Star Trek: The Next Generation

Riker to Ensign Crusher.

Go ahead.

- Forget to set your alarm, Wesley? - Yes, sir.

I'm very sorry. I'll be right there.

Captain's log, stardate 43125.8.

We have entered a spectacular binary star system in the Kavis Alpha sector

on a most critical mission of astrophysical research.

Our eminent guest, Dr. Paul Stubbs,

will attempt to study the decay of neutronium

expelled at relativistic speeds from a massive stellar explosion

which will occur here in a matter of hours.

Ensign, our position?

Approaching 1 million kilometers from the neutron star, sir.

Slow to one-third impulse power.

Spectacular, isn't it, my young friend?

Yes, sir.

Over and over again,

the intense gravitational pull of the little neutron star

sucks up the star material from the red giant,

and it builds up on the surface until it explodes.

Every 196 years.

Like clockwork.

And it is but 18 hours away.

Eighteen hours, seven minutes and ten seconds, doctor.

The interstellar counterpart to Earth's Old Faithful.

The only predictable burst of energy in the universe

that can accomplish our goal.

Doctor, if you would like to make one final inspection of the unit--

Captain, I have been inspecting the egg for the last 20 years.

You may lay it when ready.

Begin launch sequence.

Shuttlebay 2, stand by to launch the egg.

Standing by, commander.

Five minutes to launch site.

- Stabilize. - The ship isn't responding, sir.

Engineering. Report, Mr. La Forge.

Checking for failure of inertia dampeners.

Instruments say they're working.

Captain, we're heading straight to the path of that stellar matter.

Shields up.

Negative. The shields will not respond.

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.

Thirty seconds to impact, sir.

Manual override on shields.

Shields are rising.

Reset dampeners, Mr. La Forge.

Dampeners not responding. Unable to reset.

Reverse impulse engines.

Initiating reverse sequence now.

Our momentum is still carrying us into the path of the stellar matter.

Twelve seconds to impact, sir.

Prepare for impact.

Medical personnel, report to the Bridge.

Commander Data, check all systems.

All systems functioning normally, sir.

Computer, explain control malfunction.

No control malfunction has been recorded.

Just lay down carefully. There you go.

Dr. Stubbs,

the captain asked me to tell you our systems are back to normal

and we can try another launch attempt as soon as you're ready.

Quite a dynamic family team, you Crushers.

Well, it's nice to be together again.

I was at Starfleet Medical for a year.

I missed about 2 inches of him.

Hmm.

I'm not sure I'd want my mother to be flying through space with me.

No, I take that back.

I am sure I wouldn't want her.

My mother is a formidable woman too.

A woman of letters. A great critic.

I know.

Good Lord, son, you didn't read that unauthorized biography?

Is this all this boy does, doctor, fly the ship and read?

Doesn't he ever have any fun?

Sure he does.

Actually, most of my free time is taken up with my studies.

I'm trying to get into Starfleet Academy

and I earn credits for the time spent on the Enterprise,

but it's just not the same.

You ready to sit up?

Well, I am whole again.

Thank you, doctor.

Come along, Wesley. Let's go see if Humpty Dumpty is still in one piece.

Computer, fix the food slot.

The food slot is functioning properly.

Well, check again.

The food slot is functioning properly.

Computer, deactivate food slot.

We're analyzing the engineering systems data, captain.

So far, we're showing nothing unusual

in the computer log for that time period.

Run a level-one diagnostic series.

Come.

I, uh--

I want a computer that's 100 percent to expedite Dr. Stubbs' experiment,

as well as the food slots in Sickbay. Picard out.

Which seem to be working again, for the moment, anyway.

What can I do for you, doctor?

Jean-Luc, how would you feel if you were a 17-year-old

and the only Starfleet officer whose mother was on board?

Inhibited, I suppose.

Hm.

But then I'm not Wesley.

And if you are concerned about him,

I see no evidence that there is a problem.

I know, but in a funny way, that's exactly my point.

We talk, we smile. It's almost too polite.

Beverly, isn't it just a matter of time?

I know how difficult it was for you being away.

Tell me about him.

Well, he's becoming a very fine officer.

He works as hard as any member of the crew.

- Riker says his studies are on line. - No.

Tell me about him.

He's his father's son.

Honest.

Trusting.

Strong.

Mm.

Does he have many friends?

Has he ever been in love?

Um...

Jean-Luc, I'm worried.

He's come so far so fast, and since I've been back, I don't feel--

His dependence.

Beverly, look, he's--

He's 17 years old.

What were you doing when you were 17?

Probably getting into more trouble than Wesley, I can assure you.

So was I. Isn't that what 17's supposed to be?

No cracks in the armor.

We'll do just fine.

How can you be so calm about this?

If I were about to make this kind of breakthrough--

I have never doubted for a moment that this day would come, Wesley.

And I suspect that someday, it will come for you as well.

I see a lot of me in you.

In my youth, they called me a wunderkind.

Do you understand "wunderkind"?

- It's German, isn't it? - Mm-hm.

It means "wonder child."

It is reserved for those of us who achieve early in life.

- Now the burden is yours. - Burden?

To fulfill your potential.

You will never come up against a greater adversary

than your own potential, my young friend.

Red alert. Return to quarters immediately.

Still no visual contact. That's impossible.

Mr. Worf, same magnification, 50 degrees starboard.

Worf, you're absolutely sure?

Sensors clearly indicate the approach of a Borg vessel.

Shields up.

Shields are not responding.

Manual override is jammed.

It's not gonna work this time. We don't have the shields.

Captain, they're firing energy weapons at us.

Evasive action.

Bring her around to 275, mark 3.

Predict current vector of Borg vessel.

Vector...

...is gone.

And so is the Borg ship.

Are you telling me this is another computer glitch?

It is conceivable that he was viewing a synthetically generated image, sir.

That our computer was daydreaming?

Computer, identify malfunction immediately.

Pawn to bishop 4.

Knight to king's rook 3.

Bishop to queen's bishop 4.

Knight to knight 5.

- Queen's knight to king 2. - Controls are not responding, sir.

Queen to bishop 3. Bishop to bishop 2.

Impulse engines are down.

Try warp engines.

No. Sorry, commander. I'd better get back to Engineering.

Mr. La Forge, I want Lieutenant Worf to accompany you.

Get me a full report on the prospects of getting our shields back.

Number One, Mr. Data,

will you join me in the conference room as soon as possible?

It's time to discuss the future of this mission,

if there still is one.

The fact of the matter is

we are dealing with the potential breakdown of the main computer.

That's hard to accept.

The system automatically provides for self-correction, captain.

There's not been a systems-wide technological failure

on a starship in 79 years.

Excuse me, captain, but Dr. Stubbs is waiting outside.

Captain.

I'm sure you have everything under control.

I'd just like to know what's going on.

Of course, doctor. Sit down.

Counselor.

Commander La Forge is attempting repairs even as we speak.

Attempting? That doesn't sound particularly reassuring.