAC :

Mercy? HAH! These SCUM murdered 

My Friend, Catilla — they deserve NO MERCY.

I just know that denying them their ‘Warrior’s Death’ 

is the WORST fate I can think of!

 

I may now a member of EarthForce, but let’s not forget --

 

I’m still 

an EVIL DECEPTICON 

at Heart!

EMH: 

We have no time to waste. 

According to the computer, we're at warp. 

We've got to figure out some way to slow the ship down before we get too far from the crew. 

That would seem to be our first priority. 

And then we have to get some weapons. 

Mister Suder, are you listening to me? 

SUDER: 

Yes. 

EMH: 

Oh. I see. Perhaps you consider 

this an opportunity. 

SUDER: 

Opportunity? 

EMH: 

To obtain your freedom from confinement. 

How foolish of me to think you would want to help. 

SUDER: 

You're wrong. 

I do want to help. 

EMH: 

Then what? 

SUDER: 

I'm going to have to kill 

some of them. 

EMH: 

...it is possible. Violence might 

be required to retake the ship. 

SUDER: 

I've worked so, so hard 

over the last few months 

to control the violent feelings. 

I'm almost At Peace with Myself. 

I mean, I see the day coming 

when I could be. 

EMH: 

Mister Suder. If Lieutenant Tuvok were here, 

I know he would tell you there are times when 

violence is required to defend yourself, 

to defend Your Ship, 

to defend Your Crew. 

SUDER: 

Yes, there is A Logical Use 

for Biolence — 

For everyone else. 

With me, once it begins….

EMH: 

We must do this together, Mister Suder. 

If You Don't Trust Yourself yet, 

then Trust Me. 

I will help you anyway I can. 

One hologram and one sociopath 

may not be much of a match for the Kazon, 

but we'll have to do.

The Man :

Hello?

The Father :

What's going on?

I haven't heard back from Max Price.

The Man :

We pulled out at the end of last week.

The Father :

What?

The Man :

Yeah, I didn't like the terms.

The Father :

What fucking terms didn't you like?

The Man :

Excuse me?

The Father :

Why didn't you tell me?

The Man :

It happened last Friday.

The Father :

I could have fixed it, 

why didn't you let me fix it?

The Man :

There was nothing to fix, Rory.

It just wasn't a good fit.

The Father :

Arthur, I had everything riding on this deal —

Arthur, I NEED The Deal.

The Man :

What are you going on about?

I Don't CARE What You Need.

This is MY Company, just move on.

The Father :

You're killing Your Company 

by not listening to me.

So small-minded.

Jesus, that's why I had to get away from here, 

small island, small fucking mentality.

The Man :

Watch your MOUTH in MY office, Sonny Jim.

Did you have any idea what they were going to DO here?

Shit. Did you even bother to look at the details?

Or were you too busy celebrating?

There wasn't a chance in hell 

I was gonna let them come in here 

and fuck with what I've built.

The Father :

None of that matters, 

The Bottom Line is what matters.

 

You brought me in, to make you money. Right?

You brought me in to make you money, 

and the best way to make money 

is to SELL the company.

Make The Deal.

The Man :

I've known you a long time you little bastard.

So I'm gonna be honest with you.

You have a great mind, 

and endless charm, 

but you don't pay attention 

to the detail.

I thought you'd changed, but you haven't.

Oh, you know how to ride a wave in an Up market.

Well that doesn't impress.

What impresses me, is how you deal 

with a DOWN market, 

because that's how you build 

a successful company.

You focus on the one percent at a time — 

It's boring and it's ugly.

But it's the bit of the business 

I LOVE the MOST.

The Father :

There won't be any business, 

there won't be any company.

We'll be finished within a year.

The Man :

And we can have 

ALL the information in The World, 

and STILL be WRONG.

Come on.

Get back to trading, Rory.

You're good at it.

VERY good at it.

For Christ's sake, do yourself a favor, 

and stop trying to make a killing overnight.

Bring me something stable.

Find solid footing on some good deals.

The Father :

.....there is something.

The Man :

Oh.

The Father :

I wasn't gonna say it until it was further along, 

but I might as well tell you now.

Yeah.

Norwegian fish farms.

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.

DEAD A.I.s

 

 

 

You Wanna Learn How to FIGHT, 

How to  SPEAK-UP and Be BRAVE --

 

Because Saints Stand up for Themselves

AND OTHERS -- 

 

So That They Might 

Be HEARD. 

 

BUFFY, 

The Vampire Slayer 

(and you are...?) :

Hey. 

 

YANA,

Jenny Calendar :

Hi. Uh, is there something that... 

Did you want something? 

 

BUFFY, 

The Vampire Slayer 

(and you are...?) :

Look... I know you feel badly about What Happened, 

and I just Wanted to Say... 

 

Good. Keep it up. 

 

YANA,

Jenny Calendar :

Don't worry, I will. 

 

BUFFY, 

The Vampire Slayer 

(and you are...?) :

Oh, wait. Um... 

 

He Misses You. 

 

He doesn't say anything, I mean, 

but I know that he does, 

and I don't want him to be lonely. 

 

I don't want anyone to. 

 

YANA,

Jenny Calendar :

Buffy, you know that if I have a chance to make this up... 

 

BUFFY, 

The Vampire Slayer 

(and you are...?) :

We're... Good here. 

Let's just leave it.

 

 

 

LARIS :

Oh, the cheeky fuckers.

They've overwritten the particle residuum.

 

PICARD :

Overwritten it? 

 

LARIS :

Yes. And in a very sophisticated way.

It's barely detectable.

It would read as instrument failure if you didn't know better.

 

But it's not.

It's a flat-out wipe.

 

PICARD :

Can you recover it? Uh —

 

LARIS :

Have you never noticed the complete absence of any form of Artificial Life in Romulan culture? 

 

We don't have androids or AIs.

We don't study Cybernetics.

Our computers are limited to purely numerical functions.

 

 

They must have saturated this place in antileptons.

At no small risk to themselves, by the way.

This place hasn't just been cleaned, Admiral.

It's been scrubbed.

 

PICARD :

Is that to be expected of your Zhat Vash? 

 

LARIS :

Well, they're not my Zhat Vash, 

and I thought you didn't believe in them.

 

PICARD :

I may be coming around.

So, then all this is about the Zhat Vash hatred of androids.

 

 

LARIS :

It's not simply hate.

It's hate and fear and pure loathing for any form of Synthetic Life.

 

Why..? That I can't tell you.

I don't know.

 

But I am certain that is 

The Silence That Seals The Mouths of The Zhat Vash, 

as surely and eternally as Death.

 

The Operatives who did this wouldn't have wanted to leave the impression that the place had been scrubbed.

 

We may find they've neglected something, 

some actual clue that lay tucked inside a false clue, as it were.

 

PICARD : 

Something like this, for example? 

There's no record of any incoming or outgoing calls.

 

 

LARIS :

The information's there, 

but the indexes have been surgically deleted.

 

There's no way to sort the data.

Essentially, they've sterilized it, 

so that it's qualitatively agnostic.

 

There's no distinction.

 

Everything looks like Everything Else.

What we need is a record of any contact that she may have had 

 

PICARD : 

- with her sister.

 

 

Mm, and no doubt it's in here, but it will look the same as everything else.

 

 PICARD :

N-No, it it will look like her.

Like Dahj.

 

Wh-What's her name? 

 

 

Um, Dr. Jurati.

She said that they would be identical twins, right?

Even closer than twins, perhaps.

 

 

LARIS :

Okay.

So what's the first thing you do when you bring a new digital assistant online?

 

 PICARD :

Introduce myself.

 

LARIS :

Exactly.

Computers like Efficiency, so what a computer does is build heuristics, shortcuts to the tasks - it performs most often.

 

 PICARD :

You're saying that if they were indistinguishable, then the machine, at some point, could have mistaken The Sister for Dahj.

 

 

 

LARIS :

Exactly.

And if it did, even for a few seconds before it flagged the error, then the tags might still be in here, overlooked by even the most diligent of scrubbers.

 

[BEEPING.]

 

Got you.

Okay.

These were all outgoing.

And these were incoming.

 

PICARD :

It's her.

Ghosts in the machine.

Can you tell me where she is? 

 

 

LARIS :

No.

But I can tell you where she isn't.

Nonlocal information packets are routed through subspace relays.

This routing leaves tiny but unmistakable code marks.

 

 PICARD :

Nonlocal? 

 

 

LARIS :

I'm saying this transmission came from off-world.

 

 PICARD :

Are you certain?

 

 

LARIS :

Wherever this girl was calling her sister from, 

it's nowhere on Earth.

 

 

[Janeway's quarters]

 

(Janeway is reading a book whilst music plays quietly. The doorbell chimes.)

 

JANEWAY: 

Come in. Are you having a little trouble regenerating? 

 

SEVEN: 

My alcove is functioning properly. 

I am having trouble with The Nature of Individuality. 

 

JANEWAY : 

There's a time and a place for philosophical discussion. 

Two in the morning in my quarters isn't one of them. 

But I'll tell you what. 

Meet me in the mess hall tomorrow. 

 

SEVEN: 

Tomorrow will be too late. 

We'll have already rewritten The Doctor's programme by then.

 

JANEWAY: 

And violated his rights as An Individual. 

 

SEVEN: 

Precisely. 

 

JANEWAY: 

If you've come to act as My Conscience, you're a little late. 

I considered these issues eighteen months ago,

as I did again this morning. 

I came to the same conclusion. 

 

SEVEN: 

Your conclusion is wrong. 

 

JANEWAY: 

Coffee, black. 

(she takes a sip.) 

Lukewarm. 

 

Now, I've told that replicator a dozen times

about the temperature of my coffee. 

 

It just doesn't seem to want to listen. 

 

Almost as if it's got a mind of its own. 

But it doesn't.

 

MAYBE IT THINKS HAVING LUKEWARM COFFEE

WOULD BE GOOD FOR YOUR HUMILITY, CAPTAIN.

 

A replicator operates through a series of electronic pathways

that allow it to receive instructions

and take appropriate action, and there you go. 

 

A cup of coffee, a bowl of soup,

a plasma conduit, whatever we tell it to do. 

 

As difficult as it is to accept,

The Doctor is more like that replicator than he is like us. 

 

SEVEN: 

He would disagree. 

 

JANEWAY: 

I'm sure he would,

but I can't let that change my decision.

 

I learned that the hard way

when his programme almost self-destructed. 

I won't take that risk again. 

 

SEVEN: 

The risk isn't yours to take. 

 

JANEWAY: 

If one of my crew chose to put a phaser

to his own head, should I let him? 

 

SEVEN:

It would depend on the situation. 

 

JANEWAY: 

It always depends on the situation, Seven,

but we can debate philosophy another time. 

 

SEVEN: 

When you separated me from The Collective,

I was an unknown risk to your crew,

yet you kept me on board.

 

You allowed me to evolve into An Individual. 

 

JANEWAY: 

You're a human being. 

He's a hologram. 

 

SEVEN: 

And you allowed that hologram to evolve as well,

to exceed his original programming. 

 

And yet now you choose to abandon him. 

 

JANEWAY: 

Objection noted. 

Good night. 

 

SEVEN: 

It is unsettling. 

You say that I am a human being and yet I am also Borg. 

Part of me not unlike your replicator. 

 

Not unlike The Doctor. 

Will you one day choose to abandon me as well? 

 

I have always looked to you as my example,

my guide to humanity. 

 

Perhaps I've been mistaken. 

Good night.

 

[Medical lab]

 

(The EMH comes out of his office to meet Torres and Janeway.)

 

JANEWAY: 

I'd like to think I made my decision eighteen months ago

for all the right reasons. 

 

The Truth is, my own biases about What You Are

had just as much to do with it.

 

At the very least, you deserve to know

Exactly What Happened.

If you're willing.

 

 

EMH: 

I'm ready. 

 

(They do the procedure in the Computer Control room.)

 

[Memories - Mess hall]

 

(The room is dark.)

 

PARIS: 

You're standing on my foot. 

 

EMH: 

I am not. 

 

TORRES:

Shush. 

 

(Neelix and Jetal enter.)

 

NEELIX: 

If you ask me, they should have just locked the turbolift and thrown away….

 

JETAL: 

Neelix, the power's down. 

Jetal to Torres. 

 

TORRES: 

Er, go ahead, Ensign. 

Or should I say. 

(The lights come on.)

 

ALL: 

Surprise!  

 

(Tuvok carries in the blue cake.)

 

JETAL: 

I'm going to kill you.

 (Later.)

 

CHAKOTAY: 

I want you to go along on a few of the shuttle surveys. 

If I can talk you into it. 

 

EMH: 

Another away mission? 

Certainly! I'm flattered. 

 

KIM: 

I guess the birthday girl and I get the pleasure of your company, Doc. 

 

CHAKOTAY: 

You launch at nineteen hundred hours, shuttlebay one. 

 

JETAL: 

Hello, Doctor. 

 

EMH: 

Ensign Jetal. I haven't seen you in months. 

 

JETAL: 

The price I pay for staying in good health. 

 

EMH: 

So, keeping busy down on deck eleven? 

 

JETAL: 

Too busy. We're modifying one of the shuttles,

making it more manoeuvrable and more cool. 

 

EMH: 

I see you've been working with Mister Paris.

My condolences.

 

[Memories - Shuttlecraft]

 

KIM:

I thought I picked up a slight distortion in subspace,

but it's not there any more. 

 

JETAL:

Nothing on long range sensors but a few hydrogen atoms. 

 

KIM:

Candid shot? 

 

EMH:

Try to look natural. 

 

JETAL:

Oh, at least it's my good side. 

EMH: Let's get one of the group. 

(The EMH stands the holo-imager on a rear seat and sets the self-timer.)

KIM: This is the last one. 

EMH: Say cheese. 

BOTH: Cheese. 

JETAL: Doctor, I have a shuttle to fly. 

EMH: Ah, yes. 

(Whumph!)

KIM: What was that? 

JETAL: Our sensors are dead. 

KIM: Power's being drained. Shields and weapons are offline. 

EMH: How? 

(He snaps an image of the ship attacking them. Then they are boarded. Another Whumph! makes him drop the holo-imager, and as it lands it snaps the alien before it shoots them. 

The EMH is unaffected, and he dashes to the controls. The alien is beamed away.)

EMH: Doctor to Voyager, mayday. We're under attack. I've got wounded. Mayday! 

CHAKOTAY [OC]: Acknowledged, Doctor. Set navigational controls to return to Voyager. 

EMH: Commander, can you hear me? 

CHAKOTAY [OC]: Doctor, please respond. 

(The EMH gets Jetal's blood on his hands.)

EMH: Hello? Computer, engage autonavigation. Lay in a course for Voyager, full impulse. 

KIM: Doctor. 

EMH: Stay calm. That weapon carried quite a punch. 

KIM: Is she okay? 

EMH: She's unconscious. 

KIM: Voyager? 

EMH: We've lost contact. I sent that alien back to his ship. You think they'd be grateful. 

KIM: You should have beamed him into space. 

EMH: I'm not in the business of killing people, Ensign. Synaptic shock? But there was no neural damage. Mister Kim! I don't understand. No. 

(The attack continues until Voyager arrives.)

CHAKOTAY [OC]: Doctor, stand by for transport. 

EMH: Beam us directly to Sickbay.

 

[Memories - Sickbay]

 

EMH: 

Prepare these people for surgery. 

 

PARIS: Here. What happened? 

EMH: We were fired on. There's something wrong with their nervous systems. We've got to stabilise their synapses. Get me a choline compound.

 

PARIS: 

Which choline compound? 

 

EMH: 

It doesn't matter. 

Just make sure it's a pure base. 

Her spinal cord's deteriorating. (He checks Kim.) 

Same rate of collapse. 

PARIS: 

Acetylcholine, twenty five microlitres. 

It's not helping. I'm reading massive synaptic failure.

 

EMH:

This doesn't make any sense. 

PARIS: 

Paris to Engineering. Transfer all available power to Sickbay. 

TORRES [OC]: Acknowledged. 

 

 

EMH: 

Some kind of plasmic energy is arcing between their neural membranes. That weapon, it was designed to do this. 

PARIS: To leave a residual charge in the victim's body? 

EMH: An energy pulse that remains in the neural membranes, working its way up the spinal cord to the brain. They'll be dead in minutes if we don't find a way to stop it. I've got to protect their brain functions. 

PARIS: His neocortex is failing. 

EMH: A spinal shunt. I'll isolate the spinal cord from the brain stem until I can repair the cellular damage. But I don't have time to perform the procedure on both of them. 

PARIS: Then talk me through it. We'll do them together. 

EMH: It's too complex. 

PARIS: Then make a choice, before we lose them both! 

(The EMH choses Kim.)

EMH: Subdermal scalpel. Bio-electric field generator. 

PARIS: His vital signs are stabilising. It's working. 

EMH: Cellular regenerator. His neural membranes are re-establishing themselves. Good. (The biobed behind them signals Jetal's death.)

 

[Computer Control room]

 

EMH: The attack, how did it end? Were there more casualties? 

JANEWAY: We exchanged fire for another few minutes, then the aliens withdrew. There was only one casualty. Ensign Jetal. 

EMH: I don't mean to seem unfeeling, but I'm programmed to accept the loss of a patient with professional detachment.

 

[Memories - Bridge]

 

JANEWAY: We are assembled here today to pay final respects to our honoured dead, Ensign Ahni Jetal. Her intelligence and her charm have made our long journey home seem not quite so long. As she continues on a journey of her own, we will keep her in our hearts and in our memories.

(Tuvok fires Jetal's torpedo casing coffin into space.)

 

[Memories - Mess hall]

 

EMH: We're low on synthetic antigens, and I'm sorry to report many of the medicinal plants you've collected over the past several months were destroyed as well. 

NEELIX: I have some herbs in storage you might be able to use. 

EMH: Been holding out on me? 

NEELIX: No, I was keeping them around just in case. 

EMH: Good planning. 

NEELIX: As for the antigens, I'll have to start replicating them in batches. Which do you want first? 

EMH: Decisions, decisions. How do you make a decision, Mister Neelix? In general, I mean. 

NEELIX: I guess I weigh the alternatives and try to decide which is best. 

(The EMH picks up two fruit. One red, one yellow.)

 

EMH: Which is best. How do you determine that? 

 

NEELIX: I never thought about it, really. 

 

EMH: Well, maybe you should. Think about it, I mean. 

 

NEELIX: I guess every situation is a little different. 

 

EMH: 

For me, it's rather simple. 

While I'm faced with a decision, my programme calculates the variables, and I take action. 

For example, what could be simpler than a triage situation in Sickbay? Two patients, for example, both injured, for example, both in imminent danger of dying. 

Calculate the variables. 

My programme needs to ascertain which patient has the greater chance of survival, and that's the one I treat. 

 

(He throws the red fruit across the room.)

 

EMH: 

Simple. 

But, what if they have an Equal Chance of Survival? 

What then? Hmm? 

Flip a coin? Pick a card? 

 

NEELIX: 

Doctor. 

 

EMH: 

Oh, I'm all right. 

I'm a hologram. 

I don't get injured, I don't feel pain, I don't die. 

Unlike some people I could tell you about. 

For example, Two Patients. 

 

Both injured, both in imminent danger of. 

Don't touch me! I'm a hologram. Photonic energy. Don't waste your time. 

 

NEELIX: 

Neelix to Security. Send a team to the Mess hall, please. 

 

EMH: 

A whole team, Mister Neelix? Throwing a little party, are we?

Why, I attended a party just recently.

A birthday party for a very nice young woman.

I made a decision there, too. Several of them, in fact.

When I came through the door, do I turn right or do I turn left?

As I recall, I decided on the latter.

 

Then, what should I see before me but the hors d'oeuvre tray,

and another decision. 

Do I take a canapé or refuse?

 

Oh, that's an easy one.

I'm a hologram. I don't eat. 

 

(Tuvok and security arrive.)

 

NEELIX:

Something's wrong with him. 

 

EMH:

Don't you know it's rude to refer to somebody in the third person.

You had a choice, Mister Neelix.

Should I do something rude or not do something rude? 

 

TUVOK:

Doctor, we must return to Sickbay. 

 

EMH:

Why should I? What if I don't want to return to Sickbay?

What if I decide not to return to Sickbay? No, I don't choose this.

 

Leave me alone!

Let me go!

 

Why did she have to die? Why did I kill her?

Why did I decide to kill her? Why? Somebody tell me why!

 

[Computer control room]

 

JANEWAY:

It was downhill from there.

 

You developed a feedback loop

between your ethical and cognitive subroutines.

 

You were having the same thoughts over and over again.

We couldn't stop it.     

 

TORRES:

Our only option was to erase your memories of those events. 

 

EMH:

You were right.

I didn't deserve to keep those memories,

not after what I did. 

 

JANEWAY:

You were performing Your Duty. 

 

EMH:

Two patients, which do I kill?

 

JANEWAY:

Doctor.

    

EMH: 

Doctor? Hardly! 

A Doctor retains his objectivity. 

I didn't do that, did I? 

 

Two patients, equal chances of survival

and I chose the one I was closer to? 

I chose My Friend?

 

That's not in My Programming! 

That's not what I was Designed to Do!

 

Go ahead! Reprogramme me! I'll lend you a hand!

Let's start with this very day, this hour, this second! 

 

JANEWAY: 

Computer, deactivate the EMH. 

 

TORRES: 

Here we go again. Captain? 

 

JANEWAY: 

It's as though there's a battle being fought inside him, 

between His Original Programming and What He's Become. 

 

Our solution was to end that battle. 

What if we were wrong? 

 

TORRES: 

We've seen what happens to him. 

In fact, we've seen it twice. 

 

JANEWAY: 

Still, we allowed him to evolve,

and at the first sign of Trouble...? 

 

We gave him A Soul, B'Elanna. 

Do we have the right to take it away now?

 

TORRES: 

We gave him personality subroutines -- 

I'd hardly call that A Soul.

 

[Cargo Bay two]

 

(Janeway brings Seven out of regeneration.)

 

SEVEN: 

Captain. 

 

JANEWAY: 

I'm having Trouble --

with The Nature of Individuality. 

 

SEVEN: 

You require a philosophical discussion? 

 

JANEWAY: 

There's a Time and a Place for it. 

This is one of them. 

 

After I freed you from The Collective, you were transformed. 

It's been a difficult process. 

 

Was it worth it? 

 

SEVEN: 

I had no choice.

 

JANEWAY:

That's not what I asked you.

 

SEVEN: 

If I could change What Happened, 

erase What You Did to Me, would I? 

 

No.

 

Captain's log, supplemental. 

Our Doctor is now our patient. 

 

It's been two weeks since I've ordered a round the clock vigil. 

A crew member has stayed with him at all times, offering a sounding board and a familiar presence while he struggles to understand his memories and thoughts. 

 

The Chance of Recovery? Uncertain.

 

[Holodeck]

 

EMH: 

The more I think about it, the more I realise

There's nothing I could've done differently. 

 

JANEWAY: 

What do you mean? 

 

EMH: 

The primordial atom burst, sending out its radiation,

setting everything in motion. 

 

One particle collides with another, gases expand, planets contract, 

and before you know it we've got starships and holodecks and chicken soup. 

 

In fact, you can't help but have starships and holodecks and chicken soup, 

because it was all determined twenty billion years ago!  

 

(Tuvok enters during this outburst.)

 

TUVOK: 

There is A Certain Logic to your Logic.

Progress? 

 

JANEWAY: 

I'm not sure if he's making any sense of this experience, 

or if his programme's just running in circles. 

 

TUVOK: 

You've been here for sixteen hours. 

Let me continue while you rest. 

 

JANEWAY: 

I'll be all right. 

Go back to the bridge.  

 

 

(Tuvok leaves. Janeway returns to her book.)

 

EMH: 

How can you read at a time like this? 

 

JANEWAY: 

It helps me Think.

 

EMH: 

Think? What do you need to think about? 

 

JANEWAY:

 You. This book is relevant to your situation. 

 

EMH: 

Oh? What is it? 

 

JANEWAY: 

Poetry, written on Earth a thousand years ago. 

La Vita Nuova. 

 

EMH: 

La Vita Nuova. The New Life? Ha! 

Tell that to Ensign Jetal. 

Actually, I killed her countless times. 

 

JANEWAY: 

What do you mean? 

 

EMH: 

Causality, Probability. 

 

For every action, there's an infinite number of reactions

and in each one of them, I killed her. 

 

Or did I? 

 

Too many possibilities. 

Too many pathways for my programme to follow. 

Impossible to choose. 

 

Still, I can't live with the knowledge of what I've done. I can't. 

 

(Janeway has fallen asleep.)

 

EMH: 

Captain? Captain? 

 

JANEWAY: 

Oh, sorry. 

 

EMH: 

How could you sleep at a time like this? 

 

JANEWAY: 

It's been a long day.

 

You were saying? 

 

EMH: 

What's wrong? 

 

JANEWAY: 

Nothing. 

 

EMH: 

You're ill!

 

JANEWAY: 

I have a headache.

 

EMH: 

Fever, you have a fever! 

 

JANEWAY: 

I'll live.

 

EMH: 

Medical emergency! 

 

JANEWAY: 

Doctor --

 

EMH: 

Someone's got to treat you immediately. 

Call Mister Paris. You've got to get to Sickbay.

 

JANEWAY: 

Doctor, I'm a little busy right now --

Helping a Friend. 

 

EMH: 

I, I'll be all right. Go, sleep, please. 

I'll still be here in the morning. 

 

JANEWAY: 

Are you sure? 

 

EMH: 

Yes. Please, 

 

I don't want to be responsible for 

any more suffering. 

 

(Janeway leave her book open at the first page.)

 

JANEWAY: 

Good night. If you need anything --

 

EMH: 

-- I'll call. 

Thank You, Captain. 

 

(Janeway leaves. The EMH picks up the book and reads aloud.)

 

EMH: 

"In That Book which is My Memory, 

on The First Page of The Chapter That is The Day When I First Met You,

 appear the words - 

 

Here begins A New Life.

 

 

 

 

PICARD:

(sighs) 

Another damn dream.

 

DATA'S GHOST :

No, Captain.

 

It is a 

Massively Complex Quantum Simulation.

 

I would imagine, however, 

from Your Point of View, 

Hearing me say so would not be out of place in 

A Dream You Might Have about me --

 

If you ever have dreams about me.

 

 

PICARD:

I dream about you all the time.

 

DATA'S GHOST :

Interesting.

 

Are you wearing the clothes you had on 

when you died?

 

PICARD:

Data... am I dead?

 

DATA'S GHOST :

Yes, Captain.

Do you remember dying?

 

PICARD:

I think I do --

 

Something in My Head seemed to just go away -

 

Like a child's sand castle collapsing.

 

DATA'S GHOST :

Hmm.

 

I'm aware that I was killed in 2379, 

but I have no memory of My Death.

 

My Consciousness exists 

in a Massively Complex Quantum Reconstruction, 

made from a copy of 

The Memories I Downloaded into B4 Just Before I Died.

 

PICARD:

You don't remember Your Death,

I can't forget it.

 

 

DATA'S GHOST :

Apparently, I ended My Existence

in the hope of prolonging yours.

 

PICARD:

That's right. 

Before I had even grasped the nature of our predicament, 

you had conceived and executed it.

 

I was furious!

 

DATA'S GHOST :

My apologies, Captain.

 

But I am not certain

I could have done otherwise.

 

 

PICARD:

True. That might have been 

The Most Data Thing 

you ever did.

 

I always wished that I could have said,

I was sorry that it was you and not me.

 

DATA'S GHOST :

Captain -- Do you regret 

Sacrificing Your Life 

for Soji and Her People?

 

PICARD:

Not for an instant.

 

DATA'S GHOST :

Then why would you imagine 

I regret sacrificing mine for yours?

 

 

PICARD:

Ah.

 Did you say all this was A Simulation?

 

DATA'S GHOST :

Yes, sir. An extremely sophisticated one.

 

My memory engrams were extracted from a single neuron 

salvaged by Bruce Maddox, and then 

My Consciousness was reconstructed by My Brother,

Dr. Altan Soong.

 

 

PICARD:

I don't much care for him.

 

DATA'S GHOST :

Mm. The Soongs can be...

I believe the phrase is "an acquired taste."

 

PICARD:

Mm-hmm. Well, whatever This is, 

it's wonderful to see you, Data.

 

To see your strange, beautiful face.

 

Among the many, many things that I regretted after Your Death

was that I never told you...

 

 

DATA'S GHOST :

...that you loved me.

 

Knowing that You Loved Me 

forms a small --

but statistically significant 

part of My Memories.

 

I hope that brings you 

some comfort, sir.

 

PICARD:

It does.

Thank you, Data.

 

 

DATA'S GHOST :

Which is why I would like to ask you 

to do me a favour.

 

PICARD:

Of course. Anything.

 

DATA'S GHOST :

When you leave...

 

PICARD:

Leave?

(stammers)

I'm sorry, I-I don't understand.

I thought This was A Simulation.

 

 

DATA'S GHOST :

Yes, sir.

But you are not.

 

Before your brain functions ceased, 

Doctors Soong and Jurati, with help from Soji,

were able to scan, map and transfer

a complete neural image of your brain substrates.

 

PICARD:

Do I have to go?

 

DATA'S GHOST :

Yes, Captain.

 

 

PICARD:

Uh, you wanted me to do you a favor.

 

DATA'S GHOST :

Yes, sir.

 

When you leave, I would be profoundly grateful -- 

if you terminated My Consciousness.

 

PICARD:

You want to die?

 

Not exactly, sir.

I Want to Live, however briefly, 

knowing that My Life is finite.

 

Mortality gives meaning 

to Human Life, Captain.

 

Peace, Love, Friendship --

These are precious.

Because we know they cannot endure.

 

A Butterfly That Lives Forever...

Is really not a Butterfly, at all.

 

PICARD:

Very well.

I will do what you ask.

 

 

DATA'S GHOST :

Thank you, sir.

 

PICARD:

Goodbye, Commander.

 

 

DATA'S GHOST :

(echoing) : 

Goodbye, Captain.

 

(breathing deeply)