Alright. Try this.
- What is it? - Just try it.
You see? It's an Earth drink. Prune juice.
A warrior's drink.
You know, you always drink alone.
It wouldn't hurt you to seek out a little...
..companionship.
I would require a Klingon woman for... companionship.
- Earth females are too fragile. - Not all of them.
There are a few on this ship that would find you... tame.
Impossible.
- You never know till you try. - Then I'll never know.
- Coward! - I was merely concerned for the...
safety of my crewmates.
Drink your prune juice.
Lt Worf, report to the bridge.
On my way.
No!
Analysis, Mr. Data.
Sensors read gravimetric fluctuations.
- Most unusual ones. - Unusual in what way? Specify.
Nothing I have seen before.
- Is it a wormhole? - Yes and no.
Like a time displacement. But it has no discernible event horizon.
Navigational subsystems are unable to give coordinates.
Confirmed. The phenomenon has no definable centre or outer edge.
You're saying it is and isn't there?!
I have insufficient information to make an analysis as yet.
- The dynamics of the radiation... - Captain!
Something's happening.
A new change in sensor readings.
- Mr. Data? - Scanning sensors.
Lieutenant, what are their sensor readings? Is that an enemy vessel?
I'm getting too much interference, Captain.
Now hear this.
Fleet formation briefing in main war room at 1500 hours.
This isn't right.
It's changed.
It's clearing now, Captain.
Definitely Federation starship.
Accessing registry.
Looks like they had a rough ride.
NCC... 1 701 ...
..C.
USS...
..Enterprise.
Military log, combat date 43625.2.
While investigating an unusual radiation anomaly,
the Enterprise has encountered a ghost from its own past:
the Enterprise-C, the immediate predecessor to this battleship.
Sensors confirm design and specifications.
Hull and engine materials conform to methods of that time period.
But that cruiser was destroyed with all hands over 20 years ago.
Presumed destroyed. It was last seen near the Klingon outpost Narendra III
exactly 22 years, three months and four days ago.
- And now they're here. - Has it been adrift for years
- or has it travelled through time? - It is a possibility, Captain.
If that hypothesis is correct,
the phenomenon we have encountered is a temporal rift in space.
A rift?
Possibly a Kerr loop from superstring material.
It would require a high-energy interaction in the area to be formed.
It's certainly not stable. It could collapse at any time.
Captain. I'm able to scan the interior of the ship now, sir.
Damage to warp-field nacelles and hull-bearing struts.
Internal space frame is...
Life signs, Captain! Readings are sporadic.
Massive casualties, but some are still alive.
Bridge to sickbay. Emergency teams, stand by transporter rooms.
Belay that order, Doctor.
Respectfully...
Regardless of where they came from, they are here now and need our help.
If that ship travelled into the future,
we could be dealing with variables that will alter the flow of history.
Enterprise-C is sending out a distress call, sir. Audio only.
This is Capt Garrett of the Starship Enterprise,
to any Federation ship.
We have been attacked by Romulan warships
and require immediate assistance.
We've lost warp drive. Life support is failing.
There's no record of a Romulan assault on that ship.
Voice message has ended, Captain. It's only an automated signal now.
Open a hailing frequency. This is Capt Picard of the Federation...
of a Federation starship. Stand by to receive emergency teams.
We will handle this one step at a time.
Stabilize their power, tend their injured,
and avoid all discussions of where and when they are.
Aye sir. Lieutenant...
Message coming in from Starfleet monitor stations.
Klingon battle ships approaching.
- Battle alert. Condition yellow. - Aye, sir.
- Capt Garrett? - Yes.
I'm Cmdr William Riker. Our emergency teams are on board.
Doctor?
The rest of the bridge crew is dead.
She has serious internal injuries. She must come back to the Enterprise.
- To where? - We'll explain later.
You'll explain now.
We're from a Federation ship. We answered your call.
Your ship is in good hands, but we need to get you to our sickbay.
Very well.
Crusher to transporter room. Two to beam directly to sickbay.
Stand by for transport.
It's pretty bad. Looks like they were in a hell of a fight.
If you can't stabilize life-support, we'll have to evacuate the ship.
I think I can do it. I'll have to get to Engineering.
Damage control team Alpha, meet me on level three.
Commander.
Thanks.
Cmdr William Riker.
Lt Castillo, helmsman.
- Away team reporting in, Captain. - On screen.
- Go ahead. - We've stabilized life-support.
Mr. La Forge is working on the main power couplings, but it'll take time.
It's a real mess down here.
- Survivors? - 125.
- Recommendations? - I'd hate to scrap her.
Starfleet could certainly use another ship, even if she is old.
Agreed. But we can't stay in this area too long.
If you get her under way in 9 hours we'll escort her to Starbase 1 05.
If not... we'll evacuate the survivors and destroy the ship.
- Understood, sir. - Keep me posted. Out.
Guinan?
We need to talk.
Somehow this... this is all wrong.
This is not the way it's supposed to be.
How do you think things have changed?
I look at things, people, and... they just don't feel right.
What things? What people?
You. Your uniform. The bridge...
What's the matter with the bridge?
- It's not right! - Nothing has changed.
I know that. I also know it's wrong.
- What else? - Families.
- There should be children on board. - What?
Children on the Enterprise?
- Guinan, we're at war! - No, we're not.
At least, we're not supposed to be.
This is not a ship of war. This is a ship of peace.
- What you're suggesting... - I am not suggesting.
That ship from the past is not meant to be here. It's got to go back.
Run a full electrolyte report.
Boost the level of tricordrazine.
Try to relax.
Dr Selar, report to ward stat.
I'm Capt Jean-Luc Picard.
Rachel Garrett. How's my ship?
The support systems are being restored.
Continuing repairs.
Where did you come from? We didn't pick up any other Federation ships.
What's the last thing you remember?
We were answering the distress signal.
- Distress signal? - You must have heard it.
From the Klingon outpost. Narendra III.
But you didn't... did you?
This... sickbay, I've never seen anything like it,
even on a starbase. And your uniform. What ship is this, Captain?
Please try to be still.
I must insist. What ship?
You're aboard the Enterprise.
1 701 ... D.
You have come 22 years into the future.
22 years...
- Does my crew know yet? - No.
I must tell them. I owe them that.
If you wish, they'll be informed.
Any reason they should not be told?
If you return to your own time with knowledge of the future...
We barely escaped with our lives. If we returned, we'd be destroyed.
Have you any idea how this happened?
There were... There was a... fierce volley of photon torpedoes.
We were hit.
A bright light, and then here.
It is possible that this exchange of fire
was the catalyst for the formation of a temporal rift.
History has no record of your battle with the Romulans.
We were responding to a distress call
from the Klingon outpost on Narendra Ill.
The Romulans were attacking it. We engaged them.
But there were four war birds.
The outpost was destroyed. It is regrettable you did not succeed.
A Federation starship rescuing a Klingon outpost...
..might have averted 20 years of war.
I still can't quite make myself believe it.
22 years!
I have 40 percent on forward shields.
- What do you have on aft? - 40 percent.
That won't cut it. Commander,
advise Lt La Forge that shields are below minimum.
Acknowledged.
We'll never see our homes again. Our families.
How do you know your family's not still alive?
You're right. I don't.
But imagine coming home after 22 years. Would I recognize them?
What are the stats on the main phaser banks?
Emitters available, 60 percent forward, 52 percent aft.
Good. Let's take a look at the torpedo launchers.
I guess I'm lucky to be alive at all.
You may not like the future. It's been a long war.
The Federation has lost more than half of Starfleet to the Klingons.
We were negotiating a peace treaty when I left.
A lot of changes, Lieutenant. A lot of changes.
When we get a break, maybe you could fill me in on some of them.
Photon banks are depleted.
Auxiliary fusion generators are down.
It is highly probable that the temporal rift is symmetrical.
What would happen if the Enterprise-C were to fly back through it?
Back, sir?
She would emerge in her own time at almost the same instant she left.
Right in the middle of the battle with the Romulans.
- Any possibility she could survive? - None, sir.
Then sending them back would be a death sentence.
She was the first galaxy-class warship built by the Federation.
42 decks. Capable of transporting over 6,000 troops.
- How long have you been on board? - Four years.
Straight out of the Academy.
- I was lucky to get the Enterprise. - Yeah, me too.
I mean... my Enterprise.
Lieutenant, how's the ship?
We've restored minimal shields in the forward phaser banks.
Still no photon launchers or warp drive.
Concentrate on the weapons system.
From what I hear, the Federation can use all the help it can get.
And soon. Our sensors have picked up Klingon warships in the sector.
- Why wasn't I informed? - You shouldn't...
As senior officer, I want you to be my liaison to the Enterprise-D.
Where do you think you're going?
- I'm resuming my duties. - You need at least another 24 hours.
Nonsense. Doctors overprotect patients.
And captains push themselves too hard.
Doctor, my ship and my crew need me now.
24 hours might as well be 24 years.
- I need more. - There is no more.
I wish there were.
I wish I could prove it. But I can't.
- Then I can't ask them to go back. - You've got to.
Guinan, they will die moments after they return.
How can I ask them to sacrifice themselves solely on your intuition?
I don't know. But I do know that this is a mistake.
Every fibre in my being says this is a mistake.
I can't even explain it to myself. I only know that I'm right.
Who is to say that this history is any less proper than the other?
- I suppose I am. - Not good enough, dammit!
- I will not ask them to die. - 40 billion people already have.
This war's not meant to be happening. Send those people back to correct it.
What is to guarantee that if they go back they will succeed?
Every instinct is telling me this is wrong, dangerous, futile!
We've known each other a long time.
You have never known me to impose myself on anyone
or take a stance based on trivial or whimsical perceptions.
This timeline must not be allowed to continue.
I've told you what you must do.
You have only your trust in me to help you decide to do it.
I mean, deflector shield technology
has advanced considerably during the war.
Our heat-dissipation rates are double those of the Enterprise-C.
Which means we can hang in a firefight... a lot longer.
- Guinan? - Have you ordered yet, Tasha?
No, not yet.
- Is anything wrong? - Not a thing.
- What can I get for you? - Just a couple of TKLs.
I'm in a hurry. This is Lt Castillo.
- First time for everything. - First time?
I've never seen anything bother her before.
- What's a TKL? - Standard rations.
Food replicators are on minimum power
so everything else is diverted to the defensive systems. So where was l?
You've told me more about tactical in an hour
than I learned in a year at the Academy.
You'll need it, Lieutenant!
I've known you a whole day now, Lieutenant.
I won't salute if you won't. What did she call you? Tasha.
Yeah.
Almost everyone calls me Castillo. My mother calls me Richard.
OK, Castillo.
No... I think maybe I'd like it better if you called me Richard.
Richard.
This is the captain. Senior officers, report to my ready room immediately.
So much for lunch.
Are you suggesting we let them return and try to complete their mission?
- I am, Doctor. - Based on Guinan's intuition?
It won't achieve anything. They can't save Narendra Ill.
There are four Romulan war birds. The Enterprise-C would be outgunned.
- Unless we were to rearm them. - We can't do that.
If we did, we'd be altering the past.
That's what you're talking about anyway.
We're talking about restoring the past.
How could Guinan know history's been altered if she's been altered too?
Her species may have a perception that goes beyond linear time.
There are many inexplicable things about her species.
Yet she may be correct. A ship from the past has travelled through time.
How can we know the effects of that? We will never know if she is correct.
But the consequences of that possibility are too grave to ignore.
- Dismissed. - If you'd like my opinion...
I'm aware of your opinion. This is a briefing. I don't seek your consent.
With respect, you'd be asking 1 25 people to die a meaningless death.
Not necessarily meaningless. Klingons regard honour above all else.
If the crew of the Enterprise-C had died defending a Klingon outpost,
it would be considered an act of honour by the Klingon empire.
Even their deaths could have prevented this war.
If the Enterprise-C returns to battle
and its mission is a success, history will be changed.
This timeline will cease to exist. I've considered the alternatives.
I'll go with Guinan's recommendation. Dismissed.
If she's right, we may not even be in another timeline.
Who knows if we're even dead or alive?
Engineering.
Is Engineering your destination as well?
What?
Deck six. Sorry.
If I interpret your facial expressions correctly,
you are preoccupied with something... unpleasant.
No, l... I was just thinking.
About a lot of things.
I...
I've been working with one of the officers on the Enterprise-C.
He's nice. I like him.
I'm worried about what's going to happen to him.
We may never know.
If they succeed, we will not even realize that these events occurred.
Shields are up to 72 percent.
- That's better. - Good.
Do you believe this Guinan?
I discovered long ago that she has a special wisdom. I trust it.
I could arrange for you to speak with her, if you wish.
I would be lying to you if I said there was a chance in hell
of coming out of this alive.
Why not bring your ship back with us?
- The Romulans are no match for you. - I can't do that.
No, I suppose not.
You don't belong in our time any more than we belong in yours.
To be honest with you, a significant number of my crew
have expressed a desire to return, even knowing the odds.
Some because they can't bear to live without their loved ones,
some because they don't like slipping out in the middle of a fight.
But I have told them that in the here and now
the Federation needs another ship against the Klingons.
And we'd better get used to being in the here and now.
But if you go back, it could be a great deal more helpful.
The war is going very badly for us,
far worse than is generally known.
Starfleet Command believes defeat is inevitable.
Within six months, we may have no choice but to surrender.
And all this may be a result of our arrival here?
One more ship will make no difference in the here and now.
But 22 years ago, one ship could have stopped this war before it started.
- Mr. Castillo. - Yes, Captain?
- Inform the crew we're going back. - Yes, Captain.
The Romulans will get a good fight!
We'll make it one for the history books.
I know you will, Captain.
- Lt Yar? - Permission to remain a moment, sir?
Granted.
Transporter room, Capt Picard is ready to return to his ship.
Aye, Captain.
I just wanted to say good luck.
I'll put your tactical briefing to good use when we get back.
Your ship has more manoeuvrability than the Romulans of that era.
If you could just isolate...
You'll do fine.
If you get back to Earth,
and you see a man, say, in his late 50s,
taking a hard, long look across a crowded room...
Hey, you never know.
Goodbye, Lieutenant.
- Red alert! Full power to shields. - Shields are up.
- Initiating evasive manoeuvres. - Ready phasers.
Enterprise-D, has your captain returned?
Acknowledged. Capt Picard is safely aboard.
- Fire phasers. - Firing phasers.
Report.
One Klingon bird of prey off the starboard bow.
- Firing phasers. - Load torpedo bays.
The Klingon vessel has recloaked. I have no readings.
Capt Garrett, damage report.
- Capt Garrett? - This is Lt Yar, sir.
Capt Garrett is dead.
I'm prepared to lead the Enterprise back myself, Capt Picard.
Lt Castillo is the last surviving senior officer.
He will have limited ops support, reduced staff in Engineering...
I have good people willing to do their best.
History never meant you to go into battle without a captain.
I cannot speak to that, but I can get us back to where we're meant to be.
That's what Capt Garrett would want me to do.
- Cmdr Data to Capt Picard. - Go ahead.
Sensors show additional instability in the time rift,
possibly the result of the battle with the Klingons.
- Any signs of other Klingon vessels? - No, sir.
Our coordinates have been sent to the Klingons.
- We mustn't remain here. - Sir, it is my intention to return.
Unless you order me not to.
- How soon can your ship be ready? - We sustained moderate damage.
- We can be under way in a few hours. - Make it so. We'll give you cover.
One to beam to the Enterprise-C.
We keep saying goodbye, don't we?
- I wish we had more time. - More time?
I think we have all the time we can handle as it is!
Lieutenant.
Can I get you something, Tasha?
I have to know something. What happens to me in the other timeline?
I don't have alternate biographies of the crew.
And as I said to the captain, it's just a feeling.
But there's something more when you look at me, isn't there?
I can see it in your eyes, Guinan. We've known each other too long.
We weren't meant to know each other at all!
At least that's what I sense when I look at you.
Tasha, you're not supposed to be here.
- Where am I supposed to be? - Dead.
Do you know how?
No.
But I do know it was an empty death. A death without purpose.
Come.
Yes, Lieutenant?
Captain, I request to transfer to the Enterprise-C.
- For what reason? - They need someone at Tactical.
- We need you here. - I'm not supposed to be here, sir.
Sit down, Lieutenant.
What did she say to you?
I don't belong here, sir.
I'm... I'm... supposed to be dead.
She felt it necessary to reveal that to you?
- I felt it was necessary. - I see.
You realize that it's very possible the Enterprise-C will fail?
We will continue in this timeline, in which case your life, hopefully,
will continue for a long while.
I know how important it is that they don't fail. It's why I request this.
- You don't belong on that ship. - No, Capt Garrett belongs on it.
But she's dead. And I think there's a certain logic in this request.
There's no logic in this at all!
Whether they succeed or not,...
..the Enterprise-C will be destroyed.
But at least with someone at Tactical,
they will have a chance to defend themselves well.
It may be a matter of seconds, but those could change history.
Guinan says I died a senseless death in the other timeline.
I didn't like the sound of that, Captain.
I've always known the risks that come with the Starfleet uniform.
If I'm to die in one,...
..I'd like my death to count for something.
Lieutenant...
Permission granted.
Thank you, sir.
I've got phaser banks at 70 percent efficiency. We've got an hour left.
- Let's try and get them up to 90. - Aye, sir.
Parker, you've got ops. Fredericks, take the conn.
I'll handle Tactical. Lt Tasha Yar reporting for duty, sir.
- You're not in my crew. - I am now.
Capt Picard approved my request for transfer.
This isn't a joke, Tasha.
We're going back into the rift, into battle. We're not coming back.
I know the mission. These are my orders, Lieutenant.
- But I don't want you here. - You need me here.
Can someone in your crew do the job better than I can?
Welcome aboard.
- Take your station, Lieutenant. - Aye, sir.
Military log, supplemental.
Lt Tasha Yar has transferred to the Enterprise-C,
where she has taken over tactical duties.
Meanwhile we have picked up Klingon cruisers on an intercept course.
- Number and type of ships? - Three K'vort-class battle cruisers.
- Not even cloaking themselves. - They shouldn't be so confident,
after the pasting they got on Archer IV.
Attention all hands.
As you know, we could outrun the Klingon vessels,
but we must protect the Enterprise-C until she enters the temporal rift,
and we must succeed.
Let's make sure history never forgets the name...
..Enterprise. Picard out.
- Mr. Data? - Shields are holding.
Hold fire.
Mr. Crusher, come about to course 1 48 003.
- Aye, sir. - Photon torpedoes are ready.
Dispersal pattern... sierra. And fire!
One enemy target hit, sir.
Moderate damage to their forward shields.
Shields still holding. Minor damage to secondary hull.
Course 1 48...
Correction, course 1 70 mark 01 4.
Sir, one ship is breaking off towards the Enterprise-C.
Mr. Crusher, keep us within 200 km of the Enterprise-C.
Coming to 217 mark 115, increasing to two-thirds impulse.
Damage control teams, deck 1 4!
Engineering to bridge. Starboard power coupling is down.
Field generator three is damaged. Attempting to bypass.
- If we lose antimatter... - Acknowledged.
The Klingons are attempting to draw us away from Enterprise-C.
Hold course. Continual fire, all phasers.
One enemy target destroyed, sir.
- Damage report? - Casualty in the secondary hull.
Navigational sensor array inoperative.
Antimatter containment fields are failing.
I may have to dump the reactor core or she'll blow!
Shields buckling. They will not...
I can't hold the containment fields. Initiating emergency shutdown!
Coolant leak in the engine core. I can't shut it down.
I estimate two minutes to a warp core breach!
Go! Go! Go!
- How long till they enter the rift? - 52 seconds, sir.
All remaining power to the defence systems.
Power couplings severed in forward phaser banks. Attempting to bypass.
Controls not responding.
Federation ship Enterprise, surrender and prepare to be boarded.
That will be the day!
Report, Lieutenant.
Readings fluctuated. It appeared to be a ship, but then it vanished.
The phenomenon is closing in on itself.
Very well. Prepare a class-one sensor probe.
We'll leave it behind to monitor the final closure.
Lay in a course for Archer IV.
Captain, this is Guinan.
- Is everything alright up there? - Guinan?!
Yes, everything's fine. Something wrong?
No. No, everything's fine. Sorry to bother you.
Geordi, tell me about...
..Tasha Yar.