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Final Mission

Captain's Log, Stardate 44307.3.

I am preparing to leave by shuttlecraft for Pentarus V

where I've been asked to mediate a dispute

among the salenite miners, a contentious group

unfortunately, prone to violence.

But first, I must deal with a situation

of a far more personal nature.

Sir?

Mr. Crusher, I summoned you almost ten minutes ago.

Sir, I'm sorry.

I was in the middle of a very important experiment.

I was using some very volatile compounds.

I couldn't just leave them...

Excuses, Mr. Crusher?

No, sir. I was just attempting to offer...

Because I can assure you that will not go down well at Starfleet Academy.

Yes, sir, I'm aware of that.

The Academy?

I just received a message from Admiral Nsomeka.

She expects you to report in two weeks.

A position has opened up in this year's class.

Thank you.

Now, you're going to have to work overtime in order to catch up but I have assured the Admiral that you are capable of it.

Please, don't make a liar out of me.

Oh, no, sir, I won't.

Well, for your final mission on board the Enterprise you will accompany me to Pentarus V while I try to sort out the problems with the miners.

Commander Riker has told me that you have been studying the effects of outpost judiciary decisions on Federation law.

What better way to get first-hand experience?

Captain, I am picking up a general distress signal from Gamelan V.

On screen.

Please, does anyone read us?

Open a channel.

I am Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the Federation Starship Enterprise.

Captain, I am Chairman Songi of Gamelan V.

An unidentified spacecraft has entered orbit above our planet.

Radiation levels in our atmosphere have increased by 3,000 percent.

We can only assume we are under attack but the ship will not answer our hails.

We are a peaceful planet.

We have no ability to defend ourselves.

Please, can you help us?

Mr. Data, are we close enough for a scan?

No, sir, we are out of range.

Any other ships in that sector?

Negative, Commander.

Chairman Songi, we'll proceed immediately to your planet.

Thank you, Captain.

Commander Riker, take the Enterprise and investigate the problem.

Ensign Crusher and I will proceed to Pentarus V.

The miners have sent a shuttle.

We shall leave in ten minutes.

Yes, sir.

LA FORGE: You know, I've noticed here that your maneuvering thrusters are rigged in a configuration I've never seen before.

It's my own modification.

It's more efficient.

You can study it if you want.

( door opens )

Excuse me, Captain.

I've run safety and operational inspections, Captain.

Everything checks out all right but I won't make any claims as to its comfort.

Captain Picard.

Captain Dirgo of the Shuttlecraft Nenebek.

Ah, Captain.

It's good to meet you.

Captain? Of a mining shuttle?

Yes, Ensign, Captain.

My ship isn't pretty.

She isn't big.

But we've logged almost 10,000 hours together.

Oh, yes.

She seems a very... a very sturdy craft.

We should go.

Captain, will you take Ops?

I'll let Ensign Crusher perform that task.

I have to study up on Regalian law.

Shuttlecraft has cleared the bay, sir.

Ensign Allenby, set a course for the Gamelan system.

Warp six.

Aye, sir.

You've done this before.

Yes.

Your Captain back there, if he isn't tougher than he looks those miners will tear him apart.

Don't worry about Captain Picard.

He'll handle them.

( power shutting down )

( alarm blaring )

I've lost navigation.

The port thruster quad's gone.

Guidance coupling system severed.

I can't stabilize her.

PICARD: 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.

( alarm blaring )

The port thruster module blew.

Nenebek to Enterprise. Emergency.

Do you read?

Pentarus Station, come in.

Communication's gone.

Is your navigational system functioning?

Negative. Switching to manual.

50 million kilometers to Pentarus V.

We may have to put down somewhere else.

Mr. Crusher, scan for a Class-M environment.

Aye, sir.

I'm going to have to throttle back on the main impulse engines.

Sir, one of the moons around Pentarus III-- it registers as Class-M barely.

The mean surface temperature is 55 degrees Celsius.

Life-forms indicated?

Uh, negative, but scanning is limited.

There's a very strong magnetic field around the surface.

We don't have a choice.

Save the impulse engine for controlled entry.

Mr. Crusher, reconfigure working thrusters to manual input.

I'll try, sir, but this grid looks about 100 years old.

We don't have the Federation's resources.

Captain, take the helm.

I'm re-routing the deuterium flow.

Hull temperature 700 degrees.

Beginning braking maneuver.

We're below Mach One.

Bypass to thrusters now.

Brace yourselves for impact.

( hatch squeaking )

Dear God.

Let's salvage what we can.

The first thing we'll need is shelter from the sun.

In this heat the shuttle will act like an oven.

All the systems are out.

Can't get a communication channel.

Location transponder's gone, too.

Let's check the craft for something to protect our heads and eyes.

And, Captain, please recover your medical supplies food and water rations.

Well, the medical supplies are all right.

Food and water?

The replicator-- damaged beyond repair.

Surely you have emergency supplies.

This isn't a starship.

I have to choose what I carry.

Are you telling me there's no water?

Scanning.

The vessel reads as an unmanned sublight freighter.

Origin?

Indeterminate.

Propulsion appears to employ a gaseous-core fission reactor but it is not functioning.

The radiation levels from that ship are off the scale.

Could that be leakage from their engines? No, sir.

Engine reactor elements appear to have been inactive for approximately 300 years.

The vessel is carrying various unstable waste products.

You mean it's a garbage scow.

Precisely.

Mr. Worf, open a hailing frequency.

Chairman Songi, this is Commander Riker on board the Enterprise.

Yes, Commander.

It appears you have inherited someone else's problem-- an old waste vessel caught by your planet's gravitational pull.

Have your people begun to suffer from radiation sickness?

Not yet, but some areas are already detecting dangerous levels.

We'll do our best to get it out of here as quickly as possible.

Thank you, Commander.

We're going to push that barge into the Gamelan sun.

Sir, the Maltasion asteroid belt lies between here and the sun.

Then we'll take it in ourselves. We'll use our deflectors to clear a path through the asteroids.

LA FORGE: I don't like the idea of getting close enough to that barge to tow it. The radiation levels are so high, we'd be risking the contamination of the entire crew.

Do you have a better idea, Geordi?

We could send a construction module over to attach thrusters to it.

Then we could direct it through the asteroid belt from a safe distance.

Commander, a message from the mining settlement on Pentarus V.

The shuttlecraft carrying Captain Picard has not yet arrived.

They left here at 0800 hours.

They have asked if we are beginning a search.

Tell them we have an emergency situation.

We will begin a search as soon as we've completed that.

WORF: Aye, sir.

Mr. La Forge, prepare to launch the construction module.

I'd like to get this over with as fast as possible.

Any luck with the tricorder, Ensign?

I think so, sir.

The scanning range may be a bit limited but it's better than nothing.

These were on board, Captain. They're working.

Excellent.

Our communicators may not be able to get a signal through this strong a magnetic field.

I'm fashioning an arrow.

If a search party finds the wreckage they'll know that we've headed for those mountains.

Are you crazy?

They're too far away.

We'll never make it.

We can't survive in this sun.

Where there's mountains, there's shelter.

You've got no right to make the decisions.

I'm the Captain of this ship.

If you want to get out of this

I suggest you listen to Captain Picard.

He's the one who's going to keep us alive.

Thank you, Ensign. That's enough.

Captain Dirgo, you're an able pilot.

I welcome your input.

Do you feel that there is an alternative we're overlooking?

No.

Very well.

I suggest a steady pace, not a brisk one.

We need to ration our energy.

Try breathing through your nose.

That way, it will help to prevent dehydration.

I'll lead.

Captain Dirgo, will you bring up the rear?

And you were worried about how tough the Captain is?

( tricorder beeping )

Did you find water?

No, not yet.

What are you doing with that?

Mr. Crusher?

I'm not sure, sir.

( coughing )

It's an energy reading.

Energy reading? What kind?

Low frequency EM.

It's been getting stronger the closer we get to those mountains.

What are you saying? There's something over there?

Waiting for us?

I'm not sure what it is.

It just keeps registering as a repeating energy pattern.

Ensign, are you suggesting that this energy is not naturally occurring?

These readings could be indicative of some electromagnetic properties in the rocks but I don't think so.

A life-form?

It's possible.

The pattern is fairly organized.

Well, we can't go back.

We can't stay here.

We've got to keep going for those mountains... no matter what is waiting for us.

DIRGO: There has to be water in here.

Aren't caves formed by water?

PICARD: Not necessarily.

This could be created by volcanic activity-- lava flow-- these walls are dry.

Mr. Crusher, do you have any moisture reading?

No, sir.

But that EM reading-- the pattern's changed.

The frequency's peaking a lot higher.

( clattering thump )

You have water!

I wouldn't hide water.

That's called dresci.

It's from my planet.

It's alcohol.

It's medicinal.

It's for emergencies.

I was going to share it with you.

This wouldn't quench your thirst.

It would make it worse.

Well, I'll take my chances.

I'm not going to let you waste this.

This is more valuable to us as a coolant a disinfectant.

It's mine. Mr. Crusher, stow that with the medical supplies.

Keep your eye on it.

All right, we're going to explore the cave.

Mr. Crusher, look out for any signs of water no matter how faint.

Captain Dirgo, will you lead the way?

We're projecting that the bulk of the radiation will affect three small island groups.

Fortunately, they're very sparsely populated.

We'll begin replicating hyronalin now and be ready to transport it to them, if it becomes necessary.

Please coordinate with all the medical personnel on the planet.

Beverly.

We've contacted the nearest Starbase for a search vessel.

I'm afraid the closest one is almost a week away.

I see.

Thank you.

But we have asked the mining settlement to send any vessels they might have.

You know, there are many reasons why the shuttlecraft may have been delayed.

Deanna, thank you, but I'm all right.

And right now, I have work to do.

Commander, the miners report they have very few operable shuttlecraft.

They want to know when we will be joining the search.

Tell them to stand by.

If this works, we'll be on our way.

Aye, sir.

Thrusters are attached and ready, Commander.

Initiate prefire sequence.

Prefire sequence transmitted.

Thrusters to standby.

Fire thrusters.

Gradual acceleration to 40% power.

LA FORGE: We've lost one module.

Correcting thrust vectors to compensate.

Structural integrity of the barge has been compromised.

Disintegration is continuing.

Shut down thrusters.

Ensign, take us to 1,000 meters ahead of the barge and hold.

External radiation levels increasing, sir.

Coming into position at 1,000 meters.

Worf, extend the shields around the ship.

Lock on the tractor beam.

Aye, sir.

COMPUTER: Warning. Radiation levels at 70 millirads per minute and rising.

Allenby, set a new course.

We'll take it through the asteroid belt ourselves.

One quarter impulse.

Aye, sir.

Dr. Crusher, to the Bridge.

CRUSHER: On my way.

Mr. Data, I'll need a projection of the radiation's impact on the crew.

Mr. Worf, contact the mining settlement.

Tell them we won't be joining the search for a while.

( tricorder beeping normally)

( water splashing )

I knew there had to be water.

( electric buzzing )

What was that?

It seems to be a tightly-confined annular force field, sir.

Placed there to protect the water. Yes.

There has to be a way to deactivate it, sir.

We can, with our phasers.

Mr. Dirgo, I think it would be wiser...

Captain, the EM reading-- the power level's really spiking now.

I think it's working. Dirgo...

( deep growling rumble )

Stop firing!

( yells )

Wesley!

Apply pressure to that wound.

This is the worst break.

What was that thing?

Keep the pressure constant!

( groaning )

Ensign... how bad is it?

Your right leg is broken.

You have a fracture in your left arm and you took a blow to the head.

But we're getting the bleeding under control.

Well done.

I'm going to be fine.

I just... just need... to get my breath.

Will you tell him the truth?

What truth?

He's bleeding inside.

I've seen it before.

He's never going to survive.

You don't know what you're talking about.

You're wasting your time.

Will you save that dresci for us?

Mr. Dirgo, I would appreciate it if you didn't bury me before I'm gone.

The trouble is he could be right.

No, he's not, sir.

You're going to be fine.

Wesley, you are going to have to keep a... a rein on Dirgo.

He's willful, stubborn. That's dangerous.

You'll handle him, sir.

Wesley, listen to me.

I have no feeling in my right leg.

My vision is blurred.

I'm going to get worse, not better.

I'm not going to be able to help you.

No, you are going to have to stand up to Dirgo on your own.

Yes, sir.

Hey... good man.

First Officer's Log, Stardate 44307.6.

Radiation levels on the Enterprise continue to rise.

The ventilation system has started pumping hyronalin

into our air supply to counteract the effects.

At the rate the radiation levels are increasing the hyronalin additive will only be effective for another 38 minutes.

Crusher to Medical Unit One.

Evacuate and seal off all non-operational areas.

Group the crew and their families in the interior corridors of decks nine and ten.

Radiation exposure protocol.

Acknowledged, Doctor.

Mr. Data, at our current speed, how long will it take us to get through the asteroid belt?

51 Minutes, 14 seconds, sir.

There's going to be a lot of casualties if we can't get there any faster.

Mr. La Forge, how much more can we get out of that tractor beam?

We're already at the maximum limits of our towing speed, Commander.

Let's see if we can establish a new upper limit.

Yes, sir. Data, monitor the shearing effect on the beam.

Increasing to one-half impulse.

Tractor beam is holding.

Shearing force, 80 metric tons per meter.

Increasing to three-quarters impulse.

Shearing force, 92 metric tons.

Ninety-three.

Tractor beam is destabilizing.

We are going to lose the barge, Commander.

Reduce power.

One-half impulse.

Geordi, you've got to stabilize that tractor beam.

I can't divert any more power to the shields.

We're already hitting our maximum thermal limits.

Only other choice is to bring some other fusion reactors on-line but we're running at peak coolant pressure.

Do it.

COMPUTER: Warning. Radiation levels at 150 millirads per minute, and rising.

Lethal exposure in 35 minutes.

Look at that.

The phaser.

( tricorder beeping )

How did this happen?

That thing did it.

These are selenium fibers... electrically deposited.

The EM pattern is back down.

It only peaks when we move towards the water.

Whatever we saw must act like... a sentry to try to guard the fountain.

When we're not moving towards the water the wave pattern stays low-- right here between five and 15 megahertz.

Dirgo, move toward the fountain.

Dirgo.

( tricorder beeps faster )

There.

It just went to 40.

What is this getting us?

We've got to get to the water.

If I can figure out how to manipulate the frequency maybe I can control it.

Now, the sentry first appeared when you used your phaser.

That means it could respond to heat or collinated energy...

If you're right we can use a phaser to lure it away.

Hold on. We need to know what we're dealing with before we do anything. No, enough talking, enough thinking.

It's time to do something.

I'll start firing.

When it comes, you fire and draw it away.

Dirgo, I can't. Put your phaser on automatic leave it on that ledge and take cover.

And what makes you think it's going to go for my phaser and not for yours? Because I'll be firing on the lowest setting.

You use maximum.

There is no evidence that it responds differently to higher settings.

We have to figure out our options before we just...

While we are doing that, your Captain is dying.

Wounds like that, most men would be dead already.

If he doesn't get water...

When I start firing, you better do your part.

( electric humming )

( zapping buzz )

( Dirgo screaming )

First Officer's Log, supplemental.

Mr. La Forge has diverted power

from auxiliary fusion generators

in an attempt to stabilize the tractor beam.

This is the only hope of increasing our towing speed

so we can clear the asteroid belt

before radiation levels become fatal.

Warning. Radiation levels at 300 millirads per minute, and rising.

Lethal exposure in one minute.

Ready, Commander.

I'll be rotating the output of the auxiliary reactors but it should still give us the power we need.

Proceed, Mr. La Forge.

Increasing to three quarters impulse.

Shearing force is at 103 metric tons.

Tractor beam is stable.

Full impulse.

Tractor beam is holding.

Warning. Lethal radiation exposure in 30 seconds.

We are within visual range of the asteroid belt.

On screen.

Warning.

Lethal radiation exposure in 15 seconds.

Prepare to cut the barge loose.

Warning. Lethal radiation exposure in ten seconds.

We have cleared the asteroids, sir.

Let it go.

Cold.

When the sun went down, the temperature really dropped.

This should help.

Oh, good.

Thank you.

( labored breathing )

I'm not much good to you, Wesley.

Sir...

Dirgo is dead.

I should have tried harder to stop him, but he...

( breathing quiets )

Captain?

Captain Picard?

Sir, stay with me.

I'm trying.

Sir...

Do you remember when we took the shuttlecraft together to Starbase 515?

I was dreading it.

Six hours alone with you?

But it didn't turn out the way that I thought.

You opened up to me.

I... I kind of got to know you.

Wesley, it's my fault that you're here.

I shouldn't have asked you.

Sir, I'm honored that you wanted me along.

I was selfish.

I thought I... wouldn't see you again.

I'm sorry.

Sir in the past three years, I've lived more than most people do in a lifetime.

I think I'm very lucky, no matter what happens.

How many people get to serve with Jean-Luc Picard?

Sir...

You don't know this... no one knows this, because I've never told anyone.

All of the things that I've worked for-- school, my science projects... getting into the Academy...

I've done it all because I want you to be proud of me.

If there is one thing that I've learned from you it's that you don't quit, and I'm not going to quit now.

I've seen you think yourself out of worse situations than this and I'm going to think us out of this.

You're not going to die.

I'm not going to let you die.

I'll get to the water and I'll keep you alive until they find us.

I promise.

First Officer's Log, supplemental.

The Enterprise is returning to the last known location

of the missing shuttlecraft.

Are you certain?

It is definitely debris.

The primary material is duranium with smaller proportions of sonodamite and ermanium.

Most shuttlecraft hulls are made of duranium.

Then, they're gone.

Not necessarily, Doctor.

There is far too little debris to account for an entire shuttlecraft.

So what is it? You know, Dirgo had his maneuvering thrusters rigged a funny way.

Claimed it was more efficient.

If one of them blew it might have left debris that looks like this.

If only one of his thrusters was out he still could have set down somewhere.

The only Class-M planets in the system are Pentarus II and V.

Both of which have been thoroughly searched by the miners.

Then we'll search them again.

Sir, there are also four moons in the Pentarus system that could support life.

Have the miners searched them?

Not yet, sir.

Which one is closest to the debris coordinates?

Lambda Paz, one of the moons of Pentarus III.

Set a course, Ensign.

PICARD ( weakly ): ♪ Il fait bon... ♪

♪ Fait bon, fait bon... ♪

( mumbling ): ♪ ...ma blonde ♪

♪ Il fait bon, fait... ♪

( moaning )

Ensign, where are we?

We crashed, sir.

We're in a cave.

Need water.

Sir, we don't have any water.

Don't you remember?

We tried to get to the fountain and Captain Dirgo...

Yes... I remember.

I think I'm onto something.

I've analyzed the sentry's energy patterns.

Wesley

I may not make it.

I've taken the transponder element from my communicator and I've used it to modify my tricorder.

No. No, Wesley...

I think I can use it to interrupt the sentry's electrical pattern.

Listen...

Stop it, maybe slow it down.

Listen to me.

Yes, sir.

There's so much I wanted to tell you.

The Academy... there's someone... someone who meant a great deal to me.

He's been there for... oh, forever.

Someone you must get to know.

His name is Boothby.

Now, you tell him that you and I were friends.

Now, when I was there, he... he helped me.

Listen to him.

What does he teach?

He's the groundskeeper.

He's one of the wisest men I ever knew.

Oh, I envy you, Wesley Crusher.

You're just at the beginning of the adventure.

Go on.

Get the water, stay alive.

They'll find you.

I'll be back soon.

Of course.

Wesley.

You remember...

I was always proud of you.

( tricorder beeping )

( deep, rumbling whoosh )

( fritzing high-pitched whine)

It worked!

Captain?

Captain Picard, wake up.

Captain?

CRUSHER: Wesley?

Wesley?

Wesley?

Mom?

Yes.

Oh, Mom.

Wesley, thank God.

I'm so happy to see you.

You're okay.

Come on.

How did you find us?

We found the wreckage and the arrow which indicated your direction.

We'll take Wesley by stretcher, as well.

No. I can walk.

Doctor?

We're taking you back to the Enterprise.

We've stabilized your vital signs.

All right, let's go now.

One moment.

Mr. Crusher?

Yes, sir?

What are you doing in such a filthy uniform?

You don't look so ship-shape yourself, sir.

Wesley, you will be missed.