Home > Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

One Little Ship

SISKO: Captain's Log, Stardate 51474.2.

The Defiant has been ordered

to investigate a rare subspace compression phenomenon

recently discovered in Federation space.

This scientific assignment is a welcome change

from months of combat duty against the Dominion.

Three of my officers are taking a runabout

into the anomaly's vortex.

The runabout and its crew

will be subjected to severe spatial distortion,

so we have activated a tractor beam to minimize the effect.

So, uh... how small are they?

The miniaturization process won't begin until the runabout reaches the edge of the accretion disk.

I see. And, uh... then they'll begin to shrink?

Yes, sir.

( chuckling )

Major, are you laughing at our investigation of this subspace anomaly?

No, sir.

The data collected here could provide Starfleet with the key to creating transwarp corridors through space.

It could give us a substantial tactical advantage over the Dominion.

Oh, it's very important research.

What?!

I'm not laughing.

I... just because we are shrinking three people to the size of coffee cups--

( laughing )

Smaller, actually.

I do not see what is so humorous about being small.

Neither do I.

( incoming com beep )

On screen.

Their visual signal's degrading, Captain. We have audio only.

Go ahead, Rubicon.

DAX: We're about to enter the accretion disk.

I wish I were with you, old man.

I'll send you a postcard.

Tell Worf I look forward to hearing his poem.

I bet it'll be inspiring-- ( static buzz )

We'll talk again once we've left

the accretion disk and reversed

the effects of the compression. Rubicon out.

Good luck, Rubicon.

We've lost their signal, Captain.

Thank you, Ensign.

Mr. Worf.

Poem?

( sighs )

It is an ancient Klingon tradition to commemorate an important event with a poem.

Jadzia asked me to compose one for this occasion.

Well, what have you got so far?

They've penetrated the accretion disk.

Now, is it my imagination or did the kid just cover for him?

This could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

They are getting smaller.

NOG: Even the space within their subatomic structure is shrinking.

I wonder what it feels like.

I don't feel any smaller.

Well, believe it or not you're about a meter tall and shrinking fast.

In a few minutes, you're going to be half the size of a combadge.

There's a comforting thought.

The gamma ray flux is increasing.

We should close the blast shutters.

DAX: Take a last look.

We're on sensors from here on.

You're sure we'll return to our normal size once we clear the anomaly?

The probes did.

You saw the data.

Something wrong?

No, I'm fine.

I'm... just not in love with the idea of being small.

What are you smirking at?

You're as small as I am.

Actually, you're sitting

1.14 meters closer to the focal point of the anomaly, which means you've shrunk

.04 percent more than I have.

What was that?

The tractor beam is fluctuating.

Something's wrong.

( yelling )

The Jem'Hadar are coming around for another pass!

Radiation from the vortex must have masked their warp signature.

Return fire, Mr. Worf.

Ensign, pull the Rubicon out of there.

Phasers are off-line.

We're a sitting duck as long as we're tethered to the runabout.

I'm not going to leave them in there if I can help it.

Mr. Worf, go down to Auxiliary Control and target the phasers manually.

Aye, sir. I'm losing the Rubicon, sir.

If we're going to get out of here,

I need warp power now!

I'm on it.

SISKO: Report.

Shield generators and impulse engines are off-line, sir.

Warp engines, too.

Surrender, or you will all be killed.

( whoosh of transport )

DAX: Chief, you okay?

I think so.

DAX: Julian?

I'm fine, but you're not.

Oh, that's better.

That was the easy part.

Well, the good news is we're alive, so we must have escaped the anomaly.

The bad news is the external sensors and the com system are down.

I can patch around most of the damage, but it'll take time.

Better add the blast shutters to your list.

I can't get them open.

There you go. Good as new.

Oh, you don't suppose that thing'll work on our communications system? ( chuckles )

I'm picking up the Defiant's transponder signal.

We can home in on that.

Going to one-quarter impulse.

Chief, either open these shutters or give me external sensors-- whichever's quicker.

I need to see where we're going.

The bridge is secure.

Tactical report.

The bridge officers are confined in the mess hall-- other survivors in the cargo bay.

We will have impulse power back on line in 30 minutes, but it will take several hours to restore warp capability.

It must be gratifying for an Elder to end his career with a victory.

I feel privileged to be here with you at such a moment.

There is still much to do before we declare victory.

Until we leave Federation space, we are vulnerable to--

I am First, and I have declared victory.

That is, of course, your prerogative.

Open a channel to the Vorta.

SIXTH: Yes, First.

We have the boarding party.

Ah, First. Your report?

The Defiant is ours.

Good. Very, very good.

I must admit, I was initially quite skeptical

about you and the other new Jem'Hadar

bred in this Quadrant, but this is a most impressive debut.

Wouldn't you agree, Elder?

The takeover of the ship was competently executed.

Do I detect a note of jealousy in your voice?

I'm sure it must be difficult

for you to watch a new race of Jem'Hadar

beginning to supplant you and the other members

of the old guard.

I serve the Founders.

If it is their will to create a new race, then that is the order of things.

But...?

But the Jem'Hadar bred here in the Alpha Quadrant have not proven themselves superior to those in the Gamma Quadrant-- at least not yet.

Not yet?

It is the Alphas who made this victory possible.

If it were not for us, you would never--

You two can argue about this on your own time.

First, how long until you restore warp power?

I will make a complete survey of the ship and give you a report in one hour.

Very well.

I await your report.

Bring me Captain Sisko.

I would suggest that his execution can wait until we have completed repairs to the ship.

I'm not going to execute him.

Are you about to question my order, Second?

No.

Obedience brings victory.

And victory is life.

Find the ship's transponder and shut it down.

I don't want anyone tracking us.

Yes, First.

And get these chairs off the bridge.

Thanks. That's enough.

I should have foreseen this.

I should have sent out reconnaissance probes to scan for enemy ships, or a shuttle, or recalibrated the sensors. If I had, Jadzia--

NOG: None of that would have done any good.

The Jem'Hadar approached us from the anterior angle of the anomaly.

Their warp... signature...

He's just trying to tell you that--

I do not need him to tell me anything.

Everybody settle.

First of all, we don't know what happened to the Rubicon.

For all we know, they got out of the anomaly on their own.

If they did, they're headed home, and in much better shape than we are.

So let's hold off on analyzing our mistakes for now.

If they restore warp power, we'll be analyzing them from inside a Dominion prison camp.

Restoring warp power... might not be so simple for them.

It took us a week just to learn how to pilot one of their ships.

We might have a chance to retake the Defiant, but we can't do anything unless we can get out of this room.

Suggestions?

Captain Sisko... come with me.

Everybody sit tight.

I'll be back.

We've lost the Defiant's transponder signal.

Coming to a full stop.

The problem isn't at this end.

They must have stopped transmitting.

I can't keep flying blind, Chief. Try the shutters.

( metallic clanking )

Nice work.

O'BRIEN: Ask and ye shall receive.

What the hell is that?

DAX: Some kind of wall?

In the middle of nowhere?

Wait a minute. There's a symbol up there.

It looks like a large black circle.

Anything else?

Hold on.

Chief... you're not going to like this.

I thought you said we'd return to our normal size once we left the anomaly. We should have.

We didn't leave the anomaly by the same path by which we entered it.

So the process failed to reverse itself.

Are you telling me I'm going to be this bloody tall for the rest of my life?

This bloody tall, actually.

But don't worry-- all we have to do to regain our original size is reenter the anomaly and follow our original trajectory back out.

In theory.

In theory.

Well, I'll tell you what isn't a theory.

We're going to need the Defiant's help to reenter the anomaly.

With communications out, how do we get their attention?

Fly up to a window and knock?

Wait.

If we're... this big?

That means the Rubicon is what, this big?

More or less.

And the Defiant's aft plasma vent is... this big?

DAX: Are you suggesting that we take the Rubicon inside the Defiant?

Well, why not?

Getting past the anti-back flow valve might be tricky but once we're inside, we've a better chance of attracting someone's attention than we do sitting out here.

I love it. Let's go.

The engineering team reports that we can start the impulse engines in 12 minutes.

Good.

Captain Benjamin Sisko... the one the Bajorans call "the Emissary."

I am First Kudak'Etan.

In a strange way, you are the reason I exist.

If you had not eliminated our fleet in the wormhole, there would have been no need to breed Alpha Quadrant Jem'Hadar.

You didn't bring me here to say thank you.

No. The impulse engine sustained only minor damage in our attack, but the warp drive was severely damaged.

I will need your technical expertise in order to repair it.

Bring Captain Sisko to the Engine Room so he may begin necessary repairs.

It's a mistake.

Giving him access to the Engine Room will only give him an opportunity to retake the ship.

In fact, he's working on a plan at this very moment.

I was not aware that telepathy was a Gamma characteristic.

I know what he's thinking because it's exactly what I would be doing in his position.

You should kill him now before he has a chance to put his plan into motion.

You are the Second.

I am the First.

Do not presume to tell me what to do.

I'm glad the two of you worked that out.

Now, what makes you think I'm going to help you?

Your choice is to repair the warp drive, or watch me execute your crew one at a time.

Have Sixth Duran'Adar select one of the prisoners for execution and bring him to the Bridge.

I can't do this job alone.

I'm going to need some of my crew.

How many?

I strongly suggest you refuse this request.

You have the weapons.

Are you afraid you can't handle a few unarmed prisoners?

I won't be baited by a prisoner... and neither should you.

Okay, I'm in no hurry to reach a Dominion prison camp.

If you want me to teach your men how to repair a warp drive, that's fine with me.

We'll begin with primary command and control systems.

That should take about six hours-- then we will move up to basic engineering theory for a class-7 warp drive. Then--

Enough!

You may have the other three Bridge officers, but that is all.

And I'm not interested in any more of your "suggestions."

Now take him to the Engine Room.

Where are we, Chief?

We've just about reached the bipolar flow junction, I think.

You think?

Well, I'm not used to seeing things from this perspective.

Once we reach the flow junction, we should be able to go up into the secondary warp plasma feed, and then exit by the diagnostic panel.

This conduit's filthy, Chief.

Don't you ever clean up in here?

All right, all right. Let's not badger the Chief.

Thank you.

I'm sorry. It was very small of me.

Whatever it is you're planning, don't.

I'll be watching you, and at the first sign of treachery,

I will kill all your bridge officers.

I'm a prisoner. I have no intention--

The First may be a fool, but I am not.

Then it is a pity for you that you are not the First.

I was... until two days ago.

If we had captured you while I was in command, we wouldn't be having this conversation.

Deck Two, Section Five.

What happened?

He is an Alpha.

I am a Gamma.

His DNA and psychological profile are specifically designed for combat in this Quadrant.

The Founders believe that makes him a better leader.

What do you believe?

I believe I've given you enough information already.

( door opens )

We have restored impulse power and the warp drive will be operational in five hours.

Excellent. It's good to see my faith in you

has not been misplaced.

The Founders will be pleased.

If you require no more assistance,

I will resume our mission to Coridan.

Let's hope the Federation's dilithium miners

will be as surprised to see us as the Defiant's crew was.

Victory is life.

Indeed.

Set course for the nearest Dominion outpost.

Engage impulse engines.

Uh-oh. What is it?

The magnetic plasma guides are heating up.

They must have initiated the impulse prestart sequence.

What does that mean then?

It means this entire conduit is about to be filled with superheated plasma.

When you say "superheated"...

If I can't find another way out of here, we'll be vaporized.

Is that clear?

Crystal.

O'BRIEN: There's a distribution manifold coming up.

Take the left conduit.

Then make a quick right into the relays.

Left... then right.

I hope you know where you're going, Chief.

So do I.

Through the relays.

There's an inspection hatch coming up on the right.

If we can figure out a way to open the ha--

( console beeping )

We're out of time.

( insistent beeping )

What about the hatch?

We'll have to open it the old-fashioned way.

Let's not do that again.

No promises.

So where are we, Chief?

We should be in the Engine Room near the warp core.

Right.

There's the core.

Looks like the warp drive is off-line.

Quite a mess. I wonder what happened.

JEM'HADAR: I will verify the settings myself.

What are you doing?

Realigning the dilithium articulation frame.

Instruct him on how to complete the realignment.

It'll take longer to explain than just to--

Then explain it quickly.

Give him the tool.

All right.

Start by decoupling the lateral microbrace.

DAX: That's not good.

Chief, I need visual sensors as fast as you can get them to me.

Right. Julian, give me a hand down here.

Okay, you should have visual sensors now.

The com system's back on line.

DAX: They're forcing our crew to repair the warp drive.

BASHIR: Why's the Captain going along with this?

DAX: Good question.

But if I know Benjamin, he's up to something.

Can you give me a tight shot on the operations display?

I think so.

DAX: Do you see what I see?

O'BRIEN: Hmm. Very clever.

Oh, the problem is it's never going to work.

The Bridge control lockouts.

The security codes are hardwired through the encryption circuitry.

Will someone please let me in on this conversation?

The Captain's trying to take control of the ship from Engineering.

Kira is the only one actually working on the warp drive, but it doesn't look like she's in any hurry to get it done.

DAX: I think Worf's trying to cover their tracks.

It looks like he's sending false signals to the computer system.

O'BRIEN: Nog is the key.

He's trying to override the Bridge control lockout so he can release the command codes.

If he can do that, the Captain can control the entire ship from the operations console.

Nog's a smart kid, but it's going to take him weeks to release the codes from here.

Can we do anything to help him?

Not from Engineering.

If we could get to the Bridge, we could release the codes from there.

How? Wait a minute. One thing at a time.

First, we need to get out of the Engine Room without getting caught.

Why is the Klingon working on the plasma display subsystem?

Because I told him to.

That system has nothing to do with warp drive operation.

Maybe not on Dominion ships but I'll need to use the display to monitor warp plasma stability.

Pardon me.

KIRA: Seventh, power up the magneto-impellers and advance the field coils.

Call out every five teslas until I tell you to stop.

SEVENTH: Yes, Major.

KIRA: Easy does it.

We don't want to burn out the inducers.

Now what?

Now we wait until someone walks out that door.

Sixth!

Yes, Second.

Relieve the Klingon.

Take over the repair of the display subsystem.

Immediately, Second!

Give the Klingon another task.

Why?

Because I said so.

Why is the warp drive not on line yet?

He's stalling.

"Stalling"?

Your Second is the one who's slowing down the work.

He countermands my orders, arbitrarily reassigns my crew.

I can't get any work done in here!

You were told to watch them, not to interfere with them.

You're playing right into his hands.

Don't you see that?

Captain Sisko... you have 30 minutes to restore warp power or I will kill... her and another of your crew every 15 minutes until you do.

And you, Second, will no longer interfere with their work.

Get ready.

When he activates the door sensor, we'll...

Nice bit of piloting.

If you liked that you're going to love what's coming up next.

SISKO: Any luck, Ensign?

Not yet, sir.

The system is always three steps ahead of me.

Every time I get past the primary security net, the secondary always kicks me back out and the codes are all reset, and I have to start all over again.

( beep )

Ah... Like that.

Do you have a backup plan in case this doesn't work?

Yes. I'll destroy the ship.

There are still a few algorithms

I haven't tried yet.

Thanks.

All right, I'm ready to connect the deuterium injector.

Go to the plasma relay and power it up-- but slowly, just like I showed you.

I'm about ten minutes away from initiating the prestart sequence in the warp drive.

How's Nog doing?

Not good. You'll have to find another problem.

( insistent beeping )

Too fast!

Reinitialize the system and start again, but do it at about half the speed this time.

Well, he's not stupid.

He's already got the entire command and control system committed to memory.

I can't keep him fooled forever.

In a battle of wits between you and him,

I'll bet on you every time.

Hmm. What kind of odds are you giving?

First? I've realigned the targeting sensors.

There were errors in the tracking subroutines.

You were not ordered to check the targeting sensors.

Well, I thought it a wise precaution in case we encountered an enemy ship on our way home.

Your initiative pleases me.

It's a trait that the Gammas lack.

Well, the Gammas have many flaws.

When we return from this mission, there will be need for a new Second.

I will recommend you to the Vorta.

You will not be disappointed.

I'm sure that I won't.

It'll be Alphas like us that determine the future of this Quadrant.

That will be the new order of things.

O'BRIEN: Looks like we need another ticket into the Bridge.

So how long do we wait for someone to open the door?

We don't.

I cannot access the auto-destruct system without drawing attention.

Plant a computer virus in the warp plasma subprocessor.

Set it to cause a core breach once the ship reaches warp 1.

Understood.

Don't hit it too hard.

It could shatter the control panel.

Don't worry. I have a light touch.

Not according to Worf.

What?

Well, we certainly can't release the control lock while the First has his hand on it.

Can we bypass it?

Well, I suppose I could reroute the encryption subprocessors manually.

But...?

But I'd have to leave the ship to do it.

And I have to say, I'm not fond of the idea.

I can think of a thousand ways a one-centimeter man could get fried walking around inside a circuit housing.

Relax, Miles. You wouldn't be able to go out there even if you wanted to.

You wouldn't be able to breathe.

The oxygen molecules outside are almost 2,000 times larger than anything your hemoglobin could assimilate.

You'd suffocate.

Well.

That takes care of that idea.

Unless--

Circuit housings are airtight.

I could beam a bubble of compressed air ahead of you, and it would expand to fill the housing.

Well, it should work.

I mean, the air would be thin, but, uh... you'd be able to breathe for about 20 minutes.

And then?

You'd pass out.

We'd pass out.

You're coming with me.

( sighs )

This might take longer than I thought.

O'BRIEN: All right.

If we beamed in to the primary safeties junction, we should see a cluster of heuristic subprocessors... next to a rectilinear expansion module.

The question is:

What does a rectilinear expansion module look like when you're one centimeter tall?

What?

I haven't the faintest idea... but it's amazing.

It's like we're in the middle of an optronic forest.

Looks like we need to go...

Julian, stop!

That chip behind you is carrying 20 microamps of electric current. Now that's not very much--

But it's enough to fry every synapse in my tiny body.

Thanks for the tip.

All right, stay right behind me.

And don't touch anything without asking.

Believe me, I won't.

The white.

It is time.

How's it coming, Chief?

We're making progress.

Aren't we, Chief?

I'm still trying to locate the security protocol interlink.

It shouldn't take much longer.

Well, the sooner the better.

Things are getting a little crowded up here.

We pledge our loyalties to the Founders--

( grunts )

We're all Alphas here.

Our loyalty is demonstrated by our actions, not our words.

All right.

Now...

Miles... we're lost, aren't we?

Yes, we're lost.

I can draw these circuits in my sleep.

I've just... never seen them from this perspective.

Disorientation-- it's one of the effects of hypoxia-- lack of oxygen.

Need to focus on a landmark.

There.

That large isolinear chip-- number 58966 stroke delta.

What is it?

Julian, there are two dozen 66/deltas in the asymmetric encryption circuits alone.

All right, then what-- what's this here at its base?

Well, that's a four-way interlink shunt.

So... that would mean that this chip is...?

( sighs ) I don't know!

I told you that they all look the same to me.

All right, don't look at it.

What?! Close your eyes.

Use your memory.

( exhales sharply )

Okay. There's a four-way shunt at the base of a 58966 stroke delta isolinear chip... which is where?

The only four-way shunt near a 66/delta is at the base... of the master differential relay.

That's got to be it.

So the interlink we want has to be...?

That way.

We've got trouble.

They're cross-checking the diagnostic protocols.

Has Nog made any progress?

( Nog sighs )

Not yet.

( panting )

It's stuck.

( panting )

( both panting )

Which one?

That one.

( panting )

No, no, no.

(panting )

That one.

You sure?

Oh...

Again.

Julian.

( both panting )

Rub-Rubicon... m-mission complete.

Oh, I am good.

Come with me.

All of you, step away from the consoles!

Right now!

Captain, I did it.

I don't know how, but I released the command codes.

Well done. What we need now is a diversion before they go to warp. Silence!

( coughs )

All the Defiant's command functions have been transferred to Engineering... but nothing's happening.

Well, maybe the Captain doesn't realize he has control of the ship yet.

Or maybe he's in trouble.

The First was called to the Engine Room a few minutes ago.

How long has the warp drive been repaired?

At least one hour... maybe longer.

And they managed to conceal it from you?

You ordered me not to interfere with them.

I also told you to watch them carefully.

If we had assigned Jem'Hadar to do the repair, as I said--

I am not interested in your excuses.

Bring the warp drive on line.

Wait.

Before we activate the warp drive, we should check the entire system for possible sabotage.

That would take hours-- every minute we spend in Federation space exposes us to detection and attack, and I would hate for your last mission to end in failure, Elder.

Do it.

And when you have sufficient engine power available, bring us to warp 4.

At least we're going to take them with us.

FIRST: Secure these four with the other prisoners.

( groans )

Dax, upper rail. I've got him.

( grunting, coughing )

This guy is really starting to get on my nerves.

I have torpedo lock. Fire!

( grunting )

( growling )

I'm flooding all the compartments except the Engine Room with anesthezine gas.

Major, get that virus out of the computer before someone on the Bridge engages the warp drive.

Aye, sir.

SISKO: He should have listened to you and killed me when he had the chance.

He was a First.

They don't need... to... listen.

Obedience brings victory, and victory is...

( gasps )

( runabout approaching )

Mr. Worf, I think your wife is here.

SISKO: Captain's Log, supplemental.

After completing repairs,

we were able to return to the anomaly

and successfully restore our runabout and its crew

to their normal size.

The surviving Jem'Hadar

have been transferred to a Federation P.O.W. camp.

Is that your poem?

Yes.

Bloodwine.

Can I hear it?

It is not finished yet.

Oh, please? Just the first line?

All right.

But it is my first poem.

I understand.

And I have worked very long and very hard on this.

I know.

I do not wish to be ridiculed.

I promise.

Very well.

"This is the story of the little ship that took a little trip."

What do you think?

It's, uh...

Well, it rhymes.

There's nothing on this padd.

( laughing )

BASHIR: We were just minding our own business when suddenly, right there in front of us was this immense Jem'Hadar.

He looked as tall as a Seltan carnosaur.

We were so close, you could see the veins in his eyeballs throbbing.

We swung around and ducked behind the operations console.

I knew we had to get our sensors back on line if we were going to be of any help to the Captain and the others.

So I said to Julian...

Is there something wrong?

Are you sure you've returned to your normal size?

Of course.

Why?

Well, you both appear to be a couple of centimeters shorter than you were the last time I saw you.

A changeling notices that sort of thing.

I didn't want to say anything, but you do look a little... on the petite side.

Infirmary.

And they say you don't have a sense of humor.

( grunts )

( both chuckle )