Original subtitles

Can't you ever just let go?

Let go?

The place is almost deserted.

There hasn't been a ship in for three days

and yet you sit there

like a Baneriam hawk looking for prey.

This is your chance to relax.

I could set you up

with a terrific holosuite program.

Thank you, but I don't accept gifts

from the likes of you.

Who said anything about gifts?

You pay like everyone else.

I'm just trying to get you into the tent.

I have no time for fantasies.

No imagination, huh?

A waste of time.

Too many people dream of places they'll never go

wish for things they'll never have

instead of paying adequate attention

to their real lives.

I could create

a shape-shifter playmate for you.

The two of you could, uh... intermingle.

You're disgusting.

It's a living.

You're not allowing young Mr. Sisko

in your holosuites, I hope.

It's not what you think.

It better not be.

You see that thing on his hand?

It's a baseball mitten.

Every afternoon, the boy goes up to play.

His father brought a program with famous players.

You ever hear of Tris Speaker

or Ted Williams or Buck Bokai?

Afraid not.

Neither did I

until I made it my business to find out.

With all these humans coming now

the true entrepreneur

knows how to... sniff the wind.

Try it.

Go ahead.

I have no sense of smell.

You don't need one to detect the scent

of op-por-tunity.

Opportunity.

Family entertainment.

That's the future, Odo.

There's a fortune to be made.

Little holocreatures running around.

Rides and games for the kiddies.

Ferengis standing in every doorway

selling... useless souvenirs.

You're going to replace all your sexual holoprograms

with family entertainment?

No, no.

No. I'm expanding.

I'm negotiating to lease the space next door

so I can use the same hologenerators.

Well, you're still disgusting.

Till the day I die.

I'm sure you're exaggerating.

You are constantly in my thoughts.

I can't even...

That was two raktajinos, extra strong.

I can't even concentrate.

You seemed to be concentrating just fine

on the Junior Lieutenant at the reception

for Captain Stadius.

She was a poor substitute for you.

And the Betazoid envoy who was here last week.

A... barely...

adequate substitute for you.

Julian, you are a wonderful friend.

I enjoy the time we spend together.

Stop.

You're driving a stake through my heart.

Try a high-pitched sonic shower.

It will make you feel better.

No, it won't.

I've already tried it.

Sorry I'm late.

I was having dinner with Julian.

How is our young doctor?

Young.

Anything going on?

We were just looking at an unusual energy reading.

Elevated thoron emissions in the plasma field.

We thought it might be an environmental byproduct

created by the increased traffic in this area.

It could be.

Ships have always avoided the Denorios Belt.

And we have no idea how the presence

of so many warp and impulse engines

might affect it.

The question is...

is this going to cause us any problems?

We were hoping you could tell us.

"...and the messenger from the queen

"watched the little man as he danced and sang and laughed.

"How he would soon have the daughter he always wanted

because they would never guess that his name was?"

Rumpelstiltskin.

"Rumpelstiltskin."

Right.

"And the next day

"when the little man came and asked

"'Now, Mrs. Queen, what is my name? '

"She said, at first, 'Well, are you called, um... Jack? '

"'No,' he answered.

"'Are you called Harry? '

"'No,' he answered.

"And then she said, 'Then perhaps

'your name is?"'

Rumpelstiltskin!

"'Rumpelstiltskin.'

"And, at the sound of his own name

"the old man was so furious

"that he stamped his foot, shaking the entire kingdom

"and he broke in two and disappeared

"and the king and the queen and their daughter

lived happily ever after."

Good night, little one.

Sweet dreams.

I'm not tired.

Ah, ah, ah.

None of that.

Good night, sweetheart.

Now, then, shall I tuck you in with a bedtime story, too?

Mmm! Only if you're tucked in with me.

Mmm. Naturally.

Mommy?

What is it, honey?

He's in my room.

Who?

Rumpelstiltskin.

Sweetheart...

that was just make-believe.

Rumpelstiltskin isn't real, okay?

All right.

I'll come in and check, but then it's bedtime.

Why do we tell her stories

about evil dwarfs that want to steal children?

Well, don't look so distraught.

I'm only here to offer you my services

if you should need them.

Take her out of here.

What's wrong?

Miles, what?

Please, just go.

A pity you're sending the ladies away.

It's as if all the life just went out of the room.

O'Brien to Security.

Go ahead.

Intruder alert.

Send a team to my quarters immediately.

On our way, Chief.

So where's the straw?

I assume you want gold spun from straw.

What are you?

Well, surely you must know.

You were just telling the little one all about me.

I know what you look like, but you're not...

Ah! Don't say it.

I don't like the sound of it, you know.

Rumpelstiltskin.

Now, you didn't think

that would make me break in two and disappear, did you?

Not this time.

I learned my lesson back in the kingdom.

I don't make deals like that anymore.

Ah, the local constabularies.

Gents, show me a small bit of courtesy

and I'll be very pleasant

but try and lay a hand on me and you'll soon regret it.

Besides, I'm much too fast for you.

And now, my good host

if gold is not your pleasure

tell me your needs and I'll tell you my price.

O'Brien to Sisko.

Go ahead, Chief.

I need you in my quarters on the double.

I'm on my way.

Dad, I've got to talk to you.

Now, Jake, I don't have time. I'm...

Hello, Ben.

He followed me home from the holosuite.

Mmm...

Jadzia!

Hello, Julian.

What are you doing here?

Watching you.

Waiting for you to wake up.

I'm awake.

Is something wrong?

Funny, I was about to ask you the same question.

It... it...

must be this Larosian virus that's been going around.

How do you feel?

Wonderful.

Um...

Mmm...

No... no fever.

Uh... must be me.

Must be me. Must be me.

Uh... must be an allergic reaction

to the replicated antipasto I had at lunch.

Perhaps...

I must be hallucinating.

Why are you fighting this?

Why am I fighting this?

Why... am I fighting this?

I have no good answer to that question.

All senior officers report to Ops immediately.

Okay.

I get it.

Very funny.

Did O'Brien put you up to this?

I don't know what you're talking about.

"Senior officers to Ops."

We all walk in

everybody has a good laugh at my expense.

This is not a joke, Julian.

We'll see.

Ah. Good.

It seems we have a small mystery on our hands.

Lieutenant Jadzia Dax and Dr. Julian Bashir

I'd like you to meet Harmon Bokai

a baseball player from the London Kings who's been dead

for 200 years.

Don't look at me.

I can't figure it out either.

And a medieval fairy tale character

named Rumpelstiltskin.

Oh, fine.

Now everyone knows my name.

Until today, he only existed in storybooks.

A pleasure, I'm... I'm sure.

Could this be related

to the increased thoron emissions

in the plasma field?

Thoron emissions?

I think you'd better ask me, Benjamin.

I was hitting a few to the boy.

He's really been moving well under the ball lately, Ben.

We would have worked on some baserunning

except, uh... well, he was getting hungry

and I realized I was, too.

A hologram with an appetite?

Hologram?

On the contrary, Major.

He's quite real.

They all seem to be.

What the hell they talking about, Ben?

You. You're not actually Buck Bokai.

So how come I'm wearing his uniform?

You're a holographic image of Buck Bokai that I created

so Jake and I could play ball with you.

But I remember.

I remember all the games.

All the opening days.

The homer that won the '42 World Series.

The squeaker that went under Eddie Newson's glove.

The day I broke DiMaggio's consecutive streak.

I programmed it into the computer...

all of it... every statistic.

What foreign tongue are they speaking?

This one didn't come out of any holosuite.

But he did come out of your imagination

just as Buck came out of Jake's.

His imagination?

Then, I must have come out of your imagination, Julian.

Uh... not necessarily.

Well...

maybe.

How could this sort of thing possibly happen?

A subspace disruption.

Maybe some kind of dimensional shift.

I didn't see an anomaly when I scanned the plasma field

but it could have been so small the sensors missed it.

Julian, let's go to your quarters.

Please. I haven't got time for this.

Odo to Sisko.

Go ahead.

Is there something you want to tell me?

I'm in no mood for games, Constable.

What do you need?

Are the environmental controls broken down?

It's snowing on the Promenade.

Snowing?

We're looking at five or six centimeters down here.

Bring in all available security, Odo.

We're going to Yellow Alert.

What's going on?

It seems we're letting our imaginations run wild.

As soon as I have an explanation, I'll give you one.

Sisko out.

Yellow Alert?

Against our own imaginations?

You have a better idea?

I think I've got something.

Look at the wave patterns of the plasma field.

The wave fronts are converging toward a single point.

The particle density rises as you get closer to the center

but then it looks like it just drops off completely.

You're right.

I'm not getting any particulate readings from the core.

What does that mean?

Whatever falls in there is just gone.

You were right.

It is some kind of subspace disruption.

I want a full analysis.

Chief, get a class-4 probe ready.

Aye, sir.

Is there anything I can do to help?

Odo to Ops.

Go ahead.

The snow's disappeared

but now there's a Gunji jackdaw running loose around here.

Just try to keep things under control, Odo.

We're working on it.

Understood.

Come along now. Come along.

There we go.

Ladies and gentlemen

may I have your attention, please?

Ladies and gentlemen

and all androgynous creatures

your attention, please.

As you may have noticed

we're experiencing some difficulties.

I'm going to have to ask you all to please refrain

from using your imaginations.

Just because you don't have an imagination

don't ruin it for the rest of us.

Let me guess.

Another clever Federation experiment has gone awry

and you've turned the whole station

into one vast holosuite.

The phenomenon is being investigated as we speak.

Uh-huh.

Well, uh, tell them to take their time.

I haven't had a chance to show the ladies

my collection of Tartaran landscapes yet.

I'm surprised by your attitude, Quark.

Ah, yes.

Well, you simply don't have the same appreciation for...

art as I do.

Dabo.

I'm surprised because every one of your customers is winning.

What?

They're taking you to the poorhouse.

Dabo. Another winner!

No. No, that's not possible.

Let me through.

Lose. Lose...

One cross...

Two cross.

No! No!

You're outnumbered, Quark.

Pardon me. Pardon me.

I was afraid of this.

The proximity of the wormhole is amplifying the rupture.

The proton counts are going through the roof.

Dax to O'Brien.

How are you coming with that probe, Chief?

I'll have the subspace scanners programmed

in less than an hour.

Keep me informed. Dax out.

I have the wave intensity analysis.

Computer, scan all data files

for comparable wave intensity patterns.

Stand by.

Jadzia...

I find this difficult to say

but I want you to know, I would...

Julian, there's really no need to apologize.

In a way

I feel as if we've invaded your privacy.

We all have fantasies and dreams we keep to ourselves...

thoughts that should remain private.

I'm glad you understand.

Of course I do.

I was a young man... once.

So we can put all this behind us?

Of course.

Good.

The computer seems to be having trouble

finding a match.

She really is submissive, isn't she?

Is that how you want me to be, Julian?

So submissive?

I am not submissive.

Am I?

Uh, no.

Um, uh... well, I don't think so.

I'm just not the cold fish you are.

Cold fish?

Now, I, uh, never said that.

If you'd get down off your high horse

you'd start to appreciate Julian.

She has a sense of humor

as I've always imagined you do.

I could use one about now.

Come on, Lieutenant.

Stop denying all those yearnings you feel.

Yearnings?

If you don't

you'll never know what you missed.

Pattern match found.

Just in the nick of time.

A similar subspace rupture was reported

in the Hanoli system in the mid-23rd century.

The Hanoli system.

I don't believe I know where that is.

There's no reason you should.

When the rupture expanded, the system was destroyed.

Station Log, Stardate 46853.2.

We have launched a probe to study the subspace anomaly.

Meanwhile, more than half the people aboard DS9

have reported manifestations of their imagined thoughts.

All probe systems are reading normal.

Calibrating sensors for subspace.

Three minutes to coordinates.

Wave patterns should begin fluctuating any time now.

There.

The probe is penetrating the thoron field.

Two and a half minutes to coordinates.

Ah, for simpler times, eh?

Go away.

I only want to help.

You're in the way.

A farmer from Derry once tried to chase me off

until I saved his crops... from locusts.

Two minutes to coordinates.

Thoron emissions are stable.

You know what I find most intriguing

about you, my good host?

You're afraid.

Of me.

Look, figment

I'm not afraid of anybody, least of all you.

90 seconds to coordinates.

Figment, am I?

A figment of my imagination, that's all.

And yet, you can't deny

how this imagination of yours empowers me, can you?

Empowers me in a way

that somehow terrifies you.

You should be getting some primary data, Commander.

They're coming in now, Chief.

Stand by.

She is your firstborn, isn't she?

30 seconds to coordinates.

Thoron emission patterns unstable.

Probe hull temperature dropping rapidly.

Ten seconds.

The probe's approaching the perimeter of the anomaly.

That's strange.

What is it?

Negative readings on all sensors.

We may be looking at some sort of folded space.

Let's see what the optical scanner

on the probe gives us.

It's drawing in all the matter from the surrounding space.

Benjamin, it's getting larger.

Feel like taking a few ground balls?

Look, I tried to tell you

you're on a space station in the 24th century.

The only ball field around is a holographic simulation.

It's not real, and neither are you.

Oh, you see, I don't get it.

I can pinch myself and it hurts

and I am here with you, aren't I?

Right now you are, but, in a minute, who knows?

I hope when we get this thing figured out, you'll...

Disappear for good?

I hope so.

Oh, you do, huh?

Well, so let's just say for a moment I don't.

So what am I supposed to do, huh?

You got room on your team

for a switch-hitting third baseman

with good power?

Good power from the left side.

Left side? Ben, hey.

Hey, Ben.

What are you talking about?

I hit over 20 homers right-handed

in each of my first three years in the majors.

And never more than ten after that.

That was because Old Crow moved me to second in the order.

I wish I had more time for this.

Well, that was baseball's epitaph, wasn't it?

Nobody seemed to have time for us anymore.

You know, I could have played five more years

if they hadn't killed the game.

You were the best that ever played.

I know.

I've played with them all.

I've got work to do.

Hey, Ben.

It really meant a lot to me...

how much you cared.

That day we won the World Series

there were only 300 people in the stands.

301 in my version.

I heard you cheering.

Meant a lot to me.

I just thought you should know, you know

in case I do finally disappear.

Ops.

We don't know any more than when we started.

Why would mine create a woman and then reject her?

Why would mine create a dwarf that could terrify him?

We should abandon the whole thing.

Not yet.

I made a connection with mine.

A curious one.

I sense a feeling from him...

an affection for this ballplayer

who died 200 years before he was even born.

And how much longer

do you suggest we devote to this?

As long as it takes.

It ain't over till it's over.

Station Log, supplemental.

The subspace anomaly continues to expand.

As of yet, we've been unable to find a way to contain it.

As a precaution

we have diverted all incoming ships

away from the station.

A Vulcan science mission to the Hanoli rift

detonated a pulse wave torpedo at the coordinates of the tear.

Five minutes after they did, the rupture expanded radically.

They were wiped out

along with the entire Hanoli system.

What happened to the rupture after that?

It's not still there?

It reached a critical mass point and imploded

and then disappeared from normal space altogether.

Were there any reports from the Vulcans

about hallucinations on board?

Anything similar to what we're experiencing?

No, sir, but they were only within range

of the anomaly for 12 hours.

And Vulcans don't have the most active imaginations.

Were there any explanations offered

for the initial cause of the rupture?

Dozens, nothing confirmed.

But we do know there were no wormholes

and very little starship activity

in the area before it formed.

We've looked high and low for some common ground...

something to give us a fix on how to attack this thing

and frankly, sir, as funny as it sounds

we think pulse wave torpedoes may still be the best approach.

Wait a minute.

If it didn't work very well last time, why...

The Vulcans were using a primitive device.

In the past 200 years

we've developed far better ways of controlling the flux density.

We should be able to contain the internal reaction this time.

And if we can't, we destroy the whole Bajoran system.

Major, the rupture is already expanding.

We have to seal it

or it's going to destroy this system anyway.

The smaller it is, the better chance we have.

How long will it take to create one of these torpedoes?

We could have one ready by 2200 hours.

If the rift expands at all before imploding

we have to be prepared.

Route auxiliary power to shields.

Major, I'd like for you

to coordinate evacuation of the pylons.

Odo can help you.

Dismissed.

Kira to Odo.

What is it, Major?

I need you to do a security sweep through the pylons.

We're going to evacuate them.

I'll get on it as soon as possible.

I've got my hands full right now.

Clear the way!

Get out of the corridor. Let them through.

Clear the way now!

Kira to Ops.

Lower Pylon 1 is gone.

I need emergency...

Sisko to Kira. Report.

Kira, can you read me?

Major Kira, report.

Disregard, Commander.

False alarm.

Kira out.

All personnel in Lower Pylon 1, report to Outer Ring Airlock.

Prepare for evacuation.

Clear the way now.

Clear the way.

Please stay inside.

This isn't a show.

Odo!

You, get out of the way!

Odo! Odo!

Odo!

Odo! Odo!

Thank goodness.

I want to report two missing persons...

a blonde and a brunette.

Can't you see I'm busy?

Don't scare them.

One minute, they're whispering sweet nothings in my ear.

The next minute, the sweet nothings are gone.

Will you get off the street, before...

Girls!

I've been looking everywhere for you.

Don't ever do that to me again.

So, Odo, what have you

conjured up during all this, hmm?

Me?

I should have guessed... nothing at all.

I've spent all my time

chasing incarnations of the Prophets

long-dead lovers, Gunji jackdaws

blizzards, trollops...

Ah!

As I always said, a man without any imagination.

Come along, my dears.

I'll show you what a fertile imagination can do.

Imagination...

Computer, run a level-1 personnel sweep of all pylons.

Requested function will take approximately three minutes.

Let me out of here! Let me out of here!

Get the Nagus on subspace.

I want to talk to him, and I mean now!

I'm not spending another minute in this cell.

How did you get in there?

How did I get in here?

You put me in here.

Oh...

I guess I did, didn't I?

Yeah.

No imagination indeed. Ha!

Heads up, Jake.

So, what are you doing here?

I can't go. I've got homework to do.

But you'd rather be at the ballpark.

You don't understand.

If I go to the holosuite without finishing my homework

my dad'll kill me.

Kill you?

Yeah.

You really believe he'd kill you?

I know he would.

Well, if that's true

why you still thinking about going?

I'm trying not to.

But you're wondering

if you can get away with it, aren't you?

Well?

I couldn't understand the directions.

The computer accidentally erased the instruction page.

You really expect me to believe that?

No, I guess not.

I've really got homework to do.

I need to see you, Benjamin.

What do you have, Dax?

In the last hour alone, the rupture's expanded 27%.

The rate of expansion is increasing.

Can we gain any time by moving the station?

If the rift collapses

the implosion would overtake us almost immediately.

How soon can you be ready, Chief?

I'm installing pulse wave devices

in the torpedoes now, Commander.

Six, seven minutes.

The rift's gotten large enough to pick up on visual scanners.

On screen.

Magnify.

All pylons are secured.

Everyone's been moved to the Habitat Ring

for the time being.

You're worried.

You bet I am.

If this doesn't work

nothing real or imagined is going to survive.

Hold me.

Please.

Torpedoes ready.

Status of shields?

All available power's been transferred.

Reading shield strength at 158% above normal.

Let's hope it's enough.

Red Alert.

Fire!

All systems functioning properly.

Torpedo guidance is on nominal track.

30 seconds to coordinates.

Impulse sustainer throttling down.

Arming pulse wave initiator.

Torpedo hull temperature dropping.

Activating pulse waves.

Compression level at 1,400 and rising.

20 seconds.

Compression at 2,900.

3,000.

Terminal targeting spread confirmed.

3,500.

Holding compression.

Ten seconds.

Ready to detonate.

Ready, sir.

Five seconds.

Now.

Wave intensity from the rift is dropping.

The thoron field boundary is shrinking.

Particle energy is rising.

Wait a minute. What's this?

Wave emissions are fluctuating.

We're not getting a controlled collapse.

Chief?

Damn it, we're picking up an exothermic reaction pattern.

It may be neutralizing the pulse waves.

Stand by.

Perimeter sensors are picking up a subspace oscillation.

What the hell does that mean?

Proton counts have tripled.

Residual pulse wave activity from our torpedoes

is down to 14%.

The flux density readings inside the rupture

are off the scale.

Odo to Ops!

Ops! Ops!

Com circuits are down.

I'll try to reroute pathways.

Life support is normal.

Shields.

A generator's down.

Section Four is exposed.

Odo to Ops.

There we go.

Constable, check for casualties.

Have your deputies move everybody out of Section Four.

We have shield damage.

Acknowledged.

What are we getting from the rift?

Sensors aren't operating.

Stand by, sir.

I can't feel my hands.

Lie still, lie still.

There's an emergency medical kit in the cabinet there.

Get it.

I'm sorry...

Shh.

Here you go.

I never meant to bother you.

No, no.

You didn't bother me.

I can't keep my eyes open.

Don't close your eyes.

I want you awake.

You have a nasty concussion.

I can't help it.

Dax.

Dax!

Sensors are back on line.

The rupture is continuing

to widen... 340 times larger than before.

Is it showing any signs of collapsing?

Wave emissions from the rift are still fluctuating.

I can't make any sense out of these readings.

Proton counts are lower than before.

And now they're beginning to rise again.

The pulse waves from our torpedoes

have been completely neutralized.

It's just a matter of time

before the rift starts expanding again.

How much time?

Minutes.

Suggestions.

Run out of ideas, friend?

I have a suggestion.

Maybe I can help.

You?

You created me with powers

beyond those of mortal men

and I would be more than happy to use them to assist you.

For a price.

I've always wanted a daughter.

Miles?

Perimeter sensors are picking up

subspace oscillations again.

You're telling me you can seal that rupture out there?

I can spin straw into gold, my friend.

This seems no more difficult.

Well, do it, damn it!

Will you meet my price?

This is crazy.

You're out of a storybook, a fairy tale.

Are you willing to give her up to save so many others?

No.

He doesn't have to.

Dax, when did our sensors

first pick up traces of the rupture?

You were there, Benjamin.

When we were first trying to figure

this whole thing out.

And if I remember correctly

you said that your previous scans

hadn't picked up any anomalies at all.

I thought whatever was out there

was too small for the scanners to identify.

So you imagined that we had a subspace rupture

and that's exactly what it turned out to be.

That is what I imagined.

And once you'd learned about the rift

that destroyed the Hanoli system

we all imagined that we might have another just like it.

Mr. O'Brien, drop the shields.

Sir?

There is no rupture.

There is no threat to this station, or this system.

End Red Alert and drop the shields.

Aye, sir.

And believe it, Mr. O'Brien.

It's important that you believe it.

Aye, sir.

Are your sensors picking up any magnetic shock waves, Major?

Yes, sir.

Perimeter readings still show...

No shock waves at all.

None at all.

Lieutenant, proton counts.

Normal.

It's gone.

You're going to be fine.

Of course I am.

I have the best doctor in the galaxy.

None of this makes any sense.

I mean, why did they appear in the first place?

It might still be related

to the elevated thoron emissions in the plasma field.

The readings still haven't returned to normal.

Continue your analysis, Dax

but, this time, no speculations

just facts.

Yes, Benjamin.

Major, keep us on Yellow Alert for the next 26 hours

till we see that everything is back to normal.

Chief, take your family home.

That's an order.

Aye, sir.

This imagination of yours...

it's a tough concept

for us to get a handle on, Ben.

You're not simply a figment of my imagination, are you?

We're on an extended mission exploring the galaxy.

A while back, we followed one of your ships

through that hole in space out there.

We've been watching you.

Trying to figure out the rules of your game.

Why didn't you just talk to us like this?

Well, we've learned that you can never tell

how someone will treat the visiting team.

I understand.

That's what this has been all about...

learning to understand.

Was it really necessary

to put the whole station in jeopardy?

But we didn't, Ben.

It was you.

It was your imaginations that created everything.

We were just watching to see where it took you.

Oh, this imagination of yours.

We have never seen anything like it.

It's very real to all of you

but yet it's not.

At first, it seemed to us to be a curse

an irritation.

That Odo fellow even called it a waste of time.

I disagree with him.

I knew you would.

I learned that about you.

That you could have such an affection

for someone you never even met.

I wonder if you appreciate

how unique that imagination of yours really is.

Not always.

We got to go.

But you haven't told us anything about your species.

I'd like to.

Maybe next year.