- Lieutenant Worf: Captain, we are receiving an emergency transmission from Cymkoe IV.
- Captain Jean-Luc Picard: Cymkoe IV? Isn't there a research center there?
- Lt. Commander Data: Yes, sir. The work at Mertens Orbital Station focuses on power generation. The researchers there are among the best in the Federation.
- Captain Jean-Luc Picard: On screen. This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the Federation Starship Enterprise. How can we be of help?
- Daenub: Captain Picard, I am Daenub, chancellor of Cymkoe. We are in need of immediate assistance. Mertens Orbital Station has been attacked by an unknown vessel, and does not answer our hails.
- Captain Jean-Luc Picard: Attacked? But the station is a purely scientific facility.
- Commander William T. Riker: Is the attacking vessel still present?
- Daenub: We do not know. Whoever or whatever they were, our sensors did not detect them.
- Lieutenant Worf: Perhaps it was a cloaked Romulan vessel.
- Captain Jean-Luc Picard: I doubt the Romulans would venture this far into Federation territory. The risks are too great.
- Daenub: Captain, you must hurry. The attack has destabilized the station's experimental power core. We don't know how long we have till a core breach, but I can tell you the resulting energy release and radiation would be catastrophic.
- Commander William T. Riker: What about survivors? Did anyone get off the station?
- Daenub: We detected several escape pods, but we haven't recovered them yet. The pods we detected could hold only a few dozen. There are hundreds aboard the station, including families.
- Captain Jean-Luc Picard: Set course for Cymkoe IV. I hope it's not too late.
- Daenub: Thank you, Captain. I hope you arrive in time.
- Captain Jean-Luc Picard: We'll do our best. Picard out.
- [hails Medical]
- Captain Jean-Luc Picard: Dr. Crusher?
- Commander: Crusher here.
- Captain Jean-Luc Picard: Doctor, we may shortly be taking on a large number of wounded - possibly hundreds.
- Commander: How much time have I got?
- Captain Jean-Luc Picard: Not enough, I'm afraid. Picard out.
- [hails Engineering]
- Captain Jean-Luc Picard: Mr. LaForge?
- Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge: Yes, Captain.
- Captain Jean-Luc Picard: We're en route to Mertens Orbital Station. They've been attacked, and they're going to need immediate assistance. See what you can find out about their experimental power core.
- Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge: I'll see what I can dig up, but the Cymkonians do some advanced work. It may take a while to figure it all out.
- Captain Jean-Luc Picard: Then I suggest you work quickly. Millions of lives on the planet surface may be at stake. I expect a full analysis of the situation-and our options-as soon as we are within sensor range.
- Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge: Yes, sir.
- Captain Jean-Luc Picard: [narrating] Captain's Log, Stardate 47111.1: A Federation listening post along the Romulan Neutral Zone has detected an unidentified vessel headed for Federation space. The Enterprise is moving to intercept.
- Lt. Commander Data: At its reported heading and velocity, the vessel will enter Federation space in approximately 47.3 seconds.
- Captain Jean-Luc Picard: Go to yellow alert.
- Lieutenant Worf: We have the vessel on sensors.
- Commander William T. Riker: The ship is a Garidian scout ship. They are driving their engines too hard, and their warp core is critical.
- Captain Jean-Luc Picard: The Garidians? What is the status of their relationship with the Romulan empire?
- Commander William T. Riker: They're on friendly terms and may share technology.
- Lieutenant Worf: We are being hailed.
- Captain Jean-Luc Picard: On screen.
- Lucana: [over channel] Help us! We are fleeing political persecution! We seek asylum! We are being persecuted...
- [signal fades out]
- Lieutenant Worf: Their signal is breaking up.
- Captain Jean-Luc Picard: What do you make of this, Number One?
- Commander William T. Riker: It could be a trick.
- Lieutenant Worf: The Garidians have earned a reputation as honorable warriors, Captain. They do not ordinarily resort to trickery.
- Lt. Commander Data: We are within visual range. The Garidians' warp drive is failing. They are dropping to sub-lightspeed inside Federation space.
- Captain Jean-Luc Picard: Slow to impulse...
- Lieutenant Worf: Warbird decloaking directly ahead! The warbird is also Garidian. They are hailing us.
- Pentara: This is an internal Garidian matter. Withdraw at once!
- Captain Jean-Luc Picard: You are violating Federation space-
- [Pentara cuts off transmission]
- Lieutenant Worf: They have cut off transmission.
- Lt. Commander Data: The warbird has locked its tractor beam onto the scout ship.
- Captain Jean-Luc Picard: Go to red alert!
- [klaxons sound]
- Commander William T. Riker: I can't say I like the looks of this. Data, will we have to return here to beam out?
- Lt. Commander Data: Perhaps not. As the station's shields weaken, the Enterprise sensors should be able to establish a transporter lock.
- Commander William T. Riker: Keep me advised. I want to know the instant the station's shields begin to fail.
- Lt. Commander Data: Yes, sir.
- Gart Kimlash: My fellow Chodak, I represent a group of concerned scientists who have seized control of the Unity Device to prevent further abuse of its powers. Many of you will doubt our motives, but what we do, we do for the Chodak race. We shall not judge our bureaucrats and Admirals too harshly, though their acts threatened the existence of the universe itself. Their minds were insufficient to grasp the danger they caused. We are taking the device to a place in time where they will never be able to reach it. Every 456,000 balchacks, the device will reappear in the normal space-time continuum. Once the Chodak race has developed the necessary intelligence and wisdom, it can reclaim the device. Gart Kimlash out.
- Captain Jean-Luc Picard: [when agreeing with T'Bak] Understood. We will be underway at once. I will let you know when we arrive.
- [turns to Worf]
- Captain Jean-Luc Picard: Mr. Worf, inform Starfleet that we will be assisting the Garidians in their search.
- Lieutenant Worf: Aye, sir.
- Captain Jean-Luc Picard: [leaves Conference Lounge] Computer, what are the current whereabouts of the Vulcan archeologist Shanok?
- Enterprise Computer: According to Federation Archeological Survey records, Shanok is currently excavating ruins on the planet Horst III.
- Captain Jean-Luc Picard: [to Data] Set course for Horst III, warp 5.
- Lt. Commander Data: Aye, sir.
- Captain Jean-Luc Picard: Engage!
- Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge: I've got to talk to the engineers who built this place. The entire hull is lined with a liquid tritanium-duranium alloy in a memory gel suspension. It's completely self-sealing.
- Dr. Beverly Crusher: You mean the station heals itself?
- Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge: That's one way to put it. The attack caused major structural damage. If this were any other station in the Federation, we'd be standing in a vacuum.
- Pentara: [all three are aboard the shuttle en route to the Unity Device] I would like to know more about the tests we face.
- Brodnack: I do not know exactly what form they will take, but trials and tests have always determined rank and position in Chodak society.
- Captain Jean-Luc Picard: How powerful is the Unity Device?
- Brodnack: It can alter physical reality anywhere in the galaxy.
- Pentara: The wreckage of the Romulan and Chodak fleets clearly demonstrates its potential as a weapon.
- Brodnack: Its capabilities are infinitely greater. Theoretically, the Unity Device could be used to unmake the galaxy.
- Captain Jean-Luc Picard: Then it would indeed be a catastrophe if it fell into unscrupulous hands.
- Brodnack: Unscrupulous or incompetent, even a well-meaning master could wreak havoc with its power.
- Pentara: What do you do intend to do with the Device if you should get it?
- Brodnack: The ancient Chodak brought this power into the universe, and we accept that responsibility. We will rebuild the Chodak empire and control the Unity Device ourselves.
- Pentara: Garidian society is on the verge of anarchy. It would take something as powerful as the Unity Device to restore order. Our need outweighs your fantasy of empire-guarding. And you, Picard?
- Captain Jean-Luc Picard: The Unity Device is too powerful for any one race to control. It must be used for the common good. Perhaps its power can help establish a lasting peace between our peoples.
- Brodnack: You speak of my fantasies, Pentara? We are about to dock. May the worthiest species prevail.