Personal log, Chief Engineer Geordi La Forge, star date 44885.5.
I'm en route to Risa for an artificial-intelligence seminar.
The Captain has ordered me to arrive early, to have fun.
I shall follow his orders to the best of my ability.
How about some different music, Computer? With a Latin beat.
No, something with a gentle Latin beat. Maybe Spanish guitar.
Perfect.
What's the weather like on Risa?
Risa is climate-controlled for optimum tourist comfort.
Is that right? How long till we get there?
Arrival at Risa is scheduled for 0932 hours.
Three hours.
- How about a game? - Please restate request.
Something to pass the time, a diversion.
Select either visual interactive or verbal interactive.
- Verbal. - 20 seconds for each question.
Level of difficulty increases as you progress. Proceed when ready.
Begin.
List the resonances of the sub-quantum states
associated with transitional relativity.
- That's easy! - In alphabetical order.
Asymmetrical...
Inverted...
Phased...
Stable...
Your time has expired.
- The fifth resonance is... - Universal.
I knew that. OK. Give me another one.
List warp modulation field patterns in order of decreasing energy.
There's the aft nacelle associative, the full...
Computer! Sequence 010.
Maximum power to the shields, kill the music.
Enterprise, I've encountered a Romulan warbird.
Coordinates at three...
- Warning! Shield failure. - Damn!
Risa control!
Anybody!
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.
Captain's log, star date 4489 1.6.
The Enterprise has been ordered to accompany an emissary
from the Klingon High Council to the Kriosian system,
where one of their colonies is fighting for independence.
There was a time when the Empire would crush a rebellion.
Now it is tolerated.
We have enough troubles.
We don't wish to divert resources to such a trivial war.
- You'll give them independence? - Perhaps.
Conquer them again later, if we wish.
May I ask, what has this to do with us?
The Governor has charged that the Federation is aiding the rebels.
Does he have evidence?
Council has sent me to examine that evidence.
It was my decision to invite you to accompany me.
Many on the Council have great respect for you.
K'adlo.
I have been happy to offer occasional assistance to the Klingons.
Your modesty is very human, Captain. I will excuse it.
I can assure you, Ambassador,
the Federation would never interfere in the affairs of the Empire.
Let us hope not. It would strike at the basis of our alliance.
Captain, we are in the war zone.
Indeed.
Ambassador, I will ask Lt Worf
to make a report...
Captain, Worf's discommendation makes that very awkward.
If I could work with another officer...
Lt Worf is Chief of Security and my tactical officer.
This matter clearly falls within his jurisdiction.
As you wish.
Take it easy!
Welcome, Mr. La Forge.
We've waited a long time to meet you.
You've gone to a lot of trouble.
Indeed we have.
You will be a great help to us.
I wouldn't count on it.
Good. Very good.
Do not enjoy yourself too much on Risa.
Your visor will be returned.
First, I want to show you something.
Show me something? A nice trick.
I can't see anything without the visor.
That is not quite true.
Allow me to demonstrate.
I now have direct access to his visual cortex.
He has no choice but to see what I wish.
I can feed him any image. He will be unable to ignore it.
His galvanic skin response has increased nine percent.
It seems La Forge, like many humans,
has a low tolerance for watching others suffer.
- Why are you doing this? - I'm sorry, Commander.
It is a necessary step. I apologize for your discomfort.
Observe how a spring day on his native Earth affects him.
He's looking at a beautiful meadow,
green trees, birds, a blue sky.
The heartbeat slows. The galvanic skin response drops.
The body responds to our stimuli.
He is incapable of maintaining control of his own responses.
Watch as I change the stimuli again.
Once our work is done, La Forge will act normally,
unaware of his conditioning.
The perfect tool for our purpose.
Will there be any physical evidence?
None, Commander. That is why we chose La Forge.
The utilization of his pre-existing neural implants
makes our work impossible to detect.
How will we be certain of success?
I will program him to perform a series of tests,
both before he leaves us and after he returns.
We'll be able to verify his effectiveness.
Notice that his heart rate has slowed.
He is becoming accustomed to the horrors he is witnessing.
So...
..we change horrors.
There have been two rebel attacks on neutral freighters.
One Ferengi, the other Cardassian.
Both were engaged near the Ikalian asteroid belt.
That's where the rebels must be hiding.
The actinides in the asteroids protect them from our sensors.
They might attack a freighter,
but I doubt they would challenge a Federation starship.
Especially with the Federation furnishing them support.
You would test the Captain's word with me, Kell?
Is it because I have no honour that you expect me to be disloyal?
Wrong of me to ask. My apologies.
Capt Picard does not lie.
If he says there is no Federation assistance, there is none.
Good. I risked my own reputation and honour coming to Picard.
He will not disappoint you. If that is all...
Some members of the High Council would thank you, Worf.
Thank me?
For killing Duras.
No doubt, had he lived, he would have headed the Council.
Many did not look forward to that.
My motives were personal, not political.
Motives? Who cares for motives?
Humans, perhaps.
What matters is you acted on that day as a true Klingon.
Thanks.
Where are we, Mr. La Forge?
This is ten-forward.
Who is that man over there?
That's Chief O'Brien.
How long has he served with you?
Almost four years.
I want you to kill him.
OK.
Take this phaser and kill Chief O'Brien.
Finally, I think I've found it...
..the power to transporter seven...
Freeze simulations.
Commander, did you understand my request?
Well, l... It's just...
- I don't... - Look at me.
- What did I ask you to do? - Kill Chief O'Brien.
Then do as I asked. Resume program.
Chief.
Good, Mr. La Forge. Very good.
Why don't you enjoy a drink with your friends?
- Mind if I join you, guys? - Sure.
He still hesitated. Prepare the equipment for another session.
Captain's log, star date 44896.9.
We are orbiting Krios, awaiting the Klingon governor.
Cmdr La Forge has rejoined the Enterprise from Risa.
- Welcome back, Geordi. - Data!
- How was the seminar? - Very informative!
I'll tell you about it.
It is fortunate we could coordinate your return on the cruiser.
When I heard the Enterprise went to Krios,
I thought I might be forced to endure a few more weeks on Risa.
I'm sorry you did not enjoy yourself.
- I was joking. - Joking?
"Forced to endure."
Your actual intent was to emphasize that you did enjoy yourself.
Yes. I see how that could be considered quite amusing.
I missed you, Data!
- Cmdr La Forge. - Permission to come aboard.
- Granted. Welcome back. - Thank you, sir.
Cmdr La Forge is my chief engineer.
He's been attending a seminar on artificial intelligence on Risa.
I'm glad we got you back. We need you.
Data tells me the Federation has been accused of aiding rebels.
We are seeing evidence today. We need your help in analyzing it.
Anything I can do.
- You had a good time. - Does it show?
You're more relaxed than I've ever seen you.
Captain, Governor Vagh is ready to meet with you.
Very well. We will transport down to the surface immediately.
Ambassador.
- Cmdr Riker. - What is it, Data?
Our sensors detect an energy fluctuation in the E-band.
The E-band? That's unusual. What's the source?
Unknown, sir. E-band emissions are difficult to localize.
Collapsing protostars can emit E-band bursts.
Yes, sir. There are no protostars in this sector.
- Better do a complete scan. - Yes, sir.
The Carnelians have done the most work on artificial intelligence.
I spent a lot of time in their seminars.
I get the feeling something special happened on this vacation.
I'm not talking about computers.
I did take second place in a chess tournament.
And I swam a lot. The water is very calm on Risa.
- And? - And I walked a lot.
That's all. I ate enough for 12 people.
The food is terrific. They've got a chocolate that you would love.
- And that's all? - Yeah.
- There was this... - Yes?
Her name is Jonek.
But you wouldn't want to hear about that.
Better get ready for duty. Nice talking to you.
We talk, we socialize,
we waste time, and the insurrection continues to grow.
These rebels need to be crushed, not coddled.
Governor, it does not matter what you or I think.
The High Council's wishes are clear.
The Council should be more interested in Federation interference.
Governor, what do you think the Federation has done?
Your medical supplies have reached the rebels.
We make no effort to restrict medical supplies.
Are your weapons also freely available?
No, they are not!
Then explain this.
- You took this from the rebels? - That and many more like it.
It does appear to be Federation issue.
Governor, I would like to take this to verify its origin.
As you wish. I have hundreds more.
Even if these are genuine, a third party must have been involved.
The Federation is not in the business of supplying arms to rebels.
This is the only Klingon colony on the border of Federation space.
You cannot deny that Starfleet would be happy
to see Krios gain its independence.
It would reduce your vulnerability to an attack.
Governor, you speak as if we are enemies, not allies.
And you speak the lies of a taar'chek!
Gentlemen!
You swear well, Picard.
You must have Klingon blood in your veins.
Governor, I will report to you when analysis of that weapon is complete.
Captain, Commander...
Enterprise, three to transport.
Inter-cooler flux down to five percent.
Plasma deviation steady at 0.72.
Aye, sir.
If you keep up this efficiency, I'll go back to Risa.
Just run through a level-four series, then call it a night.
I'd help you but there's something I've got to do.
Red Torian, please.
Thank you.
I'm sorry!
- My glass, it just slipped. - It's nothing. Just cold.
- But you're all soaked! - It's nothing serious.
- Let me wipe it up. - I'll change.
- You sure? - Don't think about it, Commander.
Energy flow is within normal parameters,
from the pre-fire chamber to the aperture.
Rapid nadion pulse, right on target.
Beam-control assembly, safety interlock. Both checked out.
Beam-width intensity controls also responding correctly.
Energy-cell usage constant at 1.05 megajoules per second.
Curious.
The efficiency reading is well above Starfleet specifications.
Yeah, by quite a bit.
94.1 percent efficiency.
Our most efficient discharge crystal fires with 86.5 percent efficiency.
Let's look at the wave pattern of the emission.
That might tell us why.
Pulse frequency out of pre-fired chamber reads steady.
There!
That's not right. The initial output spike is inverted.
That suggests the weapon has been charged with a forced pulse,
well into the terahertz range.
Then it's definitely not Starfleet issue.
There can't be many systems that use terahertz.
327, to our knowledge.
We can probably achieve a match with a computer search.
It will take approximately three hours.
I think we can narrow this down with common sense.
Who has the most to gain from a conflict
between the Klingon Empire and the Federation?
The Romulans.
They fashioned a perfect rifle but charged it from their own sources.
So the discharge crystal and the emission
correspond to those in a Romulan disruptor.
The Romulans have no interest in Kriosian independence.
This planet is too far away.
They would want to drive the Federation and the Empire apart.
Our alliance is all that has kept them in check.
Romulan replications using stolen Federation technology?
It's a typical Romulan ploy.
An attempt to sow dissension and mistrust.
Commander, you've done very well.
I thank you on behalf of the Empire.
I still have my doubts, Picard.
I want my own technicians to confirm your findings.
Of course. My staff will give their full cooperation.
You may go.
- Another E-band blip? - Yes, sir,
but at a different intensity.
It did not originate in the same location.
If it's changed intensity, it can't be a protostar.
That is a reasonable assumption.
Is there any known instance of the Romulans using E-band?
Not to my knowledge, sir.
Can you track the source?
We can reconfigure the primary sensor array.
If we narrow the scan to E-band,
we might be able to calculate a directional vector.
- But only for more occurrences. - Do it.
Computer,
reroute the power in the cargo-bay-four transporter
to the auxiliary replicator system.
Please verify command with necessary protocol.
Initiate protocol 364-B.
Verified priority clearance.
Recognize La Forge, data 2997.
Acknowledged.
Power has been rerouted through power-distribution system
code number 44762.
Now, redirect transporter mode to the planetary sensor array.
Transporter mode has been redirected.
Verify that all record of these modifications are being erased.
Affirmative. Erasure process is proceeding.
Sir, we are being hailed by Governor Vagh.
On screen, Mr. Worf.
- Governor. - You astonish me, Picard.
Did you believe you would succeed, that we are blind?
I don't understand.
We intercepted the weapons you tried to transport.
Governor, I assure you...
Do not insult us both by denying it.
Maintain your position. Do not attempt to leave orbit.
Klingon attack cruiser uncloaking, sir.
On screen.
Two birds of prey approaching.
Sensors confirm an unauthorized transporter beam at 1123 hours.
- Do you know which transporter? - I'm not sure.
Whoever did it used the planetary array to bypass the sensors.
- And the transporter logs? - They're blank.
How many people are capable of this?
I'm not even sure how it was done yet.
As soon as I find out, I can give you an answer. Not many.
Vagh is fully prepared to open fire.
I have convinced him not to act without consulting the High Council.
- How long do we have? - A few hours.
Mr. La Forge, recommendations?
It might be possible to trace power flows at the time of transport.
Make it so.
The primary plasma system does not indicate a power drain.
Then whoever used it must have bypassed the primary feeds.
Tracking power from the secondary systems.
No surges to the transporters indicated.
Damn! Who could have pulled this off?
Try the life-support power flows.
No abnormal surges indicated.
Replicator wave guides?
There! That's not a replicator energy pattern.
Trace it.
- Cargo bay four. - Security to cargo bay four.
I've run a level-one diagnostic.
The unit wasn't tampered with.
This has to be the transfer point.
Perhaps they reprogrammed the memory chips to erase any record.
You're talking about 30 or 40 chips in half-a-dozen systems.
Which crew members could do that?
I think I could have done it. The Chief, Data,
Lt Costa. That's it.
Procedure requires that I ask where you were at 1123 hours.
I was with Keiko, in the arboretum.
I was on the bridge.
I was in my quarters.
- Was anyone with you? - No, I was alone.
Costa was on duty. I'm sure he's got 20 witnesses.
Then someone on board isn't what he or she seems to be.
Data, let's do a detailed scan on every chip.
There's got to be some trail we can follow.
The isolinear chips were altered?
Programmed to erase all commands
once the transfer was complete.
With the chips erased, what evidence remained?
The erasures were complete.
An analysis of the subatomic structure
revealed an almost undetectable residual pattern.
We could reconstruct the perpetrator's authorization code.
- Do you have any ideas? - No, sir.
Everyone with the necessary skills has an alibi, except for me.
I was alone in my quarters.
Then whoever did this must have been specially trained.
Our forensic team is trying to identify anyone who was there today.
It won't be easy. A lot of people were there.
- Riker to Data. - Yes, Commander?
Sensors have picked up another E-emission.
Acknowledged. I will be there shortly.
E-band emission?
We have been picking up a curious intermittent blip.
Cmdr Riker has speculated it is a Romulan transmission.
- I'm tracking its source. - Proceed. Thank you, Mr. La Forge.
We do not have much time. Vagh is not noted for his patience.
Assure him that we are doing everything possible
and advise him that, if necessary, I will defend my ship.
With your permission, I will transport down.
Of course.
May I suggest you invite Governor Vagh
to personally witness your ongoing investigation?
- Do you think he will come? - I will try to ensure that he does.
Qapla', Picard.
Qapla', Ambassador.
Come in, Mr. La Forge.
The investigation is moving too fast. You're in danger of being exposed.
I will transport to the surface and return with Governor Vagh.
Your captain will bring him to the cargo bay.
I want you to kill him there in front of witnesses.
Use a hand phaser.
When he is dead,
you will claim that you acted on behalf of Starfleet,
in support of Kriosian independence.
I understand.
La Forge to O'Brien.
Go ahead, Commander. What can I do for you?
Nothing. Chief, I'm sorry to disturb you.
I'm sorry.
Hiya, Doc.
Geordi. What can I do for you?
I just can't seem to get any sleep.
I hope you can help.
Sit down. Let's take a look.
You couldn't sleep at all?
I was restless. I kept waking up.
Would you take off your visor, please?
Is there something on your mind?
No. I don't think so.
Well, everybody goes through bouts of insomnia.
It's probably nothing.
Let's make sure there's nothing physically wrong.
There's a minor vascular irregularity in the visual cortex.
A slight dilation of the blood vessels. Nothing serious.
What about your visor? Has it been giving you problems?
Nothing out of the ordinary.
Still, it might be good to have it examined at Star base 36 next month.
In the meantime, I will get you a somnetic inducer to put by your bed.
Thanks, Doc. I'm sure I'll be fine.
Energize.
Governor Vagh, thank you for coming.
You can thank Ambassador Kell.
I am here against my better judgement.
Captain, I think that the Governor should see
the investigation under way in the cargo bay.
Of course.
From inside the Enterprise?
The first and third blips were clearly generated onboard the ship.
- The second came from the surface. - Generated by what?
Unknown, sir.
We have a known spy and unexplained signals on board.
It's reasonable to assume they're related.
One could speculate that the E-band is a form of communication.
We need more than speculation.
We need to know who, when, why. Or we may go to war.
Yes, sir.
Computer.
Run an analysis of all known Romulan transmission formats.
All bands.
Identify commonalities with displayed wave form.
No commonalities noted.
Does this wave form match any known format?
Negative.
Broaden search beyond communications.
Does the wave pattern conform to any natural phenomenon,
cryptographic formats or life-form emissions?
The signal corresponds to a wavelength spectrum
similar to human neural frequencies.
- As in a human-brainwave pattern? - Affirmative.
What kind of receiver could process these signals?
A system designed to modify the electromagnetic spectrum
and carry messages directly to the human brain.
Computer. Link with the shuttle's onboard system.
Access the isolinear storage assembly.
Scan all chips which contain mission logs.
Note any discrepancies.
No discrepancies noted.
Perform a level-five diagnostic on navigational and power systems.
The components specified are all within normal tolerances.
My technicians have examined all of the transporters, sir.
I can assure you, only this unit has been tampered with.
Computer, scan the shuttle's structural integrity.
Submicroscopic deformations are present
in the nose section and the aft thrusters.
Probable cause of these variations?
The shuttle has been subjected to stress from a tractor beam.
All our transporter containers have a slight impurity
in the structural alloys which allows us to trace our material.
- Cmdr La Forge. - What, Chief?
Could you look at the buffers?
With what's happened, I'm not sure they are reliable.
Sure. Let's take a look.
Computer, I am reading anomalous variations
in the molecular structure of these memory chips. Confirm.
Analysis confirmed.
- Probable cause? - Replication.
Compare these variations with Romulan replication patterns.
The patterns are identical.
Maybe we should run a diagnostic on those coils.
Right, Commander.
Data to La Forge.
Report, please. Geordi!
Please respond.
Computer, current location of Cmdr La Forge.
Cargo bay four.
Data to Lt Worf, priority one.
- Go ahead. - Take Cmdr La Forge into custody.
- Sir? - That is an order.
Mr. Worf, get him out.
Arming our enemies is not enough.
Now the Federation would murder me to achieve its aims.
Governor, if I could explain this, I would.
I believe I can help, Captain.
I have determined
that La Forge was abducted by Romulans en route to Risa.
It is likely that he was somehow forced to take part in the plot.
I saw no evidence of Romulans.
We just witnessed him acting alone.
No, sir, you did not. I do not believe the Commander is acting
of his own accord. He has been receiving signals through his visor.
Signals which carry direct commands to his brain.
I have surmised that La Forge was conditioned by Romulans,
a process referred to historically, and inaccurately, as brainwashing.
To what end? Why would the Romulans kill me?
The Romulans want to destroy the Federation-Klingon alliance.
If Mr. La Forge had killed you, they might have succeeded.
Who sent these signals? A cloaked Romulan ship?
No, sir. That is not possible.
The signals had to be transmitted close to the visor.
Are you suggesting an accomplice in close proximity to Mr. La Forge?
Yes, sir.
This Romulan accomplice, who is he?
I have narrowed the list to the only two people with Cmdr La Forge
all three times a transmission was recorded.
Capt Picard and Ambassador Kell.
One of them may be concealing an E-band transmitter.
- If they agree to be searched... - I am a Klingon!
An emissary of the High Council.
I will not be searched by anyone on this ship.
I am forced to agree, Captain.
We will take the Ambassador with us and search him ourselves.
Captain, I believe it to be in all our interests if I remain aboard.
I formally request asylum.
I will certainly grant you asylum.
When you have been absolved of this crime.
But I remember everything!
There was this one night, this Andorian waiter,
he couldn't get our orders right.
It did happen!
I remember being on Risa.
I know you do.
Just take that memory and put it aside for a moment.
Tell me everything you remember
about the shuttlecraft trip after you left the Enterprise.
Well, I was just trying to get in the mood.
I played music. I talked to the computer. You know those long trips.
When you saw the Romulan ship, did you call us?
No, the first thing I did...
Wait a minute.
But that's...
It'll take time, Geordi. A long time.
But we will reconstruct your memory.
Together.
I'm just not sure.
About anything.
Believe it or not, that's a good sign. A beginning.
Now, let's go back to the shuttlecraft.
There was a Romulan ship. The first thing you did was...?
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