Original subtitles

Data, there you are.

We need to install

that plasma conduit right away.

We're bringing the new warp core on line

in less than three hours.

I will go to deck 20 and begin modifications.

Great. I'll meet you in Engineering

as soon as you're finished there.

This ought to be a lot of fun!

Excuse me.

Do you have authorization to work in this area?

You are dismantling a warp plasma conduit.

I must ask you to stop.

Be quiet!

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 47225.7.

Commander La Forge has completed the installation

of our new warp core.

We are preparing to test its capabilities.

Something wrong, sir?

I just got a message from Starfleet Command.

Bad news?

You could say that.

I've been invited

to the annual Starfleet Admiral's Banquet.

My condolences.

I've managed to avoid it for the past six years

but now it would seem that my luck has run out.

Can't think of anything more tedious.

50 admirals shaking hands, making dull conversation.

Uninteresting food, boring speeches...

Can't you think of some excuse

to get out of it?

After six years, Number One

I don't think I have any excuses left.

Geordi, have you ever had a nightmare?

Yeah, sure, Data.

Everybody does from time to time.

I have had 111 dreams

since I first discovered this program

nine months ago.

In all of that time, I have never experienced

such strange and disturbing imagery.

I believe it was a nightmare.

Well, nightmares are a part of dreaming, Data.

Maybe you've just discovered

another level to your program.

Perhaps.

I have also noted that I am spending

an inordinate amount of time

thinking about nightmare imagery.

One could almost say I am preoccupied.

Well, it's perfectly normal, Data.

Sometimes when I have a nightmare

I can't shake that weird feeling

for a couple of days.

Commander La Forge?

Speaking of nightmares.

I just finished recalibrating

the starboard EPS module.

That's great, Ensign. Thank you.

It's just like you said...

"Reset the power tap"...

and the module came right on line.

You have such a wonderful grasp of engineering principles.

I'm learning so much

just being around you.

I'll tell you what...

why don't you help Farrell

check out the deuterium cartridges.

We're just about to bring

the warp core on line, all right?

Anything you say.

Geordi, you do not seem to appreciate

Ensign Tyler's enthusiasm.

She's enthusiastic, all right...

about me.

I do not understand.

She's got a crush on me, Data.

You do not share her affection?

Exactly, and quite frankly

it's beginning to get a little bit...

uncomfortable.

I believe I understand.

You are concerned about unintentionally hurting

Ensign Tyler's feelings.

Yeah. Something like that.

It would appear

that you require a third party

to intervene on your behalf.

I will be happy to speak to her.

No, Data.

I'll take care of it myself.

Thanks.

Geordi, when I first awoke from my nightmare

there was a brief moment when I...

Bridge to Commander La Forge.

What's our status?

We're ready to bring the new core on line, Captain.

Stand by.

All right.

Let's do it.

Initializing...

deuterium infusion sequence.

It's a thing of beauty

isn't it?

Now let's see how fast she can run.

La Forge to Bridge.

Warp power

at your discretion, Captain.

Acknowledged.

Ensign Gates, set course for Starbase 219.

Warp six.

Engage.

Engage.

Bridge to Engineering.

Mr. La Forge, why isn't my ship moving?

I'm on it, Captain.

There's a warp plasma conduit out of alignment...

but I think I've got it fixed now.

Ready, sir.

Very well.

Ensign Gates.

Mr. La Forge.

Stand by, Captain.

Captain, I am taking

the warp coil engines off-line.

La Forge to Bridge.

I'm sorry, sir

but we're going to have to reconfigure

this plasma conduit.

It's going to take at least a couple of hours, sir.

Enter.

Hello, Data.

Counselor.

What are you doing?

I have been watching Spot sleep.

In the past 15 minutes

he has had 12 muscle spasms

which indicates he was dreaming.

I have often wondered what Spot dreams about.

His twitching and rapid breathing

would seem to suggest anxiety

but Spot has never seen a mouse

or any other form of rodentia.

He has never encountered an insect

or been chased by a canine.

I understand you've had some interesting dreams recently.

Geordi was worried about you

and he wanted me to check in and see how you were doing.

That was very thoughtful of him.

I have been debating whether or not

to initiate another dream sequence.

Because of the nightmares?

I have found them

to be quite...

unsettling.

Data, you shouldn't be afraid of dark imagery in your dreams.

It's a natural expression

of your unconscious...

if you have an unconscious.

I'm not sure how your positronic brain works

but if it's anything like ours

then there's a part of you that's trying to express itself

through your dream state.

And I think you should allow yourself

to experience it.

As Sigmund Freud said...

"Dreams are the royal road to the knowledge of the mind."

Hmm.

Thank you, Counselor.

I believe I will initiate a dream program now.

Let me know how it goes.

Good night, Data.

Good night, Counselor.

Good night, Spot.

Computer, dim lights.

Mmm...

Delicious.

What kind of cake are you eating?

It is a cellular peptide cake with mint frosting.

Would you like a bite?

No, thank you.

Excuse me, Mr. Worf.

Aren't you going to answer that, Mr. Data?

Sir?

That damn ringing.

Answer it, will you?

Yes, sir.

Please identify yourselves.

I must ask what you are trying to...

Be quiet!

Please... don't hurt me, Data.

I am sorry, Counselor.

No...

don't.

No! No!

Data!

Data.

Data!

What is wrong?

We've been trying to wake you

for the last five minutes.

When you didn't show up on time

in Engineering, I got worried.

My internal chronometer was supposed to wake me

35 minutes ago.

You must have overslept.

That is not possible.

Something is wrong.

I can't find anything wrong

with your internal time-base.

As far as I can tell, your primary systems check out fine.

I will compare my autonomic logs

with the ship's chronometer.

Perhaps we have overlooked something.

You know...

Data, there's an awful lot

we don't know about your dream program.

Maybe it was designed to cause side effects.

I mean, for all we know, Dr. Soong might have intended

for you to oversleep from time to time.

It's part of the human experience.

It is a possibility.

However, I would prefer to make certain

there are no anomalies in my neural nets.

You know, I'm curious.

What were you dreaming about when we woke you up?

I have not fully assimilated its impact.

I would prefer to study the images further

before discussing them.

Hmm... sounds like it must have been pretty strange.

"Strange" is not a sufficient adjective

to describe the experience.

Tell me more about this... cake.

It is difficult to explain.

Counselor Troi's body was a cake.

Her upper body.

Describe the knife you used to cut the Counselor.

It had a black handle and a serrated blade

and it was quite long.

How long?

25 centimeters in length.

Hmm. Hmm, hmm, hmm.

And what happened next?

One of the workmen pointed to her right shoulder.

At that moment, I had an overwhelming urge

to cut a piece out of the cake.

And did you?

Yes.

As I began slicing the cake

she reacted as though I was causing her pain.

Yet I could not stop cutting.

That is when I woke up.

Hmm.

Dr. Freud, I am curious...

Eh, eh, eh, eh.

I am curious.

What do my nightmares mean?

I believe you are experiencing

a classic dismemberment dream.

Or, in your case, being a mechanical man

a dismantlement dream.

I do not understand.

Your mechanistic qualities are trying to reassert themselves

over your human tendencies...

ego and id struggling for domination.

The workmen symbolize the ever-present id

constantly working to destroy the ego.

Now, the image of Counselor Troi...

a female... is devoured by you

clearly indicating an unconscious desire

to possess your own mother.

But I do not have a mother.

Do not interrupt.

The knife...

in its violent connotation...

suggests a certain feeling of sexual inadequacy.

But I have no sexual desire.

Ah! Impotence on top of everything!

It is all becoming clear to me now.

There might be a paper in this.

I do not believe I am being helped by this session.

Classic transference.

Your anger toward me is, in fact

the animosity you feel toward your father.

You are a polymorphously perverse individual, Mr. Data

and I recommend full psychoanalysis.

I believe I can fit you in, uh...

next Tuesday.

That will not be necessary.

Computer, end program.

Captain, incoming message from Admiral Nakamura.

On screen.

Admiral.

Captain.

We were expecting you this morning.

Is there a problem?

Actually, we have been experiencing

a few minor difficulties with our new warp core

but my chief engineer assures me that we will be underway

within the hour.

You're not trying to avoid this particular engagement

are you, Picard?

No, no, certainly not.

I'm... really looking forward to it.

Good.

I'll expect you soon.

Nakamura out.

I think he's on to you, sir.

Hmm.

La Forge to Bridge.

Go ahead, Geordi.

We've just started it up, Captain.

All systems are holding steady.

Ready when you are, sir.

Ensign Gates.

Set a course...

and engage.

Engineering, report.

The warp field has collapsed, sir.

It looks like we've blown

the entire power converter, Captain.

Impulse engines are down, too.

We're not going anywhere.

But I know just how to fix this.

Give me two, three hours, tops.

Talk about going nowhere fast.

Mr. Worf, open a channel to Starbase 219.

Advise Admiral Nakamura

I'll be a little later than I thought.

Aye, sir.

Tyler, how are you coming

with that relay diagnostic?

Almost done, sir.

Excuse me.

I need the plasma inverter.

It appears Ensign Tyler still has a crush on you.

It is clear you did not speak to her.

No, Data, I haven't had the time.

Listen, I want you to take this brace coil

and run a metallurgical scan on it for me...

see if there are any microfractures.

Something wrong, Data?

I am reminded of a recent dream.

This brace is reminiscent of...

Are you going to answer that, Commander?

What are you waiting for?

Answer it!

Hello?

Kill them.

You must kill them all... before it's too late.

Data...

Data, what's wrong?

I do not know.

Everything seems to remind me of the nightmare...

objects, sounds, smells.

And now I have seen elements of the dream in a waking state.

I cannot explain it.

Data, if you were one of my human patients

I might be concerned right now.

I'd say you'd had a waking dream...

or an hallucination.

But you're not human.

I think we might be looking at some kind

of technological problem.

I have run three complete self-diagnostics.

All of my systems are functioning normally.

Perhaps Dr. Freud was correct.

The knife I dreamed about is the embodiment

of my unconscious desire

to inflict violence.

Data, even Freud said

"Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar."

But the bottom line is

I think you're developing an almost obsessive interest

in your own inner workings.

I'd almost call it

the beginnings of a neurosis.

That is not possible.

Why not?

You've eliminated all the technical explanations

and it makes sense that as your neural net

becomes more complex, more human

that you might experience

the same kind of psychological complexities as a human.

Do really think that is possible?

Data, you must be the first person

who's come into my office

and been excited at the prospect of a new neurosis.

But yes, I do think it's possible

and I'd like to start counseling you

on a regular basis.

Daily?

No, we'll start weekly, and as a first step

I'd like you to shut down your dream program

until our next session, just to be on the safe side.

Give yourself a chance

to reflect on this experience.

Thank you, Counselor.

I look forward to our next meeting.

And Data...

Next time... see me before you see Sigmund.

Admiral, I can explain...

Let me guess.

Your new warp core is malfunctioning again.

Unfortunately, the problem has affected our impulse systems.

At the moment, we... are adrift.

Are you expecting to have this problem fixed soon

or shall we send out a tow ship

to bring you in?

That will not be necessary.

I have every confidence in my engineering staff.

I will be at the banquet on time.

Picard out.

Have you tried

reconfiguring the plasma conduits?

Yes, Captain.

Two hours ago.

What about the relays?

Are you absolutely certain

that you don't need a new phase inverter?

I am currently running a level-three diagnostic

of the relays, sir.

We will have the results of the analysis

in approximately ten minutes.

I see.

Oh, perhaps I could reconfigure

these isolinear chips.

No, sir... please don't touch that.

Captain, Commander Data and I

have the situation under control.

Now, if you'd just let us take care of it

the work would go much faster.

Captain, we could use an extra hand

moving the containment pods

if it wouldn't be an imposition.

Oh, no. Not at all.

I'd be delighted.

Good work, Tyler.

I thought he'd never leave.

Data, I want you to give me a hand

Iocking down this plasma con...

Data?

Data!

Deck 36.

Hello, Data.

Are you all right?

What are you doing?

Hold very still, Counselor.

No!

Ever since you gave Alexander that music program

he's been playing it all night... every night.

I just wanted to broaden his horizons.

Besides, he likes it.

It is screeching, pounding dissonance.

It is not music.

Worf, it's better than music.

It's jazz.

Medical emergency, deck 17

section three alpha.

We're on our way.

I believe I had another waking dream, sir

but this time, I had an uncontrollable urge

to eliminate the image I saw.

And what you saw was some sort of mouth

on Troi's shoulder.

Yes, sir.

And for a reason I cannot explain

I had the need to destroy it.

What about me? Did you see one of those mouths

- on my head as well? - No, sir.

I saw a straw coming out of your head.

A straw?

As I said before

these are images I originally experienced

in my dream program.

I do not have a rational explanation for them.

Mr. La Forge?

Captain, we've run every possible diagnostic

on Data's positronic net

we can think of.

We can't find anything wrong.

I could run a sub-polymer scan

but it would take some time to set up the equipment.

Make it so.

In the meantime, Mr. Data, I'll have to relieve you of duty

and confine you

to your quarters.

A sensible precaution, sir.

Data...

Deanna, you're in Sick Bay.

It's all right.

Data...

He's not here.

Just try to relax.

This vascular pad has healed the wound

but you've lost a lot of blood

so I would like you to lie still for a while.

That's odd.

There shouldn't be any discoloration

after the treatment.

This looks like some sort of rash.

What is it?

I'm picking up cellular degradation

but it doesn't appear to be related

to the lacerations.

There's also some kind

of residual interphasic signature.

Nurse.

Bring me an interphasic scanner.

I want to take a closer look at this.

Commander...

I will have to confiscate your sidearm.

Of course.

May I ask a personal favor?

Yes.

Will you take care of Spot for me?

Your animal.

I'm afraid if I have another waking dream

I might injure him.

Of course.

Spot, come here.

Unlike a canine...

Spot does not respond to verbal commands.

Good-bye, Spot.

He will need to be fed once a day.

He prefers feline supplement number 25.

I understand.

And he will require water.

And you must provide him with a sandbox.

And you must talk to him.

Tell him he is a pretty cat

and a good cat...

I will feed him.

Perhaps that will be enough.

Captain, we have a problem.

Take a look at this.

Her tissue is breaking down on the cellular level

and it's spreading.

At first I thought it was a rash

from the coil brace she was stabbed with

but when I used the interphasic scanner

I found this.

What is it?

The question is...

what are they?

I've tested all the medical staff

and I've found them

on almost everyone so far.

The cellular decay

is accelerating in all cases.

I haven't found a way to stop it

or even slow it down.

Looks like you're infected, too.

The organisms appear to be attached

to our epidermal layers with osmotic tendrils.

They're tapping directly into the bloodstream

and from what I can tell, they're spreading.

What are we dealing with here?

Are these creatures feeding on us?

Yes, in a very particular way.

They appear to be extracting our cellular peptides.

It's roughly analogous

to the way Terran leeches consume hemoglobin.

If they're not removed soon

our bodies are going to lose all their cellular cohesion.

We'll collapse into nothing but a few pounds of chemicals.

All right. Is there any way that we can affect these organisms?

We've tried EM radiation

subspace fields, thermal protons...

nothing's worked.

They seem to exist in some sort of interphasic state

just beyond our range

of visual and sensor acuity.

The only way we can see them is to use an I.P. scanner.

Tricorders can't even pick them up.

Do we know where these things came from, Mr. Worf?

Well, I scanned the vicinity with an I.P. scanner.

There was no sign of any similar creatures

or any unusual interphasic activity.

What about Mr. Data?

There must be some connection

between his odd behavior and these creatures.

Is he infested as well?

No, I scanned him, but I found nothing.

Data attacked Counselor Troi

because he saw... a mouth on her shoulder

and it was in that same area

that we first saw one of the organisms.

Data also saw a straw in my head

and then Beverly discovered an organism in the same place.

Those images are all part of Data's dream.

Maybe somehow he's unconsciously perceiving these creatures.

Then perhaps it is time

that we took a closer look at Mr. Data's dreams.

It is an interesting hypothesis.

If I am being affected

by these interphasic creatures

on an unconscious level

it may also explain my waking dreams

and my subsequent antisocial behavior.

What we want to do, Data

is link your neural net to the holodeck

and have you activate your dream program

so as you dream, we can observe the dream images.

Perhaps we can learn more about these creatures

by interpreting the symbols and images of your dreams.

I see.

The concept is similar to the method of directed dreaming.

Exactly. How soon can you have the link ready?

We'll need about an hour

to establish all the interface parameters.

Make it so.

In the meantime, Mr. Data

I suggest that you should prepare for bed.

I think we're ready, Captain.

The link is active

and the holodeck has been calibrated

to Data's neural net.

Ready, Mr. Data?

Yes, sir.

Normally, I would wish you

pleasant dreams, but in this case

bad dreams would be more helpful.

I understand, sir.

Initiating dream program.

Stand by.

Let's be very observant.

Even the most insignificant image

could be a very important symbol.

Right.

Here he comes.

Hello.

Can we speak to Data directly

or would that wake him up?

He should be perceiving us

as just another part of his dream.

Anything we say to him

will be taken in that context.

You know, that sounds like a telephone ringer

but I don't see a receiver.

Cake?

Oh, thank you.

Look at that.

Her right shoulder.

That is the same place that Data stabbed her.

In his waking dream

he said that there was a mouth on her shoulder.

They're both symbols of consumption...

mouth, food.

Mr. Data, what kind of cake is this?

It is a cellular peptide cake.

With mint frosting.

Cellular peptides?

That's exactly what the creatures are extracting.

Will someone answer that damn ringing?

Captain, the ringing is getting worse.

What could the ringing symbolize?

A bell? A sound?

An old-fashioned way of communicating?

Do you want some?

It's delicious.

Will someone please get that?

Yes?

It's for you.

Picard.

Kill them.

Kill who?

Kill them before it's too late.

Who is this?

I am Dr. Sigmund Freud.

How does he fit into all this?

If I were to interpret my own appearance in this dream

I would say I am the symbolic representation

of Data's unconscious mind trying to warn him

about the dangers he perceives around him.

You mean the interphasic organisms?

Of course.

Tell me, Doctor, how do we kill them?

Answer it.

Nein, nein

nein.

Do not be so literal.

When I say "answer it" I mean respond to it, to them.

Be quiet!

What do they represent?

I don't know

but I do recognize that junction

they're working on.

It's the plasma conduit we installed

with the new warp core.

Respond.

Respond to them?

What does that mean?

What is it that you're doing?

Go away.

Leave us alone.

Who are you?

We are...

...your enemies.

Stop!

You must not hurt my friends.

Be quiet!

Data...

the shrieking noise you made...

it causes them pain.

Be... quiet!

I believe I understand.

Geordi.

Yes, Data.

You must adjust my positronic subprocessor

to emit an interphasic pulse.

Data, what's going on?

The workmen in my dreams represent the organisms

which are trying to demolish the ship.

The incessant ringing of the telephone

Dr. Freud's cautions at the other end

were warnings of the dangers around us.

What about the shrieking noises that you made?

My positronic subprocessor detected

high-frequency interphasic signatures

from the organisms

which are symbolically represented in my dreams

by a high shriek.

When you made those noises

the workmen reacted in pain.

That is why I have asked Geordi

to adjust my subprocessor.

If I can produce a high- frequency interphasic pulse

it may have a similar effect on the creatures.

We're ready.

Picard to Sick Bay.

Beverly, we'll going to be sweeping the ship

with a high-frequency I.P. pulse.

Will you monitor the creatures for any reaction?

Understood.

It's working, Captain.

Captain's Log, supplemental.

The creatures infesting the Enterprise

have been completely eliminated.

We believe the infestation originated

within the warp core we obtained on Starbase 84.

This conduit was manufactured on Thanatos VII

using a new interphasic fusion process.

We think it was that process

which attracted the organisms to the conduit

where they lay dormant until we activated the warp core.

That's also why we couldn't get the core on line.

The creatures were disrupting

the plasma flow.

How long before we have warp power again?

Well, we're going to have to manufacture a new conduit.

That's at least six hours' work.

Six hours?

The banquet will be completely over by then.

That's very unfortunate.

I could try and speed things up a bit.

No, no! No. Uh...

I wouldn't want to sacrifice

the safety of the ship.

Understood, sir.

Enter.

Counselor.

I did not have a chance to apologize

for my actions.

Data... don't worry about it.

Geordi explained

everything to me.

It wasn't your fault.

But, somehow, I thought

turnabout would be fair play

so... I made us a little something to snack on.

I wonder...

what would Dr. Freud say

about the symbolism of devouring oneself?

Data...

sometimes a cake is just a cake.