Captain's log, star date 41365.9.
The Enterprise has been ordered to Star base 74,
in orbit around Tarsas III.
A routine maintenance check will be made and certain upgrades done,
including the holodeck, which has had problems.
I anticipate a glowing report.
The ship performs magnificently, beyond expectations.
Coming into position.
Stand by to dock.
Ready to dock, sir.
Engage mooring beams.
- And lock off. - Aye, sir.
And... docking complete.
Thank you, Number One.
Well done.
And...
..well done, all.
Star base maintenance approaching airlock five.
Cmdr Quinteros. Permission to board?
Granted. Welcome.
Captain.
Cmdr Riker.
You're late. We expected you a week ago.
- We were delayed at Omicron Pascal. - Any specific you wish to report?
No, we're very pleased with the Enterprise.
I knew you would be. I headed the team that built her.
- Are these gentlemen the Bynars? - They're not gentlemen. Or ladies.
They're a unified pair. They're always together.
This is One Zero. And this is Zero One.
They upgraded the computers on the Wellington. A great job.
Your reputation precedes you. I'm pleased to have you.
A pleasure to work on such a computer.
You have 48 hours. In 48 plus six we must leave for Pelleus V.
I thought we had more time.
Sorry. We can't delay. You could postpone the work.
No. We can complete our work within the time allotted.
They work very quickly, but it'll be tight.
Cmdr Riker and I will stay on board.
We won't need you until we're ready for inspection.
The Bynars seem perfect for this. It's the first time I've met them.
They have become so interconnected with their planet's master computer
that their language and thought patterns
are as close to binary as it's possible for organic beings.
I wonder how they'll improve a computer as advanced as ours.
Bridge. Well, I have work to finish, then I'm going to put my feet up,
turn on my relaxation light and lose myself in the pages of an old novel.
And you? You've earned a rest.
I'm not good at organizing my time off.
Something will turn up. It always does.
I'll be in my ready room.
And, Number One,... good work.
I thought there'd only be two of you.
Because of the limited time, we need others.
- Is there a problem? - No! No problem.
Then why are you so excited?
Because we must... Stacking! To reconfigure the computer.
To communicate with itself more efficiently and faster.
You act like you don't believe them.
I'm not sure that I do. Maybe it's nothing.
Perhaps it's how their species behaves.
Maybe. I'm going to stroll around the ship.
You got the bridge. Keep your eye on them.
Yes, sir.
Space, the final frontier.
These are the voyages of the Starship Enterprise.
Its continuing mission, to explore strange new worlds,...
..to seek out new life and new civilizations,...
..to boldly go where no one has gone before.
We've been challenged to a game of parrises squares by Maintenance.
- Want to join us on the star base? - You have a full team.
- We can switch off. - You'll lose the rhythm of the game.
- I can't persuade you? - No, but win. For the Enterprise.
Rest assured, we will be victorious. Whatever the cost.
Worf, it's just a friendly game.
Work up a sweat, have a few laughs, make new friends.
If winning is not important, then, Commander, why keep score?
I think he's pulling your leg.
Believe it or not, Worf is developing a sense of humour.
I hope so, for their sake. Good luck.
Computer, there's a power reduction in section L-94. Explain.
Unoccupied sections are being closed down
to clear space in the main computer banks.
It is necessary to facilitate the system upgrade.
Full power can be restored if needed.
- Well, what do you think? - Tell me what it's supposed to be.
It is an attempt at pure creativity.
We're investigating if Data can be creative.
And this... is my attempt,
with guidance from Geordi.
- I suggested the zylo eggs. - Is that what those are?
Keep notes. This project may be of interest to future scholars.
Really?
A blind man teaching an android to paint.
That's gotta be worth a couple of pages in somebody's book.
Are you packing to leave for ever?
Cmdr Riker. No, I'm just gathering my notes.
Professor Terence Epstein is at the star base.
Is that someone I should know of?
He's the leading mind in cybernetics.
He lectured at my medical school.
You know the disaster at Micromius?
Since then I've been working on an approach
that combines cybernetics and regeneration.
Sounds impossible, I know, but I've found an approach that will work.
What an opportunity! To have a chance to talk with Dr. Epstein.
Sorry, Will, I'd love to chat but I have to go.
How's it going?
Almost done. The deviation caused by a probe is corrected.
You may use it any time you wish.
How much has changed? What exactly did you do?
- Enhancement. - Nothing more.
- Do you wish to try the enhancement? - Alright. What should I choose?
Computer, I'd like someplace to play music. With atmosphere.
- Specify. - Jazz.
- Era? - Circa 1958.
- Location? - Kansas City.
No. New Orleans. Bourbon Street bar in New Orleans.
Around 2 am.
Program complete. Enter when ready.
Very good.
Very good indeed.
Now, I'll need someone to play with. A trio.
Piano, bass, drums. And a 'bone for me.
Now, an audience.
Too many.
I was thinking of something... a little more intimate.
Great job, boys.
But, computer, blondes and jazz seldom go together.
Now, that is truly exceptional.
But more sultry.
Gentlemen, if this is what you call enhancement,...
..you have a gift for understatement.
What's your name? Tell me you love jazz.
My name is Minuet, and I love all jazz except Dixieland.
- Why not Dixieland? - You can't dance to it.
My girl!
What's a knockout like you
doing in a computer-generated gin joint like this?
Waiting for you.
Waiting for me? You can't be serious.
Yes, Will.
I've never been more serious in my life.
Can I ask you a question about the Bynars?
Why not just ask them?
What is that high-pitched sound you make?
- It's our primary language. - How do you process data so fast?
We store information with these.
We receive it all the time and save it until needed.
How did you develop this ability?
It happened over a long period of time.
A society intermixed with computers has great advantages.
And a few disadvantages.
Everything under control?
Fine, sir. I was trying to find out about the Bynars.
- Where's Cmdr Riker? - On holodeck four. Shall I call him?
No, I'll go down there myself. Keep me apprised.
Yes, sir.
Man, the chick digs you.
- What makes you say that? - Look at her.
- Maybe it's my music. - Well, don't give up your day job.
Too real!
You got that straight, Slim. Too real is too right.
- Thanks for letting me sit in. - Ain't nothing to it.
I have to leave for a while to see to my duties.
Your work's very important to you.
It is me. It's what I am.
Can we dance once before you leave?
Sure. Why not?
- How did you learn to dance so well? - From following you.
I can anticipate your lead.
So, tell me about your work.
What is it about it that consumes and enthrals you?
Interesting choice of words. That's exactly what it does.
- You're very fortunate. - I know that.
To be exactly where you want to be.
And it's great that you realize it.
I'd be a fool not to realize how lucky I am...
..to be on this ship, serving with these people.
It's like a dream come true.
Just like this.
A dream? Is that what this is?
Is that what I am?
I know you're a computer-generated image, but...
..your smell,...
..your touch, the way you feel.
Even the things you say and think seem so real.
Thank you.
How far can this relationship go?
I mean, how real are you?
As real as you need me to be.
- Astounding. - Captain.
- Sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt. - It's alright. Come on in.
You picked a wonderful locale.
This is something I might have chosen myself.
Aren't you going to introduce me?
Capt Picard, this is Minuet. Minuet, Capt Jean-Luc Picard.
Enchantée. Comme c'est merveilleux de vous voir ici.
Incroyable. Vous étes Parisienne?
Au fond, nous sommes tous Parisiens.
Oui, au fond, nous sommes tous Parisiens.
The spirit of that city can always enchant my soul.
I have been hoping to meet you.
Was I the subject of conversation?
Indirectly. Come, join us, Jean-Luc.
- A glass of wine? - Thank you.
Will was saying how much he enjoys this assignment.
It's a credit to you.
For a ship and crew to function well, it starts with the captain.
You set the tone.
At this moment, it is you who are setting the tone.
The sophistication of this programming is remarkable.
In what way?
The holodeck has given us woodlands and ski slopes, figures that fight
and fictional characters with whom we can interact. You're very different.
You adapt. You spoke in French.
It was very simple. When I heard your name,
I merely accessed the foreign-language bank.
- That's very impressive. - Oui, mon chou.
Now what are you doing?
I'm awaiting inspiration.
- Cmdr Data? - This is Cmdr Data. Go ahead.
We have possible trouble in Engineering, sir.
Can you be specific?
I'm afraid not. It's in the magnetic containment field
containing the antimatter. Can you come up?
We'll go to Engineering as that's where the trouble is.
Don't disturb the Captain or Cmdr Riker yet.
Aye, sir.
- Bridge, this is Main Engineering. - This is the bridge.
- Are you running test programs? - No.
Are the Bynars?
Not to my knowledge. Is there a problem?
I don't know. There's no one on duty here.
We have strange readings from the magnetic containment field.
It's deteriorating. Contact the Captain. I'm initiating red alert.
I can't maintain the containment field.
Engineering to Captain.
If the antimatter is released, we'll be destroyed.
Nothing I do has any effect. I'm losing it.
I've rechecked every circuit. This is not a computer misreading.
Computer, situation analysis.
Estimate release of antimatter in four minutes, 18 seconds.
17 seconds... 16 seconds...
- Engineering to bridge. - Bridge here.
Alert Star base. Inform them we are abandoning ship.
Explain why. Initiate automated departure sequence.
Set course and speed to keep maximum distance from any inhabited planets.
- Shouldn't we wait for the Captain? - We've no time.
Based on all present information, the decision is correct.
This is Lt. Cmdr Data speaking for the Captain.
Abandon ship. This is not a drill.
All personnel, this is not a drill.
I say again, abandon ship.
All personnel, this is not a drill.
Abandon ship.
Decks two through four to cargo transporters.
Decks five through ten,
proceed to transporters one, two, three and four.
Decks six through 16,
proceed to transporters five, six, seven, eight, nine...
Hold your positions, please. Prepare to energize.
And energize.
Decks 29 through 42,
proceed to transporters 15, 16,
17, 18, 19 and 20.
This is not a drill.
- What's going on? - Please, stand out of the way.
- The ship is being evacuated. - Why?
- Some problem in Engineering. - Get a Security team together.
Ship's log, supplemental. This is Lt. Cmdr Data.
I have put the ship on automated departure
and ordered evacuation of the Enterprise.
Everyone remaining is leaving on foot or beaming off.
Computer, where are the Captain and Cmdr Riker?
All decks empty.
Curious. The Captain is usually last to leave.
Let's go. We've only got 41 seconds.
I think we're the last.
I hope we are.
- Did you see the Captain and Riker? - No. Are they not on Star base?
- No. - They're still on the Enterprise?
Yes. Sir, where is your transporter room?
- We must beam back for them. - You haven't time.
Star base 74. The Enterprise magnetic field is regenerating.
- Wait. How is that possible? - That changes nothing!
The Captain and Cmdr Riker are in trouble or they'd be here.
Look! Your ship is almost clear.
And the boy never found out?
Yes, but not until he came back in with his little sister.
I bet they were all smiles.
Yes, but they'd been found out.
You handled that in a very thoughtful way.
You're good with people. Don't you agree, Jean-Luc?
She's very different from the other images we've met on the holodeck.
She's more intuitive.
It's as though she's been plugged into my subconscious.
She knows what I want her to say before I'm aware of it myself.
An understandable progression.
Computers make decisions based on input.
We humans give off a multitude of subtle signs that...
..that communicate our emotions.
It's uncanny.
I could develop feelings for Minuet exactly as I would for any woman.
Doesn't love always begin with the illusion more real than the woman?
Jean-Luc, spoken like a true Frenchman.
- Well, I think I'll be leaving. - Don't go!
- Two's company. - We have time. There's no rush.
- I'd really like it if you'd stay. - Yes, Captain, stay.
- This is your diversion, not mine. - Wait! We haven't danced.
- I don't dance. - Then more wine.
- No, thank you. - Wait.
Please don't go. You can't. Not yet.
What's wrong? Why can't he leave?
Exit!
Captain to bridge. Situation report.
Riker to bridge.
- Computer, explain red alert. - A programmed response.
The magnetic field containing the antimatter had weakened.
- Why wasn't I notified? - Unknown.
- Present condition? - Magnetic field restored.
Containment restored. Propulsion at maximum efficiency.
- Locate Data. - Not on board the Enterprise.
Explain.
All personnel except the Captain and First Officer have been evacuated.
- Evacuated? Was it that critical? - Yes.
- Are we still at the star base? - No.
- Position report. - Coordinates 4159.26
by 81921 by 312.
Heading 233, mark 45.
Destination?
Planet Bynaus in the Beta Magellan system.
The Bynars.
Have the Bynars stolen the Enterprise?
That information is not available.
It's the Bynars. You're part of this.
- Yes. - You were the lure to keep me here.
Yes. When they saw your interest in me they thought I could distract you.
- That's Riker. What about me? - That was a fortunate happenstance.
- What do they want with me? - Or the Enterprise?
I'm not programmed to tell you that.
Come on, Number One. We've got to regain control of our ship.
- OK, so what do we do? - Which is the nearest vessel?
- The Trieste. - I know it. Too small, too slow.
Plus, it's 66 hours away.
Where are the Bynars?
- I haven't seen them. - Then they are still aboard.
We must send a vessel to intercept them at Bynaus.
- They may head for there. - What makes you think so?
It is the best place for us to start.
Picard. Access.
Captain's log, supplemental.
We now know who has commandeered the Enterprise. The Bynars.
We can't contact the bridge.
Cmdr Riker and I will now try to regain control of our ship.
- This way. - To Engineering?
Our first step. Verify containment and initiate auto-destruct.
Initiate auto-destruct?
Our ship has been commandeered by a force of unknown size and intent.
We're here alone. We must assume the worst.
If we don't regain control, no one else must have it either.
This is the one decision that requires us to be in total agreement.
The time allotted concerns me.
- There's no option. - A five-minute countdown.
Sufficient to get to the bridge and shut off auto-destruct. Or not.
This vessel must not fall into hostile hands.
Then let's set it and go.
Recognize Picard, Jean-Luc, Captain.
Recognize Riker, William T, Commander.
Set auto-destruct sequence.
Does the First Officer concur?
Yes. Set auto-destruct sequence, now.
Auto-destruct will detonate in four minutes and 59 seconds.
The only place to stop this is on the bridge. Let's go.
What do you make of this, sir?
A huge amount of data is being stored in the computer.
- Just stored. Why? - Another piece of this puzzle.
- Bridge access denied. - They locked it.
- We need another way in. - One of us could beam in.
It takes too long to materialize. You'd have no chance.
I could beam into the turbo lift, force the doors.
No, we'll beam in simultaneously, to different areas of the bridge.
With luck, one of us will be a distraction.
There's only four minutes left.
Still no response from the Enterprise.
They would answer if they could. Someone else has control.
Do you think I am responsible?
Responsible? How could you possibly have known?
- My station is on the bridge. - You can't be there every second.
You are wrong, Geordi. I can. I do not need rest or diversion.
I should not have been painting. I was negligent.
It's a pointless discussion.
You could have been there and it still might have happened.
Cmdr Quinteros. You have three ships in here.
- We need one of them now. - We're rushing repairs.
But it's 18 hours before one will be ready. There's nothing you can do.
Set coordinates for bridge - port for me, aft for you.
You're on pad two.
I've set a ten-second delay.
Set phasers on stun.
Number One, good luck.
Over here, Captain.
Why did you steal my ship?
Please...
..try... to...
..help... us.
Cancel auto-destruct.
Does the First Officer agree?
Affirmative.
Auto-destruct cancelled.
We're in orbit around Bynaus. How are they?
They appear dead. Let's see if we can get some answers from Bynaus.
Their main computer is off.
Sensors show all their equipment is inert.
They can neither send nor receive messages.
They depend on their computer. Are they functioning?
They're probably like these Bynars here. Dying.
Why did they steal our ship? What is their purpose?
They cleared computer space. Let's see what they stored.
Captain, it's enormous. Every byte of free space is filled.
They must have made a core-dump from their world into our computer.
I can't get in.
I wish they'd left a note.
- Maybe they did. - Minuet.
What's this all about?
A star in the Bynar system went supernova and they miscalculated.
The pulse from the explosion was going to knock out their computer.
So they had to transfer their stored information
and shut down until it passed.
And then reactivate their system and transfer the information back.
We have the only mobile computer large enough.
So what went wrong? Why are they dying?
The star went supernova before it was expected.
You were late arriving at Star base 74.
Why didn't they say something? Why didn't they just ask for help?
I don't know. I don't have those answers.
Is there anything we can do?
Yes, return the data stored on your computer back to Bynaus.
- How? - You don't know?
Yes. If I had the filename, but we don't. Do you?
I don't know what you mean.
They wouldn't intentionally hide it, make it hard to find.
- It must be right in front of us. - Let's contact Star base 74.
They're dying. They meant you no harm.
It was their world they were trying to save.
Help them, Will. Hurry.
Please.
Star base 74, this is the Enterprise. Do you read me?
This is Star base 74. What is your situation?
We'll go into that later. I must speak to Lt. Cmdr Data.
I'm here, sir.
The Bynars have stored some material in our computer.
We need to access it.
Access is available by code or password.
I know that, Data, but what could it be?
Filenames can be anything, sir.
They want us to find it. It would be simple.
Then a name. Or a place. It could be something personal.
In this case, in binary language,
which is ones and zeros in groups of eight or 16.
Would they have kept it that simple?
Try it. Picard out.
That's the file.
Access the file. Start the transfer.
So much for that idea.
Let me take the other position.
The Bynars always work in pairs. Maybe that is required.
It appears to be successful.
Their system's started up. A resident diagnostic program is running.
Their system is absolutely incredible.
Our world is reactivated.
Our people express their gratitude.
We will return to your star base
for whatever punishment your system requires of us.
Why didn't you just ask for help?
You might have said no.
There was a good chance we'd say yes.
Our need was too great to risk rejection.
And so you stole it.
Their reason was part of the binary thinking.
For them, there are only two choices. One or zero. Yes or no.
Why lure me to the holodeck?
Because we knew we might die.
We needed someone to restore our computer. And you did.
No one has been hurt. You have your planet back in order.
We have our ship.
Well,... it's been some time since I had the conn.
But not to worry, Number One, you're in good hands.
Star base 74,...
..warp two.
Engage.
Everything's under control.
USS Enterprise has cleared the star base perimeter.
- Is everything alright? - All in order.
But I want a complete check, all systems, all divisions.
- What about the Bynars? - There will be a hearing.
- We knew that would happen. - Follow me, please.
Permission to leave the bridge, sir?
Permission granted.
What is a knockout like you doing in a computer-generated gin joint?
You're not Minuet.
She's gone.
I tried variations of the program, others appeared, but... not Minuet.
Maybe it was all part of the Bynars' programming.
But you know, Number One,... some relationships just can't work.
Yes, probably true.
She'll be difficult to forget.

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