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 Picard: "Captain's
log, Stardate 41249.3, We have orbited the two major
planets of the Beta Renner system taking aboard
delegates from those two worlds. Since achieving
spaceflight, their major lifeforms - the Anticans and
the Selay have become deadly enemies. But both have also
applied for entry into our Federation. We are to deliver
these delegates to this sector's neutral conference
planet, called Parliament, in the hope their dispute can
be resolved." |
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 LaForge: "So Worf, why the
interest in this? It's just routine maintenance on the
sensor assemblies."
Worf: "Simple Geordi. Our Captain wants his
junior officers to learn, learn, learn."
LaForge: (laughs) "Not just his junior ones! OK
you hold this relay offline while I adjust these sensor
circuits" |
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 LaForge: "He was just
monitoring the sensor console when he jerked as though
something hit him. What my sensors showed was... was
a... a glow, just for a second I... I can't explain it."
Picard: "Could your VISOR device have
malfunctioned?"
LaForge: "Hmm, I doubt it sir. It seemed like
what I was seeing was something real." |
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 Audio clip of
Beta-Renner Cloud Entity sound effects when it infiltrates
the Enterprise. |
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 Picard: "Obviously you seem
to fear it's something we should look at more
carefully."
Data: "A mystery is only a mystery as long as it
remains uninvestigated, sir."
Picard: "Hmm, I love a mystery Data. But this one
will have to wait until we've delivered the delegates to
their peace conference on Parliament. Time and tide,
Lieutenant LaForge. Go to warp eight."
LaForge: "Warp eight, sir." (Warp engines
engage) |
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 Data: "Captain? There is a
malfunction in this station. I cannot bring any
information up on it. Science Two does not function
either, sir."
Singh: (over the comm) "Engineering to Captain
Picard. We have something wrong with warp drive
circuitry, sir."
Chief: "Transporter room six to Bridge. Reporting
transporter console malfunction, sir."
Picard: "Data, this ship is less than a year out
of Spacedock. What are the chances of this occurring?"
Data: "It is a virtual impossibility, sir."
Picard: "So what the hell is going on here?" |
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 Picard: "And you're telling
me there are no explanations for these malfunctions?"
Riker: "At least, sir, all the department heads
reported the damage repaired."
Picard: "That was not my question, Number One.
What caused the malfunctions?"
Singh:
"I believe it was a rampant electronic short that jumped
 from
system to system, sir. But the only thing is, er..."
Picard:
"Yes, Mister Singh?"
Singh:
"That shouldn't be possible. The affected systems don't
generally interact with each other. And where they do,
it wasn't an interlink that was malfunctioning."
Picard:
"Have you spoken with Chief Engineer Argyle about this
problem?"
 Singh:
"With all the Engineering staff, sir. They're just as
puzzled."
Picard: "Well I'm not satisfied with that. I want
an explanation of this by the time we reach Parliament."
Singh: "But sir..."
Picard: "By the time we reach Parliament, Mr.
Singh." |
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 Data: "If the Enterprise
were really this fragile, sir, she never would have left
spacedock. Therefore, her systems failures are not
endemic to the ship, but are the result of the actions
of an unknown adversary."
Riker: "We have a saboteur aboard."
Data: "I believe I said that." |
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 Picard: "Captain's Log,
Stardate 41249.4. I've ordered an immediate
investigation into the death of Assistant Chief Engineer
Singh. We continue to run on impulse power." |
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 Riker: "Sherlock Holmes.
Indubitably, Data has been studying him."
Data: "Has studied, sir - every case. As Holmes
would have pointed out... during the time in question,
something was afoot!"
Tasha: "Afoot?"
Data: "While both sets of delegates say they were
in their quarters, our crew locator sensed them passing
here... and here." |
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 Yar: "But since it
doesn't show where they went, we're still in the dark."
Data: "On the contrary. On their return they drew
medical supplies appropriate for the treatment of minor
wounds and abrasions on these lifeforms."
Riker: "Which leaves us with only one
conclusion."
Data: "Exactly. That they were too engaged in
their own affairs to have disabled the ship and murdered
the engineer. Given the choice they would rather kill
each other than any of us. It's elementary, my dear
Riker... sir." |
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 Picard: "Data... let's
proceed without the pipe."
Data: "Yes sir, if you wish sir." |
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 Riker: "First officer's
log, supplemental. After meeting with the senior
officers, Doctor Crusher and I have decided to approach
the captain about his recent behavior." |
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 Riker: "First officer's
log, supplemental. On the orders of Captain Picard, we
have returned to the vicinity of the energy pattern
"cloud." I am personally convinced that something from
this "cloud" now shares the captain's mind. But there
seems to be nothing we can do... at least within
regulations." |
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 Riker: "Captain, I
must speak to you privately... now."
Data: "I understand. As an energy pattern free of
the limitations of matter... it might travel anywhere,
at any velocity."
Riker: "Captain, do you hear me?"
Data: "Sir, I see no way for you to journey with an
energy form."
Picard: "Isn't there?"
Troi: "He's planning to beam himself and the
entity into that
 cloud."
Picard: "The transporter need not pattern your
Captain into matter. We'll beam energy only, and we will
become a combined energy pattern of our life forms. A
resignation from this command and from Starfleet has
been appropriately recorded."
Riker: "I refuse to allow this, Sir."
Picard: "How does this resignation threaten the
ship or it's crew in any way?"
Crusher: "Captain Picard you are now relieved of
duty. I judge you to be unstable and mentally
incapacitated." |
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 Riker: "First officer's
log, supplemental. More than an hour has passed since
the captain beamed out, energy only. Every effort has
been made to determine his whereabouts." |
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 Picard: "What the devil am
I doing here?!"
Riker: "Sounds like our Captain..."
Troi: "But confused. This Picard-pattern was
formed before he went out there..."
Picard: "What's happening to me, Number One? I
was preparing to... to beam out... to somewhere. And I
remember there was talk of an entity? But it all seems
so vague..."
Data: "I believe the Captain is now his separate
self, sir. Much of what happened is naturally
missing..."
Picard: "What are you talking about Data ? Is
this still "Sherlock Holmes?""
Data: "Indubitably, sir, indubitably."
Picard: "Hmm, well at least you got rid of that
damned pipe." |
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 Yar: "Captain!"
Picard: "Yes, Lieutenant"
Yar: "Sorry Commander, but Security Team Two
reports they've discovered a puddle of blood outside the
Selay Quarters and they can't find one of the delegates
and..."
Riker: "Lieutenant, this couldn't have waited a
moment?"
Tasha: "It's Good to see you, sir. The problem is
that one of the cooks has just been asked to broil
Reptile for the Anticans... and it looks like the Selay
delegate..."
Picard: "Riker, with the "peace" delegates and
all, I think I do need a rest. Take charge, Number One." |
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