|  | TREKCORE > TNG > EPISODES >
THE ENSIGNS OF COMMAND > Audio Clips
Below are high quality audio caps from this episode presented in mp3 format. Please let us know if we've missed a favorite quote of yours from this episode and we'll try and add it! Many thanks to Kyle C. Haight for these files!
 |
 |
 Sheliak
Message: "Federation
creatures, there are humans on the fifth planet of Tau Cygna. This planet
was ceded to the Corporate in section one hundred and thirty-three,
paragraph seventy seven of the Treaty of Armens. We will begin settlement of
this world in four days. Remove the humans." |
|
|
|
 Worf:
"Sheliak Corporate, this is the starship Enterprise. Respond please."
Sheliak Director: "Conversation is neither required nor
desired."
Picard: "Conversation is necessary if we are to find a solution to
our mutual problem."
Sheliak Director: "Our involvement in Federation illegality
is not indicated."
Picard: "Both parties are involved, sir."
Sheliak Director: "Remove the humans from the Tau Cygna
system. Three Earth days remain."
Picard: "Let us negotiate in good faith."
Sheliak Director: "Negotiate to what purpose? The treaty is
signed."
Picard: "There is a thriving colony on that planet. Rather than
uproot these people, may I offer a compromise?"
Sheliak Director: "Denied."
Picard: "Why?"
Sheliak Director: "The law is paramount. We are entitled."
Picard: "This is not a law. It is a treaty. It is designed to
smooth relations between peoples. Not to act as a strait..."
(Transmission ends)
Picard: "...jacket." |
| |
|
 Gosheven:
"You see this? Do you have any idea what it is, or what it means? "
Data: "It is water. A substance composed of two atoms of hydrogen
..."
Gosheven: "It's not water. It's blood and it's sweat. It's the result
of a ninety years of combined effort. This isn't a town. It's a monument to
every man, woman, and child who's lived and died on
Tau Cygna V."
Ard'rian: "Gosheven, you're talking nonsense."
Gosheven: "Am I? My grandfather is buried on that mountain. He died
in a rock slide surveying the route for this aqueduct. This colony exists
because of his sacrifice, and the sacrifice of thousands of others. No,
we're not leaving."
Data: "The Sheliak will not accept humans on their planet, and they
will not hesitate to use force to remove you."
Gosheven: "We will not be bullied off our land. Not by you, and not
by the Sheliak." |
|
|
|
 Riker: "Data, I
can't help you. I don't know these people. I haven't talked to them. You
have. Use that fancy positronic brain of yours and carry out your mission."
Data: "Sir, if I do not succeed, how violent is the Sheliak reaction
likely to be?"
Riker: "The treaty is the only thing that prevented them from
eradicating the colony the moment they discovered it."
Data: "Ah."
Riker: "'Ah' is right, Data. The lives of fifteen thousand people are
riding on you. You'd better get innovative. Riker out." |
|
|
|
 Picard:
"Now, are we
progressing, Mr. La Forge?"
Geordi: "About like you'd expect, sir."
Picard: "Splendid. Splendid. Carry on."
Wesley: "He wants the impossible."
Geordi: "That's the short definition of 'captain.'" |
| |
|
 Data:
"You know of the Sheliak threat. Starfleet wishes to evacuate you for your
own protection. Yet Gosheven has decided otherwise. That is his right, And I
will not waste time trying to reverse that decision. I admire your
conviction in the face of certain defeat. Though doomed, your effort will be
valiant. And when you die, you will die for land and honour. Your
children will understand that they are dying for a worthy cause. Long after
the battle is over,
their courage will be remembered and extolled."
Ard'rian: "Remembered by who?"
Data: "Yes, that is true. There will be no one left alive to
remember."
Gosheven: (applauding) "A valiant try, android, but what a low
opinion you must have of us."
Data: "I was simply attempting to describe your inevitable
destruction in a manner that would have an emotional effect."
Haritath: "And he describes it pretty damned well."
Gosheven: "Are you ready to follow this machine? Give up without a
fight? He says we're going to lose, but I think that's just his cowardice
talking!"
Kentor: "What if he's right and you're wrong? Shouldn't we consider
that possibility?"
Gosheven: "This colony exists because generations gave their lives
for it. Many people died before we found a way to adapt to the radiation.
And many more died bringing water to the desert. My grandfather..."
Ard'rian: "...is buried on that mountain. Well, who'll be left to
bury you?" | | |
|
 Gosheven:
"...because here we stand."
Data: "Then here you die."
| | |
|
 Troi:
"We are stranded
on a planet. We have no language in common, but I want to teach you mine."
(she hold up his cup of tea) "S'smarith. What did I just say?"
Picard: "Cup? Glass?"
Troi: "Are you sure? I may have meant liquid, clear, brown, hot. We
conceptualise the universe in relatively the same way."
Picard: "Point taken."
Troi: "In your talks, you must be extremely accurate. The treaty is
five hundred thousand words. The length was to accommodate the Sheliak. They
consider our language irrational, and demanded this level of complexity to
avoid any future misunderstandings." |
| |
|
 Picard: "Director,
we will comply with your request to remove the colony from Tau Cygna Five,
but we need time."
Sheliak Director: "The given time has elapsed. We carry the
membership and we will proceed with their debarkation."
Troi: "The temporary presence of these humans should not interfere
with your plans."
Sheliak Director: "Unacceptable. You must remove the
creatures."
Picard: "I'm trying, but the needed ship will not be available for
three weeks."
Sheliak Director: "Then you are in violation."
Picard: "I have admitted that. I am only asking for a little
flexibility."
Sheliak Director: "Section five hundred and one, paragraph
seven
hundred and sixteen, subparagraph five: 'Unwanted life-forms inhabiting H
class worlds may be removed at the discretion of the Sheliak Corporate.'"
Picard: "We will remove them, but you must grant us the time we
require."
Sheliak Director: "You need time, Picard of the Enterprise? We
will save you time. We will eradicate the human infestation."
Picard: "They are not vermin. They are citizens of the Federation! I
will not permit this outrage!"
Sheliak Director: "Intelligent converse is impossible. You do
not discuss, you jibber."
Picard: "Between intelligent species of good will..."
(Picard and Troi are beamed back onto the bridge)
Riker: "I take it the Sheliak just hung up on us again?" | | |
|
 Ard'rian: "I guess
words don't mean very much."
Data: "Perhaps that is a part of our difficulty. Words are all we
have been using. Humans seem to take much stronger notice of actions. I
require a phaser."
Ard'rian: "What's a phaser?"
Data: "A type of weapon. Unfortunately it does not function in the
presence of hyperonic radiation. I will have to be innovative.
Hyperonic radiation randomises phaser beams. But I believe I can improvise a
servocircuit which will compensate by continuously recollimating the
output."
Ard'rian: "You're using your own neural subprocessors to build a
smarter phaser?"
Data: "Essentially correct. Get word to Gosheven. Tell him I am
coming to the pumping station. Tell him I am going to destroy the aqueduct."
Ard'rian: "He'll try to stop you."
Data: "I sincerely hope so." |
|
|
|
 Data:
"Stop. That was the stun setting. This is not. I can reduce this pumping
station to a pile of debris, but I trust my point is clear. I am one
android with a single weapon. There are hundreds of Sheliak on the way and
their weapons are far more powerful. They may not offer you a target. They
can obliterate you from orbit. You will die never having seen the faces of
your killers. The choice is yours." |
| |
|
 Gosheven:
"I really was willing to stay here and die for this."
Data: "I know that. This is just a thing, and things can be replaced.
Lives cannot." | | |
|
 Picard:
"Pursuant to paragraph one thousand two hundred and ninety, I hereby
formally request third party arbitration of our dispute."
Sheliak Director: "You have the right."
Picard: "Furthermore, pursuant to subsection D three, I name the
Grizzellas to arbitrate."
Sheliak Director: "Grizzellas?"
Picard: "Unfortunately, they are currently in their hibernation
cycle, However, they will awaken in six months, at which time we can get
this matter settled. Now, do you want to wait or give me my three weeks?"
Sheliak Director: "Absurd. We carry the membership. We can
brook no delay."
Picard: "Then I declare the treaty in abeyance."
Sheliak Director: "Wait! Negotiation is permiss...!"
(Picard cuts him off)
Riker: "You enjoyed that."
Picard: "You're damned right!"
Worf: "Captain, they are hailing us."
(hailing frequency intones)
Worf: "Sir?"
Picard: "On screen."
Sheliak Director: "You may have your three weeks, Picard of
the Enterprise."
Picard: "Thank you."
|
|
 |
|
|
