| Suran: | Senators, consider the opportunity for the Empire. At last the destinys of the planets Romulus and Remus will be united. Shinzon Of Remus is offering us a chance to make ourselves stronger than ever before. It would be madness to reject it. I beg you not to let prejudice or politics interfere with this alliance. By joining Shinzon’s forces with ours, not even a Federation will be able to stand in our way... |
| Praetor | That’s enough. The decision has been made. The military doesn’t dictate policy on Romulus. The Senate has considered the Shinzon’s proposal and rejected it. He and his followers will be met with all deliberate force and sent back to that black rock they came from. Do I make myself clear? |
| Commander | Yes, sir. |
| Tal’Aura | If you will excuse me, Praetor. I have an appointment with the tholian ambassador. |
| Praetor | Of course. |
| Praetor | Senators, ar there any others who wish to speak? Then I will call for a vote on the motion to open trade negotiations with Celes II. As you know the Reman mines have not beem filling their quotas for month now. I hope, you all bare in mind the trade comittees findings as much as we don’t want... |
| Praetor | Would someone alert the security—Bring Back senator Tal‘Aura. |
| --- | |
| Picard | Duty… A starship captain's life is filled with solemn duty. I have commanded men in battle. I have negotiated peace treaties between implacable enemies. I have represented the Federation in first contact with twenty-seven alien species.But none of this compares to my solemn duty today… as Best man. Now, I know that on an occasion such as this: it is expected that I be gracious and fulsome in my praise on the wonders of this blessed union ...But have the two of you considered what you're doing to me? Of Course, you’re happy, but what about my needs? This is all a damned inconvenience. While you're happily settling in on the Titan, I will be training my new first officer. You all know him. He’s a theoretical martinet who'll never... ever…allow me to go on away missions. |
| Data | That is the regulations, sir. Starfleet code, section 12, paragraph 4... |
| Picard | Data... |
| Data | Sir? |
| Picard | Shut up. |
| Data | Yes, sir. |
| Picard | 15 years i’ve been waiting to say that. But now, seriously. Will, Deanna... there’s still time to reconsider. Yes? |
| Riker+Troi | No. |
| Picard | No? No, very well then. Will Riker, you have been my trusted right arm for fifteen years; you have kept my course true and steady. Deanna Troi, you’ve been my guide and my conscience, you helped me recongnize the better parts of myself. You are my family. And in best maritime tradition I wish you both clear horizons ... My good friends, make it so. To bride and groom. |
| Geordi | Do you know anythung about being married, Guinan? |
| Guinan | No, Twenty three was my life. |
| Geordi | Worf? Are you allright? |
| Worf | Romulan ale should be illegal. |
| Geordi | It is. |
| Troi | That was a lovely toast. |
| Picard | From the heart. |
| Troi | And you needn't worry. I'm going to brief your new counselor on everything she needs to know. |
| Picard | All alike like you are. You already know too much about me. I take it that there will be no speeches during the ceremony on Betazed. |
| Riker | No, no speeches and no clothes. |
| Data | Ladies and Gentlemen and invited Tran gendered species ...In my study of Terran and Betazoid conjugal rites I have discovered it is traditional to present the "happy couple" with a gift. Given Commander Riker's affection for archaic musical forms I have elected to present the following as my gift in honor of their conjugation. |
| Troi | Conjugation? |
| Data | Never saw the sun shining so bright, Never saw things going so right... Noticing to days, hurrying by, when you’re in love, may how they fly. Blue skies, smiling at me... |
| Worf | Irving Berlin. |
| Data | Nothing but blue skies do I see. |
| Troi | It's tradition,Worf.You of all people should appreciate that! |
| Worf | I won't do it. |
| Picard | Won’t do what, Mister Worf? |
| Worf | Captain. I think it is inappropriate for a Starfleet officer to appear naked. |
| Picard | Come now, a big, handsome, strapping fellow like you? What could you be afraid of? |
| Worf | Captain, I'm picking up an unusual electromagnetic signature from the Kolarun system. |
| Picard | What sort of signature? |
| Worf | Positronic. |
| Geordi | It's very faint but I've isolated it to the third planet in the Kolarin system. |
| Picard | What do we know about it? |
| Geordi | Uncharted. We'll have to get closer for a more detailed scan. |
| Picard | Theories? |
| Data | Since positronic signatures have only been known to emanate from androids such as myself, it is logical to theorize that there is an android on Kolarus III. |
| Riker | Just what i was afraid of. Captain, diverting to the Kolarin system takes us awfully close to the Romulan Neutral Zone. |
| Picard | Still well on our side… I think...I think it's worth taking a look.Don't worry, Number One, we'll soon have you to Betazed with plenty of time to spare. |
| Riker | Thank you, sir… |
| Picard | Where we will all honor the Betazoid traditions.Now, if you’ll excuse me.I’ll be in the gym. |
| Riker | Mister Branson, lay incourse for the Kolarin system. Warp Five. |
| Geordi | What do you think, Data, a long-lost relative? |
| Geordi | I’m reading six distinct positronic signatures, spread out over a few kilometers on the planet surface. |
| Picard | What do we know about the population on Kolarus III ? |
| Data | Isolated pockets of humanoids. It appears to be a pre- warp civilization at an early stage of industrial development. |
| Geordi | Captain, I wouldn’t recommend using the transporter, that ion storm doesn't look very neighborly. It could head this way without much warning. |
| Picard | Understood. Data, Mr. Worf, you're with me. |
| Riker | Captain, I don't have to remind you-- |
| Picard | I appreciate your concern, Number One, but I've been itching to try the Argo. |
| Riker | I bet. |
| Picard | Captain's prerogative. There's no foreseeable danger… and your wife would never forgive me if anything would happened to you. You have the bridge, Mister Troi! |
| --- | |
| Data | I will always be puzzled by the human predilection for piloting vehicles at unsafe velocities. |
| Picard | (smích) |
| Data | Over that rise, sir… half a kilometer. The radiant electromagnetic field is interfereing with my tricorder.But we are within a few meters of the signal. |
| Picard | Fan out. Let’s search around. |
| Data | It appears to be a robotic arm. |
| Worf | Very astute. |
| Picard | Mr. Worf, bring it to the vehicle. |
| Picard | This dosn’t feel right. |
| Data | The final signature is approximately 100 meters to the north, sir. |
| Worf | It's you. |
| Data | The resemblance is ...striking. Fascinating. |
| B4 | Fascinating. |
| Picard | To the vehicle. I think it’s time to try some "unsafe velocities". |
| B4 | Why do you have a shiny head? |
| Data | This is not an appropriate time for a conversation. |
| B4 | Why? |
| Data | Because the captain has to concentrate on piloting the vehicle. |
| B4 | Why? |
| Data | Because... |
| Picard | Data! |
| Data | Sorry, sir. |
| B4 | Have I said something wrong? |
| Picard | Data! |
| Beverly | You know, all things considered, Data, I think you have nicer eyes. |
| Data | Our eyes are identical, Doctor. |
| Riker | So, what do we got, Geordi? |
| Geordi | Well, I think he has the same mechanics as Data but not as much positronic development. The neural pathways aren't nearly as sophisticated.I’d say he's a prototype. Something Dr. Soong created prior Data. |
| Data | Do you have a name, sir? |
| B4 | I am B-4. |
| Picard | Be-fore. Dr. Soong's penchant for whimsical names seems to have no end. |
| Data | Can you tell us how you came to be on a planet where we found you? |
| B4 | I do not know. |
| Data | Do you remember anything of your life before you were on the planet? |
| B4 | No. Why has tall man furry face? |
| Picard | Number One, keep me informed. Georgi, reassemble him. |
| Geordi | Aye, sir. |
| Data | B4, do you know who I am? |
| B4 | You are me. |
| Data | No. My name is Data ...I am your brother. |
| --- | |
| Picard | Tea Earl Grey, hot. |
| Riker | Captain, you have an Alpha Priority communication from Starfleet Command. |
| Picard | Acknowledged. Admiral Janeway. Good to see you. |
| Janeway | Jean Luc... How'd you like a trip to Romulus? |
| Picard | With or without the rest of the fleet? |
| Janeway | A diplomatic mission. We've been invited, believe it or not. Seems there's been some kind of internal political shakeup. The new Praetor, someone called Shinzon, has requested a Federation envoy. |
| Picard | New Praetor? |
| Janeway | There's more… He's Reman. Believe me, we don't understand it either. You're the closest ship so I want you to go and hear what he has to say. Get the lay of the land, If the Empire becomes unstable, it could mean trouble for the entire quadrant. |
| Picard | Understood. |
| Janeway | We're sending you all the intelligence we have, but it's not much. mso-spacerun: yes"> I don't need to tell you to watch your back, Jean Luc. |
| Picard | Hardly. |
| Janeway | The Son'a, the Borg, the Romulans.You seem to get all the easy assignments! |
| Picard | Just lucky, Admiral. |
| Janeway | Let's hope that luck holds. Janeway out. |
| Picard | Helmsman, lay in a new course ...Take us to Romulus. Warp eight. |
| Branson | Aye aye, sir. Course plotted and laid in… |
| Riker | Romulus? |
| Picard | I'm afraid the Opal Sea will have to wait, Number One ...Engage. |
| --- | |
| Data | As you can see one side of Remus always faces the sun. Due to the extreme temperatures on that half of their world, the Remans live on the dark side of the planet. Almost nothing is known about the Reman homeworld, although intelligence scans have proven the existence of dilithium mining and heavy weapons construction. The Remans themselves are considered an undesirable caste in the hierarchy of the Empire. |
| Riker | But they also have the reputation of being formidable warriors. In the Dominion War, Reman troops were used as assault forces in the most violent encounters. |
| Picard | Cannon fodder. |
| Geordi | Then how did a Reman get to be Praetor? I don't get it. |
| Riker | We have to assume he had Romulan collaborators. |
| Picard | A coup d'etat? |
| Riker | The Praetor's power has always been the Romulan fleet. They must be behind Shinzon for him to overthrow the senate. |
| Picard | What have you learned about Shinzon? |
| Data | Starfleet intelligence was only able to provide a partial account of his military record. We can infer he is relatively young and a capable commander. He fought twelve major engagements in the war. All successful. Beyond that, we know nothing. |
| Picard | Well… it seems that we're truly sailing into the unknown. Keep at it. Anything you can give me would be appreciated. Dismissed. |
| --- | |
| Geordi | I still can't believe the Captain went along with a memory download. |
| Data | Captain Picard agrees that the B-4 was probably designed with the same self-actualization parameters as myself. If my memory engrams are successfully integrated into his positronic matrix, he should have all my abilities. |
| Geordi | Yeah, but he'd have all your memories as well. You feel comfortable with that? |
| Data | I feel nothing, Geordi.It is my belief that with my memory engrams he will be able to function as a more complete individual. |
| Geordi | An individual more like you, you mean. |
| Data | Yes. |
| Geordi | Maybe he's not supposed to be like you, Data. Maybe he's supposed to be exactly the way he is. |
| Data | That might be so. But i believe he should have the opportunity to explore his potencial. |
| Geordi | Okay ...we're done. |
| Data | B4, do you know where you are? |
| B4: | I am in a room with lights. |
| Data | Can you remember our father? |
| B4 | Our father? |
| Data | Yes, doctor Soong. |
| B4 | No. |
| Data | Do you know the name of the Captain of this vessel? |
| B4 | Captain? No. |
| Geordi | Data, he's assimilating a lot of programming. Remember, he's a prototype, a lot less sophisticated than you are. We just don't know if his matrix will be able to adapt. We really need to give him some time. |
| Data | Geordi, what purpose does this serve? |
| Geordi | What? |
| Data | This. |
| Geordi | That’s redundant memory port.Maybe the provisional memory storage in case his neural pathways overload? Do you mind if I keep him here for a while? For a few diagnostics? |
| Data | No, I do not mind. |
| Geordi | Data..! |
| Data | No, you must remain with Commander La Forge. He is going to try to help you. |
| --- | |
| Picard | Captain's Log. Stardate 56844.9. The Enterprise has arrived at Romulus and is waiting at the designated coordinates. All our hails have gone unanswered. We've been waiting for seventeen hours. |
| Picard | Counselor? |
| Troi | They're out there, sir. |
| Worf | Captain, I recommend we raise shields. |
| Picard | Not yet, Mister Worf. |
| Riker | Captain, with all due respect to diplomatic protocols-- the Federation Council's not sitting out here, we are. |
| Picard | Patience. Diplomacy is a very exacting occupation. We will wait. |
| Data | Captain… |
| Worf | Raising shields. |
| Picard | No. |
| Worf | Captain... |
| Picard | Tactical analysis, Mister Worf. |
| Worf | Fifty-two disruptor banks, twenty-seven photon torpedo bays, primary and secondary shields. |
| Picard | She's a predator. |
| Worf | We're being hailed. |
| Picard | On screen. |
| Viceroy | Enterprise. We are the Reman Warbird Scimitar. |
| Picard | Praetor Shinzon, I'm pleased to-- |
| Viceroy | I am not Shinzon. I am his Viceroy. We are sending transport coordinates. |
| Riker | Not very chatty. |
| Picard | Away team. Transporter room four. |
| Shinzon | I hope you'll forgive the darkness ...we're not comfortable in the light. |
| Picard | Praetor Shinzon? |
| Shinzon | Captain Picard ...Jean Luc Picard ...I always imagined you a little taller, isn't that odd? You may scan me without subterfuge, Commander Data. |
| Picard | And you're not as we imagined you. |
| Shinzon | No? |
| Worf | You are human. |
| Picard | Why have you asked us to come here? Praetor? |
| Shinzon | I've never met a human woman before. |
| Troi | I'm only half human. |
| Shinzon | Deanna Troi of Betazed Empathic and telepathic abilities, ship's counselor. All of this I knew ... But I never knew you were so beautiful. |
| Riker | You seem quiite familiar with our personnel. |
| Shinzon | Oh, I am, Commander Riker. May I touch your hair? |
| Picard | We came to Romulus on a matter we were assured was of great importance. If you have anything to say to us as representatives of the Federation, I suggest you do it now. |
| Shinzon | Yes, I'm sorry, Captain. There's so much we need to talk about. |
| Picard | I would be interested to know what we are talking about. |
| Shinzon | Unity, Captain! Tearing down the walls between us to recognize that we are one people. I'm talking about thing that makes us the same.Peace. We want peace. Right now, you’re thinking this all sounds too good to be true? |
| Picard | Yes. |
| Shinzon | Then perhaps it’s time to add some illumination to our discussion. mso-spacerun: yes"> Computer, raise lighting four levels. When I was very young I was stricken with an odd disease. I developed a hyper-sensitivity to sound. Even a slightest whisper caused me agony... No one could do anything about it. Finally I was taken to a doctor who had some experience with Terran illnesses and he diagnosed me with Shalaft's syndrome. Do you know of it, Captain? |
| Picard | Yes. |
| Shinzon | Then you know it's a very rare syndrome.Genetic. Apparently all the male members of my family have it. Eventually I was treated. Now I can hear as well as you can, Captain. I can see as well as you can.I can feel everything you feel. In fact, I feel exactly what you feel. Don't I, Jean Luc? Come to dinner tomorrow on Romulus. Just the two of us.Or should I say... just the one of us. I think, you be wanting this. Till tomorrow then, Captain. We have much to discuss. Computer, return lightning to previous level. |
| Beverly | There's no doubt, Captain. Right down to your regressive strain of Shalaft's Syndrome. He's a clone. They probably used a hair follicle or skin cell. |
| Riker | Why? |
| Picard | I intend to find out, Number One. Inform Starfleet of the situation. . I need to know where the hell he came from. Counselor. |
| Suran | We supported you, Shinzon, when you assassinated the senate. You told us the timing was perfect for an atack on the federation. I don’t understand why now you delay. |
| Shinzon | You don’t have to understand. |
| Suran | And bringing the Enterprise here. What possible purpose could that serve? |
| Shinzon | I have a purpose |
| Suran | Then perhaps you will enlighten us. |
| Shinzon | Silence, Romulan. You really must learn patience, commander. Spend 18 hours every day under the lash of a romulan guard and you’ll soon understand patience. Now go. Commander Donatra. Please, remain. There’s a word i want you to consider... allegiance. It’s something Idemand from those who serve me. |
| Donatra | Do I serve you? |
| Shinzon | Yes. As matter of thing faithfully. Commander Suran on the other hand gives me paws. |
| Donatra | Here’s another word, Praetor. Trust. Do you trust me? How far does that trust extend? How deep does it go? What must a commander do to prove herself faithful to you. What must a woman do? |
| Shinzon | You are not a woman. You are a Romulan. Serve me faithfully and you will be rewarded. Keep those lovely eyes on commander Suran. And at first sign of treachery... |
| Donatra | Dispose of him. |
| Shinzon | Then you will approving yourself. Now go. Commander... if you ever touch me again... I’ll kill you. |
| ---- | |
| Shinzon | The Romulans had somehow gain possession of your DNA and I had been created. And when I was ready, they were going to replace you with me. Put a romulan agent at the heart of Starfleet. It was a bold plan. |
| Picard | What happened? |
| Shinzon | What happens frequently here on Romulus. A new government came to power. They decided to abandon the plan. They were afraid that I might be discovered. That it would lead to war. Not quite the face you remember. |
| Picard | Not quite. |
| Shinzon | A lifetime of violence will do that. They broke my nose my jaw but so much is the same. The eyes. Surely you recognize the eyes. |
| Picard | Yes. |
| Shinzon | Our eyes reflect our lives, don’t they? And yours are so confident. |
| Picard | So, I’m not as tall as you’ve expected. |
| Shinzon | No, I always hoped I would hit two meters. |
| Picard | As had I. How did you end up on Remus? |
| Shinzon | They sent me there to die. How could a mere human survive the dilithium mines? Not that it mattered. As I was no longer part of their plan against the Federation. And those terrible debts lived only the damned. Together with the Reman slaves I was condemn to an existence of unsiezing labor in starvation under the brutal heir of romulan guards. Only the very strongest had any hope of survival. I was only a child when they took me. Then i didn’t see the sun or stars for merely ten years. The only thing the Romulan guards hated more than the Remans was me. mso-spacerun: yes"> But one man took pity on me: the man who became my Viceroy. He protected me drom the cruelty of the guards and taught me how to survive. And in that dark place, where there was nothing of myself, I found my Reman brothers. They showed me the only true kindness I ever know. |
| Picard | You're doing this to liberate the Remans? |
| Shinzon | That is the single thought behind everything I have done. From building the Scimitar to secret base to assebling my army, finally coming to Romulus in force. I knew they would never give us our freedom, I would have to take it. |
| Picard | And how many Romulans died for your freedom? |
| Shinzon | Too many. But the point is that finally the Empire is realizing that there is a better way. And that way is Peace. You don’t trust me. |
| Picard | I have no reason to. |
| Shinzon | You have every reason. If you had lived my life and experienced the suffering of my people ...you’d be standing where I am. |
| Picard | If you had lived my life you would understand my responsibility to the Federation. I can't allow my personal feelings to unduly influence my decisions. |
| Shinzon | All I have is my personal feelings.I want to know what it means to be human. The Remans has given me a future. But you can tell me about my past. |
| Picard | I can tell you about my past. |
| Shinzon | Were Picards alway warriors? |
| Picard | I think of myself as a explorer. |
| Shinzon | Were we alway explorers? |
| Picard | I was the first Picard to leave our solar system.It caused quite a stir in family. But I had spent my youth… |
| Shinzon | ...looking up at the stars. Dreaming about what was up there. About... |
| Picard | New worlds. I’m, trying to believe you, Shinzon.If there's one ideal the Federation holds most dear it's that all men, all races, can be united. What better example then Starfleet captain standing in the romulan Senate. Nothing would make me more proud than to take your hand in friendship. In time. When that trust has been earned. |
| --- | |
| Worf | Captain. we've had an unauthorized access into the main computer. |
| Picard | Source. |
| Geordi | It's going to take some time to figure that out, captain. The data stream was rerouted through substations all over the ship. |
| Picard | What programs were accessed? |
| Geordi | Well, that's what I can’t figure out-- it's mostly just basic stellar cartography: star charts; communications protocols; some uplinks from colony tracking stations. It's not even restricted material. |
| Picard | Nevertheless, we must learn the source. Keep me informed. |
| Geordi | Captain, there's something else. I was reviewing the sensor logs. Look at this. When the Scimitar decloaked there was a momentary spike in the tertiary EM band --there -- You're not going to believe this. It's Thalaron. |
| Picard | ...I thought Thalaron radiation was theoretical. |
| Geordi | Which is why our initial scans didn't pick it up. But he's got it, Captain. |
| Picard | Thalaron research was banned in the Federation because of its bioqenic properties. |
| Beverly | It has the ability to consume organic material at the subatomic level. mso-spacerun: yes"> I can't overestimate the danger of Thalaron radiation, Jean Luc. A microscopic amount could kill every living thing on this ship in a matter of seconds. |
| Picard | I understand. Keep on it. I want to know what he has and how we can neutralize any threat. I need options. |
| Viceroy | This was a mistake. We’re wasting time. |
| Shinzon | My time. I should spend it how I choose. |
| Viceroy | Do not forget our mission, Shinzon. We must act, now! |
| Shinzon | We'll return to the Scimitar. Prepare yourself for the bonding. |
| --- | |
| Picard | Come. Beverly, come in. Remember him? |
| Beverly | He was a bit cocky as I recall. |
| Picard | He was a damn fool. Selfish and ambitious. Very much in need of seasoning. |
| Beverly | He turned out all right. |
| Picard | I really wanted to believe Shinzon.But this Thalaron radiation just can't be explained away. Whatever he's after, it isn’t peace. |
| Beverly | Is he very much like you were? |
| Picard | Oh, yes. |
| Data | Data to Captain Picard. |
| Picard | Go ahead, Data. |
| Data | Captain, Geordi and I have identified the source of the unauthorized computer access. And, I believe, we find a way to gain a tactical advantage. |
| Picard | On my way… |
| --- | |
| Troi | Will, as ship's counselor, I recommend you get some sleep. |
| Riker | Some honeymoon. |
| Troi | Come to bed. |
| Riker | Imzadi... |
| Shinzon | Imzadi... |
| Troi | No! |
| Shinzon | He can never know you as I can. He can never touch you as I can. |
| Troi | This isn't real. |
| Shinzon | Can you feel my lips? |
| Viceroy | I'm with you, Imzadi… |
| Troi | No! |
| Viceroy | I'll always be with you now. |
| Troi | No! This isn't real. |
| Riker | Deanna, what’s the matter? |
| Troi | No! |
| Riker | Deanna?! Deanna! Deanna! |
| Troi | No! |
| Viceroy | The bond has been broken. |
| Shinzon | Find her again. |
| Reman | Prator, we’ve received the transponder signal. |
| Viceroy | It’s accelerating. You have no more time for games. |
| Shinzon | Have the doctors prepare. mso-spacerun: yes"> Transport. Begin the download. Tea, hot. |
| --- | |
| Beverly | Aside from slightly elevated levels of adrenalin and serotonin, you're perfectly normal. |
| Picard | Deanna, can you describe it? |
| Troi | It was a... It was a violation. Shinzon's Viceroy seems to have the ability to reach into my thoughts. I've become a liability ...I request to be relieved of my duties. |
| Picard | Permission denied. If you can endure more of these assaults.I need you at my side. Now more than ever. The Enterprise is far from Federation space and... |
| Riker | Worf, shields up! |
| --- | |
| Shinzon | Hello, Jean Luc. |
| Picard | Why am I here? Why have you done this? |
| Shinzon | I was lonely. |
| Picard | What are you going to do? |
| Shinzon | I need a sample of your blood. What is it your Borg friends say? Resistance is futile. Oh, yes. The Android. The bait you couldn't refuse. |
| Picard | All of this so you could capture me? |
| Shinzon | Don't be so vain. After we found it, we had to make a few modifications. An extra memory port, a hidden transponder.I've now gained access to Starfleet's communications protocol. I now know the exact location of your entire fleet. You may go. |
| B4 | Where? |
| Shinzon | Out of my sight. |
| Picard | What is all this about? |
| Shinzon | It's about destiny, Picard. It’s about our Reman outcast. |
| Picard | You're not Reman. |
| Shinzon | And I'm not quite human. So what am I? My life is meaningless as long as you still alive. What am I while you exist? A shadow? An echo? |
| Picard | Your issues are with me, then deal with me. This has nothing to do with my ship, nothing to do with the Federation. |
| Shinzon | Oh, but it does.We will no longer bow before anyone as slaves. Not the Romulans and not your mighty Federation. We're a race bred for war. And conquest. |
| Picard | Are you ready to plunge the entire quadrant into war to satisfy your own personal demons? |
| Shinzon | It amazes me how little you know yourself. |
| Picard | I'm incapable of such an act. |
| Shinzon | You are me! The same noble Picard blood runs in our veins. Had you lived my life, you'd be doing exactly as I am.So look in the mirror, and see yourself. Consider that, Captain.I can think of no greater I torment for you. |
| Picard | Shinzon... I’m a mirror for you as well… |
| Shinzon | Not for long, Captain. I'm afraid you won't survive to witness the victory of the echo over the voice. |
| --- | |
| Geordi | His cloak is perfect… no tachyon emissions, no residual antiprotons. |
| Riker | Keep at it, Geordi. Find a way in. |
| --- | |
| B4 | Praetor Shinzon needs the prisoner. |
| Picard | It’s about time,mister Data. |
| Data | My mission was a success, captain. I’ve located the source of the radiation. This entire ship is essentialy Thaloron generator. It’s power relays lead to an activation matrix on the bridge. |
| Picard | It’s a weapon. |
| Data | It would appear so. |
| Picard | What about the download? |
| Data | Shinzon believes he has our communications protocols. They will give him inaccurate locations for all Starfleet vessels. |
| Picard | Good work. |
| Data | Sir, Geordi supplied me with the prototype of emergency transport unit. I recommend you use this to return to the Enterprise. |
| Picard | It will only work for one of us. |
| Data | Yes, sir. |
| Picard | We’ll find the way off together. |
| Viceroy | It is time for the procedure. |
| B4 | Move, puny human animal. |
| Picard | A bit less florid, Data. |
| Shinzon | Kill him. |
| Data | This way, sir. There is a suttlebay 94 meters from our current position. There it is, sir. |
| Picard | Go. Data! |
| Data | It appears to have an encrypted security system. |
| Picard | Alacrity would be appreciated, Commander. |
| Data | Reman is a most complex language with pictographs representing certain verb roots and- |
| Picard | While I find that fascinating, Data, we really need that door open! |
| Data | According to the ship's manifest they are Scorpion-class attack fliers. |
| Picard | Data, what do you imagine this is? |
| Data | Port thrusters, sir. Would you like me to drive, sir? |
| Picard | Data, can you open the shuttlebay doors? |
| Data | Negative, sir. They have erected a force field around the external portals. |
| Picard | Well then ...only one way to go. |
| Data | Do you think this is a wise course of action, sir? |
| Picard | We're about to find out, Data. Power up disruptors. |
| Data | Ready, Captain. |
| Picard | Fire! |
| Shinzon | Tractor beam, now! |
| Riker | Worf! Lock on transporters! |
| Worf | I have them, sir. |
| --- | |
| Suran | This has gone far enough! |
| Shinzon | I thought we discussed patience, Commander. |
| Suran | And mine is wearing thin! We supported you because you promised action. And yet you delay! |
| Shinzon | The Enterprise is immaterial! They’ll not even make it out of the Neutral Zone. And in two days the Federation will be crippled beyond repair. Does that satisfy you? |
| Suran | For the moment. |
| Shinzon | And when I return ...you and I shall have a little talk about showing proper respect! |
| Donatra | What's happening to his face? Commander, a moment. Are you truly prepared to have your hands drenched in blood?He’s not planning to defeat Earth. He’s planning an annihilation. And his sins will mark us and our chilren for generations |
| --- | |
| Beverly | The more I studied his DNA the more confusing it got. Finally I could only come to one conclusion ... Shinzon was created with temporal RNA sequencing .He was designed so that at a certain point his aging process could be accelerated to reach your age more quickly. He was engineered to skip thirty years of his life. But when the temporal sequencing wasn’t activated, his cellular structure started breaking down. mso-spacerun: yes"> He's dying. |
| Picard | Dying? Can anything be done for him? |
| Beverly | Nothing except a complete transfusion from the only donor with compatible DNA. You. |
| Picard | How long does he have? |
| Beverly | I can't say for sure but the rate of decay seems to be accelerating. |
| Picard | Then he'll come for me. |
| B4 | Brother. I cannot move. |
| Data | No, I have only activated your cognitive and communication subroutines. |
| B4 | Why? |
| Data | Because you are dangerous. |
| B4 | Why? |
| Data | You have been programmed to gather information that can be used against this ship. |
| B4 | I do not understand. |
| Data | I know. Do you know anything about Shinzon's plans against the Federation? |
| B4 | No. |
| Data | Do you have any knowledge of the tactical abi1ities of his ship? |
| B4 | No. Can I move now? |
| Data | No. |
| B4 | What are you doing? |
| Data | I must deactivate you. |
| B4 | For how long? |
| Data | Indefinitely. |
| B4 | How long is th...? |
| Data | A long time, brother. |
| Geordi | It's called a Cascading Biogenic Pulse. The unique properties of Thalaron radiation allow the energy beam to expand almost without limits. Depending on the radiant intensity it could encompass a ship ... or a planet. |
| Picard | He would only have built a weapon of such scope for one reason. He is going after Earth. |
| Troi | How can you be certain? |
| Picard | I know how he thinks. |
| Riker | Destroy humanity and you crippled Federation... |
| Picard | And the Romulans invade. |
| Riker | No way penetrating his cloak? |
| Geordi | No. |
| Riker | So he could pass within 10 meters of every ship in Starfleet and they'd never know. |
| Beverly | We do have one advantage though. He needs your blood to live. He might come after you first. |
| Picard | I'm counting on it ...We've been ordered to sector 1045. A fleet has been diverted to meet us there. |
| Riker | Strength in numbers? |
| Picard | Yes, at least that’s what we hope. He must not be allowed to use that weapon. All other concerns are secondary.Do you understand me? |
| Riker | Yes, sir. |
| Picard | All hands. Battle stations. |
| Geordi | Initiate the forcefield. |
| Picard | Captain's Personal Log. Supplemental. We're heading toward Federation space at maximum warp. The crew has responded with the dedication I've come to expect of them. And like a thousand other commanders on a thousand other battlefields, I wait for the dawn. |
| Shinzon | How long? |
| Viceroy | A matter of hours. We must begin the procedure now. |
| Shinzon | How long until we reach the Rift? |
| Viceroy | Seven minutes. |
| --- | |
| Picard | Data, what’s our current position? How soonuntil we reach the fleet? |
| Data | At our current velocity we will arrive at sector 1045 in approximately 40 minutes, sir. |
| Picard | "For now we see but through a glass darkly..." |
| Data | Sir? |
| Picard | He said he's a mirror. |
| Data | Of you, sir? |
| Picard | Yes. |
| Data | I do not agree. Although you share the same genetic structure, the events of your life have created unique individual. |
| Picard | If I have lived his life is it possible, that I would have rejected my humanity. |
| Data | The B-4 is physically identical to me, although his neural pathways are not as advanced. But even if they were, he would not be me. |
| Picard | How can you be sure? |
| Data | I aspire, sir. To be better than I am. The B-4 does not. Nor does Shinzon. We are passing through the Bassen Rift, sir. The projections will return when we have cleared it. |
| Picard | It's interfering with our uplink from Starfleet cartography? |
| Data | The Rift effects all long-range communications-- |
| Picard | Commander Riker, evasive maneuvers! |
| Shinzon | Target weapons systems and shields. I don't want the Enterprise destroyed. Can you learn to see in the dark, Captain? |
| Picard | Report. |
| Riker | He's firing through the cloak. We can't get a lock. |
| Geordi | He disabled our warp drive with his first shot. We've only have impulse, captain. |
| Picard | Mister Worf, prepare a full phaser spread, zero elevation. All banks on my mark. Scan for shield impacts and stand by photon torpedoes. |
| Worf | Aye, sir |
| Picard | Fire! |
| Shinzon | You're too slow, old man. Attack pattern Shinzon Theta. |
| Data | We are losing dorsal shields-- |
| Picard | Full axis rotation to port! Fire all ventral phasers! |
| Worf | Minimal damage to the Scimitar. |
| Riker | Defensive pattern Kirk Epsilon. Get those shields online, Geordi. |
| Geordi | Already on it. |
| Picard | Counselor Troi, report to the bridge. |
| Worf | Captain, we're being hailed. |
| Picard | On screen. |
| Shinzon | Captain Picard, will you join me in your Ready Room? You can't trace my holographic emitters, Captainn. So don't bother. And you can't contact Starfleet. It's just the two of us now, Jean Luc, as it should be. |
| Picard | mso-spacerun: yes"> Why are you here? |
| Shinzon | To accept your surrender. I can clearly destroy you at any time. Lower your shields and allow me to transport you to my ship. |
| Picard | And the Enterprise? |
| Shinzon | I have little interest in your quaint vessel, Captain |
| Picard | Look at me, Shinzon! Your heart, your hands, your eyes are the same as mine. The blood pumping within you, the raw material is the same. We have the same potencial. |
| Shinzon | That’s the past, captain. |
| Picard | It can be the future. Very deep within you, beneath all the years of pain and anger there is something that has never been emerged. The potential to make yourself a better man. And that is what it is to be human. To make yourself more than you are. Oh yes, I know you. There was a time you looked at the stars and dreamed of what might be. |
| Shinzon | Childish dreams, Captain. Lost in the dilithium mines of Remus. I am what you see now. |
| Picard | I see more than that. I see what you could be. The man who is Shinzon of Remus and Jean Luc Picard could never exterminate the population of an entire planet! He is better than that! |
| Shinzon | He is what his life has made him! |
| Picard | And what will he do with that life? Wasted in a blaze of hatred? There is a better way. |
| Shinzon | It’s too late. |
| Picard | Never, never! You still have a choice. Make the right one now. |
| Shinzon | I can’t fight what I am. |
| Picard | Yes, you can. |
| Shinzon | I’ll show you my true nature. Our nature. And as Earth dies --remember I will always forever be Shinzon of Remus! And my voice shall echo through time long after yours has faded to a dim memory. |
| Viceroy | Two ships decloaking, sir! mso-spacerun: yes"> Romulan! |
| Riker | Captain... just when I thought this couldn’t gen any worse. |
| Worf | We're being hailed. |
| Picard | On screen. |
| Donatra | Captain Picard, Commander Donatra of the Warbird Valdore. Might we be of assistance? |
| Picard | Assistence? |
| Donatra | The Empire considers this a matter of internal security. We regret you've become involved. |
| Picard | Commander, when this is over, I owe you a drink. |
| Donatra | Romulan ale, Captain. Let's get to work. |
| Picard | You heard the lady. Let’s get to work. Mister Worf, coordinate our attack with the Valdore's tactical officer. Triangulate all fire on any shield impacts. |
| Worf | Aye, sir. |
| Data | Aft shields down to forty percent. |
| Riker | Keep our bow to the Scimitar. Auxiliary power to forward shields. |
| Geordi | Aye, sir. |
| Shinzon | Target the flanking Warbird. mso-spacerun: yes"> All forward disruptor banks on my mark. |
| Data | Forward shields down to ten percent. |
| Riker | Bring us about! |
| Shinzon | Drop cloak on the aft port quadrant and prepare for full emergency stop. |
| Viceroy | What?! |
| Shinzon | You heard me! |
| Donatra | He's losing his cloak! Stand by all forward disruptor banks! |
| Viceroy | She's almost on us. |
| Shinzon | Not yet. |
| Viceroy | Praetor… |
| Shinzon | FULL STOP AND FIRE! Restore the aft cloak.and bring us about. |
| Donatra | I'm afraid that drink will have to wait, Captain. |
| Picard | Do you have life support? |
| Donatra | For the moment. But we're dead in the water. |
| Picard | Understood-- |
| Data | We’re loosingstructural integrity on decks twelve through seventeen, sections four through ten. |
| Geordi | Emergency force fields are holding. |
| Riker | Evacuate those decks and reroute field power to forward shields. |
| Troi | Captain -- I think I may have a way to find them. |
| Shinzon | Prepare a lateral run --all starboard disruptors. What is it? What is it?! |
| Viceroy | She’s here. |
| Troi | He's resisting me. |
| Viceroy | No! |
| Troi | Remember me? NOW! |
| Picard | Fire at will. |
| Shinzon | Prepare a boarding party -- BRING ME PICARD! |
| Viceroy | You! |
| Shinzon | Get the cloak back! Target shield coordinates beta three. All disruptors. Fire! |
| Data | Captain, we have lost ventral shielding on deck twenty nine. |
| Picard | Divert all power and compensate- |
| Worf | Intruder alert! |
| Picard | Number One. |
| Riker | Let' s go. |
| Worf | Security detail to deck twenty nine. Romulans fought with honor. |
| Riker | Yes, they did, Mister Worf. Worf, cover me. |
| Picard | Medical teams to the bridge. Report. |
| Data | We have exhausted our compliment of photon torpedoes. Phaser banks are down to four percents. |
| Picard | What if we target all our phasers in a concentrated attack? |
| Geordi | The Scimitar's shields are still at seventy percent. It would make no difference, captain. |
| Troi | What's he doing? |
| Picard | He wants to look me in the eye. We’ve got him. He thinks he knows exactly what I'm going to do. Geordi, divert all power to the engines. Take from life supports if you have to. Give me everything you’ve got. |
| Geordi | Ready, captain. |
| Data | We are being hailed, sir. |
| Picard | Deanna, stand by. Open a channel. |
| Shinzon | I hope you're still alive, Jean Luc. |
| Picard | Oh, yes. I am. |
| Shinzon | Don't you think it's time to surrender? Why should the rest of your crew have to die? |
| Picard | Shinzon, I don’t think I ever told you about my first Academy evaluation. In particular I was thought to be extremely over-confident. |
| Picard | FULL IMPULS ON MY CMD |
| Shinzon | Captain, as much as I enjoy listening to your talk I really think... |
| Picard | On my mark, Deanna. All hands, brace for impact. Engage. |
| Shinzon | HARD TO PORT! Divert all power to the engines. Full reverse! |
| Picard | Computer. Stand by auto-destruct sequence Omega. Recognize voice pattern Jean Luc Picard. Authorization Alpha Alpha Three Zero Five-- |
| Poèítaè | Auto-destruct is off-line. |
| Reman | Disruptors are not functional, sir. |
| Shinzon | Deploy the weapon. Kill everything on that ship. Then set a course for Earth. We must complete our mission. |
| R poèítaè | Matrix initiated. Sequencing procedure for Thalaron radiation transfer activated. |
| Shinzon | Some ideals are worth dying for, aren't they, Jean Luc? |
| R poèítaè | Thalaron intermix procedure initiated. Deploying the targeting arms. Commencing. |
| Picard | How long until he can fire? |
| Geordi | The targeting sequence should take about seven minutes, captain. When a targeting arms are fully deployed, matrix on the bridge will relay the Thalaron radiation to the firing points at their tips. No one on the Enterprise will survive. |
| Troi | How can he? He'll kill you. |
| Picard | This isn't about me anymore. Prepare for a site-to-site transport. |
| Geordi | Captain, I don't think, that the transporter-- |
| Picard | That's an order, Commander. |
| Data | Sir, allow me to go. |
| Picard | Data, this is something I have to do. |
| Data | Sir... |
| Troi | Data... |
| Picard | You have the bridge, Commander. Try and put some distance between you and the Scimitar. Now, Mister La Forge. |
| Geordi | Aye, sir. |
| Geordi | That's it. Transporters are down. |
| Muž | The system is fused. |
| Data | Counsellor Troi, please assume command. Geordi, come with me. |
| R poèítaè | Thalaron intermix level 30 procent. 4 minutes to firing sequence. Thalaron intermix level 50 procent. 3 minutes to firing sequence. Thalaron intermix level 60 procent. 2 minutes to firing sequence. Thalaron intermix level 80 procent. |
| Shinzon | I'm glad we're together now --our destiny is complete. |
| R poèítaè | 1 minutes to firing sequence. Thalaron intermix level 80 completed. 30 seconds to firing sequence. |
| Data | Goodbye. |
| R poèítaè | 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2.... |
| Troi | Data? |
| Riker | Captain? |
| Troi | It’s Data. |
| Geordi | Captain, we're being hailed. |
| Picard | On screen. Open a channel. |
| Donatra | This is Commander Donatra of the Valdore. We're dispatching shuttles with medical personnel and supplies. |
| Picard | Thank you, Commander. |
| Donatra | You’ve earn a friend in Romulan Empire today, captain. I hope the first of many. Valdore out. |
| Picard | Geordi ... prepare the shuttlebay for their arrivals. They don't know our procedures... just open the doors. |
| Geordi | I'll take care of it, captain. |
| Picard | You have the bridge, Number One. |
| Picard | To absent friends. ..To family. |
| Riker | First time I saw Data, he was leaning against a tree in a holodeck trying to whistle. Funniest thing I ever saw. No matter what he did, he couldn’t get the tone right. What was that song? I can’t remember the song. |
| --- | |
| Picard | Come. Will. |
| Riker | Permission to disembark, sir. |
| Picard | Granted. So where is the Titan up to. |
| Riker | The Neutral Zone. We’re heading up to new task force.
Apparently Romulans are interested in talking. |
| Picard | Well, I can’t think a better man for the job. If I may, just a worthy advice about your fist in command? |
| Riker | Anything. |
| Picard | When your first officer insists that you can't go on away missions... |
| Riker | Ignore him -- I intend to. Serving with you has been an honor. |
| Picard | The honor was mine ...Captain. |
| --- | |
| Picard | I don't know if all this has made sense, but I wanted you to know what kind of man he was. In his quest to be more like us, he helped us to see what it means to be human. |
| B4 | My... My brother was not a human. |
| Picard | No, he wasn't ...But his wonder, his curiosity about every facet of human nature allowed all of us see the best parts of ourselves. He evolved, embraced change ... because he always wanted to be better than he was. |
| B4 | I do not understand. |
| Picard | Well, I hope someday you will. |
| Worf | Captain, the warp engines are ready to go on-line. |
| Picard | I’m on my way. Please inform commander LaForge... We'll talk later? |
| B4 | Nver saw the sun, never saw the sun, never saw the sun... |
| Picard | Shining so bright... |
| B4 | Shining so bright... Never saw things |
| Picard | Going so right... |
| B4 | Going so right... |