"Captain's Log, Stardate 46731.5." "We are in the midst of the Volterra nebula... a stellar nursery." "Our three-week mission is a routine analysis of several dozen protostars in various stages of development." "Captain, I have completed the spectral evaluation of the outer shell." "Our survey of this protostar is complete." "Ensign, lay in a course for the next one, 3/4 impulse." "Riker to Captain Picard." "Go ahead, Number One." "May I see you in the observation lounge, sir?" "I'll be right there." "Oh, my God." "Then you can identify that object, Mr. Picard?" "Professor Galen?" "Computer, lights up." "I suppose I should say, "Captain" Picard." "The Professor contacted me from his shuttle about an hour ago." "He suggested that we surprise you." "To clarify, I insisted, and your First Officer was good enough to accommodate me." "I trust I'm not being overly presumptuous now that my star pupil is master of the stars?" "No one could be more welcome on the Enterprise." "I never thought I would see a Kurlan naiskos." "Fifth Dynasty?" "Is that your conclusion, Mr. Picard?" "Forgive me again." "I should say Captain." "Oh, please." "Mister will do fine." "Um... well the overall impression is certainly Fifth Dynasty." "Um... the... the surface ornamentation..." "Yes?" "Green polychrome over the eyes and the eyes themselves are closed." "This is Third Dynasty." "From the workshop of the Master of Tarquin Hill." "Well done." "Will... the Master of Tarquin Hill designed ceramic objects that were 300 years ahead of their time." "All we know of him is the work." "His name was never discovered." "This object is over 12,000 years old." "The planet Kurl?" "That's a hell of a long way outside Federation territory." "Indeed..." "I thought your study of Kurlan artifacts was done long ago." "Well, I happened to be in the neighborhood last summer." "I couldn't resist." "Go ahead." "You mean, it's complete?" "Oh..." "Will." "The Kurlan civilization believed that an individual was a community of individuals." "Inside us are... many voices each with its... its own desires, its own style." "I-Its own view of the world." "The Kurlan civilization died out thousands of years ago." "It is extraordinarily rare to find a figurine intact." "Professor, this is an incredible find." "It's yours, Jean-Luc." "Oh, no." "No." "How can I accept this?" "Graciously, Mr. Picard." "You could accept it graciously." "Thank you." "How long can you stay?" "There's so much to talk about." "The Professor is scheduled to meet a Vulcan transport the day after tomorrow." "Two days?" "But that's not enough time." "We may have considerably more than that." "I don't understand." "I am currently on an expedition... a journey into an unexplored and historical territory... and I intend to take you with me." "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." "Captain's Log, supplemental." "It's been over 30 years since I last saw my archaeology professor." "His presence has taken me back to a time when I had considered a very different career." "May I ask you a frank question?" "Please." "Your published writings have been sporadic for the past decade." "Your appearance at symposia has been rare or scheduled and then canceled at the last moment." "The finest archaeologist of this century is now... shrouded with a cloak of mystery." "And as a result, my reputation has no doubt grown." "I've never heard of anyone who didn't love a good mystery." "The Satarran of Sothis III disdain them but as a general idea, your statement holds." "So, what have you been doing for the past decade?" "Are you familiar with micropaleontology?" "Yes, it's the study of fossil records at the microscopic level." "I read your papers on the subject, but... that was years ago." "It seemed as though the work had stopped." "No." "The work continued." "I made a discovery so profound in its implications that silence seemed the wisest course." "This work has occupied my every waking thought." "It's intruded upon my dreams." "It's become my life." "When finished..." "and I announce my findings it will be heard halfway across the galaxy." "Tell me." "I cannot, Mr. Picard." "That information comes with a price... your agreement to join me on the final leg of this expedition." "For how long?" "Three months." "Perhaps a year." "If I had complete diplomatic access and a starship it'd be a matter of weeks." "But, as it is, we'll only have my shuttle and whatever arrangement we can make with transports... combined with our talents." "Why do you need my help in this?" "I am not a young man." "There will be hazards along the way." "I don't want my own inadequacies to jeopardize the completion of this work." "I'm deeply honored that you should think of me, but..." "I have responsibilities." "To history." "What if you could have helped Schliemann discover the city of Troy, or been with M'Tell when she first stepped on Ya'Seem?" "How can anything compare?" "May I sleep on it?" "Dream not of today, Mr. Picard." ""Dream not of today"?" "The night blessing of the Yash-EI." "As I recall, you missed that question on your final exam." "Well, I've had a few years to look it up." "Professor, the Enterprise is yours for as long as you're here." "Thank you." "Dream not of today." "Come." "Good morning." "Looks like you've been up for a while." "Yes." "Let's hear it." "I had a long talk with Professor Galen last night and he asked me to leave the Enterprise and to join him in an archaeological expedition which could last for nearly a year." "That must be tempting." "I couldn't leave the Enterprise but the offer raised in me certain feelings of regret." "That you could have been an archaeologist and not a Starship Captain?" "No, not really." "I'm not sorry for the path that I chose but the Professor did not choose this gift at random." "The many voices inside the one." "You see, he knows that the past is a very insistent voice inside me and this gift is meant to remind me of that." "And the exploration of space... surely that must count for something." "I wouldn't trade it for anything." "And I would still make the same choice that I made all those years ago." "I just wish that I didn't have to say no to him a second time." "Were you two very close?" "I had a father but he was like a father who understood me." "And he had his own children but they didn't follow in his footsteps so I was like the son who understood him." "And yet, you turned your back on him." "In a way, I wish that he'd never come on board the ship." "Good morning, Mr. Picard." "Professor." "The Vulcan ship will take us as far as DS4." "An AI-Leyan transport is scheduled to arrive at the station three weeks later." "And they'll take us to Caere, and then we'll use the shuttle to get us to Indri VIII, our first stop." "Professor..." "I am afraid I won't be going." "The Enterprise isn't something that I can leave and then come back to." "If I go, I go for good and it's not something that I'm prepared to do." "This is not some undergraduate study project that you're turning down." "This is the chance of a lifetime." "Don't make the same mistake twice." "You don't believe that my career in Starfleet has been a mistake." "What are you doing at this very moment?" "A study mission!" "You're like some Roman centurion out patrolling the provinces maintaining a dull and bloated empire." "We both know that's not true." "I know this." "I know that, as a scholar, you're nothing but a dilettante." "Years ago, I gave you the opportunity to become the foremost archaeologist of your generation." "Your achievements could have outstripped even my own but, no, you decided to reject a life of profound discovery and you walked out on me." "I never wanted to become..." "Will you come with me?" "I can't." "Then I'll be going." "But, Professor, you're not scheduled to catch the Vulcan ship for another two days." "There's nothing for me here." "Good-bye, Captain." "Captain's Log, supplemental." "We have completed our mission in the nebula and are en route to a diplomatic conference on Atalia VII." "I must admit" "I have lost my enthusiasm for those proceedings." "At our present speed, we will arrive at the Atalia system in 37 hours." "Captain?" "I'm going for a walk in the arboretum." "I wouldn't mind some company." "Captain?" "A distress call from Professor Galen's shuttle." "On screen." "Enterprise, I'm being boarded!" "Transmission has been blocked." "I have located the shuttle, sir." "It is under attack." "Take us out of warp." "On screen." "A Yridian destroyer." "Battle stations!" "Aye, sir." "Professor Galen is still inside his vessel, sir." "His life signs are barely registering." "Get him out of there." "The shuttle is enveloped by a tractor beam." "The transporter cannot penetrate it." "Hail the Yridians." "They are not responding." "Return phaser fire." "Disable their offensive systems." "Worf!" "?" "I don't understand, Commander." "The phaser blast was not powerful enough to destroy the ship." "Transporter Room One, lock onto Professor Galen and transport him directly to Sick Bay." "Aye, sir." "He took a disrupter hit point-blank." "There is nothing I can do." "Jean-Luc..." "I was... too harsh." "I'd say at least three Yridians boarded the Professor's shuttle." "What did they want?" "We're not sure, but it looks like they were trying to download something from his computer." "When he was attacked, Professor Galen began to protect certain files in his computer memory." "We were able to partially reconstruct the shuttle's computer so at least we have some of those files." "We found 19 different blocks of numbers like this one." "What do they mean?" "They could mean anything." "Unless we narrow the parameters of the search it would be almost impossible for the computer to identify the pattern with any accuracy." "We tried every decryption key on record in case Professor Galen was using some kind of code but we still can't make heads or tails of them." "Were the Yridians able to get the number blocks?" "At least some of them." "It's impossible to know how many." "Apparently, the Yridians knew more about the Professor's work than we do." "They may have known what these numbers mean." "Well, if they did, that information died with them." "Not necessarily." "The Yridians are information dealers." "They may have been delivering these number blocks to someone else." "Did they send a signal before they were destroyed?" "No, sir." "We detected no transmissions." "And there were no other ships in the vicinity." "Did the shuttle's flight log show where Galen had been before coming to the Enterprise?" "Yes, sir, the logs indicate Professor Galen visited an unexplored star system, Ruah IV." "What's the distance from our present position?" "Four days at warp six, sir." "The conference can wait." "Set a course for the Ruah system." "Standard orbit, Ensign." "Ruah IV is a Class-M planet." "67% of its surface is covered with water." "Its land mass contains multiple animal species including a genus of proto-hominids." "Scan for earthworks and monuments that might indicate a previous civilization." "There is nothing to indicate former occupancy by even a primitive culture, sir." "Then what was the foremost archaeologist in the Federation doing here?" "He left the Enterprise in a Vulcan ship for Deep Space 4 and then an AI-Leyan transport to Caere, and then the shuttle to Indri VIII." "Mr. Data, what do we know about Indri VIII?" "The Indri system was first identified by Federation vessels nearly 60 years ago." "The eighth planet is L-Class." "It is covered with deciduous vegetation unexplored, with no apparent evidence of civilizations either past or present." "The planet possesses no animal life whatsoever." "Number One, we will proceed to Indri VIII." "With all due respect, sir we've already run into one dead end." "Indri VIII doesn't seem much more promising." "And we're late for the conference on Atalia VII." "I'm aware of the Federation's timetable, Number One." "Professor Galen visited here a few days ago and he was on his way to Indri VIII when he was killed." "There is some connection between these two planets." "I'm going to find it." "Aye, sir." "Ensign, lay in a course for Indri VIII, warp seven." "Come." "How's it going?" "I thought that if I stared at these number blocks long enough then I would begin to see some kind of pattern." "So far... nothing." "I meant how's it going with you?" "If I had gone with him..." "Captain, you can't start thinking like that." "You didn't abandon him." "You chose not to abandon a lifelong career." "It was the right decision and in no way responsible for his death." "I realize that." "I know how much the Professor meant to you and how much you want to find out what happened." "But staring at these numbers isn't going to bring him back." "The conference on Atalia VII has been scheduled for six months." "Starfleet is relying on your mediation efforts to..." "Counselor, this is not simply a case of me taking the Enterprise and its crew on some wild goose chase to purge myself of guilt and remorse." "I will not let Galen's death be in vain." "Now, if that means inconveniencing a few squabbling delegates for a few days, then so be it." "I will take the full responsibility." "Captain." "We're about to enter the Indri system, sir." "Riker to Picard." "We are approaching Indri VIII." "On my way." "Sensors are picking up severe atmospheric fluctuations on the planet." "Assume a high orbit." "On screen, Mr. Worf." "Some sort of plasma reaction is consuming the lower atmosphere." "Can we stop it?" "No, sir." "The reaction is global." "All life on the planet is being destroyed, sir." "Why would anyone want to destroy all the life on an uninhabited, neutral planet with no strategic importance whatsoever?" "All the life..." "Perhaps the Professor's number blocks had something to do with organic matter." "If we narrow the search parameters to the biological database it might increase the chances of the computer finding a match." "I'll be in the lab." "Pattern match found." "Specify." "The number blocks are mathematical representations of fragments of deoxyribonucleic acid strands." "DNA fragments?" "Each a different life-form from 19 different worlds." "The planets that these fragments are from are scattered across the quadrant." "No wonder it took the Professor so long to collect them, but why?" "Wait a minute." "These fragments all seem to have similar protein configurations." "They may be chemically compatible." "But how can that be possible?" "They're different species from different planets." "There should be no compatibility at all." "I know, but look at the base pair combinations... they're uniform." "If I'm right..." "Computer, connect the DNA fragments according to protein link compatibility." "What is it?" "I have no idea." "This is not part of a natural design, Captain." "This is part of an algorithm coded at the molecular level." "An algorithm?" "Are you saying that these DNA fragments are elements in some kind of computer program?" "I know how it sounds, but there's no way this could be a random formation." "This is definitely part of a program." "This fragment has been part of every DNA strand on Earth since life began there and the other fragments are just as old." "Someone must have written this program over four billion years ago." "So... four billion years ago someone scattered this genetic material into the primordial soup of at least 19 different planets across the galaxy?" "The genetic information must have been incorporated into the earliest life-forms on these planets and then passed down through each generation." "But why would anyone do this in the first place?" "And what was this program designed to do?" "Well, we couldn't know that until we assembled the entire program and ran it." "We've tried all of the DNA material in the Federation computer but we haven't been able to come up with any compatible protein configurations." "Then, they must be from worlds outside the Federation." "Mr. Data, how many people on the Enterprise are from non-Federation planets?" "17, sir." "You know, this may be a long shot but we should check each one of these 17 people to see if they have the correct protein configuration." "I'll begin collecting DNA samples now." "You know, Captain, I've been thinking." "Somebody else must know about this program." "I bet one of the missing fragments was on Indri VIII." "And that's why it was destroyed." "To keep us from finding that piece of the puzzle." "Mm-hmm." "It's four billion years old... a computer program from a highly-advanced civilization." "And it's hidden in the very fabric of life itself." "Whatever information this program contains could be the most profound discovery of our time... or the most dangerous." "And the Professor knew that." "They all came up negative." "Well, I have been through every page in the Professor's published works" "looking for some clue as to where to go next." "So far, nothing." "Maybe we've been at this too long." "Why don't we get some sleep and start again tomorrow morning?" "I was in the neighborhood." "Hmm?" "When I asked the Professor why he went all the way to Kurl he said, "I was in the neighborhood."" "Doing what?" "Collecting DNA samples." "There's only one planet in the Kurlan system capable of supporting life..." "Loren III." "No." "There is no Loren III sample from the data downloaded from the Professor's shuttle." "If he did have one, it must have been taken by the Yridians when they attacked." "Mr. Data, set a course for Loren III, maximum warp." "Aye, sir." "We are approaching the Loren system." "Slow to half impulse." "Take us into orbit above the third planet." "There is a good chance that our competition may be here before us." "Battle stations, Mr. Worf." "Aye." "We are now entering orbit." "On screen." "You were right, Captain." "We've got company..." "Cardassians." "They are hailing us." "On screen." "My name is Gul Ocett." "Identify yourself, and state your business in this star system." "I am Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the Federation Starship Enterprise and I see no reason why I should answer to you." "Cardassians have no claims in this sector." "I suppose not." "But my admittedly hasty estimate shows one Federation starship and two Cardassian war vessels." "Perhaps I have miscounted." "Not at all." "But we are on a purely scientific mission." "You have no reason to interfere with us." "And you have nothing to lose by delaying a purely scientific mission for a few days." "I invite you to withdraw." "Captain, Klingon attack cruiser decloaking off the starboard bow." "They are hailing us." "This is the Klingon vessel Maht-H'a." "What are you doing here?" "Captain's Log, supplemental." "It seems that we have not one but two competitors in our attempt to complete Professor Galen's puzzle." "I have prevailed upon the Cardassian and Klingon Captains to meet with me." "I believe we all know why we're here." "If we can admit that, then we can move forward." "We were merely scouting the planet for possible colonization." "Pah!" "A ridiculous story." "What were you doing here, then?" "Scientific research." "Ha!" "Look, if we try to deceive one another then we shall get nowhere." "I think we all know about Professor Galen's research and about the computer program composed of DNA fragments." "I will take your silence as a confirmation." "Now, it stands to reason that none of us have the DNA fragments necessary to complete the program." "You were the first to arrive in this system." "Do you have an organic sample from the planet below?" "Yes, and I will fire on anyone who attempts to obtain another one." "As if we fear Cardassian threats." "I believe that one of you has a fragment from Indri VIII." "Yes, and there will be no other samples from Indri VIII." "What is that supposed to mean?" "He destroyed the biosphere of the planet after he had taken the sample." "Typical Klingon thinking... take what you want and destroy the rest." "We're all missing some of the fragments... not necessarily the same ones." "But unless we combine the ones we have we will never learn the secret of the program." "There is no secret." "It is an ancient weapon design of incredible power." "And the Klingon Empire will not allow it to fall into an enemy's hands..." "or even a friend's." "A weapon?" "The Yridian who sold us the information claimed that the program would yield the key to an unlimited power source." "But until we assemble it, we will never know its purpose." "He's right." "As far as we know it might just be a recipe for biscuits." "Biscuits?" "If that is what you believe then go back to Cardassia." "I will send you my mother's recipe." "How dare you!" "Mev yap!" "Enough!" "Without cooperation, we will get nowhere." "What do you propose?" "If you each bring your samples on board the Enterprise" "I will combine them with ours." "And then we will all observe the results simultaneously giving no one the advantage." "And if we refuse?" "Then this endeavor dies here in this room." "Captain." "Excellent." "There's still one missing piece." "Pahk!" "We have surrendered what we had for nothing." "You are remarkably shortsighted, Nu'Daq." "We are closer to the answer than we were." "We may be very much closer, indeed." "How can that be?" "We have no idea where to start looking for the missing DNA fragment." "This is a jigsaw puzzle whose pieces are scattered across the galaxy." "Doesn't it make it natural to assume that the original designers of the puzzle should want us to find it?" "Why else would they have put the pieces in our DNA?" "And, in turn, wouldn't that suggest that they would try to make it easy for us to find those pieces?" "That there might be some pattern to the distribution?" "The computer might be able to find that pattern." "Doctor, program the computer to analyze the distribution of the pieces that we have correcting for changes in star configurations over four billion years." "Then extrapolate for the missing piece." "That's going to take several hours to set up and to process." "Excuse me." "If you wish, you can stay on board while we wait." "I intend to." "Good evening, Commander Data." "Captain." "Is there any word yet on the missing fragment?" "The computer is processing the data." "I will be notified as soon as there is any information." "Oh." "Commander, your reputation for physical strength is known even in the Klingon Empire." "You are familiar with the B'aht Qul challenge?" "I am familiar with many Klingon rituals including the B'aht Qul." "Ahh..." "Haa." "Wa'..." "Cha'..." "Wej." "Maw' tok!" "My upper spinal support is a polyalloy designed to withstand extreme stress." "My skull is composed of cortenide and duranium." "I understand your intellectual prowess is equally impressive." "If I were to learn of the results from the computer search before the others the Klingon Empire would have a strategic advantage." "A being of your abilities would go far in the Empire." "You are attempting to bribe me." "Not at all." "You suggested a plan that would work to your advantage... one that I would be capable of executing." "You, then, implied a reward." "Clearly, you were..." "Commander... never mind." "What the hell...?" "Computer, run a level-3 diagnostic on the primary defensive systems." "La Forge to Captain Picard." "What is it, Geordi?" "You might want to come down here." "I found something that I think you should see." "The computer has completed its analysis." "The computer was able to extrapolate this geometric pattern based on the distribution of the fragments." "Computer, highlight the section of the missing pattern." "The missing DNA fragment should be in this system." "The star is in Sector 21459... the Rahm-Izad system."