Star Trek: The Next Generation 6x24

1. Captain's Log, Stardate 46915.2.

2. The Enterprise is orbiting Nervala IV

3. waiting for an opportunity to retrieve scientific data

4. left there by Starfleet researchers

5. when they were forced to evacuate eight years ago.

6. Thank you.

7. Thank you very much.

8. Thank you. Thank you very much.

9. Any requests tonight?

10. "Night Bird."

11. Any requests?

12. "Night Bird."

13. Ladies and gentlemen

14. "Night Bird."

15. One, two, three...

16. What was that all about?

17. Will's been trying to get this piece right

18. for ten years.

19. He's never made it through the solo.

20. Here it comes.

21. Data to Commander Riker.

22. Go ahead.

23. Commander, you are needed on the bridge.

24. On my way.

25. Saved by the bell.

26. You wanted to see me, Mr. Data?

27. Yes, sir. It appears we will be able

28. to transport to the surface

29. sooner than anticipated.

30. Is the planet's distortion field

31. re-phasing sooner than you predicted?

32. No, sir. Using the Potemkin's transport logs

33. from the original evacuation, Commander La Forge and I

34. were able to modify the transporters.

35. So we can beam out through a higher distortion field.

36. The transporters are considerably more efficient

37. than those used on the Potemkin eight years ago.

38. It's a good thing.

39. I almost didn't make it off the surface.

40. When can we get started?

41. 97 minutes, sir.

42. How long will the transport window be open?

43. 26 minutes.

44. After that, the distortion field will re-phase.

45. That doesn't give us much time to retrieve the database.

46. The planet's proximity to its sun will create

47. two additional transport windows

48. in the next three days.

49. Let's hope that's enough.

50. It will have to be, sir.

51. The next transport window will not occur

52. for another eight years

53. when the planet's orbit will bring it close enough

54. to the sun to de-phase the distortion field.

55. Okay, notify the away team

56. we'll be going in ahead of schedule.

57. I'll tell the captain. Aye, sir.

58. This is different than I remember.

59. This place was a mess when we left.

60. Commander...

61. Someone was here.

62. A ship could have been caught

63. in the distortion field and crashed.

64. The survivors may have taken refuge here.

65. Commander, someone is approaching.

66. Humanoid.

67. 40 meters due east and closing.

68. Space, the final frontier.

69. These are the voyages of the Starship Enterprise.

70. Its continuing mission—

71. to explore strange new worlds...

72. to seek out new life and new civilizations...

73. to boldly go where no one has gone before.

74. Who are you?

75. Who are you?

76. I'm Commander William Riker

77. from the federation starship Enterprise.

78. That's not possible.

79. I'm Will Riker.

80. May I ask how you got here?

81. Eight years ago, I led a team to evacuate this station.

82. What ship were you on?

83. The Potemkin.

84. Why did you not return to the Potemkin

85. with the others?

86. I was the last one out.

87. The distortion field

88. must have interfered with the transport.

89. They lost the signal lock on me.

90. When I tried to contact the ship

91. I couldn't get through the interference.

92. If you check with Starfleet

93. I'm sure they recorded that I was lost on that day.

94. That's not what happened.

95. I was the last one out

96. and I made it back to the Potemkin.

97. You don't believe me?

98. It's not that we don't believe you.

99. It's just hard to see how both stories could be true.

100. Would you be willing to have our doctor check you out?

101. Of course.

102. Mr. Worf, take him directly to sick bay, and notify

103. the captain once you're on board.

104. Let's get to work.

105. Worf to Enterprise.

106. Two to beam up.

107. Aye, sir. Stand by.

108. It looks like you fractured your arm a few years ago.

109. I was doing some repairs under the station

110. when an earthquake hit.

111. Got caught in a rock slide.

112. I had to set it myself.

113. Jean-Luc Picard.

114. Lieutenant Will Riker.

115. I hope you understand I'll need to verify your claim.

116. Yes, sir. Genetically

117. he is indistinguishable from Commander Riker.

118. Could there be some sort of cloning involved here?

119. I don't think so.

120. There's no genetic drift.

121. But it's not conclusive.

122. That's why I compared their brain scans.

123. Brain organization patterns

124. are as unique as fingerprints.

125. Except for minor, minor differences

126. theirs are identical.

127. But can't brain patterns be cloned?

128. No. They're determined by experience—

129. mostly from early childhood.

130. How can two grown men

131. share the same childhood experiences?

132. It just doesn't make any sense.

133. I am Will Riker.

134. I don't know who or what made it back

135. to the Potemkin that day, but it wasn't me.

136. Lieutenant, our chief engineer is checking

137. the transporter logs of the Potemkin.

138. Perhaps that will shed some light on the matter.

139. Don't worry.

140. We will get to the bottom of this,

141. and in the meantime

142. you'll be taken to your quarters.

143. Try and make yourself as comfortable as possible.

144. I will.

145. The replicators on the station

146. haven't worked for a long time.

147. It's been a while since I've had a decent meal.

148. Doctor.

149. Apparently, there was a massive energy surge

150. in the distortion field around the planet

151. just at the moment you tried to beam out.

152. The transporter chief tried to compensate

153. by initiating a second containment beam.

154. Hmm, an interesting approach.

155. He must have been planning

156. to reintegrate the two patterns

157. in the transport buffer.

158. Actually, it wasn't really necessary.

159. Commander Riker's pattern maintained its integrity

160. with just the one containment beam.

161. He made it back to the ship just fine.

162. What happened to the second beam?

163. The transporter chief shut it down

164. but somehow, it was reflected back to the surface.

165. And another William Riker materialized there.

166. How was the second pattern

167. able to maintain its integrity?

168. The containment beam must have had

169. the exact same phase differential

170. as the distortion field.

171. Which of them is real?

172. Well, that's the thing. Both.

173. You were both materialized from a complete pattern.

174. Up until that moment

175. you were the same person.

176. But, of course, as you

177. and Lieutenant Riker have lived

178. very different lives for the past eight years

179. you are now very different people.

180. I suppose it's a little like

181. meeting someone's twin.

182. But no matter how strange it may seem to us, we now have

183. two Will Rikers on board, and as Lieutenant Riker

184. will be with us for several days

185. I think we should do everything we can to make him

186. comfortable and welcome.

187. We still have the problem

188. of retrieving the database.

189. The computer on the station's not completely operational.

190. Many of its components

191. have been removed.

192. Apparently, Lieutenant Riker used them

193. to keep the station's radiation shield operational.

194. Can it be repaired

195. at least enough to access the database?

196. Without knowing what he did, that'll be tough.

197. Perhaps he can help us.

198. He was alone down there for a long time.

199. I'm hesitant to let him go back

200. until he's been evaluated.

201. I'll talk to him.

202. Thank you, Counselor.

203. Come in.

204. Hello, Will.

205. Ah...

206. Imzadi...

207. Will...

208. I never thought I'd see you again.

209. We need to talk.

210. You're on board because of him.

211. No.

212. Commander Riker and I are friends...

213. close friends but nothing more.

214. Why don't we sit down.

215. Do you remember the last time

216. we saw each other?

217. Like yesterday.

218. The Janaran Falls on Betazed.

219. It was the day before

220. you started your tour on the Potemkin.

221. And we were going to meet on Risa

222. six weeks later.

223. We never did.

224. I know. No...

225. what I mean is...

226. Commander Riker and I never did.

227. You see, he earned a promotion very quickly.

228. I know that, too.

229. "For exceptional valor

230. "during the evacuation of the research station

231. on Nervala IV."

232. I've been looking at his service record.

233. He chose to make his career a priority.

234. There wasn't much time for anything else.

235. We kept in touch, but we didn't

236. see each other again

237. until we were both posted

238. to the Enterprise two years later.

239. By then, our feelings for each other had changed.

240. We've served together for six years...

241. but things never went back to the way they used to be.

242. I had a lot of time on my hands

243. when I was down on that station.

244. There were days that I was so lonely

245. I thought I might lose my mind.

246. Do you know how I made it through?

247. I thought if I hung on

248. for one more day, they'd rescue me

249. and maybe I'd see you again.

250. I guess things don't always work out

251. the way you expect them to.

252. I know this isn't what you were hoping for

253. but that doesn't mean

254. you can't make a future for yourself.

255. Thanks.

256. Captain Picard wanted me to find out

257. if you'd be willing

258. to help us retrieve the station's database.

259. I reconfigured that computer so many times

260. they probably can't make head or tails of it.

261. I'd be happy to help.

262. Do you feel up to it?

263. Absolutely.

264. Good. I'll tell the captain.

265. Well...

266. I have to go.

267. Deanna...

268. I know it's been a long time since we've been together

269. and I know your feelings have changed.

270. Mine haven't.

271. I can't just give up.

272. I'd like to be with you again.

273. Good night, Will.

274. Phase distortion is dropping.

275. The next transport window opens in 42 seconds.

276. How long will we have, Lieutenant?

277. 36 minutes, sir.

278. We are losing time. Lieutenant Riker should be here.

279. Computer, locate Lieutenant...

280. Cancel inquiry.

281. You were supposed to report here at 0800 hours.

282. I'm sorry. I was... I guess it's been a while

283. since you've had to punch a clock.

284. Let's go.

285. Energize.

286. I shut down most of the consoles to save power.

287. I rerouted just about everything through here.

288. Check out the primary EPS system.

289. See if you can get some power to the rest of these consoles.

290. I shunted the database

291. to the main core underneath the station.

292. Can we access it from here?

293. Well, there's been a lot of

294. seismic activity over the years.

295. If the servo-links were damaged, we may not be able to.

296. I'll try to tap into the command pathways.

297. You see if you can access and disable the file server.

298. You know, I've been thinking

299. we should probably let Dad know what happened.

300. I'm sure he'd be thrilled

301. to know there are two of us now.

302. Actually, he and I have been able to patch a few things up.

303. Well, I've been able to get by

304. for a long time without seeing him.

305. I'm not about to start now.

306. What made you contact him?

307. I didn't.

308. He came on board the Enterprise

309. to brief me when I was offered the Aries.

310. What did he say when you turned down your own command?

311. He couldn't understand why I did it.

312. For once, he and I agree on something.

313. The primary EPS coupling is fused.

314. The entire unit will have to be replaced.

315. I've accessed the command pathways.

316. The interlink relays are functioning now.

317. Let's see if that did the trick.

318. No. It's not working.

319. The servo-link must be damaged.

320. We're going to have to go under the station—

321. access the core directly.

322. We have less than three minutes left.

323. Well, I'll stay here.

324. I'll be finished by the time the third window opens.

325. It's too dangerous.

326. Our scans show the caverns are unstable.

327. I've been down there dozens of times.

328. I know my way around.

329. We'll come back during the third window.

330. We'll bring a new EPS coupling.

331. We'll try to access the core from another console up here.

332. Riker to Enterprise. La Forge here.

333. We're ready to beam out.

334. You go ahead.

335. I'll be finished by the time you get back.

336. Hold it!

337. I gave you an order, Lieutenant!

338. Computer.

339. Valerian root tea, hot.

340. "Meet me in transporter room three at 1900 hours.

341. It's important."

342. "It pulses unendingly all through the night.

343. Seek out the crystal that powers our flight."

344. Can I help you, Counselor?

345. No, thank you.

346. "What the future holds no one can know

347. but forward we look and forward we go."

348. Hmm.

349. Janaran Falls.

350. I remember.

351. Where did you get this?

352. I made it a couple of years ago

353. down on the station.

354. You made this?

355. Well, you should have seen the first two.

356. It took a while to get a fine enough beam

357. out of the phaser.

358. Oh, it's lovely. Thank you.

359. Can you stay and talk for a while?

360. Mm-hmm.

361. I wanted to remember our last night together.

362. So, um... how does it feel

363. being with people again?

364. Great.

365. Strange.

366. For a long time

367. I did whatever I wanted whenever I wanted.

368. It's been hard getting used to taking orders again.

369. I can imagine.

370. But I guess I'll have to get used to it

371. if I want to get my career going again.

372. Is that what you've decided to do?

373. Remember, I'm the one

374. who wanted to make captain by the time he was 35.

375. I'm a little behind schedule.

376. I'll admit that.

377. It's good you don't feel set back.

378. I do.

379. Things are a little more complicated

380. than I had planned...

381. but there's nothing going to stand in the way

382. of my getting what I want.

383. There you go.

384. Thanks.

385. You don't know how many times I thought about you...

386. about us.

387. For weeks after the evacuation

388. I kept thinking they'd find a way

389. through the distortion field and come back for me.

390. I even thought...

391. we'd meet on Risa like we planned.

392. But days went by

393. and nobody came, and then I realized why.

394. They thought that I had been killed

395. in the beam-out.

396. No one came down because they thought

397. there was no one to come down for.

398. So I figured that they'd had a memorial service for me.

399. Somehow that made me feel better.

400. I can understand that.

401. You were there.

402. All dressed in black.

403. Very flattering on you by the way.

404. I'm sure I looked terrible

405. with my eyes all red and swollen from crying.

406. Sometimes...

407. I would look up into the sky and I'd think

408. if I tried hard enough

409. I could make you feel my presence

410. that if I could let you know that I was alive

411. maybe you'd wait for me.

412. I know it-it sounds... crazy

413. but there were times when I could have sw...

414. What am I talking about?

415. The other day when I told you

416. about how Commander Riker and I

417. didn't meet on Risa...

418. what I didn't say was how disappointed I was.

419. You didn't have to.

420. I knew.

421. I started to hear from him less and less.

422. I knew his career was taking him away from me, but...

423. I didn't want to believe it was over.

424. I spent a lot of time thinking about him...

425. wondering where he was, what he was doing.

426. Sometimes I'd look into the sky

427. and imagine that he knew...

428. and that somehow

429. he could sense me thinking about him.

430. So, who knows?

431. Maybe one night

432. we were looking up at the same star, and...

433. you were thinking about me.

434. And in a way...

435. I was thinking about you.

436. Come.

437. You wanted to see me, sir?

438. Yes, Number One. Come in.

439. Lieutenant Riker has been to see me

440. to talk about the away mission.

441. He believes that the only way

442. to retrieve the database

443. is by directly accessing the main core

444. underneath the station.

445. The seismic activity makes those caverns very unstable.

446. In my opinion, it's too risky.

447. He said that he was down there recently.

448. He seemed confident that it could be done safely.

449. There's a good chance

450. we will be able to retrieve the database

451. from one of the consoles inside the station.

452. But if it doesn't work

453. we won't have another chance for eight years.

454. Lieutenant Riker's plan is more dangerous

455. but it does have a better chance of succeeding.

456. Given the importance of the data

457. I think that it's worth the risk.

458. I'll look over the schematics

459. and I'll draw up a mission plan.

460. I'm sure that Lieutenant Riker will be happy

461. to help you with that.

462. I'll talk to him.

463. Sir.

464. Lieutenant.

465. Sir.

466. I just met with the captain

467. about your mission recommendation.

468. I would appreciate it

469. if next time you came to me first.

470. I tried talking to you yesterday on the station.

471. You wouldn't hear me out.

472. I heard you, Lieutenant. I rejected your plan.

473. May I ask what the captain decided?

474. The captain has decided to go with your recommendation

475. but that's not the point.

476. Isn't it?

477. If you think I'm coming down on you

478. because the captain overruled me

479. think again.

480. I happen to disagree with his decision

481. but he is my commanding officer

482. and I follow his orders.

483. Just so there's no confusion

484. I am your commanding officer

485. and I expect you to do the same.

486. If you can't

487. there's no place for you on my away team.

488. Yes, sir.

489. There will be a meeting in the observation lounge

490. at 1400 hours to draw up a mission plan.

491. We stayed in ten-forward talking for hours.

492. Then what happened?

493. He walked me to my quarters.

494. Then what happened?

495. Beverly.

496. I'm just asking.

497. You know it's been over between Will and me

498. for a long time.

499. He's not Will.

500. He is Will, but...

501. you know what I mean.

502. It's really hard for me

503. to separate my feelings for them.

504. Deanna, just because things turned out the way they did

505. between you and Commander Riker

506. doesn't mean you shouldn't let things

507. between you and Lieutenant Riker

508. take their own course.

509. I knew you'd encourage me.

510. Well, I thought that's why you brought it up.

511. Well, I think I'll call it a day.

512. Beverly...

513. Bye.

514. Some form of Tai Chi Chuan?

515. Klingon exercises, actually.

516. Lieutenant Worf teaches a class.

517. Forms are very similar.

518. Do that move again.

519. You just did the KoH-man-ara.

520. In Tai Chi Chuan

521. it's called the crane block.

522. Now, let's try something else.

523. What is that called?

524. Mr. Worf's a very good teacher.

525. Hello, Will.

526. If you want to be with him

527. you don't have to ask my permission.

528. The look in your eyes— I recognize it.

529. You used to have it for me.

530. We've both had relationships with other people

531. but this is different.

532. I didn't know how you'd feel about it.

533. Flattered... sort of.

534. This must be very strange for you.

535. Ever since he came on board

536. I find myself thinking about the choice

537. that you and I made.

538. Me, too.

539. Do me a favor.

540. Be careful.

541. Will, I know you and he have had some problems.

542. That's not what I'm talking about.

543. If he had gotten off the planet instead of me

544. don't you think he would have made the same choices

545. that I made?

546. I just don't want you to be hurt again.

547. Two pair.

548. Full boat. Kings over.

549. I'd like to thank you both

550. for your very generous contributions.

551. Come in.

552. I thought you'd be alone. Excuse me.

553. Why don't you join us.

554. The game is five-card draw, no limit.

555. Ante, please.

556. Lieutenant?

557. Three, please.

558. Mr. Worf?

559. Four.

560. Commander?

561. I'll play these.

562. Dealer takes two.

563. You control the bet, Lieutenant.

564. Fifty. Fold.

565. Here's your 50 and ten more.

566. You didn't take any cards.

567. You must be holding something.

568. Why not make it a little sweeter?

569. No, thanks.

570. Playing it safe?

571. You in?

572. I will call.

573. Here's your ten

574. and it'll cost you another 100.

575. I practiced in the mirror too long

576. to be fooled by that face.

577. You're bluffing.

578. Here's your hundred

579. and 20 more.

580. Dealer folds.

581. I thought if one thing were clear by now

582. it's that you and I play things a little differently.

583. Why don't we wait and see who comes out on top.

584. I thought you were willing to settle

585. for second, Commander.

586. I've never settled for anything in my life.

587. I know what I want—

588. I know what I've got—

589. and you'd be lucky to do so well, Lieutenant.

590. Here's your 20.

591. 300 more.

592. Now I know you're bluffing.

593. Are you in or not?

594. Why don't we get this over with.

595. I'll call your three

596. and I'll raise you anything you've got left.

597. Well?

598. Take it.

599. You always had the better hand...

600. in everything.

601. Come in.

602. Hi.

603. I'm sorry to just stop by like this

604. but there's something I'd like to talk to you about.

605. Captain Picard has made some inquiries

606. and he managed to get me a posting on the Gandhi

607. and considering how long I've been out of commission

608. it's an amazing opportunity.

609. When would you leave?

610. In about a week.

611. I see.

612. Deanna...

613. after I've served for six months

614. I'm eligible to bring family aboard.

615. If we got married...

616. You said those exact words to me

617. before you went to serve on the Potemkin.

618. I know.

619. I was just held up for a while.

620. But if you hadn't been

621. what would have happened between us?

622. I wouldn't have made the mistake of leaving you.

623. I know that much.

624. I don't know if I can believe that.

625. It took me a long time

626. to get over what happened between Commander Riker and me.

627. I don't know that I want to put myself

628. in that position again.

629. I would never hurt you, Deanna.

630. It's not just that.

631. I've worked hard to make a life for myself

632. on the Enterprise.

633. I'm happy here.

634. If the situation were different, I'd stay

635. but I can't...

636. not while he's aboard.

637. I know.

638. Are you saying it's over?

639. No.

640. No.

641. I just don't know

642. if I'm ready to give up my life here.

643. Maybe we both need some time.

644. Good night.

645. Captain's log, supplemental.

646. The third transport window has opened

647. and the away team is making their final attempt

648. at retrieving the database.

649. Once we restore the servo-link

650. you can shunt the database up to this console.

651. You ready, Commander Data?

652. You're with me, Lieutenant.

653. I thought Commander Data's expertise...

654. It doesn't take that much expertise to repair a servo-link.

655. You and I can handle it.

656. Lieutenant, I am curious about something.

657. If you met a double of yourself

658. would you have difficulty interacting with him?

659. I think so.

660. Why?

661. I am not easy to get along with.

662. Hmm.

663. But Commander Riker and Lieutenant Riker are

664. yet they seem to have trouble

665. getting along with each other.

666. I have found that humans value their uniqueness—

667. that sense that they are different

668. from everyone else.

669. The existence of a double would preclude that feeling.

670. Could that be the source of the friction?

671. Well, perhaps it is more a matter

672. of seeing something in your double—

673. something you do not like in yourself.

674. This is it.

675. There's the core over there.

676. You're waiting for something?

677. Your orders, sir.

678. How would you like me to get over there, sir?

679. You've been down here dozens of times.

680. I'm sure you know the best way.

681. Yes, sir, I do.

682. It's leaking ion radiation.

683. Why didn't you report this?

684. It wasn't here before.

685. This must have just happened recently.

686. If we have to repair this conduit

687. we won't have time to access that computer core.

688. Scan it now.

689. It's working.

690. The radiation levels are dropping to normal.

691. Next time, don't give up so easily.

692. Hang on.

693. Come on, grab on.

694. Come on!

695. Come on!

696. Climb!

697. Come on!

698. I'm being pulled in.

699. Let go!

700. One of us has to get out of here!

701. Climb!

702. Come on!

703. Climb!

704. Climb!

705. They have restored the servo-link to the core.

706. We can begin downloading the database.

707. Initiating data transfer.

708. Captain's Log, Stardate 46920.1.

709. We have retrieved the database from Nervala station

710. and are headed for our rendezvous with the Gandhi.

711. Come in.

712. I hear the Gandhi's going on a terraforming mission

713. to the Lagana sector.

714. That's right.

715. It'll take us four months just to get there.

716. I won't be joining you.

717. I guess I'm not surprised to hear that.

718. I'm just not ready to give up my life here.

719. Not yet.

720. Come in.

721. I'm sorry.

722. It's all right.

723. I wanted to give you something.

724. My quarters are full of things

725. that I suppose belong to both of us.

726. The least I could do was give you this.

727. Thanks.

728. Good luck, Will.

729. I actually thought I might go with the name Thomas.

730. Your middle name.

731. I guess we really are different.

732. I never really cared for that name.

733. Well, I sort of like it.

734. I guess I better get going.

735. I waited a long time.

736. I guess I can wait a little longer.

737. Take care of her.