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Sub Rosa

CRUSHER: Most of the people on this colony will remember my grandmother as a healer but her abilities went beyond that.

She didn't just relieve pain and fight illness.

She knew that well-being is more than just a healthy body.

Her remedies often included words of advice as well as medicinal teas and often they were just as bitter-tasting.

I will miss Felisa Howard very much-- her healing, her advice and most of all the inspiration she has provided me throughout the years.

Rest in peace, Nana.

( murmurs of "Amen" )

And so now we commit her body to the ground-- earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust-- in sure and certain hope that her memory will be kept alive within us all.

MAN: Amen.

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.

That was beautiful.

Oh, thank you.

Deanna, did you notice a strange man at the service?

He was in his mid-30s, with longish hair.

No.

He threw a flower on Nana's grave-- a camellia.

It was her favorite flower.

She used to keep them all over the house.

Maybe he was a friend or one of her patients.

It was a very personal gesture and he gave me a remarkable look.

Well... I guess I should be going back to the house.

There are some things I need to do.

It's only a few minutes from here.

Would you mind coming along?

I'd love to.

Thanks.

How long do you plan on staying?

A few more hours. Why?

Well, as you know, Caldos is one of the first terraforming projects of the Federation.

Our weather controls and fusion systems are nearly a century old.

I wouldn't mind having a starship engineer take a look at them.

Perhaps give us a few upgrades.

Maybe in exchange for a tour of the colony and a home-cooked meal?

Well, we are due at Starbase 621 tomorrow morning but we could delay for a few days.

Yes, I'm sure we could find the time.

Excellent.

I would enjoy that tour.

Caldos colony is a most impressive accomplishment.

I actually feel as if I'm in the Scottish Highlands.

Well, that was the intent.

The cornerstone of every building in town was brought from Edinburgh

Glasgow, Aberdeen.

The founders wanted everyone to feel that they had a piece of the real thing here.

They didn't want to just imitate Scotland-- they wanted to re-create it.

Tell me, Governor, I'm curious.

You're obviously not Scot yourself.

What was it that drew you here?

Oh, something about the culture, the heritage.

When I was a boy my family visited Glamis Castle in Scotland and as I looked out across the Highlands

I felt as if I had come home.

Your grandmother had remarkable green eyes.

Every Howard woman has had green eyes except for my mother and me.

How well do you remember your mother?

Very well.

I loved her very much.

I can remember... her face smiling down at me and I can remember the sound of her voice and her scent but, mostly, I remember Nana who raised me after my mother died.

That's beautiful.

It's a family heirloom.

It's been in the Howard clan for generations.

It's supposed to symbolize the enduring Howard spirit.

"Wherever they may go- the shining light to guide them through their fortune."

Nana always kept it lit.

I remember sitting here, listening to ghost stories with only the candle burning.

You should take it with you.

I think I will.

I'm going to head back to the ship.

You don't have to leave.

I just thought you'd like some time alone.

I'll see you later.

Thanks.

( heavy sigh )

Who's there?

What the hell are you doing?

Get out of my house.

I wouldn't be so high and mighty with me

Beverly Howard Crusher.

I spent more time here in the past five years than you have in the past 20.

How do you know who I am?

I'm Ned Quint.

I took care of your grandmother's house and her affairs.

Nana never mentioned you.

Oh, there's lots of things she didn't talk about.

Let me get rid of that candle.

Why?

That candle has brought nothing but misery and bad luck to your grandmother.

Look, Mr. Quint, I don't know what your relationship was with my grandmother but this is my house now and these are my things.

That candle has been a curse on your family for generations.

Now, if you have a lick of sense you'll listen to me right now do away with it.

Now give it to me.

This is a family heirloom and I intend to keep it!

Now would you please get out of my house.

Now!

Howard women-- always the same stubborn fools.

I wash my hands of it now.

You stay on in this house and you keep that damned candle.

I'll not be responsible for what happens.

Get out!

The colony's aqueduct system is functioning normally as are the communication relays.

We've been having a few tremors the last couple of months.

Could you check the seismic stabilizers?

Certainly.

You can't imagine what it's like trying to enjoy afternoon tea while the earth is shaking.

Governor, did you know you had a power fluctuation in your weather control system?

No, our weather control's been working perfectly for the last 22 years.

I can't isolate the exact source but the fluctuation seems to be originating from one of the substations that regulates atmospheric humidity for the colony.

Is this going to be a problem?

No, not yet, but power distribution patterns are already off by five percent.

I suggest we analyze the planet's weather patterns to see if they have been affected.

I am reading unusually high humidity across the entire southern desert region and there is increasing cloud activity above the northern coastal area-- possibly the formation of a storm system.

A storm? It's the middle of summer.

We don't have rain at this time of year.

Data, let's see if we can correct this.

I'll check out the colony's climatic flow array.

I will run a diagnostic on the thermal regulators.

Don't worry, Governor.

We'll keep you dry.

I certainly hope so.

There's a caber toss scheduled for tomorrow afternoon.

I'd hate to see it spoiled by an unexpected downpour.

You wouldn't believe what I've been reading about in my grandmother's journals.

You know she had a lover.

Do you believe that?

Nana was 100 years old.

Mmm. It would seem that the Howard women have exceptionally vigorous libidos.

I certainly hope so.

After all, I hope I can find a handsome young man in his 30s when I've passed the century mark.

Thirties?

Yes. According to these journals his name is Ronin and he's 34 years old.

They met just after my great-grandmother's death and I think I saw him at the funeral.

A handsome young man tossed a camellia onto her grave but the strange thing is she never mentioned him in her letters, never once and yet it appears they spent almost all their time together.

It's as if she led an entire life that I knew nothing about.

Well, it looks as if we're going to be on Caldos for a few days more.

This will be a good opportunity for you to get your grandmother's affairs in order.

Thank you.

Thirties?

MAN: Beverly...

( gasping )

You dreamt you were in bed with someone?

Not exactly.

I was in bed but there wasn't another person in my dream.

It was more like a presence.

You said you felt a touch.

A pair of hands.

They were moving across my skin.

Like a caress?

Yes, and there was a voice, a man.

He whispered my name.

It was as if I knew him or more like he knew me.

He knew exactly how I liked to be touched.

It was the most physical dream

I've ever had.

The sensations were very real and extremely arousing.

Frankly, I'm envious.

I did fall asleep reading a particularly erotic chapter in my grandmother's journal.

She wrote very detailed descriptions of her experiences with Ronin.

Well, that's bound to cause a dream or two.

So, shall we start going over the personnel reports?

You know, I think he had a ring on one of his hands when he touched my shoulder, my neck.

I wonder if I'll have another dream tonight.

I'd read two chapters.

You probably want to be alone.

I'll leave.

No, Ned. It's okay.

Look, I'm sorry we got off to a bad start yesterday.

I've been reading my grandmother's journals and I know how much you meant to her.

Aye. She was a grand lady.

You'll not see many more like her.

You have your grandmother's fire that's for sure.

Ned, you're welcome to stay at the house after I've gone.

I need someone to take care of the place.

That's very kind of you, lass but I'll ne'er set foot in that house again and I recommend that you do not either.

Why?

Like I tried to tell your grandmother the house is haunted.

Haunted?

You believe what you want, lass.

Just do not light that candle.

Why not?

It'll bring the ghost. It's his home.

Oh, he's out now, wandering across the land angry, angry at being driven out.

That's why he's bringing the storms.

Ned, the weather system's control is malfunctioning.

The Enterprise is trying to repair it.

Oh, sure, but who do you think is causing the malfunction?

I think your imagination is...

Think what you want, see what you want.

Just do as I say.

Do not light that candle and do not go to that house or before you know it

I'll be burying another Howard in this cemetery.

( thunder crashing )

Captain, I am detecting atmospheric turbulence over the colony and large pockets of electrical activity.

On screen.

WORF: It is growing in intensity, sir.

That's one hell of a thunderstorm.

Bridge to Engineering.

Mr. Data, we're reading an extremely large storm system over the Caldos colony.

I thought that the weather control malfunction was not severe.

It began as a minor power fluctuation, sir but the effect has spread throughout the control grid.

It has caused an unusual concentration of cumulonimbus activity above the colony.

Captain, I suggest we set up a power transfer between the Enterprise and the weather substations-- try to give them enough power to stabilize the storm.

PICARD: Make it so.

( gasps )

( gasps )

( creaking )

Who's there?!

Ned?!

Is that you?

Hello!

( loud thump )

I know somebody's here, so I suggest you...

( rattling )

( gasping )

( mirror shatters )

All right, now, that's it.

If you don't show yourself right now

I am calling the Enterprise and there will be ten security guards here within 30 seconds.

MAN ( whispering): Beverly.

Beverly, I've come back for you.

Who are you?

Don't you remember?

I came to you last night while you were asleep.

No, that was a dream.

I'm calling the Enterprise.

Now do you remember me?

Yes.

What's... what's happening to me?

Right now, I feel so strange.

I love you, Beverly

just as I loved Felisa before you.

Are you Ronin?

Yes.

You saw me at the funeral.

Who are you?!

I am a spirit.

I don't believe in...

Ghosts?

Nor did I in the beginning.

I was born in 1647 in Glasgow on Earth.

You're telling me that you're an 800-year-old ghost?

I found a home with Jessel Howard.

She was a pretty lass with a mane of red hair

and eyes like diamonds.

Oh, I loved her very much.

When she died

I stayed with her daughter and her daughter

and on down through the years, generation after generation.

And now you're here on Caldos, 200 light-years away?

When your family moved out into the galaxy

I moved with them.

I don't believe you.

I believe you are the most beautiful women

I have ever known.

Oh, what's... what's happening to me?

We're becoming one, Beverly.

We're going to be together.

I don't understand.

Stop it!

( door chimes )

CRUSHER: Come in.

Hi, Bev. I just wanted too see if you were going to Mok'bara class this morning.

No, I think I'm going to skip it today.

I'm exhausted.

Did you have another dream last night?

Not exactly.

Is anything wrong?

Not at all.

Beverly, if I didn't know any better

I'd say you were seeing someone.

Deanna...

Now I know you're seeing someone.

I'm not seeing anybody.

I met someone, that's all.

Well, you obviously have romantic feelings for him.

Beverly, when are you going to realize that you can't fool me?

Who is it?

All right.

I met Ronin.

Ronin?

Your grandmother's lover?

He's unlike anyone I've ever met before.

I know this sounds crazy, but...

I have never known anyone who is so...

Passionate.

Exactly.

I can see why Nana fell in love with him.

This sounds very strange, doesn't it?

I admit it's... unusual.

I'm very happy for you.

But I want you to consider something.

You and Ronin have both suffered a tremendous loss.

Very often shared traumatic experience can create the illusion of closeness... and romance.

Well, thank you for your concern but I think I know what I'm doing.

Besides, I didn't say I was in love with him.

I'm just intrigued.

You know, Captain, I moved to this colony because it was a re-creation of Scotland but I must admit it's getting to be a little too realistic.

( sneezing )

What the hell is going on?

There appears to be a condensed suspension of water vapor approximately one degree Celsius.

Fog.

It just sort of rolled in on us, sir.

There has been a malfunction in the ship's environmental control.

We've traced the problem to the power transfer beam.

There's some sort of feedback coming from one of the colony's weather substations.

Another power fluctuation?

WORF: Captain the temperature in Ten-Forward has dropped below freezing and deck 13 has lost gravity.

Mr. Data, disengage the power transfer.

I am unable to terminate the connection, sir.

A feedback loop has formed in the transfer beam.

I will have to go to the substation and attempt to correct the problem from there.

Make it so.

In the meantime

I think I'll go get my jacket.

DATA: I have analyzed the control module in the primary weather control grid.

It appears the station is experiencing a system-wide power failure.

This is impossible.

The backup system should have...

( loud beeping )

DATA: Excuse me, sir.

You are dismantling the primary power conduit.

I must ask you to stop.

No!

Get away from me!

You don't understand!

He's trying to kill us all!

( moans )

He is dead.

From what I can tell he was trying to shut down the entire weather control system.

He was pulling out the primary plasma conduit.

It's probably what caused the plasma discharge that killed him.

I knew Ned Quint.

He was an honest man.

He kept mostly to himself.

I don't know why he'd try something like that.

Well, it's going to take us some time to get the system back on line.

I'd say we need another day at least.

In the meantime, Governor you should expect the weather problems to continue.

CRUSHER: I think you better take a look at this.

Data, you said there was a plasma discharge from the console when Quint was killed.

That is correct.

Well, that wasn't what killed him.

I'm detecting an anomalous energy residual throughout his body right down to the cellular level.

Whatever it is it wasn't the result of a plasma discharge.

Anything?

I cannot identify the energy residual.

However, it appears to have the same anaphasic signature as the power fluctuations we observed from the weather control system.

It's possible that whatever caused the weather malfunctions also killed Quint.

It is possible.

We should scan the colony for any energy readings that match this anaphasic signature.

Governor, with your permission

I'd like to take the body back to the ship to run further tests.

Of course, Doctor.

Ensign, ask Dr. Selar to run a biospectral analysis.

Yes, Doctor.

You're not going to run the tests yourself?

No, I have some things I need to attend to.

Ronin, I've got to talk to you.

Are you here?

I'm here.

Beverly, did you miss me?

Yes.

But I must talk to you.

There's been an accident.

I know.

Quint is dead.

Well, why did it happen?

What was he doing?

Beverly, there's something more important

we should talk about.

Ronin, I've got to know.

Quint's dead.

Ronin.

Yes.

I need you to help me.

Help you?

It's not easy for me to take corporeal form.

I can't do it for long.

I want you to light the candle.

Quint said you lived in the candle.

Is that true?

Yes, if I'm away from it for too long

I begin to weaken.

That's why the women in your family have always kept the candle lit.

The candle's on the ship.

I'll go get it.

No.

I must go with you.

How?

The power transfer beam-- I can travel along it.

Then when the candle's lit, then what happens?

Then we'll be together... always.

Computer, secure door.

I lit the candle.

Where are you?

Shh, shh. It's all right.

We're together.

We're going to be one.

I'm going to become part of you, Beverly.

Would you like that?

Oh, yes, more than anything.

As it was with your grandmother and your great-grandmother and all of the Howard women before them.

I'll take care of you and you will feel love as you've never felt it before.

Beverly, what the hell is this?

I thought it was pretty self-explanatory.

I'm leaving Starfleet.

Energize.

Belay that order.

Aye, sir.

Beverly, you can't just resign.

I can, and I have.

I've decided to stay on Caldos and become a healer like my grandmother.

It's a proud Howard tradition and I've decided to uphold it. Energize.

I've resigned my commission so, unless you plan on kidnapping me...

Beverly was attracted to Ronin in a very intense and... intimate way.

I warned her that it was all very sudden but she didn't want to talk about it so I let her alone.

I sensed that she was holding something back.

That she wasn't telling me the whole truth.

Do you think this Ronin could be exerting some sort of influence over her?

That it's because of him that she's staying?

It's possible but she may really believe she's in love with him.

This is a rash decision.

Ill-considered.

It's not like Beverly at all.

I agree but she does have the right to make that choice even if we don't feel it's a good one.

( door chimes )

Come.

Captain, Geordi and I have detected an energy residual with the same anaphasic signature as the one we found on Ned Quint's body.

Where?

Approximately 17 kilometers from the center of the colony, sir.

It is coming from the cemetery.

Data, I want you to go down to the cemetery.

See if you can pinpoint the source.

Aye, sir.

In the meantime

I would like to meet with this Ronin.

( tricorders beeping )

LA FORGE: The energy readings are coming from this direction but I can't get an exact location.

I'll try narrowing the scan field.

DATA: The energy readings appear to be originating approximately two meters below the surface.

I believe they are concentrated within this burial site.

I'm so glad you're here.

I can't imagine what life was like before I met you.

And it will only get better.

Oh, Ronin.

I had no idea I could feel this way.

( whispering ): We're nearly merged now

as two candles join to form a single light

so we will flourish as one.

( knocking )

I love you, Beverly.

( knocking )

I love you.

Beverly?

Jean-Luc.

I'm sorry I startled you.

I knocked, but there was no answer.

The door was open.

I hope you don't mind.

What do you want?

Well, I'd hoped to meet your new friend Ronin.

He's not here.

Well, perhaps I could wait if you don't mind.

I'm really anxious to meet this remarkable young man who has swept away not just one, but two of the Howard women.

Jealousy doesn't suit you, Jean-Luc.

Have you... have you changed the color of your eyes?

I... I just grew tired of the other color.

Don't you think it suits me?

I think that I preferred your eyes the way they were before.

I think I preferred you the way you were before, Beverly.

Well, this is the way I am now and this is my life.

I've made my decision and I'm not going to change my mind so please leave me alone.

Oh, no, there's something's wrong here.

Now, Beverly, this is more than just an obsessive love affair that has got out of hand.

Tell me, why is it that no one has seen this Ronin except you?

RONIN: All right, Captain.

Here I am.

I believe Beverly asked you to leave her alone.

So, you're Ronin.

It's a pleasure to meet you.

Where are you from?

Earth. Scotland.

How long have you been on Caldos?

All that matters is that I'm here now and that Beverly and I plan to be together for the rest of our lives.

Data to Picard.

Go ahead, Data.

Captain, we have located the source of the energy residual.

It appears to be concentrated within Felisa Howard's coffin.

LA FORGE: Captain, we'd like permission to exhume the body.

You can't do that.

Leave her alone.

Why not?

What are you afraid of?

I'm not afraid of anything but I cannot allow you to desecrate her grave.

Data, ask Governor Maturin's permission to exhume the body.

Picard out.

I won't stand for this.

I'll go to the Governor myself.

Go on.

I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't know who you are.

He'll probably have the same questions that I do.

How did you get here?

What ship did you come on?

Jean-Luc, leave him alone.

Why don't you answer my questions? What ship?

I'd like to take a look at the passenger list.

Where have you been living here?

What's your position?

Who are your neighbors?

Come on, Beverly. We've got to get out of here.

Jean-Luc!

RONIN: Beverly, we must stop the others.

They cannot exhume the body.

We can't just leave him.

He might die.

You must come.

I am your love.

I am the one who will take care of you.

I can't just let him die.

Beverly, come with me!

No.

No!

I'm sorry.

I'm going to stop them.

Come on, come on.

I'm all right.

Beverly, go after him.

Go to the cemetery.

La Forge to Enterprise. We're ready down here.

Aye, sir.

I am reading definite signs of anaphasic energy in her body.

It appears to extend to the cellular level.

That's impossible.

She was nowhere near the weather station when Quint was killed.

She died of natural causes.

I suggest we run a deep tissue scan to look for any signs of...

( groaning )

CRUSHER: No!

Ronin, stop this.

Stop this, please.

Beverly, it's all right.

Have trust in me.

You're not Nana.

Nana's dead.

Leave her alone!

Beverly!

Forgive me.

These men were trying to stop us from being together.

Once they're gone everything will be right.

No, it won't.

You've been infusing me with the same sort of anaphasic energy that killed Quint.

He was trying to destroy me.

I had to defend myself.

Oh, my love.

I would never harm you.

I am here to protect you.

No, you're not.

There's no such thing as a ghost.

You are some sort of anaphasic life-form.

Anaphasic energy is extremely unstable.

It needs an organic host in order to maintain molecular cohesion or else you'll die, isn't that right?

Beverly.

I also scanned the candle.

The flame is plasma-based.

You were using it as a receptacle for yourself in order to get to me.

In order to merge with me!

You have been using me, Nana, my entire family for centuries!

And I loved all of them!

And they loved me.

Give me the candle, Beverly.

No, no.

Put it down... or I will kill him.

Set it down and walk away.

No!

Crusher to Riker.

Will, close off all the plasma conduits in the weather control systems.

I'll explain later.

RIKER: Understood.

You've nowhere left to go.

Yes... I do.

Keep away from me.

( groaning )

Beverly.

I love you.

Bever...

( sobbing )

Captain's Log, supplemental.

Commander La Forge and Mr. Data have recovered

from their exposure to the anaphasic energy

but I'm afraid Dr. Crusher's recovery

will be of a more personal nature.

Somehow, he realized that one of my ancestors had a biochemistry that was compatible with his energy matrix.

I imagine that he took on human form and seduced her like he did me.

I was about to be initiated into a very unusual relationship.

You might call it a family tradition.

But there's a part of me that's a little sad.

How so?

I re-read the entries in my grandmother's journals.

Whatever else he might have done he made her very happy.