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Explorers

( buzz of conversation )

Excuse me.

You're Dr. Bashir, aren't you?

That's right.

I'm Leeta.

I've been meaning to come by the Infirmary to see you.

( coughs )

Oh, dear.

How long have you had that cough?

A few days now.

May I?

Cough for me.

( coughs )

Hmm...

Is it serious, Doctor?

No, but it's a good thing you came to me when you did.

We need to start your treatment immediately.

Bring me a Fanalian toddy very hot.

Make that two.

I'm feeling a bit of a cough coming on, myself.

I'm... sorry to hear that, Doctor.

No, please.

Call me...

Julian.

Hi.

I'm Jadzia.

Leeta.

Before I forget... here's that immunological data you asked for.

How nice of you to put it together for me so quickly.

I, uh... I think I'll go over it right now.

Oh, by the way

I hear the Lexington is docking here for a few days.

The Lexington?

Excuse me, um... for just one second.

Stay there.

Jadzia!

Do you happen to know when the Lexington is coming in?

Three weeks.

Don't you have a friend aboard?

Do I?

The Medical Officer-- Elizabeth Lense.

Elizabeth Lense...

You know, I think she may have been in my class at Starfleet Medical.

Wasn't she valedictorian?

That's right.

And you were salutatorian.

Second in my class.

But if I hadn't mistaken that preganglionic fiber...

For a postganglionic nerve-- um, I know.

I would have been valedictorian.

You must be looking forward to seeing her.

I can hardly wait.

Hey, Jake-o.

Hey, Dad.

Hey!

What is this?

I thought it was time for a change.

What do you think?

I like it.

Yeah.

How was Bajor?

Beautiful! You should have come with me.

The reopening of some old library isn't exactly my idea of a good time.

This wasn't just some old library.

We're talking about the most extensive collection of Bajoran antiquities on the planet.

I saw manuscripts that dated back to before the fall of the First Republic.

Great.

Here... look at this.

What is this, some kind of ship?

According to legend, the ancient Bajorans used ships like these to explore their star system

800 years ago.

You mean that when humans were first sailing across the oceans,

Bajorans were already going to other planets?

Some scholars say they made it all the way to Cardassia.

Ah, that seems hard to believe.

What are these?

Solar sails.

These ships were propelled by light pressure.

Like a sailboat catching the wind.

Exactly.

I wonder if a ship like that could really fly.

I don't know.

That's why I'm going to build one.

I'm expecting a lumber shipment from Bajor this afternoon.

Okay.

Which reminds me-- I'll need a saber saw.

A saber saw?

You know, to cut wood.

Why not use a laser cutter?

Oh, no, I want to use the same types of tools the Bajorans had.

This will do fine, Major.

As soon as these cargo containers are out of the way,

I'll start construction.

Sir, I've looked over the specifications you brought back from Bajor.

I'm not sure this design is spaceworthy, and I'm positive a ship like this could never have made it from Bajor to Cardassia.

Now, why would you say that?

At sublight speeds, the trip would have taken them years, and that's assuming ideal conditions.

One unexpected ion storm in the Denorios Belt would have torn the sails to pieces and left them stranded.

Well, maybe they were lucky and they didn't go into any storms.

O'BRIEN: I just don't see how this ship could have made the trip.

They didn't even have replicators back then.

They would have had to store their air supply.

And there's only room on board for a few weeks' worth.

Well, maybe they recycled it somehow-- used some kind of photosynthetic plant.

Yeah, maybe.

Oh, you sound just like a Cardassian.

I beg your pardon?

They have denied the possibility of ancient contact for decades, because they cannot stand the idea of Bajor having interstellar flight before they did.

With all due respect, Major, you're beginning to sound like a Romulan.

A Romulan!

O'BRIEN: There is no piece of technology in existence they don't claim they invented before everyone else.

Look, I don't plan to spend the next few years sailing to Cardassia.

All I want is to build one of these ships and prove that it's spaceworthy.

A computer model could do that.

Why go to all that trouble?

Why?

Because it'll be fun.

( sighs )

( grunts )

( sighs )

Oh, yes.

You know, I've been thinking.

According to the star charts, the most difficult part of the trip between Bajor and Cardassia would be getting through the Denorios Belt.

After that, it would be smooth sailing the rest of the way.

Really?

Just making that part of the trip would go a long way towards demonstrating that the Bajorans could have made the journey to Cardassia.

Seems reasonable.

It should only take about four, five days.

That's not so long.

So?

What?

So, what do you say you come with me?

We'll have a great time.

The ship will be ready to go in another week.

That's when Leanne is supposed to be getting back from Bajor.

I really want to see her, and I don't know how long she's going to be here.

Oh, well... if you can't do it... you can't do it.

I'd like to, but... it's just not good timing, you know.

Sure.

I understand.

( sparks crackling )

Hi!

Oh, hello, Jadzia.

I brought you something to eat.

Oh, thank you.

Let me just finish this welding, and I'll take a break.

Benjamin, I can't believe the work you've put into this.

I'm just following the blueprint.

But you didn't have to bother with detail like this to prove that the ship is spaceworthy.

Oh, I suppose not, but I want everything to be just right.

It's an exact replica, you know except for the gravity net that I installed in the floor.

Weightlessness makes me queasy.

( laughs )

Ooh, I haven't seen you like this for a long time.

Like what?

So caught up in something.

So excited.

Not since, um... not since you and Jennifer decided to have a baby.

Ah, the nursery.

I don't think anyone's ever put such effort into making a room for their child.

Well, you have to admit, it turned out pretty well.

Oh... especially the starscape on the ceiling.

Yeah, Jake loved that ceiling.

In fact, when we moved out of the house, he couldn't understand why we couldn't bring it with us.

You're disappointed he's not going with you on this trip, aren't you?

Well, he has other things he'd rather be doing.

Friends he'd rather be with.

It's funny... a year or two ago, nothing would have stopped him from coming with me on an adventure like this.

I guess I waited too long.

You'll have other adventures, Benjamin.

They'll just be different.

Believe me, I know.

I've been a father a couple of times myself.

Oh, I could tell you stories.

You already have.

That's right, I have, haven't I?

Then you know I'm right.

Computer... are there any messages for me?

COMPUTER: One.

A communication from Wellington, New Zealand.

Display it on screen.

( sighs )

Hello.

Welcome aboard, son.

Hey, Dad.

So... what do you think?

Well, it's wonderful.

Maybe a bit small for two people, but, uh...

I think I could get used to it.

That is, uh, if you still want me along.

( chuckles )

Oh...

"A Survey of Cygnian Respiratory Diseases"?

Fascinating.

Yeah, I'm reading just about everything

I can get my hands on.

I don't want to be caught flat-footed by our intrepid Dr. Lense.

It's useless, of course.

She's probably discovered the cure to aging by now.

I take it the two of you are competitive?

Absolutely.

We were neck and neck right until the final exam.

Then... I blew it.

That's how she wound up on the Lexington-- a post which virtually everyone in our graduating class was hoping for.

Including you?

No, this is the assignment I wanted.

Then what does it matter?

Well, don't you see?

She could have had this post.

She could have taken it from me.

No matter what I accomplish while I'm here, somehow, that'll always make me feel... second best.

I understand you're planning a trip.

Word gets around.

I can't believe that a man of your intelligence would take stock in Bajoran fairy tales about ancient contact.

If you recall, you thought the Celestial Temple was a Bajoran fairy tale until we discovered the wormhole.

I suggest you reconsider your plans.

Solar vessels are very fragile, and it's a long way to the Denorios Belt at sublight speeds.

Don't worry.

I'll have emergency equipment on board.

If something goes wrong,

Major Kira can have a runabout to me within an hour.

An hour can be a very long time especially if you happen to encounter something unexpected.

Like what?

Oh, I don't know.

A Maquis ship, perhaps.

Why would the Maquis have any quarrel with an unarmed ship sailing toward the Denorios Belt?

They have nothing at stake here, nothing to prove-- or should I say, disprove.

Commander, I contacted you out of concern for your safety, but you seem to be intimating that I've made some sort of threat.

Ah, then I'm glad I was wrong.

For a moment there, I thought that you had been put in charge of the Cardassian Ministry for the Refutation of Bajoran Fairy Tales.

Since I don't seem to be able to dissuade you from undertaking this little voyage of yours,

I'll wish you luck instead.

Let's hope you don't need it.

All right, first, we have to deploy the mainsails.

I want you to take that winch right there.

Huh? Release brakes.

All right.

When I give you the word, crank it with all you got.

And... now.

That's as far as they'll go.

Lock it off.

All right... let's work on the spritsails.

Psst.

Oh.

All right, now get your back into it, huh?

All right.

That's right.

We'll make a sailor out of you yet.

These will trim the spritsails.

Now I get it.

What?

Why you wanted to build this ship.

It is beautiful, isn't it?

Jake-o.

Trim the starboard sprit about six degrees.

Okay.

How's that?

That should do it.

We'll start to pick up speed as the pressure on the sails builds.

Hey, Dad... where do we sleep?

We have hammocks we can string up later.

Is this the bathroom?

Yes, it was designed for a zero-gravity environment.

Well, how am I supposed to...?

How are you supposed to, um...?

You'll get the hang of it.

Hmm.

We'll be tacking against the light most of the way.

And then we'll run like this for about 90 minutes or so and come about.

And I'll calculate the next leg of our trip.

How about something to drink?

Yeah, sure.

Don't tell me we only have zero-gravity rations.

It's all the ancient Bajorans had.

( sighs )

Listen.

I don't hear anything.

Exactly.

Not even the hum of an engine.

It's almost like being on the deck of an old sailing ship.

Except the stars are not just up in the sky, they're all around us.

Imagine how the ancient Bajorans must have felt heading into space in a ship like this one, not knowing what they were going to find or who they were going to meet.

Jake...

I know that you really didn't want to come on this trip.

I just want to say, I'm glad you're here.

Dad, there's something I need to talk to you about.

What is it?

First, you should read this.

It's a story I wrote.

Ah, a story.

That's why you kept putting this away every time I walked into the room, huh?

Well, if you'll keep an eye on the rigging,

I'll read it right now.

Deal.

ODO: It looked better where it was before.

I thought you might want to know the Lexington docked a few minutes ago.

Already?

Oh, I thought it wasn't coming for another day or two.

She's in Quark's.

( whispers ): Oh, okay.

Are you going to talk to her or not?

She's busy.

You never mentioned she was beautiful.

I never mentioned her at all, not to you, anyway.

Morn gave me three-to-one odds that you'll exchange awkward pleasantries for a few minutes, then say good-bye.

I'm betting that your charm will take you further.

( snickers )

Okay then.

In the ship?

She's getting up.

See you there.

All right.

So, what do you think?

I liked it.

You're not just saying that?

No, no, no.

It's good.

What do you think about the part where Jared thinks he's been betrayed?

I don't think that he would confront him with it.

Not right away.

Yeah, I guess he could wait until he gets back from the Demilitarized Zone.

Yeah, that'd make it more believable.

Hmm.

So, you really think it was good, huh?

I think it shows a lot of promise.

What?

Promise?

In a few places, you're writing about things you haven't actually experienced, or at least I hope you haven't experienced.

Unless you've joined the Maquis without telling me.

I can't talk about it.

( laughing ): I had you going there.

Jake, I really am impressed.

I think you should keep writing.

I'm thinking about it.

Don't think about it, just do it.

What I... what I mean is...

Yesterday, I got a communication from the Pennington School in New Zealand, and, uh... they offered me a writing fellowship.

Oh, well, Jake, that... that's terrific.

I, uh...

I didn't realize you had applied.

Well I-I didn't, really.

What happened is, I showed a story I wrote to Mrs. O'Brien.

I guess she liked it, because she showed it to a friend of hers who knows someone at the school, and...

( rumbling )

A mast support gave way.

The starboard sprit is fouling one of the mainsails.

Can we fix it?

I don't think so.

We're going to have to jettison the sprit.

Let's fall off a little.

Take some pressure off the sails.

Lock that down and give me a hand.

One more turn.

Lock it!

Good work.

I'm going to jettison the sprit.

That's better, but we're still getting a lot of spill off the sails.

We won't be able to make much headway with each tack.

I don't think we'll be able to get to the Denorios Belt like this.

The ancient Bajorans probably ran into these kinds of problems.

I suppose they did.

Well, did they give up and go home?

It seems to me, we're here to prove that they didn't.

What are we waiting for?

Let's get to work.

Lay out the port sprit.

Coming about.

O'BRIEN AND BASHIR: ♪ Bring me my chariots ♪

♪ Of fire ♪

♪ I will not cease ♪

♪ From mental fight ♪

♪ Nor shall my sword ♪

♪ Sleep in my hand ♪

♪ Till we have built ♪

♪ Jerusalem ♪

♪ In England's green ♪

♪ And pleasant land. ♪

Ha!

That was really beautiful, Chief.

You know what we should do?

What?

We should go to Quark's and sing it for everybody.

Oh, no. I-I-I think we should switch to synthale.

No, no, this isn't... a synthale kind of night.

( sighs )

She walked right past me, Chief.

Acted like I wasn't even there.

Do you know what I think?

What?

I think she's in love with you.

I don't think so.

It's the only explanation.

Unless...

( laughs )

( snorts )

Unless she really ignored you because she can't stand you.

( laughs )

Isn't there some explanation in between?

Well... you're not an in-between kind of guy.

What do you mean?

Well, people either love you or hate you.

Really?

I mean, I hated you when we first met.

I remember.

But now...

And now?

Well... now I don't.

( sighs )

That means a lot to me, Chief.

It really does.

Really!

Now... that is from the heart, huh?

Huh? I really do.

Not hate you anymore.

Hey, do you know what I think?

What?

If you want to know why she ignored you, you have got to confront her.

You're right.

I got to go right up to her... and ask her flat out where she gets off walking past me like that.

Better wait until tomorrow.

Why?

Why not right now?

Because you can barely stand up right now.

Good point.

Good point.

Good point.

( exhales )

BOTH: ♪ And did those feet ♪

♪ In ancient time ♪

♪ Walk upon England's mountains... ♪

Lock it.

Coming about.

Now.

Good.

Solid job.

Let's take a break.

String up the hammock.

Hammock time.

Yo!

Hop in.

Phew!

Oh!

Nice.

Whoa!

I'm okay.

Comfortable, isn't it?

I'm fine. Yeah.

Yeah, we'll make a sailor of you yet.

I suppose congratulations are in order.

Pennington is a good school-- and very competitive.

Dad, before you say anything,

I'm turning down the fellowship.

Turning it down? Why?

I'm just... not ready to go.

Jake, an opportunity like this doesn't come along every day.

I can defer admission for a year.

If I want to go then, I still can.

Well, that's fine, but why will things be different in a year?

I don't know.

They just might be, that's all.

Now, remember, Jake.

I wasn't much older than you when I left for San Francisco to go to Starfleet Academy.

For the first few days,

I was so homesick, that I'd go back to my house in New Orleans every night for dinner.

I'd materialize in my living room at 6:30 every night and take my seat at the table, just like I had come downstairs.

You must have used up a month's worth of transporter credits.

Hmm.

My parents, they never said anything about it.

Just "How you doing, son? How was school today?"

They knew that I would get over being homesick soon enough.

Well, after about the fifth, sixth day, you couldn't pry me from that campus.

Of course now, if you go to Pennington, you won't be able to beam back to the station to have dinner with your old man.

After about a week or so, you'll get over it.

It's not me I'm worried about.

It's you.

Me?

Well, if I go, you'll be all alone.

Well, I appreciate you thinking about me, Jake, but please don't turn down this opportunity on my account.

I'll have plenty of people to keep me company.

I can always eat dinner with Dax or Dr. Bashir or... even Quark.

I guess.

I'd feel a lot better if you had someone.

You know, someone special, like a girlfriend.

I see.

Well, let's face it.

It's been over a year since your last date.

A year, Dad.

Well, you got to make time for these things.

I cannot believe that I'm getting advice about women from my son.

Don't think of me as your son right now.

Just think of me as another guy.

( laughs )

Another guy who happens to know a very attractive lady who wants to meet you.

( chuckles )

You are trying to set me up?

Why not?

( both laughing )

( crashing )

What was that?

I'm not sure, but whatever hit us almost tore off the port mainsail.

Main power is off-line.

We're moving at warp.

How can that be?

I don't know.

What happened?

That's a good question.

There's no record of any spatial anomalies in this region.

What are these?

Tachyon eddies.

They run all through this area.

Could we have gotten caught up in one?

No, tachyons don't have enough mass to affect a ship of...

This... isn't an ordinary ship.

It has a lot more surface area relative to its mass.

Because of the sails.

And since tachyons travel faster than light, it could be that their impact on the sails somehow accelerated us to warp speeds.

We could be light-years off course.

The question is... where did we end up?

You check the rigging.

I'll try to figure that out.

We lost the jib and port mainsail.

Damn!

What?

It's useless.

Now we can't figure out where we are or where we're going.

Guess we'll have to contact the station.

Let them know they have to come and get us.

We were so close.

Another day and we would have made it to the Denorios Belt.

Hey, we did pretty well getting as far as we did.

Is something wrong?

The station's not responding.

Is the com unit damaged?

Not as far as I can see.

Maybe they haven't received our message yet.

Do you think we could have been carried that far away from the station?

I suppose it's possible.

Well... they'll find us eventually.

Right?

Sure.

Excuse me.

Yes?

We were at medical school together.

Julian Bashir.

You're Bashir?

You sound surprised.

Well, I thought you were Andorian.

Andorian?

Someone pointed out an Andorian to me at a party and said that that was Julian Bashir.

It was, um, New Year's Eve at Bruce Lucier's four years ago.

Well, I did go to that party. May I?

Yes.

With my friend, Erib.

Now, he's Andorian.

No, thank you.

I must have gotten you mixed up.

All these years, I thought you were someone else.

Didn't you see me give my speech at graduation?

No, I was back stage, waiting to give my speech.

I was so nervous, I almost passed out.

I know the feeling.

So, you gave me quite a run for my money.

If it hadn't been for that preganglionic fiber...

You know about that.

I know that if you hadn't got that wrong,

you would be valedictorian.

Well, I never got a chance to congratulate you.

It seems like a long time ago, doesn't it?

Not so long.

So, you got the Lexington.

You must have had quite an adventure exploring uncharted space meeting fascinating new species with fascinating new diseases.

Actually, it ended up being more of a charting expedition.

Sometimes it would be months between planetary systems.

You wouldn't believe how excited I would get if we actually found something living, even if it was just moss under a rock.

Don't take this the wrong way, but... there were times when I regretted not taking your assignment.

Really?

I read your paper on the immunotherapy project you've been doing on Bajor.

It was brilliant.

Thank you.

I really envy the opportunity you have to work on that kind of long-term project.

On the Lexington, it was collect your samples and then on to the next system.

I suppose I was lucky...

What's happening on Bajor?

Were you able to get the T cell anomalies under control?

If you're really that interested, we should go to the Infirmary, and I can show you my latest results.

I'd love it.

Morn, about that bet.

I believe the odds were three to one.

So, Dad... we're not going to run out of air or anything, are we?

Don't worry.

Somebody will find us before that happens.

Hmm.

So... tell me about this woman you want me to meet.

Well... she's a freighter Captain.

( whistles )

A freighter Captain.

Well, Dad, trust me.

You'll like her.

All right.

I'll agree to meet her, on one condition.

What?

That you agree not to base your decision about going to Pennington on how our date turns out.

Don't worry.

I won't.

I've already decided to wait at least a year.

Why?

Well...

I've heard that you can only write about what you've experienced.

And you-you got to admit,

Deep Space 9 is a pretty good place to get experience.

Dad.

It appears we've got company.

What do you think they want?

( com beeping )

Hmm. Looks like we're about to find out.

SISKO: What can I do for you, Dukat?

Well, I wanted to be the first one to congratulate you.

Congratulate me?

On managing to make it all the way here.

All the way where?

Don't you know?

You've just entered the Cardassian system.

The tachyon eddy.

It must have taken us past the Denorios Belt and brought us here.

The same thing must have happened to the ancient Bajorans.

We did it!

We proved the trip was possible.

DUKAT: I hate to interrupt your celebration, Commander, but I've been asked to convey a message from the Cardassian government.

"Your voyage is a testament

"to the spirit of the ancient Bajorans

"who first ventured out into space.

"It could not be more appropriate

"that your arrival coincides

"with the discovery here on Cardassia

"of an ancient crash site--

"a site that our archaeologists believe

"contains the remnants of one of the Bajoran vessels whose journey you have just recreated."

What an amazing coincidence.

Yes, isn't it?

Welcome.

( distant explosions )