Star Trek: The Next Generation

Narrator: Last time on Star Trek: The next generation:

We have engaged the borg.

Data, fluctuate phaser-resonance frequencies.

Random settings, keep them changing.

Don't give them time to adapt.

We 're coming with every available starship to assist, captain,

but the closest help is six days away.

All you know how to do is play it safe.

If you can't make the big decisions, commander,

I suggest you make room for someone who can.

If we can generate a concentrated burst of power

at that same frequency distribution...

- How do we do that? - The main deflector dish.

Shelby: Shelby to enterprise.

We found the captain's uniform and his communicator.

Crusher: Jean-Luc.

We were unable to retrieve him, sir.

The captain has been altered by the borg.

Crusher: Will, he's alive.

If we could get him back to the ship, I might be able to...

This is our chance to destroy them.

If they get back into warp, our weapon is useless.

I am locutus. A borg.

From this time forward, you will service us.

Mr. Worf.

Fire.

Narrator: And now, the conclusion.

La forge: Deflector power approaching maximum limits.

Energy discharge in six seconds.

Worf: Firing, sir.

- The borg ship is undamaged. - Impossible.

Computer: Warning. Warp-reactor core primary coolant failure.

Can't maintain it much longer, commander.

Warning. Exceeding reaction-chamber thermal limit.

- Cease fire. - Shutting down warp engines.

They couldn't have adapted that quickly.

The knowledge and experience of the human, picard,

is part of us now.

It has prepared us for all possible courses of action.

Your resistance is hopeless, number one.

Picard: Space, the final frontier.

These are the voyages of the starship enterprise.

Its continuing mission: To explore strange new worlds,

to seek out new life and new civilizations,

to boldly go where no one has gone before.

Ri ker: First officer's log, star date 44001.4.

The borg ship has resumed its course toward earth.

We are unable to pursue, pending repairs to the enterprise.

As we anticipated, the blast burned out our main navigational deflector.

We also have damage to our shields and our reactor core.

We should be back up in eight to 12 hours, admiral.

Well, we 'i/ miss you at the party.

The enterprise will be there.

Maybe a little late, but we'll be there, sir.

Your engagements have given us valuable time.

We've mobilized a fleet of 40 star ships at wolf 359,

and that's just for starters.

The klingons are sending warships.

Hell, we've even thought of opening communications with the romulans.

You realize, admiral, that with the assistance of captain picard,

the borg will be ready for your defenses.

Lieutenant, a few years ago,

I watched a freshman cadet pass four upperclassmen

on the last hill of a 40—kilometer run at delula /I.

The damnedest thing I ever saw.

The only freshman to ever win the academy marathon.

I made it my business to get to know that young fella

and got to know him very, very well.

And I'll tell you something:

I never met anyone with more drive, determination,

or more courage than Jean-Luc picard,

and there is no way in hell that he would assist the borg.

I want that clear.

Of course, admiral.

He is a casualty of war.

Then we have abandoned all hope of recovering him.

In less than 24 hours,

this armada's going to hit that borg vessel with everything we can muster.

Either they survive or we do.

As for picard,

a great man has been lost.

Your captain. My friend.

Commander riker,

I hereby promote you to the field commission of captain.

The enterprise is your ship now. Congratulations.

I wish the circumstances were different.

Likewise. Good luck, admiral.

To us all.

And Mr. Crusher suggests we might design a chip

that would automatically retune the phasers

to a random setting after each discharge.

- Engineering. - That would be a great advantage.

We should also see if there's some way

that we can neutralize their force fields.

We've gotta let them know that we can adapt too, Mr. Worf.

We're no longer just fighting the borg,

we're fighting the life experience they've stolen from captain picard.

Now, how the hell do we defeat an enemy

that knows us better than we know ourselves?

The borg have neither honor nor courage.

- That is our greatest advantage. - I hope it's enough.

Accelerator coils are responding normally.

Excellent. Fonnard shields at 58 percent, aft shields...

- Sensors must be down. - Shelby: Checking.

Sensors are fine. No.

Aft shields have completely failed. Damn it!

Auxiliary generators are out again.

Just the man I need.

We're having some problems with the aft shields,

generators going on- and off-line. I could really use your help, worf.

How soon do we get under way, geordi?

Still a couple of hours. Commander Shelby can fill you in.

The main navigational deflector is functional again.

Sherbourne and barclay are running the final testing sequence now.

The warp-reactor core?

Reconstruction is proceeding normally. It's slow work.

If we can nail down this shield-generator problem...

I agree with la forge.

We'll be back at operating capacity in two to three hours.

Anything else, sir?

Yes. You did a good job on the borg ship.

I didn't get picard.

You stopped them. You gave us our shot.

- Sir, I... - Commander,

we don't have to like each other to work well together.

As a matter of fact, I'd like you to continue to keep me on my toes.

Some might define that as the role of a first officer.

Damn. You are ambitious, aren't you, Shelby?

Captain riker, based on our past relationship,

there's no reason for me to expect to become your first officer,

except that you need me.

I know how to get things done and I have the expertise in the borg.

And you have a lot to learn, commander.

Yes, sir.

Almost as much as I had to learn

when I came on board as captain picard's first officer,

a fact he reminded me of

when I commented on what a pain in the neck you are.

Yes, sir.

Data : Data to riker, message from staff/eet, captain.

Go ahead, data.

Starfleet reports it has engaged the borg at wolf 359, sir.

On-screen.

Admiral?

The fight does not go well, enterprise.

We 're attempting to withdraw and regroup.

Rendezvous with fleet...

Ri ker: Captain's log, star date 44002.3.

Repairs are complete and the enterprise is warping

to rendezvous with star fleet at wolf 359.

Communications from the site of battle have been cutoff,

possibly due to borg interference.

Lieutenant worf, everyone in this room shares my respect

for your service to this ship.

But right now, I need your experience at tactical.

Commander data, I realize your very nature omits ambition.

Nevertheless, I want you to know

I seriously considered you as first officer.

Thank you, sir.

But this is not the time for change.

I need all of you where you are.

Where captain picard always relied on you.

I have been, reluctantly,

forced to conclude that commander Shelby,

our expert on the borg, is an ideal choice at this time for first officer.

Based on our latest communication,

we can assume that the borg survived the fleet's attack.

Your thoughts on our next encounter?

What about the heavy-graviton beam we were talking about?

I've gone over it four times.

The local-field distortion just wouldn't be strong enough to incapacitate them.

Dr. Crusher and I have been working on an interesting premise.

With our recent experience in nanotechnology,

we might be able to introduce destructive nanites into the borg.

Nanites? Data: Robots.

Small enough to enter living cells.

How long would it take to execute that?

That's the problem. Two to three weeks.

In two or three weeks, nanites may be all that's left of the federation.

We have the new phaser adapters.

Maybe, in concert with the photon torpedoes,

we can slow them down.

I'm sure captain picard would have something meaningful

and inspirational to say right now.

To tell you the truth, I wish he was here, because I'd like to hear it too.

I know how difficult this transition has been for all of you.

I can take over for him,

but I could never replace captain picard, nor would I ever try.

Whatever the outcome,

I'm sure our efforts in the coming battle will justify his faith in all of us.

Dismissed.

What would you do?

Come.

- May I speak to you, captain? - Actually, guinan, I...

You know, picard and I used to talk every now and then,

when one of us needed to.

I guess I'm just used to having the captain's ear.

What's on your mind?

I've heard a lot of people talking down in ten-fonnard.

They expect to be dead in the next day or so.