Captain's log, stardate 45571.2.
We are going into orbit around an unexplored M—cIass moon
of Mab-Bu VI.
Though the moon was reported to be uninhabited,
we have picked up a weak distress call.
The electromagnetic whirlwinds on the moon's surface
make it virtually impossible to locate the source of the signal, captain.
Any indications of life, Mr. Worf?
Scanners read negative, sir.
But they may be affected by the interference.
Have you ever heard anything like this, Data?
I believe so, commander.
- At Starfleet Academy. — The Academy?
I will verify it.
Just as I thought.
It is a Starfleet subspace distress signal.
Standard to Daeda|us—c|ass starships.
There hasn't been a Daeda|us—c|ass in service, for what?
One hundred seventy-two years, sir.
Are there any records of missing ships in this vicinity?
The USS Essex under the command of Captain Bryce Shumar,
disappeared in this sector over two centuries ago.
Daeda|us—c|ass.
I have accessed the subspace transponder signature of the Essex.
It is identical to the signal coming from the moon's surface.
We arrived a little late.
Mute it, Mr. Data.
With all that storm activity down there,
it isn't worth the risk to check on a ghost ship.
Advise Starfleet, that we have solved the mystery
of Captain Shumar and the Essex.
I'm not sure we have.
Someone's down there.
Alive.
Space, the ﬁnal frontier.
These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise.
to explore strange new worlds,
to seek out new life and new civilizations,
to boldly go where no one has gone before.
First Ofﬁcer's log, supplemental.
The interference on the surface
has been judged too dangerous for anyone to transport down.
So we have taken a shuttle to investigate.
Shields are holding, sir.
Wind shear is incredible.
Data, keep an eye on the stabilizers.
If it's like this on the ground,
I don't see how people can survive on this moon for very long.
Maybe they've been living underground.
The question is where? I still can't locate the source of the damn signal.
Forward thrusters have failed, sir.
— We are losing power. - Enterprise.
Go ahead.
We've lost our thrusters,
attempting to compensate with secondary boosters.
Sir, the shuttIecraft's impulse generators have shut down.
Commander, can you hear me?
Enterprise to shuttle, please respond.
Hold on. We're going down.
Initiating emergency landing procedures.
Maintain the approach attitude, Data.
I'm taking her in. Brace for impact.
The shuttle has crashed on the surface.
- Do you have their position? - I'm picking up the shutt|e's signature.
But the surface interference is distorting its position.
Can you locate them?
I think I can. I followed their entry almost all the way in.
We can calculate the coordinates from their angle of descent.
— Aah! — Your arm.
Yeah. I'm pretty sure that's broken. Enterprise.
It is unlikely we will be able to establish communication with the ship
given the electromagnetic interference.
We'll stay in the area until the Enterprise finds us.
Take an inventory of the shuttle.
See if there's anything left in there that's usable.
The ground cover is all non—porous rock,
which makes me believe it's even less likely there's anyone living here.
that have not been damaged by our landing, sir.
What is that?
That doesn't look like any storm front I've ever seen.
The tricorder is picking up high levels of EM bursts across the spectrum.
No life sign readings other than our own.
There is someone alive here.
I'm more certain of it now than ever.
Well, I hope they can find us.
Because there's no way we'll find them.
They're coming.
They're coming with the storm.
We can't get a pattern lock on their communicators
because of the EM bursts, captain.
There's no way we can beam them out of there. Not under these conditions.
The same conditions won't permit a shuttle to land safely, Mr. La Forge.
An)’ Suggestions?
Give us a minute, captain.
Sir, let me beam down with a pattern enhancer.
Chief, there's no guarantee you won't rematerialize in a million pieces
if your signal gets caught up in that electromagnetic whirlwind.
I can boost the confinement beam.
One person might be able to make it.
Captain, Chief O'Brien wants to beam down to the surface
with a pattern enhancer.
His chances of making it down there safely
are no better than ﬁfty-ﬁfty in my opinion.
Captain, a major storm front is moving in
on the away team's coordinates.
You're aware of the risks, Mr. O'Brien?
Yes, sir.
- I think I can make it. - All right then. Good luck.
Aye, sir.
Mr. O'Brien.
- Nice of you to join us. - Nice spot for a picnic, sir.
We need to distribute these enhancer rods at seven-meter lengths.
That should do it.
Is this storm front going to interfere with the transport, chief?
I'd really like to get us out of here before it hits, commander.
I'm supposed to be feeding the baby lunch.
Molly gets in a terribly foul mood if I'm late.
I'm with you.
Lunch time, Miles. Let's do it.
Aah!
— Aah! — Easy, Deanna.
You're back on the Enterprise now. You're gonna be okay.
My skin, it's tingling.
You're experiencing the after images of the electromagnetic discharge.
The sensation will pass.
They're all fine too.
Now, I want you to take your time, counselor.
Doctor's orders.
Injury report, doctor.
Mostly minor abrasions.
Commander Riker took the worst of it with a broken arm.
- Mr. Data. - Sir.
- Good work, chief. - Thank you, sir.
— Ready for duty, sir. - You sure, Number One?
It's not the first broken bone I've ever had.
And how are you, counselor?
Very glad to be here.
Good. Let's go.
— So, what happened down there? - It was just one hell of a storm.
It moved in on our position faster than anything I've ever seen.
Was there any evidence of life?
No, but if Troi was right, we were pretty close to it.
Bndge. So how do you suggest we proceed?
We need to adjust the scanners so that they can penetrate those storms.
Do you have any ideas, Data?
We might be able to employ virtual imaging
—-missing data.
Is something wrong, commander?
My apologies, sir.
It seems my primary speech processors
are experiencing a minor fluctuation.
I will have it corrected in a moment.
Captain, may I speak with you for a moment in private?
Of course. You have the Bridge, Number One.
Mr. Data, deploy sensor scans when you're ready.
Ensign, take us to a synchronous orbit aligned around our crash site.
- Aye, sir. - Sir.
Given the EM field properties of this moon,
I recommend a search pattern
beginning in the southern polar region.
The polar region?
That would be starting from scratch, Mr. Data.
Our latest readings would suggest
that we begin our scan around our crash site.
The Essex signal was never clearly located, sir.
A systematic survey of the moon
from a polar orbit might be more practical.
Well, you may be right, but I'd like to give the crash site a once-over first.
Maintain our current orbit.
Understood, sir.
I've never felt anything like it.
It was as though they were calling to me.
Are you saying someone was communicating telepathically?
Perhaps.
For an instant.
It was like their voices were being carried on the wind.
What were they trying to communicate?
I'm not sure.
But they were calling me to the southern polar region.
I believe that's where we should look for the Essex.
Commander, did you override my orbital heading?
Override them?
We've moved into a polar orbit, and I'm locked out.
The helm isn't responding.
Do you know anything about this, Mr. Data?
- — Data? - Uhn!
Security to the Bridge.
Computer, transfer command to engineering. Full security alert.
This way. — What happened?
He would not move to a polar orbit.
You couldn't wait? The captain would have done it for me.
Deck 36, engineering.
Computer, reenable Bridge control.
- Security protocol. - Riker, Omega, Three.
Report.
Data, O'Brien and Troi tried to commandeer the ship.
They're in Turbolift 4. Engaging override controls now.
- — They trapped us. - What deck is this?
- We're on Deck 10. - Can you move us again?
I know how to override the Bridge command.
Activate security fields, decks eight through 15.
Sir, the turbolift is moving again.
They're still inside.
Initiate emergency bulkheads in Turboshaft 4.
Aye, sir.
They have been stopped at Deck 13.
Mr. Worf.
Do you know how to deactivate this?
The computer won't allow us to override
an emergency force field command.
My entity's artificial substructure may be useful.
They've broken through a security field. Deck 10, section two.
Security to Ten-Forward.
Oh...
Shh.
Mama's here. Shh.
Everyone get down on the floor.
Miles.
Shh. On the floor.
Everyone down. Now.
Miles.
Multiple phaser shots, Ten-Forward.
Commander Worf, report.
Mr. Worf, acknowledge. Can you hear me, Mr. Worf?
Yes, Bridge. He can hear you.
Captain's log, supplemental.
Following an aborted attempt to take control of the Bridge,
Counselor Troi, Mr. Data and Chief O'Brien have seized Ten-Fon/vard.
Position security teams at both entrances.
- Yes, sir. — Mr. La Forge,
shut down all computer access to Ten-Forward.
I can't, captain.
They've already set up a remote security lockout.
We'd have to shutdown computer function in the saucer section.
Transporter Room 3, can you get a pattern lock on Data, Counselor Troi
and Chief O'Brien in Ten-Fon/vard?
Attempting to lock on, sir.
You were correct.
They're attempting to engage their transporters.
But I know how to shut them down.
Do it.
Bridge, the entire transporter array has been taken offline
and placed into diagnostic mode.
I can't override. It'll take a couple of hours to complete the cycle.
How many people are down there?
Seventeen.
They just shut down the internal scanners too, captain.
Dr. Crusher to the Bridge.
On my way.
What are you doing now?
I can reverse the polarity of their force fields to isolate this room.
- Good. — Their communicators.
Now, they'll learn nothing except what we tell them.
They've done something to the force fields on Deck 10, section one.
- Geordi? - I don't recognize the configurations,
but they've completely isolated Ten-Forward.
What about flooding their air vents with anesthizine gas?
That won't affect Data.
No rescue plan will work unless we can knock out all three of them.
A concussive charge would blow out the security fields.
We can go in with our phasers on a wide beam, stun everybody.
Sort it out later.
Doctor, go back to the biofilter readouts
taken of the away team's transport from the moon's surface.
See if you can come up with any clue that might explain this.
Ten-Forward, this is Captain Picard.
I am prepared to discuss this situation.
There is no need for further violence.
Please, identify yourselves.
They will now attempt to negotiate
for the safety and release of their people.
Interesting.
Under normal circumstances,
I would be counseling the captain at a time like this.
And what would you tell him to do?
I would help him find a way to secure our trust.
What are you looking at?
You, Klingon.
Attack me.
Are you afraid?
I have no fear of death.
And I have no fear of killing you.
Stop it.
Please respond, Ten-Forward.
Are there any members of my crew who require medical assistance?
We can discuss your wounded.
But first, you will move the ship.
Move it where?
You will change orbit to an inclination of 80—degrees south.
That's the southern polar region.
That's where Data tried to move the ship.
And that's what Troi asked me to do, but why?
Ten-Forward.
If you could be more specific
about our intended destination, then perhaps we could--
You have 30 seconds to change your heading,
or additional members of your crew will require medical attention.
We need to stabilize this situation. Play for time.
I suggest that we move the ship as they've asked.
Agreed?
Set a new heading, but take us there as slowly as you can.
Ten-Forward.
We are moving the ship as you requested.
He's telling the truth. Their heading has changed.
Captain, I've compared the away team's
last transporter trace patterns to their earlier records.
They're exactly the same, except in Data, Troi and O'Brien,
there's an unusual synaptic activity, some kind of anionic energy.
It might be another life form
superimposing it's neural patterns on our people.
Why wasn't I affected?
I don't know.
The only difference between you and the others is that you were injured.
My broken arm.
The fracture caused pain receptors to fire,
which may have made you immune to this energy.
If your theory is accurate, doctor,
what would happen if we were to inflict pain on the others?
It might force whatever it is out of our people.
A plasma shock.
It would be painful, but it wouldn't cause any physical harm.
I could hookup a modified laser scanner to a plasma invertor.
What about Data?
Well, a plasma shock will definitely overload his neural net.
It will work on him too.
We have to penetrate the force field around Ten-Forward.
I might be able to interrupt the force field for a few seconds,
but I'll be fighting the computer for control. Timing will be critical.
We'd have to hit all three with a single discharge.
If they're standing together, it shouldn't be a problem.
How will you gain access?
A micro-optic drill through the ceiling, and they'll never detect it.
If this is going to work, we have to have some way
to contain or neutralize this anionic energy
once it's out of our people.
Yes, doctor. That will be your top priority.
Very well. Proceed.
Bridge to Ten-Forward.
Now, that we are moving the ship as you requested,
I would like to know the nature of the injuries to members of my crew.
Five of your people have been injured.
How serious is their condition ?
You, Klingon, tell him.
Captain, one person has what looks like a level-five phaser hit.
And four others have secondary burns. They require medical attention.
And our captors are not affected
- by a phaser stun setting-- - Silence, Klingon.
Ten—Fon/vard,
you must release these people
so that they can receive proper medical attention.
I will release no one.
If you will release them, I will take their place.
I don't trust him.
It may be a deception.
The crew values Picard's life above all others.
Captain Picard, we agree to your proposal.
Expect a medical team to accompany me.
Acknowledged.
Sickbay, this is Picard.
Have an emergency medical team meet me outside Ten-Forward.
Sir, putting you down there only strengthens their position.
So long as they're onboard the ship, I'm a hostage no matter where I am.
We all are.
I must find out who we're dealing with.
If La Forge and Ro can attempt a rescue in short order, let them proceed.
If they can't,
I will provide you with another opportunity. Watch for it.
Yes, sir.
- Silence that child. - Shh.
Shh.
I know you.
Shh.
I know who you are.
And I know what this is.
She's frightened. Why don't you just let us go?
No.
Make it stop.
Ten—Fon/vard, we're outside the door.
Lower the force field.
Welcome, captain.
Allow me to introduce myself.
I am Captain Bryce Shumar, of the Federation starship Essex.
The starship Essex vanished over 200 years ago.
Indeed. I know, I was there.
This is my First Officer, Commander Steven Mullen.
And my Security Chief, Lieutenant Morgan Kelly.
And you have survived all this time as--
Spirits? Ghosts?
But you're a man who would never believe in ghosts, Picard,
isn't that true?
You see, Troi knows you.
And so I do as well.
Then Counselor Troi is still alive?
Yes, of course she is.
I have no wish to harm her or to harm anyone else.
I'm very pleased to hear that.
We have been forced to take this action, captain,
because we need your help.
My help?
Our consciousness has been trapped on this moon for two centuries.
We must escape this torture.
How did this happen to you?
I can't explain how it happened.
I only know that it did.
The Essex was caught in an electromagnetic storm
just as your shuttle was.
Moments before we crashed, the Bridge was struck by lightning.
The ship was ripped apart.
Somehow, in that instant, our consciousness
was absorbed into the magnetic currents on the surface.
Why didn't you tell us this? Why the deception?
The violence?
Because, as I said,
I knew you would not believe us.
Even now, I know you don't.
What was your vessel's designation, and its complement?
NCC-173.
Daedalus-class starship. Crew, 229.
Under whose command in this sector?
Admiral Uttan Narsu, Starbase 12.
You will find all this in Starfleet records.
I don't need to see the records.
Then you know I am correct.
End this,
and I will give you whatever help you need.
No. You don't trust us.
And I can't risk trusting you.
It is taking too long. We should have been there by now.
He is manipulating you.
Captain Picard has every right to be curious.
He will delay until a rescue attempt is possible.
I know that.
I also know that he will make every effort to protect the lives of his people.
Since our demands are not excessive, captain,
I hope you will see that it will be simpler to accede
than to risk further injuries.
- What do you want? — All you need to know for now
is that we want to rest.
Simply, finally, to rest.
Section 2, B,
A. Section 1 .
Finally.
I never wanna see this part of the Enterprise again.
I hear you, this is what starship designers call "easy access."
Yeah. Yeah, this is it.
I thought we might have a problem
with conduit number 227,
but it looks like we're gonna be able to get by it.
Thanks.
We're through.
Good. Let's hookup the scanner and see what we've got.
Got it.
All three have got to be in the circle if this is going to work.
We're halfway home.
La Forge to Crusher. How are you doing?
lthink I've come up with an idea for a containment ﬁeld.
This anionic energy seems to be vulnerable
to the same magnetic flux density we monitored in the storms.
If we can duplicate it, we can trap it once it's out of our people.
Well, you should be able to do that by flooding Ten-Forward
with ionogenic particles.
Exactly what I was thinking.
Geordi, howlong will it take to get it all ready?
Uh... We still have to calibrate the plasma invertor, commander.
My guess is 45 minutes to an hour.
I can have the containment field ready by then.
Keep me advised.
- Watch them, please. - I will.
He's confused.
Impressions, Mr. Worf?
Spiritual possessions of this sort
have been reported throughout Klingon history.
It is called Jat'yln. The taking of the living by the dead.
Human history is full of many similar legends.
Then you believe they may be telling the truth.
Not for one moment.
Sir, they know much about the Essex.
If it is the spirit of Captain Shumar--
Then he should be behaving very much better, don't you think?
- A Starfleet captain? - You two, sit down.
Hey. All right.
Living disembodied for two centuries, perhaps they've gone mad.
I assure you, Mr. Worf, these are not Jat'yln.
Ourjob is to find out exactly what they are.
And then to determine how to deal with them.
All right, that's enough.
Sit down, both of you. You over there, you there.
- Down. - I gave you that.
In a place called McKinley Park.
Green grass, tall trees.
- Please, don't. — I hid the bracelet in your pocket.
You were surprised.
Dont
You said, "Miles, you make me feel so happy."
No, get away. Get away from me.
Leave her alone.
Captain Shumar.
We'll be approaching the southern polar region
that you requested in a few minutes. I need to give additional instructions.
Very well.
We're taking you to our crash site.
At the southern pole?
That is correct.
Nothing our sensors were able to detect,
indicated that the Essex went down in that region.
As I told you, captain, the ship broke up in the atmosphere.
And the Bridge went down here.
When we reach it, you will beam what's left
of our skeletal remains onboard this ship,
and then take them back to Earth for a proper burial.
You see how simple a request this is?
Captain.
If you will let these people go,
I'll order the Bridge to follow your instructions.
I will release no one.
If you are who you say you are, there's no need for any of this.
We'll gladly take you home.
I wish you were truly as open—minded as you say, Picard.
If you don't release the hostages, I won't cooperate.
Oh, you will cooperate, captain.
You will cooperate or someone will die.
Who shall it be, huh?
How about the Klingon?
Get another one.
You.
Come on.
Come on. Come on.
Pick one to die, captain.
Or I kill them both.
They're all in range. I have to do it now.
I can only shut down the force field for seven seconds
before the computer compensates.
Well, if they're the right seven seconds, it'll be enough.
Bridge, prepare to release the ionogenic field on my signal.
Standing by.
Ready.
- Kill the force field. - Force field down.
Firing plasma charge.
Damn.
Tell them to stop or I kill everyone in this room, starting with you.
Picard to Bridge. Abort immediately.
As you say, captain.
Riker to La Forge.
Return to the Bridge.
Are you ready to cooperate?
Yes.
First Ofﬁcer's log, supplemental.
The Enterprise has moved into a synchronous orbit
near the southern polar region.
We await further instructions from Ten-Forward.
Any sign of the Essex?
Negative, commander. Electromagnetic disturbances
are even worse here. Scanners can't read a thing.
Bridge to Ten-Forward.
Intense storm activity over the southern pole
is making it virtually impossible for us to pick up any trace of the Essex.
We are giving you the exact coordinates.
of our remains onboard the wreck of the Essex.
I'm receiving those coordinates now.
Can you tell what's there?
Just your basic ionic cyclone.
I can't read a thing.
Well, I'm sure as hell not gonna beam up whatever might be down there.
I've got a good excuse for you.
Transporters aren't gonna work any better than the scanners.
Bridge to Ten-Forward.
Whatever is blocking our scanners,
will prevent the use of the transporters.
- They're lying. - On the contrary,
we've had a difficult time with the transporters since we arrived.
That's why we had to send down the shuttle.
You should all have been aware of that fact.
We must be able to use the transporters.
Mr. O'Brien was the one who safely executed the return of the away team.
He's the most qualified person onboard to operate the transporters
under these circumstances.
- Can you do it from here? - No.
I'd have to use a transporter pad.
I could...
I could give you safe passage
to a transporter pad in one of the cargo bays.
It is a trick.
He is trying to divide us.
We must not be separated.
I could give you all safe passage.
Why are you suddenly being so helpful?
Because I assume that if you choose to go to the cargo bay,
then you won't take all of the hostages.
Their safety is my chief priority.
What are the risks when we leave this room?
Without the protection of the force fields,
we are completely vulnerable.
They could use the transporter against us.
Once the force field is down, they could beam us back to the surface.
But there is a way to neutralize that threat.
Bridge, transfer all transporter functions to Ten-Forward.
In order to do that,
you will have to release your computer control lockouts.
That's not true.
Let me talk to him.
Number One, I think we have an opportunity to end this siege.
It will require the cooperation of all concerned.
Our guests will be moving shortly to Cargo Bay 4,
from where the transport will occur.
I want you to ensure them of safe passage
between Ten-Forward and the cargo bay.
Understood, captain.
- Doctor. Mr. La Forge. — Yes, sir.
Transporter controls are being transferred.
Ten-Forward to Bridge.
I said all transporter controls,
including all those aboard your shuttlecraft.
Almost had them, ensign. Nice try.
Riker to Ten-Forward,
remaining transporter functions are being transferred to you.
Once we create our own access code,
we can prevent anybody using the transporter against us
as we go to the cargo bay.
What about the weapons?
We will each take a hostage for protection.
Klingon.
Picard, you are mine.
Please, let her stay.
Lower the force field.
Security teams, standby.
They're heading through Section 5.
Mr. La Forge, doctor, they'll be at their destination in less than a minute.
They've stopped at Deck 18, sir.
Security, allow them access into Cargo Bay 4.
Aye, sir.
I will require assistance.
Captain Shumar,
how do you intend to achieve this rest that you so desire?
What do you mean?
Well, how do you intend to free yourselves
of this existence that has so trapped your consciousness?
It will fade as we move further from this planet.
Really? And what is your scientific basis for that?
I don't need a scientific basis.
Just be quiet.
Captain Shumar, when are you gonna tell me who you really are?
I've initialized the transporter signal.
Proceed.
They're firing up the transporter, commander.
Mr. La Forge.
I've isolated Cargo Bay 4 with a neutrino field, sir.
But it'll only take Data and O'Brien a couple of minutes to override it
once they discover that it's there.
I hope that will give the captain enough time to play his hand.
Do you know what he's going to do?
There's only one reason he chose Cargo Bay 4.
If it becomes necessary, ensign,
you'll blow the cargo bay hatch on my orders.
Yes, sir.
You're right, Picard.
It's not rest we seek. Only escape.
Escape?
We were brought to this moon over five centuries ago
from a star system called Ux—MaI.
We were separated from our bodies and left to drift in the storms.
Once we almost escaped, onboard the Essex.
But that ship was incapable of eluding this moon's electromagnetic storms.
You really think that using their identities
would gain our sympathy?
It was a better approach than asking you
to allow hundreds of condemned prisoners onboard.
Then this moon is a penal colony.
That's correct.
But now, we have your ship and your bodies to carry us home.
I'm reading dozens of them, hundreds.
They have the same anionic signature we saw on the biofilter scans.
I think we can give the captain a new bargaining chip.
Dr. Crusher.
Flood the cargo bay with your containment field.
No!
Let them go or you will all die.
Your threats are meaningless now.
We are still in control of these three bodies.
We will not let them go.
And are you prepared to sacrifice the lives of these others?
They'll all die when the cargo bay hatch is blown.
You will die too, Picard.
I would die to save the life of my child.
To die defending one's ship is the hope of every Klingon.
If you each know the officers you inhabit,
then you know they are equally ready to give their lives for this ship.
Free them now,
and I will return you to the moon's surface.
I advise you, Picard, not to pass our way again.
Picard to Bridge.
Aye, sir. — Our guests will be leaving shortly.
I need an emergency medical team down here.
On our way, captain.
Mr. Worf.
Prepare to transport these prisoners
down to the moon's surface.
Gladly, sir.
Captain's log, stardate 45572.1.
Dr. Crusher has examined Troi, Data, and O'Brien.
There seem to be no residual effects from their experience.
It was as though my own consciousness
were pushed to the side.
I was watching everything happen, hearing my own voice,
but not being able to control any of it.
What about the entity that controlled you?
What were your perceptions of him?
He was intelligent, actually.
Thoughtful in a ruthless kind of way.
Cold.
Lieutenant, I must apologize for my inadvertent misconduct toward you.
No apology necessary.
Your restraint was most remarkable.
You have no idea.
- How do you feel? - Hungry.
That's a good sign.
Go home.
How do you feel?
I'm just glad to have you back.
If I could have killed that thing inside me, I would have.
I know. We both know.