06x04 - Relics

Episode transcripts for the TV show "Star Trek: The Next Generation". Aired: September 28, 1987 – May 23, 1994.*
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Series is set 78 years after the original series -- in the 24th century.
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06x04 - Relics

Post by bunniefuu »

Captain,
I have identified the signal.

It is from the USS Jenolen,

a Federation transport ship
reported missing 75 years ago.

Code One Alpha Zero,
ship in distress.

- Take us out of warp. All stop.
- Aye, sir.

Report.

We have entered
a massive gravitational field.

There are no stars or stellar bodies
listed on our charts.

However, sensors indicate
a strong gravitational source here.

Can you localize the source
of the field?

Sensors?

I am having difficulty scanning it.

It appears to be
200 million kilometers in diameter.

That's as large as the Earth's orbit.

Why didn't we detect this before?

The object's enormous mass
causes gravimetric interference.

That might have prevented
our sensors detecting it.

Mr Data.

Could this be a Dyson Sphere?

The object does fit the parameters
of Dyson's theory.

A Dyson Sphere?

It's an old theory. I'm not surprised
you haven't heard of it.

In the 20th century, a physicist,
Freeman Dyson, postulated the theory

that an enormous hollow sphere
could be constructed around a star.

This would harness
all the radiant energy of that star.

Any population living on the interior

would have virtually
inexhaustible sources of power.

Are you saying people live there?

Possibly a great number of people.

The interior surface of the sphere
is the equivalent

of more than 250 million
Class-M planets.

Sir, I have located the signal.

It is coming
from the northern hemisphere.

Put us into synchronous
orbit above that position.

Aye, sir.

I have located the Jenolen.

It is impacted on the surface.

Magnify.

There are no life signs.
There are small power emanations.

Life support is still functioning
on minimal levels.

Riker to Engineering.
Geordi, transporter room three.

Mr Worf.

This air's pretty stale.

Life support is barely operating.

See if you can increase
the oxygen level.

Commander,
the transporter is still on line.

It's being fed power
from the auxiliary systems.

The rematerialisation subroutine
has been disabled.

That's not all.

The phase inducers
are connected to the emitter array.

The override is completely gone.

The pattern buffer is locked
into a continuous cycle.

This doesn't make any sense.

Locking the unit
into a diagnostic mode

just sends matter array
through the pattern buffer.

There's a pattern in the buffer.

It's completely intact.

There's less than
0.003 percent signal degradation.

How is that possible?

I've never seen a transporter
jury-rigged like this.

Could someone survive inside
a transporter buffer for 75 years?

I know a way to find out.

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 civilisations...

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

Thank you, lad.

We've got to get Franklin out.

- Someone else is in there?
- Franklin. We went in together.

(beeping)

Something's wrong.
One of the inducers has failed.

Boost the gain
on the matter stream.

Come on, Franklin.
I know you're in there.

It's no use.
His pattern's degraded 53 percent.

He's gone.

- I'm sorry.
- So am I.

He was a good lad.

I'm Cmdr Riker, Starship
Enterprise. Lt Cmdr La Forge.

The Enterprise.
I should have known.

I bet Jim Kirk himself hauled the old
girl out of mothballs to look for me.

Capt Montgomery Scott.

Tell me,
how long have I been missing?

- Well...
- Sir.

I have restored life support.

The oxygen levels
will return to normal shortly.

- Capt Scott, Lt Worf.
- Lieutenant?

Yes.

Captain, there are things
we should talk about.

We should get you to sickbay.
Dr Crusher...

You've changed the resonator array.

Geordi, our guest
will have a lot of questions.

Not to worry. I'll take care of him.

What have you done
with the duotronic enhancers?

Those were replaced
with isolinear chips 40 years ago.

It's a lot more efficient.
That's an EPS power tap.

So you were on your way
to the Norpin Colony

when you experienced
warp-engine failure?

That's right. We had an overload in
one of the plasma-transfer conduits.

The Captain brought us out of warp.
We hit gravimetric interference.

There it was, as big as life.

- Is that a conduit interface?
- Yeah, it is.

You were saying, as big as life.
You mean the Dyson Sphere?

Aye, an actual Dyson Sphere.

Can you imagine
the engineering skills

needed to even design
such a structure?

It's amazing. What happened
when you approached it?

Well, we began our survey
of the surface.

We were just completing
the initial orbital scan

when our aft power coil
suddenly exploded.

The ship got caught in the sphere's
gravity well and down we went.

Franklin and I were the only ones
to survive the crash.

Can I ask a question?

What made you think of using
the transporter buffer to survive?

Well, we didn't have enough supplies
to wait for the rescue,

so we had to think of something.

But locking it into a diagnostic
cycle so the pattern didn't degrade

and cross-connecting it
with the phase inducers

to provide a power source,
that's absolutely brilliant.

I think
it was only 50 percent brilliant.

Franklin deserved better.

I think
you'll enjoy the 24th century.

We've made incredible advances
these last 80 years.

From what I've seen, you've got
a fine ship. A real beauty here.

I must admit
to being a bit overwhelmed.

Wait till you see the holodeck.

You have a hairline fracture
of the humerus.

It will ache for a few days,
but it should be fine.

Thank you. Well,
I'll say this about your Enterprise,

the doctors
are a fair sight prettier.

I'm Jean-Luc Picard.
Welcome aboard, Capt Scott.

Thank you, sir, and call me Scotty.

- How are you feeling?
- I don't know. How am I feeling?

Other than a few bumps,
you're fine for a man of 1 4 7.

And I don't feel a day over 1 20.

It must say, I was surprised
you were on board the Jenolen.

Our records didn't show you as crew.

I was never crew.
I was just a passenger.

I was heading for Norpin V to
settle down and enjoy my retirement.

I see. I would enjoy
hearing you talk about your career.

I'm sure you would have fascinating
insights into your time.

- I'd be happy to.
- Good. I look forward to it.

We need to begin a full
spectrograph analysis of the sphere.

- I'll get right on it.
- Good.

- Once again, welcome on board.
- I need to get to Engineering.

Engineering!
I thought you'd never ask!

Captain, the first thing
you need to get is rest.

This has been a shock.
Don't push yourself.

We're pretty busy down there.

I promise I'll give you a tour
when it's OK.

I'll find someone
to show you your quarters.

Aye.

This is the food replicator
and your computer terminal.

Good Lord, man,
where have you put me?

These are standard guest quarters.

- I can try to find something bigger.
- Bigger?

In my day, even an admiral
wouldn't have had such quarters.

I remember when we had
to transport the Dohlman of Elas.

You never heard anyone whine
so much about quarters as she did.

The holodecks, ten-forward and
the gymnasium are at your disposal.

The computer
will tell you how to find them.

Use these panels
if you need anything.

These quarters remind me
of a hotel room on Argelius.

Now, there is a planet.

Everything a man wants
right at his fingertips.

Of course, on the first visit...

Excuse me, I have to return to duty.

Oh...

Well, then...

Thank you.

Shut down the warp engines
and recalibrate the aft sensors.

Aye, sir.

Can I help you, sir?

(Scotty) I don't think so, lassie.
I'll let you know if you can.

Sir, this area is restricted.

Bartel, it's OK. I'll handle it.
Capt Scott...

We're in Engineering. Call me Scotty.

Scotty,
this isn't the time for a tour.

We're running a phase-seven survey
of the sphere.

I'm not here for a tour, laddie.
I'm here to help.

That's very kind
but we can handle it.

I was a Starfleet engineer
for 52 years, Mr La Forge.

I think I'm still useful.

You're right.
We'd be grateful for your help.

Good. Let's get to work.

Sensors indicate a G-type star
at the centre of the sphere.

There is a Class-M atmosphere
clinging to the interior surface.

Any indication it is inhabited?

Not as yet.

Our preliminary data suggests
it is capable of supporting life.

We have been unable to find signs
of current habitation.

Mr Data, send class-four probes
to survey the far side of the sphere.

- Perhaps they'll have more luck.
- Aye, sir.

Adjust the frequency
of the main deflector...

You need to phase-lock
the warp fields within three percent.

- What?
- Look here.

(beeping)

We use a multiphase-autocontainment
field now.

It's meant to operate
above three percent.

Oh, well.
That would make the difference.

We can restart the engines
in ten minutes.

Thank you.

I remember a time
when the old Enterprise

was spiralling towards Psi 2000.

Thank you.

The Captain wanted to try
a cold start of the warp engines.

I told him that without a phase lock,
it would take 30 minutes.

"You cannot change
the laws of physics," I told him.

He wouldn't believe me.

I came up with a whole
new engine-start-up routine.

Do you know your dilithium crystals
are going to fracture?

We recomposite the crystals

while they're still
inside the articulation frame.

Look, I'd love
to explain everything to you

but the Captain wants
this analysis done by 1 300 hours.

Do you mind a little advice?

Starfleet captains are like children.

They want everything right now
and their way.

But the secret is to give them
only what they need.

I said
I'd have this done in an hour.

- How long will it really take?
- An hour.

You didn't tell him how long
it would really take?

Of course I did.

Laddie, if you want people to think
of you as a miracle worker...

Capt Scott! I've tried to be patient,
I've tried to be polite.

But I've got a job to do here.
Frankly, you're in the way.

I was driving starships

while your great-grandfather
was still in diapers.

I'd think you'd be grateful
for some help.

I'll leave you to work, Mr La Forge.

- May I help you, sir?
- Aye, lad. Scotch, neat.

There you go, sir.

Thank you.

- What in blazes is this?
- Didn't you order Scotch?

Laddie, I was drinking Scotch
1 00 years before you were born.

I can tell you, whatever this is,
it is definitely not Scotch.

I believe I may be of assistance.

Capt Scott is unaware of synthehol.

Synthehol?

Yes, sir. It is an alcohol substitute
served aboard starships.

It simulates the appearance,
taste and smell of alcohol,

but the intoxicating effects
can be easily dismissed.

You're not quite human, are you?

No, sir. I am an android.
Lt Cmdr Data.

Synthetic Scotch.
Synthetic commanders.

I believe Guinan does keep a supply
of non-syntheholic products.

Perhaps one of them
would be to your liking.

- What is it?
- It is...

It is...

It is green.

Ah!

Please enter program.

The android at the bar
said you could show me my old ship.

Let me see it.

Insufficient data.
Please specify parameters.

The Enterprise.

Show me the bridge of the Enterprise,
you chattering piece of...

There have been five
Federation ships with that name.

Please specify by registry number.

NCC-1 701.

No bloody A, B, C or D.

Program complete.
Enter when ready.

Here's to you, lads.

I hope I'm not interrupting.

I was coming off duty.
I wanted to see how you were doing.

Not at all.
Would you have a drink with me?

Thank you.

I don't know what it is exactly,
but I would be careful. It's real...

Aldebaran whiskey.

- Who do you think gave it to Guinan?
- Ah!

- Constitution class.
- Aye.

- Are you familiar with them?
- There's one in the Fleet museum.

But then, of course,
this is your Enterprise.

I actually served on two.
This was the first.

She was also the first ship
I ever served on as chief engineer.

You know, I served aboard 11 ships.

Freighters, cruisers, starships.

But this is the only one
I think of, the only one I miss.

The first vessel that I served on
as captain was called Stargazer.

It was an overworked,
underpowered vessel,

always on the verge of flying apart.

In every measurable sense,
my Enterprise is far superior.

But there are times
when I would give almost anything

to command the Stargazer again.

It's like the first time
you fall in love.

You don't ever love a woman
quite like that again.

Well, to the Enterprise
and the Stargazer.

Old girlfriends
we'll never meet again.

What do you think of Enterprise D?

She's a beauty with a good crew.

- But?
- But...

When I was here, I could tell you
the speed that we were traveling

by the feel of the deck plates.

But on your ship,
I feel like I'm just in the way.

75 years is a long time.

If you would care to study
some technical schematics...

I'm not 1 8.
I can't start out like a raw cadet.

No, there comes a time

when a man finds
that he can't fall in love again.

He knows that it's time to stop.

I don't belong on your ship.
I belong on this one.

This was my home.
This is where I had a purpose.

But it's not real. It's just
a computer-generated fantasy.

And I'm just an old man
trying to hide in it.

Computer,
shut this bloody thing off.

It's time I acted my age.

- (door beeps)
- Come.

Mr La Forge, I understand
that before the Jenolen crashed,

it had conducted a survey
of the Dyson Sphere.

Have we accessed those records?

We tried to download their
memory core, but it was damaged.

We haven't got much out of it.

Perhaps Capt Scott could be of use
in accessing that material.

It's possible. He knows those systems
better than any of us.

- I'll have Lt Bartel beam down.
- Mr La Forge.

I would like you
to accompany Capt Scott.

- Me?
- Yes.

Look, this is not an order.

It's a request and it's one
that you must feel free to decline.

One of the most important things
in a person's life is to feel useful.

Now, Mr Scott
is a Starfleet officer.

I would like him
to feel useful again.

I'll go with him, sir.

Thank you.

Commander.

I have found something which
could be a communications device.

There is an antenna array

400,000 kilometers south
of our present position.

It is emitting
low-intensity subspace signals.

- Can you open a channel?
- Not from our present orbit.

The array is directed away from us.

Ensign, prepare to put us in orbit.

Capt Picard, to the bridge.

Are you feeling alright?

Never get drunk unless you're
willing to pay for it, the next day.

I'll manage.

OK.

Energize.

Sensors indicate that the large
circle is a portal or airlock,

possibly leading to the interior.

Looks like the front door.
Should we ring the bell?

Mr Worf, open a channel
to that communications array.

Aye, sir.

(alarm)

- A tractor beam has locked on to us.
- Get us out of here.

We've lost main power.
Auxiliary power down to 20 percent.

We're being pulled inside.

Auxiliary power failing.

The frequency of the beam
is incompatible with our systems.

Warp- And impulse-engine relays
have been overloaded.

I am attempting to compensate.

The tractor beams have released us.

Hold until we get our bearing.

Full sensor sweep. Where are we?

90,000,000 kilometers
from the star's photosphere.

I am reading surface instability.

- It may...
- Sir!

The inertial from the tractor beams
is still carrying us forward.

Impulse engines are off line.
I can't stop our momentum.

We're falling directly into the star.

The primary database
should be on line now. Give it a try.

OK.

I've got three access lines
to the central core.

Still nothing.

- Bunch of old, useless garbage!
- Huh?

I say it's old. It can't handle
the interface of your converter.

This equipment was designed
for a different era.

Now it's a piece of junk.

I don't know.
It's held together pretty well.

A century out of date.
It's just obsolete.

You know, that's interesting.

I think these systems haven't changed
much in the last 75 years.

This transporter is basically the
same system we use on the Enterprise.

Subspace radio and sensors
still operate

under the same basic principle.

Impulse engines
haven't changed much in 200 years.

If it wasn't for the damage,
it might be in service.

Maybe so.

But when they can build ships
like your Enterprise,

who'd pilot an old bucket like this?

I don't know.
If she were operational,

I bet she'd run circles round
the Enterprise at impulse speeds.

Just because something's old,
don't throw it away.

We used to have something
called a dynamic-mode converter.

You wouldn't have
something like that?

I haven't seen anything like that
in a long time.

But I could come up
with something similar.

La Forge to Enterprise.

La Forge to Enterprise,
come in, please.

- Interference?
- No, they're gone.

We will enter the photosphere
in three minutes.

Maneuvering thrusters?

30 percent power.
Not enough to stop us.

No, but it may be enough to turn us
into orbit and hold our distance.

Port thrusters, ahead full.
Starboard thrusters, back full.

Our flight path is changing.
Right 1 0.7 degrees.

Insufficient
to clear the photosphere.

Lt Bartel, divert all power
to the maneuvering thrusters.

Aye, sir.

We're in orbit, Captain.
Our altitude is 1 50,000 kilometers.

I'll try to get main power
back on line.

Very well.

Mr Data, begin a scan of
the interior surface for life forms.

I want to know
who brought us in here and why.

Aye, sir.

I can't find them in orbit.

They could have crashed
into the sphere.

We'd pick up background radiation
if they'd gone down.

There's another possibility.

They could be inside the sphere.

Maybe. Whatever happened,
we've got to find them.

If we got the engines on line, we
could track their impulse-ion trail.

Are you daft?
The main drive assembly is sh*t.

The inducers have melted.
The power couplings are wrecked.

We'd need a week to get started.
But we don't have a week.

So, no sense in crying about it.

We'll see what we can do
with your power converter.

The sphere appears to be abandoned.

Sensors show that the star
is extremely unstable.

It is experiencing bursts
of radiation and matter expulsions.

That would explain
why they abandoned it.

But if no one is living there,
how were we brought inside?

I believe we triggered
a*t*matic piloting beams,

designed to guide ships
into the sphere.

Sir, sensors show a large
magnetic disturbance on the star.

It is a solar flare.

Magnitude 1 2, class-B.

Shields?

Shields are up,
but only at 23 percent.

There is increased activity.

Sensors indicate solar flares
will continue to grow.

In three hours, our shields
will no longer protect us, sir.

Shunt the deuterium from the main
cryopump to the auxiliary t*nk.

The t*nk can't withstand
that kind of pressure.

Where did you get that idea?

What do you mean,
where did I get that idea?

It's in the impulse-engine
specifications.

Regulation 42/1 5, pressure variances
on the IRC-t*nk storage?

- Yeah.
- Forget it. I wrote it.

A good engineer is always a wee bit
conservative on paper.

Just bypass the cut-off valve
and boost the flow. It'll work.

OK.

If we've done our jobs properly,

the engines should be coming back
on line about now.

(power starts)

Hey, you were right.
The auxiliary t*nk is holding.

Take the bridge, Commander.

Oh, no.
You're the senior officer here.

I may be captain by rank,

but I never wanted to be
anything else but an engineer.

Alright.

Shields still holding
but they are down another 1 5 percent.

Can we use the phasers
to open a hole in the sphere?

No. The exterior shell
is composed of carbon neutronium.

Weapons would be ineffective.

Mr Data, we have to find
some way out of here.

Begin scanning for another portal
that might still be open.

The surface area is over
1 0 to the 1 6th square kilometers.

It will take seven hours to scan,
sir.

I will endeavour
to speed up the process.

The Enterprise ion trail
leads to this point.

It looks like a doorway.

I bet you two bottles of Scotch
that they're inside the sphere

and that they went in
right through that hatch.

No bet here. The question is how?

Look at the momentum distribution
of the ions.

It would take an impulse engine
full-reverse

to put out a signature like that.

So they didn't go in willingly.

This looks like
some kind of communications array.

Aye. We found hundreds of them
when we did our initial survey.

- Did you hail them?
- Aye.

That was standard procedure.
We did it right before we crashed.

Yeah.

Hailing is standard procedure today,
too.

Scotty.

What if those aren't
communications arrays?

What if they're access terminals

which are triggered by subspace
signals on certain frequencies?

Frequencies
like our standard ship's hail.

Exactly.

The Enterprise, when they saw that
terminal, did what you did.

Opened a channel.
But they triggered something

that activated that hatch
and pulled the ship inside.

Very nice piece of reasoning.
Nice, indeed.

Yeah. We could trigger the hatch,
only we'd get pulled in, too.

Maybe all we need to do
is to get our foot in the door.

We might not be pulled inside
when the hatch opens

if we keep our distance
from the sphere.

Say, half-a-million kilometers.

Then, when the hatch
starts to close,

we move in and we use the Jenolen
to jam the hatch open,

hoping that the Enterprise
will escape.

You can't be serious.

That hatch is huge.
It'll crush this ship like an egg.

The shields will hold.
Don't worry about that.

I can get a few extra gigawatts
out of these babies.

- It's crazy.
- Geordi.

I have spent my whole life

trying to figure out
crazy ways of doing things.

I'm telling you, as one engineer
to another, I can do this.

Alright. Let's do it.

We're at 500,000 kilometers.

Engines are ready.

OK. Here we go.

Come on. There's nothing out here.

Give it up.

That's it. Let's go. Full impulse.

(beeping)

Sir, there's an audio message
from Cmdr La Forge.

Enterprise, do you read me?

Go ahead. We read you.

We're using the Jenolen
to hold open the hatch.

Our shields won't hold out.

Understood. Ensign, set a course.

The plasma intercooler's gone.
The engines are overheating.

I've lost helm control.

La Forge to Enterprise.

Captain, we won't be able to move
when you get here.

You'll have to destroy it to escape.

How long before we reach them?

With impulse engines at 60 percent,
one minute, 40 seconds.

Bridge to transporter room three,

prepare to beam two from the Jenolen
when we're within range.

It's coming apart, lad.
I can't do anything else.

Photon torpedoes armed and ready.

We are within transporter range.

Bridge to transporter room, energize.

Aye, sir.

Fire torpedoes.

There, now,
that wasn't so bad, was it?

Captain's log, stardate 46125.3.

Starfleet has dispatched
two science vessels

to study the Dyson Sphere

while we proceed to Starbase 55.

So, this alien space baby,
the size of a four-storey building,

thought the Enterprise
was its mother.

- You're pulling my leg.
- No, really.

It was suckling power directly
from the ship's fusion reactors.

Dr Brahms and I
changed the power frequency

from 21 centimeters
to 0.02 centimeters.

- So you soured the milk!
- That's right.

Enjoy these times, Geordi.

You're the chief engineer
of a starship.

And it's a time of your life
that'll never come again.

When it's gone, it's gone.

I thought you were going
to buy me a drink in ten-forward.

Actually, I had a better idea.

You're giving me
one of your shuttles?

Well, call it an extended loan.

Since you lost your ship saving ours,
it seemed only fair.

- She's not much to look at.
- Every woman has her own charm.

You just have to know where to look.

She's slow, but she'll get you
to the Norpin Colony,

if that's where you want to go.

The Norpin Colony
is for old men to retire.

Maybe someday I'll end up there,
but not yet.

Well...

- Bon voyage, Mr Scott.
- Thank you, sir, for everything.

- Mr Scott.
- Goodbye.

Bye-bye.

- Scotty.
- Thank you.

Bye. Be well.

- A good crew.
- Yeah, they are.

And a fine ship.
A credit to her name.

But I've always found that a ship
is only as good as her engineer.

From what I can see,
the Enterprise is in good hands.

You take care of yourself
out there.

Aye.
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