STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION "The Masterpiece Society" #40275-213 Story by James Kahn and Adam Belanoff Teleplay by Adam Belanoff and Michael Piller Directed by Rick Kolbe 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 1991 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 This script is not for publication or reproduction.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 NOVEMBER 4, 1991 STAR TREK: "Masterpiece Society" - 11/4/91 - CAST STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION "Masterpiece Society" CAST PICARD AARON CONOR RIKER MARCUS BENBECK DATA HANNAH BATES BEVERLY TROI GEORDI WORF Non-Speaking GENOME COLONISTS AN ENSIGN 12-YEAR-OLD PIANIST Non-Speaking SUPERNUMERARIES STAR TREK: "Masterpiece Society" - 11/4/91 - SETS STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION "Masterpiece Society" SETS INTERIORS EXTERIORS USS ENTERPRISE USS ENTERPRISE MAIN BRIDGE CAPTAIN'S READY ROOM MOAB FOUR OBSERVATION LOUNGE DESOLATE SURFACE ENGINEERING (MATTE) TURBOLIFT GENOME COLONY (MATTE) COURTYARD GENOME COLONY ISOLATED LOCATIONS LABORATORY BY BIOSHPERE WALL STELLAR CORE FRAGMENT STAR TREK: "Masterpiece Society" - 11/6/91 - PRONUNCIATION STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION "Masterpiece Society" PRONUNCIATION GUIDE GENETICISTS ja-NET-ih-systs GENOME geh-NOHM GRAVIMETRIC grav-ih-MEH-trik GRAVITON GRAV-ih-tahn HOMEOSTASIS ho-me-oh-STAY-ses MOAB MOH-ub TECTONIC tek-TAHN-ik TOXICITY tahk-SIS-eht-ee STAR TREK: "Masterpiece Society" - 11/5/91 - TEASER 1. STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION "The Masterpiece Society" TEASER FADE IN: 1 EXT. SPACE - THE ENTERPRISE (OPTICAL) Traveling through space parallel but not too close to a huge stellar core fragment, hundreds of times larger than the Enterprise... It is quite spherical, not too nubly (unlike an asteroid) emitting a bluish-white light glow, with cascades of sparklies, occasional blue-violet gamma ray bursts... PICARD (V.O.) Captain's log, stardate 45470.1. The Enterprise has been diverted to the Moab sector to track a stellar core fragment of a disintegrated neutron star. Our science teams have been asked to monitor the planetary disruptions it may cause. 2 INT. ENTERPRISE - BRIDGE RIKER leaning over DATA at ops, reacting with concern to something. WORF, TROI, and GEORDI are also at their stations. Picard ENTERS from the ready room. RIKER (to Picard) We've got a problem... our core fragment is going to pass by Moab Four in six days... STAR TREK: "Masterpiece Society" - 11/5/91 - TEASER 2. 2 CONTINUED: PICARD Isn't that what we anticipated? RIKER We didn't anticipate that somebody would be living there. Picard reacts. DATA An artificial environment has been constructed on the southern continent, sir. PICARD Have you definitely established someone's inside it? DATA Yes, Captain. Sensors are reading Human lifeforms. PICARD (reacts) Human. RIKER Has there been a response to our hails, Mister Worf? WORF Negative, Commander. PICARD Any starships ever reported missing in this sector, Data? DATA Nossir. RIKER How the hell did they get themselves on a deserted planet? GEORDI I'm pretty sure they know we're here... PICARD Mister La Forge? STAR TREK: "Masterpiece... " - REV. 11/6/91 - TEASER 3. 2 CONTINUED: (2) GEORDI I'm picking up deep E-M readings... looks like wave emissions from an obsolete subspace relay... RIKER Which would suggest they also have the ability to communicate with us. PICARD Mister Worf, open the lower band frequencies that were most commonly used in the last century... WORF Channel open. PICARD This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the Federation Starship Enterprise. It is urgent that you respond. A beat. WORF Sir, defensive shields around the structure are increasing strength. RIKER Not exactly a welcome mat. PICARD We mean you no harm. We must warn you that your planet is about to experience massive seismic disruptions due to an approaching stellar core fragment. No structure will be able to withstand them. A beat... silence... and then -- WORF They are responding. PICARD On screen. STAR TREK: "Masterpiece... " REV. 11/6/91 - TEASER 4. 3 ANGLE - VIEWSCREEN OPTICAL) On the viewscreen appears a human male, AARON CONOR, in his late 30's or early 40's. He wears power and authority easily for one relatively young and boyish looking. At the moment, he is obviously troubled. CONOR Enterprise... I am Aaron Conor... PICARD Mister Conor, we were unaware of any Human colony in this system. CONOR Captain, I don't want to be rude but we don't wish to interact with outsiders. I have only responded because of your warning. PICARD The fragment will begin to have serious effects on your planet in six days. CONOR Yes, I know. We have been tracking it. But our biosphere has been constructed to withstand quakes of eight-point-seven on the Richter Scale. RIKER Mister Data... ? DATA (to viewscreen) The fragment has a density of one hundred billion kilograms per cubic centimeter. As a result, when it passes Moab Four, it will cause tectonic shifts well beyond eight-point-seven on the Richter Scale. PICARD I'm afraid we're going to have to evacuate your people. CONOR Evacuate? That's not possible. There must be an alternative... RIKER The alternative, sir, is dying... STAR TREK: "Masterpiece Society" - 11/5/91 - TEASER 5. 3 CONTINUED: PICARD Mister Conor, if you wish, we will find you another isolated planet that is safe. CONOR No, we must remain here. RIKER Maybe we haven't made ourselves clear... CONOR Of course, you have, Commander... and I hope I've made myself clear that we must seek an alternative solution... PICARD (with diplomacy) We will gladly explore the possibility with you, Mister Conor... would you care to come aboard to discuss it? CONOR Our environment is sealed. No one can get in or out. PICARD We are capable of matter/energy transport... CONOR Matter/energy? PICARD We can take you directly through the structure. CONOR (reacts) Really. That's quite remarkable. PICARD (genial, inviting) May we arrange for your transport? CONOR No. I must stay here. STAR TREK: "Masterpiece... " - REV. 11/6/91 - TEASER 6. 3 CONTINUED: (2) Picard exchanges a glance with Riker, beginning to get impatient with this fellow. CONOR (beat) But under the circumstances, I will permit a small delegation from your ship inside the biosphere... (with humor) ... if only to see this matter/energy transportation you speak of... PICARD Very good. Commander Riker and an away team will join you shortly. Picard out. 4 THE VIEWSCREEN returns to the planet. Picard is thoughtful... PICARD (to Riker) Limit the away team to three people, Will... Riker acknowledges and as he turns... 5 RESUME BRIDGE RIKER Geordi -- I want to overwhelm him with evidence... GEORDI Understood. RIKER (to Troi) Counselor, I'd like you with us on this one... She nods and as they move toward the turbolift... 6 EXT. GENOME COURTYARD - DAY - LATER A limited view of a yard... MARCUS BENBECK, a thin, studious man in his 50's is arguing with Conor. STAR TREK: "Masterpiece Society" - 11/5/91 - TEASER 7. 6 CONTINUED: Both men are excellent physical specimens, dressed in comfortable civilian clothes -- closer to 20th-century garb than we are used to seeing. BENBECK This is a mistake. CONOR Good Lord, Martin, what would you have me do? BENBECK Anything that would keep them out of here. CONOR We have nothing to hide. BENBECK We have a great deal to lose. They react first to the sound of the transport... BENBECK What is that... ? CONOR (reacting) It's them... Look at this, Martin... They watch -- 7 THE AWAY TEAM (OPTICAL) MATERIALIZE. CONOR Incredible. Riker, Geordi and Troi and look around... and begin to have an inkling why these people are reluctant to leave... MOVE TO REVEAL the Genome Colony... lush, spacious, peaceful. The courtyard is the main gathering place and there are dozens of people watching with amazement at the away team's arrival... they are all very attractive, perfect physical specimens. Exotic vegetation and pleasant seating areas make it an inviting, comfortable area. STAR TREK: "Masterpiece Society" - 11/5/91 - TEASER 8. 7 CONTINUED: Walls with see-through panels separate this paradise from the red, barren, noxious landscape beyond -- an ever-present indication that this courtyard is merely an oasis from the toxic atmosphere outside. CONOR Hello. (beat) Forgive me... I'm not sure how to welcome you. You are the first visitors we've ever had... FADE OUT. END OF TEASER STAR TREK: "Masterpiece ... " - REV. 11/6/91 - ACT ONE 9. ACT ONE FADE IN: (NOTE: Episode credits fall over opening scenes.) 8 EXT. GENOME COURTYARD - MINUTES LATER (OPTICAL) The group walks along the courtyard. Conor is cordial, outgoing. Benbeck is a stern, colorless man. TROI It's lovely... I can understand why you are reluctant to leave, Mister Conor... CONOR We are not just "reluctant", Ms. Troi. It is imperative that we remain. BENBECK (harsh) It would be suicide to evacuate. It would destroy everything we've worked for two centuries to accomplish... CONOR You see, this is an engineered society... RIKER Engineered... ? CONOR Genetically engineered... He pauses, trying to find a way to explain this simply... CONOR Our ancestors came from Earth to develop the perfect society. They believed that through controlled procreation, they could create people without flaws... and those people would build a paradise. STAR TREK: "Masterpiece Society" - 11/5/91 - ACT ONE 10. 8 CONTINUED: TROI All of you... have been selectively bred? Your DNA patterns chosen? Conor turns and smiles at her. CONOR Eight generations of us. BENBECK We have immeasurably extended the potential of humanity -- physically, psychologically -- we have evolved beyond... beyond... (realizing he's in trouble) GEORDI Beyond us... BENBECK Frankly, yes. No one in this society would be blind, for example, no offense intended... GEORDI I can see you just fine, sir. BENBECK Yes, well, my point was just... Conor is embarrassed, looks at Benbeck with a critical eye, but with disarming humor... CONOR Thank you, Martin... Perhaps you've also made it clear that we still have a few imperfections we're working on... (beat) For the most part, we have achieved a fully integrated existence... not just among ourselves but with our environment... we don't just live here... we are part of the environment... it is part of us. Every plant life, every microscopic lifeform... is part of a master design. (MORE) STAR TREK: "Masterpiece Society" - 11/5/91 - ACT ONE 11. 8 CONTINUED: (2) CONOR (cont'd) We cannot separate ourselves from it without irreparably altering who and what we are. BENBECK Your presence here has already begun to affect the entire balance of our society... CONOR (firm) If we do not survive, the balance of our society won't mean a great deal... will it? Martin harrumphs and walks away... Conor leads the group slowly into the courtyard, moving with them -- CONOR I apologize. But he is performing his function as he is designed to do. GEORDI (a poor opinion) What "function" would that be? CONOR He is the interpreter of our founders' intentions for this society. RIKER A judge. CONOR Yes, more or less. Obviously, he has no diplomatic talents. TROI And obviously you do. STAR TREK: "Masterpiece ... " - REV. 11/8/91 - ACT ONE 12. 8 CONTINUED: (3) CONOR (smiles) I have been bred to fill this specific role... we grow up knowing exactly what our society needs from us... what we are expected to do. RIKER Kind of takes some of fun out of choosing, doesn't it? CONOR Not at all. My entire psychological makeup tells me that I was born to lead... I am exactly what I would choose to be. (beat) Think of it another way -- are there still people in your society who have not discovered who they really are or what they're meant to do with their lives... ? They may be in the wrong job... they may be writing bad poetry. Even worse, there may be great poets working as laborers, never to be discovered. That does not happen here. (beat) It is, for us, an ideal existence and we won't give it up easily. He is passionate, and eloquent as a leader should be. And Troi is impressed with him. TROI We will do whatever we can to help you preserve it. Their eyes meet... his smile thanks her... And as the personal connection is made between them... 9 INT. GENOME LABORATORY - DAY (OPTICAL) HANNAH BATES is a vital young woman, about 30, bright, attractive, and inquisitive... working on Okudagrams regarding the fragment's path... STAR TREK: "Masterpiece Society" - 11/5/91 - ACT ONE 13. 9 CONTINUED: CONOR Hannah... I want you to meet our guests. She looks up, enthusiastic, comes over to greet them... HANNAH Yes... from the starship... I've been looking forward to speaking with you... CONOR Hannah Bates is one of our scientists. She's an expert on biosphere homeostasis... She finds herself staring an extra beat at Geordi's face... GEORDI (uncomfortable at her stare) It's a sensory organ replacement. It allows me to see. HANNAH I'm sorry. I didn't mean to stare... I've just never seen anything like it. GEORDI (impatient) I'll be glad to show it to you if there's time... HANNAH Yes, of course, the fragment... CONOR Hannah, Commander La Forge has brought all the studies of the stellar core fragment done aboard his ship... HANNAH Wonderful... CONOR (to Riker) If there is any way to shore up our defenses, Hannah will find it... (MORE) STAR TREK: "Masterpiece Society" - 11/5/91 - ACT ONE 14. 9 CONTINUED: (2) CONOR (cont'd) She has a remarkable talent in theoretical physics... She moves to a work station... Geordi follows... HANNAH (to Geordi) I've worked up a few schematics based on gravimetric potentials and deflector energy allocation... RIKER (to Geordi) Mister La Forge... Troi and I will return to the Enterprise... when you reach a conclusion, let us know... GEORDI Yessir. 9A ANGLE (OPTICAL) TROI (to Riker) Commander, if Mister Conor wouldn't object... I'd like to stay... and see more of his colony... They glance to Conor... who considers it for half a second... CONOR No, no, that would be fine... I'd like you to see it... Riker nods, fine... presses his combadge... RIKER Riker to Enterprise. One to beam up. TRANSPORTER CHIEF'S COM VOICE Acknowledged, Commander. RIKER Energize. HE DEMATERIALIZES. Conor and Hannah exchange an incredible glance... STAR TREK: "Masterpiece ... " REV. 11/6/91 - ACT ONE 15. 10 EXT. GENOME COURTYARD - DAY Troi and Conor stroll the courtyard, examining the flowers and a few free-standing sculptures that are dotted about. TROI You're sure my being here is not going to be disruptive... ? CONOR Disruptive... ? Oh, you mean, what Martin was saying... TROI I certainly don't wish to throw off your entire "balance"... With a smile -- CONOR Too late. the damage is done. TROI Seriously. CONOR Sometimes, I think the strict interpreters like Martin forget that we're still Human. We'll adjust, accommodate... TROI There must be other unexpected events you have to deal with -- an untimely death, an accident... CONOR Our geneticists are able to screen out any congenital health risks before conception... and the population is diverse enough to maintain a genetic balance in the event of accidental death. But very little that is unexpected occurs here... (beat) Am I making it sound incredibly dull? TROI Not at all. STAR TREK: "Masterpiece... " REV. 11/6/91 - ACT ONE 16. 10 CONTINUED: CONOR (laughs lightly) I'll tell you the truth... and I'll deny it if you tell Martin... but today has been exhilarating... meeting you, meeting new people, with new ideas... TROI I feel the same about being here... I'm something of a student of Human nature... I find this all fascinating... CONOR A student of Human nature? TROI I'm the ship's counselor. CONOR Ah, I'm afraid there wouldn't be much work for you here, Counselor. TROI (smiles, good) I'd book my next vacation at your hotel if you had one. CONOR Well, in that case, I'll have to have them build one. And they exchange a glance... that was definitely flirtatious in intent. 11 INT. GENOME LABORATORY - DAY (OPTICAL) CLOSE ON AN OKUDAGRAM: GEORDI ... The planet's orbit is completely disrupted and the surface stability becomes almost nonexistent as the core fragment passes by... HANNAH, glum, moves away from the monitor... STAR TREK: "Masterpiece... " REV. 11/6/91 - ACT ONE 17. 11 CONTINUED: HANNAH The biosphere's superstructure will never withstand the tectonic shocks. The environment would be compromised. GEORDI That's how I see it. Hannah muses thoughtfully... frowns... shakes her head... a long beat... HANNAH Your ship... what kind of energy output is it capable of generating? GEORDI We have a matter/antimatter warp reaction system, the most powerful in Starfleet... normally kicks plasma up into the terawatt range... what are you thinking about? HANNAH Well, either we're going to have to move... or that fragment is... GEORDI (reacts) We can move a small moon or an asteroid, but a stellar core fragment? That's way too massive for our tractor beam... She punches up something on her computer... a new Okudagram appears... GEORDI What's that? HANNAH A wild idea. Purely theoretical. GEORDI A multiphase tractor beam? HANNAH When we first spotted the fragment approaching, I came up with the idea... but we can't generate the kind of energy we would need... (beat) You can. Off Geordi's reaction... STAR TREK: "Masterpiece Society" - 11/5/91 - ACT ONE 18. 12 EXT. GENOME COURTYARD - DAY (OPTICAL) Conor, Benbeck, Troi react as Geordi and Hannah brief them. GEORDI Hannah would have to come with us to the Enterprise. BENBECK No. HANNAH With my theories and their equipment, we might be able to alter the fragment's path -- it's our only chance to avoid evacuation. A long moment as Conor wrestles with this one... then... CONOR No one had ever come here... and no one had ever left. Until today. This is a date to note in our history books. BENBECK This is in direct violation of the intentions of our founders, Aaron... CONOR (interrupting) I don't think they intended us to die, Martin. BENBECK Her absence will create an additional imbalance... CONOR Temporarily. The circumstances require us to be flexible. BENBECK We have no idea how molecular transport will affect her DNA... GEORDI It won't affect her DNA at all... There's been a century of evidence to prove that... STAR TREK: "Masterpiece Society" - 11/5/91 - ACT ONE 19. 12 CONTINUED: Conor takes a beat to ask himself once more if this is the right thing to do... he glances at Troi, who sympathizes with a look... he knows that he's given in another inch here... he wants to hold the line but this is common sense. He nods, satisfied with the decision. CONOR You can go, Hannah. GEORDI (keys combadge) Enterprise, three to beam up. TROI (to Conor) May I return later? Conor, looks at her, his mind still distracted by the events... CONOR I look forward to it. GEORDI Energize. Troi's eyes lock once more with Conor's, and she smiles as she and the others DEMATERIALIZE. Conor stares at the empty space they have left. And he turns and strides off, leaving a dour Martin looking after him. FADE OUT. END OF ACT ONE STAR TREK: "Masterpiece Society" - 11/5/91 - ACT TWO 20. ACT TWO FADE IN: 13 EXT. SPACE - ENTERPRISE (OPTICAL) in orbit around Moab Three. PICARD (V.O.) Captain's log, stardate 45472.8. Commander La Forge and Hannah Bates of the Genome Colony have spent nearly three days trying to find a way to adjust the path of the approaching core fragment. If they do not succeed in the next forty-eight hours, I see no alternative but to begin evacuation. 14 INT. CAPT. READY ROOM Troi and Picard, mid-conversation... Picard is bringing some tea over from the replicator... TROI I believe some will choose to risk death rather than leave, Captain... PICARD You've spent a good deal of time on the surface, Counselor. How do you suggest we change their minds... ? TROI I'm not sure we can. It means abandoning their fundamental way of life. PICARD (frowns) They've managed to turn a dubious scientific endeavor into dogma... TROI You don't approve of genetic engineering. STAR TREK: "Masterpiece... " - REV. 11/8/91 - ACT TWO 21. 14 CONTINUED: PICARD It was a bad idea whose time passed long ago. TROI They seem to have made it succeed. PICARD They have given their humanity away to this genetic manipulation... many of the qualities they breed out -- the uncertainty, the self-discovery, the unknown - those are the very qualities that make Human life worth living... at least to me. I would not like to live with the knowledge that much of my future has been written, that my boundaries have been set. Would you? TROI I've asked myself that question a lot during the past few days. I don't know. I doubt it. Nevertheless, this is what they believe in... and it won't be an easy matter to talk them into leaving... STAR TREK: "Masterpiece... " - REV. 11/8/91 - ACT TWO 22. 14 CONTINUED: (2) A beat. PICARD This leader of theirs, Conor, he seems like a reasonable man, doesn't he? Her smile betrays an affection... TROI I find him very reasonable. Open to suggestions, thoughtful, quite disarming... the perfect administrator... PICARD (grunts) I'm sure. (beat) Will he leave when he sees there is no other choice? TROI I don't know. I hope so. PICARD You admire him. TROI Yes. PICARD Try at least to help him accept the reality of what may happen to his colony. If he makes the right decision, and he's as good a leader as he was "designed" to be... perhaps the others will follow him. Troi nods and exits. A beat on a thoughtful Picard and... STAR TREK: "Masterpiece... " REV. 11/6/91 - ACT TWO 23. 15 INT. ENGINEERING (OPTICAL) Hannah and Geordi are working on a test apparatus... a practical model that emits a beam that the device can measure... HANNAH If we increase warp power transfer by eighty percent... GEORDI It's just gonna blow the emitters again. HANNAH (frustrated) We won't be able to reinforce the conduit to hold that power level... it just doesn't work... She turns off the device. Geordi collapses into a chair, hangs his head in fatigue... he takes off the VISOR without a second thought and rubs his tired brow. Hannah stares at his blinkies... GEORDI I haven't slept in so long, my eyelids feel like they have lead weights attached... HANNAH (studies him) Geordi... GEORDI Uh? HANNAH Were you always blind? Geordi reacts, realizing that she's seeing him without the VISOR on for the first time. GEORDI Ah, I'm sorry... I probably shocked the hell outta you, didn't I... HANNAH No... GEORDI Let me put it on... STAR TREK: "Masterpiece Society" - 11/5/91 - ACT TWO 24. 15 CONTINUED: HANNAH Don't. (beat) I'm sorry. I didn't mean to embarrass you. GEORDI I've never been embarrassed by this, Hannah. Never. I was blind at birth. It's the way I've always been. HANNAH May I see it... your VISOR? He holds it out to her and she takes it. GEORDI I guess if I had been conceived on your world, I wouldn't be here right now, would I? HANNAH No. GEORDI I'd've been terminated as a fertilized cell. HANNAH It was the wish of our founders that no one have to suffer a life with disabilities... GEORDI Who gave them the right to choose whether or not I should be here? Whether or not I might have something to contribute... HANNAH (long beat) I don't know what to say. She hands it to him... Another beat... HANNAH How does it work? STAR TREK: "Masterpiece... " REV. 11/6/91 - ACT TWO 25. 15 CONTINUED: (2) GEORDI The VISOR scans the electromagnetic spectrum between one hertz and one hundred thousand terahertz, converts it all to usable frequencies and carries the information directly to the brain. HANNAH But what about the data conversion rate? How do you avoid a sensory overload? GEORDI A bank of preprocessors compresses the data stream into pulses so my visual cortex isn't... He stops in mid-sentence... putting it back on... GEORDI Wait a minute... wait a minute... we should be able to send a high- energy pulse through the tractor system... and if it's short enough, it shouldn't overload the emitters... the technology is right in here... He taps the frame of his VISOR. GEORDI If we could adapt those pulse- compression routines and apply them to the warp power conduits... HANNAH We would have to avoid tractor force rebounding, but that shouldn't be hard... He rises... moves to a computer panel... starts to work the board... GEORDI Sure. With some modifications... (interrupting himself) Oh, this would be perfect... STAR TREK: "Masterpiece... " - REV. 11/6/91 - ACT TWO 25A. 15 CONTINUED: (3) HANNAH What... ? GEORDI (not unfriendly) If the answer to all this is in a VISOR created for a blind man... who never would have existed in your society. No offense intended. She is forced to smile. 16 EXT. COURTYARD - NIGHT (OPTICAL) Close on a 12-year-old pianist playing a gentle Chopin prelude... pulling back to see we're in the courtyard with the "outdoor" concert being attended by two dozen seated people... moving to find Troi standing in the back next to Conor. STAR TREK: "Masterpiece... " - REV. 11/6/91 - ACT TWO 26. 16 CONTINUED: Suddenly, the concert is interrupted by a quake... the music stops... everybody looks up, holds onto their balance. After a brief instant, it passes... but the people are shaken. CONOR (to the boy) Please, Matthew. Continue. The boy begins again... and after a beat, Conor moves off... and Troi follows him... 17 ISOLATED LOCATION BY THE BIOSPHERE WALL (OPTICAL) On the other side: swirling noxious gases rise to a bright starry sky... Chopin still audible in the background... TROI It's hard to believe... so much loveliness here... just a few meters away from such desolation. He nods. CONOR Hard to believe we're about to lose it... TROI This must sound incredibly simplistic... but can't you re-"engineer" all this on another planet... CONOR (a beat) A nursery rhyme my mother used to read to me has been running round and round my mind since this all began... TROI A nursery rhyme? CONOR "Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall... Humpty Dumpty had a great fall... " STAR TREK: "Masterpiece... " - REV. 11/6/91 - ACT TWO 27. 17 CONTINUED: CONOR & TROI "All the King's horses and all the King's Men... Couldn't put Humpty together again." A beat. Almost a smile. CONOR Why do we tell our children such ghastly stories? TROI Perhaps to prepare them for times like these. He looks to the ground... CONOR We are every bit as fragile as an egg and as impossible to reconstruct... integrated and refined to such a degree that any fundamental change would lead to chaos... (beat, sighs) Nobody ever talks about how the King feels about being so... helpless... TROI (whispers) I'm so sorry, Aaron. I wish I could do something to help. He looks at her, smiles... CONOR But you have helped, you've been wonderful these past few days... you've been... (beat, amused) ... my Counselor. TROI (smiles) No. A Counselor has to maintain a discreet distance... I'd rather think of us as friends. CONOR (studies her) Friends. (beat) No, that just won't do either... STAR TREK: "Masterpiece Society" - 11/5/91 - ACT TWO 28. 17 CONTINUED: (2) They look at each other with intensity... and he moves to her and kisses her gently on the lips... and he stays close as he says softly to her... CONOR ... will it. TROI Aaron... CONOR I must confess a part of me knows that if I transport through these walls... you will be on the other side... And now he moves in and passionately kisses her and she tries to resist the intense feelings rising up within her... TROI Aaron, this is wrong... CONOR Terribly wrong. And as the music comes to a close, he kisses her again... and as she dissolves into his arms... FADE OUT. END OF ACT TWO STAR TREK: "Masterpiece Society" - 11/5/91 - ACT THREE 29. ACT THREE FADE IN: 18 INT. ENGINEERING (OPTICAL) Picard and Riker observe as Geordi and Hannah run a demonstration on the device... they are quite excited about their results... GEORDI In order to move the core fragment to a safe trajectory, we needed our tractor beam to be able to handle high power pulses... HANNAH And, we needed a much more efficient emitter to do that... GEORDI About four times more efficient... HANNAH But we couldn't get anywhere near that without overloading the emitter arrays... GEORDI So we added a little VISOR technology to the process and were able to boost the effective force... and at the same time, lower the power conduit stress levels... He turns on a much more powerful beam than we saw before... it now includes a bright pulse that quickly travels from the device to the target... PICARD What is the increase in efficiency? GEORDI Up to almost three hundred percent... RIKER That's not enough... HANNAH That's true... we won't be able to move the fragment as far as we'd like to, but... (looks to Geordi) STAR TREK: "Masterpiece Society" - 11/5/91 - ACT THREE 30. 18 CONTINUED: GEORDI (picking it up) ... But if we fortify the biosphere's structural integrity at the same time... HANNAH With some of the shield improvements I've discovered here, it could work. GEORDI We'll have to lend them some of our engineering support crews... Picard exchanges a satisfied glance with Riker... PICARD (to Hannah) Advise Mister Conor. Number One, brief the appropriate officers, prepare to transport them as soon as Conor approves... RIKER Yessir... As Picard exits... 19 EXT. COURTYARD - EARLY MORNING (OPTICAL) Deserted. Except for Deanna, who walks slowly across... thoughtful... she sits down at the piano... plays a few notes... after a beat, find Conor behind her... CONOR You're up early. TROI I'm still on Enterprise time. He moves to her and sits on the piano bench beside her... TROI I'm going back to the ship, Aaron. I'm not going to see you again. CONOR (reacts) Why... ? STAR TREK: "Masterpiece Society" - 11/5/91 - ACT THREE 31. 19 CONTINUED: TROI Because it's the right thing to do. CONOR I'm not convinced of that. TROI (angry, sad) You know it as well as I do. CONOR You're angry... TROI Yes. I'm angry. With myself. For allowing this to happen. CONOR Deanna... She stands, moves away from him... TROI I could fall in love with you, Aaron. So easily. But we both know the end of that story, don't we? How would Martin feel about introducing half-Betazoid DNA into the genetic balance? A long beat. Softly... CONOR If we have to evacuate, anything is possible... Troi studies him. Here he is talking about evacuation, almost hoping for it now... TROI Listen to yourself. A few days ago, you didn't even want to talk to us. (beat) This is my fault. I'm so sorry, Aaron. CONOR I need you here... this doesn't have to happen again... STAR TREK: "Masterpiece... " REV. 11/6/91 - ACT THREE 32. 19 CONTINUED: (2) But as they look in each others's eyes, they both know it will... TROI I have to go... They react as they hear the sound of a beam-in -- turn to see Geordi and Hannah MATERIALIZE... HANNAH Good news, Aaron. We should be able to change the course of the core fragment... but we'll also need to fortify the structure... and we're going to need help to do it... GEORDI We'll have to bring down engineering crews from the Enterprise to work with your people for the next forty-eight hours... CONOR Engineering crews? GEORDI We've got to install five new shield generators and power supplies... HANNAH Fifty officers are waiting for your approval to transport down... Conor seems overwhelmed by the request and changes, the assault of technology, of people... he tries to process all of it... HANNAH We don't have much time, Aaron. CONOR Do we have any other choice? HANNAH None. Conor takes a beat, what else can he do? He nods his approval. STAR TREK: "Masterpiece... " - REV. 11/6/91 - ACT THREE 33. 19 CONTINUED: (3) GEORDI Enterprise, you may begin transporting when ready... TRANSPORTER COM VOICE Acknowledged. And in rapid order, in groups of six... Starfleet officers begin to MATERIALIZE in the square with tools and science kits... as Troi and Conor exchange another look, there is another brief temblor, and Conor finally walks away... FADE OUT. END OF ACT THREE STAR TREK: "Masterpiece... " REV. 11/6/91 - ACT FOUR 34. ACT FOUR FADE IN: 20 EXT. SPACE - ENTERPRISE (OPTICAL) moving parallel once again to the fragment. PICARD (V.O.) Captain's log, stardate 45474.6. Gravitational effects are being felt on Moab Four as fortification efforts continue. Meanwhile, the Enterprise has moved to a parallel course with the core fragment. (more) 21 INT. ENTERPRISE - BRIDGE Riker, Data, and Worf and an ENSIGN at their stations; Troi is at command. Picard enters from the ready room... over which... PICARD (V.O.) (continuing) We must adjust its trajectory by a minimum of one-point-two degrees to insure the colony's safety. He sits in command. PICARD Bring us within range of the fragment, Ensign... ENSIGN Aye, sir. 22 INT. ENGINEERING - INTERCUTTING Hannah and Geordi at their stations. PICARD'S COM VOICE You may proceed, Commander La Forge. STAR TREK: "Masterpiece Society" - 11/5/91 - ACT FOUR 35. 22 CONTINUED: GEORDI Aye, sir. (to Hannah) Good luck. She smiles at him... she's wired, eager for this challenge. HANNAH You, too. GEORDI Engage tractor beam. She works at the console. 23 EXT. SPACE - ENTERPRISE (OPTICAL) The tractor beam flares out from the ship and melds with the fragment. 24 INT. ENGINEERING GEORDI Okay, let's give it a try. (working panels) Shutting down noncritical systems... 25 INT. BRIDGE - INTERCUTTING Working the panels -- DATA Increasing impulse power to tractor emitters. E-P-S power levels rising... 25A INT. ENGINEERING HANNAH Emitter circuits one hundred-seventy percent over standard... STAR TREK: "Masterpiece Society" - 11/5/91 - ACT FOUR 36. 25A CONTINUED: GEORDI Transferring warp power to tractor beam generator... HANNAH Graviton generators operating normally... surge pulse now synchronized... emitters radiating at three hundred-twenty percent over standard... GEORDI Bridge, we need more power... 25B INT. BRIDGE RIKER Reduce life support to minimum requirements, Mister Data. DATA Aye, sir. 25C EXT. SPACE - THE ENTERPRISE (OPTICAL) The tractor beam is tied to the fragment... We can see it pulsing... 26 INT. ENGINEERING Checking readings on separate monitors... HANNAH Three-hundred-ninety percent over standard... GEORDI Come on... come on... HANNAH No change in the fragment's course... On the move... GEORDI We've gotta increase the pulse frequency... STAR TREK: "Masterpiece... " - REV. 11/6/91 - ACT FOUR 36A. 26 CONTINUED: HANNAH The emitter circuits won't hold for long... GEORDI We won't need them for long... He starts to work the panels... 27 EXT. SPACE - ENTERPRISE (OPTICAL) Tied to the fragment as before. More frequent pulses. 28 thru OMITTED 29 30 INT. ENGINEERING HANNAH Four hundred percent over standard... GEORDI All right. now we're getting there... Hannah moves to a new monitor... HANNAH The fragment's moved point-four degrees off its previous heading... point six-five... it's working... STAR TREK: "Masterpiece... " - REV. 11/6/91 - ACT FOUR 37. 31 INT. MAIN BRIDGE At the conn, the ensign presses panels, taking readings... Suddenly a warning SOUNDS from the console... We begin to hear significant sound bumps and whines from the ship... hard move to Data as he reacts... DATA We have lost one of the emitter circuits... WORF Life support failure... decks nine, twelve, and thirteen... RIKER Engage evacuation procedures for those decks. Geordi, I'm gonna need power back soon... 32 INT. ENGINEERING GEORDI Acknowledged. Hannah checking readings... HANNAH Fragment's new heading adjustment is at one-point-zero-one degrees... is it enough? Geordi's poised to cut it off at the right time... GEORDI Not yet... hold on... 33 INT. MAIN BRIDGE DATA We have lost the second lateral emitter circuit... WORF Losing life-support systems on decks five through nine. Evacuation procedures initiated. STAR TREK: "Masterpiece Society" - 11/5/91 - ACT FOUR 38. 33 CONTINUED: PICARD Mister La Forge... 34 INT. ENGINEERING GEORDI Hold on, Captain... DATA Shipwide life-support failure in fifteen seconds... HANNAH Almost there, Geordi. Course shift is at one-point-one-six degrees... Light levels are dropping, flickering... DATA Termination of all life-support in five seconds... PICARD Now, Mister La Forge... HANNAH One-point-one-eight... GEORDI Yessir. (rapidly making adjustments) Shutting down all tractor emissions... transferring power back to life-support... HANNAH One-point-two... we've got it... She almost jumps off the floor with exhiliration... STAR TREK: "Masterpiece Society" - 11/5/91 - ACT FOUR 39. 35 EXT. SPACE - ENTERPRISE AND METEOR (OPTICAL) The tractor beam retracts. 36 INT. BRIDGE Light levels resume normal intensity. WORF Life-support normal on all decks... PICARD Mister Data -- DATA The fragment's course has been altered, sir, by one-point-two-one degrees. PICARD Hail the colony. 37 ANGLE INCLUDES THE VIEWSCREEN (OPTICAL) Conor appears... CONOR Yes, Captain. PICARD Success, Mister Conor. With the upgrades to your biosphere, the core fragment should no longer be a serious danger. CONOR I cannot adequately express my appreciation to your crew. Troi studies him... he is tired and worn... and she wishes she could reach out to him... STAR TREK: "Masterpiece Society" - 11/5/91 - ACT FOUR 40. 37 CONTINUED: CONOR (continuing) Is Hannah able to hear me? 38 INT. ENGINEERING (OPTICAL) Conor on a monitor. Geordi beaming, shows Hannah how to use the companel... she is as excited as a child, exhilarated after this heady experience. HANNAH (to com) Yes, yes, go ahead Aaron... CONOR This is an historic achievement, Hannah. You've done a wonderful thing for our people. HANNAH Thank you. CONOR We look forward to honoring you appropriately when you return. And those words bring Hannah back to the reality... as her smile fades a bit... CONOR (o.c.) Thank you again, Captain. Conor out. The realization sinks in: now she has to go home. The moment of triumph has lost its joy. FADE OUT. END OF ACT FOUR STAR TREK: "Masterpiece... " - REV. 11/6/91 - ACT FIVE 41. ACT FIVE FADE IN: 39 EXT. SPACE - THE ENTERPRISE (OPTICAL) In orbit around Moab Four. PICARD (V.O.) Captain's log, supplemental. The stellar core fragment has passed safely out of the Moab system. The colony was shaken by powerful temblors but fortunately there were no injuries and only minor damage was reported. 40 EXT. GENOME COURTYARD - DAY (OPTICAL) Riker, Geordi are with Conor... as the last science team prepares to beam out... RIKER (to com) Energize. The team DEMATERIALIZES... RIKER That should do it... all members of the Enterprise crew are accounted for, Mister Conor... CONOR They've been invaluable, Commander... thank you again... RIKER If there's nothing else, we'll be on our way... CONOR Would you tell Deanna Troi for me... that I'm sorry I didn't have the opportunity to say good-bye personally... RIKER (being polite) I'm sure she'll feel the same... Suddenly, there's an ALARM... Conor reacts... STAR TREK: "Masterpiece Society" - 11/5/91 - ACT FIVE 41A. 40 CONTINUED: CONOR A breach in the biosphere... (to a nearby colonist) Get Hannah Bates... He moves off, Riker and Geordi follow and TIME CUT TO: STAR TREK: "Masterpiece... " - REV. 11/6/91 - ACT FIVE 42. 41 EXT. ANOTHER ISOLATED AREA NEAR BIOSPHERE WALL - DAY (OPTICAL) Hannah examines the wall with a tricorder type device... The alarm continues... HANNAH Apparently, the refortification wasn't adequate. There's definite structural damage... it appears the tectonic shifts created a breach... BENBECK Can it be repaired? HANNAH I don't know. 42 CLOSE ON GEORDI as he watches this unfold... rather disconcerted... HANNAH (o.c.) I'll have to run a diagnostic in the lab... 43 RESUME She's on the move... moving with her and the others... HANNAH Unless we can find a way to seal it... and fast... we'll have to evacuate. Reactions. CONOR How long do we have, Hannah? HANNAH Based on the level of toxicity I'm reading... it may be only a matter of hours. She moves off... GEORDI CONOR (to Riker) (to the others) Mind if I... give her a Interrupt all communication hand, Commander? link-ups... advise families to return to their RIKER homes and stay there until By all means. they're contacted... Geordi moves after her... People run off... STAR TREK: "Masterpiece... " - REV. 11/6/91 - ACT FIVE 43. 44 INT. HANNAH'S LAB - DAY She moves to a monitor and studies some schematics... after a beat, Geordi ENTERS... HANNAH (rueful) Isn't it amazing... after all we went through... GEORDI Yeah, amazing... HANNAH (re: the monitor) It looks bad... it's cracked well beneath the surface... GEORDI Why are you doing this? HANNAH What do you mean? GEORDI There's no breach... HANNAH What are you talking about... it's right here, look at it... I measured the toxic leak... you saw me... GEORDI Hannah, my VISOR's positronic scan would have detected the leak... and its molecular pattern enhancer would have picked up even the smallest crack... Hannah sighs, guilty... HANNAH The damned thing doesn't miss much, does it? (beat) Fine. I'll tell them the truth. Will that make you happy? GEORDI (repeating) Why are you doing this... ? A beat as she collects her thoughts. STAR TREK: "Masterpiece Society" - 11/5/91 - ACT FIVE 44. 44 CONTINUED: HANNAH I was born to be one of the best scientific minds of my generation. But in the past five days, I have encountered technology that I have barely imagined. I've got to ask myself... If we're so brilliant... how come we didn't invent any of these things? GEORDI Maybe necessity really is the mother of invention. You don't always look for something until you need it. HANNAH (nods) And all my needs are anticipated and planned for. Before I'm even born. (beat) All of us in this colony might as well have been living in the dark ages. It's like we're the victims of a two hundred-year-old joke. Until you came, we could only see to the wall of the biosphere. Suddenly our eyes have been opened to infinite possibilities. (beat) Now I'm supposed to come back to the farm and pretend I never saw Paris... ? Well, I can't. Off Geordi's reaction... 45 INT. OBSERVATION LOUNGE Picard, Riker, Geordi, Troi, BEVERLY, Worf. Geordi has just told the group about his conversation with Hannah. PICARD Asylum? GEORDI She wants to leave the colony. STAR TREK: "Masterpiece Society" - 11/5/91 - ACT FIVE 45. 45 CONTINUED: RIKER She may not be the only one. (reactions) The science teams working on the surface... fielded a lot of questions from colonists who were more than curious about what's outside their world... WORF Why shouldn't we grant them asylum? TROI We can't do that. GEORDI We have to do that. TROI Do you understand what it would do to the colony? GEORDI I understand these are Human beings, Counselor. With free will. If she wants to leave, she has a right to. RIKER And what happens to the colony if she does? If others join her? BEVERLY The society is genetically integrated. Suddenly, there would be gaps, missing pieces... TROI It would destroy them. BEVERLY There must be something we can do to help... STAR TREK: "Masterpiece Society" - 11/5/91 - ACT FIVE 46. 45 CONTINUED: (2) PICARD I think, Doctor, that we may have "helped" these people too much already... WORF We did save them from destruction. PICARD (beat, thoughtful) Did we? The moral issues here are far from clear and Picard is deeply troubled by the choice at hand. PICARD Counselor, I think it is time you took me to meet Mister Conor. 46 INT. TURBOLIFT The door opens and Picard and Troi ENTER. PICARD Transporter room three. The doors close. Picard is quiet, thoughtful. Troi can stay silent no longer. TROI (to com) Computer, halt. Picard reacts as the turbolift stops, turns to her. She's as uncomfortable as we've ever seen her. The words sort of stutter out... TROI Captain, I... have to tell you something... and it isn't easy for me... because I've used some very poor judgement... I've acted quite unprofessionally, actually... PICARD Counselor... what is it you always say... ? "Take a deep breath"... STAR TREK: "Masterpiece Society" - 11/5/91 - ACT FIVE 47. 46 CONTINUED: TROI (sighs) Conor and I have had a relationship. PICARD I see. TROI It should never have happened. I knew there was concern about outside influences. I should have been more careful. PICARD Yes... I think we all should have been more careful. That's becoming more clear by the moment. (beat) What is your status with him presently? TROI I did not intend to see him again. PICARD Would you prefer not to return to the surface? TROI I think I should come with you. But I wanted you to know before we went down. PICARD I appreciate that. He looks at her for a beat, gives her room for more... she feels awful about this... she's almost on the verge of tears... TROI I wanted so much to help him, to be there for him... but the more I was... Troi shakes her head. Picard looks at her. STAR TREK: "Masterpiece Society" - 11/5/91 - ACT FIVE 48. 46 CONTINUED: (2) PICARD Deanna, every one of us went into this with the best intentions... TROI I should have walked away as soon as I saw what was happening... PICARD And you didn't. And that's Human. We make mistakes. (not at all flip) Genetic manipulation or not -- nobody's perfect. She smiles an appreciation... 47 INT. HANNAH'S LAB - DAY Benbeck and Conor are with Hannah... BENBECK You would ignore the welfare of the colony for your own selfish interests... ? HANNAH The welfare of this colony would be best served by rejoining the Human race. BENBECK She has been contaminated by the people on that ship... Conor is glum, overwhelmed with the turn of events... TROI (o.c.) Aaron... They turn to see 48 ANGLE Picard and Troi have entered... STAR TREK: "Masterpiece Society" - 11/5/91 - ACT FIVE 49. 48 CONTINUED: PICARD Mister Conor, I believe you and I should talk. Conor nods as... BENBECK (to Picard) This is your doing. We should never have answered your hails. HANNAH If we'd followed that advice, Martin, we'd all be dead now. So much for the welfare of this colony. BENBECK (to Picard) You are not taking her with you. HANNAH I'm leaving. And I'll tell you something else. There are at least a dozen more who are ready to go with me... TROI Hannah... let's allow Aaron and Captain Picard to discuss this. Why don't we take a walk... Hannah doesn't want to disengage the argument but finally leads Troi out, getting the last word... HANNAH There's nothing for them to discuss... Picard is left alone with Benbeck and Conor. CONOR Martin... Benbeck looks at him, refusing to take the hint... BENBECK I think it would be helpful if I... CONOR I want to talk with Captain Picard alone. STAR TREK: "Masterpiece Society" - 11/5/91 - ACT FIVE 50. 48 CONTINUED: (2) BENBECK But... CONOR Thank you, Martin. Benbeck throws Picard an enraged glance and EXITS. CONOR The irony is... he's the one who saw this coming. From the moment you arrived. And because I didn't want to hear it, I chose not to listen... PICARD You made decisions that you felt would save your colony. CONOR (grins, self-indicting) No... no, I wish it were that simple... but I cannot forgive myself so easily. You see, Captain, I know what Hannah Bates is feeling. For I have been feeling it as well. I found... your people to be... intriguing and stimulating... as she did. I was every bit as curious about you as the next man. (beat) But I am not the next man. I am the leader of these people. And every genetic fiber in my being demands that I protect them. Instead, I have betrayed them. I have allowed this to happen. PICARD We have both allowed this to happen, Conor. CONOR Then let us both find a way to stop it from going any further... PICARD I wish I could see a way. CONOR Picard, I was born to govern this colony, not to dismantle it. STAR TREK: "Masterpiece... " - REV. 11/8/91 - ACT FIVE 51. 48 CONTINUED: (3) PICARD If you force them to stay, you will be suppressing their Human rights. CONOR If even a handful leave, the damage to this society will be devastating. What about the rights of those who would stay behind? They are the ones who inherit the social chaos that would follow for generations. (beat) Your arrival created this problem. Your departure solves it. PICARD That is simplistic. CONOR Refuse them passage. PICARD I cannot ignore the requests of people, Humans who ask for transport away from here... CONOR Nor can you ignore the fact that thousands will suffer if you agree to take them. And as suffering grows, more will demand to leave. We are witness to the end of this existence, Captain. I implore you -- do not let it happen. Picard studies him... with sympathy... PICARD You would have me make the decision for you, Connor. But I cannot. I am willing to talk to these people with you. I will urge them not to make an impulsive choice. But if they finally choose to leave, the Enterprise cannot turn them away... OFF Conor's reaction... STAR TREK: "Masterpiece Society" - 11/5/91 - ACT FIVE 52. 49 EXT. GENOME COURTYARD - DAY Troi, Hannah, Benbeck and dozens of other colonists wait for word from the summit meeting... finally Picard and Conor come out... Conor moves to address the crowd... CONOR Captain Picard has decided to grant transport to any individuals who wish to leave Genome Colony. There is an instant uproar about this announcement, both pro and con... Troi exchanges a glance with Conor and sees the deep pain in his eyes... Conor struggles to continue... CONOR I'm asking you to stay. HANNAH Aaron... we can't be happy here any longer... we were innocent... it will never be that way again... CONOR The experiences of the past week will become part of our heritage... we will adjust... in a few generations, we will be able to... HANNAH We're not willing to wait a few generations... STAR TREK: "Masterpiece... " - REV. 11/8/91 - ACT FIVE 53. 49 CONTINUED: CONOR All right. Give me six months... just wait six months before you leave... And this has been part of his plan, his hope to forestall this action, and he has Picard's support as we will soon learn... HANNAH What will that accomplish? Picard steps forward to speak... PICARD There is no question that our presence here has had an unintended influence on your society. That is done and there is no way to undo it now. But feelings are running high. Perhaps it's not such a bad idea to give yourselves adequate time to carefully weigh the consequences of what you are about to do. We are prepared to return in six months... HANNAH In other words, we are being asked to stay here for six months while they pressure us to change our minds. PICARD In five days, you have seen only the most superficial evidence of what life is like outside your biosphere... Hannah moves forward to confront him. HANNAH Would you ever choose to live aboard a ship-in-a-bottle, Captain? STAR TREK: "Masterpiece... " - REV. 11/8/91 - ACT FIVE 53A. 49 CONTINUED: (2) PICARD What I would choose is not at issue... HANNAH You are the captain of a starship. You live to explore the unknown. We ask for the same privilege. CONOR Hannah, this is your home, and we are all, in a sense, your family. Don't we deserve an opportunity to open a dialogue on this issue at the very least? I am only asking for six months. STAR TREK: "Masterpiece... " - REV. 11/8/91 - ACT FIVE 54. 49 CONTINUED: (3) HANNAH It's not going to make any difference. You will only be putting this colony through unnecessary pain and anguish. BENBECK You are the ones who are causing pain and anguish in this colony. You. HANNAH (reacting to Benbeck) Don't you see, Aaron? It's over. It's time for you to lead our people into a new era, into a renaissance of discovery... come with us. A long beat. Conor's eyes move to Troi's... and we know a part of him wants to go... but finally, he lowers his head, defeated. CONOR When you're ready to come home, you will be welcome. 50 ANGLE (OPTICAL) Conor moves away... turning to Picard for a moment... CONOR You may proceed, Captain Picard. Picard nods. There are no words left to say. PICARD Enterprise, two to beam up. TRANSPORTER COM VOICE Aye, sir... TROI Captain, may I have a moment... STAR TREK: "Masterpiece... " - REV. 11/6/91 - ACT FIVE 55. 50 CONTINUED: PICARD (nods) Make that one, Enterprise. TRANSPORTER COM VOICE Aye, sir. PICARD Energize. He DEMATERIALIZES. Troi stands there alone with Conor. TROI What will you do now? CONOR Attempt to assess the damage. Spend the rest of my life on the near-impossible task of rebuilding this society without the proper pieces. TROI Aaron, you acted in the best interests of your people... there was no way to avoid what happened... A beat... he looks away, thinks... CONOR I replay each step of this in my mind... looking for the wrong turn, the mistake in judgement... (beat) And I find only one... And he turns and looks at her with still deeply felt passion... CONOR (continuing) And as hard as I try, I cannot even regret that one. In fact, I'm certain that given the opportunity, I would choose to make the same mistake again. (beat) I have to wonder why, with all the hundreds of genetically compatible women here... I would fall in love with you. TROI Don't say that, Aaron... STAR TREK: "Masterpiece... " - REV. 11/8/91 - ACT FIVE 56. 50 CONTINUED: (3) CONOR Perhaps it is your imperfections that make you so unique. But I am in love with you, Deanna Troi, and I will always be... One more look in her eyes and he walks away... and as she stands there... 51 EXT. SPACE - THE ENTERPRISE (OPTICAL) in orbit around the planet. 52 INT. CAPT. READY ROOM Picard is at the window, looking out, musing. A chime... PICARD Come. Riker ENTERS. RIKER The colonists are all on board, sir. PICARD How many finally? RIKER Twenty-three. Picard takes that in... frustrated, unhappy... PICARD If we ever needed a reminder of the importance of the Prime Directive, we have it now... RIKER They're Human. The Prime Directive doesn't apply. PICARD Doesn't it? Our very presence damaged, perhaps destroyed, a way of life. (MORE) STAR TREK: "Masterpiece... " - REV. 11/8/91 - ACT FIVE 57. 52 CONTINUED: PICARD (cont'd) (beat) Whether or not we agree with that way of life... whether or not they are Human... is ultimately irrelevant, Number One. We are responsible. RIKER We had to respond to the threat from the core fragment... didn't we? PICARD Yes. Of course we did. And I wish I could see any other course we could have taken. (beat) But I would submit, in the end, we proved ourselves just as dangerous to that colony as any stellar fragment could ever be. Riker acknowledges and EXITS, and on Picard's look... FADE OUT. END OF ACT FIVE THE END