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Relics

Captain, I have identified the signal.

It is from the USS Jenolan-- a Federation transport ship reported missing in this sector 75 years ago.

Code one alpha zero-- ship in distress.

Take us out of warp, Ensign, all stop.

Aye, sir.

Report.

We have entered a massive gravitational field, Captain.

There are no stars or other stellar bodies listed on our navigational charts.

However, sensors indicate the presence of an extremely strong gravitational source in this vicinity.

Can you localize the source of the gravitational field?

RIKER: Sensors?

DATA: I am having difficulty scanning the object.

It appears to be approximately

200 million kilometers in diameter.

That's nearly as large as the Earth's orbit around the sun.

Why didn't we detect this before now?

The object's enormous mass is causing a great deal of gravimetric interference.

That might have prevented our sensors from detecting it before we dropped out of warp.

Mr. Data... could this be a Dyson sphere?

The object does fit the general parameters of Dyson's theory.

A Dyson sphere?

It's a very old theory, Number One.

I'm not surprised that you haven't heard of it.

In the 20th century, a physicist called Freeman Dyson postulated the theory that an enormous, hollow sphere could be constructed around a star.

This would have the advantage of harnessing all the radiant energy of that star, and any population living on the interior surface would have virtually inexhaustible sources of power.

Are you saying you think there are people living in there?

Possibly a great number of people, Commander.

The interior surface area of a sphere this size is the equivalent of more than 250 million Class-M planets.

Sir, I have located the distress signal.

It is coming from a point in the northern hemisphere.

Ensign Rager, put us into synchronous orbit above that position. RAGER: Aye, sir.

I have located the Jenolan, sir.

It has impacted on the surface of the sphere.

PICARD: Magnify.

DATA: There are no life signs.

However, there are several small power emanations, and life support is still functioning on minimal levels.

Riker to Engineering. Geordi, join us in Transporter Room three.

Mr. Worf.

This air is pretty stale.

Life support is barely operating.

See if you can increase the oxygen level.

Aye, sir.

Commander.

The transporter is still online.

It's being fed power from the auxiliary systems.

The rematerialization subroutine has been disabled.

Yeah, and that's not all.

The phase inducers are connected to the emitter array.

The override is completely gone, and the pattern buffer's been locked into a continuous diagnostic cycle.

This doesn't make any sense.

Locking the unit into a diagnostic mode just sends the matter array through a pattern buffer.

Why would anyone... There's a pattern in the buffer still.

It's completely intact.

There's less than .003% signal degradation.

How is that possible? I don't know.

I've never seen a transporter jury-rigged like this before.

Could someone survive inside a transporter buffer for 75 years?

I know a way to find out.

( transporter energizing )

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.

Well, thank you, lads.

Oh, well, we got to get Franklin out of there.

Someone else's pattern is still in the buffer?

Aye, Matt Franklin.

We went in together.

( console beeping )

Something's wrong.

One of the inducers has failed.

Boost the gain on the matter stream.

Come on, Franklin.

I know you're still in there.

( sighs )

It's no use.

His pattern has degraded 53%.

He's gone.

I'm sorry. So am I.

He was a good lad.

I'm Commander William Riker, starship Enterprise.

Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge.

The Enterprise?

I should have known.

I bet Jim Kirk himself hauled the old gal out of mothballs to come looking for me.

Captain Montgomery Scott.

Tell me, how long have I been missing?

Well... WORF: Sir.

I have restored life support.

The oxygen levels will return to normal shortly.

Captain Scott, Lieutenant Worf.

Lieutenant? Yes.

Captain, perhaps there are a few things we should talk about.

We should probably get you to Sick Bay.

Dr. Crusher will want to have...

You've changed the resonator array.

Geordi, I think our guest is going to have a lot of engineering questions.

Not to worry, Commander, I'll take care of him.

What have you done with the duotronic enhancers?

Well, those were replaced with isolinear chips about 40 years ago.

It's a lot more efficient now.

Oh! That's an EPS power tap there.

Ah.

So you were saying a little earlier that you were on your way to the Norpin colony when you experienced warp engine failure?

Aye, that's right.

See, we had an overload in one of the plasma transfer conduits, and the captain brought us out of warp, and we hit some gravimetric interference, and there it was, as big as life.

Oh, is that a conduit interface?

Yeah, it is.

You were saying, it's "as big as life."

You mean the Dyson sphere.

Aye, an actual Dyson sphere.

Can you imagine the engineering skills needed to even design such a structure?

Yeah, I know. It's pretty amazing.

So, what happened when you first approached it?

Well, we began our standard survey of the surface, and we were just completing the initial orbital scan when our aft power coil suddenly exploded.

The ship got caught in the sphere's gravity well, and down we went.

Franklin and I were the only ones to survive the crash.

Can I ask you a question?

What in the world made you think of using the transporter pattern buffer to survive?

Well, we... didn't have enough supplies to wait for the rescue, so we had to think of something.

Yeah, but locking it into a diagnostic cycle so that the pattern wouldn't degrade and then cross-connecting it with the phase inducers to provide a regenerative power source... that's absolutely brilliant.

Well, I think it was only 50% brilliant

'cause Franklin deserves better.

You know, I think you're going to enjoy the 24th century, Mr. Scott.

We've made some pretty incredible advances these last 80 years.

Well, from what I've seen, you've got a fine ship, Mr. La Forge.

A real beauty here.

I must admit to being a bit overwhelmed.

Hmm. Wait till you see the Holodeck.

You have a hairline fracture of the humerus.

It will ache for a couple of days, but it should be fine.

Oh, thank you.

Well, I'll say this about your Enterprise-- the doctors are a fair sight prettier.

I'm Jean-Luc Picard.

Welcome aboard the Enterprise, Captain Scott.

Thank you, sir, and call me Scotty.

How are you feeling? I don't know.

How am I feeling?

Other than a few bumps and bruises,

I'd say you feel fine for a man of 147.

And I don't feel a day over 120.

I must say, I was a little surprised when Commander Riker told me that you were on board the Jenolan.

Our records didn't show you listed as a member of the crew.

Well, I was never actually a member of the crew.

I was... just a passenger.

I was heading for Norpin V to settle down and enjoy my retirement.

I see. Well, I would very much enjoy the opportunity of hearing you talk about your career.

I'm sure you would have some fascinating insights into the events of your time.

I'd be happy to. Good.

Well, I look forward to it. Excuse me.

Commander, we need to begin a full spectrograph analysis of the Dyson sphere.

I'll get right on it, sir. Good.

Once again, welcome on board, Captain. Sir.

I need to get down to Engineering and begin that analysis.

Engineering? I thought you'd never ask.

( groans )

Captain, the first thing you need to get is some rest.

Now, this has been a shock to your system and I want you to not push yourself.

We're pretty busy down there anyway, Captain Scott.

I promise I'd be happy to give you a tour just as soon as the doctor says it's okay.

I'll find someone to show you your quarters.

Aye.

This is the food replicator and your computer terminal.

Good Lord, man. Where have you put me?

These are standard guest quarters, sir.

I can try and find something bigger if you want.

Bigger?

In my day, even an admiral wouldn't've had such quarters on a starship.

You know, I remember a time we had to transport the Dohlman of Elas.

You never heard anyone whine and complain so much about quarters as she did.

The Holodecks, Ten Forward, and the gymnasium are all at your disposal.

The computer can tell you how to find them.

Until we issue you a combadge, just use one of these panels if you need anything.

You know, these quarters remind me of a hotel room in Argelius.

Oh, now there is a planet-- everything a man wants right at his fingertips.

'Course on the first visit, I got into a wee bit of trouble...

Excuse me, sir, but I have to return to duty.

Oh.

Well, then... thank you.

I want you to shut down the warp engines and recalibrate the aft sensors while I work on the lateral array. Aye, sir.

BARTEL: Can I help you, sir?

SCOTTY: Oh, I don't think so, lassie, but I'll let you know if you can.

BARTEL: Sir, this area is restricted to authorized...

Bartel, it's okay. I'll handle it.

Captain Scott, this really isn't... We're in Engineering.

Call me Scotty.

Scotty, this really isn't a good time for a tour.

We're running a phase seven survey of the Dyson sphere.

I'm not here for a tour, laddie.

I'm here to help.

That's very kind, but I'm sure we can handle it.

I was a Starfleet engineer for 52 years, Mr. La Forge.

I think I'm still useful.

You're right, we'd be grateful for any help you could give us.

Good. Let's get to work.

Sensors indicate the presence of a G-type star at the center of the sphere.

There also appears to be a Class-M atmosphere clinging to the interior surface.

Is there any indication that the sphere is inhabited?

Not as yet, sir.

Our preliminary data suggests it is still capable of supporting life, but we have been unable to find any definite signs of current habitation.

Mr. Data, send out a series of Class-4 probes to survey the far side of the sphere.

Perhaps we'll have more luck with them.

Aye, sir.

Adjust the frequency stabilization of the main deflector dish...

Laddie, you need to phase-lock the warp fields within three percent, or they'll become unstable. What?

Well, look. Here's the warp... ( loud beeping )

We use a multiphase auto-containment field now.

It's meant to operate above three percent.

Oh, well... that would make the difference.

BARTEL: We can restart the engines in ten minutes, Commander.

Thank you, Lieutenant.

I remember a time when the old Enterprise was spiraling toward Psi 2000.

Yeah. Thank you.

And the captain wanted to try a cold start of the warp engines, and I told him that without a proper phase-lock, it would take at least 30 minutes.

"You cannot change the laws of physics," I told him, but he wouldn't believe me, so I had to come up with a whole new engine start-up routine.

Do you know that your dilithium crystals are going to fracture?

We re-composite the crystals while they're still inside the articulation frame.

Look, Mr. Scott, I'd love to explain everything to you, but the captain wants this spectrographic analysis done by 1300 hours.

Do you mind a little advice?

Starfleet captains are like children.

They want everything right now, and they want it their way, but the secret is to give them only what they need, not what they want.

Yeah, well, I told the captain I'd have this analysis done in an hour.

How long would it really take?

An hour.

Oh, you didn't tell him how long it would really take, did you?

Well, of course I did.

Oh, laddie, you've got a lot to learn if you want people to think of you as a miracle worker.

Now, listen... Captain Scott...

I've tried to be patient, I've tried to be polite, but I've got a job to do here, and, quite frankly, you're in the way.

I was driving starships while your great-grandfather was still in diapers!

I'd think you'd be a little grateful for some help.

( sighs )

I'll leave you to work, Mr. La Forge.

May I help you, sir?

Aye, lad.

Scotch. Neat.

Here you go, sir.

Thank you.

What in blazes is this?!

Didn't you order scotch?

Laddie, I was drinking scotch a hundred years before you were born, and I can tell you that whatever this is, it is definitely not scotch.

I believe I may be of some assistance.

Captain Scott is unaware of the existence of synthehol.

Sy-synthehol?

Yes, sir.

It is an alcohol substitute now being served aboard starships.

It simulates the appearance, taste, and smell of alcohol, but the intoxicating effects can be easily dismissed.

You're not quite, uh... human, are you?

No, sir. I am an android.

Lieutenant Commander Data.

( sighs )

Synthetic scotch, synthetic commanders.

I believe Guinan does keep a limited supply of non-syntheholic products.

Perhaps one of them would be to your liking.

What is it?

It is... it is... it is green.

Ahh!

COMPUTER: Please enter program.

The android at the bar said you could show me my old ship.

Let me see it.

COMPUTER: Insufficient data.

Please specify parameters.

The Enterprise.

Show me the Bridge of the Enterprise, you chattering piece of...

COMPUTER: There have been five Federation ships with that name.

Please specify by registry number.

NCC-1701.

No bloody "A," "B,"

"C," or "D."

COMPUTER: Program complete. Enter when ready.

Here's to you, lads.

( doors open )

( sighs )

PICARD: I hope I'm not interrupting.

I was just coming off duty, and I wanted to see how you were doing.

Oh, not at all, not at all.

Would you have a drink with me, Captain?

Thank you.

I don't know what it is, exactly, but I would be real careful.

It's real...

Aldebaran whiskey.

Who do you think gave it to Guinan?

Ah.

Constitution-class.

Aye.

You're familiar with them?

There's one in the Fleet Museum, but... but then, of course, this is your Enterprise.

I actually served on two.

This was the first.

She was also the first ship I ever served on as Chief Engineer.

You know, I served aboard 11 ships-- freighters, cruisers, starships... but this is the only one I think of, the only one I miss.

The first vessel that I served on as captain was called the Stargazer.

It was an overworked, underpowered vessel, always on the verge of flying apart at the seams.

In every measurable sense, my Enterprise is far superior, but there are times, when I would give almost anything to command the Stargazer again.

It's like the first time you fall in love.

You don't ever love a woman quite like that again.

( sighing ) Well... to the Enterprise and the Stargazer-- old girlfriends we'll never meet again.

What do you think of the Enterprise-D?

She's a beauty, with a good crew.

But?

But... when I was here,

I could tell you the speed that we were traveling by the feel of the deck plates.

But on your ship...

I feel like I'm just in the way.

Well, 75 years is a long time.

If you would care to study some technical schematics or...

I'm not 18.

I can't start out like a raw cadet.

No...

There comes a time when a man finds that he can't fall in love again.

He knows that it's time to stop.

I don't belong on your ship.

I belong on this one.

This was my home.

This is where I had a purpose.

But it's not real.

It's just a computer-generated fantasy.

( sighs )

And I'm just an old man who's trying to hide in it.

Computer, shut this bloody thing off.

It's time I acted my age.

( door chimes ) Come.

Mr. La Forge, I understand that before the Jenolan crashed, it had conducted an extensive survey of the Dyson sphere.

Have we been able to access any of those records?

We did try to download their memory core, but it was pretty heavily damaged in the crash.

We actually haven't been able to get much out of it.

Perhaps Captain Scott could be of use in accessing that material.

It's possible.

He does know those systems better than any of us.

I'll have Lieutenant Bartel beam down with him.

Mr. La Forge...

I would like you to accompany Captain Scott.

Me, sir? Yes.

Look, this is not an order.

It's a request, and it's one that you must feel perfectly free to decline.

You see, one of the most important things in a person's life is to feel useful.

Now, Mr. Scott is a Starfleet Officer, and I would like him to feel useful again.

I'll go with him, sir.

Thank you.

Commander, I believe I have found something on the sphere which could be a communications device.

There is an antenna array approximately 400,000 kilometers south of our present position.

It is emitting low-intensity subspace signals.

Can you open a channel?

No, sir, not from our present orbit.

The array is currently directed away from us.

Ensign, prepare to put us in orbit above those coordinates.

Captain Picard to the Bridge, please.

Are you feeling all right?

Well, never get drunk unless you're willing to pay for it the next day.

I'll manage.

Okay.

Energize.

DATA: Sensors indicate that the large circle is a portal or airlock possibly leading to the interior of the sphere.

This looks like the front door.

Should we ring the bell?

Mr. Worf, open a channel to that communications array.

Aye, sir.

( alarm wailing )

Some kind of tractor beam has locked onto us.

Helm, get us out of here.

We've lost main power.

Auxiliary power down to 20%.

We are being pulled inside.

RAGER: Auxiliary power failing.

The resonance frequency of the tractor beams is incompatible with our power systems.

Warp and impulse engine relays have been overloaded.

I am attempting to compensate.

RAGER: The tractor beams have released us, sir.

Hold position here until we can get our bearing.

Full sensor sweep, Mr. Data. Where are we?

Approximately 90 million kilometers from the star's photosphere.

I am reading a great deal of surface instability.

It may be... RAGER: Sir!

The inertial motion from the tractor beams is still carrying us forward.

Impulse engines are off-line and I can't stop our momentum.

We're falling directly into the star.

The primary computer database should be online now.

Give it a try. Okay.

I've got three access lines to the central core.

Still nothing.

Bunch of old, useless garbage. Huh?

I say it's old, Mr. La Forge.

It can't handle the interface of your power converter.

This equipment was designed for a different era.

( sighs )

Now it's just a piece of junk.

Well, I don't know, it seems like some of it's held together pretty well.

Century out of date.

It's just... obsolete.

Well, you know, that's interesting because...

I was just thinking that a lot of these systems haven't changed much in the last 75 years.

This transporter is basically the same system we use on the Enterprise.

Subspace radio and sensors still operate under the same basic principle.

Impulse engine design hasn't changed much in the last 200 years.

If it wasn't for all the structural damage, this ship still might be in service today.

Maybe so...

But when they can build ships like your Enterprise, who'd want to pilot an old bucket like this?

I don't know.

If this ship were operational, I'd bet she'd run circles around the Enterprise at impulse speeds.

Just because something's old, doesn't mean you throw it away.

You know, we used to have something called a dynamic mode converter.

You wouldn't have something like that on your Enterprise, would you?

I haven't seen anything like that in a long time, but I bet I might be able to come up with something similar.

La Forge to Enterprise.

La Forge to Enterprise. Come in, please.

Interference?

No, they're gone.

DATA: We will enter the sun's photosphere in three minutes.

PICARD: Maneuvering thrusters.

I've got 30% power. It won't be enough to stop us.

No, but it may be enough to turn us into orbit and hold our distance from the photosphere.

Ensign, port thrusters ahead full.

Starboard thrusters, back full.

DATA: Our flight path is changing.

Right 10.7 degrees, sir-- insufficient to clear the photosphere.

RIKER: Lieutenant Bartel, divert all power from the auxiliary relay systems to the maneuvering thrusters. BARTEL: Aye, sir.

RAGER: We're in orbit, Captain.

Our altitude is 150,000 kilometers.

I'll see about getting main power back online.

Very well.

Mr. Data, begin a scan of the interior surface for life-forms.

I want to know who brought us in here... and why.

Aye, sir.

Can't find them anywhere in orbit.

Well, they could have crashed into the sphere like the Jenolan.

No, we'd be picking up background radiation if they'd gone down.

There's another possibility.

They could be inside the sphere.

Maybe.

Whatever happened, we've got to find them.

You know, if we could get these engines back online, we could track them with their impulse ion trail.

Are you daft?!

The main drive assembly is shot, the inducers have melted, the power couplings are wrecked.

We'd need a week just to get started, but we don't have a week, so we've no sense in crying about it.

Come on, we'll see what we can do with your power converter.

The sphere appears to be abandoned, Captain.

Sensors show that the star is extremely unstable.

It is experiencing severe bursts of radiation and matter expulsions.

Then that would explain why they abandoned it, but if there's no one still living there, how were we brought inside?

I believe we have triggered a series of automatic piloting beams designed to guide ships into the sphere.

Sir, sensors show a large magnetic disturbance on the star's surface.

It is a solar flare, Captain.

Magnitude: 12. Class: B.

Shields?

Shields are up, but only at 23%.

The star has entered a period of increased activity.

Sensors indicate that the solar flares will continue to grow.

In three hours, our shields will no longer be sufficient to protect us, sir.

SCOTTY: Shunt the deuterium from the main cryo-pump to the auxiliary tank.

LA FORGE: The tank can't withstand that kind of pressure.

( Scotty laughs )

Where'd you... where'd you get that idea?

What do you mean, where did I get that idea?

It's in the impulse engine specifications.

Regulation 42/15--

"pressure variances on the IRC tank storage"? Yeah.

Forget it. I wrote it.

A good engineer is always a wee bit conservative, at least on paper.

Just bypass the secondary cutoff valve and boost the flow.

It'll work.

Okay.

If we've done our jobs properly, the engines should be coming back online about... now.

( engines powering up )

Hey, you were right.

The auxiliary tank is holding.

Take the Bridge, Commander.

Oh, no.

You're the senior officer here.

Oh, I may be captain by rank, but I never wanted to be anything else but an engineer.

All right.

WORF: Shields still holding, sir, but they are down another 15%.

Mr. Worf, can we use the phasers to open a hole in the sphere?

No, sir, the exterior shell is composed of carbon-neutronium.

Our weapons would be ineffective.

Mr. Data, we have to find some way out of here.

Begin scanning for another hatch or portal that might still be open.

The interior surface area is over ten to the 16th square kilometers.

It will take seven hours to completely scan the surface, sir.

( thunderous rumbling )

I will endeavor to speed up the process, sir.

The Enterprise's ion trail leads right to this point.

LA FORGE: It looks like some kind of doorway.

I bet you two bottles of scotch that they're inside the sphere, and that they went in right through that hatch.

No bet here.

The question... is how?

Look at the momentum distribution of the ions.

It would take an impulse engine full reverse to put out a signature like that.

So they didn't go in willingly.

This looks like some kind of communications array. Aye.

We found hundreds of them when we did our initial survey 75 years ago.

Did you try hailing them? Aye, that was standard procedure at the time.

And we did it right before we crashed. Yeah.

Hailing is standard procedure today, too.

Scotty... what if... those aren't communications arrays?

What if they're access terminals which are triggered by subspace signals on certain frequencies?

Frequencies like our standard ship's hail.

Exactly.

The Enterprise, when they saw that terminal, they probably did the same thing you did

75 years ago-- open a channel-- only this time, they triggered something that activated that hatch and pulled the ship inside the sphere.

A very nice piece of reasoning, laddie.

Nice, indeed. Yeah.

Well, we could probably trigger the hatch ourselves, only we'd get pulled in just like they were.

Maybe all we need to do is to get our foot in the door.

Now, we might not be pulled inside when the hatch opens... if we keep our distance from the sphere, say, uh... half-a-million kilometers.

Then, when the hatch starts to close, we move in, and we use the Jenolan to jam the hatch open, hoping that the Enterprise will escape.

You can't be serious.

That hatch is huge.

It'll crush this ship like an egg.

Geordi, the shields will hold, don't worry about that.

And I can get a few extra gigawatts out of these babies.

Oh, Scotty, it's crazy.

Geordi, I have spent my whole life trying to figure out crazy ways of doing things.

I'm telling you, as one engineer to another,

I can do this.

( sighs )

All right. Let's do it. Aye.

We're at 500,000 kilometers.

Engines are ready.

Okay.

Here we go.

Come on.

There's nothing out here.

Give it up.

That's it. Let's go.

Full impulse.

( console beeping )

Sir, there is an audio message from Commander La Forge.

La Forge to Enterprise. Do you read me?

Go ahead, Commander, we read you.

We're using the Jenolan to hold open the hatch that you came through, but our shields aren't going to hold out much longer.

Understood. Ensign, set a course.

The plasma intercooler is gone.

The engines are overheating.

I've lost helm control.

La Forge to Enterprise.

Captain, we're not going to be able to move this ship out of the way when you get here.

You're going to have to destroy it in order to escape.

How much longer before we reach them?

With impulse engines operating at 60% power, it will take one minute, forty seconds.

Bridge to Transporter Room three.

Prepare to beam two from the Jenolan as soon as we're within range.

It's coming apart, lad.

I can't do anything else.

Photon torpedoes armed and ready, sir.

We are within transporter range.

Bridge to Transporter Room. Energize.

CREWMAN: Aye, sir.

Fire torpedoes.

There, now, that wasn't so bad, was it?

( chuckles )

Captain's Log, Stardate 46125.3:

Starfleet has dispatched two science vessels

to study the Dyson sphere

while we proceed to Starbase 55.

So this alien space baby-- which was about the size of a four-story building-- really thought the Enterprise was its mother.

Oh, you're pulling an old man's leg. No, really.

It was suckling power directly from the ship's fusion reactors, so Dr. Brahms and I changed the power frequency from 21 centimeters to .02 centimeters.

So you soured the milk! That's right.

Oh, enjoy these times, Geordi.

You're the Chief Engineer of a starship and it's a time of your life that'll never come again.

When it's gone, it's gone.

Now, lad, I thought you were going to buy me a drink in Ten Forward.

Actually, I had a better idea.

You're giving me one of your shuttles?

Well, call it an extended loan.

Since you lost your ship saving ours, it seemed only fair.

She's not much to look at.

Laddie, every woman has her own charm.

You just have to know where to look for it.

Well, she's a little slow, but she'll certainly get you to the Norpin colony, if that's really where you want to go.

The Norpin colony is for old men to retire.

Maybe someday I'll end up there, but not yet.

Well, bon voyage, Mr. Scott.

Thank you, sir, for everything.

Mr. Scott.

Good-bye. Bye-bye.

Scotty. Thank you.

Bye. Be well.

A good crew. Yeah, they are.

And a fine ship, a credit to her name, but I've always found that a ship is only as good as the engineer who takes care of her.

And from what I can see, the Enterprise is in good hands.

You take care of yourself out there.

Aye.

♪♪