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September 23, 1991
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45 minutes
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SUMMARY
Stardate: 45020.4. Picard suspects a Romulan influence in the recent Klingon civil war, and must force the Federation to intervene before the Empire collapses.
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REVIEWS
100th episode!
Written by
kimmy on 2019-03-07
★
★
★
★
Season 5, the season of maturity. By now, The Next Generation has nothing more to “prove†to the world. It stands on its own and with the continuous upward trend of seasons 1 through 4 it is already a remarkable achievement. Season 5 is the first truly post-Roddenberry season and the season during which the TOS series of movies draws to a close. Next season, TNG will be the tentpole around which the spin-off shows will develop. Star Trek has become a huge franchise and now TNG is at the heart of it. The Enterprise-D crew is cool with that.
This is the show’s 100th episode! This two-parter comes one year after “The Best of Both Worlds“, and a comparison is inevitable. There is a lot to like here, in particular all the Klingon aspects: in particular the power plays between Duras and Worf and his brother are gripping and really feel like the culmination of all the build-up over the past season and a half. As with the attack on Earth by the Borg exactly one year ago, a bigger budget would have been welcome to widen the scope of the Klingon civil war to more than just the handful of ships manned by known faces. Another enjoyable part of this episode is Data being handed the command of another ship and encountering a lieutenant who does not believe an android capable for the job: similar themes to previous episodes, but well written and acted here. Cool new wardrobe for Picard, too!
However, I am more conflicted with the Romulan stories included here. Part 2 shocks us with the revelation that Sela is the daughter of Tasha Yar and a Romulan, and the callback to “Yesterday’s Enterprise†is indeed welcome, but in retrospect it feels like an artificial way to justify that they were able to cast Denise Crosby as a guest star. In the end, the plot is exposed, the bad guys escape to be able to torment the heroes another day, and Worf quickly returns to the service of Starfleet and to the status quo. It’s all a bit too easy and too fast, which is a trait shared by many second parts, and not just of TNG. Previous Klingon episodes had presented a rich world full of political intrigue, weird cultural practices and a colorful cast of secondary characters; by comparison “Redemption Part 2†is an enjoyable adventure but lacks some of the earlier episodes’ subtlety.
The quote:
Kurn: “What’s wrong? Kill him!â€
Worf: “No!â€
Kurn: “But it is our way! It is the Klingon way!â€
Worf: “I know. But it is not my way.â€
Alumni-spotting:
Timothy Carhart, the Lieutenant who disliked Data, was the titular “2Shy†in The X-Files — a fat-sucking mutant who loved to read Dante!
TRANSCRIPT
Last time on Star Trek, the Next Generation
GOWRON [on viewscreen]: We will have to move quickly if we are to be successful.
PICARD: Successful?
GOWRON [on viewscreen]: Yes. In preventing a Klingon civil war.
WORF: I would speak with you.
GOWRON: I do not hear the words of traitors.
WORF: It was Duras' father who betrayed our people to the Romulans at Khitomer, not mine.
LURSA: We have discovered that our brother did indeed have a son and heir.
TORAL: Follow me, and I will show you honour.
GOWRON: Your blood will paint the way to the future.
PICARD: If we go to the aid of the Bortas, we'll be dragging the Federation into a Klingon civil war.
GOWRON: You both fought as warriors. I return your family honour.
PICARD: Mister Worf, your responsibilities as a Starfleet officer are incompatible with remaining on board a Klingon ship during a time of war.
WORF: Then I resign my commission as a Starfleet officer.
MOVAR: Picard has rejected Gowron's plea for help. The Enterprise has left orbit.
WOMAN: We should not discount Jean Luc Picard yet. He is human, and humans have a way of showing up when you least expect them.
And now, the conclusion.
[Kurn's Bridge]
(they are under attack from two Klingon ships)
KURN: Maintain course. Status of warp engines? Warp engines at fifty percent.
KURN: Status of shields?
WORF: Aft shields buckling.
KURN: Transfer auxiliary power to shields!
WORF: Aft shields are gone! We cannot win. We must withdraw.
KURN: Keep your place! New course. Three zero seven mark two seven five.
HELM: But sir, that takes us dangerously close to the
KURN: GhoS!
WORF: We are entering the star's corona. We will reach the photosphere in thirty seconds.
KURN: Stand by to enter warp on my command. Set course two five zero mark zero one five.
WORF: Shields failing. Outer hull temperature exceeding design limit. Captain!
KURN: Maintain course.
WORF: They're closing on us!
KURN: Stand by. DaH!
(their entry into warp pulls a solar out which destroys one of their pursuers)
Captain's log, stardate 45020.4. We have arrived at Starbase two thirty four, where I have taken the opportunity to make a proposal to Fleet Admiral Shanthi.
[Observation lounge]
PICARD: There have been three major engagements in the last two weeks, all of them won by ships loyal to the Duras family.
SHANTHI: (a lady Admiral of African descent) None of which is our concern, Jean-Luc. The Klingon civil war is, by definition, an internal matter of the Empire.
PICARD: Agreed. But if the Duras are being aided by the Romulans, it becomes very much our concern. The Romulans have been attempting to destroy the Klingon-Federation Alliance for the past twenty years. At the same time, the Duras have been secretly conspiring with the Romulans. Doesn't it strike you as odd that the Duras are able to field such an overpowering force against Gowron? That they outmatch him at almost every turn?
SHANTHI: Some would call it good leadership.
PICARD: And some would say they must be getting help. The Romulans are prepared to take enormous risks to gain any advantage over the Federation. Can we seriously believe that now, with the future of the Klingon Empire in the balance, they are content to stand by and watch?
SHANTHI: What is it you propose, Captain?
PICARD: We must stop the flow of supplies and equipment to the Duras from the Romulans. What I propose is that we send a fleet to the Romulan-Klingon border. We'll take no offensive action, but we will be in a position to expose any Romulan supplies that attempt to cross the border.
SHANTHI: A blockade.
PICARD: Exactly.
SHANTHI: But how would you overcome the Romulan cloaking device?
PICARD: My Chief Engineer has developed a system that should nullify that advantage. Each ship will send out an active tachyon beam to the other blockading ships. Now, in theory, any cloaked vessel that attempts to pass between our ships must cross that beam and be detected.
SHANTHI: I'll have to clear this with the Federation Council. In the meantime, assemble your fleet, Captain.
(Shanthi and her aide leave)
RIKER: Nicely done. I hope we know what we're doing.
PICARD: So do I, Number One.
Captain's log, stardate 45021.3. Convincing Starfleet Command to establish a blockade was relatively painless. Implementing that plan is proving more troublesome.
[Ready room]
RIKER: Starfleet is stretched pretty thin across the quadrant. There are only about twelve ships within a day's travel of this position.
LAFORGE: The only other ships available are either in spacedock for repairs or still under construction. Most of them don't even have full crews yet.
RIKER: We could probably scare up seven, maybe eight, more ships.
PICARD: Mister La Forge, can you implement your tachyon detection grid with twenty ships?
LAFORGE: It's possible, but the more ships, the bigger the net we can throw.
PICARD: All right. I want to add the Tian Nan Men, the Sutherland and the Hermes, whether the yard superintendent says they're ready or not. Mister Data, will you select a group of experienced Enterprise officers to augment the crews of those ships.
DATA: Aye, sir.
PICARD: Will, I want you to command the Excalibur. Her crew was reassigned when she put in for repairs. Geordi, you will be his First Officer.
LAFORGE: Aye, sir.
PICARD: I want the fleet underway by oh nine hundred tomorrow. Thank you, gentlemen.
(Riker and La Forge leave)
PICARD: Yes, Mister Data?
DATA: May I ask a question, sir, of a personal nature?
PICARD: Yes.
DATA: I am confused. Why have I not been assigned to command a ship in the fleet, sir?
PICARD: Well, I felt that you would be needed here. Why do you ask?
DATA: You have commented on the lack of senior officers available for this mission. I believe my twenty six years of Starfleet service qualifies me for such a post. However, if you do not believe the time has arrived for an android to command a starship, perhaps I should address myself to improving my
PICARD: Commander. I believe the starship Sutherland will need a captain. I can think of no one better suited to the task than you.
DATA: Thank you, sir.
[Klingon bar]
(fun seems to involve butting boney foreheads together or just trading punches. Arm wresting is made more interesting with the threat of the loser's hand being impaled on a dagger)
KURN: You always did have fools working for you, Larg. Now you don't have as many!
LARG: You were lucky, Kurn, but luck always runs out. Someday I will stand over your broken corpse and drink to the victory of the Duras!
KURN: Ah, Worf, good. This piece of baktag is Captain Larg. He commanded the squadron that tried to destroy us yesterday.
LARG: The infamous Worf, son of Mogh. What is that you are wearing? That is the uniform of a Klingon!
KURN: The Capital City is neutral ground and Larg's men are all around us. As are mine.
LARG: Good to drink with you, Kurn. May you die well.
KURN: Die well, Larg.
(Larg leaves)
WORF: You drink with our enemies?
KURN: How many are Gowron's men? How many are Duras? Does it matter? When we meet in battle, we will fight to the death, but here, here we're all warriors, all Klingons.
WORF: The repairs to the Hegh'ta are proceeding. The port stabilisers
KURN: Is there nothing in your heart but duty?
WORF: It is my responsibility.
KURN: We all have responsibilities and duties, But you and I are warriors fighting in a great war. Think of it. You and I will fight battles that others can only dream of. The time for glory is here. It is not a time to worry about stabilisers. It is a time to celebrate, for tomorrow we all may die! Come, let us, the sons of Mogh, live this night as if it were our last.
(Worf tosses the PADD over his shoulder and joins in)
B'ETOR: Worf is not like his brother.
LURSA: No. He tries to be, but he's still unsure of himself.
B'ETOR: Perhaps he needs something to help restore his confidence.
LURSA: I think he'll find our offer appealing.
B'ETOR: I'll make sure he does.
[Sutherland Bridge]
HOBSON: You've got to keep this mixture above ninety percent or we'll never leave orbit. Thank you, Mister Krags.
(Data enters)
DATA: I am Lieutenant Commander Data.
HOBSON: Lieutenant Commander Christopher Hobson.
DATA: By order of Starfleet, I hereby take command of this vessel. Please note the time and date in the ship's log.
HOBSON: Excuse me, sir. I'd like to request a transfer.
DATA: May I ask why?
HOBSON: I don't believe I'd be a good first officer for you.
DATA: Your service record to date suggests that you would perform that function adequately.
HOBSON: No, no, no, that's not what I mean. I don't think that I would be a good first officer for you.
DATA: Why?
HOBSON: Frankly, sir, I don't believe in your ability to command this ship. You're a fellow officer and I respect that, but no one would suggest that a Klingon would make a good ship's counsellor or that a Berellian could be an engineer. They're just not suited for those positions. By the same token, I don't think an android is a good choice to be captain.
DATA: I understand your concerns. Request denied.
[Bridge]
O'BRIEN: (at tactical) The Endeavour has cleared the dock, Captain. All ships standing by.
PICARD: Good. Course one one eight mark three five seven, full impulse power. Signal the fleet to get underway. We'll enter warp once we're clear of the system.
O'BRIEN: Aye, sir.
PICARD: Engage.
[Duras' home]
B'ETOR: The Romulan convoy is late. We need those supplies.
SELA: (formerly known as Woman) Gowron has suffered another loss in the Mempa system. His forces will not threaten you in that region for some time.
B'ETOR: But if Gowron
SELA: The convoy will arrive in due course.
(Lursa enters)
LURSA: The Federation fleet has left Starbase two thirty four. They've set course for Klingon territory.
MOVAR: How many?
LURSA: At least twenty starships.
SELA: Who's commanding this fleet?
LURSA: Picard.
TORAL: What does it mean? Is the Federation going to enter the war? Should we attack them before they get here?
SELA: Silence the child, or send him away. Movar, I want you to return to Romulus immediately. Have all available ships rendezvous at these coordinates in two days.
MOVAR: Yes, Commander.
LURSA: Twenty ships aren't enough to wage a war. Starfleet must be bluffing.
SELA: Perhaps.
[Great Hall]
KURN: Our forces in the Mempa sector are now in full retreat. They will need to regroup near Beta Lankal.
GOWRON: We destroyed their supply bases in that sector three weeks ago. How can they continue to fight?
KURN: They must be getting help.
KULGE: Maybe they have better leaders. I say you have failed as our leader, Gowron.
(and he draws his dagger)
WORF: There is no time for this! We must make plans before those forces reach Beta Lankal! How can we oppose the Duras when we continue to fight among ourselves?
KURN: Gowron must answer a challenge to his authority.
WORF: Stop it! Do we to fall upon ourselves like a pack of Ferengi? The enemy is the Duras. We are at war!
(Worf steps between the fighters and Gowron takes the opportunity to kill Kulge)
GOWRON: Now the war can continue.
[Bridge]
O'BRIEN: We're crossing into Klingon territory, Captain.
PICARD: Signal the fleet to maintain yellow alert until further notice.
O'BRIEN: Aye, sir.
PICARD: Begin long range scans of the Romulan border.
O'BRIEN: No uncloaked ships within sensor range. A few subspace anomalies, but nothing firm.
PICARD: Those anomalies could be cloaked ships.
O'BRIEN: Could be, sir.
PICARD: Open a channel to the Excalibur.
RIKER [OC]: Excalibur, Riker here.
PICARD: Deploy the fleet, Will. It's time to spread our net.
RIKER [OC]: Yes, sir.
[Sutherland Bridge]
HOBSON: We've arrived at the designated coordinates, Captain.
DATA: All stop. Notify the flagship that we have assumed station.
HOBSON: Starboard power coupling has overloaded. We've got a radiation leak on decks ten through twelve.
DATA: Why are the backups not functioning?
HOBSON: There wasn't enough time to test all the backups before we left the yard. Terry, I want you down in Engineering working on a new coupling.
DATA: You have taken the phaser and torpedo control units offline.
HOBSON: Keith, you and I will start bringing the radiation
DATA: Mister Hobson, it is inappropriate for you to determine a course of action without consulting the commanding officer.
HOBSON: I was trying to safeguard the lives of people on those decks, but you're right. Belay those orders, everyone. Phasers and torpedoes are back online. What should we do, sir?
DATA: You will take the phasers and torpedo units offline and begin repairs of the starboard power coupling.
HOBSON: Thank you, sir. You heard the Captain, everyone.
[Bridge]
RIKER [on monitor]: We're ready, sir.
PICARD: Mister La Forge, how long do you think it will take the Romulans to detect the tachyon field once it's activated?
LAFORGE [on monitor]: Not long Romulan sensors are as good as ours.
PICARD: Very well. Energise the network.
[Romulan command centre]
MOVAR: There's an increase in tachyon emissions from the Federation fleet.
SELA: They're using the beams as a detection field.
MOVAR: If we try to cross it, they'll see us, even if we're cloaked.
SELA: Issue orders to begin work on a way to penetrate this field. In the meantime, we'll have to convince Captain Picard he should leave.
[Bridge]
O'BRIEN: Captain, I'm picking up something directly ahead. Romulan ship decloaking. Shall I raise shields?
PICARD: Not yet.
O'BRIEN: They're hailing us, sir.
PICARD: On screen. Tasha?
SELA [on viewscreen]: No, Captain. I am Commander Sela. The woman you knew as Tasha Yar was my mother. Deploying an invasion fleet along our border is a clear act of aggression, Captain. It will not be tolerated. You have twenty hours to recall your ships and return peacefully to Federation territory.
[Observation lounge]
PICARD: So you believe her, Counsellor?
TROI: I'm not saying we should accept her claim at face value, but I sensed no deception from her. She really believes she is the daughter of Tasha Yar.
CRUSHER: Regardless of what she believes, Sela can't be her daughter. I've reviewed all of Tasha's medical records, and there is no indication that she was ever pregnant.
PICARD: Besides, Tasha was a child when this woman was born.
TROI: Sela could have been cloned.
CRUSHER: Or had her appearance surgically altered.
PICARD: But why? What possible advantage could there be to the Romulans? As this now stands, I don't think this will have any impact on our strategy. We'll continue the blockade, leave the next move to them. Thank you.
(Beverly and Deanna leave, then Guinan enters)
GUINAN: Am I intruding?
PICARD: No, not at all. Is something wrong?
GUINAN: News travels fast. I heard that Tasha Yar's daughter is aboard the Romulan ship.
PICARD: I think that the Romulans are just hoping to create a distraction. They want to keep us off balance.
GUINAN: How much do you know about what happened to the last ship called Enterprise?
PICARD: Enterprise C? She was lost at the battle of Narendra Three, defending a Klingon outpost from the Romulans.
GUINAN: And the survivors?
PICARD: There were stories of prisoners taken back to Romulus, but these were only rumours.
GUINAN: No. There were survivors. And Tasha Yar was one of them.
PICARD: Guinan, that was twenty three years ago. Tasha Yar was only a child.
GUINAN: I know that. But I also know she was aboard that ship and she was not a child. And I think you sent her there.
PICARD: How can that be?
GUINAN: I don't know. I just know that you did.
PICARD: Tasha died, a year before you came on the Enterprise. You never met her.
GUINAN: I know that.
PICARD: If you have only a vague intuition
GUINAN: You can't just dismiss this. If I'm right, then you are responsible for this whole situation.
PICARD: I think that it's time I met Commander Sela.
[Klingon bar]
WORF: We are at war. Gowron should forbid any challenges until we are victorious.
KURN: A Klingon does not postpone a matter of honour.
WORF: A Klingon should place the good of the Empire above his own pride.
KURN: So now Gowron no longer suits you. Perhaps you mean to challenge him for the leadership of the Council?
WORF: No.
KURN: Then do not speak of this again! I did not wish to follow Gowron. You came to me and insisted we support Gowron against the Duras family. The time for debate is over. We are Klingons. He is our leader. If that is not enough for you, then perhaps you made the wrong choice when you put on that uniform.
(Kurn leaves, and two Klingons attack Worf, knocking him out and dragging him away)
[Observation lounge]
SELA: Well, Captain, what is this urgent matter we need to discuss?
PICARD: Please, won't you sit down?
(she folds her arms and remains standing)
PICARD: I'm afraid that you have misinterpreted our presence here. I want to reassure you that we have no hostile intention.
SELA: Ah. Then I can tell my superiors that a fleet of twenty three Federation starships is on our border for, what, humanitarian reasons?
PICARD: It is our intent to prevent any external power from interfering in Klingon affairs.
SELA: Nor do we have any plan to do so. But Captain, if for any reason we chose to enter Klingon territory, how would you stop us? With our cloaking devices we can slip by you at will.
PICARD: Then why don't you just take your ships across?
SELA: You sound eager for us to try. Perhaps you've discovered a method in detecting our ships? However, I don't think you asked me here to discuss our military situation.
PICARD: All right. Why did I invite you here?
SELA: You want the answer to the only question on your mind. How could Tasha Yar be my mother?
PICARD: It's been suggested that she was aboard the Enterprise C when it was destroyed twenty four years ago, that she was one of the survivors and that obviously you are a product of a union between her and a Romulan.
SELA: But you know that's impossible. She would have been a child when that battle occurred.
PICARD: And yet you claim that it is possible, that you're the daughter of Tasha Yar.
SELA: Yes, she was on that ship twenty four years ago. She was sent there by you from the future. She was among those few who survived. They were all to have been executed after the interrogation, but a Romulan general saw her and became enamoured with her. So a deal was struck. Their lives would be spared if she became his consort. I was born a year later.
PICARD: I want to meet your mother. Can you arrange that?
SELA: One night, when I was four years old, she came to me. She bundled me up and she told me to stay quiet as we left the compound. I realised she was taking me away. She was taking me away from my home, my father, so I cried out. My father offered her life. He gave her a home, gave her a child, and how did she repay him? By betrayal. They executed her. Everything in me that was human died that day with my mother. All that's left is Romulan. Never doubt that.
PICARD: Doubts? I'm full of them. But nothing in my experience can persuade me that what you have told me is true. And I do know one thing. It will not affect my judgment at our next encounter.
SELA: You have fourteen hours, Captain. I suggest you use them wisely.
[Duras' home]
(Worf is snoring as B'Etor letches over him, then he wakes)
B'ETOR: Is something wrong?
LURSA: Welcome, Worf, son of Mogh.
WORF: What do you want?
LURSA: The same as you. Personal honour. Glory for the Empire.
WORF: Your family has never valued honour.
B'ETOR: You knew only our brother. We are not like him.
LURSA: Our brother made many mistakes. One was to make you an enemy.
B'ETOR: We would rather be your friends.
WORF: Then you should not have opposed Gowron.
B'ETOR: Gowron is nothing.
LURSA: Toral is Duras' only son, and he will be the leader of the Council. In your heart, even you know that. But Toral needs guidance.
B'ETOR: A firm hand.
LURSA: A father figure. That could be you, if you were mated to B'Etor.
B'ETOR: The rewards could be greater than you can imagine.
LURSA: Nothing will stand in our way.
B'ETOR: We could rule the Empire together.
LURSA: Join us, Worf, and usher in a new era for our people.
WORF: An era where honour has no meaning? Where Klingons trade loyalties in dark rooms and where the Empire is ruled from Romulus.
SELA [on monitor]: Enough, Lursa. You failed. I need to know the strength and capabilities of the Federation fleet. I don't have time for this. Turn him over to the guard. B'Etor can have him back when they've finished with him.
ROMULAN: Come!
[Bridge]
PICARD: In thirteen hours we'll be forced to either withdraw from the border or fight the Romulan fleet. Neither alternative is acceptable. We must expose their involvement before the deadline.
GOWRON [on viewscreen]: What is it you propose?
PICARD: If you launch a full-scale attack now, then the Duras fleet will call for supplies. Lursa and B'Etor will call for help. The Romulans will try to run the blockade, and we'll be ready for them.
GOWRON [on viewscreen]: And once the Romulan connection has been exposed, support will fall away from Lursa and B'Etor. Very well. I will make preparations. One thing more, Picard. Worf has been captured by the Duras. I hope he dies well. Qapla!
[Ready room]
PICARD: When Gowron begins his attack, then we will make our move. Excalibur will fall back with engine problems. You will take the Akagi and the Hornet to this position, which will open a small gap in our detection net.
RIKER: And if the Romulans are already aware of the tachyon field, they should run the blockade at that point.
PICARD: Exactly. When they try to bring their ships through, the Enterprise and the Tian Nan Men will swing around, close the gap and catch them in the act.
RIKER: Very nice. I'd better get back.
PICARD: Good luck, Will.
RIKER: Good luck, Captain.
[Romulan command centre]
MOVAR: We've just received an urgent message from Lursa and B'Etor. Gowron's forces have attacked in three sectors. The Duras are nearing defeat.
SELA: You mean they were caught unprepared and now they're crying for help. Have the science sections found a way to circumvent the detection grid yet?
MOVAR: We think so. Just before we cross the border, we'll send out a massive tachyon pulse. A burst that large should cause enough interference to disable a part of their network.
SELA: Good.
MOVAR: One of their ships is moving off the blockade line.
SELA: Their warp drive is failing.
MOVAR: Picard is redeploying the fleet to compensate for the missing ship. There's a gap opening in the net.
SELA: He doesn't have enough ships to maintain the network.
MOVAR: If we act quickly we can move through. Commander?
SELA: No. I don't think so.
MOVAR: But it's what we've been waiting for.
SELA: Yes I know and so does Picard. He's giving us exactly what we need and he expects us to take it. No. We won't step into Picard's trap. We will disable part of his network here, where they're weakest. We'll direct the energy burst right at the ship with the android Captain.
[Bridge]
O'BRIEN: Sir, the detection net is picking up activity from the Romulans. Fifteen cloaked ships spreading out along the border.
PICARD: Signal the fleet to stand by.
O'BRIEN: Aye, sir.
[Romulan command centre]
SELA: Now.
(the beam fires at the Sutherland)
SELA: Come to course zero eight zero mark two nine five.
[Bridge]
O'BRIEN: There's a disruption in the tachyon detectors! It's localised to this segment of the net.
PICARD: Open a channel to the Sutherland.
DATA [OC]: Data here, sir.
PICARD: We're reading a disruption of the tachyon net in your area.
DATA [OC]: Yes, sir. The Romulans have released a high energy burst. The net is no longer effective in a radius of ten million kilometres around the Sutherland.
PICARD: That's where they're going through. Send a signal to the fleet. All ships to fall back and rendezvous at Gamma Eridon. We'll re-establish the net there.
O'BRIEN: Aye, sir.
[Sutherland Bridge]
HOBSON: All Federation ships proceed at maximum warp to Gamma Eridon.
DATA: Acknowledge the signal. Ensign, lay in the course and engage at warp nine point three.
CRAIG: Aye, sir.
(Data goes to a science station and does a long range sensor scan)
HOBSON: What are you doing?
DATA: In disrupting the detection net, the Romulans may have caused a residual tachyon signature to form around their own ships.
HOBSON: But we have no way of detecting it.
DATA: All stop.
CRAIG: Aye, sir. All stop.
HOBSON: Sir, the fleet's been ordered to Gamma Eridon.
DATA: The tachyon signatures will not last long. By the time the fleet is deployed, it will be too late. Begin to reconfigure the sensors to detect ionised particle traces.
HOBSON: The entire area's been flooded with tachyon particles. We'll never be able to find what we're looking for.
DATA: I am aware of the difficulties. Please bring the phasers back online.
HOBSON: That will flood three decks with radiation!
DATA: We will initiate radiation protocol when necessary.
HOBSON: You don't give a damn about the people whose lives you're throwing away. We're not just machines
DATA: Mister Hobson! You will carry out my orders or I will relieve you of duty.
HOBSON: Yes, sir.
[Bridge]
O'BRIEN: Captain, the Sutherland isn't heading for the rendezvous point. She's come to a full stop.
PICARD: Open a channel.
[Sutherland Bridge]
HOBSON: The Enterprise wants to know the reason we've stopped.
DATA: Display sensor schematic. Display sensor sweep, maximum range.
HOBSON: Are you going to answer the Enterprise?
DATA: Overlay display with tachyon emissions. Highlight any tachyon signatures which show subspace inertial displacement. Concentrate a sensor sweep in that area.
(four targets emerge)
HOBSON: Sir, this is pointless. Those readings could be anything. There's no way for us to be sure the Romulans are out there.
DATA: Reconfigure photon torpedo warhead yields. Set for high energy burst level six.
HOBSON: Level six? But that won't even
DATA: Do it!
HOBSON: Torpedoes ready. Another message coming in. It's Captain Picard!
PICARD [OC]: Mister Data, you were ordered to rendezvous with the fleet at Gamma Eridon. Acknowledge.
DATA: Stand by, Captain. Mister Hobson, prepare to fire.
HOBSON: Didn't you hear? Captain Picard wants us
DATA: Fire. Fire!
(and three green meanies are briefly illuminated)
[Romulan command centre]
MOVAR: They have discovered us!
SELA: Reverse course. Order the fleet back to Romulan territory.
MOVAR: Commander, the Duras need this convoy. Without these supplies, they cannot win.
SELA: We've been exposed. It's over.
MOVAR: But what should I tell Lursa and B'Etor?
SELA: Tell them they're on their own.
[Sutherland Bridge]
HOBSON: They're changing course, heading back to Romulan space.
DATA: Make a full report to the flagship. Take the main phasers offline and begin radiation clean up on the affected decks.
HOBSON: Yes, sir, Captain.
[Duras' home]
(weapons are raining down on the complex, which is in flames)
B'ETOR: Defeat.
TORAL: How? Where are the Romulans?
LURSA: They never came.
(Worf is dragged in by his Romulan guard)
LURSA: Kill him.
(but Worf fights the Romulan as Lursa and B'Etor have themselves beamed to safety)
TORAL: No!
(Worf defeats the Romulan as his brother arrives)
KURN: Toral, the next Leader of the Empire. Gowron is looking forward to seeing you again.
Captain's personal log, stardate 45025.4. It is with a profound sense of relief that I have ordered the fleet back to Federation territory following the Romulan withdrawal and the news of Gowron's victory. We have arrived at the Klingon home world, where I will present the High Council with a full report on our encounter with the Romulans.
[Ready room]
PICARD: Come.
DATA: Captain, I wish to submit myself for disciplinary action. I have disobeyed a direct order from a superior officer. Although the result of my actions proved positive, the ends cannot justify the means.
PICARD: No, they can't. However, the claim 'I was only following orders' has been used to justify too many tragedies in our history. Starfleet doesn't want officers who will blindly follow orders without analysing the situation. Your actions were appropriate for the circumstances, and I have noted that in your record.
(Data turns to leave)
PICARD: Mister Data. Nicely done.
DATA: Sir.
[Great Hall]
GOWRON: The Council appreciates your report, Captain. The information on the Romulan supply ships will prove very useful. Before you leave, there is one last matter to attend to.
(Worf and Kurn enter)
GOWRON: Bring him.
(Toral is escorted in, defiant Klingon to the end)
KURN: Toral, son of Duras, you stand convicted of treason.
TORAL: The Duras family will one day rule the Empire!
GOWRON: Perhaps. But not today. Worf. This child's family wrongly took your name and your honour from you. In return, I give his life to you.
(Worf takes Gowron's dagger and goes over to Toral, who braces himself for the thrust. Worf drops the dagger on the floor)
KURN: What's wrong? Kill him!
WORF: No.
KURN: But it's our way. It is the Klingon way.
WORF: I know. But it is not my way. This boy has done me no harm and I will not kill him for the crimes of his family.
GOWRON: Then it falls to Kurn.
WORF: No. No, you gave me his life, and I have spared it.
GOWRON: As you wish.
WORF: Request permission to return to duty, sir.
PICARD: Granted.
2024-09-11 14:48:11 -
Pike:
Added the transcript.
