Original subtitles

Last time on Star Trek: The Next Generation...

You are hereby requested and required

to relinquish command of your vessel

to Captain Edward Jellico, Commanding Officer

USS Cairo, as of this date.

I want this ship ready for action

and I don't have time

to give Will Riker, or anyone else a "chance."

And forgive me for being blunt

but the Enterprise is mine now.

Our orders are to penetrate

the Celtris III installation.

It's a trap! Come on!

Let's go.

The Captain!

No. There are five more of them

heading this way from another tunnel.

You should prove an interesting challenge.

Possibly the most interesting to come through that door

in many years.

What do you want?

Why, you, of course.

And now, the conclusion.

Your place of birth?

Labarre, France.

Mother's name?

Yvette Gessard.

He's ready.

Keep the serum at that level.

What is your current assignment?

Special operations on Celtris III.

What is your mission on Celtris III?

To seek and destroy a metagenic weapon.

How many others were part of this mission?

Two.

Name and rank?

Chief Medical Officer Beverly Crusher.

Lieutenant Worf.

What are the Federation's defense plans for Minos Korva?

I don't know.

Increase the level slightly to.31.

Let's begin again, shall we?

Name?

Picard, Jean-Luc.

Place of birth?

Labarre, France.

Space, the final frontier.

These are the voyages of the Starship Enterprise.

Its continuing mission...

to explore strange new worlds

to seek out new life and new civilizations

to boldly go where no one has gone before.

Captain's Log, Stardate 46360.8.

The negotiations with the Cardassians

have made little progress.

I believe a military confrontation

may be unavoidable.

Gul Lemec, I assure you that what the Federation wants

above all, is the preservation of peace.

Then, how do you explain the fact

that a Federation team launched an unprovoked assault

on Cardassian territory less than 14 hours ago?

I don't know what you're talking about.

Then let me explain.

Captain Jean-Luc Picard, Lieutenant Worf

and Dr. Beverly Crusher landed on Celtris III

attacked one of our outposts in a brutal assault

and killed over 55 men, women

and children.

What evidence do you have of that?

We have all the evidence we need.

We have Captain Picard.

Is he alive?

The Cardassian Union

has yet to decide how it will respond

to this latest provocation, but rest assured

we will respond.

Is there any truth in what he's saying?

Captain Picard and the others

were sent to investigate reports

of a metagenic weapon on Celtris III.

It's possible that they may have been captured

but if they did escape

they'll head for the Lyshan System.

The Enterprise is supposed to meet them there in eight hours.

Will, I want you to take a shuttlecraft

and head for the rendezvous point.

The Enterprise will have to remain here

until the endgame with Gul Lemec is played out.

Aye, sir.

Captain Picard.

I demand to see a neutral representative

as required by the Federation- Cardassian peace treaty.

We have already sent a message to Tohvun Ill...

the nearest neutral planet.

They assure us

they will dispatch someone immediately.

Will you allow me to remove your restraints?

I understand that you are a student of archaeology.

Did you know that Cardassia boasts

some of the most ancient and splendid ruins

in the entire galaxy?

I know that the burial vaults

of the First Hebitian civilization

are said to be magnificent.

Apparently, when they were first unearthed

200 years ago, they were.

The burial vaults contained unimaginably beautiful

artifacts made of jevonite... a rare, breathtaking stone...

but most of those objects are gone.

What happened to them?

What happens to impoverished societies...

the tombs were plundered, priceless treasures stolen.

A few were preserved in museums

but even those were eventually sold

in order to pay for our war efforts.

That war cost you hundreds of thousands of lives.

It depleted your food supplies

left your population weakened and miserable

and yet you risk another war.

Let's not waste time arguing about issues we cannot resolve.

Would you care to tour the Hebitian burial vaults?

What I would like is to be returned to my ship.

My dear Captain, you are a criminal.

You've been apprehended

invading one of our secret facilities.

The least that will happen is for you to stand trial

and be punished

but I'm offering you the opportunity

for that experience to be...

civilized.

What is the price of that opportunity?

Cooperation.

We need to know the Federation's

defense strategy for Minos Korva.

You've injected me with drugs.

Surely, you must realize

that I've already answered truthfully

every question you've put to me.

Captain, we have gone to great lengths to lure you here

because we know that, in the event of an invasion

the Enterprise will be the command ship for the sector

encompassing Minos Korva.

Then, it seems you have

more knowledge of the situation than I.

Wasted energy, Captain.

You might come to wish you hadn't expended it

in such a futile effort.

Torture is expressly forbidden

under the terms of the Seldonis IV Convention

governing the treatment of prisoners of war!

Are you in good health?

Do you have any physical ailments

I should know about?

Beautiful, isn't it?

The stone is jevonite

and now you know why it is so highly prized.

From this point on

you will enjoy no privilege of rank

no privileges of person.

From now on, I will refer to you only as "human."

You have no other identity.

First Officer's Log, supplemental.

I have returned from the rendezvous point

in the Lyshan System

with Dr. Crusher and Lieutenant Worf.

Captain Picard's fate is still unknown.

There was no chance

to go back for the Captain.

We barely made it back

to the Ferengi cargo ship ourselves.

You were smart not to try.

I don't feel so smart.

Get some rest, Doctor.

Will.

I want Geordi to analyze the readings

from Beverly's tricorder.

Tell him to scrutinize every detail

of those caverns on Celtris III.

Aye, sir.

Request permission to begin planning a rescue operation.

I know you were close to him, Will

but we don't even know if he's still alive.

Under the circumstances

a rescue mission would be foolhardy.

Shouldn't we assume that he is alive

until it's been proved otherwise?

We cannot just abandon him.

He's gone.

I'm sorry, Will, but you're going to have to accept that.

I want those tricorder readings analyzed by 1400 hours.

Yes, sir.

Good morning.

I trust you slept well.

Thirsty?

I would imagine so.

Well...

it's time to move on.

I told you all that I know.

Yes, I'm sure you have.

How many lights do you see there?

I see four lights.

No.

There are five.

Are you quite sure?

There are four lights.

Perhaps you're aware of the incision in your chest.

While you were under the influence of our drugs

you were implanted with a small device.

It's a remarkable invention.

By entering commands in this padd

I can produce pain

in any part of your body... at various levels

of severity.

Forgive me.

I don't enjoy this, but I must demonstrate.

It will make everything clearer.

Surprising, isn't it?

Most people feel at first they can steel themselves against it

but they're completely unprepared

for the intensity of the pain.

That was the lowest possible setting.

I know nothing about Minos Korva.

But I've told you that I believe you.

I didn't ask you about Minos Korva.

I asked how many lights you see.

There are four lights.

I don't understand how you can be so mistaken.

What is your current assignment?

Special operations on Celtris III.

Do you have anything to say?

Captain Picard was not acting under my orders.

And if we wish to execute him?

Under the terms

of the Seldonis Convention, Captain Picard...

The Seldonis Convention applies to prisoners of war.

Which means you would have to acknowledge

that he was captured during a mission

authorized by the Federation.

Are you willing to make

such an admission?

No.

Then, he will be treated as a terrorist.

It's not my concern.

There is, of course, an alternative.

I'm listening.

If the Federation agreed

to a complete and immediate withdrawal from this sector

then we would be... disposed

to release Captain Picard

and forget about this incident.

I'll have to discuss this with my superiors.

Of course.

You have seven hours.

What are you going to do?

Send a message to Admiral Nechayev.

I recommend that she reject Lemec's proposal

and deploy additional starships along the border.

What about Captain Picard?

I'm not suggesting you trade an entire star system

for one man's life

but you've got to acknowledge

that these were Federation orders

and that he is a prisoner of war.

No.

He will have the protection

of the Seldonis Convention.

That would play right into Gul Lemec's hand.

He's just waiting for some sign of weakness on our part

before he starts making more demands.

I can't believe you're willing to sacrifice

Captain Picard's life as a negotiation tactic.

Will, Captain, we're all concerned about...

Are you questioning my judgment, Commander?

As First Officer, it is my responsibility

to point out any actions that may be mistakes

by a commanding officer, sir.

Then, maybe it's time

you found other responsibilities.

You're relieved.

Don't...

make me confine you to quarters as well.

Sir.

They went to a lot of trouble

to lure a Federation team to that planet.

Why?

It is possible the Cardassians

were specifically interested in capturing Captain Picard.

Why do you say that?

The metagenic weapon they were supposedly developing

used a theta-band subspace delivery system.

Captain Picard is one of only three Starfleet Captains

with extensive experience in theta-band devices.

The other two are no longer in Starfleet.

So they tailored a fake weapon to lure Picard.

But why?

They must have known

we'd change all his access codes and security protocols.

Maybe they were interested

in something that he did in the past...

something that happened while he was captain of the Enterprise.

Or something he was going to do in the future.

In case of a Cardassian attack

the Enterprise will be assigned as command ship for this sector.

If the Cardassians got wind of that...

They might have assumed

that Captain Picard would know those defense plans.

If your theory is correct, the Cardassians may be planning

an attack somewhere in this sector.

The question is where.

Geordi, I want you

to conduct a discreet scan of Gul Lemec's ship.

Look for anything unusual...

anything that might indicate where they've been lately.

Aye, sir.

I want you to be very careful with your wompat

from now on, Jil Orra.

Now that she's separated from her mother

she depends on you.

I will, Father.

Do humans have mothers and fathers?

Yes...

but human mothers and fathers

don't love their children as we do.

They're not the same as we are.

Will you read to me tonight?

Yes, of course, I will.

I'll see you later.

Your daughter is lovely.

Yes, I think so.

And unusually bright.

It's amazing, isn't it...

the way they're able to sneak into your heart?

I must admit I was completely unprepared

for the power she had over me...

from the moment she was born.

I am surprised that...

you let her come in here.

Why?

To expose a child to... this...

to someone who is suffering.

To see that

it is you that inflict that suffering.

From the time, Jil Orra could crawl

she's been taught about the enemies of the Cardassians

and that enemies deserve their fates.

When children learn to devalue others

they can devalue anyone, including their parents.

What a blind, narrow view you have.

What an arrogant man you are.

What do you know of Cardassian history?

I know that once you were a peaceful people

with a rich spiritual life.

And what did peace and spirituality get us?

People starved by the millions.

Bodies went unburied.

Disease was rampant.

The suffering was unimaginable.

Since the military took over

hundreds of thousands more have died.

But we are feeding the people.

We acquired territory during the wars.

We developed new resources.

We initiated a rebuilding program.

We have mandated agricultural programs.

That... is what the military has done for Cardassia.

And because of that

my daughter will never worry about going hungry.

Her belly may be full

but her spirit will be empty.

Shall we begin again?

How many lights are there?

What lights?

It looks like they had

some minor hull degradation along their warp nacelles.

The distribution pattern

indicates a recent exposure to a molecular dispersion field.

Where could they have run into a dispersion field?

The McAIlister C-5 Nebula is just across the border.

It's approximately seven light-years

from Federation space.

Could there be Cardassian ships

inside the McAIlister Nebula?

Well, it's possible, but they wouldn't be able

to stay in there for very long.

The particle flux from the Nebula

would begin to break down a ship's hull just after 72 hours.

Is there a Federation system near the McAIlister Nebula

that might interest the Cardassians?

Minos Korva is just 11 light years from the Nebula

and the Cardassians tried to annex it during the war.

Data, I want to be at Minos Korva in one hour.

Aye, sir.

Set course 350 mark 215 and engage at warp 8.5.

Sur le pont... d'Avignon... I'on y... I'on y danse...

Wake up.

Where were you?

At home.

Sunday dinner.

We would all sing afterwards.

What a charming picture.

The Picard family...

voices raised in song.

Is that what's keeping you from breaking?

Memories of home and hearth?

Images of happier times?

I must congratulate you.

You're remarkably strong-willed.

I see no point in holding you further.

You may go.

Someone will give you clean clothing

before we return you to your ship.

We will get

what we need from the human female.

What female are you referring to?

The human who was part

of your abortive assault team, of course...

Dr. Beverly Crusher.

What have you done to her?

Not a thing.

She's quite safe.

I wanted to finish my interviews with you

before I interrogated her.

I had hoped it might not be necessary.

Lieutenant Worf?

He left us few options.

We had to kill him.

I'm more optimistic about getting what we need

from the woman.

Dr. Crusher has no knowledge of any Starfleet operations.

She's a medical officer.

You might be right.

I'll have to determine that for myself.

Are you choosing to stay with me?

Excellent.

I can't tell you how pleased that makes me.

Starfleet now believes

the Cardassians are preparing to invade

Minos Korva.

I'm convinced that their invasion fleet

is hiding in the McAIlister Nebula.

I intend to hit it before they leave it.

Captain, what if you're wrong?

What if the Cardassians are in that nebula

to conduct scientific research?

You'd have to have some pretty good evidence

to convince me of that.

You're still gambling

hundreds of lives.

This discussion is moot.

The plan has been approved, and we are going ahead.

Mr. Data, by your calculations

how long could the Cardassian ships stay in the Nebula?

In 17 hours, their hull degradation

will reach dangerous levels.

They will have to leave before that.

All right.

Worf, prepare a series of 500 antimatter mines

with magnetic targeting capabilities.

Aye, sir.

Geordi, we're going to need a shuttle

specially outfitted to operate in the Nebula by 1400 hours.

Beverly, you'll need to...

Have Sick Bay ready

for the casualties you're about to send me.

That's right.

Dismissed.

Ah, you're awake.

Have something to eat.

I insist.

Boiled taspar egg.

It's a delicacy I'm happy to share with you.

Wonderful.

Wonderful.

I like you, human.

Most people become ill

at the sight of live taspar.

I remember the first time

I ate a live taspar.

I was six years old

and living on the streets of Lakat.

There was a band of children... four, five, six years old

some even smaller...

desperately trying to survive.

We were thin, scrawny little animals

constantly hungry, always cold.

We slept together in doorways

like packs of wild gettles for warmth.

Once, I found a nest.

Taspars had mated and built a nest

in the eaves of a burnt-out building

and I found three eggs in it.

It was like finding treasure.

I cracked one open on the spot and ate it

very much as you just did.

I planned to save the other two.

They would keep me alive for another week.

Of course, an older boy saw them and wanted them

and he got them.

But he had to break my arm to do it.

Must be rewarding to you to...

to repay others for all those years of misery.

What do you mean?

Torture has never been

a reliable means of extracting information.

It is ultimately self-defeating as a means of control.

One wonders that it's still practiced.

I fail to see where this analysis is leading.

Whenever I... look at you now

I won't see a powerful Cardassian warrior.

I will see a six-year-old boy

who is powerless to protect himself.

Be quiet!

In spite of all you have done to me

I find you a pitiable man.

Picard, stop it

or I will turn this on

and leave you in agony all night.

You called me "Picard."

What are the Federation's defense plans for Minos Korva?

There are four lights.

There are five lights.

How many do you see now?

You are six years old

weak and helpless.

You cannot hurt me!

How many?

Sur le pont...

...d'Avignon...

...on'y danse...

How are we doing?

We're almost done, sir.

I've shielded the engine nacelles

and the transporter system, so they won't be affected

by the particle flux from the Nebula.

Good.

Been a while since I flew one of these.

You're a pilot yourself, aren't you, Geordi?

Yes, sir.

Began my career as a shuttle pilot

on the Jovian run.

From Jupiter to Saturn and back...

once a day, every day.

Is that right?

I was on that run myself for a while.

Then, you must have done Titan's Turn.

Oh, yeah.

You set a course directly for Titan

hold it till you're just brushing the atmosphere

throw the helm hard over

and whip around the moon at point seven "c."

And pray like hell nobody saw you.

You know, this trip into the Nebula is going to need someone

who can do Titan's Turn in their sleep.

These mines need to be laid

within two kilometers of the Cardassian ships

but the particle flux from the Nebula

will blind every sensor, except for this proximity detector.

You're going to need one heck of a pilot to pull that off.

Is that you?

I could do it, but, truthfully

the man you want is Commander Riker.

He's the best there is.

Come in.

Am I disturbing you?

Not at all.

Musician.

Yes.

Classical?

Contemporary?

Jazz.

Ah.

Is there something I can do for you, Captain?

Are you aware of our plans

to attack the Cardassian invasion fleet?

Yes, sir.

I understand you've been talking to every shuttle pilot on board.

Let's drop the ranks for a moment.

I don't like you.

I think you're insubordinate

arrogant, willful

and I don't think

you're a particularly good first officer

but you are also the best pilot on the ship.

Well, now that the ranks are dropped, Captain

I don't like you either.

You are arrogant and closed-minded.

You need to control everything and everyone.

You don't provide an atmosphere of trust

and you don't inspire these people

to go out of their way for you.

You've got everybody wound up so tight

there's no joy in anything.

I don't think you're a particularly good Captain.

I won't... order you to fly this mission.

Then ask me.

Will you pilot the shuttle, Commander?

Yes.

You're welcome.

We've lost primary navigation.

Switching to secondary systems.

Inertial dampers compensating.

Sensors inoperative.

Right on schedule.

Proximity detector is working.

We should be able to read their ships

at a distance of 500 meters.

Don't make this too easy.

Hang on.

Do I want to know how close that was?

No.

Get ready to deploy the mines.

Captain, the shuttle is emerging from the Nebula.

Enterprise to Shuttle.

Were you successful, Commander?

Aye, sir, the mines are laid.

Very well.

Red Alert.

Stand by to detonate the mines on my command.

Standing by.

Open a channel to the Reklar.

This is Cardassian territory, Captain.

Your presence here is another deliberate provocation...

I'm not going to argue with you, Gul Lemec.

Every one of your ships has a mine on its belly

my finger's on the button

and you're in a very bad position.

You can't intimidate us.

Mr. Worf, set off Alpha-four-two.

Aye, sir.

That was just a baby.

The big boys are sitting on your hull

just waiting for me to say the word.

What are your terms?

Your ships will leave the Nebula one by one.

Each ship will eject its primary phaser coil

before setting course for the nearest Cardassian base.

But that will leave us defenseless.

Mr. Worf, prepare to detonate...

I will agree to your terms.

Excellent.

Oh, and one more thing.

I understand you're holding a Starfleet officer

named Jean-Luc Picard.

I expect him returned... immediately.

That won't help.

I have many more.

Still, it felt good.

Enjoy your good feelings while you can.

There may not be many more of them.

I've just received word.

There's been a battle.

The Enterprise is burning in space.

The invasion of Minos Korva has been successful.

I don't believe you.

There's no need for any further information from you.

Our troops were successful

in spite of your refusal to help me.

You might have saved yourself a great deal of torment

by yielding at the beginning.

I want... to see a... neutral representative.

There is no such person.

The word will be that you perished with your crew.

No one will ever know that you are here with us

as you will be for a long, long time.

You do, however, have a choice.

You can live out your life in misery, held here

subject to my whims, or you can live in comfort

with good food and warm clothing...

women as you desire them...

allowed to pursue your studies of philosophy and history.

I would enjoy debating with you.

You have a keen mind.

It's up to you.

A life of ease, of reflection and intellectual

challenge...

or this.

What must I do?

Nothing, really.

Tell me... how many lights you see.

How many?

How many lights?

This is your last chance.

The guards are coming.

Don't be a stubborn fool.

How many?

You told me he would be ready to go.

We had some unfinished business.

Get him cleaned up.

A ship is waiting

to take him back to the Enterprise.

Captain Picard

if you'll go with the guards, they'll take care of you.

There... are... four lights!

Captain on the Bridge.

Welcome home, Jean-Luc.

Thank you.

Just the way you left it.

Maybe a little better.

Computer, transfer all command codes

to Captain Jean-Luc Picard.

Voice authorization: Jellico-alpha-three-one.

Transfer complete.

USS Enterprise now under command

of Captain Jean-Luc Picard.

I relieve you, sir.

I stand relieved.

It's been an honor serving with you.

You have the Bridge, Number One.

Aye, sir.

I, uh...

I don't know where to begin.

It was, uh...

I read your report.

What I didn't put in the report

was that, at the end, he gave me a choice

between a life of comfort...

or more torture.

All I had to do

was to say that I could see five lights

when, in fact, there were only four.

You didn't say it.

No. No...

but I was going to.

I would have told him anything.

Anything at all.

But more than that...

I believed that I could see...

five lights.