Cmdr. William Riker:
We finished our first sensor sweep of the neutral zone.
Captain Jean-Luc Picard:
Oh, fascinating. Twenty particles of space dust per cubic meter, 52 ultraviolet radiation spikes, and a class-2 comet. Well, this is certainly worthy of our attention.
[
Quoting "Moby Dick."]
Captain Jean-Luc Picard:
And he piled upon the whale's white hump, the sum of all the rage and hate felt by his whole race. If his chest had been a cannon, he would have shot his heart upon it.
Lily Sloane:
Jean Luc, blow up the damn ship!
Captain Jean-Luc Picard:
No! Noooooooooo!
[
Smashes glass and model ships with his phaser]
Captain Jean-Luc Picard:
I will not sacrifice the Enterprise. We've made too many compromises already; too many retreats. They invade our space and we fall back. They assimilate entire worlds and we fall back. Not again. The line must be drawn here! This far, no further! And *I* will make them pay for what they've done.
Cmdr. Deanna Troi:
If you're looking for my professional opinion as ship's counselor: he's nuts.
Cmdr. William Riker:
I'll be sure to note that in my log.
The Borg Queen:
Brave words. I've heard them before, from thousands of species across thousands of worlds, since long before you were created. But, now they are all Borg.
The Borg Queen:
Small words from a small being, trying to attack what it doesn't understand.
Dr. Zefram Cochrane:
A group of cybernetic creatures from the future have traveled back through time to enslave the human race... and you're here to stop them?
Cmdr. William Riker:
That's right.
Dr. Zefram Cochrane:
Hot damn! You're heroic.
Dr. Zefram Cochrane:
You think I want to go to the stars? I don't even like to fly - I take trains.
The Borg:
We are the Borg. Lower your shields and surrender your ships. We will add your biological and technological distinctiveness to our own. Your culture will adapt to service us. Resistance is futile.
[
before blasting some Borg]
Lt. Commander Worf:
Assimilate this!
[
Troi is drunk]
Cmdr. Deanna Troi:
Timeline? This is no time to talk about time. We don't have the time!... What was I saying?
[
Troi is drunk]
Cmdr. Deanna Troi:
I'm just trying to blend in!
Cmdr. William Riker:
You're blended all right.
Lily Sloane:
Borg? Sounds Swedish.
[
after having seen the Borg]
Lily Sloane:
Definitely not Swedish.
Captain Jean-Luc Picard:
Reports of my assimilation have been greatly exaggerated.
Cmdr. William Riker:
Someone once said "Don't try to be a great man. Just be a man, and let history make its own judgment."
Dr. Zefram Cochrane:
That's rhetorical nonsense. Who said that?
Cmdr. William Riker:
You did, ten years from now.
Lieutenant Commander Data:
Captain, I believe I am feeling... anxiety. It is an intriguing sensation. A most distracting...
Captain Jean-Luc Picard:
Data, I'm sure it's a fascinating experience, but perhaps you should deactivate your emotion chip for now.
Lieutenant Commander Data:
Good idea, sir.
[
beep]
Lieutenant Commander Data:
Done.
Captain Jean-Luc Picard:
Data, there are times that I envy you.
Captain Jean-Luc Picard:
We are not going to lose the Enterprise. Not to the Borg. Not while I'm in command.
Captain Jean-Luc Picard:
Mr. Worf, do you remember your zero g combat training?
Lt. Commander Worf:
I remember how it made me sick to my stomach.
Borg Queen:
Do you always talk this much?
Lieutenant Commander Data:
Not always. But often.
Cmdr. Deanna Troi:
[
very drunk] Look. He wouldn't even talk to me unless I had a drink with him. And then, it took three shots of something called "tequila" just to find out that HE was the one we're looking for! And I've spent the last twenty minutes trying to keep his hands off me! So don't go criticizing my counseling techniques!
Lieutenant Commander Data:
And for a time, I was tempted by her offer.
Captain Jean-Luc Picard:
How long a time?
Lieutenant Commander Data:
0.68 seconds sir. For an android, that is nearly an eternity.
Cmdr. William Riker:
Mr. Worf, you do remember how to fire phasers?
Borg Queen:
I am the beginning. The end. The one who is many. I am the Borg.
Borg Queen:
Watch your future's end.
[
to Data]
Borg Queen:
You are an imperfect being, created by an imperfect being. Finding your weakness is only a matter of time.
[
a Borg scratches Data's flesh arm]
Lieutenant Commander Data:
Ah!
Borg Queen:
Is it becoming clear to you yet? Look at yourself, standing there, cradling the new flesh I've given you. If it means nothing to you, why protect it?
Lieutenant Commander Data:
I... I am simply imitating the behavior of humans.
Borg Queen:
You're becoming more human all the time, Data; now you're learning how to lie.
Lieutenant Commander Data:
My programming was not designed to process these sensations.
Borg Queen:
Then tear the skin from your limb as you would a defective circuit.
[
Data hesitates]
Borg Queen:
Go ahead, Data! We won't stop you!
[
Data forces himself to try to tear off the skin]
Borg Queen:
Do it! Don't be tempted by flesh!
[
Data relents and leaves the skin alone]
Borg Queen:
Are you familiar with physical forms of pleasure?
Lieutenant Commander Data:
If you are referring to sexuality, I am... fully functional, programmed in... multiple techniques.
Borg Queen:
How long since you've used them?
Lieutenant Commander Data:
Eight years, seven months, sixteen days, four minutes, twenty-two...
Borg Queen:
Far too long.
[
they kiss passionately]
Captain Jean-Luc Picard:
You want to destroy the ship and run away, you coward.
Lt. Commander Worf:
If you were any other man, I would kill you where you stand.
Lily Sloane:
You broke your little ships.
[
the Vulcans have landed to meet Cochrane]
Vulcan:
Live long and prosper.
Dr. Zefram Cochrane:
Thanks.
Cmdr. William Riker:
Captain, why we are we out here chasing comets?
Captain Jean-Luc Picard:
Let's just say Starfleet has every confidence in the Enterprise and her crew - they're just not sure about her Captain. They believe that a man who was once captured and assimilated by the Borg should not be put in a situation where he would face them again. To do so would introduce "an unstable element to a critical situation."
Cmdr. William Riker:
That's ridiculous. Your experience with the Borg makes you the perfect man to lead this fight.
Captain Jean-Luc Picard:
Admiral Hayes disagrees.
Lt. Commander Worf:
The Defiant?
Captain Jean-Luc Picard:
Adrift but salvageable.
Cmdr. William Riker:
Tough little ship.
Lt. Commander Worf:
Little?
[
Lily and Zefram had a few too much to drink at a bar]
Lily Sloane:
You're going to regret this tomorrow.
Dr. Zefram Cochrane:
One of the things you should have learned about me by now is that I don't have regrets.
[
Picard puts his hand on the Phoenix]
Captain Jean-Luc Picard:
It's a boyhood fantasy... I must have seen this ship hundreds of times in the Smithsonian but I was never able to touch it.
Lieutenant Commander Data:
Sir, does tactile contact alter your perception of the Phoenix?
Captain Jean-Luc Picard:
Oh, yes! For humans, touch can connect you to an object in a very personal way, make it seem more real.
[
Data also puts his hand on The Phoenix]
Lieutenant Commander Data:
I am detecting imperfections in the titanium casing... temperature variations in the fuel manifold... it is no more "real" to me now than it was a moment ago.
Cmdr. Deanna Troi:
[
observing from a catwalk] Would you three like to be alone?
Emergency Medical Hologram:
Please state the nature of the medical emergency.
Dr. Beverly Crusher:
Twenty Borg are about to break through that door. We need time to get out of here! Create a diversion!
Emergency Medical Hologram:
This isn't part of my program! I'm a doctor, not a doorstop.
Dr. Beverly Crusher:
Well, do a dance! Tell a story! I don't care! Just give us a few seconds!
[
the Borg break in as Crusher and her people escape through an airduct]
Emergency Medical Hologram:
Ahem, according to Starfleet medical research... Borg implants can cause severe skin irritations. Perhaps you'd like an analgesic cream?
Dr. Zefram Cochrane:
I've got a 4-alarm hangover. It's either from all that whiskey, or your laser beam. Or both.
Lieutenant Commander Data:
[
We see a 24th century Earth. It looks shattered and broken-up] The atmosphere contains high concentrations of methane, carbon monoxide, and fluorine.
Captain Jean-Luc Picard:
Life signs?
Lieutenant Commander Data:
Population approximately nine billion... all Borg.
[
Picard takes the phaser from Lily, and inspects it]
Captain Jean-Luc Picard:
Maximum setting! If you had fired, you'd have vaporized me.
Lily Sloane:
[
sheepish] It's my first ray gun.
Lily Sloane:
[
threatening with a phaser] You want to help me? Get me out of here!
Captain Jean-Luc Picard:
Alright. You want a way out? Here it is.
[
Picard opens window, revealing the Earth far, far below]
Lily Sloane:
What is this?
Captain Jean-Luc Picard:
Australia. New Guinea. Solomon Islands. Montana will be up soon, but you may want to hold your breath - it's a long way down!
Borg Queen:
You are in chaos, Data. You are the contradiction: a machine who wishes to be human.
Lieutenant Commander Data:
Since you seem to know so much about me, you must be aware I am programmed to evolve. To better myself.
Borg Queen:
We too are on a quest to better ourselves, evolving toward a state of perfection.
Lieutenant Commander Data:
Forgive me: the Borg do not evolve, they conquer.
Dr. Zefram Cochrane:
I've gotta take a leak.
Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge:
Leak? I'm not detecting any leak.
Dr. Zefram Cochrane:
Don't you people from the 24th century ever pee?
Borg Queen:
Do you always talk this much?
Lieutenant Commander Data:
Not always, but often.
Borg Queen:
Why do you insist on utilizing this primitive linguistic communication? Your android brain is capable of so much more.
Lieutenant Commander Data:
Have you forgotten? I'm endeavoring to become more human.
Borg Queen:
Human! We used to be exactly like them. Flawed. Weak. Organic. But we evolved to include the synthetic. Now we use both to attain perfection. Your goal should be the same as ours.
Lieutenant Commander Data:
Believing oneself to be perfect is often the sign of a delusional mind.
[
Lily berates Picard, alone in his office]
Lily Sloane:
You son of a bitch!
Captain Jean-Luc Picard:
This really isn't the time.
Lily Sloane:
Okay, I don't know jack about the 24th century - but everybody here thinks staying here and fighting the Borg is suicide. They're just afraid to come in here and say it.
Captain Jean-Luc Picard:
The crew is accustomed to following my orders.
Lily Sloane:
They're probably used to your orders making SENSE.
Captain Jean-Luc Picard:
None of them understand the situation... no one can
Lily Sloane:
What's that supposed to mean?
Captain Jean-Luc Picard:
A few years ago I was captured by the Borg. I was assimilated into their collective. I was part of their hive mind. Every peice of my individuality erased. I was part of them. So you can imagine, my dear, I have a unique perspective on the Borg and I know how to fight them. Now if you'll excuse me I have work to do.
Lily Sloane:
I am such an idiot. It's so simple. The Borg hurt you and now you're gonna hurt them back.
Captain Jean-Luc Picard:
In my century we don't succumb to succumb to revenge. We have a more evolved sensibility...
Lily Sloane:
Bullshit! I saw the look your face when you shot those Borg on the Holodeck. You were almost enjoying it!
Captain Jean-Luc Picard:
How dare you?
Lily Sloane:
Oh, come on, Captain. You're not the first man to get a thrill out of murdering someone! I see it all the time!
Lily Sloane:
Get out!
Lily Sloane:
Or what? You'll kill me; like you killed Ensign Lynch?
Captain Jean-Luc Picard:
There was no way to save him.
Lily Sloane:
You didn't even try! Where was your evolved sensibility then?
Captain Jean-Luc Picard:
This is not about revenge.
Lily Sloane:
Liar!
Captain Jean-Luc Picard:
This is about saving the future of humanity!
Lily Sloane:
Jean Luc blow up the damn ship!
Captain Jean-Luc Picard:
NO! Nooooooooooooo!
[
He smashes the models on the conference room wall]
Captain Jean-Luc Picard:
I will not sacifice the Enterprise. We've made too many compromises already; too many retreats. They invade our space and we fall back. They assimilate entire worlds and we fall back. Not again. The line must be drawn here! This far, no further! And I will make them pay for what they've done!
Lily Sloane:
You broke your little ships.
[
Picard has told Lily about his enslavement by the Borg]
Lily Sloane:
I am such an idiot. It's so simple. The Borg HURT you, and now you're going to HURT them back!
Captain Jean-Luc Picard:
In my century, we don't succumb to revenge. We have a more evolved sensibility...
Lily Sloane:
BULLSHIT! I saw the look your face when you shot those Borg on the Holodeck. You were almost ENJOYING it.
Captain Jean-Luc Picard:
How dare you...
Lily Sloane:
Oh, come on, Captain. You're not the first man to get a thrill out of murdering someone! I see it all the time!
Captain Jean-Luc Picard:
GET OUT!
Lily Sloane:
Or what? You'll kill me, like you killed Ensign Lynch?
Captain Jean-Luc Picard:
There was no way to save him.
Lily Sloane:
You didn't even try! Where were your 'evolved sensibilities' then?
Captain Jean-Luc Picard:
Mr. Worf... I regret some of the things I said to you earlier.
Lt. Commander Worf:
Some?
Captain Jean-Luc Picard:
In fact, I think you're the bravest man I have ever known.
[
Picard asks to exchange Data for himself]
Captain Jean-Luc Picard:
Let him go. He's not the one you want.
Borg Queen:
Are you offering yourself to us?
Captain Jean-Luc Picard:
Offering myself...? That's it, I remember now! It wasn't enough that you assimilate me... I had to give myself freely to the Borg. To you!
Borg Queen:
You flatter yourself! I've overseen the assimilition of countless millions. You were no different!
Captain Jean-Luc Picard:
You're lying. You wanted more than just another Borg drone. You wanted a human being with a mind of his own, who could bridge the gulf between humanity and the Borg! You wanted a counterpart! But I resisted. I fought you.
Borg Queen:
You can't begin to imagine the life you denied yourself.
[
Riker, LaForge and Cochrane have made humanity's first warp speed test flight]
Dr. Zefram Cochrane:
Is that Earth?
Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge:
That's it!
Dr. Zefram Cochrane:
It's so small...
Cmdr. William Riker:
It's about to get a whole lot bigger.
Lily Sloane:
You gotta go?
[
Picard nods "Yes"]
Lily Sloane:
I envy you... the world you're going to.
Captain Jean-Luc Picard:
I envy YOU... taking these first steps into a new frontier. I shall miss you, Lily.
Dr. Zefram Cochrane:
So you're all astronauts on some sort of... star trek?
Captain Jean-Luc Picard:
I'm about to commit a direct violation of our orders. Those of you who wish to object, you do so now. It will be noted in my log.
Data:
Sir...
[
beat]
Data:
I believe I speak for everyone here, Sir, when I say: To hell with our orders.
Captain Jean-Luc Picard:
I've accessed a Borg neuroprocessor and I've discovered what they're trying to do. They're transforming the deflector dish into an interplexing beacon.
Lieutenant Hawk:
"Interplexing"?
Captain Jean-Luc Picard:
It's a subspace transmitter. If they activate the beacon, they'll be able to establish a link with the Borg living in this century.
Dr. Beverly Crusher:
But in the 21st century, the Borg are still in the Delta quadrant.
Captain Jean-Luc Picard:
They'll send reinforcements. Humanity will be an easy target. Attack the Earth in the past to assimilate the future.
Captain Jean-Luc Picard:
Six years ago, they assimilated me into their collective. I had their cybernetic devices implanted throughout my body. I was linked to the hive mind. Every trace of individuality erased. I was one of them.
Captain Jean-Luc Picard:
Initiate auto-destruct sequence. Authorization: Picard, 4 7 Alpha Tango.
Dr. Beverly Crusher:
Computer, Commander Beverly Crusher. Confirm auto-destruct sequence. Authorization: Crusher, 2 2 Beta Charlie.
Lt. Commander Worf:
Computer, Lieutenant Commander Worf. Confirm auto-destruct sequence. Authorization: Worf, 3 7 Gamma Echo.
Computer:
Command authorization accepted. Awaiting final command.
Captain Jean-Luc Picard:
This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard. Destruct sequence: Alpha 1. 15 minutes, silent countdown. Enable.
Computer:
Auto-destruct in 15 minutes. There will be no further audio warnings.
Dr. Beverly Crusher:
So much for the Enterprise-E.
Captain Jean-Luc Picard:
We barely knew her.
Dr. Beverly Crusher:
Think they'll build another one?
Captain Jean-Luc Picard:
Plenty of letters left in the alphabet.
[
last lines]
Captain Jean-Luc Picard:
Mr. Data, lay in a course for the 24th century. I suspect our future is there waiting for us.
Data:
Course laid in, sir.
Captain Jean-Luc Picard:
Make it so.
[
first lines]
The Borg Queen:
Locutus...
Captain Jean-Luc Picard:
I am Locutus of Borg. Resistance is futile.
Defiant Helm Crewman:
Main power is off-line, we've lost shields and our weapons are gone!
Lt. Commander Worf:
[
hits console] Perhaps today *is* a good day to die! Prepare for ramming speed!
Defiant Helm Crewman:
Sir, there's another star ship coming in... it's the Enterprise!
Lily Sloane:
[
pointing a phaser] Get me out of here!
Captain Jean-Luc Picard:
That's not going to be easy.
Lily Sloane:
Well, you'd better find a way to make it easy, soldier, or I'm going to start PUSHING BUTTONS!
Geordi LaForge:
Look, Doc, we can't do this without you!
Dr. Zefram Cochrane:
I don't care. I don't want to be a statue.
William Riker:
Doctor...
Dr. Zefram Cochrane:
You stay away from me!
[
runs off]
William Riker:
We don't have time for this.
[
pulls out a phaser and stuns Cochrane who falls in a creekbed]
William Riker:
[
to Geordi] You told him about the statue?
Dr. Zefram Cochrane:
Now this, Dena...
Deanna Troi:
Deanna.
Dr. Zefram Cochrane:
[
as he pours Deanna a drink] ... is the good stuff.
Cmdr. William Riker:
Dr. Cochrane...
Dr. Zefram Cochrane:
To the Phoenix... may she rest in peace.
[
both drink, then choke]
Dr. Zefram Cochrane:
Oohh... Okay, that wasn't so good.
[
tosses bottle away]
Lt. Commander Worf:
The Borg have cut primary power to all decks... *except* sixteen.
Captain Jean-Luc Picard:
The Borg won't stay on deck sixteen.
[
Cochrane, Riker, and LaForge are on board the Phoenix, preparing to go into warp]
Dr. Zefram Cochrane:
Engage!
[
Riker and LaForge grin at each other knowingly]
Captain Jean-Luc Picard:
[
Picard, Worf, and Hawk are walking to the main deflector dish on the Enterprise hull. Picard notices Worf is breathing heavily] How are you doing, Mr. Worf?
Lt. Commander Worf:
Not well, sir.
Captain Jean-Luc Picard:
Try not to look at the stars. Keep your eyes on the hull.
[
Worf turns his attention to the hull, and looks up toward the deflector dish]
Captain Jean-Luc Picard:
Let's go.
Captain Jean-Luc Picard:
This is not about revenge.
Lily Sloane:
Liar!
Captain Jean-Luc Picard:
This is about saving the future of humanity!
Cmdr. William Riker:
Deanna
Deanna Troi:
Will, don't turn off the that...!
Dr. Zefram Cochrane:
Who is this jerk? And who told him he could turn of my music?
Deanna Troi:
Will Riker, Zefram Cochrane.
Dr. Zefram Cochrane:
Is he a friend of yours?
Deanna Troi:
Yes.
Dr. Zefram Cochrane:
Husband?
Deanna Troi:
No.
Dr. Zefram Cochrane:
Goood.
[
as Deanna counts down the Phoenix's ignition, Cochrane jams a tape into the stereo]
Dr. Zefram Cochrane:
All right! Let's rock and roll!
Cmdr. Deanna Troi:
Seven... Six...
[
she rips off her headphones as Steppenwolf's "Magic Carpet Ride" blares over the stereo and the Phoenix takes off]
William Riker:
[
Looking up at the moon] Wow! Look at that!
Dr. Zefram Cochrane:
Don't tell me you've never seen the moon before.
William Riker:
It's just looks a lot different, that's all. There are 50 million people living on the moon in my time.
The Borg Queen:
What's wrong, Locutus? Isn't this familiar? Organic minds are such fragile things. How could you forget me so quickly? We were very close, you and I. You can still hear our song.
Captain Jean-Luc Picard:
Yes, I... I remember you. You were there all the time. But... that ship... and all the Borg on it were destroyed...
The Borg Queen:
You think in such three-dimensional terms. How small you've become.
Captain Jean-Luc Picard:
It's not too late. Locutus could still be with you. Just in the way you wanted: an equal. Let Data go, and I will take my place at your side. Willingly, without any resistance.
The Borg Queen:
Such a noble creature. A quality we sometimes lack. We will add your distinctiveness to our own. Welcome home... Locutus.
Data:
[
with his grafted flesh burned away] I imagine I look worse than I... feel.
Cmdr. Deanna Troi:
Bridge to Captain Picard.
Captain Jean-Luc Picard:
Go ahead.
Cmdr. Deanna Troi:
We've just received word from the Fleet. They've engaged the Borg.
Related Links
*
