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Parallels

Personal Log, Stardate 47391.2.

I am returning from the Bat'leth competition on Forcas III.

The conditions were difficult.

Several contestants were maimed, but I was triumphant.

I won champion standing.

I am looking forward to resuming my duties aboard the Enterprise.

However...

I am anticipating a troubling situation.

It looks like we're going to have to head into the Argus Array.

This is the third time this year it's stopped relaying data.

Starfleet's beginning to think that it's more than a simple malfunction.

I want you to start a long-range scan once we get...

Lieutenant, are you listening to me?

Hmm? Yes, sir.

You seem awfully tense for a man who just came back from vacation.

Today is my... birthday.

What's the matter with you?

Because it is my birthday,

I assumed that you or one of the others would try to mount an unexpected social gathering.

A surprise party?

Mr. Worf, I hate surprise parties.

I would never do that to you.

I am sorry, Commander.

Settle in. I'll meet you on the bridge.

Aye, sir.

ALL: Surprise!

( noisemakers popping )

I love surprise parties.

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.

( to the tune of "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow" )

♪ Cha Worf toh'gah-nah lo pre'tok ♪

♪ Cha Worf toh'gah-nah lo pre'tok ♪

♪ Cha Worf toh'gah-nah lo pre'tok ♪

♪ Tu mak dagh cha doh borak! ♪

( laughter )

( applause )

That was not a Klingon song.

It wasn't easy to translate.

There doesn't seem to be a Klingon word for "jolly."

It's traditional for the birthday boy to cut the cake.

Captain Picard sends his birthday wishes.

He was needed on the bridge.

Happy Birthday, Worf.

Thank you.

Ah...

A painting.

Yes, I have entered my expressionist phase.

This is my interpretation of the Battle of Haros.

The Battle of Haros.

I think it's wonderful, and I know just where to put it.

What are you doing?

I always thought this room could use a little more color.

Nice. The Battle of Haros, right?

Worf, are you all right?

Yes... yes, I think

Data's painting is making me dizzy.

DR. CRUSHER : Some cake?

Oh, thank you, Doctor.

I... I thought the cake was chocolate.

Don't I wish.

This is from Alexander.

He gave it to me just before he left to visit your parents.

Thank you.

What is it, Worf?

It's a cast of Alexander's forehead-- the ridges of a warrior.

TROI: He wished he could have been here when you got back from shore leave.

You should have seen him, Worf.

He stayed up all night talking about how proud he was of his father.

Thank you for watching him while I was away.

Oh, it was my pleasure.

PICARD: So, how old are you, Mr. Worf?

Captain... I was told you could not attend.

I wouldn't miss this for the world.

How old are you?

I am...

Old enough.

( laughing )

Report.

The array appears to be functioning normally, sir.

That can't be right.

We were told the array stopped relaying data six days ago.

The array is still transmitting data, sir, but it is no longer sending that information to the Federation.

It appears someone has redirected its imaging systems.

Where is the information being sent now?

Sector 19658, sir.

I am unable to access its main computer so it is impossible to determine its exact location.

What's in that sector?

It is uninhabited, but there could be a ship or a subspace relay station receiving the data.

Captain , I suggest we beam a repair team aboard the Array.

We can begin downloading their imaging logs, find out what the Array's been observing for the past six days.

Make it so.

Mr. Data...

( quiet conversation )

Excuse me, Counselor.

Do you have a moment?

Of course.

I have been meaning to speak with you about Alexander.

Oh? It has never been easy for me having Alexander on board.

I have tried to be a good father, to give him guidance, but he seems to have his own mind about some things.

Most children do.

I could not have come this far without your help, and Alexander looks up to you.

At times, I have felt that you were like a mother to him.

Worf, that's one of the nicest things anyone's ever said to me.

One time, when I thought I was going to die,

I asked you to watch over Alexander.

I was wondering if you would consider formalizing that arrangement.

I want you to be Alexander's soh-chlm.

His... soh-chlm?

You would become his surrogate mother.

In case anything ever happened to me, you would be responsible for him.

I don't know what to say.

It's a great honor.

So, um, that would make me your...

The closest analogy is... stepsister.

That would make my mother your stepmother.

I had not considered that.

It is a risk I am willing to take.

I accept.

DATA: Lieutenant Worf, please report to Engineering.

I am on my way.

We have analyzed the imaging logs.

It appears the Array was reprogrammed to observe several Federation sites.

This is Deep Space 5, Starbase 47, the Iadara colony, and the Utopia Planitia shipyards.

They're responsible for new starship development.

WORF: Someone is using the array for covert surveillance of the Federation.

That is our theory.

We believe unauthorized access was made six days ago.

The imaging logs from that day show a ship approaching the array.

That is a Cardassian ship, Galor-class.

We're only three light-years from Cardassian space.

They would have easy access to the array.

Mr. Worf, start a long-range scan of the region.

See if there are any Cardassian ships nearby.

Aye, sir.

Worf, here's a propulsion analysis of the Cardassian vessel.

You might try scanning for its energy configuration.

Lieutenant, are you all right?

I feel dizzy.

Worf, you don't look so good.

Maybe you ought to go to Sick Bay.

Yes... yes, perhaps I will.

Any nausea or blurred vision?

No.

However, I did experience some dizziness earlier today at my birthday celebration.

Sounds like you're having some of the side effects from the concussion.

I can give you some vertazine for the dizziness, but I'd like you to rest.

Doctor, perhaps you are thinking of another patient.

I have no concussion.

Worf, you came in here this morning complaining of ringing in your ears.

I scanned you. You had a concussion.

You don't remember any of this?

No.

Temporary memory loss is common for this kind of injury.

Do you remember telling me about the Bat'leth tournament?

You said that one of the competitors hit you over the head.

That's why you lost the match.

I won that tournament, and I can prove it to you!

What's wrong?

It says "ninth place."

This is not the same trophy.

Someone is playing a trick on me.

Worf, try to stay calm.

Memory loss can be very disorienting.

The log...

I recorded a personal log on my way back to the Enterprise.

Computer, access personal logs on shuttlecraft Curie.

Show my log entry for Stardate 47391.2.

Personal log, Stardate 47391.2.

I am returning from the Bat'leth competition on Forcas III.

The conditions were difficult.

Several contenders were maimed.

One of the contenders used an illegal t'gha maneuver on me.

The judges chose to ignore it and I was robbed of my rightful standing.

I was awarded ninth place.

I am looking forward to resuming my duties aboard the En...

( stops playback )

I do not understand.

Worf, I'm sure this is very disturbing for you but don't worry.

Your memories will return.

Now, the best thing you could do right now is to settle back into your normal routine, but slowly.

Thank you, Doctor.

Let me know if you have any more problems with dizziness.

I'll give you a hypospray.

Lieutenant...

Have you completed the metallurgical scan of the array?

Sir?

The metallurgical scan.

Have you completed it?

I do not remember you asking me to...

( beeping )

Captain, there's a Cardassian ship approaching--

Galor-class.

Open a channel.

On screen.

This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the Starship Enterprise.

You are in Federation territory.

Please explain your presence.

We were wondering the same thing about you, Captain.

Why would Starfleet's flagship want to venture so close to the Cardassian border?

We are repairing one of our subspace telescopes.

I see.

May we offer our assistance?

No, thank you.

Everything is under control.

If you don't mind my asking, what exactly is this telescope of yours designed to do?

PICARD: It is a long-range subspace array.

We use it for gathering data on astronomical phenomena.

I'm certain it would never be used to observe a neighboring species.

Certainly not.

Well, then, best of luck with your repairs.

Just try to make certain that your studies are limited to astronomical phenomena.

Charming fellow.

Captain, that ship was responsible for reprogramming the array.

What are you saying?

It is the same class and energy configuration as the ship we saw in the imaging logs.

The imaging logs?

Are you suggesting that you have evidence that the Cardassians have tampered with the array?

They are using the array as a surveillance device.

You saw the logs yourself.

I haven't heard anything about this.

Neither have I.

Commander Data, show them the logs you downloaded from the array.

I know of no such logs.

Mr. Worf, are you feeling all right?

Yes.

Mr. Data, perhaps you had better reexamine the array.

See if you can find any evidence to support Mr. Worf's claims.

WORF: Dr. Crusher says

I am experiencing further memory loss, but my instincts tell me it is more than that.

I remember those imaging logs.

I could tell you every detail, every word!

Worf, let's assume for a second you're right-- that things did happen as you remember them.

Are you saying that everyone's memory on this ship has been altered but yours?

( door chimes )

Enter.

Counselor.

Worf, I wanted you to know that we reexamined the imaging logs.

They don't show a Cardassian ship or any evidence that the array was reprogrammed.

From what we can tell, the array suffered a simple mechanical failure.

That is not right!

I was certain that...

What's wrong?

Counselor, the painting that Commander Data gave me... it has moved.

Worf, I hung that painting there... at your birthday party, remember?

No...

The painting has changed.

Don't you see it?

Your hair, and your clothing... they have changed as well!

Worf, maybe you should come with me to Sick Bay and...

Now, Mr. Worf.

( alarm blaring )

Now!

What are you waiting for? Raise the shields!

This panel configuration has been altered.

I do not know how...

( crash )

Direct hit, Engineering Section and Deck 42.

Shield generators are overloading.

Number One.

Firing photon torpedoes.

Full spread.

Direct hit on their main reactor.

They're returning fire.

( crash )

Captain, we have sustained heavy damage to the deflector systems.

Hull breaches on decks 17 and 36.

Ensign, take us out of here. Maximum warp.

ENSIGN: Aye, sir.

Are they pursuing us?

No, sir.

They are firing on the Argus Array.

They destroyed it, sir.

Bridge to engineering.

Mr. La Forge, what's your status?

HAYES: This is Ensign Hayes, sir.

Commander La Forge has been taken to Sick Bay with plasma burns.

There's serious damage to the secondary plasma conduit, but I think we've got it under control.

Acknowledged.

Ensign, lay in a course to Starbase 129.

Aye, sir.

What happened back there, Mr. Worf?

I believe I experienced another memory loss.

RIKER: Memory loss?

What are you talking about?

I do not feel well.

Request permission to be temporarily relieved of duty, sir.

Granted.

Computer, access personal logs on shuttlecraft Curie.

Play log entry for Stardate 47391.2.

COMPUTER: There is no log entry from the shuttlecraft Curie for that Stardate.

Computer, display any log entries concerning the Bat'leth tournament on Forcas III.

Personal log, Stardate 47391.2.

There has been a malfunction in the ship's main deflector.

It will require two more days of repairs.

As a result, I will not be able to compete in the Bat'leth tournament on Forcas III.

I have asked my brother to take my place.

He does not have my prowess with the blade, but...

( stops playback )

( door chimes )

Why did you lock the door?

Why shouldn't I?

I heard what happened on the Bridge.

Are you all right?

I am not sure.

Do you want to talk about it?

I would rather not, Counselor.

Very well... Lieutenant.

Hot chocolate.

Is there something I can do for you?

Actually, there is.

Come and sit down.

I just want you to relax for a minute.

( sighs )

There.

You are so tense.

Now, I know you don't want to talk about what happened on the bridge, but there are times when it's just best to let things out.

Come on.

If you can't talk to me, who can you talk to, hmm?

Agh!

I do not believe this is appropriate behavior.

Even for your wife?

Wife?!

Worf, what's wrong?

I do not know.

Things are changing.

What's changed?

I do not remember us-- you and I-- being mates.

It is as if events and circumstances continue to change from moment to moment, but I am the only one who seems to be aware of it.

Are you saying you don't remember the last three years?

You don't remember us falling in love and getting married?

I do remember the last three years, but they were different.

We did not have this relationship.

We were friends.

And the Enterprise did not have a battle with the Cardassians.

And no one believes me.

( sighs )

Whatever's wrong... whatever happened...

I want you to know that I believe you and that I love you.

And together, we'll find out what's happening.

I am initiating a subspace scan to search for temporal anomalies both on and off the ship.

OGAWA: Counselor Troi, please report to Sick Bay.

I'm on my way.

Let me know if you find anything.

Commander, how long have I been married to Counselor Troi?

Two years, one month, and 12 days.

And when did this relationship begin?

It is my understanding your romantic affiliation began shortly after you recovered from your spinal injury on Stardate 45587.

It was six months later that you asked commander Riker for his formal permission to court Counselor Troi.

You felt to do otherwise would be dishonorable.

And then we mated?

I am not privy to the exact details of when, where or how your first coupling took place.

I could investigate it.

No, that is all right.

I am detecting no temporal anomalies in this system.

Perhaps we should attempt to pinpoint the exact moment when events became discontinuous.

Do you remember the first change?

I was in Sick Bay.

Dr. Crusher told me I had a concussion, but I do not remember that happening.

Think back-- are you certain that was the very first change?

Before...

Yes. Yes, I was in Engineering.

I felt a wave of dizziness, and when I looked up, you and Commander La Forge were on the opposite side of the room and Captain Picard was gone.

I thought I had blacked out for a moment and had not observed your movements.

And at my birthday party, the cake was chocolate and then it was yellow.

And Commander Riker told me

Captain Picard was not going to attend, and then suddenly he was there.

Hmm... we should try to find the commonalities in these events.

Who were the people you were with?

Everyone was at my birthday party.

Then I was with Counselor Troi then Commander La Forge came in...

Geordi...

Geordi was present at all three locations and he was near me in each case just before I noticed the differences.

There has to be a connection.

It is possible.

We should speak to Commander La Forge.

Doctor, is Geordi well enough to answer a few questions?

Geordi's dead.

There do not appear to be any unusual readings.

Energy residuals from the plasma burns, the beginnings of cellular decomposition...

I see nothing that connects these bio-readings to your recent sense of discontinuity.

What about his visor?

I still see nothing unusual.

Perhaps we should activate it.

Hook it up to the diagnostic array and I'll check it out.

The visor is active.

Worf, are you all right?

Have you noticed another discontinuity?

Dr. Crusher was not here.

Dr. Ogawa was.

Doctor Ogawa?

And my uniform has changed.

What is my rank and position?

TROI: You're a commander and first officer.

Are... we still married?

Yes.

DATA: I am detecting a quantum flux in your cellular RNA.

What does that mean?

I do not know.

I will have to analyze these readings.

I have found that the quantum flux in Worf's cellular RNA extends to the subatomic level.

It is asynchronous with normal matter.

In essence, Captain,

Mr. Worf does not belong in our universe.

What?

All matter in the universe resonates on a quantum level with a unique signature.

That signature is constant.

It cannot be changed through any known process.

It is the basic foundation of existence.

Are you saying that Worf's quantum signature is different from ours?

Yes, sir. I cannot explain it.

It is as if he originates from a different quantum universe.

Mr. Worf, you say the discontinuities started to occur after you returned from a Bat'leth tournament on Forcas III.

Yes, sir.

Now, I know for a fact that you never attended that tournament, and that no shuttlecraft has left the Enterprise for over a month.

I understand that, but I also clearly remember attending the tournament and returning to the ship in a shuttlecraft.

Do you remember the route you took to return?

Yes.

Let's backtrack that course.

See if there are any unusual readings or anomalies.

DATA: Aye, sir.

If I may inquire, sir how long have you been Captain of the Enterprise?

Four years.

Ever since Captain Picard was killed in the incident with the Borg.

You don't remember any of this, do you?

I do remember.

I just remember it differently.

Captain,

I'm picking up a minor subspace disturbance off the port bow.

Full stop. MAN: Aye, sir.

Analysis, Mr. Data.

It appears to be a quantum fissure in the space-time continuum.

On screen.

DATA: The anomaly cannot be seen, but I believe I can enhance it with a warp field to make it visible.

RIKER: Is it dangerous?

DATA: Not from this distance, sir.

I am also detecting an ion trail intersecting the phenomenon.

I believe it was left by a Starfleet type-6 shuttlecraft.

So I was here.

I have an explanation, sir.

I believe the quantum fissure we discovered is a fixed point across the space-time continuum-- a keyhole which intersects many other quantum realities.

What do you mean, "quantum realities"?

For any event, there is an infinite number of possible outcomes.

Our choices determine which outcomes will follow, but there is a theory in quantum physics that all possibilities that can happen, do happen in alternate quantum realities.

And somehow I have been shifting from one reality to another.

That is correct.

How did this happen?

When Worf's shuttlecraft came into contact with the quantum fissure,

I believe its warp engines caused a small break in the barriers between quantum realities.

Worf was thrown into a state of quantum flux.

He immediately shifted into other realities.

And Geordi's visor somehow triggered that effect.

Exactly.

The visor uses a subspace field pulse.

I believe that whenever Geordi came near Worf the field pulse intensified the quantum flux and pushed Worf into another reality.

Well, how can we find my original quantum state and return me too it?

WES: We could scan the quantum fissure using a subspace differential pulse.

Maybe we could find the quantum state that shares Worf's signature and find a way to get him back.

An excellent idea, Lieutenant.

Worf... from what I understand, there's a good chance my Worf won't return.

I guess it's just hard for me to accept that there's a reality out there where you never loved me.

Deanna, I have always considered you a close friend.

And although I have never seriously considered a romantic relationship,

I would not be opposed to the possibility.

What about our children?

Children?

You didn't know?

When the last shift occurred in Sick Bay, we did not have any children.

We have a little girl, Shannara.

She's two years old.

And a three-year-old boy,

Eric-Christopher.

What about Alexander?

Alexander?

He was my son in another reality.

I've used a differential pulse to analyze over 10 million quantum states within the fissure, but I still haven't found one with your signature.

This may take some time, sir.

Captain, a Bajoran ship is approaching.

RIKER: Red alert.

The Bajorans?

Ever since the Bajorans overpowered the Cardassian empire, they've become more and more aggressive.

Yesterday, they destroyed one of our subspace telescopes because they thought we were using it to spy against them.

They're charging their weapons, sir.

Shields!

( blast, crash )

Return fire.

They've damaged our power systems, sir.

It's caused an energy surge within the subspace pulse.

The quantum fissure is beginning to destabilize.

Can we disengage the pulse?

( blast, crash )

WES: Too late, sir.

What the hell is happening?

The barriers between quantum realities are breaking down.

Other realities are emerging into our own.

The Bajoran ship is disengaging, sir.

The rate of quantum incursions is increasing exponentially.

At this rate, the sector will be completely filled with Enterprises within three days.

Captain, we're receiving 285,000 hails.

I wish I knew what to tell them.

Mr. Data, can we stop these incursions?

Perhaps. If we can find the ship that matches Commander Worf's quantum signature.

How would that help?

It was Worf's shuttlecraft which traversed the fissure and weakened the barriers between quantum realities.

If he reenters the fissure in his original shuttle and emits a broad-spectrum warp field, it may be enough to seal the fissure and stop additional realities from entering our own.

What then?

How do we get the Enterprises that are already here back to where they belong?

In theory, the act of sealing the fissure should restore the barriers between quantum states.

The ships would return to their own realities.

Lieutenant Crusher, send a general hail-- all ships.

CRUSHER: Aye, sir.

This is Captain Riker of the Enterprise.

That is, the Enterprise, that is indigenous to this universe.

We've all encountered a quantum anomaly.

We think we have found a way to return us all to our proper realities, but we need to find that ship which exhibits a certain quantum signature.

Our Mr. Data will transmit that signature to you now.

( multiple communication beeps )

Anything?

There's too much com traffic, sir.

It's tough to isolate who's talking to who.

Wait a minute.

Here it is.

Someone's responding.

On screen.

Captain, it would appear that we have found the quantum signature you were looking for.

RIKER: Data believes that by sending Worf back through the fissure again, it would return us all to our proper realities.

Our Data has said the same thing.

We need you to send us your shuttlecraft Curie.

We're launching it now.

Thank you.

It's good to see you again, Captain.

It's been a long time.

RIKER: Did they send the right shuttle?

Yes, sir. It matches Commander Worf's quantum signature precisely.

I have remodulated the shuttle's engines to emit an inverse warp field.

You will need to activate that field at the precise moment you enter the fissure.

Assuming it works, will I find myself near my own ship?

That is one possibility.

However, the uncertainty principle dictates that time is a variable in this equation.

You may end up several days before the event or several days after.

There is no way to tell.

I understand.

Good luck.

Setting course for the fissure.

RIKER: Acknowledged.

( crash )

Captain, the shuttlecraft is under attack.

The Bajorans again.

No, sir. It's one of the Enterprises.

They're hailing us.

On screen.

We won't go back.

You don't know what it's like in our universe.

The Federation's gone!

The Borg is everywhere!

We're one of the last ships left.

Please, you've got to help us!

I'm sorry, there's no choice.

If this works, everything will return...

No! We won't go back!

Sir, they're firing on the shuttlecraft.

Open fire. Try to disable them.

Direct hit.

Their shields have collapsed.

Their engine core's overloading.

What happened?

It looks like the ship had already taken heavy damage.

Their warp containment field must have been weak.

Probably from fighting with the Borg.

Captain, Worf is entering the fissure.

Charging primary systems.

Initiating inverse warp field.

Worf to Enterprise.

PICARD: Enterprise here.

Captain, is everything all right?

Yes, Lieutenant. Is there a problem?

No, I do not believe so, but I will explain when I arrive.

How was the Bat'leth tournament?

It was fine, sir.

I won champion standing.

So, you think this quantum fissure is nothing that we need to worry about?

No, no, I believe the inverse warp field resealed it.

I'm looking forward to reading your report.

Something wrong?

I know what you are planning, sir.

I will not be surprised.

Surprised? I don't know what you're talking about.

Of course you don't.

Welcome home, Worf. Uhh!

I hope you don't mind I let myself in.

I promised Alexander

I'd feed his Dalvan hissing beetle while you were both away.

So, you do not live here?

What's that supposed to mean?

It is a long story.

Happy birthday, Worf.

Will wanted to give you a surprise party, but I knew you'd hate it, so I talked him out of it.

Thank you.

I know Klingons like to be alone on their birthdays.

You probably want to meditate or hit yourself with a painstik or something.

Deanna...

You do not have to leave.

Oh?

I... have not had dinner.

Would you care to... join me?

I'd love to.

Champagne.