"One." "Trying for another inside straight?" "Don't say I didn't warn you." "I fold." "I will raise you... three." "No cards?" "The best poker face I've ever seen." "Dealer takes two." "Your three, and... ten more." "I will see your ten and raise you 20." "Have you got a flush or a full house?" "It will cost you 20 to make that determination, sir." "Dealer folds." "You two have successfully divided the evening between you." "I suspect conspiracy." "Far be it from me to accuse my superior officers." "You're getting harder to bluff." "You've learned this game well." "Yes, sir, I believe I have." "I'll bet that I can find any card you hide in this deck." "Furthermore," " I will make you help me find it." " Careful, Data." "Your guidance is much valued, Counsellor." "However..." "Pick a card." "Don't let me see it." "Now lose it in the deck." "Cut the deck into two even piles." "OK." "One more time." "And again." " How many cards?" " Eleven." "Take five." "Throw them away." "Pick three more." "OK." "Now pick one of those." "Is that your card?" " Incredible." " Not at all, Counsellor." "You surreptitiously put the edge of your thumb against the card." "When you reshuffled, you kept that card on top." "You thus were able to have me either save or discard depending on the location of the card, which you followed until we were left with just one:" "the card I originally chose." "Sir." "I believe, under the circumstances..." " Picard to Riker." " Captain." "We've received a distress call." "We're changing course to intercept." "Captain's log, star date 44215.2." "The Enterprise has bypassed its archaeological survey to answer a distress call from the Federation freighter Arcos, which is in emergency orbit around Turkana IV, birthplace of our late comrade, Tasha Yar." "We'll be entering the Turkana system in 11 minutes." " Engine status?" " Stable." "But we have been at warp factor nine for longer than recommended." "Message from the Arcos." "The transmitter is failing." "Audio only." " Let's hear it." " This is Tan Tsu, Arcos Engineer." "Estimate five minutes to warp-drive containment breach!" "Make that three minutes." "Thanks for trying, Enterprise." "Ensign, warp factor 9.3." "How much time?" "Seven minutes 15 seconds puts us within transporter range." "9.6." " Prepare to lock on to the crewmen." " Aye, Captain." "We are now entering the Turkana system, sir." " Slow to impulse." " Visual contact, sir." "Get them out of there, O'Brien." " Status, O'Brien?" " There's nothing to lock on to." "I read an ion trail characteristic of a freighter escape pod." "Unable to establish contact." "Could have been damaged by the blast." "Maybe they maintained orbit." "Let's hope they stay clear of the colony." " That is where the ion trail leads." " Hail the colony." "I've been trying to." "No response." "Communication has been unreliable since their government fell apart." "The last Federation vessel to make contact, six years ago, was warned that anyone transporting down to the colony would be killed." "Number One, ready an away team." "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." "We are orbiting Turkana IV, an Earth colony that severed from the Federation 15 years ago." "I am concerned for the away team, but if we are to discover the fate of the two crewmen," "I see no alternative." "The surface settlement is all but destroyed." "The colonists live in structures that extend 3 km beneath the city." " What's the pod's landing point?" " 300 metres beyond the perimeter." "Sir, we can anticipate a violent response to our presence." "Perhaps the doctor should wait here." "Though appreciated, your concern is exaggerated." "The colony is completely lawless." "Lt Yar spoke of rape gangs..." "Mr. Worf, I can handle myself." "She's coming." "The Arcos crewmen may need medical attention." "Set phasers on maximum stun." "Energize." "The trail continues this way." "The concentration gradient increases along this vector." "The escape pod was apparently moved into the tunnels ahead of us." " Hardly the response we expected." " Pardon me." "Maybe things have changed here." "Open phaser." " Identify yourselves!" " We're from a Federation starship." "We tracked two crewmen here." "Do you know about them?" " Possibly." " What do you mean?" " They found us." " Proximity detectors." "Follow me!" "The Alliance is holding your men hostage, not us." " You can expect a ransom demand." " The Alliance?" "Our good friends... will be upset when they realize we took their last crate of synth-ale." " Maybe I should try the authorities." " We are the authorities." "The Coalition, our cadre, runs this side of the city." "The Alliance runs the other side." " Take your pick." " Are you offering to help us?" "In return for some... consideration." "Phasers are in short supply here." "A starship isn't going to miss a few." "That is no better than a ransom demand." "The Alliance will eventually kill your crewmen anyway." "With our help, at least you might get them back alive." "I'm asking for help with defence." "We are trying to keep the peace." "All we've seen indicates otherwise." "A prank!" "Our proximity implants stop us from doing serious damage." "They warn us of the enemy's approach." "Then why do you need more phasers?" "The Alliance just found a cache of weapons." "I'm... just trying to make things even, to preserve the peace." "You keep using the word peace." "We've heard another version of life here." "Ancient history." "Where did you hear that?" " A former crewman was born here." " Where is he now?" " She was killed in the line of duty." " As good a way to die as any." "As I said, ancient history." "This is now and your men are in trouble." "We'll return to the ship and consider your proposal." "A gift for your captain." "Riker to Enterprise." "Energize." "I want everything there is to know about the Starship Enterprise." "Hayne says they raid each other for supplies, mostly non-essential." " Why?" " A battle exercise." "Their defences prevent deep strikes." "Minor skirmishes are all that's left." "Coalition." "Alliance." "It sounds so reasonable, but this is the behaviour of urban street thugs." "We won't trade weapons for crewmen." "How do you suggest we deal with them?" " We have to tell them something." " No promises, no denials." "For now, Hayne's Coalition is our only safe access." " We'll keep the door open and see." " Captain." "Transmission coming in from Turkana IV, on a secure channel." "On screen." "Hello, Enterprise." "Cmdr Riker, would you introduce me to your captain?" " I'm Capt Jean-Luc Picard." " I have someone here you might like to meet." "This is Ishara." "Ishara Yar." "Tasha was my sister." "There's an old saying, Captain:" "the enemy of my enemy is my friend." "It's in my best interests to help you get your crewmen back." "With nothing from us in return?" "You could be forced to pay my adversary a ransom in weapons." "I'll do anything I can to avoid that possibility." " What do you propose?" " Ishara will be our liaison." "I know Alliance territory." "I can help you with the rescue plan." "One moment." " Mute." " Reactions?" " I do not trust him." " She could be a fake." "He knows a crew member was from the colony." "So Hayne searched their database on Starfleet for Tasha's name." "Counsellor?" "He's deceiving us and he's clearly hoping to manipulate us." "As for the identity of the young woman, I can't really tell." "It's still an option we cannot neglect." "We'll continue on other fronts as they present themselves." " For now, let's hear her." " Open." " I will accept your proposal." " Thank you." "Good luck." "Welcome to the Enterprise, Ishara." "I am Cmdr Data." " You're not human." " I am an android." " Built for fighting?" " Why do you assume that?" "A cybernetic device on a starship..." "The Enterprise is a ship of exploration." "First, I'll help you map the colony." "This is a grid of the tunnels." "I can fill in the details from memory." "I will take you to the observation lounge." "Please come with me." " Your sister never spoke of you." " It's not surprising." "It is surprising to me." "Tasha and I spent much time together." "We had a number of conversations." "Did she talk about the colony?" "Only to say she was lucky to escape." "It wasn't luck, it was cowardice." "Cowardice is a term I have never heard applied to Tasha." " Is something wrong?" " No." "It is just that, for a moment, the expression on your face reminded me of her." "It's been 15 years." "I don't even remember what she looked like." "You don't believe I'm Tasha's sister." "We have considered the possibility." "I'm not surprised." "You can sample my DNA if you'd like." "Yes." "I will." "Please, sit down." "Thank you." "Perhaps you could give us an idea of what we're dealing with." "The last information describes a colony in complete disarray." "It started falling apart 30 years ago." "There were dozens of factions." "They fought until the city above ground was in ruins." "You and the Alliance are left?" "We were the two strongest factions." "The government couldn't keep order, so they gave us police powers." "They designed the proximity detectors to keep us under control." "Apparently that didn't work very well." "No." "After a few months, we didn't need the government any more." " Tasha left you in amongst that?" " She didn't abandon me." "Tasha asked me to go with her, but I had already joined the Coalition." "They were my family." "We don't have much time." "Maybe we should start." " Transmission from the colony." " On screen." "Enterprise, I'm being held by Turkana IV Alliance." "I've been told to say you have 20 hours to make reparations for Federation intrusions into this colony, or my pilot and I will be killed." "Can we at least send some medical..." "Take that seriously." "They'll torture and kill them." "My cadre has never recovered a hostage alive from the Alliance." "Your crewmen could be held in any number of places." "The Alliance has two main headquarters and 13 ancillary bases, all underground, all heavily guarded." " If I find the myographic scanner..." " What's that?" "A sensing device from the escape pod." "It monitors the bioelectric signatures of the crew if they get separated from the pod." "I could install a booster on it that would relay its signals to us." "Then we could track them from up here." "Unfortunately we don't know where the escape pod is." "Level 3C, section 547." "We have our sources." "Access tunnels are here and here." "We could get the away team right into the centre." "Don't underestimate them." "They'll be ready for that." "I've seen them use this strategy before." "It looks isolated and accessible, but my guess is they have hundreds above and below just waiting for you." "We will need a diversion." "Transport photon grenades to the next chamber." "It wouldn't kill anybody, but it would shake them up a bit." "That won't give you enough time to install the relay." "Transport me into this corridor." "My implant will set off alarms." "They'll think it's a Coalition raid." "Too dangerous." "In those tunnels you could easily be cut off." "Worf..." "Commander!" "I was ordered to assist you in any way possible." "That doesn't mean as long as it's safe or convenient." "You don't have the time to make another plan." "I'm your best option." "She would have to be armed, sir." "I'll discuss this with the Captain." "Take Ishara down to see Dr Crusher." " You have Tasha's DNA on file?" " The ship's computer does." "The small difference between sonomic chromosomes doesn't affect results." "It should take me a few hours to run the sonomic comparison." "That wasn't too bad." "So all that's left of my sister is a file in a computer." "Tasha exists in our memories as well." "How did she die?" "Lt Yar was killed on Vagra II by a malevolent entity." " In battle?" " No." "She was killed as proof of the creature's power, without provocation." "That's not how I intend to die." "The Captain approves." "You're with us." "Enterprise, we're in position." " Mr. O'Brien, energize." " Aye, Captain." "They're at level two." " Tunnel 16." " Come on." " You're with us." " Spread out." " Let's check five." " Yes, sir." " Check on three." " Checking." "Somebody's here." " Watch your backs." " I'm right behind you." "Damn!" " What is taking so long?" " It's badly damaged." "It scans, but the power source keeps fluctuating." " Can you fix it?" " With a shunt from the converter." " How soon?" " Ten minutes?" "Do it." "O'Brien, get Ishara out of here." "There's a transformer substation above the chamber she's in." " It's masking her signal." " Stand by." " Stay and cover La Forge." " Commander... !" "That's an order." "Then return to the ship." "I'll signal for transport." " Get us out of here!" " Energizing." "Come." " How is she?" " A few cracked ribs." "She'll be OK." "Dr Crusher just called me with the DNA results." "Ishara is Tasha's sister." "After what she did for us, that doesn't surprise me one bit." "You took some unnecessary personal risks, Number One." "We lost Tasha on an away team under my command." "The thought of that happening to her sister..." "We can't afford emotional responses." "Understood." "Commander..." "Well done." "I've fused the bone tissue along both fractures." "The muscles will be weak for a day or two, but you shouldn't feel pain." "Thank you, Doctor." "I wanted to thank you personally for what you did for us on the colony." "It was more than I expected." "I don't run away when things get tough, like some people." "Like my sister did." "Let me tell you about your sister." "The first time I saw Tasha Yar, she was picking through a minefield to reach a wounded colonist." "Her ship had responded to their distress call, as had mine." "When it was all over, I requested her transfer to the Enterprise." "Her ship's captain owed me a favour." "In the following months, she always put the crew's safety before her own, and she died doing the same." "I'm sorry you never knew the woman Tasha became." "I think you would have been proud of her." "And she of you." " What is this structure?" " A main fusion source." "Each Alliance headquarters has one to power its defensive systems." "This chamber is accessed from below." "Entry points are spaced along this wall every 25 metres." "Data, where was Tasha's post?" "Tactical station." "Where Lt Worf is now." "Did Tasha have many friends here?" "Yes." "She was especially close to Cmdr Riker and Lt Worf." "And to myself." "Are you able to have friends?" "Yes." " But you don't have feelings." " Not as such." "But even among humans, friendship is sometimes less an emotional response and more a sense of familiarity." " So you can become used to someone?" " Exactly." "As I receive sensory inputs, my mental pathways attune to them." "The input is eventually anticipated, and even missed when absent." " Like my sister." " Yes, like your sister." "They're so far underground it's hard to pinpoint their signatures." "But the men are here, next to one of the headquarters." "That's 2 km of granite above their heads." "So much for the transporters." "We could use the ship's phasers to cut through to this storage tunnel." "With a clear path, we could transport through the tunnel and get the men." "But I'll need two hours to refit our phasers for drilling." "It's a real maze down there." "I spent a lot of time in that section before they took it over." "There are dead ends that don't even show up on this map." "We do not have much choice." "If it wasn't for my implant setting off the alarms, I could guide you." "We could remove the implant." "It has a micro-explosive inside that detonates on contact with air." "When you join a cadre, you join for life." "A force field containing inert gas could be put over the incision site." "The explosive could be disarmed at the same time it is removed." "You'll have to decide for yourself." "Think about it while we wait for Geordi." "My parents were killed in some crossfire just after I was born." "Some people took care of us for a few months, but then... one day we came home and they were gone." "Tasha took care of me, and when I was old enough I joined the Coalition." " Tasha did not?" " My sister hated the cadres." "She blamed them for our parents' death." "For everything." "She refused to join, and she left as soon as she had the chance." "I always thought she was weak for doing that." "But... maybe I was wrong." "Maybe... she made the right choice." "To work together for something besides killing,... ..to be close to someone without always having to protect your back..." "Very appealing." "You're the perfect example." "I hardly know you but I completely trust you." "I..." "I even consider you a friend." "Thank you." "I would like to consider you my friend as well." "If I had known about this place 15 years ago,... ..things might have been different." "Maybe it's not too late." "Ishara is willing to have the implant removed, sir." "Good." "Inform Dr Crusher." "She has also expressed a desire to leave the colony." "She hopes to apply to the Academy and eventually join Starfleet." "Does she understand the magnitude of these decisions?" " She claims to, Captain." " I get ambiguity from her." "Her loyalties are clearly divided." "So we should deny her an escape from this environment?" "No." "I'm just not sure she wants to escape." "It's all she's ever known." "Ultimately, it is her decision to make, not ours." "Mr. Data, proceed with the mission as planned." " Data..." " Yes, Counsellor?" "You seem so strong in your support." "I'm curious." "We must free the crewmen." "She is our best hope of doing so." "In addition..." "I have become used to her." "Ishara." " Thank you, Data." " You are welcome." "Dr Crusher is expecting you in sickbay." " It's all so different." " To what are you referring?" "At home nobody does anything for anyone else unless they have something to gain from it." "But I do have something to gain:" "your continued presence on the ship." "Is something wrong?" "I have to tell Hayne and the others." "I owe it to them." "Guess I ought to get it over with." "If you desire privacy, use the observation lounge." "That would probably make things a little easier." "Report." "It's working." "Captain's log, star date 44225.3." "Dr Crusher has successfully removed Ishara's implant, enabling the young woman to guide our rescue attempt." "Without my intending it, she is now an active member of the crew." "Cardiovascular functions normal." "Metabolism, immunity, all of the vital signs excellent." " How do you feel?" " Better than I've ever felt." "Thanks for staying with me." "You might want to keep this." "It's been with you a long time." "You keep it, Data." "So you won't forget me." "Did you reconsider your decision to stay?" "No." "Just in case something goes wrong down there." "I understand you wish to join Starfleet." "Some day." "If I'm lucky." "On that day it is we who will be lucky." " Is your team ready?" " Waiting for your signal." " Status, Mr. La Forge?" " Phasers ready to fire." " How far in must we go?" " 1.6 km." " Fire phasers." " Aye, sir." "1.3 kilometres." "1.4." "1.5." "1.6 kilometres." "Deep enough for transport." "Cease fire." "Mr. O'Brien, energize." "This way." "Caution is indicated." "We're near their heart." "Security is minimal." "They aren't expecting anybody this far in." "Ishara..." "Follow me." " Are you certain?" " No, I'm not." "I'm trying to remember." "I was here, but it was a long time ago." "There have been changes." "It's through here." "There." "Your men are behind that door." "Hold out your hands." "Let's move." " Where is she?" " Commander!" "Look." "What happened here?" "She probably tried to draw their fire." "It set off the alarm." " Get these men to the Enterprise." " Come on!" "Data, you're with me." "Ishara." "What are you doing?" "The fusion generator is overloading." "You are attempting to disable the defence system." "For what reason?" " We have rescued the crewmen." " I don't care about your crewmen." "We have 3,000 troops waiting at the perimeter." "When the defences go down, they'll come in." "The Alliance will fall." "The Federation will be responsible for the deaths." "I cannot allow that." " You don't have a choice." " That is not so." "I don't want to kill you, Data." "But I will." "The explosion will destroy us both." "The Coalition's been all I've had for 15 years." "They've given me a life." "I don't mind dying for them." "But you won't have to if you just get out of here now!" "Was this your intention from the beginning?" "We'd never have gotten this far without your help." "Our help was not deliberate." "You deceived us." "You got what you came for!" "Why do you care about what we do?" "Your friendship with me was part of the deception, was it not?" "You misled me at each step, and yet I was completely unaware." "It doesn't matter now." "None of it does." "Now get of here, Data, please!" "Now!" "My duty requires me to intercede." "Ishara!" " What was she doing?" " Disabling the detectors so her forces could attack." "Set to kill." "Your strategy failed." "It was a calculated risk." "You gave us an opportunity we couldn't ignore." "Ishara, are you hurt?" " No." " I want her returned immediately." "You're in no position to dictate to us." "She attacked two of our officers." "You have no jurisdiction here." "Jurisdiction!" "Yours is based entirely on the threat of violence." "You have your crewmen back." "Isn't that enough?" "What do you know about..." "Cmdr Data, escort Ishara to the transporter room." " Thank you." " Close the channel!" "I'm just trying to preserve the pea..." "You're far more charitable than I would have been, Captain." "I understand your feelings, Number One." "I share them." "Perhaps the fault lies in ourselves." "We were so eager to accept her." "Each of us, myself included, wanted to see something of Tasha in this woman." "We saw more than was there." " You haven't said one word to me." " What do you wish to talk about?" "I did what I had to do." "I'm sorry if I hurt you in the process." "I am an android." "It is not possible for me to be injured in that fashion." "Whenever you're ready." "You know, I wasn't always lying to you." "That time we spent talking..." "That was the closest thing to friendship I've ever had." "If that means anything to you." "Energize." "Come in." "Data, what's on your mind?" "Recent events have left me puzzled, sir." "It has been days since Ishara left, yet my thoughts seem to dwell on her." "As if I were experiencing a feedback loop in my mnemonic network." "I know what you mean." "It is curious that I was so easily misled." " Make that "we"." " Yes, sir." "Sit down." "Thank you, sir." "In all trust, there is the possibility of betrayal." "I'm not sure you were..." "prepared for that." "Were you prepared, sir?" "I don't think anybody ever is." "Then it is better not to trust." "Without trust there's no friendship, no closeness..." "None of the bonds that make us who we are." " And yet you put yourself at risk." " Every single time." "Perhaps I am fortunate, sir, to be spared the emotional consequences." "Perhaps."