07x02 - Liaisons

[bunniefuu]

Enter. Enter.

Worf, they're going to be here
any minute.

I'm having problems.

If I didn't know you better,
I'd say that you were procrastinating.

Klingons do not procrastinate.

It is a tactical delay.

You have to spend
about five minutes

greeting the Iyaarans
when they get here

and maybe an hour
making small talk at this reception.

I'm the one who has to escort them
around the ship for the next few days.

I do not enjoy
these diplomatic situations.

It's all part of being in Starfleet.
There.

I do not see why it is necessary
to wear these ridiculous uniforms.

Protocol.

They look like dresses.

That is an incredibly outmoded
and sexist attitude.

I'm surprised at you.

Besides, you look good in a dress.

PICARD:
What's keeping them?

Ah, you're just in time.
They're about to disembark.

Ambassador Loquel,
Ambassador Byleth,

I'm Captain Picard.

- Welcome onboard the Enterprise.
- It is our pleasure to be here, captain.

It is an honor to be the site
of the first cultural exchange

between the Iyaaran people
and the Federation.

Yes, the next seven days
should prove most illuminating.

Allow me to introduce Voval.

He'll be taking you back
to our homeworld.

How do you do?

I am looking forward very much
to meeting with the premiere of Iyar.

There will be a reception
held in your honor

when you will meet
the rest of my senior staff.

I, of course, shall be on my way
to your homeworld,

but I shall be leaving you
in the safe hands

of my most experienced officers.

Lieutenant Worf of the Klingon Empire
is my head of security.

He will be in charge of your safety
while you're onboard.

Counselor Deanna Troi,
of the planet Betazed,

will be your personal liaison officer,
Ambassador Loquel.

Ambassador,
it's an honor to meet you.

Would you like to see your quarters
before we attend the reception?

Please.

Ambassador Byleth,
this is Commander William Riker,

my First Officer
from the planet Earth.

He has been assigned to you.

I want this one.

Well, Commander Riker
is a skilled diplomat

with wide experience
in interspecies contact.

I'm sure, I'm sure.

But l have decided,
I want this Lieutenant Worf.

Well, that will be, uh, just fine.

Mr. Worf?

Yes. Yes, ambassador,
it would be my pleasure to--

Yes, yes, enough of that.
Show me to my quarters.

This way.

Good luck.

PICARD:
Space, the final frontier.

These are the voyages
ofthe 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.

You think there's enough food
for you here, Data?

- Boa noite.
- Boa noite.

So first thing tomorrow,

I thought I'd take you on a tour
of the operational centers

and residential decks of the ship
and then we could spend some time

discussing the cultural underpinnings
of your society.

- Are you going to eat?
- Excuse me?

You have no food on your plate.
Are you going to eat?

Oh, uh, actually, I was waiting
until we got to the desserts.

Desserts? What is this?

Oh. Uh, it's something we eat
after the main course.

It's usually very sweet,
it's usually very bad for you

and we eat it purely for pleasure.

If you ask me,
it's the best part of any meal.

My people eat only for nourishment.

Oh, well, uh, let me introduce you
to some of my favorites.

This is peach cobbler
with whipped cream.

Tarvokian powder cake
and this is my favorite:

Ktarian Chocolate puff.

I don't know exactly what's inside,

but I think it's made
with 1 7 varieties of chocolate.

That is...

Delicious?

Delicious.

Ambassador, l think
we're going to get along very well.

Shall we?

This is unacceptable.

- I am sorry you do not care for our--

Bring me new food.

I require a higher protein
and enzymatic content.

- Ambassador--
- Yes.

It's the custom usually in a situation
like this for us to serve ourselves.

- It's called a buffet. Usually people--

- Bring me new food.

- Ambassador--
- Doctor, it is all right.

I am happy to bring more food.

How is your diplomatic assignment
progressing?

Fine.

I have heard that
in moments of diplomatic tension,

it is often helpful
to find elements of commonality.

Ambassador Byleth is demanding,
temperamental and rude.

You share all of those qualities
in abundance.

Perhaps you should try to build
on your similarities.

So I understand
that your homeworld

has some of the most spectacular
crystal formations in this sector.

Is there any place in particular

that you would recommend I visit
while l'm there?

No.

Well, I, um...

What's our ETA?

Seventeen hours, 32 minutes.

I think I'll go update my itinerary.

What happened?

There's been a system-wide
power failure.

What's the cause?

We have entered
an energy-disruption field.

I do not recognize the configuration.

Attitude controls failing.

There is an M-Class planet
in this system. Can we reach it?

I will try.

Inertial dampeners are offline.
Life support is failing.

Entering the planet's atmosphere.

- Velocity dropping.
- Shields at full power.

Prepare for impact.

Voval.

Voval, try not to move.
You may have a concussion.

Picard to Enterprise.

Picard to Enterprise.
Do you read me?

Too much interference.

There is a structure of some kind

and some energy readings
about two kilometers south of here.

Voval, I'm gonna try and get help.
Do you understand?

Now, try to stay conscious
and don't leave the shuttle.

There's some kind of plasma energy
out on the surface.

I'll be back as soon as I can.

The Engineering section encompasses
1 2 decks of the secondary hull.

Deck 42 contains
the antimatter storage facility--

What is the mass flow rate
of the antimatter replenishment stream

to the containment pods?

- Excuse--?
- The antimatter replenishment rate.

What is it?

I am not certain of the exact rate--

Well perhaps there's somebody
who does know the answer.

You.

Are you smarter than this one?

- Ahem. Why do you ask?
- Never mind.

I wish to see the Bussard collectors.
Take me to them.

This way.

This deck is devoted mainly
to stellar cartography,

biological research
and astrophysics.

We have over
a thousand people onboard--

Are you sure you don't want
some of this papalla juice?

No, thank you. I'm still recovering
from all those desserts last night.

Are you sure? It is very delicious.

- I'm sure.
- Please.

Please, you've been so kind.

Please.

Yum.

Next, we're going to Deck 8,
which is really interesting

because it's not really finished.

It's sort of a multipurpose deck.

Sometimes,
when we need an extra lab or--

Ambassador?

- What is this?
- It's a child.

Child.

Children are our offspring.

They're our young.

They grow into adults
over a period of many years.

- They grow into beings like us.
- Offspring.

Ambassador, l'm curious.
How does your species procreate?

Post-cellular compounding.

We emerge from the natal pod
fully grown.

I see.

- Do you have a name?
- Eric.

Eric.

Do you like dessert?

May I give Eric some dessert?

That sounds like a wonderful idea.
Come on, Eric.

Is someone there?

Who's there?

What do you want?

Who are you?

Who are you?

Shh.

No, wait. Stop.

There was someone else
on the shuttlecraft with me.

The pilot. He's injured.
He needs your help.

He's dead.

Hello.

Smells good.

Thank you.

This is a Terellian cargo freighter,
isn't it?

Is this your ship?

You one of the crew?

No.

I was a passenger.

We crashed.

How many people survived?

Were you the only one?

Well, you're certainly not a Terellian.

Unless you've lost two of your arms.

What's your name?

I'm Jean-Luc Picard.
I'm a Starfleet officer.

Anna.

Anna?

Are there other people
on this planet?

How long have you been here?

I don't know.

You can't see the sun from here.

I've lost track of all time.

What was the date
when you crashed?

Stardate 4081 2.

Seven years.

Years?

Anna? Anna, wait a minute.

Seven years?

I thought one, maybe two.

How could it be seven?

Anna, Anna, listen to me.

Listen.

On the shuttle,

there is a lot of equipment
that will have survived the crash.

We can use it to contact Starfleet.

They'll send a ship for us.
We can leave.

- Leave?
- Yes. Both of us.

Now, if you will help me
to get to the shuttle-- Oh!

Don't move.

- It's bad.

- Don't worry, l won't move.

You have three broken ribs.

The restrictor device
will hold the bones in place.

Let them...

Let them knit?

It's been so long
since l've talked to anyone.

I used to talk to myself.

But then l thought
that it might mean I was crazy.

So I stopped talking.

It'll be a while before you can walk.

Perhaps you could go to the shuttle
and bring the equipment back here.

- I can do that.
- Good.

Go into the cockpit.

Look for a small com panel
in the instrument array.

See if you can remove it.
Bring it back here.

Don't move. I'll be back.

I am going to k*ll him
with my bare hands.

I will take him by the throat
and rip out his esophagus--

Worf.

I have failed in my mission,
commander.

I am clearly a bad diplomat.

For the sake of the ship
and the Federation,

I request reassignment.

Denied.

Commander,
these Iyaarans are arrogant.

Irritating.
They cannot be reasoned with.

Ambassador Loquel
is quite pleasant.

I will admit, though,
he's a little unusual.

RlKER: What have you been able
to find out about him so far?

Well, he seems preoccupied
with recreation.

I spent more time in Ten-Forward
in the last two days

than I have in the past two months.

And he's obsessed with food.
Especially chocolate.

You must be in heaven.

To be honest,
he's testing even my limits.

You see? You see?
They are insane.

Worf, you've been very patient
with Ambassador Byleth

and that's good.

But maybe it's time to let him know
that some behavior

is unacceptable to us.

I think it's all right to suggest limits
for the ambassador.

[SHOUTS]

Perhaps we should
loosen things up a little bit.

Meet in a less official capacity.

How about a friendly game of poker?

[DOOR RATTLES

[GRUNTS]

What are you doing?
You should be in bed.

Anna, why was this door locked
from the outside?

- For your protection.
- From what?

There are dangerous animals here.
Come sit down.

- Look, l have the com panel.
- Good.

It wasn't easy. l had to force it out
of the equipment bay.

If we can boost the out--

[GRUNTS]

The output field, l might be able
to send a distress signal.

Something seems to be wrong
with it.

What's the matter?

Well, this transmitter module
has been totally destroyed.

How could that happen?

It looks as though it's been hit
by a phaser blast.

I used a phaser to cut it free.

Maybe I accidentally damaged it.

You can fix it, can't you?

No.

I'm sorry.

[SIGHS

I'm sorry.

Anna,

we will get out of here.

It's not going to be easy,
but we must work together.

I can't believe I did that.

That I damaged our only chance.

I've waited for so long.

At first, I had hoped
that I would be rescued.

I kept setting up microfusion flares
and looking up at the sky

and waiting for someone
to come and take me away.

But it never happened.

There's a precipice near here.

I used to go there
and I'd stare down at the gorge

and I'd think,

"l can just step over the edge
and end it all."

And then I realized that it was the hope
that was driving me crazy,

that I had to accept
I would never get out of here.

Anna, no matter how long it takes,
we will get out of here.

I knew from the moment l saw you
that you were here to save me.

I'll do anything you want.

Just don't leave me.

I don't ever wanna be alone again.

I love you.

I found some coltayin roots.

They're not much to look at,
but they taste good.

What are you doing?
You're gonna hurt yourself--

No, no, no, it's all right.

I'm just trying
to dislodge this power cell.

Nearly got it. Ah. There.

No, no, it's all right.

The energy relays are corroded,

but I think it should be able
to hold one more charge.

If I can regenerate this,

then I may be able to reactivate
the shuttlecraft's engines.

Well, I'd say this is cause
for celebration.

I may still have some Terellian spices
around here

and I'll boil up these roots
and make us a nice broth.

- Oh, that sounds delightful.
- Mm-hm.

If we ever do get out of here,

will you promise to show me
this starship of yours?

This Enterprise?

Of course.

Anna, would you pass me
that tricorder?

I gotta try to repair
these energy relays.

I meant what I said before.

I do love you.

Anna...

I'm very grateful to you
for saving my life.

And I think that you are a very warm
and compassionate woman.

And I feel a great sympathy
for what you've been through,

alone here on this planet.

But l don't think that you can really
be in love with me.

How can you say that?
Of course I love you.

No, I'm the first person you've seen
in seven years.

I'm bringing you the hope
of leaving this place.

Don't you think that

you could possibly be
just a little confused right now?

So you're not attracted to me?

I think it's a little premature.

And we hardly know anything
about each other.

I understand.

And I'm sorry
if I made you uncomfortable.

Ah. No harm done.

It's gonna take at least
a couple of hours to charge this cell.

And as soon as it's done,

we should get it over
to the shuttlecraft immediately.

This cell casing
is already beginning to break down.

Anna...

We are going to get out of here.

Bet is ten.

That's to you, ambassador.

I will see the bet and, uh, raise ten.

I'm in for 20.

I'm in.

And I raise 20.

You are bluffing.

Excuse me, ambassador.
Those are my chips.

You are in error.
Those chips are mine.

I saw you take two chips
from my pile.

You would dare to accuse me
of stealing?

Yes.

You are lying
because you are losing the game.

I am losing because
you have been cheating all along.

Wait a minute. Calm down.

Even if I were cheating, how would
a plodding animal like you know it?

You are an insulting, pompous fool.

And if you were not an ambassador,
I would disembowel you right here.

Do not let my title inhibit you,
Klingon.

[SHOUTING

Yes.

Good.

[GRUNTING AND SHOUTING

Stop, Mr. Worf, that is an order!

Wonderful.

Very good.

Thank you, Lieutenant Worf.

I think I understand now.

That was a very effective
demonstration.

What?

If you'll excuse me, l would like
to document this experience.

[DOOR OPENS THEN CLOSES

This power cell is ready.

- We should take it over to the shuttle.
- No.

- We can't leave right now.
- Why not?

The plasma storms are too strong.
It's dangerous.

Wait a few hours, then we can go.

We don't have a few hours.

I told you, this cell
is already beginning to degenerate.

Jean-Luc, it's a difficult journey.

The restriction field
will make it very hard for you to walk.

I'm feeling very much better.

In fact,

I don't intend to go on using this
any longer.

No.

You can't remove it yet.

No.

There's no pain.

It would appear
I don't have any broken ribs after all.

Jean-Luc...

What's going on?

Are you trying to keep me here?

Please, I love you.

Are you keeping me locked
in this freighter?

You say that there are wild animals
out there,

but I haven't heard
or seen a single one of them.

- Jean-Luc--
- What about the com panel?

You said you damaged it
cutting it out of the shuttle. Did you?

You see, I find it hard to believe
that you would destroy

the one piece of equipment that could
get you out of here after seven years.

And what was this really for?

To keep me immobilized?

I was afraid.

I didn't want you to leave me.

So it was necessary
to keep me c*ptive.

I was scared.

I wanted you to stay, to-- To love me.

I'm gonna go look
for the shuttle myself.

No.

- Anna.
- Don't fight me.

Anna, no.

[SHOUTS]

You should love me now.
We're together.

We depend on each other.

I know more about you. Love me.

Anna, stop.

I failed.

You don't love me.

It's over.

Anna.

Anna, where are you going?

MAN:
Hello? ls anyone in there?

Yes, inside here!

MAN: Hello?
- Inside the freighter!

The door is on the opposite side!

Over here! The door's over here!

Voval?

- I thought you were dead.
- Dead?

Yes, there's a woman living here, she
told me that she'd been to the shuttle.

She said that she saw you dead.

Yes, that is understandable.

When my species is injured,

our metabolic rate slows
until our body can heal itself.

This state could easily be mistaken
for death.

I see.

When you did not return to the shuttle,
I intended to track you.

Surface conditions
made it very difficult.

So cold.

I saw someone running away
from here. Was it the woman?

- Yes.
- Why did she leave the shelter?

She was upset.

Do you think she may harm herself?

There's a dangerous precipice
near here.

- She was headed in that direction.
- It's possible.

Then we should go find her.

You stay here. Keep warm.
I'll go and look for her.

We will go together.

PICARD:
Anna!

Anna!

Captain, this ridge extends
for a kilometer in either direction.

We can search it twice as fast
if we separate.

Anna?

Anna!

Anna.

- Anna.
- Stay away from me.

You don't have to do this.
I found Voval, the shuttle pilot.

He's still alive.

He can help us get away from here.

I don't care.

I'll jump,

unless you promise to love me.

No.

No, I won't promise.

You have been manipulating me,
haven't you?

Jean-Luc, what are you saying?

The necklace.

It broke.

I saw it in the cargo freighter
on the floor by the fire.

I left it there.
Now it's around your neck.

It's whole. How?

Tell me you love me.

I must know.

Where's Voval?

Isn't it convenient
that he arrived moments after you left?

That he insisted
that I come here to look for you?

That I find you, here on the ledge,
ready to jump?

That's very good timing,
don't you think?

Jean-Luc...

Are you and Voval working together?

He is the only one who could have
brought you the necklace.

Tell me about your love,

or I'll jump.

Go ahead. Why don't you do it?

It's a long way down.

Must be 200 meters.

You'd die instantly
if that's what you want.

But l don't think that it really is.

- I have failed.
- Failed?

Voval, what is going on?

My name is Ambassador Voval.

Ambassador?

My mission
was to study human intimacy,

specifically the concept
you call love.

In our study of your culture, we
did not understand certain concepts,

so we sent three representatives
to study them.

To experience them.

But why did you believe
that bringing me here

would give you
a better understanding of love?

Several years ago
we discovered the remains

of the Terellian freighter
on this planet.

The ship contained logs
written by a single survivor.

A human woman.

That was our first contact
with the human culture.

The woman lived alone here
for seven years

until another human
crashed on this planet.

A human male.

And the man was injured,

and she nursed him back to health
and they fell in love.

In the logs,
she described many concepts

we found difficult to understand.

Pleasure, antagonism, love.

These were alien to us.

We wished to experience them
for ourselves.

Ambassador Loquel
was sent to experience pleasure.

Byleth was sent to experience
antagonism.

And I was sent to experience love.

Was this wrong?

Let me just say that

we would not take
such a direct approach.

Ambassador,
I have to tell you that in my culture,

what you have done
would be considered a crime.

Crime?

Well, we'll talk about it later.

For now,
I think we should get off this planet.

Am I right in assuming
that the damage to the shuttle

is not as bad as it seems?

That is correct.
We can leave at any time.

I think that now would be quite nice.

You look a little sore.

Lieutenant Worf
was kind enough to engage me

in 1 1 hours
of holodeck battle exercises.

- Eleven hours?
- Yes.

I learned a great deal
about the concept of antagonism.

It was excruciating.

Counselor,
these are bio-enzymatic supplements

my people consume for food.

I'm afraid you'll find they are not
as delicious as your chocolate.

After the past few days,
I could use something a little bland.

Goodbye, ambassador.

- Fascinating species.
BYLETH: lndeed.

Thank you, captain.

This has been
an enlightening experience.

For me as well, ambassador.

I am sorry if our diplomatic methods
offended you.

No, on the contrary,
I found your approach intriguing.

We humans tend to take a rather
balanced approach towards life.

Never too much, never too little.

And it's very nice to find a culture

that is willing to take an experience
to its furthest extreme.

- Goodbye, captain.
- Ambassador.