Original subtitles

How does it feel to be back on the Enterprise bridge, Captain Kirk?

- How do you feel? - Excuse me.

There will be time for questions later.

I'm Captain John Harriman and I'd like to welcome you aboard.

We're excited to have a group of living legends with us on our maiden voyage.

- I read about you in grade school. - Oh, really?

- May we have a look around? - Please.

Demora!

This is the first Enterprise without you in command. What is that like?

- I'm glad to send her on her way. - What have you been doing?

- Keeping busy. - Give him a chance to look around.

Captain...

I'd like you to meet the helmsman of the Enterprise-B. Demora?

Ensign Demora Sulu.

It's a pleasure to meet you. My father's told me interesting stories about you.

- You father is Hikaru Sulu? - You've met her before. 12 years ago.

12 years? Incredible.

Congratulations. No Enterprise is complete without a Sulu at the helm.

- Hikaru must be very proud of you. - I hope so.

- I was never that young. - No...

You were younger.

- Damn fine ship, if you ask me. - Scotty, it absolutely amazes me.

- What would that be, sir? - When did Sulu find time for a family?

If something's important, you make the time. Is that why you're so restless?

- Finding retirement a little lonely? - I'm glad you're an engineer.

You'd make a lousy psychiatrist.

- Gentlemen, if you'll take your seats. - Yes, of course.

Aft thrusters ahead one quarter, port and starboard at station keeping.

Captain Kirk, I'd be honoured if you'd give the order to get underway.

- Thank you very much, I... - Please, sir... Please, I insist.

Take us out.

- Very good, sir. - Brought a tear to my eye.

Now that you've seen the ship, how does it feel to be back?

Fine, fine.

We've just cleared the asteroid belt. Today, we'll go beyond Pluto and back.

- Just a quick run around the block. - Will you test the warp drive system?

We're picking up a distress call, Captain.

On speakers.

This is the transport ship Lakul. We're caught in some energy distortion.

Two ships in our... trapped in a severe gravimetric distortion.

We can't break free, we need help. It's tearing us apart.

The Lakul is one of two ships flying El Aurian refugees to Earth.

- Can you locate them? - They are bearing at 310/205.

Distance: Three light years.

Signal the closest starship. We're in no condition to mount a rescue.

- We don't have a full crew aboard. - We're the only one in range, sir.

Well, then. I guess it's up to us.

Helm, lay in an intercept course and engage at maximum warp.

Captain, is there something wrong with your chair?

We're within visual range of the energy distortion, Captain.

On screen.

What the hell is that?

I've located the transport ships.

Their hulls can't take the stress. They won't survive much longer.

We're encountering severe gravimetric distortions from the energy ribbon.

- We'll have to keep our distance. - Tractor beam...

We don't have one. It won't be installed until Tuesday.

Ensign Sulu...

Generate a subspace field around the ships. That might break them free.

- Too much quantum interference, sir. - What about...

Vent plasma from the warp nacelles. That might disrupt the ribbon's hold.

- It's not having any effect... - The starboard vessel is collapsing!

- How many people were on that ship? - 265.

Sir, the Lakul's hull integrity is down to 12%.

Captain Kirk, I'd appreciate any suggestions you might have.

- Move us in and beam them aboard. - The distortions will tear us apart.

Risk is part of the game.

- Close to within transporter range. - And turn that damn thing off!

- We're within range. - Beam them directly to sickbay.

- How big is your medical staff? - It... doesn't arrive until Tuesday.

- You and you are now nurses. - The warp plasma relays are unstable.

I can't lock on to them. They are in some sort of temporal flux.

Their life signs are phasing in and out of our space-time continuum.

- Their hull's collapsing! - Beam them out, Scotty!

Transport complete.

I got 47... out of 150.

- Report! - We're caught in a gravimetric field.

Full reverse!

We're going to help you.

- Everything is fine. - Why? Why?

- You're safe here on the Enterprise. - No, I have to go back.

You don't understand. Let me go back. Let me go back!

Let me go back. Please!

- What was he talking about? - I have no idea.

Can I help you?

It's going to be okay. You just need to rest.

You can't disrupt this big a gravimetric field.

- Hull integrity at 82%. - But I do have a theory.

An anti-matter discharge ahead might disrupt the field so we can escape.

- Photon torpedo. - Fire torpedo at my command.

- We don't have any. - Don't tell me... Tuesday?

40%.

A resonance burst from the deflector dish could simulate a torpedo blast.

- Where are the deflector relays? - I'll go. You have the bridge.

Wait.

Your place is on the bridge of your ship. I'll take care of it.

- Keep things together until I get back. - I always do.

- 45 seconds to structural collapse. - Bridge to Captain Kirk.

- Kirk here. - I can't hold her together much longer.

Let's go!

Activate main deflector.

We're breaking free.

It's all right. I'm increasing power to compensate.

- We're clear. - You did it, Kirk! Damage report.

Buckling on the starboard nacelle and a hull breach in Engineering.

- Emergency force fields in place. - Where?

Sections 20-28 on decks 13, 14...

...and 15.

Bridge to Captain Kirk. Captain Kirk, please respond.

Have Chekov meet me on deck 15.

My God! Was anyone in here?

Aye.

Bring out the prisoner.

Mr Worf. I knew this day would come. Are you prepared to face the charges?

Answer him.

I am prepared.

"We, the officers and crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise -

- hereby make the following charges against Lieutenant Worf."

"That he did wilfully perform above the call of duty on countless occasions."

"Most seriously: That he has earned the admiration of the entire crew."

I hereby promote you to Lieutenant Commander -

- with all the rights and privileges thereto. May God have mercy on you.

- Hip, hip... - Hooray!

- Congratulations. - Extend the plank.

Lower the Badge of Office.

He'll never make it. No one ever has.

I've learned never to underestimate a Klingon.

Computer, remove the plank.

Number One, that's retract plank, not remove plank.

Sorry.

I am uncertain as to why someone falling into freezing water is amusing.

- It's all in good fun, Data. - Fun? I do not understand.

Get into the spirit of things. Be spontaneous, live in the moment.

- Do something unexpected. Get it? - Got it.

Data. That was not funny.

All hands, make sail. T'gansuls and courses, stand by the braces.

Will.

Just imagine what it was like. No engines, no computers.

Just the wind and the sea and the stars to guide you.

- Bad food, brutal discipline, no women. - Bridge to Captain Picard.

- A personal message from Earth. - Put it through down here.

The best thing was that no one could reach you. This was freedom, Will.

Computer, arch.

Look alive there.

Take the wheel.

Captain, are you all right?

Yes, I'm fine... Excuse me.

Computer, exit.

- Set royals and stunsuls. - What's a stunsul, sir?

- Just above that last yardarm... - Bridge to Halodeck 3.

The Amargosa observatory needs help. They say they are under attack.

Red alert! All hands to battle stations. Captain Picard to the bridge.

- We're too late. - There are no other ships here.

- The observatory took quite a beating. - Survivors?

- Sensors show five life signs aboard. - The station's complement was 19.

Stand down from red alert.

Number One...

Begin an investigation. Make it so... Just do it!

- Mr Worf. - Aye, sir.

Worf.

- It looks like a type-3 disrupter. - Romulan, Breen or Klingon.

Over here!

It's all right. Do not struggle.

It's okay. We're right here.

I'm Commander William Riker from the Starship Enterprise.

Doctor Tolian Soran.

- Who attacked you, Doctor? - I don't know. It happened so fast.

Take a look at this.

Romulans.

What possessed you to push her in the water?

I was attempting to get into the spirit of things.

I thought it would be amusing.

- Is she still angry? - You'd better stay away from her.

Data, you're not thinking about using that thing, are you?

I have for many months.

In light of my recent episode, now may be the appropriate time.

- It may overload your neural net. - That is true.

However, my growth as an artificial life form has reached an impasse.

For 34 years I've endeavoured to become more "human", -

- to grow beyond my programming.

Still, I am unable to grasp such a basic concept as humour.

This emotion chip may be the only answer.

Geordi.

All right.

At the first sign of trouble, I'll deactivate it. Agreed?

Agreed.

We found two dead Romulans. We'll try to establish what ship they're from.

- But why did they attack the station? - They practically tore the place apart.

Accessed the computer, turned the place inside out, looking for something.

This could signify a new Romulan threat in this sector.

- Inform Starfleet Command. - You want me to contact Starfleet?

- Is there a problem? - No, sir.

One of the scientists, a Dr Soran, insisted on speaking with you.

I told him you were busy, but he said it was imperative.

Understood. That will be all.

- Sir, is there anything? - No, thank you.

Gentlemen. Something new from Frocas Three.

What?

This beverage has produced an emotional response.

- What are you feeling? - I am uncertain.

I've had little experience with emotion and can't articulate the sensation.

- Emotion? - I'll explain later.

- It looks like he hates it. - Yes, that is it.

- I hate this. - Data, I think the chip is working.

- I hate this. It is revolting. - More?

I'm looking for a Dr Soran from the observatory.

Dr Soran. I understand there's something urgent you wish to discuss.

I must return and continue a critical experiment on the Amargosa Star.

When our investigation is complete, you and your colleagues can return.

- Until then, there's nothing I can do. - Timing is crucial to my experiments.

If it's not completed in 12 hours, years of research will be lost.

We're doing the best we can.

They say time is the fire in which we burn.

Right now, my time is running out.

We leave so many things unfinished in our lives.

I know you understand.

I'll see what I can do.

We've studied the Romulans' tricorder.

They were scanning for signature particles of the compound trilithium.

It's an experiment the Romulans have been working on, a nuclear inhibitor.

It could stop all fusion within a star, but the Romulans haven't stabilised it.

Why look for it on a Federation observatory?

- I do not know. - Send Geordi and Data over there.

Tell them to scan for trilithium.

There's no sign of any trilithium over here.

- I get it! I get it! - You get what?

When you said to Riker: "The clown can stay, -

- but the Ferengi in the gorilla suit has to go."

During the Farpoint mission. You told a joke, and that was the punch line.

- That was seven years ago. - I know. I just got it!

Very funny.

Wait. There's a hidden door. I can see the separation with my visor.

There's a dampening field in operation. I can't scan beyond the bulkhead.

- No control panel or access port. - It must be magnetically sealed.

I can reverse the polarity by attenuating my axial servo.

Open, Sesame.

You could say I have a magnetic personality.

Humour, I love it!

Data, come take a look at this.

Have you ever seen a solar probe like this?

No, Geordi, I have not. Have you?

No, it is most unusual.

Mr Tricorder.

- Just help me get these panels open. - Make it so.

My visor's picking up something in the theta band. A trilithium signature?

- We don't have time for this. - I can't help it. Something is wrong.

Data?

Data, are you all right?

The emotion chip has overloaded my positronic relay.

We'd better get you back. LaForge to Enterprise.

- LaForge to Enterprise. - Is there a problem?

The dampening field is blocking our Com signal. Can you shut it off?

I'd be only too happy to.

Please...

Do not hurt me. Please.

Yes, come.

Yes? Is there something I can do for you?

- Can I do anything for you? - It's just family matters.

You never met my brother and his wife, did you?

Robert.

So opinionated. Pompous and arrogant. He always had to have the last word.

But he mellowed a little bit in the last few years.

I was going to meet them next month and maybe go to San Francisco.

- Rene wants to see Starfleet Academy. - Rene? Oh, your nephew.

He's so unlike his father.

He's a dreamer. Imaginative...

He's so very gentle.

What's happened?

Robert and Rene...

...burned to death in a fire.

- I'm sorry. - It's all right. These things happen.

Captain, it's not all right.

I can't help think about all the experiences Rene's not going to have.

Not going to the Academy, listening to music and falling in love.

Building a life.

Well, it's not going to happen now.

I didn't realise he meant so much to you.

Rene was as close as I would get to having a child of my own.

Your family history is very important to you, isn't it?

From being a boy, I can remember hearing about the family line.

The Picard who fought at Trafalgar. The Picard who won the Nobel Prize.

The Picards who settled the first Martian colonies.

When Robert married and he had a son, I...

You felt it wasn't your responsibility to carry on the family line.

Right. That's it exactly.

Recently I've become aware that there are fewer days ahead than behind.

But I took some comfort from the fact that the family would go on.

But now there'll be no more Picards.

- Report. - A quantum implosion in Amargosa.

- All nuclear fusion is breaking down. - How is that possible?

The observatory launched a solar probe into the sun a few moments ago.

- The star will collapse in minutes. - It has produced a level 12 shock wave.

- That'll destroy this entire system. - I can't locate LaForge or Data.

- Have they returned? - No.

- When will the wave hit it? - In four minutes, 40 seconds.

Soran, transmit your co-ordinates.

What the hell's he doing?

- You have two minutes left. - You hear that, Soran?

We've got a level 12 shock wave coming in. We must get out of here!

Sir, a Klingon "Bird of Prey" is de-cloaking off the port bow.

- Data, see if you can get to Geordi. - I cannot, sir.

Report for transport.

- Commander Riker's team is aboard. - Warp one, engage!

You've done it, Soran.

Wait!

I hope for your sake you were initiating a mating ritual.

You got careless. The Romulans came looking for their trilithium.

Impossible. We left no survivors on their outpost.

If the Enterprise hadn't intervened, they'd have found it at the observatory.

They didn't find it! And now we have a weapon of unlimited power.

No, Lursa. I have the weapon, and if you want me to give it to you, -

- I would advise you to be a little more careful in the future.

Perhaps we are tired of waiting.

Without my research, the trilithium is worthless.

As are your plans to re-conquer the Klingon Empire.

Set course for the Veridian system. Maximum warp.

He's an El Aurian. Over 300 years old. He lost his entire family -

- when the Borg destroyed his planet. He escaped aboard the ship "Lakul".

That ship was later destroyed by an energy ribbon.

But Soran and 46 others were rescued by the Enterprise-B.

- That was when James Kirk was killed. - I checked the Lakul's passenger list.

Guess who else was on board?

- I haven't thought of Soran in ages. - You remember him?

Guinan, you must tell me everything that you know.

We think Soran has developed a terrible weapon -

- with enough power to destroy...

Soran doesn't care about weapons. He just wants to get back to the nexus.

What the nexus?

The energy ribbon was not a random phenomenon travelling through space.

It's a doorway to another place that we call the nexus.

A place I've tried hard to forget.

What happened to you?

It was like being inside joy.

As if joy was a blanket you could wrap yourself up in.

Never in my entire life have I ever been as content.

- And then you were beamed away. - Pulled. Ripped away.

None of us wanted to go. I would have done anything to get back there.

But I realised it wasn't possible.

- What about Soran? - If he's still obsessed, he's dangerous.

Why would he destroy a star?

Thank you, Guinan.

If you go, you're not going to care about anything.

Not this ship, not Soran, nothing. You'll just want to stay in the nexus.

And you're not going to want to come back.

Marvellous technology. This is a remarkable piece of equipment.

- I'm glad you approve. - Not very stylish, though.

Have you ever considered a prosthesis that would make you look...

...more normal?

- What's normal? - That's a good question.

Normal is what everyone else is and you are not.

Get down to it. What do you want?

As you may be aware, I am an El Aurian.

We are a race of listeners. We listen.

Right now you have my complete attention.

I want to listen to everything you know about trilithium.

Captain's log, Stardate 48632.4.

Data's emotion chip has been fused into his neural net.

However, he is fit for duty and is joining me in Stellar Cartography.

The ribbon is a conflux of temporal energy -

- which travels through here every 39.1 years.

It will pass through this sector in 42 hours.

Guinan was right. Soran is trying to get back to the ribbon.

What's the connection with the Amargosa star?

Give me a list of anything that was affected by the star's destruction.

- Data? - Sorry, sir.

It will take the computer a few moments to compile the information.

Data, are you all right?

No, sir. I am finding it difficult to concentrate.

I am overwhelmed with feelings of remorse...

...regret concerning my actions at the observatory.

I wanted to save Geordi, but experienced something unexpected.

Fear. I was afraid.

The destruction of the star has had the following effects in this sector.

Gamma emissions have increased by.05%.

The starship Bozeman altered course. Ambient magnetic fields...

Wait. Why would the Bozeman alter course?

The destruction of the star has altered the gravitational forces in the sector.

Any ship passing through would have to make a minor course correction.

Minor course correction... Where's the ribbon now?

- This is its current position. - Can you project its course?

Captain...

I can't go on. I wish to be deactivated until the emotion chip can be removed.

- Are you having a malfunction? - No, I just can't control these emotions.

I have nothing but sympathy for what you are feeling, but right now...

I no longer want these emotions! Deactivating me is the only solution.

Part of having feelings is learning to live with them, Data.

You will not be deactivated.

I require you to perform your duty as an officer. That is an order!

I will try, sir.

Sometimes it takes courage to try. Courage can be an emotion, too.

- Can you project the ribbon's course? - I believe so.

Enhance Grid 9-A.

Where was the Amargosa star?

The destruction of the star affected the gravitational forces in this sector.

Did the computer project the ribbon's course accordingly?

No, sir. I'll make the appropriate adjustments.

Soran's changing the course of the ribbon.

But why change its path? Why not fly into it with a ship?

Every ship that has approached the ribbon has been destroyed or damaged.

He's trying to make the ribbon come to him.

- Does it pass any M-class planets? - Yes, sir.

- There are two in the Veridian system. - Veridian 3 isn't close enough.

Would the ribbon's course be affected if Soran destroyed the Veridian star?

That's where he's going.

The collapse of the Veridian star would produce a shock wave -

- similar to the one at Amargosa.

Destroying all planets in this system.

Veridian 3 is uninhabited.

However, Veridian 4 supports a pre-industrial humanoid society.

Population?

230 million, sir.

Picard to bridge. Set a course for the Veridian system, maximum warp.

- Did you get anything from the human? - No. His heart just wasn't in it.

We have entered orbit of Veridian 3.

- Prepare to transport me there. - When do we get our payment?

This contains all the information you need to make a trilithium weapon.

It's been coded. Once I'm safely to the surface, -

- I'll transmit the decryption sequence to you.

- A Federation starship is approaching. - What? On viewer.

- They're hailing us. - They can't see us.

Klingon vessel. We'll crush any probe launched toward the Veridian star.

Return our chief engineer and leave this system immediately.

There's no time for this. Eliminate them.

That's a galaxy class starship. We're no match for them.

It's time we gave Mr LaForge his sight back.

Maybe they're not out there.

They're trying to decide if a 20-year-old Klingon ship can beat our flagship.

Perhaps they're on the surface.

A solar probe launched from the Klingon ship or the planet -

- will reach the sun in 11 seconds. Since we don't have a point of origin -

- it'll take us 8-15 seconds to lock our weapons onto it.

- When will the ribbon arrive? - In 47 minutes.

- We must get to Soran. - Klingon vessel de-cloaking ahead.

- They are hailing. - On screen.

- What an unexpected pleasure. - I must speak with Soran.

He is no longer aboard our ship.

- Then I will beam to his location. - The doctor values his privacy.

He would be alarmed if an armed away team interrupted him.

- Then I'll beam to your ship. - They might kill you.

- Your engineer is a guest of ours. - Then return him!

- In exchange for what? - Me, sir.

Me. I'll be your prisoner. But first beam me to where Soran is.

The captain would make a much more valuable hostage.

- We'll consider it a prisoner exchange. - Agreed.

Have Dr Crusher meet me in Transporter Room 3.

- Receiving the co-ordinates. - Energise.

Welcome, Captain.

- You must think me a madman. - The thought had crossed my mind.

I know why you're here. You're not sure you can shoot down my probe.

So you've come to dissuade me from my horrific plan. Good luck.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm rather busy.

Soran...

That's a 50-gigawatt force field. I wouldn't want to see you get hurt.

- I have established the link. - Put it on viewer.

It's working. The visor's transmitting.

Where is he?

Human females are so repulsive.

There's myocardial degeneration. I've removed the nano-probe -

- and you'll be fine. I need to run some more tests.

- Data, it's okay. - I am sorry I let you down.

- I have not been behaving like myself. - No, you haven't.

You've been behaving like a human.

Don't do it. We can find another way of getting you into this nexus.

I've spent 80 years looking for another way.

Believe me, this is the only one.

What you're doing is just as bad as when the Borg destroyed your world.

They killed millions, too. Including your wife and children.

Nice try.

There was a time when I wouldn't hurt a fly. Then the Borg came.

They showed me that there is one constant in this universe... death.

We're all going to die sometime. It's just a question of how and when.

You will too, Captain. Aren't you beginning to feel time gaining on you?

Like a predator, it's stalking you.

You can try and outrun it with doctors, medicines, new technologies, -

- but time will hunt you down and make the kill.

Our mortality defines us. It's part of the truth of our existence.

- I found a new truth. - The nexus?

Time has no meaning there. The predator has no teeth.

- Where is he now? - He bathed. Now he's roaming the ship.

He's the only engineer in Starfleet who doesn't go to Engineering.

- Any luck? - I cannot locate the captain.

The sensors can't reach the planet. Can you scan for life forms?

I'd be happy to, sir. I just love scanning for life forms.

Life forms...

you tiny little life forms

you precious little life forms where are you?

Finally.

I'll run a diagnostic on the port plasma relays. The generator's fluctuating.

Fine.

That's it! Replay from time index 924.

Magnify this section and enhance.

- Shield modulation: 257.4. - Adjust torpedo frequency to match.

- They've penetrated our shields. - Lock phasers and return fire!

- Take the helm. Get us out of orbit! - Hull breach on decks 31-35.

- Any weaknesses in that old ship? - It's a Class D-12 Bird of Prey.

- Notorious for defective plasma coils. - Can we take advantage of that?

I don't see how. The plasma coil is part of their cloaking device.

Get a stabiliser on that conduit.

Reinforce starboard interlock. Re-route power through secondary coupling.

Data, would a defective plasma coil be susceptible to an ionic pulse?

Yes, it might reset the coil and trigger their cloaking device. Excellent idea!

- Then their shields will drop. - They'll be vulnerable for two seconds.

- Lock on the plasma coil. - No problem.

- Our shields are holding. - Fire at will.

Prepare a spread of photon torpedoes. We must hit them when they cloak.

Target their primary reactor.

- I'm initiating ionic pulse. - Make it quick!

- Target their bridge. - We are cloaking.

Our shields are down!

Fire!

Yes!

Haven't you got anything better to do?

It must have been that last torpedo. It ruptured the magnetic interlocks.

Coolant leak! Let's get out of here. Move!

Bridge, we're five minutes from a warp core breach.

Evacuate everyone to the saucer section. Prepare to separate the ship.

Starship separation in five minutes.

Let's move him out.

Starship separation in 4 minutes, 30 seconds.

Starship separation in 4 minutes, 15 seconds.

Farrell!

Get these kids to the W-tube. We'll find the parents later.

Starship separation in four minutes.

You'll have to excuse me.

I have an appointment with eternity and I don't want to be late.

The core breach is accelerating. We must get out.

- We're all out. - One minute to warp core breach.

Begin separation sequence. Full impulse power once we're clear.

Separation complete. Core breach in progress.

Primary stabilisers off-line. Engaging secondary systems.

- Report! - Helm controls are off-line!

Oh, shit...

I've re-routed auxiliary power to lateral thrusters to level our descent.

Brace for impact!

- Hold on tight. - Hold their heads.

I'm okay.

What is this? Where am I?

- Surprise! - We love you, Father.

- Were you scared? - I helped decorate the tree.

- Say Merry Christmas, Papa. - I love you, Father.

Move back and give your father some room.

- Cup of Earl Grey? - That would be perfect.

- This one's for you. - Thank you, Rene.

- Merry Christmas, Uncle. - Rene, can you help me with the table?

Rene!

Come here.

Go help your aunt.

This isn't right. This can't be real.

- It's as real as you want it to be. - Guinan. What's going on?

- Why am I here? - You're in the nexus.

- This is the nexus? - For you. This is what you wanted.

But... I never had a home like this.

Nor a wife and children. But these are all mine.

What are you doing here? I thought you were aboard the Enterprise.

I am. I'm also here. Think of me as an echo of the person you know.

- A part of herself she left behind. - When the Enterprise-B saved you...

- Help me build my castle. - I will in a few minutes.

Papa, thank you for the dolly. She's very beautiful.

These are my children... These are my children!

Of course. Time has no meaning here. You can go back and see them born, -

- or go forward and see your grandchildren.

Dinner's ready.

Dinner's ready, Papa.

Go on. Go on without me.

- Guinan, can I leave the nexus? - Where would you go?

- I don't understand. - Time has no meaning here.

- You can go anywhere, any time. - I know where.

To the mountaintop on Veridian 3 just before Soran destroyed the star.

- Come back and help me stop him. - I can't leave. I'm there already.

But I know someone who can.

And from his point of view, he just got here, too.

Kirk... James T. Kirk.

Beautiful day.

Yes, it certainly is.

Would you mind?

Captain, I'm wondering, do you realise?

Hold on. Do you smell something burning?

Looks like somebody was trying to cook some eggs. Come on in.

It's all right. It's my house.

At least it used to be. I sold it years ago.

I'm Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the Starship... Enterprise.

The clock...

I gave this clock to Bones.

I'm from what you would consider the future. The 24th century.

Butler!

How can you be here? He's been dead seven years.

Jim, I'm starving. How long are you going to rattle around in that kitchen?

Antonia.

What are you talking about? The future?

This is the past. Nine years ago.

The day I told her I was going back to Starfleet.

Ktarian eggs, her favourite. I was preparing them to soften the blow.

I know how real this must seem to you. But it's not.

This isn't really your house. We're caught up in some temporal nexus.

Dill. Dill weed. In the cabinet, second shelf to the left.

Behind the oregano.

- How long have you been here? - I don't know.

I was aboard the Enterprise-B in the deflector control room... Stir these.

The bulkhead disappeared and then I found myself out there chopping wood -

- right before you walked up Thanks.

Look, history records -

- that you died saving the Enterprise-B from an energy ribbon 80 years ago.

This is the 24th century?

- And I'm dead? - No, this is some kind of...

...temporal nexus. Something is missing.

I need your help. Leave the nexus with me.

We have to go back to Veridian 3 and stop a man called Soran -

- from destroying a star. Millions of lives are at stake.

History considers me dead. Who am I to argue with history?

- You have a duty as a Starfleet officer! - Don't lecture me.

I saved the galaxy when your grandfather was in diapers.

Besides, I think the galaxy owes me one.

All right...

I was like you once. Completely blinded by duty and obligation.

And what did it get me? An empty house.

Not this time.

This time I'm going to march into that bedroom -

- and tell Antonia I want to marry her. This time it's going to be different.

- This is not your bedroom. - No, it's better.

- Better? - This is my uncle's barn in Idaho.

I took this horse out for a ride 11 years ago on a spring day.

Like this one. If I'm right, this is the day I met Antonia.

This nexus is very clever. I can start over and do things right from day one.

I must have jumped that 50 times. Scared the hell out of me each time.

Except this time.

Because it isn't real.

- Antonia. - She isn't real either, is she?

Nothing here is. Nothing here matters.

Maybe this is more about that empty chair on the bridge of the Enterprise.

Ever since I left Starfleet I haven't made a difference.

Captain of the Enterprise? Close to retirement?

- I'm not planning on it. - Don't.

Don't let them promote or transfer you. Don't let them do anything -

- that takes you off that ship. Because there you can make a difference.

Come back and help me stop Soran. Make a difference again.

Who am I to argue with the captain of the Enterprise?

Veridian 3? I take it the odds are against us and the situation is grim.

You could say that.

Spock would say I was an irrational, illogical human being -

- for taking on a mission like that.

Sounds like fun.

I've re-routed auxiliary power to lateral thrusters to level our descent.

Brace for impact!

- Just who the hell are you? - He's James T. Kirk.

Don't you read history?

I've got to get to the launcher.

- The ribbon will be here in a minute. - I'll take care of Soran.

Actually, I am familiar with history. If I'm not mistaken, you're dead.

- Weren't you heading for the launcher? - I changed my mind.

We need that control pad.

Captain, look.

Where's Soran?

We're running out of time. The control pad is still on the other side.

- I'll get it. You go for the launcher. - No, we have to work together.

- We are working together. Trust me. - Good luck, Captain.

Call me Jim.

Picard! Get away from that launcher.

Now!

Did we do it? Did we make a difference?

Oh, yes. We made a difference. Thank you.

It's the least I could do... for the captain of the Enterprise.

It was... fun.

Oh, my.

Captain's log, Stardate 48650. 1.

Three Starfleet vessels have come to beam up the Enterprise survivors.

Our casualties were light, bt the Enterprise herself can't be salvaged.

- It has been extremely difficult. - Then why not have the chip removed?

At first, I was unprepared for the unpredictable nature of emotions.

However, having experienced 261 emotional states, -

- I believe I have learned to control my feelings. They won't control me.

I hope you're successful.

Data, I found something.

One life sign, very faint.

Spot!

I'm very happy to see you, Spot.

Another family reunited.

Data, are you all right?

I am uncertain, Councillor. I am happy to see Spot, -

- yet I am crying. Perhaps the chip is malfunctioning.

I think it's working perfectly.

Hello, Spot.

Is this it?

Yes, that's it, Number One. Thank you.

I'm going to miss this ship. She went before her time.

Someone once said that time is a predator that stalks us all our lives.

I believe that time is a companion who goes with us on the journey -

- and reminds us to cherish every moment, for they'll never come again.

What we leave behind is not as important as how we've lived.

After all, we're only mortal.

Speak for yourself, sir. I plan to live forever.

I always thought I'd get a shot at this chair one day.

Perhaps you still will.

I doubt this will be the last ship to carry the name Enterprise.

Picard to Farragut. Two to beam up.