STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION "We'll Always Have Paris" #40271-124 Written by Deborah Dean Davis & Hannah Louise Shearer Directed by Robert Becker THE WRITING CREDITS MAY NOT BE FINAL AND SHOULD NOT BE USED FOR PUBLICITY OR ADVERTISING PURPOSES WITHOUT FIRST CHECKING WITH THE TELEVISION LEGAL DEPARTMENT. Copyright 1988 Paramount Pictures Corporation. All Rights Reserved. This script is not for publication or reproduction. No one is authorized to dispose of same. If lost or destroyed, please notify the Script Department. FINAL DRAFT FEBRUARY 22, 1988 STAR TREK: "... Paris" - 2/22/88 - CAST STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION "We'll Always Have Paris" CAST PICARD EDOUARD RIKER FRANCINE BEVERLY GABRIELLE DATA LAURA MANHEIM TROI DR. PAUL MANHEIM WORF GEORDI TRANSPORTER CHIEF Voice-over COMPUTER VOICE STAR TREK: "... Paris" - 2/22/88 - SETS STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION "We'll Always Have Paris" SETS INTERIORS EXTERIORS USS ENTERPRISE USS ENTERPRISE GYMNASIUM MAIN BRIDGE PARIS CAFE (HOLODECK) CORRIDORS BY HOLODECK THE PLANET VANDOR BY DE-CONTAMINATION AREA SICKBAY SICKBAY OUTER OFFICE TRANSPORTER ROOM CAPTAIN'S READY ROOM CONFERENCE ROOM PICARD'S QUARTERS DR. CRUSHER'S OFFICE VANDOR CORRIDOR MANHEIM'S LABORATORY STAR TREK: "... Paris" - 2/22/88 - TEASER 1. STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION "We'll Always Have Paris" TEASER FADE IN: 1 EXT. SPACE - THE ENTERPRISE (OPTICAL) as it streaks through the stars at warp speed. PICARD (V.O.) Captain's log, stardate 41886.9. We are en route to Sarona 8 for much needed R and R. The entire crew is looking forward to the diversion. On a personal note, I have allowed myself the luxury of a head start. 2 INT. ENTERPRISE - GYMNASIUM It is starkly and simply set up for competitive saber fencing. PICARD and RIKER are dressed in traditional white jumpsuits, gloves, shoes and masks. They stand in the middle of three long lanes about six feet apart. They snap their masks in place. PICARD MOVES HIS right leg forward, weight centered, hand on hip. His saber is down. HE TURNS THE SABER so the cutting edge of the blade moves to the left, then brings it to his head with a flourish. PICARD En garde. PICARD STEPS FORWARD as his blade comes up, pointed at the Riker's face. THEIR BLADES CROSS as Riker half-lunges forward, arm extended, to a chest shot. Picard steps back and parries. STAR TREK: "... Paris" - 2/22/88 - TEASER 2. 2 CONTINUED: PICARD SNAPS AND BEATS Riker's sword, knocking it to the side. He does a full lunge forward, with a downward slice. RIKER HIGH BLOCKS the move, and lunges forward with a flank cut to Picard's ribs. He continues with a fleche, then a head cut, continuing with fleche parries. RIKER SCORES with an inverted thrust to Picard's heart. Picard steps back and salutes. Riker answers in kind. THEIR MASKS come off, but not their rank. RIKER I took advantage... PICARD No, no. The advantage was yours, Number One. I'm out of practice... too much time on the bridge. En garde! PICARD REPLACES HIS MASK and they begin again. PICARD FAKES RIKER out with a cheek cut, turning his blade down, then, in a swashbuckling movement, he SLAMS the heel of his sword right on Riker's guard, comes in with a cheek cut, then rolls the sword and quickly lunges in with a head cut, pulls the sword back in and THRUSTS it to Riker's heart. Riker is surprised as PICARD SCORES and they step back and salute each other with their swords. RIKER Interesting move. What technique was that? STAR TREK: "... Paris" - 2/22/88 - TEASER 3. 2 CONTINUED: (2) PICARD The technique of a desperate man. Shall we... He is interrupted by the GREAT SHUDDER AND ROLL of the ship as the Enterprise is hit by some MASSIVE FORCE. He and Riker are thrown around like dolls as LIGHTS FLICKER ON AND OFF. Finally, the ship stabilizes. PICARD AND RIKER HURRY TO the com panel. COMPUTER VOICE Yellow Alert. PICARD Picard to bridge. Report. 3 INT. MAIN BRIDGE THE BRIDGE CREW MOVE TO THEIR STATIONS, returning to normal. DATA It is not an attack that we know of, Captain. Origin unknown. Sensors did not detect the force until immediately prior to impact. Shields did not have time to respond. Damages unknown. PICARD'S COM VOICE We're on our way, Mister Data. WORF Damage reports from all decks coming in, sir. DATA Injuries? WORF Minor. DATA LOOKS AT HIS instruments, puzzled. STAR TREK: "... Paris" - 2/22/88 - TEASER 4. 3 CONTINUED: DATA I still am unable to determine the cause of the energy force. There is nothing within a reasonable distance of this ship powerful enough to cause an impact of that magnitude. THE TURBOLIFT OPENS and Picard and Riker ENTER the bridge, still dressed in their fencing clothes. RIKER Mister Data? DATA Damages and injuries are minimal. PICARD Where did it come from? DATA I am still checking, sir. PICARD Hazard a guess, Mister Data. DATA It appears to originate from the Pegos Minor sector. PICARD That far? DATA Yes, sir. PICARD TAKES his Command Chair. PICARD Lieutenant La Forge, set coordinates for that sector. Shields at full power. GEORDI Aye, sir. Coordinates laid in. STAR TREK: "... Paris" - 2/22/88 - TEASER 5. 3 CONTINUED: (2) WORF Sir, I am receiving a transmission from Pegos Minor. It's an S.O.S. PICARD Put it on audio, Lieutenant. A SHAKEN VOICE ECHOES through the bridge. The crew listens intently. MANHEIM'S COM VOICE I repeat, this is Doctor Paul Manheim. We are in need of help. Urgent. Any ship please respond. Coordinates are six-six-seven eight point nine by seven-zero-seven-five-four-two point two. Manheim out. The transmission is on a loop and begins to REPEAT. WORF I can't get through, Captain. PICARD Turn it off. Lay in a course for those coordinates, La Forge. Warp eight. GEORDI Aye, sir. Plotted and laid in. DATA Estimated arrival four hours, seventeen minutes, thirty-five seconds. RIKER Isn't Manheim the one who was thrown out of the Institute for unauthorized experiments? DATA Quite the contrary, Commander. He left of his own volition. Professor Manheim is the most highly reputed scientist within the Federation. A brilliant visionary who... STAR TREK: "... Paris" - 2/22/88 - TEASER 6. 3 CONTINUED: (3) PICARD STANDS UP and moves to the turbolift. PICARD ... Who disappeared over fifteen years ago. Along with his wife, Laura. RIKER Did you know him, Captain? PICARD No. He was teaching at the University when I was in Paris, but I never had the pleasure. Number One, you have the Conn. Inform me half an hour before we reach the coordinates. RIKER Aye, sir. PICARD LEAVES the bridge. 4 INT. CORRIDOR - OUTSIDE HOLODECK Picard stands there a beat, hesitant to put in the program. PICARD Computer, this is Captain Picard. COMPUTER VOICE What is your pleasure, Captain? PICARD Paris. Twenty-two years ago. A warm spring day. April ninth. Eighteen hundred hours -- three o'clock. 5 INT. HOLODECK Paris in the spring. The BIRDS ARE SINGING, BRILLIANT LIGHT reflects on the outdoor tables of the Cafe Des Artistes. Couples in love complete the ambience. STAR TREK: "... Paris" - 2/22/88 - TEASER 7. 5 CONTINUED: THE TABLEAU IS UNMOVING until Picard WALKS UP TO a WAITER (EDOUARD). WITH GREAT FLOURISH the waiter puts himself at Picard's service. EDOUARD Monsieur, welcome to Cafe Des Artistes. Is this your first time in Paris? PICARD No, I've been here before. Picard turns and sees the exact table where he used to sit. PICARD (continuing) That table. EDOUARD Mais oui, we are here to please you. He ushers Picard to the table on the balcony overlooking the city. MEMORIES FLOOD PICARD as he looks out over the city he loves more than any other city in the whole galaxy. PICARD I've been away far too long. FADE OUT. END OF TEASER STAR TREK: "... Paris" - 2/22/88 - ACT ONE 8. ACT ONE FADE IN: 6 INT. HOLODECK - PARIS - CONTINUOUS ACTION - DAY Two lovely French girls, just barely nineteen, take the table next to Picard. They are very involved in their own conversation and take no notice of him. PICARD APPRECIATES the look and liveliness of the two of them. They too, evoke memories. Memories of youth and of love. THE WAITER INTERRUPTS his reverie with a menu. EDOUARD Some wine, some cheese, a perfect tarte tatin... PICARD I'm afraid I'm not hungry. I really came for the view. EDOUARD Perhaps what you hunger for is not on the menu? PICARD Perhaps not. It was many years ago, I had a rendezvous -- I was to meet someone, a young woman, here, at this very table. EDOUARD She did not come? PICARD I don't know, actually. I've always imagined that she did. THE WAITER TAKES the menu back, with a knowing expression. EDOUARD You, however, did not. Trust Edouard. I will bring something special, just for you. STAR TREK: "... Paris" - 2/22/88 - ACT ONE 9. 6 CONTINUED: ONE OF THE GIRLS FRANCINE, stands and throws some money on the table. FRANCINE I'm not staying if all you're going to do is talk about him. GABRIELLE What is this for? FRANCINE My lunch. Feed it to the birds. FRANCINE LEAVES in a swish of silk and color. GABRIELLE SIGHS AND STARES out over the city, not unlike Picard. GABRIELLE He will come. He will. PICARD HEARS THIS and turns his chair so that he can see her more clearly. PICARD Yes, I'm sure he will. GABRIELLE LOOKS AT Picard and smiles back at him -- thankful for the compliment and for the assurance. GABRIELLE He's a military man, just like you. We're going to get married and he's going to stay here in Paris and never leave me. PICARD He's stationed here? GABRIELLE Not yet, but that's the way I've got it planned. Last night, well, after last night, he just couldn't leave. He couldn't. STAR TREK: "... Paris" - 2/22/88 - ACT ONE 10. 6 CONTINUED: (2) Her eyes fill with tears. PICARD CANNOT BEAR to see her cry. He wants to make it better somehow. PICARD If he's as young as you are, maybe he doesn't know yet exactly what he wants to do. GABRIELLE You're an important Starfleet officer -- what would you advise my lover to do -- go off and explore the galaxy or stay here and explore something which has no boundaries -- love? PICARD I would tell him that he must be the person he is meant to be... and that you deserve nothing less than that. THE WAITER DELIVERS a simple tray of various cheeses and meats to Picard. He pours himself a glass of deep red wine. EDOUARD Bordeaux, a very passionate year. PICARD A glass for the young lady. The waiter pours a glass of wine for Gabrielle. GABRIELLE RISES AND MOVES to Picard's table. There is more confidence in her demeanor than before. She knows more about this man and can deal on a more emotional level. GABRIELLE Do I remind you of the girl you left behind? PICARD No. Yes, you do. It's hard to say, it has been many years. STAR TREK: "... Paris" - 2/22/88 - ACT ONE 11. 6 CONTINUED: (3) GABRIELLE Then you have forgotten her face. PICARD STARES THROUGH GABRIELLE as if he is directly connected to someone else. PICARD Not a single detail. I can see every inch of her to this day and being here -- I can feel the softness of her in the breeze, smell the fragrance of her in the flowers. I have not forgotten. GABRIELLE What was her name? PICARD Laura. HE STARES OFF into the City of Lights, letting the memory of Laura wash over him. 7 INT. MAIN BRIDGE - DAY Picard, a little angrier than usual, APPROACHES Data. PICARD You've been at that console twice as long as you estimated. DATA My estimation was incorrect, Captain. DATA SWIVELS IN HIS CHAIR facing Picard. DATA (continuing) And I think it would be best if what I am about to tell you were also incorrect. PICARD Nonsense. Out with it. STAR TREK: "... Paris" - 2/22/88 - ACT ONE 12. 7 CONTINUED: DATA Someone, I would assume Professor Manheim, opened up a window. A window into another dimension. Picard strains to garner more information out of what little information Data is giving him. PICARD You don't know how? Data shakes his head "no." RIKER You don't know what it is? PICARD What came through this window? Data shakes his head "no" again. PICARD (continuing) A window, that's all you know. Data shakes his head "yes." DATA Sir, the answers to your questions will be the most important scientific answers of the twenty-fourth century. PICARD LOOKS TO THE VIEWSCREEN answers, answers, they are all out there. PICARD Manheim. GEORDI Captain, we've reached the coordinates specified. There's nothing here. WORF I am receiving new coordinates. It's a relay signal, the same source as the first one. STAR TREK: "... Paris" - 2/22/88 - ACT ONE 13. 7 CONTINUED: (2) PICARD Set course for the new coordinates. GEORDI Aye, sir. RIKER Why would someone make it this difficult to find him if he truly wants to be found? WORF A failsafe, I would imagine. 8 EXT. SPACE - THE ENTERPRISE (OPTICAL) speeds towards the new coordinates at warp 8. 9 INT. MAIN BRIDGE Everyone is at their post. GEORDI Captain, my sensors are picking up what appears to be a small planet. PICARD NODS leaning forward in his chair, trying to get there sooner. PICARD Mister La Forge, standard orbit. Give me a visual. GEORDI Aye, sir. WORF Viewscreen on. 10 MAIN VIEWSCREEN - THE PLANET VANDOR (OPTICAL) floats VIOLET in space. There is a GLIMMERING EFFECT surrounding it. STAR TREK: "... Paris" - 2/22/88 - ACT ONE 14. 11 THE CREW STARES at it. WORF There's a forcefield of some kind surrounding the planet, sir. PICARD Penetrable? DATA No, sir. PICARD Open hailing frequencies. WORF Hailing frequencies open, sir. PICARD This is the USS Enterprise responding to your signal for help. A WOMAN'S VOICE comes through. She is bordering on hysteria. LAURA (V.O.) Help. Please help me. I don't know what to do. It's only the two of us. He's shaking. Please. PICARD'S FACE melts a little, just hearing her voice. THE CREW LOOKS to him to give an order, he is just a small beat slower than usual. PICARD Can you lock onto her coordinates? GEORDI No, sir. The forcefield is preventing any kind of contact other than audio. PICARD Mrs. Manheim, this is... the captain of the Enterprise. Is your husband conscious? STAR TREK: "... Paris" - 2/22/88 - ACT ONE 15. 11 CONTINUED: LAURA (V.O.) No. You've got to help him. PICARD There's a force field surrounding your planet. LAURA (V.O.) Yes. I know. Picard gently guides a "civilian" through. PICARD Good. Then you must be very brave and leave his side long enough to shut down the system that is preventing us from helping you. THE PLANET VANDOR slowly STOPS SHIMMERING AND BECOMES A CRYSTAL CLEAR VIOLET GLOBE. PICARD (continuing) Good. (to crew) Lock onto their coordinates and beam them up. PICARD SITS IN HIS CHAIR like the weight of the world has just been placed on his shoulders. RIKER I'd like extra decontamination precautions, Captain. Without even moving, Picard responds. PICARD Fine, Number One. 12 INT. - OUTSIDE THE DE-CONTAMINATION AREA Picard and Riker wait outside, Picard nervously shifts his weight from foot to foot. STAR TREK: "... Paris" - 2/22/88 - ACT ONE 16. 12 CONTINUED: RIKER The professor seems to be going in and out of consciousness. PICARD Well, the first time he's "in" be sure you find out what the hell he was up to down there. The Captain paces like a new father. RIKER Is anything wrong, sir? PICARD No. THE DOOR OPENS and a medical team RUSHES OUT with the convulsing body of Professor Manheim. Riker FOLLOWS THEM to Sickbay. THE CAPTAIN stands aside leaving them plenty of room. PICARD LOOKS UP and standing in the same doorway: PICARD'S POV - LAURA She looks unearthly, almost like an angel, an even more beautiful woman than girl. THE TWO OF THEM stand staring at one another for a long beat. LAURA STEADIES HERSELF against the doorway, stunned. LAURA Jean-Luc? PICARD Laura. STAR TREK: "... Paris" - 2/22/88 - ACT ONE 17. 13 INT. SICKBAY BEVERLY hurriedly takes readings of the uncontrollably shaking body of Paul Manheim. SHE FINALLY GIVES him an injection. MANHEIM SHIVERS and falls into a deep sleep. BEVERLY LOOKS UP from her patient to the concerned face of Riker. BEVERLY It's not good. RIKER When will I be able to question him? BEVERLY I don't know. PICARD AND LAURA ENTER SICKBAY and Laura RUSHES TO her husband's side, frightened by his stillness. LAURA Is he dead? BEVERLY No. I've sedated him. She puts her hand on Laura's shoulder. BEVERLY I'll do everything I can to save him. RIKER Doctor, we need to talk to this man as soon as we can. LAURA STARTS TO CRY and Picard puts his arm around her, very affectionately comforting her. STAR TREK: "... Paris" - 2/22/88 - ACT ONE 18. 13 CONTINUED: BEVERLY WATCHES THIS SHOW of familiarity and is surprised by it. BEVERLY I'll let you know as soon as he regains consciousness. LAURA Thank you. Thank you, all. HER EYES HOLD on Picard's and there is much more there than the thanks of a woman in distress. THE SHIP IS JOLTED by a huge BLAST of God only knows what. COLORS flood the room. THEY ARE THROWN around the cabin in a radical manner. MANHEIM'S BODY GLOWS VIOLET. 14 EXT. SPACE - VANDOR (OPTICAL) TURNS FROM A BRIGHT VIOLET TO A HOT PINK AND BACK again. FADE OUT. END OF ACT ONE STAR TREK: "... Paris" - 2/22/88 - ACT TWO 19. ACT TWO FADE IN: 15 INT. SICKBAY - CONTINUOUS ACTION The crew picks themselves up from the deck. PICARD STEADIES Laura, then touches his insignia. PICARD Bridge, Picard. Status report. WORF'S COM VOICE Shields are holding, Captain. Ten percent loss of power. Minimal damage, all decks. PICARD IMPATIENTLY turns to Riker. PICARD We can't wait for this man to wake up to find out what's going on here. Clearly, whatever this window is, it's still open. RIKER Agreed, Captain. I'll have Data start immediately on a thorough evaluation of all of Doctor Manheim's theories. Riker EXITS as MANHEIM BEGINS TO GLOW shades of VIOLET, the RETURNS to normal. His eyes open white and he YELLS OUT: MANHEIM Head gone. Must fill up. It's in the cross! LAURA RUSHES TO HIS side, REACTING in horror. When she touches him, it looks as if he may become coherent, then he fades back into convulsions. STAR TREK: "... Paris" - 2/22/88 - ACT TWO 20. 15 CONTINUED: BEVERLY GIVES HIM another injection. He becomes quiet. Picard turns to Laura. PICARD When did this start? LAURA Right before he sent out the S.O.S. -- after he -- well, he'd been in the lab for at least three days. PICARD AND BEVERLY exchange looks. He turns to Laura, his attitude softer. PICARD Laura, I'm afraid I need to ask you a number of questions - and time is of the essence. Beverly looks at the two of them. BEVERLY You can use my office. Picard leads Laura to the outer room. BEVERLY'S EYES FOLLOW them through the door. She quickly turns back to her patient. 16 INT. SICKBAY - OUTER OFFICE Laura and Picard stand and face each other for a long, intense moment. LAURA SMILES BITTERSWEETLY at Picard. LAURA This is not how I imagined it. PICARD Nor I. STAR TREK: "... Paris" - 2/22/88 - ACT TWO 21. 16 CONTINUED: LAURA You've done well. Exactly as you'd hoped. PICARD STRUGGLES with his duty -- and his emotions. PICARD Not exactly. Nothing works just as you hope... Laura, I'm sorry about your husband. (beat) I need some information from you. LAURA SENSES THE change in him. She moves back slightly. LAURA I don't know what I can tell you, Jean-Luc. At best, I'm a glorified laboratory assistant. Paul's mental capabilities are so far beyond yours and mine, he couldn't discuss his work with me. PICARD But you must know something of the nature of his experiments. LAURA SHRUGS almost indifferent. LAURA He lectures me, he practices on me, but he doesn't confide in me. I stopped listening long ago. PICARD Why did he come here? Why Vandor? LAURA He said it was because it was far enough away, no one would or could steal his theories... or stop him from trying to prove them. STAR TREK: "... Paris" - 2/22/88 - ACT TWO 22. 16 CONTINUED: (2) PICARD What he was working on is unquestionably quite dangerous as well as out of control. LAURA STARES AT Picard as if she's just had a revelation. LAURA He's a little like you, Jean-Luc. He loves, he needs the challenges of the unknown... all I do know is that he's been very close to a major breakthrough. He's been excited and agitated and working around the clock for the past few months. PICARD LOOKS QUESTIONINGLY at her. PICARD Why weren't you affected? LAURA Every time he began an experiment, he insisted I stay in what he said was a protected room. I guess he was right. PICARD BEGINS TO PACE the room. PICARD Fifteen years here? By yourself? LAURA There was no place left for Paul to go -- and I am his wife. (beat) Our destiny isn't always exactly what we expect. Isn't that what you just said? TEARS FORM IN Laura's eyes. She begins to feel overwhelmed. STAR TREK: "... Paris" - 2/22/88 - ACT TWO 23. 16 CONTINUED: (3) PICARD STEPS BACK from the emotion. PICARD I must send a team to the planet. LAURA You can't. It's protected. Paul's made sure no one can get in. SHE LOOKS UP AT HIM and lets the tears come. PICARD PUTS HIS ARMS around her gently. She collapses into him as if they'd never been apart. He holds her sympathetically, as: BEVERLY STRIDES INTO the office. She stops dead in her tracks and Picard lets go of Laura. BEVERLY Excuse me. Laura wipes her tears away and becomes strong again. LAURA Is he worse? BEVERLY He's resting. I'd like to have you undergo some tests as well. BEVERLY GESTURES TO THE Nurse. BEVERLY (continuing) He'll start them. LAURA Thank you for your kindness, Doctor. STAR TREK: "... Paris" - 2/22/88 - ACT TWO 24. 16 CONTINUED: (4) LAURA LOOKS BACK at Picard a moment, clasps his hand, then follows the Nurse into Sickbay. BEVERLY UNCOMFORTABLY addresses Picard, all business. PICARD She's an old friend. BEVERLY I gathered that. It's her husband I'm more concerned with at the moment. PICARD What's his prognosis? BEVERLY So far, he's dying and there's nothing I can do about it. His entire genetic structure is altering -- constantly. I don't know how or why. I've never encountered anything like it before. PICARD How long does he have? BEVERLY Maybe a couple of days. It's not predictable. All I can do is attempt to maintain him until we find out what's causing the damage. PICARD Can I talk to him? BEVERLY You may never be able to talk to him. He may never be coherent again. BEVERLY STARTS BACK into Sickbay. STAR TREK: "... Paris" - 2/22/88 - ACT TWO 25. 16 CONTINUED: (5) PICARD Doctor. SHE TURNS BACK and faces him. PICARD (continuing) I haven't seen Mrs. Manheim since Paris. BEVERLY You needn't explain, Captain. PICARD It was a very long time ago. BEVERLY Yes. She's a lovely woman. She LEAVES Picard, who's feeling very frustrated. 17 INT. MAIN BRIDGE Data is working furiously at the Aft Console when Picard ENTERS. RIKER Were you able to get any information, sir? PICARD SHAKES HIS head. PICARD Mrs. Manheim is in the dark about her husband's work. And he may never come out of the state he's in. What have you found out? DATA Sensors show there's an immense volume of energy being reflected from a small point on the planet's surface... near the main Laboratory. PICARD Reflecting what? STAR TREK: "... Paris" - 2/22/88 - ACT TWO 26. 17 CONTINUED: DATA We do not know yet, sir. It appears to be moving from a thin beam into wider beams and back again in an unstructured manner. PICARD PUSHES him for something more. PICARD Is this "beam" responsible for the jolt we just felt? DATA Not directly, sir. It is possible the beam is responsible for opening the "window." RIKER But that's pure assumption. We still know virtually nothing about Manheim's work. DATA About this particular work, sir. Professor Manheim is renowned for his work in perfecting subspace communications, and thermodynamics, but those particular achievements seem to have no bearing on what he is trying to do on Vandor. PICARD IS impatient. PICARD To the point, Mister Data. DATA When he disappeared fifteen years ago, he had been working on theories of non-linear time. His colleagues apparently questioned his obsession -- and his methodology. PICARD How far did he get? STAR TREK: "... Paris" - 2/22/88 - ACT TWO 27. 17 CONTINUED: (2) DATA No one knows. He became angry about their doubts that he could enter other dimensions. He left the Institute. That is the last anyone heard of him until now. RIKER Can we deal with what's happening down there from the ship? DATA Unlikely. I would need to see the Doctor's notes. And even then, his mind is of such unparalleled brilliance, I am not sure I could decipher them. PICARD REACTS and turns to Riker. PICARD There is an elaborate defense system to protect his work. WORF STANDS TO his full height. WORF We can get through any system. RIKER It's worth a try. PICARD Agreed. Take a small away team. See what you can find down there. RIKER GETS UP and gestures to Worf and Data. RIKER Worf. Data. THEY FOLLOW HIM onto the turbolift. PICARD LOOKS AFTER them. STAR TREK: "... Paris" - 2/22/88 - ACT TWO 28. 18 INT. TRANSPORTER ROOM (OPTICAL) Riker, Worf and Data step onto the pad. Riker nods to the Transporter Chief. RIKER Energize. The chief adjusts the console and the three figures begin to BEAM DOWN. 19 EXT. SPACE - THE ENTERPRISE (OPTICAL) as THREE AMORPHOUS FIGURES OF FLICKERING LIGHT begin the BEAM DOWN to the planet. THE THREE FLICKERING FIGURES BOUNCE and JUMP and MELD INTO ONE> THE SINGLE FLICKERING LIGHT swirls forming a frenzied funnel. OUT OF THE FUNNEL crashes the face of a DRAGON. QUICKLY SUPERIMPOSED by FLASHING LIGHTS, COLORS AND SHADOWY FIGURES. THE FUNNEL VIBRATES with the SOUNDS from ANOTHER DIMENSION. A GREAT WHITE LIGHT shines through the swirling reflections of the away Team. IN A FLASH the spinning out of control away team breaks away, as if looking for a way home. THEY TRAVEL FAST directly toward the planet. STAR TREK: "... Paris" - 2/22/88 - ACT TWO 29. 19 CONTINUED: THEN SMASH INTO an invisible wall and tiny, disjointed PARTICLES SHOWER SPACE AND DRIFT OFF into... nothingness. FADE OUT. END OF ACT TWO STAR TREK: "... Paris" - 2/22/88 - ACT THREE 30. ACT THREE FADE IN: 20 INT. TRANSPORTER ROOM (OPTICAL) Picard RUSHES INTO the room, Troi CLOSE BEHIND him. PICARD I don't care if you have a signal or not -- bring them back! THE TRANSPORTER CHIEF doesn't even look up from his panel. He furiously works. TROI SEEMS TO WILL their very bodies back onto the Enterprise. TROI They will return. Please, they've got to. THE TRANSPORTER CHIEF sees something on his console. TRANSPORTER CHIEF I have a reading, it's not much, not complete... PICARD ... Lock on, man. Beam them back! THE TECHNICIAN PUNCHES in the proper instructions and... RIKER AND DATA slowly SHIMMER BACK ONTO THE TRANSPORTER PAD, dazed. PICARD AND TROI WAIT MOTIONLESS until another SHIMMERING EFFECT OCCURS. WORF REAPPEARS in the Transporter Room. EVERYONE IS RELIEVED they have made it back. STAR TREK: "... Paris" - 2/22/88 - ACT THREE 31. 20 CONTINUED: THEN WORF COLLAPSES on the pad. PICARD Medical Emergency Team in Transporter Sixteen. PICARD HOLDS WORF'S head gently in his arms and turns to Riker and Data. PICARD Good God, what happened out there? RIKER AND DATA look at one another as if they still can't believe it. RIKER DATA Sir, it was... The most incredible... PICARD One at a time. RIKER DATA It's hard to... Modern science does not... WORF STIRS SLIGHTLY as if he's coming to after a brutal barroom brawl. PICARD Stop! I'll wait for Lieutenant Worf. THE MEDICAL STAFF RUSHES IN and administers to Worf... gently taking him from the captain and helping him to his feet. WORF I'm all right! PICARD I'll see you all in my Ready Room. 21 INT. CAPTAIN'S READY ROOM Picard sits, trying to understand what his crew members are saying. STAR TREK: "... Paris" - 2/22/88 - ACT THREE 32. 21 CONTINUED: PICARD A dragon? WORF Not exactly, sir, but a monster that... RIKER (interrupts) ... It wasn't anything at all like that. It was beautiful -- godlike. DATA It was completely logical in the most disorganized way possible. Colors, sounds, lights. Not light you see, but light you feel. PICARD You each experienced something different and it affect you in dissimilar ways. TROI Sir, Worf is a warrior. He probably confronted his dragon and fought with it. Professor Manheim also tried to analyze whatever it is that comes through this window. They were both struck down. RIKER I experienced it. DATA I observed. PICARD However interesting this may be, it is not, as far as I can tell, bringing us any closer to closing that damn window. PICARD TURNS TO DATA with a real flourish. STAR TREK: "... Paris" - 2/22/88 - ACT THREE 33. 21 CONTINUED: (2) PICARD Check and re-check all the sensor readings that were taken while you were "out there." DATA Yes, sir. PICARD TURNS TO RIKER who is still glowing a bit from his experience. PICARD Number One, are you clear-headed enough to do some research? RIKER Yes, sir. PICARD Good, then go over all the material that Mister Data collected on Manheim's various theories. Maybe you'll be able to see something that ties in. Something that explains the experience you just had. RIKER Yes, Captain. Riker and Data LEAVE. PICARD Lieutenant Worf... go to your quarters and rest... WORF ... I feel fine, Captain. PICARD That's an order. There will be plenty of "dragons" left when you awaken. WORF Yes, sir. WORF MARCHES OUT of the room, trying not to show how exhausted and shaken he still is. STAR TREK: "... Paris" - 2/22/88 - ACT THREE 34. 21 CONTINUED: (3) PICARD This has nothing to do with their subconscious fears and dreams? TROI I'm afraid not, sir. This is real. PICARD That's what I was afraid you'd say, Counselor. CUT TO: 22 INT. SICKBAY Laura sits patiently near her husband's bedside. PAUL MANHEIM'S EYE CLICK OPEN and they are crystal clear. There is a completely normal air about him as he gazes around Sickbay. MANHEIM Where am I? LAURA RUSHES TO HIS SIDE and is truly happy to see her husband looking so well. LAURA Thank God. We're on the USS Enterprise. They answered your distress signal. MANHEIM I sent an S.O.S.? LAURA Yes. Oh, Paul, you're going to be fine. MANHEIM CHANGES looking a little manic suddenly. He holds Laura's arm, a little too tightly. PAUL I'm not fine, Laura. I'm not even close to fine. STAR TREK: "... Paris" - 2/22/88 - ACT THREE 35. 22 CONTINUED: She is frightened by his intensity, but he holds her there and makes her listen to him. MANHEIM (continuing) Always remember this one thing... BEVERLY SEES WHAT'S HAPPENING and touches her insignia. BEVERLY Professor Manheim is conscious. She moves to check his vital signs, trying not to interrupt the moment between the husband and wife. NO ONE COULD INTERRUPT him, he is obsessed with what he's telling his wife. MANHEIM Remember... It was worth it. What happened, what will happen, all of it. It was all worth it. His eyes are the eyes of a wild and tortured man. LAURA PULLS AWAY from him, frightened. LAURA The Board was right. We should have stayed at the Institute. MANHEIM Then you never would have seen your Picard. LAURA What are you talking about? MANHEIM Fate. BEVERLY HEARS THIS and tries hard to maintain her professional composure. STAR TREK: "... Paris" - 2/22/88 - ACT THREE 36. 22 CONTINUED: (2) LAURA But, how could you know, I never told you about Jean-Luc? MANHEIM I know more things now than I could have learned in twenty lifetimes. And one of the things I know is that you, my darling, belong with him. It's your destiny. LAURA TURNS AWAY not wanting her husband to see that she feels what he's saying is true. MANHEIM GRABS HER AGAIN obsessed. MANHEIM Laura, don't you understand, none of that's important now. I've been on the other side! BEVERLY IS AFRAID he might collapse into another seizure. BEVERLY Doctor Manheim, please try to stay calm. There are many questions we need to ask you. PICARD BURSTS INTO Sickbay. Troi and Data FOLLOW him IN. PICARD Professor Manheim. MANHEIM Captain Picard. The two men look at one another for a short beat... like two rams ready to lock horns. PICARD We need your help. The situation is not good. STAR TREK: "... Paris" - 2/22/88 - ACT THREE 37. 22 CONTINUED: (3) MANHEIM And I need yours. My body seems to be in poor physical condition. I need you to go down to the planet and collect my notes, my calculations. PICARD We intend to. What exactly were you working on when this window to another dimension was opened? MANHEIM IS SHOCKED that they even know this much. MANHEIM How were you able to determine that? PICARD We are not totally without resources. MANHEIM I'll speak to the Science Officer. PICARD ISN'T THREATENED as Mister Data STEPS FORWARD and faces his hero. DATA Lieutenant Commander Data at your service, Professor. MANHEIM'S I have spent the last twenty years struggling with time/gravity theories. Data is impressed. DATA I suspected it but I could not be sure. MANHEIM There is one security system after another on your way down to the planet. STAR TREK: "... Paris" - 2/22/88 - ACT THREE 38. 22 CONTINUED: (4) DATA We had the privilege of running into one of them when we tried to beam down. PICARD What about time/gravity? MANHEIM'S It's all in my notes. PICARD I'd rather hear it from you personally, a condensed version. MANHEIM There is hardly a condensed version of the most complex theory of the twenty-fourth century, Captain Picard, but if you insist, I'll attempt one that even you will be able to understand. PICARD WANTS TO KNOCK this guy right out of Sickbay and back out in space, but he controls himself. MANHEIM A star four light years away went nova. I have been able to mathematically... "latch" onto the incredible gravity of this smooth back globe and direct that energy, that nearly immeasurable force, into space. DATA IS TRANSFIXED by the pure simplicity of it all -- even though he realizes this is like a grain of sand to the whole theory. PICARD So -- this energy, directed into space, then what? MANHEIM Then, abracadabra, Captain Picard, we all see God! A window to another dimension, isn't that how you put it? So pedestrian. STAR TREK: "... Paris" - 2/22/88 - ACT THREE 39. 22 CONTINUED: (5) PICARD Fine. My scientific knowledge isn't the issue here -- yours is. You opened it. Are you brilliant enough to close it? MANHEIM LOOKS AT Picard and starts to laugh. THE LAUGH BECOMES HYSTERICAL and Beverly quickly moves to Manheim's side to administer a shot. MANHEIM GRABS HER WRIST until the hypospray falls out of her hand on the floor. DATA AND PICARD try to aid Beverly, but they are forced back with an unseen BLAST OF ENERGY emanating from him. MANHEIM Give me thirty cc's of trisinov. I'll give you the correct coordinates to beam safely to Vandor and the electrical codes you'll need to bypass security systems to get into my lab. THEY ALL STARE AT MANHEIM he seems bigger than before, almost as if his upper body has grown. His legs however seem shriveled and weak. 23 INT. CONFERENCE ROOM The starscape glows with a VIOLET HUE through the conference room windows. TROI I'm sorry Captain, my powers appear to be quite useless in this particular instance. Whatever Professor Manheim is going through is to feelings what white is to color. I cannot distinguish one feeling from another. They are all there. STAR TREK: "... Paris" - 2/22/88 - ACT THREE 40. 23 CONTINUED: PICARD Certainly hostility. TROI It would seem he has reason to feel hostile to you, sir, his wife... PICARD Yes, Counselor, let's stick to the important issues. Lieutenant Worf. WORF Yes, sir? PICARD I want every heading that Manheim gave Mister Data checked out and then rechecked. No one's beaming down to Vandor until we can be reasonably sure they'll make it through. WORF Right away, sir. WORF AND DATA LEAVE the conference room. PICARD TURNS TO RIKER a little frayed around the edges. PICARD I'll be in my quarters, Number One. RIKER Everything's under control, Captain. PICARD LOOKS AT RIKER knowing that even Number One can't "control" what's going on out there or in the battle between his head and heart. STAR TREK: "... Paris" - 2/22/88 - ACT THREE 41. 23 CONTINUED: (2) PICARD LEAVES the conference room. TROI TURNS TO RIKER and with understanding. TROI He has had a great emotional shock. This, coupled with the strain of command, is wearing on him. RIKER Women! TROI IS ANGRY with Riker's response until she sees: RIKER SMILES THAT devilish smile of his... he's teasing her. TROI GATHERS HER PAPERS and prepares to leave the room. TROI I would think that someone who has so recently seen God would be a little more... well... RIKER ... No one ever said that God didn't have a sense of humor. SHE LEAVES AND HE FOLLOWS close behind. RIKER Did you ever hear the one about... 24 INT. PICARD'S QUARTERS The captain ENTERS and with one deep breath releases some of the postures of command. He moves to a shelving unit in his room and takes a tiny glass figurine off the shelf. STAR TREK: "... Paris" - 2/22/88 - ACT THREE 42. 24 CONTINUED: LAURA (O.S.) You saved it. All these years. PICARD TURNS TOWARD HER He is surprised and yet; PICARD I wondered when you would come. PICARD'S POV - LAURA looking more ravishingly beautiful than any woman has a right to. She poses in a comfortable lounge chair. PICARD SETS THE FIGURINE down and kneels at Laura's side. PICARD You are so beautiful, my throat feels as if it will close and I will never be able to tell you how beautiful you truly are. LAURA'S EYES SWIM IN TEARS as she takes Jean-Luc's face in both her hands and bends towards him. LAURA My love, why didn't you come to meet me that last day in Paris? PICARD CAN'T LOOK AT HER. He leans his head in her lap. PICARD Fear. Fear of losing you. Fear of staying and losing myself. LAURA TILTS HIS chin up so that they are eye to eye. LAURA Not a day went by that I didn't look up into the sky and will you to know... (MORE) STAR TREK: "... Paris" - 2/22/88 - ACT THREE 43. 24 CONTINUED: (2) LAURA (Cont'd) (beat) ... to know that I loved you still. I always did and Jean-Luc, I always will. PICARD TENDERLY KISSES HER and she melts down out of the chair into him. THEIR KISSES REKINDLE the passion of two young people in Paris and then go far beyond that, into the fuller passion of two adults. PICARD My love. I cannot live without you. LAURA I'll never leave you again. PICARD HOLDS LAURA to him as he stands and walks to the bed. THEIR EYES NEVER WAVER boring holes into each other. THEY SINK ONTO THE BED and into each other's arms, sealing the bond they have just made. FADE OUT: END OF ACT THREE STAR TREK: "... Paris" - 2/22/88 - ACT FOUR 44. ACT FOUR FADE IN: 25 EXT. SPACE - THE ENTERPRISE (OPTICAL) in orbit around Vandor 26 INT. SICKBAY Beverly is checking Paul's vital signs when he drifts into consciousness. He stares at her intently for a moment. MANHEIM Who are you? BEVERLY I'm Doctor Crusher and I'm trying... MANHEIM Imposter! Touch me and you touch whatever your head can't understand. I am real. You are illusion. BEVERLY Try to rest. MANHEIM I am rest. I am action. I am you. Imposter. MANHEIM LAPSES BACK into a fevered fitful sleep. BEVERLY I wish I could talk to you -- Professor Manheim. I bet you were really something. TROI QUIETLY ENTERS Sickbay. Beverly is surprised to see her and joins her at the door. BEVERLY Deanna? TROI I wanted to see how he was doing. STAR TREK: "... Paris" - 2/22/88 - ACT FOUR 45. 26 CONTINUED: BEVERLY The same. Nothing I do seems to make any difference. BEVERLY SMILES at Troi. BEVERLY That's not why you're here. TROI SHAKES her head "no." TROI I'm supposed to be the empath. Beverly gestures her to follow her to the outer office. 27 INT. SICKBAY - DR. CRUSHER'S OFFICE Beverly keeps working as Troi talks to her. TROI Are you all right? BEVERLY Why wouldn't I be? I've got one of the medical wonders of the galaxy dying in my Sickbay. TROI That isn't what I meant. BEVERLY I don't think I want to talk about what I think you mean. BEVERLY BUMPS INTO a table and pushes it out of the way as she continues to work. TROI You're not helping the situation by pretending it doesn't exist. BEVERLY WHIRLS AROUND almost knocking a tube off the table. STAR TREK: "... Paris" - 2/22/88 - ACT FOUR 46. 27 CONTINUED: BEVERLY I'm making it worse? TROI I didn't say that. I said you're not helping it. Or yourself. Or the captain. BEVERLY That's his problem. BEVERLY MOVES THINGS from place to place. Troi calmly looks at her, willing her to stand still. BEVERLY All right. I'm still not sure how I feel about him. Now it looks as if I'll never know... are you happy? I said it. TROI Talk to him. BEVERLY No. I can't compete with a ghost from his past. No one could. TROI She's not a ghost. She's here right now. BEVERLY She may be in the here and now, but it's the ghost he sees. No Deanna, he'll have to work it through without my... input. SHE SLAMS A PIECE of equipment back into its place. BEVERLY There. Now I feel better. thanks, Deanna. TROI STARES KNOWINGLY AFTER Beverly as she WALKS BACK into Sickbay. STAR TREK: "... Paris" - 2/22/88 - ACT FOUR 47. 28 INT. MAIN BRIDGE Picard impatiently taps his fingers on the command chair. Data pores over his console as Riker watches. PICARD How soon, Mister Data? DATA I am almost through comparing the calculations, Captain. PICARD IS STARTLED when Beverly's voice comes through. BEVERLY'S COM VOICE Bridge, this is Sickbay. Doctor Manheim is awake and asking to speak with you, Captain. Alone. PICARD On my way, Doctor. HE JUMPS UP from the Command Chair and HURRIES TOWARDS the turbolift. RIKER AND DATA return to their calculations. Data finishes and looks at Riker. RIKER Can we do it? DATA I believe so. But it must be soon. Sensors indicate a rapid deterioration of the atmosphere. RIKER LOOKS AT Data. He'd like a little more assurance. DATA I cannot be more sure than that, Commander. Not until I see what is in Professor Manheim's laboratory. RIKER Okay. Let's get ready. Worf. STAR TREK: "... Paris" - 2/22/88 - ACT FOUR 48. 29 INT. SICKBAY Picard ENTERS, not having any idea what he'll find. Beverly gestures to Manheim. MANHEIM IS SITTING up, conscious, but battling with an unseen enemy. PICARD WALKS BRISKLY to his bedside. PICARD You asked for me. Manheim struggles to make sense. MANHEIM You belong with Laura. It's the way it's supposed to be. Give me your word you'll take care of her. PICARD IS FURIOUS at the arrogance of this man. And he's feeling a little guilty too. PICARD I did not come here to discuss her. I will not discuss her with you until your irresponsible actions are checked and until my away team is back on this ship safe and sound. MANHEIM'S FEVERED EYES bore into the captain. MANHEIM It is only Laura who concerns me. PICARD Then she is wrong. We are very different, you and I. For which I am grateful. PICARD STRIDES TOWARDS the door. MANHEIM Good. You will take care of her. STAR TREK: "... Paris" - 2/22/88 - ACT FOUR 49. 30 INT. TRANSPORTER ROOM (OPTICAL) Geordi is at the controls this time as the three away Team members STEP ONTO the pad. They carry very small, portable respirator packs on their chests. GEORDI I have the coordinates exactly in the corridor the Professor specified. RIKER We're ready. GEORDI Good luck. Geordi operates the controls and the away team BEAMS DOWN. 31 INT. VANDOR - CORRIDOR (OPTICAL) as the away team BEAMS IN. It is DARK and they immediately feel the difference in atmosphere. RIKER Respirators on. They turn their packs on and move as quickly as they can, Worf in the lead, towards the laboratory door. SUDDENLY ANOTHER STRONG burst of ENERGY BLASTS THROUGH THE CORRIDOR, sending the away team flying and ROLLING to safety. The corridor PULSATES WITH THE VIOLET COLORS of the other dimension. 32 EXT. SPACE - THE ENTERPRISE (OPTICAL) WAVES OF COLOR RADIATE OFF THE ENTERPRISE. 33 INT. MAIN BRIDGE The bridge crew holds its own against the assault. GEORDI Shields barely holding, sir. Damage reports coming in. PICARD Contact the away team! STAR TREK: "... Paris" - 2/22/88 - ACT FOUR 50. 34 INT. SICKBAY Laura is at the side of her husband, trying to hold him down, trying to will him to be well. With every assault, he too is assaulted. 35 INT. VANDOR - CORRIDOR (OPTICAL) The onslaught over, the away team cautiously makes its way towards Manheim's laboratory. PICARD'S COM VOICE Maintain an open frequency, Number One. RIKER Frequency open, sir. NEXT TO THE LABORATORY Data removes a panel next to the door, and begins to insert the code Manheim gave them. Worf watches the corridor carefully. DATA FINISHES ENTERING the code and the lab doors OPEN partially. SUDDENLY WORF NOTICES several openings along the edges of the wall. WORF Look out! THE THREE DIVE for cover as LASER FIRE COMMENCES. THEY ROLL BACK AND FORTH out of range of attack. ALL THREE PULL their phasers and RETURN FIRE to the source of the attacks. QUIET SETTLES in the corridor. The away team cautiously pick themselves up. STAR TREK: "... Paris" - 2/22/88 - ACT FOUR 51. 35 CONTINUED: RIKER Manheim forgot to mention that one. THEY LOOK AT EACH other and allow themselves a slight REACTION. THE THREE OF THEM SQUEEZE through the narrow opening into the darkness of the lab. FADE OUT. END OF ACT FOUR STAR TREK: "... Paris" - 2/22/88 - ACT FIVE 52. ACT FIVE FADE IN: 36 INT. VANDOR - MANHEIM'S LABORATORY - CONTINUOUS ACTION Data touches a wallplate and the LIGHTS GO ON. His eye is immediately attracted to an instrument panel -- a floating RED LIGHT, a small board of numbers, a narrow slot and a clock. THE CLOCK COUNTS DOWN the micro-seconds... starting from ten minutes. WORF What is it? DATA Hopefully, an easily deactivated alarm system. RIKER More surprises. DATA IS ALREADY examining the board. He sticks his hand in the slot and the seconds keep on disappearing. RIKER Captain, a problem with Manheim's security. Any chance he's awake? 37 INT. MAIN BRIDGE (INTERCUT AS NEEDED) Picard and Troi REACT. PICARD No, Commander. Doctor Crusher is under orders to inform me if the professor regains consciousness. (beat) What's the problem? DATA FINISHES TAKING his readings and turns to Riker. STAR TREK: "... Paris" - 2/22/88 - ACT FIVE 53. 37 CONTINUED: DATA Professor Manheim's state of consciousness is of little use to us. PICARD Explain. DATA It appears, sir, he was more interested in making certain his notes were destroyed than in our safety. When we came into the lab we triggered an explosive device. In less than ten minutes the lab and whoever is in it will cease to exist. PICARD I'd like to wake him up myself. DATA Do not bother, sir. Manheim himself could not stop this. It is deactivated by a photogenetic code. Manheim's is altered. RIKER My suggestion is to continue the mission posthaste. PICARD You've got seven minutes. I don't care what you've found or what you're doing, clear? RIKER Yes, sir. Worf check the outer perimeter -- carefully. And Data... DATA IS ALREADY immersed in the computer. His face shows the magnitude of what he's learning and the respect he has fo this knowledge. THE COMPUTER SCREEN speeds through Manheim's notes. DATA Truly incredible. STAR TREK: "... Paris" - 2/22/88 - ACT FIVE 54. 38 INT. MAIN BRIDGE Geordi reports to Picard. GEORDI Sir, the sensor findings from the last blast are in. PICARD And? GEORDI They're different from all previous waves. PICARD In magnitude, in energy mass, in composition? GEORDI In every way, sir. It would seem we are dealing with something that's not even remotely easy to classify. We might sit here for the next hundred years being blasted daily, and no two blasts would be the same. TROI Anything could happen. We're dealing with another dimension. PICARD Are you saying it could arbitrarily, or even with fine methodology, change direction and instead of blasting us, draw us in... suck us through the window? GEORDI That would certainly be a viable possibility, sir. One of trillions. TROI With so much to fear, there is truly nothing to do but remain calm. 39 INT. VANDOR - MANHEIM'S LABORATORY The clock shows seven minutes and a few seconds. STAR TREK: "... Paris" - 2/22/88 - ACT FIVE 55. 39 CONTINUED: DATA CALMLY WORKS at the computer. Worf and Riker stand by... not so calmly. DATA It is the only chance we have. RIKER What is? DATA A reversal of the same effect Doctor Manheim has programmed into the computer. WORF How? DATA There is no time to reprogram. You will need to physically change microchips the same time I program the correct instructions here. RIKER Captain, we have a plan. PICARD Proceed, and report at regular intervals. DATA IS UP AND OPENS two steel doors electronically. THEY ENTER A SILO-TYPE structure. The walls are perfectly smooth. Occasionally brooken by small grill work, shielding the guts of the machinery. DATA POINTS UP to the top of the twenty foot structure. THEIR POV - UP to the very top. STAR TREK: "... Paris" - 2/22/88 - ACT FIVE 56. 39 CONTINUED: (2) DATA (O.S.) Someone must climb to the top. The circuits we need to change are in that panel. RIKER AND WORF look at one another... both of them are suffering from the lack of oxygen and yet both of them want to go. DATA Whoever goes will be in more danger than falling. A great heat is generated in this chamber. Enough to disintegrate any of us in seconds. RIKER What about the doors, the ones we came in? If they stay open, would the system short out? Heat of that magnitude requires a seal of some sort, doesn't it? DATA We cannot do it electronically. I need to use full power to reverse the effect. WORF I will keep the doors from closing. THEY PREPARE TO EXECUTE the plan. THE CLOCK NOW READS less than five minutes. RIKER TAKES HIGH-TECH CLIMBING GEAR out of his chest pack. He ENTERS the cylinder. WORF READIES HIMSELF between the steel doors, summoning all the Klingon strength of the ages. STAR TREK: "... Paris" - 2/22/88 - ACT FIVE 57. 40 INT. MAIN BRIDGE Captain Picard waits on the Enterprise. PICARD Away team, report. DATA Sir, we are executing the plan. RIKER CLIMBS up the cylinder. PICARD You've got three minutes, no more. Transporter Room, lock onto their coordinates and be ready to beam them up the instant of my command. DATA WAITS AT THE COMPUTER like a church organist ready to play for the coronation of the pope. WORF LOOKS UP and signals to Data. WORF He's past the halfway mark. RIKER HANGS BREATHLESS on the wall of the cylinder. RIKER Captain, I need more time. PICARD You haven't got it. RIKER PRESSES FORWARD QUICKLY not looking back. WORF (to Data) He's almost there. WORF PRESSES HIS MASSIVE arms against the doors and crouches in a weight lifter crouch. STAR TREK: "... Paris" - 2/22/88 - ACT FIVE 58. 40 CONTINUED: DATA TOUCHES A BUTTON on the panel and the SOUND OF MACHINERY coming to life fills the lab. WORF STRAINS WITH EVERY CELL in his body to hold the doors open. RIKER REACHES THE TOP and barely has the breath to speak, but manages: RIKER Go, Data. DATA BEGINS THE PROGRAM and calmly touches his insignia and speaks to Riker. DATA Remember Commander -- it is the blue chip you switch with the yellow chip. WORF STRAINS, SWEAT pouring down his face. DATA (continuing) Ready, five, four, three, two, one. RIKER SWITCHES THE CHIPS and clings to the wall like he's hugging his mother. WORF EXHALES with purpose as a BLAST of hot air WHOOSHES past him and through the lab. OUTSIDE THE LAB a BEAM OF LIGHT starts from high up in the sky and is drawn to the tip of the cylinder. THERE IS A FLASH OF LIGHT and.. PICARD Beam them back. STAR TREK: "... Paris" - 2/22/88 - ACT FIVE 59. 41 INT. TRANSPORTER ROOM (OPTICAL) As the away team MATERIALIZES on the pad. They are exuberant with the feeling of brotherhood. RIKER Did it work? DATA It is well patched... Closed in this sense would be an equation... RIKER Patched is good enough. DATA TILTS HIS head and shares his inner clock with them. DATA By my calculation, the laboratory just disintegrated. 42 INT. SICKBAY Paul Manheim is sitting straight up in bed and he is a new man, completely different in demeanor and look than ever before. BEVERLY But this is amazing. All your readings are completely normal. There's even been a complete nerve regeneration. PAUL MANHEIM GRASPS Beverly's hand in a gentle and kindly gesture. MANHEIM Where is my wife? Is Laura all right? PICARD AND LAURA ENTER Sickbay at the same time. LAURA Paul? MANHEIM The effect has been reversed, darling. It's safe now. STAR TREK: "... Paris" - 2/22/88 - ACT FIVE 60. 42 CONTINUED: She RUSHES TO HIM and is genuinely happy to see that he is going to be all right. BEVERLY There are no residual effects. MANHEIM TURNS TO BEVERLY and gentlemanly corrects her. MANHEIM No, Doctor, I am not the same man I was before. He holds his wife to him. MANHEIM (continuing) I still have the same vision, but, Captain Picard, I would like to request a science team to help me rebuild. I would like to start fresh, and do everything the right way this time. PICARD I'm sure the Federation will want to help you in any way they can, as long as you are willing to now be a part of the Federation. MANHEIM NODS and strokes Laura's hand. PICARD The science team will be arranged. MANHEIM All volunteers, I insist. No one on Vandor will be there unless they want to be there. He looks at Laura and Laura looks from this great, great man, who has just become even greater to... PICARD WATCHING HER with an understanding look. STAR TREK: "... Paris" - 2/22/88 - ACT FIVE 61. 43 INT. HOLODECK Jean-Luc Picard sits at the same table in the same cafe in Paris. He sips a glass of red wine. LAURA WALKS INTO the picture. LAURA I hope you don't mind. I convinced the technician you wouldn't. PICARD TURNS TO HER and stands, offering her a chair. LAURA Oh, no, I won't be staying. PICARD I know. LAURA I wanted to say good-bye here, not in the Transporter Room. PICARD You have more courage than I did. LAURA More courage than a young man in first love, yes. More courage than Jean-Luc Picard, Captain of the USS Enterprise -- I doubt there are many who could boast that. HE STANDS AND HOLDS HER in the warmest embrace... one that he will treasure through the decades, an embrace of the deepest kind of love. PICARD I eat, sleep and dream your softness -- could it be enough? LAURA We would have been the richest, most gloriously happy two people in all the worlds. STAR TREK: "... Paris" - 2/22/88 - ACT FIVE 62. 43 CONTINUED: SHE TURNS TO GO and doesn't look back. PICARD WATCHES HER LEAVE memorizing her step, everything about her. PICARD I cannot say good-bye to you. 44 INT. MAIN BRIDGE Riker, Troi, Data, Geordi and Worf are all on the bridge. THE CAPTAIN ENTERS and they all look at Picard as if they are slightly worried about him. PICARD Is anything wrong? Everyone goes about their business. RIKER No, sir. PICARD Then set course for Sarona Eight. As I remember we were on our way for some much needed R and R. GEORDI Aye, sir. Course set and laid in. PICARD Warp five. Engage. GEORDI MAKES THE necessary computations. RIKER I've only been there once, but there's this great bar -- I can't remember the name of it, they serve these blue concoctions... STAR TREK: "... Paris" - 2/22/88 - ACT FIVE 63. 44 CONTINUED: TROI ... It's across the square from the Zanza Men's Dance Palace. They both look at her. Troi half-smiles. PICARD LOOKS FORWARD into his future without Laura, the future that begins on Sarona 8. He turns to Riker. PICARD It's called the Blue Parrot Cafe -- and you're buying. FADE OUT. END OF ACT FIVE THE END