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Justice

Captain's Log, Stardate 41255.6:

After delivering a party of Earth colonists

to the Strnad solar system,

we have discovered another class M planet

in the adjoining Rubicun star system.

We are now in orbit there

having determined it to be inhabited

as well as unusually lovely.

My first officer has taken an away team down to make contact

and they are in the process of returning to the ship.

Riker says the planet's life-forms are almost identical to us.

He's very enthusiastic.

Captain... sorry, Troi.

The Doctor has something very important to tell you, Captain.

You've been talking about it for days-- shore leave for the crew.

Establishing this colony has been exhausting for the entire crew, Captain.

We're not a supply vessel.

Settling all those people has been a strain on everyone.

I'm tired myself.

Is it as good as your report suggests, Number One?

As per report, sir.

Class M-- earthlike, beautiful.

It will startle you.

Sounds wonderful for the children.

The holodecks are marvelous, of course, but there's nothing like open spaces and fresh air.

I've listed my report on their customs and laws, sir.

Fairly simple-- common sense things.

LA FORGE: They're wild in some ways actually puritanical in others.

Neat as pins, ultra-lawful.

They make love at the drop of a hat.

Any hat.

But the happiest report has its negatives.

Let's start with them, Number One.

There are none, sir-- none that any of us could find.

But there is a problem here, sir.

It's the faulty reading I reported, sir.

I'm reading something off the starboard bow but there is nothing there.

Sensor technicians are working on it, sir.

They have identified it as a glitch in the system.

I take it you find no glitch at all in this planet, however.

No, sir.

If you approve shore leave, sir, we could start with a small group.

Of course.

Wesley, if we go down,

I'd like you to join the away team to evaluate this planet as a place for young people to relax.

Yes, sir.

If our scans and observations confirm the report, of course I'll approve it.

Let's just hope it's not too good to be true.

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 in orbit of a planet designated Rubicun 3

the home of a life-form who call themselves the Edo.

Our away team, including Wesley Crusher,

has beamed down to make some arrangements

concerning some well-earned recreation.

Careful, sir. No, it's all right, Lieutenant.

Those are the Edo we met before.

They certainly are fit.

They certainly are.

Health and happiness!

A pleasant day to you!

You did return as promised.

Rivan, Liator.

Also from our vessel, Troi and...

Slowly, slowly.

I must welcome this lovely one.

Nice to see you again.

My pleasure.

RIKER: Counselor?

Healthy sensuality, sir.

I feel mainly friendship and, um... happiness.

And I welcome this huge one.

Oh, yes!

Nice planet.

Yeah.

But you are a young one.

I do not know your custom regarding love.

Uh...

I guess... whatever you usually do.

There are others who would like to visit here if you would give us a limit on the number.

Whatever pleases you.

We'll discuss it at the council chambers.

Shall we go there now or remain and play?

Play?

At love.

Unless you don't enjoy that.

Perhaps you do.

And you.

Yes, I can see that you do.

Maybe I should just go on ahead.

Oh, this is unfair to him.

We'll go on to the council chambers.

You'll find young people your age there.

Well, I can't make any promises.

You don't have to.

Our rules are simple.

No one does anything uncomfortable to them.

Come, our people will want to know you.

Rivan, perhaps they can't run.

Can't run?

Of course we can run. Right, Commander?

That's the custom here-- running.

Lead the way.

When in Rome, eh?

When in where, sir?

Good health to you!

Happiness to you!

It's like an Eden here.

Good health!

I thought you might be out of breath.

We may surprise you in a lot of ways.

Children, we've brought you a new friend.

Well, hello! Join us.

Yes, please.

Come on!

This way.

And now it's time for you to meet some new friends.

Everyone!

We've brought the visitors.

Please, enjoy what we have.

Come with me.

I've traced it through our sensor channels, sir.

It's not a glitch or any other form of error or malfunction.

That's confirmed by my readings, Captain.

It's a shadow something.

Exactly, as if it were neither in or out of our dimension.

What is, Commander?

Whatever is sitting out there without triggering our alarm relays, sir.

Center main viewer on that area.

I see nothing, Commander.

Enterprise to object off our starboard bow.

Request that you identify yourself.

( alarm blaring )

Shields and deflectors up full, sir.

Main phaser banks ready.

Hailing frequencies-- any reply?

It was something unintelligible, sir.

Now running it through language and logic circuits.

Geordi? Sir?

Have a real look. Aye, sir.

Sir, my sensors read it... well, as half there.

And it does look as if it were partly transparent.

Data, what the hell is it?

Lieutenant La Forge to Captain.

Go ahead, La Forge. What can you make out?

This is something I've never seen before, sir.

After complete spectral analysis, it's... well, it's as if it's not really there.

I don't understand it.

I've got some information on its first transmission, sir.

It translates as "stand by."

Sir, I see something coming out of that ship.

Verified, sir.

Something very small.

What is it?

Intruder alert, sir.

I don't show a location.

The away team signal has been cut off, Captain.

We've lost contact with our people.

Intruder relays do show something.

Why has everything become a "something" or a "whatever"?

MALE VOICE: State... the... purpose.

State the purpose of what you have done.

I'm Captain Picard commanding this Federation starship.

State the purpose of your visit here.

We have sent down what we call an away team to make peaceful contact here.

Do you plan to leave life-forms here?

No.

We are merely visiting here.

But you did more at the world you just left.

Why have you left your own life-forms there?

The colony we just planted, sir.

We found that world uninhabited.

The life-forms we left there had... had sought the challenge-- at least, that is the basic reason-- had sought the challenge of creating a new lifestyle-- a new society there.

Life on our world is driven to protect itself by seeding itself as widely as possible.

Do not interfere with my children below.

Captain...

I do not understand how but it is asking me if I was constructed for information exchange.

If there is any way of finding out whatever it is out there, Data...

Watch! I bet you can't do this!

Watch this.

I want to do something, too, with you.

Uh, what?

It's something you can teach me. Will you?

Uh... well, actually, there are some games I don't quite know yet.

It's playing ball.

Will you teach me?

Oh, sure.

If you have a bat for the ball,

I can show you my favorite.

A bat?

A stick or a branch.

Um, about this long, this thick.

We can get it in the gardens. Come on!

This will please you. Join us.

Thanks, another time.

Joy and happiness.

It certainly is.

The good life, Worf.

I am not concerned with pleasure, Commander.

I am a warrior.

Even Klingons need love now and then.

For what we consider love, sir, I would need a Klingon woman.

What about plain old basic sex?

You must have some need for that.

Of course, but with the females available to me, sir--

Earth females--

I must restrain myself too much.

They are quite fragile, sir.

Worf, if anyone else had said that,

I'd suspect he was bragging.

Bragging, sir?

I think I'll pass on that.

I better check in.

Enterprise, come in.

Captain, do you read me?

Let's...

This may be nothing, but let's move all our people together.

Including Wesley, the boy?

He's outside.

Is there a problem?

We've lost contact with our ship.

Well, it's nothing these people have done.

I'm certain of that.

Their minds are so open.

Help me locate Wes. He's wandered off.

That is extraordinary.

May I take a moment of your time, Lieutenant?

Yes, Worf, but you've got to hear this.

Are you telling me that there's no crime here whatsoever?

No one breaks any laws?

Once they did.

Long, long ago, there was much disorder.

But not now.

But I've seen no sign of police.

Those who enforce laws.

RIVAN: Oh, we have very few.

They are called mediators and they are needed only in one place each day.

The punishment zone, an area that's selected for a period of time.

It's a completely random selection?

No one but our mediators know what place or for how long.

We're very proud of the wisdom of our ancestors.

No person ever knows where or when a zone will be.

And so no one risks death.

Death?

By breaking any law.

Wait, explain this.

Only one punishment for any crime.

Anyone who commits any crime in the punishment zone dies?

The law is the law.

Our peace is built on that.

Even a small thing... such as ignoring the rule "keep off the grass"?

Well, then, no one breaks that rule.

Who wants to risk execution?

And there's always a white wall or fence to remind anyone of a forbidden area like that.

And just who tells visitors about these rules?

We'd better find Wesley.

( laughing )

Here.

Catch, catch.

All right. Over here.

Yeah!

Throw it back.

All right. Oh, good catch.

Here it comes.

Right here.

There you go.

Hey!

Here it comes.

You're very clever at this.

At home, we play a lot of it.

Here, toss the ball ahead of me.

No, Wes!

No, it's forbidden to disturb new plants.

Couldn't you see the fence?

It's for new plants.

Don't ever past a white marker.

It's okay.

I'm fine.

Oh, no!

Oh, please, no!

Speak the truth.

We are mediators.

I said I was fine.

He doesn't know! He's from another place!

How very sad, but this zone has been selected.

But he doesn't understand.

It's always sad.

Now doubly so.

I was chasing a ball and I fell into that.

I'm really sorry.

You admit you did that?

Freely?

I'm with Starfleet.

We don't lie.

It won't happen again.

We apologize.

We're sorry, too, but that changes nothing.

Careful, Commander.

They've got some strange laws here.

I thought you reviewed their laws.

But they listed nothing about punishment.

One moment, please.

Is there a witness to this transgression?

But it was my fault.

I threw the ball past him.

We have a visible transgression ample witnesses and an admission of guilt.

And though it pains us deeply to do it, we must.

Are you prepared for punishment?

Punishment?

If you mean what the others were talking about...

What punishment? Name it.

Death, of course.

Don't make it difficult for the boy.

Drop it!

Drop it now!

It's a kind of syringe.

What is this?

You said death. Is this poison?

But... but of course it is-- completely painless.

The boy would have felt nothing.

But look at him now.

You frightened him.

He was going to kill me?

And if this zone was still in effect, you would all deserve death.

It was announced you came as friends.

Is this how friends act?

Enterprise from away team.

Come in.

Are you receiving us, Enterprise?

Condition?

No sign of consciousness but the balance of the readings are quite normal for him.

I believe this is some form of information exchange with whatever is over there.

At least, I hope it is.

Any communication from the away team?

Something is blocking communication both...

YAR: Security, urgent.

Repeating, Enterprise from away team.

This is the Enterprise, Lieutenant.

We're receiving you now.

This is an urgent call for Captain Picard.

RIKER: We may need your presence here, Captain.

We have serious trouble with a member of our away team and an unusual law they have here.

Captain to Riker. Stand by.

Any signs of consciousness?

Not yet.

It could be minutes or hours.

It's unclear what's happened to him.

Take him to Sick Bay, let me know the instant he's awake.

Anything new on that thing over there?

Negative, sir.

Captain to First Officer, I'm beaming down.

Would you care to comment privately on how you read any of this?

Unnecessary, sir.

These people are honest, almost to a fault, and they have great pride in their ways.

You're the Captain?

We're ready.

This way, please.

Welcome to our world, Captain. Thank you.

We regret that our system of justice is troubling you.

The boy, Wesley Crusher, where is he, please?

In accord with the Prime Directive,

I've allowed them to hold him pending the outcome of this.

He is safe and unharmed.

We promise that.

Captain Picard, I do not know how you Earth people conduct law and justice-- even if you respect such things.

We do.

Good. So do we.

Our precepts have been handed down from long ago.

The tranquility you see in our lives has been made possible by our laws.

RIVAN: We are a people of law.

They do sometimes bring us sadness, but we have learned to adjust to that.

Perhaps your laws work as well?

They haven't always, but now they do.

Do you execute criminals?

No, not any longer.

RIVAN: But you did once?

Unfortunately, yes. But since then...

And when you did, was it believed necessary to do so?

Some people felt that it was necessary, but we have learned to detect the seeds of criminal behavior.

Capital punishment, in our world, is no longer considered a justifiable deterrent.

So... we are not yet as advanced as they are.

And since you are advanced in other ways, too,

I suggest you use your superior powers to rescue the Wesley boy.

We will record him as a convicted criminal out of our reach-- an advanced person who luckily escaped the barbarism of this backward little world.

Unfortunately, we have a law known as the Prime Directive.

Riker has explained it to us.

Is the boy in any danger from you at this moment?

Until sundown?

Because you are strangers, we are delaying enforcement of the law, but we must act by sundown.

Then I have another question.

While orbiting-- while circling high above your world-- as we do, we have encountered a strange object.

A vessel, perhaps.

Have you any idea what it is?

It's not entirely real.

At least it's not completely solid.

Do you mean God?

God?

God is said to be somewhere up there protecting us.

Exactly... exactly how would you describe God?

As you just did.

As existing both here and in another place, also.

But when God wants to show its power, it can make itself felt most fully.

BEVERLY: Captain, come in, please.

Picard here.

CMO Crusher, sir.

Commander Data has just regained consciousness.

What condition? Can he talk?

He's insisting on it, sir, urgently.

Wesley...

Stand by. Picard out.

I want to speak to her personally about her son.

And so you promise that Wesley Crusher is safe until sundown?

You have our word.

Then will one of you return with me to our ship?

Of course.

I'll go as a hostage for the boy's safety.

No, no, no, that's not it.

I want you to identify something for me, if you can.

Picard to Transporter Room, three to beam up.

I'm frightened.

There's no reason to be.

Transporter Room, energize.

But this is a city! A great city.

Captain, I've just seen the away team report about Wesley.

In a moment, Doctor.

In a moment?!

Exactly. In a moment.

You were about to say?

Well, since you have all this power, why be concerned about our laws?

You could take the boy from us.

It's not that simple.

From the starboard lounge you can see whatever is outside this vessel.

Do you mean my world?

You said we'd be high above it.

And something else that's circling your world.

It's very important to us and perhaps to you to know what it is.

I'm sorry, Rivan, but this was necessary.

Do you know what that is?

Can you tell us what it is?

Is it God?

Now, it's very important that you answer something.

How do you recognize what it is?

Nothing will harm you, I promise.

Just tell us how you recognize it.

It has appeared before.

Can you speak to it?

Does it speak to you?

Captain!

Return my child!

Return?

It's coming towards us.

Picard to Transporter Room.

Come in.

Yes, do that, but hurry!

It's still coming towards us.

Transporter Chief to Captain.

One to beam down to away team location.

Hurry!

Engage, Transporter Room. Urgent, engage!

It seems the Edos' god is very protective of its children.

I had no choice but to learn about that thing from her.

I'm sorry I had to.

She was so frightened.

It's understandable, sir.

Sharing an orbit with God is no small experience.

Let's go see your patient, Doctor.

What do you intend to do about my son?

He's being held safely until sundown.

When he faces execution!

Although he's committed no crime-- certainly none any sane and reasonable person...

You saw what that thing was about to do.

I apologize, sir, but this is very difficult for me.

If he were your son, you'd be as frightened...

But I am.

Data's in Sick Bay here.

You'll find him able to talk to you.

He's checking out fine, Doctor.

Thank you. Finish it later, please.

I was an excellent choice for them, Captain.

They were able to communicate with me quite...

I was about to say quite easily, but there was nothing easy about it.

Fortunately, they stopped short of overloading my circuitry.

You're saying they? So it is a vessel of some sort?

Definitely not a single entity, if that's what you mean, sir.

Although they know the Edo worship them as a god thing.

They know?

They recognize that this is quite expected and harmless at the present Edo stage of evolution.

What sort of vessel?

It is perhaps not what we would understand as a vessel, sir.

The dimensions this one occupies allows them to be... well, to be in several places at once.

That they consider that this entire star cluster is theirs.

It was probably unwise of us to attempt to place a human colony in this area.

Of course, there are 3,004 other planets in this star cluster in which we could have colonized.

The largest and closest...

Data! Don't babble.

Babble, sir?

I am not aware that I ever babble, sir.

It may be that from time to time

I have considerable information to communicate and you may question the way in which I organize it...

Please, organize it into brief answers to my questions.

We have very little time.

Do they accept our presence at this planet?

Undecided, sir.

Data, please feel free to volunteer any important information.

I volunteer that they are now observing us, sir.

To judge what kind of life-forms we are?

No. It is more curiosity.

I doubt that they expect us to abide by their value systems.

Do they know of our Prime Directive?

They know everything I know, sir.

And if we were to violate the Prime Directive...

That's not a fair question.

How would they react?

That would be a case of judging us by our own rules, sir.

If we violate our own Prime Directive, they might consider us to be deceitful and untrustworthy.

You do recall, they cautioned us not to interfere with their children below.

What has happened?

The Edo want to execute my son.

I will not allow that to happen, Jean-Luc!

Most interesting, sir.

The emotion of motherhood as compared to all others felt by humans...

Shut up!

You were right, sir.

I do tend to babble.

Captain's Log, Stardate 41255.9:

Whatever the object or vessel in orbit with us,

it hangs there like a nemesis.

It is one thing to communicate with something mysterious,

but it is quite another to be silently observed by it.

I am concerned whether it understands

the same concept of reason that we do.

You sent for me, sir?

Let's have more talk, Data.

Yes, sir.

Sit down.

What level of communication, sir?

Any.

My apologies for saying that you babbled.

But I do, sir.

You also see things in a way we do not but as they truly are.

I need help, my friend.

I cannot permit that boy or any member of this vessel to be sacrificed.

The Prime Directive never intended that.

The problem, sir, is there.

Although they have learned of the Prime Directive from my mind, how will they evaluate it?

How do they reason?

What are their values?

Remember their warning to us, sir.

Exactly.

How do I explain my refusing to obey their laws down there?

Not permitting the Crusher boy... to be executed.

And by so doing, do I endanger this vessel and more than a thousand other lives?

Would you choose one life over 1,000, sir?

I refuse to let arithmetic decide questions like that.

Did you learn anything about the relationship between that and the Edo?

Why are they so certain it's a god?

Any sufficiently advanced life-form would appear to others to be that, sir.

But when they were probing my thoughts, Captain,

I could feel that whatever they are now, they once existed in this dimension just as we do-- perhaps in the same kind of flesh and blood form.

Since then, however, they have evolved considerably.

Their present existence in multi-dimensions no doubt has advantages we do not understand.

Then, in some earlier flesh-and-blood form, they might have shared our kind of values?

We know the Edo share them, sir.

Why would such an advanced thing feel obliged to protect the Edo?

Perhaps the Edo are a child race, by comparison.

Possibly a race which... those life-forms have planted here much as we now plant human colonies on class M planets.

Having fulfilled my professional obligations regarding Commander Data...

You now request permission to beam down to the planet.

Permission granted.

You can accompany me while I try and resolve this.

And you should know that whatever the cost

I will not allow them to execute your son.

Thank you, sir.

Data, take command.

Aye, sir.

It's almost time.

I want the boy brought here now.

I'll go with you.

Of course.

Captain Picard.

I saw you share the sky with God.

You must be gods.

No, no, we're not gods.

Mother.

I guess you know a lot has happened here.

I know.

Captain Picard... are you going to let them kill me?

No.

But I must find some way to prevent it that you understand.

How can we let this happen, Liator?

They threaten everything we respect.

Our law, our peace, our tranquility and order.

You are powerful, but do not do this to us.

We beg you.

At least, study what we were without law-- hurtful to each other, savage, thieving.

I understand.

Perhaps your system of law and punishment is better than any system we once had, but we do now have a law and must obey.

And part of it says that I must protect my people from harm.

We did not ask you to come here.

Which has to do with another law that we must obey.

We are all sworn not to interfere with other lives in the galaxy.

If I save this boy, I break that law.

And you should be executed if you do so.

I may suffer almost as much.

Starfleet takes the Prime Directive very seriously.

No, it is God who will punish you.

That thought has crossed our minds.

Your God up there may insist that we obey our noninterference directive.

Sir, does this mean if you save me, the entire crew could die?

You're not involved in this decision, boy.

I'm sorry, sir, but it seems like I am.

Picard to Transporter Room. Lock in to this signal.

Stand by for six to beam up.

Wesley, Lieutenant.

Our laws have been violated.

What of justice?

What of justice to Wesley?

Does he deserve to die?

I'm truly sorry, Liator, but I must have justice for my people, too.

Transporter Room, energize.

Transporter Room, come in.

We can't energize the beam, sir.

Everything checks out, but we're getting no results.

God has prevented your escape.

Then your God is unfair.

My son had no warning that his act was criminal.

We cannot allow ignorance of the law to become a defense.

I don't know how to communicate this, or even if it is possible, but the question of justice has concerned me greatly of late.

And I say to any creature who may be listening, there can be no justice so long as laws are absolute.

Even life itself is an exercise in exceptions.

When has justice ever been as simple as a rule book?

Seems the Edo Lord agrees with you, Number One.

Main viewer on.

Hailing frequencies.

Open, sir.

To the object in orbit with us.

We will remove the human colonists from the adjoining solar system if you signal us to do so.

Please tell us.

Captain.

Is that a signal?

I suppose...

I suppose it must be.

I was hoping for more.

More of what, sir?

I'm glad it's gone.

Agreed, sir, short and sweet.

Godlike efficiency.

I was hoping we might learn more about it, but since we can't, take us out of here, Number One.

Gladly, sir.